Ginsenosides retard atherogenesis via remodelling host-microbiome metabolic homeostasis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Panax ginseng is widely applied in the adjuvant treatment of cardiometabolic diseases in clinical practice without clear mechanisms. This study aims to clearly define the efficacy and underlying mechanism of P. ginseng and its active components in protecting against atherosclerosis. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: The anti-atherogenic efficacy of total ginseng saponin extract (TGS) and its components was evaluated on Ldlr-/- mice. Gut microbial structure was analysed by 16S rRNA sequencing and PCR. Bile acid profiles were revealed using targeted metabolomics with LC-MS/MS analysis. The contribution of gut microbiota to atherosclerosis was assessed by co-housing experiments. KEY RESULTS: Ginsenoside Rb1, representing protopanaxadiol (PPD)-type saponins, increased intestinal Lactobacillus abundance, resulting in enhanced bile salt hydrolase (BSH) activity to promote intestinal conjugated bile acid hydrolysis and excretion, followed by suppression of enterohepatic farnesoid X receptor (FXR)-fibroblast growth factor 15 (FGF15) signal, and thereby increased cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase (CYP7A1) transcriptional expression and facilitated metabolic elimination of cholesterol. Synergistically, protopanaxatriol (PPT)-type saponins, represented by ginsenoside Rg1, protected against atherogenesis-triggered gut leak and metabolic endotoxaemia. Ginsenoside Rg1 directly induced mucin production to nutritionally maintain Akkermansia muciniphila, which reciprocally inhibited gut permeation. Rb1/Rg1 combination, rather than a single compound, can largely mimic the holistic efficacy of TGS in protecting Ldlr-/- mice from atherogenesis. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Our study provides strong evidence supporting TGS and ginsenoside Rb1/Rg1 combinations as effective therapies against atherogenesis, via targeting different signal nodes by different components and may provide some elucidation of the holistic mode of herbal medicines.

A Mobile Health-Based Management for Patients with Limited Lung Function to Improve Treatment Outcomes and Quality of Life After Minimally Invasive Thoracoscopic Lobectomy.

Objective: Limited lung function is an independent risk factor for postoperative respiratory failure in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. In this study, we developed a mobile health-based management for NSCLC patients with limited lung function who were scheduled to receive lobectomy and evaluated its effects on the patient's pulmonary function and quality of life. Methods: A total of 60 NSCLC patients scheduled to receive minimally invasive thoracoscopic lobectomy were enrolled and then randomized into the traditional management group and the program management group, with 30 patients per group. Based on the WeChat mini program, a management software for patients with limited lung function was established, including two portals: the patient portal and the nurse one. The pain assessment was performed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores, the cough assessment using the Leicester Cough Questionnaire, and the quality-of-life assessment using the EORTC QLQ-30 at 1 day before surgery, 1 week, 2 weeks, 1 month, 6 months, or 12 months after surgery. Results: The program management group exhibited an increased PaO2 (96.68 ± 7.92 vs. 87.69 vs. 5.50; P = .018) concomitant with a declined PaCO2 (38.55 ± 2.79 vs. 40.65 ± 2.17; p = 0.034) at 12 months after surgery compared with the traditional management group. The VAS scores showed significant differences at 2 weeks after surgery between the traditional management (median: 2; range: 2-3) and program management (median: 2; range: 1-2) groups (P = .012). The scores of Leicester Cough Questionnaire showed remarkable differences at 12 months after surgery between the traditional management (20.00 ± 1.54) and program management (18.99 ± 2.08) groups (P = .036). The total scores of EORTC QLQ-30 showed notable differences at 12 months after surgery between the traditional management (83.05 ± 14.09) and program management (90.55 ± 11.32) groups (P = .027). Conclusion: The study demonstrated improved pulmonary function and a better quality of life conferred by the mobile health-based management based on WeChat mini program for NSCLC patients with limited lung function and undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy in a long follow up.

High-quality chromosome-level scaffolds of the plant bug Pachypeltis micranthus provide insights into the availability of Mikania micrantha control.

BACKGROUND: The plant bug, Pachypeltis micranthus Mu et Liu (Hemiptera: Miridae), is an effective potential biological control agent for Mikania micrantha H.B.K. (Asteraceae; one of the most notorious invasive weeds worldwide). However, limited knowledge about this species hindered its practical application and research. Accordingly, sequencing the genome of this mirid bug holds great significance in controlling M. micrantha. RESULTS: Here, 712.72 Mb high-quality chromosome-level scaffolds of P. micranthus were generated, of which 707.51 Mb (99.27%) of assembled sequences were anchored onto 15 chromosome-level scaffolds with contig N50 of 16.84 Mb. The P. micranthus genome had the highest GC content (42.43%) and the second highest proportion of repetitive sequences (375.82 Mb, 52.73%) than the three other mirid bugs (i.e., Apolygus lucorum, Cyrtorhinus lividipennis, and Nesidiocoris tenuis). Phylogenetic analysis showed that P. micranthus clustered with other mirid bugs and diverged from the common ancestor approximately 200 million years ago. Gene family expansion and/or contraction were analyzed, and significantly expanded gene families associated with P. micranthus feeding and adaptation to M. micrantha were manually identified. Compared with the whole body, transcriptome analysis of the salivary gland revealed that most of the upregulated genes were significantly associated with metabolism pathways and peptidase activity, particularly among cysteine peptidase, serine peptidase, and polygalacturonase; this could be one of the reasons for precisely and highly efficient feeding by the oligophagous bug P. micranthus on M. micrantha. CONCLUSION: Collectively, this work provides a crucial chromosome-level scaffolds resource to study the evolutionary adaptation between mirid bug and their host. It is also helpful in searching for novel environment-friendly biological strategies to control M. micrantha.

Glucosamine-Modified Reduction-Responsive Polymeric Micelles for Liver Cancer Therapy.

In this work, glucose transporter-1 (GLUT-1) and glutathione (GSH) over-expression in liver cancer was utilized to design a reduction-responsive and active targeting drug delivery system AG-PEG-SS-PCL (APSP) for the delivery of sorafenib (SF). The SF-APSP micelles were prepared using the thin film hydration method and characterized by various techniques. In vitro release experiments showed that the cumulative release of SF-APSP micelles in the simulated tumor microenvironment (pH 7.4 with GSH) reached 94.76 ± 1.78% at 48 h, while it was only 20.32 ± 1.67% in the normal physiological environment (pH 7.4 without GSH). The in vitro study revealed that glucosamine (AG) enhanced the antitumor effects of SF, and SF-APSP micelles inhibited proliferation by targeting HepG2 cells and suppressing cyclin D1 expression. The in vivo antitumor efficacy study further confirmed that the SF-APSP micelles had excellent antitumor effects and better tolerance against nude mouse with HepG2 cells than other treatment groups. All in all, these results indicated that SF-APSP micelles could be a promising drug delivery system for anti-hepatoma treatment.

Tea consumption and cerebral hemorrhage risk: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Tea contains many polyphenols with biological properties such as antithrombosis and antioxidation. Recent observational studies on tea consumption concerning cerebral hemorrhage risk have reported inconsistent results. This meta-analysis aimed to summarize the accumulated evidence on the association between tea consumption and cerebral hemorrhage risk. METHODS: Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases were searched to identify relevant studies through December 2021. Relative risks (RRs) or odds ratios (ORs) from observational studies were synthesized. RESULTS: Ten studies involving over 721,827 participants were included. Higher tea consumption was correlated with a 23% (RR = 0.77; 95% CI 0.66-0.89) lower risk of cerebral hemorrhage. Subgroup meta-analyses indicated higher tea consumption was beneficial in preventing cerebral hemorrhage risk for green tea, alcohol-adjusted, fruit/vegetables-adjusted, and physical activity-adjusted subgroups, respectively (P < 0.01). Dose-response analysis indicated each one-cup (120 ml/cup) increment in tea or green tea intake/day was correlated with an average of 2% (RR = 0.98, 95% CI 0.976-0.990), or 6% (RR = 0.94; 95% CI 0.92-0.97) lower cerebral hemorrhage risk. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that daily tea consumption is related to a lower risk of cerebral hemorrhage among adults. Green tea consumption appears to be more beneficial in preventing cerebral hemorrhage. Physical activity, fruit/vegetables, and alcohol may affect the relationship between tea consumption and hemorrhagic stroke. Future studies should investigate the interplay of tea with these factors.

Ginkgo biloba extract ameliorates atherosclerosis via rebalancing gut flora and microbial metabolism.

The Ginkgo biloba leave extract (GbE) is widely applied in the prevention and treatment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases in clinical practice. However, its mechanism of actions has not been totally elucidated. In this study, we confirmed the beneficial effects of GbE in alleviating hypercholesterolemia, inflammation and atherosclerosis in Ldlr-/- mice, which were fed 12 weeks of Western diet (WD). Moreover, 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that GbE treatment reshaped the WD-perturbed intestinal microbiota, particularly decreased the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio and elevated the abundance of Akkermansia, Alloprevotella, Alistipes, and Parabacteroides. Furthermore, GbE treatment downregulated the intestinal transcriptional levels of proinflammatory cytokines and enhanced the expression of tight junction proteins, exerting the roles of attenuating the intestinal inflammation as well as repairing the gut barrier. Meanwhile, the targeted metabolomic analysis displayed that GbE treatment significantly reversed the dysfunction of the microbial metabolic phenotypes, including promoting the production of short chain fatty acids, indole-3-acetate and secondary bile acids, which were correlated with the atherosclerotic plaque areas. Finally, we confirmed GbE-altered gut microbiota was sufficient to alleviate atherosclerosis by fecal microbiota transplantation. In summary, our findings provide important insights into the pharmacological mechanism underlying the antiatherogenic efficacy of GbE.

Ginsenosides regulation of lysophosphatidylcholine profiles underlies the mechanism of Shengmai Yin in attenuating atherosclerosis.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: The traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) preparation, Shengmai Yin (SMY), is widely applied in cardiovascular disease treatments. However, the pharmacological mechanism of its therapeutic effects has not been fully clarified. AIM OF THIS STUDY: This study aimed to clearly define the efficacy and underlying mechanism of SMY and its active components in protecting against atherosclerosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The pharmacological effects of SMY and its components were evaluated upon a mouse hypercholesteremia model induced by a high cholesterol diet (HCD) for 12 weeks and Apoe-/- mice, a mouse atherosclerosis model. Pathological indicators including serum cholesterol levels, cytokines and histological changes in aortic root plaques were assessed. Untargeted metabolomic, untargeted lipidomic and targeted lipidomic changing profiles were investigated to clarify pharmacological mechanisms. RESULTS: SMY and red ginseng crude extracts (GE) significantly decreased the serum cholesterol levels in hypercholesteremia mice and reduced the aortic root plaque areas and exerted antiatherogenic efficacy in Apoe-/- mice. Moreover, total red ginseng saponin extracts (TGS) showed the most apparent improvement on maintaining lipid homeostasis, representing the effects of red ginseng in SMY on atherosclerosis treatment. Mechanically, TGS inhibited serum secreted phospholipase A2 (sPLA2) activity and lowered the serum levels of lysophosphatidylcholine (lysoPC), which is a risk factor for atherosclerosis. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings revealed that ginsenosides from SMY exerted therapeutic effects on atherosclerosis by maintaining lipid homeostasis including cholesterol and lysoPCs.

Role of Arts Therapy in Patients with Breast and Gynecological Cancers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Background: Women with breast and gynecological cancers often experience adverse symptoms such as anxiety, depression, pain, and fatigue. Objective: The purpose of this meta-analysis was to clarify the role of arts therapy (based on music, painting, and dance) in quality of life and reported symptoms among women with breast and gynecological cancers. Methods: Articles on arts therapy were retrieved from relevant electronic databases through to May 2020. The outcomes (quality of life and symptoms such as anxiety, depression, pain, and fatigue) were estimated according to standard or validated scales that assessed psychological status and activities of daily living. The effect sizes for arts therapy were combined to show the standardized mean difference (SMD) and corresponding confidence interval (CI), and a random-effects model was used for computation. Results: In total, 19 randomized controlled studies were included in this meta-analysis. The pooled SMDs for arts therapy were statistically significant for quality of life (0.58; 95% CI: 0.02-1.13; p = 0.04), anxiety (-1.10; 95% CI: -1.88 to -0.32), depression (-0.71; 95% CI: -1.19 to -0.23), pain (-1.01; 95% CI; -1.97 to -0.08), and fatigue (-0.59; 95% CI: -1.18 to -0.00). However, the summary SMDs for arts therapy was not significant for sleep disturbance, anger, vigor, tension, confusion, and stress. Conclusion: This meta-analysis shows that arts therapy has favorable effects on improving quality of life and depression among patients with breast and gynecological cancers. Arts therapy also has positive effects on improving anxiety, pain, and fatigue symptoms among patients with breast cancer. Further studies are required to confirm the effect of arts therapy on anxiety, pain, and fatigue in patients with gynecological cancer.

Successful control of the first carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae outbreak in a Chinese hospital 2017-2019.

BACKGROUND: Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) is considered as a serious global threat. CRKPs occurred only sporadically in the Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University. Our study aimed to investigate and control the first outbreak of CRKP in our hospital occurred between October 2017 and August 2019. METHODS: The antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) workers have been implemented control measures properly. Clinical and epidemiological data were retrospectively collected from medical records. Carbapenemase genes were detected by modified carbapenem inactivation method (mCIM) test and the EDTA-modified carbapenem inactivation method (eCIM) test. Resistance genes were identified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing. Genetic relatedness was studied by multilocus sequence typing (MLST). RESULTS: During the outbreak, 31 patients were infected with CRKP isolates. 20 (64.5%) patients were infected with KPC-2 and/or NDM-1 producing K. pneumoniae. Mostly MLST-sequence types belonged to ST11 (21/31). The outbreak was two major K. pneumoniae clusters present in epidemiologically linked patients. CONCLUSIONS: Setting up AMS workers is potentially a highly efficient strategy for the successful control of the outbreak. A multimodal and multidisciplinary infection control strategy proved to be crucial. The emergence of CRKP in our hospital emphasizes the importance of continuous monitoring of these isolates, which helps to limit the spread of CRKPs and improve the level of management.

The effects of art therapy on anxiety and depression in breast cancer patients: An updated meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: In this meta-analysis, we aimed to investigate the effects of art therapy on anxiety and depression in patients with breast cancer. METHODS: Electronic databases were searched for relevant studies through December 2019. Standardised mean differences (SMDs) were calculated as the effects of art therapy on improvement of anxiety and depression in women with breast cancer. The meta-analysis included nine studies involving a total of 446 participants. RESULTS: The summary SMD of art therapy for anxiety was -1.02 (95% confidence interval (CI), -2.08 to 0.04; p = .06). The pooled SMD of art therapy for depression was -0.73 (95% CI, -1.45 to -0.01; p = .046). In the age subgroup analysis, the summary SMD of art therapy for anxiety was -1.30 (95% CI, -2.45 to -0.14; p = .03) for a mean age of more than 55 years. The summary SMD of art therapy for depression was -1.01 (95% CI, -1.95 to -0.05; p = .04) for a mean age of less than 55 years. CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis revealed that art therapy demonstrates positive effects on depression but not anxiety in patients with breast cancer. There appears to be a critical age period for art therapy to alleviate anxiety or depression in these patients.

Vitamin E intake and risk of stroke: a meta-analysis.

Findings from observational studies on the associations between vitamin E intake and stroke risk remain controversial, and the dose-response relationship between vitamin E intake and risk of stroke remains to be determined. We conducted a meta-analysis of prospective studies aiming to clarify the relationships between vitamin E intake and risk of stroke. Relevant studies were identified by searching online databases through to June 2018. We computed summary relative risks (RR) with corresponding 95 % CI. Among 3156 articles retrieved from online databases and relevant bibliographies, nine studies involving 3284 events and 220 371 participants were included in the final analyses. High dietary vitamin E intake was inversely associated with the risk of overall stroke (RR=0·83, 95 % CI 0·73, 0·94), and with the risk of stroke for individuals who were followed-up for <10 (RR=0·84, 95 % CI 0·72, 0·91). There was a non-linear association between dietary vitamin E intake and stroke risk (P=0·0249). Omission of any single study did not alter the summary result. In conclusion, this meta-analysis suggests that there is a significant inverse relationship between dietary vitamin E intake and stroke risk. This meta-analysis provides evidence that a higher dietary vitamin E intake is associated with a lower stroke risk.

Chemical composition and antibacterial activity of the essential oil from Agathis dammara (Lamb.) Rich fresh leaves.

The essential oil of fresh leaves from Agathis dammara (Lamb.) Rich was extracted using hydro-distillation, and GC-FID and GC-MS were used to analyse the essential oil. Nineteen compounds were identified, among which the major components were limonene (36.81%), ß-bisabolene (33.43%) and ß-myrcene (25.48%). In the antibacterial test, disc diffusion method and micro-well dilution assay proved that the essential oil had significant antibacterial activities. The inhibition zones against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa were 23.7 and 23 mm, respectively, which demonstrated that the inhibition effects were greater than positive control (10 µg/disc streptomycin). And the lowest MIC value of the essential oil was found against S. aureus (1.25 mg/mL) and Bacillus subtilis (1.25 mg/mL). This is the first report on the antibacterial activities of A. dammara essential oil.

Brassinosteroids promote development of rice pollen grains and seeds by triggering expression of Carbon Starved Anther, a MYB domain protein.

Transport of photoassimilates from leaf tissues (source regions) to the sink organs is essential for plant development. Here, we show that a phytohormone, the brassinosteroids (BRs) promotes pollen and seed development in rice by directly promoting expression of Carbon Starved Anther (CSA) which encodes a MYB domain protein. Over-expression of the BR-synthesis gene D11 or a BR-signaling factor OsBZR1 results in higher sugar accumulation in developing anthers and seeds, as well as higher grain yield compared with control non-transgenic plants. Conversely, knockdown of D11 or OsBZR1 expression causes defective pollen maturation and reduced seed size and weight, with less accumulation of starch in comparison with the control. Mechanically, OsBZR1 directly promotes CSA expression and CSA directly triggers expression of sugar partitioning and metabolic genes during pollen and seed development. These findings provide insight into how BRs enhance plant reproduction and grain yield in an important agricultural crop.

Parasitization by Scleroderma guani influences expression of superoxide dismutase genes in Tenebrio molitor.

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) is an antioxidant enzyme involved in detoxifying reactive oxygen species. In this study, we identified genes encoding the extracellular and intracellular copper-zinc SODs (ecCuZnSOD and icCuZnSOD) and a manganese SOD (MnSOD) in the yellow mealworm beetle, Tenebrio molitor. The cDNAs for ecCuZnSOD, icCuZnSOD, and MnSOD, respectively, encode 24.55, 15.81, and 23.14 kDa polypeptides, which possess structural features typical of other insect SODs. They showed 20-94% identity to other known SOD sequences from Bombyx mori, Musca domestica, Nasonia vitripennis, Pediculus humanus corporis, and Tribolium castaneum. Expression of these genes was analyzed in selected tissues and developmental stages, and following exposure to Escherichia coli and parasitization by Scleroderma guani. We recorded expression of all three SODs in cuticle, fat body, and hemocytes and in the major developmental stages. Relatively higher expressions were detected in late-instar larvae and pupae, compared to other developmental stages. Transcriptional levels were upregulated following bacterial infection. Analysis of pupae parasitized by S. guani revealed that expression of T. molitor SOD genes was significantly induced following parasitization. We infer that these genes act in immune response and in host-parasitoid interactions.

Prophenoloxidase from Pieris rapae: gene cloning, activity, and transcription in response to venom/calyx fluid from the endoparasitoid wasp Cotesia glomerata.

Prophenoloxidase (PPO) plays an important role in melanization, necessary for defense against intruding parasitoids. Parasitoids have evolved to inject maternal virulence factors into the host hemocoel to suppress hemolymph melanization for the successful development of their progeny. In this study, the full-length complementary DNA (cDNA) of a Pieris rapae PPO was cloned. Its cDNA contained a 2 076-base pair (bp) open reading frame (ORF) encoding 691 amino acids (aa). Two putative copper-binding sites, a proteolytic activation site, three conserved hemocyanin domains, and a thiol ester motif were found in the deduced amino acid sequence. According to both multiple alignment and phylogenetic analysis, P. rapae PPO gene cloned here is a member of the lepidopteran PPO-2 family. Injection of Cotesia glomerata venom or calyx fluid resulted in reduction of P. rapae hemolymph phenoloxidase activity, demonstrating the ability to inhibit the host's melanization. Real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) showed that transcripts of P. rapae PPO-2 in the haemocytes from larvae had not significantly changed following venom injection, suggesting that the regulation of PPO messenger RNA (mRNA) expression by venom was not employed by C. glomerata to cause failure of melanization in parasitized host. While decreased P. rapae PPO-2 gene expression was observed in the haemocytes after calyx fluid injection, no detectable transcriptional change was induced by parasitization, indicating that transcriptional down-regulation of PPO by calyx fluid might play a minor role involved in inhibiting the host's melanization.

Proteome changes in the plasma of Pieris rapae parasitized by the endoparasitoid wasp Pteromalus puparum.

Parasitism by the endoparasitoid wasp Pteromalus puparum causes alterations in the plasma proteins of Pieris rapae. Analysis of plasma proteins using a proteomic approach showed that seven proteins were differentially expressed in the host pupae after 24-h parasitism. They were masquerade-like serine proteinase homolog (MSPH), enolase (Eno), bilin-binding protein (BBP), imaginal disc growth factor (IDGF), ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), cellular retinoic acid binding protein (CRABP), and one unknown function protein. The full length cDNA sequences of MSPH, Eno, and BBP were successfully cloned using rapid amplification of cDNA ends-polymerase chain reaction (RACE-PCR). Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis indicated that the transcript levels of MSPH and BBP in the fat bodies of host pupae were inducible in response to the parasitism and their variations were consistent with translational changes of these genes after parasitism, while the transcript levels of Eno and IDGF were not affected by parasitism. This study will contribute to the better understanding of the molecular bases of parasitoid-induced host alterations associated with innate immune responses, detoxification, and energy metabolism.

[The inhibition activity of chemical constituents in hawthorn fruit and their synergistic action to HMG-CoA reductase].

OBJECTIVE: To study the hypolipidemic active compounds from Crataegus pinnatifida and mechanism of action of those. METHOD: Guided by the inhibitory activity to HMG-CoA reductase, the active compounds were separated and purified with macroporous resin and silica gel. RESULT: Four active compounds were obtained, which were quercetin, hyperoside, rutin and chlorogenic acid, the sum of their inhibitory rate was 50.01%, and the total inhibitory rate of the mixture of four active compounds matched was 79.48%. CONCLUSION: Quercetin and hyperoside were the principle active components inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase in Hawthorn fruit, and there were synergistic action among them.

Proteomic analysis of the venom from the endoparasitoid wasp Pteromalus puparum (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae).

Parasitoid venom is a complex mixture of active substances with diversified biological functions. Because of its range of activities, venom is an important resource with respect to potential application in agriculture and medicine. Only a limited number of peptides, proteins, and enzymes have been identified and characterized from parasitoid venom. Here we describe a proteomic analysis of the venom from the endoparasitoid wasp Pteromalus puparum (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae). Venom resolved by two-dimensional electrophoresis yielded 56 protein spots with major proteins in the pI range 4-7 and molecular mass range of 25-66.2 kDa. The amino acid sequences of the proteins were identified by mass spectrometry. Several venom proteins such as calreticulin, venom acid phosphatase, serine protease, arginine kinase, serine protease homolog, aminotransferase-like venom protein, and heat shock protein 70, were identified in silico based on their amino acid sequences. The full-length cDNAs of calreticulin and arginine kinase were cloned. Calreticulin showed 62% identity with calreticulin in the venom of Cotesia rubecula. Arginine kinase showed a high level of sequence identity (92%) with its counterpart in the venom of Cyphononyx dorsalis. RT-PCR analysis revealed that the transcript levels of calreticulin and arginine kinase were developmentally changed, suggesting a possible correlation with the oviposition process. This study contributes to our appreciation of a parasitoid wasp venom composition.