Suppressive Effects of Hot-water Extract of Magnolia obovata on Clostridium perfringens Enterotoxin-induced Cytotoxicity in Human Intestinal Caco-2 Cells.

The physiological functions of the leaves of Japanese big-leaf magnolia () against enterotoxins produced by foodborne pathogens remain unclear. In this study, we evaluated the protective effects of leaf extract (MLE) against the cytotoxicity of enterotoxin (CPE), which causes the symptoms of type A food poisoning. The protective effects of MLE against CPE-induced cytotoxicity were evaluated in human intestinal epithelial Caco-2 cells.

Insulin resistance, steatohepatitis, and hepatocellular carcinoma in a new congenic strain of Fatty Liver Shionogi (FLS) mice with the Lep(ob) gene.

In order to examine the influence of obesity on metabolic disorder and liver pathogenesis of the Fatty Liver Shionogi (FLS) mouse, which develops hereditary fatty liver and spontaneous liver tumors, we established a new congenic strain named FLS-Lep(ob). The Lep(ob) gene of the C57BL/6JWakShi (B6)-Lep(ob)/Lep(ob) mouse was transferred into the genome of the FLS mouse, by backcross mating. FLS-Lep(ob)/Lep(ob) mice were maintained by intercrossing between Lep(ob)-heterozygous littermates.

GTP hydrolysis by the Rho family GTPase TC10 promotes exocytic vesicle fusion.

TC10, a Rho family GTPase, has been shown to play an important role in the exocytosis of GLUT4 and other proteins, primarily by tethering the vesicles at the plasma membrane. Using a newly developed probe based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer, we found that TC10 activity at tethered vesicles dropped immediately before vesicle fusion in HeLa cells stimulated with epidermal growth factor (EGF), suggesting that GTP hydrolysis by TC10 is a critical step in vesicle fusion. In support of this model, a GTPase-deficient TC10 mutant potently inhibited EGF-induced vesicular fusion in HeLa cells and depolarization-induced neuronal secretion.

Chemoprevention of spontaneous development of hepatocellular carcinomas in fatty liver Shionogi mice by a cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor.

Cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) and retinoid X receptor alpha (RXRalpha) are suggested to have roles in carcinogenesis. COX-2 inhibitors have been reported to suppress growth of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines in vitro. However, little is known about the preventive effect of these drugs on spontaneous hepatocarcinogenesis in vivo.

Remodeling excitation-contraction coupling of hypertrophied ventricular myocytes is dependent on T-type calcium channels expression.

We utilized Wistar rats with monocrotaline (MCT)-induced right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) in order to evaluate the T-type Ca2+ channel current (ICaT) for myocardial contraction. RT-PCR provides that mRNA for T-type Ca2+ channel alpha1-subunits in hypertrophied myocytes was significantly higher than those in control rats (alpha1G; 264+/-36%, alpha1H; 191+/-34%; P<0.05).

Expression of hepatoma-derived growth factor in hepatocarcinogenesis.

Background And Aim: The present study investigated the expression of hepatoma-derived growth factor (HDGF) in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and in the liver during hepatocarcinogenesis in two rodent models.

Methods: Expression of HDGF was analyzed using northern blotting and immunohistochemistry in the human and rodent models.

Results: Hepatoma-derived growth factor was more highly expressed in HCC than in the adjacent liver in humans with hepatitis, as shown by northern blotting.

A novel type hypertriglyceridemia observed in FLS mice.

The unique inborn hypertriglyceridemia seen in FLS (fatty liver Shionogi) mice was relieved by the administration of purified apolipoprotein (apo) C-II. Lipoprotein lipase (LPL) and its cofactor, apoC-II, play a pivotal role in VLDL metabolism. Therefore, we investigated the genetic background involved in this hypertriglyceridemia.

Spontaneous development of hepatocellular carcinomas in the FLS mice with hereditary fatty liver.

The fatty liver Shionogi (FLS) mouse is an inbred strain that develops spontaneous fatty liver (hepatic steatosis) chronically without obesity. Here, we reported that the mice develop spontaneous hepatocellular tumors with high incidences. The mice with age of over 1 year frequently developed whitish protuberant nodules in the livers, which were histologically diagnosed as hepatocellular adenoma and/or carcinoma (HCC).