Effects of Resveratrol on Hepatitis B Virus Replication: In vitro and in vivo Experiments.

INTRODUCTION: Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a disease with high incidence and lack of effective treatment. In this study, we further explored the mechanism of resveratrol (RVT) in the inhibition of HBV replication. The effects of RVT on HBV replication were verified using in vitro and in vivo experiments. METHODS: HepG2 and HepG2.2.15 cell lines were cultured in vitro, and different concentrations of RVT were used to determine its effect on the proliferation of the two cell lines. Autophagy agonists and inhibitors were given, and whether RVT exerts its effect on the proliferation of HepG2 and HepG2.2.15 cells through autophagy was determined. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction and Western blot were used to detect changes in autophagy-related factors LC3-II, LC3-I, Beclin 1, and p62. Through transfection of pmiR-155, shmiR-155, and the corresponding control group, the relevant mechanism of RVT in inhibiting the proliferation of HepG2 and HepG2.2.15 cells was analyzed. RVT inhibited the toxicity for HepG2.2.15 cells and reduced HBV replication in vitro (p < 0.05). This effect of RVT was enhanced by rapamycin (RAPA; autophagy activator; p < 0.05) but was partially reversed by 3-MA (autophagy inhibitor; p < 0.05). In addition, our results showed that miR-155 expression was higher in HepG2.2.15 cells than in HepG cells (p < 0.05). miR-155 expression in the RVT treatment group was significantly reduced (p < 0.05). We designed an miR-155 overexpression plasmid, low miR-155 expression plasmid, and the corresponding negative control for transfection and found that transfection of pmiR-155 can partially reverse the effect of RVT (p < 0.05), while transfection with shmiR-155 can enhance the effect of RVT (p < 0.05). DISCUSSION: RVT inhibits miR-155, activates autophagy, inhibits the toxicity for HepG2.2.15 cells, and reduces HBV replication, providing a new research direction for the treatment of HBV infection.

Functional characteristics of a novel odorant binding protein in the legume pod borer, Maruca vitrata.

Insect olfaction system plays a key role in the foraging food, pollination, mating, oviposition, reproduction and other insect physiological behavior. Odorant binding protein are widely found in the various olfactory sensilla of different insect antennae and involved in chemical signals discrimination from natural environment. In this study, a novel OBP gene, MvitOBP3 is identified from the legume pod borer, Maruca vitrata, which it mainly harms important legume vegetables including cowpea, soybean and lablab bean. Real-time PCR results demonstrated that MvitOBP3 gene was abundantly expressed in the antennal tissue of M. vitrata, while low levels were distributed in the head, thorax, abdomen, leg and wing of adult moths. The recombinant OBP3 protein was purified using the prokaryotic expression and affinity chromatography system. Fluorescence competitive binding experiments indicated that that MvitOBP3 protein exhibited greater binding affinities with host-plant flower volatiles including Butanoic acid butyl ester, Limonene, 1H-indol-4-ol and 2-methyl-3-phenylpropanal, highlighting they may have attractant activities for the oviposition of female moths on the legume vegetables. Moreover, protein homology modeling and molecular docking analysis revealed that there are six amino acid sites of MvitOBP3 involved in the binding of the host-plant volatiles. These findings will further promote to understand the key role of odorant binding protein during host perception and oviposition of M. vitrata moths, which improve the efficiency of semiochemical-based prevention and monitoring for this pest in the legume vegetables field.

ACTA2-AS1 suppresses lung adenocarcinoma progression via sequestering miR-378a-3p and miR-4428 to elevate SOX7 expression.

Lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) is the most common histological subtype of lung cancer. The abnormal expression of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) can facilitate or suppress the development of malignant tumors. lncRNA actin alpha 2, smooth muscle antisense RNA 1 (ACTA2-AS1) has been reported to function as a tumor suppressor in liver cancer, nevertheless, its influences on LUAD remain to be investigated. In this paper, ACTA2-AS1 was identified as a downregulated lncRNA in LUAD samples and cells. Functionally, ACTA2-AS1 overexpression restrained cell proliferation but accelerated cell apoptosis in LUAD. In addition, we determined the suppressive effect of ACTA2-AS1 on LUAD cell invasion, migration, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition progress. Mechanistically, ACTA2-AS1 exert functions as a competing endogenous RNA through serving as a sponge for microRNA-378a-3p (miR-378a-3p) and microRNA-4428 (miR-4428) to elevate SRY-related high-mobility group box 7 (SOX7) expression. Importantly, SOX7 silencing could recover the ACTA2-AS1-mediated cell functions. To summarize, ACTA2-AS1 suppresses the malignant processes of LUAD cells through sequestering miR-378a-3p and miR-4428 to augment SOX7 expression.

Odorant-binding proteins involved in sex pheromone and host-plant recognition of the sugarcane borer Chilo infuscatellus (Lepidoptera: Crambidae).

BACKGROUND: Pheromone-binding proteins (PBPs) are responsible for transporting sex pheromones and general odorant-binding proteins (GOBPs) have been proposed to transport host-plant volatiles. A large number of OBPs have been identified from Lepidoptera species. However, olfactory molecular biology and physiology studies on PBP and GOBP in sugarcane pests are limited. Chilo infuscatellus is one of the most widely distributed pests in sugarcane-producing areas. RESULTS: Three PBPs (CinfPBP1, CinfPBP2 and CinfPBP3) and two GOBPs (CinfGOBP1 and CinfGOBP2) were identified, and five olfactory gene transcripts were abundantly expressed in antennae of C. infuscatellus. Binding assays showed that CinfPBP1-3 exhibited strong binding affinity for the sex pheromone components Z11-16:OH and 16:OH of C. infuscatellus. Meanwhile, CinfGOBP1-2 had high binding affinity with host-plant volatiles from sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum). Field-trapping results suggested that four volatile components, octadecane, (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol, α-terpineol and hexadecane from host plants and sex pheromone mixed baits have synergistic roles in attracting C. infuscatellus adult moths. CONCLUSION: Functional characterization of CinfPBPs and CinfGOBPs in C. infuscatellus could help us find new environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional pest control using pesticides in sugarcane fields. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.