Characterization and comparison of transgenic Artemisia annua GYR and wild-type NON-GYR plants in an environmental release trial.

The anti-malarial drug, artemisinin, is quite expensive as a result of its slow content in Artemisia annua. Recent investigations have suggested that genetic engineering of A. annua is a promising approach to improve the yield of artemisinin. In this study, the transgenic A. annua strain GYR, which has high artemisinin content, was evaluated in an environmental release trial. First, GYR plants were compared with the wild-type variety NON-GYR, with regard to phenotypic characters (plant height, crown width, stem diameter, germination rate, leaf dry weight, 1000-seed weight, leave shape). Second, stress resistance in the two varieties (salt, drought, herbicide, and cold resistance) was evaluated under different experimental conditions. Finally, gene flow was estimated. The results indicated that there were significant differences in several agronomic traits (plant height, stem diameter, and leave dry weight) between the transgenic GYR and NON-GYR plants. Salt stress in transgenic and control plants was similar, except under high NaCl concentrations (1.6%, w/w). Leaf water, proline, and MDA content (increased significantly) were significantly different. Transgenic A. annua GYR plants did not grow better than NON-GYR plants with respect to drought and herbicide resistance. The two varieties maintained vitality through the winter. Third, gene flow was studied in an environmental risk trial for transgenic GYR. The maximum gene flow frequency was 2.5%, while the maximum gene flow distance was 24.4 m; gene flow was not detected at 29.2 m at any direction. Our findings may provide an opportunity for risk assessment in future commercialization of transgenic A. annua varieties.

Sublingual vein parameters, AFP, AFP-L3, and GP73 in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma.

This study evaluated the diagnostic value of alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), AFP heterogeneity 3 (AFP-L3), Golgi protein 73 (GP73), and sublingual vein parameters in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Levels of serum AFP, AFP-L3, GP73, and sublingual vein scores were measured in 34 patients with chronic hepatitis, 65 patients with post-hepatitis B cirrhosis, 71 patients with HCC, and 6 healthy controls. Logistic regression analysis was used to explore potential correlations. Sublingual vein grades in patients with HCC were higher than those in the other three groups; sublingual vein scores were also different between groups; combined diagnosis using AFP, GP73, and sublingual vein grade was superior to the individual parameters alone or when only two were used in different combinations. Thus, sublingual vein grade can be considered as an independent risk factor for diagnosis of HCC. Furthermore, combined detection with AFP, GP73, and sublingual vein grade is simple, inexpensive, and effective. It may therefore be suitable for screening high-risk populations for early diagnosis of HCC.

Event-specific qualitative and quantitative PCR detection of the GMO carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus) variety Moonlite based upon the 5'-transgene integration sequence.

To ensure the implementation of genetically modified organism (GMO)-labeling regulations, an event-specific detection method was developed based on the junction sequence of an exogenous integrant in the transgenic carnation variety Moonlite. The 5'-transgene integration sequence was isolated by thermal asymmetric interlaced PCR. Based upon the 5'-transgene integration sequence, the event-specific primers and TaqMan probe were designed to amplify the fragments, which spanned the exogenous DNA and carnation genomic DNA. Qualitative and quantitative PCR assays were developed employing the designed primers and probe. The detection limit of the qualitative PCR assay was 0.05% for Moonlite in 100 ng total carnation genomic DNA, corresponding to about 79 copies of the carnation haploid genome; the limit of detection and quantification of the quantitative PCR assay were estimated to be 38 and 190 copies of haploid carnation genomic DNA, respectively. Carnation samples with different contents of genetically modified components were quantified and the bias between the observed and true values of three samples were lower than the acceptance criterion (<25%) of the GMO detection method. These results indicated that these event-specific methods would be useful for the identification and quantification of the GMO carnation Moonlite.