To understand the molecular basis of the specification of thalamic nuclei, we analyzed the expression patterns of various transcription factors and defined progenitor cell populations in the embryonic mouse thalamus. We show that the basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factor Olig3 is expressed in the entire thalamic ventricular zone and the zona limitans intrathalamica (ZLI). Next, we define two distinct progenitor domains within the thalamus, which we name pTH-R and pTH-C, located caudal to the ZLI. pTH-R is immediately caudal to the ZLI and expresses Nkx2.2, Mash1, and Olig3. pTH-C is caudal to pTH-R and expresses Ngn1, Ngn2, and Olig3. Short-term lineage analysis of Olig3-, Mash1-, Ngn1-, and Ngn2-expressing progenitor cells as well as tracing the Pitx2 cell lineage suggests that pTH-C is the only major source of thalamic nuclei containing neurons that project to the cerebral cortex, whereas pTH-R and ZLI are likely to produce distinct postmitotic populations outside of the cortex-projecting part of the thalamus. To determine if pTH-C is composed of subdomains, we characterized expression of the homeodomain protein Dbx1 and the bHLH protein Olig2. We show that Dbx1 is expressed in caudodorsal-high to rostroventral-low gradient within pTH-C. Analysis of heterozygous Dbx1(nlslacZ) knockin mice demonstrated that Dbx1-expressing progenitors preferentially give rise to caudodorsal thalamic nuclei. Olig2 is expressed in an opposite gradient within pTH-C to that of Dbx1. These results establish the molecular heterogeneity within the progenitor cells of the thalamus, and suggest that such heterogeneity contributes to the specification of thalamic nuclei.

Filaggrin is a component of the cornified cell envelope and the precursor of free amino acids acting as a natural moisturizing factor in the stratum corneum. Deimination is critical for the degradation of filaggrin into free amino acids. In this study, we tried to identify the enzyme(s) responsible for the cleavage of deiminated filaggrin in vitro. First, we investigated citrulline aminopeptidase activity in the extract of newborn rat epidermis by double layer fluorescent zymography and detected strong activity at neutral pH. Monitoring the citrulline-releasing activity, we purified an enzyme of 280 kDa, comprised of six identical subunits of 48 kDa. The NH 2 terminus of representative tryptic peptides perfectly matched the sequence of rat bleomycin hydrolase (BH). The enzyme released various amino acids except Pro from ␤-naphthylamide derivatives and hydrolyzed citrulline-␤-naphthylamide most effectively. Thus, to break down deiminated filaggrin, another protease would be required. Among proteases tested, calpain I degraded the deiminated filaggrin effectively into many peptides of different mass on the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time of flight mass spectrum. We confirmed that various amino acids including citrulline were released by BH from those peptides. On the other hand, caspase 14 degraded deiminated filaggrin into a few peptides of limited mass. Immunohistochemical analysis of normal human skin revealed co-localization of BH and filaggrin in the granular layer. Collectively, our results suggest that BH is essential for the synthesis of natural moisturizing factors and that calpain I would play a role as an upstream protease in the degradation of filaggrin.The mammalian epidermal keratinocytes arise from proliferating basal cells and move outward through a series of distinct differentiation events to form the stratum corneum (1, 2). During this progressive epidermal differentiation, keratinocytes express different proteins such as keratins, profilaggrin/filaggrin, involucrin, small proline-rich proteins, loricrin, cystatin A, and elafin, which form the cornified envelope of mature corneocytes (3-7). Profilaggrin is synthesized as a large, extremely insoluble phosphoprotein that consists of a unique NH 2 -terminal Ca 2ϩ -binding protein of the S-100 family, linked to 10 -20 tandem filaggrin monomer repeats (8 -10). Each individual filaggrin repeat is completely removed by proteolysis to generate the mature filaggrin monomer (a molecular mass of 37 kDa in human). Then, filaggrin is completely degraded in the uppermost layer of the stratum corneum to produce a mixture of free and modified hygroscopic amino acids that are important for maintaining epidermal hydration (2, 11-13). In addition, a number of proteins are subjected to various post-translational modifications such as disulfide bonding, N-(␥-glutamyl)-lysine isopeptide cross-linking, and deimination during the terminal differentiation of epidermal keratinocytes (4, 6, 14, 15). Deimination is catalyzed by peptidylarginine deiminase (P...

We recently reported that Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ9-THC), a major cannabinoid component in Cannabis Sativa (marijuana), significantly stimulated the expression of fatty acid 2 hydroxylase (FA2H) in human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α (PPARα) was previously implicated in this induction. However, the mechanisms mediating this induction have not been elucidated in detail. We performed a DNA microarray analysis of Δ9-THC treated samples and showed the selective up-regulation of the PPARα isoform coupled with the induction of FA2H over the other isoforms (β and γ). Δ-THC itself had no binding/activation potential to/on PPARα, and palmitic acid (PA), a PPARα ligand, exhibited no stimulatory effects on FA2H in MDA MB 231 cells; thus, we hypothesized that the levels of PPARα induced were involved in the Δ9-THC mediated increase in FA2H. In support of this hypothesis, we herein demonstrated that; (i) Δ9 THC activated the basal transcriptional activity of PPARα in a concentration-dependent manner, (ii) the concomitant up-regulation of PPARα/FA2H was caused by Δ9-THC, (iii) PA could activate PPARα after the PPARα expression plasmid was introduced, and (iv) the Δ9-THC induced up regulation of FA2H was further stimulated by the co-treatment with L-663,536 (a known PPARα inducer). Taken together, these results support the concept that the induced levels of PPARα may be involved in the Δ9 THC up-regulation of FA2H in MDA-MB-231 cells.

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-Bongkrekic acid (BKA), an antibiotic isolated from Pseudomonas cocovenans, is an inhibitory molecule of adenine nucleotide translocase. Since this translocase is a core component of the mitochondrial permeability transition pore (MPTP) formed by apoptotic stimuli, BKA has been used as a tool to abrogate apoptosis. However, the other biochemical properties of BKA have not yet been resolved. Although the definition of a fatty acid is a carboxylic acid (-COOH) with a long hydrocarbon chain (tail), when focused on the chemical structure of BKA, the molecule was revealed to be a branched unsaturated tricarboxylic acid that resembled the structure of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) consist of a subfamily of three isoforms: α, β, and γ, the ligands of which include PUFAs. Using completely synthesized BKA together with simplified BKA derivatives (purity: > 98%), we herein demonstrated the utility of BKA as a selective activator of the human PPARγ isoform, which may not be associated with the anti-apoptotic nature of BKA. We also discussed the possible usefulness of BKA.