Characteristics of the chloroplast genome of Glycyrrhiza eurycarpa P.C.Li from Xinjiang with comparison and phylogenetic analysis of the chloroplast genomes of the medicinal plants of Glycyrrhiza / 药学学报

italic>Glycyrrhiza eurycarpa P.C.Li is a medicinal plant resource and is often mixed with traditional licorice herbs. We sequenced the chloroplast genome of Glycyrrhiza eurycarpa P.C.Li using Illumina high-throughput sequencing technology, and physical mapping and genomic characterization was carried out. Comparative genomic analysis was performed with Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fisch, Glycyrrhiza inflata Bat and Glycyrrhiza glabra L. The Glycyrrhiza eurycarpa P.C.Li chloroplast genome was 127 864 bp long with 34.25% GC content, consisting of a large single copy and a small single copy. The genome was missing the inverted repeat (IR) region. A total of 110 genes were annotated, including 76 protein-coding genes, 30 tRNA genes, and 4 rRNA genes. The 301 SSRs, rich in A-T repeats, were detected by MISA. The Glycyrrhiza eurycarpa P.C.Li chloroplast genome showed weak codon preference, and the codons were biased to use A and T bases. Three specific gene fragments of Glycyrrhiza eurycarpa P.C.Li were characterized by homology comparison. Based on Pi analysis, six new high mutation regions (psbZ-psbC, trnC-GCA-rpoB, trnR-UCU-trnG-UCC, ycf2, trnN-GUU-ycf1, ndhA) of medicinal licorice species were determined. The results of phylogenetic analysis indicate that Glycyrrhiza eurycarpa P.C.Li from Xinjiang is an interspecific hybrid taxon closely related to the three medicinal licorice species, and Glycyrrhiza inflata Bat, which is distributed in the same domain, is its male parent. Based on this study, the taxonomic identification, herb-specific DNA fingerprint development, genetic diversity, and molecular plant breeding of medicinal plants of the genus Glycyrrhiza can be established.

Eight new cytotoxic annonaceous acetogenins from the seeds of Annona squamosa / 中国天然药物

Eight new annonaceous acetogenins, squamotin A-D (1-4), annosquatin IV-V (5 and 6), muricin O (7) and squamosten B (8), together with four known ones (9-12) were isolated from the seeds of Annona squamosa. Their structures were elucidated by chemical methods and spectral data. The inhibitory activities of compound 1-9 against three multidrug resistance cell lines were evaluated. All tested compounds showed strong cytotoxicity.

Annonaceous acetogenins from seeds of Annona squamosa / 中草药

Objective To study the chemical composition from the seeds of Annona squamosa. Methods The components of annonaceous acetogenins from the seeds of A. squamosa were isolated and purified by extracting and chromatography separation. The structures of the compounds were identified by their physicochemical properties, UV, NMR, and mass spectrometry data. Results Seven annonaceous acetogenins were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of the seeds from A.squamosa. They are 3-[7-[5- [1,4-dihydroxy-4-[5-(1-hydroxytridecyl)-2-furanyl] butyl] tetrahydro-2-furanyl]-2-hydroxyheptyl]-5-methyl-2(5H)-furanone (1), 3-[9-[5-(1-hydroxy-4-heptadeceneyl) tetrahydro-2-furanyl] hydroxynonyl]-5-methyl-2 (5H)-furanone (2), bullatalicin (3), squamostatin A (4), squamostatin D (5), bullatacin (6), and 10-hydroxyasimicin (7). Conclusion Compounds 1 and 2 are two new compounds, named as trilobalicin I (1) and D20-solamin B (2), respectively.

Association between Dietary Protein Intake and Type 2 Diabetes Differs by Dietary Pattern in Middle-Aged and Elderly Population in the Community of Guangzhou, China / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

[Objective] We assessed the associations between protein intake and T2D in different dietary patterns.[Methods] We conducted a population-based cross sectional study of 5 956 women and 2 298 men in middle-aged and elderly population in the community of Guangzhou city,Guangdong province.Cluster analysis was used to category subjects into mutually exclusive group by major sources of protein.Logistics regression analysis and substitution models were used to estimate T2D risks according to protein intake.[Results] The mean age of subjects was 55.51 year.Subjects were divided into four dietary protein food patterns (coarse cereals,red meat,refined grain,and sea food).Overall,extreme quantile of total protein intake was significantly and positively associated with T2D [odds ratio 1.58 (95％ CI 1.25,2.02)].In subgroup analysis by dietary patterns,extreme quantile of total protein intake was also positively related to T2D in the "red meat" [3.00(1.36,7.01)] and "refined grain" [2.25 (1.40,3.61)] dietary pattern group.However,this association was revered in the "coarse cereals" group [0.48 (0.23,0.97)];and protein intake was not related to T2D in the "seafood" group.[Conclusions] The association between protein intake and T2D varies by dietary pattern.Dietary pattern should be considered into the recommendation of protein intake for diabetes prevention.

The relationship between autophagy activation in spinal cord and type 2 diabetic neuropathic pain in rats / 中国应用生理学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the relationship between autophagy function in spinal cord and type 2 diabetic neuropathic pain in rats.@*METHODS@#Forty-two male Sprague-Dawley rats were fed with a high-sugar, high-fat diet for 8 weeks to induce the insulin resistance, and then received a single intraperitoneal streptozocin (STZ) injection to establish type 2 diabetes rat model. Two weeks after STZ injection, mechanical withdrawal threshold (MWT) and thermal withdrawal latency (TWL) of rats were detected, the rats with MWT and TWL decreasing to below 80% compared to baseline were chosen as type 2 diabetic neuropathic pain rats (group DNP, =24), the rest of the rats were chosen as type 2 diabetic non-neuropathic pain rats (group DA, =18). And another 18 normal rats randomly selected from the total were classified as control group (group C) and fed with common forage for 8 weeks. The MWT and TWL were measured again on the 3rd, 7th and 14th day after determining the grouping of DA and DNP, and then, the lumbar segments 4~6 of the spinal cord were removed from the executed rats for determination of the expressions of microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3)、Beclin-1and P62 by Western blot. The co-expressions of P62 with GFAP or OX-42 or NeuN in spinal dorsal horn were detected in another 6 lumbar segments of diabetic neuropathic pain (DNP) rats on the 7th day by immunofluorescence double dye method.@*RESULTS@#Compared with group C, the insulin level was increased and ISI decreased in SD rats fed with high-sugar, high-fat diet, that meant the rats in insulin-resistance. After STZ injection, blood glucose rose to the standard of type 2 diabetes mellitus, i.e. ≥ 16.7 mmol/L. Compared with group C and group DA, MWT was significantly decreased, TWL shortened and the expression of LC3-Ⅱ and Beclin-1 in the spinal dorsal horn up-regulated, P62 expression down-regulated on the 3rd, 7th and 14th day in group DNP (<0.05). P62 was mainly localized in spinal dorsal horn and coexisted with neurons, and spots of P62 immunoreactivity could be detected in a few microglia but not observed in astrocyte.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The changes in expression of LC3-Ⅱ、Beclin-1 and P62 in spinal cord of type 2 diabetes neuropathic pain rats means autophagy activation of spinal, up-regulated autophagy of neurons in spinal dorsal horn mainly involves in the formation and development of type 2 diabetic neuropathic pain in rats.

Research Advances on Pathogenesis of Myelodysplastic Syndrome / 中国实验血液学杂志

Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a clonal marrow stem cell disorder, characterized by ineffective haemopoiesis leading to blood cytopenias. As a disease of grey zone, along with the development of research, the exploration on its pathogenesis have been shifted from molecular genetics and the feature of immunophenotype to the epigenetic and micro environment. But at present, the pathogenesis of MDS is still not clear, the research of the molecular genetics and immunophenotype can not meet the needs of experimental and clinical application any longer. The hematopoietic stem cells, cytokines, epigenetic studies, however, have made a lot of achievements. Targeted medicine such as azacitidine and decitabine had promising response in treating MDS patients. In this article the abnormality of stromal cells, cytokines and epigenetic changes in hematopoietic microenvironment of MDS are reviewed in order to optimize the monitoring MDS progress and guide its clinical medication strategy.

Changes in T-cell receptor repertoire in aplastic anemia and effects of Shengxue Mixture / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the immune pathogenesis of aplastic anemia (AA) and the therapeutic effects of Shengxue Mixture (SM) through the gene expressions of subfamilies of T-cell receptor variable region beta (TCR Vbeta) using immunologic and molecular biologic technology.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Gene expressions of TCR Vbeta sub-families in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 20 AA patients were detected before and after treatment with SM using RT-PCR and gene scanning method.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>TCR Vbeta gene repertoire of the 24 subfamily genes deviated in AA patients, and the oligoclonal gene expressions increased obviously compared with those in healthy people (P < 0.01), including Vbeta2, 5, 6, 15, 16, 22, and 23 were found in 30%-50% AA patients, and Vbeta8, 21 were in more than 50% patients. These oligoclonal genes reduced significantly after treatment with SM compared with those before treatment (P < 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Multiple TCR Vbeta subfamilies of clonal proliferation participate in the pathogenesis of AA. SM can rectify the deviation of TCR Vbeta gene repertoire, reduce the abnormal clonal proliferation of T cells, thus to alleviate the immune injury to hematopoietic tissue, and thus to benefit the recovery of hematopoiesis of bone marrow.</p>

Clinical study on the effect of Shengxueling on idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura / 中国结合医学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the clinical effect of Shengxueling (SXL) on idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP), and study the possible mechanism.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Eighty-six cases of ITP were randomly divided into two groups. The SXL group, 56 patients treated with SXL, a traditinal Chinese medicine and 30 patients administered with prednisone were taken as control. Each group took drugs for 3 months and was under follow-up observation.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>In the SXL group, the total effective rate was 85.71%, similar to prednisone 83.33% (P > 0.05) for 3 months, but the total effective rate of SXL (91.07%) were obviously better than that of the control group (53.33%) (P < 0.01) for 6 months and had no obvious adverse reaction. The patients bleeding was alleviated or stopped, the general condition was improved. At the same time, blood platelet count (PLT) was increased, platelet associated immunoglobulin (PAIg) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) were markedly dropped, the level of natural killers cells activity (NKa) increased, the rate of T lymphocyte subsets gradually returned to normal level. Megakaryocyte tended to maturation on bone marrow smear after treatment. All differences above were statistically significant.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>SXL is an effective and safe medicine for ITP. Its mechanism could regulate cytoimmune, inhibit platelet antibody to reduce the destruction of platelet, increase the number of platelet, promote the division and maturation of megakaryocyte, facilitate the production and release of platelet, lower the fragility of capillary, prevent and cure hemorrhagic tendency.</p>