MicroRNAs in Medicinal Plants.

Medicinal plant microRNAs (miRNAs) are an endogenous class of small RNA central to the posttranscriptional regulation of gene expression. Biosynthetic research has shown that the mature miRNAs in medicinal plants can be produced from either the standard messenger RNA splicing mechanism or the pre-ribosomal RNA splicing process. The medicinal plant miRNA function is separated into two levels: (1) the cross-kingdom level, which is the regulation of disease-related genes in animal cells by oral intake, and (2) the intra-kingdom level, which is the participation of metabolism, development, and stress adaptation in homologous or heterologous plants. Increasing research continues to enrich the biosynthesis and function of medicinal plant miRNAs. In this review, peer-reviewed papers on medicinal plant miRNAs published on the Web of Science were discussed, covering a total of 78 species. The feasibility of the emerging role of medicinal plant miRNAs in regulating animal gene function was critically evaluated. Staged progress in intra-kingdom miRNA research has only been found in a few medicinal plants, which may be mainly inhibited by their long growth cycle, high demand for growth environment, immature genetic transformation, and difficult RNA extraction. The present review clarifies the research significance, opportunities, and challenges of medicinal plant miRNAs in drug development and agricultural production. The discussion of the latest results furthers the understanding of medicinal plant miRNAs and helps the rational design of the corresponding miRNA/target genes functional modules.

Characterization of Aurintricarboxylic Acid (ATA) Interactions with Plasma Transporter Protein and SARS-CoV-2 Viral Targets: Correlation of Functional Activity and Binding Energetics.

In an effort to identify functional-energetic correlations leading to the development of efficient anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapeutic agents, we have designed synthetic analogs of aurintricarboxylic acid (ATA), a heterogeneous polymeric mixture of structurally related linear homologs known to exhibit a host of biological properties, including antiviral activity. These derivatives are evaluated for their ability to interact with a plasma transporter protein (human serum albumin), eukaryotic (yeast) ribosomes, and a SARS-CoV-2 target, the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). The resultant data are critical for characterizing drug distribution, bioavailability, and effective inhibition of host and viral targets. Promising lead compounds are selected on the basis of their binding energetics which have been characterized and correlated with functional activities as assessed by inhibition of RNA replication and protein synthesis. Our results reveal that the activity of heterogeneous ATA is mimicked by linear compounds of defined molecular weight, with a dichlorohexamer salicylic-acid derivative exhibiting the highest potency. These findings are instrumental for optimizing the design of structurally defined ATA analogs that fulfill the requirements of an antiviral drug with respect to bioavailability, homogeneity, and potency, thereby expanding the arsenal of therapeutic regimens that are currently available to address the urgent need for effective SARS-CoV-2 treatment strategies.

Research advance on the important role of selenoprotein in human health

Selenium (Se) is an essential trace element for animal and human health. Se deficiency and Se excessive intake can lead to severe symptoms and are related to diseases. Se is mainly combined with protein in the form of selenocysteine (Sec) and selenomethionine (Se-Met) in the human body. Generally, proteins formed by incorporating Sec into them are called selenoproteins, while proteins bound in other forms are called Se-containing proteins. Selenoprotein is the main form of Se to exert its biological functions in the human body, and Se deficiency could reduce the content and activity of selenoproteins and disturb the normal physiological function. Researches on the relationship between selenoproteins and human health have received increasing attention, and a comprehensive understanding of the function of selenoproteins is helpful to explain the effects of Se on human health. Although the functions of selenoproteins are not yet fully understood, the critical role of many selenoproteins in human health has been revealed increasingly. So far, 25 kinds of selenoproteins have been found in the human body, and this review focuses on the structure and biological function of glutathione peroxidase (GPX), thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) and iodothyronine deiodinase (ID) families and their relationship with diseases. It shows that selenoproteins such as GPX, TrxR and ID families have biological functions of regulating cell oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, antioxidant defense, immune response and inflammatory response. The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and DNA methylation in the promoter region of selenoprotein are related to the risk of diseases. Selenoproteins play a vital role in the pathogenesis and prevention of diseases such as tumors, cardiovascular diseases, osteoarthritis (OA), Keshan disease (KSD), Kashin-Beck disease (KBD), and corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) through their genetic and epigenetic forms. This research will provide clues and basis for further revealing the role of Se and selenoprotein in human health and screening to prevent disease targets. However, due to the complexity and unknown biological functions of selenoproteins, the mechanism of selenoproteins in resisting diseases and promoting human health is still worthy of further exploration and research.

Bioinformatics and in-silico findings reveal medical features and pharmacological targets of biochanin A against colorectal cancer and COVID-19.

Severe mortality due to the COVID-19 pandemic resulted from the lack of effective treatment. Although COVID-19 vaccines are available, their side effects have become a challenge for clinical use in patients with chronic diseases, especially cancer patients. In the current report, we applied network pharmacology and systematic bioinformatics to explore the use of biochanin A in patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) and COVID-19 infection. Using the network pharmacology approach, we identified two clusters of genes involved in immune response (IL1A, IL2, and IL6R) and cell proliferation (CCND1, PPARG, and EGFR) mediated by biochanin A in CRC/COVID-19 condition. The functional analysis of these two gene clusters further illustrated the effects of biochanin A on interleukin-6 production and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction in CRC/COVID-19 pathology. In addition, pathway analysis demonstrated the control of PI3K-Akt and JAK-STAT signaling pathways by biochanin A in the treatment of CRC/COVID-19. The findings of this study provide a therapeutic option for combination therapy against COVID-19 infection in CRC patients.

The SARS-CoV-2 Nucleocapsid Protein and Its Role in Viral Structure, Biological Functions, and a Potential Target for Drug or Vaccine Mitigation.

The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) on the world is still expanding. Thus, there is an urgent need to better understand this novel virus and find a way to control its spread. Like other coronaviruses, the nucleocapsid (N) protein is one of the most crucial structural components of SARS-CoV-2. This protein shares 90% homology with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus N protein, implying functional significance. Based on the evolutionary conservation of the N protein in coronavirus, we reviewed the currently available knowledge regarding the SARS-CoV-2 N protein in terms of structure, biological functions, and clinical application as a drug target or vaccine candidate.

[Mechanism of Qingfei Paidu decoction for treatment of COVID-19: analysis based on network pharmacology and molecular docking technology].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the target, signaling pathways and their biological functions of Qingfei Paidu Decoction in the treatment of COVID-19 based on network pharmacology and molecular docking technology. METHODS: The active components and target proteins in 21 drugs such as Ephedrae Herba and Pinelliae Rhizoma in Qingfei Paidu decoction were analyzed, and the signaling pathways and biological functions of the target proteins common with COVID-19 were screened by using TCMSP, Swiss Target Prediction, CooLGeN, GeneCards, DAVID and other databases. The network diagram of Qingfei Paidu decoction was constructed using Gephi software. RESULTS: We identified 163 active ingredients, including MOL004798, MOL000519, MOL004824, MOL000554, MOL010428, and MOL013443, from 18 drugs in Qingfei Paidu decoction (such as Ephedrae Herba, Pinelliae Rhizoma, Glycyrrhizae Radix Et Rhiizoma, Farfarae Flos, Asteris Radix Et Rhizoma and Aurantii Fructus Immaturus). These ingredients activate renin-angiotensin system signaling pathway and apoptosis signaling pathway by regulating 10 protein targets (ACE, ACE2, AGTR1, FURIN, TNF, CASP3, CASP6, DPP4, MCL1 and POLD1) to execute 42 biological functions such as renin-angiotensin regulation of blood volume and systemic arterial blood pressure to treat COVID-19. The results of preliminary molecular docking showed that MOL000519 (from Pinelliae Rhizoma), MOL000554 (from Farfarae Flos), MOL004798 (from Ephedrae Herba), MOL004824 (from Glycyrrhizae Radix Et Rhiizoma), MOL010428 (from Asteris Radix Et Rhizoma), and MOL013443 (from Aurantii Fructus Immaturus) had good affinity with SARS-CoV-2 3CL hydrolase to form complexes with stable conformations and high binding activity (binding energy ≤- 5 kJ/mol). CONCLUSIONS: Qingfei Paidu decoction can treat COVID-19 through its multiple medicinal ingredients that have multiple targets and involve multiple signaling pathways for different biological functions. Our finding provides reference for further investigation into the pharmacological mechanism of Qingfei Paidu decoction in treating COVID-19.