No. 3Vol. 42, No. 2, pp. 94–101, 2008Effect of Birch (Betula platyphylla Sukatchev var. japonica Hara) sap on cultured human epidermal keratinocyte differentiation

The beauty of ideal skin texture is closely associated with dermal moisture factors. The key factors of skin moisture are NMF (natural moisturizing factor) and skin normal barrier function. The former keeps dermal surface moisture, and the later protects from excess water loss. So we have searched for the ingredient that improves these factors. Birch sap has been widely used as an effective drink for anti-fatigue and anti-stress. However, the effect of birch sap on skin as a cosmetic agent has not been known entirely. In this study, we investigated the effects of birch ( Betula platyphylla Sukatchev var. japonica Hara) sap on human skin. Birch sap induced epidermal keratinocyte differentiation properties in vitro . We assessed two epidermal differentiation agents. Filaggrin is a precursor protein of NMF, and involucrin is one of the precursor proteins of the cornified cell envelope (CE), which is related to normal barrier function. We have evaluated the production of these proteins where birch sap was applied to human normal keratinocytes. Birch sap not only increased mRNA expression of filaggrin and involucrin, but also accelerated these proteins production. Otherwise, birch sap did not have any influence for IL-6 production, which is related to inflammatory and aberrant keratinocyte proliferation. The results of induced differentiation properties on birch sap-treated keratinocytes are very similar to the differentiation induced by calcium in vitro . This similarity suggested that birch sap has a differentiation inducible property on in vitro cultured keratinocytes. Our study suggested that birch sap is able to control both moisturizing- and barrier-related factor production. From these effects, birch sap provides appropriate epidermal functions and skin homeostasis, and revealed itself as a very useful ingredient in the cosmetic field.     

New method for testing phototoxicity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), widespread environmental pollutants, were recently reported to show photomutagenesis. As contaminants in the environment are usually exposed to sunlight, a way to evaluate the phototoxic characteristics of pollutants is required. We have previously found that phosphorylation of histone H2AX (gamma-H2AX), which accompanied the induction of DNA double strand breaks (DSBs), was significantly induced by low concentrations of benzo[a]pyrene (10(-9)-10(-7) M) and UVA (0.6 J/cm2) in CHO-K1 cells. Higher concentrations have been required for the detection of DSBs. The aim of the present study is to investigate the applicability of gamma-H2AX in a new phototoxicity assay of PAHs. The human keratinocytes, HaCaT, were treated with four model PAHs (naphthalene, phenanthrene, pyrene, and benzo[a]pyrene, 10(-11)-10(-7) M) and/or UVA (5 J/cm2), and the induction of gamma-H2AX was assessed. Furthermore, DSBs were directly detected using a biased sinusoidal field gel electrophoresis, and the cell viability was examined as a general assay of phototoxicity. The induction of gamma-H2AX was detected in the presence of all the PAHs except naphthalene at concentrations of 10(-9)-10(-7) M, whereas neither DSBs nor cell death could be detected at those concentrations, and higher concentrations were required for the detection. Naphthalene showed no phototoxicity in any of the three different assays. These findings suggest that histone H2AX is a potential moleculartargetfor detecting the phototoxicity of PAHs more sensitively than the detection of cell viability and DSBs.     

Sensitive analyses of neutral N-glycans using anion-doped liquid matrix G3CA by negative-ion matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry

Negative-ion fragmentation of N-glycans has been proven to be more informative than that of positive-ion. In particular, it defines structural features such as the specific composition of the two antennae and the location of fucose. However, negative-ion formation of neutral N-glycans by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) remains a challenging task, and the detection limit of N-glycans in negative-ion mode is merely at the subpicomole level. Thus, practical applications are limited. In this study, combinations of five liquid matrices and nine anions were used to ionize N-glycans as anionic adducts, and their performances for sensitive analyses were evaluated. The best results were obtained with anion-doped liquid matrix G(3)CA, which consists of p-coumaric acid and 1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidine; the detection limits of anion adducted N-glycans were 1 fmol/well for NO(3)(-), and 100 amol/well for BF(4)(-). Negative-ion MS(2) spectra of 1 fmol N-glycans were successfully acquired with a sufficient signal-to-noise ratio and were quite useful for MS-based structural determination. The anion-doped G(3)CA matrix opens the way for sensitive and rapid analysis of neutral N-glycans in negative-ion MALDI at a low femtomole level.     

Detection of pathogenic bacteria by using zinc finger protein fused with firefly luciferase

We constructed a novel bacterial genome detection system using zinc finger protein (ZF) fused with firefly luciferase (ZF-luciferase). Taking advantage of the direct recognition of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) by ZF, we previously constructed bacterial genome detection systems that did not require dehybridization processes. To detect polymerase chain reaction (PCR) products rapidly and with a high sensitivity, we constructed two kinds of ZF-luciferase, Sp1-fused luciferase (Sp1-luciferase), and Zif268-fused luciferase (Zif268-luciferase). ZF-luciferase not only maintains luciferase activity but also shows dsDNA-binding ability and specificity. Furthermore, we succeeded in the detection of 10 copies of the genome of Legionella pneumophila and Escherichia coli O157. ZF-luciferase would be a useful tool for highly sensitive detection of pathogenic bacterial genome.     

Inhibitory Effects of Cholesterol Derivatives on DNA Polymerase and Topoisomerase Activities, and Human Cancer Cell Growth

This paper describes the inhibitory activities of cholesterol derivatives such as cholesterol, sodium cholesteryl sulfate, cholesteryl-5α, 6α-epoxide, cholesteryl chloride, cholesteryl bromide, and cholesteryl hemisuccinate (compounds 1–6, respectively) against DNA polymerase (pol), DNA topoisomerase (topo), and human cancer cell growth. Among the compounds tested, compounds 2 and 6 revealed themselves to be potent inhibitors of animal pols, and the IC₅₀ values for pols were 0.84–11.6 and 2.9–148 μM, respectively. Compounds 2, 3 and 6 inhibited the activity of human topo II, with IC₅₀ values of 5.0, 12.5 and 120 μM, respectively. Compounds 2, 3 and 6 also suppressed human cancer cell (promyelocytic leukemia cell line, HL-60) growth, and LD₅₀ values were 8.8, 20.2 and 72.3 μM, respectively, suggesting that cell growth inhibition had the same tendency as the inhibition of topos rather than pols. Compounds 2 and 6 arrested the cells in S and G2/M phases, compound 3 arrested the cells in the G2/M phase, and these compounds also increased sub-G1 phase in the cell cycle. These results suggested that the effect of cell cycle arrest might be effective on both pols and topos activities. From these findings, the action mode of cholesterol derivatives as anti-cancer compounds is discussed.     

Quantitative bioimaging analysis of gonads in olvas-GFP/ST-II YI Medaka (transgenic Oryzias latipes) exposed to ethinylestradiol

This study investigates the adverse and persistent effects of ethinylestradiol (EE2) on mature gonads of transgenic olvas-GFPIST II-YI medaka (Oryzias latipes). The measurement of gonadal size calculating the GFP-fluorescent area was used as a technique that enabled monitoring gonads in living specimens by GFP fluorescence. First, mature medaka were exposed to EE2 (47.8-522 ng/L) for 4 weeks. The gonads showed a significant reduction of the GFP-fluorescent area and Gonadosomatic Index in males exposed to EE2 at >216 ng/L and females exposed at 522 ng/L. Histologically, males at all treatments exhibited testis-ova and additionally, high connective tissue prevalence at > or =216 ng/L. Next, mature male medaka were exposed to EE2 (43.7-473 ng/L) for 3 weeks and allowed to depurate for 6 weeks, to investigate persistent effects of EE2. Continuous gonad observation showed that GFP began to decline 3 weeks after initial exposure to > or =215 ng/L. After depuration, the gonad's fluorescent areas gradually recovered, with no statistical difference at the end of the depuration period; normal spermatogenesis was present in these individuals. Alterations in GFP fluorescence clearly indicate the condition of the gonad in transgenic medaka and this strain showed a facilitated screening fish model to detect the adverse effects on the gonad by estrogenic chemicals.     

Development of a genetic transformation system using new selectable markers for fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe

We describe the development of a new transformation system, using multiple auxotrophic marker genes, for the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. We developed three new auxotrophic marker genes (arg12(+), tyr1(+) and ade7(+)) and generated a new host strain, YF043, by Cre-loxP-mediated gene disruption. YF043 possessed six mutated biosynthetic genes (leu1-32, ura4-M190T, arg12::loxP, tyr1::loxP, ade7::loxP and his2::loxP). The combination of this host strain and the new selectable markers can be used for gene disruption using the same preexisting transformation systems. In addition, Sz. pombe vectors were constructed, containing selectable marker genes that complement the auxotrophies of YF043. These new vectors are available for gene disruption and heterologous protein expression in strain YF043. The new Sz. pombe host strain will be a useful tool for molecular genetic studies of Sz. pombe where multiple recombinant modifications or multiple mutations are needed.