奶油栓孔菌子实体多糖的理化性质、抗氧化活性与保肝作用

本研究旨在探讨奶油栓孔菌子实体多糖（TLFPS）的化学性质和酒精性肝损伤的保护作用。首先用水提醇沉法提取得到多糖,通过化学组成分析、紫外吸收光谱法、傅里叶红外光谱法和刚果红染色法对多糖结构进行初步表征,以DPPH、ABTS、超氧阴离子自由基的清除能力和铁离子还原能力为指标评价了多糖体外抗氧化能力,在小鼠急性肝损伤之前连续灌喂多糖8d,比较各组小鼠血清和肝的相关生化指标以及组织病理切片来确定多糖对酒精性肝损伤小鼠的保护作用。结果显示：多糖具有β-吡喃糖环结构,含有较高含量的糖醛酸和硫酸根基团,空间构型不具备三股螺旋结构。在体外抗氧化活性方面,多糖对DPPH、ABTS和超氧阴离子自由基均有良好的清除活性,铁离子还原能力也呈良好的剂量依赖性。在小鼠保肝实验中,与模型组相比,多糖能够显著延长小鼠的醉酒时间和缩短醒酒时间,降低了酒精性肝损伤小鼠的肝指数,并且显著降低血清中谷丙转氨酶（alanine aminotransferase,ALT）、谷草转氨酶（aspartate aminotransferase,AST）、甘油三酯（triglyceride,TG）、总胆固醇（total cholesterol,TC）和肝脏中丙二醛（malondialdehyde,MDA）的含量,同时明显提高了肝脏中超氧化物歧化酶（superoxide dismutase,SOD）和过氧化氢酶（catalase,CAT）的活性。结果证实奶油栓孔菌子实体多糖具有良好的抗氧化能力,可以减轻由酒精引起的急性肝细胞损伤,而且对机体的毒害作用很小。肝组织病理切片也进一步证实了奶油栓孔菌多糖的保肝活性。研究结果不仅丰富了奶油栓孔菌的药用价值,而且对多糖在功能食品领域的应用提供了药效基础。     

Epidermal restriction confers robustness to organ shapes

The shape of comparable tissues and organs is consistent among individuals of a given species, but how this consistency or robustness is achieved remains an open question. The interaction between morphogenetic factors determines organ formation and subsequent shaping, which is ultimately a mechanical process. Using a computational approach, we show that the epidermal layer is essential for the robustness of organ geometry control. Specifically, proper epidermal restriction allows organ asymmetry maintenance, and the tensile epidermal layer is sufficient to suppress local variability in growth, leading to shape robustness. The model explains the enhanced organ shape variations in epidermal mutant plants. In addition, differences in the patterns of epidermal restriction may underlie the initial establishment of organ asymmetry. Our results show that epidermal restriction can answer the longstanding question of how cellular growth noise is averaged to produce precise organ shapes, and the findings also shed light on organ asymmetry establishment.     

Tasselseed5 encodes a cytochrome C oxidase that functions in sex determination by affecting jasmonate catabolism in maize

Maize (Zea mays L.) is a monoecious grass plant in which mature male and female florets form the tassel and ear, respectively. Maize is often used as a model plant to study flower development. Several maize tassel seed mutants, such as the recessive mutants tasselseed1 (ts1) and tasselseed2 (ts2), exhibit a reversal in sex determination, which leads to the generation of seeds in tassels. The phenotype of the dominant mutant, Tasselseed5 (Ts5), is similar to that of ts2. Here, we positionally cloned the underlying gene of Ts5 and characterized its function. We show that the GRMZM2G177668 gene is overexpressed in Ts5. This gene encodes a cytochrome C oxidase, which catalyzes the transformation of jasmonoyl‐L‐isoleucine (JA‐Ile) to 12OH‐JA‐Ile during jasmonic acid catabolism. Consistent with this finding, no JA‐Ile peak was detected in Ts5 tassels during the sex determination period, unlike in the wild type. Transgenic maize plants overexpressing GRMZM2G177668 exhibited a tassel‐seed phenotype similar to that of Ts5. These results indicate that the JA‐Ile peak in tassels is critical for sex determination and that the Ts5 mutant phenotype results from the disruption of this peak in tassels during sex determination.     

Dynamics of NK,CD8 and Tfh cell mediated the production of cytokines and antiviral antibodies in Chinese patients with moderate COVID‐19

Recent studies have demonstrated a marked decrease in peripheral lymphocyte levels in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2). Few studies have focused on the changes of NK, T‐ and B‐cell subsets, inflammatory cytokines and virus‐specific antibodies in patients with moderate COVID‐19. A total of 11 RT‐PCR‐confirmed convalescent patients with COVID‐19 and 11 patients with non‐SARS‐CoV‐2 pneumonia (control patients) were enrolled in this study. NK, CD8⁺ T, CD4⁺ T, Tfh‐like and B‐cell subsets were analysed using flow cytometry. Cytokines and SARS‐CoV‐2‐specific antibodies were analysed using an electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. NK cell counts were significantly higher in patients with COVID‐19 than in control patients (P = 0.017). Effector memory CD8⁺ T‐cell counts significantly increased in patients with COVID‐19 during a convalescent period of 1 week (P = 0.041). TIM‐3⁺ Tfh‐like cell and CD226⁺ Tfh‐like cell counts significantly increased (P = 0.027) and decreased (P = 0.022), respectively, during the same period. Moreover, ICOS⁺ Tfh‐like cell counts tended to decrease (P = 0.074). No abnormal increase in cytokine levels was observed. The high expression of NK cells is important in innate immune response against SARS‐CoV‐2. The increase in effector memory CD8⁺ T‐cell counts, the up‐regulation of inhibitory molecules and the down‐regulation of active molecules on CD4⁺ T cells and Tfh‐like cells in patients with COVID‐19 would benefit the maintenance of balanced cellular and humoural immune responses, may prevent the development of severe cases and contribute to the recovery of patients with COVID‐19.     

Repellent,Insecticidal and Antimicrobial Activities of Leaf Essential Oils from Three Eucalyptus Species

Developing effective and eco‐friendly antimicrobials and pesticides has become a highly important issue. The repellent, insecticidal and antimicrobial activity of essential oils (EOs) isolated by hydrodistillation from dried leaves of the three Eucalyptus species (E. cloeziana, E. umbellata and E. benthamii) were investigated. During GC/MS analysis, α‐pinene (47.36 %), 1,8‐cineol (38.53 %) and α‐pinene (35.31 %) were identified as major components of E. cloeziana, E. umbellata and E. benthamii, respectively. The EOs from E. cloeziana exhibited the longest effective protection time (465 min, at 50.0 % w/w) for humans among the EOs studied. The effective protection time was 30 min and 300 min at concentrations of 12.5 % (w/w) and 25.0 % (w/w), respectively. Fumigating insecticidal activity of EOs from three Eucalyptus species was tested by airtight fumigation in conical flask, which indicated that essential oils had a highly and rapidly insecticidal activity on Culex pipiens quinquefasciatus. The antimicrobial activity of EOs was evaluated by using disc diffusion and agar dilution methods. There was no significant difference in the antibacterial activity of EOs from E. cloeziana and E. umbellate and they had the same MICs (20 mL/L) on Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella typhi, Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli. E. benthamii had the worst microbial inhibitory effect among the three Eucalyptus essential oils and the MIC value for the test species is 40 mL/L except for Rhodotorula Harrison (10 mL/L).     

Allopurinol reduces oxidative stress and activates Nrf2/p62 to attenuate diabetic cardiomyopathy in rats

Allopurinol (ALP) attenuates oxidative stress and diabetic cardiomyopathy (DCM), but the mechanism is unclear. Activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2) following the disassociation with its repressor Keap1 under oxidative stress can maintain inner redox homeostasis and attenuate DCM with concomitant attenuation of autophagy. We postulated that ALP treatment may activate Nrf2 to mitigate autophagy over‐activation and consequently attenuate DCM. Streptozotocin‐induced type 1 diabetic rats were untreated or treated with ALP (100 mg/kg/d) for 4 weeks and terminated after heart function measurements by echocardiography and pressure‐volume conductance system. Cardiomyocyte H9C2 cells infected with Nrf2 siRNA or not were incubated with high glucose (HG, 25 mmol/L) concomitantly with ALP treatment. Cell viability, lactate dehydrogenase, 15‐F2t‐Isoprostane and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured with colorimetric enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays. ROS, apoptosis, was assessed by dihydroethidium staining and TUNEL, respectively. The Western blot and qRT‐PCR were used to assess protein and mRNA variations. Diabetic rats showed significant reductions in heart rate (HR), left ventricular eject fraction (LVEF), stroke work (SW) and cardiac output (CO), left ventricular end‐systolic volume (LVVs) as compared to non‐diabetic control and ALP improved or normalized HR, LVEF, SW, CO and LVVs in diabetic rats (all P < .05). Hearts of diabetic rats displayed excessive oxidative stress manifested as increased levels of 15‐F2t‐Isoprostane and superoxide anion production, increased apoptotic cell death and cardiomyocytes autophagy that were concomitant with reduced expressions of Nrf2, heme oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1) and Keap1. ALP reverted all the above‐mentioned diabetes‐induced biochemical changes except that it did not affect the levels of Keap1. In vitro, ALP increased Nrf2 and reduced the hyperglycaemia‐induced increases of H9C2 cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, oxidative stress, apoptosis and autophagy, and enhanced cellular viability. Nrf2 gene silence cancelled these protective effects of ALP in H9C2 cells. Activation of Nrf2 subsequent to the suppression of Keap1 and the mitigation of autophagy over‐activation may represent major mechanisms whereby ALP attenuates DCM.     

Effect of (R)‐salbutamol on the switch of phenotype and metabolic pattern in LPS‐induced macrophage cells

Evidence demonstrates that M1 macrophage polarization promotes inflammatory disease. Here, we discovered that (R)‐salbutamol, a β₂ receptor agonist, inhibits and reprograms the cellular metabolism of RAW264.7 macrophages. (R)‐salbutamol significantly inhibited LPS‐induced M1 macrophage polarization and downregulated expressions of typical M1 macrophage cytokines, including monocyte chemotactic protein‐1 (MCP‐1), interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β) and tumour necrosis factor α (TNF‐α). Also, (R)‐salbutamol significantly decreased the production of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), nitric oxide (NO) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), while increasing the reduced glutathione (GSH)/oxidized glutathione (GSSG) ratio. In contrast, (S)‐salbutamol increased the production of NO and ROS. Bioenergetic profiles showed that (R)‐salbutamol significantly reduced aerobic glycolysis and enhanced mitochondrial respiration. Untargeted metabolomics analysis demonstrated that (R)‐salbutamol modulated metabolic pathways, of which three metabolic pathways, namely, (a) phenylalanine metabolism, (b) the pentose phosphate pathway and (c) glycerophospholipid metabolism were the most noticeably impacted pathways. The effects of (R)‐salbutamol on M1 polarization were inhibited by a specific β₂ receptor antagonist, ICI‐118551. These findings demonstrated that (R)‐salbutamol inhibits the M1 phenotype by downregulating aerobic glycolysis and glycerophospholipid metabolism, which may propose (R)‐salbutamol as the major pharmacologically active component of racemic salbutamol for the treatment of inflammatory diseases and highlight the medicinal value of (R)‐salbutamol.     

Extracellular nanovesicles‐transmitted circular RNA has_circ_0000190 suppresses osteosarcoma progression

Under the microenvironment, tumour progression is substantially affected by cell‐cell communication. In spite of the mediating effect of extracellular nanovesicles (EVs) on cell‐cell communication by packaging into circRNAs, the effect of EVs circRNA hsa_circ_0000190 (circ‐0000190) in osteosarcoma is still not clear. Circ‐0000190 expressions in tissues and EVs from plasma were compared between osteosarcoma patients and controls. Thereafter, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was drawn and area under the curve was calculated to examine whether the diagnostic results were accurate, and the effect of EVs circ‐0000190 was dug out via the determination of cell phenotypes and animal assays. Results showed circ‐0000190 exhibited an obvious reduction in EVs and tissues of osteosarcoma patients (P < .05). It was also discovered that EVs encapsulated the majority of circ‐0000190, and EVs‐encapsulated circ‐0000190 could be applied to make a distinction between osteosarcoma patients and controls. Besides, EVs circ‐0000190 in osteosarcoma cells transported from normal cells weakened the capacities of osteosarcoma cells to migrate, proliferate and invade, so as to block their biological malignant behaviours (P < .05). In addition, under the action of EVs circ‐0000190, tumour growth was impeded and the expression of TET1 was inhibited via the competitive binding to miR‐767‐5p. In all, EVs circ‐0000190 has a good prospect as it can be regarded as a new biomarker for detecting osteosarcoma. EVs circ‐0000190 transported from normal cells to osteosarcoma cells impeded the in vitro and in vivo development of osteosarcoma, implying that EVs circ‐0000190 exerts an effect on communication between normal cells and osteosarcoma cells in the carcinogenesis process of osteosarcoma.     

ATPR triggers acute myeloid leukaemia cells differentiation and cycle arrest via the RARα/LDHB/ERK‐glycolysis signalling axis

Acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) remains a therapeutic challenge and improvements in chemotherapy are needed. 4‐Amino‐2‐trifluoromethyl‐phenyl retinate (ATPR), a novel all‐trans retinoic acid (ATRA) derivative designed and synthesized by our team, has been proven to show superior anticancer effect compared with ATRA on various cancers. However, its potential effect on AML remains largely unknown. Lactate dehydrogenase B (LDHB) is the key glycolytic enzyme that catalyses the interconversion between pyruvate and lactate. Currently, little is known about the role of LDHB in AML. In this study, we found that ATPR showed antileukaemic effects with RARα dependent in AML cells. LDHB was aberrantly overexpressed in human AML peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) and AML cell lines. A lentiviral vector expressing LDHB‐targeting shRNA was constructed to generate a stable AML cells with low expression of LDHB. The effect of LDHB knockdown on differentiation and cycle arrest of AML cells was assessed in vitro and vivo, including involvement of Raf/MEK/ERK signalling. Finally, these data suggested that ATPR showed antileukaemic effects by RARα/LDHB/ ERK‐glycolysis signalling axis. Further studies should focus on the underlying leukaemia‐promoting mechanisms and investigate LDHB as a therapeutic target.