Involvement of the leaf-specific multidrug and toxic compound extrusion (MATE) transporter Nt-JAT2 in vacuolar sequestration of nicotine in Nicotiana tabacum.

Alkaloids play a key role in higher plant defense against pathogens and herbivores. Following its biosynthesis in root tissues, nicotine, the major alkaloid of Nicotiana species, is translocated via xylem transport toward the accumulation sites, leaf vacuoles. Our transcriptome analysis of methyl jasmonate-treated tobacco BY-2 cells identified several multidrug and toxic compound extrusion (MATE) transporter genes.

Iridoid Synthase Activity Is Common among the Plant Progesterone 5β-Reductase Family.

Catharanthus roseus, the Madagascar periwinkle, synthesizes bioactive monoterpenoid indole alkaloids, among which the anti-cancer drugs vinblastine and vincristine. The monoterpenoid branch of the alkaloid pathway leads to the secoiridoid secologanin and involves the enzyme iridoid synthase (IS), a member of the progesterone 5β-reductase (P5βR) family. IS reduces 8-oxogeranial to iridodial.

Selection and validation of reference genes for transcript normalization in gene expression studies in Catharanthus roseus.

Quantitative Real-Time PCR (qPCR), a sensitive and commonly used technique for gene expression analysis, requires stably expressed reference genes for normalization of gene expression. Up to now, only one reference gene for qPCR analysis, corresponding to 40S Ribosomal protein S9 (RPS9), was available for the medicinal plant Catharanthus roseus, the only source of the commercial anticancer drugs vinblastine and vincristine. Here, we screened for additional reference genes for this plant species by mining C.

Tracking the sterol biosynthesis pathway of the diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum.

Diatoms are unicellular photosynthetic microalgae that play a major role in global primary production and aquatic biogeochemical cycling. Endosymbiotic events and recurrent gene transfers uniquely shaped the genome of diatoms, which contains features from several domains of life. The biosynthesis pathways of sterols, essential compounds in all eukaryotic cells, and many of the enzymes involved are evolutionarily conserved in eukaryotes.

A decision aid regarding treatment options for patients with an asymptomatic abdominal aortic aneurysm: a randomised clinical trial.

Objective: Abdominal aortic aneurysm patients tend to be informed inconsistently and incompletely about their disorder and the treatment options open to them. The objective of this trial was to evaluate whether these patients are better informed and experience less decisional conflict regarding their treatment options after viewing a decision aid.

Design: A six-centre, randomised clinical trial comparing a decision aid plus regular information versus regular information from the surgeon.

Taximin, a conserved plant-specific peptide is involved in the modulation of plant-specialized metabolism.

Small peptides play important roles in the signalling cascades that steer plant growth, development and defence, and often crosstalk with hormonal signalling. Thereby, they also modulate metabolism, including the production of bioactive molecules that are of high interest for human applications. Yew species (Taxus spp.

The dramatic increase in the rate of methylisothiazolinone contact allergy in Belgium: a multicentre study.

Background: The rate of contact allergy and allergic contact dermatitis caused by methylisothiazolinone (MI) is dramatically increasing throughout Europe.

Objectives: To report on methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI)/MI and MI allergy in Belgium.

Patients And Methods: Between January 2010 and December 2012, the medical charts of 6599 patients of the Belgian Contact and Environmental Dermatitis Group were retrospectively reviewed for MCI/MI and MI sensitization by use of a standardized questionnaire.

Patch testing with a textile dye mix--a multicentre study.

Background: Disperse dyes are well-known contact sensitizers. However, they are not included in the majority of commercially available baseline patch test series.

Objectives: To investigate the outcome of patch testing with a textile dye mix (TDM) consisting of eight disperse dyes at dermatology clinics in various countries.

Patch testing with methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone 200 ppm aq. detects significantly more contact allergy than 100 ppm. A multicentre study within the European Environmental and Contact Dermatitis Research Group.

Background: Methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI) and methylisothiazolinone (MI) are the active ingredients in commonly used preservative systems (e.g. Kathon CG(®)).

Recommendation to increase the test concentration of methylchloroisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone in the European baseline patch test series - on behalf of the European Society of Contact Dermatitis and the European Environmental and Contact Dermatitis Research Group.

Background: Methylchloroisothiazolinone (MCI)/methylisothiazolinone (MI) in aqua is present in the European baseline patch test series at 100 ppm, whereas 200 ppm has been used in Sweden since 1986, in Spain in the late 1980s, and, in recent years, also in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Objectives: With regard to MCI/MI, to investigate the data on contact allergy rates in dermatitis patients, the frequencies of allergic contact dermatitis in the same group, and adverse reactions, particularly patch test sensitization in tested dermatitis patients, and to find the optimal patch test concentration as dose in mg/cm(2) .

Materials And Methods: We performed a survey of the literature found via the National Library of Medicine (PubMed, http://www.

The seco-iridoid pathway from Catharanthus roseus.

The (seco)iridoids and their derivatives, the monoterpenoid indole alkaloids (MIAs), form two large families of plant-derived bioactive compounds with a wide spectrum of high-value pharmacological and insect-repellent activities. Vinblastine and vincristine, MIAs used as anticancer drugs, are produced by Catharanthus roseus in extremely low levels, leading to high market prices and poor availability. Their biotechnological production is hampered by the fragmentary knowledge of their biosynthesis.

A rational approach to improving the biotechnological production of taxanes in plant cell cultures of Taxus spp.

Taxol is a complex diterpene alkaloid scarcely produced in nature and with a high anticancer activity. Biotechnological systems for taxol production based on cell cultures of Taxus spp. have been developed, but the growing commercial demand for taxol and its precursors requires the optimization of these procedures.

Allergic contact dermatitis caused by alkyl glucosides.

Background: Alkyl glucosides were not expected to have a sensitizing potential at the concentrations to be used in finished consumer products; however, several contact allergy cases have been published.

Objectives: To report on the patients suffering from allergic contact dermatitis caused by alkyl glucosides observed in our department.

Patients/methods: During a 19-year period (1993-2012), 11 842 patients with suspected contact dermatitis were patch tested with the European baseline series and, if relevant, also with other series and individual allergens.

Standardized measurement of the Modified Early Warning Score results in enhanced implementation of a Rapid Response System: a quasi-experimental study.

Purpose: To study the effect of protocolized measurement (three times daily) of the Modified Early Warning Score (MEWS) versus measurement on indication on the degree of implementation of the Rapid Response System (RRS).

Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted in a University Hospital in Amsterdam between September and November 2011. Patients who were admitted for at least one overnight stay were included.

Natural product biosynthesis in Medicago species.

The genus Medicago, a member of the legume (Fabaceae) family, comprises 87 species of flowering plants, including the forage crop M. sativa (alfalfa) and the model legume M. truncatula (barrel medic).