[Action mechanism of Mahuang Xixin Fuzi decoction for mice with influenza based on metabolomics information].

This study aimed to analyze the endogenous metabolite changes in the serum of mice infected with H1N1 virus after intervention by Mahuang-Xixin-Fuzi decoction (MXF) based on metabolomics method, investigate potential biomarkers and related metabolic pathways, and explore the therapeutic mechanism of MXF through metabolomics technology. Thirty-six Kunming (KM) mice were randomly divided into three groups: normal group, model group and MXF group. Influenza virus H1N1 was used by nasal drip to establish influenza mice model. The mice in MXF group were orally administrated with MXF for 6 consecutive days after inoculation, and the other two groups were given with equal volume of saline solution in the same way. Body weight, rectal temperature, morbidity and mortality were recorded daily. Serum samples were collected 24 hours after the last administration for HPLC-TOF-MS analysis. The results showed that as compared with the normal group, the body weight and rectal temperature were decreased in model group, and their lung index and mortality rate were significantly increased (P<0.05); MXF had good therapeutic effects on the abnormity of body weight, rectal temperature, lung index and high mortality rate of mice infected with H1N1 virus. The original data collected from the serum samples were analyzed with R language, MPP, SIMCA-P and other software, and significant changes were found in 14 kinds of endogenous substances from mice serum (P<0.05). As compared with model group, the potential metabolic markers in MXF group recovered to normal levels to a certain degree after being intervened by MXF. Further analysis with MetPA data platform showed that, the pathways involved in 14 metabolites included glucose metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, glycerophospholipids and sphingolipids metabolism etc. The metabolomics study and pharmacological experiment showed that MXF might play a role of efficacy by improving glucose metabolism, regulating arachidonic acid metabolism, glycerophospholipid and sphingolipid metabolic pathways.

[Effects of Biodegradable Film Raw Material Particles on Soil Properties, Wheat Growth, and Nutrient Absorption and Transportation].

Biodegradable plastic film is one of the effective ways to solve the problem of white pollution in agriculture. However, its impacts on soil-plant systems are not well documented. In order to provide a basis for the safety evaluation of large-scale application of biodegradable plastic film, pot experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of the types(H, S, and X) and doses(2.5, 10, and 40 g·kg-1) of biodegradable film raw material particles on the soil physiochemical properties, biological properties, growth, and nutrient absorption by wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). The results showed that three types of biodegradable film raw material particles significantly increased soil pH but had no significant effect on soil organic matter content; medium-high doses of H and low-medium doses of S plastic particles had a positive effect on soil nitrification and soil nitrogen availability, whereas X film particles had an inhibitory effect. H film particles increased soil available phosphorus content, and S and X had no significant effect. X film particles increased the content of soil available potassium, but S and H had no significant effect. The effects of three types of biodegradable raw material particles on soil enzyme activities varied with the types and doses of plastic film and enzyme types. With the increase in the doses of plastic film particles, the activities of three kinds of soil enzymes showed a downward trend. Except for the low and medium doses of the S treatment, the other treatments inhibited the growth of wheat, in which X film particles had the greatest inhibitory effect on the biomass of wheat roots, stems, leaves, and grain; with the increase in the doses of film particles, the inhibition effect of wheat biomass was more obvious. For wheat nutrients, the absorption of nitrogen was promoted at low doses and inhibited at high doses, and the three types of film particles inhibited the absorption of phosphorus and potassium. There were significant differences in the distribution ratio of nitrogen and phosphorus between the stems, leaves, and grains of wheat by all the film particles; however, there was no significant difference in the distribution ratio of potassium between those treatments. Correlation analysis showed that wheat biomass was the main factor affecting wheat nutrient accumulation.

Gene co-expression modules integrated with immunoscore predicts survival of non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to deconvolve the levels of infiltrating immune cells in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to identify specific gene co-expression modules associated with prognosis of NSCLC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: CIBERSORT algorithm was employed to infer the relative abundance of 22 immune cell subtypes in 1751 NSCLC subjects. The patterns of immune infiltration were identified for NSCLC with different clinical and genomic features and were used to construct an immunoscore by LASSO regression associated with NSCLC survival. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) was employed to identify specific modules related to immunoscore and NSCLC survival. An integrated prognostic model was constructed with immunoscore combined with the available clinical variables and the selected gene modules to predict the prognosis of NSCLC. RESULTS: We found distinct immune infiltration patterns for NSCLC with different genotype. EGFR-mutant NSCLC was characterized by enriched resting memory CD4+ T cell. An immunoscore was established based on the infiltration abundance of 17 selected immune cell subtypes. Patients with a low immunoscore had a prolonged survival and higher abundance of CD4+ T cell, resting dendritic cells and resting mast cells. The WGCNA analysis identified the gene modules significantly associated with immunoscore and the prognosis of NSCLC. The immunoscore was further incorporated with clinical parameters and selected gene modules to fit a predictive model which stratified patients into subgroups with significantly different survival. CONCLUSION: The distinct immune profiles are associated with differential overall survival of NSCLC and the integrated model can robustly predict the prognosis of NSCLC.

Urinary Metabolomics Study of the Intervention Effect of Hypoglycemic Decoction on Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Rats Model.

The hypoglycemic decoction (HD) is a traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) preparation for the treatment of diabetes mellitus (DM), with a remarkable therapeutic effect. However, its mechanism of action is still unclear at the metabolic level. In this study, the biochemical markers from type 2 DM (T2DM) rats, induced by a high-sugar and high-fat diet combined with streptozotocin (STZ), were detected. The metabolomics-based analysis using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) was conducted to evaluate urine samples from control, model, metformin, and HD groups. After oral administration of HD for 28 days, the general state, weight, fasting blood glucose (FBG), blood lipid level, oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), fasting insulin (FINS), insulin sensitivity index (ISI), and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) were significantly improved (P < 0.01). The western blotting showed that HD can enhance the protein expression of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT4) and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK). The metabolomics results revealed that after treatment with HD, the levels of L-carnitine, 1-methyladenosine, 1-methylhistamine, and 3-indoleacrylic acid were upregulated and the levels of riboflavin, phenylalanine, atrolactic acid, 2-oxoglutarate, citrate, isocitrate, cortisol, and glucose were downregulated. The main mechanism may be closely related to the regulation of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, phenylalanine metabolism, glyoxylate metabolism, and dicarboxylate metabolism. Additionally, it was also found that HD can regulate the protein expression of GLUT4 and AMPK to interfere with TCA cycle and carbohydrate metabolism to treat T2DM.

Nortirucallane A, a new tirucallane-type nortriterpenoid isolated from Lonicerae japonicae flos.

One new tirucallane-type nortriterpenoid Nortirucallane A (1), together with Chrysoeriol (2) and Isorhamnetin (3), was isolated from the methylene chloride part of Lonicerae japonicae flos. Their structures were elucidated by the detailed analysis of comprehensive spectroscopic data. Compound 3 was isolated from the genus of Lonicera for the first time. The significance of 1 for the study of phytochemical taxonomy was discussed.