Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Claire E. Meyer, Cora-Ann Schoenenberger, Riccardo P. Wehr, Dalin Wu, Cornelia G. Palivan
Summary: By mimicking the confinement of natural melanin in melanosomes, melanosome mimics containing melanin/polydopamine within polymersomes are developed, showing long-term colloidal stability, cell-compatibility, and potential for cell photoprotection. This novel artificial melanogenesis is expected to inspire new applications of confined melanin/polydopamine biopolymers.
MACROMOLECULAR BIOSCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Luman Wang, Ying Fu, Baichao Yu, Xuechao Jiang, Hongchun Liu, Jun Liu, Bingbing Zha, Yiwei Chu
Summary: The study revealed a close association between B cell regulatory function and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) content in autoimmune diseases, where Bregs directly suppressed effector cells by secreting HSP70. These findings provide theoretical basis for enhancing Breg-mediated production of HSP70 as a novel strategy for treating autoimmune diseases.
JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Kelly K. Miller, Sarah K. Springthorpe, Jennifer Imbrogno, David J. F. Walker, Shruti Gadiyar, Benjamin K. Keitz, Andrew D. Ellington, Nathaniel A. Lynd, Hal S. Alper
Summary: Research has shown that pyomelanin can serve as a biosourced material with excellent properties such as electron transport and ultraviolet light absorption, as well as superior performance in various applications. By metabolically engineering a strain of Yarrowia lipolytica, pyomelanin can be produced for use in areas such as polymer plasticization, demonstrating performance on par with or better than chemically sourced analogs.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2022)
Review
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Kwon-Young Choi
Summary: Melanin, as one of the most abundant pigments in the biosphere, has high biocompatibility and diverse biological activities, making it widely applied in various fields such as cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, biopolymers, and the environment. This study comprehensively reviewed the production, extraction, and recent applications of melanin, suggesting prospects for further industrial applications and development.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Cathalina Marin-Sanhueza, Alex Echeverria-Vega, Aleydis Gomez, Gustavo Cabrera-Barjas, Romina Romero, Aparna Banerjee
Summary: Thermophilic bacterium B. haynesii CamB6 isolated from a Chilean hot spring was found to produce various biomolecules, including polymeric and brown pigments, as a stress response mechanism. These biomolecules have promising biotechnological applications, such as antioxidant capacity.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Enja Schneider, Riekje Winzer, Anne Rissiek, Isabell Ricklefs, Catherine Meyer-Schwesinger, Franz L. Ricklefs, Andreas Bauche, Jochen Behrends, Rudolph Reimer, Santra Brenna, Hauke Wasielewski, Melchior Lauten, Bjorn Rissiek, Berta Puig, Filippo Cortesi, Tim Magnus, Ralf Fliegert, Christa E. Mueller, Nicola Gagliani, Eva Tolosa
Summary: Immune cells at sites of inflammation are continuously activated by local antigens and cytokines, and regulatory mechanisms must be enacted to control inflammation. Human effector CD8 T cells contribute to adenosine production by releasing CD73-containing extracellular vesicles, which suppress immune responses independently of regulatory T cells. The study suggests that these extracellular vesicles derived from CD8 T cells serve as intrinsic regulators of immune responses in inflamed tissues.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Article
Oncology
Samantha B. Kemp, Eileen S. Carpenter, Nina G. Steele, Katelyn L. Donahue, Zeribe C. Nwosu, Amanda Pacheco, Ashley Velez-Delgado, Rosa E. Menjivar, Fatima Lima, Stephanie The, Carlos E. Espinoza, Kristee Brown, Daniel Long, Costas A. Lyssiotis, Arvind Rao, Yaqing Zhang, Marina Pasca di Magliano, Howard C. Crawford
Summary: Elevated levels of apolipoprotein E in PDAC are associated with immune suppression and poor patient survival. ApoE induces expression of immunosuppressive factors in pancreatic tumor cells, potentially playing a novel immunosuppressive role in the PDAC microenvironment.
Article
Microbiology
Lingyi Zhu, Yawen Chu, Bowen Zhang, Ximu Yuan, Kai Wang, Zhiyu Liu, Ming Sun
Summary: In this study, we used CRISPR/Cas9 system to knock out the hmgA gene in Bacillus thuringiensis and obtained a melanin-producing mutant HD-1-Delta hmgA. The mutant showed improved UV tolerance and demonstrated higher insecticidal activity under UV irradiation compared to the control group. Overall, this study provides a new approach to enhance the stability and persistence of insecticides by using melanin-producing strains.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Odile Francesca Restaino, Monica Scognamiglio, S. Fatemeh Mirpoor, Marcella Cammarota, Riccardo Ventriglia, C. Valeria L. Giosafatto, Antonio Fiorentino, Raffaele Porta, Chiara Schiraldi
Summary: This study explored the potential of using Posidonia oceanica egagropili, a marine waste, as a renewable source to enhance extracellular melanin production in Streptomyces roseochromogenes ATCC 13400. It was found that adding egagropili powder to the culture medium significantly increased melanin biosynthesis, and further investigation revealed that this enhancement was due to the synergistic effect of lignin carbohydrate complex and holocellulose components in egagropili.
APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Beatriz Silva Campanhol, Beatriz Dias Ribeiro, Fernando Casellato, Kelly Johana Dussan Medina, Sandra Regina Pombeiro Sponchiado
Summary: Fungal pigments, specifically DOPA-melanin produced by the MEL1 mutant of Aspergillus nidulans, show potential for various applications. This study aimed to optimize the production of melanin by evaluating different agro-industrial by-products as substrates for fungal growth. The optimized composition of the culture medium led to a 2.25-fold increase in melanin production compared to the previous condition, making large-scale production economically viable for future biotechnological applications.
Article
Microbiology
Nur Fazleen Binti Idris, Qianying Jia, He Lu, Yanan Guo, Yang Wang, Rui Hao, Zeng Tu
Summary: The study investigated the impact of inhibiting the production of red pigment on the survival and resistance of the R. mucilaginosa CQMU1 strain. The results showed that pigment production affected the yeast's ability to survive and resist.
CURRENT MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
William Bartolomeu Medeiros, Kelly Johana Dussan Medina, Sandra Regina Pombeiro Sponchiado
Summary: This study found that l-DOPA, glucose, and copper sulfate have significant effects on melanin production, with l-DOPA being the only factor positively affecting melanin yield. Melanin synthesis was increased by 640% in optimized conditions.
MICROBIAL CELL FACTORIES
(2022)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Wei Yuan, Hai Qin, Huan Bi, Depeng Zhao, Yiyu Zhang, Wei Chen
Summary: In this study, transcriptome sequencing was used to identify differentially expressed miRNAs and genes in the black and white skin tissues of Jianbai Xiang pigs. miRNA-221-3p was identified as a candidate miRNA for melanin formation and its target gene, TYRP1, was selected. The function of the TYRP1 gene in regulating melanogenesis was confirmed.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Ahmed E. Allam
Summary: A new flavonoid glycoside, along with five known compounds, were isolated from bell pepper fruits and tested for anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities. The study showed that compounds 1-3 had significant inhibitory effects on cytokine production, while compounds 4-6 exhibited weaker activity. All compounds showed no cytotoxicity and higher radical scavenging activity compared to ascorbic acid. Bell pepper fruits could be a potential candidate for treating inflammatory-associated complications.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ting-Ting Fu, Yan-Bo Sun, Wei Gao, Cheng-Bo Long, Chun-Hua Yang, Xin-Wang Yang, Yi Zhang, Xin-Qiang Lan, Song Huang, Jie-Qiong Jin, Robert W. Murphy, Yun Zhang, Ren Lai, David M. Hillis, Ya-Ping Zhang, Jing Che
Summary: A study on Nanorana parkeri, the highest-elevation frog, revealed its superior defense against UV radiation compared to lower-elevation relatives. The frog showed less skin damage and more efficient antioxidant activity after UV exposure. Analysis of its genes, metabolomics, and large-scale transcripts indicated a time-dependent coordinated defense mechanism, as well as the presence of important regulatory microRNAs.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Mitsuyoshi Tei, Yozo Suzuki, Masahisa Ohtsuka, Kazuya Iwamoto, Atsushi Naito, Mitsunobu Imasato, Tsunekazu Mizushima, Hiroki Akamatsu
Summary: This study retrospectively analyzed the clinical outcomes of single incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) for colorectal cancer (CRC) performed by novice surgeons compared with experienced surgeons. The results showed that SILS for CRC could be safely performed by novice surgeons under the guidance of well-experienced surgeons, and satisfactory oncological outcomes were achieved.
ANNALS OF GASTROENTEROLOGICAL SURGERY
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Chu Matsuda, Toshihiro Kudo, Yoshihiro Morimoto, Yoshinori Kagawa, Mitsuyoshi Tei, Yoshihito Ide, Norikatsu Miyoshi, Hidekazu Takahashi, Mamoru Uemura, Ichiro Takemasa, Taroh Satoh, Tsunekazu Mizushima, Kohei Murata, Yuichiro Doki, Hidetoshi Eguchi
Summary: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of capecitabine combined with oxaliplatin and irinotecan as neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with locally advanced rectal cancer. The results showed that XELOXIRI neoadjuvant chemotherapy is feasible and efficacious for patients with LARC, although it did not achieve the expected complete response rate, the local recurrence rate, 3-year disease-free survival rate, and safety measures met current standards.
ANNALS OF GASTROENTEROLOGICAL SURGERY
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Yukihiro Yoshikawa, Mitsuko Fukunaga, Junichi Takahashi, Dai Shimizu, Takaaki Masuda, Tsunekazu Mizushima, Kazutaka Yamada, Masaki Mori, Hidetoshi Eguchi, Yuichiro Doki, Takahiro Ochiya, Koshi Mimori
Summary: This study identified the ideal combination of miRNAs for predicting colorectal cancer recurrence. These miRNAs showed better predictive ability compared to conventional tumor markers.
ANNALS OF SURGICAL ONCOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Satomi Furukawa, Tsunekazu Mizushima, Ryo Nakaya, Mari Shibata, Takayoshi Yamaguchi, Kenji Watanabe, Kitaro Futami
Summary: This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of darvadstrocel for the treatment of complex perianal fistulas in Japanese adults with Crohn's disease. The results showed that the proportion of patients achieving combined remission at 24 weeks and 52 weeks was 59.1% and 68.2% respectively, and no new safety issues were identified.
JOURNAL OF CROHNS & COLITIS
(2023)
Article
Surgery
Shiro Nakamura, Motoshi Wada, Tsunekazu Mizushima, Akira Sugita, Yuko Tazuke, Hiroki Ohge, Eri Udagawa, Ryohsuke Ken Suzuki, MinJung Yoon, Andrew Grimm, Szu-Ta Chen, Hiroki Ikeuchi
Summary: Treatment with teduglutide in Japanese adults with SBS-IF can lead to clinically meaningful reductions in parenteral support requirements, and is safe for short- and long-term use.
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Takehiro Noda, Hidekazu Takahashi, Mitsuyoshi Tei, Naohiro Nishida, Taishi Hata, Yutaka Takeda, Masayuki Ohue, Hiroshi Wada, Tsunekazu Mizushima, Tadafumi Asaoka, Mamoru Uemura, Shogo Kobayashi, Kohei Murata, Taroh Satoh, Yuichiro Doki, Hidetoshi Eguchi
Summary: This study investigated the clinical outcomes of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for resectable colorectal liver metastasis (CRLM) according to patient risk status. The results showed that patients in the intermediate-risk group who received neoadjuvant chemotherapy had significantly better recurrence-free survival, but overall survival was not improved.
ANNALS OF GASTROENTEROLOGICAL SURGERY
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Masaaki Miyo, Tsunekazu Mizushima, Junichi Nishimura, Taishi Hata, Mitsuyoshi Tei, Yuichiro Miyake, Yoshinori Kagawa, Shingo Noura, Masakazu Ikenaga, Katsuki Danno, Atsuhiro Ogawa, Yoshinao Chinen, Tsuyoshi Hata, Norikatsu Miyoshi, Hidekazu Takahashi, Mamoru Uemura, Hirofumi Yamamoto, Kohei Murata, Yuichiro Doki, Hidetoshi Eguchi
Summary: This multicenter retrospective study examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on colorectal cancer treatment in Japan. The study found that the pandemic resulted in a reduction in the number of surgeries and colonoscopies performed for colorectal cancer and hindered the detection of early-stage cancers. The impact varied depending on the size of the hospital.
ANNALS OF GASTROENTEROLOGICAL SURGERY
(2023)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Masakatsu Paku, Mamoru Uemura, Masatoshi Kitakaze, Norikatsu Miyoshi, Hidekazu Takahashi, Tsunekazu Mizushima, Yuichiro Doki, Hidetoshi Eguchi
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between perioperative serum CEA/carbohydrate antigen 19-9 levels and prognosis in locally recurrent rectal cancer. The results showed that preoperative serum carbohydrate antigen 19-9 level was correlated with poorer prognoses, and postoperative serum CEA >= 5 ng/mL was significantly correlated with a worse prognosis. At the time of diagnosis of re-recurrence, there was a high rate of serum CEA elevation.
DISEASES OF THE COLON & RECTUM
(2023)
Article
Oncology
Masashi Kanai, Takahisa Kawaguchi, Masahito Kotaka, Dai Manaka, Junichi Hasegawa, Akinori Takagane, Yoshinori Munemoto, Takeshi Kato, Tetsuya Eto, Tetsuo Touyama, Takanori Matsui, Katsunori Shinozaki, Shigemi Matsumoto, Tsunekazu Mizushima, Masaki Mori, Junichi Sakamoto, Atsushi Ohtsu, Takayuki Yoshino, Shigetoyo Saji, Fumihiko Matsuda
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the impact of DPYD genotype on FP-related toxicities in an Asian population. The results showed that the DPYD genotype registered in CPIC plays a minor role in FP-related toxicities in Asians.
Article
Oncology
Yusuke Oji, Naoki Kagawa, Hideyuki Arita, Norifumi Naka, Ken-ichiro Hamada, Hidetatsu Outani, Yasushi Shintani, Yoshito Takeda, Eiichi Morii, Kenzo Shimazu, Motoyuki Suzuki, Sumiyuki Nishida, Jun Nakata, Akihiro Tsuboi, Miki Iwai, Sae Hayashi, Rin Imanishi, Sayaka Ikejima, Mizuki Kanegae, Masahiro Iwamoto, Mayu Ikeda, Kento Yagi, Haruka Shimokado, Hiroko Nakajima, Kana Hasegawa, Soyoko Morimoto, Fumihiro Fujiki, Akira Nagahara, Atsushi Tanemura, Yutaka Ueda, Tsunekazu Mizushima, Masato Ohmi, Takayuki Ishida, Manabu Fujimoto, Norio Nonomura, Tadashi Kimura, Hidenori Inohara, Seiji Okada, Haruhiko Kishima, Naoki Hosen, Atsushi Kumanogoh, Yoshihiro Oka, Haruo Sugiyama
Summary: Therapeutic options for rare cancers are limited, necessitating the development of novel strategies. Our clinical study showed that a biweekly WT1 Trio peptide vaccine induced stronger immune responses against WT1 compared to a weekly WT1-CTL peptide vaccine. The vaccine was confirmed to be safe, with only one patient experiencing severe adverse events. Fifteen out of 45 patients achieved stable disease after 3 months of treatment, suggesting that WT1-targeted immunotherapy may be a potential strategy for rare cancers.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Masatoshi Nomura, Yuichiro Miyake, Akira Inoue, Yuhki Yokoyama, Nanaka Noda, Shihori Kouda, Tsuyoshi Hata, Takayuki Ogino, Norikatsu Miyoshi, Hidekazu Takahashi, Mamoru Uemura, Tsunekazu Mizushima, Yuichiro Doki, Hidetoshi Eguchi, Hirofumi Yamamoto
Summary: This study developed a dielectrophoresis-based micropore system to analyze circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. CTCs were successfully captured and identified using this system, and mutations in KRAS, BRAF, and PIK3CA genes were examined. The presence of CTCs was associated with lymph node metastasis, and novel mutations were found in CTCs that were not detected in the corresponding primary tumors. This method has potential applications for various tumor types.
Article
Oncology
Masatoshi Kitakaze, Mamoru Uemura, Tomoaki Hara, Ryota Chijimatsu, Daisuke Motooka, Toshiro Hirai, Masamitsu Konno, Daisuke Okuzaki, Yuki Sekido, Tsuyoshi Hata, Takayuki Ogino, Hidekazu Takahashi, Norikatsu Miyoshi, Ken Ofusa, Tsunekazu Mizushima, Hidetoshi Eguchi, Yuichiro Doki, Hideshi Ishii
Summary: This study found that the number of CD103(+)/CD8(+) tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) is a favorable prognostic factor in colorectal cancer (CRC). Additionally, they identified the expression of ZNF683 as a candidate marker for cancer-specific tissue-resident memory T (Trm) cells. The activation of Trm cells in tumors involves IFN-gamma and TCR signaling, as well as ZNF683 expression, which could be promising targets for cancer immunity regulation.
BRITISH JOURNAL OF CANCER
(2023)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Masatoshi Nomura, Yuhki Yokoyama, Daishi Yoshimura, Yasuhisa Minagawa, Aki Yamamoto, Yukiko Tanaka, Naoko Sekiguchi, Daiki Marukawa, Momoko Ichihara, Hiroaki Itakura, Kenichi Matsumoto, Yoshihiro Morimoto, Hideo Tomihara, Akira Inoue, Takayuki Ogino, Norikatsu Miyoshi, Hidekazu Takahashi, Hidenori Takahashi, Mamoru Uemura, Shogo Kobayashi, Tsunekazu Mizushima, Takahisa Anada, Masaki Mori, Yuichiro Doki, Masaru Tanaka, Hidetoshi Eguchi, Hirofumi Yamamoto
Summary: In this study, a simple detection method using poly(2-methoxyethyl acrylate) (PMEA)-coated plates was established for the detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients' blood samples. The efficacy of PMEA coating was confirmed through adhesion and spike tests. The study enrolled 41 CRC patients, and CTCs were successfully captured using PMEA. Cytological examination and cell culture provided valuable information about the presence and characteristics of CTCs.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Cell Biology
Masatsune Tsujioka, Keisuke Miyazawa, Masaki Ohmuraya, Yoichi Nibe, Tetsuya Shirokawa, Haruko Hayasaka, Tsunekazu Mizushima, Takeshi Fukuma, Shigeomi Shimizu
Summary: A novel type of focal adhesion remodelling involving the replacement of active FAK with FRNK was identified under genotoxic stress. FRNK stabilized focal adhesions and protected normal tissues against genotoxic stress, but facilitated cancer progression. FRNK depletion inhibited cancer dissemination and progression in a mouse model and was predominantly expressed in metastatic human cancers.
CELL DEATH & DISEASE
(2023)
Article
Geriatrics & Gerontology
Tomoki Hirunagi, Hideaki Nakatsuji, Kentaro Sahashi, Mikiyasu Yamamoto, Madoka Iida, Genki Tohnai, Naohide Kondo, Shinichiro Yamada, Ayuka Murakami, Seiya Noda, Hiroaki Adachi, Gen Sobue, Masahisa Katsuno
Summary: This study found that exercise has therapeutic potential in a mouse model of SBMA, improving motor function and survival and ameliorating neuronal and muscular histopathology. Exercise exerts its effect by activating the AMPK signaling pathway and suppressing the accumulation of polyQ-expanded AR protein in skeletal muscles and motor neurons.
JOURNAL OF CACHEXIA SARCOPENIA AND MUSCLE
(2023)