Hepatic oxidative DNA damage is associated with increased risk for hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic hepatitis C

Although the oxidative stress frequently occurs in patients with chronic hepatitis C, its role in future hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development is unknown. Hepatic 8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) was quantified using liver biopsy samples from 118 naïve patients who underwent liver biopsy from 1995 to 2001. The predictability of 8-OHdG for future HCC development and its relations to epidemiologic, biochemical and histological baseline characteristics were evaluated. During the follow-up period (mean was 6.7±3.3 years), HCC was identified in 36 patients (30.5%). Univariate analysis revealed that 16 variables, including 8-OHdG counts (65.2±20.2 vs 40.0±23.5 cells per 105 μm2, P<0.0001), were significantly different between patients with and without HCC. Cox proportional hazard analysis showed that the hepatic 8-OHdG (P=0.0058) and fibrosis (P=0.0181) were independent predicting factors of HCC. Remarkably, 8-OHdG levels were positively correlated with body and hepatic iron storage markers (vs ferritin, P<0.0001 vs hepatic iron score, P<0.0001). This study showed that oxidative DNA damage is associated with increased risk for HCC and hepatic 8-OHdG levels are useful as markers to identify the extreme high-risk subgroup. The strong correlation between hepatic DNA damage and iron overload suggests that the iron content may be a strong mediator of oxidative stress and iron reduction may reduce HCC incidence in patients with chronic hepatitis C

First record of the at-sea swimming speed of a Pacific salmon during its oceanic migration

The swimming behavior of the chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta was studied for 53 d of its 67 d oceanic migration from the central Bering Sea to the Japanese coast. We provide the first data on swimming speeds by a homing salmon, recorded at 5 s intervals by a fish-borne time-speed, depth, and temperature logger. Swimming speed rarely exceeded 1.0 m s^[-1], and horizontal swimming speed was 36.4 ± 15.2 km d^[-1]. Cumulative horizontal swimming distance was approximately 2500 km, equivalent to 90% of the minimum distance between the release and recovery sites (2760 km). Swimming depth and speed peaked around dawn and dusk, and there was a smaller peak around midnight. The fish showed sequential up-and-down movement near the thermocline during daytime. Diurnal patterns of movement suggest that homing chum salmon spend a considerable time foraging, and the strategy is different between daytime and nighttime. Our findings indicate that over large distances of ocean, a homing salmon maintains a strong homeward orientation, but that passive transport by favorable water currents may help the migration

Activated protein C modulates the proinflammatory activity of dendritic cells

Takahiro Matsumoto,1,2* Yuki Matsushima,1* Masaaki Toda,1 Ziaurahman Roeen,1 Corina N D&#39;Alessandro-Gabazza,1,5 Josephine A Hinneh,1 Etsuko Harada,1,3 Taro Yasuma,4 Yutaka Yano,4 Masahito Urawa,1,5 Tetsu Kobayashi,5 Osamu Taguchi,5 Esteban C Gabazza1 1Department of Immunology, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Mie Prefecture, 2BONAC Corporation, BIO Factory 4F, Fukuoka, 3Iwade Research Institute of Mycology, 4Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, 5Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Mie University Graduate School of Medicine, Tsu, Mie Prefecture, Japan *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: Previous studies have demonstrated the beneficial activity of activated protein C in allergic diseases including bronchial asthma and rhinitis. However, the exact mechanism of action of activated protein C in allergies is unclear. In this study, we hypothesized that pharmacological doses of activated protein C can modulate allergic inflammation by inhibiting dendritic cells. Materials and methods: Dendritic cells were prepared using murine bone marrow progenitor cells and human peripheral monocytes. Bronchial asthma was induced in mice that received intratracheal instillation of ovalbumin-pulsed dendritic cells. Results: Activated protein C significantly increased the differentiation of tolerogenic plasmacytoid dendritic cells and the secretion of type I interferons, but it significantly reduced lipopolysaccharide-mediated maturation and the secretion of inflammatory cytokines in myeloid dendritic cells. Activated protein C also inhibited maturation and the secretion of inflammatory cytokines in monocyte-derived dendritic cells. Activated protein C-treated dendritic cells were less effective when differentiating na&iuml;ve CD4 T-cells from Th1 or Th2 cells, and the cellular effect of activated protein C was mediated by its receptors. Mice that received adoptive transfer of activated protein C-treated ovalbumin-pulsed dendritic cells had significantly less airway hyperresponsiveness, significantly decreased lung concentrations of Th1 and Th2 cytokines, and less plasma concentration of immunoglobulin E when compared to control mice. Conclusion: These results suggest that dendritic cells mediate the immunosuppressive effect of activated protein C during allergic inflammation. Keywords: allergy, dendritic cells, coagulation, protein C pathwa

Thermal habitat of four migrating salmonids in the North Pacific Ocean and Bering Sea as recorded by temperature data tags in 1998

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