Pim-1 kinase protects the liver from ischemia reperfusion injury by regulating dynamics-related protein 1.

Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury significantly impacts liver transplantation success, yet current treatments remain inadequate. This study explores the role of Proto-oncogene serine/threonine-protein kinase (Pim-1) in liver IR, an area previously unexplored. Utilizing a mouse liver IR in vivo model and a MIHA cell hypoxia-reoxygenation in vitro model, we observed that Pim-1 expression increases following IR, inversely correlating with serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels. Increased Pim-1 expression stabilizes mitochondrial membranes by modifying Drp1 phosphorylation, reducing mitochondrial fission and apoptosis, thereby mitigating liver damage. Additionally, we discovered that elevated Pim-1 expression is dependent on the trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 9 during liver IR. These findings underscore the importance and potential clinical application of targeting Pim-1 in treating hepatic IR, presenting a novel therapeutic avenue.

Supplementing Monosodium Glutamate in Sow Diets Enhances Reproductive Performance in Lactating Sows and Improves the Growth of Suckling Piglets.

In most current farm operations, lactating sows need to overcome reproductive and environmental stresses that have resulted in poor sow production performance and piglet growth. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of in-feed supplementation of monosodium glutamate (MSG) in sows during late gestation lactation in regard to litter performance. The study subjects were 12 multi-parity sows (Landrace × Large White), farrowing sows with an average parity of four (three with three parities, seven with four parities, and two with five parities). They were randomly divided into the following two diet groups: the basal diet as a control (CON) group based on corn and soybean meal; and the basal diet + 2% MSG group. The experimental time ranged from 109 days before delivery to 21 days after delivery. There were six sows in each group, and each sow served as the experimental unit. There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) in body weight (BW), back fat (BF) thickness and estrus interval between sows supplemented with 2% MSG in their diets before and after farrowing and during weaning (p > 0.05). However, MSG-treated sows tended to increase BW loss at farrowing more than the CON group (p = 0.093) but lost less weight during lactation than the CON group (p = 0.019). There were no significant differences in the body condition scores (BCSs) and BF loss of the two groups of sows before and after farrowing and at weaning (p > 0.05). There was no significant difference in the weight of newborn piglets between the two groups of sows (p > 0.05). The weaning weight (p = 0.020) and average daily gain (ADG) (p = 0.045) of suckling piglets were higher in the MSG treated group compared to the CON group. The daily milk production of sows in the MSG treatment group was higher compared to the CON group (p = 0.045). The protein concentration of milk at week 3 (p = 0.060) and fat concentration of milk at week 5 (p = 0.095) of the MSG-supplemented sows tended to increase more than the CON group. In summary, the dietary inclusion of MSG supplementation had a beneficial effect on the late gestating sows and their piglet's growth and milk production. Our research has shown that the addition of 2% MSG in late gestation and lactation diet would be beneficial for both sow and piglet production.

Unraveling fluorescent mechanism of biomass-sourced carbon dots based on three major components: Cellulose, lignin, and protein.

The complexity of biomass components leads to significant variations in the performance of biomass-based carbon dots (CDs). To shed light on this matter, this study presents a comparative analysis of the fluorescence properties of CDs using pure cellulose, lignin, and protein as models. Three CDs showed different fluorescent properties, resulting from the structure difference and carbonization behavior in the hydrothermal. The relatively gentle thermal degradation of proteins allows the macromolecular structure of amino acids to be preserved. This preservation results in a more regular lattice structure, a larger sp2 domain size, and N-doping, which contribute to the highest quantum yield (QY) of 8.7% of the CDs. In contrast, cellulose undergoes more severe thermal degradation with large amounts of small molecules generated, resulting in the CDs with fewer surface defects, more irregular lattice structures, and lower QY. These results provide a guideline for the design of carbon dots from different biomass.

A multidimensional model incorporating radiomics score and liquid biopsy for the prediction of malignant and benign pulmonary nodules.

Background: As the lesions in pulmonary nodules (PNs) are small and the clinical manifestations lack specificity, the etiology of PNs is complex, predisposing them to misdiagnoses missed diagnoses. Thus, the diagnosis and treatment of PNs remains challenging and an important clinical problem. Methods: This study prospectively enrolled 156 patients with computed tomography (CT)-diagnosed PNs who underwent circulating genetically abnormal cell (CAC) testing between January 2020 and December 2021. We collected data on clinical features closely related to the nature of PNs, such as age, smoking history, and type of nodule. All internal regions of interest (ROIs) of PNs in this study were segmented. Radiomic feature extraction was performed on the ROIs, and a radiomics model was constructed using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression to obtain a radiomics score (Rad-score). A comprehensive model combining clinical features, Rad-score, and liquid biopsy was constructed using logistic regression analysis. The diagnostic performance of the model was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results: In this study, 5 radiomics features were screened for model construction. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of the radiomics model was 0.844 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.766-0.915] in the training set. The Rad-score, clinical features, and CAC were further combined to construct a multidimensional analysis model. The AUC of the synthesized model was 0.943 (95% CI: 0.881-0.978) in the training set. Conclusions: A multidimensional model is an effective tool for the noninvasive diagnosis of malignant PNs. The validation and combination of multiple diagnostic methods is a productive avenue of research trend for the identification of malignant PNs.

Intraspecific and sex-dependent variation of leaf traits along altitude gradient in the endangered dioecious tree Taxus fuana Nan Li & R.R. Mill.

Plant intraspecific trait variation (ITV) including sex-dependent differences are matters of many ecological consequences, from individual to ecosystem, especially in endangered and rare species. Taxus fuana is an endangered dioecious species with small and isolated populations endemic to the Himalayas region. Little is known about its trait variation between sexes, and among populations. In this study, 18 leaf traits from 179 reproductive trees (males and females) along the altitude (2600-3200m a.s.l.) of the T. fuana populations distributed in Gyirong County, Tibet, China, were measured. ITV and sources of variation in leaf traits were assessed. The relationship between leaf traits of males and females and altitude was analyzed separately. Variations in leaf traits of T. fuana ranged from 3.1% to 24.2%, with the smallest in leaf carbon content and the largest in leaf thickness to area ratio. On average 78.13% of the variation in leaf traits was from within populations and 21.87% among populations. The trends in leaf width, leaf nitrogen to phosphorus ratio, leaf carbon to nitrogen ratio, leaf carbon isotope ratio, and leaf nitrogen isotope ratio in relation to altitude were the same for males and females. Leaf length to width ratio varied significantly with altitude only in males, while leaf phosphorus content, leaf nitrogen content, and leaf carbon to phosphorus ratio varied significantly with altitude only in females. The correlation coefficients of most leaf traits of females with altitude were larger than that of males. In the relationship between leaf traits, there was a high similarity among males and females, but the altitude accounted for more explanation in females than in males. Our results suggested that the variation in leaf traits of T. fuana was small and did not dominate the interspecific competition in the local communities. Adaptation to the altitude gradient of T. fuana might be through altering nutrient storage processes and water use efficiency. Adaptation of male and female T. fuana to environmental changes showed differences, where the males were more tolerant and the females responded greatly to altitude. The differences in adaptation strategies between male and female T. fuana may be detrimental to the maintenance of their populations.

A review on traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology and the analytical methods of the genus Nardostachys.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The plants of the genus Nardostachys (Caprifoliaceae) have been used for a long history in different cultural systems of medicine, including Chinese, Ayurvedic, Korean folk medicine and Islamic, for treatments of disorders in nervous, digestive, cardiovascular and integumentary systems. AIM OF THE REVIEW: This review aims to provide comprehensive information on Nardostachys plants including botany update, traditional uses, data mining of uses in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and current Chinese medicinal patents, chemical constituents, pharmacological effects, toxicity and analytical method studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Studies of the genus Nardostachys were collected via Google Scholar and Baidu Scholar, ScienceDirect, SciFinder, Wiley Online Library, ACS Publications, NLM/NCBI, Web of Science, CNKI, WANFANG DATA, EMBASE, Huabeing database and Traditional Chinese Medicine Resource Network and libraries. Some local books, PhD or MS's dissertations were also included. The literatures cited in this review covered the period from 1962 to March 2021. The Plant List and Kew Herbarium Catalogue databases were used to authenticate the scientific name. RESULTS: Botany description of Nardostachys genus is updated. Analysis of the literatures indicates that Nardostachys species are valuable herbs with therapeutic potentials for various disorders. Data mining on ancient TCM prescriptions and current Chinese medicinal patents containing Nardostachys revealed its common compatibility with other herbs in China. Phytochemical studies identified terpenoids and phenolic compounds as the main constituents in the genus Nardostachys and sesquiterpenoids as the major bioactive components. Experimental studies demonstrated that crude extracts, major fractions and the main constituents from Nardostachys species mainly exhibited pharmacological activities on nervous, digestive, cardiovascular and skin systems. Further, in vivo and in vitro toxicological studies demonstrated that Nardostachys plants showed either no or low toxicities, except at high doses. Finally, methods of qualitative and quantitative analyses on chemical constituents of genus Nardostachys were summarized, including TLC/HPTLC, GC and HPLC/UPLC methods, combined with common detectors including PDA, DAD and MS. CONCLUSIONS: This review summarizes the progress on phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology and analytical methods of the genus Nardostachys. Studies demonstrate traditional uses of the genus Nardostachys, and reveal novel bioactive effects for clinical uses. These achievements expand our knowledge on the genus Nardostachys and its clinical value.

Anti-inflammatory effects of Rhodiola rosea L.: A review.

Rhodiola rosea L., a worldwide botanical adaptogen, has been confirmed to possess protective effects of inflammatory injury for many diseases, including cardiovascular diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, sepsis, and cancer. This paper is to review the recent clinical and experimental researches about the anti-inflammatory effects and the related mechanisms of Rhodiola rosea L. extracts, preparations, and the active compounds. From the collected information reviewed, this paper will provide the theoretical basis for its clinical application, and provide the evidences or guidance for future studies and medicinal exploitations of Rhodiola rosea L.

Roles of Non-Coding RNAs in Normal Human Brain Development, Brain Tumor, and Neuropsychiatric Disorders.

One of modern biology's great surprises is that the human genome encodes only ~20,000 protein-coding genes, which represents less than 2% of the total genome sequence, and the majority of them are transcribed into non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs). Increasing evidence has shown that ncRNAs, including miRNAs, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs), play important roles in regulating a wide range of biological processes of the human brain. They not only regulate the pathogenesis of brain tumors, but also the development of neuropsychiatric diseases. This review provides an integrated overview of the roles of ncRNAs in normal human brain function, brain tumor development, and neuropsychiatric disease. We discussed the functions and molecular mechanisms of miRNAs, lncRNAs, and circRNAs in normal brain function and glioma, respectively, including those in exosome vesicles that can act as a molecular information carrier. We also discussed the regulatory roles of ncRNAs in the development of neuropsychiatric diseases. Lastly, we summarized the currently available platforms and tools that can be used for ncRNA identification and functional exploration in human diseases. This study will provide comprehensive insights for the roles of ncRNAs in human brain function and disease.

Bursopentin (BP5) induces G1 phase cell cycle arrest and endoplasmic reticulum stress/mitochondria-mediated caspase-dependent apoptosis in human colon cancer HCT116 cells.

BACKGROUND: Bursopentin (BP5) is a multifunctional pentapeptide found in the chicken bursa of Fabricius. Recent study indicated that BP5 significantly stimulates expression of p53 protein in colon cancer HCT116 cells. However, the effects and underlying mechanisms of BP5 on HCT116 cell proliferation remain largely unclear. METHODS: Analyses of cell viability, cell cycle arrest as well as apoptosis were performed to study the actions of BP5 on HCT116 cells. Western blot analyse was assayed to measure the cell cycle-related and apoptosis-related proteins. Specific siRNAs targeting IRE1, ATF-6, and PERK were used for IRE1, ATF-6, and PERK knockdown, respectively. Cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) were detected using a H2DCF-DA green fluorescence probe. Cytosolic free Ca2+ concentrations and mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) were measured using Fluo-3 AM and JC-1 stains, respectively. RESULTS: BP5 possessed strong inhibitory effects on the cell growth and induced apoptosis in HCT116 cells. Mechanistically, BP5 arrested the cell cycle at G1 phase by increasing p53 and p21 expression and decreasing cyclin E1-CDK2 complex expression. BP5 treatment dramatically activated the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-mediated apoptotic pathway, as revealed by the significantly enhanced expression of unfolded protein response (UPR) sensors (IRE1α, ATF6, PERK) as well as downstream signaling molecules (XBP-1s, eIF2α, ATF4 and CHOP), and by the significantly altered the BP5-induced phenotypic changes in IRE1, ATF6, and PERK knockdown cells. Additionally, BP5-induced ER stress was accompanied by the accumulation of cytosolic free Ca2+ and intracellular ROS. Furthermore, BP5 treatment resulted in the increase of Bax expression, the decrease of Bcl-2 expression and the reduction of ΔΨm, subsequently causing a release of cytochrome c from the mitochondria into the cytoplasm and finally enhancing the activities of caspase-9 and -3. In addition, z-VAD-fmk, a pan-caspase inhibitor, markedly rescued BP5-induced cell viability reduction and reduced BP5-induced apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS: Our present results suggest that BP5 has an anticancer capacity to arrest cell cycle at G1 phase and to trigger ER stress/mitochondria-mediated caspase-dependent apoptosis in HCT116 cells. Therefore, our findings provide insight into further investigations of the anticancer activities of BP5.

A Simple and Rapid UPLC-PDA Method for Quality Control of Nardostachys jatamansi.

Nardostachys jatamansi is a well-documented herbal agent used to treat digestive and neuropsychiatric disorders in oriental medicinal systems. However, few simple, rapid, and comprehensive methods were reported for quality assessment and control of N. jatamansi. Herein, a UPLC with photodiode array detection method was developed for both fingerprint investigation of N. jatamansi and simultaneous quantitative analysis of the six serotonin transporter modulatory constituents in N. jatamansi. For chromatographic fingerprinting, 24 common peaks were selected as characteristic peaks to assess the consistency of N. jatamansi samples from different retail sources. Six of the common peaks (5, 7, 12: , and 16:  - 18: ) were identified as desoxo-narchinol A, buddleoside, isonardosinone, nardosinone, kanshone H, and (-)-aristolone, respectively, by phytochemical investigation. Five of the six compounds significantly either enhanced or inhibited serotonin transporter activity, while (-)-aristolone (18: ) didn't show any serotonin transporter activity. In quantitative analysis, the six compounds showed good linearity (r > 0.999) within test ranges. The precision, expressed as relative standard deviation, was in the range of 0.25 - 2.77%, and the recovery of the method was in the range of 92 - 105%. The UPLC-photodiode array detection-based fingerprint analysis and quantitative methods reported here could be used for routine quality control of N. jatamansi.

Novel serotonin transporter regulators: Natural aristolane- and nardosinane- types of sesquiterpenoids from Nardostachys chinensis Batal.

Serotonin transporter (SERT) is a classic target of drug discovery for neuropsychiatric and digestive disorders, and against those disorders, plants of Nardostachys genus have been valued for centuries in the systems of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurvedic and Unani. Herein, chemical investigation on the roots and rhizomes of Nardostachys chinensis Batal. led to the isolation of forty sesquiterpenoids including six new aristolane-type sesquiterpenoids and six new nardosinane-type sesquiterprenoids. Their structures were elucidated by extensive spectroscopic methods, combined with analyses of circular dichroism and single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. To explore natural product scaffolds with SERT regulating activity, a high-content assay for measurement of SERT function in vitro was conducted to evaluate the SERT regulating properties of these isolates. In conclusion, eleven compounds could be potential natural product scaffolds for developing drug candidates targeting SERT. Among which, kanshone C of aristolane-type sesquiterpenoid inhibited SERT most strongly, while desoxo-nachinol A of nardosinane-type sesquiterpenoid instead enhanced SERT potently.

Chemical Constituents from the Flowers of Wild Gardenia jasminoides J.Ellis.

Four new iridoids, 2'-O-(E)-coumaroylshanzhiside (1), 6'-O-(E)-coumaroylshanzhiside (2), 8α-butylgardenoside B (3), 6α-methoxygenipin (4), and one new phenylpropanoid glucoside, 5-(3-hydroxypropyl)-2-methoxyphenyl ß-d-glucopyranoside (5), together with sixteen known compounds, were isolated from the edible flowers of wild Gardenia jasminoides J.Ellis. Their chemical structures were characterized by extensive spectroscopic techniques, including 1D- and 2D-NMR, HR-ESI-MS, and CD experiments. The absolute configurations of the new isolates' sugar moiety were assigned by HPLC analysis of the acid hydrolysates. Furthermore, the antioxidant activities of those isolates were preliminarily evaluated by DPPH scavenging experiment. And comparison of 1 H-NMR spectra for the EtOH extract of G. jasminoides J.Ellis, gardenoside B and geniposide revealed that the flowers of this plant have a considerable content of gardenoside B instead of geniposide in the fruits, indicating different activities and applications in people's daily life.

Two new lignan glycosides from the fruits of Pyrus ussuriensis.

Two new lignan glycosides, ussuriensislignan A (1) and ussuriensislignan B (2), together with seventeen known compounds (3-19), were isolated from the fruits of Pyrus ussuriensis. Their structures were determined by various spectroscopic methods. This is the first report of the isolation of lignans (compounds 1-3) from the genus Pyrus, and compounds 3-6, 12-16 were reported from Pyrus for the first time.

Tumoral cytotoxic and antioxidative phenylpropanoid glycosides in Smilax riparia A. DC.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Smilax riparia A. DC., known as "Niu-Wei-Cai" in China, is distributed through the south and middle of China. The roots and rhizomes of Smilax riparia have been used not only as traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) for the treatment of bronchitis, lumbago of renal asthenia, traumatic injury, asthenia edema, and cancer but also as edible wild herbs in some areas of China. AIM OF THE STUDY: To identify the phytochemicals in the roots and rhizomes of Smilax riparia and to investigate their antioxidant activities and cytotoxicities toward several tumor cell lines. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Four fractions and five phenylpropanoid glycosides were obtained from roots and rhizomes of Smilax riparia under bioassay-guided screenings. The structures of five compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic methods and compared with published data. We evaluated their antioxidant activities and their cytotoxicities on five cancer cell lines: human promyelocytic leukemia (HL-60), human hepatocellular carcinoma (SMMC-7721), human lung cancer (A-549), human breast cancer (MCF-7), and human colon cancer (SW480). RESULTS: Of the five glycosides, one new compound (3, smilaside P) was isolated from an EtOAc fraction. Compound 1 was cytotoxic toward HL-60, SMMC-7721, A-549, MCF-7, and SW480 (IC50 2.70, 3.80, 11.91, 3.79, and 3.93 µM, respectively). Moreover, compounds 1-3 showed moderate scavenging activities against the 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical (IC50 339.58, 330.66, 314.49 µM, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Five phenylpropanoid glycosides were reported for the first time from this TCM. Each was studied, as observed here for the first time, in the cytotoxic experiments toward HL-60, SMMC-7721, and SW480 cell lines. Compound 1, bearing three feruloyl groups and three acetyl groups, had the greatest cytotoxicity toward the five tumor cell lines. Compounds 1-3 showed moderate antioxidant activities. All results reflect that compounds 1-3 are cytotoxic for a wide variety of cancer cell lines of differing tissue origins and that the cytotoxicities of these compounds may be related to their antioxidant activities.

[Determination of periplocin in different parts of Periploca sepium].

OBJECTIVE: To determinate the content of periplocin in different parts of Periploca sepium Bunge. METHODS: HPLC were carried out on ODS column, acetonitril: water (27: 73) as mobile phase, detection wavelength at 220nm. RESULTS: The content of periplocin in root bark, stem bark, xylem of root, xylem of stem are 1.03%, 0.65%, 0.26%, 0.39% respectively. No periplocin was detected in leaves and fruit. CONCLUSION: The plant of Periploca sepium Bunge should be multiply utilized.