Biology subjects

Mizuno, G.

Publications and source records attributed to Mizuno, G..

4 recordsLinked to original sources

bioRxiv2021

Laboratory analysis of glucose, fructose, and sucrose contents in Japanese common beverages for the exact assessment of beverage-derived sugar intake

BackgroundThe adverse health effects of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption have been studied worldwide. There are several reports on actual sugar contents in sugar-sweetened beverages. However, there is no recent report on actual sugar contents in Japanese sugar-sweetened beverages. Therefore, we attempted to analyze glucose, fructose, and sucrose contents in Japanese common beverages. MethodsGlucose, fructose, and sucrose contents in 49 beverages including 8 energy drinks, 11 sodas, 4 fruit juices, 7 probiotic drinks, 4 sports drinks, 5 coffee drinks, 6 green tea drinks, and 4 tea drinks were determined using the enzymatic methods. ResultsTow zero calorie drinks, 2 sugarless coffee drinks, and 6 green tea drinks contained no sugar. Three coffee drinks contained only sucrose. The orders of median glucose, fructose, and sucrose contents in categorized beverages containing sugars were as follows: for glucose, fruit juice > energy drink [≥] soda >> probiotic drink > black tea drink > sports drink; for fructose, probiotic drink [≥] energy drink > fruit juice > soda >> sports drink > black tea drink; and for sucrose, black tea drink > energy drink [≥] probiotic drink > fruit juice > soda > coffee drink >> sports drink. The rate of total fructose content in total sugar content in 38 sugar-containing beverages was approximately 40-60%. The total sugar content analyzed was not always equivalent to carbohydrate content indicated on the nutrition label. ConclusionsThese results indicate that actual sugar content in Japanese common beverages is necessary for the exact assessment of beverage-derived sugar intake.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2021

Lantern shark Etmopterus use coelenterazine as substrate for their luciferin-luciferase bioluminescence system

The lantern shark genus Etmopterus is a group of deep-sea bioluminescent fishes. They emit blue light mainly from the ventral body surface, and the primary biological function is considered to be for camouflage by counterillumination. In this study, we detected both coelenterazine and coelenterazine-specific luciferase activity in the ventral photophore tissues. The results suggested that bioluminescence in lantern sharks is produced using coelenterazine as the substrate for the luciferin-luciferase reaction.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2020

Association between the extent of DNA methylation at the CpG sites of HIF3A and parameters of obesity in the general Japanese population

Obesity is a major public health problem worldwide owing to the substantial increase in risk of metabolic diseases. Hypoxia-inducible factors (HIFs) regulate transcriptional responses to hypoxic stress. DNA methylation in the CpG sites of intron 1 of HIF3A is associated with body mass index in the whole blood and adipose tissue. This study investigates the correlation between DNA methylation of HIF3A and parameters of obesity, including thickness of visceral (VAT) and subcutaneous adipose tissues, in the general Japanese population. Participants (220 men and 253 women) who underwent medical examination were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. We used pyrosequencing to quantify DNA methylation (CpG sites of cg16672562, cg22891070, and cg27146050) in HIF3A. DNA methylation of HIF3A was only different in women. Multiple regression analysis showed that DNA methylation level at cg27146050 was associated with thickness of VAT in women. DNA methylation level at cg27146050 also correlated with body mass index and percentage of body fat in women after excluding smokers and non-smokers who quit smoking with the last 5 years. DNA methylation in the CpG site (cg27146050) of HIF3A correlated with parameters of obesity in Japanese women.

biochemistry↗

bioRxiv2020

Bombesin-like peptide recruits disinhibitory cortical circuits and enhances fear memories

Disinhibitory neurons throughout the mammalian cortex are powerful enhancers of circuit excitability and plasticity. The differential expression of neuropeptide receptors in disinhibitory, inhibitory and excitatory neurons suggests that each circuit motif is controlled by distinct neuropeptidergic systems. Here, we reveal that a bombesin-like neuropeptide, gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP), recruits disinhibitory cortical microcircuits through selective targeting and activation of vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-expressing cells. Using a newly-developed genetically-encoded GRP sensor and trans-synaptic tracing we reveal that GRP regulates VIP cells via extrasynaptic diffusion from several putative local and long-range sources. In vivo photometry and CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout of the GRP receptor (GRPR) in auditory cortex indicate that VIP cells are strongly recruited by novel sounds and aversive shocks, and that GRP-GRPR signaling enhances auditory fear memories. Our data establish peptidergic recruitment of selective disinhibitory cortical microcircuits as a mechanism to regulate fear memories.

neuroscience↗