Integrative metagenomic and metabolomic analyses reveal the potential of gut microbiota to exacerbate acute pancreatitis.

Early dysbiosis in the gut microbiota may contribute to the severity of acute pancreatitis (AP), however, a comprehensive understanding of the gut microbiome, potential pathobionts, and host metabolome in individuals with AP remains elusive. Hence, we employed fecal whole-metagenome shotgun sequencing in 82 AP patients and 115 matched healthy controls, complemented by untargeted serum metabolome and lipidome profiling in a subset of participants. Analyses of the gut microbiome in AP patients revealed reduced diversity, disrupted microbial functions, and altered abundance of 77 species, influenced by both etiology and severity.

Corrigendum: Scorpion Venom Analgesic Peptide, BmK AGAP Inhibits Stemness and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition by Down-Regulating PTX3 in Breast Cancer.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2019.

Dihydrotanshinone I inhibits ovarian cancer cell proliferation and migration by transcriptional repression of PIK3CA gene.

Dihydrotanshinone I (DHTS), extracted from Salvia miltiorrhiza, was found to be the most effective compound of tanshen extracts against cancer cells in our previous studies. However, the therapeutic benefits and underlying mechanisms of DHTS on ovarian cancer remain uncertain. In this study, we demonstrated the cytocidal effects of DHTS on chemosensitive ovarian cancer cells with or without platinum-based chemotherapy.

Multifunctional neuron-specific enolase: its role in lung diseases.

Neuron-specific enolase (NSE), also known as gamma (γ) enolase or enolase-2 (Eno2), is a form of glycolytic enolase isozyme and is considered a multifunctional protein. NSE is mainly expressed in the cytoplasm of neurons and neuroendocrine cells, especially in those of the amine precursor uptake and decarboxylation (APUD) lineage such as pituitary, thyroid, pancreas, intestine and lung. In addition to its well-established glycolysis function in the cytoplasm, changes in cell localization and differential expression of NSE are also associated with several pathologies such as infection, inflammation, autoimmune diseases and cancer.

Scorpion Venom Analgesic Peptide, BmK AGAP Inhibits Stemness, and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition by Down-Regulating PTX3 in Breast Cancer.

A scorpion peptide reported to exhibit both analgesic and antitumor activity in animal models may present as an alternative therapeutic agent for breast cancer. We aimed to investigate the effect of antitumor-analgesic peptide (BmK AGAP) on breast cancer cell stemness and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). We treated MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 cells with different concentrations of rBmK AGAP and observed that rBmK AGAP inhibited cancer cell stemness, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), migration, and invasion.

A Polysaccharide Isolated from Dictyophora indusiata Promotes Recovery from Antibiotic-Driven Intestinal Dysbiosis and Improves Gut Epithelial Barrier Function in a Mouse Model.

Despite the tremendous biological activity of polysaccharides from the mushroom , its role in the restoration of gut microbiota has not yet been explored. The present study aimed to investigate whether polysaccharide (DIP) could modulate the recovery of gut microbiota composition and intestinal barrier function after broad-spectrum antibiotic-driven dysbiosis. Alteration and restoration in the microbial communities were elucidated by the Illumina MiSeq platform.

Gamma-enolase predicts lung damage in severe acute pancreatitis-induced acute lung injury.

Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) associated acute lung injury (ALI) accounts for about 70% mortality of SAP patients. However, there are no precise biomarkers for the disease currently. Herein, we evaluated the potential of gamma-enolase (ENO2), against its universal isoform alpha-enolase (ENO1), as a marker of SAP-ALI in a rat model.

Down-regulation of GADD45A enhances chemosensitivity in melanoma.

Melanoma is a malignant skin cancer with considerable drug resistance. Increased expression of DNA repair genes have been reported in melanoma, and this contributes to chemotherapy resistance. GADD45A is involved in DNA repair, cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in response to physiologic or environmental stresses.

Functional characterization of a novel transcript of ERCC1 in chemotherapy resistance of ovarian cancer.

Approximately 15-20% of ovarian cancer patients receiving platinum-based chemotherapy are primary platinum-resistant. Identification of these patients and transfer to other more effective therapy could reduce the morbidity of ovarian cancer. ERCC1 is a DNA repair gene which can complex with XPF to repair cisplatin-induced DNA damage and cause chemotherapy resistance.

Ezrin as a possible diagnostic and/or prognostic biomarker in mice lymphatic metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma in vivo.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) ranks in the top of cancers leading to death. Early diagnosis is the big challenge in the case of HCC. Our in vitro study showed that Ezrin expression in lymphatic metastasis hepatocellular carcinoma (LNM-HCC) was associated with the metastatic rate.

Anti-tumor and chemosensitization effects of Cryptotanshinone extracted from Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. on ovarian cancer cells in vitro.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Cryptotanshinone, a natural compound isolated from the roots of Salvia miltiorrhiza Bge. (Danshen), is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine to treat high blood pressure in some countries. It has been shown that Cryptotanshinone induces cancer cells apoptosis and impairs cell migration and invasion.

Gut microbial diversity analysis using Illumina sequencing for functional dyspepsia with liver depression-spleen deficiency syndrome and the interventional Xiaoyaosan in a rat model.

Aim: To investigate gut microbial diversity and the interventional effect of Xiaoyaosan (XYS) in a rat model of functional dyspepsia (FD) with liver depression-spleen deficiency syndrome.

Methods: The FD with liver depression-spleen deficiency syndrome rat model was established through classic chronic mild unpredictable stimulation every day. XYS group rats received XYS 1 h before the stimulation.

Homology modeling and identification of amino acids involved in the catalytic process of Mycobacterium tuberculosis serine acetyltransferase.

Serine acetyltransferase (CysE) belongs to the hexapeptide acetyltransferase family and is involved in the biosynthesis of L‑cysteine in microorganisms. Mycobacterium tuberculosis CysE is regarded as a potential target for anti‑tuberculosis (TB) drugs; however, the structure and active sites of M. tuberculosis CysE remain unknown.

Anti-tumor effects of osthole on ovarian cancer cells in vitro.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Cnidium monnieri (L.) Cusson is a commonly used traditional Chinese medicine to treat gynecological disease in some countries. Osthole, an active O-methylated coumadin isolated from Cnidium monnieri (L.

Anti-Tumor Effect of Pinus massoniana Bark Proanthocyanidins on Ovarian Cancer through Induction of Cell Apoptosis and Inhibition of Cell Migration.

Pinus massoniana bark proanthocyanidins (PMBPs), an active component isolated from Pinus massoniana bark, has been reported to possess a wide range of biochemical properties. Here, we investigated the anti-tumor effect of PMBPs on ovarian cancer. The results indicated that PMBPs significantly reduced the growth of ovarian cancer cells and induced dose-dependent apoptosis.

Therapeutic effect of Qingyi decoction in severe acute pancreatitis-induced intestinal barrier injury.

Aim: To investigate the effect of Qingyi decoction on the expression of secreted phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) in intestinal barrier injury.

Methods: Fifty healthy Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into control, severe acute pancreatitis (SAP), Qingyi decoction-treated (QYT), dexamethasone-treated (DEX), and verapamil-treated (VER) groups. The SAP model was induced by retrograde infusion of 1.

CNP signal pathway up-regulated in rectum of depressed rats and the interventional effect of Xiaoyaosan.

Aim: To investigate the distribution and expression of C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP)/natriuretic peptide receptor B (NPR-B) in the rectum of a rodent depression model and the interventional effect of Xiaoyaosan (XYS).

Methods: Male rats (n = 45) of clean grade (200 ± 20 g) were divided into five groups after one week of adaptive feeding: primary control, depression model, low dose XYS, middle dose XYS, and high dose XYS. The animal experiment continued for 3 wk.

The quantum of initial transformed cells potentially modulates the type of local inflammation mechanism elicited by surrounding normal epithelial tissues and systemic immune pattern for tumor arrest or progression.

The immune/ inflammation system potentially serves to arrest, eliminate or promote tumor development. Nonetheless, factors that dictate the choice are not comprehensively known yet. Using a B16/F1 syngeneic wild type model, we evaluated the essentiality of initial transformed cells' density for overt tumor development, the molecular trends of inflammatory mediators in the normal tumor-adjacent epithelial tissues (NTAT), and how such local events may reflect systematically in the host.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate induces the apoptosis of hepatocellular carcinoma LM6 cells but not non-cancerous liver cells.

Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is a constituent of green tea and has been associated with anticancer activity. In the present study, the inhibitory effect of EGCG on human hepatocellular cancer cells was examined by cell viability assay, in vitro apoptosis assay and cell cycle analysis. In addition, gene expression was measured to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of action of EGCG by mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) determination and western blot analysis.

Fermentation supernatants of inhibit growth of human colon cancer cells and induce apoptosis through a caspase 3-dependent pathway.

Probiotic bacteria are known to exert a wide range of beneficial effects on their animal hosts. Therefore, the present study explored the effect of the supernatants obtained from fermentation (LBF) on colon cancer. The results indicated that the proliferation of LBF solution-treated colon cancer SW620 cells was arrested and accumulated in the G1 phase in a concentration-dependent manner.

Functional analysis of serine acetyltransferase from Mycobacterium smegmatis.

Serine acetyltransferase (CysE) is involved in L-cysteine biosynthesis in Mycobacterium, and it is important for the self-defense mechanism of the bacteria. Mycobacterium tuberculosis CysE (Rv2335) has been identified as a serine acetyltransferase, and it is orthologous to Mycobacterium smegmatis MSMEG_5947. In this study, the MSMEG_5947 gene was cloned, expressed, and identified as a serine acetyltransferase.

Galectin-3 in cancer.

Galectin-3 (Gal-3) plays important roles in cell proliferation, adhesion, differentiation, angiogenesis and apoptosis in normal and pathologic tissues. Accumulated evidences indicate that Gal-3 is closely involved in tumor cell transformation, migration, invasion and metastasis. In this review, the associations of the expression and localization of Gal-3 as well as its potential action mechanism in tumorigenesis in a variety of cancers were summarized and concluded.

Prokaryotic Expression, Identification and Bioinformatics Analysis of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis Rv3807c Gene Encoding the Putative Enzyme Committed to Decaprenylphosphoryl-d-arabinose Synthesis.

Decaprenylphosphoryl-d-arabinofuranosyl (DPA), the immediate donor for the polymerized d-Araf residues of mycobacterial arabinan, is synthesized from 5-phosphoribose-1-diphosphate (PRPP) in three-step reactions. (i) PRPP is transferred to decaprenyl-phosphate (DP) to form decaprenylphosphoryl-d-5-phosphoribose (DPPR). (ii) DPPR is dephosphorylated to form decaprenylphosphoryl-d-ribose (DPR).

The prevalence of metabolic syndrome and its predominant components among pre-and postmenopausal Ghanaian women.

Background: Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) is a clump of risk factors for development of type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases. Menopause and age are thought to predispose women to the development of metabolic syndrome. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of MetS and identify its predominant components among pre-and postmenopausal women in the Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana.

Anti-metastatic and differential effects on protein expression of epigallocatechin-3-gallate in HCCLM6 hepatocellular carcinoma cells.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer worldwide and the third highest cause of cancer-related mortality in humans. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) has been shown to inhibit the metastatic activity of certain cancer cells. The aim of this study was to determine the effects and molecular mechanism(s) of action of EGCG in human HCC cells.