CD271 promotes proliferation and migration in bladder cancer.

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.

CD271 mRNA/hnRNPA2B1 complex promotes proliferation and stemness in oral and head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

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.

FAXC interacts with ANXA2 and SRC in mitochondria and promotes tumorigenesis in cholangiocarcinoma.

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.

Delta-6 desaturase FADS2 is a tumor-promoting factor in cholangiocarcinoma.

Cholangiocarcinoma is a fatal disease with limited therapeutic options. We screened genes required for cholangiocarcinoma tumorigenicity and identified FADS2, a delta-6 desaturase. FADS2 depletion reduced in vivo tumorigenicity and cell proliferation. In clinical samples, FADS2 was expressed in cancer cells but not in stromal cells. FADS2 inhibition also reduced the migration and sphere-forming ability of cells and increased apoptotic cell death and ferroptosis markers. Lipidome assay revealed that triglyceride and cholesterol ester levels were decreased in FADS2-knockdown cells. The oxygen consumption ratio was also decreased in FADS2-depleted cells. These data indicate that FADS2 depletion causes a reduction in lipid levels, resulting in decrease of energy production and attenuation of cancer cell malignancy.

Characteristics of tissue temperature during ablation with THERMOCOOL SMARTTOUCH SF versus TactiCath versus QDOT MICRO catheters (Qmode and Qmode+): An in vivo porcine study.

INTRODUCTION: High-power short-duration (HPSD) ablation at 50 W, guided by ablation index (AI) or lesion size index (LSI), and a 90 W/4 s very HSPD (vHPSD) setting are available for atrial fibrillation (AF) treatment. Yet, tissue temperatures during ablation with different catheters around venoatrial junction and collateral tissues remain unclear. METHODS: In this porcine study, we surgically implanted thermocouples on the epicardium near the superior vena cava (SVC), right pulmonary vein, and esophagus close to the inferior vena cava. We then compared tissue temperatures during 50W-HPSD guided by AI 400 or LSI 5.0, and 90 W/4 s-vHPSD ablation using THERMOCOOL SMARTTOUCH SF (STSF), TactiCath ablation catheter, sensor enabled (TacthCath), and QDOT MICRO (Qmode and Qmode+ settings) catheters. RESULTS: STSF produced the highest maximum tissue temperature (Tmax ), followed by TactiCath, and QDOT MICRO in Qmode and Qmode+ (62.7 ± 12.5°C, 58.0 ± 10.1°C, 50.0 ± 12.1°C, and 49.2 ± 8.4°C, respectively; p = .005), achieving effective transmural lesions. Time to lethal tissue temperature ≥50°C (t-T ≥ 50°C) was fastest in Qmode+, followed by TacthCath, STSF, and Qmode (4.3 ± 2.5, 6.4 ± 1.9, 7.1 ± 2.8, and 7.7 ± 3.1 s, respectively; p < .001). The catheter tip-to-thermocouple distance for lethal temperature (indicating lesion depth) from receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was deepest in STSF at 5.2 mm, followed by Qmode at 4.3 mm, Qmode+ at 3.1 mm, and TactiCath at 2.8 mm. Ablation at the SVC near the phrenic nerve led to sudden injury at t-T ≥ 50°C in all four settings. The esophageal adventitia injury was least deep with Qmode+ ablation (0.4 ± 0.1 vs. 0.8 ± 0.4 mm for Qmode, 0.9 ± 0.3 mm for TactiCath, and 1.1 ± 0.5 mm for STSF, respectively; p = .005), correlating with Tmax . CONCLUSION: This study revealed distinct tissue temperature patterns during HSPD and vHPSD ablations with the three catheters, affecting lesion effectiveness and collateral damage based on Tmax and/or t-T ≥ 50°C. These findings provide key insights into the safety and efficacy of AF ablation with these four settings.

BEX2 is poor prognostic factor and required for cancer stemness in gastric cancer.

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.

In vivo tissue temperature during lesion size index-guided 50W ablation versus 30W ablation: A porcine study.

BACKGROUND: Neither the actual in vivo tissue temperatures reached with lesion size index (LSI)-guided high-power short-duration (HPSD) ablation for atrial fibrillation nor the safety profile has been elucidated. METHODS: We conducted a porcine study (n = 7) in which, after right thoracotomy, we implanted 6-8 thermocouples epicardially in the superior vena cava, right pulmonary vein, and esophagus close to the inferior vena cava. We compared tissue temperatures reached during 50 W-HPSD ablation with those reached during standard (30 W) ablation, both targeting an LSI of 5.0 (5-15 g contact force). RESULTS: Tmax  (maximum tissue temperature when the thermocouple was located ≤5 mm from the catheter tip) reached during HPSD ablation was modestly higher than that reached during standard ablation (58.0 ± 10.1°C vs. 53.6 ± 9.2°C; p = .14) and peak tissue temperature correlated inversely with the distance between the catheter tip and the thermocouple, regardless of the power settings (HPSD: r = -0.63; standard: r = -0.66). Lethal temperature (≥50°C) reached 6.3 ± 1.8 s and 16.9 ± 16.1 s after the start of HPSD and standard ablation, respectively (p = .002), and it was best predicted at a catheter tip-to-thermocouple distance cut point of 2.8 and 5.3 mm, respectively. All lesions produced by HPSD ablation and by standard ablation were transmural. There was no difference between HPSD ablation and standard ablation in the esophageal injury rate (70% vs. 75%, p = .81), but the maximum distance from the esophageal adventitia to the injury site tended to be shorter (0.94 ± 0.29 mm vs. 1.40 ± 0.57 mm, respectively; p = .09). CONCLUSIONS: Actual tissue temperatures reached with LSI-guided HPSD ablation appear to be modestly higher, with a shorter distance between the catheter tip and thermocouple achieving lethal temperature, than those reached with standard ablation. HPSD ablation lasting <6 s may help minimize lethal thermal injury to the esophagus lying at a close distance.

In vivo tissue temperatures during 90 W/4 sec-very high power-short-duration (vHPSD) ablation versus ablation index-guided 50 W-HPSD ablation: A porcine study.

INTRODUCTION: Neither the actual in vivo tissue temperatures reached with 90 W/4 s-very high-power short-duration (vHPSD) ablation for atrial fibrillation nor the safety and efficacy profile have been fully elucidated. METHODS: We conducted a porcine study (n = 15) in which, after right thoracotomy, we implanted 6-8 thermocouples epicardially in the superior vena cava, right pulmonary vein, and esophagus close to the inferior vena cava. We compared tissue temperatures close to a QDOT MICRO catheter, between during 90 W/4 s-vHPSD ablation during ablation index (AI: target 400)-guided 50 W-HPSD ablation, both targeting a contact force of 8-15 g. RESULTS: Maximum tissue temperature reached during 90 W/4 s-vHPSD ablation did not differ significantly from that during 50 W-HPSD ablation (49.2 ± 8.4°C vs. 50.0 ± 12.1°C; p = .69) and correlated inversely with distance between the catheter tip and the thermocouple, regardless of the power settings (r = -0.52 and r = -0.37). Lethal temperature (≥50°C) was best predicted at a catheter tip-to-thermocouple distance cut-point of 3.13 and 4.27 mm, respectively. All lesions produced by 90 W/4 s-vHPSD or 50 W-HPSD ablation were transmural. Although there was no difference in the esophageal injury rate (50% vs. 66%, p = .80), the thermal lesion was significantly shallower with 90 W/4 s-vHPSD ablation than with 50W-HPSD ablation (381.3 ± 127.3 vs. 820.0 ± 426.1 µm from the esophageal adventitia; p = .039). CONCLUSION: Actual tissue temperatures reached with 90 W/4 s-vHPSD ablation appear similar to those with AI-guided 50 W-HPSD ablation, with the distance between the catheter tip and target tissue being shorter for the former. Although both ablation settings may create transmural lesions in thin atrial tissues, any resulting esophageal thermal lesions appear shallower with 90 W/4 s-vHPSD ablation.

Establishment of a monoclonal antibody against glycosylated CD271 specific for cancer cells in immunohistochemistry.

Various proteins are highly expressed in cancer (e.g., epidermal growth factor receptor); however, the majority are also expressed in normal cells, although they may differ in expression intensity. Recently, we reported that CD271 (nerve growth factor receptor), a glycosylated protein, increases malignant behavior of cancer, particularly stemlike phenotypes in squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). CD271 is expressed in SCC and in normal epithelial basal cells. Glycosylation alterations generally occur in cancer cells; therefore, we attempted to establish a cancer-specific anti-glycosylated CD271 antibody. We purified recombinant glycosylated CD271 protein, immunized mice with the protein, and screened hybridomas using an ELISA assay with cancer cell lines. We established a clone G4B1 against CD271 which is glycosylated with O-glycan and sialic acid. The G4B1 antibody reacted with the CD271 protein expressed in esophageal cancer, but not in normal esophageal basal cells. This specificity was confirmed in hypopharyngeal and cervical cancers. G4B1 antibody recognized the fetal esophageal epithelium and Barrett's esophagus, which possess stem cell-like characteristics. In conclusion, G4B1 antibody could be useful for precise identification of dysplasia and cancer cells in SCC.

Actual tissue temperature during ablation index-guided high-power short-duration ablation versus standard ablation: Implications in terms of the efficacy and safety of atrial fibrillation ablation.

BACKGROUND: Actual in vivo tissue temperatures and the safety profile during high-power short-duration (HPSD) ablation of atrial fibrillation have not been clarified. METHODS: We conducted an animal study in which, after a right thoracotomy, we implanted 6-8 thermocouples epicardially in the superior vena cava, right pulmonary vein, and esophagus close to the inferior vena cava. We recorded tissue temperatures during a 50 W-HPSD ablation and 30 W-standard ablation targeting an ablation index (AI) of 400 (5-15 g contact force). RESULTS: Maximum tissue temperatures reached with HSPD ablation were significantly higher than that reached with standard ablation (62.7 ± 12.5 vs. 52.7 ± 11.4°C, p = 0.033) and correlated inversely with the distance between the catheter tip and thermocouple, regardless of the power settings (HPSD: r = -0.71; standard: r = -0.64). Achievement of lethal temperatures (≥50°C) was within 7.6 ± 3.6 and 12.1 ± 4.1 s after HPSD and standard ablation, respectively (p = 0.003), and was best predicted at cutoff points of 5.2 and 4.4 mm, respectively. All HPSD ablation lesions were transmural, but 19.2% of the standard ablation lesions were not (p = 0.011). There was no difference between HPSD and standard ablation regarding the esophageal injury rate (30% vs. 33.3%, p > 0.99), with the injury appearing to be related to the short distance from the catheter tip. CONCLUSIONS: Actual tissue temperatures reached with AI-guided HPSD ablation appeared to be higher with a greater distance between the catheter tip and target tissue than those with standard ablation. HPSD ablation for <7 s may help prevent collateral tissue injury when ablating within a close distance.

BEX2 is required for maintaining dormant cancer stem cell in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are responsible for therapy resistance and share several properties with normal stem cells. Here, we show that brain-expressed X-linked gene 2 (BEX2), which is essential for dormant CSCs in cholangiocarcinoma, is highly expressed in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) lesions compared with the adjacent normal lesions and that in 41 HCC cases the BEX2high expression group is correlated with a poor prognosis. BEX2 localizes to Ki67-negative (nonproliferative) cancer cells in HCC tissues and is highly expressed in the dormant fraction of HCC cell lines. Knockdown of BEX2 attenuates CSC phenotypes, including sphere formation ability and aldefluor activity, and BEX2 overexpression enhances these phenotypes. Moreover, BEX2 knockdown increases cisplatin sensitivity, and BEX2 expression is induced by cisplatin treatment. Taken together, these data suggest that BEX2 induces dormant CSC properties and affects the prognosis of patients with HCC.

Discovery of a chemical compound that suppresses expression of BEX2, a dormant cancer stem cell-related protein.

Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are believed to cause cancer metastasis and recurrence. BEX2 (brain expressed X-linked gene 2) is a CSC-related gene that is expressed in dormant CSCs in cholangiocarcinoma and induces resistance against chemotherapy. The aim of the present study was to identify small compounds that have activity to inhibit BEX2 expression and result in the attenuation of CSC-related phenotypes. We screened 9600 small chemical compounds in high-throughput screening using cholangiocarcinoma cell line HuCCT1 expressing BEX2 protein fused with NanoLuc, and identified a compound, BMPP (1, 3-Benzenediol, [4-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1H-pyrazol-3-yl]). BMPP was found to exert decreasing effects on BEX2 protein expression and G0 phase population of the tumor cells, and increasing effects on ATP levels and chemotherapeutic sensitivity of the cells. These findings indicate that BMPP is a valuable chemical compound for reducing dormant CSC-related phenotypes. Thus, the identification of BMPP as a potential CSC suppressor provides scope for the development of novel therapeutic modalities for the treatment of cancers with BEX2 overexpressing CSCs.

Effect of obesity and epicardial fat/fatty infiltration on electrical and structural remodeling associated with atrial fibrillation in a novel canine model of obesity and atrial fibrillation: A comparative study.

BACKGROUND: How obesity and epicardial fat influence atrial fibrillation (AF) is unknown. METHODS: To investigate the effect of obesity/epicardial fat on the AF substrate, we divided 20 beagle dogs of normal weight into four groups (n = 5 each): one of the four groups (Obese-rapid atrial pacing [RAP] group) served as a novel canine model of obesity and AF. The other three groups comprised dogs fed a standard diet without RAP (Control group), dogs fed a high-fat diet without RAP (Obese group), or dogs fed a standard diet with RAP (RAP group). All underwent electrophysiology study, and hearts were excised for histopathologic and fibrosis-related gene expression analyses. RESULTS: Left atrial (LA) pressure was significantly higher in the Obese group than in the Control, RAP, and Obese-RAP groups (23.4 ± 6.9 vs. 11.4 ± 2.1, 11.9 ± 6.4, and 13.5 ± 2.9 mmHg; p = .005). The effective refractory period of the inferior PV was significantly shorter in the RAP and Obese-RAP groups than in the Control group (p = .043). Short-duration AF was induced at greatest frequency in the Obese-RAP and Obese groups (p < .05). Epicardial fat/Fatty infiltration was greatest in the Obese-RAP group, and greater in the Obese and RAP groups than in the Control group. %interstitial fibrosis/fibrosis-related gene expression was significantly greater in the Obese-RAP and RAP groups (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Vulnerability to AF was associated with increased LA pressure and increased epicardial fat/fatty infiltration in our Obese group, and with increased epicardial fat/fibrofatty infiltration in the RAP and Obese-RAP groups. These may explain the role of obesity/epicardial fat in the pathogenesis of AF.

Platelet-derived growth factor up-regulates Ca2+-sensing receptors in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive and fatal disease associated with remodeling of the pulmonary artery. We previously reported that the Ca2+-sensing receptor (CaSR) is up-regulated in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) from patients with idiopathic PAH (IPAH) and contributes to enhanced Ca2+ responses and excessive cell proliferation. However, the mechanisms underlying the up-regulation of CaSR have not yet been elucidated. We herein examined involvement of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) on CaSR expression, Ca2+ responses, and proliferation in PASMCs. The expression of PDGF receptors was higher in PASMCs from patients with IPAH than in PASMCs from normal subjects. In addition, PDGF-induced activation of PDGF receptors and their downstream molecules [ERK1/2, p38, protein kinase B, and signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) 1/3] were sustained longer in PASMCs from patients with IPAH. The PDGF-induced CaSR up-regulation was attenuated by small interfering RNA knockdown of PDGF receptors and STAT1/3, and by the treatment with imatinib. In monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertensive rats, the up-regulation of CaSR was reduced by imatinib. The combination of NPS2143 and imatinib additively inhibited the development of pulmonary hypertension. These results suggest that enhanced PDGF signaling is involved in CaSR up-regulation, leading to excessive PASMC proliferation and vascular remodeling in patients with IPAH. The linkage between CaSR and PDGF signals is a novel pathophysiological mechanism contributing to the development of PAH.-Yamamura, A., Nayeem, M. J., Al Mamun, A., Takahashi, R., Hayashi, H., Sato, M. Platelet-derived growth factor up-regulates Ca2+-sensing receptors in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Fast physical random bit generation with photonic integrated circuits with different external cavity lengths for chaos generation.

We generate random bit sequences from chaotic temporal waveforms by using photonic integrated circuits (PICs) with different external cavity lengths. We investigate the condition for generating random bits at different sampling rates of single-bit generation method with the PICs. We succeed in generating certified random bit sequences by using the PIC with 3, 4, 5, or 10-mm-long external cavity, whereas random bits cannot pass all the statistical tests of randomness when the PIC with 1 or 2 mm-long external cavity is used.

Long-Term Observation of Prognostic Factors and Clinical Outcome of Vernal Keratoconjunctivitis in Childhood.

Purpose: Vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC) is a refractory ocular allergic disorder that mainly affects boys. Long-term follow-up has been rarely reported for VKC. We investigated the long-term clinical outcome of VKC to identify relevant clinical features of prognostic value based on follow-up for a median of 70 months. Methods: In total, 45 consecutive patients clinically diagnosed with VKC aged 4 to 12 years at onset at the Department of Ophthalmology of Fukuoka University Hospital were included. Patients were treated with immunosuppressive eye drops without simultaneous corticosteroid eye drops, except for the occurrence of exacerbations. Collated variables were gender, age at onset, clinical score of ocular lesions (conjunctival giant papillae, limbal edema and corneal epithelial lesions) at the first visit, and clinical score of atopic dermatitis (AD) at baseline. Cumulative cure rate was estimated using Kaplan-Meier method. A binomial logistic predictive model was used to determine the most reliable clinical predictors of VKC outcome. Results: The observation period ranged from 24 to 188 months, with median of 70 months. Among the 45 cases enrolled, all non-cured cases (14 cases) observed clinically were complicated by AD. Cumulative cure rate was 74.5% and 84.9% at eight- and ten-year follow-up, respectively. Ten-year cumulative cure rates of cases with and without AD were 50.5% and 100%, respectively, and a significant difference was found between these cumulative cure curves. Binomial regression analysis revealed that AD and gender were significantly related to worse outcome, and this binomial regression model had high sensitivity and specificity. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that th eclinical outcomeof VKC might be predicted by several factors that can beobtained in the early clinical phase. Information on the long-term prognosis of VKC patients might play an important role for precision medicine for VKC in childhood.

Computer-aided detection of retinopathy of prematurity severity assessment via vessel tortuosity measurement in preterm infants' fundus images.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a computer-aided diagnostic system for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) disease using retinal vessel morphological features. METHODS: A total of 200 fundus images from 136 preterm infants with stage 1 to 3 ROP were analysed. Two methods were developed to measure vessel tortuosity: the peak-and-valley method and the polynomial curve fitting method. Correlations between temporal artery tortuosity (TAT) and temporal vein tortuosity (TVT) with ROP severity were investigated, and vessel tortuosity relationships with vessel angles (TAA and TVA) and vessel widths (TAW and TVW). A separate dataset from Japan containing 126 images from 97 preterm patients was used for verification. RESULTS: Both methods identified similar tortuosity in images without ROP and mild ROP cases. However, the polynomial curve fit method demonstrated enhanced tortuosity detection in stages 2 and 3 ROP compared to the peak and valley method. A strong positive correlation was revealed between ROP severity and increased arterial and venous tortuosity (P < 0.0001). A significant negative correlation between TAA and TAT (r = -0.485, P < 0.0001) and TVA and TVT (r = -0.281, P < 0.0001), and a significant positive correlation between TAW and TAT (r = 0.204, P value = 0.0040) were identified. Similar results were found in the test dataset from Japan. CONCLUSIONS: ROP severity was associated with increased retinal tortuosity and retinal vessel width while displaying a decrease in retinal vascular angle. This quantitative analysis of retinal vessels provides crucial insights for advancing ROP diagnosis and understanding its progression.

Simulation of Changes in Tensile Strain by Airbag Impact on Eyes After Trabeculectomy by Using Finite Element Analysis.

Purpose: We studied the kinetic phenomenon of an airbag impact on eyes after trabeculectomy using finite element analysis (FEA), a computerized method for predicting how an object reacts to real-world physical effects and showing whether an object will break, to sequentially determine the responses at various airbag deployment velocities. Methods: A human eye model was used in the simulations using the FEA program PAM-GENERISTM (Nihon ESI, Tokyo, Japan). A half-thickness incised scleral flap was created on the limbus and the strength of its adhesion to the outer sclera was set at 30%, 50%, and 100%. The airbag was set to hit the surface of the post-trabeculectomy eye at various velocities in two directions: perpendicular to the corneal center or perpendicular to the scleral flap (30° gaze-down position), at initial velocities of 20, 30, 40, 50, and 60 m/s. Results: When the airbag impacted at 20 m/s or 30 m/s, the strain on the cornea and sclera did not reach the mechanical threshold and globe rupture was not observed. Scleral flap lacerations were observed at 40 m/s or more in any eye position, and scleral rupture extending posteriorly from the scleral flap edge and rupture of the scleral flap resulting from extension of the corneal laceration through limbal damage were observed. Even in the case of 100% scleral flap adhesion strength, scleral flap rupture occurred at 50 m/s impact velocity in the 30° gaze-down position, whereas in eyes with 30% or 50% scleral flap adhesion strength, scleral rupture was observed at an impact velocity of 40 m/s or more in both eye positions. Conclusion: An airbag impact of ≥40 m/s might induce scleral flap rupture, indicating that current airbags may induce globe rupture in the eyes after trabeculectomy. The considerable damage caused by an airbag on the eyes of short-stature patients with glaucoma who have undergone trabeculectomy might indicate the necessity of ocular protection to avoid permanent eye damage.

Pex11α deficiency impairs peroxisome elongation and division and contributes to nonalcoholic fatty liver in mice.

Hepatic triglyceride (TG) accumulation is considered to be a prerequisite for developing nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL). Peroxisomes have many important functions in lipid metabolism, including fatty acid ß-oxidization. However, the pathogenic link between NAFL and peroxisome biogenesis remains unclear. To examine the molecular and physiological functions of the Pex11α gene, we disrupted this gene in mice. Body weights and hepatic TG concentrations in Pex11α(-/-) mice were significantly higher than those in wild-type (WT) mice fed a normal or a high-fat diet. Hepatic TG concentrations in fasted Pex11α(-/-) mice were significantly higher than those in fasted WT mice. Plasma TG levels increased at lower rates in Pex11α(-/-) mice than in WT mice after treatment with the lipoprotein lipase inhibitor tyloxapol. The number of peroxisomes was lower in the livers of Pex11α(-/-) mice than in those of WT mice. Ultrastructural analysis showed that small and regular spherically shaped peroxisomes were more prevalent in Pex11α(-/-) mice fed normal chow supplemented without or with fenofibrate. We observed a significantly higher ratio of empty peroxisomes containing only PMP70, a peroxisome membrane protein, but not catalase, a peroxisome matrix protein, in Pex11α(-/-) mice. The mRNA expression levels of peroxisomal fatty acid oxidation-related genes (ATP-binding cassette, subfamily D, member 2, and acyl-CoA thioesterase 3) were significantly higher in WT mice than those in Pex11α(-/-) mice under fed conditions. Our results demonstrate that Pex11α deficiency impairs peroxisome elongation and abundance and peroxisomal fatty acid oxidation, which contributes to increased lipid accumulation in the liver.

Chronic stress promotes tumor growth and angiogenesis in a mouse model of ovarian carcinoma.

Stress can alter immunological, neurochemical and endocrinological functions, but its role in cancer progression is not well understood. Here, we show that chronic behavioral stress results in higher levels of tissue catecholamines, greater tumor burden and more invasive growth of ovarian carcinoma cells in an orthotopic mouse model. These effects are mediated primarily through activation of the tumor cell cyclic AMP (cAMP)-protein kinase A (PKA) signaling pathway by the beta(2) adrenergic receptor (encoded by ADRB2). Tumors in stressed animals showed markedly increased vascularization and enhanced expression of VEGF, MMP2 and MMP9, and we found that angiogenic processes mediated the effects of stress on tumor growth in vivo. These data identify beta-adrenergic activation of the cAMP-PKA signaling pathway as a major mechanism by which behavioral stress can enhance tumor angiogenesis in vivo and thereby promote malignant cell growth. These data also suggest that blocking ADRB-mediated angiogenesis could have therapeutic implications for the management of ovarian cancer.