As a widely used traditional herbal medicine, it is crucial to characterize the holistic metabolic profile of Peucedani Radix (Chinese name: Qian-hu). However, it is quite arduous to obtain the whole ...picture of chemical constituents appropriately with the existing analytical techniques that were based on HPLC-UV or LC-MS/MS system. In present investigation, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy coupled with principal components analysis (PCA) was introduced to metabolomic characterization of Qian-hu crude extracts without any chromatographic separation. In addition, the contents of praeruptorin A (PA) and proaeruptorin B (PB) in Qian-hu were simultaneously determined using quantitative (1)H NMR (q(1)H NMR) spectroscopy. Eighteen reference compounds (1-18), which were purified from this herbal drug extract previously, were recruited for the assignment of the protonic signals in the (1)H NMR spectra. Following PCA, 15 batches of Peucedani Radix were divided into two groups (I and II), and angular-type pyranocoumarins, in particular PA and PB, as well as 5-methoxycoumarin were demonstrated as the predominant markers being responsible for the distinguishment of Qian-hu from different districts. The contents of the two analytes (PA & PB) were calculated by the relative ratio of the integral values of the target peak for each compound to the known amount of the internal standard, formononetin (IS). The lower limits of quantitation were determined as 19.5μg/mL for both PA and PB. The quantitative results indicated that the contents of PA and PB showed quite variable qualities among different extract samples. Above all, (1)H NMR spectroscopy, that could not only provide comprehensive profiles of the metabolites but also achieve convenient determination of praeruptorin A and praeruptorin B, is a promising means for evaluating the medicinal samples of Peucedani Radix.
It has been demonstrated that platycodin D (PD) exhibits anti-cancer activities. This study aims to investigate the anti-proliferative effects of the combination of PD and doxorubicin (DOX) on human ...breast cancer cells (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells).
The anti-proliferative effects of different dosages of PD, DOX, and PD + DOX on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells were determined by the MTT assay. The 10 μM PD, 5 μM DOX, and 10 μM PD + 5 μM DOX induced-protein expression of apoptosis-related molecules on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells were detected by western blot. The 10 μM PD, 5 μM DOX and 10 μM PD + 5 μM DOX-induced mitochondrial membrane potential changes on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells were stained with JC-1 before visual determination. The intracellular accumulations of DOX, induced by 10 μM PD, 5 μM DOX and 10 μM PD + 5 μM DOX, were detected by flow cytometry.
PD enhanced anti-cancer activities of DOX were observed in both MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines. Compared with mono treatment, the combined treatment increased the protein expression of cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase and decreased the mitochondrial membrane potential. The combined treatment with PD did not obviously increase the accumulation of DOX in MCF-7 cells (1.66 ± 0.13 in DOX-treated group, and 1.69 ± 0.06 in PD + DOX-treated group, P = 0.76), but it significantly increased the accumulation of DOX in MDA-MB-231 cells (1.76 ± 0.17 in DOX-treated group, 2.09 ± 0.02 in PD + DOX-treated group, P = 0.027).
The combined treatment of DOX and PD exhibited stronger anti-proliferative effects on MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells than DOX and PD treatment did.
Dietary nucleosides and nucleotides play an important role in the maintenance of functions of bone marrow hematopoietic cells, intestinal mucosa, and brain. Therefore, analysis of those compounds in ...food is very important for improving and assuring food quality. This review summarized the application of CE and CEC in the analysis of nucleosides and nucleotides in food. The sample preparation and detection are also discussed.
To investigate the effects of drug and oil properties on the formation and stability of drug nanocrystalline self-stabilizied Pickering emulsions (NSSPE). Three insoluble Chinese medicine components ...(puerarin, tanshinone ⅡA and ferulic acid) were selected as model drugs, and Capmul C8, Fabrafil M 1944 CS, isopropyl myristate, Pzechwan Lovage Rhizome oil, and olive oil were used as oil phase. NSSPEs were developed by high pressure homogenization method and were evaluated for their appearance, centrifugal stability, droplet size and drug content changes in emulsion layer after storing at room temperature for 14 d. Then the properties of the oil (surface tension and viscosity) and properties of the drugs (surface energy, oil-water partition coefficient, size and Zeta potential of nanocrystalline and drug-water-oil contact angle) on the formation and stability of NSSPE were analyzed. The emulsification property and stability of five samples prepared with ferulic acid nanocrystals and different oils were significa
Optically addressable spins in two-dimensional hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) attract widespread attention for their potential advantages in on-chip quantum devices, such as quantum sensors and ...quantum networks. A variety of spin defects have been found in hBN, but no convenient and deterministic generation methods have been reported for other defects except the negatively charged boron vacancy ( V B − ) . Here we report that by using femtosecond laser direct writing technology, we can deterministically create spin defect ensembles with spectral range from 550 to 800 nm on nanoscale hBN flakes. Positive single-peak optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) signals are detected in the presence of a magnetic field perpendicular to the substrate, and the contrast can reach 0.8%. With the appropriate thickness of hBN flakes, substrate, and femtosecond laser pulse energy, we can deterministically and efficiently generate a bright spin defect array. Our results provide a convenient deterministic method to create spin defects in hBN, which will motivate more endeavors for future research and applications of spin-based technologies such as a quantum magnetometer array.
Xp11.2 translocation/transcription factor E3 (TFE3) gene fusion renal cell carcinoma (Xp11.2 translocation RCC) was first classified as a distinct type of renal tumor by the World Health Organization ...in 2004. However, its morphology and clinical manifestations often overlap with those of conventional RCCs. Moreover, a micropapillary pattern (MPP) comprising small papillary cell clusters surrounded by lacunar spaces has never been described in RCC. We compared the clinicopathological and prognostic characteristics of one patient with Xp11.2 translocation RCC exhibiting an MPP (TFE3-M) to those of four patients with conventional Xp11.2 translocation RCC (TFE3-N); all five tumors resembled conventional RCCs on gross pathology. All patients exhibited similar histologies, clinical manifestations, and prognoses, and all underwent radical nephrectomy. However, their characteristics differed significantly from those of other MPP-comprising neoplasms. Both tumor types were positive for TFE3 and vimentin; however, TFE3-M tumor cells expressed epithelial membrane antigen and human melanoma black-45 but not cluster of differentiation 10 (CD10), whereas the TFE3-N cells expressed P504S, CD10, and vimentin but not cytokeratin 7. Our RT-PCR analysis result showed that TFE3-N and TFE3-M tumor cells were identified expressing
and
fusion genes, respectively. These findings suggest that TFE3-M should be classified as a histological subtype of Xp11.2 translocation RCC, although its relationship with other MPP-exhibiting neoplasms remains unclear. The histological characteristics of Xp11.2 translocation RCCs depend on MiT family transcription factors and their gene fusion partners. Xp11.2 translocation RCC should be considered for malignancies presenting with a particular pattern; such malignancies can be identified reliably by their morphological and immunohistochemical profiles.
Due to the increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant
Mycobacterium tuberculosis
, there is an urgent need for new antituberculosis drugs that have novel mechanisms of action. As part of our ...ongoing search for antimycobacterial metabolites from mangrove endophytes, chemical analysis of the active extract of a strain of
Fusarium
sp. was performed, which led to the isolation of fusaric acid as the predominant constituent. A variety of metal complexes of fusaric acid were prepared. Antimycobacterial assays showed that Cadmium (II) and Copper (II) complexes exhibited potent inhibitory activity against the
M. bovis
BCG strain minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) = 4 μg/mL and the
M. tuberculosis
H37Rv strain (MIC = 10 μg/mL), respectively. This is the first report of the antimycobacterial activity of the mangrove
Fusarium
metabolite and its coordinating metal complexes.
Plant height and grain shape are important traits that may affect yield in rice, and they therefore have enormous importance in breeding. A dwarf small-grain mutant (
S525
) was identified among ...progeny of the Indica rice restorer line ‘Xida 1B’ (wild type) raised from seeds treated with ethyl methanesulfonate. The dwarf and small-grain phenotypes were stably inherited after multi-generation selfing. Field-grown mutant plants showed the phenotypes of dwarfism, broad leaves, and small round grains. Genetic mapping and sequencing confirmed that
S525
was a novel
d1
-allelic mutant. A single-base transition (G to A) in the functional dwarfism gene
D1
at the conjunction site of the 11th intron caused excision or duplication of the 11th exon in the mRNA and resulted in translation of a defective G
α
protein. The
S525
showed enhanced salt tolerance compared with the wild type (WT), and the expression of genes associated with salt tolerance quantitatively increased in response to treatment with 200 mM NaCl. The
S525
may be useful for future investigation of G
α
functions and in the breeding of new dwarf rice cultivars.
Exposure to opiates induces locomotor sensitization in rodents, which has been proposed to correspond to the compulsive drug-seeking behaviour. Numerous studies have demonstrated that locomotor ...sensitization can occur in a dopamine transmission-independent manner; however, the underlying mechanisms are unclear.
Co-immunoprecipitation, BRET and cross-antagonism assays were used to demonstrate the existence of receptor heterodimers. Function of heterodimers was evaluated by behavioural studies of locomotor sensitization.
The dopamine D
receptor antagonist SCH23390 antagonized the signalling initiated by stimulation of μ opioid receptors with agonists in transfected cells expressing two receptors and in striatal tissues from wild-type but not D
receptor knockout (KO) mice, suggesting that SCH23390 modified μ receptor function via receptor heteromers, as the ability of an antagonist of one of the receptors to inhibit signals originated by stimulation of the partner receptor was a characteristic of receptor heteromers. The existence of μ receptor-D
receptor heterodimers was further supported by biochemical and biophysical assays. In vivo, when dopamine release was absent (by destruction of the dopaminergic projection from the ventral tegmental area to the striatum), SCH23390 still significantly inhibited μ receptor agonist-induced behavioural responses in rats. Additionally, we demonstrated that D
or μ receptor KO mice and thus unable to form μ receptor-D
receptor heterodimers, failed to show locomotor sensitization to morphine.
Our results suggest that μ receptor-D
receptor heterodimers may be involved in the dopamine-independent expression of locomotor sensitization to opiates.
Dried root tubers of L.aggregata have been widely used in Chinese herbal medicine for thousands of years to promote qi, relieve pain, warm kidney, and disperse cold.
This review aims to assess the ...research progress of L.aggregata, to comprehensively understand its development status, to point out the shortcomings of the existing researches, and to provide reference for further research on L.aggregata.
By searching various databases for literatures on "Lindera aggregata", "Linderae Radix" and "Lindera strychnifolia", as well as relevant textbooks and digital documents, an overall and critical review of the subject was conducted.
Through phytochemical studies on different parts of L.aggregata, about 260 compounds were isolated, including flavonoids, alkaloids, terpenes, volatile oils, and other compounds. A large number of in vivo and in vitro studies have shown that L.aggregata has a plethora of pharmacological effects such as anti-cancer, anti-arthritis, anti-bacterial, anti-oxidation, anti-diabetic nephropathy, hepatoprotective, lipid-lowering effect and so on.
While the pharmacological effects of L.aggregata have been confirmed, most studies only use simple in vitro cell lines or animal disease models to evaluate their pharmacological activities. Therefore, future research should be conducted in a more comprehensive clinical manner. Further pharmacological research is also necessary to fully clarify the action mechanism of L.aggregata. It is also interesting to note that L.aggregata is often used to treat frequent urination in ancient times, but its molecular basis and mechanism of action are still unclear, and systematic studies are lacking. In terms of quality control, the source of L.aggregata is single, mostly wild, and the main medicinal part of L.aggregata is the tuber, while the yield of straight root is large. Therefore, further attention should be paid to the rapid propagation technology of L.aggregata and whether straight root can be included in medicinal use. It is also worth thinking whether sulfur-fumigation is necessary for preserving L.aggregata. As vinegar-processing is a common processing method for L. aggregata, the mechanism of such processing method remains to be investigated. In addition, in-depth research on the pharmacokinetics and long-term toxicity of L.aggregata is necessary to ensure its efficacy and safety.
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