Plant–Microbe Symbiosis: What Has Proteomics Taught Us?

Beneficial microbes have a positive impact on the productivity and fitness of the host plant. A better understanding of the biological impacts and underlying mechanisms by which the host derives these benefits will help to address concerns around global food production and security. The recent development of omics‐based technologies has broadened our understanding of the molecular aspects of beneficial plant–microbe symbiosis. Specifically, proteomics has led to the identification and characterization of several novel symbiosis‐specific and symbiosis‐related proteins and post‐translational modifications that play a critical role in mediating symbiotic plant–microbe interactions and have helped assess the underlying molecular aspects of the symbiotic relationship. Integration of proteomic data with other “omics” data can provide valuable information to assess hypotheses regarding the underlying mechanism of symbiosis and help define the factors affecting the outcome of symbiosis. Herein, an update is provided on the current and potential applications of symbiosis‐based “omic” approaches to dissect different aspects of symbiotic plant interactions. The application of proteomics, metaproteomics, and secretomics as enabling approaches for the functional analysis of plant‐associated microbial communities is also discussed.     

An electrochemical biosensor for prostate cancer biomarker detection using graphene oxide–gold nanostructures

In this paper, a most sensitive electrochemical biosensor for detection of prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) was designed. To reach the goal, a sandwich type electrode composed of reduced graphene oxide/ gold nanoparticles (GO/AuNPs), Anti‐Total PSA monoclonal antibody, and anti‐Free PSA antibody was assembled. The functionalized materials were thoroughly characterized by atomic force microscope spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X‐ray diffraction techniques. The electrochemical properties of each of the modification step were evaluated by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The results presented that the proposed biosensor possesses high sensitivity toward total and free PSA. Furthermore, the fabricated biosensor revealed an excellent selectivity for PSA in comparison to the other tumor markers such as BHCG, Alb, CEA, CA125, and CA19‐9. The limit of detection for the proposed electrochemical biosensor was estimated to be around 0.2 and 0.07 ng/mL for total and free PSA antigen, respectively.     

Cross talk between energy cost and expression of Methyl Jasmonate-regulated genes: from DNA to protein

Journal of Plant Biochemistry and Biotechnology - Plant cell balances energy consumption for its different biological processes under oxidative circumstances. The aim of the present study is to...     

Ovarian cancer stem cell: A potential therapeutic target for overcoming multidrug resistance

The cancer stem cell (CSC) model encompasses an advantageous paradigm that in recent decades provides a better elucidation for many important biological aspects of cancer initiation, progression, metastasis, and, more important, development of multidrug resistance (MDR). Such several other hematological malignancies and solid tumors and the identification and isolation of ovarian cancer stem cells (OV-CSCs) show that ovarian cancer also follows this hierarchical model. Gaining a better insight into CSC-mediated resistance holds promise for improving current ovarian cancer therapies and prolonging the survival of recurrent ovarian cancer patients in the future. Therefore, in this review, we will discuss some important mechanisms by which CSCs can escape chemotherapy, and then review the recent and growing body of evidence that supports the contribution of CSCs to MDR in ovarian cancer.     

Adipocyte lineage differentiation potential of MSCs isolated from reaming material

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) obtained from various sources have been used for different therapeutic applications including tissue regeneration. Reamer/irrigator/aspirator (RIA) has been increasingly used in recent years for the derivation of MSCs. Here in this investigation we have comparatively analyzed MSCs obtained from iliac crest bone marrow (ICBM) and RIA for their morphology, cluster determinant (CD) markers, and adipogenic differentiation capacity. MSCs were isolated, cultured, and purified from both sources and then flow cytometric studies were performed to study their characteristics. The differentiation potential of RIA and ICBM was examined by an Oil Red O staining protocol. Moreover, the tissue-specific markers related to adipogenesis were analyzed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The cells were cultured in the relevant induction medium and then adipogenic lineage differentiation was tested and confirmed for all MSC preparations. Additionally, analysis by flow cytometer was indicative of RIA derived MSCs (RIA-MSCs) having a more homogenous population than ICBM derived MSCs. The RIA-MSCs differentiation toward adipogenic lineage was more efficient compared with ICBM-MSCs. Direct comparative analysis of RIA to ICBM-MSCs indicated that the RIA-MSCs had a higher potential toward adipocyte lineage differentiation compared with ICBM-MSCs.     

Competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) cross talk and language in ceRNA regulatory networks: A new look at hallmarks of breast cancer

Breast cancer (BC) is the most frequently occurring malignancy in women worldwide. Despite the substantial advancement in understanding the molecular mechanisms and management of BC, it remains the leading cause of cancer death in women. One of the main reasons for this obstacle is that we have not been able to find the Achilles heel for the BC as a highly heterogeneous disease. Accumulating evidence has revealed that noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), play key roles in the development of BC; however, the involving of complex regulatory interactions between the different varieties of ncRNAs in the development of this cancer has been poorly understood. In the recent years, the newly discovered mechanism in the RNA world is “competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA)” which proposes regulatory dialogues between different RNAs, including long ncRNAs (lncRNAs), microRNAs (miRNAs), transcribed pseudogenes, and circular RNAs (circRNAs). In the latest BC research, various studies have revealed that dysregulation of several ceRNA networks (ceRNETs) between these ncRNAs has fundamental roles in establishing the hallmarks of BC development. And it is thought that such a discovery could open a new window for a better understanding of the hidden aspects of breast tumors. Besides, it probably can provide new biomarkers and potential efficient therapeutic targets for BC. This review will discuss the existing body of knowledge regarding the key functions of ceRNETs and then highlights the emerging roles of some recently discovered ceRNETs in several hallmarks of BC. Moreover, we propose for the first time the “ceRnome” as a new term in the present article for RNA research.     

Global estimate of gastric cancer in Helicobacter pylori–infected population: A systematic review and meta-analysis

There is information regarding the rates of gastric cancer (GC) in different populations and the important role of Helicobacter pylori in GC development; however, no comprehensive study has yet been performed to investigate the prevalence of GC in H. pylori–infected patients. PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library through January 1, 2000 were searched without language restrictions. Quality of included studies was assessed with a critical appraisal checklist recommended by the Joanna Briggs Institute. All of the analyses were conducted using Comprehensive Meta-Analysis Software Version 2.0 and Stata 14.0. Forty-four studies from 17 countries were included. The pooled frequency of GC was 17.4% (95% confidence interval: 16.4–18.5) in H. pylori–infected population. The frequency of GC among H. pylori–infected population varied markedly across countries. The highest rate of GC was observed in H. pylori–infected individuals from Asian countries. The frequency of GC was relatively high in H. pylori–infected population in the world. However, the eradication of H. pylori might be a promising strategy for GC prevention, especially in high-risk populations such as Asian countries.     

Clinicopathological and prognostic value of lncRNA PANDAR expression in solid tumors: Evidence from a systematic review and meta-analysis

PANDAR (promoter of CDKN1A antisense DNA damage activated RNA) has been shown to be aberrantly expressed in many types of cancer. Considering conflicting data, the current study was aimed to assess its potential role as a prognostic marker in malignant tumors. A comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Medline, and Web of Science was performed to identify all eligible studies describing the use of PANDAR as a prognostic factor for different types of cancer. Data related to overall survival (OS) and clinicopathologic features were collected and analyzed. The pooled hazard ratio (HR) and odds radio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI) were used to estimate associations. Ten original studies containing 1,231 patients were included. The results showed that in patients with cancer, high PANDAR expression is correlated with lymph node metastasis (LNM; OR = 2.57; 95% CI, 1.76–3.81; p < 0.001), tumor stage (OR = 2.90; 95% CI, 1.25–6.75; p = 0.013), and tumor size (OR = 1.79; 95% CI, 1.11–2.91; p = 0.018). However, sensitivity analysis further demonstrated a significant association between high PANDAR expression and OS, both in multivariate and univariate analysis models (pooled HR 2.01; 95% CI, 1.17–3.44 and pooled HR 2.62; 95% CI, 1.98–3.47, respectively), after omitting one study. These results suggested that PANDAR expression might be indicative of advanced disease and poor prognosis in patients with cancer. Further studies are necessary to determine the value of this risk stratification biomarker in clinical management of patients with cancer.