Altered Immune Profiles in Non-Failing Heart Donors With Induced Long QT Syndrome: A Potential Risk Factor for Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy.

Introduction: Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) develops more aggressively in recipients of hearts from brain-dead (BD) donors with induced long QT syndrome (iLQTS), yet the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. In this study, we employ a multi-omics and experimental framework to explore the role of neuro-immune interactions in non-failing donor hearts affected by iLQTS.

Methods: Single-nuclei RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) compared four iLQTS and four non-arrhythmic non-failing donor hearts.

Mechanism of low-temperature tolerance in wucai induced by exogenous thermospermine.

Wucai is an important specialty vegetable, and its low-temperature tolerance is associated with a polyamine, thermospermine (T-Spm) according to our previous study. However, the mechanism underlying the effect of T-Spm has not been elucidated yet. In this study, we investigated the relationship between T-Spm and cold tolerance of wucai by exogenously applying T-Spm to wucai seedlings exposed to low-temperature stress with water application as control.

RBOHD, GLR3.3, and GLR3.6 cooperatively control wounding hypocotyl-induced systemic Ca signals, jasmonic acid, and glucosinolates in Arabidopsis leaves.

Ca signaling plays crucial roles in plant stress responses, including defense against insects. To counteract insect feeding, different parts of a plant deploy systemic signaling to communicate and coordinate defense responses, but little is known about the underlying mechanisms. In this study, micrografting, in vivo imaging of Ca and reactive oxygen species (ROS), quantification of jasmonic acid (JA) and defensive metabolites, and bioassay were used to study how Arabidopsis seedlings regulate systemic responses in leaves after hypocotyls are wounded.

Genome wide identification and characterization of EPFL genes and its potential association with male sterility in Brassica rapa.

The epidermal patterning factor-like (EPFL) gene family, encoding cysteine-rich polypeptides (CRPs), regulates diverse developmental processes in plants, including the control of stomatal density and the guidance of pollen tube elongation. To investigate its potential association with male sterility in Brassica rapa, we performed a comprehensive genome-wide identification using bioinformatics approaches. Our analysis revealed 14 BrEPFL members distributed across 8 of the 10 chromosomes.

Wnt14 regulates the cellular inflammation induced by avian reovirus and interacts with the viral σB protein.

Avian reovirus (ARV) typically induces viral arthritis or tenosynovitis in chickens. The ARV structural protein σB plays a crucial role in viral replication and regulates cellular signaling pathways through interactions with host proteins. In this study, we demonstrate that both ARV infection and ARV σB protein can activate intracellular Wnt signaling pathways and induce inflammatory responses based on qPCR and Western blot analyses in HD11 cells.

Jasmonic acid and salicylic acid transcriptionally regulate in cultivated tomato to activate resistance to parasitization by dodder .

The parasitic dodder (, Convolvulaceae) species have wide ranges of hosts. However, some plants, including the cultivated tomato (), have different degrees of resistance to . The cultivated tomato plants activate a strong hypersensitive response (HR) where haustoria penetrate stems of cultivated tomato, but the underlying mechanisms by which the cultivated tomato perceives and activates resistance remain unclear.

Engineered PD-L1 co-expression in PD-1 knockout and MAGE-C2-targeting TCR-T cells augments the cytotoxic efficacy toward target cancer cells.

Expression of the PD-1 protein by tumor cells is relatively common and has been shown to exert proliferation-inhibitory effects across various tumor types, including T-cell malignancies, non-small cell lung cancer, and colon cancer. However, harnessing this tumor suppressor pathway is challenging because PD-1 activation by PD-L1 also suppresses normal T-cell function. We hypothesized that cancer antigen-specific TCR-T cells engineered to express PD-L1 could selectively activate the PD-1 pathway in tumor cells while simultaneously preventing self-inhibition by knocking out intrinsic PD-1 expression in TCR-T cells.

Exploring the Pleiotropy of PCSK9: A Wide Range of Influences from Lipid Regulation to Extrahepatic Function.

In cardiovascular disease, the discovery of the proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) has undoubtedly opened a new chapter in regulating blood lipids. Since its first identification as a key regulator of low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) degradation in 2003, the role of PCSK9 in cholesterol metabolism has been extensively studied. However, with further research, the pleiotropy of PCSK9 has gradually emerged, and its impact extends far beyond cholesterol metabolism in the liver.

Clinical Features and Risk Factors for Early Bone Destruction in Enthesitis-Related Arthritis: A Cohort Study.

Objectives: To explore the clinical characteristics and identify risk factors for early bone destruction in children with enthesitis-related arthritis (ERA).

Methods: Clinical characteristics were retrospectively analyzed in 85 newly diagnosed cases with ERA at our hospital from January 2019 to December 2021. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for early bone destruction.

Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony Stimulating Factor Receptor Contributes to Plexiform Neurofibroma Initiation.

Plexiform neurofibroma (PNF) is an immune cell-rich peripheral nerve sheath tumor that develops primarily in individuals with Neurofibromatosis Type 1 (NF1). Granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor receptor-β (GM-CSFR-β) is a shared component of receptors for the cytokines GM-CSF, IL-3, and IL-5, ligands with immunomodulatory and tumor promoting roles. In the present study, we use genetically engineered mouse model of neurofibroma.

Strigolactones, ROS and ABA Regulate Systemic Salt-Tolerance Priming Signals Between Dodder-Connected Tobacco Plants.

The parasitic plants dodders (Cuscuta spp., Convolvulaceae) can often simultaneously parasitize two or more neighbouring hosts, forming dodder-connected plant clusters. In a dodder-connected plant cluster, salt-induced systemic priming signals are transferred from the salt-stressed host (signal donor, SD) to the other host (signal receiver, SR) through dodder and prime the SR plants for enhanced salt tolerance, but what signalling pathways regulate the dodder-mediated interplant priming signals remain unclear.

CRIP1 inhibits cutaneous melanoma progression through TFAM-mediated mitochondrial biogenesis.

Metastasis is the leading cause of death in patients with cutaneous melanoma. CRIP1 (cysteine-rich protein 1) has been reported to be associated with malignant progression of several cancers. However, the biological function and underlying mechanisms of CRIP1 in melanoma progression are largely unknown.

The Impact of COVID-19 Infection on Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms: Mechanisms and Clinical Implications.

The COVID-19 virus not only has significant pathogenicity but also influences the progression of many diseases, altering patient prognosis. Cardiovascular diseases, particularly aortic aneurysms, are among the most life-threatening conditions. COVID-19 infection is reported to accelerate the progression of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) and increase the risk of rupture; however, a comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms remains elusive.

Urine proteomics in cardiovascular disease: advances in biomarker discovery and clinical applications.

Introduction: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading causes of mortality and morbidity worldwide, making early diagnosis and effective treatment essential. As a promising and noninvasive research method, urine proteomics shows excellent potential to identify reliable urinary biomarkers that could enhance prediction, prevention, and prognosis in patients with CVD.

Areas Covered: This review summarizes recent advancements in urinary protein biomarker profiling using urine proteomic techniques to identify potential CVD biomarkers.

Serum small extracellular vesicles-derived BST2 as a biomarker for papillary thyroid microcarcinoma promotes lymph node metastasis.

Papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC), although frequently indolent, could be aggressive in a few patients, leading to lymph node metastasis (LNM) and worsened prognosis. To explore the role of protein profiling of small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) in the auxiliary diagnosis and risk stratification of PTMC, proteins in serum sEVs isolated from PTMC patients with (N = 10) and without (N = 10) LNM and benign thyroid nodule (BN) patients (N = 9) were profiled via a bioinformatics-integrated data-independent acquisition proteomic technique. The performance of candidate proteins as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in PTMC was assessed via receiver operating characteristic analysis.

MicroRNA399s and strigolactones mediate systemic phosphate signaling between dodder-connected host plants and control association of host plants with rhizosphere microbes.

A dodder (Cuscuta) often simultaneously parasitizes two or more adjacent hosts. Phosphate (Pi) deficiency is a common stress for plants, and plants often interact with soil microbes, including arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), to cope with Pi stress. Little is known about whether dodder transmits Pi deficiency-induced systemic signals between different hosts.

Establishment and Clinical Significance of the Patient-Derived Xenograft Model of Colorectal Cancer.

Objectives: Patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models are widely acknowledged for their ability to reflect the heterogeneity of human cancers and can be used to improve preclinical models. In this study, we evaluated the factors affecting the tumor formation rate of the PDX colorectal cancer (CRC) model and conducted preliminary drug sensitivity tests.

Methods: CRC patients who underwent elective surgery at Shaoxing People's Hospital from November 2019 to October 2020 were included.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase 4 phosphorylates MYC2 transcription factors to regulate jasmonic acid signaling and herbivory responses in maize.

Regulation of responses induced by herbivory and jasmonic acid (JA) remains poorly understood in the important staple crop maize (Zea mays). MYC2 is the key transcription factor regulating many aspects of JA signaling, while mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs or MPKs) play important roles in various plant physiological processes. Using a combination of reverse genetics, transcriptome analysis, and biochemical assays, we elucidated the important role of mitogen-activated protein kinase 4 (MPK4) in maize resistance to insects and in JA signaling.

Salicylic acid positively regulates maize defenses against lepidopteran insects.

In response to insect attack, plants use intricate signaling pathways, including phytohormones, such as jasmonate (JA), ethylene (ET), and salicylic acid (SA), to activate defenses. Maize () is one of the most important staple food crops around the world. Previous studies have shown that the JA and ET signaling play important roles in maize defense against insects, but little is known about whether and how SA regulates maize resistance to insect herbivores.

Comparative Morphological, Physiological, and Transcriptomic Analyses of Diploid and Tetraploid Wucai ( L.).

Polyploid plants often exhibit superior yield, stress resistance, and quality. In this study, homologous tetraploid wucai ( L.) was successfully obtained by spraying seedling growth points with colchicine.

Legumain in cardiovascular diseases.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide, having become a global public health problem, so the pathophysiological mechanisms and therapeutic strategies of CVDs need further study. Legumain is a powerful enzyme that is widely distributed in mammals and plays an important role in a variety of biological processes. Recent research suggests that legumain is associated with the occurrence and progression of CVDs.