GSDMD in regulated cell death: A novel therapeutic target for sepsis.

Sepsis is a life-threatening multi-organ dysfunction syndrome caused by an abnormal host response to infection. Regulated cell death is essential for maintaining tissue homeostasis and eliminating damaged, infected, or aging cells in multicellular organisms. Gasdermin D, as a member of the gasdermin family, plays a crucial role in the formation of cytoplasmic membrane pores. Research has found that GSDMD plays important roles in various forms of regulated cell death such as pyroptosis, NETosis, and necroptosis. Therefore, through mediating regulated cell death, GSDMD regulates different stages of disease pathophysiology. This article mainly summarizes the concept of GSDMD, its role in regulated cell death, its involvement in organ damage associated with sepsis-related injuries mediated by regulated cell death via GSDMD activation and introduces potential drugs targeting GSDMD that may provide more effective treatment options for sepsis patients through drug modification.

A smartphone-assisted photoelectrochemical POCT method via Z-scheme CuCo2S4/Fe3O4 for simultaneously detecting co-contamination with microplastics in food and the environment.

As emerging contaminants, microplastics threaten food and environmental safety. Dibutyl phthalate (DBP, released from microplastics) and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP, adsorbed on microplastics) coexisted in food and the environment, harming human health, requesting a sensitive and simultaneous testing method to monitor. To address current sensitivity, simultaneousness, and on-site portability challenges during dual targets in complex matrixes, CuCo2S4/Fe3O4 nanoflower was designed to develop a smartphone-assisted photoelectrochemical point-of-care test (PEC POCT). The carrier transfer mechanism in CuCo2S4/Fe3O4 was proven via density functional theory calculation. Under optimal conditions, the PEC POCT showed low detection limits of 0.126, and 0.132 pg/mL, wide linearity of 0.001-500, and 0.0005-50 ng/mL for DBP and BaP, respectively. The smartphone-assisted PEC POCT demonstrated satisfied recoveries (80.00%-119.63%) in real samples. Coherent results were recorded by comparing the PEC POCT to GC-MS (DBP) and HPLC (BaP). This novel method provides a practical platform for simultaneous POCT for food safety and environment monitoring.

MOF-derived nanozyme CuOx@C and its application for cascade colorimetric detection of phytosterols.

Phytosterols (PSs), a class of naturally occurring bioactive lipid compounds, have been found to possess a significant cholesterol-lowering effect. In developing countries, the consumption of rapeseed oil is the primary pathway of PS intake for the general population. However, developing low-cost, real-time, and high-throughput screening techniques for PSs remains a challenge. Here, a Cu-based nanocomposite CuOx@C was synthesized via a simple method of the calcination of HKUST-1 and systematically characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The CuOx@C demonstrated excellent peroxidase-like (POD-like) activity, functioning as a peroxidase mimic to facilitate the catalysis of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) into its oxidized form (oxTMB), thereby initiating a discernible color response. On the basis of this discovery, a CuOx@C-based colorimetric method for detecting total sterols in rapeseed was successfully constructed via cascade reactions. After optimizing the conditions, the high-throughput screening of total sterols in rapeseed could be completed in only 21 min, which significantly facilitated the sensing of PSs. A linear range of 0.6-6 mg/g was achieved for the detection of total sterols in rapeseed samples, thereby satisfying the requirements for detection. In addition, due to the high stability of CuOx@C and the specificity of cholesterol oxidase, the developed method had excellent stability and selectivity toward PSs, indicating that this work has huge prospects for commercial application. This innovative work overcomes the limitation of the instrumental method and provides a portable and reliable tool for total sterols detection. It can also facilitate the development of oilseeds with a high content of PSs.

Gut microbiota-derived butyrate restores impaired regulatory T cells in patients with AChR myasthenia gravis via mTOR-mediated autophagy.

More than 80% of patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) are positive for anti-acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibodies. Regulatory T cells (Tregs) suppress overproduction of these antibodies, and patients with AChR antibody-positive MG (AChR MG) exhibit impaired Treg function and reduced Treg numbers. The gut microbiota and their metabolites play a crucial role in maintaining Treg differentiation and function. However, whether impaired Tregs correlate with gut microbiota activity in patients with AChR MG remains unknown. Here, we demonstrate that butyric acid-producing gut bacteria and serum butyric acid level are reduced in patients with AChR MG. Butyrate supplementation effectively enhanced Treg differentiation and their suppressive function of AChR MG. Mechanistically, butyrate activates autophagy of Treg cells by inhibiting the mammalian target of rapamycin. Activation of autophagy increased oxidative phosphorylation and surface expression of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 on Treg cells, thereby promoting Treg differentiation and their suppressive function in AChR MG. This observed effect of butyrate was blocked using chloroquine, an autophagy inhibitor, suggesting the vital role of butyrate-activated autophagy in Tregs of patients with AChR MG. We propose that gut bacteria derived butyrate has potential therapeutic efficacy against AChR MG by restoring impaired Tregs.

Intradermal acupuncture in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with liver and kidney deficiency syndrome - A sham-controlled, randomized, clinical trial.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is called "immortal cancer", and it affects the quality of life, disability rate and even the survival of patients. This study aimed to observe the clinical efficacy, and adverse reactions of intradermal acupuncture (IA) in the treatment of RA patients with liver and kidney deficiency syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: 132 RA patients were split into an IA group and a sham IA group at a 1:1 ratio. Both groups were assessed before and after the intervention with the assessments: a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome evaluation, the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), the Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28) and serum C-reactive protein (CRP). RESULTS: There was a statistically significant difference in TCM syndrome evaluation, HAQ, DAS28, and CRP between both groups before and after treatment (P < 0.01). The improvement of TCM syndrome evaluation (95% CI [1.14(0.38-1.89)]; P = 0.001), HAQ (95% CI [2.00(1.00-3.00)]; P = 0.003), and DAS28 (95% CI [0.11(0.02-0.20)]; P = 0.021) in the IA group was more obvious than that in the sham IA group (P < 0.05), except for CRP (95% CI [0.50(- 2.09 to 7.08)], P = 0.786). The difference in CRP outcome changes between the two groups was not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Both groups had comparable results in the implementation of RA in the upper and lower extremity acupoints and did not differ due to different sites (IA group: P = 0.852; sham IA group: P = 0.861). The comparison of effective rate of the upper limb as well as that of the lower limb was statistically significant (P = 0.001). Besides, patients reported no adverse effects. CONCLUSION: The IA intervention was associated with a promising effect on the decrease in RA disease activity and delayed overall disease progression.

Contributions of Common Foods to Resveratrol Intake in the Chinese Diet.

Resveratrol is a polyphenolic compound with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties and therefore has potential health benefits for the prevention and treatment of a wide range of diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and neurodegenerative diseases. The beneficial dose of resveratrol is between 30 and 150 mg. Although the health benefits of resveratrol have been extensively studied, resveratrol intake through the diet of residents in China remains unclear, which restricts the development of resveratrol-rich foods. In this study, a dietary assessment was conducted to reveal that the daily resveratrol intake by Chinese residents through common foods was only 0.783 mg, which was significantly below the beneficial dose. Among the main food types, fruits emerged as the primary source of resveratrol, contributing to 88.35% of the total intake. To improve resveratrol intake, potential methods to increase its consumption were proposed. First method is to increase the resveratrol content of fruits and peanuts. In addition, resveratrol can be extracted from peels. It is also recommended to adopt technical means to improve the bioavailability of resveratrol and develop related supplements and functional drinks.

Gentiopicroside improves non-alcoholic steatohepatitis by activating PPARα and suppressing HIF1.

Gentiopicroside (GPS) is a highly water-soluble small-molecule drug and the main bioactive secoiridoid glycoside of Gentiana scabra that has been shown to have hepatoprotective effects against non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), a form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) that can progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. However, the effects of GPS on NASH and the underlying mechanisms remain obscure. Firstly, a high-fat, high-cholesterol (HFHC) diet and a high-sugar solution containing d-fructose and d-glucose were used to establish a non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) mice model. Secondly, we confirmed GPS supplementation improve metabolic abnormalities and reduce inflammation in NASH mice induced by HFHC and high-sugar solution. Then we used metabolomics to investigate the mechanisms of GPS in NASH mice. Metabolomics analysis showed GPS may work through the Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor (PPAR) signaling pathway and glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism. Functional metabolites restored by GPS included serine, glycine, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Western blot and qRT-PCR analysis confirmed GPS improve NASH by regulating PPARα and Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α (HIF-1α) signaling pathways. In vitro, studies further demonstrated EPA and DHA enhance fatty acid oxidation through the PPARα pathway, while serine and glycine inhibit oxidative stress through the HIF-1α pathway in palmitic acid-stimulated HepG2 cells. Our results suggest GPS's anti-inflammatory and anti-steatosis effects in NASH progression are related to the suppression of HIF-1α through the restoration of L-serine and glycine and the activation of PPARα through increased EPA and DHA.

A national survey on current state and development needs of clinical and academic emergency medicine in China.

BACKGROUND: To characterize the current state of emergency medicine (EM) and the requirements for advancing EM clinical practice, education and research in China. METHODS: An anonymous electronic survey was conducted by Chinese Society of Emergency Medicine during September to October 2021. The survey contained 30 questions divided into 2 sections: the current state of EM development and the requirements for EM growth. RESULTS: 722 hospitals were included, of 487 were Level III and 235 were Level II hospitals. We found that after 40 years of development, EM had established a mature disciplinary system and refined sub-specialties including critical care, cardiopulmonary resuscitation, toxicology, disaster and emergency rescue. In Level III hospitals, 70.8% of EDs were standardized training centers for EM residents, but master's degree program, Doctor Degree program and post-doctoral degree program was approved in only 37.8%, 8.4% and 2.9% of EDs respectively and postgraduate curriculum was available in 1/4 of EDs. Only 8% have national or provincial key laboratories. In addition to advance clinical practice, there was also a high demand to improve teaching and research capacities, mainly focusing on literature review, research design and delivery, paper writing, residency training. CONCLUSIONS: EM has built a mature discipline system and refined sub-specialties in China. Teaching and research developed parallel with clinical practice. However, there was still a lack of EM master's and doctoral programs and research capacities need to be improved. More outstanding clinical and academic training should be provided to promote the rapid growth of EM in China.

Improvement of the sensitivity of lateral flow systems for detecting mycotoxins: Up-to-date strategies and future perspectives.

Mycotoxins are dangerous human and animal health-threatening secondary fungal metabolites that can be found in various food and agricultural products. Several countries have established regulations to restrict their presence in food and agricultural products destined for human and animal consumption. Consequently, the need to develop highly sensitive and smart detection systems was recognized worldwide. Lateral flow assay possesses the advantages of easy operation, rapidity, stability, accuracy, and specificity, and it plays an important role in the detection of mycotoxins. Nevertheless, strategies to comprehensively improve the sensitivity of lateral flow assay to mycotoxins in food have rarely been highlighted and discussed. In this article, a comprehensive overview was presented on the application of lateral flow assay in mycotoxin detection in food samples by highlighting the principle of lateral flow assay, presenting a detailed discussion on various analytical performance-improvement strategies, such as the development of high-affinity recognition reagents, immunogen immobilization methods, and signal amplification. Additionally, a detailed discussion on the various signal analyzers and interpretation approaches was provided. Finally, current hurdles and future perspectives on the application of lateral flow assay in the detection of mycotoxins were discussed.

Gas chromatography ion mobility spectroscopy: A rapid and effective tool for monitoring oil oxidation.

Oil autoxidation is an early process of food deterioration, monitoring oil oxidation is therefore of great significance to ensure food quality and safety. In this study, a detection method of the primary and secondary oxidative products was developed by gas chromatography ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS).The secondary oxidative products was analyzed by GC-IMS. Then, the relationships between peroxide values and the contents of secondary oxidative products were investigated by constructing a prediction model of peroxide value of rapeseed oil with the help of secondary oxidative products and chemometrics. The coefficient of determination Q2 of the model validation set is 0.96, and the RMSECV is 0.1570 g/100 g. These validation results indicated that secondary oxidative products could also reflect the content of the primary oxidative products. Moreover, 10 characteristic markers related to oxidative rancidity were identified for monitoring edible oil rancidity and oxidative stability.

A study of the pesticide residues in rapeseeds in China: Levels, distribution and health risk assessment.

The aim of this survey was to evaluate the residue levels, distribution and exposure risk of the 38 most commonly used pesticides in rapeseed samples collected from the main production areas in China over a two-year period. The sampling area covered 12 provinces, including Guizhou, Shaanxi, Yunnan, Hunan, Jiangxi, Sichuan, Chongqing, Anhui, Henan, Hubei, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu provinces. The pesticide residues were determined using a QuEChERS (Quick Easy Cheap Effective Rugged and Safe) method coupled with gas chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. 8.4% of the rapeseed samples contained pesticides with a residue level ranging from 0.001 to 0.634 mg/kg. The detected analytes were imidacloprid, quizalofop-P-ethyl, thiamethoxam, paclobutrazol, prochloraz, tebuconazole, difenoconazole, s-metolachlor, carbofuran, and carbendazim. The concentrations of four analytes, including thiamethoxam, difenoconazole, carbendazim and prochloraz, exceeded the maximum residue level set by the Chinese government for rapeseed, with exceedance rates of 0.1%, 0.1%, 0.1%, and 1.1%, respectively. Based on the index of quality for residues (IqR) values, 91.6% of the total rapeseed samples had an IqR category of Excellent (IqR = 0). Only 1.5% of the tested samples were of inadequate quality. Furthermore, the assessment of chronic and acute exposure, as well as health risks associated with pesticide residues in rapeseed, was conducted for different age groups within the Chinese population, including adults (6-14 years), children (15-49 years), and the elderly (50-74 years). The results of this assessment indicated that pesticide residues in rapeseed cultivated in China are not expected to be of short- or long-term risks to the Chinese customers.

Europium nanospheres based ultrasensitive fluorescence immunosensor for aflatoxin B1 determination in feed.

In this work, a new competitive immunosensor for aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) detection was developed using europium (Eu) fluorescent nanospheres and magnetic beads. Firstly, Eu nanospheres were synthesized through two steps including carboxylated polystyrene nanospheres and Eu-doped polystyrene nanospheres preparation. Then Eu nanospheres were covalently tagged to anti-AFB1 monoclonal antibody (anti-AFB1 mAb) through an EDC coupling method. Carboxylated Fe3O4 magnetic beads were conjugated to AFB1-BSA through EDC/NHS crosslinking to obtain AFB1-BSA-Fe3O4. In the absence of AFB1, Eu-anti-AFB1 mAb were incubated with AFB1-BSA-Fe3O4 to form Eu-anti-AFB1 mAb-AFB1-BSA-Fe3O4 in PBS buffer. However, in the presence of AFB1, the competitive interaction of AFB1 and AFB1-BSA-Fe3O4 to bind with Eu-anti-AFB1 mAb occurred. With the increasing concentration of AFB1, less Eu-anti-AFB1 mAb-AFB1-BSA-Fe3O4 formed. So the fluorescence intensity of Eu-anti-AFB1 mAb-AFB1-BSA-Fe3O4 was gradually decreased after magnetic separation. The degree of fluorescence decrease was linear with respect to the logarithm of AFB1 concentration in the range of 0.01-2 ng/mL in both buffer solution and feed samples and the detection limit was 0.003 ng/mL. What's more, the immunosensor showed excellent specificity for AFB1 without being interfered by other mycotoxins. In consideration of the excellent performance of this immunosensor, we can speculate that the proposed method could be widely used in detecting food contaminants.

Intelligent Electrochemical Point-of-Care Test Method with Interface Control Based on DNA Pyramids: Aflatoxin B1 Detection in Food and the Environment.

Sensitive, intelligent point-of-care test (iPOCT) methods for small molecules like aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) are urgently needed for food and the environment. The challenge remains of surface control in iPOCT. Herein, we developed an electrochemical sensor based on the DNA pyramid (DNP), combining a smartphone, app, and mobile electrochemical workstations to detect AFB1. The DNP's structure can reduce local overcrowding and entanglement between neighboring probes, control the density and orientation of recognition probes (antibodies), produce uniform and orientational surface assemblies, and improve antigen-antibody-specific recognition and binding efficiency. Simultaneously, the hollow structure of the DNP enhances the electron transfer capacity and increases the sensitivity of electrochemical detection. In this work, the biosensor based on DNP was first combined with electrochemical (Ec) iPOCT to simultaneously achieve ordered interface modulation of recognition probes and intelligent detection of AFB1. Under optimal conditions, we found a detection limit of 3 pg/mL and a linear range of 0.006-30 ng/mL (R2 = 0.995). Further, using peanut, soybean, corn, and lake water as complex matrices, it recorded recoveries of 82.15-100.53%, excellent selectivity, acceptable stability, and good reproducibility. Finally, this Ec iPOCT provides consistent results compared to the high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method.

Anti-Idiotypic Nanobody Alkaline Phosphatase Fusion Protein-Triggered On-Off-On Fluorescence Immunosensor for Aflatoxin in Cereals.

Nanobodies (Nbs) are widely used in immunoassays with the advantages of small size and high stability. Here, the nanobody employed as the surrogate of aflatoxin antigen and the recognition mechanism of antiaflatoxin mAb with nanobody was studied by molecular modeling, which verified the feasibility of Nbs as antigen substitutes. On this basis, a nanobody-alkaline phosphatase fusion protein (Nb-AP) was constructed, and a highly sensitive "on-off-on" fluorescent immunosensor (OFO-FL immunosensor) based on the calcein/Ce3+ system was developed for aflatoxin quantification. Briefly, calcein serves as a signal transducer, and its fluorescence can be quenched after it is bound with Ce3+. In the presence of Nb-AP, AP catalyzed p-nitrophenyl phosphate to generate orthophosphate, which competes in binding with Ce3+, leading to fluorescence recovery. The method has a linearity range of 0.005-100 ng/mL, and the IC50 of the OFO-FL immunosensor was 0.063 ng/mL, which was 18-fold lower than that of conventional enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The assay was successfully applied in food samples with a recovery of 88-121%.

Self-Assembly Multivalent Fluorescence-Nanobody Coupled Multifunctional Nanomaterial with Colorimetric Fluorescence and Photothermal to Enhance Immunochromatographic Assay.

The multimodal lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) has provided accurate and reliable results for fast and immediate detection. Nonetheless, multimodal LFIA remains challenging to develop biosensors with high sensitivity and tolerance to matrix interference in agro-food. In this study, we developed a self-assembled multivalent fluorescence-nanobody (Nb26-EGFP-H6) with 16.5-fold and 30-fold higher affinity and sensitivity than a monovalent nanobody (Nb26). Based on the Nb26-EGFP-H6, we synthesized enhanced immune-probes Zn-CN@Nb26-EGFP-H6 by pyrolyzing and oxidizing an imidazolating zeolite framework-8 (ZIF-8) to obtain photothermal metal-carbon nanomaterials (Zn-CN) for immobilizing Nb26-EGFP-H6. The rough and porous structure of Zn-CN with a large surface area facilitates the enrichment and immobilization of antibodies. A trimodal lateral flow immunoassay (tLFIA) with colorimetric, fluorescent, and photothermal triple signal outputs was constructed for the detection of aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in maize. Attractively, the Zn-CN-based tLFIA's multiplex guarantees accurate and sensitive detection of AFB1, with triple signal detection limits of 0.0012 ng/mL (colorimetric signals), 0.0094 ng/mL (fluorescent signals), and 0.252 ng/mL (photothermal signals). The sensitivity of the trimode immunosensor was 628-fold and 42-fold higher than that of the original Nb26-based ELISA (IC50) and the unimodal LFIA (LOD). This work provides an idea for constructing a sensitive, tolerant matrix and efficient and accurate analytical platform for rapidly detecting AFB1 in food.

Caspase-3/GSDME mediated pyroptosis: A potential pathway for sepsis.

The inflammatory response is one of the host's mechanisms to combat pathogens. Normal and controlled inflammation can accelerate the clearance of pathogens. However, in sepsis, the host often exhibits an excessive inflammatory response to infection, leading to tissue and organ damage. Therefore, studying the mechanisms underlying the occurrence and development of sepsis is of significant importance. Pyroptosis is a form of programmed cell death (PCD) executed by the gasdermins (GSDMs) family, and its pro-inflammatory characteristics are considered a crucial component of the sepsis mechanism. Previous research on pyroptosis in sepsis has mainly focused on the caspase-1/4/5/11-GSDMD pathway, which has made significant progress. However, there is a lack of research on the roles of other GSDMs family members in sepsis. New research has revealed that the caspase-3/GSDME pathway can also mediate pyroptosis, playing important roles in cancer, other inflammatory diseases, and even some sepsis-related conditions. This discovery suggests the potential value of investigating caspase-3/GSDME in sepsis research. This review provides an overview of the role of the GSDMs family in infectious diseases, summarizes current research on the caspase-1/4/5/11-GSDMD pathway, describes the role of caspase-3 in sepsis, and discusses the research findings related to pyroptosis mediated by the caspase-3/GSDME pathway in cancer, inflammatory diseases, and sepsis-related conditions. The aim of this article is to propose the concept of caspase-3/GSDME as a potential target in sepsis research. Considering the role of this pathway in other diseases, including inflammatory conditions, and given the unique nature of sepsis as an inflammatory disease, the article suggests that this pathway may also play a role in sepsis. This hypothesis provides new insights and options for future sepsis research, although direct experiments are needed to validate this hypothesis.

Contribution of Different Food Types to Vitamin A Intake in the Chinese Diet.

Vitamin A is a fat-soluble micronutrient that is essential for human health. In this study, the daily vitamin A intake of Chinese residents was evaluated by investigating the vitamin A content of various foods. The results show that the dietary intake of vitamin A in common foods was 460.56 ugRAE/day, which is significantly lower than the recommended dietary reference intake of vitamin A (800 ugRAE/day for adult men and 700 ugRAE/day for adult women). Vegetables contributed the most to daily vitamin A dietary intake, accounting for 54.94% of vitamin A intake (253.03 ugRAE/day), followed by eggs, milk, aquatic products, meat, fruit, legumes, coarse cereals, and potatoes. Therefore, an increase in the vitamin A content of vegetables and the fortification of vegetable oils with vitamin A are effective ways to increase vitamin A intake to meet the recommended dietary guidelines in China. The assessment results support the design of fortified foods.

Approach for quick exploration of highly effective broad-spectrum biocontrol strains based on PO8 protein inhibition.

Aflatoxin is a group of strongly toxic and carcinogenic mycotoxins produced by Aspergillus flavus and other Aspergillus species, which caused food contamination and food loss problems widely across the world especially in developing countries, thus threatening human health and sustainable development. So, it is important to develop new, green, and broad-spectrum biocontrol technology for the prevention of aflatoxin contamination sources. Previously, we found that the PO8 protein from aflatoxigenic A. flavus could be used as a biomarker to predict aflatoxin production in peanuts (so the PO8 is named as an early warning molecule), which infers that the PO8 is relative to aflatoxin production. Therefore, in the study, based on inhibiting the PO8, a new and quick strategy for screening aflatoxin biocontrol strains for developing control agents was presented. With the PO8 inhibition method, four biocontrol strains (2 strains were isolated from peanut kernels with sterilized surface and another 2 strains from peanut rhizosphere soil) were selected and combined to increase prevention wide-spectrum. As a result, the combination showed over 90% inhibition to all tested aflatoxigenic A. flavus isolated from three different peanut production areas (north, middle, and south areas of China), and better than any single strain. The field experiments located in five provinces of China showed that the practice prevention effects (inhibition of aflatoxigenic fungi on the surface of the peanuts) were from 50% to over 80%. The results indicated that the strategy of inhibiting the early warning molecule PO8 can be used to develop aflatoxin control agents well.