Anemoside B4 inhibits enterovirus 71 propagation in mice through upregulating 14-3-3 expression and type I interferon responses.

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is the major pathogens of human hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD). EV71 efficiently escapes innate immunity responses of the host to cause infection. At present, no effective antiviral drugs for EV71 are available.

Ginsenoside Rb1 is an immune-stimulatory agent with antiviral activity against enterovirus 71.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: According to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine, the main pathogenesis of severe hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is that the heat and wet poisons are deeply trapped in the viscera, which causes the deficiency of Qi and Yin in the patient's body. Ginsenoside Rb1 (Rb1) is the most abundant triterpenoid saponin in Panax quinquefolius L., which has the function of Qi-invigorating and Yin-nourishing.

Pyridine nucleotide-disulphide oxidoreductase domain 2 (PYROXD2): Role in mitochondrial function.

Pyridine Nucleotide-Disulphide Oxidoreductase Domain 2 (PYROXD2), a Hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx)-interacting protein, is significantly down-regulated in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), however its exact biological function remains unclear. The aim of this study is to investigate the subcellular localization and biological function of PYROXD2 in hepatic cells. The results showed that PYROXD2 was imported to the mitochondrial inner membrane/matrix by Tom40 and Tim23, but not Mia40.

Comparative transcriptional profiling analysis of the effect of heat waves during embryo incubation on the hatchlings of the Chinese soft-shelled turtle ().

Temperature is one of most the important environmental factors that affect the ontogenesis of organisms. In this study, we incubated Chinese soft-shelled turtle eggs at 28°C (control temperature, C treatment), a temperature with a 16°C cold shock and a 36°C heat shock twice per week (S treatment) or a ramp-programmed temperature of 29 ± 9°C (with 12 hr (+) and 12 hr (-) every day) (F treatment). The incubation period, hatching success, hatchling weight, and locomotor performance were significantly different between the controls and the different heat treatment groups.

Myeloid zinc finger 1 protein is a key transcription stimulating factor of PYROXD2 promoter.

Previous studies revealed that PYROXD2 was more highly expressed in normal liver tissue and liver cell lines than in cancer tissue and cancer cell lines, which indicated that decreased PYROXD2 expression may be involved in hepatocarcinogenesis. To identify the mechanisms which regulate PYROXD2 gene transcription, we constructed a series of luciferase reporter plasmids and used them to perform luciferase‑based reporter assays with HepG2, Sk-hep1, L02 and 293T cells with the purpose of characterizing the PYROXD2 reporter region. Our results revealed that the transcription factor myeloid zinc finger 1 (MZF1) is necessary for PYROXD2 gene transcription and that it functions as a trans-activator.

Molecular signal networks and regulating mechanisms of the unfolded protein response.

Within the cell, several mechanisms exist to maintain homeostasis of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). One of the primary mechanisms is the unfolded protein response (UPR). In this review, we primarily focus on the latest signal webs and regulation mechanisms of the UPR.

Screening and identification of proteins interacting with IL-24 by the yeast two-hybrid screen, Co-IP, and FRET assays.

Interleukin-24 (IL-24) is an ideal tumor-suppressor gene, but the mechanisms underlying its antitumor specificity remain to be elucidated. The best way to investigate these problems is to begin from the initiation of corresponding signaling cascades activated by IL-24 with screening and identifying those proteins that interacted with IL-24. With the aim of identifying these initial interactions, a yeast two-hybrid screening was performed by transforming AH109 cells containing PGBKT7-IL-24 with a liver cDNA plasmid library.

Kinetics and thermodynamics of 1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonate interactions with Urinary Trypsin Inhibitor.

The interactions between Urinary Trypsin Inhibitor (UTI) and 1-anilino-8-naphthalene sulfonate (ANS) were investigated by fluorescence spectra, isothermal titration calorimetry and molecular modeling. The results revealed the presence of four specific binding sites for ANS on UTI, with interactions driven mainly by electrostatic forces. The four specific binding sites indicated the involvement of four hydrophobic patches on UTI.

Purification and characterization of a novel plant lectin from Pinellia ternata with antineoplastic activity.

A novel Pinellia ternata lectin was purified from the bulbs of a Chinese herb Pinellia ternata using a combination of hydrophobic chromatography and DEAE-ion exchange chromatography. The lectin was found to be a homodimer of 12093.3 Da subunits as determined by gel filtration and MS.

alpha-Bisabolol induces dose- and time-dependent apoptosis in HepG2 cells via a Fas- and mitochondrial-related pathway, involves p53 and NFkappaB.

In this study, the apoptotic effect of alpha-bisabolol, a sesquiterpene, against human liver carcinoma cell line HepG2 was investigated. MTT assay showed alpha-bisabolol could effectively induce cytotoxicity in several human cancer cell lines (PC-3, Hela, ECA-109 and HepG2). The results of nuclei morphology examination, DNA fragmentation detection, flow cytometry analysis and cleavage of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase and caspases indicated alpha-bisabolol might induce dose- and time-dependent apoptosis in HepG2 cells.

pH induces thermal unfolding of UTI: an implication of reversible and irreversible mechanism based on the analysis of thermal stability, thermodynamic, conformational characterization.

The thermal unfolding of Urinary Trypsin Inhibitor (UTI) was studied by several methods: Circular Dichroism (CD), Fluorescence and UV-Vis spectra. Thermal melting of UTI, dissolved in the neutral and basic buffers, was proved to be irreversible and two domains of UTI unfolded simultaneously, but the melting was reversible and the intermediate was observed when pH is lower than 4.2.

A novel extracellular protease with fibrinolytic activity from the culture supernatant of Cordyceps sinensis: purification and characterization.

A novel serine protease with fibrinolytic activity named CSP was purified from the culture supernatant of the fungus Cordyceps sinensis, a kind of Chinese herbal medicine. Analysis of the purified enzyme by SDS-PAGE indicated that CSP was a single polypeptide chain with an apparent molecular weight of 31 kDa, and N-terminal sequencing revealed that the first ten amino acid residues of the enzyme were Ala-Leu-Ala-Thr-Gln-His-Gly-Ala-Pro-Trp-. When casein was used as a substrate, the proteolytic activity of CSP reached its maximum at pH 7.