Abstract: To provide a screening method for a substance having an anti-obesity action and an anti-obesity drug. A screening method including: a step for contacting a test substance and a synoviolin-gene-expressing cell; and a step for verifying the effect of the test substance on the synoviolin gene expression, or the effect thereof on synoviolin protein activity. An action which reduces the amount of adipose tissue and an action which inhibits induction of adipocyte differentiation are examples of an anti-obesity action. An anti-obesity drug containing, as an active ingredient thereof, an siRNA of synoviolin, a decoy nucleic acid of synoviolin, or an antisense nucleic acid of synoviolin.

Abstract: To provide an antiobesity agent. An antiobesity agent containing an extract of walnut branches, shells, or leaves as an active ingredient.

Abstract: To provide an antiobesity agent. An antiobesity agent containing an extract of walnut branches, shells, or leaves as an active ingredient.

Abstract: The present inventors discovered that knockout mice whose S1-5 gene function is lost develop age-related diseases or symptoms. In such knockout mice, bone mineral content, bone mineral density, and bone strength were found to be decreased, and the number of osteoclasts in bone tissues was found to be increased. Analysis of osteoclast-forming ability using bone marrow cells derived from the knockout mice revealed that osteoclast-forming ability is enhanced and osteoclasts are larger in the knockout mice than in wildtype mice. When purified S1-5 protein was added to this in vitro system, osteoclast-forming ability was inhibited. Furthermore, administration of purified S1-5 protein to osteoporotic model mice showed that this protein has the effect of improving osteoporosis. The above findings demonstrate that S1-5 protein is useful for treating and preventing age-related diseases such as osteoporosis.

Abstract: The present inventors discovered that knockout mice whose S1-5 gene function is lost develop age-related diseases or symptoms. Histological analysis in such knockout mice revealed that bone mineral content, bone mineral density, and bone strength were decreased, and the number of osteoclasts in bone tissues was increased. Analysis of osteoclast-forming ability using bone marrow cells derived from the knockout mice revealed that osteoclast-forming ability is enhanced and osteoclasts are larger in the knockout mice than in wildtype mice. When purified S1-5 protein was added to this in vitro system, osteoclast-forming ability was inhibited.

Abstract: The present invention provides a decoy nucleic acid for the Synoviolin gene promoter. Also provided is the decoy nucleic acid can inhibit the promoter activity by binding to the transcription factor of the Synoviolin gene promoter. It also provides a decoy nucleic acid as expressed in (a) a decoy nucleic acid consisting of a nucleotide sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 11 or 12; and it also provides (b) a decoy nucleic acid consisting of a nucleotide sequence as shown in SEQ ID NO: 11 or 12 having deletion, substitution or addition of one or several nucleotides and has the function of inhibiting Synoviolin gene promoter activity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an assay method for determining a auto-ubiquitination activity of synoviolin, comprising reacting synoviolin and ubiquitin in a reaction system containing them and determining an amount of ubiquitin binding to synoviolin, to a method of screening a substance capable of regulating such an activity, and to a kit for auto-ubiquitination assay of synoviolin.

Abstract: The present invention provides a promoter of the synoviolin gene comprising at least the nucleotide sequence of nucleotides 2120-2130 in the nucleotide sequence represented by SEQ ID: NO 1 or 2, or comprising at least the nucleotide sequence of the region of nucleotides 1-2201, 969-2201, 1142-2201, 1699-2201, 1880-2201, 2002-2201, 2094-2201 or 2118-2201 in the nucleotide sequence represented by SEQ ID: NO 1 or 2;or a method for regulating transcription activity characterized in that the activity of the promoter is inhibited or enhanced.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for suppressing cancer comprising activating tumor suppressor gene p53 or protein p53 for localizing the protein to the nuclear, and a pharmaceutical composition comprising a substance that promotes activation of tumor suppressor gene p53 or protein p53.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for inhibiting secretase activity. A method for promoting the sensitivity of a secretase inhibitor, a method for binding synoviolin to Herp (homocysteine-inducible endoplasmic reticulum stress-inducible ubiquitin-like domain member 1), or the like is employed to inhibit secretase activity.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apoptosis-inducing agent or a therapeutic agent for autoimmune diseases, comprising a substance that induces ER stress; and a method for inhibiting the proliferation of cells, wherein the cells (for example, synoviocytes) are treated with the inducing agent.

Abstract: The present invention provides a pharmaceutical composition containing a substance which inhibits the proliferation of synovial tissue or synovial cells and the interleukin-6 production. It also provides a pharmaceutical composition for inhibiting the proliferation of synovial tissue or synovial cells and the interleukin-6 production, which is useful for diagnosing and treating at least one selected from the group consisting of rheumatoid arthritis, fibrosis, arthritis, cancers, and cerebral neural diseases. In addition, it provides a method for inhibiting the proliferation of synovial cells and the interleukin-6 production by inhibiting the expression of hsHRD3 in synovial cells.

Abstract: The present invention provides a nerve cell differentiation inducing drug containing a Synoviolin expression inhibitor which is a useful drug for treatments of neural disorders, particularly Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, peripheral nerve disorders or spinal injury. As Synoviolin expression inhibitors, there are siRNA against gene coding Synoviolin (SEQ ID No. 1 or 2), or shRNA, a decoy nucleic acid that inhibits the promoter activity by binding to the transcription factor of the promoter of the Synoviolin gene or antisense oligonucleotide against gene coding the Synoviolin. The nerve cell differentiation inducing drug of the present invention is used for the treatment of neural disorders including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, peripheral nerve disorders or spinal injury.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for evaluating the regulation on prolyl 4-hydroxylase activity. The present invention also provides screening methods using the evaluation methods. Furthermore, the present invention provides methods of screening for compounds that are useful for treating or preventing fibrosis or rheumatoid arthritis. The present invention relates to methods for detecting regulatory activity on the synoviolin ubiquitination of prolyl 4-hydroxylase ? subunit (P4HA1). It also relates to methods of screening for compounds with regulatory effect on the ubiquitination activity of synoviolin on P4HA1 based on these methods. Compounds discovered in the screening are useful for treating and/or preventing diseases caused by abnormalities in the prolyl 4-hydroxylase activity, such as fibrosis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Abstract: The present invention provides therapeutic formulations for hematopoietic diseases comprising as effective ingredient, synoviolin which is reported to be isolated as a synovial cell protein and its gene, and therapeutic methods and such comprising the step of administering the protein or polynucleotide. The present invention also provides as models of hematopoietic diseases, animals whose synoviolin is homozygously deficient and cells derived from such animals; and additionally provides methods that use these models in the screening of therapeutic agents for hematopoietic diseases.