Autophagy adaptors mediate Parkin-dependent mitophagy by forming sheet-like liquid condensates.

During PINK1- and Parkin-mediated mitophagy, autophagy adaptors are recruited to damaged mitochondria to promote their selective degradation. Autophagy adaptors such as optineurin (OPTN) and NDP52 facilitate mitophagy by recruiting the autophagy-initiation machinery, and assisting engulfment of damaged mitochondria through binding to ubiquitinated mitochondrial proteins and autophagosomal ATG8 family proteins. Here, we demonstrate that OPTN and NDP52 form sheet-like phase-separated condensates with liquid-like properties on the surface of ubiquitinated mitochondria.

Fission-independent compartmentalization of mitochondria during budding yeast cell division.

Lateral diffusion barriers compartmentalize membranes to generate polarity or asymmetrically partition membrane-associated macromolecules. Budding yeasts assemble such barriers in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the outer nuclear envelope at the bud neck to retain aging factors in the mother cell and generate naïve and rejuvenated daughter cells. However, little is known about whether other organelles are similarly compartmentalized.

Association between oral health and locomotive syndrome: a cross-sectional study in Japanese adults.

Background: Many studies have examined the association between oral health, care needs, and physical function, but few have focused on the association between oral health and locomotive syndrome (LS). We examined the association between LS and oral-health status, such as the number of teeth and chewing function, in an adult population.

Methods: The study included 2888 participants who underwent examinations of motor function and oral health.

Periodontitis and the incidence of metabolic syndrome: An 8-year longitudinal study of an adult Japanese cohort.

Aim: To examine the effect of periodontitis on the development of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and MetS components.

Materials And Methods: This study included 4761 participants aged 30-74 years who underwent health examinations at both baseline and 8-year follow-up. The Japanese MetS criteria were used for diagnosis.

Periodontitis and the incidence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A longitudinal study of an adult Japanese cohort.

Aim: To examine the relationship between periodontitis as an independent effect of smoking and the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Japanese people based on longitudinal data.

Materials And Methods: We targeted 4745 people who underwent pulmonary function tests and dental check-ups at baseline and 8 years later. The Community Periodontal Index was used to assess periodontal status.

Association of self-rated chewing function and oral health status with metabolic syndrome.

Purpose: The study aimed to examine the association of self-rated chewing function, the number of teeth and periodontal status with metabolic syndrome.

Methods: The participants were 11,119 adults aged 40-74 years who underwent specific health checkups, including an oral health examination, in 2018 in Japan. This study used the standard questions of the specific health checkups to obtain information on self-rated chewing function.

Monitoring and Measuring Autophagy.

Autophagy is a cytoplasmic degradation system, which is important for starvation adaptation and cellular quality control. Recent advances in understanding autophagy highlight its importance under physiological and pathological conditions. However, methods for monitoring autophagic activity are complicated and the results are sometimes misinterpreted.

Transgenic rescue of Atg5-null mice from neonatal lethality with neuron-specific expression of ATG5: Systemic analysis of adult Atg5-deficient mice.

Atg5-null mice are neonatal lethal. We have revealed in our recent paper that these mice die due to neuronal dysfunction resulting in suckling failure. Our new mouse model, atg5;Eno2/Nse-Atg5 mice, where Atg5 is deficient in the whole body except for neurons, enables us to analyze the consequences of macroautophagy/autophagy-deficiency in the whole body of adult mice.

Is there an occupational status gradient in the development of periodontal disease in Japanese workers? A 5-year prospective cohort study.

Background: Development of periodontal disease (PD) may be affected by socioeconomic status. This study examined the relationship between occupational status and PD in a 5-year prospective cohort of Japanese workers.

Methods: In total, 19,633 participants had initial examinations at the Aichi Health Promotion Foundation, of whom 8210 participants aged 20 years or older did not have PD.

Systemic Analysis of Atg5-Null Mice Rescued from Neonatal Lethality by Transgenic ATG5 Expression in Neurons.

Autophagy is a cytoplasmic degradation system that is important for starvation adaptation and cellular quality control. Previously, we reported that Atg5-null mice are neonatal lethal; however, the exact cause of their death remains unknown. Here, we show that restoration of ATG5 in the brain is sufficient to rescue Atg5-null mice from neonatal lethality.

The autophagy gene Wdr45/Wipi4 regulates learning and memory function and axonal homeostasis.

WDR45/WIPI4, encoding a WD40 repeat-containing PtdIns(3)P binding protein, is essential for the basal autophagy pathway. Mutations in WDR45 cause the neurodegenerative disease β-propeller protein-associated neurodegeneration (BPAN), a subtype of NBIA. We generated CNS-specific Wdr45 knockout mice, which exhibit poor motor coordination, greatly impaired learning and memory, and extensive axon swelling with numerous axon spheroids.

Autophagy machinery in the context of mammalian mitophagy.

Autophagy is an intracellular catabolic system that degrades cytoplasmic proteins and organelles. Damaged mitochondria can be degraded by a selective type of autophagy, which is termed mitophagy. PINK1-Parkin-dependent mitophagy has been extensively studied in the mammalian system.

Enhanced visualization of small peptides absorbed in rat small intestine by phytic-acid-aided matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-imaging mass spectrometry.

Enhanced visualization of small peptides absorbed through a rat intestinal membrane was achieved by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI-IMS) with the aid of phytic acid as a matrix additive. Penetrants through intestinal peptide transporter 1, i.e.

Is there a relationship between periodontal disease and smoking after adjusting for job classification in Japanese employed males?

Objectives: The objective of this study is to examine whether the well-known association between periodontal disease and smoking persists after adjusting for job classification.

Methods: A sample of 16,110 employed Japanese males aged 20-69 years was included in the study. Periodontal examinations were conducted using the Community Periodontal Index.

Parkin mediates proteasome-dependent protein degradation and rupture of the outer mitochondrial membrane.

Upon mitochondrial depolarization, Parkin, a Parkinson disease-related E3 ubiquitin ligase, translocates from the cytosol to mitochondria and promotes their degradation by mitophagy, a selective type of autophagy. Here, we report that in addition to mitophagy, Parkin mediates proteasome-dependent degradation of outer membrane proteins such as Tom20, Tom40, Tom70, and Omp25 of depolarized mitochondria. By contrast, degradation of the inner membrane and matrix proteins largely depends on mitophagy.

Temporal association of elevated C-reactive protein and periodontal disease in men.

Background: Most studies on the relationship between serum C-reactive protein (CRP) and periodontal disease have been cross-sectional. In this study, we investigated the temporal association between CRP and periodontal disease by following a large number of subjects for 1 year.

Methods: We studied 11,162 men in Nagoya, Japan, who had an initial dental examination as part of a complete physical examination and then underwent the same examination 1 year later.

Site specific mineral composition and microstructure of human supra-gingival dental calculus.

Dental calculus has been implicated in the aetiology of several periodontal conditions. Its prevention and removal are therefore desirable clinical goals. While it is known that calculus is very variable in chemical composition, crystallinity and crystallite size little is known about site specific variability within a dentition and between individuals.

Gradients in periodontal status in Japanese employed males.

Aim: The objective was to assess whether there was a social gradient in periodontal status by job classification in Japanese male workers.

Material And Methods: Study participants were 15,803 Japanese male workers aged 20-69 years. There were seven groups classified by jobs.

Is there a gradient by job classification in dental status in Japanese men?

The objective of this study was to assess whether there is a gradient in dental health status by job classification in male Japanese workers. The study subjects were 16,261 male Japanese workers aged 20-69 yr. Jobs were classified into seven job groups.