Omentin-1 prevents inflammation-induced osteoporosis by downregulating the pro-inflammatory cytokines

Osteoporosis is a frequent complication of chronic inflammatory diseases and increases in the pro-inflammatory cytokines make an important contribution to bone loss by promoting bone resorption and impairing bone formation. Omentin-1 is a newly identified adipocytokine that has anti-inflammatory effects, but little is known about the role of omentin-1 in inflammatory osteoporosis. Here we generated global omentin-1 knockout（omentin-1^-/-） mice and demonstrated that depletion of omentin-1 induces inflammatory bone loss-like phenotypes in mice, as defined by abnormally elevated pro-inflammatory cytokines, increased osteoclast formation and bone tissue destruction, as well as impaired osteogenic activities. Using an inflammatory cell model induced by tumor necrosis factor-α（TNF-α）, we determined that recombinant omentin-1 reduces the production of proinflammatory factors in the TNF-α-activated macrophages, and suppresses their anti-osteoblastic and pro-osteoclastic abilities. In the magnesium silicate-induced inflammatory osteoporosis mouse model, the systemic administration of adenoviral-delivered omentin-1 significantly protects from osteoporotic bone loss and inflammation. Our study suggests that omentin-1 can be used as a promising therapeutic agent for the prevention or treatment of inflammatory bone diseases by downregulating the proinflammatory cytokines.

Cognitive dysfunction in schizophrenia patients caused by downregulation of γ-aminobutyric acid receptor subunits

BACKGROUND The expression pattern of gamma aminobutyric acid(GABA)receptor subunits are commonly altered in patients with schizophrenia,which may lead to nerve excitation/inhibition problems,affecting cognition,emotion,and behavior.AIM To explore GABA receptor expression and its relationship with schizophrenia and to provide insights into more effective treatments.METHODS This case-control study enrolled 126 patients with schizophrenia treated at our hospital and 126 healthy volunteers who underwent physical examinations at our hospital during the same period.The expression levels of the GABA receptor subunits were detected using 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy.The recognized cognitive battery tool,the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery,was used to evaluate the scores for various dimensions of cognitive function.The correlation between GABA receptor subunit downregulation and schizophrenia was also analyzed.RESULTS Significant differences in GABA receptor subunit levels were found between the case and control groups(P<0.05).A significant difference was also found between the case and control groups in terms of cognitive function measures,including attention/alertness and learning ability(P<0.05).Specifically,as the expression levels of GABRA1(α1 subunit gene),GABRB2(β2 subunit gene),GABRD(δsubunit),and GABRE(εsubunit)decreased,the severity of the patients’condition increased gradually,indicating a positive correlation between the downregulation of these 4 receptor subunits and schizophrenia(P<0.05).However,the expression levels of GABRA5(α5 subunit gene)and GABRA6(α6 subunit gene)showed no significant correlation with schizophrenia(P>0.05).CONCLUSION Downregulation of the GABA receptor subunits is positively correlated with schizophrenia.In other words,when GABA receptor subunits are downregulated in patients,cognitive impairment becomes more severe.

Downregulation of orosomucoid 2 acts as a prognostic factor associated with cancer-promoting pathways in liver cancer

BACKGROUND Liver cancer has a high mortality and morbidity rate throughout the world.In clinical practice,the prognosis of liver cancer patients is poor,and the complex reasons contribute to treatment failures,including fibrosis,hepatitis viral infection,drug resistance and metastasis.Thus,screening novel prognostic biomarkers is of great importance for guiding liver cancer therapy.Orosomucoid genes(ORMs)encode acute phase plasma proteins,including orosomucoid 1(ORM1)and ORM2.Previous studies showed their upregulation upon inflammation,but the specific function of ORMs has not yet been determined,especially in the development of liver cancer.AIM To determine the expression of ORMs and their potential function in liver cancer.METHODS Analysis of the expression of ORMs in different human tissues was performed on data from the HPA RNA-seq normal tissues project.The expression ratio of ORMs was determined using the HCCDB database,including the ratio between liver cancer and other cancers,normal liver and other normal tissues,liver cancer and adjacent normal liver tissues.Analysis of ORM expression in different cancer types was performed using The Cancer Genome Atlas and TIMER database.The expression of ORMs in liver tumor tissues and adjacent normal tissues were further confirmed using Gene Expression Omnibus data,including GSE36376 and GSE14520.The 10-year overall survival(OS),progression-free survival(PFS)and relapse-free survival(RFS)rates between high and low ORM expression groups in liver cancer patients were determined using the Kaplan-Meier plotter tool.Gene Set Enrichment Analysis(GSEA)was employed to explore the ORM2-associated signaling network.Correlations between ORM2 expression and tumor purity or the infiltration level of macrophages in liver tumor tissues were determined using the TIMER database.The correlation between ORM2 gene levels,tumor-associated macrophage(TAM)markers(including CD68 and TGFβ1)and T cell immunosuppression(including CTLA4 and PD-1)in liver tumor tissues and liver GTEx was determined using the GEPIA database.RESULTS ORM1 and ORM2 were highly expressed in normal liver and liver tumor tissues.ORM1 and ORM2 expression was significantly decreased in liver tumor tissues compared with adjacent normal tissues,and similar results were also noted in cholangiocarcinoma,esophageal carcinoma,and lung squamous cell carcinoma.Further analysis of the Gene Expression Omnibus Database also confirmed the downregulation of ORM1 and ORM2 in liver tumors.Survival analysis showed that the high ORM2 group had better survival rates in OS,PFS and RFS.ORM1 only represented better performance in PFS,but not in OS or RFS.GSEA analysis of ORM2 from The Cancer Genome Atlas liver cancer data identified that ORM2 positively associated with the G2/M checkpoint,E2F target signaling,as well as Wnt/β-catenin and Hedgehog signaling.Moreover,apoptosis,IFN-αresponses,IFN-γresponses and humoral immune responses were upregulated in the ORM2 high group.ORM2 expression was negatively correlated with the macrophage infiltration level,CD68,TGFβ1,CTLA4 and PD-1 levels.CONCLUSION The results showed that ORM1 and ORM2 were highly expressed specifically in liver tissues,whereas ORM1 and ORM2 were downregulated in liver tumor tissues.ORM2 is a better prognostic factor for liver cancer.Furthermore,ORM2 is closely associated with cancer-promoting pathways.

Loss of the vitamin D receptor in human breast and prostate cancers strongly induces cell apoptosis through downregulation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling

Vitamin D co-regulates cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis in numerous tissues, including cancers. The known anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic actions of the active metabolite of vitamin D, 1,25-dihydroxy-vitamin D [1,25（OH）2D] are mediated through binding to the vitamin D receptor （VDR）. Here, we report on the unexpected finding that stable knockdown of VDR expression in the human breast and prostate cancer cell lines, MDA-MB-231 and PC3, strongly induces cell apoptosis and inhibits cell proliferation in vitro. Implantation of these VDR knockdown cells into the mammary fat pad （MDA-MB-231）, subcutaneously （PC3） or intra-tibially （both cell lines） in immune-incompetent nude mice resulted in reduced tumor growth associated with increased apoptosis and reduced cell proliferation compared with controls. These growth-retarding effects of VDR knockdown occur in the presence and absence of vitamin D and are independent of whether cells were grown in bone or soft tissues. Transcriptome analysis of VDR knockdown and non-target control cell lines demonstrated that loss of the VDR was associated with significant attenuation in the Wnt/0-catenin signaling pathway. In particular, cytoplasmic and nuclear β-catenin protein levels were reduced with a corresponding downregulation of downstream genes such as Axin2, Cyclin D1, interleukin-6 （IL-6）, and IL-8. Stabilization of 0-catenin using the GSK-3β inhibitor BIO partly reversed the growth-retarding effects of VDR knockdown. Our results indicate that the unliganded VDR possesses hitherto unknown functions to promote breast and prostate cancer growth, which appear to be operational not only within but also outside the bone environment. These novel functions contrast with the known anti-proliferative nuclear actions of the liganded VDR and may represent targets for new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in breast and prostate cancer.

NEDD9 promotes cancer stemness by recruiting myeloid-derived suppressor cells via CXCL8 in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Objective:Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC)has high morbidity and mortality rates worldwide.Cancer stem cells(CSCs)may cause tumor initiation,metastasis,and recurrence and are also responsible for chemotherapy and radiotherapy failures.Myeloid-derived suppressor cells(MDSCs),in contrast,are known to be involved in mediating immunosuppression.Here,we aimed to investigate the mechanisms of interaction of CSCs and MDSCs in the tumor microenvironment.Methods:ESCC tissues and cell lines were evaluated.Neural precursor cell expressed,developmentally downregulated 9(NEDD9)was knocked down and overexpressed by lentiviral transfection.Quantitative PCR,Western blot,immunohistochemistry,cell invasion,flow cytometry,cell sorting,multiplex chemokine profiling,and tumor growth analyses were performed.Results:Microarray analysis revealed 10 upregulated genes in esophageal CSCs.Only NEDD9 was upregulated in CSCs using the sphere-forming method.NEDD9 expression was correlated with tumor invasion(P=0.0218),differentiation(P=0.0153),and poor prognosis(P=0.0373).Additionally,NEDD9 was required to maintain the stem-like phenotype.Screening of chemokine expression in ESCC cells with NEDD9 overexpression and knockdown showed that NEDD9 regulated C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 8(CXCL8)expression via the ERK pathway.CXCL8 mediated the recruitment of MDSCs induced by NEDD9 in vitro and in vivo.MDSCs promoted the stemness of ESCC cells through NEDD9 via the Notch pathway.Conclusions:As a marker of ESCC,NEDD9 maintained the stemness of ESCC cells and regulated CXCL8 through the ERK pathway to recruit MDSCs into the tumor,suggesting NEDD9 as a therapeutic target and novel prognostic marker for ESCC.

Genes for RNA-binding proteins involved in neuralspecific functions and diseases are downregulated in Rubinstein-Taybi iNeurons

Taking advantage of the fast-growing knowledge of RNA-binding proteins(RBPs)we review the signature of downregulated genes for RBPs in the transcriptome of induced pluripotent stem cell neurons(iNeurons)modelling the neurodevelopmental Rubinstein Taybi Syndrome(RSTS)caused by mutations in the genes encoding CBP/p300 acetyltransferases.We discuss top and functionally connected downregulated genes sorted to“RNA processing”and“Ribonucleoprotein complex biogenesis”Gene Ontology clusters.The first set of downregulated RBPs includes members of hnRNHP(A1,A2B1,D,G,H2-H1,MAGOHB,PAPBC),core subunits of U small nuclear ribonucleoproteins and Serine-Arginine splicing regulators families,acting in precursor messenger RNA alternative splicing and processing.Consistent with literature findings on reduced transcript levels of serine/arginine repetitive matrix 4(SRRM4)protein,the main regulator of the neural-specific microexons splicing program upon depletion of Ep300 and Crebbp in mouse neurons,RSTS iNeurons show downregulated genes for proteins impacting this network.We link downregulated genes to neurological disorders including the new HNRNPH1-related intellectual disability syndrome with clinical overlap to RSTS.The set of downregulated genes for Ribosome biogenesis includes several components of ribosomal subunits and nucleolar proteins,such NOP58 and fibrillarin that form complexes with snoRNAs with a central role in guiding post-transcriptional modifications needed for rRNA maturation.These nucleolar proteins are“dual”players as fibrillarin is also required for epigenetic regulation of ribosomal genes and conversely NOP58-associated snoRNA levels are under the control of NOP58 interactor BMAL1,a transcriptional regulator of the circadian rhythm.Additional downregulated genes for“dual specificity”RBPs such as RUVBL1 and METTL1 highlight the links between chromatin and the RBP-ome and the contribution of perturbations in their cross-talk to RSTS.We underline the hub position of CBP/p300 in chromatin regulation,the impact of its defect on neurons’post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression and the potential use of epidrugs in therapeutics of RBP-caused neurodevelopmental disorders.

TGF-β2 downregulates osteogenesis under inflammatory conditions in dental follicle stem cells

Bone formation is important for the reconstruction of bone-related structures in areas that have been damaged by inflammation.Inflammatory conditions such as those that occur in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, cystic fibrosis, and periodontitis have been shown to inhibit osteoblastic differentiation. This study focussed on dental follicle stem cells(DFSCs), which are found in developing tooth germ and participate in the reconstruction of alveolar bone and periodontal tissue in periodontal disease. After bacterial infection of inflamed dental tissue, the destruction of bone was observed. Currently, little is known about the relationship between the inflammatory environment and bone formation. Osteogenic differentiation of inflamed DFSCs resulted in decreased alkaline phosphatase(ALP) activity and alizarin red S staining compared to normal DFSCs. Additionally, in vivo transplantation of inflamed and normal DFSCs demonstrated severe impairment of osteogenesis by inflamed DFSCs. Protein profile analysis via liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry was performed to analyse the differences in protein expression in inflamed and normal tissue. Comparison of inflamed and normal DFSCs showed significant changes in the level of expression of transforming growth factor(TGF)-β2. Porphyromonas gingivalis(P.g.)-derived lipopolysaccharide(LPS) was used to create in vitro inflammatory conditions similar to periodontitis. The osteogenic differentiation of LPS-treated DFSCs was suppressed, and the cells displayed low levels of TGF-β1 and high levels of TGF-β2. DFSCs treated with TGF-β2 inhibitors showed significant increases in alizarin red S staining and ALP activity. TGF-β1 expression was also increased after inhibition of TGF-β2. By examining inflamed DFSCs and LPS-triggered DFSCs, these studies showed both clinically and experimentally that the increase in TGF-β2 levels that occurs under inflammatory conditions inhibits bone formation.

Nerve growth factor downregulates c-jun mRNA and Caspase-3 in striate cortex of rats after transient global cerebral ischemia/reperfusion

BACKGROUND： Immediate early gene （lEG） c-jun is a sensitive marker for functional status of nerve cells. Caspase-3 is a cysteine protease, which is a critical regulator of apoptosis. The effect of exogenous nerve growth factor （NGF） on the expression of c-jun mRNA and Caspase-3 protein in striate cortex of rats with transient global cerebral ischemia/reperfusion （IR） is unclear. OBJECTIVE： To study the protective effect of exogenous NGF on the brain of rats with transient globa cerebral IR and its effecting pathway by observing the expression of c-jun mRNA and Caspase-3 protein. DESIGN： Randomized controlled animal trial SETTING： Department of Neural Anatomy, Institute of Brain, China Medical University MATERIALS：Eighteen healthy male SD rats of clean grade, aged 1 to 3 months, with body mass of 250 to 300 g, were involved in this study. NGF was provided by Dalian Svate Pharmaceutical Co.,Ltd. c-jun in situ hybridization detection kit, Caspase-3 antibody and SABC kit were purchased from Boster Biotechnology Co.. Ltd. METHODS： This trial was carried out in the Department of Neural Anatomy, Institute of Brain, China Medical University during September 2003 to April 2005. （1） Experimental animals were randomized into three groups with 6 in each： sham-operation group, IR group and NGF group.（2）After the rats were anesthetized, the bilateral common carotid arteries and right external carotid arteries of rats were bluntly dissected and bilateral common carotid arteries were clamped for 30 minutes with bulldog clamps. Reperfusion began after buldog clamps were removed. Normal saline of lmL and NGF （1×10^6 U/L） of 1 mL was injected into the common carotid artery of rats via right external carotid arteries in the IR group and NGF group respectively. The injection was conducted within 30 minutes, and then the right external carotid arteries were ligated. In the sham-operation group, occlusion of bilateral common carotid arteries and administration of drugs were omitted.GAll the rats were executed by decollation at 3 hours after modeling. The animals were fixed with phosphate buffer solution （PBS, 0.1 mol/L） containing 40 g/L polyformaldehyde, their brains were quickly removed. The coronal section tissue mass containing striate cortex about 3 mm before line between two ears was taken and made into successive frozen sections.（4）The expression of c-jun mRNA and Caspase-3 protein in striate cortex of global cerebral ischemia rats were detected with in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry and microscope image analysis. （5）t test was used for comparing the difference of the measurement data. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES：Comparison of the expression of lEG c-jun mRNA and Caspase-3 protein in striate cortex of brain of rats in each group. RESULTS：All the 18 SD rats were involved in the analysis of results. The c-jun mRNA and Caspase-3 protein positive reaction cells were found brown yellow in the striate cortex of rats, and most of them were in lamellas Ⅱ and Ⅲ, mainly presenting round or oval. The expression of c-jun mRNA and Caspase-3 protein in sham-operation group was weak or negative. The average gray value of c-jun mRNA and Caspase-3 protein in the IR group was significantly lower than that in the sham-operation group （49.52±4.13 vs. 95.48± 5.28; 74.73±4.29 vs. 162.38±9.16,P 〈 0.01）. The average gray value of c-jun mRNA and Caspase-3 protein in the NGF group was significantly higher than that in the IR group （63.96±4.25 vs.49.52±4.13; 83.98± 4.13 vs. 74.73±4.29, P〈 0.05）. CONCLUSION： NGF can protect ischemic neurons by down-regulating the expression of c-jun mRNA and Caspase-3 protein in striate cortex of global cerebral ischemia rats.

Histone demethylase JMJD3 downregulation protects against aberrant force-induced osteoarthritis through epigenetic control of NR4A1

Osteoarthritis(OA)is a prevalent joint disease with no effective treatment strategies.Aberrant mechanical stimuli was demonstrated to be an essential factor for OA pathogenesis.Although multiple studies have detected potential regulatory mechanisms underlying OA and have concentrated on developing novel treatment strategies,the epigenetic control of OA remains unclear.Histone demethylase JMJD3 has been reported to mediate multiple physiological and pathological processes,including cell differentiation,proliferation,autophagy,and apoptosis.However,the regulation of JMJD3 in aberrant force-related OA and its mediatory effect on disease progression are still unknown.In this work,we confirmed the upregulation of JMJD3 in aberrant forceinduced cartilage injury in vitro and in vivo.Functionally,inhibition of JMJD3 by its inhibitor,GSK-J4,or downregulation of JMJD3 by adenovirus infection of sh-JMJD3 could alleviate the aberrant force-induced chondrocyte injury.Mechanistic investigation illustrated that aberrant force induces JMJD3 expression and then demethylates H3K27me3 at the NR4A1 promoter to promote its expression.Further experiments indicated that NR4A1 can regulate chondrocyte apoptosis,cartilage degeneration,extracellular matrix degradation,and inflammatory responses.In vivo,anterior cruciate ligament transection(ACLT)was performed to construct an OA model,and the therapeutic effect of GSK-J4 was validated.More importantly,we adopted a peptide-si RNA nanoplatform to deliver si-JMJD3 into articular cartilage,and the severity of joint degeneration was remarkably mitigated.Taken together,our findings demonstrated that JMJD3 is flow-responsive and epigenetically regulates OA progression.Our work provides evidences for JMJD3 inhibition as an innovative epigenetic therapy approach for joint diseases by utilizing p5RHH-si RNA nanocomplexes.

Orosomucoid in liver diseases

In this editorial,the roles of orosomucoid(ORM)in the diagnoses and follow-up assessments of both nonneoplastic diseases and liver tumors are discussed with respect to the publication by Zhu et al presented in the previous issue of World Journal of Gastroenterology(2020;26(8):840-817).ORM,or alpha-1 acid glycoprotein(AGP),is an acute-phase protein that constitutes 1%to 3%of plasma proteins in humans and is mainly synthesized in the liver.ORM exists in serum as two variants:ORM1 and ORM2.Although the variants share 89.6%sequence identity and have similar biological properties,ORM1 constitutes the main component of serum ORM.An interesting feature of ORM is that its biological effects differ according to variations in glycosylation patterns.This variable feature makes ORM an attractive target for diagnosing and monitoring many diseases,including those of the liver.Recent findings suggest that a sharp decrease in ORM level is an important marker for HBV-associated acute liver failure(ALF),and ORM1 plays an important role in liver regeneration.In viral hepatitis,increases in both ORM and its fucosylated forms and the correlation of these increases with fibrosis progression suggest that this glycoprotein can be used with other markers as a noninvasive method in the follow-up assessment of diseases.In addition,similar findings regarding the level of the asialylated form of ORM,called asialo-AGP(AsAGP),have been reported in a follow-up assessment of fibrosis in chronic liver disease.An increase in ORM in serum has also been shown to improve hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)diagnosis performance when combined with other markers.In addition,determination of the ORM level has been useful in the diagnosis of HCC with AFP concentrations less than 500 ng/mL.For monitoring patients with AFP-negative HCC,a unique trifucosylated tetra-antennary glycan of ORM may also be used as a new potential marker.The fact that there are very few studies investigating the expression of this glycoprotein and its variants in liver tissues constitutes a potential limitation,especially in terms of revealing all the effects of ORM on carcinogenesis and tumor behavior.Current findings indicate that ORM2 expression is decreased in tumors,and this is related to the aggressive course of the disease.Parallel to this finding,in HCC cell lines,ORM2 decreases HCC cell migration and invasion,supporting reports of its tumor suppressor role.In conclusion,the levels of ORM and its different glycosylated variants are promising additional biomarkers for identifying ALF,for monitoring fibrosis in viral hepatitis,and for diagnosing early HCC.Although there is evidence that the loss of ORM2 expression in HCC is associated with poor prognosis,further studies are needed to support these findings.Additionally,investigations of ORM expression in borderline dysplastic nodules and hepatocellular adenomas,which pose diagnostic problems in the differential diagnosis of HCC,especially in biopsy samples,may shed light on whether ORM can be used in histopathological differential diagnosis.

Circulating MicroRNA-21 is Downregulated in Patients with Metabolic Syndrome

The microRNA-21 （miR-21） is known to play a major role in cancer progression; however, its function in the cardiovascular system appears to be even more complex and conflicting. To characterize miR-21 expression in the plasma of individuals with or without metabolic syndrome （MetS）, 58 MetS cases and 96 non-MetS controls were investigated.

Effects on the STAT3-shRNA in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Therapy: Design, Induction of Apoptosis, and Conjugation with Chitosan-Based Gene Vectors

STAT3 plays a particularly important role in several cancer-related signal transduction pathways.Silencing STAT3 via RNA interference or small molecule inhibitors induces the apoptosis of tumor cells,thereby inhibiting the growth of the tumors.In this study,short-hairpin RNA sequences targeting the STAT3 genes were designed,synthesized,and then connected to pGPU6/GFP/Neo plasmids as the shRNA-expression vectors.The expression of STAT3-shRNA was analyzed by real-time PCR,western blotting,and cell apoptosis assay to study the growth and apoptosis of the cells.Then,the effect of STAT3 knockdown on the NCI-H1650 cells was studied in a tumor mouse model.The results revealed that,after an in vitro transfection,the proliferation of NCI-H1650 cells was inhibited,and the cells were induced to apoptosis.The mRNA and protein expression levels of STAT3 were downregulated in the STAT3-shRNA group.In vivo,the tumor mass and volume in the STAT3-shRNA group were significantly lower than in the other two groups.Both the in vivo and in vitro results demonstrated a long-period inhibiting effect on NSCLC,especially in vivo,when the tumor inhibition rate could reach 50%in the STAT3-shRNA group,which is an exciting outcome.Moreover,the study of the conjugation of STAT3-shRNA and chitosan-based vectors revealed that they could be combined steadily with good cytocompati-bility and transfection efficiency.These results together provide convincing evidence for the application of STAT3-shRNA used in the treatment of non-small lung cancer,which could be a promoting prospect for the development of gene therapy.

Photosynthetic and Molecular Markers of CO_2-mediated Photosynthetic Downregulation in Nodulated Alfalfa

Elevated CO2 leads to a decrease in potential net photosynthesis in long-term experiments and thus to a reduction in potential growth. This process is known as photosynthetic downregulation. There is no agreement on the definition of which parameters are the most sensitive for detecting CO2 acclimation. In order to investigate the most sensitive photosynthetic and molecular markers of CO2 acclimation, the effects of elevated CO2, and associated elevated temperature were analyzed in alfalfa plants inoculated with different Sinorhizobium meliloti strains. Plants （Medicago sativa L. cv. Aragon） were grown in summer or autumn in temperature gradient greenhouses （TGG）. At the end of the experiment, all plants showed acclimation in both seasons, especially under elevated summer temperatures. This was probably due to the lower nitrogen （N） availability caused by decreased N2-fixation under higher temperatures. Photosynthesis measured at growth CO2 concentration, rubisco in vitro activity and maximum rate of carboxylation were the most sensitive parameters for detecting downregulation. Severe acclimation was also related with decreases in leaf nitrogen content associated with declines in rubisco content （large and small subunits） and activity that resulted in a drop in photosynthesis. Despite the sensitivity of rubisco content as a marker of acclimation, it was not coordinated with gene expression, possibly due to a lag between gene transcription and protein translation.

Downregulation of the Basic Peroxidase Isoenzyme from Zinnia elegans by Gibberellic Acid

Hypocotyl formation during the epigeal germination of seedlings is under strict hormonal regulation. In a 3 d old Zinnia elegans seedling system, gibberellic acid （GA3） exerts an opposite effect to that exerted by light on hypocotyl photomorphogenesis because GAz promotes an etiolated-like growth with an inhibition of radial （secondary） growth. For this reason, the effect of GA3 on the basic peroxidase isoenzyme from Z. elegans （ZePrx）, an enzyme involved in hypocotyl lignin biosynthesis, was studied. The results showed that GA3 reduces ZePrx activity, similarly to the way in which it reduces seedling secondary growth. This hormonal response is supported by the analysis of the ZePrx promoter, which contains four types of GA3-responsive cis.elements： the W Box/O2S; the Pyr Box; the GARE; and the Amy Box. Taken together, these results suggest that ZePrx is directly regulated by GA3, with this effect matching the inhibitory effect of GA on the hypocotyl secondary growth.

NF-κB,a hot topic in biochemical and medical studies in China

In 1986, nuclear factor (NF)-κB was first discovered in the laboratory of Nobel Prize laureate David Baltimore via its interaction with a sequence (5′-GGGACTTTCC-3′) in the immunoglobulin light-chain enhancer in B

Toward fine-tuned metabolic networks in industrial microorganisms

There are numerous microorganisms in nature capable of synthesizing diverse useful compounds;however,these natural microorganisms are generally inefficient in the production of target products on an industrial scale,relative to either chemical synthesis or extraction methods.To achieve industrial production of useful compounds,these natural microorganisms must undergo a certain degree of mutation or effective fine-tuning strategies.This review describes how to achieve an ideal metabolic fine-tuned process,including static control strategies and dynamic control strategies.The static control strategies mainly focus on various matabolic engineering strategies,including protein engineering,upregulation/downregulation,and combinatrorial control of these metabolic engineering strategies,to enhance the flexibility of their application in fine-tuned metabolic metworks.Then,we focus on the dynamic control strategies for fine-tuned metabolic metworks.The design principles derived would guide us to construct microbial cell factories for various useful compounds.

Loss of HER2 in breast cancer: biological mechanisms and technical pitfalls

Loss of HER2 in previously HER2-positive breast tumors is not rare, occurring in up to 50% of breast cancers;however, clinical research and practice underestimate this issue. Many studies have reported the loss of HER2 afterneoadjuvant therapy and at metastatic relapse and identified clinicopathological variables more frequentlyassociated with this event. Nevertheless, the biological mechanisms underlying HER2 loss are still poorlyunderstood. HER2 downregulation, intratumoral heterogeneity, clonal selection, and true subtype switch have beensuggested as potential causes of HER2 loss, but translational studies specifically investigating the biology behindHER2 loss are virtually absent. On the other side, technical pitfalls may justify HER2 loss in some of these samples.The best treatment strategy for patients with HER2 loss is currently unknown. Considering the prevalence of thisphenomenon and its apparent correlation with worse outcomes, we believe that correlative studies specificallyaddressing HER2 loss are warranted.

MYC inhibitors in multiple myeloma

The importance of MYC function in cancer was discovered in the late 1970s when the sequence of the avian retrovirus that causes myelocytic leukemia was identified.Since then,over 40 years of unceasing research have highlighted the significance of this protein in malignant transformation,especially in hematologic diseases.Indeed,some of the earliest connections among the higher expression of proto-oncogenes(such as MYC),genetic rearrangements and their relation to cancer development were made in Burkitt lymphoma,chronic myeloid leukemia and mouse plasmacytomas.Multiple myeloma(MM),in particular,is a plasma cell malignancy strictly associated with MYC deregulation,suggesting that therapeutic strategies against it would be beneficial in treating this disease.However,targeting MYC was-and,somehow,still is-challenging due to its unique properties:lack of defined three-dimensional structure,nuclear localization and absence of a targetable enzymatic pocket.Despite these difficulties,however,many studies have shown the potential therapeutic impact of direct or indirect MYC inhibition.Different molecules have been tested,in fact,in the context of MM.In this review,we summarize the current status of the different compounds,including the results of their clinical testing,and propose to continue with the efforts to identify,repurpose,redesign or improve drug candidates to combine them with standard of care therapies to overcome resistance and enable better management of myeloma treatment.