Genome-wide QTL mapping of saltwater tolerance in sibling species of Anopheles (malaria vector) mosquitoes

Although freshwater (FW) is the ancestral habitat for larval mosquitoes, multiple species independently evolved the ability to survive in saltwater (SW). Here, we use quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping to investigate the genetic architecture of osmoregulation in Anopheles mosquitoes, vectors of human malaria. We analyzed 1134 backcross progeny from a cross between the obligate FW species An. coluzzii, and its closely related euryhaline sibling species An. merus. Tests of 2387 markers with Bayesian interval mapping and machine learning (random forests) yielded six genomic regions associated with SW tolerance. Overlap in QTL regions from both approaches enhances confidence in QTL identification. Evidence exists for synergistic as well as disruptive epistasis among loci. Intriguingly, one QTL region containing ion transporters spans the 2Rop chromosomal inversion that distinguishes these species. Rather than a simple trait controlled by one or a few loci, our data are most consistent with a complex, polygenic mode of inheritance.     

Functional Characterization of Hevea brasiliensis CRT/DRE Binding Factor 1 Gene Revealed Regulation Potential in the CBF Pathway of Tropical Perennial Tree

Rubber trees (Hevea brasiliensis) are susceptible to low temperature and therefore are only planted in the tropical regions. In the past few decades, although rubber trees have been successfully planted in the northern margin of tropical area in China, they suffered from cold injury during the winter. To understand the physiological response under cold stress, we isolated a C-repeat binding factor 1 (CBF1) gene from the rubber tree. This gene (HbCBF1) was found to respond to cold stress but not drought or ABA stress. The corresponding HbCBF1 protein showed CRT/DRE binding activity in gel shift experiment. To further characterize its molecular function, the HbCBF1 gene was overexpressed in Arabidopsis. The HbCBF1 over expression (OE) line showed enhanced cold resistance and relatively slow dehydration, and the expression of Arabidopsis CBF pathway downstream target genes, e.g. AtCOR15a and AtRD29a, were significantly activated under non-acclimation condition. These data suggest HbCBF1 gene is a functional member of the CBF gene family, and may play important regulation function in rubber tree.     

Risk of Shingles in Adults with Primary Sjogren’s Syndrome and Treatments: A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study

Background

Primary Sjögren''s syndrome (pSS) is associated with immunological dysfunctions—a well-known risk factor of shingles. This study aimed to examine the incidence and risk of shingles in adults with pSS and pharmacological treatments.

Methods

This retrospective population-based cohort study was conducted using National Health Insurance claims data. Using propensity scores, 4,287 pSS adult patients and 25,722-matched cohorts by age, gender, selected comorbidities and Charlson comorbidity index scores were identified. Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression were conducted to compare the differences in developing shingles. In pSS, oral and eye dryness are treated with substitute agents. Extraglandular features are often treated with pharmacological drugs including steroids and immunosuppressants. pSS patients were grouped as follows: no pharmacological drugs, steroids alone; immunosuppressants alone; combined therapies.

Results

During the follow-up, 463 adults with pSS (10.80%) and 1,345 control cohorts (5.23%) developed shingles. The cumulative incidence of shingles in pSS patients (18.74/1,000 patient-years) was significantly higher than controls (8.55/1,000 patient-years). The adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of shingles was 1.69 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.50–1.90). In age-subgroup analyses, incidences of shingles in pSS increased with age and peaked in pSS patients aged ≧60; however, adjusted HRs decreased with age. Compared to control cohorts with no drugs, adjusted HRs for shingles in pSS patients were ranked from high to low as: combined therapies (4.14; 95% CI 3.14–5.45) > immunosuppressants alone (3.24; 95% CI 2.36–4.45) > steroids alone (2.54; 95% CI 2.16–2.97) > no pharmacological drugs (2.06; 95% CI 1.76–2.41). Rates of shingles-associated hospitalization and postherpetic neuralgia were 5.62% and 24.41%, both of which were significantly higher than those (2.60%; 13.01%) in the control cohorts.

Conclusions

Adults with pSS were at greater risk for shingles than control cohorts. Drug exposures significantly increased the risk of shingles in pSS.     

Impaired Autophagy in Adult Bone Marrow CD34+ Cells of Patients with Aplastic Anemia: Possible Pathogenic Significance

Aplastic anemia (AA) is a bone marrow failure syndrome that is caused largely by profound quantitative and qualitative defects of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells. However, the mechanisms underlying these defects remain unclear. Under conditions of stress, autophagy acts as a protective mechanism for cells. We therefore postulated that autophagy in CD34⁺ hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) from AA patients might be impaired and play a role in the pathogenesis of AA. To test this hypothesis, we tested autophagy in CD34⁺ cells from AA samples and healthy controls and investigated the effect of autophagy on the survival of adult human bone marrow CD34⁺ cells. We found that the level of autophagy in CD34⁺ cells from AA patients was significantly lower than in age/sex-matched healthy controls, and lower in cases of severe AA than in those with non-severe AA. Autophagy in CD34⁺ cells improved upon amelioration of AA but, compared to healthy controls, was still significantly reduced even in AA patients who had achieved a complete, long-term response. We also showed that although the basal autophagy in CD34⁺ cells was low, the autophagic response of CD34⁺ cells to “adversity” was rapid. Finally, impaired autophagy resulted in reduced differentiation and proliferation of CD34⁺ cells and sensitized them to death and apoptosis. Thus, our results confirm that autophagy in CD34⁺ cells from AA patients is impaired, that autophagy is required for the survival of CD34⁺ cells, and that impaired autophagy in CD34⁺ HPCs may play an important role in the pathogenesis of AA.     

Association of PDE4B Polymorphisms with Susceptibility to Schizophrenia: A Meta-Analysis of Case-Control Studies

Background

The PDE4B single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) have been reported to be associated with schizophrenia risk. However, current findings are ambiguous or even conflicting. To better facilitate the understanding the genetic role played by PDE4B in susceptibility to schizophrenia, we collected currently available data and conducted this meta-analysis.

Methods

A comprehensive electronic literature searching of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library was performed. The association between PDE4B SNPs and schizophrenia was evaluated by odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) under allelic, dominant and recessive genetic models. The random effects model was utilized when high between-study heterogeneity (I² > 50%) existed, otherwise the fixed effects model was used.

Results

Five studies comprising 2376 schizophrenia patients and 3093 controls were finally included for meta-analysis. The rs1040716 was statistically significantly associated with schizophrenia risk in Asian and Caucasian populations under dominant model (OR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.76–0.99, P = 0.04). The rs2180335 was significantly related with schizophrenia risk in Asian populations under allelic (OR = 0.82, 95% CI: 0.72–0.93, P = 0.003) and dominant (OR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.64–0.88, P < 0.001) models. A significant association was also observed between rs4320761 and schizophrenia in Asian populations under allelic model (OR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.75–1.00, P = 0.048). In addition, a strong association tendency was found between rs6588190 and schizophrenia in Asian populations under allelic model (OR = 0.87, 95% CI: 0.76–1.00, P = 0.055).

Conclusion

This meta-analysis suggests that PDE4B SNPs are genetically associated with susceptibility to schizophrenia. However, due to limited sample size, more large-scale, multi-racial association studies are needed to further clarify the genetic association between various PDE4B variants and schizophrenia.     

Metabolism of 9-(1,3-dihydroxy-2-propoxymethyl)guanine, a new anti-herpes virus compound, in herpes simplex virus-infected cells

The metabolism of 9-(1,3-dihydroxy-2-propoxymethyl)guanine (DHPG), one of the most promising new anti-herpes virus compounds, in HeLa cells infected with herpes simplex virus type 1 was compared with that in the uninfected HeLa cells. In the virus-infected cells, the uptake of DHPG was enhanced and the major metabolites were found to be the mono-, di-, and triphosphate derivatives. The formation of these metabolites was dependent on the extracellular concentration of DHPG (0.5 to 5.0 microM). Virus-induced thymidine kinase was capable of phosphorylating DHPG to its monophosphate which could be further phosphorylated to the di- and triphosphate derivatives by the host cellular enzymes. Incorporation of the DHPG into DNA was observed in virus-infected cells. In contrast with 9-(2-hydroxyethoxymethyl)guanine, DHPG seemed not to serve as a chain terminator, but to be incorporated internally into DNA strands.     

根癌农杆菌对甘蓝型油菜的转化及转基因植株的再生

用根癌农杆菌（Ａｇｒｏｂａｃｔｅｒｉｕｍ ｔｕｍ ｅｆａｃｉｅｎｓ）共培养法把外源基因导入甘蓝型油菜（Ｂｒａｓｓｉ－ｃａ ｎａｐｕｓＬ．）主要栽培品种“云北２ 号”,获得转基因植株。所用外植体为带有１—２ ｍ ｍ 子叶柄的完整子叶,根癌农杆菌为Ａ２０８ＳＥ（ｐＴｉＴ３７－ＳＥ, ｐＲＯＡ９３）。Ｔｉ质粒ｐＲＯＡ９３ 带有ＮＰＴⅡ及ＧＵＳ嵌合基因。共培养２ 天后转到附加２５ ｍ ｇ／Ｌ卡那霉素的分化培养基（ＭＳ＋ ４．５ ｍ ｇ／ＬＢＡＰ）上。ＡｇＮＯ３ 和羧苄青霉素促进芽的分化,头孢霉素则有抑制作用。最高转化频率为２７％ 。把分化出的茎芽切下,插入含有２５ ｍ ｇ／Ｌ卡那霉素的生根培养基中。羧苄青霉素不利于根的形成。把完整抗性植株移入盛土壤的盆中,生长状况良好。测定β－葡糖苷酸酶活性,８４％ 明显高于对照。以ＮＰＴⅡ基因作探针进行Ｓｏｕｔｈｅｒｎ ｂｌｏｔ分析,证实外源基因已插入到植物细胞基因组中     

生物组织散射元平均间距估计的一种新方法

生物组织散射元平均间中划描述生物组织微观结构特性和生物组织超微散射特性的重要参数。本文在对生物组织超声背向散射随机模的基础上,提出了基于生物组织超声背向散射信号突变点检测的工用射元平均间距估计的新方法。该方法是生物组织超声散射分析的有效方法。     

甘露醇对Lowry法测定冻干注射用胸腺肽中多肽含量的影响

用Ｌｏｗｒｙ法测定冻干注射用胸腺肽中多肽含量时,由于冻干前所加赋形剂甘露醇的干扰,其测定结果明显偏高（Ｐ＜０．０００５）。本文经试验证明,用等量于检品中的甘露醇作空白对照,可以消除这种干扰。     

Ferroptosis in Cancer Progression: Role of Noncoding RNAs

Ferroptosis is a novel form of programmed cell death, and it is characterized by iron-dependent oxidative damage, lipid peroxidation and reactive oxygen species accumulation. Notable studies have revealed that ferroptosis plays vital roles in tumor occurrence and that abundant ferroptosis in cells can inhibit tumor progression. Recently, some noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), particularly microRNAs, long noncoding RNAs, and circular RNAs, have been shown to be involved in biological processes of ferroptosis, thus affecting cancer growth. However, the definite regulatory mechanism of this phenomenon is still unclear. To clarify this issue, increasing studies have focused on the regulatory roles of ncRNAs in the initiation and development of ferroptosis and the role of ferroptosis in progression of various cancers, such as lung, liver, and breast cancers. In this review, we systematically summarized the relationship between ferroptosis-associated ncRNAs and cancer progression. Moreover, additional evidence is needed to identify the role of ferroptosis-related ncRNAs in cancer progression. This review will help us to understand the roles of ncRNAs in ferroptosis and cancer progression and may provide new ideas for exploring novel diagnostic and therapeutic biomarkers for cancer in the future.