A novel superior factor widely controlling the rice grain quality

Synthesis of storage starch and protein accumulation is the main action of endosperm organogenesis in term of the economic importance of rice. This event is strongly disturbed by abiotic stresses such as high temperature; thus, the upcoming global warming will cause a crisis with a great impact on food production^1,2^. The enzymes for the protein storage and starch synthesis pathway should work in concert to carry out the organogenesis of rice endosperm^3-5^, but the regulatory mechanism is largely unknown. Here we show that a novel regulatory factor, named OsCEO1, acts as the conductor of endosperm organogenesis during the rice grain filling stage. The physiological properties of _floury-endosperm-2_ (_flo2_) mutants showed many similarities to symptoms of grains developed under high-temperature conditions, suggesting important roles of the responsible gene in sensitivity to high-temperature stress. Our map-based cloning identified the responsible gene for the _flo2_ mutant, _OsCEO1_, which has no homology to any genes of known function. The _OsCEO1_ belongs to a novel conserved gene family and encodes a protein composed of 1,720 amino acid residues containing a TPR (tetratricopeptide repeat) motif, which is considered to mediate a protein-protein interaction. The yeast two-hybrid analysis raised an unknown protein showing homology to a late embryogenesis abundant protein and a putative basic helix-loop-helix protein as candidates for the direct interactor for _OsCEO1_, whereas no enzyme genes for the synthesis of storage substances were detected. The _flo2_ mutant exhibited reduced expression of several genes for putative regulatory proteins as well as many enzymes involved in storage starch and proteins. These results suggest that _OsCEO1_ is a superior conductor of the novel regulatory cascade of endosperm organogenesis and may have important roles in the response to high-temperature stress

遺伝性乳癌卵巣癌症候群

Hereditary breast and ovarian cancer（HBOC）syndrome is an autosomal dominant genetic disease, which represents about ５% of all breast cancers. The pathogenic mutations in the BRCA １／２genes involved in DNA repair pathway are known to be associated with an increased risk of not only breast cancer and ovarian cancer but also prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer and male breast cancer. The risk reduction management is required for BRCA mutation-positive patients. The surveillance using breast magnetic resonance imaging（MRI）is recommended for early detection of breast cancer in HBOC patients. Furthermore, it has been reported that risk reducing salpingooophorectomy（RRSO）reduces mortality caused by breast cancer and ovarian cancer, and contralateral risk-reducing mastectomy（CRRM）improves the overall survival in postoperative breast cancer patients

Photoacoustic in vivo 3D imaging of tumor using a highly tumor-targeting probe under high-threshold conditions

Three-dimensional (3D) representation of a tumor with respect to its size, shape, location, and boundaries is still a challenge in photoacoustic (PA) imaging using artificial contrast agents as probes. We carried out PA imaging of tumors in mice using 800RS-PMPC, which was obtained by coupling of 800RS, a near-infrared cyanine dye, with PMPC, a highly selective tumor-targeting methacrylate polymer having phosphorylcholine side chains, as a probe. The conjugate 800RS-PMPC forms compact nanoparticles (dDLS = 14.3 nm), retains the biocompatibility of the parent polymer (PMPC) and exhibits unprecedented PA performance. When applied to mice bearing a 6 × 3 × 3 mm3 tumor buried 6 mm beneath the skin, the probe 800RS-PMPC selectively accumulates in the tumor and emits PA signals that are strong enough to be unambiguously distinguished from noise signals of endogenous blood/hemoglobin. The PA image thus obtained under high-threshold conditions allows 3D characterization of the tumor in terms of its size, shape, location, and boundaries

A case of juvenile fibroadenoma arising from axillary accessory mammary gland

A case is２０years old woman. She had previously noticed a mass in the left axilla. The mass grew, so she went to the hospital. Ultrasonography revealed a ７１ × ５１ mm well-defined tumor in the left axilla. We suspected a benign tumor but could not rule out axillary lymph node metastasis or accessory breast cancer. The findings of fine needle aspiration cytology suggested fibroadenoma or phyllodes tumor. Although we diagnosed fibroadenoma by needle biopsy, a definitive diagnosis was made by tumor resection because it is located in the axilla and large in size, and other diseases such as phyllodes tumors can be distinguished. The histopathological diagnosis of the excised specimen was juvenile fibroadenoma. We report a case of juvenile fibroadenoma arising from the axillary accessory mammary gland

DIP during perioperative chemotherapy

Purpose : Drug-induced interstitial pneumonia (DIP) that occurs during chemotherapy for breast cancer is a rare but a serious adverse event. Treatments of DIP requires interruption of breast cancer treatment, which may affect the patient’s prognosis. However, there are few reports which discuss DIP during breast cancer treatments. Purpose of this report is to make clear how DIP occurred and influenced breast cancer treatment in our hospital. Patients and Methods : A total of 74 patients who started perioperative chemotherapy in Tokushima Municipal Hospital for breast cancer from January 2019 to December 2020 were evaluated for DIP. Patients’ and tumors’ characteristics, and regimens which caused DIP were investigated. The clinical courses of the DIP patients were also followed up. Results : Twelve of the 74 patients developed DIP. All 12 patients had histories of cyclophosphamide administration ; however, the causative drug could not be determined. Ten of the 12 patients were treated with steroids, and all the patients recovered ultimately from the interstitial pneumonia. While chemotherapy was administered in six patients after mild DIP, no relapse of pneumonia was observed. Conclusion : DIP during perioperative chemotherapy for breast cancer was resolved with appropriate treatment. Patients were able to resume breast cancer treatment with minimal interruption

HER2陽性乳癌の総リンパ球数の検討

Purpose : Several studies have shown that peripheral hematologic parameters, such as the absolute lymphocyte count（ALC）and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio（NLR）can predict the prognosis for malignant tumor. We investigated the relation of these parameter and prognosis before neoadjuvant chemotherapy for human epidermal growth factor receptor-２（HER２）-positive breast cancer patients. Methods : From April ２００９ to March ２０１９, ８５ patients diagnosed with HER２‐positive breast cancer and treated with trastuzumab-based neoadjuvant chemotherapy were included in this retrospective cohort study. The optimal cut-off for the NLR and ALC was identified using the receiver operating characteristic（ROC）curve analysis and Youden’s index. Results : The median age of patients at the start of treatment was ５８．９（range ３２‐８１）years. The median follow-up time for HER２-positive breast cancer patients was ５２．０（range：９．８‐１１４．３）months. In this period, １１ patients developed recurrence. The low-ALC group showed better disease free survival than the high-ALC group（p=０．０４８２）. There was no significant difference in disease free survival between the low- and high-NLR groups. Conclusion : ALC before neoadjuvant chemotherapy may be a predictor of prolonged disease free survival in HER２‐positive breast cancer patients

マウスiPS細胞由来の気管支肺胞幹細胞は末梢気道上皮再生を促進する

Background: Bronchioalveolar stem cells (BASCs) located at the bronchioalveolar-duct junction (BADJ) are stem cells residing in alveoli and terminal bronchioles that can self-renew and differentiate into alveolar type (AT)-1 cells, AT-2 cells, club cells, and ciliated cells. Following terminal-bronchiole injury, BASCs increase in number and promote repair. However, whether BASCs can be differentiated from mouse-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) remains unreported, and the therapeutic potential of such cells is unclear. We therefore sought to differentiate BASCs from iPSCs and examine their potential for use in the treatment of epithelial injury in terminal bronchioles. Methods: BASCs were induced using a modified protocol for differentiating mouse iPSCs into AT-2 cells. Differentiated iPSCs were intratracheally transplanted into naphthalene-treated mice. The engraftment of BASCs into the BADJ and their subsequent ability to promote repair of injury to the airway epithelium were evaluated. Results: Flow cytometric analysis revealed that BASCs represented ~ 7% of the cells obtained. Additionally, ultrastructural analysis of these iPSC-derived BASCs via transmission electron microscopy showed that the cells containing secretory granules harboured microvilli, as well as small and immature lamellar body-like structures. When the differentiated iPSCs were intratracheally transplanted in naphthalene-induced airway epithelium injury, transplanted BASCs were found to be engrafted in the BADJ epithelium and alveolar spaces for 14 days after transplantation and to maintain the BASC phenotype. Notably, repair of the terminal-bronchiole epithelium was markedly promoted after transplantation of the differentiated iPSCs. Conclusions: Mouse iPSCs could be differentiated in vitro into cells that display a similar phenotype to BASCs. Given that the differentiated iPSCs promoted epithelial repair in the mouse model of naphthalene-induced airway epithelium injury, this method may serve as a basis for the development of treatments for terminal-bronchiole/alveolar-region disorders