ANAC102 predominantly expresses a nuclear protein and acts as a negative regulator of methyl viologen-induced retrograde signaling.

Plants, being sessile organisms, constantly need to respond to environmental stresses, often leading to the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). While ROS can be harmful, they also act as messengers guiding plant growth and stress responses. Because chloroplasts are sensitive to environmental changes and are both a source and target of ROS during stress conditions, they are important in conveying environmental changes to the nucleus, where acclimation responses are coordinated to maintain organellar and overall cellular homeostasis. ANAC102 has previously been established as a regulator of ß-cyclocitral-mediated chloroplast-to-nucleus signaling, protecting plants against photooxidative stress. However, debates persist about where ANAC102 is located - in chloroplasts or in the nucleus. Our study, utilizing the genomic ANAC102 sequence driven by its native promoter, establishes ANAC102 primarily as a nuclear protein, lacking a complete N-terminal chloroplast-targeting peptide. Moreover, our research reveals the sensitivity of plants overexpressing ANAC102 to severe superoxide-induced chloroplast oxidative stress. Transcriptome analysis unraveled ANAC102's dual role in negatively and positively regulating genome-wide transcriptional responses to chloroplast oxidative stress. Through the integration of published data and our own study, we constructed a comprehensive transcriptional network, which suggests that ANAC102 exerts direct and indirect control over transcriptional responses through downstream transcription factor networks, providing deeper insights into the ANAC102-mediated regulatory landscape during oxidative stress.

Genome-Wide Identification, Characterization, and Expression Analysis of the HD-Zip Gene Family in Lagerstroemia for Regulating Plant Height.

The Homeodomain leucine zipper (HD-Zip) family of transcription factors is crucial in helping plants adapt to environmental changes and promoting their growth and development. Despite research on the HD-Zip family in various plants, studies in Lagerstroemia (crape myrtle) have not been reported. This study aimed to address this gap by comprehensively analyzing the HD-Zip gene family in crape myrtle. This study identified 52 HD-Zip genes in the genome of Lagerstroemia indica, designated as LinHDZ1-LinHDZ52. These genes were distributed across 22 chromosomes and grouped into 4 clusters (HD-Zip I-IV) based on their phylogenetic relationships. Most gene structures and motifs within each cluster were conserved. Analysis of protein properties, gene structure, conserved motifs, and cis-acting regulatory elements revealed diverse roles of LinHDZs in various biological contexts. Examining the expression patterns of these 52 genes in 6 tissues (shoot apical meristem, tender shoot, and mature shoot) of non-dwarf and dwarf crape myrtles revealed that 2 LinHDZs (LinHDZ24 and LinHDZ14) and 2 LinHDZs (LinHDZ9 and LinHDZ35) were respectively upregulated in tender shoot of non-dwarf crape myrtles and tender and mature shoots of dwarf crape myrtles, which suggested the important roles of these genes in regulate the shoot development of Lagerstroemia. In addition, the expression levels of 2 LinHDZs (LinHDZ23 and LinHDZ34) were significantly upregulated in the shoot apical meristem of non-dwarf crape myrtle. These genes were identified as key candidates for regulating Lagerstroemia plant height. This study enhanced the understanding of the functions of HD-Zip family members in the growth and development processes of woody plants and provided a theoretical basis for further studies on the molecular mechanisms underlying Lagerstroemia plant height.

RcMYB8 enhances salt and drought tolerance in rose (Rosa chinensis) by modulating RcPR5/1 and RcP5CS1.

Plant Myeloblastosis (MYB) proteins function crucially roles upon variegated abiotic stresses. Nonetheless, their effects and mechanisms in rose (Rosa chinensis) are not fully clarified. In this study, we characterized the effects of rose RcMYB8 under salt and drought tolerances. For induction of the RcMYB8 expression, NaCl and drought stress treatment were adopted. Rose plants overexpressing RcMYB8 displayed enhanced tolerance to salinity and drought stress, while silencing RcMYB8 resulted in decreased tolerance, as evidenced by lowered intra-leaf electrolyte leakage and callose deposition, as well as photosynthetic sustainment under stressed conditions. Here, we further show that RcMYB8 binds similarly to the promoters of RcPR5/1 and RcP5C51 in vivo and in vitro. Inhibiting RcP5CS1 by virus-induced gene silencing led to decreased drought tolerance through the reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostatic regulation. RcP5CS1-silenced plants showed an increase in ion leakage and reduce of proline content, together with the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) increased, lowered activities of Catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). Our study highlights the transcriptional modulator role of RcMYB8 in drought and salinity tolerances, which bridges RcPR5/1 and RcP5CS1 by promoting ROS scavenging. Besides, it is probably applicable to the rose plant engineering for enhancing their abiotic stress tolerances.

Transcription factor RcNAC091 enhances rose drought tolerance through the abscisic acid-dependent pathway.

NAC (NAM, ATAF1,2, and CUC2) transcription factors (TFs) play critical roles in controlling plant growth, development, and abiotic stress responses. However, few studies have examined NAC proteins related to drought stress tolerance in rose (Rosa chinensis). Here, we identified a drought- and abscisic acid (ABA)-induced NAC TF, RcNAC091, that localizes to the nucleus and has transcriptional activation activity. Virus-induced silencing of RcNAC091 resulted in decreased drought stress tolerance, and RcNAC091 overexpression had the opposite effect. Specifically, ABA mediated RcNAC091-regulated drought tolerance. A transcriptomic comparison showed altered expression of genes involved in ABA signaling and oxidase metabolism in RcNAC091-silenced plants. We further confirmed that RcNAC091 directly targets the promoter of RcWRKY71 in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, RcWRKY71-slienced rose plants were not sensitive to both ABA and drought stress, whereas RcWRKY71-overexpressing plants were hypersensitive to ABA, which resulted in drought-tolerant phenotypes. The expression of ABA biosynthesis- and signaling-related genes was impaired in RcWRKY71-slienced plants, suggesting that RcWRKY71 might facilitate the ABA-dependent pathway. Therefore, our results show that RcWRKY71 is transcriptionally activated by RcNAC091, which positively modulates ABA signaling and drought responses. The results of this study provide insights into the roles of TFs as functional links between RcNAC091 and RcWRKY71 in priming resistance; our findings also have implications for the approaches to enhance the drought resistance of roses.

RcbHLH59-RcPRs module enhances salinity stress tolerance by balancing Na+/K+ through callose deposition in rose (Rosa chinensis).

Basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) proteins play pivotal roles in plant growth, development, and stress responses. However, the molecular and functional properties of bHLHs have not been fully characterized. In this study, a novel XI subgroup of the bHLH protein gene RcbHLH59 was isolated and identified in rose (Rosa sp.). This gene was induced by salinity stress in both rose leaves and roots, and functioned as a transactivator. Accordingly, silencing RcbHLH59 affected the antioxidant system, Na +/K + balance, and photosynthetic system, thereby reducing salt tolerance, while the transient overexpression of RcbHLH59 improved salinity stress tolerance. Additionally, RcbLHLH59 was found to regulate the expression of sets of pathogenesis-related (PR) genes in RcbHLH59-silenced (TRV-RcbHLH59) and RcbHLH59-overexpressing (RcbHLH59-OE) rose plants. The RcPR4/1 and RcPR5/1 transcript levels showed opposite changes in the TRV-RcbHLH59 and RcbHLH59-OE lines, suggesting that these two genes are regulated by RcbHLH59. Further analysis revealed that RcbHLH59 binds to the promoters of RcPR4/1 and RcPR5/1, and that the silencing of RcPR4/1 or RcPR5/1 led to decreased tolerance to salinity stress. Moreover, callose degradation- and deposition-related genes were impaired in RcPR4/1- or RcPR5/1-silenced plants, which displayed a salt tolerance phenotype by balancing the Na+/K+ ratio through callose deposition. Collectively, our data highlight a new RcbLHLH59-RcPRs module that positively regulates salinity stress tolerance by balancing Na+/K+ and through callose deposition in rose plants.

Genome-wide identification and expression analysis of anaphase promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) in rose.

The anaphase promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) is a large multi-subunit complex, regulating plant development and cell cycle. In plants, the APC/C gene family has been identified in Arabidopsis, rice, and maize. The APC/Cs in rose has not yet been reported. In this study, a total of 19 APC/C genes were identified in rose. Furthermore, we also investigated phylogenetic relationships, chromosomal distribution, gene structure, motif analysis, promoter sequence analysis and expression pattern of RhAPC/C genes. Synteny analysis indicated that AtAPC/Cs and RhAPC/Cs show a high degree of conservation. RhAPC/C promoters contains numerous cis-elements involved in plant morphogenesis, hormone response and stress response. Based on the transcription of RhAPC/Cs in different tissues and developmental stages, it appears that RhAPC/Cs may play a variety of roles in rose growth and development. RhAPC/Cs have limitations in the time and space during which they respond to hormones and abiotic stress. RhAPC5, RhAPC11d, RhAPC13a and RhAPC13c may play a role in rose responding to abiotic stress. The expression of RhAPC10 was altered by infection with fungal pathogen. Our study will serve as a basis for determining the functional role of APC/C genes in roses and help future research on woody plants.

Genome-wide analysis of the rose (Rosa chinensis) NAC family and characterization of RcNAC091.

KEY MESSAGE: A genome-wide analysis identified 116 NAC genes in rose, including stress-related ones with different expression patterns under drought and salt stress. Silencing of RcNAC091, a member of the ATAF subfamily, decreased dehydration tolerance in rose. The NAC (NAM, ATAF, and CUC) transcription factors (TFs) are plant-specific proteins that regulate various developmental processes and stress responses. However, knowledge of the NAC TFs in rose (Rosa chinensis), one of the most important horticultural crops, is limited. In this study, 116 NAC genes were identified from the rose genome and classified into 16 subfamilies based on protein phylogenetic analysis. Chromosomal mapping revealed that the RcNAC genes were unevenly distributed on the seven chromosomes of rose. Gene structure and motif analysis identified a total of ten conserved motifs, of which motifs 1-7 were highly conserved and present in most rose NACs, while motifs 8-10 were present only in a few subfamilies. Further study of the stress-related RcNACs based on the transcriptome data showed differences in the expression patterns among the organs, at various floral developmental stages, and under drought and salt stress in rose leaves and roots. The stress-related RcNACs possessed cis-regulatory elements (CREs) categorized into three groups corresponding to plant growth and development, phytohormone response, and abiotic and biotic stress response. Reverse transcription-quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) analysis of 11 representative RcNACs revealed their differential expression in rose leaves and roots under abscisic acid (ABA), polyethylene glycol (PEG), and sodium chloride (NaCl) treatments. Furthermore, the silencing of RcNAC091 verified its role in positively regulating the dehydration stress response. Overall, the present study provides valuable insights into stress-related RcNACs and paves the way for stress tolerance in rose.

Overexpression of LtKNOX1 from Lilium tsingtauense in Nicotiana benthamiana affects the development of leaf morphology.

Leaves are the main vegetative organs of the aboveground part of plants and play an important role in plant morphogenesis. KNOTTED-LIKE HOMEOBOX (KNOX) plays a crucial role in regulating leaf cell fate and maintaining leaf development. In this study, we analyzed LtKNOX1 from Lilium tsingtauense and illustrated its function in transgenic plants. Tissue-specific expression analysis indicated that LtKNOX1 was highly expressed in stems, young flower buds, and shoot apical meristems (SAMs). Ectopic overexpression of LtKNOX1 in Nicotiana benthamiana suggested that transformants with mild phenotypes were characterized by foliar wrinkles and mildly curled leaves; transformants with intermediate phenotypes showed severely crimped blades and narrow leaf angles, and the most severe phenotypes lacked normal SAMs and leaves. Moreover, the expression levels of genes involved in the regulation of KNOX in transgenic plants were detected, including ASYMMETRIC LEAVES1, PIN-FORMED 1, GA20-oxidase, CUP-SHAPED COTYLEDON 2, CLAVATA 1 and WUSCHEL(WUS), and the expression of other genes were down-regulated except WUS. This study contributes to our understanding of the LtKNOX1 function.

Genome-wide analysis of BURP genes and identification of a BURP-V gene RcBURP4 in Rosa chinensis.

KEY MESSAGE: Nine RcBURPs have been identified in Rosa chinensis, and overexpression of RcBURP4 increased ABA, NaCl sensitivity, and drought tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis. BURP proteins are unique to plants and may contribute greatly to growth, development, and stress responses of plants. Despite the vital role of BURP proteins, little is known about these proteins in rose (Rosa spp.). In the present study, nine genes belonging to the BURP family in R. chinensis were identified using multiple bioinformatic approaches against the rose genome database. The nine RcBURPs, with diverse structures, were located on all chromosomes of the rose genome, except for Chr2 and Chr3. Phylogenic analysis revealed that these RcBURPs can be classified into eight subfamilies, including BNM2-like, PG1ß-like, USP-like, RD22-like, BURP-V, BURP-VI, BURP-VII, and BURP-VIII. Conserved motif and exon-intron analyses indicated a conserved pattern within the same subfamily. The presumed cis-regulatory elements (CREs) within the promoter region of each RcBURP were analyzed and the results showed that all RcBURPs contained different types of CREs, including abiotic stress-, light response-, phytohormones response-, and plant growth and development-related CREs. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that a BURP-V member, RcBURP4, was induced in rose leaves and roots under mild and severe drought treatments. We then overexpressed RcBURP4 in Arabidopsis and examined its role under abscisic acid (ABA), NaCl, polyethylene glycol (PEG), and drought treatments. Nine stress-responsive genes expression were changed in RcBURP4-overexpressing leaves and roots. Furthermore, RcBURP4-silenced rose plants exhibited decreased tolerance to dehydration. The results obtained from this study provide the first comprehensive overview of RcBURPs and highlight the importance of RcBURP4 in rose plant.

Analysis of the thaumatin-like genes of Rosa chinensis and functional analysis of the role of RcTLP6 in salt stress tolerance.

MAIN CONCLUSION: A total of 27 rose thaumatin-like protein (TLP) genes were identified from the rose genome through bioinformatics analyses. RcTLP6 was found to confer salinity stress tolerance in rose. Thaumatin-like proteins (TLPs) play critical roles in regulating many biological processes, including abiotic and biotic stress responses in plants. Here, we conducted a genome-wide screen of TLPs in rose (Rosa chinensis) and identified 27 RcTLPs. The identified RcTLPs, as well as other TLPs from six different plant species, were placed into nine groups based on a phylogenetic analysis. An analysis of the intron-exon structures of the TLPs revealed a high degree of similarity. RcTLP genes were found on all chromosomes except for chromosome four. Cis-regulatory elements (CEs) were identified in the promoters of all RcTLPs, including CEs associated with growth, development and hormone-responsiveness, as well as abiotic and biotic responses, indicating they play diverse roles in rose. Transcriptomics analysis revealed that RcTLPs had tissue-specific expression patterns, and several root-preferential RcTLPs were responsive to drought and salinity stress. Quantitative PCR analysis of six RcTLPs under ABA, PEG and NaCl treatment confirmed the differentially expressed genes identified in the transcriptomics experiment. In addition, silencing RcTLP6 in rose leaves led to decreased tolerance to salinity stress. We also screened proteins which may interact with RcTLP6 to understand its biological roles. This study represents the first report of the TLP gene family in rose and expands the current understanding of the role that RcTLP6 plays in salt tolerance. These findings lay a foundation for future utilization of RcTLPs to improve rose abiotic stress tolerance.

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Stephanandra incisa.

Stephanandra incisa is a typical discontinuous distribution species in the eastern part of the subspecies with a high economic and ecological value. In this study, we have obtained the complete chloroplast genome of S. incisa using high-throughput sequencing. The chloroplast genome length was 159,583 bp, the AT content was 63.7%, while the large single copy and a small single copy area were 88,018 bp and 18,817 bp, respectively. It contains 131 genes, including 86 protein-coding genes, 37 transfer RNA genes, and eight ribosomal RNA genes. A maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree supported the fact that S. incisa is closely related to Pyracantha fortuneana and Amelanchier sinica, which is consistent with the taxonomic view.

Whole-genome characterization of Rosa chinensis AP2/ERF transcription factors and analysis of negative regulator RcDREB2B in Arabidopsis.

BACKGROUND: Rose (Rosa chinensis) is a traditional famous flower with valuable ornamental characteristics. However, drought stress restricts its growth and development, leading to an abnormal phenotype. One of the main transcription factor (TF) protein groups in the plant kingdom are the APETALA2/ethylene-responsive factor (AP2/ERF) proteins and are potentially involved in the growth and stress responses of various plants. RESULTS: Our investigation mainly focused on exploring the genome of rose and thereby we discovered 135 apparent AP2/ERF TFs. Phylogenic analyses revealed that RcAP2/ERF genes are categorized into DREB, Soloist, AP2, and ERF subfamilies, and are further classified these into 17 groups, with the same as Malus domestica and Arabidopsis thaliana. The analysis of the gene structure revealed that the introns ranged from 0 to 9 in number. Pattern examination demonstrated that the RcAP2/ERF predominantly consists of typical AP2 domains, of which the 2nd motif is the most ubiquitous. Distributions of cis-acting elements indicated that members of the AP2/ERF family are frequently involved in growth and development, phytohormone and stress response in rose species. Also, the distribution mapping of the rose chromosomes indicated that AP2/ERF class genes are dispersed among all seven chromosomes. Additionally, we isolated a novel DREB A2 subgroup gene and named it RcDREB2B. Subsequently, the RcDREB2B transcript accumulation was repressed under the mild and severe drought stress in the root samples of rose. RcDREB2B was targeted to the nucleus and exhibited transactivation in yeast cells. The overexpression of RcDREB2B was found to promote sensitivity to a higher salt concentration, ABA, and PEG at the germination and post-germination stages. Twelve putative osmotic and ABA-related genes were impaired in RcDREB2B-overexpressing plants. CONCLUSIONS: The results provide comprehensive information regarding the gene structure, phylogenic, and distribution of the rose AP2/ERF family and bring insight into the complex transcriptional gene regulation of RcAP2/ERF. Findings in this study would also contribute to further understanding of the RcDREB2B gene in rose.

De novo transcriptomic analysis and identification of EST-SSR markers in Stephanandra incisa.

Stephanandra incisa is a wild-type shrub with beautiful leaves and white flowers and is commonly used as a garden decoration accessory. However, the limited availability of genomic data of S. incisa has restricted its breeding process. Here, we identified EST-SSR markers using de novo transcriptome sequencing. In this study, a transcriptome database containing 35,251 unigenes, having an average length of 985 bp, was obtained from S. incisa. From these unigene sequences, we identified 5,555 EST-SSRs, with a distribution density of one SSR per 1.60 kb. Dinucleotides (52.96%) were the most detected SSRs, followed by trinucleotides (34.64%). From the EST-SSR loci, we randomly selected 100 sites for designing primer and used the DNA of 60 samples to verify the polymorphism. The average value of the effective number of alleles (Ne), Shannon's information index (I), and expective heterozygosity (He) was 1.969, 0.728, and 0.434, respectively. The polymorphism information content (PIC) value was in the range of 0.108 to 0.669, averaging 0.406, which represented a middle polymorphism level. Cluster analysis of S. incisa were also performed based on the obtained EST-SSR data in our work. As shown by structure analysis, 60 individuals could be classified into two groups. Thus, the identification of these novel EST-SSR markers provided valuable sequence information for analyzing the population structure, genetic diversity, and genetic resource assessment of S. incisa and other related species.

Physiological Characteristic Changes and Full-Length Transcriptome of Rose (Rosa chinensis) Roots and Leaves in Response to Drought Stress.

Rose (Rosa chinensis) is the most important ornamental crops worldwide. However, the physiological and molecular mechanism of rose under drought stress remains elusive. In this study, we analyzed the changes of photosynthetic and phytohormone levels in the leaves and roots of rose seedlings grown under control (no drought), mild drought (MD) and severe drought stress. The total chlorophyll content and water use efficiency were significantly enhanced under MD in rose leaves. In addition, the concentration of ABA was higher in the leaves compared to the roots, whereas the roots accumulated more IAA, methylindole-3-acetic acid and indole-3-propionic acid. We also constructed the first full-length transcriptome for rose, and identified 96,201,862 full-length reads of average length 1,149 bp that included 65,789 novel transcripts. A total of 3,657 and 4,341 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in rose leaves and roots respectively. KEGG pathway analysis showed enrichment of plant hormone, signal transduction and photosynthesis are among the DEGs. 42,544 alternatively spliced isoforms were also identified, and alternative 3' splice site was the major alternative splicing (AS) event among the DEGs. Variations in the AS patterns of three genes between leaves and roots indicated the possibility of tissue-specific posttranscriptional regulation in response to drought stress. Furthermore, 2,410 novel long non-coding RNAs were detected that may participate in regulating the drought-induced DEGs. Our findings identified previously unknown splice sites and new genes in the rose transcriptome, and elucidated the drought stress-responsive genes as well as their intricate regulatory networks.

Transcriptome profiling to identify tepal cell enlargement and pigmentation genes and the function of LtEXLB1 in Lilium tsingtauense.

To understand the molecular mechanism underlying tepal development and pigmentation in Lilium tsingtauense Gilg, we performed whole-transcriptome profiles from closed buds at the greenish tepal stage (CBS), the full-bloom with un-horizontal tepal stage (UFS), and the completely opened bud with reflected tepal stage (RFS) of L. tsingtauense. More than 95699 transcripts were generated using a de novo assembly approach. Gene ontology and pathway analysis of the assembled transcripts revealed carbon metabolism is involved in tepal development and pigmentation. In total, 8171 differentially expression genes (DEGs) in three tepal stages were identified. Among these DEGs, ~994 genes putatively encoded transcription factors (TFs), whereas 693 putatively encoded protein kinases. Regarding hormone pathways, 51 DEGs involved in auxin biosynthesis and signalling and 10 DEGs involved in ethylene biosynthesis and signalling. We also isolated seven LtEXPANSINs, including four EXPAs, one EXPB, one EXLA and one EXLB. LtEXLB1 (GenBank: MN856627) was expressed at higher levels in UFS and RFS, compared with CBS. Silencing LtEXLB1 in leaf discs and tepals by virus-induced gene silencing significantly decreased cell expansion under rehydration conditions. Further analysis revealed that more cell numbers were existed in the abaxial and adaxial subepidermis in the silenced LtEXLB1 samples. As the first transcriptome of L. tsingtauense, the unigenes are a valuable resource for future studies on tepal development, and LtEXLB1 functions in cell expansion.

The complete chloroplast genome of Styrax japonicus.

Styrax japonicus is a shrub with high economic values. Here, complete chloroplast (cp) genomes were reported using high-throughput Illumina sequencing. The size of the S. japonicus chloroplast genome is 157,940 bp long, with an average AT content of 63.05%, containing a pair of inverted repeats of 24,047 bp, separated by a large single copy and a small single copy region of 87,562 bp and 22,284 bp, respectively. It contains 125 genes, including79 protein-coding genes, 37 transfer RNA genes, and eight ribosomal RNA genes. A maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree supported the fact that the chloroplast genome of S. japonicus is closely related to that of Symplocos paniculate.

Chlorogenic acid inhibits osteosarcoma carcinogenesis via suppressing the STAT3/Snail pathway.

Chlorogenic acid (CA) is a polyphenol compound that possesses anticancer effects on several types of tumors. However, there are few previous studies concerning the protective effects of CA on osteosarcoma. The current study aimed to examine the toxicity of CA to osteosarcoma cells and to explore the potential mechanisms. Cell growth was evaluated using cell counting kit-8 assay and Western blot analysis of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Apoptosis was assessed by flow cytometry analysis using flow cytometry and caspase-3/7 activity assay. The expression changes of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3)/Snail pathway were detected by Western blot analysis. We found that CA dose-dependently inhibited cell viability and PCNA expression in osteosarcoma cells. Meanwhile, CA treatment increased the apoptotic rate and caspase-3/7 activity in osteosarcoma cells in a concentration-dependent manner. We found that CA concentration-dependently inhibited the activation of the STAT3/Snail pathway in osteosarcoma cells. Inhibition of the STAT3/Snail pathway by si-STAT3 retarded the growth and induced apoptosis of osteosarcoma cells. Mechanistically, activation of the STAT3/Snail pathway by pcDNA-STAT3 reversed the effects of CA on osteosarcoma cell growth and apoptosis. In conclusion, CA inhibited osteosarcoma carcinogenesis by suppressing osteosarcoma cell growth and inducing apoptosis, which was involved in inactivation of the STAT3/Snail pathway. Therefore, our study suggested that CA might have good therapy prospects in osteosarcoma therapy.

A RhABF2/Ferritin module affects rose (Rosa hybrida) petal dehydration tolerance and senescence by modulating iron levels.

Plants often develop the capacity to tolerate moderate and reversible environmental stresses, such as drought, and to re-establish normal development once the stress has been removed. An example of this phenomenon is provided by cut rose (Rosa hybrida) flowers, which experience typical reversible dehydration stresses during post-harvest handling after harvesting at the bud stages. The molecular mechanisms involved in rose flower dehydration tolerance are not known, however. Here, we characterized a dehydration- and abscisic acid (ABA)-induced ferritin gene (RhFer1). Dehydration-induced free ferrous iron (Fe2+ ) is preferentially sequestered by RhFer1 and not transported outside of the petal cells, to restrict oxidative stresses during dehydration. Free Fe2+ accumulation resulted in more serious oxidative stresses and the induction of genes encoding antioxidant enzyme in RhFer1-silenced petals, and poorer dehydration tolerance was observed compared with tobacco rattle virus (TRV) controls. We also determined that RhABF2, an AREB/ABF transcription factor involved in the ABA signaling pathway, can activate RhFer1 expression by directly binding to its promoter. The silencing of RhABF2 decreased dehydration tolerance and disrupted Fe homeostasis in rose petals during dehydration, as did the silencing of RhFer1. Although both RhFer1 and Fe transporter genes are induced during flower natural senescence in plants, the silencing of RhABF2 or RhFer1 accelerates the petal senescence processes. These results suggest that the regulatory module RhABF2/RhFer1 contributes to the maintenance of Fe levels and enhances dehydration tolerance through the action of RhFer1 locally sequestering free Fe2+ under dehydration conditions, and plays synergistic roles with transporter genes during flower senescence.

Is combined topical with intravenous tranexamic acid superior than topical, intravenous tranexamic acid alone and control groups for blood loss controlling after total knee arthroplasty: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of combined topical with intravenous tranexamic acid (TXA) versus topical, intravenous TXA alone or control for reducing blood loss after a total knee arthroplasty (TKA). METHODS: In May 2016, a systematic computer-based search was conducted in the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Chinese Wanfang database. This systematic review and meta-analysis were performed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) statement criteria. Only patients prepared for primary TKA that administration combined topical with intravenous TXA with topical TXA, intravenous (IV) TXA, or control group for reducing blood loss were included. Eligible criteria were published RCTs about combined topical with intravenous TXA with topical alone or intravenous alone. The primary endpoint was the total blood loss and need for transfusion. The complications of deep venous thrombosis (DVT) were also compiled to assess the safety of combined topical TXA with intravenous TXA. Relative risks (RRs) with 95% CIs were estimated for dichotomous outcomes, and mean differences (MDs) with 95% CIs for continuous outcomes. The Cochrane risk of bias tool was used to appraise a risk of bias. Stata 12.0 software was used for meta-analysis. RESULTS: Fifteen studies involving 1495 patients met the inclusion criteria. The pooled meta-analysis indicated that combined topical TXA with intravenous TXA can reduce the total blood loss compared with placebo with a mean of 458.66 mL and the difference is statistically significant (MD = -458.66, 95% CI: -655.40 to 261.91, P < 0.001). Compared with intravenous TXA, combined administrated TXA can decrease the total blood loss, and the difference is statistically significant (MD = -554.03, 95% CI: -1066.21 to -41.85, P = 0.034). Compared with the topical administration TXA, the pooled meta-analysis indicated that combined TXA can decrease the amount of total blood loss with mean 107.65 mL with statistically significant(MD = -107.65, 95% CI: -525.55 to -239.9141.85, P = 0.001). The pooled results indicated that combined topical with intravenous TXA can decrease the need for transfusion (RR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.23-0.50, P < 0.001). There is no significant difference between combined topical with intravenous TXA with topical or intravenous TXA (P > 0.05) in terms of need for transfusion and the occurrence of DVT. CONCLUSION: Compared with topical, intravenous TXA alone or control group, combined topical with TXA, can decrease the total blood loss and subsequent need for transfusion without increasing the occurrence of DVT. The dose and timing to administration TXA is different, and more randomized controlled trials are warranted to clarify the optimal dosing and time to administration TXA.