Endoplasmic reticulum stress response modulator OsbZIP39 regulates cadmium accumulation via activating the expression of defensin-like gene OsCAL2 in rice.

Accumulation of cadmium (Cd) in rice is not only harmful to the growth of plants but also poses a threat to human health. Exposure to Cd triggers unfolded protein response (UPR) within cells, a process that is still not completely understood. The study demonstrated that the lack of OsbZIP39, an essential endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-resident regulator of the UPR, resulted in decreased Cd intake and reduced Cd levels in the roots, stems, and grains of rice. Upon exposure to Cd stress, GFP-OsbZIP39 translocated from ER to nucleus, initiating UPR. Further investigation revealed that Cd treatment caused changes in sphingolipid levels in the membrane, influencing the localization and activation of OsbZIP39. Yeast one-hybrid and dual-LUC assays were conducted to validate the interaction between activated OsbZIP39 and the promoter of the defensin-like gene OsCAL2, resulting in an increase in its expression. Different variations were identified in the coding region of OsbZIP39, which may explain the varying levels of Cd accumulation observed in the indica and japonica subspecies. Under Cd treatment, OsbZIP39ind exhibited a more significant enhancement in the transcription of OsCAL2 compared to OsbZIP39jap. Our data suggest that OsbZIP39 positively regulates Cd uptake in rice, offering an encouraging objective for the cultivation of low-Cd rice.

Clinical value of normal saline injection for expansion of the anterior perirectal space during prostate cryoablation.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study is to describe the technique and evaluate the clinical value of normal saline (NS) injection for expanding the anterior perirectal space during prostate cryoablation for prostate cancer (PCa) patients. METHODS: PCa patients who received cryoablation between August 2014 and December 2019 were enrolled, and the technique of NS injection was adopted. The complications were evaluated. The prostate-specific antigen (PSA) nadir and biochemical progression-free survival (bPFS) were measured in localized PCa patients who received cryoablation as the primary treatment. RESULTS: A total of 159 PCa patients were included. Among 147 patients with the data of anterior perirectal space, the median (interquartile range [IQR]) distance of estimated iceball edge beyond the prostatic capsule was 8.3 (7.0-10.0) mm. No cases of urethrorectal fistula were reported; 29 patients developed urinary retention and 25 patients presented scrotal edema. All complications below Clavien-Dindo grade IIIb disappeared within 7 weeks after surgery. Urinary incontinence was reported in 6 patients. Among localized PCa patients, the median (IQR) follow-up time was 56.5 (36.0-73.5) months. The estimated 5-year bPFS was 82.3% overall, 82.8% for low-to intermediate-risk PCa patients, and 82.1% for high-risk PCa patients. For 52 patients received cryoablation alone, the median (IQR) PSA nadir was 0.147 (0.027-0.381) ng/mL. CONCLUSIONS: The technique of NS injection for expanding the anterior perirectal space during cryoablation surgery could avoid urethrorectal fistula and might benefit localized PCa patients with lower PSA nadir and longer bPFS.

Polysaccharide from dandelion enriched nutritional composition, antioxidant capacity, and inhibited bioaccumulation and inflammation in Channa asiatica under hexavalent chromium exposure.

Taraxacum mongolicum polysaccharide (TMP) exhibits anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity, making it an attractive candidate for aquatic-product-safety applications. Here, this study was aimed to investigate the effects of dietary TMP on the growth, nutritional composition, antioxidant capacity, bioaccumulation and inflammation in Channa asiatica under hexavalent chromium stress. The C. asiatica was randomly distributed into five groups: The first group served as the blank control group (CK), the subsequent groups were fed TMP-supplemented feed (0, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 g/kg), respectively, and exposed to waterborne Cr6+ for 28 days. Our results indicated that the TMP effectively increased (P < 0.05) C. asiatica muscle flavour amino acid, total free amino acids, monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA), polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), and EPA + DHA contents, enhanced positively antioxidant enzyme activity (GPX, SOD, CAT, T-AOC), reduced oxidative stress parameters (MDA, PC), and up-regulated antioxidant-related genes mRNA expression. Meanwhile, the appropriate amount of TMP supplementation also inhibited the bioaccumulation of Cr6+ in tissues and alleviated the inflammatory response (P < 0.05). Furthermore, sensory evaluation implied that the overall score of sashimi and cooked fillet in the 2.0 g/kg TMP group was the highest in the experimental group, second only to CK. In brief, these results elucidate that TMP-supplemented diets excellently ameliorated the growth, enriched nutritional composition and antioxidant capacity, and inhibited bioaccumulation and inflammation in C. asiatica exposed to waterborne Cr6+.