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Pituitary adenomas (PAs), or pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs), are commonly found in the anterior pituitary gland. Although the majority of PitNETs are benign and stable, several tumors have malignant characteristics. The tumor microenvironment (TME) plays an important role in the process of tumorigenesis and is composed of several types of cells. Various cells in the TME are significantly affected by oxidative stress. It has been reported that immunotherapeutic strategies have good effects in several cancers. However, the clinical potential of immunotherapies in PitNETs has not yet been fully discussed. Oxidative stress can regulate PitNET cells and immune cells in the TME, thus affecting the immune status of the TME of PitNETs. Therefore, modulation of oxidative stress‐regulated immune cells using a combination of several agents and the immune system to suppress PitNETs is a promising therapeutic direction. In this review, we systematically analyzed the oxidative stress process within PitNET cells and various immune cells to elucidate the potential value of immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The three principal fates of axillary meristem in flowering plants are growth (G), reproduction (R), and inactivity (I). The allocation relationships between each meristem and plant size in annual herbaceous plants tend to change with altered precipitation (P) patterns in arid and semiarid grasslands. Here, we examined the allometry and plasticity of meristem allocation in three dominant annual herbaceous plants: Setaria viridis, Corispermum macrocarpum, and Bassia dasyphylla in a semiarid sandy grassland in northern China. We determined the range of plant sizes for each of the three species in the following treatments: ambient environment (Amb), P increased by 30% (P[+]) and by 60% (P[++]), P decreased by 30% (P[−]) and by 60% (P[− −]), drought for 46 days from May 1st to June 15th (D1) and from July 1st to August 15th (D2). We found that meristem allocation to branching intensity increased while allocation to apical dominance decreased with increasing plant size under decreased precipitation and seasonal drought. Decreased precipitation and seasonal drought caused the slope of allometry of meristem allocation in the three species to be significantly different from 1. Plasticity of meristem allocation to G, R, and I in S. viridis tended to be significantly greater in August under P(+) and P(++) while in C. macrocarpum tended to be greater in July under P(−), P(− −), D1, and D2. Our findings are important components of an adaptive strategy in annual herbaceous plants throughout the development stage, which will contribute to predict their developmental dynamics in the semiarid sandy grassland under future climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought seriously endangers the development of agro‐pastoral ecotone in arid and semi‐arid regions. However, drought evolution characteristics of semi‐arid sandy grassland and its drivers are not well understood in the complex climate change context. Thus, in this paper, the revised standardized precipitation evaporation indices on one‐month (SPEI‐1) and growing‐season (SPEI‐6) scale, flash drought and dry spells (DS) were calculated as drought indicators, and the temporal variabilities and meteorological drivers of drought in Horqin Sandy Land during the growing period (April–September) from 2007 to 2021 were studied. The results showed that SPEI‐1 and SPEI‐6 exhibited negative trends and periodic change. This drought aggravation was manifested in increased grades and numbers of drought months. Flash droughts can occur every month during the growing season. And its occurrence was not only positively correlated with all drought events in frequency but also synchronized in time. The increased number of DS showed an asymmetrical shift towards 7‐day‐and‐longer DS. SPEI sensitivity to precipitation (P) was noticeably higher than to atmospheric evapotranspiration demand (AED) at both monthly and growing season scales. SPEI sensitivity to AED was modulated by P amounts, which was higher during low P period. Apart from the amounts of P and AED, their temporal variability also strongly determined how they affect the drought severity. P was also the main driver for flash drought and long DS, but AED with larger amount and higher variability is the reason for their aggravation. Our results demonstrate the complexity of drought intensification in semi‐arid sandy grasslands and highlight the important role of AED anomalies in it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To demonstrate the clinical value of epithelial membrane protein 3 (EMP3) with bioinformatic analysis and clinical data, and then to establish a practical nomogram predictive model with bicenter validation. Methods: The data from CGGA and TCGA database were used to analyze the expression of EMP3 and its correlation with clinical prognosis. Then, we analyzed EMP3 expression in samples from 179 glioma patients from 2013 to 2017. Univariate and multivariate cox regression were used to predict the prognosis with multiple factors. Finally, a nomogram to predict poor outcomes was formulated. The accuracy and discrimination of nomograms were determined with ROC curve and calibration curve in training and validation cohorts. Results: EMP3 was significantly higher in higher‐grade glioma and predicted poor prognosis. In multivariate analysis, high expression of EMP3 (HR = 2.842, 95% CI 1.984–4.071), WHO grade (HR = 1.991, 95% CI 1.235–3.212), and IDH1 mutant (HR = 0.503, 95% CI 0.344–0.737) were included. The nomogram was constructed based on the above features, which represented great predictive value in clinical outcomes. Conclusion: This study demonstrated EMP3 as a novel predictor for clinical progression and clinical outcomes in glioma. Moreover, the nomogram with EMP3 expression represented a practical approach to provide individualized risk assessment for glioma patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Neurotrophin receptor‐interacting MAGE homologue (NRAGE) plays a crucial role in the regulation of bone metabolism. The present study investigated the regulation role of NRAGE on autophagy activation and periodontitis process during experimental periodontitis. Materials and Methods: Six‐week‐old wild‐type (WT) and NRAGE−/− mice were randomly divided into three time points in the periodontitis groups (0, 2, and 4 weeks). Histopathological changes were determined using the tooth mobility, hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, and micro‐computed tomography (micro‐CT). Osteoclasts activation and number were investigated using tartrate‐resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining, immunohistochemistry, and real‐time quantitative PCR (RT‐PCR). The level of autophagy‐related gene expression was measured using immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and RT‐PCR. Results: H&E staining and Micro‐CT showed that the destruction of the alveolar bone was considerably more severe in the NRAGE−/− group than the WT group after ligation. Tooth mobility in the NRAGE−/− group was obviously higher than that in the WT group. The activation and number of osteoclasts and the level of autophagy‐related gene expression in NRAGE−/− group were significantly higher than that in WT group. Conclusions: The present study showed that knockout of NRAGE induced autophagy‐related gene expression and accelerated the process of periodontitis disease via increasing the activity and differentiation of osteoclast. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction This study aimed to investigate the functions of delta-like homologue 1 ( DLK1) in the proliferation and differentiation of human dental pulp stem cells ( hDPSCs). Methods Immunohistochemical analysis was used to determine the expression of alkaline phosphatase ( ALP), dentin sialophosphoprotein ( DSPP), DLK1, NOTCH1 and p- ERK1/2 in the mouse first maxillary molar. Recombinant lentivirus was constructed to overexpress DLK1 stably in hDPSCs. The cell viability and proliferation of hDPSCs were examined by CCK8 and EdU incorporation assay respectively. The odontoblastic differentiation of hDPSCs was determined by detection of ALPase activity assay, ALP and alizarin red staining and the expression of mineralization-related genes including ALP, DSPP and dental matrix protein. The mRNA and protein levels of DLK1 and p- ERK1/2 protein expression were detected. ERK inhibitor was used to test the differentiation effect of DLK1 on hDPSCs. Results Delta-like homologue 1 was highly expressed on the odontoblasts and dental pulp cells on the first maxillary molar; the expression of p- ERK1/2 is similar with the DLK1 in the same process. The expression level of DLK1 increased significantly after the odontoblastic induction of hDPSCs. DLK1 overexpression increased the proliferation ability of hDPSCs and inhibited odontoblastic differentiation of hDPSCs. The protein level of p- ERK1/2 significantly increased in hDPSCs/dlk1-oe group. ERK signalling pathway inhibitor reversed the odontoblastic differentiation effects of DLK1 on hDPSCs. Conclusions The proliferation of hDPSCs was promoted after DLK1 overexpression. DLK1 inhibited the odontoblastic differentiation of hDPSCs, which maybe through ERK signalling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The viability of periodontal ligament fibroblasts ( PDLF) can affect the long-term prognosis of replanted avulsed teeth. When immediate replantation of an avulsed tooth is not possible, the cells should be incubated in a physiological storage medium instantly to maintain their biological activity. The ability of different storage media to preserve PDLF viability has been previously evaluated. However, few studies have showed the effect of temperature on the viability of PDLF cultured with various storage media in vitro. Material and Methods This study was designed to measure PDLF activity by CCK-8 assay to compare the effectiveness at 4, 22 (room temperature), and 37°C under various storage media. Results Statistical analysis demonstrated that tap water, saline, and saliva decreased cell viability as the storage temperature increased. But the temperature played only a minor role on cell viability when cells were incubated in Hank's balanced salt solution ( HBSS), Dubelco's modified Eagle's medium ( DMEM), or milk. Conclusions Within the parameters of this study, it seems that room temperature is adequate for storing the avulsed teeth in HBSS, DMEM, or milk in the extra-alveolar period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]