Interguild fungal competition in litter and soil inversely modulate microbial necromass accumulation during Loess Plateau forest succession.

Microbial interactions determine ecosystem carbon (C) and nutrient cycling, yet it remains unclear how interguild fungal interactions modulate microbial residue contribution to soil C pools (SOC) during forest succession. Here, we present a region-wide investigation of the relative dominance of saprophytic versus symbiotic fungi in litter and soil compartments, exploring their linkages to soil microbial residue pools and potential drivers along a chronosequence of secondary Chinese pine (Pinus tabulaeformis) forests on the Loess Plateau. Despite minor changes in C and nitrogen (N) stocks in the litter or soil layers across successional stages, we found significantly lower soil phosphorus (P) stocks, higher ratios of soil C: N, soil N: P and soil C: P but lower ratios of litter C: N and litter C: P in old (>75 years) than young stands (<30 years). Pine stand development altered the saprotroph: symbiotroph ratios of fungal communities to favor the soil symbiotrophs versus the litter saprotrophs. The dominance of saprotrophs in litter is positively related to microbial necromass contribution to SOC, which is negatively related to the dominance of symbiotrophs in soils. Antagonistic interguild fungal competition in litter and soil layers, in conjunction with increased fungal but decreased bacterial necromass contribution to SOC, jointly contribute to unchanged total necromass contribution to SOC with stand development. The saprotroph: symbiotroph ratios in litter and soil layers are mainly driven by soil P stocks and stand parameters (e.g., stand age and slope), respectively, while substrate stoichiometries primarily regulate microbial necromass accumulation and fungal: bacterial necromass ratios. These results provide novel insights into how microbial interactions at local spatial scales modulate temporal changes in SOC pools, with management implications for mitigating regional land degradation.

Dietary fatty acids intake and all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in patients on peritoneal dialysis.

BACKGROUND & AIMS: The relationship between dietary fatty acids (FA) and clinical outcomes are relatively lacking in non-dialyzed and dialyzed chronic kidney disease (CKD) population, resulting in insufficient guide about the dietary FA intake in this population. In this study, we aimed to observe the association between the intake of total or different types of FA and all-cause and cardiovascular (CV) mortality in patients undergoing peritoneal dialysis (PD). METHODS: This is a prospective cohort study with data retrospectively analyzed in 881 patients undergoing PD. Dietary FA intake measured by 3-day dietary records. The outcomes were defined as all-cause and CV death. Baseline FA intake and time-averaged FA intake were categorized by tertiles based on the distribution among the study population. We used univariate and multivariate Cox proportional regression models to determine the association between amounts and types of FA and all-cause and CV mortality. RESULTS: During a median follow up of 45 months, 93 patients were still being maintained on PD, 467 had died, including 189 (40.5%) attributable to CV death. Compared to patients in the low tertile of total FA (TFA) intake at baseline group, the middle or/and high tertile groups were more likely to be male, younger, well-educated and better nutritional status (P < 0.05). At the baseline, no association was found between all-cause and CV death in either total or different types of FA after adjusting for nutritional variables. As for time-averaged analyses, the associations of TFA, saturated FA (SFA), monounsaturated FA (MUFA), ω-3 and ω-6 polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) and all-cause mortality were weakened after adjustment for laboratory and nutrients variables. However, PUFA independently reduced 5% of mortality even after adjustment for laboratory and nutrients variables [HR 0.95 (0.91, 0.99), P = 0.023], and the ratio of MUFA/PUFA was positively associated with the risk for all-cause mortality [HR 1.05 (1.01, 1.09), P = 0.008]. Furthermore, each 10% increase of the ratio of ω-6/ω-3 was only weakly associated with the risk for all-cause mortality [HR 1.02 (1.00, 1.04), P = 0.034]. As for CVD mortality, the impacts of total and each type of FA disappeared after adjustment for laboratory or nutrients variables. CONCLUSIONS: Time-averaged PUFA intake was independently associated with a lower risk for all-cause mortality in our PD cohort, while the higher ratio of MUFA/PUFA and ω-6/ω-3 increased all-cause mortality. More observational and interventional researches are needed to determine these associations.

Quality of evidence supporting the role of acupuncture for breast cancer-related lymphoedema: an overview of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL) may benefit from acupuncture as a therapeutic. However, the findings of systematic reviews (SRs) and meta-analyses (MAs) are inconsistent and their quality needs to be evaluated critically. We aimed to provide an overview of the methodological quality, risk of bias, quality of reporting, and quality of evidence for SRs/MAs of acupuncture for BCRL. METHODS: Publications were retrieved from four Chinese databases and four English databases. The methodological quality, risk of bias, reporting quality, and evidence quality of the included SRs/MAs were assessed by two independent researchers using the A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews 2 (AMSTAR-2), Risk of Bias in Systematic Reviews (ROBIS), Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), and Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE), respectively. RESULTS: There were a total of 8 SRs/MAs included. By AMSTAR-2, all SRs/MAs were graded as having low or very low methodological quality. By ROBIS, all SRs/MAs in phase 1, domain 1, and domain 4 of phase 2 were at low risk, while in domain 2 were at high risk. By PRISMA, reporting weaknesses in protocol and registration, as well as search method, were identified. By GRADE, the level of evidence quality was "low" to "very low", and the most commonly downgraded factor was the risk of bias. CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture may be beneficial in improving BCRL. However, due to the identified limitations and conflicting findings, further more prescriptive and rigorous SRs/MAs are required to give strong evidence for final judgments.

Research Progress of Cordyceps sinensis and Its Fermented Mycelium Products on Ameliorating Renal Fibrosis by Reducing Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition.

Renal fibrosis is a hallmark and common outcome of various chronic kidney diseases (CKDs) and manifests pathologically as accumulation and deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) in the kidney. Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been shown to be an important mechanism involved in renal fibrosis. Cordyceps sinensis, a traditional Chinese medicine, has long been used for the treatment of renal fibrosis. As research on the mycelium of C. sinensis progressed, a variety of medicines developed from fermented mycelium were used to treat CKD. However, their efficacies and mechanisms have not been fully summarized. In this review, five medicines developed from fermented mycelium of C. sinensis are presented. The pharmacodynamic effects of C. sinensis on different animal models of renal fibrosis are summarized. The in vitro studies and related mechanisms of C. sinensis on renal cells are detailed. Finally, the application and efficacy of these five commercial medicines that meet national standards in different types of CKD are summarized. From this review, it can be concluded that C. sinensis can alleviate various causes of renal fibrosis to some extent, and its mechanism is related to TGF-ß1 dependent signaling, inhibition of inflammation, and improvement of renal function. Further research on rigorously designed, large-sample, clinically randomized controlled trial studies and detailed mechanisms should be conducted.

Mechanism of Gynostemmae Pentaphylli Herba in the treatment of ischemic stroke based on network pharmacology and molecular docking.

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the mechanism of Gynostemmae Pentaphylli Herba in the treatment of ischemic stroke based on network pharmacology and molecular docking. METHODS: We used various databases and software, including Cytoscape, Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform, Pubchem, Swiss Target Prediction, GenCards, String, and WebGestalt to identify the active components and targets of Gynostemmae Pentaphylli Herba, as well as the targets associated with ischemic stroke. The mechanism of Gynostemmae Pentaphylli Herba in treating ischemic stroke was analyzed from the perspective of protein-protein interaction (PPI) co-expression, Gene Ontology, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis, and AutoDock was used for molecular docking. RESULTS: A total of 12 active components were identified, and 276 potential targets of Gynostemmae Pentaphylli Herba were obtained. There were 3151 disease targets associated with ischemic stroke. The top 5 active components of Gynostemmae Pentaphylli Herba were Ruvoside_qt, quercetin, 3'-methyleriodictyol, Spinasterol, and Cholesterin (CLR) according to the node degree value. There were 186 common targets between the disease targets of cerebral ischemic stroke and drug targets of Gynostemmae Pentaphylli Herba, with 21 key targets obtained by PPI network analysis. KEGG analysis revealed enrichment in 45 signaling pathways. Biological process increased 139 biological processes. Molecular function enriched 17 cell functions. Cellular component enriched 20 cell components. Molecular docking found that the binding energy of other protein molecules to ligand small molecules was less than -5 kal·mol-1, except that the binding energy of AKT1 to 3'-methyleriodictyol was greater than -5 kal·mol-1. CONCLUSIONS: Gynostemmae Pentaphylli Herba may play a role in treating ischemic stroke by affecting various pathways through its active ingredients such as Ruvoside_qt, quercetin, 3'-methyleriodictyol, Spinasterol and CLR.

Adjunctive effect of compound Kushen injection for cancer: An overview of systematic reviews.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Compound Kushen (Sophora flavescens Aiton) Injection (CKI) is a Chinese herbal injection made from extracts of Kushen and Baituling (Heterosmilax japonica Kunth), containing matrine (MAT), oxymatrine (OMT) and other alkaloids with significant anti-tumor activity, and is widely used as an adjuvant treatment for cancer in China. AIM OF THE STUDY: The existing systematic reviews/meta-analyses (SRs/MAs) were re-evaluated to provide a reference for the clinical application of CKI. MATERIALS AND METHODS: SRs/MAs of CKI adjuvant therapy for cancer-related diseases were searched in four English language databases: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library, all from the time of database construction to October 2022. 5 researchers independently conducted literature search and identification according to the inclusion criteria, and the data of the final literature were independently extracted, and finally the AMSTAR 2 tool, PRISMA statement and GRADE classification were used to evaluate the methodological quality of the included SRs/MAs, the degree of completeness of reporting and the quality of evidence for outcome indicators. Database registration: PROSPERO ID：CRD42022361349. RESULTS: Eighteen SRs/MAs were finally included, with studies covering non-small cell lung cancer, primary liver cancer, gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, breast cancer, head and neck tumors, and cancer-related bone pain. The evaluation showed that the methodological quality of the included literature was extremely low, but most of the literature reported relatively complete entries; nine clinical effectiveness indicators for non-small cell lung cancer and digestive system tumors were rated as moderate in the GRADE quality of evidence, and the quality of other outcomes was low to very low. CONCLUSION: CKI is a potentially effective drug for the adjuvant treatment of neoplastic diseases and may be more convincing for the adjuvant treatment of non-small cell lung cancer and digestive system tumors; however, due to the low methodological and evidentiary quality of the current SRs, their effectiveness needs to be confirmed by more high-quality evidence-based medical evidence.

HSP90AB1 as the Druggable Target of Maggot Extract Reverses Cisplatin Resistance in Ovarian Cancer.

Cisplatin resistance is a crucial factor affecting ovarian cancer patient's survival rate, but the primary mechanism underlying cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer remains unclear, and this prevents the optimal use of cisplatin therapy. Maggot extract (ME) is used in traditional Chinese medicine for patients with comas and patients with gastric cancer when combined with other drug treatments. In this study, we investigated whether ME enhances the sensitivity of ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin. Two ovarian cancer cells-A2780/CDDP and SKOV3/CDDP-were treated with cisplatin and ME in vitro. SKOV3/CDDP cells that stably expressed luciferase were subcutaneously or intraperitoneally injected into BALB/c nude mice to establish a xenograft model, and this was followed by ME/cisplatin treatment. In the presence of cisplatin, ME treatment effectively suppressed the growth and metastasis of cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer in vivo and in vitro. RNA-sequencing data showed that HSP90AB1 and IGF1R were markedly increased in A2780/CDDP cells. ME treatment markedly decreased the expression of HSP90AB1 and IGF1R, thereby increasing the expression of the proapoptotic proteins p-p53, BAX, and p-H2AX, while the opposite effects were observed for the antiapoptotic protein BCL2. Inhibition of HSP90 ATPase was more beneficial against ovarian cancer in the presence of ME treatment. In turn, HSP90AB1 overexpression effectively inhibited the effect of ME in promoting the increased expression of apoptotic proteins and DNA damage response proteins in SKOV3/CDDP cells. Inhibition of cisplatin-induced apoptosis and DNA damage by HSP90AB1 overexpression confers chemoresistance in ovarian cancer. ME can enhance the sensitivity of ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin toxicity by inhibiting HSP90AB1/IGF1R interactions, and this might represent a novel target for overcoming cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer chemotherapy.

Effects of Traditional Chinese Medicine Injections for Anthracyclines-induced Cardiotoxicity: An Overview of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses.

INTRODUCTION: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) injections, as a relatively safe and low-cost treatment, have been widely used in the prevention and treatment of anthracyclines-induced cardiotoxicity in China. However, the quality of the relevant systematic reviews and meta-analyses published in recent years is uneven, so that the effectiveness and safety of TCM injections in preventing and treating anthracyclines-induced cardiotoxicity remain to be discussed. A systematic overview is therefore needed to provide a more advanced evidentiary reference for clinical practice. METHODS: Eight Chinese and English databases were searched by computer to screen the meta-analyses/systematic reviews on the efficacy of traditional Chinese medicine injections for the prevention and treatment of anthracyclines-induced cardiotoxicity from the database establishment to October 2022. The methodological quality and evidence quality of outcome indicators included in the study were evaluated by AMSTAR 2 tool, PRISMA statement and GRADE classification. RESULTS: A total of 7 articles were included in the study. The quality evaluation of AMSTAR 2 showed that 7 studies were extremely low-level; PRISMA stated that the evaluation results showed that the reports of 7 studies were of intermediate quality; The GRADE rating indicated that most of the evidence was of low quality. CONCLUSION: The methodological quality and evidence quality of meta-analysis/system evaluation concerning the prevention and treatment of anthracyclines-induced cardiotoxicity by Chinese medicine are currently low, and the effectiveness of Chinese medicine in the treatment of anthracyclines-induced cardiotoxicity needs more high-quality evidence-based evidence.

Mechanism of YY1 mediating autophagy dependent ferroptosis in PM2.5 induced cardiac fibrosis.

Epidemiological studies have demonstrated strong associations between exposure to ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and cardiac disease. To investigate the potential mechanism of cardiac fibrosis induced by PM2.5, we established PM2.5 exposure models in vivo and in vitro, and then cardiac fibrosis was evaluated. The ferroptosis and ferritinophagy was detected to characterize the effects of PM2.5 exposure. The results indicated that PM2.5 exposure could induce cardiac fibrosis in mice. YY1 was induced by PM2.5 exposure and then increased NCOA4, a cargo receptor for ferritinophagy, which interacted with FHC and promoted the transport of ferritin to the autophagosome for degradation. The release of large amounts of free iron from ferritinophagy led to lipid peroxidation directly via the Fenton reaction, thereby triggering ferroptosis. Moreover, siNCOA4 could partly restore the FHC protein level in HL-1 cells and inhibit the occurrence of downstream ferroptosis. Functionally, NCOA4 knockdown inhibited ferroptosis and alleviated HL-1 cell death induced by PM2.5. Ferroptosis inhibitor (Ferrostatin-1) could reverse the promoting effect of ferritinophagy mediated ferroptosis on cardiac fibrosis induced by PM2.5 exposure in mice. Our study indicated that PM2.5 induced cardiac fibrosis through YY1 regulating ferritinophagy-dependent ferroptosis.

Maggot Extract Inhibits Cell Migration and Tumor Growth by Targeting HSP90AB1 in Ovarian Cancer.

Ovarian cancer is one of the most lethal gynecological malignancies, because of metastatic dissemination with poor late clinical therapy. Maggots have been used in traditional Chinese medicine, where they are also known as 'Wu Gu Chong'. Previous studies have indicated that maggot extract (ME) was beneficial for the treatment of gastric cancer when combined with other drugs, but the effect on anti-ovarian cancer and the underlying mechanism remains unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of ME on suppressing the proliferation and migration of ovarian cancer cells, and to clarify the underlying mechanism. In this research, Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), colony formation assay, and luciferase-positive cell quantification assay were employed to identify the inhibitory effects of ME on cell proliferation. Then, the pro-apoptosis and anti-metastasis effects of ME were explored by Western blot, dual annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium iodide (FITC/PI) assay, immunofluorescent staining, and wound-healing assay. We further established a xenograft model by subcutaneously or intraperitoneally injecting BALB/c nude mice with SKOV3 cells stably expressing luciferase, and the mice were treated with ME. The results showed that ME therapy effectively restrained the growth and metastasis of ovarian tumors in vivo. Furthermore, the mRNA levels of cancer factors including heat shock protein 90 alpha family class B member 1 (HSP90AB1), MYC, and insulin like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR assay to explore the possible antitumor mechanisms of ME. Next, HSP90 ATPase activity was inhibited by geldanamycin in A2780, and the cell viability was shown to be dramatically reduced, decreasing further with the combination of ME and cisplatin. In turn, HSP90AB1 overexpression effectively inhibited the effect of ME in suppressing capability for cell viability and migration. In addition, HSP90AB1 overexpression limited the ability of ME to inhibit expression of MYC and IGF1R, while the opposite effect was observed for expression of pro-apoptosis protein caspase3 and BAX. Therefore, this study confirmed the potential roles and mechanisms of ME in inhibiting the growth and metastasis of ovarian tumors and promoting apoptosis of ovarian cancer cells by inhibiting overexpression of HSP90AB1.

Melatonin Attenuates Vascular Smooth Muscle Contraction Through the γ-Secretase/Notch Intracellular Domain/Myocardin Pathway.

ABSTRACT: Inositol 1, 4, 5-trisphosphate (IP3) signaling-mediated calcium release drives the contraction of vascular smooth muscles and hence regulates blood vessel volume and blood pressure. Melatonin supplementation has been suggested to be beneficial for hypertension. To determine whether the blood pressure-lowering effect of melatonin was accounted for by IP3 signaling, we evaluated the vasoconstriction response and IP3 signaling in isolated mouse thoracic aortic rings during melatonin incubation. C57BL/6 mice were given intraperitoneal injections daily with melatonin, and the systolic blood pressure and contractility of aortic rings from melatonin-treated mice were decreased, and the contraction suppression effect of melatonin was attributed to the impaired expression of contractile proteins in vascular smooth muscle cells rather than IP3 signaling. Our results further showed that melatonin increased the expression of γ-secretase, which could cleave and release the notch intracellular domain, and the notch intracellular domain prevented the transcription of contractile genes by interfering with the interaction between serum response factor and myocardin, the master regulator of contractile protein. In this article, we report a novel mechanism by which melatonin regulates smooth muscle contractility that does not depend on IP3 signaling.

Nursing Care Plan and Management of Patients With Acute Leukemia.

OBJECTIVE: To provide an overview of the integration of nursing care services for patients with acute leukemia in the past, present and future. DATA SOURCES: Published literature as indexed in Medline, relevant guideline documents, textbooks and clinical experience. CONCLUSION: Patients with acute leukemia have significant nursing care demands that are frequently unmet by routine oncology treatment. The initial introduction of expert nursing care into routine oncology treatment boosts patient-centered results in people with advanced solid tumors, according to research. Recent data suggest that patients with hematologic malignancies who have undergone transplantation of stem cells have similarly improved, and further trials are being conducted to assess nursing care treatments in patients with acute leukemia. NURSING PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS: Nurses are essential in the management of patients with acute leukemia both in and out of the hospital. As a result, having a basic understanding of these illnesses is critical. In the management of oncologic crises, early symptom identification is crucial.

[Acupuncture regulates PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling and up-regulates cell autophagy to protect sy-novial tissue of adjuvant arthritis rats].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of acupuncture of "Yinlingquan"(SP9) and "Sanyinjiao"(SP6) on expression of phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target protein of rapamycin (PI3K/Akt/mTOR) signaling in adjuvant arthritis (AA) rats, so as to explore its mechanism underlying improvement of AA. METHODS: Forty-eight male Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control, AA model, acupuncture and medication (tripterygium wilfordii) groups, with 12 rats in each group. The AA model was established by putting the rats in a windy, cold and wet environment for 12 h, once every day for 21 days and injection of Freund's complete adjuvant (CFA) into the sole of the right hindlimb on the 21st day. Manual acupuncture stimulation was applied at SP9 and SP6 for 30 min/time, once a day for 21 days. Rats of the medication group received gavage of tripterygium wilfordii tablets solution (8 mg/kg), once a day for 21 days, and those of the normal control group and model group received gavage of the same amount of normal saline, once a day for 21 days. The degree of joint swelling and arthritis index (AI) were detected 1 day before modeling, 3 days after modeling, and 21 days after the treatment. Twenty-four hours after the last treatment, the contents of serum cytokines interleukin (IL)-17, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); and changes of synovial ultrastructure were observed under electron microscope. Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of PI3K, Akt, phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-Akt), phosphorylated mammalian rapamycin target protein (p-mTOR), mTOR, microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3B (LC3-Ⅱ) and mammalian atg6 homologous protein (Beclin-1) in the synovial membrane tissue. RESULTS: Compared with the normal control group, the joint swel-ling degree and AI, contents of serum TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-17, and the expression levels of PI3K, Akt, p-Akt, mTOR and p-mTOR in the synovium were increased in the model group (P<0.05), while the expression levels of LC3-Ⅱ and Beclin-1 proteins in the synovium were significantly decreased (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the joint swelling degree and AI, contents of serum TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-17, and the expression levels of PI3K, Akt, p-Akt, mTOR and p-mTOR were significantly decreased in the acupuncture and medication groups (P<0.05), while the expresion levels of LC3-Ⅱ and Beclin-1 proteins were significantly increased （P<0.05）. Comparison between the two treatment groups showed that the therapeutic effects of acupuncture were obviously weaker than those of medication in down-regulating TNF-α and IL-6, Akt, p-Akt and mTOR levels (P<0.05) and in up-regulating Beclin-1 expression (P<0.05). Outcomes of electron microscope displayed widened nuclear membrane space, some fractured mitochondrial cristae with vacuoles, expanded rough endoplasmic reticulum, reduction of autophagosomes in the cytoplasm and ruptured synovial cell membrane in the model group, and increase of autophagosomes, deformed organelles in the acupuncture and medication groups. CONCLUSION: Acupuncture can relieve the inflammatory reactions and joint synovial injury of the affected joint in AA rats which may be associated with its effects in inhibiting PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling and increasing the auto-phagy level of synovial cells.

Sesamol supplementation alleviates nonalcoholic steatohepatitis and atherosclerosis in high-fat, high carbohydrate and high-cholesterol diet-fed rats.

Sesamol, a major ingredient in sesame seeds (Sesamum indicum L.) and its oil, is considered a powerful functional food ingredient. However, few studies have investigated its effects on high-fat, high carbohydrate and high-cholesterol (HF-HCC) diet-induced nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) complicated with atherosclerosis. The present study elucidates the protective effects of sesamol against NASH and atherosclerosis in HF-HCC diet-fed rats. Sprague-Dawley rats were supplemented with or without sesamol in drinking water (0.05 mg mL-1, 0.1 mg mL-1 and 0.2 mg mL-1) from the beginning to end. At the end of the experiment, sesamol supplementation suppressed HF-HCC diet-induced body weight gain and increased absolute liver and adipose tissue weights in rats. Serum biochemical analyses showed that sesamol supplementation improved HF-HCC diet-induced metabolism disorders and damaged vascular endothelial function. Histological examinations displayed that dietary sesamol not only alleviated hepatic balloon degeneration, steatosis, inflammation and fibrosis, but also mitigated lipid accumulation and fibrous elements in the aorta arch in HF-HCC diet-fed rats. In addition, sesamol supplementation inhibited hepatic NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) expression and ERS-IRE1 signaling pathway activation. Moreover, sesamol treatment decreased uric acid levels both in serum and the liver by its effect on the inhibition of xanthine oxidase (XO) activity and/or its expression, which might be closely associated with the inhibitions of NLRP3 expression and ERS-IRE1 signaling pathway activation in HF-HCC diet-fed rats. These findings demonstrated that sesamol alleviated NASH and atherosclerosis in HF-HCC diet-fed rats, and may be a potent dietary supplement for protection against these diseases.

Therapeutic Targeting of Nrf2 Signaling by Maggot Extracts Ameliorates Inflammation-Associated Intestinal Fibrosis in Chronic DSS-Induced Colitis.

Intestinal fibrosis is induced by excessive myofibroblast proliferation and collagen deposition, which has been regarded as a general pathological feature in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Therefore, identifying clinical markers and targets to treat and prevent intestinal fibrosis is urgently needed. The traditional Chinese medicine maggot, commonly known as "wu gu chong", has been shown to reduce oxidative stress and alleviate inflammation in chronic colitis. This study investigated the mechanisms underlying the effects of maggot extract (ME) on inflammation-associated intestinal fibrosis in TGF-ß1-stimulated human intestinal fibroblasts (CCD-18Co cells) and dextran sodium sulphate (DSS)-induced chronic colitis murine model. To assess the severity of inflammation and fibrosis, histological and macroscopic evaluation were carried out. The results showed that ME was a significant inhibitor of body weight loss and colon length shortening in mice with chronic colitis. In addition, ME suppressed the intestinal fibrosis by downregulating TGF-ß1/SMADs pathway via upregulation of Nrf2 expression at both protein and mRNA levels. ME markedly increased the expression of Nrf2, thus resulting in a higher level of HO-1. After treatment with Nrf2 inhibitor (ML385) or siRNA-Nrf2 for deactivating Nrf2 pathway, the protective effects of ME were abolished both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, the histopathological results for the major organs of DSS mice treated with ME showed no signs of clinically important abnormalities. Treatment with ME had no effect on the viability of CCD-18Co cells, suggesting its low in vitro cytotoxicity. Furthermore, ME could mediate intestine health by keeping the balance of the gut microbes through the enhancement of beneficial microbes and suppression of pathogenic microbes. In conclusion, this is the first ever report demonstrating that ME ameliorates inflammation-associated intestinal fibrosis by suppressing TGF-ß1/SMAD pathway via upregulation of Nrf2 expression. Our findings highlight the potential of Nrf2 as an effective therapeutic target for alleviating intestinal fibrosis.

Curcumin in Combination with Aerobic Exercise Improves Follicular Dysfunction via Inhibition of the Hyperandrogen-Induced IRE1α/XBP1 Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress Pathway in PCOS-Like Rats.

Combining diet with exercise can improve health and performance. Exercise can reduce androgen excess and insulin resistance (IR) in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) patients. Curcumin is also presumed to improve the follicle development disorder. Here, we investigated the effects of a combination therapy of oral intake of curcumin and exercise on hyperandrogen-induced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and ovarian granulosa cell (GC) apoptosis in rats with PCOS. We generated a PCOS model via continuous dehydroepiandrosterone subcutaneous injection into the necks of Sprague Dawley rats for 35 days. PCOS-like rats then received curcumin treatment combined with aerobic (treadmill) exercise for 8 weeks. We found that compared to control rats, the ovarian tissue and ovarian GCs of hyperandrogen-induced PCOS rats showed increased levels of ER stress-related genes and proteins. Hyperandrogen-induced ovarian GC apoptosis, which was mediated by excessive ER stress and unfolded protein response (UPR) activation, could cause follicle development disorders. Both curcumin gavage and aerobic exercise improved ovarian function via inhibiting the hyperandrogen-activated ER stress IRE1α-XBP1 pathway. Dihydrotestosterone- (DHT-) induced ER stress was mitigated by curcumin/irisin or 4µ8C (an ER stress inhibitor) in primary GC culture. In this in vitro model, the strongly expressed follicular development-related genes Ar, Cyp11α1, and Cyp19α1 were also downregulated.

Design, synthesis and antifungal activity evaluation of coumarin-3-carboxamide derivatives.

A series of coumarin-3-carboxamides/hydrazides have been designed and synthesized, all the target compounds were evaluated in vitro for their antifungal activity against Botrytis cinerea, Alternaria solani, Gibberella zeae, Rhizoctorzia solani, Cucumber anthrax and Alternaria leaf spot, some of the designed compounds 4a-4g exhibited potential activity in the primary assays, this highlighted by the compounds 4a, 4d, 4e and 4f, EC50 values of which against Rhizoctorzia solani were as low as 1.80 µg/mL, 2.50 µg/mL, 2.25 µg/mL and 2.10 µg/mL, respectively, exhibiting more effective control with that of the positive control than Boscalid. Furthermore, compounds 4a and 4e represented equivalent antifungal activity with Boscalid against Botrytis cinerea.

Suppression or knockout of SaF/SaM overcomes the Sa-mediated hybrid male sterility in rice.

Hybrids between the indica and japonica subspecies of rice (Oryza sativa) are usually sterile, which hinders utilization of heterosis in the inter-subspecific hybrid breeding. The complex locus Sa comprises two adjacently located genes, SaF and SaM, which interact to cause abortion of pollen grains carrying the japonica allele in japonica-indica hybrids. Here we showed that silencing of SaF or SaM by RNA interference restored male fertility in indica-japonica hybrids with heterozygous Sa. We further used clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9-based genome editing to knockout the SaF and SaM alleles, respectively, of an indica rice line to create hybrid-compatible lines. The resultant artificial neutral alleles did not affect pollen viability and other agricultural traits, but did break down the reproductive barrier in the hybrids. We found that some rice lines have natural neutral allele Sa-n, which was compatible with the typical japonica or indica Sa alleles in hybrids. Our results demonstrate that SaF and SaM are required for hybrid male sterility, but are not essential for pollen development. This study provides effective approaches for the generation of hybrid-compatible lines by knocking out the Sa locus or using the natural Sa-n allele to overcome hybrid male sterility in rice breeding. © 2017 The Authors. Bioelectromagnetics published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Long-term treatment of hydrogen-rich saline abates testicular oxidative stress induced by nicotine in mice.

PURPOSE: The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that long-term treatment with hydrogen-rich saline abated testicular oxidative stress induced by nicotine in mice. METHODS: The effects of hydrogen-rich saline (6 ml/kg, i.p.), vitamin C (60 mg/kg, i.p.) and vitamin E (100 mg/kg, i.p.) on reproductive system and testicular oxidative levels in nicotine-treated (4.5 mg/kg, s.b.) mice were investigated. RESULTS: It was found that vitamin C and vitamin E attenuated serum oxidative level, but did not lower testicular oxidative levels in mice subjected to chronic nicotine treatment, and did not improve the male reproductive damage and apoptosis induced by nicotine. Different from normal antioxidants, vitamin C and vitamin E, hydrogen-rich saline abated oxidative stress in testis, and protected against nicotine-induced male reproductive damages. CONCLUSION: Our results first demonstrated that long-term treatment with hydrogen-rich saline attenuated testicular oxidative level and improved male reproductive function in nicotine-treated mice.

[Development of a functional cell-based HTS assay for the identification mGluR4 modulators].

To identify metabotropic glutamate receptor 4 (mGluR4) modulators by Ca2+ influx assay, we developed the functional cell-based high throughput-screening (HTS) assay. The human mGluR4 cDNA was transfected into HEK-293 stably expressing promiscuous G-protein (Ga alpha15) cells. Recombinant stable mGluR4 cell line was selected under Zeocin and validated by Ca2+ influx assay. The assay was optimized on loading time of Fluo Calcium Indicator, Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) tolerance and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) tolerance using agonist (L-Glutamic acid (L-Glu)) of mGluR4. The rank order of the agonist potency for the stable human mGluR4 cell line was L-(+)-2-Amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid (L-AP4) > L-Serine-O-phosphate (L-SOP) > L-Glu, and of the antagonist potency was (RS)-alpha-Methylserine-O-phosphate (MSOP) > (RS)-alpha-Methyl-4-phosphonophenylglycine (MPPG). Z' factor value of the cell line in 96- and 384-well plate format was 0.80 and 0.65. Our data indicate a successful development of functional human mGluR4 recombinant stable cell line that was suitable for high throughput screening to identify mGluR4 agonist/antagonist.