Microencapsulation as a Protective Strategy for Sialylated Immunoglobulin G: Efficacy in Alleviating Symptoms of Dextran Sulfate Sodium-Induced Colitis in Mice and Potential Mechanisms

Sialylated immunoglobulin G (IgG) is a vital glycoprotein in breast milk with the ability to promote the growth of Bifidobacterium in gut microbiota and relieve inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) symptoms in vitro. Here, it was found that the microcapsules with sialylated IgG could protect and release sialylated IgG with its structure and function in the intestine. Furthermore, the sialylated IgG microcapsules alleviated the clinical symptoms (body weight, feed quantity, and colon length loss), decreased disease activity index score, suppressed the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, IFN-γ, and MCP-1) and endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide), and enhanced the intestinal mucosal barrier (Claudin1, Muc2, Occludin, and ZO-1) in dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis mice. Additionally, the sialylated IgG microcapsules improved the gut microbiota by increasing the relative abundance of critical microbe Bifidobacterium bifidum and promoted the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). Correlation analysis indicated that the key microbes were strongly correlated with pro-inflammatory factors, clinical symptoms, tight junction protein, and SCFAs. These findings suggest that the sialylated IgG microcapsules have the potential to be used as a novel therapeutic approach for treating IBD.

Efficacy and safety of intrathecal pemetrexed for TKI-failed leptomeningeal metastases from EGFR+ NSCLC: an expanded, single-arm, phase II clinical trial

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of intrathecal pemetrexed (IP) for treating patients with leptomeningeal metastases (LM) from non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) who progressed from epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) treatment in an expanded, prospective, single-arm, phase II clinical study (ChiCTR1800016615).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients with confirmed NSCLC-LM who progressed from TKI received IP (50 mg, day 1/day 5 for 1 week, then every 3 weeks for four cycles, and then once monthly) until disease progression or intolerance. Objectives were to assess overall survival (OS), response rate, and safety. Measurable lesions were assessed by investigator according to RECIST version 1.1. LM were assessed according to the Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO) criteria.

RESULTS

The study included 132 patients; 68% were female and median age was 52 years (31-74 years). The median OS was 12 months (95% confidence interval 10.4-13.6 months), RANO-assessed response rate was 80.3% (106/132), and the most common adverse event was myelosuppression (n = 42; 31.8%), which reversed after symptomatic treatment. The results of subgroup analysis showed that absence of brain parenchymal metastasis, good Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score, good response to IP treatment, negative cytology after treatment, and patients without neck/back pain/difficult defecation had longer survival. Gender, age, previous intrathecal methotrexate/cytarabine, and whole-brain radiotherapy had no significant influence on OS.

CONCLUSIONS

This study further showed that IP is an effective and safe treatment method for the EGFR-TKI-failed NSCLC-LM, and should be recommended for these patients in clinical practice and guidelines.

Hydrogen Fertilization with Hydrogen Nanobubble Water Improves Yield and Quality of Cherry Tomatoes Compared to the Conventional Fertilizers

Although hydrogen gas (H2)-treated soil improves crop biomass, this approach appears difficult for field application due to the flammability of H2 gas. In this report, we investigated whether and how H2 applied in hydrogen nanobubble water (HNW) improves the yield and quality of cherry tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum var. cerasiforme) with and without fertilizers. Two-year-long field trials showed that compared to corresponding controls, HNW without and with fertilizers improved the cherry tomato yield per plant by 39.7% and 26.5% in 2021 (Shanghai), respectively, and by 39.4% and 28.2% in 2023 (Nanjing), respectively. Compared to surface water (SW), HNW increased the soil available nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) consumption regardless of fertilizer application, which may be attributed to the increased NPK transport-related genes in roots (LeAMT2, LePT2, LePT5, and SlHKT1,1). Furthermore, HNW-irrigated cherry tomatoes displayed a higher sugar-acid ratio (8.6%) and lycopene content (22.3%) than SW-irrigated plants without fertilizers. Importantly, the beneficial effects of HNW without fertilizers on the yield per plant (9.1%), sugar-acid ratio (31.1%), and volatiles (20.0%) and lycopene contents (54.3%) were stronger than those achieved using fertilizers alone. In short, this study clearly indicated that HNW-supplied H2 not only exhibited a fertilization effect on enhancing the tomato yield, but also improved the fruit's quality with a lower carbon footprint.

Survival impact of post-operative immunotherapy in resected stage III cutaneous melanomas in the checkpoint era

BACKGROUND

Checkpoint inhibitors have shown improvement in recurrence-free survival in the post-operative setting for node-positive melanoma and were first approved in late 2015. However, single-agent checkpoint therapies have yet to show benefit to overall survival (OS) for lower-risk stage III cancers. We evaluated the OS benefit of post-operative immunotherapy in the National Cancer Database (NCDB).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patient cases were selected from the NCDB 2020 Participant Use File. Patients diagnosed with stage III cutaneous melanoma between 2016 and 2019 who underwent definitive resection for their melanoma were included. OS between those who received post-operative immunotherapy within 84 days of surgery and those who did not was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier method. Demographic and clinical characteristics between the two groups were compared via Cox proportional hazard models.

RESULTS

14 978 patients with stage III melanoma were included. Of those, 34.9% (n = 5234) received post-operative immunotherapy and 65.1% (n = 9744) did not. Using the American Joint Committee on Cancer version 8 (AJCCv8) staging, 36-month survival was significantly higher in patients who received post-operative immunotherapy compared to no post-operative systemic therapy in those diagnosed with stage IIIB (88.0% versus 84.7%, P = 0.011), IIIC (75.6% versus 68.1%, P < 0.001), or IIID (59.2% versus 48.4%, P = 0.002). No significant improvement in 36-month survival was seen in patients who received post-operative immunotherapy in patients with stage IIIA disease (93.0% versus 92.2%, P = 0.218).

CONCLUSIONS

Post-operative immunotherapy had an OS benefit in patients with AJCCv8 stage IIIB, IIIC, and IIID disease, but had no significant survival benefit for patients with stage IIIA melanomas.

H2 supplied via ammonia borane stimulates lateral root branching via phytomelatonin signaling

A reliable and stable hydrogen gas (H2) supply will benefit agricultural laboratory and field trials. Here, we assessed ammonia borane (AB), an efficient hydrogen storage material used in the energy industry, and determined its effect on plant physiology and the corresponding mechanism. Through hydroponics and pot experiments, we discovered that AB increases tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) lateral root (LR) branching and this function depended on the increased endogenous H2 level caused by the sustainable H2 supply. In particular, AB might trigger LR primordia initiation. Transgenic tomato and Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) expressing hydrogenase1 (CrHYD1) from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii not only accumulated higher endogenous H2 and phytomelatonin levels but also displayed pronounced LR branching. These endogenous H2 responses achieved by AB or genetic manipulation were sensitive to the pharmacological removal of phytomelatonin, indicating the downstream role of phytomelatonin in endogenous H2 control of LR formation. Consistently, extra H2 supply failed to influence the LR defective phenotypes in phytomelatonin synthetic mutants. Molecular evidence showed that the phytomelatonin-regulated auxin signaling network and cell-cycle regulation were associated with the AB/H2 control of LR branching. Also, AB and melatonin had little effect on LR branching in the presence of auxin synthetic inhibitors. Collectively, our integrated approaches show that supplying H2 via AB increases LR branching via phytomelatonin signaling. This finding might open the way for applying hydrogen storage materials to horticultural production.

TaRLK-6A promotes Fusarium crown rot resistance in wheat

The plasma membrane-localized phytosulfokine receptor-like protein TaRLK-6A, interacting with TaSERK1, positively regulates the expression of defense-related genes in wheat, consequently promotes host resistance to Fusarium crown rot.

Molecular hydrogen positively regulates nitrate uptake and seed size by targeting nitrate reductase

Although the sources of molecular hydrogen (H2) synthesis in plants remain to be fully elucidated, ample evidence shows that plant-based H2 can regulate development and stress responses. Here, we present genetic and molecular evidence indicating that nitrate reductase (NR) might be a target of H2 sensing that positively regulates nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and seed size in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). The expression level of NR and changes of NUE under control and, in particular, low nitrogen supply were positively associated with H2 addition supplied exogenously or through genetic manipulation. The improvement in nitrate assimilation achieved by H2 was also mediated via NR dephosphorylation. H2 control of seed size was impaired by NR mutation. Further genetic evidence revealed that H2, NR, and nitric oxide can synergistically regulate nitrate assimilation in response to N starvation conditions. Collectively, our data indicate that NR might be a target for H2 sensing, ultimately positively regulating nitrate uptake and seed size. These results provide insights into H2 signaling and its functions in plant metabolism.

The Clinical Practice and Dosimetric Outcome of the Manual Adaptive Planning during Definitive Radiotherapy Treatment for Cervical Cancer

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Organ motion is challenging during primary definitive external beam radiotherapy in locally advanced cervical cancer (LACC). Our study evaluated the manual adaptive planning approach three weeks after the treatment started, compared the dosimetric consequences of the manual adaptive plans to the scheduled plans, and explored the clinical factors predicting patients suitable for this replanning strategy.

MATERIALS/METHODS

We analyzed 82 patients receiving primary definitive external beam radiotherapy with weekly online cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT)-based monitoring. The re-CT simulation was performed during treatment to develop a new plan (manual adaptive plan) due to a significant deviation of the clinical target volume (CTV). To evaluate the dosimetric benefit, D98, homogeneity index (HI) and conformity index (CI) for the planning target volume (PTV), as well as D2cc of the bowel, bladder, sigmoid and rectum were compared between the manual adaptive plans and the scheduled ones. The clinical factors influencing target motion throughout treatment were analyzed by chi-square test and logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS

The re-CT simulation was performed after 15 fractions during treatment to develop the manual adaptive plan in 41 patients. The median CI and HI of the manual adaptive plan were significantly superior to the scheduled one (P = 0.001, 0.003, respectively), demonstrating a better dose coverage of the target volume. Compared to the scheduled plans, D98 of the manual adaptive plans increased by 3.3% (P = 0.0002), the average of D2cc to the rectum, bladder decreased 0.267Gy (P = 0.0049) and 0.321Gy (P = 0.0146), respectively. In addition, the chi-square test demonstrated that age (P = 0.024), primary tumor volume (P = 0.015), and parametrial infiltration (P = 0.022) were the clinical factors influencing target motion throughout treatment. Multivariate analysis further identified the large tumor volume (≥50cm3, OR = 3.254, P = 0.039) and parametrial infiltration (OR = 3.376, P = 0.018) as the independent risk factors.

CONCLUSION

We found the most significant organ motion happened after 15 fractions during treatment. The manual adaptive planning of definitive radiotherapy improved the dose coverage and decreased the volume of organs at risk of receiving clinically significant doses of RT in patients with LACC. Patients with bulky mass or with parametrial infiltration were highly suggested to receive manual adaptive planning after 15 fractions during definitive radiotherapy, a timesaving strategy compared to the daily online adaptive radiotherapy without compromising the target dose coverage.

Argon-stimulated nitric oxide production and its function in alfalfa cadmium tolerance

Recent results showed that argon may have great potential in both medicines (especially) and agriculture. However, how argon positively influences crop physiology remains elusive. Here, we observed that the stimulation of nitric oxide (NO) production upon cadmium (Cd) stress in hydroponic alfalfa root tissues was strengthened by argon-rich water and/or a NO-releasing compound. The pharmacological results further indicated that above potential source of NO stimulation achieved by argon might be attributed to NO synthase (NOS) and nitrate reductase (NR). Under hydroponic and pot conditions, the improvement of Cd tolerance elicited by argon, confirmed by the alleviation in the plant growth inhibition, oxidative damage, and Cd accumulation, was sensitive to the scavenger of NO. These results suggested a crucial role of argon-induced NO synthesis in response to Cd stress. Subsequent evidence showed that the improved iron homeostasis and increased S-nitrosylation were also dependent on argon-stimulated NO. Above results were matched with the transcriptional profiles of representative target genes involved in heavy metal detoxification, antioxidant defence, and iron homeostasis. Taken together, our results clearly indicated that argon-stimulated NO production contributes to Cd tolerance by favoring important defense strategies against heavy metal exposure.

[Network meta-analysis comparing the clinical outcomes and safety of robotic, laparoscopic, and transanal total rectal mesenteric resection for rectal cancer]

Objective: To methodically assess the clinical effectiveness and safety of robot-assisted total rectal mesenteric resection (RTME), laparoscopic-assisted total rectal mesenteric resection (laTME), and transanal total rectal mesenteric resection (taTME). Methods: A computer search was conducted on PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Ovid databases to identify English-language reports published between January 2017 and January 2022 that compared the clinical efficacy of the three surgical procedures of RTME, laTME, and taTME. The quality of the studies was evaluated using the NOS and JADAD scales for retrospective cohort studies and randomized controlled trials, respectively. Direct meta-analysis and reticulated meta-analysis were performed using Review Manager software and R software, respectively. Results: Twenty-nine publications comprising 8,339 patients with rectal cancer were ultimately included. The direct meta-analysis indicated that the length of hospital stay was longer after RTME than after taTME, whereas according to the reticulated meta-analysis the length of hospital stay was shorter after taTME than after laTME (MD=-0.86, 95%CI: -1.70 to -0.096, P=0.036). Moreover, the incidence of anastomotic leak was lower after taTME than after RTME (OR=0.60, 95%CI: 0.39 to 0.91, P=0.018). The incidence of intestinal obstruction was also lower after taTME than after RTME (OR=0.55, 95%CI: 0.31 to 0.94, P=0.037). All of these differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between the three surgical procedures regarding the number of lymph nodes cleared, length of the inferior rectal margin, or rate of positive circumferential margins (all P>0.05). An inconsistency test using nodal analysis revealed no statistically significant differences between the results of direct and indirect comparisons of the six outcome indicators (all P>0.05). Furthermore, we detected no significant overall inconsistency between direct and indirect evidence. Conclusion: taTME has advantages over RTME and laTME, in terms of radical and surgical short-term outcomes in patients with rectal cancer.

[Electroencephalographic microstates in vestibular schwannoma patients with tinnitus]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the biomarkers of tinnitus in vestibular schwannoma patients using electroencephalographic (EEG) microstate technology.

METHODS

The EEG and clinical data of 41 patients with vestibular schwannoma were collected. All the patients were evaluated by SAS, SDS, THI and VAS scales. The EEG acquisition time was 10-15 min, and the EEG data were preprocessed and analyzed using MATLAB and EEGLAB software package.

RESULTS

Of the 41 patients with vestibular schwannoma, 29 patients had tinnitus and 12 did not have tinnitus, and their clinical parameters were comparable. The average global explanation variances of the non-tinnitus and tinnitus groups were 78.8% and 80.1%, respectively. The results of EEG microstate analysis showed that compared with those without tinnitus, the patients with tinnitus had an increased frequency (P=0.033) and contribution (P=0.028) of microstate C. Correlation analysis showed that THI scale scores of the patients were negatively correlated with the duration of microstate A (R=-0.435, P=0.018) and positively with the frequencies of microstate B (R=0.456, P=0.013) and microstate C (R=0.412, P=0.026). Syntax analysis showed that the probability of transition from microstate C to microstate B increased significantly in vestibular schwannoma patients with tinnitus (P=0.031).

CONCLUSION

EEG microstate features differ significantly between vestibular schwannoma patients with and without tinnitus. This abnormality in patients with tinnitus may reflect the potential abnormality in the allocation of neural resources and the transition of brain functional activity.

A methane-cGMP module positively influences adventitious rooting

KEY MESSAGE

Endogenous cGMP operates downstream of CH₄ control of adventitious rooting, following by the regulation in the expression of cell cycle regulatory and auxin signaling-related genes. Methane (CH₄) is a natural product from plants and microorganisms. Although exogenously applied CH₄ and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) are separately confirmed to be involved in the control of adventitious root (AR) formation, the possible interaction still remains elusive. Here, we observed that exogenous CH₄ not only rapidly promoted cGMP synthesis through increasing the activity of guanosine cyclase (GC), but also induced cucumber AR development. These responses were obviously impaired by the removal of endogenous cGMP with two GC inhibitors. Anatomical evidence showed that the emerged stage (V) among AR primordia development might be the main target of CH₄-cGMP module. Genetic evidence revealed that the transgenic Arabidopsis that overexpressed the methyl-coenzyme M reductase gene (MtMCR) from Methanobacterium thermoautotrophicum not only increased-cGMP production, but also resulted in a pronounced AR development compared to wild-type (WT), especially with the addition of CH₄ or the cell-permeable cGMP derivative 8-Br-cGMP. qPCR analysis confirmed that some marker genes associated with cell cycle regulatory and auxin signaling were closely related to the brand-new CH₄-cGMP module in AR development. Overall, our results clearly revealed an important function of cGMP in CH₄ governing AR formation by modulating auxin-dependent pathway and cell cycle regulation.

Synergistic effects of electroacupuncture and bone marrow stromal cells transplantation therapy in ischemic stroke

OBJECTIVE

Animal studies and clinical trials demonstrated the effectiveness of a combination of transplanted bone marrow stromal cells (BMSC) and electroacupuncture (EA) treatment in improving neurological deficits. However, the ability of the BMSC-EA treatment to enhance brain repair processes or the neuronal plasticity of BMSC in ischemic stroke model is unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate the neuroprotective effects and neuronal plasticity of BMSC transplantation combined with EA in ischemic stroke.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model was used. Intracerebral transplantation of BMSC, transfected with lentiviral vectors expressing green fluorescent protein (GFP), was performed using a stereotactic apparatus after modeling. MCAO rats were treated with BMSC injection alone or in combination with EA. After the treatment, proliferation and migration of BMSC were observed in different groups by fluorescence microscopy. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry were performed to examine changes in the levels of neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and nestin in the injured striatum.

RESULTS

Epifluorescence microscopy revealed that most BMSC in the cerebrum were lysed; few transplanted BMSC survived, and some living cells migrated to areas around the lesion site. NSE was overexpressed in the striatum of MCAO rats, illustrating the neurological deficits caused by cerebral ischemia-reperfusion. The combination of BMSC transplantation and EA attenuated the expression of NSE, indicating nerve injury repair. Although the qRT-PCR results showed that BMSC-EA treatment elevated nestin RNA expression, less robust responses were observed in other tests.

CONCLUSIONS

Our results show that the combination treatment significantly improved restoration of neurological deficits in the animal stroke model. However, further studies are required to see if EA could promote the rapid differentiation of BMSC into neural stem cells in the short term.

Association between hepatitis C infection during pregnancy with maternal and neonatal outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE

Studies of possible implications of the maternal hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in terms of intrauterine fetal growth restriction (IUGR), preterm birth (PTB), low birth weight (LBW) infants, premature rupture of membranes (PROM), maternal and neonatal mortality are limited and inconclusive. Our study aims to assess the impact of HCV on maternal and neonatal outcomes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Systematic literature search was done in PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar, Cochrane Library, and TRIP databases for all observational studies published from 1st January 1950 to 15th October 2022. The pooled odds ratio (OR) or risk ratio (RR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) was estimated. STATA version 12.0 software was used for analysis. Heterogeneity among the included articles was evaluated by sensitivity, meta-regression, and publication bias analyses.

RESULTS

A total of 14 studies involving 12,451 HCV (+) and 56,42,910 HCV (-) pregnant women were included in our meta-analysis. Maternal HCV during pregnancy was significantly associated with the increased risk of PTB (OR=1.66, 95% CI: 1.59-1.74), IUGR (OR=2.09, 95% CI: 2.04-2.14) and LBW (OR=1.96, 95% CI: 1.63-2.36) as compared to healthy pregnant women. Subgroup analysis based on ethnicity also suggested a strong association between maternal HCV infection and a higher risk of PTB in Asian and Caucasian populations. Maternal (RR=3.44, 95% CI: 1.85-6.41), as well as neonatal (RR=1.54, 95% CI: 1.18-2.02) mortality was significantly higher in HCV (+) cases.

CONCLUSIONS

Mothers with HCV infection had a markedly increased probability of PTB and/or IUGR and/or LBW. In clinical practice, standard care of treatment and proper monitoring are needed for the pregnant population with HCV infection. Our findings may provide useful information for selecting appropriate therapy methods for HCV-positive pregnant women.

Correlation between capsule endoscopy classification and CT lymphangiography of primary intestinal lymphangiectasia

AIM

To investigate the correlation between capsule endoscopy (CE) classification of primary intestinal lymphangiectasia (PIL) and computed tomography (CT) lymphangiography (CTL).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 52 patients with diagnosed PIL were enrolled. All patients were examined using CTL and small intestinal CE before surgery. CE assessments included the morphology, scope, colour, and size of lesions. CTL assessments included intestinal wall, lymphatic vessel dilatation, lymph fluid reflux, and lymphatic fistula. Patients were divided into three groups according to type diagnosed by CE, and the CTL characteristics were analysed among the groups.

RESULTS

CE showed 15 patients with type I, 27 with II, and 10 with type III. Intestinal wall thickening was observed in 15 type I, 21 type II, and seven type III. Pericardial effusion was observed in only three type I patients; the difference among types was statistically significant (p=0.02). Abnormal contrast agent distribution in the intestinal wall and mesentery was observed in 15 type II patients, and the difference was significantly greater than that of types I and III (p=0.02). Abnormal contrast agent distribution in the abdominal cavity was observed in 12 type II, and the difference was statistically significant (p=0.03).

CONCLUSION

The CE PIL classification reflects the extent and scope of intestinal mucosa lesions; CTL more systematically demonstrates abnormal lymphatic vessels or reflux, and its manifestations of PIL are related to the CE classification. The combination of CTL with CE is useful for accurately evaluating PIL, and provides guidance for preoperative assessment and treatment management of PIL patients.

Molecular Hydrogen Confers Resistance to Rice Stripe Virus

Although molecular hydrogen (H2) has potential therapeutic effects in animals, whether or how this gas functions in plant disease resistance has not yet been elucidated. Here, after rice stripe virus (RSV) infection, H2 production was pronouncedly stimulated in Zhendao 88, a resistant rice variety, compared to that in a susceptible variety (Wuyujing No.3). External H2 supply remarkably reduced the disease symptoms and RSV coat protein (CP) levels, especially in Wuyujing No.3. The above responses were abolished by the pharmacological inhibition of H2 production. The transgenic Arabidopsis plants overexpressing a hydrogenase gene from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii also improved plant resistance. In the presence of H2, the transcription levels of salicylic acid (SA) synthetic genes were stimulated, and the activity of SA glucosyltransferases was suppressed, thus facilitating SA accumulation. Genetic evidence revealed that two SA synthetic mutants of Arabidopsis (sid2-2 and pad4) were more susceptible to RSV than the wild type (WT). The treatments with H2 failed to improve the resistance to RSV in two SA synthetic mutants. The above results indicated that H2 enhances rice resistance to RSV infection possibly through the SA-dependent pathway. This study might open a new window for applying the H2-based approach to improve plant disease resistance. IMPORTANCE Although molecular hydrogen has potential therapeutic effects in animals, whether or how this gas functions in plant disease resistance has not yet been elucidated. RSV was considered the most devastating plant virus in rice, since it could cause severe losses in field production. This disease was thus selected as a classical model to explore the interrelationship between molecular hydrogen and plant pathogen resistance. In this study, we discovered that both exogenous and endogenous H2 could enhance plant resistance against Rice stripe virus infection by regulating salicylic acid signaling. Compared with some frequently used agrochemicals, H2 is almost nontoxic. We hope that the findings presented here will serve as an opportunity for the scientific community to push hydrogen-based agriculture forward.

The somatic embryogenesis receptor kinase TaSERK1 participates in the immune response to Rhizoctonia cerealis infection by interacting and phosphorylating the receptor-like cytoplasmic kinase TaRLCK1B in wheat

The sharp eyespot, caused by necrotrophic pathogen Rhizoctonia cerealis, often causes serious yield loss in wheat (Triticum aestivum). However, the mechanisms underlying wheat resistant responses to the pathogen are still limited. In this study, we performed a genome-wide analysis of somatic embryogenesis receptor kinase (SERK) family in wheat. As a result, a total of 26 TaSERK candidate genes were identified from the wheat genome. Only 6 TaSERK genes on the chromosomes 2A, 2B, 2D, 3A, 3B, and 3D showed obvious heightening expression patterns in resistant wheat infected with R. cerealis compared than those un-infected wheat. Of them, the transcripts of 3 TaSERK1 homoeologs on the chromosomes 2A, 2B, and 2D were significantly up-regulated in the highest level compared to other TaSERKs. Importantly, silencing of TaSERK1 significantly impaired wheat resistance to sharp eyespot. Further bio-molecular assays showed that TaSERK1 could interact with the defence-associated receptor-like cytoplasmic kinase TaRLCK1B, and phosphorylated TaRLCK1B. Together, the results suggest that TaSERK1 mediated resistance responses to R. cerealis infection by interacting and phosphorylating TaRLCK1B in wheat. This study sheds light on the understanding of the wheat SERKs in the innate immunity against R. cerealis, and provided a theoretical fulcrum to identify candidate resistant genes for improving wheat resistance against sharp eyespot in wheat.

Ammonia borane positively regulates cold tolerance in Brassica napus via hydrogen sulfide signaling

BACKGROUND

Cold stress adversely influences rapeseeds (Brassica napus L.) growth and yield during winter and spring seasons. Hydrogen (H₂) is a potential gasotransmitter that is used to enhance tolerance against abiotic stress, including cold stress. However, convenience and stability are two crucial limiting factors upon the application of H₂ in field agriculture. To explore the application of H₂ in field, here we evaluated the role of ammonia borane (AB), a new candidate for a H₂ donor produced by industrial chemical production, in plant cold tolerance.

RESULTS

The application with AB could obviously alleviate the inhibition of rapeseed seedling growth and reduce the oxidative damage caused by cold stress. The above physiological process was closely related to the increased antioxidant enzyme system and reestablished redox homeostasis. Importantly, cold stress-triggered endogenous H₂S biosynthesis was further stimulated by AB addition. The removal or inhibition of H₂S synthesis significantly abolished plant tolerance against cold stress elicited by AB. Further field experiments demonstrated that the phenotypic and physiological performances of rapeseed plants after challenged with cold stress in the winter and early spring seasons were significantly improved by administration with AB. Particularly, the most studied cold-stress response pathway, the ICE1-CBF-COR transcriptional cascade, was significantly up-regulated either.

CONCLUSION

Overall, this study clearly observed the evidence that AB-increased tolerance against cold stress could be suitable for using in field agriculture by stimulation of H₂S signaling.

An unexpected discovery toward argon-rich water amelioration of cadmium toxicity in Medicago sativa L

Argon has organ-protective effects on animals. However, whether or how argon influences plant responses remains elusive. In this study, we discovered that the growth inhibition of hydroponically cultured alfalfa seedlings under 100 μM CdCl₂ condition was significantly ameliorated by 100 % saturated argon-rich water (ARW). Less Cd uptake and accumulation were also observed in both root and shoot parts, which could be explained by the modified root cell walls, including the increased cell wall thickness, lignin content, and demethylation degree of covalently bound and ion-bound pectin, as well as the down-regulated expression of natural-resistance-associated-macrophage protein1 (Nramp1) encoding a heavy metal ion transporter in root tissue. The hindered Cd translocation from root to shoot achieved by ARW addition was validated by the decreased expression of heavy metal ATPase 2/4 (HMA2/4) in roots and decreased Cd content in xylem saps. The reestablished glutathione (GSH) homeostasis and redox balance, two important indicators of plant defense against Cd poisoning, were also observed. Further greenhouse experiments demonstrated that the phenotypic and physiological performances of alfalfa plants cultured in Cd-contaminated soil were significantly improved by irrigating with ARW. Above results implied that ARW confers plants tolerance against cadmium toxicity by impairing Cd uptake and accumulation and restoring GSH and redox homeostasis. These findings might open a new window for understanding argon biology in higher plants.

Molecular hydrogen positively influences lateral root formation by regulating hydrogen peroxide signaling

Although a previous study discovered that exogenous molecular hydrogen (H₂) supplied with hydrogen-rich water (HRW) can mediate lateral root (LR) development, whether or how endogenous H₂ influences LR formation is still elusive. In this report, mimicking the induction responses in tomato seedlings achieved by HRW or exogenous hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂; a positive control), transgenic Arabidopsis that overexpressed the hydrogenase1 gene (CrHYD1) from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii not only stimulated endogenous hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) production, but also markedly promoted LR formation. Above H₂ and H₂O₂ responses were abolished by the removal of endogenous H₂O₂. Moreover, the changes in transcriptional patterns of representative cell cycle genes and auxin signaling-related genes during LR development in both tomato and transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana matched with above phenotypes. The alternations in the levels of GUS transcripts driven by the CYCB1 promoter and expression of PIN1 protein further indicated that H₂O₂ synthesis was tightly linked to LR formation achieved by endogenous H₂, and cell cycle regulation and auxin-dependent pathway might be their targets. There results might provide a reference for molecular mechanism underlying the regulation of root morphogenesis by H₂.

Molecular Hydrogen Improves Rice Storage Quality via Alleviating Lipid Deterioration and Maintaining Nutritional Values

Improvement of the storage quality of rice is a critical challenge for the scientific community. This study assesses the effects of the irrigation with hydrogen nanobubble water (HNW) on the storage quality of rice (Oryza sativa 'Huruan1212'). Compared with ditch water control, after one year of storage at 25 °C and 70% RH, the HNW-irrigated rice had higher contents of essential amino acids, especially lysine. Importantly, the generation of off-flavors in the stored rice was significantly decreased, which was confirmed by the lower levels of volatile substances, including pentanal, hexanal, heptanal, octanal, 1-octen-3-ol, and 2-heptanone. The subsequent results showed that the HNW-irrigated rice not only retained lower levels of free fatty acid values, but also had increased antioxidant capacity and decreased lipoxygenase activity and transcripts, thus resulting in decreased lipid peroxidation. This study opens a new window for the practical application of HNW irrigation in the production and subsequent storage of crops.

Phytomelatonin and gasotransmitters: a crucial combination for plant physiological functions

Melatonin, a molecule that was first identified in animal tissues, has been confirmed to be involved as a potential phytohormone in a variety of plant physiological responses. It is considered primarily as an antioxidant with important actions in controlling reactive oxygen and reactive nitrogen species. In addition to its role in regulating plant growth and development, phytomelatonin is involved in protection against abiotic and biotic stresses. The 'gasotransmitter'-that is, a gaseous signaling molecule-is a new concept that has been advanced in the past two decades, with functions in animal and plant physiological regulation. Gasotransmitters including nitric oxide, carbon monoxide, hydrogen sulfide, methane, and, more recently identified, hydrogen gas are critical and indispensable in a wide range of biological processes. This review investigates the interrelationship between phytomelatonin and the above-mentioned gasotransmitters from the perspective of biosynthetic origin and functions. Moreover, the potential future research directions for phytomelatonin and gasotransmitters interactions are discussed.

Transcriptome dissection of candidate genes associated with lentil seed quality traits

Lentils provide a rich plant-based protein source and staple food in many parts of the world. Despite numerous nutritional benefits, lentil seeds also possess undesirable elements, such as anti-nutritional factors. Understanding the genetic networks of seed metabolism is of great importance for improving the seed nutritional profile. We applied RNA sequencing analysis to survey the transcriptome of developing lentil seeds and compared this with that of the pod shells and leaves. In total, we identified 2622 genes differentially expressed among the tissues examined. Genes preferentially expressed in seeds were enriched in the Gene Ontology (GO) terms associated with development, nitrogen and carbon (N/C) metabolism and lipid synthesis. We further categorized seed preferentially expressed genes based on their involvement in storage protein production, starch accumulation, lipid and suberin metabolism, phytate, saponin and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. The availability of transcript profile datasets on lentil seed metabolism and a roadmap of candidate genes presented here will be of great value for breeding strategies towards further improvement of lentil seed quality traits.

A New Discovery of Argon Functioning in Plants: Regulation of Salinity Tolerance

Argon, a non-polar molecule, easily diffuses into deeper tissue and interacts with larger proteins, protein cavities, or even receptors. Some of the biological effects of argon, notably its activity as an antioxidant, have been revealed in animals. However, whether and how argon influences plant physiology remains elusive. Here, we provide the first report that argon can enable plants to cope with salinity toxicity. Considering the convenience of the application, argon gas was dissolved into water (argon-rich water (ARW)) to investigate the argon’s functioning in phenotypes of alfalfa seed germination and seedling growth upon salinity stress. The biochemical evidence showed that NaCl-decreased α/β-amylase activities were abolished by the application of ARW. The qPCR experiments confirmed that ARW increased NHX1 (Na⁺/H⁺ antiporter) transcript and decreased SKOR (responsible for root-to-shoot translocation of K⁺) mRNA abundance, the latter of which could be used to explain the lower net K⁺ efflux and higher K accumulation. Subsequent results using non-invasive micro-test technology showed that the argon-intensified net Na⁺ efflux and its reduced Na accumulation resulted in a lower Na⁺/K⁺ ratio. NaCl-triggered redox imbalance and oxidative stress were impaired by ARW, as confirmed by histochemical and confocal analyses, and increased antioxidant defense was also detected. Combined with the pot experiments in a greenhouse, the above results clearly demonstrated that argon can enable plants to cope with salinity toxicity via reestablishing ion and redox homeostasis. To our knowledge, this is the first report to address the function of argon in plant physiology, and together these findings might open a new window for the study of argon biology in plant kingdoms.

The prevalence of Type-1 Brugada pattern in African American: a large population study from the United States

Funding Acknowledgements

Type of funding sources: None.

Background

The prevalence of Type-1 Brugada pattern in Caucasians and Asians have been estimated to be 20 and 180 per 100,000. However, the prevalence of Type-1 Brugada pattern in African Americans has never been studied.

Purpose

This study aims to identify the prevalence of Type-1 Brugada pattern in African Americans.

Methods

Medical records of African American patients ages 18 years old or older with at least one 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) performed at 16 hospitals from 5 states in a single healthcare system between January 1, 2011 to December 31, 2020 were included. The search engine software was used to identify patients with keywords (Brugada pattern, Brugada ECG, Brugada Type-1, or Brugada syndrome) documented in the electronic medical record. The 12-lead ECGs were retrospectively analyzed by 2 cardiologists. Any inconsistencies were reviewed by a third cardiac electrophysiologist. Type-1 Brugada pattern was diagnosed according to the recent Heart Rhythm Society Expert Consensus Statement.

Results

Among 43,116 African American patients, (46.9% males), 6 patients (mean age 44.8±13.9 years, 100% males) had Type-1 Brugada pattern documented on at least one 12-lead ECG. The prevalence of Type-1 Brugada pattern in this large patient population of African American was 13.9 per 100,000. None of the patients had major arrhythmic event at 6.7±4.7 years follow-up.

Conclusions

The prevalence of Type-1 Brugada pattern in African American is lower than Caucasian and Asian populations. The risk of major arrhythmic event of Type-1 Brugada pattern in African American appears to be low; however longer follow-up data is needed.

Rice GLUTATHIONE PEROXIDASE1-mediated oxidation of bZIP68 positively regulates ABA-independent osmotic stress signaling

Osmotic stress caused by drought and high salinity is a significant environmental threat that limits plant growth and agricultural yield. Redox regulation plays an important role in plant stress responses, but the mechanisms by which plants perceive and transduce redox signals are still underexplored. Here, we report a critical function for the thiol peroxidase GPX1 in osmotic stress response in rice, where it serves as a redox sensor and transducer. GPX1 is quickly oxidized upon exposure to osmotic stress and forms an intramolecular disulfide bond, which is required for the activation of bZIP68, a VRE-like basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor involved in the ABA-independent osmotic stress response pathway. The disulfide exchange between GPX1 and bZIP68 induces homo-tetramerization of bZIP68 and thus positively regulates osmotic stress response by regulating osmotic-responsive gene expression. Furthermore, we discovered that the nuclear translocation of GPX1 is regulated by its acetylation under osmotic stress. Taken together, our findings not only uncover the redox regulation of the GPX1-bZIP68 module during osmotic stress but also highlight the coordination of protein acetylation and redox signaling in plant osmotic stress responses.

In premenopausal women with idiopathic osteoporosis, lower bone formation rate is associated with higher body fat and higher IGF-1

We examined serum IGF-1 in premenopausal IOP, finding relationships that were opposite to those expected: higher IGF-1 was associated with lower bone formation and higher body fat, and lower BMD response to teriparatide. These paradoxical relationships between serum IGF-1, bone, and fat may contribute to the mechanism of idiopathic osteoporosis in premenopausal women.

INTRODUCTION

Premenopausal women with idiopathic osteoporosis (IOP) have marked deficits in bone microarchitecture but variable bone remodeling. We previously reported that those with low tissue-level bone formation rate (BFR) are less responsive to teriparatide and have higher serum IGF-1, a hormone anabolic for osteoblasts and other tissues. The IGF-1 data were unexpected because IGF-1 is low in other forms of low turnover osteoporosis-leading us to hypothesize that IGF-1 relationships are paradoxical in IOP. This study aimed to determine whether IOP women with low BFR have higher IGF-1 and paradoxical IGF-1 relationships in skeletal and non-skeletal tissues, and whether IGF-1 and the related measures predict teriparatide response.

METHODS

This research is an ancillary study to a 24 month clinical trial of teriparatide for IOP. Baseline assessments were related to trial outcomes: BMD, bone remodeling.

SUBJECTS

 Premenopausal women with IOP(n = 34); bone remodeling status was defined by baseline cancellous BFR/BS on bone biopsy.

MEASURES

 Serum IGF-1 parameters, compartmental adiposity (DXA, CT, MRI), serum hormones, and cardiovascular-risk-markers related to fat distribution.

RESULTS

As seen in other populations, lower BFR was associated with higher body fat and poorer teriparatide response. However, in contrast to observations in other populations, low BFR, higher body fat, and poorer teriparatide response were all related to higher IGF-1: IGF-1 Z-score was inversely related to BFR at all bone surfaces (r =  - 0.39 to - 0.46; p < 0.05), directly related to central fat (p = 0.05) and leptin (p = 0.03). IGF-1 inversely related to 24 month hip BMD %change (r =  - 0.46; p = 0.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Paradoxical IGF-1 relationships suggest that abnormal or atypical regulation of bone and fat may contribute to osteoporosis mechanisms in premenopausal IOP.

Degradation of Carbendazim by Molecular Hydrogen on Leaf Models

Although molecular hydrogen can alleviate herbicide paraquat and Fusarium mycotoxins toxicity in plants and animals, whether or how molecular hydrogen influences pesticide residues in plants is not clear. Here, pot experiments in greenhouse revealed that degradation of carbendazim (a benzimidazole pesticide) in leaves could be positively stimulated by molecular hydrogen, either exogenously applied or with genetic manipulation. Pharmacological and genetic increased hydrogen gas could increase glutathione metabolism and thereafter carbendazim degradation, both of which were abolished by the removal of endogenous glutathione with its synthetic inhibitor, in both tomato and in transgenic Arabidopsis when overexpressing the hydrogenase 1 gene from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Importantly, the antifungal effect of carbendazim in tomato plants was not obviously altered regardless of molecular hydrogen addition. The contribution of glutathione-related detoxification mechanism achieved by molecular hydrogen was confirmed. Our results might not only illustrate a previously undescribed function of molecular hydrogen in plants, but also provide an environmental-friendly approach for the effective elimination or reduction of pesticides residues in crops when grown in pesticides-overused environmental conditions.

Regulation of chlorothalonil degradation by molecular hydrogen

Pesticides can accumulate throughout the food chain to potentially endanger human health. Although molecular hydrogen (H₂) is widely used in industry and medicine, its application in agriculture is just beginning. This study showed that H₂ enhances the degradation of the fungicide chlorothalonil (CHT) in plants, but does not reduce its antifungal efficacy. Pharmacological evidence confirmed the contribution of H₂-stimulated brassinosteroids (BRs) in the above responses. The genetic increased endogenous H₂ with overexpression of hydrogenase 1 gene (CrHYD1) from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in Arabidopsis not only increased BRs levels, but also eventually intensified the degradation of CHT. Expression of genes encoding some enzymes responsible for detoxification in tomato and Arabidopsis were also stimulated. Contrasting responses were observed after the pharmacological removal of endogenous BR. We further proved that H₂ control of CHT degradation was relatively universal, with at least since its degradation in Chinese cabbage, cucumber, radish, alfalfa, rice, and rapeseed were differentially enhanced by H₂. Collectively, above results clearly indicated that both exogenously and endogenously applied with H₂ could stimulate degradation of CHT partially via BR-dependent detoxification. These results may open a new window for environmental-friendly hydrogen-based agriculture.

Magnesium hydride confers copper tolerance in alfalfa via regulating nitric oxide signaling

Magnesium hydride (MgH₂) as a solid-state hydrogen source might be potentially applied in industry and medicine. However, its biological function in plants has not yet been fully discovered. In this report, it was observed that MgH₂ administration could relieve copper (Cu) toxicity in alfalfa that was confirmed by a reduction in root growth inhibition. By using old MgH₂ as a negative control, it was concluded that above MgH₂ function was primarily derived from the releasing of molecular hydrogen (H₂), but not caused by either magnesium metabolites or pH alteration. Further results revealed that Cu-triggered nitric oxide (NO) production was intensified by MgH₂. Subsequent pharmacological and biochemical experiments suggested that nitrate reductase might be mainly responsible for NO production during above processes. Cu accumulation in the root tissues was also obviously reduced in the presence of MgH₂. Meanwhile, increased non-protein thiols (NPTs) content and the deposition of Cu in cell wall of seedling roots could be used to explain the mechanism underlying MgH₂-alleviated Cu toxicity via NO signaling. Further, the plant redox balance was reestablished since the Cu stress-modulated antioxidant enzymes activities, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, and oxidative injury detected by in vivo histochemical and biochemical analyses, were differentially abolished by MgH₂. The above responses could be blocked by the removal of endogenous NO after the addition of its scavenger. Taken together, these results clearly suggested that MgH₂ control of plant tolerance against Cu toxicity might be mediated by NO signaling, which might open a new window for the application of solid-state hydrogen materials in agriculture.

Packaging with hydrogen gas modified atmosphere can extend chicken egg storage

BACKGROUND

Although hydrogen gas (H₂ ) has been widely used in industry and gradually used in medicine, it is less applied to agriculture, especially in modified atmosphere packing (MAP).

RESULTS

During chicken egg storage, H₂ MAP not only slowed down or delayed the reduction in antioxidant capacities, but also alleviated the deterioration of egg quality. The extent of micro-cracks in the eggshell was also negatively influenced by H₂ , which might result in eggs being less vulnerable to microbes. The earlier results demonstrated that the H₂ MAP-extended shelf life of chicken eggs might be caused by the responses of eggshell and re-establishment of redox homeostasis. According to the data collected from different provinces of China, cost-economics analysis further suggested that the increase in the extra cost caused by H₂ was trivial compared with the original price of eggs.

CONCLUSION

Together, H₂ MAP can prolong the shelf life of chicken eggs with the prospect of wider application. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging: A novel approach to assessing treatment in locally advanced esophageal cancer patients

Aims

This study aims to investigate the potential application of dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) to predict concurrent chemoradiation (CRT) in locally advanced esophageal carcinoma.

Patients and Methods

This study involved 33 patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer and treated with CRT. The patients underwent DCE-MRI before CRT (pre) and 3 weeks after starting CRT (mid). The patients were categorized into two groups: complete response (CR) and non-complete response (non-CR) after 3 months of treatment. The quantitative parameters of DCE-MRI (K^trans, Kep, and Ve), the changes and ratios of parameters (ΔK^trans, ΔKep, ΔVe, rΔK^trans, rΔKep, and rΔVe), and the relative ratio in the tumor area and a normal tube wall (rK^trans, rKep, and rVe) were calculated and compared between two timeframes in two groups, respectively. Moreover, the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) statistical analysis was used to assess the above parameters.

Results

We divided 33 patients into two groups: 22 in the CR group and 11 in the non-CR group. During the mid-CRT phase in the CR group, both K^trans and Kep rapidly decreased, while only Kep decreased in the non-CR group. The pre-K^trans and pre-Kep in the CR group were substantially higher compared to the non-CR group. Moreover, the rK^trans was also apparently observed as higher at pre-CRT in the CR group compared to the non-CR group. The ROC analysis demonstrated that the pre-K^trans could be the best parameter to evaluate the treatment performance (AUC = 0.74).

Conclusion

Pre-K^trans could be a promising parameter to forecast how patients with locally advanced esophageal cancer will respond to CRT.

Molecular Hydrogen Increases Quantitative and Qualitative Traits of Rice Grain in Field Trials

How to use environmentally friendly technology to enhance rice field and grain quality is a challenge for the scientific community. Here, we showed that the application of molecular hydrogen in the form of hydrogen nanobubble water could increase the length, width, and thickness of brown/rough rice and white rice, as well as 1000-grain weight, compared to the irrigation with ditch water. The above results were well matched with the transcriptional profiles of representative genes related to high yield, including up-regulation of heterotrimeric G protein β-subunit gene (RGB1) for cellular proliferation, Grain size 5 (GS5) for grain width, Small grain 1 (SMG1) for grain length and width, Grain weight 8 (GW8) for grain width and weight, and down-regulation of negatively correlated gene Grain size 3 (GS3) for grain length. Meanwhile, although total starch content in white rice is not altered by HNW, the content of amylose was decreased by 31.6%, which was parallel to the changes in the transcripts of the amylose metabolism genes. In particular, cadmium accumulation in white rice was significantly reduced, reaching 52% of the control group. This phenomenon was correlated well with the differential expression of transporter genes responsible for Cd entering plants, including down-regulated Natural resistance-associated macrophage protein (Nramp5), Heavy metal transporting ATPase (HMA2 and HMA3), and Iron-regulated transporters (IRT1), and for decreasing Cd accumulation in grain, including down-regulated Low cadmium (LCD). This study clearly showed that the application of molecular hydrogen might be used as an effective approach to increase field and grain quality of rice.

Glutathione produced by γ-glutamyl cysteine synthetase acts downstream of hydrogen to positively influence lateral root branching

Hydrogen gas (H₂) mediation of lateral root (LR) branching was previously described. However, related signaling pathway is largely unexplored. In this study, we discovered that application with H₂ using hydrogen-rich water, mimicking the responses of exogenous glutathione (GSH), not only enhanced GSH synthesis, but also induced tomato LR development. The changes in the transcripts of auxin signaling-related genes and cell cycle regulatory genes were matched with above phenotypes. The addition of H₂ could trigger higher transcript levels of SlGSH1 and SlGSH2, encoding γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase (γ-ECS) and glutathione synthetase (GS), confirming the stimulation of GSH synthesis. These responses were greatly abolished when the inhibitor of γ-ECS was applied. The inhibition in lateral root primordium development, especially in emergence stage, was also observed. Genetic evidence revealed that the defects in GSH production and lateral rooting in Arabidopsis cad2-1, a γ-ECS defective mutant, were obviously abolished in the presence of GSH compared to those in the presence of H₂. Further evidence revealed that mRNA levels of target genes elicited by H₂ in wild-type, were differentially impaired in mutant plants. Together, above data clearly demonstrated that γ-ECS-dependent GSH production might be closely associated with H₂ control of LR branching.

[Effect of PPAR-γ agonist pioglitazone on the prolifeiration of malignant nesothelionma cells induced by HMGB1]

Objective: To investigate the effect and mechanism of PPAR-γ agonist Pioglitazone (PGZ) on the proliferation of malignant mesothelioma (MM) cells. Methods: In December 2019, MM cell lines MSTO-211H and NCI-H2452 were incubated with different final concentrations of PGZ (0, 10, 50, 100, 150, and 200 μmol/L) for different periods of time (24 h, 48 h, and 72 h) , and then the cell proliferation level was detected by CCK8 assay. After given various final concentration of PGZ (0, 10, 50, 100, 150, 200 μmol/L) the for 72 hours, the changes of number and morphology of MM cells were observed under an inverted microscope. The expressions of PPAR-γ and HMGB1 mRNA were determined by real-time fluorescence quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) after treatment of MM cells with PGZ of 0, 10, 50, 100 μmol/L for 72 h. The MM cells were treated with PGZ at concentration of 0, 100 μmol/L for 72 h, and the protein expressions of HMGB1 were examined using Western blotting and immunofluorescence; the protein expressions of Ki67 were assessed by immunohistochemistry. Results: The cell viability rate of MM cells was decreased after treated with PGZ (P<0.05) . Cell number in PGZ-treated group was significantly less than that in control group and morphology changes were observed under light microscope. QRT-PCR results revealed significantly increased PPAR-γ mRNA expression in the PGZ-treated group compared to the control group (P<0.05) . There was a significant decrease in the mRNA expression level of HMGB1 in the PGZ-treated group (100 μmol/L) as compared to the control group in MSTO-211H (P<0.05) ; however, the expression level of HMGB1 in NCI-H2452 was an increase or no significant differences (P>0.05) . Western blotting and immunofluorescence results showed that the protein expression of HMGB1 was reduced in the PGZ-treated group compared with the control group in MSTO-211H (P<0.05) , but the protein expression of that in NCI-H2452 was no significant differences (P>0.05) . Immunohistochemistry results showed increased expression of proliferation marker Ki-67. Conclusion: Pioglitazone suppresses the proliferation of MM cells through inhibition of HMGB1 by the activation of PPAR-γ.

Methane control of cadmium tolerance in alfalfa roots requires hydrogen sulfide

Hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) is well known as a gaseous signal in response to heavy metal stress, while methane (CH₄), the most prevalent greenhouse gas, confers cadmium (Cd) tolerance. In this report, the causal link between CH₄ and H₂S controlling Cd tolerance in alfalfa (Medicago sativa) plants was assessed. Our results observed that the administration of CH₄ not only intensifies H₂S metabolism, but also attenuates Cd-triggered growth inhibition in alfalfa seedlings, which were parallel to the alleviated roles in the redox imbalance and cell death in root tissues. Above results were not observed in roots after the removal of endogenous H₂S, either in the presence of either hypotaurine (HT; a H₂S scavenger) or _DL-propargylglycine (PAG; a H₂S biosynthesis inhibitor). Using in situ noninvasive microtest technology (NMT) and inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS), subsequent results confirmed the participation of H₂S in CH₄-inhibited Cd influx and accumulation in roots, which could be explained by reestablishing glutathione (GSH) pool (reduced/oxidized GSH and homoglutathione) homeostasis and promoting antioxidant defence. Overall, our results clearly revealed that H₂S operates downstream of CH₄ enhancing tolerance against Cd stress, which are significant for both fundamental and applied plant biology.

Hydrogen-rich water prepared by ammonia borane can enhance rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) seedlings tolerance against salinity, drought or cadmium

Hydrogen agriculture is recently recognized as an emerging and promising approach for low-carbon society. Since shorter retention time for hydrogen gas (H2) in conventional electrolytically produced hydrogen-rich water (HRW) limits its application, seeking a more suitable method to produce and maintain H2 level in HRW for longer time remain a challenge for scientific community. To solve above problems, we compared and concluded that the H2 in HRW prepared by ammonia borane (NH3·BH3) could meet above requirement. The biological effects of HRW prepared by NH3·BH3 were further evaluated in seedlings of rapeseed, the most important crop for producing vegetable oil worldwide. Under our experimental conditions, 2 mg/L NH3·BH3-prepared HRW could confer 3-day-old hydroponic seedlings tolerance against 150 mM sodium chloride (NaCl), 20% polyethylene glycol (PEG; w/v), or 100 μM CdCl2 stress, and intensify endogenous nitric oxide (NO) accumulation under above stresses. The alleviation of seedlings growth stunt was confirmed by reducing cell death and reestablishing redox homeostasis. Reconstructing ion homeostasis, increasing proline content, and reducing Cd accumulation were accordingly observed. Above responses were sensitive to the removal of endogenous NO with its scavenger 2-(4-carboxyphenyl)-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-imidazoline-1-1-oxyl-3-oxide (cPTIO; 100 μM), reflecting the requirement of NO functioning in the regulation of plant physiology achieved by NH3·BH3-prepared HRW. The application of 1 mM tungstate, an inhibitor of nitrate reductase (NR; an important NO synthetic enzyme), showed the similar blocking responses in the phenotype, suggesting that NR might be the major source of NO involved in above H2 actions. Together, these results revealed that HRW prepared by NH3·BH3 could enhance rapeseed seedlings tolerance against abiotic stress, thus opening a new window for the application of H2 in agricultural production.

Hydrogen Nanobubble Water Delays Petal Senescence and Prolongs the Vase Life of Cut Carnation (Dianthus caryophyllus L.) Flowers

The short vase life of cut flowers limits their commercial value. To ameliorate this practical problem, this study investigated the effect of hydrogen nanobubble water (HNW) on delaying senescence of cut carnation flowers (Dianthuscaryophyllus L.). It was observed that HNW had properties of higher concentration and residence time for the dissolved hydrogen gas in comparison with conventional hydrogen-rich water (HRW). Meanwhile, application of 5% HNW significantly prolonged the vase life of cut carnation flowers compared with distilled water, other doses of HNW (including 1%, 10%, and 50%), and 10% HRW, which corresponded with the alleviation of fresh weight and water content loss, increased electrolyte leakage, oxidative damage, and cell death in petals. Further study showed that the increasing trend with respect to the activities of nucleases (including DNase and RNase) and protease during vase life period was inhibited by 5% HNW. The results indicated that HNW delayed petal senescence of cut carnation flowers through reducing reactive oxygen species accumulation and initial activities of senescence-associated enzymes. These findings may provide a basic framework for the application of HNW for postharvest preservation of agricultural products.

Fine mapping of the BnaC04.BIL1 gene controlling plant height in Brassica napus L

BACKGROUND

Plant height is an important architecture trait which is a fundamental yield-determining trait in crops. Variety with dwarf or semi-dwarf phenotype is a major objective in the breeding because dwarfing architecture can help to increase harvest index, increase planting density, enhance lodging resistance, and thus be suitable for mechanization harvest. Although some germplasm or genes associated with dwarfing plant type have been carried out. The molecular mechanisms underlying dwarfism in oilseed rape (Brassica napus L.) are poorly understood, restricting the progress of breeding dwarf varieties in this species. Here, we report a new dwarf mutant Bndwarf2 from our B. napus germplasm. We studied its inheritance and mapped the dwarf locus BnDWARF2.

RESULTS

The inheritance analysis showed that the dwarfism phenotype was controlled by one semi-dominant gene, which was mapped in an interval of 787.88 kb on the C04 chromosome of B. napus by Illumina Brassica 60 K Bead Chip Array. To fine-map BnDWARF2, 318 simple sequence repeat (SSR) primers were designed to uniformly cover the mapping interval. Among them, 15 polymorphic primers that narrowed down the BnDWARF2 locus to 34.62 kb were detected using a F2:3 family population with 889 individuals. Protein sequence analysis showed that only BnaC04.BIL1 (BnaC04g41660D) had two amino acid residues substitutions (Thr187Ser and Gln399His) between ZS11 and Bndwarf2, which encoding a GLYCOGEN SYNTHASE KINASE 3 (GSK3-like). The quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis showed that the BnaC04.BIL1 gene expressed in all tissues of oilseed rape. Subcellular localization experiment showed that BnaC04.BIL1 was localized in the nucleus in tobacco leaf cells. Genetic transformation experiments confirmed that the BnaC04.BIL1 is responsible for the plant dwarf phenotype in the Bndwarf2 mutants. Overexpression of BnaC04.BIL1 reduced plant height, but also resulted in compact plant architecture.

CONCLUSIONS

A dominant dwarfing gene, BnaC04.BIL1, encodes an GSK3-like that negatively regulates plant height, was mapped and isolated. Our identification of a distinct gene locus may help to improve lodging resistance in oilseed rape.

Improvement of Metabolic Syndrome in High-Fat Diet-Induced Mice by Yeast β-Glucan Is Linked to Inhibited Proliferation of Lactobacillus and Lactococcus in Gut Microbiota

There is growing evidence that prevention of metabolic syndrome (MS) by dietary fibers is intricately linked to gut microbiota. In the present work, the mice were fed a high-fat diet (HFD) and orally treated with yeast β-glucan to further examine the effects of β-glucan on MS and gut microbiota and the potential relationship between gut microbiota and its activity. After intervention for 10 weeks, it was found that the treatment of yeast β-glucan could significantly improve the HFD-induced MS. Furthermore, pro-inflammatory cytokines in plasma including IL-6 and IL-1β were decreased. Yeast β-glucan could regulate the diversity and composition of HFD-induced gut microbiota. Moreover, the relative abundances of Lactobacillus and Lactococcus, having significant positive correlation with metabolic changes, were decreased by β-glucan, which might play a critical role in attenuation of MS. Our findings suggest that yeast β-glucan shows promising application as a prebiotic for preventing MS and regulating gut microbiota.

Periodic root branching is influenced by light through an HY1-HY5-auxin pathway

The spacing of lateral roots (LRs) along the main root in plants is driven by an oscillatory signal, often referred to as the "root clock" that represents a pre-patterning mechanism that can be influenced by environmental signals. Light is an important environmental factor that has been previously reported to be capable of modulating the root clock, although the effect of light signaling on the LR pre-patterning has not yet been fully investigated. In this study, we reveal that light can activate the transcription of a photomorphogenic gene HY1 to maintain high frequency and amplitude of the oscillation signal, leading to the repetitive formation of pre-branch sites. By grafting and tissue-specific complementation experiments, we demonstrated that HY1 generated in the shoot or locally in xylem pole pericycle cells was sufficient to regulate LR branching. We further found that HY1 can induce the expression of HY5 and its homolog HYH, and act as a signalosome to modulate the intracellular localization and expression of auxin transporters, in turn promoting auxin accumulation in the oscillation zone to stimulate LR branching. These fundamental mechanistic insights improve our understanding of the molecular basis of light-controlled LR formation and provide a genetic interconnection between shoot- and root-derived signals in regulating periodic LR branching.

Single-Molecule Real-Time and Illumina-Based RNA Sequencing Data Identified Vernalization-Responsive Candidate Genes in Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.)

Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) is one of the most widely grown cool season legume crops in the world. Winter faba bean normally has a vernalization requirement, which promotes an earlier flowering and pod setting than unvernalized plants. However, the molecular mechanisms of vernalization in faba bean are largely unknown. Discovering vernalization-related candidate genes is of great importance for faba bean breeding. In this study, the whole transcriptome of faba bean buds was profiled by using next-generation sequencing (NGS) and single-molecule, real-time (SMRT) full-length transcriptome sequencing technology. A total of 29,203 high-quality non-redundant transcripts, 21,098 complete coding sequences (CDS), 1,045 long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and 12,939 simple sequence repeats (SSRs) were identified. Furthermore, 4,044 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified through pairwise comparisons. By Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis, these differentially expressed transcripts were found to be enriched in binding and transcription factor activity, electron carrier activity, rhythmic process, and receptor activity. Finally, 50 putative vernalization-related genes that played important roles in the vernalization of faba bean were identified; we also found that the levels of vernalization-responsive transcripts showed significantly higher expression levels in cold-treated buds. The expression of VfSOC1, one of the candidate genes, was sensitive to vernalization. Ectopic expression of VfSOC1 in Arabidopsis brought earlier flowering. In conclusion, the abundant vernalization-related transcripts identified in this study will provide a basis for future researches on the vernalization and faba bean breeding and established a reference full-length transcriptome for future studies on faba bean.

Therapeutic efficacy of dexmedetomidine on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease via downregulating lncRNA PACER

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the study was to clarify the therapeutic mechanism of Dexmedetomidine (DEX) on the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and its regulatory effect on long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) PACER.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Serum level of PACER in COPD patients was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The diagnostic potential of PACER in COPD was assessed by plotting ROC curves. The in vivo COPD model was generated in rats by cigarette smoking exposure. Primary rat alveolar epithelial cells were isolated, purified and cultured. After overexpression of PACER in primary rat alveolar epithelial cells, proliferative and migratory abilities were assessed by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) and transwell assay, respectively. Subsequently, we detected changes in PACER expression, viability and migratory potentials in primary rat alveolar epithelial cells harvested from control rats, and those harvested from COPD rats and induced with either DEX or not. Rescue experiments were conducted to uncover the involvement of PP2A in PACER-regulated cell phenotypes.

RESULTS

PACER was upregulated in serum of COPD patients, which was a potential biomarker for diagnosing COPD. Overexpression of PACER in primary rat alveolar epithelial cells enhanced proliferative and migratory abilities. Compared with primary rat alveolar epithelial cells harvested from control rats, proliferative and migratory abilities were stronger in those harvested from COPD rats and induced with either DEX or not. Notably, DEX induction decreased PACER expression, and proliferative and migratory abilities in primary rat alveolar epithelial cells harvested from COPD rats. Overexpression of PP2A could partially abolish the promotive effects of PACER on proliferative and migratory abilities in DEX-induced primary rat alveolar epithelial cells harvested from COPD rats.

CONCLUSIONS

PACER drives the proliferative and migratory abilities of alveolar epithelial cells through activating PP2A. Dexmedetomidine is conducive to COPD treatment by downregulating PACER.