Based on previous studies about microflora regulation and immunity enhancement activities of polysaccharides from
Nannf. var.
(Nannf.) L. T. Shen (CPP), there is little study on intestinal mucosal ...immunity, which is a possible medium for contacting microflora and immunity. In the present study, the BALB/c mice were divided into five groups (eight mice in each group), including a normal group (Con), a model control group (Model), and model groups that were administered CPP (50, 100, 200 mg/kg/d) orally each day for seven days after intraperitoneal injection of 60 mg/kg BW/d cyclophosphamide (CP) for three days. CPP recovered the spleen index and restored the levels of IFN-γ, IL-2, IL-10, as well as serum IgG. In addition, it elevated ileum secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA), the number of
and acetic acid content in cecum. These results indicated that CPP plays an important role in the protection against immunosuppression, especially mucosa immune damage, and the inhibition of pathogenic bacteria colonization, which could be considered a potential natural source of immunoregulator.
In this study, an acidic polysaccharide from
Nannf. var.
(Nannf.) L. T. Shen (WCP-I) and its main fragment, WCP-Ia, obtained after pectinase digestion, were structurally elucidated and found to ...consist of a rhamnogalacturonan I (RG-I) region containing both arabinogalactan type I (AG-I) and type II (AG-II) as sidechains. They both expressed immunomodulating activity against Peyer's patch cells. Endo-1,4-β-galactanase degradation gave a decrease of interleukine 6 (IL-6) production compared with native WCP-I and WCP-Ia, but exo-α-l-arabinofuranosidase digestion showed no changes in activity. This demonstrated that the stimulation activity partly disappeared with removal of β-d-(1→4)-galactan chains, proving that the AG-I side chain plays an important role in immunoregulation activity. WCP-Ia had a better promotion effect than WCP-I in vivo, shown through an increased spleen index, higher concentrations of IL-6, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in serum, and a slight increment in the secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) and CD4
/CD8
T lymphocyte ratio. These results suggest that β-d-(1→4)-galactan-containing chains in WCP-I play an essential role in the expression of immunomodulating activity. Combining all the results in this and previous studies, the intestinal immune system might be the target site of WCP-Ia.
Hepatitis B virus infection is a major social and economic burden in developing countries, especially in China. We aimed to evaluate the effects of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive status ...on the pregnancy outcomes in the Chinese population.
This retrospective cohort study was performed using data from the Medical Birth Registry of Xiamen, China, from January 2011 to March 2018. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between the HBsAg status and pregnancy outcomes.
This study included 3,789 HBsAg-positive women and 29, 648 non-exposed women. The HBsAg-positive pregnant women were slightly older in age (29.3±4.3 vs. 28.9±4.4, P< 0.001). Additionally, pregnant women with a positive HBsAg status had higher odds of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) (adjusted odds ratio aOR, 1.13; 95% confidence interval CI, 1.03-1.23), and cesarean delivery (aOR, 1.12; 95%CI, 1.03-1.21). The risk of infants being large or small-for-gestational age, having low-birth weight, and of macrosomia, preterm birth, and stillbirth did not differ significantly between the HBsAg-positive and-negative women.
In Xiamen, China, the slightly higher risk of GDM and cesarean section in women positive for HBsAg should not be neglected. Further studies should be conducted to evaluate the effects of HBsAg positivity on the pregnancy outcomes in different ethnic populations.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Background The Oxford classification of immunoglobulin A (IgA) nephropathy (IgAN) provides a histopathologic grading system that is associated with kidney disease outcomes independent of clinical ...features. We evaluated the Oxford IgAN classification in a large cohort of patients from China. Study Design Retrospective study. Setting & Participants 1,026 adults with IgAN from 18 referral centers in China. Inclusion criteria and statistical analysis were similar to the Oxford study. Predictors Histologic findings of mesangial hypercellularity score, endocapillary proliferation, segmental sclerosis or adhesion, crescents, necrosis, and tubular atrophy/interstitial fibrosis. Clinical features, blood pressure, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), proteinuria, and treatment modalities. Outcomes Time to a 50% reduction in eGFR or end-stage renal disease (the combined event); the rate of eGFR decline (slope of eGFR); proteinuria during follow-up. Results Compared with the Oxford cohort, the Chinese cohort had a lower proportion of patients with mesangial hypercellularity (43%) and endocapillary proliferation (11%), higher proportion with segmental sclerosis or adhesion (83%) and necrosis (15%), and similar proportion with crescents (48%) and tubular atrophy/interstitial fibrosis (moderate, 24%; severe, 3.3%). During a median follow-up of 53 (25th-75th percentile, 36-67) months, 159 (15.5%) patients reached the combined event. Our study showed that patients with a mesangial hypercellularity score higher than 0.5 were associated with a 2.0-fold (95% CI, 1.5-2.8; P <0.001) higher risk of the combined event than patients with a score of 0.5 or lower. Patients with tubular atrophy/interstitial fibrosis of 25%-50% and >50% versus <25% were associated with a 3.7-fold (95% CI, 2.6-5.1; P <0.001) and 15.1-fold (95% CI, 9.5-24.2; P <0.001) higher risk of the combined event, respectively. Endocapillary proliferation, glomerular crescents, and necrosis were not significant. Limitations Retrospective study; the therapeutic interventions were miscellaneous. Conclusions We confirmed the associations of mesangial hypercellularity and tubular atrophy/interstitial fibrosis with kidney disease outcomes.
An inulin (CPPF), isolated from a traditional Chinese herbal medicine
, was characterized and demonstrated with potential prebiotic activity
before. Based on its non-digested feature, the intestinal ...mucosa and microbiota modulatory effects
on immunosuppressed mice were investigated after oral administration of 200, 100 and 50 mg/kg of CPPF for 7 days. It was demonstrated that the secretions of sIgA and mucin 2 (Muc2) in ileum were improved by CPPF, and the anti-inflammatory activities in different intestine parts were revealed. The intestine before colon could be the target active position of CPPF. As a potential prebiotic substance, a gut microbiota restorative effect was also presented by mainly modulating the relative abundance of
, including
,
and Lachnospiraceae after high-throughput pyrosequencing of V4 region of 16S rRNA analysis. All these results indicated that this main bioactive ingredient inulin from
was a medicinal prebiotic with enhancing mucosal immune, anti-inflammatory and microbiota modulatory activities.
Background:Among HlV-infected patients initiating antiretroviral therapy (ART),early changes in CD4+ T-cell subsets are well described.However,HIV-infected late presenters initiating treatment ...present with a suboptimal CD4+ T-cell reconstitution and remain at a higher risk for AIDS and non-AIDS events.Therefore,factors associated with CD4+ T-cell reconstitution need to be determined in this population,which will allow designing effective immunotherapeutic strategies.Methods:Thirty-one adult patients with baseline CD4+ T-cell count 〈350 cells/mm^3 exhibiting viral suppression after ART initiation were followed in the HIV/AIDS research center of Peking Union Medical College Hospital in Beijing,China,from October 2002 to September 2013.Changes in T-cell subsets and associated determinants were measured.Results:Median baseline CD4+ T-cell count was 70 cells/mm3.We found a biphasic reconstitution ofT-cell subsets and immune activation:a rapid change during the first 6 months followed by a more gradual change over the subsequent 8 years.Baseline CD4+ T-cell count 〉200 cells/ mm3 in comparison to CD4+ T-cell count ≤200 cells/mm3 was associated with more complete immune Reconstitution (77.8% vs.27.3% respectively;P =0.017) and normalized CD4/CD8 ratio.We showed that the baseline percentage of naive CD4+ T-cell was a predictive marker for complete immune reconstitution (area under receiver operating characteristic curve 0.907),and 12.4% as cutoffvalue had a sensitivity of 84.6% and a specificity of 88.2%.Conclusions:Baseline naive CD4+ T-cell percentage may serve as a predictive marker for optimal immune reconstitution during long-term therapy.Such study findings suggest that increasing thymic output should represent an avenue to improve patients who are diagnosed late in the course of infection.
The genus Elymus L. in the tribe Triticeae (Poaceae) includes economically and ecologically important forage grasses. The genus contains the pivotal St genome from Pseudoroegneria in combination with ...other genomes in the tribe. Many Elymus species are tetraploids containing the StY genomes. It is thought that polyploidization characterizes the speciation of the genus in which the Y is considered as another key genome. Based on data from cytological, genome in situ hybridization, and molecular studies, we hypothesized an endo‐allopolyploidy origin of the StY‐genome species from the autotetraploid Pseudoroegneria species. To test this hypothesis, we amplified, cloned, and sequenced five single‐copy nuclear genes (i.e., alcohol dehydrogenase 1–3, Adh1–Adh3, RNA polymerase II, Rpb2; and Waxy) from Elymus, Pseudoroegneria, and Hordeum species. The phylogenetic trees constructed based on the sequencing analyses of all genes indicated that diploid and autotetraploid Pseudoroegneria species were closely related, although with considerable genetic variation in tetraploids. In addition, the StY‐genome Elymus species tended to have a close relationship with the diploid and autotetraploid Pseudoroegneria species, although different phylogenetic relationships among the gene trees were detected. These results indicated that the StY‐genome species may have an autotetraploid origin and experienced recurrent hybridization. The complex St genomes in Pseudoroegneria in the polyploid state may gain more opportunities for within‐species differentiation and recurrent hybridization. As a result, series modified versions of St genomes evolved into the StY genomes in some Elymus species.
The mixed Pseudoroegneria genomes maintained in a polyploid state may provide an opportunity to produce a modified St genome. As a result, the modified versions of St genomes can differentiate into StY genomes in some Elymus species. Therefore, we hypothesized an endo‐allopolyploidy origin of the StY‐genome species from autotetraploid Pseudoroegneria species.
Codonopsis pilosula possesses properties related to nourishing the spleen and stomach, and tonifying qi of stomach and mind in traditional Chinese medicine. Polysaccharides, which are the primary ...active components of C. pilosula, are thought to be in charge of their extensive use. Now, a systematic summary structural and bioactivities diversity of polysaccharide from C. pilosula (CPs) are necessary to address their future aspects and application.
In this review, the extraction and purification methods, structural features and bioactivities diversity of CPs are summarized and discussed. Structure-activity relationships (SAR) is also analyzed and discussed.
Boiling water extraction, ultrasonic extraction, enzymatic hydrolysis and microwave methods, subcritical water extraction and accelerated solvent extraction are used for extracting CPs. Among them, water extraction and alcohol precipitation method is the most frequently used one. Around 15 neutral fractions and 25 acidic fractions were purified from different species of C. pilosula, while only few of them were well characterized. CPs exhibited various biological activities, including immunomodulation, antitumor, prebiotics, antifatigue, antiviral, antioxidation activity. However, most of bioactivities reported were based on crude CPs; in vivo studies of purified CPs and the potential mechanisms need to be extensively investigated. SAR illustrates that chemical and enzymatic modification of CPs could significantly increase the bioactivity of CPs, but other impact factors on SAR such as water solubility, molecular weight and chain information are still unknown.
•Methods for Codonopsis pilosula polysaccharides extraction were discussed.•Around 40 CPs were purified from C. pilosula, and showed structural diversity.•CPs exhibited a wide range of bioactivities both in vitro and in vivo.•Chemical and enzymatic modification affects the bioactivities of CPs.•Mechanisms of activities of purified CPs in vivo are required to be explored.
The roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza have been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for thousands of years. However, tons of aerial parts of this plant are usually discarded in the production of roots ...preparation. To make better use of these plant resources, the polysaccharide isolated from the aerial part of S. miltiorrhiza was investigated for its potential protection against intestinal diseases. A pectic polysaccharide (SMAP-1) was isolated and characterized being composed of homogalacturonan as the main chain and rhamnogalacturonan type I as ramified region, with side chains including arabinans and possible arabinogalactan type I and II. SMAP-1 exhibited robust protective effects against dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis and restored colitis symptoms, colonic inflammation, and barrier functions. Anti-oxidative effects were also observed by up-regulating Nrf2/Keap1 signaling pathway. Additionally, the level of serum 5-methoxyindole-3-carboxaldehyde (5-MC) was restored by SMAP-1 identified in metabolomic analysis, being correlated with the aforementioned effects. Protection against oxidative stress on intestinal porcine enterocyte cells (IPEC-J2) by 5-MC was observed through the activation of Nrf2/Keap1 system, as also shown by SMAP-1. In conclusion, SMAP-1 could be a promising candidate for colitis prevention, and 5-MC could be the signal metabolite of SMAP-1 in protecting against oxidative stress in the intestine.
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