To establish a method for simultaneous determination of dehydrotumulosic acid, polyporenic acid C, 3-epi-dehydrotumulosic acid, dehydropachymic acid and pachymic acid in Poria, a RP-HPLC method detected by UV wavelengths switch had been developed, including 210 nm (48-55 min) for pachymic acid and 241 nm (0-48 min) for dehydrotumulosic acid, polyporenic acid C, 3-epi-dehydrotumulosic acid, dehydropachymic acid, separately. The system consisting of a Kromasil C18 column (250 mm x 4.6 mm, 5 microm) and a mixture of acetonitrile and 0.05% phosphate acid as the mobile phase was adopted; The flow rate was 1.0 mL x min(-1). The linear response range was 30.5-610.0 microg x mL(-1) (r = 0.999 6) for dehydrotumulosic acid, 12.66-253.2 microg x mL(-1) (r = 0.999 5) for polyporenic acid C, 2.99-59.7 microg x mL(-1) (r = 0.999 7) for 3-epi-dehydrotumulosic acid, 6.13-122.5 microg x mL(-1) (r = 0.999 5) for dehydropachymic acid and 11.3-226.0 microg x mL(-1) (r = 0.9995) for pachymic acid. The average recoveries of these compounds were 98.5% (RSD = 1.9%), 99.4% (RSD = 1.7%), 97.9% (RSD = 1.2%), 96.7% (RSD = 2.5%) and 97.9% (RSD = 2.3%), respectively. The method is simple, accurate and reproducible for quality control of Poria.

The ketoreductase (KR) domain in the first extending module of the polyketide synthase (PKS) catalyzes the reductions of both an α-keto group and a β-keto group in the biosynthesis of bacillaene, suggesting the intrinsic substrate promiscuity. In order to further investigate the substrate specificity, the KR domain (BacKR1) was heterologously overexpressed in Escherichia coli. In vitro enzymatic analysis showed that only one of the four diastereomers was formed in the reduction of the racemic (±)-2-methyl-3-oxopentanoyl-N-acetylcysteamine thioester catalyzed by BacKR1. In addition, BacKR1 was revealed to catalyze the reductions of cyclohexanone and p-chloroacetophenone, indicating the potential of KR domians of PKSs as biocatalysts.
Bacterial Proteins ; genetics ; metabolism ; Catalysis ; Cyclohexanones ; metabolism ; Escherichia coli ; enzymology ; Polyketide Synthases ; genetics ; metabolism ; Protein Structure, Tertiary ; Substrate Specificity ; omega-Chloroacetophenone ; metabolism

Objective To investgate the application of overall hemostasis potential (OHP) experiment in the high-risk population of prethrombotic state (PTS). Methods The change of absorbance in fibrin formation and degradation was measured with a spectrophotometer at 340 nm when the plasma clotting was triggered by the low concentration of TF in the presence of urokinase. The OHP,overall coagulation potential (OCP) and the overall fibrinolysis potential (OFP) were obtained from the coagulation-fibrinolysis curve based on the computer analysis. To evaluate this OHP method,52 cancer patients,31 coronary artery disease patients,27 mid/late-stage pregnancy women and 100 healthy controls were detected. In addition,the plasma fibrinogen was detected and its correlation with OHP was studied. Results The level of OCP and OHP in PTS high-risk population was significantly higher in cancer,coronary heart disease patients and the mid/late-stage pregnancy women than in the healthy controls (P0.05). Conclusion The OHP assay may indicate the hemostatic balance; therefore,it can be used for evaluation of PTS.

Objective To evaluate the triage value of high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV)detection in women with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS).Methods Two huandred women with atypical squamous cells of undetermined significance (ASCUS) were selected by thinprep cell test(TCT) simultaneously using HPV DNA testing by hybrid capture Ⅱ (HC) and biopsy under the colposcopy,compared the HR-HPV DNA testing with final pathological diagnosis.CIN (cervical intraepithelial neoplasia) means cervical biopsy positive.Results The positive rate of cervical biopsy in HPV positive patients was 60.38％(96/159),and in HPV negative patients was 21.95％(9/41),the difference was obviously (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion HR-HPV detection is a good triage approach for the patients with ASCUS.

Objective:To investigate the effect of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on primary neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (CMs) and human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPS-CMs).Methods:The hiPS-CMs and primary neonatal rat CMs were treated with different concentrations of LPS for 24 to 48 h. Then the cellular viability was analyzed by the xCELLigence RTCA Cardio system. The measurement of NPPB gene was studied by qRT-PCR and the gene expression analysis was performed by the qPCR array, in order to evaluate the cardiac inflammation effect induced by LPS.Results:The LPS exposure led to dysfunction in the primary neonatal rat CMs, which shown as an increase in beating rate and a decrease in contraction amplitude ( P<0.01), accompanied by an increased NPPB mRNA level ( P<0.01). There was no significant alteration in beating rate and the contraction amplitude in the corresponding concentration of the primary neonatal rat CMs ( P>0.05), as well as the NPPB mRNA level ( P>0.05). However, the expression of NPPB mRNA in hiPS-CMs was significantly different at a higher concentration of LPS (5 μg/mL~40 μg/mL) ( P<0.01), but the beating rate and the contraction amplitude showed no significant change, even the concentration of LPS up to 40 μg/mL ( P>0.05). Finally, the genes of C3, Gpnmb, Atf3, Il6r and Ly96 upregulated to 1.5 folds in the primary neonatal rat CMs. In comparison with primary neonatal rat CMs, the AK4, TOLLIP, SPP1, FABP1, IL6R, LY96 and C3 were over expression to 1.5 folds in the hiPS-CMs. Conclusions:In comparison with primary neonatal rat CMs, hiPS-CMs are markedly less injured by LPS and show a different pattern of inflammation gene expression.

Objective:To establish a new molecular typing method for Treponema pallidum (TP) based on TP0136 protein sequence heterogeneity. Methods:The amino acid sequences of TP0136 open reading frame (ORF) of 9 strains of Treponema pallidum ssp. Pallidum (TPA) , 3 strains of Treponema pallidum ssp. Pertenue (TPE) , 1 unclassified simian strain of Treponema Fribourg-Blanc (FB) and 1 strain of Treponema pallidum ssp. Endemicum (TEN) were searched from Genbank, and multiple sequence comparisons were performed to obtain the molecular typing results of TP0136 protein. The TP0136 protein-based molecular typing method was used to classify 23 TPA clinical isolates, which were collected from Dermatology Hospital of Southern Medical University from January 2015 to December 2018, and the typing results were compared with those by the traditional typing method based on the tp0548/Arp/Tpr genes. Results:TP0136 protein was highly heterogeneous in different TP strains. According to the amino acid sequence of TP0136, TPE, FB and TEN strains were divided into 4 subtypes of Ⅰ- Ⅳ, TPA strains were divided into 6 subtypes of Ⅴ-Ⅹ, and TPA clinical strains were classified into 4 subtypes of Ⅶ, Ⅸ, Ⅹ, Ⅺ. Through the traditional typing method described above, 23 TPA clinical strains could be divided into 5 types (13D/d, 14D/f, 14D/g, 15D/f, 16A/e) . By using the TP0136 protein-based typing method combined with traditional typing method, the above clinical strains could be further subdivided into 10 types, and the 14D/f type could be further divided into 3 subtypes by using the TP0136 protein-based typing method.Conclusion:The TP0136 protein-based molecular typing method can be used to distinguish TP species, which is helpful for further improvement of traditional TPA molecular typing.

Objective: To determine the expression of TAZ and its role in angiogenesis in gastric carcinoma. Methods: Immunohistochemical staining was performed to investigate the expression of TAZ and to determine whether a direct relationship exists between TAZ and β-catenin. Transfection with TAZ overexpression plasmid in MKN28 cells was conducted to induce exogenous expression of TAZ and a TAZ knockdown plasmid was transfected into MGC803 cells to reduce TAZ levels. The effects on endothelial cell formation, proliferation, and migration were determined by Matrigel three-dimensional culture, MTT proliferation assay and Transwell migration assay. In addition, the expression of TAZ and β-catenin in transfected gastric cancer cells was detected by Western blot. Results: Immunohistochemistry showed that TAZ protein was expressed in 64 of 150 gastric cancer sample tissues (43%), TAZ was localized in the nucleus, and its expression was associated with tumor grade, TNM stage, metastasis, and microvessel density (MVD) (P<0.05). In addition, the expression frequency of β-catenin in the TAZ positive group was 67.2%, which was significantly higher than that in the TAZ negative group, and the expression of TAZ was positively correlated with β-catenin. After transfection, TAZ overexpression increased the expression of β-catenin and enhanced HUVECs tube formation, proliferation, and migration. In the MGC803 cells transfected with the knockdown plasmid, β-catenin levels were decreased and HUVECs motility was inhibited. Conclusions: TAZ may promote angiogenesis in gastric cancer by promoting β-catenin expression.