Effects of five oleanolic acid triterpenoid saponins from the rhizome of Anemone raddeana on stimulus-induced superoxide generation, phosphorylation of proteins and translocation of cytosolic compounds to cell membrane in human neutrophils     

Wei S  He W  Lu J  Wang Z  Yamashita K  Yokoyama M  Kodama H 《Fitoterapia》2012,83(2):402-407

Five oleanolic acid triterpenoid saponins (OTS-1, 2, 3, 4 and 5) were isolated from the rhizome of Anemone raddeana. The effect of these triterpenoid saponins on stimulus-induced superoxide generation in human neutrophils was assayed by measuring the reduction of ferricytochrome c using a dual-beam spectrophotometer. The phosphorylation of neutrophil proteins, and translocation of p67(phox), p47(phox) and Rac to plasma membrane were investigated using specific monoclonal antibodies. The five oleanolic acid triterpenoid saponins used in this experiment suppressed N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (fMLP)-induced superoxide generation in a concentration-dependent manner. OTS-1, 2 and 4 suppressed phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)- and arachidonic acid (AA)-induced superoxide generation in a concentration-dependent manner, but OTS-3 and 5 showed no effect. fMLP- and PMA-induced tyrosyl or serine/threonine phosphorylation, and fMLP-, PMA- and AA-induced translocation of p67(phox), p47(phox) and Rac to plasma membrane were in parallel with the suppression of the stimulus-induced superoxide generation.  相似文献   

Antimicrobial activity of a bovine myeloid antimicrobial peptide (BMAP‐28) against methicillin‐susceptible and methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus     

Shiaki TAKAGI  Shunji HAYASHI  Koichi TAKAHASHI  Hiroshi ISOGAI  Lanlan BAI  Hiroshi YONEYAMA  Tasuke ANDO  Kumiko ITO  Emiko ISOGAI 《Animal Science Journal》2012,83(6):482-486

A bovine myeloid antimicrobial peptide (BMAP‐28) is a member of the cathelicidin family which is included in the innate immune system of mammals. Recently, there have been many studies about antimicrobial peptides. This study aims to clarify whether BMAP‐28 has bactericidal activity against methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and compares its activity against methicillin‐susceptible S. aureus (MSSA) and MRSA. We found that the peptide was effective in killing MRSA (minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) range; 5–20 µg/mL). It was also revealed that MSSA (MIC range; 1.25–20 µg/mL) had two levels of susceptibility to BMAP‐28. We also examined the effect of BMAP‐28 on bacterial shape to visually show its activity. After exposure to the peptide, both MSSA and MRSA cells showed the morphological changes on their surfaces. Our results indicate that BMAP‐28 is a promising candidate for medicine against drug‐resistant bacteria.  相似文献   

Potential role of frugivorous birds in the recovery process of forest vegetation after feral goat eradication in Mukojima Island, the Bonin Islands     

Naoko Emura  Kazuto Kawakami  Tomohiro Deguchi  Koichi Sone 《Journal of Forest Research》2012,17(4):352-359

Some introduced frugivorous birds disperse introduced plants and are thus a substitute for extinct native birds. Introduced birds have negative and/or infrequently positive effects on local ecosystems. It is important for management of the ecosystems to understand the relationships between native and introduced frugivorous and plant species. In this study, we elucidated these relationships in Mukojima Island, the Bonin Islands, where was anthropologically deforested and Japanese White-eye Zosterops japonicus and some plants were already introduced. We examined the habitat selection of frugivorous birds, actual dispersed seeds in bird feces, and the distribution of the potentially dispersed plant species. The Japanese White-eye and the native, Blue Rockthrush Monticola solitarius, were dominant on this island. The former mainly used the forest area and dispersed only small seeds and frequently introduced plant seeds. The latter mainly used the open area and dispersed both small and large seeds. Some small-seed plants occurred not only in the forest but also in the open area. Their seedlings were distributed farther from their adult trees than the large-seed species. These indicate that small-seed plants would be more spread than the large-seed plants because the two bird species disperse their seeds in different environments. This introduced bird species may be important in vegetation recovery, although it may contribute to the distribution of introduced plants on this island.  相似文献   

Unique viral capsid assembly protein gene (g20) of cyanophages in the floodwater of a Japanese paddy field     

Guanghua Wang  Jun Murase  Susumu Asakawa  Makoto Kimura 《Biology and Fertility of Soils》2010,46(2):93-102

In order to evaluate the genetic diversity of cyanophage communities of rice fields, viral capsid assembly protein gene (g20) was amplified with primers CPS1 and CPS8. The DNA was extracted three times from viral concentrates obtained from floodwater samples collected in each of four different plots (no fertilizer; P and K chemical fertilizers; N, P, and K chemical fertilizers; and chemical fertilizers with compost). Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) gave different g20 clones. The sequencing of DGGE bands revealed that the g20 genes of the floodwater were divergent and that the majority of clones formed several unique groups. However, they were more closely related to g20 sequences from freshwaters than to those from marine waters, suggesting that g20 genes in terrestrial aquatic environments are different from those in marine environments.  相似文献   

Changes in Serum Concentrations of Prolactin,Progestagens, and Estradiol-17β and Biochemical Parameters During Peripartum in an Agalactic Mare     

Kenji Korosue  Harutaka Murase  Fumio Sato  Mutsuki Ishimaru  Gen Watanabe  Takehiro Harada  Kazuyoshi Taya  Yasuo Nambo 《Journal of Equine Veterinary Science》2013

The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in serum concentrations of prolactin (PRL), progestagens, and estradiol-17β and biochemical parameters during peripartum in an agalactic mare, as well as to study the periparturient indices of the foal. A 4-year-old Thoroughbred, primiparous, pregnant mare was diagnosed as agalactic from clinical conditions such as absence of observable udder development and weight loss of her foal after parturition. Serum PRL concentrations of the agalactic mare during prepartum tended to be lower than those of the control mares (19.5 ng/mL and 67.0 ± 15.0 ng/mL on the day of parturition, respectively). The progestagens and estradiol-17β concentrations were not markedly different between the agalactic mare and the control mares. Concentrations of γ-glutamyl transferase of the agalactic mare were higher than those of the control mares (P < .05). Although the serum immunoglobulin G concentrations of the foal of the agalactic mare after 24 hours of age were lower than those of the foals of the control mares (P < .05), all periparturient indices regarding the agalactic mare were considered to be within the normal range. In contrast, insufficient udder development and milk production was observed in the agalactic mare through the pre- and postpartum periods. We have ruled out the known causes for agalactia in mares based on other parameters, clinical symptoms, and nutritional causes. Clinical symptoms and PRL parameters in this case report are consistent with the category of agalactia in mares of unexplained causes, and we have determined additional blood parameters associated with agalactia in mares that are consistent with this category.  相似文献   

Botulinum Toxin Complex Increases Paracellular Permeability in Intestinal Epithelial Cells via Activation of p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase     

Shin-ichiro MIYASHITA  Yoshimasa SAGANE  Ken INUI  Shintaro HAYASHI  Keita MIYATA  Tomonori SUZUKI  Tohru OHYAMA  Toshihiro WATANABE  Koichi NIWA 《The Journal of veterinary medical science / the Japanese Society of Veterinary Science》2013,75(12):1637-1642

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Eukaryotic communities associated with the decomposition of rice straw compost in a Japanese rice paddy field estimated by DGGE analysis     

Masashi?Hatamoto  Takanori?Tanahashi  Jun?Murase  Kazuo?Matsuya  Motoki?Hayashi  Makoto?Kimura  Susumu?AsakawaEmail author 《Biology and Fertility of Soils》2008,44(3):527-532

To estimate the succession and phylogenetic composition of the eukaryotic communities responsible for the decomposition of rice straw compost under flooded conditions during the cultivation period of paddy rice, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) analysis targeting 18S rDNA followed by sequencing was conducted in a Japanese paddy field. The eukaryotic communities in rice straw compost incorporated into the flooded paddy field were influenced by the mid-season drainage and mainly composed of fungi (Ascomycota, Zygomycota, and Chytridiomycota) and protozoa (Ciliophora, Euglyphida, and Dactylopodida), most of which existed continuously during the cultivation period of paddy rice. The results indicated that these eukaryotic members were associated with the decomposition of rice straw compost in paddy field soil directly or indirectly.  相似文献   

Relative shoot height and irradiance and the shoot and leaf properties of Quercus serrata saplings     

Takahashi K  Okada J  Urata E 《Tree physiology》2006,26(8):1035-1042

Effects of relative shoot height and irradiance on shoot and leaf properties of Quercus serrata Thunb. saplings growing in the understory and in gaps were investigated. Photosynthetic photon flux (PPF) at the location of the shoot relative to that in the open (relative PPF; rPPF) and the height of the shoot base relative to tree height (relative height; rHeight) were measured for all current-year shoots of each sapling. Current-year shoot properties (length, leaf area, number of daughter shoots) and mortality, and leaf properties (mass per area (LMA) and nitrogen content per area (N(area))) were examined in relation to rPPF and rHeight. N(area) was used as a proxy for area-based assimilative capacity. Shoot length, leaf area per shoot and number of daughter shoots increased with increasing rHeight, especially in well-lit conditions. Shoot mortality decreased with increasing rHeight and rPPF. Both LMA and N(area) were positively correlated with rPPF, but not rHeight.  相似文献   

Hypereosinophilic syndrome in two cats     

Takeuchi Y  Matsuura S  Fujino Y  Nakajima M  Takahashi M  Nakashima K  Sakai Y  Uetsuka K  Ohno K  Nakayama H  Tsujimoto H 《The Journal of veterinary medical science / the Japanese Society of Veterinary Science》2008,70(10):1085-1089

Two cats showing chronic vomiting, diarrhea and weight loss were found to have leukocytosis with marked eosinophilia. Both cats were diagnosed with hypereosinophilic syndrome by the findings of increased eosinophils and their precursors in the bone marrow, eosinophilic infiltration into multiple organs, and exclusion of other causes for eosinophilia. Although cytoreductive chemotherapy with hydroxycarbamide and prednisolone was performed, these two cats died 48 days and 91 days after the initial presentation.  相似文献   

Molecular pathogenesis of feline leukemia virus-induced malignancies: insertional mutagenesis     

Fujino Y  Ohno K  Tsujimoto H 《Veterinary immunology and immunopathology》2008,123(1-2):138-143

Feline leukemia virus (FeLV), which is subclassified into three subgroups of A, B and C, is a pathogenic retrovirus in cats. FeLV-A is minimally pathogenic, FeLV-C can cause pure red cell aplasia, and FeLV-B is associated with a variety of pathogenic properties such as lymphoma, leukemia and anemia. FeLV-induced neoplasms are caused, at least in part, by somatically acquired insertional mutagenesis in which the integrated provirus may activate a proto-oncogene or disrupt a tumor suppressor gene. The common integration sites for FeLV have been identified in six loci with feline lymphomas: c-myc, flvi-1, flvi-2 (contains bmi-1), fit-1, pim-1 and flit-1. Oncogenic association of the loci includes that c-myc is known as a proto-oncogene, bmi-1 and pim-1 have been recognized as myc-collaborators, fit-1 appears to be closely linked to myb, and flit-1 insertion is shown to be associated with over-expression of a cellular gene, e.g. ACVRL1. Thus, identification of common integration sites for FeLV is a tenable model to clarify oncogenesis. Recent advances in molecular biology and cytogenetics have developed to rapidly detect numbers of retroviral integration sites by genome-wide large-scale analyses. Especially, polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based strategies and chromosome analyses with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) will be applicable for studies on FeLV.  相似文献