Role of proline and glycinebetaine pretreatments in improving heat tolerance of sprouting sugarcane (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Saccharum</Emphasis> sp.) buds

High temperature strongly hampers the plant growth particularly at early growth stages. In this study, changes in some physiological and anatomical characteristics and possibility of mitigating the adversities of heat stress by soaking sugarcane nodal buds in 20 mM proline and glycinebetaine (GB) solutions have been explored. Heat stress reduced the rate of bud sprouting nonetheless soaking the setts in proline followed by GB was beneficial. In addition, heat stress reduced the bud fresh and dry weights, generated H₂O₂, reduced the tissue levels of K⁺ and Ca²⁺, while increased the osmolytes synthesis in a time course manner. Heat stress also delayed the emergence and expansion of new bud leaves, by restricting the number and area of mesophyll cells. It also caused poor and aberrant development and diffused appearance of mesophyll cells and vascular bundles in the bud leaves. However, soaking of buds in proline and GB solutions substantially reduced the H₂O₂ production, improved the accumulation of soluble sugars and protected the developing tissues from heat stress effects; although proline was more effective than GB. Correlations of various attributes indicated that soaking in GB and proline restricted the H₂O₂ generation, improved K⁺ and Ca²⁺ contents, and increased the concentrations of free proline, GB and soluble sugars eventually improving the heat tolerance of buds. Cost-benefit analysis showed that, considering increase in sprouting of buds, soaking in 20 mM solution of both osmoprotectants is economical.     

Transit defect of potassium-chloride Co-transporter 3 is a major pathogenic mechanism in hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy with agenesis of the corpus callosum

Missense and protein-truncating mutations of the human potassium-chloride co-transporter 3 gene (KCC3) cause hereditary motor and sensory neuropathy with agenesis of the corpus callosum (HMSN/ACC), which is a severe neurodegenerative disease characterized by axonal dysfunction and neurodevelopmental defects. We previously reported that KCC3-truncating mutations disrupt brain-type creatine kinase-dependent activation of the co-transporter through the loss of its last 140 amino acids. Here, we report a novel and more distal HMSN/ACC-truncating mutation (3402C → T; R1134X) that eliminates only the last 17 residues of the protein. This small truncation disrupts the interaction with brain-type creatine kinase in mammalian cells but also affects plasma membrane localization of the mutant transporter. Although it is not truncated, the previously reported HMSN/ACC-causing 619C → T (R207C) missense mutation also leads to KCC3 loss of function in Xenopus oocyte flux assay. Immunodetection in Xenopus oocytes and in mammalian cultured cells revealed a decreased amount of R207C at the plasma membrane, with significant retention of the mutant proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum. In mammalian cells, curcumin partially corrected these mutant protein mislocalizations, with more protein reaching the plasma membrane. These findings suggest that mis-trafficking of mutant protein is an important pathophysiological feature of HMSN/ACC causative KCC3 mutations.     

Markers of atopic dermatitis,allergic rhinitis and bronchial asthma in pediatric patients: correlation with filaggrin,eosinophil major basic protein and immunoglobulin E

Background

Allergic reactions have been implicated as contributions in a number of atopic disorders, including atopic dermatitis (AD), allergic rhinitis (AR) and bronchial asthma (BA). However, the potential for filaggrin protein, eosinophil major basic protein (MBP) and immunoglobulin E (IgE) to elicit allergic response or to contribute to atopic disorders remains largely unexplored in pediatric patients. This study was undertaken to investigate the status and contribution of filaggrin protein, eosinophil MBP and total IgE in pediatric patients with AD, AR and BA.

Methods

Sera from 395 pediatric patients of AD, AR or BA with varying levels of disease activity according to the disease activity index and 410 age-matched non-atopic healthy controls were evaluated for serum levels of atopic markers, including filaggrin, eosinophil MBP and IgE.

Results

Serum analysis showed that filaggrin levels were remarkably high in pediatric patients with AD, followed by BA and AR, whereas its levels were low in non-atopic pediatric controls. Eosinophil MBP levels in sera of atopic patients were significantly high as compared with their respective controls, but its levels were highest in AR patients, followed by AD and BA. Total IgE in sera of AD patients was markedly high, followed by AR and BA patients, whereas its levels were low in non-atopic pediatric controls. Interestingly, not only was an increased number of subjects positive for filaggrin protein, eosinophil MBP or total IgE, but also their levels were statistically significantly higher among those atopic patients whose disease activity scores were higher as compared with atopic patients with lower disease activity scores.

Conclusions

These findings strongly support a role of filaggrin protein, eosinophil MBP and IgE in the onset of allergic reactions in pediatric patients with AD, AR and BA. The data suggest that filaggrin, eosinophil MBP or IgE might be useful in evaluating the progression of AD, AR or BA and in elucidating the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of these pediatric disorders.

     

Persistence of antipredator behavior in an island population of California quail

Island populations may provide unique insights into the evolution and persistence of antipredator behavior. If antipredator behavior is costly and islands have reduced predation risk, then we expect the reduction or loss of antipredator behavior on islands. However, if even a single predator remains, the multipredator hypothesis predicts that antipredator behaviors will be conserved. We compared the flight initiation distances (FID) of California quail (Callipepla californica) on Santa Catalina Island (a location with reduced predation pressure) with quail on the mainland. We found no differences in FID between mainland and island quail. However, despite employing consistent testing methods, the starting distance from which quail were approached was significantly reduced for quail studied on the island when compared with quail studied on the mainland. Our results are consistent with the multipredator hypothesis because, while the island population had substantially fewer predators, some predators remained and some antipredator behavior persisted.     

In vivo growth conditions suppress the expression of ganglioside GM2 and favour that of lacto series gangliosides in the human glioma D-54MG cell line

The human glioma D-54MG cell line grownin vitro primarily expresses ganglio series gangliosides, particularly GM2. Subcutaneous injection of these cells into nude mice produced xenografts with an increased content of the human glioma-associated lacto series gangliosides, primarily 3-isoLM1, an alteration that was dose dependent, with the highest dose (1×10⁸) resulting in a phenotype that was most like that of the inoculum. After one passagein vivo, the lacto series dominated and reached a proportional level that was kept throughout the 10 passages. The mRNA levels of the GM2-synthase clearly coincided with GM2 expression and was 20 times higher in cells grownin vitro than in those grownin vivo. These results support the view that ganglioside expression in human gliomas is strongly influenced by environmental factors. Abbreviations: The gangliosides have been designated according to Svennerholm (Eur J Biochem (1977)79: 11–21) GM3, II³NeuAc-LacCer; GM2, II³NeuAc-GgOse₃Cer; GM1, II³NeuAc-GgOse₄Cer; GD3, II³(NeuAc)₂-LacCer; GD2, II³(NeuAc)₂-GgOse₃Cer; GD1a, IV³NeuAc, II³NeuAc-GgOse₄Cer; GD1b, II³(NeuAc)₂-GgOse₄Cer; GT1b, IV³NeuAc, II³(NeuAc)₂-GgOse₄Cer; 3-LM1, IV³NeuAc-nLcOse₄Cer; 3-isoLM1, IV³NeuAc-LcOse₄Cer; 3,6-isoLD1, IV³NeuAc, III⁶NeuAc-LcOse₄Cer; 38-LM1, IV³(NeuAc)₂-nLcOse₄Cer. MAb(s), monoclonal antibody (ies); the designation LM1 is used when both 3-isoLM1 and 3-LM1 and LD1, when both 36-isoLD1 and 38-LD1 are included.     

Variation in temperature and light but not salinity invokes antioxidant enzyme activities in germinating seeds of Salsola drummondii

Seeds with efficient antioxidant defence system show higher germination under stress conditions; however, such information is limited for the halophyte seeds. We therefore studied lipid peroxidation and antioxidant responses of a leaf-succulent halophyte Salsola drummondii during seed germination under different salinity levels (0, 200 and 800 mM NaCl), temperature (10/20, 20/30 and 25/35°C) and light regimes. Seeds absorbed water and germinated in less than 1 h in non-saline control while increases in salinity decreased the rate of water uptake as well as seed germination. Non-optimal temperatures (10/20 and 25/35°C) and complete dark condition reduced seed germination in comparison to those seeds germinated under optimal temperature (20/30°C) and 12-h photoperiod, respectively. Generally, higher lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme activities were observed in seeds at non-optimal temperature and in those seeds germinated in dark. Decrease in reduced ascorbic acid content was found in highest salinity and temperature treatments, while reduced glutathione content did not change significantly with changes in salinity, temperature and light regimes. These results indicate variation in temperature and light but not salinity enhances antioxidant enzyme activities in germinating seeds of Salsola drummondii.     

The Toll-Like Receptor 4 (TLR4) Variant rs2149356 and Risk of Gout in European and Polynesian Sample Sets

Deposition of crystallized monosodium urate (MSU) in joints as a result of hyperuricemia is a central risk factor for gout. However other factors must exist that control the progression from hyperuricaemia to gout. A previous genetic association study has implicated the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) which activates the NLRP3 inflammasome via the nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway upon stimulation by MSU crystals. The T-allele of single nucleotide polymorphism rs2149356 in TLR4 is a risk factor associated with gout in a Chinese study. Our aim was to replicate this observation in participants of European and New Zealand Polynesian (Māori and Pacific) ancestry. A total of 2250 clinically-ascertained prevalent gout cases and 13925 controls were used. Non-clinically-ascertained incident gout cases and controls from the Health Professional Follow-up (HPFS) and Nurses Health Studies (NHS) were also used. Genotypes were derived from genome-wide genotype data or directly obtained using Taqman. Logistic regression analysis was done including age, sex, diuretic exposure and ancestry as covariates as appropriate. The T-allele increased the risk of gout in the clinically-ascertained European samples (OR = 1.12, P = 0.012) and decreased the risk of gout in Polynesians (OR = 0.80, P = 0.011). There was no evidence for association in the HPFS or NHS sample sets. In conclusion TLR4 SNP rs2143956 associates with gout risk in prevalent clinically-ascertained gout in Europeans, in a direction consistent with previously published results in Han Chinese. However, with an opposite direction of association in Polynesians and no evidence for association in a non-clinically-ascertained incident gout cohort this variant should be analysed in other international gout genetic data sets to determine if there is genuine evidence for association.