Phyllanthus emblica fruit extract alleviates halitosis and reduces the inflammatory response to oral bacteria

Abstract Objective To assess the efficacy of Phyllanthus emblica extract in alleviating halitosis and reducing the inflammatory response to halitosis-related bacteria. Methodology This investigation, using Phyllanthus emblica fruit extract (PE), involved four aspects. First, we evaluated the effect on growth and aggregation of halitosis-related bacteria, including Fusobacterium nucleatum, Porphyromonas gingivalis, and Solobacterium moorei, using a microdilution assay and scanning electron microscopy. Second, volatile sulfur compound (VSC) levels were measured on individuals with halitosis in randomized short-term (26 participants) and double-blind randomized long-term trials (18 participants in each group) after rinsing with PE for 3, 6, and 12 h, and 28 days. Third, we analyzed pro-inflammatory cytokine expression in TR146 cells using quantitative real-time PCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Lastly, we assessed pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion and Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 mRNA expression via the same experimental methods in a three-dimensional oral mucosal epithelial model (3D OMEM). Results PE extract dose-dependently inhibited the growth of F. nucleatum (50% inhibition concentration [IC50]=0.079%), P. gingivalis (IC50=0.65%), and S. moorei (IC50=0.07%) and effectively prevented bacterial aggregation. Furthermore, VSC contents decreased significantly at 3, 6, and 12 h after rinsing with 5% PE compared with those in the control. Long-term use of mouthwash containing 5% PE for 28 days led to a significant decrease in VSC contents. PE attenuated the F. nucleatum- or P. gingivalis-stimulated mRNA expression and protein release of interleukin (IL)-6 and IL-8 in TR146 cells. It also suppressed IL-8 and prostaglandin E2 secretion and TLR2 mRNA expression in F. nucleatum-induced OMEMs. Conclusion Our findings support the use of PE in oral care products to alleviate halitosis and it may reduce inflammation.

Gene transcriptome sequencing in schizophrenia / 中华神经医学杂志

Schizophrenia is a mental illness that can seriously affect a patient's cognitive and social communication. Because schizophrenia is affected by multiple factors, the cause of schizoophrenia is still unclear. Gene transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) is a new research method to study the morphological structure, and gene differential expression and function; RNA-Seq can sequence hundreds of thousands to millions of DNA molecules at a time, providing more effective data for biological transcription information. This paper reviews the principles and technical characteristics of RNA-Seq, and application of RNA-Seq in schizophrenia, which provide new ideas for schizophrenia research.

RNA-seq analysis of amygdala tissue in social isolation rearing models of schizophrenia / 中华神经医学杂志

Objective:To investigate the gene transcription level changes in the amygdala of social isolation rearing models of schizophrenia to determine the pathogenic genes and their related pathways of schizophrenia.Methods:A total of 29 3-week-old SPF C57BL/6J male mice were randomly divided into control group ( n=16) and model group ( n=13); 4 mice were raised in each transparent mouse cage in the control group, and 1 mouse was raised in each transparent mouse cage in the model group; mice in each cage could see their surrounding mice but could not touch each other. Mice in both groups were fed for 4 weeks and then subjected to open field experiment, pre-pulse inhibition experiment and new object recognition experiment within one week. After the experiment, mice were sacrificed by spinal dislocation, and the amygdala was taken for transcriptome sequencing. The topGO software was used for gene ontology (GO) functional enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis was performed using KEGG database. Results:(1) Animal experiment: compared with the control group, the model group had significantly increased movement distance in the open field experiment ([1 239.20±106.35] m vs. [1 845.53±143.65] m, t=3.464, P=0.002), significantly decreased activity time in the central region 5 min before experiment ([13.15±1.41] s vs. [8.47±1.19]) s, t=2.464, P=0.020). Compared with the control group, the model group had significantly lower percentage of deficient prepulse inhibition (PPI) of 78 dB ([22.28±1.53] % vs. [14.59±2.75] %, t=2.629, P=0.013), and deficient PPI of 88 dB ([32.83±3.39] % vs. [18.44±3.07] %, t=3.081, P=0.005). Compared with the control group, the model group had significantly decreased ratio of time exploring new objects/time exploring former objects ([80.5±2.2]% vs. [71.0±3.6]%, t=2.356, P=0.026). (2) Bioinformatics analysis: a total of 96 DEGs were found, of which 42 were with up-regulated expressions ( Th, Crlf1, etc.), and 54 were with down-regulated expressions ( Prkcd, etc.). Th and Crlf1 were positively correlated ( r=0.940, P=0.018). GO enrichment results suggested that DEGs were enriched in projection function of plasma membrane boundary cells, neuronal differentiation, and cell apoptosis. KEGG enrichment results suggested that DEGs were enriched in WNT signaling pathway, apoptosis pathway and tyrosine metabolism pathway. Protein network interaction analysis suggested that Wnt6, Tcf712, Pitx2, Tcf7 and Cd4 were key proteins. Conclusion:DEGs such as Th, Prkcd, Lrrc74b, Fadd, Wnt6, Ror2, Notum, and Tcf7l2, and their related signaling pathways may be related to schizophrenia in the amygdala of social isolation rearing mice.