Grass-Specific EPAD1 Is Essential for Pollen Exine Patterning in Rice.

The highly variable and species-specific pollen surface patterns are formed by sporopollenin accumulation. The template for sporopollenin deposition and polymerization is the primexine that appears on the tetrad surface, but the mechanism(s) by which primexine guides exine patterning remain elusive. Here, we report that the Poaceae-specific EXINE PATTERN DESIGNER 1 (EPAD1), which encodes a nonspecific lipid transfer protein, is required for primexine integrity and pollen exine patterning in rice (Oryza sativa). Disruption of EPAD1 leads to abnormal exine pattern and complete male sterility, although sporopollenin biosynthesis is unaffected. EPAD1 is specifically expressed in male meiocytes, indicating that reproductive cells exert genetic control over exine patterning. EPAD1 possesses an N-terminal signal peptide and three redundant glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchor sites at its C terminus, segments required for its function and localization to the microspore plasma membrane. In vitro assays indicate that EPAD1 can bind phospholipids. We propose that plasma membrane lipids bound by EPAD1 may be involved in recruiting and arranging regulatory proteins in the primexine to drive correct exine deposition. Our results demonstrate that EPAD1 is a meiocyte-derived determinant that controls primexine patterning in rice, and its orthologs may play a conserved role in the formation of grass-specific exine pattern elements.

IL-6, IL-10 and IL-13 are associated with pathogenesis in children with Enterovirus 71 infection.

In the present study, the aim was to reveal the relationship of serum IL-6, IL-10 and IL-13 levels in patient with Enterovirus 71 (EV71) infection. To elucidate the role of immune mechanisms in the pathogenesis of Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD), we analyzed the cytokine of 112 EV71-infected patients. A significant elevation of serum (interleukin) IL-6, IL-10 and IL-13 levels in patients with EV71 infection compare with Un-EV71 infection HFMD patient and Healthy individuals. The production of inflammatory cytokines was increased with disease clinical stage. In addition, the immunological consequences of these cytokine in patient with EV71 infection showed a downward trend after cure. These data suggested that EV71 infection significantly increased the release of circulating IL-6, IL-10 and IL-13. The systemic inflammatory response may play an important role in the pathogenesis of HFMD. Moreover, this study may be designed to evaluate the potential therapeutic of medicine in the treatment of patients with EV71 infection.

[Relationship between interleukin-6 gene-572C/G polymorphism and chronic periodontitis].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between interleukin-6 (IL-6) gene -572C/G polymorphism and the risk of chronic periodontitis disease. METHODS: IL-6-572C/G genotype polymorphism was examined in 93 patients with chronic periodontitis and 96 control subjects by PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. RESULTS: IL-6-572GG genotype and G allele were more frequent in chronic periodontitis patients than that in control subjects (P<0.05). -572CC, CG and GG genotype frequency were 52.7 % , 40.9 %, 6.4 % in chronic periodontitis patients and 67.7 %, 31.3%, 1.0 % in control subjects, respectively. -572CG + GG genotype and G allele were more frequent in patients than that in control subjects (P<0.05). Compared with CC genotype,the odds ratio for chronic periodontitis was 1.88 (95% CI: 1.04-3.40, P<0.05) for CG + GG genotype. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of -572CG + GG genotype was higher in patients with chronic periodontitis compared with the control subjects. IL-6-572C/G polymorphism may be a genetic susceptibility factor for chronic periodontitis in Chinese Hans population.

[Inhibitive effects of chloroqquine on the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide].

OBJECTIVE: The purposes of this study were to investigate effects of chloroqquine (CQ) on inhibiting the decomposition of hydrogen peroxides (HP), and to optimize composition of the tooth-bleaching agent. METHODS: According to the principle of the color-changing reaction between horse radish peroxidase and substrate, the tooth-bleaching agent made of HP was divided into four groups with different amounts of CQ. The stability of HP was observed using ELISA for 3 months. RESULTS: With the prolongation of store time, the absorbance of HP solutions containing different concentrations of CQ declined at different degrees, which showed a dependent relation between absorbance values and concentrations of CQ. Within the range of experiment concentrations of CQ, the higher the concentration of CQ was, the stronger the stability of HP was. And the duration of tooth-bleaching effects in 150.0 mg/ml of CQ was prolonged 4 to 6 times compared to that without CQ. CONCLUSION: The data indicate that CQ can inhibit the decomposition of HP. The bleaching effect of the tooth-bleaching agent which is made of HP and proper amount of CQ is satisfactory.