Study on the mechanism of Flos Puerariae and Semen Hoveniae in treatment of alcoholic liver injury based on network pharmacology and molecular docking / 浙江大学学报·医学版

OBJECTIVE@#To explore the mechanism of Flos Puerariae and Semen Hoveniae in treatment of alcoholic liver injury (ALI) based on network pharmacology and molecular docking.@*METHODS@#The information of chemical constituents and targets of Flos Puerariae and Semen Hoveniae was collected from TCMSP and Swiss databases, and the threshold values of oral bioavailability (OB) ≥ 30%, drug likeness (DL) ≥0.18 were used to screen the potential active compounds. The GeneCard and DrugBank databases were used to obtain the targets corresponding to ALI. The common targets were queried using Venn Diagram, and the network of PPI and Gene Ontology (GO) functional enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were performed through DAVID and Reactome database. Autodock Vina software was used for molecular docking of potential ingredients and key targets.@*RESULTS@#A total of 21 potential active compounds and 431 therapeutic targets were gathered in Flos Puerariae and Semen Hoveniae, which involved 273 biological functions, 90 KEGG pathways and 362 Reactome pathways. The GO functions involved protein binding, ATP binding, etc.; the KEGG pathways mainly included PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and TNF signaling pathway; the Reactome pathways contained signal transduction and immune system, etc. The results of molecular docking showed that 21 potential active ingredients had good affinity with the core targets Akt1, TP53 and IL-6.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The network pharmacology and molecular docking analysis demonstrate the synergetic effect of Flos Puerariae and Semen Hoveniae with multi-compounds, multi-targets and multi-pathways in the treatment of ALI; and also predict the possible medicinal substance, key targets and pathways, which provides clues for the new drug development and mechanism research.

Temporal variation and ecological parameters of hawkmoths (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) in savannahs in the Alter do Chão protection area, Santarém, Pará, Brazil

This study evaluated the seasonality of Sphingidae spp. in two areas of savannah, in the eastern Brazilian Amazon, sampled for one year (June, 2014 through May, 2015) with the aid of Pennsylvania light traps placed at four sampling points. Data on fauna were obtained through the following parameters: abundance (N), richness (S), composition, Shannon diversity and uniformity indices (H’ and U’), and the Berger-Parker (BP) dominance index. Richness estimates were calculated using Bootstrap, Chao1, ACE, Jackknife 1, and Jackknife2 estimators. The Pearson correlation was also used to analyze the effect of climatic variables such as rainfall, temperature, and relative humidity on richness and abundance. The result for the parameters analyzed during the entire sampling period was N= 374, S= 34, H’= 2.59, U= 0.733 and BP= 0.235. The estimation of richness showed that between 63% and 87% of expected species were collected (Bootstrap estimated 39 species and Chao1 estimated 54). The most representative species were: Isognathus caricae (Linnaeus, 1758) (N= 88), Enyo lugubris lugubris (Linnaeus, 1771) (N= 58), Isognathus menechus (Boisduval, [1875]) (N= 46) and Cocytius duponchel (Poey, 1832) (N= 44), with 54% of the sample containing species considered rare divided into 298 male and 76 female specimens. For climatic variables, there was a moderate positive correlation only between abundance and temperature. The less-rainy period presented greater richness (S= 26) and abundance (N= 222), and the rainy period had better indices for H’ (2.55), U (8.01), and BP (0.230). The richness estimator Jackknife 2 was the best estimator in both sampling periods with 34 in the less-rainy period and 45 in the rainy period. The richness and abundance obtained in this study contribute significantly to the knowledge of Sphingidae fauna in an area of Amazonian savannahs.

Exploring the in vivo wound healing effects of a recombinant hemolin from the caterpillar Lonomia obliqua

Hemolin proteins are cell adhesion molecules from lepidopterans involved in a wide range of cell interactions concerning their adhesion properties. However, hemolins roles in cell proliferation and wound healing are not fully elucidated. It has been recently reported that rLosac, a recombinant hemolin from the caterpillar Lonomia obliqua, presents antiapoptotic activity and is capable of improving in vitro wound healing. Therefore, this study aimed to explore rLosacs in vivo effects using a skin wound healing model in rats. Methods Circular full-thickness wounds in the rat dorsum skin were treated either with rLosac, or with saline (control), allowing healing by keeping the wounds occluded and moist. During the wound healing, the following tissue regeneration parameters were evaluated: wound closure and collagen content. Furthermore, tissue sections were subjected to histological and immunohistochemical analyses. Results The rLosac treatment has demonstrated its capacity to improve wound healing, as reflected in findings of a larger number of activated fibroblasts, proliferation of epithelial cells, increase of collagen type 1, and decrease of inflammatory infiltrate. Conclusion The findings have indicated the rLosac protein as a very promising molecule for the development of new wound-healing formulations.

Estandarización de un bioensayo y evaluación preliminar de tres formulaciones comerciales de bacillus thuringiensis sobre tuta absoluta (meyrick) (lepidoptera: gelechiidae) / Standardising a bioassay for the preliminary evaluation of threecommercial bacillus thuringiensis formulations against tutaabsoluta (meyrick) (lepidoptera: gelechiidae)

La polilla del tomate (Tuta absoluta Meyrick; Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) es una de las plagas más devastadorasdel tomate en Colombia y países suramericanos, produciendo pérdidas de hasta el 100% en cultivos sin protección.En 2009, T. absoluta se detectó en España, Portugal y países del mediterráneo, además de Inglaterra,Bulgaria y Alemania. Para su control se utilizan insecticidas químicos que generan resistencia e impactoambiental y de salud. La alternativa de utilizar biopesticidas contra esta plaga es de importancia creciente. Eneste estudio se evaluaron cinco métodos de bioensayo para medir adecuadamente la toxicidad sobre larvasde T. absoluta de tres productos comerciales: Dipel®, XenTary® y Turilav®, formulaciones a base de Bacillusthuringiensis (Bt). El método de Inmersión del folíolo, con el producto Dipel®, causó el 100% de mortalidadde larvas y 96% de supervivencia del testigo; este método presentó diferencias significativas al segundo(F=0,025, p>0,05) y cuarto (F=0,0018, p>0,05) día después de la aplicación (DDA). El método de Aspersiónfoliar por aerógrafo produjo 100% de mortalidad de larvas con Dipel® al segundo DDA (F=7,94x10-10,p> 0,05), y produjo diferencias significativas también al cuarto DDA (F=3,45x10-6, p>0,05). Los métodosFoliolos sumergidos y Medio de cultivo provocaron una alta mortalidad en el control por lo que fueron rechazados.El uso de Dipel®, XenTari® y Turilav® en concentración de 1,25 g/L causó entre 80-100% demortalidad entre el segundo y octavo DDA en tres métodos evaluados válidos (1, 2, 3), además corrobora laactividad biológica de B. thuringiensis sobre este insecto plaga.

The tomato moth (Tuta absoluta Meyrick; Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae) is one of the most devastating tomatopests in Colombia and South-American countries, producing losses of up to 100% in unprotected crops. T.absoluta was detected in Spain, Portugal and Mediterranean countries in 2009, as well as England, Bulgaria andGermany. Chemical insecticides are used for controlling it; however, they produce resistance and an environmentaland human health impact. Finding an alternative to using biopesticides against this pest is becomingincreasingly important. This study evaluated five bioassay methods measuring three commercial products’toxicity on T. absoluta larvae: Dipel, XenTary and Turilav Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) -based formulations. The leafdipping bioassay method caused 100% larvae mortality with Dipel, the control group having 95% survivalrate. The other products showed significant differences on the 2nd (F=0.025, p>0.05) and 4th (F=0.0018,p>0.05) days after application (DAA). The leaf spray airbrush method produced 100% larvae mortality withDipel on the 2nd DAA, having significant differences from the other products tested on 2nd (DAA F=7.94 x10-10, p>0.05 ), 4th (F=3.45x10-6, p>0.05 ) and 8th (F=1.07x10-5, p>0.05 ) DAA. Submerged leaflet and culturemedium methods caused high mortality in controls and were thus rejected. A variation of the leaflet immersionmethod was standardised. The three commercial products produced high mortality in Lab conditionsregarding T. absolute larvae control at 1.25 g/L concentration, thereby corroborating the biological activity ofB. thuringiensis against this insect pest.

Induction of a gloverin-like antimicrobial polypeptide in the sugarcane borer Diatraea saccharalis challenged by septic injury

Diatraea saccharalis (Fabricius, 1794) (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) is an important pest for Brazilian sugarcane. In the present study, we detected two distinct spots in hemolymph from septic injured larvae (HDs1 and HDs2), which are separated by 2DE gel electrophoresis. Both spots were subjected to in-gel tryptic digestion and MALDI-TOF/TOF analysis, which revealed the sequence VFGTLGSDDSGLFGK present in both HDs1 and HDs2. This sequence had homology and 80 percent identity with specific Lepidoptera antimicrobial peptides called gloverins. Analyses using the ImageMaster 2D software showed pI 8.94 of the HDs1 spot, which is similar to that described to Hyalophora gloveri gloverin (pI 8.5). Moreover, the 14-kDa molecular mass of the spot HDs1 is compatible to that of gloverins isolated from the hemolymph of Trichoplusia ni, Helicoverpa armigera and H. gloveri. Antimicrobial assays with partially purified fractions containing the HDs1 and HDs2 polypeptides demonstrated activity against Escherichia coli. This is the first report of antimicrobial polypeptides in D. saccharalis, and the identification of these peptides may help in the generation of new strategies to control this pest.