Design, synthesis, and anti-melanogenic efficacy of 2-mercaptobenzoxazoles with nanomolar tyrosinase activity inhibition.

Tyrosinase is a metalloenzyme that contains copper(II) ions. We designed and synthesized eight known low-molecular-weight 2-mercaptobenzoxazole (2-MBO) analogs as tyrosinase inhibitors. Our focus was on the mercapto functional group, which interacts with copper ions. Analogs 1-3 exhibited mushroom tyrosinase inhibitory activity at the nanomolar level and demonstrated strong potency with extremely low half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 80-90 nM for l-dopa and 100-240 nM for l-tyrosine. Analogs 2, 4, and 5 showed the most potent anti-melanogenic effects in B16F10 cells, and their mode of action was demonstrated by kinetic analysis. Their anti-melanogenic effects were similar to the tyrosinase inhibition results, suggesting that their anti-melanogenic effects could be attributed to their tyrosinase inhibitory ability. Experiments using copper-chelating activity assays and changes in tyrosinase inhibitory activity with and without CuSO4 demonstrated that 2-MBO analogs inhibit tyrosinase activity by chelating the copper ions of tyrosinase. In conclusion, the 2-MBO analogs show potential as anti-melanogenic agents with potent tyrosinase inhibitory activity.

Thiazol-4(5H)-one analogs as potent tyrosinase inhibitors: Synthesis, tyrosinase inhibition, antimelanogenic effect, antioxidant activity, and in silico docking simulation.

As the ß-phenyl-α,ß-unsaturated carbonyl (PUSC) structure was previously identified to play a key role in tyrosinase inhibition, 14 analogs with a PUSC structure built on a thiazol-4(5H)-one scaffold were synthesized using Knoevenagel condensation to serve as potential tyrosinase inhibitors. Through mushroom tyrosinase inhibition experiments, two analogs 9 and 11 were identified as potent tyrosinase inhibitors, with 11 exhibiting an IC50 value of 0.4 ± 0.01 µM, which indicates its 26-fold greater potency than kojic acid. Kinetic studies using Lineweaver-Burk plots revealed that 9 and 11 are competitive and mixed-type inhibitors, respectively; these kinetic results were supported by docking simulations. According to the B16F10 cell-based experiments, 9 and 11 inhibited melanogenesis more effectively than kojic acid due to their potent cellular tyrosinase inhibitory activity. In addition, analogs 9 and 11 exhibited moderate-to-strong antioxidant capacity, scavenging ABTS+, DPPH, and ROS radicals. In particular, analog 12 with a catechol moiety exhibited very strong ROS-scavenging activity, similar to Trolox. These results suggest that analogs 9 and 11, which exhibit potent tyrosinase inhibitory activity in mushroom and mammalian cells and anti-melanogenic effects in B16F10 cells, are promising antibrowning agents for crops and skin lightening agents for hyperpigmentation-related diseases.

Highly potent anti-melanogenic effect of 2-thiobenzothiazole derivatives through nanomolar tyrosinase activity inhibition.

Compounds with sulfhydryl substituents and azole compounds exhibit potent anti-tyrosinase potency. 2-Thiobenzothiazole (2-TBT), a hybrid structure of sulfhydryl and azole, exists in two tautomeric forms, with the thione form being predominant according to several studies. 2-TBT derivatives were synthesized as potential tyrosinase inhibitors as the thione tautomeric form has the same N-CS moiety as phenylthiourea (PTU), which is suitable for chelation with the copper ions present in the tyrosinase active site. Eight of the ten 2-TBT derivatives inhibited the monophenolase and diphenolase activities of mushroom tyrosinase, with IC50 values of 0.02-0.83 µM. Kinetic studies and molecular dynamics simulations were performed to determine their mode of action and confirm that the 2-TBT derivatives bind to the tyrosinase active site with high stability. Derivatives 3, 4, 8, and 10 strongly inhibited melanogenesis in B16F10 cells in a pattern similar to the results of cellular tyrosinase inhibition, thereby suggesting that their ability to inhibit melanogenesis was due to their tyrosinase inhibitory activity. In a depigmentation experiment using zebrafish embryos, all 2-TBT derivatives showed better potency than kojic acid, even at 400 to 2000 times lower concentration, and 1 and 10 reduced zebrafish larva pigmentation more strongly than PTU even at 20 times lower concentration. Experiments investigating the changes in tyrosinase inhibitory activity of 2-TBT derivatives in the presence and absence of CuSO4 and their copper chelating ability supported that these derivatives exert their anti-melanogenic effect by chelating the copper ions of tyrosinase. These results suggest that 2-TBT derivatives are promising candidates for the treatment of hyperpigmentation-related disorders.

Exploration of Compounds with 2-Phenylbenzo[d]oxazole Scaffold as Potential Skin-Lightening Agents through Inhibition of Melanin Biosynthesis and Tyrosinase Activity.

Inspired by the potent tyrosinase inhibitory activity of phenolic compounds with a 2-phenylbenzo[d]thiazole scaffold, we explored phenolic compounds 1-15 with 2-phenylbenzo[d]oxazole, which is isosterically related to 2-phenylbenzo[d]thiazole, as novel tyrosinase inhibitors. Among these, compounds 3, 8, and 13, featuring a resorcinol structure, exhibited significantly stronger mushroom tyrosinase inhibition than kojic acid, with compound 3 showing a nanomolar IC50 value of 0.51 µM. These results suggest that resorcinol plays an important role in tyrosinase inhibition. Kinetic studies using Lineweaver-Burk plots demonstrated the inhibition mechanisms of compounds 3, 8, and 13, while docking simulation results indicated that the resorcinol structure contributed to tyrosinase binding through hydrophobic and hydrogen bonding interactions. Additionally, these compounds effectively inhibited tyrosinase activity and melanin production in B16F10 cells and inhibited B16F10 tyrosinase activity in situ in a concentration-dependent manner. As these compounds showed no cytotoxicity to epidermal cells, melanocytes, or keratinocytes, they are appropriate for skin applications. Compounds 8 and 13 demonstrated substantially higher depigmentation effects on zebrafish larvae than kojic acid, even at 800- and 400-times lower concentrations than kojic acid, respectively. These findings suggest that 2-phenylbenzo[d]oxazole is a promising candidate for tyrosinase inhibition.

Pivotal role of PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoints in immune escape and cancer progression: Their interplay with platelets and FOXP3+Tregs related molecules, clinical implications and combinational potential with phytochemicals.

Immune checkpoint proteins including programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1), its ligand PD-L1 and cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4) are involved in proliferation, angiogenesis, metastasis, chemoresistance via immune escape and immune tolerance by disturbing cytotoxic T cell activation. Though many clinical trials have been completed in several cancers by using immune checkpoint inhibitors alone or in combination with other agents to date, recently multi-target therapy is considered more attractive than monotherapy, since immune checkpoint proteins work with other components such as surrounding blood vessels, dendritic cells, fibroblasts, macrophages, platelets and extracellular matrix within tumor microenvironment. Thus, in the current review, we look back on research history of immune checkpoint proteins and discuss their associations with platelets or tumor cell induced platelet aggregation (TCIPA) and FOXP3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) related molecules involved in immune evasion and tumor progression, clinical implications of completed trial results and signaling networks by phytochemicals for combination therapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors and suggest future research perspectives.

Identification and molecular mechanism of novel 5-alkenyl-2-benzylaminothiazol-4(5H)-one analogs as anti-melanogenic and antioxidant agents.

Mushroom tyrosinase is a tetramer, whereas mammalian tyrosinase is a monomeric glycoprotein. In addition, the amino acid sequence of mushroom tyrosinases differs from that of mammalian tyrosinases. MHY2081 exhibits potent inhibitory activity against both mushroom and mammalian tyrosinases. Accordingly, based on the MHY2081 structure, 5-alkenyl-2-benzylaminothiazol-4(5H)-one analogs were designed as a novel anti-tyrosinase agent and synthesized using 2-((3,4-dimethoxybenzyl)amino)thiazol-4(5H)-one (16), a key intermediate obtained via the rearrangement of a benzylamino group. Compounds 6 and 9 (IC50 = 1.5-4.6 µM) exhibited higher mushroom tyrosinase inhibitory activity than kojic acid (IC50 = 20-21 µM) in the presence of l-tyrosine and/or l-dopa. Based on kinetic analysis using Lineweaver-Burk plots, 6 was a mixed inhibitor, whereas 9 was a competitive inhibitor, and docking simulation results supported that these compounds could bind to the active site of mushroom tyrosinase. Using B16F10 mammalian cells, we demonstrated that these compounds inhibited melanogenesis more potently than kojic acid, and their anti-melanogenic effects could be attributed to tyrosinase inhibition. All synthesized compounds could scavenge reactive oxygen species (ROS), with five compounds exhibiting mild-to-strong ABTS+ and DPPH radical-scavenging abilities. Compounds 6 and 9 were potent tyrosinase inhibitors with strong antioxidant activities against ROS, ABTS+, and DPPH radicals. Moreover, the compounds significantly suppressed tyrosinase expression in a dose-dependent manner. Collectively, these results suggest that the novel 5-alkenyl-2-benzylaminothiazol-4(5H)-one analogs, especially 6 and 9, are potential anti-melanogenic agents with antioxidant activity.

Anti-tyrosinase flavone derivatives and their anti-melanogenic activities: Importance of the ß-phenyl-α,ß-unsaturated carbonyl scaffold.

Flavone derivatives were designed and synthesized based on the hypothesis that flavones containing the ß-phenyl-α,ß-unsaturated carbonyl (PUSC) scaffold have potential anti-tyrosinase activity. Flavones 1a and 1e inhibited mushroom tyrosinase more potently than kojic acid, and 1e inhibited monophenolase and diphenolase 61- and 28-fold more than kojic acid, respectively. Kinetic studies on mushroom tyrosinase indicated that 1a and 1e competitively inhibit monophenolase and diphenolase, and docking results supported these results. In an in vitro assay using B16F10 murine cells, 1a and 1e inhibited melanin production more potently than kojic acid, and this was attributed to the inhibition of tyrosinase. Furthermore, 1a and 1e strongly scavenged DPPH and ABTS radicals and ROS, which suggested that their antioxidant properties were at least partly responsible for their anti-melanogenic effects. Moreover, flavone 1a also inhibited the gene expressions of the melanogenesis-related genes tyrosinase, tyrosinase-related protein (TRP)-1, and TRP-2. Our findings that flavone derivatives (i) directly inhibit tyrosinase, (ii) act as antioxidants, and (iii) inhibit the expressions of melanogenesis-related genes suggest their potential use as natural melanogenesis inhibitors. Furthermore, the study confirms that the PUSC scaffold confers anti-tyrosinase activity.

SH-PRO extract alleviates benign prostatic hyperplasia via ROS-mediated activation of PARP/caspase 3 and inhibition of FOXO3a/AR/PSA signaling in vitro and in vivo.

To target benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) as a common urinary disease in old men, in the current study, the antiproliferative and apoptotic mechanism of SH-PRO, a mixture of Angelica gigas and Astragalus membranaceus (2:1), was evaluated in BPH-1 cells and rats with testosterone-induced BPH. Herein, SH-PRO significantly reduced the viability of BPH-1 cells and dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-treated RWPE-1 cells. Also, SH-PRO increased the sub-G1 population in BPH-1 cells and consistently attenuated the expression of pro-PARP, pro-caspase 3, Bcl2, FOXO3a, androgen receptor (AR), and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in BPH-1 cells and DHT-treated RWPE-1 cells. Of note, SH-PRO generated reactive oxygen species (ROS) in BPH-1 cells, while ROS inhibitor N-acetyl-l-cysteine (NAC) disturbed the ability of SH-PRO to reduce the expression of pro-PARP, FOXO3a, catalase, SOD, and increase sub-G1 population in BPH-1 cells. Furthermore, oral treatment of SH-PRO significantly abrogated the weight of the prostate in testosterone-treated rats compared to BPH control with the reduced expression of AR, PSA, and DHT and lower plasma levels of DTH, bFGF, and EGF with no toxicity. Overall, these findings highlight the antiproliferative and apoptotic potential of SH-PRO via ROS-mediated activation of PARP and caspase 3 and inhibition of FOXO3a/AR/PSA signaling as a potent anti-BPH candidate.

Anti-Neuroinflammatory Effect of the Ethanolic Extract of Black Ginseng through TLR4-MyD88-Regulated Inhibition of NF-κB and MAPK Signaling Pathways in LPS-Induced BV2 Microglial Cells.

Korean ginseng (Panax ginseng) contains various ginsenosides as active ingredients, and they show diverse biological activities. Black ginseng is manufactured by repeated steaming and drying of white ginseng, which alters the polarity of ginsenosides and improves biological activities. The aim of the present investigation was to examine the anti-neuroinflammatory effects of the ethanolic extract of black ginseng (BGE) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced BV2 microglial cells. Pre-treatment with BGE inhibited the overproduction of pro-inflammatory mediators including nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in LPS-induced BV2 cells. In addition, BGE reduced the activation of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) MAPK signaling pathways induced by LPS. These anti-neuroinflammatory effects were mediated through the negative regulation of the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MyD88) signaling pathway. Among the four ginsenosides contained in BGE, ginsenosides Rd and Rg3 inhibited the production of inflammatory mediators. Taken together, this investigation suggests that BGE represents potential anti-neuroinflammatory candidates for the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Anti-Neuroinflammatory and Neuroprotective Effect of Intermedin B Isolated from the Curcuma longa L. via NF-κB and ROS Inhibition in BV2 Microglia and HT22 Hippocampal Cells.

Compounds derived from Curcuma longa L. (C. longa) have been extensively studied and reported to be effective and safe for the prevention and treatment of various diseases, but most research has been focused on curcuminoids derived from C. longa. As neurodegenerative diseases are associated with oxidation and inflammation, the present study aimed to isolate and identify active compounds other than curcuminoids from C. longa to develop substances to treat these diseases. Seventeen known compounds, including curcuminoids, were chromatographically isolated from the methanol extracts of C. longa, and their chemical structures were identified using 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy. Among the isolated compounds, intermedin B exhibited the best antioxidant effect in the hippocampus and anti-inflammatory effect in microglia. Furthermore, intermedin B was confirmed to inhibit the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p-65 and IκBα, exerting anti-inflammatory effects and inhibiting the generation of reactive oxygen species, exerting neuroprotective effects. These results highlight the research value of active components other than curcuminoids in C. longa-derived compounds and suggest that intermedin B may be a promising candidate for the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases.

Black Ginseng Extract Exerts Potentially Anti-Asthmatic Activity by Inhibiting the Protein Kinase Cθ-Mediated IL-4/STAT6 Signaling Pathway.

Asthma is a chronic inflammatory lung disease that causes respiratory difficulties. Black ginseng extract (BGE) has preventative effects on respiratory inflammatory diseases such as asthma. However, the pharmacological mechanisms behind the anti-asthmatic activity of BGE remain unknown. To investigate the anti-asthmatic mechanism of BGE, phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate plus ionomycin (PMA/Iono)-stimulated mouse EL4 cells and ovalbumin (OVA)-induced mice with allergic airway inflammation were used. Immune cells (eosinophils/macrophages), interleukin (IL)-4, -5, -13, and serum immunoglobulin E (IgE) levels were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Inflammatory cell recruitment and mucus secretion in the lung tissue were estimated. Protein expression was analyzed via Western blotting, including that of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and the activation of protein kinase C theta (PKCθ) and its downstream signaling molecules. BGE decreased T helper (Th)2 cytokines, serum IgE, mucus secretion, and iNOS expression in mice with allergic airway inflammation, thereby providing a protective effect. Moreover, BGE and its major ginsenosides inhibited the production of Th2 cytokines in PMA/Iono-stimulated EL4 cells. In EL4 cells, these outcomes were accompanied by the inactivation of PKCθ and its downstream transcription factors, such as nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT), nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), activator of transcription 6 (STAT6), and GATA binding protein 3 (GATA3), which are involved in allergic airway inflammation. BGE also inhibited the activation of PKCθ and the abovementioned transcriptional factors in the lung tissue of mice with allergic airway inflammation. These results highlight the potential of BGE as a useful therapeutic and preventative agent for allergic airway inflammatory diseases such as allergic asthma.

Design, Synthesis, In Vitro, and In Silico Insights of 5-(Substituted benzylidene)-2-phenylthiazol-4(5H)-one Derivatives: A Novel Class of Anti-Melanogenic Compounds.

(Z)-5-Benzylidene-2-phenylthiazol-4(5H)-one ((Z)-BPT) derivatives were designed by combining the structural characteristics of two tyrosinase inhibitors. The double-bond geometry of trisubstituted alkenes, (Z)-BPTs 1-14, was determined based on the 3JC,Hß coupling constant of 1H-coupled 13C NMR spectra. Three (Z)-BPT derivatives (1-3) showed stronger tyrosinase inhibitory activities than kojic acid; in particular, 2 was to be 189-fold more potent than kojic acid. Kinetic analysis using mushroom tyrosinase indicated that 1 and 2 were competitive inhibitors, whereas 3 was a mixed-type inhibitor. The in silico results revealed that 1-3 could strongly bind to the active sites of mushroom and human tyrosinases, supporting the kinetic results. Derivatives 1 and 2 decreased the intracellular melanin contents in a concentration-dependent manner in B16F10 cells, and their anti-melanogenic efficacy exceeded that of kojic acid. The anti-tyrosinase activity of 1 and 2 in B16F10 cells was similar to their anti-melanogenic effects, suggesting that their anti-melanogenic effects were primarily owing to their anti-tyrosinase activity. Western blotting of B16F10 cells revealed that the derivatives 1 and 2 inhibited tyrosinase expression, which partially contributes to their anti-melanogenic ability. Several derivatives, including 2 and 3, exhibited potent antioxidant activities against ABTS cation radicals, DPPH radicals, ROS, and peroxynitrite. These results suggest that (Z)-BPT derivatives 1 and 2 have promising potential as novel anti-melanogenic agents.

Design and Synthesis of (Z)-2-(Benzylamino)-5-benzylidenethiazol-4(5H)-one Derivatives as Tyrosinase Inhibitors and Their Anti-Melanogenic and Antioxidant Effects.

In this study, (Z)-2-(benzylamino)-5-benzylidenethiazol-4(5H)-one (BABT) derivatives were designed as tyrosinase inhibitors based on the structure of MHY2081, using a simplified approach. Of the 14 BABT derivatives synthesized, two derivatives ((Z)-2-(benzylamino)-5-(3-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzylidene)thiazol-4(5H)-one [7] and (Z)-2-(benzylamino)-5-(2,4-dihydroxybenzylidene)thiazol-4(5H)-one [8]) showed more potent mushroom tyrosinase inhibitory activities than kojic acid, regardless of the substrate used; in particular, compound 8 was 106-fold more potent than kojic acid when l-tyrosine was used as the substrate. Analysis of Lineweaver-Burk plots for 7 and 8 indicated that they were competitive inhibitors, which was confirmed via in silico docking. In experiments using B16F10 cells, 8 exerted a greater ability to inhibit melanin production than kojic acid, and it inhibited cellular tyrosinase activity in a concentration-dependent manner, indicating that the anti-melanogenic effect of 8 is attributable to its ability to inhibit tyrosinase. In addition, 8 exhibited strong antioxidant activity to scavenge 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radicals and peroxynitrite and inhibited the expression of melanogenesis-associated proteins (tyrosinase and microphthalmia-associated transcription factor). These results suggest that BABT derivative 8 is a promising candidate for the treatment of hyperpigmentation-related diseases, owing to its inhibition of melanogenesis-associated protein expression, direct tyrosinase inhibition, and antioxidant activity.

Validation of a Quantification Method for Curcumin Derivatives and Their Hepatoprotective Effects on Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Curcumin (CM), demethoxycurcumin (DMC), and bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC) are major curcumin derivatives found in the rhizome of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), and have yielded impressive properties to halt various diseases. In the present study, we carried out a method validation for curcumin derivatives and analyzed the contents simultaneously using HPLC with UV detection. For validation, HPLC was used to estimate linearity, range, specificity, accuracy, precision, limit of detection (LOD), and limit of quantification (LOQ). Results showed a high linearity of the calibration curve, with a coefficient of correlation (R2) for CM, DMC, and BDMC of 0.9999, 0.9999, and 0.9997, respectively. The LOD values for CM, DMC, and BDMC were 1.16, 1.03, and 2.53 ng/µL and LOQ values were 3.50, 3.11, and 7.67 ng/µL, respectively. Moreover, to evaluate the ability of curcumin derivatives to reduce liver lipogenesis and compare curcumin derivatives' therapeutic effects, a HepG2 cell model was established to analyze their hepatoprotective properties. Regarding the in vivo study, we investigated the effect of DMC, CM, and BDMC on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) caused by a methionine choline deficient (MCD)-diet in the C57BL/6J mice model. From the in vitro and in vivo results, curcumin derivatives alleviated MCD-diet-induced lipid accumulation as well as high triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) levels, and the protein and gene expression of the transcription factors related to liver adipogenesis were suppressed. Furthermore, in MCD-diet mice, curcumin derivatives suppressed the upregulation of toll-like receptors (TLRs) and the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In conclusion, our findings indicated that all of the three curcuminoids exerted a hepatoprotective effect in the HepG2 cell model and the MCD-diet-induced NAFLD model, suggesting a potential for curcuminoids derived from turmeric as novel therapeutic agents for NAFLD.

Impact of intratumoral heterogeneity on the metabolic profiling of breast cancer tissue using high-resolution magic angle spinning magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

High-resolution magic angle spinning (HR-MAS) magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) is a useful metabolic profiling technique for human tissue. However, the impact of intratumoral heterogeneity on the metabolite levels of breast cancers is not yet established. The purpose of this prospective study was to investigate whether the tumor cell fraction of core needle biopsy (CNB) specimens of breast cancers affect metabolic profiles assessed with HR-MAS MRS. From June 2015 to December 2016, 46 patients with 47 breast cancers were enrolled. HR-MAS MRS was used for the metabolic profiling of 285 CNB specimens from the 47 cancers. Multiple CNB samples (range 2-8) for the HR-MAS MRS experiment were obtained from surgical specimens under ultrasound guidance following surgical removal of the tumor. Tumor cell fraction was expressed as a percentage of the tumor cell volume relative to the total tumor volume contained in each CNB sample. Metabolite quantification levels were compared according to primary tumor characteristics using the t-test. Multivariate analyses were performed including primary tumor characteristics and tumor cell percentages as variables. Correlations between tumor cell percentage and metabolite levels in the CNB specimens were assessed according to the immunohistochemical status of the primary tumor. In univariate analysis, levels of choline-containing compounds, glutamate, glutamine, glycine, serine, and taurine were correlated with primary tumor characteristics. In multivariate analysis, most metabolite levels were not affected by tumor cell percentage. Tumor cell percentage showed poor correlation with metabolite levels in hormone receptor-positive cancer and triple-negative cancer, and poor to fair correlation with metabolite levels in HER2-positive cancer. This study showed that differences in the tumor cell fraction of CNB samples do not affect predictions on the primary cancer from which the samples are obtained.

Neurotrophic and anti-neuroinflammatory constituents from the aerial parts of Coriandrum sativum.

In the course of our continuing search for biologically active compounds from medicinal sources, we investigated the MeOH extract of the aerial parts of Coriandrum sativum Linn. An extended phytochemical investigation of the aerial parts of C. sativum led to the isolation and identification of seven compounds (1-7) including two new isocoumarin glycosides (1-2) and a new phenolic glycoside (5). The chemical structures of the new compounds (1, 2, and 5) were elucidated by analysis of 1D and 2D NMR (1H and 13C NMR, COSY, HSQC, and HMBC) and HRESIMS data as well as by using chemical methods. All the isolates were evaluated not only for their potential neurotrophic activity by means of induction of nerve growth factor (NGF) in C6 glioma cells but also for production of nitric oxide (NO) levels in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated murine microglia BV-2 cells to assess their anti-neuroinflammatory activity. Compounds 1-3 and 7 were stimulants of NGF release, with levels of NGF stimulated at 127.23 ± 1.89%, 128.22 ± 5.45%, 121.23 ± 6.66%, and 120.94 ± 3.97%, respectively. Furthermore, the aglycones of 1 and 2 (1a and 2a) showed more potent NGF secretion activity and anti-neuroinflammatory effect than did their glycosides (1a : 130.81 ± 5.45% and 2a : 134.44 ± 5.45%).

Prevalence and Correlates of Family Cancer History Knowledge and Communication Among US Adults.

INTRODUCTION: Knowing one's family cancer history (FCH) plays an important role in cancer prevention. Communicating health histories with relatives can increase awareness about familial cancer risk and aid health care providers in personalizing cancer prevention recommendations. METHODS: This study used data from the National Cancer Institute's 2018 Health Information National Trends Survey. We calculated frequencies and weighted population estimates for key FCH communication variables. Multivariable logistic regression models estimated associations between sociodemographic characteristics and FCH communication. RESULTS: Findings provide the first nationally representative estimates of FCH communication. Less than one-third (31.1%) of the population reported knowing FCH very well, 70.0% had discussed FCH with at least 1 biological relative, 39.0% had discussed FCH with a health care provider, and 22.2% reported being completely confident in completing FCH on medical forms. Findings also identified key demographic factors, including sex, household income, education level, and race and ethnicity, associated with these FCH measures among the US adult population. CONCLUSION: Results can be used to target and tailor FCH communication interventions for patients, families, and providers.

Co-Expression Network Analysis of Spleen Transcriptome in Rock Bream (Oplegnathus fasciatus) Naturally Infected with Rock Bream Iridovirus (RBIV).

Rock bream iridovirus (RBIV) is a notorious agent that causes high mortality in aquaculture of rock bream (Oplegnathus fasciatus). Despite severity of this virus, no transcriptomic studies on RBIV-infected rock bream that can provide fundamental information on protective mechanism against the virus have been reported so far. This study aimed to investigate physiological mechanisms between host and RBIV through transcriptomic changes in the spleen based on RNA-seq. Depending on infection intensity and sampling time point, fish were divided into five groups: uninfected healthy fish at week 0 as control (0C), heavy infected fish at week 0 (0H), heavy mixed RBIV and bacterial infected fish at week 0 (0MH), uninfected healthy fish at week 3 (3C), and light infected fish at week 3 (3L). We explored clusters from 35,861 genes with Fragments Per Kilo-base of exon per Million mapped fragments (FPKM) values of 0.01 or more through signed co-expression network analysis using WGCNA package. Nine of 22 modules were highly correlated with viral infection (|gene significance (GS) vs. module membership (MM) |> 0.5, p-value < 0.05). Expression patterns in selected modules were divided into two: heavy infected (0H and 0MH) and control and light-infected groups (0C, 3C, and 3L). In functional analysis, genes in two positive modules (5448 unigenes) were enriched in cell cycle, DNA replication, transcription, and translation, and increased glycolysis activity. Seven negative modules (3517 unigenes) built in this study showed significant decreases in the expression of genes in lymphocyte-mediated immune system, antigen presentation, and platelet activation, whereas there was significant increased expression of endogenous apoptosis-related genes. These changes lead to RBIV proliferation and failure of host defense, and suggests the importance of blood cells such as thrombocytes and B cells in rock bream in RBIV infection. Interestingly, a hub gene, pre-mRNA processing factor 19 (PRPF19) showing high connectivity (kME), and expression of this gene using qRT-PCR was increased in rock bream blood cells shortly after RBIV was added. It might be a potential biomarker for diagnosis and vaccine studies in rock bream against RBIV. This transcriptome approach and our findings provide new insight into the understanding of global rock bream-RBIV interactions including immune and pathogenesis mechanisms.

A Comparative Study on Processed Panax ginseng Products Using HR-MAS NMR-Based Metabolomics.

Panax ginseng is processed to diversify efficacy. Four processed ginsengs containing white ginseng (WG), tae-geuk ginseng (TG), red ginseng (RG), and black ginseng (BG) were analyzed using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy for screening overall primary metabolites. There were significant differences in the sugar content among these four processed ginseng products. WG had a high sucrose content, TG had a high maltose content, and BG had high fructose and glucose content. In the multivariate analyses of NMR spectra, the PCA score plot showed significant discrimination between the four processed ginsengs. For effective clustering, orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analyses (OPLS-DA) with a 1:1 comparison were conducted and all OPLS models were validated using the permutation test, the root mean square error of estimation (RMSEE), and the root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP). All OPLS-DA score plots showed clear separations of processed ginseng products, and sugars such as sucrose and fructose mainly contributed to these separations.

LC-MS-Based Lipidomic Analysis of Serum Samples from Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats Treated with an Extract of Acanthopanax sessiliflorus Fruits.

Recently, lipidomics has revealed that many diseases are highly associated with altered lipid metabolism, as in the case of hypertension affecting serum lipid metabolism. In this study, an LC-MS-based lipidomic approach was used to profile serum lipids in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) treated with an extract of Acanthopanax sessiliflorus fruits (ASF), to elucidate the serum lipid metabolism alteration by hypertension and the treatment of a drug or ASF. First, UPLC-QTOF/MS profiled a total of 208 lipids from six pooled samples of normal controls, SHR, SHR + 100 mg/kg of drug, and SHR + ASF 200, 400, or 600 mg/kg. These six groups were differentiated by the PCA and sPLS-DA, and 120 lipid species were identified as differentially regulated lipids (DRLs) by ANOVA (p values < 0.05). Second, UPLC-QqQ/MS was used for the target profiling of 120 DRLs from individual samples of the six groups. Using an ANOVA, 67 lipids (38 TGs, 4 DGs, 17 PCs, 2 PEs, and 6 LPCs) were selected as validated DRLs. The mostly altered lipids, such as TG (62:13), TG (60:13), PC (34:4), PC (36:5), and PC (38:2), were decreased in SHR compared to the normal control, and received little by treatment with ASF. These results demonstrated the correlation between hypertension and serum lipid metabolism. Furthermore, both drug and ASF treatment similarly altered the lipid profiles of SHRs. Finally, we found that DRLs have the potential to help us to interpret the lipid metabolism of hypertension.