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Previous studies suggest a negative relationship between hepatic oxidative stress and productivity in beef cattle. Uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) is involved in the disappearance of reactive oxygen species, suggesting the defensive role of UCP2 against oxidative stress. The present study examined the relationship between oxidative stress and expression levels of UCP2/Ucp2 in cultured human and mouse liver-derived cells. We also explored factors regulating bovine Ucp2 transcription. As oxidative stress inducers, hydrogen peroxide, ethanol, and cumene hydroperoxide (CmHP) were used. Expression levels of hemoxygenase 1 (HMOX1), a representative gene induced by oxidative stress, were not affected by any oxidative stress inducers in HepG2 human liver-derived cells. The levels of UCP2 mRNA were also unaffected by the oxidative stress inducers. Treatment with CmHP increased expression of Hmox1 in Hepa1-6 mouse liver-derived cells, but Ucp2 expression was not changed. Stimulus screening for regulator of transcription (SSRT) revealed that expression of p50 or p65, transcription factors conferring response to oxidative stress, did not stimulate bovine Ucp2 transcrition in HepG2 cells. SSRT also showed 11 molecules that induced Ucp2 transcription more than 4-fold; among them, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-related transcription factors such as XBP1, c-JUN, JUNB, and C/EBPβ were identified. However, treatment with ER stress inducers did not increase Ucp2 expression in HepG2 and Hepa1-6 cells. The present results suggest that 1) neither oxidative stress nor ER stress induces Ucp2 expression in liver-derived cells, and 2) Ucp2 transcription is stimulated by several transcription factors.

Background Expression of hepcidin, a hormone produced by hepatocytes which negatively regulates the circulating iron levels, is known to be positively regulated by BMP6, a member of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β family. Previous studies have shown that iron status is sensed by sinusoidal endothelial cells of hepatic lamina, leading to the modulation of BMP6 expression. Methods ISOS-1, HUVEC, F-2, and SK-HEP1 endothelial cells were treated with either iron or 2,2′-dipyridyl (2DP), a cell-permeable iron-chelator, and expression level of Bmp6 was examined. To identify factors affecting Bmp6 transcription, stimulus screening for regulator of transcription (SSRT) was developed. Results Treatment with iron slightly increased the expression levels of Bmp6, while 2DP unexpectedly increased Bmp6 expression in a dose-dependent manner. 2DP-induced Bmp6 expression was resistant to co-treatment with iron. 2DP-induced Bmp6 expression was also detected in HUVEC, F-2 cells, and SK-HEP1 cells. Luciferase-based reporter assays indicated that forced expression of JunB increased the transcription of Bmp6. 2DP induced phosphorylation of JunB; co-treatment with SP600125 blocked the 2DP-induced Bmp6 expression partially. JunB-induced Bmp6 transcription was not affected by mutations of putative JunB-responsive elements. Some endoplasmic reticulum stress inducers increased the expression of Bmp6. SSRT revealed pathways regulating Bmp6 transcription positively and negatively. Hepa1–6 liver cells and C2C12 myogenic cells were prone to 2DP induced Bmp6 expression. Conclusions The present study reveals non‑iron-regulated Bmp6 expression in endothelial cells. General significance Regulatory expression of Bmp6 may be important as a key step for fine tuning of BMP activity.

Recently, biogas detection has been received much attention in order to identify the specific disease such as lung cancer. In this work, we focus on a molecular sieve effect of a zeolite to detect biogases in real time. Zeolite nanoparticles of a ZSM-5 type were chosen as a molecular screening of an acetone gas. We propose a new gas sensing method based on a surface plasmon resonance using a metal-zeolite hybrid structure.

The first synthesis of (-)-pericosine E (6), a metabolite of the Periconia byssoides OUPS-N133 isolated originally from the sea hare Aplysia kurodai, has been achieved. Efficient and regioselective synthetic procedures for the synthesis of key intermediates, anti- and syn-epoxides 9 and 10, were developed using an anti-epoxidation of diene 12 with TFDO and a bromohydrination of 12 with NBS in CH(3)CN/H(2)O (2:3), respectively. In addition, comparison of the specific optical rotations between synthetic 6 and natural 6 elucidated that the naturally preferred enantiomer of pericosine E had the same absolute configuration as (-)-6 synthesized from chlorohydrin (-)-8 and anti-epoxide (+)-9.

The first synthesis of (−)-pericosine E (6), a metabolite of the Periconia byssoides OUPS-N133 isolated originally from the sea hare Aplysia kurodai, has been achieved. Efficient and regioselective synthetic procedures for the synthesis of key intermediates, anti- and syn-epoxides 9 and 10, were developed using an anti-epoxidation of diene 12 with TFDO and a bromohydrination of 12 with NBS in CH3CN/H2O (2:3), respectively. In addition, comparison of the specific optical rotations between synthetic 6 and natural 6 elucidated that the naturally preferred enantiomer of pericosine E had the same absolute configuration as (−)-6 synthesized from chlorohydrin (−)-8 and anti-epoxide (+)-9.