Dose effects of restorer gene modulate pollen fertility in cotton CMS-D2 restorer lines via auxin signaling and flavonoid biosynthesis

KEY MESSAGE

Dose effects of Rf1 gene regulated retrieval mechanism of pollen fertility for CMS-D2 cotton. Cytoplasmic male sterility conditioned by Gossypium harknessii cytoplasm (CMS-D2) is an economical pollination control system for producing hybrid cotton seeds compared to artificial and chemical emasculation methods. However, the unstable restoring ability of restorer lines is a main barrier in the large-scale application of "three-line" hybrid cotton in China. Our phenotypic investigation determined that the homozygous Rf1Rf1 allelic genotype had a stronger ability to generate fertile pollen than the heterozygous Rf1rf1 allelic genotype. To decipher the genetic mechanisms that control the differential levels of pollen fertility, an integrated metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis was performed at two environments using pollen grains of four cotton genotypes differing in Rf1 alleles or cytoplasm. Totally 5,391 differential metabolite features were detected, and 369 specific differential metabolites (DMs) were identified between homozygous and heterozygous Rf1 allelic genotypes with CMS-D2 cytoplasm. In addition, transcriptome analysis identified 2,490 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 96 unique hub DEGs with dynamic regulation in this comparative combination. Further integrated analyses revealed that several key DEGs and DMs involved in indole biosynthesis, flavonoid biosynthesis, and sugar metabolism had strong network linkage with fertility restoration. In vitro application of auxin analogue NAA and inhibitor Auxinole confirmed that over-activated auxin signaling might inhibit pollen development, whereas suppressing auxin signaling partially promoted pollen development in CMS-D2 cotton. Our results provide new insight into how the dosage effects of the Rf1 gene regulate pollen fertility of CMS-D2 cotton.

Single-molecule long-read sequencing reveals the potential impact of posttranscriptional regulation on gene dosage effects on the avian Z chromosome

Background

Mammalian sex chromosomes provide dosage compensation, but avian lack a global mechanism of dose compensation. Herein, we employed nanopore sequencing to investigate the genetic basis of gene expression and gene dosage effects in avian Z chromosomes at the posttranscriptional level.

Results

In this study, the gonad and head skin of female and male duck samples (n = 4) were collected at 16 weeks of age for Oxford nanopore sequencing. Our results revealed a dosage effect and local regulation of duck Z chromosome gene expression. Additionally, AS and APA achieve tissue-specific gene expression, and male-biased lncRNA regulates its Z-linked target genes, with a positive regulatory role for gene dosage effects on the duck Z chromosome. In addition, GO enrichment and KEGG pathway analysis showed that the dosage effects of Z-linked genes were mainly associated with the cellular response to hormone stimulus, melanin biosynthetic, metabolic pathways, and melanogenesis, resulting in sex differences.

Conclusions

Our data suggested that post transcriptional regulation (AS, APA and lncRNA) has a potential impact on the gene expression effects of avian Z chromosomes. Our study provides a new view of gene regulation underlying the dose effects in avian Z chromosomes at the RNA post transcriptional level.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-022-08360-8.

Comparison of the effect of citalopram, bupropion, sertraline, and tricyclic antidepressants on QTc: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Some data suggests that citalopram has more risk of corrected QT interval (QTc) prolongation than other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. Consequently the U.S. Food and Drug Administration distributed a safety warning limiting the maximum dose for citalopram. There is also a suggestion that bupropion may decrease QTc in patients on drugs that increase QTc. The goals of this cross-sectional study were to examine (1) effects on QTc of citalopram compared to sertraline, bupropion, and tricyclic antidepressants; (2) dose dependent effects of citalopram; and (3) effects of bupropion on citalopram-mediated changes in QTc.

METHODS

Records of subjects who received an EKG while taking one of the specified antidepressants were reviewed to collect demographic information, antidepressant history, and information about other confounders. Linear regression was used to examine the relationship between QTc and antidepressants.

RESULTS

487 subjects provided 798 EKG records. The sample was 95% male with an average age of 61 years. No differences were found in QTc between citalopram and other antidepressants. No dose relationship was detected between citalopram and QTc. Bupropion did not affect the relationship between citalopram and QTc (coefficient = -3.4; 95%CI = -14.2, 7.5; p = 0.54).

LIMITATIONS

Observational study designs are prone to biases from retrospective data collection. Some data subsets had small numbers of subjects.

CONCLUSIONS

No effect of citalopram on QTc was found at therapeutic doses. Neither was there evidence of a "QTc-sparing" effect of bupropion. The risk of adverse cardiovascular effects from citalopram at doses of 60 mg per day or less appears minimal.

Practicing prospection promotes patience: Repeated episodic future thinking cumulatively reduces delay discounting

BACKGROUND

Delay discounting, or the preference for smaller, sooner over larger, later rewards, has been associated with alcohol use disorder and problem drinking. Episodic future thinking has been suggested as an intervention to address steep delay discounting. In the present study, we examined the effect of up to six consecutive sessions of episodic future thinking.

METHODS

Repeated, within-subject data were collected from current and recent problem drinkers (n = 50) over six sessions. Linear mixed-effect models were used to estimate effects of repeated sessions and manipulations. Participants completed episodic future thinking interviews at up to six sessions, in which they generated personalized future events. Participants also engaged with cues of scarcity. At each session, participants completed three delay discounting tasks under: a no-cue baseline condition, a future cue condition, and a scarcity cue condition.

RESULTS

Delay discounting in the no cue condition did not change over time. Discounting rates were reduced in the future cue condition, and these effects grew larger with repeated sessions. In the scarcity condition, discounting rates were slightly higher, with no effect of repeated sessions.

CONCLUSIONS

Episodic future thinking reduced delay discounting rate while future cues were presented, and these effects grew larger with repeated sessions. This suggests that repeated episodic future thinking may cumulatively potentiate repair of excessive preference for immediate reward.

A naturalistic examination of the perceived effects of cannabis on negative affect

BACKGROUND

Cannabis is commonly used to alleviate symptoms of negative affect. However, a paucity of research has examined the acute effects of cannabis on negative affect in everyday life. The current study provides a naturalistic account of perceived changes in symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress as a function of dose and concentration of Δ⁹tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD).

METHOD

Data from the app Strainprint^TM (which provides medical cannabis users a means of tracking changes in symptoms as a function of different doses and chemotypes of cannabis) were analyzed using multilevel modeling. In total, 11,953 tracked sessions were analyzed (3,151 for depression, 5,085 for anxiety, and 3,717 for stress).

RESULTS

Medical cannabis users perceived a 50% reduction in depression and a 58% reduction in anxiety and stress following cannabis use. Two puffs were sufficient to reduce ratings of depression and anxiety, while 10+ puffs produced the greatest perceived reductions in stress. High CBD (>9.5%)/low THC (<5.5%) cannabis was associated with the largest changes in depression ratings, while high CBD (>11%)/high THC (>26.5%) cannabis produced the largest perceived changes in stress. No changes in the perceived efficacy of cannabis were detected across time. However, baseline symptoms of depression (but not anxiety or stress) appeared to be exacerbated across time/tracked sessions.

LIMITATIONS

The primary limitations are the self-selected nature of the sample and the inability to control for expectancy effects.

CONCLUSIONS

Cannabis reduces perceived symptoms of negative affect in the short-term, but continued use may exacerbate baseline symptoms of depression over time.

Dose effects of mycophenolate mofetil in Chinese patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders: a case series study

BACKGROUND

Neuromyelitis optica (NMO) spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is a devastating autoimmune inflammatory disorder of the central nervous system, which can result in blindness or paralysis. Currently, there is a dire need for new treatment options in the clinic. Several case series have shown that mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) may be an effective treatment for NMOSD patients. The dosing of MMF in the treatment of NMOSD has been poorly studied. Therefore, we evaluated the efficacy, tolerability, influential factors and optimal dosage of MMF in Chinese patients with NMOSD.

METHODS

A case series of 109 NMO or NMOSD (limited forms of NMO with seropositive AQP4-IgG) patients were retrospectively analyzed and followed up. Out of the 109 patients, 86 patients had received MMF for 6 months or longer and were included for efficacy assessment.

RESULTS

When comparing the annualized relapse rate (ARR) of MMF treatment with that of pre-MMF treatment period, MMF was found to significantly reduce ARR in 75 (87%) patients (p < 0.0001). The median pre-treatment Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score in remission decreased from 3 (range, 0-8.5) to 2.5 (range, 0-8) at the last follow-up (p = 0.006), yet no significant difference was found in the visual score. The higher doses of MMF (1750 mg/d to 2000 mg/d) significantly lowered the relapse risks compared with lower doses (1000 mg/d or less, p < 0.0001) or moderate doses (1250 to 1500 mg/d, p = 0.031). Coexisting with systemic autoimmune diseases (HR, 2.418; p = 0.0345) and attack number before MMF initiation (HR, 1.117; p = 0.02) were important risk factors for relapses. MMF was generally well tolerated with adverse effects occurring in 21 patients (19%). While four patients decreased their daily doses because of the adverse effects, only one patient stopped MMF treatment.

CONCLUSIONS

MMF is generally effective and well tolerated in Chinese NMOSD patients. High-dose MMF was more potent than the lower dose for NMOSD patients, with 1750 mg of daily MMF being the recommended dosage for Chinese patients with NMOSD. MMF treatment reduces the frequency of relapses and improves the quality of life for patients with this debilitating disease.

Impact of family history assessment on communication with family members and health care providers: A report from the Family Healthware™ Impact Trial (FHITr)

OBJECTIVE

This study examines the impact of Family Healthware™ on communication behaviors; specifically, communication with family members and health care providers about family health history.

METHODS

A total of 3786 participants were enrolled in the Family Healthware™ Impact Trial (FHITr) in the United States from 2005-7. The trial employed a two-arm cluster-randomized design, with primary care practices serving as the unit of randomization. Using generalized estimating equations (GEE), analyses focused on communication behaviors at 6month follow-up, adjusting for age, site and practice clustering.

RESULTS

A significant interaction was observed between study arm and baseline communication status for the family communication outcomes (p's<.01), indicating that intervention had effects of different magnitude between those already communicating at baseline and those who were not. Among participants who were not communicating at baseline, intervention participants had higher odds of communicating with family members about family history risk (OR=1.24, p=0.042) and actively collecting family history information at follow-up (OR=2.67, p=0.026). Family Healthware™ did not have a significant effect on family communication among those already communicating at baseline, or on provider communication, regardless of baseline communication status. Greater communication was observed among those at increased familial risk for a greater number of diseases.

CONCLUSION

Family Healthware™ prompted more communication about family history with family members, among those who were not previously communicating. Efforts are needed to identify approaches to encourage greater sharing of family history information, particularly with health care providers.