OrMKK3 Influences Morphology and Grain Size in Rice

Ying Hua Pan,Li Jun Gao,Yun Tao Liang,Yan Zhao,Hai Fu Liang,Wei Wei Chen,Xing Hai Yang,Dong Jin Qing,Ju Gao,Hao Wu,Juan Huang,Wei Yong Zhou,Cheng Cui Huang,Gao Xing Dai,Guo Fu Deng 한국식물학회 2023 Journal of Plant Biology Vol.66 No.3

Although morphology and grain size are important to rice growth and yield, the identity of abundant natural allelic variations that determine agronomically important differences in crops is unknown. Here, we characterized the function of mitogen-activated protein kinase 3 from Oryza officinalis Wall. ex Watt encoded by OrMKK3. Different alternative splicing variants occurred in OrMKK3. Green fluorescent protein (GFP)–OrMKK3 fusion proteins localized to the cell membrane and nuclei of rice protoplasts. Overexpression of OrMKK3 influenced the expression levels of the grain size-related genes SMG1, GW8, GL3, GW2, and DEP3. Phylogenetic analysis showed that OrMKK3 is well conserved in plants while showing large amounts of variation between indica, japonica, and wild rice. In addition, OrMKK3 slightly influenced brassinosteroid (BR) responses and the expression levels of BR-related genes. Our findings thus identify a new gene, OrMKK3, influencing morphology and grain size and that represents a possible link between mitogen-activated protein kinase and BR response pathways in grain growth.

ER81-shRNA Inhibits Growth of Triple-negative Human Breast Cancer Cell Line MDA-MB-231 In Vivo and in Vitro

Chen, Yue,Zou, Hong,Yang, Li-Ying,Li, Yuan,Wang, Li,Hao, Yan,Yang, Ju-Lun Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2012 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.13 No.5

The lack of effective treatment targets for triple-negative breast cancers make them unfitted for endocrine or HER2 targeted therapy, and their prognosis is poor. Transcription factor ER81, a downstream gene of the HER2, is highly expressed in breast cancer lines, breast atypical hyperplasia and primary breast cancers including triple-negative examples. However, whether and how ER81 affects breast cancer carcinogenesis have remained elusive. We here assessed influence on a triple-negative cell line. ER81-shRNA was employed to silence ER81 expression in the MDA-MB-231 cell line, and MTT, colony-forming assays, and flow cytometry were used to detect cell proliferation, colony-forming capability, cell cycle distribution, and cell apoptosis in vitro. MDA-MB-231 cells stably transfected with ER81-shRNA were inoculated into nude mice, and growth inhibition of the cells was observed in vivo. We found that ER81 mRNA and protein expression in MDA-MB-231 cells was noticeably reduced by ER81-shRNA, and that cell proliferation and clonality were decreased significantly. ER81-shRNA further increased cell apoptosis and the residence time in $G_0/G_1$ phase, while delaying tumor-formation and growth rate in nude mice. It is concluded that ER81 may play an important role in the progression of breast cancer and may be a potentially valuable target for therapy, especially for triple negative breast cancer.

Trends in incidence and survival outcome of epithelial ovarian cancer: 30-year national population-based registry in Taiwan

Ying-Cheng Chiang,Chi-An Chen,Chun-Ju Chiang,Tsui-Hsia Hsu,Ming-Chieh Lin,San-Lin You,Wen-Fang Cheng,Mei-Shu Lai 대한부인종양학회 2013 Journal of Gynecologic Oncology Vol.24 No.4

Objective: To investigate the changes of incidence and prognosis of epithelial ovarian cancer in thirty years in Taiwan. Methods: The databases of women with epithelial ovarian cancer during the period from 1979 to 2008 were retrieved from the National Cancer Registration System of Taiwan. The incidence and prognosis of these patients were analyzed. Results: Totally 9,491 patients were included in the study. The age-adjusted incidences of epithelial ovarian cancer were 1.01, 1.37, 2.37, 3.24, 4.18, and 6.33 per 100,000 person-years, respectively, in every 5-year period from 1979 to 2008. The age-specific incidence rates increased especially in serous, endometrioid and clear cell carcinoma, and the age of diagnosis decreased from sixty to fifty years old in the three decades. Patients with mucinous, endometrioid, or clear cell carcinoma had better long-term survival than patients with serous carcinoma (log rank test, p<0.001). Patients with undifferentiated carcinoma or carcinosarcoma had poorer survival than those with serous carcinoma (log rank test, p<0.001). The mortality risk of age at diagnosis of 30-39 was significantly higher than that of age of 70 years or more (test for trend, p<0.001). The mortality risk decreased from the period of 1996-1999 (hazard ratio [HR], 0.90; p=0.054) to the period after 2000 (HR, 0.74; p<0.001) as compared with that from the period of 1991-1995. Conclusion: An increasing incidence and decreasing age of diagnosis in epithelial ovarian cancer patients were noted. Histological type, age of diagnosis, and treatment period were important prognostic factors for epithelial ovarian carcinoma.

MD2 blockade prevents modified LDL-induced retinal injury in diabetes by suppressing NADPH oxidase-4 interaction with Toll-like receptor-4

Chen Huaicheng,Yan Tao,Song Zongming,Ying Shilong,Wu Beibei,Ju Xin,Yang Xi,Qu Jia,Wu Wencan,Zhang Zongduan,Wang Yi 생화학분자생물학회 2021 Experimental and molecular medicine Vol.53 No.-

Modified LDL-induced inflammation and oxidative stress are involved in the pathogenesis of diabetic retinopathy. Recent studies have also shown that modified LDL activates Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) to mediate retinal injury. However, the mechanism by which modified LDL activates TLR4 and the potential role of the TLR4 coreceptor myeloid differentiation protein 2 (MD2) are not known. In this study, we inhibited MD2 with the chalcone derivatives L2H17 and L6H21 and showed that MD2 blockade protected retinal Müller cells against highly oxidized glycated-LDL (HOG-LDL)-induced oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. MD2 inhibition reduced oxidative stress by suppressing NADPH oxidase-4 (NOX4). Importantly, HOG-LDL activated TLR4 and increased the interaction between NOX4 and TLR4. MD2 was required for the activation of these pathways, as inhibiting MD2 prevented the association of NOX4 with TLR4 and reduced NOX4-mediated reactive oxygen species production and TLR4-mediated inflammatory factor production. Furthermore, treatment of diabetic mice with L2H17 significantly reduced LDL extravasation in the retina and prevented retinal dysfunction and apoptosis by suppressing the TLR4/MD2 pathway. Our findings provide evidence that MD2 plays a critical role in mediating modified LDL-induced cell injury in the retina and suggest that targeting MD2 may be a potential therapeutic strategy.

3,7-Dihydroxy-2,4,6-trimethoxyphenanthrene, A New Phenanthrene from Bulbophyllum Odoratissimum

Chen, Ye-Gao,Xu, Jun-Ju,Yu, Hong,Qing, Chen,Zhang, Yan-Li,Liu, Ying,Wang, Ji-Hua Korean Chemical Society 2007 대한화학회지 Vol.51 No.4

Efficient stereoselective synthesis of α,β-Unsaturated acids, α-Cyanoacrylonitriles and α-Cyanoacrylates has been carried out in the presence of NaHSO4·SiO2 under solvent?free conditions with an E-geometry. A new phenanthrene derivative 3,7-dihydroxy-2,4,6-trimethoxyphenanthrene was isolated from the all plant of Bulbophyllum odoratissimum, and its structure was elucidated by extensive spectral studies and chemical transformation. The compound displayed cytotoxicity against the growth of human leukemia cell lines K562 and HL-60, human lung adenocarcinoma A549, human hepatoma BEL-7402 and human stomach cancer cell lines SGC-7901 with IC50 values of 14.23, 10.02, 3.42, 15.36 and 1.13 mg/ml respectively.

Dynamic behavior of an ellipsoidal bubble contaminated by surfactant near a vertical wall

Enbo Ju,Runze Cai,Haopeng Sun,Ying Fan,Wenyi Chen,Jiao Sun 한국화학공학회 2022 Korean Journal of Chemical Engineering Vol.39 No.5

Adding a small amount of surfactant to gas-liquid two-phase flow can markedly change bubble behavior,which has crucial application value in nuclear energy, petrochemical, chemical, and environmental engineering. In thispaper, the dynamic behavior of a single ellipsoidal bubble (Re~800) contaminated by surfactant rising near a verticalwall in stagnant liquid is studied using the shadow method. The effects of different concentrations of sodium dodecylsulfate solution (100 ppm, 400 ppm, 800 ppm) and initial dimensionless distances on bubble dynamics were compared. The dynamic parameters, shape oscillation, force, and energy of the bubble were analyzed. The results show that thecritical initial dimensionless distance at which the collision occurs is decreased due to a dimensionless distance changefrom 3.3 to 0.23, accelerating the transition from zigzag to spiral movement. Transverse movement of the contaminatedbubble is restrained. Because of the Marangoni effect caused by the surfactant, the boundary condition changesfrom zero shear to non-zero shear, resulting in a decrease in velocity and an increase in the drag coefficient. As the surfactantconcentration increases, the lift coefficient does not significantly change with concentration variations. Theinfluences of the wall effect on velocity and drag gradually weaken. Comparing free-rising and collision conditions, theaspect ratio of the contaminated bubble is distinct from the regularity of a clean bubble. The surfactant also changes thewall-normal velocity frequency and symmetrical shape frequency and inhibits energy conversion during collision.

Enhanced Protein Production by Sorbitol Co-feeding with Methanol in Recombinant Pichia pastoris Strains

Li Chen,Ali Mohsin,Ju Chu,Ying-ping Zhuang,Yamei Liu,Mei-Jin Guo 한국생물공학회 2017 Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering Vol.22 No.6

Pichia pastoris strains carrying 1, 6, 12, and 18 copies of the porcine insulin precursor (PIP) gene, were employed to investigate the effects of sorbitol co-feeding with methanol on the physiology of the strains. Multicopy clones of the methylotrophic yeast were generated to vary the PIP gene dosage and recombinant proteins. Elevated gene dosage increased levels of the recombinant PIP protein when methanol served as the sole carbon and energy source i.e., an increase of 1.9% for a strain carrying 1 copy, 42.6% for a strain carrying 6 copies, 34.7% for a strain carrying 12 copies and 80.9% for a strain carrying 18 copies, respectively (using sorbitol co-feeding with methanol during the induction phase). However, it had no significant influence on a lower gene dosage strain (1 copy), but this approach affirmed enhancement in cell growth and PIP production for higher gene dosage strain (6, 12, and 18 copies) via using sorbitol co-feeding with methanol. Additionally, the co-feeding strategy could hold vital importance for recombinant protein production by a multi-copy P. pastoris system.

QTL mapping and identification of candidate genes for cold tolerance at the germination stage in wild rice

Pan Ying-Hua,Nong Bao-Xuan,Chen Lei,Yang Xing-Hai,Xia Xiu-Zhong,Zhang Zong-Qiong,Qing Dong-Jin,Gao Ju,Huang Cheng-Cui,Li Dan-Ting,Deng Guo-Fu 한국유전학회 2023 Genes & Genomics Vol.45 No.7

Background Cold damage stress significantly affects rice growth (germination and seedling) and causes serious losses in yield in temperate and high-altitude areas around the globe. Objective This study aimed to explore the cold tolerance (CT) locus of rice and create new cold-tolerant germplasm. We constructed a chromosome segment substitution line (CSSL) with strong CT and fine mapped quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with CT by performing the whole-genome resequencing of CSSL with phenotypes under cold treatment. Methods A chromosome CSSL, including 271 lines from a cross between the cold-tolerant wild rice Y11 (Oryza rufipogon Griff.) and the cold-sensitive rice variety GH998, was developed to map QTLs conferring CT at the germination stage. The whole-genome resequencing was performed on CSSL for mapping QTLs of associated with CT at the germination stage. Results A high-density linkage map of the CSSLs was developed using the whole-genome resequencing of 1484 bins. The QTL analysis using 615,466 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) led to the identification of 2 QTLs related to germination rate at low-temperature on chromosome 8 (qCTG-8) and chromosome 11 (qCTG-11). The qCTG-8 and qCTG-11 explained 14.55% and 14.31% of the total phenotypic variation, respectively. We narrowed down qCTG-8 and qCTG-11 to 195.5 and 78.83-kb regions, respectively. The expression patterns of important candidate genes in different tissues, and of RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) in CSSLs, were identified based on gene sequences in qCTG-8 and qCTG-11 cold-induced expression analysis. LOC_Os08g01120 and LOC_Os08g01390 were identified as candidate genes in qCTG-8, and LOC_Os11g32880 was identified as a candidate gene in qCTG-11. Conclusions This study demonstrated a general method that could be used to identify useful loci and genes in wild rice and aid in the future cloning of candidate genes of qCTG-8 and qCTG-11. The CSSLs with strong CT were supported for breeding cold-tolerant rice varieties.

Validation of Actiwatch for Assessment of Sleep-wake States in Preterm Infants

Shu-Chen Yang,Asphodel Yang,Ying-Ju Chang 한국간호과학회 2014 Asian Nursing Research Vol.8 No.3

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to validate the Actiwatch with behaviorally determined sleepewake state in preterm infants and to explore the influence of postmenstrual age on the accuracy ofActiwatch. Methods: A prospective and comparative research design was used. Twenty-four preterm infants withpostmenstrual age ranging from 28e38 weeks were studied. The infants were studied for 2 hours betweentwo feedings. Infant's sleep and wake state was measured every 30 seconds using Actiwatch andthe Anderson Behavioral State Scale simultaneously. Results: Actiwatch demonstrated high agreement, sensitivity, and predictivity of sleep state, whenvalidated with the Anderson Behavioral State Scale at the setting of high and automatic activitythresholds, and was not influenced by the infant's postmenstrual age. However, lower specificity andpredictivity were found in the wake state, and influenced by postmenstrual age. Conclusion: Results of this study suggest that high activity thresholds are the most accurate for determiningsleep state in preterm infants, and health care professionals must take the limitations intoconsideration while using the Actiwatch to assess wake states.

Tea Consumption, Alcohol Drinking and Physical Activity Associations with Breast Cancer Risk among Chinese Females: a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Gao, Ying,Huang, Yu-Bei,Liu, Xue-Ou,Chen, Chuan,Dai, Hong-Ji,Song, Feng-Ju,Wang, Jing,Chen, Ke-Xin,Wang, Yao-Gang Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.12

Objective: To evaluate associations between tea consumption, alcohol drinking and physical activity and breast cancer risk among Chinese females. Methods: Three English databases (PubMed, ScienceDirect and Wiley) and three Chinese databases (CNKI, WanFang and VIP) were independently searched by 2 reviewers up to December 2012, complemented by manual searches. The quality of included studies was assessed with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale items. Random-effects models were used to estimate the pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Potential publication bias was estimated through Egger's and Begg's tests. Heterogeneity between studies was evaluated with $I^2$ statistics. Results: Thirty-nine studies involving 13,204 breast cancer cases and 87,248 controls were identified. Compared with non-drinkers, regular tea drinkers had decreased risk (OR=0.79, 95%CIs: 0.65-0.95; $I^2$=84.9%; N=16). An inverse association was also found between regular physical activity and breast cancer risk (OR=0.73, 95%CIs: 0.63-0.85; $I^2$=77.3%; N=15). However, there was no significant association between alcohol drinking and breast cancer risk (OR=0.85, 95%CIs: 0.72-1.02; $I^2$=63.8%; N=26). Most of the results from the subgroup analysis were consistent with the main results. Conclusion: Tea consumption and physical activity are significantly associated with a decreased risk of breast cancer in Chinese females. However, alcohol drinking may not be associated with any elevation of risk.