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ABSTRACT: Starting from an egg, the multicell becomes a set of cells comprising a variety of types to serve functions. This phenomenon
brings us a bio-motivated Lindenmayer system. To investigate conditions for a variety of cell types, we have constructed a
stochastic model over Lindenmayer systems. This model considers interactive behaviors among cells, yielding complicated polynomials.
Using symbolic computation, we have derived explicit relations between cell-type diversity and cell-type ratio constraint.
These relations exhibit elliptic curve- and Fibonacci number-related patterns. This is the first example of elliptic curves
to appear in the Lindenmayer context. A survey of the rational points and the quadratic irrational numbers on the derived
curves has revealed Fibonacci-related periodic and quasiperiodic patterns. Further we have found that in some region, there
are only two elliptic curve-related periodic patterns.
KeywordsElliptic curves–Fibonacci numbers–Lindenmayer system–Symbolic computation
Applicable Algebra in Engineering Communication and Computing 04/2012; 22(2):147-164. · 0.60 Impact Factor
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Yuki Kawakami,
Noriyuki Kubota,
Natsuki Ekuni,
Toshiko Suzuki-Yamamoto,
Masumi Kimoto,
Hiromi Yamashita,
Hideaki Tsuji,
Tanihiro Yoshimoto,
Mitsuo Jisaka,
Junko Tanaka,
Hirofumi F Fujimura, Yoshihiro Miwa,
Yoshitaka Takahashi
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ABSTRACT: 8S-Lipoxygenase (8S-LOX) is known as a mouse homolog of human 15S-LOX-2. 15S-LOX-2 was down-regulated in malignant transformation of prostate epithelial cells, and its overexpression caused cell cycle arrest. To determine whether 8S-LOX would have a growth inhibitory effect on prostate carcinoma, we obtained human prostate carcinoma PC-3 cells expressing 8S-LOX or 15S-LOX-2. The growth rate of cells measured by colorimetric assay was reduced by expression of 8S-LOX and 15S-LOX-2. The addition to enzyme-expressing cells of arachidonic acid enhanced the growth suppressive effect, whereas the expression of catalytically inactive mutants did not affect cell growth, suggesting that the effect was product-dependent. DNA microarray and quantitative reverse transcription-PCR analyses revealed that the c-myc mRNA coding region determinant-binding protein/insulin-like growth factor II mRNA-binding protein 1 (CRD-BP/IMP-1), known as an oncofetal protein, was down-regulated in 8S-LOX- and 15S-LOX-2-expressing PC-3 cells. Targeted knockdown of CRD-BP/IMP-1 resulted in inhibition of the DNA synthesis rate of PC-3 cells as measured by bromodeoxyuridine incorporation. We propose that expression of 8S-LOX and 15S-LOX-2 suppresses CRD-BP/IMP-1 expression, resulting in inhibition of human prostate carcinoma PC-3 cell proliferation.
Bioscience Biotechnology and Biochemistry 09/2009; 73(8):1811-7. · 1.28 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Kaede is a photoconvertible fluorescence protein that changes from green to red upon exposure to violet light. The photoconversion of intracellular Kaede has no effect on cellular function. Using transgenic mice expressing the Kaede protein, we demonstrated that movement of cells with the photoconverted Kaede protein could be monitored from lymphoid organs to other tissues as well as from skin to the draining lymph node. Analysis of the kinetics of cellular movement revealed that each subset of cells in the lymph node, such as CD4(+) T, CD8(+) T, B, and dendritic cells, has a distinct migration pattern in vivo. Thus, the Kaede transgenic mouse system would be an ideal tool to monitor precise cellular movement in vivo at different stages of immune response to pathogens as well as in autoimmune diseases.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 09/2008; 105(31):10871-6. · 9.68 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: The hypoxia-inducible transcription factors (HIF)-1alpha and -2alpha mediate responses to hypoxia, such as tumor neovascularization. To determine the function of HIF-2alpha in vascular endothelial cells (ECs), we examined vascular formation in HIF-2alpha knockdown (kd/kd) mice transplanted with tumors. We observed that both the tumor size and the number of large vessels growing within transplanted melanomas were significantly reduced in kd/kd recipients compared with wild-type (WT) mice. In contrast, we observed a similar extent of vascular formation within fibrosarcomas transplanted from either kd/kd or WT mice into WT recipients. Thus, HIF-2alpha expression in host animal ECs, but not in the tumor cells, is crucial for tumor neovascularization. HIF-2alpha may function through ephrin A1 as the expression of ephrin A1 and related genes was markedly reduced in kd/kd ECs, and HIF-2alpha specifically bound a hypoxia-response element sequence in the ephrin A1 promoter. Treatment of WT ECs with an ephrin A1 inhibitor (ephrin A1-Fc) also impaired neovascularization. We conclude that in ECs, HIF-2alpha plays an essential role in vascular remodeling during tumor vascularization through activation of at least ephrin A1.
Journal of Biological Chemistry 08/2008; 283(27):18926-36. · 4.77 Impact Factor
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Journal of Biological Chemistry. 04/2008;
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ABSTRACT: Kaede protein is a photoconvertible tracer that emits green fluorescence after synthesis, which changes to stable red fluorescence upon irradiation with violet or UV illumination. This color-change characteristic is a very effective means of optically marking living cells of interest. We established novel embryonic stem (ES) cell lines, B6KED-1 and -2, from C57BL/6J transgenic mouse blastocysts ubiquitously expressing tandem dimeric Kaede (tdKaede) protein. Undifferentiated B6KED-1 and -2 cells showed bright green fluorescence and mRNAs of pluripotent marker genes. Photoconversion of tdKaede protein in undifferentiated and differentiated B6KED cells in vitro occurred upon short-term UV irradiation. B6KED cells completely generated ES cell-derived females on transfer into tetraploid blastomeres. All organs showed strong green emission in the females derived completely from B6KED cells. These novel ES cell lines ubiquitously expressing photoconvertible Kaede protein, B6KED-1 and -2, are useful for basic research in developmental biology and regenerative medicine.
International Journal of Molecular Medicine 11/2007; 20(4):439-44. · 1.98 Impact Factor
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Tanpakushitsu kakusan koso. Protein, nucleic acid, enzyme 11/2007; 52(13 Suppl):1563-7.
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ABSTRACT: We have previously shown that a stromal cell-derived factor-1 (SDF-1; CXCL12)/CXCR4 system is involved in the establishment of lymph node metastasis, but not in that of distant metastasis, in oral squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). In this study, we investigated the role of the autocrine SDF-1/CXCR4 system, with a focus on distant metastasis in oral SCC cells. The immunohistochemical staining of SDF-1 and CXCR4 using primary oral SCCs and metastatic lymph nodes showed a significantly higher number of SDF-1-positive cases among the metastatic lymph nodes than among the primary oral SCCs, which was associated with a poor survival rate among those of the former group. The forced expression of SDF-1 in B88 cells, which exhibit functional CXCR4 and lymph node metastatic potential (i.e., the autocrine SDF-1/CXCR4 system), conferred enhanced cell motility and anchorage-independent growth potential onto the cells. Orthotopic inoculation of the transfectant into nude mice was associated with an increase in the number of metastatic lymph nodes and more aggressive metastatic foci in the lymph nodes. Furthermore, the SDF-1 transfectant (i.e., the autocrine SDF-1/CXCR4 system) exhibited dramatic metastasis to the lung after i.v. inoculation, whereas the mock transfectant (i.e., the paracrine SDF-1/CXCR4 system) did not. Under the present conditions, AMD3100, a CXCR4 antagonist, significantly inhibited the lung metastasis of the SDF-1 transfectant, ameliorated body weight loss, and improved the survival rate of tumor-bearing nude mice. These results suggested that, in cases of oral SCC, the paracrine SDF-1/CXCR4 system potentiates lymph node metastasis, but distant metastasis might require the autocrine SDF-1/CXCR4 system.
Molecular Cancer Research 08/2007; 5(7):685-94. · 4.29 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Thrombospondin 1 (TSP1) is a multifunctional extracellular glycoprotein present mainly in the fetal and adult skeleton. Although an inhibitory effect of TSP1 against pathological mineralization in cultured vascular pericytes has been shown, its involvement in physiological mineralization by osteoblasts is still unknown. To determine the role of TSP1 in biomineralization, mouse osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells were cultured in the presence of antisense phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotides complementary to the TSP1 sequence. The 18- and 24-mer antisense oligonucleotides caused concentration-dependent increases in the number of mineralized nodules, acid-soluble calcium deposition in the cell/matrix layer, and alkaline phosphatase activity within 9 days, without affecting cell proliferation. The corresponding sense or scrambled oligonucleotides did not affect these parameters. In the antisense oligonucleotide-treated MC3T3-E1 cells, thickened extracellular matrix, well-developed cell processes, increased intracellular organelles, and collagen fibril bundles were observed. On the other hand, the addition of TSP1 to the culture decreased the production of a mineralized matrix by MC3T3-E1 cells. Furthermore, MC3T3-E1 clones overexpressing mouse TSP1 were established and assayed for TSP1 protein and their capacity to mineralize. TSP1 dose-dependently inhibited mineralization by these cells both in vitro and in vivo. These results indicate that TSP1 functions as an inhibitory regulator of bone mineralization and matrix production by osteoblasts to sustain bone homeostasis.
Journal of Cellular Physiology 12/2006; 209(2):322-32. · 3.87 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Leukocyte extravasation is an important step of inflammation, in which integrins have been demonstrated to play an essential role by mediating the interaction of leukocytes with the vascular endothelium and the subendothelial extracellular matrix. Previously, we identified an integrin-linked kinase (ILK)-binding protein affixin (beta-parvin), which links initial integrin signals to rapid actin reorganization, and thus plays critical roles in fibroblast migration. In this study, we demonstrate that gamma-parvin, one of three mammalian parvin family members, is specifically expressed in several lymphoid and monocytic cell lines in a complementary manner to affixin. Like affixin, gamma-parvin directly associates with ILK through its CH2 domain and colocalizes with ILK at focal adhesions as well as the leading edge of PMA-stimulated U937 cells plated on fibronectin. The overexpression of the C-terminal fragment containing CH2 domain or the depletion of gamma-parvin by RNA interference inhibits the substrate adhesion of MCP-1-stimulated U937 cells and the spreading of PMA-stimulated U937 cells on fibronectin. Interestingly, the overexpression of the CH2 fragment or the gamma-parvin RNA interference also disrupts the asymmetric distribution of PTEN and F-actin observed at the very early stage of cell spreading, suggesting that the ILK-gamma-parvin complex is essential for the establishment of cell polarity required for leukocyte migration. Taken together with the results that gamma-parvin could form a complex with some important cytoskeletal proteins, such as alphaPIX, alpha-actinin, and paxillin as demonstrated for affixin and actopaxin (alpha-parvin), the results in this study suggest that the ILK-gamma-parvin complex is critically involved in the initial integrin signaling for leukocyte migration.
The Journal of Immunology 04/2006; 176(6):3611-24. · 5.79 Impact Factor
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Seikagaku. The Journal of Japanese Biochemical Society 10/2005; 77(9):1204-8. · 0.04 Impact Factor
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Atsushi Suzuki,
Maki Hirata,
Katsusi Kamimura,
Rika Maniwa,
Tomoyuki Yamanaka,
Keiko Mizuno,
Masaru Kishikawa,
Hiroko Hirose,
Yoshiko Amano,
Natsuko Izumi, Yoshihiro Miwa,
Shigeo Ohno
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ABSTRACT: aPKC and PAR-1 are required for cell polarity in various contexts. In mammalian epithelial cells, aPKC localizes at tight junctions (TJs) and plays an indispensable role in the development of asymmetric intercellular junctions essential for the establishment and maintenance of apicobasal polarity. On the other hand, one of the mammalian PAR-1 kinases, PAR-1b/EMK1/MARK2, localizes to the lateral membrane in a complimentary manner with aPKC, but little is known about its role in apicobasal polarity of epithelial cells as well as its functional relationship with aPKC.
We demonstrate that PAR-1b is essential for the asymmetric development of membrane domains of polarized MDCK cells. Nonetheless, it is not required for the junctional localization of aPKC nor the formation of TJs, suggesting that PAR-1b works downstream of aPKC during epithelial cell polarization. On the other hand, aPKC phosphorylates threonine 595 of PAR-1b and enhances its binding with 14-3-3/PAR-5. In polarized MDCK cells, T595 phosphorylation and 14-3-3 binding are observed only in the soluble form of PAR-1b, and okadaic acid treatment induces T595-dependent dissociation of PAR-1b from the lateral membrane. Furthermore, T595A mutation induces not only PAR-1b leakage into the apical membrane, but also abnormal development of membrane domains. These results suggest that in polarized epithelial cells, aPKC phosphorylates PAR-1b at TJs, and in cooperation with 14-3-3, promotes the dissociation of PAR-1b from the lateral membrane to regulate PAR-1b activity for the membrane domain development.
These results suggest that mammalian aPKC functions upstream of PAR-1b in both the establishment and maintenance of epithelial cell polarity.
Current Biology 09/2004; 14(16):1425-35. · 9.65 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades are involved in a variety of cellular responses including proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. We have developed an expression screening method to detect in vivo substrates of MAPKs in mammalian cells, and identified a membrane protein, linker for activation of T cells (LAT), as an MAPK target. LAT, an adapter protein essential for T-cell signaling, is phosphorylated at its Thr 155 by ERK in response to T-cell receptor stimulation. Thr 155 phosphorylation reduces the ability of LAT to recruit PLCgamma1 and SLP76, leading to attenuation of subsequent downstream events such as [Ca2+]i mobilization and activation of the ERK pathway. Our data reveal a new role for MAPKs in a negative feedback loop in T-cell activation via threonine phosphorylation of LAT.
The EMBO Journal 08/2004; 23(13):2577-85. · 9.20 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Rho GTPases, Cdc42 and Rac1, play pivotal roles in cell migration by efficiently integrating cell-substrate adhesion and actin polymerization. Although it has been suggested that integrins stimulate these Rho GTPases via some of integrin binding proteins such as focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and paxillin, the precise molecular mechanism is largely unknown. In this study, we showed that the over-expression of RP1 corresponding to the first CH domain (CH1) of affixin, an integrin-linked kinase (ILK)-binding protein, induced a significant actin reorganization in MDCK cells by activating Cdc42/Rac1. Affixin full length and RP1 co-immunoprecipitated with alphaPIX, a Cdc42/Rac1-specific guanine nucleotide exchanging factor (GEF), and they co-localized at the tips of lamellipodia in motile cells. The involvement of alphaPIX in the RP1-induced Cdc42 activation was demonstrated by the significant dominant negative effect of a point mutant of alphaPIX, alphaPIX (L383R, L384S), lacking GEF activity. Our data strongly support that ILK and affixin provide a novel signalling pathway that links integrin signalling to Cdc42/Rac1 activation.
Genes to Cells 04/2004; 9(3):193-204. · 2.68 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Rho GTPases, Cdc42 and Rac1, play pivotal roles in cell migration by efficiently integrating cell-substrate adhesion and actin polymerization. Although it has been suggested that integrins stimulate these Rho GTPases via some of integrin binding proteins such as focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and paxillin, the precise molecular mechanism is largely unknown. In this study, we showed that the over-expression of RP1 corresponding to the first CH domain (CH1) of affixin, an integrin-linked kinase (ILK)-binding protein, induced a significant actin reorganization in MDCK cells by activating Cdc42/Rac1. Affixin full length and RP1 co-immunoprecipitated with PIX, a Cdc42/Rac1-specific guanine nucleotide exchanging factor (GEF), and they co-localized at the tips of lamellipodia in motile cells. The involvement of PIX in the RP1-induced Cdc42 activation was demonstrated by the significant dominant negative effect of a point mutant of PIX, PIX (L383R, L384S), lacking GEF activity. Our data strongly support that ILK and affixin provide a novel signalling pathway that links integrin signalling to Cdc42/Rac1 activation.
Genes to Cells 03/2004; 9(3):193 - 204. · 2.68 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Signal transduction pathways of orexin receptors were examined using a nerve-like cell line transfected with orexin receptor type-1 (OX1R) and orexin receptor type-2 (OX2R). Forskolin-stimulated cyclic adenosine 3,5-monophosphate (cAMP) accumulation in OX2R-expressing cells was inhibited by orexin in a dose-dependent manner, and the effect was abolished by pretreatment with pertussis toxin (PTX). The inhibitory effect of orexin on forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation was not observed in OX1R-expressing cells. Administration of orexin to these cells resulted in a transient increase of intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca(2+)](i)). Orexin-stimulated increases in [Ca(2+)](i) in OX1R- or OX2R-expressing cells were not affected by the PTX pretreatment. These observations suggest that OX1R couples exclusively to PTX-insensitive G-proteins, while OX2R couples to both PTX-sensitive and -insensitive G-proteins. To examine the relative contributions of these G-proteins in OX2R-mediated activation of neurons, we used histaminergic tuberomammillary nucleus neurons, in which OX2R is abundantly expressed. We found that a phospholipase C (PLC)-inhibitor, U73122, inhibits orexin-mediated neuronal activation, but PTX showed no effect on it. This suggests that although OX2R couples to multiple G-proteins, activation of neurons by orexins through OX2R is mediated via a PTX-insensitive, PLC dependent pathway.
Journal of Pharmacological Sciences 08/2003; 92(3):259-66. · 2.08 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: We transfected a salivary gland cancer cell line, TYS, with three different forms of TSC-22 (transforming growth factor-beta-stimulated clone-22) gene: full-length TSC-22 (TSC-22FL) containing nuclear export signal, TSC-box and leucine zipper, truncated TSC-22 (TSC-22LZ) containing only TSC-box and leucine zipper, and truncated TSC-22 with nuclear localization signal (NLS-TSC-22LZ). High expression of TSC-22FL in the cytoplasm markedly enhanced the radiation-sensitivity of TYS cells, while, moderate expression of TSC-22FL marginally affected the radiation-sensitivity. TSC-22LZ, which was expressed in the cytoplasm and the nucleus, enhanced the radiation-sensitivity of TYS cells irrespective to its expression level. NLS-TSC-22LZ, which was expressed only in the nucleus, marginally affected the radiation-sensitivity of the cells even at high expression level. Interestingly, cytoplasmic TSC-22 translocates to nucleus concomitant with radiation-induced apoptosis. These results suggest that cytoplasmic localization of TSC-22 and translocation of TSC-22 from cytoplasm to nucleus is important for regulating the cell death signal after irradiation-induced DNA damage.
Biochemical and Biophysical Research Communications 05/2002; 292(4):957-63. · 2.48 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: Our previous study showed that treatment of highly invasive rat ascites hepatoma (LC-AH) cells with α-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO), an inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, decreased both their intracellular level of putrescine and their in vitro invasion of a monolayer of calf pulmonary arterial endothelial (CPAE) cells, and that both these decreases were completely reversed by exogenous putrescine, but not spermidine or spermine. Here we show that all adhering control (DFMO-untreated) cells migrated beneath CPAE monolayer with morphological change from round to cauliflower-shaped cells (migratory cells). DFMO treatment increased the number of cells that remained round without migration (nonmigratory cells). Exogenous putrescine, but not spermidine or spermine, induced transformation of all nonmigratory cells to migratory cells with a concomitant increase in their intracellular Ca2+ level, [Ca2+]i. The putrescine-induced increase in their [Ca2+]i preceded their transformation and these effects of putrescine were not affected by antagonists of the voltage-gated Ca2+ channel, but were completely suppressed by ryanodine, which also suppressed the invasiveness of the control cells. The DFMO-induced decreases in both [Ca2+]i and the invasiveness of the cells were restored by thapsigargin, which elevated [Ca2+]i by inhibiting endoplasmic Ca2+-ATPase, indicating that thapsigargin mimics the effects of putrescine. These results support the idea that putrescine is a cofactor for Ca2+ release through the Ca2+ channel in the endoplasmic reticulum that is inhibited by ryanodine, this release being initiated by cell adhesion and being a prerequisite for tumor cell invasion.
Cancer Science 12/1997; 89(1):67 - 75. · 3.33 Impact Factor
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ABSTRACT: MI: Global COE Program Education-and-Research Hub for Mathematics-for-Industry グローバルCOEプログラム「マス･フォア･インダストリ教育研究拠点」 The development of a multicellular organism is marvelous. Starting from an egg, the organism becomes a set of cells comprising a variety of types to serve various functions. To obtain conditions for high cell-type diversity, we have constructed a model using a Lindenmayer system. Using symbolic computation, we have derived the explicit relationship underlying cell-type diversity under some constraints. The derived relationships exhibit elliptic curve- and Fibonacci number-related patterns. This is the first example of elliptic curves to appear in the biological phenomenon. A survey of the rational points and quadratic irrational numbers on the derived curves has revealed that the mature stage usually includes Fibonacci-related periodic and quasiperiodic structures. This result seems consistent with a coarse-grained view of mature human tissues, leading to the prediction that the structures in early development are related to elliptic curves.
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ABSTRACT: Transcription termination factor rho fromEscherichia coliis a homohexamer of 419 amino acid subunits and catalyzes an ATP-dependent release of nascent RNA transcripts. A rho monomer has three distinct domains functioning independently at the first approximation: the amino-terminal one quarter containing a primary RNA-binding site, the central 270-amino acids region constituting an ATP-binding domain with homologies to F1-ATPase, and the carboxy-terminal remainder with unknown function(s). To further delineate the structural and functional organizations of rho protein, we undertook its random mutagenesis using error-prone polymerase chain reactions with the carboxy-terminal 100-amino acid region chosen as the initial target. From 14 mutants identified, rho protein was purified and characterizedin vitro. Of these, 11 mutants are defective in terminationin vivoand show decreased activities in various partial functions examined: ATP binding; RNA binding; and ATPase activities dependent on three cofactors with decreasing efficacies, poly(C), λcro RNA and poly(U). A few of them are also affected in the putative secondary RNA-binding site that is functionally coupled to ATP hydrolysis. By contrast, the three other mutants are hyperactive in termination, poly(U)-dependent ATPase activity, and RNA interaction at the primary site. In these properties, the hyper-terminating mutants strikingly resemble the "super rho" mutant formerly found in the amino-terminal domain. Taken together, these findings indicate that the carboxy-terminal region plays a pivotal role in functionally coupling the RNA and ATP-binding domains, plausibly by acting as an interface for their interaction within or across individual subunits. In light of the reported X-ray crystallographic structure of F1-ATPase, we propose a model for the tertiary and quaternary structure of rho that is consistent with the observed mutational effects as well as a number of structural and functional properties characteristic of rho.
Journal of Molecular Biology.
