Search

Rust fungi are important pathogens of trees, ornamental plants, and food crops. Field research targeting rust diseases across Korea uncovered three distinct species of Neophysopella , affecting different members of the family Vitaceae . In our examination of both wild and cultivated grapevine ( Vitis ) species, including V. amurensis , V. coignetiae , and V. vinifera , we found N. meliosmaemyrianthae as well as a previously undescribed rust species, which we describe here as N. viticola sp. nov. Neophysopella ampelopsidis , which was previously identified as a rust pathogen of Vitis spp., has been observed to specifically infect Ampelopsis brevipedunculata . Through molecular sequence analysis of the ITS, LSU rDNA, and cox 3 mtDNA regions, we determined the phylogenetic placements of these three species. Our morphological studies revealed the distinguishing features of N. viticola , particularly its unique teliospore layer and urediniospore dimensions. The emergence of N. viticola on economically valuable grapevines raises concerns about potential agricultural losses, highlighting the urgency for developing specialized management approaches in viticulture. Citation: Na DH, Choi Y-J, Shin H-D (2024). Taxonomy and phylogeny of three rust fungi parasitic on Vitaceae in Korea, with Neophysopella viticola sp. nov . on Vitis vinifera . Fungal Systematics and Evolution 14 : 127-138. doi: 10.3114/fuse.2024.14.08., (© 2024 Westerdijk Fungal Biodiversity Institute.)

Genetic or hereditary kidney disease stands as a pivotal cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD). The proliferation and widespread utilization of DNA testing in clinical settings have notably eased the diagnosis of genetic kidney diseases, which were once elusive but are now increasingly identified in cases previously deemed CKD of unknown etiology. However, despite these diagnostic strides, research into disease pathogenesis and novel drug development faces significant hurdles, chiefly due to the dearth of appropriate animal models and the challenges posed by limited patient cohorts in clinical studies. Conversely, the advent and utilization of human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) offer a promising avenue for genetic kidney disease research. Particularly, the development of hiPSC-derived kidney organoid systems presents a novel platform for investigating various forms of genetic kidney diseases. Moreover, the integration of the CRISPR/Cas9 technique into this system holds immense potential for efficient research on genetic kidney diseases. This review aims to explore the applications of in vitro kidney organoids generated from hiPSCs in the study of diverse genetic kidney diseases. Additionally, it will delve into the limitations of this research platform and outline future perspectives for advancing research in this crucial area.

Rust fungi are the largest group of obligate plant pathogens and cause severe damage to global forests and agricultural security. Meliosma myriantha , a tree species native to East Asia (China, Japan, and Korea), is vulnerable to three rust species: Neophysopella meliosmae , N. meliosmae-myrianthae , and N. vitis . The early symptoms of infection are indistinguishable between these species, making an accurate and rapid diagnosis challenging. The urediniospores of N. meliosmae-myrianthae and N. vitis are also known to infect economically relevant grapevines ( Vitis spp.) and ivies ( Parthenocissus spp.), respectively, rendering early detection and identification even more important. To address this issue, we developed a multiplex quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay equipped with TaqMan probes targeting the internal transcribed spacer rDNA sequences specific to the three rust pathogens. This assay successfully detected minute quantities (5 fg for N. meliosmae-myrianthae and 50 fg for N. meliosmae and N. vitis ) of DNA from the three Neophysopella species and demonstrated consistent reliability when applied to fresh and herbarium samples collected from M. myriantha , grapevines, and ivies. In conclusion, this novel assay is a rapid and robust diagnostic tool for the three rust pathogens, N. meliosmae , N. meliosmae-myrianthae , and N. vitis , and offers the potential to identify and detect their global movement and spread to grapevines, ivies, and trees., Competing Interests: The author(s) declare no conflict of interest.

This study aimed to investigate the neuroprotective effects of cerebroprotein hydrolysate (CPH) against oxidative stress-induced HT22 cell death. Additionally, the effect of antioxidants such as quercetin (QC) and N -acetyl-L-cysteine (NAC) on the neuroprotective activity of CPH was evaluated. The mouse-derived hippocampal neuronal cell line HT22 was pretreated with CPH or a mixture of CPH and QC or NAC. HT22 cell death was induced by either 10 mM glutamate, 2.5 μM amyloid-β (Aβ) 25-35 , and 300 μM cobalt chloride (CoCl 2 ). As results, CPH effectively alleviated HT22 cell death induced by glutamate, Aβ 25-35 , and CoCl 2 . In addition, CPH combination with QC augmented cell viability in both glutamate- and Aβ 25-35 -stressed conditions but had no synergic effect on the CoCl 2 -stressed condition. The synergic effect of CPH and NAC combination was observed under all cell death conditions. The neuroprotective actions of CPH and its combinations with QC or NAC against various oxidative stress-induced HT22 cell deaths were demonstrated, providing a promising strategy for developing CPH preparations for the prevention and/or treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease., Competing Interests: Conflict of interestThe authors have no competing interests to declare., (© The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Korean Society of Toxicology 2024. Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.)

Purpose: The da Vinci single-port (SP) system has been used in various surgical fields, including colorectal surgery. However, limited experience has been reported on its safety and feasibility. This study aims to evaluate the short-term outcomes of SP robotic surgery for the treatment of rectal cancer compared with multiport (MP) robotic surgery., Methods: Rectal cancer patients who underwent curative resection in 2020 were reviewed. A total of 43 patients underwent robotic total mesorectal excision (TME), of which 26 (13 in each group, SP TME vs. MP TME ) were included in the case-matched cohort for analysis. Intraoperative and postoperative outcomes and pathological results were compared between the 2 groups., Results: Median tumor height was similar between the 2 groups (SP TME vs. MP TME : 5.9 cm [range, 2.2-9.6 cm] vs. 6.7 cm [range, 3.4-10.0 cm], P = 0.578). Preoperative chemoradiotherapy was equally performed (38.5%). The median estimated blood loss was less (20.0 mL [range, 5.0-20.0 mL] vs. 30.0 mL [range, 20.0-30.0 mL], P = 0.020) and the median hospital stay was shorter (7 days [range, 6-8 days] vs. 8 days [range, 7-9 days], P = 0.055) in the SP TME group. Postoperative complications did not differ (SP TME vs. MP TME : 7.7% vs. 23.1%, P = 0.587). One patient in the SP TME group and 3 in the MP TME group experienced anastomotic leakage., Conclusion: SP robotic TME showed perioperative outcomes similar to MP robotic TME. The SP robotic system can be considered a surgical option for the treatment of rectal cancer. Further prospective randomized trials with larger cohorts are required., Competing Interests: Conflict of Interest: No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported., (Copyright © 2023, the Korean Surgical Society.)

Background: The da Vinci Single-port (SP) system is designed to facilitate single-incision robotic surgery in a narrow space. We developed a new procedure of intersphincteric resection (ISR) using the SP platform and evaluated the technical safety and feasibility of this procedure for the treatment of very low rectal cancer., Materials and Methods: Eleven rectal cancer patients who underwent SP robotic ISR between August 2020 and July 2021 were included. Patients' clinical characteristics, operative and pathologic findings of the patients were retrospectively analyzed., Results: The median tumor height was 3 cm (range, 2-4 cm). A single docking was performed, and the median docking time was 3 min 10 sec (range, 2 min 50 sec-3 min 30 sec). The median total operation time was 210 min (range, 150-280 min), and the median time of pelvic dissection was 57 min (range, 45-68 min). All patients presented with negative distal resection margins [median 1 cm (range, 0.5-2.0 cm)], and only one patient had less than 1mm of circumferential resection margin (0.9 mm)., Conclusions: Our initial experience suggests that SP robotic ISR is safe and feasible., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: In tauopathies, brain regions with tau accumulation strongly correlate with clinical symptoms, and spreading of misfolded tau along neural network leads to disease progression. However, the underlying mechanisms by which tau proteins enter neurons during pathological propagation remain unclear., Methods: To identify membrane receptors responsible for neuronal propagation of tau oligomers, we established a cell-based tau uptake assay and screened complementary DNA expression library. Tau uptake and propagation were analyzed in vitro and in vivo using a microfluidic device and stereotactic injection. The cognitive function of mice was assessed using behavioral tests., Results: From a genome-wide cell-based functional screening, RAGE (receptor for advanced glycation end products) was isolated to stimulate the cellular uptake of tau oligomers. Rage deficiency reduced neuronal uptake of pathological tau prepared from rTg4510 mouse brains or cerebrospinal fluid from patients with Alzheimer's disease and slowed tau propagation between neurons cultured in a 3-chamber microfluidic device. RAGE levels were increased in the brains of rTg4510 mice and tau oligomer-treated neurons. Rage knockout decreased tau transmission in the brains of nontransgenic mice after injection with Alzheimer's disease patient-derived tau and ameliorated memory loss after injection with GFP-P301L-tau-AAV. Treatment of RAGE antagonist FPS-ZM1 blocked transsynaptic tau propagation and inflammatory responses and alleviated cognitive impairment in rTg4510 mice., Conclusions: These results suggest that in neurons and microglia, RAGE binds to pathological tau and facilitates neuronal tau pathology progression and behavioral deficits in tauopathies., (Copyright © 2022 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Although its efficacy is uncertain, an intraoperative air leak test (ALT) is commonly used to detect mechanical defects following bowel anastomosis. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of ALT to detect anastomotic leakage (AL) following rectal excision., Methods: We reviewed our database for patients with rectal cancers who had undergone curative surgery between January 2012 and January 2018. Patients were grouped according to whether or not an ALT was performed. Propensity score analyses were performed to compare outcomes for groups in a 1:1 case-matched cohort., Results: In total, 1,191 patients underwent rectal excision; 438 (219 in each group) formed the case-matched cohort for analysis. The protective stoma rate was 16.0% and 14.6% in the ALT and the no-ALT groups, respectively (P = 0.791). In the ALT group, 2 patients (0.9%) showed a positive result and were treated with rectal tube drainage, resulting in no leakage. There was no significant difference in postoperative AL rate between the groups (ALT group: 4.6% vs. no-ALT group: 4.1%, P > 0.999)., Conclusion: ALT played a minimal role in detecting AL following rectal excision. Further studies are warranted to validate our results and clarify whether AL can be prevented with ALT or alternative methods., Competing Interests: Conflicts of Interest: No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported., (Copyright © 2023, the Korean Surgical Society.)

Recently, two oral-administered peptide pharmaceuticals, semaglutide and octreotide, have been developed and are considered as a breakthrough in peptide and protein drug delivery system development. In 2019, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved an oral dosage form of semaglutide developed by Novo Nordisk (Rybelsus ® ) for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Subsequently, the octreotide capsule (Mycapssa ® ), developed through Chiasma's Transient Permeation Enhancer (TPE) technology, also received FDA approval in 2020 for the treatment of acromegaly. These two oral peptide products have been a significant success; however, a major obstacle to their oral delivery remains the poor permeability of peptides through the intestinal epithelium. Therefore, gastrointestinal permeation enhancers are of great relevance for the development of subsequent oral peptide products. Sodium salcaprozate (SNAC) and sodium caprylate (C8) have been used as gastrointestinal permeation enhancers for semaglutide and octreotide, respectively. Herein, we briefly review two approved products, Rybelsus ® and Mycapssa ® , and discuss the permeation properties of SNAC and medium chain fatty acids, sodium caprate (C10) and C8, focusing on Eligen technology using SNAC, TPE technology using C8, and gastrointestinal permeation enhancement technology (GIPET) using C10.

Severe infectious diseases, such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), can induce hypercytokinemia and multiple organ failure. In spite of the growing demand for peptide therapeutics against infectious diseases, current small molecule-based strategies still require frequent administration due to limited half-life and enzymatic digestion in blood. To overcome this challenge, a strategy to continuously express multi-level therapeutic peptide drugs on the surface of immune cells, is established. Here, chimeric T cells stably expressing therapeutic peptides are presented for treatment of severe infectious diseases. Using lentiviral system, T cells are engineered to express multi-level therapeutic peptides with matrix metallopeptidases- (MMP-) and tumor necrosis factor alpha converting enzyme- (TACE-) responsive cleavage sites on the surface. The enzymatic cleavage releases γ-carboxyglutamic acid of protein C (PC-Gla) domain and thrombin receptor agonist peptide (TRAP), which activate endothelial protein C receptor (EPCR) and protease-activated receptor-1 (PAR-1), respectively. These chimeric T cells prevent vascular damage in tissue-engineered blood vessel and suppress hypercytokinemia and lung tissue damages in vivo, demonstrating promise for use of engineered T cells against sepsis and other infectious-related diseases., (© 2022 The Authors. Advanced Science published by Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Virginia creeper (or five-leaved ivy; Parthenocissus quinquefolia ) is one of the most popular and widely grown climbers worldwide. In September 2021, Virginia creeper leaves with typical rust symptom were found in an arboretum in Korea, with severe damage. Globally, there is no record of a rust disease on Virginia creeper. Using morphological investigation and molecular phylogenetic inferences, the rust agent was identified as Neophysopella vitis , which is a rust pathogen of other Parthenocissus spp. including Boston ivy ( P. tricuspidata ). Given that the two ivy plants, Virginia creeper and Boston ivy, have common habitats, especially on buildings and walls, throughout Korea, and that N. vitis is a ubiquitous rust species affecting Boston ivy in Korea, it is speculated that the host range of N. vitis may recently have expanded from Boston ivy to Virginia creeper. The present study reports a globally new rust disease on Virginia creeper, which could be a major threat to the ornamental creeper., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s)., (© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group on behalf of the Korean Society of Mycology.)

The RAS-BRAF signaling is a major pathway of cell proliferation and their mutations are frequently found in human cancers. Adenylate kinase 2 (AK2), which modulates balance of adenine nucleotide pool, has been implicated in cell death and cell proliferation independently of its enzyme activity. Recently, the role of AK2 in tumorigenesis was in part elucidated in some cancer types including lung adenocarcinoma and breast cancer, but the underlying mechanism is not clear. Here, we show that AK2 is a BRAF-suppressor. In in vitro assays and cell model, AK2 interacted with BRAF and inhibited BRAF activity and downstream ERK phosphorylation. Energy-deprived conditions in cell model and the addition of AMP to cell lysates strengthened the AK2-BRAF interaction, suggesting that AK2 is involved in the regulation of BRAF activity in response to cell metabolic state. AMP facilitated the AK2-BRAF complex formation through binding to AK2. In a panel of HCC cell lines, AK2 expression was inversely correlated with ERK/MAPK activation, and AK2-knockdown or -knockout increased BRAF activity and promoted cell proliferation. Tumors from HCC patients showed low-AK2 protein expression and increased ERK activation compared to non-tumor tissues and the downregulation of AK2 was also verified by two microarray datasets (TCGA-LIHC and GSE14520). Moreover, AK2/BRAF interaction was abrogated by RAS activation in in vitro assay and cell model and in a mouse model of HRAS G12V -driven HCC, and AK2 ablation promoted tumor growth and BRAF activity. AK2 also bound to BRAF inhibitor-insensitive BRAF mutants and attenuated their activities. These findings indicate that AK2 monitoring cellular AMP levels is indeed a negative regulator of BRAF, linking the metabolic status to tumor growth., (© 2022. The Author(s).)