Identification and characterization of circadian clock genes in the head transcriptome of Conopomorpha sinensis Bradley

Conopomorpha sinensis Bradley is the most detrimental pest to litchi and longan in China. Adult eclosion, locomotion, mating and oviposition of C. sinensis usually occur at night, regulated by a circadian rhythm. Nevertheless, our understanding of the linkages between adult circadian rhythms and clock genes remains inadequate. To address this gap, transcriptomic analysis was conducted on female and male heads (including antennae) of C. sinensis using the Illumina HiSeq 6000 platform to identify major circadian clock-related genes. The annotated sequences were analyzed by BLASTx, and candidate clock genes were classified based on conservation, predicted domain architectures, and phylogenetic analysis. The analysis revealed a higher conservation of these genes among the compared moths. Further, the expression profile analysis showed a significant spatiotemporal and circadian rhythmic accumulation of some clock genes during development. The candidate clock genes were predominantly expressed in the head, highlighting their crucial function in circadian rhythm regulation. Moreover, CsinPer, CsinTim1, and CsinCry1 displayed similar dynamic expressions with a peak expression level in the 4th age adults, suggesting their involvement in regulation of courtship and mating behaviors. The CsinPer and CsinTim1 mRNA oscillated strongly with a similar phase, containing a peak expression just before the female mating peak. This work will greatly contribute to understanding the circadian clock system of C. sinensis and provide valuable information for further studies of the molecular mechanisms involved in rhythmicity in fruit-boring pests.

[Application and prospect of natural active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine in immunological adjuvant for influenza vaccine]

Vaccination is an effective method for preventing influenza, and adjuvants can enhance the immune response intensity and persistence of influenza vaccines. However, there are currently shortcomings in clinical adjuvant approvals, ineffectiveness against weak antigens, and a tendency to cause headaches. Therefore, the development of safe and effective novel adjuvants for influenza vaccines is particularly important to enhance vaccine immunogenicity and safety. Given the wide range of sources, high safety, and biodegradability of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), some studies have described it as a vaccine adjuvant. This article reviewed the current status and challenges of influenza vaccine adjuvants, summarized the types of TCM adjuvants, the safety and immunomodulatory effects of natural active ingredients from TCM combined with influenza vaccines, the role of TCM adjuvants in antigen storage, antigen presentation capability, immune cells and cytokines, and immune responses, and analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of TCM adjuvants compared with small molecule adjuvants, with the aim of promoting the clinical development and commercialization of TCM adjuvants for influenza vaccines.

Effect of diflubenzuron on the chitin biosynthesis pathway in Conopomorpha sinensis eggs

Conopomorpha sinensis is the dominant borer pest of Litchi chinensis (litchi) and Euphoria longan (longan) in China. Control of C. sinensis is difficult because of its cryptic life habit; thus, an effective ovicide could be beneficial. The larvicidal effects of diflubenzuron (DFB) have been documented in many insect pest species. Therefore, DFB might be a useful ovicide to control C. sinensis. However, the detailed mode of action of DFB interference with insect molting and egg hatching is unclear. Thus, we studied alterations in expression of all genes potentially affected by DFB treatment using a transcriptome approach in 2-d-old C. sinensis eggs. Clean reads were assembled to generate 203 455 unigenes and 440 558 transcripts. A total of 4625 differently expressed genes, which included 2670 up-regulated and 1955 down-regulated unigenes, were identified. Chitin binding and chitin metabolic processes were among the most significant enriched pathways according to Gene Ontology analyses. Most of the genes that encode enzymes involved in the chitin biosynthesis pathway were unaffected, whereas genes that presumably encode cuticle proteins were up-regulated. Furthermore, altered expression patterns of 10 genes involved in the chitin biosynthesis pathway of C. sinensis embryos were observed in response to DFB treatment at different time points by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. We also observed abnormal development; there was reduced chitin content and modulated chitin distribution of newly hatched larvae, and altered egg hatching. Our findings illustrate an ovicidal effect of DFB on C. sinensis, and reveal more molecular consequences of DFB treatment on insects.

How Chinese Herbal Medicine Prevents Epidemics: From Ancient Pestilences to COVID-19 Pandemic

The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic calls for effective control and prevention. Chinese medicine (CM) has developed systematic theories and approaches for infectious disease prevention over 2000 years. Here, we review and analyze Chinese herbal medicines (CHM) used in infectious disease prevention from ancient pestilences to modern epidemics and pandemics to share cumulative preventive medical experience. A total of 829 formulas, including 329 herbs from 189 ancient books, 131 formulas with 152 herbs, and 13 Chinese patent medicines (CPM) from 30 official Chinese prevention programs used in ancient epidemics, SARS, influenza and COVID-19 prevention, were reviewed and analyzed. Preventive CHM mainly has four functions and can be taken orally or applied externally. CHM that kill pathogens (Realgar [Xionghuang], Cyrtomium Fortunei J. Sm[Guanzhong]) were commonly used externally for disinfection in ancient prevention while CHM tonifying Qi (Astragali Radix [Huangq], Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma [Gancao]) are used for modern prevention. Taking CHM that expel pathogens (Realgar [Xionghuang], Lonicerae Japonicae Flos[Jinyinhua]) and CHM eliminating dampness (Atractylodis Rhizoma [Cangzhu], Pogostemonis Herba[Guanghuoxiang]) have been commonly used from ancient times to COVID-19. Damp toxins are a common characteristic of infectious diseases such as SARS and COVID-19. Thus, taking CHM expelling damp toxins and tonifying Qi are the main methods for SARS and COVID-19 prevention. CHM with different approaches have been widely used in infectious disease prevention from ancient times to the present. Multiple CM prevention methods may provide new perspectives for future pandemics.

[Clinical analysis of the double-wing flap for treatment of toe syndactyly]

Objective: To explore the clinical effect of double-wing flap for the treatment of toe syndactyly. Methods: Retrospective analysis of 47 patients (60 syndactyly toes) who underwent double-wing flap to reconstruct toe web space in orthopedics department of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from February 2010 to October 2017.There were 21 males and 26 females, with an average age of 18.9 months (range: 10-48 months). All patients were treated with zigzag incisions to separate the toe syndactylys without skin grafts.The condition of wound healing and appearance of toes were observed. Results: The average follow-up time was 62.3 months (range: 6 to 80 months). There were no complications such as hematoma, infection, flap necrosis and no flexion contracture and obvious scar hyperplasia in all the 47 cases, 4 of the 60 webs developed web creep.All webs had good appearance with 45 degrees inclination from the dorsal to the metatarsal side and had good flexion and abduction function. Conclusions: The double-wing flap is a simple and safe operation for toe syndactyly which has a good clinical effect.

Analysis of allopolyploidy-induced rapid genetic and epigenetic changes and their relationship in wheat

We used the conventional and methylation-sensitive randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and inter-simple sequence repeat (ISSR) analyses to assess genome-wide changes and explore the relationships between genetic and epigenetic variations among individuals of a newly synthesized allohexaploid wheat line whose genomic constitution is identical to that of the natural common wheat, compared with its parent plants and a natural counterpart named Chinese Spring. We found rapid, extensive, and predominantly consistent non-Mendelian changes in the form of genetic and DNA methylation variations in the allohexaploid individuals. Specifically, at least 30-40% of the epigenetic component was truly independent of genetic changes, which answered a critical question, i.e. its autonomy in relation to the genetic context. Striking correlations were detected between genetic and epigenetic changes. Interestingly, as previously reported, the paternally donated nuclear genomes showed more genetic changes than the maternally donated ones; the loss of paternal bands was significantly correlated with the hypomethylation of CG or CHG sequences, suggesting an unknown link between genetic instability and hypomethylation. Sequence analysis indicated that most variations occurred in the cellular genes and sequences related to transposable elements. Based on these findings, the possible mechanisms and effects of the genomic changes in allopolyploid speciation and evolution were discussed.

Effect of exemestane on the invasive growth of endometrial carcinoma HHUA cells

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of exemestane on HHUA human endometrial carcinoma cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The HHUA human endometrial carcinoma cells were treated with various concentrations of exemestane, and its effects on cell growth and apoptosis were investigated in vitro. The cell apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry and RT-PCR was used to investigate the expression of CD44s. The invasion ability of HHUA human endometrial carcinoma cells which treated with exemestane were assessed using transwell chamber model.

RESULTS

At increasing doses of exemestane, a simultaneous increase in apoptotic subpopulations was detected when compared with group A (p < 0.05); the CD44s expression was found to be suppressed after the exemestane treatment. The decrease was a dose-dependent with exemestane treatment.

CONCLUSION

6x10⁸ mol/L exemestane is an optimal dose to inhibit the expression of CD44s mRNA and inhibit the invasive growth of the endometrial carcinoma HHUA cells.

Single nucleotide polymorphism in the RECQL5 gene increased osteosarcoma susceptibility in a Chinese Han population

In this study, we investigated the association between a RECQL genetic polymorphism and osteosarcoma in a Chinese population. We selected rs820196 in the RECQL5 gene and genotyped 185 patients with osteosarcoma and 201 age- and gender-matched non-cancer controls. We found that the CC genotype was more frequent in the osteosarcoma group compared to the control group (P = 0.011). We also found that the C allele was more common in osteosarcoma patients than that in control subjects (P = 0.004). Our results suggested that the RECQL5 genetic polymorphism was associated with osteosarcoma in a Chinese population.

[Effects of volatiles from chestnut on host preference of adult Conogethes punctiferalis (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae)]

Through field survey and the tests of behavioral response, EAG response, and multiple-choice oviposition, this paper studied the effects of volatiles from Nongda No. 1 chestnut (NC) and Heyuan oil chestnut (HC) on the host-selection behavior of adult Conogethes punctiferalis. The field survey in 2004-2008 showed that the moth-eaten rate of NC fruits by adult C. punctiferalis was 16.1%-25.3%, while that of HC fruits was less than 5%. The volatiles from NC fruits and leaves were more attractive to female than to male moths, and the fruit volatiles were more attractive than leaf volatiles. However, the volatiles from HC fruits and leaves were not attractive to both female and male moths. The EAG response showed that female moths had significantly higher response to NC fruit volatiles than to HC's, but male moths had no significant difference in this response. For both NC and HC, the EAG responses of female and male moths to fruit volatiles were higher than those to leaf volatiles. The number of eggs laid by female moths was much greater on NC fruits than on NC leaves and on HC fruits and leaves, but had no significant differences on the latter three.

Transpositional activation of mPing in an asymmetric nuclear somatic cell hybrid of rice and Zizania latifolia was accompanied by massive element loss

We have reported previously that the most active miniature inverted terminal repeat transposable element (MITE) of rice, mPing, was transpositionally mobilized in several rice recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from an introgressive hybridization between rice and wild rice (Zizania latifolia Griseb.). To further study the phenomenon of hybridization-induced mPing activity, we undertook the present study to investigate the element's behavior in a highly asymmetric somatic nuclear hybrid (SH6) of rice and Z. latifolia, which is similar in genomic composition to that of the RILs, though probably contains more introgressed alien chromatins from the donor species than the RILs. We found that mPing, together with its transposase-donor, Pong, underwent rampant transpositional activation in the somatic hybrid (SH6). Because possible effects of protoplast isolation and cell culture can be ruled out, we attribute the transpositional activation of mPing and Pong in SH6 to the process of asymmetric somatic hybridization, namely, one-step introgression of multiple chromatin segments of the donor species Z. latifolia into the recipient rice genome. A salient feature of mPing transposition in the somatic hybrid is that the element's activation was accompanied by massive loss of its original copies, i.e., abortive transpositions, which was not observed in previously reported cases of mPing activity. These data not only corroborated our earlier finding that wide hybridization and introgression may trigger transpositional activation of otherwise quiescent transposable elements, but also suggest that transpositional mobilization of a MITE like mPing can be accompanied by dramatic reduction of its original copy numbers under certain conditions, thus provide novel insights into the dynamics of MITEs in the course of genome evolution.

Allopolyploidy in wheat induces rapid and heritable alterations in DNA methylation patterns of cellular genes and mobile elements

Whereas accumulating recent evidences indicate that allopolyploid formation in plants is accompanied by rapid and non-Mendelian genomic changes, some other works showed genomic stasis in both nascent and natural allopolyploids. To further study the issue, we performed global DNA fingerprinting of a newly synthesized allohexaploid wheat and its natural counterpart, the common wheat, by AFLP analysis. It was found that ca. 20% bands showed deviation from parental additivity in both synthetic and the natural common wheat. Sequence analysis indicates that a majority of the changed bands represent known-function genes and transposable elements. DNA gel blot analysis showed that the main type of changes in the amphiploid is epigenetic in nature, i.e., alteration in DNA methylation patterns. Two types of alterations in methylation, random and non-random, were detected, and both types were stably inherited. Possible causes and implications of the epigenetic changes in allopolyploid genome evolution and speciation are discussed.

Activation of a rice endogenous retrotransposon Tos17 in tissue culture is accompanied by cytosine demethylation and causes heritable alteration in methylation pattern of flanking genomic regions

Tos17 is a copia-like, cryptic retrotransposon of rice, but can be activated by tissue culture. To study possible epigenetic mechanism controlling activity of Tos17, we subjected three rice lines (the parental line cv. Matsumae and two introgression lines, RZ2 and RZ35) that harbor different copies of the element to tissue culture. For each line, we investigated transcription and transposition of Tos17 in seed plants, calli and regenerated plants, cytosine-methylation status at CG and CNG positions within Tos17, effect of 5-azacytidine on methylation status and activity of Tos17, and cytosine-methylation states in genomic regions flanking original and some newly transposed copies of Tos17 in calli and regenerated plants. We found that only in introgression line RZ35 was Tos17 transcriptionally activated and temporarily mobilized by tissue culture, which was followed by repression before or upon plant regeneration. The activity and inactivity of Tos17 in calli and regenerated plants of RZ35 are accompanied by hypo- and hyper-CG methylation and hemi- and full CNG methylation, respectively, within the element, whereas immobilization of the element in the other two lines is concomitant with near-constant, full hypermethylation. Treatment with 5-azacytidine induced both CG and CNG partial hypomethylation of Tos17 in two lines (Matsumae and RZ35), which, however, was not accompanied by activation of Tos17 in any line. Heritable alteration in cytosine-methylation patterns occurred in three of seven genomic regions flanking Tos17 in calli and regenerated plants of RZ35, but in none of the five regions flanking dormant Tos17 in the other two lines.

Immunoglobulin-A and -G responses against virus-like particles (VLP) of human papillomavirus type 16 in women with cervical cancer and cervical intra-epithelial lesions

Immunoglobulin-A and -G (IgA and IgG) responses against HPV-16-like particles (VLP) were tested by ELISA in 104 women with cervical abnormalities, 26 atypical cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) and 14 cytologically normal women with HPV DNA. As controls, 130 age-matched cytologically normal women with no HPV DNA were selected from the population in which the cases were generated. The existence of HPV DNA in cervical samples was tested by a PCR-based method. The normal women positive with HPV-16 DNA were followed up at 4- to 7-month intervals for 16 to 24 months. IgA and IgG antibodies against HPV-16 VLP were frequently detected in these women repeatedly positive with HPV-16 DNA, suggesting that persistent HPV infection is crucial for effective antibody responses against the viruses. IgA response appears earlier and persists longer than IgG response. Women with HPV DNA of types 16, 31/33/35, 58 and unknown types showed significantly higher seropositivity for both IgA and IgG antibodies than the controls (p < 0.05 for both). No significant seropositivity for IgA or IgG was detected in the HPV-18/45-DNA-positive group. HPV 31/33/35, 58 appear to be types close to HPV 16, whereas HPV 18/45 appears to be distinct from HPV 16 in antigenicity. IgA and IgG responses against HPV-16 VLP were more frequently observed in women with normal cervices with HPV DNA, ASCUS, HSIL and cervical cancer than in the controls. Strong IgA and IgG responses depended on HPV-16 infection in HSIL and cervical cancer, but there was no correlation between the serological responses and the status of HPV DNA in ASCUS and LSIL. Antibody positivity reflects persistent viral infection that may increase the risk for malignant progression of the cervix. This serological assay using HPV-16 VLP may therefore be useful as a new diagnostic tool supplementing cervical cytological tests.

Erythrocyte membrane lipid composition fluidity in patients with essential hypertension

The lipid composition and fluidity of erythrocyte membrane in 36 patients with essential hypertension were examined. The results showed that either cholesterol/phospholipid molar ratio or lipid peroxides content was significantly increased (P < 0.01 or 0.001), and the superoxide dismutase activity, contents of four classes of phospholipids, i.e., phosphatidyl ethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylserine and sphingomyelin of erythrocyte membrane, and lipid fluidity were significantly decreased (P < 0.05, < 0.01 or < 0.001) as compared with those in 35 normotensive control subjects. These results suggested that the changes of lipid composition and fluidity might associate with the decreased activities of cation transport systems in cell membranes and play an important role in the pathogenesis of essential hypertension.