Systems Signatures Reveal Unique Remission-path of Type 2 Diabetes Following Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Surgery.

Roux-en-Y Gastric bypass surgery (RYGB) is emerging as a powerful tool for treatment of obesity and may also cause remission of type 2 diabetes. However, the molecular mechanism of RYGB leading to diabetes remission independent of weight loss remains elusive. In this study, we profiled plasma metabolites and proteins of 10 normal glucose-tolerant obese (NO) and 9 diabetic obese (DO) patients before and 1-week, 3-months, 1-year after RYGB. 146 proteins and 128 metabolites from both NO and DO groups at all four stages were selected for further analysis. By analyzing a set of bi-molecular associations among the corresponding network of the subjects with our newly developed computational method, we defined the represented physiological states (called the edge-states that reflect the interactions among the bio-molecules), and the related molecular networks of NO and DO patients, respectively. The principal component analyses (PCA) revealed that the edge states of the post-RYGB NO subjects were significantly different from those of the post-RYGB DO patients. Particularly, the time-dependent changes of the molecular hub-networks differed between DO and NO groups after RYGB. In conclusion, by developing molecular network-based systems signatures, we for the first time reveal that RYGB generates a unique path for diabetes remission independent of weight loss.

Analysis of dencichine in Panax notoginseng by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with ethyl chloroformate derivatization.

Dencichine (beta-N-oxalyl-l-alpha,beta-diaminopropionic acid) is a haemostatic agent present in well-known traditional Chinese medicinal herbs such as Panax notoginseng, as well as other Panax species. It is also a reported neurotoxic agent found in Lathyrus sativus (grass pea seed) and cycad seeds. A method was developed for quantitative determination of the non-protein amino acid, dencichine, in plant samples of P. notoginseng and the adventitious roots directly from the explants of P. notoginseng after derivatization with ethyl chloroformate (ECF) by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). l-2-chlorophenylalanine was used as an internal standard. Calibration curves were linear (r(2)=0.9988, n=6) in the range of 10-800 microg/ml for dencichine. Limit of detection and quantification for dencichine were 0.5 microg/ml and 2 microg/ml, respectively. This rapid and specific method may be applied to the quantification of dencichine in complex medicinal plants and their products.

[Application of metabolomics in research of plant metabolites].

Metabolomics, a branch of systems biology, has gained extensive attention and profound achievements in the plant. Although plant metabolomics is to be explored, it has been one of the most effective methods to study the physiological and biochemical process and gene modification in pattern plants. We herein summarized the concept, development, and application of metabolomics and prospected the potentials in the metabolite profiling for plant. Metabolomics provides an omics' methodology to elucidate the whole biological process, identify and quantify the complex components in the plant. A number of metabolites present in the plant are active components of traditional Chinese medicine, and these bioactive components are influenced by the multi-factors such as environment, species, and processing methods etc. Therefore, it is of great importance to analyze a wide spectrum of compositions with diverse chemical characteristics and varied concentration, which is the foundation to quality control, allowing the elucidation of the pharmacological effectiveness, and further exploiting of traditional Chinese medicine.

[Adventitious root induction and in vitro culture of Panax notoginseng].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the induction and culture of adventitious root of Panax notoginseng. METHOD: Three ways, induction from the explants of three-year-old P. notoginseng. The explants of regenerated shoots and calluses, were used to induce adventitious roots. The effects of 2, 4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid, indole-3-butyric acid and naphthylacetic acid on adventitious root induction were investigated respectively. The effects of four modes of separating adventitious roots from the parent tissues on culture in vitro were compared. RESULT: Adventitious roots were successfully induced by three methods, of which the young flower bud callus was the best material for the induction of adventitious root. Indole-3-butyric acid possessed the strongest potency for induction. The liquid culture system was established by continuous culture of adventitious roots together with their parent tissues before separated. CONCLUSION: The acquisition and culture in vitro in liquid culture system of adventitious roots of P. notoginseng lay a foundation for the next investigation.