Characterization and Coexpression Analysis of the TIFY Family Genes in Euryale ferox Related to Leaf Development

TIFYs are plant-specific transcription factors that contain the TIFY structural domain and play an important role in plant leaf growth and development. However, the role played by TIFY in E. ferox (Euryale ferox Salisb.) leaf development has not been investigated. In this study, 23 TIFY genes were identified in E. ferox. Phylogenetic analyses of the TIFY genes showed clustering into three groups (JAZ, ZIM, and PPD). The TIFY domain was shown to be conserved. JAZ was mainly expanded via wholegenome triplication (WGT) in E. ferox. Based on analyses of the TIFY genes in nine species, we found that JAZ has a closer relationship with PPD, in addition to appearing the most recently and expanding most rapidly, leading to the rapid expansion of TIFYs in Nymphaeaceae. In addition, their different evolution types were discovered. Different gene expressions showed the distinct and corresponsive expression patterns of the EfTIFYs in different stages of tissue and leaf development. Finally, The qPCR analysis revealed that the expression of EfTIFY7.2 and EfTIFY10.1 showed an upward trend and high expression throughout leaf development. Further co-expression analysis indicated that EfTIFY7.2 might be more important for the development of E. ferox leaves. This information will be valuable when exploring the molecular mechanisms of EfTIFYs in plants.

Inhibition of miR-21 rescues liver regeneration after partial hepatectomy in ethanol-fed rats

Liver regeneration is a clinically significant tissue repair process that is suppressed by chronic alcohol intake through poorly understood mechanisms. Recently, microRNA-21 (miR-21) has been suggested to serve as a crucial microRNA (miRNA) regulator driving hepatocyte proliferation after partial hepatectomy (PHx) in mice. However, we reported recently that miR-21 is significantly upregulated in ethanol-fed rats 24 h after PHx, despite inhibition of cell proliferation, suggesting a more complex role for this miRNA. Here, we investigate how inhibition of miR-21 in vivo affects the early phase of liver regeneration in ethanol-fed rats. Chronically ethanol-fed rats and pair-fed control animals were treated with AM21, a mixed locked nucleic acid-DNA analog antisense to miR-21 that inhibited miR-21 in vivo to undetectable levels. Liver regeneration after PHx was followed by cell proliferation marker and gene expression analysis, miRNA profiling, and cell signaling pathway analysis. Although liver regeneration was not significantly impaired by AM21 in chow-fed rats, AM21 treatment in ethanol-fed animals completely restored regeneration and enhanced PHx-induced hepatocyte proliferation to levels comparable to those of untreated or chow-fed animals. In addition, a marked deposition of α-smooth muscle actin, a marker of stellate cell activation, which was evident in ethanol-treated animals after PHx, was effectively suppressed by AM21 treatment. Gene expression analysis further indicated that suppression of stellate cell-specific profibrogenic profiles and the Notch signaling contributed to AM21-mediated rescue from deficient hepatocyte proliferation in ethanol-fed animals. Our results indicate that the impact of miR-21 balances proproliferative effects with antiproliferative profibrogenic actions in regulating distinctive regenerative responses in normal vs. disease conditions.