Kagawa University

About: Kagawa University is a education organization based out in Takamatsu, Japan. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Cancer & Population. The organization has 6028 authors who have published 11918 publications receiving 224111 citations. The organization is also known as: Kagawa Daigaku.

Enzymatic formation of N-acylethanolamines from N-acylethanolamine plasmalogen through N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine-hydrolyzing phospholipase D-dependent and -independent pathways

Abstract: Bioactive N-acylethanolamines include anandamide (an endocannabinoid), N-palmitoylethanolamine (an anti-inflammatory), and N-oleoylethanolamine (an anorexic). In the brain, these molecules are formed from N-acylphosphatidylethanolamines (NAPEs) by a specific phospholipase D, called NAPE-PLD, or through NAPE-PLD-independent multi-step pathways, as illustrated in the current study employing NAPE-PLD-deficient mice. Although N-acylethanolamine plasmalogen (1-alkenyl-2-acyl-glycero-3-phospho(N-acyl)ethanolamine, pNAPE) is presumably a major class of N-acylethanolamine phospholipids in the brain, its enzymatic conversion to N-acylethanolamines is poorly understood. In the present study, we focused on the formation of N-acylethanolamines from pNAPEs. While recombinant NAPE-PLD catalyzed direct release of N-palmitoylethanolamine from N-palmitoylethanolamine plasmalogen, the same reaction occurred in the brain homogenate of NAPE-PLD-deficient mice, suggesting that this reaction occurs through both the NAPE-PLD-dependent and -independent pathways. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry revealed a remarkable accumulation of 1-alkenyl-2-hydroxy-glycero-3-phospho(N-acyl)ethanolamines (lyso pNAPEs) in the brain of NAPE-PLD-deficient mice. We also found that brain homogenate formed N-palmitoylethanolamine, N-oleoylethanolamine, and anandamide from their corresponding lyso pNAPEs by a Mg2+-dependent “lysophospholipase D”. Moreover, the brain levels of alkenyl-type lysophosphatidic acids, the other products from lyso pNAPEs by lysophospholipase D, also increased in NAPE-PLD-deficient mice. Glycerophosphodiesterase GDE1 can hydrolyze glycerophospho-N-acylethanolamines to N-acylethanolamines in the brain. In addition, we discovered that recombinant GDE1 has a weak activity to generate N-palmitoylethanolamine from its corresponding lyso pNAPE, suggesting that this enzyme is at least in part responsible for the lysophospholipase D activity. These results strongly suggest that brain tissue N-acylethanolamines, including anandamide, can be formed from N-acylated plasmalogen through an NAPE-PLD-independent pathway as well as by their direct release via NAPE-PLD.

Ornamental Chrysanthemums: Improvement by Biotechnology

Abstract: The in vitro tissue culture and micropropagation of chrysanthemums, important floricultural (cut-flower) and ornamental (pot and garden) plants, have been well studied. An increase in genetic transformation studies aimed at improving aesthetic and growth characteristics of the plants has been hampered by low transformation efficiencies and genotype dependence of protocols. As a result chrysanthemum regeneration studies have once again emerged as an essential complement of transformation studies. This review highlights the impact that biotechnology has had on the improvement of chrysanthemum in vitro cell, tissue and organ culture, micropropagation and transformation.

The production of phytoalexins by oat in response to crown rust, Puccinia coronata f. sp. avenae

Abstract: The antifungal compounds accumulated only in the incompatible host-parasite combinations; the time of rapid accumulation coincided with the time of the retardation of the growth of infection hyphae. Three major compounds were isolated. They are highly hydrophilic nitrogen-containing phenolics. Their antifungal activities against Puccinia coronata avenae and P. graminis tritici were demonstrated. They were regarded as phytoalexins and given the trivial names avenalumins I, II, and III. Avenalumins are the first nitrogen-containing phytoalexins found in plants and they are the first chemically-identified ones found in cereal plants in response to rust fungi.