Bik promotes proteasomal degradation to control low-grade inflammation.

Although chronic low-grade inflammation does not cause immediate clinical symptoms, over the longer term, it can enhance other insults or age-dependent damage to organ systems and thereby contribute to age-related disorders, such as respiratory disorders, heart disease, metabolic disorders, autoimmunity, and cancer. However, the molecular mechanisms governing low-level inflammation are largely unknown. We discovered that Bcl-2-interacting killer (Bik) deficiency causes low-level inflammation even at baseline and the development of spontaneous emphysema in female but not male mice. Similarly, a single nucleotide polymorphism that reduced Bik levels was associated with increased inflammation and enhanced decline in lung function in humans. Transgenic expression of Bik in the airways of Bik-deficient mice inhibited allergen- or LPS-induced lung inflammation and reversed emphysema in female mice. Bik deficiency increased nuclear but not cytosolic p65 levels because Bik, by modifying the BH4 domain of Bcl-2, interacted with regulatory particle non-ATPase 1 (RPN1) and RPN2 and enhanced proteasomal degradation of nuclear proteins. Bik deficiency increased inflammation primarily in females because Bcl-2 and Bik levels were reduced in lung tissues and airway cells of female compared with male mice. Therefore, controlling low-grade inflammation by modifying the unappreciated role of Bik and Bcl-2 in facilitating proteasomal degradation of nuclear proteins may be crucial in treating chronic age-related diseases.

The first workshop towards the control of cestode zoonoses in Asia and Africa.

The first workshop towards the control of cestode zoonoses in Asia and Africa was held in Asahikawa Medical University, Japan on 15 and 16 Feb 2011. This meeting was fully supported by the Asian Science and Technology Strategic Cooperation Promotion Programs sponsored by the Special Coordination Funds for Promoting Science and Technology, the Ministry of Education Japan (MEXT) for 3 years from 2010 to Akira Ito. A total of 24 researchers from 9 countries joined together and discussed the present situation and problems towards the control of cestode zoonoses. As the meeting was simultaneously for the establishment of joint international, either bilateral or multilateral collaboration projects, the main purposes were directed to 1) how to detect taeniasis/cysticercosis infected patients, 2) how to differentiate Taenia solium from two other human Taenia species, T. saginata and T. asiatica, 3) how to evaluate T. asiatica based on the evidence of hybrid and hybrid-derived adult tapeworms from Thailand and China, 4) how to evaluate T. solium and T. hyaenae and other Taenia species from the wild animals in Ethiopia, and 5) how to detect echinococcosis patients and 6) how to differentiate Echinococcus species worldwide. Such important topics are summarized in this meeting report.