BMP signaling in mesenchymal stem cell differentiation and bone formation

Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are members of the TGF-β superfamily and have diverse functions during development and organogenesis. BMPs play a major role in skeletal development and bone formation, and disruptions in BMP signaling cause a variety of skeletal and extraskeletal anomalies. Several knockout models have provided insight into the mechanisms responsible for these phenotypes. Proper bone formation requires the differentiation of osteoblasts from mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) precursors, a process mediated in part by BMP signaling. Multiple BMPs, including BMP2, BMP6, BMP7 and BMP9, promote osteoblastic differentiation of MSCs both in vitro and in vivo. BMP9 is one of the most osteogenic BMPs, yet it is a poorly characterized member of the BMP family. Several studies demonstrate that the mechanisms controlling BMP9-mediated osteogenesis differ from other osteogenic BMPs, but little is known about these specific mechanisms. Several pathways critical to BMP9-mediated osteogenesis are also important in the differentiation of other cell lineages, including adipocytes and chondrocytes. BMP9 has also demonstrated translational promise in spinal fusion and bone fracture repair. This review will summarize our current knowledge of BMP-mediated osteogenesis, with a focus on BMP9, by presenting recently completed work which may help us to further elucidate these pathways.

Anti-proliferation effect of zoledronic acid on human colon cancer line SW480

Objective: To investigate the anti-proliferation effect and mechanism of zoledronic acid(ZOL) on human colon cancer line SW480. Methods: SW480 cells were treated with 0, 12.5, 25, 50, 100 and 200 μmo L/L of ZOL for 48 h, and CCK-8 assay was employed to obtain the survival rate of SW480 cells. SW480 cells were treated with 25 μmo L/L of ZOL for 0, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h, and then the survival rate was obtained. SW480 cells of the ZOL group were treated with 25 μmo L/L of ZOL for 48 h, while cells of the Cs A+ZOL group were pretreated with 10 μmo L/L of Cs A for 0.5 h and then treated with 25 μmo L/L of ZOL for 48 h. Then the survival rates of SW480 cells of the control group, ZOL group and Cs A+ZOL group were determined. Flow cytometry was employed to detect the apoptosis rate and the mitochondrial transmembrane potential(△ψm) of the three groups and Western blot was used to detect the expressions of cyt C in the cytosol of the three groups. Results: ZOL inhibited the proliferation of SW480 cells, and the inhibition rate positively correlated with the concentration of ZOL and the action time(P< 0.01). The cell survival rate and the △ψm of the ZOL group were greatly lower than those of the control group, while the apoptosis rate and the expression of cyt C in the cytosol were obviously higher than those of the control group. All the differences showed distinctly statistical significances(P< 0.01). The cell survival rate and the △ψm of the Cs A+ZOL group were all lower than those of the control group, but substantially higher than those of the ZOL group; while the apoptosis rate and the expression of cyt C in the cytosol were higher than those of the control group, but distinctly lower than those of the ZOL group. All the differences were statistically significant(P < 0.01). Conclusions: ZOL can induce the apoptosis in human colon cancer line SW480 and then inhibit the proliferation of SW480 cells directly by opening the mitochondrial permeability transition pore abnormally, decreasing △ψm, and releasing the cyt C into the cytosol. And the effect enhances with the increases of the concentration of ZOL and the action time.

The first high spatial resolution multi-scale daily SPI and SPEI raster dataset for drought monitoring and evaluating over China from 1979 to 2018

Standardized Precipitation Index(SPI)and Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index(SPEI),traditionally derived at a monthly scale,are widely used drought indices.To overcome temporalresolution limitations,we have previously developed and published a well-validated daily SPI/SPEI in situ dataset.Although having a high temporal resolution,this in situ dataset presents low spatial resolution due to the scarcity of stations.Therefore,based on the China Meteorological Forcing Dataset,which is composed of data from more than 1,000 ground-based observation sites and multiple remote sensing grid meteorological dataset,we present the first high spatiotemporal-resolution daily SPI/SPEI raster datasets over China.It spans from 1979 to 2018,with a spatial resolution of 0.1°×0.1°,a temporal resolution of 1-day,and the timescales of 30-,90-,and 360-days.Results show that the spatial distributions of drought event characteristics detected by the daily SPI/SPEI are consistent with the monthly SPI/SPEI.The correlation between the daily value of the 12-month scale and the monthly value of SPI/SPEI is the strongest,with linear correlation,Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient,and normalized root mean square error of 0.98,0.97,and 0.04,respectively.The daily SPI/SPEI is shown to be more sensitive to flash drought than the monthly SPI/SPEI.Our improved SPI/SPEI shows high accuracy and credibility,presenting enhanced results when compared to the monthly SPI/SPEI.The total data volume is up to 150 GB,compressed to 91 GB in Network Common Data Form(NetCDF).It can be available from Figshare(https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.c.5823533)and ScienceDB(https://doi.org/10.57760/sciencedb.j00076.00103).

Ecological sustainability assessment of the carbon footprint in Fujian Province,southeast China

China’s rapid economic development has initiated the deterioration of its ecological environment,posing a threat to the sustainable development of human society.As a result,an assessment of regional sustainability is critical.This paper researches China’s most forested province,Fujian Province,as the study area.We proposed a grid-based approach to assess the regional carbon footprint in accordance with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s(IPCC)carbon emission guidelines.Our method of assessment also introduced carbon emission indicators with our improved and published Net Primary Production(NPP)based on process simulation.The carbon footprint in Fujian Province from 2005-2017 was calculated and examined from a spatiotemporal perspective.Ecological indicators were used in the sustainability assessment.The research draws the following conclusions:1)the carbon footprint in the eastern regions of Fujian Province was higher due to rapid economic development;2)that of the western regions was lower;3)an uptrend in the carbon footprint of Fujian Province was observed.All five ecological indicators based on carbon emissions and economic and social data showed an ecologically unsustainable trend over 13 years in the research area due to unsustainable economic development.Therefore,it is urgent to balance the relationship between economic development and environmental protection.Our research provides scientific references for achieving ecological civilization and sustainability in a similar region.