1In Arabidopsis, NPR1 is a key transcriptional co-regulator of systemic acquired

BackgroundDespite the importance of wheat as a major staple crop and the negative impact of diseases on its production worldwide, the genetic mechanisms and gene interactions involved in the resistance response in wheat are still poorly understood. The complete sequence of the rice genome has provided an extremely useful parallel road map for genetic and genomics studies in wheat. The recent construction of a defense response interactome in rice has the potential to further enhance the translation of advances in rice to wheat and other grasses. The objective of this study was to determine the degree of conservation in the protein-protein interactions in the rice and wheat defense response interactomes. As entry points we selected proteins that serve as key regulators of the rice defense response: the RAR1/SGT1/HSP90 protein complex, NPR1, XA21, and XB12 (XA21 interacting protein 12).ResultsUsing available wheat sequence databases and phylogenetic analyses we identified and cloned the wheat orthologs of these four rice proteins, including recently duplicated paralogs, and their known direct interactors and tested 86 binary protein interactions using yeast-two-hybrid (Y2H) assays. All interactions between wheat proteins were further tested using in planta bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC). Eighty three percent of the known rice interactions were confirmed when wheat proteins were tested with rice interactors and 76% were confirmed using wheat protein pairs. All interactions in the RAR1/SGT1/ HSP90, NPR1 and XB12 nodes were confirmed for the identified orthologous wheat proteins, whereas only forty four percent of the interactions were confirmed in the interactome node centered on XA21. We hypothesize that this reduction may be associated with a different sub-functionalization history of the multiple duplications that occurred in this gene family after the divergence of the wheat and rice lineages.ConclusionsThe observed high conservation of interactions between proteins that serve as key regulators of the rice defense response suggests that the existing rice interactome can be used to predict interactions in wheat. Such predictions are less reliable for nodes that have undergone a different history of duplications and sub-functionalization in the two lineages.

Trehalose is a nonreducing disaccharide of glucose that functions as a protectant in the stabilization of biological structures and enhances stress tolerance to abiotic stresses in organisms. We report here the expression of a Grifola frondosa trehalose synthase (TSase) gene for improving drought tolerance in sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.). The expression of the transgene was under the control of two tandem copies of the CaMV35S promoter and transferred into sugarcane by Agrobacterium tumefaciens EHA105. The transgenic plants accumulated high levels of trehalose, up to 8.805-12.863 mg/g fresh weight, whereas it was present at undetectable level in nontransgenic plants. It has been reported that transgenic plants transformed with Escherichia coli TPS (trehalose-6-phosphatesynthase) and/or TPP (trehalose-6-phosphate phosphatase) are severely stunted and have root morphologic alterations. Interestingly, our transgenic sugarcane plants had no obvious morphological changes and no growth inhibition in the field. Trehalose accumulation in 35S-35S:TSase plants resulted in increased drought tolerance, as shown by the drought and the drought physiological indexes, such as the rate of bound water/free water, plasma membrane permeability, malondialdehyde content, chlorophyll a and b contents, and activity of SOD and POD of the excised leaves. These results suggest that transgenic plants transformed with the TSase gene can accumulate high levels of trehalose and have enhanced tolerance to drought. FH (2006). Expression of the Grifola frondosa trehalose synthase gene and improvement of drought-tolerance in sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.). J Integrat Plant Biol 48(4), 453−459.

Due to the disconnection of surviving neural elements after spinal cord injury (SCI), such patients had to suffer irreversible loss of motor or sensory function, and thereafter enormous economic and emotional burdens were brought to society and family. Despite many strategies being dealing with SCI, there is still no effective regenerative therapy. To date, significant progress has been made in studies of SCI repair strategies, including gene regulation of neural regeneration, cell or cell-derived exosomes and growth factors transplantation, repair of biomaterials, and neural signal stimulation. The pathophysiology of SCI is complex and multifaceted, and its mechanisms and processes are incompletely understood. Thus, combinatorial therapies have been demonstrated to be more effective, and lead to better neural circuits reconstruction and functional recovery. Combinations of biomaterials, stem cells, growth factors, drugs, and exosomes have been widely developed. However, simply achieving axon regeneration will not spontaneously lead to meaningful functional recovery. Therefore, the formation and remodeling of functional neural circuits also depend on rehabilitation exercises, such as exercise training, electrical stimulation (ES) and Brain–Computer Interfaces (BCIs). In this review, we summarize the recent progress in biological and engineering strategies for reconstructing neural circuits and promoting functional recovery after SCI, and emphasize current challenges and future directions.

The prognostic role of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains controversial. The goal of this study was to summarize existing evidence regarding whether EGFR overexpression is a prognostic factor in HNSCC. Relevant studies were identified using Pubmed, Ovid, and Web of Science databases. A meta-analysis was conducted on the prognostic value of EGFR expression for overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Thirty-seven studies were included. Primary analysis indicated that EGFR overexpression was associated with reduced OS (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.694, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.432–2.004). DFS, on the other hand, was not associated with EGFR expression after adjusting for publication bias (HR: 1.084, 95% CI: 0.910–1.290). Subgroup analysis gave a statistically significant pooled HR for OS in laryngeal carcinoma (HR: 2.519, 95% CI: 1.615–3.928) and in oropharyngeal carcinoma (HR: 2.078, 95% CI: 1.605–2.690). The pooled HR was statistically significant for DFS with respect to oropharyngeal carcinoma (HR: 1.055, 95% CI: 1.020–1.092), but not laryngeal carcinoma (HR: 1.750, 95% CI: 0.911–3.360). When dividing studies based on the immunohistochemistry (IHC) scoring system, only the group that evaluated EGFR expression according to the intensity and extent of staining showed no between-study heterogeneity for both OS and DFS. Overall, EGFR overexpression was associated with shortened OS, but not DFS. Future studies are needed that stratify patients by specific tumor sites. Furthermore, when estimating protein level by the IHC method, it is advisable to consider both intensity and extent of staining.

The intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) with increasing aging mainly manifests as low back pain (LBP) accompanied with a loss of physical ability. These pathological processes can be preliminarily interpreted as a series of changes at cellular level. In addition to cell death, disc cells enter into the stagnation with dysfunction and deteriorate tissue microenvironment in degenerative discs, which is recognized as cell senescence. During aging, many intrinsic and extrinsic factors have been proved to have strong connections with these cellular senescence phenomena. Growing evidences of these connections require us to gather up critical cues from potential risk factors to pathogenesis and relative interventions for retarding cell senescence and attenuating degenerative changes. In this paper, we try to clarify another important cell state apart from cell death in IDD and discuss senescence-associated changes in cells and extracellular microenvironment. Then, we emphasize the role of oxidative stress and epigenomic perturbations in linking risk factors to cell senescence in the onset of IDD. Further, we summarize the current interventions targeting senescent cells that may exert the benefits of antidegeneration in IDD.

No abstract

ObjectivesTo assess biodegradable nasal packing effectiveness for improving postoperative symptoms and mucosal healing after endoscopic sinonasal surgery as compared with conventional/non-packing groups.MethodsRelevant articles were searched on PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. We included randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared biodegradable packings with conventional packings or no packing, reporting postoperative symptoms and/or mucosal healing outcomes.ResultsThis review included 19 studies, of which 11 compared biodegradable packings with conventional packings. Meta-analysis found that biodegradable packings significantly improved postoperative symptoms: bleeding at removal, pain at removal, pain in situ, and nasal blockage. Mucosal healing outcomes were inconsistent within studies, with no data could be pooled. Eight studies compared biodegradable packings with non-packing group. Postoperative symptom data in this comparison could not be pooled: A protective or equal effect on postoperative bleeding was reported in different studies; no difference was reported in pain status and nasal blockage. As for mucosal healing, meta-analysis showed that two arms of comparison had similar effect on synechiae, edema, infection and granulation at each time point.ConclusionThe limiting evidence suggests that biodegradable nasal packings are statistically better than conventional packings in postoperative symptoms, and probably comparable to non-packing group, as in this comparison we could not carry out meta-analysis. No beneficial or detrimental effect on postoperative mucosal healing could be determined based on existing evidence.