Liver-specific γ-glutamyl carboxylase-deficient mice display bleeding diathesis and short life span.

Vitamin K is a fat-soluble vitamin that plays important roles in blood coagulation and bone metabolism. One of its functions is as a co-factor for γ-glutamyl carboxylase (Ggcx). Conventional knockout of Ggcx causes death shortly after birth in homozygous mice.

Tysnd1 deficiency in mice interferes with the peroxisomal localization of PTS2 enzymes, causing lipid metabolic abnormalities and male infertility.

Peroxisomes are subcellular organelles involved in lipid metabolic processes, including those of very-long-chain fatty acids and branched-chain fatty acids, among others. Peroxisome matrix proteins are synthesized in the cytoplasm. Targeting signals (PTS or peroxisomal targeting signal) at the C-terminus (PTS1) or N-terminus (PTS2) of peroxisomal matrix proteins mediate their import into the organelle.

Conditional expression of constitutively active estrogen receptor α in chondrocytes impairs longitudinal bone growth in mice.

Estrogen plays important roles in the regulation of chondrocyte proliferation and differentiation, which are essential steps for longitudinal bone growth; however, the mechanisms of estrogen action on chondrocytes have not been fully elucidated. In the present study, we generated conditional transgenic mice, designated as caERα(ColII), expressing constitutively active mutant estrogen receptor (ER) α in chondrocytes, using the chondrocyte-specific type II collagen promoter-driven Cre transgenic mice. caERα(ColII) mice showed retardation in longitudinal growth, with short bone lengths.

Mechanisms of the hepatoprotective effects of tamoxifen against drug-induced and chemical-induced acute liver injuries.

Although estrogen receptor (ER)α agonists, such as estradiol and ethinylestradiol (EE2), cause cholestasis in mice, they also reduce the degree of liver injury caused by hepatotoxicants as well as ischemia-reperfusion. The functional mechanisms of ERα have yet to be elucidated in drug-induced or chemical-induced liver injury. The present study investigated the effects of an ERα agonist, selective ER modulators (SERMs) and an ER antagonist on drug-induced and chemical-induced liver injuries caused by acetaminophen, bromobenzene, diclofenac, and thioacetamide (TA).

Conditional expression of human bone Gla protein in osteoblasts causes skeletal abnormality in mice.

Bone Gla protein (BGP), also known as osteocalcin, is one of the most abundant γ-carboxylated noncollagenous protein in bone matrix and plays important roles in mineralization and calcium ion homeostasis. BGP is synthesized specifically in osteoblasts; however, its precise function in bone metabolism has not been fully elucidated. To investigate the in vivo function of human BGP (hBGP), we generated CAG-GFP(floxed)-hBGP transgenic mice carrying a transgene cassette composed of the promoter and a floxed GFP linked to hBGP cDNA.

Conditional expression of constitutively active estrogen receptor α in osteoblasts increases bone mineral density in mice.

Estrogen plays an important role in maintaining bone density in women. Estrogen receptor (ER) is expressed in osteoblasts and osteoclasts; however, the precise mechanism of ER in bone is not fully understood. In the present study, we generated a conditional transgenic mouse caERα(ColI) that expresses the constitutively active ERα in osteoblasts using collagen type I promoter-driven Cre transgenic mice.

A β-synuclein mutation linked to dementia produces neurodegeneration when expressed in mouse brain.

The discovery of α-synuclein (αS) mutations has made a major contribution to the understanding of the pathogenesis of α-synucleinopathies such as Parkinson's disease and dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). In contrast, less attention has been paid to β-synuclein (βS) mutations. In this paper, we show that transgenic (tg) mice expressing DLB-linked P123H βS develop progressive neurodegeneration, as characterized by axonal swelling, astrogliosis and behavioural abnormalities, with memory disorder being more prominent than motor deficits.

Dual roles of smad proteins in the conversion from myoblasts to osteoblastic cells by bone morphogenetic proteins.

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) induce ectopic bone formation in muscle tissue in vivo and convert myoblasts such that they differentiate into osteoblastic cells in vitro. We report here that constitutively active Smad1 induced osteoblastic differentiation of C2C12 myoblasts in cooperation with Smad4 or Runx2. In floxed Smad4 mice-derived cells, Smad4 ablation partially suppressed BMP-4-induced osteoblast differentiation.

[Molecular mechanism of vitamin K and its regulators in bone metabolism].

Two pathways that mediate vitamin K (VK) action in the bone metabolism have been identified. One pathway is well known mechanism, that mediates the posttranslational modification of the target proteins by VK dependent gamma-carboxylase (GGCX). The other pathway is a novel one, that mediates the transcriptional regulation of the target genes by SXR, steroid and xenobiotic receptor.

Glutathione S-transferase theta 1 expressed in granulosa cells as a biomarker for oocyte quality in age-related infertility.

Objective: The goal of this study was to identify a reliable biomarker for age-related infertility.

Design: Laboratory study.

Setting: ART laboratory.

[Role of estrogen signaling in male bone].

Although estrogen and its receptors (ERalpha and ERbeta) are requisite in male for functions such as reproductive tract, sexual behavior, maintenance of the skeleton, yet essential in female for normal functions. Genetically modified mouse models, and mutation research in human provide new insights for the roles of estrogen signaling in skeletal effects in both genders. Both of genders have androgen and estrogen, and also its receptors.

Estrogen-responsive finger protein as a new potential biomarker for breast cancer.

Purpose: Estrogen-responsive finger protein (Efp) is a member of RING finger-B box-Coiled Coil family and is also a downstream target of estrogen receptor alpha. Previously, Efp was shown to mediate estrogen-induced cell growth, which suggests possible involvement in the development of human breast carcinomas. In this study, we examined expression of Efp in breast carcinoma tissues and correlated these findings with various clinicopathologic variables.

The fission yeast protein Ker1p is an ortholog of RNA polymerase I subunit A14 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and is required for stable association of Rrn3p and RPA21 in RNA polymerase I.

A heterodimer formed by the A14 and A43 subunits of RNA polymerase (pol) I in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is proposed to correspond to the Rpb4/Rpb7 and C17/C25 heterodimers in pol II and pol III, respectively, and to play a role(s) in the recruitment of pol I to the promoter. However, the question of whether the A14/A43 heterodimer is conserved in eukaryotes other than S. cerevisiae remains unanswered, although both Rpb4/Rpb7 and C17/C25 are conserved from yeast to human.

Transcriptional coactivator PC4 stimulates promoter escape and facilitates transcriptional synergy by GAL4-VP16.

Positive cofactor 4 (PC4) is a coactivator that strongly augments transcription by various activators, presumably by facilitating the assembly of the preinitiation complex (PIC). However, our previous observation of stimulation of promoter escape in GAL4-VP16-dependent transcription in the presence of PC4 suggested a possible role for PC4 in this step. Here, we performed quantitative analyses of the stimulatory effects of PC4 on initiation, promoter escape, and elongation in GAL4-VP16-dependent transcription and found that PC4 possesses the ability to stimulate promoter escape in response to GAL4-VP16 in addition to its previously demonstrated effect on PIC assembly.

Protein phosphatase 5 is a negative regulator of estrogen receptor-mediated transcription.

Estrogen receptors (ERs) are transcription factors that can be modulated by both estrogen-dependent and growth factor-dependent phosphorylation. A yeast two-hybrid screening identified a serine/threonine protein phosphatase (PP5) as an interactant of ERbeta (1-481), a dominant negative ERbeta mutant. Glutathione S-transferase pull-down assays, mammalian two-hybrid assays, and immunoprecipitation studies showed that PP5 directly binds to both ERalpha and ERbeta via its tetratricopeptide repeat domain.

Alleviation of PC4-mediated transcriptional repression by the ERCC3 helicase activity of general transcription factor TFIIH.

Positive cofactor 4 (PC4), originally identified as a transcriptional coactivator, possesses the ability to suppress promoter-driven as well as nonspecific transcription via its DNA binding activity. Previous studies showed that the repressive activity of PC4 on promoter-driven transcription is alleviated by transcription factor TFIIH, possibly through one of its enzymatic activities. Using recombinant TFIIH, we have analyzed the role of TFIIH for alleviating PC4-mediated transcriptional repression and determined that the excision repair cross complementing (ERCC3) helicase activity of TFIIH is the enzymatic activity that alleviates PC4-mediated repression via beta-gamma bond hydrolysis of ATP.

Estrogen activates cyclin-dependent kinases 4 and 6 through induction of cyclin D in rat primary osteoblasts.

Estrogen plays important roles in maintaining bone density and protecting against osteoporosis, but the underlying mechanisms of estrogen action via estrogen receptors (ERs) in bone remain to be clarified. In the present study, we isolated primary osteoblasts derived from transgenic rats harboring a dominant negative ER mutant, rat ERalpha (1-535) cDNA, and from their wild-type littermates. We observed that the rate of cell growth of osteoblasts from the transgenic rats was reduced compared to that of wild-type osteoblasts.

Efp targets 14-3-3 sigma for proteolysis and promotes breast tumour growth.

Oestrogen exerts its influence on target organs through activating oestrogen receptors (ERs) and regulating downstream genes by means of their oestrogen-responsive elements. Efp, a target gene product of ER alpha, is a member of the RING-finger B-box coiled-coil (RBCC) motif family. Efp is predominantly expressed in various female organs as well as in breast cancers, and is thought to be essential for oestrogen-dependent cell proliferation and organ development Efp-disrupted mice display underdeveloped uteri and reduced oestrogen responsiveness.