A neutral invertase controls cell division besides hydrolysis of sucrose for nutrition during germination and seed setting in rice.

Sucrose is the transport form of carbohydrate in plants serving as signal molecule besides nutrition, but the signaling is elusive. Here, neutral invertase 8 (OsNIN8) mutated at G461R into OsNIN8m, which increased its charge and hydrophobicity, decreased hydrolysis of sucrose to 13% and firmer binding to sucrose than the wildtype. This caused downstream metabolites and energy accumulation forming overnutrition. Paradoxically, division of subinitials in longitudinal cell lineages was only about 15 times but more than 100 times in wildtype, resulting in short radicle. Further, mutation of OsNIN8 into deficiency of hydrolysis but maintenance of sucrose binding allowed cell division until ran out of energy showing the association but not hydrolysis gave the signal. Chemically, sucrose binding to OsNIN8 was exothermic but to OsNIN8m was endothermic. Therefore, OsNIN8m lost the signal function owing to change of thermodynamic state. So, OsNIN8 sensed sucrose for cell division besides hydrolyzed sucrose.

Network Pharmacology Analysis of Traditional Chinese Medicine for Treating Psoriasis: Identifying Core Components, Mechanisms, and Dosing Patterns.

Context: Psoriasis is a chronic, inflammation-mediated skin disease. The use of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in the treatment of psoriasis boasts a rich historical tradition. Researchers widely use network pharmacology to reveal the action mechanisms of TCM by establishing an interaction network-drug-component-target-disease. Objective: The study aimed to use a network pharmacology approach to investigate the interaction between TCM and its targets in psoriasis, aiming to identify core drugs and mechanisms underlying TCM's treatment of common psoriasis and to create a new TCM formula. Design: The research team performed a retrospective genetic study. Setting: The study took place in the Dermatology Department at Beijing Wangfu Hospital of Integrative Medicine in Beijing, China. Participants: Participants were patients that the dermatology clinic had diagnosed with common psoriasis between January 1, 2016 and January 1, 2019. Outcome Measures: The research team: (1) calculated the frequency of each herb's occurrence; (2) identified the core drugs; (3) determined the core drugs' active ingredients and targets; (4) identified psoriasis' targets; (5) determined the target proteins; (6) identified the top-30, key signaling-set pathways; (7) identified the top 10 biological processes (BPs), cell components (CC), and molecular functions (MF); (8) screened the top-five major active ingredients; and (9) performed molecular docking. Results: The research team: (1) based on 892 prescriptions from 95 patients, identified 161 herbal medicines, with Lonicerae Japonicae Flos, Herba Portulacae, Radix Gentianae, Bletilla striata, Raw Rehmanniae Radix, Dictamni Cortex, and Forsythia suspensa being core drugs; (2) found 58 active ingredients and 144 effective, target functional genes for the core drugs through network pharmacology screening, with 81 potential targets for psoriasis treatment; the core drugs for treatment may restore the keratin-forming cell function by inhibiting cancer-related pathways, the interleukin-17 (IL-17) signaling pathway, the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathway, and the hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) signaling pathway; (3) using molecular docking, revealed high-affinity interactions between the active ingredients primuletin, luteolin, and wogonin and mitogen-activated protein kinase 8 (MAPK8), tumor protein 53 (TP53), and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Conclusions: The new TCM formula to be used in the current research team's hospital may act on MAPK8, TP53, and EGFR targets through active ingredients such as primuletin, kaempferol, luteolin, wogonin, and ß-sitosterol, which involve several signaling pathways, such as the cancer signaling, TNF signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway, and endocrine resistance. The research provides a theoretical foundation for the clinical use of the new TCM formula.

Inhibiting of circ-TLK1 inhibits the progression of glioma through down-regulating PANX1 via targeting miR-17-5p.

Glioma remains the most common malignant tumors in the central nervous system and often has poor prognosis. In recent years, it has been gradually revealed that non-coding RNA effects glioma progression. In this study, we aimed to investigate the significance of circular RNA TLK1 (Circ-TLK1) in predicting the survival of glioma patients as well as its role in glioma development via both in-vitro and in-vivo experiments. We found that Circ-TLK1 was conspicuously up-regulated in glioma tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues, and the up-regulated Circ-TLK1 was significantly correlated with glioma patients' larger tumor volume and higher grades. Functionally, Circ-TLK1 over-expression facilitated glioma growth, migration and invasion, inhibited cell apoptosis, and accelerated PANX1/MAPK/ERK expression, while Circ-TLK1 low expression had the opposite effects. In addition, bioinformatics analysis showed that miR-17-5p was a potential target of Circ-TLK1 and targeted at PANX1. Furthermore, through dual luciferase viability assay, Circ-TLK1 acted as a competing endogenous RNA by sponging miR-17-5p, which targeted and inhibited PANX1/MAPK/ERK expression. MiR-17-5p overexpression mitigated glioma progression, which was significantly inhibited with Circ-TLK1 upregulation. In conclusion, this study confirmed a novel axis of Circ-TLK1-miR-17-5p-PANX1 in modulating glioma development, providing more references for glioma diagnosis and targeted therapy.

Characterization of alternative splicing events and prognostic signatures in breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer (BRCA) is one of the most common cancers worldwide. Abnormal alternative splicing (AS) frequently observed in cancers. This study aims to demonstrate AS events and signatures that might serve as prognostic indicators for BRCA. METHODS: Original data for all seven types of splice events were obtained from TCGA SpliceSeq database. RNA-seq and clinical data of BRCA cohorts were downloaded from TCGA database. Survival-associated AS events in BRCA were analyzed by univariate COX proportional hazards regression model. Prognostic signatures were constructed for prognosis prediction in patients with BRCA based on survival-associated AS events. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to measure the correlation between the expression of splicing factors (SFs) and the percent spliced in (PSI) values of AS events. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) were conducted to demonstrate pathways in which survival-associated AS event is enriched. RESULTS: A total of 45,421 AS events in 21,232 genes were identified. Among them, 1121 AS events in 931 genes significantly correlated with survival for BRCA. The established AS prognostic signatures of seven types could accurately predict BRCA prognosis. The comprehensive AS signature could serve as independent prognostic factor for BRCA. A SF-AS regulatory network was therefore established based on the correlation between the expression levels of SFs and PSI values of AS events. CONCLUSIONS: This study revealed survival-associated AS events and signatures that may help predict the survival outcomes of patients with BRCA. Additionally, the constructed SF-AS networks in BRCA can reveal the underlying regulatory mechanisms in BRCA.

Suppression of delayed rectifier K+ channels by gentamicin induces membrane hyperexcitability through JNK and PKA signaling pathways in vestibular ganglion neurons.

Aminoglycoside antibiotics, such as gentamicin, are known to have vestibulotoxic effects, including ataxia and disequilibrium. To date, however, the underlying cellular and molecular mechanisms are still unclear. In this study, we determined the role of gentamicin in regulating the sustained delayed rectifier K+ current (IDR) and membrane excitability in vestibular ganglion (VG) neurons in mice. Our results showed that the application of gentamicin to VG neurons decreased the IDR in a concentration-dependent manner, while the transient outward A-type K+ current (IA) remained unaffected. The decrease in IDR induced by gentamicin was independent of G-protein activity and led to a hyperpolarizing shift of the inactivation Vhalf. The analysis of phospho-c-Jun N-terminal kinase (p-JNK) revealed that gentamicin significantly stimulated JNK, while p-ERK and p-p38 remained unaffected. Blocking Kv1 channels with α-dendrotoxin or pretreating VG neurons with the JNK inhibitor II abrogated the gentamicin-induced decrease in IDR. Antagonism of JNK signaling attenuated the gentamicin-induced stimulation of PKA activity, whereas PKA inhibition prevented the IDR response induced by gentamicin. Moreover, gentamicin significantly increased the number of action potentials fired in both phasic and tonic firing type neurons; pretreating VG neurons with the JNK inhibitor II and the blockade of the IDR abolished this effect. Taken together, our results demonstrate that gentamicin decreases the IDR through a G-protein-independent but JNK and PKA-mediated signaling pathways. This gentamicin-induced IDR response mediates VG neuronal hyperexcitability and might contribute to its pharmacological vestibular effects.

Antihypertensive properties of a traditional Chinese medicine GAO-ZI-YAO in elderly spontaneous hypertensive rats.

AIM: The present study aims to investigate the antihypertensive effect and the underlying mechanism of GAO-ZI-YAO, one of the traditional Chinese medicines, in elderly spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR). METHODS: 12-month-old male SHRs were randomly divided into five groups on the basis of treatment with different doses of GAO-ZI-YAO or angiotensin II receptor-1 blocker (ARB, Irbesartan) for four weeks. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), and serum levels of nitric oxide (NO), endothelin-1 (ET-1), angiotensin II (Ang II), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-2, IL-6, and tumor necrotic factor (TNF)-α were measured. The pathological changes of ventricular muscle and thoracic aorta were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining (H&E). RESULTS: GAO-ZI-YAO treatment reduced SBP in a dose-dependent manner accompanied by the inhibition of the development of cardiovascular remodeling. Although GAO-ZI-YAO treatment markedly increased serum levels of NO and suppressed serum levels of Ang II, this medicine did not affect the serum levels of ET-1 and VEGF. In addition, GAO-ZI-YAO also inhibited inflammatory response parameters (inflammatory cell infiltration in cardiac tissues and serum levels of IL-1ß, IL-2, IL-6, and TNF-α) in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSION: GAO-ZI-YAO exerts antihypertensive and anti-cardiovascular-remodeling effects in elderly SHR, which may be through regulation of NO, Ang II production, and inflammation.

Differential analysis of proteomes and metabolomes reveals additively balanced networking for metabolism in maize heterosis.

A century ago, dominance and overdominance hypotheses were developed to explain the phenomenon of heterosis, both hypotheses were in a nonadditive pattern. Here, a principal component analysis (PCA) of maize seed proteomes was used for representative inbreds of five heterotic germplasms and three classes of hybrid. Hybrids congregated in the center region of inbreds, forming an additive distribution with hybrids in the middle of their parents. Principal components 1 and 2 indicated biased distributions of proteins with functions of amino acid-protein or carbohydrate-energy metabolisms, respectively, after loading analysis and MS identification of proteins. Then, GC-MS was used to examine free amino acids, carbohydrates, and organic acids. A lower level of these metabolites were found in hybrids than inbreds. Further, we performed similar analyses of germinating seeds of a parent-F1 triad and three F2 segregants and confirmed these results. Therefore, an additive pattern of protein abundances for an unimpeded flow of metabolites was established in heterotic hybrids. That is, an additively balanced networking but not the nonadditive dominance or overdominance regulates heterosis. The less expensive metabolism in hybrids suggested the evolution of sexual reproduction. The Mendelian phenotypic ratio can be better explained based on this additive pattern than dominance.

Physiological and molecular features of Puccinellia tenuiflora tolerating salt and alkaline-salt stress.

Saline-alkali soil seriously threatens agriculture productivity; therefore, understanding the mechanism of plant tolerance to alkaline-salt stress has become a major challenge. Halophytic Puccinellia tenuiflora can tolerate salt and alkaline-salt stress, and is thus an ideal plant for studying this tolerance mechanism. In this study, we examined the salt and alkaline-salt stress tolerance of P. tenuiflora, and analyzed gene expression profiles under these stresses. Physiological experiments revealed that P. tenuiflora can grow normally with maximum stress under 600 mmol/L NaCl and 150 mmol/L Na2 CO3 (pH 11.0) for 6 d. We identified 4,982 unigenes closely homologous to rice and barley. Furthermore, 1,105 genes showed differentially expressed profiles under salt and alkaline-salt treatments. Differentially expressed genes were overrepresented in functions of photosynthesis, oxidation reduction, signal transduction, and transcription regulation. Almost all genes downregulated under salt and alkaline-salt stress were related to cell structure, photosynthesis, and protein synthesis. Comparing with salt stress, alkaline-salt stress triggered more differentially expressed genes and significantly upregulated genes related to H(+) transport and citric acid synthesis. These data indicate common and diverse features of salt and alkaline-salt stress tolerance, and give novel insights into the molecular and physiological mechanisms of plant salt and alkaline-salt tolerance.

Proteomics insight into the biological safety of transgenic modification of rice as compared with conventional genetic breeding and spontaneous genotypic variation.

The potential of unintended effects caused by transgenic events is a key issue in the commercialization of genetically modified (GM) crops. To investigate whether transgenic events cause unintended effects, we used comparative proteomics approaches to evaluate proteome differences in seeds from 2 sets of GM indica rice, herbicide-resistant Bar68-1 carrying bar and insect-resistant 2036-1a carrying cry1Ac/sck, and their respective controls D68 and MH86, as well as indica variety MH63, a parental line for breeding MH86, and japonica variety ZH10. This experimental design allowed for comparing proteome difference caused by transgenes, conventional genetic breeding, and natural genetic variation. Proteomics analysis revealed the maximum numbers of differentially expressed proteins between indica and japonica cultivars, second among indica varieties with relative small difference between MH86 and MH63, and the minimum between GM rice and respective control, thus indicating GM events do not substantially alter proteome profiles as compared with conventional genetic breeding and natural genetic variation. Mass spectrometry analysis revealed 234 proteins differentially expressed in the 6 materials, and these proteins were involved in different cellular and metabolic processes with a prominent skew toward metabolism (31.2%), protein synthesis and destination (25.2%), and defense response (22.4%). In these seed proteomes, proteins implicated in the 3 prominent biological processes showed significantly different composite expression patterns and were major factors differentiating japonica and indica cultivars, as well as indica varieties. Thus, metabolism, protein synthesis and destination, and defense response in seeds are important in differentiating rice cultivars and varieties.

Proteomic analysis reveals an aflatoxin-triggered immune response in cotyledons of Arachis hypogaea infected with Aspergillus flavus.

An immune response is triggered in host cells when host receptors recognize conserved molecular motifs, pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs), such as ß-glucans, and chitin at the cell surface of a pathogen. Effector-triggered immunity occurs when pathogens deliver effectors into the host cell to suppress the first immune signaling. Using a differential proteomic approach, we identified an array of proteins responding to aflatoxins in cotyledons of peanut (Arachis hypogaea) infected with aflatoxin-producing (toxigenic) but not nonaflatoxin-producing (atoxigenic) strains of Aspergillus flavus. These proteins are involved in immune signaling and PAMP perception, DNA and RNA stabilization, induction of defense, innate immunity, hypersensitive response, biosynthesis of phytoalexins, cell wall responses, peptidoglycan assembly, penetration resistance, condensed tannin synthesis, detoxification, and metabolic regulation. Gene expression analysis confirmed the differential abundance of proteins in peanut cotyledons supplemented with aflatoxins, with or without infection with the atoxigenic strain. Similarly, peanut germination and A. flavus growth were altered in response to aflatoxin B1. These findings show an additional immunity initiated by aflatoxins. With the PAMP- and effector-triggered immune responses, this immunity constitutes the third immune response of the immune system in peanut cotyledon cells. The system is also a three-grade coevolution of plant-pathogen interaction.

Effects of minocycline on apoptosis and angiogenesis-related protein expression in a rat model of intracerebral hemorrhage.

In the present study, a rat model of non-traumatic intracerebral hemorrhage was established by type IV collagenase injection into the right globus pallidus. Bax and Bcl-2 expression in tissues surrounding hematomas was significantly increased within 14 days after injury, and it then gradually decreased. Vascular endothelial growth factor, Flk-1 and Flt-1 mRNA expression gradually increased over time. After intraperitoneal injection with minocycline, Bax expression was decreased 1 day after intracerebral hemorrhage. Flk-1 and Flt-1 mRNA expression was decreased after minocycline injection, but Bcl-2 expression was increased, and vascular endothelial growth factor mRNA expression was decreased between 4-14 days. These results indicated that protective effects of minocycline on nerve tissues were associated with increased Bcl-2 expression and decreased Bax expression in the early stage after intracerebral hemorrhage. In the late stage, minocycline downregulated vascular endothelial growth factor and its receptor expression to inhibit brain tissue self-repair.

Dynamic proteomic analysis reveals diurnal homeostasis of key pathways in rice leaves.

Diurnal physiological acclimation regulated by a circadian system is an advantage for plant fitness. The circadian system is composed of a signal input, the clock and output pathways. Understanding the regulation mechanism of the output pathways remains a major challenge. Diurnal proteomic change reflects the state of circadian organization. We found the content of glucose, fructose, sucrose and starch diurnally changed in leaves of rice seedlings grown under a 12-h light/12-h dark condition with constant temperature. Dynamic proteomics analysis revealed 140 protein spots with diurnally changed levels at six times of the light/dark cycle; 132 spots were identified by MS, and 119 spots were of a single protein each with functional annotation. These proteins are involved in regulation of carbohydrate flow, redox, protein folding, nitrogen and protein metabolism, energy conversion, photorespiration and photosynthesis. Of these proteins, 81.5% were upregulated during the light phase, overlappingly, 41.2% showed behavior of circadian anticipation to dawn. Pattern analysis showed that the diurnal regulation involved pathways of allocation of carbohydrates between temporary reserves and consumption, maintenance of redox homeostasis, diurnal protein reassembly and nitrogen assimilation. These pathways reflect biochemical phenotypes of the circadian change linking the oscillator and circadian outputs.

Changes of blood-brain barrier permeability following intracerebral hemorrhage and the therapeutic effect of minocycline in rats.

OBJECTIVE: to investigate the changes of blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability and expressions of VEGF, NGF and HPS70 in brain at different time points following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in rats, and observe therapeutic effect of minocycline (MC). METHODS: rat ICH model was induced with Type IV collagenase. Early MC treatment was administrated via intraperitoneal injection. BBB permeability was evaluated by Evans blue (EB) amount exuded out of cerebral vessels. VEGF, NGF, and HPS70 expressions were determined with immunohistochemical staining. RESULTS: EB exudation amount in MC treatment group was less than the ICH group (P < 0.05). The former showed a transient EB exudation peak only 1 h after modeling and then gradually decreased, while the latter showed two EB exudation peaks 1 and 4 days after modeling, respectively. The number of VEGF-positive cells in MC treatment group was less than the ICH group (P < 0.05), whereas the number of NGF- and HSP70-positive cells were more than the ICH group (P < 0.05). All three were mainly expressed in neurons and gitter cells, but there were only few expressions in the control group. CONCLUSION: after ICH, the BBB permeability was destroyed, with neuron function affected. In the early stage, VEGF increased BBB permeability, while NGF and HSP70 showed protective effects on nerve cells. Early intraperitoneal injection with MC could reduce the damage of BBB and increase the protective effect on nerve cells, the mechanism of which may be achieved by reducing VEGF expression and enhancing NGF and HSP70 expressions.

Effects of minocycline on the expression of NGF and HSP70 and its neuroprotection role following intracerebral hemorrhage in rats.

The present study was aimed to investigate the effects of minocycline (MC) on the expression of nerve growth factor (NGF) and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in rats, and explore the neuroprotective function of MC. Seventy-eight male SD rats were randomly assigned to three groups: the ICH control group (n = 36), ICH intervention group (n = 36) and sham operation group (n = 6). The ICH control group and ICH intervention group were subdivided into 6 subgroups at 1, 2, 4, 5, 7 and 14 d after ICH with 6 rats in each subgroup. Type IV collagenase was injected into the basal nuclei to establish the ICH model. All rats showed symptoms of the nervous system after the model was established, and the sympotsm in the ICH control group were more serious than the ICH intervention group. The number of NGF-positive cells and HSP70-positive cells in the ICH intervention group was higher than that of the ICH control group. MC administration by intraperitoneal injection can increase the expression of NGF and HSP70. MC may inhibit the activation of microglia, the inflammatory reaction and factors, matrix metalloproteinases and apoptosis, thus protecting neurons. The change of the expression of NGF and HSP70 may be involved in the pathway of neuroprotection by MC.

Migratory localization of cyclin D2-Cdk4 complex suggests a spatial regulation of the G1-S transition.

The association of the cyclin D-Cdk (DC) complex with retinoblastoma protein (pRb) is required for the G1-S transition of the cell cycle. Cyclin synthesis, nuclear localization and degradation are control mechanisms for the transition, but regulation of the DC complex nuclear import also contributes to the transition. Analysis of the timing of the G1-S transition in mammalian cell lines revealed acceleration with overexpression of cyclin D2 and Cdk4. Immunolocalization assays revealed that cyclin D2 and Cdk4 formed a complex in the cytoplasm and approached the nucleus. They accumulated on the cytosolic surfaces of the nuclear pores and then were arrested at the nuclear membrane before the nucleus reached a critical size. Finally, the complex was released into the nucleus and colocalized with pRb there, which led to pRb phosphorylation and DNA synthesis. The translocalization depended on the G1-S transition. In contrast, a truncated cyclin D2 that was not able to fully associate with Cdk4 lost the ability for release into the nucleus. This pattern of translocalization suggests a spatial separation of the cyclin D-Cdk complex from pRb and DNA in the nucleus to regulate the G1-S transition.

[Cloning and sequencing of ACC oxidase gene from sugarcane].

The plant hormone ethylene is not only responsible for the initiation of fruit ripening, senescence and dormancy but also for regulating many other plant developmental processes, such as seed germination, root initiation, growth, floral differentiation, sex differentiation and responding to environment stresses. One of the rate-limiting steps for ethylene biosynthesizing in plant is catalyzed by 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylate (ACC) oxidase. Understanding of ethylene expressive pattern in plant is an entrance to understand the roles of ethylene on plant. In this paper, two degenerate oligonucleotide primers were designed, coding for two conservative amino acid regions in ACC oxidase protein family, the sequences of the two primers were TAGAGCTCGATGC[TA]TG [CT]GA[GA]AA[AC]TGGGG and CGTCTAGAGCTTC[GA]AATCTTGGCTCCTT respectively. A PCR amplification was performed on sugarcane (Saccharum L. Hybrid cv. ROC16) DNA template, and produced a fragment of 940 bp. By using the program of BLAST on NCBI GenBank database, the sequence presented a very high match with the ACC oxidase genes from other plants, 63 searched out sequences were all ACC oxidase genes. After alignment on PCgene program, the identities of the cloned fragment with ACC oxidase genes from rice and bamboo were both reaching about 88%. So we can concluded that the cloned sequence was a member of ACC oxidase genes fragment from sugarcane. The sequence has been submitted to the GenBank database, the accession number is AF442821. According to the ACC oxidase protein family, a 'intron' of 103 bp was excluded and the sequence coded 279 amino acids, which spanned 88% of the putative whole sequence in length. Alignment and phylogenetic analysis of the amino acid sequence deduced from this fragment and the ACC oxidase sequences of other plants retrieved from GenBank were carried out by using PCgene program. The putative amino acid sequence shared a homology of 86% with the ACC oxidases of bamboo and rice, 74.6% with banana, 70% with tomato and potato and 68% with melon and carnation, which showed that the homology of sugarcane ACC oxidase with monocot was higher than with dicot. The results of phylogenetic analysis showed that ACC oxidase from sugarcane and ACC oxidases from rice clustered together firstly, and then came those from banana, ACC oxidases of dicot from potato, tomato, petunia, melon, Arabidopsis thaliana and carnation came subsequently. It indicated that sugarcane ACC oxidase had a closer phylogenetic affinities to the monocot ACC oxidase sequences than to the dicot ACC oxidases sequences. The clustering results of ACC oxidase molecules accorded with morphological classification system.