Renierol from marine sponge Haliclona.SP.: a natural inhibitor of xanthine oxidase with hypouricemic effects

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the inhibitory effect of renierol, extracted from marine sponge Halicdona.SP., on xanthine oxidase (XO) and its hypouricemic effect in vivo. Renierol and a positive control, allopurinol, were tested for their effects on XO activity by measuring the formation of uric acid and superoxide radical from xanthine. Renierol inhibited XO in a concentration-dependent and competitive manner. IC(50) value was 1.85 microg.ml(-1) through the measuring of uric acid and was 1.36 microg.ml(- 1) through the measuring of superoxide radical. Renierol was found to have an in vivo hypouricemic activity against potassium oxonate-induced hyperuricaemia in mice. After oral administration of renierol at doses of 10, 20 and 30 mg.kg(- 1), there was a significant decrease in the serum urate level (4.08 +/- 0.09 mg.dl(- 1), P < 0.01), (3.47 +/- 0.11 mg.dl(- 1), P < 0.01) and (3.12 +/- 0.08 mg.dl(- 1), P < 0.01), when compared to the hyperuricaemic control (6.74 +/- 0.23 mg.dl(- 1)). Renierol was a potent XO inhibitor with hypouricemic activity in mice.     

Advances in the research of celery,an important Apiaceae vegetable crop

Celery (Apium graveolens L.), one of the most important vegetables in Apiaceae family, is cultivated worldwide and utilized in food and cosmetic industries because it is an excellent source of vitamins, phenolic compounds, volatile oils and other nutrients. Celery extracts possess various medicinal properties, such as antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and lowering blood glucose and serum lipid levels. With the rapid advancements in molecular biology and sequencing technology, studies on celery have been performed. Numerous molecular markers and regulatory genes have been discovered and applied to improve celery. Research advances, including genetic breeding, genomics research, function genes and chemical composition, regarding celery are reviewed in this paper. Further exploration and application trends are briefly described. This review provides a reference for basic and applied research on celery, an important Apiaceae vegetable crop.     

Over expression of integrin α 5 β 1 in human hepatocellular carcinoma cell line suppresses cell proliferation in vitro and tumorigenicity in nude mice

Integrin 5 1 and 2 1 are the major integrin receptors in human hepatocytes. However, in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells it was found that the expression of integrin 5 1 was decreased and another integrin 6 1 increased. In this study, the SMMC7721 human hepatocellular carcinoma cells cotransfected or singlely transfected with integrin 5 and/or 1 cDNAs were established, and designated 5 1.6-7721, 5.3-7721, and 1.6-7721 cell lines, respectively. Transfection with cDNAs of integrin 5 and 1 subunits resulted in the overexpression of each integrin and modified biological properties, including a slowed growth rate, changes in the cell cycle from 15.5% of control cells in the G2/M phase to 12.1%, 9.6% and 9.4% in 5.3-7721, 1.6-7721, 5 1.6-7721, respectively, and a decrease in the Cell Mitosis Index from 1.6 in controls to 0.96, 0.95, and 0.72, and 34%, 28% and 52% derived from colony forming ability, respectively. Tumorigenicity was also tested in nude mice with inoculation of cells subcutaneously. Tumor masses growing in nude mice following inoculation with 1.6-7721,and 5 1.6-7721 cells weighed only 52% or 31% those of control cells. These results indicated that deletion or low expression of integrin 5 1 may play an important role in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Therefore, induction of expression of the integrin 5 1 in malignant cells could be a potential means of treating hepatocellular carcinoma.     

Effects of dark treatment and regular light recovery on the growth characteristics and regulation of chlorophyll in water dropwort

Herbicides are largely used to control weed growth in wheat production. However, the application of some kind of herbicides usually aggravates the damage caused by low temperature, and is also a very common adversity during the early growth stages of wheat. In this study, we pre-treated wheat seedlings with the herbicide chemicals of isoproturon, fluroxypyr and fenoxaprop-P-ethyl, respectively and then exposed the plants to low temperature stress with different time intervals. The herbicides, especially isoproturon, significantly increased the negative effects of low temperature on electron transport rate, chlorophyll content, cell membrane stability as well as growth of wheat plants. Furthermore, the foliar application of ascorbic acid (AsA) decreased relative electric conductivity, reduced the content of malondialdehyde, and reduced the production rate of reactive oxygen species, these were in line with elevated activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase under the combined stress of isoproturon and low temperature, indicating that AsA effectively mitigated the sever oxidative stress induced by the combined stresses. Thus, some of the herbicides such as isoproturon are suggested to be very carefully used before the possibility of low temperature events. In case low temperature stress occurs after using of isoproturon, AsA could be used to partially alleviate the damage by the combined stress of isoproturon and low temperature in wheat production.     

胡萝卜AP2／ERF-B1亚族两个转录因子基因的克隆及其非生物胁迫响应分析

AP2／ERF是植物中普遍存在的一类重要转录因子,参与植物整个生命周期的生长发育和逆境信号转导。本研究以胡萝卜（Daucus carota）‘黑田五寸’为试验材料,基于其转录组和基因组数据,检索和拼接获得胡萝卜AP2／ERF家族2个转录因子基因序列g39811和g47170。采用RT-PCR方法,分别从‘黑田五寸’中克隆DcERF-B1-1（g39811）和DcERF-B1—2（g4717D）转录因子基因。序列分析显示,胡萝卜DcERF-B1-1和DcERF-B1-2转录因子基因分别含有630个和594个开放阅读框,分别编码209和197个氨基酸;均含有相对保守的AP2结合域,具有典型的植物AP2／ERF类转录因子特征。从氨基酸组成成分、理化性质、亲水性／疏水性和三级结构上分析显示,胡萝卜DcERF—B1-1和DcERF-B1-2转录因子亲水性大于疏水性,其氨基酸序列可能属于亲水性蛋白。空间结构分析显示,它们都具有1个α螺旋和3个β折叠。进化树分析显示,二者均属于AP2／ERF家族转录因子中ERF亚族的B1组。实时定量荧光PCR显示,在低温、干旱、盐胁迫的条件下,DcERF-B1-2转录因子比DcERF-B1-1转录因子对逆境的响应更大;在高温的条件下,DcERF-B1-1转录因子比DcERF-B1-2转录因子对逆境的响应更大。     

Disability weight of Clonorchis sinensis infection: captured from community study and model simulation

Background

Clonorchiasis is among the most neglected tropical diseases. It is caused by ingesting raw or undercooked fish or shrimp containing the larval of Clonorchis sinensis and mainly endemic in Southeast Asia including China, Korea and Vietnam. The global estimations for population at risk and infected are 601 million and 35 million, respectively. However, it is still not listed among the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) and no disability weight is available for it. Disability weight reflects the average degree of loss of life value due to certain chronic disease condition and ranges between 0 (complete health) and 1 (death). It is crucial parameter for calculating the morbidity part of any disease burden in terms of disability-adjusted life years (DALYs).

Methodology/Principal Findings

According to the probability and disability weight of single sequelae caused by C. sinensis infection, the overall disability weight could be captured through Monte Carlo simulation. The probability of single sequelae was gained from one community investigation, while the corresponding disability weight was searched from the literatures in evidence-based approach. The overall disability weights of the male and female were 0.101 and 0.050, respectively. The overall disability weights of the age group of 5–14, 15–29, 30–44, 45–59 and 60+ were 0.022, 0.052, 0.072, 0.094 and 0.118, respectively. There was some evidence showing that the disability weight and geometric mean of eggs per gram of feces (GMEPG) fitted a logarithmic equation.

Conclusion/Significance

The overall disability weights of C. sinensis infection are differential in different sex and age groups. The disability weight captured here may be referred for estimating the disease burden of C. sinensis infection.     

Effects of simulated drought stress on carotenoid contents and expression of related genes in carrot taproots

Carotenoids are liposoluble pigments found in plant chromoplasts that are responsible for the yellow, orange, and red colors of carrot taproots. Drought is one of the main stress factors affecting carrot growth. Carotenoids play important roles in drought resistance in higher plants. In the present work, the carotenoid contents in three different-colored carrot cultivars, ‘Kurodagosun’ (orange), ‘Benhongjinshi’ (red), and ‘Qitouhuang’ (yellow), were determined by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) after 15% polyethylene glycol (PEG) 6000 treatment. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) was then used to determine the expression levels of carotenoid synthesis- and degradation-related genes. Increases in β-carotene content in ‘Qitouhuang’ taproots under drought stress were found to be related to the expression levels of DcPSY2 and DcLCYB. Increases in lutein and decreases in α-carotene content in ‘Qitouhuang’ and ‘Kurodagosun’ under PEG treatment may be related to the expression levels of DcCYP97A3, DcCHXE, and DcCHXB1. The expression levels of DcNCED1 and DcNCED2 in the three cultivars significantly increased, thus suggesting that NCED genes could respond to drought stress. Analysis of the growth status and carotenoid contents of carrots under PEG treatment indicated that the orange cultivar ‘Kurodagosun’ has better adaptability to drought stress than the other cultivars and that β-carotene and lutein may be involved in the stress resistance process of carrot.