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Recent studies have shown that transmembrane‐type tight junction proteins are upregulated in various cancers compared with their levels in normal tissues and are involved in cancer progression, suggesting that they are potential therapeutic targets. Here, we demonstrated the expression profile and a novel role of junctional adhesion molecule‐A (JAM‐A) in breast cancer. Immunohistochemistry of surgical specimens showed that JAM‐A was highly expressed from carcinoma in situ lesions, as in other adenocarcinomas, with higher expression in invasive carcinomas. High expression of JAM‐A contributed to malignant aspects such as lymph node metastasis and lymphatic involvement positivity. In breast cancer cells, JAM‐A expression status affects malignant potentials including proliferation and migration. Multilayered proteomics revealed that JAM‐A interacts with the amino acid transporter LAT1 in breast cancer cells. JAM‐A regulates the expression of LAT1 and interacts with it on the whole cell membrane, leading to enhanced amino acid uptake to promote tumor growth. Double high expression of JAM‐A and LAT1 predicts poor prognosis in patients with breast cancer. Of note, an antibody against an extracellular domain of JAM‐A suppressed the proliferation of breast cancer cells. Our findings indicate the possibility of JAM‐A‐targeted therapy ideally combined with LAT1‐targeted therapy as a new therapeutic strategy against breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have shown that aberrant expression of tight junction proteins (TJP) contributes to malignant potential of various cancers. In the present study, we investigated the expression of junctional adhesion molecule‐A (JAM‐A), one of the transmembrane TJP, in uterine cervical adenocarcinoma and the significance of its expression for malignancy. Immunohistochemistry on human surgical specimens showed that JAM‐A was aberrantly expressed in neoplastic regions including adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS). Knockout of JAM‐A significantly suppressed cell proliferation and colony‐forming and migration abilities. We also showed that an antibody specific to an extracellular region of JAM‐A reduced cell proliferation ability and that loss of JAM‐A increased drug sensitivity of cervical adenocarcinoma cells. Based on a comprehensive proteome analysis, we found that poliovirus receptor (PVR/CD155) was regulated by JAM‐A and formed a physical interaction with JAM‐A. In human surgical specimens, PVR/CD155 expression was significantly correlated with some clinicopathological features and prognosis of cervical adenocarcinoma. Interestingly, most of the PVR/CD155‐positive cases expressed a high level of JAM‐A, and patients with the expression pattern of PVR/CD155 positive/JAM‐A high had significantly shorter periods of relapse‐free survival (P =.00964) and overall survival (P =.0204) than those for the other patients. Our observations suggest that aberrant expression of JAM‐A promotes malignancy of uterine cervical adenocarcinoma by regulation of PVR/CD155, and JAM‐A is therefore a potential therapeutic target for this malignancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: The plaque‐forming assay is the standard technique for determining viral titer, and a critical measurement for investigating viral replication. However, this assay is highly dependent on experimental technique and conditions. In the case of human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in particular, it can be difficult to objectively confirm the accuracy of plaque‐forming assay because the plaques made by RSV are often small and unclear. In recent studies, RT‐qPCR methods have emerged as a supportive procedure for assessment of viral titer, yielding highly sensitive and reproducible results. In this report, we compare the viral replication, as determined by plaque‐forming assay, and the copy numbers of RSV genes NS1, NS2, N, and F, as determined by RT‐qPCR. Two real‐time PCR systems, SYBR Green and TaqMan probe, gave highly similar results for measurement of copy numbers of RSV N genes of virus subgroups A. We determined the RSV gene copy numbers in the culture cell supernatant and cell lysate measured at various multiplicities of infection. We found that copy number of the RSV N gene in the culture supernatant and cell lysate was highly correlated with plaque‐forming units. In conclusion, RT‐qPCR measurement of RSV gene copy number was highly dependent on viral titer, and the detailed comparison between each gene copy number and virus titer should be useful and supportive in confirming RSV plaque‐forming assay and virus dynamics. The technique may also be used to estimate the amount of RSV present in clinical specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The infection route of Helicobacter pylori has been recognized to be mainly intrafamilial, preferentially mother-to-child, especially in developed countries. To determine the transmission route, we examined whether multilocus sequence typing ( MLST) was useful for analysis of intrafamilial infection. The possibility of intraspousal infection was also evaluated. Materials and Methods Clonal relationships between strains derived from 35 index Japanese pediatric patients, and their family members were analyzed by two genetic typing procedures, MLST and random amplified polymorphic DNA ( RAPD) fingerprinting. Results Mostly coincident results were obtained by MLST and RAPD. By MLST, the allele of loci in the isolates mostly matched between the index child and both the father and mother for 9 (25.7%) of the 35 patients, between the index child and the mother for 25 (60.0%) of the 35 patients. Conclusions MLST is useful for analyzing the infection route of H. pylori as a highly reproducible method. Intrafamilial, especially mother-to-children and sibling, infection is the dominant transmission route. Intraspousal infection is also thought to occur in about a quarter in the Japanese families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor is a member of the nuclear receptor superfamily that associates with the molecular chaperone HSP90 in the cytoplasm. The activation mechanism of the AhR is not yet fully understood. It has been proposed that after binding of ligands such as 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), 3methylcholanthrene (3-MC), or β-naphthoflavone (β-NF), the AhR dissociates from HSP90 and translocates to the nucleus. It has also been hypothesized that the AhR translocates to the nucleus and forms a complex with HSP90 and other co-chaperones. There are a few reports about the direct association or dissociation of AhR and HSP90 due to difficulties in purifying AhR. We constructed and purified the PAS domain from AhR. Binding of the AhR-PAS domain to β-NF affinity resin suggested that it possesses ligand-binding affinity. We demonstrated that the AhR-PAS domain binds to HSP90 and the association is not affected by ligand binding. The ligand 17-DMAG inhibited binding of HSP90 to GST-PAS. In an immunoprecipitation assay, HSP90 was co-immunoprecipitated with AhR both in the presence or absence of ligand. Endogenous AhR decreased in the cytoplasm and increased in the nucleus of HeLa cells 15 min after treatment with ligand. These results suggested that the ligand-bound AhR is translocated to nucleus while in complex with HSP90. We used an in situ proximity ligation assay to confirm whether AhR was translocated to the nucleus alone or together with HSP90. HSP90 was co-localized with AhR after the nuclear translocation. It has been suggested that the ligand-bound AhR was translocated to the nucleus with HSP90. Activated AhR acts as a transcription factor, as shown by the transcription induction of the gene CYP1A1 8 h after treatment with β-NF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Numerous studies have suggested a link between iron-deficiency anemia ( IDA) and Helicobacter pylori infection. Previously, we found that strains isolated from IDA patients showed higher levels of Fe ion uptake and Fe-ion-dependent rapid proliferation than those of strains derived from patients without IDA. Materials and Methods Twenty-four H. pylori strains from IDA patients ( IDA strains) and 25 strains from patients who had H. pylori gastritis without anemia (non- IDA strains) were examined. Their nucleotide sequences of nap A, fur, and feo B, which contribute to Fe ion uptake, were determined. Results Numerous polymorphisms of the three genes were found in both strains. Frequency of neutrophil-activating protein A ( Nap A), which encoded by nap A, with threonine at amino acid residue No. 70 ( Thr70-type Nap A) was significantly higher in IDA strains than in non- IDA strains. Strains with Thr70-type Nap A showed significantly higher levels of Fe3+ and Fe2+ uptake than did strains with other types, Ser70-type of Nap A, which is found in standard strains. Other significantly different occurrences of polymorphisms between IDA and non- IDA groups were not observed in these genes. Conclusion The results suggest that H. pylori strains with Thr70-type Nap A have enhanced Fe ion uptake ability and are associated with the pathogenesis of IDA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We previously reported that gentamicin (GM) specifically binds to heat-shock protein with subunit molecular masses of 70kDa (HSP70). In the present study, we have investigated the effects of GM binding on HSP70-assisted protein folding in vitro. The C-terminal, and not the N-terminal of HSP70 was found to bind to GM. GM significantly suppressed refolding of firefly luciferase in the presence of HSP70 and HSP40, although the ATPase activity of HSP70 was unaffected by GM. A surface plasmon resonance analysis revealed that GM specifically interferes with the binding of HSP70 to a model peptide that mimics the exposed hydrophobic surface of the folding intermediates. These results indicated that GM inhibits the chaperone activity of HSP70 and may suppress protein folding via inhibition of HSP70 in vivo. Structured summary: MINT-7384283: HSP40 (uniprotkb:P25685) binds (MI:0407) to HSP70 (uniprotkb:P34930) by surface plasmon resonance (MI:0107) MINT-7384430: RNaseA (uniprotkb:P61823) binds (MI:0407) to HSP70 (uniprotkb:P34930) by surface plasmon resonance (MI:0107) [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The 90-kDa heat shock protein (HSP90) is a molecular chaperone that assists in the folding and assembly of proteins in the cytosol. We previously demonstrated that the antineoplastic reagent, cisplatin, inhibits the aggregation prevention activity of mammalian HSP90. We now show that cisplatin binds both the amino terminal and carboxyl terminal domains of the human HSP90 and differently affects these two domains. Cisplatin blocks the aggregation prevention activity of HSP90C, but not HSP90N. In contrast, cisplatin induces a conformational change in HSP90N, but not HSP90C. These results indicate that cisplatin modulates the HSP90 activities through two different mechanisms using the two distinct binding sites of the HSP90 molecule. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]