Danshen: a phytochemical and pharmacological overview MEIm, Xiao-Dan; CAO, Yan-Feng; CHE, Yan-Yun ...
Chinese journal of natural medicines,
January 2019, 2019-Jan, 2019-01-00, 20190101, Volume:
17, Issue:
1
Journal Article
Danshen, the dried root or rhizome of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge., is a traditional and folk medicine in Asian countries, especially in China and Japan. In this review, we summarized the recent ...researches of Danshen in traditional uses and preparations, chemical constituents, pharmacological activities and side effects. A total of 201 compounds from Danshen have been reported, including lipophilic diterpenoids, water-soluble phenolic acids, and other constituents, which have showed various pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation, anti-tumor, anti-atherogenesis, and anti-diabetes. This article intends to provide novel insight information for further development of Danshen, which could be of great value to its improvement of utilization.
Systemic acquired resistance (SAR) is induced by pathogens and confers protection against a broad range of pathogens. Several SAR signals have been characterized, but the nature of the other unknown ...signalling by small metabolites in SAR remains unclear. Glutathione (GSH) has long been implicated in the defence reaction against biotic stress. However, the mechanism that GSH increases plant tolerance against virus infection is not entirely known. Here, a combination of a chemical, virus‐induced gene‐silencing‐based genetics approach, and transgenic technology was undertaken to investigate the role of GSH in plant viral resistance in Nicotiana benthamiana. Tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) infection results in increasing the expression of GSH biosynthesis genes NbECS and NbGS, and GSH content. Silencing of NbECS or NbGS accelerated oxidative damage, increased accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), compromised plant resistance to TMV, and suppressed the salicylic acid (SA)‐mediated signalling pathway. Application of GSH or l‐2‐oxothiazolidine‐4‐carboxylic acid (a GSH activator) alleviated oxidative damage, decreased accumulation of ROS, elevated plant local and systemic resistance, enhanced the SA‐mediated signalling pathway, and increased the expression of ROS scavenging‐related genes. However, treatment with buthionine sulfoximine (a GSH inhibitor) accelerated oxidative damage, elevated ROS accumulation, compromised plant systemic resistance, suppressed the SA‐mediated signalling pathway, and reduced the expression of ROS‐regulating genes. Overexpression of NbECS reduced oxidative damage, decreased accumulation of ROS, increased resistance to TMV, activated the SA‐mediated signalling pathway, and increased the expression of the ROS scavenging‐related genes. We present molecular evidence suggesting GSH is essential for both local and systemic resistance of N. benthamiana to TMV through a differential modulation of SA and ROS.
Glutathione is required for both local and systemic resistance of Nicotiana benthamiana to tobacco mosaic virus infection through a differential modulation of salicylic acid signalling and reactive oxygen species.
The superfamily Blaberoidea is a highly species‐rich group of cockroaches. High‐level blaberoidean phylogenetics are still under debate owing to variable taxon sampling and incongruence between ...mitochondrial and nuclear evolution, as well as different methods used in various phylogenetic studies. We here present a phylogenetic analysis of Blaberoidea based on a dataset combining the mitochondrial genome with two nuclear markers from representatives of all recognized families within the superfamily. Our results support the monophyly of Blaberiodea, which includes Ectobiidae s.s. (=Ectobiinae), Pseudophyllodromiidae, Nyctiboridae, Blattellidae s.s. (=Blattellinae) and Blaberidae. Ectobiidae s.s. was recovered as sister to the remaining Blaberoidea in all inferences. Pseudophyllodromiidae was paraphyletic with respect to Anaplectoidea + Malaccina. Blattellidae s.s. excluding Anaplectoidea + Malaccina formed a monophyletic group that was sister to Blaberidae. Based on our results, we propose a revised classification for Blaberoidea: Anaplectoidinae subfam.nov. and Episorineuchora gen.nov., and two new combinations at species level within Pseudophyllodromiidae; Rhabdoblattellinae subfam.nov., Calolamprodinae subfam.nov., Acutirhabdoblatta gen.nov., as well as new combinations for three species within Blaberidae. Ancestral state reconstructions based on four morphological characters allow us to infer that the common ancestor of blaberoid cockroaches is likely to be a species with characteristics similar to those found in Ectobiidae, that is, front femur Type B, arolium present, abdomen with a visible gland and male genital hook on the left side.
The chronic rejection responses and side effects of the systematic administration of immunosuppressants are the main obstacles to heart allograft and patient survival. The development of ...xenotransplantation also urgently requires more efficient immune regulation strategies. Herein, it is demonstrated that lymph‐node (LN)‐targeted drug delivery can realize LN‐specific immunomodulation with attenuated immune suppression on distant peripheral immune organs to effectively prolong long‐term survival after heart transplantation in a chronic murine heart transplantation model. A chemokine C‐C motif ligand 21 (CCL21) specific aptamer for LN targeting is decorated onto the surface of the hybrid nanoparticular delivery vector mainly composed of CaCO3/CaP/heparin. The targeting delivery system can dramatically enhance accumulation of the loaded immunosuppressant, fingolimod hydrochloride (FTY720), in draining lymph nodes (dLNs) for inducing powerful immune suppression. By promoting the generation of endogenous regulatory T cells (Tregs) and decreasing the proportion of effector T cells (Teffs) in dLNs after heart transplantation, the LN‐targeting strategy can effectively regulate local immune responses instead of systemic immunity, which reduces the incidence of long‐term complications. This study provides an efficient strategy to improve the survival rate after organ transplantation by precise and localized immunoregulation with minimized side effects of immunosuppression.
A targeting drug delivery system decorated by a chemokine C‐C motif ligand 21 (CCL21) specific aptamer can realize lymph‐node‐targeted immunomodulation with attenuated immune suppression on distant peripheral immune organs, resulting in effectively prolonged long‐term survival after heart transplantation. This study provides an efficient strategy to achieve precise and localized immunoregulation with minimized side effects of immunosuppression.
Abstract
Background
Exercise rehabilitation training is an important measure for improving the prognosis of patients with hip fractures. However, the particular program that works effectively and the ...efficiency of exercise therapy are still controversial.
Objective
To compare the effects of usual postoperative care combined with rehabilitation based on exercise prescription on motor function and complications in elderly patients who underwent surgery for hip fracture.
Methods
This was an observational study. A total of 71 elderly patients with hip fractures who were treated with hip arthroplasty and internal fixation of the proximal femur with an intramedullary nail at Suzhou Municipal Hospital from October 2020 to December 2021 were included; 11 cases were excluded (eight cases were excluded due to loss of follow-up, two due to deaths from other causes, and one due to other reasons). Finally, 60 patients (18 males and 42 females) were included. Patients were randomly assigned to the control (n = 30) and experimental (n = 30) groups using a random number generator. Patients in the control group received usual postoperative care, whereas those in the experimental group received usual postoperative care combined with rehabilitation training based on the principles of exercise prescription. We recorded the motor function (Harris hip score), daily living ability (Barthel Index), and complications at discharge and 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively for statistical analysis.
Results
The Harris hip score and Barthel Index score were significantly higher at 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively than at discharge in both groups (p < 0.05). The Harris hip score and Barthel Index score at discharge and 1, 3, and 6 months postoperatively were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group (p < 0.05). The incidence of complications at 6 months postoperatively was significantly lower in the experimental group than in the control group (13% vs. 37%).
Conclusions
Rehabilitation therapy based on exercise prescription helps improve hip function and the ability to perform activities of daily living and related postoperative complications after hip fracture surgery in elderly patients. The findings of our study will guide decision-making in clinical practice and improve the clinical management of hip fractures in elderly patients postoperatively.
Alpha‐momorcharin (α‐MMC), a member of the plant ribosomal inactivating proteins (RIPs) family, has been proven to exhibit important biological properties in animals, including antiviral, ...antimicrobial, and antitumour activities. However, the mechanism by which α‐MMC increases plant resistance to viral infections remains unclear. To study the effect of α‐MMC on plant viral defence and how α‐MMC increases plant resistance to viruses, recombinant DNA and transgenic technologies were employed to investigate the role of α‐MMC in Nicotiana benthamiana resistance to tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) infection. Treatment with α‐MMC produced through DNA recombinant technology or overexpression of α‐MMC mediated by transgenic technology alleviated TMV‐induced oxidative damage and reduced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during TMV‐green fluorescent protein infection of N. benthamiana. There was a significant decrease in TMV replication in the upper leaves following local α‐MMC treatment and in α‐MMC‐overexpressing plants relative to control plants. These results suggest that application or overexpression of α‐MMC in N. benthamiana increases resistance to TMV infection. Finally, our results showed that overexpression of α‐MMC up‐regulated the expression of ROS scavenging‐related genes. α‐MMC confers resistance to TMV infection by means of modulating ROS homeostasis through controlling the expression of antioxidant enzyme‐encoding genes. Overall, our study revealed a new crosstalk mechanism between α‐MMC and ROS during resistance to viral infection and provides a framework to understand the molecular mechanisms of α‐MMC in plant defence against viral pathogens.
Application or overexpression of α‐MMC in Nicotiana benthamiana increased resistance to TMV infection by means of modulating ROS homeostasis through controlling the expression of antioxidant enzyme‐encoding genes.
Blattulidae is an extinct cockroach family which was widely distributed around the world and lasted from Late Triassic to Cretaceous. Here we describe and illustrate the first blattulid genus found ...in the mid-Cretaceous Burmese amber, Huablattula gen. nov., to accommodate two new species, Huablattula hui sp. nov. and Huablattula jiewenae sp. nov. Most blattulid genera were only described based on inadequate samples, or were based only on nymphs, isolated tegmina, or wings. The well-preserved adult specimens described in this work not only fill a blank in Blattulidae study in Burmese amber, but also advance out knowledge of this family.
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•H2S alleviates photosynthetic damage in tobacco caused by Cd2+ through improved ETR and RUBISCO.•H2S alleviates damage of cell membrane and maintains the intracellular homeostasis by ...regulating the antioxidant system.•H2S stimulates the secretion of phytochelatins and resistant proteins, which forms a chelate with Cd2+.•H2S regulates the absorption and distribution of Ca2+ and K+ in leaves and roots, so that to antagonistic to Cd2+.•Resistance to Cd2+ mediated by H2S may be related by Ca2+ signal transduction.
Soilless culture experiments with tobacco were conducted to explore how the signal molecule H2S (0.3, 0.6, 0.9, and 1.2 μM) alleviated the toxicity of Cd2+ (50 mg/L). The results suggested that photosynthesis was enhanced as H2S improved the tobacco ΦPSII, ETR, Photo, Cond, and Tr, and that by increasing the NPQ, it consumed considerable amount of energy to enhance plant resistances during Cd2+ exposure. Furthermore, H2S increased the gene transcription of NtSOD3, NtPOD1, and CAT1, to enhance antioxidant enzyme activity, which reduces the generation of the reactive oxygen protective membrane integrity. Additionally, H2S increased the gene expression of the tobacco PC genes, Pr2 and Pr8 promoted the formation of the Cd2+ complexes and transportation to the vacuole, resulting in improved Cd-ATPase gene expression, away from organelles, to alleviate the Cd2+ poison. Furthermore, H2S regulated the relative absorption of K+ and Ca2+, which antagonized the Cd2+, and reduced its transportation to the aboveground plant material. Finally, the expression level of CaM increased with the application of H2S, and was highly correlated with the fitted results of a variety of resistance indicators, thereby indicating that H2S regulatory resistance mechanisms might be associated with Ca2+ signal transduction.
Ovarian cancer is a significant cause of cancer-related mortality in women. Over the past 3 decades, there has been a high incidence of recurrent chemoresistant disease, despite the relative ...effectiveness of current treatment strategies. This is partly attributed to cancer stem cells (CSC), a subpopulation that has acquired stem cell properties that allow these cells to evade standard chemotherapy and cause disease recurrence. Therefore, there is an urgent need for basic knowledge about CSC to develop innovative therapeutic approaches for ovarian cancer. These CSC subpopulations have been identified in ovarian cancer cell lines, tumors or ascites, and findings suggest that ovarian CSCs may be as heterogeneous as the disease itself. CSCs regulate the phenotype and function of immune cells involved in antitumor immunity, so a better understanding of the signaling pathways that interact between CSCs, immune cells and tumor cells will pave the way for the clinical application of CS in cancer immunotherapy. This review will focus on the markers currently used to identify and isolate these cells summarize current knowledge on the molecular and cellular mechanisms responsible for CSC-dependent regulation of antitumor immune responses. We will discuss the signaling pathways involved in CSC survival, replication, and differentiation as well as potential therapeutic targeting strategies.
This study examines Blattinae samples from Southwest China collected in recent years. Based on morphological characters, we establish two genera,
Vittiblatta
gen. nov.
and
Planiblatta
gen. nov.
, and ...describe four new species,
Vittiblatta punctata
Luo & Wang,
sp. nov.
,
Vittiblatta ferruginea
Luo & Wang,
sp. nov.
,
Vittiblatta undulata
Luo & Wang,
sp. nov.
, and
Planiblatta crassispina
Luo & Wang,
sp. nov.
These two new genera resemble
Periplaneta
s.s., but are easily distinguished from it and other genera of Blattinae by morphological characters (genital sclerite L4C). Our results indicate that sclerites L4C and R1G of male genitalia might be important in species delimitation of Blattinae. In addition, chiral dimorphism is found in male genitalia of
Vittiblatta punctata
sp. nov.
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