S. Sasaki

Calcium-dependent transcriptional profiles of human pancreatic islet cells reveal functional diversity in islet subpopulations

The paper profiles calcium-regulated gene expression in human pancreatic islet cells using single-cell RNA sequencing and identifies PCDH7 as a novel beta cell marker with enhanced insulin secretory function.

Type 2 diabetes susceptibility gene GRK5 regulates physiological pancreatic β-cell proliferation via phosphorylation of HDAC5 in mice

This study identifies GRK5 as a regulator of pancreatic β-cell proliferation through phosphorylation of HDAC5, linking it to type 2 diabetes pathogenesis.

Membrane contact sites regulate vacuolar fission via sphingolipid metabolism

This study shows that deletion of tricalbins disrupts vacuolar morphology in yeast by altering sphingolipid metabolism through membrane contact sites.

Subchronic Toxicity Assessment of Perfluoroalkyl Substances by Mixed Exposure of Nine Substances at Daily Intake Relevant Concentration

This study assesses the subchronic toxicity of a PFAS mixture in mice, finding liver morphological changes and alterations in metabolism and cancer-related gene expression.

The conserved upstream ORF of the Arabidopsis ANAC082 gene mediates translational upregulation in response to nucleolar stress

This study shows that the upstream ORF of the Arabidopsis ANAC082 gene enhances translation under nucleolar stress but not ER stress, indicating evolutionary loss of this regulatory mechanism in ANAC103.

Nuclear activation in dual-durotaxing cells on a matrix with cell-scale stiffness-heterogeneity

This study shows that mesenchymal stem cells undergoing dual-durotaxis on stiff micro-patterned gels experience amplified intracellular stress dynamics and chromatin fluctuations, which enhance cellular vigor and maintain stemness.

A novel hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 respiratory infection using a pseudotyped virus

This paper develops a hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 infection using a pseudotyped virus, showing dose-dependent luminescence in the lungs.

A highly multiplexed melt-curve assay for detecting the most prevalent carbapenemase, ESBL and AmpC genes

The paper develops a highly multiplexed HRM assay to detect ESBL, carbapenemase, and AmpC genes in Gram-negative bacteria with high sensitivity and specificity.

Pirfenidone attenuates lung fibrotic fibroblast-mediated fibrotic responses to transforming growth factor-β1

This study shows pirfenidone reduces fibrotic responses in lung fibroblasts by inhibiting CTHRC1, suggesting it as a potential therapeutic target for lung fibrosis.