Natural and Regenerated Saltmarshes Exhibit Similar Soil and Belowground Organic Carbon Stocks,Root Production and Soil Respiration

Ecosystems - Saltmarshes provide many valuable ecosystem services including storage of a large amount of ‘blue carbon’ within their soils. To date, up to 50% of the world’s...     

Rice caryopsis structure in relation to distribution of micronutrients (iron, zinc, β-carotene) of rice cultivars including transgenic indica rice

The transgenic indica rice lines of IR68144 and BR29, developed using endosperm-specific promoters were analyzed for their iron, zinc and β-carotene content in the endosperm. Biochemical analysis clearly revealed the presence of higher accumulation of iron, zinc and β-carotene in transgenic rice grains in comparison with control. Prussian blue staining reaction evidenced the presence of iron in the endosperm cells of transgenic rice grains in comparison with control where iron is restricted only to aleurone and embryo. The rice grain structure of IR64, IR72, IR68144, Swarna, BRRI Dhan 29 (BR29), BR28, Taipai 309 (T309) and New Plant Type-3 (NPT3) indicated that the number of aleurone layers, size of the embryo and size of the caryopsis determines the quantity of important micronutrients (iron, zinc) in the grains. Biochemical analysis revealed that iron and zinc content drastically varies in polished and unpolished rice and among the varieties examined. During the polishing process almost entire aleurone and most part of the embryo is removed which are the main storehouse for major micronutrients. It is estimated that more than 70% of micronutrients are lost during polishing process.     

Disentangling the role of soil in structuring tropical tree communities at Tarap Hill Reserve of Bangladesh

Tarap Hill Reserve, the largest upland reserve of Bangladesh, is situated along the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot. It encompasses the last remaining patches of natural vegetation in the Northeastern Tarap Mountain System and harbors 87 % of the nationally declared red-listed vascular plant species. Despite requiring high conservation priority, this is one of the least studied reserves in the tropics. In this study, we collected vegetation and soil (eight variables) data from 68 sample plots. We identified the tree communities by cluster analysis and verified them using the multi-response permutation procedure and detrended correspondence analysis. Species richness, diversity, and compositional similarity between the communities were also estimated. In total, 116 tree species representing 69 genera were recorded within the four identified tree community types. Finally, canonical correspondence analysis with associated Monte Carlo permutation tests (499 permutations) was performed to explore the patterns of variation in tree species distribution explained by the soil variables. Soil phosphorus, organic matter content, and pH were most closely correlated with tree compositional variation. Thus, conservation strategies that take into account variations in these influential soil factors may aid in the conservation of trees in the reserve.     

Combination of LC3 shRNA Plasmid Transfection and Genistein Treatment Inhibited Autophagy and Increased Apoptosis in Malignant Neuroblastoma in Cell Culture and Animal Models

Malignant neuroblastoma is an extracranial solid tumor that usually occurs in children. Autophagy, which is a survival mechanism in many solid tumors including malignant neuroblastoma, deters the efficacy of conventional chemotherapeutic agents. To mimic starvation, we used 200 nM rapamycin that induced autophagy in human malignant neuroblastoma SK-N-BE2 and IMR-32 cells in cell culture and animal models. Combination of microtubule associated protein light chain 3 short hairpin RNA (LC3 shRNA) plasmid transfection and genistein (GST) treatment was tested for inhibiting rapamycin-induced autophagy and promoting apoptosis. The best synergistic efficacy caused the highest decrease in cell viability due to combination of 50 nM LC3 shRNA plasmid transfection and 25 µM GST treatment in rapamycin-treated SK-N-BE2 cells while combination of 100 nM LC3 shRNA plasmid transfection and 25 µM GST treatment in rapamycin-treated IMR-32 cells. Quantitation of acidic vesicular organelles confirmed that combination of LC3 shRNA plasmid transfection and GST treatment prevented rapamycin-induced autophagy due to down regulation of autophagy promoting marker molecules (LC3 II, Beclin 1, TLR-4, and Myd88) and upregulation of autophagy inhibiting marker molecules (p62 and mTOR) in both cell lines. Apoptosis assays showed that combination therapy most effectively activated mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis in human malignant neuroblastoma in cell culture and animal models. Collectively, our current combination of LC3 shRNA plasmid transfection and GST treatment could serve as a promising therapeutic strategy for inhibiting autophagy and increasing apoptosis in human malignant neuroblastoma in cell culture and animal models.     

A stable single-chain variable fragment expressing transfectoma demonstrates induction of idiotype-specific cytotoxic T-cells during early growth stages of a murine B-lymphoma

The idiotypic determinants associated with the variable regions of antibody molecules are known to function as tumor-associated antigens (TAAs). However, there is no clear-cut evidence documenting their efficacy in inducing TAA-specific cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs). In most previous studies, idiopeptides were implicated in elicitation of TAA-specific CD4+ T-cells. Using a murine B-cell lymphoma, 2C3, we earlier demonstrated induction of splenic CD4+ and CD8+ T-lymphocytes directed to idiotypic Ig of the tumor. In the present study, we provide more direct evidence of the existence of Id-specific CTLs in the spleens of 2C3 bearing BALB/c mice using an scFv-transfectoma, P815A4, as a target. While both P815A4 and 2C3 cells were equally susceptible to cytolysis by the effector cells, lysis was evident only during early tumor progression. Moribund animals at the late stage of tumor growth failed to demonstrate any significant cytotoxic immune response against either tumor. Antibodies to MHC class I alleles Kd, Dd, Ld, beta2m and CD8 molecules all inhibited cytotoxicity. The CTL population from early tumor-bearers recognized 2C3 tumor in the context of all major H-2d alleles; however, in case of P815A4 cells, it was restricted to Kd and Dd alleles only. Based on these antibody inhibition studies, it appears that the idiopeptides generated in both tumors are in some way different, yet they were recognized equally by CTLs not only from the tumor-bearers but also by CTLs from 2C3-hyperimmune mice. It appears that scFv-containing transfectomas expressing antibody variable region epitopes would be useful for both elucidating CTL-defined idiopeptides and monitoring TAA-specific CTL response in tumor-bearing animals.     

转cry1Ab/cry1Ac基因籼稻对稻田节肢动物群落影响

将稻田节肢动物群落按营养关系划分为5个功能团,即植食类、寄生类、捕食类、腐食类和其它类,从功能团优势度、功能团内科组成及其优势度、群落主要参数及群落相异性等方面,经两年四点的调查就2个转cry1Ab/cry1Ac基因籼稻（Bt水稻）品系TT9.3和TT9.4对稻田节肢动物群落的影响作了较系统评价。植食类、寄生类和腐食类功能团内某些优势科的优势度在Bt水稻田与对照（IR72）田之间有时呈显著或极显著差异,如Bt水稻田中茧蜂或姬蜂科的优势度有时明显低于对照。但是,在大多情况下Bt水稻田与对照田之间功能团优势度、功能团内科组成及其优势度、群落主要参数（物种丰富度、Shannon-Wiener多样性指数、均匀性指数、优势集中性指数）及其时间动态基本无明显差异;Bt水稻田与对照田间植食类、寄生类、捕食类亚群落和整个节肢动物群落的相异性大多较低。可见,Bt水稻对稻田节肢动物群落基本无明显的负面影响。     

Regulation of autophagy as a therapeutic option in glioblastoma

Apoptosis - Around three out of one hundred thousand people are diagnosed with glioblastoma multiforme, simply called glioblastoma, which is the most common primary brain tumor in adults. With a...     

Novel KV7 ion channel openers for the treatment of epilepsy and implications for detrusor tissue contraction

Neuronal voltage-gated potassium channels, K_V7s, are the molecular mediators of the M current and regulate membrane excitability in the central and peripheral neuronal systems. Herein, we report novel small molecule K_V7 openers that demonstrate anti-seizure activities in electroshock and pentylenetetrazol-induced seizure models without influencing Rotarod readouts in mice. The anti-seizure activity was determined to be proportional to the unbound concentration in the brain. K_V7 channels are also expressed in the bladder smooth muscle (detrusor) and activation of these channels may cause localized undesired effects. Therefore, the impact of individual K_V7 isoforms was investigated in human detrusor tissue using a panel of K_V7 openers with distinct activity profiles among K_V7 isoforms. KCNQ4 and KCNQ5 mRNA were highly expressed in detrusor tissue, yet a compound that has significantly reduced activity on homomeric K_V7.4 did not reduce detrusor contraction. This may suggest that the homomeric K_V7.4 channel plays a less significant role in bladder contraction and further investigation is needed.