Nucleo-cytoplasmic transport of proteins and RNA in plants

Merkle T. Nucleo-cytoplasmic transport of proteins and RNA in plants. Plant Cell Reports. 2011;30(2):153-176.Transport of macromolecules between the nucleus and the cytoplasm is an essential necessity in eukaryotic cells, since the nuclear envelope separates transcription from translation. In the past few years, an increasing number of components of the plant nuclear transport machinery have been characterised. This progress, although far from being completed, confirmed that the general characteristics of nuclear transport are conserved between plants and other organisms. However, plant-specific components were also identified. Interestingly, several mutants in genes encoding components of the plant nuclear transport machinery were investigated, revealing differential sensitivity of plant-specific pathways to impaired nuclear transport. These findings attracted attention towards plant-specific cargoes that are transported over the nuclear envelope, unravelling connections between nuclear transport and components of signalling and developmental pathways. The current state of research in plants is summarised in comparison to yeast and vertebrate systems, and special emphasis is given to plant nuclear transport mutants

THE ROLE OF HERBAL IMMUNOMODULATORS AS ADJUVANT THERAPY FOR ASYMPTOMATIC AND MILDLY SYMPTOMATIC COVID-19: AN EXPLORATORY CLINICAL STUDY

Objectives: The objective of the study is to evaluate herbal immunomodulators (Septilin and Bresol) as a possible adjuvant therapy for the treatment of asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic COVID-19. Methods: Randomized, open-label, comparative clinical study. Subjects were randomized to either arm I [Septilin and Bresol+standard of care (SOC)] or arm II (SOC). This study was registered on CTRI (CTRI/2020/06/025801). Results: Subjects in arm I showed a greater reduction in levels of interleukin-6 tumor necrosis factor-α following treatment than in arm II. Subjects in arm I showed a greater increase in levels of interferon (IFN)-β and IFN-λ than those in arm II. There was a greater reduction in D-dimer in arm I than in arm II subjects (64.28% vs. 35.59%) and all arm I subjects had D-dimer values in the normal range compared to 70% of arm II subjects. There were statistically significant reduction in lactate dehydrogenase and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio in arm I (p<0.016 and p<0.013, respectively). Clinical assessments during the post-illness convalescence period showed significant improvements in fatigue assessment scores and quality of life. Conclusion: This herbal combination as an adjuvant to SOC may provide additional long-term benefits in COVID-19 infection by reducing inflammation. This treatment may offer a good addendum for the management of post-COVID-19 illness