Biomedical subjects

Yasuhiro Yamada

Publications and source records attributed to Yasuhiro Yamada.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2026

A photoactivatable Cre-loxP system for spatiotemporal genetic manipulation in mouse taste buds.

Conventional genetic approaches, including global gene KO and conditional KO strategies such as the Cre-loxP system, have some limitations arising from systemic effects or insufficient temporal resolution. The recently developed photoactivatable Cre (PA-Cre) system may have a potential to improve spatiotemporal control of gene manipulation. In this study, we established and validated the feasibility of the PA-Cre system using taste buds as a model. We generated TRE-PA-Cre:R26-rtTA/tdTomato mice to evaluate blue-light-induced Cre recombinase activity. Through systematic optimization of illumination parameters, we found that a single session of blue-light-illumination resulted in limited recombination efficiency, whereas a multisession illumination strategy markedly increased recombination efficiency. To further assess the utility of the PA-Cre system for gene KO, we generated TRE-PA-Cre:R26-rtTA:Tas1r3-flox mice and targeted a taste-related gene Tas1r3. Genomic DNA quantitative PCR and reverse transcription-quantitative PCR both showed partial reductions in Tas1r3 at the DNA and mRNA levels, respectively. Behavioral assays further revealed a selective decrease in sensitivity to sweet and umami stimuli. Together, these findings demonstrate PA-Cre-mediated gene manipulation in taste buds and establish a practical optical activation paradigm, providing a high-spatiotemporal-resolution tool for investigating gene function in optically targeted regions.

Animals↗

PubMed2007

Multistep carcinogenesis of the colon in Apc(Min/+) mouse.

Colon cancer arises through different histological stages representing different genetic and epigenetic alterations. The Apc(Min/+) mouse has a point mutation at the Apc gene, and it is considered to be a model for human familial adenomatous polyposis. Our previous studies have revealed the presence of a number of intramucosal microadenomas in the colons of Apc(Min/+) mice, in which only a few macroscopic tumors were recognized. These observations suggest that there are two distinct stages for colon carcinogenesis in Apc(Min/+) mouse, and the Apc(Min/+) mouse is regarded as a good model to study multistage colon carcinogenesis. A number of genes that modify intestinal tumorigenesis have been identified using Apc mutant mice combined with other mutant mice. It has become apparent that epigenetic modification strongly affects intestinal tumorigenesis in Apc(Min/+) mice. We herein describe the different stages of colon tumorigenesis and their modifiers, and discuss the possible application of Apc mutant mice in order to better understand the molecular mechanisms of multistage carcinogenesis in the large bowel of humans.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Isolation of a new anti-allergic phlorotannin, phlorofucofuroeckol-B, from an edible brown alga, Eisenia arborea.

Eisenia arborea is an edible brown alga occasionally used as a folk medicine in gynecopathy in Japan. A new phlorotannin was isolated from the alga during our search for naturally occurring anti-allergic compounds from edible algae guided by the inhibitory effect on histamine release from rat basophile leukemia (RBL)-2H3 cells. The phlorotannin was called "phlorofucofuroeckol-B." Its structure was determined by spectral analysis and chemical conversion. This paper describes the isolation, structure elucidation, and inhibitory effect of phlorofucofuroeckol-B on histamine release.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Genome shuffling of Streptomyces sp. U121 for improved production of hydroxycitric acid.

(2S, 3R)-Hydroxycitric acid (HCA) from Hibiscus subdariffa inhibits pancreatic alpha-amylase and intestine alpha-glucosidase, leading to reduction of carbohydrate metabolism. In our previous study, Streptomyces sp. U121 was identified as a producer of (2S, 3R)-HCA [Hida et al. (2005) Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry 69:1555-1561]. Here, we applied genome shuffling of Streptomyces sp. U121 to achieve rapid improvement of HCA production. The initial mutant population was generated by nitrosoguanidine treatment of the spores, and an improved population producing fivefold more HCA over wild type was obtained by three rounds of genome shuffling. For efficient screening of the mutant library, trans-epoxyaconitic acid (EAA), an antibiotic analog of HCA, was utilized. EAA inhibited the regeneration of nonfused protoplasts, resulting in selective screening of shuffled strains. Mutant strains with enhanced EAA resistance exhibited significantly higher HCA production in liquid media. Furthermore, the best mutant showed increased cell growth in flask culture, as well as increased HCA production.

Anti-Bacterial Agents↗

PubMed2006

Modifying effect of dietary sesaminol glucosides on the formation of azoxymethane-induced premalignant lesions of rat colon.

Sesame, which has been reported to have preventive effects against various disordered conditions, contains small quantities of lignans and several precursors to them such as sesaminol glucosides (SG). The lignans have the potent antioxidative activity and are suggested to have chemopreventive property. In the present study, we evaluated the modulating effect of SG on the development of colon precancerous lesions, aberrant crypt foci (ACF) and beta-catenin-accumulated crypts (BCAC), in the azoxymethane (AOM)-induced short-term model using male F344 rats. Dietary SG (500 ppm) significantly decreased the incidence of AOM-induced ACF when compared to the control (P<0.01). The incidences of AOM-induced BCAC in the SG-treated groups (250 or 500 ppm) were also significantly lower than that of the control group (P<0.01). Interestingly, administration of 500 ppm SG clearly decreased serum triglyceride level and mRNA expression of intestinal fatty acid-binding protein in the colonic mucosa, as compared to the control. These findings indicate that dietary SG inhibits AOM-induced carcinogenesis and suggest SG as a possible chemopreventive agent.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

In vitro transdifferentiation of adult bone marrow Sca-1+ cKit- cells cocultured with fetal liver cells into hepatic-like cells without fusion.

Several research groups have recently reported that certain bone marrow cells (BMCs) differentiate into hepatocytes in vitro as well as in vivo in rodents. However, it has yet to be elucidated what factors effectively trigger and sustain transdifferentiation of BMCs. In the present study, we specifically asked whether the presence of murine fetal liver cells (FLCs) triggered and supported in vitro transdifferentiation of murine BMCs. Fractionated BMCs from green fluorescence protein (GFP)-expressing transgenic mice and FLCs from ROSA26 mice (X-gal(+) FLCs) were cocultured in the presence of hepatocyte growth factor in laminin-coated dishes. We found that Sca-1(+) BMCs gave rise to adherent hepatic-like cells, which expressed albumin as assessed with immunocytochemistry and RNA-polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and alpha-fetoprotein and cytokeratin 19 as examined with RNA-PCR. When GFP(+)Sca-1(+)cKit(-) cells were cocultured with X-gal(+) FLCs, all GFP(+) albumin-producing cells were negative for X-gal, showing that cell fusion was not associated in the observed BMCs' differentiation into hepatic-like cells. Titration analysis revealed that 1 of 5,943 Sca-1(+)cKit(-) cells had the ability to proliferate and differentiate into hepatic-like cells. These data strongly suggest that BMCs differentiate into hepatic-like cells in the presence of FLCs and that the present method may be useful for propagating BMC-derived hepatocytic progenitors and for investigating the nature of those cells.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Suppression of intestinal neoplasia by deletion of Dnmt3b.

Aberrant gene silencing accompanied by DNA methylation is associated with neoplastic progression in many tumors that also show global loss of DNA methylation. Using conditional inactivation of de novo methyltransferase Dnmt3b in Apc(Min/+) mice, we demonstrate that the loss of Dnmt3b has no impact on microadenoma formation, which is considered the earliest stage of intestinal tumor formation. Nevertheless, we observed a significant decrease in the formation of macroscopic colonic adenomas. Interestingly, many large adenomas showed regions with Dnmt3b inactivation, indicating that Dnmt3b is required for initial outgrowth of macroscopic adenomas but is not required for their maintenance. These results support a role for Dnmt3b in the transition stage between microadenoma formation and macroscopic colonic tumor growth and further suggest that Dnmt3b, and by extension de novo methylation, is not required for maintaining tumor growth after this transition stage has occurred.

Adenoma↗

PubMed2006

Absolute configuration of hydroxycitric acid produced by microorganisms.

Optical resolution for (2S,3R) and (2R,3S)-hydroxycitric acid (HCA) enantiomers was developed using chiral column chromatography. HCA from Bacillus megaterium G45C and Streptomyces sp. U121, newly isolated in our previous study, was analyzed to determine the absolute configuration. These results indicate that both strains generate optically pure (2S,3R)-hibiscus type HCA enantiomer.

Bacillus megaterium↗

PubMed2006

Four-dimensional ultrasonography for dynamic bladder shape visualization and analysis during voiding.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to describe initial applications of 4-dimensional ultrasonography (4DUS) for visualizing dynamic change in 3-dimensional (3D) bladder shape as well as for analyzing intravesical volume and diameters during voiding. METHODS: In 15 healthy volunteers and 5 patients with lower urinary tract symptoms, 4DUS images of the bladder during voiding were obtained by transabdominal 4DUS and compared with the outcome of uroflowmetry. Changes of intravesical volume as well as diameters in axial, coronal, and sagittal planes were measured and analyzed in comparison with uroflow data. RESULTS: Dynamic 3D visualization of the bladder shape was feasible in all 20 men. Multiplanar display of 4DUS showed dynamic 3D images of the bladder during voiding to be simultaneously visualized in the axial, coronal, and sagittal planes. The change and decrease rate in intravesical volume calculated by 4DUS data had significant correlation with the average flow rate (P = .02) and the maximum flow rate (P = .04), respectively. Among the 3 diameters, the change of coronal diameter was significantly most correlated with change of the intravesical volume (P < .0001). The change in coronal diameter, which was observed in patients with urinary disturbance, had a significant difference compared with those observed in control subjects (P = .01). CONCLUSIONS: Monitoring of voiding with 4DUS was feasible in healthy men and patients with lower urinary tract symptoms. Four-dimensional ultrasonography has the potential to be a novel noninvasive urodynamic modality to visualize dynamically the lower urinary tract during voiding and to improve pathophysiologic understanding of voiding.

Adult↗

PubMed2006

Chemoprevention of mouse urinary bladder carcinogenesis by fermented brown rice and rice bran.

Fermented brown rice by Aspergillus oryzae (FBRA) has been shown to be a potent anti-carcinogenic compound. Here, we investigated the modifying effects of dietary feeding with a naturally occurring anti-oxidant FBRA on N-butyl-N-(4-hydroxybutyl)-nitrosamine (OH-BBN)-induced urinary bladder carcinogenesis in male ICR mice. Five-week-old male ICR mice were divided into 7 groups, and groups 1-5 were given OH-BBN (500 ppm) in drinking water for 6 weeks starting at 7 weeks of age. Groups 2 and 3 were fed the diet containing 5% and 10% FBRA during the initiation phase, respectively, whereas groups 4 and 5 were fed these diets during the post-initiation phase. Group 6 was given the diet containing 10% FBRA throughout the experiment, and group 7 was kept on the basal diet alone and served as an untreated control. At the end of the study (week 32), the incidences of simple hyperplasia, dysplasia and carcinoma in the bladders of group 1 (OH-BBN alone) were 92%, 49% and 38%, respectively. Those of group 5 (64%, 23% and 10%) and the incidence of carcinoma of group 4 (17%) was significantly less than that of group 1. Furthermore, the multiplicity of simple hyperplasia and carcinoma of group 5 was significantly less than that of group 1. Post-initiation exposure of 10% FBRA significantly decreased the number/nucleus of silver-stained nucleolar organizer region proteins (AgNORs), an index of cell proliferation, in the non-lesional transitional epithelium when compared to that of the control. Our results indicate that FBRA exerts chemopreventive effects against chemically induced urinary bladder carcinogenesis through anti-proliferative mechanisms. FBRA could be a promising chemopreventive agent for human urinary bladder cancer.

Analysis of Variance↗

PubMed2005

beta-Catenin-accumulated crypts in the colonic mucosa of juvenile ApcMin/+ mice.

Although Apc(Min/+) mice are widely used for an animal model of human familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), a majority of intestinal polyps locate in the small intestine. We recently reported that numerous beta-catenin-accumulated crypts (BCAC), which are reliable precursor lesions for colonic adenocarcinoma, develop in the large bowel of aged Apc(Min/+) mice. In this study, we determined the presence and location of BCAC in the large intestine of juvenile Apc(Min/+) mice (3 and 5 weeks of age). Surprisingly, BCAC were noted in the colon of even Apc(Min/+) mice of both ages, and mainly located in the distal and middle segments of the colon. Also, a few microadenomas were detected in Apc(Min/+) mice of 5-week old. Our results may indicate need of further investigation of the colorectal mucosa of Apc(Min/+) mice for examining colorectal carcinogenesis using Apc(Min/+) mice.

Adenoma↗

PubMed2005

Opposing effects of DNA hypomethylation on intestinal and liver carcinogenesis.

Genome-wide DNA hypomethylation and concomitant promoter-specific tumor suppressor gene hypermethylation are among the most common molecular alterations in human neoplasia. Consistent with the notion that both promoter hypermethylation and genome-wide hypomethylation are functionally important in tumorigenesis, genetic and/or pharmacologic reduction of DNA methylation levels results in suppression or promotion of tumor incidence, respectively, depending on the tumor cell type. For instance, DNA hypomethylation promotes tumors that rely predominantly on loss of heterozygosity (LOH) or chromosomal instability mechanisms, whereas loss of DNA methylation suppresses tumors that rely on epigenetic silencing. Mutational and epigenetic silencing events in Wnt pathway genes have been identified in human colon tumors. We used Apc(Min/+) mice to investigate the effect of hypomethylation on intestinal and liver tumor formation. Intestinal carcinogenesis in Apc(Min/+) mice occurs in two stages, with the formation of microadenomas leading to the development of macroscopic polyps. Using Dnmt1 hypomorphic alleles to reduce genomic methylation, we observed elevated incidence of microadenomas that were associated with LOH at Apc. In contrast, the incidence and growth of macroscopic intestinal tumors in the same animals was strongly suppressed. In contrast to the overall inhibition of intestinal tumorigenesis in hypomethylated Apc(Min/+) mice, hypomethylation caused development of multifocal liver tumors accompanied by Apc LOH. These findings support the notion of a dual role for DNA hypomethylation in suppressing later stages of intestinal tumorigenesis, but promoting early lesions in the colon and liver through an LOH mechanism.

Adenoma↗

PubMed2005

Significance and role of early-lesions in experimental colorectal carcinogenesis.

Preneoplastic or precancerous lesions in the large bowel have attracted much attention, and aberrant crypt foci (ACF) topographically identified in the colonic mucosa have found application as effective endpoint lesions for detection of chemopreventive agents as well as carcinogenic risk assessment of environmental agents. While many ACF are regarded as hyperplastic in nature, lacking the potential lesion to give rise to neoplasia, a subset termed dysplastic ACF, or newly identified "mucin depleted foci (MDF)", and "beta-catenin accumulated crypts (BCAC)" are suggested to be more reliably related to colorectal tumorigenesis in rodents. ACF and MDF can be visualized on the surface of colonic mucosa and BCAC were recently identified by our laboratory in rodents en face in cross sections. In particular, BCAC having a similar pattern of beta-catenin gene mutation to that observed in colonic carcinomas appear to be direct precursors. This review provides a review and discussion of the relevant literature relative to early lesions in colorectal carcinogenesis.

Adenocarcinoma↗

PubMed2005

Ectopic expression of Oct-4 blocks progenitor-cell differentiation and causes dysplasia in epithelial tissues.

The POU-domain transcription factor Oct-4 is normally expressed in pluripotent cells of the mammalian embryo. In addition, germ-cell tumors and a few somatic tumors show detectable expression of Oct-4. While Oct-4's role during preimplantation development is to maintain embryonic cells in a pluripotent state, little is known about its potential oncogenic properties. Here we investigate the effect of ectopic Oct-4 expression on somatic tissues of adult mice using a doxycycline-dependent expression system. Activation of Oct-4 results in dysplastic growths in epithelial tissues that are dependent on continuous Oct-4 expression. Dysplastic lesions show an expansion of progenitor cells and increased beta-catenin transcriptional activity. In the intestine, Oct-4 expression causes dysplasia by inhibiting cellular differentiation in a manner similar to that in embryonic cells. These data show that certain adult progenitors remain competent to interpret key embryonic signals and support the notion that progenitor cells are a driving force in tumorigenesis.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Lack of tumor necrosis factor receptor type 1 inhibits liver fibrosis induced by carbon tetrachloride in mice.

Chronic liver injury causes liver regeneration, resulting in fibrosis. The proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF) is involved in the pathogenesis of many acute and chronic liver diseases. TNF has pleiotropic functions, but its role in liver fibrosis has not been clarified. Chronic repeated injection of CCl4 induces liver fibrosis in mice. We examined whether signaling through TNF receptors was critical for this process, using mice lacking either TNF receptor (TNFR) type 1 or TNFR type 2 to define the pathophysiologic role of TNFR signals in liver fibrosis. Liver fibrosis caused by chronic CCl4 exposure was TNF-dependent; histological fibrosis was seen in wild-type (WT) and TNFR-2 knockout (KO) mice, but not in TNFR-1 KO mice. Furthermore, a marked reduction in procollagen and TGF-beta synthesis was observed in TNFR-1 KO mice, which also had little detectable NF-kappa B, STAT3, and AP1 binding, and reduced levels of liver interleukin-6 (IL-6) mRNA compared to WT and TNFR-2 KO mice. In conclusion, our results indicate the possibility that NF-kappa B, STAT3, and AP1 binding by signals transduced through TNFR-1 plays an important role in liver fibrosis formation.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Liver injury induced by lipopolysaccharide is mediated by TNFR-1 but not by TNFR-2 or Fas in mice.

Endotoxemia causes liver injury in which tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha plays a significant role by inducing hepatic apoptosis. We here examined if such apoptosis is strictly dependent on TNF-alpha and which type of TNF receptor (TNFR) is involved, employing TNFR-1- and -2-knockout mice. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) dose-dependently induced liver injury in both wild-type (WT) and TNFR-2-knockout mice as indicated by plasma ALT activities, whereas the injury was absent in TNFR-1-knockout mice. Similarly, apoptotic hepatocyte death was observed in WT and TNFR-2-knockout mice after LPS-injection, but not in TNFR-1-knockout mice. Plasma levels of TNF-alpha, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10 and interferon-gamma as well as hepatic TNF-alpha levels increased equally in mice with either genotype after LPS-injection. LPS also enhanced equally the mRNA expression of Fas but not Fas ligand irrespective of either genotype, as measured by RNase protection assay. These findings suggest that apoptotic liver injury induced by LPS depends on TNF-alpha signaling through TNFR-1 but not via TNFR-2 or Fas-Fas ligand pathway.

Journal Article↗

PubMed2005

The role of the tumor necrosis factor receptor in 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced colitis in mice.

We investigated the effect of TNBS administration using TNF-receptor knockout mice to elucidate the role of TNF receptors in chronic inflammation of the colon. Histologically, inflammatory cell scores showed no significant differences among TNBS-administered groups, while tissue damage scores were significantly lower in TNFR-1KO and TNFR-1,2KO than in WT. The apoptotic indexes of lamina propria mononuclear cells (LPMC) of all TNBS-administered groups were significantly lower than that of controls. TNF-alpha mRNA expression in the colon was significantly higher in all TNBS-administered groups than in controls. And NF-kappa B activities were enhanced in WT and TNFR-2KO compared with controls. Our data indicate that the TNF/TNFR-1 signaling system mediates mucosal damage through the enhancement of NF-kappa B activity and that continuous infiltration of TNF-producing cells, probably a key pathogeneses of colitis, may be closely associated with defective apoptosis of LPMC, which is possibly independent of the TNF/TNFR signaling system in TNBS-induced colitis.

Animals↗

PubMed2005

Global loss of imprinting leads to widespread tumorigenesis in adult mice.

Loss of imprinting (LOI), commonly observed in human tumors, refers to loss of monoallelic gene regulation normally conferred by parent-of-origin-specific DNA methylation. To test the function of LOI in tumorigenesis, we developed a model by using transient demethylation to generate imprint-free mouse embryonic stem cells (IF-ES cells). Embryonic fibroblasts derived from IF-ES cells (IF-MEFs) display TGFbeta resistance and reduced p19 and p53 expression and form tumors in SCID mice. IF-MEFs exhibit spontaneous immortalization and cooperate with H-Ras in cellular transformation. Chimeric animals derived from IF-ES cells develop multiple tumors arising from the injected IF-ES cells within 12 months. These data demonstrate that LOI alone can predispose cells to tumorigenesis and identify a pathway through which immortality conferred by LOI lowers the threshold for transformation.

Animals↗