The Expression of MAFB Gene in Circulating Monocytes Is Related to Chronic Inflammatory Status in T2DM Patients.

Immune cell-mediated chronic inflammation is one of the causes of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Therefore, identifying inflammatory markers in circulating immune cells is highly important for predicting insulin resistance (IR) and the occurrence of T2DM. In this study, we discovered that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from T2DM patients were associated with innate immunity and chronic inflammatory responses through bulk transcriptome sequencing (bulk RNA-seq). Gene integration analysis revealed that nine DEGs were upregulated, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis revealed that V-maf musculoaponeurotic fibrosarcoma oncogene homolog B (MAFB), a candidate biomarker, has a certain predictive value for T2DM. In population-based cohort studies, we found that MAFB expression was significantly upregulated in the PBMCs of T2DM patients and was significantly correlated with homeostasis model assessment of IR (HOMA-IR), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), adiponectin (Adipoq), etc. We further evaluated the sensitivity and specificity of MAFB and other clinical parameters for predicting and diagnosing T2DM and found that MAFB expression in PBMCs had a positive effect on the prediction and diagnosis of T2DM. Finally, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analysis revealed that the increase in MAFB expression was mainly in nonclassical monocytes. Our results suggest that increased MAFB expression in circulating monocytes may mediate chronic inflammatory status in patients with T2DM. Therefore, MAFB gene expression in circulating monocytes has certain clinical significance for predicting and assisting in the diagnosis of T2DM.

Circulating HHIP Levels in Women with Insulin Resistance and PCOS: Effects of Physical Activity, Cold Stimulation and Anti-Diabetic Drug Therapy.

Serum human hedgehog-interacting protein (HHIP) concentration is associated with diabetes. However, the relationship between HHIP and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or abnormal sex hormones remains unknown. This study was an observational cross-sectional study, with additional short-term intervention studies and follow-up studies. Bioinformatics analysis was performed to explore the association of PCOS with metabolic-related genes and signaling pathways. OGTT and EHC were performed on all participants. Lipid infusion, cold exposure, and 45-min treadmill test were performed on all healthy women. A total of 137 women with PCOS were treated with metformin, GLP-1RA, or TZDs for 24 weeks. Serum HHIP levels were higher in insulin resistance (IR) and PCOS women. Circulating HHIP levels were significantly correlated with adiponectin (Adipoq) levels, obesity, IR, and metabolic indicators. A correlation presented between HHIP and DHEA-S, FAI, SHBG, and FSH. Serum HHIP levels were significantly elevated by oral glucose challenge in healthy women, but not affected by EHC. Lipid infusion decreased serum HHIP levels, while cold exposure increased HHIP levels in healthy women. GLP-1RA and TZD treatment reduced serum HHIP levels in PCOS women, while metformin treatment did not affect HHIP levels. HHIP may be a useful biomarker and novel drug target for PCOS and IR individuals.

Mining, expression, and phylogenetic analysis of volatile terpenoid biosynthesis-related genes in different tissues of ten Elsholtzia species based on transcriptomic analysis.

We sequenced the leaf and inflorescence transcriptomes of 10 Elsholtzia species to mine genes related to the volatile terpenoid metabolic pathway. A total of 184.68 GB data and 1,231,162,678 clean reads were obtained from 20 Elsholtzia samples, and 333,848 unigenes with an average length of at least 1440 bp were obtained by Trinity assembly. KEGG pathway analysis showed that there were three pathways related to volatile terpene metabolism: terpenoid backbone biosynthesis (No. ko00900), monoterpenoid biosynthesis (No. ko00902), and sesquiterpenoid and triterpenoid biosynthesis (No. ko00909), with 437, 125, and 121 related unigenes, respectively. The essential oil content and composition in 20 Elsholtzia samples were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results showed that there were obvious interspecific differences among the 10 Elsholtzia species, but there were no significant differences between the different tissues among species. The expression levels of seven candidate genes involved in volatile terpenoid biosynthesis in Elsholtzia were further analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR. The results showed that HMGS had the highest expression among all genes, followed by GGPS4. In addition, there was not a significant correlation between the seven genes and the components with high essential oil contents. Combined with the essential oil components detected in this study, the possible biosynthetic pathway of the characteristic components in Elsholtzia plants was speculated to be a metabolic pathway with geraniol as the starting point and elsholtzione as the end product. Phylogenetic analysis was conducted using the nucleotide sequences of the geranyl diphosphate synthase candidate genes, and the results showed that genes related to the volatile terpenoid biosynthetic pathway may be more suitable gene fragments for resolving the Elsholtzia phylogeny.

Wild plants used by the Lhoba people in Douyu Village, characterized by high mountains and valleys, in southeastern Tibet, China.

BACKGROUND: Douyu Village, inhabited by the Lhoba people, is situated within the Eastern Himalayas, in southeastern Tibet, China. The village is located among high mountains and valleys, which feature complex terrain with cold and dry climates and distinctive vegetation types and species. The Lhoba people in this village are isolated from other groups in China. The Lhoba people have lived in this village since the 15th century and mainly depended on gathering, hunting, and swidden agriculture before the 1960s. Because they have a long history and live under extreme climatic, geographical, and ecological conditions, the Lhoba people in Douyu Village may have unique traditional knowledge about wild plants. Thus, this research aims to record the traditional botanical knowledge of the Lhoba people in Douyu. METHODS: An ethnobotanical study was conducted on the Lhoba people in Douyu Village in Longzi County, Tibet, China. Semi-structured interviews and group discussions with informed consent were used in the study. We interviewed 41 informants (14 key informants) between 18 and 75 years of age. All information was collected, organized, and compiled into "use reports" for quantitative analysis. The informant consensus factor (ICF) was used to determine the homogeneity of the informants' knowledge of medicinal plants, while the cultural importance index (CI) was used to estimate the cultural importance of shared species. RESULTS: A total of 91 wild species (90 vascular plants and 1 fungus) belonging to 71 genera and 39 families utilized by the Lhoba people in Douyu were documented. Of these species, Pimpinella xizangense and Wikstroemia lungtzeensis are endemic to Longzi County, while Sinopodophyllum hexandrum and Paeonia ludlowii are endangered species in China. All habitats, from the field vegetation at the valley bottoms to the alpine shrubland and meadows, were used for plant collection, and the numbers of species of plants collected from the various vegetation types (except for fields) decreased with increasing altitude. Our study found that 55 species are edible plants and fungi, 29 species are medicinal plants, and 38 species are used for other purposes. Medicinal plants are used for 11 categories of diseases, among which diseases of blood-forming organs (ICF = 0.96) and gastrointestinal diseases (ICF = 0.95) exhibited the highest ICF values. Based on the CI values, the most important plants in this study area are Berberis xanthophloea, B. kongboensis, Sinopodophyllum hexandrum, Vicatia thibetica, and Hippophae rhamnoides subsp. gyantsensis. Moreover, a comparison of the wild plants used by Lhoba ethnic groups in three counties in China showed significant differences among these regions. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates that the wild plants utilized by the Lhoba people in Douyu Village are highly diverse, at 90 plant and one fungal species, which reflects not only the number of species but also their diversified functions. The extreme climatic, geographical, and ecological conditions of Douyu within the high mountains and valleys of the Eastern Himalayas potentially affect the Lhoba people's culture, including plant utilization practices, and contribute to the rich diversity of the wild plants used by the local people.

Collection calendar: the diversity and local knowledge of wild edible plants used by Chenthang Sherpa people to treat seasonal food shortages in Tibet, China.

BACKGROUND: Wild edible plants (WEPs) are non-cultivated and non-domesticated plants used for food. WEPs provided food, nutrition, herbs and other plant products for people in underdeveloped areas, such as the Everest region, to maintain their daily lives. Chenthang Town is the only Sherpa ethnic township in Tibet, China. The core purpose of this research is to investigate, collect and record the WEPs and related local knowledge and functions within the Sherpa community. The ultimate goal is to answer the question of why Sherpa people choose these particular plants. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The field study was carried out in the six Sherpa communities of Chenthang Township from September 2019 to August 2020. The WEPs and related local knowledge were collected through semistructured interviews and direct observations. The field work was performed with the assistance of local guides. During the field survey, we collected plant specimens based on the principle of one plant with one vernacular name. In this study, we utilised a use report (UR) and cultural importance index (CI) to evaluate the comprehensive utilization value of WEPs in the daily diet of Sherpa people. RESULTS: We interviewed 78 people individually who provided us with 1199 use reports. In total, we collected 84 WEPs belonging to 65 genera in 41 families. These species were identified as 78 distinct ethno-species by local people, and the vernacular name of each ethno-species was recorded. Then, these use reports were classified into six use categories. All these plants were native wild plants. In these plants, Arisaema utile, Sorbus cuspidata and Elaeagnus umbellata have been introduced into home gardens by local people. Following the description of the Sherpa people, we articulated a collection calendar for WEPs. The Sherpa collect WEPs throughout nearly the entire year, January and February being the exceptions. CONCLUSION: The collection calendar of wild edible plants reflects the wisdom of the Sherpa in terms of survival. The Sherpa cleverly survive the food shortage periods by harnessing the phenology of different species. In general, WEPs can provide the Sherpa with seasonal carbohydrates, nutrition, healthcare supplements and other products and services necessary for survival, which is likely why the Sherpa choose these plants.

Asian monsoon shaped the pattern of woody dicotyledon richness in humid regions of China.

Understanding how geographical patterns of plant richness are established is a key scientific question in ecology and biogeography. Climate factors, such as environmental energy, water availability, and rainfall seasonality, have been widely proposed to account for geographical patterns of plant richness at large scales. Using a compiled distribution data set of 3166 native woody dicotyledons across 732 calibration grids at the county level in humid regions of China, we explored the geographical pattern of woody dicotyledon richness and its relationship to climatic variations, especially the Asian monsoonal climate. We found that species richness decreases with increasing latitude. Our study indicates that water availability (particularly mean annual precipitation, MAP) is the major abiotic factor in determining large-scale distribution patterns of species richness. Moreover, the seasonality of rainfall variables under the Asian monsoon climate largely contributes to species richness, because species richness correlates more significantly with precipitation during the three driest consecutive months (P3DRY) than precipitation during the three wettest consecutive months (P3WET). Therefore, we conclude that woody dicotyledon richness in humid regions of China is mainly affected by the Asian winter monsoon.

Medicinal and edible plants used by the Lhoba people in Medog County, Tibet, China.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The Lhoba people are a small, ancient, tribal ethnic group from the Himalayas and are located in the Tibet Autonomous Region of China. Medog County is rich in biocultural diversity. For a long time, Medog has been almost isolated from the outside world. The Lhoba people, who live in Medog, have maintained a relatively unique lifestyle and have accumulated rich traditional knowledge (TK), especially about medicinal and edible plants. Currently, there is very little documentation of the plants traditionally used by the local Lhoba communities. AIM OF THE STUDY: Our investigation aimed to (i) document the species of medicinal and food plants used by the Lhoba people in Medog County, Tibet, China; (ii) screen the most important plant taxa for specific medicines, and identify the aliments treated to further contribute to drug and food supplement research; and (iii) examine whether the ethnobotanical knowledge of the Lhoba is similar among different tribes and discuss traditional uses in the health practices and livelihoods of the local communities. METHODS: Ethnobotanical data were recorded through semi-structured interviews, guided field trips, and quantitative analysis. The informant consensus factor (FIC) was used as a quantitative index. RESULTS: Ninety-one informants (61 men and 30 women) were interviewed. A total of 75 species, including 37 medicinal plants for 14 categories of diseases and 57 edible plants from six types of food, were recorded. Among the usage types of medicinal plants, the highest FIC values were recorded for antidotes (FIC = 0.98), anthelmintics (FIC = 0.98), and treatments of gastrointestinal problems (FIC = 0.93). The FIC values for different types of edible plants were very similar. The most frequently used medicinal and food plants in the studied communities are Zanthoxylum motuoense, Crassocephalum crepidioides, and Swertia nervosa. According to the comparative study, few differences in the use of wild plants were found. There appeared to be more overlapping species between two Lhoba tribes in Medog, named Mixingba and Miguba, with 46 (61%) common species, compared with the Bo'gaer tribe in Milin, which had only two (2.7%) overlapping species. This might be due to the different geographical environments, vegetation types, and different influences of other ethnic cultures. CONCLUSIONS: The Lhoba people in Medog County, Tibet, China, have rich TK about the uses of wild plants. However, the TK is seriously threatened due to environmental degradation and acculturation, and it showed signs of being forgotten and abandoned by the younger generation. Therefore, measures are urgently needed to document and protect the TK of the uses of the wild plant resources; and (i) the most frequently used medicinal and/or edible plants; (ii) the plants used to treat the most commonly mentioned diseases; and (iii) the endemic species that are widely used in Medog, which should be assessed for their potential future as food supplements and therapeutic products.

Long non-coding RNA Rpph1 promotes inflammation and proliferation of mesangial cells in diabetic nephropathy via an interaction with Gal-3.

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the most significant complications of diabetes and is the primary cause of end-stage kidney disease. Cumulating evidence has shown that renal inflammation plays a role in the development and progression of DN, but the exact cellular mechanisms are unclear. Irregular expression of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) is present in many diseases, including DN. However, the relationship between lncRNAs and inflammation in DN is unclear. In this study, we identified differentially expressed lncRNAs in DN using RNA-sequencing. Among these lncRNAs, we identified seven DN-related lncRNAs in vivo and in vitro using quantitative real-time PCR. One lncRNA in particular, Rpph1 (ribonuclease P RNA component H1), exhibited significantly increased expression. Further, over-expression or knockdown of Rpph1 was found to regulate cell proliferation and the expression of inflammatory cytokines in mesangial cells (MCs). The results revealed that Rpph1 directly interacts with the DN-related factor galectin-3 (Gal-3). Further, over-expression of Rpph1 promoted inflammation and cell proliferation through the Gal-3/Mek/Erk signaling pathway in MCs under low glucose conditions, while knockdown of Rpph1 inhibited inflammation and cell proliferation through the Gal-3/Mek/Erk pathway in MCs under high glucose conditions. These results provide new insight into the association between Rpph1 and the Gal-3/Mek/Erk signaling pathway during DN progression.

The topological key lncRNA H2k2 from the ceRNA network promotes mesangial cell proliferation in diabetic nephropathy via the miR-449a/b/Trim11/Mek signaling pathway.

Evidence has shown that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network are involved in various diseases. However, there is a lack of studies of the ceRNA network in diabetic nephropathy (DN). In this study, we investigated the effect of lncRNAs on mesangial cell (MC) proliferation in DN-related ceRNA networks. Differences in lncRNA and mRNA expression between DN and normal mouse kidney tissues were detected with RNA-seq, and DN-related lncRNA/mRNA/microRNA (miRNA) ceRNA networks were constructed by R3.4.3. Computational analysis was performed, and expression and interactions between the topological RNAs were detected by bioinformatics methods, real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR), and luciferase assay. Cell proliferation ability was measured by 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) in MCs cultured under high- or low-glucose conditions. Moreover, the effect of the topological key lncRNA histocompatibility 2 K region locus 2 (H2k2) H2k2 on MC proliferation via the miRNA (miR)-449a/b/triplet motif 11 (Trim11)/Mek signaling pathway was examined by EdU, flow cytometry analysis, and Western blot. In total, 153 lncRNAs, 428 mRNAs, and 2242 interactions were included in the constructed DN-related ceRNA network. There were 15 RNAs in the top 5% of degree and betweenness. The expression of lncRNA H2k2 and mRNA Trim11 in MCs was increased in DN, which is consistent with the results of RNA-seq and real-time qPCR invivo and in vitro. miR-449a and miR-449b, which were down-regulated in MCs cultured with high glucose, were selected for further analysis. The results of real-time qPCR and luciferase assay revealed the lncRNA H2k2-miR-449a/b-Trim11 interaction in MCs. In addition, the data showed that H2k2 regulates MC proliferation via the miR-449ab/Trim11/Mek signaling pathway. Taken together, these results provide new insight into the association between the topological key lncRNA H2k2 in the DN-related ceRNA network and the miR-449a/b/Trim11/Mek signaling pathway during MC proliferation in DN.-Chen, W., Peng, R., Sun, Y., Liu, H., Zhang, L., Peng, H., Zhang, Z. The topological key lncRNA H2k2 from the ceRNA network promotes mesangial cell proliferation in diabetic nephropathy via the miR-449a/b/Trim11/Mek signaling pathway.

Conservation and fruit biology of Sichou oak (Quercus sichourensis, Fagaceae) - A critically endangered species in China.

Several conservation programs have been started for the critically endangered Sichou oak (Quercus sichourensis) since 2007. These programs include detailed field investigations, seedling cultivation and research on the fruit biology of the species. In this study, we first report on the five mature individual trees found in our 9-year field investigation. Thus far, a total of 10 mature individuals have been recorded. All Q. sichourensis trees are healthy and most produce healthy acorns. Acorns of Q. sichourensis are large with dry masses of 8.0-14.0 g. These acorns had high moisture contents at collection and died shortly after (7-28 d) when dried with silica gel. Characteristics of Q. sichourensis acorns varied between populations. Compared with the acorns from Funing, the acorns collected from Ceheng were bigger, more viable (germination percentage was up to 96%), less sensitive to desiccation, and germinated faster. Q. sichourensis occurs in regions with a distinct 5-6 month dry season. Habitat degradation is largely responsible for the rareness of Quercus sichorensis, but desiccation sensitivity of the acorns may also limit the regeneration of the species and potentially lead to its continued rareness. As a species with extremely small populations (PSESP), Q. sichourensis is facing high risk of extinction and should be defined as a Critically Endangered species in the global IUCN Red List.

Orchid Species Richness along Elevational and Environmental Gradients in Yunnan, China.

The family Orchidaceae is not only one of the most diverse families of flowering plants, but also one of the most endangered plant taxa. Therefore, understanding how its species richness varies along geographical and environmental gradients is essential for conservation efforts. However, such knowledge is rarely available, especially on a large scale. We used a database extracted from herbarium records to investigate the relationships between orchid species richness and elevation, and to examine how elevational diversity in Yunnan Province, China, might be explained by mid-domain effect (MDE), species-area relationship (SAR), water-energy dynamics (WED), Rapoport's Rule, and climatic variables. This particular location was selected because it is one of the primary centers of distribution for orchids. We recorded 691 species that span 127 genera and account for 88.59% of all confirmed orchid species in Yunnan. Species richness, estimated at 200-m intervals along a slope, was closely correlated with elevation, peaking at 1395 to 1723 m. The elevational pattern of orchid richness was considerably shaped by MDE, SAR, WED, and climate. Among those four predictors, climate was the strongest while MDE was the weakest for predicting the elevational pattern of orchid richness. Species richness showed parabolic responses to mean annual temperature (MAT) and mean annual precipitation (MAP), with maximum richness values recorded at 13.7 to 17.7°C for MAT and 1237 to 1414 mm for MAP. Rapoport's Rule also helped to explain the elevational pattern of species richness in Yunnan, but those influences were not entirely uniform across all methods. These results suggested that the elevational pattern of orchid species richness in Yunnan is collectively shaped by several mechanisms related to geometric constraints, size of the land area, and environments. Because of the dominant role of climate in determining orchid richness, our findings may contribute to a better understanding of the potential effects of climate change on orchid diversity, and the development of conservation strategies for orchids.

Distribution of Cenozoic plant relicts in China explained by drought in dry season.

Cenozoic plant relicts are those groups that were once widespread in the Northern Hemisphere but are now restricted to some small isolated areas as a result of drastic climatic changes. They are good proxies to study how plants respond to climatic changes since their modern climatic requirements are known. Herein we look at the modern distribution of 65 palaeoendemic genera in China and compare it with the Chinese climatic pattern, in order to find a link between the plant distribution and climate. Central China and Taiwan Island are shown to be diversity centres of Cenozoic relict genera, consistent with the fact that these two regions have a shorter dry season with comparatively humid autumn and spring in China. Species distribution models indicate that the precipitation parameters are the most important variables to explain the distribution of relict genera. The Cenozoic wide-scale distribution of relict plants in the Northern Hemisphere is therefore considered to be linked to the widespread humid climate at that time, and the subsequent contraction of their distributional ranges was probably caused by the drying trend along with global cooling.

First occurrence of Cedrelospermum (Ulmaceae) in Asia and its biogeographic implications.

Cedrelospermum (Ulmaceae) is an extinct genus with extensive fossil records in Europe and North America. However, no fossil of the genus has been reported from Asia. Here we describe Cedrelospermum asiaticum L.B. Jia, Y.J. Huang et Z.K. Zhou sp. nov. based on compressed fruits from the late Miocene of Yunnan, southwestern China. The fossil fruits are characterized by an ovate fruit body adjoined by double wings, with the veins on the primary wing converging toward a stigmatic area. According to the historical geographic distribution of the genus, we hypothesize that Cedrelospermum originated in North America where both single-winged and double-winged fruits were reported. The single-winged form subsequently spread into Europe via the North Atlantic land bridge and the double-winged form dispersed into Asia via the Bering land bridge. From the Eocene to Oligocene, a southward retreat of the genus distribution probably took place, which coincided with the global surface cooling initiated during the Eocene-Oligocene transition. The extinction of Cedrelospermum from Asia may be related to the intensification of the East Asian monsoon.