Infection dynamic of Micropterus salmoides rhabdovirus and response analysis of largemouth bass after immersion infection.

Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) is an important economic freshwater aquaculture fish originating from North America. However, the frequent outbreaks of Micropterus salmoides rhabdovirus (MSRV) have seriously limited the healthy development of Micropterus salmoides farming industry. In the present study, a strain of MSRV was isolated and identified from infected largemouth bass by PCR, transmission electron micrograph observation and genome sequences analysis, and tentatively named MSRV-HZ01 strain. Phylogenetic analyses showed that the MSRV-HZ01 presented the highest similarity to MSRV-2021, followed by MSRV-FJ985 and MSRV-YH01. The various tissues of juvenile largemouth bass exhibited significant pathological damage following MSRV-HZ01 immersion infection, and the mortality reached 90%. We also found that intestine was the key organ for MSRV to enter the fish body initially by dynamic analysis of viral infection, and the head kidney was the susceptible tissue of virus. Moreover, the MSRV was also transferred to the external mucosal tissue in later stage of viral infection to achieve horizontal transmission. In addition, the genes of IFN γ and IFN I-C were significantly up-regulated after MSRV infection to exert antiviral functions. The genes of cGAS and Sting might play an important role in the regulation of interferon expression. In conclusion, we investigated the virus infection dynamics and fish response following MSRV immersion infection, which would promote our understanding of the interaction between MSRV and largemouth bass under natural infection.

Ultrapulse carbon dioxide dot matrix laser for facial scar treatment: A meta-analysis.

A meta-analysis was performed to investigate the efficacy of ultrapulse carbon dioxide dot matrix laser treatment for patients with facial scars. PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Biomedical Literature Database, and Wanfang Database were systematically searched for randomised controlled trials (RCTs) investigating ultrapulse carbon dioxide dot matrix laser treatment for facial scars, and the search was conducted from the time of database inception to July 2023. The retrieved literature was screened independently by two researchers, and data extraction and quality assessments were performed. The meta-analysis was conducted using RevMan 5.4 software. Outcome metrics included overall treatment effectiveness, complication rate, and Echelle d'évaluation clinique des cicatrices d'acné (ECCA) scores. Seventeen RCTs comprising 3703 patients were included, with 1853 patients in the experimental group and 1850 in the control group. The results showed that the experimental group had significantly increased overall treatment efficacy rates (odds ratio [OR]: 3.84, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.02-4.90, p < 0.001), reduced complication rates (OR: 0.35, 95% CI: 0.27-0.44, p < 0.001), and improved ECCA scores (standardised mean difference: -1.79, 95% CI: -2.53 to -1.05, p < 0.001) compared with the control group. In conclusion, as the primary treatment modality for facial acne depression scars, ultrapulse carbon dioxide dot matrix laser can significantly increase the overall treatment efficacy rate and ECCA scores and reduce the incidence of complications; however, higher-quality studies are needed for further validation.

Rapid diffusion-state switching underlies stable cytoplasmic gradients in the Caenorhabditis elegans zygote.

Protein concentration gradients organize cells and tissues and commonly form through diffusion away from a local source of protein. Interestingly, during the asymmetric division of the Caenorhabditis elegans zygote, the RNA-binding proteins MEX-5 and PIE-1 form opposing concentration gradients in the absence of a local source. In this study, we use near-total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) imaging and single-particle tracking to characterize the reaction/diffusion dynamics that maintain the MEX-5 and PIE-1 gradients. Our findings suggest that both proteins interconvert between fast-diffusing and slow-diffusing states on timescales that are much shorter (seconds) than the timescale of gradient formation (minutes). The kinetics of diffusion-state switching are strongly polarized along the anterior/posterior (A/P) axis by the PAR polarity system such that fast-diffusing MEX-5 and PIE-1 particles are approximately symmetrically distributed, whereas slow-diffusing particles are highly enriched in the anterior and posterior cytoplasm, respectively. Using mathematical modeling, we show that local differences in the kinetics of diffusion-state switching can rapidly generate stable concentration gradients over a broad range of spatial and temporal scales.

Serum Alkaline Phosphatase Predicts Poor Disease-Free Survival in Patients Receiving Radical Gastrectomy.

BACKGROUND Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) has been proved to be a negative prognostic factor for several malignancies, but its clinical significance in gastric cancer (GC) patients has not been sufficiently studied. In the present retrospective study, we investigated the effect of serum ALP on disease-free survival (DFS) after radical gastrectomy. MATERIAL AND METHODS We included 491 GC patients receiving radical gastrectomy at the Chinese People's Liberation Army 309th Hospital. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine factors influencing serum ALP and DFS. The changes in serum ALP and its clinical relevance were also analyzed using the log-rank test and Cox proportional hazards model. RESULTS There were 491 patients who met our inclusion and exclusion criteria. Pre-treatment serum ALP was elevated in 87 of these patients and was normal in the other 404 patients. Elevation of pre-treatment serum ALP was correlated with the tumor diameter (OR=2.642, P=0.017), TNM stage (OR=4.592, P=0.005), and T classification (OR=1.746, P=0.043). DFS was significantly different between patients with normal or elevated pre-treatment serum ALP (median 42.1 vs. 32.8 months, P=0.001) and multivariate analysis suggested pre-treatment serum ALP is an independent risk factor for poor DFS after radical gastrectomy (HR=2.035, P=0.021). In addition, removal of the primary tumor lesion led to an obvious decline in serum ALP activity (median 262 U/L vs. 152 U/L, P<0.001), and monitoring changes in serum ALP can help evaluate the risk of tumor relapse in GC patients (χ²=17.814, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Serum ALP is a good predictor of GC patient DFS after radical gastrectomy, and patients with elevated serum ALP have shorter relapse times.

The Structurally Plastic CH2 Domain Is Linked to Distinct Functions of Fimbrins/Plastins.

Fimbrins/plastins have been implicated in the generation of distinct actin structures, which are linked to different cellular processes. Historically, fimbrins/plastins were mainly considered as generating tight actin bundles. Here, we demonstrate that different members of the fimbrin/plastin family have diverged biochemically during evolution to generate either tight actin bundles or loose networks with distinct biochemical and biophysical properties. Using the phylogenetically and functionally distinct Arabidopsis fimbrins FIM4 and FIM5 we found that FIM4 generates both actin bundles and cross-linked actin filaments, whereas FIM5 only generates actin bundles. The distinct functions of FIM4 and FIM5 are clearly observed at single-filament resolution. Domain swapping experiments showed that cooperation between the conformationally plastic calponin-homology domain 2 (CH2) and the N-terminal headpiece determines the function of the full-length protein. Our study suggests that the structural plasticity of fimbrins/plastins has biologically meaningful consequences, and provides novel insights into the structure-function relationship of fimbrins/plastins as well as shedding light on how cells generate distinct actin structures.

Quantitative phosphoproteomics reveals pathways for coordination of cell growth and division by the conserved fission yeast kinase pom1.

Complex phosphorylation-dependent signaling networks underlie the coordination of cellular growth and division. In the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, the Dual specificity tyrosine-(Y)-phosphorylation regulated kinase (DYRK) family protein kinase Pom1 regulates cell cycle progression through the mitotic inducer Cdr2 and controls cell polarity through unknown targets. Here, we sought to determine the phosphorylation targets of Pom1 kinase activity by SILAC-based phosphoproteomics. We defined a set of high-confidence Pom1 targets that were enriched for cytoskeletal and cell growth functions. Cdr2 was the only cell cycle target of Pom1 kinase activity that we identified in cells. Mutation of Pom1-dependent phosphorylation sites in the C terminus of Cdr2 inhibited mitotic entry but did not impair Cdr2 localization. In addition, we found that Pom1 phosphorylated multiple substrates that function in polarized cell growth, including Tea4, Mod5, Pal1, the Rho GAP Rga7, and the Arf GEF Syt22. Purified Pom1 phosphorylated these cell polarity targets in vitro, confirming that they are direct substrates of Pom1 kinase activity and likely contribute to regulation of polarized growth by Pom1. Our study demonstrates that Pom1 acts in a linear pathway to control cell cycle progression while regulating a complex network of cell growth targets.

Treatment and prognosis for retrograde cervical lymph node metastases in breast cancer.

Metastasis in axillary and supraclavicular lymph nodes has been frequently observed in patients with breast cancer. The clinical staging and therapeutic principle determined according to the situation of lymph node metastasis are clear. One patient with infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the left breast was reported to undergo modified radical mastectomy. One and a half years later, lymphadenectasis was observed in area II, III, IV, V and VI of the left neck; therefore, cervical lymphadenectomy was performed under cervical plexus anesthesia, indicating lymph node metastatic adenocarcinoma (21/26). The patient took 10 mg tamoxifen twice per day for five years after lymphadenectomy and the review showed negative results in liver, lungs, mediastinum, neck and contralateral breast. This suggested that although breast cancer complicated with retrograde cervical lymph node metastases is rare, timely surgery is required even if the patient is in a good general condition, to avoid "delayed therapy" due to misjudgment of illness simply according to disease staging.

Current knowledge of ferroptosis in the pathogenesis and prognosis of oral squamous cell carcinoma.

Therapeutic strategies are the hot-spot issues in treating patients with advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Mounting studies have proved that triggering ferroptosis is one of the promising targets for OSCC management. In this study, we performed a first attempt to collect the current evidence on the proposed roles of ferroptosis in OSCC through a comprehensive review. Based on clinical data from the relevant studies within this topic, we found that ferroptosis-associated tumor microenvironment, ferroptosis-related genes (FRGs), and ferroptosis-related lncRNAs exhibited a potent prognostic value for OSCC patients. Mechanistically, experimental data revealed that the proliferation and tumorigenesis of OSCC might be associated with the inhibition of cellular ferroptosis through the activation of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and adipocyte enhancer-binding protein 1 (AEBP1), suppression of glutathione (GSH) and Period 1 (PER1) expression, and modulation of specific non-coding RNAs (i.e., miR-520d-5p, miR-34c-3p, and miR-125b-5p) and their targeted proteins. Several specific interventions (i.e., Quisinostat, Carnosic acid, hyperbaric oxygen, melatonin, aqueous-soluble sporoderm-removed G. lucidum spore powder, and disulfiram/copper complex) were found to dramatically induce ferroptosis cell death of OSCC via multiple mechanisms. This review highlighted the pivotal role of ferroptosis in the pathogenesis and prognosis of OSCC. Future anticancer therapeutic strategies targeting ferroptosis and its associated molecules might provide a new insight for OSCC treatment.

A robust and inducible precise genome editing via an all-in-one prime editor in human pluripotent stem cells.

Prime editing (PE) allows for precise genome editing in human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), such as introducing single nucleotide modifications, small deletions, or insertions at a specific genomic locus, a strategy that shows great promise for creating "Disease in a dish" models. To improve the effectiveness of prime editing in hPSCs, we systematically compared and combined the "inhibition of mismatch repair pathway and p53" on top of the "PEmax" to generate an all-in-one "PE-Plus" prime editor. We show that PE-Plus conducts the most efficient editing among the current PE tools in hPSCs. We further established an inducible prime editing platform in hPSCs by incorporating the all-in-one PE vector into a safe-harbor locus and demonstrated temporal control of precise editing in both hPSCs and differentiated cells. By evaluating disease-associated mutations, we show that this platform allows efficient creation of both monoallelic and biallelic disease-relevant mutations in hPSCs. In addition, this platform enables the efficient introduction of single or multiple edits in one step, demonstrating potential for multiplex editing. Therefore, our method presents an efficient and controllable multiplex prime editing tool in hPSCs and their differentiated progeny.

Garciyunnanones A-R: Caged polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols decorated with a lavandulyl substituent from Garcinia yunnanensis.

Garciyunnanones A-R (1-18), eighteen undescribed caged polycyclic polyprenylated acylphloroglucinols, two undescribed biogenetic congeners (19-20), and nineteen known analogues (21-39), were isolated from the stem barks of Garcinia yunnanensis Hu. All of these isolates are decorated with a C-5 lavandulyl substituent. Their structures and absolute configurations were confirmed by HRESIMS, 1D & 2D NMR spectroscopic analysis, quantum chemical calculations of electronic circular dichroism data, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The X-ray crystallographic data of ten isolated caged compounds ascertained the absolute configuration of C-23 in the lavandulyl as S. The cytotoxicity on three cancer cell lines and the anti-nonalcoholic steatohepatitis activity of the isolates were tested. In a free fatty acid-induced L02 cell model, compounds 33 and 39 decreased intracellular lipid accumulation significantly.

Polarized localization of kinesin-1 and RIC-7 drives axonal mitochondria anterograde transport.

Mitochondria transport is crucial for axonal mitochondria distribution and is mediated by kinesin-1-based anterograde and dynein-based retrograde motor complexes. While Miro and Milton/TRAK were identified as key adaptors between mitochondria and kinesin-1, recent studies suggest the presence of additional mechanisms. In C. elegans, ric-7 is the only single gene described so far, other than kinesin-1, that is absolutely required for axonal mitochondria localization. Using CRISPR engineering in C. elegans, we find that Miro is important but is not essential for anterograde traffic, whereas it is required for retrograde traffic. Both the endogenous RIC-7 and kinesin-1 act at the leading end to transport mitochondria anterogradely. RIC-7 binding to mitochondria requires its N-terminal domain and partially relies on MIRO-1, whereas RIC-7 accumulation at the leading end depends on its disordered region, kinesin-1, and metaxin2. We conclude that transport complexes containing kinesin-1 and RIC-7 polarize at the leading edge of mitochondria and are required for anterograde axonal transport in C. elegans.

(±)-hypermonanones A-G, seven pairs of monoterpenoid polyprenylated acylphloroglucinol enantiomers from Hypericum monanthemum.

Seven pairs of undescribed monoterpenoid polyprenylated acylphloroglucinol enantiomers [(±)-hypermonanones A-G (1-7)], together with three known analogues, were identified from the whole plant of Hypericum monanthemum Hook. The structures of these compounds were determined by analyses of their UV, HRESIMS, 1D/2D NMR spectroscopic data, and NMR calculations. The absolute configurations of these compounds were assigned by ECD calculations after chiral HPLC separation. Diverse monoterpene moieties were fused at C-3/C-4 of the dearomatized acylphloroglucinol core, which led to 3,4-dihydro-2H-pyran-integrated angular or linear type 6/6/6 tricyclic skeletons in 1-7. Compounds (-)-2 and (+)-2 exhibited significant NO inhibitory activity against LPS induced RAW264.7 cells with the IC50 values of 7.07 ± 1.02 µM and 11.39 ± 0.24 µM, respectively.

Generation of human cerebral organoids with a structured outer subventricular zone.

Outer radial glia (oRG) emerge as cortical progenitor cells that support the development of an enlarged outer subventricular zone (oSVZ) and the expansion of the neocortex. The in vitro generation of oRG is essential to investigate the underlying mechanisms of human neocortical development and expansion. By activating the STAT3 signaling pathway using leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF), which is not expressed in guided cortical organoids, we define a cortical organoid differentiation method from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) that recapitulates the expansion of a progenitor pool into the oSVZ. The oSVZ comprises progenitor cells expressing specific oRG markers such as GFAP, LIFR, and HOPX, closely matching human fetal oRG. Finally, incorporating neural crest-derived LIF-producing cortical pericytes into cortical organoids recapitulates the effects of LIF treatment. These data indicate that increasing the cellular complexity of the organoid microenvironment promotes the emergence of oRG and supports a platform to study oRG in hPSC-derived brain organoids routinely.

Arabidopsis FIMBRIN5, an actin bundling factor, is required for pollen germination and pollen tube growth.

Actin cables in pollen tubes serve as molecular tracks for cytoplasmic streaming and organelle movement and are formed by actin bundling factors like villins and fimbrins. However, the precise mechanisms by which actin cables are generated and maintained remain largely unknown. Fimbrins comprise a family of five members in Arabidopsis thaliana. Here, we characterized a fimbrin isoform, Arabidopsis FIMBRIN5 (FIM5). Our results show that FIM5 is required for the organization of actin cytoskeleton in pollen grains and pollen tubes, and FIM5 loss-of-function associates with a delay of pollen germination and inhibition of pollen tube growth. FIM5 decorates actin filaments throughout pollen grains and tubes. Actin filaments become redistributed in fim5 pollen grains and disorganized in fim5 pollen tubes. Specifically, actin cables protrude into the extreme tips, and their longitudinal arrangement is disrupted in the shank of fim5 pollen tubes. Consequently, the pattern and velocity of cytoplasmic streaming were altered in fim5 pollen tubes. Additionally, loss of FIM5 function rendered pollen germination and tube growth hypersensitive to the actin-depolymerizing drug latrunculin B. In vitro biochemical analyses indicated that FIM5 exhibits actin bundling activity and stabilizes actin filaments. Thus, we propose that FIM5 regulates actin dynamics and organization during pollen germination and tube growth via stabilizing actin filaments and organizing them into higher-order structures.

Protocol for the design, conduct, and evaluation of prime editing in human pluripotent stem cells.

Prime editing introduces single-nucleotide polymorphism changes, small deletions, or insertions at a specific genome site without double-stranded DNA breaks or the need for the donor template. Here, we present a protocol to design, conduct, and evaluate prime editing in human pluripotent stem cells. We describe steps for pegRNA and nicking sgRNA design and cloning, the prime editing tool electroporation, and the efficiency evaluation using Miseq. We elaborate the process of GBA (N370S) mutation induction and correction as an example. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Li et al. (2022).1.

An Evaluation of Laminarin Additive in the Diets of Juvenile Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides): Growth, Antioxidant Capacity, Immune Response and Intestinal Microbiota.

A 28 day feeding trial was conducted to investigate the growth performance, immune response and intestinal microbiota of laminarin (LAM) supplemented diets in juvenile largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). Four hundred and eighty fish (initial average weight: 0.72 ± 0.04 g) were randomly divided into four groups (40 fish per tank with three replicates in each group) Four diets were prepared with LAM supplementation at the doses of 0 (control), 5 g Kg-1 (LL), 10 g Kg-1 (ML) and 15 g Kg-1 (HL), respectively. No significant difference in the specific growth rate (SGR) and hepatosomatic index (HSI) was observed in fish among the four groups, or in the lipid and ash content of fish flesh. In addition, fish in the LL group exhibited much higher antioxidant capacity (p < 0.05), while the diets with the inclusion of 5 and 10 g Kg-1 LAM remarkably decreased the antioxidant capacity of fish (p > 0.05). Dietary LAM at the dose of 5 g Kg-1 inhibited the transcription of interleukin-1ß (il-1ß) and tumor necrosis factor-α (tnf-α), while promoting the expression of transforming growth factor-ß (tgf-ß) in fish intestine. Moreover, the beneficial intestinal bacteria Bacteroide, Comamonas and Mycoplasma abundance significantly increased in fish from the LL group, while the content of opportunistic pathogens Plesiomonas, Aeromonas and Brevinema in fish of the HL group was substantially higher than the control group. Overall, the appropriate dose of supplemented LAM in the diet was 5 g Kg-1, while an excessive supplementation of LAM in the diet led to microbial community instability in largemouth bass.

Polarized localization of kinesin-1 and RIC-7 drives axonal mitochondria anterograde transport.

Mitochondria transport is crucial for mitochondria distribution in axons and is mediated by kinesin-1-based anterograde and dynein-based retrograde motor complexes. While Miro and Milton/TRAK were identified as key adaptors between mitochondria and kinesin-1, recent studies suggest the presence of additional mechanisms. In C. elegans, ric-7 is the only single gene described so far, other than kinesin-1, that is absolutely required for axonal mitochondria localization. Using CRISPR engineering in C. elegans, we find that Miro is important but is not essential for anterograde traffic, whereas it is required for retrograde traffic. Both the endogenous RIC-7 and kinesin-1 act at the leading end to transport mitochondria anterogradely. RIC-7 recruitment to mitochondria requires its N-terminal domain and partially relies on MIRO-1, whereas RIC-7 accumulation at the leading end depends on its disordered region, kinesin-1 and metaxin2. We conclude that polarized transport complexes containing kinesin-1 and RIC-7 form at the leading edge of mitochondria, and that these complexes are required for anterograde axonal transport.

Generation of human cerebral organoids with a structured outer subventricular zone.

Mammalian outer radial glia (oRG) emerge as cortical progenitor cells that directly support the development of an enlarged outer subventricular zone (oSVZ) and, in turn, the expansion of the neocortex. The in vitro generation of oRG is essential to model and investigate the underlying mechanisms of human neocortical development and expansion. By activating the STAT3 pathway using LIF, which is not produced in guided cortical organoids, we developed a cerebral organoid differentiation method from human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) that recapitulates the expansion of a progenitor pool into the oSVZ. The structured oSVZ is composed of progenitor cells expressing specific oRG markers such as GFAP, LIFR, HOPX , which closely matches human oRG in vivo . In this microenvironment, cortical neurons showed faster maturation with enhanced metabolic and functional activity. Incorporation of hPSC-derived brain vascular LIF- producing pericytes in cerebral organoids mimicked the effects of LIF treatment. These data indicate that the cellular complexity of the cortical microenvironment, including cell-types of the brain vasculature, favors the appearance of oRG and provides a platform to routinely study oRG in hPSC-derived brain organoids.

Functional Organization of Glycolytic Metabolon on Mitochondria.

Glucose, the primary cellular energy source, is metabolized through glycolysis initiated by the rate-limiting enzyme Hexokinase (HK). In energy-demanding tissues like the brain, HK1 is the dominant isoform, primarily localized on mitochondria, crucial for efficient glycolysis-oxidative phosphorylation coupling and optimal energy generation. This study unveils a unique mechanism regulating HK1 activity, glycolysis, and the dynamics of mitochondrial coupling, mediated by the metabolic sensor enzyme O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT). OGT catalyzes reversible O-GlcNAcylation, a post-translational modification, influenced by glucose flux. Elevated OGT activity induces dynamic O-GlcNAcylation of HK1's regulatory domain, subsequently promoting the assembly of the glycolytic metabolon on the outer mitochondrial membrane. This modification enhances HK1's mitochondrial association, orchestrating glycolytic and mitochondrial ATP production. Mutations in HK1's O-GlcNAcylation site reduce ATP generation, affecting synaptic functions in neurons. The study uncovers a novel pathway that bridges neuronal metabolism and mitochondrial function via OGT and the formation of the glycolytic metabolon, offering new prospects for tackling metabolic and neurological disorders.