The Effect of Shen Qi Wan Medicated Serum on NRK-52E Cells Proliferation and Migration by Targeting Aquaporin 1 (AQP1).

BACKGROUND Shen Qi Wan (SQW) as a well-known formula for the amelioration of kidney yang deficiency syndrome (KYDS), and it has been widely employed in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). This study aimed to investigate the effect and underlying mechanism of SQW medicated serum on proliferation and migration in NRK-52E cells. MATERIAL AND METHODS We employed the real-time cell analysis (RTCA) system to investigate the effect of SQW medicated serum on proliferation and migration in NRK-52E cells. In addition, the migration was further investigated by using a wound-healing assay. The mRNA and protein expression level of aquaporin 1 (AQP1) of NRK-52E cells with SQW medicated serum-treated were quantified by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (q-PCR) and western blot assay, respectively. Furthermore, NRK-52E cells were transfected with lentivirus AQP1-RNAi to assess migratory cell abilities in vitro. RESULTS The migratory abilities of NRK-52E cells were significantly increased after SQW medicated serum treatment (P<0.05), and no significant difference in cell proliferation. In addition, SQW medicated serum was significantly upregulated the mRNA and protein expression level of AQP1 in NRK-52E cells (P<0.05). Additionally, the in vitro metastasis test proved that knockdown of AQP1 suppressed migratory abilities according to RTCA and wound healing test while was reversed by SQW medicated serum (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Our study demonstrates that SQW medicated serum effectively promotes the migration of NRK-52E cells by increasing AQP1 expression, and AQP1 may be as a therapeutic target of SQW for renal injury treatment under KYDS.

Flagellation of Shewanella oneidensis Impacts Bacterial Fitness in Different Environments.

Flagella occur on many prokaryotes, which primarily propel cells to move from detrimental to favorable environments. A variety of species-specific flagellation patterns have been identified. Although it is presumed that for each of these flagellated microorganisms, an evolutionarily fixed flagellation pattern is favored under the normal living conditions, direct evidence is lacking. Here, we use Shewanella oneidensis, a rod-shaped Gram-negative bacterium with a monotrichous polar flagellum (MR-1, the wild-type), as a research model. The investigation has been enabled by multiple mutants with diverse flagellation patterns that had been generated by removing FlhF and FlhG proteins that control flagellar location and number, respectively. Growth assays, as a measure of fitness, revealed that the wild-type strain predominated in spreading on swim plates and in pellicles which form at the air-liquid interface. However, under the pellicles where oxygen is limited, both aflagellated and monotrichous lateral strains showed similar increase in fitness, whereas strains with multiple flagella were less competitive. Moreover, under shaking culturing conditions, the aflagellated strain outcompeted all other strains, including the wild-type, suggesting that cells devoid of flagella would be more likely enriched upon agitation. Overall, these data support the presumption that the monotrichous polar flagellum, as evolutionarily fixed in the wild-type strain, is optimal for the growth fitness of S. oneidensis over any other mutants under most test conditions. However, upon specific changes of environmental conditions, another form could come to predominate. These findings provide insight into the impacts of flagellation patterns and function on bacterial adaptation to differing environments.

Metabolomics Study of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and the AntiDiabetic Effect of Berberine in Zucker Diabetic Fatty Rats Using Uplc-ESI-Hdms.

The present study aimed to evaluate the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and the anti-diabetic effect of berberine in Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats. A urinary metabolomics analysis was performed with ultra-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization synapt high-definition mass spectrometry. Pattern recognition approaches were integrated to discover differentiating metabolites. We identified 29 ions (13 in negative mode and 16 in positive mode) as 'differentiating metabolites' with this metabolomic approach. A functional pathway analysis revealed that the alterations were mainly associated with glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism, pentose and glucuronate interconversions and sphingolipid metabolism. These results indicated that the dysfunctions of glycometabolism and lipometabolism are involved in the pathological process of T2DM. Berberine could decrease the serum levels of glycosylated hemoglobin, total cholesterol and triglyceride and increase the secretion of insulin. The urinary metabolomics analysis showed that berberine could reduce the concentrations of citric acid, tetrahydrocortisol, ribothymidine and sphinganine to a near-normal state. These results suggested that the anti-diabetic effect of berberine occurred mainly via its regulation of glycometabolism and lipometabolism and activation of adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase. Our work not only provides a better understanding of the anti-diabetic effect of berberine in ZDF rats but also supplies a useful database for further study in humans and for investigating the pharmacological actions of drugs. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Urinary Metabolomic Profiling in Zucker Diabetic Fatty Rats with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Treated with Glimepiride, Metformin, and Their Combination.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a high incidence metabolic disease. Glimepiride, metformin, and their combination are the most commonly used therapeutics for T2DM in the clinic, but little is known about the metabolic responses of these therapies. In this study, ultrahigh-pressure liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UHPLC/ESI-QTOF-MS)-based metabolomics was applied to detect changes in the urinary metabolomic profile of Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats in response to these treatments. Additionally, standard biochemical parameters (e.g., fasting plasma glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, oral glucose tolerance, urinary glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, and insulin) and liver histopathology were monitored and observed. Six metabolites, including 3-galactosyl lactose, citric acid, sphingosine, phytosphingosine, ribothymidine, and succinoadenosine, were found significantly reverted to the normal level after these therapies. The present study is the first to present citric acid and sphinganine as the potential markers of T2DM, which could be used as indicators to observe the anti-diabetic effects of glimepiride, metformin, and their combination treatments.

Laser-light cueing shoes with integrated foot pressure and inertial sensing for investigating the impact of visual cueing on gait characteristics in Parkinson's disease individuals.

Gait disorders are a fundamental challenge in Parkinson's disease (PD). The use of laser-light visual cues emitted from shoes has demonstrated effective in improving freezing of gait within less restrictive environments. However, the effectiveness of shoes-based laser-light cueing may vary among individuals with PD who have different types of impairments. We introduced an innovative laser-light visual shoes system capable of producing alternating visual cues for the left and right feet through one-side cueing at a time, while simultaneously recording foot inertial data and foot pressures. The effects of this visual cueing system on gait patterns were assessed in individuals with PD, both those with well-gait and those with worse-gait. Our device successfully quantified gait characteristics, including the asymmetry in the center of pressure trajectory, in individuals with PD. Furthermore, visual cueing prolonged stride times and increased the percentage of stance phase, while concurrently reducing stride length in PD individuals with well-gait. Conversely, in PD individuals with worse-gait, visual cueing resulted in a decreased freeze index and a reduction in the proportion of intervals prone to freezing episodes. The effects of visual cueing varied between PD individuals with well-gait and those with worse-gait. Visual cueing slowed down gait in the well-gait group while it appeared to mitigate freezing episodes in worse-gait group. Future researches, including enhancements to extend the projection distance of visual cues and clinical assessments conducted in real-world settings, will help establish the clinical utility of our proposed visual cueing system.

Beta-asarone, a major component of Acorus tatarinowii Schott, attenuates focal cerebral ischemia induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats.

BACKGROUND: Ischemic hypoxic brain injury often causes irreversible brain damage. The lack of effective and widely applicable pharmacological treatments for ischemic stroke patients may explain a growing interest in traditional medicines. ß-Asarone, which has significant pharmacological effects on the central nervous system (CNS), was used in the prevention of cerebral ischemia in this paper. METHODS: The right middle cerebral artery occlusion model was used in the study. The effects of ß-Asarone on mortality rate, neurobehavior, grip strength, lactate dehydrogenase, glutathione content, Lipid peroxidation, glutathione peroxidase activity, glutathione reductase activity, catalase activity, Na⁺-K⁺-ATPase activity and glutathione S transferase activity in a rat model were studied respectively. RESULTS: ß-Asarone significantly improved the neurological outcome after cerebral ischemia and reperfusion in terms of neurobehavioral function in rats. Meanwhile, supplementation of ß-Asarone significantly boosted the defense mechanism against cerebral ischemia via increasing antioxidants activity related to lesion pathogenesis. Restoration of the antioxidant homeostasis in the brain after reperfusion may help the brain recover from ischemic injury. CONCLUSIONS: These experimental results suggest that complement ß-Asarone is protective against cerebral ischemia in specific way. The administration of ß-Asarone could reduce focal cerebral ischemic/reperfusion injury. The Mechanism of ß-Asarone in protection of cerebral ischemia was via increasing antioxidants activity related to lesion pathogenesis.

Laser-light Visual Cueing Shoes with Foot Pressures and Inertial Sensing for Individuals with Parkinson's Disease.

Gait disorder is a core problem in individuals with Parkinson's disease (PD), including bradykinesia, shuffling steps, festinating gait, and freeze of gait (FOG). Laser-light visual cueing has been demonstrated to be efficient in the mediation of gaits and the reduction in number of FOG episodes. However, previous approaches commonly adopted independent controls of visual cueing on left and right sides which was prone to produce two cues while individual was not in normal walking. In this study, we developed laser-light visual shoes which produced interlaced visual cues for left and right feet in a manner of one-side cueing at a time, solving the aforementioned problem. With parallel measurement of foot inertial data and foot pressures in each shoe, our results showed that the proposed visual cueing made PD individuals in the on-medication condition walk with a longer stance and swing times, that is, they walked more carefully and stable. The proposed approach can also be used to study kinematic and kinetic characteristics of gaits in the off-medication condition to clarify the mediation of visual cueing on motor control of PD individuals.Clinical Relevance- This demonstrates the effect of laser-light visual cueing on gaits in individuals with Parkinson's disease.

Regulation of miR-30b in cancer development, apoptosis, and drug resistance.

miR-30b, which is encoded by the gene located on chromosome 8q24.22, plays an important role in a variety of diseases. In most types of tumors, miR-30b significantly inhibits the proliferation, migration, and invasion of cancer cells through the regulation of target genes. Moreover, miR-30b can inhibit the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway through the regulation of EGFR, AKT, Derlin-1, GNA13, SIX1, and other target genes, thus inhibiting the EMT process of tumor cells and promoting apoptosis. In addition, miR-30 plays a significant role in alleviating drug resistance in tumor cells. Although the use of miR-30b as a clinical diagnostic indicator or anticancer drug is still facing great difficulties in the short term, with the deepening of research, the potential application of miR-30b is emerging.

Ginkgetin derived from Ginkgo biloba leaves enhances the therapeutic effect of cisplatin via ferroptosis-mediated disruption of the Nrf2/HO-1 axis in EGFR wild-type non-small-cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Cisplatin (DDP) is the first-in-class drug for advanced and non-targetable non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). A recent study indicated that DDP could slightly induce non-apoptotic cell death ferroptosis, and the cytotoxicity was promoted by ferroptosis inducer. The agents enhancing the ferroptosis may therefore increase the anticancer effect of DDP. Several lines of evidence supporting the use of phytochemicals in NSCLC therapy. Ginkgetin, a bioflavonoid derived from Ginkgo biloba leaves, showed anticancer effects on NSCLC by triggering autophagy. Ferroptosis can be triggered by autophagy, which regulates redox homeostasis. Thus, we aimed to elucidate the possible role of ferroptosis involved in the synergistic effect of ginkgetin and DDP in cancer therapy. METHODS: The promotion of DDP-induced anticancer effects by ginkgetin was examined via a cytotoxicity assay and western blot. Ferroptosis triggered by ginkgetin in DDP-treated NSCLC was observed via a lipid peroxidation assay, a labile iron pool assay, western blot, and qPCR. With ferroptosis blocking, the contribution of ferroptosis to ginkgetin + DDP-induced cytotoxicity, the Nrf2/HO-1 axis, and apoptosis were determined via a luciferase assay, immunostaining, chromatin immunoprecipitation (CHIP), and flow cytometry. The role of ferroptosis in ginkgetin + DDP-treated NSCLC cells was illustrated by the application of ferroptosis inhibitors, which was further demonstrated in a xenograft nude mouse model. RESULTS: Ginkgetin synergized with DDP to increase cytotoxicity in NSCLC cells, which was concomitant with increased labile iron pool and lipid peroxidation. Both these processes were key characteristics of ferroptosis. The induction of ferroptosis mediated by ginkgetin was further confirmed by the decreased expression of SLC7A11 and GPX4, and a decreased GSH/GSSG ratio. Simultaneously, ginkgetin disrupted redox hemostasis in DDP-treated cells, as demonstrated by the enhanced ROS formation and inactivation of the Nrf2/HO-1 axis. Ginkgetin also enhanced DDP-induced mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) loss and apoptosis in cultured NSCLC cells. Furthermore, blocking ferroptosis reversed the ginkgetin-induced inactivation of Nrf2/HO-1 as well as the elevation of ROS formation, MMP loss, and apoptosis in DDP-treated NSCLC cells. CONCLUSION: This study is the first to report that ginkgetin derived from Ginkgo biloba leaves promotes DDP-induced anticancer effects, which can be due to the induction of ferroptosis.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the freshwater fairy shrimp Branchinella kugenumaensis Ishikawa 1894 (Crustacea: Anostraca: Thamnocephalidae).

In this study, we determined and analyzed the complete mitochondrial genome of the freshwater fairy shrimp Branchinella kugenumaensis Ishikawa 1894 (Crustacea: Anostraca: Thamnocephalidae). The mitogenome is 15,127 bp in length, consisted of 37 genes that participate in protein production and energy metabolism of mitochondria. The gene order of the B. kugenumaensis mtDNA exhibits major rearrangements compared with the pancrustacean ancestral pattern or other known anostracan mitogenomes, representing a novel mitochondrial genomic organization within the Crustacea. A maximum-likelihood phylogenetic analysis based on concatenated nucleotide sequences of protein-coding genes places B. kugenumaensis next to Streptocephalus sirindhornae, inside the Anostraca clade. Our study will provide new evidence to the less sampled anostracan evolution and take a further step to the completion of the Branchiopoda tree of life.

Berberine Improves Inflammatory Responses of Diabetes Mellitus in Zucker Diabetic Fatty Rats and Insulin-Resistant HepG2 Cells through the PPM1B Pathway.

Berberine (BBR), a natural compound extracted from a Chinese herb, has been shown to effectively attenuate insulin resistance (IR) and inflammation in the clinic. However, its ameliorative mechanism against IR is not well defined. This study is aimed at investigating the effect of BBR and protein phosphatase, Mg2+/Mn2+-dependent 1B (PPM1B) on IR. Biochemical measurements and liver histopathology were detected using the biochemical analyzer and HE staining in ZDF rats, respectively. Microarray analysis of liver tissues was performed, and differentially expressed gene (DEG) levels were examined by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and Western blot. Additionally, the effect of BBR was also explored in HepG2-IR cells. The glucose oxidase method and the fluorescent glucose analog were used to detect glucose consumption and uptake, respectively. The PKA inhibitor H89, ELISA, qPCR, Western blot, and immunofluorescence staining were employed to estimate the expression levels of related signaling pathways. To evaluate the roles of PPM1B, HepG2-IR cells were stably infected with lentivirus targeting PPM1B. The administration of BBR drastically decreased the body weight, urine volume, blood glucose, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), CHOL, hepatic index levels, and pathologic changes and improved ALB levels in ZDF rats with PPM1B upregulation. Furthermore, BBR effectively improves glucose consumption, uptake, and inflammation in HepG2-IR cells. The knockdown of PPM1B expression aggravated the inflammatory response and glycometabolism disorder in HepG2-IR cells. Mechanistically, a reversal in the expression of cAMP, PKA, PPM1B, PPARγ, LRP1, GLUT4, NF-κB p65, JNK, pIKKß Ser181, IKKß, IRS-1 Ser307, IRS-1, IRS-2 Ser731, IRS-2, PI3K p85, and AKT Ser473 contributes to ameliorate IR in HepG2-IR cells with BBR treatment. Altogether, these results suggest that BBR might regulate IR progression through the regulation of the cAMP, PKA, PPM1B, PPARγ, LRP1, GLUT4, NF-κB p65, JNK, pIKKß Ser181, IKKß, IRS-1 Ser307, IRS-1, IRS-2 Ser731, IRS-2, PI3K p85, and AKT Ser473 expression in the liver.

[Effect of proteins extracted from mycelia of Omphalia lapidescens on inhibiting H, liver cancer in mice and regulating immune function].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effect of proteins extraceed from mycelia of Omphalia lapidescens on inhibiting H22 liver cancer in vivo. METHODS: 50 hepatoma 22 tumor bearing mice models were divided into five groups randomly:control group( CG), cyclophosphamide group, and 3 groups of incremental Hepatoma 22 dosages (5, 3, 1 mg/kg). All groups were i.v. with drugs once a day. After 8 consecutive days, the concentrations of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) in serum were detected by enzyme-linked immunoabsorbent assay (ELISA). The weight changes of tumor, thymus, liver, heart, spleen, lung and kidney were observed. RESULTS: It showed the tumors' weight were significant heavier in CG than in EGs. The tumor-inhibition rate (IR) was 36.4% in high dosage group,which was lower than 43.2% in cyclophosphamide group. The spleen mass of proteins groups increased significantly. The concentration of IFN-gamma in serum of proteins groups increased as CG, but IL-4 in inverse direction. The observations of thymus, liver, heart, lung and kidney in EGs were the same as CG. CONCLUSION: The proteins extracted from mycelium of Omphalia lapidescens can inhibit the growth of tumour and enhance the immune function of H22 tumor-bearing mice.

Identification of Potential Therapeutic Targets in the Liver of Pioglitazone-Treated Type 2 Diabetes Sprague-Dawley Rats via Expression Profile Chip and iTRAQ Assay.

The aim of the present study was to identify key antidiabetic nodes in the livers of pioglitazone-treated type 2 diabetes mellitus Sprague-Dawley rats by transcriptomic and proteomic analysis. Rats were randomly divided into the control, the diabetes model, and the pioglitazone-treated groups. After treatment with pioglitazone for 11 weeks, the effects on fasting blood glucose, body weight, and blood biochemistry parameters were evaluated. Microarray and iTRAQ analysis were used to determine the differentially expressed genes/proteins in rat livers. 1.5-fold changes in gene expression and 1.2-fold changes in protein were set as the screening criteria. After treatment with pioglitazone for 11 weeks, fasting blood glucose in pioglitazone-treated rats was significantly lower than that in the model group. There was a tendency for pioglitazone to reduce TC, TG, TP, ALB, BUN, and HDL-c levels. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and gene ontology (GO) were applied to analyze differentially expressed genes/proteins. Furthermore, Western blotting and RT-qPCR were used to validate the results of microarray and iTRAQ. In conclusion, Cyp7a1, Cp, and RT1-EC2 are differentially expressed genes/proteins since they showed a similar trend in rats in the model group and the pioglitazone-treated group.

pPeOp from Omphalia lapidescens Schroet induces cell cycle arrest and inhibits the migration of MC-4 gastric tumor cells.

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of purified Omphalia lapidescens protein (pPeOp) extracted by polyvinylpyrrolidone from the fungus Omphalia lapidescens Schroet on the proliferation and cell cycle progression of MC-4 human gastric tumor cells. Using polyvinylpyrrolidone, pPeOp was extracted from O. lapidescens Schroet. MC-4 cells were cultured with 30, 60 or 90 µg/ml pPeOp, with 5-fluorouracil used as a positive control. Survival rates of treated cells were significantly decreased compared with those of the untreated control group in a dose-dependent manner. Using flow cytometric analysis, cells treated with pPeOp were demonstrated to arrest in S phase and exhibit abnormal G0/G1 and G2/M phase cell cycle distribution. In addition, a wound healing assay demonstrated that pPeOp significantly inhibited the migration of MC-4 cells. The mRNA and protein expression levels of cyclin D1/cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4, cyclin B/CDK1, cyclin A/CDK2, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2 and MMP-9 were determined using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis and western blotting. The mRNA expression level of CDK4 and cyclin A was significantly increased compared with the untreated control; however, cyclin D1, CDK1, CDK2, cyclin B, MMP-2, and MMP-9 exhibited a significantly decreased mRNA expression level, indicating that there is a negative association between concentration and cyclin D1 expression levels. The expression of the cycle arrest-associated proteins and migration-associated proteins examined were similar to the observed mRNA expression levels. In conclusion, pPeOp was identified to inhibit migration of and cause S phase cell cycle arrest in MC-4 cells.

[Isolation and fermentation culture of fungi from Cordyceps soofifera].

OBJECTIVE: To study the fungi isolated from Cordyceps sobolifera and its fermentation culture. METHODS: The fungi was isolated and identified by its hypha and spores. Three liquid media were used in the culture. RESULTS: Pure culture was gained and the fungi was identified to be Paecilomyces cicadae. The fungi can grow best in liquid media: egg 110 g + silkworm powder 30 g + VB1 2 tahlets + MgSO4 x 7H2O 0.5 g + K2HPO4 1 g + H2O 1000 ml, in which every litre can produce 135 g wet hypha after cultured 4 d. CONCLUSION: Paecilomyces cicadae from Cordyceps sobolifera can be cultured in liquid media.

[Study on endophyte and the growth stages of Ophiopogon japonicus].

OBJECTIVE: To study on the relationship between the endophyte and the life cycle of Ophiopogon japonicus in Zhejiang. METHODS: Sample roots of Ophiopogon japonicus at different growth stages were thoroughly washed and cut into small fragments, then cleared (removing cytoplasmic contents from cells) using hot 10% KOH and stained with acid fuchsin (alternative stain). The hyphae, the arbuscular and the vesicular of endophyte were examined. RESULTS: The hyphae appeared and grew in the seedling stage, the hyphae grew into arbuscular in the root tuber generating stage and vesicular in the stage of root tuber expanding period. CONCLUSION: The endophytes in Ophiopogon japonicus appeared in forms of hyphae, arbuscular and vesicular at different growth stages to meet the needs of Ophiopogon japonicus developing.

Identification and Verification of Potential Therapeutic Target Genes in Berberine-Treated Zucker Diabetic Fatty Rats through Bioinformatics Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Berberine is used to treat diabetes and dyslipidemia. However, the effect of berberine on specific diabetes treatment targets is unknown. In the current study, we investigated the effect of berberine on the random plasma glucose, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C), AST, ALT, BUN and CREA levels of Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats, and we identified and verified the importance of potential therapeutic target genes to provide molecular information for further investigation of the mechanisms underlying the anti-diabetic effects of berberine. METHODS: ZDF rats were randomly divided into control (Con), diabetic (DM) and berberine-treated (300 mg⋅kg-1, BBR) groups. After the ZDF rats were treated with BBR for 12 weeks, its effect on the random plasma glucose and HbA1C levels was evaluated. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), CREA and OGTT were measured from blood, respectively. The levels of gene expression in liver samples were analyzed using an Agilent rat gene expression 4x44K microarray. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened as those with log2 (Con vs DM) ≥ 1 and log2 (BBR vs DM) ≥ 1 expression levels, which were the genes with up-regulated expression, and those with log2 (Con vs DM) ≤ -1 and log2 (BBR vs DM) ≤ -1 expression levels, which were the genes with down-regulated expression; the changes in gene expression were considered significant at P<0.05. The functions of the DEGs were determined using gene ontology (GO) and pathway analysis. Furthermore, a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using STRING and Cytoscape software. The expression levels of the key node genes in the livers of the ZDF rats were also analyzed using qRT-PCR. RESULTS: We found that 12 weeks of berberine treatment significantly decreased the random plasma glucose, HbA1C levels and improved glucose tolerance. There was a tendency for berberine to reduce AST, ALT, BUN except increase CREA levels. In the livers of the BBR group, we found 154 DEGs, including 91 genes with up-regulated expression and 63 genes with down-regulated expression. In addition, GO enrichment analysis showed significant enrichment of the DEGs in the following categories: metabolic process, localization, cellular process, biological regulation and response to stimulus process. After the gene screening, KEGG pathway analysis showed that the target genes are involved in multiple pathways, including the lysine degradation, glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis-chondroitin sulfate/dermatan sulfate and pyruvate metabolism pathways. By combining the results of PPI network and KEGG pathway analyses, we identified seven key node genes. The qRT-PCR results confirmed that the expression of the RHOA, MAPK4 and DLAT genes was significantly down-regulated compared with the levels in DM group, whereas the expression of the SgK494, DOT1L, SETD2 and ME3 genes was significantly up-regulated in the BBR group. CONCLUSION: Berberine can significantly improve glucose metabolism and has a protective effects of liver and kidney function in ZDF rats. The qRT-PCR results for the crucial DEGs validated the microarray results. These results suggested that the RHOA, MAPK4, SGK494, DOT1L, SETD2, ME3 and DLAT genes are potential therapeutic target genes for the treatment of diabetes.

Antitumor activity of bacterial exopolysaccharides from the endophyte Bacillus amyloliquefaciens sp. isolated from Ophiopogon japonicus.

The endophytic bacterium, MD-b1, was isolated from the medicinal plant Ophiopogon japonicas and identified as the Bacillus amyloliquefaciens sp. with 99% similarity based on the partial sequence analysis of 16S rDNA. Exopolysaccharides were extracted from the endophyte for the evaluation of its antitumor activity against gastric carcinoma cell lines (MC-4 and SGC-7901). 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assays and microscopy were performed to estimate the cell viability and morphological changes of the MC-4 and SGC-7901 cells following treatment with the exopolysaccharides at 14, 22 and 30 µg/µl. The results revealed that the exopolysaccharides displayed concentration-dependent inhibitory effects against the MC-4 and SGC-7901 cells, with an IC50 of 19.7 and 26.8 µg/µl, respectively. The exopolysaccharides also induced morphological abnormalities in the cells. These effects indicated the the exopolysaccharides had an antitumoral mechanism of action associated with the mitochondrial dysfunction of the treated cells. This is the first study to investigate the endophytic microorganism isolated from O. japonicas and also the first discovery of such antitumoral exopolysaccharides derived from the genus Bacillus. This provides a promising and reproducible natural product source with high therapeutic value for anticancer treatment, thereby facilitating the development of new anticancer agents.

A PVP-extract fungal protein of Omphalia lapideacens and its antitumor activity on human gastric tumors and normal cells.

Omphalia lapidescens is an important medicinal fungus as well as traditional Chinese medicine used for disease treatment. It is mainly used as a vermifuge for anthelmintic therapy, but it has not been hitherto reported to possess antitumor activity. In this study, a purified bioactive protein in O. lapidescens (pPeOp) was obtained using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) followed by gel filtration chromatography. To evaluate the in vitro antitumor activity of pPeOp in human gastric tumor cells (MC-4 and SGC-7901) and normal cells (MC-1), MTT assay and FCM assay were used and the morphological changes, cell viability, cell death rate and cell apoptosis rate of MC-4, SGC-7901 and MC-1 cells were estimated. The results showed that pPeOp could significantly reduce the cell viability of MC-4 and SGC-7901 cells in a concentration-dependent manner, with IC50 values of 236.05 and 156.28 µg/ml, respectively. The morphological observation also indicated a similar result. In FCM assays, a significant increase of cell death rate and cell apoptosis rate of the tumor cells were observed, indicating probable necrosis-inducing effects and/or apoptosis-inducing effects of pPeOp. Importantly, there was no significant effect of pPeOp on MC-1 cells in each assay, showing that pPeOp has no adverse effects on the normal cells. In conclusion, pPeOp is a newly discovered bioactive protein in O. lapidescens and this is the first report on antitumor activity of such a fungal protein. This may provide a meaningful basis for developing a new protein drug for treatment against cancer, especially gastric cancer.