Three main short-chain fatty acids inhibit the activation of THP-1 cells by Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

The overactivation of macrophages causes chronic inflammatory diseases. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), potential drugs for clinical treatment, are modulators of macrophage inflammatory reaction. Therefore, the modulation of macrophage-mediated cell activity is expected to become a new therapeutic strategy for inflammatory diseases caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae. In this study, 2 kinds of SCFAs (propionate and butyrate) were found to have anti-inflammatory effects in M. pneumoniae-stimulated THP-1 cells inflammatory. They inhibited the expressions of IL-4, IL-6, ROS, and NLRP3 inflammasome, while enhancing the expressions of IL-10 and IFN-γ. Our study revealed these 2 agents to repress transcriptional activities of NF-κB, which are important modulators of inflammation. Meanwhile, SCFAs can significantly enhance the autophagy induced by M. pneumoniae. Considering that SCFAs have few side effects, they might be the promising adjuvant therapy for the prevention and/or treatment of various inflammatory diseases.

Traditional Chinese medicine compound, Bu Sheng Hui Yang Fang, promotes the proliferation of lymphocytes in the immunosuppressed mice potentially by upregulating IL-4 signaling.

The immune system plays a pivotal role in defending against infection and cancer immunosurveillance during the onset and procession of malignant disease. Cancer patients are frequently immunocompromised and subject to refractory infection and relapse of leukemia, due to the cytotoxic agents and immunosuppressive glucocorticoids in the chemotherapy regimens. Bu Shen Hui Yang Fang (BSHY), a traditional Chinese compound, was widely used in China to enhance the immune system of leukemia patients combined with chemotherapy and effectively lowered their risk of infection, with specific mechanism unknown yet. Thus, we investigated the effects of BSHY on the immune system using immunosuppressive mouse models. By analyzing the immune system of immunosuppressed BALB/C mice induced by hydrocortisone, we found an increase of CD4+ and CD8+ lymphocytes in the spleens of mice after BSHY treatment. Furthermore, we found the enhanced immune system in BSHY treated group was due to increased proliferation and decreased apoptosis of lymphocytes. Cytokine array analysis revealed that interleukin 4 (IL-4) was reduced in the plasma of immunosuppressed mice but returned to a normal level after BSHY treatment. Moreover, we found IL-4 was an adverse prognostic factor in acute myeloid leukemia patients and part of them could be elevated by BSHY. Mechanistically, we found BSHY enhances the proliferation of lymphocytes in a Stat6-dependent manner. In summary, our current study demonstrates that BSHY enhances the proliferation of lymphocytes in the immunosuppressed mice via upregulating IL-4 signaling.

Aptamer-based fluorometric determination of Salmonella Typhimurium using Fe3O4 magnetic separation and CdTe quantum dots.

Based on the high sensitivity and stable fluorescence of CdTe quantum dots (QDs) in conjunction with a specific DNA aptamer, the authors describe an aptamer-based fluorescence assay for the determination of Salmonella Typhimurium. The fluorescence detection and quantification of S. Typhimurium is based on a magnetic separation system, a combination of aptamer-coated Fe3O4 magnetic particles (Apt-MNPs) and QD-labeled ssDNA2 (complementary strand of the aptamer). Apt-MNPs are employed for the specific capture of S. Typhimurium. CdTe QD-labeled ssDNA2 was used as a signaling probe. Simply, the as-prepared CdTe QD-labeled ssDNA2 was first incubated with the Apt-MNPs to form the aptamer-ssDNA2 duplex. After the addition of S. Typhimurium, they could specifically bind the DNA aptamer, leading to cleavage of the aptamer-ssDNA2 duplex, accompanied by the release of CdTe QD-labeled DNA. Thus, an increased fluorescence signal can be achieved after magnetic removal of the Apt-MNPs. The fluorescence of CdTe QDs (λexc/em = 327/612 nm) increases linearly in the concentration range of 10 to 1010 cfu•mL-1, and the limit of detection is determined to be 1 cfu•mL-1. The detection process can be performed within 2 h and is successfully applied to the analysis of spiked food samples with good recoveries from 90% to 105%.

[Effect of total flavonoids in Scutellaria barbata in mediating autophagy in tumor cells via PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway].

To investigate the effect of the total flavonoids in Scutellaria barbata(TF-SB) against autophagy in tumor cells in vivo, and further determine whether the mechanism is correlated with the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, which lead to autophagy-induced tumor cell death. Melanoma-bearing mice were prepared and divided into control group, rapamycin group (Rap 1.5 mg•kg⁻¹), and high, middle and low-dose TF-SB (200, 100, 50 mg•kg⁻¹) groups. The groups were given drugs once a day for successively 11 days. The inhibitory effect of TF-SB on the growth of melanoma was determined by measuring tumor volume and tumor inhibition rate. TUNEL method was used to detect the apoptosis of tumor cells to further verify the antitumor activity of TF-SB. The protein expressions of LC3-Ⅰ and LC3-Ⅱ were detected by Western blot, and the relative expression of LC3-Ⅱ was calculated based on LC3-Ⅱ/LC3-Ⅰ. In addition, the effect of TF-SB on autophagy of tumor cells, the underlying molecular mechanism of TF-SB in inducing autophagy and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway marker protein phosphorylation were also studied. According to the results, TF-SB effectively inhibited melanoma growth in mice, reduced tumor volume, increased the tumor inhibition rate, and significantly increased tumor cell apoptosis index and the ratio of LC3-Ⅱ/LC3-I (P<0.05, P<0.01 or P<0.001). The protein expressions of p-PI3K, p-AKT and p-mTOR were also suppressed dramatically compared with those in control group (P<0.05, P<0.01 or P<0.001). In conclusion, the total flavonoids in S. barbata could inhibit the growth of melanoma in vivo by inducing autophagy and apoptosis of tumor cells, which may be correlated with suppression of PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.

Regulatory effect of leonurus extracts on hyperuricemia in rats / 中国中药杂志

In this study, SD rats were orally administrated with oteracil potassium (300 mg . kg-1 . d-1 ) to prepare the hyperuricemia model, and divided into normal, model, Allopurinol, LE high dosage, middle dosage and low dose (200, 100, 50 mg . kg-1 . d-1) groups. The rats were orally administrated with test drugs 1 hour later after being orally administrated with Oteracil potassium. After 7 days, serum uric acid, serum creatinine, uric acid and expression of relevant transporters in kidney were tested to study the regulatory effect of leonurus extracts on serum uric acid, renal function and relevant transporters in kidney of rats with hyperuricemia. Compared with the model group, the leonurus extract group could significantly down-regulate serum uric acid and creatinine levels of rats with hyperuricemia, and increase the urine uric acid level. Meanwhile, leonurus extracts could notably down-regulate the mRNA expressions of urate transporter 1 (URAT1) and glucose transporter 9 (GLUT9), up-regulate the mRNA expressions of organic cation transportanter (OCT) and Carnitine transporter (OCTN) and promote the excretion of uric acid of kidney.

The enhancing effects of a chicken-meat extract on serum Ig concentrations in normal and scalded animals.

The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of a chicken-meat extract known as Essence of Chicken (EOC) on immune function in a normal and scalded animal model. In this experimental study, 120 rats were randomly allocated into three groups: a SHAM group (inflicted with a sham wound), a BURN group (inflicted with a full-thickness scald wound covering 30 % of total body surface area) and a CONTROL group. Rats in the SHAM and BURN groups were further divided into normal saline (NS)-fed and EOC-fed groups. They were fed by force-feeding with a feeding needle and blood samples were taken from each group on days 1, 8, 15 and 22 postburn. Serum IgG, IgA and IgM concentrations were determined by ELISA and the results of the EOC-fed and NS-fed cohorts of both the SHAM and BURN groups were compared. The level of significance was set at P<0.05. Serum IgG level of both SHAM-EOC and BURN-EOC cohorts showed significant elevation on day 8. IgA exhibited a significant increase in the SHAM-EOC group on day 15 and in the BURN-EOC group on day 22. A significant increase of IgM level was found on days 1 and 22 for the SHAM-EOC group and on day 15 for the BURN-EOC group. Conclusively, EOC was shown to have an enhancing effect on serum Ig levels for both normal and tissue-stressed rats. It is suggested that EOC may help improve immune function when the immune system is at normal status or when it faces a challenge.