Myo-inositol oxygenase CgMIOX3 alleviates S-RNase-induced inhibition of incompatible pollen tubes in pummelo.

Pummelo (Citrus grandis L. Osbeck) exhibits S-RNase-based self-incompatibility (SI), during which S-RNase cytotoxicity inhibits pollen tubes in an S-haplotype specific manner. The entry of S-RNase into self-pollen tubes triggers a series of reactions. However, these reactions are still poorly understood in pummelo. In the present study, we used S-RNases as baits to screen a pummelo pollen cDNA library and characterized a myo-inositol oxygenase (CgMIOX3) that physically interacts with S-RNases. CgMIOX3 is highly expressed in pummelo pollen tubes and its down-regulation leads to a reduction in pollen tube growth. Upon entering pollen tubes, S-RNases increase the expression of CgMIOX3 and enhance its activity by directly binding to it in an S-haplotype-independent manner. CgMIOX3 improves pollen tube growth under oxidative stress through ascorbic acid accumulation and increases the length of self-pollen tubes. Furthermore, over-expression of CgMIOX3 increases the relative length of self-pollen tubes growing in the style of petunia (Petunia hybrida). This study provides intriguing insights into the pumelo SI system, revealing a regulatory mechanism mediated by CgMIOX3 that plays an important role in the resistance of pollen tubes to S-RNase cytotoxicity.

Evaluation of four genetic variants in han chinese subjects with high myopia.

High myopia is one of the leading causes of blindness worldwide. However, the exact etiology of high myopia remains unraveled despite numerous attempts of elucidation. Previous genome-wide association study (GWAS) has revealed that four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), including rs2969180, rs1652333, rs9307551, and rs7837791, were associated with high myopia in Caucasians. The present study was conducted to investigate whether these genetic variants were associated with high myopia in Han Chinese. These four SNPs were genotyped by SNaPshot method in a Han Chinese cohort composed of 827 patients with high myopia and 988 healthy controls. Among the SNPs genotyped, only rs9307551 was found to be significantly associated with high myopia in this study. Carriers of rs9307551A allele, AA, and AC genotypes had an increased risk of high myopia (OR = 1.33, 95% CI 1.14-1.54; OR = 1.75, 95% CI 1.28-2.38; OR = 1.59, 95% CI 1.24-2.01, resp.). Interestingly, when split by gender, the association between rs9307551 and high myopia proved to be gender-specific with significance observed only in females but not males. These findings suggested that the SNP of rs9307551 showed a gender-specific association with high myopia in the Han Chinese population. In addition, LOC100506035, a lincRNA gene, might play a crucial role in the susceptibility to high myopia.

[Effect of minimally invasive Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy on acute phase responses in patients with esophageal carcinoma].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of minimally invasive Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy on acute phase responses in patients with esophageal carcinoma. METHODS: Forty-eight patients with middle or low thoracic esophageal carcinoma underwent Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy. The patients were divided into small incision group (n = 25) and conventional group (n = 23) according to the patients' will. Serum levels of acute phase proteins C reactive protein (CRP), haptoglobin (HPT), α1-acid glycoprotein (α1-AG), ceruloplasmin (CER), transferrin (TRF), ß2-microglobulin (ß2-MG), album protein (ALB), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) were measured and compared on 1st day before operation, at 18 hours as well as 3rd and 7th day after operation. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in all the acute phase proteins indicators and IL-6 between the small incision and conventional groups at each time points after operation (P > 0.05). In both groups the levels of CRP, α1-AG and HPT were significantly higher after operation than before operation (P < 0.05). The levels of ALB and TRF were significantly lower after operation than before operation (P < 0.05). The levels of CER and ß2-MG were not significantly different during perioperative period (P > 0.05). The level of TNF-α was significantly higher in the small incision group than that in the conventional group at the 18 hours postoperationally (P < 0.05), and were not significantly different on the other time points between the two groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Compared with conventional operation, the small incision Ivor-Lewis esophagectomy do not significantly alleviate the stress of the surgical trauma in patients. Unchanging the essence of operation, if one is trying to minimize the stress caused by surgery on patients, the key factor is not the size of incision. An effective approach should be found in other operation-related factors.

[Clinical and immunological studies on neonatal infectious pneumonia].

OBJECTIVE: To explore etiology, clinical manifestation and immunological changes of infectious pneumonia of neonates in Chengdu area. METHODS: Serum specimens were collected from 111 infants with infectious pneumonia. Eight viral and mycoplasmal specific serum IgM antibodies were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); C reactive protein (CRP), total IgG and its subclasses, IgA and IgM were determined by rate scattered nephelometry; T lymphocyte subpopulations were detected by biotin-streptavidin-peroxidase method, and clinical and other laboratory data were analyzed. RESULTS: (1) Etiological agents: specific serum IgM antibodies were positive in 40 of 111 cases (36.0%) with pneumonias. All the 30 control infants were negative for the specific serum IgM antibodies. Among 111 infants with infectious pneumonia, 20.7% had single viral or mycoplasmal infection, 40.5% had bacterial infection, 15.3% had viral and mycoplasmal infection with bacterial infection; 23.4% had infection with unknown agents. (2) The most common clinical manifestations were tachypnea and cyanosis. The next were cough, milk choking, rales, retractions of the supraclavicular, intercostal and subcostal areas. Roentgenographic examination commonly revealed vague opacities, increased density and patchy infiltration. (3) Immune status: (1) CD(3), CD(4) cell counts of infants with pneumonias were lower than those of the controls while their serum IgA, IgM concentrations were higher than those of the control. (2) The CD(3) and CD(4) cell counts of the group with bacterial infection were lower than those of the control group. (3) The serum IgA concentration of the group with viral and mycoplasmal infection was higher than those of the control group and the group with unknown infection. (4) The serum IgM concentration of the group with bacterial infection was higher than those of the control group. (5) There were no significant differences in CD(8) cell counts, CD(4)/CD(8), concentration of serum IgG and IgG(1 - 4) between pneumonia group and the control group, and among various infectious groups and the control. CONCLUSION: Pathogens of neonatal infectious pneumonia in Chengdu area included single viral or mycoplasmic infection or bacterial infection, viral and mycoplasmal infection with bacterial infection, and unknown infection. Immunological changes of newborn infants suffered from infectious pneumonia included declined CD(3) and CD(4) cell counts, particularly in bacterial infection.