Effects of phloridzin on blood glucose and key enzyme G-6-Pase of gluconeogenesis in mice.

The effects of phloridzin (PHL), main component of Malus hupehensis (MH) tea leaves, on blood glucose (BG) and glucose-6-phosphatase (G-6-Pase) were investigated to provide a basis for finding a scheme of stabilizing BG. Glucose uptake of insulin resistant HepG2 cells was measured by glucose oxidase method. Glucose tolerance, fasting BG (FBG) and postprandial BG (PBG) were determined by BG test strips. The expression of G-6-Pase was detected by Western blot. The results showed that glucose uptake was enhanced and the expression of G-6-Pase was inhibited by PHL in insulin resistant HepG2 cells. Glucose tolerance was enhanced, FBG level was increased and PBG level was decreased by PHL in mice. The expression of G-6-Pase in the liver was enhanced under fasting state, and was inhibited by the low and medium dose under postprandial state. It indicated that PHL has a positive effect on stabilizing BG in mice, which is related to bidirectional regulation of G-6-Pase activity. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Malus hupehensis, edible and medicinal plant, which has been proved by long-term application and experiments that it has a good effect on stabilizing blood glucose, preventing diabetes and adjuvant treatment. Its effect is closely related to its main component PHL. Thus, MH can be used as a dietary regulating drink for daily life to maintain blood glucose. Its main ingredient is PHL, which can be developed as a candidate drug for diabetes treatment.

Effect of beta-cypermethrin exposure on embryo implantation in mice.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of ß-CP on embryo implantation in mice. Forty female mice were randomly assigned to four groups of 10 mice each: one control group and three ß-CP treated groups. The control group was administered corn oil only, while the three ß-CP-treated groups were given corn oil containing 5, 10, and 20 mg/kg bw d ß-CP for 3 months through intragastric administration. The results indicated that the administration of ß-CP decreased the rate of embryo implantation (all p < 0.05), E2 level in the serum, and the expression of Homeobox A10 (HoxA10) protein. In addition, ß-CP significantly increased ERa and PRA protein expression levels. These results suggest that ß-CP can disrupt the balance of E2 and P, influence ERa and PRA expression and their downstream-related molecule Hoxa10, and decrease embryo implantation.

Molecular variability of DR-1 and DR-2 within the pvpA gene in Mycoplasma gallisepticum isolates.

A total of 15 Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) isolates from Chinese poultry farms and three reference strains (S6, BG44T, and F36) were characterized by nested polymerase chain reaction and sequence analysis for two identical and directly repeated sequences, DR-1 and DR-2, within the putative cytadhesin pvpA gene. The molecular variation patterns of the pvpA genes among the 15 MG isolates were identical to the reference strains S6 and BG44T, that is, a 60 bp deletion in DR-1 and DR-2 and repetition of 1) a proline residue 33 times and 2) a tetrapeptide motif 10 times (Pro-Arg-Pro-X, where X is Met, Gly, Asn, or Gln for 6, 1, 1, or 2 times, respectively). However, the variation pattern is quite different from that of the vaccine strain F36, in which only the DR-1 region is retained, 24 of the 25 peptides comprising the linkage sequence between DR-1 and DR-2 are missing, and the entire DR-2 sequence is deleted. A comparison of the sequences within the DR-1 and DR-2 repeated regions among clinical isolates from different geographic sites suggested that > or = 30 proline residue repeats and 7-10 repeats of the tetrapeptide motif may exert an important role in the functionality of PvpA as an adhesin molecule. Size variation and differences in deletion patterns in the C-terminal coding region of the pvpA gene were observed among the field isolates and vaccine strain F, providing the basis for strain differentiation.