Curcumin attenuates proangiogenic and proinflammatory factors in human eutopic endometrial stromal cells through the NF-κB signaling pathway

Endometriosis is a chronic gynecological inflammatory disorder in which immune system dysregulation is thought to play a role in its initiation and progression. Due to altered sex steroid receptor concentrations and other signaling defects, eutopic endometriotic tissues have an attenuated response to progesterone. This progesterone-resistance contributes to lesion survival, proliferation, pain, and infertility. The current agency-approved hormonal therapies, including synthetic progestins, GnRH agonists, and danazol are often of limited efficacy and counterproductive to fertility and cause systemic side effects due to suppression of endogenous steroid hormone levels. In the current study, we examined the effects of curcumin (CUR, diferuloylmethane), which has long been used as an anti-inflammatory folk medicine in Asian countries for this condition. The basal levels of proinflammatory and proangiogenic chemokines and cytokines expression were higher in primary cultures of stromal cells derived from eutopic endometrium of endometriosis (EESC) subjects compared with normal endometrial stromal cells (NESC). The treatment of EESC and NESC with CUR significantly and dose-dependently reduced chemokine and cytokine secretion over the time course. Notably, CUR treatment significantly decreased phosphorylation of the IKKα/β, NF-κB, STAT3, and JNK signaling pathways under these experimental conditions. Taken together, our findings suggest that CUR has therapeutic potential to abrogate aberrant activation of chemokines and cytokines, and IKKα/β, NF-κB, STAT3, and JNK signaling pathways to reduce inflammation associated with endometriosis.     

Maternal obesity enhances oocyte chromosome abnormalities associated with aging

Obesity is increasing globally, and maternal obesity has adverse effects on pregnancy outcomes and the long-term health of offspring. Maternal obesity has been associated with pregnancy failure through impaired oogenesis and embryogenesis. However, whether maternal obesity causes chromosome abnormalities in oocytes has remained unclear. Here we show that chromosome abnormalities are increased in the oocytes of obese mice fed a high-fat diet and identify weakened sister-chromatid cohesion as the likely cause. Numbers of full-grown follicles retrieved from obese mice were the same as controls and the efficiency of in vitro oocyte maturation remained high. However, chromosome abnormalities presenting in both metaphase-I and metaphase-II were elevated, most prominently the premature separation of sister chromatids. Weakened sister-chromatid cohesion in oocytes from obese mice was manifested both as the terminalization of chiasmata in metaphase-I and as increased separation of sister centromeres in metaphase II. Obesity-associated abnormalities were elevated in older mice implying that maternal obesity exacerbates the deterioration of cohesion seen with advancing age.

     

Reproductive success of a marine teleost was correlated with proactive and reactive stress-coping styles

The present study investigated the relationship between reproductive success and stress-coping styles in gilthead seabream Sparus aurata in captivity. To characterise stress-coping styles, a total of 22 breeders were submitted to three different individual-based tests, one group-based test and post-handling glucocorticoid quantification. To assess spawning participation, a microsatellite analysis was performed on a total of 2698 larvae, which allowed each offspring to be assigned unambiguously to a single parental couple. Overall, S. aurata showed defined proactive and reactive behavioural traits. Proactive breeders exhibited higher levels of activity and risk taking and lower glucocorticoid blood levels than reactive breeders. The stress-coping style traits were consistent over time and context (different tests). Breeders that contributed to a higher number of progeny exhibited proactive behaviours, while those showing low progeny contribution exhibited reactive behaviour. Therefore, breeders with a high proportion of progeny (> 20%) had significantly higher activity and risk taking and lower cortisol than breeders with low progeny contribution (< 20%). In addition, males were more proactive than females and males exhibited significantly higher activity, risk taking and lower cortisol than females. This study is the first to establish in S. aurata breeders: (a) a relationship between stress-coping styles and spawning success; (b) a relationship between stress-coping styles and gender; and (c) the existence of proactive and reactive traits at the adult stage.     

Overexpression of the MYB29 transcription factor affects aliphatic glucosinolate synthesis in Brassica oleracea

Plant Molecular Biology - Overexpression of BoMYB29 gene up-regulates the aliphatic glucosinolate pathway in Brassica oleracea plants increasing the production of the anti-cancer metabolite...     

Shorebirds as important vectors for plant dispersal in Europe

Shorebirds (Charadriiformes) undergo rapid migrations with potential for long‐distance dispersal (LDD) of plants. We studied the frequency of endozoochory by shorebirds in different parts of Europe covering a broad latitudinal range and different seasons. We assessed whether plants dispersed conformed to morphological dispersal syndromes. A total of 409 excreta samples (271 faeces and 138 pellets) were collected from redshank Tringa totanus, black‐winged stilt Himantopus himantopus, pied avocet Recurvirostra avosetta, northern lapwing Vanellus vanellus, Eurasian curlew Numenius arquata and black‐tailed godwit Limosa limosa in south‐west Spain, north‐west England, southern Ireland and Iceland in 2005 and 2016, and intact seeds were extracted and identified. Godwits were sampled just before or after migratory movements between England and Iceland. The germinability of seeds was tested. Intact diaspores were recovered from all bird species and study areas, and were present in 13% of samples overall. Thirteen plant families were represented, including Charophyceae and 26 angiosperm taxa. Only four species had an ‘endozoochory syndrome’. Four alien species were recorded. Ellenberg values classified three species as aquatic and 20 as terrestrial. Overall, 89% of seeds were from terrestrial plants, and 11% from aquatic plants. Average seed length was higher in redshank pellets than in their faeces. Six species were germinated, none of which had an endozoochory syndrome. Seeds were recorded during spring and autumn migration. Plant species recorded have broad latitudinal ranges consistent with LDD via shorebirds. Crucially, morphological syndromes do not adequately predict LDD potential, and more empirical work is required to identify which plants are dispersed by shorebirds. Incorporating endozoochory by shorebirds and other migratory waterbirds into plant distribution models would allow us to better understand the natural processes that facilitated colonization of oceanic islands, or to improve predictions of how plants will respond to climate change, or how alien species spread.     

Mutation in a flexible linker modulates binding affinity for modular complexes

Tandem beta zippers are modular complexes formed between repeated linear motifs and tandemly arrayed domains of partner proteins in which β-strands form upon binding. Studies of such complexes, formed by LIM domain proteins and linear motifs in their intrinsically disordered partners, revealed spacer regions between the linear motifs that are relatively flexible but may affect the overall orientation of the binding modules. We demonstrate that mutation of a solvent exposed side chain in the spacer region of an LHX4–ISL2 complex has no significant effect on the structure of the complex, but decreases binding affinity, apparently by increasing flexibility of the linker.