Coumestrol decreases intestinal alkaline phosphatase activity in post-delivery mice but does not affect vitamin D receptor and calcium channels in post-delivery and neonatal mice     

Kirihata Y  Kawarabayashi T  Imanishi S  Sugimoto M  Kume S 《The Journal of reproduction and development》2008,54(1):35-41

In this study, we investigated the effects of administration of coumestrol during pregnancy on calcium (Ca) metabolism in post-delivery maternal and neonatal mice. From 6.5 to 16.5 days post coitus (dpc), pregnant females were administered daily doses of coumestrol (200 microg/kg body weight/day). One day after parturition, blood samples and the kidneys, liver, jejunum and duodenum were obtained from each of maternal mouse, and blood samples and the kidneys and liver were obtained from neonatal mice. Coumestrol did not have any significant effect on the Ca and inorganic phosphorus concentrations in the sera of the maternal and neonatal mice. No notable effects of coumestrol were observed in relation to Vitamin D receptor expression in the maternal and neonatal mice by immunohistochemical analysis. Coumestrol did not affect the Vitamin D receptor and epithelial calcium channel and 2 mRNA levels in any of the organs investigated. Enzyme histochemical analysis showed that coumestrol decreased intestinal alkaline phosphatase activity in the maternal jejunum and duodenum. In the duodenum, coumestrol decreased expression of intestinal alkaline phosphatase, c-fos and vascular endothelial growth factor at the mRNA level. However, we did not observe any significant effects of coumestrol on the expression of these genes. In conclusion, coumestrol decreased intestinal alkaline phosphatase activity in the small intestines of maternal mice at the level used in the present study, and the mechanisms underlying this effect are different for the jejunum and duodenum.  相似文献   

Normal DNA methylation status in sperm from a somatic cell cloned bull and their fertilized embryos          下载免费PDF全文

Ken‐Ichi Yamanaka  Kyoko Yamashita  Hafiza Khatun  Yasuhiko Wada  Hideki Tatemoto  Miki Sakatani  Naoki Takenouchi  Masashi Takahashi  Shinya Watanabe 《Animal Science Journal》2018,89(10):1406-1414

Epigenetic reprogramming confers totipotency even during somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), which has been used to clone various animal species. However, as even apparently healthy cloned animals sometimes have aberrant epigenetic status, the harmful effects of these defects could be passed onto their offspring. This is one of the biggest obstacles for the application of cloned animals for livestock production. Here, we investigated the DNA methylation status of four developmentally regulated genes (PEG3, XIST, OCT4, and NANOG) in sperms from a cloned and a non‐cloned bull, and blastocysts obtained by in vitro fertilization using those sperms and SCNT. We found no differences in the methylation status of the above genes between cloned and non‐cloned bull sperms. Moreover, the methylation status was also similar in blastocysts obtained with cloned and non‐cloned bull sperms. In contrast, the methylation status was compromised in the SCNT blastocysts. These results indicate that sperm from cloned bulls would be adequately reprogrammed during spermatogenesis and, thus, could be used to produce epigenetically normal embryos. This study highlights the normality of cloned bull offspring and supports the application of cloned cattle for calf production.  相似文献   

Integrating archaeobotany,paleogenetics and historical linguistics may cast more light onto crop domestication: the case of pea (Pisum sativum)     

Aleksandar Mikić  Aleksandar Medović  Živko Jovanović  Nemanja Stanisavljević 《Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution》2014,61(5):887-892

This short communication intends to discuss various models and ideas about the very beginnings of plant domestication in the Old World with a specific emphasis on pea (Pisum sativum L.) as one of the most significant crops in the human civilization. It presents a selection of some recent achievements and challenges in studying the earliest days of this important grain legume species by balanced contributions from archaeobotany, paleogenetics and historical linguistics. It will hopefully stimulate a fruitful interdisciplinary discussion and provide a basis for new experimental approaches.  相似文献   

Discovery and structure optimization of a novel corn herbicide,tolpyralate     

Masamitsu Tsukamoto  Hiroshi Kikugawa  Souichiro Nagayama  Taketo Suganuma  Tatsuya Okita  Hidenori Miyamoto 《Journal of Pesticide Science》2021,46(2):152

Tolpyralate, a new selective postemergence herbicide developed for the weed control in corn, possesses a unique chemical structure with a 1-alkoxyethyl methyl carbonate group on the N-ethyl pyrazole moiety. This compound shows high herbicidal activity against many weed species, including glyphosate-resistant Amaranthus tuberculatus. Tolpyralate targets 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (4-HPPD), which is involved in the tyrosine degradation pathway. Inhibition of the enzyme destroys the chlorophyll, thereby killing the susceptible weeds. Details of tolpyralate discovery, structure optimization, and biological activities are described.  相似文献   

Cardiac remodeling and angiotensin II-forming enzyme activity of the left ventricle in hamsters with chronic pressure overload induced by ascending aortic stenosis     

Shimizu M  Tanaka R  Fukuyama T  Aoki R  Orito K  Yamane Y 《The Journal of veterinary medical science / the Japanese Society of Veterinary Science》2006,68(3):271-276

Cardiac remodeling and angiotensin II-forming enzyme activity of the left ventricle on chronic pressure overload were studied in male Syrian hamsters, whose chymase activity is similar to that of dogs. Pressure overload was achieved by banding at the ascending aorta (aortic stenosis). Echocardiography, histological analysis, and analysis of cardiac angiotensin-converting enzyme and chymase-like activities were performed. At 10 weeks after banding, concentric hypertrophy of the left ventricle was evident. At 20 weeks after banding, the ventricular weight-to-body ratio, cardiac fibrosis, and cardiac chymase-like activity were significantly increased, while cardiac angiotensin-converting enzyme activity was significantly decreased. This suggests that cardiac chymase, compared with cardiac angiotensin-converting enzyme, was activated against the chronic pressure overload and was responsible for the cardiac remodeling through the formation of angiotensin II. Considering the utility of the rodents, the interspecies similarity of the Ang II-forming pathway, and the effect of chymase in the hamsters, the present model is considered useful for studies evaluating the effect of Ang II and chymase in the canine heart with chronic pressure overload.  相似文献   

Effects of beer and hop on ionotropic gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors     

Aoshima H  Takeda K  Okita Y  Hossain SJ  Koda H  Kiso Y 《Journal of agricultural and food chemistry》2006,54(7):2514-2519

Beer induced the response of the ionotropic gamma-aminobutyric acid receptors (GABA(A) receptors) expressed in Xenopus oocytes, indicating the presence of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-like activity. Furthermore, the pentane extract of the beer, hop (Humulus lupulus L.) oil, and myrcenol potentiated the GABA(A) receptor response elicited by GABA. The GABA(A) receptor responses were also potentiated by the addition of aliphatic esters, most of which are reported to be present in beer flavor. Aliphatic esters showed the tendency to decrease in the potentiation of the GABA(A) receptor response with an increase in their carbon chain length. When myrcenol was injected to mice prior to intraperitoneal administration of pentobarbital, the pentobarbital-induced sleeping time of mice increased additionally. Therefore, the beer contained not only GABA-like activity but also the modulator(s) of the GABA(A) receptor response.  相似文献   

Daily increment formation in otoliths of juvenile skipjack tuna Katsuwonus pelamis     

Toshiyuki  TANABE  Sadaaki  KAYAMA  Miki  OGURA  Sho  TANAKA 《Fisheries Science》2003,69(4):731-737

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Detection of complement receptors on head kidney phagocytes of the common carp Cyprinus carpio     

Miki  NAKAO  Kazuhiro  FUJIKI  Masakazu  KONDO  Tomoki  YANO 《Fisheries Science》2003,69(5):929-935

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Generation of mouse induced pluripotent stem cells without viral vectors   总被引：4，自引：0，他引：4  

Okita K  Nakagawa M  Hyenjong H  Ichisaka T  Yamanaka S 《Science (New York, N.Y.)》2008,322(5903):949-953

Induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells have been generated from mouse and human somatic cells by introducing Oct3/4 and Sox2 with either Klf4 and c-Myc or Nanog and Lin28 using retroviruses or lentiviruses. Patient-specific iPS cells could be useful in drug discovery and regenerative medicine. However, viral integration into the host genome increases the risk of tumorigenicity. Here, we report the generation of mouse iPS cells without viral vectors. Repeated transfection of two expression plasmids, one containing the complementary DNAs (cDNAs) of Oct3/4, Sox2, and Klf4 and the other containing the c-Myc cDNA, into mouse embryonic fibroblasts resulted in iPS cells without evidence of plasmid integration, which produced teratomas when transplanted into mice and contributed to adult chimeras. The production of virus-free iPS cells, albeit from embryonic fibroblasts, addresses a critical safety concern for potential use of iPS cells in regenerative medicine.  相似文献   

Single-locus EST-SSR markers for characterization of population genetic diversity and structure across ploidy levels in switchgrass (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Panicum virgatum</Emphasis> L.)     

Miki Okada  Christina Lanzatella  Christian M. Tobias 《Genetic Resources and Crop Evolution》2011,58(6):919-931

Polyploidy, ploidal variation between populations, and aneuploidy within some populations complicate population genetic analyses in switchgrass. We report 21 genic-simple sequence repeat marker loci with single-locus disomic segregation in tetraploids and apparently tetrasomic inheritance in octoploids, thus allowing population genetic analyses across ploidy levels. Based on 472 individuals sampled over four tetraploid and eight octoploid cultivars, six to 55 alleles were detected per locus with an average of 24.1. Genetic diversity was greater in octoploids than tetraploids, as expected from polysomic inheritance. One tetraploid cultivar displayed comparable diversity to the least diverse octoploid cultivars, suggesting breeding history or population history in the native stands of origin may have also affected within-cultivar diversity. Amplicon number at each locus and population relationships suggest autopolyploid origin of octoploids within upland tetraploids with significant cultivar differentiation. However, model-based Bayesian clustering of individuals indicated that closely related octoploid cultivars are difficult to identify, possibly due to slowed differentiation by polysomic inheritance. The analysis of the sampling effect indicated addition of loci is more effective for cultivar identification than more individuals sampled per cultivar. Discriminating power of loci tended to correlate with their variability. The eight loci with greatest discriminatory power within tetraploids were equally successful as 20 loci at identifying the four tetraploid cultivars. The set of markers reported in this study are useful for characterization of switchgrass germplasm and identifying population structure for association studies.  相似文献