Identification and Evaluation of Reference Genes for Quantitative PCR Normalization in Alligator Weed Flea Beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae).

Stably expressed reference genes are critical internal standards for the quantification of gene transcription levels using quantitative real-time PCR. Housekeeping genes are commonly used as reference genes but their expressions were variable depending on experimental conditions in many insect species studied. Here we report the identification and evaluation of 10 housekeeping genes in alligator weed flea beetle, Agasicles hygrophila Selman & Vogt (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae), a biocontrol agent of alligator weed. The 10 housekeeping genes are: beta-actin (Actin), ribosomal protein L13A (PRL13a), succinate dehydrogenase complex subunit A (SDHA), ribosomal protein S20 (RPS20), ribosomal protein S13 (RPS13), glyceraldehyde phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), TATA-box-binding protein (TBP), ribosomal protein L32 (RPL32), tubulin alpha-1 chain (TUBULIN), and elongation factor-1 alpha (ELF). Five programs, geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, ΔCt method, and RefFinder, were used to evaluate the expression stability of the 10 genes among various A. hygrophila body parts and with different nutrient types (starvation, diet types). The expression stability analysis showed that RPS32 and RPL13a were reliable reference genes for the study of gene transcription in different body parts; Actin and RPL13a were optimal reference genes for different nutrient types. The selections of reference genes were validated using a CarE gene (GeneBank No: KX353552). The results of this study provide useful bases for studies of gene expression in various aspects relating to A. hygrophila.

A new lindenane-type sesquiterpenoid lactone from Chloranthus japonicus.

Chromatographic fractionation of the EtOH extracts of the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) Chloranthus japonicus, has led to the isolation of a new lindenane-type sesquiterpenoid lactone derivative (1). Rosmarylchloranthalactone E (1), which consists of lindenane sesquiterpenoid lactone and rosmarinic acid moieties linked via an ester bridge, was structurally elucidated by 1D and 2D NMR and HRMS data. Compound 1 was a potent phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) inhibitor with an IC50 value of 0.96 ± 0.04 µM.

Natural nitric oxide (NO) inhibitors from Chloranthus japonicus.

Eight new lindenane sesquiterpenoid dimers, chlojapolides A-H (1-8), along with 11 known analogues were isolated from the whole plant of Chloranthus japonicus. Their structures including absolute configurations were elucidated by spectral and chemical methods. All the compounds were examined for their inhibitory effects on the nitric oxide (NO) production induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in RAW 264.7 macrophages, and compounds 1, 11, 13, and 17 exhibited pronounced inhibition with IC50 values in the range of 6.91-15.75µM, being more active than the positive control, quercetin (IC50=15.90µM).

Chlojaponilactone B from Chloranthus japonicus: Suppression of Inflammatory Responses via Inhibition of the NF-κB Signaling Pathway.

Bioassay-guided fractionation of an ethanolic extract of Chloranthus japonicus led to the isolation of the known lindenane-type sesquiterpenoid chlojaponilactone B (1). This compound exhibited pronounced inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW 264.7 macrophages. Further anti-inflammatory assays showed that 1 suppressed the levels of some key inflammation mediators, such as iNOS, TNF-α, and IL-6, in a dose-dependent manner, and reduced the ear thickness and neutrophil infiltration in 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA)-stimulated mice. A mechanistic study revealed that compound 1 exerted its anti-inflammatory effects via the suppression of the NF-κB signaling pathway, which inhibited NF-κB-dependent transcriptional activity, IκBα phosphorylation, and p65 nuclear translocation. In contrast, chlojaponilactone B (1) was found to exert little influence on the MAPK signaling pathway.

Isolation and cytotoxicity evaluation of taxanes from the barks of Taxus wallichiana var. mairei.

Fifteen taxanes (1-15) including a new taxane glucoside, 7ß,9α,10ß-triacetoxy-13α-hydroxy-5α-O-(ß-d-glucopyranosyl)taxa-4(20),11-diene (1), were isolated from the barks of Taxus wallichiana var. mairei. Compounds 1-15 representing three sub-types of 6/8/6-taxane were evaluated in vitro for anti-proliferative activity against a panel of parental and drug-resistant cancer cells. Potent compounds were found while several exhibited selective cytotoxicity. Especially, 3, 8, and 10 showed selective inhibition to breast carcinoma cell line MCF-7, while 13 selectively inhibited taxol resistant human ovarian carcinoma cell line A2780/TAX (IC50=0.19µM), being more potent than the clinical drugs taxol (IC50=4.4µM) and docetaxol (IC50=0.42µM), and less cytotoxic to mouse embryonic fibroblast cell line NIH-3T3, a cell line close to normal cell line. The possible P-glycoprotein evasion mechanism of 13 against A2780/TAX and the preliminary structure-activity relationships (SARs) of this group of compounds were also discussed.

Heterologous expression and characterization of two delta glutathione S-transferases genes involved in imidacloprid metabolism in Grapholita molesta.

Glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) are multifunctional enzymes, and insect GSTs play a pivotal role in the metabolism of insecticides. Grapholita molesta is a worldwide pest that causes substantial economic losses to the fruit industry. However, it remains unclear how imidacloprid, a commonly used insecticide in orchards, is metabolized by G. molesta. In the present study, the synergist diethyl maleate (DEM), which inhibits the GST activity, exhibited a 22-fold synergistic ratio against imidacloprid. Two new GST genes, GmGSTD2 (OR096251) and GmGSTD3 (OR096252), were identified and successfully cloned, showing the highest expression in the Malpighian tubes. Knockdown of GmGSTD2 and GmGSTD3 by RNA interference, increased the mortality of G. molesta from 28% to 47% following imidacloprid treatment. Both recombinant GmGSTD2 and GmGSTD3 proteins exhibited 1-chloro-2,4-dinitrobenzene (CDNB) activity and could be inhibited by imidacloprid in vitro, with maximum inhibition was 60% for GmGSTD2 and 80% for GmGSTD3. These results suggested that GSTs participate in the metabolism of imidacloprid with GmGSTD2 and GmGSTD3 playing key roles in this process.

Mulberry Diels-Alder-type adducts from Morus alba as multi-targeted agents for Alzheimer's disease.

Mulberry Diels-Alder-type adducts (MDAAs) are a group of structurally unique natural products biosynthetically derived from the intermolecular [4 + 2] cycloaddition of a dehydroprenylphenol and a chalcone. In the current study, ten MDAAs, including an undescribed one, inethermulberrofuran C, were isolated from the root bark of Morus alba. The anti-Alzheimer's disease (anti-AD) properties of these isolates were systematically screened for a series of potential targets (Aß self-aggregation, tau aggregation, and ChEs) as well as the anti-neuroinflammatory and neuroprotective activities. Four compounds, mulberrofuran C, mulberrofuran K, mulberrofuran G, and isomulberrofuran G, turned out to be potent multi-targeted agents for AD. Among them, mulberrofuran K with a good blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability (8.7 ±â€¯0.3 × 10-6 cm/s) was selected as a promising candidate for further mechanism study in glutamate-induced HT22 cell model, which showed its neuroprotective ability on up-regulation of the glutathione (GSH) level and suppression of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production.

Prenylated flavonoids as potent phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors from Morus alba: Isolation, modification, and structure-activity relationship study.

The bioassay-guided phytochemical study of a traditional Chinese medicine Morus alba led to the isolation of 18 prenylated flavonoids (1-18), of which (±)-cyclomorusin (1/2), a pair of enantiomers, and 14-methoxy-dihydromorusin (3) are the new ones. Subsequent structural modification of the selected components by methylation, esterification, hydrogenation, and oxidative cyclization led to 14 more derivatives (19-32). The small library was screened for its inhibition against phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4), which is a drug target for the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Among them, nine compounds (1-5, 8, 10, 16, and 17) exhibited remarkable activities with IC50 values ranging from 0.0054 to 0.40 µM, being more active than the positive control rolipram (IC50 = 0.62 µM). (+)-Cyclomorusin (1), the most active natural PDE4 inhibitor reported so far, also showed a high selectivity across other PDE members with the selective fold greater than 55. The SAR study revealed that the presence of prenyls at C-3 and/or C-8, 2H-pyran ring D, and the phenolic hydroxyl groups were important to the activity, which was further supported by the recognition mechanism study of the inhibitors with PDE4 by using molecular modeling.

Psiguajadials A-K: Unusual Psidium Meroterpenoids as Phosphodiesterase-4 Inhibitors from the Leaves of Psidium guajava.

Bioassay-guided fractionation of the ethanolic extract of the leaves of Psidium guajava led to the isolation of 11 new Psidium meroterpenoids, psiguajadials A-K (1-11), along with 17 known ones (12-28). Their structures and absolute configurations were elucidated by spectroscopic methods and comparison of experimental and calculated ECD. Compounds 1 and 2 represent two unprecedented skeletons of 3,5-diformyl-benzyl phloroglucinol-coupled sesquiterpenoid, while 3 is the first example of Psidium meroterpenoids coupling via an oxepane ring. Putative biosynthetic pathways towards 1 and 2 are proposed. Compounds 1-13 and 16-26 exhibited moderate inhibitory activities against phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4), a drug target for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, with IC50 values in the range of 1.34-7.26 µM.

Natural phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) inhibitors from Crotalaria ferruginea.

Bioassay-guided fractionation of the ethanol extract of the Chinese folk medicine Crotalaria ferruginea led to the isolation of a new isoflavonoid, 4'-hydroxy-2'-methylalpinum-isoflavone (1), and eight known analogs (2-9). Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis. Compounds 1, 2, 5, and 8 showed inhibitory activities against phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4), a therapeutic target of asthma, with IC50 values ranging from 2.57 to 8.94 µM. The possible action mechanism and the structure-activity relationship (SAR) of the active isoflavonoids were explored by using molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation methods. Our study herein may explain the anti-inflammatory function of this plant in Chinese folk medicine.

Oropheayunnol, an unusual 22,23-epoxy apotirucallane triterpenoid from Orophea yunnanensis.

A new apotirucallane-type triterpenoid with an unusual 22,23-epoxy group in the side chain, 22,23-epoxy-apotirucalla-14-ene-3alpha,7alpha,24alpha,25-tetraol (1), was isolated from the leaves and twigs of Orophea yunnanensis. The structure of 1 was established on the basis of HRESIMS, 1D, and 2D NMR spectroscopic methods. This is the first phytochemical study of Orophea yunnanensis, and the biogenetic origin of 1 was postulated. Compound 1 exhibited weak cytotoxicity in vitro against the growth of CNE1 nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell line with an IC50 value of 9.7 microg/mL.