Hydrophidae, one of the precious traditional Chinese medicines, is generally drily preserved to prevent corruption, but it is hard to identify the species of Hydrophidae through the appearance because of the change due to the drying process. The identification through analysis on gene barcode, a new technique in species identification, can avoid the problem. The gene barcodes of the 6 species of Hydrophidae like Lapemis hardwickii were aquired through DNA extraction and gene sequencing. These barcodes were then in sequence alignment and test the identification efficency by BLAST. Our results revealed that the barcode sequences performed high identification efficiency, and had obvious difference between intra- and inter-species. These all indicated that Cyt b DNA barcoding can confirm the Hydrophidae identification.
Animals ; Base Sequence ; China ; Cytochromes b ; genetics ; DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic ; Elapidae ; classification ; genetics ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Phylogeny ; Reptilian Proteins ; genetics ; Sequence Analysis, DNA

Animals ; Central Nervous System Diseases ; drug therapy ; Drug Design ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; Humans ; Inflammation ; drug therapy

OBJECTIVE Our group mainly focuses on the target identification and pharmacological mechanism study of TCM.We deeply identified the direct targets of the active ingredients in TCM using molecule probe-'Target Fishing' technology in chemical biology, and explored the related signaling pathways to explain the traditional efficiency of TCM. METHODS We synthesized biotin-tagged mole-cule probe by connecting biotin tag to TCM active molecule using PGE as a linker. Then, the biotin-tagged molecule probe was bound to the surface of solid beads by strong biotin-avidin interaction. Thus, the molecule probe-bound beads were mixed with cell lysates to capture the potential targets and identified by MS.RESULTS Our study found that SA which was an anti-inflammatory compound-could selectively bind to IMPDH2 in microglial cells,and SA showed weaker anti-inflammatory effect on IMPDH2-knock down microglial cells,suggesting IMPDH2 as a key anti-inflammatory target for SA.Ad-ditionally,handelin was a key anti-inflammatory compound.We identified the target protein of handelin as Hsp70 from microglial cells using target pull-down technology. Moreover, handelin showed weaker anti-inflammatory effect on Hsp70-knock down microglial cells,revealing that Hsp70 was the direct anti-inflammatory target of handelin. CONCLUSION Our study provided methodology references for TCM target identification in the future, and also showed a new insight for exploring the pharmacological mechanism of TCM active ingredients.More importantly,we can perform scientific annotation for TCM efficiency by clarifying the biological functions of each target protein,showing important significance on modernization and internationalization of TCM.

Objective Membranous nephropathy ( MN) is rarely complicated by crescents.This study was to observe the clinicopathologic characteristics of MN with crescents. Methods This retrospective study included 53 cases of biopsy-proven idiopathic MN with crescents in the absence of immunologic and clinical etiologic factors and another 100 MN patients without histological crescents as controls.The clinicopathologic features, treatment response, and out-comes were analyzed and compared between the two groups of pa-tients. Results Significantly higher percentages of hypertension and decreased eGFR were observed in the MN +crescents group than in the control (47.2%vs 19.0%, P<0.05;28.3%vs 40.%, P<0.05).Circulating autoantibodies against the M-type phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R) were found in 66.7%(30/45) of the patients.The glomeruli exhibited a median of 4.6%(1.8%-35.3%) involvement of crescents.Compared with the controls, the MN +crescents group showed remarkably higher rates of segmental glomer-ulosclerosis lesions (16.0%vs 49.1%, P<0.05), capillary loops necrosis (0.0%vs 11.3%, P<0.05), interstitial fibrosis/tubu-lar atrophy (IFTA) (54.0%vs 86.8%, P<0.05) and afferent arterial lesions (65.0%vs 92.5%, P<0.05).No significant differ-ences were found in the outcomes of the two groups of patients. Conclusion MN with crescents is rare, and secondary MN and cres-centic glomerulonephritis should be considered.Crescentic MN usually presents with hypertension and renal dysfunction clinically and high rates of severe segmental and global glomerulosclerosis, capillary loops necrosis, and IFTA histologically.The condition has a fa-vorable short-term prognosis.

Objective To study the association of tryptophan hydroxylase-2 (TPH2) gene polymorphism and antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) and its impulsivity in Chinese Han population. Methods The single nucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) of TPH2 in transcriptional control region,-703G/T,was analyzed by PCR-RFLP genotyping assay in 117 ASPD patients and 142 healthy controls. Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 (BIS-11) was used to evaluate the impulsivity of subjects. Results There were significant differences between ASPD and controis on genotype and allele frequencies of TPH2-703G/T (x2 = 7.73, P ＜ 0.05; x2 = 5.12, P ＜ 0.05). The GG genotype and G allele were positively associated with ASPD(OR = 1.458,95% CI = 1.080 ～ 1.968 ;OR = 1.479,95% CI = 1.045 ～ 2.094). The scores of BIS-11 and its factors in GG genotype group((71.28 ± 7.50), (19.60 ±3.41), (25.73 ± 4.92), (25.95 ± 4.77) ) were higher than GT genotype group (( 66.23 ± 8.06), (17.79 ±3.02) ,(23.06 ±3.84) ,(25.38 ±4.97)) and TT genotype group((66.55 ±8.49),(18.50 ±3.35),(23.45 ±4.08), (24.97 ± 4.90)), but only the difference of BIS-11 total scores, the attention and motor factor scores among three groups were statistically significant (P＜0.05). The scores of BIS-11 and its factors in G allele group ((69.38 ±8.04), (18.92 ± 3.36), (24.73 ±4. 69), (25.73 ±4.82)) were higher than T genotype group ((66.41 ±8.22),(17.98 ±3.26),(23.27 ±3.94), (25.15 ±4.89)),however,only the difference of BIS-11 total scores, the attention and motor factor scores between two groups were statistically significant.Conclusion TPH2-703G/T polymorphism may be association with ASPD in Chinese Han population. The GG genotype and G allele may be the risk factors of ASPD and impulsivity.

Modern pharmacological studies have shown that Cistanche deserticola (C. deserticola) has a protective effect on the liver, but its active fraction and mechanism are not clear. In order to identify the effective fraction of C. deserticola Y. C. Ma, an acute alcoholic liver injury model in mice was established with 56-proof Erguotou and different fractional extracts of C. deserticola Y. C. Ma (total glycosides, polysaccharides, and oligosaccharides) were administered. After 14 days of oral administration, liver pathology and lipid deposition were measured and the expression of nuclear factor E2-related factor (Nrf-2), kelch-like ECH-associated protein-1 (Keap-1), and plasmalemma vesicle-associated protein-1 (PV1) were measured by immunofluorescence. The levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), endotoxin (ET), diamine oxidase (DAO), and D-lactic acid (D-LA) in serum, and superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT), and malondialdehyde (MDA) in liver were measured by ELISA. All animal experiments were carried out with approval of the Experimental Animal Welfare Ethics Committee of the Peking University Health Science Center. The results show that the total glycosides of C. deserticola Y. C. Ma (400 mg·kg^-1) could decrease liver pathology, decrease serum endotoxin, diamine oxidase, and D-lactic acid, and reduce hepatic lipid deposition. Total glycosides also promoted Nrf-2 transfer into the nucleus and decreased the expression of Keap-1 and PV1. In summary, the total glycosides of C. deserticola Y. C. Ma had a protective effect in acute alcoholic liver injury and the mechanism may be related to the activation of the Nrf-2/Keap-1 pathway, improvement of intestinal wall integrity, and inhibition of the transport of harmful substances into the liver.

Objective Cistanches Herba is a kind of tonic traditional Chinese medicine with several therapy effects including tonifying kidney-yin, anti-dementia, anti-aging and relaxing bowel. Phenylethanoid glycosides (PhGs) are the major effective components in C. tubulosa. However, there were no further studies on molecular pharmacologic mechanisms due to its complex components and mechanism diversity of action in PhGs till to now. The aim of this study was to investigate the target protein groups and related mechanisms associated with PhGs in anticerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury. Methods The middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model was established in rats, and the protective effects of PhGs on cerebral ischemia-induced injuries were determined. A kind of solid bead whose surface was cross-linked with PhGs was prepared to capture the target proteins from brain tissue lysates. The target proteins were further identified with LC-MS/MS. Results PhGs significantly inhibited cerebral ischemia-induced injuries by reducing ischemia size and rat behavioral scores and elevated the SOD levels in rat brain tissues. Eighteen target proteins were identified based on “target fishing” strategy and divided into 9 kinds according to their biological functions, including anti-oxidation, ion channel, immunoregulation, cell survival and cytoskeleton, etc. Conclusion These findings reveal the potential pharmacological mechanisms of PhGs in anti-dementia, fatigability alleviating, anti-tumor, immunoloregulation, etc, and also present a promising technology for investigating the complicated pharmacological mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine.

A new molecular method for simultaneously rapid detection and differentiation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Mycobacterium bovis, Mycobacterium avium and Mycobacterium paratuberculosis was established by using denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) combined with multiplex nucleic acid amplification. These 4 important pathogenic mycobacteria were identified by separation of 4 specific PCR-amplified target fragments by DHPLC analysis. A total of 51 Mycobacterium strains and 22 other bacterial species were tested to confirm the specificity of the multiplex PCR-DHPLC assay. The sensitivity of the assay was as low as 10~2-10~3 gene copies. This method rapidly identify the positive clinical samples from human and bovine with higher detection ratio than traditional culture method and was able to identify simultaneously four pathogenic Mycobacterium, which provided a new molecular tool for rapid detection of tuberculosis and paratuberculosis in human and animals.

OBJECTIVETo investigate the protective effects of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-containing Jiawei Wuzi Yanzong formula (CSF-C) on beta-amyloid protein-induced injury of hippocampal neurons.

METHODSPrimary hippocampal neurons were isolated and cultured for 7 days in vitro. CSF-C was prepared by cerebrospinal fluid extracted from SD rats fed continuously with various components of Jiawei Wuzi Yanzong formula (total formula, total flavonoids or total polysaccharides) respectively. The viability, morphological change, apoptotic rate and apoptosis-related proteins (caspase-3, PARP, Bcl-2, Bcl-XL, JNK1/2 and p38 MAPK) of neurons were detected in different groups: the untreated normal group, the Abeta(25-35)-treated group, and the CSF-C protected groups (co-acted by CSF-C and 20 micromol/L of Abeta(25-35)), respectively.

RESULTSCSF-C showed significant neuro-protective effect, and the protection of CSF-C contained total flavonoids or total polysaccharides was significantly greater than that contained total formula (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). Moreover, the effects of CSF-C contained various components on apoptosis-related proteins were different.

CONCLUSIONSome flavonoid and polysaccharide components in Jiawei Wuzi Yanzong formula can pass through the blood brain barrier and protect neurons from beta-amyloid protein-induced neuron injury to some extents.

Amyloid beta-Peptides ; toxicity ; Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal ; pharmacology ; Female ; Hippocampus ; pathology ; Male ; Neurons ; pathology ; Neuroprotective Agents ; pharmacology ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVETo study effects of different chemical factors in gastrointestinal tract, i.e. pH, protein, amino acid, ionic strength, Na2S, on the dissolution of cinnabar.

METHODThe content of total mercury in various dissolution of cinnabar were analyzed by UV/VIS Spectrophotometer. The particle distributions in dissolution of cinnabar were measured by Laser Particle Size Analyzer. The constituents of dissoluble substance of cinnabar in presence of Na2S were determined using ESI-MS.

RESULTThe solubility of cinnabar could be increased significantly in the presence of Na2S/So, and strong acidic pH, respectively. While the influence of thiol amino acid on promoting dissolution remains relatively low. Cinnabar didnt dissolve mainly in the form of nanoparticle.

CONCLUSIONWe postulated that cinnabar could be dissolved in various forms of mercury complexes containing sulphur.

Cysteine ; chemistry ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Mercury Compounds ; analysis ; chemistry ; Particle Size ; Solubility ; Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization ; Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet ; Sulfites ; chemistry