Alpha-glycosyl isoquercitrin alleviates subchronic social defeat stress-induced depression symptoms by modulating the microbiota-gut-brain axis in mice.

AIMS: Increasing evidence suggests a link between gut microbial dysbiosis and the pathogenesis of depression. Alpha-glycosyl isoquercitrin (AGIQ), consisting of isoquercitrin and its glycosylated quercetin, has beneficial effects on the gut microbiome and brain function. Here, we detected the potential antidepressant impact of a four-week administration of AGIQ and its underlying mechanisms using a mouse model of depression. MAIN METHODS: Male C57BL/6 mice were orally administered AGIQ (0.05 % or 0.5 % in drinking water) for 28 days; subchronic social defeat stress was performed in the last 10 days. Behavior tests were conducted to assess anxiety and depressive-like behaviors. Additionally, evaluations encompassed 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) levels, the gut microbiota composition, lipopolysaccharide (LPS) concentrations, short-chain fatty acids levels, and intestinal barrier integrity changes. KEY FINDINGS: AGIQ significantly alleviated depression-like behaviors and increased hippocampal 5-HT levels. Further, AGIQ mitigated stress-induced gut microbial abnormalities and reduced the levels of LPS in the serum, which affected the relative gene expression levels of 5-HT biosynthesis enzymes in vitro. Furthermore, AGIQ reversed the reduced butyrate levels in cecal contents and improved the impaired intestinal barrier by increasing the expression of colonic zonula occluden-1 (ZO-1) and occludin, thereby decreasing LPS leakage. SIGNIFICANCE: Our results suggest that AGIQ could improve stress-induced depression by regulating the gut microbiome, which inhibits LPS production and maintains the gut barrier. This is the first report on the potential effect of AGIQ on depression via the gut microbiota-brain axis, shedding new light on treatment options.

Enhancing the Thermal Stability of Zein Particle-Stabilized Aeratable Emulsions Through Genipin-Protein Cross-Linking and Its Possible Mechanism of Action.

Protein particle-stabilized emulsions often lack thermal stability, impacting their industrial use. This study investigated the effects of genipin (GP)-zein cross-linked particles with varying GP-to-protein weight ratios (0/0.02/0.1:1) on emulsion thermal stability. Enhanced stability was observed at the GP level of 0.1. Heat treatment increased the covalent cross-linking in raw particles and emulsions. Isolated particles from heated emulsions grew in size (micrometer scale) with higher GP levels, unlike heated raw particles (nanoscale). GP-protein cross-linking reduced the droplet-droplet and particle-emulsifier interactions in the heated emulsion. Spectroscopic analysis and electrophoresis revealed that GP-zein cross-linking increased protein structural stability and inhibited nondisulfide and non-GP cross-linking reactions in heated emulsions. The GP-zein bridges between particles at the oil-water interface create strong connections in the particle layer (shell), referred to as "particle-shell locking", enhancing the thermal stability of emulsion significantly. This insight aids the future design of protein-particle-based emulsions, preserving properties like aeratability during thermal processing.

Investigation of seasonal changes in lipid synthesis and metabolism-related genes in the oviduct of Chinese brown frog (Rana dybowskii).

A peculiar physiological characteristic of the Chinese brown frog (Rana dybowskii) is that its oviduct dilates during pre-brumation rather than during the breeding season. This research aimed to examine the expression of genes connected with lipid synthesis and metabolism in the oviduct of R. dybowskii during both the breeding season and pre-brumation. We observed significant changes in the weight and size of the oviduct between the breeding season and pre-brumation. Furthermore, compared to the breeding season, pre-brumation exhibited significantly lower triglyceride content and a marked increase in free fatty acid content. Immunohistochemical results revealed the spatial distribution of triglyceride synthase (Dgat1), triglyceride hydrolase (Lpl and Hsl), fatty acid synthase (Fasn), and fatty acid oxidases (Cpt1a, Acadl, and Hadh) in oviductal glandular cells and epithelial cells during both the breeding season and pre-brumation. While the mRNA levels of triglycerides and free fatty acid synthesis genes (dgat1 and fasn) did not show a significant difference between the breeding season and pre-brumation, the mRNA levels of genes involved in triglycerides and free fatty acid metabolism (lpl, cpt1a, acadl, acox and hadh) were considerably higher during pre-brumation. Furthermore, the R. dybowskii oviduct's transcriptomic and metabolomic data confirmed differential expression of genes and metabolites enriched in lipid metabolism signaling pathways during both the breeding season and pre-brumation. Overall, these results suggest that alterations in lipid synthesis and metabolism during pre-brumation may potentially influence the expanding size of the oviduct, contributing to the successful overwintering of R. dybowskii.

Expression of cholesterol synthesis and steroidogenic markers in females of the Chinese brown frog (Rana dybowskii) during prespawning and prehibernation.

The oviduct of the Chinese brown frog (Rana dybowskii) expands in prehibernation rather than in prespawning, which is one of the physiological phenomena that occur in the preparation for hibernation. Steroid hormones are known to regulate oviductal development. Cholesterol synthesis and steroidogenesis may play an important role in the expansion of the oviduct before hibernation. In this study, we investigated the expression patterns of the markers that are involved in the de novo steroid synthesis pathway in the oviduct of R. dybowskii during prespawning and prehibernation. According to histological analysis, the oviduct of R. dybowskii contains epithelial cells, glandular cells, and tubule lumens. During prehibernation, oviductal pipe diameter and weight were significantly larger than during prespawning. 3-Hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl CoA reductase (HMGCR), low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR), steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), cytochrome P450 cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc), and steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1) were detected in epithelial cells in prehibernation and glandular cells during prespawning. HMGCR, LDLR, StAR, and P450scc protein expression levels were higher in prehibernation than during prespawning, but the SF-1 protein expression level did not significantly differ. HMGCR, LDLR, StAR, P450scc (CYP11A1), and SF-1 (NR5A1) mRNA expression levels were significantly higher in prehibernation compared with prespawning. The transcriptome results showed that the steroid synthesis pathway was highly expressed during prehibernation. Existing results indicate that the oviduct is able to synthesize steroid hormones using cholesterol, and that steroid hormones may affect the oviductal functions of R. dybowskii.

MED1 induces M2 polarization of tumor-associated macrophages to aggravate breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is a common malignant tumor in female, and its 5-year survival rate remains low. The correlation between mediator subunit 1 (MED1) gene and macrophage phenotypic transformation may be a key factor affecting the therapeutic effect on cancer. OBJECTIVE: The present study intended to explore the role of MED1 in macrophage polarization and its further influence on the malignant behaviors of breast cancer. METHODS: Bioinformatics analysis was carried out to predict the expression pattern of MED1 in breast cancer. Flow cytometry was conducted to detect the effect of MED1 overexpression or silencing on macrophage polarization. ELISA was applied to analyze the effect of abnormal MED1 expression on cytokine secretion of macrophages. CCK-8, colony formation, Transwell and scratch healing assays were applied to investigate the effects of macrophage conditioned medium on the malignant behaviors of breast cancer cells. RESULTS: MED1 expression was prominently increased in M2 macrophages, and overexpression of MED1 significantly increased M2 polarization of tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) and IL-10 cytokine level. Meanwhile, M2 macrophages with MED1 overexpression could significantly promote the malignant behaviors of breast cancer cells. Dasatinib rescue experiment further confirmed that MED1-induced M2 macrophage polarization could facilitate the malignant progression of breast cancer cells. CONCLUSION: In summary, MED1 could induce M2 macrophage polarization and thus regulate the malignant behaviors of breast cancer cells.

Single-cell RNA reveals a tumorigenic microenvironment in the interface zone of human breast tumors.

BACKGROUND: The interface zone, area around invasive carcinoma, can be thought of as the actual tissue of the tumor microenvironment with precedent alterations for tumor invasion. However, the heterogeneity and characteristics of the microenvironment in the interface area have not yet been thoroughly explored. METHODS: For in vitro studies, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) was used to characterize the cells from the tumor zone, the normal zone and the interface zone with 5-mm-wide belts between the tumor invasion front and the normal zone. Through scRNA-seq data analysis, we compared the cell types and their transcriptional characteristics in the different zones. Pseudotime, cell-cell communication and pathway analysis were performed to characterize the zone-specific microenvironment. Cell proliferation, wound healing and clone formation experiments explored the function of differentially expressed gene BMPR1B, which were confirmed by tumor models in vivo. RESULTS: After screening, 88,548 high-quality cells were obtained and identified. Regulatory T cells, M2 macrophages, angiogenesis-related mast cells, stem cells with weak DNA repair ability, endothelial cells with angiogenic activity, fibroblasts with collagen synthesis and epithelial cells with proliferative activity form a unique tumorigenic microenvironment in the interface zone. Cell-cell communication analysis revealed that there are special ligand-receptor pairs between different cell types in the interface zone, which protects endothelial cell apoptosis and promotes epithelial cell proliferation and migration, compared to the normal zone. Compared with the normal zone, the highly expressed BMPR1B gene promotes the tumorigenic ability of cancer cells in the interface zone. CONCLUSIONS: Our work identified a unique tumorigenic microenvironment of the interface zone and allowed for deeper insights into the tumor microenvironment of breast cancer that will serve as a helpful resource for advancing breast cancer diagnosis and therapy.

A Novel Metabolic Score for Predicting the Acute Exacerbation in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease.

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has higher mortality when developing to acute exacerbation (AECOPD); hence, the early intervention of COPD is critical for preventing AECOPD. Exploring the serum metabolites associated with acute exacerbation in patients with COPD will contribute to the early intervention of COPD. Methods: In the study, a non-targeted metabolomics strategy combined with multivariate statistical methods was performed to explore the metabolic profiling of COPD developing acute exacerbation, to screen the potential metabolites associated with AECOPD and to analyze the potential value of these metabolites in predicting the development of COPD. Results: Serum lysine, glutamine, 3-hydroxybutyrate, pyruvate and glutamate levels were significantly higher, while 1-methylhistidine, isoleucine, choline, valine, alanine, histidine and leucine levels were significantly lower in AECOPD patients, compared with stable COPD patients after normalization based on the healthy controls. Moreover, eight metabolic pathways were significantly altered (P<0.05) in the serum of AECOPD patients compared with the stable COPD population, including purine metabolism, glutamine and glutamate metabolism, arginine biosynthesis, butyrate metabolism, ketone body synthesis and degradation, and linoleic acid metabolism. In addition, the correlation analysis between metabolites and AECOPD patients demonstrated that an M-score based on a weighted sum of concentrations of four metabolites including pyruvate, isoleucine, 1-methylhistidine and glutamine were significantly associated with the acute exacerbation of pulmonary ventilation function in COPD patients. Conclusion: Altogether, the metabolite score based on a weighted sum of concentrations of four serum metabolites was associated with an increased risk of COPD developing acute exacerbation, which will provide a new insight for the understanding of COPD development.

Whole genome analysis of host-associated lactobacillus salivarius and the effects on hepatic antioxidant enzymes and gut microorganisms of Sinocyclocheilus grahami.

As a fish unique to Yunnan Province in China, Sinocyclocheilus grahami hosts abundant potential probiotic resources in its intestinal tract. However, the genomic characteristics of the probiotic potential bacteria in its intestine and their effects on S. grahami have not yet been established. In this study, we investigated the functional genomics and host response of a strain, Lactobacillus salivarius S01, isolated from the intestine of S. grahami (bred in captivity). The results revealed that the total length of the genome was 1,737,623 bp (GC content, 33.09%), comprised of 1895 genes, including 22 rRNA operons and 78 transfer RNA genes. Three clusters of antibacterial substances related genes were identified using antiSMASH and BAGEL4 database predictions. In addition, manual examination confirmed the presence of functional genes related to stress resistance, adhesion, immunity, and other genes responsible for probiotic potential in the genome of L. salivarius S01. Subsequently, the probiotic effect of L. salivarius S01 was investigated in vivo by feeding S. grahami a diet with bacterial supplementation. The results showed that potential probiotic supplementation increased the activity of antioxidant enzymes (SOD, CAT, and POD) in the hepar and reduced oxidative damage (MDA). Furthermore, the gut microbial community and diversity of S. grahami from different treatment groups were compared using high-throughput sequencing. The diversity index of the gut microbial community in the group supplemented with potential probiotics was higher than that in the control group, indicating that supplementation with potential probiotics increased gut microbial diversity. At the phylum level, the abundance of Proteobacteria decreased with potential probiotic supplementation, while the abundance of Firmicutes, Actinobacteriota, and Bacteroidota increased. At the genus level, there was a decrease in the abundance of the pathogenic bacterium Aeromonas and an increase in the abundance of the potential probiotic bacterium Bifidobacterium. The results of this study suggest that L. salivarius S01 is a promising potential probiotic candidate that provides multiple benefits for the microbiome of S. grahami.

Expression of glycogenic genes in the oviduct of Chinese brown frog (Rana dybowskii) during pre-brumation.

The oviduct of Chinese brown frog (Rana dybowskii) displays seasonal morphological and functional changes, which expands specifically during pre-brumation. To uncover the molecular mechanism underlying this phenomenon, we firstly confirmed the increased weight and enlarged diameter of the oviduct in pre-brumation by morphological observation. Interestingly, the glycogen content in the oviduct increased significantly during pre-brumation, indicating Rana dybowskii stores energy in the oviduct before brumation. Transcriptome analysis further identified the differentially expressed genes in the synthesis and metabolism pathways of carbohydrates in the oviduct during pre-brumation. Based on that evidence, we focused on the mRNA and protein expression of glycogenic genes in the oviduct of Rana dybowskii. qPCR confirmed that the expression of glycolysis and glycogenesis-related genes were up-regulated while gluconeogenesis-related genes were down-regulated during pre-brumation. Western blot data showed that glucose transporter GLUT1 and glycogen synthesis-regulation proteins including GYS, and p-GSK-3ß were highly expressed in the oviduct during pre-brumation. Moreover, immunohistochemical data showed that GLUT1, GYS, p-GYS, GSK-3ß and p-GSK-3ß were expressed regionally in the oviduct of Rana dybowskii. The data suggests that glycogen synthesis may be involved in the oviductal expansion of Rana dybowskii during the pre-brumation.

Scaling up and down of 3-D floating-point data in quantum computation.

In the past few decades, quantum computation has become increasingly attractive due to its remarkable performance. Quantum image scaling is considered a common geometric transformation in quantum image processing, however, the quantum floating-point data version of which does not exist. Is there a corresponding scaling for 2-D and 3-D floating-point data? The answer is yes. In this paper, we present a quantum scaling up and down scheme for floating-point data by using trilinear interpolation method in 3-D space. This scheme offers better performance (in terms of the precision of floating-point numbers) for realizing the quantum floating-point algorithms than previously classical approaches. The Converter module we proposed can solve the conversion of fixed-point numbers to floating-point numbers of arbitrary size data with [Formula: see text] qubits based on IEEE-754 format, instead of 32-bit single-precision, 64-bit double-precision and 128-bit extended-precision. Usually, we use nearest-neighbor interpolation and bilinear interpolation to achieve quantum image scaling algorithms, which are not applicable in high-dimensional space. This paper proposes trilinear interpolation of floating-point data in 3-D space to achieve quantum algorithms of scaling up and down for 3-D floating-point data. Finally, the quantum scaling circuits of 3-D floating-point data are designed.

Research Note: Serological investigation of Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale infection in China.

Ornithobacterium rhinotracheale (ORT) has been associated with avian respiratory disease. On coinfection with other pathogens, ORT can cause serious health problems in avian species, leading to financial losses. To monitor the serologic prevalence of ORT in chicken flocks in China, 1,280 sera were collected to determine ORT antibodies among 64 flocks from 15 provinces of China using a commercial ELISA kit. The overall seroprevalence of ORT among the birds tested was 44.06%. In younger chickens, the serum positive rate was lower than that in older chickens, and with increased age, the serum positive rates increased. Older chickens had not only higher positive rates but also higher antibody levels. These data indicated that ORT infections were common in China. Because an ORT vaccine is currently not available, good disease management and biosecurity measures are required for effective disease control.

Structural characterization of a novel human adeno-associated virus capsid with neurotropic properties.

Recombinant adeno-associated viruses (rAAVs) are currently considered the safest and most reliable gene delivery vehicles for human gene therapy. Three serotype capsids, AAV1, AAV2, and AAV9, have been approved for commercial use in patients, but they may not be suitable for all therapeutic contexts. Here, we describe a novel capsid identified in a human clinical sample by high-throughput, long-read sequencing. The capsid, which we have named AAVv66, shares high sequence similarity with AAV2. We demonstrate that compared to AAV2, AAVv66 exhibits enhanced production yields, virion stability, and CNS transduction. Unique structural properties of AAVv66 visualized by cryo-EM at 2.5-Å resolution, suggest that critical residues at the three-fold protrusion and at the interface of the five-fold axis of symmetry likely contribute to the beneficial characteristics of AAVv66. Our findings underscore the potential of AAVv66 as a gene therapy vector.

Isolation and pathogenicity testing of avian reticuloendotheliosis virus from layer chickens in China.

Reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) can cause runting, immunosuppression, acute reticulum cell neoplasia, and chronic lymphoid tumors in a variety of domestic and wild birds. We diagnosed a case of reticuloendotheliosis with obvious tumors in liver and kidney. We isolated and sequenced the virus and performed pathogenicity testing of the REV strain. Immunohistochemistry and PCR confirmed that the diseased layer chickens were infected with REV. The strain, named BJ1503, was successfully isolated from the case by inoculation of tissue homogenates onto chicken embryo fibroblasts. The length of the proviral REV genome is 8,293 nucleotides. The isolate had 99.7% identity with REV-HA9901 (AY842951.1), which was isolated from Jiangsu, China, in 1999. The chickens infected with REV-BJ1503 had depressed weight gain and lymphoid atrophy. Our findings suggest that REV isolate BJ1503 was phylogenetically close to the earlier strain found in China, with minor variations, and the virus was associated with severe production problems.

Walnut Polyphenol Extract Protects against Malathion- and Chlorpyrifos-Induced Immunotoxicity by Modulating TLRx-NOX-ROS.

Malathion (MT) and chlorpyrifos (CPF) are immunotoxic organophosphate pesticides that are used extensively in agriculture worldwide. Dietary polyphenols protect against a variety of toxins. In this study, walnut polyphenol extract (WPE) prevents MT- or CPF-induced toxicity to splenic lymphocytes in vitro. WPE promotes the proliferation of MT-exposed splenocytes, as indicated by increases in the proportions of splenic T-lymphocyte subpopulations (CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ T cells) and levels of T-cell-related cytokines interleukin (IL)-2, interferon-γ, IL-4, and granzyme B, and decreases the apoptosis-associated proteins Bax and p53. WPE also significantly enhances the proliferation of CPF-exposed splenic B lymphocytes (CD19+ B cells) and levels of the B-cell-related cytokine IL-6, leading to decreases of the apoptosis-associated proteins Bax and p53. These effects are related to reduced production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), as evidenced by normalized hydroxyl radical (•OH), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH) levels, which are associated with decreased expression of NADPH oxidase 2 (NOX2) and dual oxidase 1 (DUOX1). WPE inhibits the production of ROS and expression of NOX by regulating toll-like receptors 4 and 7 in MT- and CPF-exposed splenic lymphocytes. In conclusion, WPE protects against MT- or CPF-mediated immunotoxicity and inhibits oxidative damage by modulating toll-like receptor (TLR)x-NOX-ROS.

Characterization of emergent Avibacterium paragallinarum strains and the protection conferred by infectious coryza vaccines against them in China.

Infectious coryza (IC), an acute respiratory disease of chickens, is caused by Avibacterium paragallinarum. Here, the current epidemiological status of IC was investigated in China over 5 yr (2013 to 2018). A total of 28 Av. paragallinarum field isolates were identified by PCR tests and by sequence analysis of the hemagglutinin gene. The pathogenicities of 4 field isolates, the efficacy of 2 commercial inactivated oil-emulsion IC vaccines and vaccines containing different Av. paragallinarum isolates were also evaluated. The PCRs revealed a high rate (51.5%) of sample positivity for Av. paragallinarum during 2013 to 2018. Phylogenetic analysis showed that most field strains fell into the same cluster and had a farther genetic relationship with the early isolates from China. Pathogenicity testing revealed that the Chinese Av. paragallinarum isolates were able to induce the typical clinical signs of IC; hence, they were clearly pathogenic to chickens. Vaccine efficacy tests revealed that the 2 commercial inactivated oil-emulsion IC vaccines we tested had low protection rates against 2 selected Av. paragallinarum isolates after a single immunization, whereas the inactivated vaccine containing the Av. paragallinarum BJ26 isolate generated a relatively high protection rate against the field isolates compared with other three tested vaccines. The results indicate that IC is currently prevalent in China, and that commercial vaccines have not counteracted its presence in this country.

High-Throughput Quantification of In Vivo Adeno-Associated Virus Transduction with Barcoded Non-Coding RNAs.

Recombinant adeno-associated viruses (rAAVs) have become favorable gene delivery vehicles for expressing therapeutic transgenes. Capsid engineering efforts to produce novel AAVs with improved transduction efficiencies, unique tissue specificities, and reduced host immunities are a direct response to the high demand for treatment needs that preexisting rAAVs cannot currently fulfill. New AAV capsids discovered by directed evolution methods, in silico design, or from natural proviral sequences ultimately require extensive characterization in relevant in vivo models. Consequently, quantitative screening of candidate capsid libraries now requires reliable high-throughput sequencing approaches. In this study, we have developed a vector/transgene tracking system that employs the indexing of a non-coding RNA. Specifically, a barcoded Tough Decoy (bcTuD) that express highly stable RNA transcripts that can be used as readouts for transduction efficiency. The pseudo-hairpin structure of the bcTuD contains a variable region that is amenable to barcode insertion, which can be detected by target amplicon sequencing. The described approach, named AAV-bcTuD screening, offers a new alternative for in vivo assessment of rAAV that can accurately quantify vector genomes and transcript abundances in tissues, as exampled by the demonstration in liver and brain infections. Proof-of-concept is provided to show that vector genome and transcript detection in tissues with this method is accurate and consistent for a vector dose range of upwards to four logs in a mixed vector injection, showing that this technique is robust, sensitive, and applicable for multiplexed screening of capsid performance in vivo.

Transcriptome and proteome analyses of the molecular mechanisms associated with coix seed nutritional quality in the process of breeding.

In present study, the content of main nutrients in wild coix seed were significantly higher than cultivated coix seed. Transcriptome and proteome were combined to provide new insight of the molecular mechanisms linked to nutritional quality of wild coix seed and cultivated coix seed by RNA sequencing and isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification techniques. A total of 20,039 genes and 471 proteins exhibited differential expression level in cultivated coix seed when compared with wild coix seed. These genes and proteins revealed that the pathway of flavonoids biosynthesis, starch and sucrose metabolism, lipid metabolism and amino acid metabolism were linked to nutritional quality of coix seed. Our results provided transcriptomics and proteomics information with respect to the molecular mechanisms of nutritional changes of coix seed, identified key genes and proteins that associated with the metabolism and accumulation of nutrients, and helped clarify the mechanisms of nutrient differences.

Walnut Polyphenol Extract Protects against Fenitrothion-Induced Immunotoxicity in Murine Splenic Lymphocytes.

Fenitrothion (FNT), an organophosphate pesticide, exerts an immunotoxic effect on splenocytes. Dietary polyphenol compounds exert antioxidant, anticancer and antihypertensive effects. In this study, we investigated the effect of walnut polyphenol extract (WPE) on FNT-induced immunotoxicity in splenic lymphocytes in vitro. Treatment with WPE significantly increased the proliferation of FNT-exposed splenocytes, as evidenced by increases in the proportions of splenic T lymphocytes (CD3⁺ T cells) and T-cell subsets (CD8⁺ T cells), as well as the secretion of the T-cell-related cytokines interleukin (IL)-2, interferon-γ, IL-4 and granzyme B. These effects were associated with a reduction in oxidative stress, as evidenced by changes in the levels of hydroxyl radical, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and malondialdehyde. Moreover, WPE decreased the FNT-induced overexpression of NADPH oxidase 2 and dual oxidase 1 by regulating Toll-like receptor 4 signaling in splenic T-cells. Taken together, these findings suggest that WPE protects against FNT-mediated immunotoxicity and improves immune function by inhibiting oxidative stress.

Abnormal expression of ephrin-A5 affects brain development of congenital hypothyroidism rats.

EphA5 and its ligand ephrin-A5 interaction can trigger synaptogenesis during early hippocampus development. We have previously reported that abnormal EphA5 expression can result in synaptogenesis disorder in congenital hypothyroidism (CH) rats. To better understand its precise molecular mechanism, we further analyzed the characteristics of ephrin-A5 expression in the hippocampus of CH rats. Our study revealed that ephrin-A5 expression was downregulated by thyroid hormone deficiency in the developing hippocampus and hippocampal neurons in rats. Thyroxine treatment for hypothyroid hippocampus and triiodothyronine treatment for hypothyroid hippocampal neurons significantly improved ephrin-A5 expression but could not restore its expression to control levels. Hypothyroid hippocampal neurons in-vitro showed synaptogenesis disorder characterized by a reduction in the number and length of neurites. Furthermore, the synaptogenesis-associated molecular expressions of NMDAR-1 (NR1), PSD95 and CaMKII were all downregulated correspondingly. These results suggest that ephrin-A5 expression may be decreased in CH, and abnormal activation of ephrin-A5/EphA5 signaling affects synaptogenesis during brain development. Such findings provide an important basis for exploring the pathogenesis of CH genetically.

Physiological and proteomic analyses of coix seed aging during storage.

Although a series of physio-biochemical changes of coix seed occur during the storage, the underlying mechanism remains unknown. The present study aimed to investigate the aging mechanism of coix seed during storage. Proteome patterns of coix seed stored for 1-month, 5-month and 10-month at room temperature were compared using 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) and mass spectra. Thirty-one differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were detected, which involved seven pathways including starch and sucrose metabolism, carbon metabolism, RNA transport, proteasome, protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum, ribosome, and RNA degradation. Sucrose synthase 1 was associated with sucrose metabolism and affected the sucrose content during the storage. Increased ambient temperature enhanced respiration of coix after 5-month storage, and overexpression of aconitate hydratase 2 promoted the generation of energy. In addition, the proteins involved in the antioxidant system and resistance stimulus of coix seed were mostly up-regulated during storage.