CX 3 CR1 + macrophages interact with HSCs to promote HCC through CD8 + T-cell suppression.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: HSCs contribute to HCC progression by regulating multiple factors. However, the entire immunoregulatory functions of HSCs are still obscure. Here, we aim to investigate whether HSCs impose CX 3 CR1 + macrophages to protumorigenic properties in the peritumoral area. APPROACH AND RESULTS: In single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis of patients with HCC, a subpopulation of macrophages specifically expressed Arg1 and Cx3cr1 in the peritumoral area and were highly enriched with retinol metabolism-related genes. Flow cytometry analysis showed significantly increased frequencies of CD14 + CD11b + HLA-DR - macrophages with CX 3 CR1 in the HCC adjacent region where α-smooth muscle actin-expressing activated hepatic stellate cells (aHSCs) showed colocalized expression of CX 3 CL1. Accordingly, in tumor-bearing mice, Cx3cl1 mRNA expression was notably increased in aHSCs within the adjacent HCC, where infiltration of CX 3 CR1 + Ly6C + macrophages was mostly observed with decreased CD8 + T cells. In adoptive transfer and in vitro coculture of myeloid cells, we demonstrated that CX 3 CR1 + Ly6C + macrophages migrated and highly expressed arginase-1 by interacting with retinoid-enriched aHSCs in the adjacent HCC. Direct treatment of retinoids or coculturing with retinol-storing mouse aHSCs or human LX-2 cells significantly increased arginase-1 expression in CX 3 CR1 + Ly6C + macrophages and human blood CD14 + cells, leading to the suppression of CD8 + T-cell proliferation. Moreover, genetic deficiency of CX 3 CR1 in myeloid cells or pharmacological inhibition of retinol metabolism remarkably attenuated HCC development. CONCLUSIONS: We showed that CX 3 CR1 + Ly6C + macrophages migrate and interact with aHSCs in the peritumoral region where retinoids induce arginase-1 expression in CX 3 CR1 + Ly6C + macrophages, subsequently depriving CD8 + T cells of arginine and promoting HCC.

Novel IL-4/HB-EGF-dependent crosstalk between eosinophils and macrophages controls liver regeneration after ischaemia and reperfusion injury.

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies indicate that eosinophils are recruited into the allograft following orthotopic liver transplantation and protect from ischaemia reperfusion (IR) injury. In the current studies, we aim to explore whether their protective function could outlast during liver repair. DESIGN: Eosinophil-deficient mice and adoptive transfer of bone marrow-derived eosinophils (bmEos) were employed to investigate the effects of eosinophils on tissue repair and regeneration after hepatic IR injury. Aside from exogenous cytokine or neutralising antibody treatments, mechanistic studies made use of a panel of mouse models of eosinophil-specific IL-4/IL-13-deletion, cell-specific IL-4rα-deletion in liver macrophages and hepatocytes and macrophage-specific deletion of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (hb-egf). RESULT: We observed that eosinophils persisted over a week following hepatic IR injury. Their peak accumulation coincided with that of hepatocyte proliferation. Functional studies showed that eosinophil deficiency was associated with a dramatic delay in liver repair, which was normalised by the adoptive transfer of bmEos. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that eosinophil-derived IL-4, but not IL-13, was critically involved in the reparative function of these cells. The data further revealed a selective role of macrophage-dependent IL-4 signalling in liver regeneration. Eosinophil-derived IL-4 stimulated macrophages to produce HB-EGF. Moreover, macrophage-specific hb-egf deletion impaired hepatocyte regeneration after IR injury. CONCLUSION: Together, these studies uncovered an indispensable role of eosinophils in liver repair after acute injury and identified a novel crosstalk between eosinophils and macrophages through the IL-4/HB-EGF axis.

Interleukin-33 facilitates liver regeneration through serotonin-involved gut-liver axis.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Insufficient liver regeneration causes post-hepatectomy liver failure and small-for-size syndrome. Identifying therapeutic targets to enhance hepatic regenerative capacity remains urgent. Recently, increased IL-33 was observed in patients undergoing liver resection and in mice after partial hepatectomy (PHx). The present study aims to investigate the role of IL-33 in liver regeneration after PHx and to elucidate its underlying mechanisms. APPROACH AND RESULTS: We performed PHx in IL-33 -/- , suppression of tumorigenicity 2 (ST2) -/- , and wild-type control mice, and found deficiency of IL-33 or its receptor ST2 delayed liver regeneration. The insufficient liver regeneration could be normalized in IL-33 -/- but not ST2 -/- mice by recombinant murine IL-33 administration. Furthermore, we observed an increased level of serotonin in portal blood from wild-type mice, but not IL-33 -/- or ST2 -/- mice, after PHx. ST2 deficiency specifically in enterochromaffin cells recapitulated the phenotype of delayed liver regeneration observed in ST2 -/- mice. Moreover, the impeded liver regeneration in IL-33 -/- and ST2 -/- mice was restored to normal levels by the treatment with (±)-2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine, which is an agonist of the 5-hydroxytrytamine receptor (HTR)2A. Notably, in vitro experiments demonstrated that serotonin/HTR2A-induced hepatocyte proliferation is dependent on p70S6K activation. CONCLUSIONS: Our study identified that IL-33 is pro-regenerative in a noninjurious model of liver resection. The underlying mechanism involved IL-33/ST2-induced increase of serotonin release from enterochromaffin cells to portal blood and subsequent HTR2A/p70S6K activation in hepatocytes by serotonin. The findings implicate the potential of targeting the IL-33/ST2/serotonin pathway to reduce the risk of post-hepatectomy liver failure and small-for-size syndrome.

Eosinophils protect against acetaminophen-induced liver injury through cyclooxygenase-mediated IL-4/IL-13 production.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: A better understanding of the underlying mechanism of acetaminophen (APAP)-induced liver injury (AILI) remains an important endeavor to develop therapeutic approaches. Eosinophils have been detected in liver biopsies of patients with APAP overdose. We recently demonstrated a profound protective role of eosinophils against AILI; however, the molecular mechanism had not been elucidated. APPROACH AND RESULTS: In agreement with our previous data from experiments using genetic deletion of eosinophils, we found that depletion of eosinophils in wild-type (WT) mice by an anti-IL-15 antibody resulted in exacerbated AILI. Moreover, adoptive transfer of eosinophils significantly reduced liver injury and mortality rate in WT mice. Mechanistic studies using eosinophil-specific IL-4/IL-13 knockout mice demonstrated that these cytokines, through inhibiting interferon-γ, mediated the hepatoprotective function of eosinophils. Reverse phase protein array analyses and in vitro experiments using various inhibitors demonstrated that IL-33 stimulation of eosinophils activated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and in turn, cyclooxygenases (COX), which triggered NF-κB-mediated IL-4/IL-13 production. In vivo adoptive transfer experiments showed that in contrast to naive eosinophils, those pretreated with COX inhibitors failed to attenuate AILI. CONCLUSIONS: The current study revealed that eosinophil-derived IL-4/IL-13 accounted for the hepatoprotective effect of eosinophils during AILI. The data demonstrated that the p38 MAPK/COX/NF-κB signaling cascade played a critical role in inducing IL-4/IL-13 production by eosinophils in response to IL-33.

Hepatic recruitment of eosinophils and their protective function during acute liver injury.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: Beyond the classical description of eosinophil functions in parasite infections and allergic diseases, emerging evidence supports a critical role of eosinophils in resolving inflammation and promoting tissue remodeling. However, the role of eosinophils in liver injury and the underlying mechanism of their recruitment into the liver remain unclear. METHODS: Hepatic eosinophils were detected and quantified using flow cytometry and immunohistochemical staining. Eosinophil-deficient (ΔdblGata1) mice were used to investigate the role of eosinophils in 3 models of acute liver injury. In vivo experiments using Il33-/- mice and macrophage-depleted mice, as well as in vitro cultures of eosinophils and macrophages, were performed to interrogate the mechanism of eotaxin-2 (CCL24) production. RESULTS: Hepatic accumulation of eosinophils was observed in patients with acetaminophen (APAP)-induced liver failure, whereas few eosinophils were detectable in healthy liver tissues. In mice treated with APAP, carbon tetrachloride or concanavalin A, eosinophils were recruited into the liver and played a profound protective role. Mice deficient of macrophages or IL-33 exhibited impaired hepatic eosinophil recruitment during acute liver injury. CCL24, but not CCL11, was increased after treatment of each hepatotoxin in an IL-33 and macrophage-dependent manner. In vitro experiments demonstrated that IL-33, by stimulating IL-4 release from eosinophils, promoted the production of CCL24 by macrophages. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to demonstrate that hepatic recruitment of and protection by eosinophils occur commonly in various models of acute liver injury. Our findings support further exploration of eosinophils as a therapeutic target to treat APAP-induced acute liver injury. LAY SUMMARY: The current study unveils that eosinophils are recruited into the liver and play a protective function during acute liver injury caused by acetaminophen overdose. The data demonstrate that IL-33-activated eosinophils trigger macrophages to release high amounts of CCL24, which promotes hepatic eosinophil recruitment. Our findings suggest that eosinophils could be an effective cell-based therapy for the treatment of acetaminophen-induced acute liver injury.

Mitochondrial Double-Stranded RNA in Exosome Promotes Interleukin-17 Production Through Toll-Like Receptor 3 in Alcohol-associated Liver Injury.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Mitochondrial double-stranded RNA (mtdsRNA) and its innate immune responses have been reported previously; however, mtdsRNA generation and its effects on alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) remain unclear. Here, we report that hepatic mtdsRNA stimulates toll-like receptor 3 (TLR3) in Kupffer cells through the exosome (Exo) to enhance interleukin (IL)-17A (IL-17A) production in ALD. APPROACH AND RESULTS: Following binge ethanol (EtOH) drinking, IL-17A production primarily increased in γδ T cells of wild-type (WT) mice, whereas the production of IL-17A was mainly facilitated by CD4+ T cells in acute-on-chronic EtOH consumption. These were not observed in TLR3 knockout (KO) or Kupffer cell-depleted WT mice. The expression of polynucleotide phosphorylase, an mtdsRNA-restricting enzyme, was significantly decreased in EtOH-exposed livers and hepatocytes of WT mice. Immunostaining revealed that mtdsRNA colocalized with the mitochondria in EtOH-treated hepatocytes from WT mice and healthy humans. Bioanalyzer analysis revealed that small-sized RNAs were enriched in EtOH-treated Exos (EtOH-Exos) rather than EtOH-treated microvesicles in hepatocytes of WT mice and humans. Quantitative real-time PCR and RNA sequencing analyses indicated that mRNA expression of mitochondrial genes encoded by heavy and light strands was robustly increased in EtOH-Exos from mice and humans. After direct treatment with EtOH-Exos, IL-1ß expression was significantly increased in WT Kupffer cells but not in TLR3 KO Kupffer cells, augmenting IL-17A production of γδ T cells in mice and humans. CONCLUSIONS: EtOH-mediated generation of mtdsRNA contributes to TLR3 activation in Kupffer cells through exosomal delivery. Consequently, increased IL-1ß expression in Kupffer cells triggers IL-17A production in γδ T cells at the early stage that may accelerate IL-17A expression in CD4+ T cells in the later stage of ALD. Therefore, mtdsRNA and TLR3 may function as therapeutic targets in ALD.

The Affective Creativity of a Couple in Dementia Care.

The capacity to feel and express themselves in response to worldly surroundings is a defining feature of who a person living with dementia is, and can have profound effects on the ways in which they think, act and express creativity. Drawing on a year of intensive collaborative work with residents living with dementia in an Orthodox Jewish care home in London, I extend our perceptions and understandings of how a couple experiences their day-to-day lives, with particular attention paid to their affective practice in creativity. I demonstrate how the affective creativity of the couple emerges, circulates, and transforms as a spouse's dementia develops, whilst feeling bodies continuously (re)make relations and familiarize themselves with the immediate surroundings through the making of artworks.

Loss of toll-like receptor 3 aggravates hepatic inflammation but ameliorates steatosis in mice.

The importance of toll-like receptor (TLR) 4 in the pathogenesis of steatohepatitis has been well documented; however, little is known about the role of TLR3. In this study, we determined whether the depletion of TLR3 modulated hepatic injury in mice and further aimed to provide mechanistic insights into the TLR3-mediated modulation of diet-induced hepatic inflammation and fat accumulation. Hepatic steatosis and inflammatory response were induced by feeding wild-type (WT) or TLR3 knockout mice a high-fat diet for 8 weeks. Primary liver resident cells, including hepatocytes, Kupffer cells, and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs), were treated with palmitic acid. TLR3 knockout mice fed a high-fat diet showed severe hepatic inflammation accompanied by nuclear factor-κB and IRF3 activation, which is mainly induced by the activation of Kupffer cells. Decreased TLR4 expression was restored in hepatic mononuclear cells and Kupffer cells in TLR3 knockout mice compared to that in the WT. Moreover, hepatic steatosis was decreased in TLR3 knockout mice. Hepatocytes from TLR3 knockout mice exhibited reduced expression of cannabinoid receptors. HSCs from TLR3 knockout mice showed decreased expression of the enzymes involved in endocannabinoid synthesis. In conclusion, this study suggests that the selective modulation of TLR3 could be a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of hepatic inflammation and steatosis.

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3-mediated CD133 up-regulation contributes to promotion of hepatocellular carcinoma.

UNLABELLED: Enhanced expression of the cancer stem cell (CSC) marker, CD133, is closely associated with a higher rate of tumor formation and poor prognosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients. Despite its clinical significance, the molecular mechanism underlying the deregulation of CD133 during tumor progression remains to be clarified. Here, we report on a novel mechanism by which interleukin-6/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (IL-6/STAT3) signaling up-regulates expression of CD133 and promotes HCC progression. STAT3 activated by IL-6 rapidly bound to CD133 promoter and increased protein levels of CD133 in HCC cells. Reversely, in hypoxic conditions, RNA interference silencing of STAT3 resulted in decrease of CD133 levels, even in the presence of IL-6, with a concomitant decrease of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha (HIF-1α) expression. Active STAT3 interacted with nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) p65 subunit to positively regulate the transcription of HIF-1α providing a mechanistic explanation on how those three oncogenes work together to increase the activity of CD133 in a hypoxic liver microenvironment. Activation of STAT3 and its consequent induction of HIF-1α and CD133 expression were not observed in Toll-like receptor 4/IL-6 double-knockout mice. Long-term silencing of CD133 by a lentiviral-based approach inhibited cancer cell-cycle progression and suppressed in vivo tumorigenicity by down-regulating expression of cytokinesis-related genes, such as TACC1, ACF7, and CKAP5. We also found that sorafenib and STAT3 inhibitor nifuroxazide inhibit HCC xenograft formation by blocking activation of STAT3 and expression of CD133 and HIF-1α proteins. CONCLUSION: IL-6/STAT3 signaling induces expression of CD133 through functional cooperation with NF-κB and HIF-1α during liver carcinogenesis. Targeting STAT3-mediated CD133 up-regulation may represent a novel, effective treatment by eradicating the liver tumor microenvironment.

Alcohol dehydrogenase III exacerbates liver fibrosis by enhancing stellate cell activation and suppressing natural killer cells in mice.

UNLABELLED: The important roles of retinols and their metabolites have recently been emphasized in the interactions between hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and natural killer (NK) cells. Nevertheless, the expression and role of retinol metabolizing enzyme in both cell types have yet to be clarified. Thus, we investigated the expression of retinol metabolizing enzyme and its role in liver fibrosis. Among several retinol metabolizing enzymes, only alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) 3 expression was detected in isolated HSCs and NK cells, whereas hepatocytes express all of them. In vitro treatment with 4-methylpyrazole (4-MP), a broad ADH inhibitor, or depletion of the ADH3 gene down-regulated collagen and transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1) gene expression, but did not affect α-smooth muscle actin gene expression in cultured HSCs. Additionally, in vitro, treatments with retinol suppressed NK cell activities, whereas inhibition of ADH3 enhanced interferon-γ (IFN-γ) production and cytotoxicity of NK cells against HSCs. In vivo, genetic depletion of the ADH3 gene ameliorated bile duct ligation- and carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis, in which a higher number of apoptotic HSCs and an enhanced activation of NK cells were detected. Freshly isolated HSCs from ADH3-deficient mice showed reduced expression of collagen and TGF-ß1, but enhanced expression of IFN-γ was detected in NK cells from these mice compared with those of control mice. Using reciprocal bone marrow transplantation of wild-type and ADH3-deficient mice, we demonstrated that ADH3 deficiency in both HSCs and NK cells contributed to the suppressed liver fibrosis. CONCLUSION: ADH3 plays important roles in promoting liver fibrosis by enhancing HSC activation and inhibiting NK cell activity, and could be used as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of liver fibrosis.

Fast, facile and thermal damage free nanowelding of Ag nanowire for flexible transparent conductive film by pressure-assisted microwave irradiation.

A fast and straightforward fabrication process for producing a robust, flexible, and transparent conductive film was demonstrated using nanowelding of Ag nanowires through pressure-assisted microwave irradiation. This innovative process effectively reduces the sheet resistance of the Ag nanowire transparent conductive film without causing any thermal distortion to the PET substrate. The microwave irradiation induces nanowelding between Ag nanowires, leading to a decrease in sheet resistance by forming nanowelding junctions. This selective heating of Ag nanowires further enhances the reduction in sheet resistance. Additionally, the application of pressure-assisted microwave irradiation allows the Ag nanowires to be embedded into the PET substrate, resulting in the formation of a robust film capable of withstanding cycling bending stress. The pressure-assisted microwave irradiation process proves to be a strong fabrication method for creating Ag nanowire transparent conductive films, especially when dealing with thermally weak substrate materials.

Investigation of the existence of and a block technique for the inferior lateral genicular nerve: cadaveric study.

Background: Among the four genicular nerves innervating the anterior aspect of the knee, the inferior lateral genicular nerve has been omitted as a target of blocking. Some authors have suggested that the inferior lateral genicular nerve of the knee might pass beneath the lateral collateral ligament of knee. The authors aimed to study the location of the inferior lateral genicular nerve and the spread of injectate during the inferior lateral genicular nerve block. Methods: In ten knees from fresh frozen cadavers, the authors performed on each an ultrasound-guided block of the inferior lateral genicular nerve of the knee just below the lateral collateral ligament. The needle was inserted below the lateral collateral ligament, and 2 mL of blue dye was injected. A week later, the cadavers were dissected, and the existence of the inferior lateral genicular nerve and the spread of dye around it was investigated. Results: The proportion of inferior lateral genicular nerves branching from the common peroneal nerve was found in 8 of 10 (80.0%) cadavers. Of these eight cadavers with inferior lateral genicular nerve, five specimens (62.5%) were stained with blue dye. The common peroneal nerve was not infiltrated with dye in any specimens. Conclusions: When 2 mL of dye was inserted inferiorly to the lateral collateral ligament, the inferior lateral genicular nerve could be blocked in 62.5% of specimens. Because the common peroneal nerve was not involved in any specimen, motor weakness would be avoided with this method.

Smad4 and p53 synergize in suppressing autochthonous intestinal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Smad4 and p53 mutations are the most common mutations in human colorectal cancers (CRCs). We evaluated whether and how they are synergistic in intestinal carcinogenesis using novel autochthonous mouse models. METHOD: To recapitulate human CRCs, we generated Villin-Cre;Smad4F / F ;Trp53F / F mice. We then compared the intestinal phenotype of Villin-Cre;Smad4F / F ;Trp53F / F mice (n = 40) with Villin-Cre;Smad4F / F (n = 30) and Villin-Cre;Trp53F / F mice (n = 45). RESULTS: Twenty-week-old Villin-Cre;Smad4F / F ;Trp53F / F mice displayed spontaneous highly proliferative intestinal tumors, and 85% of mice developed adenocarcinomas. p21 was downregulated in the intestinal mucosa in Villin-Cre;Smad4F / F ;Trp53F / F mice than in Villin-Cre;Smad4F / F and Villin-Cre;Trp53F / F mice. Villin-Cre;Smad4F / F ;Trp53F / F mice displayed multistep intestinal tumorigenesis and Wnt activation. Long-term CWP232291 (small-molecule Wnt inhibitor) treatment of Villin-Cre;Smad4F / F ;Trp53F / F mice suppressed intestinal tumorigenesis and progression. CWP232291 treatment downregulated cancer stem cell (CSC) tumor markers including CD133, Lgr-5, and Sca-1. CWP232291 treatment reduced the CSC frequency. Small-molecule Wnt inhibitors reduced intestinal CSC populations and inhibited their growth, along with Bcl-XL downregulation. Furthermore, BH3I-1, a Bcl-XL antagonist, increasingly inhibited intestinal CSCs than bulk tumor cells. CONCLUSION: Smad4 loss and p53 loss are synergistic in autochthonous intestinal carcinogenesis, by downregulating p21 and activating Wnt/ß-catenin pathway.

Co-creative Affordance: Rethinking "Beyond Loss" in Dementia through Co-dwelling.

Based on a decade of voluntary work and a year of intensive ethnographic fieldwork in an orthodox Jewish care home in London, I demonstrate the ways in which an individual's loss of cognition, language and memory is challenged, rethought and facilitated in everyday life. Drawing on Ingold's idea of dwelling, I examine how loss is constantly negotiated and distributed in ways of becoming that are radically contingent, profoundly relational and potentially generative during an art activity in the context of co-dwelling. I refer to this as dementia-becoming. I suggest a more inclusive understanding of loss as a way of life, constitutive of life, and appreciated as a potential co-creative affordance.

MiR-30a and miR-200c differentiate cholangiocarcinomas from gastrointestinal cancer liver metastases.

Prior studies have demonstrated the utility of microRNA assays for predicting some cancer tissue origins, but these assays need to be further optimized for predicting the tissue origins of adenocarcinomas of the liver. We performed microRNA profiling on 195 frozen primary tumor samples using 14 types of tumors that were either adenocarcinomas or differentiated from adenocarcinomas. The 1-nearest neighbor method predicted tissue-of-origin in 33 samples of a test set, with an accuracy of 93.9% at feature selection p values ranging from 10-4 to 10-10. According to binary decision tree analyses, the overexpression of miR-30a and the underexpression of miR-200 family members (miR-200c and miR-141) differentiated intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas from extrahepatic adenocarcinomas. When binary decision tree analyses were performed using the test set, the prediction accuracy was 84.8%. The overexpression of miR-30a and the reduced expressions of miR-200c, miR-141, and miR-425 could distinguish intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas from liver metastases from the gastrointestinal tract.

Eosinophils attenuate hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury in mice through ST2-dependent IL-13 production.

Eosinophils are a myeloid cell subpopulation that mediates type 2 T helper cell immune responses. Unexpectedly, we identified a rapid accumulation of eosinophils in 22 human liver grafts after hepatic transplantation. In contrast, no eosinophils were detectable in healthy liver tissues before transplantation. Studies with two genetic mouse models of eosinophil deficiency and a mouse model of antibody-mediated eosinophil depletion revealed exacerbated liver injury after hepatic ischemia and reperfusion. Adoptive transfer of bone marrow-derived eosinophils normalized liver injury of eosinophil-deficient mice and reduced hepatic ischemia and reperfusion injury in wild-type mice. Mechanistic studies combining genetic and adoptive transfer approaches identified a critical role of suppression of tumorigenicity (ST2)-dependent production of interleukin-13 by eosinophils in the hepatoprotection against ischemia-reperfusion-induced injury. Together, these data provide insight into a mechanism of eosinophil-mediated liver protection that could serve as a therapeutic target to improve outcomes of patients undergoing liver transplantation.

Characterization of QTLs and Candidate Genes for Days to Heading in Rice Recombinant Inbred Lines.

Understanding the gene mechanisms controlling days to heading (DH) is important in rice breeding for adaption in the target environment. Using a recombinant inbred line population derived from the cross between two japonica rice cultivars, Koshihikari and Baegilmi, we identified three consistent quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for DH for two years, qDH3, qDH6, and qDH7 on chromosomes 3, 6, and 7, respectively. While Baegilmi contributed the allele for early heading at qDH6 and qDH7 with the additive effect of five days each, Koshihikari contributed the allele for early heading at qDH3 with the additive effect of three days. Notably, pyramiding two or more alleles for early heading at these QTLs accelerated heading effectively. Sequencing of Hd16, Hd1, and Ghd7, the previously known heading date genes underlying qDH3, qDH6, and qDH7, respectively, revealed that Baegilmi and Koshihikari carry different alleles at the three genes. Molecular markers were developed to screen the allelic compositions of the three genes among 295 Korean commercial rice cultivars. The results showed that few cultivars carry alleles for early heading at the three genes, highlighting that DH can be further accelerated and fine-tuned in breeding programs by combining the desirable alleles of Hd16, Hd1, and Ghd7.

Ginsenoside F2 attenuates chronic-binge ethanol-induced liver injury by increasing regulatory T cells and decreasing Th17 cells.

BACKGROUND: Recently, beneficial roles of ginsenoside F2 (GF2), a minor constituent of Panax ginseng, have been demonstrated in diverse inflammatory diseases. However, its roles in alcoholic liver inflammation and injury have not been clearly understood. Here, we investigated the underlying mechanism by which GF2 ameliorated alcoholic liver injury. METHODS: To induce alcoholic liver injury, C57BL/6J wild type (WT) or interleukin (IL)-10 knockout (KO) mice were orally administered with ethanol (3 g/kg) or ethanol-containing GF2 (50 mg/kg) for 2 wk. Liver injury and infiltration of macrophages and neutrophils were evaluated by serum biochemistry and immunohistochemistry, respectively. The changes of hepatic immune cells were assessed by flow cytometry and polymerase chain reaction analysis. In vitro differentiation of naïve T cells was performed. RESULTS: GF2 treatment significantly attenuated alcoholic liver injury, in which infiltrations of inflammatory macrophages and neutrophils were decreased. Moreover, the frequencies of Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) increased but IL-17-producing T (Th17) cells decreased in GF2-treated mice compared to controls. Furthermore, the mRNA expression of IL-10 and Foxp3 was significantly increased, whereas IL-17 mRNA expression was suppressed in GF2-treated mice. However, these beneficial roles of GF2 were not observed in GF2-treated IL-10 KO mice, suggesting a critical role of IL-10. Similarly, GF2 treatment suppressed differentiation of naïve T cells into Th17 cells by inhibiting RORγt expression and stimulating Foxp3 expression. CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that GF2 treatment attenuates alcoholic liver injury by increasing IL-10 expression and Tregs and decreasing IL-17 expression and Th17 cells.

Improving the Glossiness of Cooked Rice, an Important Component of Visual Rice Grain Quality.

BACKGROUND: Rice is one of the few cereals consumed as a whole grain, and therefore the appearance of the final milled product, both before and after cooking, strongly influences the consumer's perception of product quality. Matching consumer preference for rice grain quality is a key component of rice variety development programs, as the quality drives demand, which in turn drives variety adoption, market price, and profitability. The quality of cooked rice is normally evaluated indirectly, through measurement of key elements driving quality as well as more directly by sensory evaluation, but remains a complex trait conditioned by the genetic complexity of factors driving quality, changes wrought by environment, and the complexity of consumer preferences. RESULT: In this study, we evaluated 17 traits, including the taste value obtained by glossiness of cooked rice (TV), to explain rice eating quality by statistical methods and identified QTLs associated with TV. To explain the correlation among traits, exploratory factor analysis was performed for 2 years. The overall eating quality (OE) was correlated with TV and protein content loading at the same factor (PA1) in 2017, and there was a relationship between the OE (PA1) and the TV (PA2) in 2018 (PA1:PA2, r = 0.3). In QTL analysis using 174 RILs, three QTLs for TV derived from Wandoaengmi6 were detected on chromosomes 4, 6, and 9. The QTL qTV9 delimited within Id9007180 and 9,851,330 on chromosome 9 was detected in both years, explaining approximately 17% of the variation, on average. Through the use of fine mapping, qTV9 was delimited to an approximately 34-Kbp segment flanked by the DNA markers CTV9_9 and CTV9_13, and nine ORFs were listed in the target region as candidate genes associated with TV. In the evaluation of qTV9's effect on OE, the lines with qTV9 showed a significant increase in correlation coefficiency compared to the negative lines. These data will apply to functional analysis on the glossiness and the MAS breeding program to improve the eating quality of japonica as a donor line. CONCLUSION: In this paper we report a number of QTL associated with changes in glossiness of cooked rice, and these may have utility in the development of MAS in breeding programs with a specific focus on cooked grain quality.

Corrigendum to "Caffeoylquinic Acid-Rich Extract of Aster glehni F. Schmidt Ameliorates Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver through the Regulation of PPARδ and Adiponectin in ApoE KO Mice".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2017/3912567.].