Germline PTCH1 mutations in Japanese basal cell nevus syndrome patients.

Basal cell nevus syndrome (BCNS or Gorlin syndrome, OMIM: 109400) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder with high penetrance. It is characterized by developmental anomalies and predisposition to tumors (for example, basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and medulloblastoma). PTCH1, the human homolog of the Drosophila patched gene, was identified as a gene responsible for BCNS. The PTCH1 protein is a Hedgehog (Hh) protein receptor and is pivotal for early development, stem cell maintenance and/or differentiation. We analyzed the six Japanese families with BCNS and identified six germline mutations in the PTCH1 gene. One family had a nonsense mutation (c.1196G>A), one had a 1-bp deletion (c.2029delA), two had 2-bp deletions (c.239_240delGA and c.1670_1671delCA) and one had a 58-bp duplication (c.1138_1195dup). They caused premature termination, resulting in the truncation of the PTCH1 protein. Analysis of a high-density single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) mapping array showed a large approximately 1.2-Mb deletion, including the PTCH1 gene in one allele, in a family in which PTCH1 mutations were not identified at the sequence level. These data indicated that all the six families who were diagnosed with BCNS had mutations in the PTCH1 gene and that a single copy of a PTCH1 mutation causes BCNS.

Reduced expression of MAb6B4 epitopes on chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan aggrecan in perineuronal nets from cerebral cortices of SAMP10 mice: a model for age-dependent neurodegeneration.

The accelerated senescence-prone SAMP10 mouse strain is a model for age-dependent neurodegeneration and is characterized by brain atrophy and deficits in learning and memory. Because perineuronal nets play an important role in the synaptic plasticity of adult brains, we examined the distributions of molecules that constitute perineuronal nets in SAMP10 mouse brain samples and compared them with those in control SAMR1 mouse samples. Proteoglycan-related monoclonal antibody 6B4 (MAb6B4) clearly immunostained perineuronal nets in SAMR1 mice cortices, but the corresponding immunostaining in SAMP10 mice was very faint. MAb6B4 recognizes phosphacan/PTPzeta in immature brains. However, this antibody recognized several protein bands, including a 400-kDa core glycoprotein from chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan in homogenates of mature cortices from SAMR1 mice. The 400-kDa band was also recognized by antiaggrecan antibodies. The aggrecan core glycoprotein band was also detectable in samples from SAMP10 mice, but this glycoprotein was faintly immunostained by MAb6B4. Because MAb6B4 recognized the same set of protein bands that the monoclonal antibody Cat-315 recognized in mature cerebral cortices of SAMR1 mice, the MAb6B4 epitope appears to be closely related to that of Cat-315 and presumably represents a novel type of oligosaccharide that attaches to aggrecans. The Cat-315 epitope colocalized with aggrecan in perineuronal nets from SAMR1 mouse brain samples, whereas its expression was prominently reduced in SAMP10 mouse brain samples. The biological significance of the MAb6B4/Cat-315 epitope in brain function and its relationship to the neurodegeneration and learning disabilities observed in SAMP10 mice remain to be elucidated.

Involvement of pro-inflammatory cytokines and microglia in an age-associated neurodegeneration model, the SAMP10 mouse.

The SAMP10 mouse strain is a model of brain aging in which senescence is characterized by cerebral atrophy and neurodegeneration phenotypes. To investigate the role of neuroinflammation in the age-associated neurodegeneration of SAMP10 mice, we assessed the expression of several cytokines and chemokines in the atrophy-prone brain region of SAMP10, and control, SAMR1 mice, which show a normal aging process. We also studied morphological changes in microglia with advancing age in atrophied regions. The expression of IL-1beta and IFN-gamma mRNA was about 2-fold greater in SAMP10 mice as compared to SAMR1 mice throughout their life span. The expression of IL-6 mRNA was 2.0-fold greater in SAMP10 mice as compared to SAMR1 mice at 14 months of age, although there was no difference at 3 months of age. Fourteen-month-old mice had a 2.1-fold greater expression of TNF-alpha mRNA than 3-month-old mice in both strains. The expression of MCP-1 mRNA was greater in SAMP10 mice than SAMR1 mice, and tended to increase with advancing age. Activated microglia were rarely observed in both strains at 3 months of age. At 14 months of age, however, SAMP10 mice had a 5.6-fold greater number of activated microglia than SAMR1 mice. The aforementioned results suggest the presence of a higher pro-inflammatory status in the atrophy-prone brain region of SAMP10 mice as compared to SAMR1 mice. Neuroinflammation is a possible mechanism of age-associated neurodegeneration in SAMP10 mice.

Transient evoked otoacoustic emissions in newborn infants: Effects of ear asymmetry, gender, and age.

Our aim was to examine the effects of gender, ear asymmetry, and age of infants on various parameters of transient evoked otoacoustic emissions (TEOAEs). Three hundred thirty-two infants (181 males, 151 females) were tested using the ILO292 Otodynamics Analyzer (Otodynamics Ltd, England) as a screening procedure. The subjects were divided into two age groups: group 1, newborn infants prior to hospital discharge (mean age of 4 days), and group 2, infants at the 1-month-old health checkup (mean age of 35 days). Responses to TEOAE stimuli were recorded at 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0 kHz. There were significant effects of gender and ear (left/right) on the signal-to-noise ratio, response level, and whole-wave and band reproducibility values in TEOAEs. The right ear had higher values of whole-wave reproducibility, response level, signal-to-noise ratio, and band reproducibility than the left ear. Females displayed higher whole-wave reproducibility, response level, band reproducibility, and signal-to-noise ratio values than males. There was no significant difference in response level, signal-to-noise ratio, and band reproducibility between the two age groups. The findings of the present investigation may contribute toward future improvements in neonatal hearing screening based on the community.

Different adaptive traits to cold exposure in young senescence-accelerated mice.

A reduced adaptation to cold is a prominent feature in aged mammals, including humans. The accelerated senescence-prone strain of mice (SAMP) has been studied as an animal model for several age-associated disorders and in the acceleration of senescence. Recent studies revealed that SAMP strains have dysfunctional hyperactive mitochondria and are under a higher oxidative stress status from a young age. To investigate whether young SAMP mice show impaired cold adaptation abilities, we performed cold-exposure experiments. There were no strain differences in baseline body temperature and lowest reached temperature during cold exposure. SAMP1 mice took longer times to reach their lowest temperature in comparison to SAMR1 mice. SAMR1 mice showed an elevation in temperature following cold exposure, whereas SAMP1 mice did not. Behavioral observations demonstrated that SAMP1 mice moved more actively than SAMR1 during cold exposure. However, mRNA levels of uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), a heat generating protein, as well as plasma norepinephrine levels, were higher in SAMP1 than in SAMR1 mice. This newly found physiological phenotype in SAMP1 mice provides us with a tool to clarify the genetic mechanism which accelerates the senescence process and helps us develop medical means which will bring mankind to a healthy old age.

Decapeptide with fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-5 partial sequence inhibits hair growth suppressing activity of FGF-5.

Earlier studies demonstrated that knock-out of fibroblast growth factor-5 gene (Fgf-5) prolonged anagen VI phase of hair cycle, resulting long hairs in the mice. We showed the activities on hair growth of the two Fgf-5 gene products, one of which, FGF-5 suppressed hair growth by inhibiting anagen proceeding and inducing the transition from anagen to catagen, and FGF-5S, a shorter polypeptide with FGF-5-antagonizing activity translated from alternatively spliced mRNA, suppressed this activity of FGF-5. As the results suggested that FGF-5 antagonist would increase hair growth, we synthesized various peptides having partial sequences of human FGF-5 and FGF-5S and determined their FGF-5 antagonist activity. Among them, a decapeptide designated P3 (95-VGIGFHLQIY-104) that aligns with receptor binding sites of FGF-1 and FGF-2 suppressed FGF-5-induced proliferation of BALB/3T3 A31 and NIH/3T3 murine fibroblasts, and FGF receptor-1c (FGFR-1c)-transfected Ba/F3 cell line (FR-Ba/F3 cells). IC50s of this peptide on these cell proliferations were 64, 28, 146 microM, respectively. On the other hand, IC50 of this peptide on binding of FGF-5 to the FGFR-1(IIIc)/Fc chimera was 483 microM. Examination in dorsal depilated mice revealed that the P3 peptide reduced the activity of FGF-5 to recover hair pigmentation and hair follicle lengths. The classification of histologically observed skin sections showed FGF-5-induced delations of anagen procedure had reduced by the P3 peptide. The anti-Ki67 antibody staining of hair follicles was inhibited by administration of FGF-5, and this inhibition by FGF-5 was recovered by administration of the P3 peptide. The P3 peptide alone did not affect hair follicle length and hair cell proliferation. These results indicate that the decapeptide antagonized FGF-5 activity in vivo, and reduced the inhibition of FGF-5 in hair growth, confirming that FGF-5 inhibitors are promising substances against hair loss and/or for promoting hair growth.

[Combined MTX.5-FU.CDGP for the treatment of head and neck cancer].

Combination chemotherapy including 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and nedaplatin (CDGP) with methotrexate (MTX) and leucovorin (LV) was administered for modulation in patients with head and neck cancer. We treated 19 patients with MTX.5-FU.CDGP consisting of 150 mg/body of MTX on day 1 followed by a 3-day continuous infusion of 5-FU at 3,500 mg/m2 and 17 injections of LV at 15 mg and infusion of CDGP at 100 mg/m2. Six patients had recurrent head and neck cancer, and 13 had newly diagnosed disease. Eleven of the new patients were concurrently treated with radiation therapy. Treatment-associated toxicity was significant, including mucositis and myelosuppression, but acceptable. Sixteen patients were eligible for evaluation of response. The overall complete response rate was 75.0% (12/16). Patients treated with radiotherapy had a 90.0% (9/10) overall complete response rate.

Fibroblast growth factor 5 inhibits hair growth by blocking dermal papilla cell activation.

Fibroblast growth factor (FGF) 5 inhibits hair growth and induces catagen in mouse hair follicles, in vivo. Given that FGF-5 receptor (FGFR1) is expressed in dermal papilla cells (DPCs), which are known to stimulate outer root sheath cell (ORSC) proliferation, we hypothesized that FGF-5 attenuates DPC-mediated ORSC proliferation. In the present study, DPCs and ORSCs were isolated from rat vibrissae, after which the effects of FGF-5 on proliferation of ORSCs cultured in DPC-conditioned medium were assessed. We first confirmed that FGFR1 was expressed in cultured DPCs and detected FGFR2-4 as well. ORSC proliferation was increased approximately twofold when the cells were cultured in DPC-conditioned medium, and the effect was unaltered by FGF-5. In addition, FGF-5 did not directly inhibit ORSC proliferation; indeed, it actually promoted proliferation of both DPCs and ORSCs. When DPCs were first activated by exposure to FGF-1 and FGF-2, which are expressed in hair follicles during anagen, ORSC proliferation observed in the resultant conditioned medium was substantially greater than in medium conditioned by unstimulated DPCs. The FGF-1-induced enhancement was reversed by FGF-5, diminishing ORSC proliferation to control levels. By contrast, the enhancement of DPC-mediated ORSC proliferation by FGF-2 was not suppressed by FGF-5. Proliferation of ORSCs did not depend on DPC proliferation, nor did FGF-1 directly promote ORSC proliferation. Dermal papillae thus appear to require activation before they will efficiently stimulate hair growth, and FGF-5 appears to inhibit hair growth and induce catagen by blocking that activation.

[Outcome of neonatal screening for hearing loss in neonatal intensive care unit and well-born nursery infants].

A newborn hearing screening was conducted on 319 neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and 1200 well-born nursery (WBN) infants. Mean NICU birth weight was 1997 g and mean gestational age 34 weeks. Auditory brainstem response was studied in screening in NICU infants. Otoacoustic emission (OAE) or automated auditory brainstem response (AABR) was used in primary WBN screening. All infants not bilaterally passing hearing screening before discharge were recalled for outpatient retesting. If the outcome was still failure, ABR screening was conducted. The prevalence of infants diagnosed with hearing loss was 1.1% (16 of 1519). Of these 16, 75% were from the NICU and 75% were at risk for hearing loss. Mean age at hearing loss identification was 12.9 weeks in the WBN and mean age at hearing aid fitting was 16.1 weeks. Mean age at hearing aid fitting was lower for WBN than for NICU infants. Hearing loss identification and hearing aid fitting are thus feasible in NICU and WBN infants in universal newborn hearing screening.