Proteomic profiling of antigens in circulating immune complexes associated with each of seven autoimmune diseases

Objective: Immune complexes (ICs) trigger humoral immune responses. Therefore, the identification of constituent antigens within ICs would have very different clinical significance than identification of free antigens. Design and methods: Here, we applied immune complexome analysis of serum to the study of seven major autoimmune diseases-anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis, Takayasu\u27s arteritis, mixed connective tissue disease, dermatomyositis, Sjogren\u27s syndrome, systemic scleroderma, and systemic lupus erythematosus-and healthy donors to comprehensively identify antigens incorporated into circulating ICs and to find disease-specific antigens. Results: We identified 468 distinct IC-associated antigens using this method. Importantly, 62 of those antigens were disease-specific antigens, and there were at least three disease-specific antigens for each of the seven autoimmune diseases. Of the disease-specific antigens identified, coiled-coil domain-containing protein 158 and spectrin were identified as potential autoantigens important to SSc and SS pathogenesis, respectively; notable titin and spectrin autoantibodies are reportedly found in SSc and SS patients, respectively. Conclusion: Immune complexome analysis may be generally applicable to the study of the relationship between ICs and autoimmune diseases in animals and humans

Depletion of Lipid Efflux Pump ABCG1 Triggers the Intracellular Accumulation of Extracellular Vesicles and Reduces Aggregation and Tumorigenesis of Metastatic Cancer Cells

The ATP-binding cassette transporter G1 (ABCG1) is a cholesterol lipid efflux pump whose role in tumor growth has been largely unknown. Our transcriptomics revealed that ABCG1 was powerfully expressed in rapidly metastatic, aggregative colon cancer cells, in all the ABC transporter family members. Coincidently, genetic amplification of ABCG1 is found in 10–35% of clinical samples of metastatic cancer cases. Expression of ABCG1 was further elevated in three-dimensional tumoroids (tumor organoids) within stemness-enhancing tumor milieu, whereas depletion of ABCG1 lowered cellular aggregation and tumoroid growth in vitro as well as hypoxia-inducible factor 1α in cancer cells around the central necrotic areas in tumors in vivo. Notably, depletion of ABCG1 triggered the intracellular accumulation of extracellular vesicles (EVs) and regression of tumoroids. Collectively, these data suggest that ABCG1 plays a crucial role in tumorigenesis in metastatic cancer and that depletion of ABCG1 triggers tumor regression with the accumulation of EVs and their derivatives and cargos, implicating a novel ABCG1-targeting therapeutic strategy by which redundant and toxic substances may be accumulated in tumors leading to their regression

歯科衛生士養成機関における集団リフレクションの導入

The present study investigated the effects of group reflection on the education of dental hygienist students. The level of Critical Thinking (CT) was assessed by questionnaires to examine the effectiveness of the training in 46 dental hygienist students. The students were divided into two groups for sort and long periods after the group reflection. In 22 out of the 46 students, the CT was evaluated just before and immediately after the group reflections were performed(group A). In the other 24 students, the CT was evaluated immediately after and one month after the reflections (group B).The statistical analysis was performed between the just before and immediately after administrations in group A, and between immediately after and one month after them in group B. The CT level statistically was significantly higher immediately after the reflections than just before the reflections. The score was significantly lower in the students one month after the reflections than immediately after the reflections. The results indicate that group reflections may be an effective method in the education of dental hygienist students. The group reflection should be embedded continuously in the education curriculum of dental hygienist school to ensure the maximum effect