No abstract available.
Animals ; Electroshock* ; Glutamate Decarboxylase* ; Glutamate-Ammonia Ligase* ; Glutamic Acid* ; Glutamine* ; Hippocampus* ; Rats*

We report two cases of ectopic epididymal ducts and efferent ductules in the testicular appendices (TAs) of adult men with normally descended testes. In both cases, a sessile TA was incidentally found at the upper pole of the right testis during the scrotal hydrocelectomy. Microscopically, a few closely arranged tubules were detected within the TA. In the first case, the tubules were lined with a pseudostratified columnar epithelium with numerous, long microvilli, and were surrounded by a smooth muscle coat. In contrast, in the second case, the tubules had a wavy luminal surface, because ciliated columnar cells alternated with groups of cuboidal cells. In both cases, strong CD10 immunoreactivity was observed in the luminal border of the lining epithelium. Surgical pathologists should be aware of the presence of both ectopic epididymal ducts and efferent ductules that can occur in TAs, in order to avoid misinterpretation as transected, functional reproductive structures.
Adult ; Choristoma ; Epididymis ; Epithelium ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Microvilli ; Muscle, Smooth ; Parovarian Cyst ; Phenobarbital ; Testis ; Wolffian Ducts

Clathrin-mediated vesicle formation is an essential step in the intracellular trafficking of the protein and lipid. Binding of clathrin assembly protein to clathrin triskelia induces their assembly into clathrin-coated vesicles (CCVs). In order to better understand a possible role of post-translational modification of CALM (clathrin assembly protein lymphoid myeloid), the homologue of AP180, in the assembly of CCVs, CALM was expressed in the cell-free reticulocyte translation system that is capable of carrying out post-translational modification. The apparent molecular weight of the expressed recombinant CALM was estimated as 105 kD. Alkaline phosphatase treatment of CALM resulted in a mobility shift on SDS-PAGE. We found that CALM was associated with the proteins harboring SH3 domain, promote assembly of clathrin triskelia into clathrin cage and bound to the preformed clathrin cage. CALM was also proteolyzed by caspase 3 and calpain but not by caspase 8. These results indicated that the post-translationally modified CALM, expressed in the eukaryotic cell-free reticulocyte translation system was able to mediate the assembly of clathrin and the coated-vesicle formation.
Alkaline Phosphatase/pharmacology ; Animal ; Brain/metabolism ; Calpain/metabolism ; Carrier Proteins/*chemistry ; Caspases/metabolism ; Cattle ; Cell-Free System ; Clathrin/*chemistry ; Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel ; Glutathione Transferase/metabolism ; Lipids/chemistry ; Membrane Proteins/*chemistry ; Phosphorylation ; Protein Binding ; Protein Processing, Post-Translational ; Protein Structure, Tertiary ; Protein Transport ; Recombinant Proteins/chemistry/metabolism ; Reticulocytes/metabolism ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Translation, Genetic ; src Homology Domains

The most efficient means of protein internalization from the membrane are through clathrin-coated pits, which concentrate protein interactions with the clathrin-associated assembly protein complex AP-2 and internalization signals in the cytoplasmic domain of transmembrane proteins. Binding of clathrin assembly protein to clathrin triskelia induces their assembly into clathrin-coated vesicles (CCVs). Due to a difficulty of isolating clathrin molecules from their complex or assembly state in the cells, most of the studies were carried out with recombinant clathrin proteins, which may present different conformation and structural variation. In this study, we have developed an efficient method of isolating the native clathrin assembly protein lymphoid myeloid (CALM) from the bovine brain that is enriched with clathrin and clathrin associated proteins and characterized by their sensitivity to proteases and it's ability to form CCV. The purified CALM has molecular weight of approximately 100,000 dalton on SDS-PAGE, which is consistent with the result of in vitro translation. The purified CALM protein could promote the assembly of clathrin triskelia into clathrin cage, and cleaved CALM proteolysed by caspase 3 and calpain could not promote them. In this respect, our data support a model in which CALM functions like AP180 as a monomeric clathrin assembly protein and might take part in apoptotic process in neuronal cells.
Adaptor Proteins ; Animal ; Brain Chemistry ; Calpain/*metabolism ; Carrier Proteins ; Caspases/*metabolism ; Cattle ; Clathrin/*metabolism ; Coated Pits, Cell-Membrane/*metabolism ; Hydrolysis ; Membrane Proteins ; Molecular Weight ; Nerve Tissue Proteins/chemistry/*isolation & purification/metabolism ; Neurons/*chemistry ; Protein Binding ; Protein Conformation ; Recombinant Proteins/chemistry/metabolism

The most efficient means of protein internalization from the membrane are through clathrin-coated pits, which concentrate protein interactions with the clathrin-associated assembly protein complex AP-2 and internalization signals in the cytoplasmic domain of transmembrane proteins. Binding of clathrin assembly protein to clathrin triskelia induces their assembly into clathrin-coated vesicles (CCVs). Due to a difficulty of isolating clathrin molecules from their complex or assembly state in the cells, most of the studies were carried out with recombinant clathrin proteins, which may present different conformation and structural variation. In this study, we have developed an efficient method of isolating the native clathrin assembly protein lymphoid myeloid (CALM) from the bovine brain that is enriched with clathrin and clathrin associated proteins and characterized by their sensitivity to proteases and it's ability to form CCV. The purified CALM has molecular weight of approximately 100,000 dalton on SDS-PAGE, which is consistent with the result of in vitro translation. The purified CALM protein could promote the assembly of clathrin triskelia into clathrin cage, and cleaved CALM proteolysed by caspase 3 and calpain could not promote them. In this respect, our data support a model in which CALM functions like AP180 as a monomeric clathrin assembly protein and might take part in apoptotic process in neuronal cells.
Adaptor Proteins ; Animal ; Brain Chemistry ; Calpain/*metabolism ; Carrier Proteins ; Caspases/*metabolism ; Cattle ; Clathrin/*metabolism ; Coated Pits, Cell-Membrane/*metabolism ; Hydrolysis ; Membrane Proteins ; Molecular Weight ; Nerve Tissue Proteins/chemistry/*isolation & purification/metabolism ; Neurons/*chemistry ; Protein Binding ; Protein Conformation ; Recombinant Proteins/chemistry/metabolism

No abstract available.
Hematuria* ; Humans ; Mass Screening* ; Urinary Bladder Neoplasms* ; Urinary Bladder*

For the comprehensive analysis of transcript expression, the array-based hybridization analysis and the serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) are commonly used platforms. The SAGE is based on a high-throughput sequencing of ditags derived from the transcript. DNA microarrays are a powerful tool for monitoring thousands of transcripts simultaneously, whereas the Genechip (Affimatrix microarray) technology is based on the hybridization of a single probe or other manufacturer's microarrays (cDNA- or oligonucleotide-microarray) procedures include the competitive hybridization of two probes. In this study, the quantitative accuracy of expression using oligonucleotide-microarray was determined by comparing data set from the SAGE. In previous study the microSAGE was performed for the megakaryocytes and non- megakaryocytes derived from human cord blood CD34(+)cells by ex vivo expansion using thrombopoietin, and a total of 38,909 tags representing 8,976 unique genes were obtained. On the identical RNA, expression profiling was also carried out using oligonucleotide-microarray (MAGIC II 10K chip, Macrogen). The most frequently expressed genes in human megakaryocytes were identified as platelet factor 1 followed by annexin A1, ribosomal protein S23. The majority of the 50 most highly expressed genes in the CD34(+)-derived megakaryocytes were those involved in protein synthesis, e.g., ribosomal proteins. The expression level through the single channel of oligonucleotide-microarray and SAGE have a fairly good correlation in terms of absolute analyses and that the correlation is higher for the genes with higher expression levels.
Antigens, CD34/*metabolism ; Comparative Study ; Fetal Blood ; Gene Expression Profiling/*methods ; Human ; Megakaryocytes/*metabolism ; Oligonucleotide Array Sequence Analysis/*methods ; RNA, Messenger/analysis/genetics ; Reproducibility of Results ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; Transcription, Genetic/*genetics

How personality forms and whether personality genes exist are long-studied questions. Various concepts and theories have been presented for centuries. Personality is a complex trait and is developed through the interaction of genes and the environment. Twin and family studies have found that there are critical genetic and environmental components in the inheritance of personality traits, and modern advances in genetics are making it possible to identify specific variants for personality traits. Although genes that were found in studies on personality have not provided replicable association between genetic and personality variability, more and more genetic variants associated with personality traits are being discovered. Here, we present the current state of the art on genetic research in the personality field and finally list several of the recently published research highlights. First, we briefly describe the commonly used self-reported measures that define personality traits. Then, we summarize the characteristics of the candidate genes for personality traits and investigate gene variants that have been suggested to be associated with personality traits.
Genetic Research ; Humans ; Wills

The KFDA (Korea Food & Drug Administration) has performed a collaborative toxicogenomics project since 2003. Its aim is to construct a toxicology database of 12 compounds administered to mice at initial phase. We chose 6-MP (6-mercaptopurine) which has been used in the treatment of childhood leukemia. It was administered at low (0.224 mg/kg) and at high (2.24 mg/kg) dose (5 mice per group) intraperitonealy to the postnatal 6 weeks mice, then the serum and liver were collected at the indicated time (6, 24 and 72 h) after scarification. Serum biochemical markers for liver toxicity were measured and histopathologic studies also were carried out. The gene expression profiling was carried out by using Applied Biosystems 1700 Full Genome Expression Mouse. By self-organization maps (SOM), we identified groups with unique gene expression patterns, some of them are supposed to be related to 6-MP induced toxicity, including lipid metabolism abnormality, inflammatory response, oxidative stress, ATP depletion and cell death. The potential toxic effects appearing as gene expression changes are dependent of the time of 6-MP but independent of the dosage of it. This study would contribute to establishment of international database as well as national one about hepatotoxicity.
Adenosine Triphosphate ; Animals ; Cell Death ; Gene Expression Profiling* ; Gene Expression* ; Genome ; Leukemia ; Lipid Metabolism ; Liver* ; Mice ; Microarray Analysis ; Oxidative Stress ; Toxicogenetics ; Toxicology ; Biomarkers

Recently, the gene encoding clathrin assembly protein of lymphoid myeloid leukemia (CALM), which is homologous to the AP180, was cloned from rat brain, and its expression differential to AP180 was reported (Kim and Lee, 1999). This gene product promotes the polymerization of clathrin into clathrin cage and found to be a regulator in membrane trafficking between intracellular compartments in eukaryotic cells (Kim et al., 2000). In this study, we have purified the CALM protein from clathrin-coated vesicles of rat liver using the monoclonal antibody against the recombinant N-terminal region of the CALM. The coated proteins extracted from the coated vesicle fraction was further purified by multi-step procedures involving gel-filtration and ion-exchange chromatography and SDS-PAGE. The purified protein with an apparent molecular weight of 100 kD promoted the assembly of clathrin triskelia into clathrin cage. In this respect the CALM protein bears a functional resemblance to the AP180 that has been previously described.
Animal ; Clathrin/*metabolism ; Clathrin-Coated Vesicles/*chemistry ; Liver/*chemistry ; Nerve Tissue Proteins/*isolation & purification ; Phosphoproteins/*isolation & purification ; Rats