A deep learning approach to predict differentiation outcomes in hypothalamic-pituitary organoids.

We use three-dimensional culture systems of human pluripotent stem cells for differentiation into pituitary organoids. Three-dimensional culture is inherently characterized by its ability to induce heterogeneous cell populations, making it difficult to maintain constant differentiation efficiency. That is why the culture process involves empirical aspects.

Dual CRISPR-Cas3 system for inducing multi-exon skipping in DMD patient-derived iPSCs.

To restore dystrophin protein in various mutation patterns of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), the multi-exon skipping (MES) approach has been investigated. However, only limited techniques are available to induce a large deletion to cover the target exons spread over several hundred kilobases. Here, we utilized the CRISPR-Cas3 system for MES induction and showed that dual crRNAs could induce a large deletion at the dystrophin exon 45-55 region (∼340 kb), which can be applied to various types of DMD patients.

15-deoxy-?(12,14)-prostaglandin J2 as a potential TRPV1-dependent atopic dermatitis enhancer.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a recurrent chronic inflammatory skin condition characterized by a complex pathogenesis, including skin barrier dysfunctions, allergy/immunology, and pruritus.In AD lesions, mast cells migrate into the epidermis, and exert their biological effects by releasing paracrine mediators. TRPV1, a non-selective cation channel widely expressed in skin tissues, has been shown to contribute to the development of diverse dermatoses and pruritus.

Production of natural IgM antibodies against oxidatively-modified proteins in milk fat globule epidermal growth factor 8 (MFG-E8) deficient mice.

Background: Milk fat globule epidermal growth factor 8 (MFG-E8) is a protein that binds to apoptotic cells by recognizing phosphatidylserine and enhances the engulfment of apoptotic cells by macrophages. Many apoptotic cells are left unengulfed in the germinal centers of the spleen in the MFG-E8-deficient (MFG-E8(-/-)) mice, and these mice develop an autoimmune disease.

Results: We found that the MFG-E8 deficiency was accompanied by the increased production of immunoglobulins.

Effect of the genistein metabolite on leptin secretion in murine adipocytes in vitro.

Soy isoflavonoids have many useful properties. However, they are metabolized in vivo, including in humans. The effect of the metabolism of soy isoflavonoids on their properties is not fully understood.

Assessing the neuroprotective effect of antioxidative food factors by application of lipid-derived dopamine modification adducts.

Advances in understanding the neurodegenerative pathologies are creating new opportunities for the development of neuroprotective therapies, such as antioxidant food factors, lifestyle modification, and drugs. However, the biomarker by which to determine the effect of the agent on neurodegeneration is limited. We here address hexanoyl dopamine (HED), one of novel dopamine adducts derived from brain polyunsaturated acid, referring to its in vitro formation, potent toxicity to SH-SY5Y cells, and application to assess the neuroprotective effect of antioxidative food factors.

Detection of a lipid-lysine adduct family with an amide bond as the linkage: novel markers for lipid-derived protein modifications.

An amide-type adduct, hexanoyl-lysine (HEL) is generated from the reaction between n-6 fatty acid (FA)-derived lipid peroxide and lysine. Immunochemical and chemical methods can be used to detect the formation of HEL. For example, an ELISA kit using the monoclonal antibody to HEL is now commercially available.

Chemical and immunochemical identification of propanoyllysine derived from oxidized n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid.

It is known that n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), such as docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid, are rapidly oxidized in vitro. Nvarepsilon-(propanoyl)lysine (propionyllysine, or PRL) is formed from the reaction of the oxidized products of n-3 PUFAs and lysine. To evaluate the oxidized n-3 PUFA-derived protein modifications in vivo, we have developed detection methods using a novel monoclonal antibody against PRL as well as liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS).

O-linked N-acetylglucosamine is present on the extracellular domain of notch receptors.

Rare types of glycosylation often occur in a domain-specific manner and are involved in specific biological processes. In particular, O-fucose glycans are reported to regulate the functions of EGF domain-containing proteins such as Notch receptors. In the course of mass spectrometric analysis of O-glycans displayed on Drosophila Notch receptors expressed in S2 cells, we found an unusual O-linked N-acetylhexosamine (HexNAc) modification which occurs at a site distinct from those of O-fucose and O-glucose glycosylations.

Biological functions of glycosyltransferase genes involved in O-fucose glycan synthesis.

Rare types of glycosylation often occur in a domain-specific manner and are involved in specific biological processes. Well-known examples of such modification are O-linked fucose (O-fucose) and O-linked glucose (O-glucose) glycans on epidermal growth factor (EGF) domains. In particular, O-fucose glycans are reported to regulate the functions of EGF domain-containing proteins such as urinary-type plasminogen activator and Notch receptors.

Contributions of chaperone and glycosyltransferase activities of O-fucosyltransferase 1 to Notch signaling.

Background: O-fucosyltransferase1 (OFUT1) is a conserved ER protein essential for Notch signaling. OFUT1 glycosylates EGF domains, which can then be further modified by the N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase Fringe. OFUT1 also possesses a chaperone activity that promotes the folding and secretion of Notch.

Dietary flavonoid apigenin is a potential inducer of intracellular oxidative stress: the role in the interruptive apoptotic signal.

Apigenin is a representative dietary flavone (2-phenyl-4H-1-benzopyran-4-one) inhibiting cancer cell growth both in cell culture systems and in vivo. The prooxidant potential of apigenin was confirmed by the observations using flowcytometric and immunoblotting techniques that the intracellular accumulations of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and protein carbonyls were detected in the cells treated with apigenin in a dose-dependent manner. Conversely, chrysin (5,7-dihydroxyflavone) did not show any prooxidant effect.

Nephroprotective and hepatoprotective effects of curcuminoids.

Curcumin (U1) has a wide spectrum of therapeutic effects such as antitumor and anti-inflammatory effects, including antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, and antispasmodic activities. By comparison of the structure-activity relationship, tetrahydrocurcumin (THU1), one of the major metabolites, showed the highest antioxidative activity in both in vitro and in vivo systems. U1 has been reported to have the nephroprotective effect to improve creatinine and urea clearance and also protected the chronic renal allograft nephropathy.

Protective role of antioxidative food factors in oxidative stress caused by hyperglycemia.

Hyperglycemia causes the autoxidation of glucose, glycation of proteins, and the activation of polyol metabolism. These changes accelerate generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and increases in oxidative chemical modification of lipids, DNA, and proteins in various tissues. Oxidative stress may play an important role in the development of complications in diabetes such as lens cataracts, nephropathy, and neuropathy.

Benzyl isothiocyanate inhibits oxidative stress in mouse skin: Involvement of attenuation of leukocyte infiltration.

The exposure of benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) to mouse skin resulted in the attenuation of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced oxidative damage through not only inhibition of the NADPH oxidase system but also leukocyte clearance at inflamed region. In spite of little ability to affect TPA-induced edema formation, pretreatments of mouse skin with BITC before the first or second TPA treatment significantly decrease the H2O2 level. A histological study also demonstrated that BITC enhanced the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL)-positive index in mouse skin, suggesting that BITC might accelerate the disappearance of infiltrated leukocytes.

Benzyl isothiocyanate modifies expression of the G2/M arrest-related genes.

Naturally occurring isothiocyanates are effective chemoprotective agents against chemical carcinogenesis in experimental animals. In the present study, we clarified the molecular mechanism underlying the relationship between benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC)-induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. The exposure of HL-60 cells to BITC resulted in the inhibition of the G2/M progression that coincided with the apoptosis induction.

Zerumbone, a tropical ginger sesquiterpene, activates phase II drug metabolizing enzymes.

Zerumbone (ZER), a sesquiterpene compound occurring in tropical ginger Zingiber zerumbet Smith, has been implicated as one of the promising chemopreventive agents against colon and skin cancer. In the present study, we investigated the phase II detoxification enzymes induction of ZER using a cultured rat normal liver epithelial cell line. Exposure of RL34 cells to ZER resulted in the significant induction of glutathione S-transferase, while the reduced analogues of ZER (alpha-humulene and 8-hydroxy-alpha-humulene) did not show any inducing effect.

A link between benzyl isothiocyanate-induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis: involvement of mitogen-activated protein kinases in the Bcl-2 phosphorylation.

In the present study, we clarified the molecular mechanism underlying the relationship between benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC)-induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis and the involvement of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). The exposure of Jurkat human T-cell leukemia cells to BITC resulted in the inhibition of the G(2)-M progression that coincided with the apoptosis induction. The experiment using the phase-specific synchronized cells demonstrated that the G(2)-M phase-arrested cells are more sensitive to undergoing apoptotic stimulation by BITC than the cells in other phases.

Benzyl isothiocyanate inhibits excessive superoxide generation in inflammatory leukocytes: implication for prevention against inflammation-related carcinogenesis.

Inhibitors of excessive superoxide (O2-) generation have been indicated to be more effective antioxidants than radical scavengers because O2- anion is one of the precursors of several types of reactive oxygen species (ROS). We demonstrated here that benzyl isothiocyanate (BITC) is a potent inhibitor of leukocytic NADPH oxidase generating a great amount of O2- in oxidative burst. The exposure of BITC to the differentiated HL-60 cells resulted in the inhibition of 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-induced O2- generation, while the methylthiocarbamate analog of BITC, hardly reactive with thiols including glutathione and protein sulfhydryl, did not show any effect.

Arachidonic acid cascade inhibitors modulate phorbol ester-induced oxidative stress in female ICR mouse skin: differential roles of 5-lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase-2 in leukocyte infiltration and activation.

We recently developed a short-term assay for skin H2O2 generation induced by double 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) applications for mechanistic study on skin epidermal carcinogenesis. In the present study, we investigated the individual roles of arachidonic acid metabolism in H2O2 generation in mouse skin inflammation. The experiments using inhibitors of arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism showed that corticosteroid and a lipoxygenase (LO) inhibitor expectedly suppressed double TPA application-induced H2O2 generation through the interference of chemotactic action but not by direct decomposition or scavenging.

Dietary ginger constituents, galanals A and B, are potent apoptosis inducers in Human T lymphoma Jurkat cells.

The effects of the constituents isolated from ginger species including curcumin, 6-gingerol and labdane-type diterpene compounds on cell proliferation and the induction of apoptosis in the cultured human T lymphoma Jurkat cells were studied. Among the tested compounds, galanals A and B, isolated from the flower buds of a Japanese ginger, myoga (Zingiber mioga Roscoe), showed the most potent cytotoxic effect. Exposure of Jurkat human T-cell leukemia cells to galanals resulted in the induction of apoptotic cell death characterized by DNA fragmentation and caspase-3 activation.

Insulin stimulates expression of the pyruvate kinase M gene in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

M2-type pyruvate kinase (M2-PK) mRNA is produced from the PKM gene by an alternative RNA splicing in adipocytes. We found that insulin increased the level of M2-PK mRNA in 3T3-L1 adipocytes in both time- and dose-dependent manners. This induction did not require the presence of glucose or glucosamine in the medium.

Pivotal role of electrophilicity in glutathione S-transferase induction by tert-butylhydroquinone.

Although the induction of glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity by tert-butylhydroquinone (tBHQ) has been well-documented in several cell culture systems and rodent experiments, the exact mechanism responsible for its inducibility is still not thoroughly understood. To more precisely define the molecular mechanism of GST induction by tBHQ, we examined the one-electron oxidation and glutathione (GSH) reaction potentials of tBHQ as compared to its analogue, 2,5-di-tert-butylhydroquinone (DtBHQ). tBHQ and DtBHQ showed similar one-electron oxidation potentials, including free radical quenching (antioxidant), oxidative conversion of both compounds to a benzoquinone form, and Cu(2+)-dependent superoxide generation.

A phase II detoxification enzyme inducer from lemongrass: identification of citral and involvement of electrophilic reaction in the enzyme induction.

We have developed a simple system for the sensitive detection and measurement of glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity that detoxifies polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons using the cultured rat normal liver epithelial cell line, RL34 cells. Citral (3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadienal) was isolated from the methanol extract of lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) and identified as a novel inducer of GST. Citral, a mixture of the two stereoisomers geranial and neral, dose- and time-dependently induced the total and pi-class-specific activities of GST.