Potential Applications of Blautia wexlerae in the Regulation of Host Metabolism

Blautia wexlerae (B. wexlerae) is a strong candidate with the potential to become a next-generation probiotics (NGPs) and has recently been shown for the first time to exhibit potential in modulating host metabolic levels and alleviating metabolic diseases. However, the factors affecting the change in abundance of B. wexlerae and the pattern of its abundance change in the associated indications remain to be further investigated. Here, we summarize information from published studies related to B. wexlerae; analyze the effects of food source factors such as prebiotics, probiotics, low protein foods, polyphenols, vitamins, and other factors on the abundance of B. wexlerae; and explore the patterns of changes in the abundance of B. wexlerae in metabolic diseases, neurological diseases, and other diseases. At the same time, the development potential of B. wexlerae was evaluated in the direction of functional foods and special medical foods.

Evaluating the Role of Postbiotics in the Modulation of Human Oral Microbiota: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial

There is a lack of clinical data to support the effectiveness and safety of postbiotics in the modulation of human oral microbiota and oral health care. Here, volunteers were recruited and randomly assigned to two cohorts: a placebo group (n = 15) and a postbiotic group (n = 16). The placebo group used toothpaste that did not contain postbiotics, while the postbiotic group used toothpaste with postbiotics (3 × 1010 CFU inactivated Lactobacillus salivarius LS97, L. paracasei LC86, and L. acidophilus LA85). Saliva samples were collected at different time points and the immunoglobulin A (IgA) and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels were determined, while the salivary microbiota was analyzed by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. The results showed that salivary IgA levels and acetic and propionic acid levels were notably higher in the postbiotic group (P < 0.05), accompanied by an increase in the level of alpha diversity of the salivary microbiota, and these indexes remained high 1 month after discontinuing the use of toothpaste with or without postbiotics. A notable decrease in the relative abundance of the unclassified_Enterobacteriaceae, Klebsiella, Escherichia, etc. in the postbiotic group was accompanied by a notable increase in Ruminofilibacter and Lactobacillus. However, both groups did not cause significant changes in the overall structure of the host salivary microbiota. In conclusion, postbiotics dramatically and consistently improved oral immunity levels and SCFA content in the host. In addition, postbiotics were able to increase the level of microbial alpha diversity and down-regulate the abundance of some harmful microbes without significantly altering the structure of the host salivary microbiota. Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR) ( www.chictr.org.cn ) under the registration number ChiCTR2300074088.

Structural elucidation of a non-starch polysaccharides from Lilii Bulbus and its protective effects against corticosterone-induced neurotoxicity in PC12 cells

Lilii Bulbus is a folk medicine for both culinary and medicinal purpose. In traditional medicine theory, Lilii Bulbus is usually used as an complementary therapy for nourishing the heart and lung, clearing heat in the treatment of mental instability and depression. In this study, NLPS-1a (Mw = 2610 Da, DP = 16), a water-soluble non-starch Lilii Bulbus polysaccharides, was isolated and purified. Structural analysis showed that NLPS-1a mainly contained Man and Glc with a molar ratio of 11.137 and 9.427. The glycosidic linkages of NLPS-1a were 1,3-Manp (59.93%), 1,2-Glcp (37.93%), T-Glcp (1.21%) and T-Manp (0.93%), indicating the highly-linear structures. In addition, NLPS-1a could significantly repair the injury of PC12 cells induced by corticosterone (CORT), reduce Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage and decrease the cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Above all, the results indicated that NLPS-1a had protective effects against CORT-induced neurotoxicity in PC12 cells, and might be a natural antidepressant, which enriched the study of the metabolic mechanism between herbal polysaccharides and antidepressant.

Preparation of Lycium barbarum Active Glycopeptide and Investigation of Its Apoptotic Effects on Melanoma

INTRODUCTION

The increasing number of studies have shown that Lycium barbarum polysaccharides possess anti-tumor effects. However, the determination of the active ingredients and their mechanism against melanoma inhibition are still unknown.

METHODS

In this study, we aimed to investigate the mechanisms of action of Lycium barbarum active glycopeptide (LBAG) on melanoma. LBAG was extracted and isolated from the fruit of Lycium barbarum using aqueous alcoholic precipitation and identified using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time of flightmass spectrometry. Various assays including cell apoptosis, cell cycle analysis, colony formation assay, cell scratch test, flow cytometry, and Western blot were performed to evaluate the effects of LBAG on melanoma.

RESULTS

The results showed that LBAG has a molecular weight of 10-15 kDa and contains Man, Rha, GlcA, Glc, Gal, and Ara18 amino acids. Treatment with LBAG significantly decreased B16 cell proliferation and induced cell cycle arrest at the G0/G phase, accompanied by the accumulation of reactive oxygen species. Western blot analysis revealed that the phosphorylation of P38-MAPK and AKT, as well as the expression of N-acetyl-Lcysteine, were related to cell apoptosis and cell cycle regulation. In mouse xenografts, LBAG inhibited tumor growth through the P38-MAPK and AKT signaling pathways.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, the anti-melanoma activity of LBAG may induce apoptosis in cancer cells through ROSmediated activation of the P38-MAPK and AKT signaling pathways. These findings provide a foundation for further research on the anti-melanoma potential of LBAG.

Structural changes of polysaccharides from Astragulus after honey processing and their bioactivities on human gut microbiota

BACKGROUND

Astragali Radix (also known as Astragulus) is a traditional medicinal and edible homologous plant for tonifying Qi. Honey-processed Astragalus is a dosage form of Astragali Radix processed with honey, which exhibited better efficacy of tonifying Qi than the raw product. Polysaccharides are their main active components.

RESULTS

APS2a and HAPS2a were initially isolated from Astragulus and honey-processed Astragulus. Both of them are highly branched acidic heteropolysaccharides containing ɑ-configuration and β-configuration glycosidic bonds. The molecular weight and the molecular dimension of HAPS2a decreased and the GalA contained in APS2a was converted to Gal in HAPS2a. The α-configuration galactose residue 1,3,4-α-Galp in the backbone of APS2a was converted to the corresponding β-configuration galactose residue 1,3,4-β-Galp in the backbone of HAPS2a and the uronic acid residue T-α-GalpA in the sidechain of APS2a was converted to the corresponding neutral residue T-α-Galp in the side chain of HAPS2a. Bioactivity results showed that HAPS2a had better probiotic effects on Bacteroides ovatus, Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron, Bifidobacterium longum and Lactobacillus rhamnosus strains than APS2a. After degradation, the molecular weights of HAPS2a and APS2a decreased with the changes in their monosaccharide composition. The contents of total short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and other organic acids in HAPS2a group were higher than APS2a group.

CONCLUSIONS

Two novel high-molecular-weight polysaccharides named APS2a and HAPS2a had different probiotic activities in vitro, which might be due to their structural differences before and after honey processing. Both of them might be possibly used as an immunopotentiator in healthy foods or dietary supplement. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Rapid analysis and identification of dianthrone glycosides in Polygoni Multiflori Caulis based on enrichment of macroporous absorbent resin and UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS

INTRODUCTION

Polygoni Multiflori Caulis (PMC) has been used as a traditional Chinese medicine for a long time in China. However, hepatotoxic events of PMC have been reported in recent years, but the potential toxic compounds have remained unclear. Dianthrones as the secondary plant metabolites were revealed to potential hepatotoxicity in a previous study. However, no reports focused on dianthrones in PMC.

OBJECTIVE

In the quest for exploring potential hepatotoxic compounds in PMC, the aim of this work was to undertake a comprehensive characterisation of dianthrones in PMC.

METHODS

A simple and effective macroporous absorbent resin column chromatography method was established in this study to enrich the minor dianthrones from PMC extracts. Exploration and characterisation of dianthrones in PMC was conducted by an ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS) method and information dependent acquisition (IDA) mode. The aglycones of dianthrone glycosides were further verified by acid hydrolysis method.

RESULTS

Seventy-two dianthrone glycosides and their five aglycones were discovered and tentatively characterised in PMC for the first time, of which 29 dianthrones were identified as potential new compounds. Dianthrone glycosides could be classified into three types according to their aglycone structures, and their fragmentation pathway rules and diagnosed ions were also summarised comprehensively.

CONCLUSION

This was the first comprehensive investigation on dianthrones in PMC. The result would help to fully understand the phytochemical constituents and toxic components in PMC, and highlight the need for further toxicological investigations of the dianthrones in PMC due to their potential hepatotoxicity correlation.

Silica-Coated Fe3O4 Nanoparticles as a Bifunctional Agent for Magnetic Resonance Imaging and ZnII Fluorescent Sensing

Bifunctional magnetic/fluorescent core-shell silica nanospheres (MNPs) encapsulated with the magnetic Fe₃O₄ core and a derivate of 8-amimoquinoline (N-(quinolin-8-yl)-2-(3-(triethoxysilyl) propylamino) acetamide) (QTEPA) into the shell were synthesized. These functional MNPs were prepared with a modified stöber method and the formed Fe₃O₄@SiO₂-QTEPA core-shell nanocomposites are biocompatible, water-dispersible, and stable. These prepared nanoparticles were characterized by X-ray power diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermoelectric plasma Quad II inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID), TG/DTA thermal analyzer (TGA) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Further application of the nanoparticles in detecting Zn²⁺ was confirmed by the fluorescence experiment: the nanosensor shows high selectivity and sensitivity to Zn²⁺ with a 22-fold fluorescence emission enhancement in the presence of 10 μM Zn²⁺. Moreover, the transverse relaxivity measurements show that the core-shell MNPs have T2 relaxivity (r2) of 155.05 mM^-1 S^-1 based on Fe concentration on the 3.0 T scanner, suggesting that the compound can be used as a negative contrast agent for MRI. Further in vivo experiments showed that these MNPs could be used as MRI contrast agent. Therefore, the new nanosensor provides the dual modality of magnetic resonance imaging and optical imaging.

The Role of Cyclophilins in Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Colorectal Cancer

Cyclophilins (Cyps) is a kind of ubiquitous protein family in organisms, which has biological functions such as promoting intracellular protein folding and participating in the pathological processes of inflammation and tumor. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and colorectal cancer (CRC) are two common intestinal diseases, but the etiology and pathogenesis of these two diseases are still unclear. IBD and CRC are closely associated, IBD has always been considered as one of the main risks of CRC. However, the role of Cyps in these two related intestinal diseases is rarely studied and reported. In this review, the expression of CypA, CypB and CypD in IBD, especially ulcerative colitis (UC), and CRC, their relationship with the development of these two intestinal diseases, as well as the possible pathogenesis, were briefly summarized, so as to provide modest reference for clinical researches and treatments in future.

Fluorescence coupled capillary electrophoresis as a strategy for tetrahedron DNA analysis

A strategy based on fluorescence coupled capillary electrophoresis (CE-FL) was developed for analyzing tetrahedron DNA (TD) and TD-doxorubicin (DOX) conjugate. Capillary gel electrophoresis exhibited desirable performance for separating TD and DNA strands. Under the optimized conditions, satisfactory repeatability concerning run-to-run and interday repeatability was obtained, and relative standard deviation value of resolution (n = 6) was 0.64%. Furthermore, the combination of CE and fluorescence detection provided a sensitive platform for quantifying TD concentration and calculating the damage degree of TD. The electrophoretograms indicated that CE-FL was a suitable TD assay method with high specificity and sensitivity. In addition, the application of CE-FL for TD fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) research was also explored. Two types of DNA strands were utilized to interfere the formation of TD. The impact of partially complementary chain and completely complementary chain on FRET signal was explored, and the influence mechanism was discussed. After applying CE-FL for characterizing TD, we also combine CE and FRET to analyze TD-DOX conjugate. CE presented a favourable technique to monitor DOX loading and releasing processes. These noteworthy results offered a stepping stone for DNA nanomaterials assay by using CE-FL.

Capillary electrophoretic method for Staphylococcus aureus detection by using a novel antimicrobial peptide

A novel peptide containing antimicrobial sequence and gelatinase cleavage sites was designed for Staphylococcus aureus detection. Since Staphylococcus aureus could secrete gelatinase, the fluorescein labeled peptide GKRWWKWWRRPLGVRGC could be recognized and cleaved. The obtained products were able to be analyzed by capillary electrophoresis with fluorescence detection. To explore the effect of Staphylococcus aureus concentration on enzyme digestion ability of peptide, Staphylococcus aureus with different concentrations were incubated with the peptide. Results indicated that capillary electrophoretic method was efficient for determining Staphylococcus aureus content. Compared with traditional approaches for Staphylococcus aureus detection, capillary electrophoresis possessed higher efficiency, enhanced sensitivity, and low sample consumption. Moreover, the proposed peptide also presented desirable antimicrobial activity. It suggested that the novel antimicrobial peptide used in this research opens a new path of detecting Staphylococcus aureus by capillary electrophoretic method.

Evaluation of the anti-cervical cancer effect of a prodrug ：CBZ-AAN-DOX with hypoxic cell culture and tumor-bearing zebrafish models

BACKGROUND

Prodrugs are medications or compounds that, after administration, can be converted into pharmacologically active drugs through metabolism. Unlike conventional drugs, prodrugs have reduced adverse or unintended effects, which could become critical limitations in treatments such as chemotherapy. Previously through computer-aided drug design and chemical synthesis, we have obtained and examined a prodrug N-benzyloxycarbonyl-Ala-Asn-Doxorubicin (CBZ-AAN-DOX). CBZ-AAN-DOX is essentially Doxorubicin that is chemically-modified with tripeptides to target Legumain, a highly expressed protein in cancer cells and is involved in tumor metastasis and tumor microvessel formation. The difficulty to test the safety and efficacy of the prodrug (including the pharmacodynamic parameters of CBZ-AAN-DOX on metastasis and invasion of tumors, as well as cardiac and vascular toxicity) primarily comes from the lack of appropriate experimental models.

METHODS

Human cervical cancer cell lines CaSki under hypoxic conditions were used to evaluate the cell viability by CCK-8 assay after the prodrug treatment. Western blotting method was performed for Legumain protein determination in the cell culture. Wound healing and transwell invasion assays were performed to determine the effects of the prodrug on tumor metastasis and invasion, respectively. Zebrafish models were constructed for toxicity and angiogenesis visual analysis after in vivo treatment with the prodrug.

RESULTS

The CCK-8 results showed that CBZ-AAN-DOX exhibits an IC50 of 28.7 μM in 48 h on CaSki cells that had a lower cell inhibition rate than DOX 80.3 μM for 24 h. Legumain expression was significantly increased in a time-dependent manner in 48 h under hypoxia conditions. The results also showed that 13.9 μM of the prodrug significantly inhibited the migration and invasion of cells and the effects were significantly stronger than that of 41.8 μM of DOX under hypoxia conditions after 48 h. The effects of 160 μM of the prodrug on the survival rate of zebrafish after 72 h and heart-toxicity showed no obvious abnormalities. Cell metastasis and angiogenesis were also inhibited in tumor-bearing zebrafish model.

CONCLUSION

The findings in this study demonstrated that CBZ-AAN-DOX is a promising chemotherapy candidate with low toxicity and high efficiency for cervical cancer. Remarkably, the hypoxic culture model together with the zebrafish model serve as a good system for the evaluation of the toxicity, targeting and impact of the prodrug on tumor invasion and metastasis.

Strategies for determining the bioactive ingredients of honey-processed Astragalus by serum pharmacochemistry integrated with multivariate statistical analysis

Honey-processed Astragalus is a widely used traditional Chinese medicine that has a better effect on reinforcing "Qi" (vital energy) than the raw one. A comparative study of metabolites analysis between them in rat serum for finding the bioactive ingredients was carried out using serum pharmacochemistry and multivariate statistical analysis. The blood collection methods and time were optimized first. Then the prototypes and metabolites in serum samples after oral administration were investigated by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry integrated with principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis. The contents of metabolites were also analyzed to evaluate the metabolic profile differences. As a result, nine prototypes and 36 metabolites were identified. Only two prototypes and 15 metabolites were different between raw and honey-processed Astragalus. Their biotransformation reactions contained the process of oxidation, demethylation, and hydrolysis in phase I and glucuronide conjugation or sulfate conjugation in phase II. Most of the detected metabolites were transformed from isoflavones and isoflavanes. Our results expand the knowledge about the influence of honey-processing on Astragalus and suggest the different curative effects between raw and honey-processed Astragalus might due to their therapeutic material discrepancy.

A metabonomics and lipidomics based network pharmacology study of qi-tonifying effects of honey-processed Astragalus on spleen qi deficiency rats

Honey-processed Astragalus is a dosage form of radix Astragali processed with honey, which is deemed to contain better qi-tonifying effects in traditional Chinese medicine theroy. Our previous study has demonstrated that honey-processed Astragalus exhibited a better effect on reinforcing qi (vital energy) and immune improvement toward spleen qi deficiency compared with radix Astragali. However, the detailed mechanisms related to qi-tonifying effects of honey-processed Astragalus is still unclear. In this study, we evaluated the qi-tonifying effects of honey-processed Astragalus on spleen qi deficiency rats and predicted the mechanisms by aggregating metabonomics, lipidomics and network pharmacology. The results revealed that body weights, symptom scores, the levels of red blood cell, white blood cell, lymphocyte, spleen and thymus indexes, and three cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6, IFN-γ) in honey-processed Astragalus treated rats were improved in comparison with spleen qi deficiency rats. In parallel, based on the 26 biomarkers screened in metabonomics and lipidomics, we inferred that glycerophospholipid metabolism significantly regulated in pathway analysis was connected with qi-tonifying effects. Moreover, the network pharmacology analysis concluded that the compounds targets of honey-processed Astragalus CDK2, NOS3, MAPK14, PTGS1 and PTGS2 interacted with markers targets PLA2G(s) family and LYPLA1 could be responsible for regulation of glycerophospholipid metabolism to develop qi-tonifying effects. What's more, the above processes were possibly through VEGF signaling and MAPK signaling pathways.

Differential Constituents in Roots, Stems and Leaves of Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. Screened by UPLC/ESI-Q-TOF-MS and Multivariate Statistical Analysis

The differential constituents in leaves, stems and roots of Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. were analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/ESI-Q-TOF-MS) and by multivariate statistical analysis. The established extraction and analysis method showed relative standard deviations (RSDs) for intra-day precision of less than 3.40%, for repeatability of less than 4.06% and for stability of less than 5.10%. Principal component analysis and orthogonal projections to latent structures discriminant analysis of the UPLC/ESI-Q-TOF-MS data showed good ability to classify the leaves, stems and roots of P. multiflorum Thunb. The differential constituents, such as stilbenes, polygoacetophenoside, flavonoids and anthraquinones, accounting for variations between the leaves, stems and roots, were filtered through the variable importance in projection values and were further identified by elemental composition analysis, mass fragmentation data and retention times of available standards. Differences between the chemical compositions in the leaves, stems and roots of P. multiflorum Thunb. were closely related to their various therapeutic effects. This UPLC/ESI-Q-TOF-MS-based analytical strategy could be further utilized to evaluate the overall quality of traditional Chinese medicines and their differences of chemical constituents in different parts of the plant and/or in the plants of different geographical locations.

[Identification of biomarkers in urine of rats with spleen Qi deficiency and biological significance]

To identify biomarkers for spleen Qi deficiency by analyzing small molecule metabolites in urine, in order to expound the relationship between biomarkers and metabolic pathways. The spleen Qi deficiency model was established through dietary restriction and overstrain. All of the rats received D-xylose absorption experiment and blood routine test. Urine samples were collected in the next day. The urine samples were analyzed using UPLC-Q-TOF-MS to obtain the dataset of urine metabolic group. Principal component analysis (PCA), orthogonal partialleast squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) and other multivariate statistical methods were employed to evaluate the quality of the dataset and screen out potential biomarkers of spleen Qi deficiency. The results of D-xylose absorption and blood routine demonstrated that the spleen Qi deficiency model was successfully established. In positive ion mode and negative ion mode, PCA and OPLS-DA score plots could clearly distinguish model group and blank group. According to S-plot of OPLS-DA, VIP value, t-test and area under receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), 24 biomarkers, including phenylalanine, succinic acid, aconitic acid, isocitrate acid, betaine, kynurenine, indole, creatine, creatinine, orotic acid, xanthine, and xanthurenic acid, were identified as associated with the spleen Qi deficiency, mainly involving energy metabolism, amino acid metabolism, tryptophan metabolism, purine metabolism and pyrimidine metabolism. Urine metabolomics method combined with online software package for data processing and analysis metabolic pathway can provide new methods and ideas for studies for spleen Qi deficiency and other traditional Chinese medicine symptoms.

Screening and Identification of the Metabolites of Water Extracts of Raw and Honey-Processed Astragalus in Rat Urine Based on UHPLC/ESI-Q-TOF-MS and Multivariate Statistical Analysis

Radix Astragali is a famous traditional Chinese medicine and honey-processed Astragalus is a product of Radix Astragali acquired by honey-processing. These two products are widely utilized to treat various diseases. In this study, we screened bioactive components and metabolites of raw and honey-processed Astragalus in rat urine by ultra-performance liquid chromatography equipped with electrospray ionization/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC/ESI-Q-TOF-MS) combined with multivariate statistical analysis. In total, 62 compounds, including 7 parent compounds and 55 metabolites, were detected and 11 metabolites were characterized for the first time. The identified metabolites indicated that the metabolic reactions of Astragalus in rats included hydroxylation, glucuronidation, deglucosidation, monomethylation, demethylation, sulfation, hydrogenation, and dehydroxylation. The metabolic pathways of raw and honey-processed Astragalus in rat urine also were clarified. Through multivariate statistical analysis of the data of the raw and honey-processed Astragalus groups, we found that 20 compounds were differential components and that 1 metabolite only existed in the honey-processed Astragalus group. The differences in these ingredients between these two groups might provide the basis for interpreting the biologic activity differences in traditional Chinese medicine treatments. Graphical Abstract.

Stable isotope labeling and 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-β-D-glucopyranoside biosynthetic pathway characterization in Fallopia multiflora

The THSG biosynthetic pathway in F. multiflora was characterized, and enzymatic activities responsible for the resveratrol synthesis, hydroxylation, and glycosylation reactions involved in THSG biosynthesis were confirmed in vitro. The biosynthetic origin of 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (THSG) and the enzymes involved in THSG biosynthesis in Fallopia multiflora were studied using stable isotope labeling and biocatalytic methods. UPLC-MS-based analyses were used to unravel the isotopologue composition of the biosynthetic intermediates and products, as well as to detect the products of the enzyme assay experiments. In this study, ¹³C-labeled L-phenylalanine (L-PHE), sodium pyruvate (SP), and sodium bicarbonate (SB) were used as putative precursors in the feeding experiment. Labeling of polydatin (PD) and THSG using [¹³C₉]L-PHE and [¹³C₁]L-PHE confirmed that the p-coumaric moiety of PD and THSG was derived from PHE. The results of the feeding experiments with [¹³C] SB and [2, 3-¹³C₂] SP suggested that PD and THSG were derivatives of resveratrol that were synthesized by glycosylation and hydroxylation. We developed methods using total crude protein extracts (soluble and microsomal) for comprehensive and simultaneous analysis of resveratrol synthase, glycosyltransferase, and hydroxylase activities in various tissue types of wild F. multiflora and callus cultures. The activity of each tested enzyme was confirmed in one or more tissue types or cell cultures in vitro. The results of the enzyme activity experiments and the distributions of PD and THSG were used to determine the main site and pathway of THSG biosynthesis in F. multiflora.

Structure Characterization of Honey-Processed Astragalus Polysaccharides and Its Anti-Inflammatory Activity In Vitro

Honey-processed Astragalus is a dosage form of Radix Astragalus mixed with honey by a traditional Chinese medicine processing method which strengthens the tonic effect. Astragalus polysaccharide (APS), perform its immunomodulatory effects by relying on the tonic effect of Radix Astragalus, therefore, the improved pharmacological activity of honey-processed Astragalus polysaccharide (HAPS) might be due to structural changes during processing. The molecular weights of HAPS and APS were 1,695,788 Da, 2,047,756 Da, respectively, as determined by high performance gel filtration chromatography combined with evaporative light scattering detection (HPGFC-ELSD). The monosaccharide composition was determined by ultra-performance liquid chromatogram quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/ESI-Q-TOF-MS) after pre-column derivatization with 1-phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone (PMP). The results showed that the essential components were mannose, glucose, xylose, arabinose, glucuronic acid and rhamnose, is molar ratios of 0.06:28.34:0.58:0.24:0.33:0.21 and 0.27:12.83:1.63:0.71:1.04:0.56, respectively. FT-IR and NMR analysis of HAPS results showed the presence of uronic acid and acetyl groups. The anti-inflammatory activities of HAPS were more effective than those of APS according to the NO contents and the expression of IFN-γ, IL-1β, IL-22 and TNF-α in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 cells. This findings suggest that the anti-inflammatory and bioactivity improvement might be associated with molecular structure changes, bearing on the potential immunomodulatory action.

Cepharanthine hydrochloride reverses the mdr1 (P-glycoprotein)-mediated esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cell cisplatin resistance through JNK and p53 signals

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is an aggressive malignancy that is often resistant to therapy. Nowadays, chemotherapy is still one of the main methods for the treatment of ESCC. However, the multidrug resistance (MDR)-mediated chemotherapy resistance is one of the leading causes of death. Exploring agents able to reverse MDR, which thereby increase the sensitivity with clinical first-line chemotherapy drugs, could significantly improve cancer treatment. Cepharanthine hydrochloride (CEH) has the ability to reverse the MDR in ESCC and the mechanism involved have not been reported. The aim of the study was to investigate the potential of CEH to sensitize chemotherapeutic drugs in ESCC and explore the underlying mechanisms by in vitro and in vivo studies. Our data demonstrated that CEH significantly inhibited ESCC cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner, induced G2/M phase cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, and increased the sensitivity of cell lines resistant to cisplatin (cDDP). Mechanistically, CEH inhibited ESCC cell growth and induced apoptosis through activation of c-Jun, thereby inhibiting the expression of P-gp, and enhancing p21 expression via activation of the p53 signaling pathway. In this study, we observed that growth of xenograft tumors derived from ESCC cell lines in nude mice was also significantly inhibited by combination therapy. To our knowledge, we demonstrate for the first time that CEH is a potentially effective MDR reversal agent for ESCC, based on downregulation of the mRNA expression of MDR1 and P-gp. Together, these results reveal emphasize CEH putative role as a resistance reversal agent for ESCC.

Predictive value of recurrence for serum hypoxia inducible factor-1α C-reaction protein in hepatocellular carcinoma patients after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization

OBJECTIVES

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the predictive value of recurrence for serum hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), C-reaction protein (CRP) in hepatocellular carcinoma patients after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Fifty-eight hepatocellular carcinoma patients treated with TACE were included in this study from February 2010 to January 2013 as the case group. Of the included 58 cases, 47 patients had recurrence disease, and other 11 cases had no recurrence disease within 2 years follow-up. Moreover, 62 subjects with no benign liver disease were recruited as a control group in the same period. The serum level of HIF-1α and CRP were tested in case group and control group 1-week after TACE. The serum level of HIF-1α and CRP were compared among the recurrence, nonrecurrence, and benign liver disease patients. The predictive value of recurrence for serum HIF-1α, CRP was calculated by Bayes' theorem.

RESULTS

The serum HIF-1α and CRP level was arrayed 1-week after TACE. For recurrence cases, the serum level of HIF-1α and CRP was 2457.00 ± 335.70 pg/ml and 11.46 ± 3.25 mg/L. For nonrecurrence subjects, the serum level of HIF-1α and CRP was 2067.00 ± 175.900 pg/ml and 8.99 ± 1.70 mg/L. Moreover, for the benign liver disease patients, the serum level of HIF-1α and CRP was 1897.00 ± 121.33 pg/ml and 6.11 ± 1.2 mg/L. The serum level of HIF-1α and CRP was significantly higher in hepatocellular carcinoma patients than that of benign liver disease patients (P < 0.05); The recurrence predictive sensitivity and specificity of HIF-1α for hepatocellular carcinoma patients after TACE chemoembolization was 76.60% and 81.82% with the area under the curve (AUC) receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of 0.85; The recurrence predictive sensitivity and specificity of CRP for hepatocellular carcinoma patients after TACE was 65.96% and 63.64% with the AUC/ROC of 0.74.

CONCLUSION

The serum level of HIF-1α and CRP was elevated in recurrence patients which could be a potential marker for recurrence prediction.

B5, a thioredoxin reductase inhibitor, induces apoptosis in human cervical cancer cells by suppressing the thioredoxin system, disrupting mitochondrion-dependent pathways and triggering autophagy

The synthetic curcumin analog B5 is a potent inhibitor of thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) that has potential anticancer effects. The molecular mechanism underlying B5 as an anticancer agent is not yet fully understood. In this study, we report that B5 induces apoptosis in two human cervical cancer cell lines, CaSki and SiHa, as evidenced by the downregulation of XIAP, activation of caspases and cleavage of PARP. The involvement of the mitochondrial pathway in B5-induced apoptosis was suggested by the dissipation of mitochondrial membrane potential and increased expression of pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins. In B5-treated cells, TrxR activity was markedly inhibited with concomitant accumulation of oxidized thioredoxin, increased formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and activation of ASK1 and its downstream regulatory target p38/JNK. B5-induced apoptosis was significantly inhibited in the presence of N-acetyl-l-cysteine. Microscopic examination of B5-treated cells revealed increased presence of cytoplasmic vacuoles. The ability of B5 to activate autophagy in cells was subsequently confirmed by cell staining with acridine orange, accumulation of LC3-II, and measurement of autophagic flux. Unlike B5-induced apoptosis, autophagy induced by B5 is not ROS-mediated but a role for the AKT and AMPK signaling pathways is implied. In SiHa cells but not CaSki cells, B5-induced apoptosis was promoted by autophagy. These data suggest that the anticarcinogenic effects of B5 is mediated by complex interplay between cellular mechanisms governing redox homeostasis, apoptosis and autophagy.

[Cloning and expression of human octamer-binding protein-4 (Oct4) cDNA in Escherichia coli and HEK293T cells]

OBJECTIVE

To clone and express human octamer-binding protein-4 (Oct4) cDNA in Escherichia coli and HEK293T cells.

METHODS

Primers were designed based on the coding sequence for the human Oct4 cDNA. The fragment containing Oct4 gene, amplified by reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) from human HeLa cell cDNA as the template, was subcloned into pET-22b(+) and pcDNA3.1(+) vectors to construct the gene recombinant prokaryotic expression vector pET-22b(+)-Oct4 and eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.1(+)-his-Oct4, respectively. Thereafter, the double enzymes digestion and the target gene sequencing were performed for identification. The prokaryotic expression vector pET-22b(+)-Oct4 and eukaryotic expression vector pcDNA3.1(+)- his-Oct4 from the positive clones were respectively transformed into E.coli BL21 (DE3) and the embryo HEK293T cells for protein expression.

RESULTS

DNA fragments (1100 bp) containing the coding region of Oct4 gene were obtained from RT-PCR. The recombinant expression plasmids were confirmed by enzymes digestion identification and sequencing analysis, proving both of the expression vectors were successfully constructed. SDS-PAGE analysis showed that the molecular mass of OCT4 expressed in the host E.coli BL21 (DE3) was 38 000, which was consistent with the theoretical prediction. Western blotting confirmed the expression of pcDNA3.1(+)-his-Oct4 transfected into HEK293T.

CONCLUSION

Human Oct4 cDNA was cloned and its protein was successfully expressed in E.coli and HEK293T cells.

[UPLC-Q-TOF/MS analysis of phospholipids metabolite profiling in plasma of type 2 diabetes mellitus rat]

This study reported the analysis of plasma phospholipid metabolism of the rats and the pathological biomarkers between the type 2 diabetes model control group (MC) and the normal control group (NC). SD rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: NC and MC. To investigate state of plasma metabolite profiling in normal body, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) model group using UPLC-Q-TOF/MS which was used as analysis tool in this research. The compounds were identified by UPLC-Q-TOF/MS based on MS/MS fragment ions information, element composition in MassLynx 4.1 and the Lipid Maps database. The sign of two groups of samples in specific markers for screening was through a software package in R software (BioMark software). The results show that the pathological markers were mainly phosphatidylcholine (PC) and triglycerides (TG); the 2-acyl PC in the MC group was less more obviously than that in the NC group; high carbon number and high degree of unsaturation of the TG was reduced under the condition of type 2 diabetes. In the state of type 2 diabetes, metabolic changes occurred in rat plasma phospholipids obviously, which had a close relationship with the occurrence and development of T2DM.

Bioactive components of Glycyrrhiza uralensis mediate drug functions and properties through regulation of CYP450 enzymes

Glycyrrhiza uralensis (G. uralensis) is a common medicinal plant that has mainly been used to modulate the pharmaceutical activity of herbal medicines. Although G. uralensis has been shown to affect the expression and activity of the key metabolic enzyme cytochrome P450 (CYP450), the detailed mechanism of this process has yet to be elucidated. The present study aimed to elucidate the effects of bioactive components of G. uralensis on different isoforms of CYP450 and determine the ability of these components to modulate drug properties. In the present study, mRNA levels of CYP1A2, CYP2D6, CYP2E1, and CYP3A4 were investigated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) in HepG2 cells following treatment with the major bioactive compounds of G. uralensis. The activity of CYP450 enzymes was investigated in human liver microsomes using the cocktail probe drug method, and the metabolites of specific probes were detected by UPLC‑MS/MS. The effects of G. uralensis on CYP450 were assessed using bioinformatics network analysis. Several compounds from G. uralensis had various effects on the expression and activity of multiple CYP450 isoforms. The majority of the compounds analysed the inhibited expression of CYP2D6 and CYP3A4. Several CYP isoforms were differentially modulated depending on the specific compound and dose tested. In conclusion, the present study suggested that G. uralensis influenced the expression and activity of CYP450 enzymes. Therefore, caution should be taken when G. uralensis is co‑administered with drugs that are known to be metabolized by CYP450. This study contributed to the knowledge of the mechanisms by which this medicinal plant, commonly known as licorice, modulates drug efficacy.

Rapid identification of glycerophospholipids from RAW264.7 cells by UPLC/ESI -QTOF-MS

The study aims to develop a rapid, sensitive ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with an electrospray ionization quadruple time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF-MS) analytical method for identifying glycerophospholipids (GPLs) from RAW264.7 cells. A total of 78 GPLs including 22 phosphatidylethanolamines (PEs), 49 phosphatidylcholines (PCs), four phosphatidylglycerols, one phosphatidylinositol and two unknown GPLs were identified. PC (14:0/16:1), PC (14:0/16:0), PE (0:0/20:3), PE (22:5/0:0) and PE (22:3/0:0) were identified for the first time. The UPLC/Q-TOF-MS method is suitable for targeting analysis of GPLs from RAW264.7 cells, which allows us to find out new GPLs compositions related to inflammatory diseases and to explain their pharmacological roles in inflammatory process.

Expression of STAT3 and IGF2 in adrenocortical carcinoma and its relationship with angiogenesis

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine the correlation between human adrenocortical carcinoma and the proteins involved in tumor angiogenesis, and to evaluate the angiogenic status of adrenocortical carcinoma.

METHODS

The expression of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 and insulin-like growth factor 2 as well as microvessel density was measured in a series of tissue samples from 44 human sporadic adrenocortical tumors by immunohistochemistry. These specimens were classified as adenomas (n = 20) and carcinomas (n = 24) according to the histological criteria defined by Weiss.

RESULTS

A total of 19 of 24 (79.17 %) malignant cases showed positive staining for signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 and 4 of 20 (20.00 %) benign cases showed positive, the difference of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 expression between adrenocortical adenomas and adrenocortical carcinomas was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Similarly, insulin-like growth factor 2 staining was seen in 70.83 % (17/24) of the malignant cases versus 25.00 % (5/20) of the benign, the difference of insulin-like growth factor 2 expression among two groups was statistically significant (P = 0.002). Malignant cases showed higher microvessel density compared to benign tumors (84.70 ± 12.44 vs 21.05 ± 8.07, P < 0.001). Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 and insulin-like growth factor 2 expression were positively correlated with microvessel density in all specimens (r_s = 0.832, P < 0.001; r_s = 0.703, P = 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

This study has confirmed that adrenocortical carcinoma overexpress signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 and insulin-like growth factor 2; these results suggest that angiogenesis of human adrenocortical carcinoma may be mediated by these proteins and they could represent selective targets for the molecularly targeted treatments of adrenocortical carcinoma.

Two new diterpenoids from Croton crassifolius

Two new clerodane-type diterpenoids were isolated from the roots of Croton crassifolius Geisel. The structures of these compounds were elucidated as 9-[2-(2(5H)-furanone-4-yl)ethyl]-4,8,9-trimethyl-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydronaphthalene-4-carboxylic acid (1) and methyl 9-[2-(2(5H)-furanone-4-yl)ethyl]-4,8,9-trimethyl-1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8-octahydronaphthalene-4-carboxylic ester (2) by spectroscopic methods.

[Analysis of styryllactones from Goniothalamus cheliensis by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS]

OBJECTIVE

To analyze the styryllactone components in Goniothalamus cheliensis Hu (Annonaceae).

METHOD

UPLC-Q-TOF-MS was used to identify the main styryllactone components in G. cheliensis. The chromatographic separation was performed on ACQU ITY UPLC BEH C18 column and eluted by actonitrile and 0.1% acetic acid in water gradiently. The mass spectrometer equipped with electrospray ionization souce was used as detector under the positive ion modes.

RESULT

Twelve styryllactons were identified based on their MS data and published literatures, and the MS fragmentation regularity of the styryllactones was also proposed.

CONCLUSION

It is an accurate and effective method to obtain the structural information of styryllactones.

Separation and identification of diarylheptanoids in supercritical fluid extract of Alpinia officinarum by UPLC-MS-MS

In the present study, ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) coupled to electrospray ionization (ESI(+)) tandem mass spectrometry (MS) was developed to identify and characterize the diarylheptanoids in the supercritical fluid extract (SFE) of Alpinia officinarum. The method established provides good reproducibility of UPLC and shows high precision with all the mass accuracy of less than 5 ppm. The ESI-MS-MS fragmentation behavior of every group and their appropriate characteristic pathways were proposed. On the basis of analyzing the fragmentation pathways, elemental composition provided by software Masslynx, mass data of the standard compounds and the information regarding polarity obtained from retention time data, in all, 23 diarylheptanods were characterized. All of them have been reported in Alpinia officinarum. They were classified into six distinct groups (homologous series). Compared to the references, the fragmentation pathways of the first and second group were detailed much more and complementary. Further more, the fragmentation pathways of the last four groups were firstly discussed. The fragmentation rules deduced and the data provided could aid in the characterization of other diarylheptanoids of these types and would be useful for the further research of diarylheptanoids in Alpinia officinarum or the other plants.

Rapid analysis of the main components of the total glycosides of Ranunculus japonicus by UPLC/Q-TOF-MS

A rapid method for the analysis of the main components of the total glycosides of Ranunculus japonicus (TGOR) was developed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF-MS). The separation analysis was performed on a Waters Acquity UPLC system and the accurate mass of molecules and their fragment ions were determined by Q-TOF MS. Twenty compounds, including lactone glycosides, flavonoid glycosides and flavonoid aglycones, were identified and tentatively deduced on the basis of their elemental compositions, MS/MS data and relevant literature. The results demonstrated that lactone glycosides and flavonoids were the main constituents of TGOR. Furthermore, an effective and rapid pattern was established allowing for the comprehensive and systematic characterization of the complex samples.

Rapid Analysis of the Main Components of the Total Glycosides of Ranunculus japonicus by UPLC/Q-TOF-MS

A rapid method for the analysis of the main components of the total glycosides of Ranunculus japonicus (TGOR) was developed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF-MS). The separation analysis was performed on a Waters Acquity UPLC system and the accurate mass of molecules and their fragment ions were determined by Q-TOF MS. Twenty compounds, including lactone glycosides, flavonoid glycosides and flavonoid aglycones, were identified and tentatively deduced on the basis of their elemental compositions, MS/MS data and relevant literature. The results demonstrated that lactone glycosides and flavonoids were the main constituents of TGOR. Furthermore, an effective and rapid pattern was established allowing for the comprehensive and systematic characterization of the complex samples.

New metabolites of fenofibrate in Sprague-Dawley rats by UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS-based metabolomics coupled with LC-MS/MS

Fenofibrate has been widely used for the treatment of dyslipidaemia with a long history. Species differences of its metabolism were reported, but its metabolites in rodent have not been fully investigated. Urine and plasma samples were collected before and after oral dosages of fenofibrate in Sprague-Dawley rats. Urine samples were subjected to ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS) analysis, and projection to latent structures discriminant analysis was used for the identification of metabolites. New metabolites in urine and plasma were also studied by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The metabolism pathway was studied in rat hepatocytes. Synthesized and purchased authentic compounds were used for metabolite identification by LC-MS/MS. Five ever-reported metabolites were identified and another four new ones were found. Among these new metabolites, fenofibric acid taurine and reduced fenofibric acid taurine indicate new phase II conjugation pathway of fenofibrate.

[Analysis of flavonoids in Rhododendron mariae by UPLC/ Q-TOF-MS]

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the flavonoids in Rhododendron mariae.

METHOD

The constituents in R. mariae were determined by UPLC/Q-TOF-MS. The chromatographic separation was performed on a C18 column (2.1 mm x 50 mm, 1.7 microm) with a gradient elufion of methanol-water containing 0.1% formic acid. The mass specfrometer eqaipped with elecfrospay ionizafion source was usedas defecfor and operated in data was collected under the positive and negative ion modes.

RESULT

Seven constituents were identified as myricetin-3-O-beta-D-gluconside (1), myricetin-3'-O-beta-D-xylopyraoside (2), hyperoside (3), isoquercitrin (4), avicularin (5), quercitroside (6) and quercetin (7).

CONCLUSION

In this study, the main flavonoids in R. mariae were separated by UPLC, and identified through the information of positive ion and negative ion and relative molecular mass which were determined by Q-TOF-MS. It is an accurate and effective method which can be applied for the constituent identification of R. mariae.

Epidermal growth factor receptor expression in neurofibromatosis type 1-related tumors and NF1 animal models

We have found that EGF-R expression is associated with the development of the Schwann cell-derived tumors characteristic of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) and in animal models of this disease. This is surprising, because Schwann cells normally lack EGF-R and respond to ligands other than EGF. Nevertheless, immunoblotting, Northern analysis, and immunohistochemistry revealed that each of 3 malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST) cell lines from NF1 patients expressed the EGF-R, as did 7 of 7 other primary MPNSTs, a non-NF1 MPNST cell line, and the S100(+) cells from each of 9 benign neurofibromas. Furthermore, transformed derivatives of Schwann cells from NF1(-/-) mouse embryos also expressed the EGF-R. All of the cells or cell lines expressing EGF-R responded to EGF by activation of downstream signaling pathways. Thus, EGF-R expression may play an important role in NF1 tumorigenesis and Schwann cell transformation. Consistent with this hypothesis, growth of NF1 MPNST lines and the transformed NF1(-/-) mouse embryo Schwann cells was greatly stimulated by EGF in vitro and could be blocked by agents that antagonize EGF-R function.