In vitro induction and proliferation of protocorm-like bodies (PLBs) from leaf segments of Phalaenopsis bellina (Rchb.f.) Christenson

An in vitro culture procedure was established to induce protocorm-like bodies (PLBs) from leaf segments of the Phalaenopsis bellina (Rchb.f.) Christenson directly from epidermal cells without intervening callus on ½ strength modified Murashige and Skoog (MS) (in Physiol Plant 15:473–497, 1962) medium supplemented with 1-Naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA; 0, 0.1, 1 mg/l) and Thidiazuron (TDZ; 0, 0.1, 1, 3 mg/l). The best response was established at 3 mg/l TDZ which induced 78% of leaf segments to form a mean number of 14 PLBs per explant after 16 weeks of culture. No PLBs were found when leaf segments were cultured on ½ strength modified MS media supplemented with 0.1 and 1 mg/l NAA. The best induction percentage for auxin: cytokinin combination was at the combination of NAA and TDZ at 1.0 and 3.0 mg/l which gave 72% induction with 9 PLBs per explant. Semi-solid ½ strength MS and liquid Vacin and Went (VW) (in Bot Gaz 110:605–613, 1949) medium were used in order to find the highest survival and number of PLBs proliferation after 3 months in culture. Half strength MS showed an average of 9 PLBs in comparison with VW with an average of 5.3 PLBs per explants. Histological observations revealed that the regenerated PLBs were generally formed from the epidermal layers of the posterior regions of the leaf segments. Scanning electron micrograph of PLBs showed the origin of newly formed PLB from the peripheral region of leaf segments

Tetraspanin CD151 is a novel prognostic marker in poor outcome endometrial cancer

BACKGROUND: Type II cancers account for 10% of endometrial cancers but 50% of recurrence. Response rates to chemotherapy at recurrence are poor and better prognostic markers are needed to guide therapy. CD151 is a small transmembrane protein that regulates cell migration and facilitates cancer metastasis. High CD151 expression confers poor prognosis in breast, pancreatic and colorectal cancer. The prognostic significance of tetraspanin CD151 expression in poor outcome endometrial cancers was evaluated, along with oestrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), p53, human epidermal growth factor receptor -2 (HER-2), and CD 151 staining compared with α6β1, α3β1 integrins, and E-cadherin. METHODS: Tissue microarray constructed from 156 poor outcome endometrial cancers, tested with immunohistochemistry and staining correlated with clinicopathological data were used. A total of 131 data sets were complete for analysis. RESULTS: Expression of CD151 was significantly higher in uterine papillary serous and clear cell carcinoma than in grade 3 endometrioid carcinoma, sarcoma or carcinosarcoma (P<0.001). In univariate analysis, age, stage, histology type and CD151 were significant for both recurrence free (RFS) and disease specific survival (DSS). In multivariate analyses, CD151 was significant for RFS and DSS (P=0.036 and 0.033, respectively) in triple negative (ER, PR and HER-2 negative) tumours (88/131). The HER-2, p53, ER and PR were not prognostic for survival. There was strong concordance of CD151 with E-cadherin (98%), but not with α6β1 (35%), α3β1 staining (60%). CONCLUSION: The CD151 is a novel marker in type 2 cancers that can guide therapeutic decisions. CD151 may have an important role in tumourigenesis in some histology types

Plant-made vaccines in support of the Millennium Development Goals

Vaccines are one of the most successful public health achievements of the last century. Systematic immunisation programs have reduced the burden of infectious diseases on a global scale. However, there are limitations to the current technology, which often requires costly infrastructure and long lead times for production. Furthermore, the requirement to keep vaccines within the cold-chain throughout manufacture, transport and storage is often impractical and prohibitively expensive in developing countries—the very regions where vaccines are most needed. In contrast, plant-made vaccines (PMVs) can be produced at a lower cost using basic greenhouse agricultural methods, and do not need to be kept within such narrow temperature ranges. This increases the feasibility of developing countries producing vaccines locally at a small-scale to target the specific needs of the region. Additionally, the ability of plant-production technologies to rapidly produce large quantities of strain-specific vaccine demonstrates their potential use in combating pandemics. PMVs are a proven technology that has the potential to play an important role in increasing global health, both in the context of the 2015 Millennium Development Goals and beyond