Effect of methyljasmonate and light on stilbene production in cell lines of Vitis vinifera and other Vitis species

Plants are constantly exposed to both biotic and abiotic environmental stress. Plant responses to these stresses involve different defense mechanisms, including the neo-synthesis of secondary metabolites, called fitoalexins (Chang et al. 2016). Among these, particular interest is addressed to the stilbenes, both for the biological role of chemical defense and for the numerous and well-proven biological activities on human health (Sirerol et al. 2015). Our study is focused on the biosynthesis of stilbenes, firstly resveratrol (the main exponent) and viniferins (resveratrol oligomers), in response to biotic stress in several species of the genus Vitis. In the plant, the accumulation of stilbenes is induced by the presence of phytopathogenic fungi (Langcake & Pryce 1976) or by abiotic stimuli as UV radiation (Roldan et al. 2003). Different stilbenes produced by grape show a synergistic activity, furthermore the quali-quantitative composition of the stilbenic content determines the resistance against specific pathogens. The species Vitis vinifera includes several cultivars quite different from the genetic point of view, since they are exclusively agamic propagated. Consequently, each of these show different levels of suscettibility to pathogens, such as Botrytis cinerea and Aspergillus spp., in relation to the different stilbene profile. Recently, great interest has also been paid for species of Vitis popularly known as “american grapes”, introduced in Europe as rootstocks due to their resistance against some important pathogens of V. vinifera. At present, resistance mechanisms of the american grapes are still unknown. The few avaiable data has been obtained from samples cultivated in field, where the conditions are not fully under control. The aim of the present research is to compare the stilbenic content of the cellular extracts in response to elicitation with methyljasmonate (MeJa), to identify and quantify the main stilbenes involved in resistance against phytopathogenic fungi. The role of light on stilbene production in the same cell cultures will also be investigated. Unespectedly, the obtained results indicate that cultivars of V. vinifera have a richer stilbenic content than the american grapes. For instance, V. vinifera cv. malvasia, in response to MeJa, increases the production of total stilbenes from 2.58 to 15.58 mg/g DW while Vitis rupestris cv. du Lot increases from 2.80 to 8.97 mg/g DW. Moreover, cell lines grown under light conditions accumulate higher levels of total stilbenes, both constitutively and in response to elicitation (e.g. malvasia: from 8.69 to 37.81 mg/g DW). Bibliography • Chang X. et al. (2012) PLoS One 7.7: e40446. • Langcake P. et al. (1976) Physiol Plant Path 9.1: 77-86. • Sirerol J. et al. (2015) Oxid Med Cell Longev 2016:3128951. • Roldán A. et al. (2003) J Agric Food Chem 51.5: 1464-1468

Global Survey of Outcomes of Neurocritical Care Patients: Analysis of the PRINCE Study Part 2

BACKGROUND: Neurocritical care is devoted to the care of critically ill patients with acute neurological or neurosurgical emergencies. There is limited information regarding epidemiological data, disease characteristics, variability of clinical care, and in-hospital mortality of neurocritically ill patients worldwide. We addressed these issues in the Point PRevalence In Neurocritical CarE (PRINCE) study, a prospective, cross-sectional, observational study. METHODS: We recruited patients from various intensive care units (ICUs) admitted on a pre-specified date, and the investigators recorded specific clinical care activities they performed on the subjects during their first 7 days of admission or discharge (whichever came first) from their ICUs and at hospital discharge. In this manuscript, we analyzed the final data set of the study that included patient admission characteristics, disease type and severity, ICU resources, ICU and hospital length of stay, and in-hospital mortality. We present descriptive statistics to summarize data from the case report form. We tested differences between geographically grouped data using parametric and nonparametric testing as appropriate. We used a multivariable logistic regression model to evaluate factors associated with in-hospital mortality. RESULTS: We analyzed data from 1545 patients admitted to 147 participating sites from 31 countries of which most were from North America (69%, N = 1063). Globally, there was variability in patient characteristics, admission diagnosis, ICU treatment team and resource allocation, and in-hospital mortality. Seventy-three percent of the participating centers were academic, and the most common admitting diagnosis was subarachnoid hemorrhage (13%). The majority of patients were male (59%), a half of whom had at least two comorbidities, and median Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) of 13. Factors associated with in-hospital mortality included age (OR 1.03; 95% CI, 1.02 to 1.04); lower GCS (OR 1.20; 95% CI, 1.14 to 1.16 for every point reduction in GCS); pupillary reactivity (OR 1.8; 95% CI, 1.09 to 3.23 for bilateral unreactive pupils); admission source (emergency room versus direct admission [OR 2.2; 95% CI, 1.3 to 3.75]; admission from a general ward versus direct admission [OR 5.85; 95% CI, 2.75 to 12.45; and admission from another ICU versus direct admission [OR 3.34; 95% CI, 1.27 to 8.8]); and the absence of a dedicated neurocritical care unit (NCCU) (OR 1.7; 95% CI, 1.04 to 2.47). CONCLUSION: PRINCE is the first study to evaluate care patterns of neurocritical patients worldwide. The data suggest that there is a wide variability in clinical care resources and patient characteristics. Neurological severity of illness and the absence of a dedicated NCCU are independent predictors of in-patient mortality.status: publishe