In vitro drug screening models derived from different PC12 cell lines for exploring Parkinson's disease based on electrochemical signals of catecholamine neurotransmitters.

Gold nanostructures and a Nafion modified screen-printed carbon electrode (Nafion/AuNS/SPCE) were developed to assess the cell viability of Parkinson's disease (PD) cell models. The electrochemical measurement of cell viability was reflected by catecholamine neurotransmitter (represented by dopamine) secretion capacity, followed by a traditional tetrazolium-based colorimetric assay for confirmation. Due to the  capacity to synthesize, store, and release catecholamines as well as their unlimited homogeneous proliferation, and ease of manipulation, pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells were used for PD cell modeling. Commercial low-differentiated and highly-differentiated PC12 cells, and home-made nerve growth factor (NGF) induced low-differentiated PC12 cells (NGF-differentiated PC12 cells) were included in the modeling. This approach achieved sensitive and rapid determination of cellular modeling and intervention states. Notably, among the three cell lines, NGF-differentiated PC12 cells displayed the enhanced neurotransmitter secretion level accompanied with attenuated growth rate, incremental dendrites in number and length that were highly resemble with neurons. Therefore, it was selected as the PD-tailorable modeling cell line. In short, the electrochemical sensor can be used to sensitively determine the biological function of neuron-like PC12 cells with negligible destruction and to explore the protective and regenerative impact of various substances on nerve cell model.

Research status and prospects of acupuncture for autism spectrum disorders.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder and has a predilection for children. Its symptoms, such as lifelong social communication deficits and repetitive sensory-motor behaviors, put a huge burden on the patient's family and society. Currently, there is no cure for ASD, and some medications that can improve its symptoms are often accompanied by adverse effects. Among many complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies, acupuncture has shown promising application potential, but after years of practice, it has not been recognized as the preferred CAM therapy for ASD. Therefore, we analyzed and discussed the clinical study reports of acupuncture in the treatment of ASD in the past 15 years from the aspects of study subjects, group setting, intervention modalities, acupoint selection, outcome evaluation, and safety. The data accumulated at present are not sufficient to support the clinical effectiveness of acupuncture in ASD and to justify its use in clinical practice. They provide, however, initial evidence of possible effectiveness and encourage further investigation in order to reach firm conclusions. Based on a comprehensive analysis, we believed that following the Standards for Reporting Interventions in Clinical Trials of Acupuncture (STRICTA) and Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT), screening the optimal combination of acupoints applying a rigorous scientific study design, and performing the related functional experiments may be the effective way to convincingly test the hypothesis that acupuncture may be beneficial in ASD patients. The significance of this review is to provide a reference for researchers to carry out high-quality clinical trials of acupuncture in the treatment of ASD from the perspective of the combination of modern medicine and traditional Chinese medicine.

Traditional Chinese medicine in human diseases treatment: New insights of their potential mechanisms.

For millennia, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has relieved the pain of countless patients with its unique theory and treatment method, which has provoked researchers' interest for exploring the biological and molecular mechanisms. This special issue highlights recent advances of this ancient and mysterious medical system in the basic science research field. The authors in this volume explored the molecular characteristics of TCM syndromes and the disease-resistant mechanisms of acupuncture and Chinese herbs in the diseases effecting the human motor system, digestive system, nervous system, and other organ systems by applying high-throughput omics technologies, molecular biology experiments, animal models and other methods. Alongside enhancing their perception of TCM from these latest findings, readers can also understand how to cross the systematic theory of TCM with modern molecular biology techniques. These studies advance our understanding of the potential mechanisms of TCM in treating human diseases, and also provide inspiration for the development of novel TCM-based therapeutic strategies. We hope these efforts will promote extensive development in TCM research.

Review on the systems biology research of Yin-deficiency-heat syndrome in traditional Chinese medicine.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a systematic medical method that has existed for more than 3,000 years. Unlike Western medicine, the disease diagnosis in TCM is carried out by inspection, auscultation, olfaction, interrogation, and palpation. The patient is then treated according to the disease and corresponding TCM syndrome. However, the development of Chinese medicine is stagnated, partially because it can be influenced by subjective factors, such as the experience and knowledge of TCM practitioners, and there is a lack of relevant biological research on TCM syndromes. Yin-deficiency-heat (YDH) syndrome in TCM is characterized by a series of pathological changes caused by the insufficiency of Yin-fluid, inability to moisturize, and the failure to suppress Yang. In recent years, systems biology research on TCM syndromes has gradually become the focus of TCM research, including syndrome differentiation and functional research using systems biology methodologies such as proteomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics. This journal aims to publish a series of issues on the systems biology research of TCM syndromes that can provide biological indicators for the syndrome differentiation of YDH syndrome and can provide perspectives on the biological research of YDH syndrome.

An introduction to traditional Chinese medicine, including acupuncture.

As an independent medical system, the scientific value behind traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is gaining appreciation because of growing evidence about mechanisms and efficacy. The aim of this special issue is to introduce this ancient medicine to readers through the compiled research papers focusing on TCM. The papers in this issue cover many research fields such as TCM theory, traditional Chinese prescription, syndrome biomarkers, and acupuncture. In particular for acupuncture, the focus on the history of acupuncture, the importance of precise acupoint positioning, the effect of Fu's subcutaneous needling among patients with shoulder pain, and the effect of electroacupuncture on senile plaque and insulin signaling pathway in the olfactory bulb of transgenic mice. By combining, the papers in this issue and TCM papers published elsewhere provide scientific evidence to improve understanding this ancient Oriental form of medicine.

Research status and prospects of acupuncture for prevention and treatment of chemo- and radiotherapy-induced salivary gland dysfunction in head and neck cancer.

Salivary gland dysfunction (SGD) induced by chemo- and radiotherapy for head and neck cancer (HNC) has always been a difficult problem in modern medicine. The quality of life of a large number of HNC patients is severely impaired by SGD such as xerostomia and dysphagia. In recent years, several studies have found that acupuncture can improve patients' salivary secretion, but it has not yet been approved as an alternative therapy for SGD. For this reason, we collected the clinical study reports on acupuncture in the treatment of SGD induced by chemo- and radiotherapy in HNC patients in the past 20 years, and analyzed and discussed the advantages and disadvantages of these studies with respect to tumor types, group setting, intervention modality, acupoints selection, outcome evaluation, and safety. We believed that acupuncture is beneficial for SGD, but the existing objective evidence is insufficient to support its effectiveness. Therefore, improving the Standards for Reporting Interventions in Clinical Trials of Acupuncture, selecting the optimal combination of acupoints through scientific and rigorous study design, and exploring the potential mechanism of acupuncture in the treatment of diseases combined with the meridian theory may be effective ways to promote the acceptance of acupuncture as an alternative therapy for SGD in future. The significance of this review is to provide a reference for researchers to carry out high-quality clinical trials of acupuncture in the treatment of SGD in future from the perspective of the combination of modern medicine and traditional Chinese medicine.

The interpretation of human body in traditional Chinese medicine and its influence on the characteristics of TCM theory.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a long history of serving the Chinese people's health since its birth, including playing an important role in treating and preventing COVID-19 in 2020. The fact that TCM has been used in China for thousands of years shows the value and reason why it must exist. Although TCM has been or is being questioned, there is no doubt about its importance in terms of efficacy. This article focuses on how TCM understands the human body in comparison with anatomy knowledge in western medicine and discusses the development and advances of TCM in terms of the body view and the theory innovation. The purpose is to let foreign scholars get better understanding of TCM from this perspective.

Screening of potential biomarkers for Yin-deficiency-heat syndrome based on UHPLC-MS method and the mechanism of Zhibai Dihuang granule therapeutic effect.

BACKGROUND: Yin-deficiency-heat (YDH) syndrome is a subhealth state of the individual, mainly manifested as oral ulcers, dry mouth, constipation, and other symptoms. Zhibai Dihuang granule (ZDG), as a classic traditional Chinese medicine, is effective in treating YDH syndrome. We screened the potential biomarkers for diagnosing YDH syndrome, and explored the mechanisms of the therapeutic effect of ZDG. METHODS: Plasma samples from the Pinghe (PH, healthy control) group, the Shanghuo (SH, YDH syndrome) group, and the ZDG treated group (therapeutic group) were analyzed by using metabolomics profiling. The data were analyzed by multivariate statistical and bioinformatics analyses. RESULTS: We screened four differential metabolites such as, decanoylcarnitine, dodecanoylcarnitine, phosphatidylcholine (PC), and Aspartate (Asp) Arginine (Arg) Proline (Pro) in the SH group and the PH group. The results showed that the combination of above four metabolites could serve as a potential biomarker for the early diagnosis of YDH syndrome. The metabolites decanoylcarnitine and glucose were found to be differentially expressed in the YDH syndrome group and tended to be normalized after ZDG treatment. CONCLUSION: The increased levels of four differential metabolites (decanoylcarnitine, dodecanoylcarnitine, PC, and Asp Arg Pro) revealed that individuals with YDH syndrome may have increased energy metabolism in the body, which could lead to disorders of fatty acids ß-oxidation and immune function. The levels of two differential metabolites including decanoylcarnitine and glucose returned to normal after ZDG treatment, indicating that ZDG could treat YDH syndrome by regulating glucose metabolism and fatty acids ß-oxidation. Our study provides a new method for the diagnosis of YDH syndrome, and may provide theoretical basis for novel therapeutic strategies of YDH syndrome.

Serum proteins TGFBI, PCSK9, and CCL14 are potential biomarkers for different traditional Chinese medicine syndromes of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.

Patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) tend to have a long course of anti-TB treatment and severe side effects. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has a synergistic effect in attenuation of MDR-TB. However, the lack of objective biological standards to classify and diagnose MDR-TB TCM syndromes could result in less effective TCM treatment. Therefore, in this study, we identified differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in serum of individuals with MDR-TB TCM syndromes by applying isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification coupled with two-dimensional liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (iTRAQ-2DLC-MS/MS) method and bioinformatics analysis. The functional analysis of DEPs was also performed. Additionally, DEPs among three different TCM syndromes of MDR-TB were validated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Finally, a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was performed to estimate the diagnostic ability of DEPs. A total of 71 DEPs were identified in the three different MDR-TB TCM syndrome groups such as the pulmonary Yin deficiency (PYD) syndrome group, the Hyperactivity of Fire due to Yin deficiency (HFYD) syndrome group, and the deficiency of Qi and Yin (DQY) syndrome group. The results showed that the expression level of transforming growth factor-beta-induced protein ig-h3 (TGFBI) was lower in the PYD syndrome group (p = .002), the proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) was overexpressed in the HFYD syndrome group (p < .0001), and the C-C motif chemokine ligand 14 (CCL14) expression level was reduced in the DQY syndrome group (p = .004). Our study demonstrated that serum TGFBI, PCSK9, and CCL14 may serve as potential novel biomarkers for PYD syndrome, HFYD syndrome and DQY syndrome of MDR-TB, respectively. The study provides a biological basis for MDR-TB TCM syndromes classification and can be of great significance for the treatment of different TCM syndromes.

Study on potential biomarkers of energy metabolism-related to early-stage Yin-deficiency-heat syndrome based on metabolomics and transcriptomics.

Yin-deficiency-heat (YDH) syndrome is a common sub-health state of the human body in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). However, due to the lack of objective quantitative diagnostic indicators, patients with early-stage YDH syndrome cannot be treated in time and can develop a pathological (disease) state. Therefore, it is necessary to apply modern diagnostic techniques in order to identify the biological markers for the diagnosis of early-stage YDH syndrome. In the present study, we performed Solexa sequencing and non-targeted metabolomics analysis using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry to screen differentially expressed mRNAs and differential metabolites in individuals with early-stage YDH syndrome and healthy controls. Bioinformatics methods were used to perform enrichment analysis of differentially expressed mRNAs and differential metabolites for biological functions and signaling pathways. Furthermore, we found that differentially expressed mRNAs and differential metabolites were related to energy metabolism. Real-time PCR was used to validate the mRNA expression in the serum of subjects with early-stage YDH syndrome. We found that the mitochondrially encoded NADH dehydrogenase 2 (MT-ND2) mRNA was differentially expressed in the serum of individuals with early-stage YDH syndrome. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and logistic regression analysis were used to evaluate the efficacy of the diagnostic model based on eight differential metabolites. We combined the three metabolites such as Glycine, Sphingomyelin, and Isocitrate to establish the diagnostic model with a sensitivity of 0.853 and a specificity of 0.800. The combination of the above three metabolites may serve as a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of early-stage YDH syndrome. Our study reveals potential biomarker for the diagnosis of early-stage YDH syndrome and also provides a new method for the quantification and objectification of TCM syndromes.

A group of serum proteins as potential diagnostic biomarkers for Yin-deficiency-heat syndrome.

Yin-deficiency-heat (YDH) syndrome is a very common subhealth status in Traditional Chinese Medicine. However, currently, there is no unified standard for diagnosing YDH syndrome. We applied the iTRAQ-2D LC-MS/MS method to explore the potential of serum protein profiles as biomarker for YDH syndrome. A total of 120 differentially expressed proteins (79 downregulated and 41 upregulated) were identified by the proteomic profiling. The results of KEGG pathway analysis showed that the functions of the differentially expressed proteins were mainly involved in complement and coagulation cascades. The clinical data showed that YDH syndrome was closely related to inflammation and coagulation, compared with the healthy controls. The ELISA validation results indicated that the expression levels of ALB, CFI, and KLKB1 were downregulated in the YDH syndrome group (p < .05). Moreover, we established a decision tree model based on the combination of these three proteins and achieved a sensitivity of 87.5%, a specificity of 84.4%, and AUC of 0.891. The results indicated that the combination of ALB, CFI, and KLKB1 may serve as potential biomarkers for diagnosing YDH syndrome. Our study can provide a new method for YDH syndrome diagnosis, and may also provide an experimental basis to understand the molecular mechanism of YDH syndrome.

The Chinese herbal formula Zhibai Dihuang Granule treat Yin-deficiency-heat syndrome rats by regulating the immune responses.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Zhibai Dihuang Granule (ZDG), a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) made from eight Chinese herbs, has been classically used to treat Yin-deficiency-heat (YDH) syndrome. ZDG is well known with the therapeutic efficacy of nourishing Yin and decreasing internal heat in clinic, but the mechanism of ZDG's therapeutic effect is still not clear. MATERIALS AND METHODS: High doses of triiodothyronine (T3) were given intraperitoneally to induce Hyperthyroid YDH syndrome in SD rats. The animals were then treated with ZDG for one week. The iTRAQ-coupled with two-dimensional liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (2D LC-MS/MS) technique was used to screen the differentially expressed serum proteins between ZDG treated rats and YDH syndrome rats. The differentially expressed proteins were analyzed by bioinformatics method and were verified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: A total of 55 differentially expressed proteins were identified, including 23 up-regulated proteins (>1.25 fold, p < 0.05) and 32 down-regulated proteins (<0.80 fold, p < 0.05). Among the differentially expressed proteins, 26 proteins returned to normal after ZDG treatment. Bioinformatics analysis showed that these proteins were mainly involved in immune response, including regulation of immune system process, complement activation, and humoral immune response mediated by circulating immunoglobulin. ELISA revealed significantly increased levels of Zinc-alpha-2-glycoprotein (Azgp1), L-selectin, C-reactive protein (Crp), Plasminogen (Plg), Kininogen 1 (Kng1), and significantly decreased levels of Mannose binding lectin 2 (Mbl2) and Complement C1qb chain (C1qb) in ZDG treated rats compared with YDH syndrome rats. Bioinformatics analyses indicated that Azgp1 participated in antigen processing and presentation, Crp, C1qb, and Mbl2 were involved in complement activation, while L-selectin, Plg, and Kng1 were involved in regulating the inflammatory response. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides experimental evidence to understand the therapeutic mechanism of ZDG in YDH syndrome. The results suggested that ZDG may regulate the complement activation and inflammatory response, and promote the ability to recognize antigens to alleviate YDH syndrome.

Anti-Aging Effect of Chitosan Oligosaccharide on d-Galactose-Induced Subacute Aging in Mice.

Chitosan oligosaccharide (COS), a natural polysaccharide with good antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, is the depolymerized product of chitosan possessing various biological activities. The present study was designed to investigate the possible anti-aging effect of COS on the aging model mouse induced by d-galactose (d-gal) and explore the underlying mechanism. In the experiment, 48 male Kunming mice (KM mice) were randomly divided into the normal group, model group, positive group, and low-medium-high dose polysaccharide groups (300, 600, 1200 mg/kg/day). The results showed that COS, by intragastric gavage after subcutaneous injection of d-gal (250 mg/kg/day) into the neck of mice consecutively for eight weeks, gradually recovered the body weight, the activity of daily living, and organ indices of mice, as well as effectively ameliorated the histological deterioration of the liver and kidney in mice triggered by d-gal. To be specific, COS obviously improved the activities of antioxidant enzymes in liver and kidney of KM mice, including catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and superoxide dismutase (SOD), as well as decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) levels when compared with those in model group mice. Furthermore, COS not only elevated the diminished levels of serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgM induced by d-gal, but also significantly inhibited the d-gal-caused upregulation of serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), uric acid (UA) and creatinine (CREA) levels as compared with those of mice in the model group. These results demonstrate that COS has an obvious anti-aging activity in d-gal-induced subacute aging mice, the mechanism of which, to some extent, is associated with enhancing the antioxidant defenses, reducing oxidative stress, and improving the immune function of aging model mice.

iTRAQ-based proteomic analysis to identify the molecular mechanism of Zhibai Dihuang Granule in the Yin-deficiency-heat syndrome rats.

BACKGROUND: Zhibai Dihuang Granule (ZDG) is a traditional Chinese medicine which has been used to treat Yin-deficiency-heat (YDH) syndrome for thousands of years in China. However, little work has been conducted to explore the molecular mechanism of ZDG in YDH syndrome, and the processes of YDH syndrome prevention and treatment have been developed slowly. The present study was aimed to explore the therapeutic mechanism of ZDG on YDH syndrome. METHODS: The YDH syndrome rats were induced by hot Chinese herbs, then treated by ZDG orally for 1 week. Body weight was measured every 2 days. After sacrifice, blood samples were collected and the thymus, adrenal glands, spleen, and liver were immediately removed and weighed. iTRAQ-based proteomics approach was applied to explore the serum protein alterations with the treatment of ZDG, and to investigate the underlying mechanism of ZDG in treating YDH syndrome. RESULTS: The body weights of YDH syndrome rats were significantly decreased compared with control group, and increased in ZDG treated rats. The relative weights of thymus in YDH syndrome rats were increased compared with the control rats, and significantly decreased in after ZDG treatment. In the proteomic analyses, seventy-one proteins were differentially expressed in the YDH syndrome group and the ZDG treated group, including 10 up-regulated and 61 down-regulated proteins. Gene ontology analysis revealed that the differentially expressed proteins were mostly related to immune response, and pathway enrichment analysis showed that these proteins were enriched in coagulation and complement cascades. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to detect the protein levels in coagulation and complement cascades, and the results showed that complement component 5 levels were significantly increased, while fibrinogen gamma chain levels were significantly decreased in the ZDG treated group. CONCLUSIONS: We found that ZDG treatment could lead to proteins alteration in immune response, especially in coagulation and complement cascades. ZDG can up-regulate the proteins in the complement cascade to eliminate pathogens, and down-regulate the proteins in the coagulation cascade to suppress inflammation. Our study provides experimental basis to understand the therapeutic mechanism of ZDG and revealed that ZDG can regulate coagulation and complement cascades in treating YDH syndrome.

Microarray expression profile analysis of mRNAs and long non-coding RNAs in pulmonary tuberculosis with different traditional Chinese medicine syndromes.

BACKGROUND: Combination chemotherapy with Western anti-tuberculosis (TB) drugs is the mainstay of TB treatment. Chinese herbal medicines with either heat clearing and detoxifying effects or nourishing Yin and reducing fire effects have been used to treat TB based on the Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) syndromes of TB patients. This study analyzed the expression profiles of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and mRNAs in TB patients with different TCM syndromes. METHODS: TB patients were classified as pulmonary Yin deficiency (PYD) syndrome, hyperactivity of fire due to Yin deficiency (HFYD) syndrome, and deficiency of Qi and Yin (DQY) syndrome. Total RNA from 44 TB patients and healthy controls was extracted and hybridized with a human lncRNA microarray containing 30586 lncRNAs and 26109 mRNAs probes. Bioinformatics analyses, including gene ontology (GO) and pathways, were performed. Related clinical data were also analyzed. RESULTS: Differentially expressed mRNAs and lncRNAs were identified (fold change >2, and P < 0.05) in PYD (634 mRNAs and 566 lncRNAs), HFYD (47 mRNAs and 55 lncRNAs), and DQY (63 mRNAs and 60 lncRNAs) patients. The most enriched pathways were the hippo signaling pathway (P = 0.000164) and the protein digestion and absorption pathway (P = 5.89017E-05). Clinical analyses revealed that the lipid indexes of TB patients were abnormal and that the triglyceride concentration was significantly higher in DQY patients (P = 0.0252). Our study is the first to acquire the microarray expression profiles of lncRNAs and mRNAs and analyze pathway enrichment in PYD, HFYD, and DQY patients with TB. CONCLUSIONS: Our analyses of the expression profiles of lncRNAs and mRNAs may represent a novel method to explore the biological essence of TCM syndromes of TB.

Serum protein gamma-glutamyl hydrolase, Ig gamma-3 chain C region, and haptoglobin are associated with the syndromes of pulmonary tuberculosis in traditional Chinese medicine.

BACKGROUND: Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been applied in treating tuberculosis (TB) based on the TCM syndromes with the effects of inhibiting Mycobacterium, strengthening the body immune system, and reducing the pulmonary toxicity. We used bioinformatic methods to study the clinical and pathological characteristics of pulmonary TB patients with TCM syndromes. Isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification - coupled two dimensional liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (iTRAQ-2DLC-MS/MS) methods were applied to screen differentially expressed serum proteins. METHODS: Pulmonary TB cases were divided into four distinctive TCM syndromes: pulmonary Yin deficiency (PYD) syndrome, hyperactivity of fire due to Yin deficiency (HFYD) syndrome, deficiency of Qi and Yin (DQY) syndrome, and deficiency of Yin and Yang (DYY) syndrome. The serum samples from 214 pulmonary TB patients were collected, and the clinical and pathological data was analyzed by using iTRAQ-2DLC-MS/MS. Finally, the differentially expressed proteins were screened and tested by ELISA. Only 5 patients with DYY syndrome were recruited in 3 years, which were not enough for further research. RESULTS: The DQY cases had higher erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) compared to the PYD and HFYD cases (P=0.0178). 94.44% (12 PYD, 18 HFYD, and 4 DQY before anti-TB treatment) of 36 treated TB cases were transformed to PYD accompanied with the reduction of ESR and absorption of pulmonary lesions. A total of 39 differentially expressed proteins (ratios of >1.3 or <0.75) were found among the three TCM syndromes. Proteomic studies revealed that gamma-glutamyl hydrolase (GGH), Ig gamma-3 chain C region (IGHG3), and haptoglobin (HPT) were specifically over-expressed in PYD (P<0.01), HFYD (P<0.001), and DQY cases (P<0.01), respectively. Furthermore, GGH was significantly higher in PYD cases compared to the HFYD and DQY cases (P<0.01, P<0.001, respectively), whereas IGHG3 was significantly higher in HFYD cases than PYD and DQY cases (P<0.001, P<0.01, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that TCM syndromes are significantly correlated with the pulmonary lesions and ESR. GGH was associated with folate metabolism in PYD cases, IGHG3 was linked to the control of Mycobacterium infection in HFYD patients, and HPT was involved in hypoxia in DQY patients. The present study provides new biological basis to understand the pathological changes and proteomic differences of TB syndromes.

Screening and identification of potential biomarkers and establishment of the diagnostic serum proteomic model for the Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndromes of tuberculosis.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Chemotherapy is the mainstay of modern tuberculosis (TB) control. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) can enhance the effect of anti-TB drug, promote the absorption of the foci in the lung and reduce drug toxicity. In TCM, the determination of treatment is based on ZHENG (also called TCM syndrome). To establish a diagnostic model by using proteomics technology in order to identify potential biomarkers for TCM syndromes of TB. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The surface-enhanced laser desorption ionization time of flight mass spectrometer (SELDI-TOF MS) combined with weak cation exchange (WCX) magnetic beads was used to screen serum samples from 71 cases of deficiency of lung yin syndrome (DLYS), 64 cases of fire (yang) excess yin deficiency syndrome (FEYDS) and 45 cases of deficiency of both qi and yin syndrome (DQYS). A classification model was established by Biomarker Pattern Software (BPS). Candidate protein biomarkers were purified by reverse phase-high performance liquid chromatograph (RP-HPLC), identified by MALDI-TOF MS, LC-MS/MS and validated by ProteinChip Immunoassays. RESULTS: A total of 74 discriminating m/z peaks (P<0.001) among three TCM syndromes of TB were detected. A diagnostic model for the TCM syndrome of TB based on the five biomarkers (3961.7, 4679.7, 5646.4, 8891.2 and 9416.7 m/z) was established which could discriminate DLYS, FEYDS and DQYS patients with an accuracy of 74.0%, 72.5%, and 96.7%, respectively. The candidate biomarker with m/z of 9416.7 was identified as a fragment of apolipoprotein C-III (apoC-III) by MALDI-TOF-MS and LC-MS/MS. CONCLUSION: The TCM syndrome diagnostic model of TB could successfully distinguish the three TCM syndromes of TB patients. This provided a biological basis for the determination of treatment based on different TCM syndromes of TB. ApoC-III was identified as a potential biomarker for TCM syndromes of TB and revealed the biochemical basis and pathogenesis of TCM syndromes in TB.

Chemical constituents of flowers and fruits of Rabdosia excisa.

AIM: To study the chemical constituents in the flowers and fruits of Rabdosia excisa. METHODS: The compounds were isolated and purified by silica gel column chromatography and their structures were identified by spectroscopic methods. RESULTS: Sixteen compounds isolated from the flowers and fruits of this plant were identified as: stigm asterol (I), α-amyrin palmitate (II), ursolic acid (III), 2α, 3α, 19-trihydroxy-urs-12-en-28-oic acid (IV), 2α-hydroxyursolic acid (V), maslinic acid (VI), isodonal (VII), maoyecrystal E (VIII), kamebakaurin (XI), macrocalyxin G (X), epinodosinol (XI), rabdosichuanin C (XII), kamebacetal A (XIII), oridonin (XIV), enmenol-glucoside (XV), and lasiononin (XVI). CONCLUSION: All the constituents were found in Rabdosia excisa for the first time, except constituents III, IX, XII and XIV.

Possible mechanisms of trichosanthin-induced apoptosis of tumor cells.

Trichosanthin (TCS) is a type I ribosome-inactivating protein that is isolated from the root tubers of the Chinese medicinal herb Trichosanthes kirilowii Maximowicz. TCS has been used as an abortifacient for 1,500 years in China because of its high toxicity on trophoblasts. Over the past 20 years, TCS has been the subject of much research because of its potential antitumor activities. Many reports have revealed that TCS is cytotoxic in a variety of tumor cell lines in vitro and in vivo. Monoclonal antibody-conjugated TCS could enhance its antitumor efficacy; thus, TCS is considered to be a potential biological agent for cancer treatment. TCS is able to inhibit protein synthesis and consequently induce necrosis. Recent studies have demonstrated that TCS does indeed induce apoptosis in several tumor cell lines. Although TCS-induced apoptosis of tumor cell lines is now well known, the underlying mechanisms remain to be elucidated. The purpose of this review was to investigate the effects of TCS and its possible mechanisms of action, based on published literature and the results of our own studies.

[Adsorbed non-point source pollution load of Jialing River basin].

Based on the American Universal Soil Loss Equation, focused on the two main factors that are hydrology condition and land management practice which can influence the soil loss in the watershed change yearly, and took into account the sediment transport process which can effect the soil loss differ spatially, a new sediment load evaluation method was put forward which can reflect the yearly change process of soil loss. Took Jialing River basin as a research example and validated the new evaluation method. Furthermore, according to the correlation between the sediment load and adsorbed nitrogen and phosphorus pollution load, established a yearly load evaluation model of the adsorbed nitrogen and phosphorus pollution. By virtue of the geographical information technology, the yearly load and spatial distribution of the adsorbed nitrogen and phosphorus pollution due to soil erosion in the Jialing River basin from 1990 to 2005 have been studied by the established model. The results show that adsorbed phase of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution are quite seriously in the subbasin of Bailong River and Xihanshui River. In recent years, adsorbed nitrogen and phosphorus pollution loads have declined year by year because of the conservation practices of soil and water in this basin. The average loads of adsorbed nitrogen and phosphorus pollution are 34 423 t/a and 1 848 t/a respectively in the past five years, which have reduced by about 60% from 1990.