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The vermilion of the human lip is a unique facial area because of certain distinguishing features from the adjacent tissues such as the white lip (skin) and oral mucosa. However, the distinction in terms of molecular distribution between the vermilion and skin has remained unexplored. Therefore, we aimed to map the human lip by mass spectrometry imaging to gain understanding of the free fatty acid distribution in the vermilion. The lip specimens trimmed off during cheiloplasty were analyzed using desorption electrospray ionization&ndash, mass spectrometry imaging. Distributions of two monounsaturated fatty acids and three polyunsaturated fatty acids were observed in the human lip tissue: palmitoleic acid (POA) and oleic acid (OA) and linoleic acid (LA), arachidonic acid (AA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), respectively. Although POA, OA, LA, and AA were differentially distributed across the vermilion and skin, DHA showed a higher accumulation in the epithelium of the vermilion compared to that in the skin. Our results clearly demonstrated the difference in fatty acid distributions between the vermilion and skin. The highly abundant DHA in the epithelium of the vermilion may have an antioxidant role and may thus protect the lip from aging. Our findings can provide a novel strategy for treating lip disorders.

CD200, a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily, interacts with its receptor CD200R1 to modulate cancer immune microenvironments. Here, we explored the clinicopathological and prognostic implications of the CD200/CD200R1 axis in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. We evaluated CD200/CD200R1 expression in the tumors and stroma of 632 NSCLC patients using immunohistochemistry. Associations between CD200/CD200R1 expression levels and clinicopathological data were analyzed. We also examined their expression in lung cancer cell lines. Changes in endogenous immune-related factors and cell proliferation were evaluated by CD200 and CD200R1 knockdown and CD200Fc fusion protein administration. CD200 expression was observed mainly in the tumor, and also in the stroma among a few cases, whereas CD200R1 expression was observed in both the tumor and stroma. High tumoral CD200 expression was significantly associated with female sex, never-smoking status, adenocarcinoma histology, EGFR mutation, and a low density of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. Meanwhile, high CD200R1 expression in the tumor and stroma was associated with ever smoking, non-adenocarcinoma histology, and increased tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. High CD200R1 expression was associated with worse survival (log-rank, P

Exosomes, a type of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs), derived from multivesicular bodies (MVBs), mediate cell-to-cell communication by transporting proteins, mRNAs, and miRNAs. However, the molecular mechanism by which proteins are sorted to sEVs is not fully understood. Here, we report that ubiquitin-like 3 (UBL3)/membrane-anchored Ub-fold protein (MUB) acts as a posttranslational modification (PTM) factor that regulates protein sorting to sEVs. We find that UBL3 modification is indispensable for sorting of UBL3 to MVBs and sEVs. We also observe a 60% reduction of total protein levels in sEVs purified from Ubl3-knockout mice compared with those from wild-type mice. By performing proteomics analysis, we find 1241 UBL3-interacting proteins, including Ras. We also show that UBL3 directly modifies Ras and oncogenic RasG12V mutant, and that UBL3 expression enhances sorting of RasG12V to sEVs via UBL3 modification. Collectively, these results indicate that PTM by UBL3 influences the sorting of proteins to sEVs., Exosomes mediate cell-to-cell communication by transporting proteins, mRNAs, and miRNAs but the mechanisms of protein sorting to exosomes are poorly understood. Here, the authors uncover that ubiquitin-like 3 (UBL3) regulates protein sorting to exosomes by acting as a posttranslational modification.

Background Human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) belong to the LTR-retrotransposon family, where the complete HERV sequence contains two long terminal repeats (LTRs) located at each end. Intact LTRs possess highly conserved transcriptional promoter and enhancer sequences, so analyses of HERV insertional polymorphisms are expected to provide greater insights into human genomic variation compared with the conventional analysis of single nucleotide variations. High-throughput sequencing technology is developing but genome-wide investigations of HERVs are methodically challenging, and thus a comprehensive understanding of HERV insertional polymorphisms and target site duplications (TSDs) remains elusive. Results We identified five human-specific insertionally polymorphic sites in HERVK (HML-2), one of the HERV subgroups, by extracting HML-2-deleted sequences from the genomic structural variation database, which we successfully characterized and then updated the existing catalogue of HML-2 insertional polymorphisms. The insertionally polymorphic states were confirmed in a small Japanese population by genomic PCR analysis for four of the five sites identified. Sequencing of the preintegration sites clearly showed that the HML-2 site located at 7p21.2 had 250-base pair (bp) TSDs, which is one of the longest TSDs in HML-2. In addition to these five sites, another insertionally polymorphic site for a non-human-specific HML-2 site was also identified at 6p25.2, which was flanked by 111-bp TSDs and the corresponding ERV locus was also annotated in the genome of non-human primates. Conclusions Our analysis demonstrated the existence of HERV insertions flanked by unconventionally long TSDs, including those with lengths as high as 250 bp. This suggests that the length range of retroviral TSDs is larger than considered previously, which might help to understand how retroviral integration occurs in the host genome. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12864-017-3872-6) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF1) located on chromosome band 14q13.3 is an oncogene and a suppressor gene in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The prognostic relevance of TTF1 copy number alterations (CNAs) and their association with TTF1 protein expression are poorly understood. Here, we assessed TTF1 CNAs and protein expression using microarrays in a cohort of 636 NSCLC, including 423 adenocarcinoma (ADC) and 171 squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). In addition, fluorescent in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry were performed. TTF1 CNAs were detected in 23% of NSCLC (23% of ADC and 20% of SCC). Specifically, TTF1 amplification and polysomy were observed in 5% and 18% of NSCLC, and in 7% and 16% of ADC, respectively. TTF1 expression was detected in 85% of ADC. TTF1 CNAs were significantly associated with advanced tumor stage, EGFR mutations, and TTF1 expression. A multivariate Cox hazards model analysis of overall survival and recurrence-free survival demonstrated that both TTF1 amplification and polysomy were independent indicators of an unfavorable prognosis in patients with NSCLC. Survival was inversely correlated with TTF1 copy number. In contrast, TTF1 protein expression was an independent favorable prognostic factor. Intratumoral and intertumoral heterogeneities of TTF1 CNAs and TTF1 protein expression were assessed using primary cores from 138 pairs of primary tumors and corresponding nodal metastases. The concordance rate for TTF1 CNAs and TTF1 protein expression was high within tumors and between primary and metastatic tumors. Altogether, these results suggest that TTF1 CNAs are correlated with TTF1 protein expression, but have opposing effects on survival.

// Yusuke Inoue 1, 2 , Katsuhiro Yoshimura 1, 2 , Nobuya Kurabe 1 , Tomoaki Kahyo 1 , Akikazu Kawase 3 , Masayuki Tanahashi 4 , Hiroshi Ogawa 5 , Naoki Inui 2, 6 , Kazuhito Funai 3 , Kazuya Shinmura 1 , Hiroshi Niwa 4 , Takafumi Suda 2 , Haruhiko Sugimura 1 1 Department of Tumor Pathology, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan 2 Second Division, Department of Internal Medicine, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan 3 First Department of Surgery, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan 4 Division of Thoracic Surgery, Respiratory Disease Center, Seirei Mikatahara General Hospital, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan 5 Department of Pathology, Seirei Mikatahara General Hospital, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan 6 Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Hamamatsu, Shizuoka, Japan Correspondence to: Haruhiko Sugimura, email: hsugimur@hama-med.ac.jp Keywords: CD73, A2AR, adenosine, prognosis, non-small-cell lung cancer Received: September 20, 2016 Accepted: December 01, 2016 Published: January 02, 2017 ABSTRACT In immune cells, CD73 dephosphorylates and converts extracellular AMP into adenosine, which binds the A2A adenosine receptor (A2AR). Blockade of this interaction, which induces an immunosuppressed niche in the tumor microenvironment, represents a potential novel treatment strategy. The clinical significance of CD73 and A2AR expression in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), however, has yet to be thoroughly investigated. Here we evaluated CD73 and A2AR protein expression levels using immunohistochemistry in tissue microarrays containing 642 resected NSCLC specimens. Furthermore, we compared the expression profiles of 133 paired primary tumors and lymph node metastases. CD73 and A2AR expression levels were significantly higher in females than in males, in never smokers than in ever smokers, and in adenocarcinomas than in squamous cell carcinomas. Among adenocarcinomas, significantly higher CD73 and A2AR expression was observed in TTF-1-positive and mutant EGFR-positive tumors than in their counterparts. Compared with CD73, A2AR expression was more inconsistent between primary tumors and lymph node metastases. Among NSCLC patients, high CD73 expression was an independent indicator of poor prognosis in multivariate Cox regression analyses for overall survival [hazard ratio (HR), 2.18; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.38–3.46] and recurrence-free survival (HR, 2.05; 95% CI, 1.42–2.95). In contrast, high A2AR expression was an independent predictor of favorable prognosis for overall survival (HR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.50–0.98) and recurrence-free survival (HR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.56–0.97). Together, these findings indicate that CD73 and A2AR have opposing prognostic effects, although cases involving CD73 or A2AR expression share some clinicopathological features.

Rationale The key to successful experiments in matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization imaging mass spectrometry (MALDI-IMS) is to apply the matrix uniformly to the sample. With the development of automated equipment, uniform matrix application has made great progress while the sample preparation required to acquire a better image becomes complicated. Methods The approach is to apply the matrix uniformly to tape and adhere it to the tissue section. We call this the sheet-enhanced technique (Set) method. Results The Set method promotes ionization of biomolecules as well as the spray method. This procedure does not require the preparation and application of a matrix solution for each experiment, dramatically reducing the time and effort of matrix deposition. Conclusions In the present study, we have developed the Set method as a new matrix application method. The method promotes ionization of biomolecules as well as the spray method for MALDI-IMS.

Objective: n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), have beneficial effects on atherosclerosis. Although specific salutary actions have been reported, the detailed distribution of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in plaque and their relevance in disease progression are unclear. Our aim was to assess the pharmacodynamics of EPA and DHA and their metabolites in atherosclerotic plaques. Approach and Results: Apolipoprotein E-deficient (Apoe −/− ) mice were fed a Western diet supplemented with EPA (1%, w/w) or DHA (1%, w/w) for 3 weeks. Imaging mass spectrometry analyses were performed in the aortic root and arch of the Apoe −/− mice to evaluate the distribution of EPA, DHA, their metabolites and the lipids containing EPA or DHA in the plaques. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and histological analysis were also performed. The intima-media thickness of atherosclerotic plaque decreased in plaques containing free EPA and EPAs attached with several lipids. EPA was distributed more densely in the thin-cap plaques than in the thick-cap plaques, while DHA was more evenly distributed. In the aortic root, the distribution of total EPA level and cholesteryl esters containing EPA followed a concentration gradient from the vascular endothelium to the media. In the aortic arch, free EPA and 12-hydroxy-EPA colocalized with M2 macrophage. Conclusions: Administered EPA tends to be incorporated from the vascular lumen side and preferentially taken into the thin-cap plaque.

Objectives Most patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are diagnosed at advanced stages where small biopsy specimens obtained through endobronchial ultrasound-guided transbronchial needle aspiration (EBUS-TBNA) are sometimes the only available samples for diagnosis. We aimed to determine whether EBUS-TBNA specimens are suitable for the evaluation of PD-L1 protein expression and copy number alterations (CNAs). Materials and methods PD-L1 protein expression and CNAs in 71 EBUS-TBNA specimens of NSCLC were assessed. Sixty-eight corresponding transbronchial biopsy (TBB) specimens from primary sites, thirteen resected primary tumors, and six resected metastases were comparatively analyzed. PD-L1 expression in tumor cells was assessed by immunohistochemistry (E1L3N). Positivity of ≥1% was used as the cutoff. PD-L1 CNAs were assessed with fluorescent in situ hybridization and were classified into three categories: amplification, polysomy, and disomy. Concordance between EBUS-TBNA and other specimens was calculated. Results The cohort comprised 48 men (67.6%), 15 never-smokers (21.1%), and 39 adenocarcinomas (54.9%). The concordance of PD-L1 positivity between EBUS-TBNA and other specimens was moderate; κ = 0.63 for EBUS-TBNA vs. TBB, κ = 0.68 for EBUS-TBNA vs. resected primary tumors, and κ = 1.0 for EBUS-TBNA vs. resected metastases. The concordance of PD-L1 CNA status was comparable with that of PD-L1 expression: κ = 0.60 for EBUS-TBNA vs. TBB and κ = 0.74 for EBUS-TBNA vs. resected primary tumors. When PD-L1 copy number was assessed as a continuous variable, the correlation of PD-L1 CNAs was superior to that of PD-L1 expression. Intratumorally, PD-L1 copy number was less heterogeneous than protein expression in whole sections of resected tumors. Conclusion EBUS-TBNA specimens can be used to assess PD-L1 CNAs and protein expression. Although spatial heterogeneity should be considered for accurate interpretation, the evaluation of PD-L1 CNAs provides more reproducible results than that of protein expression levels especially with regard to intratumoral heterogeneity.

New reliable biomarkers are needed to predict the response to immune checkpoint inhibitors against programmed death-1 (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1), because PD-L1 expression on tumor cells has limited power for selecting patients who may benefit from such therapy. Here we investigated the significance of PD-L1 and PD-L2 gene copy number gains using fluorescence in situ hybridization as well as PD-L1 and PD-L2 expression in 654 patients with resected non-small-cell lung cancer. The prevalence of PD-L1 amplification and polysomy was 3.1% and 13.2%, respectively. The PD-L1 gene copy number status was in agreement with both the PD-L2 and Janus kinase 2 gene copy number statuses. PD-L1 and PD-L2 expression was observed in 30.7% and 13.1%, respectively. Both PD-L1 copy number gains and expression were associated with smoking-related tumors. Tumor cells with PD-L1 genomic gains exhibited significantly higher levels of PD-L1 expression than those without, but PD-L2 copy number gains were not related to PD-L2 augmentation. PD-L1 gene amplification and polysomy were independently associated with PD-L1 expression, with high immune infiltrates and EGFR expression in a multivariate logistic regression model. Comparative analysis between primary tumors and synchronous regional lymph node metastases revealed that the PD-L1 gene copy number alterations were highly consistent and reproducible compared with the PD-L1 expression. Both PD-L1 amplification and level of protein expression were predictors of poor survival using Cox univariate analyses. Therefore, we conclude that an increase in PD-L1 gene copy number can be a feasible alternative biomarker for predicting response to anti-PD-1/PD-L1 therapy.

Vascular calcification is a characteristic feature of aging, atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, and end-stage renal disease. The use of organ culture provides complementary information that may bridge the gap between traditional cell culture and animal models, and establishes easily controlled experimental conditions. Therefore, we investigated whether organ culture of the aorta could be used as a model of vascular calcification, applying it to animal models of other conditions.Thoracic aortas were dissected from C57BL/6 mice and cultured. To induce vascular calcification, stimulation with inorganic phosphate (Pi) was performed. Morphometric assessment of medial calcium deposition was quantitatively performed, and the amount of dissolved calcium was measured. Pi-stimulation induced calcium deposition in medial layers in a time- and dose-dependent manner. To investigate the phenotypic change of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC), the expression of Runx2, osterix, osteocalcin, and ALP activity were determined. Finally, to investigate the influence of Pi-stimulation on the cultured aorta in other models, aortas from streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice, aged mice, and Sirt1 knockout (+/−) mice were dissected. These cultures showed a greater tendency for aortic calcification by Pi-stimulation than did control cultures.These results indicate that organ culture of the aorta from mice reflects the state of calcification and suggests that this model will be useful to explore the molecular mechanisms of vascular calcification and the pathology of senescence.

The quantitative analysis of human genetic variation is crucial for understanding the molecular characteristics of serious medical conditions, such as tumors. Because digital polymerase chain reactions (PCR) enable the precise quantification of DNA copy number variants, they are becoming an essential tool for detecting rare genetic variations, such as drug-resistant mutations. It is expected that molecular diagnoses using digital PCR (dPCR) will be available in clinical practice in the near future; thus, how to efficiently conduct dPCR with human genetic material is a hot topic. Here, we introduce a method to detect Adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) somatic mosaicism using dPCR with the chip-in-a-tube format, which allows eight dPCR reactions to be simultaneously conducted. Care should be taken when filling and sealing the reaction mixture on the chips. This article demonstrates how to avoid the over- and underestimation of positive partitions. Furthermore, we present a simple procedure for collecting the dPCR product from the partitions on the chips, which can then be used to confirm the specific amplification. We hope that this methods report will help promote the dPCR with the chip-in-a-tube method in genetic research.

Over the past decade, digital PCR (dPCR) technology has significantly improved, and its application in clinical diagnostics is rapidly advancing. The Clarity™ dPCR platform, which employs the chip-in-a-tube format to broaden its range of applications, has been used to determine gene copy number. However, detection of mutations in human samples, the most demanding task in clinical practice, has not yet been reported using this platform.The Clarity™ dPCR platform was used to detect somatic Adenomatous polyposis coli mosaicism c.834+2TC, which had been identified using next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology in a patient with sporadic familial adenomatous polyposis. In addition, we were able to determine the size of the dPCR product.The mutation rate in the peripheral blood of the patient calculated using the dPCR platform was 13.2%. This was similar to that determined using NGS (12.7%). In contrast, in healthy donors, the mutation rate was0.1%. Furthermore, it was confirmed that the dPCR product size was consistent with its theoretical value.Our results show that the dPCR platform with the chip-in-a-tube format is suitable for the analysis of mosaicism and enables the validation of the dPCR product size.

Thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF1) located on chromosome band 14q13.3 is an oncogene and a suppressor gene in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The prognostic relevance of TTF1 copy number alterations (CNAs) and their association with TTF1 protein expression are poorly understood. Here, we assessed TTF1 CNAs and protein expression using microarrays in a cohort of 636 NSCLC, including 423 adenocarcinoma (ADC) and 171 squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). In addition, fluorescent in situ hybridization and immunohistochemistry were performed. TTF1 CNAs were detected in 23% of NSCLC (23% of ADC and 20% of SCC). Specifically, TTF1 amplification and polysomy were observed in 5% and 18% of NSCLC, and in 7% and 16% of ADC, respectively. TTF1 expression was detected in 85% of ADC. TTF1 CNAs were significantly associated with advanced tumor stage, EGFR mutations, and TTF1 expression. A multivariate Cox hazards model analysis of overall survival and recurrence-free survival demonstrated that both TTF1 amplification and polysomy were independent indicators of an unfavorable prognosis in patients with NSCLC. Survival was inversely correlated with TTF1 copy number. In contrast, TTF1 protein expression was an independent favorable prognostic factor. Intratumoral and intertumoral heterogeneities of TTF1 CNAs and TTF1 protein expression were assessed using primary cores from 138 pairs of primary tumors and corresponding nodal metastases. The concordance rate for TTF1 CNAs and TTF1 protein expression was high within tumors and between primary and metastatic tumors. Altogether, these results suggest that TTF1 CNAs are correlated with TTF1 protein expression, but have opposing effects on survival.

R-spondin (RSPO) gene fusions have recently been discovered in a subset of human colorectal cancer (CRC) in the U.S. population; however, whether the fusion is recurrent in CRC arising in patients from the other demographic areas and whether it is specific for CRC remain uncertain. In this study, we examined 75 primary CRCs and 121 primary lung cancers in the Japanese population for EIF3E-RSPO2 and PTPRK-RSPO3 fusion transcripts using RT-PCR and subsequent sequencing analyses. Although the expression of EIF3E-RSPO2 and PTPRK-RSPO3 was not detected in any of the lung carcinomas, RSPO fusions were detected in three (4 %) of the 75 CRCs. Two CRCs contained EIF3E-RSPO2 fusion transcripts, and another CRC contained PTPRK-RSPO3 fusion transcripts. Interestingly, in one of the two EIF3E-RSPO2 fusion-positive CRCs, a novel fusion variant form of EIF3E-RSPO2 was identified: exon 1 of EIF3E was connected to exon 2 of RSPO2 by a 351-bp insertion. A quantitative RT-PCR analysis revealed that RSPO mRNA expression was upregulated in the three CRCs containing RSPO fusion transcripts, while it was downregulated in nearly all of the other CRCs. An immunohistochemical analysis and a mutational analysis revealed that the RSPO fusion-containing CRC had a CDX2 cell lineage, was positive for mismatch repair protein expression, and had the wild-type APC allele. Finally, the forced expression of RSPO fusion proteins were shown to endow colorectal cells with an increased growth ability. These results suggest that the expression of RSPO fusion transcripts is related to a subset of CRCs arising in the Japanese population.

The identification of cancer biomarkers is critical for target‐linked cancer therapy. The overall level of phosphatidylcholine (PC) is elevated in colorectal cancer (CRC). To investigate which species of PC is overexpressed in colorectal cancer, an imaging mass spectrometry was performed using a panel of non‐neoplastic mucosal and CRC tissues. In the present study, we identified a novel biomarker, PC(16:0/16:1), in CRC using imaging mass spectrometry. Specifically, elevated levels of PC(16:0/16:1) expression were observed in the more advanced stage of CRC. Our data further showed that PC(16:0/16:1) was specifically localized in the cancer region when examined using imaging mass spectrometry. Notably, because the ratio of PC(16:0/16:1) to lyso‐PC(16:0) was higher in CRC, we postulated that lyso‐PC acyltransferase (LPCAT) activity is elevated in CRC. In an in vitro analysis, we showed that LPCAT4 is involved in the deregulation of PC(16:0/16:1) in CRC. In an immunohistochemical analysis, LPCAT4 was shown to be overexpressed in CRC. These data indicate the potential usefulness of PC(16:0/16:1) for the clinical diagnosis of CRC and implicate LPCAT4 in the elevated expression of PC(16:0/16:1) in CRC.

Sequences of human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) are members of the long terminal repeat (LTR) retrotransposon family. Although the expression of HERV has long been a topic of investigation, HERV-insertion polymorphisms are not well known, and a genetic association between HERV-insertion polymorphisms and cancer has never been reported. To identify novel HERV loci in the genome from cancer tissues, we carried out the inverse PCR method targeting a conserved LTR region of HML-2, which is the most recently acquired HERV group. Novel two insertions, HML-2_sLTR(1p13.2) and HML-2_sLTR(19q12), were identified as insertionally polymorphic solo LTRs. Furthermore, a significant prevalence of HML-2_sLTR(1p13.2) homozygosity was detected in female never-smoking patients aged 60 years and over who had lung adenocarcinoma [versus the other genotyping; odds ratio (OR): 1.97; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01-3.81]. In another cohort consisting of female never-smoking patients with lung adenocarcinoma, a prevalence of HML-2_sLTR(1p13.2) homozygosity tended to be high in patients aged 60 years and over (versus the other genotyping; OR: 2.03; 95% CI: 0.96-4.29), whereas a low prevalence of HML-2_sLTR(1p13.2) homozygosity was detected in patients

Imaging mass spectrometry (MS) is an emerging technique that can detect numerous biomolecular distributions in a non-targeting manner. In the present study, we applied a mass imaging modality, mass microscopy, to human lung tissue and identified several molecules including surfactant constituents in a specific structure of the lung alveoli. Four peaks were identified using imaging MS, and the ion at m/z 772.5, in particular, was localized at some spots in the alveolar walls. Using an MS/MS analysis, the ion was identified as phosphatidylcholine (PC)(16:0/16:0), which is the main component of lung surfactant. In a larger magnification of the lung specimen, PC (16:0/16:0) was distributed in a mottled fashion in a section of the lung. Importantly, the distribution of PC (16:0/16:0) was identical to that of anti-SLC34A2 antibody immunoreactivity, which is known to be a specific marker of type II alveolar epithelial cells, in the same section. Our experience suggests that imaging MS has excellent potential in human pathology research.

To test the feasibility of using bacterial artificial chromosomes (BAC) containing kinases for pathological diagnosis using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), 10 BAC probes containing a gene amplified in 5% or more of a pilot cohort were selected from a previous survey using arbitrarily selected BAC clones harboring 100 kinases. In this report, we describe the prevalence and association with the clinicopathological profile of these selected 10 BAC probes in 365 gastric cancer tissues. FISH analyses using these 10 BAC probes containing loci encoding EGFR, ERBB2(HER2), EPHB3, PIK3CA, MET, PTK7, ACK1, STK15, SRC, and HCK showed detectable amplifications in paraffin-embedded tissue in 2.83% to 13.6% of the gastric cancer tissues. Considerable numbers of the cases showed the co-amplification of two or more of the probes that were tested. BAC probes located within a genome neighborhood, such as PIK3CA, EPHB3, and ACK1 at 3q26-29 or HCK, SRC, and STK15 at 20q11-13.1, were often co-amplified in the same cases, but non-random co-amplifications of genes at distant genomic loci were also observed. These findings provide basic information regarding the creation of a strategy for personalizing gastric cancer therapy, especially when using multiple kinase inhibitors.

Using next-generation sequencing (NGS) to analyze a patient with sporadic familial adenomatous polyposis in whom no APC mutations were found by Sanger sequencing, we identified a novel APC mosaicism at a spliced donor site (c.834+2 T>C) in his leukocytes, normal colonic mucosa and adenoma. The detection of APC mosaicism using NGS can be useful in providing appropriate genetic counseling and surveillance of at risk family members as well as the proband.

Mitosis is the most conspicuous cell cycle phase, because it is the phase in which the dynamic physical distributions of cellular components into the two daughter cells occur. The separation of sister chromatids is especially important during mitosis, because of the extreme accuracy required for distribution to the next generation of cells. Shugoshin-like 1 (SGOL1) is a key protein in protecting sister chromatids from precocious separation. We have reported finding that chromosome instability is more likely in SGOL1-downregulated colorectal cancers, but it is still unknown whether there is an association between cancer and SGOL1 transcript variation. Here, we identified a novel SGOL1 variant, SGOL1-P1, in human colon cancer. The SGOL1-P1 transcript contains an exon-skip of exon 3 that results in a stop codon occurring within exon 4. Overexpression of SGOL1-P1 in HCT116 cells resulted in an increased number of cells with aberrant chromosome alignment, precociously separated chromatids and delayed mitotic progression, occasionally followed by inaccurate distribution of the chromosomes. These phenotypes, observed when SGOL1-P1 was present, were also observed very frequently in SGOL1-knockdown cells. Furthermore, the overexpression of SGOL1-P1 inhibited the localization of endogenous SGOL1 and cohesin subunit RAD21/SCC1 to the centromere. These results suggest that SGOL1-P1 may function as a negative factor to native SGOL1, and that abundant expression of SGOL1-P1 may be responsible for chromosomal instability.

Background: CD200 is a member of the immunoglobulin superfamily and is expressed in various cells. CD200 interacts its receptor CD200R, which is mainly expressed in myeloid lineage cells, and modulate cancer immune-microenvironments. High CD200 expressions in hematologic malignancies were associated with poor prognosis and a clinical trial of anti-CD200 antibody has already conducted. However the role of CD200/CD200R signaling in solid cancers including non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have yet to be elucidated. Methods: We evaluated CD200 and CD200R1 protein expression using immunohistochemically stained tissue microarrays containing 653 resected NSCLC specimens. The tumor expression levels were assessed using the H-score method that ranged from 0 to 300. The stromal expression levels were also assessed semi-quantitatively. The cut-offs were determined using the minimum P-value method for overall survival (OS). The associations between their expression levels and clinicopathological data were retrospectively analyzed. In addition, we investigated CD200 and CD200R1 expressions among lung-cancer cell-lines. In vitro, endogenous immunorelated factor levels and cell proliferation changes were evaluated according to CD200 knockdown and CD200-Fc fusion protein administration. Results: The median age of patients was 69.5 years old (23-88 years) and 444 (67.8%) patients were male. 444 (68.0%) patients were smoking history and 431 (66.0%) patients had adenocarcinoma. The median follow-up duration was 3.6 years. CD200 expression was mainly observed in tumoral area but not in stroma, whereas CD200R1 expression was observed in both tumoral and stromal area. CD200 and CD200R1 expressions were inversely correlated. Higher tumoral CD200 expression and lower stromal CD200R1 expression were significantly prominent in female, in never smokers, and in adenocarcinoma. CD200 expression was significantly associated with TTF-1 positivity and EGFR mutations. Higher tumoral CD200 expression was an independent favorable prognostic factor for NSCLC in multivariate Cox regression analyses for OS (hazard ratio (HR), 0.65; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.45-0.94). In contrast, higher CD200R1 expressions in both tumor and stroma were poor prognostic indicators for OS (Log-rank, p=0.019 for tumor, and p Conclusion: CD200R1 expression had poor prognostic capability in resected NSCLC. Inversely, CD200 expression was an independent favorable prognostic factor. CD200/CD200R axis was involved in patients' prognoses and would be a candidate of potent therapeutic target for NSCLC. Citation Format: Katsuhiro Yoshimura, Yuzo Suzuki, Yusuke Inoue, Masato Karayama, Yuji Iwashita, Tomoaki Kahyo, Akikazu Kawase, Masayuki Tanahashi, Hiroshi Ogawa, Naoki Inui, Kazuhito Funai, Kazuya Shinmura, Takafumi Suda, Haruhiko Sugimura. CD200 and CD200R1 expressions and their prognostic roles in patients with non-small cell lung cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1762A.

SIRT1 is one of seven mammalian orthologs of yeast silent information regulator 2 (Sir2), and it functions as a nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)-dependent deacetylase. Recently, resveratrol and its analogues, which are polyphenols, have been reported to activate the deacetylase activity of SIRT1 in an in vitro assay and to expand the life-span of several species through Sir2 and the orthologs. To find activators or inhibitors to SIRT1, we examined thirty-six polyphenols, including stilbenes, chalcones, flavanones, and flavonols, with the SIRT1 deacetylase activity assay using the acetylated peptide of p53 as a substrate. The results showed that 3,2’,3’,4’-tetrahydroxychalcone, a newly synthesized compound, inhibited the SIRT1-mediated deacetylation of a p53 acetylated peptide and recombinant protein in vitro. In addition, this agent induced the hyperacetylation of endogenous p53, increased the endogenous p21CIP1/WAF1 in intact cells, and suppressed the cell growth. These results indicated that 3,2’,3’,4’-tetrahydroxychalcone had a stronger inhibitory effect on the SIRT1-pathway than sirtinol, a known SIRT1-inhibitor. Our results mean that 3,2’,3’,4’-tetrahydroxychalcone is a novel inhibitor of SIRT1 and produces physiological effects on organisms probably through inhibiting the deacetylation by SIRT1. Keywords:: SIRT1, deacetylation, inhibitor, polyphenol, p53

Herein, we report the characterization of Limb expression 1-like, (LIX1L), a putative RNA-binding protein (RBP) containing a double-stranded RNA binding motif, which is highly expressed in various cancer tissues. Analysis of MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry and RNA immunoprecipitation-sequencing of interacting proteins and the microRNAs (miRNAs) bound to LIX1L revealed that LIX1L interacts with proteins (RIOK1, nucleolin and PABPC4) and miRNAs (has-miRNA-520a-5p, −300, −216b, −326, −190a, −548b-3p, −7–5p and −1296) in HEK-293 cells. Moreover, the reduction of phosphorylated Tyr136 (pTyr136) in LIX1L through the homeodomain peptide, PY136, inhibited LIX1L-induced cell proliferation in vitro and PY136 inhibited MKN45 cell proliferation in vivo. We also determined the miRNA-targeted genes and showed that was apoptosis induced through the reduction of pTyr136. Moreover, ROS1, HCK, ABL1, ABL2, JAK3, LCK and TYR03 were identified as candidate kinases responsible for the phosphorylation of Tyr136 of LIX1L. These data provide novel insights into the biological significance of LIX1L, suggesting that this protein might be an RBP, with implications for therapeutic approaches for targeting LIX1L in LIX1L-expressing cancer cells.

Background: The relationships between tumor PD-L1 expression and the tumor immune microenvironment (TIM) have gained attention in a variety of cancers including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, the relevance of TIM according to the tumor PD-L1 copy number alterations (CNAs) whose significance have been shown in several malignancies remains to be uncovered. Methods: We evaluated PD-1+, CD8+, and Foxp3+ lymphocytes in tumor nest and surrounding stroma separately using microarrayed 636 resected NSCLC. Their associations with PD-L1 CNAs and PD-L1 expression were analyzed. Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) were counted under high-power fields (×200). PD-L1 CNAs were assessed with fluorescent in situ hybridization, and were classified into three categories (amplification, polysomy, and disomy). PD-L1 expression was evaluated using immunohistochemistry (clone E1L3N), and positivity of ≥5% was used as the cut-off. Results: In the entire cohort, the median age was 68 years (23-88 years). The cohort comprised 444 (68.0%) men and 197 (30.2%) never-smokers. The median follow-up duration was 3.6 years. The numbers of TILs in stroma were much greater than those in tumor nest. Smoking history and squamous histology were significantly associated with immune cell infiltration in both stroma and tumor nest, except for CD8+ TILs in stroma. There were 20 tumors with PD-L1 amplification (1.7%) and 84 tumors with polysomy (13.2%). PD-L1 expression was positive in 201 tumors (30.8%). In tumor nest, the numbers of individual TILs significantly increased according to the increase of PD-L1 copy number (Kruskal-Wallis, p < 0.001 for PD-1+, p < 0.001 for CD8+, and p = 0.0087 for Foxp3+). In stroma, only PD1+ TILs were significantly associated with PD-L1 CNAs (p = 0.0032), and CD8+ TILs tended to correlate with PD-L1 CNAs (p = 0.079). The numbers of CD8+, PD-1+, and FOXP3+ TILs were significantly greater in PD-L1-positive tumors than in PD-L1-negative tumors, in both tumor nest and stroma (p < 0.001). Neither kind of TILs, PD-L1 expression, nor PD-L1 CNAs alone was independent prognostic factor for overall survival in a multivariate analysis with Cox hazards models. However, when the PD-L1 copy numbers were combined with Foxp3+ TILs, cases with tumor high PD-L1 copy numbers (≥5 copies per nucleus) and high Foxp3+ TILs had independently worse prognoses in both tumor nest and stroma infiltration (hazard ratio (HR), 4.38; 95% confidence interval, 2.26-8.49, for tumor nest model. HR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.04-3.68, for stroma model). Conclusion: CD8+, Foxp3+, and PD-L1+ lymphocytes in tumor nest were significantly associated with PD-L1 CNAs and PD-L1 expression. Cases with both increased PD-L1 copy numbers and Foxp3+ TILs have independently worse survival outcomes. Additional data of other TIL subgroups related to PD-L1 CNAs and expression will be discussed. Citation Format: Katsuhiro Yoshimura, Yusuke Inoue, Tomoaki Kahyo, Akikazu Kawase, Masayuki Tanahashi, Hiroshi Ogawa, Naoki Inui, Kazuhito Funai, Kazuya Shinmura, Hiroshi Niwa, Takafumi Suda, Haruhiko Sugimura. Associations of the immune microenvironment with PD-L1 copy number alterations and PD-L1 expression in resected non-small cell lung cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3698. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-3698

SUMO1/Smt3, a ubiquitin-like protein modifier, is known to conjugate to other proteins and modulate their functions in various important processes. Similar to the ubiquitin conjugation system, SUMO/Smt3 is transferred to substrate lysine residues through the thioester cascade of E1 (activating enzyme) and E2 (conjugating enzyme). In our previous report (Takahashi, Y., Toh-e, A., and Kikuchi, Y. (2001) Gene 275, 223-231), we showed that Siz1/Ull1 (YDR409w) of budding yeast, a member of the human PIAS family containing a RING-like domain, is a strong candidate for SUMO1/Smt3 ligase because the SUMO1/Smt3 modification of septin components was abolished in the ull1 mutant and Ull1 associated with E2 (Ubc9) and the substrates (septin components) in immunoprecipitation experiments. Here we have developed an in vitro Smt3 conjugation system for a septin component (Cdc3) using purified recombinant proteins. In this system, Ull1 is additionally required as well as E1 (Sua1.Uba2 complex), E2 (Ubc9), and ATP. A cysteine residue of the RING-like domain was essential for the conjugation both in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, a region containing the RING-like domain directly interacted with Ubc9 and Cdc3. Thus, this SUMO/Smt3 ligase functions as an adaptor between E2 and the target proteins.

Mitosis is the most conspicuous cell cycle phase and Shugoshin-like 1 (SGOL1) is a key protein in protecting sister chromatids from precocious separation during mitosis. We studied the role of SGOL1 and its splice variants in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) using 82 frozen NSCLC tissue samples. SGOL1-B expression was prevalent in smokers, in cases with a wild-type (WT) EGFR status, and in cases with the focal copy number amplification of genes that are known to be important for defining the biological behaviors of NSCLC. The overexpression of SGOL1-B1 in an NSCLC cell line induced aberrant chromosome missegregation, precociously separated chromatids, and delayed mitotic progression. A higher level of SGOL1-B mRNA was related to taxane resistance, while the forced downregulation of SGOL1-B increased the sensitivity to taxane. These results suggest that the expression of SGOL1-B causes abnormal mitosis and taxane resistance in NSCLC cells.

Cell-in-cell structures represent live cell events in which one cell internalizes another. Because formation of cell-in-cell structures is a rare event in most cell types and the event is associated with cell death, there has been limited clarification of this phenomenon, and its physiological role and molecular mechanism are yet to be precisely elucidated. In this study, we established a mutagenized cell line that exhibited cell-in-cell structures at a more than 10-fold higher frequency as compared to the parent cells. Interestingly, both engulfment and invasion were increased in the mutagenized cell line as compared with that in the parent cell line in the suspension culture condition. This finding indicates that this mutagenized cell line showed an interchangeable status in terms of its ability to form cell-in-cell structures, and the system described here could be useful for elucidation of the mechanisms regulating the formation of cell-in-cell structures, including engulfment and invasion, in a given cellular environment. Further studies using this cell line are warranted to understand the mechanism of formation and biological significance of the cell-in-cell formation.

Imaging mass spectrometry (MS) is an emerging technique that can detect numerous biomolecular distributions in a non-targeting manner. In the present study, we applied a mass imaging modality, mass microscopy, to human lung tissue and identified several molecules including surfactant constituents in a specific structure of the lung alveoli. Four peaks were identified using imaging MS, and the ion at m/z 772.5, in particular, was localized at some spots in the alveolar walls. Using an MS/MS analysis, the ion was identified as phosphatidylcholine (PC)(16:0/16:0), which is the main component of lung surfactant. In a larger magnification of the lung specimen, PC (16:0/16:0) was distributed in a mottled fashion in a section of the lung. Importantly, the distribution of PC (16:0/16:0) was identical to that of anti-SLC34A2 antibody immunoreactivity, which is known to be a specific marker of type II alveolar epithelial cells, in the same section. Our experience suggests that imaging MS has excellent potential in human pathology research.

Imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) is an emerging technique that enables us the quantitation and visualization of a number of biomolecules including phospholipids. Because antibodies against lipid molecules are hard to generate, IMS is a useful approach for lipid biology. Our colleagues and we used IMS apparatus named “iMScope™ (Shimadzu)” to detect the cancer specific phospholipids in liver, colorectal, oral, and breast cancer. Here, to identify possible anti-cancer drug candidate(s) for GC with no side effects, we performed an imaging mass spectrometry screening using a panel of non-neoplastic and neoplastic gastric tissue. Two species of phosphatidylcholine (PC), PC-36:4 and PC-34:2, were highly downregulated in GC. PC-36:4 and PC-34:2 suppressed the transformation of NIH3T3 cells driven by K-rasV12 and growth of 4 out of 8 GC cell lines, while the growth of non-transformed NIH3T3 was not affected by these lipids. Tumor growth of GC cells was also inhibited in nude mice on administration (i.v.) of these lipids without any side effects in vivo. Phosphorylation of Akt was downregulated by these lipids in some GC cell lines. In an immunohistochemical analysis, the expression of a PC-36:4 and PC-34:2 producing enzyme, LPCAT3, was diminished in GC tissue, and the low expression level of LPCAT3 was a predictor of poor survival of GC patients. Considering that PCs generally have no toxic effect for human, these data indicate the usefulness of PC-36:4 and PC-34:2 as potential anti-cancer drugs of GC. Stating the biochemical background of this observation, phospholipids are constituents of lipid bilayer and consist of a glycerol backbone, two esterified acyl chains, and a polar head group; phospholipids are classified into five subclass by the head group: phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylserine (PS), phosphatidylinositol (PI), or phosphatidylglycerol (PG). The Lands’ cycle produces the diversity of acyl chains’ compositions in phospholipids by phospholipase A2 and lysophospholipid acyltransferases. Recently, novel regulatory mechanisms of Akt activation via phospholipids were reported. For example, PS can bind Akt to induce conformational change, which facilitates the activation of Akt. On the other hand, a specific species of PC suppresses the interaction of Akt to phosphatidylinositol-3,4,5-trisphosphate to inhibit the downstream signaling. Because other specific phospholipids show the physiological functions in lipogenesis, fatty acid use, hepatic steatosis, and diabetes, the combination of the acyl chains are thought to define the functional properties of PCs. In these contexts, our data first disclosed that a specific PC plays a tumor suppressing role and possibly be a anti-cancer agent with minimal side-effect. Furthermore, our in vitro analysis was mechanistically rational in terms of the Akt-centered pathway of carcinogenesis. Citation Format: Nobuya Kurabe, Masako Suzuki, Yusuke Inoue, Tomoaki Kahyo, Moriya Iwaizumi, Hiroyuki Konno, Mitsutoshi Setou, Haruhiko Sugimura. Phosphatidylcholine-34:2 and -36:4 have tumor suppressive function for gastric cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 394A.

To test the feasibility of using bacterial artificial chromosomes (BAC) containing kinases for pathological diagnosis using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), 10 BAC probes containing a gene amplified in 5% or more of a pilot cohort were selected from a previous survey using arbitrarily selected BAC clones harboring 100 kinases. In this report, we describe the prevalence and association with the clinicopathological profile of these selected 10 BAC probes in 365 gastric cancer tissues. FISH analyses using these 10 BAC probes containing loci encoding EGFR, ERBB2(HER2), EPHB3, PIK3CA, MET, PTK7, ACK1, STK15, SRC, and HCK showed detectable amplifications in paraffin-embedded tissue in 2.83% to 13.6% of the gastric cancer tissues. Considerable numbers of the cases showed the co-amplification of two or more of the probes that were tested. BAC probes located within a genome neighborhood, such as PIK3CA, EPHB3, and ACK1 at 3q26-29 or HCK, SRC, and STK15 at 20q11-13.1, were often co-amplified in the same cases, but non-random co-amplifications of genes at distant genomic loci were also observed. These findings provide basic information regarding the creation of a strategy for personalizing gastric cancer therapy, especially when using multiple kinase inhibitors.

Oxidative stress and atherosclerosis-related vascular disorders are risk factors for cognitive decline with aging. In a small clinical study in men, testosterone improved cognitive function; however, it is unknown how testosterone ameliorates the pathogenesis of cognitive decline with aging. Here, we investigated whether the cognitive decline in senescence-accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8), which exhibits cognitive impairment and hypogonadism, could be reversed by testosterone, and the mechanism by which testosterone inhibits cognitive decline. We found that treatment with testosterone ameliorated cognitive function and inhibited senescence of hippocampal vascular endothelial cells of SAMP8. Notably, SAMP8 showed enhancement of oxidative stress in the hippocampus. We observed that an NAD(+)-dependent deacetylase, SIRT1, played an important role in the protective effect of testosterone against oxidative stress-induced endothelial senescence. Testosterone increased eNOS activity and subsequently induced SIRT1 expression. SIRT1 inhibited endothelial senescence via up-regulation of eNOS. Finally, we showed, using co-culture system, that senescent endothelial cells promoted neuronal senescence through humoral factors. Our results suggest a critical role of testosterone and SIRT1 in the prevention of vascular and neuronal aging.

Various brain tumors are components of familial cancer syndromes, and Li-Fraumeni syndrome and Li-Fraumeni-like syndromes are the most famous entities. A rare, sporadic occurrence of brain tumor in peculiarly young subjects, however, sometimes provides a clue to understanding of carcinogenesis due to germline mutations. In this section, two cases of glial tumors in subjects having germline mutation of TP53 are presented, and genetic etiology of brain tumor is discussed. The first case is a 41 year-old father of a fatal adrenocortical carcinoma case of a 4-years-old daughter, 16 years prior to the occurrence of astrocytoma of himself. The search for family history and previous clinical records in the four different community hospitals for the last three decades and the follow-ups of his family members disclosed cancer of urinary bladder, cancer of pancreas, hepatoblastoma, and thymoma in the relatives. Germline mutation E286A of TP53 was identified in the affected members. Another case is a 21-year-old male, without any family history of cancer, who suffered from brain tumor and colorectal cancer. An attending physician was sticky to find an etiology in this unusual occurrence of cancer. After several attempts in vain, an I195T germline mutation was identified and functional analysis was performed. These anecdotes highlight importance of genetic analysis in case of glial tumors in relatively young adult or in adolescence whether or not they have family history of cancer. The problems and strategies to find TP53 mutation carriers and to prevent or to delay the occurrence of the tumors in them are discussed.

Sirt1, a mammalian homolog of silent information regulator 2 (Sir2), is the founding member of class III histone deacetylase (HDAC). In this study, we examined whether Sirt1 is involved in the modification of acetylated histone H3, acetylated p53 and Werner syndrome protein (WRN), which is stabilized by Sirt1-mediated deacetylation, in cisplatin (CDDP)-induced acute renal failure (ARF) in rats. Administration of CDDP (5 mg/kg body weight) caused an increase in the Sirt1 protein level by 6 h; this increase peaked at day 5 and declined until day 14. Sirt1 was induced to a greater extent in rats with severe ARF. In contrast, HDAC3 and HDAC5 were not induced within 24 h after CDDP administration. The level of acetylated histone H3 in the kidney decreased early, i.e., at 6 h, and was minimal at day 5, after which the level gradually increased by day 14. CDDP marginally induced acetylated p53 within 24 h after administration. Increased WRN also became evident at 6 h, and continued to be upregulated until day 5, accompanied by an increase in proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Transfection of Sirt1 to human embryonic kidney 293 cells mitigated the CDDP-induced cellular damage. These findings collectively suggest that CDDP increases the level of Sirt1 protein in the kidneys in association with histone H3 deacetylation and increased WRN and PCNA production. The induced Sirt1 may work defensively to mitigate CDDP-induced tubular damage by inactivating core histone transcriptionally, and by repairing DNA damage.

Objective— Statins (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl–coenzyme A reductase inhibitors) have pleiotropic vascular protective effects besides cholesterol lowering. Recently, experimental and clinical studies have indicated that senescence of endothelial cells is involved in endothelial dysfunction and atherogenesis. Therefore, the present study was performed to determine whether statins would reduce endothelial senescence and to clarify the molecular mechanisms underlying the antisenescent property of statins. Methods and Results— Senescent human umbilical vein endothelial cells were induced by hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ), as judged by senescence-associated β-galactosidase assay and cell morphological appearance. Atorvastatin, pravastatin, and pitavastatin inhibited the oxidative stress induced-endothelial senescence. These statins phosphorylated Akt at Ser473 and subsequently led to increased expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), SIRT1, and catalase. Treatment with LY294002 or Akt short interfering RNA decreased the eNOS activation, SIRT1 expression, and antisenescent property of atorvastatin. Moreover, in streptozotocin-diabetic mice, administration of pitavastatin increased eNOS, SIRT1, and catalase expression and decreased endothelial senescence, but levels remained unaltered in Sirt1 knockout mice. Conclusion— Our results indicate that treatment with statins inhibits endothelial senescence and that enhancement of SIRT1 plays a critical role in prevention of endothelial senescence through the Akt pathway, a direct target of statins.

Background: SIRT1, a NAD-dependent deacetylase, has diverse roles in a variety of organs such as regulation of endocrine function and metabolism. However, it remains to be addressed how it regulates hormone release there. Methodology/Principal Findings: Here, we report that SIRT1 is abundantly expressed in pituitary thyrotropes and regulates thyroid hormone secretion. Manipulation of SIRT1 level revealed that SIRT1 positively regulated the exocytosis of TSH-containing granules. Using LC/MS-based interactomics, phosphatidylinositol-4-phosphate 5-kinase (PIP5K)γ[subscript gamma] was identified as a SIRT1 binding partner and deacetylation substrate. SIRT1 deacetylated two specific lysine residues (K265/K268) in PIP5Kγ[subscript gamma] and enhanced PIP5Kγ[subscript gamma] enzyme activity. SIRT1-mediated TSH secretion was abolished by PIP5Kγ[subscript gamma] knockdown. SIRT1 knockdown decreased the levels of deacetylated PIP5Kγ, PI(4,5)P[subscript 2], and reduced the secretion of TSH from pituitary cells. These results were also observed in SIRT1-knockout mice. Conclusions/Significance: Our findings indicated that the control of TSH release by the SIRT1-PIP5Kγ[subscript gamma] pathway is important for regulating the metabolism of the whole body., Mitsubishi Institute of Life Sciences, Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. (WAKATE S grant)

DNA adducts are recognized as an initiative step of mutagenesis, but the measurement of them is still a technical challenge. So-called adductome approach, based on LC-MS/MS, is a popular procedure to identify multiple DNA adducts in various tissues at a single experiments. Recently we reported 7 lipid peroxidation-induced DNA adducts in human gastric mucosa resected for gastric cancer in two countries for the first time, and showed the profile of these DNA adducts could indicate geo-pathological background of gastric mucosa (Matsuda 2013). Though DNA adductome approach posesses the high throghput potential in terms of finding numerous specis of DNA adducts having different molecular weights, there are still challenges to overcome. First of all, the numbers of the standards of DNA adducts molecules available are less than the species with identified molecular weight. This implies there are much more DNA modifications in human tissues than previously characterized. The other challaenge is that the absolute quantifications of these adducts requires isotopic standard chemicals. In this study, we strengthened DNA adductome method by including as many as known adducts in the assay system. Mass/Charge value and liquid chromatography retention time of known 254 DNA addcuts were collected and incoporated into LC-MS/MS machine (4000-QTRAP; Thermo). By this procedure we could measure the 254 DNA adducts at one time in MRM mode. Using this system, we measured 254 DNA adducts in the following human gastric mucosa. Written informed consents were obtained from the patients who took gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Under the hypothesis of field cancerization of gastric mucosa, in order to analyze the spatial influence of the exposure of the potential carcinogens toward cancer site, muocsal tissue at multiple sites with different distance to cancer, (10cm and more distant from the tumor site in the stomach to the site adjacent to the tumor) were taken. Three to 10 sites/case were investigated for DNA adducts measurements. Totally 11 cases and 77 sites are analyzed. Considerable numbers of known DNA adducts were present in human gastric mucosa in different quantities. Among them, tobacco-related and lipid-peroxidation-induced DNA adducts were noted. We also did the same measurements in proximal, middle, and distal gastric mucosa from autospy cases without gastric cancer and compared them to those of the cancer cases. Among them, etheno-dA was able to be quantitatively measured using isotopic standard. The mean level of etheno dA in the gastric mucosa of autopsy cases without gastric cancer was 8.02/107 nucleotides, while that of gastric cancer patients mucosae was 4.80/107 nucleotides. These comprehensive identifications in adducts in human gastric mucosa will provide the basic information for dosimetry and risk assessment of environmental chemicals toward gastric cancer. Citation Format: Nobuya Kurabe, Ippei Ohnishi, Masako Suzuki, Yusuke Inoue, Tomoaki Kahyo, Moriya Iwaizumi, Yoshitaka Matsushima, Yukari Totsuka, Hitoshi Nakagama, Masako Kasami, Hideto Ochiai, Keigo Matsumoto, Shioto Suzuki, Fumihiko Tanioka, Haruhiko Sugimura. DNA adductome analyses at multiple sites of human gastric mucosa, resected for gastric cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 4619. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-4619

Human endogenous retrovirus (HERV) is a member of LTR-retrotransposon family. Retroviral invasions are thought to have occurred in the germ cell lines of human or human ancestors, and the fixed retroviral elements are recognized as HERV. A complete HERV sequence contains two long terminal repeats (LTRs) located at both ends. Because intact LTRs possess the highly conserved transcriptional promoter- and enhancer-sequences, to investigate insertional variations of HERV is a key process for understanding the etiology of human genetic diseases that remain unclear with the analyses targeting single nucleotide variations. However, genome-wide investigation of repetitive sequences including HERV is methodologically difficult, and comprehensive understanding of insertional variations of HERV, including a somatic retrotransposition of HERV, remains poor. In the previous study, we have identified two novel insertional polymorphisms of solo LTRs using the inverse PCR and cloning methods, and one of them was involved with the susceptibility to lung adenocarcinoma. Here, we detected multiple novel LTR loci in the human cancer tissues by developing the high-throughput sequencing method combined with inverse PCR. In this system, to preferentially detect insertional variations, primer sequences were designed based on the conserved region of the LTRs which have an identical sequence to the mate within the same HML-2 proviruse, because almost of known HERV insertional polymorphisms are found in HML-2, which is thought to be the most recently endogenized element of HERV, and the presence of an identical LTR sequence at both ends is necessary for the retrotransposition of exogenous retrovirus. The sequence reads generated from the high-throughput sequencer were trimmed, and the fragments consistent with the inverse PCR process were selected. Following the mapping to the reference genome, the sites not corresponding to known LTR loci were sorted out and subjected to the filtration to exclude the artificial fragments. As the result, some candidates of novel LTR loci were detected, and several of them were verified to be actually present both in tumor and non-tumor genomes using the Sanger method, suggesting they are insertional polymorphisms. By using this detection system, we are now challenging to investigate a novel LTR site specifically detected in tumor genome. Citation Format: Tomoaki Kahyo, Hidetaka Yamada, Hong Tao, Yusuke Inoue, Nobuya Kurabe, Haruhiko Sugimura. A comprehensive investigation of insertional variations of human endogenous retrovirus elements in tumor tissues. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 2966A. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-2966A

V-set and immunoglobulin domain containing 1 (VSIG1) was recently identified as a novel member of immunoglobulin-like cell-adhesion molecules. In human, VSIG1 has 2 transcript variant forms (variant 1 and variant 2). In normal tissues, VSIG1 was reported to be expressed predominantly in stomach and testis. In cancerous tissues, the expression of VSIG1 was shown to be restricted in a part of gastric, esophageal, and ovarian cancers. However, the role of VSIG1 in cancer progression has not been elucidated. VSIG1 protein expression in human normal tissues obtained at autopsy was detected by western blot analysis. We also analyzed VSIG1 protein expression in 8 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines and 8 gastric cancer (GC) cell lines by western blot. Relative mRNA expression was evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR in patients with resected NSCLC (n = 69). Protein expression in NSCLC (n = 277) and GC (n = 362) were analyzed using immunohistochemistry. The effects of VSIG1 in proliferation, migration, and invasion were assessed in NSCLC and GC cell lines by ectopic expression of a human full-length VSIG1 variant 2 cDNA or application of specific VSIG1 siRNA. In normal tissues of 15 organs (brain, heart, lung, esophagus, stomach, intestine, colon, rectum, liver, spleen, pancreas, adrenal gland, kidney, testis, and ovary), VSIG1 protein expression was detected in only stomach and testis, and variant 2 mRNA expression level was significantly higher than variant 1 in both stomach and testis (p From these findings, we conclude that VSIG1 has a tumor suppressive function which contributes to a less proliferative and invasive phenotype in cancer cells. We are exploring to identify the binding partners of VSIG1 using LC-MS/MS analysis. The results will be shown and discussed. Citation Format: Yusuke Inoue, Nobuya Kurabe, Shun Matsuura, Matsuyoshi Maeda, Tomoaki Kahyo, Hisaki Igarashi, Kazuhito Funai, Hiroshi Niwa, Hiroshi Ogawa, Kazuya Shinmura, Hiroyuki Konno, Takafumi Suda, Haruhiko Sugimura. V-set and immunoglobulin domain containing 1 (VSIG1) demonstrates a tumor suppressive function in gastric cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 519. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-519