Search

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) may mimic the endogenous neuroendocrine and endocrine messengers and interfere with developmental, reproductive, immune, metabolic and other physiological functions. Modulation of basal metabolic rate, energy metabolism, food intake and engorgement by endocrine disruptors may lead to loss of metabolic equilibrium. EDC-induced loss of metabolic homeostasis and obesity gave rise to the concept of metabolic-disrupting chemicals (MDC) and environmental obesogens. Elevated oxidative stress, alterations in the circadian clock, and energy-sensing homeostasis are some of the major pathophysiological conditions implicated in promoting metabolic disruption. Reportedly, fish are the most vulnerable candidate due to their direct exposure to metabolic disruptors in aquatic habitats. Though limited, studies conducted using piscine models have helped to identify MDCs in the aquatic environment. Notably, the molecular mechanisms through which MDCs can negatively influence the metabolism of hormones, epigenetic alteration, gut dysbiosis, and changes in endocrine and metabolic receptor expression and functions have recently gained considerable attention. In this review, we provide an update on the impact of MDCs on the initiators, cellular mediators, and hormone receptors related to the maintenance of metabolic homeostasis, with particular emphasis on fish models.

[ Objective ] Salt stress leads to poor growth and development and decreased ornamental quality of Chinese rose ( Rosa chinensis Jacq. ), and seriously affects their outdoor greening applications in high salt environments or coastal areas. This study explores the effects of exogenous melatonin ( MT ) and inoc- ulation with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi ( AMF ) on seedling growth , chlorophyll fluorescence parame- ters , and cytokinin metabolism , and analyzes their physiological and the biochemical mechanisms that pro- mote rose to adapt to salt stress , in order to enhance salt resistance and expand the application of rose. [ Methods ] The seedling of Chinese rose variety ‘ Yueyue Hong ’ was used as experimental material to con- duct indoor potting experiments. In addition , control ( CK ), 100 mol / L NaCl stress , root administration of MT , and root inoculation of AMF larvae of the genus Claroideoglomus etatunicum and their combina- tion were set to investigate the effects of each treatment on the growth of rose seedlings , chlorophyll fluo- rescence parameters , hormone metabolism , and antioxidant system. [ Results ] ( 1 ) Application of MT pro- moted AMF infestation of the roots of rose seedlings and increased the infection rate , bush growth rate , number of vesicles , and invasion points. ( 2 ) Under salt stress , the growth of rose seedlings was inhibited , and plant height , stem thickness , and biomass were decreased significantly. MT and AMF treatments in- creased the height , stem thickness , and biomass of rose seedlings , whereas AMF+MT treatment had no significant difference in plant height and stem thickness , aboveground dry weight and underground dry weight were increased by 24.1% and 37.0%. ( 3 ) Under salt stress , the chlorophyll content of rose seed- lings was decreased significantly while chlorophyll fluorescence parameters were decreased , and MT and AMF treatments could improve the chlorophyll content and chlorophyll fluorescence parameters. Under AMF+MT treatment , the total amount of chlorophyll and chlorophyll a / b was increased by 46.2% and 67.2% , respectively. PSⅡ maximum photochemical efficiency ( F v / F m ), potential activity ( F v / F o ), ac- tual photochemical efficiency ( Φ PSⅡ ), effective photochemical quantum efficiency ( F v ' / F m ' ), and photo- chemical quenching coefficient ( q P ) were increased by 4.9% , 51.0% , 175.0% , 168.7% , and 92.5% , re- spectively , whereas NPQ was decreased by 42.7%. ( 4 ) Under salt stress , zeatin ( ZT ), gibberellin ( GA ), auxin ( IAA ) content in leaves were decreased , whereas the abscisic acid ( ABA ) content was in- creased. MT and AMF contributed to the increase in ZT , GA , and IAA content and the decrease in ABA content. Under AMF+MT treatment , ZT , GA , and IAA content were increased by 146.9% , 116.9% , 35.7% , respectively , while ABA was decreased by 21.1%. ( 5 ) Under salt stress , the activity of SOD and CAT were increased , and the rate of superoxide anions ( O - · 2 ) production and H 2 O 2 accumulation was in- creased. MT and AMF treatments decreased O - · 2 production rate and H 2 O 2 content , while AMF+MT treatment activated SOD and CAT activity , and reduced the rate of O - · 2 production and H 2 O 2 accumula- tion. [ Conclusion ] Inoculation with AMF , addition of MT , or AMF+MT treatment could increase the chlorophyll content of rose seedlings under salt stress , protect the chlorophyll fluorescence system , main- tain the balance of endogenous plant hormones , activate the activity of antioxidant enzymes such as SOD and CAT , and reduce lipid peroxidation and H 2 O 2 accumulation , thereby reduce the damage caused by salt stress to rose seedlings , promote rose growth , and enhance the salt resistance of rose seedlings better with AMF+MT treatment.

Background: The human digestive system contains approximately 100 trillion bacteria. The gut microbiota is an emerging field of research that is associated with specific biological processes in many diseases, including cardiovascular disease, obesity, diabetes, brain disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and cancer. Emerging evidence indicates that the gut microbiota affects the response to anticancer therapies by modulating the host immune system. Recent studies have explained a high correlation between the gut microbiota and breast cancer: dysbiosis in breast cancer may regulate the systemic inflammatory response, hormone metabolism, immune response, and the tumor microenvironment. Some of the gut bacteria are related to estrogen metabolism, which may increase or decrease the risk of breast cancer by changing the number of hormones. Further, the gut microbiota has been seen to modulate the immune system in respect of its ability to protect against and treat cancers, with a specific focus on hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. Probiotics and other therapies claiming to control the gut microbiome by bacterial means might be useful in the prevention, or even in the treatment, of breast cancer. Conclusions: The present review underlines the various aspects of gut microbiota in breast cancer risk and its clinical application, warranting research on individualized microbiome-modulated therapeutic approaches to breast cancer treatment.

The interactions between plants, beneficial bacteria and their environment are profoundly shaped by various environmental factors, including light, temperature, water availability, and soil quality. Despite efforts to elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in the association between plants and beneficial bacteria, like Plant Growth-Promoting Bacteria (PGPB), with many studies focusing on the transcriptional reprogramming in the plant, there is no report on the modulation of genetic controls from both plant and associated bacteria standpoints, in response to environment. The main goal of this study was to investigate the relationship between plant-bacteria-environment signaling, using as a model maize plants inoculated with H. seropedicae ZAE94 and cultivated with different doses of N (0.3 and 3 mM). For this purpose, we performed rRNA-depleted RNA-seq to determine the global gene expression of both maize roots and associated H. seropedicae ZAE94. Our results revealed a differential modulation of maize nitrogen metabolism, phytohormone and cell wall responses when associated with H. seropedicae ZAE94 at different N concentrations. In parallel, a modulation of the bacterial metabolism could be observed, by regulating genes involved in transport, secretion system, cell mobility, oxidoreductases, and chemotaxis, when bacteria were associated with maize roots and cultivated at different doses of N. The molecular and phenotypic data of maize plantlets suggested that different doses of N fertilization differentially regulated the beneficial effects of bacterial inoculation, as higher doses (3 mM) favored shoot elongation and lower doses (0.3 mM) favored increase in plant biomass. Our results provide a valuable integrated overview of differentially expressed genes in both maize and associated H. seropedicae ZAE94 in response to different N availability, revealing new insights into pathways involved in grass-PGPB associations.

Salt stress is one of the major environmental problems in agricultural production, severely limiting crops’ germination, growth and yield. Silicon (Si) is a widely recognized beneficial element in plants, which can promote plant growth especially under stressful conditions. With the emergence of nanotechnology in agriculture, silicon nanoparticles (SiNPs) have been shown to be a promising tool in nano-enabled agricultural production. However, the comparative effects of Si and SiNPs in alleviating salt stress in plants remain unclear, which would limit the application of SiNPs in agricultural practice. In this study, the effects of SiNPs and conventional Si (silicate) on tomato (a typical low-Si accumulator) seed germination, reactive oxygen species (ROS) content, antioxidant enzyme activity, and the expression of genes related to hormone metabolism were investigated. The results showed that SiNPs more effectively promoted seed germination percentage, fresh weight, and Si content than conventional Si. Simultaneously, SiNPs more significantly modulated the activities of antioxidant enzymes and alleviated salt stress-induced oxidative damage in tomato seeds. Moreover, exogenous SiNPs addition promoted the expression of genes responsible for gibberellin (GA) synthesis and abscisic acid (ABA) catabolism, while downregulating the expression of genes related to GA deactivation and ABA synthesis in tomato seeds under salt stress. Overall, our results indicate that SiNPs are more effective than conventional Si in promoting tomato seed germination under salt stress via modulating antioxidant enzyme activity and key endogenous hormone metabolism, which could be based on the higher accumulation of SiNPs in tomato seeds than conventional Si.

IntroductionChange in the composition of intestinal microbiota is associated with metabolic disorders such as gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).MethodsTo understand how the microbiota impacts the development of gestational diabetes mellitus, we profiled the intestinal microbiome of 54 pregnant women, including 27 GDM subjects, by employing 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Additionally, we conducted targeted metabolomics assays to validate the identified pathways with overrepresented metabolites.ResultsWe evaluated the patterns of changing abundances of operational taxonomic units (OTU) between GDM and the healthy counterparts over three timepoints. Based on the significant OTUs, we inferred 132 significantly altered metabolic pathways in GDM. And identified two overrepresented metabolites of pregnancy hormone, butyrate and mevalonate, as potential intermediary metabolites of intestinal microbiota in GDM. Finally, we validated the impacts of the intestinal microbiota on GDM by demonstrating consistent changes of the serum levels of progesterone, estradiol, butyrate, and mevalonate in an independent cohort.DiscussionOur findings confirm that alterations in the microbiota play a role in the development of GDM by impacting the metabolism of pregnancy hormones. This provides a novel perspective on the pathogenesis of GDM and introduces potential biomarkers that can be used for early diagnosis and prevention of the disease.

Dormancy and heteromorphism are innate seed properties that control germination timing through adaptation to the prevailing environment. The degree of variation in dormancy depth within a seed population differs considerably depending on the genotype and maternal environment. Dormancy is therefore a key trait of annual weeds to time seedling emergence across seasons. Seed heteromorphism, the production of distinct seed morphs (in color, mass or other morphological characteristics) on the same individual plant, is considered to be a bet-hedging strategy in unpredictable environments. Heteromorphic species evolved independently in several plant families and the distinct seed morphs provide an additional degree of variation. Here we conducted a comparative morphological and molecular analysis of the dimorphic seeds (black and brown) of the Amaranthaceae weed Chenopodium album. Freshly harvested black and brown seeds differed in their dormancy and germination responses to ambient temperature. The black seed morph of seedlot #1 was dormant and 2/3rd of the seed population had non-deep physiological dormancy which was released by after-ripening (AR) or gibberellin (GA) treatment. The deeper dormancy of the remaining 1/3rd non-germinating seeds required in addition ethylene and nitrate for its release. The black seeds of seedlot #2 and the brown seed morphs of both seedlots were non-dormant with 2/3rd of the seeds germinating in the fresh mature state. The dimorphic seeds and seedlots differed in testa (outer seed coat) thickness in that thick testas of black seeds of seedlot #1 conferred coat-imposed dormancy. The dimorphic seeds and seedlots differed in their abscisic acid (ABA) and GA contents in the dry state and during imbibition in that GA biosynthesis was highest in brown seeds and ABA degradation was faster in seedlot #2. Chenopodium genes for GA and ABA metabolism were identified and their distinct transcript expression patterns were quantified in dry and imbibed C. album seeds. Phylogenetic analyses of the Amaranthaceae sequences revealed a high proportion of expanded gene families within the Chenopodium genus. The identified hormonal, molecular and morphological mechanisms and dormancy variation of the dimorphic seeds of C. album and other Amaranthaceae are compared and discussed as adaptations to variable and stressful environments.

UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGTs), important enzymes in biotransformation, control the levels and distribution of numerous endogenous signaling molecules and the metabolism of a wide range of endogenous and exogenous chemicals. The UGT superfamily in mammals consists of the UGT1, UGT2, UGT3, and UGT8 families. UGTs are rate-limiting enzymes in the glucuronate pathway, and in tumors, they are either overexpressed or underexpressed. Alterations in their metabolism can affect gluconeogenesis and lipid metabolism pathways, leading to alterations in tumor cell metabolism, which affect cancer development and prognosis. Glucuronidation is the most common mammalian conjugation pathway. Most of its reactions are mainly catalyzed by UGT1A, UGT2A and UGT2B. The body excretes UGT-bound small lipophilic molecules through the bile, urine, or feces. UGTs conjugate a variety of tiny lipophilic molecules to sugars, such as galactose, xylose, acetylglucosamine, glucuronic acid, and glucose, thereby inactivating and making water-soluble substrates, such as carcinogens, medicines, steroids, lipids, fatty acids, and bile acids. This review summarizes the roles of members of the four UGT enzyme families in tumor function, metabolism, and multiple regulatory mechanisms, and its Inhibitors and inducers. The function of UGTs in lipid metabolism, drug metabolism, and hormone metabolism in tumor cells are among the most important topics covered.

Treatments that increase the germination potential and vigor of Glycine max seedlings are continuously being stimulated, with the aim of achieving a higher percentage of emergence and better performance in the field. Considering the relationship of tryptophan with germination-associated phytohormones, this study tested the hypothesis that exogenous supply of tryptophan to soybean seeds can affect germination, physiological vigor, and the accumulation of primary and oxidative metabolism molecules in seedlings. Soybean seeds were exposed to soaking solutions containing different concentrations of the amino acid (0, 25, 50, 100, and 200 µM), and the seedlings were evaluated at three time periods, at 8 h after sowing (HAS), and 5 and 14 days after sowing (DAS). Treated seeds showed better germination fitness and seedlings showed greater vigor, and these parameters increased with increasing concentrations of tryptophan. In the initial hours and days of germination process evaluation (14 HAS and 5 DAS), the activities of starch metabolism enzymes (α- and β-amylase) tended to be higher, resulting in increased contents of sucrose, reducing sugars, and total soluble solids at 8 DAS, constituting an important metabolic effect for seedling growth. On the other hand, the induction of germination and vigor promoted by exogenous tryptophan in soybean seedlings occurred by stimulating the metabolic pathways of oxidative stress, resulting in increased concentrations of H2O2, malondialdehyde, and proline in the tissues. Additionally, it led to increased activities of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and ascorbate peroxidase. These parameters were responsive to increasing supplied concentrations of tryptophan. Thus, the metabolic stress in soybean seeds induced by auxin seems to be an important inductive pathway for germination and vigor of G. max seeds.

Abstract Background Irisin, which is cleaved from fibronectin type III domain-containing protein 5 (Fndc5), plays an important role in energy homeostasis. The link between energy metabolism and reproduction is well known. However, the biological actions of irisin in reproduction remain largely unexplored. Methods In this study, we generated Fndc5 gene mutation to create irisin deficient mice. Female wild-type (WT) and Fndc5 mutant mice were fed with standard chow for 48 weeks. Firstly, the survival rate, body weight and fertility were described in mice. Secondly, the levels of steroid hormones in serum were measured by ELISA, and the estrus cycle and the appearance of follicles were determined by vaginal smears and ovarian continuous sections. Thirdly, mRNA-sequencing analysis was used to compare gene expression between the ovaries of Fndc5 mutant mice and those of WT mice. Finally, the effects of exogenous irisin on steroid hormone production was investigated in KGN cells. Results The mice lacking irisin presented increased mortality, reduced body weight and poor fertility. Analysis of sex hormones showed decreased levels of estradiol, follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone, and elevated progesterone levels in Fndc5 mutant mice. Irisin deficiency in mice was associated with irregular estrus, reduced ratio of antral follicles. The expressions of Akr1c18, Mamld1, and Cyp19a1, which are involved in the synthesis of steroid hormones, were reduced in the ovaries of mutant mice. Exogenous irisin could promote the expression of Akr1c18, Mamld1, and Cyp19a1 in KGN cells, stimulating estradiol production and inhibiting progesterone secretion. Conclusions Irisin deficiency was related to disordered endocrinology metabolism in mice. The irisin deficient mice showed poor growth and development, and decreased fertility. Irisin likely have effects on the expressions of Akr1c18, Mamld1 and Cyp19a1 in ovary, regulating the steroid hormone production. This study provides novel insights into the potential role of irisin in mammalian growth and reproduction.

Water deficit and rehydration frequently occur during wheat cultivation. Previous investigations focused on the water deficit and many drought-responsive genes have been identified in winter wheat. However, the hormone-related metabolic responses and de-peroxidative activities associated with rehydration are largely unknown. In this study, leaves of two winter wheat cultivars, “Hengguan35” (HG, drought-tolerant cultivar) and “Shinong086” (SN, drought-sensitive cultivar), were used to investigate water deficit and the post-rehydration process. Rehydration significantly promoted wheat growth and postponed spike development. Quantifications of antioxidant enzymes, osmotic stress-related substances, and phytohormones revealed that rehydration alleviated the peroxidation and osmotic stress caused by water deficit in both cultivars. The wheat cultivar HG showed a better rehydration-compensation phenotype than SN. Phytohormones, including abscisic acid, gibberellin (GA), jasmonic acid (JA), and salicylic acid (SA), were detected using high-performance liquid chromatography and shown to be responsible for the rehydration process. A transcriptome analysis showed that differentially expressed genes related to rehydration were enriched in hormone metabolism- and de-peroxidative stress-related pathways. Suppression of genes associated with abscisic acid signaling transduction were much stronger in HG than in SN upon rehydration treatment. HG also kept a more balanced expression of genes involved in reactive oxygen species pathway than SN. In conclusion, we clarified the hormonal changes and transcriptional profiles of drought-resistant and -sensitive winter wheat cultivars in response to drought and rehydration, and we provided insights into the molecular processes involved in rehydration compensation.

Małgorzata Szkup,1 Anna Jurczak,2 Beata Karakiewicz,3 Artur Kotwas,3 Jacek Kopeć,4 Elżbieta Grochans1 1Department of Nursing, 2Department of Clinical Nursing, 3Department of Public Health, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Szczecin, Poland; 4School of Population and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada Background: The aim of the study was to analyze lipid and hormone metabolism, body mass index (BMI), and age parameters in late reproductive stage women in relation to cigarette smoking.Methods: The study enrolled 345 healthy late reproductive stage women living in Poland; 13.33% were smokers. The first part of the study assessed lipid metabolism (total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein [HDL], low-density lipoprotein [LDL], and triglycerides) and hormone metabolism (estradiol [E2], follicle-stimulating hormone [FSH], and anti-Müllerian hormone [AMH] levels) in women in the early phase of the follicular menstrual cycle. The second part of study was carried out using the diagnostic survey method, with a standardized questionnaire (Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders [PRIME-MD]) and the authors’ own research tools.Results: The women were aged 42.3±4.5 years (mean ± SD). The BMI (24.8±4.04 kg/m2) did not differ significantly between the groups. The women who smoked cigarettes had a statistically significantly (p