LOX-1 Regulation in Anti-atherosclerosis of Active Compounds of Herbal Medicine: Current Knowledge and the New Insight.

Lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1) have recently been identified to be closely related to the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis (AS). A growing body of evidence has suggested Chinese medicine takes unique advantages in preventing and treating AS. In this review, the related research progress of AS and LOX-1 has been summarized. And the anti-AS effects of 10 active components of herbal medicine through LOX-1 regulation have been further reviewed. As a potential biomarker and target for intervention in AS, LOX-1 targeted therapy might provide a promising and novel approach to atherosclerotic prevention and treatment.

A new diketopiperazine-type alkaloid from the endophytic fungus Penicillium expansum.

A chemical investigation on an endophytic fungus Penicillium expansum isolated from the medicinal plant Plantago depressa Willd. (Plantaginaceae) afforded one new diketopiperazine-type alkaloid, namely penicimine A (1), as well as two known congeners (2 and 3). Their structures were elucidated by widespread spectroscopic data, and the absolute configurations of 1 and 2 were further confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. Compound 1 represented the first example of benzyl-containing diketopiperazine-type alkaloid bearing a methyl group attached at C-15 position. Compound 1 showed anti-inflammatory activity against LPS-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in RAW264.7 mouse macrophages with an IC50 value of 25.65 µM.

Agglutinin isolated from Arisema heterophyllum Blume induces apoptosis and autophagy in A549 cells through inhibiting PI3K/Akt pathway and inducing ER stress.

Arisaema heterophyllum Blume is one of the three medicinal plants known as traditional Chinese medicine Rhizoma Arisaematis (RA). RA has been popularly used to treat patients with convulsions, inflammation, and cancer for a long time. However, the underlying mechanisms for RA effects are still unclear. The present study was designed to determine the cytotoxicity of agglutinin isolated from Arisema heterophyllum Blume (AHA) and explore the possible mechanisms in human non-small-cell lung cancer A549 cells. AHA with purity up to 95% was isolated and purified from Arisaema heterophyllum Blume using hydrophobic interaction chromatography. AHA dose-dependently inhibited the proliferation of A549 cells and induced G1 phase cell cycle arrest. AHA induced apoptosis by up-regulating pro-apoptotic Bax, decreasing anti-apoptotic Bcl-2, and activating caspase-9 and caspase-3. In A549 cells treated with AHA, the PI3K/Akt pathway was inhibited. Furthermore, AHA induced increase in the levels of ER stress markers such as phosphorylated eukaryotic initiation factor 2α (p-eIF2α), C/EBP-homologous protein (CHOP), inositol-requiring enzyme 1α (IRE1α), and phosphorylated c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (p-JNK). AHA also induced autophagy in A549 cells. Staining of acidic vesicular organelles (AVOs) and increase in the levels of LC3II and ATG7 were observed in AHA-treated cells. These findings suggested that AHA might be one of the active components with anti-cancer effects in Arisaema heterophyllum Blume. In conclusion, cytotoxicity of AHA on cancer cells might be related to its effects on apoptosis and autophagy through inhibition of PI3K/Akt pathway and induction of ER stress.

Promotion effects of SiO2 or/and Al2O3 doped CeO2/TiO2 catalysts for selective catalytic reduction of NO by NH3.

A series of the CeO2-based catalysts loaded on TiO2, TiO2-SiO2, TiO2-Al2O3, and TiO2-SiO2-Al2O3 supports were prepared by incipient impregnation method for the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NO by NH3 in the presence of oxygen. The SCR activities of the catalysts with different supports increases in the order of Ce/TiO2 < Ce/TiO2-20SiO2 ≈ Ce/TiO2-3.5Al2O3 < Ce/TiO2-20SiO2-3.5Al2O3. The Ce/TiO2-20SiO2-3.5Al2O3 catalyst showed 100% NO conversion in the temperature range of 250-425°C and 100% N2 selectivity in the whole temperature range. The catalytic activity of Ce/TiO2-20SiO2-3.5Al2O3 exhibited good stability and strong resistance to SO2 and H2O poisoning. The co-introduction of SiO2 and Al2O3 into TiO2 could increase the amount of chemisorbed oxygen and Lewis acid sites on the surface of catalyst, which should be responsible for the excellent SCR activity.