A pilot study on the efficacy of topical lotion containing anti-acne postbiotic in subjects with mild -to -moderate acne

IntroductionAcne can compromise facial esthetics and become a mental burden, especially when it occurs in puberty. Skincare cosmetics with anti-acne efficiency is more convenient than other treatment modalities, such as dietary supplements, in certain circumstances. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of an anti-acne lotion in alleviating acne.MethodsIn our study, an anti-acne lotion containing ferment lysate produced by Lactiplantibacillus plantarum VHProbi® E15 were applied to subjects with mild -to -moderate acne over 4 weeks. The efficacy was evaluated based on instrumental measurements using Visia®-CR and CK-MPA® system.Results and discussionThe anti-acne lotion exhibited favorable safety, meeting the stringent criteria for the detection of microbes, heavy metals, toxicity, and irritation. After 2 weeks of treatment, a statistically significant improvement in acne lesions was observed compared to baseline (P < 0.01), and this continued to the end of the study. After 4 weeks of treatment, the transepidermal water loss (P < 0.05) and sebum production (P < 0.05) were significantly decreased in subjects compared to baseline. In addition, the pore/area of interest (AOI) and stratum corneum hydration displayed slightly positive changes throughout treatment. Thus, we conclude that applying topical anti-acne lotion may be safe and confer effective benefits in people with mild -to -moderate acne and represents a promising therapeutic option for acne

Whole-Genome Analysis of the SHORT-ROOT Developmental Pathway in Arabidopsis

Stem cell function during organogenesis is a key issue in developmental biology. The transcription factor SHORT-ROOT (SHR) is a critical component in a developmental pathway regulating both the specification of the root stem cell niche and the differentiation potential of a subset of stem cells in the Arabidopsis root. To obtain a comprehensive view of the SHR pathway, we used a statistical method called meta-analysis to combine the results of several microarray experiments measuring the changes in global expression profiles after modulating SHR activity. Meta-analysis was first used to identify the direct targets of SHR by combining results from an inducible form of SHR driven by its endogenous promoter, ectopic expression, followed by cell sorting and comparisons of mutant to wild-type roots. Eight putative direct targets of SHR were identified, all with expression patterns encompassing subsets of the native SHR expression domain. Further evidence for direct regulation by SHR came from binding of SHR in vivo to the promoter regions of four of the eight putative targets. A new role for SHR in the vascular cylinder was predicted from the expression pattern of several direct targets and confirmed with independent markers. The meta-analysis approach was then used to perform a global survey of the SHR indirect targets. Our analysis suggests that the SHR pathway regulates root development not only through a large transcription regulatory network but also through hormonal pathways and signaling pathways using receptor-like kinases. Taken together, our results not only identify the first nodes in the SHR pathway and a new function for SHR in the development of the vascular tissue but also reveal the global architecture of this developmental pathway

Inducible DNA Demethylation Mediated by the Maize Suppressor-mutator Transposon-Encoded TnpA Protein

Heritable epigenetic inactivation of the maize Suppressor-mutator (Spm) transposon is associated with promoter methylation, and its reversal is mediated by the transposon-encoded TnpA protein. We have developed an assay that permits demethylation of the Spm sequence to be controlled by inducing the expression of TnpA in plant cells. Using this assay, we show that demethylation is a rapid, active process. TnpA is a weak transcriptional activator, and deletions that abolish its transcriptional activity also eliminate its demethylation activity. We show that cell cycle and DNA synthesis inhibitors interfere with TnpA-mediated Spm demethylation. We further show that TnpA has a much lower affinity for fully methylated than for hemimethylated or unmethylated DNA fragments derived from Spm termini. Based on these observations, we suggest that TnpA binds to the postreplicative, hemimethylated Spm sequence and promotes demethylation either by creating an appropriate demethylation substrate or by itself participating in or recruiting a demethylase

SCARECROW Has a SHORT-ROOT-Independent Role in Modulating the Sugar Response1[W][OA]

Sugar is essential for all cellular activities, but at high levels it inhibits growth and development. How plants balance the tradeoffs between the need for sugars and their growth inhibitory effects is poorly understood. SHORT-ROOT (SHR) and SCARECROW (SCR) are key regulators of stem cell renewal and radial patterning in the root of Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana). Recently, we identified direct targets of SHR at the genome scale. Intriguingly, among the top-ranked list, we found a number of genes that are involved in stress responses. By chromatin immunoprecipitation-polymerase chain reaction (PCR), we showed that SHR and SCR regulate a similar but not identical set of stress response genes. Consistent with this, scr and shr were found to be hypersensitive to abscisic acid (ABA). We further showed that both mutants were hypersensitive to high levels of glucose (Glc) but responded normally to high salinity and osmoticum. The endogenous levels of sucrose, Glc, and fructose were also elevated in shr and scr. Intriguingly, although shr had sugar content and developmental defects similar to those of scr, it was much less sensitive to Glc. Chromatin immunoprecipitation-PCR and reverse transcription-PCR assays as well as transgenic studies with an ABA-INSENSITIVE2 (ABI4)-β-glucuronidase reporter construct revealed that in root, SCR, but not SHR, repressed ABI4 and ABI5 directly and specifically in the apical meristem. When combined with abi4, scr became much more tolerant of high Glc. Finally, transgenic plants expressing ABI4 under the control of the SCR promoter manifested a short-root phenotype. These results together suggest that SCR has a SHR-independent role in mitigating the sugar response and that this role of SCR is important for root growth