Effects of persistent organochlorine exposure on the liver transcriptome of the common minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) from the North Pacific

Niimi, S.,Imoto, M.,Kunisue, T.,Watanabe, M.X.,Kim, E.Y.,Nakayama, K.,Yasunaga, G.,Fujise, Y.,Tanabe, S.,Iwata, H. Academic Press 2014 Ecotoxicology and environmental safety Vol.108 No.-

Hepatic concentrations of persistent organochlorines (OCs) were determined in the common minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) from the North Pacific. To investigate the effects of OCs on the transcriptome in the minke whale, the present study constructed a hepatic oligo array of this species where 985 unique oligonucleotides were spotted and further analyzed the relationship between the OC levels and gene expression profiles of liver tissues. The stepwise multiple linear regression analysis identified 32 genes that correlated with hepatic OC levels. The mRNA expression levels of seven cytochrome P450 (CYP) genes, CYP1A1, 1A2, 2C78, 2E1, 3A72, 4A35, and 4V6 showed no clear correlations with the concentration of each OC, suggesting that the accumulated OCs in the liver did not reach levels that could alter CYP expression. Among the genes screened by the custom oligo array analysis, hepatic mRNA expression levels of 16 genes were further measured using quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The mRNA levels of vitamin D-binding protein (DBP) were negatively correlated with non-ortho coplanar polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) levels. Androgen receptor-associated coregulator 70 (ARA70) expression levels showed a significant positive correlation with concentrations of non-ortho coplanar PCB169. These correlations suggest that coplanar PCB-reduced DBP expression could suppress vitamin D receptor-mediated signaling cascades in peripheral tissues. Alternatively, the suppression of vitamin D receptor signaling cascade could be enhanced through competition with the androgen receptor signaling pathway for ARA70. In addition, a negative correlation between kynureninase and PCB169 levels was also observed, which suggest an enhanced accumulation of an endogenous aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonist, kynurenine in the minke whale population. Further studies are necessary to translate the changes in the transcriptome to toxicological outcomes including the disruption of the nervous and immune systems.

Search for the Mechanism of Extrinsic Spin Hall Effect

Y. Niimi,M. Morota,Y. Kawanishi,D. H. Wei,C. Deranlot,A. Fert,Y. Otani 한국자기학회 2010 한국자기학회 학술연구발표회 논문개요집 Vol.2010 No.12

Red Blood Cell Velocity Field in Rat Mesenteric Arterioles Using Micro PIV Technique

Sugii, Y,Nishio, S,Okamoto, K,Nakano, A,Minamiyama, M,Niimi, H Biomedical Engineering Society for Circulation 2003 International Journal of Vascular Biomedical Engin Vol.1 No.1

As endothelial cells are subject to flow shear stress, it is important to determine the detailed velocity distribution in microvessels in the study of mechanical interactions between blood and endothelium. This paper describes a velocity field of the arteriole in the rat mesentery using an intravital microscope and high-speed digital video system obtained by a highly accurate PIV technique. Red blood cells (RBCs) velocity distributions with spatial resolutions of $0.8{\times}0.8{\mu}m$ were obtained even near the wall in the center plane of the arteriole. By making ensemble-averaged time-series of velocity distributions, velocity profiles over different cross-sections were calculated for comparison. The shear rate at the vascular wall also evaluated on the basis of the ensemble-averaged profiles. It was shown that the velocity profiles were blunt in the center region of the vessel cross-section while they were steep in the near wall region. The wall shear rates were significantly small, compared with those estimated from the Poiseuille profiles.

Effect of Salinity Stress on Dry Matter Yield and Oxalate Content in Napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach)

Rahman, M.M.,Ishii, Y.,Niimi, M.,Kawamura, O. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2008 Animal Bioscience Vol.21 No.11

Sodium is involved in elevation of oxalate content in some plant species and this element is abundant in saline soils. Oxalate causes precipitation of insoluble calcium oxalate in the rumen and kidneys. The intention of this study was to evaluate the effect of soil salinity stress on dry matter yield and oxalate content in pot-grown napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum Schumach). Plants were cut three times at 56, 118 and 179 d after transplanting to the pots. Five salinity treatments were used containing various concentrations of NaCl solution as follows: 0, 100, 300, 600 and 900 mM. At 28, 42, 84, 98, 146 and 160 d after transplanting, plants were irrigated with one liter of the particular treatment for each application. Dry matter yield of napiergrass was not affected (p>0.05) by salinity treatments. Plants treated with 100 mM NaCl exhibited a higher soluble oxalate content compared to other treatments, but the differences were not statistically significant (p>0.05). Although salinity treatments had significant (p<0.05) effects on insoluble and total oxalate contents in plant tissue between the 100 and 900 mM NaCl treatments, the differences were too small to be considered biologically important. The present study indicates that where the soil is high in NaCl, napiergrass will tend to grow well and be low in oxalate.

Interactive Effects of Nitrogen and Potassium Fertilization on Oxalate Content in Napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum)

Rahman, M.M.,Ishii, Y.,Niimi, M.,Kawamura, O. Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2010 Animal Bioscience Vol.23 No.6

Ingestion of forage containing a large quantity of soluble oxalate can result in calcium deficiency and even death of livestock. Fertilization is one of the most practical and effective ways to improve yield and nutritional quality of forage. An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of nitrogen (N) fertilization (150, 300 and 600 kg/ha) across varying levels (150, 300 and 600 kg/ha) of potassium (K) on oxalate accumulation in napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum). Application of N at 300 kg/ha produced higher dry matter yield than at 150 or 600 kg/ha, while K fertilization had no effect on yield. In general, N fertilization did not affect the soluble and total oxalate contents, but slightly affected the insoluble oxalate content. Soluble oxalate content showed an increasing trend and insoluble oxalate content showed a decreasing trend with increasing K level, but total oxalate content remained relatively constant. There were significant interactions between N and K fertilization for the content of soluble and insoluble oxalate fractions. The greatest increase in soluble oxalate content with N level at 300 kg/ha was found at the high level (600 kg/ha) of K application. The greatest increase in insoluble oxalate content with N level at 600 kg/ha was found at the low level (150 kg/ha) of K application. These results indicated the possibility of controlling the content of soluble and insoluble oxalate fractions in forage by fertilization.

Hepatitis B virus envelope L protein-derived bio-nanocapsules: Mechanisms of cellular attachment and entry into human hepatic cells

Yamada, M.,Oeda, A.,Jung, J.,Iijima, M.,Yoshimoto, N.,Niimi, T.,Jeong, S.Y.,Choi, E.K.,Tanizawa, K.,Kuroda, S. Elsevier Science Publishers 2012 Journal of controlled release Vol.160 No.2

A bio-nanocapsule (BNC) is a hollow nanoparticle consisting of an approximately 100-nm-diameter liposome with about 110 molecules of hepatitis B virus (HBV) surface antigen L protein embedded as a transmembrane protein. BNC can encapsulate various drugs and genes and deliver them specifically to human hepatic cells based on the ability of HBV to recognize human hepatocyte, which is integrated in the N-terminal region of L protein. However, it is elusive whether the cellular attachment and entry into hepatic cells of BNC utilize the early infection mechanism of HBV. In this study, we have found that while all human hepatic cells show distinct affinities for BNC compared to non-hepatic cells, primary hepatocytes shows the highest efficiency for cellular binding and incorporation of BNC. Amounts of BNCs bound weakly and strongly to cell membranes and those entered into the cells varied significantly depending on the types of human hepatic cells. The weak and strong binding modes of BNC are likely mediated through binding to two distinct HBV receptors (heparin-mediated low-affinity and unidentified high-affinity receptors), which play major roles in the early infection mechanism of HBV. The rates of cellular uptake of BNC are similar to those reported for HBV. The BNCs incorporated into the cells are swiftly sorted to either early endosomes or macropinosomes and then to late endosomes and/or lysosomes. These findings strongly suggest that BNC is bound to and incorporated into human hepatic cells according to the early infection mechanism of HBV.