Cryptomeria japonica (sugi) and Chamaecyparis obtusa (hinoki) are major Japanese timber species whose plantation area accounts for 44 and 25%, respectively, of the plantation forests in Japan. ...Physiology, anatomy and ecology of the species have been intensively studied for this half century, which now forms a huge stock of information. These data, however, were scattered in diverse sources, including papers, bulletins of research institutes, reports of other kinds and books, and were presented in nonstandardized, diverse styles in each source. This paper provides a database (SugiHinoki DB) that compiles 177 plant traits of sugi and hinoki from 364 primary sources published since 1950. The compiled traits include physiological, morphological, anatomical and biochemical features that are recognized as relevant to life history strategies, vegetation modeling and global change responses. Collected data have been obtained under different environmental conditions, for plants with different ages and for organs with a different age or different position, which provide information of within‐species variation for a given trait. Each data entry is accompanied by detailed ancillary information describing the site of measurement, stand of measurement and detailed measurement conditions, which help users account for data variations as a consequence of phenotypic plasticity and genetic variations and to filter data. To provide data in a consistent format, the data and the ancillary information were standardized, and units were converted. After data compilation, outliers were detected by calculating interquartile range for each trait per each species. As of August 2019, SugiHinokiDB contains 24,683 data entries (16,410 for sugi, 8,273 for hinoki). As sugi and hinoki are major plantation species in Japan, the data mostly came from study sites in Japan (from Hokkaido in the north to Yakushima island in Kyushu to the south) but were also obtained from arboretums or plantation forests in Taiwan, Korea and China. Data were largely obtained from plants in plantation forests but also from plants in natural forests and under experimental conditions. The improved availability of trait data offered by SugiHinokiDB provides new research opportunities, such as the intensive parameterization of vegetation models for a more accurate prediction of climate change impacts.
This paper provides a database (SugiHinoki DB) that compiles 177 plant traits of sugi and hinoki from 364 primary sources published since 1950. The compiled traits include physiological, morphological, anatomical and biochemical features that are recognized as relevant to life‐history strategies, vegetation modeling and global change responses. As of Sep 2019, SugiHinokiDB contains 24683 data entries.
Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), a longevity gene, protects cells against oxidative and genotoxic stress. This study aimed to investigate the association of SIRT 1 gene single-nucleotide polymorphisms, namely, ...rs7895833, rs7069102, and rs2273773 with lipid profiles and coronary artery calcification score in 219 Japanese hemodialysis (HD) patients.
Genotyping of these polymorphisms was performed using polymerase chain reaction with confronting two-pair primers assay.
The A allele frequency of rs7895833 and G allele frequency of rs7069102 were significantly lower in HD patients (0.228 and 0.131, respectively) than those in 803 control subjects (general population) (0.289 and 0.181, respectively) (P = .010 and P = .012, respectively). However, the allele frequency of rs2273773 was not significantly different from that in the control subjects. Multivariate analysis adjusted for age and duration on HD demonstrated that the serum levels of total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol were significantly high in G allele carriers of rs7069102 compared with CC genotype in male HD patients. Coronary artery calcification score was significantly high in C allele carriers of rs2273773 in all and male HD patients.
SIRT 1 polymorphisms, rs7069102 and rs2273773, are associated with abnormal cholesterol metabolism and coronary artery calcification, respectively, in Japanese HD patients, especially in males.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a global health problem, and novel therapies to treat CKD are urgently needed. Here, we show that inhibition of G0/G1 switch 2 (G0s2) ameliorates renal inflammation in ...a mouse model of CKD. Renal expression of chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (Ccl2) was increased in response to p65 activation in the kidneys of wild-type 5/6 nephrectomy (5/6Nx) mice. Moreover, 5/6Nx Clk/Clk mice, which carry homozygous mutations in the gene encoding circadian locomotor output cycles kaput (CLOCK), did not exhibit aggravation of apoptosis or induction of F4/80-positive cells. The renal expression of G0s2 in wild-type 5/6Nx mice was important for the transactivation of Ccl2 by p65. These pathologies were ameliorated by G0s2 knockdown. Furthermore, a novel small-molecule inhibitor of G0s2 expression was identified by high-throughput chemical screening, and the inhibitor suppressed renal inflammation in 5/6Nx mice. These findings indicated that G0s2 inhibitors may have applications in the treatment of CKD.
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•Chronic renal inflammation in CKD was ameliorated by clock mutation.•G0s2 was important for the anti-inflammatory effects of clock mutation.•A novel small-molecule inhibitor of G0s2 ameliorated renal inflammation in CKD.
Matsunaga et al. found that G0/G1 switch 2 (G0s2) was important for renal inflammation and that a novel small-molecule inhibitor of G0s2 ameliorated renal dysfunction in chronic renal disease (CKD). G0s2 enhanced p65-mediated transcription. Moreover, renal inflammation was regulated by G0s2/Stat5 through the molecular clock mechanism. Finally, G0s2 knockdown or inhibition ameliorated renal dysfunction in CKD.
A 73-year-old man with duodenal cancer underwent duodenojejunal segmental resection at a previous hospital. Abdominal CT performed 9 months after surgery showed an enhanced tumor in the right front ...wall of the lower rectum. Subsequent CT revealed that the tumor was growing gradually. Peritoneal disseminated recurrence from duodenal cancer was suspected and the patient was referred to our hospital for further examination and treatment. On FDG/PET-CT, the recurrence site was limited to a solitary peritoneal dissemination and was deemed resectable. The patient underwent laparoscopic low anterior resection, including resection of the peritoneal dissemination. Histopathological findings showed that the resected tumor was consistent with metastasis from duodenal cancer. Rectal metastasis of duodenal carcinoma is very rare and there is no established treatment. Resection may be an option in treatment for limited metastases from duodenal cancer.
Galectins form a large family of animal lectins, individual members having variously divergent carbohydrate-recognition domains (CRDs) responsible for extensive physiological phenomena. Sugar-binding ...affinities of galectins were previously investigated by us using frontal affinity chromatography (FAC) with a relatively small set (i.e., 41) of oligosaccharides. However, total understanding of a consensus rule for galectin-recognition saccharides is still hampered by the lack of fundamental knowledge about their sugar-binding specificity toward a much larger panel of oligosaccharides in terms of dissociation constant (Kd).
In the present study, we extended a FAC analysis from a more systematic viewpoint by using 142 fluorescent-labeled oligosaccharides, initially with focus on functional human galectins-1–9. Binding characteristics were further validated with 11 non-human galectins and 13 non-galectin Gal/GalNAc-binding lectins belonging to different families.
An empirical Galβ-equatorial rule for galectin-recognition disaccharides was first derived by our present research and previous works by others. However, this rule was not valid for a recently reported nematode disaccharide, “Galβ1-4-L-Fuc” Butschi et al. PLoS Pathog, 2010; 6(1):e1000717, because this glycosidic linkage was directed to ‘axial’ 4-OH of L-Fuc. After careful reconsideration of the structural data, we reached an ultimate rule of galectin-recognition disaccharides, which all of the galectins so far identified fulfilled, i.e., under the re-defined configuration “Galβ-(syn)-gauche”. The rule also worked perfectly for differentiation of galectins from other types of lectins.
The present attempt should provide a basis to solve the riddle of the glyco-code as well as to develop therapeutic inhibitors mimicking galectin ligands.
► Galectins require “Galβ-(syn)-gauche” configuration of their ligands. ► Galectins are differentiated from other Gal/GalNAc-binding lectins by FAC. ► FAC reveals consensus for galectin-recognition disaccharides.
Previously, we developed an alpha 2-6-sialic acid (Sia)-specific lectin (SRC) starting from an R-type galactose-specific lectin C-terminal domain. However, it showed relatively low affinity because ...of its monovalency. Here, we engineered a tandem repeat construct (SRC2) showing substantial affinity for alpha 2,6-sialylated N-glycans (in the order of 10 super(-) super(6)M in K sub(d)), almost comparable to a natural alpha 2-6Sia-specific lectin from Sambucus sieboldiana (SSA). Notably, its binding to branched N-glycans was found to be more selective than SSA. Nevertheless, SRC2 showed no apparent hemagglutinating activity, while it exerted strong erythrocyte-binding activity. This unique feature will help flow cytometry analysis, where usual lectins including SSA agglutinate cells. Some other biochemical properties investigated for SRC2, e.g., high productivity in bacteria and easy release of captured glycoproteins with lactose have demonstrated versatility of this mutant protein as a powerful tool for sialoglycomics.
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