3-O-Methylfunicone, a Selective Inhibitor of Mammalian Y-Family DNA Polymerases from an Australian Sea Salt Fungal Strain

We isolated a pol inhibitor from the cultured mycelia extract of a fungal strain isolated from natural salt from a sea salt pan in Australia, which was identified as 3-O-methylfunicone by spectroscopic analyses. This compound selectively inhibited the activities of mammalian Y-family DNA polymerases (pols) (i.e., pols η, ι and κ). Among these pols, human pol κ activity was most strongly inhibited, with an IC50 value of 12.5 μM. On the other hand, the compound barely influenced the activities of the other families of mammalian pols, such as A-family (i.e., pol γ), B-family (i.e., pols α, δ and ɛ) or X-family (i.e., pols β, λ and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase), and showed no effect on the activities of fish pol δ, plant pols, prokaryotic pols and other DNA metabolic enzymes, such as calf primase of pol α, human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) reverse transcriptase, human telomerase, T7 RNA polymerase, mouse IMP dehydrogenase (type II), human topoisomerases I and II, T4 polynucleotide kinase or bovine deoxyribonuclease I. This compound also suppressed the growth of two cultured human cancer cell lines, HCT116 (colon carcinoma cells) and HeLa (cervix carcinoma cells), and UV-treated HeLa cells exhibited lower clonogenic survival in the presence of inhibitor

ELECTROPORATION OF BOVINE BLASTOCYSTS

The introduction of exogenous molecules into embryos is required for analyses of molecular dynamics and specific gene functions during early embryonic development. Electroporation is an effective method to transport exogenous molecules into cells, but is rarely used in bovine embryos. First, we evaluated the viability of in vivo-derived bovine blastocysts after electroporation with fluorescein (FAM) labeled-oligonucleotides with varying pulse numbers (3, 5, 7, and 10), while keeping the pulse duration at 1 msec and the electric field of 20 V/mm. Next, we examined the effects of zona pellucida status on blastocyst quality after electroporation, by comparing the average diameter of blastocysts before and after electroporation using blastocysts with intact zona pellucida and hatching/hatched blastocysts. Electroporation successfully introduced exogenous molecules into in vivo-derived bovine blastocysts without loss of viability. Moreover, the status of the zona pellucida may be associated with the quality of blastocysts after electroporation

Proteomic Profiling of Thyroid Papillary Carcinoma

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common endocrine malignancy. We performed shotgun liquid chromatography (LC)/tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) analysis on pooled protein extracts from patients with PTC and compared the results with those from normal thyroid tissue validated by real-time (RT) PCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC). We detected 524 types of protein in PTC and 432 in normal thyroid gland. Among these proteins, 145 were specific to PTC and 53 were specific to normal thyroid gland. We have also identified two important new markers, nephronectin (NPNT) and malectin (MLEC). Reproducibility was confirmed with several known markers, but the one of two new candidate markers such as MLEC did not show large variations in expression levels. Furthermore, IHC confirmed the overexpression of both those markers in PTCs compared with normal surrounding tissues. Our protein data suggest that NPNT and MLEC could be a characteristic marker for PTC

Janus Nanosheets Derived from K₄Nb₆O₁₇·3H₂O <em>via</em> Regioselective Interlayer Surface Modification

Inorganic Janus nanosheets were successfully prepared using the difference in reactivity between interlayers I and II of layered hexaniobate K4Nb6O17·3H2O. Janus nanosheets exhibit the highest anisotropy among Janus compounds due to their morphology. It is therefore important to prepare Janus nanosheets with stable shapes in various solvents, robust chemical bonds between nanosheets and fuctional groups and high versatility due to surface functional groups. K4Nb6O17·3H2O, which possesses two types of interlayers and two types of organophosphonic acids that react with metal oxides to form robust covalent bonds, was employed to prepare Janus nanosheets for this study. Interlayer I was modified by octadecylphosphonic acid, followed by modification by carboxypropylphosphonic acid mainly at interlayer II. Preparation of Janus nanosheets with two organophosphonate moieties was confirmed by 31P MAS NMR. After these regioselective and sequential modifications, the products were exfoliated into single-layered nanosheets in THF. Two types of derivatives with different repeating distances were recovered from a dispersion containing nanosheets exfoliated by different processes, centrifugation, and solvent evaporation. AFM analysis of the exfoliated nanosheets revealed that the products were Janus compounds. There are high expectations for application of these types of Janus nanosheets in various fields and for design of various Janus nanosheets using this preparation method

A Bicyclic 1-Deoxygalactonojirimycin Derivative as a Novel Pharmacological Chaperone for GM1 Gangliosidosis

Lysosomal β-galactosidase (β-Gal) deficiency causes a group of disorders that include neuronopathic GM1 gangliosidosis and non-neuronopathic Morquio B disease. We have previously proposed the use of small molecule ligands of β-Gal as pharmacological chaperones (PCs) for the treatment of GM1 gangliosidosis brain pathology. Although it is still under development, PC therapy has yielded promising preclinical results in several lysosomal diseases. In this study, we evaluated the effect of bicyclic 1-deoxygalactonojirimycin (DGJ) derivative of the sp2-iminosugar type, namely 5N,6S-(N′-butyliminomethylidene)-6-thio-1- deoxygalactonojirimycin (6S-NBI-DGJ), as a novel PC for human mutant β-Gal. In vitro, 6S-NBI-DGJ had the ability to inhibit the activity of human β-Gal in a competitive manner and was able to protect this enzyme from heat-induced degradation. Computational analysis supported that the rigid glycone bicyclic core of 6S-NBI-DGJ binds to the active site of the enzyme, with the aglycone N′-butyl substituent, in a precise E-orientation, located at a hydrophobic region nearby. Chaperone potential profiling indicated significant increases of enzyme activity in 24 of 88 β-Gal mutants, including four common mutations. Finally, oral administration of 6S-NBI-DGJ ameliorated the brain pathology of GM1 gangliosidosis model mice. These results suggest that 6S-NBI-DGJ is a novel PC that may be effective on a broad range of β-Gal mutants.Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación de España. SAF2010-15670 y CTQ2010-15848Junta de Andalucía. P08-FQM-0371

Cognitive behavior therapy for autistic adolescents, awareness and care for my autistic traits program: a multicenter randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Autistic people demonstrate focused interests, sensitivity to sensory stimulation, and, compared with the general population, differences in social communication and interaction. We examined whether a combination of the Awareness and Care for My Autistic Traits (ACAT) program and treatment-as-usual is more effective than only treatment-as-usual in increasing the understanding of autistic attributes, reducing treatment stigma, and improving mental health and social adaptation among autistic adolescents and their parents/guardians. METHODS: Forty-nine adolescents and their parents/guardians were randomly assigned to either a combination of ACAT and treatment-as-usual or only treatment-as-usual. The combined group received six weekly 100-minute ACAT sessions, while the treatment-as-usual group received no additional intervention. The primary outcome was the change in understanding of autistic attributes (Autism Knowledge Quiz-Child), administered from pre- to post-intervention. The secondary outcomes included the change in Autism Knowledge Quiz-Parent, reduced treatment stigma, and improved mental health and social adaptation among autistic adolescents and their parents/guardians. A primary outcome measure scale was scored by assessors who were blind to the group assignment. RESULTS: The combined group (both autistic adolescents and their parents/guardians) showed an increase in Autism Knowledge Quiz scores compared to those in the treatment-as-usual group. Autistic adolescents in the combined group also demonstrated a decrease in treatment-related stigma and an improvement in general mental health compared to those in the treatment-as-usual group, while there were no group differences in the change in social adaptation. For parents/guardians, there were no group differences in the change in treatment-related stigma, general mental health, adaptive skills, or attitudes toward their children. CONCLUSIONS: The ACAT program could be an effective treatment modality to increase the understanding of autistic attributes among both autistic adolescents and their parents/guardians. The ACAT program positively affects self-understanding, reduces treatment stigma, and stabilizes behavioral issues for autistic adolescents as a part of mental health measures, but it does not effectively reduce treatment barriers or improve mental health for parents/guardians. Further research should consider whether additional support for parents/guardians could be beneficial. TRIAL REGISTRATION: The study was registered in UMIN (UMIN000029851, 06/01/2018)