Gram-scale approach for β-costic acid via allylic oxidation of β-selinene

β-Costic acid is a sesquiterpene phytoalexin with acaricidal activity against Varroa destructor and antitrypanosomal activity. A concise and efficient method was developed for the synthesis of β-costic acid via the allylic oxidation of β-selinene, a component of celery seed oil.

Assessment of maxillary sinus fluid volume for postmortem diagnosis of drowning

INTRODUCTION

Drowning is a comprehensive and exclusive diagnosis at autopsy. Autopsy findings such as pleural effusion and waterlogged lungs contribute to the diagnosis. Herein, we aim to reveal the practical usefulness and postmortem changes of the maxillary sinus fluid volume to diagnose drowning.

METHODS

We evaluated 52 drowning and 59 nondrowning cases. The maxillary sinus fluid volume was measured using a computed tomography (CT) scan, and pleural effusion volume and lung weight were manually measured at autopsy. The utility of these three indices for diagnosing drowning and its postmortem changes was evaluated.

RESULTS

The maxillary sinus fluid volume was significantly higher in drowning cases than in other external causes and cardiovascular death cases. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that a total maxillary sinus fluid volume >1.04 mL more usefully indicated drowning (odds ratio, 8.19) than a total pleural effusion volume >175 mL (odds ratio, 7.23) and a total lung weight >829 g (odds ratio, 2.29). The combination of maxillary sinus fluid volume and pleural effusion volume more effectively predicted drowning than one index alone. Moreover, the maxillary sinus fluid volume was less influenced by the postmortem interval than the other two indices up to a week after death.

CONCLUSION

Maxillary sinus fluid volume can be more useful than pleural effusion volume and lung weight with higher sensitivity and odds ratio for diagnosing drowning.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Fluid accumulation in both the maxillary sinuses strongly predicts drowning in the postmortem imaging.

Enantioselective total syntheses of (S)-phosphonothrixin and unexpected cyclic derivative (S)-cyclic phosphonothrixin via enzymatic resolution

(S)-Phosphonothrixin is a phosphonate natural product produced by Saccharothrix sp. ST-888 that exhibits herbicidal activity. The previously reported asymmetric synthesis of (S)-phosphonothrixin is laborious and difficult to reproduce. In this study, we developed a scalable and concise enantioselective total synthesis of (S)-phosphonothrixin via two different synthetic routes by the enzymatic resolution of a known racemic epoxy alcohol. The second-generation synthesis was more efficient in terms of the overall yield (15%) and the number of steps (7) and afforded a unique cyclic phosphonate (phostone) as the product of the C-P bond formation reaction, which was converted to (S)-cyclic phosphonothrixin. Both (S)-phosphonothrixin and (S)-cyclic phosphonothrixin induced chlorosis in the plant Arabidopsis thaliana. However, (S)-cyclic phosphonothrixin exhibited lower activity than (S)-phosphonothrixin owing to its fixed conformation, as evidenced by a structure-activity relationship study. This study paves the way for the elucidation of the detailed mode of action of (S)-phosphonothrixin.

Concise synthesis of amino acid component of amicoumacins via dihydrooxazine formation through intramolecular conjugate addition

Amicoumacins are a family of antibiotics with a variety of important bioactivities. A concise and efficient method was developed for synthesizing the amino acid component of amicoumacins via the corresponding dihydrooxazine intermediate. The dihydrooxazine ring was formed with complete stereoselectivity through an intramolecular conjugate addition of a δ-trichloroacetimidoyloxy-α,β-unsaturated ester, which was obtained from a known 4,6-O-p-methoxybenzylidene-protected d-glucose. The synthesis developed in this study can be used to synthesize the building blocks of amicoumacins and can likely be adapted for the synthesis of other types of molecules possessing dihydrooxazine rings or amino alcohol moieties.

Observation of Collective Resonance Modes in a Chiral Spin Soliton Lattice with Tunable Magnon Dispersion

A chiral spin soliton lattice (CSL), one of the representative systems of a magnetic superstructure, exhibits reconfigurability in periodicity over a macroscopic length scale. Such coherent and tunable characteristics of the CSL lead to an emergence of elementary excitation of the CSL as phononlike modes due to translational symmetry breaking and bring a controllability of the dispersion relation of the CSL phonon. Using a broadband microwave spectroscopy technique, we directly found that higher-order magnetic resonance modes appear in the CSL phase of a chiral helimagnet CrNb_{3}S_{6}, which is ascribed to the CSL phonon response. The resonance frequency of the CSL phonon can be tuned between 16 and 40 GHz in the vicinity of the critical field, where the CSL period alters rapidly. The frequency range of the CSL phonon is expected to extend over 100 GHz as extrapolated on the basis of the theoretical model. The present results indicate that chiral helimagnets could work as materials useful for broadband signal processing in the millimeter-wave band.

Abstract 2257: DNA adductome analysis in human colorectal tissues

Due to recent advancement of DNA sequencing technologies, cancer genome analysis has shown that somatic mutations have different trends in various tissues and individuals. Some of trends has been associated with exposure of chemically reactive compounds derived from exogenous or endogenous sources and genetic deficiencies in DNA repair and DNA replication as mutational signatures. Accumulation of these information will ultimately expect to identify carcinogenic etiologies in an individual case. However, what types of DNA damage caused the mutational signatures and how extent they contribute to human carcinogenesis has not yet fully explained.To directly evaluate the chemical types of DNA damage in human colorectal tissues, we performed comprehensive identification of DNA adducts by a liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry. In this DNA adductome methodology, genome DNA was enzymatically hydrolyzed into mononucleoside and separated using a reversed-phase chromatography. Chemical structure of DNA adducts including products of epigenetic modification in genome DNA was identified using column retention time and m/z of chemical standard library of DNA adducts. Peak areas of DNA adducts were normalized by that of naturally-occurring isotopologues of canonical DNA nucleoside and compared with clinicopathological information. We identified several DNA adducts in human colorectal tissue. These included DNA adducts of alkylation, oxidation, and lipid peroxidation. C5-methyl-2’-deoxycytidine was most abundant atypical DNA in human colorectal tissue and prevalent in all cases. C5-hydroxymethyl-2’-deoxycytdine was decreased in colorectal cancer cases compared with non-colorectal cancer cases. Other DNA adducts like 1,N6-etheno-2’-deoxyadenosine were present with group- or individual-specificity. Compared with our previous results of DNA adductome analysis in human stomach mucosae and kidney tissues, DNA adducts observed in human colorectal tissue showed some tissue specificity. We will discuss whether profiles of DNA adducts are based on similar contexts of chemical exposure among individuals. DNA adducts observed in our study potentially indicated chemical causes of DNA mutation in human colorectal tissue. We propose that the integration of DNA adductomics using mass spectrometric profiling with other genetic analysis such as mutational signature analysis leverage the exploration of chemical and genetic etiology in an individual carcinogenic context and evaluate gene-environment interaction in human carcinogenesis.

Citation Format: Yuji Iwashita, Shunsuke Ohtsuka, Ippei Ohnishi, Yuto Matsushita, Takashi Yamashita, Keisuke Inaba, Atsuko Fukazawa, Hideto Ochiai, Keigo Matsumoto, Nobuhito Kurono, Yoshitaka Matsushima, Hiroki Mori, Shioto Suzuki, Shohachi Suzuki, Fumihiko Tanioka, Haruhiko Sugimura. DNA adductome analysis in human colorectal tissues [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 2257.

Isolation of phenolic acids and tannin acids from Mangifera indica L. kernels as inhibitors of lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 cells

Mango (Mangifera indica L.) kernels are usually discarded as waste, but they contain many pharmacological properties and bioactivities. In this study, we isolated antiobesity agents from mango kernels that inhibit intracellular lipid formation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Two phenolic acids, ethyl gallate and ethyl digallate, and 2 tannin acids, 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose (PGG) and 3-O-digalloyl-1,2,4,6-tetra-O-β-d-glucose (HGG), were identified from mango kernels and were found to be suppressed lipid accumulation as evidenced by Oil Red O staining. Furthermore, ethyl digallate, PGG, and HGG significantly downregulated the mRNA expression of adipogenic transcription factors such as C/EBPα and PPARγ. However, ethyl gallate did not affect the expression of these transcription factors. Our findings reveal the presence of antiobesity compounds in mango kernels, implying its therapeutic role against obesity.

GABAA Receptors and Maternally Derived Taurine Regulate the Temporal Specification of Progenitors of Excitatory Glutamatergic Neurons in the Mouse Developing Cortex

Temporal specification of the neural progenitors (NPs) producing excitatory glutamatergic neurons is essential for histogenesis of the cerebral cortex. Neuroepithelial cells, the primary NPs, transit to radial glia (RG). To coincide with the transition, NPs start to differentiate into neurons, undergoing a switch from symmetric to asymmetric cell division. After the onset of neurogenesis, NPs produce layer-specific neurons in a defined order with precise timing. Here, we show that GABAA receptors (GABAARs) and taurine are involved in this regulatory mechanism. Foetal exposure to GABAAR-antagonists suppressed the transition to RG, switch to asymmetric division, and differentiation into upper-layer neurons. Foetal exposure to GABAAR-agonists caused the opposite effects. Mammalian foetuses are dependent on taurine derived from the mothers. GABA and taurine function as endogenous ligands for GABAARs. Ca2+ imaging showed that NPs principally responded to taurine but not GABA before E13. The histological phenotypes of the taurine transporter knockout mice resembled those of the mice foetally exposed to GABAAR-antagonists. Foetal exposure to GABAAR-modulators resulted in considerable alterations in offspring behavior like core symptoms of autism. These results show that taurine regulates the temporal specification of NPs and that disrupting the taurine-receptor interaction possibly leads to neurodevelopmental disorders.

Mass spectrometric profiling of DNA adducts in the human stomach associated with damage from environmental factors

Background

A comprehensive understanding of DNA adducts, one of the most plausible origins of cancer mutations, is still elusive, especially in human tissues in clinical settings. Recent technological developments have facilitated the identification of multiple DNA adducts in a single experiment. Only a few attempts toward this “DNA adductome approach” in human tissues have been reported. Geospatial information on DNA adducts in human organs has been scarce.

Aim

Mass spectrometry of human gastric mucosal DNA was performed to identify DNA adducts associated with environmental factors.

Materials and methods

From 59 subjects who had received gastrectomy for gastric cancer, 306 samples of nontumor tissues and 15 samples of tumors (14 cases) were taken for DNA adductome analysis. Gastric nontumor tissue from autopsies of 7 subjects without gastric cancer (urothelial cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, lung cancer each; the other four cases were without any cancers) was also investigated. Briefly, DNA was extracted from each sample with antioxidants, digested into nucleosides, separated by liquid chromatography, and then electrospray-ionized. Specific DNA adducts were identified by mass/charge number and column retention time compared to standards. Information on lifestyle factors such as tobacco smoking and alcohol drinking was taken from the clinical records of each subject.

Results

Seven DNA adducts, including modified bases, C5-methyl-2′-deoxycytidine, 2′-deoxyinosine, C5-hydroxymethyl-2′-deoxycytidine, N6-methyl-2′-deoxyadenosine, 1,N6-etheno-2′-deoxyadenosine, N6-hydroxymethyl-2′-deoxyadenosine, and C8-oxo-2′-deoxyguanosine, were identified in the human stomach and characterized. Intraindividual differences according to the multiple sites of these adducts were noted but were less substantial than interindividual differences. N6-hydroxymethyl-2′-deoxyadenosine was identified in the human stomach for the first time. The amount of C5-hydroxymethyl-2′-deoxycytidine was higher in the stomachs of subjects without gastric cancer than in the nontumor and tumor portions of the stomach in gastric cancer patients. Higher levels of 1,N6-etheno-2′-deoxyadenosine were detected in the subjects who reported both smoking and drinking than in those without these habits. These DNA adducts showed considerable correlations with each other.

Conclusions

We characterized 7 DNA adducts in the nontumor portion of the human stomach in both gastric cancer subjects and nongastric cancer subjects. A reduction in C5-hydroxymethyl-dC even in the nontumor mucosa of patients with gastric cancer was observed. Smoking and drinking habits significantly influenced the quantity of one of the lipid peroxidation-derived adducts, etheno-dA. A more expansive DNA adductome profile would provide a comprehensive understanding of the origin of human cancer in the future.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s41021-021-00186-2.

Record-high sensitivity compact multi-slot sub-wavelength Bragg grating refractive index sensor on SOI platform

In this paper, a high sensitivity compact multi-slot sub-wavelength Bragg grating refractive index (RI) sensor was investigated. The structural parameters were optimized for higher sensitivity to RI change of the surrounding medium from viewpoints of a wavelength shift, an extinction ratio and a transmission loss, and a record-high sensitivity was experimentally demonstrated with a compact size. In this sensor, the first side-lobe at the Bragg grating (BG) stop-band end was focused as a sensing peak wavelength for moderate transmission loss and efficient sensing. To realize the compactness, a period count of the BG was kept as small as 20. By increasing the RI of the surrounding medium, the sensing peak shifts toward a longer wavelength side; thus due to the high sharpness and easy tracing of the first side-lobe, the device worked as an efficient RI sensor. The structural optimization was carried out by using 3D finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) simulation approach, and also influences of the structural parameters to sensitivities were discussed. Based on these optimized parameters, the devices were fabricated using the lift-off technique. By exposing the sensor to various liquid samples with different RIs such as pure water, sugar-dissolved water with various concentrations, acetone and isopropyl alcohol (IPA), a record-high sensitivity of 730 nm/RIU was attained for a sensor fabricated on SOI platforms with a length of as small as 9.5 µm and a transmission loss of 3 dB.

Abstract A24: Exploration of esophageal cancer etiology using comprehensive DNA adduct analysis (DNA adductome analysis)

Objective: China has among the highest incidence and mortality rates of esophageal cancer in the world. Cixian, one of the high-incidence areas, demonstrates a much higher incidence when compared with other rural or urban areas in China. To address the etiology of esophageal cancer in Cixian, we carried out a comprehensive DNA adduct analysis (DNA adductome) using surgical specimens that were collected from esophageal cancer patients living in Cixian and Shijiazhuang (low-incidence area for esophageal cancer).

Methods: Both tumorous and nontumorous tissues were collected from patients who underwent surgical procedures at Cixian Cancer Hospital and the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University. A peripheral blood sample was also collected in each hospital. DNA adductome analysis was performed with LC-QTOF mass spectrometer by using DNA derived from surgical specimen. Whole-exome sequencing analysis was also conducted using esophageal tumor/peripheral blood paired samples. Mutation analyses of candidate chemical substance, which was predicted by DNA adductome analysis, were performed with Ames assay and gpt delta transgenic rats.

Results: Multiple DNA adducts were detected in samples from both areas in the DNA adductome analysis. The 2D-PCA scores plot of the DNA adducts showed a clear clustering of the high- and low-incidence areas, and the associated loadings plot demonstrated that several DNA adducts made a greater contribution to the high-incidence area. By referring to an in-house DNA adduct database, N2-(3,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yl)deoxyguanosine (THP-dG), which was derived from N-nitrosopiperidine (NPIP), emerged as a major DNA adduct. In order to confirm the DNA adduct that was highly correlated to the high-incidence area, we synthesized authentic 15N5-THP-dG and analyzed it by quantitative LC-MS/MS apparatus. An elution peak, which appeared at the same position of authentic 15N5-THP-dG, was observed in the surgical specimens collected from the high-incidence area. Examination of THP-dG adduct in peripheral blood samples demonstrated that the adduct levels were significantly higher in the high-incidence area than in the low-incidence area. Moreover, NPIP exhibited a strong mutagenic activity under metabolic activation in the Ames test and a significant dose-dependent increase in mutation frequency during in vivo mutagenicity tests with gpt delta rats. The NPIP-induced mutation was dominated by A:T to C:G transversions, followed by G:C to A:T and A:T to G:C transitions, in both liver and esophagus of animal samples. Similar mutational patterns were observed in the mutational signatures of esophageal cancer patients, which demonstrated weak correlation with THP-dG levels.

Conclusion: This is the first study that used DNA adductome analysis to reveal the etiology of esophageal cancer in Cixian. These findings suggested that NPIP exposure is partly involved in the development of esophageal cancer in Cixian residents.

Citation Format: Hitoshi Nakagama, Yukari Totsuka, Yingsong Lin, Yutong He, Haruna Sato, Tomonari Matsuda, Yoshitaka Matsushima, Mamoru Kato, Asmaa Elzawahry, Yasushi Totoki, Tatsuhiro Shibata, Baoen Shan. Exploration of esophageal cancer etiology using comprehensive DNA adduct analysis (DNA adductome analysis) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Environmental Carcinogenesis: Potential Pathway to Cancer Prevention; 2019 Jun 22-24; Charlotte, NC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Can Prev Res 2020;13(7 Suppl): Abstract nr A24.

INFLUENCE OF STRAIN-INDUCED CRYSTALLIZATION ON STRESS SOFTENING OF SULFUR CROSS-LINKED UNFILLED GUAYULE AND DANDELION NATURAL RUBBERS

The stress softening behaviors of sulfur cross-linked unfilled guayule natural rubber (S-GR) and sulfur cross-linked unfilled dandelion natural rubber (S-DR) under cyclic deformation were characterized by simultaneous wide angle X-ray diffraction and tensile measurements under cyclic deformation. The behaviors were found to be affected by their strain-induced crystallization (SIC) phenomena and aggregated nonrubber components. The stress softening degree at stretching ratio = 8.0 of S-DR was almost two times larger than that of S-GR. Additionally, the hysteresis loss and residual strain of S-DR were much higher than those of S-GR in the same cycle. The key factors that caused the increase in their degree of stress softening were the increase in average volume and the decrease in average number of strain-induced crystallites upon cyclic deformation, not the insignificant decrease in crystallinity. The breakage of the aggregated nonrubber components is a main origin of stress softening behaviors for S-GR and S-DR because their SIC behaviors also were significantly influenced by the aggregates of nonrubber components in the rubber matrixes. Both the effects of nonrubber components and SIC on stress softening were more dominant in S-DR than in S-GR, probably owing to the larger amount of aggregated nonrubber components in the former than in the latter. The results will be useful in effectively using guayule and dandelion natural rubbers as alternatives to Hevea natural rubber in the rubber industry.

Influence of GSH S-transferase on the mutagenicity induced by dichloromethane and 1,2-dichloropropane

It has been suggested that dichloromethane (DCM) and 1,2-dichloropropane (DCP) are responsible for occupational cholangiocarcinoma. Dihaloalkanes are metabolically activated by GSH S-transferase theta1 (GSTT1) to yield products such as episulfonium ions. However, whether the GSTT1-mediated step of these dihaloalkanes is related to occupational cholangiocarcinoma is not known. In the present study, we investigated the influence of GSTT1 activation on the mutagenicity of DCM and 1,2-DCP using GSTT1-expressing Salmonella typhimurium TA100 (TA100-GST). Since the mutagenicity of DCM was significantly increased in TA100-GST compared with mock control (TA100-pCTC), GSTT1 is thought to be involved in the mutagenicity of DCM. Mutation spectrum analysis on the hisG gene revealed that C:G to A:T transversions were the predominant form observed in DCM-treated TA100-pCTC. However, C:G to T:A transitions were dramatically increased in TA100-GST. We also analysed the DCM-DNA adduct, N2-GSH-Me-dG, and formation of N2-GSH-Me-dG was increased in TA100-GST compared with TA100-pCTC. On the other hand, 1,2-DCP did not increase the numbers of revertants in TA100-GSTT1. In mutation spectrum analysis, C:G to T:A transitions was predominant in both TA100-pCTC and TA100-GSTT1. These findings suggest that GSTT1 has little involvement in DCP mutagenicity, and other mechanisms might be more important for bioactivation and consequent genotoxicity. Clarification of the mechanisms underlying the development of DCM- and/or 1,2-DCP-related human cholangiocarcinoma may help establish risk assessment and prevention strategies against occupational cancer.

Identification of the novel hcbB operon catalyzing the dechlorination of pentachlorophenol in the Gram-positive bacterium Nocardioides sp. strain PD653

While pcp genes are well known in Gram-negative bacteria to code for the enzymes responsible for pentachlorophenol (C₆HCl₅O; PCP) degradation, little is known about PCP-degrading genes in Gram-positive bacteria. Here we describe a novel gene operon possibly responsible for catalyzing the degradation of PCP in the Gram-positive bacterium Nocardioides sp. strain PD653, which is capable of mineralizing hexachlorobenzene (C₆Cl₆; HCB) via PCP. Transcriptome analysis based on RNA-Seq revealed overexpressed genes in strain PD653 following exposure to HCB. Based on in silico annotation, three open reading frames (ORFs) were selected as biodegrading enzyme candidates. Recombinant E. coli cells expressing candidate genes degraded approximately 9.4 µmol L^-1 PCP in 2 hr. Therefore, we designated these genes as hcbB1, hcbB2, and hcbB3. Interestingly, PCP-degrading activity was recorded when hcbB3 was coexpressed with hcbB1 or hcbB2, and the function of HcbB3 was expected to be similar to chlorophenol 4-monooxygenase (TftD).

Efficacy and safety of rebamipide liquid for chemoradiotherapy-induced oral mucositis in patients with head and neck cancer: a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group phase II study

BACKGROUND

Recent preclinical and phase I studies have reported that rebamipide decreased the severity of chemoradiotherapy-induced oral mucositis in patients with oral cancer. This placebo-controlled randomized phase II study assessed the clinical benefit of rebamipide in reducing the incidence of severe chemoradiotherapy-induced oral mucositis in patients with head and neck cancer (HNC).

METHODS

Patients aged 20-75 years with HNC who were scheduled to receive chemoradiotherapy were enrolled. Patients were randomized to receive rebamipide 2% liquid, rebamipide 4% liquid, or placebo. The primary endpoint was the incidence of grade ≥ 3 oral mucositis determined by clinical examination and assessed by central review according to the Common Terminology Criteria of Adverse Events version 3.0. Secondary endpoints were the time to onset of grade ≥ 3 oral mucositis and the incidence of functional impairment (grade ≥ 3) based on the evaluation by the Oral Mucositis Evaluation Committee.

RESULTS

From April 2014 to August 2015, 97 patients with HNC were enrolled, of whom 94 received treatment. The incidence of grade ≥ 3 oral mucositis was 29% and 25% in the rebamipide 2% and 4% groups, respectively, compared with 39% in the placebo group. The proportion of patients who did not develop grade ≥ 3 oral mucositis by day 50 of treatment was 57.9% in the placebo group, whereas the proportion was 68.0% in the rebamipide 2% group and 71.3% in the rebamipide 4% group. The incidences of adverse events potentially related to the study drug were 16%, 26%, and 13% in the placebo, rebamipide 2%, and rebamipide 4% groups, respectively. There was no significant difference in treatment compliance among the groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The present phase II study suggests that mouth washing with rebamipide may be effective and safe for patients with HNC receiving chemoradiotherapy, and 4% liquid is the optimal dose of rebamipide.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov under the identifier NCT02085460 (the date of trial registration: March 11, 2014).

Comparative Studies on Lipid Peroxidation in the Kidney of Rats, Mice, and Hamsters and on the Effect of Cysteine, Glutathione, and Diethyl Maleate Treatment on Mortality and Nephrotoxicity After Administration of Potassium Bromate

As an index of lipid peroxidation (LPO), levels of thiobarbituric acid (TBA)-reactive substances were examined in the kidneys of male F344 rats, BDF1, CDF1, and B6C3F1 mice, and Syrian golden hamsters after a single intravenous (IV) administration of potassium bromate (KBrO3) at various doses. In the rats, LPO levels were significantly increased in both a dose-dependent and time-dependent manner. However, when the rats were given intraperitoneal (IP) injection of cysteine, the levels of LPO were not significantly different between KBrO3-treated animals and controls. In CDF1 mice, the slight increases in LPO levels observed were much weaker and not statistically significant. On the other hand, treatment of BDF1 and B6C3F1 mice or hamsters with KBrO3 resulted in decreased values as compared to controls. The effect of treatment with cysteine, glutathione (GSH), or diethyl maleate (DEM) on mortality was tested in male F344 rats given IV injection of KBrO3 at various doses. Significant reduction and elevation in the mortality were observed in rats treated with cysteine or GSH and DEM, respectively. Significant dose-dependent and time-dependent increases were observed in the levels of serum non-protein nitrogen (NPN), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and creatinine, and absolute and relative weight of the kidneys in male F344 rats administered KBrO3 IV. Microscopically, the appearance of numerous eosinophilic droplets in the cytoplasm of proximal tubular epithelium of KBrO3-treated rats was noteworthy. All these changes were reduced and exacerbated by treatment with cysteine or GSH and DEM, respectively. The possibility of LPO formation in the kidney by active oxygen radicals generated by KBrO3 is suggested. A possible relationship between LPO levels in the kidney and species differences in the renal toxicity and carcinogenicity of KBrO3 is implicated.

Abstract 4619: DNA adductome analyses at multiple sites of human gastric mucosa, resected for gastric cancer

DNA adducts are recognized as an initiative step of mutagenesis, but the measurement of them is still a technical challenge. So-called adductome approach, based on LC-MS/MS, is a popular procedure to identify multiple DNA adducts in various tissues at a single experiments. Recently we reported 7 lipid peroxidation-induced DNA adducts in human gastric mucosa resected for gastric cancer in two countries for the first time, and showed the profile of these DNA adducts could indicate geo-pathological background of gastric mucosa (Matsuda 2013). Though DNA adductome approach posesses the high throghput potential in terms of finding numerous specis of DNA adducts having different molecular weights, there are still challenges to overcome. First of all, the numbers of the standards of DNA adducts molecules available are less than the species with identified molecular weight. This implies there are much more DNA modifications in human tissues than previously characterized. The other challaenge is that the absolute quantifications of these adducts requires isotopic standard chemicals. In this study, we strengthened DNA adductome method by including as many as known adducts in the assay system. Mass/Charge value and liquid chromatography retention time of known 254 DNA addcuts were collected and incoporated into LC-MS/MS machine (4000-QTRAP; Thermo). By this procedure we could measure the 254 DNA adducts at one time in MRM mode. Using this system, we measured 254 DNA adducts in the following human gastric mucosa. Written informed consents were obtained from the patients who took gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Under the hypothesis of field cancerization of gastric mucosa, in order to analyze the spatial influence of the exposure of the potential carcinogens toward cancer site, muocsal tissue at multiple sites with different distance to cancer, (10cm and more distant from the tumor site in the stomach to the site adjacent to the tumor) were taken. Three to 10 sites/case were investigated for DNA adducts measurements. Totally 11 cases and 77 sites are analyzed.

Considerable numbers of known DNA adducts were present in human gastric mucosa in different quantities. Among them, tobacco-related and lipid-peroxidation-induced DNA adducts were noted. We also did the same measurements in proximal, middle, and distal gastric mucosa from autospy cases without gastric cancer and compared them to those of the cancer cases. Among them, etheno-dA was able to be quantitatively measured using isotopic standard. The mean level of etheno dA in the gastric mucosa of autopsy cases without gastric cancer was 8.02/107 nucleotides, while that of gastric cancer patients mucosae was 4.80/107 nucleotides. These comprehensive identifications in adducts in human gastric mucosa will provide the basic information for dosimetry and risk assessment of environmental chemicals toward gastric cancer.

Citation Format: Nobuya Kurabe, Ippei Ohnishi, Masako Suzuki, Yusuke Inoue, Tomoaki Kahyo, Moriya Iwaizumi, Yoshitaka Matsushima, Yukari Totsuka, Hitoshi Nakagama, Masako Kasami, Hideto Ochiai, Keigo Matsumoto, Shioto Suzuki, Fumihiko Tanioka, Haruhiko Sugimura. DNA adductome analyses at multiple sites of human gastric mucosa, resected for gastric cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 4619. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-4619

Genetic analyses of GII.17 norovirus strains in diarrheal disease outbreaks from December 2014 to March 2015 in Japan reveal a novel polymerase sequence and amino acid substitutions in the capsid region

A novel GII.P17-GII.17 variant norovirus emerged as a major cause of norovirus outbreaks from December 2014 to March 2015 in Japan. Named Hu/GII/JP/2014/GII.P17-GII.17, this variant has a newly identified GII.P17 type RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, while the capsid sequence displays amino acid substitutions around histo-blood group antigen (HBGA) binding sites. Several variants caused by mutations in the capsid region have previously been observed in the GII.4 genotype. Monitoring the GII.17 variant's geographical spread and evolution is important.

Robust quantitative assessments of cytosine modifications and changes in the expressions of related enzymes in gastric cancer

BACKGROUND

The rediscovery of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine, the ten-eleven translocation (TET) family, thymine-DNA glycosylase (TDG) and isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) have opened new avenues in the study of DNA demethylation pathways in gastric cancer (GC). We performed a comprehensive and robust analysis of these genes and modified cytosines in gastric cancer.

METHODS

Liquid chromatography mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to assess 5-methyldeoxycytidine (5-mC), 5-hydroxymethyldeoxycytidine (5-hmC), 5-formyldeoxycytidine (5-fC) and 5-carboxyldeoxycytidine (5-caC) quantitatively in tumorous and non-tumorous regions of GCs; [D2]-5-hmC was used as an internal standard. Expression levels of the genes TET1, TET2, TET3, TDG, IDH1 and IDH2 were measured using a real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and were compared to the clinical attributes of each case. Using HEK293T cells the effects of introducing plasmids containing full-length TET1, TET2, and TET3 and 7 variants of the TET2 catalytic domain were evaluated in terms of their effect on cytosine demethylation.

RESULTS

LC-MS/MS showed that 5-hmC was significantly decreased in tumorous portions. 5-mC was also moderately decreased in tumors, while 5-fC and 5-caC were barely detectable. The expressions of TET1, TET2, TET3, TDG and IDH2, but not IDH1, were notably decreased in GCs, compared with the adjacent non-tumor portion. TET1 expression and the 5-hmC levels determined using LC-MS/MS had a significantly positive correlation and TET1 protein had a greater effect on the increase in 5-hmC than TET2 and TET3 in HEK293T cells.

CONCLUSIONS

The loss of 5-hmC and the down-regulation of TET1-3, TDG and IDH2 were found in GCs. The loss of 5-hmC in GCs was mainly correlated with the down-regulation of TET1.

Human DNA glycosylase enzyme TDG repairs thymine mispaired with exocyclic etheno-DNA adducts

Lipid peroxidation directly reacts with DNA and produces various exocyclic etheno-base DNA adducts, some of which are considered to contribute to carcinogenesis. However, the system for repairing them in humans is largely unknown. We hypothesized that etheno-DNA adducts are repaired by base excision repair initiated by DNA glycosylase. To test this hypothesis, we examined the activities of the DNA glycosylase proteins OGG1, SMUG1, TDG, NEIL1, MUTYH, NTH1, MPG, and UNG2 against double-stranded oligonucleotides containing 1,N(6)-ethenoadenine (εA), 3,N(4)-ethenocytosine (εC), butanone-ethenocytosine (BεC), butanone-ethenoguanine (BεG), heptanone-ethenocytosine (HεC), or heptanone-ethenoguanine (HεG) using a DNA cleavage assay. We found that TDG is capable of removing thymine that has mispaired with εC, BεC, BεG, HεC, or HεG in vitro. We next examined the effect of TDG against etheno-DNA adducts in human cells. TDG-knockdown cells exhibited the following characteristics: (a) higher resistance to cell death caused by the induction of etheno-DNA adducts; (b) lower repair activity for εC; and (c) a modest acceleration of mutations caused by εC, compared with the rate in control cells. All these characteristics suggest that TDG exerts a repair activity against etheno-DNA adducts in human cells. These results suggest that TDG has novel repair activities toward etheno-DNA adducts.

Roles of taurine-mediated tonic GABAA receptor activation in the radial migration of neurons in the fetal mouse cerebral cortex

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) depolarizes embryonic cerebrocortical neurons and continuous activation of the GABA_A receptor (GABA_AR) contributes to their tonic depolarization. Although multiple reports have demonstrated a role of GABA_AR activation in neocortical development, including in migration, most of these studies have used pharmacological blockers. Herein, we performed in utero electroporation in GABA synthesis-lacking homozygous GAD67-GFP knock-in mice (GAD67^GFP/GFP) to label neurons born in the ventricular zone. Three days after electroporation, there were no differences in the distribution of labeled cells between the genotypes. The dose–response properties of labeled cells to GABA were equivalent among genotypes. However, continuous blockade of GABA_AR with the GABA_AR antagonist SR95531 accelerated radial migration. This effect of GABA_AR blockade in GAD67^GFP/GFP mice suggested a role for alternative endogenous GABA_AR agonists. Thus, we tested the role of taurine, which is derived from maternal blood but is abundant in the fetal brain. The taurine-evoked currents in labeled cells were mediated by GABA_AR. Taurine uptake was blocked by a taurine transporter inhibitor, 2-(guanidino)ethanesulfonic acid (GES), and taurine release was blocked by a volume-sensitive anion channel blocker, 4-(2-butyl-6,7-dichlor-2-cyclopentylindan-1-on-5-yl) oxobutyric acid, as examined through high-performance liquid chromatography. GES increased the extracellular taurine concentration and induced an inward shift of the holding current, which was reversed by SR95531. In a taurine-deficient mouse model, the GABA_AR-mediated tonic currents were greatly reduced, and radial migration was accelerated. As the tonic currents were equivalent among the genotypes of GAD67-GFP knock-in mice, taurine, rather than GABA, might play a major role as an endogenous agonist of embryonic tonic GABA_AR conductance, regulating the radial migration of neurons in the developing neocortex.

Abstract 47: DNA adductome: An ultimate exposome of human tissues

The formation of DNA adducts and the subsequent generation of mutations in the genome is believed to be a pivotal event in the pathogenesis of cancer, but several obstacles have hampered a concrete demonstration of the molecular species, quantity, and significance of DNA adducts in human tissues. For the last few years, we have attempted to demonstrate the existence of multiple DNA adducts in human tissues using a single experiment involving liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. This procedure discloses a hundred to a few hundred peaks with distinct mass/charge and retention times in each sample. In previous experiments, we validated the presence of some tobacco-related and other DNA adducts in the lungs of a smoker and a non-smoker. Recently, we demonstrated the presence of lipid peroxidation-induced DNA adducts in several autopsy tissues including the lung, liver, pancreas, and spleen. In this presentation, we would like to show an adductome map for two regions of the human stomach in which the prevalence of gastric cancer differs. The DNA samples were obtained under anti-oxidation conditions from the gastric mucosa from regions adjacent to, but distant from, the cancer lesion in 22 patients with gastric cancer (12 cases in China and 10 cases in Japan) who underwent a gastrectomy. We identified 141 peaks in the Japanese sample and 159 peaks in the Chinese sample. Ninety-two of these peaks were present in both the Japanese and Chinese samples. Seven lipid peroxidation-related DNA adducts (1,N6-etheno-2′-deoxyadenosine [ϵdA], butanone-etheno-2′-deoxycytidine [BϵdC], butanone-etheno-2′-deoxy-5-methylcytidine [BϵmedC], butanone-etheno-2′-deoxyadenosine [BϵdA], heptanone-etheno-2′-deoxycytidine [HϵdC], heptanone-etheno-2′-deoxyadenosine [HϵdA], and heptanone-etheno-2′-deoxyguanosine [HϵdG]) were identified in a total of 22 gastric mucosa samples. The levels of these adducts ranged from 0 to 30,000 per 109 bases, and the levels of BedC, BedA, and HedA were higher in the Japanese gastric mucosa samples. Next, the mutation spectrum for p53 in gastric cancer tissues from the same hospital in China was investigated and compared with that of gastric cancer tissues obtained in Japan. The prevalence of a G-to-A transition in a non-GC area was higher in those derived from China; that is, G-to-A transitions in a GC rich area, which has been assumed to be related to endogenous inflammation, were more prevalent in the Japanese gastric cancer specimens. We interpreted these results as indicating that inflammation can mediate carcinogenesis via lipid peroxidation-induced adducts, and the mutation process that may consequently arise may play a greater role in Japanese gastric cancers than in Chinese gastric cancers. To delve into the mechanism of the cellular reactions to these adducts, oligonucleotides containing ϵdA, ϵdC, BϵdC, BϵdG, HϵdC, and HϵdG were synthesized and used as substrates for a gel retardation assay using the recombinant proteins of 8 different base excision repair genes. In contrast to their considerable capacity to repair smaller modified bases, such as ϵdA and ϵdC, the base excision repair gene products seemed to be less capable of repairing the larger modified bases BϵdC, BϵdG, HϵdC, and HϵdG, except for a few combinations.

While a comprehensive understanding of the modifications of DNA bases, both endogenous and exogenous, and the corresponding host machineries might seem like a distant goal and an adductome approach is admittedly at a burgeoning stage, combing every un-annotated spot in an adductome map could help to realize a comprehensive understanding of the effects of exposures of various kinds.

Citation Format: Haruhiko Sugimura, Hong Tao, Nobuya Kurabe, Masanori Goto, Yoshitaka Matsushima, Hidetaka Yamada, Kazuya Shinmura, Yohei Miyagi, Akira Tsuburaya, Takaki Yoshikawa, Yukari Totsuka, Hitoshi Nakagama, Yaping Wang, Tomonari Matsuda. DNA adductome: An ultimate exposome of human tissues. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Post-GWAS Horizons in Molecular Epidemiology: Digging Deeper into the Environment; 2012 Nov 11-14; Hollywood, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2012;21(11 Suppl):Abstract nr 47.

Lipid peroxidation-induced DNA adducts in human gastric mucosa

DNA adducts are a major cause of DNA mutation and DNA mutation-related diseases, but the simultaneous identification of multiple DNA adducts has been a challenge for a decade. An adductome approach using consecutive liquid chromatography and double mass spectrometry after micrococcal nuclease treatment has paved the way to demonstrations of numerous DNA adducts in a single experiment and is expected to contribute to the comprehensive understanding of overall environmental and endogenous exposures to possible mutagens in individuals. In this report, we applied an adductome approach to gastric mucosa samples taken at the time of a gastrectomy for gastric cancer in Lujiang, China, and in Hamamatsu, Japan. Seven lipid peroxidation-related DNA adducts [1,N6-etheno-2'-deoxyadenosine, butanone-etheno-2'-deoxycytidine (BεdC), butanone-etheno-2'-deoxy-5-methylcytidine, butanone-etheno-2'-deoxyadenosine (BεdA), heptanone-etheno-2'-deoxycytidine, heptanone-etheno-2'-deoxyadenosine (HεdA) and heptanone-etheno- 2'-deoxyguanosine] were identified in a total of 22 gastric mucosa samples. The levels of these adducts ranged from 0 to 30,000 per 10(9) bases. Although the presence of Helicobacter pylori DNA in the mucosa was not related to these adducts level, the levels of BεdC, BεdA and HεdA were higher in the Japanese gastric mucosa samples. The profiles of these 7 adduct levels among the 21 cases were capable of discriminating between the possible origins (China or Japan) of the gastric mucosa samples. Our report is the first demonstration of lipid peroxidation-related DNA adducts in the human stomach, and these observations warrant further investigation in the context of the significance of DNA adducts in human gastric carcinogenesis.

Temperature-Responsive Chromatography Using Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-Modified Silica

A new concept in chromatography is proposed that utilizes a temperature-responsive surface with a constant aqueous mobile phase. The surface of the silica stationary phase in high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has been modified with temperature-responsive polymers to exhibit temperature-controlled hydrophilic/hydrophobic changes. Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PIPAAm) was grafted onto (aminopropyl)silica using an activated ester-amine coupling method. These grafted silica surfaces show hydrophilic properties at lower temperatures which, as temperature increases, transform to hydrophobic surface properties. The elution profile of five mixed steroids on an HPLC column packed with this material depends largely on the temperature of the aqueous mobile phase. Retention times increase with increasing temperature without any change in the eluent. Changes in the retention times of hydrophobic steroids were larger than those for hydrophilic steroids. The temperature-responsive interaction between PIPAAm-modified silica and these steroids is proposed to result from changes in the surface properties of the HPLC stationary phase by the transition of hydrophilic/hydrophobic surface-grafted IPAAm polymers. We demonstrate a novel and useful new chromatography system in which surface properties and the resulting function of the HPLC stationary phase are controlled by external temperature changes. This method should be effective in biological and biomedical separations of peptides and proteins using only aqueous mobile phases.

Genetic susceptibility to lung cancer

Lung cancer is a highly environmental disease, but cancer researchers have long been interested in investigating genetic susceptibility to lung cancer. This paper is a historical review and provides updated perspectives on lung cancer susceptibility research. The recent introduction of easier genotyping methods and the availability of an almost complete human genome database facilitated the association study to thousands of cases and controls for millions of genetic markers. Discoveries in the field of behavior genetics, that is, the genetic aspects of smoking behavior and nicotine addiction, unexpectedly indicated that polymorphisms in the human central nervous system play an important role in eventually leading to lung cancer. These findings were achieved by using comprehensive approaches, such as a genome, transcriptome, or proteome approach, and the studies were often conducted without a hypothesis. Another-omics approach, the "adductome" or "exposome" approach to how life style information can be integrated into the framework of genetic association studies, has recently emerged. These new paradigms will influence the area of lung cancer risk evaluation in genome cohort studies.

Partial cation-order and early-stage, phase separation in phase W, Li x Co 1− x O: 0.075≤ x ≤0.24−0.31

We report the characterization using X-ray and neutron powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and extended X-ray absorption fine structure of a new, partially ordered rock-salt-like solid solution phase Li x Co 1− x O: 0.075≤ x ≤0.24−0.31. The cation stacking sequence along [111] consists of alternating planes of Co and Co/Li. Nano-sized domains of this cation-ordered phase appear alongside disordered regions; domain size increases from 2 to 8 nm with increasing Li content. Compositions of ordered and disordered regions are Li- and Co-rich, respectively, and, therefore, the phase exhibits frozen-in, incipient phase separation. This microstructure could be considered as a precursor to precipitation of fully ordered, rhombohedral LiCoO 2 .