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Background: We aimed to determine the SSRP1's potential influence on the apoptosis and proliferation of gastric cancer (GC) cells and its regulatory mechanism. Methods: SSRP1 expression in GC cells and tissues was detected via quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The interrelation between clinicopathological characteristics of GC patients and SSRP1 expression was analysed via x2 test, and the correlation between SSRP1 expression and overall survival rate was analysed using Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. After the knockdown of SSRP1 in AGS cells, the SSRP1 expression, colony formation ability, cell viability, cell cycle changes, apoptosis rate, and migration and invasion ability were detected through qRT-PCR, colony formation assay, CCK8 assay, flow cytometry and transwell test, respectively. Finally, the effects of down-regulation of SSRP1 on the expressions of phosphorylated-protein kinase B (p-AKT), B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) and Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax) were explored using Western blotting. Results: SSRP1 displayed a high expression in GC cells and tissues. SSRP1 expression was closely interrelated to the TNM stage, lymph node metastasis and tumour size. The survival rate of patients was markedly shorter in the high expression group than in the lower expression group. After the knockdown of SSRP1 in cells, the viability and colony formation ability of AGS cells were inhibited. In addition, the cell ratio in the G1 phase was increased, while that in the S phase declined, and the cell invasion and migration were obviously weakened. It was found from Western blotting that the knockdown of SSRP1 could evidently suppress the protein levels of Bcl-2 and p-AKT but promote the protein expression of Bax, indicating that silencing SSRP1 can inhibit the proliferative capacity and increase the number of GC cells through inactivating the AKT signalling pathway. Conclusions: SSRP1 rose up in GC tissues and cells. Reduction of SSRP1 can inhibit the proliferative capacity and increase the number of GC cells through inactivating the AKT signalling pathway.

High temperature (HT) severely limits rice production, but effective measures can reduce the adverse effects of HT. A 2-year experiment was conducted involving five sowing dates to investigate the effects of potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH2PO4), salicylic acid (SA), and the sowing date on the physiological characteristics, yield and quality of rice subjected to HT. Under ambient HT conditions (daily average temperature ≥ 30 °C for ≥ 3 days or maximum temperature ≥ 35 °C for ≥ 3 days), KH2PO4 (KP1-KP2: 22.05 and 36.75 mmol L−1), SA (SA1-SA2: 0.5 and 1.5 mmol L−1), and their combinations were applied to leaves from the late-booting stage to the flowering stage, with deionized water as a control (CK). Compared with CK, KP1, KP2, SA1, KP1 + SA1, and KP2 + SA1 alleviated the adverse effects of HT on the number of grains per panicle, seed set, and yield, among which SA1, KP2 + SA1, and KP1 were the best. The antioxidant enzyme (superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase) activities, levels of osmotic protective substances (soluble sugars, soluble proteins, and proline), and chlorophyll content were increased and the malonaldehyde content and leaf temperature were decreased in the SA1, KP2 + SA1, and KP1 treatments. Compared with those sown on April 25 and May 5, plants sown on May 15, May 25, and June 5 had suitable temperature conditions and presented increased grain yield and quality. Therefore, the application of SA1, KP2 + SA1, and KP1 and the use of an optimal sowing date (from May 15 to June 5) increased the rice yield and quality under HT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]