Expression of invasion-related extracellular matrix molecules in human glioblastoma versus intracerebral lung adenocarcinoma metastasis

Tumor cell invasion into the surrounding brain tissue is mainly responsible for the failure of radical surgical resection, with tumor recurrence in the form of microdisseminated disease. Extracellular matrix (ECM)-related molecules and their receptors predominantly participate in the invasion process, including cell adhesion to the surrounding microenvironment and cell migration. The extent of infiltration of the healthy brain by malignant tumors strongly depends on the tumor cell type. Malignant gliomas show much more intensive peritumoral invasion than do metastatic tumors. In this study, the mRNA expression of 30 invasion-related molecules (twenty-one ECM components, two related receptors, and seven ECM-related enzymes) was investigated by quantitative reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. Fresh frozen human tissue samples from glioblastoma (GBM), intracerebral lung adenocarcinoma metastasis, and normal brain were evaluated. Significant differences were established for 24 of the 30 molecules. To confirm our results at the protein level, immunohistochemical analysis of seven molecules was performed (agrin, neurocan, syndecan, versican, matrix metalloproteinase 2 [MMP-2], MMP-9, and hyaluronan). Determining the differences in the levels of invasion-related molecules for tumors of different origins can help to identify the exact molecular mechanisms that facilitate peritumoral infiltration by glioblastoma cells. These results should allow the selection of target molecules for potential chemotherapeutic agents directed against highly invasive malignant gliomas

Age and nutritional state influence the effects of cholecystokinin on energy balance

AbstractCholecystokinin (CCK) is anorexic, irrespective whether it is applied intraperitoneally (IP) or intracerebroventricularly (ICV) in male Wistar rats. The metabolic effects depend on the route of administration: by the IP route it elicits hypothermia (presumably by type-1 receptors, CCK1R-s), while ICV administration is followed by fever-like hypermetabolism and hyperthermia via activation of CCK2R-s, which latter response seems to be most important in the postprandial (compensatory) hypermetabolism. The efficacy of the IP injected CCK varies with age: it causes strong anorexia in young adult 4 and 6-months old and again in old rats (aged 18–24months), but the middle-aged (12-month old) ones seem to be resistant to this effect. Such pattern of effects may contribute to the explanation of age-related obesity observed in middle-aged animals as well as to the aging anorexia and loss of body weight in old ones. Diet-induced obesity accelerates the appearance of CCK-resistance as well as the return of high sensitivity to CCK in further aging, while chronic calorie-restriction prevents the development of resistance, as if the speed of the age-related regulatory changes was altered by the nutritional state. The effects of ICV applied CCK also change with age: the characteristic anorexic and hypermetabolic/hyperthermic effects can be observed in young adult rats, but the effects gradually and monotonically decline with age and disappear by the old age of 24months. These disparate age-related patterns of CCK efficacy upon peripheral or central administration routes may indicate that although both peripheral and central CCKR-s exert anorexic effects, they may have dissimilar roles in the regulation of overall energy balance

Darwin wasps: a new name heralds renewed efforts to unravel the evolutionary history of Ichneumonidae

The parasitoid wasp family Ichneumonidae is arguably one of the groups for which current knowledge lags most strongly behind their enormous diversity. In a five-day meeting in Basel (Switzerland) in June 2019, 22 researchers from 14 countries met to discuss the most important issues in ichneumonid research, including increasing the speed of species discovery, resolving higher-level relationships, and studying the radiation of these parasitoids onto various host groups through time. All agreed that it is time to advertise ichneumonid research more broadly and thereby attract young talents to this group for which specialists are sorely lacking, as well as increase public awareness about their exciting biology and ecological impact. In order to popularize the group, we here suggest a new vernacular name for the family, “Darwin wasps”, to reflect the pivotal role they played in convincing Charles Darwin that not all of creation could have been created by a benevolent god. We hope that the name catches on, and that Darwin wasps start buzzing more loudly across all disciplines of biology

Agronomic performance of two generations (F12 and F13) of thirteen winter wheat composite cross wheat populations with differing cultivation histories in 2014/15.

As environmental and agronomic conditions are heterogeneous between and within locations, diversity within varieties or crop populations should increase adaptability to the changing and variable range of growing environments. The additional pressure of plant genetic diversity loss, has driven novel breeding approaches such as Composite Cross Populations (CCPs) and other genotype mixtures, thereby increasing both intra- and inter-varietal diversity and ensuring a “wider adaptation” capacity for crop varieties (Döring et al., 2011). A winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) CCP was created by intercrossing 20 varieties in 2001, through collaboration with the Elm Farm Research Centre and the John Innes Institute. In 2005, a seed batch of the F4 was equally divided and distributed to Hungary and Germany. In 2007, it was decided to submit one of the CCPs to changes in environments every year. A pattern was developed between eight partners whereby these “cycling” populations would be grown in a plot of >100m2 and sent to the next cycling partner the following year. The aim of the project was to compare a total of 13 populations that all originated from the same seed batch in 2005, but that have been exposed to vastly different climatic conditions over time, in one site (Germany). In 2014/15, the second experimental year, saved seed from 2013 (F12) and harvested seed from 2014 (F13) were sown, in order to compare two generations in one growing season. The experimental year 2014/15 was characterized by long dry periods, particularly between February and June 2015, and under these dry conditions most populations outyielded the selected reference varieties. There was no effect of differential seed size of the two generations for most agronomic characteristics for each population. Although the harvested TGW of both the F12 and the F13 of each population was not significantly different from one another, there were still significant differences of harvested TGW between the populations in the F12. These significant differences of harvested TGW were no longer present in the F13 between each population after one year under the same management system. These results indicate that the heritability of seed size is low as has been shown before (Silvertown, 1989) and that seed size variation tends to be a result of phenotypic plasticity, which is thought to be adaptive, especially as the result of environmental variation (Marshall et al., 1985; Vaughton and Ramsey, 1998; Lehtilä and Ehrlén, 2005)

Worldwide diversity of endophytic fungi and insects associated with dormant tree twigs

International trade in plants and climate change are two of the main factors causing damaging tree pests (i.e. fungi and insects) to spread into new areas. To mitigate these risks, a large-scale assessment of tree-associated fungi and insects is needed. We present records of endophytic fungi and insects in twigs of 17 angiosperm and gymnosperm genera, from 51 locations in 32 countries worldwide. Endophytic fungi were characterized by high-throughput sequencing of 352 samples from 145 tree species in 28 countries. Insects were reared from 227 samples of 109 tree species in 18 countries and sorted into taxonomic orders and feeding guilds. Herbivorous insects were grouped into morphospecies and were identified using molecular and morphological approaches. This dataset reveals the diversity of tree-associated taxa, as it contains 12,721 fungal Amplicon Sequence Variants and 208 herbivorous insect morphospecies, sampled across broad geographic and climatic gradients and for many tree species. This dataset will facilitate applied and fundamental studies on the distribution of fungal endophytes and insects in trees

Skeletal Morphology of Opius dissitus and Biosteres carbonarius (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), with a Discussion of Terminology

The Braconidae, a family of parasitic wasps, constitute a major taxonomic challenge with an estimated diversity of 40,000 to 120,000 species worldwide, only 18,000 of which have been described to date. The skeletal morphology of braconids is still not adequately understood and the terminology is partly idiosyncratic, despite the fact that anatomical features form the basis for most taxonomic work on the group. To help address this problem, we describe the external skeletal morphology of Opius dissitus Muesebeck 1963 and Biosteres carbonarius Nees 1834, two diverse representatives of one of the least known and most diverse braconid subfamilies, the Opiinae. We review the terminology used to describe skeletal features in the Ichneumonoidea in general and the Opiinae in particular, and identify a list of recommend terms, which are linked to the online Hymenoptera Anatomy Ontology. The morphology of the studied species is illustrated with SEM-micrographs, photos and line drawings. Based on the examined species, we discuss intraspecific and interspecific morphological variation in the Opiinae and point out character complexes that merit further study

Molecular phylogeny of telenomine egg parasitoids (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae s.l.: Telenominae): evolution of host shifts and implications for classification

Parasitoid wasps of the subfamily Telenominae (Hymenoptera: Platygastroidea, Platygastridae) develop as immatures within the eggs of other insects (Lepidoptera, Hemiptera, Diptera and Neuroptera). Rearing records indicate that individual species are restricted to attack hosts within only one of these four main groups. We conducted a phylogenetic analysis of the group using sequence data from multiple genes (18S, 28S, COI, EF-1α) to assess the pattern of shifts among host groups and to test the monophyly of and relationships among genera and species-groups. Telenominae sensu Masner—that is, including only the nominate tribe Telenomini—is not monophyletic. Representatives of the Psix group of genera (Psix Kozlov & Lê and Paratelenomus Dodd) form a monophyletic group that is sister to Gryon Haliday (Scelioninae: Gryonini) and are excluded from the subfamily. The remaining telenomines are monophyletic. The genus Phanuromyia Dodd and the crassiclava group of Telenomus Haliday, both recorded as parasitoids of planthopper eggs (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha, Fulgoroidea), form a monophyletic group that is sister to all other telenomines exclusive of the Psix group. Twenty-nine species of the crassiclava and aradi groups of Telenomus are transferred to Phanuromyia as new combinations. Basal elements of the remaining species are all in groups reared from the eggs of true bugs (Heteroptera), primarily the stink bugs (Pentatomoidea) and seed bugs (Lygaeoidea). A shift to parasitism of lepidopteran eggs evolved within a single clade, occurring either one or two times. From this clade a small group of species, the Telenomus tabanivorus group, subsequently shifted to parasitism of egg masses of true flies (Tabanidae and Stratiomyiidae). Aholcus Kieffer and Platytelenomus Dodd both belong to the clade of lepidopteran parasitoids and are considered as junior synonyms of Telenomus (new synonymy for Aholcus). The monophyletic status of the two core genera, Telenomus and Trissolcus could not be resolved using these data. The phylogenetic pattern of host shifts suggests comparisons among taxa that may be fruitful in elucidating mechanisms by which parasitoids locate their hosts, the proximate factors that determine the host range, and the changes in these factors that influence host changes.Charuwat Taekul, Alejandro A. Valerio, Andrew D. Austin, Hans Klompen and Norman F. Johnso