Beyond the photocycle-how cryptochromes regulate photoresponses in plants?

Cryptochromes (CRYs) are blue light receptors that mediate light regulation of plant growth and development. Land plants possess various numbers of cryptochromes, CRY1 and CRY2, which serve overlapping and partially redundant functions in different plant species. Cryptochromes exist as physiologically inactive monomers in darkness; photoexcited cryptochromes undergo homodimerization to increase their affinity to the CRY-signaling proteins, such as CIBs (CRY2-interacting bHLH), PIFs (Phytochrome-Interacting Factors), AUX/IAA (Auxin/INDOLE-3-ACETIC ACID), and the COP1-SPAs (Constitutive Photomorphogenesis 1-Suppressors of Phytochrome A) complexes. These light-dependent protein-protein interactions alter the activity of the CRY-signaling proteins to change gene expression and developmental programs in response to light. In the meantime, photoexcitation also changes the affinity of cryptochromes to the CRY-regulatory proteins, such as BICs (Blue-light Inhibitors of CRYs) and PPKs (Photoregulatory Protein Kinases), to modulate the activity, modification, or abundance of cryptochromes and photosensitivity of plants in response to the changing light environment

Identification and Characterization of the PEBP Family Genes in Moso Bamboo (Phyllostachys heterocycla).

Moso bamboo is one of the economically most important plants in China. Moso bamboo is a monocarpic perennial that exhibits poor and slow germination. Thus, the flowering often causes destruction of moso bamboo forestry. However, how control of flowering and seed germination are regulated in moso bamboo is largely unclear. In this study, we identified 5 members (PhFT1-5) of the phosphatidyl ethanolamine-binding proteins (PEBP) family from moso bamboo genome that regulate flowering, flower architecture and germination, and characterized the function of these PEBP family genes further in Arabidopsis. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that 3 (PhFT1, PhFT2 and PhFT3), 1 (PhFT4) and 1 (PhFT5) members belong to the TFL1-like clade, FT-like clade, and MFT-like clade, respectively. These PEBP family genes possess all structure necessary for PEBP gene function. The ectopic overexpression of PhFT4 and PhFT5 promotes flowering time in Arabidopsis, and that of PhFT1, PhFT2 and PhFT3 suppresses it. In addition, the overexpression of PhFT5 promotes seed germination rate. Interestingly, the overexpression of PhFT1 suppressed seed germination rate in Arabidopsis. The expression of PhFT1 and PhFT5 is significantly higher in seed than in tissues including leaf and shoot apical meristem, implying their function in seed germination. Taken together, our results suggested that the PEBP family genes play important roles as regulators of flowering and seed germination in moso bamboo and thereby are necessary for the sustainability of moso bamboo forest

An Elderly Male with Primary Sjögren’s Syndrome Presenting Pleuritis as the Initial Manifestation

Primary Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune disease that usually affects the exocrine glands in mid-dle-aged women. Fifteen percent of SS patients experience severe systemic extraglandular complications, and pleuritis is one of the rare complications of SS. We report the case of an elderly Japanese man who initially pre-sented with a prolonged fever and chest pain and was finally diagnosed with primary SS-associated pleuritis. Of the nine reported cases of primary SS that initially presented with pleuritis, up to six cases were elderly males. This case highlights the complication of pleuritis among elderly males with primary SS

A CRY-BIC negative-feedback circuitry regulating blue light sensitivity of Arabidopsis.

Cryptochromes are blue light receptors that regulate various light responses in plants. Arabidopsis cryptochrome 1 (CRY1) and cryptochrome 2 (CRY2) mediate blue light inhibition of hypocotyl elongation and long-day (LD) promotion of floral initiation. It has been reported recently that two negative regulators of Arabidopsis cryptochromes, Blue light Inhibitors of Cryptochromes 1 and 2 (BIC1 and BIC2), inhibit cryptochrome function by blocking blue light-dependent cryptochrome dimerization. However, it remained unclear how cryptochromes regulate the BIC gene activity. Here we show that cryptochromes mediate light activation of transcription of the BIC genes, by suppressing the activity of CONSTITUTIVE PHOTOMORPHOGENIC 1 (COP1), resulting in activation of the transcription activator ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL 5 (HY5) that is associated with chromatins of the BIC promoters. These results demonstrate a CRY-BIC negative-feedback circuitry that regulates the activity of each other. Surprisingly, phytochromes also mediate light activation of BIC transcription, suggesting a novel photoreceptor co-action mechanism to sustain blue light sensitivity of plants under the broad spectra of solar radiation in nature

Invasive non-typeable Haemophilus influenzae infection due to endometritis associated with adenomyosis

Background The widespread administration of the Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine has led to the predominance of non-typable H. influenzae (NTHi). However, the occurrence of invasive NTHi infection based on gynecologic diseases is still rare. Case presentation A 51-year-old Japanese woman with a history of adenomyoma presented with fever. Blood cultures and a vaginal discharge culture were positive with NTHi. With the high uptake in the uterus with 67Ga scintigraphy, she was diagnosed with invasive NTHi infection. In addition to antibiotic administrations, a total hysterectomy was performed. The pathological analysis found microabscess formations in adenomyosis. Conclusions Although NTHi bacteremia consequent to a microabscess in adenomyosis is rare, this case emphasizes the need to consider the uterus as a potential source of infection in patients with underlying gynecological diseases, including an invasive NTHi infection with no known primary focus.

Comprehensive analysis of peptide-coding genes and initial characterization of an LRR-only microprotein in Marchantia polymorpha

In the past two decades, many plant peptides have been found to play crucial roles in various biological events by mediating cell-to-cell communications. However, a large number of small open reading frames (sORFs) or short genes capable of encoding peptides remain uncharacterized. In this study, we examined several candidate genes for peptides conserved between two model plants: Arabidopsis thaliana and Marchantia polymorpha. We examined their expression pattern in M. polymorpha and subcellular localization using a transient assay with Nicotiana benthamiana. We found that one candidate, MpSGF10B, was expressed in meristems, gemma cups, and male reproductive organs called antheridiophores. MpSGF10B has an N-terminal signal peptide followed by two leucine-rich repeat (LRR) domains and was secreted to the extracellular region in N. benthamiana and M. polymorpha. Compared with the wild type, two independent Mpsgf10b mutants had a slightly increased number of antheridiophores. It was revealed in gene ontology enrichment analysis that MpSGF10B was significantly co-expressed with genes related to cell cycle and development. These results suggest that MpSGF10B may be involved in the reproductive development of M. polymorpha. Our research should shed light on the unknown role of LRR-only proteins in land plants

Phase I clinical trial of autologous NK cell therapy using novel expansion method in patients with advanced digestive cancer

Table S2. Change in NK population in PBL

Sphingosine-1-phosphate receptor 1 expression in angiosarcoma : Possible role in metastasis and a potential therapeutic target

Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a potent lipid mediator that has been implicated in the migration of lymphocytes and endothelial cells through S1P receptors. S1PR1 is strongly expressed in angiosarcoma, a malignant tumor of endothelial cell origin that has a high propensity for metastasis and poor prognosis; however, the pathological significance of S1PR1 expression is not clear. In this study, we investigated the effect of S1PR1 modulation on cell migration, and examined its potential role as a therapeutic target against metastatic dissemination of angiosarcoma. S1PR1 expression in the human angiosarcoma cell line MO-LAS was assessed by immunocytochemical examination and Western blotting. Effects of S1PR1- specific small interfering RNA (siRNA) and that of FTY720-P (a functional S1PR1-antagonist) on MO-LAS cell chemotactic migration towards sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) or 10% fetal bovine serum (FBS) were assessed by Transwell migration assay; wound healing assays for random cell migration were performed using a live cell analyzer. Immunostaining revealed high expression of S1PR1 on the MO-LAS cell membrane. Transwell and wound-healing assays showed that S1P enhanced chemotactic and random migration of MO-LAS cells, respectively. Inhibition of S1PR1 expression with siRNA significantly attenuated chemotaxis of cells towards S1P and 10% FBS. Further, FTY720-P strongly induced the internalization and degradation of S1PR1 even in the presence of serum containing S1P. It attenuated chemotactic cell migration of MO-LAS towards both S1P and serum, as well as the random motility of cells at nanomolar concentrations. These results suggest that the S1P/S1PR1 axis may be a potential therapeutic target for inhibition of angiosarcoma metastasis by controlling its cell motility