PpARF6 acts as an integrator of auxin and ethylene signaling to promote fruit ripening in peach

Although auxin is known to induce ethylene biosynthesis in some Rosaceae fruit crops,the mechanisms underlying the auxin–ethylene interaction during fruit ripening remain largely unknown.Here,the regulatory role of an auxin response factor,PpARF6,in fruit ripening was investigated in peach.Peach fruits showed accelerated ripening after treatment with auxin and PpARF6 was found to be significantly induced.PpARF6 not only could induce ethylene synthesis by directly activating the transcription of ethylene biosynthetic genes,but also competed with EIN3-binding F-box proteins PpEBF1/2 for binding to ethylene-insensitive3-like proteins PpEIL2/3,thereby keeping PpEIL2/3 active.Moreover,PpARF6 showed an interaction with PpEIL2/3 to enhance the PpEIL2/3-activated transcription of ethylene biosynthetic genes.Additionally,ectopic overexpression of PpARF6 in tomato accelerated fruit ripening by promoting the expression of genes involved in ethylene synthesis and fruit texture.In summary,our results revealed a positive regulatory role of PpARF6 in peach fruit ripening via integrating auxin and ethylene signaling.

Advanced primary amelanotic malignant melanoma of the esophagus: A case report

BACKGROUND Primary malignant melanoma of the esophagus accounts for 0.1%-0.2%of all esophageal malignancies,including melanotic and amelanotic melanomas.Primary amelanotic malignant melanoma of the esophagus is extremely rare,and only about 20 cases have been published in the literature to date.Most primary malignant melanomas of the esophagus are diagnosed following development of metastatic lesions and thus have a very poor prognosis.The median survival duration of patients with metastatic melanoma has been reported to be 6.2 mo.CASE SUMMARY A 49-year-old woman was referred to our hospital with a diagnosis of esophageal cancer.Endoscopy,biopsy,imaging evaluation,and physical examination at our hospital indicated a diagnosis of advanced primary amelanotic malignant melanoma of the esophagus.Immunohistochemical staining confirmed melanoma.Nuclear medicine examination revealed a left iliac bone metastatic lesion.After discharge,the patient self-administered apatinib for 3 mo,followed by oral treatment with Chinese medicines(also self-administered)for 2 mo.No treatments had been taken since then.The patient has survived with no growth out to the most recent follow-up(24 mo post diagnosis),and she always presented with a positive attitude about her condition during this period.CONCLUSION Survival following metastatic melanoma might be related to the pharmaceutical and Chinese medicine treatment and the patient's positive attitude.

Surges of hospital-based rhinovirus infection during the 2020 coronavirus disease-19(COVID-19)pandemic in Beijing,China

Background A series of public health preventive measures has been widely implemented in Beijing to control the corona-virus disease-19(COVID-19)pandemic since January 2020.An evaluation of the effects of these preventive measures on the spread of other respiratory viruses is necessary.Methods Respiratory specimens collected from children with acute respiratory infections were tested by NxTAGTN,respiratory pathogen panel assays during January 2017 and December 2020.Specimens characterized as rhinoviruses(RVs)were sequenced to identify the RV species and types.Then,the epidemiology results of respiratory pathogens in 2020 were compared with those from 2017 to 2019 using SPSS statistics 22.0.Results The positive rates of adenovirus(ADV),influenza virus(flu),RVs,and respiratory syncytial virus(RSV)dropped abruptly by 86.31%,94.679c,94.59%,and 92.17%,respectively,from February to May 2020,compared with the average level in the same period during 2017-2019.Positive rates of RVs then steeply increased from June 2020(13.77%),to an apex(37.25%)in August 2020,significantly higher than the average rates(22.51%)in August 2017-2019(7^=0.005).The increase,especially in group>3 years,was accompanied by the reopening of schools and kindergartens after the 23rd and 24th week of 2020 in Beijing.Conclusions Whereas the abrupt drop in viral pathogen positive rates from February to May 2020 revealed the remarkable effects of the COVID-19 preventive measures,the sharp increase in positive rates of RVs from the 23rd week of 2020 might be explained by the reopening of schools and kindergartens in Beijing.

STING1 in sepsis: Mechanisms, functions, and implications

Sepsis is a life-threatening clinical syndrome and one of the most challenging health problems in the world.Pathologically,sepsis and septic shock are caused by a dysregulated host immune response to infection,which can eventually lead to multiple organ failure and even death.As an adaptor transporter between the endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus,stimulator of interferon response cGAMP interactor 1(STING1,also known as STING or TMEM173)has been found to play a vital role at the intersection of innate immunity,inflammation,autophagy,and cell death in response to invading microbial pathogens or endogenous host damage.There is ample evidence that impaired STING1,through its immune and non-immune functions,is involved in the pathological process of sepsis.In this review,we discuss the regulation and function of the STING1 pathway in sepsis and highlight it as a suitable drug target for the treatment of lethal infection.