Transcriptional Changes in Damask Rose Suspension Cell Culture Revealed by RNA Sequencing.

Damask roses (Rosa x damascena) are widely used in cosmetics and pharmaceutics. Here, we established an in vitro suspension cell culture for calli derived from damask rose petals. We analyzed rose suspension cell transcriptomes obtained at two different time points by RNA sequencing to reveal transcriptional changes during rose suspension cell culture. Of the 580 coding RNAs (1.3%) highly expressed in the suspension rose cells, 68 encoded cell wall-associated proteins. However, most RNAs encoded by the chloroplasts and mitochondria are not expressed. Many highly expressed coding RNAs are involved in translation, catalyzing peptide synthesis in ribosomes. Moreover, the amide metabolic process producing naturally occurring alkaloids was the most abundant metabolic process during the propagation of rose suspension cells. During rose cell propagation, coding RNAs involved in the stress response were upregulated at an early stage, while coding RNAs associated with detoxification and transmembrane transport were upregulated at the late stage. We used transcriptome analyses to reveal important biological processes and molecular mechanisms during rose suspension cell culture. Most non-coding (nc) RNAs were not expressed in the rose suspension cells, but a few ncRNAs with unknown functions were highly expressed. The expression of ncRNAs and their target coding RNAs was highly correlated. Taken together, we revealed significant biological processes and molecular mechanisms occurring during rose suspension cell culture using transcriptome analyses.

Effect of Precursor Status on the Transition from Complex to Carbon Shell in a Platinum Core-Carbon Shell Catalyst.

Encapsulating platinum nanoparticles with a carbon shell can increase the stability of core platinum nanoparticles by preventing their dissolution and agglomeration. In this study, the synthesis mechanism of a platinum core-carbon shell catalyst via thermal reduction of a platinum-aniline complex was investigated to determine how the carbon shell forms and identify the key factor determining the properties of the Pt core-carbon shell catalyst. Three catalysts originating from the complexes with different platinum to carbon precursor ratios were synthesized through pyrolysis. Their structural characteristics were examined using various analysis techniques, and their electrochemical activity and stability were evaluated through half-cell and unit-cell tests. The relationship between the nitrogen to platinum ratio and structural characteristics was revealed, and the effects on the electrochemical activity and stability were discussed. The ratio of the carbon precursor to platinum was the decisive factor determining the properties of the platinum core-carbon shell catalyst.

Daily Life Changes and Life Satisfaction among Korean School-Aged Children in the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has been disrupting the daily lives of people across the world, causing a major concern for psychological well-being in children. This study aimed to examine (1) how life satisfaction and its potential predictors have been affected by the pandemic among school-aged children in Korea, and (2) which factors would predict their life satisfaction during the pandemic. We surveyed 166 fourth-graders in the Seoul metropolitan area to assess their psychological well-being and potentially related variables during the pandemic. The data were compared with those available from two pre-COVID-19 surveys, the 2018 Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey (n = 1236) and the 2019 Korean Children and Youth Well-being Index Survey (n = 334). Higher levels of stress were observed in children during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, the level of their life satisfaction remained unchanged when compared with data from the pre-COVID-19 surveys. The pandemic also affected peer relationship quality and susceptibility to smartphone addiction, but not perceived parenting style nor academic engagement. Interestingly, peer relationship quality no longer predicted life satisfaction during the pandemic; perceived parenting styles and parent-child conversation time predicted life satisfaction. The results suggest a central role of parent-child relationship in supporting the psychological well-being of school-aged children during the pandemic.

Gene expression profile of human follicle dermal papilla cells in response to Camellia japonica phytoplacenta extract.

Camellia japonica L. is a flowering tree with several medicinal and cosmetic applications. Here, we investigated the efficacy of C. japonica placenta extract (CJPE) as a potential therapeutic agent for promotion of hair growth and scalp health by using various in vitro and in vivo assays. Moreover, we performed transcriptome analysis to examine the relative expression of human follicle dermal papilla cells (HFDPC) in response to CJPE by RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq). In vitro assays revealed upregulation of the expression of hair growth marker genes in HFDPC after CJPE treatment. Moreover, in vivo clinical tests with 42 adult female participants showed that a solution containing 0.5% CJPE increased the moisture content of the scalp and decreased the scalp's sebum content, dead scalp keratin, and erythema. Furthermore, RNA-seq analysis revealed key genes in HFDPC which are associated with CJPE. Interestingly, genes associated with lipid metabolism and cholesterol efflux were upregulated. Genes upregulated by CJPE are associated with several hormones, including parathyroid, adrenocorticotropic hormone, α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH), and norepinephrine, which are involved in hair follicle biology. Furthermore, some upregulated genes are associated with the regulation of axon guidance. In contrast, many genes downregulated by CJPE are associated with structural components of the cytoskeleton. In addition, CJPE suppressed genes associated with muscle structure and development. Taken together, this study provides extensive evidence that CJPE may have potential as a therapeutic agent for scalp treatment and hair growth promotion.

Anti-Aging Effects of Leontopodium alpinum (Edelweiss) Callus Culture Extract Through Transcriptome Profiling.

Edelweiss (Leontopodium Alpinum) in the family Asteraceae is a wildflower that grows in rocky limestone places. Here, we investigated the efficacy of edelweiss callus culture extract (Leontopodium Alpinum callus culture extract; LACCE) using multiple assays from in vitro to in vivo as well as transcriptome profiling. Several in vitro assay results showed the strong antioxidant activity of LACCE in response to UVB treatment. Moreover, LACCE suppressed inflammation and wrinkling; however, moisturizing activity was increased by LACCE. The clinical test in vivo demonstrated that constant application of LACCE on the face and skin tissues improved anti-periorbital wrinkles, skin elasticity, dermal density, and skin thickness compared with the placebo. The RNA-Sequencing results showed at least 16.56% of human genes were expressed in keratinocyte cells. LACCE up-regulated genes encoding several KRT proteins; DDIT4, BNIP3, and IGFBP3 were involved in the positive regulation of the developmental process, programmed cell death, keratinization, and cornification forming skin barriers, which provide many advantages in the human skin. By contrast, down-regulated genes were stress-responsive genes, including metal, oxidation, wounding, hypoxia, and virus infection, suggesting LACCE did not cause any harmful stress on the skin. Our comprehensive study demonstrated LACCE is a promising agent for anti-aging cosmetics.

Leucine-enkephalin promotes wound repair through the regulation of hemidesmosome dynamics and matrix metalloprotease.

The skin responds to environmental stressors by coordinated actions of neuropeptides and their receptors. An endogenous peptide for δ-opioid receptor (DOPr), Leu-enkephalin (L-ENK), is expressed in the skin and its expression is altered in pathological conditions. Although the importance of DOPr is rapidly gaining recognition, the molecular mechanisms underlying its effects on wound healing are largely undefined. We show here that L-ENK induced activation of Erk, P90(RSK), and Elk-1 and promoted the disruption of hemidesmosomes and the expression of matrix metalloprotease (MMP)-2 and MMP-9, important processes for wound healing. Treatment with Erk inhibitor blocked activation of P90(RSK) and Elk-1 and significantly blunted wound repair. Therefore, our results suggest that activation of Erk and its downstream effectors, P90(RSK) and Elk-1, are critical for DOPr-mediated skin homeostasis.

Cross-regulation between protein L-isoaspartyl O-methyltransferase and ERK in epithelial mesenchymal transition of MDA-MB-231 cells.

AIM: Protein L-isoaspartyl O-methyltransferase (PIMT) regulates cell adhesion in various cancer cell lines through activation of integrin αv and the PI3K pathway. The epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) enables epithelial cells to acquire the characteristics of mesenchymal cells, and to allow them to migrate for metastasis. Here, we examined the relationship between PIMT and EMT with attached or detached MDA-MB 231 cells. METHODS: Human breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 cells were maintained in a suspension on poly-HEMA in the presence or absence of PIMT siRNA or ERK inhibitor PD98059. The mRNAs and proteins were analyzed using RT-PCR and immunoblotting, respectively. RESULTS: During cellular incubation under detached conditions, PIMT, integrin αv and EMT proteins, such as Snail, Slug and matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP-2), were significantly increased in correlation with the phosphorylation of ERK1/2. The ERK inhibitor PD98059 (25 µmol/L) strongly suppressed the expression of the proteins and PIMT. Interestingly, PIMT siRNA blocked the phosphorylation of ERK and the expression of the EMT proteins. Additionally, PIMT and ERK phosphorylation were both co-activated by treatment with TGF-ß (10 ng/mL) and TNF-α (10 ng/mL). CONCLUSION: A tight cross-regulation exists between ERK and PIMT in regards to their activation and expression during the EMT.