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In this study, the expression of Cripto-1 and the role of macrophage polarization in immune response after allogeneic transfusion were analyzed by constructing a mouse model of allogeneic transfusion. In order to analyze the effects of miR-449a on the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway and the expression of downstream related regulatory factors under normal and abnormal conditions, we adopt in vitro and in vivo experiments separately. The molecular mechanism of PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway was analyzed by blocking or activating gene expression and western blotting. Experiment in vitro has confirmed that inhibition of miR-449a increased the protein expression of Cripto-1. In vivo experiments confirmed that allogeneic transfusion reduced the expression of Cripto-1, which further inhibited NF-κB signaling pathway through AKT/PI3K phosphorylation, regulated macrophage polarization, inhibited M1 polarization of macrophages, promoted M2 polarization, and thus affected immune response of the body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nardostachyos Radix et Rhizoma (nardostachys) is the root and rhizome of Nardostachys jatamansi DC. Recent studies have shown that nardostachys may exert an anti-PD effect. In this study, the UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS method was used to analyze the brain components of nardostachys in rats. Based on the results of UHPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap-MS analysis, nardosinone was identified to be the most effective anti-PD compound in nardostachys. To further verify this inference, a mouse PD model was established and the effect of nardosinone on PD mice was determined using classic behavioral tests. The results showed that nardosinone was indeed effective for relieving PD symptoms in mice. Moreover, network pharmacology analysis was used to elucidate the mechanism underlying the anti-PD effect of nardosinone. Dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) was identified as the key target of nardosinone-PD interaction network, which was further verified by molecular docking and Western blotting. The results demonstrated that nardosinone and DRD2 could interact with each other. Furthermore, the expression level of DRD2 was decreased in the brain tissue of PD mice, and nardosinone could restore its expression to a certain extent. In conclusion, our findings suggest that nardosinone may reduce the motor and cognitive symptoms in the animal PD model by regulating DRD2 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Male infertility induced by heat stress has been attracting more and more attention. Heat stress not only causes apoptosis of spermatocytes but also has adverse effects on Sertoli cells, further damaging spermatogenesis. Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) is the main bioactive component of Lycium barbarum, which has a protective effect on male reproduction, but its mechanism is still unclear. In this study, our results proved that LBP blocked the inhibitory effect on the proliferation activity of Sertoli cells after heat stress, reversed the dedifferentiation of Sertoli cells induced by heat stress, and ameliorated the structural integrity of the blood-testis barrier. In addition, it increased the expression of the androgen receptor and activated Akt signaling pathway to resist heat-stress-induced injury of Sertoli cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Male infertility induced by heat stress has been attracting more and more attention. Heat stress not only causes apoptosis of spermatocytes but also has adverse effects on Sertoli cells, further damaging spermatogenesis. Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) is the main bioactive component of Lycium barbarum, which has a protective effect on male reproduction, but its mechanism is still unclear. In this study, our results proved that LBP blocked the inhibitory effect on the proliferation activity of Sertoli cells after heat stress, reversed the dedifferentiation of Sertoli cells induced by heat stress, and ameliorated the structural integrity of the blood-testis barrier. In addition, it increased the expression of the androgen receptor and activated Akt signaling pathway to resist heat-stress-induced injury of Sertoli cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Male infertility induced by heat stress has been attracting more and more attention. Heat stress not only causes apoptosis of spermatocytes but also has adverse effects on Sertoli cells, further damaging spermatogenesis. Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) is the main bioactive component of Lycium barbarum, which has a protective effect on male reproduction, but its mechanism is still unclear. In this study, our results proved that LBP blocked the inhibitory effect on the proliferation activity of Sertoli cells after heat stress, reversed the dedifferentiation of Sertoli cells induced by heat stress, and ameliorated the structural integrity of the blood-testis barrier. In addition, it increased the expression of the androgen receptor and activated Akt signaling pathway to resist heat-stress-induced injury of Sertoli cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herb-pairs are the basic units of composition in Chinese herbal formulae, where the bridge linking Chinese medicine and prescription consists of two Chinese medicine herbs. The Suanzaoren-Wuweizi herb-pair (SWHP) is commonly used as a sedative or tranquilizer. SWHP has been demonstrated to exert an antianxiety effect in animal models of anxiety. However, little information about its mechanism is available and the effects of SWHP have not been investigated. This study examined the effects of SWHP on ameliorating anxiety-like behaviors by regulating endocannabinoids system (ECS)—brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)—extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK) signaling pathway expression, induced by restraint stress (RS) procedures. The antianxiety effects of SWHP on RS rats were then examined through the open-field test (OF) and the elevated plus maze test (EPM). The concentration of BNDF, ERK1/2, p-ERK1/2, cAMP-response element binding protein (CREB), and p-CREB expression in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of the rats was then measured by western blot. The number of positive cells of CB1 and CB2 in the rats' hippocampus CA1 region was measured by immunohistochemistry. These results gave compelling evidence that SWHP could modify anxiety-like behaviors of RS rats through regulation of the ECS-BDNF-ERK signaling pathway. Our study demonstrated that SWHP improved anxiety-like behaviors in RS rat models by regulating the ECS-BDNF-ERK signaling pathway. The findings indicate that SWHP may have a therapeutic application in the RS model of anxiety disorder, which proposes a potential new direction for research into anxiety disorders regarding mechanisms and the development of novel antianxiety drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zhizhu Xiang (ZZX for short) is the root and rhizome of Valeriana jatamansi Jones, which is a Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) used to treat various mood disorders for more than 2000 years, especially anxiety. However, there have been few investigations to clarify the compounds in ZZX for the treatment of anxiety. Our previous study has identified five anti-anxiety components, including hesperidin, isochlorogenic acid A, isochlorogenic acid B and isochlorogenic acid C and chlorogenic acid, from extract of ZZX. In order to find the optimal combination and the underlying mechanism of these five components in the treatment of anxiety disorder, researches were designed based on uniform design method and proteomic technology. The samples with different proportion and content of the five active components were arranged by uniform design method. Then a mathematical model was formulated using partial least square method and stepwise regression analysis. Moreover, the empty bottle stress-induced anxiety rat model was established, and the anti-anxiety effect was recorded by the unconditioned reflex elevated maze test and the open field test. In addition, the isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation (iTRAQ) technique, along with the multidimensional liquid chromatography and high-resolution mass spectrometry were applied in proteomic study. At last, the result of proteomic analysis was further confirmed by Western blot. The optimal combination of the components from the extract of ZZX was 1.153 mg/kg hesperidin, 2.197 mg/kg Isochlorogenic acid A, 0.699 mg/kg Isochlorogenic acid B and 1.249 mg/kg Chlorogenic acid. Total 6818 proteins were identified using proteomic analysis and 80 differentially expressed proteins were used for further bioinformatic analysis. These proteins were involved in the neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, protein digestion and absorption, cholesterol metabolism, Chagas disease, and AGE/RAGE signaling pathway. The composition and proportion of anti-anxiety components in extract of ZZX was disclosed, and there was an anti-anxiety effect for the combined components of flavonoids and phenolic acids. Through proteomic analysis and Western blot, it was found that the effective components of extract of ZZX can exert synergistic anti-anxiety effects via the regulation of multi-signaling pathways. These findings could provide a preliminary research basis for the development of new low-toxic, efficient, stable and controllable anti-anxiety drugs. Image 1 • The optimal combination of the antianxiety components in ZZX (the root and rhizome of Valeriana jatamansi Jones) was 1.153 mg/kg hesperidin, 2.197 mg/kg Isochlorogenic acid A, 0.699 mg/kg Isochlorogenic acid B and 1.249 mg/kg Chlorogenic acid. • During the proteomic analysis, 80 proteins in rats were significantly influenced after dosing components mentioned above. • Bioinformatic analyze results showed that the mechanism of ZZX-OS protect EBS rats from anxiety is related with the neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction, protein digestion and absorption, cholesterol metabolism, Chagas disease, and AGE/RAGE signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]