Spermidine promotes retinal ganglion cell survival and optic nerve regeneration in adult mice following optic nerve injury

Spermidine acts as an endogenous free radical scavenger and inhibits the action of reactive oxygen species. In this study, we examined the effects of spermidine on retinal ganglion cell (RGC) death in a mouse model of optic nerve injury (ONI). Daily ingestion of spermidine reduced RGC death following ONI and sequential in vivo retinal imaging revealed that spermidine effectively prevented retinal degeneration. Apoptosis signal-regulating kinase-1 (ASK1) is an evolutionarily conserved mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase and has an important role in ONI-induced RGC apoptosis. We demonstrated that spermidine suppresses ONI-induced activation of the ASK1-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway. Moreover, production of chemokines important for microglia recruitment was decreased with spermidine treatment and, consequently, accumulation of retinal microglia is reduced. In addition, the ONI-induced expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase in the retina was inhibited with spermidine treatment, particularly in microglia. Furthermore, daily spermidine intake enhanced optic nerve regeneration in vivo. Our findings indicate that spermidine stimulates neuroprotection as well as neuroregeneration, and may be useful for treatment of various neurodegenerative diseases including glaucoma.

Three-year denosumab treatment in postmenopausal Japanese women and men with osteoporosis: results from a 1-year open-label extension of the Denosumab Fracture Intervention Randomized Placebo Controlled Trial (DIRECT)

SUMMARY

A 12-month extension phase of DIRECT in Japanese subjects with osteoporosis showed that total 3 years of denosumab treatment in Japanese postmenopausal women and men with osteoporosis was associated with low fracture rates, persistent bone turnover marker (BTM) reductions, continuous bone mineral density (BMD) increases, and a favorable overall benefit/risk profile.

INTRODUCTION

The DIRECT trial demonstrated that 2 years of treatment with denosumab 60 mg subcutaneously every 6 months significantly reduced the incidence of vertebral fracture compared to placebo in Japanese postmenopausal women and men with osteoporosis. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of denosumab treatment for up to 3 years.

METHODS

This study includes a 2-year randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase and a 1-year open-label extension phase in which all subjects received denosumab. The data correspond to 3 years of denosumab treatment in subjects who received denosumab (long-term group) and 1 year of denosumab treatment in subjects who received placebo (cross-over group) in the double-blind phase.

RESULTS

Eight hundred and ten subjects who completed the double-blind phase enrolled into the extension phase, and 775 subjects completed the study. All subjects received denosumab with daily supplements of calcium and vitamin D. The cumulative 36-month incidences of new or worsening vertebral fractures and new vertebral fractures were 3.8 and 2.5 %, respectively, in the long-term group. In this group, the BMD continued to increase, and the reduction in BTMs was maintained. In the cross-over group, comparable BMD increases and BTMs reductions to those of in their first year of the long-term group were confirmed. Adverse events did not show a notable increase with long-term denosumab administration. One event of osteonecrosis of the jaw occurred in the cross-over group.

CONCLUSIONS

Three-year denosumab treatment in Japanese subjects with osteoporosis showed a favorable benefit/risk profile.

A new predatory leech from Vietnam (Hirudinida : Arhynchobdellida : Salifidae): its phylogenetic position with comments on the classification of the family

The family Salifidae is a predaceous leech taxon in the suborder Erpobdelliformes. Although Salifidae is widely distributed in the African, Oriental, Indo-Malayan, Sino-Japanese and Australasian regions, the phylogenetic relationships of the family Salifidae have never been tested using molecular data obtained from leeches collected from the family distributional range. A salifid species was collected for the first time in Vietnam, and relevant morphological and molecular data are presented here. Because the Vietnamese salifid species possesses unique morphological characteristics among the known salifid species, this species is herein described as a new species, Salifa motokawai, sp. nov. Phylogenetic analyses based on nuclear 18S rRNA and histone H3, as well as mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I, tRNACys, tRNAMet, 12S rRNA, tRNAVal, 16S rRNA, tRNALeu and NADH dehydrogenase subunit 1 markers demonstrate that the Vietnamese salifid species is a close congener with the African Salifa perspicax and the Malagasy Linta be. Furthermore, molecular data revealed non-monophyly of the Asian salifid leeches. According to the observed phylogenetic relationships and morphological characteristics of the Vietnamese Salifa motokawai, sp. nov., the current classification of salifid taxa should be revised.

Mitochondrial iron accumulation exacerbates hepatic toxicity caused by hepatitis C virus core protein

Patients with long-lasting hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection are at major risk of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Iron accumulation in the livers of these patients is thought to exacerbate conditions of oxidative stress. Transgenic mice that express the HCV core protein develop HCC after the steatosis stage and produce an excess of hepatic reactive oxygen species (ROS). The overproduction of ROS in the liver is the net result of HCV core protein-induced dysfunction of the mitochondrial respiratory chain. This study examined the impact of ferric nitrilacetic acid (Fe-NTA)-mediated iron overload on mitochondrial damage and ROS production in HCV core protein-expressing HepG2 (human HCC) cells (Hep39b cells). A decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential and ROS production were observed following Fe-NTA treatment. After continuous exposure to Fe-NTA for six days, cell toxicity was observed in Hep39b cells, but not in mock (vector-transfected) HepG2 cells. Moreover, mitochondrial iron ((59)Fe) uptake was increased in the livers of HCV core protein-expressing transgenic mice. This increase in mitochondrial iron uptake was inhibited by Ru360, a mitochondrial Ca(2+) uniporter inhibitor. Furthermore, the Fe-NTA-induced augmentation of mitochondrial dysfunction, ROS production, and cell toxicity were also inhibited by Ru360 in Hep39b cells. Taken together, these results indicate that Ca(2+) uniporter-mediated mitochondrial accumulation of iron exacerbates hepatocyte toxicity caused by the HCV core protein.

X-ray crystal spectrometer upgrade for ITER-like wall experiments at JET

The high resolution X-Ray crystal spectrometer at the JET tokamak has been upgraded with the main goal of measuring the tungsten impurity concentration. This is important for understanding impurity accumulation in the plasma after installation of the JET ITER-like wall (main chamber: Be, divertor: W). This contribution provides details of the upgraded spectrometer with a focus on the aspects important for spectral analysis and plasma parameter calculation. In particular, we describe the determination of the spectrometer sensitivity: important for impurity concentration determination.

A new quadrannulate species of Orobdella (Hirudinida, Arhynchobdellida, Orobdellidae) from central Honshu, Japan

A new quadrannulate species of Orobdella, Orobdellamasaakikuroiwai sp. n., from the mountainous region of central Honshu, Japan is described. This is only the second small species known within this genus, with a body length of less than 4 cm for mature individuals. Phylogenetic analyses using nuclear 18S rDNA and histone H3 as well as mitochondrial COI, tRNA(Cys), tRNA(Met), 12S, tRNA(Val), 16S, and ND1 markers showed that Orobdellamasaakikuroiwai sp. n. is the sister species of the quadrannulate Orobdellawhitmani Oka, 1895. Phylogenetic relationships within Orobdellamasaakikuroiwai sp. n. conducted using mitochondrial markers reveled a distinction between eastern and western phylogroups.

First record of Orobdellakawakatsuorum (Hirudinida: Arhynchobdellida: Erpobdelliformes) from Kunashir Island, Kuril Islands

Specimens of the genus Orobdella Oka, 1895 from Kunashir Island, the Kuril Islands, are identified as Orobdellakawakatsuorum Richardson, 1975. Mitochondrial tRNA^Leu and ND1 data confirm the species identification of the Kunashir specimens. This is the first record of the genus Orobdella from the Kuril Islands.

Interconnections between autophagy and the coagulation cascade in hepatocellular carcinoma

Autophagy has an important role in tumor biology of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Recent studies demonstrated that tissue factor (TF) combined with coagulation factor VII (FVII) has a pathological role by activating a G-protein-coupled receptor called protease-activated receptor 2 (PAR2) for tumor growth. The present study aimed to investigate the interactions of autophagy and the coagulation cascade in HCC. Seventy HCC patients who underwent curative liver resection were recruited. Immunohistochemical staining and western blotting were performed to determine TF, FVII, PAR2 and light chain 3 (LC3A/B) expressions in tumors and their contiguous normal regions. We found that the levels of autophagic marker LC3A/B-II and coagulation proteins (TF, FVII and PAR2) were inversely correlated in human HCC tissues. Treatments with TF, FVII or PAR2 agonist downregulated LC3A/B-II with an increased level of mTOR in Hep3B cells; in contrast, knockdown of TF, FVII or PAR2 increased LC3A/B. Furthermore, mTOR silencing restored the impaired expression of LC3A/B-II in TF-, FVII- or PAR2-treated Hep3B cells and activated autophagy. Last, as an in vivo correlate, we administered TF, FVII or PAR2 agonist in a NOD/severe combined immunodeficiency xenograft model and showed decreased LC3A/B protein levels in HepG2 tumors with treatments. Overall, our present study demonstrated that TF, FVII and PAR2 regulated autophagy mainly via mTOR signaling. The interaction of coagulation and autophagic pathways may provide potential targets for further therapeutic application in HCC.

Possible evidence for free precession of a strongly magnetized neutron star in the magnetar 4U 0142+61

Magnetars are a special type of neutron stars, considered to have extreme dipole magnetic fields reaching ∼ 10(11) T. The magnetar 4 U 0142+61, one of the prototypes of this class, was studied in broadband x rays (0.5-70 keV) with the Suzaku observatory. In hard x rays (15-40 keV), its 8.69 sec pulsations suffered slow phase modulations by ± 0.7 sec, with a period of ∼ 15 h. When this effect is interpreted as free precession of the neutron star, the object is inferred to deviate from spherical symmetry by ∼ 1.6 × 10(-4) in its moments of inertia. This deformation, when ascribed to magnetic pressure, suggests a strong toroidal magnetic field, ∼ 10(12) T, residing inside the object. This provides one of the first observational approaches towards toroidal magnetic fields of magnetars.

Effect of ADAMTS-13 on cerebrovascular microthrombosis and neuronal injury after experimental subarachnoid hemorrhage

BACKGROUND

Microthrombosis and reactive inflammation contribute to neuronal injury after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). ADAMTS-13 cleaves von Willebrand factor multimers, and inhibits thrombus formation and, seemingly, inflammatory reactions.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of ADAMTS-13 in experimental SAH.

METHODS

A total of 100 male C57/BL6 mice were randomly assigned to four groups: sham (n = 15), SAH (n = 27), vehicle (n = 25), and ADAMTS-13 (n = 23; 100 μL per 10 g of body weight of 100 μg of ADAMTS-13 per 1 mL of 0.9% NaCl; 20 min after SAH). Neurologic performance was assessed on days 1 and 2 after SAH. Animals were killed on day 2. The amounts of subarachnoid blood, microthrombi, apoptosis and degenerative neurons were compared. The degree of neuronal inflammation and vasospasm was also compared. In five mice each (SAH and ADAMTS-13 groups), bleeding time was assessed 2 h after SAH.

RESULTS

Systemic administration of ADAMTS-13 achieved significant amelioration of microthrombosis and improvement in neurologic performance. ADAMTS-13 reduced the amount of apoptotic and degenerative neurons. A tendency for decreased neuronal inflammation was observed. ADAMTS-13 did not show any significant effect on vasospasm. The degree of systemic inflammation was not changed by ADAMTS-13 administration. ADAMTS-13 neither increased the amount of subarachnoid blood nor prolonged the bleeding time.

CONCLUSIONS

ADAMTS-13 may reduce neuronal injury after SAH by reducing microthrombosis formation and neuronal inflammation, thereby providing a new option for mitigating the severity of neuronal injury after SAH.

Chondroitin sulphate distribution in broiler chicken carcasses

1. The content of chondroitin sulphate (CS), known as a nutraceutical, was estimated in broiler chicken carcasses by analysing sulphated glycosaminoglycan uronic acid in posterior sternum (keel) cartilage and bones from 4 parts (wing, leg, front and hind) of carcasses. 2. The results of the present study suggested that approximately 0.63 g CS uronic acid (or 1.9 g as CS) can be extracted from a 1.66 kg whole broiler chicken carcass. The amount of extractable CS from keel cartilage, which has been reported as a valuable source of CS in broiler chicken carcasses, was surprisingly low (<10% of total CS).

Ezrin regulates the expression of Mrp2/Abcc2 and Mdr1/Abcb1 along the rat small intestinal tract

Multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (MRP2)/ATP-binding cassette protein C2 (ABCC2) and multidrug resistance protein 1 (MDR1)/ABCB1 are well-known efflux transporters located on the brush border membrane of the small intestinal epithelia, where they limit the absorption of a broad range of substrates. The expression patterns of MRP2/ABCC2 and MDR1/ABCB1 along the small intestinal tract are tightly regulated. Several reports have demonstrated the participation of ERM (ezrin/radixin/moesin) proteins in the posttranslational modulation of MRP2/ABCC2 and MDR1/ABCB1, especially with regard to their membrane localization. The present study focused on the in vivo expression profiles of MRP2/ABCC2, MDR1/ABCB1, ezrin, and phosphorylated ezrin to further elucidate the relationship between the efflux transporters and the ERM proteins. The current results showed good correlation between the phosphorylation status of ezrin and Mrp2/Abcc2 expression along the gastrointestinal tract of rats and between the expression profiles of both ezrin and Mdr1/Abcb1 in the small intestine. We also demonstrated the involvement of conventional protein kinase C isoforms in the regulation of ezrin phosphorylation. Furthermore, experiments conducted with wild-type (WT) ezrin and a T567A (Ala substituted Thr) dephosphorylated mutant showed a decrease in membrane surface-localized and total expressed MRP2/ABCC2 in T567A-expressing vs. WT ezrin-expressing Caco-2 cells. In contrast, T567A- and WT-expressing cells both showed an increase in membrane surface-localized and total expressed MDR1/ABCB1. These findings suggest that the phosphorylation status and the expression profile of ezrin differentially direct MRP2/ABCC2 and MDR1/ABCB1 expression, respectively, along the small intestinal tract.

Fatal hepatic hemorrhage by peliosis hepatis in X-linked myotubular myopathy: a case report

We report a 5-year-old boy with X-linked myotubular myopathy complicated by peliosis hepatis. At birth, he was affected with marked generalized muscle hypotonia and weakness, which required permanent ventilatory support, and was bedridden for life. He died of acute fatal hepatic hemorrhage after using a mechanical in-exsufflator. Peliosis hepatis, defined as multiple, variable-sized, cystic blood-filled spaces through the liver parenchyma, was confirmed by autopsy. To avoid fatal hepatic hemorrhage by peliosis hepatis, routine hepatic function tests and abdominal imaging tests should be performed for patients with X-linked myotubular myopathy, especially at the time of using artificial respiration.

HER2 and EGFR Gene Copy Number Alterations Are Predominant in High-Grade Salivary Mucoepidermoid Carcinoma

Objectives:

Investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the development of mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC).

Methods:

We investigated the MAML2 fusion status using reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, and HER2 and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) status using immunohistochemistry and chromogenic in-situ hybridization in 31 cases.

Results:

MAML2 fusions were detected in 57.7% MECs analyzed, including 68.8% low-grade, 50% intermediate-grade and 33.3% high-grade MECs. HER2 gene amplification was present in 14.3% MECs analyzed, including 25% intermediate-grade and 42.9% high-grade MECs. An increased EGFR gene copy number was detected in 14.3% MECs analyzed, and was correlated with both high tumor grade (P=0.0017) and worse outcome ( P < 0.0001). Irrespective of MAML2 fusion status, all of 7 high-grade MECs had an increased gene copy number of either HER2 or EGFR gene in a mutually exclusive manner, whereas such abnormalities were extremely rare in low- and intermediate-grade MEC.

Conclusions:

These results suggest that HER2 or EGFR gene abnormality may play an important role in the development of high-grade MEC, and also in the progression from MAML2 fusion-positive low/intermediate-grade to high-grade in a subset of MEC. Furthermore, we suggest that high-grade MEC consists of a heterogeneous group of tumors in terms of molecular pathogenesis in particular MAML2 fusion status.