SOS5 gene-abscisic acid crosstalk and their interaction with antioxidant system in Arabidopsis thaliana under salt stress.

SOS5 locus, encodes cell wall adhesion protein under salt stress conditions in plants, and it is required for normal cell expansion as well as for sustaining cell wall integrity and structure. However, it is still unknown how this gene locus-ABA cross-talk and interacts with the antioxidant mechanism under salt stress conditions. For this purpose, the study focused on mutant sos5-1 plant treated with ABA under NaCl stress and observed its growth and development as well as stomatal aperture, lipid peroxidation, proline, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and ABA contents, and some antioxidant enzyme activities. In addition, the expression levels of ABA related genes have been analysed by RT-PCR after stress application. According to findings, sos5-1 mutant plants treated with ABA under salt stress resulted in eliminated cellular damage compared to those which are solely exposed to salt stress; other observations include closing of stomata, decreased H2O2 content, increased amount of proline, and similarity with the wild type due to induced antioxidant enzyme activities. Besides, both ABA biosynthetic and inducible gene expressions of the mutant plant under salt stress were lower compared to the control, and catabolism gene expression was higher. As a result, SOS5 gene in synergy with ABA, scavenge the ROS by stimulating antioxidant system, leads to an increase in stress related gene expressions and thus contributes to salinity tolerance. This study is significant in the way that it shows how SOS5 gene locus, under salt stress conditions, interacts with antioxidant system in sustaining cell wall integrity.

An assessment of phenolic profiles, fatty acid compositions, and biological activities of two Helichrysum species: H. plicatum and H. chionophilum.

In the present study, we aimed to search and compare the biological activities of the ethanol (EtOH), methanol (MeOH), and ethylacetate (EtOAc) solvent extracts of the flower, stem, and root parts of two Helichrysum plants (H. chionophilum (Hc) and H. plicatum subsp. plicatum (Hp)). The antioxidant properties were determined by using (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl) (DPPH) and ABTS (2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) assays. The enzyme inhibitory effects of the extracts were investigated on butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), α-glucosidase, and α-amylase. Palmitic acid (C 16:0) was also determined as major fatty acids in the tested oils (31.21%-67.68%). In both plants, it was found that the EtOAc extracts of the flowers had a strong antioxidant and enzyme inhibitory effect. In conclusion, the results obtained in the present study showed that H. chionophilum and H. plicatum can be seen as a promising source for the natural bioactive compounds that can be used in therapeutic applications. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: The members of the genus Helichrysum have been widely taken for therapeutic purposes in traditional medicine as well as food. In this context, we investigated the chemical characterization and biological activities of two Helichrysum species extracts (H. chionophilum and H. plicatum subsp. plicatum). Antioxidant capacity, enzyme inhibition and anti-microbial effects were tested for biological activities. Chemical characterization was identified by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) (for phenolic) and gas chromatography-flame ioanization detector (GC-FID) (for fatty acids). Based on our findings, the species may be valuable for designing novel food products.

Transcription factors WRKY11 and WRKY17 are involved in abiotic stress responses in Arabidopsis.

Plant WRKY transcription factors play a vital role in abiotic stress tolerance and regulation of plant defense responses. This study examined AtWRKY11 and AtWRKY17 expression under ABA, salt, and osmotic stress at different developmental stages in Arabidopsis. We used reverse transcriptase PCR, quantitative real-time PCR, and promoter:GUS lines to analyze expression. Both genes were upregulated in response to abiotic stress. Next, we applied the same stressors to seedlings of T-DNA insertion wrky11 and 17 knock-out mutants (single and double). Under stress, the mutants exhibited slower germination and compromised root growth compared with the wild type. In most cases, double-mutant seedlings were more affected than single mutants. These results suggest that wrky11 and wrky17 are not strictly limited to plant defense responses but are also involved in conferring stress tolerance.

Follicular fluid cerebellin and betatrophin regulate the metabolic functions of growing follicles in polycystic ovary syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess the changes of follicular fluid (FF) and serum levels of cerebellin precursor protein 1 (cbln1) and betatrophin in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) undergoing in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist protocol. METHODS: Twenty infertile women with PCOS and 20 control women diagnosed as poor responders undergoing ovarian stimulation with a GnRH antagonist were included. Blood samples were obtained during ovum pick-up. Follicular fluid from a dominant follicle was collected from the subjects. Using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, FF and serum levels of cbln1 and betatrophin were measured in both groups of participants. Metabolic and hormonal parameters were also determined and correlated with each other. RESULTS: Both groups of women had similar serum and FF betatrophin levels (55.0±8.9 ng/mL vs. 53.1±10.3 ng/mL, p=0.11). The serum and FF betatrophin levels of poor responders were found to be similar (49.9±5.9 ng/mL vs. 48.9±10.7 ng/mL, p=0.22). Conversely, the FF cbln1 levels of PCOS women were found to be significantly higher than the serum cbln1 levels (589.1±147.6 ng/L vs. 531.7±74.3 ng/L, p<0.02). The FF cbln1 levels of control participants without PCOS were significantly higher than their serum cbln1 levels (599.3±211.5 ng/L vs. 525.3±87.0 ng/L, p=0.01). Positive correlations were detected among body mass index, insulin resistance, serum insulin, total testosterone, and betatrophin levels in the PCOS group. CONCLUSION: Follicular fluid betatrophin and cbln1 concentrations may play a pivotal role on follicular growth in PCOS subjects undergoing IVF/ICSI with an antagonist protocol.

Impact of Endometrioma Resection on Eutopic Endometrium Metabolite Contents: Noninvasive Evaluation of Endometrium Receptivity.

The aim of this study was to determine whether endometrioma resection alters most commonly defined endometrial metabolites, lactate (Lac), N-acetylaspartate (NAA), creatine 1 (Cr1), creatine 2 (Cr2), and choline (Cho) during the window of implantation. Twenty patients with uni- or bilateral endometrioma and 7 patients having nonendometriotic benign ovarian cyst were included. Midluteal phase magnetic resonance spectroscopy analysis of eutopic endometrium was performed before surgery. Second spectrum of endometrium was obtained 3 to 5 months after laparoscopic endometrioma resection. Pre- and postoperative endometrial peaks of Lac, NAA, Cr, and Cho were measured in units and denominated in parts per million (ppm). Compared to preoperative peak values, significantly decreased NAA, Lac, and Cr1 signals were noted in patients undergoing endometrioma surgery. Nearly 5-fold decline in the NAA signal occurred after endometrioma surgery (1.94 ± 3.24 vs 0.37 ± 0.55). Likewise, 2.5-fold decline in Lac signals was noted after endometrioma resection (2.81 ± 2.64 vs 1.06 ± 1.88). Both uni- and bilateral endometrioma affected endometrium signals the same. The peak intensity of Cho, Cr1, Cr2, NAA, and Lac did not alter significantly after nonendometriotic cyst surgery. Endometrioma surgery straightens endometrial NAA, Lac, and Cr1 peaks, suggesting improvement in endometrial receptivity.

Surgery for Benign Gynecological Disorders Improve Endometrium Receptivity.

Regardless of the anatomical locations, some benign gynecological disorders (BGDs) such as peritoneal endometriosis, ovarian endometrioma, adenomyosis, uterine leiomyomas, endometrial polyps, uterine septum, and hydrosalpinges may lead to implantation failure. Despite progress in medical therapies, surgery remains a mainstay of BGDs treatment. Although our knowledge of endometrial receptivity after BGDs surgery is limited, it has allowed for significant improvement in the treatment of female subfertility. Many researchers studied on pregnancy outcome following BGDs surgery, but they did not investigate the possible impact of surgery on endometrial receptivity. They, therefore, concluded that pregnancy rates improved after BGDs surgery based on clinical observations. Many of these clinicians believe that surgical resection of BGDs leads to removal of local mechanical effect over the endometrium. Moreover, they accept that BGDs surgery may inhibit the detrimental signaling and secretion of some molecules from the BGDSs into the endometrium that may lead to favorable effect on the endometrium. However, so far, data from randomized controlled trials or systematic review or meta-analyses to answer the question whether surgical treatment of BGDs can improve endometrial receptivity are lacking. The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the results of available publications dealing with the impact of reproductive surgery for BGDs on endometrial receptivity.

Premature Progesterone Elevation Does Not Affect Pregnancy Outcome in High-Responder Patients Undergoing Short-Interval Coasting in IVF Cycles.

BACKGROUND We aimed to present the relationship between premature progesterone elevation (PPE) and clinical outcomes in high-responder patients who had a coasting period of <4 days in length due to their high risk of developing ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) and who were treated with a long-acting gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-agonist) protocol in in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) cycles. MATERIAL AND METHODS This retrospective study was conducted at the University Hospital Assisted Reproductive Technology Center. The outcomes of 101 patients undergoing IVF- intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles who showed a high response to COH (estradiol >4000 pg/ml and/or >20 follicles each ≥10 mm in diameter and at least 20% ≥15 mm) and who were coasted for <4 days were evaluated. Number of oocytes, 2 pronuclei (PN) embryos, implantation rate, and live birth rate were measured. RESULTS The incidence of PPE was 32.6%. Compared with those without PPE, patients with PPE had a higher number of oocytes retrieved. Total mature and fertilized oocytes and the mean number of embryos transferred were not significantly different between groups. Live birth rates (41.9% vs. 38.7%) and implantation rates (26.5% vs. 23%) were also not significantly divergent in the PPE and non-PPE groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS P concentrations ≥1.3 ng/ml on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) administration, designated in this study as PPE, does not appear to be related to adverse effects in terms of clinical outcomes in high-responder patients undergoing coasting <4 days due to their high risk of developing OHSS treated with a long-acting GnRH-a protocol in IVF-embryo transfer cycles.

The Arabidopsis thaliana FASCICLIN LIKE ARABINOGALACTAN PROTEIN 4 gene acts synergistically with abscisic acid signalling to control root growth.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The putative FASCICLIN-LIKE ARABINOGALACTAN PROTEIN 4 (At-FLA4) locus of Arabidopsis thaliana has previously been shown to be required for the normal growth of wild-type roots in response to moderately elevated salinity. However, the genetic and physiological pathway that connects At-FLA4 and normal root growth remains to be elucidated. METHODS: The radial swelling phenotype of At-fla4 was modulated with growth regulators and their inhibitors. The relationship of At-FLA4 to abscisic acid (ABA) signalling was analysed by probing marker gene expression and the observation of the At-fla4 phenotype in combination with ABA signalling mutants. KEY RESULTS: Application of ABA suppresses the non-redundant role of At-FLA4 in the salt response. At-FLA4 positively regulates the response to low ABA concentration in roots and is required for the normal expression of ABA- and abiotic stress-induced genes. The At-fla4 phenotype is enhanced in the At-abi4 background, while two genetic suppressors of ABA-induced gene expression are required for salt oversensitivity of At-fla4. Salt oversensitivity in At-fla4 is suppressed by the CYP707A inhibitor abscinazole E2B, and salt oversensitivity in At-fla4 roots is phenocopied by chemical inhibition of ABA biosynthesis. CONCLUSIONS: The predicted lipid-anchored glycoprotein At-FLA4 positively regulates cell wall biosynthesis and root growth by modulating ABA signalling.