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Polyamines (PAs) are involved in various developmental processes, especially plant flowering. Their significant influences have been established; however, the exact mechanism by which PAs regulate flowering remains unclear. To explore PA metabolism in plant flowering, gibberellic acid (GA3, 0~2400 mg L−1) and spermidine (Spd, 0~1 mM) were applied alone or in combination during the early stage of flower bud formation in Rhododendron simsii. The application of GA3 alone advanced initial flowering, while that of Spd alone delayed initial flowering. Interestingly, GA3 and Spd applied in combination advanced initial flowering by 2 days. Furthermore, from stage 1 to 2, endogenous PA levels and the soluble conjugated and insoluble bound fractions of PAs and key enzymes (e.g., diamine oxidase, arginine decarboxylase, ornithine decarboxylase and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase) increased, and the level of PA oxidase decreased. These findings revealed that exogenous GA3 and Spd delay flower senescence by improving PA biosynthesis and preventing PA degradation. Moreover, exogenous GA3 and Spd enhanced the levels of endogenous PA and GA3, while the conversion of free PAs to soluble conjugated and insoluble bound forms delayed Rhododendron senescence. Overall, our findings reveal a potential positive feedback mechanism by which higher endogenous PA contents and the combined effects of exogenous GA3 and Spd synergistically delay Rhododendron senescence by enhancing PA biosynthesis and converting free PA to soluble conjugated and insoluble bound forms, thus reducing PA degradation during flower senescence.

Background Currently, the effect of the bacterial community on cast iron corrosion process does not reach consensus. Moreover, some studies have produced contrasting results, suggesting that bacteria can either accelerate or inhibit corrosion. Results The long-term effects of the bacterial community on cast iron corrosion in reclaimed wastewater distribution systems were investigated from both spatial (yellow layer vs. black layer) and temporal (1-year dynamic process) dimensions of the iron coupon-reclaimed wastewater microcosm using high-throughput sequencing and flow cytometry approaches. Cast iron coupons in the NONdisinfection and UVdisinfection reactors suffered more severe corrosion than did those in the NaClOdisinfection reactor. The bacterial community significantly promoted cast iron corrosion, which was quantified for the first time in the practical reclaimed wastewater and found to account for at least 30.5% ± 9.7% of the total weight loss. The partition of yellow and black layers of cast iron corrosion provided more accurate information on morphology and crystal structures for corrosion scales. The black layer was dense, and the particles looked fusiform, while the yellow layer was loose, and the particles were ellipse or spherical. Goethite was the predominant crystalline phase in black layers, while corrosion products mainly existed as an amorphous phase in yellow layers. The bacterial community compositions of black layers were distinctly separated from yellow layers regardless of disinfection methods. The NONdisinfection and UVdisinfection reactors had a more similar microbial composition and variation tendency for the same layer type than did the NaClOdisinfection reactor. Biofilm development can be divided into the initial start-up stage, mid-term development stage, and terminal stable stage. In total, 12 potential functional genera were selected to establish a cycle model for Fe, N, and S metabolism. Desulfovibrio was considered to accelerate the transfer of Fe0 to Fe2+ and speed up weight loss. Conclusion The long-term effect of disinfection processes on corrosion behaviors of cast iron in reclaimed wastewater distribution systems and the hidden mechanisms were deciphered for the first time. This study established a cycle model for Fe, N, and S metabolism that involved 12 functional genera and discovered the significant contribution of Desulfovibrio in promoting corrosion. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s40168-018-0610-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Polyamines (PAs) are involved in various plants developmental processes, especially in flowering. Their significant influence has been established, but the exact mechanisms by which PAs modulate flowering are not yet understood. To understand the PA metabolism during flowering/senescence in Rhododendron simsii ‘Zichendian’ plants, exogenous gibberellin (GA3, 0-2400 mg L− 1) and spermidine (Spd, 0–1 mM) were applied separately or in combination during the early stage of flower bud formation. The application of GA3 alone advanced the initial flowering by promoting the free Put (F) fraction and decreasing the Spd/Put ratio at the squaring stage, whereas Spd alone delayed the initial flowering by increasing the soluble conjugated (C) form, insoluble bound Put (B) fraction and Spd/Put ratio. When GA3 plus Spd was applied, the initial flowering advanced by 2 days. Furthermore, endogenous PA levels as well as the C and B fractions of PAs and key enzymes (diamine oxidase, PA oxidase, arginine decarboxylase, ornithine decarboxylase and S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase) of PA metabolism increased, while the Spd/Spm ratio decreased by GA3 and Spd applications during flowering, resulting in delayed flower senescence. In addition, the structural equation model (SEM) showed that Spd directly participated in PA metabolism, while GA3 regulated flowering by modulating PA metabolism via Spd (c.f. 0.27). Taken together, our study provides comprehensive evidence regarding the clear relationships between GA3, Spd and flowering time, supporting the positive effect of PA metabolism on delaying flower senescence, and helps to provide a thorough understanding of the PA interconversions, biosynthesis and catabolism during flowering and senescence.

Plant hormones are naturally occurring small molecule compounds which are present at trace amounts in plant. They play a pivotal role in the regulation of plant growth. The biological activity of plant hormones depends on their concentrations in the plant, thus, accurate determination of plant hormone is paramount. However, the complex plant matrix, wide polarity range and low concentration of plant hormones are the main hindrances to effective analyses of plant hormone even when state-of-the-art analytical techniques are employed. These factors substantially influence the accuracy of analytical results. So far, significant progress has been realized in the analysis of plant hormones, particularly in sample pretreatment techniques and mass spectrometric methods. This review describes the classic extraction and modern microextraction techniques used to analyze plant hormone. Advancements in solid phase microextraction (SPME) methods have been driven by the ever-increasing requirement for dynamic and in vivo identification of the spatial distribution of plant hormones in real-life plant samples, which would contribute greatly to the burgeoning field of plant hormone investigation. In this review, we describe advances in various aspects of mass spectrometry methods. Many fragmentation patterns are analyzed to provide the theoretical basis for the establishment of a mass spectral database for the analysis of plant hormones. We hope to provide a technical guide for further discovery of new plant hormones. More than 140 research studies on plant hormone published in the past decade are reviewed, with a particular emphasis on the recent advances in mass spectrometry and sample pretreatment techniques in the analysis of plant hormone. The potential progress for further research in plant hormones analysis is also highlighted.

To identify possible cadmium (Cd) accumulators or hyperaccumulators among ornamental plants, a pot experiment involving increasing Cd concentration (0, 5, 15, 30, 60, and 100 mg kg−1) was conducted among seven species. The principal objective was to screen for ornamental plants with an exceptional ability to accumulate and translocate Cd ions as well as sufficient biomass for harvesting. Regarding shoot biomass, root biomass, plant height and tolerance index (TI), Malva rotundifolia showed high tolerance to Cd and Malva crispa, Sida rhombifolia, Celosia argentea and Celosia cristata medium tolerance; Althaea rosea and Abutilon theophrasti were more sensitive to Cd than the other plants. A hormetic response was induced by Cd in M. crispa, C. argentea, C. cristata and M. rotundifolia. Based on its capacity for Cd accumulation, bioaccumulation coefficients (BCFs) and translocation factors (TFs), M. rotundifolia was selected from candidate plants after 60 days of exposure to Cd-contaminated soil and found to have accumulated more than 200 mg kg−1 Cd in its roots and 900 mg kg−1 in its shoots. Moreover, M. rotundifolia BCFs and TFs were higher than 1.0, with the former ranging from 1.41 to 3.31 and the latter from 1.03 to 7.37. Taken together, these results indicate that M. rotundifolia can be classified as a model hyperaccumulator.

In this study, a new polysaccharide (CSMP, Mw = 16,685 Da) was isolated and purified from Cephalosporium sinensis mycelia. Monosaccharide composition analysis indicated that CSMP consists of mannose, glucose and galactose. A detailed structural analysis revealed that CSMP has a backbone consisting of →2,6)-β-D-Manp-(1→ and →3,6)-β-D-Manp-(1→, as well as two branched chains including of α-D-Manp-(1→6)-α-D-Glcp-(1→ and α-D-Glcp-(1→4)-α-D-Glcp-(1→3)-β-D-Galp-(1→2)-β-D-Manp-(1→ attached to C6 of →2,6)-β-D-Manp-(1→ and →3,6)-β-D-Manp-(1→. Orally administrated CSMP showed renal protection function in adenine-induced chronic kidney disease (CKD) rats. Further analysis demonstrated that CSMP increased relative abundance of the genera Lactobacillus group, Clostridium coccoides group and Bifidobacterium, and decreased Echerichia subgroup. CSMP increased acetate, propionate and butyrate levels both in colon and cecum. The mechanisms behind these effects could be related to the down-regulation nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) level by up-regulating expression of G protein-coupled receptor 41 (GPR41) and improvement regulatory T cells (Tregs) ratio by inhibiting histone deacetylase (HDAC) activity. These results indicated that CSMP could be developed as one of the potential drugs in the treatment of CKD.

Abelmoschus manihot, an ornamental plant, was examined for phytoremediation purposes in accordance with the ability to accumulate cadmium and physiological mechanisms of cadmium tolerance. A net photosynthetic rate (A N) glasshouse experiment for 60 days was conducted to investigate the influence of different cadmium amounts (0–100 mg kg−1) on the growth, biomass, photosynthetic performance, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, antioxidative enzyme activities, Cd uptake and accumulation of A. manihot. Exposure to cadmium enhanced plant growth even at 100 mg kg−1, without showing symptoms of visible damage. The cadmium concentration of shoots (stems or leaves) and roots was more than the critical value of 100 mg kg−1 and reached 126.17, 185.26 and 210.24 mg kg−1, respectively. BCF values of A. manihot plants exceeded the reference value 1.0 for all the Cd treatments, and TF values were greater than 1 at 15–60 mg kg−1 Cd treatment. The results also showed that cadmium concentrations of 60 mg kg−1 or less induced a significant enhancement in plant net photosynthetic rate (A N), stomatal conductance (G s), transpiration rate (T r), photosynthetic pigments and F v/F m. These parameters were slightly decreased at the higher concentration (100 mg kg−1). The ROS production (O2 −, H2O2) and antioxidative response including SOD, CAT and POD were significantly enhanced by increasing cadmium. These results suggest that A. manihot can be considered as a Cd-hyperaccumulator and the hormetic effects may be taken into consideration in remediation of Cd contamination soil.

Background Glutathione S-transferase omega 1 (GSTO1), as a member of the glutathione S-transferase (GST) family genes, has been discovered to be up-regulated in several cancer cell lines which exhibited strong aggressiveness. However, the function of GSTO1 on cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) has not been illuminated. Methods Outcome of expression level and prognosis of GSTO1 were obtained from Oncomine and TCGA database. The specific effects of GSTO1 on the characteristics and regulatory mechanism of CMM cells were demonstrated by cell counting kit-8, colony formation, flow cytometry, and transwell assays in vitro. Western blot was employed to analyze the expression of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), p53 and epithelial-to-mesenchymal (EMT) related proteins. Results We observed that GSTO1 was up-regulated in CMM samples when compared with the corresponding controls. Moreover, patients in CMM with high expression of GSTO1 were more likely to have a poor prognosis. Through in vitro experiments, silenced GSTO1 resulted in inhibition of CMM cells growth and aggressiveness, increased cell apoptosis, and blocked cell cycle. Finally, the expression of PCNA, p53 and EMT-related proteins were changed due to reduction of GSTO1. Conclusions To sum up, our outcomes exhibited that weakening GSTO1 reduced the proliferation and mobility of CMM cells, increased the apoptosis ability of CMM cells, and arrested cell cycle at G1 phase, which can be achieved by affecting the expression of PCNA, p53 and the EMT process. This discovery provided a new perspective for elucidating the mechanism of CMM, and offered theoretical support for searching clinical therapeutic targets in the future.

Insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA-binding protein 1 (IGF2BP1) overexpression promotes glioma cell progression. The aim of the current study is to silence IGF2BP1 in glioma cells by the microRNA (miRNA) strategy. The bio-informatic analyses identified that microRNA-4500 (miR-4500) putatively targets 3′-UTR (3′-untranslated region) of IGF2BP1. In A172 cells and primary human glioma cells ectopic overexpression of the wild-type miR-4500 (but not the mutant form) downregulated IGF2BP1 and its target genes (Gli1, IGF2 and c-Myc). Functional studies show that ectopic miR-4500 overexpression inhibited glioma cell growth, survival, proliferation, migration and invasion. Conversely, in A172 cells miR-4500 inhibition, by a lentiviral construct, increased expression of IGF2BP1 and its targets, promoting cell survival, proliferation and migration. Furthermore, IGF2BP1 knockout by the CRISPR/Cas9 method inhibited A172 cell progression. Significantly, miR-4500 overexpression or miR-4500 inhibition was ineffective in IGF2BP1 knockout A172 cells. At last, we show that miR-4500 levels are downregulated in human glioma tissues, correlating with IGF2BP1 upregulation. Together, we conclude that miR-4500 inhibits human glioma cell progression by targeting IGF2BP1.

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is derived from small populations of leukemia stem cells (LSCs) characterized by the self-renewal and chemoresistant properties. Residual LSCs after chemotherapy remain as the critical barriers to cure. Clearance of LSCs might rationally lead to an improvement of clinical outcome. Recently studies showed that JAK/STAT signaling play an important role in the self-renewal of AML-LSCs due to increased growth factor (GF) receptor expression such as c-kit, FLT3, CD123 and altered GF signaling by activating tyrosine kinases. Therefore, targeting such tyrosine kinases might be a strategy to eliminate LSCs. Anlotinib displayed its anti-tumor activity in lung cancer by targeting tyrosine kinase of VEGFR, FGFR, PDGFR and c-kit. However, whether anlotinib could inhibit the GF receptor-related tyrosine kinase overactivation and its downstream JAK-STAT signaling, and subsequently kill LSCs or regulate LSCs biology remains largely unknown. To explore whether anlotinib could exert effective ani-LSCs activity, we treated LSC like cell lines (CD34+CD38-KG-1 and Kasumi-1) with anlotinib, and found anlotinib could effectively induce apoptosis of LSC-like cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Similar results were observed in primary CD34+CD38-AML LSCs; notably, anlotinib did not significantly kill normal CD34+ cells in vitro. Additionally, the anti-LSC activity of anlotinib was further confirmed in the xenograft mouse model by injection of Kasumi cells (LSC-like cell line) into irradiated female BALB/c nude mice. To determine whether anlotinib could inhibit the over activation of the GF receptor-related tyrosine kinase, we performed western blot at 12h after anlotinib treatment when LSC-like cells did not showed significant apoptosis. As a result, anlotinib inhibit c-kit phosphorylation and JAK2 activation. Intriguingly, unlike JAK2 inhibitors, anlotinib could not only the inhibit phosphorylation of STAT3 and STAT5 but also downregulate their expression. Chemoresistance and immune evasion were the key features of LSCs, JAK2-STAT3/5 signaling was reported to involved in chemoresistance by upregulating anti-apoptotic proteins such as Bcl-2 ,Mcl-1 and also involved in immune escape by inducing immune suppressive molecules such as PD-L1 ,TGF-β.Thus we evaluated Bcl-2 expression and found a significant decrease in LSC-likes cells after anlotinib treatment. Similarly, PD-L1 and TGF-β were also significantly downregulated after anlotinib treatment. In conclusion, anlotinib not only displayed the effective anti-LSCs activity but also might regulate the chemoresistance and immune evasion of LSC by downregulating the anti-apoptotic proteins and suppressive molecules such as PD-L1, TGF-β respectively. Consequently, anlotinib might has the potential to contribute to a deeper clearance of LSCs by combining with chemotherapy or immunotherapy. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

3-O-[(E)-4-(4-cyanophenyl)-2-oxobut-3-en-1-yl]kaempferol (Fla-CN), a semi-synthesized flavonoid derivative of tiliroside, reduces whole-body adiposity, ameliorates metabolic lipid disorder, improves insulin sensitivity and benefits other disorders characterized by insulin resistance in high fat diet induced obesity mice. The improvement of insulin sensitivity and the reduction of weight gain are correlated with the changes of leptin and adiponectin levels. As a result, Fla-CN treatment could increase the expressions of pAMPK and miR-27 in the liver and adipose tissues. Meanwhile, we discovered that the expressions of various adipogenesis genes were downregulated, which were target genes of miR-27. This is the first report for the action of miR-27 by flavonoid derivative in rodents. The action of Fla-CN might be through multiple approaches including AMPK activation and enhancement in miR-27 expression.

UNLABELLED The potential of rice bran as a bioabsorbent for tea catechins was examined. Defatted rice bran had the highest adsorption capacity for tea catechins and the best selectivity for (-)-epigallocatechin gallate over total catechins among water-washed rice bran and untreated rice bran. The adsorption characteristics of tea catechins onto defatted rice bran were determined over a range of concentration (0.5 to 2.5 g/L) and temperatures (10, 25, and 45 °C). The adsorption of tea catechins onto defatted rice bran showed excellent fitness with the pseudo-second-order model at different temperature. Both the Langmuir and Freundlich models adequately describe the isothermal adsorption of tea catechins onto defatted rice bran. The adsorption of total catechins on rice bran decreased from 10 to 25 °C, whereas was greatly enhanced at 45 °C. The adsorption system of bioadsorbent with multiconstituents may not be as simple as the single-force-driving adsorption system. Protein and cellulose are the main contributors to the adsorption of tea catechins on defatted rice bran. PRACTICAL APPLICATION Rice bran is regarded as a good fibre source that can be added to various food products and health supplements, which is a potential biocarrier for bioactives. Our study showed that defatted rice bran had a high affinity for tea catechins but caffeine, and provided a promising way for selective enrichment of catechins on defatted rice bran under practical condition. Protein and cellulose are the main contributors to the adsorption of tea catechins on defatted rice bran.

The ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) was employed to extract geniposide from Gardenia jasminoides, and the effects of extraction temperature, extraction time, ultrasound power, solvent/sample ratio, and particle size on the concentration of geniposide were investigated. A kinetic model was proposed to describe the extraction process based on Fick’s first law and the medicinal herb extraction mechanism, and the calculated values were in good agreement with the experimental data. The results indicated that the model could be used to better comprehend the ultrasound-assisted extraction of geniposide from Gardenia jasminoides and systematically optimize the process.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide which is closely related to metastasis. But the exact molecular mechanism on metastasis is still not fully understood; we now report that both MRTF-A and STAT3 play important role in breast cancer migration of MDA-MB-231 cells. Moreover, MRTF-A and STAT3 synergistically increased MDA-MB-231 cell migration by promoting the expression of migration markers Myl-9 and Cyr-61. Importantly, we identified a detailed molecular mechanism of MDA-MB-231 cell migration controlled via physical interaction between MRTF-A and STAT3, which synergistically promote the transactivity of the migration marker Myl-9 and Cyr-61 by CArG box binding. Interestingly, the two signaling pathways RhoA-MRTF-A and JAK-STAT3 across talk to regulate MDA-MB-231 cell migration. Our data thus provide important and novel insights into the roles of MRTF-A and STAT3 in regulating MDA-MB-231 cell migration.

A water soluble Antrodia Camphorata polysaccharide was composed of β-d-glucan, coded as ACP1. ACP1 was derived from cultured Antrodia Camphorata powder, which was extracted, separated and purified by DEAE-52 column and Sephadex G-100 chromatography. The molecular weight of ACP1 was 1.72×104Da, and ACP1 consisted of glucose and galactose in the mole ratio of 2.21:1. Structural identification by FTIR, GC-MS and NMR, inferred that ACP1 consisted of →1,3)-linked-β-d-Glcp-(6→, →3)-linked-β-d-Glcp-(1→, and →6)-linked-α-d-Galp-(1→, with terminal β-d-Glcp and β-d-Galp. The anti-inflammation and anti-oxidation effects of ACP1 were examined in LPS-treated L02 cells in this study. The results demonstrated that ACP1 not only attenuated ROS production, but also decreased expressions of TNF-α and IL-1β. Furthermore, ACP1 reduced the proteins expression of NOX1, NOX2 and NOX4, as well as phosphorylation of ERK, p38 and Akt. The results suggested ACP1 was very likely to alleviate oxidation and inflammation via the suppression of NADPH oxidase activation and inhibition of ERK, p38 and Akt signaling pathways.

Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is a glycoprotein produced by placental trophoblasts. Previous studies indicated that hCG could be responsible for the pregnancy-induced protection against breast cancer in women. It is reported that hCG decreases proliferation and invasion of breast cancer MCF-7 cells. Our research also demonstrates that hCG can reduce the proliferation of MCF-7 cells by downregulating the expression of proliferation markers, proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), and proliferation-related Ki-67 antigen (Ki-67). Interestingly, we find here that hCG elevates the state of cellular differentiation, as characterized by the upregulation of differentiation markers, β-casein, cytokeratin-18 (CK-18), and E-cadherin. Inhibition of hCG secretion or luteinizing hormone/hCG receptors (LH/hCGRs) synthesis can weaken the effect of hCG on the induction of cell differentiation. Furthermore, hCG can suppress the expression of estrogen receptor alpha. hCG activated receptor-mediated cyclic adenosine monophosphate/protein kinase A signaling pathway. These findings indicated that a protective effect of hCG against breast cancer may be associated with its growth inhibitory and differentiation induction function in breast cancer cells. © 2014 IUBMB Life, 66(5):352–360, 2014

High expression of estrogen receptor α (ERα) is associated with a poor prognosis that correlates closely with cellular proliferation in breast cancer. However, the exact molecular mechanism by which ERα controls breast cancer cell proliferation is not clear. Here we report that ERα regulates the cell cycle by suppressing p53/p21 and up-regulating proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and proliferation-related Ki-67 antigen (Ki-67) to promote proliferation of MCF-7 cells. In addition, 17-β-estradiol (E2) enhances ERα-induced proliferation of MCF-7 cells by stimulating expression of PCNA and Ki-67. Knockdown of ERα significantly affects PCNA/Ki-67 and p53/p21 expression. Furthermore, ERα inhibits the transcriptional activity of p53/p21 in an estrogen response element-dependent manner. More importantly, we provide new evidence that ERα mediates proliferation of MCF-7 cells by up-regulating miR-17 to silence the expression of p21. Thus, these data provide new insights into the underlying effect of ERα on breast cancer proliferation.

Rice bran protein isolate (RBPI) was prepared from defatted rice bran and used to deliver tea catechins. RBPI had the high adsorption selectivity for tea catechins over caffeine. The adsorption characteristics of tea catechins onto RBPI were determined over a range of time (0-300min), concentration (0.25-3.5gL-1) and temperatures (5°C, 20°C and 35°C). The adsorption kinetic data of EGCg and total catechins (TC) onto RBPI showed excellent fitness with the pseudo-second-order model, indicating that chemisorption is the dominating process. Langmuir and Freundlich models adequately described the isothermal adsorption of tea catechins onto RBPI, and the maximum adsorption of EGCg and TC were achieved at 5°C. SDS-PAGE profiles indicated that globulin and albumin were the major soluble proteins in RBPI to bind tea catechins. Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy analysis showed that the protein secondary structures of RBPI were altered upon interaction with catechins, with a great increase in random coil and β-antiparallel, a minor increase in α-helix and a reduction in large loop and turn. Binding tea catechins to RBPI respectively increased the recovery% of EGCg and TC from 10.5% and 17.7% to 29.5% and 31.6% after in vitro intestinal digestion. Thus, RBPI is a promising food matrix for delivering tea catechins to gastrointestinal tract.

Melilotus albus belongs to the legume family. It is known as the greatest potential forage crop and native to Eurasia and North Africa. The nitrogen fixation rate of Melilotus albus is superior to other legumes, making it beneficial for crop rotations. Melilotus albus has also been a species with good forage productivity and is more and more important in the medicinal value of its high coumarin content. In this study, the complete chloroplast genome of Melilotus albus was assembled and analysed. The complete chloroplast genome of Melilotus albus was 127,205 bp in length. It harbours 108 functional genes, including 76 protein-coding genes, 28 transfer RNA, and four ribosomal RNA genes species. The overall nucleotide composition was: 33.3% A, 33.1% T, 16.3% C, and 17.3% G, with a total A + T rich content of 66.4%. Phylogenetic relationship analysis showed that Melilotus albus has closely related to Medicago.

In this work, the supercritical CO2 extraction of essential oil from Origanum Vulgare L. was investigated and modeled. An orthogonal test and ANOVA indicated that extraction pressure, extraction temperature, and extraction time had significant influence on extraction effects. Based on experiments, a mathematical model depended on mass conservation equation was established to describe and simulate supercritical CO2 extraction of essential oil from Origanum Vulgare L. The mean diameter, accumulation properties, and the inside and outside transfer properties of extracted material particles were considered in the model. The model was solved numerically with the finite difference method and Runge-Kutta method synthetically. Model estimation was validated with small scale experimental data. Moreover, the effects of extraction pressure, extraction temperature, extraction time, concentration, and the flow rate of the entrainer on mass of essential oil were investigated using the model.

VC-co-VAc-OH material was used to prepare flat-sheet membranes on the non-woven fabrics via phase inversion method. And the membrane preparation conditions（polymer content, the content of additive, environmental temperature, relative humidity, evaporation time, coagulation temperature, coagulation time, immersing time of non-woven fabrics in solvent, and exposure time of non-woven fabrics in air）were discussed systemically by orthogonal method. Finally, the membrane prepared under the optimum condition showe higher pure water flux (287.9 ml•cm-2•h-1) and good retention of Bovine serum albumin (BSA) (87.4 %).

In the current study, we analyzed the functions and mechanisms of Bletilla striata polysaccharide b (BSPb) against Angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced oxidative stress and inflammation in human mesangial cells (HMCs). It was found that BSPb could inhibit generation of Ang II-induced reactive oxygen species (ROS) and activation of proinflammatory cytokines interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in a dose-dependent manner. Further studies revealed that BSPb effectively blocked upregulation of NADPH oxidase 4 (NOX4). Moreover, knockdown of NOX4 significantly impaired the anti-oxidative function of BSPb. In addition, BSPb decreased overexpression of Toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) induced by Ang II. Blocking TLR2 expression impaired the anti-inflammatory effects of BSPb. In conclusion, BSPb was found to possess anti-oxidative stress and anti-inflammatory functions against Ang II-induced ROS generation and proinflammatory cytokines activation. The NOX4 and TLR2 pathways played important roles in the biological effects mediated by BSPb.

Background Trichinellosis is a re-emerging infectious disease, caused by Trichinella spp. Cathepsin F belongs to cysteine protease that is a major virulence factor for parasitic helminths, and it may be a potential anti-helminth drug target and vaccine candidate. The aim of this study was to clone, express and identify a cathepsin F-like protease in Trichinella spiralis and to investigate its biochemical characteristics. Methods The full-length cDNA encoding a putative cathepsin F-like protease in T. spiralis, TsCF1, was cloned and its biochemical characterization and expression profile were analyzed. Transcription of TsCF1 at different developmental stages of T. spiralis was observed by RT-PCR. The recombinant TsCF1 protein was expressed by prokaryotic expression system and recombinant TsCF1 (rTsCF1) was analyzed by western blotting. And expression of TsCF1 at muscle larvae stage was performed by immunofluorescent technique. Molecular modeling of TsCF1 and its binding mode with E-64 and K11777 were analyzed. Enzyme activity and inhibitory test with E-64 as inhibitor were investigated by using Z-Phe-Arg-AMC as specific substrate. Results Sequence analysis revealed that TsCF1 ORF encodes a protein of 366 aa with a theoretical molecular weight of 41.9 kDa and an isoelectric point of 7.46. The cysteine protease conserved active site of Cys173, His309 and Asn333 were identified and cathepsin F specific motif ERFNAQ like KLFNAQ sequence was revealed in the propeptide of TsCF1. Sequence alignment analysis revealed a higher than 40 % identity with other cathepsin F from parasitic helminth and phylogenetic analysis indicated TsCF1 located at the junction of nematode and trematode. RT-PCR revealed the gene was expressed in muscle larvae, newborn larvae and adult stages. SDS-PAGE revealed the recombinant protein was expressed with the molecular weight of 45 kDa. The purified rTsCF1 was used to immunize rabbit and the immune serum could recognize a band of about 46 kDa in soluble protein of adult, muscle larvae and ES product of muscle larvae. Immunolocalization analysis showed that TsCF1 located on the cuticle and stichosome of the muscle larvae. After renaturation rTsCF1 demonstrated substantial enzyme activity to Z-Phe-Arg-AMC substrate with the optimal pH 5.5 and this activity could be inhibited by cysteine protease inhibitor E-64. Further analysis showed the kinetic parameters of rTsCF1 to be Km = 0.5091 μM and Vmax = 6.12 RFU/s μM at pH 5.5, and the IC50 value of E64 was 135.50 ± 16.90 nM. Conclusion TsCF1 was expressed in all stages of T. spiralis and localized in the cuticle and stichosome. TsCF1 might play a role in the life cycle of T. spiralis and could be used as a potential vaccine candidate and drug target against T. spiralis infection.

Gastrodin, a pharmacologically active constituent, was ultrasonically extracted from gastrodia elata Bl. in the aqueous solution. The effects of six parameters including ethanol–water compositions, extraction time, extraction temperature, particle size, solvent volume, and ultrasonic power on the extraction yield of gastrodin were investigated. According to the orthogonal design, the optimal extraction conditions was explored as extraction temperature 60°C, extraction time 50 minutes, ultrasonic power 126 W, solvent volume 8 mL · g−1, ethanol–water compositions 70%, and particle size 10–20 mesh. Though the yield of gastrodin via ultrasonic extraction was about 0.01% lower than that from the reflux extraction, the extraction time of the ultrasonic extraction was greatly shortened. Therefore, ultrasonic extraction has high efficiency and is proved to be very valuable in the extraction of gastrodin from gastrodia elata Bl.

In our previous study, a derivative of tiliroside, 3-O-[(E)-4-(4-ethoxyphenyl)-2-oxobut-3-en-1-yl]kaempferol (Fla-OEt) significantly enhanced glucose consumption in insulin resistant HepG2 cells. This article deals with the antihyperglycemic and antihyperlipidemic effects of Fla-OEt in diet-induced obesity (DIO) mice. Daily administration of Fla-OEt significantly decreased oral glucose tolerance test, intraperitoneal insulin tolerance test and serum lipids. Hyperinsulinemic–euglycemic clamp and the ratio of high-density-lipoprotein/low-density-lipoprotein with Fla-OEt treatment were increased comparing with high-fat diet (HFD) group, so lipid metabolism was improved. Histopathology examination showed that the Fla-OEt restored the damage of adipose tissues and liver in DIO mice. Moreover, compared with HFD group, Fla-OEt treatment significantly increased the phosphorylation of AMPK and ACC in adiposity tissues, liver, and muscles. The mechanism of its action might be the activation of AMPK pathway. It appears that Fla-OEt is worth further study for development as a lead compound for a potential antidiabetic agent.

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide. It is well known that oncogene activation and anti-oncogene inactivation affect the development and progression of breast cancer, but the role of oncogene activation and anti-oncogene inactivation in breast cancer is still not fully understood. We now report that maspin acts as a tumor suppressor gene to induce MCF-7 cell apoptosis. In addition, maspin promoter hypermethylation and histone hypoacetylation lead to silencing of maspin gene expression in MCF-7 cells. Moreover, DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) inhibitor 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine (5-aza-dc) and/or the histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor Trichostatin A (TSA) strongly up-regulated the expression of maspin in MCF-7 cells. Notably, myocardin can promote the re-expression of maspin in MCF-7 cells. Luciferase assay shows that myocardin activates the transcription of maspin promoter by CArG box. More importantly, 5-aza-dc/TSA and myocardin synergetically enhance re-expression of maspin and augment maspin-mediated apoptosis in MCF-7 cells. Thus, these data reveal the new insight that myocardin meditates apoptosis in breast cancer through affecting maspin re-expression and epigenetic modification to regulate the development of breast cancer, thereby raising the possibility of its use in breast cancer therapy.

The effects of ethanol concentration gradients along with varied cultivation times on lipid and fatty acid accumulation and composition of Scenedesmus sp. were studied. The maximum increment of algal density, lipid productivity, lipid content and fatty acid content were 6.61, 11.75, 1.34 and 3.14 times higher than the control group under 12h photoperiod. Algal light deprivation inhibited ethanol positive effects on algal growth and lipid biomass. The cumulative quantity of C16:0 and C18:0 decreased correspondingly with the increase of ethanol concentrations and cultivation times. Besides, unsaturated fatty acids appeared early in algal cells and increased 57.02% in maximum. However, only 2.27% (14)C was transferred from ethanol to fatty acids. The results indicated that adding proper amount of ethanol in algal culture medium was beneficial to biodiesel feedstock production and biodiesel properties.

Mice deficient in the Polycomb repressor Bmi1 develop numerous abnormalities including a severe defect in stem cell self-renewal, alterations in thymocyte maturation and a shortened lifespan. Previous work has implicated de-repression of the Ink4a/Arf (also known as Cdkn2a) locus as mediating many of the aspects of the Bmi1(-/-) phenotype. Here we demonstrate that cells derived from Bmi1(-/-) mice also have impaired mitochondrial function, a marked increase in the intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species and subsequent engagement of the DNA damage response pathway. Furthermore, many of the deficiencies normally observed in Bmi1(-/-) mice improve after either pharmacological treatment with the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine or genetic disruption of the DNA damage response pathway by Chk2 (also known as Chek2) deletion. These results demonstrate that Bmi1 has an unexpected role in maintaining mitochondrial function and redox homeostasis and indicate that the Polycomb family of proteins can coordinately regulate cellular metabolism with stem and progenitor cell function.