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Biomedical subjects

T Hikida

Publications and source records attributed to T Hikida.

8 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Serine racemase binds to PICK1: potential relevance to schizophrenia.

Accumulating evidence from both genetic and clinico-pharmacological studies suggests that D-serine, an endogenous coagonist to the NMDA subtype glutamate receptor, may be implicated in schizophrenia (SZ). Although an association of genes for D-serine degradation, such as D-amino acid oxidase and G72, has been reported, a role for D-serine in SZ has been unclear. In this study, we identify and characterize protein interacting with C-kinase (PICK1) as a protein interactor of the D-serine synthesizing enzyme, serine racemase (SR). The binding of endogenous PICK1 and SR requires the PDZ domain of PICK1. The gene coding for PICK1 is located at chromosome 22q13, a region frequently linked to SZ. In a case-control association study using well-characterized Japanese subjects, we observe an association of the PICK1 gene with SZ, which is more prominent in disorganized SZ. Our findings implicating PICK1 as a susceptibility gene for SZ are consistent with a role for D-serine in the disease.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Contrasting patterns of genetic variation in the two sympatric geckos Gekko tawaensis and G. japonicus (Reptilia: Squamata) from western Japan, as revealed by allozyme analyses.

Allozyme variation in two congeneric sympatric geckos, Gekko tawaensis and G. japonicus, from western Japan was examined. These species show similar densities and spatial arrangements of populations in this region, and their genetic structures are thus expected to have been formed under the influences of comparable geohistorical, environmental, and demographic factors. Results of the analyses, however, revealed strikingly different genetic patterns in the two species. Populations of G. tawaensis invariably showed a remarkably lowered heterozygosity (0-0.017) compared to G. japonicus (0.089-0.124). On the other hand, the genetic heterogeneity among populations is much greater in G. tawaensis (F(ST)=0.726) than in G. japonicus (F(ST)=0.101). The Mantel test failed to detect any significant correlations between log (estimated migration rate) and log (geographic distance) in either species, or between matrices of interpopulation pairwise F(ST) for the two species. These results suggest that, in each species, formation of the current genetic structure in western Japan has been chiefly influenced by stochastic factors, rather than the geohistorical architecture of this region. The high F(ST) and low heterozygosity in G. tawaensis suggest the effects of severe local fragmentation. On the other hand, the relatively low F(ST) and high heterozygosity in G. japonicus imply extensive gene flow among populations. Absence of significant correlations between the estimated migration rate and geographic distance in G. japonicus may suggest that such gene flow is promoted by human-mediated transport of this primarily house-dwelling lizard.

Animals↗
PubMed2001

Increased sensitivity to cocaine by cholinergic cell ablation in nucleus accumbens.

Chronic exposure to cocaine causes long-lasting behavioral changes associated with cocaine reinforcement and addiction. An important neural substrate for cocaine addiction is the nucleus accumbens (NAc), which receives dopaminergic input from the ventral tegmental area. Although the neural circuit of the NAc is controlled by several other neurotransmitters, their involvement in cocaine addiction remains elusive. In this investigation, we ablated cholinergic interneurons from the adult NAc with immunotoxin-mediated cell targeting and examined the role of acetylcholine transmitter in adaptive behavioral changes associated with cocaine reinforcement and addiction. Acute exposure to cocaine induced abnormal rotation in unilaterally cholinergic cell-eliminated mice. This abnormal turning was enhanced by repeated exposure of cocaine. In bilaterally cholinergic cell-eliminated mice, chronic cocaine administration induced a prominent and progressive increase in locomotor activity. Moreover, these mice showed robust conditioned place preference with a lower dose of cocaine, compared with wild-type littermates. This investigation demonstrates that acetylcholine in the NAc plays a key role in both acute and chronic actions of cocaine.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed2000

Synaptic integration mediated by striatal cholinergic interneurons in basal ganglia function.

The physiological role of striatal cholinergic interneurons was investigated with immunotoxin-mediated cell targeting (IMCT). Unilateral cholinergic cell ablation caused an acute abnormal turning behavior. These mice showed gradual recovery but displayed abnormal turning by both excess stimulation and inhibition of dopamine actions. In the acute phase, basal ganglia function was shifted to a hyperactive state by stimulation and suppression of striatonigral and striatopallidal neurons, respectively. D1 and D2 dopamine receptors were then down-regulated, relieving dopamine-predominant synaptic perturbation but leaving a defect in controlling dopamine responses. The acetylcholine-dopamine interaction is concertedly and adaptively regulated for basal ganglia synaptic integration.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed2000

Phylogenetic relationships, character evolution, and biogeography of the subfamily Lygosominae (Reptilia: Scincidae) inferred from mitochondrial DNA sequences.

Phylogenetic relationships among the lygosomine skinks were inferred from 1249 base positions of mitochondrial DNA sequences of 12S and 16S rRNA genes. The monophyly of this subfamily was confirmed and the presence of five distinct infrasubfamilial lineages detected. Of these, the Sphenomorphus group appears to have diverged first, followed by the Lygosoma and Egernia groups in order, leaving the Eugongylus and Mabuya groups as sister groups. Our results did not support monophyly of the Mabuya group sensu lato (i.e., an assemblage of the Lygosoma, Egernia, and Mabuya groups), for which a number of morphological and karyological studies demonstrated a considerable similarity. Our results also contradict the previous hypothesis, formulated on the basis of morphological and immunological data, which argued for the sister relationship between the Egernia and the Eugongylus groups. Morphological and karyological characters used to define the Mabuya group (sensu lato) may actually represent plesiomorphic states. The phylogenetic diversity of lygosomine skinks in the Australian region appears to have increased through multiple colonizations from Southeast Asia.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Phylogenetic relationships of Australian skinks of the Mabuya group (Reptilia: Scincidae) inferred from mitochondrial DNA sequences.

Portions of two mitochondrial genes (12S and 16S ribosomal RNAs) were sequenced to analyze the phylogenetic relationships of the Mabuya group from the Australian region (Corucia, Egernia and Tiliqua). Results indicated the monophyly of these genera and their divergence from Asian and African members of this group. This suggests that the diversity of the Mabuya group in the Australian region has increased through an endemic radiation, not through multiple colonizations from outside. Among the genera from this region, Corucia and Tiliqua were closest to each other. This result contradicts with those of the previous hypotheses on the basis of morphological and immunological data that, respectively, suggested closest affinities between Corucia and Egernia, and Egernia and Tiliqua. We suppose that the morphological characters exclusively joining Corucia and Egernia are actually in plesiomorphic state.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Hormone-induced apoptosis by Fas-nuclear receptor fusion proteins: novel biological tools for controlling apoptosis in vivo.

We have created fusion proteins between Fas and the ligand-binding domain of the estrogen or retinoic acid receptor. Murine fibrosarcoma L929 cells and human cervical carcinoma HeLa cells expressing the fusion proteins demonstrated apoptotic phenotypes in a tightly estrogen- or retinoic acid-dependent manner in vitro. Moreover, the fusion protein-expressing L929 cells transplanted into nude mice were also killed through apoptosis after injection of an estrogen agonist. This represents a novel system, "cell targeting," that can eliminate cells not only in vitro but also in vivo through the activation of a natural suicide machinery, i.e., apoptosis, by currently used hormones. This system implies wide applications not only in developmental biology and neurobiology but also in medicine, especially for cancer gene therapy.

Amino Acid Sequence↗