Zhen-Wu-Tang ameliorates lupus nephritis by diminishing renal tissue-resident memory CD8 T cells via suppressing IL-15/STAT3 pathway.

Zhen-Wu-Tang (ZWT), a conventional herbal mixture, has been recommended for treating lupus nephritis (LN) in clinic. However, its mechanisms of action remain unknown. Here we aimed to define the immunological mechanisms underlying the effects of ZWT on LN and to determine whether it affects renal tissue-resident memory T (T) cells.

MiR-124-3p mediates gastric cancer cell ferroptosis induced by an anti-cancer drug polyphyllin I.

Ferroptosis is an emerging type of regulated cell death and associated with antitumoral therapy, while some microRNAs have been shown to regulate the tumorigenesis and cancer progression. Meanwhile, polyphyllin I (PPI) has exhibited antitumoral effects by promoting cancer cell apoptosis and ferroptosis. However, it is unclear whether PPI induces cancer cell ferroptosis by regulating microRNAs.

The Juvenile-Hormone-Responsive Factor Regulates Caste Differentiation in Honey Bees.

Honey bees are typical model organisms for the study of caste differentiation, and the juvenile hormone (JH) is a crucial link in the regulatory network of caste differentiation in honey bees. To investigate the mechanism of JH-mediated caste differentiation, we analyzed the effect of the JH response gene on this process. We observed that expression levels were significantly higher in queen larvae than in worker larvae at the 48 h, 84 h, and 120 h larval stages, and were regulated by JH.

Phenotypic dimorphism between honeybee queen and worker is regulated by complicated epigenetic modifications.

Phenotypic dimorphism between queens and workers is an important biological characteristic of honeybees that has been the subject of intensive research. The enormous differences in morphology, lifespan, physiology, and behavior between queens and workers are caused by a complicated set of factors. Epigenetic modifications are considered to play an important role in this process.

The diverging epigenomic landscapes of honeybee queens and workers revealed by multiomic sequencing.

The role of the epigenome in phenotypic plasticity is unclear presently. Here we used a multiomics approach to explore the nature of the epigenome in developing honey bee (Apis mellifera) workers and queens. Our data clearly showed distinct queen and worker epigenomic landscapes during the developmental process.

The involvement of a floral scent in plant-honeybee interaction.

Volatile odors from flowers play an important role in plant-pollinator interaction. The honeybee is an important generalist pollinator of many plants. Here, we explored whether any components of the odors of a range of honeybee-pollinated plants are commonly involved in the interaction between plants and honeybees.

Extent and complexity of RNA processing in honey bee queen and worker caste development.

The distinct honeybee () worker and queen castes have become a model for the study of genomic mechanisms of phenotypic plasticity. Here we performed a nanopore-based direct RNA sequencing with exceptionally long reads to compare the mRNA transcripts between queen and workers at three points during their larval development. We found thousands of significantly differentially expressed transcript isoforms (DEIs) between queen and worker larvae.

Haplotype Analysis of and Deformed Wing Virus Using Long Reads.

As a phoretic parasite and virus vector, the mite and the associated Deformed wing virus (DWV) form a lethal combination to the honey bee, . Routine acaricide treatment has been reported to reduce the diversity of mites and select for tolerance against these treatments. Further, different DWV strains face selective pressures when transmitted via mites.

The protective effect of harpagoside on angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced blood-brain barrier leakage in vitro.

Hypertension and its associated dysfunction of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) contribute to cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD). Angiotensin II (Ang II), a vasoactive peptide of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), is not only a pivotal molecular signal in hypertension but also causes BBB leakage, cSVD, and cognitive impair. Harpagoside, the major bioactive constituent of Scrophulariae Radix, has been commonly used for the treatment of multiple diseases including hypertension in China.

Honey Bee Habitat Sharing Enhances Gene Flow of the Parasite Nosema ceranae.

Host-parasite co-evolution is a process of reciprocal, adaptive genetic change. In natural conditions, parasites can shift to other host species, given both host and parasite genotypes allow this. Even though host-parasite co-evolution has been extensively studied both theoretically and empirically, few studies have focused on parasite gene flow between native and novel hosts.

Identification of novel miRNAs from the microsporidian parasite Nosema ceranae.

Previously, six miRNAs were identified from the microsporidian parasite Nosema ceranae. By taking advantage of the recently updated N. ceranae and honey bee genome assemblies, we re-analyzed the deep sequencing datasets.

Transgenerational accumulation of methylome changes discovered in commercially reared honey bee (Apis mellifera) queens.

Whether a female honey bee (Apis mellifera) develops into a worker or a queen depends on her nutrition during development, which changes the epigenome to alter the developmental trajectory. Beekeepers typically exploit this developmental plasticity to produce queen bee by transplanting worker larvae into queen cells to be reared as queens, thus redirecting a worker developmental pathway to a queen developmental pathway. We studied the consequences of this manipulation for the queen phenotype and methylome over four generations.

A Chromosome-Scale Assembly of the Asian Honeybee Genome.

is one of the main honeybee species in artificial farming, which is widely distributed in Asian countries. The genome of has been sequenced by several different research groups using second generation sequencing technologies. However, it is still necessary to obtain more complete and accurate genome sequences.

Deltamethrin Impairs Honeybees (Apis mellifera) Dancing Communication.

As a commonly used pyrethroid insecticide, deltamethrin is very toxic to honeybees, which seriously threatens the managed and feral honeybee population. Because deltamethrin is a nerve agent, it may interfere with the nervous system of honeybees, such as dance behavior and memory-related characteristics. We found that the waggle dances were less precise in honeybees that consumed syrup containing deltamethrin (pesticide group) than those that consumed normal sucrose syrup (control group).

Assessment of macular function in patients with idiopathic Epiretinal membrane by multifocal Electroretinography: correlation with visual acuity and optical coherence tomography.

Background: This study evaluates the macular function changes in patients with idiopathic macular epiretinal membrane (ERM) by multifocal electroretinography (mfERG) and their correlations with visual acuity and central macular thickness (CMT) by optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Methods: Twenty eyes of 20 patients with ERM underwent OCT and mfERG examinations. The response amplitude densities and implicit times of mfERG were compared to the control fellow eyes.

Making a queen: an epigenetic analysis of the robustness of the honeybee (Apis mellifera) queen developmental pathway.

Specialized castes are considered a key reason for the evolutionary and ecological success of the social insect lifestyle. The most essential caste distinction is between the fertile queen and the sterile workers. Honeybee (Apis mellifera) workers and queens are not genetically distinct, rather these different phenotypes are the result of epigenetically regulated divergent developmental pathways.

Differential protein expression analysis following olfactory learning in Apis cerana.

Studies of olfactory learning in honeybees have helped to elucidate the neurobiological basis of learning and memory. In this study, protein expression changes following olfactory learning in Apis cerana were investigated using isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) technology. A total of 2406 proteins were identified from the trained and untrained groups.

Transcriptome differences in the hypopharyngeal gland between Western Honeybees (Apis mellifera) and Eastern Honeybees (Apis cerana).

Background: Apis mellifera and Apis cerana are two sibling species of Apidae. Apis cerana is adept at collecting sporadic nectar in mountain and forest region and exhibits stiffer hardiness and acarid resistance as a result of natural selection, whereas Apis mellifera has the advantage of producing royal jelly. To identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that affect the development of hypopharyngeal gland (HG) and/or the secretion of royal jelly between these two honeybee species, we performed a digital gene expression (DGE) analysis of the HGs of these two species at three developmental stages (newly emerged worker, nurse and forager).

Cross-modal interaction between visual and olfactory learning in Apis cerana.

The power of the small honeybee brain carrying out behavioral and cognitive tasks has been shown repeatedly to be highly impressive. The present study investigates, for the first time, the cross-modal interaction between visual and olfactory learning in Apis cerana. To explore the role and molecular mechanisms of cross-modal learning in A.

[Clinical analysis of acute zonal occult outer retinopathy masquerading as optic neuropathy].

Objective: To analyze the clinical features of acute zonal occult outer retinopathy (AZOOR) and the reasons for misdiagnosing as optic neuropathy or intracranial lesions.

Methods: Case series study. Twenty patients (23 eyes) who were all initially diagnosed as optic neuropathy or intracranial lesions were recruited in the ophthalmologic department of Beijing Tongren Hospital from November 2003 to June 2012, but they were ultimately diagnosed as AZOOR after the examinations including regular eye examination, fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA), optical coherence tomography (OCT), automatic perimetry, flash electroretinogram (F-ERG),multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG),systemic rheumatism immunological examination and neuroimaging.

A comparison of digital gene expression profiling and methyl DNA immunoprecipitation as methods for gene discovery in honeybee (Apis mellifera) behavioural genomic analyses.

The honey bee has a well-organized system of division of labour among workers. Workers typically progress through a series of discrete behavioural castes as they age, and this has become an important case study for exploring how dynamic changes in gene expression can influence behaviour. Here we applied both digital gene expression analysis and methyl DNA immunoprecipitation analysis to nurse, forager and reverted nurse bees (nurses that have returned to the nursing state after a period spent foraging) from the same colony in order to compare the outcomes of these different forms of genomic analysis.

Clinical features of retinal diseases masquerading as retrobulbar optic neuritis.

Background: Managements of optic neuritis (ON) included high-dose corticosteroids or combined with systemic immunomodulatory agents. It was important to make a correct diagnosis of ON before initiation of treatment. The purpose of the study was to report and analyze the clinical features of retinal diseases in patients who were misdiagnosed as having retrobulbar ON.

Genomewide analysis indicates that queen larvae have lower methylation levels in the honey bee (Apis mellifera).

The honey bee is a social insect characterized by caste differentiation, by which a young larva can develop into either a queen or a worker. Despite possessing the same genome, queen and workers display marked differences in reproductive capacity, physiology, and behavior. Recent studies have shown that DNA methylation plays important roles in caste differentiation.

Transcriptome analysis of the Asian honey bee Apis cerana cerana.

Background: The Eastern hive honey bee, Apis cerana cerana is a native and widely bred honey bee species in China. Molecular biology research about this honey bee species is scarce, and genomic information for A. c.

Epigenetic modification of gene expression in honey bees by heterospecific gland secretions.

Background: In the honey bee (Apis mellifera), queen and workers have different behavior and reproductive capacity despite possessing the same genome. The primary substance that leads to this differentiation is royal jelly (RJ), which contains a range of proteins, amino acids, vitamins and nucleic acids. MicroRNA (miRNA) has been found to play an important role in regulating the expression of protein-coding genes and cell biology.