A Pd1-Ps-P1 Feedback Loop Controls Pubescence Density in Soybean

Trichomes are universally present in plants and their development is delicately regulated. Trichomes are responsible for pubescence, whose density is associated with some agronomic traits such as insect resistance, evapotranspiration, and yield. Almost a century ago, three dominant alleles related to pubescence density in soybean, namely Pd1 (dense pubescence), Ps (sparse pubescence), and P1 (glabrous), were identified. However, their molecular identity and genetic relationships remain unclear. In this study, through a genome-wide association study and map-based cloning, we determined the genetic basis of these three traits. The sparse-pubescence phenotype of Ps was attributed to a copy-number variation of a 25.6-kb sequence that includes a gene encoding a protein with WD40 and RING domains. The dense-pubescence phenotype of Pd1 was attributed to a T-C transition in the last exon of an HD-Zip transcription factor gene, and the glabrous phenotype of P1 was caused by a G-A transition in the first exon of a lipid transfer protein gene. Genetic and biochemical analyses revealed that Pd1 functions as a transcriptional activator that can bind the promoters of the P1 and Ps genes to induce their expression; Interestingly, Pd1 can also bind its own promoter and inhibit its gene transcription. In addition, Ps can interact with Pd1 and weaken the transcriptional activity of Pd1. Taken together, our results demonstrate that Pd1, Ps, and P1 form a complex feedback loop to regulate pubescence formation in soybean.

Early endothelial progenitor cells and vascular stiffness in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis

BACKGROUND

Both psoriasis (Ps) and psoriasis arthritis (PsA) have been associated with increased cardiovascular risk. Also, both are characterized by increased neovascularization. Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) have been implicated in promoting vascular repair in ischemic diseases. The aim of the study was to correlate the EPC system with CV risk factors and with parameters of vascular stiffness in Ps and PsA.

METHODS

Twenty-six healthy subjects, 30 patients with Ps, and 31 patients PsA were included in the study. eEPC regeneration was evaluated by a colony-forming assay, circulating eEPCs were measured by cytometric analysis. For vascular analysis, all subjects underwent quantification of pulse wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index (AIX).

RESULTS

Patients were categorized upon the duration of disease, severity of skin involvement (PASI-Ps), individual pain as reflected by the VAS (PsA), CRP values, and history of treatment with one or more biologicals. Regarding the eEPC system, no significant differences were observed between the respective categories. Correlation analyses between parameters of vascular stiffness (PWV and AIX) and patterns of colony formation/circulating eEPCs did not show any correlation at all.

CONCLUSION

Parameters of vascular stiffness are not significantly deteriorated in Ps/PsA. Thus, pulse wave analysis may not be suitable for CVR assessment in certain autoimmune-mediated diseases. Regenerative activity of the eEPC system/circulating eEPC numbers are not altered in Ps/PsA. One may conclude that malfunctions of the eEPC are not substantially involved in perpetuating the micro-/macrovascular alterations in Ps/PsA.

Fractionated palliative thoracic radiotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer - futile or worth-while?

Background

Palliative thoracic radiotherapy (PTR) can relieve symptoms originating from intra-thoracic disease. The optimal timing and fractionation of PTR is unknown. Time to effect is 2 months. The primary aim of this retrospective study was to investigate survival after PTR, hypothesizing that a significant number of patients received futile fractionated PTR. The secondary aim was to find prognostic factors to guide treatment decisions.

Methods

Patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) planned for PTR in the period of 2010-2011 at the University Hospital of Copenhagen were included. We noted pathology, tumor, node and metastasis (TNM) classification of malignant tumors, stage, indication, start date, schedule for PTR, completed y/n, performance status (PS) and time of death. Analyses were performed as an intention-to-treat using Cox regression, Fishers exact test and Kaplan Meier.

Results

A total of 159 patients were included. Median overall survival (OS) was 4.2 months. Sixteen patients (10%) did either not begin or finish PTR. Of these, eight (5%) died prior to or during PTR. Of the 151 patients receiving PTR, sixteen patients (11%) died within 14 days, thirty-three (22%) within 30 days and fifty (33%) within 2 months. PS 0-1 and squamous cell carcinoma were correlated with a better survival.

Conclusions

Our study show that a significant number of patients who received PTR died before they could achieve optimal effect of the treatment. PS and histology were significant prognostic factors favoring PS 0-1 and squamous cell carcinoma. Based on our study, we suggest that patients with PS 0-1 should be considered for fractionated PTR whereas patients with PS ≥ 2 should be considered for high dose single fraction only or supportive palliative care.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (10.1186/s12904-017-0270-4) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Is the health-related quality of life and functional status of patients with psoriatic arthritis worse than that of patients with psoriasis alone?

AIM

The aim of this study was to compare the health-related quality of life and functional status of patients with psoriasis (Ps), psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and control subjects.

METHOD

Eighty patients with PsA, 40 patients with Ps and 40 healthy subjects were included. Physical functions were evaluated with the Health Assessment Questionnaire for Spondyloarthropathies (HAQ-S) while life satisfaction was evaluated with the Psoriatic Arthritis Quality of Life (PsAQoL) questionnaire. The Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28), Disease Activity Index for the Assessment of Reactive Arthritis (DAREA), Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) and Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score-C-Reactive Protein (ASDAS-CRP), Maastrich Ankylosing Spondylitis Enthesitis Score (MASES) and visual analog scale-pain were calculated.

RESULTS

The HAQ-S data revealed that physical functional status in the PsA group was worse than the Ps and control groups (mean scores: 0.5 ± 0.5, 0.2 ± 0.5 and 0.1 ± 0.3, respectively). The PsAQoL data revealed a worse quality of life in the PsA and Ps groups than in the control group but the same quality of life in the PsA and Ps groups (mean scores: 6.9 ± 5.4, 7 ± 5.9 and 3.3 ± 4.2, respectively). Both the HAQ-S and PsAQoL data were found to be moderately to weakly correlated with disease activity measures (DAS28, DAREA, BASDAI, ASDAS-CRP), pain and enthesitis.

CONCLUSION

Patients with Ps and PsA had worse quality of life and patients with PsA had worse functional status than healthy individuals. Although Ps patients with arthritis had a worse functional status than the ones without arthritis, quality of life according to PSAQoL was found to be similar between them.

Molecular characterization of two glutathione peroxidase genes of Panax ginseng and their expression analysis against environmental stresses

Glutathione peroxidases (GPXs) are a group of enzymes that protect cells against oxidative damage generated by reactive oxygen species (ROS). GPX catalyzes the reduction of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) or organic hydroperoxides to water or alcohols by reduced glutathione. The presence of GPXs in plants has been reported by several groups, but the roles of individual members of this family in a single plant species have not been studied. Two GPX cDNAs were isolated and characterized from the embryogenic callus of Panax ginseng. The two cDNAs had an open reading frame (ORF) of 723 and 681bp with a deduced amino acid sequence of 240 and 226 residues, respectively. The calculated molecular mass of the matured proteins are approximately 26.4kDa or 25.7kDa with a predicated isoelectric point of 9.16 or 6.11, respectively. The two PgGPXs were elevated strongly by salt stress and chilling stress in a ginseng seedling. In addition, the two PgGPXs showed different responses against biotic stress. The positive responses of PgGPX to the environmental stimuli suggested that ginseng GPX may help to protect against environmental stresses.

Modulation of sodium-bicarbonate co-transporter (SLC4A4/NBCe1) protein and mRNA expression in rat's uteri by sex-steroids and at different phases of the oestrous cycle

Oestrogen-induced uterine fluid sodium (Na(+)) and bicarbonate (HCO3(-)) secretion may involve SLC4A4. We hypothesized that uterine SLC4A4 expression changes under different sex-steroid influence, therefore may account for the fluctuation in uterine fluid Na(+) and HCO3(-) content throughout the oestrous cycle. The aim of this study is to investigate the differential effects of sex-steroids and oestrous cycle phases on uterine SLC4A4 expression.

METHODS

Adult female WKY rats were ovariectomised and treated with different doses of 17β-oestradiol (E2) (0.2, 2, 20 and 50 μg/ml/day) or progesterone (P4) (4 mg/ml/day) for three consecutive days and 3 days treatment with 0.2 μg/ml/day E2 followed by another 3 days with P4 to mimic the hormonal changes in early pregnancy. Oestrous cycle phases in intact, non-ovariectomised rats were determined by vaginal smear. The animals were then sacrificed and uteri were removed for protein and mRNA expression analyses by Western blotting and Real Time PCR, respectively. SLC4A4 distribution was observed by immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

Treatment with increasing E2 doses resulted in a dose-dependent increase in SLC4A4 protein expression. High SLC4A4 protein and mRNA expression can be seen at estrus. SLC4A4 is distributed mainly at the apical as well as basolateral membranes of the luminal and glandular epithelia following E2 treatment and at Es. Meanwhile, SLC4A4 expression was reduced following P4 treatment and was low at diestrus.

CONCLUSION

High SLC4A4 expression under estrogen dominance may contribute to the increase in uterine fluid Na(+) and HCO3(-) content, while its low expression under P4 dominance may result in vice versa.