Intervention mechanism of marine-based chito-oligosaccharide on acute liver injury induced by AFB1 in rats.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is extremely hepatotoxic, a causative agent of liver cancer, and can cause symptoms of acute or chronic liver damage. Chito-oligosaccharides (COS), obtained from the degradation of chitosan derived from shrimp and crab shells, is a natural antioxidant substance and its antitumor properties have been widely studied, but less research has been done on the prevention of AFB1-induced acute liver injury. In this study, rats were acutely exposed to 1 mg/kg BW AFB1 and simultaneously gavaged with different doses of COS for 8 days. The results showed that COS attenuated the hepatic histopathological changes and reduced serum biochemical indices (ALT, AST, ALP, and TBIL) in rats. It significantly inhibited MDA content and promoted SOD and GSH-Px activity production. Moreover, it also improved hepatocyte apoptosis. Furthermore, AFB1-vs-HCOS differential genes were enriched with 622 GO entries, and 380 were Biological Processes, 170 were Molecular Functions, 72 were Cellular Components. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) analyzed by KEGG enrichment were more enriched in pathways, such as metabolism, PPAR signaling pathway, and peroxisome. Q-PCR technique verified that Lama5, Egr1, Cyp2b1, and Gadd45g in DEGs were associated with oxidative stress damage and apoptosis. In conclusion, COS intervention reduces the effect of AFB1 on hepatic genes and thus reduces the changes in hepatic gene function.

Dahuang-Wumei decoction protects against hepatic encephalopathy in mice: Behavioural, biochemical, and molecular evidence.

BACKGROUND: Disturbance of the blood‒brain barrier (BBB) and associated inflammatory responses are observed in patients with hepatic encephalopathy (HE) and can cause long-term complications. Dahuang-Wumei decoction (DWD) is a renowned traditional Chinese herbal medicine with a long history of clinical use and has been widely employed as an effective treatment for hepatic encephalopathy (HE). Despite its established efficacy, the precise mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of DWD have not been fully elucidated. PURPOSE: The present study aimed to comprehensively explore the potential effects and underlying molecular mechanisms of DWD on HE through an integrated investigation that included both in vivo and in vitro experiments. METHODS: In the present study, carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and thioacetamide (TAA) were used to establish an HE model in mice. The therapeutic effects of DWD on liver injury, fibrosis, brain injury, behaviour, and consciousness disorders were evaluated in vivo. C8-D1A and bEnd.3 cells were used to construct a BBB model in vitro. The effects of DWD on proinflammatory factor expression, BBB damage and the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway were detected in vivo and in vitro. RESULTS: Our results showed that DWD can improve liver injury and fibrosis and brain damage and inhibit neurofunctional and behavioural disorders in mice with HE. Afterwards, we found that DWD decreased the levels of proinflammatory factors and suppressed BBB disruption by increasing the levels of junction proteins in vivo and vitro. Further studies verified that the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway may play a pivotal role in mediating the inhibitory effect of DWD on HE. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrated that DWD can treat HE by preventing BBB disruption, and the underlying mechanisms involved were associated with the activation of the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway and the inhibition of inflammatory responses.

Unraveling the interplay between dyskinesia and overactive bladder symptoms in Parkinson's disease: a comprehensive cohort study based on the long-term follow-up database of Parkinson's disease.

OBJECTIVES: Overactive bladder (OAB) and dyskinesia are frequent complications in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the correlation between OAB and dyskinesia has been insufficiently explored. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between dyskinesia, OAB, and clinical characteristics among individuals with PD. METHODS: 1338 PD patients were included in the present study. Demographic features were compared between patients with or without dyskinesia and OAB symptoms. Logistic regression was conducted on dyskinesia to screen clinically relevant factors. Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS) was further used to stratify the association between the severity of OAB and the occurrence of dyskinesia. RESULTS: This study indicates that both dyskinesia and OAB are significantly related to disease severity and cognitive status. PD patients with dyskinesia and OAB having higher UPDRS scores (p < 0.001), H-Y scores (p < 0.001), NMSQ (p < 0.001) and MoCA scores (p < 0.001), and lower MMSE scores (p < 0.001) are identified. The multivariate logistic regression confirms that disease duration (p = 0.041), LEDD (p < 0.001), UPDRSII (p < 0.001), MoCA (p = 0.024), urgency (p < 0.001), frequency (p < 0.001), and nocturia (p = 0.002) are independent risk factors for dyskinesia. Trend analysis indicates that the risk of dyskinesia significantly increases when patients exhibit moderate to severe OAB symptoms (OABSS > 5) (p < 0.001). No significant interactions were found between OABSS and age, gender, disease duration, LEDD, and NMSQ scores in different subgroups, indicating that dyskinesia is more pronounced in patients with OABSS > 5. DISCUSSION: This study provides compelling evidence supporting the strong correlation between OAB and dyskinesia in PD patients, emphasizing the presence of shared pathogenic mechanisms between these two conditions. Our findings underscore the importance of considering both OAB and dyskinesia in the clinical management of PD, investigating the intricate connections between OAB and dyskinesia could unveil valuable insights into the complex pathophysiology of PD and potentially identify novel therapeutic targets for more effective PD treatment strategies.

Slow-wave sleep and REM sleep without atonia predict motor progression in Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND: Growing evidence supports the potential role of sleep in the motor progression of Parkinson's disease (PD). Slow-wave sleep (SWS) and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep without atonia (RWA) are important sleep parameters. The association between SWS and RWA with PD motor progression and their predictive value have not yet been elucidated. METHODS: We retro-prospectively analyzed clinical and polysomnographic data of 136 patients with PD. The motor symptoms were assessed using Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part III (UPDRS III) at baseline and follow-up to determine its progression. Partial correlation analysis was used to explore the cross-sectional associations between slow-wave energy (SWE), RWA and clinical symptoms. Longitudinal analyses were performed using Cox regression and linear mixed-effects models. RESULTS: Among 136 PD participants, cross-sectional partial correlation analysis showed SWE decreased with the prolongation of the disease course (P = 0.046), RWA density was positively correlated with Hoehn & Yahr (H-Y) stage (tonic RWA, P < 0.001; phasic RWA, P = 0.002). Cox regression analysis confirmed that low SWE (HR = 1.739, 95% CI = 1.038-2.914; P = 0.036; FDR-P = 0.036) and high tonic RWA (HR = 0.575, 95% CI = 0.343-0.963; P = 0.032; FDR-P = 0.036) were predictors of motor symptom progression. Furthermore, we found that lower SWE predicted faster rate of axial motor progression (P < 0.001; FDR-P < 0.001) while higher tonic RWA density was associated with faster rate of rigidity progression (P = 0.006; FDR-P = 0.024) using linear mixed-effects models. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that SWS and RWA might represent markers of different motor subtypes progression in PD.

The association between plasma GPNMB and Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy.

AIMS: Parkinson's disease (PD), as the second most common neurodegenerative disorder, often presents diagnostic challenges in differentiation from other forms of Parkinsonism. Recent studies have reported an association between plasma glycoprotein nonmetastatic melanoma protein B (pGPNMB) and PD. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted, comprising 401 PD patients, 111 multiple system atrophy (MSA) patients, 13 progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) patients and 461 healthy controls from the Chinese Han population, with an assessment of pGPNMB levels. RESULTS: The study revealed that pGPNMB concentrations were significantly lower in PD and MSA patients compared to controls (area under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUC) 0.62 and 0.74, respectively, P < 0.0001 for both), but no difference was found in PSP patients compared to controls (P > 0.05). Interestingly, the level of pGPNMB was significantly higher in PD patients than in MSA patients (AUC = 0.63, P < 0.0001). Furthermore, the study explored the association between pGPNMB levels and disease severity in PD and MSA patients, revealing a positive correlation in PD patients but not in MSA patients with both disease severity and cognitive impairment. CONCLUSION: This study successfully replicated prior findings, demonstrating an association between pGPNMB levels and disease severity, and also identified a correlation with cognitive impairment in PD patients of the Chinese Han population. Additionally, this study is the first to identify a significant difference in pGPNMB levels between MSA, PD, and normal controls. The data provide new evidence supporting the potential role of pGPNMB in the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of Parkinsonism.

Nonlinearity association between hyperuricemia and all-cause mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease.

Controversy surrounds the role of serum uric acid and whether treatment intervention is favorable in retarding the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). The association of serum uric acid levels and CKD patient mortality risk needs to be further determined by large sample cohort studies. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey participants with CKD from 1998 to 2017 were enrolled in the study. Multivariable Cox regression models were used to reveal the association of serum uric acid concentrations and CKD mortality risks. A total of 9891 CKD patients were enrolled in the study, and 3698 individuals died during the follow-up. Increasing serum uric acid levels are independently relevant to higher mortality risks of CKD patients (HR per SD increase). A restricted cubic spline curve showed a nonlinear association between serum uric acid and CKD mortality risks (p for nonlinearity = 0.046). CKD patients with higher levels of serum uric acid (≥ 5.900 mg/dL) show a significant increase in mortality risks (HR = 1.102, 95% CI 1.043-1.165). Sensitivity analysis demonstrated that the results were stable and robust. High serum uric acid levels (≥ 5.900 mg/dL) may be associated with increased mortality risks in CKD patients.

miR-214-3p promotes the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease by inhibiting autophagy.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder characterized by dopaminergic neuron death in the substantia nigra, leading to motor dysfunction. Autophagy dysregulation has been implicated in PD pathogenesis. This study explores the role of miR-214-3p in PD, focusing on its impact on autophagy and dopaminergic neuron viability. Using in vitro and in vivo models, we demonstrate that miR-214-3p inhibits autophagy and promotes dopaminergic neuron apoptosis. Behavioral assessments and molecular analyses reveal exacerbation of PD symptoms upon miR-214-3p overexpression. Furthermore, mechanistic investigations identify ATG3 as a target, shedding light on miR-214-3p's regulatory role in autophagy. These findings enhance our understanding of PD pathogenesis and propose miR-214-3p as a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for modulating autophagy and neuronal survival in PD.

Mechanisms of NLRP3 inflammasome in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis and the effects of traditional Chinese medicine.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: It has been widely reported that various anti-rheumatic traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) ameliorate rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA) through regulating the abnormal production, assembly, and activation of the NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain-associated protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome. These TCMs include monomers isolated from Chinese herbs, extracts of Chinese herbs, and Chinese medical formulae with a lengthy application history. AIM OF THE STUDY: This review aimed to summarize and analyze the published articles about the NLRP3 inflammasome and its role in the pathogenesis of RA and OA. We also reviewed existing knowledge on the therapeutic mechanism of TCMs in RA and OA via the regulation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We searched for relevant articles with the keywords "NLRP3 inflammasome", "traditional Chinese medicine," "Chinese herbal drugs," "rheumatoid arthritis," and "osteoarthritis." The information retrieval was conducted in medical Chinese and English databases from the date of construction to April 19, 2023, including PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, Scopus, Ovid, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Biomedicine Literature Database (CBM), Chinese Science and Technology Periodicals Database (VIP), and China Online Journals (COJ). RESULTS: According to retrieval results, 35 TCMs have been demonstrated to relieve RA by targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome, including six traditional Chinese prescriptions, seven extracts of Chinese herbs, and 22 monomers extracted from traditional Chinese herbs and formulae. Additionally, 23 TCMs have shown anti-OA effects with abilities to modulate the NLRP3 inflammasome, including five traditional Chinese prescriptions, one extract of Chinese herbs, and 17 monomers from Chinese herbs. CONCLUSIONS: We summarized mechanism research about the pivotal roles of the NLRP3 inflammasome in the pathogenesis of RA and OA. Moreover, a review of TCMs with targets of the NLRP3 inflammasome in RA and OA treatment was also conducted. Our work is conducive to a better application of TCMs in complementary and alternative therapies in RA and OA.

Multifaceted oncostatin M: novel roles and therapeutic potential of the oncostatin M signaling in rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a self-immune inflammatory disease characterized by joint damage. A series of cytokines are involved in the development of RA. Oncostatin M (OSM) is a pleiotropic cytokine that primarily activates the Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling pathway, the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway, and other physiological processes such as cell proliferation, inflammatory response, immune response, and hematopoiesis through its receptor complex. In this review, we first describe the characteristics of OSM and its receptor, and the biological functions of OSM signaling. Subsequently, we discuss the possible roles of OSM in the development of RA from clinical and basic research perspectives. Finally, we summarize the progress of clinical studies targeting OSM for the treatment of RA. This review provides researchers with a systematic understanding of the role of OSM signaling in RA, which can guide the development of drugs targeting OSM for the treatment of RA.

Dyslipidemia in rheumatoid arthritis: the possible mechanisms.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune inflammatory disease, of which the leading cause of death is cardiovascular disease (CVD). The levels of total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) in RA decrease especially under hyperinflammatory conditions. It is conflictive with the increased risk of CVD in RA, which is called "lipid paradox". The systemic inflammation may explain this apparent contradiction. The increased systemic proinflammatory cytokines in RA mainly include interleukin-6(IL-6)、interleukin-1(IL-1)and tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-α). The inflammation of RA cause changes in the subcomponents and structure of HDL particles, leading to a weakened anti-atherosclerosis function and promoting LDL oxidation and plaque formation. Dysfunctional HDL can further worsen the abnormalities of LDL metabolism, increasing the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, the specific mechanisms underlying lipid changes in RA and increased CVD risk remain unclear. Therefore, this article comprehensively integrates the latest existing literature to describe the unique lipid profile of RA, explore the mechanisms of lipid changes, and investigate the impact of lipid changes on cardiovascular disease.

Marine biomaterials in biomedical nano/micro-systems.

Marine resources in unique marine environments provide abundant, cost-effective natural biomaterials with distinct structures, compositions, and biological activities compared to terrestrial species. These marine-derived raw materials, including polysaccharides, natural protein components, fatty acids, and marine minerals, etc., have shown great potential in preparing, stabilizing, or modifying multifunctional nano-/micro-systems and are widely applied in drug delivery, theragnostic, tissue engineering, etc. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the most current marine biomaterial-based nano-/micro-systems developed over the past three years, primarily focusing on therapeutic delivery studies and highlighting their potential to cure a variety of diseases. Specifically, we first provided a detailed introduction to the physicochemical characteristics and biological activities of natural marine biocomponents in their raw state. Furthermore, the assembly processes, potential functionalities of each building block, and a thorough evaluation of the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of advanced marine biomaterial-based systems and their effects on molecular pathophysiological processes were fully elucidated. Finally, a list of unresolved issues and pivotal challenges of marine-derived biomaterials applications, such as standardized distinction of raw materials, long-term biosafety in vivo, the feasibility of scale-up, etc., was presented. This review is expected to serve as a roadmap for fundamental research and facilitate the rational design of marine biomaterials for diverse emerging applications.

Establishment of a recombinase polymerase amplification detection method for Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici.

Wheat stripe rust caused by Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) is an airborne disease that endangers wheat during its entire growth period. In this study, the Pst134EA_003354 uncharacterized protein (GenBank: XM_047941824.1) of Pst was used as the target sequence, and the primers PS-RPA-F and PS-RPA-R, as well as the probe PS-LF-probe, were designed for recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) technology. Flow chromatography was combined with the process to establish an RPA detection method for Pst. This method successfully established visual detection within 10 min under a constant temperature of 39 °C, and the detection results were consistent with those of ordinary PCR analysis. However, it only had high specificity for Pst, and the detection limit was 10 fg/µL. In addition, this rapid method successfully detected Pst from wheat leaves during the field incubation period, indicating substantial benefits for applied use. In summary, the RPA detection method established in this study has the favourable characteristics of high efficiency, simple functionality, and rapid and universal practicability, providing a theoretical basis for the early detection and prevention of Pst.

Oriented Ultrathin π-complexation MOF Membrane for Ethylene/Ethane and Flue Gas Separations.

Rational design and engineering of high-performance molecular sieve membranes towards C2 H4 /C2 H6 and flue gas separations remain a grand challenge to date. In this study, through combining pore micro-environment engineering with meso-structure manipulation, highly c-oriented sub-100 nm-thick Cu@NH2 -MIL-125 membrane was successfully prepared. Coordinatively unsaturated Cu ions immobilized in the NH2 -MIL-125 framework enabled high-affinity π-complexation interactions with C2 H4 , resulting in an C2 H4 /C2 H6 selectivity approaching 13.6, which was 9.4 times higher than that of pristine NH2 -MIL-125 membrane; moreover, benefiting from π-complexation interactions between CO2 and Cu(I) sites, our membrane displayed superior CO2 /N2 selectivity of 43.2 with CO2 permeance of 696 GPU, which far surpassed the benchmark of other pure MOF membranes. The above multi-scale structure optimization strategy is anticipated to present opportunities for significantly enhancing the separation performance of diverse molecular sieve membranes.

Triptolide attenuates pulmonary fibrosis by inhibiting fibrotic extracellular matrix remodeling mediated by MMPs/LOX/integrin.

BACKGROUND: Fibrotic extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling characterized different types of pulmonary fibrosis, and its regulation could be a potential shared treatment strategy for pulmonary fibrosis. PURPOSE: We aimed to investigate the effect of triptolide on pulmonary fibrosis through the inhibition of several important aspects of fibrotic ECM remodeling. METHODS: Bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis mice and TGF-ß1-induced primary lung fibroblasts were used. The effect of triptolide on pulmonary fibrosis was detected using histopathology, immunostaining, RT-qPCR, western blotting, ELISA, and protein activity assay. RESULTS: Triptolide significantly alleviated bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice. It inhibited the expression of fibrotic genes α-SMA, collagen I, fibronectin, and vimentin and blocked the TGF-ß-SMAD signaling pathway both in vivo and in vitro. In addition, triptolide regulated the expression and activity of MMPs during fibrosis. Interestingly, it suppressed the expression of lysyl oxidase, which was responsible for matrix cross-linking and elevated ECM stiffness. Furthermore, triptolide blocked the biomechanical stress transduction pathway integrin-ß1-FAK-YAP signaling and attenuated the pro-fibrotic feedback of fibrotic ECM on fibroblasts via integrin inhibition. CONCLUSION: These findings show that triptolide prevents the key linkages of fibrotic ECM remodeling, including deposition, degradation, cross-linking, and pro-fibrotic feedback and, therefore, has potential therapeutic value for pulmonary fibrosis.

Photoelectric characteristics of hydrogen-terminated polycrystalline diamond MESFETs.

In the field of diamond MESFETs, this work is what we believe to be the first to investigate the optoelectronic properties of hydrogen-terminated polycrystalline diamond MESFETs under visible and near-UV light irradiation. It is shown that the diamond MESFETs are well suited for weak light detection in the near-ultraviolet region around the wavelength of 368 nm, with a responsivity of 6.14 × 106 A/W and an external quantum efficiency of 2.1 × 107 when the incident light power at 368.7 nm is only 0.75 µW/cm2. For incident light at 275.1 nm, the device's sensitivity and EQE increase as the incident light power increases; at an incident light power of 175.32 µW/cm2 and a VGS of -1 V, the device's sensitivity is 2.9 × 105 A/W and the EQE is 1.3 × 106. For incident light in the wavelength range of 660 nm to 404 nm with an optical power of 70 µW/cm2, the device achieves an average responsivity of 1.21 × 105 A/W. This indicates that hydrogen-terminated polycrystalline diamond MESFETs are suitable for visible and near-UV light detection, especially for weak near-UV light detection. However, the transient response test of the device shows a long relaxation time of about 0.2 s, so it is not yet suitable for high-speed UV communication or detection.

Distribution and identification of main Viruses Infecting Pepper in Qinghai.

From 2019 to 2021, pepper viruses were investigated in pepper planting areas and collected a total of 333 samples were in Qinghai (The central district, Datong, Huangzhong in Xining; Ledu district, Pingan, Huzhu, Minhe in Haidong, and Jianzha in Huangnan). RT-PCR and molecular cloning were conducted for virus detection in 333 suspected viral samples, the results revealed that viruses infecting pepper mainly included 11 capsicum viruses. Tomato spotted wilt tospovirus （TSWV）has the highest detection rate (36%) in Datong County, and Pepper cryptic virus 1 (PCV1) has the highest detection rate (57%) in Huangzhong County. In the Haidong, 86.3% of the peppers were Broad bean wilt virus 2（BBWV2）, virus-infected Pepper cryptic virus 2 (PCV2), TSWV and Cucumber mosaic virus （CMV） were detected in Xunhua, among which PCV1 and CMV had the highest detection rate (30.4%); PCV1, TSWV, and PCV2 were detected in Ledu and PCV2 had the highest detection rate (50%). There were 17 kinds of co-infection and the co-infection of two viruses occurred often. There were only 5 kinds of co-infection of three. Combined infection contained PCV1 and TMV was the most common. The distribution and species of pepper viruses from the pepper planting areas were clarified and it laid the foundation for preventing and controlling pepper viruses across Qinghai province.

Modular synthesis of clickable peptides via late-stage maleimidation on C(7)-H tryptophan.

Cyclic peptides have attracted tremendous attention in the pharmaceutical industry owing to their excellent cell penetrability, stability, thermostability, and drug-like properties. However, the currently available facile methodologies for creating such peptides are rather limited. Herein, we report an efficient and direct peptide cyclization via rhodium(III)-catalyzed C(7)-H maleimidation. Notably, this catalytical system has excellent regioselectivity and high tolerance of functional groups which enable late-stage cyclization of peptides. This architecture of cyclic peptides exhibits higher bioactivity than its parent linear peptides. Moreover, the Trp-substituted maleimide displays excellent reactivity toward Michael addition, indicating its potential as a click functional group for applications in chemical biology and medicinal chemistry. As a proof of principle, RGD-GFLG-DOX, which is a peptide-drug-conjugate, is constructed and it displays a strong binding affinity and high antiproliferative activity toward integrin-αvß3 overexpressed cancer cell lines. The proposed strategy for rapid preparation of stapled peptides would be a robust tool for creating peptide-drug conjugates.

ZmEREB57 regulates OPDA synthesis and enhances salt stress tolerance through two distinct signalling pathways in Zea mays.

In plant, APETALA2/ethylene-responsive factor (AP2/ERF)-domain transcription factors are important in regulating abiotic stress tolerance. In this study, ZmEREB57 encoding a AP2/ERF transcription factor was identified and its function was investigated in maize. ZmEREB57 is a nuclear protein with transactivation activity induced by several abiotic stress types. Furthermore, two CRISPR/Cas9 knockout lines of ZmEREB57 showed enhanced sensitivity to saline conditions, whereas the overexpression of ZmEREB57 increased salt tolerance in maize and Arabidopsis. DNA affinity purification sequencing (DAP-Seq) analysis revealed that ZmEREB57 notably regulates target genes by binding to promoters containing an O-box-like motif (CCGGCC). ZmEREB57 directly binds to the promoter of ZmAOC2 involved in the synthesis of 12-oxo-phytodienoic acid (OPDA) and jasmonic acid (JA). Transcriptome analysis revealed that several genes involved in regulating stress and redox homeostasis showed differential expression patterns in OPDA- and JA-treated maize seedlings exposed to salt stress compared to those treated with salt stress alone. Analysis of mutants deficient in the biosynthesis of OPDA and JA revealed that OPDA functions as a signalling molecule in the salt response. Our results indicate that ZmEREB57 involves in salt tolerance by regulating OPDA and JA signalling and confirm early observations that OPDA signalling functions independently of JA signalling.

Triptolide alleviates collagen-induced arthritis in mice by modulating Treg/Th17 imbalance through the JAK/PTEN-STAT3 pathway.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the effects of triptolide (TP) on collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mice and the related mechanisms. METHODS: CIA mice were administered TP for 35 days. Mouse ankle joints and serum antibodies and cytokines were examined to assess the therapeutic effects of TP. The ratios of Treg, Th1 and Th17 cells were measured by flow cytometry and RT-qPCR. Reverse docking was used to characterize the binding modes of TP against target proteins. The expression of the STAT3 pathway in CIA mice was evaluated by western blotting and immunofluorescence staining. Mouse spleen lymphocytes were extracted, and the expression of the STAT3 pathway after IL-6 stimulation was analysed. RESULTS: TP could significantly alleviate joint swelling, reduce bone destruction and downregulate serum inflammation levels. TP improved the imbalance of Treg/Th17 cells in CIA mice. TP could form stable complexes with target proteins. TP significantly inhibited the activation of the JAK/PTEN-STAT3 pathway in mice. Moreover, TP regulated the activation of the JAK1/2-STAT3 signalling pathway in mouse spleen lymphocytes under inflammatory stimulation. CONCLUSION: TP can inhibit inflammation and alleviate bone destruction in CIA mice. The underlying mechanism is related to the regulation of the imbalance of Treg/Th17 cells through the JAK/PTEN-STAT3 pathway.

Room-Temperature Synthesis of Zeolite Membranes toward Optimized Microstructure and Enhanced Butane Isomer Separation Performance.

Room temperature (RT) synthesis of high-performance zeolite membranes, which is profound from techno-economic and eco-friendly perspectives, remains a grand challenge. In this work, we pioneered the RT preparation of well-intergrown pure-silica MFI zeolite (Si-MFI) membranes, which was realized through adopting highly reactive NH4F-mediated gel as nutrient during epitaxial growth. Benefiting from the introduction of fluoride anions as mineralizing agent as well as precisely tuned nucleation and growth kinetics at RT, both their grain boundary structure and thickness could be deliberately controlled, resulting in the formation of Si-MFI membranes showing unprecedented n-/i-butane separation factor (96.7) and n-butane permeance (5.16 × 10-7 mol m-2 s-1 Pa-1) in the case of a feed molar ratio of 10/90, which well transcended the state-of-the-art membranes reported in the literature. This RT synthetic protocol was also proven effective for preparing highly b-oriented Si-MFI film, thus showing great promise for the preparation of diverse zeolite membranes with optimized microstructure and superior performance.