Responses of plant 15N natural abundance and isotopic fractionation to N addition reflect the N status of a temperate steppe in China

Aims Elevated anthropogenic nitrogen (N) deposition could alter N status in temperate steppe. However, threshold observations of N status change from N limit to N saturation by far are not conclusive in these ecosystems. Research on the natural abundance of¹⁵N (δ¹⁵N) could greatly help provide integrated information about ecosystem N status. The goal of this study was to investigate the suitability of measurements of δ¹⁵N of major ecosystem N pools and several key species, plant¹⁵N fractionation, together with key vegetation and soil indicators in response to N fertilization as a tool to identify the N status in a temperate steppe in Inner Mongolia.     

Loss of Core 1-derived O-Glycans Decreases Breast Cancer Development in Mice

Mucin-type core 1-derived O-glycans, one of the major types of O-glycans, are highly expressed in mammary gland epithelium. Abnormal O-glycans such as Tn antigen are found in over 90% of breast cancers; however, the in vivo role of these aberrant O-glycans in the etiology of breast cancer is unclear. We generated mice with mammary epithelial specific deletion of core 1-derived O-glycans. By crossing with two spontaneous mouse breast cancer models, we determined that loss of core 1-derived O-glycans delays the onset and progression of breast cancer development. Deficiency of core 1 O-glycosylation impaired the localization of Muc1, a major O-glycoprotein, on the apical surfaces of mammary epithelium. Signaling mediated by Muc1, which is critical for breast cancer development, was also defective in the absence of core 1 O-glycans. This study reveals an unexpected role of core 1-derived O-glycans in breast cancer development in mice.     

家蚕let-7 microRNA靶基因Bmlin-41的克隆表达与调控

异时性基因调控细胞增殖和个体发育阶段的转换。家蚕异时性基因在家蚕变态发育过程中也很可能具有重要的调控作用,但它们的表达模式、生物学功能以及与micro RNA之间的关系却鲜有报道。本研究首先利用果蝇同源基因lin-41搜索家蚕基因组数据库中相似序列,设计引物扩增Bmlin-41的编码序列,克隆了家蚕Bmlin-41基因CDS,其长度为2 166 bp,编码721个氨基酸,含有B-box和NHL结构域;随后,利用RT-PCR、q PCR技术并结合已有的家蚕全基因组芯片数据研究了Bmlin-41在家蚕中的时空表达模式,发现Bmlin-41在从家蚕胚胎到成虫的发育过程中呈逐渐递增的表达趋势,在五龄3 d不同组织中,于卵巢里表达量最高,精巢和中肠次之,而其余组织中低量表达或不表达;最后,利用3′RACE克隆了Bmlin-41基因的3′UTR,全长1 434 bp,用在线软件RNAhybrid预测发现Bmlin-41的3′UTR上存在bmo-let-7靶位点,构建了含Bmlin-41 3′UTR的双荧光素酶报告基因载体,在S2细胞上共转染Bmlin-41 3′UTR和bmo-let-7的模拟物(Mimics)和拮抗剂(Antagomir),bmo-let-7 mimics显著下调Bmlin-41,bmo-let-7 antagomir显著上调Bmlin-41,证实了Bmlin-41是bmo-let-7的靶基因。以上研究结果为深入研究let-7 mi RNA和Bmlin-41的功能,揭示Bmlin-41和bmo-let-7在家蚕变态发育过程中的调控关系提供了新的线索。     

Generation of “Virtual” Control Groups for Single Arm Prostate Cancer Adjuvant Trials

It is difficult to construct a control group for trials of adjuvant therapy (Rx) of prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy (RP) due to ethical issues and patient acceptance. We utilized 8 curve-fitting models to estimate the time to 60%, 65%, … 95% chance of progression free survival (PFS) based on the data derived from Kattan post-RP nomogram. The 8 models were systematically applied to a training set of 153 post-RP cases without adjuvant Rx to develop 8 subsets of cases (reference case sets) whose observed PFS times were most accurately predicted by each model. To prepare a virtual control group for a single-arm adjuvant Rx trial, we first select the optimal model for the trial cases based on the minimum weighted Euclidean distance between the trial case set and the reference case set in terms of clinical features, and then compare the virtual PFS times calculated by the optimum model with the observed PFSs of the trial cases by the logrank test. The method was validated using an independent dataset of 155 post-RP patients without adjuvant Rx. We then applied the method to patients on a Phase II trial of adjuvant chemo-hormonal Rx post RP, which indicated that the adjuvant Rx is highly effective in prolonging PFS after RP in patients at high risk for prostate cancer recurrence. The method can accurately generate control groups for single-arm, post-RP adjuvant Rx trials for prostate cancer, facilitating development of new therapeutic strategies.