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Psoriasis is an inflammatory dermatosis that features overproliferation and inflammatory reaction of keratinocytes. A study reported that IL-22 is involved in the pathogenesis of psoriasis by mediating miR-124 to regulate the expression of fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 in keratinocytes. A microRNA may target multiple target genes. Therefore, we speculate that miR-124-3p may also target other downstream genes to affect IL -22-induced keratinocyte function. A possible target gene of miR-124-3p, growth factor receptor-bound protein 2 (GRB2), was screened by analyzing the target gene databases. GRB2 expression was elevated and miR-124-3p expression was decreased in psoriatic lesions compared to psoriatic adjacent normal skins and healthy controls. We performed the following cell experiments in the IL-22-stimulated HaCaT cell model. In keratinocytes transfected with the miR-124-3p mimics, GRB2 expression was significantly lower. We analyzed the regulation of keratinocyte proliferation by GRB2 and miR-124-3p. High levels of GRB2 promoted keratinocyte proliferation and expression of Ki67, PCNA, and K16, which were inhibited by low expression of GRB2. In addition, we found that the effect of GRB2 inhibitors on the proliferation and inflammatory response of keratinocytes was dose-dependent. Finally, we investigated the influence of GRB2 on inflammatory mediators in keratinocytes with the ELISA. After low expression of GRB2, the mRNA expression and secretion of the pro-inflammatory factor were suppressed. When both GRB2 and miR-124-3p were overexpressed, the cellular overproliferation and inflammation caused by GRB2 overexpression were significantly reversed by miR-124-3p. In summary, IL-22-mediated miR-124-3p regulates keratinocyte hyperproliferation and inflammatory response by suppressing GRB2 expression in psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Psoriasis is a prevalent chronic inflammatory dermatosis characterized by the excessive proliferation of keratinocytes (KCs). Lysine 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation (Khib) is a newly identified post-translational modification that regulates various biological processes. Abnormal Khib modification has been associated with the development of autoimmune diseases. Objectives To investigate the abnormal Khib modification profile and its pathogenic role in psoriasis. Methods Liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry was used to analyse Khib-modified proteins in the epidermis of psoriasis lesions and healthy control skin. Mutated cells and mice with downregulated Khib modification of ErbB3 binding protein 1 (EBP1) at amino acid 210 (EBP1Khib210) were generated, to investigate the functional effects of EBP1Khib210 in psoriasis. Results Omics analysis revealed dysregulation of Khib modification in psoriatic lesions, exhibiting a distinct profile compared with controls. We found downregulation of EBP1Khib210 in psoriatic lesions and mice with imiquimod-induced psoriasis. Notably, expression of EBP1Khib210 was upregulated in patients with psoriasis following effective treatment. Decreased EBP1Khib210 enhanced KC viability, proliferation and survival but inhibited apoptosis in vitro. Additionally, Pa2g4 K210A mice with downregulated Ebp1Khib210 exhibited more severe psoriatic lesions and enhanced KC proliferation. Moreover, we found that the EBP1K210A mutation increased the interaction between EBP1 and nuclear protein kinase B (Akt), thereby inhibiting mouse double minute 2-mediated transcription initiation factor IA (TIF-IA) ubiquitination and resulting in increased rRNA synthesis and KC proliferation. Downregulation of EBP1Khib210 was attributed to an inflammation-induced increase in histone deacetylase 2 expression. Conclusions Downregulation of EBP1Khib210 promoted KC proliferation by modulating Akt signalling and TIF-IA-mediated rRNA synthesis. These insights into Khib modification provide better understanding of the pathogenesis of psoriasis and suggest potential therapeutic targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Serine protease inhibitors (Serpins) are a protein superfamily of protease inhibitors that are thought to play a role in the regulation of inflammation, immunity, tumorigenesis, coagulation, blood pressure and cancer metastasis. Serpins is enriched in the skin and play a vital role in modulating the epidermal barrier and maintaining skin homeostasis. Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory immune-mediated skin disease. At present, most serpins focus on the pathogenesis of psoriasis vulgaris. Only a small number, such as the mutation of SerpinA1/A3/B3, are involved in the pathogenesis of GPP. SerpinA12 and SerpinG1 are significantly elevated in the serum of patients with psoriatic arthritis, but their specific mechanism of action in psoriatic arthritis has not been reported. Some Serpins, including SerpinA12, SerpinB2/B3/B7, play multiple roles in skin barrier function and pathogenesis of psoriasis. The decrease in the expression of SerpinA12, SerpinB7 deficiency and increase in expression of SerpinB3/4 in the skin can promote inflammation and poor differentiation of keratinocyte, with damaged skin barrier. Pso p27, derived from SerpinB3/B4, is an autoantigen that can enhance immune response in psoriasis. SerpinB2 plays a role in maintaining epidermal barrier integrity and inhibiting keratinocyte proliferation. Here we briefly introduce the structure, functional characteristics, expression and distribution of serpins in skin and focus on the regulation of serpins in the epidermal barrier function and the pathogenic role of serpins in psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) plays an important role in the development of animal husbandry in the karst region of southwestern China, and karst environmental stress has a significant impact on the germination of alfalfa seeds. This study subjected alfalfa seeds to calcium salt stress (0–100 mM), drought stress (0–0.53 MPa), and pH stress (pH 3–9). Germination indicators (germination rate, germination potential, germination index, and vigor index), seedling morphological indicators (shoot length and root length), and biomass indicators were measured to assess seed stress resistance. The results showed that mild drought stress (5% PEG solution) and weak alkaline stress (pH 8) promoted seed germination, and a 20 mM CaCl2 solution significantly increased the germination rate. The root system of seedlings was more sensitive to the three types of stress. Under moderate calcium stress (40 mM), only a slight decrease in tissue water content was observed. Under moderate drought stress (10% PEG), fresh weight and tissue water content decreased, but dry weight significantly increased. Under alkaline stress (pH 9), both biomass indicators and tissue water content increased. This study provides a theoretical reference for selecting plants suitable for cultivation in karst environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) is a key forage species in warm temperate to subtropical regions worldwide. Climate change poses significant challenges to agriculture, particularly through drought and heat stress, which adversely affect ryegrass yield and may be further exacerbated by global warming. Despite numerous research achievements in recent years, a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of the literature on drought and heat stress in perennial ryegrass is lacking. This study provides a quantitative analysis of relevant literature published from 1994 to 2024, utilizing the Web of Science database to evaluate global research trends and priorities. The results indicate a consistent annual growth in publication output, with China and the United States being major contributors, and the journal Crop Science publishing the most papers. Keyword analysis shows that "growth," "endophytic fungi," and "yield" are most frequently used in drought stress research, while "growth," "gene," and "leaf" are common in heat stress research. Over the past 30 years, research has mainly focused on phenotype, response mechanisms, and drought and heat resistance techniques in perennial ryegrass. Endophyte have become a hot topic in drought stress research in recent years and have also gained attention in heat stress research, suggesting future research directions in this area. Furthermore, there is a need to strengthen research on the molecular mechanisms associated with drought stress in ryegrass, as well as to explore molecular responses to heat stress. The research trend shows increasing attention to the interaction between drought and heat stress, indicating it will become an important direction for future studies. The findings of this study offer valuable insights for guiding future research on perennial ryegrass under drought and heat stress conditions and provide useful information for researchers in related fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Psoriasis is a prevalent skin disease affecting approximately 1%–3% of the population and imposes significant medical, social and economic burdens. Psoriasis involves multiple organs and is often complicated with obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypertension. Because of the benefits of lipid-lowering agents and antidiabetic medications for psoriasis, metabolic abnormalities possibly play a pathogenic role in psoriasis. Objective: This review focuses on the impacts of a variety of metabolic disorders on psoriasis and the underlying mechanisms. Results: In psoriasis, enhanced glycolysis, glutamine metabolism and altered fatty acid composition in the psoriatic lesion and plasma result in the excessive proliferation of keratinocytes and secretion of inflammatory cytokines. Altered metabolism is associated with the activation of MTORC signaling pathway and transcription factors such as HIF and S6K1. Therefore, MTORC1 can be a target for the treatment of psoriasis. Additionally, there are diabetes drugs and lipid-lowering drugs including TZDs, GLP-1 RAs, Metformin, statins and fibrates, which improve both metabolic levels and psoriasis symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oat is an important crop widely distributed in temperate zones and is also commonly planted in the karst areas of southwest China. However, due to severe rocky desertification, the complex soil in this area is characterized by high calcium content, alkaline conditions, and drought, which significantly negatively impact the growth of oat seedlings. To study the adaptability of oats to rocky desertification stress at the seedling stage, we investigated the effects of CaCl2 (0–150 mM), the pH (3–9), and drought stress (PEG-6000 solution at 0 to −0.79 MPa) on seed germination and seedling growth. The results showed that (1) calcium stress had dual effects on seed germination within the range of 5–150 mM CaCl2. Low concentrations of CaCl2 (5 mM) promoted the germination potential, germination rate, germination index, and vigor index of oats, as well as the growth and biomass accumulation of radicles in oat seedlings; however, high concentrations of CaCl2 inhibited these germination parameters. (2) Under drought stress, moderate concentrations of a PEG-6000 solution significantly improved the germination potential and germination rate of oat seeds, but the germination index and vigor index decreased with an increasing PEG-6000 concentration. When the PEG-6000 concentration corresponded to −0.06 MPa, the root growth and fresh weight accumulation of oat seedlings were significantly promoted; however, as the concentration increased to −0.53 MPa and –0.79 MPa, seed germination and seedling growth were significantly inhibited. (3) pH treatments had no significant effect on oat seed germination, but all growth indexes of oats showed a downward trend under alkaline conditions. These results suggest that suitable conditions for oat planting in karst rocky desertification areas are 5 mM CaCl2, pH levels of 5–8, and drought stress between 0 and −0.32 MPa. This study provides a theoretical basis for oat introduction, cultivation, and stress-resistant breeding in this area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smart windows have come to the fore in modern buildings and intelligent information equipment drawing upon their dynamic control over light transmission. Liquid crystals tactfully manipulate light transmission depending on their microcosmic molecular orientations, emerging as new favorite functional materials for smart windows. However, most liquid crystal window technologies require continuous electricity for operation in luminous transparency and still perform a trade‐off between film formation performance and dimming functions. As key components of building structures, windows shall be kept transparent for an extended period. For the convenience of large‐scale processing, polymer matrices are indispensable. Given that, reverse‐operation‐mode dimming films, which are transparent to achieve daylighting in their natural or no power‐input states and become opaque to block sunlight through electric input on demand, are highly desired. Here, by introducing a photolabile amine, the synchronous light‐induced formation of polymer networks and enhancement of electrohydrodynamic instabilities in mesogenic materials is successfully executed. Relying on this creative and effective approach, reverse‐operation‐mode polymer network liquid crystal films having simultaneous modulation capability of visible light and near‐infrared light from solar irradiation are skillfully fabricated, promising applications in versatile energy‐saving smart windows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psoriasis is a genetically and environmentally induced inflammatory skin disease whose pathogenesis has not yet been elucidated. The kynurenine pathway is one of the metabolic pathways of tryptophan, which plays a unique connecting role between biochemistry and immunology. It is crucial for the survival activity and activation and proliferation of T lymphocytes, and it has been found that the levels of enzymes and metabolites in the kynurenine pathway are elevated in psoriasis lesions. This article reviews the role of the kynurenine pathway in psoriasis, which contributes to the understanding of the pathogenesis of psoriasis from a new perspective and is expected to provide new therapeutic targets for psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]