Optimization of the Preparation Process of Glucuronomannan Oligosaccharides and Their Effects on the Gut Microbiota in MPTP-Induced PD Model Mice.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder, and accumulating evidence suggests a link between dysbiosis of the gut microbiota and the onset and progression of PD. In our previous investigations, we discovered that intraperitoneal administration of glucuronomannan oligosaccharides (GMn) derived from Saccharina japonica exhibited neuroprotective effects in a 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced PD mouse model. However, the complicated preparation process, difficulties in isolation, and remarkably low yield have constrained further exploration of GMn. In this study, we optimized the degradation conditions in the preparation process of GMn through orthogonal experiments. Subsequently, an MPTP-induced PD model was established, followed by oral administration of GMn. Through a stepwise optimization, we successfully increased the yield of GMn, separated from crude fucoidan, from 1~2/10,000 to 4~8/1000 and indicated the effects on the amelioration of MPTP-induced motor deficits, preservation of dopamine neurons, and elevation in striatal neurotransmitter levels. Importantly, GMn mitigated gut microbiota dysbiosis induced by MPTP in mice. In particular, GM2 significantly reduced the levels of Akkermansia, Verrucomicrobiota, and Lactobacillus, while promoting the abundance of Roseburia and Prevotella compared to the model group. These findings suggest that GM2 can potentially suppress PD by modulating the gut microbiota, providing a foundation for the development of a novel and effective anti-PD marine drug.

Preparation of a Dual-Functional Sulfated Galactofucan Polysaccharide/Poly(vinyl alcohol) Hydrogel to Promote Macrophage Recruitment and Angiogenic Potential in Diabetic Wound Healing.

A diabetic foot ulcer is a common high-risk complication in diabetic patients, but there is still no universal dressing for clinical treatment. In this study, a novel dual-functional sulfated galactofucan polysaccharide/poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogel (DPH20) is developed during freeze-thaw cycles. Experimental results indicated that DPH20 had a high specific surface area, a dense porous structure, and a good swelling property, which could effectively adsorb the exudates and keep the wound moist. Furthermore, DPH20 exhibited remarkably recruited macrophage capability and accelerated the inflammation stage by improving the expression of the mRNA of CCL2, CCR2, and CCL22 in macrophages. DPH20 could promote cell migration and growth factor release to accelerate tube formation under hyperglycemic conditions in cell models of L929s and HUEVCs, respectively. Significantly, DPH20 accelerates the reconstruction of the full-thickness skin wound by accelerating the recruitment of macrophages, promoting angiogenesis, and releasing the growth factor in the diabetic mouse model. Collectively, DPH20 is a promising multifunctional dressing to reshape the damaged tissue environment and accelerate wound healing. This study provides an efficient strategy to repair and regenerate diabetic skin ulcers.

Isolation, Characterization, and Anti-Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Activity of a Fucoidan from Costaria costata.

Pulmonary fibrosis is a chronic, progressive, and fatal disease of the interstitial lung. There is currently a lack of efficient therapy to reverse the prognosis of patients. In this study, a fucoidan from Costaria costata was isolated, and its anti-idiopathic fibrosis activity was investigated both in vitro and in vivo. The chemical composition analysis showed that C. costata polysaccharide (CCP) consists of galactose and fucose as the main monosaccharides with a sulfate group content of 18.54%. Further study found that CCP could resist TGF-ß1-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in A549 cells by inhibiting the TGF-ß/Smad and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathways. Moreover, in vivo study found that CCP treatment alleviated bleomycin (BLM)-stimulated fibrosis and inflammation in mice lung tissue. In conclusion, the present study suggests that CCP could protect the lung from fibrosis by relieving the EMT process and inflammation in lung cells.

Effects of Pyropia yezoensis enzymatic hydrolysate on the growth and immune regulation of the zebrafish.

The supplemental effect of Pyropia yezoensis enzymatic hydrolysate (PYE) in fish diet was evaluated in zebrafish (Danio rerio) model. A basal diet supplemented with PYE at 0, 0.1, 1.0 and 2.0% were fed to one-month old zebrafish for 6 weeks, its growth performance and immunity index were evaluated. The increase in weight gain was significantly higher when supplementary 1% PYE which shows a positive effect on growth performance of zebrafish. In addition, crude protein content of fish body was increased in all PYE supplemental groups. The innate immune responses and activity of digestive enzymes in zebrafish were enhanced with dietary supplementation of PYE additives. Compared with the control group, lysozyme (LYZ) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) content in zebrafish intestines were up-regulated in groups fed with 0.1% and 1% PYE. The mRNA expression levels of LYZ and IL-10 in zebrafish intestines were consistent with ELISA results. The content of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) reduced in 1% and 2% PYE groups. Furthermore, PYE down-regulated the relative abundance of pathogenic bacteria (Aeromonadaceae) and up-regulated the relative abundance of fish probiotics (Brevibacillus) in intestinal flora. The findings in this study indicated that PYE supplementation in diet could promote growth, improve immunity and regulate intestinal flora, which made PYE considered as an potential aquatic additive.

Fabrication of Sulfated Heterosaccharide/Poly (Vinyl Alcohol) Hydrogel Nanocomposite for Application as Wound Healing Dressing.

Nowadays, natural polysaccharides-based hydrogels have achieved promising results as dressings to promote skin healing. In the present study, we prepared a novel hydrogel nanocomposite with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and sulfated heterosaccharide (UF), named UPH. The SEM results showed that the UPH had dense porous structures with a high porosity and a specific surface area. The UPH had a good swelling property, which can effectively adsorb exudate and keep the wound moist. The in vitro experiments results showed that the UPH was non-cytotoxic and could regulate the inflammatory response and promote the migration of fibroblasts significantly. The phenotypic, histochemistry, and Western blot analyses showed UPH treatment accelerated the wound healing and recovery of skin tissue at wound sites in a C57BL/6 mouse model. Furthermore, the UPH could promote the inflammation process to onset earlier and last shorter than that in a normal process. Given its migration-promoting ability and physicochemical properties, the UPH may provide an effective application for the treatment and management of skin wounds.

Evaluation of automatic VMAT plans in locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the quality of locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) radiotherapy plans generated by the automated planning module of a commercial treatment planning system (TPS). METHODS: Data of 30 patients with locally advanced NPC were retrospectively investigated. For each patient, volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plans with double arcs were generated manually by experienced physicists and automatically in the Pinnacle3 Auto-Planning module (Philips Medical Systems, Fitchburg, WI, USA). The anatomic distance between the second clinical target volume (CTV2) and the pons of the brainstem, and the T category of disease were factored into the evaluation. Dosimetric verification was evaluated in terms of gamma pass rate. Target coverage, sparing of organs at risk (OARs), and monitor units were evaluated and compared between the manual and automatic VMAT plans. RESULTS: Not all treatment plans fully met the dose objectives for planning target volumes (PTVs) and OARs, particularly in T4 patients. Overall, automatic VMAT provides a comparable or superior plan quality to manual VMAT in most cases. In stratified analysis, plan quality is mainly independent on T category but is also affected by anatomic distance. If the anatomic distance is less than 5 mm, the automatic VMAT plan quality is equal or even inferior to manual VMAT performed by experienced physicists. Conversely, if the anatomic distance is greater than 5 mm, the automatic VMAT plan quality is superior to manual VMAT. Gamma pass rates for quality assurance are similar between manual and automatic VMAT plans for the former case, but significantly higher in automatic VMAT for the latter. CONCLUSION: The selection of manual versus automatic VMAT planning in locally advanced NPC should be made individually based on the anatomic distance, rather than blindly and habitually, since automatic VMAT is not good enough to completely replace manual VMAT.

Using overlapping low-profile visualized intraluminal support stent-assisted coil embolization for treating blood blister-like aneurysms of the internal carotid artery.

Blood blister-like aneurysm (BBA) of the internal carotid artery (ICA) is highly challenging to treat owing to its variable morphology and tendency for rupture and regrowth. In this study, we attempted to discuss the key techniques for overlapping low-profile visualized intraluminal support (LVIS) stent-assisted coil embolization, which is used for treating BBAs in our center. Clinical characteristics, endovascular treatment details, outcomes, and follow-up results of 13 patients with BBA treated at our center were retrospectively evaluated in this study. Overlapping LVIS stent-assisted coil embolization was successfully performed in all 13 patients of ruptured BBAs located in the ICAs. Recurrence of aneurysm was observed in 4 cases (30.8%) during the angiographic follow-up; in 2 of these cases, spontaneous healing was observed after discontinuation of antiplatelet therapy. Further, 2 patients with recurrence underwent endovascular treatment with complete obliteration of the aneurysm in one and occlusion of the parent artery after Onyx embolization and stent placement in the other. The overall obliteration rate of the BBAs was 92.3% (12/13). One patient (7.7%) developed intraoperative rupture of the aneurysm with coils protruding outside; however, no severe hemorrhage or neurological dysfunction occurred owing to timely embolization. Overlapping LVIS stent-assisted coil embolization is effective for management of BBA of the ICA. Appropriate adjustment in antiplatelet therapy may improve healing in recurrent cases.

Glucuronomannan GM2 from Saccharina japonica Enhanced Mitochondrial Function and Autophagy in a Parkinson's Model.

Parkinson's disease (PD), one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders, is caused by dopamine depletion in the striatum and dopaminergic neuron degeneration in the substantia nigra. In our previous study, we hydrolyzed the fucoidan from Saccharina japonica, obtaining three glucuronomannan oligosaccharides (GMn; GM1, GM2, and GM3) and found that GMn ameliorated behavioral deficits in Parkinsonism mice and downregulated the apoptotic signaling pathway, especially with GM2 showing a more effective role in neuroprotection. However, the neuroprotective mechanism is unclear. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to assess the neuroprotective effects of GM2 in vivo and in vitro. We applied GM2 in 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+)-treated PC12 cells, and the results showed that GM2 markedly improved the cell viability and mitochondrial membrane potential, inhibited MPP+-induced apoptosis, and enhanced autophagy. Furthermore, GM2 contributed to reducing the loss of dopaminergic neurons in 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced mice through enhancing autophagy. These data indicate that a possible protection of mitochondria and upregulation of autophagy might underlie the observed neuroprotective effects, suggesting that GM2 has potential as a promising multifunctional lead disease-modifying therapy for PD. These findings might pave the way for additional treatment strategies utilizing carbohydrate drugs in PD.

S100A12 promotes inflammation and apoptosis in ischemia/reperfusion injury via ERK signaling in vitro study using PC12 cells.

S100A12 is a member of S100 calcium-binding proteins with effect to promote inflammation in brain damage and stroke. However, the role of S100A12 in ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) remains to be clarified. This study aimed to explore the effect of S100A12 on I/R and discover the possible mechanism. Oxygen-glucose deprivation and reperfusion (OGD/R) was used to induce I/R injury model in vitro. Knockdown or overexpression of S100A12 was utilized to explore the role of S100A12 in I/R-induced inflammation and apoptosis. Results indicated that S100A12 expression was dramatically upregulated after OGD/R. Knockdown of S100A12 inhibited, while overexpression of S100A12 enhanced, the activation of ERK1/2 protein. OGD/R also triggered the occurrence of inflammation and oxidative stress, while these effects were blunted by S100A12 silencing and aggravated by S100A12 overexpression, and the presence of MAP kinase signaling system (ERK) inhibitor MK-8353 counteracted the effect of S100A12 overexpression. Besides, S100A12 silencing abolished, while its overexpression restored, the OGD/R-induced increased apoptosis rate and pro-apoptotic proteins expression. Similarly, ERK inhibitor MK-8353 reversed the effects of S100A12 overexpression. In conclusion, S100A12 promoted OGD/R-induced inflammation, oxidative stress and apoptosis via activation of ERK signaling in vitro.

Preparation and Neuroprotective Activity of Glucuronomannan Oligosaccharides in an MPTP-Induced Parkinson's Model.

Parkinson's disease (PD), characterized by dopaminergic neuron degeneration in the substantia nigra and dopamine depletion in the striatum, affects up to 1% of the global population over 50 years of age. Our previous study found that a heteropolysaccharide from Saccharina japonica exhibits neuroprotective effects through antioxidative stress. In view of its high molecular weight and complex structure, we degraded the polysaccharide and subsequently obtained four oligosaccharides. In this study, we aimed to further detect the neuroprotective mechanism of the oligosaccharides. We applied MPTP (1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine) to induce PD, and glucuronomannan oligosaccharides (GMn) was subsequently administered. Results showed that GMn ameliorated behavioral deficits in Parkinsonism mice. Furthermore, we observed that glucuronomannan oligosaccharides contributed to down-regulating the apoptotic signaling pathway through enhancing the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in dopaminergic neurons. These results suggest that glucuronomannan oligosaccharides protect dopaminergic neurons from apoptosis in PD mice.

Proteoglycan from Bacillus sp. BS11 Inhibits the Inflammatory Response by Suppressing the MAPK and NF-κB Pathways in Lipopolysaccharide-Induced RAW264.7 Macrophages.

Inflammation is involved in the pathogenesis of many debilitating diseases. Proteoglycan isolated from marine Bacillus sp. BS11 (EPS11) was shown to have anticancer activity, but its anti-inflammatory potential remains elusive. In the present study, the anti-inflammatory effects and mechanism of EPS11 were evaluated using a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced RAW264.7 macrophage model. Biochemical characterization showed that the total sugar content and protein content of EPS11 were 49.5% and 30.2% respectively. EPS11 was composed of mannose, glucosamine, galactosamine, glucose, galactose, rhamnose, and glucuronic acid. Its molecular weight was determined to be 3.06 × 105 Da. The protein determination of EPS11 was also performed. EPS11 displayed a strong anti-inflammatory effect on LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 macrophages in vitro, which significantly suppressed inflammatory cytokines and mediators (such as NO, TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1ß, and COX-2). Western blot analysis indicated that EPS11 could downregulate the expression of many key proteins in mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) and transcription factor nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathways. In particular, EPS11 almost completely inhibited the expression of NF-κB P65, which indicated that EPS11 acted primarily on the NF-κB pathways. These findings offer new insights into the molecular mechanism underlying the anti-inflammatory effect of EPS11.

MiR-363 suppresses cell migration, invasion, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of osteosarcoma by binding to NOB1.

BACKGROUND: Osteosarcoma (OS) is a primary malignant bone tumor with a high rate of metastasis and a short 5-year survival rate. MiR-363 was downregulated in a variety of tumors and played a role in suppressing tumors. However, the roles of miR-363 in osteosarcoma remain unknown; thus, the purpose of this study was to explore the functions of miR-363 in osteosarcoma. METHODS: CCK-8 and transwell assays were performed to evaluate the proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities of MG63 cells. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and apoptosis-associated proteins were measured by using Western blot assay. Luciferase reporter assay was utilized to verify whether miR-363 directly bound to the 3'-UTR of NOB1 mRNA. RESULTS: MiR-363 was downregulated while NOB1 was upregulated in osteosarcoma clinical tissue specimens and cell lines as compared with the adjacent normal tissue specimens and normal cell line. The miR-363 is reversely correlated with the expression of NOB1 in osteosarcoma tissues. Overexpression of miR-363 suppressed the ability of cell migration, invasion, and EMT, whereas low expression of miR-363 promoted this ability. In addition, miR-363 inhibited osteosarcoma proliferation both in vitro and in vivo and inhibited the apoptosis in MG63 cells. Interference of NOB1 could inhibit the migration, invasion, and EMT of osteosarcoma cell line MG63. NOB1 was verified to be a direct target of miR-363 and its expression was mediated by miR-363. Re-expression of NOB1 could partially reverse the inhibitory effect of miR-363 on cell migration and invasion. In addition, low expression of miR-363 or overexpression of NOB1 predicted poor prognosis of osteosarcoma patients. CONCLUSION: MiR-363 inhibited osteosarcoma the proliferation, migration, invasion, and EMT and induced the apoptosis by directly targeting NOB1 in MG63 cells. The newly identified miR-363/NOB1 axis provides novel insights into the pathogenesis of osteosarcoma.

Protective Effect of Fucoidan against MPP+-Induced SH-SY5Y Cells Apoptosis by Affecting the PI3K/Akt Pathway.

The main pathologic changes of the Parkinson's disease (PD) is dopaminergic (DA) neurons lost. Apoptosis was one of the important reasons involved in the DA lost. Our previous study found a fucoidan fraction sulfated heterosaccharide (UF) had neuroprotective activity. The aim of this study was to clarify the mechanism of UF on DA neurons using human dopaminergic neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y) cells a typical as a PD cellular model. Results showed that UF prevented MPP+-induced SH-SY5Y cells apoptosis and cell death. Additionally, UF pretreated cells increased phosphorylation of Akt, PI3K and NGF, which means UF-treated active PI3K-Akt pathway. Moreover, UF treated cells decreased the expression of apoptosis-associated protein, such as the ratio of Bax/Bcl-2, GSK3ß, caspase-3 and p53 nuclear induced by MPP+. This effect was partially blocked by PI3K inhibitor LY294002. Our data suggested that protective effect of UF against MPP+-induced SH-SY5Y cells death by affecting the PI3K-Akt pathway. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the critical roles of UF in treating PD and may elucidate the molecular mechanisms of UF effects in PD.

Comparative Study of Fucoidan from Saccharina japonica and Its Depolymerized Fragment on Adriamycin-Induced Nephrotic Syndrome in Rats.

Nephrotic syndrome (NS) is a clinical syndrome with a variety of causes, mainly characterized by heavy proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia, and edema. At present, identification of effective and less toxic therapeutic interventions for nephrotic syndrome remains to be an important issue. In this study, we isolated fucoidan from Saccharina japonica and prepared its depolymerized fragment by oxidant degradation. Fucoidan and its depolymerized fragment had similar chemical constituents. Their average molecular weights were 136 and 9.5 kDa respectively. The effect of fucoidan and its depolymerized fragment on adriamycin-induced nephrotic syndrome were investigated in a rat model. The results showed that adriamycin-treated rats had heavy proteinuria and increased blood urea nitrogen (BUN), serum creatinine (SCr), total cholesterol (TC), and total triglyceride (TG) levels. Oral administration of fucoidan or low-molecular-weight fucoidan for 30 days could significantly inhibit proteinuria and decrease the elevated BUN, SCr, TG, and TC level in a dose-dependent manner. At the same dose (100 mg/kg), low-molecular-weight fucoidan had higher renoprotective activity than fucoidan. Their protective effect on nephrotic syndrome was partly related to their antioxidant activity. The results suggested that both fucoidan and its depolymerized fragment had excellent protective effect on adriamycin-induced nephrotic syndrome, and might have potential for the treatment of nephrotic syndrome.

Integrated Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) and MS/MS-Based Molecular Networking Reveals the Analgesic and Anti-Inflammatory Phenotypes of the Sea Slater Ligia exotica.

The sea slater Ligia exotica is believed to have effects of reducing swelling and relieving pain in Chinese folk medicine. However, the scientific foundation of using the sea slater Ligia spp. as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory material remains elusive. In the present study, various organic extracts from sea slater L. exotica were subjected to biological screening employing in vitro and in vivo models, and chemical phenotypes of the biologically active extract were deciphered by integrated gas chromatograph-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) profiling and MS/MS-based molecular networking. The results demonstrated, for the first time, that petroleum ether extract (PE) from L. exotica possessed remarkable anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. Moreover, intragastric administration of PE at 200 mg/kg produced analgesic effects in both the writhing test and hot plate test. GC-MS analysis revealed that Z-9-hexadecenoic acid and 6-octadecenoic acid dominated in the volatile compositions of PE. Molecular networking (MN) suggested great chemical diversity within L. exotica. In total, 69 known compounds were identified in Ligia extracts by MS/MS spectral matching, and at least 7 analogues from two clusters of nitrogen-containing compounds (MN3,4) were strongly suggested as novel compounds. The molecular families MN1,3,4 were almost exclusively detected in the biologically active PE and ethyl acetate extract (EE). Importantly, various known compounds identified in MN1 were reported to possess analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects in the literature, which may contribute to the observed analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of L. exotica. The present study not only demonstrated the ethnopharmaceutical value of L. exotica for pain-relief in Chinese folk medicine, but also suggested that sea slaters may represent a promising source for discovery of novel analgesic and anti-inflammatory compounds in the near future.

The Dorsoventral Patterning of Human Forebrain Follows an Activation/Transformation Model.

The anteroposterior patterning of the central nervous system follows an activation/transformation model, which proposes that a prospective telencephalic fate will be activated by default during the neural induction stage, while this anterior fate could be transformed posteriorly according to caudalization morphogens. Although both extrinsic signals and intrinsic transcription factors have been implicated in dorsoventral (DV) specification of vertebrate telencephalon, the DV patterning model remains elusive. This is especially true in human considering its evolutionary trait and uniqueness of gene regulatory networks during neural induction. Here, we point to a model that human forebrain DV patterning also follows an activation/transformation paradigm. Human neuroectoderm (NE) will activate a forebrain dorsal fate automatically and this default anterior dorsal fate does not depend on Wnts activation or Pax6 expression. Forced expression of Pax6 in human NE hinders its ventralization even under sonic hedgehog (Shh) treatment, suggesting that the ventral fate is repressed by dorsal genes. Genetic manipulation of Nkx2.1, a key gene for forebrain ventral progenitors, shows that Nkx2.1 is neither necessary nor sufficient for Shh-driven ventralization. We thus propose that Shh represses dorsal genes of human NE and subsequently transforms the primitively activated dorsal fate ventrally in a repression release manner.

Structural Features of Sulfated Glucuronomannan Oligosaccharides and Their Antioxidant Activity.

Glucuronomannan oligosaccharides (Gs) were derived from fucoidan, which was extracted from the brown alga Sargassum thunbergii. Sulfated glucuronomannan oligosaccharides (SGs) were obtained by the sulfation of Gs. NMR techniques were used to reveal that the order of sulfation was Man-C6 > Man-C4 > Man-C1R > GlcA-C3 > Man-C3 > GlcA-C2. Finally, the antioxidant activities (hydroxyl radical scavenging activity, superoxide radical scavenging activity, reducing power and DPPH radical scavenging activity) of Gs and SGs were determined. The findings showed that the higher the degree of polymerization, the better the activity, except for the hydroxyl radical scavenging activity. In addition, the higher the sulfate content, the lower the activities for the reducing power and DPPH radical scavenging activity. Opposite results were found for the superoxide radical scavenging activity. Finally, compared with fucoidan, most Gs and SGs had higher antioxidant activity, suggesting that they might be good candidates for antioxidants.

Antihypertensive Effects of Two Novel Angiotensin I-Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibitory Peptides from Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis (Rhodophyta) in Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats (SHRs).

A variety of biologically active products have been isolated from Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis. In the present study, two novel angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides, FQIN [M(O)] CILR, and TGAPCR, were screened and identified from G. lemaneiformis protein hydrolysates by LC-MS/MS. The IC50 values of FQIN [M(O)] CILR and TGAPCR were 9.64 ± 0.36 µM and 23.94 ± 0.82 µM, respectively. In the stability study, both peptides showed stabilities of pH, temperature, simulated gastrointestinal digestion, and ACE hydrolysis. The Lineweaver⁻Burk plot showed that the two peptides were noncompetitive inhibitors of ACE. Molecular docking simulated the intermolecular interactions of two peptides and ACE, and the two peptides formed hydrogen bonds with the active pockets of ACE. However, FQIN [M(O)] CILR was more closely linked to the active pockets of ACE, thereby exerting better ACE inhibition. Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were studied with an oral dose of 10 mg/kg body weight. Both peptides reduced systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in SHRs, of which FQIN [M(O)] CILR was able to reduce the systolic blood pressure by 34 mmHg (SBP) (p < 0.05). Therefore, FQIN [M(O)] CILR was an excellent ACE inhibitory peptide.

Oligo-Porphyran Ameliorates Neurobehavioral Deficits in Parkinsonian Mice by Regulating the PI3K/Akt/Bcl-2 Pathway.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative movement disorder that is caused by a selective loss of dopaminergic neurons. Current PD treatments provide symptomatic relief but do not prevent or decelerate disease progression. Previous studies have suggested that acetylated and phosphorylated porphyran, derived from Porphyra, produces a neuroprotective effect against 6-OHDA-induced damage. Due to its antioxidant and neuroprotective potential, this study evaluates whether oligo-porphyran (OP) could be beneficial in an experimental model of PD in mice. The drug 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) was intraperitoneally injected (20 mg/kg body weight) for seven days to simulate PD, followed by OP administration. We found that the behavioral deficits in spontaneous motor activity, latency to descend in a pole test, and suspension in a traction test were ameliorated, and excessive dopamine (DA) metabolism was suppressed after OP treatment. Additionally, we found that OP protected dopaminergic neurons by preventing MPTP-induced decreases in dopaminergic transporter and tyrosine hydroxylase protein levels. We speculated whether OP regulates a signaling pathway that affects the behavioral changes seen in PD mice. In this study, the PI3K/Akt/Bcl-2 pathway was detected. Our results demonstrate that OP increased the phosphorylation of PI3K/Akt/GSK-3ß and inhibited the activation of caspase-3 and poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase, with changes in the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. These results showed that OP might promote DA neuron survival in vivo by regulating the PI3K/Akt/Bcl-2 pathway, thereby ameliorating the neurobehavioral deficits in a PD mouse model and suggesting OP as a neuroprotective treatment for PD.

The Structure and Nephroprotective Activity of Oligo-Porphyran on Glycerol-Induced Acute Renal Failure in Rats.

Porphyran is a sulfate galactan in the cell wall of Porphyra. Its acid hydrolysis product, oligo-porphyran (OP), was prepared and the structure studied by electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (ESI-TOF-MS). This oligosaccharide was mainly composed of monosulfate-oligo-galactan, disufate-oligo-galactan, trisulfate-oligo-galactan, trisulfate oligo-methyl-galactan, and 3,6-anhydrogalactose with the degree of polymerization ranging from 1 to 8. The effects of OP were investigated in the glycerol-induced acute renal failure (ARF) model. Compared with the normal group, rats from the glycerol-induced group exhibited collecting duct and medullary ascending limb dilation and casts. The OP-treated group exerted a protective effect against glycerol-induced changes. The results showed that the administration of OP markedly decreased mortality in female ARF rats. For male ARF rats, all of which survived, OP significantly decreased the blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine levels. Ion levels in plasma and urine were significantly changed in ARF rats, whereas OP treatment almost recovered ion levels back to normal. This study showed a noticeable renal morphologic and functional protection by OP in glycerol-induced ARF rats.