ACE2 and FZD1 are prognosis markers in squamous cell/adenosquamous carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of gallbladder

The clinicopathological characteristics of squamous cell/adenosquamous carcinoma (SC/ASC) of the gallbladder have not been well documented, and no prognosis marker has been identified because of the rare occurrence of this gallbladder cancer subtype. In this study, we examined ACE2 and FZD1 expression in 46 SC/ASCs and 80 adenocarcinomas using immunohistochemistry and further analyzed their correlations with clinicopathological characteristics. We demonstrated that positive FZD1 and negative ACE2 expression were significantly associated with large tumor size, high TNM stage, lymph node metastasis and invasion of SC/ASC and AC. Univariate Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that positive FZD1 and negative ACE2 expression as well as differentiation, tumor size, TNM stage, lymph node metastasis, invasion, and surgical curability were closely associated with decreased overall survival in both SC/ASC (p < 0.001) and AC (p < 0.001) patients. The average survival time in SC/ASC and AC patients with FZD1^?ACE2⁺ expression was significantly longer than that in patients with FZD1⁺ACE2^? or FZD1⁺ACE2⁺ (p < 0.01). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that positive FZD1 and negative ACE2 expression are independent poor-prognostic factors for both SC/ASC and AC patients. In addition, FZD1 expression positively, but ACE2 expression negatively correlated with the expression of CA19-9 in SC/ASC and AC. Our study suggested that positive FZD1 and negative ACE2 expression are closely related to the expression of CA19-9; clinical, pathological, and biological behaviors; as well as poor-prognosis of gallbladder cancer.     

Elicitor hydrophobin Hyd1 interacts with Ubiquilin1‐like to induce maize systemic resistance

Trichoderma harzianum is a plant-beneficial fungus that secretes small cysteine-rich proteins that induce plant defense responses; however, the molecular mechanism involved in this induction is largely unknown.Here, we report that the class II hydrophobin Th Hyd1 acts as an elicitor of induced systemic resistance(ISR) in plants. Immunogold labeling and immunofluorescence revealed Th Hyd1 localized on maize(Zea mays) root cell plasma membranes. To identify host plant protein interactors of Hyd1, we screened a maize B73 root c DNA library. Th Hyd1 interacted directly with ubiquilin1-like(UBL). Furthermore, the N-terminal fragment of UBL was primarily responsible for binding with Hyd1 and the eight-cysteine amino acid of Hyd1 participated in the protein-protein interactions. Hyd1 from T. harzianum(Thhyd1) and ubl from maize were co-expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana, they synergistically promoted plant resistance against Botrytis cinerea. RNA-sequencing analysis of global gene expression in maize leaves 24 h after spraying with Curvularia lunata spore suspension showed that Thhyd1-induced systemic resistance was primarily associated with brassinosteroid signaling, likely mediated through BAK1. Jasmonate/ethylene(JA/ET)signaling was also involved to some extent in this response. Our results suggest that the Hyd1-UBL axis might play a key role in inducing systemic resistance as a result of Trichoderma-plant interactions.     

Damming river shapes distinct patterns and processes of planktonic bacterial and microeukaryotic communities

Planktonic bacterial and microeukaryotic communities play important roles in biogeochemical cycles, but their biogeographic patterns and community assembly processes in large damming rivers still remain unclear. In this study, 16S rRNA and 18S rRNA coding genes were used for sample sequencing analysis of planktonic bacterial and microeukaryotic communities in the upper Yangtze River. The upper Yangtze River was divided into dam-affected zones and river zones based on the influence of dams. The results showed that there were significant differences in the bacterial and microeukaryotic communities between the two zones and that dams significantly reduced the α-diversity of the bacterial communities. Co-occurrence network analysis indicated that networks in the river zone were denser than those in the dam-affected zone. The relationships among species in bacterial networks were more complex than those in microeukaryotic networks. Dispersal limitation and ecological drift were the main processes influencing planktonic bacterial and microeukaryotic communities in the dam-affected zone respectively, whereas the role of deterministic processes increased in the river zone. Anthropogenic activities and hydraulic conditions affected suspended sediment and controlled microbial diversity in the river zone. These results suggest that dams impact planktonic bacteria more strongly than planktonic microeukaryotes, indicating that the distribution patterns and processes of the bacterial and microeukaryotic communities in large rivers are significantly different.     

聚乙二醇对羟基丁酸和羟基己酸共聚物的共混改性研究

本研究以聚羟基脂肪酸酯家族中的新成员羟基丁酸和羟基己酸共聚物（PHBHHx）为基础,采用与聚乙二醇（PEG）共混的方法对其进行改性,研究结果证实：PHBHHx与PEG 共混物中比例为3:1及2:1时,两者完全物理相容。而PEG在共混物中比例升高时则导致相分离,成为部分相容体系。PEG掺入显著提高材料亲水性及表面自由能,使血管平滑肌细胞（RaSMCs）及血管内皮细胞（HUVECs）的细胞粘附及增殖大幅度提高,并且均具有一定的PEG含量依赖性。其中对RaSMCs的作用最为明显,RaSMCs能在PEG/PHBHHx比例为1:1的共混膜（E1X1）上持续增殖至融合,而HUVECs则呈粘附较差的类球形形貌,证实E1X1可以潜在应用于复合血管组织工程支架中的近内膜基材。     

苍耳甾醇物质对菜青虫取食、血淋巴和中肠酶活性及中肠组织的影响

甾醇是植物体内的重要次生物质,具有多种生物活性。为探明植物甾醇类物质对害虫的作用机理,采用叶碟饲喂法进行取食处理后研究了苍耳Xanthium sibiricum中分离纯化的甾醇类组分（甾醇A和甾醇B）对4龄菜青虫Pieris rapae的取食、酶活性以及中肠组织的影响。结果表明： 苍耳甾醇类组分甾醇A和甾醇B能明显抑制菜青虫的取食,拒食中浓度AFC50分别为0.0229 和0.0147 mg/mL;同时,显著降低菜青虫中肠蛋白酶、淀粉酶和羧酸酯酶活性,其中,甾醇B的作用效果较强,处理后24 h和36 h, 对蛋白酶活性抑制率分别为23.74%和58.59%,对中肠羧酸酯酶的活性抑制率分别为49.01%和83.03%;降低血淋巴蛋白质含量,诱导菜青虫血淋巴羧酸酯酶活性的提高;破坏昆虫中肠上皮组织,微杆模糊不清呈消融状,杯状细胞的杯腔基部微绒毛消失。这些结果说明苍耳甾醇类物质对菜青虫的取食抑制可能与对中肠消化酶活性的抑制以及对中肠上皮组织的破坏有关,植物甾醇组分的不同配比影响其对昆虫的作用效果。     

与小鼠胚胎发育相关新基因0610038D11Rik的研究

目的:初步分析与小鼠胚胎发育相关的新基因0610038D11Rik表达模式及生物学功能.方法:采用RT-PCR,全胚胎原位杂交和Northern Blotting技术对该基因进行表达谱分析;细胞免疫染色对其进行细胞结构定位.结果:全胚胎原位杂交结果显示0610038D11Rik在胚胎E9.5的端脑、间脑、菱脑和听泡处有较强的信号.随着神经管逐渐关闭,胚胎E10.5在背部神经嵴,神经管区也出现表达信号.E11.5时除了在上述部位表达外,心脏部位也检测到较弱的信号.RT-PCR和Northern Blot实验发现该基因在小鼠胚胎发育直至出生后均有持续性分布,并且在发育中后期的脑、心脏、肺、肾、肝脏,肌肉和舌等多种重要脏器广泛表达.细胞定位表明其主要集中在核内和细胞质中.结论:0610038D11Rik基因在小鼠的脑神经系统和多器官表达,提示该新基因可能在这些组织的发育过程中发挥重要的作用.     

Identification and Epigenetic Analysis of a Maternally Imprinted Gene Qpct

Most imprinted genes are concerned with embryonic development, especially placental development. Here, we identified a placenta-specific imprinted gene Qpct. Our results show that Qpct is widely expressed during early embryonic development and can be detected in the telecephalon, midbrain, and rhombencephalon at E9.5–E11.5. Moreover, Qpct is strikingly expressed in the brain, lung and liver in E15.5. Expression signals for Qpct achieved a peak at E15.5 during placental development and were only detected in the labyrinth layer in E15.5 placenta. ChIP assay results suggest that the modification of histone H3K4me3 can result in maternal activating of Qpct.