Expression patterns of gdnf and gfrα1 in rainbow trout testis.

In mice, glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is essential for normal spermatogenesis and in vitro culture of spermatogonial stem cells. In murine testes, GDNF acts as paracrine factor; Setoli cells secrete it to a subset of spermatogonial cells expressing its receptor, GDNF family receptor α1 (GFRα1). However, in fish, it is unclear what types of cells express gdnf and gfrα1. In this study, we isolated the rainbow trout orthologues of these genes and analyzed their expression patterns during spermatogenesis. In rainbow trout testes, gdnf and gfrα1 were expressed in almost all type A spermatogonia (ASG). Noticeably, unlike in mice, the expression of gdnf was not observed in Sertoli cells in rainbow trout. During spermatogenesis, the expression levels of these genes changed synchronously; gdnf and gfrα1 showed high expression in ASG and decreased dramatically in subsequent developmental stages. These results suggested that GDNF most likely acts as an autocrine factor in rainbow trout testes

GATA2 functions in adrenal chromaffin cells

Catecholamine synthesized in the sympathoadrenal system, including sympathetic neurons and adrenal chromaffin cells, is vital for cardiovascular homeostasis. It has been reported that GATA2, a zinc finger transcription factor, is expressed in murine sympathoadrenal progenitor cells. However, a physiological role for GATA2 in adrenal chromaffin cells has not been established. In this study, we demonstrate that GATA2 is specifically expressed in adrenal chromaffin cells. We examined the consequences of Gata2 loss- of- function mutations, exploiting a Gata2 conditional knockout allele crossed to neural crest- specific Wnt1- Cre transgenic mice (Gata2 NC- CKO). The vast majority of Gata2 NC- CKO embryos died by embryonic day 14.5 (e14.5) and exhibited a decrease in catecholamine- producing adrenal chromaffin cells, implying that a potential catecholamine defect might lead to the observed embryonic lethality. When intercrossed pregnant dams were fed with synthetic adrenaline analogs, the lethality of the Gata2 NC- CKO embryos was partially rescued, indicating that placental transfer of the adrenaline analogs complements the lethal catecholamine deficiency in the Gata2 NC- CKO embryos. These results demonstrate that GATA2 participates in the development of neuroendocrine adrenaline biosynthesis, which is essential for fetal survival.GATA2 is specifically expressed in adrenal chromaffin cells in which GATA2 plays a role for catecholamine biosynthesis.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/162786/2/gtc12795_am.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/162786/1/gtc12795.pd

Clinical Course before and after Cataract and Glaucoma Surgery under Systemic Infliximab Therapy in Patients with Behçet's Disease

www.karger.com/cop This is an Open Access article licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 License (www.karger.com/OA-license), applicable to the online version of the article only. Distribution for non-commercial purposes only

Teaching of posterior composites in dental schools in Japan – 30 years and beyond

Objectives: The teaching of posterior composites has been a major part of the curriculum in Japanese dental education for several decades. The aim of this paper was to investigate the current trends in the teaching of posterior composites to undergraduate dental students in Japan by comparing the results of surveys conducted for over 30 years. Methods: In late 2016-early 2017, a questionnaire seeking information on the teaching of posterior composites was distributed via e-mail to the persons responsible for teaching operative dentistry in 29 dental schools having undergraduate dental degree programs in Japan. The results obtained were compared to those from surveys conducted in 1986, 1997, and 2007. Results: All 29 schools that were sent the questionnaire completed the responses (response rate = 100%). All 29 schools reported teaching the placement of composite in occlusal and two-surface occluso-proximal cavities in both premolars and molars. Four schools reported not teaching the placement of three-surface occluso-proximal composites in premolars and five schools reported not teaching it for molars. Twenty-seven (93%) schools taught composite first as a part of the preclinical curriculum, whereas 15 (65%) schools did so in the survey of 2007. Variations were noted between schools in the teaching of, cavity design. In contrast, greater consistency was observed in the teaching of techniques for protecting exposed dentin and light-curing technologies. Conclusions: It is hoped that measures intended to increase the clinical experience of restoring teeth with direct composite-resin for dental students in Japan will be effective, providing opportunity to bring dental education in Japan more into line with international norms

Regulation of Mesodermal Differentiation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells by Basement Membranes

This research was originally published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry. Hironobu Fujiwara, Yoshitaka Hayashi, Noriko Sanzen, Reiko Kobayashi, Charles N. Weber, Tomomi Emoto, Sugiko Futaki, Hitoshi Niwa, Patricia Murray, David Edgar and Kiyotoshi Sekiguchi. Regulation of Mesodermal Differentiation of Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells by Basement Membranes. J. Biol. Chem. 2007; 282: 29701–29711 © the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biolog

Elevated levels of plasma lactate dehydrogenase is an unfavorable prognostic factor in patients with epidermal growth factor receptor mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer, receiving treatment with gefitinib or erlotinib.

Treatment with epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) has been shown to prolong survival in patients with EGFR mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The present study performed a retrospective analysis to investigate the association between the plasma lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels and survival in patients with EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC receiving treatment with EGFR-TKIs. The medical charts of patients with EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC who were receiving treatment with EGFR-TKIs at Toyama University Hospital between 2007 and 2014 were assessed. The data from 65 patients were included in the analysis. Patients with higher plasma LDH levels exhibited shorter progression-free survival (6.2 vs. 13.2 months; P<0.01) and overall survival (10.5 vs. 36.1 months; P<0.01) periods compared with patients with lower plasma LDH levels. A Cox proportional hazards model identified that the plasma LDH level was associated with the progression-free survival (P=0.05) and overall survival (P<0.01). An association was demonstrated between the pretreatment plasma LDH level and the survival in patients with EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC receiving treatment with EGFR-TKIs. Close observation is required in EGFR mutation-positive NSCLC patients exhibiting high plasma LDH levels following the initiation of treatment with EGFR-TKIs.出版社サイトへのリンク：https://doi.org/10.3892/mco.2016.77

SNARE Proteins LjVAMP72a and LjVAMP72b Are Required for Root Symbiosis and Root Hair Formation in Lotus japonicus

SNARE (soluble N-ethyl maleimide sensitive factor attachment protein receptor) proteins mediate membrane trafficking in eukaryotic cells. Both LjVAMP72a and LjVAMP72b are members of R-SNARE and belong to a symbiotic subgroup of VAMP72 in Lotus japonicus. Their sequences are closely related and both were induced in the root upon rhizobial inoculation. The expression level of LjVAMP72a in the nodules was higher than in the leaves or roots; however, LjVMAP72b was expressed constitutively in the leaves, roots, and nodules. Immunoblot analysis showed that not only LjVAMP72a but also LjVAMP72b were accumulated in a symbiosome-enriched fraction, suggesting its localization in the symbiosome membrane during nodulation. Since there was 89% similarity between LjVAMP72a and LjVAMP72b, knockdown mutant by RNAi suppressed both genes. The suppression of both genes impaired root nodule symbiosis (RNS). The number of bacteroids and the nitrogen fixation activity were severely curtailed in the nodules formed on knockdown roots (RNAi-LjVAMP72a/72b). Arbuscular mycorrhization (AM) was also attenuated in knockdown roots, indicating that LjVAMP72a and LjVAMP72b were required to establish not only RNS but also AM. In addition, transgenic hairy roots of RNAi-LjVAMP72a/72b suppressed the elongation of root hairs without infections by rhizobia or arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi. Amino acid alignment showed the symbiotic subclade of VAMP72s containing LjVAMP72a and LjVAMP72b were a conserved six amino acid region (HHQAQD) within the SNARE motif. Taken together, our data suggested that LjVAMP72a and LjVAMP72b positively controlled both symbioses and root hair formation by affecting the secretory pathway