The Tumor Growth Inhibitory Effect of a Standardized Extract of Cultured Lentinula edodes Mycelia Using Patient Derived Xenograft Model.

Patient derived xenograft (PDX) is a powerful tool to confirm pharmacological efficacy in non-clinical studies for the development of various drugs including anti-cancer agents and therapeutic research. A standardized extract of cultured Lentinula edodes mycelia, a product name AHCC® is produced by Amino Up Co., Ltd. (Sapporo, Japan). In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of AHCC® on the growth of tumor PDX in Super SCID (severe combined immunodeficiency) mice. Effects of AHCC® and BCG administration on the growth of renal cancer PDX implanted in Super SCID mice were evaluated by PDX growth curve. Tendency for the effects on the growth of renal cancer PDX in Super SCID by administration of AHCC® and BCG before implanting the PDX were demonstrated. The effects of the oral administration of AHCC® on the growth of renal, invasive and non-invasive breast cancer PDX in Super SCID mice were studied. In Super SCID mice transplanted with renal cancer PDX, AHCC® significantly suppressed tumor proliferation from the day 48 to 83 after transplantation. In two types of breast cancer PDX, tendency of the growth inhibitory effects of AHCC® were shown by PDX growth curve. Significant inhibitory effect was found at only one time point for during proliferation in each PDX. Super SCID-PDX model has the potential to be a useful tool to investigate for the effect of functional foods.

Spermatogenesis-associated changes of fucosylated glycolipids in murine testis.

By targeted deletion of either the FUT1- or FUT2-gene for α1,2-fucosyltransferase, expression of FGM1 and FGA1, in murine testis was revealed to be sustained through unique interchangeability of the genes, indicating their significant roles for spermatogenesis. Accordingly, we examined the amounts of FGM1 and FGA1 in the testes of mice at 1-42 days after birth in comparison to those of several glycolipids including seminolipid. Although Forssman antigen and GM1 were present in relatively constant amounts during the period examined, GM3, which was the major one at 1 day, quickly decreased during development and had completely disappeared at 4 weeks. The following glycolipids were expressed in stage-specific manners, FGM1 for primary spermatocytes at 1 week, a seminolipid for secondary spermatocytes at 2 weeks, and GM3 lactone and FGA1 for spermatids and spermatozoa at 3 weeks. In fact, immunohistochemical staining with anti-FGM1 and anti-FGA1 antibodies demonstrated that FGM1 and FGA1 were distributed in the spermatocytes, and the spermatids and spermatozoa, respectively, and FGA1, together with seminolipid, were the immunogenic markers of spermatozoa. Thus, the fucosylation of glycolipids is a spermatogenesis-associated event, which should occur even with use of either the FUT1- or FUT2-gene.

Enhanced fucosylation of GA1 in the digestive tracts of X-ray-irradiated mice.

In mice at 4 days after X-ray-irradiation at 0.5 Gy/min for 16 min, the tissue weights of immune organs, i.e., thymus and spleen, were decreased due to injury to lymphocytes by the X-rays. The resulting immunosuppressive condition allowed the growth of lactobacilli, i.e., L. murinus, which contained LacßTH-DG and possessed the ability to induce transcription of the fucosyltransferase gene for synthesis of FGA1. LacßTH-DG was detected in the jejunal and ileal contents of X-ray-irradiated mice, but not in those of control mice, whereas LacTetH-DG of L. johnsonii was present in the stomach and caecal contents of both mice. The amounts of FGA1 in the duodenal and jejunal tissues of X-ray-irradiated mice increased to 4- and 9-fold of those in controls, respectively. Reflecting the enhanced fucosylation of GA1, the total amounts of FGA1 excreted into the contents of X-ray-irradiated mice were 1.4-times higher than those in controls. Also, when the extent of enhanced fucosylation of GA1 in several regions of the digestive tracts of X-ray-irradiated mice was compared with that in immune deficient nude, scid and pIgR(-/-) mice, the more than 4-fold increases of FGA1 observed in duodenal and jejunal tissues corresponded to those in pIgR(-/-) mice without secretory IgA. Since an increased amount of FGA1 in the small intestine was observed only 4 days after X-ray-irradiation, and diminished synthesis of FGA1 occurred on administration of penicillin and streptomycin, fucosylation of GA1 in the small intestine was revealed to occur quickly in response to a change in the intestinal bacterial population.

Absence of lactobacilli containing glycolipids with the α-galactose epitope and the enhanced fucosylation of a receptor glycolipid GA1 in the digestive tracts of immune-deficient scid mice.

The Lactobacillus species in the digestive tracts of immune-deficient scid mice was distinct from that in control mice, i.e. Lactobacillus murinus in scid and L. johnsonii in control mice, according to their 16S-rRNA, indicating that a symbiotic relationship between lactobacilli and a host is established under pressure from the immune system. The caecal and colonal contents rich in L. murinus of scid mice were loose with a strong sour smell, resulting in diarrhoea, and those with L. johnsonii in control mice included abundant solid materials. Lactobacillus glycolipids were revealed to be recognized by the immune system, and by TLC-immunostaining, LacTetH-DG (Galα1-6Galα1-6Galα1-2Glcα1-3'DG) of L. johnsonii was detected in the stomach, caecum and colon of control mice, but not in those of scid ones, in which fucosylation of a receptor GA1 for L. johnsonii was enhanced more than 4-fold compared with in the control mice. Thus, structural modification of receptor glycolipids was revealed to occur in the process of establishment of a symbiotic relationship between lactobacilli and a host. LacTetH-DG was also immunogenic to human, because of the presence of natural antibodies against it, and the antibody binding to it was comparable to that of blood group- and species-related glycosphingolipids.

Histologic evaluation of human benign prostatic hyperplasia treated by dutasteride: a study by xenograft model with improved severe combined immunodeficient mice.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate histologic change in human prostate samples treated with dutasteride and to elucidate direct effects of dutasteride on human prostate tissue, the present study was conducted by using a xenograft model with improved severe combined immunodeficient (super-SCID) mice, although it is well known that dutasteride reduces prostate volume. METHODS: After establishment of a xenograft model of human benign prostatic hyperplasia in morphology and function, samples implanted into super-SCID mice with and without dutasteride were evaluated pathohistologically at 2 and 6 months after initiation of dutasteride administration. RESULTS: The proliferative index evaluated by Ki-67 staining was significantly lower in the dutasteride group than the control at 2 and 6 months after administration. Apoptotic index evaluated by the terminal transferase TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling staining was higher in the dutasteride group than the control at 2 and 6 months after administration. Quick scores in the dutasteride group for staining of both cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox-2) and Ras homolog gene family, member A (RhoA) were significantly lower than those in the control group at 2 and 6 months after administration. CONCLUSION: Dutasteride inhibits cell proliferation and induces apoptosis of prostatic cells, causing a reduced prostate volume. Furthermore, decreased expression of Cox-2 and RhoA within benign prostatic hyperplasia tissue by dutasteride may induce an early effect on improvement of lower urinary tract symptoms, probably by attenuating inflammation reaction of the prostate and decreasing intraurethral pressure, other than the mechanism of reduced prostate volume.

Altered Actions of Memantine and NMDA-Induced Currents in a New Grid2-Deleted Mouse Line.

Memantine is a non-competitive antagonist of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, and is an approved drug for the treatment of moderate-to-severe Alzheimer's disease. We identified a mouse strain with a naturally occurring mutation and an ataxic phenotype that presents with severe leg cramps. To investigate the phenotypes of these mutant mice, we screened several phenotype-modulating drugs and found that memantine (10 mg/kg) disrupted the sense of balance in the mutants. Moreover, the mutant mice showed an attenuated optokinetic response (OKR) and impaired OKR learning, which was also observed in wild-type mice treated with memantine. Microsatellite analyses indicated that the Grid2 gene-deletion is responsible for these phenotypes. Patch-clamp analysis showed a relatively small change in NMDA-dependent current in cultured granule cells from Grid2 gene-deleted mice, suggesting that GRID2 is important for correct NMDA receptor function. In general, NMDA receptors are activated after the activation of non-NMDA receptors, such as AMPA receptors, and AMPA receptor dysregulation also occurs in Grid2 mutant mice. Indeed, the AMPA treatment enhanced memantine susceptibility in wild-type mice, which was indicated by balance sense and OKR impairments. The present study explores a new role for GRID2 and highlights the adverse effects of memantine in different genetic backgrounds.

Enhanced expression of fucosyl GA1 in the digestive tract of immune-deficient scid, nude and pIgR(-/-) mice.

Fucosylation of GA1 in murine intestinal epithelia occurs through transcriptional induction of α1,2-fucosyltransferase along with bacterial infection, but the mechanism has not been clearly characterized as to whether it is induced as a result of an immune response to bacteria or of genetic manipulation of the host by bacteria. Accordingly, we analysed the expression of fucosyl GA1 (FGA1) and fucosyltransferase activity in the digestive tracts of immune-deficient scid, nude and pIgR(-/-) mice. In comparison with those in control mice bred under the same SPF circumstances, the amount of FGA1 and the α1,2-fucosyltransferase activity were significantly increased in the immune-deficient mice, indicating that the immune system is not involved in induction of the α1,2-fucosyltransferase gene. Reflecting the enhanced synthesis of FGA1, the total amounts of FGA1 in the intestinal contents of immune-deficient mice were higher than those in control mice. Also, the major faecal bacteria grown on a MRS agar plate were different in immune-deficient and control mice as follows, Lactobacillus murinus for scid and pIgR(-/-) mice, and Lactobacillus johnsonii for their control, and Enterococcus faecalis for nude mice and Lactococcus garvieae for the control, indicating that an alteration in the intestinal lactobacilli is partly involved in the induction of α1,2-fucosyltransferase.

Changes in bacterial glycolipids as an index of intestinal lactobacilli and epithelial glycolipids in the digestive tracts of mice after administration of penicillin and streptomycin.

The major lipid constituent of symbiotic gram-positive bacteria in animals are phosphatidylglycerol, cardiolipin and dihexaosyl diglycerides (DH-DG), whose hydrophobic structures are characteristic of the environments, and the carbohydrate structures of DH-DGs are bacterial species-characteristic. Immunization of rabbits with intestinal lactobacilli generated antibodies against DH-DGs and their modified structures, among which Galα1-6-substituted DH-DG, i.e., Lactobacillus tetrahexaosyl diglyceride (LacTetH-DG), reacted with antibodies more intensely than DH-DG. Whereas, from the 16S-rRNA sequence, the intestinal lactobacilli in murine digestive tracts were revealed to be L. johnsonii, in which LacTetH-DG is present at the concentration of 2.2 ng per 1 × 10(6) cells. To obtain more accurate estimates of intestinal lactobacilli in several regions of the digestive tract of mice, LacTetH-DG was detected by TLC-immunostaining with anti-Lactobacillus antisera, being found in the stomach, cecum and colon of normal breeding mice, 1.0 × 10(9), 3.5 × 10(9) and 7.4 × 10(9) cells, respectively. Administration of penicillin and streptomycin for 6 days resulted in a reduction in the number of intestinal lactobacilli, the levels being 0 %, 30 % and 4 % of the control ones in the stomach, cecum and colon, respectively, which was associated with the accumulation of the contents in the tracts from the stomach to the cecum and with diarrhea. In addition, a reduced amount of fucosyl GA1 (FGA1) and a compensatory increase in GA1 due to the reduced activity of α1,2-fucosyltransferase in the small intestine and the enhanced discharge of FGA1 into the contents occurred in mice, probably due to the altered population of bacteria caused by administration of penicillin and streptomycin.

Bacterial species-characteristic profiles of molecular species, and the antigenicity of phospholipids and glycolipids in symbiotic Lactobacillus, Staphylococcus and Streptococcus species.

Human symbiotic bacteria, Lactobacillus reuteri (LR) in the intestines, Staphylococcus epidermidis (SE) in skin and Streptococcus salivalis (SS) in the oral cavity, contain dihexaosyl diglycerides (DH-DG) in concentrations equivalent to those of phosphatidyl glycerol (PG) and cardiolipin (CL), together with mono- to tetrahexaosyl DGs. The molecular species, as the combination of fatty acids in the DG moiety, were revealed to be bacterial species-characteristic, but to be similar between glycolipids and phospholipids in individual bacteria, the major ones being 16:0 and cy19:0 for LR, ai15:0 and ai17:0 for SE, and 16:0 and 18:1 for SS, respectively. The carbohydrate structures of DH-DGs were also bacterial species-characteristic, being Galα1-2Glcα for LR, Glcß1-6Glcß for SE, and Glcα1-2Glcα for SS, respectively. Also, bacterial glycolipids were revealed to provide antigenic determinants characteristic of bacterial species on immunization of rabbits with the respective bacteria. Anti-L. johnsonii antiserum intensely reacted with tri- and tetrahexaosyl DGs, in which Galα was bound to DH-DG through an α1-6 linkage, as well as with DH-DG from LR. Although anti-SE antiserum preferentially reacted with DH-DG from SE, anti-SS antiserum reacted with DH-DG from SS and, to a lesser extent, with DH-DGs from LR and SE. But, both anti-SE and anti-SS antiserum did not react at all with monohexaosyl DG or glycosphingolipids with the same carbohydrates at the nonreducing terminals. In addition, 75 % of human sera, irrespective of the ABO blood group, were found to contain IgM to tri- and tetrahexaosyl DGs from LR, but not to DH-DGs from LR, SE and SS.

Characterization of novel glycolipid antigens with an α-galactose epitope in lactobacilli detected with rabbit anti-Lactobacillus antisera and occurrence of antibodies against them in human sera.

Anti-Lactobacillus johnsonii (LJ) antisera generated by immunization of rabbits with LJ reacted with glyceroglycolipids in LJ, i.e. dihexaosyl diacylglycerol (DH-DG), trihexaosyl DG (TH-DG) and tetrahexaosyl DG (TetH-DG), whose reactivities with antisera increased proportionally with longer carbohydrate chains of glycolipids. Structural analyses of glycolipids from LJ revealed that DH-DG was Galα1-2Glcα1-3'DG, and TH-DG and TetH-DG were novel derivatives of it with α-Gal at the non-reducing terminal, i.e. Galα1-6Galα1-2Glcα1-3'DG and Galα1-6Galα1-6Galα1-2Glcα1-3'DG, respectively. DH-DG was commonly present in several lactobacilli examined, but TetH-DG was restricted to LJ, L. intestinalis and L. reuteri, while the TH-DGs from L. casei were Glc1-6Galα1-2Glcα1-3'DG and an esterified derivative of it, Glc1-6Galα1-2Glc(6-fatty acid)α1-3'DG, as reported in the literature. Anti-LJ antisera reacted with TH-DG and esterified TH-DG from L. casei to lesser extents, but not at all with gentibiosyl DG from Staphylococcus epidermidis or kojibiosyl DG from Streptococcus salivalis or sphingoglycolipids containing α-Gal residues. The major molecular species of glycolipids obtained from lactobacilli were 11-octadecenoic and 11,12-methylene-octadecanoic acids-containing ones. Also, human IgM antibodies against TH-DG and TetH-DG from LJ were detected in human sera, with various antibody titres, indicating that an immune reaction to symbiotic lactobacilli occurs against their glycolipid antigens, TH-DG and TetH-DG.

Excretion into feces of asialo GM1 in the murine digestive tract and Lactobacillus johnsonii exhibiting binding ability toward asialo GM1. A possible role of epithelial glycolipids in the discharge of intestinal bacteria.

In the digestive tract of mice (HR-1, 5 months old, ♀), asialo GM1 (GA1) exhibiting receptor activity toward several intestinal bacteria was preferentially expressed in the small intestine. Also, less than 10% of GA1 in the small intestine was converted into fucosylated and sulfated derivatives, but it was completely converted to fucosyl GA1 (FGA1) in the stomach, cecum and colon. Among the lipid components in these tissues, glycolipids other than Forssman antigen and cholesterol sulfate (CS) were present in the digestive tract contents. However, sulfated GA1, sulfatide and fucosyl GM1 in the gastro-intestinal contents were not present in the cecal and colonic contents, in which the major glycolipids were ceramide monohexoside (CMH), GA1 and FGA1. The total amount of GA1 in the whole contents was 20% of that in the tissues. Thus, glycolipids were stable during the process of digestion, and excreted from the body together with cholesterol and CS. On the other hand, Lactobacillus johnsonii (LJ), whose receptor is GA1, was detected in the cecal and colonic contents on sequential analysis of 16S-ribosomal RNA and TLC-immunostaining of antigenic glycolipids with anti-LJ antiserum. LJ was found to comprise 20% of the total bacteria cultured in the lactobacillus medium under aerobic conditions, and to be present in the cecal and colonic contents, 9.8 × 10(7) cells versus 37 µg GA1 and 1.4 × 10(8) cells versus 49 µg GA1, respectively. Thus, GA1 in the contents might facilitate the discharge of intestinal bacteria by becoming attached them to prevent their irregular diffusion.

Effects of fission neutrons on human thyroid tissues maintained in SCID mice.

Morphology and function (secretion of thyroid hormone) of human thyroid tissues from Graves' disease patients are well maintained in C57BL/6J-scid mice. Serum level of thyroid hormone was reduced by fission neutrons from the nuclear reactor UTR-KINKI, and changes in thyroid hormone by fission neutrons were bigger than those by low LET radiations, X-rays and (137)Cs gamma-rays, suggesting high relative biological effectiveness (RBE; 6.5) of fission neutrons. Microarray analyses revealed that about 3% of genes showed more than 4-fold change in gene expression in the unexposed thyroid tissues against surgically resected thyroid tissues from the same patient, probably due to the difficult oxygen and nutrient supply shortly after transplantation. Dose-dependent changes in gene expression against unexposed concurrent controls were observed with increasing doses of fission neutrons (0.2-0.6Gy) and (137)Cs gamma-rays (1.0-3.0Gy) and showed high RBE (4.2). Furthermore, there were some specific genes which showed more than 4-fold change in gene expression in all the thyroid tissues exposed to higher doses of radiation, especially neutrons (0.4 and 0.6Gy), but none at lower doses (0.2Gy of neutrons and 1.0 and 2.0Gy of gamma-rays). These genes related to degeneration, regeneration, apoptosis, and transcription, respond specifically and very sensitively to neutron injury in human thyroid tissues. This is the first experimental report that fission neutrons can induce some morphological and functional disorders in human tissues, showing high RBE against gamma-ray exposure. These results are useful to evaluate the risks of fission neutrons and cosmic rays to humans.

Distribution of receptor glycolipids for Lactobacilli in murine digestive tract and production of antibodies cross-reactive with them by immunization of rabbits with Lactobacilli.

In the digestive tract of mice (HR-1 strain), glycolipids belonging to the ganglio-series were revealed to be expressed in region-specific manners, i.e. FGA1 and FGM1 in the stomach, GA1 in the small intestine, and FGA1 and sulphatides in the cecum. The amount of GA1 as a receptor glycolipid for Lactobacilli was especially higher in the small intestine than in the other regions, it comprising 1.6-2.8 microg/mg dry weight. On immunization of rabbits with Lactobacillus johnsonii and Lactobacillus intestinalis, both of which are murine intestinal bacteria, antibodies toward bacterial glycolipids, i.e. Galalpha1-2Glcalpha1-3DG, and tri- and tetrahexaosyl DGs, were effectively generated and, in addition, they were found to cross-react with GA1 and GalCer, but not with structurally related glycolipids such as Lc(4)Cer, nLc(4)Cer and IV(3)Galalpha-nLc(4)Cer, indicating that GA1 is a preferable antigen for anti-lactobacillus antisera and suggesting the presence of epitopes common to both Lactobacilli and the host. In fact, molecules reacting with anti-GA1 antibodies were detected among bacterial proteins on Western blotting, indicating a possible occurrence of the carbohydrate structure mimicking GA1 in bacterial proteins.

Differential radiation sensitivity to morphological, functional and molecular changes of human thyroid tissues and bone marrow cells maintained in SCID mice.

Morphology and function of human organs and tissues are well maintained in the improved SCID (severe combined immunodeficient) mice for a long period (approximately 3 years). To study the radiation-induced damage on human thyroid gland, human thyroid tissues transplanted to SCID mice were consecutively exposed to X-rays or 137Cs gamma-rays at high and low dose rates for approximately 2 years. Consecutive irradiation resulted in the disappearance of follicles and significant decrease of thyroid hormone secretion. Mutations in p53 and c-kit genes were induced significantly in human thyroid tissues from old head and neck cancer patients (av. 56.8 years, 4 males) and a Graves' disease patient (20 years, male) over the dose of 24 Gy (44.7+/-5.9 Gy, mean+/-S.E) and 11 Gy (20.2+/-7.8 Gy), respectively, while mutations were not detected at lower doses nor in unexposed matched controls (p < 0.01). There were significant differences in mutation frequency in the transplanted human thyroid tissues (31 years, female) between high dose rate (1.19 Gy/min; 8 in 20 tissues) and low dose rate (0.00023 Gy/min; 0 in 14 tissues) exposures (p < 0.01). Mutations were not detected in RET, K-ras and beta-catenin genes. Expression analysis by GeneChip indicated that gene expression was also well maintained in the transplanted human thyroid tissues. However, lower doses (1 or 3 Gy) of 137Cs gamma-rays can induce changes in gene expression in the transplanted human thyroid tissues. Furthermore, fatally irradiated SCID mice could survive with human bone marrow cell transplantation. When about half of mouse bone marrows were replaced by human bone marrow cells, the human bone marrow cells showed high sensitivity to gamma-irradiation; 28.0% and 0.45% survival after 0.5 and 2.0 Gy exposures, respectively.