Micropropagation and Shoot Tip Cryopreservation of 'Sunny Gold' Freesia.

Cryopreservation is a promising method for the long-term preservation of plant germplasm, especially for vegetatively propagated species like freesias. In this study, we investigate streamlining the cryopreservation process for 'Sunny Gold' Freesia, starting from effective in vitro initiation and proliferation using various plant growth regulator combinations. We also assess the impact of subculture on regrowth rates after cryopreservation. The shoot tips were successfully initiated in vitro after sterilization. The shoots were multiplied an average of three times in media containing N6-benzyladenine and kinetin. The regrowth rates of non-cryopreserved shoot tips excised from different subculture cycles did not differ significantly, with rates of 44% observed for plants from more than five subcultures and 47% for those from three subcultures. However, only the shoot tips excised from cultures subjected to three subculture cycles were able to recover after cryopreservation, with a regrowth rate of 31%. Our findings lay the groundwork for the development of an efficient cryopreservation protocol for freesias in the future.

Genetic Stability Assessment of Six Cryopreserved Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) Accessions by Phenotypic and Molecular Studies.

For the long-term preservation of genetic resources, cryopreservation techniques have been developed for strawberry germplasm, mainly using in vitro-grown shoot tips. In this study, genetic stability was tested under greenhouse conditions for six strawberry accessions (IT232511, PHS0132, IT245810, IT245830, IT245852, and IT245860) derived from the following procedures: (1) conventional propagation (GH: greenhouse maintained); (2) in vitro propagation (TC: tissue culture); (3) pretreatment before cryopreservation (-LN: non-liquid nitrogen exposure); and (4) cryopreservation (+LN: liquid nitrogen exposure). To test the performance of phenotypic traits, we measured six vegetative and five fruit traits. There were no distinct differences in most of the characteristics, but a few traits, such as sugar content and pH of fruits in three accessions, showed higher values in +LN compared to GH. However, the differences disappeared in the first runner generation. To test genetic variations, a total of 102 bands were generated by twelve inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) primers. A few polymorphic bands were found only in plants derived from TC of IT245860, which was not cryopreserved. The sequencing analysis of four polymorphic bands produced by ISSR_15 showed that none of these sequences matched the characterized genes in NCBI. Phenotypic abnormality was not observed across all plants. This study indicates that cryopreserved plants of the six strawberry accessions are phenotypically and genetically stable. Therefore, the results of this study can help to implement cryobanking of strawberry germplasm.

Sirtuin 6 promotes eosinophil differentiation by activating GATA-1 transcription factor.

There is evidence emerging that exposure to cold temperatures enhances alternative activation of macrophages in white adipose tissue (WAT), which promotes adipocyte beiging and adaptive thermogenesis. Although we recently reported that NAD+ -dependent deacetylase sirtuin 6 (Sirt6) drives alternatively activated (M2) macrophage polarization, the role of myeloid Sirt6 in adaptive thermogenesis had remained elusive. In this study, we demonstrate that myeloid Sirt6 deficiency impaired both thermogenic responses and M2 macrophage infiltration in subcutaneous WAT (scWAT) during cold exposure. Moreover, the infiltration of Siglec-F-positive eosinophils in scWAT and Th2 cytokines levels was reduced in myeloid Sirt6 knockout mice. An ex vivo bone marrow-derived cell culture experiment indicated that Sirt6 was required for eosinophil differentiation independent of its deacetylase activity. Data from our in vitro experiments show that Sirt6 acted as a transcriptional cofactor of GATA-1, independent of its catalytic function as a deacetylase or ADP-ribosyltransferase. Specifically, Sirt6 physically interacted with GATA-1, and enhanced GATA-1's acetylation and transcriptional activity by facilitating its cooperation with p300. Overall, our results suggest that myeloid Sirt6 plays an important role in eosinophil differentiation and fat beiging/adaptive thermogenesis, which is at least in part due to its ability to bind GATA-1 and stimulate its transcriptional activity.

Myeloid cell-specific sirtuin 6 deficiency delays wound healing in mice by modulating inflammation and macrophage phenotypes.

We recently reported that myeloid cell-expressed sirtuin 6 (Sirt6) plays a crucial role in M1 macrophage polarization and chemotaxis. Given the prominent role of macrophages during wound repair and macrophage heterogeneity, we hypothesized that a Sirt6 deficiency in myeloid cells would delay skin wound closure by affecting the phenotypes of macrophages in wounds. To address this question, a full-thickness excisional lesion was made in the dorsal skin of myeloid cell-specific Sirt6 knockout (KO) and wild-type mice. Wound closure was delayed in the KO mice, which exhibited less collagen deposition, suppressed angiogenesis, and reduced expression of wound healing-related genes compared to the wild-type mice. Using immunohistochemical, flow cytometric, and gene-expression analyses of macrophage subpopulations from wound tissue, we identified increased infiltration of M1 macrophages with a concomitant decrease in M2 macrophage numbers in the KO mice compared to the wild-type mice. Consistent with the in vivo wound closure defects observed in the KO mice, keratinocytes and fibroblasts treated with KO macrophage-derived conditioned medium migrated slower than those treated with wild-type macrophage-derived conditioned medium. An analysis of downstream signaling pathways indicated that impaired Akt signaling underlies the decreased M2 phenotypic switching in KO mice. These results suggest that a macrophage phenotypic switch induced by Sirt6 deficiency contributes to impaired wound healing in mice.

mTOR- and SGK-Mediated Connexin 43 Expression Participates in Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated Macrophage Migration through the iNOS/Src/FAK Axis.

Connexin 43 (Cx43) deficiency was found to increase mortality in a mouse model of bacterial peritonitis, and Cx43 is upregulated in macrophages by LPS treatment. In this study, we characterized a novel signaling pathway for LPS-induced Cx43 expression in RAW264.7 cells and thioglycolate-elicited peritoneal macrophages (TGEMs). LPS alone or LPS-containing conditioned medium (CM) upregulated Cx43. Overexpression or silencing of Cx43 led to the enhancement or inhibition, respectively, of CM-induced TGEM migration. This response involved the inducible NO synthase (iNOS)/focal adhesion kinase (FAK)/Src pathways. Moreover, CM-induced migration was compromised in TGEMs from Cx43+/- mice compared with TGEMs from Cx43+/+ littermates. Cx43 was upregulated by a serum/glucocorticoid-regulated kinase 1 (SGK) activator and downregulated, along with inhibition of CM-induced TGEM migration, by knockdown of the SGK gene or blockade of the SGK pathway. LPS-induced SGK activation was abrogated by Torin2, whereas LPS-induced Cx43 was downregulated by both Torin2 and rapamycin. Analysis of the effects of FK506 and methylprednisolone, common immunosuppressive agents following organ transplantation, suggested a link between these immunosuppressive drugs and impaired macrophage migration via the Cx43/iNOS/Src/FAK pathway. In a model of Escherichia coli infectious peritonitis, GSK650349-, an SGK inhibitor, or Torin2-treated mice showed less accumulation of F4/80+CD11b+ macrophages in the peritoneal cavity, with a delay in the elimination of bacteria. Furthermore, following pretreatment with Gap19, a selective Cx43 hemichannel blocker, the survival of model mice was significantly reduced. Taken together, our study suggested that Cx43 in macrophages was associated with macrophage migration, an important immune process in host defense to infection.

Myeloid Sirtuin 6 Deficiency Causes Insulin Resistance in High-Fat Diet-Fed Mice by Eliciting Macrophage Polarization Toward an M1 Phenotype.

Obesity-related insulin resistance is closely associated with macrophage accumulation and subsequent cytokine release in local tissues. Sirtuin 6 (Sirt6) is known to exert an anti-inflammatory function, but its role in macrophages in the context of obesity has not been investigated. We generated myeloid-specific Sirt6 knockout (mS6KO) mice and investigated the metabolic characteristics after high-fat diet (HFD) feeding for 16 weeks. Compared with their wild-type littermates, HFD-fed mS6KO mice exhibited greater increases in body weight, fasting blood glucose and insulin levels, hepatic steatosis, glucose intolerance, and insulin resistance. Gene expression, histology, and flow cytometric analyses demonstrated that liver and adipose tissue inflammation were elevated in HFD-fed mS6KO mice relative to wild type, with a greater accumulation of F4/80+CD11b+CD11c+ adipose tissue macrophages. Myeloid Sirt6 deletion facilitated proinflammatory M1 polarization of bone marrow macrophages and augmented the migration potential of macrophages toward adipose-derived chemoattractants. Mechanistically, Sirt6 deletion in macrophages promoted the activation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and endogenous production of interleukin-6, which led to STAT3 activation and the positive feedback circuits for NF-κB stimulation; this cross talk expedited an M1 polarization. We conclude that Sirt6 in macrophages is required for the prevention of obesity-associated tissue inflammation and insulin resistance.

Butein induction of HO-1 by p38 MAPK/Nrf2 pathway in adipocytes attenuates high-fat diet induced adipose hypertrophy in mice.

Adipose tissue inflammation and oxidative stress are key components in the development of obesity and insulin resistance. Heme oxygenase (HO)-1 in adipocytes protects against obesity and adipose dysfunction. In this study, we report the identification of butein, a flavonoid chalcone, as a novel inducer of HO-1 expression in adipocytes in vitro and in vivo. Butein upregulated HO-1 mRNA and protein expression in 3T3-L1 adipocytes, accompanied by Kelch-Like ECH-Associated Protein (Keap) 1 degradation and increase in the nuclear level of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). Butein modulation of Keap1 and Nrf2 as well as HO-1 upregulation was reversed by pretreatment with p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580, indicating the involvement of p38 MAPK in butein activation of Nrf2 in adipocytes. In addition, HO-1 activation by butein led to the inhibitions of reactive oxygen species and adipocyte differentiation, as evidenced by the fact that butein repression of reactive oxygen species and adipogenesis was reversed by pretreatment with HO-1 inhibitor SnPP. Induction of HO-1 expression by butein was also demonstrated in the adipose tissue of C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet administered along with butein for three weeks, and correlated with the inhibitions of adiposity and adipose tissue inflammation, which were reversed by co-administration of SnPP. Altogether, our results demonstrate that butein activates the p38 MAPK/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway to act as a potent inhibitor of adipose hypertrophy and inflammation in a diet-induced obesity model and thus has potential for suppressing obesity-linked metabolic syndrome.

Enhanced M2 macrophage polarization in high n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid transgenic mice fed a high-fat diet.

SCOPE: Diet-induced obesity and consequent insulin resistance are caused, in part, by macrophage polarization and accumulation in peripheral tissues. Here, we examined the effects of endogenously synthesized n-3 PUFAs on macrophage chemotaxis and polarization. METHODS AND RESULTS: Fat-1 mice and wild-type (WT) littermates were fed a 60% calorie high-fat diet (HFD) for 10 weeks. Bone marrow macrophages (BMMs) from fat-1 and WT mice were used in in vitro chemotaxis assays and macrophage polarization studies. WT mice fed a HFD exhibited glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, and lipid accumulation and macrophage infiltration in liver and adipose tissue. However, these metabolic and inflammatory phenotypes were not observed in HFD-fed fat-1 mice. In flow cytometric analysis, M1 macrophage infiltration into adipose tissue was markedly attenuated in fat-1 mice. Consistently, results from in vitro experiments indicated that n-3 PUFAs prevented adipocyte conditioned medium-mediated macrophage chemotaxis, stimulated M2 polarization, and suppressed M1 polarization. The inhibition of macrophage migration by n-3 PUFAs was associated with suppression of multiple kinases, such as IκB kinase, AKT, and focal adhesion kinase. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that n-3 PUFAs play a crucial role in macrophage polarization and chemotaxis, and thus regulate the development of HFD-induced tissue inflammation and metabolic derangements.

Hepatic role in an early glucose-lowering effect by a novel dipeptidyl peptidase 4 inhibitor, evogliptin, in a rodent model of type 2 diabetes.

Although multiple dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) inhibitors have shown glucose-lowering effects by preserving pancreatic cells in high-fat diet (HFD)/streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic mice, the hepatic role in regulation of glucose homeostasis by DPP4 inhibitors in HFD/STZ mice remains elusive. In herein study, parallel comparison of effects on the liver (expression of gluconeogenic genes and the linked signaling molecules) and pancreas (islet morphology and relative area of alpha or beta cells) in combination with glucose-lowering effects were made at the end of 2- and 10-week of evogliptin treatment in HFD/STZ mice. Significant control of hyperglycemia was observed from the second week and persisted during 10-week treatment of 0.3% evogliptin in HFD/STZ mice. This effect was accompanied by increased level of plasma glucagon-like peptide-1 and preserved pancreas islet structure. Furthermore, the hepatic increases in gluconeogenic gene expression in HFD/STZ mice was significantly reduced by evogliptin treatment, which was accompanied by the suppression of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) phosphorylation and expression of transducer of regulated CREB protein 2. This hepatic effect of evogliptin treatment was reproduced in 2-week study, however, pancreatic beta-cell area was not altered yet although the expression of pancreatic and duodenal homeobox protein 1 was increased. We conclude that the suppression of hepatic gluconeogenesis by evogliptin is followed by preservation of pancreatic islet, leading to remarkable and persistent glucose-lowering effect in HFD/STZ mice. Our findings provide further insight for the hepatic role in DPP4 inhibitor-mediated glucose control in diabetes.

Compound C inhibits macrophage chemotaxis through an AMPK-independent mechanism.

Macrophage infiltration in adipose tissue is a well-established cause of obesity-linked insulin resistance. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activation in peripheral tissues such as adipose tissue has beneficial effects on the protection against obesity-induced insulin resistance, which is mainly mediated by prevention of adipose tissue macrophage infiltration and inflammation. In examining the role of AMPK on adipose tissue inflammation, we unexpectedly found that compound C (CC), despite its inhibition of AMPK, robustly inhibited macrophage chemotaxis in RAW 264.7 cells when adipocyte conditioned medium (CM) was used as a chemoattractant. Here, we report that CC inhibition of macrophage migration occurred independently of AMPK. Mechanistically, this inhibitory effect of cell migration by CC was mediated by inhibition of the focal adhesion kinase, AKT, nuclear factor κB pathways. Moreover, the expression of chemokine monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 and pro-inflammatory genes such as tumor necrosis factor α and inducible nitric oxide synthase were prevented by CC treatment in RAW 264.7 cells stimulated with either adipocyte CM or lipopolysaccharide. Lastly, in accord with the findings of the anti-inflammatory effect of CC, we demonstrated that CC functioned as a repressor of macrophage CM-mediated insulin resistance in adipocytes. Taken together, our results suggest that CC serves as a useful inhibitory molecule against macrophage chemotaxis into adipose tissue and thus might have therapeutic potential for the treatment of obesity-linked adipose inflammation.

The new 4-O-methylhonokiol analog GS12021 inhibits inflammation and macrophage chemotaxis: role of AMP-activated protein kinase α activation.

Preventing pathologic tissue inflammation is key to treating obesity-induced insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Previously, we synthesized a series of methylhonokiol analogs and reported that compounds with a carbamate structure had inhibitory function against cyclooxygenase-2 in a cell-free enzyme assay. However, whether these compounds could inhibit the expression of inflammatory genes in macrophages has not been investigated. Here, we found that a new 4-O-methylhonokiol analog, 3',5-diallyl-4'-methoxy-[1,1'-biphenyl]-2-yl morpholine-4-carboxylate (GS12021) inhibited LPS- or TNFα-stimulated inflammation in macrophages and adipocytes, respectively. LPS-induced phosphorylation of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB)/p65 was significantly decreased, whereas NF-κB luciferase activities were slightly inhibited, by GS12021 treatment in RAW 264.7 cells. Either mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation or AP-1 luciferase activity was not altered by GS12021. GS12021 increased the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) α and the expression of sirtuin (SIRT) 1. Inhibition of mRNA expression of inflammatory genes by GS12021 was abolished in AMPKα1-knockdown cells, but not in SIRT1 knockout cells, demonstrating that GS12021 exerts anti-inflammatory effects through AMPKα activation. The transwell migration assay results showed that GS12021 treatment of macrophages prevented the cell migration promoted by incubation with conditioned medium obtained from adipocytes. GS12021 suppression of p65 phosphorylation and macrophage chemotaxis were preserved in AMPKα1-knockdown cells, indicating AMPK is not required for these functions of GS12021. Identification of this novel methylhonokiol analog could enable studies of the structure-activity relationship of this class of compounds and further evaluation of its in vivo potential for the treatment of insulin-resistant states and other chronic inflammatory diseases.

Inhibition of adipocyte inflammation and macrophage chemotaxis by butein.

Adipose tissue inflammation has been proposed as a therapeutic target for the treatment of obesity and metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes. Butein, a polyphenol of vegetal origin, exhibits anti-inflammatory effects in macrophages but it was not reported whether butein prevents adipocyte inflammation. Here, we investigated the effects of butein on adipocyte inflammation in 3T3-L1 cells and performed functional macrophage migration assays. Butein opposed the stimulation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) protein expression and of nitric oxide production by simultaneous treatment of adipocytes with tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα), lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and interferon gamma (TLI). In addition, butein inhibited mRNA expression of pro-inflammatory genes and chemokines in adipocytes stimulated with TLI or conditioned medium from RAW 264.7 macrophages treated with LPS. These effects were associated with suppression of inhibitor of kappa B alpha degradation induced by TNFα and with nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) p65 phosphorylation and acetylation. Moreover, butein prevented phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases, c-Jun N-terminal kinase, and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) p38. These results suggest that butein suppresses adipocyte inflammation by inhibiting NF-κB/MAPK-dependent transcriptional activity. Furthermore, conditioned media from adipocytes stimulated macrophage chemotaxis, whereas media from adipocytes treated with butein blocked macrophage migration, an effect that was consistent with suppression of MCP-1 secretion by adipocytes treated with butein. In addition, macrophages treated with butein exhibited a reduced ability to migrate toward adipocyte CM. In conclusion, butein may represent a therapeutic agent to prevent adipose tissue inflammation and the obesity-linked insulin resistance.

Inhibition of mitotic clonal expansion mediates fisetin-exerted prevention of adipocyte differentiation in 3T3-L1 cells.

Adipocytes are the key player in adipose tissue inflammation and subsequent systemic insulin resistance and its development involves complex process of proliferation and differentiation of preadipocytes. Fistein, a polyphenol flavonoid, is known to exert anti-inflammatory, anti-carcinogenic and anti-diabetic effects. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of fisetin on adipocyte proliferation and differentiation in 3T3-L1 preadipocyte cell line and its mechanism of action. We found that fisetin inhibits adipocyte differentiation in a concentration dependent manner, which were evidenced by Oil Red O staining and the protein expression of mature adipocyte marker genes fatty acid synthase and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ. Moreover, the proliferation of preadipocytes was also markedly suppressed by treatment of fisetin for 24 and 48 h in the differentiation medium. We also found that fisetin inhibition of adipocyte differentiation was largely due to the effect on mitotic clonal expansion. Fisetin suppression of preadipocyte proliferation at early stage of differentiation was accompanied by the changes of expression of a series of cell cycle regulatory proteins. Altogether, our results suggest that the inhibition of adipocyte differentiation by fisetin may be at least in part mediated by cell cycle arrest during adipogenesis.

Improvement of neutralizing activity of human scFv antibodies against hepatitis B virus binding using CDR3 V(H) mutant library.

CDR3 of the heavy-chain variable region of immunoglobulin is a region in which somatic mutation occurs heavily after secondary antibody response, resulting in an affinity maturation of antibodies in vivo. The aim of this study was to improve the affinity of a human single-chain variable fragment (scFv) specific for pre-S1 of hepatitis B virus (HBV) by introducing random mutagenesis in CDR3 variable region of heavy chain (V(H)) of the parental scFv clone 1E4. By using a BIAcore for panning and screening, we have selected three clones (A9, B2, and B9) with lower highest affinity (K(D)) than 1E4. Affinities of selected clones ranged from 1.7 x 10(7) mol/L to 6.3 x 10(8) mol/L, which were increased by factors of 1.4 to 4.0, respectively, compared to the parental clone. Binding inhibition assay using flow cytometry and polymerase chain reaction revealed that B2 (6.4 x 10(8) mol/L) had a higher neutralizing activity against pre-S1 or HBV virion binding to liver cell line. This anti-pre-S1 scFv can be considered as a potential therapeutic tool for a passive immunotherapy for HBV infection.