Background:Inflammatory bowel disease(IBD),comprising Crohn's disease(CD)and ulcerative colitis(UC),is a heterogeneous state of chronic intestinal inflammation.Intestinal innate immunity,including innate immune ce...Background:Inflammatory bowel disease(IBD),comprising Crohn's disease(CD)and ulcerative colitis(UC),is a heterogeneous state of chronic intestinal inflammation.Intestinal innate immunity,including innate immune cells,defends against pathogens and excessive entry of gut microbiota,while preserving immune tolerance to resident intestinal microbiota,and may be characterized by its capacity to produce a rapid and nonspecific reaction.The association between microbiota dysbiosis and the pathogenesis of IBD is complex and dynamic.When the intestinal ecosystem is in dysbiosis,the reduced abundance and diversity of intestinal gut microbiota make the host more vulnerable to the attack of exogenous and endogenous pathogenic gut microbiota.The aim of our study was to comprehensively assess the relationship between microbial populations within UC,the signaling pathways of pathogenic gut microbe therein and the inflammatory response,as well as to understand the effects of using PE&AFWE(poppy extract[Papaver nudicaule L.]and Artemisia frigida Willd.extract)on UC modulation.Methods:A UC mouse model was established by inducing SPF-grade C57BL/6 mice using dextrose sodium sulfate(DSS).Based on metagenomic sequencing to characterize the gut microbiome,the relationship between gut microbiota dysbiosis and gut microbiota was further studied using random forest and Bayesian network analysis methods,as well as histopathological analysis.Results:(1)We found that the 5 gut microbiota with the highest relative abundance of inflammatory bowel disease UC model gut microbiota were consistent with the top 5 ranked natural bacteria.There were three types of abundance changes in the model groups:increases(Chlamydiae/Proteobacteria and Deferribacteres),decreases(Firmicutes),and no significant changes(Bacteroidetes).The UC model group was significantly different from the control group,with 1308 differentially expressed species with abundance changes greater than or equal to 2-fold.(2)The proportion of the fecal flora in the UC group decreased by 37.5%in the Firmicutes and increased by 14.29%in the proportion of Proteobacteria compared to the control group before treatment.(3)The significantly enriched and increased signaling pathways screened were the'arachidonic acid metabolic pathway'and the'phagosomal pathway',which both showed a decreasing trend after drug administration.(4)Based on the causal relationship between different OTUs and the UC model/PE&AFWE administration,screening for directly relevant OTU networks,the UC group was found to directly affect OTU69,followed by a cascade of effects on OTU12,OTU121,OTU93,and OTU7,which may be the pathway of action that initiated the pathological changes in normal mice.(5)We identified a causal relationship between common differentially expressed OTUs and PE&AFWE and UC in the pre-and post-PE&AFWE-treated groups.Thereby,we learned that PE&AFWE can directly affect OTU90,after which it inhibits UC,inhibiting the activity of arachidonic acid metabolic pathway by affecting OTU118,which in turn inhibits the colonization of gut microbiota by OTU93 and OTU7.(6)Histopathological observation and scoring(HS)of the colon showed that there was a significant difference between the model group and the control group(p<0.001),and that there was a significant recovery in both the sulfasalazine(SASP)and the PE&AFWE groups after the administration of the drug(p<0.0001).Conclusion:We demonstrated causal effects and inflammatory metabolic pathways in gut microbiota dysbiosis and IBD,with five opportunistic pathogens directly contributing to IBD.PE&AFWE reduced the abundance of proteobacteria in the gut microbiota,and histopathology showed significant improvement.展开更多
Diabetic cardiomyopathy(DCM)is a metabolic disease and a leading cause of heart failure among people with diabetes.Mass spectrometry imaging(MSI)is a versatile technique capable of combining the molecular specificity ...Diabetic cardiomyopathy(DCM)is a metabolic disease and a leading cause of heart failure among people with diabetes.Mass spectrometry imaging(MSI)is a versatile technique capable of combining the molecular specificity of mass spectrometry(MS)with the spatial information of imaging.In this study,we used MSI to visualize metabolites in the rat heart with high spatial resolution and sensitivity.We optimized the air flow-assisted desorption electrospray ionization(AFADESI)-MSI platform to detect a wide range of metabolites,and then used matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization(MALDI)-MSI for increasing metabolic coverage and improving localization resolution.AFADESI-MSI detected 214 and 149 metabolites in positive and negative analyses of rat heart sections,respectively,while MALDI-MSI detected 61 metabolites in negative analysis.Our study revealed the heterogenous metabolic profile of the heart in a DCM model,with over 105 region-specific changes in the levels of a wide range of metabolite classes,including carbohydrates,amino acids,nucleotides,and their derivatives,fatty acids,glycerol phospholipids,carnitines,and metal ions.The repeated oral administration of ferulic acid during 20 weeks significantly improved most of the metabolic disorders in the DCM model.Our findings provide novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying DCM and the potential of ferulic acid as a therapeutic agent for treating this condition.展开更多
Corydalis bungeana Turcz.(CB)is a medicinal herb with significant medicinal value in traditional Chinese medicine.This paper reviews the progress of research on CB’s botany,quality control,phytochemistry,pharmacology...Corydalis bungeana Turcz.(CB)is a medicinal herb with significant medicinal value in traditional Chinese medicine.This paper reviews the progress of research on CB’s botany,quality control,phytochemistry,pharmacology and toxicity.The plant’s information was gathered from scientific databases such as PubMed,GeenMedical,Springer Link(https://link.springer.com),Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure,Pharmacopoeia and Flora.Currently,137 phytochemicals have been identified and isolated from CB,including alkaloids,flavonoids,amino acids,terpenoids,coumarins and organic acids.In addition,many phytochemicals reported various antiinflammatory,antibacterial,antiviral,antitumor,analgesic,hepatoprotective,immunomodulatory,neuromodulatory,and lipid reduction activities.However,the study of its toxicity is still at the preliminary exploration stage and needs further intensive exploration.Herein,we provide an in-depth investigation of the progress of CB to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of activity of CB extracts and its major components,deliver valuable resources and information for further research and rational drug use,and explore the potential research directions and prospects of CB.展开更多
Developing analytical methods for the chemical components of natural medicines remains a challenge due to its diversity and complexity.Miao-Fu-Zhi-Tong(MFZT)granules,an ethnic Yi herbal prescription,comprises 10 herbs...Developing analytical methods for the chemical components of natural medicines remains a challenge due to its diversity and complexity.Miao-Fu-Zhi-Tong(MFZT)granules,an ethnic Yi herbal prescription,comprises 10 herbs and has been clinically applied for gouty arthritis(GA)therapy.Herein,a series of chemical profiling strategies including in-house library matching,molecular networking and MS/MS fragmentation behavior validation based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(UHPLC-MS/MS)were developed for qualitative analysis of MFZT granules.A total of 207 compounds were identified or characterized in which several rare guanidines were discovered and profiled into alkyl substituted or cyclic subtypes.Moreover,network pharmacology analysis indicated that MFZT’s anti-gout mechanism was mostly associated with the nuclear factor kappa-B(NF-κB)signaling,nucleotide oligomerization domain(NOD)-like signaling and rheumatoid arthritis pathways,along with the synergistic effect of 84 potential active compounds.In addition,a quantitative analytical method was developed to simultaneously determine the 29 potential effective components.Among them,berberine,pellodendrine,3-feruloylquinic acid,neoastilbin,isoacteoside and chlorogenic acid derivatives at higher concentrations were considered as the chemical markers for quality control.These findings provide a holistic chemical basis for MFZT granules and will support the development of effective analytical methods for the herbal formulas of natural medicines.展开更多
Understanding of the nephrotoxicity induced by drug candidates is vital to drug discovery and development.Herein,an in situ metabolomics method based on air flow-assisted desorption electrospray ionization mass spectr...Understanding of the nephrotoxicity induced by drug candidates is vital to drug discovery and development.Herein,an in situ metabolomics method based on air flow-assisted desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry imaging(AFADESI-MSI)was established for direct analysis of metabolites in renal tissue sections.This method was subsequently applied to investigate spatially resolved metabolic profile changes in rat kidney after the administration of aristolochic acid I,a known nephrotoxic drug,aimed to discover metabolites associated with nephrotoxicity.As a result,38 metabolites related to the arginine-creatinine metabolic pathway,the urea cycle,the serine synthesis pathway,metabolism of lipids,choline,histamine,lysine,and adenosine triphosphate were significantly changed in the group treated with aristolochic acid I.These metabolites exhibited a unique distribution in rat kidney and a good spatial match with histopathological renal lesions.This study provides new insights into the mechanisms underlying aristolochic acids nephrotoxicity and demonstrates that AFADESI-MSI-based in situ metabolomics is a promising technique for investigation of the molecular mechanism of drug toxicity.展开更多
Objective:This study was devoted to identifying natural thrombin inhibitors from traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)and evaluating its biological activity in vitro and binding characteristics.Methods:A combination strat...Objective:This study was devoted to identifying natural thrombin inhibitors from traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)and evaluating its biological activity in vitro and binding characteristics.Methods:A combination strategy containing molecular docking,thrombin inhibition assay,surface plasmon resonance(SPR)and molecular dynamics simulation were applied to verify the study result.Results:Gallic acid was confirmed as a direct thrombin inhibitor with IC;of 9.07μmol/L and showed a significant inhibitory effect on thrombin induced platelet aggregation.SPR-based binding studies demonstrated that gallic acid interacted with thrombin with a KDvalue of 8.29μmol/L.Molecular dynamics and binding free energy analysis revealed that thrombin-gallic acid system attained equilibrium rapidly with very low fluctuations,the calculated binding free energies was-14.61 kcal/mol.Ala230,Glu232,Ser235,Gly258 and Gly260 were the main amino acid residues responsible for thrombin inhibition by gallic acid,providing a mechanistic basis for further optimization.Conclusion:This study proved that gallic acid is a direct thrombin inhibitor with platelet aggregation inhibitory effect,which could provide a basis for the follow-up research and development for novel thrombin inhibitors.展开更多
Deconvolution of potential drug targets of the central nervous system(CNS)is particularly challenging because of the complicated structure and function of the brain.Here,a spatiotemporally resolved metabolomics and is...Deconvolution of potential drug targets of the central nervous system(CNS)is particularly challenging because of the complicated structure and function of the brain.Here,a spatiotemporally resolved metabolomics and isotope tracing strategy was proposed and demonstrated to be powerful for deconvoluting and localizing potential targets of CNS drugs by using ambient mass spectrometry imaging.This strategy can map various substances including exogenous drugs,isotopically labeled metabolites,and various types of endogenous metabolites in the brain tissue sections to illustrate their microregional distribution pattern in the brain and locate drug action-related metabolic nodes and pathways.The strategy revealed that the sedative-hypnotic drug candidate YZG-331 was prominently distributed in the pineal gland and entered the thalamus and hypothalamus in relatively small amounts,and can increase glutamate decarboxylase activity to elevateγ-aminobutyric acid(GABA)levels in the hypothalamus,agonize organic cation transporter 3 to release extracellular histamine into peripheral circulation.These findings emphasize the promising capability of spatiotemporally resolved metabolomics and isotope tracing to help elucidate the multiple targets and the mechanisms of action of CNS drugs.展开更多
Detailed knowledge on tissue-specific metabolic reprogramming in diabetic nephropathy(DN)is vital for more accurate understanding the molecular pathological signature and developing novel therapeutic strategies.In the...Detailed knowledge on tissue-specific metabolic reprogramming in diabetic nephropathy(DN)is vital for more accurate understanding the molecular pathological signature and developing novel therapeutic strategies.In the present study,a spatial-resolved metabolomics approach based on air flowassisted desorption electrospray ionization(AFADESI)and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization(MALDI)integrated mass spectrometry imaging(MSI)was proposed to investigate tissue-specific metabolic alterations in the kidneys of high-fat diet-fed and streptozotocin(STZ)-treated DN rats and the therapeutic effect of astragalosideⅣ,a potential anti-diabetic drug,against DN.As a result,a wide range of functional metabolites including sugars,amino acids,nucleotides and their derivatives,fatty acids,phospholipids,sphingolipids,glycerides,carnitine and its derivatives,vitamins,peptides,and metal ions associated with DN were identified and their unique distribution patterns in the rat kidney were visualized with high chemical specificity and high spatial resolution.These region-specific metabolic disturbances were ameliorated by repeated oral administration of astragaloside Ⅳ(100 mg/kg)for 12 weeks.This study provided more comprehensive and detailed information about the tissue-specific metabolic reprogramming and molecular pathological signature in the kidney of diabetic rats.These findings highlighted the promising potential of AFADESI and MALDI integrated MSI based metabolomics approach for application in metabolic kidney diseases.展开更多
Background:Long non-coding RNA(lncRNA)actin filament-associated protein 1 antisense RNA 1(AFAP1-AS1)functions as a competing endogenous RNA to regulate target genes expression by sponging microRNAs(miRs)to play cancer...Background:Long non-coding RNA(lncRNA)actin filament-associated protein 1 antisense RNA 1(AFAP1-AS1)functions as a competing endogenous RNA to regulate target genes expression by sponging microRNAs(miRs)to play cancer-promoting roles in cancer stem cells.However,the regulatory mechanism of AFAP1-AS1 in cervical cancer(CC)stem cells is unknown.The present study aimed to provide a new therapeutic target for the clinical treatment of CC.Methods:Hyaluronic acid receptor cluster of differentiation 44 variant exon 6(CD44v6)(+)CC cells were isolated by flow cytometry(FCM).Small interfering RNAs of AFAP1-AS1(siAFAP1-AS1)were transfected into the(CD44v6)(+)cells.The levels of AFAP1-AS1 were measured by quantitative real-time PCR(qRT-PCR).Sphere formation assay,cell cycle analysis,and Western blotting were used to detect the effect of siAFAP1-AS1.RNA pull-down and luciferase reporter assay were used to verify the relationship between miR-27b-3p and AFAP1-AS1 or vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)-C.Results:CD44v6(+)CCcells had remarkable stemness and a high level ofAFAP1-AS1.However,AFAP1-AS1knockdownwithsiAFAP1-AS1suppressed the cell cycle transitionofG(1)/S phase and inhibited self-renewal ofCD44v6(+)CCcells,the levels of the stemnessmarkers octamer-binding transcription factor 4(OCT4),osteopontin(OPN),and cluster of differentiation 133(CD133),and the epithelialmesenchymal transition(EMT)-related proteins Twist1,matrix metalloprotease(MMP)-9,and VEGF-C.In the mechanism study,miR-27b-3p/VEGF-C signaling was demonstrated to be a key downstream of AFAP1-AS1 in the CD44v6(+)CC cells.Conclusions:LncRNA AFAP1-AS1 knockdown inhibits the CC cell stemness by upregulating miR-27b-3p to suppress VEGF-C.展开更多
基金National Natural Science Foundation of ChinaGrant/Award Number:81774449。
文摘Background:Inflammatory bowel disease(IBD),comprising Crohn's disease(CD)and ulcerative colitis(UC),is a heterogeneous state of chronic intestinal inflammation.Intestinal innate immunity,including innate immune cells,defends against pathogens and excessive entry of gut microbiota,while preserving immune tolerance to resident intestinal microbiota,and may be characterized by its capacity to produce a rapid and nonspecific reaction.The association between microbiota dysbiosis and the pathogenesis of IBD is complex and dynamic.When the intestinal ecosystem is in dysbiosis,the reduced abundance and diversity of intestinal gut microbiota make the host more vulnerable to the attack of exogenous and endogenous pathogenic gut microbiota.The aim of our study was to comprehensively assess the relationship between microbial populations within UC,the signaling pathways of pathogenic gut microbe therein and the inflammatory response,as well as to understand the effects of using PE&AFWE(poppy extract[Papaver nudicaule L.]and Artemisia frigida Willd.extract)on UC modulation.Methods:A UC mouse model was established by inducing SPF-grade C57BL/6 mice using dextrose sodium sulfate(DSS).Based on metagenomic sequencing to characterize the gut microbiome,the relationship between gut microbiota dysbiosis and gut microbiota was further studied using random forest and Bayesian network analysis methods,as well as histopathological analysis.Results:(1)We found that the 5 gut microbiota with the highest relative abundance of inflammatory bowel disease UC model gut microbiota were consistent with the top 5 ranked natural bacteria.There were three types of abundance changes in the model groups:increases(Chlamydiae/Proteobacteria and Deferribacteres),decreases(Firmicutes),and no significant changes(Bacteroidetes).The UC model group was significantly different from the control group,with 1308 differentially expressed species with abundance changes greater than or equal to 2-fold.(2)The proportion of the fecal flora in the UC group decreased by 37.5%in the Firmicutes and increased by 14.29%in the proportion of Proteobacteria compared to the control group before treatment.(3)The significantly enriched and increased signaling pathways screened were the'arachidonic acid metabolic pathway'and the'phagosomal pathway',which both showed a decreasing trend after drug administration.(4)Based on the causal relationship between different OTUs and the UC model/PE&AFWE administration,screening for directly relevant OTU networks,the UC group was found to directly affect OTU69,followed by a cascade of effects on OTU12,OTU121,OTU93,and OTU7,which may be the pathway of action that initiated the pathological changes in normal mice.(5)We identified a causal relationship between common differentially expressed OTUs and PE&AFWE and UC in the pre-and post-PE&AFWE-treated groups.Thereby,we learned that PE&AFWE can directly affect OTU90,after which it inhibits UC,inhibiting the activity of arachidonic acid metabolic pathway by affecting OTU118,which in turn inhibits the colonization of gut microbiota by OTU93 and OTU7.(6)Histopathological observation and scoring(HS)of the colon showed that there was a significant difference between the model group and the control group(p<0.001),and that there was a significant recovery in both the sulfasalazine(SASP)and the PE&AFWE groups after the administration of the drug(p<0.0001).Conclusion:We demonstrated causal effects and inflammatory metabolic pathways in gut microbiota dysbiosis and IBD,with five opportunistic pathogens directly contributing to IBD.PE&AFWE reduced the abundance of proteobacteria in the gut microbiota,and histopathology showed significant improvement.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.:21927808 and 81803483).
文摘Diabetic cardiomyopathy(DCM)is a metabolic disease and a leading cause of heart failure among people with diabetes.Mass spectrometry imaging(MSI)is a versatile technique capable of combining the molecular specificity of mass spectrometry(MS)with the spatial information of imaging.In this study,we used MSI to visualize metabolites in the rat heart with high spatial resolution and sensitivity.We optimized the air flow-assisted desorption electrospray ionization(AFADESI)-MSI platform to detect a wide range of metabolites,and then used matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization(MALDI)-MSI for increasing metabolic coverage and improving localization resolution.AFADESI-MSI detected 214 and 149 metabolites in positive and negative analyses of rat heart sections,respectively,while MALDI-MSI detected 61 metabolites in negative analysis.Our study revealed the heterogenous metabolic profile of the heart in a DCM model,with over 105 region-specific changes in the levels of a wide range of metabolite classes,including carbohydrates,amino acids,nucleotides,and their derivatives,fatty acids,glycerol phospholipids,carnitines,and metal ions.The repeated oral administration of ferulic acid during 20 weeks significantly improved most of the metabolic disorders in the DCM model.Our findings provide novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying DCM and the potential of ferulic acid as a therapeutic agent for treating this condition.
基金This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(82260773)National Key R&D Program:Intergovernmental Cooperation in International Science and Technology Innovation(2022YFE0119300)+1 种基金Central Government Guided Local Scientific and Technological Development Project(2021ZY0015)Science and Technology Young Talents Development Project of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region(NJYT22048).
文摘Corydalis bungeana Turcz.(CB)is a medicinal herb with significant medicinal value in traditional Chinese medicine.This paper reviews the progress of research on CB’s botany,quality control,phytochemistry,pharmacology and toxicity.The plant’s information was gathered from scientific databases such as PubMed,GeenMedical,Springer Link(https://link.springer.com),Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure,Pharmacopoeia and Flora.Currently,137 phytochemicals have been identified and isolated from CB,including alkaloids,flavonoids,amino acids,terpenoids,coumarins and organic acids.In addition,many phytochemicals reported various antiinflammatory,antibacterial,antiviral,antitumor,analgesic,hepatoprotective,immunomodulatory,neuromodulatory,and lipid reduction activities.However,the study of its toxicity is still at the preliminary exploration stage and needs further intensive exploration.Herein,we provide an in-depth investigation of the progress of CB to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of activity of CB extracts and its major components,deliver valuable resources and information for further research and rational drug use,and explore the potential research directions and prospects of CB.
基金the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Nos.2017YFC 1704006 and 2017YFC1704005).
文摘Developing analytical methods for the chemical components of natural medicines remains a challenge due to its diversity and complexity.Miao-Fu-Zhi-Tong(MFZT)granules,an ethnic Yi herbal prescription,comprises 10 herbs and has been clinically applied for gouty arthritis(GA)therapy.Herein,a series of chemical profiling strategies including in-house library matching,molecular networking and MS/MS fragmentation behavior validation based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(UHPLC-MS/MS)were developed for qualitative analysis of MFZT granules.A total of 207 compounds were identified or characterized in which several rare guanidines were discovered and profiled into alkyl substituted or cyclic subtypes.Moreover,network pharmacology analysis indicated that MFZT’s anti-gout mechanism was mostly associated with the nuclear factor kappa-B(NF-κB)signaling,nucleotide oligomerization domain(NOD)-like signaling and rheumatoid arthritis pathways,along with the synergistic effect of 84 potential active compounds.In addition,a quantitative analytical method was developed to simultaneously determine the 29 potential effective components.Among them,berberine,pellodendrine,3-feruloylquinic acid,neoastilbin,isoacteoside and chlorogenic acid derivatives at higher concentrations were considered as the chemical markers for quality control.These findings provide a holistic chemical basis for MFZT granules and will support the development of effective analytical methods for the herbal formulas of natural medicines.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2017YFC1704000)Outstanding Talent Support Program of Beijing,China(No.2017000020124G272)
文摘Understanding of the nephrotoxicity induced by drug candidates is vital to drug discovery and development.Herein,an in situ metabolomics method based on air flow-assisted desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry imaging(AFADESI-MSI)was established for direct analysis of metabolites in renal tissue sections.This method was subsequently applied to investigate spatially resolved metabolic profile changes in rat kidney after the administration of aristolochic acid I,a known nephrotoxic drug,aimed to discover metabolites associated with nephrotoxicity.As a result,38 metabolites related to the arginine-creatinine metabolic pathway,the urea cycle,the serine synthesis pathway,metabolism of lipids,choline,histamine,lysine,and adenosine triphosphate were significantly changed in the group treated with aristolochic acid I.These metabolites exhibited a unique distribution in rat kidney and a good spatial match with histopathological renal lesions.This study provides new insights into the mechanisms underlying aristolochic acids nephrotoxicity and demonstrates that AFADESI-MSI-based in situ metabolomics is a promising technique for investigation of the molecular mechanism of drug toxicity.
基金Independent Project of Minzu University of China(No.2020QNPY95)Open Project from Beijing Key Lab of Traditional Chinese Medicine Collateral Disease Theory Research in 2021+1 种基金Key Laboratory of Ethnomedicine(Minzu University of China),Ministry of Education(No.KLEMZZ202005)National and Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Mongolian Medicine(No.MDK2020004)。
文摘Objective:This study was devoted to identifying natural thrombin inhibitors from traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)and evaluating its biological activity in vitro and binding characteristics.Methods:A combination strategy containing molecular docking,thrombin inhibition assay,surface plasmon resonance(SPR)and molecular dynamics simulation were applied to verify the study result.Results:Gallic acid was confirmed as a direct thrombin inhibitor with IC;of 9.07μmol/L and showed a significant inhibitory effect on thrombin induced platelet aggregation.SPR-based binding studies demonstrated that gallic acid interacted with thrombin with a KDvalue of 8.29μmol/L.Molecular dynamics and binding free energy analysis revealed that thrombin-gallic acid system attained equilibrium rapidly with very low fluctuations,the calculated binding free energies was-14.61 kcal/mol.Ala230,Glu232,Ser235,Gly258 and Gly260 were the main amino acid residues responsible for thrombin inhibition by gallic acid,providing a mechanistic basis for further optimization.Conclusion:This study proved that gallic acid is a direct thrombin inhibitor with platelet aggregation inhibitory effect,which could provide a basis for the follow-up research and development for novel thrombin inhibitors.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.21927808 and No.81974500)Chinese Academy of Medical Science(CAMS)Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences(CIFMS,No.2022-I2M-2-002 and 2021-1I2M-028,China)。
文摘Deconvolution of potential drug targets of the central nervous system(CNS)is particularly challenging because of the complicated structure and function of the brain.Here,a spatiotemporally resolved metabolomics and isotope tracing strategy was proposed and demonstrated to be powerful for deconvoluting and localizing potential targets of CNS drugs by using ambient mass spectrometry imaging.This strategy can map various substances including exogenous drugs,isotopically labeled metabolites,and various types of endogenous metabolites in the brain tissue sections to illustrate their microregional distribution pattern in the brain and locate drug action-related metabolic nodes and pathways.The strategy revealed that the sedative-hypnotic drug candidate YZG-331 was prominently distributed in the pineal gland and entered the thalamus and hypothalamus in relatively small amounts,and can increase glutamate decarboxylase activity to elevateγ-aminobutyric acid(GABA)levels in the hypothalamus,agonize organic cation transporter 3 to release extracellular histamine into peripheral circulation.These findings emphasize the promising capability of spatiotemporally resolved metabolomics and isotope tracing to help elucidate the multiple targets and the mechanisms of action of CNS drugs.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.81803483,No.21927808)National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2017YFC1704006)。
文摘Detailed knowledge on tissue-specific metabolic reprogramming in diabetic nephropathy(DN)is vital for more accurate understanding the molecular pathological signature and developing novel therapeutic strategies.In the present study,a spatial-resolved metabolomics approach based on air flowassisted desorption electrospray ionization(AFADESI)and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization(MALDI)integrated mass spectrometry imaging(MSI)was proposed to investigate tissue-specific metabolic alterations in the kidneys of high-fat diet-fed and streptozotocin(STZ)-treated DN rats and the therapeutic effect of astragalosideⅣ,a potential anti-diabetic drug,against DN.As a result,a wide range of functional metabolites including sugars,amino acids,nucleotides and their derivatives,fatty acids,phospholipids,sphingolipids,glycerides,carnitine and its derivatives,vitamins,peptides,and metal ions associated with DN were identified and their unique distribution patterns in the rat kidney were visualized with high chemical specificity and high spatial resolution.These region-specific metabolic disturbances were ameliorated by repeated oral administration of astragaloside Ⅳ(100 mg/kg)for 12 weeks.This study provided more comprehensive and detailed information about the tissue-specific metabolic reprogramming and molecular pathological signature in the kidney of diabetic rats.These findings highlighted the promising potential of AFADESI and MALDI integrated MSI based metabolomics approach for application in metabolic kidney diseases.
文摘Background:Long non-coding RNA(lncRNA)actin filament-associated protein 1 antisense RNA 1(AFAP1-AS1)functions as a competing endogenous RNA to regulate target genes expression by sponging microRNAs(miRs)to play cancer-promoting roles in cancer stem cells.However,the regulatory mechanism of AFAP1-AS1 in cervical cancer(CC)stem cells is unknown.The present study aimed to provide a new therapeutic target for the clinical treatment of CC.Methods:Hyaluronic acid receptor cluster of differentiation 44 variant exon 6(CD44v6)(+)CC cells were isolated by flow cytometry(FCM).Small interfering RNAs of AFAP1-AS1(siAFAP1-AS1)were transfected into the(CD44v6)(+)cells.The levels of AFAP1-AS1 were measured by quantitative real-time PCR(qRT-PCR).Sphere formation assay,cell cycle analysis,and Western blotting were used to detect the effect of siAFAP1-AS1.RNA pull-down and luciferase reporter assay were used to verify the relationship between miR-27b-3p and AFAP1-AS1 or vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)-C.Results:CD44v6(+)CCcells had remarkable stemness and a high level ofAFAP1-AS1.However,AFAP1-AS1knockdownwithsiAFAP1-AS1suppressed the cell cycle transitionofG(1)/S phase and inhibited self-renewal ofCD44v6(+)CCcells,the levels of the stemnessmarkers octamer-binding transcription factor 4(OCT4),osteopontin(OPN),and cluster of differentiation 133(CD133),and the epithelialmesenchymal transition(EMT)-related proteins Twist1,matrix metalloprotease(MMP)-9,and VEGF-C.In the mechanism study,miR-27b-3p/VEGF-C signaling was demonstrated to be a key downstream of AFAP1-AS1 in the CD44v6(+)CC cells.Conclusions:LncRNA AFAP1-AS1 knockdown inhibits the CC cell stemness by upregulating miR-27b-3p to suppress VEGF-C.
