Primary cilium, an organelle found on nearly every cell in the human body, typically serves as the mechanical sensor of the cell. Lithium ion is known to promote the elongation of primary cilia in a variety of cell types, but it is unknown whether lithium is involved in the acetylation of α-tubulin which is essential for the assembly of primary cilia. In order to reveal the relationship between the elongation of primary cilia with lithium and the acetylation of α-tubulin, we first observed the formation and structure of primary cilia in KD cells, a cell line deriving fibroblasts in human labium. Subsequently, by immunohistochemical and western blot analysis we elucidated that the length of primary cilia and acetylation of α-tubulin are regulated by lithium chloride (LiCl) in the medium in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. We next performed the RT-PCR, RNAi-based experiments and biochemical study using an inhibitor of glycogen synthase kinase-3βGSK-3β). We found that LiCl mobilizes the α-tubulin N-acetyltransferase 1 (αTAT1) in the signaling pathway mediating GSK-3β and adenylate cyclase III. In conclusion, our results suggested that LiCl treatments activate αTAT1 by the inhibition of GSK-3β and promote the α-tubulin acetylation, and then elongate the primary cilia.

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Intraperitoneal injection of serially diluted carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) from 0.2 to 2.0 ml/kg produced an LD(50) value of 0.46 ml/kg in the normal mouse. Following repeated administration of 0.2 ml/kg CCl(4) twice a week for 1 and 3 months, the LD(50) values were over 2.0 and 0.72 ml/kg, respectively. A single administration of 0.2 ml/kg CCl(4) induced, within 24 h, apoptotic death of liver cells in the centrilobular zone 3 that were observed positive in cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1). However, after repeated exposure to 0.2 ml/kg twice a week for 1 month, cells in the centrilobular area were almost completely replaced with CYP2E1-negative cells. These cells were tolerant to CCl(4). After 3 months of exposure, a considerable number of CYP2E1-positive hepatocytes were observed throughout the periportal zone 1 and intermediate zone 2. Thus, fluctuations in CYP2E1-positive cells during chronic exposure to low doses of CCl(4) induced tolerance, which can be partially lost after prolonged CCl(4) exposure.

Abstract. Arginine, among the amino acids, has demonstrated unique properties, including suppression of protein-protein interactions and virus inactivation. We investigated the effects of arginine on the infectivity of human herpesvirus 2 (HHV-2) and the potential application of arginine as a chemotherapeutic agent against genital herpes. Arginine directly inactivated HHV-2 and characterization of the inactivation demonstrated that 1 M arginine at pH 4.3 inactivated the virus more efficiently compared to 0.1 M citrate or 1 M sodium chloride, indicating that neither acidic pH nor ionic strength alone is sufficient for virus inactivation. The effect of arginine was rapid and concentration-dependent. Although virus inactivation was efficient at an acidic pH, arginine inactivated the virus even at a neutral pH, provided that a higher arginine concentration and prolonged incubation time were used. In addition, arginine suppressed the multiplication of HHV-2 under the conditions at which its effect on cell viability was insignificant. Pilot mouse model studies revealed a marked suppression of death by arginine when the mice were infected with HHV-2 through the vaginal route, followed by an intermittent application of acidic arginine by vaginal instillation.

The purpose of this study is to clarify the mechanisms of the problems that develop after neurectomy for blepharospasm. The left facial nerves in 10 Japanese cadavers were dissected under a surgical microscope. The temporal, zygomatic, and buccal branches innervated to the orbicularis oculi muscle. These three groups formed a well-communicating plexus posterior to the orbicularis. The most inferior buccal branch curved in the deep layer in the lower part of the cheek. In the cheek, both the buccal and the temporal branches had ramifications of other facial muscles. The information given in previous anatomical textbooks did not specifically define the denervation of the orbicularis. When neurectomy was done in the past, the inferior buccal branch may have been kept intact, or other facial muscles as well as the orbicularis may have been denervated which caused the blepharospasm to recur and complications to develop after neurectomy.