Preliminary Investigation on Somatic Embryogenesis from Immature Cotyledon Explants of Shea （Vitellaria paradoxa G,）

Long juvenile phase and lack of effective protocols for large scale vegetative propagation are limitations to domestication and improvement of the shea tree. The present study seeks to develop a protocol for plant regeneration of shea （Vitellaria paradoxa） from immature cotyledon explants. Embryogenic callus cultures were induced on Murashige and Skoog medium （MS） containing 3% sucrose, 0.24% Phytagel, and various concentrations of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid （2,4-D） after four weeks of culture in darkness. Rates of embryogenic callus induction were significantly affected by the addition of 2, 4-D to the medium. Within 28 days of culture, the highest percentage of embyogenic calli （77.61%） occurred on MS media containing 0.45 ~tM of 2,4-D in the dark. Somatic embryos were obtained by culturing embryogenic callus （in the dark） on MS medium fortified with 3% sucrose, 0.24% phytagel and devoid of growth regulators. Culturing at 16 h photoperiod restricted both the induction of embryogenic calli cultures and somatic embryos. Somatic embryos germinated, developed shoots and rooted vigorously on MS medium devoid of growth regulators. Germinated plantlets were acclimatized, successfully.

Integrating microRNAs and mRNAs reveals the hormones synthesis and signal transduction of maize under different N rates

The effect of nitrogen(N)fertilizer on the development of maize kernels has yet to be fully explored.MicroRNA-mRNA analyses could help advance our understanding of how kernels respond to N.This study analyzed the morphological,physiological,and transcriptomic changes in maize kernels under different N rates(0,100,200,and 300 kg ha–1).The result showed that increasing N application significantly increased maize grains’fresh and dry weight until N reached 200 kg ha–1.Higher levels of indole-3-acetic acid,cytokinin,gibberellin,and a lower level of ethylene were associated with increased N applications.We obtained 31 differentially expressed genes(DEGs)in hormone synthesis and transduction,and 9 DEGs were regulated by 14 differentially expressed microRNAs(DEMIs)in 26 pairs.The candidate DEGs and DEMIs provide valuable insight for manipulating grain filling under different N rates.

Antioxidant and anticancer activity of Artemisia princeps var.orientalis extract in HepG2 and Hep3B hepatocellular carcinoma cells

Objective：The aim of the present study was to investigate antioxidant and the anticancerigen activity of a methanol extract from Artemisia princeps var.orientalis （APME）,a well-known traditional herbal medicine in Asia,in hepatocellular cancer cells.Methods：To evaluate the antioxidant activity of APME,reactive oxygen species （ROS） and the antioxidant enzymes,superoxide dismutase （SOD） and catalase were investigated in HepG2 cells exposed to APME （5,100,and 200 μg/mL） for 72 h.Then,to evaluate the anticancer activity of APME,we investigated the proliferation and apoptosis induction of HepG2 and Hep3B cells exposed to APME （1-200 μg/mL） for 24,48,and 72 h.Results：APME dose-dependently reduced the generation of ROS in the presence of H2O2 compared with control cells.Furthermore,it increased catalase and SOD activity.Moreover,APME inhibited cell proliferation in a dose-and time-dependcnt manner,but at concentrations lower than 100 μg/mL,the inhibition was less dose-dependent than time-dependent.HepG2 and Hep3B cells exposed to 5,100,and 200 μg/mL APME for 72 h underwent cell cycle arrest and apoptosis.Exposure to APME resulted in a significant increase in the number of cells in G1 phase and a decrease in the G2/M phase cell population.In addition,APME induced P53 expression of HepG2 cells in a dose-dependent manner,and played a role in the downregulation of Bcl-2 and upregulation of Bax in both HepG2 and Hep3B cells.Conclusions：These results indicate the potential role of APME as an antioxidant and anticancerigen agent in hepatocarcinoma cell lines.

Anticancer,antiobesity,and anti-inflammatory activity of Artemisia species invitro

OBJECTIVE： To investigate the anticancer, antiin flammatory, and antiobesity activity of methanol extracts of eight distinct species： Artemisia Stolon ifera （AST）, Artemisia Selengensis （ASE）, Artemisia .la ponica, Artemisia Montana, Artemisia Capillaris （ACA）, Artemisia Sylvatica （ASY）, Artemisio Keiskeana （AKE）, and Artemisia Scoparia （ASC） in vitro. METHODS： Antiproliferative activity was investigat ed in human breast cancer estrogen receptora pos itive T47D and negative HS578T cell lines exposed to the extracts at various concentrations （5200 mgl mL）for24, 48, and 72 h. For evaluating the antiin flammatory activity of the extracts, inhibition of ni trite synthesis was investigated in lipopolysaccha ride （LPS）stimulated cultures of macrophages cells exposed to 10, 50, 100, and 200 mglmL for 24 h. The antiobesity activity of the extracts was deter mined as triglyceride content and by a lipolysis as say in differentiated 3T3LI cells exposed to the extracts for 72 h at the same concentrations de scribed above. RESULTS： All extracts showed similar antiprolifera tive activity in a dose and timedependent man ner in HS578T cells. Although extracts at lower con centrations and shorter times stimulated growth of T47D cells, the antiproliferative effects of the extracts on T47D cells at higher concentrations （〉100 mg/ mL） for 72 h were significantly greater than those of HS578T cells. In case of antiinflammatory activi ty, some extracts （AST, ASE, ACA, and AKE） signifi cantly reduced nitric oxide production at higher concentrations in the presence of LPS compared with that in control cells. Antiobesity activity was showed with reducing lipid accumulation signifi cantly （〉50%） at concentrations above 100 mg/mL in most extracts （except AST and ACA）. Additional ly, AKE and ASC increased lipolysis by 11%24% compared with that in the control. CONCLUSION： Artemisia spp. demonstrates poten tial as bioactive food supplements.

Effect of Artemisia species on cellular proliferation and apoptosis in human breast cancer cells via estrogen receptor-related pathway

OBJECTIVE:To investigate the mechanism underlying the anticancer effect of Artemisia species through the inhibition of cell growth and induction of apoptosis in breast carcinoma cells.METHODS:To evaluate the anticancer activity of methanol extracts of eight Artemisia species(Artemisia stolonifera,Artemisia selengensis,Artemisia japonica,Artemisia Montana,Artemisia capillaris,Artemisia sylvatica,Artemisia keiskeana,and Artemisia scoparia),we first investigated the proliferation of estrogen receptor(ER)-positive MCF-7breast carcinoma cells exposed to 5 or 200 g/mL for72 h.Apoptosis induction was assessed by an Annexin V binding assay in cells exposed to extracts at a high concentration(200 g/mL).To verify the mechanism of apoptosis,ER expression and its related signaling was investigated using an immunoblot assay under the same conditions.RESULTS:MCF-7 cells showed the strongest antiproliferative response to the tested extracts.Howev-er,a biphasic effect was observed:the extracts inhibited proliferation at high concentrations whereas they stimulated it at low ones.ER expression was similarly modulated by the extracts.However,all of the extracts induced apoptosis at a high concentration(200 g/mL).Compared to the control level,exposure to the extracts resulted in a remarkable increase in the shift of cell populations.CONCLUSION:The present study suggests that the tested Artemisia species exerted their anticancer effects through the induction of apoptosis via an ER-related pathway.