Kyushu University

About: Kyushu University is a education organization based out in Fukuoka, Japan. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Catalysis. The organization has 68284 authors who have published 135190 publications receiving 3055928 citations. The organization is also known as: Kyūshū Daigaku.

Pivotal role of cerebral interleukin-17-producing gammadeltaT cells in the delayed phase of ischemic brain injury.

Abstract: Lymphocyte recruitment and activation have been implicated in the progression of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury, but the roles of specific lymphocyte subpopulations and cytokines during stroke remain to be clarified. Here we demonstrate that the infiltration of T cells into the brain, as well as the cytokines interleukin-23 (IL-23) and IL-17, have pivotal roles in the evolution of brain infarction and accompanying neurological deficits. Blockade of T cell infiltration into the brain by the immunosuppressant FTY720 reduced I/R-induced brain damage. The expression of IL-23, which was derived mostly from infiltrated macrophages, increased on day 1 after I/R, whereas IL-17 levels were elevated after day 3, and this induction of IL-17 was dependent on IL-23. These data, together with analysis of mice genetically disrupted for IL-17 and IL-23, suggest that IL-23 functions in the immediate stage of I/R brain injury, whereas IL-17 has an important role in the delayed phase of I/R injury during which apoptotic neuronal death occurs in the penumbra. Intracellular cytokine staining revealed that gammadeltaT lymphocytes, but not CD4(+) helper T cells, were a major source of IL-17. Moreover, depletion of gammadeltaT lymphocytes ameliorated the I/R injury. We propose that T lymphocytes, including gammadeltaT lymphocytes, could be a therapeutic target for mitigating the inflammatory events that amplify the initial damage in cerebral ischemia.

Variants in KCNQ1 are associated with susceptibility to type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Abstract: We carried out a multistage genome-wide association study of type 2 diabetes mellitus in Japanese individuals, with a total of 1,612 cases and 1,424 controls and 100,000 SNPs. The most significant association was obtained with SNPs in KCNQ1, and dense mapping within the gene revealed that rs2237892 in intron 15 showed the lowest P value (6.7 x 10(-13), odds ratio (OR) = 1.49). The association of KCNQ1 with type 2 diabetes was replicated in populations of Korean, Chinese and European ancestry as well as in two independent Japanese populations, and meta-analysis with a total of 19,930 individuals (9,569 cases and 10,361 controls) yielded a P value of 1.7 x 10(-42) (OR = 1.40; 95% CI = 1.34-1.47) for rs2237892. Among control subjects, the risk allele of this polymorphism was associated with impairment of insulin secretion according to the homeostasis model assessment of beta-cell function or the corrected insulin response. Our data thus implicate KCNQ1 as a diabetes susceptibility gene in groups of different ancestries.

Ehd1, a B-type response regulator in rice, confers short-day promotion of flowering and controls FT-like gene expression independently of Hd1

Abstract: Two evolutionarily distant plant species, rice (Oryza sativa L.), a short-day (SD) plant, and Arabidopsis thaliana, a long-day plant, share a conserved genetic network controlling photoperiodic flowering. The orthologous floral regulators—rice Heading date 1 (Hd1) and Arabidopsis CONSTANS (CO)—integrate circadian clock and external light signals into mRNA expression of the FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT) group floral inducer. Here, we report that the rice Early heading date 1 (Ehd1) gene, which confers SD promotion of flowering in the absence of a functional allele of Hd1, encodes a B-type response regulator that might not have an ortholog in the Arabidopsis genome. Ehd1 mRNA was induced by 1-wk SD treatment, and Ehd1 may promote flowering by inducing FT-like gene expression only under SD conditions. Microarray analysis further revealed a few MADS box genes downstream of Ehd1. Our results indicate that a novel two-component signaling cascade is integrated into the conserved pathway in the photoperiodic control of flowering in rice.

Light Regulation of Stomatal Movement

Abstract: Stomatal pores, each surrounded by a pair of guard cells, regulate CO2 uptake and water loss from leaves. Stomatal opening is driven by the accumulation of K+ salts and sugars in guard cells, which is mediated by electrogenic proton pumps in the plasma membrane and/or metabolic activity. Opening responses are achieved by coordination of light signaling, light-energy conversion, membrane ion transport, and metabolic activity in guard cells. In this review, we focus on recent progress in blue- and red-light-dependent stomatal opening. Because the blue-light response of stomata appears to be strongly affected by red light, we discuss underlying mechanisms in the interaction between blue-light signaling and guard cell chloroplasts.

Lenvatinib plus Pembrolizumab or Everolimus for Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma

Abstract: Background Lenvatinib in combination with pembrolizumab or everolimus has activity against advanced renal cell carcinoma. The efficacy of these regimens as compared with that of sunitinib ...