No abstract

These findings support our hypothesis that sciatica pain is accompanied by the imbalance in inflammatory cytokines.

Osmotin promoter binding protein 1 (OPBP1), an AP2/EREBP-like transcription factor of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), was isolated using a yeast one-hybrid system. RNA gel blot analysis indicated that expression of the OPBP1 gene was induced by elicitor cryptogein, NaCl, ethephon, methyl jasmonate, as well as cycloheximide. Transient expression analysis using an OPBP1-eGFP fusion gene in onion epidermal cells revealed that the OPBP1 protein was targeted to the nuclear. Further, electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated that the recombinant OPBP1 protein could bind to an oligonucleotide containing the GCC-box cis element. Transgenic tobacco plants with an over expression of the OPBP1 gene accumulated high levels of PR-1a and PR-5d genes and exhibited enhanced resistance to infection by Pseudomonas syringae pv tabaci and Phytophthora parasitica var nicotianae pathogens. They also exhibited increased tolerance to salt stress. These results suggest that OPBP1 might be a transcriptional regulator capable of regulating expression in sets of stress-related genes.

Photosynthesis in "green" seeds, such as rapeseed, soybean, and Arabidopsis, plays a substantial role in the improved efficiency of oil accumulation. However, the molecular mechanism underpinning the coordinated expression of fatty acid (FA) biosynthesis- and photosynthesis-related genes in such developing seeds remains to be elucidated. Here, we found that seed-specific overexpression of BnWRI1, a WRI1 homolog from rapeseed (Brassica napus cv. ZGY2), results in enhanced chlorophyll content in developing seeds and increased oil content and seed mass in matured seeds. BnWRI1 was co-expressed with BnBCCP and BnCAB, two marker genes of FA biosynthesis and photosynthesis during seed development, respectively. Overexpression of BnWRI1 increased expression of both marker genes. Further, the nuclear-localized BnWRI1 protein was found to act as a transcription activator. It could bind to the GT1-element and/or GCC-box, which are widespread in the upstream regions of genes involved in FA biosynthesis and photosynthesis pathways. Accordingly, BnWRI1 could interact with promoters of BCCP2 and LHB1B2 in vivo. These results suggested that BnWRI1 may coordinate FA biosynthesis and photosynthesis pathways in developing seeds via directly stimulating expression of GT1-element and/or GCC-box containing genes.

Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration results in segmental instability and irritates neural compressive symptoms, such as low back pain and motor deficiency. The transplanting of stem cell into degenerative discs has attracted increasing clinical attention, as a new and proven approach to alleviating disc degeneration and to relieving discogenic pains. Aside from supplementation with stem cells, the IVD itself already contains a pool of stem and progenitor cells. Since the resident disc stem cells are incapable of reversing the pathologic changes that occur during aging and disc degeneration, it has been debated as to whether transplanted stem cells are capable of providing an efficient and durable therapeutic effect, even though there have been positive outcomes in both animal models and in clinical trials. This review aims to decipher the interactions between the stem cell and the disc microenvironment. Within their new niches in the IVD, the exogenous stem cell shows metabolic adaptation to the low-glucose supply, hypoxia, and compressive loadings, but demonstrates little tolerance to the disc-like acidity and hypertonicity. Similarly, the survival of endogenous stem cells is threatened as well by the harsh disc microenvironment, which may exhaust the stem cell resources and restrict the self-repair capacity of a degenerating IVD. To eliminate the intrinsic obstacles within the stressful disc niches, stem cells should be delivered with an injectable scaffold that provides both survival and mechanical support. Quick healing or concretion of the injection injuries, which minimizes stem cell leakage and disturbance to disc homeostasis, is of equal importance toward achieving efficient stem cell-based disc regeneration.

MED is an effective microendoscopic system with fine long-term outcome in treating lumbar disc herniation. The endoscopic approach allows smaller incisions and less tissue trauma, compared with standard open microdiscectomy. Strict adherence to well-defined preoperative selection criteria could ensure optimal postoperative outcome.

Resveratrol (RSV) is known to play a role of anti-TNF-α in a number of cell types. However, whether RSV modulates the effects of TNF-α on human nucleus pulposus (NP) cells is unknown. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether RSV regulates TNF-α-induced matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) expression. Via quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis, we found that MMP-3 expression induced by TNF-α was inhibited by RSV treatment. Depending on Western blot and qRT-PCR assay, we found that RSV induced autophagy in human NP cells, whereas inhibition of autophagy remarkably abolished the restraining role of RSV in the TNF-α-mediated up-regulation of MMP-3. Furthermore, RSV increased SIRT1 expression and SIRT1 knockdown significantly suppressed RSV-induced autophagy in NP cells. RSV also activated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), while inhibition of AMPK notably abolished RSV-induced SIRT1 expression. Our data showed that RSV attenuated TNF-α-induced MMP-3 expression in human NP cells by activating autophagy via AMPK/SIRT1 signaling pathway. This new finding suggested that RSV might act as a novel preventive and therapeutic role in intervertebral disc degeneration.

The efficacy of TELD is relatively good for the selected young and elderly patients in this study. Therefore, age is not a predictor of TELD surgery-related outcomes.