Detection of Potential Markers for Lip Vermilion Epithelium in Japanese Macaques Based on the Results of Gene Expression Profile

Development of effective in vitro human lip models, specific to the vermilion epithelium, has not progressed as much as that of skin and oral mucosa/gingiva models in vitro. Our histologic examination demonstrated that a Japanese macaque (male, 7 years and 9 months old) had vermilion in the lip distinct from adjacent skin and oral mucosa, resembling histological characteristics of the human lip. Therefore, in this study, we examined the gene expression profile of the three distinct epithelia (skin/vermilion/oral mucosa) within the lip of a Japanese macaque to explore a single potential marker of human vermilion epithelium. Six pairwise comparisons in the skin/vermilion/oral mucosa epithelium in vitro and in vivo revealed 69 differentially up-regulated genes in vermilion epithelium in vivo, in which a few unique genes were highly expressed when compared with both skin and oral mucosa epithelium in vivo using clustering analysis. However, we could not detect a single marker specific to vermilion epithelium supported by the gene expression profile of a Japanese macaque. Instead, the pair of keratin 10 and small proline-rich protein 3 resulted in a potential marker of vermilion epithelium in the human lip (female, 53-year-old) via a double-immunostaining technique. Nonetheless, our result may provide further clues leading to other potential markers of the vermilion epithelium

The EGF/EGFR axis and its downstream signaling pathways regulate the motility and proliferation of cultured oral keratinocytes

We previously reported that the cell and colony motion of oral keratinocytes are correlated with proliferative capacity, and speculated that this may be a specific index for monitoring cell quality. However, how cell motility and proliferation are regulated by signaling pathways remains unelucidated. Here, we found that the regulation of cell motility and proliferative capacity of oral keratinocytes can be attributed to the epidermal growth factor/epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF/EGFR) axis. The EGFR downstream cascade involving the Src/PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway showed a major effect on cell motility and proliferative capacity in oral keratinocytes. Furthermore, both EGFR and Src attenuated E‐cadherin expression. Taken together, these findings provide a potential basis for future quality control of cells for therapeutic use

The General's Goose

His admirers said he was a charismatic leader with a dazzling smile, a commoner following an ancient tradition of warrior service on behalf of an indigenous people who feared marginalisation at the hands of ungrateful immigrants. One tourist pleaded with him to stage a coup in her backyard; in private parties around the capital, Suva, infatuated women whispered ‘coup me baby’ in his presence. It was so easy to overlook the enormity of what he had done in planning and implementing Fiji’s first military coup, to be seduced by celebrity, captivated by the excitement of the moment, and plead its inevitability as the final eruption of long-simmering indigenous discontent. A generation would pass before the consequences of the actions of Fiji’s strongman of 1987, Sitiveni Rabuka, would be fully appreciated but, by then, the die had been well and truly cast. The major general did not live happily ever after. No nirvana followed the assertion of indigenous rights. If anything, misadventure became his country’s most enduring contemporary trait. This is Fiji’s very human story

Pyridone Alkaloids from a Marine-Derived Fungus, <i>Stagonosporopsis cucurbitacearum</i>, and Their Activities against Azole-Resistant <i>Candida albicans</i>

Four new 4-hydroxy-2-pyridone alkaloids, didymellamides A–D (<b>1</b>–<b>4</b>), were isolated from the marine-derived fungus <i>Stagonosporopsis cucurbitacearum</i>. The structures of <b>1</b>–<b>4</b> were elucidated from spectroscopic data (NMR, MS, and IR), and the absolute configuration of <b>1</b> was determined by X-ray diffraction analysis. Didymellamide A (<b>1</b>) exhibited antifungal activity against azole-resistant <i>Candida albicans.</i

Characterization of iPS-ML as macrophages.

<p><b>A.</b> A phase-contrast image of live iPS-ML in a culture plate (upper) and an image of iPS-ML stained with May-Giemsa on a slide glass (lower) are shown. <b>B.</b> Cell-surface expression of macrophage marker molecules CD11b, CD14, CD4, CD13, CD33, CD36, CD87, CD97, CD115, CD116, TLR2, and TLR4 on iPS-ML was analyzed by flow cytometry. The staining profiles of the specific mAb (thick lines) and an isotype-matched control mAb (grey area) are shown. <b>C.</b> iPS-ML in culture plates were added with FITC-labeled zymosan particles. Phase-contrast (upper) and fluorescence (lower) images after a 90-min incubation are shown. <b>D.</b> After a 40-min incubation in the presence or absence of zymosans, cells were harvested using trypsin/EDTA and then analyzed on a flow cytometer. Percentages of cells with high fluorescence intensity indicating intracellular zymosan are shown. <b>E.</b> Time course for phagocytosis is shown. Data shown are mean ± SD of duplicate assays.</p

Effect of iPS-ML/anti-HER2 expressing additional factors against NUGC-4 <b><i>in vitro</i></b><b>.</b>

<p>Luciferase-expressing NUGC-4 cells were cultured in a 96-well culture plate (5×10³ cells/well) with iPS-ML/anti-HER2 expressing IFN-α, IFN-β, IFN-γ, TNF-α, FAS-ligand, or TRAIL (2.5×10⁴ cells/well). The number of live NUGC-4 cells was measured by luminescence analysis after 3-day culture. The data are indicated as the mean + SD of triplicate assays.</p

Effect of iPS-ML/anti-HER2 against HER2-expressing NUGC-4 gastric cancer cells <i>in vitro</i>.

<p><b>A.</b> HER2/neu expression on NUGC-4 human gastric cancer cells was analyzed. The staining profiles of anti-HER2 mAb (thick line) and an isotype-matched control antibody (grey area) are shown. <b>B</b>. Cell-surface expression of anti-HER2 scFv on iPS-ML (iPS-ML/anti-HER2) was detected by staining with an anti-cMYC-tag antibody. <b>C.</b> Luciferase-expressing NUGC-4 cells (5×10³ cells/well) were cultured alone or co-cultured in a 96-well culture plate with iPS-ML (1×10⁴ cells/well) with or without anti-HER2 scFv expression. The number of live NUGC-4 cells was measured by luciferase activity after 3-day culture. The data are indicated as the mean + SD of duplicate assays.</p