A 5 kDa protein (SCS23) from the 30 S subunit of the spinach chloroplast ribosome

AbstractThe proteins of the 30 S ribosomal subunits from spinach chloroplasts were investigated using a radical-free and highly reducing (RFHR) method of two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). Twenty-three proteins were resolved on the gel down to the smallest protein of 5 kDa. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the 5 kDa protein showed no homology with that of any other protein stored in databases, and the copy numbers were estimated to be 0.88±0.16 and 0.72±0.04 in the 30 S subunits and the 70 S ribosomes, respectively. The results suggest that the 5 kDa protein, which we have called SCS23, may be an essential ribosomal protein specific to spinach chloroplasts

First clinical experience with IVR-CT system in the emergency room: Positive impact on trauma workflow

Recently, computed tomography (CT) has gained importance in the early diagnostic phase of trauma care in the emergency room. We implemented a new trauma workflow concept with CT in our emergency room that allows emergency therapeutic intervention without relocating the patient. Times from patient arrival to CT initiation, CT end, and definitive intervention were significantly shorter with our new protocol than were those with the conventional CT protocol. Our new workflow concept, which provides faster time to definitive intervention, appears to be effective

Evolutionary adaptation of visual pigments in geckos for their photic environment

家の守り神「ヤモリ」が夜でも色を見分けられるのはなぜ --ヤモリが持つ特殊な色覚能力の分子メカニズムを解明--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2021-10-04.Vertebrates generally have a single type of rod for scotopic vision and multiple types of cones for photopic vision. Noteworthily, nocturnal geckos transmuted ancestral photoreceptor cells into rods containing not rhodopsin but cone pigments, and, subsequently, diurnal geckos retransmuted these rods into cones containing cone pigments. High sensitivity of scotopic vision is underlain by the rod’s low background noise, which originated from a much lower spontaneous activation rate of rhodopsin than of cone pigments. Here, we revealed that nocturnal gecko cone pigments decreased their spontaneous activation rates to mimic rhodopsin, whereas diurnal gecko cone pigments recovered high rates similar to those of typical cone pigments. We also identified amino acid residues responsible for the alterations of the spontaneous activation rates. Therefore, we concluded that the switch between diurnality and nocturnality in geckos required not only morphological transmutation of photoreceptors but also adjustment of the spontaneous activation rates of visual pigments

Involvement of MAPKs in ICAM-1 Expression in Glomerular Endothelial Cells in Diabetic Nephropathy

Inflammatory processes are involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic nephropathy. The aim of this study was to clarify the role of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathways for induction of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression in glomerular endothelial cells under diabetic conditions. We examined the expression of ICAM-1 in the kidneys of experimental diabetic rats. Human glomerular endothelial cells (GE cells) were exposed to normal glucose concentration, high glucose concentration (HG), or high mannitol concentration (HM), and then the expression of the ICAM-1 protein and the phosphorylation of the 3 subfamilies of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) were determined using Western blot analysis. Next, to evaluate the involvement of MAPKs in HG- or HM-induced ICAM-1 expression, we preincubated GE cells with the inhibitors for ERK, p38 or JNK 1h prior to the application of glucose or mannitol. Expression of ICAM-1 was increased in the glomeruli of diabetic rats. Both HG and HM induced ICAM-1 expression and phosphorylation of ERK1/2, p38 and JNK in GE cells. Expression of ICAM-1 was significantly attenuated by inhibitors of ERK, p38 and JNK. We conclude that activation of ERK1/2, p38 and JNK cascades may be involved in ICAM-1 expression in glomerular endothelial cells under diabetic conditions

High-Energy Electron Transfer Dissociation (HE-ETD) Using Alkali Metal Targets for Sequence Analysis of Post-Translational Peptides

Post-translational modifications (PTMs) of proteins are important in the activation, localization, and regulation of protein function in vivo. The usefulness of electron capture dissociation (ECD) and electron-transfer dissociation (ETD) in tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) using low-energy (LE) trap type mass spectrometer is associated with no loss of a labile PTM group regarding peptide and protein sequencing. The experimental results of high-energy (HE) collision induced dissociation (CID) using the Xe and Cs targets and LE-ETD were compared for doubly-phosphorylated peptides TGFLT(p)EY(p)VATR (1). Although HE-CID using the Xe target did not provide information on the amino acid sequence, HE-CID using the Cs target provided all the z-type ions without loss of the phosphate groups as a result of HE-ETD process, while LE-ETD using fluoranthene anion gave only z-type ions from z5 to z11. The difference in the results of HE-CID between the Xe and Cs targets demonstrated that HE-ETD process with the Cs target took place much more dominantly than collisional activation. The difference between HE-ETD using Cs targets and LE-ETD using the anion demonstrated that mass discrimination was much weaker in the high-energy process. HE-ETD was also applied to three other phosphopeptides YGGMHRQEX(p)VDC (2: X = S, 3: X = T, 4: X = Y). The HE-CID spectra of the doubly-protonated phosphopeptides (= [M + 2H]2+) of 2, 3, and 4 using the Cs target showed a very similar feature that the c-type ions from c7 to c11 and the z-type ions from z7 to z11 were formed via N–Cα bond cleavage without a loss of the phosphate group

Well-Differentiated Extraskeletal Osteosarcoma Arising from the Retroperitoneum That Recurred as Anaplastic Spindle Cell Sarcoma

Extraskeletal osteosarcoma is an uncommon high-grade malignant soft tissue sarcoma. Well-differentiated extraskeletal osteosarcoma is thought to have a better prognosis than classical extraskeletal osteosarcoma, but dedifferentiation after recurrence has also been reported. We present a case of a primary retroperitoneal extraskeletal osteosarcoma in a 62-year-old Japanese woman. Abdominal CT revealed a large mass with diffuse calcification in the right retroperitoneal space and tumor resection was performed. The histopathological diagnosis was well-differentiated retroperitoneal extraskeletal osteosarcoma. She was followed up by CT every 6 months without adjuvant radiotherapy and chemotherapy for 31 months until anaplastic high-grade spindle cell sarcoma recurred in the retroperitoneum. Our case is the seventh reported description of well-differentiated extraskeletal sarcoma, and the first to arise in the retroperitoneum and recur as an entirely dedifferentiated spindle cell sarcoma

A Phase II Study of S-1 Monotherapy as a First-line Combination Therapy of S-1 Plus Cisplatin as a Second-line Therapy, and Weekly Paclitaxel Monotherapy as a Third-line Therapy in Patients with Advanced Gastric Carcinoma: A Second Report

Background We have previousy reported on a Phase II study of S-1 monotherapy as a first line, combination therapy of S-1 plus cisplatin as a second line, and weekly paclitaxel monotherapy as a third line therapy in patients with advanced gastric carcinomas. The median survival time (MST) of patients over the whole course of treatment was not previously calculated because 12 out of 19 patients had not yet succumbed. Since then, we have calculated the MST for this study and herein report our findings. Patients and Methods Between 2002 and 2005, 19 patients were enrolled in this study. Chemotherapy consisted of either 60 mg/m 2 of S-1 for 4 weeks at 6-week intervals, a combination of 60 mg/m 2 S-1 for 3 weeks and 60 mg/m 2 cisplatin on day 8 at 5-week intervals, or 60 mg/m 2 paclitaxel at days 1, 8, and 15, at 4-week intervals. The regimens were repeated until the occurrence of unacceptable toxicities, disease progression, or patient noncompliance. The primary end point was the overall survival. Results The median survival time was 774 days. The response rates were 33.3% (3/9), 12.5% (1/8), and 0% (0/4) after the first, second, and third line chemotherapies, respectively. The major adverse hematological toxicity was leukopenia, which reached grades 3–4 in all lines of chemotherapy investigated. In addition, the major adverse non-hematological toxicity was anorexia, which reached grade 3–4 in second line chemotherapy, and no deaths were attributable to the adverse effects of the drugs. Conclusion This sequential therapy was an effective treatment for advanced gastric cancer with acceptable toxic side-effects. We considered this therapy to be effective because of the smooth transition to the next regimen

Discovery of a TEKTIN-t/TEKT2 Gene Variant Encoding Sperm Flagellar Protein in Japanese Males

ﾃｸﾁﾝは､ﾀﾞｲﾆﾝとともに精子の鞭毛や繊毛の形成に関与したﾀﾝﾊﾟｸ質である｡ﾃｸﾁﾝには､ﾋﾄにおいて少なくとも6種類の遺伝子の存在が報告されている｡ﾃｸﾁﾝ遺伝子のうち､Tektin-t/Tekt2､Tekt3､もしくは Tekt4 が欠失することによって､精子の鞭毛が機能不全を起こし､なかでも Tektin-t/Tekt2 遺伝子の欠失は､雄性不妊症になることがﾏｳｽで示されている｡男性不妊症の原因にﾃｸﾁﾝ遺伝子の機能不全が関与することが予想される｡私たちは､ﾋﾄ TETIN-t/TEKT2 遺伝子の遺伝子多型と男性不妊症との関係について調べるため､282人の原因不明の男性不妊症患者と89人の妊孕性が確認された男性ﾎﾞﾗﾝﾃｨｱの遺伝子の解析を行った｡その結果､日本人男性不妊症患者に有意に検出される TETIN-t/TEKT2 遺伝子の変化は見られなかった｡これらの結果は､TETIN-t/TEKT2 は､日本人男性不妊症の原因遺伝子となる割合は非常に低くいことを示すとともに､今後の大規模な男性不妊症の原因となる遺伝子の解析に役に立つものと考えられる｡TEKTIN proteins contribute to the formation of cilia and flagella together with dynein. At least six types of TEKTIN genes have been reported in humans. The disruption of Tektin-t/Tekt2, Tekt3, or Tekt4 in mice causes sperm flagellar dysfunction, and Tektin-t/Tekt2 null male mice are infertile. To investigate the possible association between variations in TEKTIN-t/TEKT2 and impaired spermatogenesis in Japanese males, we screened for mutations in TEKTIN-t/TEKT2 using DNA from 282 sterile male patients and 89 proven-fertile male volunteers. Six polymorphisms were found in the open reading frame of TEKTIN-t/TEKT2, but no significant differences in genotype frequency were identified in the infertile subjects(P>0.05). We also did not detect a previously reported TEKTIN-t/TEKT2 gene variant in our subjects. These data may be applied to future large-scale genetic analyses of the association between genetic background and male infertility