A brain-enriched lncRNA shields cancer cells from immune-mediated killing for metastatic colonization in the brain.

Brain metastases, including prevalent breast-to-brain metastasis (B2BM), represent an urgent unmet medical need in the care of cancer due to a lack of effective therapies. Immune evasion is essential for cancer cells to metastasize to the brain tissue for brain metastasis. However, the intrinsic genetic circuits that enable cancer cells to avoid immune-mediated killing in the brain microenvironment remain poorly understood. Here, we report that a brain-enriched long noncoding RNA (BMOR) expressed in B2BM cells is required for brain metastasis development and is both necessary and sufficient to drive cancer cells to colonize the brain tissue. Mechanistically, BMOR enables cancer cells to evade immune-mediated killing in the brain microenvironment for the development of brain metastasis by binding and inactivating IRF3. In preclinical brain metastasis murine models, locked nucleic acid-BMOR, a designed silencer targeting BMOR, is effective in suppressing the metastatic colonization of cancer cells in the brain for brain metastasis. Taken together, our study reveals a mechanism underlying B2BM immune evasion during cancer cell metastatic colonization of brain tissue for brain metastasis, where B2BM cells evade immune-mediated killing in the brain microenvironment by acquiring a brain-enriched long noncoding RNA genetic feature.

Capsule type defines the capability of Klebsiella pneumoniae in evading Kupffer cell capture in the liver.

Polysaccharide capsule is the main virulence factor of K. pneumoniae, a major pathogen of bloodstream infections in humans. While more than 80 capsular serotypes have been identified in K. pneumoniae, only several serotypes are frequently identified in invasive infections. It is documented that the capsule enhances bacterial resistance to phagocytosis, antimicrobial peptides and complement deposition under in vitro conditions. However, the precise role of the capsule in the process of K. pneumoniae bloodstream infections remains to be elucidated. Here we show that the capsule promotes K. pneumoniae survival in the bloodstream by protecting bacteria from being captured by liver resident macrophage Kupffer cells (KCs). Our real-time in vivo imaging revealed that blood-borne acapsular K. pneumoniae mutant is rapidly captured and killed by KCs in the liver sinusoids of mice, whereas, to various extents, encapsulated strains bypass the anti-bacterial machinery in a serotype-dependent manner. Using capsule switched strains, we show that certain high-virulence (HV) capsular serotypes completely block KC's capture, whereas the low-virulence (LV) counterparts confer partial protection against KC's capture. Moreover, KC's capture of the LV K. pneumoniae could be in vivo neutralized by free capsular polysaccharides of homologous but not heterologous serotypes, indicating that KCs specifically recognize the LV capsules. Finally, immunization with inactivated K. pneumoniae enables KCs to capture the HV K. pneumoniae. Together, our findings have uncovered that KCs are the major target cells of K. pneumoniae capsule to promote bacterial survival and virulence, which can be reversed by vaccination.

Tunable afterglow Ca1 - xSrxAl2O4:Eu2+, Nd3+ phosphors with dependence of an excitation wavelength.

In the emerging field of high-capacity information encryption, multicolor, multitemporal, and multimodal luminescence inorganic materials are of great significance. However, conventional inorganic materials lack the flexibility to dynamically adjust the photon transition path, resulting in unicolor luminescence of the sample and reducing the reading and decoding levels. Herein, we elaborately designed the components for constructing dual-phase crystal fields for Eu2+ in phosphors based on a high temperature solid-state method. Specifically, SrAl2O4:Eu2+ crystal with a bright green afterglow and CaAl2O4:Eu2+ crystal with a blue afterglow were obtained in phosphors at the same time. As a result, a tunable afterglow behavior from blue to white was achieved due to the 4f65d1 → 4f7 transition of Eu2+ at different crystal field sites. Finally, the color tunable afterglow sample was used to explore the encryption and decryption processes of information, and the results showed that the prepared material has a good anti-counterfeiting performance, which is promising for the development of long persistent luminescent materials.

ASCs Activate cGAS-Type I IFNs-IL-7 Axis Via Pseudomonas aeruginosa-Derived Outer Membrane Vesicles to Resolve Pneumonia.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) therapy could efficiently attenuate LPS-induced acute lung injury and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA)-induced acute pneumonia. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are still elusive. Here, we report that PA-derived outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) trigger mouse primary adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs) to upregulate cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS) for sensing of double-stranded DNA (dsDNA) and the expression of interleukin (IL)-7. Loss of cGAS-interferon (IFN)-ß axis abolished the protective function of ASCs to PA-induced acute pneumonia in mice. Mechanistically, OMVs-delivered PA dsDNA primes cGAS-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling pathway and increases the IL-7 production in ASCs via IFN-ß signaling. Meanwhile, dsDNA-primed ASCs furthermore amplifies IL-7 expression in primary lung epithelial cells and mouse lung epithelial (MLE)-12 cell line via increased IFN-ß. Our findings thus implicate a molecular mechanism that ASCs recognize PA-OMVs-derived dsDNA to secrete IL-7 via activating cGAS, suggesting a potential therapeutic strategy of ASCs transfer for PA-induced lung infection and inflammation.

Dual inhibitors of DNMT and HDAC remodels the immune microenvironment of colorectal cancer and enhances the efficacy of anti-PD-L1 therapy.

Colorectal cancer is the second most prevalent and deadly cancer worldwide. The emergence of immune checkpoint therapy has provided a revolutionary strategy for the treatment of solid tumors. However, less than 5% of colorectal cancer patients respond to immune checkpoint therapy. Thus, it is of great scientific significance to develop "potentiators" for immune checkpoint therapy. In this study, we found that knocking down different DNMT and HDAC isoforms could increase the expression of IFNs in colorectal cancer cells, which can enhance the effectiveness of immune checkpoint therapy. Therefore, the combined inhibition of DNMT and HDAC cloud synergistically enhance the effect of immunotherapy. We found that dual DNMT and HDAC inhibitors C02S could inhibit tumor growth in immunocompetent mice but not in immunocompromised nude mice, which indicates that C02S exerts its antitumor effects through the immune system. Mechanistically, C02S could increase the expression of ERVs, which generated the intracellular levels of dsRNA in tumor cells, and then promotes the expression of IFNs through the RIG-I/MDA5-MAVS signaling pathway. Moreover, C02S increased the immune infiltration of DCs and T cells in microenvironment, and enhanced the efficacy of anti-PD-L1 therapy in MC38 and CT26 mice model. These results confirmed that C02S can activate IFNs through the RIG-I/MDA5-MAVS signaling pathway, remodel the tumor immune microenvironment and enhance the efficacy of immune checkpoint therapy, which provides new evidence and solutions for the development of "potentiator" for colorectal cancer immunotherapy.

Comprehensive Toxicological Assessment of Halobenzoquinones in Drinking Water at Environmentally Relevant Concentration.

Halobenzoquinones (HBQs), an emerging unregulated category of disinfection byproduct (DBP) in drinking water, have aroused an increasing concern over their potential health risks. However, the chronic toxicity of HBQs at environmentally relevant concentrations remains largely unknown. Here, the occurrence and concentrations of 13 HBQs in drinking water from a northern megacity in China were examined using ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS). Four HBQs, including 2,6-dichloro-1,4-benzoquinone (2,6-DCBQ), 2,6-dibromo-1,4-benzoquinone (2,6-DBBQ), 2,3,6-trichloro-1,4-benzoquinone (TriCBQ), and 2,5-dibromo-1,4-benzoquinone (2,5-DBBQ), were detected beyond 50% occurrence frequency and at median concentrations from 4 to 50 ng/L. The chronic toxicity of these four HBQs to normal human colon and liver cells (FHC and THLE-2) was investigated at these concentrations. After 90 days of exposure, 2,5-DBBQ and 2,6-DCBQ induced the highest levels of oxidative stress and deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage in colon and liver cells, respectively. Moreover, 2,5-DBBQ and 2,6-DCBQ were also found to induce epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in normal human liver cells via the extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathway. Importantly, heating to 100 °C (boiling) was found to efficiently reduce the levels of these four HBQs in drinking water. These results suggested that environmentally relevant concentrations of HBQs could induce cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in normal human cells, and boiling is a highly efficient way of detoxification for HBQs.

A class of independently evolved transcriptional repressors in plant RNA viruses facilitates viral infection and vector feeding.

Plant viruses employ diverse virulence strategies to achieve successful infection, but there are few known general strategies of viral pathogenicity and transmission used by widely different plant viruses. Here, we report a class of independently evolved virulence factors in different plant RNA viruses which possess active transcriptional repressor activity. Rice viruses in the genera Fijivirus, Tenuivirus, and Cytorhabdovirus all have transcriptional repressors that interact in plants with the key components of jasmonic acid (JA) signaling, namely mediator subunit OsMED25, OsJAZ proteins, and OsMYC transcription factors. These transcriptional repressors can directly disassociate the OsMED25-OsMYC complex, inhibit the transcriptional activation of OsMYC, and then combine with OsJAZ proteins to cooperatively attenuate the JA pathway in a way that benefits viral infection. At the same time, these transcriptional repressors efficiently enhanced feeding by the virus insect vectors by repressing JA signaling. Our findings reveal a common strategy in unrelated plant viruses in which viral transcriptional repressors hijack and repress the JA pathway in favor of both viral pathogenicity and vector transmission.

Antimicrobial Resistance and Molecular Characterization of Escherichia coli from Healthy Chickens in Shandong, China from 2009 to 2014.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a great threat to animal and public health. Here, we conducted a surveillance of Escherichia coli isolated from healthy chickens during 2009-2014 to identify the characteristics of AMR. A total of 351 (95.64%) E. coli isolates were obtained from 367 healthy chicken fecal samples collected from 6 farms located in Shandong Province, China. The susceptibility to 10 antimicrobials, the prevalence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), phylogenetic clustering, and multilocus sequence typing were evaluated. The isolates exhibited high resistant rates (>95%) to ampicillin, cefotaxime, ciprofloxacin, ceftiofur, and enrofloxacin. The most prevalent ARGs were blaCTX-M (36.36%), aac(6')-Ib-cr (30.79%), qnrS (29.62%), oqxAB (27%), mcr-1 (15.83%), blaTEM (9.09%), qnrC (3.52%), qnrD (0.88%), and qepA (0.29%). Phylogenetic clustering analysis indicated that the most prevalent group was group D (37.89%), followed by group B1 (34.76%), A (24.22%), and B2 (3.13%). Fifty-seven sequence types (STs) were identified among the 124 blaCTX-M-positive strains, and the dominant STs were ST354 (13.71%), ST117 (5.65%), ST155, ST2309, and ST2505 (4.84% each). There was a significant association between 17 pairs of AMR phenotypes, 14 pairs of ARGs, and 11 pairs of AMR-ARGs. The strongest association was found between ST602 and qnrC (odds ratios: 22.2). This study implied that E. coli isolated from healthy chickens could potentially serve as a reservoir of AMR and ARGs, and significant associations exist among AMR, ARGs, phylogenetic groups, and STs. Our study highlighted the need for routine surveillance of AMR in healthy chickens, and promoting appropriate antibiotic use and implementing regular monitoring of resistance in broilers are crucial for fostering the development of the poultry industry and safeguarding public health.

Photoelectrochemical sensor based on AuNPs@WO3@TpPa-1-COF for quantification of DNA methylation levels.

A "signal-off" photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensing platform has been designed for the ultrasensitive detection of DNA methylation levels and multiple methylated sites. The platform employs tungsten trioxide and TpPa-1-COF loaded by gold nanoparticle (AuNPs@WO3@TpPa-1-COF) composite material as the photoactive component and p-type reduced graphene (rGO) as an efficient quencher. The PEC signal of AuNPs@WO3@TpPa-1-COF composite is effectively quenched in the presence of p-type rGO, because p-type rGO can compete with AuNPs@WO3@TpPa-1-COF to deplete light energy and electron donors. In addition, a hybrid strand reaction (HCR) amplification strategy fixes more target DNA and then combines with rGO-modified anti-5-methylcytosine antibody to facilitate ultrasensitive DNA methylation detection. Under optimal conditions, DNA methylation can be measured within a linear concentration range of 10-14 to 10-8 M, with an exceptionally low detection limit of 0.19 fM (S/N = 3). At the same time, the platform can conduct quantitative determination of multi-site methylation, with the linear equation △I = 44.19LogA + 61.43, and the maximum number of methylation sites is 5. The sensor demonstrates high sensitivity, excellent selectivity, and satisfactory stability. Furthermore, the proposed signal-off PEC strategy was successfully employed to detect DNA methylation in spiked human serum samples, with recoveries ranging from 93.17 to 107.28% and relative standard deviation (RSD) ranging from 1.15 to 5.49%.

3D Printing of Ultralow-Concentration 2D Nanomaterial Inks for Multifunctional Architectures.

The direct 3D printing of ultralight architectures with ultralow-concentration 2D nanomaterial inks is necessary yet challenging. Here, we describe an emulsion-based ink for direct printing using 2D nanomaterials, i.e., MXene and graphene oxide (GO). The electrostatic interactions between the ligands in the oil phase and the 2D nanomaterials in the aqueous phase help form sheet-like surfactants at the interface. The interactions between the anchored ligands among different droplets dictate the rheological characteristics of inks, enabling a gel-like behavior ideally suitable for 3D printing at ultralow concentrations of 2D nanomaterials. The 3D printed foams possess lightweight structures with densities of 2.8 mg cm-3 (GO-based) and 4.1 mg cm-3 (MXene-based), and the latter integrates outstanding electrical conductivity, electromagnetic shielding performance, and thermal insulation comparable to air. This work describes a general approach for direct-printing ultralight porous structures that take advantage of the inherent properties of 2D building blocks.

TMT Labeling under Acidic pH Overcomes Detrimental Overlabeling and Improves Peptide Identification Rates.

Tandem mass tags (TMT) are one of the most widely used techniques in proteomics quantification due to their ability to accurately and precisely analyze up to 18 samples in a multiplexed manner. Moreover, TMT tags are introduced chemically by covalent coupling of the primary amines of digested proteins, making them universally applicable for any kind of sample. However, in addition to amine groups, the hydroxyl groups of serine, threonine, and tyrosine residues can also be labeled to some extent during TMT labeling, which compromises the analytical sensitivity and results in lower peptide identification rates compared to label-free methods. In this work, we investigated in-depth the chemical nature of TMT overlabeling and revealed that peptides simultaneously containing histidine and hydroxyl-containing residues were prone to overlabeling due to an intramolecular catalysis mediated by the histidyl imidazolyl group. Based on the understanding of the chemical mechanism, we developed a novel TMT labeling method under acidic pH that completely overcomes overlabeling. Compared to the standard labeling method provided by the TMT vendor, our method achieved comparable labeling efficiency on target groups but greatly reduced overlabeled peptides, resulting in the identification of 33.9% more unique peptides and 20.9% more proteins in proteomic analysis.

Phage Tail Fiber Protein as a Specific Probe for Recognition of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli O91, O103, and O111.

The ability to quickly identify specific serotypes of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) could facilitate the monitoring and control of STEC pathogens. In this study, we identified the receptors and receptor-binding proteins (RBPs) of three novel phages (pO91, pO103, and pO111) isolated from hospital wastewater. Recombinant versions of these RBPs (pO91-ORF43, pO103-ORF42, and pO111-ORF8) fused to a fluorescent reporter protein were then constructed. Both fluorescence microscopy and transmission electron microscopy showed that all three recombinant RBPs were bound to the bacterial surface. Indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to verify that each recombinant RBP bound specifically to E. coli O91, O103, or O111, but not to any of the 83 strains of E. coli with different O-antigens, nor to 10 other bacterial species that were tested. The recombinant RBPs adsorbed to their respective host bacteria within 10 min of incubation. The minimum concentration of bacteria required for detection by the recombinant RBPs was 33 colony-forming units (CFU)/mL (range: 3.3 × 10 to 3.3 × 108 CFU/mL). Furthermore, each recombinant RBP was also able to detect bacteria in lettuce, chicken breast meat, and infected mice, indicating that their usage will facilitate the detection of STEC and may help to reduce the spread of STEC-related infections and diseases.

The relationship between systemic inflammation index, systemic immune-inflammatory index, and inflammatory prognostic index and 90-day outcomes in acute ischemic stroke patients treated with intravenous thrombolysis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To explore the association of systemic inflammatory index (SIRI), systemic immune-inflammatory index (SII) and inflammatory prognosis index (IPI) with 90d outcomes in patients with acute ischemic stroke (AIS) after intravenous thrombolysis. METHODS: The patients who underwent intravenous thrombolysis were enrolled in the present study from September 2019 to December 2022. According to the relevant blood indexes obtained in 24 h after admission, the corresponding values of SIRI, SII and IPI were calculated. The correlation among SIRI, SII, IPI, and admission NIHSS scores was examined by Spearman correlation analysis. ROC curve analysis was conducted to determine the optimal cut-off value of SIRI, SII, IPI, and their corresponding sensitivity and specificity to evaluate their predictive value on admission for poor prognosis. To investigate whether high SIRI, SII, and IPI were independent predictors of poor outcomes within 90 days, variables with P-value < 0.05 during univariate analysis were included in multivariate analysis. RESULTS: Compared with the good outcome group, the poor outcome group had higher SIRI, IPI, and SII. Spearman correlation analysis showed that the SIRI, IPI, and SII levels significantly correlated with the admission NIHSS score (r = 0.338, 0.356, 0.427, respectively; Ps < 0.001). Univariate analysis and Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed high SIRI, SII, and IPI values as independent risk factors for poor 90-day prognosis (OR = 1.09, 1.003 and 7.109, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: High SIRI, IPI, and SII values are correlated with poor 90d outcomes in AIS patients undergoing intravenous thrombolysis.

An Intelligent Vascular Disrupting Dendritic Nanodevice Incorporating Copper Sulfide Nanoparticles for Immune Modulation-Mediated Combination Tumor Therapy.

Development of intelligent nanoplatforms that can simultaneously target multiple factors associated with tumor growth and metastasis remains an extreme challenge. Here, an intelligent dendritic nanodevice incorporating both copper sulfide nanoparticles (CuS NPs) and 5,6-dimethylxanthenone-4-acetic acid (DMXAA, a vascular disrupting agent) within the dendrimer internal cavities and surface modified with a targeting agent LyP-1 peptide is reported. The resulting generation 5 (G5) dendrimer-based nanodevice, known as G5-PEG-LyP-1-CuS-DMXAA NPs (GLCD NPs), possess good colloidal stability, pH-sensitive drug release kinetics, and high photothermal conversion efficiency (59.3%). These functional GLCD NPs exert a LyP-1-targeted killing effect on breast tumors by combining CuS-mediated photothermal therapy (PTT) and DMXAA-induced vascular disruption, while also triggering antitumor immune responses through PTT-induced immunogenic cell death and DMXAA-mediated immune regulation via M1 polarization of tumor-associated macrophages and dendritic cell maturation. In addition, with the LyP-1-mediated proapoptotic activity, the GLCD NPs can specifically kill tumor lymphatic endothelial cells. The simultaneous disruption of tumor blood vessels and lymphatic vessels cuts off the two main pathways of tumor metastasis, which plays a two-pronged role in inhibiting lung metastasis of the breast cancer model. Thus, the developed GLCD NPs represent an advanced intelligent nanoformulation for immune modulation-mediated combination tumor therapy with potential for clinical translations.

SIRT3 ameliorates diabetes-associated cognitive dysfunction via regulating mitochondria-associated ER membranes.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes is associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline and dementia. These diseases are linked with mitochondrial dysfunction, most likely as a consequence of excessive formation of mitochondria-associated membranes (MAMs). Sirtuin3 (SIRT3), a key mitochondrial NAD+-dependent deacetylase, is critical responsible for mitochondrial functional homeostasis and is highly associated with neuropathology. However, the role of SIRT3 in regulating MAM coupling remains unknown. METHODS: Streptozotocin-injected diabetic mice and high glucose-treated SH-SY5Y cells were established as the animal and cellular models, respectively. SIRT3 expression was up-regulated in vivo using an adeno-associated virus in mouse hippocampus and in vitro using a recombinant lentivirus vector. Cognitive function was evaluated using behavioural tests. Hippocampus injury was assessed using Golgi and Nissl staining. Apoptosis was analysed using western blotting and TUNEL assay. Mitochondrial function was detected using flow cytometry and confocal fluorescence microscopy. The mechanisms were investigated using co-immunoprecipitation of VDAC1-GRP75-IP3R complex, fluorescence imaging of ER and mitochondrial co-localisation and transmission electron microscopy of structural analysis of MAMs. RESULTS: Our results demonstrated that SIRT3 expression was significantly reduced in high glucose-treated SH-SY5Y cells and hippocampal tissues from diabetic mice. Further, up-regulating SIRT3 alleviated hippocampus injuries and cognitive impairment in diabetic mice and mitigated mitochondrial Ca2+ overload-induced mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis. Mechanistically, MAM formation was enhanced under high glucose conditions, which was reversed by genetic up-regulation of SIRT3 via reduced interaction of the VDAC1-GRP75-IP3R complex in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, we investigated the therapeutic effects of pharmacological activation of SIRT3 in diabetic mice via honokiol treatment, which exhibited similar effects to our genetic interventions. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, our findings suggest that SIRT3 ameliorates cognitive impairment in diabetic mice by limiting aberrant MAM formation. Furthermore, targeting the activation of SIRT3 by honokiol provides a promising therapeutic candidate for diabetes-associated cognitive dysfunction. Overall, our study suggests a novel role of SIRT3 in regulating MAM coupling and indicates that SIRT3-targeted therapies are promising for diabetic dementia patients.

Integration of chromatin accessibility and gene expression reveals new regulators of cold hardening to enhance freezing tolerance in Prunus mume.

Low temperature is one of the most important abiotic factors limiting the growth, development and geographical distribution of plants. Prunus mume is an attractive woody ornamental plant that blooms in early spring in Beijing. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying cold hardening to enhance freezing tolerance in Prunus genus remains elusive. This study examined the dynamic physiological responses induced by cold hardening, and identified freezing-tolerance genes by RNA-seq and ATAC-seq analyses. Cold hardening elevated the content of soluble substances and enhanced freezing resistance in P. mume. Transcriptome analysis indicated that the candidate differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were those enriched in Ca2+ signalling, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade, abscisic acid signalling, and inducer of CBF expression 1 (ICE)-C-repeat binding factor (CBF) signalling pathways. The openness of gene chromatin positively correlated with the expression level of these genes. Thirteen motifs were identified in the open chromatin regions in the treatment group subjected to freezing after cold hardening. The chromatin opening of transcription start site at the proximal -177 region of cold-shock protein CS120-like (PmCSL) was markedly increased, while the expression level of PmCSL was significantly up-regulated. Overexpression of PmCSL in Arabidopsis significantly improved the freezing tolerance of transgenic plants. These findings provide new insights into the regulatory mechanism of freezing tolerance to improve breeding of cold-hardy P. mume plants.

The OsGSK2 Kinase Integrates Brassinosteroid and Jasmonic Acid Signaling by Interacting with OsJAZ4.

The crosstalk between brassinosteroid (BR) and jasmonic acid (JA) signaling is crucial for plant growth and defense responses. However, the detailed interplay between BRs and JA remains obscure. Here, we found that the rice (Oryza sativa) Glycogen synthase kinase3 (GSK3)-like kinase OsGSK2, a conserved kinase serving as a key suppressor of BR signaling, enhanced antiviral defense and the JA response. We identified a member of the JASMONATE ZIM-domain (JAZ) family, OsJAZ4, as a OsGSK2 substrate and confirmed that OsGSK2 interacted with and phosphorylated OsJAZ4. We demonstrated that OsGSK2 disrupted the OsJAZ4-OsNINJA complex and OsJAZ4-OsJAZ11 dimerization by competitively binding to the ZIM domain, perhaps helping to facilitate the degradation of OsJAZ4 via the 26S proteasome pathway. We also showed that OsJAZ4 negatively modulated JA signaling and antiviral defense and that the BR pathway was involved in modulating the stability of OsJAZ4 protein in an OsCORONATINE INSENSITIVE1-dependent manner. Collectively, these results suggest that OsGSK2 enhances plant antiviral defenses by activating JA signaling as it directly interacts with, phosphorylates, and destabilizes OsJAZ4. Thus, our findings provide a clear link between BR and JA signaling.

ARGONAUTE2 Enhances Grain Length and Salt Tolerance by Activating BIG GRAIN3 to Modulate Cytokinin Distribution in Rice.

Maintaining stable, high yields under fluctuating environmental conditions is a long-standing goal of crop improvement but is challenging due to internal trade-off mechanisms, which are poorly understood. Here, we identify ARGONAUTE2 (AGO2) as a candidate target for achieving this goal in rice (Oryza sativa). Overexpressing AGO2 led to a simultaneous increase in salt tolerance and grain length. These benefits were achieved via the activation of BIG GRAIN3 (BG3), encoding a purine permease potentially involved in cytokinin transport. AGO2 can become enriched on the BG3 locus and alter its histone methylation level, thus promoting BG3 expression. Cytokinin levels decreased in shoots but increased in roots of AGO2-overexpressing plants. While bg3 knockout mutants were hypersensitive to salt stress, plants overexpressing BG3 showed strong salt tolerance and large grains. The knockout of BG3 significantly reduced grain length and salt tolerance in AGO2-overexpressing plants. Both genes were transcriptionally suppressed by salt treatment. Salt treatment markedly increased cytokinin levels in roots but decreased them in shoots, resulting in a hormone distribution pattern similar to that in AGO2-overexpressing plants. These findings highlight the critical roles of the spatial distribution of cytokinins in both stress responses and grain development. Therefore, optimizing cytokinin distribution represents a promising strategy for improving both grain yield and stress tolerance in rice.

Enhanced blue afterglow in Ce-doped boroaluminate glass modified by Na.

The alkali metal Na+ is commonly applied as a charge compensator to optimize afterglow performance but rarely reported as a structural regulator to modify afterglow behavior in long afterglow glass materials. In this paper, by preparing the Na + -modified Ce-doped boroaluminate glasses under a high-temperature reducing atmosphere, super-five times brighter blue-violet afterglow lasting up to 30 min was obtained. Results show that appropriate Na+ doping loosens the glass structure and widens the bandgap, thereby regulating most of the electron capture-release modes. This work provides new insights into the behavior of afterglow enhancement in alkali metal-doped glasses.

Up-regulation of PPAR-γ involved in the therapeutic effect of icariin on cigarette smoke-induced inflammation.

Icariin (ICA) might be a potential anti-inflammatory medication in a variety of diseases including COPD, and previous studies showed that ICA could attenuate cigarette smoke (CS)-induced inflammation by inhibiting nuclear factor (NF)-κB. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) γ, a nuclear hormone receptor, has been reported to play a critical role in the inflammatory process in COPD. Whether PPAR-γ is involved in the anti-inflammatory effect of icariin on COPD has scarcely been explored. This study aimed at investigating the role of ICA in PPAR-γ expression in the CS-induced model, and then elucidating the therapeutic effects of ICA on COPD based on the PPARγ-NF-κB signaling pathway. The Beas-2B cells and H292 cells were induced with cigarette smoke extract (CSE) for 8 h after treatment with ICA for 16 h. The PPARγ expression and NF-κB pathway-related indicators were detected by western blotting, cellular immunofluorescence, and Real-time PCR. The PPARγ knock down or T0070907-treated Beas-2B cells were constructed to further investigate the relationship between the inhibition of NF-κB by ICA and PPARγ. A COPD model was established by CS exposure for 6 months, and ICA (40 mg/kg) was administrated by gastric perfusion. Then, the pulmonary function, lung histology, inflammatory cytokine levels, and protein expressions were detected. We found ICA up-regulated PPARγ protein expression in both Beas-2B cells and H292 cells, and it improved CSE-induced PPARγ down regulation and NF-κB activation. Furthermore, the inhibition of NF-κB pathway by ICA was partially dependent on PPARγ in the PPARγ knock down or T0070907-treated Beas-2B cells, suggesting that ICA attenuated CSE-induced inflammatory responses were associated with modulating the PPARγ-NF-κB pathway. Moreover, ICA showed similar effects on PPARγ and NF-κB expressions in the COPD model, and it effectively ameliorated the pulmonary function and lung inflammatory infiltration in the COPD rat model. Conclusively, the therapeutic effect of ICA on COPD was indirectly achieved by reducing airway inflammation, which was partially associated with modulating the PPARγ-NF-κB signaling pathway.