Investigating seed dormancy in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.): understanding the physiological changes in embryo during after‐ripening and germination

• The dormancy of seeds of upland cotton can be broken during dry after‐ripening, but the mechanism of its dormancy release remains unclear.
• Freshly harvested cotton seeds were subjected to after‐ripening for 180 days. Cotton seeds from different days of after‐ripening (DAR) were sampled for dynamic physiological determination and germination tests. The intact seeds and isolated embryos were germinated to assess effects of the seed coat on embryo germination. Content of H₂O₂ and phytohormones and activities of antioxidant enzymes and glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase were measured during after‐ripening and germination.
• Germination of intact seeds increased from 7% upon harvest to 96% at 30 DAR, while embryo germination improved from an initial rate of 82% to 100% after 14 DAR. Based on T₅₀ (time when 50% of seeds germinate) and germination index, the intact seed and isolated embryo needed 30 and 21 DAR, respectively, to acquire relatively stable germination. The content of H₂O₂ increased during after‐ripening and continued to increase within the first few hours of imbibition, along with a decrease in abscisic acid (ABA) content. A noticeable increase was observed in gibberellic acid content during germination when ABA content decreased to a lower level. Coat removal treatment accelerated embryo absorption of water, which further improved the accumulation of H₂O₂ and changed peroxidase content during germination.
• For cotton seed, the alleviation of coat‐imposed dormancy required 30 days of after‐ripening, accompanied by rapid dormancy release (within 21 DAR) in naked embryos. H₂O₂ acted as a core link between the response to environmental changes and induction of other physiological changes for breaking seed dormancy.

     

TGF-beta mediated Msx2 expression controls occipital somites-derived caudal region of skull development

Craniofacial development involves cranial neural crest (CNC) and mesoderm-derived cells. TGF-beta signaling plays a critical role in instructing CNC cells to form the craniofacial skeleton. However, it is not known how TGF-beta signaling regulates the fate of mesoderm-derived cells during craniofacial development. In this study, we show that occipital somites contribute to the caudal region of mammalian skull development. Conditional inactivation of Tgfbr2 in mesoderm-derived cells results in defects of the supraoccipital bone with meningoencephalocele and discontinuity of the neural arch of the C1 vertebra. At the cellular level, loss of TGF-beta signaling causes decreased chondrocyte proliferation and premature differentiation of cartilage to bone. Expression of Msx2, a critical factor in the formation of the dorsoventral axis, is diminished in the Tgfbr2 mutant. Significantly, overexpression of Msx2 in Myf5-Cre;Tgfbr2flox/flox mice partially rescues supraoccipital bone development. These results suggest that the TGF-beta/Msx2 signaling cascade is critical for development of the caudal region of the skull.     

核心稳定训练联合五禽戏对颈型颈椎病患者颈椎疼痛、颈椎功能和生活质量的影响

目的:观察核心稳定训练联合五禽戏对颈型颈椎病(NTCS)患者颈椎疼痛、颈椎功能和生活质量的影响。方法:选取NTCS患者80例,按随机数字表法分为对照组(核心稳定训练)和研究组(核心稳定训练联合五禽戏)各40例。对比两组疗效、颈椎疼痛、颈椎功能和生活质量。结果:研究组的临床总有效率高于对照组(P<0.05)。两组干预1个月、2个月后、3个月后颈部视觉模拟评分法(VAS)评分逐渐下降,且研究组的下降程度大于对照组(P<0.05)。两组干预3个月后颈椎功能障碍指数(NDI)评分下降,且研究组的下降程度大于对照组(P<0.05),颈椎前屈、后伸、左旋、右旋活动度升高,且研究组的升高程度大于对照组(P<0.05)。两组干预3个月后SF-36各维度评分均较干预前升高,且研究组的升高程度大于对照组(P<0.05)。结论:NTCS患者采用五禽戏、核心稳定训练联合干预,可有效缓解颈椎疼痛,促进颈椎功能恢复,提高患者生活质量,疗效明确。     

The novel circ_0084904/miR-802/MAL2 axis promotes the development of cervical cancer

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been identified as critical regulators in human cancers, including cervical cancer (CC). However, the precise action of circ_0084904 in cervical carcinogenesis remains to be elucidated. The levels of circ_0084904, microRNA (miR)-802, and Mal, T cell differentiation protein 2 (MAL2) were checked by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) or western blot. Ribonuclease R (RNase R) and subcellular localization assays were used to detect the stability and localization of circ_0084904, respectively. Cell colony formation ability was assessed by colony formation assay. Cell cycle and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry. Cell migration and invasion abilities were gauged by transwell assay. Dual-luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays were applied to determine the direct relationship between miR-802 and circ_0084904 or MAL2. The xenograft experiments were performed to evaluate the role of circ_0084904 in tumor growth in vivo. Circ_0084904 was markedly up-regulated in CC tissues and cell lines. Silencing endogenous circ_0084904 impeded cell colony formation, cell cycle progression, migration, invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and promoted apoptosis in vitro, as well as diminished tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, circ_0084904 targeted miR-802, and the effects of circ_0084904 silencing were mediated by miR-802. MAL2 was directly targeted and inhibited by miR-802, and MAL2 was a functional target of miR-802. Moreover, circ_0084904 modulated MAL2 expression via miR-802. Our study identified circ_0084904 as a novel oncogenic driver in CC depending on the modulation of the miR-802/MAL2 axis, establishing the notion that silencing of circ_0084904 might represent a promising targeted therapy for CC.     

DACT2基因启动子甲基化与宫颈癌细胞化疗敏感性的相关性研究

摘要 目的：探讨与研究DACT2基因启动子甲基化与宫颈癌细胞化疗敏感性的相关性。方法：人宫颈癌顺铂耐药细胞系SIHA/DDP根据实验目的分为三组-对照组、DACT 1组与DACT 2组,组分别加入含0.0 μmol/L、1.0 μmol/L、10.0 μmol/L DACT2基因启动子甲基化抑制剂-5-aza-dC进行治疗,采用MTT法检测细胞增殖指数,流失细胞法检测细胞凋亡指数,PCR法检测甲基化水平,流式细胞仪检测胞周期,Western Blot检测Wnt蛋白与TGF-β1蛋白表达情况。结果：治疗后24 h、36 h的DACT 1组与DACT 2组DACT2基因启动子甲基化相对水平低于对照组(P<0.05),DACT 2组低于DACT 1组(P<0.05)。治疗后24 h、36 h的DACT 1组与DACT 2组细胞增殖指数低于对照组(P<0.05),细胞凋亡指数高于对照组(P<0.05),DACT 2组与DACT 1组对比差异都有统计学意义(P<0.05)。治疗后24 h、36 h的DACT 1组与DACT 2组G2/M期细胞比例高于对照组(P<0.05),G0/G1期细胞比例低于对照组(P<0.05),DACT 1组与DACT 2组对比差异有统计学意义(P<0.05)。治疗后24 h、36 h的DACT 1组与DACT 2组的Wnt蛋白与TGF-β1蛋白相对表达水平低于对照组(P<0.05),DACT 2组低于DACT 1组(P<0.05)。结论：抑制DACT2基因启动子甲基化能抑制宫颈癌细胞的Wnt/TGF-β1信号通路的激活,能调节宫颈癌细胞周期平衡,能抑制顺铂耐药性宫颈癌细胞增殖,促进细胞凋亡,并增强化疗敏感性,且在本研究设置范围内,作用剂量越高,效果越显著。     

Optimization of compressive loading parameters to mimic in vivo cervical spine kinematics in vitro

The human cervical spine supports substantial compressive load in vivo. However, the traditional in vitro testing methods rarely include compressive loads, especially in investigations of multi-segment cervical spine constructs. Previously, a systematic comparison was performed between the standard pure moment with no compressive loading and published compressive loading techniques (follower load – FL, axial load – AL, and combined load – CL). The systematic comparison was structured a priori using a statistical design of experiments and the desirability function approach, which was chosen based on the goal of determining the optimal compressive loading parameters necessary to mimic the segmental contribution patterns exhibited in vivo. The optimized set of compressive loading parameters resulted in in vitro segmental rotations that were within one standard deviation and 10% of average percent error of the in vivo mean throughout the entire motion path. As hypothesized, the values for the optimized independent variables of FL and AL varied dynamically throughout the motion path. FL was not necessary at the extremes of the flexion–extension (FE) motion path but peaked through the neutral position, whereas, a large negative value of AL was necessary in extension and increased linearly to a large positive value in flexion. Although further validation is required, the long-term goal is to develop a “physiologic” in vitro testing method, which will be valuable for evaluating adjacent segment effect following spinal fusion surgery, disc arthroplasty instrumentation testing and design, as well as mechanobiology experiments where correct kinematics and arthrokinematics are critical.     

Inhibition of BAP31 expression inhibits cervical cancer progression by suppressing metastasis and inducing intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis

Cervical cancer is reported as one of the most lethal types of cancer among female. However, extensive studies of the molecular mechanisms that regulate the progression of cervical cancer are still required. B-cell associated protein (BAP)-31 is a 28-kDa integral membrane protein in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), playing essential role in modulating various physiological processes. The present study indicated that BAP31 was a novel gene associated with cervical cancer development. Here, we demonstrated that BAP31 was significantly increased in human cervical cancer specimens, which was positively correlated to histological grade of the cancer. BAP31 knockdown suppressed cell proliferation, clonogenic ability and metastasis-associated traits in vitro, as well as carcinogenesis and pulmonary metastasis in vivo. Further studies indicated that the expression levels of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9, Rho-associated protein kinase 1 (ROCK1), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), Vimentin and N-cadherin were markedly reduced by BAP31 knockdown in cervical cancer cells. In addition, intrinsic and extrinsic apoptosis was significantly induced in BAP31 knockdown cells, as evidenced by the increased expression of cleaved Caspase-8/-9/-3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerases (PARP). Notably, suppressing the activities of Caspase-8/-9 and ?3 obviously diminished BAP31 silence-triggered apoptosis. Together, these findings highlighted an essential role for BAP31 in the modulation of tumorigenesis and metastatic potential of cervical cancer, and demonstrated a promising application of BAP31 in cancer prevention.     

Recent advancement in the discovery and development of COX-2 inhibitors: Insight into biological activities and SAR studies (2008–2019)

Cyclooxygenase-2 is a very important physiological enzyme playing key roles in various biological functions especially in the mechanism of pain and inflammation, among other roles, making it a molecule of high interest to the pharmaceutical community as a target. COX 2 enzyme is induced only during inflammatory processes or cancer and reflects no role in the guarding stomach lining. Thus, selective COX-2 inhibition can significantly reduce the adverse effects including GI tract damage and hepatotoxic effects of traditional NSAIDs like aspirin, ibuprofen, etc. Recent developments on COX-2 inhibitors is primarily focused on improving the selectivity index of the drug towards COX-2 along with enhancing the potency of the drug by modifying the scaffolds of Coxibs currently in the market like Celecoxib, Indomethacin, Oxaprozin, etc. We have reported the progress on new COX-2 inhibitors in the last decade (2008–2019) focussing on five heterocyclic rings- Pyrazole, Indole, Oxazole, Pyridine and Pyrrole. The addition of various moieties to these core rings and their structure-activity relationship along with their molecular modelling data have been explored in the article. This review aims to aid medicinal chemists in the design and discovery of better COX-2 inhibitors constructed on these five heterocyclic pharmacophores.