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1.
Cancer Sci ; 115(7): 2346-2359, 2024 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38710200

ABSTRACT

RNAs, such as noncoding RNA, microRNA, and recently mRNA, have been recognized as signal transduction molecules. CD271, also known as nerve growth factor receptor, has a critical role in cancer, although the precise mechanism is still unclear. Here, we show that CD271 mRNA, but not CD271 protein, facilitates spheroid cell proliferation. We established CD271-/- cells lacking both mRNA and protein of CD271, as well as CD271 protein knockout cells lacking only CD271 protein, from hypopharyngeal and oral squamous cell carcinoma lines. Sphere formation was reduced in CD271-/- cells but not in CD271 protein knockout cells. Mutated CD271 mRNA, which is not translated to a protein, promoted sphere formation. CD271 mRNA bound to hnRNPA2B1 protein at the 3'-UTR region, and the inhibition of this interaction reduced sphere formation. In surgical specimens, the CD271 mRNA/protein expression ratio was higher in the cancerous area than in the noncancerous area. These data suggest CD271 mRNA has dual functions, encompassing protein-coding and noncoding roles, with its noncoding RNA function being predominant in oral and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.


Subject(s)
Head and Neck Neoplasms , Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein Group A-B , Mouth Neoplasms , Nerve Tissue Proteins , RNA, Messenger , Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor , Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck , Female , Humans , Male , 3' Untranslated Regions , Cell Line, Tumor , Cell Proliferation/genetics , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic , Head and Neck Neoplasms/genetics , Head and Neck Neoplasms/pathology , Head and Neck Neoplasms/metabolism , Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein Group A-B/metabolism , Heterogeneous-Nuclear Ribonucleoprotein Group A-B/genetics , Mouth Neoplasms/genetics , Mouth Neoplasms/pathology , Mouth Neoplasms/metabolism , Neoplastic Stem Cells/metabolism , Neoplastic Stem Cells/pathology , Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics , Nerve Tissue Proteins/metabolism , Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor/genetics , Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor/metabolism , RNA, Messenger/genetics , RNA, Messenger/metabolism , Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck/genetics , Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck/pathology , Squamous Cell Carcinoma of Head and Neck/metabolism
2.
Cancer Sci ; 115(6): 1896-1909, 2024 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38480477

ABSTRACT

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is one of the most difficult malignancies to treat as the therapeutic options are limited. Although several driver genes have been identified, most remain unknown. In this study, we identified a failed axon connection homolog (FAXC), whose function is unknown in mammals, by analyzing serially passaged CCA xenograft models. Knockdown of FAXC reduced subcutaneous tumorigenicity in mice. FAXC was bound to annexin A2 (ANXA2) and c-SRC, which are tumor-promoting genes. The FAXC/ANXA2/c-SRC complex forms in the mitochondria. FAXC enhances SRC-dependent ANXA2 phosphorylation at tyrosine-24, and the C-terminal amino acid residues (351-375) of FAXC are required for ANXA2 phosphorylation. Transcriptome data from a xenografted CCA cell line revealed that FAXC correlated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition, hypoxia, and KRAS signaling genes. Collectively, these findings advance our understanding of CCA tumorigenesis and provide candidate therapeutic targets.


Subject(s)
Annexin A2 , Bile Duct Neoplasms , Carcinogenesis , Cholangiocarcinoma , Mitochondria , src-Family Kinases , Animals , Humans , Male , Mice , Annexin A2/metabolism , Annexin A2/genetics , Bile Duct Neoplasms/metabolism , Bile Duct Neoplasms/pathology , Bile Duct Neoplasms/genetics , Carcinogenesis/genetics , Carcinogenesis/metabolism , Cell Line, Tumor , Cholangiocarcinoma/metabolism , Cholangiocarcinoma/genetics , Cholangiocarcinoma/pathology , Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition/genetics , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic , Mice, Nude , Mitochondria/metabolism , Phosphorylation , Signal Transduction , src-Family Kinases/metabolism , src-Family Kinases/genetics
3.
J Funct Morphol Kinesiol ; 9(1)2024 Mar 18.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38535434

ABSTRACT

The daily exercise habits and play activities of children are known to have a significant impact on the development of body control. However, previous studies have not adequately explored the correlation between force regulation during submaximal visual effort, exercise, and play experience. This study aimed to examine the correlation between exercise habits and play experience and their impact on the ability to regulate force. This study involved 23 children with an average age of 9.2 ± 1.0 years. The participants were required to match their force exertion during submaximal effort to a varying demand value displayed in a sinusoidal pattern on a screen (controlled force exertion, CFE). Individual interviews were conducted to gather information on the exercise experience (time, frequency, and duration) and play activities (number of experiences and frequency). Multiple regression analysis was performed to determine the association among exercise experience, play activity, and CFE. The results indicated that the amount of exercise experience was not significantly associated with CFE (ß = -0.203, p = 0.254). However, in terms of play activities, the number of play experiences was associated with CFE (ß = -0.321, p = 0.038). On the contrary, play frequency was not significantly associated with CFE (ß = -0.219, p = 0.191). These findings suggest that play activities are effective in improving force regulation during childhood and that a greater variety of play experiences may be important.

4.
Genes Cells ; 29(1): 73-85, 2024 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38016691

ABSTRACT

Bladder cancer is a urothelial cancer and effective therapeutic strategies for its advanced stages are limited. Here, we report that CD271, a neurotrophin receptor, promotes the proliferation and migration of bladder cancer cells. CD271 knockdown decreased proliferation in both adherent and spheroid cultures, and vice versa when CD271 was overexpressed in bladder cancer cell lines. CD271 depletion impaired tumorigenicity in vivo. Migration activity was reduced by CD271 knockdown and TAT-Pep5, a known CD271-Rho GDI-binding inhibitor. Apoptosis was induced by CD271 knockdown. Comprehensive gene expression analysis revealed alterations in E2F- and Myc-related pathways upon CD271 expression. In clinical cases, patients with high CD271 expression showed significantly shortened overall survival. In surgically resected specimens, pERK, a known player in proliferation signaling, colocalizes with CD271. These data indicate that CD271 is involved in bladder cancer malignancy by promoting cell proliferation and migration, resulting in poor prognosis.


Subject(s)
Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor , Urinary Bladder Neoplasms , Humans , Adapalene , Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor/genetics , Cell Proliferation , Signal Transduction , Urinary Bladder Neoplasms/genetics , Cell Movement , Cell Line, Tumor , Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
6.
Front Sports Act Living ; 5: 1258542, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37927448

ABSTRACT

Elite athletes frequently invest in the use of supplements to optimize their dietary regimens and enhance their athletic performance. However, unregulated and unplanned use of supplements can lead to adverse consequences, including anti-doping rule violations or health issues. Thus, athletes should verify their diets, consider scientific evidence, and take necessary precautions regarding supplements before use. To date, no study has explored whether athletes check these factors before using supplements. This study aimed to investigate supplement use using a questionnaire administered to 1,392 athletes (including candidate athletes) who participated in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic/Paralympic and Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic/Paralympic Games. Participants were categorized as follows: 1,040 participants in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, 83 in the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, 239 in the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games, and 30 in the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games. We collected data on supplement use and gained further knowledge through interviews with the athletes. Approximately 70% of Tokyo 2020 Olympic/Paralympic and Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic athletes and approximately 50% of Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympians used supplements. Over 50% of athletes had not received a doctor's diagnosis or a dietitian's evaluation before supplement use. Moreover, only 50% of the athletes who used dietary supplements reviewed the scientific evidence for the dietary supplements before using them and justified their choice based on their own investigation, while those who did not use dietary supplements cited either a lack of need or fear of an anti-doping rule violation. Considering the holistic health and performance of athletes, as well as the risk associated with unregulated use, such as overdose and anti-doping rule violations, there is a need for nutritional education on supplement use for athletes and their entourages.

7.
Anticancer Res ; 43(11): 5031-5040, 2023 Nov.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37909987

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND/AIM: Osimertinib is currently used as a first-line treatment for EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer, and the emergence of drug resistance poses a substantial challenge. Liquid biopsy with a multi-gene panel can examine both the molecular mechanisms and possibility of early resistance diagnosis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We used a molecular barcode library construction kit (Archer® LiquidPlex™) that allowed the analysis of multiple cancer-related genes using cell-free DNA from the plasma samples of patients. We collected plasma from 17 consecutive patients with lung adenocarcinoma at our hospital at various time points and cell-free DNA was extracted and subjected to LiquidPlex analysis. RESULTS: Plasma DNA concentration was not associated with the presence or absence of resistance to osimertinib. The pathological mutations detected using next-generation sequencing in the resistant specimens were in MAP2K1, PIK3CA, TP53, BRAF, and EGFR. Among the recurrent cases, EGFR mutations identified at the initial diagnosis were detected within 6 months before relapse confirmation in four cases (average 88 days). Many of the recurrent cases without detection of known EGFR mutations in the liquid biopsy showed a longer interval between the detection of relapse and the last blood draw for the liquid biopsy (average 255 days). CONCLUSION: Frequent liquid biopsies are useful for identifying known EGFR mutations as markers for early detection of relapse. Several cancer driver mutations were observed, suggesting a variety of mechanisms of resistance in first-line osimertinib-treated lung adenocarcinoma.


Subject(s)
Adenocarcinoma of Lung , Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung , Cell-Free Nucleic Acids , Lung Neoplasms , Humans , Lung Neoplasms/drug therapy , Lung Neoplasms/genetics , Neoplasm Recurrence, Local , Adenocarcinoma of Lung/drug therapy , Adenocarcinoma of Lung/genetics , Liquid Biopsy , Recurrence , ErbB Receptors/genetics
8.
JMA J ; 6(3): 246-264, 2023 Jul 14.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37560377

ABSTRACT

The Tohoku Medical Megabank Brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study (TMM Brain MRI Study) was established to collect multimodal information through neuroimaging and neuropsychological assessments to evaluate the cognitive function and mental health of residents who experienced the Great East Japan Earthquake (GEJE) and associated tsunami. The study also aimed to promote advances in personalized healthcare and medicine related to mental health and cognitive function among the general population. We recruited participants for the first (baseline) survey starting in July 2014, enrolling individuals who were participating in either the TMM Community-Based Cohort Study (TMM CommCohort Study) or the TMM Birth and Three-Generation Cohort Study (TMM BirThree Cohort Study). We collected multiple magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences, including 3D T1-weighted sequences, magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (pCASL), and three-dimensional fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) sequences. To assess neuropsychological status, we used both questionnaire- and interview-based rating scales. The former assessments included the Tri-axial Coping Scale, Impact of Event Scale in Japanese, Profile of Mood States, and 15-item Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale, whereas the latter assessments included the Mini-Mental State Examination, Japanese version. A total of 12,164 individuals were recruited for the first (baseline) survey, including those unable to complete all assessments. In parallel, we returned the MRI results to the participants and subsequently shared the MRI data through the TMM Biobank. At present, the second (first follow-up) survey of the study started in October 2019 is underway. In this study, we established a large and comprehensive database that included robust neuroimaging data as well as psychological and cognitive assessment data. In combination with genomic and omics data already contained in the TMM Biobank database, these data could provide new insights into the relationships of pathological processes with neuropsychological disorders, including age-related cognitive impairment.

9.
Front Sports Act Living ; 5: 1188224, 2023.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37383062

ABSTRACT

The "meal first" strategy is traditionally recommended for athletes' conditioning. However, the importance of the "meal first" principle has not been detailly well documented in athletes' lives. Supplement use has recently become a common part of athletes' diets, but unmonitored supplement use can cause negative consequences, such as anti-doping violations and health issues. Therefore, this review summarizes how the "meal first" strategy and planned supplement use are important for enhancing athletes' health and performance. We believe that the "meal first" strategy is beneficial in terms of the following aspects: (1) consumption of multi-nutrients and other functional components simultaneously; (2) positive effects on psychological well-being; (3) contribution to athletes' health by way of mastication; and (4) less risk for anti-doping violations. Before supplement use, we recommend that athletes first verify their basic factors (e.g., diet, training, and sleep), given that the benefits of supplements are examined and demonstrated with the control of those factors. Otherwise, athletes cannot obtain maximal benefits from the supplements. In contrast, there are situations in which supplements in athletes' lives can be advantageous, such as (1) nutrient deficiency due to ongoing dietary characteristics; (2) interruption of meals due to disease; (3) inaccessibility of quality food during athletic travel; (4) difficulty preparing food due to societal restrictions associated with disasters or infection outbreaks; (5) having a meal before, during, or after exercise is difficult; and (6) achieving targeted intake of performance-enhancing ingredients is not practical. In summary, we emphasize that the "meal first" strategy is recommended for athletes' conditioning, but there are several contexts when supplement use can be more useful in athletes' lives.

10.
Sci Rep ; 13(1): 10214, 2023 06 23.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37353523

ABSTRACT

Aerobic training (AT) is suggested to be an effective anti-aging strategy for skin aging. However, the respective effects of resistance training (RT) have not been studied. Therefore, we compared the effects of AT and RT on skin aging in a 16-week intervention in 61 healthy sedentary middle-aged Japanese women. Data from 56 women were available for analysis. Both interventions significantly improved skin elasticity and upper dermal structure, and RT also improved dermal thickness. After the training intervention, expression of dermal extracellular matrix-related genes was increased in normal human primary dermal fibroblasts. AT and RT had different effects on circulating levels of factors, such as cytokines, hormones in serum, and metabolites, and RT increased dermal biglycan (BGN). To our knowledge, this is the first report to show different effects of AT and RT on skin aging and identify the key factors involved in RT-induced skin rejuvenation.


Subject(s)
Resistance Training , Skin Aging , Middle Aged , Humans , Female , Skin/metabolism , Extracellular Matrix/metabolism , Aging , Fibroblasts/metabolism
11.
Virchows Arch ; 2023 May 12.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-37171482

ABSTRACT

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy has been established as one of the key treatment strategies for lung squamous cell carcinoma (LUSQ). The status of programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) in tumor cells and/or immune cells using immunohistochemistry has been primarily used as a surrogate marker for determining ICI treatment; however, when the tissues to be examined are small, false-negative results could be unavoidable due to the heterogeneity of PD-L1 immunoreactivity. To overcome this practical limitation, we attempted to explore the status of nuclear atypia evaluated using morphometry as a potential predictor of PD-L1 status in LUSQ. We correlated the parameters related to nuclear atypia with PD-L1 status using two different cohorts of LUSQ patients (95 cases from The Cancer Genome Atlas database and 30 cases from the Miyagi Cancer Center). Furthermore, we studied the gene mutation status to elucidate the genetic profile of PD-L1 predictable cases. The results revealed that nuclear atypia, especially morphometric parameters related to nuclear shape irregularity, including aspect ratio, circularity, roundness, and solidity, were all significantly associated with PD-L1 status. Additionally, LUSQ cases with high PD-L1 expression and pronounced nuclear atypia were significantly associated with C10orf71 and COL14A1 mutations compared with those with low PD-L1 expression and mild nuclear atypia. We demonstrated for the first time that nuclear shape irregularity could represent a novel predictor of PD-L1 expression in LUSQ. Including the morphometric parameters related to nuclear atypia in conjunction with PD-L1 status could help determine an effective ICI therapeutic strategy; however, further investigation is required.

12.
Thorac Cancer ; 14(10): 940-952, 2023 04.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36869602

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Exposure to environmental carcinogens, such as through smoking, is a major factor in the carcinogenesis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, genetic factors may also contribute. METHODS: To identify candidate tumor suppressor genes for NSCLC, we included 23 patients (10 related pairs and 3 individuals) with NSCLC who had other NSCLC-affected first-degree relatives in a local hospital. Exome analyses for both germline and somatic (NSCLC specimens) DNA were performed for 17 cases. Germline exome data of these 17 cases revealed that most of the short variants were identical to the variants in 14KJPN (a Japanese reference genome panel of more than 14 000 individuals) and only a nonsynonymous variant in the DHODH gene, p.A347T, was shared between a pair of NSCLC patients in the same family. This variant is a known pathogenic variant of the gene for Miller syndrome. RESULTS: Somatic genetic alterations in the exome data of our samples showed frequent mutations in the EGFR and TP53 genes. Principal component analysis of the patterns of 96 types of single nucleotide variants (SNVs) suggested the existence of unique mechanisms inducing somatic SNVs in each family. Delineation of mutational signatures of the somatic SNVs with deconstructSigs for the pair of germline pathogenic DHODH variant-positive cases showed that the mutational signatures of these cases included SBS3 (homologous recombination repair defect), SBS6, 15 (DNA mismatch repair), and SBS7 (ultraviolet exposure), suggesting that disordered pyrimidine production causes increased errors in DNA repair systems in these cases. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest the importance of the detailed collection of data on environmental exposure along with genetic information on NSCLC patients to identify the unique combinations that cause lung tumorigenesis in a particular family.


Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung , Lung Neoplasms , Humans , Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/genetics , Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/pathology , Lung Neoplasms/genetics , Lung Neoplasms/pathology , Dihydroorotate Dehydrogenase , Mutation , Carcinogenesis/genetics , Genomics
13.
Biochem Biophys Res Commun ; 655: 59-67, 2023 05 07.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36933308

ABSTRACT

Gastric cancer is the fifth most common malignancy worldwide. However, targeted therapy for advanced gastric cancer is still limited. Here, we report BEX2 (Brain expressed X-linked 2) as a poor prognostic factor in two gastric cancer cohorts. BEX2 expression was increased in spheroid cells, and its knockdown decreased aldefluor activity and cisplatin resistance. BEX2 was found to upregulate CHRNB2 (Cholinergic Receptor Nicotinic Beta 2 Subunit) expression, a cancer stemness-related gene, in a transcriptional manner, and the knockdown of which also decreases aldefluor activity. Collectively, these data are suggestive of the role of BEX2 in the malignant process of gastric cancer, and as a promising therapeutic target.


Subject(s)
Stomach Neoplasms , Humans , Stomach Neoplasms/diagnosis , Stomach Neoplasms/genetics , Prognosis , Cell Line, Tumor , Oncogenes , Nerve Tissue Proteins/metabolism
14.
J Hum Genet ; 68(6): 399-408, 2023 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36804482

ABSTRACT

Cancer treatment is increasingly evolving toward personalized medicine, which sequences numerous cancer-related genes and identifies therapeutic targets. On the other hand, patients with germline pathogenic variants (GPV) have been identified as secondary findings (SF) and oncologists have been urged to handle them. All SF disclosure considerations for patients are addressed and decided at the molecular tumor boards (MTB) in the facility. In this study, we retrospectively summarized the results of all cases in which comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) test was conducted at our hospital, and discussed the possibility of presumed germline pathogenic variants (PGPV) at MTB. MTB recommended confirmatory testing for 64 patients. Informed consent was obtained from attending physicians for 53 of them, 30 patients requested testing, and 17 patients tested positive for a confirmatory test. Together with already known variants, 4.5 % of the total confirmed in this cohort. Variants verified in this study were BRCA1 (n = 12), BRCA2 (n = 6), MSH2 (n = 2), MSH6 (n = 2), WT1 (n = 2), TP53, MEN1, CHEK2, MLH1, TSC2, PTEN, RB1, and SMARCB1. There was no difference in the tumor's VAF between confirmed positive and negative cases for variants determined as PGPV by MTB. Current results demonstrate the actual number of cases until confirmatory germline test for patients with PGPV from tumor-only CGP test through the discussion at the MTB. The practical results at this single facility will serve as a guide for the management of the selection and distribution of SF in the genome analysis.


Subject(s)
Germ-Line Mutation , Neoplasms , Humans , Retrospective Studies , Germ-Line Mutation/genetics , Neoplasms/diagnosis , Neoplasms/genetics , Genes, BRCA2 , Genomics
15.
Cancer Med ; 12(5): 6170-6181, 2023 03.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36251535

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: A paradigm shift has occurred in cancer chemotherapy from tumor-specific treatment with cytotoxic agents to personalized medicine with molecular-targeted drugs. Thus, it is essential to identify genomic alterations and molecular features to recommend effective targeted molecular medicines regardless of the tumor site. Nevertheless, it takes considerable expertise to identify treatment targets from primary-sequencing data in order to provide drug recommendations. The Molecular Tumor Board (MTB) denotes a platform that integrates clinical and molecular features for clinical decisions. METHODS: This study retrospectively analyses all the cases of discussion and decision at the MTB in Tohoku University Hospital and summarizes genetic alterations and treatment recommendations. RESULTS: The MTB discussed 1003 comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) tests conducted in patients with solid cancer, and the resulting rate of assessing treatment recommendations was approximately 19%. Among hundreds of genes in the CGP test, only 30 genetic alterations or biomarkers were used to make treatment recommendations. The leading biomarkers that led to treatment recommendations were tumor mutational burden-high (TMB-H) (n = 32), ERBB2 amplification (n = 24), BRAF V600E (n = 16), and BRCA1/2 alterations (n = 32). Thyroid cancer accounted for most cancer cases for which treatment recommendation was provided (81.3%), followed by non-small cell lung cancer (42.4%) and urologic cancer (31.3%). The number of tests performed for gastrointestinal cancers was high (n = 359); however, the treatment recommendations for the same were below average (13%). CONCLUSION: The results of this study may be used to simplify treatment recommendations from the CGP reports and help select patients for testing, thereby increasing the accuracy of personalized medicine.


Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung , Lung Neoplasms , Humans , Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/pathology , Lung Neoplasms/pathology , Retrospective Studies , Japan , High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing/methods , Mutation , Biomarkers, Tumor/genetics , Genomics/methods
16.
Cell Rep ; 41(9): 111723, 2022 11 29.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36450246

ABSTRACT

Accurate chromosome segregation requires timely activation of separase, a protease that cleaves cohesin during the metaphase-to-anaphase transition. However, the mechanism that maintains the inactivity of separase prior to this event remains unclear. We provide evidence that separase autocleavage plays an essential role in this process. We show that the inhibition of separase autocleavage results in premature activity before the onset of anaphase, accompanied by the formation of chromosomal bridges and spindle rocking. This deregulation is attributed to the reduced binding of cyclin B1 to separase that occurs during the metaphase-to-anaphase transition. Furthermore, when separase is mutated to render the regulation by cyclin B1 irrelevant, which keeps separase in securin-binding form, the deregulation induced by autocleavage inhibition is rescued. Our results reveal a physiological role of separase autocleavage in regulating separase, which ensures faithful chromosome segregation.


Subject(s)
Anaphase , Chromosome Segregation , Separase , Cyclin B1 , Metaphase
17.
Front Sports Act Living ; 4: 673633, 2022.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36249319

ABSTRACT

Objective: According to the stages of change, this study identified the association between dietary control self-efficacy and social support for healthy diets as factors influencing life skills acquisition in dietary habits among adolescents in Japan. Research design: This cross-sectional study was conducted between April and May 2018 among eight high school baseball teams in Japan. Method: Participants included 180 Japanese high school baseball players. Survey items evaluated life skills (dependent variables), self-efficacy's influence on dietary control, social support (explanatory variables), and stages of change. Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was used to reveal the associations. Results: In the pre-action stage, although there was no significant association between the interaction of self-efficacy and social support on total life skills (ß = 0.11, p = 0.158), a significant association was observed in the action/maintenance stage (ß = 0.32, p < 0.05). The interaction between self-efficacy and social support showed a significant association with goal setting in the pre-action stage (ß = 0.19, p < 0.05) and with communicating in the action/maintenance stage (ß = 0.34, p < 0.05). Conclusion: The acquisition of life skills amidst dietary situations can be facilitated by providing social support that considers self-efficacy in relation to dietary control, according to the stages of change.

18.
Sci Rep ; 12(1): 17751, 2022 10 22.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36273237

ABSTRACT

CD271 (also referred to as nerve growth factor receptor or p75NTR) is expressed on cancer stem cells in hypopharyngeal cancer (HPC) and regulates cell proliferation. Because elevated expression of CD271 increases cancer malignancy and correlates with poor prognosis, CD271 could be a promising therapeutic target; however, little is known about the induction of CD271 expression and especially its promoter activity. In this study, we screened transcription factors and found that RELA (p65), a subunit of nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB), is critical for CD271 transcription in cancer cells. Specifically, we found that RELA promoted CD271 transcription in squamous cell carcinoma cell lines but not in normal epithelium and neuroblastoma cell lines. Within the CD271 promoter sequence, region + 957 to + 1138 was important for RELA binding, and cells harboring deletions in proximity to the + 1045 region decreased CD271 expression and sphere-formation activity. Additionally, we found that clinical tissue samples showing elevated CD271 expression were enriched in RELA-binding sites and that HPC tissues showed elevated levels of both CD271 and phosphorylated RELA. These data suggested that RELA increases CD271 expression and that inhibition of RELA binding to the CD271 promoter could be an effective therapeutic target.


Subject(s)
Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms , Humans , Adapalene , Cell Proliferation/genetics , Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms/genetics , Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms/metabolism , Hypopharyngeal Neoplasms/pathology , NF-kappa B/genetics , NF-kappa B/metabolism , Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor/genetics , Receptors, Nerve Growth Factor/metabolism , Transcription Factor RelA/genetics , Transcription Factor RelA/metabolism
19.
Hum Genome Var ; 9(1): 34, 2022 Sep 28.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-36171209

ABSTRACT

Disorders of sex development (DSD) comprises a congenital condition in which chromosomal, gonadal, or anatomical sex development is atypical. In this study, we screened for pathogenic variants in 32 genes associated with DSDs and central causes of hypogonadism (CHG) in a whole-genome reference panel including 8380 Japanese individuals constructed by Tohoku Medical Megabank Organization. Candidate pathogenic (P) or likely pathogenic (LP) variants were extracted from the ClinVar, InterVar, and Human Gene Mutation databases. Ninety-one candidate pathological variants were found in 25 genes; 28 novel candidate variants were identified. Nearly 1 in 40 (either ClinVar or InterVar P or LP) to 157 (both ClinVar and InterVar P or LP) individuals were found to be carriers of recessive DSD and CHG alleles. In these data, genes implicated in gonadal dysfunction did not show loss-of-function variants, with a relatively high tendency of intolerance for haploinsufficiency based on pLI and Episcore, both of which can be used for estimating haploinsufficiency. We report the types and frequencies of causative variants for DSD and CHG in the general Japanese population. This study furthers our understanding of the genetic causes and helps to refine genetic counseling of DSD and CHG.

20.
PLoS One ; 17(8): e0273056, 2022.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-35998179

ABSTRACT

Substantial evidence suggests an important role of liver function in brain health. Liver function is clinically assessed by measuring the activity of hepatic enzymes in the peripheral blood. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is an important regulator of brain function. Therefore, we hypothesized that blood BDNF levels are associated with liver function and fibrosis. To test this hypothesis, in this cross-sectional study, we investigated whether serum BDNF concentration is associated with liver enzyme activity, aspartate aminotransferase (AST)/ alanine aminotransferase (ALT) ratio, and fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) index in middle-aged and older women. We found that serum BDNF level showed a significant positive association with ALT and γ-glutamyltranspeptidase (GGT) activity and negative association with FIB-4 index, and a trend of negative association with the AST/ALT ratio after adjustment for age. Additionally, these associations remained statistically significant even after adjustment for body mass index (BMI) and fasting blood glucose level. These results demonstrate associations of serum BDNF levels with liver enzymes and hepatic fibrosis-related indices, which may underlie liver-brain interactions.


Subject(s)
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor/blood , Liver , Aged , Alanine Transaminase , Aspartate Aminotransferases , Cross-Sectional Studies , Female , Humans , Liver Cirrhosis/diagnosis , Middle Aged
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