Integrated Whole-Transcriptome Profiling and Bioinformatics Analysis of the Polypharmacological Effects of Ganoderic Acid Me in Colorectal Cancer Treatment

A review of anti-tumour effects of Ganoderma lucidum in gastrointestinal cancer

Gastrointestinal (GI) cancer is the most common cancer in the world and one of the main causes of cancer-related death. Clinically, surgical excision and chemotherapy are the main treatment methods for GI cancer, which is unfortunately accompanied with serious adverse reactions and drug toxicity, bringing irreversible damage to patients and seriously affecting the quality of life. Ganoderma lucidum (G. lucidum) has a long history of medicinal and edible use in China. Its bioactive compounds mainly include polysaccharides, triterpenes, and proteins, which have potential anti-tumor activities by inhibiting proliferation, inducing apoptosis, inhibiting metastasis, and regulating autophagy. Currently, there is no in-depth review on the anti-tumor effect of G. lucidum in GI cancer. Therefore, this review is an attempt to compile the basic characteristics, anti-GI caner mechanisms, and clinical application of G. lucidum, aiming to provide a reference for further research on the role of G. lucidum in the prevention and treatment of GI cancer from the perspective of traditional Chinese and western medicine.

The roles of theaflavins in reducing dentin erosion

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of theaflavins [TFs] on the process of dentin erosion and investigation the potential mechanism. For erosion kinetics of the dentin, 7 experimental groups (n = 5) treated with 10% ethanol [EtOH] (negative control) are erosion for 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 d erosion cycles (4 cycles/d). For the effect of TFs on dentin erosion, 6 experimental groups (n = 5) were treated with 1% epigallocatechin gallate [EGCG], 1% chlorhexidine [CHX], 1%, 2%, 4%, and 8% TFs for the 30 s and then subjected to erosion cycles (4 cycles/d for 7 d). The erosive dentin wear (μm) and surface morphology were evaluated and compared by laser scanning confocal microscope and scanning electron microscopy. The matrix metalloproteinase inhibition effects of TFs were investigated using in situ zymography and molecular docking. TFs-treated collagen was investigated by ultimate microtensile strength, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, and molecular docking. Data were analyzed by ANOVA, Tukey's test (P < 0.05). The TFs-treated groups (7.56 ± 0.39, 5.29 ± 0.61, 3.28 ± 0.33, and 2.62 ± 0.99 μm for 1%, 2%, 4%, and 8% TFs) had significantly lower erosive dentin wear than the negative control group (11.23 ± 0.82 μm), and the effect was concentration-dependent at low concentrations (P < 0.05). TFs inhibit matrix metalloproteinase [MMP]. Moreover, TFs crosslink dentin collagen and cause hydrophilic changes in dentin collagen. TFs preserve organic matrix within the demineralized dentin by inhibiting MMP activity and simultaneously improving collagen's resistance to enzymes, both of which contribute to preventing or slowing down the progression of dentin erosion.

Common Genetic Factors and Pathways in Alzheimer's Disease and Ischemic Stroke: Evidences from GWAS

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and ischemic stroke (IS) are common neurological disorders, and the comorbidity of these two brain diseases is often seen. Although AD and IS were regarded as two distinct disease entities, in terms of different etiologies and clinical presentation, recent genome-wide association studies (GWASs) revealed that there were common risk genes between AD and IS, indicating common molecular pathways and their common pathophysiology. In this review, we summarize AD and IS risk single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and their representative genes from the GWAS Catalog database, and find thirteen common risk genes, but no common risk SNPs. Furthermore, the common molecular pathways associated with these risk gene products are summarized from the GeneCards database and clustered into inflammation and immunity, G protein-coupled receptor, and signal transduction. At least seven of these thirteen genes can be regulated by 23 microRNAs identified from the TargetScan database. Taken together, the imbalance of these molecular pathways may give rise to these two common brain disorders. This review sheds light on the pathogenesis of comorbidity of AD and IS, and provides molecular targets for disease prevention, manipulation, and brain health maintenance.

Transcriptome Sequencing Analysis of the Effect of β-Elemene on Colorectal Cancer from the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA Perspective

Object. β-Elemene is an emerging antitumor Chinese medicine, but the exact mechanism of action of β-elemene in colorectal cancer (CRC) remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the mechanism of the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network in the process of β-elemene inhibiting CRC. Methods. RNA sequencing was performed on CRC cells from the control group (untreated) and the case group (β-elemene-treated). According to the sequencing data, we screened the differentially expressed (DE) lncRNAs, miRNAs, and mRNAs and then analyzed them by functional enrichment analyses. Through the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network, the key miRNAs and mRNAs involved in the process of β-elemene inhibiting CRC were further identified. Results. Totally, 607 upregulated and 599 downregulated DElncRNAs, 12 downregulated and 24 upregulated DEmiRNAs, and 3153 downregulated and 3248 upregulated DEmRNAs were identified. Through the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network, 3 miRNAs (miR-7109-3p, miR-4506, and miR-3182), 7 prognostic mRNAs (ALPG, DTX1, HOXD13, RIMS3, SLC16A8, SYT1, and TNNT1), and 2 key mRNAs (RIMS3 and SLC16A8) were determined to participate in the inhibitory mechanism of β-elemene in CRC. Conclusion. This study revealed for the first time that the lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network is involved in the regulation of β-elemene in CRC, and these identified miRNAs and mRNAs could be new clinical prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for CRC patients.