67 results match your criteria: "Kyoto University Graduate School of Agriculture[Affiliation]"

Obesity is one of the risk factors for the onset of various metabolic diseases in dogs. Energy expenditure in brown/beige adipocytes, which is partially regulated by the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) pathway, is a key factor determining systemic energy balance. Here, we examined gene expression in the fat depots of 129 hospitalized dogs, and the relationship between the relative levels of gene expression and profiles of dogs.

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Activin B, a homodimer of the inhibin βB subunit, acts as a regulator of gonadal function and as an adipokine. To clarify the role of activin B in dogs, we characterized the canine inhibin βB gene and signalling pathways regulated by the canine inhibin βB. Using 5'- and 3'-rapid amplification of cDNA end (RACE) and RT-PCR on RNA isolated from the ovary of dogs, we identified short and long forms of the inhibin βB gene.

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Figla promotes secondary follicle growth in mature mice.

Sci Rep

May 2021

Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, 54 Shogoin Kawahara-cho, Sakyo, Kyoto, 606-8507, Japan.

Article Synopsis
  • In vitro growth (IVG) of human follicles could offer a fertility solution for women unable to use cryopreserved ovarian tissues due to cancer risks, but there's no established method yet.
  • A study examined molecular differences between adult and pre-pubertal mice follicles to identify how growth conditions may differ; it highlighted the gene Figla, which is more active in mature mice follicles.
  • By reducing Figla expression in mature mice, researchers found that the size of the follicles decreased, indicating that follicle development may be regulated by different factors in varying age groups, thus helping to improve IVG conditions for both adults and young females.
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Article Synopsis
  • Homozygous mutations in the GBA1 gene lead to Gaucher's disease and heterozygous mutations increase the risk of Parkinson's disease, which is characterized by α-synuclein aggregates in the brain.
  • Previous research using gba1 knockout medaka (a type of fish) showed various symptoms of Gaucher's disease, including neuron loss and swimming difficulties due to glucosylceramide buildup and asyn accumulation.
  • The study on gba2 knockout medaka found that removing GBA2 in gba1 KO medaka worsened glucosylceramide accumulation without improving Parkinson's-like symptoms, highlighting GBA2's role in α-synuclein accumulation in the brain.
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By restoring glucose-regulated insulin secretion, glucagon-like peptide-1-based (GLP-1-based) therapies are becoming increasingly important in diabetes care. Normally, the incretins GLP-1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) jointly maintain normal blood glucose levels by stimulation of insulin secretion in pancreatic β cells. However, the reason why only GLP-1-based drugs are effective in improving insulin secretion after presentation of diabetes has not been resolved.

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DNA methylation of enhancers and promoters generally inhibits gene transcription. DNA methylation occurs predominantly at the dinucleotide CpG, a methyl group that is covalently bonded to cytosine. We have previously demonstrated tissue-restricted expression of the uncoupling protein 1 () in common carp.

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There are three kinds of adipocytes; white adipocytes accumulate excess energy as fat, whereas brown/beige adipocytes dissipate energy through expression of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1). Obesity, a feature of excess accumulation of white adipocytes in a body, is one of the risk factors for onset of various diseases in dogs. As the first step to explore adipose genes related to dog obesity, we examined relationships among mRNA levels of putative molecules related to adipogenesis and function of adipocytes in fat of hospitalized dogs.

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The recent discovery of genetically distinct shrew- and mole-borne viruses belonging to the newly defined family Hantaviridae (order Bunyavirales) has spurred an extended search for hantaviruses in RNAlater®-preserved lung tissues from 215 bats (order Chiroptera) representing five families (Hipposideridae, Megadermatidae, Pteropodidae, Rhinolophidae and Vespertilionidae), collected in Vietnam during 2012 to 2014. A newly identified hantavirus, designated Đakrông virus (DKGV), was detected in one of two Stoliczka's Asian trident bats (Aselliscus stoliczkanus), from Đakrông Nature Reserve in Quảng Trị Province. Using maximum-likelihood and Bayesian methods, phylogenetic trees based on the full-length S, M and L segments showed that DKGV occupied a basal position with other mobatviruses, suggesting that primordial hantaviruses may have been hosted by ancestral bats.

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Dietary vitamin A status affects energy metabolism. The present study explored the effect of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) on the expression levels of molecules and metabolites of brown adipocytes. Chronic ATRA treatment was initiated during the early stage (days 0-8) or late stage (days 8-12) of adipogenesis.

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Activity of brown/beige adipocytes is higher in women than in men. The expression level of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) is largely consistent with the thermogenic activity in brown/beige adipocytes. The present study examined the direct effects of sex hormones on Ucp1 expression in brown adipocytes and beige adipocytes, which were differentiated from HB2 brown preadipocytes and 3T3-L1 white preadipocytes, respectively; treatment with estradiol or testosterone was used during the early (days 0-8) or late stage (days 8-12) of brown adipogenesis and beige adipogenesis.

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Hepcidin, a liver-derived hormone, negatively regulates circulating iron levels through an increase in its expression in response to iron overload. Inflammation also increases production of hepcidin, potentially leading to inflammatory anemia. We previously revealed that proinflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-1β increased hepcidin expression through its transcriptional stimulation in hepatocytes.

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Concentrations and biological half-life of radioactive cesium in epigeic earthworms after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident.

J Environ Radioact

December 2018

Division of Radiation Safety and Control, The Institute for Integrated Radiation and Nuclear Science, Kyoto University, Kumatori-cho, Sennan-gun, Osaka 590-0494, Japan.

To understand the long-term behavior of radiocesium in the biological processes of a forest ecosystem, its concentration in Japanese epigeic earthworms (Megascolecidae), litter, and soil, and the ambient dose equivalent rates, were investigated after the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident. The metabolism of radiocesium in the earthworms was also investigated in the laboratory, and its biological half-life (T) was estimated. The concentration of Cs in the habitat soil and litter changed from 2014 to 2016, with levels in the litter going from 44.

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With longevity, the prevalence of osteoporosis, which occurs when the activity of osteoclast surpasses that of osteoblasts, has increased in dogs. However, limited information is available on canine osteoclastogenesis. We herein described culture conditions to induce osteoclasts from canine bone marrow cells, and identified factors affecting canine osteoclastogenesis.

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We previously showed that brown (pre)adipocytes express Trpv1, a capsaicin receptor, and that capsaicin stimulates differentiation of brown preadipocytes in the late stages of brown adipogenesis. The present study revealed that treatment with 100 μM capsaicin stimulates brown adipogenesis by inducing endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. Treatment with capsaicin (100 μM) during brown adipogenesis enhanced lipid accumulation and the expression of Ucp1, a gene selectively expressed in brown adipocytes.

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Our previous study on prion-infected rodents revealed that hydroxypropyl methylcellulose compounds (HPMCs) with different molecular weights but similar composition and degree of substitution have different levels of long-lasting anti-prion activity. In this study, we searched these HPMCs for a parameter specifically associated with in vivo anti-prion activity by analyzing in vitro chemical properties and in vivo tissue distributions. Infrared spectroscopic and thermal analyses revealed no differences among HPMCs, whereas pyrene conjugation and spectroscopic analysis revealed that the fluorescence intensity ratio of peak III/peak I correlated with anti-prion activity.

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Brown adipocytes dissipate chemical energy in the form of heat through the expression of mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1 (Ucp1); Ucp1 expression is further upregulated by the stimulation of β-adrenergic receptors in brown adipocytes. An increase in energy expenditure by activated brown adipocytes potentially contributes to the prevention of or therapeutics for obesity. The present study examined the effects of milk by-products, buttermilk and butter oil, on brown adipogenesis and the function of brown adipocytes.

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We demonstrated that castration enhanced the expression of uncoupling protein 1 (Ucp1), a thermogenic protein, in brown adipose tissue (BAT) and subcutaneous (sc) white adipose tissue (WAT) in male mice. Castration of male mice increased body temperature and reduced body weight gain compared with those of sham-operated mice. BAT Ucp1 mRNA expression in castrated male mice was significantly higher than that in sham-operated mice.

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ATP-binding cassette G1 (ABCG1) and ABCG4, expressed in neurons and glia in the central nervous system, mediate cholesterol efflux to lipid acceptors. The relationship between cholesterol level in the central nervous system and Alzheimer's disease has been reported. In this study, we examined the effects of ABCG1 and ABCG4 on amyloid precursor protein (APP) processing, the product of which, amyloid β (Aβ), is involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.

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C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) and its receptor, natriuretic peptide receptor-B (NPR-B), are abundantly distributed in the hypothalamus. To explore the role of central CNP/NPR-B signaling in energy regulation, we generated mice with brain-specific NPR-B deletion (BND mice) by crossing Nestin-Cre transgenic mice and mice with a loxP-flanked NPR-B locus. Brain-specific NPR-B deletion prevented body weight gain induced by a high-fat diet (HFD), and the mesenteric fat and liver weights were significantly decreased in BND mice fed an HFD.

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The ingestion of capsaicin, the principle pungent component of red and chili peppers, induces thermogenesis, in part, through the activation of brown adipocytes expressing genes related to mitochondrial biogenesis and uncoupling such as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (Ppar) γ coactivator-1α (Pgc-1α) and uncoupling protein 1 (Ucp1). Capsaicin has been suggested to induce the activation of brown adipocytes, which is mediated by the stimulation of sympathetic nerves. However, capsaicin may directly affect the differentiation of brown preadipocytes, brown adipocyte function, or both, through its significant absorption.

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A previous study revealed that the expression of the Borna disease virus (BDV)-encoding phosphoprotein in glial cells was sufficient to induce neurobehavioral abnormalities resembling Borna disease. To evaluate the involvement of the TGF-β family in BDV-induced changes in cell responses by C6 glial cells, we examined the expression levels of the TGF-β family and effects of inhibiting the TGF-β family pathway in BDV-infected C6 (C6BV) cells. The expression of activin βA and BMP7 was markedly increased in BDV-infected cells.

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Neurite outgrowth stimulation by n-3 and n-6 PUFAs of phospholipids in apoE-containing lipoproteins secreted from glial cells.

J Lipid Res

October 2015

Division of Applied Life Sciences, Kyoto University Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (WPI-iCeMS), Kyoto University, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan.

PUFAs, which account for 25-30% of the total fatty acids in the human brain, are important for normal brain development and cognitive function. However, it remains unclear how PUFAs are delivered to neurons and exert their effects. In this study, we demonstrated that n-3 and n-6 PUFAs added to the medium are incorporated into membrane phospholipids of primary glial cells from rat cortices, and then secreted as the fatty acid moiety of phospholipids in apoE-containing lipoproteins (LpEs).

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Viable neuronopathic Gaucher disease model in Medaka (Oryzias latipes) displays axonal accumulation of alpha-synuclein.

PLoS Genet

April 2015

Department of Neurology, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan; Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kawaguchi, Japan.

Homozygous mutations in the glucocerebrosidase (GBA) gene result in Gaucher disease (GD), the most common lysosomal storage disease. Recent genetic studies have revealed that GBA mutations confer a strong risk for sporadic Parkinson's disease (PD). To investigate how GBA mutations cause PD, we generated GBA nonsense mutant (GBA-/-) medaka that are completely deficient in glucocerebrosidase (GCase) activity.

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