Variable lymphocyte receptor F is generated via somatic diversification and expressed by lamprey T-like cells.

All extant jawless vertebrates (lampreys and hagfishes) possess a unique adaptive immune system characterized by highly variable lymphocyte receptors (VLR) that are assembled in developing lymphocytes using leucine-rich-repeat donor cassettes. Five VLR types have been identified in lampreys: VLRA, VLRB, VLRC, VLRD, and VLRE. VLRB-expressing lymphocytes are functional analogs to B cells, whereas VLRA, VLRC, VLRD, and VLRE-expressing lymphocytes are more akin to T cells of jawed vertebrates.

Targeting the E Prostanoid Receptor EP4 Mitigates Cardiac Fibrosis Induced by β-Adrenergic Activation.

Sustained β-adrenergic activation induces cardiac fibrosis characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM). Prostaglandin E (PGE) receptor EP4 is essential for cardiovascular homeostasis. This study aims to investigate the roles of cardiomyocyte (CM) and cardiac fibroblast (CF) EP4 in isoproterenol (ISO)-induced cardiac fibrosis.

Exploration of GmDof11- Module Regulating Oil Synthesis in Plants.

Soybean ( [Linn.] Merr.) is an important oilseed crop.

Enhanced laccase production by mutagenized Myrothecium verrucaria using corn stover as a carbon source and its potential in the degradation of 2-chlorophen.

Chlorophenols are widely used in industry and are known environmental pollutants. The degradation of chlorophenols is important for environmental remediation. In this study, we evaluated the biodegradation of 2-chlorophenol using crude laccase produced by Myrothecium verrucaria.

Chrysin enhances antitumour immunity response through the IL-12-STAT4 signal pathway in the B16F10 melanoma mouse model.

Chrysin (CHR) is a flavonoid with extensive pharmacological activity. The molecular formula of CHR is C H O . CHR is reported to have antioxidative, antitumour and antiviral functions.

Cross-species opsonic activity of zebrafish fish-egg lectin on mouse macrophages.

Zebrafish Fish-egg lectin (zFEL) has been identified and proved to be a maternal factor with antibacterial and opsonic ability in fishes. In this study, we found that zFEL was capable of enhancing the phagocytosis of the bacteria by macrophages of mouse (RAW264.7 and mouse peritoneal macrophages), suggesting a cross-species function of zFEL in higher animals.

Human Cytomegalovirus Immediate Early Protein 2 Protein Causes Cognitive Disorder by Damaging Synaptic Plasticity in Human Cytomegalovirus-UL122-Tg Mice.

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection is very common in the human population all around the world. Although the majority of HCMV infections are asymptomatic, they can cause neurologic deficits. Previous studies have shown that immediate early protein 2 (IE2, also known as UL122) of HCMV is related with the cognitive disorder mechanism.

Apoptosis Disorder, a Key Pathogenesis of HCMV-Related Diseases.

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) belongs to the β-herpesvirus family, which is transmitted in almost every part of the world and is carried by more than 90% of the general population. Increasing evidence indicates that HCMV infection triggers numerous diseases by disrupting the normal physiological activity of host cells, particularly apoptosis. Apoptosis disorder plays a key role in the initiation and development of multiple diseases.

The Risk of Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage in Low-Dose Aspirin Users with Diabetes Mellitus: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Our aim was to assess the risk of gastrointestinal (GI) hemorrhage associated with diabetes among patients taking low-dose aspirin (≤325 mg/day).

Methods: A systematic search was conducted for publication in English and Chinese using term equivalents for "GI hemorrhage", "aspirin", and "diabetes mellitus" up till April 2020. Electronic databases include PUBMED, EMBASE, Cochrane Library databases, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, and VIP Database.

First High-Resolution Crystal Structures of the Glucocorticoid Receptor Ligand-Binding Domain-Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Coactivator 1- Complex with Endogenous and Synthetic Glucocorticoids.

Both synthetic and endogenous glucocorticoids are important pharmaceutic drugs known to bind to the ligand-binding domain (LBD) of glucocorticoid receptor (GR), a member of the nuclear receptor (NR) superfamily. Ligand binding induces conformational changes within GR, resulting in subsequent DNA binding and differential coregulator recruitment, ultimately activating or repressing target gene expression. One of the most crucial coregulators is peroxisome proliferator-activated coactivator 1- (PGC1), which acts to regulate energy metabolism by directly interacting with GR to modulate gene expression.

Gastrodin, a traditional Chinese medicine monomer compound, can be used as adjuvant to enhance the immunogenicity of melanoma vaccines.

Gastrodin (GAS) is a Chinese medicine with wide application for the treatment of nervous system disease. Previous studies reported that GAS exhibited non-specific immunomodulatory activities. To explore the effects of GAS as a vaccine adjuvant, the expression levels of CD80, CD86, MHCI and MHCII activated markers were detected after GAS treatment in vitro and in vivo, and the expression levels of IL-2 and TNF-α in splenocytes were detected after GAS treatment in vivo.

The hepatic lectin of zebrafish binds a wide range of bacteria and participates in immune defense.

C-type lectins (CTLs) have a diverse range of functions including cell-cell adhesion, immune response to pathogens and apoptosis. Asialoglycoprotein receptor (ASGPR), also known as hepatic lectin, a member of CTLs, was the first animal lectin identified, yet information regarding it remains rather limited in teleost. In this study, we identified a putative protein in zebrafish, named as the zebrafish hepatic lectin (Zhl).

Identification and expression of carbonic anhydrase 2, myosin regulatory light chain 2 and selenium-binding protein 1 in zebrafish Danio rerio: Implication for age-related biomarkers.

Proteomic study has determined age-related changes in synthesis of carbonic anhydrase 2, myosin regulatory light chain 2 and selenium-binding protein 1 in muscle of post-menopausal women. However, little information is available regarding the expression and role of these proteins in early development and life span. In this study we showed that zebrafish ca2, myl2a, myl2b and selenbp1 were highly identical to their mammalian counterparts in primary and tertiary structures as well as genomic organization and syntenic map.

Identification and bioactivity analysis of a newly identified defensin from the oyster Magallana gigas.

The relatively conserved sequences of signal peptides and proregions that antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) contain have been successfully used to search for and identify novel AMPs from databases within the same lineages of fish and amphibians and across different animal classes. If such an approach is applicable to invertebrate species such as oyster has not yet been tested so far. In this study, we found a cDNA from the digestive gland of the oyster Magallana gigas, designated Mgdefdg, which contains two exons interspaced by one intron.

Augmentation of the antibacterial activities of Pt5-derived antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) by amino acid substitutions: Design of novel AMPs against MDR bacteria.

The ever-growing concerns on multi-drug resistant (MDR) bacteria lead to urgent demands for novel antibiotics including antimicrobial peptides (AMPs). Pt5, a peptide consisting of the C-terminal 55 residues of zebrafish phosvitin, has been shown to function as an antibacterial agent. Here we used Pt5 as a template to design new AMPs by shortening the sequence and substituting with tryptophan (W) and lysine (K) at selected positions.