Orally Administrated Lactobacillus pentosus var. plantarum C29 Ameliorates Age-Dependent Colitis by Inhibiting the Nuclear Factor-Kappa B Signaling Pathway via the Regulation of Lipopolysaccharide Production by Gut Microbiota

To evaluate the anti-inflammaging effect of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on age-dependent inflammation, we first screened and selected a tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-inhibitory LAB, Lactobacillus pentosus var. plantarum C29, among the LABs isolated from fermented vegetables using LPS-stimulated mouse peritoneal macrophages. Oral administration of C29 (2 × 10⁹ CFU/rat) for 8 weeks in aged Fischer 344 rats (age, 16 months) inhibited the expression of the inflammatory markers myeloperoxidase, inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase, cyclooxygenase-2, pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and IL-6 and the activation of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), activator protein 1 (AP1), and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs). Treatment with C29 induced the expression of tight junction proteins ZO-1, occludin, and claudin-1, and reduced intestinal microbial LPS and plasmatic LPS levels and ROS, as well as the Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes ratio, which is significantly higher in aged rats than in young rats. C29 treatment also reduced plasmatic reactive oxygen species, malondialdehyde, C-reactive protein, and TNF-α, and suppressed expression of senescence markers p16 and p53 in the colon of the aged rats, but increased SIRT 1 expression. Based on these findings, we concluded that C29 treatment may suppress aging-dependent colitis by inhibiting NF-κB, AP1, and MAPK activation via the inhibition of gut microbiota LPS production and the induction of tight junction protein expression.     

大叶土蜜树化学成分及抗神经炎活性研究

为研究大叶土蜜树(Bridelia retusa)茎的化学成分及其抗神经炎活性,采用色谱技术从大叶土蜜树茎部分95%乙醇提取物中分离得到11个化合物。通过核磁共振波谱、质谱以及与文献数据比较,化合物结构鉴定为没食子酸(1)、木栓酮(2)、阿魏酸二十七烷脂(3)、芥子醛(4)、丁香醛(5)、丁香脂素(6)、补骨脂素(7)、补骨脂酚(8)、二十五烷酸(9)、亚油酸(10)和1-Linoleoylglycerol(11)。其中化合物3～11为首次从土蜜树属中分离得到。对化合物1～11的抗神经炎活性进行评价,发现化合物4、5、10和11对LPS诱导BV-2细胞NO生成具有显著抑制作用,其IC50分别为12. 57、8. 41、5. 86、5. 86μM。     

Inhibitory effects of terpenoids from the fermented broth of the ascomycete Stilbohypoxylon elaeicola YMJ173 on nitric oxide production in RAW264.7 macrophages

A series of six isopimarane-type diterpene glycosides, along with an eremophilane-type sesquiterpene, i.e., elaeicolasides A-C (1-3, resp.), 16-(α-D-mannopyranosyloxy)isopimar-7-en-19-oic acid (4), hymatoxin K (5), hymatoxin L (6), and elaeicolalactone (7), were isolated from the AcOEt extract of the fermented broth of Stilbohypoxylon elaeicola YMJ173. Among these, 1-3 and 7 are new compounds based on their spectroscopic data and sugar composition analysis. The effects of 1-7 on the inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated murine macrophage RAW264.7 cells were evaluated. All these compounds inhibited NO production, detected as nitrite in the culture medium, in activated macrophages without any cytotoxicity at a concentration of 100?μM. Among these compounds, 2 showed a significant activity with the average maximum inhibition (E(max)) and median inhibitory concentration (IC(50)) values of 93.3±0.5% and 79.3±0.4?μM, respectively.     

Six New Constituents from the Fruit of Hypericum patulum and Their Anti-Inflammatory Activity

Four new xanthone glucosides, 3-hydroxy-2-methoxyxanthone-4-O-β-D-glucopyranoside ( 1 ), 4,8-dihydroxy-2-methoxyxanthone-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside ( 2 ), 2-methoxyxanthone-5-O-β-D-glucopyranoside ( 3 ), 4-hydroxy-2-methoxyxanthone-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside ( 4 ), a new phenolic acid, 4,4′-dihydroxy-3,3′-imino-di-benzoic acid monomethyl ester ( 5 ), and a new isoquinoline, methyl 6-hydroxy-1-oxo-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-4-carboxylate ( 6 ) were isolated from the fruit of Hypericum patulum. The structural elucidation of the isolated compounds was primarily based on HR-ESI-MS, UV, IR, 1D and 2D NMR. All compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory effect against LPS-induced NO production in RAW 264.7 cells. Compound 2 , 3 exhibited moderate inhibitory activity against NO production.     

Studies on the Chemical Constituents of the Leaves of WTBX]Pseudotaxus chienii (Cheng) Cheng

Fourteen compounds were isolated from the leaves of Pseudotaxus chienii (Cheng) Cheng which is uniquely indigenous to China, and their structures were identified mainly by spectrum analyses. Among them, 13 known compounds were determined as: 2-guaiacylpropane-1, 3-diol (1), vanillic acid (2), 3-methoxy-4-hydroxy cinnamic acid (3). 3. 5-dimethoxy-phenol (4), taxicatin (5), 5-oxymaltol (6), quercetin-3-rhamnoside (7), (±)-catechin (8), ecdysterone (9), β-sitosterol (10), D-glucose (11), (±)-10-nonacosanol (12) and octacosanoic acid (13). All these compounds butβ-sitosterol were isolated from this plant for the first time. Compounds 1 and 6 have never been reported in plant kingdom. Another compound was tentatively established as a new compound, named pseudotaxlactone (14).     

Chemical constituents of Polygala tenuifolia roots and their inhibitory activity on lipopolysaccharide-induced nitric oxide production in BV2 microglia

A methanolic extract of the roots of Polygala tenuifolia (Polygalaceae) significantly attenuated nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated BV2 microglia cells. Five xanthones, 1-hydroxy-7-methoxyxanthone (1), 3,6-dihydroxy-1,2,7-trimethoxyxanthone (2), 1,3,6-trihydroxy-2,7-dimethoxyxanthone (3), 1,7-dihydroxy-2,3-dimethoxyxanthone (4) and 1,7-dihydroxy-3-methoxyxanthone (5), and five phenylpropanoids, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxypropiophenone (6), methyl 4-hydroxy-3-methoxycinnamic acid (7), 3,4,5-trimethoxycinnamic acid (8), 4-methoxycinnamic acid (9) and β-d-(3-O-sinapoyl) fructofuranosyl-α-d-(6-O-sinapoyl)glucopyranoside (10), were isolated from CHCl(3) fraction using bioactivity-guided fractionation. Among these compounds, compounds 1, 2, 4, 5 and 7 showed significant inhibitory effects on LPS-induced NO production in BV2 microglia cells at the concentration ranging from 10.0 to 100.0 μM.     

羊角拗茎的化学成分及其抗炎活性研究

探讨羊角拗茎的化学成分及其抗炎活性,采用硅胶、Sephadex LH-20等色谱分离技术分离纯化羊角拗茎乙醇提取物的乙酸乙酯萃取物中的化合物,通过质谱和核磁共振等波谱技术对其结构进行鉴定,确定出了13个化合物,包括常春藤皂苷元(1)、(-)-loliolide(2)、(3S,5R,6S,7E)-3,5,6-trihydroxy-7-megastigmen-9-one(3)、(3R,6R,7E)-3-hydroxy-4,7-megastigmadien-9-one(4)、松脂素(5)、表松脂素(6)、4,4′-dihydroxy-3,3′-dimethoxybenzophenone(7)、6-羟基柚皮素(8)、东莨菪素(9)、6-羟基-7,8-二甲氧基香豆素(10)、吲唑(11)、香草酸(12)、对羟基苯甲酸(13)。其中化合物1～4和6～13为首次从羊角拗中分离得到。采用LPS诱导小鼠单核巨噬细胞RAW 264.7体外细胞炎症模型测试结果表明,化合物5能显著抑制NO的产生,IC₅₀值为18.09±1.09μM。     

Oral and fecal Campylobacter concisus strains perturb barrier function by apoptosis induction in HT-29/B6 intestinal epithelial cells

Campylobacter concisus infections of the gastrointestinal tract can be accompanied by diarrhea and inflammation, whereas colonization of the human oral cavity might have a commensal nature. We focus on the pathophysiology of C. concisus and the effects of different clinical oral and fecal C. concisus strains on human HT-29/B6 colon cells. Six oral and eight fecal strains of C. concisus were isolated. Mucus-producing HT-29/B6 epithelial monolayers were infected with the C. concisus strains. Transepithelial electrical resistance (R(t)) and tracer fluxes of different molecule size were measured in Ussing chambers. Tight junction (TJ) protein expression was determined by Western blotting, and subcellular TJ distribution was analyzed by confocal laser-scanning microscopy. Apoptosis induction was examined by TUNEL-staining and Western blot of caspase-3 activation. All strains invaded confluent HT-29/B6 cells and impaired epithelial barrier function, characterized by a time- and dose-dependent decrease in R(t) either after infection from the apical side but even more from the basolateral compartment. TJ protein expression changes were sparse, only in apoptotic areas of infected monolayers TJ proteins were redistributed. Solely the barrier-forming TJ protein claudin-5 showed a reduced expression level to 66±8% (P<0.05), by expression regulation from the gene. Concomitantly, Lactate dehydrogenase release was elevated to 3.1±0.3% versus 0.7±0.1% in control (P<0.001), suggesting cytotoxic effects. Furthermore, oral and fecal C. concisus strains elevated apoptotic events to 5-fold. C. concisus-infected monolayers revealed an increased permeability for 332 Da fluorescein (1.74±0.13 vs. 0.56±0.17 10(-6) cm/s in control, P<0.05) but showed no difference in permeability for 4 kDa FITC-dextran (FD-4). The same was true in camptothecin-exposed monolayers, where camptothecin was used for apoptosis induction.In conclusion, epithelial barrier dysfunction by oral and fecal C. concisus strains could mainly be assigned to apoptotic leaks together with moderate TJ changes, demonstrating a leak-flux mechanism that parallels the clinical manifestation of diarrhea.     

Inhibition of MMP-2 secretion from brain tumor cells suggests chemopreventive properties of a furanocoumarin glycoside and of chalcones isolated from the twigs of Dorstenia turbinata

A furanocoumarin glycoside new named turbinatocoumarin (1) was isolated from the twigs of Dorstenia turbinata. The structure of turbinatocoumarin (1) was assigned as 5-methoxy-3-[3-(beta-glucopyranosyloxy)-2-hydroxy-3-methylbutyl]psoralen by means of spectroscopic analysis. Known compounds have also been isolated from this genus and identified as (2'S, 3'R)-3'-hydroxymarmesin (2), 5-methoxy-3-(3-methyl-2,3-dihydroxybutyl)psoralen (3), psoralen (4), kanzonol C (5) which was isolated for the first time from this genus, 4-hydroxylonchocarpin (6), umbelliferone, 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde and 4-methoxyphenol. As part of our continuing search for potential naturally-occurring antitumor drug candidates, the inhibition of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 secretion from brain tumor-derived glioblastoma cells by the isolated compounds 1, 3, 5, and 6 was evaluated by zymography and compared to the documented naturally-occurring MMP secretion inhibitors chlorogenic acid (CHL) and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCg). Among the compounds tested, the inhibiting MMP secretion concentrations ranged from 0.025 to 250 microM with up to 80% inhibition. The inhibitory activities of compounds 5 and 6 were found comparable to the common reference compounds CHL and EGCg. This suggests that alternate sources can be explored and exploited for the availability of chemopreventive molecules.     

Studies on the Constituents of Aristolochia versicolar S. M. Hwang

Twenty-four constituents were isolated from the root of Aristolochia versicolar S. M. Hwang (collected from Guangxi province, China). Ten of them (two novel sesquiterpene lacrones and eight known compounds) were reported recently. This paper deals with the other eight compounds. From the petroleum ether extraction a sesquiterpene lactone, C15H20O2, mp. 94–95℃ [α]D36 –49˚ (C=1.8, EtOH), confirmed to be isoaristolactone, was obtained from plants for the first time. On the basis of spectral analysis (UV, IR, 1HNMR, 13CNMR, MS) and chemical reactions its structure was determined as B2. From the petroleum enter unsoluble sec- tion 6-methoxyaristolic acid methyl ester (D1), aristolic acid (D3), 6-methoxyaristolic acid (ari- stolinic acid) (D4f), 6-methoxyaristolochic acid methyl ester (D4y), aristolochic acid A(D5), β-sitosterol-D-glucoside (D10) and allantoin (C2) were isolated and identified. Dx, Ds, and Ds show ed antifertility activity in mice.     

Nitric oxide reduces adenosine transporter ENT1 gene (SLC29A1) promoter activity in human fetal endothelium from gestational diabetes

Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) from gestational diabetes exhibit reduced adenosine uptake and increased nitric oxide (NO) synthesis. Adenosine transport via human equilibrative nucleoside transporters 1 (hENT1) is reduced by NO by unknown mechanisms in HUVEC. We examined whether gestational diabetes-reduced adenosine transport results from lower hENT1 gene (SLC29A1) expression. HUVEC from gestational diabetes exhibit reduced SLC29A1 promoter activity when transfected with pGL3-hENT1(-2154) compared with pGL3-hENT1(-1114) constructs, an effect blocked by N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, NOS inhibitor), but unaltered by S-nitroso-N-acetyl-L,D-penicillamine (SNAP, NO donor). In cells from gestational diabetes transfected with pGL3-hENT1(-2154), L-NAME increased, but SNAP did not alter promoter activity and hENT1 expression. However, in cells from normal pregnancies L-NAME increased, but SNAP reduced promoter activity and hENT1 expression. Adenovirus-silenced eNOS expression increased hENT1 expression and activity in cells from normal or gestational diabetic pregnancies. Thus, reduced adenosine transport may result from downregulation of SLC29A1 expression by NO in HUVEC from gestational diabetes. These findings explain the accumulation of extracellular adenosine detected in cultures of HUVEC from gestational diabetes. In addition, fetal endothelial dysfunction could be involved in the abnormal fetal development and growth seen in gestational diabetes.     

Effects of Chamaecyparis formosensis Matasumura extractives on lipopolysaccharide-induced release of nitric oxide

Chamaecyparis formaosensis, commonly known as Taiwan red cypress, is native to Taiwan and grows at elevations of 1500-2150 m in Taiwan's central mountains. Many compounds have been identified from different pasts of C. formosensis, but up until now, little research has been done on the link between the constituents of C. formosensis and its bioactivities. In this study, we found that an ethyl acetate fraction (EA) of methonal extract of C. formosecsis, strongly inhibited LPS-mediated nitric oxide (NO) production in Raw 264.7 cells. The EA was further divided into 25 subfractions (EA1-EA25) by column chromatography. EA12 possessed the strongest NO production inhibition activity (IC(50) was 4.1 microg/mL). At a dosage of 20 microg/mL, EA12 completely inhibited NO production and the mRNA expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in LPS-stimulated macrophage RAW264.7 cells. Bioactivity-guided chromatographic fractionation and metabolite profiling coupled with spectroscopic analyses, including (1)H-NMR, (13)C-NMR analyses, identified six compounds: vanillin (1), 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (2), trans-hinokiresinol (3), taiwanin E (4), 4alpha-hydroxyeudesm- 11-en-12-al (5), savinin (6). All of these six compounds were the first identified and reported from this tree species. Compounds (1), (3) and (5) demonstrated significant NO inhibition effect through reduction of NO production in activated RAW 264.7 cells due to the suppression of iNOS gene expression: compounds that can selectively inhibit undesirable expression of iNOS are important as they may serve as potential cancer chemopreventatives. This study suggests that C. formosensis may have potential for use as a natural resource for human health care.     

Modulation of CYP3A4 expression by ceramide in human colon carcinoma HT-29 cells

Cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) enzyme is responsible for the metabolic activation and inactivation of the majority of clinically used drugs in human liver and intestines. Recent studies have increasingly implicated various inflammatory stimuli to cause changes in the activities and expression levels of CYPs. However, the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. In the present study, our studies investigated the effects of ceramide on CYP3A4 expression in human colon carcinoma HT-29 cells. Treatment with the cell-permeable ceramide analog C(6)-ceramide to the cells significantly decreased the expression of CYP3A4. By contrast, C(6)-dihydroceramide, a biologically inactive analog of C(6)-ceramide, did not affect CYP3A4 expression. We found that bacterial sphingomyelinase (SMase) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF), which are known to increase intracellular ceramide levels, also markedly suppressed the synthesis of CYP3A4. To elucidate whether nitric oxide (NO) participates in suppression of CYP3A4 expression by ceramide, the effects of NO modulators were determined. Treatment with N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine, a competitive inhibitor of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), was able to protect ceramide-dependent CYP3A4 suppression. In contrast, the addition of S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine, a NO donor, to HT-29 cells reduced CYP3A4 expression. The addition of iNOS antisense oligonucleotide prevented ceramide-mediated induction of iNOS expression and restored CYP3A4 expression. Wortmannin which is known to inhibit phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-K) blocked CYP3A4 suppression by ceramide. Taken together, our results demonstrate that ceramide-mediated suppression of CYP3A4 is due to production of NO, which might result from activation of PI3-K.     

Endothelial cell fatty acid unsaturation mediates cold-induced oxidative stress

Ultraprofound hypothermia (< 5 degrees C) induces changes to cell membranes such as liquid-to-gel lipid transitions and oxidative stress that have a negative effect on membrane function and cell survival. We hypothesized that fatty acid substitution of endothelial cell lipids and alterations in their unsaturation would modify cell survival at 0 degrees C, a temperature commonly used during storage and transportation of isolated cells or tissues and organs used in transplantation. Confluent bovine aortic endothelial cells were treated with 18-carbon fatty acids (C18:0, C18:1n-9, C18:2n-6, or C18:3n-3), C20:5n-3 or C22:6n-3 (DHA), and then stored at 0 degrees C without fatty acid supplements. Storage of control cells caused the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and a threefold increase in lipid peroxidation (LPO) when compared to control cells not exposed to cold. Pre-treating cells with C18:0 decreased the unsaturation of cell lipids and reduced LDH release at 0 degrees C by 50%, but all mono- or poly-unsaturated fatty acids increased injury in a concentration-dependent manner and as the extent of fatty acid unsaturation increased. DHA-treatment increased cell fatty acid unsaturation and caused maximal injury at 0 degrees C, which was prevented by lipophilic antioxidants BHT or vitamin E, the iron chelator deferoxamine, and to a lesser extent by vitamin C. Furthermore, the cold-induced increase in LPO was reduced by C18:0, vitamin E, or DFO but enhanced by DHA. In conclusion, the findings implicate iron catalyzed free radicals and LPO as a predominant mechanism of endothelial cell injury at 0 degrees C, which may be reduced by increasing lipid saturation or treating cells with antioxidants.     

A New Lignan (Polonilignan) and Inhibitors of Nitric Oxide Production from Penicillium polonicum,an Endophytic Fungi of Piper nigrum

Inhibiting nitric oxide (NO) or its production is found to be of therapeutic benefit. To discover natural small molecule inhibitors of NO production, a bioassay- and LC/MS-guided chemical investigation was done on the metabolites of endophytic fungus isolated from fresh Piper nigrum fruits. The isolated pure strain was identified as Penicillium polonicum by 16S rDNA sequence comparison. The culture broth extract of P. polonicum (EEPP) exhibited a significant reduction of NO production (Griess method) in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells (P<0.0001). To understand the chemical constituents of bioactive EEPP, column chromatography and p-TLC studies were carried out, which yielded eight pure compounds. They were characterised as botryosphaeridione ( 1 ), 3-(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxy)phenylpropionic acid ( 2 ), variabilone ( 3 ), 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol ( 4 ), indole-3-carboxylic acid ( 5 ), tyrosol ( 6 ), ethyl ferulate ( 7 ) and a new lignan ( 8 ) based on the spectral analysis. The structure elucidation of the new lignan, named polonilignan ( 8 ), was based on HR-MS, ¹H- & ¹³C-NMR, H−H COSY, HSQC and HMBC spectra. Compounds 2 , 4 , 5 and 6 showed a significant decrease (P<0.0001) in the production of NO in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells. Tyrosol ( 6 ) and indole-3-carboxylic acid ( 5 ) controlled nitrite release with IC₅₀ values of 22.84 and 55.01 μM, respectively. This is the first report of (i) P. polonicum as an endophytic fungus of pepper fruits, (ii) isolation of compounds 1 – 8 except 6 from P. polonicum culture broth extract and (iii) NO inhibition effect of 2 , 4 , 5 and 6 .     

Two novel C29-5beta-sterols from the stems of Opuntia dillenii

Two novel C29-5beta-sterols, opuntisterol [(24R)-24-ethyl-5beta-cholest-9-ene-6beta,12alpha-diol] (1) and opuntisteroside [(24R)-24-ethyl-6beta-[(beta-d-glucopyranosyl)oxy]-5beta-cholest-9-ene-12alpha-ol] (2), together with nine known compounds, beta-sitosterol (3), taraxerol (4), friedelin (5), methyl linoleate (6), 7-oxositosterol (7), 6beta-hydroxystigmast-4-ene-3-one (8), daucosterol (9), methyl eucomate (10) and eucomic acid (11), were isolated from the stems of Opuntia dillenii collected in Guizhou Province, China. Their structures were elucidated mainly by spectroscopic analysis. The absolute configuration of 1 were deduced from comparative 1H NMR data of the (S)- and (R)-methoxyphenyl acetate derivatives. Compounds 6-8, 10 and 11 were isolated from O. dillenii for the first time.     

头花马先蒿和管花马先蒿的化学成分

从头花马先蒿全草中发现13个化合物,经波谱分析鉴定为：（&#177;）-松脂素（1）、金合欢素（2）、木犀草素（3）、7．去氧栀子新苷（4）、yuheinoside（5）、euphroside（6）、mussaenosidic acid（7）、莫桑苷（8）、桃叶珊瑚苷（9）、角胡麻苷（10）、异角胡麻苷（11）、贞桐苷A（12）和开德苷元（13）。从管花马先蒿全草中发现4个化合物,经鉴定为：（＋）．dehydrovomifoliol（14）、催吐萝芙木醇（15）、ω-hydroxypropioguaiacone（16）和3-hydroxy-1-（4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl）-1-propanone（17）。所有化合物均为首次在该种中发现。     

白地霉的化学成分研究

白地霉(Geotrichum candidum Link)固体发酵培养物,经乙醇提取、柱层析分离得到了7个化合物.通过光谱分析,分别鉴定为亮氨酸(1)、尿嘧啶(2)、胸腺嘧啶(3)、焦儿茶酸(4)、4-羟基苯甲酸(5)、3,5-二羟基苯甲酸(6)和7,8-dimethylalloxazine(7).7个化合物均是首次从白地霉中得到.