Temporal and spatial dynamics of scaling-specific features of a gene regulatory network in Drosophila

A widely appreciated aspect of developmental robustness is pattern formation in proportion to size. But how such scaling features emerge dynamically remains poorly understood. Here we generate a data set of the expression profiles of six gap genes in Drosophila melanogasterembryos that differ significantly in size. Expression patterns exhibit size-dependent dynamics both spatially and temporally. We uncover a dynamic emergence of under-scaling in the posterior, accompanied by reduced expression levels of gap genes near the middle of large embryos. Simulation results show that a size-dependent Bicoid gradient input can lead to reduced Krüppel expression that can have long-range and dynamic effects on gap gene expression in the posterior. Thus, for emergence of scaled patterns, the entire embryo may be viewed as a single unified dynamic system where maternally derived size-dependent information interpreted locally can be propagated in space and time as governed by the dynamics of a gene regulatory network

Loureirin B attenuates amiodarone-induced pulmonary fibrosis by suppression of TGFβ1/Smad2/3 pathway

Purpose: To investigate the therapeutic effect of loureirin B (LB) on amiodarone (AD)-induced pulmonary fibrosis (PF).Methods: Forty-eight male C57BL/6 mice, 8–10 weeks of age, were divided into four groups (n=12). Oral administration of amiodarone hydrochloride (AD) was performed for 4 weeks to induce pulmonary fibrosis. The degree of fibrosis was assessed by Masson staining, while collagen I and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) levels were evaluated by Western blot analysis. ELISA was used to measure the levels of cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissue. Levels of p- Smad2, Smad2, p-Smad3 and Smad3 were determined by western blotting.Results: AD treatment increased the collagen levels and expression levels of collagen I and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in lung tissue and of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, in both bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissue in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.01).Furthermore, AD increased the levels of p-Smad2/3. AD-induced increases in collagen I and α-SMA levels were reversed by loureirin B (LB). In addition, LB reduced AD-induced increased levels of the inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in both bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lung tissue (p < 0.01).Conclusion: These results demonstrate that LB downregulates expression of fibrosis-related proteins and suppresses AD-induced PF. The  mechanism responsible for the protective effect of LB on ADinduced PF might involve inhibition of the Smad2/3 pathway. Thus, LB is a potential therapeutic agent for the management of PF. Keywords: Amiodarone, Loureirin B, Pulmonary fibrosis, Smad, Inflammatio

Anhuienoside C ameliorates atherosclerosis in rats via regulation of the NFκB/eNOS/NO signaling pathway

Purpose: To investigate the protective effect of anhuienoside C (AC) against high cholesterol dietinduced atherosclerosis in a rat model. Methods: Atherosclerosis was induced in rats by administration of high fat diet for 8 weeks, and AC (20 and 40 mg/kg) was administered orally. The effect of AC was determined by assessing serum lipid profiles and mediators of inflammation, as well as oxidative stress parameters in aortic tissue using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Western blot assay and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) were used for the evaluation of protein expressions. Results: Serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TGs), high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDLP), and IL-1β, IL-18, TNF-α and NF-κB were significantly reduced in AC-treated group, relative to atherosclerotic rats (p < 0.01). Moreover, parameters of oxidative stress were attenuated in the aortic tissues of AC-treated group, when compared with atherosclerotic rats. There was significant increase in eNOS expression, and marked decrease in the expressions of MAPK and NF-kB protein in the aortic tissue homogenate of AC treated group, relative to atherosclerotic group (p <0.01). Treatment with AC attenuated the mRNA expressions of ICAM-1, VCAM-1 and MCP-1 in aortic tissue of the atherosclerotic rats. Conclusion: These results reveal that AC prevents atherosclerosis in rats by modulating the NFκB/eNOS/NO signaling pathway, and thus, can thus potentially be developed as anti-atherosclerotic agent. Keywords: Anhuienoside C, Atherosclerosis, Inflammation, Oxidative stress, Cholestero

Morphology and Ontogenesis of a Marine Ciliate, Euplotes balteatus (Dujardin, 1841) Kahl, 1932 (Ciliophora, Euplotida) and Definition of Euplotes wilberti nov. spec.

Euplotes balteatus (Dujardin, 1841) Kahl 1932, collected from coastal waters near Qingdao, northern China, was investigated using live observation and silver staining methods. An improved diagnosis and morphometric data are provided. Euplotes balteatus can be identified by the following combination of characters: 10 frontoventral cirri, 2 widely separated marginal cirri, 2 fine caudal cirri, 8 dorsal kineties and a double-eurystomus type silverline system. Its morphogenesis, which is similar to that of several congeners, can be summarized as follows: (1) the opisthe’s oral primordium appears de novo under the pellicle whereas the old oral apparatus is retained by the proter; (2) two groups of frontoventral transverse cirral anlagen, each with five streaks, occur de novo and then develop into the frontoventral and transverse cirri separately according to the formula of “3:3:3:3:2” from left to right; (3) the anlagen for the marginal cirri occur de novo near the parental oral apparatus; (4) migratory cirri of both dividers derive from the anlagen near the paroral membrane; (5) the dorsal kinety anlagen come from dedifferentiation of the parental structures in the mid-body region; (6) caudal cirri are formed at the posterior ends of the two rightmost dorsal kineties. In the light of the present findings, it was concluded that the Antarctic population of E. balteatus reported by Song and Wilbert (2002) was misidentified. A new species, Euplotes wilberti nov. spec., is established for this population

Taxonomic Studies on Three Marine Ciliates from China, Including a New Species (Ciliophora, Cyrtophorida)

The present work investigates the living morphology and infraciliature of three marine cyrtophorid ciliates, which were isolated from Qingdao, China. Compared with its congeners, Orthotrochilia sinica spec. nov. can be distinguished by a combination of features: body slender and elliptical in outline, size about 50–60 × 20–25 μm in vivo, 18–21 somatic kineties, the length of the left perioral kinety treble the length of the right one, two ventrally located contractile vacuoles on the right side, and 25–32 nematodesmal rods. Based on current observations and the previous description, the diagnosis of Trochilioides tenuis (Deroux, 1976) Chen et al. 2011 is improved: cell size 30–40 × 20–35 μm in vivo, oval shaped in outline; consistently three right kineties, four left kineties and seven postoral kineties; a single contractile vacuole; marine habitat. A second species of Trochilioides, T. recta (Kahl, 1923) Chen et al. 2011 is re-described based on a Chinese population. Furthermore, a key to the identification of species of the genus Trochilioides whose infraciliature data are available is supplied, and Chlamydonyx trivialis (Fenchel, 1965) comb. nov. [basionym: Trochilioides trivialis Fenchel, 1965] is suggested

Morphology and Phylogeny of Four Marine Scuticociliates (Protista, Ciliophora), with Descriptions of Two New Species: Pleuronema elegans spec. nov. and Uronema orientalis spec. nov.

The morphology and infraciliature of four marine scuticociliates, Pleuronema elegans spec. nov., P. setigerum Calkins, 1902, P. grolierei Wang et al., 2008 and Uronema orientalis spec. nov., collected from China seas, were investigated through live observation and protargol staining methods. Pleuronema elegans spec. nov. can be recognized by the combination of the following characters: size in vivo 90–115 × 45–60 µm, slender oval in outline with a distinctly pointed posterior end; about 10 prolonged caudal cilia; consistently two preoral kineties and 18 or 19 somatic kineties; membranelle 2a double-rowed with its posterior end straight; membranelle 3 three-rowed; one macronucleus; marine habitat. Uronema orientalis spec. nov. is distinguished by the following features: in vivo about 40–55 × 20–30 μm with a truncated apical plate; consistently twenty somatic kineties; membranelle 1 single-rowed and divided into two parts which comprise four and three basal bodies respectively; contractile vacuole pore positioned at the end of the second somatic kinety; marine habitat. We also provide improved diagnoses for P. grolierei Wang et al., 2008 and P. setigerum Calkins, 1902 based on current and previous reports. The small subunit rRNA gene of U. orientalis, P. elegans, P. grolierei and P. puytoraci were sequenced. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that Uronema and Pleuronema are not monophyletic

Morphological and Morphogenetic Redescriptions and SSU rRNA Gene-based Phylogeny of the Poorly-known Species Euplotes amieti Dragesco, 1970 (Ciliophora, Euplotida)

This paper investigates the morphology and morphogenesis during binary fission of a Chinese population of Euplotes amieti Dragesco, 1970, a fresh water form which has previously not been well defined. This organism is morphologically very similar to the well-known Euplotes eurystomus but differs from the latter both in the number of dorsal kineties and the molecular data. According to the information obtained, it is characterized by a combination of features including nine frontoventral cirri, ca. 60 membranelles, 12–15 dorsal kineties, a macronucleus in the shape of the number 3, and a ‘double-eurystomus’ type of silverline system. Its morphogenesis proceeds broadly in the same pattern as in its congeners. In this study, the SSU rRNA gene was sequenced for the first time, and phylogenetic analyses indicated that it is closely related to the eurystomus-aediculatus-woodruffi- complex. Considering the extreme similarities in morphology between E. amieti and E.eurystomus, we believe that the four sequences (four isolates) under the name of Euplotes eurystomus (No. FR873716; FR873717; EF193250; AJ310491 deposited in GenBank) are very likely from misidentified material; that is, they represent different populations of Euplotes amieti

Redescriptions of two Marine Scuticociliates from China, with notes on Stomatogenesis in Parauronema longum (Ciliophora, Scuticociliatida)

The morphology and infraciliature of two marine scuticociliates, Pleuronema puytoraci Grolière and Detcheva, 1974, and Parauronema longum Song, 1995, collected from China, were investigated using live observation and protargol impregnation methods. Based on the data obtained for the China population, new information of the living morphology of Pleuronema puytoraci is documented and details of the complete infraciliature is available for the first time. The stomatogenesis of Parauronema longum is basically similar to that of its congeners and can be summarized as follows: membranelle 1, membranelle 2 and the scutica of the opisthe originate from the parental paroral membrane, whereas membranelle 3 of the opisthe develops from the parental scutica; the paroral membrane originates from the parental paroral membrane