A comprehensive quality evaluation method of different medicinal parts of Physalis Calyx seu Fructus by fingerprints, chemometrics, antioxidant activity, network pharmacology and molecular docking.

Physalis Calyx seu Fructus (PCF) is a herb widely used in China for its function of clearing heat and detoxifying, benefitting the pharynx and reducing phlegm, both in health care and in tea drinking. However, the quality of its fruit and calyx is uneven and the storage period is short. Therefore, it is crucial to develop other parts of PCF with longer storage periods and obvious medicinal effects. Firstly, high-performance liquid chromatography was used to develop the fingerprint of different parts of PCF, and various chemometric analyses were conducted to screen out chemical markers. The calyxes of PCF were found to cluster together, distinct from the fruits, roots, stems and leaves. The active components of PCF were concentrated in the persistent calyxes, and flavonoids were mainly found in the persistent calyxes and leaves. Secondly, the extraction of persistent calyxes showed the strongest scavenging ability of DPPH and ABTS. Finally, the important chemical markers were verified by network pharmacological analysis and molecular docking. It provides a reference for the clinical application of PCF, and the obtained chemical markers offer a scientific basis for quality evaluation.

Molecular dysfunctions in acute myeloid leukemia revealed by integrated analysis of microRNA and transcription factor.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a heterogenic hematological malignancy with pathogenesis that has yet to be elucidated. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and transcription factors (TFs) are two major regulators of gene expression, which may play important roles in the etiology of AML. However, the global regulation of gene expression in AML, involving miRNAs and TFs, still remains elusive. To characterize the global role of miRNAs and TFs in AML pathogenesis, large scale expression profiling of miRNA and TF was performed using miRNA sequencing and TF array technology, respectively, and validated by qPCR. In the present study, 308 miRNAs and 84 TFs were identified to be differentially expressed (fold-change ≥2.0) in AML samples relative to their controls. After integrating the expression profiling data into bioinformatic analysis, we identified 1,462 miRNA-gene pairs, 982 TF-gene pairs and 296 TF-miRNA pairs. By merging these regulatory relations together, we constructed a comprehensive AML-specific miRNA-TF regulatory network. In this network, we identified 22 hub miRNAs and 11 hub TFs. KEGG pathway analysis showed that the network nodes were significantly enriched in 33 different pathways, of which the AML pathway was the most significant. After analyzing the topology of the subnetwork, we propose that TCF3 was a potential key regulator in this regulatory network. In conclusion, this is the first study perform on global expression profiling of miRNAs and TFs relating to AML. These results may enhance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying AML and provide potential targets for future therapeutics.

[The effect of murine mesenchymal stem cells on the differentiation and function of allogenetic bone marrow-derived dendritic cells.].

AIM: To study the effect of murine mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) on the differentiation, maturation and function of allogenetic bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (DCs) and to investigate the mechanism of MSCs displaying immunoregulatory activity. METHODS: BALB/c mice BMCs were isolated and cultured in vitro and then coclutured with C57BL/6 murine bone marrows cells (BMCs) at different ratios in vitro to induce DCs generation. The phenotype of cells was analyzed by flow cytometry. Endocytosis was measured as the cellular uptake of fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextram amd was quantified by flow cytometry. The level of IL-12 secretion in the cell culture supernatants was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Decreased expression of CD11c, CD14, CD83, CD86 and I-A(b);, down-regulated endocytosis capacity and interleukin-12 (IL-12) secretion of DCs were all observed when MSCs cocultured with BMCs at a higher ratio (1:10). CONCLUSION: Murine MSCs could supress the differentiation and maturation of DCs derived from allogeneic BMCs in vitro.

[Study on the surface markers on peripheral blood dendritic cells and their secretion of IL-12 and IFN-alpha in SLE patients].

AIM: To analyze the surface markers on peripheral blood dendritic cells (DCs) in SLE patients and explore the relationship between the DCs and pathogenesis of SLE. METHODS: The peripheral blood monouclear cells (PBMCs) were separated by density gradient centrifugation. After culture of 3 hours in tissue culture flask, the suspended cells were removed and GM-CSF, IL-4 and TNF-alpha were used to stimulate the proliferation and maturation of the peripheral blood DCs from normal persons and SLE patients. The surface markers on the DCs were analyzed by flow cytometry and the levels of IL-12 and IFN-alpha in supernatants were measured by ELISA after culture of 9 days. RESULTS: The positive percentages of CD1a, CD11c, CD40, CD83 and CD123 expressed on DCs of SLE patients were (58.88+/-7.64)%, (54.4+/-10.88)%, (37.29+/-8.08)%, (57.76+/-11.54)% and (13.14+/-4.44)%, respectively, whereas those of normal subjects were (47.71+/-4.01)%, (43.12+/-8.82)%, (28.59+/-7.07)%, (48.31+/-8.79)% and (9.85+/-3.97)%, respectively, (P<0.05). But the positive proportion of CD80 expression was (55.16+/-10.12)% in SLE group and (47.95+/-12.21)% in the control group, without significant difference (P>0.05). The level of IL-12 in SLE group was (9.78+/-0.76) ng/L, higher than that in normal group. The level of IFN-alpha in SLE group (2.95+/-0.61) ng/L was not significant difference from that in control group (2.70+/-0.29) ng/L (P>0.05). And there was no significant difference in IL-12 and IFN-alpha levels between non-active and active stages of SLE patients. CONCLUSION: The DCs may be involved in the pathogenetic process of SLE possibly by means of enhancement of antigen presenting function of DCs and secretion of IL-12.

[Expression of P27 protein and cyclin E in colon cancer].

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE: P27 protein and cyclin E were negative cell cycle regulators. Until the present, the influence of P27 protein and cyclin E on progression of colon cancer was unclear. The aim of this study was to observe the expression features of P27 protein and cyclin E in the tissues of colon neoplasms, and to investigate the relationship between colon neoplasms and tumor special growth factor (TSGF). METHODS: Sixty-nine cases of samples included 23 normal tissues, 28 colon polyps (13 inflammatory polyps and 15 adenomatous polyps), and 18 colon carcinomas. The location and expression of P27 protein and cyclin E were determined using immunohistochemical method in all samples. These samples were diagnosed using formal pathological techniques simultaneously; the relationship between colon neoplasms and TSGF was also investigated. RESULTS: The positive signal of P27 and cyclin E was found mainly in the cytoplasm and extracellular matrix of normal colon tissues, inflammatory polyps, and adenomatous polyps. Less amount of positive expression product of P27 protein and cyclin E was observed in colon carcinoma cells; and the positive signal was only located in the cytoplasm of gland-like cells. The content of TSGF in colon carcinoma tissues was significantly higher than that in normal tissues (117.3+/-57.02 versus 64.16+/-27.5,P< 0.01), but there was no significant difference between colon carcinoma tissues and inflammatory polyp tissues (117.3+/-57.02 versus 92.5+/-47.9,P >0.05). CONCLUSION: P27 protein and cyclin E participate in the adjustment process of colon neoplasm occurrence and progression. The reduced expression of P27 protein and cyclin E may indicate the possibility of colon carcinoma.