Involvement of a Rarely Used Splicing SD2b Site in the Regulation of HIV-1 mRNA Production as Revealed by a Growth-Adaptive Mutation.

We have previously reported an HIV-1 mutant designated NL-Y226tac that expresses Vif at an ultra-low level, being replication-defective in high-APOBEC3G cells, such as H9. It carries a synonymous mutation within the splicing SA1 site relative to its parental clone. In order to determine whether a certain mutant(s) emerges during multi-infection cycles, we maintained H9 cells infected with a relatively low or high input of NL-Y226tac for extended time periods.

Atypical immunohistochemical patterns can complement the histopathological diagnosis of oral premalignant lesions.

Background: The histopathological diagnosis of oral premalignant lesions (OPLs) such as oral epithelial dysplasia (ED) and carcinoma in situ (CIS), as well as epithelial hyperplasia (EHP), is important for the early detection and precise treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma. However, the standardization of detection and treatment by histological criteria alone remains challenging owing to the complicated and varied histology. We evaluated practically useful immunohistochemical (IHC) markers that might complement the histopathological diagnosis of OPLs.

Establishment and characterization of a clear cell odontogenic carcinoma cell line with EWSR1-ATF1 fusion gene.

Objective: Clear cell odontogenic carcinoma (CCOC) is a rare malignant odontogenic tumor (MOT) characterized by sheets and lobules of vacuolated and clear cells. To understand the biology of CCOC, we established a new cell line, CCOC-T, with EWSR1-ATF1 fusion gene from a mandible tumor with distant metastasis and characterized this cell line.

Materials And Methods: To detect the EWSR1-ATF1 fusion gene, we used three CCOC cases, including the present case, by RT-PCR and FISH analysis.

Human odontogenic epithelial cells derived from epithelial rests of Malassez possess stem cell properties.

Epithelial cell rests of Malassez (ERM) are quiescent epithelial remnants of the Hertwig's epithelial root sheath (HERS) that are involved in the formation of tooth roots. ERM cells are unique epithelial cells that remain in periodontal tissues throughout adult life. They have a functional role in the repair/regeneration of cement or enamel.

Acceleration of tumor growth due to dysfunction in M1 macrophages and enhanced angiogenesis in an animal model of autoimmune disease.

Both autoimmunity and tumor immunity are immune responses against self-tissues or cells. However, the precise similarity or difference between them remains unclear. In this study, to understand a novel mechanism of tumor immunity, we performed transplantation experiments with a murine autoimmune model, C57BL/6J (B6)/lpr mice.

Aromatase controls Sjögren syndrome-like lesions through monocyte chemotactic protein-1 in target organ and adipose tissue-associated macrophages.

Several autoimmune diseases are known to develop in postmenopausal women. However, the mechanism by which estrogen deficiency influences autoimmunity is unknown. Aromatase is an enzyme that converts androgens to estrogens.

A critical role for thymic stromal lymphopoietin in nickel-induced allergy in mice.

Ni is the most frequent cause of contact allergy induced by metals. However, the underlying mechanism of this induction is unknown. Our previous research demonstrates that activation of dendritic cells (DCs) through p38MAPK/MKK6 is required for Ni-induced allergy in mice.

Fas-independent T-cell apoptosis by dendritic cells controls autoimmune arthritis in MRL/lpr mice.

Background: Although autoimmunity in MRL/lpr mice occurs due to a defect in Fas-mediated cell death of T cells, the role of Fas-independent apoptosis in pathogenesis has rarely been investigated. We have recently reported that receptor activator of nuclear factor (NF)-κB ligand (RANKL)-activated dendritic cells (DCs) play a key role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in MRL/lpr mice. We here attempted to establish a new therapeutic strategy with RANKL-activated DCs in RA by controlling apoptosis of peripheral T cells.

Matrix metalloproteinase-13 (MMP-13) directly and indirectly promotes tumor angiogenesis.

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are extracellular zinc-dependent endopeptidases involved in the degradation and remodeling of extracellular matrix in physiological and pathological processes. MMPs also have a role in cell proliferation, migration, differentiation, angiogenesis, and apoptosis. We previously identified cancer invasion-related factors by comparing the gene expression profiles between parent and the highly invasive clone of cancer cells.