Cryptoporic acid E from Cryptoporus volvatus inhibits influenza virus replication in vitro.

Influenza virus infection is a global public health issue. The efficacy of antiviral agents for influenza virus has been limited by the emergence of drug-resistant virus strains. Thus, there is an urgent need to identify novel antiviral therapies. Our previous studies have found that Cryptoporus volvatus extract can potently inhibit influenza virus replication in vitro and in vivo. However, the effective component of Cryptoporus volvatus, which mediates the antiviral activity, hasn't been identified. Here, we identified a novel anti-influenza virus molecule, Cryptoporic acid E (CAE), from Cryptoporus volvatus. Our results showed that CAE had broad-spectrum anti-influenza activity against 2009 pandemic strain A/Beijing/07/2009 (H1N1/09pdm), seasonal strain A/Beijing/CAS0001/2007(H3N2), mouse adapted strains A/WSN/33 (H1N1), and A/PR8/34 (H1N1). We further investigated the mode of CAE action. Time-course-analysis indicated that CAE exerted its inhibition mainly at the middle stages of the replication cycle of influenza virus. Subsequently, we confirmed that CAE inhibited influenza virus RNA polymerase activity and blocked virus RNA replication and transcription in MDCK cells. In addition, we found that CAE also impaired influenza virus infectivity by directly targeting virus particles. Our data suggest that CAE is a major effective component of Cryptoporus volvatus.

Quantitative analysis of differential protein expression in cervical carcinoma cells after zeylenone treatment by stable isotope labeling with amino acids in cell culture.

Cervical carcinoma is a malignant tumor that poses a serious threat to women's health and survival. Approximately 10-25% of cervical cancers are adenocarcinomas (ACs). AC has high rates of recurrence and mortality, while there is no effective treatment for now. Zeylenone (Zey), which is isolated from an ethanol extract of the leaves of Uvaria grandiflora Roxb. of the family Annonaceae, has shown potent inhibitory activity against various tumor cells, including cervical carcinoma cells. To gain insight into the molecular mechanism underlying the effect of Zey on AC, we quantified protein expression changes in AC cells treated with Zey. We used stable isotope labeling with amino acids in cell culture (SILAC) in combination with high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-ESI-MS/MS) and bioinformatics analysis to compare protein expression profiles in HeLa cells before and after Zey treatment. Of 1805 differentially expressed proteins identified, 229 were screened as key protein molecules and classified into nine categories. Profiling of differentially-expressed proteins contributed to our understanding of the molecular mechanism by which Zey induces HeLa cell apoptosis. Using this method, candidate targets can be identified for developing new drugs against cervical carcinoma.

The relationship of 3-PBA pyrethroids metabolite and male reproductive hormones among non-occupational exposure males.

Many pesticides possess hormonal activities and have been classified as endocrine disrupting chemicals. Synthetic pyrethroids are one kind of the most common pesticides used in the world. In the present study, we explored the association between serum reproductive hormone levels and urinary creatine (CR) adjusted concentration of 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA), a general metabolite of pyrethroids, in Chinese adult men. The study subjects (n=212) were from the affiliated hospitals of Nanjing Medical University. By using GC-MS, urinary 3-PBA level of each subject was measured and adjusted by urinary CR. Blood samples were collected for measuring the serum levels of reproductive hormones, including follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E2), testosterone (T) and prolactin (PRL). All the subjects had detectable levels of 3-PBA in their urine samples. The median concentration of 3-PBA was 0.815 microg g (-1)of CR. The results showed that there was positive associations between the levels of serum LH and 3-PBA (p=0.013) but negative associations between E2 and 3-PBA level (p=0.022), and the adjusting p-value was 0.044 for LH and E2, which suggested that pyrethroids are capable of disrupting the male endocrine function. In adult men, urinary 3-PBA levels were associated with increased LH and reduced E2 levels. On a population level, these reductions show potential public health importance because of widespread exposure to these pesticides.

[Toxicity study for acrylamide].

Acrylamide is one of the most important chemical materials, which has been widely used in industry. It is one kind of many contaminants in occupational environments. However, it has been reported that starchy foods cooked at high temperature contain a certain amount of acrylamide. The main acrylamide exposure route for non-professional population is intaking of high-temperature starchy foods. In this review, the studies for tumorogenesity, neurotoxicity, reproductive and developmental toxicity possibly caused by acrylamide were reported.