Hydrolytic amino acids were extracted by acid hydrolysis method, then derivatized with phenyl isothiocyanate (PITC). And the samples were analysed by HPLC on an Ultimate Prime C18 (4.6 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) column with gradient elution of 0.1 mol x L(-1) sodium acetate buffer solution (adjusted to pH 6. 5)-acetonitrile (93:7) (A) and acetonitrile-water (8:2) (B) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL x min(-1). Column temperature was 40 degrees C and the detected wavelength was 254 nm. Amino acids derivative solution remained stable in 36 hours. The response was linear for 16 amino acids with a correlation coefficient r > 0.999 5. The average recoveries were 98.01% -101.8%. The method is reliable with good accuracy and repeatability, which is useful for the determination of amino acids in Galli Gigerii Endothelium Corneum.
Amino Acids ; analysis ; Animals ; Chickens ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Chromatography, Reverse-Phase ; Endothelium ; chemistry ; Gizzard, Avian ; chemistry

Preparative HPLC was used to prepare ferulic acid, senkyunolide I and senkyunolide H from Ligusticum chuanxiong. The separation was conducted on a Shim-Pack Prep-ODS (20.0 mm x 250 mm, 5 microm) column with the mobile phase of methanol-0.2% glacial acetic acid (50:50)at the flow rate of 5 mL x min(-1). The detection wavelength was 278 nm, and the purity of each compound was detected by HPLC analysis. Spectral data analyses including UV, ESI-MS and NMR were used to identify their structures. This method is simple, fast, which is suitable for preparation of standard reference of ferulic acid, senkyunolide I and senkyunolide H from L. chuanxiong and can meet the requirement of new drug research and development.
Benzofurans ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Coumaric Acids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Ligusticum ; chemistry

Objective To investigate the role of microRNA-10b (miR-10b) in the proliferation and invasion potential of osteosarcoma cell lines MG-63 and the exact underlying mechanism.Methods The expression level of miR-10b in human osteosarcoma tissue samples and adjacent normal bone tissues were detected by relative quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR).miR-10b mimic and siRNA against Twist (Twist siRNA) were transfected into human osteosarcoma cell lines MG-63 respectively using lipofactamine 2000, and RT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of miR-10b and Twist, and Twist protein expression level was detected by Western blot.The effect of miR-10b mimic and Twist siRNA on proliferation of MG-63 were detected by MTT[3- (4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl) -5- (3-carboxymethoxyphenyl) -2- (4-sulfophenyl) -2 H-tetrazolium].The in-vitro cell invasion ability was determined by Transwell invasion assays after up-regulating miR-10b or knocking down of Twist.Results The expression levels of miR-10b was higher in human osteosarcoma tissue samples compared with adjacent normal bone tissues, the differences were extremely statistical significance (P＜0.01).miR-10b directly up regulated the mRNA and protein expression levels of Twist, the differences were significant (P＜0.05).In addition, miR-10b had enhanced the cell invasion and the proliferation (P＜0.05), whereas the proliferation and invasion ability of MG-63 which transfected by both miR-10b mimic and Twist siRNA were significantly reduced than that transfected by miR-10b mimic (P＜0.05).Conclusion miR-10b in MG-63 promotes the proliferation and invasion potential of human osteosarcoma cell lines MG-63, at least partly through the upregulation of Twist gene.

OBJECTIVEGenetic factors are thought to be involved in the development of vitiligo. The aim of this study is to explore the possible genetic model of vitiligo by analyzing the genetic characteristics of 815 patients from Zhejiang province.

METHODSData for 815 patients with vitiligo together with their first- and second-degree relatives were obtained using a standardized questionnaire. All these information was requested to confirm the answers about family history in order to reduce the possibility of 'recall' bias. The 815 probands would include 411 (50.43%) males and 404 (49.57%) females with a varied age from 2 months to 71 years old. Since the information on general prevalence of vitiligo in this area was absent, a control group was set up to facilitate the calculations of heritability degree. 468 persons of the control group were from non-vitiligo population with a sex ratio of 241(male): 227(female) with varied age of 4 months to 80 years old. Both gender and age were comparable between the vitiligo and the control population. The inheritance pattern estimation, heritability calculation and complex segregation analysis were performed with Penrose method, Falconer regression method and SAGE-REGTL program.

RESULTSIn 815 vitiligo probands, 128 had and 687 had not family histories, with a heritability rate of 15.7%. The vitiligo prevalence in proband's first degree relatives was 2.580%, higher than the prevalence of 0.618% in second degree relatives, and both of them were higher than general prevalence: 0.192%. By Penrose method, the rates on different catagories were as follows: sibling prevalence rates s = 0.080 18; population prevalence rate q = 0.001 92; s/q = 41.76. The ratio of s/q did not approach 1/2q (260.42) or 1/4q (130.21), but approached 1/square root of q(22.82), suggesting vitiligo was consistent with a mode of polygenic inheritance. Using Falconer's method, heritabilities of vitiligo in first-and second degree relatives of probands were 59.61% (95% confidence interval 65.37-53.84) and 55.20% (95% confidence interval 43.88-66.52), respectively. The weighted average of heritability in all relatives was 58.7% (95% confidence interval 53.56-63.83). The results of complex segregation analysis suggested that major gene model including the Mendelian dominant, recessive and additive hypotheses were not rejected (P > 0.05). Purely environmental model and no transmission model were rejected at a 0. 001 significance level. According to AIC, Mendelian dominant inheritance was the best-fitted hypothesis.

CONCLUSIONGenetic factors played an important role in the occurrence of vitiligo, and the genetic model of vitiligo could serve as the polygenetic or multifactorial inheritance with major gene trait.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; China ; epidemiology ; Female ; Humans ; Infant ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Models, Genetic ; Vitiligo ; epidemiology ; genetics ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the dynamic process of the self-assembly behaviors of a full-length human amelogenin (AM) and its functional fragments tyrosine-rich amelogenin peptide (TRAP) and leucine-rich amelogenin peptide(LRAP) METHODS: The full-length human AM and its functional fragments, TRAP and LRAP, were reassembled and purified RESULTS: When pH=8, the full-length human AM and TRAP assembly started spontaneously and formed "nanospheres" after 15 min.The nanospheres formed by TRAP existed independently, with a uniform size but without obvious internal structures. The full-length AM was assembled hierarchically, which formed "nanospheres" and further extended in all directions, formed a chain structure, and then aggregated into a net. The self-assembly behavior of LRAP was not obvious. Proteins mostly existed in the form of monomers without "nanosphere" formation. Only few oligomers were observed. The full-length AM was induced independently for 3 days to form rod-shaped HA crystals. TRAP and LRAP proteins were added, after 3 days the crystal elongation was obvious in the c axis, but the growth in plane A and plane B was poor. CONCLUSIONS The self-assembly and mineralization behaviors of full-length human AM, TRAP, and LRAP were consistent with the directional growth mechanism of HA crystals
Amelogenin ; Dental Enamel Proteins ; Durapatite ; Humans

AIM:To investigate the neuroprotective effect of progesterone against adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-injured human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells.METHODS:The SH-SY5Y cells in the logarithmic phase were divided into different groups according to the progesterone and ATP concentrations.The cell viability was measured by CCK-8 assay.The membrane permeability was detected using fluorescent dye YO-PRO-1.Cytosolic Ca2+ concentration was measured with fluorescent dye Fluo-3/AM.The expression of purinergic P2X7 receptor was assessed by Western blot.RESULTS:The viability of the SH-SY5Y cells was significantly decreased (P ＜ 0.05) and YO-PRO-1 uptake was obviously increased (P ＜ 0.05) in a concentration-dependent manner compared with control group when SH-SY5Y cells were treated with ATP at 1,3,5 and 7 mmol/L for 2 h.The viability reduction of the SH-SY5Y cells induced by ATP was obviously counteracted by treatment with progesterone at 3,10 and 30 nmol/L for 30 min (P ＜ 0.05) as compared with ATP group.YO-PRO-1 fluorescence enhancement induced by ATP in SH-SY5Y cells was significantly reduced (P ＜ 0.05) by progesterone (30 nmol/L) or P2X7 receptor antagonist KN-62 (500 nmol/L) pretreatment for 30 min,and no obvious difference between treatments with progesterone and KN-62 was observed.Cytosolic Ca2+ fluorescence intensity in normal group was a little,but that in ATP group was increased (P ＜ 0.05).Progesterone or KN-62 pretreatment significantly decreased the cytosolic fluorescence intensity of Ca2+ induced by ATP (P ＜ 0.05).However,no obvious difference between treatments with progesterone and KN-62 was found.The expression of P2X7 receptor in ATP group was significantly higher than that in control group (P ＜ 0.05),and progesterone inhibited ATP-induced P2X7 receptor expression (P ＜ 0.05).CONCLUSION:Progesterone inhibits P2X7 receptor expression,membrane pore formation,intracellular Ca2+ increase and cell death induced by ATP,so progesterone may protect SH-SY5Y cells against ATP-induced injuries.

AIM To establish an HPLC method for the simultaneous content determination of spinosin,ferulic acid,rosmarinic acid,salvianolic acid B,schisandrin A,schizandrin B and schisandrol A in Anshen Capsules.METHODS The analysis was performed on a 30℃thermostatic Inertsustain C18 column(5 μm,4.6 mm×250 mm),with the mobile phase comprising of methanol-acetonitrile-0.1%phosphoric acid flowing at 1.0 mL/min in a gradient elution manner,and the detection wavelengths were set at 203,270 nm.Subsequently,principal component analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis were made.RESULTS Seven constituents showed good linear relationships within their own ranges(r＞0.999 0),whose average recoveries were 96.12%-102.70%with the RSDs of 0.31%-1.83%.Ten batches of samples were divided into two categories according to manufacturers,and peaks 5(schisandrol A),4(salvianolic acid B)were quality difference markers.CONCLUSION This simple,sensitive,specific and reproducible method can be used for the quality control of Anshen Capsules.

Objective:To observe the effect of alkaloid A from Acanthi Ilicifolii Herba seu Radix(AAIA) on liver injury model caused by acetaminophen. Method:Mice were randomly divided into normal group, model group, positive drug group (bifendate, 150 mg·kg^-1) and high, medium and low-dose AAIA groups (200, 100, 50 mg·kg^-1), with 10 in each group. They were given drugs by gavage for 10 days, and fasted for 8 hours after the last administration. Except the normal group, the other groups were intraperitoneally injected with 275 mg·kg^-1 acetaminophen to induce acute liver injury model in mice. Six hours later, blood was taken from the eyeball. The body, liver, spleen, kidney and thymus were weighed, and then the corresponding organ indexes were calculated. The kits were used to detect the contents of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in serum. The contents of nitric oxide (NO) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in liver homogenate were determined by ultraviolet spectrophotometry, and the expressions of extracellular regulated protein kinases (ERK1/2) and phosphorylated extracellular regulatory protein kinase (p-ERK1/2) were determined by Western blot. Result:Compared with the normal group, the liver index, serum AST and ALT levels, the production of NO and iNOS in liver homogenate, the expression of p-ERK1/2 protein in liver of the model group increased significantly (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, all of drug groups could reduce the liver index of mice with acute liver injury induced by acetaminophen, the levels of serum AST and ALT, the production of NO and iNOS in liver and homogenate and the expression of p-ERK1/2 protein in liver (P<0.01). however, it had no significant effect on spleen, kidney and thymus of all acetaminophen injection groups. Conclusion:AAIA may protect mice from drug-induced liver injury by reducing AST and ALT levels, down-regulating the expressions of NO and iNOS, and reducing the expression of protein p-ERK1/2.

The antibiotics have obvious antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, but their toxic side effect, secondary infection and bacterial resistance have become a global problem. Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) has always been the treasure of traditional culture and national characteristics in China since ancient times. It also has remarkable effect on inhibiting the growth of bacteria and killing pathogenic bacteria. The research on bacteriostatic experiment of TCM has gradually become a hot topic. Sensitivity experiments for such natural medicines have gradually become a research hotspot, but the complexity and particularity of natural medicines will vary with different methods. Therefore, different methods of drug sensitivity experiments should be matched with different natural drugs. By collecting and sorting out the relevant literature at home and abroad, this paper systematically summarizes the commonly used in vitro, in vivo and their combination bacteriostasis experimental methods of natural medicine activity, analyses the advantages and disadvantages of each method in the process of application, finds that different kinds of natural drugs have different applicable methods, and puts forward suggestions for the operation of each experimental method, in order to provide ideas for the selection of antibacterial susceptibility research experiments of natural medicines. It also provides a reliable reference method for solving the problem of antibiotic abuse and the development and utilization of natural medicines.

Objective: To analyse the clinical history, laboratory tests and pathological data of a patient who suffered from novel coronavirus pneumonia(COVID-19) and provide reference for the clinical treatment of similar cases. Methods: Data of clinical manifestation, laboratory examination, bronchoscopy, echocardiography and cardiopulmonary pathological results were retrospectively reviewed in a case of COVID-19 with rapid exacerbation from mild to critical condition. Results: This patient hospitalized at day 9 post 2019 novel coronavirus(2019-nCoV) infection, experienced progressive deterioration from mild to severe at day 12, severe to critical at day 18 and underwent extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO) and continuous renal replacement therapy(CRRT) as well as heart lung transplantation during day 28-45 post infection, and died at the second day post heart and lung transplantation. The patient had suffered from hypertension for 8 years. At the early stage of the disease, his symptoms were mild and the inflammatory indices increased and the lymphocyte count decreased continuously. The patient's condition exacerbated rapidly with multi-organ infections, and eventually developed pulmonary hemorrhage and consolidation, pulmonary hypertension, right heart failure, malignant ventricular arrhythmias, liver dysfunction, etc. His clinical manifestations could not be improved despite viral RNAs test results became negative. The patient underwent lung and heart transplantation and finally died of multi organ failure at the second day post lung and heart transplantation. Pathological examination indicated massive mucus, dark red secretions and blood clots in bronchus. The pathological changes were mainly diffused pulmonary hemorrhagic injuries and necrosis, fibrosis, small vessel disease with cardiac edema and lymphocyte infiltration. Conclusions: The clinical course of severe COVID-19 can exacerbate rapidly from mild to critical with lung, liver and heart injuries.
Betacoronavirus ; COVID-19 ; Coronavirus Infections/pathology* ; Fatal Outcome ; Hemorrhage/virology* ; Humans ; Lung/pathology* ; Myocardium/pathology* ; Pandemics ; Pneumonia, Viral/pathology* ; Retrospective Studies ; SARS-CoV-2