Lateral retraction could achieve better early postoperative knee function than patellar eversion in total knee arthroplasty: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Comparisons between patellar eversion (PE) and lateral retraction (LR) in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) are still inconclusive. To determine the most suitable procedure, we aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of PE and LR in TKA in this meta-analysis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This meta-analysis complied with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Web-based literature databases, including WANFANG, VIP, CNKI, the Cochrane Library, Embase, and PubMed, were utilized to conduct a comprehensive literature search for studies published until June 2022 that compared PE with LR in primary TKA. The quality of the selected randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was evaluated using guidelines of the Cochrane Reviews Handbook 5.0.2.

RESULTS

A total of 10 RCTs, including 782 patients and 823 TKAs, were selected in this meta-analysis. Our results showed that using LR improved postoperative knee extensor function and range of motion (ROM). In addition, PE and LR resulted in similar clinical benefits in terms of Knee Society Function score, pain, length of hospital stay, Insall-Salvati ratio, the occurrence of patella baja, and complications related to the operation.

CONCLUSIONS

Existing evidence suggested that using LR in TKA improved early postoperative knee function. Similar clinical and radiographic outcomes were obtained 1 year after the procedures were performed. Based on these findings, we recommended the use of LR in TKA. However, studies with large sample sizes are needed to validate these findings.

Humic acids alleviate aflatoxin B1-induced hepatic injury by reprogramming gut microbiota and absorbing toxin

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a hepatotoxic fungal metabolite that is widely present in food and can cause liver cancer. As a potential detoxifier, naturally occurring humic acids (HAs) may be able to reduce inflammation and restructure the gut microbiota composition; however, little is known about the mechanism of HAs detoxification as applied to liver cells. In this study, HAs treatment alleviated AFB1-induced liver cell swelling and the infiltration of inflammatory cells. HAs treatment also reinstated various enzyme levels in the liver disturbed by AFB1 and substantially alleviated AFB1-caused oxidative stress and inflammatory responses by enhancing immune functions in mice. Moreover, HAs increased the length of the small intestinal and villus height to restore intestinal permeability, which is impaired by AFB1. In addition, HAs reconstructed the gut microbiota, increasing the relative abundance of Desulfovibrio, Odoribacter, and Alistipes. In vitro and in vivo assays demonstrated that HAs could efficiently remove AFB1 by absorbing the toxin. Therefore, HAs treatment can ameliorate AFB1-induced hepatic injury by enhancing gut barrier function, regulating gut microbiota, and adsorbing toxin.

Tahibacter soli sp. nov., isolated from soil and Tahibacter amnicola sp. nov., isolated from freshwater

Two Gram-stain-negative, facultative aerobic, catalase- and oxidase-positive, and non-motile rod bacteria, strains BL^T and W38^T, that were isolated from soil and freshwater, respectively, were taxonomically characterized. Both strains optimally grew at 30 °C and pH 7.0 in Reasoner's 2A medium and contained ubiquinone-8 as the sole respiratory quinone. As major fatty acids (>10 %), strain BL^T contained iso-C_15 : 0 and summed features 3 and 9 (comprising iso-C_15 : 0 2-OH and/or C_16 : 1  ω7c/ω6c and iso-C_17 : 1  ω9c and/or C_16 : 0 10-methyl, respectively), whereas strain W38^T contained iso-C_15 : 0, iso-C_16 : 0 and summed feature 9. Diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine as major polar lipids and phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylglycerol as minor polar lipids were detected in both strains. The DNA G+C contents of strains BL^T and W38^T were 68.3 and 65.3 %, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene and genome sequences revealed that strains BL^T and W38^T formed a tight phylogenetic lineage with Tahibacter species, and they shared 98.8 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity and 75.5 % average nucleotide identity (ANI) and 16.6 % digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values, indicating that they are different species. Strains BL^T and W38^T were most closely related to Tahibacter caeni BUT-6^T and Tahibacter aquaticus PYM5-11^T with 97.7 and 98.0 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities, respectively. ANI and dDDH values between strain BL^T and T. caeni BUT-6^T and between strain W38^T and T. aquaticus DSM 21667^T were 78.5 and 21.6% and 75.3 and 21.0 %, respectively. Based on their phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and genomic properties, strains BL^T and W38^T represent two different novel species of the genus Tahibacter, for which the names Tahibacter soli sp. nov. and Tahibacter amnicola sp. nov. are proposed. The type strains of T. soli and T. amnicola are BL^T (=KACC 22831^T=JCM 35402^T) and W38^T (=KACC 22832^T=JCM 35749^T), respectively.

Gut microbiome-mediated mechanisms for reducing cholesterol levels: implications for ameliorating cardiovascular disease

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a health problem worldwide, and elevated cholesterol levels are a key risk factor for the disease. Dysbiotic gut microbiota has been shown to be associated with CVD development. However, the beneficial effects of healthy microbiota in decreasing cholesterol levels have not been summarized. Herein, we begin by discussing the potential mechanisms by which the gut microbiota reduces cholesterol levels. We further sketch the application of probiotics from the genera Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium in reducing cholesterol levels in clinical studies. Finally, we present the cholesterol-lowering function of beneficial commensal microbes, such as Akkermansia and Bacteroides spp., as these microbes have potential to be the next-generation probiotics (NGPs). The information reviewed in this paper will help people to understand how the gut microbiome might alter cholesterol metabolism and enable the development of NGPs to prevent and treat CVD.

Ammonium transporter 1 increases rice resistance to sheath blight by promoting nitrogen assimilation and ethylene signalling

Sheath blight (ShB) significantly threatens rice yield production. However, the underlying mechanism of ShB defence in rice remains largely unknown. Here, we identified a highly ShB-susceptible mutant Ds-m which contained a mutation at the ammonium transporter 1;1 (AMT1;1) D³⁵⁸ N. AMT1;1 D³⁵⁸ N interacts with AMT1;1, AMT1;2 and AMT1;3 to inhibit the ammonium transport activity. The AMT1 RNAi was more susceptible and similar to the AMT1;1 D³⁵⁸ N mutant; however, plants with higher NH₄⁺ uptake activity were less susceptible to ShB. Glutamine synthetase 1;1 (GS1;1) mutant gs1;1 and overexpressors (GS1;1 OXs) were more and less susceptible to ShB respectively. Furthermore, AMT1;1 overexpressor (AMT1;1 OX)/gs1;1 and gs1;1 exhibited a similar response to ShB, suggesting that ammonium assimilation rather than accumulation controls the ShB defence. Genetic and physiological assays further demonstrated that plants with higher amino acid or chlorophyll content promoted rice resistance to ShB. Interestingly, the expression of ethylene-related genes was higher in AMT1;1 OX and lower in RNAi mutants than in wild-type. Also, ethylene signalling positively regulated rice resistance to ShB and NH₄⁺ uptake, suggesting that ethylene signalling acts downstream of AMT and also NH₄⁺ uptake is under feedback control. Taken together, our data demonstrated that the AMT1 promotes rice resistance to ShB via the regulation of diverse metabolic and signalling pathways.

POS0190 EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF BARICITINIB IN PATIENTS WITH SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS: RESULTS FROM TWO RANDOMISED, DOUBLE-BLIND, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED, PARALLEL-GROUP, PHASE 3 STUDIES

Background

In a 24-week, phase 2 clinical study (NCT02708095) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), baricitinib (BARI), an oral selective inhibitor of Janus kinase 1 and 2 approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and atopic dermatitis, inhibited the type l interferon gene signature, multiple other cytokine pathways, and improved disease activity (1) (2).

Objectives

To further evaluate the efficacy and safety of BARI in patients with SLE.

Methods

Patients with active SLE receiving stable background therapy were randomised 1:1:1 to BARI 2-mg, 4-mg, or placebo (PBO) once daily in two identically designed, 52-week, phase 3 randomised, PBO-controlled studies. In SLE-BRAVE-I (NCT03616912) and -II (NCT03616964), 760 and 775 patients, respectively were enrolled in a balanced manner across regions, although different countries per region participated in each study. The primary endpoint for both studies was the proportion of patients achieving an SLE Responder Index-4 (SRI-4) response at week 52. Glucocorticoid tapering was encouraged but not required per protocol.

Results

The mean Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000 (SLEDAI-2K) at baseline was 10.1 for both SLE-BRAVE-I and -II participants; musculoskeletal and mucocutaneous domains were the most common domains involved at baseline. In SLE-BRAVE-I, the proportion of SRI-4 responders at week 52 among patients treated with BARI 4-mg (56.7%), but not BARI 2-mg (49.8%), was significantly greater than in patients treated with PBO (45.9%, p = 0.016) (Table 1). No difference was seen in SLE-BRAVE-II (47.1%, 46.3%, and 45.6%, BARI 4-mg, 2-mg, and PBO, respectively). None of the key secondary endpoints, including glucocorticoid tapering or time to first severe flare (SFI), were met in either study. The proportions of patients with serious adverse events (SAEs) were 7.1% and 8.6% for PBO, 9.4% and 13.4% for BARI 2-mg and 10.3% and 11.2% for BARI 4-mg in SLE-BRAVE-I and II, respectively.

Table 1.

Efficacy and safety of baricitinib in patients with SLE-BRAVE-I and -II

SLE-BRAVE-ISLE-BRAVE-IIEfficacy measurePBO (N=253)BARI 2-mg (N=255)BARI 4-mg (N=252)PBO (N=256)BARI 2-mg (N=261)BARI 4-mg (N=258)SRI-4 (W52)116 (45.9)126 (49.8)142 (56.7)*116 (45.6)120 (46.3)121 (47.1)SRI-4 (W24)99 (39.1)114 (44.8)117 (46.5)98 (38.6)104 (40.0)108 (42.1)Severe Flares (n, events)38 (15.0)34 (13.3)26 (10.3)26 (10.2)29 (11.1)29 (11.2)HR for time to first severe flare (SFI) HR [CI]NA0.8 [0.52, 1.32]0.65 [0.40, 1.08]NA1.1 [0.65, 1.89]1.1 [0.67, 1.94]Glucocorticoid sparing36 (30.8)31 (29.2)36 (34.0)33 (31.7)34 (29.8)36 (34.3)LLDAS (W52)66 (26.2)65 (25.7)74 (29.7)59 (23.2)62 (24.0)65 (25.4)Safety measureTEAE210 (83.0)210 (82.4)208 (82.5)198 (77.3)199 (76.2)200 (77.5)SAE18 (7.1)24 (9.4)26 (10.3)22 (8.6)35 (13.4)29 (11.2)

Data are n (%) patients, unless otherwise indicated. BARI=baricitinib; CI=confidence interval; HR=hazard ratio compared with PBO; LLDAS=lupus low disease activity state; N=number of patients in the analysis population; n=number of patients in the specified category; PBO=placebo; TEAE=treatment-emergent adverse event; SAE=serious adverse event; W=week. *p≤0.05 vs PBO.

Conclusion

Although phase 2 data suggested BARI as a potential treatment for patients with SLE (2), the SLE-BRAVE-I and -II phase 3 study results were discordant for the primary outcome measure, with only SLE-BRAVE-I positive, making it difficult to elucidate benefit. Additional analyses are being performed to understand this discordance. No new safety signals were observed.

References

[1]Dörner T, Tanaka Y, et al. Lupus Sci Med. 2020;7(1).

[2]Wallace DJ, Furie RA, et al. Lancet. 2018;392(10143):222-31.

Disclosure of Interests

Eric F. Morand Speakers bureau: Astra Zeneca, Eli Lilly, Novartis, Sanofi, Consultant of: Amgen, AstraZeneca, Asahi Kasei, Biogen, BristolMyersSquibb, Capella, Eli Lilly, EMD Serono, Genentech, Glaxosmithkline, Janssen, Neovacs, Sanofi, Servier, UCB, Wolf, Grant/research support from: Janssen, AstraZeneca, BristolMyersSquibb, Eli Lilly, EMD Serono, GlaxoSmithKline, Yoshiya Tanaka Speakers bureau: Gilead, Abbvie, Behringer-Ingelheim, Eli Lilly, Mitsubishi-Tanabe, Chugai, Amgen, YL Biologics, Eisai, Astellas, Bristol-Myers, Astra-Zeneca, Consultant of: Eli Lilly, Daiichi-Sankyo, Taisho, Ayumi, Sanofi, GSK, Abbvie, Grant/research support from: Asahi-Kasei, Abbvie, Chugai, Mitsubishi-Tanabe, Eisai, Takeda, Corrona, Daiichi-Sankyo, Kowa, Behringer-Ingelheim, Richard Furie Consultant of: Eli Lilly, Edward Vital Consultant of: Eli Lilly (consultant and honoraria), Ronald van Vollenhoven Consultant of: Abbvie, Biotest, BMS, Celgene, Crescendo, Eli Lilly and Company, GSK, Janssen, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, UCB, Vertex, Grant/research support from: Abbvie, Amgen, BMS, GSK, Pfizer, Roche, UCB, Kenneth Kalunian Consultant of: Eli Lilly, Marta Mosca Consultant of: Eli Lilly, GSK, Astra Zeneca, Thomas Dörner Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Eli Lilly, BMS, Novartis, BMS/Celgene, Janssen, Consultant of: AbbVie, Eli Lilly, BMS, Novartis, BMS/Celgene, Janssen, Daniel J. Wallace Consultant of: Amgen, Eli Lilly and Company, EMD Merck Serono, and Pfizer, Maria Silk Shareholder of: Eli Lilly, Employee of: Eli Lilly, christina dickson Shareholder of: Eli Lilly, Employee of: Eli Lilly, Inmaculada De La Torre Shareholder of: Eli Lilly, Employee of: Eli Lilly, Gabriella Meszaros Shareholder of: Eli Lilly, Employee of: Eli Lilly, Bochao Jia Shareholder of: Eli Lilly, Employee of: Eli Lilly, Brenda Crowe Shareholder of: Eli Lilly, Employee of: Eli Lilly, Michelle A Petri Consultant of: Eli Lilly

[Clinical study of digital six-axis external fixation frame based on CT data for tibiofibular fractures]

Objective: To investigate the clinical effect of applying the digital six-axis external fixation frame based on CT data in the treatment of tibiofibular fractures. Methods: The clinical data of 43 patients with tibiofibular fractures treated by the self-developed digital six-axis external fixation frame based on CT data at Integrated Orthopedic Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and Western Medicine,HongHui Hospital from January 2018 to January 2021 were retrospective analysis.There were 27 males and 16 females,aged (36.0±9.4) years(range:25 to 50 years).AO classification:15 cases of 42A,11 cases of 42B, and 17 cases of 42C.There were 7 open fractures and Gustilo fracture classification:2 cases of type Ⅰ,4 cases of type Ⅱ,and 1 case of type Ⅲ.The two or three plane rings were connected with six connecting rods to form a complete six-axis external fixation frame,and the distal and proximal fracture blocks were connected to the distal and proximal rings by fixation pins,and the lengths of the six connecting rods needed to be adjusted were calculated by using the supporting software according to the CT data after surgery,and then the lengths of the connecting rods were adjusted one by one to complete the reduction of the fracture. The reduction accuracy of this six-axis external fixation brace was evaluated by measuring postoperative radiographs; postoperative recovery and complications were collected,the time of brace removal was recorded,and the function of the affected limb was evaluated according to the Johner-Wruhs score at the final follow-up. Results: Postoperative radiographs showed that all patients achieved satisfactory reduction with lateral displacement(M(IQR)) of 2.3(2.5) mm (range:0.3 to 7.3 mm),anteroposterior displacement of 2.1 (2.4) mm (range:0.3 to 5.7 mm),anteroposterior angulation of 2.5(2.4)°(range:0 to 5°),internal and external angulation of 2.1(1.5)°(range:0 to 4°), and no significant internal or external rotational deformity was detected on the exterior.On the second postoperative day,all patients were able to walk with partial weight-bearing on crutches. All 43 patients were followed up for more than 6 months,with a follow-up period of (33.3±7.3) weeks (range:24 to 42 weeks).The external fixation frame was removed after the fracture healed.The external frame was removed at 20(3)weeks (range:18 to 25 weeks) postoperatively. Up to the final follow up, no secondary fracture occurred in any of them.The Johner-Wruhs score of the affected limb at the last follow-up was excellent in 39 cases and good in 4 cases. Conclusion: The digital six-axis external fixator based on CT data for tibiofibular fractures has the advantages of precise reduction,firm fixation,simple operation,rapid fracture healing,and minimal trauma, which is a minimally invasive method for treating tibiofibular fractures,especially suitable for patients with poor skin and soft tissue conditions such as open injuries.

Elucidating the biodegradation pathway and catabolic genes of benzophenone-3 in Rhodococcus sp. S2-17

A new bacterium, Rhodococcus sp. S2-17, which could completely degrade an emerging organic pollutant, benzophenone-3 (BP-3), was isolated from contaminated sediment through an enrichment procedure, and its BP-3 catabolic pathway and genes were identified through metabolic intermediate and transcriptomic analyses and biochemical and genetic studies. Metabolic intermediate analysis suggested that strain S2-17 may degrade BP-3 using a catabolic pathway progressing via the intermediates BP-1, 2,4,5-trihydroxy-benzophenone, 3-hydroxy-4-benzoyl-2,4-hexadienedioic acid, 4-benzoyl-3-oxoadipic acid, 3-oxoadipic acid, and benzoic acid. A putative BP-3 catabolic gene cluster including cytochrome P450, flavin-dependent oxidoreductase, hydroxyquinol 1,2-dioxygenase, maleylacetate reductase, and α/β hydrolase genes was identified through genomic and transcriptomic analyses. Genes encoding the cytochrome P450 complex that demethylates BP-3 to BP-1 were functionally verified through protein expression, and the functions of the other genes were also verified through knockout mutant construction and intermediate analysis. This study suggested that strain S2-17 might have acquired the ability to catabolize BP-3 by recruiting the cytochrome P450 complex and α/β hydrolase, which hydrolyzes 4-benzoyl-3-oxoadipic acid to benzoic acid and 3-oxoadipic acid, genes, providing insights into the recruitment of genes of for the catabolism of emerging organic pollutants.

Association between intestinal microbiome and inflammatory bowel disease: insights from bibliometric analysis

•

Intestinal microbiota has been increasingly studied in the field of IBD over the last 20 years.

•

The gut microbiome, metabolites, and their corresponding host signaling pathways are highly associated with IBD.

•

Probiotics may relieve IBD as a complementary therapy.

•

The pathogenesis and treatment strategies of IBD need to be further studied.

The gut microbiome is highly linked to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). A total of 3890 publications related to the two terms from 2000 to 2020 were extracted from the Web of Science Core Collection to study the association from a bibliometric perspective. Publications on this topic have grown rapidly since 2008. The United States and Harvard University are the country and institution with the largest number of publications, respectively. Inflammatory Bowel Diseases is the most productive journal with 211 published articles. The most influential journal in this field is Gut with 13,359 citations. The co-citation analysis of references showed that the IBD-related topics with the highest focus are “gut microbiota,” “metagenomics,” “bacterial community,” “fecal microbiota transplantation,” “probiotics,” and “colitis-associated colorectal cancer.” Keyword cluster and keyword burst analyses showed that “gut microbiota,” “metagenomics,” and “fecal microbiota transplantation” are currently the most researched topics in the field of IBD. The literature in this field is mainly distributed between alterations of the intestinal microbiota, microbial metabolites, and related host signaling pathways. Probiotic treatment also frequently appears in literature. This bibliometric analysis can guide future research and promote the development of the field of gut microbiome and IBD.

The effect of cytoplasmic dynein on the development and functional maintenance of retinal photoreceptor cells

Cytoplasmic dynein is a multi-subunit complex that includes cytoplasmic dynein-1 (dynein1) and cytoplasmic dynein-2 (dynein2). It participates in various basic cellular processes, including nuclear migration, mitotic spindle organization, chromosome separation during mitosis, and the location and function of numerous intracellular organelles. Retinal photoreceptor cells are terminally differentiated neurons that cannot regenerate and cannot be replaced once lost. It is thus crucial to study their development to facilitate the generation and improvement of photoreceptor disease treatments. The outer segment (OS) of photoreceptor cells is a specific sensory cilium. An increasing number of studies have shown that cytoplasmic dynein plays an essential role in the development of retinal photoreceptor cells. To date, people have done a lot of studies on the various functions of dynein in cells and have a very detailed understanding. However, the role of dynein in retinal photoreceptor cells has not been summarized in detail. This article summarizes the currently available knowledge relating to the effects and mechanisms of cytoplasmic dynein on the development and functional maintenance of retinal photoreceptor cells.

Macrophage M1/M2 ratio as a predictor of pleural thickening in patients with tuberculous pleurisy

We evaluated the association between macrophage polarization and the development of pleural thickening in patients with tuberculous pleurisy. Patients with tuberculous pleurisy admitted to our hospital between October 2018 and March 2019 were prospectively recruited. Pleural fluid samples were obtained before treatment for detection of adenosine deaminase (ADA) and macrophage phenotype (M1: CD14+ CD86+; M2: CD14+ CD163+). Peripheral blood samples were subjected to interferon gamma release assay (IGRA). All subjects were administered standard anti-tuberculosis regimen (2HREZ/4HR); high-resolution CT was performed to determine pleural thickening (thickness>2mm) after completion of treatment. Pleural effusion in patients with thickened pleura had significantly more M1 but fewer M2 macrophages, and higher ADA level, as compared to those with normal pleura (P<0.05). No significant between-group difference was observed with respect to IGRA. In receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis, the optimal cut-off level of M1/M2 ratio for predicting pleural thickening was 1.149 (area under the curve: 0.842; sensitivity: 88.6%; specificity: 69.2%; positive predictive value: 86.3%; negative predictive value: 81.7%). M1/M2 ratio in the pleural fluid is a promising marker for predicting the development of pleural thickening in patients with tuberculous pleurisy. Macrophage-mediated immune response may play an important role in the pathogenesis of tuberculous pleurisy.

POS0686 BARICITINIB DECREASES ANTI-DSDNA AND IGG ANTIBODIES IN ADULTS WITH SYSTEMIC LUPUS ERYTHEMATOSUS FROM A PHASE 2 DOUBLE-BLIND, RANDOMIZED, PLACEBO-CONTROLLED TRIAL

Background:

Baricitinib (BARI), an oral, selective Janus kinase (JAK)1 and JAK2 inhibitor, improved disease severity in adults with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) receiving standard background therapy in a phase 2 trial1. There were no meaningful reductions in least squares mean change from baseline (BL) in levels of serologic biomarkers for SLE with BARI treatment, including anti-double-stranded deoxyribonucleic acid (anti-dsDNA) antibodies and complement component (C)3 and C41.

Objectives:

Evaluate the median change from BL in serologic biomarkers in subgroups and the overall population of BARI-treated SLE patients, in addition to the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Responder Index-4 (SRI-4) response by normalization of anti-dsDNA.

Methods:

Data were assessed from the phase 2 trial JAHH (NCT02708095). The median change from BL in anti-dsDNA, IgG, C3, and C4 was evaluated over time among the following populations at BL: anti-dsDNA positive (≥30 IU/mL), low C3 (<90 mg/dL), low C4 (<10 mg/dL), and all patients for IgG. Statistical tests were conducted for BARI 2-mg and 4-mg compared with placebo (PBO). Among patients who were anti-dsDNA positive at BL, SRI-4 responder rate was compared for those who stayed positive or achieved normal levels by Week (Wk) 24.

Results:

Among patients who were anti-dsDNA positive at BL, significant decreases of anti-dsDNA antibodies were observed for BARI 2-mg and 4-mg compared to PBO beginning at Wks 2 and 4, respectively, and continuing through Wk 24 (Figure 1 and Table 1). Moreover, reductions of IgG levels were found for BARI-treated patients including significant decreases for BARI 4-mg compared to PBO at Wks 12 and 24 (Table 1). Among patients who had low levels of C3 and C4 at BL, no significant differences in median change from BL were observed over time with BARI compared to PBO. For patients who were anti-dsDNA positive at BL, no relationship in SRI-4 responder rate was observed for those who stayed positive or achieved normal levels by Wk 24, possibly due to the limited sample size.

Conclusion:

BARI treatment resulted in a rapid and sustained significant decrease in anti-dsDNA antibodies compared to PBO among anti-dsDNA positive SLE patients at BL, as well as a significant decrease in IgG levels in the 4-mg group at Wks 12 and 24. These data suggest that BARI may have an effect on B cell activity in SLE.

References:

[1]Wallace D et al. Lancet. 2018;392:222-231.

Table 1.PBOBARI 2-mgBARI 4-mgWeek412244122441224Anti-dsDNA (IU/mL)a0.2 (-17.2, 17.3)2.6 (-14.8, 18.4)3.0 (-14.9, 28.3)-15.4** (-31.4, 1.9)-18.1* (-42.0, 4.1)-29.6** (-55.1, 10.3)-17.9** (-42.7, 1.8)-23.3*** (-50.9, -5.9)-15.1** (-71.9, -4.6)IgG (g/L)b-0.31 (-1.1, 0.4)0.09 (-1.1, 0.7)-0.04 (-0.9, 0.9)-0.60 (-1.3, 0.6)-0.30 (-1.3, 0.4)-0.51 (-1.7, 0.6)-0.56 (-1.2, 0.2)-0.65** (-1.3, 0.2)-0.60** (-1.7, 0.2)

Data are median change from baseline (25th, 75th percentiles). aData were assessed for patients that were anti-dsDNA positive (≥30 IU/mL) at baseline (PBO N=51, BARI 2-mg N=56, BARI 4-mg N=53). bData were assessed for all patients (PBO N=105, BARI 2-mg N=105, BARI 4-mg N=104). *p≤0.05, **p≤0.01, ***p≤0.001 for BARI vs. PBO.

Acknowledgements:

The authors would like to acknowledge Nicole L. Byers, of Eli Lilly and Company, for medical writing and process support.

Disclosure of Interests:

Thomas Dörner Speakers bureau: Eli Lilly and Company, Roche, and Samsung, Consultant of: AbbVie, Celgene, Eli Lilly and Company, Janssen, Novartis, Roche, Samsung, and UCB, Grant/research support from: Janssen, Novartis, Roche, Sanofi, and UCB, Ronald van Vollenhoven Consultant of: Abbvie, Biotest, BMS, Celgene, Crescendo, Eli Lilly and Company, GSK, Janssen, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer, Roche, UCB, and Vertex, Grant/research support from: Abbvie, Amgen, BMS, GSK, Pfizer, Roche, and UCB, Andrea Doria Speakers bureau: GSK, Janssen, Pfizer, and Roche, Consultant of: Celgene, Eli Lilly and Company, and GSK, Bochao Jia Shareholder of: Eli Lilly and Company, Employee of: Eli Lilly and Company, Damiano Fantini Shareholder of: Eli Lilly and Company, Employee of: Eli Lilly and Company, Jorge Ross Terres Shareholder of: Eli Lilly and Company, Employee of: Eli Lilly and Company, Maria Silk Shareholder of: Eli Lilly and Company, Employee of: Eli Lilly and Company, Stephanie de Bono Shareholder of: Eli Lilly and Company, Employee of: Eli Lilly and Company, Peter Fischer Shareholder of: Eli Lilly and Company, Employee of: Eli Lilly and Company, Daniel J. Wallace Consultant of: Amgen, Aurunia, Eli Lilly and Company, EMD Merck Serono, GSK, and Pfizer

POS0646 RAPID AND CONCURRENT IMPROVEMENTS IN PATIENT-REPORTED OUTCOMES OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS WITH BARICITINIB IN RA-BEAM

Background:

The efficacy and safety of baricitinib (BARI), an oral selective Janus kinase (JAK)1/JAK2 inhibitor, were evaluated in the randomized, controlled trial, RA-BEAM (NCT01710358), in patients (pts) with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and inadequate responses (IR) to methotrexate (MTX).1,2,3

Objectives:

To compare the time to onset and magnitude of improvement across different patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of BARI, adalimumab (ADA) and placebo (PBO) during the first 12 weeks of treatment in RA-BEAM.

Methods:

1,305 patients on stable background MTX were randomized 3:3:2 to PBO, BARI 4 mg, or ADA 40 mg. In this intent-to-treat analysis, least-squares mean changes and percentage changes from baseline were assessed up to Week 12 for pain (0-100 mm visual analog scale [VAS]), SF-36 physical component summary (PCS, 0-100), morning joint stiffness (MJS) severity (0-10), Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ-DI, 0-3), Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F, 0-52), and Patient Global Assessment of disease activity (PtGA, 0-100 mm VAS) scores. PROs were compared between treatments with ANCOVA; the model included change from baseline as the response variable, baseline of interest, regional baseline, joint erosion status, and treatment as explanatory variables. Last-observation-carried-forward was applied to impute missing data. Speed of onset and magnitude of PRO improvement are presented in spydergrams.

Results:

Statistically significant improvements (P<0.05) with BARI and ADA vs. PBO were reported as early as Week 1 for pain, MJS severity, HAQ-DI, and PtGA and at Week 4 for FACIT-F and SF-36 PCS scores. Statistically significantly larger improvements (P<0.05) with BARI vs. ADA were observed as early as Week 2 for pain, PtGA, Week 3 for MJS severity, and Week 4 for HAQ-DI and SF-36 PCS scores. These improvements were maintained to Week 12.

Conclusion:

Among MTX-IR pts, BARI and ADA treatment resulted in improvements across all PROs by Week 4, and as early as Week 1, for all but FACIT-F and SF-36 PCS scores. Statistically significant larger improvements for BARI compared with ADA were reported for all PROs, except FACIT-F, by Week 12.

References:

[1]Taylor et al. NEJM, 2017;376: 652-62

[2]Keystone et al. Ann Rheum Dis, 2017;76:1853-61

[3]Strand et al. Ann Rheum Dis, 2020; 79: 599-600

Table 1.

Change from baseline in patient-reported outcomes at Weeks 4 and 12

Week 4Week 12LSM Change from BaselinePBOADABARIPBOADABARIPain VAS-12.6-22.3***-27.1***††-17.1-26.4***-31.5***††SF-36 PCS3.05.7***6.9***††4.27.2***8.7***††MJS severity-0.9-1.5***-1.9***††-1.4-2.0***-2.5***†††HAQ-DI-0.26-0.47***-0.54***†-0.34-0.56***-0.66***††FACIT-F5.26.9**7.8***6.78.7***9.1***PtGA-14.2-23.7***-26.8***†-16.7-26.6***-31.2***††

*p≤0.05, **p≤0.01, ***p≤0.001 vs PBO; †p≤0.05, ††p≤0.01, †††p≤0.001 vs. ADA

ADA: adalimumab; BARI: baricitinib; FACIT-F: Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue; HAQ-DI: Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index; MJS: morning joint stiffness; PBO: placebo; PCS: physical component scale; PtGA: Patient Global Assessment; VAS: visual analog scale

Figure 1.

Percentage improvement from baseline to Week 12 in PROs of patients with RA in RA-BEAM

Acknowledgements:

The authors would like to acknowledge Molly Tomlin, with Eli Lilly and Company, for medical writing and project management support

Disclosure of Interests:

Vibeke Strand Consultant of: AbbVie, Amgen, Arena, AstraZeneca, Bayer Pharmaceuticals, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celltrion, Eli Lilly and Company, Galapagos NV, Genentech, Gilead, GlaxoSmithKline, Ichnos, Inmedix, Janssen, Kiniksa, Merck, Myriad Genetics, Novartis, Pfizer, Regeneron, Samsung, Sandoz, Sanofi, Scipher, Setpoint, Sun Pharma, and UCB Pharma, Anthony Sebba Speakers bureau: Eli Lilly and Company, Genentech, Sanofi, Regeneron, Consultant of: Amgen, Eli Lilly and Company, Genentech, Gilead Sciences, Novartis, Sanofi, Regeneron, Bochao Jia Shareholder of: Eli Lilly and Company, Employee of: Eli Lilly and Company, Julie Birt Shareholder of: Eli Lilly and Company, Employee of: Eli Lilly and Company, Amanda Quebe Shareholder of: Eli Lilly and Company, Employee of: Eli Lilly and Company, Hong Zhang Consultant of: Eli Lilly and Company, Peter C. Taylor Consultant of: AbbVie, Biogen, Galapagos, Gilead, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen, Lilly, BMS, Pfizer, Roche, Celltrion, Sanofi, Nordic Pharma, Fresenius and UCB, Grant/research support from: Celgene, Galapagos, Janssen, Lilly

POS0649 BARICITINIB PROVIDES GREATER IMPROVEMENTS IN PATIENT-REPORTED OUTCOMES ACROSS ALL DISEASE ACTIVITY LEVELS COMPARED TO PLACEBO AND ADALIMUMAB IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Background:

Baricitinib (BARI) is a JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor which provides improvements to clinical signs, symptoms, and patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis [1, 2].

Objectives:

The effect of BARI on the relationship between disease activity and pain has been explored previously [3]. The purpose of this post hoc analysis was to determine the association between additional PROs (physical function, fatigue, and duration of morning joint stiffness) and disease activity status after 12 weeks of treatment and to evaluate whether patients with an inadequate response to methotrexate treated with BARI 4 mg experienced greater PRO improvement than patients treated with either placebo (PBO) or adalimumab (ADA) across all levels of disease activity.

Methods:

Data for these analyses were derived from the Phase 3 study RA-BEAM (N=1305; NCT01710358). Pain was evaluated using a 0-100 mm visual analog scale, physical function was assessed using the Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ-DI), fatigue was measured using the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F) scale, and duration of morning joint stiffness (MJS, minutes) was reported by the patient. Disease activity was measured using the Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) and categorized as remission (REM, ≤2.8), low disease activity (LDA, >2.8 to ≤10), moderate disease activity (MDA, >10 to ≤22), or high disease activity (HDA, >22). Linear regression was used to model the relationship between change in PROs at Week 12 (response) and CDAI values at Week 12 (primary explanatory variable) to evaluate the extent of improvement in PROs with BARI relative to PBO and ADA across a spectrum of disease activity levels. Last observation carried forward was used to impute missing values.

Results:

At baseline, 91% of patients were classified as having HDA and 9% as having MDA by CDAI across all treatment groups. After 12 weeks of treatment, 2%, 7%, and 9% of patients achieved REM; 16%, 27%, and 33% of patients achieved LDA; and 33%, 40%, and 38% of patients achieved MDA with PBO, ADA, and BARI, respectively [3].

At Week 12, the estimated changes in measures of pain and physical function, as well as duration of MJS, for BARI 4 mg were greater than both PBO and ADA at all disease activity level threshold values of CDAI (Table 1). The estimated change in fatigue for BARI 4 mg was similar to that of ADA, and greater than PBO, at all disease activity level threshold values (Table 1).

Table 1.

Estimate of PRO Improvement by Disease Activity Threshold Level (CDAI) at Week 12

PROCDAI=2.8CDAI=10CDAI=22PBOADABARI4 mgPBOADABARI 4 mgPBOADABARI 4 mgPain VASa(mm)-28.4-37.9-40.9-24.5-32.6-36.1-18.0-23.7-28.1HAQ-DIb-0.6-0.7-0.9-0.5-0.7-0.7-0.4-0.5-0.6FACIT-Fc9.811.811.18.810.610.27.08.78.7Duration of MJS (min)-6.9-37.8-64.9-6.3-35.3-55.7-5.3-31.3-40.2

aPain VAS scores range from 0 (no pain) to 100 (worst pain).

bHAQ-DI scores range from 0 (no disability) to 3 (completely disabled).

cFACIT-F scores range from 0 (worst fatigue) to 52 (no fatigue).

Abbreviations: ADA, adalimumab; BARI, baricitinib; CDAI, Clinical Disease Activity Index; FACIT-F, Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue; HAQ-DI, Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index; MJS, morning joint stiffness; PBO, placebo; PRO, patient-reported outcomes; VAS, visual analog scale.

Conclusion:

Estimates of treatment differences suggest that patients treated with BARI 4 mg may experience greater improvements in pain, physical function, and MJS duration than patients treated with PBO or ADA regardless of their disease activity status reached after 12 weeks of treatment. Using this approach, improvements in fatigue with BARI 4 mg may be greater than with PBO and similar to ADA after 12 weeks.

References:

[1]Taylor, P.C., et al., N Engl J Med, 2017. 376(7): p. 652-662.

[2]Keystone, E.C., et al., Ann Rheum Dis, 2017. 76(11): p. 1853-1861.

[3]Taylor, P., et al., Arthritis Rheumatol, 2019. 71(S10): p. 2455-2457.

Acknowledgements:

The authors would like to acknowledge Catherine Lynch, with Eli Lilly and Company, for medical writing and project management support.

Disclosure of Interests:

Peter C. Taylor Consultant of: AbbVie, Biogen, Galapagos, Gilead, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen, Eli Lilly, BMS, Pfizer, Roche, Celltrion, Sanofi, Nordic Pharma, Fresenius and UCB, Grant/research support from: Celgene, Galapagos, Gilead, Eli Lilly, Ricardo Blanco Speakers bureau: Abbvie, Pfizer, Roche, BMS, Janssen, Eli Lilly and MSD, Consultant of: Abbvie, Pfizer, Roche, BMS, Janssen, Eli Lilly and MSD, Grant/research support from: Abbvie, MSD, and Roche, Kei Ikeda Speakers bureau: Eli Lilly, Abbvie, Mitsubishi-Tanabe, Novartis, Paid instructor for: Abbvie, Grant/research support from: Mitsubishi-Tanabe, Bochao Jia Shareholder of: Eli Lilly and Company, Employee of: Eli Lilly and Company, Yun-Fei Chen Shareholder of: Eli Lilly and Company, Employee of: Eli Lilly and Company, Chad Walls Shareholder of: Eli Lilly and Company, Employee of: Eli Lilly and Company, Ewa Haladyj Employee of: Eli Lilly and Company, Bruno Fautrel Speakers bureau: Eli Lilly, Consultant of: AbbVie, Biogen, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Celgene, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Eli Lilly and Company, Medac, MSD, NORDIC Pharma, Novartis, Pfizer Inc., Roche, Sanofi-Aventis, SOBI, UCB, Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Eli Lilly and Company, MSD, Pfizer Inc

Performance Evaluation of Enzyme Breaker for Fracturing Applications under Simulated Reservoir Conditions

Fracturing fluids are being increasingly used for viscosity development and proppant transport during hydraulic fracturing operations. Furthermore, the breaker is an important additive in fracturing fluid to extensively degrade the polymer mass after fracturing operations, thereby maximizing fracture conductivity and minimizing residual damaging materials. In this study, the efficacy of different enzyme breakers was examined in alkaline and medium-temperature reservoirs. The parameters considered were the effect of the breaker on shear resistance performance and sand-suspending performance of the fracturing fluid, its damage to the reservoir after gel breaking, and its gel-breaking efficiency. The experimental results verified that mannanase II is an enzyme breaker with excellent gel-breaking performance at medium temperatures and alkaline conditions. In addition, mannanase II did not adversely affect the shear resistance performance and sand-suspending performance of the fracturing fluid during hydraulic fracturing. For the same gel-breaking result, the concentration of mannanase II used was only one fifth of other enzyme breakers (e.g., mannanase I, galactosidase, and amylase). Moreover, the amount of residue and the particle size of the residues generated were also significantly lower than those of the ammonium persulfate breaker. Finally, we also examined the viscosity-reducing capability of mannanase II under a wide range of temperatures (104–158 °F) and pH values (7–8.5) to recommend its best-use concentrations under different fracturing conditions. The mannanase has potential for applications in low-permeability oilfield development and to maximize long-term productivity from unconventional oilwells.

Prodigiosin of Serratia marcescens ZPG19 Alters the Gut Microbiota Composition of Kunming Mice

Prodigiosin is a red pigment produced by Serratia marcescens with anticancer, antimalarial, and antibacterial effects. In this study, we extracted and identified a red pigment from a culture of S. marcescens strain ZPG19 and investigated its effect on the growth performance and intestinal microbiota of Kunming mice. High-performance liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry revealed that the pigment had a mass-to-charge ratio (m/z) of 324.2160, and thus it was identified as prodigiosin. To investigate the effect of prodigiosin on the intestinal microbiota, mice (n = 5) were administered 150 μg/kg/d prodigiosin (crude extract, 95% purity) via the drinking water for 18 days. Administration of prodigiosin did not cause toxicity in mice. High-throughput sequencing analysis revealed that prodigiosin altered the cecum microbiota abundance and diversity; the relative abundance of Desulfovibrio significantly decreased, whereas Lactobacillus reuteri significantly increased. This finding indicates that oral administration of prodigiosin has a beneficial effect on the intestinal microbiota of mice. As prodigiosin is non-toxic to mouse internal organs and improves the mouse intestinal microbiota, we suggest that it is a promising candidate drug to treat intestinal inflammation.

Diet-Related Alterations of Gut Bile Salt Hydrolases Determined Using a Metagenomic Analysis of the Human Microbiome

The metabolism of bile acid by the gut microbiota is associated with host health. Bile salt hydrolases (BSHs) play a crucial role in controlling microbial bile acid metabolism. Herein, we conducted a comparative study to investigate the alterations in the abundance of BSHs using data from three human studies involving dietary interventions, which included a ketogenetic diet (KD) versus baseline diet (BD), overfeeding diet (OFD) versus underfeeding diet, and low-carbohydrate diet (LCD) versus BD. The KD increased BSH abundance compared to the BD, while the OFD and LCD did not change the total abundance of BSHs in the human gut. BSHs can be classified into seven clusters; Clusters 1 to 4 are relatively abundant in the gut. In the KD cohort, the levels of BSHs from Clusters 1, 3, and 4 increased significantly, whereas there was no notable change in the levels of BSHs from the clusters in the OFD and LCD cohorts. Taxonomic studies showed that members of the phyla Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Actinobacteria predominantly produced BSHs. The KD altered the community structure of BSH-active bacteria, causing an increase in the abundance of Bacteroidetes and decrease in Actinobacteria. In contrast, the abundance of BSH-active Bacteroidetes decreased in the OFD cohort, and no significant change was observed in the LCD cohort. These results highlight that dietary patterns are associated with the abundance of BSHs and community structure of BSH-active bacteria and demonstrate the possibility of manipulating the composition of BSHs in the gut through dietary interventions to impact human health.

Inhibitory effect of the Notch pathway-inhibitor DAPT on invasion and metastasis of tongue cancer via lncRNA-KAT14 regulation

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to identify a reliable biomarker for tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC), the most common oral cancer with no established biomarkers, to predict prognosis and to select the optimal treatment.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

To investigate whether DAPT exhibited antitumor functions, CAL-27 and SCC-9 cells were treated with DAPT (5 µM or 10 µM) for different times. Further, qRT-PCR was used to determine the mRNA expression levels of lncRNA-KAT14 after treatment with DAPT or si-KAT14 and both combined. Moreover, the treated cells were cultured for different times to investigate their antitumor function. The Wound-healing and Transwell assay were carried out to evaluate the migration and invasion viability of cancer cells, respectively. Finally, the Western blots were performed to determine the expression of EMT-related proteins after transfection with si-KAT14 or treatment with DAPT to investigate the effects of DAPT on EMT-related proteins.

RESULTS

Proliferation was inhibited after treatment with DAPT, and the expression of lncRNA-KAT14 was upregulated. To investigate the correlation of DAPT and lncRNA-KAT14 on the metastasis and invasion in tongue cancer, the following cellular processes were assessed: proliferation, invasion, and migration ability. The Western blots were used to determine the expression of E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Vimentin, and Snail, showing that DAPT or lncRNA-KAT14 suppressed all these processes, inducing a decreased expression of N-cadherin, Vimentin, and Snail, and increased expression of E-cadherin, compared with the control group. Once transfection with si-KAT14 occurred, the evaluated cellular processes were enhanced, being this attenuated by the treatment with DAPT.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results suggest that DAPT suppresses invasion and metastasis of tongue cancer by regulating lncRNA-KAT14.

iTRAQ-based quantitative proteomics analysis reveals inhibitory mechanismsof the antimicrobial peptide MDAP-2 against Salmonella gallinarum

MDAP-2 is a new AMP with high inhibitory activity on Salmonella gallinarum, which may be developed as an antimicrobial agent in the agricultural industry and food preservation. To investigate the underlying the action mechanism of MDAP-2 on Salmonella gallinarum, impacts of MDAP-2 on the growth curve and bacterial morphology of Salmonella gallinarum were studied. iTRAQ-based proteomics analysis was also performed on proteins extracted from treated and untreated Salmonella gallinarum cells. The differentially expressed proteins were then analyzed using the KEGG and GO databases. Finally, the function of some differentially expressed proteins was verified. The results showed that 150 proteins (41 up-regulated and 109 down-regulated) were found differentially expressed (fold > 1.8, p⟨0.05). The results indi- cate that MDAP-2 kills Salmonella gallinarum mainly through two mechanisms: (i) direct inhibi- tion of cell wall/ membrane/ envelope biogenesis, energy production/ conversion, carbohydrate transport/ metabolism, and DNA transcription/ translation through regulation of special protein levels; (ii) indirect effects on the same pathway through the accumulation of Reactive oxygen species (O2 ▪-, H2O2 and OH▪-).

Metagenomic analysis of the human microbiome reveals the association between the abundance of gut bile salt hydrolases and host health

Bile acid metabolism by the gut microbiome exerts both beneficial and harmful effects on host health. Microbial bile salt hydrolases (BSHs), which initiate bile acid metabolism, exhibit both positive and negative effects on host physiology. In this study, 5,790 BSH homologs were collected and classified into seven clusters based on a sequence similarity network. Next, the abundance and distribution of BSH in 380 metagenomes from healthy participants were analyzed. It was observed that different clusters occupied diverse ecological niches in the human microbiome and that the clusters with signal peptides were relatively abundant in the gut. Then, the association between BSH clusters and 12 human diseases was analyzed by comparing the abundances of BSH genes in patients (n = 1,605) and healthy controls (n = 1,540). The analysis identified a significant association between BSH gene abundance and 10 human diseases, including gastrointestinal diseases, obesity, type 2 diabetes, liver diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and neurological diseases. The associations were further validated by separate cohorts with inflammatory bowel diseases and colorectal cancer. These large-scale studies of enzyme sequences combined with metagenomic data provide a reproducible assessment of the association between gut BSHs and human diseases. This information can contribute to future diagnostic and therapeutic applications of BSH-active bacteria for improving human health.

An acidic-groups detection method and its application to analysis of Chinese humic acid samples

The method of non-aqueous conductivity titration (NACT) of organic weak acids was applied to quickly and accurately determine the phenolic-hydroxyl and carboxyl-groups contents in humic acid. By varying the pH of the humic-acid sample, the concentration of the titrant, and the nitrogen-gas flow rate, the optimal titration conditions were determined to be a sample pH of 4, titrant concentration of 0.05 mol/L, and nitrogen-gas flow rate of 80 mL/min. Applying the detection method to p-hydroxybenzoic acid showed that its phenolic-hydroxyl content was 758.82±111.76 cmol/kg and carboxyl content was 744.44±51.11 cmol/kg. The theoretical phenolic-hydroxyl and carboxyl-groups contents of the p-hydroxybenzoic acid were 723.96 cmol/kg respectively, indicating that the method can accurately quantify the carboxyl and phenolic-hydroxyl groups in the sample. The NACT was used to measure the phenolic-hydroxyl and carboxyl-groups contents in humic acid quickly and accurately. In addition, 29 humic acid samples from 8 provinces of China covering the main humic-acid producing areas were collected and analyzed for acidic-groups content using the reported method.

TSN inhibits cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT through regulating miR-874/HMGB2/β-catenin pathway in gastric cancer

Gastric cancer (GC) is the second leading cause of cancer-associated deaths worldwide. Tanshinone IIA (TSN) is the pure extract from the root of red-rooted salvia and has been reported to inhibit the progression of GC cells. In this study, we investigated the microRNA (miRNA) mediated gene repression mechanism in TSN-administrated GC condition. The cell viability of GC was determined by 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2-H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. Cell migration and invasion were detected by transwell assays. The expression levels of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-associated proteins (N-cadherin, vimentin, E-cadherin), High-mobility group box proteins 2 (HMGB2), β-catenin pathway-related proteins (β-catenin, c-myc, cyclin D1) were detected by western blot analysis in TSN/GC. The expression patterns of miR-874 and HMGB2 in GC were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The potential miR-874-targeted HMGB2 was searched via bioinformatics methods and identified by dual-luciferase reporter assays, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays, and RNA pull-down assays. Xenograft tumor model was used to evaluate biological function in vivo. TSN limited the proliferation, migration, invasion, EMT progression in GC, and these results could be inverted by the silencing of miR-874. Moreover, the putative binding sites between miR-874 and HMGB2 were predicted by starBase software online. Meanwhile, enforced expression of HMGB2, negatively correlated with that of miR-874, reversed the positive effects of TSN administration on cells. Mechanically, TSN restrained the GC progression by miR-874/HMGB2/β-catenin signaling in vitro. Additionally, in vivo experiments confirmed that TSN inhibited the GC progression as well. TSN restrained the GC progression by regulating miR-874/HMGB2/β-catenin pathways in vitro and in vivo.

SAT0152 EFFICACY OF BARICITINIB IN PATIENTS WITH MODERATE-TO-SEVERE RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS WITH 3 YEARS OF TREATMENT: RESULTS FROM A LONG-TERM STUDY

Background:

Baricitinib (Bari) is an oral, selective and reversible Janus kinase 1 and 2 inhibitor approved for the treatment of adults with active RA. In addition to long-term safety which has been disclosed previously with data up to 7 years [1], an important clinical consideration is whether treatment efficacy can be maintained over the long term.

Objectives:

To evaluate the long-term efficacy of once-daily Bari 4 mg in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who were either naïve to or who had inadequate response (IR) to methotrexate (MTX)

Methods:

Post hoc analyses of data from two phase 3 studies, RA-BEGIN (MTX-naïve) and RA-BEAM (MTX-IR) for 52 weeks, and one long-term extension (LTE) study (RA-BEYOND) for an additional 96 weeks were conducted (148 weeks in total). At week 52, MTX-naïve patients initially treated with MTX monotherapy, Bari 4 mg monotherapy, or Bari 4 mg +MTX in RA-BEGIN were switched to open-label Bari 4 mg monotherapy for treatment in the LTE. Similarly, at week 52, MTX-IR patients initially treated with Bari 4 mg [+ background MTX noted as (+MTX) for RA-BEAM] or adalimumab (ADA) (+MTX) in RA-BEAM were switched to open-label Bari 4 mg (+MTX) for treatment in the LTE. Patients who received placebo (+MTX) were switched to open-label Bari 4 mg (+MTX) at week 24. The analyses of efficacy (SDAI) and physical function (HAQ-DI) were conducted on all patients who were randomized into the RA-BEGIN and RA-BEAM studies and had received ≥1 dose of study drug after randomization (mITT population). The proportion of patients who reached low disease activity (LDA), as measured by SDAI ≤11, was evaluated along with change from baseline in HAQ-DI. The non-responder imputation (NRI) method was used for the categorical analysis.

Results:

By week 24 in RA-BEGIN (N=584), 62% of patients treated with Bari 4 mg monotherapy or Bari 4 mg +MTX achieved SDAI LDA in comparison to 40% of pts in the MTX monotherapy group; response rates seen at week 24 in the Bari treatment groups were maintained through week 148 (Fig 1A). Similarly, by week 24 in RA-BEAM (N=1,305), 52% of patients treated with Bari 4 mg (+MTX) and 50% of patients treated with ADA (+MTX) achieved a SDAI LDA in comparison to 26% of patients from the PBO (+MTX) group. The response rate seen at week 24 with Bari 4 mg and ADA were maintained through week 148, even after patients switched from ADA to Bari 4 mg at week 52 (Fig 1B). Similar improvement and maintenance patterns in physical function measured by HAQ-DI were demonstrated. The overall discontinuation rate across treatment groups from RA-BEGIN (19.5%) and RA-BEAM (14.2%) have been published. In the LTE, the discontinuation rate from Bari treatment was 13.7% for patients originating from RA-BEGIN (1.1% due to lack of efficacy, 6.4% due to safety) and 12.6% for patients originating from RA-BEAM (1.8% due to lack of efficacy, 5.9% due to safety).

Figure 1.

Proportion of patients achieving SDAI ≤11 in the NRI analysis†In RA-BEGIN, rescue to Bari 4 mg + MTX was offered at week 24.‡In RA-BEAM, rescue to Bari 4 mg (+ MTX) was offered at week 16. At week 24, all PBO + MTX patients were switched to Bari 4 mg + MTX.§Upon entering RA-BEYOND at week 52, MTX and ADA patients were switched to Bari 4 mg.

Conclusion:

Long-term treatment with Bari 4 mg demonstrated the maintenance of clinically-relevant outcomes for up to 3 years. Low discontinuation rates during the LTE indicated that Bari 4 mg treatment was well-tolerated.

References:

[1]Genovese et al.Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. 2019;78:308-309.

Disclosure of Interests: :

Josef S. Smolen Grant/research support from: AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Celgene, Celltrion, Chugai, Eli Lilly, Gilead, ILTOO, Janssen, Novartis-Sandoz, Pfizer Inc, Samsung, Sanofi, Consultant of: AbbVie, AstraZeneca, Celgene, Celltrion, Chugai, Eli Lilly, Gilead, ILTOO, Janssen, Novartis-Sandoz, Pfizer Inc, Samsung, Sanofi, Li Xie Shareholder of: Eli Lilly and Company, Employee of: Eli Lilly and Company, Bochao Jia Shareholder of: Eli Lilly and Company, Employee of: Eli Lilly and Company, Peter C. Taylor Grant/research support from: Celgene, Eli Lilly and Company, Galapagos, and Gilead, Consultant of: AbbVie, Biogen, Eli Lilly and Company, Fresenius, Galapagos, Gilead, GlaxoSmithKline, Janssen, Nordic Pharma, Pfizer Roche, and UCB, Gerd Rüdiger Burmester Consultant of: AbbVie Inc, Eli Lilly, Gilead, Janssen, Merck, Roche, Pfizer, and UCB Pharma, Speakers bureau: AbbVie Inc, Eli Lilly, Gilead, Janssen, Merck, Roche, Pfizer, and UCB Pharma, Yoshiya Tanaka Grant/research support from: Asahi-kasei, Astellas, Mitsubishi-Tanabe, Chugai, Takeda, Sanofi, Bristol-Myers, UCB, Daiichi-Sankyo, Eisai, Pfizer, and Ono, Consultant of: Abbvie, Astellas, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, Speakers bureau: Daiichi-Sankyo, Astellas, Chugai, Eli Lilly, Pfizer, AbbVie, YL Biologics, Bristol-Myers, Takeda, Mitsubishi-Tanabe, Novartis, Eisai, Janssen, Sanofi, UCB, and Teijin, Ayesha Elias Shareholder of: Eli Lilly and Company, Employee of: Eli Lilly and Company, Anabela Cardoso Shareholder of: Eli Lilly and Company, Employee of: Eli Lilly and Company, Robert Ortmann Shareholder of: Eli Lilly and Company, Employee of: Eli Lilly and Company, Chad Walls Shareholder of: Eli Lilly and Company, Employee of: Eli Lilly and Company, Maxime Dougados Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Eli Lilly, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer and UCB Pharma, Consultant of: AbbVie, Eli Lilly, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer and UCB Pharma, Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Eli Lilly, Merck, Novartis, Pfizer and UCB Pharma

Detection of mycotoxins and toxigenic fungi in cereal grains using vibrational spectroscopic techniques: a review

Nutrition-rich cereal grains and oil seeds are the major sources of food and feed for human and livestock, respectively. Infected by fungi and contaminated with mycotoxins are serious problems worldwide for cereals and oil seeds before and after harvest. The growth and development activities of fungi consume seed nutrients and destroy seed structures, leading to dramatic declines of crop yield and quality. In addition, the toxic secondary metabolites produced by these fungi pose a well-known threat to both human and animals. The existence of fungi and mycotoxins has been a redoubtable problem worldwide for decades but tends to be a severe food safety issue in developing countries and regions, such as China and Africa. Detection of fungal infection at an early stage and of mycotoxin contaminants, even at a small amount, is of great significance to prevent harmful toxins from entering the food supply chains worldwide. This review focuses on the recent advancements in utilising infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and hyperspectral imaging to detect fungal infections and mycotoxin contaminants in cereals and oil seeds worldwide, with an emphasis on recent progress in China. Brief introduction of principles, and corresponding shortcomings, as well as latest advances of each technique, are also being presented herein.

Coupling and Regulation of Porous Carriers Using Plasma and Amination to Improve the Catalytic Performance of Glucose Oxidase and Catalase

Multiple enzyme systems are being increasingly used for their high-efficiency and co-immobilization is a key technology to lower the cost and improve the stability of enzymes. In this study, poly glycidyl methacrylate (PGMA) spheres were synthesized using suspension polymerization, and were used as a support to co-immobilize glucose oxidase (GOx) and catalase (CAT). Surface modification was carried out via a combination of plasma and amination to promote the properties of the catalyzer. The co-immobilized enzymes showed a more extensive range of optimum pH and temperature from 5.5 to 7.5 and 25 to 40°C, respectively, compared to free enzymes. Furthermore, the maximum activity and protein adsorption quantity of the co-immobilized enzymes reached 25.98 U/g and 6.07 mg/g, respectively. The enzymatic activity of the co-immobilized enzymes was maintained at ~70% after storage for 5 days and at 82% after three consecutive cycles, indicating that the immobilized material could be applied industrially.

Genome sequence and transcriptomic profiles of a marine bacterium, Pseudoalteromonas agarivorans Hao 2018

Members of the marine genus Pseudoalteromonas have attracted great interest because of their ability to produce a large number of biologically active substances. Here, we report the complete genome sequence of Pseudoalteromonas agarivorans Hao 2018, a strain isolated from an abalone breeding environment, using second-generation Illumina and third-generation PacBio sequencing technologies. Illumina sequencing offers high quality and short reads, while PacBio technology generates long reads. The scaffolds of the two platforms were assembled to yield a complete genome sequence that included two circular chromosomes and one circular plasmid. Transcriptomic data for Pseudoalteromonas were not available. We therefore collected comprehensive RNA-seq data using Illumina sequencing technology from a fermentation culture of P. agarivorans Hao 2018. Researchers studying the evolution, environmental adaptations and biotechnological applications of Pseudoalteromonas may benefit from our genomic and transcriptomic data to analyze the function and expression of genes of interest.

Design Type(s)	transcription profiling design • source-based data analysis objective
Measurement Type(s)	whole genome sequencing assay • transcription profiling assay
Technology Type(s)	DNA sequencing • RNA sequencing
Factor Type(s)
Sample Characteristic(s)	Pseudoalteromonas agarivorans • ocean biome

Machine-accessible metadata file describing the reported data (ISA-Tab format)

New insight into the classification and evolution of glucose transporters in the Metazoa

Because glucose is an essential energy source for living organisms, glucose transporters (GLUTs) are present in all species worldwide. Encoded by the solute carrier family 2 gene family, the GLUT proteins generally have 12 transmembrane helices (TMHs). In total, 14 GLUT proteins have been identified in humans (hGLUTs), and they are divided into 3 classes on the basis of their transport characteristics and sequence similarities. Herein, we report the use of protein sequence similarity networks (SSNs) to visualize the sequence trends of 4101 GLUT proteins across the Metazoa. The SSNs separated the metazoan proteins into 3 new classes that were different from the traditional classification system. In the new system, 9 of the 14 hGLUTs (hGLUT1-5, 7, 9, 11, and 14) were grouped into class I, 3 (hGLUT10, 12, and 13) were grouped into class II, and 2 (hGLUT6 and 8) were grouped into class III, as also supported by the phylogenetic tree. Multiple sequence alignments further showed that the conserved residues in each class were different. Furthermore, the hGLUTs in each class showed unique evolutionary characteristics, with similar nonsynonymous-to-synonymous divergence ratios and similar regions under conservative selection pressure. Of note, GLUTs with 3, 6, 18, 24, and 36 TMHs were identified among the metazoan genomes, and 1 Chinese hamster protein with 6 TMHs showed GLUT activity. In summary, this large-scale sequence analysis provided new insights into the classification and evolution of GLUTs and further showed that gene duplication and fusion could have been important drivers during the evolution of these transporter molecules.-Jia, B., Yuan, D. P., Lan, W. J., Xuan, Y. H., Jeon, C. O. New insight into the classification and evolution of glucose transporters in the Metazoa.

[Continuous fascia iliaca compartment block combined with oral analgesics for pre-operative pain control in elderly hip fracture patients]

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of ultrasound-guided continuous fascia iliaca compartment block combined with oral analgesics for pre-operative pain control in elderly patients with hip fracture. Methods: One hundred and sixteen patients with hip fractures in Xuan Wu Hospital of Capital Medical University during Dec. 2015 to Dec. 2016 were included. These patients were randomized into 2 groups: control group (group C) (receiving the traditional analgesia: tramadol 50 mg and paracetamol 500 mg tid, po from admission to surgery), study group (group S) (receiving ultrasound-guided continuous fascia iliaca compartment block combined with oral analgesics for pre-operative pain control from admission to surgery). Pain relief or pain intensity was assessed preoperatively at before administration of analgesia (T₀), 1 h after administration of analgesia (T₁), the second day after admission(T₂), in the morning of surgery day (before surgery) (T₃) using a visual analog scale. The satisfaction score with the analgesic regimen preoperatively was recorded. The amount of rescue analgesia, occurrence of adverse events (nausea, vomiting, respiratory depression, over sedation) and continuous fascia iliaca compartment block complications were also collected. Results: Pain scores (VAS) at passive movement of group S were significantly lower at T₁ (32±8), T₂ (32±8) and T₃ (34±7) than that at T₀ (73±12) (all P<0.05). VAS at rest of group S were significantly lower than those of group C at T₃ (t=3.488, P<0.05). VAS at passive movement of group S were significantly lower than those of group C at T_1,T_2,T₃ (P<0.05). The satisfaction score with the analgesic regimen was greater in group S (74±10) than that in group C (46±11) (t=-14.209, P<0.05). The incidence of rescue analgesia was lower in group S (0) than in group C (17.2%) (χ²=5.472, P<0.05). The occurrence of nausea and vomiting was 6.9% and 1.7% in group S, which were lower than that in group C (22.4%, 12.1%) (χ²=6.779, 2.416, all P<0.05). There were no obvious complications of continuous fascia iliaca compartment block in group S. Conclusion: Ultrasound guided continuous fascia iliaca compartment block combined with oral analgesics preoperatively is an effective way of providing analgesia for elderly with hip fracture, which can improve the patient's comfort and satisfaction.

A novel index using routine clinical parameters for predicting significant liver inflammation in chronic hepatitis B

Identifying the degree of liver inflammation is critical for therapeutic judgement of patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). However, we lack indexes which can accurately predict significant liver inflammation in patients with CHB. This study aimed to develop a simple predictive index for liver inflammation in CHB using routine clinical parameters. A total of 519 patients with CHB who underwent liver biopsy were enrolled and randomly divided into training (n = 346) and validation cohorts (n = 173). Based on routine clinical parameters, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT; P = 0.031) and platelets (PLT; P < 0.001) were identified as independent predictors of significant inflammation by multivariable analysis in the training cohort. Accordingly, the GGT to PLT ratio (GPR) was developed to amplify the opposing effects for predicting liver inflammation. In the training cohort, the AUCs of GPR in predicting significant inflammation were 0.791 (95% CI: 0.742-0.839), 0.783 (95% CI: 0.717-0.849) and 0.791 (95% CI: 0.716-0.867) in the entire patients with CHB, HBeAg-positive CHB patients and HBeAg-negative CHB patients, respectively. The diagnostic performance of GPR for significant inflammation was significantly superior to that of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST) and GGT in all patients with CHB and HBeAg-positive CHB patients, but was comparable with ALT, AST and GGT in HBeAg-negative CHB patients. In the validation cohort, the diagnostic performance of GPR in assessing significant liver inflammation was also superior to other indexes in all patients with CHB and HBeAg-positive CHB patients, but was comparable with GGT in HBeAg-negative CHB patients. Thus, GPR can be a novel and simple index for predicting significant liver inflammation in CHB, especially for HBeAg-positive CHB.

Catalytic, Computational, and Evolutionary Analysis of the d-Lactate Dehydrogenases Responsible for d-Lactic Acid Production in Lactic Acid Bacteria

d-Lactate dehydrogenase (d-LDH) catalyzes the reversible reaction pyruvate + NADH + H⁺ ↔ lactate + NAD⁺, which is a principal step in the production of d-lactate in lactic acid bacteria. In this study, we identified and characterized the major d-LDH (d-LDH1) from three d-LDHs in Leuconostoc mesenteroides, which has been extensively used in food processing. A molecular simulation study of d-LDH1 showed that the conformation changes during substrate binding. During catalysis, Tyr101 and Arg235 bind the substrates by hydrogen bonds and His296 acts as a general acid/base for proton transfer. These residues are also highly conserved and have coevolved. Point mutations proved that the substrate binding sites and catalytic site are crucial for enzyme activity. Network and phylogenetic analyses indicated that d-LDH1 and the homologues are widely distributed but are most abundant in bacteria and fungi. This study expands the understanding of the functions, catalytic mechanism, and evolution of d-LDH.

Identification and Characterization of l-Malate Dehydrogenases and the l-Lactate-Biosynthetic Pathway in Leuconostoc mesenteroides ATCC 8293

One putative l-lactate dehydrogenase gene (l- ldh) and three putative d- ldh genes from Leuconostoc mesenteroides ATCC 8293 were overexpressed, and their enzymatic properties were investigated. Only one gene showed d-LDH activity, catalyzing pyruvate and d-lactate interconversion, whereas the other genes displayed l- and d-malate dehydrogenase (MDH) activity, catalyzing oxaloacetate and l- and d-malate interconversion, suggesting that strain ATCC 8293 may not harbor an l- ldh gene. Putative phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC)- and malolactic enzyme (MLE)-encoding genes were identified from strain ATCC 8293, and sequence analysis showed that they could exhibit PEPC and MLE activities, respectively. l-Lactate production and transcriptional expression of the mle gene in this strain were highly increased in the presence of l-malate. We propose that in strain ATCC 8293, which lacks an l- ldh gene, l-lactate is produced through sequential enzymatic conversions from phosphoenolpyruvate to oxaloacetate, then l-malate, and finally l-lactate by PEPC, l-MDH, and MLE, respectively.

New Insight Into the Diversity of SemiSWEET Sugar Transporters and the Homologs in Prokaryotes

Sugars will eventually be exported transporters (SWEETs) and SemiSWEETs represent a family of sugar transporters in eukaryotes and prokaryotes, respectively. SWEETs contain seven transmembrane helices (TMHs), while SemiSWEETs contain three. The functions of SemiSWEETs are less studied. In this perspective article, we analyzed the diversity and conservation of SemiSWEETs and further proposed the possible functions. 1,922 SemiSWEET homologs were retrieved from the UniProt database, which is not proportional to the sequenced prokaryotic genomes. However, these proteins are very diverse in sequences and can be classified into 19 clusters when >50% sequence identity is required. Moreover, a gene context analysis indicated that several SemiSWEETs are located in the operons that are related to diverse carbohydrate metabolism. Several proteins with seven TMHs can be found in bacteria, and sequence alignment suggested that these proteins in bacteria may be formed by the duplication and fusion. Multiple sequence alignments showed that the amino acids for sugar translocation are still conserved and coevolved, although the sequences show diversity. Among them, the functions of a few amino acids are still not clear. These findings highlight the challenges that exist in SemiSWEETs and provide future researchers the foundation to explore these uncharted areas.

Variations of blood glucose in cancer patients during chemotherapy

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to analyze the blood glucose (BG) variations in cancer patients during chemotherapy according to tumor types and chemotherapeutic regimens.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Patients were examined from the Department of Medical Oncology of Cancer Hospital and Institute, Chinese Academy Medical Sciences from January 2012 to December 2014. The patients' ages, genders, body mass index, associated disease history, and corresponding BG values were recorded.

RESULTS

Among these 2029 patients, 331 (16.3%) patients encountered high BG during chemotherapy except diabetic patients. Of these patients, 208 (62.8%) were males, and 123 (37.2%) were females, with age ranged from 17 to 84 years. The 331 cases included 23 tumor types and 77 regimens. Totally, BG values increased up to 7.4 ± 1.3 mmol/L during chemotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

No previous studies in the literature have examined systematically so numerous cases of hyperglycemia during chemotherapy. This study has pointed out possible high-risk chemotherapeutic regimens and tumor types, which should be paid attention to prevent the occurrence of hyperglycemia.

[Influence of setting time on bond strength of different bioactive pulp capping materials with dental adhesive]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate influence of setting time on bond strength of different bioactive pulp capping materials with self-etch or etch-and-rinse adhesive.

METHODS

Sixty specimens were prepared for each of the three tested capping materials, namely mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA), iRoot BP Plus (BP) and iRoot FS (FS). Specimens of each material were divided into three groups and bonded at three setting time points of the materials respectively: initial setting time (4 h for MTA, 2 h for BP and 20 min for FS), 24 h after application and 7 d after application. The specimen surfaces of each group were treated with self-etch mode or etch-and-rinse mode of one universal adhesive (Single Bond Universal, SBU) (n=10). The bonding area was restricted to a round area with 3 mm diameter, on which composite cylinders were build up with flowable composite and light cured completely. The shear bond strength was tested immediately with a shear strength tester and fracture mode was observed under stereo microscope and recorded. The mean shear bond strength for each group was analyzed with SPSS 19.0 software ANOVA method. The surface morphology of each material was observed after setting and acid treatment under scanning electron microscope.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference among the three tested materials at either initial setting point or 7 d after application (P<0.05). The bond strength of MTA was significantly higher than those of BP and FS 24 h after application in both bonding modes (P<0.05). For all the three tested materials, shear bond strength was significantly higher for complete setting group than for initial setting group of the same material (P<0.05). Under scanning electron microscope, the characteristic crystal patterns could be observed on the three bioactive materials surfaces after complete setting, the size of which was bigger for MTA than for BP and FS. These features were lost to some extent after self-etch primer application or phosphoric acid etching.

CONCLUSION

Based on the present results, adequate bond strength can be obtained for FS at initial setting time, which is comparable with BP and MTA. This implies that clinically composite restoration can be placed over bioactive direct capping materials after shortened initial setting process in one visit.

High-throughput recombinant protein expression in Escherichia coli: current status and future perspectives

The ease of genetic manipulation, low cost, rapid growth and number of previous studies have made Escherichia coli one of the most widely used microorganism species for producing recombinant proteins. In this post-genomic era, challenges remain to rapidly express and purify large numbers of proteins for academic and commercial purposes in a high-throughput manner. In this review, we describe several state-of-the-art approaches that are suitable for the cloning, expression and purification, conducted in parallel, of numerous molecules, and we discuss recent progress related to soluble protein expression, mRNA folding, fusion tags, post-translational modification and production of membrane proteins. Moreover, we address the ongoing efforts to overcome various challenges faced in protein expression in E. coli, which could lead to an improvement of the current system from trial and error to a predictable and rational design.

Genome-wide identification of the SWEET gene family in wheat

The SWEET (sugars will eventually be exported transporter) family is a newly characterized group of sugar transporters. In plants, the key roles of SWEETs in phloem transport, nectar secretion, pollen nutrition, stress tolerance, and plant-pathogen interactions have been identified. SWEET family genes have been characterized in many plant species, but a comprehensive analysis of SWEET members has not yet been performed in wheat. Here, 59 wheat SWEETs (hereafter TaSWEETs) were identified through homology searches. Analyses of phylogenetic relationships, numbers of transmembrane helices (TMHs), gene structures, and motifs showed that TaSWEETs carrying 3-7 TMHs could be classified into four clades with 10 different types of motifs. Examination of the expression patterns of 18 SWEET genes revealed that a few are tissue-specific while most are ubiquitously expressed. In addition, the stem rust-mediated expression patterns of SWEET genes were monitored using a stem rust-susceptible cultivar, 'Little Club' (LC). The resulting data showed that the expression of five out of the 18 SWEETs tested was induced following inoculation. In conclusion, we provide the first comprehensive analysis of the wheat SWEET gene family. Information regarding the phylogenetic relationships, gene structures, and expression profiles of SWEET genes in different tissues and following stem rust disease inoculation will be useful in identifying the potential roles of SWEETs in specific developmental and pathogenic processes.

Identification of Trans-4-Hydroxy-L-Proline as a Compatible Solute and Its Biosynthesis and Molecular Characterization in Halobacillus halophilus

Halobacillus halophilus, a moderately halophilic bacterium, accumulates a variety of compatible solutes including glycine betaine, glutamate, glutamine, proline, and ectoine to cope with osmotic stress. Non-targeted analysis of intracellular organic compounds using 1H-NMR showed that a large amount of trans-4-hydroxy-L-proline (Hyp), which has not been reported as a compatible solute in H. halophilus, was accumulated in response to high NaCl salinity, suggesting that Hyp may be an important compatible solute in H. halophilus. Candidate genes encoding proline 4-hydroxylase (PH-4), which hydroxylates L-proline to generate Hyp, were retrieved from the genome of H. halophilus through domain searches based on the sequences of known PH-4 proteins. A gene, HBHAL_RS11735, which was annotated as a multidrug DMT transporter permease in GenBank, was identified as the PH-4 gene through protein expression analysis in Escherichia coli. The PH-4 gene constituted a transcriptional unit with a promoter and a rho-independent terminator, and it was distantly located from the proline biosynthetic gene cluster (pro operon). Transcriptional analysis showed that PH-4 gene expression was NaCl concentration-dependent, and was specifically induced by chloride anion, similar to the pro operon. Accumulation of intracellular Hyp was also observed in other bacteria, suggesting that Hyp may be a widespread compatible solute in halophilic and halotolerant bacteria.

Wheat Ammonium Transporter (AMT) Gene Family: Diversity and Possible Role in Host-Pathogen Interaction with Stem Rust

Ammonium transporter (AMT) proteins have been reported in many plants, but no comprehensive analysis was performed in wheat. In this study, we identified 23 AMT members (hereafter TaAMTs) using a protein homology search in wheat genome. Tissue-specific expression analysis showed that TaAMT1;1a, TaAMT1;1b, and TaAMT1;3a were relatively more highly expressed in comparison with other TaAMTs. TaAMT1;1a, TaAMT1;1b, and TaAMT1;3a-GFP were localized in the plasma membrane in tobacco leaves, and TaAMT1;1a, TaAMT1;1b, and TaAMT1;3a successfully complemented a yeast 31019b strain in which ammonium uptake was deficient. In addition, the expression of TaAMT1;1b in an Arabidopsis AMT quadruple mutant (qko) successfully restored [Formula: see text] uptake ability. Resupply of [Formula: see text] rapidly increased cellular [Formula: see text] contents and suppressed expression of TaAMT1;3a, but not of TaAMT;1;1a and TaAMT1;1b expressions. Expression of TaAMT1;1a, TaAMT1;1b, and TaAMT1;3a was not changed in leaves after [Formula: see text] resupply. In contrast, nitrogen (N) deprivation induced TaAMT1;1a, TaAMT1;1b, and TaAMT1;3a gene expressions in the roots and leaves. Expression analysis in the leaves of the stem rust-susceptible wheat line "Little Club" and the rust-tolerant strain "Mini 2761" revealed that TaAMT1;1a, TaAMT1;1b, and TaAMT1;3a were specifically induced in the former but not in the latter. Rust-susceptible wheat plants grown under N-free conditions exhibited a lower disease index than plants grown with [Formula: see text] as the sole N source in the medium after infection with Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici, suggesting that [Formula: see text] and its transport may facilitate the infection of wheat stem rust disease. Our findings may be important for understanding the potential function TaAMTs in wheat plants.