Constructing a Myxobacterial Natural Product Database to Facilitate NMR-Based Metabolomics Bioprospecting of Myxobacteria

Myxobacteria are fascinating prokaryotes featuring a potent capacity for producing a wealth of bioactive molecules with intricate chemical topology as well as intriguing enzymology, and thus it is critical to developing an efficient pipeline for bioprospecting. Herein, we construct the database MyxoDB, the first public compendium solely dedicated to myxobacteria, which enabled us to provide an overview of the structural diversity and taxonomic distribution of known myxobacterial natural products. Moreover, we demonstrated that the cutting-edge NMR-based metabolomics was effective to differentiate the biosynthetic priority of myxobacteria, whereby MyxoDB could greatly streamline the dereplication of multifarious known compounds and accordingly speed up the discovery of new compounds. This led to the rapid identification of a class of linear di-lipopeptides (archangimins) and a rare rearranged sterol (corasterol) that were endowed with unique chemical architectures and/or biosynthetic enzymology. We also showcased that NMR-based metabolomics, MyxoDB, and genomics can also work concertedly to accelerate the targeted discovery of a polyketidic compound pyxipyrrolone C. All in all, this study sets the stage for the discovery of many more novel natural products from underexplored myxobacterial resources.

[GAO Shu-zhong's clinical experience in "seeking yin from yang needling method" based on "qi street" and "four seas" theories]

The paper introduces professor GAO Shu-zhong's understanding on "seeking yin from yang needling method" and its clinical application on the basis of "qi street" and "four seas" theories. Through professor GAO's clinical practice for years, he integrates and extendes the theories of "seeking yin from yang", "qi street" and "four seas" in Huangdi Neijing (The Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic). In this specific acupuncture method, in reference with the theories of "qi street" and "four seas", acupuncture is exerted on yang part of body, e.g. the back and lumber region to treat the diseases of yin parts, e.g. the chest and abdomen, which is differentiated as yin-yang imbalance in pathogenesis. In order to fully explain the clinical curative effect of "seeking yin from yang needling method", the common diseases in clinic, e.g. the disorders of heart, spleen and stomach systems, as well as the gynecology are taken as examples in the paper.

[Effects of tumor protein translation control antisense RNA1 on radiosensitivity, proliferation, migration and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by targeting miR-30c-5p]

Objective: To investigate the effects of tumor protein translation control antisense RNA1 (TPT1-AS1) on the radiosensitivity, cell proliferation, migration and invasion of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by targeting microRNA-30c-5p (miR-30c-5p). Methods: Thirty-four cases of liver cancer tissues and adjacent normal tissues were derived from liver cancer patients who were admitted to Shanxi Provincial People's Hospital from March 2016 to March 2018. Liver cancer HepG2 cell was transfected with negative control siRNA (si-NC group), si-TPT1-AS1 (si-TPT1-AS1 group), pcDNA3.1 (pcDNA3.1 group), pcDNA3.1-TPT1-AS1 (pcDNA3.1-TPT1-AS1 group), si-TPT1-AS1 and anti-miR-NC (si-TPT1-AS1+ anti-miR-NC group), si-TPT1-AS1 and anti-miR-30c-5p (si-TPT1-AS1+ anti-miR-30c-5p group), respectively. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to detect the transcription levels of TPT1-AS1 and miR-30c-5p in normal tissues adjacent to cancer and liver cancer tissues, the clone formation test was used to test the radiosensitivity of HepG2 cells, and the Methyl Thiazolyl Tetrazolium (MTT) test was used to test the proliferation of HepG2 cells. Cell cycle distribution was detected by flow cytometry, Transwell array was used to detect the migration and invasion ability of HepG2 cells, dual luciferase reporter array was used to verify the targeting relationship of TPT1-AS1 and miR-30c-5p, western blot was used to detect the expressions of proliferation, migration and invasion-related proteins. Results: The expression levels of TPT1-AS1 and miR-30c-5p in liver cancer tissues were 0.84±0.08 and 0.13±0.01, statistically different from 0.31±0.03 and 0.50±0.05 in normal tissues adjacent to cancer (P<0.05). When the cells were treated with 2, 4, 6, 8 Gy irradiation, the cell survival scores of the si-TPT1-AS1 group were 0.280±0.040, 0.069±0.011, 0.020±0.003 and 0.005±0.001, respectively, lower than 0.648±0.070, 0.348±0.080, 0.130±0.020 and 0.060±0.009 of the si-NC group (P<0.05), the radiosensitization ratio of the si-TPT1-AS1 group was 1.672. The number of cell migration and invasion in the si-TPT1-AS1 group were (50.00±4.36) and (44.00±4.03), respectively, which were lower than (109.00±8.68) and (94.00±7.49) in the si-NC group (P<0.05), the cell absorbance (A) values at 24, 48 and 72 hours were 0.28±0.03, 0.43±0.04 and 0.68±0.07, respectively, lower than 0.46±0.04, 0.87±0.08 and 1.35±0.13 of the si-NC group (P<0.05), the protein expression levels of Cyclin D1, p21, E-cadherin and MMP-2 were 0.25±0.02, 0.65±0.06, 0.68±0.07 and 0.27±0.03, respectively, statistically different from 0.88±0.08, 0.17±0.02, 0.14±0.01 and 0.89±0.09 of si-NC group (P<0.05), the proportions of S phase and G(2) phase in the si-TPT1-AS1 group were (17.82±1.03)% and (34.15±2.29)%, respectively, significantly different from (35.14±2.61)% and (16.84±1.21)% in the si-NC group (P<0.05). The luciferase activity of cells in the WT-TPT1-AS1+ miR-30c-5p group was 0.26±0.02, lower than 0.92±0.09 in the WT-TPT1-AS1+ miR-NC group (P<0.05). The cell survival scores in the si-TPT1-AS1+ anti-miR-30c-5p group were 0.450±0.081, 0.200+ 0.045, 0.070±0.010, 0.026±0.004 after treatment with 2, 4, 6, 8 Gy irradiation, higher than 0.285±0.043, 0.075±0.014, 0.028±0.004, 0.006±0.001 of si-TPT1-AS1+ anti-miR-NC group (P<0.05). The radiosensitization ratio of the si-TPT1-AS1+ anti-miR-30c-5p group was 0.694. The number of migration and invasion in the si-TPT1-AS1+ anti-miR-30c-5p group were 79.00±6.65 and 68.00±6.33, higher than (52.00±4.41) and (46.00±4.06) of si-TPT1-AS1+ anti-miR-NC Group (P<0.05), the A values at 24, 48 and 72 hours were 0.37±0.03, 0.64±0.06 and 0.96±0.09, respectively, higher than 0.26±0.03, 0.41±0.04, and 0.65±0.06 of si-TPT1-AS1+ anti-miR-NC group (P<0.05), the expression levels of Cyclin D1, p21, E-cadherin and MMP-2 protein were 0.57±0.06, 0.43±0.04, 0.43±0.04 and 0.64±0.06, statistically different from 0.24±0.02, 0.66±0.06, 0.65±0.06 and 0.28±0.03 of the si-TPT1-AS1+ anti-miR-NC group (P<0.05). Conclusions: The expression of TPT1-AS1 up-regulates in the liver cancer tissues. TPT1-AS1 may down-regulate miR-30c-5p expression, reduce the radiosensitivity of liver cancer cells, and promote the proliferation, migration and invasion of liver cancer cells.

[Effect of lncRNA HOTAIR on the radiosensitivity of HCCLM3 cells]

Objective: To investigate the effect of down-regulating long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) and HOX transcript antisense RNA (HOTAIR) targeting miR-761 on the radiosensitivity of HCCLM3. Methods: The expression of HOTAIR in liver cancer cells HuH-7, SNU-449, HCCLM3 and normal liver cells L-02 were measured by real-time quantitative PCR. HCCLM3 cells were divided into control, Sh-NC (transfected shRNA negative control), Sh-HOTAIR (transfected HOTAIR shRNA), RAD+Sh-NC (transfected shRNA negative control and irradiated with 8Gy dose), and RAD+Sh-HOTAIR (HOTAIR shRNA was transfected and irradiated with 8Gy dose) group. Apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry, Bcl-2 Associated X Protein (Bx-2), cleaved cysteine-containing Cleaved cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase 3 (C-Caspase-3) protein expression. Sh-NC, Sh-HOTAIR cells were irradiated with 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 Gy, and plate-clone experiments were used to determine radiosensitivity. Bioinformatics software predicted that miR-761 might be a target gene of HOTAIR, and the luciferase reporter system identified the targeting relationship. The miR-761 inhibitor, HOTAIR shRNA and inhibitor negative control, and HOTAIR shRNA were co-transfected into HCCLM3 cells, respectively. Cell apoptosis and Bax and C-cysteine-containing aspartate proteins were also measured using the above method, as well as the hydrolase-3 protein expression and cell survival fraction. Results: The expression levels of HOTAIR in liver cancer cells HuH-7, SNU-449, and HCCLM3 were higher than those in normal liver cells L-02 (1.85±0.12, 2.27±0.23, 2.68±0.15 vs 1.00±0.09, P<0.05). Compared with Sh-NC, the apoptosis rate of Sh-HOTAIR, RAD+Sh-NC cells and Bax, C-Caspase-3 protein levels are higher [Apoptotic rate: (13.47±1.32)%, (12.84±1.19)% vs (2.98±0.27)%; Bax protein: 0.74±0.08, 0.72±0.06 vs 0.42±0.06; C-Caspase-3 protein: 0.56±0.06, 0.54±0.08 vs 0.25±0.04, all P<0.05]. Compared with Sh-HOTAIR and RAD+Sh-NC, RAD+Sh-HOTAIR cell apoptosis rate and Bax, C-Caspase-3 protein levels are higher [apoptosis rate:(22.57±2.36)% vs (13.47±1.32)%, (12.84±1.19)%, Bax protein: 0.99±0.11 vs 0.74±0.08, 0.72±0.06, C-Caspase-3 protein: 1.03±0.12 vs 0.56±0.06, 0.54±0.08,all P<0.05]. Compared with Sh-NC, Sh-HOTAIR cells had lower survival scores and higher radiosensitivity (P<0.05). HOTAIR targets negative regulation of miR-761 expression. Compared with cells co-transfected with inhibitor negative control and HOTAIR shRNA, cells co-transfected with miR-761 inhibitor and HOTAIR shRNA had lower apoptosis rate after radiation treatment [(10.24±1.32)% vs (21.84±2.01))%], Bax (0.50±0.06 vs 1.01±0.10) and C-Caspase-3 protein (0.56±0.07 vs 1.05±0.14) had lower expression and higher cell survival scores (all P<0.05). Conclusion: Down-regulating lncRNA HOTAIR targets miR-761 to increase the radiosensitivity of HCCLM3.

Experimental and clinical studies of "Shen Yan Ling" in treatment of chronic glomerulonephritis

"Shen Yan Ling" (SYL) is a compound herbal preparation consisting of 16 ingredients: Herba Ecliptae, Radix Rhemanniae, Rhizoma Cibotii, Radix Angelica Sinensis, Rhizoma Ligustici Chuanxiong, Radix Paeoniae Rubra, Rhizoma Diosocoreae, Poria, Radix Sanguisorbae, Radix Rubiae, Herba Portulacae, Fructus Gardeniae, Herba Cirsii Japonici, Herba Cephalanoploris, etc. In animal experiments, SYL was shown to have therapeutic effect for Masugi's nephritis models. It has also been used with satisfactory results in the treatment of 314 cases of chronic glomerulonephritis of the common type with manifestations of Yin deficiency and endogenous heat.