Mechanism research of non-coding RNA in immune checkpoint inhibitors therapy.

Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapies for tumors of different systems have attained significant achievements and have changed the current situation of tumor treatment due to their therapeutic characteristics of high specificity and low side effects. The immune checkpoint Programmed death 1/Programmed cell death-Ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) axis exerts a vital role in the immune escape of tumor cells. As a result, it has become a key target for tumor immunotherapy. Therefore, to perfect research into potential regulatory factors for the PD-1/PD-L1 axis, in order to understand and illustrate tumor ICI therapy mechanisms, is a significant goal. Moreover, ncRNA has been verified to regulate the PD-1/PD-L1 axis in the tumor immune microenvironment to regulate tumor genesis and development. ncRNAs can improve or decrease the efficacy of ICI therapy by modulating PD-L1 expression. This review aimed to investigate the mechanisms of action of ncRNA in regulating the PD-1/PD-L1 axis in ICI therapy, to provide more efficient immunotherapy for tumors of different systems.

Exploring Cr(VI)-induced blood-brain barrier injury and neurotoxicity in zebrafish and snakehead fish, and inhibiting toxic effects of astaxanthin.

Cr(VI) is a common hazardous heavy metal contaminant that seriously endangers human and aquatic animal health. GPX4 was the key enzyme that reduces heavy metal toxicity through inhibiting ferroptosis pathway. Astaxanthin was GPX4 activator that can weaken biological toxicity induced by Cr(VI) exposure. The present study was conducted to evaluate the major role of GPX4 in astaxanthin protects Cr(VI)-induced oxidative damage, blood-brain barrier injury and neurotoxicity in brain-liver axis through inhibiting ferroptosis pathway. In the current study, astaxanthin intervention can effectively alleviate Cr(VI)-induced oxidative stress, blood-brain barrier damage, and neurotoxicity. GPX4 plays a major role in mediating astaxanthin nutritional intervention to reduce ROS and liver non-heme iron accumulation, which would contribute to the reduction of ferroptosis. Meanwhile, astaxanthin maintains the stability of transport receptors and protein macromolecules such as TMEM163, SLC7A11, SLC3A2, FPN1 and GLUT1 in the brain liver axis, promoting substance exchange and energy supply. Moreover, astaxanthin alleviates Cr(VI)-induced neurotoxicity by promoting tight protein expression and reducing blood-brain barrier permeability.

An inversion method for calculating formation and borehole parameters in X-ray lithology density logging.

The use of X-ray sources in place of the 137Cs sources used in traditional lithology density logging methods has become a new trend in the development of nuclear logging techniques. How to eliminate the effects of drilling fluids or mudcake in the measurement process is a key question that determines the accuracy of measurement. In order to reduce the effects of mudcake and improve the accuracy of measurement of formation parameters, this paper presents an inversion method that can accurately calculate formation and borehole parameters and is suitable for X-ray lithology density logging. The general process of this inversion method is described below. First, a response model for broad-beam attenuation during X-ray lithology density logging is derived. Subsequently, the responses of four detectors under various formation and borehole conditions are studied by means of Monte Carlo simulation, and the energy spectra measured by each detector are divided into four energy windows (ranges) depending on the correlation with formation parameters. Finally, accurate values of formation and borehole parameters are obtained through iterative inversion using the Levenberg-Marquardt (LM) algorithm. The results of this study show that compared with previously established analysis methods, the inversion method based on forward modeling can effectively improve the accuracy of measurement of formation density and lithology index during X-ray lithology density logging, reduce the influence of the borehole environment, and overcome the deficiencies of data processing techniques based on the spine and ribs plot.

Exploring the effectiveness of endometrial receptivity array and immune profiling in patients with multiple implantation failure：A retrospective cohort study based on propensity score matching.

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the endometrial receptivity array (ERA), endometrial immune profiling, and a combination of both in improving the pregnancy outcomes for multiple implantation failure patients. According to patients' willingness, 1429 women who incurred at least two or more consecutive implantation failures in IVF/ICSI treatment opted for frozen embryo transfer and were divided into four groups: 'No test', 'Immune Profiling', 'ERA' and 'ERA+ Immune Profiling'. Women in three test groups underwent timed endometrial biopsy for ERA, immune profiling, a combination of both. We observed the overall incidence rates of the displaced window of implantation (WOI) and endometrial immune dysregulation were 75.14% and 79.29%, respectively. After 1:1 propensity score matching (PSM), our data revealed that the 'ERA' and 'ERA + Immune Profiling' groups demonstrated significantly higher rates of biochemical, clinical, ongoing pregnancy, and implantation compared to the 'No test' group (p < 0.01). The 'Immune Profiling' group showed a higher implantation rate compared to 'No test' group (p < 0.05). Furthermore, when comparing three test groups, the 'ERA + Immune Profiling' group exhibited notably higher rates of clinical and ongoing pregnancy compared to the 'Immune Profiling' group (p < 0.017). However, there was no association between endometrial immune profiling and ERA phases, and their results did not differ between embryo implantation and non-implantation in these patients. Our findings underline the increased implantation rates by use of ERA and endometrial immune profiling in patients with multiple implantation failure, either individually or corporately. Moreover, a combination of both could improve their pregnancy outcomes significantly.

Effect of tandem repeats of antimicrobial peptide CC34 on production of target proteins and activity of Pichia pastoris.

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are attracting attention in the fields of medicine, food, and agriculture because of their broad-spectrum antibacterial properties, low resistance, and low-residue in the body. However, the low yield and instability of the prepared AMP drugs limit their application. In this study, we designed a tetramer of the AMP CC34, constructed and transfected two recombinant expression vectors with pGAPZαA containing a haploid CC34 and tetraploid CC34 (CC34-4js) into Pichia pastoris to explore the effect of biosynthesized peptides. The results showed that CC34 and CC34-4js expression levels were 648.2 and 1105.3 mg/L, respectively, in the fermentation supernatant of P. pastoris. The CC34-4js tetramer showed no antibacterial activity, could be cleaved to the monomer using formic acid, and the hemolytic rate of the polyploid was slightly lower than that of monomeric CC34. The average daily gain, average daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio and immune organ index of rats fed CC34 and CC34-4js showed no differences. In conclusion, CC34-4js exhibited a higher yield and lower hemolysis in P. pastoris than those of CC34. Finally, CC34 and CC34-4js enterokinase lysates showed similar antibacterial activity and both expressed peptides potentially improved the growth performance and organ indices of rats.

The molecular mechanism of WRINKLED1 transcription factor regulating oil accumulation in developing seeds of castor bean.

The transcription factor WRINKLED1 (WRI1), a member of AP2 gene family that contain typical AP2 domains, has been considered as a master regulator regulating oil biosynthesis in oilseeds. However, the regulatory mechanism of RcWRI1 in regulating oil accumulation during seed development has not been clearly addressed. Castor bean (Ricinus communis) is one of the most important non-edible oil crops and its seed oils are rich in hydroxy fatty acids, widely applied in industry. In this study, based on castor bean reference genome, three RcWRIs genes (RcWRI1, RcWRI2 and RcWRI3) were identified and the expressed association of RcWRI1 with oil accumulation were determined. Heterologous transformation of RcWRI1 significantly increased oil content in tobacco leaf, confirming that RcWRI1 activate lipid biosynthesis pathway. Using DNA Affinity Purification sequencing (DAP-seq) technology, we confirmed RcWRI1 binding with Transcription Start Site of genes and identified 7961 WRI1-binding candidate genes. Functionally, these identified genes were mainly involved in diverse metabolism pathways (including lipid biosynthesis). Three cis-elements AW-box ([CnTnG](n)7[CG]) and AW-boxes like ([GnAnC](n)6[GC]/[GnAnC](n)7[G]) bound with RcWRI1 were identified. Co-expression network analysis of RcWRI1 further found that RcWRI1 might be widely involved in biosynthesis of storage materials during seed development. In particular, yeast one hybrid experiments found that both AP2 domains within RcWRI1 were required in binding targeted genes. These results not only provide new evidence to understand the regulatory mechanism of RcWRI1 in regulation of oil accumulation during castor bean seed development, but also give candidate gene resource for subsequent genetic improvement toward increasing oil content in oilseed crops.

The effectiveness of the puncture channel plugging for reduction of complications after CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic needle biopsy.

The effect of plugging the puncture channel with a mixture of hemocoagulase injection on the complications of CT-guided percutaneous transthoracic need biopsy (PTNB) was discussed. The medical records of PTNB were retrospectively studied from June 2017 to May 2022. In the study, the puncture channel of 626 patients were blocked, while remain 681 patients' were not. The Mantel Haenszel method performed layered analysis and evaluated the correlation of adjusted confounding factors. The Odds Ratio and its 95% confidence interval were calculated using the Woof method. The incidence of high-level pulmonary hemorrhage was significantly reduced in patients with lesions ≤ 2 cm and different needle lengths. Patients with different pleural-needle tip angle and perineedle emphysema were blocked, and the incidence of pneumothorax and thoracic implants was significantly reduced. Through puncture channel plugging, the incidence of pulmonary hemorrhage, pneumothorax and thoracic catheterization of PTNB under CT guidance was reduced.

Bioinformatics analysis identifies potential ferroptosis key genes in the pathogenesis of diabetic peripheral neuropathy.

Background: Diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) is a serious complication in Diabetes Mellitus (DM) patients and the underlying mechanism is yet unclear. Ferroptosis has been recently intensively researched as a key process in the pathogenesis of diabetes but there yet has been no related bioinformatics-based studies in the context of DPN. Methods: We used data mining and data analysis techniques to screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and immune cell content in patients with DPN, DM patients and healthy participants (dataset GSE95849). These DEGs were then intersected with the ferroptosis dataset (FerrDb) to obtain ferroptosis DEGs and the associated key molecules and miRNAs interactions were predicted. Results: A total of 33 ferroptosis DEGs were obtained. Functional pathway enrichment analysis revealed 127 significantly related biological processes, 10 cellular components, 3 molecular functions and 30 KEGG signal pathways. The biological processes that were significantly enriched were in response to extracellular stimulus and oxidative stress. Key modules constructed by the protein-protein interaction network analysis led to the confirmation of the following genes of interest: DCAF7, GABARAPL1, ACSL4, SESN2 and RB1. Further miRNA interaction prediction revealed the possible involvement of miRNAs such as miR108b-8p, miR34a-5p, mir15b-5p, miR-5838-5p, miR-192-5p, miR-222-3p and miR-23c. Immune-environment content of samples between DM and DPN patients revealed significant difference in the levels of endothelial cells and fibroblasts, which further speculates their possible involvement in the pathogenesis of DPN. Conclusion: Our findings could provide insight for investigations about the role of ferroptosis in the development of DPN.

[Contribution Analysis of External Source Pollution Load and Environmental Capacity Estimation of Reservoirs in Central Yunnan Plateau].

To explore the source of the pollution load and its contribution rate in the upper reaches of the plateau reservoir and to analyze the water environment capacity of the reservoir, we selected the Chaishitan Reservoir in the Yunnan Plateau as the research object, applied the pollutant discharge coefficient method to estimate the source of external pollution in the upstream basin of the reservoir, used the simultaneous monitoring data of hydrology and water quality to calculate pollution load into the reservoir, and used the eutrophication model to calculate the maximum capacity of TN and TP in the reservoir under different water quality target scenarios. The results showed that:① the main characteristic pollutants in Chaishitan Reservoir and the above basin were TN and TP. ② COD and TP in the upper reaches of the reservoir mainly came from rural non-point source pollution, with contribution rates of 49.40% and 50.11%, respectively; NH4+-N and TN mainly came from urban domestic pollution sources, with contribution rates of 45.76% and 33.77%, respectively. Among the contributions of rural non-point source pollution, the contribution rates of COD and TP in Luliang District were 34.82% and 36.82%, respectively. The contributions of COD, NH4+-N, TN, and TP to urban domestic pollution were the highest in Qilin District, all of which were up to 65%. ③ The inflows of COD, NH4+-N, TN, and TP were 28050.90, 2465.16, 4680.54, and 870.93 t·a-1, respectively. The inflow of TN and TP pollution load was 4637.80 t·a-1 and 125.04 t·a-1, respectively. ④ When the target of water quality was Class Ⅲ, and the requirements of the Water Function Zoning of Yunnan province were met, the environmental capacities of TN and TP were 1102.62 t·a-1 and 54.85 t·a-1, respectively. Rural non-point source pollution and urban domestic pollution sources were the main sources of pollution in the upper reaches of Chaishitan Reservoir, which were priority control sources. These research results can provide a scientific theoretical basis for pollution source treatment in the plateau reservoir basin.

W-Band Beam-Tilted H-Plane Horn Array Antenna with Wideband Integrated Waveguide Feed Network Based on MMPTE.

A W-band H-plane horn array antenna with tilted radiation beam based on waveguide structure is proposed in this paper. The designed antenna array consists of four H-plane antenna elements and a broadband feed network. The distribution of excitations is determined by the theory of maximum power transmission efficiency (MMPTE). A multiple branch coupler, two T-junctions and three fixed phase shifters are employed to construct the feed network, which can generate the required amplitude and phase in broadband frequency range from 80 GHz to 100 GHz. The computer numerical control (CNC) milling machines technology is employed to machine the feed network and antenna. All measured and simulated results are in good agreement, which verify the feasibility of the theory of MMPTE to generate a radiation beam directed to any angle from -35° to 35° with suitable excitation provided by the proposed feed network in this paper.

Identification and Validation of Common Reference Genes for Normalization of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Gene Expression Profiles.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the subtypes of esophageal cancer with Chinese characteristics, and its five-year survival rate is less than 20%. Early diagnosis is beneficial to improving the survival rate of ESCC significantly. Quantitative Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction is a high-throughput technique that can quantify tumor-related genes for early diagnosis. Its accuracy largely depends on the stability of the reference gene. There is no systematic scientific basis to demonstrate which reference gene expression is stable in ESCC and no consensus on the selection of internal reference. Therefore, this research used four software programs (The comparative delta-Ct method, GeNorm, NormFinder, and BestKeeper) to evaluate the expression stability of eight candidate reference genes commonly used in other tumor tissues and generated a comprehensive analysis by RefFinder. Randomly selected transcriptome sequencing analysis confirmed the SPP1 gene is closely related to ESCC. It was found that the expression trend of SPP1 obtained by RPS18 and PPIA as internal reference genes were the same as that of sequencing. The results show that RPS18 and PPIA are stable reference genes, and PPIA + RPS18 are a suitable reference gene combination. This is a reference gene report that combines transcriptome sequencing analysis and only focuses on ESCC, which makes the quantification more precise, systematic, and standardized, and promotes gene regulation research and the early diagnosis of ESCC in the future.

Prognostic value of lncRNAs related to fatty acid metabolism in lung adenocarcinoma and their correlation with tumor microenvironment based on bioinformatics analysis.

Background: As a key regulator of metabolic pathways, long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) has received much attention for its relationship with reprogrammed fatty acid metabolism (FAM). This study aimed to investigate the role of the FAM-related lncRNAs in the prognostic management of patients with lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) using bioinformatics analysis techniques. Methods: We obtained LUAD-related transcriptomic data and clinical information from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. The lncRNA risk models associated with FMA were constructed by single-sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA), weighted gene co-expression network (WGCNA), differential expression analysis, overlap analysis, and Cox regression analysis. Kaplan-Meier (K-M) and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were utilized to assess the predictive validity of the risk model. Gene set variation analysis (GSVA) revealed molecular mechanisms associated with the risk model. ssGSEA and microenvironment cell populations-counter (MCP-counter) demonstrated the immune landscape of LUAD patients. The relationships between lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs were predicted by using LncBase v.2 and miRTarBase. The lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory network was visualized with Cytoscape v3.4.0. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis was performed using DAVID v6.8. Quantitative real-time fluorescence PCR (qRT-PCR) was performed to verify the expression levels of the prognostic lncRNAs. Results: We identified 249 differentially expressed FMA-related lncRNAs in TCGA-LUAD, six of which were used to construct a risk model with appreciable predictive power. GSVA results suggested that the risk model may be involved in regulating fatty acid synthesis/metabolism, gene repair, and immune/inflammatory responses in the LUAD process. Immune landscape analysis demonstrated a lower abundance of immune cells in the high-risk group of patients associated with poor prognosis. Moreover, we predicted 279 competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) mechanisms for 6 prognostic lncRNAs with 39 miRNAs and 201 mRNAs. Functional enrichment analysis indicated that the ceRNA network may be involved in the process of LUAD by participating in genomic transcription, influencing the cell cycle, and regulating tissue and organogenesis. In vitro experiments showed that prognostic lncRNA CTA-384D8.35, lncRNA RP5-1059L7.1, and lncRNA Z83851.4 were significantly upregulated in LUAD primary tumor tissues, while lncRNA RP11-401P9.4, lncRNA CTA-384D8.35, and lncRNA RP11-259K15.2 were expressed at higher levels in paraneoplastic tissues. Conclusion: In summary, the prognostic factors identified in this study can be used as potential biomarkers for clinical applications. ceRNA network construction provides a new vision for the study of LUAD pathogenesis.

A rare rectal gastrointestinal stromal tumor with indolent biological behavior: A case study.

The overall incidence of rectal gastrointestinal stromal tumor (RGIST) has risen, but it remains a rare disease. Furthermore, tumor rupture is associated with poor prognosis. The present study reported a rare case of RGIST with indolent biological behavior. The biological behavior of this RGIST was analyzed and its malignant potential was evaluated using a guideline-based risk stratification assessment. The patient was diagnosed with a rectal tumor at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Qiqihar Medical University (Qiqihar, China) in April 2020 and a partial resection biopsy was then performed. This resection counts as a rupture. The biopsy confirmed RGIST and the patient refused further examination and treatment due to economic concerns. However, the patient survives with no tumor progression and metastasis until now, May 2022. In conclusion, based on the present case, tumor rupture in indolent RGIST is not necessarily associated with poor outcome.

Hollow Nanowire Constructed by NiCo Doped RuO2 Nanoparticles for Robust Hydrogen Evolution at High-Current-Density.

Large-current-density electrocatalytic water splitting is essential for industrial hydrogen production, but it is currently hindered by lacking active and robust hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) catalysts. Herein, a novel electrode of hollow nanowire arrays constructed by NiCo modified RuO2 nanoparticles on Ni foam (NiCo@RuO2 HNAs/NF) for high-performance HER was reported. Such efficient electrode was fabricated by ion exchange with NF-supported Ni modified cobalt carbonate hydroxide nanowire arrays template (Ni@CoCH NAs/NF). The formed NiCo@RuO2 HNAs/NF only needed overpotentials of 148.5 and 236.1 mV to deliver 500 and 1000 mA cm-2 , respectively, along with excellent stability at the high-current-density for 300 h. Such remarkable HER performance was mainly attributed to the hollow structure with high surface area, hydrophilic feature, and NiCo@RuO2 with optimized hydrogen evolution kinetics. After coupling with anodic Ni@CoCH NAs/NF, our electrolyzer outperformed Pt/C-IrO2 and most other Ru-based electrolyzers. This work provides a promising Pt alternative catalyst for profitable H2 production.

In Situ Reconstructed Zn doped Fex Ni(1- x ) OOH Catalyst for Efficient and Ultrastable Oxygen Evolution Reaction at High Current Densities.

Developing FeOOH as a robust electrocatalyst for high output oxygen evolution reaction (OER) remains challenging due to its low conductivity and dissolvability in alkaline conditions. Herein, it is demonstrated that the robust and high output Zn doped NiOOH-FeOOH (Zn-Fex Ni(1-x) )OOH catalyst can be derived by electro-oxidation-induced reconstruction from the pre-electrocatalyst of Zn modified Ni metal/FeOOH film supported by nickel foam (NF). In situ Raman and ex situ characterizations elucidate that the pre-electrocatalyst undergoes dynamic reconstruction occurring on both the catalyst surface and underneath metal support during the OER process. That involves the Fe dissolution-redeposition and the merge of Zn doped FeOOH with in situ generated NiOOH from NF support and NiZn alloy nanoparticles. Benefiting from the Zn doping and the covalence interaction of FeOOH-NiOOH, the reconstructed electrode shows superior corrosion resistance, and enhanced catalytic activity as well as bonding force at the catalyst-support interface. Together with the feature of superaerophobic surface, the reconstructed electrode only requires an overpotential of 330 mV at a high-current-density of 1000 mA cm-2 and maintains 97% of its initial activity after 1000 h. This work provides an in-depth understanding of electrocatalyst reconstruction during the OER process, which facilitates the design of high-performance OER catalysts.

Engineering an oilseed crop for hyper-accumulation of carotenoids in the seeds without using a traditional marker gene.

KEY MESSAGE: Ketocarotenoids were synthesized successfully in Camelina sativa seeds by genetic modification without using a traditional selection marker genes. This method provided an interesting tool for metabolic engineering of seed crops. Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz is an important oil crop with many excellent agronomic traits. This model oil plant has been exploited to accumulate value-added bioproducts using genetic manipulation that depends on antibiotic- or herbicide-based selection marker genes (SMG), one of the major concerns for genetically modified foods. Here we reported metabolic engineering of C. sativa to synthesize red ketocarotenoids that could serve as a reporter to visualize transgenic events without using a traditional SMG. Overexpression of a non-native ß-carotene ketolase gene coupled with three other carotenogenous genes (phytoene synthase, ß-carotene hydroxylase, and Orange) in C. sativa resulted in production of red seeds that were visibly distinguishable from the normal yellow ones. Constitutive expression of the transgenes led to delayed plant development and seed germination. In contrast, seed-specific transformants demonstrated normal growth and seed germination despite the accumulation of up to 70-fold the level of carotenoids in the seeds compared to the controls, including significant amounts of astaxanthin and keto-lutein. As a result, the transgenic seed oils exhibited much higher antioxidant activity. No significant changes were found in the profiles of fatty acids between transgenic and control seeds. This study provided an interesting tool for metabolic engineering of seed crops without using a disputed SMG.

Anti-Inflammatory and Anti-Oxidative Effects of Isorhamnetin for Protection Against Lung Injury in a Rat Model of Heatstroke in a Dry-Heat Environment.

BACKGROUND Isorhamnetin is a natural flavonoid compound with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. However, its roles in alleviating lung injury associated with heatstroke remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the protective effects of different isorhamnetin doses on lung injury in heatstroke rat models exposed to a dry-heat environment. MATERIAL AND METHODS Fifty Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 5 groups: normal control (0.9% saline), heatstroke (0.5% CMCNa), and isorhamnetin (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg) groups; treatments were administered by gavage daily for 7 days. All rats, except those in the control group, were exposed to a dry-heat environment (41±1°C, 10±2% relative humidity) for 150 min to induce heatstroke. Pathological changes, ultrastructure, edema, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the lungs were assessed. RESULTS Compared with the heatstroke group, rats treated with 100 mg/kg isorhamnetin showed amelioration of histopathological and ultrastructural changes in the lungs; decreased lung injury scores (P<0.05) and wet/dry weight ratios (P<0.01); lower levels of phospho-nuclear factor-kappaB (P<0.05), high-mobility group box 1 (P<0.01), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (P<0.01), interleukin (IL)-1ß (P<0.01), and IL-6 (P<0.01); lower malondialdehyde contents (P<0.01); and higher superoxide dismutase (P<0.01) and catalase activities (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS In a dry-heat environment, isorhamnetin protected against lung injury in heatstroke rat models via anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative mechanisms.

Genome-wide analysis of the B3 transcription factors reveals that RcABI3/VP1 subfamily plays important roles in seed development and oil storage in castor bean (Ricinus communis).

The B3 transcription factors (TFs) in plants play vital roles in numerous biological processes. Although B3 genes have been broadly identified in many plants, little is known about their potential functions in mediating seed development and material accumulation. Castor bean (Ricinus communis) is a non-edible oilseed crop considered an ideal model system for seed biology research. Here, we identified a total of 61 B3 genes in the castor bean genome, which can be classified into five subfamilies, including ABI3/VP1, HSI, ARF, RAV and REM. The expression profiles revealed that RcABI3/VP1 subfamily genes are significantly up-regulated in the middle and later stages of seed development, indicating that these genes may be associated with the accumulation of storage oils. Furthermore, through yeast one-hybrid and tobacco transient expression assays, we detected that ABI3/VP1 subfamily member RcLEC2 directly regulates the transcription of RcOleosin2, which encodes an oil-body structural protein. This finding suggests that RcLEC2, as a seed-specific TF, may be involved in the regulation of storage materials accumulation. This study provides novel insights into the potential roles and molecular basis of B3 family proteins in seed development and material accumulation.