Transcriptome analysis of cultured human vascular endothelial cells after γ-ray irradiation and correlation analysis with ATP, ADP, and adenosine as secondary soluble factors.

Vascular endothelial cells serve as barriers between blood components and subendothelial tissue and regulate the blood coagulation-fibrinolytic system. Ionizing radiation is a common physical stimulant that induces a bystander effect whereby irradiated cells influence neighboring cells through signalings, including purinergic receptor signaling, activated by adenosine 5'-triphosphate (ATP), adenosine 5'-diphosphate (ADP), and adenosine as secondary soluble factors. Human vascular endothelial EA.hy926 cells were cultured and irradiated with γ-rays or treated with ATP, ADP, or adenosine under non-toxic conditions. RNA-seq, gene ontology, and hierarchical clustering analyses were performed. The transcriptome analysis of differentially expressed genes in vascular endothelial cells after γ-ray irradiations suggests that the change of gene expression by γ-irradiation is mediated by ATP and ADP. In addition, the expression and activity of the proteins related to blood coagulation and fibrinolysis systems appear to be secondarily regulated by ATP and ADP in vascular endothelial cells after exposure to γ-irradiation. Although it is unclear whether the changes of the gene expression related to blood coagulation and fibrinolysis systems by γ-irradiation affected the increased hemorrhagic tendency through the exposure to γ-irradiation or the negative feedback to the activated blood coagulation system, the present data indicate that toxicity associated with γ-irradiation involves the dysfunction of vascular endothelial cells related to the blood coagulation-fibrinolytic system, which is mediated by the signalings, including purinergic receptor signaling, activated by ATP and ADP.

Lead suppresses perlecan expression via EGFR-ERK1/2-COX-2-PGI2 pathway in cultured bovine vascular endothelial cells.

Vascular endothelial cell growth is essential for the repair of intimal injury. Perlecan, a large heparan sulfate proteoglycan, intensifies fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) signaling as a co-receptor for FGF-2 and its receptor, and promotes the proliferation of vascular endothelial cells. Previously, we reported that 2 µM of lead, a toxic heavy metal, downregulated perlecan core protein expression and then suppressed the growth of vascular endothelial cells. However, since the mechanisms involved in the repression of perlecan by lead remains unclear, we analyzed its detailed signaling pathway using cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells. Our findings indicate that 2 µM of lead inhibited protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) activity and induced cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) via phosphorylation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and its downstream extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERK1/2). In addition, among the prostanoids regulated by COX-2, prostaglandin I2 (PGI2) specifically contributes to the downregulation of perlecan expression by lead. This study revealed an intracellular pathway-the EGFR-ERK1/2-COX-2-PGI2 pathway activated by inhibition of PTP by lead-as a pathway that downregulates endothelial perlecan synthesis. The pathway is suggested to serve as a mechanism for the repression of perlecan expression, which leads to a delay in cell proliferation by lead.

Pathogenesis of selective damage of granule cell layer in cerebellum of rats exposed to methylmercury.

Granule cell-selective toxicity of methylmercury in the cerebellum is one of the main unresolved issues in the pathogenesis of Minamata disease. Rats were orally administered methylmercury chloride (10 mg/kg/day) for 5 consecutive days, and their brains were harvested on days 1, 7, 14, 21, or 28 after the last administration for histological examination of the cerebellum. It was found that methylmercury caused a marked degenerative change to the granule cell layers but not to the Purkinje cell layers. The generative change of the granule cell layer was due to cell death, including apoptosis, which occurred at day 21 and beyond after the methylmercury administration. Meanwhile, cytotoxic T-lymphocytes and macrophages had infiltrated the granule cell layer. Additionally, granule cells are shown to be a cell type susceptible to TNF-α. Taken together, these results suggest that methylmercury causes small-scale damage to granule cells, triggering the infiltration of cytotoxic T-lymphocytes and macrophages into the granule cell layer, which secrete tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) to induce apoptosis in granule cells. This chain is established based on the susceptibility of granule cells to methylmercury, the ability of cytotoxic T lymphocytes and macrophages to synthesize and secrete TNF-α, and the sensitivity of granule cells to TNF-α and methylmercury. We propose to call the pathology of methylmercury-induced cerebellar damage the "inflammation hypothesis."

Long-Term Exposure to Cadmium Causes Hepatic Iron Deficiency through the Suppression of Iron-Transport-Related Gene Expression in the Proximal Duodenum.

Cadmium (Cd) is an environmental pollutant that damages various tissues. Cd may cause a depletion of iron stores and subsequently an iron deficiency state in the liver. However, the molecular mechanism of decreased iron accumulation in the liver induced by long-term exposure to Cd is unknown. In this study, we investigated the hepatic accumulation of iron and the proximal duodenal expression of the genes involved in iron transport using mice chronically exposed to Cd. Five-week-old female C57BL/6J mice were fed a diet containing 300 ppm Cd for 12, 15, 19 and 21 months. The iron concentration in the liver was markedly decreased by Cd. Among iron-transport-related genes in the proximal duodenum, the gene expression of HCP1 and Cybrd1 was significantly decreased by Cd. HCP1 is an influx transporter of heme iron. Cybrd1 is a reductase that allows non-heme iron to enter cells. The expression of iron-transport-related genes on the duodenal basolateral membrane side was hardly altered by Cd. These results suggest that long-term exposure to Cd suppresses the expression of HCP1 and Cybrd1 in the proximal duodenum, resulting in reduced iron absorption and iron accumulation in the liver.

Sb-Phenyl-N-methyl-5,6,7,12-tetrahydrodibenz[c,f][1,5]azastibocine Induces Perlecan Core Protein Synthesis in Cultured Vascular Endothelial Cells.

Vascular endothelial cells synthesize and secrete perlecan, a large heparan sulfate proteoglycan that increases the anticoagulant activity of vascular endothelium by inducing antithrombin III and intensifying fibroblast growth factor (FGF)-2 activity to promote migration and proliferation in the repair process of damaged endothelium during the progression of atherosclerosis. However, the exact regulatory mechanisms of endothelial perlecan expression remain unclear. Since organic-inorganic hybrid molecules are being developed rapidly as tools to analyze biological systems, we searched for a molecular probe to analyze these mechanisms using a library of organoantimony compounds and found that the Sb-phenyl-N-methyl-5,6,7,12-tetrahydrodibenz[c,f][1,5]azastibocine (PMTAS) molecule promotes the expression of perlecan core protein gene without exhibiting cytotoxicity in vascular endothelial cells. In the present study, we characterized proteoglycans synthesized by cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells using biochemical techniques. The results indicated that PMTAS selectively induced perlecan core protein synthesis, without affecting the formation of its heparan sulfate chain, in vascular endothelial cells. The results also implied that this process is independent of the endothelial cell density, whereas in vascular smooth muscle cells, it occurred only at high cell density. Thus, PMTAS would be a useful tool for further studies on the mechanisms underlying perlecan core protein synthesis in vascular cells, which is critical in the progression of vascular lesions, such as those during atherosclerosis.

Lithium Lanthanum Titanate Single Crystals: Dependence of Lithium-Ion Conductivity on Crystal Domain Orientation.

Lithium lanthanum titanate La2/3-xLi3xTiO3 (LLTO) has the potential to exhibit the highest Li-ion conductivity among oxide-based electrolytes because of the fast Li-ion diffusion derived from its crystal structure. Herein, bulk Li-ion conductivity of up to σbulk = 4.0 × 10-3 S/cm at 300 K, which is approximately three to four times higher than that of LLTO polycrystals, was demonstrated using LLTO single crystals, and their dependence on crystal domain orientation was examined. A change in the activation energy, which was previously obscured because of random crystal orientation, was observed at approximately 260 K. Furthermore, electron microscopy analysis indicated that the ionic conductivity of LLTOs remained higher because the region with the highest ionic conductivity was tilted away from the ideal conduction orientation. The results reported herein provide the highest conductivity in LLTO and important insights into their crystal structures, enabling higher conductivity in novel oxide-based electrolyte design.

Defect Engineering and Anisotropic Modulation of Ionic Transport in Perovskite Solid Electrolyte LixLa(1-x)/3NbO3.

Solid electrolytes, such as perovskite Li3xLa2/1-xTiO3, LixLa(1-x)/3NbO3 and garnet Li7La3Zr2O12 ceramic oxides, have attracted extensive attention in lithium-ion battery research due to their good chemical stability and the improvability of their ionic conductivity with great potential in solid electrolyte battery applications. These solid oxides eliminate safety issues and cycling instability, which are common challenges in the current commercial lithium-ion batteries based on organic liquid electrolytes. However, in practical applications, structural disorders such as point defects and grain boundaries play a dominating role in the ionic transport of these solid electrolytes, where defect engineering to tailor or improve the ionic conductive property is still seldom reported. Here, we demonstrate a defect engineering approach to alter the ionic conductive channels in LixLa(1-x)/3NbO3 (x = 0.1~0.13) electrolytes based on the rearrangements of La sites through a quenching process. The changes in the occupancy and interstitial defects of La ions lead to anisotropic modulation of ionic conductivity with the increase in quenching temperatures. Our trial in this work on the defect engineering of quenched electrolytes will offer opportunities to optimize ionic conductivity and benefit the solid electrolyte battery applications.

Hypoalgesia and recovery in methylmercury-exposed rats.

Methylmercury (MeHg), the causal substrate in Minamata disease, can lead to severe and chronic neurological disorders. The main symptom of Minamata disease is sensory impairment in the four extremities; however, the sensitivity of individual sensory modalities to MeHg has not been investigated extensively. In the present study, we performed stimulus-response behavioral experiments in MeHg-exposed rats to compare the sensitivities to pain, heat, cold, and mechanical sensations. MeHg (6.7 mg/kg/day) was orally administered to 9-week-old Wistar rats for 5 days and discontinued for 2 days, then administered daily for another 5 days. The four behavioral experiments were performed daily on each rat from the beginning of MeHg treatment for 68 days. The pain sensation decreased significantly from day 11 onwards, but recovered to control levels on day 48. Other sensory modalities were not affected by MeHg exposure. These findings suggest that the pain sensation is the sensory modality most susceptive to MeHg toxicity and that this sensitivity is reversible following discontinuation of the exposure.

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of In Vitro Anti-Human Cancer Experiments Investigating the Use of 5-Aminolevulinic Acid (5-ALA) for Photodynamic Therapy.

5-Aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA) is an amino acid derivative and a precursor of protoporphyrin IX (PpIX). The photophysical feature of PpIX is clinically used in photodynamic diagnosis (PDD) and photodynamic therapy (PDT). These clinical applications are potentially based on in vitro cell culture experiments. Thus, conducting a systematic review and meta-analysis of in vitro 5-ALA PDT experiments is meaningful and may provide opportunities to consider future perspectives in this field. We conducted a systematic literature search in PubMed to summarize the in vitro 5-ALA PDT experiments and calculated the effectiveness of 5-ALA PDT for several cancer cell types. In total, 412 articles were identified, and 77 were extracted based on our inclusion criteria. The calculated effectiveness of 5-ALA PDT was statistically analyzed, which revealed a tendency of cancer-classification-dependent sensitivity to 5-ALA PDT, and stomach cancer was significantly more sensitive to 5-ALA PDT compared with cancers of different origins. Based on our analysis, we suggest a standardized in vitro experimental protocol for 5-ALA PDT.

Arsenite induces tissue factor synthesis through Nrf2 activation in cultured human aortic smooth muscle cells.

Tissue factor (TF) is the initiator of the coagulation cascade, constitutively expressed in subendothelial cells such as vascular smooth muscle cells and initiating rapid coagulation when the vascular vessel is damaged. TF has been shown to be involved in the development and progression of atherosclerosis. Arsenic, an environmental pollutant, is related to the progression of atherosclerosis, although the pathogenic mechanisms are not fully elucidated. In the present study, we investigated the effect of arsenite on the expression of TF in human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) and the underlying molecular mechanisms. We found that (1) arsenite stimulated TF synthesis and activated the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) pathway in HASMCs, (2) sulforaphane, an Nrf2 activator, also stimulated TF synthesis in HASMCs, and (3) arsenite-induced upregulation of TF synthesis was prevented by Nrf2 knockdown in HASMCs. These results suggest that arsenite promotes TF synthesis by activating the Nrf2 pathway in HASMCs and that the induction of TF expression by arsenite may be related to the progression of atherosclerosis.

Arsenite Inhibits Tissue-Type Plasminogen Activator Synthesis through NRF2 Activation in Cultured Human Vascular Endothelial EA.hy926 Cells.

Chronic arsenic exposure is known to be related to the progression of atherosclerosis. However, the pathogenic mechanisms of arsenic-induced atherosclerosis have not been fully elucidated. Because disruption of the blood coagulation/fibrinolytic system is involved in the development of arteriosclerosis, we investigated the effect of arsenite on fibrinolytic activity in human vascular endothelial EA.hy926 cells in the present study. Fibrinolysis depends on the balance between tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) secreted from vascular endothelial cells. We found that arsenite reduced fibrinolytic t-PA activity by inhibiting its synthesis without affecting PAI-1 production. The inhibitory effect of arsenite on t-PA expression was partially recovered by the reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger Trolox. The nuclear factor erythroid 2 related factor 2 (NRF2) pathway is known to be activated by arsenite via ROS production. We confirmed that arsenite activated the NRF2 pathway, and arsenite-induced inhibition of fibrinolytic t-PA activity was abrogated in NRF2-knockdown EA.hy926 cells. These results suggest that arsenite inhibits the fibrinolytic activity of t-PA by selectively suppressing its synthesis via activation of the NRF2 pathway in vascular endothelial cells.

Induction of metallothionein isoforms in cultured bovine aortic endothelial cells exposed to cadmium.

Metallothionein (MT) is an inducible protein with cytoprotective activity against heavy metals such as cadmium, zinc, and copper. MT-1 and MT-2 are the isoforms of MT induced by and bind the heavy metals. Bovine aortic endothelial cells contain three types of MT genes, namely, MT-1A, MT-1E, and MT-2A; however, the associated protein expression of these MT isoforms has not been identified. In the present study, the expression of MT subisoform proteins in cells treated with cadmium chloride was identified using a high-performance liquid chromatography-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry system. It was revealed that: (1) transcriptional induction of MT-1A by cadmium was markedly more sensitive than that of MT-1E/2A; (2) MT-1A and MT-2A proteins were the predominant MT subisoforms induced by cadmium; and (3) there might be differentiation in the functions of MT-1 and MT-2 against cadmium cytotoxicity, although the actual roles of the MT isoforms in the cells were not distinct. This is the first study to show the differential induction of isoforms of MT proteins in vascular endothelial cells by cadmium.

Novel Photosensitizer ß-Mannose-Conjugated Chlorin e6 as a Potent Anticancer Agent for Human Glioblastoma U251 Cells.

A photosensitizer is a molecular drug for photodynamic diagnosis and photodynamic therapy (PDT) against cancer. Many studies have developed photosensitizers, but improvements in their cost, efficacy, and side effects are needed for better PDT of patients. In the present study, we developed a novel photosensitizer ß-mannose-conjugated chlorin e6 (ß-M-Ce6) and investigated its PDT effects in human glioblastoma U251 cells. U251 cells were incubated with ß-M-Ce6, followed by laser irradiation. Cell viability was determined using the Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. The PDT effects of ß-M-Ce6 were compared with those of talaporfin sodium (TS) and our previously reported photosensitizer ß-glucose-conjugated chlorin e6 (ß-G-Ce6). Cellular uptake of each photosensitizer and subcellular distribution were analyzed by fluorescence microscopy. ß-M-Ce6 showed 1000× more potent PDT effects than those of TS, and these were similar to those of ß-G-Ce6. ß-M-Ce6 accumulation in U251 cells was much faster than TS accumulation and distributed to several organelles such as the Golgi apparatus, mitochondria, and lysosomes. This rapid cellular uptake was inhibited by low temperature, which suggested that ß-M-Ce6 uptake uses biological machinery. ß-M-Ce6 showed potent PDT anti-cancer effects compared with clinically approved TS, which is a possible candidate as a next generation photosensitizer in cancer therapy.

Possible mechanism of heme oxygenase-1 expression in rat malignant meningioma KMY-J cells subjected to talaporfin sodium-mediated photodynamic therapy.

BACKGROUND: We previously demonstrated that heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) induction may contribute to a protective response against photodynamic therapy (PDT) using talaporfin sodium (TS) in rat malignant meningioma KMY-J cells. In the present study, we examined the mechanism of HO-1 induction by PDT with TS (TS-PDT) in KMY-J cells. METHODS: KMY-J cells were incubated with 25 µM TS for 2 h and then exposed to 664 nm diode laser irradiation at 1 J/cm2. The gene and protein expression levels of HO-1 and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) were determined by real-time RT-PCR and western blot analysis, respectively. Cell viability was measured using the cell counting kit-8 assay. RESULTS: mRNA and protein levels of HO-1 in KMY-J cells were increased significantly at 3, 6, and 9 h after laser irradiation and the increased mRNA level of HO-1 was decreased by antioxidant N-acetyl cysteine treatment. The protein level of HIF-1α, which mediates transcriptional activation of the HO-1 gene, was increased significantly at 1 h after laser irradiation. Additionally, induction of mRNA expression of HO-1 by TS-PDT was diminished by HIF-1α inhibitor echinomycin. We also demonstrated that echinomycin significantly augmented the cytotoxic effect of TS-PDT. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings indicate that TS-PDT may induce HO-1 expression via reactive oxygen species production and then HIF-1 pathway activation in KMY-J cells, and the HO-1 induction may cause attenuation of the therapeutic effect of TS-PDT.

Cadmium induces iron deficiency anemia through the suppression of iron transport in the duodenum.

Cadmium (Cd) is an environmental contaminant that triggers toxic effects in various tissues such as the kidney, liver, and lung. Cd can also cause abnormal iron metabolism, leading to anemia. Iron homeostasis is regulated by intestinal absorption. However, whether Cd affects the iron absorption pathway is unclear. We aimed to elucidate the relationship between the intestinal iron transporter system and Cd-induced iron deficiency anemia. C57BL/6J female and male mice, 129/Sv female mice, and DBA/2 female mice were given a single oral dose of CdCl2 by gavage. After 3 or 24 h, Cd decreased serum iron concentrations and inhibited the expression of iron transport-related genes in the duodenum. In particular, Cd decreased the levels of divalent metal transporter 1 and ferroportin 1 in the duodenum. In addition, human colon carcinoma Caco-2 cells were treated with CdCl2. After 72 h, Cd decreased the expression of iron transport-related factors in Caco-2 cells with a pattern similar to that seen in the murine duodenum. These findings suggest that Cd inhibits iron absorption through direct suppression of iron transport in duodenal enterocytes and contributes to abnormal iron metabolism.

Synergistic effect of dichloroacetate on talaporfin sodium-based photodynamic therapy on U251 human astrocytoma cells.

BACKGROUND: Talaporfin sodium (TS) is an authorized photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy (PDT) against some tumors in Japan; however, the drawbacks of the drug include its high cost and side effects. Thus, reducing the dose of TS in each round of TS-PDT against tumors is important for reducing treatment costs and improving patients' quality of life. Dichloroacetate (DCA) is approved for treating lactic acidosis and hereditary mitochondrial diseases, and it is known to enhance reactive oxygen species production and induce apoptosis in cancer cells. Therefore, DCA has the potential to enhance the effects of TS-PDT and permit the use of lower TS doses without reducing the anti-cancer effect. METHODS: U251 human astrocytoma cells were simultaneously incubated with TS and DCA using different concentrations, administration schedules, and treatment durations, followed by laser irradiation. Cell viability was determined using the CCK-8 assay. RESULTS: The combinational use of DCA and TS resulted in synergistically enhanced TS-PDT effects in U251 cells. The duration of DCA treatment before TS-PDT slightly enhanced the efficacy of TS-PDT. The intensity of laser irradiation was not associated with the synergistic effect of DCA on TS-PDT. In addition, the relationship between the elapsed time after TS/DCA combination treatment and PDT ineffectiveness was identical to that of TS monotherapy. CONCLUSIONS: DCA synergistically enhanced the anti-cancer effect of TS-PDT, illustrating its potential for drug repositioning in cancer therapy in combination with PDT.

Synthesis and anticancer activity of bis(2-arylimidazo[1,2-a]pyridin-3-yl) selenides and diselenides: the copper-catalyzed tandem C-H selenation of 2-arylimidazo[1,2-a]pyridine with selenium.

Most heteroaryl selenides and diselenides are biologically active, with some reported to act as antioxidants and show activities that are medicinally relevant; hence, the development of efficient methods for their synthesis is an important objective. Herein, a simple method for the synthesis of selenides and diselenides bearing imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine rings and their anticancer activity are described. The double C-H selenation of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine with Se powder was catalyzed by CuI (10 mol %) ligated with 1,10-phenanthroline (10 mol %) at 130 °C under aerobic conditions. The selenides or diselenides were prepared almost selectively using selenium powder in an appropriate quantity under otherwise identical reaction conditions. The prepared selenides and diselenides bearing two imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine rings were all novel compounds. Among the prepared diselenides and selenides that exhibited cytotoxicity against cancer cells, bis[2-(4-methoxyphenyl)imidazo[1,2-a]pyridin-3-yl] diselenide showed an excellent anticancer activity and low cytotoxicity toward noncancer cells, suggesting that this diselenide is a potential lead compound for anticancer therapy.

Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) is a negative regulator of tissue plasminogen activator synthesis in cultured human vascular endothelial EA.hy926 cells.

Blood coagulation and the fibrinolytic system contribute to vascular lesions. Fibrinolysis in normal circulating blood strongly depends on the balance between tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) secreted from vascular endothelial cells; however, the mechanisms by which endothelial fibrinolysis is regulated remain to be fully understood. In the present study, human vascular endothelial EA.hy926 cells were transfected with small interfering RNA for nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and the expression of t-PA and PAI-1 and fibrinolytic activity in the conditioned medium were examined. EA.hy926 cells were also treated with sulforaphane, an NRF2 activator, and fibrinolytic activity was examined to confirm the NRF2 signaling pathway's effect. Enhanced fibrinolytic activity in the conditioned medium was observed in association with increased expression and secretion levels of t-PA in NRF2 knockdown EA.hy926 cells. However, sulforaphane inhibited fibrinolytic activity and t-PA synthesis in EA.hy926 cells without any cell damage. The expression level of PAI-1 did not change in either NRF2 knockdown or sulforaphane treated cells. These results suggest that transcription factor NRF2 may play a role in down-regulating endothelial t-PA synthesis and fibrinolytic activity.

Zn(ii)2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline stimulates cultured bovine aortic endothelial cell proliferation.

Vascular endothelial cells cover the luminal surface of blood vessels in a monolayer. Proliferation of these cells is crucial for the repair of damaged endothelial monolayers. In the present study, we identified a zinc complex, Zn(ii)2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (Zn-12), that stimulates the proliferation of bovine aortic endothelial cells in a culture system. No such stimulatory activity was observed for the ligand alone or in combination with other metals; however, the ligand combined with iron weakly stimulated the proliferation, as evidenced by the [3H]thymidine incorporation assay. Inorganic zinc weakly but significantly stimulated proliferation, and intracellular accumulation of zinc was similar between inorganic zinc and Zn-12 treatment, suggesting that the mechanisms by which Zn-12 stimulates vascular endothelial cell proliferation contain processes that differ from those by which inorganic zinc stimulates proliferation. Although expression of endogenous fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) and its receptor FGFR-1 was unchanged by Zn-12, both siRNA-mediated knockdown of FGF-2 and FGFR inhibition partly but significantly suppressed the stimulation of vascular endothelial cell proliferation by Zn-12, indicating that the zinc complex activates the FGF-2 pathway to stimulate proliferation. Phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and MAPKs was induced by Zn-12, and PD98059, a MEK1 inhibitor, significantly suppressed the stimulatory effect of Zn-12 on vascular endothelial cell proliferation. Therefore, it is suggested that Zn-12 activates the FGF-2 pathway via activation of ERK1/2 signaling to stimulate vascular endothelial cell proliferation, although FGF-2-independent mechanisms are also involved in the stimulation. Zn-12 and related compounds may be promising molecular probes to analyze biological systems of vascular endothelial cells.

Gene expression profiles in the dorsal root ganglia of methylmercury-exposed rats.

Methylmercury (MeHg) exposure is known to induce neurodegeneration in both the central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral nervous system (PNS). Molecular mechanisms of MeHg-induced neurotoxicity have been well investigated in the CNS, however, it remains unclear in the PNS. In the present study, comprehensive gene expression analysis was performed by analyzing MeHg-exposed adult rat dorsal root ganglion (DRG) by DNA microarray. Methylmercuric chloride (6.7 mg/kg/day) was administered to nine-week-old male Wistar rats for five days, followed by two days without administration; this cycle was repeated once. Rats were anesthetized at 7 or 14 days after commencement of MeHg exposure, and their DRGs were removed and homogenized to make total RNA samples. DNA microarray data from Day 7 samples identified 100 out of 18,513 detected genes as annotated genes with more than two-fold upregulated or downregulated expression compared with controls. Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses suggested strong involvement of immune activation and inflammation pathways in rat DRG exposed to MeHg, and some genes overlapped with previously reported genes affected by MeHg exposure in the cerebellum. The present results suggest that MeHg-induced neurotoxicity is associated with immune activation and inflammatory responses in rat DRG.