Latest ArticlesThree sesquiterpenoids were isolated from the dichloromethane extract of the roots of Stelleropsis tianschanica Pobed through a combination of various chromatographic approaches, including silica gel, Sephadex LH-20, reverse phase C18 and so on. On the basis of spectroscopic data analysis, they were identified as (+)-guaia-l(10), ll-dien-9-one-5α-hydroxy (1), 4β, 5βH-guai-9, 7(11)-dien-12, 8-olide-1α, 8α-diol (2), 4α, 5βHguai-9, 7(11)-dien-12, 8-olide-1α, 8α-diol (3). The compound 1 is a new sesquiterpenoid, and the compound 3 was isolated for the first time from the genus Stelleropsis.
The study is aimed to test the effect of Huangqin Tang (HQT) on serum metabolic profile in rats with ulcerative colitis, and explore its possible action mechanism for ulcerative colitis (UC) rats. The model of UC rats with cell immunoreactivity was made using a compound method (trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid plus ethanol). Rats were randomly divided into the control group, the model group, and HQT group. Ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS), principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) were employed to analyze the metabolic profile among normal group, the model group, HQT group. Potential biomarkers were screened in the serum based on the variable importance projection (VIP) value > 1, P < 0.05. As compared with the normal group, 16 potential biomarkers such as valine, tryptophan, lactic acid and urea were found and identified in the serum of model group rats. As compared with the model group, a part of the biomarkers were restored nearly to a normal state after HQT administration for 10 days. Metabolomic analysis revealed that the HQT has a certain therapeutic effect in UC rats, and the mechanism may be related to regulation of lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism and energy metabolism.
To study the substances in fudosteine, one synthetic by-product and five forced degradation products were detected by hydrophilic interaction chromatography (HILIC). Quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (Q-TOF MS) was used for accurate mass determination and product ion scanning. Five related substances were identified in the products of mass spectra fragmentations elucidation, and verified further according to synthetic process and stress testing results. The results obtained are valuable for fudosteine manufacturing process control and quality assurance.
With the extracts of Puerariae Lobatae Radix as the research object, the moisture absorption isotherm at 298, 308 and 318 K was determined through dynamic water vapor adsorption. Moisture absorption isotherm models were applied to the simulation of moisture absorption behavior. The enthalpy, entropy and Gibbs free energy for moisture adsorption were calculated according to the model and the enthalpy-entropy compensation was used to analysis moisture adsorption process. It was shown that the adsorption isotherm coincided with GAB model or Ferro-Fontan model. Moisture absorption process was an exothermic process which was driven by entropy. The effect of moisture on compressibility was evaluated through tensile strength and elastic recovery with water content, pressure force and speed variation. It was supposed that right amount of moisture was required to compression and compaction.
Fluorescent polystyrene nanospheres (PS) were used to explore the impact of substrate stiffness on cell uptake of nanoparticles in the breast cancer cells. Polyacrylamide (PAA) gels with varying stiffness were prepared by photopolymerization, and type Ⅰ rat tail collagen was covalently conjugated on the surface of PAA gels to facilitate cell adhesion. Type Ⅰ rat tail collagen was also used to fabricate collagen gels for 3D cell culture. Cells of human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 were incubated in the 2D culture on PAA gels and 3D culture within collagen gels. Next, nanospheres of 20 nm and 50 nm polystyrene were applied to MCF-7 cells in the 2D or 3D cultures. Cell morphology and uptake efficiency were observed with confocal microscopy. Our study demonstrates that substrate stiffness differentially regulated the cell morphology as well as the cell uptake behavior of polystyrene nanospheres in MCF-7 cells under 2D or 3D culture conditions.
The difference in pH between apical and basolateral side of intestinal epithelial and pH dependence character of the combination of FcRn (neonatal Fc receptor) and ligand might improve the delivery of hydrophobic drugs by facilitating the transcytosis of nanocarriers. Here we designed FcBP (IgG Fc domain-binding peptides) decorated coumarin 6 (C6) loaded poly(ethyl ethylene phosphate)-co-poly(ε-caprolactone) (PEG-PCL) micelles with different ligand densities to study the effect of pH and ligand density on the endocytosis and exocytosis process of micelles on human colon adenanocaricinoma cell lines (Caco-2). Active micelles with different ligand densities and passive micelles were prepared using the thin-film hydration method. The size of the micelles was characterized by dynamic light scattering analysis and the morphology was observed by transmission electron microscope. The endocytosis and exocytosis of the micelles at pH 7.4 and pH 6.0, as well as the effect of FcRn on the endocytosis, were investigated by flow cytometry. The results showed that the size of micelles was about 30 nm, which was not affected by FcBP decoration. We found that pH and ligand density could both influence the endocytosis. The uptake of active micelles was higher at pH 6.0 than at pH 7.4, and an optimal ligand density of endocytosis was appeared in both pH environment. Then we proved that FcBP decorated micelles could be endocytosed at pH 6.0 and exocytosed at pH 7.4, and the exocytosis process was also related to ligand density. Micelles with 10% ligand density had the largest exocytosis, showing the potentiality to deliver drugs through the intestinal epithelial. In addition, the competitive inhibition experiments illustrated that the interaction between FcRn and FcBP were essential to endocytosis. The results will enhance the understanding on the FcBP decorated PEG-PCL micelles for transmemberane drug delivery.
LEA (late embryogenesis abundant) proteins that are highly hydrophilic and thermally stable play a role in plant defense. The full-length cDNA of DoLEA2 was cloned by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) from Dendrobium officinale (GenBank number:KY626329). The cDNA is 1 224 bp and encodes 313 amino acids. The deduced DoLEA2 protein contained LEA_2 and WHy domains. Multiple sequence alignment revealed that DoLEA2 shared a high homology with other species. Phylogenetic tree showed that DoLEA2 belonged to the monocotyledon and its closest relative was P. aphrodite. DoLEA2 was differentially expressed in the different organ. The expression was most abundant in the leaves, followed by that of the roots and stem. DoLEA2 could express in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3), and the best induction conditions were 0.5 mmol·L-1 IPTG at 37℃ for 4 h. The growth curves of E. coli BL21 (DE3) showed that the recombinant DoLEA2 protein improved tolerate against salt stress over the control. This study represents the first time of cloning and identification of the function of LEA2 in D. officinale. The result sets up an important foundation for the molecular mechanism of stress resistance in Dendrobium officinale.
Idiosyncratic drug-induced liver injury(IDILI)is an adverse drug reaction that occurs only in a minority of the population. IDILI also has many characteristics such as unpredictable and low morbidity, its occurrence has often not been clearly correlated with the dose, route, or duration of drug administration. Several studies have shown that IDILI is a synergistic effect which was caused by body diathesis, environment and drugs. In addition, evidence also suggests that most IDILIs are mediated by immunity. Chemical medicines-related IDILIs have been extensively studied, and a variety of immunological mechanism hypotheses have also emerged to explain the pathogenesis and characteristics of chemical medicines-related IDILIs. However, the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)-related IDILI has always been neglected due to the complexity and specificity of TCM. In recent years, TCM-related IDILI has been gradually confirmed by researchers, and formed a new hypothesis, a immunological stress-mediated tri-elements synergetic mechanism hypothesis, which can reveal the pathogenesis and clinical characteristics of TCM-related IDILI. This paper is prepared to summarize the immunological mechanism hypotheses of chemical medicine-related IDILI and TCM-related IDILI to provide a scientific basis for guiding IDILI research and establishing its clinical risk prevention and control measures.
To investigate the effects of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma(PPAR-γ)on the liver injury of Polygonum multiflorum, we established a model of immunological idiosyncrasy liver injury induced by lipopolysaccharide. The 70 Sprague-Dawley(SD)rats were randomly divided into control group, LPS group(2.8 mg·kg-1), PM group(crude drug, 2.16 g·kg-1), PPAR-γ agonist group(pioglitazone, 0.5 mg·kg-1), PM+LPS group(crude drug 2.16 g·kg-1, 2.8 mg·kg-1), PPAR-γ agonist+LPS group(0.5 mg·kg-1, 2.8 mg·kg-1)and PM+LPS+PPAR-γ agonist group(crude drug, 2.16 g·kg-1, 2.8 mg·kg-1, 0.5 mg·kg-1). The rats were orally given PM, once a day for consecutive 2 days. The control rats were given the same amount of distilled water. Liver injury was induced by intravenous injection of LPS. Sodium pentobarbital was injected intraperitoneally for anesthesia, and liver samples were collected together with blood. The plasma levels of alanine transaminase(ALT), aspartate aminotransferase(AST), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-1β(IL-1β), interleukin-6(IL-6) and interferon-γ(IFN-γ)were measured. Pathological changes and hepatocellular apoptosis were examined by liver biopsy, and immunohistochemical observation of liver tissue expression of PPAR-γ and NF-κB p65. A negative correlation was observed between the expression of PPAR-γ in hepatic tissue and liver injury of Polygonum multiflorum. PPAR-γ agonist significantly reduced the PM-induced idiosyncratic liver injury in rats according to serum ALT and AST(P < 0.05), reduced liver pathological injury and hepatocyte apoptosis, decreased serum TNF-α and other inflammatory cytokines(P < 0.05), liver tissue PPAR-γ expression, and inhibited expression of NF-κB p65(P < 0.05). The results suggest that the occurrence of immunological idiosyncrasy liver injury of PM is related to inhibition of the PPAR-γ pathway and elevation of inflammatory factors. PPAR-γ agonist can reverse the idiosyncratic liver injury induced by PM, and provide a reference for elucidating mechanism of idiosyncratic liver injury induced by Polygonum multiflorum.
On basis of the idiosyncratic lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-mediated hepatotoxicity model, liver injury induced by Zhuangguguanjie wan(ZGW)was evaluated, and the mechanism was explored. Idiosyncratic hepatotoxicity model was established in rats by injecting LPS at a dosage of 2.8 mg·kg-1. Rats were randomly divided into the normal control group, LPS group, ZGW group and LPS+ZGW group. Alanine aminotransferase(ALT)and aspartate aminotransferase(AST)activities were analyzed in serum; pathological changes(HE staining)and the content of cytokines of liver were tested; and immune cell subpopulation ration were determined in blood and liver. Compared with the control group, the ZGW group and LPS group had no significant changes in ALT, AST and liver pathology(P > 0.05); while the ZGW+LPS group exhibited an elevation in ALT and AST(P < 0.05). Disorder of liver lobular arrangement and irregular island-like or massive necrosis of liver cells were observed in the group. Several cytokines in the liver were increased in LPS group and ZGW+LPS group(P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), and the level in ZGW+LPS group was higher than that of LPS group. Compared with the control group, the ratio of CD3+ T cell/lymphocyte of blood in LPS group was significantly decreased(P < 0.01); while the percentage of CD3+ T cells in the liver were significantly increased(P < 0.05). The contents of immune cells of blood had no significant changes between LPS group and ZGW+LPS group(P > 0.05). CD3+ T cell in the liver of ZGW+LPS group was significantly increased over the LPS group(P < 0.05). Aggregation or activity of CD3+ T cell was increased by ZGW combined with LPS. These results suggest that ZGW could promote T lymphocyte recruitment to liver under the immune activation state leading to inflammatory response, which may contribute to idiosyncratic liver injury.
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