Plant Disease Resistance-Related Signaling Pathways: Recent Progress and Future Prospects.

Plant-pathogen interactions induce a signal transmission series that stimulates the plant's host defense system against pathogens and this, in turn, leads to disease resistance responses. Plant innate immunity mainly includes two lines of the defense system, called pathogen-associated molecular pattern-triggered immunity (PTI) and effector-triggered immunity (ETI). There is extensive signal exchange and recognition in the process of triggering the plant immune signaling network. Plant messenger signaling molecules, such as calcium ions, reactive oxygen species, and nitric oxide, and plant hormone signaling molecules, such as salicylic acid, jasmonic acid, and ethylene, play key roles in inducing plant defense responses. In addition, heterotrimeric G proteins, the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade, and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) play important roles in regulating disease resistance and the defense signal transduction network. This paper summarizes the status and progress in plant disease resistance and disease resistance signal transduction pathway research in recent years; discusses the complexities of, and interactions among, defense signal pathways; and forecasts future research prospects to provide new ideas for the prevention and control of plant diseases.

Down-regulation of MANNANASE7 gene in Brassica napus L. enhances silique dehiscence-resistance.

KEY MESSAGE: MANNANASE7 gene in Brassica napus L. encodes a hemicellulose which located at cell wall or extracellular space and dehiscence-resistance can be manipulated by altering the expression of MANNANASE7. Silique dehiscence is an important physiological process in plant reproductive development, but causes heavy yield loss in crops. The lack of dehiscence-resistant germplasm limits the application of mechanized harvesting and greatly restricts the rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) production. Hemicellulases, together with cellulases and pectinases, play important roles in fruit development and maturation. The hemicellulase gene MANNANASE7 (MAN7) was previously shown to be involved in the development and dehiscence of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) siliques. Here, we cloned BnaA07g12590D (BnMAN7A07), an AtMAN7 homolog from rapeseed, and demonstrate its function in the dehiscence of rapeseed siliques. We found that BnMAN7A07 was expressed in both vegetative and reproductive organs and significantly highly expressed in leaves, flowers and siliques where the abscission or dehiscence process occurs. Subcellular localization experiment showed that BnMAN7A07 was localized in the cell wall. The biological activity of the BnMAN7A07 protein isolated and purified through prokaryotic expression system was verified to catalyse the decomposition of xylan into xylose. Phenotypic studies of RNA interference (RNAi) lines revealed that down-regulation of BnMAN7A07 in rapeseed could significantly enhance silique dehiscence-resistance. In addition, the expression of upstream silique development regulators is altered in BnMAN7A07-RNAi plants, suggesting that a possible feedback regulation mechanism exists in the regulation network of silique dehiscence. Our results demonstrate that dehiscence-resistance can be manipulated by altering the expression of hemicellulase gene BnMAN7A07, which could provide an available genetic resource for breeding practice in rapeseed which is beneficial to mechanized harvest.

Long-chain acyl-CoA synthetase 2 is involved in seed oil production in Brassica napus.

BACKGROUND: Triacylglycerols (TAGs) are the main composition of plant seed oil. Long-chain acyl-coenzyme A synthetases (LACSs) catalyze the synthesis of long-chain acyl-coenzyme A, which is one of the primary substrates for TAG synthesis. In Arabidopsis, the LACS gene family contains nine members, among which LACS1 and LACS9 have overlapping functions in TAG biosynthesis. However, functional characterization of LACS proteins in rapeseed have been rarely reported. RESULTS: An orthologue of the Arabidopsis LACS2 gene (BnLACS2) that is highly expressed in developing seeds was identified in rapeseed (Brassica napus). The BnLACS2-GFP fusion protein was mainly localized to the endoplasmic reticulum, where TAG biosynthesis occurs. Interestingly, overexpression of the BnLACS2 gene resulted in significantly higher oil contents in transgenic rapeseed plants compared to wild type, while BnLACS2-RNAi transgenic rapeseed plants had decreased oil contents. Furthermore, quantitative real-time PCR expression data revealed that the expression of several genes involved in glycolysis, as well as fatty acid (FA) and lipid biosynthesis, was also affected in transgenic plants. CONCLUSIONS: A long chain acyl-CoA synthetase, BnLACS2, located in the endoplasmic reticulum was identified in B. napus. Overexpression of BnLACS2 in yeast and rapeseed could increase oil content, while BnLACS2-RNAi transgenic rapeseed plants exhibited decreased oil content. Furthermore, BnLACS2 transcription increased the expression of genes involved in glycolysis, and FA and lipid synthesis in developing seeds. These results suggested that BnLACS2 is an important factor for seed oil production in B. napus.

Arabidopsis GDSL1 overexpression enhances rapeseed Sclerotinia sclerotiorum resistance and the functional identification of its homolog in Brassica napus.

Sclerotinia stem rot (SSR) caused by Sclerotinia sclerotiorum is a devastating disease of rapeseed (Brassica napus L.). To date, the genetic mechanisms of rapeseed' interactions with S. sclerotiorum are not fully understood, and molecular-based breeding is still the most effective control strategy for this disease. Here, Arabidopsis thaliana GDSL1 was characterized as an extracellular GDSL lipase gene functioning in Sclerotinia resistance. Loss of AtGDSL1 function resulted in enhanced susceptibility to S. sclerotiorum. Conversely, overexpression of AtGDSL1 in B. napus enhanced resistance, which was associated with increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and salicylic acid (SA) levels, and reduced jasmonic acid levels. In addition, AtGDSL1 can cause an increase in lipid precursor phosphatidic acid levels, which may lead to the activation of downstream ROS/SA defence-related pathways. However, the rapeseed BnGDSL1 with highest sequence similarity to AtGDSL1 had no effect on SSR resistance. A candidate gene association study revealed that only one AtGDSL1 homolog from rapeseed, BnaC07g35650D (BnGLIP1), significantly contributed to resistance traits in a natural B. napus population, and the resistance function was also confirmed by a transient expression assay in tobacco leaves. Moreover, genomic analyses revealed that BnGLIP1 locus was embedded in a selected region associated with SSR resistance during the breeding process, and its elite allele type belonged to a minor allele in the population. Thus, BnGLIP1 is the functional equivalent of AtGDSL1 and has a broad application in rapeseed S. sclerotiorum-resistance breeding.

Genome-wide identification of the NPR1-like gene family in Brassica napus and functional characterization of BnaNPR1 in resistance to Sclerotinia sclerotiorum.

KEY MESSAGE: The BnaNPR1-like gene family was identified in B. napus, and it was revealed that repression of BnaNPR1 significantly reduces resistance toS. sclerotiorum, intensifies ROS accumulation, and changes the expression of genes associated with SA and JA/ET signaling in response to this pathogen. The NONEXPRESSOR OF PATHOGENESIS-RELATED GENES1 (NPR1) and related NPR1-like genes play an important role in regulating plant defense. Oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) is an important oilseed crop; however, little is known about the B. napus (Bna) NPR1-like gene family. Here, a total of 19 BnaNPR1-like genes were identified in the B. napus genome, and then named according to their respective best match in Arabidopsis thaliana (At), which led to the determination of B. napus homologs of every AtNPR1-like gene. Analysis of important protein domains and functional motifs indicated the conservation and variation among these homologs. Phylogenetic analysis of these BnaNPR1-like proteins and their Arabidopsis homologs revealed six distinct sub-clades, consequently indicating that their name classification totally conformed to their phylogenetic relationships. Further, B. napus transcriptomic data showed that the expression of three BnaNPR1s was significantly down-regulated in response to infection with Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, the most important pathogen of this crop, whereas BnaNPR2/3/4/5/6s did not show the expression differences in general. Further, we generated B. napus BnaNPR1-RNAi lines to interpret the effect of the down-regulated expression of BnaNPR1s on resistance to S. sclerotiorum. The results showed that BnaNPR1-RNAi significantly decreased this resistance. Further experiments revealed that BnaNPR1-RNAi intensified ROS production and changed defense responses in the interaction of plants with this pathogen. These results indicated that S. sclerotiorum might use BnaNPR1 to regulate specific physiological processes of B. napus, such as ROS production and SA defense response, for the infection.

Improving seed germination and oil contents by regulating the GDSL transcriptional level in Brassica napus.

KEY MESSAGE: Seed germination rate and oil content can be regulated at theGDSL transcriptional level by eitherAtGDSL1 orBnGDSL1 inB. napus. Gly-Asp-Ser-Leu (GDSL)-motif lipases represent an important subfamily of lipolytic enzymes, which play important roles in lipid metabolism, seed development, abiotic stress, and pathogen defense. In the present study, two closely related GDSL-motif lipases, Brassica napus GDSL1 and Arabidopsis thaliana GDSL1, were characterized as functioning in regulating germination rate and seed oil content in B. napus. AtGDSL1 and BnGDSL1 overexpression lines showed an increased seed germination rate and improved seedling establishment compared with wild type. Meanwhile, the constitutive overexpression of AtGDSL1 and BnGDSL1 promoted lipid catabolism and decreased the seed oil content. While RNAi-mediated suppression of BnGDSL1 (Bngdsl1) in B. napus improved the seed oil content and decreased seed germination rate. Moreover, the Bngdsl1 transgenic seeds showed changes in the fatty acid (FA) composition, featuring an increase in C18:1 and a decrease in C18:2 and C18:3. The transcriptional levels of six related core enzymes involved in FA mobilization were all elevated in the AtGDSL1 and BnGDSL1 overexpression lines, but strongly suppressed in the Bngdsl1 transgenic line. These results suggest that improving the seed germination and seed oil content in B. napus could be achieved by regulating the GDSL transcriptional level.

Down-regulation of BnDA1, whose gene locus is associated with the seeds weight, improves the seeds weight and organ size in Brassica napus.

Brassica napus L. is an important oil crop worldwide and is the main raw material for biofuel. Seed weight and seed size are the main contributors to seed yield. DA1 (DA means big in Chinese) is an ubiquitin receptor and negatively regulates seed size. Down-regulation of AtDA1 in Arabidopsis leads to larger seeds and organs by increasing cell proliferation in integuments. In this study, BnDA1 was down-regulated in B. napus by over expressed of AtDA1R358K , which is a functional deficiency of DA1 with an arginine-to-lysine mutation at the 358th amino acid. The results showed that the biomass and size of the seeds, cotyledons, leaves, flowers and siliques of transgenic plants all increased significantly. In particular, the 1000 seed weight increased 21.23% and the seed yield per plant increased 13.22% in field condition. The transgenic plants had no negative traits related to yield. The candidate gene association analysis demonstrated that the BnDA1 locus was contributed to the seeds weight. Therefore, our study showed that regulation of DA1 in B. napus can increase the seed yield and biomass, and DA1 is a promising target for crop improvement.

The complete chloroplast genome sequences of four Liparis species (Orchidaceae) and phylogenetic implications.

Liparis Richard (Malaxideae, Epidendroideae) is a large and diverse genus of the family Orchidaceae, the taxonomy of which is complicated and controversial. In this study, we sequenced, assembled and analyzed four complete chloroplast genomes of Liparis species including L. kumokiri, L. makinoana, L. pauliana, and L. viridiflora, and evaluated their phylogenetic relationships with related species for the first time. These four chloroplast genomes (size range 153,095 to 158,239 bp) possess typical quadripartite structures that consist of a large single copy (LSC, 83,533-86,752 bp), a small single copy (SSC, 17,938-18,156 bp) and a pair of inverted repeats (IRs, 26,421-26,933 bp). The genomes contain 133 genes, including 87 protein coding genes, 38 tRNAs and 8 rRNA genes. The genome arrangements, gene contents, gene order, long repeats and simple sequence repeats were similar with small differences observed among these four chloroplast genomes. Five highly variable regions including ycf1, ndhA, ndhF, trnQ and trnK were identified from the comparative analysis with other nine related Liparis species, which had the potential to be used as DNA markers for species identification and phylogenetic studies of Liparis species. Phylogenetic analysis based on the complete chloroplast genome sequences strongly supported the polyphyly of Liparis and its further division into three branches. These results provided valuable information to illustrate the complicated taxonomy, phylogeny and evolution process of the Liparis genus.

Diazo probe-based chemical isotope labeling assisted liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry analysis for sensitive determination of amino acids in biofluids.

Amino acids are important biomolecules and contribute to essential biological processes. Liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS) now is a powerful tool for the analysis of amino acid metabolites; however, the structural similarity and polarity of amino acids can lead to the poor chromatographic retention and low detection sensitivities. In this study, we used a pair of light and heavy isotopomers of diazo probes, d0/d5-2-(diazomethyl)-N-methyl-N-phenyl-benzamide (2-DMBA/d5 -2-DMBA) to label amino acids. The paired MS probes of 2-DMBA and d5 -2-DMBA carry diazo groups that can efficiently and specifically react with the carboxyl group on free amino acid metabolites under mild conditions. Benefiting from the transfer of the 2-DMBA/d5 -2-DMBA to carboxyl group on amino acids, the ionization efficiencies of amino acids presented great enhancement during LC-MS analysis. The results suggested that the detection sensitivities of 17 amino acids increased by 9-133-fold upon 2-DMBA labeling, and the obtained limits of detection (LODs) of amino acids on-column ranged from 0.011 fmol-0.057 fmol. With the application of the developed method, we successfully achieved the sensitive and accurate detection of the 17 amino acids in microliter level of serum sample. Moreover, the contents of most amino acids were different in the serum from normal and B16F10-tumour mice, demonstrating that endogenous amino acids may play important roles in the regulation of tumors development. This developed method of chemical labeling of amino acids with diazo probes assisted LC-MS analysis provides a potentially valuable tool to investigate the relationships between amino acids metabolism and diseases.

Highly efficient synthesis and antitumor activity of monosaccharide saponins mimicking components of Chinese folk medicine Cordyceps sinensis.

Ergosterol 3-O-ß-D-glucopyranoside (1a) and ergosterol 3-O-ß-D-galactopyranoside (1b) were highly efficiently synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory activities against two tumor cell lines. The structures of these compounds were extensively confirmed by (1)H, (13)C NMR, IR, and HRMS. Compounds 1a and 1b exhibited interesting cytotoxic profiles. The antitumor activity of compound 1a was higher than that of 1b.

The chromatographic analysis of oligosaccharides and preparation of 1-kestose and nystose in yacon.

The thin-layer chromatographic analysis of the crude oligosaccharides extracted from yacon revealed the presence of glucose, fructose, sucrose, 1-kestose and nystose. The qualitative and quantitative analysis was carried out on oligosaccharides by high pressure liquid chromatography and the results showed that the contents of d-glucose, fructose, sucrose, 1-kestose, nystose and 1-fructofuranosyl nystose in oligosaccharides were 38.30%, 16.44%, 14.58%, 12.29%, 12.17%, 6.20%, respectively. The content of the fructooligosaccharides in oligosaccharides was 30.66%. The crude oligosaccharides were separated and purified by silica gel column chromatography. The two fractions obtained from crude oligosaccharides were 1-kestose and nystose, which were identified by mass spectra. The yield of 1-kestose and nystose were 10.36% and 9.73%, respectively. The purity of 1-kestose was 82.9% and of nystose was 73.6%.

Immunomodulatory effect of polysaccharides from submerged cultured Cordyceps gunnii.

CONTEXT: The genus Cordyceps (Clavicipitaceae) is a group of entomopathogenic fungi that is widely used as tonic food or invigorant with broad-spectrum medicinal properties in China. Cordyceps gunnii (Berk.)Berk (C. gunnii), is also well known as the Chinese rare caterpillar fungus and has similar pharmacological activities with Cordyceps sinensis (C. sinensis). Polysaccharides (PS) from various Cordyceps species have demonstrated many interesting biological activities, including antitumor, immunopotentiation, hypoglycemic, and hypocholesterolemic activities. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of C. gunnii PS on the immunostimulatory antitumor function and expression of immune related cytokines in normal, immuno-suppressive, and H22-bearing mice, respectively. METHODS: C. gunnii PS were extracted with hot water at 80°C for 2 h. Normal, immuno-suppressive, and H22-bearing mice were treated with PS respectively. By detecting the value of macrophage phagocytic index, proliferation of lymphocytes, natural killer (NK) cell activity and expression of related cytokines, interleukin (IL-4), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-a) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ), and tumor inhibition index in H22-bearing mice additionally, the effect of PS on immunostimulatory antitumor function and its mechanism were studied. RESULTS: The total sugar content of the PS was determined to be 95% after purification. PS markedly increased the thymus and spleen indexes, the macrophage phagocytosis, the proliferation of splenic cells, and the level of IFN-γ and TNF-α. In tumor growth inhibition test, PS showed remarkable inhibition effects. CONCLUSION: PS from the C. gunnii could enhance nonspecific immunological function, humoral immunity, cellular immunity in mice, and inhibit tumor growth.

Physiological and comparative transcriptome analyses reveal the mechanisms underlying waterlogging tolerance in a rapeseed anthocyanin-more mutant.

BACKGROUND: Rapeseed (Brassica napus) is the second largest oil crop worldwide. It is widely used in food, energy production and the chemical industry, as well as being an ornamental. Consequently, it has a large economic value and developmental potential. Waterlogging is an important abiotic stress that restricts plant growth and development. However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying waterlogging tolerance in B. napus. RESULTS: In the present study, the physiological changes and transcriptomes of germination-stage rapeseed in response to waterlogging stress were investigated in the B. napus cultivar 'Zhongshuang 11' (ZS11) and its anthocyanin-more (am) mutant, which was identified in our previous study. The mutant showed stronger waterlogging tolerance compared with ZS11, and waterlogging stress significantly increased anthocyanin, soluble sugar and malondialdehyde contents and decreased chlorophyll contents in the mutant after 12 days of waterlogging. An RNA-seq analysis identified 1370 and 2336 differently expressed genes (DEGs) responding to waterlogging stress in ZS11 and am, respectively. An enrichment analysis revealed that the DEGs in ZS11 were predominately involved in carbohydrate metabolism, whereas those in the am mutant were particularly enriched in plant hormone signal transduction and response to endogenous stimulation. In total, 299 DEGs were identified as anthocyanin biosynthesis-related structural genes (24) and regulatory genes encoding transcription factors (275), which may explain the increased anthocyanin content in the am mutant. A total of 110 genes clustered in the plant hormone signal transduction pathway were also identified as DEGs, including 70 involved in auxin and ethylene signal transduction that were significantly changed in the mutant. Furthermore, the expression levels of 16 DEGs with putative roles in anthocyanin accumulation and biotic/abiotic stress responses were validated by quantitative real-time PCR as being consistent with the transcriptome profiles. CONCLUSION: This study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms of increased anthocyanin contents in rapeseed in response to waterlogging stress, which should be useful for reducing the damage caused by waterlogging stress and for further breeding new rapeseed varieties with high waterlogging tolerance.

Effects of Probiotic Supplementation on Inflammatory Markers and Glucose Homeostasis in Adults With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Several studies have revealed the effect of probiotic supplementation in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) on the amelioration of low-grade inflammation, which plays an important role in the pathogenesis of T2DM. However, the effects of the clinical application of probiotics on inflammation in individuals with T2DM remain inconsistent. This study aims to investigate the comprehensive effects of probiotics on inflammatory markers in adults with T2DM. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and the Web of Science were searched to identify randomized controlled trials (RCTs) exploring the effect of probiotic supplementation on inflammatory markers in individuals with T2DM through March 11, 2021. Two reviewers independently screened the literature, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias of the included studies. We used a random-effects model to calculate the standardized mean difference (SMD) between the probiotic supplementation and control groups. Results: Seventeen eligible studies were selected with a total of 836 participants, including 423 participants in probiotic supplementation groups and 413 participants in control groups. Our study demonstrated that compared with the control condition, probiotic intake produced a beneficial effect in reducing the levels of plasma inflammation markers, including tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) (SMD [95% CI]; -0.37 [-0.56, -0.19], p < 0.0001) and C-reactive protein (CRP) (SMD [95% CI]; -0.21 [-0.42, -0.01], p = 0.040), while it had no effect on the plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) level (SMD [95% CI]; -0.07 [-0.27, 0.13], p = 0.520). In addition, our results support the notion that probiotic supplementation improves glycaemic control, as evidenced by a significant reduction in fasting blood glucose (FPG), HbA1c and HOMA-IR (SMD [95% CI]: -0.24 [-0.42, -0.05], p = 0.010; -0.19 [-0.37, -0.00], p = 0.040; -0.36 [-0.62, -0.10], p = 0.006, respectively). Conclusion: Our study revealed some beneficial effects of probiotic supplementation on improving inflammatory markers and glucose homeostasis in individuals with T2DM. Probiotics might be a potential adjuvant therapeutic approach for T2DM.

Sclerotinia Stem Rot Resistance in Rapeseed: Recent Progress and Future Prospects.

Sclerotinia stem rot (SSR) of rapeseed (Brassica napus), caused by the soil-borne fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, is one of the main diseases seriously affecting the yield and oil quality of infected rapeseed crops. The complexity of the inheritance of resistance and of the interaction mechanisms between rapeseed and S. sclerotiorum limits resistance gene identification and molecular breeding. In this review, the latest progress of research into resistance to SSR in B. napus is summarized from the following three directions: the pathogenesis mechanisms of S. sclerotiorum, the resistance mechanisms of B. napus toward S. sclerotiorum, and rapeseed breeding for resistance to SSR. This review aims to provide a theoretical basis and useful reference for analyzing the mechanism of the interaction between B. napus and S. sclerotiorum, searching for gene loci associated with the resistance response, and for achieving disease-resistance genetic manipulation and molecular design breeding in rapeseed.

The ß3 Adrenergic Receptor Agonist CL316243 Ameliorates the Metabolic Abnormalities of High-Fat Diet-Fed Rats by Activating AMPK/PGC-1α Signaling in Skeletal Muscle.

PURPOSE: Skeletal muscle has a major influence on whole-body metabolic homeostasis. In the present study, we aimed to determine the metabolic effects of the ß3 adrenergic receptor agonist CL316243 (CL) in the skeletal muscle of high-fat diet-fed rats. METHODS: Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated to three groups, which were fed a control diet (C) or a high-fat diet (HF), and half of the latter were administered 1 mg/kg CL by gavage once weekly (HF+CL), for 12 weeks. At the end of this period, the serum lipid profile and glucose tolerance of the rats were evaluated. In addition, the phosphorylation and protein and mRNA expression of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator (PGC)-1α, and carnitine palmitoyl transferase (CPT)-1b in skeletal muscle were measured by Western blot analysis and qPCR. The direct effects of CL on the phosphorylation (p-) and expression of AMPK, PGC-1α, and CPT-1b were also evaluated by Western blotting and immunofluorescence in L6 myotubes. RESULTS: CL administration ameliorated the abnormal lipid profile and glucose tolerance of the high-fat diet-fed rats. In addition, the expression of p-AMPK, PGC-1α, and CPT-1b in the soleus muscle was significantly increased by CL. CL (1 µM) also increased the protein expression of p-AMPK, PGC-1α, and CPT-1b in L6 myotubes. However, the effect of CL on PGC-1α protein expression was blocked by the AMPK antagonist compound C, which suggests that CL increases PGC-1α protein expression via AMPK. CONCLUSION: Activation of the ß3 adrenergic receptor in skeletal muscle ameliorates the metabolic abnormalities of high-fat diet-fed rats, at least in part via activation of the AMPK/PGC-1α pathway.

Mechanism and Regulation of Silique Dehiscence, Which Affects Oil Seed Production.

Silique dehiscence is an important physiological process during natural growth that enables mature seeds to be released from plants, which then undergo reproduction and ensure the survival of future generations. In agricultural production, the time and degree of silique dehiscence affect the harvest time and processing of crops. Premature silique dehiscence leads to seeds being shed before harvest, resulting in substantial reductions to yields. Conversely, late silique dehiscence is not conducive to harvesting, and grain weight and oil content will be reduced due to the respiratory needs of seeds. In this paper, the mechanisms and regulation of silique dehiscence, and its application in agricultural production is reviewed.

Primary hypoparathyroidism accompanied by rhabdomyolysis induced by infection: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Primary hypoparathyroidism (HPT) is rarely seen in the clinic, and it can be combined with rhabdomyolysis. There are few reports about this phenomenon. Therefore, it is significant to explore the etiology that is conducive to early diagnosis, timely treatment, and preventing the recurrence. CASE SUMMARY: A 63-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with a severe upper respiratory tract infection and progressing decreased myodynamia of the lower limbs. Blood tests showed creatine kinase > 32000 U/L, creatinine 207.8 µmol/L, calcium 1.28 mmol/L, myoglobin 558.7 ng/mL, and parathyroid hormone 0 pg/mL. He was diagnosed with primary HPT with rhabdomyolysis, and severe upper respiratory tract infection was considered to be the initial trigger. He responded well to supplementation of intravenous calcium gluconate and oral calcium as well as bedside hemodialysis, fluid hydration, infection control, protecting the liver, etc. Creatine kinase, myoglobin, and serum calcium returned to normal, and muscle strength improved significantly. Symptoms improved after symptomatic treatment. CONCLUSION: Severe infection should be prevented, which is the key cause of rhabdomyolysis in patients with HPT.

Icariin induces irisin/FNDC5 expression in C2C12 cells via the AMPK pathway.

Backgroud Icariin, a major bioactive pharmaceutical component of the Chinese herbal medicine Epimedii Herba, has demonstrated lipid-lowering and anti-obesity effects. Irisin/ fibronectin type III domain-containing 5 (FNDC5) protects against obesity by inducing browning in white adipose tissue. Objectives This study investigated the effects of icariin on irisin/FNDC5 expression in C2C12 myotubes. Method Cultured murine C2C12 myocytes were used to study the effects of icariin on irisin/FNDC5 expressions by Western-blot, qPCR, Elisa and Immunofluorescence. We also investigated FNDC5 expression in icariin-treated intact mice. Results Icariin increased irisin/FNDC5 protein levels. mRNA levels of irisin/FNDC5 were also increased in C2C12 myocytes after treatment with icariin. Icariin increased peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma co-activator 1alpha (PGC-1α) protein and mRNA levels. Additionally, icariin exposure resulted in phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in a dose-dependent manner. The regulatory effect of icariin on FNDC5 protein expression was blocked by the AMPK antagonist compound C or silencing of AMPK, suggesting that icariin increased FNDC5 protein expression via the AMPK pathway. In vivo, icariin decreased body weight gain in C57BL/6 mice and increased FNDC5, PGC-1α, and p-AMPK expression levels in skeletal muscle. Conclusions Taken together, our results indicated that icariin induces irisin/FNDC5 expression via the AMPK pathway, indicating that icariin may be promising as an anti-obesity drug.

The Potential Role of Probiotics in Controlling Overweight/Obesity and Associated Metabolic Parameters in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of overweight/obesity in adults is raised to 39%, which is nearly tripled more than 1975. The alteration of the gut microbiome has been widely accepted as one of the main causal factors. To find an effective strategy for the prevention and treatment of overweight/obesity, a systematic review and meta-analysis were designed. METHODS: In this study, we systematically reviewed the article published from January 2008 to July 2018 and conducted a meta-analysis to examine the effects of probiotics on body weight control, lipid profile, and glycemic control in healthy adults with overweight or obesity. The primary outcomes were body weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, fat mass, fat percentages, plasma lipid profiles, and glucose metabolic parameters. RESULTS: We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and the Web of Science and identified 1248 articles, and 7 articles which were manually searched by the references of included studies and previously systematic reviews. Twelve randomized controlled trials (RCTs), including 821 participants, were included in the meta-analysis via full-text screening. Probiotics supplementation resulted in a statistical reduction in body weight (WMD [95% CI]; -0.55 [-0.91, -0.19] kg), BMI (WMD [95% CI]; -0.30 [-0.43, -0.18] kg m-2), waist circumference (WMD [95% CI]; -1.20 [-2.21, -0.19] cm), fat mass (WMD [95% CI]; -0.91 [-1.19, -0.63] kg), and fat percentage (WMD [95% CI]; -0.92 [-1.27, -0.56] %) compared with control groups. As expected, the metabolic parameters were improved significantly, with a pooled standardized mean difference in TC (SMD [95% CI]; -0.43 [-0.80, -0.07]), LDL-C (SMD [95% CI]; -0.41 [-0.77, -0.04]), FPG (SMD [95% CI]; -0.35 [-0.67, -0.02]), insulin (SMD [95% CI]; -0.44 [-0.84, -0.03]), and HOMA-IR (SMD [95% CI]; -0.51 [-0.96, -0.05]), respectively. The changes in TG (SMD [95% CI]; 0.14 [-0.23, 0.50]), HDL-C (SMD [95% CI]; -0.31 [-0.70, 0.07]), and HbA1c (SMD [95% CI]; -0.23 [-0.46, 0.01]) were not significant. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the probiotics supplementation could potentially reduce the weight gain and improve some of the associated metabolic parameters, which may become an effective strategy for the prevention and treatment of obesity in adult individuals.