Population genetics for 18 short tandem repeat loci (Canine GenotypesTM Panel 2.1 Kit) of 150 unrelated dogs from three pure-bred groups in Japan.

Similar to that in Europe and the United States, the need for forensic DNA identification in dogs is increasing in Japan. As few studies have used commercial genotyping kits, the effectiveness of the Canine GenotypesTM Panel 2.1 Kit for individual DNA identification in dogs bred in Japan was examined. We genotyped 150 unrelated dogs (50 Golden Retrievers, 50 Miniature Dachshunds, and 50 Shiba Inu) at 18 canine short tandem repeat loci by the Kit. The allele frequency, expected heterozygosity, observed heterozygosity, p-value, power of the discriminant, and of exclusion, polymorphic information content, and random matching probability were calculated for each marker. The random matching probability was subsequently estimated to be 4.394×10-22 in the 150 dogs of the three pure-bred groups based on 18 STR loci; 3.257 × 10-16 in the Golden Retriever, 3.933 × 10-18 in the Miniature Dachshund, and 2.107 × 10-18 in the Shiba Inu breeds. In addition, principal component analysis based on genotype data revealed the Golden Retrievers, Miniature Dachshunds, and Shiba Inus separated into three clusters. The results of the genotype analysis showed that the Canine GenotypesTM Panel 2.1 Kit could be useful for identity testing and tool of population study of canines in Japan.

Decline in the Conception Rate of Wild Japanese Monkeys after the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant Accident.

We examined the conception rate of wild Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata) in Fukushima City that were exposed to radiation as a result of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in March 2011. The conception rate in the year of delivery from 2009 to 2022 was estimated by dissecting individuals that were euthanized by the government for population control as a countermeasure against crop damage. To evaluate the effects of exposure, the cumulative exposure dose for each individual was calculated using the concentration of radiocesium deposited in the soil at the capture site and the concentration of radiocesium in muscle estimated from the aggregated transfer factor. There were no significant differences in conception rates across all age classes over time. In terms of conception rates by age class, there was a significant decrease post-exposure compared with pre-exposure in the age class ≥ 8 years, but no significant differences in the age class 5-7 years. The non-ovulation rate did not significantly differ between the pre- and post-exposure periods for any age class. Body fat index, which can affect fertility, was compared between the pre- and post-exposure periods, and no significant differences were found in either age class. In contrast, the median total cumulative exposure (cumulative internal exposure + cumulative external exposure) was significantly higher in the age class ≥ 8 years compared with the age class 5-7 years. These results suggest that the total cumulative exposure dose may be one of the reasons for the lower conception rate in the post-exposure period among the age class ≥ 8 years.

Influence of radiation exposure to delayed fetal growth in wild Japanese monkeys after the Fukushima accident.

Wild Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata) were exposed to radiation after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident in 2011. To clarify the biological effects of radiation exposure on their fetal growth, pregnant monkeys and their fetuses were analyzed. These animals were collected between 2008 and 2020 (before and after the accident in 2011) living in Fukushima City, approximately 70 km from the nuclear power plant. Multiple regression analyses were conducted with fetal body weight (FBW) and fetal head circumference (FHS) as objective variables, and maternal and fetal factors as explanatory variables. The maternal factors were relative exposure dose rate (REDR), age, body weight, body length, fat index, and parity. The fetal factors were crown ramp length (CRL) and sex. Multiple regression analyses showed that FBR and FHS growth were positively associated with CRL, maternal body length, and negatively associated with REDR. Since the relative growth of FBR and FHS to CRL decreased with increasing REDR, radiation exposure due to the nuclear accident may have contributed to the delayed fetal growth observed in Japanese monkeys.

Time dependence of 137Cs contamination in wild Japanese monkeys after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident.

Over the 10 years immediately after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident, we measured the changes in the muscle 137Cs concentration (Bq/kg) of wild Japanese monkeys living in Fukushima City, which is located approximately 70 km from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. The muscle137Csconcentration, which was observed at a maximum of 13,500 Bq/kg immediately after the accident, had decreased to several hundred Bq/kg 10 years later. The muscle 137Cs concentration was significantly related to the soil contamination levels (10,000-30,000, 30,000-60,000, 60,000-100,000, and 100,000-300,000 Bq/m2), sex, age class (immature, mature), body weight (> 5000 g, 5000-10,000 g, < 10,000 g), and seasons (the cold period from December to April, the warm period from May to November).The value of muscle 137Cs concentration and the aggregated transfer factor (Tag: calculated by dividing muscle 137Cs concentration [Bq/kg] by soil 137Cs deposition density at the capture site [Bq/m2]) apparently decreased with time for several years. However, post hoc pairwise comparisons showed no difference from 2017 to 2020, and the accumulation of 137Cs in muscle may continue for some time.

Phenotypic and Genetic Characterization for Incompatible Cross-Match Cases in the Feline AB Blood Group System.

The feline AB blood group system (blood types A, B, and AB) encoding the cytidine monophosphate-N-acetylneuraminic acid hydroxylase (CMAH) gene is the most significant in transfusion medicine and hemolysis of the newborn for cats. Blood typing and cross-matching in pre-transfusion testing are crucial to determining blood compatibility and thus prevent hemolytic transfusion reactions. We here performed serological and genetic investigations to characterize blood samples from cats with discordant results for card agglutination (CARD) and the alloantibody agglutination test for blood typing in two cats (subjects K and R). Subject K showed incompatible cross-matching in pre-transfusion testing. Red blood cells from subjects K and R determined blood type B from the CARD method showed blood type AB by alloanti-A and alloanti-B antibodies in agglutination testing. Genomic DNA sequencing of the coding region (exons 1a to 14) for the cat CMAH gene showed that subject K had four mutations with heterozygosity at c.139C>T, c.179G>T, c.327A>C, and c.364C>T. Similarly, the CMAH gene of subject R carried six mutations with heterozygosity at c.142G>A, c.187A>G, c.268T>A, c.327A>C, c.773G>A and c.1603G>A, representing a new diplotype including a novel synonymous single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in exon 7 (c.773 G>A: Arg258Gln). The CMAH diplotype in subjects K and R was different from major diplotype in blood type B cats. This study is the first to report CMAH variants in cats with discordant blood types between CARD and TUBE methods. These results could assist in the classification of feline AB blood types for transfusion medicine to avoid blood incompatibilities.

The number of glutamines in the N-terminal of the canine androgen receptor affects signalling intensities.

Most male dogs are castrated at young ages, making them easy to rear following androgen deprivation. Although the incidence of canine prostate cancer is low, several patients have resistance to androgen therapy and poor clinical prognosis. These outcomes are similar to those of end-stage human androgen-independent prostate cancer. The androgen receptor (AR) of canines has two polyglutamine (polyQ) sequences (Q × 10 and Q × 23) at its N-terminal. The length of polyQ may be a risk factor for the development of prostate cancer in dogs; however, there is no evidence to support this. Hence, we artificially created polyQ deletion mutants of canine AR and evaluated their effects on AR signalling. The deletions of Q × 10 and Q × 23 were associated with significant reductions in AR signalling intensities. The Q × 10 mutants, which increase or decrease Q sequentially, also altered AR signalling. Furthermore, the Q × 10 deletion mutant, compared with the Q × 10 control, altered the intensities of the binding of polyQ to the C-terminal of AR, which contains a ligand-binding domain; this was not observed with the Q × 9, 11, and 12 variants. The number of glutamines in the N-terminals of canine ARs may influence AR signalling intensities and contribute to the risk of prostate cancer in dogs.

Novel canine isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 mutation Y208C attenuates dimerization ability.

Isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) mutations are common in gliomas, acute myeloid leukemia, and chondrosarcoma. The mutation 'hotspot' is a single arginine residue, R132. The R132H mutant of IDH1 produces the 2-hydroxyglutarate (2-HG) carcinogen from α-ketoglutarate (α-KG). The reduction of α-KG induces the accumulation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α subunit (HIF-1α) in the cytosol, which is a predisposing factor for carcinogenesis. R132H is the most common IDH1 mutation in humans, but mutations at the R132 residue can also occur in tumor tissues of dogs. The current study reported the discovery of a novel Tyr208Cys (Y208C) mutation in canine IDH1 (cIDH1), which was isolated from 2 of 45 canine chondrosarcoma cases. As the genomic DNA isolated from chondrosarcoma tissue was mutated, but that isolated from blood was not, Y208C mutations were considered to be spontaneous somatic mutations. The isocitrate dehydrogenase activity of the Y208C mutant was attenuated compared with that of wild-type (WT) cIDH1, but the attenuation of Y208C was less intense than that of the R132H mutation. The induction of HIF-1α response element activity and cell retention of HIF-1α were not increased by Y208C overexpression. In silico and cell biological analysis of IDH1 dimerization revealed that the Y208C mutation, but not the R132H mutation, attenuated binding activity with WT cIDH1. These data suggested that the attenuation of dimerization by the Y208C mutation may cause tumorigenesis through different mechanisms other than via 2-HG production by the IDH1 R132 mutation.

Association of sarcoptic mange with kinship and habitat use in raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides).

Although kinship (parent-offspring or siblings) contact has been suggested as a driving factor for sarcoptic mange epizootic in raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides), no effect has been reported. In contrast, habitat fragmentation caused by urbanization may result in a high occurrence of sarcoptic mange, because habitat fragmentation may promote contact infection by increasing the population density of raccoon dogs. The habitat distribution of raccoon dogs may therefore influence epizootic sarcoptic mange. The genetic relationship between raccoon dogs was analyzed to examine Sarcoptes scabiei transmission between kin. The relationship between S. scabiei infection and the habitat of raccoon dogs was also investigated. Seventy-five raccoon dogs from Takasaki, Gunma prefecture, were examined from 2012 to 2018; 23 were infested with S. scabiei. The genotypes were determined using 17 microsatellite loci, and the relationships were categorized into four patterns by the ML-Relate software. There was no significant difference between infested pairs and other two pairs (Chi- squared test: χ2=0.034, df=1, P=0.85). Although it was difficult to predicate because the mortality rate was unclear in this study, kinship contact does not seem to be an important factor for sarcoptic mange epizootic. S. scabiei infection rates were significantly associated with the location of village sections (OR=1.55, 95% CI=1.11-2.17, P=0.011). It is suggested that direct/indirect contact between individuals living closely together is an important factor for the transmission of S. scabiei.

Concentrations of 137Cs radiocaesium in the organs and tissues of low-dose-exposed wild Japanese monkeys.

OBJECTIVES: Following the massive earthquake that struck eastern Japan on March 11, 2011, a large amount of radioactive material was released into the environment from the damaged reactor of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP). After the FDNPP accident, radiocaesium was first detected in muscle samples from wild Japanese monkeys exposed to radioactive materials, and haematologic effects, changes in head size, and delayed body weight gain were also reported, but little is known about the distribution of 137Cs in the organs and tissues of wild Japanese monkeys. RESULTS: We detected the 137Cs in various organ and tissue samples of 10 wild Japanese monkeys inhabiting the forested areas of Fukushima City that were captured between July and August 2012. Among muscle, brain, heart, kidney, liver, lung, and spleen, muscle exhibited the highest and the brain the lowest 137Cs concentration. The concentration (mean ± SD) of 137Cs in muscle, brain, heart, kidney, liver, lung, and spleen was 77 ± 66, 26 ± 22, 41 ± 35, 49 ± 41, 41 ± 38, 53 ± 41, and 53 ± 51 Bq/kg, respectively. These results can help us understand the biological effects of long-term internal radiation exposure in non-human primates.

Examining multiple paternity in the raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides) in Japan using microsatellite analysis.

We analyzed the genotypes of three pregnant females and their litters to investigate the phenomenon of multiple paternity in wild raccoon dogs (Nyctereutes procyonoides) using 17 microsatellite markers. If a female has mated with only one male during estrus, then the maximum number of paternal alleles will not exceed two among littermates with the same father. The results revealed two out of three litters had three or four paternal alleles at one or five microsatellite loci. Therefore, the female had mated with more than one male during estrus. To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first to report the possibility of multiple paternity in wild raccoon dogs.

The canine RAD51 mutation leads to the attenuation of interaction with PALB2.

RAD51 forms a complex with BRCA2 and plays a central role in the DNA damage response pathway that is associated with homologous recombination. The structures of RAD51 and its homologues are highly conserved from prokaryotes to higher eukaryotes. Although a large number of BRCA2 mutations have been reported, there are only a few reports on the mutations of RAD51, which have been shown in humans and dogs. However, several mutations of canine RAD51 were identified from mammary gland tumour tissues in a recent study. Some of these mutations seem to have an influence on the homo-oligomerization or interaction with "Partner and localizer of BRCA2" (PALB2). In this study, we cloned the canine PALB2 homologue and investigated the effect on its interaction with the RAD51 mutants to evaluate the alteration in the function of RAD51 mutants. The A209S and T225S mutants of RAD51 show an attenuation of the interaction between RAD51 and PALB2. These results indicate that the canine RAD51 mutations can potentially alter the homologous recombination pathways in response to DNA damage in dogs.

Molecular characterization of cytidine monophospho-N-acetylneuraminic acid hydroxylase (CMAH) associated with the erythrocyte antigens in dogs.

BACKGROUND: N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc) is synthesized from its precursor N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) by cytidine-5'-monophospho-N acetylneuraminic acid hydroxylase (CMAH), which is encoded by the CMAH gene. Most mammals have both Neu5Gc and Neu5Ac, but humans and ferrets have only Neu5Ac because of loss-of-function mutations. Dogs and cats are polymorphic for Neu5Gc and Neu5Ac expression like cats, in which the CMAH gene is responsible for the AB Blood group system. Although the CMAH gene has been characterized in many species, not much is known about it in dogs. In this study, we cloned the dog CMAH cDNA, and performed mRNA expression analysis of this gene in several organs. We also identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the CMAH gene. RESULTS: We cloned the 1737-bp open reading frame of the dog CMAH gene. This gene consists of at least 14 coding exons and codes for a polypeptide of 578 amino acids and is located on chromosome 35. The amino acid identities of dog CMAH with the corresponding sequences from cat, pig, chimpanzee, mouse, and rat were high (89 to 93%). RT-PCR analysis showed that the dog CMAH cDNA was expressed in various tissues. We identified four exonic SNPs (three synonymous and one non-synonymous), 11 intronic SNPs, and an indel in 11 dog breeds by analyzing the nucleotide sequences of the 14 exons, including the coding region of CMAH. In the genotype of the non-synonymous SNP, c.554 A > G (p.Lys185Arg), in a total of 285 dogs of seven different breeds, the allele G was widely distributed, and the allele A was the most frequent in the Shiba dogs. The dogs expressing Neu5Ac did not carry the loss-of-function deletion of CMAH found in humans and ferrets, and it remains unclear whether the point mutations influence the expression of Neu5Ac. CONCLUSIONS: We characterized the canine CMAH gene at the molecular level for the first time. The results obtained in this study provide essential information that will help in understanding the molecular roles of the CMAH gene in canine erythrocyte antigens.

Endothelium-independent vasodilator effects of nobiletin in rat aorta.

Nobiletin is a one of the polymethoxyflavones contained in the peel of citrus fruits, such as Citrus depressa. In this study, the effect of nobiletin-induced relaxation on phenylephrine (PE)-induced contraction of endothelium-denuded rat aorta was investigated. Nobiletin inhibited PE- or KCl-induced contractions in a concentration-dependent manner in endothelium-intact and -denuded aortas. However, this relaxation was stronger in PE-induced contractions than in KCl-induced contractions; moreover, the nobiletin-induced relaxation was significantly increased on PE-induced contraction in endothelium-intact aorta. ODQ significantly inhibited the nobiletin-induced relaxation in endothelium-denuded aorta; however, SQ22536 did not affect the relaxation. In addition, IBMX synergistically enhanced the nobiletin-induced relaxation. Nobiletin increased cGMP levels in aorta. Also, IBMX significantly increased cGMP content in aorta, and ODQ significantly reduced cGMP levels. Nobiletin-induced relaxation was significantly inhibited by the Ca2+-activated K+ (BK) channel inhibitor iberiotoxin (IbTX) and the ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channel inhibitor glybenclamide. Sodium nitroprusside-induced relaxation was suppressed by IbTX, but not by glybenclamide. These results suggest that nobiletin inhibits PE-induced contractions of endothelium-denuded rat aorta by increasing cGMP levels via GC activation. Moreover, the present findings indicate the possibility that nobiletin opened BK channels by a cGMP-related signal, but KATP channels were opened by a cGMP-nonrelated signal in rat aorta.

Endogenous Leu332Gln mutation in p53 disrupts the tetramerization ability in a canine mammary gland tumor cell line.

Mutations in the p53 gene are associated with more than half of all human cancers. These mutations often cause a disruption of the tumor-suppressor function of p53 and induce genomic instabilities. Wild­type p53 requires tetramerization to function as an initiator of cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Although alterations in p53 tetramerization caused by mutation have been well studied, there are few cell lines containing an endogenous mutation in the tetramerization domain of p53. Here, we report the discovery of a canine mammary gland tumor cell line CTB­m2, which contains the Leu332Gln (L332Q) mutation corresponding to Leu344 in the tetramerization domain of human p53. Although CTB­m2 cells are genetically heterozygous for the Leu332Gln mutation, the mutant mRNA was almost exclusively expressed. CTB­m2 cells showed enhanced cell proliferation compared to wild­type p53-expressing CTB­m cells of the same lineage. A p53 tetramerization reporter assay showed that the ability of the p53 mutant to form tetramers was significantly lower than that of wild­type p53. An immunoblot analysis of cross-linked p53 oligomerized forms demonstrated that the L332Q mutant lacked the ability to form tetramers but retained the ability to form dimers. These data suggest that the p53 mutant cell line CTB­m2 could be a useful tool for analyzing the precise tetramerization mechanisms of p53 and verifying the effects of therapeutic agents against tumors expressing p53 mutants that lack the ability to tetramerize.

R132 mutations in canine isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) lead to functional changes.

Glioma is the second most common intracranial neoplasia in dogs, but the pathogenic mechanisms remain unclear. In humans, isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) is frequently mutated in gliomas. Although almost all human IDH1 mutations have been identified as involving the Arg132 codon, few studies have reported structural, functional, and mutational information for canine IDH1. Therefore, in this study, we cloned the canine IDH1 homologue and used PCR mutagenesis to substitute the wildtype (WT) Arg132 with His (R132H) or Ser (R132S). WT and mutated IDH1 were overexpressed in HeLa cells, and their presence was confirmed by immunoblotting and immunocytochemistry using mutation-specific antibodies. The IDH1 activity between WT, R132H, and R132S transfectants was compared by measuring the production of NADH and NADPH. NADPH production in R132H and R132S transfectants was lower than that in WT, but NADH levels were not significantly different. Finally, we detected increased expression of hypoxia inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α) in the R132H and R132S transfectants. These results indicated that the canine IDH1 Arg132 mutation has the potential to induce carcinogenesis in canine somatic cells.

Functional alteration of canine isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 (IDH2) via an R174K mutation.

Gliomas are common intracranial neoplasias in dogs. However, the underlying pathogenic mechanisms remain unclear. In humans, isocitrate dehydrogenase 2 (IDH2) is often mutated in gliomas. Although almost human IDH2 mutations have been identified at the Arg172 codon, few studies have reported structural, functional or mutational information for canine IDH2. In this study, we cloned the full-length canine IDH2 (cIDH2) cDNA and substituted wild type Arg174 (cIDH2 WT: corresponding to R172 of human IDH2) with Lys (cIDH2 R174K). The cIDH2 WT and R174K proteins were overexpressed in HeLa cells, and their presence was confirmed using an anti-human IDH2-WT mAb (clone: KrMab-3) and an anti-IDH2-R172K mAb (clone: KMab-1). The IDH2 activity between cIDH2 WT and cIDH2 R174K transfectants was compared by measuring the production of NADH and NADPH. NADPH production was lower for cIDH2 R174K than that for cIDH2 WT transfectants. Finally, we detected increased expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) in cIDH2 R174K transfectants. This indicates that mutations at R174 can potentially induce carcinogenesis in canine somatic cells.

Canine REIC/Dkk-3 interacts with SGTA and restores androgen receptor signalling in androgen-independent prostate cancer cell lines.

BACKGROUND: The pathological condition of canine prostate cancer resembles that of human androgen-independent prostate cancer. Both canine and human androgen receptor (AR) signalling are inhibited by overexpression of the dimerized co-chaperone small glutamine-rich tetratricopeptide repeat-containing protein α (SGTA), which is considered to cause the development of androgen-independency. Reduced expression in immortalised cells (REIC/Dkk-3) interferes with SGTA dimerization and rescues AR signalling. This study aimed to assess the effects of REIC/Dkk-3 and SGTA interactions on AR signalling in the canine androgen-independent prostate cancer cell line CHP-1. RESULTS: Mammalian two-hybrid and Halo-tagged pull-down assays showed that canine REIC/Dkk-3 interacted with SGTA and interfered with SGTA dimerization. Additionally, reporter assays revealed that canine REIC/Dkk-3 restored AR signalling in both human and canine androgen-independent prostate cancer cells. Therefore, we confirmed the interaction between canine SGTA and REIC/Dkk-3, as well as their role in AR signalling. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that this interaction might contribute to the development of a novel strategy for androgen-independent prostate cancer treatment. Moreover, we established the canine androgen-independent prostate cancer model as a suitable animal model for the study of this type of treatment-refractory human cancer.

Small head size and delayed body weight growth in wild Japanese monkey fetuses after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster.

To evaluate the biological effect of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, relative differences in the growth of wild Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata) were measured before and after the disaster of 2011 in Fukushima City, which is approximately 70 km from the nuclear power plant, by performing external measurements on fetuses collected from 2008 to 2016. Comparing the relative growth of 31 fetuses conceived prior to the disaster and 31 fetuses conceived after the disaster in terms of body weight and head size (product of the occipital frontal diameter and biparietal diameter) to crown-rump length ratio revealed that body weight growth rate and proportional head size were significantly lower in fetuses conceived after the disaster. No significant difference was observed in nutritional indicators for the fetuses' mothers. Accordingly, radiation exposure could be one factor contributed to the observed growth delay in this study.

Molecular Characterization of the Cytidine Monophosphate-N-Acetylneuraminic Acid Hydroxylase (CMAH) Gene Associated with the Feline AB Blood Group System.

Cat's AB blood group system (blood types A, B, and AB) is of major importance in feline transfusion medicine. Type A and type B antigens are Neu5Gc and Neu5Ac, respectively, and the enzyme CMAH participating in the synthesis of Neu5Gc from Neu5Ac is associated with this cat blood group system. Rare type AB erythrocytes express both Neu5Gc and Neu5Ac. Cat serum contains naturally occurring antibodies against antigens occurring in the other blood types. To understand the molecular genetic basis of this blood group system, we investigated the distribution of AB blood group antigens, CMAH gene structure, mutation, diplotypes, and haplotypes of the cat CMAH genes. Blood-typing revealed that 734 of the cats analyzed type A (95.1%), 38 cats were type B (4.9%), and none were type AB. A family of three Ragdoll cats including two type AB cats and one type A was also used in this study. CMAH sequence analyses showed that the CMAH protein was generated from two mRNA isoforms differing in exon 1. Analyses of the nucleotide sequences of the 16 exons including the coding region of CMAH examined in the 34 type B cats and in the family of type AB cats carried the CMAH variants, and revealed multiple novel diplotypes comprising several polymorphisms. Haplotype inference, which was focused on non-synonymous SNPs revealed that eight haplotypes carried one to four mutations in CMAH, and all cats with type B (n = 34) and AB (n = 2) blood carried two alleles derived from the mutated CMAH gene. These results suggested that double haploids selected from multiple recessive alleles in the cat CMAH loci were highly associated with the expression of the Neu5Ac on erythrocyte membrane in types B and AB of the feline AB blood group system.

Tumor suppressor REIC/DKK-3 and co-chaperone SGTA: Their interaction and roles in the androgen sensitivity.

REIC/DKK-3 is a tumor suppressor, however, its intracellular physiological functions and interacting molecules have not been fully clarified. Using yeast two-hybrid screening, we found that small glutamine-rich tetratricopeptide repeat-containing protein α (SGTA), known as a negative modulator of cytoplasmic androgen receptor (AR) signaling, is a novel interacting partner of REIC/DKK-3. Mammalian two-hybrid and pull-down assay results indicated that the SGTA-REIC/DKK-3 interaction involved the N-terminal regions of both REIC/DKK-3 and SGTA and that REIC/DKK-3 interfered with the dimerization of SGTA, which is a component of the AR complex and a suppressor of dynein motor-dependent AR transport and signaling. A reporter assay in human prostate cancer cells that displayed suppressed AR signaling by SGTA showed recovery of AR signaling by REIC/DKK-3 expression. Considering these results and our previous data that REIC/DKK-3 interacts with the dynein light chain TCTEX-1, we propose that the REIC/DKK-3 protein interferes with SGTA dimerization, promotes dynein-dependent AR transport and then upregulates AR signaling.