Recent Advances of Natural Polyphenols Activators for Keap1‐Nrf2 Signaling Pathway

The Keap1‐Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway is an important defense system against exogenous and endogenous oxidative stress injury. The dysregulation of the signaling pathway is associated with many diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, and respiratory diseases. Over the years, a wide range of natural products has provided sufficient resources for the discovery of potential therapeutic drugs. Among them, polyphenols possess Nrf2 activation, not only inhibit the production of ROS, inhibit Keap1‐Nrf2 protein–protein interaction, but also degrade Keap1 and regulate the Nrf2 related pathway. In fact, with the continuous improvement of natural polyphenols separation and purification technology and further studies on the Keap1‐Nrf2 molecular mechanism, more and more natural polyphenols monomer components of Nrf2 activators have been gradually discovered. In this view, we summarize the research status of natural polyphenols that have been found with apparent Nrf2 activation and their action modes. On the whole, this review may guide the design of novel Keap1‐Nrf2 activator.     

Chemical and Morphological Inter‐ and Intrapopulation Variability in Natural Populations of Gentiana pneumonanthe L.

Inter‐ and intrapopulation variability in six natural populations of the rare species Gentiana pneumonanthe was examined based on morphological and chemical data. Population size and linear morphometric parameters differed significantly among populations, but without a clear connection to habitat conditions, i. e. water supply and light availability. Leaf shape varied from ovate to lanceolate in all populations, and one population was distinctive in having the largest number of leaves of transitional shape. HPLC analyses of six secondary metabolites were performed separately for belowground parts, and aboveground vegetative and reproductive parts of individual plants (6 populations ×7 individuals ×3 plant parts, n=126) in order to examine differences at the population and individual levels. Three secoiridoids (swertiamarin (SWM), sweroside (SWZ), and gentiopicrin (GP)), one xanthone (mangiferin (MGF)), and two flavones (isoorientin (IO) and isovitexin (IV)) were detected and quantified in the analyzed samples: sweroside dominated in the aboveground reproductive part, mangiferin in the aboveground vegetative part, and gentiopicrin in the belowground part. At the population level, differences in contents of the analyzed chemicals among populations were significant only for a few metabolites. At the individual level, a pronounced organ‐dependent distribution of secondary metabolites was revealed. The results of this study contribute to a better understanding of natural variability within populations of the rare and threatened G. pneumonanthe, and provide data on the contents and within‐plant distribution of secondary metabolites, which are important as pharmacologically active compounds and may be useful for further biotechnological procedures regarding this species.     

Structure‐Activity Relationships Analysis of Monomeric and Polymeric Polyphenols (Quercetin,Rutin and Catechin) Obtained by Various Polymerization Methods

Plant polyphenols, especially flavonoids, are active and pro‐health substances found in fruits and vegetables. Quercetin and its glycoside rutin are representatives of flavonoids, commonly found in plant products. Catechins found in large quantities in tea are also a well‐known group of natural polyphenols. These compounds are based on the structure of flavan‐3‐ol, which is why the number, positions and types of substitutions affect the scavenging of radicals and other properties. Despite some inconsistent evidence, several structure?activity relationships of monomeric flavonoids are well established in vitro. However, the relationships between the activity and other properties of the polymeric forms of flavonoids and their structures are poorly understood so far. The aim of this article is to compare the data on polymerization of quercetin, rutin and catechin, as well as to systematize knowledge about the structure?activity relationship of the polymeric forms of these compounds.     

Rapid and comprehensive evaluation of microalgal fatty acids via untargeted gas chromatography and time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry

Due to their high triacylglyceride content, microalgae are intensively investigated for bio‐economy and food applications. However, lipid analysis is a laborious task incorporating extraction, transesterification and typically gas chromatographic measurement. Co‐elution induces a significant risk of fatty acid misidentification and thus, additional purification steps like thin layer chromatography are needed. Contrary to database matching approaches, solely targeted analysis is facilitated as compound identification is driven by matching retention times or indices with standard substances. In this context, a rapid workflow for the analysis of algal fatty acids is presented. In‐situ transesterification was used to simplify sample preparation and conditions were optimized towards fast processing. If results are needed at the very day of sampling, direct processing without a preceding drying step is feasible to obtain a rough estimate about the occurrence of the major compounds. Coupling gas chromatography and time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry enables untargeted analysis. Unknown compounds may be identified by structural reconstruction of their respective fragmentation patterns and by database matching to routinely avoid mismatches by co‐elution of disturbing agents. The developed workflow was successfully applied to derive the exact stereochemistry of all fatty acids from Chlorella vulgaris and a systematic shift depending on physiological state of the cells was confirmed.     

Proteomic Analysis Reveals that Odoroside A Triggers G2/M Arrest and Apoptosis in Colorectal Carcinoma Through ROS‐p53 Pathway

Odoroside A (OA) is an active ingredient extracted from the leaves of Nerium oleander Linn. (Apocynaceae). This study aims to examine the anticancer bioactivity of OA against CRC cells and to investigate the action mechanisms involved. As a result, OA can significantly inhibit cellular ability and induce apoptosis of CRC cells in a concentration‐dependent manner without any obvious cytotoxicity in normal colorectal epithelial cells. Then, quantitative proteomics combined with bioinformatics is adopted to investigate the alterations of proteins and signaling pathways in response to OA treatment. As suggested by the proteomic analysis, flow cytometry and Western blotting analyses validate that exposure of CRC cells to OA causes cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, accompanied with the activation of the ROS/p53 signaling pathway. This observation demonstrates that OA, as a natural product, can induce oxidative stress to suppress tumor cell growth, implicating a novel therapeutic agent against CRC without obvious side effects.     

红花尔基不同龄级天然樟子松外生菌根真菌群落结构特征

红花尔基被誉为樟子松Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica的故乡,樟子松是我国北方主要的造林树种之一,也是典型的菌根依赖型树种。研究樟子松根围外生菌根真菌（ectomycorrhizal fungi,ECMF）群落结构特征对红花尔基沙地樟子松生态系统的保护具有重要意义。本研究以红花尔基天然樟子松根围土壤为研究对象,采用Illumina MiSeq测序技术研究了4个龄级（<10、11-20、21-30和31-40年,分别称作Ⅰ、Ⅱ、Ⅲ和Ⅳ龄级）天然樟子松根围土壤ECMF群落结构特征。结果表明：（1）测序共获得87 516条ECMF序列,划分为177个OTUs（operational taxonomic units,OTU）,隶属于2个门,4个纲,12个目,26个科,43个属。（2）Ⅳ龄级中Ace丰富度指数和Shannon-Wiener多样性指数均显著高于Ⅰ龄级（P<0.05）。（3）不同龄级根围ECMF优势属占比不同,Ⅰ龄级中占比最大的为Inocybe（42.55%）;Ⅱ和Ⅲ龄级中占比最大的均为Tricholoma,分别为31.64%和27.69%;Ⅳ龄级中占比最大的为Cortinarius（28.80%）。（4）冗余分析表明,土壤pH值对ECMF的影响程度最大,其次为速效钾和碱解氮;同时,不同理化因子对群落中优势属的影响也存在差异。     

燕山山脉一种香料型乳菇的香味成分分析

利用固相微萃取技术（SPME）偶联气相色谱-质谱（GC-MS）分析燕山山脉一种香料型乳菇——香亚环乳菇Lactarius subzonarius的挥发性成分。共检出25种挥发性成分,其中氧杂环化合物3种、醛类1种、酯类13种、烯烃类3种、芳香族化合物2种和烷烃类3种。具有葫芦巴感官气味的挥发性组分3-羟基-4,5-二甲基-2(5H)-呋喃酮的相对含量35.76%,该成分是其近缘种Lactarius helvus的主要香味化合物,故推测3-羟基-4,5-二甲基-2(5H)-呋喃酮是其关键香味成分。     

蝉虫草样品的分级萃取与化学成分分析

利用索氏萃取技术,依次采用石油醚、乙酸乙酯、丙酮、无水乙醇和甲醇等5种溶剂对蝉虫草纯粉进行分级萃取,运用傅里叶变换红外光谱分析法和气相色谱-质谱联用技术对5级萃取物进行分析鉴定。傅里叶变换红外光谱分析显示萃取物中含有与烯烃类、羧酸类、酯类、醇类和酮类等化合物相关的C-H、C=O、C-O和C=C等官能团。气相色谱-质谱联用技术共鉴定出有机小分子化合物34种,以酯类和脂肪酸类为主,多为碳链长度为15-20的长链脂肪酸及对应的酯,其中十八碳不饱和脂肪酸相对含量高达28.95%;分别存在于两种或以上萃取物中的有机化合物共有11种;仅存于石油醚萃取物中的化合物6种,乙酸乙酯萃取物中3种,丙酮萃取物中2种,无水乙醇萃取物中6种,甲醇萃取物中6种。在一定极性范围内,利用溶剂的极性梯度变化,可实现蝉虫草中活性物质的按极性梯度分离;采用分级萃取技术可有效分离蝉虫草中部分化学成分。鉴定结果充实了蝉虫草中化合物的种类资源,为蝉虫草中活性物质谱图库的完善、构效关系的建立及蝉虫草产品的利用开发提供支撑。     

关于（荒野）殖民化

由于人类体验自然的渴望日益增长,在政治和实践层面,在城市中提供接触自然的机会显得越来越必要。关于“城市荒野”的思想和规划旨在提供一种特殊的自然体验。鉴于不同荒野思想之间存在冲突,风景园林师必须设法了解已有的荒野认知及其含义。通过 3 个荒野类别—“未知荒野”“特定荒野”和“过程荒野”,探讨发展千年的荒野理念,并提出“殖民化”（colonisations）概念作为理解荒野理念发展的一个关键。自然过程伴随着动植物对空间的殖民,而人类进入和占有空间的殖民过程则包含生理、心理和精神 3 个层面的内容。空间命名是一种特殊的、具有精神和象征意味的殖民化形式。例如,人类在城市中发现野生植被,称其为“野性自然”或“城市荒野”。然而,如今大多数（尤其官方）的荒野定义中均排除了人类干扰：一旦被殖民,真正的荒野就不复存在。科学研究对自然过程的殖民化已取得很多成果,但对于人类有关自然和荒野的认知和态度了解并不多。对于风景园林师来说,这有助于更好地理解如何“基于自然进行设计和建造”,对创造令人满意的景观也非常重要。探讨与“城市荒野”有关的论述、规划和设计观点及思想。 由于人类体验自然的渴望日益增长,在政治和实践层面,在城市中提供接触自然的机会显得越来越必要。关于“城市荒野”的思想和规划旨在提供一种特殊的自然体验。鉴于不同荒野思想之间存在冲突,风景园林师必须设法了解已有的荒野认知及其含义。通过 3 个荒野类别—“未知荒野”“特定荒野”和“过程荒野”,探讨发展千年的荒野理念,并提出“殖民化”（colonisations）概念作为理解荒野理念发展的一个关键。自然过程伴随着动植物对空间的殖民,而人类进入和占有空间的殖民过程则包含生理、心理和精神 3 个层面的内容。空间命名是一种特殊的、具有精神和象征意味的殖民化形式。例如,人类在城市中发现野生植被,称其为“野性自然”或“城市荒野”。然而,如今大多数（尤其官方）的荒野定义中均排除了人类干扰：一旦被殖民,真正的荒野就不复存在。科学研究对自然过程的殖民化已取得很多成果,但对于人类有关自然和荒野的认知和态度了解并不多。对于风景园林师来说,这有助于更好地理解如何“基于自然进行设计和建造”,对创造令人满意的景观也非常重要。探讨与“城市荒野”有关的论述、规划和设计观点及思想。