Genome skimming as an efficient tool for authenticating commercial products of the pharmaceutically important Paris yunnanensis (Melanthiaceae).

BACKGROUND: Paris yunnanensis (Melanthiaceae) is a traditional Chinese medicinal plant of significant pharmaceutical importance. Due to previous taxonomic confusion, a congeneric species, Paris liiana, has been mistaken for P. yunnanensis and cultivated on a large scale, leading to the mixing of commercial products (i.e., seedlings and processed rhizomes) of P. yunnanensis with those of P. liiana. This may have adverse effects on quality control in the standardization of P. yunnanensis productions. As the lack of PCR amplifiable genomic DNA within processed rhizomes is an intractable obstacle to the authentication of P. yunnanensis products using PCR-based diagnostic tools, this study aimed to develop a PCR-free method to authenticate commercial P. yunnanensis products, by applying genome skimming to generate complete plastomes and nrDNA arrays for use as the molecular tags. RESULTS: Based on a dense intraspecies sampling of P. liiana and P. yunnanensis, the robustness of the proposed authentication systems was evaluated by phylogenetic inferences and experimental authentication of commercial seedling and processed rhizome samples. The results indicate that the genetic criteria of both complete plastomes and nrDNA arrays were consistent with the species boundaries to achieve accurate discrimination of P. yunnanensis and P. liinna. Owing to its desirable accuracy and sensitivity, genome skimming can serve as an effective and sensitive tool for monitoring and controlling the trade of P. yunnanensis products. CONCLUSION: This study provides a new way to solve the long-standing problem of the molecular authentication of processed plant products due to the lack of PCR amplifiable genomic DNA. The proposed authentication system will support quality control in the standardization of P. yunnanensis products in cultivation and drug production. This study also provides molecular evidence to clarify the long-standing taxonomic confusion regarding the species delimitation of P. yunnanensis, which will contribute to the rational exploration and conservation of the species.

Corrigendum: The neutrophil elastase inhibitor, Sivelestat, attenuates acute lung injury in patients with cardiopulmonary bypass.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1082830.].

The neutrophil elastase inhibitor, sivelestat, attenuates acute lung injury in patients with cardiopulmonary bypass.

Background: The sivelestat is a neutrophil elastase inhibitor thought to have an effect against acute lung injury (ALI) in patients after scheduled cardiac surgery. However, the beneficial effect of sivelestat in patients undergoing emergent cardiovascular surgery remains unclear. We aim to evaluate the effect of sivelestat on pulmonary protection in patients with ALI after emergent cardiovascular surgery. Methods: Firstly, a case-control study in 665 patients undergoing emergent cardiovascular surgery from January 1st, 2020 to October 26th, 2022 was performed. 52 patients who received sivelestat (0.2mg/kg/h for 3 days) and 613 age- and sex-matched controls. Secondly, a propensity-score matched cohort (sivelestat vs control: 50 vs 50) was performed in these 665 patients. The primary outcome was a composite of adverse outcomes, including 30-day mortality, ECMO, continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) and IABP, etc. The secondary outcome included pneumonia, ventricular arrhythmias and mechanical ventilation time, etc. Results: In propensity-matched patients, the 30-day mortality (16% vs 24%, P=0.32), stroke (2% vs 8%, P=0.17), ECMO(6% vs 10%, P=0.46), IABP(4% vs 8%, P=0.40) and CRRT(8% vs 20%, P=0.08) had no differences between sivelestat and control group; sivelestat could significantly decrease pneumonia (40% vs 62%, P=0.03), mechanical ventilation time (median: 96hours, IQR:72-120hours vs median:148hours, IQR:110-186hours, P<0.01), bilateral pulmonary infiltrates (P<0.01), oxygen index (P<0.01), interleukin-6(P=0.02), procalcitonin(P<0.01) and C-reactive protein(P<0.01). Conclusion: Administration of sivelestat might improve postoperative outcomes in patients with ALI after emergent cardiovascular surgery. Our results show that sivelestat may be considered to protect pulmonary function against inflammatory injury by CPB. Registration: http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=166643, identifier ChiCTR2200059102.

Analysis of Complete Chloroplast Genome Sequences Improves Phylogenetic Resolution in Paris (Melanthiaceae).

The genus Paris in the broad concept is an economically important group in the monocotyledonous family Melanthiaceae (tribe Parideae). The phylogeny of Paris was controversial in previous morphology-based classification and molecular phylogeny. Here, the complete cp genomes of eleven Paris taxa were sequenced, to better understand the evolutionary relationships among these plants and the mutation patterns in their chloroplast (cp) genomes. Comparative analyses indicated that the overall cp genome structure among the Paris taxa is quite similar. The triplication of trnI-CAU was found only in the cp genomes of P. quadrifolia and P. verticillata. Phylogenetic analyses based on the complete cp genomes did not resolve Paris as a monophyletic group, instead providing evidence supporting division of the twelve taxa into two segregate genera: Paris sensu strict and Daiswa. The sister relationship between Daiswa and Trillium was well supported. We recovered two fully supported lineages with divergent distribution in Daiswa; however, none of the previously recognized sections in Daiswa was resolved as monophyletic using plastome data, suggesting that the infrageneric relationships and biogeography of Daiswa species require further investigation. Ten highly divergent DNA regions, suitable for species identification, were detected among the 12 cp genomes. This study is the first successful attempt to provide well-supported evolutionary relationships in Paris based on phylogenomic analyses. The findings highlight the potential of the whole cp genomes for improving resolution in phylogeny as well as species identification in phylogenetically and taxonomically difficult plant genera.