Explore the vast range of titles available.

Juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JMML) is a myeloproliferative disorder that predominantly affects infants and young children. Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is standard of care, but post-HSCT relapse is common, highlighting the need for innovative therapies. While adoptive immunotherapy with chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells has improved outcomes for patients with advanced lymphoid malignancies, it has not been comprehensively evaluated in JMML. In the present study, we use bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing, mass spectrometry, and flow cytometry to identify overexpression of CLL-1 (encoded by CLEC12A ) on the cell surface of cells from patients with JMML. We develop immunotherapy with CLL-1 CAR T cells (CLL1CART) for preclinical testing and report in vitro and in vivo anti-leukemia activity. Notably, CLL1CART reduce the number of leukemic stem cells and serial transplantability in vivo. These preclinical data support the development and clinical investigation of CLL-1-targeting immunotherapy in children with relapsed/refractory JMML. JMML is an aggressive hematologic malignancy with myeloproliferative characteristics affecting young children. Here the authors report that C-type lectin-like molecule-1 (CLL-1) is upregulated in JMML and they develop CLL-1 CAR T cells showing in vitro and in vivo anti-JMML activity.

Hibiscus syriacus L. (Rose of Sharon), is the national flower of Korea. H. syriacus has both ornamental and medicinal value, and many cultivars have been exploited for its development. Cytogenomic information is crucial for elucidating chromosomal composition, ploidy, and specific sequence distribution. In this study, chromosome constitution, genome size, and ploidy were analyzed in ten Hibiscus sp. cultivars with different breeding histories using triple-color fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and flow cytometry. Prelabeled oligonucleotide probes (PLOPs) of three universal tandem repeats (5S rDNA, 45S rDNA, and telomeric DNA) were used for FISH. The chromosome length ranged from 1.20 to 4.84 μm, and the chromosome number varied from 2 n  = 84 to 2 n  = 172 with the basic chromosome number x  = 21. Based on chromosome number, FISH signals, and genome size, three cultivars were identified as euploids of tetraploid and hexaploid euploids, and the remaining seven cultivars as aneuploids of tetraploid, hexaploid, and octoploid euploids. The number of 5S rDNA signals was two, three, and four for tetraploid, hexaploid, and octoploid, respectively. Whereas 45S rDNA signals varied from two to five pairs among the cultivars. Genome size (2C) ranged from 4.35 to 4.80 pg in tetraploids, 6.35 to 6.78 pg in hexaploids, and 8.20 to 8.94 pg in octoploids, which corresponded to the ploidy identification using FISH chromosome composition. FISH using PLOPs demonstrated that the nuclear DNA content increased proportionally with the ploidy level, indicating that the chromosome composition and genome size were consistent. The findings will be useful for future genomic research on Hibiscus species breeding and development strategies.

EGF, emitted by the Anchor Cell, patterns six equipotent C. elegans vulval precursor cells to assume a precise array of three cell fates with high fidelity. A group of core and modulatory signaling cascades forms a signaling network that demonstrates plasticity during the transition from naïve to terminally differentiated cells. In this review, we summarize the history of classical developmental manipulations and molecular genetics experiments that led to our understanding of the signals governing this process, and discuss principles of signal transduction and developmental biology that have emerged from these studies.

The six C. elegans vulval precursor cells (VPCs) are induced to form the 3°-3°-2°-1°-2°-3° pattern of cell fates with high fidelity. In response to EGF signal, the LET-60/Ras-LIN-45/Raf-MEK-2/MEK-MPK-1/ERK canonical MAP kinase cascade is necessary to induce 1° fate and synthesis of DSL ligands for the lateral Notch signal. In turn, LIN-12/Notch receptor is necessary to induce neighboring cells to become 2°. We previously showed that, in response to graded EGF signal, the modulatory LET-60/Ras-RGL-1/RalGEF-RAL-1/Ral signal promotes 2° fate in support of LIN-12. In this study, we identify two key differences between RGL-1 and RAL-1. First, deletion of RGL-1 confers no overt developmental defects, while previous studies showed RAL-1 to be essential for viability and fertility. From this observation, we hypothesize that the essential functions of RAL-1 are independent of upstream activation. Second, RGL-1 plays opposing and genetically separable roles in VPC fate patterning. RGL-1 promotes 2° fate via canonical GEF-dependent activation of RAL-1. Conversely, RGL-1 promotes 1° fate via a non-canonical GEF-independent activity. Our genetic epistasis experiments are consistent with RGL-1 functioning in the modulatory 1°-promoting AGE-1/PI3-Kinase-PDK-1-AKT-1 cascade. Additionally, animals lacking RGL-1 experience 15-fold higher rates of VPC patterning errors compared to the wild type. Yet VPC patterning in RGL-1 deletion mutants is not more sensitive to environmental perturbations. We propose that RGL-1 functions to orchestrate opposing 1°- and 2°-promoting modulatory cascades to decrease developmental stochasticity. We speculate that such switches are broadly conserved but mostly masked by paralog redundancy or essential functions.

The importance of involving genetic diversity in breeding has been emphasized for the sustainable and stable utilization of crop genetic resources and preparation for unpredictable future environments. The black raspberry fruit from the genus Rubus is highly consumed owing its flavor and health benefits, but the genetic basis of its cultivars is very limited with insufficient genetic information available. Therefore, breeding programs must focus on the exploitation of genetic diversity of wild crop relatives. We assessed the genetic diversity, population differentiation, and genetic structure of 11 wild relatives of R. coreanus Miq. using 10 microsatellite markers to collect valuable genetic information and propose enhanced strategies for development of breeding populations. The observed and expected heterozygosity were 0.493 and 0.520, respectively. Genetic differentiation among the populations was 0.109. The Mantel test confirmed that wild R. coreanus populations differentiated following isolation by distance. Moreover, Bayesian clustering analysis showed that R. coreanus populations consisted of three genetic clusters, distribution of those showed a geographical tendency. Based on the genetic diversity, private allele frequency, and genetic structure results, we suggest to preferentially include the Chiak, Hamyang, and Jeju populations for construction of a breeding population of the Korean black raspberry.

The effect of light (blue, red, and/or green) generated by light-emitting diodes on shoot regeneration was examined in selected clones, ‘I-476’ and ‘Dorskamp’, of Populus euramericana. We found that a combination of red and blue light produced the highest percentage of shoot regeneration in comparison to monochromic or fluorescent light. Further studies of light quality and in vitro growth of “Dorskamp” plantlets demonstrated the suitability of combinations of red and blue light to improve most of the characteristics studied. Flow cytometry of the leaves showed that 50 % red + 50 % blue light treatment was the most effective for inducing cell division in “Dorskamp”, whereas monochromic red and blue were more effective in “I-476”. Histological studies found that secondary xylem formation increased with the monochromic blue light treatment in the stem of “I-476”, whereas in “Dorskamp”, a combination of red and blue light (70 + 30 %, respectively) was more suitable. Our study demonstrated that combinations of red and blue light increase shoot regeneration and development by stimulation of cell division, although the response may vary among genotypes of the same species. The results of this study can contribute to mass production of the selected clones for forest establishment on reclaimed land and serve as an efficient protocol for genetic transformation of this species.

PurposeThe authors investigated the factors influencing consumer evaluations of advertisements for ethical luxury products that incorporate animal rights and protection concerns. The authors empirically examined how ethical messages influence advertisement persuasiveness through ethical consumer guilt and positively impact consumer evaluations of ethical luxury products. Furthermore, the authors explored the moderating role of consumers’ independent versus interdependent self-construals.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted four experimental studies on the interplay among ethicality, luxury brand positioning and self-construal. Moderated mediation analyses revealed that moral emotions were responsible for the effect of ethical luxury advertisements that address animal welfare on brand attitude.FindingsAdvertisement messages signaling a luxury brand’s ethical efforts increase empathy through ethical consumer guilt, thereby generating favorable attitudes toward luxury products. However, this effect is limited to consumers with independent self-construal in South Korea and the United States of America.Originality/valueThe authors offer novel insights into the roles of ethical consumer guilt and empathy in the positive effects of ethical messages from luxury brands. Furthermore, the authors identified brand type and self-construal as boundary conditions for the effects observed across different consumer groups and markets.

Obesity, characterized by the accumulation of excess adipocytes, is a significant risk factor for type 2 diabetes and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Medicinal plants, including Hibiscus sabdariffa, have been traditionally employed to prevent or treat conditions such as obesity and inflammation due to their safety profile and minimal side effects during long-term use. However, the anti-obesity potential of Hibiscus syriacus, a taxonomically distinct species within the same genus, remains unexplored. In this study, we screened 181 varieties of H. syriacus buds for anti-obesity effects and identified the water extract of the ‘Pyeonghwa’ bud (HPWE) as a potent inhibitor of adipogenesis. Using 3T3-L1 murine pre-adipocyte cells, we demonstrated that HPWE significantly reduced lipid accumulation without inducing cytotoxicity. Mechanistically, HPWE downregulated the expression of key adipogenic signaling proteins and transcription factors, including peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) and CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein alpha (C/EBPα), which serve as molecular markers of adipogenesis. Additionally, in vivo experiments employing a high-fat-diet-induced obesity mouse model using C57BL/6 species confirmed the anti-obesity effects of HPWE. Collectively, these findings suggest that HPWE represents a promising candidate for the prevention of obesity.

The pitch-loblolly pine hybrid ( Pinus rigida  ×  P. taeda ) has useful characteristics of the parents, but its exploitation is hindered by restrictions of conventional breeding and propagation methods. This study was undertaken to establish an effective in vitro system for propagating pitch-loblolly hybrid pine through somatic embryogenesis and to unravel the relationship between the efficiency of embryogenic tissue initiation and zygotic embryo development. To initiate embryogenic tissue, megagametophytes of developing seeds were used as explants. Seeds were collected weekly, examined, and tested during June and July 2004. The medium and seed collection date were the most important factors for the successful somatic embryogenesis of P. rigida  ×  P. taeda . Five embryogenic lines were obtained using a modified P . taeda basal medium, and the highest initiation rate was 0.55%, for seeds collected in 2 weeks, between July 3 and 16. Histological observation revealed that zygotic embryos of those seeds were mostly at the proembryonic stage or in transition to precotyledonary stages. For the successful maturation of somatic embryos, abscisic acid and gellan gum were needed in the medium. The results show that, although further tests and development are required, somatic embryogenesis could provide a viable option for propagating P. rigida  ×  P. taeda hybrids.

The Hibiscus genus of the Malvaceae family is widely distributed and has diverse applications. Hibiscus sinosyriacus is a valuable ornamental tree, but it has not been extensively researched. This study aimed to complete the chloroplast genome of H. sinosyriacus and elucidate its evolutionary relationship with closely related species and genera. The complete chloroplast genome of H. sinosyriacus was found to be 160,892 bp in length, with annotations identifying 130 genes, including 85 coding genes, 37 tRNAs, and 8 rRNAs. Interspecific variations in the Hibiscus spp. were explored, and H. sinosyriacus has species-specific single-nucleotide polymorphisms in four genes. Genome structure analysis and visualization revealed that in the Abelmoschus genus, parts of the large single-copy region, including rps19, rpl22, and rps3, have been incorporated into the inverted repeat region, leading to a duplication and an increase in the number of genes. Furthermore, within the Malvales order, the infA gene remains in some genera. Phylogenetic analysis using the whole genome and coding sequences established the phylogenetic position of H. sinosyriacus. This research has further advanced the understanding of the phylogenetic relationships of Hibiscus spp. and related genera, and the results of the structural and variation studies will be helpful for future research.