Relationships between docosahexaenoic acid compositions of maternal and umbilical cord erythrocytes in pregnant Japanese women.

Previous reports have shown that the transfer of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) from mother to fetus during pregnancy is important for development of the child's nervous and visual functions. The amount of DHA passing through the placenta varies depending on the relative DHA compositions of the erythrocytes in the maternal blood and the umbilical cord. Prior research has reported that if the DHA composition of the maternal erythrocytes is over 5.6 g%, DHA in the erythrocytes of the child undergoes bioattenuation, whereas it undergoes biomagnification if the maternal erythrocyte composition is lower than 5.6 g%. The relationship between DHA levels in maternal erythrocytes during pregnancy and in umbilical cord erythrocytes at delivery was assessed in Japanese pregnant women. This study was performed as an adjunct study of the Japan Environment and Children's Study. DHA compositions of maternal erythrocytes at 24-30 weeks of pregnancy and of umbilical cord erythrocytes at delivery were determined in 1368 mother-infant pairs. Median DHA values were 7.41% in the maternal erythrocytes and 6.84% in the umbilical cord erythrocytes, indicating significantly lower levels in the umbilical cord. When DHA composition in maternal erythrocytes was lower than 6.6%, DHA was theoretically higher in umbilical cord erythrocytes than in maternal erythrocytes. Conversely, when DHA composition in maternal erythrocytes was higher than 6.6%, DHA in umbilical cord erythrocytes was theoretically lower than in maternal erythrocytes. We therefore consider that there is a turning point of around 6% in the DHA composition of maternal and umbilical cord blood that is exchanged between mother and fetus: if the composition in the maternal blood is higher, then bioattenuation in DHA transfer from the maternal circulation to the umbilical cord occurs, while if it is lower, then biomagnification occurs. This corroborates the findings of previous research.

Mutation of Dock5, a member of the guanine exchange factor Dock180 superfamily, in the rupture of lens cataract mouse.

Rupture of lens cataract (RLC) in the mouse is a spontaneous mutation inherited by a single autosomal recessive gene mapped on chromosome 14. Fine mapping of the mutant locus revealed a nucleotide deletion of 27-bp at the end of 15th exon of Dock5 (Dedicator of cytokinesis-5), a member of the Dock gene superfamily. Since the deletion occurred in-frame, the RLC-DOCK5 protein had a deletion of 9 amino acids (a.a. 506-514) in the DHR1 (DOCK homology region-1) domain that is essential for DOCK5, a GTP-exchanger for Rac1. Although Dock5 mRNA was intensely expressed equally in mutant and wild-type lenses, DOCK5 protein was hardly detectable in the mutant lens. In contrast, expression of Dock180, another member of Dock subfamily A, was not affected in RLC. Immunohistochemically, DOCK5 was stained intensely in the cytoplasm of the anterior epithelial cells and weakly in lens fiber of the wild type lenses, but little in RLC lens. These observations suggest that the mutation may somehow destabilize DOCK5 protein. We propose to designate the mutant allele of rlc as Dock5rlc. Relevance of the signaling pathway involving DOCK5-RAC1 in maintenance of lens integrity of growing lens is discussed.

Appropriate waist circumference cutoff values for persons with multiple cardiovascular risk factors in Japan: a large cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: In Japan, the current standard waist circumference cutoff value for persons with multiple cardiovascular risk factors remains controversial. In this study we aimed to analyze the health-check examination data from a large Japanese population and propose a revised waist circumference cutoff value. METHODS: Subjects of this study were 12,725 adults who underwent a health-check by thorough medical examination between April 2006 and March 2007. Medical examinations included measurement of waist circumference, fasting blood triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, glucose concentrations, blood pressure and collection of demographic characteristics. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was utilized to find appropriate waist circumference cutoff values in relation to multiple cardiovascular risk factors with two or more of the following: dyslipidemia (hypertriglyceridemia or low HDL cholesterol), hypertension, and hyperglycemia defined by the Japanese criteria of metabolic syndrome. RESULTS: The average age of the subjects was 50.7 years (standard deviation [SD]: 8.8) for men and 49.7 years (SD: 8.6) for women. ROC curve analysis showed maximum sensitivity plus specificity at a waist circumference of 87 cm in men (0.66 and 0.62, respectively) and 83 cm in women (0.73 and 0.70). When analyzed by ten-year age groups, the ROC curves for younger age groups were shifted up and to the left compared to older age groups, but associations between cutoff values and age were not clear. CONCLUSION: In Japan, the appropriate cutoff value of waist circumference for persons with multiple cardiovascular risk factors is 87 cm for men and 83 cm for women.

Taip2 is a novel cell death-related gene expressed in the brain during development.

TAIP2 was isolated as one of the homologous genes of TAIP3 (TGF-beta-up-regulated apoptosis-inducing-protein chromosome 3). The transcript of the mouse counterpart of TAIP2, designated mTaip2, was detected in several tissue specimens from embryos to adults, while mTaip2 was dominantly expressed in the embryonic brain. The overexpression of the full-length mTaip2 induced cell death in various cell lines. An analysis of mTaip2 deletion mutants revealed that the N-terminal half of mTaip2, but not the C-terminal half, had nuclear localization and cell death-inducing activities. The results indicate that mTaip2 is a novel cell death-related gene dominantly expressed in the embryonic brain, thus suggesting that mTaip2 may play a role in development of the brain.

Phenotypic characterization of endometrial stromal sarcoma of the uterus.

Endometrial stromal sarcoma (ESS) of the uterus is a rare uterine malignancy that has not been characterized in detail. To characterize the phenotype of ESS of the uterus, we extracted RNA from ESS and the stroma of normal endometrium using a tissue microdissection system and compared the expression profiles in the two tissues. After suppression subtractive hybridization and differential screening, we detected the metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT-1) gene as one of the major genes upregulated in ESS, and a full-length placental cDNA clone (CS0DI066YJ10) as one of the major genes downregulated. The results were confirmed by in situ hybridization in four resected specimens of ESS and 36 biopsy specimens of normal endometrial tissue. All ESS (4/4) and all cases of endometrial stromal cells in the proliferative phase (13/13) were positive for MALAT-1, but samples of normal stroma in the secretory phase and menopausal state included some that were negative or weakly positive for MALAT-1 (5/13 and 3/10, respectively). In contrast, all ESS and 12 of 13 cases of stromal cells in the proliferative phase were negative for the full-length placental cDNA clone but 10 of 13 cases of endometrial stromal cells in the secretory phase were positive for transcripts of the gene (P < 0.05). These results indicated that endometrial stromal cells have different phenotypic characteristics between proliferative and secretory phases and the tumor cells of ESS have the phenotypic character of endometrial stromal cells in the proliferative phase.

Magnetic resonance imaging findings of small round cell tumors of the ovary: a report of 5 cases with literature review.

OBJECTIVE: To study the magnetic resonance imaging characteristics of the ovarian involvement of small round cell tumors. METHODS: Magnetic resonance imaging findings were retrospectively reviewed in 5 patients seen at this institution and in 7 patients reported in the literature with ovarian small round cell tumors. Laterality, signal intensity, existence of hemorrhage, calcification, necrosis, septa, cerebroid appearance, and peripheral cysts were evaluated. RESULTS: Seven patients had bilateral disease, and the others had unilateral disease. The signal intensity was low on T1-weighted imaging (T1WI) in all cases. Signal on T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) and the degree of contrast enhancement varied. No case showed hemorrhage or calcification. Only 1 case demonstrated necrosis. Septa were observed in 3 cases, and a cerebroid appearance was observed in 5 cases. Six patients of reproductive age had multiple small cysts at the periphery of the masses. CONCLUSION: Despite the limited number of cases, peripheral small cysts in the large lobulated solid mass seemed to be a characteristic of the ovarian small round cell tumors in patients of reproductive age.

cis-Elements and Protein Factors Related to Regulation of Transcription of Arylsulfatase Gene during Sea Urchin Development: (sea urchin development/Ars gene/cis-elements/enhancer/protein factors).

Eight restriction fragments (I-VIII) were prepared to cover a whole span of the enhancer region in the upstream of the Ars gene of the sea urchin, Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus, and their abilities to influence on the Ars gene expression were estimated by CAT assay. Only three fragments (III, IV and V) encompassing a 0.6 kb region between -2.8 kb and -2.2 kb stimulated CAT expression. By mobility shift assays, it was found that the Ars enhancer region is composed of multiple cis-acting elements that interact with nuclear proteins in a sequence-specific manner. Among them, two sequences, a G-string and a GATCTCCCC, were determined by DNA footprinting as sites of protein-DNA interaction. The DNA-binding factor prevalence changed ontogenically in three different patterns. Possible activation of DNA-binding proteins through their modification is discussed.

Expression of Na+ , K+ -ATPase α-Subunit in Animalized and Vegetalized Embryos of the Sea Urchin, Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus.

A marked increase in the Na+ , K+ -ATPase activity of sea urchin embryos occurred following an elevation of its mRNA level, revealed by Northern blotting analysis, in developmental period between the swimming blastula and the late gastrula stage. cDNA clone of Na+ , K+ -ATPase α-subunit, obtained from γgt10 cDNA library of sea urchin gastrulae, was digested with EcoRl ad Hindlll. The obtained 268 bp cDNA fragment, hybridized to a 4.6 Kb RNA, was used as probe for Northern blotting analysis. The level of Na+ , K+ -ATPase mRNA was higher in embryo-wall cell fraction isolated from late gastrulae (ectoderm cells) than the level in the bag fraction, containing mesenchyme cells (mesoderm cells) and archenteron (endoderm cells). The activity of Na+ , K+ -ATPase and the level of its mRNA were higher in animalized embryos obtained by pulse treatment with A23187 for 3 hr, starting at the 8-16 cell stage and were considerably lower in vegetalized embryos induced by 3 hr treatment with Li+ than that in normal embryos at the post gastrula corresponidng stage. Augmentation of Na+ , K+ -ATPase gene expression can be regarded as a marker for ectoderm cell differentiation at the post gastrula stage, which results from determination of cell fate in prehatching period.

Cis-Acting Elements for Proper Ontogenic Expression of Arylsulfatase Gene of Sea Urchin Embryo.

To define the cis-acting regulatory elements required for proper ontogenic expression of the Arylsulfatase gene in the sea urchin (Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus) embryo, we have constructed the fusion genes composed of bacterial CAT gene and various regions from the 5' flanking sequence of the Ars gene, injected them into unfertilized sea urchin eggs and monitored their expression during development. A wild type construct containing the 5' flanking region of the Ars gene spanning from -2 to -3160 was expressed under proper temporal regulation following injection into unfertilized eggs. By deletion analysis the transcriptional enhancers were localized between -1280 and -2680 of the Ars gene. In addition, sequences acting as a negative regulator as well as a minimal promoter for expression of the Ars gene were detected by internal deletion analysis.

Effects of Aphidicolin on Arylsulfatase Gene Expression in Sea Urchin Embryos: (arylsulfatase/aphidicolin/gene expression/sea urchin embryo).

Expression of the arylsulfatase (Ars) gene in sea urchin embryos begins just before hatching and ceases at the pluteus stage. Initiation of the Ars gene expression is inhibited by aphidicolin, which inhibits DNA synthesis without arresting the total RNA synthesis. Based on these finding it is supposed that DNA replication is a prerequisite for initiation of the Ars gene expression in developing sea urchin embryos.

Spatial Patterns of Arylsulfatase mRNA Expression in Sea Urchin Embryo: (arylsulfatase/sea urchin embryo/gene expression).

Previously we showed that the arylsulfatase (Ars) activity increases markedly after the mesenchyme blastula stage, and that the increase in its activity is due to initiation of the Ars gene transcription. In order to detect cells responsible for Ars mRNA production in the sea urchin embryo, we carried out in situ hybridization with the use of 35 S-labeled Ars RNA probe transcribed from Ars cDNA in a vector pT7T3-19U. The Ars gene is uniformly expressed in the cells of blastula, and the expression becomes restricted to aboral ectoderm during development by gastrula stage.