Exploring the key anti-fatigue components of American ginseng based on metabolomics and zebrafish models / 药学学报

The aim of this paper is to explore the key anti-fatigue active components in the saponin-like composition of American ginseng. The anti-fatigue activity of western ginseng samples was evaluated using a zebrafish model; metabolomics techniques were used to identify the main saponins in western ginseng from different origins; the active substances and relevant targets of the anti-fatigue effect of western ginseng were initially screened by constructing a PPI protein interaction network between western ginseng saponins and disease targets, and the key active ingredients were screened using a molecular docking method; finally, the anti-fatigue activity of the key active ingredients was evaluated using a zebrafish, animal experiment was approved by the Ethics Committee of Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences (SYXK20220005). The anti-fatigue activity of the key active ingredients was evaluated using a zebrafish model. The results of the zebrafish activity evaluation showed that there were significant differences in the activities of the western ginseng samples from the two origins, and a total of 10 different saponins were identified as possibly related to the anti-fatigue activity after further metabolomic testing and pattern discrimination. The core anti-fatigue targets were screened with the help of component-disease target PPI, combined with pharmacophore-like parameters and molecular docking techniques, and pseudoginsenoside F11 was found to have good binding activity to five of the targets. Finally, the zebrafish model revealed that pseudoginsenoside F11 exhibited significant anti-fatigue activity. This study used metabolomics and zebrafish model to screen the key active substances of pseudoginsenoside F11 for its anti-fatigue activity, which will provide a reference for further research on the anti-fatigue of pseudoginsenosides.

Differential expression of microRNA in endothelial cells incubated with serum of hypertension patients with blood-stasis syndrome / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To screen out blood-stasis syndrome (BSS)-associated microRNA and therefore determine the possible target for treating hypertension.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>A high-energy sequencing method and digital gene expression sequencing theory were adopted to sequence microRNA (miRNA) and messenger RNA (mRNA), and to determine differential expression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells incubated with serum samples from hypertension patients with or without BSS, and healthy controls. The results were confirmed using gene prediction software.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>A total of 13 miRNAs and 11 mRNAs showed statistical difference both in the BSS/normal groups and BSS/non-BSS groups, respectively. Four pairs of target mRNA/miRNA were identified: FRMD4A/hsa-miR-34a, MAP3K14/hsa-miR-34a, PER1/hsa-miR-34a, and FGF2/hsa-miR-132.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Four mRNA/miRNA pairs mentioned above seem to be involved in pathogenesis and maintenance of hypertension with BSS.</p>

Constructing protein-protein interaction network of hypertension with blood stasis syndrome via digital gene expression sequencing and database mining / 中西医结合学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To construct a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network in hypertension patients with blood-stasis syndrome (BSS) by using digital gene expression (DGE) sequencing and database mining techniques.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>DGE analysis based on the Solexa Genome Analyzer platform was performed on vascular endothelial cells incubated with serum of hypertension patients with BSS. The differentially expressed genes were filtered by comparing the expression levels between the different experimental groups. Then functional categories and enriched pathways of the unique genes for BSS were analyzed using Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) to select those in the enrichment pathways. Interologous Interaction Database (I2D) was used to construct PPI networks with the selected genes for hypertension patients with BSS. The potential candidate genes related to BSS were identified by comparing the number of relationships among genes. Confirmed by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), gene ontology (GO) analysis was used to infer the functional annotations of the potential candidate genes for BSS.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>With gene enrichment analysis using DAVID, a list of 58 genes was chosen from the unique genes. The selected 58 genes were analyzed using I2D, and a PPI network was constructed. Based on the network analysis results, candidate genes for BSS were identified: DDIT3, JUN, HSPA8, NFIL3, HSPA5, HIST2H2BE, H3F3B, CEBPB, SAT1 and GADD45A. Verified through qRT-PCR and analyzed by GO, the functional annotations of the potential candidate genes were explored.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Compared with previous methodologies reported in the literature, the present DGE analysis and data mining method have shown a great improvement in analyzing BSS.</p>

Application of "disharmony of stomach leads to insomnia" theory in acupuncture treatment for insomnia / 中国针灸

When looking back to the literature regarding insomnia, it is believed that "disharmony of stomach leads to insomnia" is an important mechanism for the attack of insomnia. This theory is widely accepted in clinical practices by ancient and modern acupuncturists, thus the method treating insomnia from the stomach is developed. But deeper research on its mechanism is still lacking. Through correlation between stomach meridian and heart meridian, spleen and stomach being the pivot of rise and decline of qi movement and yin-yang and being the pivot of five zang-viscera housing spirit, modern abdomen-brain theory and experimental research, the mechanism of treating insomnia from the stomach is discussed in this paper, so as to be better to guide clinical acupoint-selection and treatment.

Studies on the vascular endothelial cell injury model of blood stasis syndrome from the angle of combination of disease identification and syndrome differentiation / 中国中西医结合杂志

To study and analyze the model types, methods, and prospective of the vascular endothelial cell injury model of blood stasis syndrome from the angle of combination of disease identification and syndrome differentiation. We believe that studies on the vascular endothelial cell injury model of blood stasis syndrome should manifest the features of the combination of disease identification and syndrome differentiation. Following microscopic path and applying macroscopic theory could become an important technological platform for screening drugs of activating blood stasis and removing stasis, and providing beneficial clues for studies of Chinese medicine syndrome modeling.

On establishment of vascular endothelial cell injury model of blood stasis syndrome based on integration of disease identification and syndrome differentiation / 中国中西医结合杂志

To establish the vascular endothelial cell (VEC) injury model of blood stasis syndrome (BSS) based on integration of disease identification and syndrome differentiation is one of the aspects of the research on BSS model. This paper discussed the necessity and feasibility of the establishment of that model, and suggested that the model is of important academic value, far-reaching scientific research value and active clinic value.

Plasmid transfection of rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells by cationic lipid for gene-modified cell transplantation therapy / 中国医学科学院学报

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the feasibility of gene transfection of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) by cationic lipid.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The relative optimal transfection condition was determined by scale transfection experiment in vitro and the transient transfection efficiency of enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP) gene for rat BMSC was determined with Lipofectamine2000 (LP2000). The relationship between cell cycle status and the expression of the gene was analyzed. The intensity and the ratio of EGFP gene expression versus time was determined by flow cytometry. In the in vivo study, the transgenic rat BMSC was injected into the myocardium of inbred rats, and the in vivo transcription of EGFP gene and the EGFP-expressing BMSC were traced in the myocardium after transplantation using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and fluorescent microscopy, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>EGFP gene transfection efficiency in BMSC was different under different transfection condition (DNA concentration and DNA: LP2000). Cationic lipid-mediated transfection demonstrated marked toxicity to BMSC. Cell cycle status restricted the expression efficiency of the gene introduced by cationic lipid. The EGFP expressing-BMSC and in vivo transcription of the EGFP gene could be detected in rat myocardium post implantation.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Cationic lipid is an effective carrier for gene-modified cell transplantation therapy.</p>