Publications by authors named "Tsutomu Yamasaki"

Objective: Cluster of differentiation 81 (CD81) is a tetraspanin membrane protein consisting of 4 transmembrane domains and 2 outer membrane loops. CD81 inhibition is a potential treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Here, we investigated the therapeutic effects of the cytoplasmic RNA vector expressing anti-CD81 antibodies (the anti-CD81 vector) on the ankle joint synovium in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats.

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Fibronectin (Fn) is an approximately 450 kDa glycoprotein that consists of 12 type I, 2 type II, and 15-17 type III modules. Fibrillation of Fn is important for tissue reconstitution and wound healing. We previously reported that Clostridium perfringens produces several Fn-binding proteins (Fbps), two of which, FbpA and FbpB, bind to III -C (a fragment of Fn derived from the carboxyl-terminal two-thirds of the first-type III module).

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Proteins coating Plasmodium merozoite surface and secreted from its apical organelles are considered as promising vaccine candidates for blood-stage malaria. The rhoptry neck protein 12 of Plasmodium falciparum (PfRON12) was recently reported as a protein specifically expressed in schizonts and localized to the rhoptry neck of merozoites. Here, we assessed its potential as a vaccine candidate.

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During research to identify fibronectin (Fn)-binding proteins (Fbps) on the surface of Clostridium perfringens cells, we identified glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) as a candidate Fbp. GAPDH is a glycolytic enzyme found in a wide range of prokaryotes and eukaryotes. The Fn-binding activity of recombinant C.

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The extracellular matrix protein fibronectin (Fn) is known to bind to the surface of Clostridium perfringens cells. Fn is a disulfide-linked homodimer protein, with each Fn polypeptide consisting of three types of repeating modules: 12 type I, 2 type II, and 15-17 type III modules. To determine the epitope on Fn recognized by C.

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The adhesive properties of Clostridium perfringens to collagens, gelatin, fibronectin (Fn), Fn-prebound collagens, and Fn-prebound gelatin were investigated. C. perfringens could bind to Fn-prebound collagen type II, type III, and gelatin, but not to gelatin or collagens except for collagen type I directly.

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Erythrocyte invasion by merozoites is an obligatory stage of Plasmodium infection and is essential to disease progression. Proteins in the apical organelles of merozoites mediate the invasion of erythrocytes and are potential malaria vaccine candidates. Rhoptry-associated, leucine zipper-like protein 1 (RALP1) of Plasmodium falciparum was previously found to be specifically expressed in schizont stages and localized to the rhoptries of merozoites by immunofluorescence assay (IFA).

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Article Synopsis
  • The pathology of malaria is driven by the growth of parasites in red blood cells, requiring multiple interactions between parasite ligands and erythrocyte receptors for invasion.
  • Two primary ligand families involved in this process are the Erythrocyte Binding Ligands (EBL), which depend on sialic acid for invasion, and the Reticulocyte binding Homolog (PfRH) family, with most ligands facilitating invasion independently of sialic acid.
  • Research utilizing mouse models illustrates that immunizing against specific ligands (EBA-175 and RH5) can generate antibodies that effectively inhibit parasite invasion, suggesting the potential for hybrid vaccines to target multiple invasion pathways.
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One of the solutions for reducing the global mortality and morbidity due to malaria is multivalent vaccines comprising antigens of several life cycle stages of the malarial parasite. Hence, there is a need for supplementing the current set of malaria vaccine candidate antigens. Here, we aimed to characterize glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored micronemal antigen (GAMA) encoded by the PF08_0008 gene in Plasmodium falciparum.

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The Clostridium perfringens strain 13 genome contains two genes (fbpA, fbpB) that encode putative Fbp. Both rFbpA and rFbpB were purified and their reactivity with human serum Fn was analyzed. To determine the region of the Fn molecule recognized by rFbp, a plate binding assay using N-terminal 70-kDa peptide, III1-C peptide, and 110-kDa peptide containing III2-10 of Fn was performed.

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Clostridium perfringens is a Gram-positive anaerobic pathogen that causes gas gangrene and food poisoning in humans and animals. Genomic analysis of C. perfringens strain 13 revealed that this bacterium contains two genes (CPE0737 and CPE1847) that encode putative fibronectin (Fn)-binding proteins (Fbps).

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