Significance of signal recognition particle 9 nuclear translocation: Implications for pancreatic cancer prognosis and functionality

Sato H., Meng S., Sasaki K., et al. Significance of signal recognition particle 9 nuclear translocation: Implications for pancreatic cancer prognosis and functionality. International Journal of Oncology 65, 74 (2024); https://doi.org/10.3892/ijo.2024.5662.Signal recognition particles (SRPs) are essential for regulating intracellular protein transport and secretion. Patients with tumors with high SRP9 expression tend to have a poorer overall survival. However, to the best of our knowledge, no reports have described the relationship between SRP9 localization and prognosis in pancreatic cancer. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate this relationship. Immunohistochemical staining for SRP9 using excised specimens from pancreatic cancer surgery cases without preoperative chemotherapy or radiotherapy showed that SRP9 was preferentially expressed in the nucleus of the cancerous regions in some cases, which was hardly detected in other cases, indicating that SRP9 was transported to the nucleus in the former cases. To compare the prognosis of patients with SRP9 nuclear translocation, patients were divided into two groups: Those with a nuclear translocation rate of >50% and those with a nuclear translocation rate of ≤50%. The nuclear translocation rate of >50% group had a significantly better recurrence-free survival than the nuclear translocation rate of ≤50% group (P=0.037). Subsequent in vitro experiments were conducted; notably, the nuclear translocation rate of SRP9 was reduced under amino acid-deficient conditions, suggesting that multiple factors are involved in this phenomenon. To further study the function of SRP9 nuclear translocation, in vitro experiments were performed by introducing SRP9 splicing variants (v1 and v2) and their deletion mutants lacking C-terminal regions into MiaPaCa pancreatic cancer cells. The results demonstrated that both splicing variants showed nuclear translocation regardless of the C-terminal deletions, suggesting the role of the N-terminal regions. Given that SRP9 is an RNA-binding protein, the study of RNA immunoprecipitation revealed that signaling pathways involved in cancer progression and protein translation were downregulated in nuclear-translocated v1 and v2. Undoubtedly, further studies of the nuclear translocation of SRP9 will open an avenue to optimize the precise evaluation and therapeutic control of pancreatic cancer

QOL after RT or OP for uterine cervix cancer

This study aimed to research the post-treatment quality of life (QOL) between radiotherapy (RT)- and operation (OP)-treated early cervical cancer survivors, using separate questionnaires for physicians and patients. We administered an observational questionnaire to patients aged 20–70 years old with Stages IB1–IIB cervical cancer who had undergone RT or OP and without recurrence as outpatients for ≥6 months after treatment. We divided 100 registered patients equally into two treatment groups (n = 50 each). The average age was 53 and 44 years in the RT and OP groups, respectively. The RT group included 34 and 66% Stage I and II patients, respectively, whereas the OP group included 66 and 34% Stage I and II patients, respectively. The OP group included 58% of patients with postoperative RT. Combination chemotherapy was performed in 84 and 48% of patients in the RT and OP groups, respectively. On the physicians’ questionnaire, we observed significant differences in bone marrow suppression (RT) and leg edema (OP). On the patients’ questionnaire, significantly more patients had dysuria and leg edema in the OP group than in the RT group, and severe (Score 4–5) leg edema was significantly higher in the post-operative RT group than in the OP only group. The frequency of sexual intercourse decreased after treatment in both groups. On the patients’ questionnaire, there were no significant differences between the two groups regarding sexual activity. These findings are useful to patients and physicians for shared decision-making in treatment choices. The guidance of everyday life and health information including sexual life after treatment is important

On the origin and evolution of the asteroid Ryugu: A comprehensive geochemical perspective

Presented here are the observations and interpretations from a comprehensive analysis of 16 representative particles returned from the C-type asteroid Ryugu by the Hayabusa2 mission. On average Ryugu particles consist of 50% phyllosilicate matrix, 41% porosity and 9% minor phases, including organic matter. The abundances of 70 elements from the particles are in close agreement with those of CI chondrites. Bulk Ryugu particles show higher δ18O, Δ17O, and ε54Cr values than CI chondrites. As such, Ryugu sampled the most primitive and least-thermally processed protosolar nebula reservoirs. Such a finding is consistent with multi-scale H-C-N isotopic compositions that are compatible with an origin for Ryugu organic matter within both the protosolar nebula and the interstellar medium. The analytical data obtained here, suggests that complex soluble organic matter formed during aqueous alteration on the Ryugu progenitor planetesimal (several 10’s of km), <2.6 Myr after CAI formation. Subsequently, the Ryugu progenitor planetesimal was fragmented and evolved into the current asteroid Ryugu through sublimation

A pristine record of outer Solar System materials from asteroid Ryugu’s returned sample

Volatile and organic-rich C-type asteroids may have been one of the main sources of Earth’s water. Our best insight into their chemistry is currently provided by carbonaceous chondritic meteorites, but the meteorite record is biased: only the strongest types survive atmospheric entry and are then modified by interaction with the terrestrial environment. Here we present the results of a detailed bulk and microanalytical study of pristine Ryugu particles, brought to Earth by the Hayabusa2 spacecraft. Ryugu particles display a close compositional match with the chemically unfractionated, but aqueously altered, CI (Ivuna-type) chondrites, which are widely used as a proxy for the bulk Solar System composition. The sample shows an intricate spatial relationship between aliphatic-rich organics and phyllosilicates and indicates maximum temperatures of ~30 °C during aqueous alteration. We find that heavy hydrogen and nitrogen abundances are consistent with an outer Solar System origin. Ryugu particles are the most uncontaminated and unfractionated extraterrestrial materials studied so far, and provide the best available match to the bulk Solar System composition

A dehydrated space-weathered skin cloaking the hydrated interior of Ryugu

Without a protective atmosphere, space-exposed surfaces of airless Solar System bodies gradually experience an alteration in composition, structure and optical properties through a collective process called space weathering. The return of samples from near-Earth asteroid (162173) Ryugu by Hayabusa2 provides the first opportunity for laboratory study of space-weathering signatures on the most abundant type of inner solar system body: a C-type asteroid, composed of materials largely unchanged since the formation of the Solar System. Weathered Ryugu grains show areas of surface amorphization and partial melting of phyllosilicates, in which reduction from Fe3+ to Fe2+ and dehydration developed. Space weathering probably contributed to dehydration by dehydroxylation of Ryugu surface phyllosilicates that had already lost interlayer water molecules and to weakening of the 2.7 µm hydroxyl (–OH) band in reflectance spectra. For C-type asteroids in general, this indicates that a weak 2.7 µm band can signify space-weathering-induced surface dehydration, rather than bulk volatile loss

<Session 1: Fish Telemetry I>How sudden illumination in nighttime changes the behavior of schooling juvenile Pacific bluefin tunas in an open sea net cage?

19–22 May 2018 Kyoto, JapanOn the cultivation of Pacific blufin tunas Thunnus orientalis in an open sea net cage, it is reported that sudden illumination in nighttime caused by car and fishing light can cause a harmful effect on the fish survival. In this study, behaviour response of schooling juvenile Pacific bluefin tunas (size: 210 - 250 mm) to the sudden illumination change in nighttime was monitored in an open sea net cage (12m x 12m in width, and 6m in depth) by using animal-mounted acceleration/angular velocity data loggers (200 Hz). Two types of illuminator were simulated: car light for 8 fish and fishing underwater light for 11 fish. When the car light was intermittently illuminated over the sea surface for more than 3 min (10 sec on and 10 sec off), the fish significantly increased the max/mean/standard deviation of acceleration and angular velocity with occasional burst, and decreased the similarity in movement cycle. However, no death was observed. The fishing underwater light was turned on and off for 30 sec and 1 min respectively, and the procedure was repeated for 5 times. The fish significantly increased the max/mean/standard deviation of acceleration and angular velocity with more occasional burst than the car light. The responsiveness to the illumination significantly decreased with the repeated times of illumination. One of the fish reached 230.5 m/s_2 in acceleration and 4333 deg/s in angular velocity, and died probably because of the collision to the net wall

漢語方言の「原因」を問う疑問詞表現の類型分析と方言調査項目の提案

departmental bulletin pape

<Session 1: Fish Telemetry I>The Study on Movements and Activity Patterns of Whitespotted Conger Using Biotelemetry at Tsunami-stricken Brackish Lagoon, Matsukawa-ura, Fukushima

19–22 May 2017 Kyoto, JapanWhitespotted conger Conger myriaster, widely distributed in northeast Asian coastal waters, is an important fishery species in Tohoku region of northeastern Japan since its annual fishery catches reached to 750 to 1550 tons per year. Matsukawa-ura, a brackish lagoon in Fukushima Prefecture of Tohoku, has been reported to play important roles on growing and foraging in juvenile and young stages of this species. After the Great East Japan Earthquake and tsunami on March 2011, more number of congers larger than the previously reported body sizes has been caught from this lagoon. It might be caused by suspensions of fishery and environmental changes, but movements and activity patterns of this species in this lagoon are still unknown. The aim of our study was to elucidate whitespotted congers' migrations between the lagoon and outer sea, distributions, movement patterns, and diel activity patterns in Matsukawa-ura using biotelemetry. Twenty-four and one ultrasonic receivers (VR2W; Vemco Ltd., Canada) were respectively moored at the entire field of Matsukawa-ura and at the entrance of lagoon from outer sea. Forty-nine fish (total length: 494-797 mm) captured by fishing baskets were released with implanted ultrasonic transmitters (V13AP and V13-1H; Vemco Ltd.) in September (n = 15) and November (n = 34) of 2013. The number of fish detected in Matukawa-ura gradually decreased during a five-month monitoring period, and fourteen percent of fish were still detected in Matsukawa-ura on the day when the latest data were downloaded (20 January, 2014). Also, six percent of fish were detected again in the Lagoon after disappearance at outer sea for several days to several weeks. It is expected that emigration and immigration movements of whitespotted conger were triggered by unsuitable water temperature (>23℃, <10℃) condition of the lagoon. Most of fish tended to show distributions around the northern part of the lagoon near the entrance channel since seventy-three percent of signal detections were recorded to northern receivers, but ten percent of fish were detected continuously at the southern area for weeks. According to acceleration data, congers showed more active during night than daytime. Also, swimming depths of each fish were more distributed during night comparing to its bottom sticking trends during daytime. Thirty-four percent of fish had horizontal movements during night (< 2 km) but stayed at its own particular places during daytime. Our results showed that Matsukawa-ura can serve as an important nursery habitat for whitespotted conger after the earthquake and tsunami disaster

<Session 6: Wildlife Tracking II>Fine-scale movement of Adélie penguins commuting to and from foraging sites

19–22 May 2022 Kyoto, JapanAdélie penguins commute between the colony and foraging sites at sea during breeding season. The choice of commuting route and movement mode (e.g. walking vs. swimming) should reflect the movement strategies of penguins to forage and breed successfully. Here, we studied the fine-scale movement of Adélie penguins using GPS-depth loggers at the Hukuro Cove colony, located in the fast sea-ice area of Antarctica. We calculated movement parameters during commuting travels of 14 foraging trips. Outward and inward travels accounted for 13.4 and 10.1 % in duration, 17.9 and 18.4 % in distance traveled, respectively. During inward travels, penguins swam along cracks and walked over sea-ice for 45 and 37 % of duration, 62 and 28 % of distance traveled. Traveling speed and straightness index (calculated as the ratio between distance travelled and beeline distance) were 0.78 m/sec and 0.72 in swimming along cracks, and 0.44 m/sec and 0.88 in walking over sea-ice. Penguins were able to travel faster by swimming, even though their traveling routes along cracks were more sinuous than that of walking over sea-ice. We suggest that penguins chose to swim along cracks if they could, or walked straight over sea-ice to deliver food to their chicks quickly