Transcriptome comparison between inactivated and activated ovaries of the honey bee Apis mellifera L

Ovarian activity not only influences fertility, but is also involved with the regulation of division of labour between reproductive and behavioural castes of female honey bees. In order to identify candidate genes associated with ovarian activity, we compared the gene expression patterns between inactivated and activated ovaries of queens and workers by means of high-throughput RNA-sequencing technology. A total of 1615 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) was detected between ovaries of virgin and mated queens, and more than 5300 DEGs were detected between inactivated and activated worker ovaries. Intersection analysis of DEGs amongst five libraries revealed that a similar set of genes (824) participated in the ovary activation of both queens and workers. A large number of these DEGs were predominantly related to cellular, cell and cell part, binding, biological regulation and metabolic processes. In addition, over 1000 DEGs were linked to more than 230 components of Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways, including 25 signalling pathways. The reliability of the RNA-sequencing results was confirmed by means of quantitative real-time PCR. Our results provide new insights into the molecular mechanisms involved in ovary activation and reproductive division of labour.

Prenatal betamethasone does not affect glutamatergic or GABAergic neurogenesis in preterm newborns

Prenatal glucocorticoids (GCs) are routinely used for pregnant women in preterm labor to prevent respiratory distress syndrome and intraventricular hemorrhage in premature infants. However, the effect of antenatal GCs on neurogenesis in preterm neonates remains elusive. Herein, we hypothesized that prenatal GCs might suppress both glutamatergic and GABAergic neurogenesis in preterm rabbits and that this treatment would induce distinct changes in the expression of transcription factors regulating these developmental events. To test our hypotheses, we treated pregnant rabbits with betamethasone at E27 and E28, delivered the pups at E29 (term=32d), and assessed neurogenesis at birth and postnatal day 3. We quantified radial glia (Sox2(+)) and intermediate progenitor cells (Tbr2(+)) in the dorsal cortical subventricular zone to assess glutamatergic neuronal progenitors, and counted Nkx2.1(+) and Dlx2(+) cells in the ganglionic eminence to evaluate GABAergic neurogenesis. In addition, we assayed transcription factors regulating neurogenesis. We found that prenatal GCs did not affect the densities of radial glia and intermediate progenitors of glutamatergic or GABAergic neurons. The number of GABA(+) interneurons in the ganglionic eminence was similar between the prenatal GC-treated pups compared to untreated controls. Moreover, the mRNA expression of transcription factors, including Pax6, Ngn1/2, Emx1/2, Insm1, Dlx1, Nkx2.1, and Gsh2, were comparable between the two groups. However, there was a transient elevation in Mash1 protein in betamethasone-treated pups relative to controls at birth. These data suggest that prenatal GC treatment does not significantly impact the balance of glutamatergic and GABAergic neurogenesis in premature infants.

Different expression patterns and clinical significance of mAxl and sAxl in systemic lupus erythematosus

Axl is one of the TAM family members that downregulates activated immune responses to maintain immune homeostasis. We analyzed the expression and clinical relevance of Axl on the surface of CD14+ monocytes/macrophages (mAxl, membrane Axl) and in the plasma (sAxl, soluble Axl) from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Compared to healthy subjects, the concentrations of sAxl were significantly elevated in plasma from SLE patients, while the mAxl expression on CD14+ monocytes/macrophages from SLE patients was significantly downregulated. A series of severe disease clinical manifestations and laboratory features such as presence of autoantibodies, 24-hour proteinuria excretion or SLEDAI ≥10 were associated with decreased mAxl expression on monocytes/macrophages but elevated sAxl levels in plasma. The plasma level of Gas6, the main ligand of Axl, was slightly decreased in SLE patients, and was negatively correlated with anti-dsDNA antibodies and C-reactive protein. SLE patients with SLEDAI ≥10 showed significantly lower Gas6 levels. Our study suggests that abnormal mAxl and sAxl expression may be involved in the imbalance of immune regulation in SLE.

Genetic diversity of fluoroquinolone-nonsusceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae clinical isolates and the first identification of serotype 20B in China

The purpose of this study was to investigate the genetic characteristics of fluoroquinolone-nonsusceptible Streptococcus pneumoniae clinical isolates in China. A total of 377 S. pneumoniae clinical isolates, including 307 pediatric strains and 70 adult strains, were collected from eight centers in China. The minimal inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of 10 antimicrobial agents were determined by agar dilution. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST), serotyping, and quinolone resistance-determining region (QRDR) variations were conducted in levofloxacin-nonsusceptible isolates by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based methods. Seven levofloxacin-nonsusceptible isolates were found, with an overall resistance rate of 1.9 % (7/377) and 8.6 % (6/70) in adults. Sequence analyses of parC, gyrA, and parE QRDRs in levofloxacin-resistant isolates demonstrated mutations in dual target sites at the hot spots. These seven strains represented multiple clones: two strains were serotype 19F (Taiwan(19F)-14) and MLST clonal complex (CC) 271/320, two were typed as 23F (Spain(23F)-1) and CC81, two were determined as serotype 20B and a new sequence type of ST6935, and one non-serotypeable pediatric strain belonged to a new sequence type of ST6946. Two serotype 19F strains possessed a variety of characteristic alterations of viridans group streptococci in gyrA (Ser114Gly) or parC (Ser52Gly, Asn91Asp). Fluoroquinolone-nonsusceptible S. pneumoniae isolates showed a substantial degree of genetic diversity and belonged to pre-existing epidemic clones together with native clones. S. pneumoniae strains with serotype 20B was recovered for the first time to be associated with levofloxacin resistance in China.

MicroRNA-375 sensitizes tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)-induced apoptosis in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma in vitro

We investigated the effect of microRNA-375 (miR-375) on tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)-induced cell death in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, and further explored the potential molecular mechanism underlying this phenomenon. Cal27 cells were transfected with miR-375 mimic and subsequently treated with or without TNF-α (10 ng/ml). An additional group of cells were treated with TNF-α alone. The resulting morphological changes were observed, and the percentage of sub-G1 cells was measured. The protein expression and cleavage of caspase 3, caspase 8, and poly(ADP ribose) polymerase (PARP) were determined through Western blotting. The results showed a significant increase in cell death in the combination group, but not in the groups treated with miR-375 mimic, TNF-α alone, or control. The data obtained from sub-G1 cells supported the notion that miR-375 increases the accumulation of sub-G1. In the combination group, the degradation of caspase 3, caspase 8, and PARP was observed and the cleavage of these enzymes was detected. The pan-caspase inhibitor, Z-VAD, inhibited the apoptosis of Cal27 cells treated with a combination of miR-375 mimic and TNF-α. In addition, the apoptosis inhibitory proteins, cFLIP-L and cIAP1, were down-regulated in a time-dependent manner. Taken together, these data suggest that miR-375 sensitizes TNF-α-induced apoptosis, and the reduction in the expression of the apoptosis inhibitory proteins cFLIP-L and cIAP2 plays an important role in this sensitization.

Quercetin and daidzein β-apo-14'-carotenoic acid esters as membrane antioxidants

Esterification by β-apo-14'-carotenoic acid was found to have opposite effects on antioxidant activity of quercetin (at B4', B3' hydroxyl) as of daidzein (at A7 hydroxyl) in phosphatidylcholine liposomes. The daidzein ester had increased activity, while quercetin had a significant decreased activity. Quantum mechanical calculations using density function theory (DFT) indicate a modest decrease in bond dissociation enthalpy, BDE, for (weakest) hydrogen-oxygen phenolic bond in daidzein from 368.4 kJ · mol(- 1) to 367.7 kJ · mol(- 1) compared to a significant increase in quercetin from 329.5 kJ · mol(- 1) to 356.6 kJ · mol(- 1) upon derivatization. These opposite changes in tendency for hydrogen atom transfer from phenolic groups to lipid radicals combined with an increase in A-to-B dihedral angle from 0.0° to 36.4° and in dipole moment from 0.40 D to 6.01 D for quercetin upon derivatization, while less significant for daidzein (36.4°-36.7° and 3.26 D-7.87 D, respectively), together provide a rationale for the opposite effect of esterification on antioxidation.

Molecular signatures of peripheral blood mononuclear cells during chronic interferon-α treatment: relationship with depression and fatigue

BACKGROUND

Interferon-alpha (IFN-α) treatment for infectious disease and cancer causes high rates of depression and fatigue, and has been used to investigate the impact of inflammatory cytokines on brain and behavior. However, little is known about the transcriptional impact of chronic IFN-α on immune cells in vivo and its relationship to IFN-α-induced behavioral changes.

METHOD

Genome-wide transcriptional profiling was performed on peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from 21 patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) either awaiting IFN-α therapy (n=10) or at 12 weeks of IFN-α treatment (n=11).

RESULTS

Significance analysis of microarray data identified 252 up-regulated and 116 down-regulated gene transcripts. Of the up-regulated genes, 2'-5'-oligoadenylate synthetase 2 (OAS2), a gene linked to chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), was the only gene that was differentially expressed in patients with IFN-α-induced depression/fatigue, and correlated with depression and fatigue scores at 12 weeks (r=0.80, p=0.003 and r=0.70, p=0.017 respectively). Promoter-based bioinformatic analyses linked IFN-α-related transcriptional alterations to transcription factors involved in myeloid differentiation, IFN-α signaling, activator protein-1 (AP1) and cAMP responsive element binding protein/activation transcription factor (CREB/ATF) pathways, which were derived primarily from monocytes and plasmacytoid dendritic cells. IFN-α-treated patients with high depression/fatigue scores demonstrated up-regulation of genes bearing promoter motifs for transcription factors involved in myeloid differentiation, IFN-α and AP1 signaling, and reduced prevalence of motifs for CREB/ATF, which has been implicated in major depression.

CONCLUSIONS

Depression and fatigue during chronic IFN-α administration were associated with alterations in the expression (OAS2) and transcriptional control (CREB/ATF) of genes linked to behavioral disorders including CFS and major depression, further supporting an immune contribution to these diseases.

Perindopril attenuates renal tubulointerstitium injury by inhibiting scavenger receptor A over-expression in diabetic rats

Scavenger receptor A (SR-A) is the main receptor through which oxidized LDL (oxLDL) and advanced glycation end products get into the cells. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of an ACE inhibitor, perindopril, on the expression of SR-A in renal tubulointerstitium of diabetic rats. Diabetes was induced in male Sprague-Dawley rats by injection with streptozotocin. The rats were then randomly divided into 3 groups: normal control group; untreated diabetes mellitus group; and diabetes mellitus group treated with the ACE inhibitor, perindopril. After a 24-week treatment, tubulointerstitial injury index was assessed on Masson's trichrome sections. The number of macrophages and the expression of SR-A protein in renal tubulointerstitium were detected by immunohistochemistry and the expression of SR-A mRNA was detected by RT-PCR. The tubulointerstitial injury index, the number of macrophages and the expression of SR-A mRNA were significantly higher in the diabetes group than the normal control group. Perindopril treatment not only attenuated the tubulointerstitial injury and the macrophages infiltration but also reduced the overexpression of SR-A mRNA in diabetic rats. The expression of SR-A protein was most obvious in renal tubulointerstitium in diabetic rats, which was attenuated by perindopril treatment. The findings of the present study indicate that perindopril may have renoprotective effects of diabetic nephropathy via inhibiting the expression of SR-A in renal tubulointerstitium.

Arctigenin, a natural compound, activates AMP-activated protein kinase via inhibition of mitochondria complex I and ameliorates metabolic disorders in ob/ob mice

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

Arctigenin is a natural compound that had never been previously demonstrated to have a glucose-lowering effect. Here it was found to activate AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and the mechanism by which this occurred, as well as the effects on glucose and lipid metabolism were investigated.

METHODS

2-Deoxyglucose uptake and AMPK phosphorylation were examined in L6 myotubes and isolated skeletal muscle. Gluconeogenesis and lipid synthesis were evaluated in rat primary hepatocytes. The acute and chronic effects of arctigenin on metabolic abnormalities were observed in C57BL/6J and ob/ob mice. Changes in mitochondrial membrane potential were measured using the J-aggregate-forming dye, JC-1. Analysis of respiration of L6 myotubes or isolated mitochondria was conducted in a channel oxygen system.

RESULTS

Arctigenin increased AMPK phosphorylation and stimulated glucose uptake in L6 myotubes and isolated skeletal muscles. In primary hepatocytes, it decreased gluconeogenesis and lipid synthesis. The enhancement of glucose uptake and suppression of hepatic gluconeogenesis and lipid synthesis by arctigenin were prevented by blockade of AMPK activation. The respiration of L6 myotubes or isolated mitochondria was inhibited by arctigenin with a specific effect on respiratory complex I. A single oral dose of arctigenin reduced gluconeogenesis in C57BL/6J mice. Chronic oral administration of arctigenin lowered blood glucose and improved lipid metabolism in ob/ob mice.

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

This study demonstrates a new role for arctigenin as a potent indirect activator of AMPK via inhibition of respiratory complex I, with beneficial effects on metabolic disorders in ob/ob mice. This highlights the potential value of arctigenin as a possible treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Surfactant protein D inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 expression in human renal tubular epithelial cells: implication for tubulointerstitial fibrosis

Surfactant protein D (SP-D), a member of the C-type lectin (collectin) protein family, plays a critical role in innate host defence against various microbial pathogens and in the modulation of inflammatory responses in the lung. However, little is known about its expression and biological function in the kidney. In this work, we studied SP-D expression in human kidney and cultured human renal proximal tubular epithelial cells (HK-2), and examined the effect of SP-D on proinflammatory cytokine production after lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulus. We observed the expression of both SP-D mRNA and protein in human kidney and in-vitro HK-2 cells by immunohistochemistry, Western blot analysis, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and real-time PCR. To explore the potential role of SP-D in the pathogenesis of tubulointerstitial fibrosis in kidney infection, we examined the production of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) in HK-2 cells after LPS treatment. Results showed that the level of MCP-1 in the conditioned medium increased significantly when HK-2 cells were cultured with LPS (>0·1 µg/ml) for 8 h. Of interest, LPS treatment inhibited SP-D expression in HK-2 cells. Furthermore, over-expression of SP-D reduced significantly the LPS-induced expression of MCP-1 in transfected cells. These findings suggest that SP-D in the kidney functions as an anti-inflammatory factor in renal tubular epithelial cells and may modulate tubulointerstitial fibrosis in kidney.

Pentoxifylline as a rescue treatment for DMD: a randomized double-blind clinical trial

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether pentoxifylline (PTX) slows the decline of muscle strength and function in ambulatory boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).

METHODS

This was a multicenter, randomized, double-blinded, controlled trial comparing 12 months of daily treatment with PTX or placebo in corticosteroid-treated boys with DMD using a slow-release PTX formulation (~20 mg/kg/day). The primary outcome was the change in mean total quantitative muscle testing (QMT) score. Secondary outcomes included changes in QMT subscales, manual muscle strength, pulmonary function, and timed function tests. Outcomes were compared using Student t tests and a linear mixed-effects model. Adverse events (AEs) were compared using the Fisher exact test.

RESULTS

A total of 64 boys with DMD with a mean age of 9.9 ± 2.9 years were randomly assigned to PTX or placebo in 11 participating Cooperative International Neuromuscular Research Group centers. There was no significant difference between PTX and the placebo group in total QMT scores (p = 0.14) or in most of the secondary outcomes after a 12-month treatment. The use of PTX was associated with mild to moderate gastrointestinal or hematologic AEs.

CONCLUSION

The addition of PTX to corticosteroid-treated boys with DMD at a moderate to late ambulatory stage of disease did not improve or halt the deterioration of muscle strength and function over a 12-month study period.

CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE

This study provides Class I evidence that treatment with PTX does not prevent deterioration in muscle function or strength in corticosteroid-treated boys with DMD.

Randomized, blinded trial of weekend vs daily prednisone in Duchenne muscular dystrophy

OBJECTIVE

To perform a double-blind, randomized study comparing efficacy and safety of daily and weekend prednisone in boys with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD).

METHODS

A total of 64 boys with DMD who were between 4 and 10 years of age were randomized at 1 of 12 centers of the Cooperative International Neuromuscular Research Group. Efficacy and safety of 2 prednisone schedules (daily 0.75 mg/kg/day and weekend 10 mg/kg/wk) were evaluated over 12 months.

RESULTS

Equivalence was met for weekend and daily dosing of prednisone for the primary outcomes of quantitative muscle testing (QMT) arm score and QMT leg score. Secondary strength scores for QMT elbow flexors also showed equivalence between the 2 treatment groups. Overall side effect profiles of height and weight, bone density, cataract formation, blood pressure, and behavior, analyzed at 12 months, did not differ between weekend and daily dosing of prednisone.

CONCLUSIONS

Weekend dosing of prednisone is equally beneficial to the standard daily dosing of prednisone. Analysis of side effect profiles demonstrated overall tolerability of both dosing regimens.

CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE

This study provides Class I evidence that weekend prednisone dosing is as safe and effective as daily prednisone in preserving muscle strength and preventing body mass index increases in boys with DMD over a 12-month period.

H63D polymorphism in the hemochromatosis gene is associated with sporadic amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in China

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The H63D polymorphism in the hemochromatosis (HFE) gene has been reported as a risk factor for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in Europe and America, but no data have been reported for Asia. Here, we investigated the possible association between H63D and sporadic ALS (sALS) in a Chinese Han population.

METHODS

A total of 195 individuals with sALS from three centers in China and 405 unrelated healthy controls were recruited. All subjects were genotyped by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis.

RESULTS

Sporadic ALS was significantly related to the H63D polymorphism in heterozygous carriers (odds ratio 3.10, 95%CI: 1.49-6.47, P=0.002).

CONCLUSIONS

The HFE H63D polymorphism may contribute to the development of sALS in Chinese.

Mapping quantitative trait loci for cytokines in the pig

Increased disease resistance through improved general immune capacity would be beneficial for the welfare and productivity of farm animals. Cytokines are essential diagnostic parameters in veterinary practice. To identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) for cytokine levels in serum in the pig, Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) and Interleukin 10 (IL-10) levels and the ratio of IFN-γ to IL-10 were measured in a composite pig population, before and after challenge with modified live CSF (classical swine fever) vaccine. Through interval mapping using the variance component approach and the permutation test, 11 QTL (five for IFN-γ, two for IL-10 and four for the ratio of IFN-γ to IL-10) with significance levels of P < 0.10 were identified, of which five were significant at the P < 0.05 level. The most significant QTL (P < 0.01) was found on chromosome 16, with effect on the ratio of IFN-γ to IL-10. Within these QTL regions, a number of known genes were revealed and their potential relationships to the studied traits were discussed. Some of these genes may serve as candidate genes for these traits in swine.

Geographic difference in safety and efficacy of systemic chemotherapy for advanced gastric or gastroesophageal carcinoma: A meta-regression approach

109

Background: The standard of chemotherapy regimens for patients with advanced or metastatic gastric cancer vary and the clinical outcome were heterogeneous in Asian vs. non-Asian countries.

Methods: Treatment group-based meta-analysis and meta-regression were performed to analyze results of randomized trials published since 2005 for advanced or metastatic gastric cancer patients who received systemic chemotherapy as first-line treatment. Data were extracted and synthesized according to the Cochrane guidelines.

Results: Among the 24 trials (totally 6,502 patients) eligible for meta-analysis, Asian trials reported lower percentage of gastroesophageal junctional carcinoma, higher percentage of diffuse-type histology, and more frequent use of second-line chemotherapy. Meta- regression analyses indicate that, after controlling other patient or treatment factors, Asian trials are associated with 22.7% (95% CI: 19.5-26.0%, p<0.0001) lower incidence of grade 3-4 neutropenia and 3.5% (95% CI: 2.1-4.9%, p<0.0001) lower incidence of grade 3-4 diarrhea, which were the most commonly reported toxicity. The use of high-dose infusional 5-fluorouracil, compared with other fuoropyrimidine regimens, reported 16.6% lower incidence of neutropenia (95% CI: 13.3-19.9%, p<0.0001). Higher percentage of patients with gastroesophageal junction carcinoma and patients with 2 or more organs involved predicted poor progression-free survival. The use of second-line chemotherapy predicts better 1-year overall survival, which will increase by 9% (95% CI: 8-10%) for every 10 percent increase in patients who received second-line chemotherapy.

Conclusions: Geographic region (Asian vs. non-Asian) plays an important role in the heterogeneity of gastric cancer clinical trials and is an independent predictor of safety in systemic therapy for gastric cancer.

No significant financial relationships to disclose.

Next-generation small RNA sequencing for microRNAs profiling in the honey bee Apis mellifera

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are key regulators in various physiological and pathological processes via post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. The honey bee (Apis mellifera) is a key model for highly social species, and its complex social behaviour can be interpreted theoretically as changes in gene regulation, in which miRNAs are thought to be involved. We used the SOLiD sequencing system to identify the repertoire of miRNAs in the honey bee by sequencing a mixed small RNA library from different developmental stages. We obtained a total of 36,796,459 raw sequences; of which 5,491,100 short sequences were fragments of mRNA and other noncoding RNAs (ncRNA), and 1,759,346 reads mapped to the known miRNAs. We predicted 267 novel honey bee miRNAs representing 380,182 short reads, including eight miRNAs of other insects in 14,107,583 genome-mapped sequences. We verified 50 of them using stem-loop reverse-transcription PCR (RT-PCR), in which 35 yielded PCR products. Cross-species analyses showed 81 novel miRNAs with homologues in other insects, suggesting that they were authentic miRNAs and have similar functions. The results of this study provide a basis for studies of the miRNA-modulating networks in development and some intriguing phenomena such as caste differentiation in A. mellifera.