ABSTRACT
Primary cilia are crucial for cellular balance, serving as sensors for external conditions. Nephronophthisis and related ciliopathies, which are hereditary and degenerative, stem from genetic mutations in cilia-related genes. However, the precise mechanisms of these conditions are still not fully understood. Our research demonstrates that downregulating PDIA6, leading to cilia removal, makes cells more sensitive to ferroptotic death caused by endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. The reduction of PDIA6 intensifies the ER stress response, while also impairing the regulation of primary cilia in various cell types. PDIA6 loss worsens ER stress, hastening ferroptotic death in proximal tubule epithelial cells, HK2 cells. Counteracting this ER stress can mitigate PDIA6 depletion effects, restoring both the number and length of cilia. Moreover, preventing ferroptosis corrects the disrupted primary ciliogenesis due to PDIA6 depletion in HK2 cells. Our findings emphasize the role of PDIA6 in primary ciliogenesis, and suggest its absence enhances ER stress and ferroptosis. These insights offer new therapeutic avenues for treating nephronophthisis and similar ciliopathies.
ABSTRACT
We report on a femtosecond thulium laser operating on the 3H4 â 3H5 transition with upconversion pumping around 1â µm and passively mode-locked by a GaSb-based SEmiconductor Saturable Absorber Mirror (SESAM). This laser employs a 6 at.% Tm:LiYF4 laser crystal and a polarization maintaining Yb-fiber master oscillator power amplifier at 1043â nm as a pump source addressing the 3F4 â 3F2,3 excited-state absorption transition of Tm3+ ions. In the continuous-wave regime, the Tm-laser generates 616â mW at â¼2313â nm with a slope efficiency of 10.0% (vs. the incident pump power) and a linear polarization (π). By implementing a type-I SESAM with a single ternary strained In0.33Ga0.67Sb quantum well embedded in GaSb for sustaining and stabilizing the soliton pulse shaping, the self-starting mode-locked Tm-laser generated pulses as short as 870 fs at a central wavelength of 2309.4â nm corresponding to an average output power of 208â mW at a pulse repetition rate of 105.08â MHz and excellent mode-locking stability. The output power was scaled to 450â mW at the expense of a longer pulse duration of 1.93 ps. The nonlinear parameters of the SESAM are also reported.
ABSTRACT
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory condition that is influenced by various factors, including environmental factors, immune responses, and genetic elements. Among the factors that influence IBD progression, macrophages play a significant role in generating inflammatory mediators, and an increase in the number of activated macrophages contributes to cellular damage, thereby exacerbating the overall inflammatory conditions. HSPA9, a member of the heat shock protein 70 family, plays a crucial role in regulating mitochondrial processes and responding to oxidative stress. HSPA9 deficiency disrupts mitochondrial dynamics, increasing mitochondrial fission and the production of reactive oxygen species. Based on the known functions of HSPA9, we considered the possibility that HSPA9 reduction may contribute to the exacerbation of colitis and investigated its relevance. In a dextran sodium sulfate-induced colitis mouse model, the downregulated HSPA9 exacerbates colitis symptoms, including increased immune cell infiltration, elevated proinflammatory cytokines, decreased tight junctions, and altered macrophage polarization. Moreover, along with the increased mitochondrial fission, we found that the reduction in HSPA9 significantly affected the superoxide dismutase 1 levels and contributed to cellular death. These findings enhance our understanding of the intricate mechanisms underlying colitis and contribute to the development of novel therapeutic approaches for this challenging condition.
Subject(s)
Colitis , Inflammatory Bowel Diseases , Animals , Mice , Cell Death , Colitis/metabolism , Colon/metabolism , Cytokines/metabolism , Dextran Sulfate/toxicity , Disease Models, Animal , Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/metabolism , Macrophages/metabolism , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Oxidative StressABSTRACT
Autophagy is a pivotal biological process responsible for maintaining the homeostasis of intracellular organelles. Yet the molecular intricacies of peroxisomal autophagy (pexophagy) remain largely elusive. From a ubiquitin-related chemical library for screening, we identified several inhibitors of the Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) E3 ligase, including VH298, thereby serving as potent inducers of pexophagy. In this study, we observed that VH298 stimulates peroxisomal degradation by ATG5 dependently and escalates the ubiquitination of the peroxisomal membrane protein ABCD3. Interestingly, the ablation of NBR1 is similar to the curtailed peroxisomal degradation in VH298-treated cells. We also found that the pexophagy induced by VH298 is impeded upon the suppression of gene expression by the translation inhibitor cycloheximide. Beyond VHL inhibition, we discovered that roxadustat, a direct inhibitor of HIF-α prolyl hydroxylase, is also a potent inducer of pexophagy. Furthermore, we found that VH298-mediated pexophagy is blocked by silencing HIF-1α. In conclusion, our findings suggest that VH298 promotes pexophagy by modulating VHL-mediated HIF-α transcriptional activity.
Subject(s)
Autophagy , Cyclopropanes , Macroautophagy , Pyrrolidines , Thiazoles , Humans , HeLa Cells , Homeostasis , Von Hippel-Lindau Tumor Suppressor Protein/geneticsABSTRACT
The primary cilium, an antenna-like structure on the cell surface, acts as a mechanical and chemical sensory organelle. Primary cilia play critical roles in sensing the extracellular environment to coordinate various developmental and homeostatic signaling pathways. Here, we showed that the depletion of heat shock protein family A member 9 (HSPA9)/mortalin stimulates primary ciliogenesis in SH-SY5Y cells. The downregulation of HSPA9 enhances mitochondrial stress by increasing mitochondrial fragmentation and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) generation. Notably, the inhibition of either mtROS production or mitochondrial fission significantly suppressed the increase in primary ciliogenesis in HSPA9-depleted cells. In addition, enhanced primary ciliogenesis contributed to cell survival by activating AKT in SH-SY5Y cells. The abrogation of ciliogenesis through the depletion of IFT88 potentiated neurotoxicity in HSPA9-knockdown cells. Furthermore, both caspase-3 activation and cell death were increased by MK-2206, an AKT inhibitor, in HSPA9-depleted cells. Taken together, our results suggest that enhanced primary ciliogenesis plays an important role in preventing neurotoxicity caused by the loss of HSPA9 in SH-SY5Y cells.
Subject(s)
Neuroblastoma , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt , Humans , Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism , Cell Line, Tumor , Apoptosis , Oxidative Stress , HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins/metabolism , Mitochondrial Proteins/metabolismABSTRACT
The properties of wheat dough according to salt level and type of mixer were investigated, and parameters derived from each analysis were comprehensively compared. Mixolab analysis showed that water absorption decreased with salt level while the dough strength increased. In the Mixolab C2 stage, related with thermal strength, C2 temperature and time had stronger correlation with other dough strength parameters than C2 torque. Thickness increase of gluten strand was dominant in the doughs prepared by vertical mixer (VMD) than in those prepared by Mixolab device (MLD), for the same salt level. In large deformation, increase in resistance to extension by salt level was much greater in VMD than in MLD. In small deformation, relationships of salt level with G', G'' and power-law exponent (n) were linear and non-linear in MLD and VMD, respectively. Since MLD could not perfectly reflect VMD, properties of dough should be considered in multiple ways for its comprehensive understanding.
ABSTRACT
Self-assembly (formation and crystallization) kinetics of short-chain glucan aggregates (SCGAs) prepared at isothermal conditions (4, 20, 40, and 60â) with or without nucleation (4â, 1 h) were investigated. The fastest formation and crystallization rates of SCGA were observed when short-chain glucan was stored at 4â and 20â, respectively. SCGA was not formed at 60â. However, nucleation resulted in SCGA forming-ability at 60â. Moreover, nucleation increased the yield in all temperature conditions. SCGA with nucleation decreased the crystal melting transition temperature range. All SCGAs had nanosized particles (<500 nm) with B-type crystal patterns regardless of temperature and nucleation. Consequently, self-assembly temperature and presence of nucleation step could change the physicochemical characteristics of SCGA, and manipulation of the nucleation step is expected to be an effective method to increase the yield of SCGA and produce SCGA at high temperature.
Subject(s)
Glucans , Kinetics , Crystallization , Temperature , Transition TemperatureABSTRACT
Several pathogens that spread through the air are highly contagious, and related infectious diseases are more easily transmitted through airborne transmission under indoor conditions, as observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Indoor air contaminated by microorganisms, including viruses, bacteria, and fungi, or by derived pathogenic substances, can endanger human health. Thus, identifying and analyzing the potential pathogens residing in the air are crucial to preventing disease and maintaining indoor air quality. Here, we applied deep learning technology to analyze and predict the toxicity of bacteria in indoor air. We trained the ProtBert model on toxic bacterial and virulence factor proteins and applied them to predict the potential toxicity of some bacterial species by analyzing their protein sequences. The results reflect the results of the in vitro analysis of their toxicity in human cells. The in silico-based simulation and the obtained results demonstrated that it is plausible to find possible toxic sequences in unknown protein sequences.
Subject(s)
Air Pollution, Indoor , COVID-19 , Air Microbiology , Air Pollution, Indoor/analysis , Bacteria , Fungi , Humans , Pandemics , Reproducibility of ResultsABSTRACT
Primary cilia help to maintain cellular homeostasis by sensing conditions in the extracellular environment, including growth factors, nutrients, and hormones that are involved in various signaling pathways. Recently, we have shown that enhanced primary ciliogenesis in dopamine neurons promotes neuronal survival in a Parkinson's disease model. Moreover, we performed fecal metabolite screening in order to identify several candidates for improving primary ciliogenesis, including L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine. However, the role of carnitine in primary ciliogenesis has remained unclear. In addition, the relationship between primary cilia and neurodegenerative diseases has remained unclear. In this study, we have evaluated the effects of carnitine on primary ciliogenesis in 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP+)-treated cells. We found that both L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine promoted primary ciliogenesis in SH-SY5Y cells. In addition, the enhancement of ciliogenesis by carnitine suppressed MPP+-induced mitochondrial reactive oxygen species overproduction and mitochondrial fragmentation in SH-SY5Y cells. Moreover, carnitine inhibited the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in MPP+-treated SH-SY5Y cells. Taken together, our findings suggest that enhanced ciliogenesis regulates MPP+-induced neurotoxicity and inflammation.
Subject(s)
Neuroblastoma , Neurotoxicity Syndromes , 1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium/toxicity , Acetylcarnitine/pharmacology , Apoptosis , Carnitine/pharmacology , Cell Line, Tumor , Dopaminergic Neurons , Humans , InflammationABSTRACT
Although autophagy regulates the quality and quantity of cellular compartments, the regulatory mechanisms underlying peroxisomal autophagy (pexophagy) remain largely unknown. In this study, we identified several BRD4 inhibitors, including molibresib, a novel pexophagy inducer, via chemical library screening. Treatment with molibresib promotes loss of peroxisomes selectively, but not mitochondria, ER, or Golgi apparatus in HeLa cells. Consistently, depletion of BRD4 expression also induced pexophagy in RPE cells. In addition, the inhibition of BRD4 by molibresib increased autophagic degradation of peroxisome ATG7-dependency. We further found that molibresib produced reactive oxygen species (ROS), which potentiates ATM activation. Inhibition of ROS or ATM suppressed the loss of peroxisomes in molibresib-treated cells. Taken together, our data suggest that inhibition of BRD4 promotes pexophagy by increasing ROS and ATM activation.
Subject(s)
Macroautophagy , Nuclear Proteins , Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated Proteins/metabolism , Cell Cycle Proteins/metabolism , HeLa Cells , Humans , Nuclear Proteins/metabolism , Peroxisomes/metabolism , Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism , Transcription Factors/metabolismABSTRACT
Dietary restriction (DR) has been revealed to have health benefits as it induces reduction in oxidative stress. Glutathione (GSH), an important cellular antioxidant, is increased in rodent livers owing to DR; however, the exact mechanism and clinical relevance of DR are yet to be fully understood. In this study, male C57BL/6 mice were administered a 50% restricted diet for 7 d, and the hepatic sulfur-containing amino acid (SAA) metabolism was determined to assess the biosynthesis of GSH. The hepatic methionine level was found to decrease, while the homocysteine, cysteine, and GSH levels were increased owing to decreased betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT) and increased CßS, CγL, and glutamate cysteine ligase catalytic subunit (GCLC) proteins in the livers of mice subjected to DR. To determine the effects of DR on drug-induced oxidative liver injury, mice subjected to DR were injected with a toxic dose (300 mg/kg) of acetaminophen (APAP). DR significantly alleviated APAP-induced liver damage and oxidative stress, which might be attributed to the higher levels of GSH and related antioxidant enzyme (GPx, GSTα, and GSTµ) in the livers. The decrease in the levels of hepatic CYP1A, 2E1, and 3A, which imply the inhibition of APAP metabolic activation, could contribute to the lower hepatotoxicity in mice subjected to DR. Overall, our findings revealed that DR stimulated the hepatic transsulfuration pathway and GSH synthesis. The consequent elevation of GSH could thus serve as an important mechanism of DR-mediated liver protection against APAP intoxication.
Subject(s)
Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury, Chronic , Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury , Acetaminophen/adverse effects , Acetaminophen/metabolism , Animals , Antioxidants/metabolism , Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury/metabolism , Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury/prevention & control , Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury, Chronic/metabolism , Cysteine/metabolism , Glutathione/metabolism , Liver/metabolism , Male , Mice , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Sulfur/metabolism , Sulfur/pharmacologyABSTRACT
The effects of concentration, temperature, and time on infusion of fluorescein into corn and waxy rice starches and their controlled release pattern were investigated. At low fluorescein concentration (1 µM), temperature significantly affected infusion efficiency. At high fluorescein concentration (50-150 µM), temperature showed little effect; fluorescein concentration significantly affected infusion efficiency. Corn starch showed relatively higher infusion efficiency than waxy rice starch at high concentration. During controlled release, 50% and 81% of infused fluorescein were released from corn and waxy rice starches, respectively, after bacterial α-amylase treatment. However, 61% and 68% of infused fluorescein were released from corn and waxy rice starches, respectively, after pancreatic α-amylase treatment. The dextrose equivalent (DE) value revealed similar patterns, suggesting that degradation of starch by different α-amylases is a major factor affecting release of fluorescein from starch granules. Moreover, granule size of starch greatly affected enzymatic hydrolysis and controlled release in this system. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-022-01059-2.
ABSTRACT
The effects of immersion time on the physicochemical properties and resistant starch (RS) formation of malic acid-treated rice were investigated. Malic acid treatment decreased the frequency of cracks within the rice kernel. The color (lightness) was significantly affected by the immersion time, reflecting the browning of rice. The degree of substitution gradually increased with the immersion time and reached a plateau after 12 h, and the intensity of the C=O bond peak detected in the Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy showed a similar trend. However, the crystallinity of rice decreased as the immersion time increased, which was confirmed by the X-ray diffraction and thermal transition properties. A gradual increase in RS was observed as the immersion time and DS increased, ranging from 44.5% to 73.3%, reaching a maximum after 12 h of immersion. Therefore, 12 h was determined to be the optimal immersion time for maximizing RS content. This information about the structural characteristics and heat-stable properties of malic acid-treated rice in starch digestion can be used to develop a low-digestible food ingredient and lead to further application of the study. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: This study reported the preparation and physicochemical properties of malic acid-treated resistant starch with different immersion times. This information could contribute to the structural characterization of resistant starch and the development of low-calorie processed rice products.
Subject(s)
Oryza , Immersion , Malates , Oryza/chemistry , Resistant Starch , Starch/chemistry , X-Ray DiffractionABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: There is limited information on the management and outcomes of oligometastases (OM) in adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC). METHODS: Retrospective study of 42 patients with metastatic ACC of the head and neck. Imaging studies were analyzed to identify patients with OM (1-5 lesions) at any point during follow-up. RESULTS: There was radiographic evidence of OM in 33/42 (79%) patients. Eighteen patients had OM when treated for metastases, with median overall survival (OS) of 36.0 versus 9.2 years for patients with polymetastases (6+ lesions, HR 0.38, 95%CI 0.14-0.89). Earlier locally ablative treatment, but not systemic treatment, of patients with OM predicted improved survival 3 years after metastasis (HR 0.15, 95%CI 0.02-0.63) and postponed systemic treatment by 80 more months (HR 0.22, 95%CI 0.07-0.71). CONCLUSIONS: There is a considerable population of ACC patients with detectable oligometastases, and early locally ablative treatment of oligometastases may be associated with improved outcomes.
Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic , Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic/diagnostic imaging , Carcinoma, Adenoid Cystic/therapy , Humans , Retrospective Studies , Time-to-Treatment , Tumor BurdenABSTRACT
Selective autophagy controls cellular homeostasis by degrading unnecessary or damaged cellular components. Melanosomes are specialized organelles that regulate the biogenesis, storage, and transport of melanin in melanocytes. However, the mechanisms underlying melanosomal autophagy, known as the melanophagy pathway, are poorly understood. To better understand the mechanism of melanophagy, we screened an endocrine-hormone chemical library and identified nalfurafine hydrochlorides, a κ-opioid receptor agonist, as a potent inducer of melanophagy. Treatment with nalfurafine hydrochloride increased autophagy and reduced melanin content in alpha-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (α-MSH)-treated cells. Furthermore, inhibition of autophagy blocked melanosomal degradation and reversed the nalfurafine hydrochloride-induced decrease in melanin content in α-MSH-treated cells. Consistently, treatment with other κ-opioid receptor agonists, such as MCOPPB or mianserin, inhibited excessive melanin production but induced autophagy in B16F1 cells. Furthermore, nalfurafine hydrochloride inhibited protein kinase A (PKA) activation, which was notably restored by forskolin, a PKA activator. Additionally, forskolin treatment further suppressed melanosomal degradation as well as the anti-pigmentation activity of nalfurafine hydrochloride in α-MSH-treated cells. Collectively, our data suggest that stimulation of κ-opioid receptors induces melanophagy by inhibiting PKA activation in α-MSH-treated B16F1 cells.
Subject(s)
Melanins , alpha-MSH , alpha-MSH/pharmacology , Colforsin , Melanins/metabolism , Receptors, Opioid, kappa/agonists , Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinases/metabolism , Animals , MiceABSTRACT
Fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextrans (FDs) of different molecular weights were infused into corn, waxy rice, tapioca, and potato starches under atmospheric and high hydrostatic pressures (HHP). FD4, FD10, FD20, and FD40 (Mw 4000, 10,000, 20,000, and 40,000, respectively) were used as infusion materials. Confocal laser scanning microscopy confirmed that all FDs except FD40 infused into corn, waxy rice, and tapioca starches. However, no FDs infused into potato starch. Corn starch had the highest amounts of infused FDs. As molar mass increased, the amount of infused FD decreased in all starches. The infused amounts of FDs in corn starch were similar at 200-300 MPa and atmospheric pressure. Infusion of FDs at 400 MPa was reduced due to partial gelatinization. These results confirm that infusion efficiency is inversely proportional to the molecular weight of the infused material and large materials (Mw > 40,000) cannot be infused into starch granules under atmospheric pressure or HHP. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10068-021-00972-2.
ABSTRACT
In this study, the rheological properties of several commercial rice noodle strands were investigated. In the bending test, failure stress decreased as the cooking temperature increased from 80 to 90 °C, and the cooking time increased from 3 to 4 min for higher rice content noodles (>60%). The stress-relaxation test and sensory tests were carried out with bundles of noodles to investigate correlations with the bending test. The modulus of elasticity was higher at 80 than 90 °C. However, no correlation was found between cooking temperature and the rheological properties of lower rice content noodles. In the stress relaxation test, the deviation was larger due to the empty space in the bundle. In the correlation analysis, sensory stickiness was correlated with a modulus of elasticity in the bending test. Comparing the bending and stress-relaxation tests, each instrumental variable showed differences in the rheological properties of rice noodles in strands and bundles. However, the bending test measured with noodle strands seemed to be most suitable as a method of measuring the rheological properties of rice noodles.
ABSTRACT
Sub-100 fs pulse generation from a passively mode-locked Tm,Ho-codoped cubic multicomponent disordered garnet laser at â¼2 µm is demonstrated. A single-walled carbon nanotube saturable absorber is implemented to initiate and stabilize the soliton mode-locking. The Tm,Ho:LCLNGG (lanthanum calcium lithium niobium gallium garnet) laser generated pulses as short as 63 fs at a central wavelength of 2072.7 nm with an average output power of 63 mW at a pulse repetition rate of â¼102.5 MHz. Higher average output power of 121 mW was obtained at the expense of longer pulse duration (96 fs) at 2067.6 nm using higher output coupling. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on mode-locked operation of the Tm,Ho:LCLNGG crystal.
ABSTRACT
We report on the first sub-100 fs mode-locked laser operation of a Tm3+-doped disordered calcium lithium tantalum gallium garnet (Tm:CLTGG) crystal. Soliton mode-locking was initiated and stabilized by a transmission-type single-walled carbon nanotube saturable absorber. Pulses as short as 69 fs were achieved at a central wavelength of 2010.4 nm with an average power of 28 mW at a pulse repetition rate of â¼87.7 MHz. In the sub-100 fs regime, the maximum average output power amounted to 103 mW.
ABSTRACT
Particulate matters (PMs) increase oxidative stress and inflammatory response in different tissues. PMs disrupt the formation of primary cilia in various skin cells, including keratinocytes and melanocytes. In this study, we found that 2-isopropylmalic acid (2-IPMA) promoted primary ciliogenesis and restored the PM2.5-induced dysgenesis of primary cilia in dermal fibroblasts. Moreover, 2-IPMA inhibited the generation of excessive reactive oxygen species and the activation of stress kinase in PM2.5-treated dermal fibroblasts. Further, 2-IPMA inhibited the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including IL-6 and TNF-α, which were upregulated by PM2.5. However, the inhibition of primary ciliogenesis by IFT88 depletion reversed the downregulated cytokines by 2-IPMA. Moreover, we found that PM2.5 treatment increased the MMP-1 expression in dermal fibroblasts and a human 3-D-skin model. The reduced MMP-1 expression by 2-IPMA was further reversed by IFT88 depletion in PM2.5-treated dermal fibroblasts. These findings suggest that 2-IPMA ameliorates PM2.5-induced inflammation by promoting primary ciliogenesis in dermal fibroblasts.