Avicennia marina (Forsk.) Vierh. is a typical mangrove plant. Its epidermis contains salt glands, which can secrete excess salts onto the leaf surfaces, improving the salt tolerance of the plants. ...However, knowledge on the epidermis-specific transcriptional responses of A. marina to salinity treatment is lacking. Thus, physiological and transcriptomic techniques were applied to unravel the salt tolerance mechanism of A. marina. Our results showed that 400 mM NaCl significantly reduced the plant height, leaf area, leaf biomass and photosynthesis of A. marina. In addition, 1565 differentially expressed genes were identified, of which 634 and 931 were up- and down-regulated. Based on Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes metabolic pathway enrichment analysis, we demonstrated that decreased gene expression, especially that of OEE1, PQL2, FDX3, ATPC, GAPDH, PRK, FBP and RPE, could explain the inhibited photosynthesis caused by salt treatment. Furthermore, the ability of A. marina to cope with 400 mM NaCl treatment was dependent on appropriate hormone signalling and potential sulfur-containing metabolites, such as hydrogen sulfide and cysteine biosynthesis. Overall, the present study provides a theoretical basis for the adaption of A. marina to saline habitats and a reference for studying the salt tolerance mechanism of other mangrove plants.
Hu sheep, known for its high quality and productivity, lack fundamental scientific research in China.
This study focused on the effects of 24 h postmortem aging on the meat physiological and ...transcriptomic alteration in Hu sheep.
The results showed that the 24 h aging process exerts a substantial influence on the mutton color, texture, and water content as compared to untreated group. Transcriptomic analysis identified 1,668 differentially expressed genes. Functional enrichment analysis highlighted the importance of glycolysis metabolism, protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum, and the FcγR-mediated phagocytosis pathway in mediating meat quality modification following postmortem aging. Furthermore, protein-protein interaction analysis uncovered complex regulatory networks involving glycolysis, the MAPK signaling pathway, protein metabolism, and the immune response.
Collectively, these findings offer valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying meat quality changes during postmortem aging in Hu sheep, emphasizing the potential for improving quality control strategies in mutton production.
Background
Perineural invasion (PNI) is associated with metastasis in malignancies, including intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), and is correlated with poor prognosis.
Methods
The study included ...three large cohorts: ZS-ICC and TMA cohorts from our team, MSK cohort from a public database, and a small cohort named cohort 4. Prognostic implications of PNI were investigated in MSK cohort and TMA cohort. PNI-related genomic and transcriptomic profiles were analyzed in MSK and ZS-ICC cohorts. GO, KEGG, and ssGSEA analyses were performed. Immunohistochemistry was used to investigate the relationship between PNI and markers of neurons, hydrolases, and immune cells. The efficacy of adjuvant therapy in ICC patients with PNI was also assessed.
Results
A total of 30.6% and 20.7% ICC patients had PNI in MSK and TMA cohorts respectively. Patients with PNI presented with malignant phenotypes such as high CA19-9, the large bile duct type, lymph node invasion, and shortened overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS). Nerves involved in PNI positively express tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), a marker of sympathetic nerves. Patients with PNI showed high mutation frequency of KRAS and an immune suppressive metastasis prone niche of decreased NK cell, increased neutrophil, and elevated PD-L1, CD80, and CD86 expression. Patients with PNI had an extended OS after adjuvant therapy with TEGIO, GEMOX, or capecitabine.
Conclusion
Our study deciphered the genomic features and the immune suppressive metastasis-prone niche in ICC with PNI. Patients with PNI showed a poor prognosis after surgery but a good response to adjuvant chemotherapy.
Graphical abstract
Complex CPs extracted from a LTCT were methylated to mesitol and durenol.
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•Ni/Fe2O3 specifically catalyzes the alkylation of arenols to ortho-alkylarenols.•CPs enriched from LTCT were ...successfully methylated to mesitol and durenol.•Pure mesitol and durenol were isolated from the methylated CPs by elution.
The alkylation of phenols is an effective method for synthesizing alkylphenols as important chemicals and key building blocks. Herein, we investigated the methylation of phenols over Ni/Fe2O3 as the catalyst with CH3OH as methylating agent. The catalyst was characterized by laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, BET surface area, transmission electron microscopy, NH3-temperature-programmed desorption, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The effects of catalyst composition and feed, reaction temperature and time, and recycling times of the catalyst on the o-methylation were systematically examined. As a result, only o-xylenols were detected and their relative contents increase with time under the optimized conditions. The methylation was also used to convert crude phenols extracted from a low-temperature coal tar to value-added chemicals, and consequently mesitol and durenol were produced in total yields up to 99%. Pure mesitol and durenol were obtained after elution and their structures are confirmed by multiple analyses.
Human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) provide supplies of potential functional blood cells to suffice the clinical needs. However, the underlying mechanism of generating genuine hematopoietic stem ...cells (HSCs) and functional blood cells from hPSCs remains largely elusive.
In this study, we supplied R-spondin2 exogenously during hematopoietic differentiation of hPSCs under various culture conditions and analyzed the production of hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs). We further added R-spondin2 at different temporal window to pin down the stage at which R-spondin2 conferred its effects. RNA-SEQ-based gene profiling was applied to analyze genes with significantly altered expression and altered signaling pathways. Finally, megakaryocytic differentiation and platelet generation were determined using HPCs with R-spondin2 treatment.
We found that R-spondin2 generated by hematopoiesis-supporting stromal cells significantly enhances hematopoietic differentiation of hPSCs. Supply of R-spondin2 exogenously at the early stage of mesoderm differentiation elevates the generation of APLNR
cells. Furthermore, early treatment of cells with R-spondin2 enables us to increase the output of hPSC-derived platelet-like particles (PLPs) with intact function. At the mechanistic level, R-spondin2 activates TGF-β signaling to promote the hematopoietic differentiation.
Our results demonstrate that a transient supply of R-spondin2 can efficiently promote hematopoietic development by activating both WNT and TGF-β signaling. R-spondin2 can be therefore used as a powerful tool for large-scale generation of functional hematopoietic progenitors and platelets for translational medicine.
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