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Background: Celiac disease (CD) is an autoimmune disorder triggered by an abnormal immunological response to gluten ingestion and is associated with deregulated expression of cellular microRNAs (miRNAs) of the gut mucosa. It is frequently misdiagnosed as lactose intolerance (LI) due to symptom resemblance. Microvilli loss may be counteracted by a rigorous gluten-free diet (GFD). Aims: To identify altered extracellular vesicle miRNAs from plasma among CD patients on GFD (n=34), lactose intolerant individuals on restrictive diet (n=14) and controls (n=23), and to predict biological pathways in which these altered miRNAs may play a part. Methods: Five different small RNA samples of each group were pooled twice and then screened by new-generation sequencing. Four miRNAs were selected to be quantified by RT-qPCR in the entire sample. Results: The levels of four miRNAs – miR-99b-3p, miR-197-3p, miR-223-3p, and miR-374b-5p – differed between CD patients and controls (P

Plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) can enhance plant health by facilitating nutrient uptake, nitrogen fixation, protection from pathogens, stress tolerance and/or boosting plant productivity. The genetic determinants that drive the plant–bacteria association remain understudied. To identify genetic loci highly correlated with traits responsive to PGPB, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using an Arabidopsis thaliana population treated with Azoarcus olearius DQS-4T. Phenotypically, the 305 Arabidopsis accessions tested responded differently to bacterial treatment by improving, inhibiting, or not affecting root system or shoot traits. GWA mapping analysis identified several predicted loci associated with primary root length or root fresh weight. Two statistical analyses were performed to narrow down potential gene candidates followed by haplotype block analysis, resulting in the identification of 11 loci associated with the responsiveness of Arabidopsis root fresh weight to bacterial inoculation. Our results showed considerable variation in the ability of plants to respond to inoculation by A. olearius DQS-4T while revealing considerable complexity regarding statistically associated loci with the growth traits measured. This investigation is a promising starting point for sustainable breeding strategies for future cropping practices that may employ beneficial microbes and/or modifications of the root microbiome.

MicroRNAs derived from extracellular vesicles (EV-miRNAs) are circulating miRNAs considered as potential new diagnostic markers for cancer that can be easily detected in liquid biopsies. In this study, we performed RNA sequencing analysis as a screening strategy to identify EV-miRNAs derived from serum of clinically well-annotated breast cancer (BC) patients from the south of Brazil. EVs from three groups of samples (healthy controls (CT), luminal A (LA), and triple-negative (TNBC)) were isolated from serum using a precipitation method and analyzed by RNA-seq (screening phase). Subsequently, four EV-miRNAs (miR-142-5p, miR-150-5p, miR-320a, and miR-4433b-5p) were selected to be quantified by quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) in individual samples (test phase). A panel composed of miR-142-5p, miR-320a, and miR-4433b-5p distinguished BC patients from CT with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.8387 (93.33% sensitivity, 68.75% specificity). The combination of miR-142-5p and miR-320a distinguished LA patients from CT with an AUC of 0.9410 (100% sensitivity, 93.80% specificity). Interestingly, decreased expression of miR-142-5p and miR-150-5p were significantly associated with more advanced tumor grades (grade III), while the decreased expression of miR-142-5p and miR-320a was associated with a larger tumor size. These results provide insights into the potential application of EVs-miRNAs from serum as novel specific markers for early diagnosis of BC.