Functional visualization of NK Cell-mediated killing of metastatic single tumor cells

ナチュラルキラー（NK）細胞による転移がん細胞殺傷の可視化 --NK細胞とがん細胞の肺毛細血管上での戦いを実況中継する--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2022-02-07.Natural killer (NK) cells lyse invading tumor cells to limit metastatic growth in the lung, but how some cancers evade this host protective mechanism to establish a growing lesion is unknown. Here we have combined ultra-sensitive bioluminescence imaging with intravital two-photon microscopy involving genetically-encoded biosensors to examine this question. NK cells eliminated disseminated tumor cells from the lung within 24 hrs of arrival, but not thereafter. Intravital dynamic imaging revealed that 50% of NK-tumor cell encounters lead to tumor cell death in the first 4 hrs after tumor cell arrival, but after 24 hrs of arrival, nearly 100% of the interactions result in the survival of the tumor cell. During this 24 hrs period, the probability of ERK activation in NK cells upon encountering the tumor cells was decreased from 68% to 8%, which correlated with the loss of the activating ligand CD155/PVR/Necl5 from the tumor cell surface. Thus, by quantitatively visualizing the NK-tumor cell interaction at the early stage of metastasis, we have revealed the crucial parameters of NK cell immune surveillance in the lung

マウス胸腺での脂肪細胞分化過程の解析

Logarithmic transcript-ratios of secreted frizzled-related protein 5（SFRP5）,lipocalin2（LC2） andPPAR γ（PR）, expressing in the thymus of mouse, were measured with aging by realtime PCR method.LogPR/SFRP5 and logPR/LC2 tended to increase for several weeks after birth and then became constan practically. Rate theory was applied to adipocyte-differential model, and rate constants were determined for theprocesses, where SFRP5- and LC2-transcribing cells differentiated into PR-transcribing cells. It was concludedthat SFRP5 was transcribed firstly, then LC2 in the process where stem cells differentiated into preadipocytes

上腸間膜動脈限局性の高安動脈炎の一例

腹痛を呈した上腸間膜動脈（superior mesenteric artery: SMA）に限局した高安動脈炎の一例を経験したので，文献的考察を加えて報告する．症例は17歳，男性．心窩部痛・右背部痛を認め，近医を受診し，その際施行した体外式腹部超音波検査（ultrasound: US）でSMA の壁肥厚が疑われ，当院総合診療科を紹介受診した．身体診察では上腹部正中に軽度圧痛を認め，血液生化学検査では血沈（60min）35mm, CRP 3.92mg/dL と軽度上昇を認めた．US では，腹痛を訴える部位に一致してSMA 起始部にびまん性の壁肥厚を認め，血管炎が疑われた．胸部造影・上腹骨盤部単純造影CT 検査（computed tomography: CT）ではSMA 周囲に造影効果を認める軟部影を認め，18F-FDGPET（18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography: PET）/CT 検査ではSMA 起始部付近に腫大と軽度のFDG 集積を認め，動脈炎による集積で矛盾しない所見であった．以上のことから，SMA に限局した高安動脈炎と診断した．ステロイド治療を開始し腹痛は速やかに消褪すると共に，US 所見にも改善がみられた．We report the case of a 17-year-old male who visited a hospital complaining of epigastric and right back pain. Thickening of the wall of the superior mesenteric artery （SMA) was suspected by ultrasound （US), and he was referred to our hospital. Physical examination revealed median upper abdominal tenderness. Laboratory tests showed an erythrocyte sedimentation rate （60 min) of 35 mm and C-reactive protein of 3.92mg/dL. US examination in our hospital showed diffuse wall thickening at the origin of the SMA. Because the location of the pain and the affected area identified by US were the same, we suspected angiitis. An enhanced area around the SMA was revealed by computed tomography. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography showed swelling at the origin of the SMA and mild accumulation of fluorodeoxyglucose. He was diagnosed with Takayasu arteritis involving the SMA. Steroid therapy was started, and his abdominal pain and US findings improved

Revesz syndrome with bilateral retinal detachments successfully treated by pars plana vitrectomy

Background: Revesz syndrome is a rare type of the dyskeratosis congenita spectrum disorder that is characterized by nail dystrophy, oral leukoplakia, and abnormal skin pigmentation. The retinal features are similar to those of exudative retinopathy with avascular areas of the peripheral retina. There are only a few publications describing patients with Revesz syndrome who underwent ocular treatments for the retinal complications. We report a Case of Revesz syndrome with bilateral retinal detachments that were successfully reattached by pars plana vitrectomy. Observations: A 3-year-old Japanese girl with Revesz Syndrome had progressive vitreal hemorrhages and tractional retinal detachments in both eyes. She underwent pars plana vitrectomy with lensectomy on both eyes. A retinal attachment with vision improvement was achieved by a single surgery for the right eye and after repeated surgeries for the left eye. Postoperative electroretinographic (ERG) examinations of the right eye showed a negative type ERG with the b-wave/a-wave ratio <1.0. There were extensive areas of avascular retina detected by fluorescein angiography and a thinning of the inner and outer retina detected by optical coherence tomography. Conclusion and importance: Pars plana vitrectomy can effectively treat the extensive retinal detachment in an eye with Revesz syndrome. However, postoperative retinal ischemia can be detected by careful imaging

Agronomic Factors Affecting the Potential of Sorghum as a Feedstock for Bioethanol Production in the Kanto Region, Japan

In the Kanto region in Japan, the possibilities of running a bio-ethanol plant from rice straw has been assessed and sorghum production has been considered as a necessary part of the system. Two field experiments were conducted in 2012 and 2013 at the NARO—Agricultural Research Center in Tsukuba, Ibaraki to estimate yielding ability of sorghum in the Kanto region. Two cultivars of sweet sorghum and one of grain sorghum were sown using a pneumatic seeder. Above-ground dry matter (DM) yield ranged from 1.03 to 1.82 kg m−2 for the sorgo type cultivars and from 0.70 to 1.18 kg m−2 for the grain type cultivar. The observed yields were lower than the simulated potential yields, i.e., 1.61 to 2.66 kg m−2, indicating that biomass production was restricted in this study. Stem brix values for the sweet sorghum cultivars were generally low (3.3–16.2%) compared with the values reported in the literature. It appears that there is still room to improve the field management of sorghum to minimize the gap between the potential and actual production observed in these experiments

Disruption of Aspm causes microcephaly with abnormal neuronal differentiation.

Aims: A number of ASPM mutations have been detected in primary microcephaly patients. In order to evaluate the function of ASPM in brain development, we generated model animals of human autosomal recessive primary microcephaly-5 (MCPH5). Methods: In the Aspm knock-out mice, the exon 2-3 of the Aspm gene was encompassed by a pair of loxP signals so that cre-recombinase activity switched the allele from wild-type to null zygotes as frequently, as expected from the Mendelian inheritance. We precisely analyzed the brains of adults and fetuses using immunohistochemistry and morphometry. Results: The adult brains of the Aspm(-/-) mice were smaller, especially in the cerebrum. In the barrel field of the somatosensory cortex, layer I was significantly thicker, whereas layer VI was significantly thinner in Aspm(-/-) mice, compared with Aspm(+/+) mice. The total number of cells and the thickness of the cortical plate at embryonic day 16.5 was significantly decreased in Aspm(-/-) mice, compared with Aspm(+/+) mice. Furthermore, the expression of transcription factors, such as Tbr1 and Satb2, was significantly increased in the subplate of the Aspm(-/-) mice. Conclusions: The results suggested that Aspm is essential to the proliferation and differentiation of neural stem/progenitor cells. The Aspm gene loss model provided a novel pathogenetic insight into acquired microcephaly, which can be caused by in utero exposure to both known and unknown teratogens

Generation of a white-albino phenotype from cobalt blue and yellow-albino rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss): Inheritance pattern and chromatophores analysis.

Albinism is the most common color variation described in fish and is characterized by a white or yellow phenotype according to the species. In rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, aside from yellow-albino phenotypes, cobalt blue variants with autosomal, recessive inheritance have also been reported. In this study, we investigated the inheritance pattern and chromatophores distribution/abundance of cobalt blue trouts obtained from a local fish farm. Based on crosses with wild-type and dominant yellow-albino lines, we could infer that cobalt blue are dominant over wild-type and co-dominant in relation to yellow-albino phenotype, resulting in a fourth phenotype: the white-albino. Analysis of chromatophores revealed that cobalt blue trouts present melanophores, as the wild-type, and a reduced number of xanthophores. As regards to the white-albino phenotype, they were not only devoid of melanophores but also presented a reduced number of xanthophores. Cobalt blue and white-albino trouts also presented reduced body weight and a smaller pituitary gland compared to wild-type and yellow-albino phenotypes. The transcription levels of tshb and trh were up regulated in cobalt blue compared to wild type, suggesting the involvement of thyroid hormone in the expression of blue color. These phenotypes represent useful models for research on body pigmentation in salmonids and on the mechanisms behind endocrine control of color patterning

Neurodevelopmental outcomes following intravitreal bevacizumab injection in Japanese preterm infants with type 1 retinopathy of prematurity.

PURPOSE:The purpose of this study was to evaluate neurodevelopmental outcomes in 18-month old (corrected age) preterm infants who received an intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) injection for the treatment of type 1 retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). METHODS:In this ten-year retrospective study, we reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent ROP screening at Kyushu University Hospital. Among the patients who received IVB or laser photocoagulation (LPC) for the treatment of type 1 ROP, we included infants whose neurodevelopmental examination (the Kyoto Scale of Psychological Development [KSPD]) results at 18 months corrected age were available. Then, the effect of IVB on the developmental quotient (DQ) in each KSPD domain (Postural-Movement, Cognitive-Adaptive, or Language-Social domain) or the overall DQ was investigated by performing linear regression analysis. RESULTS:Out of the 513 patients reviewed, 53 were included in the study. IVB and LPC were performed for 14 and 39 patients, respectively. Administration of IVB was significantly associated with neurodevelopmental delay in the Language-Social domain (p = 0.01). The observed association remained even after adjusting for gestational age and birth weight (p = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS:Administration of IVB may introduce a risk of developmental impairment of interpersonal relationships, socializations, and/or verbal abilities of preterm children. We recommended that preterm infants who received IVB undergo a neurodevelopmental reassessment during their school years or in adulthood