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RNA aptamers are oligonucleotides with high binding affinity and specificity for target molecules and are expected to be a new generation of therapeutic molecules and targeted delivery materials. The tertiary structure of RNA molecules and RNA-protein interaction sites are increasingly important as potential targets for new drugs. The pathological mechanisms of diseases must be understood in detail to guide drug design. In developing RNA aptamers as drugs, information about the interaction mechanisms and structures of RNA aptamer-target protein complexes are useful. We constructed a database, RNA aptamer 3D-structural modeling (RNAapt3D), consisting of RNA aptamer data that are potential drug candidates. The database includes RNA sequences and computationally predicted RNA tertiary structures based on secondary structures and implements methods that can be used to predict unknown structures of RNA aptamer-target molecule complexes. RNAapt3D should enable the design of RNA aptamers for target molecules and improve the efficiency and productivity of candidate drug selection. RNAapt3D can be accessed at https://rnaapt3d.medals.jp.

The structure of the dinuclear Fe(II) complex [Fe2(Ph-bimp)(PhCO2)(CH3CN)](BF4)2·2CH3CN·3CH3CH2OH (1) was determined by X-ray crystallography, where Ph-bimp is 2,6-bis[bis{2-(1-methyl-4,5-diphenylimidazolyl)methyl}aminomethyl]-4-methylpenolate. The compound crystallizes in a monoclinic space group Cc with a = 15.5690(10), b = 23.8260(8), c = 24.821(1)Å, β = 95.3460(3)°, Z = 4, V = 9167.2(10)Å3. The R1 [I > 2σ(I)] and wR2 (all data) values are 0.0336 and 0.0850, respectively, for all 16812 independent reflections. The complex has a μ-phenoxo-μ-benzoate-bridged diiron(II) core structure.

Repulsive guidance molecule (RGM) is a protein implicated in both axonal guidance and neural tube closure. We report RGMa as a potent inhibitor of axon regeneration in the adult central nervous system (CNS). RGMa inhibits mammalian CNS neurite outgrowth by a mechanism dependent on the activation of the RhoA–Rho kinase pathway. RGMa expression is observed in oligodendrocytes, myelinated fibers, and neurons of the adult rat spinal cord and is induced around the injury site after spinal cord injury. We developed an antibody to RGMa that efficiently blocks the effect of RGMa in vitro. Intrathecal administration of the antibody to rats with thoracic spinal cord hemisection results in significant axonal growth of the corticospinal tract and improves functional recovery. Thus, RGMa plays an important role in limiting axonal regeneration after CNS injury and the RGMa antibody offers a possible therapeutic agent in clinical conditions characterized by a failure of CNS regeneration.

Oxidative stress is a major risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative disorders. Metals are known to be one of the factors that contribute to oxidative stress. Recently, we reported that the aberrant splicing isoform (PS2V) generated by skipping exon5 of the presenilin-2 (PS2) gene is a diagnostic feature of sporadic AD (SAD). PS2V is inducible by exposure of human neuroblastoma to hypoxia. We examined whether this aberrant splicing was caused by metal-induced oxidative stress, such as exposure to aluminum. As a result, we demonstrated that exposure to aluminum accelerated PS2V production induced by hypoxia. This acceleration of the production of PS2V to hypoxia was caused by chronic aluminum exposure, but was not related to the intracellular content of aluminum. HMGA1a is a mediator of PS2V production, and it was induced by aluminum as well as by hypoxia. Induction of HMGA1a was increased by chronic exposure to aluminum, and a nuclear extract containing HMGA1a bound to a specific sequence on exon5 of PS2 pre-mRNA, as reported previously. Finally, the acceleration of PS2V production induced by aluminum under hypoxic conditions reflected, but has not yet been directly shown to cause, vulnerability to endoplasmic reticulum stress. These results suggest that exposure to some metals can accelerate and enhance PS2V generation, and that hypoxia plus chronic exposure to metals may promote the development of AD.

An alternative spliced form of the presinilin 2 (PS2) gene (PS2V) lacking exon 5 has previously been reported to be expressed in human brains in sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD). PS2V encodes the amino-terminal portion of PS2, which contains residues Met1-Leu119 and 5 additional amino acid residues (SSMAG) at its carboxyl terminus. Here we report that PS2V protein impaired the signaling pathway of the unfolded protein response, similarly to familial AD-linked PS1 mutants and caused significant increases in the production of both amyloid beta40 and beta42. Interestingly, PS2V-encoding protein was expressed in neuropathologically affected neurons of the hippocampal CA1 region and temporal cortex in AD patients. These findings suggest that the aberrant splicing of the PS2 gene may be implicated in the neuropathology of sporadic AD.

A new dinucleating ligand containing a sterically bulky imidazolyl group, Ph-Htidp (N,N,N′,N′-tetrakis[(1-methyl-4,5-diphenyl-2-imidazolyl)methyl]-1,3-diamino-2-propanol), and its μ-alkoxo-diiron(II) complexes [Fe2(Ph-tidp)(RCO2)](ClO4)2, (RCO2 = C6H5CO2 (1), C6F5CO2 (2), CF3CO2 (3), and C2H5CO2 (4)), were synthesized. The structure of complex 1 was determined by X-ray crystallography. Complex 1 crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/c with a = 13.464(2), b = 19.223(4), c = 31.358(4) Å, β = 92.84(2)°, and Z = 4. The complex has a doubly-bridged structure with μ-alkoxo of Ph-tidp and μ-benzoate; the two iron centers have a distorted five-coordinate structure with N3O2 donor set. All the complexes showed fairly good reversible oxygenation below −30 °C in CH2Cl2, which was monitored by UV-vis and NMR spectroscopies, and dioxygen up-take measurements. Introduction of 4,5-diphenyl substituents into 2-imidazolyl group stabilized the μ-peroxo diiron species against irreversible oxidation, just as introduction of 6-methyl substituent into 2-pyridyl group did. Phenyl substituents appear to weaken the electron donor ability of a dinucleating ligand to stabilize divalent oxidation state of iron and to form a hydrophobic cavity for a O2 binding site, which would suppress the irreversible oxidation and facilitate the reversible oxygenation. Dioxygen affinities of the Ph-tidp and Me4-tpdp diiron(II), and the tpdp and bpmp dicobalt(II) complexes were measured, [Fe2(Me4-tpdp)(RCO2)]2+ (RCO2 = C6H5CO2 and RCO2 = CF3CO2) and [Co2(L)(RCO2)]2+ (L = tpdp, RCO2 = CH3CO2, and L = bpmp, RCO2 = C6F5CO2, and CF3CO2), where Me4-tpdp, tpdp, and bpmp are N,N,N′,N′-tetrakis[(6-methyl-2-pyridyl)methyl]-1,3-diamino-2-propanolate, N,N,N′,N′-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)-1,3-diamino-2-propanolate, and 2,6-bis[bis(2-pyridylmethyl)aminomethyl]-4-methylphenolate, respectively. Within a series of the Ph-tidp diiron(II) complexes, dioxygen affinity is well correlated with electron donor ability of bridging carboxylates (1 (C6H5CO2) > 2 (C6F5CO2) > 3 (CF3CO2)). In contrast to the above trend, dioxygen affinities of the Ph-tidp complexes are lower than those of the Me4-tpdp complexes, although electron donor abilities of the Me4-tpdp complexes are weaker than those of the Ph-tidp complexes. Significant enhancement of dioxygen affinity was observed for both iron and cobalt complexes with 2,6-bis(aminomethyl)phenolate bridging skeleton compared to the complexes with a 1,3-diamino-2-propanolate bridging one. Thermodynamic study suggested that the observed enhancement is mainly attributable to a favorable entropy effect along with a steric effect.

Clarification of the pathogenesis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders is one of the challenges today. In this study, we examine scalp hair concentrations of 26 trace elements for 1,967 children with autistic disorders (1,553 males and 414 females). Five-hundred and eighty-four (29.7%), 347 (17.6%) and 114 (5.8%) subjects was found deficient in zinc, magnesium and calcium, respectively, and 2.0% or less in the other essential metals. The incidence rate of mineral deficiency was highly observed in infants aged 0-3 year-old. In contrast, 339 (17.2%), 168 (8.5%) and 94 (4.8%) individuals was found suffering from high burden of aluminium, cadmium and lead, and 2.8% or less from mercury and arsenic burden. These findings suggest that infantile zinc- and magnesium-deficiency and/or toxic metal burdens may epigenetically play principal roles as environmental factors in autistic disorders and that metallomics approach may lead to early screening and prevention of the neurodevelopment disorders.

Clarification of the pathogenesis and treatment of autism spectrum disorders is one of the challenges today. In this study, we examine scalp hair concentrations of 26 trace elements for 1,967 children with autistic disorders (1,553 males and 414 females). Five-hundred and eighty-four (29.7%), 347 (17.6%) and 114 (5.8%) subjects was found deficient in zinc, magnesium and calcium, respectively, and 2.0% or less in the other essential metals. The incidence rate of mineral deficiency was highly observed in infants aged 0-3 year-old. In contrast, 339 (17.2%), 168 (8.5%) and 94 (4.8%) individuals was found suffering from high burden of aluminium, cadmium and lead, and 2.8% or less from mercury and arsenic burden. These findings suggest that infantile zinc- and magnesium-deficiency and/or toxic metal burdens may epigenetically play principal roles as environmental factors in autistic disorders and that metallomics approach may lead to early screening and prevention of the neurodevelopment disorders.

In this study, the authors propose a new in situ degassing method by which only kicker magnets in the accelerator beam line are baked out without raising the temperature of the vacuum chamber to prevent unwanted thermal expansion of the chamber. By simply installing the heater and thermal radiation shield plates between the kicker magnet and the chamber wall, most of the heat flux from the heater directs toward the kicker magnet. The result of the verification test showed that each part of the kicker magnet was heated to above the target temperature with a small rise in the vacuum chamber temperature. A graphite heater was selected in this application to bake-out the kicker magnet in the beam line to ensure reliability and easy maintainability of the heater. The vacuum characteristics of graphite were suitable for heater operation in the beam line. A preliminary heat-up test conducted in the accelerator beam line also showed that each part of the kicker magnet was successfully heated and that thermal expansion of the chamber was negligibly small.