Traditional herbal medicines, Panax ginseng, Panax quinquefolium and Panax notoginseng, attract our attention for their extensive and powerful pharmacological activities. Ginsenosides are the main active constituents of these medicinal herbs. The related glycosyltransferases involved in ginsenoside biosynthesis are the key enzymes which catalyze the last important step. Modification of ginsenoside aglycones by glycosyltransferases produces the complexity and diversity of ginsenosides, which have more extensive pharmacological activity. At present, ginsenoside aglycones and compound K have been obtained by synthetic biology. As the last step of ginsenoside biosynthesis, glycosylation of ginsenoside aglycones has been studied intensively in recent years. This review summarizes the basic strategies and research advances in studies on glycosyltransferases involved in ginsenoside biosynthesis, which is expected to lay the theoretical foundation for the in-depth research of biosynthetic pathway of ginsenosides and their production by synthetic biology.
Biosynthetic Pathways ; Ginsenosides ; biosynthesis ; Glycosyltransferases ; metabolism ; Panax ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Synthetic Biology

Objective To investigate the genotypes of β-lactamases produced by Klebsiella pneumoniae.Methods Plasmid conjugation,PCR amplification,gene cloning and DNA sequencing,isoelectric focusing electrophoresis and extended-spectrum β-lactamase(ESBLs)confirmatory test were carried out for analyzing the encoding gene of β-lactamases in clinical strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae collected from hospital wards.Results Totally 75 clinical strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae were collected,in which 48 strains were confirmed to produce genotype of β-laetamases(64.0%),including 39 ESBLs-producing Btraim(52.0%).Among 48 strains,17 isolates(35.4%)carried 2 types of ESBLs genes,7(14.6%)carried 3 types of ESBL8 genes,and 5(10.4%)carried 4 types of ESBLs genes.CTX-M was the most comon type(30/48,62.5%),followed by TEM(26/48,54.2%)and SHV(25/48,52.1%).Among 9 isolates with DHA-1 AmpC β-laetamase,8 produced AmpC β-lactamases and ESBLs.Class A carbapenemase KPC-2 was produced in 3 isolates.False negative rate of ESBLs confirmatory test was 23.1%(9/39).Condusion Genotypes of β-lactamases produced by Klebsiella pneumoniae are complicated,which results in multi-drug resistance in clinic.

An HPLC method for the determination of geniposide concentration in mouse plasma was developed and the pharmacokinetics after intranasal administration of Xingnaojing microemulsion (XNJ-M) and mPEG2000-PLA modified Xingnaojing microemulsion (XNJ-MM) were investigated. Eighty mice were treated by XNJ-M and XNJ-MM nasally. The plasma samples were collected at different times and the drug in samples was detected by HPLC. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by the software of Kinetica. The pharmacokinetic parameters of geniposide of XNJ-M were C(max) (4.36 +/- 2.69) mg x L(-1), t(max) 1 min, MRT (29.73 +/- 4.54) min, AUC (53.63 +/- 14.03) mg x L(-1) x min. The pharmacokinetic parameters of geniposide of XNJ-MM were C(max) (9.75 +/- 4.14) mg x L(-1), t(max) 1 min, MRT(22.34 +/- 2.90) min, AUC (131.87 +/- 40.13) mg x L(-1) x min. Geniposide can be absorbed into blood in a higher degree after intranasal administration with XNJ-MM compared to XNJ-M, which maybe caused by its less irritating and more absorption.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; administration & dosage ; chemistry ; Emulsions ; Iridoids ; blood ; pharmacokinetics ; Lactic Acid ; chemistry ; Male ; Mice ; Polyesters ; Polyethylene Glycols ; chemistry ; Polymers ; chemistry

Objective To explore the effects ofDanshen Tongluo Detoxication Decoction on the inflammatory response of rats with bone marrow stem cell (BMSC) transplantation in acute myocardial infarction (AMI); To discuss its mechanism of action.Methods The whole bone marrow adherent method was adopted for BMSCs separation and culture. The AMI model was established by closing the left anterior descending coronary artery of SD rats. After the modeling, SD rats were randomly divided into sham-operation group, model group and BMSCs group (BMSCs transplantation group),Danshen Tongluo Detoxication Decoction group, Danshen Tongluo Detoxication Decoction + BMSCs group, 10 rats in each group. BMSCs cell suspension was injected directly into the edge of the myocardial tissue infarction area; Chinese medicine or normal saline were administered for gavage. 4 weeks later, the contents of MCP-1 and sICAM-1 in each group were detected by ELISA. TLR-4 expression was measured by Western blot method, and HE staining was used to observe the myocardial tissue pathological changes.Results Compared with the model group, the contents of MCP-1 and sICAM-1 and the protein expression of TLR-4 in BMSCs group,Danshen Tongluo Detoxication Decoction group, andDanshen Tongluo Detoxication Decoction + BMSCs group decreased, Danshen Tongluo Detoxication Decoction group was better than BMSCs group (P<0.05,P<0.01), andDanshen Tongluo Detoxication Decoction + BMSCs group was better than BMSCs group andDanshen Tongluo Detoxication Decoction group(P<0.05,P<0.01).Conclusion BMSCs transplantation combined withDanshen Tongluo Detoxication Decoction can restrain the inflammatory response of AMI model rats and repair ischemic myocardium issue, which mechanism may be related to regulating TLR-4 induced inflammatory response.

A novel probe (DNSBN) towards biothiols on the basis of 4-hydroxynaphthalimide as fluorophores and 2, 4-dinitrobenzenesulfonyloxy group as specific recognition site was designed and synthesized.The result of absorption and fluorescence spectral analyses indicated that the probe had high sensitivity and selectivity towards cysteine (Cys), homocysteine (Hcy) and glutathione (GSH), and the detection was not affected by other 17 kinds of natural amino acids.Meanwhile, it was confirmed that DNSBN was a ratiometric probe through the fluorescence titration experiment, and the fluorescent intensity at 555 nm had a high linear relationship with biothiols concentration in the range of 0-20 μmol/L.The detection limits (3σ) of Cys, Hcy and GSH were 25.9, 92.0 and 77.9 nmol/L, respectively.The absorption, emission and mass spectra indicated that biothiols could be engaged in nucleophilic substitution reaction with 2,4-dinitrobenzenesulfonate, which induced the sulfonic esters decomposed.With the departure of receptor unit, the d-PeT progress (donor-excited photoinduced electron transfer) was blocked with an obvious colorimetric and fluorescence change.Finally, HeLa cell imaging experiments verified that DNSBN had good biocompatibility and could be used to detect exogenous biothiols.

Objective To understand the relationship between the positive rate of Epstain‐Barr virus (EBV) and human cyto‐megalovirus (HCMV) nucleic acid detection with the age in the patients with aplastic anemia ,acute lymphoblastic leukemia and my‐eloid leukemia .Methods The patients clinically diagnosed as aplastic anemia ,acute lymphoblastic leukemia ,and myeloid leukemia after bone marrow puncture in the Navy General Hospital from January 2012 to December 2013were collected as the research sub‐jects .the nucleic acid test kit from DAAN Gene Company was adopted for conducting the EBV and HCMV nucleic acid testing and analyzing the relationship between the positive rate of the EBV and HCMV infection with the patient′s age .Results There were different testing positive rate among 3 kinds of hematonosis .As a whole ,the positive rate of HCMV was lower than that of EBV (15 .8% vs .43 .7% ) .The EBV nucleic acid detection positive rate had statistically significant difference among different ages of pa‐tients with aplastic anemia and myeloid leukemia .(P< 0 .01) .Conclusion For children patients with aplastic anemia disease and myeloid leukemia ,more attention should be paid to monitoring of EBV and HCM V nucleic acid .

In order to test the equilibrium solubility of puerarin in different solvents and solubilizer,cilia toxicity and irritation of these excipient, the balance method, toad in the ciliary body toxicity and rat nasal mucosa irritation were used respectively. Results showed that puerarin solubility was 56.44 g x L(-1) in combined solvent of 30% PEG200 and 10% Kolliphor HS 15. With normal saline solution as negative control and sodium deoxycholate as positive control, the effects of 30% PEG200, 30% PEG 400, 10% Kolliphor HS 15 and combination of 30% of PEG200 and 10% Kolliphor HS 15 on toad palate cilium were observed and cilia movement duration was recorded. The results indicated that there was no significant difference in cilia movement duration among 30% PEG200, 10% Kolliphor HS 15 and normal saline group. The rats long-term nasal mucous membrane irritation of 30% PEG 400, 10% Kolliphor HS 15, which had no cilia toxicity, was studied, with normal saline solution as negative control. There were no significant difference revealed on rat nasal mucosa epithelial thickness among 30% PEG 400, 10% Kolliphor HS 15 and normal saline. Above researches showed 30% PEG 400, 10% Kolliphor HS 15 was ideal for solubility of puerarin nasal drops and showed a lower cilia toxicity and irritation, and can be used as the solvent and solubilizer of puerarin nasal drops.
Administration, Intranasal ; methods ; Animals ; Anura ; Cilia ; chemistry ; Female ; Isoflavones ; chemistry ; Male ; Nasal Mucosa ; Polyethylene Glycols ; chemistry ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Solubility ; Solvents ; chemistry

This study was to investigate the circadian rhythms and light responses of Clock gene and arylalkylamine N-acetyltransferase (NAT) gene expressions in the rat pineal gland under the 12 h-light : 12 h-dark cycle condition (LD) and constant darkness (DD). Sprague-Dawley rats housed under the light regime of LD (n=36) for 4 weeks and of DD (n=36) for 8 weeks were sampled for the pineal gland once a group (n=6) every 4 h in a circadian day. The total RNA was extracted from each sample and the semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to determine the temporal changes in mRNA levels of Clock and NAT genes during different circadian times or zeitgeber times. The data were analysed by the cosine function software, Clock Lab software and the amplitude F test was used to reveal the circadian rhythm. The main results obtained are as follows. (1) In DD or LD condition, both of Clock and NAT genes mRNA levels in the pineal gland showed robust circadian oscillation (P< 0.05) with the peak at the subjective night or at night-time. (2) In comparison with DD regime, the amplitudes and the mRNA levels at peaks of Clock and NAT genes expressions in LD in the pineal gland were significantly reduced (P< 0.05). (3) In DD or LD condition, the circadian expressions of NAT gene were similar in pattern to those of Clock gene in the pineal gland (P> 0.05). These findings suggest that the expressions of Clock and NAT genes in the pineal gland not only show remarkably synchronous endogenous circadian rhythmic changes, but also response to the ambient light signal in a reduced manner.
Animals ; Arylalkylamine N-Acetyltransferase ; genetics ; metabolism ; CLOCK Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Circadian Rhythm ; Light ; Male ; Pineal Gland ; enzymology ; metabolism ; RNA ; genetics ; metabolism ; Random Allocation ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

The aim of this study was to observe and compare the endogenous circadian rhythm and photoresponse of Clock gene transcription in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) and pineal gland (PG) of rats. With free access to food and water in special darkrooms, Sprague-Dawley rats were housed under the light regime of constant darkness (DD) for 8 weeks (n=36) or 12 hour-light: 12 hour-dark cycle (LD) for 4 weeks (n=36), respectively. Then, their SCN and PG were dissected out every 4 h in a circadian day, 6 rats at each time (n=6). All animal treatments and sampling during the dark phases were conducted under red dim light (<0.1 lux). The total RNA was extracted from each sample and the semi-quantitative RT-PCR was used to determine the temporal mRNA changes of Clock gene in the SCN and PG at different circadian times (CT) or zeitgeber times (ZT). The grayness ratio of Clock/H3.3 bands was served as the relative estimation of Clock gene expression. The experimental data were analyzed by the Cosine method and the Clock Lab software to fit original results measured at 6 time points and to simulate a circadian rhythmic curve which was then examined for statistical difference by the amplitude F test. The main results are as follows: (1) The mRNA levels of Clock gene in the SCN under DD regime displayed the circadian oscillation (P<0.05). The endogenous rhythmic profiles of Clock gene transcription in the PG were similar to those in the SCN (P>0.05) throughout the day with the peak at the subjective night (CT15 in the SCN or CT18 in the PG) and the trough during the subjective day (CT3 in the SCN or CT6 in the PG). (2) Clock gene transcription in the SCN under LD cycle also showed the circadian oscillation (P<0.05), and the rhythmic profile was anti-phasic to that under DD condition (P<0.05). The amplitude and the mRNA level at the peak of Clock gene transcription in the SCN under LD were significantly increased compared with that under DD (P<0.05), while the value of corresponding rhythmic parameters in the PG under LD were remarkably decreased (P<0.05). (3) Under LD cycle, the circadian profiles of Clock gene transcription induced by light in the PG were quite different from those in the SCN (P<0.05). Their Clock transcription rhythms were anti-phasic, i.e., showing peaks at the light phase ZT10 in the SCN or at the dark time ZT17 in the PG and troughs during the dark time ZT22 in the SCN or during the light phase ZT5 in the PG. The findings of the present study indicate a synchronous endogenous nature of the Clock gene circadian transcriptions in the SCN and PG, and different roles of light regime in modulating the circadian transcriptions of Clock gene in these two central nuclei.
Animals ; CLOCK Proteins ; genetics ; Circadian Rhythm ; physiology ; Male ; Photoreceptor Cells, Vertebrate ; physiology ; Pineal Gland ; physiology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Suprachiasmatic Nucleus ; physiology ; Transcription, Genetic

The cyclization of 2,3-oxidosqualene is the key branch point of ergosterol and triterpenoid biosynthesis. Downregulation of 2,3-oxidosqualene metabolic flux to ergosterol in Saccharomyces cerevisiae may redirect the metabolic flux toward the triterpenoid synthetic pathway. In our study, primers were designed according to erg7 gene sequence of S. cerevisiae. Three fragments including 5' long fragment, 5' short fragment and erg7 coding region fragment were amplified by PCR. 5' long fragment consists of the promoter and a part of erg7 coding region sequence. 5' short fragment consists of a part of promoter and a part of erg7 coding region sequence. These fragments were inserted reversely into pESC-URA to construct antisense expression plasmids. The recombinant plasmids were transformed into S. cerevisiae INVSc1 and recombinant strains were screened on the nutritional deficient medium SD-URA. The erg7 expression level of recombinant strains, which harbored antisense expression plasmid of erg7 coding region, was similar to that of INVScl by semi-quantitative PCR detection. But erg7 expression level of recombinant strains, which harbored 5' long antisense fragment and 5' short antisense fragment, was significantly lower than that of the control. The results of TLC and HPLC showed that the ergosterol content of recombinant strains, which harbored 5' long antisense fragment, decreased obviously. The ergosterol contents of the others were almost equal to that of INVSc1. Lanosterol synthase gene expression was downregulated by antisense RNA technology in S. cerevisiae, which lays a foundation for reconstructing triterpenoid metabolic pathway in S. cerevisiae by synthetic biology technology.
DNA Primers ; Down-Regulation ; Gene Expression ; Intramolecular Transferases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Plasmids ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Antisense ; Saccharomyces cerevisiae ; enzymology ; genetics ; Squalene ; analogs & derivatives ; metabolism ; Transformation, Genetic