Being opportunistic intracellular pathogens, viruses are dependent on the host for their replication. They hijack host cellular machinery for their replication and survival by targeting crucial ...cellular physiological pathways, including transcription, translation, immune pathways, and apoptosis. Immediately after translation, the host and viral proteins undergo a process called post-translational modification (PTM). PTMs of proteins involves the attachment of small proteins, carbohydrates/lipids, or chemical groups to the proteins and are crucial for the proteins' functioning. During viral infection, host proteins utilize PTMs to control the virus replication, using strategies like activating immune response pathways, inhibiting viral protein synthesis, and ultimately eliminating the virus from the host. PTM of viral proteins increases solubility, enhances antigenicity and virulence properties. However, RNA viruses are devoid of enzymes capable of introducing PTMs to their proteins. Hence, they utilize the host PTM machinery to promote their survival. Proteins from viruses belonging to the family:
,
,
and
such as chikungunya, dengue, zika, HIV, and coronavirus are a few that are well-known to be modified. This review discusses various host and virus-mediated PTMs that play a role in the outcome during the infection.
Epigenetic modifications in response to traumatic experience and stress are emerging as important factors in the long-term biological trajectories leading to stress-related psychiatric disorders, ...reflecting both environmental influences as well as individual genetic predisposition. In particular, recent evidence on DNA methylation changes within distinct genes and pathways but also on a genome-wide level provides new insights into the pathophysiology of stress related psychiatric disorders. This review summarizes current findings and concepts on DNA methylation changes in stress-related disorders with a focus on major depressive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). We highlight studies of DNA methylation in animals and humans pertinent to these disorders, both focusing on candidate loci as well as genome-wide studies. We describe molecular mechanisms of how exposure to stress can induce long lasting changes in DNA methylation and how these may relate to the pathophysiology of depression and PTSD. We discuss data suggesting that DNA methylation, even in peripheral tissues, appears to be an informative reflection of environmental exposures on the genome and may have potential as a biomarker for the early prevention of stress-related disorders.
This article is part of the Special Issue entitled ‘Neuroepigenetic Disorders’.
•Current findings on DNA methylation changes in stress-related disorders.•Highlight DNA methylation studies in animals and humans.•Describe molecular mechanisms of stress-induced DNA methylation changes.
•Most of the NbS of Tropical drylands of India are not follow the IUCN standard criteria.•The Identified NbS are baised towards environmental services than addressing social needs of the ...people.•Improved NbS interventions requires intensive enagement of stakeholders for addressing social causes.
Nature-based Solutions (NbS) is a flexible, adaptable, and multi-functional strategies employed to address climate change. However, all the claimed NbS are actually do not adhere the criteria of being NbS. Therefore, present study analysed 87 articles to appraise adherence of potential NbS as per the IUCN Global Standard, along with evaluation of flow of associated ecosystem services (ES). The review identified 39 interventions, out of which only twelve interventions adhered the criteria of NbS. Among the classified NbS, two interventions, namely, sustainable forest management (SFM) (80.83%) and haveli rejuvenation (75.61%) strongly adhered to the IUCN Standard. Lack of adherence in the non-classified NbS interventions was mainly attributed to absence of information on inclusive governance, monitoring and associated trade-offs. The identified 39 interventions were also observed to be enhancing a total of 37 ES, evaluated through 37 distinct indicators i.e. different and enhanced flow of ES were observed by the different NbS. However, the majority of classified NbS were biased towards flow of environmental services than social services. Present study results that all claimed NbS cannot fulfilled the intended objectives of NbS and thus cannot be classified under the NbS as per global standard. Moreover, assessing the flow of associated ES may be an additional support to broaden the scope of NbS implementation. Therefore, present study also highlights to integrate the flow of ES along with the adherence criteria of NbS. Moreover, the review also facilitate to understand constraints associated with the implementation of potential NbS interventions and thus, suggests considering wider aspects in the future researches for assessing the implementation of NbS.
Aim: Demineralization can be arrested or reversed when remineralization agents are applied to incipient carious or noncavitated carious lesions. A large number of therapeutic agents, including ...nonfluoridated products, have been developed to promote enamel remineralization. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of different remineralizing agents on artificially demineralized enamel lesions. Materials and Methods: The present in vitro study was conducted on 75 sound premolars divided into three groups of normal, demineralized (n = 15 each), and remineralized teeth (n = 45). The remineralized teeth were further subdivided into three groups (n = 15) as remineralized with 2% sodium fluoride (NaF), 2% NaF, and Psoralea corylifolia (bakuchi) and white mineral trioxide aggregate. Specimens of each group were treated with the above-mentioned remineralizing agents and then subjected to Vickers hardness number (VHN), scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX), and magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance (MAS-NMR) for further evaluation. Results: The test results showed significantly the highest VHN and the emission peak of elements under the EDX test, such as calcium, phosphorous, oxygen, and fluorine with remineralized with NaF + bakuchi. MAS-NMR spectra showed fluorine and phosphorous peak in a group with NaF + bakuchi indicative of the increase in remineralization. NaF + bakuchi showed effective results in VHN, SEM-EDX, and MAS-NMR with no antagonist interaction. Conclusion: Thus, P. Corylifolia presents an advantage in enhancing remineralization and inhibiting demineralization for early carious lesions and can be used as a herbal extract for effective reduction in pathogenic bacteria.
Childhood maltreatment is likely to influence fundamental biological processes and engrave long-lasting epigenetic marks, leading to adverse health outcomes in adulthood. We aimed to elucidate the ...impact of different early environment on disease-related genome-wide gene expression and DNA methylation in peripheral blood cells in patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Compared with the same trauma-exposed controls (n = 108), gene-expression profiles of PTSD patients with similar clinical symptoms and matched adult trauma exposure but different childhood adverse events (n = 32 and 29) were almost completely nonoverlapping (98%). These differences on the level of individual transcripts were paralleled by the enrichment of several distinct biological networks between the groups. Moreover, these gene-expression changes were accompanied and likely mediated by changes in DNA methylation in the same loci to a much larger proportion in the childhood abuse (69%) vs. the non-child abuse-only group (34%). This study is unique in providing genome-wide evidence of distinct biological modifications in PTSD in the presence or absence of exposure to childhood abuse. The findings that nonoverlapping biological pathways seem to be affected in the two PTSD groups and that changes in DNA methylation appear to have a much greater impact in the childhood-abuse group might reflect differences in the pathophysiology of PTSD, in dependence of exposure to childhood maltreatment. These results contribute to a better understanding of the extent of influence of differences in trauma exposure on pathophysiological processes in stress-related psychiatric disorders and may have implications for personalized medicine.
•Nature-based Solutions (NbS) in Himalayas has sustainable management and restoration of resources.•Most of the NbS of Himalaya adheres the IUCN standard criteria.•Improved NbS interventions in ...Himalaya requires precise planning and engaging multiple stakeholders.
Himalayan countries face many ecological challenges, including biodiversity loss and the many threats of climate change. In response, these countries are implementing Nature-based Solution to minimize these challenges and promote sustainable development. In this article we analyze the NbS programs implemented across the Himalayan region and assess the limitations of these NbS using the IUCN standard criteria of adherence to NbS for selected articles. We perform a systematic review of articles using the PRISMA methodology, through the Scopus, Google Scholar, and ResearchGate databases and followed by screening through the Rayyan web interface. Articles were screened out based on the location and lack of biodiversity and human well-being outcomes of NbS intervention. Nature-based Solutions in the Himalayas primarily use a sustainable management approach (35.29%), followed by restoration (23.53%), conservation (11.76%), holistic management (11.76%), eco-DRR (11.76%) and green infrastructure (5.88%) to address societal and climatic challenges. Institutional execution of NbS was 29.41% more common compared to the implementation of NbS by community or farmer groups. Pineapple based agroforestry (83.04%), forest restoration (78.57%), spring water storage (83.04%), spring restoration (86.61%), groundwater recharge (82.14%), bio-fertilizer and pesticides (77.68%), watershed restoration (78.57%), community-based watershed management (77.68%), community-based DRR (81.25%), community-based forest management (81.25%), sustainable harvest of medicinal plants (77.68%) and wetland restoration (82.14%), adhere to the IUCN criteria. In addition, some interventions adequately meet IUCN criteria, such as ice stupas (72.32%), forest restoration through plantation (73.21%), eco-safe roads (65.18), blue-green infrastructure (68.75%), and traditional ecological knowledge (72.32%). Our evaluation noted that NbS interventions can be improved by precise planning and design before implementation, engaging multiple stakeholders, comparing alternative solutions, and periodic monitoring of the impacts on the environment and society. This study shows that NbS in the Himalayas are contributing to biodiversity conservation and climate risk management. Tackling the limitation of this present review, mainly the exclusion of research not addressing biodiversity and human well-being, will yield more precise outcomes for climate actions and sustainable development.
•Annual soil loss rate was maximum in Tropical Thorn Forest and in Ganga River basin.•Maximum sediment control and SOC conservation against the soil erosion control service by India’ forests was due ...to Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest.•Total annual sedimentation control and SOC conservation by the India’s forests were 33,056,560 tonnes and 3,31,115.06 tonnes, respectively.•The conservative economic value of soil conservation service by the India’s forests was US$ 535.6 M.
Indian forests, having sixteen types of vegetation, provide various ecosystem services. Forests reduce water erosion of soil, reduce floods and conserve low river flow during dry seasons. Present study estimated annual sedimentation, texture, soil organic carbon control service of forests of India using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) and Sediment Delivery Ratio (SDR) approach through GIS technique along with identifying important drivers responsible for erosion in forests. The soil erosion control service was based on five factors viz., rainfall erosivity, soil erodibility, slope, crop management, conservation practice factor and SDR across the various forest dominated river basins. Geo-detector modelling was performed to evaluate environmental drivers responsible for soil erosion. Valuation of soil control service of the India’s forests was estimated based on damage and replacement cost method. Annual soil loss rate was maximum in Tropical Thorn Forest and in Ganga River basin. Maximum sediment control and SOC conservation against the soil erosion control service by India’ forests were due to Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest with a total annual sedimentation control and SOC conservation of 33,056,560 tonnes and 3,31,115.06 tonnes, respectively. The conservative estimate of the economic value of soil conservation service by the forests of India was US$ 535.6 M with an average of 4.40 US$ ha−1 and a maximum share of value for Tropical Dry Deciduous Forest i.e. 294.18 million US$ and average maximum value for Littoral and Swamp Forest (28.91 US$ ha−1). The soil erosion in Tropical and Sub-tropical Forest was influenced by the interactive effects between NDVI and Bulk Density. In contrast, soil erosion in the temperate and alpine area was influenced by anthropogenic activity in combination with climatic factors. Present study accounts the role of India’s forests for the soil conservation service and may provide inputs to implement forest and reservoir management strategies besides providing information for Integrated Watershed management and Catchment Treatment Plans.
IL-27 bridges innate and adaptive immunity by modulating cytokine production from myeloid cells and regulating Th cell differentiation. During bacterial infection, TLR4 triggering by LPS induces ...IL-27 production by monocytes and macrophages. We have previously shown that IL-27 can prime monocytes for LPS responsiveness by enhancing TLR4 expression and intracellular signaling. If unregulated, this could result in damaging inflammation, whereas on the other hand, this may also provide greater responses by inflammatory processes induced in response to bacterial pathogens. A key process in fine-tuning inflammatory responses is activation of the inflammasome, which ultimately results in IL-1β production. Herein, we investigated the molecular mechanisms by which IL-27 modulates LPS-induced IL-1β secretion in monocytes and macrophages. We found that when delivered simultaneously with LPS, IL-27 augments activation of caspase-1 and subsequent release of IL-1β. Furthermore, we determined that IL-27 primes cells for enhanced IL-1β production by up-regulating surface expression of TLR4 and P2X purinoceptor 7 (P2X7) for enhanced LPS and ATP signaling, respectively. These findings provide new evidence that IL-27 plays an important role in the proinflammatory capacity of monocytes and macrophages via enhancing IL-1β secretion levels triggered by dual LPS-ATP stimulation.
Transcriptome-wide screens of peripheral blood during the onset and development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) indicate widespread immune dysregulation. However, little is known as to ...whether biological sex and the type of traumatic event influence shared or distinct biological pathways in PTSD. We performed a combined analysis of five independent PTSD blood transcriptome studies covering seven types of trauma in 229 PTSD and 311 comparison individuals to synthesize the extant data. Analyses by trauma type revealed a clear pattern of PTSD gene expression signatures distinguishing interpersonal (IP)-related traumas from combat-related traumas. Co-expression network analyses integrated all data and identified distinct gene expression perturbations across sex and modes of trauma in PTSD, including one wound-healing module downregulated in men exposed to combat traumas, one IL-12-mediated signaling module upregulated in men exposed to IP-related traumas, and two modules associated with lipid metabolism and mitogen-activated protein kinase activity upregulated in women exposed to IP-related traumas. Remarkably, a high degree of sharing of transcriptional dysregulation across sex and modes of trauma in PTSD was also observed converging on common signaling cascades, including cytokine, innate immune, and type I interferon pathways. Collectively, these findings provide a broad view of immune dysregulation in PTSD and demonstrate inflammatory pathways of molecular convergence and specificity, which may inform mechanisms and diagnostic biomarkers for the disorder.
Chikungunya disease (CHIKD) is a viral infection caused by an alphavirus, chikungunya virus (CHIKV), and triggers large outbreaks leading to epidemics. Despite the low mortality rate, it is a major ...public health concern owing to high morbidity in affected individuals. The complete spectrum of this disease can be divided into four phases based on its clinical presentation and immunopathology. When a susceptible individual is bitten by an infected mosquito, the bite triggers inflammatory responses attracting neutrophils and initiating a cascade of events, resulting in the entry of the virus into permissive cells. This phase is termed the pre-acute or the intrinsic incubation phase. The virus utilizes the cellular components of the innate immune system to enter into circulation and reach primary sites of infection such as the lymph nodes, spleen, and liver. Also, at this point, antigen-presenting cells (APCs) present the viral antigens to the T cells thereby activating and initiating adaptive immune responses. This phase is marked by the exhibition of clinical symptoms such as fever, rashes, arthralgia, and myalgia and is termed the acute phase of the disease. Viremia reaches its peak during this phase, thereby enhancing the antigen-specific host immune response. Simultaneously, T cell-mediated activation of B cells leads to the formation of CHIKV specific antibodies. Increase in titres of neutralizing IgG/IgM antibodies results in the clearance of virus from the bloodstream and marks the initiation of the post-acute phase. Immune responses mounted during this phase of the infection determine the degree of disease progression or its resolution. Some patients may progress to a chronic arthritic phase of the disease that may last from a few months to several years, owing to a compromised disease resolution. The present review discusses the immunopathology of CHIKD and the factors that dictate disease progression and its resolution.
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