Transcriptional repressor B lymphocyte-induced maturation protein-1 (Blimp-1) is a master regulator of plasma cell differentiation. Here we show that Blimp-1 is covalently modified by SUMO1 at lysine 816, a modification mediated by SUMO E3 ligase PIAS1. Mutation of Blimp-1 lysine 816 reduces transcriptional repression--correlating with a reduced interaction with a histone deacetylase, HDAC2--and impairs differentiation of antibody-secreting cells. Thus, the SUMO pathway critically regulates Blimp-1 function during plasma cell differentiation.

Background: Sweating and increased skin temperature caused by exercise can reduce physical activity and the willingness to exercise in adolescents with atopic dermatitis. This study was conducted to investigate the exercise load capacity of adolescents with atopic dermatitis and analyzed their exercise behavior and motivation. Methods: Adolescents with and without atopic dermatitis were assigned to the atopic dermatitis group and control group (n = 27 each). Both groups completed a cardiopulmonary exercise test and questionnaires to assess their exercise capacity, weekly exercise volume, exercise motivation, and self-efficacy, respectively. Results: The ratio of measured forced vital capacity to the predicted forced vital capacity and the peak oxygen consumption of the atopic dermatitis group were significantly lower than those of the control group. The Godin Leisure-Time Exercise Questionnaire scores of the atopic dermatitis group were significantly lower than those of the control group. As for the Behavioral Regulation in Exercise Questionnaire 2, the scores for the introjected and identified regulations of the atopic dermatitis group were significantly lower than those of the control group. Regarding the Multidimensional Self-Efficacy for Exercise Scale, the scheduling efficacy and total scores of the atopic dermatitis group were significantly lower than those of the control group. Conclusions: Adolescents with atopic dermatitis had lower peak exercise capacity and lower weekly exercise volume. Furthermore, they lacked the negative feelings toward inactivity and the self-confidence to plan regular exercise independently. The results of this study suggest that adolescents with atopic dermatitis should be encouraged to engage in regular indoor exercise.

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Poly(ionic liquid)s (PILs) have attracted great attention because they preserve conventional characteristics of polymers while having special features of ionic liquids, such as good ionic conductivity and excellent electrochemical and thermal stability. The solvent absorption behaviors and solvent-induced responsiveness of PIL elastomers, however, have been less investigated. In this work, we prepare two PILs, poly[C3mim-MA][Br] and poly[C3mim-MA]-[TFSI], and examine their surface hydrophilicities and solvent-induced responsiveness. Ionic liquid monomers are synthesized and then polymerized with initiators and cross-linkers via free radical polymerization, forming PIL elastomers. The anions in the monomers can be replaced using an ion exchange process to prepare PIL elastomers with different anions. The surface properties, swelling behaviors, and solvent responsiveness of the PIL elastomer films with different anions and cross-linker ratios are investigated. The surface hydrophilicities of the PIL films are characterized by water contact angle measurements; the poly[C3mim-MA][Br] elastomer films are more hydrophilic than the poly[C3mim-MA][TFSI] elastomer films. Due to the different hydrophilicities, the poly[C3mim-MA][Br] and poly[C3mim-MA][TFSI] elastomer films can be swollen selectively in water and acetone, respectively. For both elastomers, the swelling degrees are higher at lower cross-linking densities, and the volume expansions can be up to 655%. Furthermore, we investigate the solvent-vapor-induced responsiveness of bilayer films of PIL elastomers and polyimide (PI) tapes. The bilayer films can be bent selectively by exposing them to water or acetone vapors, depending on the anions.