[Comparative transcriptomics analysis of Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis at different developmental stages].

In order to study the transcriptional differences of Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis at different developmental stages, we explored the genes regulating the biosynthesis of the effective components. In this study, Illumina Hiseq 4 000 high-throughput sequencing technology was used to sequence the transcriptome of C. medica var. sarcodactylis at different developmental stages, 121 235 unigenes were obtained with an average length of 2 434 bp, 3 379 different genes were obtained using DESeq screening, which mainly connected to biological processes such as signal transmission, biological regulation, and metabolic processes, and enriched in metabolic pathways such as starch, sucrose metabolism, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, and flavonoid biosynthesis. Further dynamic comparison of biosynthesis related genes of active ingredients: the expression levels of PAL, CHI, CYP75B1, ZDS, 4CL and FLS gradually increased as the fruit turned from green to yellow; the expressions of COMT, F3H and CYP73A increased at first and then decreased; CCR, HCT and HRP were down-regulated whereas up-regulated. This study provides references for further excavation of key genes in the biosynthesis of active components, as well as biopathway analysis of active components for C. medica var. sarcodactylis.

[Mechanism of "Scutellaria barbata-Hedyotis diffusa" against breast cancer based on network pharmacology].

To explore the mechanism of Scutellaria barbata-Hedyotis diffusa against breast cancer based on network pharmacological methods. The active components and corresponding target proteins of S. barbata and H. diffusa were screened by using Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database(TCMSP), and the targets of breast cancer were screened through the Genecards and OMIM databases. Venn online software was used to obtain the common targets of drugs and the disease, and then the "compound-target-disease" network diagram was constructed by using Cytoscape 3.7.2 software. The STRING database was used to draw the protein-protein interaction(PPI) network, and the David database was used to perform GO function and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis on effective targets. The results showed that 29 S. barbata compounds, 7 H. diffusa compounds, and 109 effective targets were screened. The 59 common targets for drugs and disease were obtained through Venn diagrams. The PPI network showed that MYC, CCND1, EGFR, ESR1, CASP3, VEGFA, etc. might be the key targets for "S. barbata-H. diffusa" in the treatment of breast cancer. In the GO function analysis, 88 entries were found, involving the regulation of transcription factor activity, receptor activity, cytokine activity, enzyme activity, and biosynthetic processes. In KEGG pathway analysis, 37 entries related to cancer, cell cycle, apoptosis, angioge-nesis and other pathways were found, including p53 signaling pathway, ErbB signaling pathway, nod like receptor signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, VEGF signaling pathway, Wnt signaling pathway and mTOR signaling pathway and other classic signaling pathways. This study preliminarily revealed the key targets, biological processes and signal pathway of "S. barbata-H. diffusa" against breast cancer. It was found that its function was in a multi-target and multi-channel manner, which laid a foundation for future molecular biological experiments.

Intervention of TLR4 signal pathway cytokines in severe liver injury with obstructive jaundice in rats.

Obstructive jaundice is a common surgical disease and a variety of end-stage severe liver injuries still lack effective treatments. Compared to traditional liver transplantation therapy, herbal treatment is noninvasive and has fewer side effects. Research results have shown that a modified major decoction of bupleurum can reduce the toxic reaction of obstructive jaundice, even though the mechanism is unclear. A period of chronic exercise training can significantly reduce TLR4 expression in mononuclear cells and the secretion of inflammatory cell factors. Our study administered a modified major decoction of bupleurum in combination with exercise in rats with obstructive jaundice and the results indicated that applying a major bupleurum decoction in combination with moderately intense aerobic exercise showed a beneficial effect on adjusting the expression of liver inflammatory cytokines, which thus improved immunity and finally reduced the liver injury of rats with obstructive jaundice.

Serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase1 enhances contextual fear memory formation through down-regulation of the expression of Hes5.

Mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase plays an important role in memory formation and directly phosphorylates serum- and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase1 (SGK1) at Ser78. In this study, we examined the role and mechanism of SGK1 Ser78 activation involved in contextual fear memory formation in rats. Results revealed that SGK1 Ser78 phosphorylation was increased 30 min, 1 h and 3 h after training. Transient transfection of the dominant negative mutant of sgk, sgkS78A, to hippocampal neurons impaired, whereas transfection of the constitutively active sgk, sgkS78D, enhanced fear retention. Microarray analysis identified 14 genes that showed more than threefold alteration in their gene expression in sgkS78A-transfected animals 6 h after training. One of them is Hairy and Enhancer of split 5 (Hes5). The expression level of Hes5 is approximately 4.4-fold higher in sgkS78A-transfected animals. Further analyses revealed that Hes5 level is markedly decreased after training in control animals, but sgkS78A markedly increased Hes5 level after training. RNA interference experiment showed that shHes5 dose-dependently enhanced fear retention, whereas over-expression of Hes5 impaired fear retention. Moreover, shHes5 at a lower concentration completely blocked the memory-impairing effect of sgkS78A. These results together suggest that Hes5 negatively regulates contextual fear memory formation and SGK activation down-regulates Hes5 expression to enhance fear retention.

[Morphological and histological studies of Herpetospermum pedunculosum seeds and other substitutes].

OBJECTIVE: To provide new evidences for the identification of Herpetospermum pedunculosum seeds and other substitutes. METHOD: Microscopic examination of the cross sections and powers of the seeds of H. pedunculosum, Momordica charantia, Thladiantha setispina and M. cohinchinensis were made to characterize the drug materials. RESULT AND CONCLUSION: The external and internal structure of T. setispina and M. charantia were studied for the first time. Two types of different branched starry sclereids was found in M. cohinchinensis. Comparative studies on external and internal structure were carried out on seeds of the 4 species. As a result, they could be distinguished by external characteristics such as shape, size and color of their seeds, and by internal structure such as size and type of sclereid, epidermis and sub-epidermis cell of seed coat.

[A 13-week subchronic oral toxicity study of Perilla extracts in F344 rats].

A 13-week subchronic oral toxicity study of Perilla extracts in drinking water containing 0%, 2.5%, 5% and 10% extracts was performed in both sexes of F344 rats. Rats were randomly divided into 4 groups each consisting of 10 males and 10 females. No animals died during the period of administration. There were no treatment-related changes in body weight gain or in hematological or blood biochemistry values. Nor were any treatment-related histopathological changes observed in the highest dose group. These findings indicate that ingestion of 10% Perilla extracts in drinking water for 13-week does not cause any toxicological changes in rats.

Neuroanatomical correlates of veridical and illusory recognition memory: evidence from positron emission tomography.

Memory distortions and illusions have been thoroughly documented in psychological studies, but little is known about the neuroanatomical correlates of true and false memories. Vivid but illusory memories can be induced by asking people whether they recall or recognize words that were not previously presented, but are semantically related to other previously presented words. We used positron emission tomography to compare brain regions involved in veridical recognition of printed words that were heard several minutes earlier and illusory recognition of printed words that had not been heard earlier. Veridical and illusory recognition were each associated with blood flow increases in a left medial temporal region previously implicated in episodic memory; veridical recognition was distinguished by additional blood flow increases in a left temporoparietal region previously implicated in the retention of auditory/phonological information. This study reveals similarities and differences in the way the brain processes accurate and illusory memories.