The protein encoded by cancer/testis gene D40/AF15q14 is localized in spermatocytes, acrosomes of spermatids and ejaculated spermatozoa

We have previously identified and cloned a human gene, D40, that is preferentially expressed in testis among normal organs, while it is widely expressed in various human tumor cell lines and primary tumors derived from different organs. In this report, we have examined the expression and localization of this protein in human testis with an antibody specific to D40 protein. In Western analyses, the anti-D40 antibody recognized a major band with a molecular mass of 300 kDa and a minor band of 250 kDa. These bands were not observed in the testis lysates from patients with Sertoli-cell-only syndrome and with Kleinfelter syndrome, who lack germ cells of the testis, indicating that D40 protein is expressed in the germ cells of normal testis. Immunohistochemical studies have revealed that D40 protein is highly expressed in spermatocytes and in the pre-acrosome of round spermatids. In the acrosome, D40 protein expression is observed not inside but outside the acrosome membrane. This is consistent with the finding that the amino-acid sequence at the amino terminal of the D40 protein lacks a hydrophobic signal peptide that is required for proteins to translocate to the membrane. Expression of D40 protein is observed in the acrosome of ejaculated spermatozoa as well, although the level is low compared with that in the pre-acrosome of spermatids. These results suggest that D40 protein plays important roles in spermatogenesis, especially in the formation and maintenance of the acrosome.     

Lingual Epithelial Stem Cells and Organoid Culture of Them

As tongue cancer is one of the major malignant cancers in the world, understanding the mechanism of maintenance of lingual epithelial tissue, which is known to be the origin of tongue cancer, is unquestionably important. However, the actual stem cells that are responsible for the long-term maintenance of the lingual epithelium have not been identified. Moreover, a simple and convenient culture method for lingual epithelial stem cells has not yet been established. Recently, we have shown that Bmi1-positive cells, residing at the second or third layer of the epithelial cell layer at the base of the interpapillary pit (IPP), were slow-cycling and could supply keratinized epithelial cells for over one year, indicating that Bmi1-positive cells are long-term lingual epithelial stem cells. In addition, we have developed a novel lingual epithelium organoid culture system using a three-dimensional matrix and growth factors. Here, we discuss current progress in the identification of lingual stem cells and future applications of the lingual culture system for studying the regulatory mechanisms of the lingual epithelium and for regenerative medicine.     

Photoinduced Magnetization with a High Curie Temperature and a Large Coercive Field in a Co‐W Bimetallic Assembly

The crystal structure, magnetic properties, and temperature‐ and photoinduced phase transition of [{Co^II(4‐methylpyridine)(pyrimidine)}₂{Co^II(H₂O)₂}{W^V(CN)₈}₂]·4H₂O are described. In this compound, a temperature‐induced phase transition from the Co^II (S = 3/2)‐NC‐W^V(S = 1/2) [high‐temperature (HT)] phase to the Co^III(S = 0)‐NC‐W^IV(S = 0) [low temperature (LT)] phase is observed due to a charge‐transfer‐induced spin transition. When the LT phase is irradiated with 785 nm light, ferromagnetism with a high Curie temperature (T_C) of 48 K and a gigantic magnetic coercive field (H_c) of 27 000 Oe are observed. These T_C and H_c values are the highest in photoinduced magnetization systems. The LT phase is optically converted to the photoinduced phase, which has a similar valence state as the HT phase due to the optically induced charge‐transfer‐induced spin transition.     

l‐Citrulline Supplementation‐Increased Skeletal Muscle PGC‐1α Expression Is Associated with Exercise Performance and Increased Skeletal Muscle Weight

Scope

l ‐citrulline has recently been reported as a more effective supplement for promoting intracellular nitric oxide (NO) production compared to l ‐arginine. Here, the effect of l ‐citrulline on skeletal muscle and its influence on exercise performance were investigated. The underlying mechanism of its effect, specifically on the expression of skeletal muscle peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐gamma coactivator‐1α (PGC‐1α), was also elucidated.

Methods and results

Six‐week‐old ICR mice were orally supplemented with l ‐citrulline (250 mg kg^?1) daily, and their performance in weight‐loaded swimming exercise every other day for 15 days, was evaluated. In addition, mice muscles were weighed and evaluated for the expression of PGC‐1α and PGC‐1α‐regulated genes. Mice orally supplemented with l ‐citrulline had significantly higher gastrocnemius and biceps femoris muscle mass. Although not statistically significant, l ‐citrulline prolonged the swimming time to exhaustion. PGC‐1α upregulation was associated with vascular endothelial growth factor α (VEGFα) and insulin‐like growth factor 1 (IGF‐1) upregulation. VEGFα and IGF‐1 are important for angiogenesis and muscle growth, respectively, and are regulated by PGC‐1α. Treatment with NG‐nitro‐l ‐arginine methyl ester hydrochloride (l ‐NAME), a nitric oxide synthesis inhibitor, suppressed the l ‐citrulline‐induced PGC‐1α upregulation in vitro.

Conclusion

Supplementation with l ‐citrulline upregulates skeletal muscle PGC‐1α levels resulting in higher skeletal muscle weight that improves time to exhaustion during exercise.

     

Reduction of fatty acid hydroperoxides by human parotid saliva

Arachidonic acid hydroperoxide (15-hydroperoxyeicosatetraenoic acid; 15-HPETE) was introduced into human parotid saliva and incubated at 37°C. Straight phase high-performance liquid chromatography analysis of the reaction mixture showed that 15-HPETE was detoxified to its reduced form, 15-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid, in the presence of glutathione. Therefore, it is concluded that human parotid saliva possesses fatty acid hydroperoxide-reducing ability. However, its effectiveness was found to be lower than that of blood plasma.     

Reaction of thiobarbituric acid with saturated aldehydes

The reaction of thiobarbituric acid (TBA) with saturated aldehydes, i.e., 1-butanal, 1-hexanal and 1-heptanal, produced a 455-nm yellow and a 532-nm red pigment. Formation of the pigments depended on the reaction conditions. The yellow pigment was unstable in the presence of excess amounts of the saturated aldehydes. The red pigment was formed only when the reaction was performed at a TBA/aldehyde ratio of 1∶1 in aqueous acetic acid. Formation of the yellow and red pigments required molecular oxygen. The colorless adducts, intermediates for the yellow and the red pigments, were isolated from the reaction mixtures. Aldol condensation and dehydration of 2 mol of the saturated aldehydes initially gave the α,β-unsaturated aldehydes, which in turn reacted with TBA to form the colorless adducts, pyranopyrimidine derivatives. The adducts were then converted into the yellow and red pigments under aerobic conditions.     

Complete erasing of ghost images on computed radiography plates and role of deeply trapped electrons

Computed radiography (CR) plates made of europium-doped Ba(Sr)FBr(I) were simultaneously exposed to filtered ultraviolet light and visible light in order to erase ghost images, i.e., latent image that is unerasable with visible light (LIunVL) and reappearing one, which are particularly observed in plates irradiated with a high dose and/or cumulatively over-irradiated. CR samples showing LIunVLs were prepared by irradiating three different types of CR plates (Agfa ADC MD10, Kodak Directview Mammo EHRM2, and Fuji ST-VI) with 50 kV X-ray beams in the dose range 8.1 mGy—8.0 Gy. After the sixth round of simultaneous 6 h exposures to filtered ultraviolet light and visible light, all the LIunVLs in the three types of CR plates were erased to the same level as in an unirradiated plate and no latent images reappeared after storage at 0 °C for 14 days. With conventional exposure to visible light, LIunVLs consistently remained in all types of CR plates irradiated with higher doses of X-rays and latent images reappeared in the Agfa M10 plates after storage at 0 °C. Electrons trapped in deep centers cause LIunVLs and they can be erased by simultaneous exposures to filtered ultraviolet light and visible light. To study electrons in deep centers, the absorption spectra were examined in all types of irradiated CR plates by using polychromatic ultraviolet light from a deep-ultraviolet lamp. It was found that deep centers showed a dominant peak in the absorption spectra at around 324 nm for the Agfa M10 and Kodak EHRM2 plates, and at around 320 nm for the Fuji ST-VI plate, in each case followed by a few small peaks. The peak heights were dose-dependent for all types of CR samples, suggesting that the number of electrons trapped in deep centers increases with the irradiation dose.     

Sedimentation study on the binding of fibrinogen or of antithrombin III with acidic polysaccharides including heparin

Summary The binding of fibrinogen with heparin and dextran sulfates, and of antithrombin III with heparin and dextran sulfate were investigated by sedimentation velocity method. From the measurement of fibrinogen-acidic polysaccharide systems, it was confirmed that heparin and low molecular weight dextran sulfate(DSC) forms soluble complexes with fibrinogen, though the amount bound of the latter was rather small compared with high molecular weight dextran sulfate(DSD). Antithrombin III was also found to be bound by heparin and DSC. The numbers of heparin molecules bound to one molecule of fibrinogen and antithrombin III were estimated to be 4.2 and 0.3, respectively.     

Radiation grafting of α,β,β-trifluorostyrene onto poly(ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene) film by preirradiation method. II. Properties of cation-exchange membrane obtained by sulfonation and hydrolysis of the grafted film

A Study was made on certain properties of the cation-exchange membranes obtained by the preirradiation grafting of α,β,β-trifluorostyrene (TFS) noto poly(ethylene-tetrafluoroethylene) (ETFE), followed by sulfonation and hydrolysis of the grafted film. Swelling, water uptake, electric conductivity, and transport number of the membranes were measured as a function of ino-exchange capacity. Thermal and chemical stability were also investigated. These properties were found to be mainly dependent on ion-exchange capacity. The stable membrane properties were established due to a homogeneous ion-exchange group distribution in the membrane, as confirmed by x-ray imcroscopy analysis of the membrane cross sections. In addition, the membranes showed good electrochemical, thermal, and chemical properties, and were found to be scceptable for practical use as cation-exchange membranes.     

东方Cheese发酵过程中异黄酮、苷元及组分的研究

东方Cheese经毛霉发酵能去除某些过敏源,这种无盐制品深受日本民众欢迎。文中通过正交试验优化了东方Cheese中异黄酮的提取条件。采用了三波长二标样法和HPLC测定异黄酮含量和组成。检测了东方Cheese发酵过程中异黄酮含量及组成的变化:异黄酮的总量降低了37.90%;其中糖苷由34.02μg/mL降至3.11μg/mL(即已有90.86%糖苷转化为苷元),苷元含量则相应的由0.97μg/mL升至18.62μg/mL。认为异黄酮总量降低以及组成变化的主要因素是糖苷到苷元分子质量的降低和样品含水量提高;发酵后期限制组成变化的主要因素是底物浓度的降低。