Global burden of hip fracture: The Global Burden of Disease Study.

This study is the first to measure global burden of hip fracture in patients aged 55 years and older across 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2019. Our study further proved that the global burden of hip fracture is still large. Hip fractures among males are perhaps underestimated, and older adults should be given more attention. PURPOSE: Hip fracture is a tremendous universal public health challenge, but no updated comprehensive and comparable assessment of hip fracture incidence and burden exists for most of the world in older adults. METHODS: Using data from the Global Burden of Diseases (GBD) 2019, we estimated the number and rates of the incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability (YLD) of hip fracture across 204 countries and territories in patients aged 55 years and older from 1990 to 2019. RESULTS: In 2019, the incidence, prevalence, and YLDs rates of hip fracture in patients aged 55 years and older were 681.35 (95% UI 508.36-892.27) per 100000 population, 1191.39 (95% UI 1083.80-1301.52) per 100000 population, and 130.78 (95% UI 92.26-175.30) per 100000 population. During the three decades, the incidence among people aged below 60 years showed a downward trend, whereas it showed a rapid upward trend among older adults. All the numbers and rates of hip fractures among females were higher than those among males and increased with age, with the highest number and rate in the highest age group. Notably, the male to female ratio of the incidence for people aged over 55 years increased from 0.577 in 1990 to 0.612 in 2019. Falls were the leading cause among both sexes and in all age groups. CONCLUSIONS: The incidence and the number of hip fractures among patients aged 55 years and older increased over the past three decades, indicating that the global burden of hip fracture is still large. Hip fractures among males are perhaps underestimated, and older adults should be given more attention.

Kangfuxin alleviates ulcerative colitis in rats by inhibiting NF-κB p65 activation and regulating T lymphocyte subsets.

Objectives: Ulcerative colitis (UC) remains an enduring, idiopathic inflammatory bowel disease marked by persistent mucosal inflammation initiating from the rectum and extending in a proximal direction. An ethanol extract of Periplaneta americana L., namely Kangfuxin (KFX), has a significant historical presence in Traditional Chinese Medicine and has been broadly utilized in clinical practice for the treatment of injury. Here, we aimed to determine the effect of KFX on 2,4,6-trinitro'benzene sulfonic acid (TNBS)-induced UC in Sprague-Dawley rats. Materials and Methods: We established the UC model by TNBS/ethanol method. Then, the rats were subject to KFX (50, 100, 200 mg/kg/day) for 2 weeks by intragastric gavage. The body weight, disease activity index (DAI), colonic mucosal injury index (CMDI), and histopathological score were evaluated. The colonic tissue interleukin (IL)-1ß, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), IL-10, transforming growth factor-1 (TGF-ß1), and epidermal growth factor (EGF) were determined by Elisa. To study T-lymphocyte subsets, flow cytometry was performed. In addition, the expression level of NF-κB p65 was evaluated by immunohistochemistry and western blot analysis. Results: Compared with the TNBS-triggered colitis rats, the treatment of rats with KFX significantly increased the body weight, and decreased DAI, CMDI, and histopathological score. Also, KFX elicited a reduction in the secretion of colonic pro-inflammatory cytokines, namely IL-1ß, IL-6, and TNF-α, concomitant with up-regulation of IL-10, TGF-ß1, and EGF levels. Upon KFX treatment, the CD3+CD4+/CD3+CD8+ ratio in the spleen decreased, while the CD3+CD8+ subset and the CD3+CD4+CD25+/CD3+CD4+ ratio demonstrated an increase. In addition, the expression of NF-κB p65 in the colon was decreased. Conclusion: KFX effectively suppresses TNBS-induced colitis by inhibiting the activation of NF-κB p65 and regulating the ratio of CD4+/CD8+.

[Periplaneta americana extract Câ ¡-3 induces senescence of leukemia K562 cells via SIRT1/mTOR signaling pathway].

This study aims to investigate the role of slient mating-type information regulation 2 homolog 1(SIRT1)/tuberous sclerosis complex 2(TSC2)/mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR) signaling pathways in the Periplaneta americana extract CⅡ-3-induced senescence of human leukemia K562 cells. K562 cells were cultured in vitro and treated with 0(control), 5, 10, 20, 40, 80, and 160 µg·mL~(-1) of P. americana extract CⅡ-3. Cell counting kit-8(CCK-8) and flow cytometry were employed to examine the proliferation and cell cycle of the K562 cells. Senescence-associated ß-galactosidase stain kit(SA-ß-gal) was used to detect the positive rate of senescent cells. Mitochondrial membrane potential was detected by flow cytometry. The relative mRNA level of telomerase reverse transcriptase(TERT) was determined by fluorescence quantitative PCR. The mRNA and protein levels of SIRT1, TSC2, and mTOR were determined by fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western blot, respectively. The results showed that CⅡ-3 significantly inhibited the proliferation of K562 cells and the treatment with 80 µg·mL~(-1) CⅡ-3 for 72 h had the highest inhibition rate. Therefore, 80 µg·mL~(-1) CⅡ-3 treatment for 72 h was selected as the standard for subsequent experiments. Compared with the control group, CⅡ-3 increased the proportion of cells arrested in G_0/G_1 phase, decreased the proportion of cells in S phase, increased the positive rate of SA-ß-Gal staining, elevated the mitochondrial membrane potential and down-regulated the mRNA expression of TERT. Furthermore, the mRNA expression of SIRT1 and TSC2 was down-regulated, while the mRNA expression of mTOR was up-regulated. The protein expression of SIRT1 and p-TSC2 was down-regulated, while the protein expression of p-mTOR was up-regulated. The results indicated that P. americana extract CⅡ-3 induced the senescence of K562 cells via the SIRT1/mTOR signaling pathway.

Transcriptome-based analyses reveal venom diversity in two araneomorph spiders, Psechrus triangulus and Hippasa lycosina.

The spiders Psechrus triangulus and Hippasa lycosina are widely distributed in Yunnan Province, China, and are important natural enemies of agricultural pests, yet studies regarding the composition of their venom are lacking. In this study, cDNA libraries were constructed from venom gland tissue of P. triangulus and H. lycosina and used for transcriptomic analysis. From the analysis, 39 and 31 toxin-like sequences were predicted for P. triangulus and H. lycosina, respectively. The predicted neurotoxin sequences were categorized according to cysteine sequence motifs, and the predicted neurotoxin sequences of P. triangulus and H. lycosina could be classified into 9 and 6 toxin families, respectively. In addition, potential acetylcholinesterase, hyaluronidase, and astaxanthin-like metalloproteinases were identified through annotation. In summary, transcriptomic techniques were invaluable in mining the gene expression information from these two spider species to explore the toxin composition of their venom and determine how they differ. Studies of this type provide essential baseline data for studying the evolution and physiological activities of spider toxins and for the potential development of medicinal compounds.

Incidence and cost of vertebral fracture in urban China: a 5-year population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Osteoporotic vertebral fractures cause pain and disability, which result in a heavy socioeconomic burden. However, the incidence and cost of vertebral fractures in China are unknown. We aimed to assess the incidence and cost of clinically recognized vertebral fractures among people aged 50 years and older in China from 2013 to 2017. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This population-based cohort study was conducted by using Urban Employee Basic Medical Insurance (UEBMI) and Urban Resident Basic Medical Insurance (URBMI) data in China from 2013 to 2017, which covered more than 95% of the Chinese population in urban areas. Vertebral fractures were identified by the primary diagnosis (i.e. International Classification of Diseases code or text of diagnosis) in UEBMI and URBMI. The incidence and medical cost of these clinically recognized vertebral fractures in urban China were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 271 981 vertebral fractures (186 428, 68.5% females and 85 553, 31.5% males) were identified, with a mean age of 70.26 years. The incidence of vertebral fractures among patients aged 50 years and over in China increased ~1.79-fold during the 5 years, from 85.21 per 100 000 person-years in 2013 to 152.13 per 100 000 person-years in 2017. Medical costs for vertebral fractures increased from US$92.74 million in 2013 to US$505.3 million in 2017. Annual costs per vertebral fracture case increased from US$3.54 thousand in 2013 to US$5.35 thousand in 2017. CONCLUSION: The dramatic increase in the incidence and cost of clinically recognized vertebral fractures among patients aged 50 and over in urban China implies that more attention should be given to the management of osteoporosis to prevent osteoporotic fractures.

Effects of wasp venom on venous thrombosis in rats.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the potential effects of wasp venom (WV) from Vespa magnifica on antithrombosis in rats with inferior vena cava (IVC) thrombosis. Materials and Methods: The thrombosis rat model was established by improving the IVC stenosis, in which rats were subjected to IVC ligation for 75 min. Rats were administered argatroban (IP) or WV (s.c.) for 4 hr after IVC thrombosis. The weight, inhibition rate, and pathological morphology of the thrombosis induced by IVC ligation and the variation in four coagulation parameters, coagulation factors, and CD61+CD62P+ were simultaneously determined in IVC rats. Results: The thrombus formed as a result of IVC ligation was stable. Compared with the control group, the weight of the thrombus was significantly reduced in the argatroban group. Thrombus weight was reduced by treatment with 0.6, 0.2, and 0.05 mg/kg WV, with inhibition rates of 52.19%, 35.32%, and 28.98%, respectively. Inflammatory cells adhered to and infiltrated the vessel wall in the IVC group more than in the sham group. However, the pathological morphology and CD61+CD62P+ of the WV treatment groups tended to be normal. Conclusion: We improved the model of IVC thrombosis to be suitable for evaluation of antithrombotic drugs. Our findings demonstrated that WV could inhibit IVC thrombosis associated with reducing coagulation factors V and CD61+CD62p expression in rats.

Mastoparan M extracted from Vespa magnifica alleviates neuronal death in global cerebral ischemia-reperfusion rat model.

Objectives: Global cerebral ischemia (GCI), a consequence of cardiac arrest (CA), can significantly damage the neurons located in the vulnerable hippocampus CA1 areas. Clinically, neurological injury after CA contributes to death in most patients. Mastoparan-M extracted from Vespa magnifica (Smith) can be used to treat major neurological disorders. Hence, this study aimed to assess the effects of Mastoparan-M on GCI. Materials and Methods: To evaluate the neurotoxicity and neuroprotective effect of Mastoparan-M, the CCK8 and Annexin V-FITC/PI apoptosis assays were first performed in hippocampal HT22 neuronal cells in vitro. Then, Pulsinelli's 4-vascular occlusion model was constructed in rats. After treatment with Mastoparan-M (0.05, 0.1, and 0.2 mg/kg, IP) for 3 or 7 days, behavioral tests, H&E staining or Nissl staining, immunohistochemistry, and ELISA were employed to investigate neuroprotective effects of Mastoparan-M on GCI in rats. Results: In vitro, the growth of HT22 neuronal cells was restrained at concentrations of 30-300 µg/ml (at 24 hr, IC50=105.2 µg/ml; at 48 hr, IC50=46.81 µg/ml), and Mastoparan-M treatment (0.1,1 and 5 µg/ml) restrained apoptosis. In vivo, Mastoparan-M improved neurocognitive function and neuronal loss in the hippocampal CA1 area of rats. In addition, these effects were associated with the prevention of neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. Conclusion: Mastoparan-M acts as a neuroprotective agent to alleviate neuronal death in rats.

Toxin diversity revealed by de novo transcriptome assembly for venom gland in two species of spiders (Trichonephila clavata and Sinopoda pengi).

During long-term predator-prey coevolution, spiders have generated a vast diversity of toxins. Trichonephila clavata is a web-spinning spider whose large, well-constructed webs and venomous arsenal facilitate prey capture. In contrast, Sinopoda pengi is an ambush predator with agile locomotion and strong chelicerae for hunting. In this study, transcriptomic analysis was performed to describe the predicted toxins of S. pengi and T. clavata. A total of 43 and 47 of these unigenes from S. pengi and T. clavata, respectively, were predicted to have toxin activity. Putative neurotoxins were classified to the family level according to cysteine arrangement; 4 and 6 toxin families were produced by S. pengi and T. clavata, respectively. In addition, potential metalloproteases, acetylcholinesterases, serine proteases, hyaluronidases and phospholipases were found by annotation in databases. In summary, molecular templates with potential application value for medical and biological fields were obtained by classifying and characterizing presumed venom components, which established a foundation for further study of venom.

Kangfuxin Liquid Ameliorates Dextran Sulfate Sodium (DSS)-Induced Acute Ulcerative Colitis in Mice by Modulating Immune Response and Suppressing Inflammation.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to determine the effect of kangfuxin liquid (KFXL) on inflammatory response, and its underlying mechanism in treating acute ulcerative colitis (UC) in mice induced by dextran sulfate sodium (DSS). MATERIAL AND METHODS Mice were provided drinking water containing DSS (3%) for 7 days to induce acute enteritis. The mice were divided into 6 groups: a control group, a DSS-induced (vehicle) group, a sulfasalazine (SASP) group, and low-, medium-, and high-dose kangfuxin liquid groups. Disease activity index (DAI), colon mucosa damage index (CMDI), histopathological score (HS), and organ index were monitored daily. The levels of interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), interleukin-10 (IL-10) in serum and interleukin-17 (IL-17) and epidermal growth factor (EGF) in colon tissue were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Flow cytometry was used to assess the changes of T lymphocyte subsets in spleens of mice to evaluate the therapeutic effect of drugs on acute UC in mice. RESULTS Different doses of kangfuxin liquid reduced the DAI, CMDI, and HS scores (P<0.01 or P<0.05) of acute UC mice, reduced the level of IL-1ß and IL-17 in serum, increased the expression of IL-10 in serum and EGF in colon tissue, increased the number of CD3⁺ T cells, and decreased the level of CD4⁺ T cells and the ratio of CD4⁺/CD8⁺. CONCLUSIONS Kangfuxin liquid has a therapeutic effect on DSS-induced acute UC in mice, and its mechanism of action may be associated with regulating immune function and reducing intestinal inflammatory response.

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Sinolimprichtia alpina var. dissecta (Apiaceae).

Sinolimprichtia alpina var. dissecta is a plant variety which is characterized from S. alpina var. alpina in possessing characteristic, highly dissected bracteoles. In the current study, we have sequenced the complete chloroplast genome of S. alpina var. dissecta using the Illumina sequencing platform. The chloroplast genome is 156,719 bp in length, consisting of a LSC region of 95,625 bp, a SSC region of 10,500 bp, and a pair of inverted repeats (IR) regions of 25,297 bp. The GC content was 37.7%. A total of 126 unique genes were identified, including 81 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes and 8 rRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis based on 28 chloroplast genomes indicates that S. alpina var. dissecta is most closely related to Pterygopleurum neurophyllum.

Study on the effect of the treatment of Periplaneta americana L. extract Ento-B by Dinitrochlorobenzene combined with acetic acid induced UC in rats.

PURPOSE: To study the Periplaneta americana L. extract Ento-B on the treatment of chronic ulcerative colitis induced by 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene and acetic acid in rats and to explore its primary mechanism of action. METHODS: Using 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene combined with acetic acid to induce chronic ulcerative colitis (chronic UC) in rats. The sulfasalazine (400 mg/kg) and Ento-B (200 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg,50 mg/kg) were given by intragastric administration and the effect was evaluated according to the disease activity index (DAI) score, colon mucosal injury index (CMDI) score, histopathological score (HS) and the serum levels of Interleukin-4(IL-4), Interleukin-10(IL-10), Tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), Malondialdehyde(MDA), Superoxide dismutase(SOD) and Inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS.). RESULTS: Compared with the model group, all doses of Ento-B could reduce the score of CMDI (p < 0.05), HS(p < 0.05 or p < 0.01), significantly increased the expression of IL-4, IL-10, SOD (p < 0.01) and decreased the levels of TNF-α, MDA, iNOS in serum of UC rats, significantly improving the degree of colon lesionsin UC rats. CONCLUSIONS: Ento-B may play an important role in the treatment of ulcerative colitis induced byUC rats. The mechanism may be related to the increased expression of IL-4, IL-10, SOD and reduced expression of TNF-α, MDA, iNOS.

The Outlook of the Development of Innovative Products from Biocompatible Natural Spider Silk in the Beauty Thread-Lifting Industry.

Embedding thread lift rhytidectomy, also known as "thread lifting" in China, with the natures of simple operation, less trauma and quick recovery, is progressively used in clinical practice as a new technology of face lifting. Herewith, a brief introduction of the previous advances of thread lifting techniques and materials in the facial beauty industry, combined with the discussion on various types of sutures, common complications, and the site of actions were provided. The main limitations of present thread lifting material include: (1) the use of non-absorbable sutures is liable to cause allergies and a series of complications; (2) the absorbable sutures are easily degradation, and people need to reshape in a relatively short period. Therefore, the high biocompatible spider silk was proposed as a novel material of thread lifting suture and related devices, the advantages and preliminary achievements on spider silk were also addressed.

Study on the effect of the treatment of Periplaneta americana L. extract Ento-B by Dinitrochlorobenzene combined with acetic acid induced UC in rats

ABSTRACT Purpose To study the Periplaneta americana L. extract Ento-B on the treatment of chronic ulcerative colitis induced by 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene and acetic acid in rats and to explore its primary mechanism of action. Methods Using 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene combined with acetic acid to induce chronic ulcerative colitis (chronic UC) in rats. The sulfasalazine (400 mg/kg) and Ento-B (200 mg/kg, 100 mg/kg,50 mg/kg) were given by intragastric administration and the effect was evaluated according to the disease activity index (DAI) score, colon mucosal injury index (CMDI) score, histopathological score (HS) and the serum levels of Interleukin-4(IL-4), Interleukin-10(IL-10), Tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), Malondialdehyde(MDA), Superoxide dismutase(SOD) and Inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS.) Results Compared with the model group, all doses of Ento-B could reduce the score of CMDI (p < 0.05), HS(p < 0.05 or p < 0.01), significantly increased the expression of IL-4, IL-10, SOD (p < 0.01) and decreased the levels of TNF-α, MDA, iNOS in serum of UC rats, significantly improving the degree of colon lesionsin UC rats. Conclusions Ento-B may play an important role in the treatment of ulcerative colitis induced byUC rats. The mechanism may be related to the increased expression of IL-4, IL-10, SOD and reduced expression of TNF-α, MDA, iNOS.

The complete chloroplast genome of Actinidia rubus (Actinidiaceae).

A complete chloroplast genome of Actinidia rubus, an endemic shrub in China, was sequenced and identified. The length of genome is 156,573 bp, and the GC content is 37.3%. This genome contains a large single copy (LSC; 88,473 bp) region, a small single copy (SSC; 20,492) region, a pair of inverted repeat (IR; 23,804) regions. A total of 113 unique genes were identified, including 78 protein-coding genes, 31 tRNA genes and 4 rRNA genes. The phylogenetic analysis based on complete chloroplast genome of 10 species showed that Actintdia eriantha was sister to A. rubus.

Periplaneta americana extract promotes intestinal mucosa repair of ulcerative colitis in rat.

PURPOSE: To investigate the mechanism of Periplaneta americana extract promoting intestinal mucosal repair of OXZ-induced colitis in rat. METHODS: All experiments used an equal number of male and female SD rats (n=48). We injected OXZ into the colon to induce UC rat model. To determine the optimal concentration of P. Americana's extract (PA-40), it was classified into low (L), medium (M), and high (H) doses. After OXZ treatment, each drug was administered by enema for 7 consecutive days. Rats were divided into the following 6 groups: (1) Saline treatment group (NC), (2) OXZ treatment UC model group (MC), (3) OXZ + budesonide group (BUN), (4) OXZ + PA-40 L group, (5) OXZ + PA-40 M group, (6) OXZ + PA-40 H group. Disease activity index (DAI) scores, colon length, histopathological score, serum cytokine level (IL-4, IL-10, iNOS, tNOS), and amount of MPO, EGF, IL-13 in colonic mucosa were measured. RESULTS: PA treatment had a significant healing effect on the OXZ-colitis model and significantly reduced the lesioned area, especially in the PA-40H groups. PA treatment did not alter the expression of IL-10 and MPO level, but increased EGF (epidermal growth factor) and decrease IL-13 in the colonic tissue. PA inhibited the rise of NOSs (nitric oxide synthase) and decreased the serum IL-4 level. CONCLUSIONS: The data suggest that Periplaneta americana extract may be a potential compound for the treatment of colonic lesions. The mechanism may be related to inhibiting the secretion of IL-13 and promoting the formation of EGF.

Wasp Venom Possesses Potential Therapeutic Effect in Experimental Models of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease. Wasp venom (WV), which is considered as a traditional folk medicine in Jingpo nationality in Yunnan, China, relieves rheumatoid arthritis. The current study aimed to investigate the effect of wasp venom ameliorating rheumatoid arthritis symptoms in experimental rats. We established a model of type II collagen- (CII-) induced arthritis (CIA) in SD rats and examined the inhibition of inflammation and autoimmune response. The antiarthritic effects of WV were evaluated through the paw swelling, and histopathological score and histopathology changes of the affected paw were assessed. The anti-inflammation effects were assayed by the level of IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1ß, and the number of inflammatory cells in peripheral blood. The alteration of the T cell subset ratio in the spleen of rats was detected by flow cytometry, and at the same time, the viscera index and immune serum globulin levels were evaluated. The results suggested that various doses of WV (0.125, 0.25, and 0.5 mg/kg) significantly alleviated paw swelling and arthritis score in CIA rats with the untreated control (P < 0.05). WV (0.25 and 0.5 mg/kg) relieved synovial tissue lesions of ankle joints and histopathology scores of synoviocyte hyperplasia and inflammatory cell infiltration with vehicle group (P < 0.05). Regarding immunological regulation, 0.5 mg/kg WV lowered the immune serum globulin levels (P < 0.05), and we further found that WV (0.5 mg/kg) suppressed the immune response of Th cells, while enhancing the functions of Tc cells and Treg cells in spleen cells markedly (P < 0.05). The immunosuppressive action of WV displayed was analogous to its inhibitory effect on IL-1ß, TNF-α, IL-8, IL-6, COX-2, and PGE2 levels in rat serum. In conclusion, these findings demonstrated that WV exhibited antiarthritic activity, which might be associated with their inhibitory effects on immunoregulation and anti-inflammatory action.

Ginsenoside Rg1 Inhibits Cell Proliferation and Induces Markers of Cell Senescence in CD34+CD38- Leukemia Stem Cells Derived from KG1α Acute Myeloid Leukemia Cells by Activating the Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1)/Tuberous Sclerosis Complex 2 (TSC2) Signaling Pathway.

BACKGROUND Clinical relapse in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is associated with the reduced treatment response of leukemia stem cells (LSCs). This study aimed to investigate the effects of the ginseng derivative, ginsenoside Rg1 (Rg1), on CD34+CD38- LSCs derived from KG1a human acute myeloid leukemia cells. MATERIAL AND METHODS CD34+CD38- LSCs were isolated from KG1a human acute myeloid leukemia cells by cell sorting. CD34+CD38- KG1alpha LSCs were divided into the control group and the Rg1 group (treated with Rg1). The cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay evaluated the proliferation of CD34+CD38- KG1alpha LSCs and flow cytometry studied the cell cycle. The mixed colony-forming unit (CFU-Mix) assay and staining for senescence-associated beta-galactosidase (SA-ß-Gal) evaluated cell senescence. Expression of sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) and tuberous sclerosis complex 2 (TSC2) were evaluated using Western blot and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). RESULTS CD34+CD38- KG1alpha LSCs were isolated at 98.72%. Rg1 significantly reduced the proliferation of CD34+CD38- KG1alpha LSCs compared with the control group (p<0.05). Cells in the G0/G1 phase were significantly increased, and cells in the G2/M and S phase were significantly reduced compared with the control group (p<0.05). Rg1 significantly increased SA-ß-Gal and reduced CFU-Mix formation compared with the control group (p<0.05), significantly down-regulated SIRT1 expression in CD34+CD38- KG1alpha LSCs compared with the control group (p<0.05), and significantly reduced TSC2 expression in CD34+CD38- KG1alpha LSCs compared with the control group (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Rg1 inhibited cell proliferation and induced cell senescence markers in CD34+CD38- KG1alpha LSCs by activating the SIRT1/TSC2 signaling pathway.

Periplaneta americana extract promotes intestinal mucosa repair of ulcerative colitis in rat

Abstract Purpose: To investigate the mechanism of Periplaneta americana extract promoting intestinal mucosal repair of OXZ-induced colitis in rat. Methods: All experiments used an equal number of male and female SD rats (n=48). We injected OXZ into the colon to induce UC rat model. To determine the optimal concentration of P. Americana's extract (PA-40), it was classified into low (L), medium (M), and high (H) doses. After OXZ treatment, each drug was administered by enema for 7 consecutive days. Rats were divided into the following 6 groups: (1) Saline treatment group (NC), (2) OXZ treatment UC model group (MC), (3) OXZ + budesonide group (BUN), (4) OXZ + PA-40 L group, (5) OXZ + PA-40 M group, (6) OXZ + PA-40 H group. Disease activity index (DAI) scores, colon length, histopathological score, serum cytokine level (IL-4, IL-10, iNOS, tNOS), and amount of MPO, EGF, IL-13 in colonic mucosa were measured. Results: PA treatment had a significant healing effect on the OXZ-colitis model and significantly reduced the lesioned area, especially in the PA-40H groups. PA treatment did not alter the expression of IL-10 and MPO level, but increased EGF (epidermal growth factor) and decrease IL-13 in the colonic tissue. PA inhibited the rise of NOSs (nitric oxide synthase) and decreased the serum IL-4 level. Conclusions: The data suggest that Periplaneta americana extract may be a potential compound for the treatment of colonic lesions. The mechanism may be related to inhibiting the secretion of IL-13 and promoting the formation of EGF.

A Strategy for Quality Control of Vespa magnifica (Smith) Venom Based on HPLC Fingerprint Analysis and Multi-Component Separation Combined with Quantitative Analysis.

As a folk medicine of the Jingpo minority in Yunnan province, the venom of Vespa magnifica has been commonly used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Quality standardization of the wasp venom is a necessary step for its pharmaceutical research and development. To control the quality of the wasp venom, a method based on high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was developed for chemical fingerprint analysis. In the chromatographic fingerprinting, chemometrics procedures, including similarity analysis (SA), hierarchical clustering analysis (HCA), and principal component analysis (PCA), were applied to classify 134 batches (S1-S134) of wasp venom from different origins. The HPLC fingerprint method displayed good precision (Relative standard deviation, RSD < 0.27%), stability (in 16 h, RSD < 0.34%), and repeatability (RSD < 1.00%). Simultaneously, four compounds (VMS1, VMS2, VMS3, and VMS4) in the wasp venom were purified and identified. VMS1 was 5-hydroxytryptamine, and the other compounds were three peptides that were sequenced as follows: Gly-Arg-Pro-Hyp-Gly-Phe-Ser-Pro-Phe-Arg-Ile-Asp-NH2 (VMS2), Ile-Asn-Leu-Lys-Ala-Ile-Ala-Ala-Leu-Ala-Lys-Lys-Leu-Leu-NH2 (VMS3), and Phe-Leu-Pro-Ile-Ile-Gly-Lys-Leu-Leu-Ser-Gly-Leu-Leu-NH2 (VMS4). The quantifications for these components were 110.2 mg/g, 26.9 mg/g, 216.3 mg/g, and 58.0 mg/g, respectively. The results of this work indicated that the combination of the chemical fingerprint and quantitative analysis offers a reasonable way to evaluate the quality of wasp venom.

[Ginsenoside Rg_1 induces leukemia stem cell senescence via SIRT1/TSC_2 signal axis].

The aim of this paper was to investigate the effect of SIRT1/TSC_2 signal axis on leukemia stem cell senescence induced by ginsenoside Rg_1. CD34~+CD38~- leukemia stem cells(CD34~+CD38~-LSCs) was isolated by magnetic cell sorting(MACS) and divided into two groups. The control group cells were routinely cultured, 40 µmol·L~(-1) ginsenoside Rg_1 was added to the control group for co-culture in Rg_1 group. The effect of Rg_l to induce CD34~+CD38~-LSCs senescence were evaluated by senescence-associated ß-Galactosidase(SA-ß-Gal) staining, cell cycle assay, CCK-8 and Colony-Assay. The expression of senescence associated SIRT1, TSC_2 mRNA and protein was examined by Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR(FQ-PCR) and Western blot. The results showed that the CD34~+CD38~-LSCs could effectively be isolated by MACS, and the purity of CD34~+CD38~-LSCs is up to(95.86±3.04)%. Compared with the control group, the percentage of positive cells expressed SA-ß-Gal in the Rg_1 group is increased, the senescence morphological changes were observed in the CD34~+CD38~-LSCs in the Rg_1 group. The proliferation inhibition rate and the number of cells entered G_0/G_1 phase in the Rg_1 group were increased, but the colony-formed ability was decreased, Rg_1 could significantly inhibit the proliferation and self-renewal ability of CD34~+CD38~-LSCs. The expression of SIRT1 and TSC_2 mRNA and protein were down regulated in the Rg_1 group compared with the control group. Our research implied that Rg_1 may induce the senescence of CD34~+CD38~-LSCs and SIRT1/TSC_2 signal axis plays a significant role in this process.