Physalis floridana CRABS CLAW mediates neofunctionalization of GLOBOSA genes in carpel development.

Floral B-function MADS-box genes, such as GLOBOSA (GLO), function in corolla and stamen organ identity specification. The functions of these genes outside these floral whorls are rarely reported. DOLL1 is a GLO gene controlling corolla and androecium organ identity. In this study we found that, in Physalis floridana double-layered-lantern 1 (doll1) mutant pollinated with wild-type pollen, fruit set was extremely low, indicating that doll1 females are dysfunctional. Stigma and style structure, stigma receptivity, pollen tube guidance, and embryo sac development were also impaired in doll1. P. floridana CRABS CLAW (PFCRC), predominantly expressed in carpels, was repressed in doll1 native carpels. Loss-of-function of PFCRC altered carpel meristem determinacy, carpel closure, and ovule number, and the resultant 'pistil' consisted of multiple spirally-arranged dorsiventral carpels occasionally with 1-2 naked ovules on the margin and trichomes at each mutated carpel tip, implying an alteration of carpel organ identity. Regulatory and genetic interactions between B-class MADS-box genes and PFCRC were revealed in a context-dependent manner in floral development. Our work reveals a new role for the B-function genes in carpel and ovule development via regulating PFCRC, providing a new understanding of genetic regulatory networks between MADS-domain and CRC transcription factors in mediating carpel organ specification, functionality, and origin.

Nursing case management for people with hypertension: A randomized controlled trial protocol.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of management of nursing case on blood pressure control in hypertension patients. METHOD: This is a randomized controlled study which will be carried out from May 2021 to May 2022. The experiment was granted through the Research Ethics Committee of the People's Hospital of Chengyang District (03982808). Our research includes 200 patients. Patients who meet the following conditions will be included in this experiment: the patients aged 18 to 60 years; the patients had the diagnosis of hypertension; and the urban residents. While patients with the following conditions will be excluded: having renal failure, liver failure, heart and respiratory failure; and known pregnancy. Primary result is blood pressure, while secondary results are treatment compliance, waist circumference, body mass index (BMI), type and number of antihypertensive agents used, and the existence of metabolic and cardiovascular comorbidities. RESULTS: Table 1 shows the clinical outcomes between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Nursing case management is effective to improve the prognosis of hypertension patients.

TRPM8 facilitates proliferation and immune evasion of esophageal cancer cells.

Esophageal cancer is seen with increasing incidence, but the underlying mechanism of esophageal cancer is still unknown. Transient receptor potential melastatin (TRPM) is non-selective cation channels. It has been verified that TRPM channels play crucial roles in development and progression of multiple tumors. Increasing studies have shown that TRPM8, a member of TRPM channels, promotes growth of tumors. However, it is still unclear whether TRPM8 has biological effect on esophageal cancer. In the current work, we found that TRPM8 was overexpressed in esophageal cancer samples and cell lines. Further investigation revealed that TRPM8 promoted proliferation of esophageal cancer cells. Next, the co-incubation assay including EC109 cells and CD8+ T cells revealed that TRPM8 overexpression and TRPM8 agonist reduced the cytotoxic effect of CD8+ T cell on esophageal cancer cells. Finally, we explored the mechanism and found that calcineurin-nuclear factor of activated T cells 3 (NFATc3) pathway contributed to the expression of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) induced by TRPM8 overexpression and TRPM8 agonist, which might lead to immune evasion of esophageal cancer cells. These findings uncovered the crucial role of TRPM8 in the pathogenesis of esophageal cancer.

Chinese lantern in Physalis is an advantageous morphological novelty and improves plant fitness.

The origin of morphological novelties is an important but neglected issue of evolutionary biology. The fruit of the genus Physalis, a berry, is encapsulated by a novel morphological feature of the post-floral, accrescent calyx that is referred to as a Chinese lantern. The evolutionary developmental genetics of the Chinese lantern have been investigated in the last decade; however, the selective values of the morphological novelty remain elusive. Here, we measured the photosynthetic parameters of the fruiting calyces, monitored microclimatic variation within the Chinese lanterns during fruit development, performed floral-calyx-removal experiments, and recorded the fitness-related traits in Physalis floridana. Ultimately, we show that the green-fruiting calyx of Physalis has photosynthetic capabilities, thus serving as an energy source for fruit development. Moreover, the developing Chinese lantern provides a microclimate that benefits the development and maturation of berry and seed, and it improves plant fitness in terms of fruit/seed weight and number, and fruit maturation under low-temperature environments. Furthermore, the lantern structure facilitates the dispersal of fruits and seeds by water and wind. Our results suggest that the Chinese lantern morphology of Physalis is an evolutionary adaptive trait and improves plant fitness, thus providing new insight into the origin of morphological novelties.

Autophagy induction is a survival response against oxidative stress in bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells.

BACKGROUND AIMS: Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs) are being extensively investigated as cellular therapeutics for many diseases, including cardiovascular diseases. Although preclinical studies indicated that BMSC transplantation into infarcted hearts improved heart function, there are problems to be resolved, such as the low survival rate of BMSCs during the transplantation process and in the ischemic region with extreme oxidative stress. Autophagy plays pivotal roles in maintaining cellular homeostasis and defending against environmental stresses. However, the precise roles of autophagy in BMSCs under oxidative stress remain largely uncharacterized. METHODS: BMSCs were treated with H2O2, and autophagic flux was examined by means of microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 II/I ratio (LC3 II/I), autophagosome formation and p62 expression. Cytotoxicity and cell death assays were performed after co-treatment of BMSCs by autophagy inhibitor (3-methyladenine) or autophagy activator (rapamycin) together with H2O2. RESULTS: We show that short exposure (1 h) of BMSCs to H2O2 dramatically elevates autophagic flux (2- to 4-fold), whereas 6-h prolonged oxidative treatment reduces autophagy but enhances caspase-3 and caspase-6-associated apoptosis. Furthermore, we show that pre- and co-treatment with rapamycin ameliorates H2O2-induced caspase-3 and caspase-6 activation and cell toxicity but that 3-methyladenine exacerbates H2O2-induced cell apoptotic cell death. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that autophagy is critical for the survival of BMSCs under oxidative conditions. Importantly, we also suggest that the early induction of autophagic flux is possibly a self-defensive mechanism common in oxidant-tolerant cells.

[Responses of different Vicia faba varieties' photosynthetic characteristics to Pb pollution].

In a field experiment of simulated Pb pollution (40 and 250 mg x kg(-1)), this paper investigated the net photosynthetic rate, stomal conductance, transpiration rate, intercellular CO2 concentration, water use efficiency, and chlorophyll content of three Vicia faba varieties K0883, K0502 and K0697. The results showed that under Pb pollution, there was no significant variation in the transpiration rate and stomal conductance of the three varieties, but their chlorophyll content increased in different extents. When the Pb concentration was 250 mg x kg(-1), the net photosynthetic rate and water use efficiency of K0883 were increased by 121.80% and 193.70%, respectively, while its intercellular CO2 concentration was decreased by 42.76%. According to the Perturbation test based on the responses of test photosynthetic characteristics, the Pb-resistance of the three varieties was in the sequence of K0883 > K0697 > K0502. It was concluded that the responses of different photosynthetic indexes and different Vicia faba varieties to small dosage Pb pollution were differed, and the intraspecific difference could only be detected by the integration of all photosynthetic indices.