Stereochemical determination of new cytochalasans from the plant endophytic fungus Trichoderma gamsii.

Three new cytochalasans, trichalasins E (1), F (2) and H (7), together with four known analogues, trichalasin C (3), aspochalasin K (4), trichalasin G (5) and aspergillin PZ (8), were isolated from one endophytic fungus Trichoderma gamsii inhabiting in the traditional medicinal plant Panax notoginseng (BurK.) F.H.

Aspirin treatment improved mesenchymal stem cell immunomodulatory properties via the 15d-PGJ2/PPARγ/TGF-β1 pathway.

Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) have been used to treat a variety of autoimmune diseases in clinics. However, the therapeutic effects are largely dependent on the immunomodulatory capacity of culture-expanded BMMSCs. In the present study, we show that aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid, ASA)-treated BMMSCs have significantly improved immunomodulatory function, as indicated by upregulation of regulatory T cells (Tregs) and downregulation of Th17 cells via the 15d-PGJ2/PPARγ/TGF-β1 pathway.

Two new natural products from Croton kongensis Gagnep.

A new diterpenoid, 14β-hydroxy-3-oxo-ent-kaur-16-ene (1), and a new nor-lignan, 8S-( - )-8-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzoyl)-dihydrofuran-8(8'H)-one (4), along with five known compounds were isolated from the twigs and leaves of Croton kongensis Gagnep. Their isolations were clarified and structures were elucidated by the extensive spectroscopic analyses, especially 2D NMR experiments.

Spatial and temporal expression of c-Kit in the development of the murine submandibular gland.

The c-Kit pathway is important in the development of many mammalian cells and organs and is indispensable for the development of hematopoiesis, melanocytes, and primordial germ cells. Loss-of-function mutations in c-Kit lead to perinatal death in mouse embryos. Previously, c-Kit has been used as one of salivary epithelial stem or progenitor cell markers in mouse, its specific temporo-spatial expression pattern and function in developing murine submandibular gland (SMG) is still unclear.

A new dihydroagarofuranoid sesquiterpene from the roots of Tripterygium hypoglaucum.

A new sesquiterpene ester (1) has been isolated from the root bark of Tripterygium hypoglaucum. The structure was determined as 1α-acetoxy-6β,9β-dibenzoyloxy-4β-hydroxy-dihydroagarofuran by the extensive analysis of NMR data, and the absolute configurations were established as 1R, 4R, 6S, and 9R by application of the CD excitation chirality method. Compound 1 exhibited weak cytotoxicity against HeLa cells, with an IC₅₀ value of 30.

[Preliminary clinical results of deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty in the treatment deep infectious purulent keratitis].

Objective: To evaluate the clinical results of deep anterior lamellar keratoplasty (DALK) assisted by big bubble technique in the treatment of deep infectious purulent keratitis.

Methods: Seventeen patients (17 eyes) with deep infectious purulent keratitis received DALK surgery in Shandong Eye Hospital from January 2011 to March 2012. Case selection:Patients with purulent keratitis, the infection or infiltrate depth was more than four fifth corneal thickness;

Surgical Technique: Use DALK assisted by big bubble technique to cut off the lesions and expose the Descemet's membrane.

Trichodermone, a spiro-cytochalasan with a tetracyclic nucleus (7/5/6/5) skeleton from the plant endophytic fungus Trichoderma gamsii.

Trichodermone (1), the first spiro-cytochalasan with an unprecedented tetracyclic nucleus (7/5/6/5), together with its possible biosynthetic precursor aspochalasin D (2), was isolated from the endophytic fungus Trichoderma gamsii. Compound 2 displayed moderate inhibitory activity against HeLa cells with an IC50 value of 5.72 μM.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate induces apoptosis, inhibits proliferation and decreases invasion of glioma cell.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a major polyphenol in green tea, has been considered a potential therapeutic and chemopreventive agent for cancer. Glioma is a malignant tumor with high mortality but effective therapy has not yet been developed. In this study, we found that EGCG induced apoptosis in U251 glioma cells via the laminin receptor (molecular weight 67 kDa) in a time- and dose-dependent manner, decreased their invasiveness and inhibited their proliferation.

Metabolic pathways involved in Xin-Ke-Shu protecting against myocardial infarction in rats using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry.

Xin-Ke-Shu (XKS) is a patent drug used for coronary heart diseases in China. This study evaluated the protective effect of XKS against isoproterenol (ISO)-induced myocardial infarction (MI). For its underlying mechanism in rats with MI, a metabonomic approach was developed using ultra high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/QTOF-MS).

An automated dual-gradient liquid chromatography-MS/MS method for the simultaneous determination of ferulic acid, ligustrazine and ligustilide in rat plasma and its application to a pharmacokinetic study.

An automated on-line SPE and innovative fast polarity switch bioanalysis method employing dual-gradient liquid chromatography (DGLC) coupled with mass spectrometry (DGLC-MS/MS) was established and validated for the simultaneous determination of ferulic acid, ligustrazine and ligustilide in rat plasma after administration of Rhizoma Chuanxiong, Angelica sinensis extract or monomer. The proteins in plasma samples were precipitated using acetonitrile: methanol (1:1, v/v). Sulfamethoxazole was used as an internal standard.

Activation of mammalian target of rapamycin contributes to pain nociception induced in rats by BmK I, a sodium channel-specific modulator.

The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway is essential for maintenance of the sensitivity of certain adult sensory neurons. Here, we investigated whether the mTOR cascade is involved in scorpion envenomation-induced pain hypersensitivity in rats. The results showed that intraplantar injection of a neurotoxin from Buthus martensii Karsch, BmK I (10 μg), induced the activation of mTOR, as well as its downstream molecules p70 ribosomal S6 protein kinase (p70 S6K) and eukaryotic initiation factor 4E-binding protein 1 (4E-BP1), in lumbar 5-6 dorsal root ganglia neurons on both sides in rats.

Microglial activation of p38 contributes to scorpion envenomation-induced hyperalgesia.

Intraplantar (i.pl.) injection of BmK I, a receptor site 3-specific modulator of voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) from the venom of scorpion Buthus martensi Karsch (BmK), was shown to induce long-lasting and spontaneous nociceptive responses as demonstrated through experiments utilizing primary thermal and mirror-imaged mechanical hypersensitivity with different time course of development in rats.

The metabolic disturbances of isoproterenol induced myocardial infarction in rats based on a tissue targeted metabonomics.

Myocardial infarction (MI) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality but the precise mechanism of its pathogenesis remains obscure. To achieve the most comprehensive screening of the entire metabolome related to isoproterenol (ISO) induced-MI, we present a tissue targeted metabonomic study using an integrated approach of ultra-performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q/TOF MS) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR). Twenty-two metabolites were detected as potential biomarkers related to the formation of MI, and the levels of pantothenic acid (), lysoPC(18:0) (), PC(18:4(6Z,9Z,12Z,15Z)/18:0) (), taurine (), lysoPC(20:3(8Z,11Z,14Z)) (), threonine (), alanine (), creatine (), phosphocreatine (), glucose 1-phosphate (), glycine (), xanthosine (), creatinine () and glucose () were decreased significantly, while the concentrations of histamine (), L-palmitoylcarnitine (), GSSG (), inosine (), arachidonic acid (), linoelaidic acid (), 3-methylhistamine () and glycylproline () were increased significantly in the MI rats compared with the control group.

MiR-199a suppresses the hypoxia-induced proliferation of non-small cell lung cancer cells through targeting HIF1α.

Deregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs that are involved in the carcinogenesis of various cancers, including lung cancer. HIF1a has been suggested to be a master regulator of hypoxia-induced cell proliferation. The relationship between HIF1a expression and the progression of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is not fully understood, and whether HIF1a expression is regulated by miRNAs in this process remains unclear.

Chaetochromones A and B, two new polyketides from the fungus Chaetomium indicum (CBS.860.68).

Chaetochromones A (1) and B (2), two novel polyketides, were isolated from the crude extract of fungus Chaetomium indicum (CBS.860.68) together with three known analogues PI-3(3), PI-4 (4) and SB236050 (5).

Comprehensive assessment of the association between DNA repair gene XRCC3 rs861539 C/T polymorphism and lung cancer risk.

A few case-control studies were performed to assess the association between X-ray repair cross-complementing group 3 (XRCC3) rs861539 C/T polymorphism and lung cancer susceptibility, but no consistent finding was reported. In the present study, we performed a meta-analysis of 14 case-control studies with a total of 7,869 lung cancer cases and 10,778 controls to provide a comprehensive assessment of the association between XRCC3 rs861539 C/T polymorphism and lung cancer risk. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95 % confidence intervals (95 % CIs) were calculated to assess the strength of the association.

Transformation of strictosamide to vincoside lactam by acid catalysis.

Aim: To identify the structure of the acid-catalyzed product of strictosamide and explore the reaction mechanism.

Methods: The acid-catalyzed reaction process of strictosamide was monitored by HPLC, and a macroporous resin was used to purify the reaction solution. The structure of the product was confirmed by MS, NMR, and ROESY spectra.

Integration of ¹H NMR and UPLC-Q-TOF/MS for a comprehensive urinary metabonomics study on a rat model of depression induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress.

Depression is a type of complex psychiatric disorder with long-term, recurrent bouts, and its etiology remains largely unknown. Here, an integrated approach utilizing (1)H NMR and UPLC-Q-TOF/MS together was firstly used for a comprehensive urinary metabonomics study on chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) treated rats. More than twenty-nine metabolic pathways were disturbed after CUMS treatment and thirty-six potential biomarkers were identified by using two complementary analytical technologies.

[Observation of Qigui Tongfengshu granules in treatment of sixteen cases of gouty arthritis].

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of Qigui Tongfengshu granule in treating gouty arthritis.

Method: Qigui Tongfengshu granule was used to treat 16 patients with gouty arthritis for 14 d.

Result: The recovery rate, marked effective rate, effective rate and improvement rate were 37.

Metabonomics Combined with UPLC-MS Chemical Profile for Discovery of Antidepressant Ingredients of a Traditional Chinese Medicines Formula, Chaihu-Shu-Gan-San.

This study proposed a new strategy for uncovering the active chemical constituents of a traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) formula, Chaihu-Shu-Gan-San (CSGS). Metabonomics and chemical profile were integrated in combination with the multivariate statistical analysis (MVA) to discover the chemical constituents which contribute to the antidepressant effect of CSGS. Based upon the difference between CSGS and QZ (CSGS without Zhi-Qiao) extracts in the chemical profiles and the regulations of metabolic disturbances induced by CUMS, synephrine, naringin, hesperidin, and neohesperidin were recognized as the active constituents of CSGS from Zhi-qiao responsible for those missing regulations of CSGS when Zhi-Qiao was subtracted from the whole formula.

Periodontal ligament stem cells regulate B lymphocyte function via programmed cell death protein 1.

Periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) have provided novel cell sources for tooth and periodontal tissue regeneration. Allogeneic PDLSCs can reconstruct periodontal ligament tissue that has been damaged by periodontal diseases and regulate T-cell immunity. However, the effect of PDLSCs on B cells remains unknown.

CYP1A1 MspI polymorphism is associated with prostate cancer susceptibility: evidence from a meta-analysis.

Cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1), an important phase I xenobiotic metabolizing enzyme, is responsible for metabolizing numerous carcinogens, particularly polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The genetic polymorphism of CYP1A1 at the site of MspI (CYP1A1 MspI) has been implicated in prostate cancer risk, but the results of individual studies remain conflicting and inconclusive. The aim of this meta-analysis was to investigate the association of CYP1A1 MspI polymorphism with prostate cancer risk more precisely.

HIF1-regulated ATRIP expression is required for hypoxia induced ATR activation.

The ATR-ATRIP protein kinase complex plays a crucial role in the cellular response to replication stress and DNA damage. Recent studies found that ATR could be activated in response to hypoxia and be involved in hypoxia-induced genetic instability in cancer cells. However, the underlying mechanisms for ATR activation in response to hypoxic stress are still not fully understood.

Sinapyl alcohol derivatives from the lipo-soluble part of Dichrocephala benthamii C. B. Clarke.

Four new sinapyl alcohol derivatives dichrocephols A-D (compounds 1-4) were isolated from the lipo-soluble part of the whole herb of Dichrocephala benthamii C. B. Clarke, together with the known compound syringenin isovalerate (5).

HDAC6 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma progression by inhibiting P53 transcriptional activity.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of liver cancer. HDAC6 is a transcriptional regulator of the histone deacetylase family, subfamily 2. Previous studies have shown that HDAC6 plays critical roles in transcription regulation, cell cycle progression and developmental events.