Single-cell RNA sequencing reveals that VIM and IFITM3 are vital targets of Dengzhan Shengmai capsule to protect against cerebral ischemic injury.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Ischemic stroke is one of the leading causes of mortality, but therapies are limited. Dengzhan Shengmai capsule (DZSM) was included by the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2020 and has been broadly used for the treatment of ischemic stroke. However, the mechanism of DZSM against ischemic stroke is unclear. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study used RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to investigate the mechanism of action of DZSM against ischemic stroke. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The rats were randomly divided into six groups: the Sham, I/R (water), I/R + DZSM-L (0.1134g/kg), I/R + DZSM-H (0.4536g/kg), I/R + NMDP (20mg/kg), and I/R + Ginaton (20mg/kg). The rats were administrated drugs for 5 days then followed by the ischemic brain injury caused by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). The neuroprotective effect was assessed by infraction rate, neurological deficit scores, regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF), hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining, and Nissl staining. Based on RNA-seq and scRNA-seq, the vital biological processes and core targets of DZSM against cerebral ischemia were revealed. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunofluorescence (IF) staining were used to investigate the vital biological processes and core targets of DZSM against ischemic stroke. RESULTS: Administration of DZSM significantly reduced the infarction rate and Zea Longa score, Garcia JH score, and ameliorated the reduction in rCBF. And alleviated the neuronal damage, such as increased neuronal density level and Nissl bodies density level. RNA-seq analysis revealed that DZSM played important roles in inflammation and apoptosis. ELISA and IF straining validation confirmed that DZSM significantly decreased the expression of IL-6, IL-1ß, TNF-α, ICAM-1, IBA-1, MMP9, and Cleaved caspase-3 in MCAO rats. ScRNA-seq analysis identified 8 core targets in neurons including HSPB1, SPP1, MT2A, GFAP, IFITM3, VIM, CRIP1, and GPD1, and VIM and IFITM3 was verified to be decreased by DZSM in neurons. CONCLUSION: Our study illustrates the neuroprotective effect of DZSM against ischemia stroke, and VIM and IFITM3 were identified as vital targets in neurons of DZSM in protecting against MCAO-induced I/R injury.

Approaches to reconstruction of inferior vena cava by ex vivo liver resection and autotransplantation in 114 patients with hepatic alveolar echinococcosis.

BACKGROUND: Hepatic alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is most commonly found in retrohepatic inferior vena cava (RHIVC). Ex vivo liver resection and autotransplantation (ELRA) can better realize the radical resection of end-stage hepatic AE with severely compromised hepatocaval confluences, and reconstruction of the affected vessels. Currently, there is a scarcity of information regarding RHIVC reconstruction in ELRA. AIM: To propose reasonable RHICV reconstruction strategies for ex vivo liver resection and autotransplantation. METHODS: We retrospectively summarized the clinical data of 114 patients diagnosed with hepatic AE who treated by ELRA in our department. A total of 114 patients were divided into three groups according to the different reconstruction methods of RHIVC: Group A with original RHIVC being repaired and reconstructed (n = 64), group B with RHIVC being replaced (n = 43), and group C with RHIVC being resected without reconstruction (n = 7). The clinical data of patients, including the operation time, anhepatic phase, intraoperative blood loss, complications and postoperative hospital stay, were analyzed and the patients were routinely followed up. The normally distributed continuous variables were expressed as means ± SD, whereas the abnormally distributed ones were expressed as median and analyzed by analysis of variance. Survival curve was plotted by the Kaplan-Meier method. RESULTS: All patients were routinely followed up for a median duration of 52 (range, 12-125) mo. The 30 d mortality rate was 7.0% (8/114) and 7 patients died within 90 d. Among all subjects, the inferior vena cava (IVC)-related complication rates were 17.5% (11/63) in group A and 16.3% (7/43) in group B. IVC stenosis was found in 12 patients (10.5%), whereas thrombus was formed in 6 patients (5.3%). Twenty-two patients had grade III or higher complications, with the complication rates being 17.2%, 16.3%, and 57.1% in the three groups. The average postoperative hospital stay in the three groups was 32.3 ± 19.8, 26.7 ± 18.2, and 51.3 ± 29.4 d (P = 0.03), respectively. CONCLUSION: ELRA can be considered a safe and feasible option for end-stage hepatic AE patients with RHIVC infiltration. The RHIVC reconstruction methods should be selected appropriately depending on the defect degree of AE lesions in IVC lumen. The RHIVC resection without any reconstruction method should be considered with caution.

Activation of mitochondrial-associated apoptosis signaling pathway and inhibition of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway by voacamine suppress breast cancer progression.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is one of the malignant tumors with the highest morbidity and mortality rate. Numerous efficient anti-breast cancer drugs are being derived from the development of natural products. Voacamine (VOA), a bisindole alkaloid isolated from Voacanga africana Stapf, possesses various pharmacological and biological activities. PURPOSE: In this study, we investigated the efficacy of VOA against breast cancer cells and elucidated the underlying mechanisms in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: Human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 and mouse breast cancer cell line 4T1 were used to study the underlying anti-cancer mechanisms of VOA. The proliferation was detected by MTT, colony formation, cell proliferation and wound-healing migration assays. Flow cytometry was utilized to determine the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) cell-cycle, apoptosis and mitochondrial membrane potential. The target proteins were analyzed by Western blot. Molecular docking was performed and scored by AutoDock. Subcutaneous cancer models in mice were established to evaluate the anticancer effects in vivo. RESULT: Our results demonstrated that VOA selectively suppressed breast cancer MCF-7 and 4T1 cells proliferation with IC50 values of 0.99 and 1.48 µM, and significantly inhibited the migration and colony formation of tumor cells. Furthermore, the cell cycle was arrested in the S phase with the decreased expression levels of CDK2, Cyclin A and Cyclin E. Additionally, exposure to VOA dose-dependently brought about dose-dependently the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) and amassment of reactive oxygen species (ROS), resulting in the initiation of the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. Western blot analysis unveiled that VOA significantly activated mitochondrial-associated apoptosis and obviously suppress the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway via modulation of related protein expression levels in both tumor cell lines. In tumor-bearing mouse models, administration of VOA dose-dependently inhibited the tumor growth without causing apparent toxicities. CONCLUSION: These findings revealed the novel properties of VOA in promoting apoptosis of breast cancer cells by activating mitochondrial-associated apoptosis signaling pathway and inhibiting PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway and significantly decreasing tumor size without detecting appreciable toxicity. In summary, the present results demonstrated VOA could be an encouraging drug candidate to cure breast cancer, exhibiting an effective method to exploit unique drugs from natural components.

Five new ent-kaurane diterpenes from Annona squamosa L. pericarps.

In the present study, five new ent-kaurane diterpenes including 4α-hydroxy-17,19-dinor-ent-kaurane-16-one (1), 4ß-hydroxy-16ß-H-18-nor-ent-kaurane-17-oic acid (2), 4ß,17-dihydroxy-16α-acetoxy-18-nor-ent-kaurane (3), Annosquamosin Z (4) and 16α-H-ent-kaurane-17,18-dioic acid, 17-methy ester (5) were isolated from Annona squamosa L. pericarp. The compounds were also evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against SMMC-7721 and HepG2 cell lines, among which compound 3 exhibited potent cytotoxicity with IC50 value of less than 20 µM.

[A preliminary study of the difference in composition of intestinal bifidobacteria between healthy infants and infants with allergic diseases].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between intestinal bifidobacteria and allergic diseases in infants by comparing the composition of intestinal bifidobacteria between healthy infants and infants with allergic diseases. METHODS: A total of 48 infants were enrolled, and fecal samples were collected on days 0, 2, 7, and 15 and at months 1, 6, and 12 after birth. Among these infants, 22 who experienced allergic diseases before the age of 1 year were enrolled as allergic group and 26 healthy infants were enrolled as healthy group. Quantitative real-time PCR was used for the qualitative and quantitative analyses of Bifidobacterium and 8 species of bifidobacteria in fecal samples. RESULTS: There was a difference in the composition of intestinal bifidobacteria between the two groups within 1 month after birth: the healthy group showed a reduction in bifidobacteria on day 2, while this feature was not observed in the allergic group. Compared with the healthy group, the allergic group had a significantly lower detection count of Bifidobacterium at month 1 (P<0.05) and a significantly lower detection rate of B.breve on day 15 (P<0.05), with delayed colonization of B.infantis. CONCLUSIONS: Intestinal bifidobacteria and their composition within 1 month after birth may be associated with the development of allergic diseases, and this period of time may be a critical period for the prevention and treatment of allergic diseases in infants.

Occurrence and distribution of yellow grub trematodes (Clinostomum complanatum) infection in Taiwan.

Digenetic trematodes of the genus Clinostomum are widely distributed in many species of freshwater fish and are known to cause the zoonotic disease Halzoun. Humans may become accidental hosts if they ingest raw freshwater fish containing metacercaria of Clinostomum complanatum, which causes pharyngitis or laryngitis. The yellow grub parasitizing cultivated ayu (Plecoglossus altivelis) and loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) was one of the most serious problems in fish farms from 1977 to 1979 in Taiwan. The present study revealed, for the first time, frequent occurrence of C. complanatum metacercaria in various fish species in a natural environment, the Dahan River, in Taiwan. We examined 1503 fish specimens belonging to four families and 162 snails representing six species. C. complanatum metacercaria was mainly from the fish family Cyprinidae, and only cercaria from the snail Radix swinhoei was recovered. The prevalence and mean intensity of metacercaria were 9.8% and 9.35 parasites/infected fish, respectively. The prevalence of cercaria was low, 0.62%, in snails. Acrossocheilus paradoxus, Zacco barbata, Zacco pachycephalus, Zacco platypus, Onychostoma barbatula, and Hemibarbus labeo are new host records. Metacercariae were primarily found in the operculum, mandible, muscle, and oral cavity of fish. Morphological description and molecular analysis with 18S rDNA sequencing allowed for rapidly identifying C. complanatum. Encysted and excysted metacercariae cultivated at 22 °C in physiological saline died within 60 h. The mean intensity of infection increased with an increasing length of Z. pachycephalus. We found no association between monthly parasite prevalence and mean intensity at each sampling location. No C. complanatum metacercaria survived after 8 h of salting. The Dahan River has suitable conditions and hosts (snails, fish, and fish-eating birds) for maintaining the life cycle of C. complanatum.

Bifunctional squaramide-catalyzed synthesis of chiral dihydrocoumarins via ortho-quinone methides generated from 2-(1-tosylalkyl)phenols.

A bifunctional squaramide-catalyzed reaction of azlactones with o-quinone methides in situ generated from 2-(1-tosylalkyl)-phenols has been successfully developed under basic conditions, providing an efficient and mild access to chiral dihydrocoumarins bearing adjacent tertiary and quaternary stereogenic centers in high yields with excellent diastereo- and enantioselectivities.

Generation, identification, formation mechanism and application of plant haploids.

Haploids are individuals with gametophytic chromosome numbers. Homozygous doubled haploids can be quickly gained by genome doubling. Haploids and doubled haploids play an important role on crop breeding, mutant screening, gene functional analysis, cytological studies, construction of genetic population and so on, and have been a research hotspot of plants in recent years. In this review, we summarize the production means, identification, the genetic mechanism and the applications of haploids and doubled haploids. We hope to provide a reference for study and application of haploids and doubled haploids.

Effect of nitrogen and phosphorus deficiency on transcriptional regulation of genes encoding key enzymes of starch metabolism in duckweed (Landoltia punctata).

The production of starch by plants influences their use as biofuels. Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) regulate starch gene expression during plant growth and development, yet the role of key enzymes such as ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (E.C. 2.7.7.27 AGPase) in starch metabolism during N- and P-deficiency remains unknown. We investigated the effect of N- and P-deficiency on the expression of large (LeAPL1, LeAPL2, and LeAPL3) and small (LeAPS) subunits of AGPase in duckweed (Landoltia punctata) and their correlation with starch content. We first isolated the full-length cDNA encoding LeAPL1 (GenBank Accession No. KJ603244) and LeAPS (GenBank Accession No. KJ603243); they contained open reading frames of 1554 bp (57.7-kDa polypeptide of 517 amino acids) and 1578 bp (57.0 kDa polypeptide of 525 amino acids), respectively. Real-time PCR analysis revealed that LeAPL1 and LeAPL3 were highly expressed during early stages of N-deficiency, while LeAPL2 was only expressed during late stage. However, in response to P-deficiency, LeAPL1 and LeAPL2 were upregulated during early stages and LeAPL3 was primarily expressed in the late stage. Interestingly, LeAPS was highly expressed following N-deficiency during both stages, but was only upregulated in the early stage after P-deficiency. The activities of AGPase and soluble starch synthesis enzyme (SSS EC 2.4.1.21) were positively correlated with changes in starch content. Furthermore, LeAPL3 and LeSSS (SSS gene) were positively correlated with changes in starch content during N-deficiency, while LeAPS and LeSSS were correlated with starch content in response to P-deficiency. These results elevate current knowledge of the molecular mechanisms underlying starch synthesis.