Genetic association of single nucleotide polymorphisms in endonuclease G-like 1 gene with type 2 diabetes in a Japanese population.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS: In order to identify type 2 diabetes disease susceptibility gene(s) in a Japanese population, we applied a region-wide case-control association test to the 20.4 Mb region between D3S1293 and D3S2319 on chromosome 3p24.3-22.1, supported by linkage to type 2 diabetes and its related traits in Japanese and multiple populations. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We performed a two-stage association test using 1,762 Japanese persons with 485 gene-centric, evenly spaced, common single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers with minor allele frequency >0.1. For mouse studies, total RNA was extracted from various organs of BKS.Cg-+Lepr(db)/+Lepr(db) and control mice, and from MIN6, NIH3T3 and C2C12 cell lines. RESULTS: We detected a landmark SNP375 (A/G) (rs2051211, p = 0.000046, odds ratio = 1.33, 95% CI 1.16-1.53) in intron 5 of the endonuclease G-like 1 (ENDOGL1) gene. Systematic dense SNPs approach identified a susceptibility linkage disequilibrium (LD) block of 116.5 kb by |D'|, an LD units map and a critical region of 2.1 kb by r (2) in ENDOGL1. A haplotype-based association test showed that an at-risk haplotype is associated with disease status (p = 0.00001). The expression of ENDOGL1 was rather ubiquitous with relatively abundant expression in the brain and also in a pancreatic islet beta cell line. Mouse Endogl1 expression increased in pancreatic islets of hyperglycaemic BKS.Cg-+Lepr(db)/+Lepr(db) mice compared with that in control mice. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION: Based on the population genetics, fine mapping of LD block and haplotype analysis, we conclude that ENDOGL1 is a candidate disease-susceptibility gene for type 2 diabetes in a Japanese population. Further analysis in a larger sample size is required to substantiate this conclusion.

The effect of rebamipide on Helicobacter pylori extract-mediated changes of gene expression in gastric epithelial cells.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies have shown that Helicobacter pylori affects intracellular signal transduction in host cells, leading to the activation of transcriptional factors and the induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines. On the other hand, rebamipide, an anti-gastritis and anti-ulcer agent, could scavenge reactive oxygen species and reduce interleukin-8 (IL-8) expression in gastric epithelial cells induced by H. pylori-stimulation through the attenuated activation of nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB). AIMS: In this study, we investigated the effects of rebamipide on gene expression in H. pylori-stimulated epithelial cells using DNA chip. METHODS: H. pylori water extract (HPE) was prepared from NCTC11637, the type strain of H. pylori. Total RNA was extracted from MKN45 cells, a human gastric cancer cell line, following HPE-stimulation with and without rebamipide for 3 h, and differences in gene expression profiles were observed using GeneChip and Human 6800 probe array. RESULTS: The GeneChip analysis demonstrated that 132 up-regulated genes and 873 down-regulated genes, such as growth factors, chemokines and transcription factors, were detected in MKN45 cells 3 h after stimulation of H. pylori. Among them, several genes, including bFGF, RANTES and MIP-2beta, were previously unknown to be expressed in H. pylori-stimulated human gastric cells. Rebamipide reduced expression of 119 genes encoding cytokines, growth factors and their receptors and transcription factors. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that rebamipide could inhibit inflammatory reactions and tumour progression by modifying H. pylori infection-induced gene expression in gastric epithelial cells.

Anti-tumor promoting effects of multiflorane-type triterpenoids and cytotoxic activity of karounidiol against human cancer cell lines.

Forty-nine multiflorane-type triterpenoids consisting of 11 compounds isolated from the seeds of Trichosanthes kirilowii (Cucurbitaceae) and 38 of their derivatives have been evaluated for their inhibitory effects on Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EBV-EA) activation induced by the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate in Raji cells as a primary screening test for anti-tumor promoters. All of the compounds tested showed an inhibitory effect against EBV-EA activation, and among which 43 were revealed to possess remarkable activity with potencies either comparable to or stronger than that of glycyrrhetic acid, a known natural anti-tumor promoter. Their structure-activity relationship is discussed. Evaluation of the cytotoxic activity of karounidiol (27) against human cancer cell lines exhibited cytotoxicity especially against a human renal cancer.

Inhibitory effect of flavonoid derivatives on Epstein-Barr virus activation and two-stage carcinogenesis of skin tumors.

To search for possible anti-tumor promoters, ten flavonoid derivatives (1-10) synthesized from morin and quercetin were examined for their inhibitory effects on the Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EBV-EA) activation by a short-term in vitro assay. Of these compounds, pentaallyl ethers (9, 10) showed significant inhibitory effects on EBV-EA activation induced by the tumor promoter, 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate. Further, quercetin pentaallyl ether (10) exhibited remarkable inhibitory effects on mouse skin tumor promotion in an in vivo two-stage carcinogenesis test.

Differing effects of two nitric oxide synthase inhibitors on experimental colitis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of two inhibitors of nitric oxide synthase on a rat model of colitis. METHODOLOGY: Colitis was induced by administration of an enema containing trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid. This colitis was treated everyday for one week with NG-nitro-L-arginine (10 mg/kg, i.v.), which is a non-selective inhibitor of both constitutive nitric oxide synthase and inducible nitric oxide synthase, or aminoguanidine (10 mg/kg, i.v.) which is an inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide synthase. Exposure to the trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid enema inhibited the increase in body weight of rats, and markedly increased the colonic damage scores, wet weight, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances and myeloperoxidase activity. RESULTS: The inhibition of weight increase caused by trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid was significantly reduced by aminoguanidine treatment, whereas weight loss tended to be aggravated by NG-nitro-L-arginine treatment. The increases in the colonic damage scores, wet weight, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances and myeloperoxidase activity in trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid-colitis were significantly inhibited by aminoguanidine treatment, although they tended to be aggravated by NG-nitro-L-arginine treatment. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that an inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide synthase, but not of constitutive nitric oxide synthase, was effective in treating experimental colitis in rats.

Possible paracrine growth of adenocarcinoma of the stomach induced by granulocyte colony stimulating factor produced by squamous cell carcinoma of the oesophagus.

Synchronous cancers of the oesophagus and stomach diagnosed in a patient showing pronounced leucocytosis were examined for production of granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) and expression of G-CSF receptor. Whereas enzyme immunoassay of tissue extracts showed that the oesophageal carcinoma produced G-CSF, the gastric cancer did not. However, the gastric tumour showed G-CSF receptor expression on immunohistochemical examination of sections. These findings suggest that the oesophageal cancer promoted gastric cancer growth by paracrine mechanisms involving G-CSF.

Structure-activity relationship in potentially anti-tumor promoting benzalacetone derivatives, as assayed by the epstein-barr virus early antigen activation.

The in vitro anti-tumor promoting activities of antimutagenic benzalacetone (4-phenyl-3-buten-2-one), its monosubstituted derivatives and related compounds, cinnamaldehydes and cinnamic acids, were evaluated by determining the inhibitory effect on Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EBV-EA) activation induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) in Raji cells. In this short-term assay, benzalacetone, which is the basic structure of dehydrozingerone (one-half analog of curcumin) inhibited the EBV-EA activation; the IC(50) value, the molar ratio of benzalacetone to TPA needed for inhibiting 50% of positive cells activated with 32 pmol TPA, was 129. IC(50) values of 2- and 4-methoxybenzalacetones were about one-half of that of benzalacetone and the methoxy compounds were more effective than hydroxybenzalacetones. IC(50) values of chloro- and trifluoromethyl-benzalacetones were higher than that of benzalacetone, indicating that these compounds are weaker inhibitors. In addition, the position of a substituent on the benzene ring affected the inhibitory effect. In benzalacetone derivatives substituted by a hydroxy-, methoxy-, chloro- or trifluoromethyl group, the 2-substituted derivatives exhibited the strongest inhibitory effect, followed by the 3- and the 4-substituents. Cinnamic acid derivatives also decreased the inhibitory effects in the same order. In the side chain of benzalacetone, the terminal group adjacent to the carbon-carbon double bond also affected the inhibitory effect. The conversions of the methylketone to aldehyde and carboxyl groups, i.e., cinnamaldehyde and cinnamic acid, increased the inhibitory effect: the IC(50) values were about one-third of that of benzalacetone. beta-Methyl styrene, which in the side chain has no carbonyl group adjacent to the double bond, inhibited the EBV-EA activation at the concentration of about one-third of that of benzalacetone, indicating that the carbonyl group negatively affects the inhibitory effect. This agreed with the previous observation between isoeugenol and dehydrozingerone, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxy derivatives of beta-methyl styrene and benzalacetone, respectively. The mechanism of the EBV-EA activation inhibition was discussed by being compared with the inhibition of mutagenesis for which the unsaturated bonded-carbonyl system is necessary.

Anti-tumor-promoting effects of phenylpropanoids on Epstein-Barr virus activation and two-stage mouse skin carcinogenesis.

In our joint project in the search for anti-tumor promoters from natural plant sources, we carried out a primary screening of 12 phenylpropanoids isolated from Boronia pinnata Sm. (Rutaceae) by examining their possible inhibitory effects on Epstein-Barr virus early antigen (EBV-EA) activation induced by 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate in Raji cells. All tested compounds in this study showed inhibitory activity against the EBV activation even at 1 x 10 mol ratio without any cytotoxicity. Among 12 phenylpropanoids tested, boropinal-C (1), boropinol-A (5), boropinol-C (9) and 3-(3'-methoxy-4'-prenyloxy)phenyl-1-propene (10), all having a 4'-(3-methylbut-2-enyloxy) group, a so-called prenyloxy group, showed more potent activities. Furthermore, 3-(3'-methoxy-4'-prenyloxy)phenyl-1-propene (10) also exhibited remarkable inhibitory effects on mouse skin tumor promotion in an in vivo two-stage carcinogenesis test. This investigation indicated that certain phenylpropanoids might be valuable anti-tumor promoters.

Cancer chemopreventive activity of majonoside-R2 from Vietnamese ginseng, Panax vietnamensis.

In the course of our continuing search for novel cancer chemopreventive agents from natural sources, several kinds of Panax plants were screened. Consequently, the ocotillol-type saponin, majonoside-R2 (MR2), was obtained from the rhizome and root of Panax vietnamensis (Vietnamese ginseng) as an active constituent. MR2 exhibited potent anti-tumor-promoting activity on two-stage carcinogenesis test of mouse hepatic tumor using N-nitrosodiethylamine (DEN) as an initiator and phenobarbital (PB) as a promoter. Further, MR2 exhibited the remarkable inhibitory effect on two-stage carcinogenesis test of mouse skin induced by nitric oxide (NO) donor/12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) or peroxynitrite/TPA.

Eight cases of gastric tumors with calcification.

Gastric tumors with calcification have been considered to be relatively rare. We treated 8 cases of tumors involving calcification, 4 cases of gastric carcinomas and 4 other cases of submucosal tumors with ulceration. These cases are reported along with a review of the cases reported in Japan.

[Staurosporine inhibits enhancement of the metabolism of phospholipids induced by phorbol-ester in a manner similar to that of combined action agents with calmodulin]. / La staurosporine inhibe l'accroissement du métabolisme des phospholipides induit par le phorbol-ester d'une manière similaire aux agents à action conjuguée avec la calmoduline.

Staurosporine, an antitumor-promoting agent, suppressed phorbol ester-enhanced phospholipid synthesis. The inhibitory effect of staurosporine was found to be dominant in the synthesis of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylethanolamine. The manner of this inhibitory action by staurosporine was similar to that of various kinds of antitumor-promoting agents, which have the ability to interact with Ca2(+)-calmodulin complex, although the effective dose of staurosporine was 1,000 times lower than these calmodulin-interacting agents. Furthermore, staurosporine was proved to interact directly with Ca2(+)-calmodulin complex. Thus, it is possible that staurosporine showed inhibitory effect on phospholipid metabolism via the modulation of Ca2(+)-calmodulin system.