Uncovering MicroRNA Regulatory Hubs that Modulate Plasma Cell Differentiation.

Using genome-wide approaches, we studied the microRNA (miRNA) expression profile during human plasma cell (PC) differentiation induced by stimulation of human blood B cells with T follicular helper cell-dependent signals. Combining the profiles of differentially expressed genes in PC differentiation with gene ontology (GO) analysis revealed that a significant group of genes involved in the transcription factor (TF) activity was preferentially changed. We thus focused on studying the effects of differentially expressed miRNAs on several key TFs in PC differentiation. Cohorts of differentially expressed miRNAs cooperating as miRNA hubs were predicted and validated to modulate key TFs, including a down-regulated miRNA hub containing miR-101-3p, -125b-5p, and -223-3p contributing to induction of PRDM1 as well as an up-regulated miRNA hub containing miR-34a-5p, -148a-3p, and -183-5p suppressing BCL6, BACH2, and FOXP1. Induced expression of NF-κB and PRDM1 during PC differentiation controlled the expression of up- and down-regulated miRNA hubs, respectively. Co-expression of miR-101-3p, -125b-5p, and -223-3p in stimulated B cells showed synergistic effects on inhibition of PC formation, which can be rescued by re-introduction of PRDM1. Together, we catalogue the complex roadmap of miRNAs and their functional interplay in collaboratively directing PC differentiation.

[Effects of sediment resuspension on aqueous nutrient loading in grass type zone of Lake Taihu].

Internal nutrient loading caused by sediment resuspension is becoming a key issue in studying water eutrophication of shallow lakes. A Y-shape apparatus was used to simulate sediment resuspension and sedimentation process under hydrodynamic conditions in situ in grass type zone of Lake Taihu, and effects on aqueous nutrient loading were investigated. The results indicated that, in the light and moderate wind processes, content of ammonia nitrogen and phosphate had remarkably reduced with the increase of the amount of suspended sediments in water column, with the maximal change of -0.140 g x m(-2) and -1.59 mg x m(-2) at the sediment-water interface for the two nutrients respectively, and in the strong wind process, concentration of aqueous phosphate had a significant increase, with the maximal flux of 0.81 mg x m(-2) at the sediment-water interface, while concentration of aqueous ammonia nitrogen showed a small decrease. And in the later sedimentation process after wind, content of aqueous ammonia nitrogen was lower than that before the light and moderate wind processes, but approximated to that before the strong wind process. Content of aqueous phosphate was close to that before the light and moderate wind processes, but had a marked increase compared to that before the strong wind condition, with the maximal increment of 1.36 mg x m(-2). Consequently, sediment resuspension and sedimentation processes impact nutrients loading of overlaying water evidently. Comparison of the results with those from non-grass type zone in Lake Taihu illustrates that the presence of aquatic macrophytes played some roles in reducing the release of nutrients during the sediment resuspension process.

Effects of hydrodynamics processes on phosphorus fluxes from sediment in large, shallow Taihu Lake.

The turnover of phosphorus (P) in lake sediments, a major cause of eutrophication and subsequent deterioration of water quality, is in need of deep understanding. In this study, effects of resuspension on P release were studied in cylindrical microcosms with Y-shape apparatus. The results indicated that there was a positive correlation between flux of suspended substance across sediment-water interface (F(SS)) and the wind speed, and an increasing F(SS) during each wind process followed by a steady state. The maximal F(SS) under light, moderate, and strong wind conditions were 299.9 +/- 41.1, 573.4 +/- 61.7, and 2093.8 +/- 215.7 g/m2, respectively. However, flux of P across sediment-water interface (F(P)) did not follow a similar pattern as F(SS) responding to wind intensity, which increased and reached the maximum in initial 120 min for light wind, then decreased gradually, with maximal flux of 9.4 +/- 1.9 mg/m2. A rapid increase of F(P) at the first 30 min was observed under moderate wind, with maximal flux of 11.2 +/- 0.6 mg/m2. Surprisingly, strong wind caused less F(P) than under light and moderate wind conditions with maximal flux of 3.5 +/- 0.9 mg/m2. F(SS) in water column declined obviously during the sedimentation process after winds, but F(P) varied with wind regime. No obvious difference was detected on F(P) after 8 h sedimentation process, compared with the initial value, which means little redundant P left in the water column after winds.