Comparison of day-neutral temperate maize and photoperiod-dependent teosinte revealed divergent leaf gene expression networks that implicate different genes of the same gene families in response to flowering.

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Background Although curcumin's effect on head and neck cancer has been studied in vitro and in vivo, to the authors' knowledge its efficacy is limited by poor systemic absorption from oral administration. APG‐157 is a botanical drug containing multiple polyphenols, including curcumin, developed under the US Food and Drug Administration's Botanical Drug Development, that delivers the active components to oromucosal tissues near the tumor target. Methods A double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled, phase 1 clinical trial was conducted with APG‐157 in 13 normal subjects and 12 patients with oral cancer. Two doses, 100 mg or 200 mg, were delivered transorally every hour for 3 hours. Blood and saliva were collected before and 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours, and 24 hours after treatment. Electrocardiograms and blood tests did not demonstrate any toxicity. Results Treatment with APG‐157 resulted in circulating concentrations of curcumin and analogs peaking at 3 hours with reduced IL‐1β, IL‐6, and IL‐8 concentrations in the salivary supernatant fluid of patients with cancer. Salivary microbial flora analysis showed a reduction in Bacteroidetes species in cancer subjects. RNA and immunofluorescence analyses of tumor tissues of a subject demonstrated increased expression of genes associated with differentiation and T‐cell recruitment to the tumor microenvironment. Conclusions The results of the current study suggested that APG‐157 could serve as a therapeutic drug in combination with immunotherapy. Lay Summary Curcumin has been shown to suppress tumor cells because of its antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory properties. However, its effectiveness has been limited by poor absorption when delivered orally. Subjects with oral cancer were given oral APG‐157, a botanical drug containing multiple polyphenols, including curcumin. Curcumin was found in the blood and in tumor tissues. Inflammatory markers and Bacteroides species were found to be decreased in the saliva, and immune T cells were increased in the tumor tissue. APG‐157 is absorbed well, reduces inflammation, and attracts T cells to the tumor, suggesting its potential use in combination with immunotherapy drugs.

BackgroundCold temperatures and their alleviation affect many plant traits including the abundance of protein coding gene transcripts. Transcript level changes that occur in response to cold temperatures and their alleviation are shared or vary across genotypes. In this study we identify individual transcripts and groups of functionally related transcripts that consistently respond to cold and its alleviation. Genes that respond differently to temperature changes across genotypes may have limited functional importance. We investigate if these genes share functions, and if their genotype-specific gene expression levels change in magnitude or rank across temperatures.ResultsWe estimate transcript abundances from over 22,000 genes in two unrelated Zea mays inbred lines during and after cold temperature exposure. Genotype and temperature contribute to many genes’ abundances. Past cold exposure affects many fewer genes. Genes up-regulated in cold encode many cytokinin glucoside biosynthesis enzymes, transcription factors, signalling molecules, and proteins involved in diverse environmental responses. After cold exposure, protease inhibitors and cuticular wax genes are newly up-regulated, and environmentally responsive genes continue to be up-regulated. Genes down-regulated in response to cold include many photosynthesis, translation, and DNA replication associated genes. After cold exposure, DNA replication and translation genes are still preferentially downregulated. Lignin and suberin biosynthesis are newly down-regulated. DNA replication, reactive oxygen species response, and anthocyanin biosynthesis genes have strong, genotype-specific temperature responses. The ranks of genotypes’ transcript abundances often change across temperatures.ConclusionsWe report a large, core transcriptome response to cold and the alleviation of cold. In cold, many of the core suite of genes are up or downregulated to control plant growth and photosynthesis and limit cellular damage. In recovery, core responses are in part to prepare for future stress. Functionally related genes are consistently and greatly up-regulated in a single genotype in response to cold or its alleviation, suggesting positive selection has driven genotype-specific temperature responses in maize.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1186/s12864-018-5134-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Increasing early‐season cold tolerance of maize (Zea mays L.) has the potential to lengthen its growing season, reduce its environmental impact, and enhance its yields. Cold‐ and warm‐grown plants differ for biomass accumulation and spectral reflectance, the latter caused by differences in leaf chlorophyll content, carotenoid content, or other chemical and morphological attributes. Here, we evaluate genetic leaf spectral reflectance diversity across 38 inbred and 14 hybrid maize genotypes grown in cold and control temperatures. Genotypes varied for spectral reflectance indices correlated with chlorophyll content and for an index correlated with the ratio of leaf carotenoids to chlorophylls. Genotypic differences greatly contributed to spectral reflectance variation across all visible wavelengths, with the greatest genetic variation between 500 and 600 nm and around 700 nm. Cold treatment effects were most significant across the same wavelengths. Spectral indices indicated lower chlorophyll and a higher carotenoid/chlorophyll level in cold‐exposed plants relative to control plants. Genotype × temperature interactions were small relative to genotype effects. Cold tolerance, measured as the ratio of dry matter accumulation in cold‐treated plants relative to control plants, varied among hybrids and inbreds. Correlations of cold tolerance with known spectral reflectance indices, reflectance first derivatives, and novel, normalized spectral indices were mostly low and occurred only in certain germplasm. One reflectance parameter, the reflectance curve slope at 828 nm, was consistently related to genotypic cold tolerance, even when measured on plants that had not been exposed to cold.