1,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D increases the methionine cycle, CD4 T cell DNA methylation and HeliosFoxp3 T regulatory cells to reverse autoimmune neurodegenerative disease.

We investigated how one calcitriol dose plus vitamin D reverses experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a multiple sclerosis model. This protocol rapidly increased CD4 T cell Ikzf2 transcripts, Helios protein, and CD4HeliosFoxP3 T regulatory cells. It also rapidly increased CD4 T cell Bhmt1 transcripts, betaine:homocysteine methyltransferase-1 (BHMT1) enzyme activity, and global DNA methylation.

Molecular mapping of five soybean genes involved in male-sterility, female-sterility.

In soybean, asynaptic and desynaptic mutants lead to abnormal meiosis and fertility reduction. Several male-sterile, female-sterile mutants have been identified and studied in soybean, however, some of these mutants have not been mapped to locations on soybean chromosomes. The objectives of this study were to molecularly map five male-sterile, female-sterile genes (st2, st4, st5, st6, and st7) in soybean and compare the map locations of these genes with already mapped sterility genes.

Evolutionary, Comparative and Functional Analyses of the Brassinosteroid Receptor Gene, BRI1, in Wheat and Its Relation to Other Plant Genomes.

Brassinosteroids (BRs) are plant hormones, fundamental for the growth and development of plants. A trans-membrane protein receptor kinase, Brassinosteroid-Insensitive 1 (BRI1), is known to interact with BRs and be directly involved in plant development. This study investigates the structural organization of BRI1 orthologs in several taxa, with a specific interest in Triticum aestivum.

Vitamin D Actions on CD4(+) T Cells in Autoimmune Disease.

This review summarizes and integrates research on vitamin D and CD4(+) T-lymphocyte biology to develop new mechanistic insights into the molecular etiology of autoimmune disease. A deep understanding of molecular mechanisms relevant to gene-environment interactions is needed to deliver etiology-based autoimmune disease prevention and treatment strategies. Evidence linking sunlight, vitamin D, and the risk of multiple sclerosis and type 1 diabetes is summarized to develop the thesis that vitamin D is the environmental factor that most strongly influences autoimmune disease development.