Elevated expression of CD30 in adult T-cell leukemia cell lines: possible role in constitutive NF-κB activation

BACKGROUND: Human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) is associated with the development of adult T-cell leukemia (ATL). HTLV-1 encoded Tax1 oncoprotein activates the transcription of genes involved in cell growth and anti-apoptosis through the NF-κB pathway, and is thought to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of ATL. While Tax1 expression is usually lost or minimal in ATL cells, these cells still show high constitutive NF-κB activity, indicating that genetic or epigenetic changes in ATL cells induce activation independent of Tax1. The aim of this study was to identify the molecules responsible for the constitutive activation of NF-κB in ATL cells using a retroviral functional cloning strategy. RESULTS: Using enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) expression and blasticidin-resistance as selection markers, several retroviral cDNA clones exhibiting constitutive NF-κB activity in Rat-1 cells, including full-length CD30, were obtained from an ATL cell line. Exogenous stable expression of CD30 in Rat-1 cells constitutively activated NF-κB. Elevated expression of CD30 was identified in all ATL lines examined, and primary ATL cells from a small number of patients (8 out of 66 cases). CONCLUSION: Elevated CD30 expression is considered one of the causes of constitutive NF-κB activation in ATL cells, and may be involved in ATL development

Electronic Endoscopy in Endoscopic Mucosal Resection (EMR) of Gastric Cancer

The role in which electronic endoscopy plays is important in EMR. It is useful in diagnosis and treatment of gastric cancer from a clinical viewpoint. EMR with use of electronic endoscopy allows better coordination between the operator and assistants, and thus improves the results further

Interferon signaling and hypercytokinemia-related gene expression in the blood of antidepressant non-responders

Only 50% of patients with depression respond to the first antidepressant drug administered. Thus, biomarkers for prediction of antidepressant responses are needed, as predicting which patients will not respond to antidepressants can optimize selection of alternative therapies. We aimed to identify biomarkers that could predict antidepressant responsiveness using a novel data-driven approach based on statistical pattern recognition. We retrospectively divided patients with major depressive disorder into antidepressant responder and non-responder groups. Comprehensive gene expression analysis was performed using peripheral blood without narrowing the genes. We designed a classifier according to our own discrete Bayes decision rule that can handle categorical data. Nineteen genes showed differential expression in the antidepressant non-responder group (n = 15) compared to the antidepressant responder group (n = 15). In the training sample of 30 individuals, eight candidate genes had significantly altered expression according to quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The expression of these genes was examined in an independent test sample of antidepressant responders (n = 22) and non-responders (n = 12). Using the discrete Bayes classifier with the HERC5, IFI6, and IFI44 genes identified in the training set yielded 85% discrimination accuracy for antidepressant responsiveness in the 34 test samples. Pathway analysis of the RNA sequencing data for antidepressant responsiveness identified that hypercytokinemia- and interferon-related genes were increased in non-responders. Disease and biofunction analysis identified changes in genes related to inflammatory and infectious diseases, including coronavirus disease. These results strongly suggest an association between antidepressant responsiveness and inflammation, which may be useful for future treatment strategies for depression

The Activator of GntII Genes for Gluconate Metabolism, GntH, Exerts Negative Control of GntR-Regulated GntI Genes in Escherichia coli

Gluconate is one of the preferred carbon sources of Escherichia coli, and two sets of gnt genes (encoding the GntI and GntII systems) are involved in its transport and metabolism. GntR represses the GntI genes gntKU and gntT, whereas GntH was previously suggested to be an activator for the GntII genes gntV and idnDO-gntWH. The helix-turn-helix residues of the two regulators GntR and GntH exhibit extensive homologies. The similarity between the two regulators prompted analysis of the cross-regulation of the GntI genes by GntH. Repression of gntKU and gntT by GntH, as well as GntR, was indeed observed using transcriptional fusions and RNA analysis. High GntH expression, from cloned gntH or induced through 5-ketogluconate, was required to observe repression of GntI genes. Two GntR-binding elements were identified in the promoter-operator region of gntKU and were also shown to be the target sites of GntH by mutational analysis. However, the GntI genes were not induced by gluconate in the presence of enhanced amounts of GntH, whereas repression by GntR was relieved by gluconate. The repression of GntI genes by GntH is thus unusual in that it is not relieved by the availability of substrate. These results led us to propose that GntH activates GntII and represses the GntI genes in the presence of metabolites derived from gluconate, allowing the organism to switch from the GntI to the GntII system. This cross-regulation may explain the progressive changes in gnt gene expression along with phases of cell growth in the presence of gluconate

Weizmannia coagulans strain SANK70258 combined with galacto-oligosaccharides reduces fecal-p-cresol content and improves scaliness and skin roughness

In this study, we evaluate the effects of Weizmannia coagulans SANK70258 intake on skin condition and defecation, both alone and in combination with galacto-oligosaccharides, by conducting a randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled, eight-week study of 45 healthy individuals. The primary endpoints were measurement of the stratum corneum moisture content, transepidermal water loss, and skin texture; the secondary endpoints were skin assessment, a defecation survey, and measurement of fecal organic acid and p-cresol contents. The participants were divided into a W. coagulans SANK70258 alone (lac + dex) group, a W. coagulans SANK70258 plus galacto-oligosaccharides (lac + gal) group, and a placebo (dex) group. The lac + gal group showed a decrease in skin roughness and fecal p-cresol content. Scaliness was improved in lac + dex and lac + gal groups. Thus, synbiotics combining W. coagulans SANK70258 and galacto-oligosaccharides can improve scaliness and skin roughness and reduce fecal p-cresol content

Dietary <i>Weizmannia coagulans</i> Strain SANK70258 Ameliorates Coccidial Symptoms and Improves Intestinal Barrier Functions of Broilers by Modulating the Intestinal Immunity and the Gut Microbiota

To determine the mechanisms by which Weizmannia coagulans SANK70258 (WC) supplementation improved growth performance and coccidial symptoms, we assessed the gene expressions and the microbiota compositions in the small intestinal tissues and digestas of coccidium-infected broilers previously given WC or lasalocid-A sodium (AM). WC supplementation significantly upregulated the gene expressions related to intestinal immunity and barrier functions, such as IL17A, IL17F, IL10, cathelicidin-2 and pIgR. Body weights, and Claudin-1 and IL10 expressions were positively correlated (r = 0.41, p p = 0.06, respectively), whereas lesion scores of the small intestine and IL17A expression were negatively correlated (r = −0.33, p = 0.09). The microbiota analysis detected that genus Alistipes was more abundant in WC-supplemented broilers than in control, and positively correlated with body weights and Claudin-1 expression (r = 0.61, p p Enterococcus was most abundant in WC-supplemented broilers and positively correlated with IL17A expression (r = 0.49, p Escherichia-Shigella was significantly more abundant in the small intestinal digestas of AM-administered broilers than in those of control. To summarize, WC supplementation modulated and immunostimulated the microbiotas of broilers, specifically genera Alistipes and Enterococcus, which led to the improvement of weight gain and coccidial symptoms, without disrupting the intestinal microbiota compositions, as AM did

The Effect of Supplementation with Weizmannia coagulans Strain SANK70258 to Coccidia-Infected Broilers Is Similar to That of a Coccidiostat Administration

To determine whether it could also improve the production performance of Eimeria-infected broilers, Weizmannia coagulans strain SANK70258 (WC) supplementation was compared with coccidiostat lasalocid-A sodium (AM) administration. First, to determine the optimum WC dose, newly hatched broiler chick groups (n = 10) were untreated or consecutively given WC (0.005%, 0.01%, 0.03%, and 0.1%) and AM until slaughter (31 days of age). At day 21, all chicks were infected with coccidia. From the economical and practical viewpoints, 0.03% WC supplementation was the best dose. Second, newly hatched broiler chick groups (n = 10) were untreated or given 0.03% WC and AM. Each group was run in triplicate. At day 21, two chicks/pen with the farthest body weights as per the group&rsquo;s mean body weight were spared, and the remaining inoculated with coccidia. At days 42 and 49, the WC and AM groups had significantly greater body weights and daily weight gains. Intestinal lesion scores were lower in 29-day-old AM and WC. Oocyst numbers were lower in 29- and 49-day-old AM and WC, but only 29- and 49-day-old AM had higher Escherichia coli levels. To conclude, although WC and AM induced similar growth performance in coccidium-infected chicks, unlike AM, the E. coli levels did not increase with WC