Search Results (3,121)

Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth most common cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Early detection is crucial for improving survival rates and treatment outcomes. However, accurate GC-specific biomarkers remain unknown. This study aimed to identify the metabolic differences between intestinal metaplasia (IM) and GC to determine the pathways involved in GC. A metabolic analysis of IM and tissue samples from 37 patients with GC was conducted using ultra-performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. Overall, 665 and 278 significant features were identified in the aqueous and 278 organic phases, respectively, using false discovery rate analysis, which controls the expected proportion of false positives among the significant results. sPLS-DA revealed a clear separation between IM and GC samples. Steroid hormone biosynthesis, tryptophan metabolism, purine metabolism, and arginine and proline metabolism were the most significantly altered pathways. The intensity of 11 metabolites, including N1, N2-diacetylspermine, creatine riboside, and N-formylkynurenine, showed significant elevation in more advanced GC. Based on pathway enrichment analysis and cancer stage-specific alterations, we identified six potential candidates as diagnostic biomarkers: aldosterone, N-formylkynurenine, guanosine triphosphate, arginine, S-adenosylmethioninamine, and creatine riboside. These metabolic differences between IM and GC provide valuable insights into gastric carcinogenesis. Further validation is needed to develop noninvasive diagnostic tools and targeted therapies to improve the outcomes of patients with GC. Full article

Agropyron mongolicum Keng is a diploid perennial grass of triticeae in gramineae. It has strong drought resistance and developed roots that can effectively fix the soil and prevent soil erosion. GDSL lipase or esterases/lipase has a variety of functions, mainly focusing on plant abiotic stress response. In this study, a GDSL gene from A. mongolicum, designated as AmGDSL1, was successfully cloned and isolated. The subcellular localization of the AmGDSL1 gene (pCAMBIA1302-AmGDSL1-EGFP) results showed that the AmGDSL1 protein of A. mongolicum was only localized in the cytoplasm. When transferred into tobacco (Nicotiana benthamiana), the heterologous expression of AmGDSL1 led to enhanced drought tolerance. Under drought stress, AmGDSL1 overexpressing plants showed fewer wilting leaves, longer roots, and larger root surface area. These overexpression lines possessed higher superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), and proline (PRO) activities. At the same time, the malondialdehyde (MDA) content was lower than that in wild-type (WT) tobacco. These findings shed light on the molecular mechanisms involved in the GDSL gene’s role in drought resistance, contributing to the discovery and utilization of drought-resistant genes in A. mongolicum for enhancing crop drought resistance. Full article

Purslane has been suggested as an alternative crop suitable for human consumption due to its high content of minerals, omega-3 fatty acids, and several health-beneficial compounds. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the effect of salinity stress (tap water (control), 2000, 4000, 6000, 8000, and 10,000 mg L⁻¹), biostimulant application (putrescine and salicylic acid at 200 mg L⁻¹), and the combination of the tested factors (i.e., salinity × biostimulant application) on the growth and chemical composition of purslane plants (Portulaca oleracea L.) over two growing seasons (2022 and 2023). Irrigation with tap water and putrescine application resulted in the highest plant height, weight of aboveground and underground parts, and number of shoots per plant. In contrast, the lowest values of growing parameters were recorded under severe saline stress (10,000 mg L⁻¹), especially for the plants that were not treated with biostimulants. The same trends were observed for macronutrients (N, P, K), total carbohydrates, total chlorophylls, and vitamin C content in leaves. Moreover, nitrate and proline content was higher in plants grown under salinity stress, especially under severe stress (8000–10,000 mg L⁻¹) without biostimulant application. In general, the application of biostimulants mitigated the negative impact of salinity on plant growth and leaf chemical composition, while the effect of putrescine on the tested parameters was more beneficial than that of salicylic acid. In conclusion, this study provides useful information regarding the use of putrescine and salicylic acid as biostimulatory agents with the aim of increasing purslane growth under salinity conditions. Full article

The bHLH transcription factors are important plant regulators against abiotic stress and involved in plant growth and development. In this study, SlALC, a prototypical DNA-binding protein in the bHLH family, was isolated, and SlALC-overexpression tomato (SlALC-OE) plants were generated by Agrobacterium-mediated genetic transformation. SlALC transgenic lines manifested higher osmotic stress tolerance than the wild-type plants, estimated by higher relative water content and lower water loss rate, higher chlorophyll, reducing sugar, starch, proline, soluble protein contents, antioxidant enzyme activities, and lower MDA and reactive oxygen species contents in the leaves. In SlALC-OE lines, there were more significant alterations in the expression of genes associated with stress. Furthermore, SlALC-OE fruits were more vulnerable to dehiscence, with higher water content, reduced lignin content, SOD/POD/PAL enzyme activity, and lower phenolic compound concentrations, all of which corresponded to decreased expression of lignin biosynthetic genes. Moreover, the dual luciferase reporter test revealed that SlTAGL1 inhibits SlALC expression. This study revealed that SlALC may play a role in controlling plant tolerance to drought and salt stress, as well as fruit lignification, which influences fruit dehiscence. The findings of this study have established a foundation for tomato tolerance breeding and fruit quality improvement. Full article

Celiac disease (CD) is an immune-mediated enteropathy triggered by the ingestion of proline- and glutamine-rich proteins, widely termed “gluten”, in genetically susceptible individuals. CD induces an altered immune response that leads to chronic inflammation and duodenal mucosal damage. Currently, there are no specific tests for the accurate diagnosis of CD, and no drugs are available to treat this condition. The only available treatment strategy is lifelong adherence to a gluten-free diet. However, some studies have investigated the involvement of microRNAs (miRNAs) in CD pathogenesis. miRNAs are small noncoding ribonucleic acid molecules that regulate gene expression. Despite the growing number of studies on the role of miRNAs in autoimmune disorders, data on miRNAs and CD are scarce. Therefore, this study aimed to perform a literature review to summarize CD, miRNAs, and the potential interactions between miRNAs and CD in adults. This review shows that miRNA expression can suppress or stimulate pathways related to CD pathogenesis by regulating cell proliferation and differentiation, regulatory T-cell development, innate immune response, activation of the inflammatory cascade, focal adhesion, T-cell commitment, tissue transglutaminase synthesis, and cell cycle. Thus, identifying miRNAs and their related effects on CD could open new possibilities for diagnosis, prognosis, and follow-up of biomarkers. Full article

Pinus massoniana Lamb. is an evergreen conifer; however, some current-year seedlings exhibit “winter reddening” at the onset of winter. The biological significance of this reddening is unclear. We examine the physiological responses of needles during the reddening process and explore the relationships between physiological traits and seeding cold resistance. Based on needle color, we recognize non-reddened, partially reddened, and fully reddened needle stages. As reddening progresses, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters (maximum light energy conversion efficiency of photosystem II (PSII) photochemistry, PSII potential activity, effective photosynthetic quantum yield, non-photochemical and photochemical quenching coefficients, and actual quantum yield of PSII photochemistry) decrease, reducing photosynthetic efficiency. Concurrently, the proportion of regulated energy dissipation in quantum yield of PSII decreases, and that of PSII non-regulated energy dissipation increases. Antioxidant enzyme activities (catalase and peroxidase) and osmoregulatory substances (soluble sugars and proteins and proline) increase, and malondialdehyde levels and relative cell damage at 4 °C and −10 °C gradually increase. Although P. massoniana seedlings adapt to low-temperature environments as their needles redden by increasing antioxidant enzyme activities and osmoregulatory substances and by adjusting photosynthetic efficiency and light energy distribution, cell membrane damage persists. Cold resistance in P. massoniana seedlings is not fully established during winter reddening. Full article

A major factor limiting the development of somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) technology is the low success rate of pregnancy, mainly due to placental abnormalities disrupting the maternal-fetal balance during pregnancy. Although there has been some progress in research on the abnormal enlargement of cloned bovine placenta, there are still few reports on the direct regulatory mechanisms of enlarged cloned bovine placenta tissue. In this study, we conducted sequencing and analysis of transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics of placental tissues from SCNT cattle (n = 3) and control (CON) cattle (n = 3). The omics analysis results indicate abnormalities in biological functions such as protein digestion and absorption, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, the regulation of lipid breakdown, as well as glycerolipid metabolism, and arginine and proline metabolism in the placenta of SCNT cattle. Integrating these analyses highlights critical metabolic pathways affecting SCNT cattle placenta, including choline metabolism and unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis. These findings suggest that aberrant expressions of genes, proteins, and metabolites in SCNT placentas affect key pathways in protein digestion, growth hormone function, and energy metabolism. Our results suggest that abnormal protein synthesis, growth hormone function, and energy metabolism in SCNT bovine placental tissues contribute to placental hypertrophy. These findings offer valuable insights for further investigation into the mechanisms underlying SCNT bovine placental abnormalities. Full article

Salinity represents an ever-challenging problem of agriculture in arid and semi-arid regions. This problem is considered a key limiting factor of agricultural production in the countries of Southwest Asia. In recent years, the use of alternative methods of chemical fertilizers has emerged as a promising approach to mitigate the negative effects of salinity on crop yield. In this research, the effect of Micrococcus yunnanensis and indole-3-acetic (IAA) acid on the growth and chemical composition of Vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides) under salt stress has been investigated. Based on the results, application of IAA, M. yunnanensis and their interaction significantly increased the average plant growth, fresh and dry weight of aerial parts and root dry weight. Considering chemical properties of the plant, interaction between IAA and M. yunnanensis significantly increased shoot phosphorus, potassium and sodium absorption. Proline content, catalase, superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activity were significantly influenced by application of IAA, M. yunnanensis and their interaction. Follow-up experiments after vetiver harvest showed that IAA and M. yunnanensis treatments improved soil microbial biomass and respiration. In total, plant biomass improved by 34% and the activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase and peroxidase enzymes decreased by −20.61, −4.70 and −8.00%, respectively, which shows that the stress pressure on the plant has decreased. This study reinforces the previous literature on the positive effects of biological treatments to improve plant performance by providing new evidence of the positive effects of IAA and M. yunnanensis on mitigating the negative effects of salinity. Full article

This study investigated the effects of herbicide exposure on Navicula sp. (MASCC-0035) algae, focusing on growth density, chlorophyll content, antioxidant system, and lipid metabolism. Navicula cultures were exposed to different concentrations of atrazine (ATZ), glyphosate (Gly), and acetochlor (ACT) for 96 h. Results showed a significant decrease in cell numbers, with higher herbicide concentrations having the most noticeable impacts. For instance, Gly-G2 had reduced cell populations by 21.00% at 96 h. Chlorophyll content varied, with Gly having a greater impact on chlorophyll a compared to ATZ and ACT. Herbicide exposure also affected the antioxidant system, altering levels of soluble sugar, soluble protein, and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Higher herbicide rates increased soluble sugar content (e.g., ATZ, Gly, and ACT-G2 had increased by 14.03%, 19.88%, and 19.83%, respectively, at 72 h) but decreased soluble protein content, notably in Gly-G2 by 11.40%, indicating cellular stress. Lipid metabolism analysis revealed complex responses, with changes in free proline, fatty acids, and lipase content, each herbicide exerting distinct effects. These findings highlight the multifaceted impacts of herbicide exposure on Navicula algae, emphasizing the need for further research to understand ecological implications and develop mitigation strategies for aquatic ecosystems. Full article

Plants use a variety of physiological, biochemical, and molecular mechanisms to mitigate salt stress impacts. Many techniques, including the application of nanoparticles (NPs), are being used to increase plant stress tolerance. To assess the growth and productivity of Vigna unguiculata L. (cowpea) plants exposed to salt stress, cowpea has been cultivated using different saline water levels and subjected to green synthesized zinc NPs (ZnNPs) and iron NPs (FeNPs) applied via foliar spraying. The cowpea plants that grew under the lowest saline water level showed the best leaf traits, leaf water content per area (LWCA), pods, and seed yields, but when salinity levels increased, the plants’ growth and productivity slightly declined. ZnNP and FeNP treatments slow down the degradation of photosynthetic pigments and greatly mitigate the negative effects of salt stress. In both stressed and unstressed plants, ZnNP treatments produced the highest osmoprotectant concentrations (proline, protein, and total carbohydrates). As a result of salt stress, cowpea seeds showed a marked decrease in dry matter and protein content, but ZnNP and FeNP treatments increased it. Conclusively, the results obtained indicated that ZnNPs and FeNPs foliar application to cowpea plants stimulated leaf pigment and polyphenol production, which in turn increased seed dry matter, seed yield, protein content, and the plants’ ability to withstand saline stress. Full article

The frequent occurrence of localized and seasonal droughts has caused severe economic losses in maize production in South China. To promote sustainable maize production, selecting and breeding drought-tolerant varieties is vital for addressing water scarcity. Drought stress affects all aspects of crop morphological performance. In this study, the morphological performance of 285 maize inbred lines under drought stress was investigated using D-value analysis, correlation analysis, principal component analysis, cluster analysis and stepwise regression analysis. All indicators were significantly different in the regular treatment compared to the drought treatment. Specifically, survival rate, root fresh weight, root dry weight, plant dry weight, root/crown ratio, and plant fresh weight were used as indicators for drought-tolerance evaluation. Furthermore, the drought-tolerant inbred line CML323 and the drought-sensitive inbred line CB2-49-1 were screened by comprehensively evaluating D values. The drought-tolerant inbred line CML323 exhibits higher leaf relative water content, chlorophyll content, proline content, and ascorbate peroxidase and peroxidase activity while having lower malondialdehyde content, consequently demonstrating excellent drought tolerance. This study provides valuable insights into drought-tolerance indicators and reference materials for breeding maize varieties. Full article

This study investigated the effects of exogenous nitric oxide (NO) on growth, antioxidant enzymes, and key nitrogen metabolism enzymes in pepper seedlings under high-temperature stress. In addition, targeted metabolomics was used to study the differential accumulation of amino acid metabolites, thereby providing theoretical support for the use of exogenous substances to mitigate high-temperature stress damage in plants. The results showed that high-temperature stress increased soluble sugar, soluble protein, amino acids, proline, malondialdehyde (MDA), and hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) content, electrolyte leakage, and superoxide anion (O₂^·-) production rate while altering the activities of antioxidant enzymes [superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX)] and key nitrogen metabolism enzymes [nitrate reductase (NR), glutamine synthetase (GS), glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH), and nitric oxide synthase (NOS)]. c-PTIO (2-phenyl-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl 3-oxide, an NO scavenger) exacerbates oxidative stress and further reduces NO content and enzyme activities. However, exogenous SNP (sodium nitroprusside, an NO donor) effectively alleviated these adverse effects by enhancing antioxidant defense mechanisms, increasing NO content, and normalizing amino acid metabolite levels (kynurenine, N-acetyl-L-tyrosine, L-methionine, urea, and creatine), thereby maintaining normal plant growth. These findings suggest that SNP can enhance stress tolerance in pepper seedlings by improving osmotic regulation, antioxidant capacity, and nitrogen metabolism, effectively mitigating the damage caused by high-temperature stress. Full article

This study investigates the production of protein hydrolysates with dipeptidyl peptidase-IV (DPP-IV) inhibitory activity from agro-industrial by-products, namely olive seed, sunflower seed, rapeseed, and lupin meals, as well as from two plant protein isolates such as pea and potato. Furthermore, the effect of simulated gastrointestinal digestion on the DPP-IV inhibitory activity of all the hydrolysates was evaluated. Overall, the lowest values of IC₅₀ (1.02 ± 0.09 – 1.24 ± 0.19 mg protein/mL) were observed for the hydrolysates with a high proportion of short-chain [< 1 kDa] peptides (i.e., olive seed, sunflower seed, and lupin) or high content of proline (i.e., rapeseed). Contrarily, the IC₅₀ of the pea and potato hydrolysates was significantly higher (1.50 ± 0.13 – 1.93 ± 0.13 mg protein/mL). In vitro digestion led to an increase in peptides <1 kDa for almost all hydrolysates (except olive and sunflower seed meals), which was noticeable for rapeseed, pea, and potato hydrolysates. Digestion did not significantly modify the DPP-IV inhibitory activity of olive, sunflower, rapeseed, and potato hydrolysates, whereas a significant decrease in IC₅₀ value was obtained for pea hydrolysate and a significant increase in IC₅₀ was obtained for lupin hydrolysate. Thus, this work shows the potential of agro-industrial by-products for the production of protein hydrolysates exhibiting DPP-IV inhibition. Full article

Salt stress is one of the environmental stresses that significantly reduces crop productivity and quality worldwide. Methods to overcome salt stress include developing salt-resistant crops by inserting various resistance genes or to diagnosing and responding to the effects of salt stress at an early stage. In this study, we investigate the effects of salinity stress on growth, photosynthetic efficiency, and metabolic changes in Brussels sprouts (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera). Fresh weight and leaf area decreased significantly with increasing NaCl concentration, indicating that salinity stress has a detrimental effect on plant growth. However, chlorophyll fluorescence parameters did not show significant changes, suggesting that photosynthetic efficiency was not significantly affected over 10 days. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy revealed notable metabolic adjustments, especially in lipids, plastids, proteins, and carbohydrates, indicating biosynthesis of protective compounds such as anthocyanins and proline in response to salinity stress. Pearson correlation analysis confirmed a strong relationship between NaCl concentration and the observed physiological and metabolic changes. The findings highlight the potential of FTIR spectroscopy as a non-destructive tool for early detection of salinity stress and timely intervention to improve crop resilience and yield. This study highlights the widespread application of FTIR spectroscopy in agricultural research to manage abiotic stresses in crops. Full article

The impact of trace metal elements (TMEs) on plants is one current pollution problem, the severity of which is increasing with industrial development, population growth and inappropriate agricultural practices. The latter can have irreversible effects on ecosystems, including species extinction, trophic chain contamination and altered human health, particularly in the case of consumed plants such as zucchini squash (Cucurbita pepo L.). This study aims to investigate the effects of nickel on various physiological and biochemical parameters of zucchini growth, with a particular focus on how this toxic metal impacts the quality of fruit that is consumed by humans. To achieve this, plants aged 45 days were grown for one month on solid media loaded with different concentrations of Ni (0, 100, 300 and 500 µM). The results showed that exposure of plants to Ni resulted in significantly altered growth and higher accumulation of Ni in the shoots (1314 µg·g⁻¹ DW) than in roots and fruits. Concerning non-enzymatic antioxidants, the results showed that Ni toxicity significantly increased total polyphenols, especially in shoots at 300 µM Ni, while flavonoid content decreased in the roots and shoots in response to Ni treatment. Our results also show that nickel tolerance in C. pepo is ensured by a combination of several mechanisms such as an increase in the content of proline. This species can survive and tolerate, to different degrees, toxic cations at concentrations up to 500 µM but with visible symptoms of toxicity such as chlorosis of the leaves. Indeed, based on thresholds of hyperaccumulation, we can qualify Cucurbita pepo as a hyperaccumulator species of nickel. Full article