Sensitivity of Escherichia coli acrA mutants to psoralen plus near-ultraviolet radiation

The sensitivity to psoralen plus near-ultraviolet radiation (PUVA) was compared in a pair of E. coli strains differing at the acrA locus. Survival was determined for both bacteria and phage lambda. AcrA mutant cells were 40 times more sensitive than wild type to the lethal effect of PUVA. Free lambda phage exposed to PUVA survived as well when plated on acrA mutants as on wild type. In contrast, prophage lambda CI857 ind carried in lysogenic acrA strains was hypersensitive to PUVA. The enhanced sensitivity of bacterial and lambda DNA, when inside acrA cells, was paralleled by an increased photobinding of radiolabelled psoralens in the mutant. Binding was increased specifically to DNA rather than to nucleic acids in general. The difference in psoralen-binding ability determined by the acrA gene persisted after permeabilizing treatment of the cells. The results suggest that the acrA mutation causes an alteration specifically in the environment of the cellular DNA so as to allow increased intercalation and photobinding of psoralens.     

Psoralen attenuates bleomycin‐induced pulmonary fibrosis in mice through inhibiting myofibroblast activation and collagen deposition

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive disease characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) and chronic inflammation with limited therapeutic options. Psoralen, a major active component extracted from Psoralea corylifolia L. seed, has several biological effects. However, the role of psoralen in IPF is still unclear. Here, we hypothesized that psoralen played an essential role in IPF in the inhibition of fibroblast proliferation and inflammatory response. A murine model of IPF was established by injecting bleomycin (BLM) intratracheally, and psoralen was administered for 14 days from the 7^th to 21^st day after BLM injection. Our results demonstrated that psoralen treatment reduced body weight loss and improved the survival rate of mice with IPF. Histological and immunofluorescent examination showed that psoralen alleviated BLM‐induced lung parenchymal inflammatory and fibrotic alteration. Furthermore, psoralen inhibited proliferation and collagen synthesis of mouse fibroblasts and partially reversed BLM‐induced expression of α‐smooth muscle actin at both the tissue and cell level. Moreover, psoralen decreased the expression of transforming growth factor‐β1, interleukin‐1β, and tumor necrosis factor‐α in the lungs of BLM‐stimulated mice. Our results reveale for the first time that psoralen exerts therapeutic effects against IPF in a BLM‐induced murine model.     

Linear furocoumarins and other constituents from thamnosma texana

Eight linear furocoumarins and three coumarins were isolated and identified from Thamnosma texana. They were xanthotoxin, imperatorin, bergapten, alloimperatorin methyl ether epoxide, heraclenin, isopimpinellin, psoralen, oxypeucedanin, and the coumarins herniarin, osthol and thamnosmin. The linear furocoumarins appear to be agents that account for the known photosensitizing properties of Thamnosma texana, and consequently its colloquial name, ‘blisterweed.’ This is the first report on the occurrence of imperatorin, heraclenin, oxypeucedanin, herniarin or osthol in any Thamnosma species.     

Optimized culture conditions for the production of furanocoumarins by micropropagated shoots of Ruta graveolens

Ruta graveolens in vitro cultures are a potential source of secondary metabolites (furanocoumarins) of significant medical interest. Experiments led in our laboratory showed that micropropagated shoots were richer in furanocoumarins than any other plant material. In order to optimize the molecule production by such cultivation systems, several factors related to the culture medium were studied. Effects of medium composition on biomass growth and furanocoumarin content were analysed and optimal conditions were determined for phosphate (300 mg l⁻¹ of NaH₂PO₄), nitrate (2527 mg l⁻¹ of KNO₃), carbon source (10 g l⁻¹ of sucrose) and phytohormones (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) 50 μM and benzylaminopurine (BAP) 50 μM). Ruta shoot growth and furanocoumarin production were compared for optimized and standard culture conditions. Specific medium gave better results in terms of growth (t_D equal to 6.9 days against 8.6 for standard conditions) but no significant differences appeared concerning metabolite concentrations. However, the present study opens the way to scale-up studies with bioreactor cultivation systems. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Mutagenic SOS repair of site-specific psoralen damage in plasmid pBR322

The mutagenic repair of psoralen damage was examined by transforming Escherichia coli with psoralen-treated pBR322. Plasmid DNA randomly reacted with psoralen was repaired only when the E. coli was uvrA⁺ and recA⁺, and only when the cells were pre-irradiated with far-ultraviolet light. The recA dependence and requirement for pre-irradiation are characteristics of SOS repair.Psoralens were placed specifically near the BamHI site, in the tetracycline-resistance gene of pBR322, using a sulfhydryl-containing psoralen derivative. Repair of this damage also required pre-irradiation of the host cells. This repair was accompanied by a 4% frequency of mutagenesis to a tetraeycline-sensitive phenotype. Sequence analysis of these mutant plasmids revealed that 75% had mutations within the targeted region, while 25% had no sequence changes within 100 bases of the BamHI site. In up to five independent isolates only one kind of mutation was observed at each site, suggesting that mutagenic SOS repair is influenced by DNA structure at the site of the psoralen. Most mutations were transitions, primarily G-C to A-T changes. Some transitions occurred at sites where psoralen crosslinks could not have formed, and these may have arisen from the repair of psoralen monoadducts.     

补骨脂叶中补骨脂素和异补骨脂素研究

通过研究补骨脂叶中是否含有补骨脂素和异补骨脂素,寻找含此类活性成分的新药源。分别采用四种不同的浸提方法对补骨脂叶甲醇溶液进行高效液相色谱分析,结合紫外光谱比对,发现补骨脂叶中含有补骨脂素类成分,且不同的处理方法使化学成分发生了显著的量变。新鲜补骨脂叶中补骨脂素和异补骨脂素以及另外两种化学成分的含量均明显高于烘干、晾干、研磨的叶子,补骨脂叶在干制过程中此四种化学成分的含量显著降低。     

Angiopoietin 1 promotes tumor angiogenesis and tumor vessel plasticity of human cervical cancer in mice

We have previously shown that following psoralen photoactivation (PUVA treatment) human dermal fibroblasts undergo long-term growth arrest as well as morphological and functional changes reminiscent of cellular senescence [ 1 ]. In the absence of molecular data on what constitutes normal senescence, it has been difficult to decide whether these PUVA-induced changes reflect cellular senescence or rather a mimic thereof. We herein report that PUVA-induced growth arrest, the senescent phenotype with long-term induction of senescence-associated beta-galactosidase, as well as increased expression of matrix metalloprotease-1 are fully reversible at days 100 to 130 post PUVA treatment in four independently tested fibroblast strains. The late returning growth capacity in PUVA-treated fibroblasts is not due to immortalization, as shown by continued lack of telomerase activity, accelerated telomere shortening, and a decrease in overall growth rates in fibroblasts in their regrowing phase post PUVA treatment. Lack of anchorage-independent growth additionally suggests that the cells are also not tumorigenically transformed. Collectively, our data suggest that PUVA-induced changes do not fully reflect replicative senescence but rather represent a long-term transient phenocopy of senescence. The model reported here is particularly suited to elucidating mechanisms underlying long-term transient growth arrest, the related functional changes, and the release of cells thereof.     

补骨脂素对肝星状细胞(HSC-T6)增殖、氧化应激及Ⅰ型胶原分泌的影响

通过研究植物雌激素香豆素补骨脂素对体外培养的大鼠肝星状细胞HSC-T6增殖及相关因子表达的影响,为补骨脂素治疗肝纤维化提供实验依据。常规培养肝星状细胞HSC-T6,采用0.1 mmol/L的H2O2制造HSC-T6氧化应激的模型。分别用MTT法检测肝星状细胞增殖、放射免疫法检测细胞上清液中超氧化物歧化酶(SOD),丙二醛(MDA),还原性谷胱甘肽(GSH),谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GSH-Px)的活性和含量,ELISA法测定Ⅰ型胶原的分泌。结果表明:与正常对照组组比较,补骨脂素在浓度为10μmol/L,1μmol/L,0.1μmol/L,均呈现出抑制HSC-T6增殖的作用(P<0.05),且最佳作用时间为48 h(P<0.05);与模型组比较,补骨脂素各个浓度组能够提高SOD和GSH-Px的活性(P<0.05),并降低细胞上清液中MDA和GSH的含量(P<0.05);与模型组比较,补骨脂素各个浓度组在作用48 h后,细胞上清液中的Ⅰ型胶原的表达量均降低(P<0.05)。因此,作为植物雌激素的一种,补骨脂素能有效的抑制HSC-T6的增殖及抗HSC-T6氧化应激,很可能成为雌激素的替代品在治疗肝纤维化中。     

Isobavachalcone and bavachinin from Psoraleae Fructus modulate Aβ42 aggregation process through different mechanisms in vitro

Spontaneous aggregation of Aβ is a key factor in the development of Alzheimer’s disease. In searching for Aβ aggregation inhibitors from traditional Chinese herbal medicines, we identified two active compounds from Psoraleae Fructus, namely isobavachalcone and bavachinin. We further demonstrated that the two compounds modulate Aβ42 aggregation process through different mechanisms. Isobavachalcone significantly inhibits both oligomerization and fibrillization of Aβ42, whereas bavachinin inhibits fibrillization and leads to off-pathway aggregation. Both of the compounds attenuated Aβ42-induced toxicity in a SH-SY5Y cell model. These findings may provide valuable information for new drug development and Alzheimer’s therapy in the future.     

补骨脂素复配物对酪氨酸酶协同激活性能研究

从中药补骨脂中提取分离得到补骨脂素纯品。研究其与助剂的复配物对黑色素形成过程中主要限速酶酪氨酸酶的协同激活作用。结果表明,补骨脂素对酪氨酸酶有明显的激活作用,但是不随浓度的增加呈线性变化,与助剂复配的协同效应显著。