Designing an apoptosis reporter by mutagenesis-based insertion of caspase-3 cleavage motif into green fluorescence protein.

Introduction: Apoptosis is an essential process for organisms and animal development, and its dysregulation is related to the progression of several diseases. Therefore, methods to detect apoptosis are necessary for mechanistic research and drug development. To overcome the disadvantages of traditional methods for detecting apoptosis, a variety of imaging strategies based on enzyme-mediated fluorescence activation have been developed.

Precise progerin targeting using RfxCas13d: A therapeutic avenue for Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome.

Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS), an extremely rare progressive genetic disorder, is caused by a point mutation in LMNA that induces progerin production, which disrupts cellular function and triggers premature aging and mortality. Despite extensive efforts, HPGS remains incurable. We successfully implemented a strategy using RfxCas13d to selectively target progerin mRNA at specific junction regions, without unintended cleavage and reduce its expression.

Efficacy of Grayscaling Photoglottography Using High-Speed Videolaryngoscopic Images in the Evaluation of Vocal Fold Vibration.

Objectives: Methods for evaluating vocal fold vibration can be divided into indirect methods and directly observed vocal fold vibration. Indirect methods that can monitor the real-time opening and closing movements of the vocal folds include glottal inverse filtering, electroglottography (EGG), and photoglottography (PGG), with near-infrared PGG recently being reported. This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of grayscaling photoglottography (GSP) to analyze vocal fold vibration.

Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cell-Specific HMGB1 Knockout Reduces Immune Cell Infiltration and Demyelination in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis Models.

Infiltration and activation of peripheral immune cells are critical in the progression of multiple sclerosis and its experimental animal model, experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). This study investigates the role of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) in oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) in modulating pathogenic T cells infiltrating the central nervous system through the blood-brain barrier (BBB) by using OPC-specific HMGB1 knockout (KO) mice. We found that HMGB1 released from OPCs promotes BBB disruption, subsequently allowing increased immune cell infiltration.

HSD17B4 deficiency causes dysregulation of primary cilia and is alleviated by acetyl-CoA.

Primary cilia are dynamic sensory organelles orchestrating key signaling pathways, and disruption of primary ciliogenesis is implicated in a spectrum of genetic disorders. The peroxisomal bifunctional enzyme HSD17B4 is pivotal for peroxisomal β-oxidation and acetyl-CoA synthesis, and its deficiency profoundly impairs peroxisomal metabolism. While patients with HSD17B4 deficiency exhibit ciliopathy-like symptoms due to dysfunctional primary cilia, the molecular connection between HSD17B4 and ciliopathy remains poorly understood.

Usefulness of a new foot switch for comport digestive endoscopic examination: a pilot study.

Background: Foot switches are commonly used to record gastrointestinal lesions. However, prolonged use of foot switches can cause unstable posture, leading to musculoskeletal disorders. Therefore, this study aimed to develop and evaluate the usability of a compact foot switch for reducing musculoskeletal disorders among endoscopists.

induce caspase-dependent apoptosis in HeLa human cervical cancer cells.

Background/objectives: A. Berger () is a perennial herb belonging to the Crassulaceae family that has been traditionally used to treat inflammation, fever, and poisoning. Although studies on the anticancer activity of have been conducted, its effect on virus-induced cancers has yet to be elucidated.

Activation of lysophagy by a TBK1-SCF-TMEM192-TAX1BP1 axis in response to lysosomal damage.

Lysophagy eliminates damaged lysosomes and is crucial to cellular homeostasis; however, its underlying mechanisms are not entirely understood. We screen a ubiquitination-related compound library and determine that the substrate recognition component of the SCF-type E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, SCF(FBXO3), which is a critical lysophagy regulator. Inhibition of FBXO3 reduces lysophagy and lysophagic flux in response to L-leucyl-L-leucine methyl ester (LLOMe).

Deciphering melanophagy: role of the PTK2-ITCH-MLANA-OPTN cascade on melanophagy in melanocytes.

Melanosomes play a pivotal role in skin color and photoprotection. In contrast to the well-elucidated pathway of melanosome biogenesis, the process of melanosome degradation, referred to as melanophagy, is largely unexplored. Previously, we discovered that 3,4,5-trimethoxycinnamate thymol ester (TCTE) effectively inhibits skin pigmentation by activating melanophagy.

Efficacy of colonoscopic re-examination across the entire colon: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: In standard colonoscopic examinations, some polyps may be missed during the withdrawal phase. Re-examination of the right colon can improve the adenoma detection rate (ADR). However, the effectiveness of applying this re-examination strategy to the entire colon remains unknown.

IDH2 regulates macrophage polarization and tumorigenesis by modulating mitochondrial metabolism in macrophages.

Background: Targeting the tumor microenvironment represents an emerging therapeutic strategy for cancer. Macrophages are an essential part of the tumor microenvironment. Macrophage polarization is modulated by mitochondrial metabolism, including oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and reactive oxygen species content.

Mitofusin 1 and 2 overexpression reduces AβO-mediated ER stress and apoptosis in N2a APPswe cells.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disorder, and amyloid beta oligomers (AβO), which are pathological markers of AD, are known to be highly toxic. AβO increase mitochondrial dysfunction, which is accompanied by a decrease in mitochondrial fusion. Although mitofusin (Mfn) 1 and Mfn2 are mitochondrial fusion proteins, Mfn2 is known to regulate endoplasmic reticulum (ER) function, as it is located in the ER.

Peroxiredoxin 1 inhibits streptozotocin-induced Alzheimer's disease-like pathology in hippocampal neuronal cells via the blocking of Ca/Calpain/Cdk5-mediated mitochondrial fragmentation.

Oxidative stress plays an essential role in the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most common age-related neurodegenerative disorder. Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced abnormal brain insulin signaling and oxidative stress play crucial roles in the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD)-like pathology. Peroxiredoxins (Prxs) are associated with protection from neuronal death induced by oxidative stress.

Amount Estimation Method for Food Intake Based on Color and Depth Images through Deep Learning.

In this paper, we propose an amount estimation method for food intake based on both color and depth images. Two pairs of color and depth images are captured pre- and post-meals. The pre- and post-meal color images are employed to detect food types and food existence regions using Mask R-CNN.

Efficacy of an assistive guide tube for improved endoscopic access to gastrointestinal lesions: an in vivo study in a porcine model.

Background/aims: Guide tube-assisted endoscopy for procedures that require repeated endoscopic access is safer and more effective than conventional endoscopy. However, its effectiveness has not been confirmed in animal studies. We assessed the usefulness of guide tube-assisted endoscopic procedures in an in vivo porcine model.

A narrative review of anastomotic leak in the Ivor Lewis esophagectomy: expected, accepted, but preventable.

Background And Objective: Anastomotic leak (AL) remains a common and highly morbid complication after Ivor Lewis Esophagectomy. Leak is associated with increased morbidity, mortality, strictures and even cancer recurrence. Unfortunately, despite advances in surgical technique and perioperative care, the reported frequency of AL has remained largely unchanged.

Extracellular Prdx1 mediates bacterial infection and inflammatory bone diseases.

Aim: We aimed to determine the role of extracellular peroxiredoxin 1 (Prdx1) in the pathogenesis of bacterial infections and inflammatory bone disease.

Materials And Methods: We first investigated the role of Prdx1 using knockout mice. Next, we determined the role of extracellular Prdx1 in bacterial infections by using a neutralizing antibody against Prdx1.

Anti-Cancer Effect of Neural Stem Cells Transfected with Carboxylesterase and sTRAIL Genes in Animals with Brain Lesions of Lung Cancer.

A metastatic brain tumor is the most common type of malignancy in the central nervous system, which is one of the leading causes of death in patients with lung cancer. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of a novel treatment for metastatic brain tumors with lung cancer using neural stem cells (NSCs), which encode rabbit carboxylesterase (rCE) and the secretion form of tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (sTRAIL). rCE and/or sTRAIL were transduced in immortalized human fetal NSCs, HB1.

Usefulness of a new polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel (PVA-H)-based simulator for endoscopic submucosal dissection training: a pilot study.

Background/aims: We developed a new endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) simulator and evaluated its efficacy and realism for use training endoscopists.

Methods: An ESD simulator was constructed using polyvinyl alcohol hydrogel sheets and compared to a previous ESD simulator. Between March 1, 2020, and December 30, 2021, eight expert endoscopists from three different centers analyzed the procedure-related factors of the simulator.

The glacier melting process is an invisible barrier to the development of Antarctic subtidal macroalgal assemblages.

Ecological macroalgal succession in glacier-free areas has remained at the pioneer seral stage despite six decades of glacial retreat at Marian Cove, King George Island, Antarctica. With the rapid melting of glaciers in the West Antarctic Peninsula owing to global warming, a massive amount of meltwater is flowing into the coast, creating marine environmental gradients such as turbidity, water temperature, and salinity. This study examined the spatial and vertical distributions (up to a depth of 25 m) of macroalgal assemblages from nine sites in Maxwell Bay and Marian Cove.

ATF6 is a critical regulator of cadmium-mediated apoptosis in spermatocytes.

In this study, we examined the mechanisms of cadmium exposure-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response and apoptosis in spermatocytes. Responses to cadmium toxicity were investigated using spermatocytes overexpressing p50ATF6, ATF4, and spliced XBP1s, belonging to the 3 unfolded protein response pathways. The ER stress and apoptosis response to cadmium were most strongly stimulated through the activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6) pathway; in contrast, siRNA-induced inhibition of protein expression could reduce apoptosis under stressful conditions.