• Asian Spine Journal
• /
• v.12 no.6
• /
• pp.998-1009
• /
• 2018

Study Design: Olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) from rat olfactory mucosa were cultured, characterized, and transplanted into a rat model of spinal cord injury (SCI). Purpose: To evaluate different doses of OECs in a rat model of SCI. Overview of Literature: SCI causes permanent functional deficit because the central nervous system lacks the ability to perform spontaneous repair. Cell therapy strategies are being explored globally. The clinical use of human embryonic stem cell is hampered by ethical controversies. Alternatively, OECs are a promising cell source for neurotransplantation. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of different doses of allogenic OEC transplantation in a rat model of SCI. Methods: OECs were cultured from the olfactory mucosa of Albino Wistar rats; these cells were characterized using immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. Rats were divided into five groups (n=6 rats each). In each group, different dosage ($2{\times}10^5$, $5{\times}10^5$, $10{\times}10^5$, and >$10{\times}10^5$) of cultured cells were transplanted into experimentally injured spinal cords of rat models. However, in the SCI group, only DMEM (Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium) was injected. Rats were followed up upto 8 weeks post-transplantation. The outcome of transplantation was assessed using the Basso, Beattie, Bresnahan (BBB) scale; motor-evoked potential studies; and histological examination. Results: Cultured cells expressed 41% of p75NTR, a marker for OEC, and 35% of anti-fibronectin, a marker for olfactory nerve fibroblast. These cells also expressed $S100{\beta}$ and glial fibrillary acid protein of approximately 75% and 83%, respectively. All the transplanted groups showed promising BBB scores for hind-limb motor recovery compared with the SCI group (p<0.05). A motor-evoked potential study showed increased amplitude in all the treated groups compared with the SCI. Green fluorescent protein-labeled cells survived in the injured cord, suggesting their role in the transplantation-mediated repair. Transplantation of $5{\times}10^5$ cells showed the best motor outcomes among all the doses. Conclusions: OECs demonstrated a therapeutic effect in rat models with the potential for future clinical applications.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.14-19
• /
• 2004

Backgrounds and objectives: POEMS (polyneuropathy, organomegaly, endocrinopathy, M protein, and skin changes) syndrome is the rare cause of polyneuropathy. Although the polyneuropathy is essential for the diagnosis of the disease, the pattern of electrodiagnostic abnormalities has not been characterized in detail. The purpose of this study was to elucidate the features of nerve conduction abnormalities in POEMS syndrome. Methods: We reviewed the medical records and nerve conduction studies (NCS) of 12 consecutive patients with POEMS. Results: A total of 68 motor and 46 sensory nerves were examined. Compound muscle action potentials (CMAPs) and sensory nerve action potentials were abnormally attenuated or not elicited in majority of motor and sensory nerves (80.88% in motor, and 82.6% in sensory nerves). Frequency of the nerves with no potential was significantly higher in lower limbs than in upper limbs (p<0.01 in both motor and sensory nerves), and CMAP amplitude was more reduced in lower limbs than in upper limbs (p<0.01). Conduction slowing was very frequently observed with 95% and 76% of motor and sensory nerves, respectively, having the abnormally reduced values of conduction velocity. Distal motor latencies were abnormally prolonged in 75% of motor nerves, and terminal latency indices were significantly higher in patients than in normal controls (p < 0.05). Conduction block was observed only in 5% of motor nerves. Conclusions: NCS in POEMS syndrome showed characteristic patterns, in which conduction abnormalities were more frequently and severely affected in the lower limbs, and more predominantly in the intermediate nerve segments than in the distal portions. The recognition of these characteristic patterns may be helpful in early diagnosis of polyneuropathy in POEMS syndrome.

• Annals of Clinical Neurophysiology
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.102-105
• /
• 2006

We present a case with stepwise weakness and sensory involvement of both hands for more than 2 months. His nerve conduction study findings revealed prolonged terminal latencies, decreased motor and sensory conduction velocities and conduction blocks of both ulnar nerves, more severely on left side. And there were other abnormalities manifested with mononeuropathy multiplex. Increased cerebrospinal fluid protein was found. We diagnosed him as Lewis-Sumner syndrome and tried high dose oral steroid therapy for 2 months. He showed improvement of motor functioning with persistent conduction block.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.19 no.7
• /
• pp.859-865
• /
• 2009

Microtubules, a major cytoskeleton, form parallel arrays in the axon and are oriented with their plus ends toward the cell periphery. Kinesin superfamily proteins (KIFs) are the molecular motors acting in the microtubule-based motilities of organelles in cells. Here, we used the yeast two-hybrid system to identify the protein that interacts with the coiled-coil domain of KIF1A and found a specific interaction with microtubule-destabilizing factor SCG10. SCG10 bound to the amino acid residues between 400 and 820 of KIF1A, but not to other KIFs in the yeast two-hybrid assay. The coiled-coil domain of SCG10 is essential for interaction with KIF1A. In addition, this specific interaction was also observed in the Glutathione S-transferase pull-down assay. An antibody to SCG10 specifically co-immunoprecipitated KIF1A associated with SCG10 from mouse brain extracts. These results suggest that KIF1A motor protein transports SCG10-containing vesicles along microtubules in neurons.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.189-195
• /
• 2022

Kinesin-2 comprises two subfamilies of the heterotrimeric or homodimeric motors found in mammalian cells. Heterotrimeric kinesin-2 consists of kinesin superfamily proteins (KIFs) 3A and 3B and kinesin-associated protein 3 (KAP3), which is a molecular motor protein that moves along microtubules. It plays diverse roles in cargo transport, including anterograde trafficking in cilia, and interacts with many different cargoes and proteins, but their binding proteins have not yet been fully identified. In this study, the yeast two-hybrid assay was used to identify the proteins that interact with the cargo-binding domain (CBD) of KIF3A, and an interaction between KIF3A and brain expressed X-linked 2 (Bex2) was found. Bex2 bound to the CBD-containing C-terminal tail region of KIF3A but did not interact with the same region of KIF3B or KIF5A (a motor protein of kinesin-1). KIF3A interacted with another isoform, Bex1, but did not interact with Bex3. In addition, glutathione S-transferase (GST) pull-downs showed that KIF3A specifically interacts with GST-Bex1 and GST-Bex2 but not with GST alone. When co-expressed in HEK-293T cells, Bex2 co-localized with KIF3A and co-immunoprecipitated with KIF3A and KIF3B but not KIF5B. In combination, these results suggest that Bex2 is capable of binding to heterotrimeric kinesin-2 and may serve as an adaptor protein that links heterotrimeric kinesin-2 with cargo.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
• /
• v.11 no.1
• /
• pp.57-63
• /
• 2017

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: The level of serum albumin is an index of nourishment care and management. However, the distribution and correlates of serum albumin levels among individuals with motor disorders have not been reported until now. Therefore, we examined the distribution and correlates of serum albumin levels among individuals with motor disorders. SUBJECTS/METHODS: A cross-sectional study on 249 individuals with motor disabilities (144 men, mean age: 51.4 years; 105 women, mean age: 51.4 years) was conducted at five institutions in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan in 2008. The results were compared with data from the National Health and Nutrition Survey. RESULTS: The mean serum albumin levels were $4.0{\pm}0.4g/dL$ for men and $3.8{\pm}0.5g/dL$ for women. Overall, 17 (11.8%) men and 25 (23.8%) women had hypoalbuminemia (serum albumin level ${\leq}3.5g/dL$); these proportions were greater than those among healthy Japanese adults (${\leq}1%$). Low serum albumin level was related with female sex, older age, low calf circumference, low relative daily energy intake, low hemoglobin (Hb), low blood platelet count, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low $HbA_{1c}$, and high C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. The strongest correlates, based on standardized betas, were Hb (0.321), CRP (-0.279), and HDL-C (0.279) levels. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that the prevalence of hypoalbuminemia is higher in individuals with motor disabilities than in healthy individuals and that inflammation is a strong negative correlate of serum albumin levels. Therefore, inflammation should be examined for the assessment of hypoalbuminemia among institutionalized individuals with motor disabilities.

• Journal of Marine Life Science
• /
• v.3 no.1
• /
• pp.1-8
• /
• 2018

Myosin is considered as the vital motor protein in vertebrates and invertebrates. Our present study was conducted to decipher the occurrence of myosin in dog fish (Squalus mitsukurii). We isolated one clone containing 979 bp cDNA sequence, which consisted of a complete coding sequence of 453 bp and a deduced amino acid sequence of 150 amino acids from the open reading frame with molecular weight, isoelectric point and aliphatic index are 16.72 Kda, 4.49 and 78.00, respectively. It contained 428 bp long 3' UTR with single potential polyadenylation signals (AATAAA). The predicted EF CA²⁺ binding domains were identified in residue 6-41, 83-118 and 133-150. A BLAST search indicates this protein exhibits a strong similarity to whale shark (Rhincodon typus) MLC3 (91% identical) and also house mouse (Mus musculus) MLC isoform 3f (81% identical). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that this protein is a MLC 3 isoform like protein. This protein also demonstrates highly conserved region with other myosin proteins. Homology modeling of S. mitsukuri was performed using crystal structure of Gallus gallus skeletal muscle myosin II based on high similarity. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (PCR), quantitative PCR results exhibits dogfish myosin protein is highly expressed in muscle tissue.

• Korean Journal of Microbiology
• /
• v.35 no.1
• /
• pp.18-24
• /
• 1999

Kinesin has been discovered in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Aspergillus nidulans, and Drosophila melanogaster and it has major roles in the movemenl of chromosomes and separation of spindle poles. In this study, a gene encoding kinesin heavy chain in Schizosaccharo~n)~ces pombe was cloned by using the polymerase chain reaction with degenerated primcrs corresponding to highly conserved regions of the kinesin heavy chain motor domain. The kinesin gene in S pombe contains an open reading frame of 2496 base pairs and encodes a kinesin prolein of 832 amino acids with a molecular weight of 96 kd. From thc comparison of the predictcd amino acids of the newly cloned kinesin, the kinesin in S. pornbe belongs to the C-terminal motor subfamily of kincsin-related protein.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.43-46
• /
• 2002

Kinesin Superfamily Protein 1A (KIF1A) is an anterograde monomeric motor transporting a subset of synaptic vesicle precursors and plays an important role in neuronal function and survival. Here, f have used the yeast two-hybrid system to identify the proteins that interacts with the tail region of KIF1A. Calmodulin was found to interact specifically with the tail region of KIF1A. Calmodulin regulates many diverse cellular functions by modulating the activity of the proteins that interact with it. KIF1A interacts with calmodulin in the yeast two-hybrid assay, which is proved by immunoprecipitation with calmodulin in brain fraction. These results indicate that KIF1A is associated with calmodulin, suggesting that calmodulin may be a key role in the regulation of anterograde transport of synaptic 1 vesicle precursors.

• Perspectives in Nursing Science
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.19-36
• /
• 2005

Muscle atrophy is defined as a decrease in muscle mass, cross-sectional area, and myofibrillar protein content. Causes inducing muscle atrophy may be inactivity, denervation, undernutrition and steroid. Inactivity may decrease protein synthesis and increase protein breakdown of skeletal muscle. The muscle atrophy due to inactivity was induced by bed rest, hindlimb suspension, cast, total hip replacement arthroplasty, anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Denervated atrophy may be induced by the loss of innervation from lower motor neuron. The atrophy was apparent in the lower limb of hemiplegic patients following ischemic stroke and in the hindlimb of ischemic stroke rats. Protein breakdown of skeletal muscle in the undernourished state results in muscle atrophy. The atrophy due to undernutrition was evident in cancer and leukemia patients and in the undernourished rats. Steroids have been used to treat allergies, inflammatory diseases, autoimmune diseases and to inhibit immune function following transplantation. Steroids may induce muscle atrophy by protein breakdown of skeletal muscle. Muscle Physiology Laboratoryat College of Nursing, Seoul National University proved that dexamethasone may induce hindlimb muscle atrophy in rats and exercise and DHEA may attenuate hindlimb muscle atrophy induced by the steroid in rats. Nurses working with patients undergoing steroid treatment need to be cognizant of steroid induced muscle atrophy. They need to assess whether muscle atrophy is being occurred during and after the steroid treatment. Moreover, they need to apply exercise and DHEA to the patients undergoing steroid treatment in order to attenuate the steroid induced muscle atrophy.