サイケンホウ カイセイ ニオケル ホショウ セイド ノ カイセイ ニツイテ ニチベンレン イケンショ ノ ケントウ

論

Comparison in gene expression of secretory human endometrium using laser microdissection

BACKGROUND: The endometrium prepares for implantation under the control of steroid hormones. It has been suggested that there are complicated interactions between the epithelium and stroma in the endometrium during menstrual cycle. In this study, we demonstrate a difference in gene expression between the epithelial and stromal areas of the secretory human endometrium using microdissection and macroarray technique. METHODS: The epithelial and stromal areas were microdissected from the human endometrium during the secretory phase. RNA was extracted and amplified by PCR. Macroarray analysis of nearly 1000 human genes was carried out in this study. Some genes identified by macroarray analysis were verified using real-time PCR. RESULTS: In this study, changes in expression <2.5-fold in three samples were excluded. A total of 28 genes displayed changes in expression from array data. Fifteen genes were strongly expressed in the epithelial areas, while 13 genes were strongly expressed in the stromal areas. The strongly expressed genes in the epithelial areas with a changes >5-fold were WAP four-disulfide core domain 2 (44.1 fold), matrix metalloproteinase 7 (40.1 fold), homeo box B5 (19.8 fold), msh homeo box homolog (18.8 fold), homeo box B7 (12.7 fold) and protein kinase C, theta (6.4 fold). On the other hand, decorin (55.6 fold), discoidin domain receptor member 2 (17.3 fold), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (9 fold), ribosomal protein S3A (6.3 fold), and tyrosine kinase with immunoglobulin and epidermal growth factor homology domains (5.2 fold) were strongly expressed in the stromal areas. WAP four-disulfide core domain 2 (19.4 fold), matrix metalloproteinase 7 (9.7-fold), decorin (16.3-fold) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (7.2-fold) were verified by real-time PCR. CONCLUSIONS: Some of the genes we identified with differential expression are related to the immune system. These results are telling us the new information for understanding the secretory human endometrium

Lifestyle carbon footprints and changes in lifestyles to limit global warming to 1.5 °C, and ways forward for related research

This paper presents an approach for assessing lifestyle carbon footprints and lifestyle change options aimed at achieving the 1.5 °C climate goal and facilitating the transition to decarbonized lifestyles through stakeholder participatory research. Using data on Finland and Japan it shows potential impacts of reducing carbon footprints through changes in lifestyles for around 30 options covering food, housing, and mobility domains, in comparison with the 2030 and 2050 per-capita targets (2.5-3.2 tCO2e by 2030; 0.7-1.4 tCO2e by 2050). It discusses research opportunities for expanding the footprint-based quantitative analysis to incorporate subnational analysis, living lab, and scenario development aiming at advancing sustainability science on the transition to decarbonized lifestyles

A stem cell-derived gene (Sddr) negatively regulates differentiation of embryonic stem cells

金沢大学医薬保健研究域医学系Embryonic stem (ES) cells, derived from the inner cell mass of blastocysts, are pluripotent and continue to self-renew. To better understand the molecular mechanisms under-lying self-renewal, we have been searching for a gene(s) which is specifically expressed in self-renewing ES cells. Here we report the isolation and characterization of a novel gene, Sddr (stem cell-derived differentiation regulator). Sddr was highly expressed in undifferentiated ES cells, and its expression was downregulated upon differentiation. In addition to ES cells, Sddr expression was observed strongly in ovary, and weakly in lung. Immunostaining and cellular fractionation analyses suggested that Sddr is a cytoplasmic protein associated with the cytoskeleton. Sddr-null ES cells showed no remarkable abnormalities in their undifferentiated state. In contrast, in differentiating Sddr-null cells, induction of several differentiation-associated markers was enhanced, and downregulation of self-renewal marker genes was accelerated, as compared with wild-type cells. These results suggest that although it is dispensable for ES cell self-renewal, Sddr is a negative regulator of ES cell differentiation. © 2009 UBC Press