The cGAS-STING-interferon regulatory factor 7 pathway regulates neuroinflammation in Parkinson's disease

Interferon regulatory factor 7 plays a crucial role in the innate immune response.However,whether interferon regulatory factor 7-mediated signaling contributes to Parkinson's disease remains unknown.Here we report that interferon regulatory factor 7 is markedly up-regulated in a 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-induced mouse model of Parkinson's disease and co-localizes with microglial cells.Both the selective cyclic guanosine monophosphate adenosine monophosphate synthase inhibitor RU.521 and the stimulator of interferon genes inhibitor H151 effectively suppressed interferon regulatory factor 7 activation in BV2 microglia exposed to 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium and inhibited transformation of mouse BV2 microglia into the neurotoxic M1 phenotype.In addition,si RNA-mediated knockdown of interferon regulatory factor 7 expression in BV2 microglia reduced the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase,tumor necrosis factorα,CD16,CD32,and CD86 and increased the expression of the anti-inflammatory markers ARG1 and YM1.Taken together,our findings indicate that the cyclic guanosine monophosphate adenosine monophosphate synthase-stimulator of interferon genes-interferon regulatory factor 7 pathway plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease.

DNA-dependent activator of interferon-regulatory factors inhibits hepatitis B virus replication

AIM： To investigate whether DNA-dependent activator of interferon-regulatory factors （DAI） inhibits hepatitis B virus （HBV） replication and what the mechanism is. METHODS： After the human hepatoma cell line Huh7 was cotransfected with DAI and HBV expressing plas- mid, viral protein （HBV surface antigen and HBV e an- tigen） secretion was detected by enzyme-linked immu- nosorbent assay, and HBV RNA was analyzed by real- time polymerase chain reaction and Northern blotting, and viral DNA replicative intermediates were examined by Southern blotting. Interferon regulatory factor 3 （IRF3） phosphorylation and nuclear translocation were analyzed via Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining respectively. Nuclear factor-KB （NF-KB） activity induced by DAI was detected by immunofluorescence staining of P65 and dual luciferase reporter assay. Tran- swell co-culture experiment was performed in order to investigate whether the antiviral effects of DAI were dependent on the secreted cytokines. RESULTS： Viral protein secretion was significantly re- duced by 57% （P 〈 0.05）, and the level of total HBV RNA was reduced by 67% （P 〈 0.05）. The viral core particle-associated DNA was also dramatically down- regulated in DAI-expressing Huh7 cells. Analysis of involved signaling pathways revealed that activation of NF-KB signaling was essential for DAI to elicit antivi- ral response in Huh7 cells. When the NF-KB signaling pathway was blocked by a NF-KB signaling suppressor （I~：B^-SR）, the anti-HBV activity of DAI was remarkably abrogated. The inhibitory effect of DAI was indepen- dent of IRF3 signaling and secreted cytokines. CONCLUSION： This study demonstrates that DAI can inhibit HBV replication and the inhibitory effect is asso- ciated with activation of NF-KB but independent of IRF3 and secreted cytokines.

Research Progress of Regulatory Factors for Tillering and Earring of Large-spike and Multispike Cultivars of Winter Wheat

To research the regulation factors and regulating mechanism for tillering and earring of large-spike and multi-spike cultivars of winter wheat,and achieve yield improvement,this article summarized the research progress of the influence of genetic factors,group environment factors and endogenous hormones on tillering and earring of different spike cultivars of winter wheat,and pointed out that the future research should focus on the relationship between various factors and influencing mechanism of regulation factors of different tillers.According to studying the relationship among content of hormone,hormones balance,gene expression and regulation,and wheat tillering,this article will provide theoretical basis and technical support for high-yield cultivation of winter wheat.

Roles of NAC transcription factors in cotton

Climate deterioration,water shortages,and abiotic stress are the main threats worldwide that seriously affect cotton growth,yield,and fiber quality.Therefore,research on improving cotton yield and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses is of great importance.The NAC proteins are crucial and plant-specific transcription factors(TFs)that are involved in cotton growth,development,and stress responses.The comprehensive utilization of cotton NAC TFs in the improvement of cotton varieties through novel biotechnological methods is feasible.Based on cotton genomic data,genome-wide identification and analyses have revealed potential functions of cotton NAC genes.Here,we comprehensively summarize the recent progress in understanding cotton NAC TFs roles in regulating responses to drought,salt,and Verticillium wilt-related stresses,as well as leaf senescence and the development of fibers,xylem,and glands.The detailed regulatory network of NAC proteins in cotton is also elucidated.Cotton NAC TFs directly bind to the promoters of genes associated with ABA biosynthesis and secondary cell-wall formation,participate in several biological processes by interacting with related proteins,and regulate the expression of downstream genes.Studies have shown that the overexpression of NAC TF genes in cotton and other model plants improve their drought or salt tolerance.This review elucidates the latest findings on the functions and regulation of cotton NAC proteins,broadens our understanding of cotton NAC TFs,and lays a fundamental foundation for further molecular breeding research in cotton.

Quantitative comparison of the expression of myogenic regulatory factors in flounder(Paralichthys olivaceus) embryos and adult tissues

MyoD, Myf5, and myogenin are myogenic regulatory factors that play important roles during myogenesis. It is thought that MyoD and Myf5 are required for myogenic determination, while myogenin is important for terminal differentiation and lineage maintenance. To better understand the function of myogenic regulatory factors in muscle development of flounder, an important economic fish in Asia, real-time quantitative RT-PCR was used to characterize the expression patterns of MyoD, Myf5, and myogenin at early stages of embryo development, and in different tissues of the adult flounder. The results show that, MyJ5 is the first gene to be expressed during the early stages of flounder development, followed by MyoD and myogenin. The expressions ofMyf5, MyoD, and myogenin at the early stages have a common characteristic： expression gradually increased to a peak level, and then gradually decreased to an extremely low level. In the adult flounder, the expression of the three genes in muscle is much higher than that in other tissues, indicating that they are important for muscle growth and maintenance of grown fish. During embryonic stages, the expression level of MyoD might serve an important role in the balance between muscle cell differentiation and proliferation. When the MyoD expression is over 30% of its highest level, the muscle cells enter the differentiation stage.

Identification of the target genes of AhTWRKY24 and AhTWRKY106 transcription factors reveals their regulatory network in Arachis hypogaea cv.Tifrunner using DAP-seq

WRKY transcription factors(TFs)have been identified as important core regulators in the responses of plants to biotic and abiotic stresses.Cultivated peanut(Arachis hypogaea)is an important oil and protein crop.Previous studies have identified hundreds of WRKY TFs in peanut.However,their functions and regulatory networks remain unclear.Simultaneously,the AdWRKY40 TF is involved in drought tolerance in Arachis duranensis and has an orthologous relationship with the AhTWRKY24 TF,which has a homoeologous relationship with AhTWRKY106 TF in A.hypogaea cv.Tifrunner.To reveal how the homoeologous AhTWRKY24 and AhTWRKY106 TFs regulate the downstream genes,DNA affinity purification sequencing(DAP-seq)was performed to detect the binding sites of TFs at the genome-wide level.A total of 3486 downstream genes were identified that were collectively regulated by the AhTWRKY24 and AhTWRKY106 TFs.The results revealed that W-box elements were the binding sites for regulation of the downstream genes by AhTWRKY24 and AhTWRKY106 TFs.A gene ontology enrichment analysis indicated that these downstream genes were enriched in protein modification and reproduction in the biological process.In addition,RNA-seq data showed that the AhTWRKY24 and AhTWRKY106 TFs regulate differentially expressed genes involved in the response to drought stress.The AhTWRKY24 and AhTWRKY106 TFs can specifically regulate downstream genes,and they nearly equal the numbers of downstream genes from the two A.hypogaea cv.Tifrunner subgenomes.These results provide a theoretical basis to study the functions and regulatory networks of AhTWRKY24 and AhTWRKY106 TFs.

Interferon regulatory factor 2 binding protein 2:a new player of the innate immune response for stroke recovery

Ischemic brain injury triggers an inflammatory response. tissue but can also exacerbate brain injury. Microglia are This response is necessary to clear damaged brain the innate immune cells of the brain that execute this critical function. In healthy brain, microglia perform a housekeeping function, pruning unused syn- apses between neurons. However, microglia become activated to an inflammatory phenotype upon brain injury. Interferon regulatory factors modulate microglial activation and their production of inflammatory cytokines. This review briefly discusses recent findings pertaining to these regulatory mechanisms in the context of stroke recovery.

Association of rs10954213 Polymorphisms and Haplotype Diversity in Interferon Regulatory Factor 5 with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Meta-analysis

The rs10954213 polymorphism and the haplotype diversity in interferon regulatory factor 5 （1RF5） play a special role in systemic lupus erythematosus （SLE） but with inconclusive results. We conducted a meta-analysis integrating case-control and haplotype variant studies in multiple ethnic populations to clearly discern the effect of these two variants on SLE. Eleven studies on the relation between rs10954213 polymorpisms in IRF5 and SLE were included and we selected a random effect model to calculate the pooled odds ratios （ORs） and the corresponding 95% confidence interval （95% CI）. A total of 6982 cases and 8077 controls were involved in the meta-analysis. The pooled results in- dicated that A allele was significantly associated with increased risk of SLE as compared with the IRF5 rS10954213 G allele （A vs. G, P〈0.00001） in all subjects. The same pattern of the results was also ob- tained in the European, African American, and Latin American. Asian population had a much lower prevalence of the A allele （49.1%） than any other population studied, and Europeans had the highest frequency of the IRF5 rs10954213 A allele （62.1%）. The significant association of increased SLE risk and TCA haplotype was indicated in the contrast of TCA vs. TTA as the pooled OR was 2.14 （P=0.002）. The same result was also found in the contrast of TCA vs. TTG as the pooled OR was 1.45 （P=-0.004）. This meta-analysis suggests that the A allele of rs10954213 and TCA haplotype （rs2004640-rs2070197-rs10954213） in IRF5 is associated with the increased risk of SLE in different ethnic groups, and its prevalence is ethnicity dependent.

Role of nickel-regulated small RNA in modulation of Helicobacter pylori virulence factors

Helicobacter pylori(H.pylori)is a Gram-negative bacterium that infects about half of the world's population.H.pylori infection prevails by several mechanisms of adaptation of the bacteria and by its virulence factors including the cytotoxin associated antigen A(CagA).CagA is an oncoprotein that is the protagonist of gastric carcinogenesis associated with prolonged H.pylori infection.In this sense,small regulatory RNAs(sRNAs)are important macromolecules capable of inhibiting and activating gene expression.This function allows sRNAs to act in adjusting to unstable environmental conditions and in responding to cellular stresses in bacterial infections.Recent discoveries have shown that nickelregulated small RNA(NikS)is a post-transcriptional regulator of virulence properties of H.pylori,including the oncoprotein CagA.Notably,high concentrations of nickel cause the reduction of NikS expression and consequently this increases the levels of CagA.In addition,NikS expression appears to be lower in clinical isolates from patients with gastric cancer when compared to patients without.With that in mind,this minireview approaches,in an accessible way,the most important and current aspects about the role of NikS in the control of virulence factors of H.pylori and the potential clinical repercussions of this modulation.

Mutagenesis reveals that the rice OsMPT3 gene is an important osmotic regulatory factor

Plant mitochondrial phosphate transporters regulate phosphate transport and ATP synthesis. Determining whether they function in abiotic stress response process would shed light on their response to salt stress. We used the CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing system to mutagenize two mitochondrial phosphate transporters, OsMPT3;1 and OsMPT3;2, to investigate their regulatory roles under salt stress. Two cas9(CRISPR-associated protein9)-free homozygous mutants, mpt33 and mpt30, were confirmed to be stable. Both OsMPT3;1 and OsMPT3;2 were markedly induced by salt stress, and their mutagenesis strongly inhibited growth and development, especially under salt stress. Mutagenesis sharply reduced the accumulation of ATP, phosphate, calcium, soluble sugar, and proline and increased osmotic potential, malondialdehyde, and Na^+ /K^+ ratio under salt stress. Both mutants demonstrate normal growth and development in the presence of ATP, revealing high sensitivity to exogenous ATP under salt stress. The mutants showed lowered rates of Na^+ efflux but also of K^+ and Ca^(2+) influx under salt stress. Mutagenesis of OsMPT3;2 altered the enrichment profiles of differentially expressed genes involved mainly in synthesis of secondary metabolites, metabolism of glycolysis, pyruvate, tricarboxylic acid cycle, in response to salt stress. The mutant displayed significant accumulation differences in 14 metabolites involved in 17 metabolic pathways, and strongly up-regulated the accumulation of glutamine, a precursor in proline synthesis, under salt stress. These findings suggest that the OsMPT3 gene modulates phosphate transport and energy supply for ATP synthesis and triggers changes in accumulation of ions and metabolites participating in osmotic regulation in rice under salt stress, thus increasing rice salt tolerance. This study demonstrates the effective application of CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing to the investigation of plant functional genes.

Identifying changes in punitive transcriptional factor binding sites from regulatory single nucleotide polymorphisms that are significantly associated with disease or sickness

AIM To identify punitive transcriptional factor binding sites(TFBS) from regulatory single nucleotide polymorphisms(rS NPs) that are significantly associated with disease.METHODS The genome-wide association studies have provided us with nearly 6500 disease or trait-predisposing SNPs where 93% are located within non-coding regions such as gene regulatory or intergenic areas of the genome. In the regulatory region of a gene, a SNP can change the DNA sequence of a transcriptional factor(TF) motif and in turn may affect the process of gene regulation. SNP changes that affect gene expression and impact gene regulatory sequences such as promoters, enhancers, and silencers are known as rS NPs. Computational tools can be used to identify unique punitive TFBS created by rS NPs that are associated with disease or sickness. Computational analysis was used to identify punitive TFBS generated by the alleles of these rS NPs.RESULTS r SNPs within nine genes that have been significantly associated with disease or sickness were used to illustrate the tremendous diversity of punitive unique TFBS that can be generated by their alleles. The genes studied are the adrenergic, beta, receptor kinase 1, the v-akt murine thymoma viral oncogene homolog 3, the activating transcription factor 3, the type 2 demodkinase gene, the endothetal Per-Arnt-Sim domain protein 1, the lysosomal acid lipase A, the signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 4, the thromboxane A2 receptor and the vascular endothelial growth factor A. From this sampling of SNPs among the nine genes, there are 73 potential unique TFBS generated by the common alleles comparedto 124 generated by the minor alleles indicating the tremendous diversity of potential TFs that are capable of regulating these genes.CONCLUSION From the diversity of unique punitive binding sites for TFs, it was found that some TFs play a role in the disease or sickness being studied.

Transforming growth factor-β and peripheral regulatory cells are negatively correlated with the overall survival of hepatocellular carcinoma

AIM To understand the cellular and molecular changes inperipheral blood that can lead to the development of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC) and provide new methods for its diagnosis and treatment.METHODS Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated from the peripheral blood of HCC patients and normal controls and then analyzed by flow cytometry. The percentage of transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β)+ regulatory cells(Tregs) in the peripheral blood was measured, and the expression of TGF-β was also determined. Then, the relationship between the changes and the 5-year survival of patients was analyzed. In addition, recombinant human TGF-β(rh TGF-β) and recombinant human interleukin-6 were added to stimulate the cultured cells, and their effects on HCC were evaluated.RESULTS The expression of TGF-β and the percentage of TGF-β+ Tregs in the peripheral blood of HCC patients increased significantly compared with normal controls. Compared with the low TGF-β expression group, the high TGF-β expression group had a significantly lower 5-year survival rate, and the same result was found in the two TGF-β+ Treg groups, suggesting that TGF-β and TGF-β+ Tregs were negatively correlated with the overall survival of the patients. In addition, rh TGF-β promoted the growth of tumor cells and induced high expression levels of IL-6, which further promoted tumor proliferation.CONCLUSION The results showed that TGF-β may promote tumor growth and proliferation by inducing the production of IL-6, and TGF-β and TGF-β+ Tregs may serve as new markers for predicting a poor prognosis in HCC.

Factors influencing myogenic differentiation of adipose-derived stem cells and their application in muscle regeneration

Skeletal muscle regeneration mainly depends on muscle satellite cells;however,these cells are not sufficient for supporting repair and regeneration in volumetric muscle loss(VML),Duchenne muscular dystrophy,and other muscle injuries or muscle diseases.As such,much work has been conducted in recent years to search for myogenic stem cells.Adipose-derived stem cells(ADSCs)have a wide range of sources,rapid growth,and multi-directional differentiation potential,and have become vital candidates for muscle regeneration.Multiple factors influence the myogenic differentiation capacity of ADSCs.This paper reviews the regulatory aspects and possible factors that have been identified in recent years to affect myogenic differentiation of ADSCs.Based on these factors,gene editing,and perfusion concepts,a method was proposed to achieve maximal differentiation efficiency of ADSCs.This study focused on the application of ADSCs in muscle regeneration and disease.Based on the importance of myogenic differentiation of ADSCs for the repair and regeneration of muscle damage,this study provides a basis for future research surrounding the efficient induction of myogenic differentiation of ADSCs in vitro.

Characterization of flounder (Paralichthys olivaceus) FoxD5 and its function in regulating myogenic regulatory factor

As one member of winged helix domain transcription factors, FoxD5 was reported to be a trunk organizer. Recent study showed that zebrafish foxd5 is expressed in the somites. To further understand the function of FoxD5 in fish muscle development, the FoxD5 gene was isolated from flounder. Its expression pattern was analyzed by in situ hybridization, while its function in regulating myogenic regulatory factor, MyoD, was analyzed by ectopic expression. It showed that flounder FoxD5 was firstly expressed in the tailbud, adaxial cells, and neural plate of the head. In flounder embryo, FoxD5 is expressed not only in forebrain but also in somite cells that will form muscle in the future. When flounder FoxD5 was over-expressed in zebrafish by microinjection, the expression of zebrafish MyoD in the somites was reduced, suggesting that FoxD5 is involved in myogenesis by regulating the expression of MyoD.

Interferon Regulatory Factor 5 and Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System Polymorphisms in Coronary Artery Disease: An Overview of Experimental and Clinical Studies

Heart diseases are the main cause of mortality in Mexico, being coronary heart disease the most frequent in the country. Its high prevalence makes important the study of the pathophysiology and the search for prognostic factors. Different genes and polymorphisms promote atherogenesis and coronary artery disease, they affect inflammatory and vascular pathological processes. Interferon regulatory factor 5 (IRF5) is associated with coronary heart disease, it promotes chronic inflammation and cytokines release;it could trigger immune reactions and its activating receptors express in the vascular endothelium. Besides, polymorphisms in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) are implied with coronary disease, they are found in angiotensinogen (AGT), angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R), angiotensin II type 2 receptor (AT2R), and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) genes. These genetic polymorphisms are associated with a prothrombotic state, endothelial dysfunction, and immune activation. Multiple experimental studies showed that chronic activation of RAAS and chronic expression of IRF5 generates an environment prone to the development of atherosclerosis, and autoimmune and cardiovascular diseases. Studying these specific genes and their relationship with coronary heart disease will allow a better understanding of the pathological process and possibly the quest for new treatments.

Regulatory potential of soil available carbon,nitrogen,and functional genes on N_(2)O emissions in two upland plantation systems

Dynamic nitrification and denitrification processes are affected by changes in soil redox conditions,and they play a vital role in regulating soil N_(2)O emissions in rice-based cultivation.It is imperative to understand the influences of different upland crop planting systems on soil N_(2)O emissions.In this study,we focused on two representative rotation systems in Central China:rapeseed–rice(RR)and wheat–rice(WR).We examined the biotic and abiotic processes underlying the impacts of these upland plantings on soil N_(2)O emissions.The results revealed that during the rapeseed-cultivated seasons in the RR rotation system,the average N_(2)O emissions were 1.24±0.20 and 0.81±0.11 kg N ha^(–1)for the first and second seasons,respectively.These values were comparable to the N_(2)O emissions observed during the first and second wheat-cultivated seasons in the WR rotation system(0.98±0.25 and 0.70±0.04 kg N ha^(–1),respectively).This suggests that upland cultivation has minimal impacts on soil N_(2)O emissions in the two rotation systems.Strong positive correlations were found between N_(2)O fluxes and soil ammonium(NH_(4)^(+)),nitrate(NO_(3)^(–)),microbial biomass nitrogen(MBN),and the ratio of soil dissolved organic carbon(DOC)to NO_(3)^(–)in both RR and WR rotation systems.Moreover,the presence of the AOA-amoA and nirK genes were positively associated with soil N_(2)O fluxes in the RR and WR systems,respectively.This implies that these genes may have different potential roles in facilitating microbial N_(2)O production in various upland plantation models.By using a structural equation model,we found that soil moisture,mineral N,MBN,and the AOA-amoA gene accounted for over 50%of the effects on N_(2)O emissions in the RR rotation system.In the WR rotation system,soil moisture,mineral N,MBN,and the AOA-amoA and nirK genes had a combined impact of over 70%on N_(2)O emissions.These findings demonstrate the interactive effects of functional genes and soil factors,including soil physical characteristics,available carbon and nitrogen,and their ratio,on soil N_(2)O emissions during upland cultivation seasons under rice-upland rotations.

Chimeric oncogenic interferon regulatory factor-2 (IRF-2): Degradation products are biologically active

Interferon Regulatory Factor-2 (IRF-2) belongs to IRF family, was identified as a mammalian transcription factor involved in Interferon beta (IFNβ) gene regulation. Besides that IRF-2 is involved in immunomodulation, hematopoietic differentiation, cell cycle regulation and oncogenesis. We have done molecular sub-cloning and expression of recombinant murine IRF-2 as GST (Glutathione-S-Transferase)- IRF-2 fusion protein in E. coli/XL-1blue cells. Recombinant IRF-2 with GST moiety at N-terminus expressed as GST-IRF-2 (~66 kd) in E. coli along with different low molecular mass degradation products revealed approximately 30, 42, 60 and 62 kd by SDS-PAGE and Western blot, respectively. We further confirm that degradation takes place at C-terminus of the fusion protein not at N-terminus as anti-GST antibody was detecting all bands in the immunoblot. The recombinant IRF-2 was biologically active along with their degradation products in terms of their DNA binding activity as assessed by Electrophoretically Mobility Shift Assay (EMSA). We observed three different molecular mass DNA/protein complexes (1 - 3) with Virus Response Element (VRE) derived from human Interferon IFNβ gene and five different molecular mass complexes (1 - 5) with IRF-E motif (GAAAGT)4 in EMSA gel. GST only expressed from empty vector did not bind to these DNA elements. To confirm that the binding is specific, all complexes were competed out completely when challenged with 100-X fold molar excess of IRF-E oligo under cold competition. It means degradation products along with full-length protein are able to interact with VREβ as well as IRF-E motif. This means degradation products may regulate the target gene (s) activation/repression via interacting with VRE/IRF-E.

Maintaining cholesterol homeostasis: Sterol regulatory element-binding proteins

The molecular mechanism of how hepatocytes maintain cholesterol homeostasis has become much more transparent with the discovery of sterol regulatory element binding proteins (SREBPs) in recent years. These membrane proteins aremembers of the basic helix-loop-helix-leucine zipper (bHLHZip) family of transcription factors. They activate the expression of at least 30 genes involved in the synthesis of cholesterol and lipids. SREBPs are synthesized as precursor proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), where they form a complex with another protein, SREBP cleavage activating protein (SCAP). The SCAP molecule contains a sterol sensory domain. In the presence of high cellular sterol concentrations SCAP confines SREBP to the ER. With low cellular concentrations, SCAP escorts SREBP to activation in the Golgi. There, SREBP undergoes two proteolytic cleavage steps to release the mature, biologically active transcription factor, nuclear SREBP (nSREBP). nSREBP translocates to the nucleus and binds to sterol response elements (SRE) in the promoter/enhancer regions of target genes. Additional transcription factors are required to activate transcription of these genes. Three different SREBPs are known, SREBPs-1a, -1c and -2. SREBP-1a and -1c are isoforms produced from a single gene by alternate splicing. SREBP-2 is encoded by a different gene and does not display any isoforms. It appears that SREBPs alone, in the sequence described above, can exert complete control over cholesterol synthesis, whereas many additional factors (hormones, cytokines, etc.) are required for complete control of lipid metabolism. Medicinal manipulation of the SREBP/SCAP system is expected to prove highly beneficial in the management of cholesterol-related disease.

Effect of Sirpα1 on the expression of nuclear factor-kappa B in hepatocellular carcinoma

BACKGROUND:Signal regulatory protein alpha1(Sirpα1) is a member of Sirps families containing four immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibitory motifs(ITIMs) domains in the cytoplasm of and an activated substrate of receptor tyrosine kinase(RTK),that negatively regulates the RTK-dependent cell proliferating signal transduction pathway.Previously we found that Sirpα1 was closely associated with the occurrence and development of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)as well as liver regeneration.Since it is unclear about the regulatory mechanisms,we established the cell line transfected Sirpα1 gene and preliminarily clarified the mechanisms by which Sirpα1 negatively regulates the carcinogenesis and development of HCC. METHODS:Liver cancer Sk-Hep1 cell was respectively transfected with plasmids of pLXSN,pLXSN-Sirpα1 and pLXSN-Sirpα1Δ4Y 2 ,screened with the drug of G418(1200 μg/ml),and various transfected Sk-Hep1 cell lines were obtained.The protein expressions of P65,P50,IκBα,cyclin D1 and Fas in various Sk-Hep1 cell lines were determined by Western blotting,and P65 and P50 were localized by the immunofluorescence technique. RESULTS:Sirpα1 could significantly upregulate the protein expression of IκBα(vs.other cell lines,P<0.05) in the Sk-Hep1 cell,and downregulate the protein expressions of P65,P50 and cyclin D1(vs.other cell lines, P<0.05)in the Sk-Hep1 cell.P65 protein expression was mainly localized in the cytoplasm in the pLXSN Sk-Hep1 cell,and in the nucleus of the Sk-Hep1 cell with mutantSirpα1Δ4Y 2 ,but in nucleus of the Sk-Hep1 cell with wild Sirpα1.P50 protein expression was localized in the cytoplasm and nucleus of the pLXSN Sk-Hep1 cell,but in the nucleus of the Sk-Hep1 cell with wild Sirpα1 and mutant Sirpα1Δ4Y 2 plasmid. CONCLUSIONS:Sirpα1 might negatively regulate and control the abnormal proliferation of liver cancer cells by influencing the protein content and localization of nuclear factor-kappa B,then influence the expression of cyclins such as cyclin D1 in the signal transduction pathway.It may be one of the important mechanisms by which Sirpα1 negatively regulates the carcinogenesis and development of HCC.

Differential Expression of Rice Valine-Qlutamine Gene Family in Response to Nitric Oxide and Regulatory Circuit of OsVQ7 and OsWRKY24

The functional diversity of plant valine-qlutamine(VQ) proteins is closely associated with their partners WRKY transcription factors, and also with a complex network of signaling pathways that mediated by hormone molecules. We reported genome-wide expression profiles of differentially expressed rice VQ genes under nitric oxide(NO) treatment based on a microarray analysis. Cluster analysis of expression patterns revealed that some VQ genes and WRKY genes shared similar expression trends. Prediction of cis-elements showed that W-box or W-box-like sequences were overrepresented within the promoters of most of NO-responsive VQ genes. In particular, the similarly expressed Os VQ7 and Os WRKY24 showed great induction upon NO triggering. Transient expression assay and chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis demonstrated that OsWRKY24 was specifically bound to the promoter regions of Os VQ7 and Os WRKY24 itself, which contain multiple copies of W-box or W-box-like cis-elements. Yeast-two-hybrid assay indicated that OsWRKY24 can interact physically with OsVQ7 through the C-terminal of WRKY domain. The results suggested that OsVQ7 and OsWRKY24 may form an auto-and cross-regulation circuit that is required for tight regulation and fine-tuning of physiological processes they are involved in. These findings provided a solid foundation for exploring the specific functions of the VQ protein family in NO signaling pathway.