Bioactive polysaccharides mediate ferroptosis to modulate tumor immunotherapy.

Polysaccharides from diverse origins exhibit notable bioactivities, particularly their capacity to exert antitumor and immune-enhancing effects. Concurrently, ferroptosis emerges as a distinctive form of regulated cell death characterized by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, potentially influencing the demise of specific tumor cells and organismal homeostasis. Recent scholarly attention has increasingly focused on utilizing polysaccharides to modulate tumor cell ferroptosis and manipulate cellular immune responses.

The photoactivated antifungal activity and possible mode of action of sodium pheophorbide a on causing leaf spot blight in .

Introduction: Sodium pheophorbide a (SPA) is a natural plant-derived photosensitizer, with high photoactivated antifungal activity against some phytopathogenic fungi. However, its fungicidal effect on , a novel pathogen that causes leaf spot blight, is unclear.

Methods: In the present study, we explored its inhibitory effects on spore germination and mycelial growth of .

Analysis of differential mRNA and miRNA expression induced by heterogeneous grafting in Gleditsia sinensis.

Gleditsia sinensis Lam. is a multifaceted plant with medicinal, edible, chemical, timber, and ornamental applications. However, the effect of rootstocks on scions after grafting is still unclear.

Identification and analysis of MATE protein family in .

Many studies have shown that multidrug and toxic compound extrusion (MATE) is a new secondary transporter family that plays a key role in secondary metabolite transport, the transport of plant hormones and disease resistance in plants. However, detailed information on this family in Gleditsia sinensis has not yet been reported. In the present study, a total of 45 GsMATE protein members were identified and analysed in detail, including with gene classification, phylogenetic evaluation and conserved motif determination.

Identification, Culture Characteristics and Whole-Genome Analysis of Causing Black Spot Blight of var. .

Black spot needle blight is a serious conifer disease of var. occurring in Northeast China, which is usually caused by the plant pathogenic fungus . From the diseased pine needles collected in Honghuaerji, the strain YJ-3 was isolated and identified as the phytopathogen, and its culture characteristics were studied.

Anti-Cancer Activity of Gedunin by Induction of Apoptosis in Human Gastric Cancer AGS Cells.

Currently, gastric cancer is considered one of the major causes of high mortality and morbidity worldwide. Recent advances in therapeutics, clinical treatment, staging procedures, and imaging techniques are high, yet the prevalence of gastric cancer has not been reduced. Usage of the synthetic drug has many side effects that can lead to other ailments.

Increased MFG-E8 at neuromuscular junctions is an exacerbating factor for sarcopenia-associated denervation.

Sarcopenia is an important health problem associated with adverse outcomes. Although the etiology of sarcopenia remains poorly understood, factors apart from muscle fibers, including humoral factors, might be involved. Here, we used cytokine antibody arrays to identify humoral factors involved in sarcopenia and found a significant increase in levels of milk fat globule epidermal growth factor 8 (MFG-E8) in skeletal muscle of aged mice, compared with young mice.

Mesenchymal Bmp3b expression maintains skeletal muscle integrity and decreases in age-related sarcopenia.

Age-related sarcopenia constitutes an important health problem associated with adverse outcomes. Sarcopenia is closely associated with fat infiltration in muscle, which is attributable to interstitial mesenchymal progenitors. Mesenchymal progenitors are nonmyogenic in nature but are required for homeostatic muscle maintenance.

Protective effects of quercetin and crocin in the kidneys and liver of obese Sprague-Dawley rats with Type 2 diabetes: Effects of quercetin and crocin on T2DM rats.

Quercetin and crocin are the main active constituents of Eucommia and Gardenia species, respectively. This study was conducted to explore the effects of quercetin and crocin on fat reduction and renal fibrosis and the relationship of these compounds with autophagy. First, a model of high-fat diet- and streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetes was established and then subjected model animals to 8 weeks of metformin, quercetin and crocin gavage.

Comparative transcriptome profiling reveals cold stress responsiveness in two contrasting Chinese jujube cultivars.

Background: Low temperature is a major factor influencing the growth and development of Chinese jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.) in cold winter and spring. Little is known about the molecular mechanisms enabling jujube to cope with different freezing stress conditions.

MiR-96-5p inhibition induces cell apoptosis in gastric adenocarcinoma.

Background: Gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC) mortality rates have remained relatively changed over the past 30 years, and it continues to be one of the leading causes of cancer-related death.

Aim: To search for novel miRNAs related to GAC prognosis and further investigate the effect of miR-96-5p on MGC-803 cells.

Methods: The miRNA expression profile data of GAC based on The Cancer Genome Atlas were obtained and used to screen differently expressed miRNAs (DEMs) and DEMs related to GAC prognosis.

Genome-Wide Organization and Expression Profiling of the SBP-Box Gene Family in Chinese Jujube (Ziziphus jujuba Mill.).

Transcription factors play vital roles in the developmental processes of plants. The SQUAMOSA promoter binding protein (SBP) genes encode a family of plant-specific transcription factors and plays many crucial roles in plant development. In this study, 16 SBP-box gene family members were identified in Mill.

Identification and Analysis of Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) Cascades in Fragaria vesca.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades are highly conserved signaling modules in eukaryotes, including yeasts, plants and animals. MAPK cascades are responsible for protein phosphorylation during signal transduction events, and typically consist of three protein kinases: MAPK, MAPK kinase, and MAPK kinase kinase. In this current study, we identified a total of 12 , 7 , 73 , and one genes in the recently published genome sequence.

Genetic risk score based on the prevalence of vertebral fracture in Japanese women with osteoporosis.

A genetic risk score (GRS) was developed for predicting fracture risk based on the prevalence of vertebral fractures in 441 Japanese females with osteoporosis. A total of 979 (858 nonsynonymous and 121 silent) single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in 74 osteoporosis-susceptibility genes were genotyped and evaluated for their association with fracture prevalence. Four SNPs (protein kinase domain containing, cytoplasmic [; rs4952590], CDK5-regulatory subunit-associated protein 1-like 1 [; rs4712556], wingless-type MMTV-integration site family member 16 [; rs2707466], and G-patch domain-containing gene 1 [; rs10416265]) showed a significant association ( < 0.

Genetic risk score based on the lifetime prevalence of femoral fracture in 924 consecutive autopsies of Japanese males.

A genetic risk score (GRS) was developed for predicting fracture risk based on lifetime prevalence of femoral fractures in 924 consecutive autopsies of Japanese males. A total of 922 non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) located in 62 osteoporosis susceptibility genes were genotyped and evaluated for their association with the prevalence of femoral fracture in autopsy cases. GRS values were calculated as the sum of risk allele counts (unweighted GRS) or the sum of weighted scores estimated from logistic regression coefficients (weighted GRS).

Genome-Wide Analysis of the Expression of WRKY Family Genes in Different Developmental Stages of Wild Strawberry (Fragaria vesca) Fruit.

WRKY proteins play important regulatory roles in plant developmental processes such as senescence, trichome initiation and embryo morphogenesis. In strawberry, only FaWRKY1 (Fragaria × ananassa) has been characterized, leaving numerous WRKY genes to be identified and their function characterized. The publication of the draft genome sequence of the strawberry genome allowed us to conduct a genome-wide search for WRKY proteins in Fragaria vesca, and to compare the identified proteins with their homologs in model plants.

Implementation of personalized medicine for fracture risk assessment in osteoporosis.

The present review summarizes our efforts to identify genetic polymorphisms associated with osteoporotic fractures and to establish a genetic risk score (GRS) to predict fracture risk in consecutive Japanese autopsy cases carried out at Tokyo Metropolitan Geriatric Hospital between 1995 and 2011. Three single nucleotide polymorphisms in transforming growth factor β-1, rs1800470; thrombospondin, type 1, domain-containing 7A, rs12673692; and formiminotransferase N-terminal subdomain-containing gene, rs7605378, showed a significant association with vertebral fracture prevalence, whereas five (α-l-iduronidase, rs3755955; C7orf58, rs190543052; homeobox C4, rs75256744; G patch domain-containing gene 1, rs2287679; and Werner syndrome, rs2230009) were significantly associated with femoral fracture. GRS values were calculated as the sum of risk allele counts (unweighted GRS) or of weighted scores estimated from logistic regression coefficients (weighted GRS).

A missense single nucleotide polymorphism, V114I of the Werner syndrome gene, is associated with risk of osteoporosis and femoral fracture in the Japanese population.

Werner syndrome is a rare autosomal recessive disorder caused by mutations in the human WRN gene and characterized by the early onset of normal aging symptoms. Given that patients with this disease exhibit osteoporosis, the present study aimed to determine whether the WRN gene contributes to the etiology of osteoporosis. A genetic association study of eight non-synonymous polymorphisms in the WRN gene and the incidence of femoral fracture was undertaken in 1,632 consecutive Japanese autopsies in which 140 patients had experienced the fracture during their lifetime.

Association of the formiminotransferase N-terminal sub-domain containing gene and thrombospondin, type 1, domain-containing 7A gene with the prevalence of vertebral fracture in 2427 consecutive autopsy cases.

We previously reported 2 osteoporosis-susceptibility genes--formiminotransferase N-terminal sub-domain containing gene (FONG) and thrombospondin, type 1, domain-containing 7A (THSD7A)--in which we identified two common single-nucleotide polymorphisms, rs7605378 (FONG) and rs12673692 (THSD7A). The former was associated with a predisposition to osteoporosis and the latter with bone mineral density. To further elucidate the importance of these polymorphisms in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis, we examined their association with the incidence of vertebral fracture.

Association between estrogen receptor-β dinucleotide repeat polymorphism and incidence of femoral fracture.

Estrogens are thought to play an important role in bone metabolism through estrogen receptors (ER). Dinucleotide (cytosine-adenine, CA) repeat polymorphism in the human ER-β gene (ESR2) has been reported to be associated with bone mineral density. We aimed to further elucidate the importance of this polymorphism in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis by examining its association with the incidence of femoral fracture.

Association of 29C>T polymorphism in the transforming growth factor-β1 gene with lean body mass in community-dwelling Japanese population.

Aim: Sarcopenia is the significant degenerative loss of skeletal muscle mass and strength associated with aging, and it is one of the components of frailty. We previously reported an association between the 29C>T polymorphism in the transforming growth factor-β1 gene (rs1800470) and the prevalence of vertebral fractures in subjects with postmenopausal osteoporosis. The association was not attributable to bone mineral density, which suggests that polymorphism influences some aspects of bone quality that affects strength and/or frailty rather than bone strength itself.

Oxidative stress causes heart failure with impaired mitochondrial respiration.

Elderly people insidiously manifest the symptoms of heart failure, such as dyspnea and/or physical disabilities in an age-dependent manner. Although previous studies suggested that oxidative stress plays a pathological role in the development of heart failure, no direct evidence has been documented so far. In order to investigate the pathological significance of oxidative stress in the heart, we generated heart/muscle-specific manganese superoxide dismutase-deficient mice.