Single-cell RNA-seq reveals novel immune-associated biomarkers for predicting prognosis in AML patients with RUNX1::RUNX1T1

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with t(8;21)(q22;q22);(RUNX1::RUNX1T1) is highly heterogeneous and malignant. It has a relapse rate of nearly 40 %, resulting in clinical resistance or refractoriness to chemotherapy. Immune cells, particularly CD4(+) T and CD8(+) T lymphocytes, have been discovered to be dysfunctional in this condition, and functional recovery shows promising efficiency in preclinical trials. Here, with single-cell transcriptomic data from de novo AML patients with RUNX1::RUNX1T1 and at various stages following disease progression, we investigated the genes correlated with T-cell proliferation and activation. In leukemia cells, ADA, AHCY, GPN3 and LTBR were markedly highly expressed compared to those in T-cell at diagnosis, and they tended to increase with disease progression. Additionally, we discovered that AHCY was an effective biomarker to predict the overall survival as well as relapse-free survival of AML patients with RUNX1::RUNX1T1. The correlation of AHCY with infiltrated immune cells and immune checkpoints was also investigated. AML cohorts from two other independent studies, TCGA LAML (n = 145) and the GEO dataset (n = 104), also demonstrated an inferior outcome for AML patients with high AHCY expression. In conclusion, our research revealed that AHCY might function as a novel indicator to predict the prognosis and efficiency of T-cell proliferation and activation in AML patients with RUNX1::RUNX1T1.

Radioresistance or/and radiosensitivity of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma: biological angle

OBJECTIVE

This narrative review aimed to compile and summarize clinically relevant literature in radiation therapy and to discuss the potential in radioresistant and radiosensitive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).

METHODS AND MATERIALS

Google Scholar, PubMed, and the Cochrane Library were retrieved using combined key words such as "radiotherapy" and "head and neck cancer." Search strings additionally queried were "radioresistant," "radiosensitive," "head and neck region," "squamous cell carcinoma," in combination with Boolean operators 'AND' and 'OR.' Subsequently, the resulting publications were included for review of the full text.

RESULTS

Radiotherapeutic responses currently in clinical observation referred to HNSCC scoping were selected into this review. The compiled mechanisms were then detailed concerning on the clinical significance, biological characteristics, and molecular function.

CONCLUSIONS

Brachytherapy or/and external-beam radiotherapy are crucial for treating HNSCC especially the early stage patients, but in some patients with locally advanced tumors, their outcome with radiation therapy is poor due to obvious radioresistance. The curative effects mainly depend on the response to radiation therapy so an updated review is needed to optimize further applications in HNSCC radiotherapy.

Resveratrol Promotes Autophagy to Improve neuronal Injury in Parkinson's Disease by Regulating SNHG1/miR-128-3p/SNCA Axis

BACKGROUND

Parkinson's disease (PD) is seriously threatening the health and life quality of the elderly, who have a high incidence and high disability rate. Resveratrol (RES) was reported to play a protective role in PD. However, the functions and potential mechanism of RES in PD remain unclear, which need to be further explored.

METHODS

Human neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y and SK-N-SH) were subjected to 1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridium (MPP+) induction to construct a cell model of PD. Cell viability was evaluated using CCK-8. The gene expression was evaluated using qRT-PCR and western blot. Luciferase activity assay and RIP were performed to validate interactions among SNHG1, miR-128-3p and SNCA.

RESULTS

Our results exhibited that RES reduced SNHG1 and SNCA expression but elevated miR-128-3p expression in human neuroblastoma cells upon MPP+ induction. Functionally, RES resulted in the promotion of cell autophagy in MPP+-induced human neuroblastoma cells, while these influences were abolished by SNHG1 overexpression. Mechanistically, SNHG1 could indirectly elevate SNCA expression via sponging miR-128-3p. Moreover, SNCA overexpression reversed SNHG1 silencing-induced cell autophagy in MPP+-induced human neuroblastoma cells upon RES pre-incubation.

CONCLUSIONS

RES prevented MPP+-induced repression of cell autophagy through inhibiting the SNHG1/miR-128-3p/SNCA axis, suggesting that RES might play a preventive effect on PD progression.

Case report: Genotype and phenotype of DYNC1H1-related malformations of cortical development: a case report and literature review

Background

Mutations in the dynein cytoplasmic 1 heavy chain 1 (DYNC1H1) gene are linked to malformations of cortical development (MCD), which may be accompanied by central nervous system (CNS) manifestations. Here, we present the case of a patient with MCD harboring a variant of DYNC1H1 and review the relevant literature to explore genotype-phenotype relationships.

Case presentation

A girl having infantile spasms, was unsuccessfully administered multiple antiseizure medications and developed drug-resistant epilepsy. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at 14 months-of-age revealed pachygyria. At 4 years-of-age, the patient exhibited severe developmental delay and mental retardation. A de novo heterozygous mutation (p.Arg292Trp) in the DYNC1H1 gene was identified. A search of multiple databases, including PubMed and Embase, using the search strategy DYNC1H1 AND [malformations of cortical development OR seizure OR intellectual OR clinical symptoms] up to June 2022, identified 129 patients from 43 studies (including the case presented herein). A review of these cases showed that patients with DYNC1H1-related MCD had higher risks of epilepsy (odds ratio [OR] = 33.67, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 11.59, 97.84) and intellectual disability/developmental delay (OR = 52.64, 95% CI = 16.27, 170.38). Patients with the variants in the regions encoding the protein stalk or microtubule-binding domain had the most prevalence of MCD (95%).

Conclusion

MCD, particularly pachygyria, is a common neurodevelopmental disorder in patients with DYNC1H1 mutations. Literature searches reveales that most (95%) patients who carried mutations in the protein stalk or microtubule binding domains exhibited DYNC1H1-related MCD, whereas almost two-thirds of patients (63%) who carried mutations in the tail domain did not display MCD. Patients with DYNC1H1 mutations may experience central nervous system (CNS) manifestations due to MCD.

[Comparison of the application methods and effects of skin flaps in the repair of defects in different parts of the nose according to the concept of aesthetic nosesubunits]

Objective: To analyze the difference of application methods and effects of local flap in small and medium-sized defects of different aesthetic subunits of nose, in order to provide reference for clinical work. Methods: A retrospective analysis was made on 59 patients with external nasal masses and scars who underwent surgical treatment in the Department of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery of the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from July 1, 2021 to January 30, 2022, including 27 females and 32 males, aged 15 to 69 years. Using Likert scale, the repair methods and effects of local flap for nasal soft tissue defects were evaluated and summarized from three aspects of texture, flatness and scar concealment. GraphPad Prism 5.0 software was used for data statistics and analysis. Results: The use of skin flaps to repair small and medium-sized areas of the nose could achieve satisfactory results. For patients with different subunits, in terms of skin flatness and scar concealment degree in the operation area, patients' satisfaction with the dorsal and lateral nasal areas was higher than that of the alar and tip areas, respectively (F=6.40, P=0.001; F=10.57, P<0.001). For patients with different skin flap repair methods, the satisfaction of patients with Z-plasty and Dufourmentel skin flap was higher than that of other skin flap repair methods (F=4.38, P=0.002), and the satisfaction of patients with Dufourmentel skin flap was the highest in the degree of scar concealment (F=2.57, P=0.038). Conclusions: In the small and medium-sized defects of the nose, the use of multiple local flaps can achieve good cosmetic effects and functional recovery. The operator should select the appropriate flap repair method according to the characteristics of different aesthetic subunits of the nose.

Integration of CD34+CD117dim population signature improves the prognosis prediction of acute myeloid leukemia

Background

Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is a hematological cancer characterized by heterogeneous hematopoietic cells. Through the use of multidimensional sequencing technologies, we previously identified a distinct myeloblast population, CD34⁺CD117^dim, the proportion of which was strongly associated with the clinical outcome in t (8;21) AML. In this study, we explored the potential value of the CD34⁺CD117^dim population signature (117DPS) in AML stratification.

Methods

Based on the CD34⁺CD117^dim gene signature, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression analysis was performed to construct the 117DPS model using the gene expression data from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database (GSE37642-GPL96 was used as training cohort; GSE37642-GPL570, GSE12417-GPL96, GSE12417-GPL570 and GSE106291 were used as validation cohorts). In addition, the RNA-seq data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-LAML and Beat AML projects of de-novo AML patients were also analyzed as validation cohorts. The differences of clinical features and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes were further explored between the high-risk score group and low-risk score group.

Results

The high-risk group of the 117DPS model exhibited worse overall survival than the low-risk group in both training and validation cohorts. Immune signaling pathways were significantly activated in the high-risk group. Patients with high-risk score had a distinct pattern of infiltrating immune cells, which were closely related to clinical outcome.

Conclusion

The 117DPS model established in our study may serve as a potentially valuable tool for predicting clinical outcome of patients with AML.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12967-022-03556-8.

Ectopic expression of a combination of 5 genes detects high risk forms of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

BACKGROUND

T cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) defines a group of hematological malignancies with heterogeneous aggressiveness and highly variable outcome, making therapeutic decisions a challenging task. We tried to discover new predictive model for T-ALL before treatment by using a specific pipeline designed to discover aberrantly active gene.

RESULTS

The expression of 18 genes was significantly associated with shorter survival, including ACTRT2, GOT1L1, SPATA45, TOPAZ1 and ZPBP (5-GEC), which were used as a basis to design a prognostic classifier for T-ALL patients. The molecular characterization of the 5-GEC positive T-ALL unveiled specific characteristics inherent to the most aggressive T leukemic cells, including a drastic shut-down of genes located on the mitochondrial genome and an upregulation of histone genes, the latter characterizing high risk forms in adult patients. These cases fail to respond to the induction treatment, since 5-GEC either predicted positive minimal residual disease (MRD) or a short-term relapse in MRD negative patients.

CONCLUSION

Overall, our investigations led to the discovery of a homogenous group of leukemic cells with profound alterations of their biology. It also resulted in an accurate predictive tool that could significantly improve the management of T-ALL patients.

Comprehensive Analysis of the Novel Omicron Receptor AXL in Cancers

The SARS-CoV-2 is constantly mutating, and the new coronavirus such as Omicron has spread to many countries around the world. Anexelekto (AXL) is a transmembrane protein with biological functions such as promoting cell growth, migration, aggregation, metastasis and adhesion, and plays an important role in cancers and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Unlike angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), AXL was highly expressed in respiratory system cells. In this study, we verified the AXL expression in cancer and normal tissues and found AXL expression was strongly correlated with cancer prognosis, tumor mutation burden (TMB), the microsatellite instability (MSI) in most tumor types. Immune infiltration analysis also demonstrated that there was an inextricable link between AXL expression and immune scores in cancer patients, especially in BLCA, BRCA and CESC. The NK-cells, plasmacytoid dendritic cells, myeloid dendritic cells, as one of the important components of the tumor microenvironment, were highly expressed AXL. In addition, AXL-related tumor neoantigens were identified and might provide the novel potential targets for tumor vaccines or SARS-Cov-2 vaccines research in cancer patients.

How Chinese Herbal Medicine Prevents Epidemics: From Ancient Pestilences to COVID-19 Pandemic

The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic calls for effective control and prevention. Chinese medicine (CM) has developed systematic theories and approaches for infectious disease prevention over 2000 years. Here, we review and analyze Chinese herbal medicines (CHM) used in infectious disease prevention from ancient pestilences to modern epidemics and pandemics to share cumulative preventive medical experience. A total of 829 formulas, including 329 herbs from 189 ancient books, 131 formulas with 152 herbs, and 13 Chinese patent medicines (CPM) from 30 official Chinese prevention programs used in ancient epidemics, SARS, influenza and COVID-19 prevention, were reviewed and analyzed. Preventive CHM mainly has four functions and can be taken orally or applied externally. CHM that kill pathogens (Realgar [Xionghuang], Cyrtomium Fortunei J. Sm[Guanzhong]) were commonly used externally for disinfection in ancient prevention while CHM tonifying Qi (Astragali Radix [Huangq], Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma [Gancao]) are used for modern prevention. Taking CHM that expel pathogens (Realgar [Xionghuang], Lonicerae Japonicae Flos[Jinyinhua]) and CHM eliminating dampness (Atractylodis Rhizoma [Cangzhu], Pogostemonis Herba[Guanghuoxiang]) have been commonly used from ancient times to COVID-19. Damp toxins are a common characteristic of infectious diseases such as SARS and COVID-19. Thus, taking CHM expelling damp toxins and tonifying Qi are the main methods for SARS and COVID-19 prevention. CHM with different approaches have been widely used in infectious disease prevention from ancient times to the present. Multiple CM prevention methods may provide new perspectives for future pandemics.

Bone marrow infiltrated natural killer cells predicted the anti-leukemia activity of MCL1 or BCL2 inhibitors in acute myeloid leukemia

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is still incurable due to its heterogeneity and complexity of tumor microenvironment. It is imperative therefore to understand the molecular pathogenesis of AML and identify leukemia-associated biomarkers to formulate effective treatment strategies. Here, we systematically analyzed the clinical characters and natural killer (NK) cells portion in seventy newly-diagnosis (ND) AML patients. We found that the proportion of NK cells in the bone marrow of ND-AML patients could predict the prognosis of patients by analyzing the types and expression abundance of NK related ligands in tumor cells. Furthermore, MCL1 inhibitor but not BCL2 inhibitor combined with NK cell-based immunotherapy could effectively improve the therapeutic efficiency via inhibiting proliferation and inducing apoptosis of AML primary cells as well as cell lines in vitro. There results provide valuable insights that could help for exploring new therapeutic strategies for leukemia treatment.

[Study on the relationship between quality of nursing professional life and depression tendency of nursing staff]

Objective: To explore the relationship between the quality of professional life and depression tendency of nurses. Methods: From November 2018 to January 2019, 242 nurses from some third-class A hospitals were randomly selected as the subjects. The Quality of Professional Life Scale of Nurses were used to evaluate the status of nurses' professional life quality, and the depression state of nurses was measured by Self Rating Depression Scale, and the relationship between them was analyzed. Results: The total score of professional life of nurses was (156.86±26.60) , including family work balance (24.60±4.73) , working environment (77.30±14.78) , workload (36.34±6.11) and social environment (18.62±4.21) . The total score of depression tendency of nurses was (43.76±9.50) , the overall depression tendency rate was 64.46% (156/242) , and the incidence rates of moderate and severe depression tendency were 23.55% (57/242) and 10.74% (26/242) , respectively. There was negative correlation between the total score of professional quality of life and each dimension score with depression tendency (P<0.05) ; Multiple linear regression analysis showed that high quality of professional life was the protective factor of depression tendency of nurses (P<0.001) . Conclusion: The quality of professional life of nurses is related to depression tendency, and the high quality of professional life is not prone to depression.

Comprehensive analysis of two potential novel SARS-CoV-2 entries, TMPRSS2 and IFITM3, in healthy individuals and cancer patients

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2, with acute respiratory failure as the most significant symptom, has led to a global pandemic. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is considered as the most important receptor of SARS-CoV-2 and wildly expressed in human tissues. Whereas, the extremely low expression of ACE2 in lung could hardly interpret the severe symptom of pneumonia in COVID-19 patients. Here we profiled two SARS-CoV-2 infection related genes, the transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) and the interferon-inducible transmembrane protein 3 (IFITM3), in human tissues and organs. Consistent with the expression and distribution of ACE2, TMPRSS2 was also highly expressed in digestive, urinary and reproductive systems, but low expressed in lung. Notably, the anti-virus protein IFITM3 also expressed much lower in lung than other tissues, which might be related to the severe lung symptoms of COVID-19. In addition, the low expression of IFITM3 in immune cells suggested that SARS-CoV-2 might attack lymphocytes and induce the cytokine release syndrome (CRS). Furthermore, cancer patients were considered as more susceptible to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Our data supposed that fourteen types of tumors might have different susceptibility to the virus according to ACE2, TMPRSS2 and IFITM3 expression patterns. Interestingly the prognosis of six types of cancers including breast carcinoma (BRCA), lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), uterine corpus endometrial carcinoma (UCEC), renal clear cell carcinoma (KIRC), prostate adenocarcinoma (PRAD), and hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) were closely related to these gene expressions. Our study explored the expression and distribution profiles of two potential novel molecules that might participate in SARS-CoV-2 infection and involved in immunity, which may provide a functional basis for preventing infection of SARS-CoV-2.

RIG-I regulates myeloid differentiation by promoting TRIM25-mediated ISGylation

Retinoic acid-inducible gene I (RIG-I) is up-regulated during granulocytic differentiation of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) cells induced by all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA). It has been reported that RIG-I recognizes virus-specific 5'-ppp-double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) and activates the type I interferons signaling pathways in innate immunity. However, the functions of RIG-I in hematopoiesis remain unclear, especially regarding its possible interaction with endogenous RNAs and the associated pathways that could contribute to the cellular differentiation and maturation. Herein, we identified a number of RIG-I-binding endogenous RNAs in APL cells following ATRA treatment, including the tripartite motif-containing protein 25 (TRIM25) messenger RNA (mRNA). TRIM25 encodes the protein known as an E3 ligase for ubiquitin/interferon (IFN)-induced 15-kDa protein (ISG15) that is involved in RIG-I-mediated antiviral signaling. We show that RIG-I could bind TRIM25 mRNA via its helicase domain and C-terminal regulatory domain, enhancing the stability of TRIM25 transcripts. RIG-I could increase the transcriptional expression of TRIM25 by caspase recruitment domain (CARD) domain through an IFN-stimulated response element. In addition, RIG-I activated other key genes in the ISGylation pathway by activating signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1), including the modifier ISG15 and several enzymes responsible for the conjugation of ISG15 to protein substrates. RIG-I cooperated with STAT1/2 and interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF1) to promote the activation of the ISGylation pathway. The integrity of ISGylation in ATRA or RIG-I-induced cell differentiation was essential given that knockdown of TRIM25 or ISG15 resulted in significant inhibition of this process. Our results provide insight into the role of the RIG-I-TRIM25-ISGylation axis in myeloid differentiation.

Identification of a t(X;17)(q28;q21) generating a KANSL1-MTCP1 gene fusion leading to dysregulated expression of MTCP1 in acute myeloid leukemia

Chromosomal translocations and generating fusion genes are closely associated with disease initiation and progression in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). In this study, we identified a novel t(X;17)(q28;q21) chromosomal rearrangement in a patient with acute monocytic leukemia. Using RNA-sequencing, we identified a KANSL1-MTCP1 and a KANSL1-CMC4 fusion gene. 5'-UTR sequences of the KANSL1 gene were found to become fused upstream of the coding sequence region of the MTCP1 and CMC4 genes, respectively, resulting in an aberrantly high expression of these genes. Functional studies revealed that overexpression of the MTCP1 gene induced an increased cell proliferation and partial blockage of cell differentiation, suggesting that the aberrant expression of MTCP1 is of critical importance in leukemogenesis.

Cesarean Section Due to Social Factors Affects Children's Psychology and Behavior: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Background: Cesarean section (CS) use has reached a frequency well-above what is expected on the basis of obstetric indications. The large increase in CS use, often for non-medical indications, is of concern given the risks for both women and children. Research about the influence of CS on children's behavior is not new, but most studies didn't differentiate CS due to social factors (such as fear of labor pain, auspicious dates, etc.) from CS with medical indications. Medical indications for CS include fetal distress and intrauterine hypoxia, which may also affect the mental and physical health of the children, thus be a confounding factor. In China, a significant proportion of women undergo CS because of social factors, which provides us a good model to study whether non-fetal triggered delivery will affect children's behavior. Thus, we assessed the impact of CS due to social factors on child psychology and behavior. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study. Children were divided into three groups according to delivery mode: vaginal delivery (VD), CS with medical indications, and CS due to social factors (also called as elective cesarean section, ECS). Parents or guardians were required to complete four rating scales of Chinese version [Conners' Parent Rating Scale (CPRS), Child Behavior Checklist-Parent Form (CBCL-PF), Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham rating scale-Parent Form (SNAP-IV-PF), and Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function-Parent Form (BRIEF-PF)] on psychological and behavioral problems regarding their children. Results: Among the 38,780 children aged 7-15 years, 29,103 (75.05%) were delivered by VD and 9,677 (24.95%) were delivered by CS (7,844 with medical indications; 1,833 by ECS). Ten covariates were found to significantly affect ECS. Four rating scales were used in this study: CPRS, CBCL-PF, SNAP-IV-PF, and BRIEF-PF. ECS affected child psychology and behavior in several aspects including inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, social problems, and executive dysfunction. Regarding to inattention, the ECS group had a higher SNAP-IV-PF inattention score (P = 0.03), compared with the VD group. Logistic multivariate stepwise regression analysis showed that in the ECS group, the ORs were 1.20 in the partially adjusted analyses of SNAP-IV-PF and CPRS. Regarding to social problems, ECS group had a higher CBCL-PF score for the social problems category compared with the VD group (P = 0.0001). Kruskal-Wallis rank sum tests showed that the ECS group had higher BRIEF-PF scores regarding Working Memory (P = 0.04), and Organize (P = 0.01) compared with the VD group. Conclusions: CS affected the offspring's psychology and behavior. After removing possible influence of medical indications, the effect of CS due to social factors on the offspring's psychology and behavior still exists.

The critical role of AMPK in driving Akt activation under stress, tumorigenesis and drug resistance

PI3K/Akt signaling is activated in cancers and governs tumor initiation and progression, but how Akt is activated under diverse stresses is poorly understood. Here we identify AMPK as an essential regulator for Akt activation by various stresses. Surprisingly, AMPK is also activated by growth factor EGF through Ca2+/Calmodulin-dependent kinase and is essential for EGF-mediated Akt activation and biological functions. AMPK phosphorylates Skp2 at S256 and promotes the integrity and E3 ligase activity of Skp2 SCF complex leading to K63-linked ubiquitination and activation of Akt and subsequent oncogenic processes. Importantly, AMPK-mediated Skp2 S256 phosphorylation promotes breast cancer progression in mouse tumor models, correlates with Akt and AMPK activation in breast cancer patients, and predicts poor survival outcomes. Finally, targeting AMPK-mediated Skp2 S256 phosphorylation sensitizes cells to anti-EGF receptor targeted therapy. Our study sheds light on how stress and EGF induce Akt activation and new mechanisms for AMPK-mediated oncogenesis and drug resistance.

How Akt pathway is activated under stress is poorly understood. Here, the authors demonstrate the crucial role of AMPK for cellular stresses and growth factors- mediated Akt activation through a mechanism involving the E3 ubiquitin ligase Skp2 and Cullin-1.

USP19 deubiquitinates HDAC1/2 to regulate DNA damage repair and control chromosomal stability

Excessive accumulation of DNA damage will generate chromosome stress, leading to various chromosome abnormalities such as chromatin bridge and result in genomic instability. Orchestra procession and regulation of DNA damage repair are vital for keeping genome stability. Despite of the key role of HDAC1/2 in double strand break (DSB) repair, the regulation for their mode of action is less well understood. In this study, we found that deubiquitination enzymes USP19 physically interacts with HDAC1/2 and specifically regulate their K63-linked ubiquitination, which might be crucial for regulation of HDAC1/2 activity in DNA damage repair. Notably, we found that USP19 trans-locate into nucleus upon IR irradiation and is indispensable for normally DNA damage response. In addition, we showed that USP19 play critical role in preventing anaphase bridge formation through regulating DNA damage repair process. Furthermore, the expression level of USP19 is commonly lower or deleted in several types of tumor. These results indicated that USP19 is a key factor in modulating DNA damage repair by targeting HDAC1/2 K63-linked ubiquitination, cells with deletion or decreased expression of USP19 might cause genome instability and even contribute to tumorigenesis.

CLDN1 expression in cervical cancer cells is related to tumor invasion and metastasis

Even though infection with human papillomaviruses (HPV) is very important, it is not the sole cause of cervical cancer. Because it is known that genetic variations that result from HPV infection are probably the most important causes of cervical cancer, we used human whole genome array comparative genomic hybridization to detect the copy number variations of genes in cervical squamous cell carcinoma. The results of the array were validated by PCR, FISH and immunohistochemistry. We find that the copy number and protein expression of claudin-1 (CLDN1) increase with the progression of cervical cancer. The strong positive staining of CLDN1 in the cervical lymph node metastasis group received a significantly higher score than the staining in the group with no lymph node metastasis of cervical cancer tissues. The overexpression of CLDN1 in SiHa cells can increase anti-apoptosis ability and promote invasive ability of these cells accompanied by a decrease in expression of the epithelial marker E-cadherin as well as an increase in the expression of the mesenchymal marker vimentin. CLDN1 induces the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) through its interaction with SNAI1. Furthermore, we demonstrate that CLDN1 overexpression has significant effects on the growth and metastasis of xenografted tumors in athymic mice. These data suggest that CLDN1 promotes invasion and metastasis in cervical cancer cells via the expression of EMT/invasion-related genes. Therefore, CLDN1 could be a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of cervical cancer.

Corrigendum: Involvement of Polyamine Oxidase-Produced Hydrogen Peroxide during Coleorhiza-Limited Germination of Rice Seeds

[This corrects the article on p. 1219 in vol. 7, PMID: 27570530.].

Reproductive Cost Associated With Juvenile Hormone in Bt-Resistant Strains of Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Transgenic Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) crops are increasingly significant in pest control, but resistance development of target pests is a major issue in the sustainable deployment of Bt crops. The fitness cost of resistance in target pests is regarded as one of the main factors delaying resistance when adopting the refuge strategy. In this study, we compared the life-history traits of three independent sets of Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner, 1809) adults, of each there were a susceptible population and a Cry1Ac-resistant population derived by selection from it. Confirming to the previous studies, resistant individuals exhibited fewer progeny, less fecundity, lower egg hatching rate, and longer adult longevity. And poor fecundity in resistant strains was associated with the decline of the mature follicular amount, the ovarian weight ratio, and the length of the longest ovarian tubule. Interestingly, the juvenile hormone (JH) level appeared higher in resistant strains relative to susceptible strains. Application of methoprene (JH analogue) in vivo was effective in reducing fecundity and hatchability with the up-regulation of detected JH titer. These results suggested that resistance against Bt toxin reduced the reproductive capacity of H. armigera, and JH level is affected in the tradeoff between reproductive capacity and Bt resistance.

Involvement of Polyamine Oxidase-Produced Hydrogen Peroxide during Coleorhiza-Limited Germination of Rice Seeds

Seed germination is a complicated biological process that requires regulated enzymatic and non-enzymatic reactions. The action of polyamine oxidase (PAO) produces hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), which promotes dicot seed germination. However, whether and, if so, how PAOs regulate monocot seed germination via H2O2 production is unclear. Herein, we report that the coleorhiza is the main physical barrier to radicle protrusion during germination of rice seed (a monocot seed) and that it does so in a manner similar to that of dicot seed micropylar endosperm. We found that H2O2 specifically and steadily accumulated in the coleorhizae and radicles of germinating rice seeds and was accompanied by increased PAO activity as the germination percentage increased. These physiological indexes were strongly decreased in number by guazatine, a PAO inhibitor. We also identified 11 PAO homologs (OsPAO1-11) in the rice genome, which could be classified into four subfamilies (I, IIa, IIb, and III). The OsPAO genes in subfamilies I, IIa, and IIb (OsPAO1-7) encode PAOs, whereas those in subfamily III (OsPAO8-11) encode histone lysine-specific demethylases. In silico-characterized expression profiles of OsPAO1-7 and those determined by qPCR revealed that OsPAO5 is markedly upregulated in imbibed seeds compared with dry seeds and that its transcript accumulated to a higher level in embryos than in the endosperm. Moreover, its transcriptional abundance increased gradually during seed germination in water and was inhibited by 5 mM guazatine. Taken together, these results suggest that PAO-generated H2O2 is involved in coleorhiza-limited rice seed germination and that OsPAO5 expression accounts for most PAO expression and activity during rice seed germination. These findings should facilitate further study of PAOs and provide valuable information for functional validation of these proteins during seed germination of monocot cereals.

Effect of laparoscopic nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy on bladder function, intestinal function recovery and quality of sexual life in patients with cervical carcinoma

OBJECTIVE

To investigate bladder and intestinal function recovery and quality of sexual life after laparoscopic nerve-sparing radical hysterectomy (LNRH) for treatment of early invasive cervical carcinoma.

METHODS

Subjects included patients who underwent radical hysterectomy by laparotomy who were randomly assigned to 2 groups: 30 patients who underwent LNRH and 35 classical laparoscopic radical hysterectomy (LRH). We assessed the patients general clinical information, surgical characteristics, pathological findings, and adjuvant therapies. A urodynamic study was used to assess bladder function. Intestinal function recovery and quality of sexual life were evaluated by questionnaire.

RESULTS

No significant differences were found in age, surgery characteristics, pathological findings, adjuvant therapies, and main adverse effects between the 2 groups. The mean duration of the postoperative catheterization (DPC) in group LNRH was shorter than that in group LRH (P < 0.001). The maximum flow rate, maximum cystometric capacity , maximum detrusor pressure and urinary complications in group LNRH were better than those in group LRH. The quality of sexual life evaluated according to the female sexual function index (FSFI) was better in group LNRH than in those who underwent LRH. The intestinal function of patients in group LNRH also recovered better compared with patients in group LRH.

Vibsanin B preferentially targets HSP90β, inhibits interstitial leukocyte migration, and ameliorates experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

Interstitial leukocyte migration plays a critical role in inflammation and offers a therapeutic target for treating inflammation-associated diseases such as multiple sclerosis. Identifying small molecules to inhibit undesired leukocyte migration provides promise for the treatment of these disorders. In this study, we identified vibsanin B, a novel macrocyclic diterpenoid isolated from Viburnum odoratissimum Ker-Gawl, that inhibited zebrafish interstitial leukocyte migration using a transgenic zebrafish line (TG:zlyz-enhanced GFP). We found that vibsanin B preferentially binds to heat shock protein (HSP)90β. At the molecular level, inactivation of HSP90 can mimic vibsanin B's effect of inhibiting interstitial leukocyte migration. Furthermore, we demonstrated that vibsanin B ameliorates experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in mice with pathological manifestation of decreased leukocyte infiltration into their CNS. In summary, vibsanin B is a novel lead compound that preferentially targets HSP90β and inhibits interstitial leukocyte migration, offering a promising drug lead for treating inflammation-associated diseases.

Tradeoff between reproduction and resistance evolution to Bt-toxin in Helicoverpa armigera: regulated by vitellogenin gene expression

Evolution of resistance to insecticides usually has fitness tradeoffs associated with adaptation to the stress. The basic regulation mechanism of tradeoff between reproduction and resistance evolution to Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxin in the cotton bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Ha), based on the vitellogenin (Vg) gene expression was analyzed here. The full-length cDNA of the Vg gene HaVg (JX504706) was cloned and identified. HaVg has 5704 base pairs (bp) with an open reading frame (ORF) of 5265 bp, which encoded 1756 amino acid protein with a predicted molecular mass of 197.28 kDa and a proposed isoelectric point of 8.74. Sequence alignment analysis indicated that the amino acid sequence of HaVg contained all of the conserved domains detected in the Vgs of the other insects and had a high similarity with the Vgs of the Lepidoptera insects, especially Noctuidae. The resistance level to Cry1Ac Bt toxin and relative HaVg mRNA expression levels among the following four groups: Cry1Ac-susceptible strain (96S), Cry1Ac-resistant strain fed on artificial diet with Bt toxin for 135 generations (BtR stands for the Cry1Ac Bt resistance), progeny of the Cry1Ac-resistant strain with a non-Bt-toxin artificial diet for 38 generations (CK1) and the direct descendants of the 135th-generation resistant larvae which were fed on an artificial diet without the Cry1Ac protein (CK2) were analyzed. Compared with the 96S strain, the resistance ratios of the BtR strain, the CK1 strain and the CK2 strain were 2917.15-, 2.15- and 2037.67-fold, respectively. The maximum relative HaVg mRNA expression levels of the BtR strain were approximately 50% less than that of the 96S strain, and the coming of maximum expression was delayed for approximately 4 days. The overall trend of the HaVg mRNA expression levels in the CK1 strain was similar to that in the 96S strain, and the overall trend of the HaVg mRNA expression levels in the CK2 strain was similar to that in the BtR strain. Our results suggest that the changes in reproduction due to the Bt-toxin resistance evolution in the BtR strain may be regulated by the Vg gene expression. The down-regulation of HaVg at the early stages resulted in a period of delayed reproduction and decreased fecundity in the BtR strain. This performance disappeared when the Bt-toxin selection pressure was lost.

Two compound frame-shift mutations in succinate dehydrogenase gene of a Chinese boy with encephalopathy

OBJECTIVE

To investigate respiratory chain complex II deficiency resulted from mutation in succinate dehydrogenase gene (SDH) encoding complex II subunits in China.

METHODS

An 11-year-old boy was admitted to our hospital. He had a history of progressive psychomotor regression and weakness since the age of 4years. His cranial magnetic resonance imaging revealed focal, bilaterally symmetrical lesions in the basal ganglia and thalamus, indicating mitochondrial encephalopathy. The activities of mitochondrial respiratory chain enzymes I-V in peripheral leukocytes were determined via spectrophotometry. Mitochondrial DNA and the succinate dehydrogenase A (SDHA) gene were analyzed by direct sequencing.

RESULTS

Complex II activity in the leukocytes had decreased to 33.07nmol/min/mg mitochondrial protein (normal control 71.8±12.9); the activities of complexes I, III, IV and V were normal. The entire sequence of the mitochondrial DNA was normal. The SDHA gene showed two heterozygous frame-shift mutations: c.G117G/del in exon 2 and c.T220T/insT in exon 3, which resulted in stop codons at residues 56 and 81, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

We have described the first Chinese case of mitochondrial respiratory chain complex II deficiency, which was diagnosed using enzyme assays and gene analysis. Two novel, compound, frame-shift mutations, c.G117G/del in exon 2 and c.T220T/insT in exon 3 of the SDHA gene, were found in our patient.

Efficacy of levetiracetam in electrical status epilepticus during sleep of children: a multicenter experience

BACKGROUND

Electrical status epilepticus during sleep is characterized by epilepsy, a specific electroencephalographic pattern, and neuropsychological impairment. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of levetiracetam in treating children with electrical status epilepticus during sleep.

METHODS

A multicenter, retrospective, open-label study enrolled 73 children (mean age: 8 years) affected by electrical status epilepticus during sleep. The efficacy was rated according to the seizure frequency and electroencephalography response.

RESULTS

After a mean treatment period of 19 months (range: 6 to 24 months), 33 (63.5%) of 52 patients became seizure-free or had experienced remarkable reduction in seizures. The electrical status epilepticus of 41 (56.2%) of 73 patients disappeared off their electroencephalography. The electroencephalography efficacy of levetiracetam treatment was noted in the monotherapy (61.9%) and add-on (53.9%) groups. The clinical (67.7%) and electroencephalography (64.3%) response rates of the idiopathic group were better than those of the symptomatic group (57.1% and 45.2%, respectively). No patient discontinued the trial because of intolerability of side effects.

CONCLUSIONS

Levetiracetam is effective in individuals with electrical status epilepticus during sleep with tolerable side effects.

Febrile seizure recurrence reduced by intermittent oral levetiracetam

OBJECTIVE

Febrile seizure (FS) is the most common form of childhood seizure disorders. FS is perhaps one of the most frequent causes of admittance to pediatric emergency wards worldwide. We aimed to identify a new, safe, and effective therapy for preventing FS recurrence.

METHODS

A total of 115 children with a history of two or more episodes of FS were randomly assigned to levetiracetam (LEV) and control (LEV/control ratio = 2:1) groups. At the onset of fever, LEV group was orally administered with a dose of 15-30 mg/kg per day twice daily for 1 week. Thereafter, the dosage was gradually reduced until totally discontinued in the second week. The primary efficacy variable was seizure frequency associated with febrile events and FS recurrence rate (RR) during 48-week follow-up. The second outcome was the cost effectiveness of the two groups.

RESULTS

The intention-to-treat analysis showed that 78 children in LEV group experienced 148 febrile episodes. Among these 78 children, 11 experienced 15 FS recurrences. In control group, 37 children experienced 64 febrile episodes; among these 37 children, 19 experienced 32 FS recurrences. A significant difference was observed between two groups in FS RR and FS recurrence/fever episode. The cost of LEV group for the prevention of FS recurrence is lower than control group. During 48-week follow-up period, one patient in LEV group exhibited severe drowsiness. No other side effects were observed in the same patient and in other children.

INTERPRETATION

Intermittent oral LEV can effectively prevent FS recurrence and reduce wastage of medical resources.

A prospective study of the incidence and correlated factors of post-stroke depression in China

BACKGROUND

Post-stroke depression (PSD) is commonly observed among stroke survivors. However, statistical analysis of such data is scarce in developing countries. The purpose of this study is to examine the incidence of PSD and its relationship with stroke characteristics in China.

METHODS

This was a prospective hospital-based study. Stroke patients were assessed within two weeks after acute ischemic stroke onset and then reevaluated at three months. Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD) was used for screening depression (PSD). Subjects with HAMD score of ≥7 were further assessed with the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview. Stroke severity was measured by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). Stroke outcome was measured by the modified Rankin Scale (mRS).

RESULTS

One hundred and two stroke patients were recruited, only ninety-one patients completed del period (men = 53, 63.74%), with mean age 60.0±10.4 years (range, 34-82 years). The incidence of PSD was 27.47% two weeks after stroke. The occurrence of PSD was unrelated with age, stroke type, stroke lesion and the history of disease. In univariate analysis gender, PSD was correlated with female gender. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, poor stroke outcome (mRS≥3) (OR 12.113, CI 1.169 to 125.59, P<0.05) was the important predictors of PSD.

CONCLUSIONS

The study indicated that gender, functional dependence and stroke outcome are determinants of PSD occurrence during the first 2 weeks after stroke in China.

BDgene: a genetic database for bipolar disorder and its overlap with schizophrenia and major depressive disorder

BACKGROUND

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a common psychiatric disorder with complex genetic architecture. It shares overlapping genetic influences with schizophrenia (SZ) and major depressive disorder (MDD). Large numbers of genetic studies of BD and cross-disorder studies between BD and SZ/MDD have accumulated numerous genetic data. There is a growing need to integrate the data to provide a comprehensive data set to facilitate the genetic study of BD and its highly relevant diseases.

METHODS

BDgene database was developed to integrate BD-related genetic factors and shared ones with SZ/MDD from profound literature reading. On the basis of data from the literature, in-depth analyses were performed for further understanding of the data, including gene prioritization, pathway-based analysis, intersection analysis of multidisease candidate genes, and pathway enrichment analysis.

RESULTS

BDgene includes multiple types of literature-reported genetic factors of BD with both positive and negative results, including 797 genes, 3119 single nucleotide polymorphisms, and 789 regions. Shared genetic factors such as single nucleotide polymorphisms, genes, and regions from published cross-disorder studies among BD and SZ/MDD were also presented. In-depth data analyses identified 43 BD core genes; 70 BD candidate pathways; and 127, 79, and 107 new potential cross-disorder genes for BD-SZ, BD-MDD, and BD-SZ-MDD, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

As a central genetic database for BD and the first cross-disorder database for BD and SZ/MDD, BDgene provides not only a comprehensive review of current genetic research but also high-confidence candidate genes and pathways for understanding of BD mechanism and shared etiology among its relevant diseases. BDgene is freely available at http://bdgene.psych.ac.cn.

The neural correlates of reward-related processing in major depressive disorder: a meta-analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging studies

BACKGROUND

A growing number of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have been conducted in major depressive disorder (MDD) to elucidate reward-related brain functions. The aim of this meta-analysis was to examine the common reward network in the MDD brain and to further distinguish the brain activation patterns between positive stimuli and monetary rewards as well as reward anticipation and outcome.

METHODS

A series of activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analyses were performed across 22 fMRI studies that examined reward-related processing, with a total of 341 MDD patients and 367 healthy controls.

RESULTS

We observed several frontostriatal regions that participated in reward processing in MDD. The common reward network in MDD was characterized by decreased subcortical and limbic areas activity and an increased cortical response. In addition, the cerebellum, lingual gyrus, parahippocampal gyrus and fusiform gyrus preferentially responded to positive stimuli in MDD, while the insula, precuneus, cuneus, PFC and inferior parietal lobule selectively responded to monetary rewards. Our results indicated a reduced caudate response during both monetary anticipation and outcome stages as well as increased activation in the middle frontal gyrus and dorsal anterior cingulate during reward anticipation in MDD.

LIMITATIONS

The reward-related tasks and mood states of patients included in our analysis were heterogeneous.

CONCLUSIONS

Our current findings suggest that there exist emotional or motivational pathway dysfunctions in MDD during reward-related processing. Future studies may be strengthened by paying careful attention to the types of reward used as well as the different components of reward processing examined.

Rapid diagnosis and prognosis of de novo acute myeloid leukemia by serum metabonomic analysis

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a life-threatening hematological disease. Novel diagnostic and prognostic markers will be essential for new therapeutics and for significantly improving the disease prognosis. To characterize the metabolic features associated with AML and search for potential diagnostic and prognostic methods, here we analyzed the phenotypic characteristics of serum metabolite composition (metabonome) in a cohort of 183 patients with de novo acute myeloid leukemia together with 232 age- and gender-matched healthy controls using (1)H NMR spectroscopy in conjunction with multivariate data analysis. We observed significant serum metabonomic differences between AML patients and healthy controls and between AML patients with favorable and intermediate cytogenetic risks. Such differences were highlighted by systems differentiations in multiple metabolic pathways including glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, TCA cycle, biosynthesis of proteins and lipoproteins, and metabolism of fatty acids and cell membrane components, especially choline and its phosphorylated derivatives. This demonstrated the NMR-based metabonomics as a rapid and less invasive method for potential AML diagnosis and prognosis. The serum metabolic phenotypes observed here indicated that integration of metabonomics with other techniques will be useful for better understanding the biochemistry of pathogenesis and progression of leukemia.

Genetic and biochemical findings in Chinese children with Leigh syndrome

This study investigated the genetic and enzymological features of Leigh syndrome due to respiratory chain complex deficiency in Chinese patients. The clinical features of 75 patients were recorded. Mitochondrial respiratory chain enzyme activities were determined via spectrophotometry. Mitochondrial gene sequence analysis was performed in 23 patients. Five core pedigrees were investigated via restriction fragment length polymorphism and gene sequencing. Psychomotor retardation (55%), motor regression (20%), weakness (29%), and epilepsy (25%) were the most frequent manifestations. Sixty-four patients (85.3%) had isolated respiratory complex deficiencies: complex I was seen in 28 patients (37.3%); complex II, seven (9.3%); complex III, six (8%); complex IV, ten (13.3%); and complex V, 13 patients (17.3%). Eleven patients (14.7%) had combined complex deficiencies. Mitochondrial DNA mutations were detected in 10 patients. Eight point mutations were found in mitochondrial structural genes: m.4833A>G in ND2, m.10191T>C in ND3, m.12338T>C and m.13513G>A in ND5, m.14502T>C and m.14487T>C in ND6, m.8108A>G in COXII, and m.8993T>G in ATPase6. Three mutations were found in tRNA genes: m.4395A>G in tRNA-Gln, m.10454T>C in tRNA-Arg, and m.5587T>C in tRNA-Ala. One patient and their mother both had the m.12338T>C and m.8993T>C mutations. In conclusion, mitochondrial respiratory chain complex I deficiency and structural gene mutations frequently occur in Chinese Leigh syndrome patients.

[Therapeutic effects of levetiracetam on electrical status epilepticus during sleep in children]

OBJECTIVE

To study the efficacy of levetiracetam (LEV) in the treatment of electrical status epilepticus during sleep (ESES) in children.

METHODS

The clinical data of 27 children who were newly diagnosed with ESES and treated with LEV between August 2009 and March 2011 and who were followed up for at least 6 months were retrospectively studied.

RESULTS

The onset age of the 27 children ranged from 9 months to 9 years and 7 months. Partial motion seizures were found in 81% of the children in the early stage. Twenty-three children received LEV treatment after ESES was definitely diagnosed. Of the 23 children, 19 were diagnosed as epilepsy syndrome of benign childhood epilepsy with centrotemporal spikes (BECT). The age of the patients at the beginning of LEV treatment ranged from 1 year and 8 months to 11 years and 9 months. The follow- up duration was 7 to 19 months. The effective rate of LEV for seizure control was 82% and for EEG recovery it was 78% (P<0.05). The other 4 children received LEV treatment before the occurrence of ESES. Seizure control and EEG recovery were noted in two of the 4 children.

CONCLUSIONS

LEV treatment is efficacious, to some extent, for both seizure control and EEG recovery in children with ESES.

CUEDC2 (CUE domain-containing 2) and SOCS3 (suppressors of cytokine signaling 3) cooperate to negatively regulate Janus kinase 1/signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 signaling

Janus kinase 1/signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (JAK1/STAT3) pathway is one of the recognized oncogenic signaling pathways that frequently overactivated in a variety of human tumors. Despite rapid progress in elucidating the molecular mechanisms of activation of JAK/STAT pathway, the processes that regulate JAK/STAT deactivation need to be further clarified. Here we demonstrate that CUE domain-containing 2 (CUEDC2) inhibits cytokine-induced phosphorylation of JAK1 and STAT3 and the subsequent STAT3 transcriptional activity. Further analysis by a yeast two-hybrid assay showed that CUEDC2 could engage in a specific interaction with a key JAK/STAT inhibitor, SOCS3 (suppressors of cytokine signaling 3). The interaction between CUEDC2 and SOCS3 is required for the inhibitory effect of CUEDC2 on JAK1 and STAT3 activity. Additionally, we found CUEDC2 functions collaboratively with SOCS3 to inhibit JAK1/STAT3 signaling by increasing SOCS3 stability via enhancing its association with Elongin C. Therefore, our findings revealed a new biological activity for CUEDC2 as the regulator of JAK1/STAT3 signaling and paved the way to a better understanding of the mechanisms by which SOCS3 has been linked to suppression of the JAK/STAT pathway.

Elevated expression of CUEDC2 protein confers endocrine resistance in breast cancer

Endocrine resistance is a major obstacle to hormonal therapy for breast cancers. Although reduced expression of estrogen receptor-α (ER-α) is a known contributing factor to endocrine resistance, the mechanism of ER-α downregulation in endocrine resistance is still not fully understood. Here we report that CUE domain-containing protein-2 (CUEDC2), a ubiquitin-binding motif-containing protein, is a key factor in endocrine resistance in breast cancer. We show that CUEDC2 modulates ER-α protein stability through the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway. Through the study of specimens from a large cohort of subjects with breast cancer, we found a strong inverse correlation between CUEDC2 and ER-α protein expression. Notably, subjects with tumors that highly expressed CUEDC2 had poor responsiveness to tamoxifen treatment and high potential for relapse. We further show that ectopic CUEDC2 expression impaired the responsiveness of breast cancer cells to tamoxifen. Therefore, our findings suggest that CUEDC2 is a crucial determinant of resistance to endocrine therapies in breast cancer.

Role of salicylic acid in alleviating photochemical damage and autophagic cell death induction of cadmium stress in Arabidopsis thaliana

As a widespread pollutant in the environment, cadmium (Cd) would be accumulated in leaves and cause phytotoxic effect on plants. Salicylic acid (SA), a natural signal molecule, plays an important role in eliciting specific responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. In our case, the effect of SA on Cd-induced photochemical damage and cell death in Arabidopsis was studied. The results illustrated that Cd could cause a series of physiological events such as chloroplast structure change (e.g. irregular mesophyll cell as well as ultrastructure change), reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and cell death. Furthermore, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters (F(v)/F(m), qN and ETR) showed a rapid decrease in wild-type (WT) Arabidopsis after treatment with 50 μM CdCl(2), identical with the change in chlorophyll delayed fluorescence (DF) intensity. The changes of these parameters showed the damage of Cd toxicity to photosynthetic apparatus. We found that cell death might be autophagic cell death, which might be caused by Cd toxicity induced oxidative stress just like photosynthetic damage. The NahG plants with lower SA accumulation level showed more sensitivity to Cd toxicity, although they exhibited a decrease both in chlorophyll fluorescence parameters and DF intensity. Exogenously SA prevented the Cd-induced photochemical efficiency decrease and mitigated Cd toxicity. Additionally, SA pretreatment could alleviate Cd-induced ROS overproduction. In conclusion, our results suggested that SA could prevent Cd-induced photosynthetic damage and cell death, which might be due to the inhibition of ROS overproduction.

[The dating of ciyou fa]

There are three opinions about the dating of Ciyou Fa-1628, 1644 and 1704. The book has several editions and the opinion supporting 1628 was based on the fact that one edition has an introduction by ZHANG Jiebin who completed most of his pediatric books by 1628. But from the author's preface and contents of the book, the author ought to be CHENG Yunpeng. So the opinion of "1628" is not reasonable. The other two opinions have differences of the understanding of the Jiashen year (a year's title in the sexagenary cycle of Heavenly stems and Earthly branches), which was mentioned in the author's preface. The Jiashen year of the Chongzhen emperor is 1644 but the Jiashen year of the Kangxi emperor is 1704. According to Huizhou Fuzhi, Shexian Zhi, Huangan Xianzhi and records about CHENG Yunpeng in the introduction (by ZHANG Xiliang and LI Lin) of Ciyou Fa, the book should have been completed in the Jiashen year of the Kangxi emperor, namely 1704.