ABSTRACT
Bupleurum chinensis is an important traditional medicine with anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects in China (Navarro et al. 2001). So far, the diseases reported on B. chinensis were caused by fungi (rust and root rot) and virus (Cucumber mosaic virus and Broad bean wilt virus 2) (Zhang et al. 2009). However, no diseases caused by nematodes were reported previously. Root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are one of the most destructive plant-parasitic nematodes with strong adaptability and diversity, infecting more than 5,500 plant species (Azevedo de Oliveira et al. 2018). In October 2020, symptoms of dwarf, leaf yellowing and roots with numerous knots on B. chinensis in several fields were observed in Dingxi City, Gansu Province, Northwest China (N 35°19'42â³; E 104°2'24â³). Subsequently, hundreds of eggs, mature males and females were exuded from dissection of washed root-knots. Morphological characteristics of females, males and J2s were examined under the optical microscope. The perineal patterns of females (n=15) were oval-shaped with a slightly dorsal arches, and the lateral lines and punctations on anus were observed in some specimens. Measurements (mean ± SD, range) of females(n=20): L (body length) = (525.23 ± 59.88 µm, 439.72 to 659.93 µm), W (maximum body width) = (403.92 ± 57.17 µm, 311.01 to 513.34 µm), St (stylet length) = (11.28 ± 1.05 µm, 9.82 to 12.91 µm), MBW (width of the median bulb) = (31.13 ± 3.32 µm, 23.66 to 35.55 µm), MB (distance from anterior end to center of median oesophageal bulb valve) = (64.45 ± 3.44 µm, 58,62 to 71.92 µm), and DGO (dorsal gland orifice to stylet) = (3.79 ± 0.60 µm, 2.72 to 5.00 µm). Male (n=20): L= (1038.25 ± 90.34 µm, 877.28 to 1206.12 µm), St= (18.13 ± 1.48 µm, 15.10 to 20.12 µm), a (body length divided by greatest body width) = (31.77 ± 4.03 µm, 23.29 to 41.16µm), MBW= (10.97 ± 0.78 µm, 9.05 to 12.31 µm), MB= (64.81 ± 3.45 µm, 59.59 to 71.38 µm), DGO= (4.05 ± 0.47 µm, 3.11 to 5.08 µm), and Spic (spicule length) = (22.57 ± 1.91 µm, 19.26 to 26.43 µm). J2 (n=25): L= (381.73 ± 25.85µm, 336.96 to 419.98 µm), St= (10.52 ± 1.03 µm, 9.15 to 12.14 µm), a= (24.35 ± 2.10 µm, 20.45 to 28.29 µm), DGO= (3.02 ± 0.42 µm, 2.42 to 3.79 µm), c (body length divided by tail length) = (8.90 ± 0.86 µm, 7.71 to 10.48 µm), and c' (tail length divided by body width at anus) = (4.18 ± 0.50 µm, 3.47 to 5.04 µm). According to morphological characteristics, root-knot nematode infecting B. chinensis was preliminarily identified as Meloidogyne hapla Chitwood, 1949 (Whitehead 1968). To further verify this result, DNA was extracted from ten individual females, the ITS region and the D2-D3 region of 28S rDNA were amplified using the primer TW81/AB28(GTTTCCGTAGGTGAACCTGC/ ATATGCTTAAGTTCAGCGGGT) (Subbotin et al. 2000) D2A/D3B (ACAAGTACCGTGAGGGAAAGTTG/ TCGGAAGGAACCAGCTACTA) (De Ley et al. 1999), respectively. PCR products were purified and sequenced. The sizes of ITS region and D2-D3 region of 28S rDNA were 557 bp and 762 bp, respectively. The sequence of ITS region (GenBank accession number: OK030559) was 99.46%-99.82% identical to the M. hapla from China (MT490918), New Zealand (JX465560), Australia (AF516722) and Japan (LC030357). The sequence of D2-D3 region of 28S rDNA (GenBank accession number: OK030558) was 99.58%-100.00% identical to the M. hapla from Canada (MW182329), Ethiopia (KJ645432), USA (KP901086) and China (MN446015). Furthermore, fragments obtained using the specific primers of M. hapla (Mh-F/Mh-R) were 462 bp, which also was consistent with that of M. hapla (Feng et al. 2008). Through morpho-molecular characterization, the root-knot nematodes on B. chinensis in China were identified as M. hapla. Six seedlings of B. chinensis were planted in 16 cm diameter, 20 cm deep plastic pots with sterilized soil in the greenhouse at 20-25â for pathogenicity test. After planted 21 days, 2000 J2s/pot were inoculated, six seedling uninoculated were used as control. After 90 days, all inoculated plants showed similar symptoms observed in the field, and nematode reproduction factor (final population density/initial population density) was 1.47. Meanwhile, no symptoms were observed on control plants. These results proved that the nematode infecting B. chinensis is M. hapla. To our knowledge, this is the first report of B. chinensis as a new host of M. hapla in China. Bupleurum chinensis is widely planted in Gansu Province, the plant species cultivated across an area of about 19.1 million hectares, accounting for 40% of the China's total output (Wang et al. 2017). The root system of B. chinensis infected M. hapla is stunned and short, seriously affect the quality of medicinal materials, and restrict the development of the local Chinese herbal medicine industry.
ABSTRACT
Long-term exposure to inhaled silica dust induces pneumoconiosis, which remains a heavy burden in developing countries. Modern industry provides new resources of occupational SiO2 leading to artificial stone silicosis especially in developed countries. This study aimed to characterize the serum metabolic profile of pneumoconiosis and artificial stone silicosis patients. Our case-control study recruited 46 pairs of pneumoconiosis patients and dust-exposed workers. Nontargeted metabolomics and lipidomics by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry platform were conducted to characterize serum metabolic profile in propensity score-matched (PSM) pilot study. 54 differential metabolites were screened, 24 of which showed good screening efficiency through receiver operating characteristics (ROC) in pilot study and validation study (both AUC > 0.75). 4 of the 24 metabolites can predict pneumoconiosis stages, which are 1,2-dioctanoylthiophosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylcholine(O-18:1/20:1), indole-3-acetamide and l-homoarginine. Kynurenine, N-tetradecanoylsphingosine 1-phosphate, 5-methoxytryptophol and phosphatidylethanolamine(22:6/18:1) displayed the potential as specific biomarkers for artificial stone silicosis. Taken together, our results confirmed that tryptophan metabolism is closely related to pneumoconiosis and may be related to disease progression. Hopefully, our results could supplement the biomarkers of pneumoconiosis and provide evidence for the discovery of artificial stone silicosis-specific biomarkers.
Subject(s)
Anthracosis/blood , Anthracosis/metabolism , Asian People , Silicon Dioxide/toxicity , Silicosis/blood , Silicosis/metabolism , Adult , Anthracosis/epidemiology , Biomarkers/blood , Case-Control Studies , China/epidemiology , Dust , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Pilot Projects , Silicosis/epidemiologyABSTRACT
In November 2019, stem nematode was found on Codonopsis pilosula in Tanchang county, Gansu province, China. The population of stem nematode was identified on the basis of both molecular and morphological methods. The morphological and morphometric characteristics of this nematode population matched with Ditylenchus destructor Thorne, 1945. The sequences of rDNA-ITS and D2/D3 region of 28S-rRNA similarity with the D. destructor. The pathogenicity results revealed the symptom of dry rot on C. pilosula was caused by this nematode. To our knowledge, this is the first report that D. destructor on C. pilosula in China.
ABSTRACT
Silicosis is an occupational pulmonary fibrosis caused by inhalation of silica (SiO2) and there are no ideal drugs to treat this disease. Earthworm extract (EE), a natural nutrient, has been reported to have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-apoptosis effects. The purpose of the current study was to test the protective effects of EE against SiO2-induced pulmonary fibrosis and to explore the underlying mechanisms using both in vivo and in vitro models. We found that treatment with EE significantly reduced lung inflammation and fibrosis and improved lung structure and function in SiO2-instilled mice. Further mechanistic investigations revealed that EE administration markedly inhibited SiO2-induced oxidative stress, mitochondrial apoptotic pathway, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in HBE and A549 cells. Furthermore, we demonstrate that Nrf2 activation partly mediates the interventional effects of EE against SiO2-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Our study has identified EE to be a potential anti-oxidative, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fibrotic drug for silicosis.