Biology subjects

Hamada, Y.

Publications and source records attributed to Hamada, Y..

10 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2026

Antiglycation effects of imidazole dipeptides and 2-oxo-imidazole dipeptides on glyceraldehyde-induced intracellular protein glycation and neuronal cell death

Glyceraldehyde (GA) contributes to the development of various diseases, such as diabetes and Alzheimers disease via protein glycation and the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs); however, effective strategies for neutralizing GA are limited. Carnosine (Car), an imidazole dipeptide (IDP) that is abundant in meat, suppresses protein glycation by scavenging reactive aldehydes. There are only a few reports on the antiglycation activity of Car against GA. For other IDPs, such as anserine, balenine (Bal), and homocarnosine, there are almost no reports on their antiglycation activity. In this study, we demonstrated the antiglycation activity of four types of IDPs and 2-oxocarnosine (2-oxo-Car), an oxidized form of Car, against GA-induced intracellular protein glycation and neuronal cytotoxicity. Car and Bal exhibited significantly higher reactivity with GA compared with other IDPs and 2-oxo-Car. An in silico analysis suggested that the difference in reactivity is dependent upon intramolecular hydrogen bond formation and the conformation of each IDP. Although there were differences in reactivity with GA, LC-MS analysis revealed that all of the IDPs and 2-oxo-Car reacted with two molecules of GA to form adducts containing pyridinium rings. Car and Bal exhibited high reactivity with GA and markedly suppressed GA-induced cytotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells. Western blot and qPCR analyses revealed that IDPs suppressed GA-induced protein glycation and the upregulation of endoplasmic reticulum and oxidative stress response genes. Our results indicate that IDPs represent a novel preventive approach to AGE-related diseases and provide a foundation for the development of strategies to treat GA-related neurotoxicity. Graphical abstractCarnosine and balenine, which are imidazole dipeptides (IDPs), scavenged two molecules of glyceraldehyde to form adducts containing pyridinium rings and suppressed intracellular protein glycation and neuronal cell death. The formation of intramolecular hydrogen bond of IDPs played a crucial role in the strength of antiglycation activity. O_FIG O_LINKSMALLFIG WIDTH=200 HEIGHT=126 SRC="FIGDIR/small/734660v1_ufig1.gif" ALT="Figure 1"> View larger version (33K): org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@11d82dorg.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@187aff0org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@12fe482org.highwire.dtl.DTLVardef@14327ee_HPS_FORMAT_FIGEXP M_FIG C_FIG

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2026

NAD boosting mediated by CD38 inhibition drives reversal of a pathological vicious cycle of intracrine activity and inflammation in eyelid meibomian gland dysfunction

Vicious cycles--reciprocal cause-and-effect loops that progressively intensify dysfunction--are implicated in many diseases. Here, we examined whether "intracrine" steroidogenesis, a tissue-local mode of hormone production, participates in a pathological vicious cycle in eyelid meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD), the most common cause of evaporative dry eye disease with incidence increasing with age. We show that loss of meibomian intracrine androgen production triggers inflammatory remodeling of the eyelid tarsal plate. Conversely, inflammation suppresses nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)-dependent 3{beta}-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase activity in the meibomian gland, thereby further weakening intracrine steroidogenesis. Mechanistically, we identified inflammation-associated accumulation of the NAD-degrading enzyme CD38 as a key down-regulator for the NAD-dependent intracrine activity. Accordingly, pharmacological inhibition of CD38 (using 78c) in aged mice, restores meibomian cellular NAD levels, rescues intracrine activity, suppresses inflammatory signatures, and promotes recovery of gland size. Thus, our data suggest that boosting NAD availability not only ameliorates meibomian gland dysfunction but also induces a reciprocal "virtuous" cycle, in which suppression of inflammation and restoration of intracrine activity mutually reinforce each other. These findings constitute a previously unknown example in which the reversal of a pathological vicious cycle into a beneficial virtuous cycle underlies the therapeutic effects of NAD boosting and may help combat age-associated meibomian gland disorder.

pathology↗

bioRxiv2025

MeTrEx: Membrane Trajectory Explorer

BackgroundMolecular Dynamics (MD) simulations provide valuable insights into the behaviour of biomolecules, particularly in complex systems such as cellular membranes. However, the increasing volume of MD data presents significant challenges in data visualisation, exploration and analysis. ResultWe present MeTrEx (Membrane Trajectory Explorer), a Python-based software designed to enhance the exploration and analysis of MD simulation data, with a focus on ligand and membrane molecule interactions. MeTrEx offers an intuitive graphical user interface for visualisation, advanced interaction tools, and comprehensive analytical capabilities. The software also supports comparative analyses of molecular trajectories and integrates external datasets for a more holistic view. A case study analysing the interaction of Polymyxin B1 with a bacterial membrane demonstrates the tools capabilities to investigate complex molecular behaviours. ConclusionBy combining detailed molecular analysis with interactive visualisation, MeTrEx provides researchers with a powerful platform to investigate complex biomolecular systems, contributing to a deeper understanding of ligand-membrane interactions.

bioinformatics↗

bioRxiv2023

Light-induced condensates show accumulation-prone and less dynamic properties in the nucleus compared to the cytoplasm.

Biomolecular condensates, including membraneless organelles, are ubiquitously observed in subcellular compartments. However, the accumulation and dynamic properties of arbitrarily induced condensates remain elusive. Here, we show the size, amount, and dynamic properties of subcellular condensates using various fluorescence spectroscopic imaging analyses. Spatial image correlation spectroscopy showed that the size of blue-light-induced condensates of cryptochrome 2-derived oligomerization tag (CRY2olig) tagged with a red fluorescent protein in the nucleus was not different from that in the cytoplasm. Fluorescence intensity measurements showed that the condensates in the nucleus were more prone to accumulation than those in the cytoplasm. Single-particle tracking analysis showed that the condensates in the nucleus are predisposed to be stationary dynamics compared to those in the cytoplasm. Therefore, the subcellular compartment may, in part, affect the characteristics of self-recruitment of biomolecules in the condensates and their movement property.

biophysics↗

bioRxiv2023

Hybridization and its impact on the ontogenetic allometry of skulls in macaques

The role of hybridization in morphological diversification is a fundamental topic in evolutionary biology. However, despite the accumulated knowledge on adult hybrid variation, how hybridization affects ontogenetic allometry is less well understood. Here, we investigated the effects of hybridization on postnatal ontogenetic allometry in the skulls of a putative hybrid population of introduced Taiwanese macaques (Macaca cyclopis) and native Japanese macaques (M. fuscata). Genomic analyses indicated that the population consisted of individuals with varying degrees of admixture, formed by male migration from Japanese to Taiwanese macaques. For overall skull shape, ontogenetic trajectories were shifted by hybridization in a nearly additive manner, with moderate transgressive variation observed throughout development. In contrast, for the maxillary sinus (hollow space in the face), hybrids grew as fast as Taiwanese macaques, diverging from Japanese macaques, which showed slow growth. Consequently, adult hybrids showed a mosaic pattern, i.e., the maxillary sinus is as large as that of Taiwanese macaques, while the overall skull shape is intermediate. Our findings suggest that the transgressive variation can be caused by prenatal shape modification and non-additive inheritance on regional growth rates, highlighting the complex genetic and ontogenetic bases underlying hybridization-induced morphological diversification.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2020

DAJIN-assisted multiplex genotyping to validate the outcomes of CRISPR-Cas-based genome editing

Genome editing can introduce designed mutations into a target genomic site. Recent research has revealed that it can also induce various unintended events such as structural variations, small indels, and substitutions at, and in some cases, away from the target site. These rearrangements may result in confounding phenotypes in biomedical research samples and cause a concern in clinical or agricultural applications. However, current genotyping methods do not allow a comprehensive analysis of diverse mutations for phasing and mosaic variant detection. Here, we developed a genotyping method with an on-target site analysis software named Determine Allele mutations and Judge Intended genotype by Nanopore sequencer (DAJIN) that can automatically identify and classify both intended and unintended diverse mutations, including point mutations, deletions, inversions, and cis double knock-in at single-nucleotide resolution. Our approach with DAJIN can handle approximately 100 samples under different editing conditions in a single run. With its high versatility, scalability, and convenience, DAJIN-assisted multiplex genotyping may become a new standard for validating genome editing outcomes.

genomics↗

bioRxiv2020

The Japan Monkey Centre Primates Brain Imaging Repository of high-resolution postmortem magnetic resonance imaging: the second phase of the archive of digital records

A comparison of neuroanatomical features of the brain between humans and our evolutionary relatives, nonhuman primates, is key to understanding the human brain system and the neural basis of mental and neurological disorders. Although most comparative MRI studies of human and nonhuman primate brains have been based on brains of primates that had been used as subjects in experiments, it is essential to investigate various species of nonhuman primates in order to elucidate and interpret the diversity of neuroanatomy features among humans and nonhuman primates. To develop a research platform for this purpose, it is necessary to harmonize the scientific contributions of studies with the standards of animal ethics, animal welfare, and the conservation of brain information for long-term continuation of the field. In previous research, we first developed an open-resource repository of anatomical images obtained using 9.4-T ex vivo MRI of postmortem brain samples from 12 nonhuman primate species, and which are stored at the Japan Monkey Centre. In the present study, as a second phase, we released a collection of T2-weighted images and diffusion tensor images obtained in nine species: white-throated capuchin, Bolivian squirrel monkey, stump-tailed macaque, Tibet monkey, Sykes monkey, Assamese macaque, pig-tailed macaque, crested macaque, and chimpanzee. Our image repository should facilitate scientific discoveries in the field of comparative neuroscience. This repository can also promote animal ethics and animal welfare in experiments with nonhuman primate models by optimizing methods for in vivo and ex vivo MRI scanning of brains and supporting veterinary neuroradiological education. In addition, the repository is expected to contribute to conservation, preserving information about the brains of various primates, including endangered species, in a permanent digital form.

neuroscience↗

bioRxiv2020

Sex-biased migration and admixture in macaque species revealed by comparison between autosomal and X-chromosomal genomic sequences

The role of sex-specific demography in hybridization and admixture of genetically diverged species and populations is essential to understand the mechanisms forming the genomic diversity of sexually reproducing organisms. In order to infer how sex-linked genetic loci have been differentiated undergoing frequent hybridization and admixture, we examined 17 whole-genome sequences of seven species of the genus Macaca, which shows frequent inter-specific hybridization and predominantly female philopatry. We found that hybridization and admixture were prevalent within these species. For three cases of suggested hybrid origin of species/subspecies, M. arctoides, M. fascicularis ssp. aurea, and Chinese M. mulatta, we examined the level of admixture of X chromosomes, which is less affected by male-biased migration than that of autosomes. In one case, we were able to determine that M. cyclopis and M. fuscata was genetically closer to Chinese M. mulatta than to the Indian M. mulatta, and the admixture level of Chinese M. mulatta and M. fuscata/cyclopis was more pronounced on the X chromosome than on autosomes. Since the mitochondrial genomes of Chinese M. mulatta, M. cyclopis, and M. fuscata were found to cluster together, and the mitochondrial genome of Indian M. mulatta is more distantly related, the observed pattern of genetic differentiation on X-chromosomal loci is consistent with the nuclear swamping hypothesis, in which strong, continuous male-biased introgression from the ancestral Chinese M. mulatta population to a population related to M. fuscata and M. cyclopis generated incongruencies between the genealogies of the mitochondrial and autosomal genomes.

evolutionary biology↗

bioRxiv2019

Cables2 Is a novel Smad2-regulatory factor essential for early embryonic development in mice

CDK5 and Abl enzyme substrate 2 (Cables2), a member of the Cables family that has a C-terminal cyclin box-like domain, is widely expressed in adult mouse tissues. However, the physiological role of Cables2 in vivo is unknown. We show here that Cables2-deficiency causes post-gastrulation embryonic lethality in mice. The mutant embryos progress to gastrulation, but then arrest, and fail to grow. Analysis of gene expression patterns reveals that formation of the anterior visceral endoderm and the primitive streak is impaired in Cables2-deficient embryos. Tetraploid complementation analyses support the critical requirement of Cables2 in both the epiblast and visceral endoderm for progression of embryogenesis. In addition, we show that Cables2 physically interacts with a key mediator of the canonical Nodal pathway, Smad2, and augments its transcriptional activity. These findings provide novel insights into the essential role of Cables2 in the early embryonic development in mice.

developmental biology↗

bioRxiv2018

Differential Profiles of Soluble and Cellular Toll-like Receptors (TLRs) 2 and 4 in Chronic Periodontitis.

Chronic periodontitis is a common inflammatory disease initiated by a complex microbial biofilm and mediated by the host response causing destruction of the supporting tissues of the teeth. Host recognition of pathogens is mediated by toll-like receptors (TLRs) that bind conserved molecular patterns shared by groups of microorganisms. The oral epithelial cells respond to most periodontopathic bacteria via TLR-2 and TLR-4. Many studies have previously reported the presence of elevated numbers of viable exfoliated epithelial cells (SEC) in the saliva of patients with chronic periodontitis. In addition to the membrane-associated receptors, soluble forms of TLR-2 (sTLR-2) and TLR-4 (sTLR-4) have been identified and are thought to play a regulatory role by binding microbial ligands. sTLR-2 has been shown to arise from ectodomain shedding of the extracellular domain of the membrane receptor and sTLR-4 is thought to be an alternate spliced form. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential value of salivary sTLR-2/4 and the paired epithelial cell-associated TLR-2/4 mRNA as diagnostic markers for chronic periodontitis. Unstimulated whole saliva was collected after obtaining informed consent from 40 individuals in either periodontitis or gingivitis cohorts. The levels of sTLR-2/4 were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). SEC TLR-2/4 transcripts were quantitated by real time polymerase chain reaction. While levels of sTLR-2 exhibited an inverse correlation, sTLR-4 positively correlated with clinical parameters in the gingivitis cohort. Interestingly, both correlations were lost in the periodontitis cohort indicating a dysregulated host response. On the other hand, while sTLR-2 and the paired SEC associated TLR-2 mRNA exhibited a direct correlation (r2=0.62), that of sTLR4 and SEC TLR-4 mRNA exhibited an inverse correlation (r2=0.53) in the periodontitis cohort. Collectively, assessments of salivary sTLR2 and sTLR4 together with the respective transcripts in SECs could provide clinically relevant markers of disease progression from gingivitis to periodontitis.

immunology↗