A study of the biological effects of low-level light.

Low-level light therapy (LLLT), also known as photo biomodulation (PBM), is a type of optical therapy that uses red or near-infrared lasers or light-emitting diodes (LEDs) for medical treatment. The laser wavelengths involved in PBM typically range between 600-700 nm and 780-1100 nm, with power densities ranging between 5 mW/cm2 and 5 W/cm2. PBM is a series of biochemical cascades exhibited by biological tissues after absorbing a certain amount of energy from light. PBM has been widely used in clinical practice in the past 20 years, and numerous clinical trials have demonstrated its biological efficacy. However, the underlying mechanisms have not yet been fully explored. In this paper, we have summarized the research into PBM over the past two decades, to identify the important mechanisms of the biological effects of PBM from the perspective of molecular mechanisms, cellular levels, and tissue changes. We hope our study provide a theoretical basis for future investigations into the underlying mechanisms.

Programmable Aptasensor for Regulating CRISPR/Cas12a Activity.

CRISPR-mediated aptasensors have gained prevalence for detecting non-nucleic acid targets. However, there is an urgent need to develop an easily customizable design to improve the signal-to-noise ratio, enhance universality, and expand the detection range. In this article, we report a CRISPR-mediated programmable aptasensor (CPAS) platform. The platform includes single-stranded DNA comprising the aptamer sequence, locker DNA, and a crRNA recognition region, forming a hairpin structure through complementary hybridization. With T4 DNA polymerase, the crRNA recognition region was transformed into a complete double-stranded DNA through stem-loop extension, thereby activating the trans-cleavage activity of Cas 12a and generating fluorescence signals. The specific binding between the target molecule and aptamer disrupted the formation of the hairpin structure, altering the fluorescence signals. Notably, the CPAS platform allows for easy customization by simply changing the aptamer sequence and locker DNA, without entailing adjustments to the crRNA. The optimal number of bases in the locker DNA was determined to be seven nucleotides for the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein and four nucleotides for ATP. The CPAS platform exhibited high sensitivity for S protein and ATP detection. Integration with a lateral flow assay enabled sensitive detection within 1 h, revealing its excellent potential for portable analysis.

Comparative analysis of the synergetic effects of Diwuyanggan prescription on high fat diet-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease using untargeted metabolomics.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most common chronic liver disorders worldwide and had no approved pharmacological treatments. Diwuyanggan prescription (DWYG) is a traditional Chinese medicine preparation composed of 5 kinds of herbs, which has been used for treating chronic liver diseases in clinic. Whereas, the synergistic mechanism of this prescription for anti-NAFLD remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to demonstrate the synergetic effect of DWYG by using the disassembled prescriptions and untargeted metabolomics research strategies. The therapeutic effects of the whole prescription of DWYG and the individual herb were divided into six groups according to the strategy of disassembled prescriptions, including DWYG, Artemisia capillaris Thunb. (AC), Curcuma longa L. (CL), Schisandra chinensis Baill. (SC), Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch. (RG) and Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch. (GU) groups. The high fat diets-induced NAFLD mice model was constructed to evaluate the efficacy effects of DWYG. An untargeted metabolomics based on the UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS approach was carried out to make clear the synergetic effect on the regulation of metabolites dissecting the united mechanisms. Experimental results on animals revealed that the anti-NAFLD effect of DWYG prescription was better than the individual herb group in reducing liver lipid deposition and restoring the abnormality of lipidemia. In addition, further metabolomics analysis indicated that 23 differential metabolites associated with the progression of NAFLD were identified and 19 of them could be improved by DWYG. Compared with five single herbs, DWYG showed the most extensive regulatory effects on metabolites and their related pathways, which were related to lipid and amino acid metabolisms. Besides, each individual herb in DWYG was found to show different degrees of regulatory effects on NAFLD and metabolic pathways. SC and CL possessed the highest relationship in the regulation of NAFLD. Altogether, these results provided an insight into the synergetic mechanisms of DWYG from the metabolic perspective, and also supported a scientific basis for the rationality of clinical use of this prescription.

Polyphyllin D induces apoptosis in U87 human glioma cells through the c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase pathway.

Polyphyllin D (PD), an active component from a traditional medicinal herb Paris polyphylla, which has long been used for the treatment of cancer in Asian countries, has been found to hold significant antitumor activity in vivo or in vitro. However, there were few reports on the effects and underlying mechanism of PD on apoptosis in U87 human glioma cells. The present study was conducted to evaluate apoptotic induction of PD in U87 human glioma cells, and explore its underlying pathway. U87 glioma cells were cultured and treated with varied concentrations of PD (from 10(-8) to 10(-4) M). The inhibition of U87 glioma cell proliferation by PD was assessed by MTT assay. The apoptosis of U87 glioma cells was detected by flow cytometry, and western blot analysis was used to examine human B-cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), human Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax), caspase-3, total-c-jun NH2-terminal kinase (t-JNK), and phosphorylation-JNK (p-JNK) protein expression in U87 human glioma cells. The treatment with PD for 24 h significantly inhibited the proliferation of U87 human glioma cells in a concentration-dependent manner. PD increased apoptosis and significantly upregulated the expression of Bax, caspase-3, and p-JNK associated with apoptosis, but downregulated antiapoptotic Bcl-2 expression in U87 human glioma cells. Our data provided evidences that PD induces apoptosis in U87 human glioma cells. This effect might be associated with the JNK pathway.