Heterozygous Seryl-tRNA Synthetase 1 Variants Cause Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease.

OBJECTIVE: Despite the increasing number of genes associated with Charcot-Marie-Tooth (CMT) disease, many patients currently still lack appropriate genetic diagnosis for this disease. Autosomal dominant mutations in aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (ARSs) have been implicated in CMT. Here, we describe causal missense mutations in the gene encoding seryl-tRNA synthetase 1 (SerRS) for 3 families affected with CMT. METHODS: Whole-exome sequencing was performed in 16 patients and 14 unaffected members of 3 unrelated families. The functional impact of the genetic variants identified was investigated using bioinformatic prediction tools and confirmed using cellular and biochemical assays. RESULTS: Combined linkage analysis for the 3 families revealed significant linkage (Zmax LOD = 6.9) between the genomic co-ordinates on chromosome 1: 108681600-110300504. Within the linkage region, heterozygous SerRS missense variants segregated with the clinical phenotype in the 3 families. The mutant SerRS proteins exhibited reduced aminoacylation activity and abnormal SerRS dimerization, which suggests the impairment of total protein synthesis and induction of eIF2α phosphorylation. INTERPRETATION: Our findings suggest the heterozygous SerRS variants identified represent a novel cause for autosomal dominant CMT. Mutant SerRS proteins are known to impact various molecular and cellular functions. Our findings provide significant advances on the current understanding of the molecular mechanisms associated with ARS-related CMT. ANN NEUROL 2023;93:244-256.

A comprehensive investigation on the chemical changes of traditional Chinese medicine with classic processing technology: Polygonum multiflorum under nine cycles of steaming and sunning as a case study.

The processing of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) plays an important role in the clinical application, which usually has the function of "increasing efficiency and reducing toxicity". Polygonum multiflorum (PM) has been reported to induce hepatotoxicity, while it is believed that the toxicity is reduced after processing. Studies have shown that the hepatotoxicity of PM is closely related to the changes in chemical components before and after processing. However, there is no comprehensive investigation on the chemical changes of PM during the processing progress. In this research, we established a comprehensive method to profile both small molecule compounds and polysaccharides from raw and different processed PM samples. In detail, an online two-dimensional liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole-orbitrap mass spectrometry (2D-LC/Q-Orbitrap MS) was utilized to investigate the small molecules, and a total of 150 compounds were characterized successfully. After multivariate statistical analysis, 49 differential compounds between raw and processed products were screened out. Furthermore, an accurate and comprehensive method for quantification of differential compounds in PM samples was established based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography/Q-Orbitrap-MS (UHPLC/Q-Orbitrap-MS) within 16 min. In addition, the changes of polysaccharides in different PM samples were analyzed, and it was found that the addition of black beans and steaming times would affect the content and composition of polysaccharides in PM significantly. Our work provided a reference basis for revealing the scientific connotation of the processing technology and increasing the quality control and safety of PM.

The pleiotropic functions of intracellular hydrophobins in aerial hyphae and fungal spores.

Higher fungi can rapidly produce large numbers of spores suitable for aerial dispersal. The efficiency of the dispersal and spore resilience to abiotic stresses correlate with their hydrophobicity provided by the unique amphiphilic and superior surface-active proteins-hydrophobins (HFBs)-that self-assemble at hydrophobic/hydrophilic interfaces and thus modulate surface properties. Using the HFB-enriched mold Trichoderma (Hypocreales, Ascomycota) and the HFB-free yeast Pichia pastoris (Saccharomycetales, Ascomycota), we revealed that the rapid release of HFBs by aerial hyphae shortly prior to conidiation is associated with their intracellular accumulation in vacuoles and/or lipid-enriched organelles. The occasional internalization of the latter organelles in vacuoles can provide the hydrophobic/hydrophilic interface for the assembly of HFB layers and thus result in the formation of HFB-enriched vesicles and vacuolar multicisternal structures (VMSs) putatively lined up by HFBs. These HFB-enriched vesicles and VMSs can become fused in large tonoplast-like organelles or move to the periplasm for secretion. The tonoplast-like structures can contribute to the maintenance of turgor pressure in aerial hyphae supporting the erection of sporogenic structures (e.g., conidiophores) and provide intracellular force to squeeze out HFB-enriched vesicles and VMSs from the periplasm through the cell wall. We also show that the secretion of HFBs occurs prior to the conidiation and reveal that the even spore coating of HFBs deposited in the extracellular matrix requires microscopic water droplets that can be either guttated by the hyphae or obtained from the environment. Furthermore, we demonstrate that at least one HFB, HFB4 in T. guizhouense, is produced and secreted by wetted spores. We show that this protein possibly controls spore dormancy and contributes to the water sensing mechanism required for the detection of germination conditions. Thus, intracellular HFBs have a range of pleiotropic functions in aerial hyphae and spores and are essential for fungal development and fitness.

Comprehensive quality control of Qingjin Yiqi granule based on UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS and UPLC-QQQ-MS.

INTRODUCTION: Qingjin Yiqi granule (QYG) is a prescription medicine of traditional Chinese medicine which is widely used clinically for the recovery of coronavirus patients. However, there is currently limited research on the quality control of QYG. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the quality of QYG qualitatively and quantitatively by making full use of advanced chromatography-mass spectrometry techniques. METHODS: Firstly, a multicomponent characterisation of QYG was performed by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a Q Exactive™ hybrid quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS) system using a rapid negative/positive switching mode. Secondly, the co-condition fingerprint analysis of constituted herbal medicines of QYG was performed to unveil active ingredients as the quality markers of QYG. Thirdly, the marker compounds in 10 batches of QYG were quantified by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with a Waters Xevo TQ-S triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UPLC-QQQ-MS) system. RESULTS: A comprehensive method that combined the inclusion list and data-dependent acquisition (DDA) to achieve a systematic characterisation of QYG was established by UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS. After analysis based on Compound Discoverer software and Global Natural Products Social (GNPS) platform, a total of 332 compounds were detected. Eleven Q-markers were determined for the quality evaluation of QYG by comparison with the fingerprint of nine constituted herbal medicines. An adjusted multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) quantification method was further established to simultaneously determine the 11 Q-markers for holistic quality evaluation of QYG. CONCLUSION: This is the first study to report comprehensive multicomponent characterisation, identification, and quality assessment of QYG, which could be used for effective guarantee of the quality of QYG.

mEosEM withstands osmium staining and Epon embedding for super-resolution CLEM.

Super-resolution correlative light and electron microscopy (SR-CLEM) is a powerful approach for imaging specific molecules at the nanoscale in the context of the cellular ultrastructure. Epon epoxy resin embedding offers advantages for SR-CLEM, including ultrastructural preservation and high quality sectioning. However, Epon embedding eliminates fluorescence from most fluorescent proteins. We describe a photocontrollable fluorescent protein, mEosEM, that can survive Epon embedding after osmium tetroxide (OsO4) treatment for improved SR-CLEM.

Integrated metabolic and transcriptomic profiles reveal the germination-associated dynamic changes for the seeds of Cassia obtusifolia L.

INTRODUCTION: The seeds of Cassia obtusifolia L. (Cassiae [C.] semen) have been widely used as both food and traditional Chinese medicine in China. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to analyze the metabolic mechanisms underlying C. semen germination. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Different samples of C. semen at various germination stages were collected. These samples were subjected to 1 H-NMR and UHPLC/Q-Orbitrap-MS-based untargeted metabolomics analysis together with transcriptomics analysis. RESULTS: A total of 50 differential metabolites (mainly amino acids and sugars) and 20 key genes involved in multiple pathways were identified in two comparisons of different groups (36 h vs 12 h and 84 h vs 36 h). The metabolite-gene network for seed germination was depicted. In the germination of C. semen, fructose and mannose metabolism was activated in the testa rupture period, indicating more energy was needed (36 h). In the embryonic axis elongation period (84 h), the pentose and glucuronate interconversions pathway and the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway were activated, which suggested some nutrient sources (nitrogen and sugar) were in demand. Furthermore, oxygen, energy, and nutrition should be supplied throughout the whole germination process. These global views open up an integrated perspective for understanding the complex biological regulatory mechanisms during the germination process of C. semen.

Discovery of metabolic markers for the discrimination of Helwingia species based on bioactivity evaluation, plant metabolomics, and network pharmacology.

RATIONALE: Helwingia japonica (HJ), a traditional medicinal plant, is commonly used for the treatment of dysentery, blood in the stool, and scald burns. Three major HJ species, Helwingia japonica (Thunb.) Dietr. (QJY), Helwingia himalaica Hook. f. et Thoms. ex C. B. Clarke, and Helwingia chinensis Batal., share great similarities in both morphology and chemical constituents. The discrimination of medicinal plants directly affects their pharmacological and clinical effects. Here, we solved the taxonomy uncertainty of these three HJ species and explored the discrimination and study of other traditional medicines (TMs). METHODS: First, the anti-inflammatory effects of the three HJ species were compared using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory responses in mouse leukemia cells of monocyte macrophage (RAW) 264.7 cells. Then, plant metabolomics were performed in 48 batches of samples to discover chemical markers for discriminating different HJ species. Finally, network pharmacology was applied to explore the linkages among constituents, targets, and signaling pathways. RESULTS: In vitro experiments showed that the QJY exhibited the most potential anti-inflammatory activities. Meanwhile, 172 compounds were tentatively identified and eight metabolites with higher relative content in QJY were designated as chemical markers to distinguish QJY and the other two species. According to the property of absorbed in vivo, threonic acid, arginine, and tyrosine were selected to construct a component-target-pathway network. The network pharmacology analysis confirmed that the chemotaxonomy differentiation was consistent with the bioactive assessment. CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrates that bioactivity evaluation integrated with plant metabolomics and network pharmacology could be used as an effective approach to discriminate different TMs and discover the active compounds.

Strategy of combining offline 2D LC-MS with LC-DIA-MS/MS to accurately identify chemical compounds and for quality control of Dioscorea septemloba Thunb.

INTRODUCTION: Dioscorea septemloba Thunb. (DST), the rhizome of Dioscorea spongiosa J. Q. Xi, M. Mizuno et W. L. Zhao or Fuzhou Dioscorea futschauensis Uline ex R. Kunth, has multiple biological activities. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to comprehensively characterize the chemical composition of DST and develop a quality control method. METHODS: Based on a UHPLC/Q-Orbitrap-MS platform, we developed an offline 2D LC-MS method (HILIC×RPLC) to characterize the chemical constituents in the 75% ethanol extract of DST at first. Secondly, a data-independent acquisition mode (DIA) was further established to conduct rapid qualitative analysis of compounds in DST from different habitats. Then, six differential compounds were screened out and selected as quantitative markers by UPLC-QQQ-MS to evaluate the content of DST from different habitats. RESULTS: In total, 137 compounds were identified in DST by combining offline 2D LC-MS with LC-DIA-MS/MS. Then, simultaneous targeted/non-targeted scanning technology was established based on the precursor ion list. Finally, six compounds, including dioscin, gracillin, pseduoprotodioscin, pseudoprotogracillin, protodioscin, and protogracillin, were accurately determined. The method validation showed a good linear relationship in the concentration range investigated (R2 > 0.999). The average recovery ranged from 86% to 107.5%, and LOD and LOQ were between 0.01 and 0.40 µg·mL-1 . CONCLUSION: Our strategy integrating offline 2D LC-MS and the DIA mode could effectively separate and identify compounds from DST, indicating it can be used in subsequent compounds characterization studies. At the same time, the quality of DST was comprehensively and systematically evaluated.

Discovery and optimization of selective RET inhibitors via scaffold hopping.

Aberrant alterations of rearranged during transfection (RET) have been identified as actionable drivers of multiple cancers, including thyroid carcinoma and lung cancer. Currently, several approved multikinase inhibitors such as vandetanib and cabozantinib demonstrate clinical activity in patients with RET-rearranged or RET-mutant cancers. However, the observed response rates are only modest and the 'off-target' toxicities resulted from the inhibition of other kinases is also a concern. Herein, we designed and synthesized a series of RET inhibitors based on the structure of selective RET inhibitor BLU-667 and investigated their biological activities. We identified compound 9 as a novel potent and selective RET inhibitor with improved drug-like properties. Compound 9 exhibits a selective inhibitory profile with an inhibitory concentration 50 (IC50) of 1.29 nM for RET and 1.97 (RET V804M) or 0.99 (RET M918T) for mutant RETs. The proliferation of Ba/F3 cells transformed with NSCLC related KIF5B-RET fusion was effectively suppressed by compound 9 (IC50 = 19 nM). Additionally, compound 9 displayed less 'off-target' effects than BLU-667. In mouse xenograft models, compound 9 repressed tumor growth driven by KIF5B-RET-Ba/F3 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Based on its exceptional kinase selectivity, good potency and high exposure in tumor tissues, compound 9 represents a promising lead for the discovery of RET directed therapeutic agents and the study of RET-driven tumor biology.

Multiple component-pharmacokinetic studies on 10 bioactive constituents of Peiyuan Tongnao capsule using parallel reaction monitoring mode.

Peiyuan Tongnao capsule (PTC) plays an important role in clinical application due to its excellent curative efficacy in the treatment of ischemic stroke and chronic cerebral circulation insufficiency. To standardize and rationalize the clinical application of PTC, a rapid and sensitive method based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography/quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometry with parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) mode was developed and validated for the pharmacokinetic (PK) study. Ten bioactive compounds (aucubin, salidroside, echinacoside, paeoniflorin, verbascoside, liquiritin, 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxy stilbene-2-O-ß-d-glucoside, coumarin, glycyrrhizic acid, and emodin) were simultaneously determined in rat plasma. All calibration curves exhibited good linearity (r2 > 0.99). The lower limits of quantification were 0.082-13.291 ng mL-1 . The intra- and inter-day precision was 0.54-12.36%, whereas the intra- and inter-day accuracy ranged from 100.45 to 114.00%. The mean extraction recoveries were 81.77-117.66%, and the average matrix effects (MEs) were 86.23-109.96%. The high extraction recoveries and acceptable MEs indicated that the pretreatment method was feasible. And the stability was acceptable under various storage conditions and processing procedures. The validated method was successfully applied to the multiple components-PK studies, which lay the foundation for further pharmacological and clinical research of PTC and may provide a reference for other traditional Chinese medicines.

Fast Super-Resolution Imaging Technique and Immediate Early Nanostructure Capturing by a Photoconvertible Fluorescent Protein.

Low temporal resolution and limited photocontrollable fluorescent protein probes have restricted the widespread application of single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM). In the current study, we developed a new photoconvertible fluorescent protein (PCFP), pcStar, and quick single molecule-guided Bayesian localization microscopy (Quick-SIMBA). The combination of pcStar and Quick-SIMBA achieved the highest temporal resolution (0.1-0.25 s) with large field-of-view (76 × 9.4 µm2 -76 × 31.4 µm2) among the SMLM methods, which enabled the dynamic movements of the endoplasmic reticulum dense tubular matrix to be resolved. Moreover, pcStar extended the application of SMLM to imaging the immediate early nanostructures in Drosophila embryos and revealed a specific "parallel three-pillar" structure in the neuronal-glial cell junction, helping to elucidate glial cell "locking" and support of neurons during Drosophila embryogenesis.

Rapid identification of chemical composition and metabolites of Pingxiao Capsule in vivo using molecular networking and untargeted data-dependent tandem mass spectrometry.

Pingxiao capsule (PXC) is a herbal medicine used for adjuvant therapy in breast cancer. However, the constituents and absorbed components of the formula and their related metabolites have not been elucidated to date. PXC is a typical traditional Chinese medicine formula consisting of Strychnos nux-vomica L., Curcuma wenyujin Y. H., Agrimonia pilosa Ledeb., Toxicodendron vernicifluum, Trogopterus dung, alumen, potassium nitrate (saltpeter) and Citrus aurantium L. In this study, a ultra-high performance liquid chromatography system equipped with high resolution Q-Orbitrap mass spectrometry (MS) and comparative Global Natural Product Social molecular networking together with the Compound Discoverer software were used to identify metabolites of PXC in vitro and in vivo. Based on untargeted data-dependent MS2 and data-mining techniques, 89 peaks of alkaloids, flavonoids, organic acid and phenolic compounds were identified in a PXC 70% methanol extract. Furthermore, 15 absorbed prototype compounds and their metabolites were rapidly confirmed in rat blood. Glucuronidation, oxidation, methylation and hydroxylation were the main metabolic pathways. We fully clarified the chemical constituents of PXC and provided a scientific and efficient strategy for rapid discovery and identification of prototypes and their metabolites in rat plasma using high-resolution MS aided by Global Natural Product Social and Compound Discoverer software.

Preclinical evaluation of Amphihevir, a first-in-class clinical Hepatitis C virus NS4B inhibitor.

Amphihevir, a benzofuran derivative, is the first reported NS4B inhibitor that has advanced to clinical trials (currently in Phase Ib). Here, we report the results of a preclinical study of its potency, toxicity, selectivity, DMPK, and safety profiles. Amphihevir displayed good antiviral activities against genotype 1a (EC50=0.34 nM) and genotype 1b (EC50=1.97 nM) replicons and evident cytotoxicity in twelve strains of cell lines derived from animals and humans. Amphihevir was found to be inactive against other viruses, human kinases, and GPCRs, which implies its good selectivity. A 9-day long-term treatment of genotype 1b replicon with Amphihevir resulted in a 3.8 Log10 decline of the hepatitis C viral RNA at a concentration of 25×EC90 Drug resistance screening showed that mutations occurred at H94, F98, and V105 of NS4B, which mediated the resistance to Amphihevir. This result suggests that NS4B is the main target of Amphihevir. There was no cross-resistances between Amphihevir and NS5A, NS3/4A, and NS5B inhibitors, suggesting that Amphihevir on combination of other anti- hepatitis C virus drugs could treat hepatitis C, as proven by studies of Amphihevir and other hepatitis C virus inhibitors. Pharmacokinetic studies demonstrated that Amphihevir has good oral bioavailability and appropriate T1/2 in rats and dogs, thereby supporting its use once per day. Finally, Amphihevir showed good safety profiles in rats and dogs. The results shed light on the use of Amphihevir as a potential treatment option for chronic hepatitis C patients.

Systematic quality evaluation of Peiyuan Tongnao capsule by offline two-dimensional liquid chromatography/quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometry and adjusted parallel reaction monitoring of quality markers.

Peiyuan Tongnao capsule (PTC) is a prescription medicine of traditional Chinese medicine with the effects of "nourishing the kidney," "replenishing essence," "extinguishing wind," and "opening the meridian". PTC is also widely used in clinic for the treatment of stroke and chronic cerebral circulation insufficiency. However, the quality control studies of PTC are hitherto quite limited. Here, we aim to fully utilize an advanced chromatography-mass spectrometry hyphenation technique to qualitatively and quantitatively evaluate the quality of PTC. Firstly, a two-dimensional liquid chromatography/quadrupole-Orbitrap mass spectrometry (2D-LC/Q-Orbitrap-MS) approach was established for multicomponent characterization. An offline 2D-LC system fitted with an Xbridge Amide column and an HSS T3 column showed an orthogonality of 0.63 and a theoretical peak capacity of 6930. Eleven fractions of PTC, after hydrophilic interaction chromatography (first dimension), were further analyzed by reversed-phase ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography/Q-Orbitrap-MS (UHPLC/Q-Orbitrap-MS, second dimension) using a rapid negative/positive switching mode. Consequently, 178 compounds were separated, 96 of which were identified or tentatively characterized. Secondly, co-condition fingerprint analysis of seven constituted herbal medicines of PTC was performed to unveil ten active ingredients (citric acid, rehmannioside D, echinacoside, paeoniflorin, verbascoside, liquiritin, 2,3,5,4'-tetrahydroxystilbene-2-O-ß-D-glucoside, cinnamic aldehyde, glycyrrhizic acid, and emodin) as the quality markers of PTC. Thirdly, a UHPLC/PRMad (adjusted parallel reaction monitoring) method was established and validated to quantify the ten marker compounds in 14 batches of PTC. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to report comprehensive multicomponent characterization, authentication, and quality evaluation of PTC, which could be used to lay the foundation for quality control, biological efficacy research, and further development. Graphical abstract.

Epon Post Embedding Correlative Light and Electron Microscopy.

Correlative light and electron microscopy (CLEM) is a comprehensive microscopy that combines the localization information provided by fluorescence microscopy (FM) and the context of cellular ultrastructure acquired by electron microscopy (EM). CLEM is a trade-off between fluorescence and ultrastructure, and usually, ultrastructure compromises fluorescence. Compared with other hydrophilic embedding resins, such as glycidyl methacrylate, HM20, or K4M, Epon is superior in ultrastructure preservation and sectioning properties. Previously, we had demonstrated that mEosEM can survive osmium tetroxide fixation and Epon embedding. Using mEosEM, we achieved, for the first time, Epon post embedding CLEM, which maintains the fluorescence and the ultrastructure simultaneously. Here, we provide step-by-step details about the EM sample preparation, the FM imaging, the EM imaging, and the image alignment. We also improve the procedures for identifying the same cell imaged by FM imaging during the EM imaging and detail the registration between the FM and EM images. We believe one can easily achieve Epon post embedding correlative light and electron microscopy following this new protocol in traditional EM facilities.

Fingerprinting and characterization of the polysaccharides from Polygonatum odoratum and the in vitro fermented effects on Lactobacillus johnsonii.

Polygonatum odoratum (Yu-Zhu) can be utilized to treat the digestive and respiratory illness. Previous studies have revealed that the underlying therapeutic mechanism of P. odoratum polysaccharides (POPs) is associated with remodeling the gut microbiota. However, POPs in terms of the chemical composition and fermentation activities have been understudied. Here we developed the three-level fingerprinting approaches to characterize the structures of POPs and probed into the beneficial effects on promoting the growth and fermentation of Lactobacillus johnsonii. POPs were prepared by water decoction followed by alcohol sedimentation, while trifluoroacetic acid under different conditions to prepare the hydrolyzed oligosaccharides and monosaccharides. POPs exhibited three main molecular distribution of 601-620 kDa, 4.12-6.09 kDa, and 3.57-6.02 kDa. Hydrolyzed oligosaccharides with degree of polymerization (DP) 2-13 got primarily characterized by analyzing the rich fragmentation information obtained by hydrophilic interaction chromatography/ion mobility-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HILIC/IM-QTOF-MS). Amongst them, the DP5 oligosaccharide was characterized as 1,6,6-kestopentaose. The molecular ratio of Fru: Ara: Glc: Gal: Xyl was 87.72: 0.30: 11.56: 0.19: 0.23. In vitro fermentation demonstrated that 4.5 mg/mL of POPs could significantly promote the growth of L. johnsonii. Co-cultivated with 4.5 mg/mL of POPs, L. johnsonii exhibited stronger antimicrobial activity against Klebsiella pneumoniae. The concentrations of short-chain fatty acids in the POPs-lactobacilli fermented products, including acetic acid, isobutyric acid, and isovaleric acid, were increased. Conclusively, POPs represent the promising prebiotic candidate to facilitate lactobacilli, which is associated with exerting the health benefits.

ESCRT-I protein UBAP1 controls ventricular expansion and cortical neurogenesis via modulating adherens junctions of radial glial cells.

Intricate cerebral cortex formation is orchestrated by the precise behavior and division dynamics of radial glial cells (RGCs). Endocytosis functions in the recycling and remodeling of adherens junctions (AJs) in response to changes in RGC activity and function. Here, we show that conditional disruption of ubiquitin-associated protein 1 (UBAP1), a component of endosomal sorting complex required for transport (ESCRT), causes severe brain dysplasia and prenatal ventriculomegaly. UBAP1 depletion disrupts the AJs and polarity of RGCs, leading to failure of apically directed interkinetic nuclear migration. Accordingly, UBAP1 knockout or knockdown results in reduced proliferation and precocious differentiation of neural progenitor cells. Mechanistically, UBAP1 regulates the expression and surface localization of cell adhesion molecules, and ß-catenin over-expression significantly rescues the phenotypes of Ubap1 knockdown in vivo. Our study reveals a critical physiological role of the ESCRT machinery in cortical neurogenesis by regulating AJs of RGCs.

Detection of pTDP-43 via routine muscle biopsy: A promising diagnostic biomarker for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease, pathologically characterized by TDP-43 aggregates. Recent evidence has been indicated that phosphorylated TDP-43 (pTDP-43) is present not only in motor neurons but also in muscle tissues. However, it is unclear whether testing pTDP-43 aggregation in muscle tissue would assist in the diagnosis of ALS. We propose three key questions: (i) Is aggregation of pTDP-43 detectable in routine biopsied muscles? (ii) Can detection of pTDP-43 aggregation discriminate between ALS and non-ALS patients? (iii) Can pTDP-43 aggregation be observed in the early stages of ALS? We conducted a diagnostic study comprising 2 groups: an ALS group in which 18 cases underwent muscle biopsy screened from a registered ALS cohort consisting of 802 patients and a non-ALS control group, in which we randomly selected 54 muscle samples from a biospecimen bank of 684 patients. Among the 18 ALS patients, 3 patients carried pathological GGGGCC repeats in the C9ORF72 gene, 2 patients carried SOD1 mutations, and 7 patients were at an early stage with only one body region clinically affected. The pTDP-43 accumulation could be detected in routine biopsied muscles, including biceps brachii, deltoid, tibialis anterior, and quadriceps. Abnormal aggregation of pTDP-43 was present in 94.4% of ALS patients (17/18) compared to 29.6% of non-ALS controls (16/54; p < 0.001). The pTDP-43 aggregates were mainly close to the sarcolemma. Using a semi-quantified pTDP-43 aggregates score, we applied a cut-off value of 3 as a diagnostic biomarker, resulting in a sensitivity of 94.4% and a specificity of 83.3%. Moreover, we observed that accumulation of pTDP-43 occurred in muscle tissues prior to clinical symptoms and electromyographic lesions. Our study provides proof-of-concept for the detection of pTDP-43 accumulation via routine muscle biopsy which may serve as a novel biomarker for diagnosis of ALS.

Comprehensive investigation on the metabolism of emodin both in vivo and in vitro.

Emodin is a natural anthraquinone, which displays numerous pharmacological activities, including anti-tumor, anti-inflammation and immunosuppression. However, there was no comprehensive study on its absorption, metabolism, distribution, and excretion. In order to further evaluation on the possibility of drug development of emodin, both in vivo and in vitro experiments were fulfilled in this study. The results showed that the absolute bioavailability of emodin is approximately 3.2%. Furthermore, about 56% of emodin was unabsorbed and mainly excreted into feces as prototype. The absorb constituent could be rapidly metabolized as hydroxylated and glucuronidated metabolites. Both prototype and metabolites of emodin absorbed into the body circulation were predominantly distributed in kidney. Hydroxyed metabolites were predominantly excreted via urine and feces and glucuronidated metabolites were predominantly excreted via urine and bile. CYP1A2, CYP2E1, UGT1A1, UGT1A9, and UGT2B7 played a key role in the metabolism of emodin in liver microsomes of rats. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first comprehensive study on the absorption, metabolism, distribution, and excretion of emodin, and our results could help to understand both pharmaceutical and toxicological effects of emodin greatly.

A Comprehensive Study on the Chemical Constituents and Pharmacokinetics of Erzhi Formula and Jiawei Erzhi Formula Based on Targeted and Untargeted LC-MS Analysis.

BACKGROUND: Erzhi formula (EZF) is a traditional Chinese medicine prescription, which has been widely used in the treatment of osteoporosis and premature ovarian failure. OBJECTIVE: To enhance curative effects, the other two herbal medicines, including Spatholobi Caulis (SC) and Achyranthes bidentata Blume (ABB), were added into the original EZF formula to obtain two new Jiawei-EZF (JW-EZF) preparations. To clarify the effect of the compatibility of herbs for original formulas, the chemical constituents and bioactive compounds in vivo were detected. METHODS: An efficient and sensitive targeted and untargeted UHPLC/ESI-Q-Orbitrap MS method, together with mass defect filter and precursor ion list, was established firstly for the profiling of different EZF formulas. Furthermore, eleven absorbed compounds (apigenin, luteoloside, luteolin, oleuropein, wedelolactone, acteoside, specnuezhenide, 11-methyloleoside, ecliptasaponin A, formononetin, and ß-ecdysone) were simultaneously quantified in rat plasma. RESULTS: A total of 124, 162, and 177 compounds were identified or tentatively identified in EZF, JW-3-EZF (EZF+SC) and JW-4-EZF (EZF+SC+ABB), respectively. 110 compounds were found to be common constituents in the three formulas. Moreover, 66 prototypes were unambiguously identified in the rats' plasma after oral administration of the three formulas using the same strategy. 11 out of the 66 absorbed components were simultaneously quantitated in the pharmacokinetic (PK) study. Compared to the original EZF, the plasma AUC(0-24h) and AUC(0-∞) of apigenin, 11-methyloleoside, luteolin, luteoloside, wedelolactone, and acteoside were found to be significantly increased after oral administration of JW-3-EZF, and plasma AUC(0-24h) and AUC(0-∞) of apigenin, wedelolactone, and acteoside, were also found to be significantly increased after JW-4-EZF administration. CONCLUSION: The combined qualitative and quantitative methods were used to provide a potential approach to the characterization and quality control of the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) and its preparations.