Plasma lncRNA LOC338963 and mRNA AP3B2 are upregulated in paraneoplastic Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome

INTRODUCTION/AIMS

Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome (LEMS) is an autoimmune neuromuscular junction disorder. Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) can regulate the expression of mRNA and is involved in the development of autoimmune diseases, but few genetic studies are available. In this study we aimed to explore the lncRNA and mRNA changes of LEMS.

METHODS

Plasma lncRNA and mRNA expression profiles of three LEMS patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and three matched healthy controls were analyzed by microarray. Differentially expressed lncRNAs and adjacent mRNAs were jointly analyzed, and candidates were verified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The identified genes were subsequently evaluated in 9, 8, and 4 patients with paraneoplastic LEMS, nontumor LEMS, and SCLC, respectively. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were performed to determine possible functions.

RESULTS

A total of 320 lncRNA and 168 mRNAs were differentially expressed in the three LEMS with SCLC and compared with healthy controls. Among these, lncRNA LOC338963 and its neighboring mRNA AP3B2 were upregulated jointly, which was confirmed by qRT-PCR. qRT-PCR revealed significant upregulation of the two genes in patients with paraneoplastic LEMS compared with nontumor LEMS or SCLC. GO analysis of AP3B2 identified the enrichment terms anterograde synaptic vesicle transport and establishment of synaptic vesicle localization. KEEG analysis showed that AP3B2 was enriched in lysosomal pathways.

DISCUSSION

LOC338963 and AP3B2 were upregulated in patients with paraneoplastic LEMS, suggesting their involvement in pathogenesis. These genes could be targets for exploring the pathomechanism of paraneoplastic LEMS.

[Multimodal Magnetic Resonance and Fluorescence Imaging of the Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Transplantation in the Brain]

The understanding of the engrafted cell behaviors such as the survival, growth and distribution is the prerequisite to optimize cell therapy, and a multimodal imaging at both anatomical and molecular levels is designed to achieve this goal. We constructed a lentiviral vector carrying genes of ferritin heavy chain 1 (FTH1), near-infrared fluorescent protein (iRFP) and enhanced green fluorescent protein (egfp), and established the induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) culture stably expressing these three reporter genes. These iPSCs showed green and near-infrared fluorescence as well as the iron uptake capacity in vitro. After transplanted the labeled iPSCs into the rat brain, the engrafted cells could be in vivo imaged using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and near-infrared fluorescent imaging (NIF) up to 60 days at the anatomical level. Moreover, these cells could be detected using EGFP immunostaining and Prussian blue stain at the cellular level. The developed approach provides a novel tool to study behaviors of the transplanted cells in a multi-modal way, which will be valuable for the effectiveness and safety evaluation of cell therapy.

Assessment of the mental workload of trainee pilots of remotely operated aircraft using functional near-infrared spectroscopy

Background

Operating an aircraft is associated with a large mental workload; however, knowledge of the mental workload of ROV operators is limited. The purpose of this study was to establish a digital system for assessing the mental workload of remotely operated vehicle (ROV) operators using hemodynamic parameters, and compare results of different groups with different experience levels.

Method

Forty-one trainee pilots performed flight tasks once daily for 5 consecutive days in a flight simulation. Forty-five pilots experienced pilots and 68 experienced drivers were also included. Hemodynamic responses were measured by functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS).

Results

The median duration of peak oxyhemoglobin was 147.13 s (interquartile range [IQR] 21.97, 401.70 s) in the left brain and 180.74 s (IQR 34.37, 432.01 s) in the right brain in the experienced pilot group, and 184.42 s (IQR 3.41, 451.81 s) on day 5 in the left brain and 160.30 s (IQR 2.62, 528.20 s) in the right brain in the trainee group.

Conclusion

Navigation training reduces peak oxyhemoglobin duration, and may potentially be used as a surrogate marker for mental workload of ROV operators. Peak oxyhemoglobin concentration during s task may allow development of a simplified scheme for optimizing flight performance based on the mental workload of a pilot.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12883-022-02683-5.

[Methylation of p16 gene and reduced expression of p16 protein in insulinoma associated with clinicopathological features]

Objective: To study the alterations of p16 gene and its expression in insulinoma and to correlate the findings with clinicopathological characteristics. Methods: Expression of p16 protein was detected in 72 insulinomas and 49 para-tumoral or normal pancreatic tissues by immunohistochemical staining. Genomic DNA was isolated from 32 tumor tissue and 17 paired pancreatic tissues and bisulfite-modified. Promoter methylation status of p16 gene was detected in 32 tumor tissue and 17 paired pancreatic tissues by methylation specific PCR. The findings were correlated with the clinicopathological features. Results: There were 30 males and 42 females in all 72 patients, aged (46.5±14.0) years. Loss or reduced expression of p16 protein was found in 42 of 72 insulinomas (58.3%) while loss or reduced expression of p16 was seen in only 34.7% (17/49) of para-tumoral or normal pancreatic tissues (χ²=6.52, P=0.011). Promoter methylation of p16 gene was found in 13 of 32 insulinomas (40.6%) and only 2 of 17 (11.8%) para-tumoral tissues (χ²=4.35, P=0.037). The expression of p16 protein in insulinoma was not associated with clinicopathological features such as gender, age, tumor size and tumor grade. Conclusions: Loss or reduced expression of p16 protein was found in insulinomas, and associated with p16 gene promoter methylation.

Abnormalities in resting-state EEG microstates are a vulnerability marker of migraine

Background

Resting-state EEG microstates are thought to reflect brief activations of several interacting components of resting-state brain networks. Surprisingly, we still know little about the role of these microstates in migraine. In the present study, we attempted to address this issue by examining EEG microstates in patients with migraine without aura (MwoA) during the interictal period and comparing them with those of a group of healthy controls (HC).

Methods

Resting-state EEG was recorded in 61 MwoA patients (50 females) and 66 HC (50 females). Microstate parameters were compared between the two groups. We computed four widely identified canonical microstate classes A-D.

Results

Microstate classes B and D displayed higher time coverage and occurrence in the MwoA patient group than in the HC group, while microstate class C exhibited significantly lower time coverage and occurrence in the MwoA patient group. Meanwhile, the mean duration of microstate class C was significantly shorter in the MwoA patient group than in the HC group. Moreover, among the MwoA patient group, the duration of microstate class C correlated negatively with clinical measures of headache-related disability as assessed by the six-item Headache Impact Test (HIT-6). Finally, microstate syntax analysis showed significant differences in transition probabilities between the two groups, primarily involving microstate classes B, C, and D.

Conclusions

By exploring EEG microstate characteristics at baseline we were able to explore the neurobiological mechanisms underlying altered cortical excitability and aberrant sensory, affective, and cognitive processing, thus deepening our understanding of migraine pathophysiology.

Generation of induced pluripotent stem cell line (FMCPGHi001-A) from a 25-year-old Chinese Han healthy male donor

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were donated by a healthy 25-year-old Han Chinese man and reprogrammed with human transcription factors (Oct4, Sox2, Klf4, and c-Myc) using CytoTune™-iPS 2.0 Sendai Reprogramming Kit. The pluripotency was confirmed by pluripotency markers. The iPSC lines could be differentiated into three germ layers and be used as a control in drug development and studies on pathological mechanisms.

Exosomes derived from stem cells from the apical papilla alleviate inflammation in rat pulpitis by upregulating regulatory T cells

AIM

To evaluate the effects of exosomes derived from stem cells from the apical papilla (SCAP-Exos) in rats with experimentally induced pulpitis and the effects of SCAP-Exos on the conversion of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and methylation status of the Foxp3 locus in Tregs in vitro.

METHODOLOGY

SCAP-Exos were isolated and identified using transmission electron microscopy, western blotting, and nanoparticle tracking analysis. Lipopolysaccharide was used to experimentally induced pulpitis in rats, and the effects of SCAP-Exos on the rats with pulpitis were detected using haematoxylin-eosin staining and immunofluorescence staining. CD4+CD25- T cells were treated with different doses of SCAP-Exos, and flow cytometric analysis was used to assess the effects of SCAP-Exos on Treg proliferation and conversion. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to evaluate the expression of interleukin 10 (IL-10). MethylTarget^® technology was used to measure the methylation level of the Foxp3 locus in T cells. The expression levels of ten-eleven-translocation (Tet) 1, Tet2, and Tet3 in T cells were detected by real-time PCR and western blotting.

RESULTS

SCAP-Exos had an elliptical vesicle-like structure with a diameter of approximately 143.7 nm and expressed the exosomal markers Alix and CD9. SCAP-Exo administration increased Treg accumulation in the inflamed dental pulp and alleviated inflammation in the dental pulp in vivo. SCAP-Exos promoted Treg conversion in vitro. Mechanistically, SCAP-Exos promoted Tet2-mediated Foxp3 demethylation to maintain the stable expression of Foxp3.

CONCLUSIONS

SCAP-Exos promoted Treg conversion and effectively alleviated inflammation in the dental pulp of rats. This study shows that SCAP-Exos can regulate the local immune microenvironment to favour tissue regeneration, thus providing a potential novel strategy utilising SCAP-Exos as a cell-free approach to treat early inflammation of dental pulp in immature permanent teeth in the clinic.

Multimodal Magnetic Resonance and Fluorescence Imaging of the Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell Transplantation in the Brain

Abstract

The understanding of the engrafted cell behaviors such as the survival, growth and distribution is the prerequisite to optimize cell therapy, and a multimodal imaging at both anatomical and molecular levels is designed to achieve this goal. We constructed a lentiviral vector carrying genes of ferritin heavy chain 1 (FTH1), near-infrared fluorescent protein (iRFP) and enhanced green fluorescent protein (egfp), and established the induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) culture stably expressing these three reporter genes. These iPSCs showed green and near-infrared fluorescence as well as the iron uptake capacity in vitro. After transplanted the labeled iPSCs into the rat brain, the engrafted cells could be in vivo imaged using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and near-infrared fluorescent imaging (NIF) up to 60 days at the anatomical level. Moreover, these cells could be detected using EGFP immunostaining and Prussian blue stain at the cellular level. The developed approach provides a novel tool to study behaviors of the transplanted cells in a multimodal way, which will be valuable for the effectiveness and safety evaluation of cell therapy.

Effect of P-glycoprotein Inhibition on the Penetration of Ceftriaxone Across the Blood-Brain Barrier

Recent studies indicate that inhibition of the efflux transporter P-glycoprotein (P-gp) at the blood-brain barrier (BBB) may represent a putative strategy to increase the BBB penetration of several antibiotics. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the effect of P-gp inhibition on the transport of ceftriaxone (CFX) across the BBB. Blood and brain microdialysis in rats was used to monitor blood and brain unbound CFX concentrations following intravenous administration (50 mg/kg), with or without pretreatment with one of the P-gp inhibitors, cyclosporin A (6.25, 12.5, 25 mg/kg) or verapamil (5, 10, 20 mg/kg). An inhibitory effect was demonstrated by an increase in the ratio of unbound brain to unbound blood concentration (Kp.uu.brain) of CFX. The concentrations of CFX in blood and brain from 0 to 180 min after intravenous administration (CFX, 50 mg/kg) ranged from 3 to 40 μg/ml and 1 to 10 μg/ml, respectively. The Kp.uu.brain of CFX was 24.74 ± 1.34%. Pretreatment with cyclosporin A increased the brain concentration and the Kp.uu.brain of CFX in a dose-dependent manner. However, pretreatment with verapamil increased the brain concentration of CFX but not the Kp.uu.brain. The present data shows that CFX might be a substrate of P-gp efflux transporter at the BBB and P-gp inhibition might enhance the brain concentration of CFX. Future studies involving more selective P-gp inhibitors or knockout mouse models should be conducted to specifically elucidate the impact of P-gp inhibition on penetration of CFX across the BBB.

Acyclovir Brain Disposition: Interactions with P-gp, Bcrp, Mrp2, and Oat3 at the Blood-Brain Barrier

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Acyclovir is effective in treating herpes simplex virus infections of the central nervous system. The purpose of this study was to investigate the interactions between acyclovir and the efflux pumps P-glycoprotein (P-gp), breast cancer resistance protein (Bcrp), multidrug resistance protein 2 (Mrp2), and organic anion transporter 3 (Oat3) at the blood-brain barrier (BBB).

METHODS

Acyclovir concentrations in the blood and brain were evaluated by microdialysis and high-performance liquid chromatography. Acyclovir pharmacokinetic parameters, including the area under the unbound blood concentration-time curve (AUCu,blood), the area under the unbound brain concentration-time curve (AUCu,brain), and the ratio of AUCu,brain to AUCu,blood (Kp.uu.brain), were evaluated in the presence and absence of elacridar (P-gp/Bcrp inhibitor, 7.5 mg/kg), tariquidar (P-gp/Bcrp inhibitor, 7.5 mg/kg), MK571 (Mrp2 inhibitor, 7.5 mg/kg), cyclosporine (P-gp/Bcrp/Mrp2 inhibitor, 25 mg/kg), and probenecid (Oat3 inhibitor, 50 mg/kg).

RESULTS

The average AUCu,blood, AUCu,brain, and Kp.uu.brain in rats who received acyclovir (25 mg/kg, intravenous) alone were 1377.7 min · μg/ml, 435.4 min · μg/ml, and 31.6%, respectively. Probenecid drastically increased the AUCu,blood of acyclovir 1.73-fold, whereas coadministration with elacridar, tariquidar, MK571, and cyclosporine did not alter the blood pharmacokinetic parameters of acyclovir. Elacridar, tariquidar, MK571, cyclosporine, and probenecid significantly increased the AUCu,brain of acyclovir 1.51-, 1.54-, 1.47-, 1.95-, and 2.34-fold, respectively. Additionally, the Kp.uu.brain of acyclovir markedly increased 1.48-, 1.63-, 1.39-, 1.90-, and 1.35-fold following elacridar, tariquidar, MK571, cyclosporine, and probenecid administration, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The present study demonstrated that P-gp, Bcrp, Mrp2, and Oat3 inhibition increased the penetration of acyclovir across the BBB, supporting the hypothesis that these efflux pumps restrict the distribution of acyclovir in the brain.

A high-carbohydrate diet lowers the rate of adipose tissue mitochondrial respiration

Adipocyte mitochondrial respiration may influence metabolic fuel partitioning into oxidation versus storage, with implications for whole-body energy expenditure. Although insulin has been shown to influence mitochondrial respiration, the effects of dietary macronutrient composition have not been well characterized. The aim of this exploratory study was to test the hypothesis that a high-carbohydrate diet lowers the oxygen flux of adipocyte mitochondria ex vivo. Among participants in a randomized-controlled weight-loss maintenance feeding trial, those consuming a high-carbohydrate diet (60% carbohydrate as a proportion of total energy, n = 10) had lower rates of maximal adipose tissue mitochondrial respiration than those consuming a moderate-carbohydrate diet (40%, n = 8, p = 0.039) or a low-carbohydrate diet (20%, n = 9, p = 0.005) after 10 to 15 weeks. This preliminary finding may provide a mechanism for postulated calorie-independent effects of dietary composition on energy expenditure and fat deposition, potentially through the actions of insulin on fuel partitioning.

Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease associated with a T188K homozygous mutation in the prion protein gene: a case report and review of the literature

Genetic Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (gCJD) is a prion disease caused by mutations in the prion protein gene (PRNP). It has an autosomal dominant inheritance, so gCJD with homozygous mutations is extremely rare, and the influence of homozygous mutations on the gCJD phenotype is unknown. We describe the clinical and laboratory features of a patient with a PRNP T188K homozygous mutation and perform a literature review of gCJD cases with PRNP homozygous mutations. The patient was presented with cerebellum symptoms, cognitive decline and visual disturbances. Auxiliary examinations revealed restricted diffusion in magnetic resonance imaging and glucose hypometabolism on ¹⁸Fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography. No periodic sharp wave complexes were detected in electroencephalography, and the cerebrospinal fluid 14-3-3 protein was negative. PRNP sequencing revealed the presence of a homozygous T188K variant. The patient died 15 months after disease onset. A literature review revealed PRNP V203I, E200K and E200D as the only three mutations reported as homozygous in gCJD. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a gCJD patient with a PRNP T188K homozygous mutation. Although the clinical manifestations of our patient were similar to those with PRNP T188K heterozygous mutations, she presented with a slightly earlier onset and had a longer survival time. This is consistent with previous observations from patients with PRNP V203I and E200K homozygous mutations. Further studies are essential to clarify the influence of homozygous mutations on the gCJD phenotype.

Search for Relativistic Magnetic Monopoles with Eight Years of IceCube Data

We present an all-sky 90% confidence level upper limit on the cosmic flux of relativistic magnetic monopoles using 2886 days of IceCube data. The analysis was optimized for monopole speeds between 0.750c and 0.995c, without any explicit restriction on the monopole mass. We constrain the flux of relativistic cosmic magnetic monopoles to a level below 2.0×10^{-19}  cm^{-2} s^{-1} sr^{-1} over the majority of the targeted speed range. This result constitutes the most strict upper limit to date for magnetic monopoles with β≳0.8 and up to β∼0.995 and fills the gap between existing limits on the cosmic flux of nonrelativistic and ultrarelativistic magnetic monopoles.

The applicability research of the diagnostic criteria for 6.7.2 angiography headache in the international classification of headache disorders-3rd edition

Background

Angiography headache (AH) is common but not negligible, and the criteria for AH have been based on only a few studies. The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence, risk factors and possible mechanism of AH and reappraise the diagnostic criteria for AH in the International Classification of Headache Disorders 3 (ICHD-3).

Methods

Two hundred and seventy-nine patients completed this prospective, non-randomized study, including 107 patients who underwent cerebral angiography, 101 patients who underwent coronary intervention and 71 patients who underwent extremities arterial intervention. Patients were followed up with questionnaires immediately after the procedure and 24 h, 72 h, 1 week and 2 weeks after the procedure.

Results

The incidence of headache was 22.4% (24/107) in cerebral angiography group, 23.8% (24/101) in coronary intervention group, and 16.9% (12/71) in extremities arterial intervention group. Headache still occurred in 12.1% (13/107), 14.9% (15/101) and 11.3% (8/71) of patients 24 h after the procedure in the three groups, respectively. Two types of headache were observed in cerebral angiography group and coronary intervention group, one during and one after the procedure, while only postoperative headache was observed in extremities arterial intervention group. Previous headache history was a risk factor for headache in the three groups (p = 0.003 in cerebral angiography group, p = 0.006 in coronary intervention group, and p = 0.016 in extremities arterial intervention group). In addition, female (p = 0.008) was a risk factor for cerebral angiography group. Headache characteristics were described in detail.

Conclusions

The diagnostic criteria for 6.7.2 angiography headache in ICHD-3 may miss a number of cerebral AH with onset later than 24 h after the procedure. Therefore, it is recommended to revise it according to the literature and further studies. The incidence of headache was high during and after angiography and interventional procedure. It was suggested that the definition of headache due to coronary intervention and headache due to extremities arterial intervention should be added in ICHD.

The increased iron deposition of the gray matter over the whole brain in chronic migraine: an exploratory quantitative susceptibility mapping study

Background

Prior studies identified iron deposition in deep brain nuclei and the periaqueductal gray matter region in chronic migraine, and less is known about the cerebral iron deposition over the whole cerebral gray matter in CM. The aim of this case–control study is to investigate the cerebral iron deposition of gray matter in CM using an advanced quantitative susceptibility mapping.

Methods

A multi-echo gradient echo MR sequence was used to obtain raw quantitative susceptibility mapping data from 12 CM patients and 18 normal controls and the quantitative susceptibility mapping were reconstructed. Three dimensional T1 images were segmented and the gray matter mask was generated to extract the susceptibility value of gray matter over the whole brain. The independent t test and receiver operating characteristic curve Receiver operating characteristics was used to investigate the iron deposition changes in CM patients.

Results

CM presented a higher susceptibility value (1.44 × 10⁻³ ppm) compared with NC group (0.47 × 10⁻³ ppm) (p < 0.0001) over the whole cerebral gray matter. There was no correlation between susceptibility value and the clinical variables including disease duration, Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Migraine Disability Assessment Scale (MIDAS), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA), Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores (p > 0.05). ROC analysis demonstrated the susceptibility had a high diagnostic efficacy (AUC 0.949, sensitivity 77.78% and specificity 100%) in distinguishing CM from NC.

Conclusion

CM patients had increased iron deposition in total cerebral gray matter which could be considered as a potential diagnostic and evaluated imaging biomarker in CM.

Quantification of bone marrow interstitial pH and calcium concentration by intravital ratiometric imaging

The fate of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) can be directed by microenvironmental factors including extracellular calcium ion concentration ([Ca2+]e), but the local [Ca2+]e around individual HSCs in vivo remains unknown. Here we develop intravital ratiometric analyses to quantify the absolute pH and [Ca2+]e in the mouse calvarial bone marrow, taking into account the pH sensitivity of the calcium probe and the wavelength-dependent optical loss through bone. Unexpectedly, the mean [Ca2+]e in the bone marrow (1.0 ± 0.54 mM) is not significantly different from the blood serum, but the HSCs are found in locations with elevated local [Ca2+]e (1.5 ± 0.57 mM). With aging, a significant increase in [Ca2+]e is found in M-type cavities that exclusively support clonal expansion of activated HSCs. This work thus establishes a tool to investigate [Ca2+]e and pH in the HSC niche with high spatial resolution and can be broadly applied to other tissue types.

Temporal characteristics of astrocytic activation in the TNC in a mice model of pain induced by recurrent dural infusion of inflammatory soup

Background

Astrocytic activation might play a significant role in the central sensitization of chronic migraine (CM). However, the temporal characteristics of the astrocytic activation in the trigeminal nucleus caudalis (TNC) and the molecular mechanism under the process remain not fully understood. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the duration and levels change of astrocytic activation and to explore the correlation between astrocytic activation and the levels change of cytokines release.

Methods

We used a mice model induced by recurrent dural infusion of inflammatory soup (IS). The variation with time of IS-induced mechanical thresholds in the periorbital and hind paw plantar regions were evaluated using the von Frey filaments test. We detected the expression profile of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in the TNC through immunofluorescence staining and western blot assay. We also investigated the variation with time of the transcriptional levels of GFAP and ionized calcium binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba1) through RNAscope in situ hybridization analysis. Then, we detected the variation with time of cytokines levels in the TNC tissue extraction and serum, including c-c motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2), c-c motif chemokine ligand 5 (CCL5), c-c motif chemokine ligand 7 (CCL7), c-c motif chemokine ligand 12 (CCL12), c-x-c motif chemokine ligand 1 (CXCL1), c-x-c motif chemokine ligand 13 (CXCL13), interferon gamma (IFN-γ), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF), interleukin 1beta (IL-1β), interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin 10 (IL-10), interleukin 17A (IL-17A).

Results

Recurrent IS infusion resulted in cutaneous allodynia in both the periorbital region and hind paw plantar, ranging from 5 d (after the second IS infusion) to 47 d (28 d after the last infusion) and 5 d to 26 d (7 d after the last infusion), respectively. The protein levels of GFAP and messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) levels of GFAP and Iba1 significantly increased and sustained from 20 d to 47 d (1 d to 28 d after the last infusion), which was associated with the temporal characteristics of astrocytic activation in the TNC. The CCL7 levels in the TNC decreased from 20 d to 47 d. But the CCL7 levels in serum only decreased on 20 d (1 d after the last infusion). The CCL12 levels in the TNC decreased on 22 d (3 d after the last infusion) and 33 d (14 d after the last infusion). In serum, the CCL12 levels only decreased on 22 d. The IL-10 levels in the TNC increased on 20 d.

Conclusions

Our results indicate that the astrocytic activation generated and sustained in the IS-induced mice model from 1 d to 28 d after the last infusion and may contribute to the pathology through modulating CCL7, CCL12, and IL-10 release.

Effects of nitrogen supply rate on photosynthesis, nitrogen uptake and growth of seedlings in a Eucalyptus/Dalbergia odorifera intercropping system

The introduction of N₂ -fixing species into a Eucalyptus plantation resulted in a successful planting system. It is essential to understand the contribution of nitrogen (N) competition and photosynthetic efficiency to plant dry matter yield to shed more light on the growth mechanism of the Eucalyptus/legume system. We compared N competition, photosynthesis and dry matter yield of Eucalyptus urophylla × E. grandis and the N₂ -fixing tree species Dalbergia odorifera in intercropping and monoculture systems under different N levels. The photosynthesis of E. urophylla × E. grandis was improved, while that of D. odorifera was inhibited in the intercropping system. Intercropped E. urophylla × E. grandis increased the N utilization and the dry matter yield by 6.57-48.46% and 7.59-97.26%, and decreased those of D. odorifera by 10.21-30.33% and 0.48-13.19%, respectively. Furthermore, N application enhanced the competitive ability of E. urophylla × E. grandis relative to D. odorifera and changed the N contents and chlorophyll synthesis to optimize the photosynthetic structure of both species. Our results reveal Eucalyptus for photosynthesis, N absorption and increasing the growth benefit from the introduction of N₂ -fixing species, which hence can be considered to be an effective sustainable management option of Eucalyptus plantations.