New Phenylpropanoid Glycosides from Illicium majus and Their Radical Scavenging Activities

Chemical investigation of the ethanol extract of the branch and leaves of Illicium majus resulted in the isolation of four new phenylpropanoid glycosides ( 1 – 4 ) and one new phenolic glycoside ( 9 ), along with 13 known ones. Spectroscopic techniques were used to elucidate the structures of the new isolates such as 3-[(2R,3S)-7-hydroxy-2-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-3-(hydroxymethyl)-2,3-dihydro-1-benzofuran-5-yl]propyl β-D-glucopyranoside ( 1 ), [(2R,3S)-7-hydroxy-2-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-5-(3-hydroxypropyl)-2,3-dihydro-1-benzofuran-3-yl]methyl 2-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-β-D-glucopyranoside ( 2 ), [(2R,3S)-7-hydroxy-2-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-5-(3-hydroxypropyl)-2,3-dihydro-1-benzofuran-3-yl]methyl 2-O-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl-β-D-xylopyranoside ( 3 ), 3-[(2R,3S)-3-({[2-O-(4-O-acetyl-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl)-β-D-xylopyranosyl]oxy}methyl)-7-hydroxy-2-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-2,3-dihydro-1-benzofuran-5-yl]propyl acetate ( 4 ), and 4-(2-hydroxyethyl)phenyl 3-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-β-D-glucopyranoside ( 9 ). Free radical scavenging activities of the isolates were elucidated through the DPPH assay method. The most active compounds, 1-O-caffeoyl-β-D-glucopyranose ( 17 ) and soulieana acid 1 ( 18 ), exhibited moderate radical scavenging activities (IC₅₀=37.7±4.4 μM and IC₅₀=97.2±3.4 μM, respectively). The antibacterial activities of the isolates against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli were also assessed, and no activity was shown at the measured concentration (<32 μg/mL).     

Possible pharmaceutical applications can be developed from naturally occurring phenanthroindolizidine and phenanthroquinolizidine alkaloids

Naturally occurring phenanthroindolizidine and phenanthroquinolizidine alkaloids (PIAs and PQAs) are two small groups of herbal metabolites sharing a similar pentacyclic structure with a highly oxygenated phenanthrene moiety fused with a saturated or an unsaturated N-heterocycle (indolizidine/quinolizidine moieties). Natural PIAs and PQAs only could be obtained from finite plant families (such as Asclepiadaceae, Lauraceae and Urticaceae families, etc.). Up to date, more than one hundred natural PIAs, while only nine natural PQAs had been described. PIA and PQA analogues have been applied to the development of potent anticancer agents all along because of their excellent cytotoxic activity. However, in the last two decades, other great biological properties, such as anti-inflammatory and antiviral activities were revealed successively by different pharmacological assays. Especially because of their potent antiviral activity against coronavirus (TGEV, SARS CoV and MHV) and tobacco mosaic virus, PIA and PQA analogues have attracted much pharmaceutical attention again, some of them have been used to present interesting targets for total or semi synthesis, and structure–activity relationship (SAR) study for the development of antiviral agents. In this review, natural PIA and PQA analogues obtained in the last two decades with their herbal origins, key spectroscopic characteristics for structural identification, biological activity with possible SARs and application prospects were systematically summarized. We hope this paper can stimulate further investigations on PIA and PQA analogues as an important source for potential drug discovery.

     

Establishment of an efficient shoot regeneration system in vitro in Brassica rapa

In Vitro Cellular & Developmental Biology - Plant - To improve the genetic transformation system for Brassica rapa L., we established a high-efficiency shoot regeneration protocol. A double...     

Restoration of circPSMC3 sensitizes gefitinib-resistant esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells to gefitinib by regulating miR-10a-5p/PTEN axis

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) has been shown to play an important role in the progression of various cancers. However, the function and underlying mechanisms of circRNAs affecting chemotherapy resistance in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remain largely unknown. In this study, we used gefitinib-resistant (GR) ESCC cells to investigate the function of circPSMC3 and clarify the underlying mechanism in chemotherapy resistance in ESCC. The results suggested that circPSMC3 expression was downregulated, but miR-10a-5p was upregulated in ESCC tissues and cells, as well as in GR ESCC cells. CircPSMC3 overexpression increased the sensitivity of ESCC cells to gefitinib, as indicated by reduced half maximal inhibitory concentration value, increased apoptosis rate and cleaved caspase-3 protein expression. CircPSMC3 directly interacted with miR-10a-5p and inhibited the expression of miR-10a-5p. Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) was a direct target of miR-10a-5p and circPSMC3 promoted PTEN expression via decreasing miR-10a-5p level. Moreover, the effect of circPSMC3 on resistance of GR ESCC cells to gefitinib was remarkably reduced by restoration of miR-10a-5p and downregultion of PTEN. Taken together, these observations suggested that upregulation of circPSMC3 overcame resistance of GR ESCC cells to gefitinib by modulating the miR-10a-5p/PTEN axis, which provide a new therapeutic strategy for overcoming gefitinib resistance in ESCC.     

Initiation, long-term cryopreservation, and recovery of Abies alba Mill. embryogenic cell lines

Somatic embryogenesis of Abies alba (Mill.) has significant potential to become an effective method for vegetative propagation of this species. To induce somatic embryogenesis in A. alba, the influence of the mother tree, sampling dates, and cold treatment storage of cones were examined. The initiation frequencies ranged from 1.7% to 16.6%. The sampling date and cone storage, but not the mother tree, had a significant effect on the initiation of embryogenic cultures. Storage of embryogenic cell lines was tested through cryopreservation for 6 yr. Four out of 12 cryostored embryogenic cell lines recovered, and the regeneration of cotyledonary embryos was obtained with two cell lines. The ability of embryogenic cell masses to produce somatic embryos and the mean number of cotyledonary embryos were higher when the maturation protocol was based on embryogenic suspensions dispersed on filter paper. The properly developed germinants were obtained only from maturation media where 32 μM abscisic acid was used, being 16.2% when polyethylene glycol (PEG) was not present and 1.8% when supplemented with 10% (w/v) PEG, respectively. The present study provides evidence that it is possible to cryopreserve A. alba embryogenic cultures while maintaining their maturing ability for the lengthy period (6 yr) needed for progeny testing of field-grown trees. Therefore, our findings are important for further studies and advanced breeding work of the species; however, the conversion of germinants into ex vitro conditions still remains a significant challenge.     

The Fat Mass and Obesity-Associated (FTO) Gene is Associated with Intramuscular Fat Content and Growth Rate in the Pig

The association of the FTO gene with obesity has been implicated in various human populations. The FTO gene is also most likely involved in the regulation of energy balance and feed intake. Here, the FTO gene was studied as a candidate gene for fatness and growth rate traits in pigs. The amino acid sequence of the FTO gene showed high conservation among human, pig, and other important domestic animals. Twelve variants including ten SNPs and two indels were detected, and then five SNPs within different genomic regions were genotyped in the ISU Berkshire × Yorkshire pig resource family. The linkage disequilibrium analyses revealed that most of these FTO variants were not in strong LD with each other. The SNPs c.46–139A > T within intron 1 and a synonymous mutation c.594C > G (Ala198Ala) within exon 3 had significant (P < 0.01) associations with average daily gain on test and total lipid percentage in muscle, respectively. Five major haplotypes were identified and the subsequent association analyses suggested that haplotype 2 (-CTTGG-) was the most favorable for increased growth rate, while haplotype 1 (-CTACG-) was unfavorably associated with intramuscular fatness traits.     

Antigenic and immunogenic properties of truncated VP28 protein of white spot syndrome virus in Procambarus clarkii

Previous studies identify VP28 envelope protein of white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) as its main antigenic protein. Although implicated in viral infectivity, its functional role remains unclear. In the current study, we described the production of polyclonal antibodies to recombinant truncated VP28 proteins including deleted N-terminal (rVP28ΔN), C-terminal (rVP28ΔC) and middle (rVP28ΔM). In antigenicity assays, antibodies developed from VP28 truncations lacking the N-terminal or middle regions showed significantly lowered neutralization of WSSV in crayfish, Procambarus clarkii. Further immunogenicity analysis showed reduced relative percent survival (RPS) in crayfish vaccinating with these truncations before challenge with WSSV. These results indicated that N-terminal (residues 1–27) and middle region (residues 35–95) were essential to maintain the neutralizing linear epitopes of VP28 and responsible in eliciting immune response. Thus, it is most likely that these regions are exposed on VP28, and will be useful for rational design of effective vaccines targeting VP28 of WSSV.