Arthropod biodiversity associated to European sheep grazed pastures

We analysed the biodiversity of foliage arthropods in nine sheep grazed pasturelands in five European countries. During the maximum flowering period in 2018, entomofauna was collected in 4-6 areas within each pasture, performing 6 transects/area and 25 sweeps per transect. Multivariate analyses tested the differences in total arthropod community composition among degrees of intensification, bioregions and types of pastures. A total of 51,474 arthropods from 3 classes, 17 orders and 95 taxonomical groups were recorded. Univariate analyses revealed that total arthropod abundance was higher in extensive than in intensive systems (P<0.01). It also differed between bioregions (higher in Alpine than in Continental, P<0.05) and between types of pastures (higher in mountain than in lowland pastures where animals are supplemented, P<0.05). Total taxa richness was not influenced by any of the three factors. However, multivariate analyses indicated that community composition differed among intensive and extensive systems, bioregions and types of pastures (P<0.001). The greatest differences occurred between Alpine and Mediterranean (P<0.001), and Mediterranean and Continental pastures (P<0.05), as well as between lowland seminatural and improved pastures (P<0.05), and seminatural and mountain pastures (P<0.001). These results reveal the complex and varied communities associated to the diverse sheep systems and valorise the role of the moNous avons analysé la biodiversité des arthropodes du feuillage dans neuf pâturages situés dans cinq pays européens et pâturés par des moutons. La faune a été collectée dans 4-6 zones de chaque pâturage, effectuant 6 transects/zone et 25 balayages/transect. 51 474 arthropodes de 3 classes, 17 ordres et 95 groupes taxonomiques ont été enregistrés. Des analyses univariées ont révélé que l’abondance d’arthropodes était plus élevée dans les systèmes extensifs que dans les intensifs (P<0,01). Il diffère également entre les biorégions (plus élevées dans les Alpes que dans les Continentales, P<0,05) et entre les types de pâturages (plus élevées dans les pâturages de montagne que dans les plaines où les animaux sont supplémentés, P<0,05). La richesse totale des taxons n’a pas été influencée par aucun des trois facteurs. Les analyses multivariées ont indiqué que la composition de la communauté différait entre les systèmes intensifs et extensifs, les biorégions et les types de pâturages (P<0,001). Les différences les plus marquées ont été observées entre les pâturages alpins et méditerranéens (P<0,001), méditerranéens et continentaux (P<0,05), ainsi qu’entre les pâturages semi-naturels et améliorés des plaines (P<0,05). Ces résultats révèlent les communautés complexes et variées associées aux divers systèmes ovins et valorisent le rôle des pâturages plus étendus, montagnards et naturels, pour la conservation de la biodiversité dans les zones de pâturage ovin.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Tumor-expressed factor VII is associated with survival and regulates tumor progression in breast cancer

Cancer enhances the risk of venous thromboembolism, but a hypercoagulant microenvironment also promotes cancer progression. Although anticoagulants have been suggested as a potential anticancer treatment, clinical studies on the effect of such modalities on cancer progression have not yet been successful for unknown reasons. In normal physiology, complex formation between the subendothelial-expressed tissue factor (TF) and the blood-borne liver-derived factor VII (FVII) results in induction of the extrinsic coagulation cascade and intracellular signaling via protease-activated receptors (PARs). In cancer, TF is overexpressed and linked to poor prognosis. Here, we report that increased levels of FVII are also observed in breast cancer specimens and are associated with tumor progression and metastasis to the liver. In breast cancer cell lines, tumor-expressed FVII drives changes reminiscent of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT), tumor cell invasion, and expression of the prometastatic genes, SNAI2 and SOX9. In vivo, tumorexpressed FVII enhanced tumor growth and liver metastasis. Surprisingly, liver-derived FVII appeared to inhibit metastasis. Finally, tumor-expressed FVII-induced prometastatic gene expression independent of TF but required a functional endothelial protein C receptor, whereas recombinant activated FVII acting via the canonical TF:PAR2 pathway inhibited prometastatic gene expression. Here, we propose that tumor-expressed FVII and liverderived FVII have opposing effects on EMT and metastasis.Surgical oncolog

Glypicans shield the Wnt lipid moiety to enable signalling at a distance

A relatively small number of proteins have been suggested to act as morphogens—signalling molecules that spread within tissues to organize tissue repair and the specification of cell fate during development. Among them are Wnt proteins, which carry a palmitoleate moiety that is essential for signalling activity1,2,3. How a hydrophobic lipoprotein can spread in the aqueous extracellular space is unknown. Several mechanisms, such as those involving lipoprotein particles, exosomes or a specific chaperone, have been proposed to overcome this so-called Wnt solubility problem4,5,6. Here we provide evidence against these models and show that the Wnt lipid is shielded by the core domain of a subclass of glypicans defined by the Dally-like protein (Dlp). Structural analysis shows that, in the presence of palmitoleoylated peptides, these glypicans change conformation to create a hydrophobic space. Thus, glypicans of the Dlp family protect the lipid of Wnt proteins from the aqueous environment and serve as a reservoir from which Wnt proteins can be handed over to signalling receptors