Mixtures of Tea and Citrus maxima (pomelo) Alleviate Lipid Deposition in HepG2 Cells Through the AMPK/ACC Signaling Pathway

Ran An,Shuai Wen,Dong-Li Li,Qiu-Hua Li,Xing-Fei Lai,Wen-Ji Zhang,Ruo-Hong Chen,Jun-Xi Cao,Zhi-Gang Li,Qiu-Sheng Huang,Ling-Li Sun,Shi-Li Sun 한국식품영양과학회 2020 Journal of medicinal food Vol.23 No.9

Tea and citrus maxima are natural, medicinal homologous plants, typically used for making beverages, which have anticancer, antiobesity, and antioxidation properties. Green tea, yellow tea, and black tea were combined with citrus maxima to obtain green tea and Citrus maxima (GTCM), yellow tea and Citrus maxima (YTCM), and black tea and Citrus maxima (BTCM). The biochemical components of these mixtures were analyzed, and their possible effects and mechanisms on relieving liver lipid deposition were explored. The tea polyphenols, free amino acids, phenolamine ratio, and caffeine were comparable in YTCM and GTCM, being significantly higher than those in BTCM. In addition, the content of esterified catechins, nonesterified catechins, and total catechins in YTCM was significantly higher than those in GTCM and BTCM. All three mixtures of Citrus maxima tea significantly reduced lipid deposition in HepG2 cells, with GTCM and YTCM being slightly more effective than BTCM. Regarding the possible mechanism, Western blot analysis revealed that the three Citrus maxima tea mixtures could activate the AMPK/ACC signaling pathway, upregulate the expression of p-AMPK, p-ACC, and CPT-1 proteins, and downregulate the expression of SREBP1c and fatty acid synthase proteins to inhibit fat synthesis, thereby relieving lipid deposition in liver cells. In conclusion, as a novel and healthy beverage, Citrus maxima tea has the potential to alleviate liver lipid deposition, and further could be responsible for obesity treatment.

Significantly enhanced antifouling and separation capabilities of PVDF membrane by synergy of semi-interpenetrating polymer and TiO2 gel nanoparticles

Yongdi Ma,Xi Chen,Shuai Wang,Hualin Dong,Xiaoying Zhai,Xin Shi,Jianzu Wang,Rujiang Ma,Wangqing Zhang 한국공업화학회 2022 Journal of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Vol.108 No.-

PVDF membrane has strong hydrophobicity and low anti-pollution performance, greatly limiting its practicalapplication. These drawbacks have been successfully overcome by designing and then preparing amembrane with a semi-interpenetrating polymer (semi-IPN) of PVDF/poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) as themembrane matrix, TiO2 nanoparticles as functional components and F127 as pore-forming agent. Thesemi-IPN was prepared by copolymerizing acrylic acid with N,N methyl acrylamide in the presence ofPVDF, and the TiO2 gel nanoparticles were in situ formed in the membrane-forming process. The propertiesof the composite membrane were significantly affected by the semi-IPN, F127 and TiO2. By adjustingthe membrane structure with the semi-IPN, F127 and TiO2 nanoparticles, we prepared a composite membranewith a water contact angle of 40, a BSA rejection ratio of 87.5% and a water flux of 802.5 L/m2/h/bar. After a simple UV irradiation, the water flux of this composite membrane rose to 1030 L/m2/h/bar,without any rejection decline. The membrane contaminated by humic acid could recover the water fluxup to above 95.3% of its original value by a single UV irradiation, showing a very good antifouling performance. In addition, the composite membrane also exhibited a very strong pollution resistance and separationperformance for bovine serum albumin and oil-water emulsion. All in all, based on the synergy ofthe semi-IPN and the evenly dispersed TiO2 nanoparticles, the prepared composite membrane exhibitedexcellent comprehensive properties and demonstrated a great potential for various separationapplications.

MiR-99a Inhibits Cell Proliferation and Tumorigenesis through Targeting mTOR in Human Anaplastic Thyroid Cancer

Huang, Hou-Gang,Luo, Xi,Wu, Shuai,Jian, Bin Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2015 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.16 No.12

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging as critical regulators in carcinogenesis and tumor progression. Recently, miR-99a has been reported as a tumor suppressor gene in various human cancers, but its functions in the context of anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC) remain unknown. In this study, we reported that miR-99a was commonly downregulated in ATC tissue specimens and cell lines with important functional consequences. Overexpression of miR-99a not only dramatically reduced ATC cell viability by inducing cell apoptosis and accumulation of cells at G1 phase, but also inhibited tumorigenicity in vivo. We then screened and identified a novel miR-99a target, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and it was further confirmed by luciferase assay. Up-regulation of miR-99a would markedly reduce the expression of mTOR and its downstream phosphorylated proteins (p-4E-BP1 and p-S6K1). Similar to restoring miR-99a expression, mTOR down-regulation suppressed cell viability and increased cell apoptosis, whereas restoration of mTOR expression significantly reversed the miR-99a antitumor activity and the inhibition of mTOR/p-4E-BP1/p-S6K1 signal pathway profile. In clinical specimens and cell lines, mTOR was commonly overexpressed and its protein levels were statistically inversely correlated with miR-99a expression. Taken together, our results demonstrated for the first time that miR-99a functions as a tumor suppressor and plays an important role in inhibiting the tumorigenesis through targeting the mTOR/p-4E-BP1/p-S6K1 pathway in ATC cells. Given these, miR-99a may serve as a novel prognostic/diagnostic and therapeutic target for treating ATC.

Regulation of matrix metalloproteinase-9 protein expression by 1α , 25-(OH)2D3 during osteoclast differentiation

Jian-Hong Gu,Xi-Shuai Tong,Guohong Chen,Xue-Zhong Liu,Jian-Chun Bian,Yan Yuan,Zong-Ping Liu 대한수의학회 2014 Journal of Veterinary Science Vol.15 No.1

To investigate 1α,25-(OH)2D3 regulation of matrixmetalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) protein expression duringosteoclast formation and differentiation, receptor activator ofnuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL) and macrophagecolony-stimulating factor (M-CSF) were administered toinduce the differentiation of RAW264.7 cells into osteoclasts. The cells were incubated with different concentrations of1α,25-(OH)2D3 during culturing, and cell proliferation wasmeasured using the methylthiazol tetrazolium method. Osteoclast formation was confirmed using tartrate-resistantacid phosphatase (TRAP) staining and assessing bone lacunarresorption. MMP-9 protein expression levels were measuredwith Western blotting. We showed that 1α,25-(OH)2D3inhibited RAW264.7 cell proliferation induced by RANKLand M-CSF, increased the numbers of TRAP-positiveosteoclasts and their nuclei, enhanced osteoclast boneresorption, and promoted MMP-9 protein expression in aconcentration-dependent manner. These findings indicatethat 1α,25-(OH)2D3 administered at a physiological relevantconcentration promoted osteoclast formation and couldregulate osteoclast bone metabolism by increasing MMP-9protein expression during osteoclast differentiation.

Inhibitory effects of osteoprotegerin on osteoclast formation and function under serum-free conditions

Ying-Xiao Fu,Jian-Hong Gu,Yi-Ran Zhang,Xi-Shuai Tong,Hong-Yan Zhao,Yan Yuan,Xue-Zhong Liu,Jian-Chun Bian,Zong-Ping Liu 대한수의학회 2013 Journal of Veterinary Science Vol.14 No.4

The purpose of this study was to determine whether osteoprotegerin (OPG) could affect osteoclat differentiation and activation under serum-free conditions. Both duck embryo bone marrow cells and RAW264.7 cells were incubated with macrophage colony stimulatory factor (M-CSF) and receptor activator for nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL) in serum-free medium to promote osteoclastogenesis. During cultivation, 0,10, 20, 50, and 100 ng/mL OPG were added to various groups of cells. Osteoclast differentiation and activation were monitored via tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) staining,filamentous-actin rings analysis, and a bone resorption assay. Furthermore, the expression osteoclast-related genes, such as TRAP and receptor activator for nuclear factor κB (RANK),that was influenced by OPG in RAW264.7 cells was examined using real-time polymerase chain reaction. In summary,findings from the present study suggested that M-CSF with RANKL can promote osteoclast differentiation and activation,and enhance the expression of TRAP and RANK mRNA in osteoclasts. In contrast, OPG inhibited these activities under serum-free conditions.

Chimeric rabies glycoprotein with a transmembrane domain and cytoplasmic tail from Newcastle disease virus fusion protein incorporates into the Newcastle disease virion at reduced levels

Gui Mei Yu,Shu Long Zu,Wei Wei Zhou,Xi Jun Wang,Lei Shuai,Xue Lian Wang,Jin Ying Ge,Zhi Gao Bu 대한수의학회 2017 Journal of Veterinary Science Vol.18 No.-

Rabies remains an important worldwide health problem. Newcastle disease virus (NDV) was developed as a vaccine vector in animals by using a reverse genetics approach. Previously, our group generated a recombinant NDV (LaSota strain) expressing the complete rabies virus G protein (RVG), named rL-RVG. In this study, we constructed the variant rL-RVGTM, which expresses a chimeric rabies virus G protein (RVGTM) containing the ectodomain of RVG and the transmembrane domain (TM) and a cytoplasmic tail (CT) from the NDV fusion glycoprotein to study the function of RVG’s TM and CT. The RVGTM did not detectably incorporate into NDV virions, though it was abundantly expressed at the surface of infected BHK-21 cells. Both rL-RVG and rL-RVGTM induced similar levels of NDV virus-neutralizing antibody (VNA) after initial and secondary vaccination in mice, whereas rabies VNA induction by rL-RVGTM was markedly lower than that induced by rL-RVG. Though rL-RVG could spread from cell to cell like that in rabies virus, rL-RVGTM lost this ability and spread in a manner similar to the parental NDV. Our data suggest that the TM and CT of RVG are essential for its incorporation into NDV virions and for spreading of the recombinant virus from the initially infected cells to surrounding cells.

Protective Effects of Scutellaria barbata Against Rat Liver Tumorigenesis

Dai, Zhi-Jun,Wu, Wen-Ying,Kang, Hua-Feng,Ma, Xiao-Bin,Zhang, Shu-Qun,Min, Wei-Li,Lu, Wang-Feng,Lin, Shuai,Wang, Xi-Jing Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.1

Scutellaria barbata D. Don (S. barbata), a traditional Chinese medicine, is used to treat cancers, inflammation, and urinary diseases. This study aimed to determine any protective effects of S. barbata crude extract (CE-SB) against rat liver tumorigenesis induced by diethylnitrosamine (DENA). Liver malfunction indices in serum were measured by biochemical examination. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was performed to examine liver pathology. Contents of malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured in liver homogenates to evaluate oxidative stress. The levels of liver malfunction indices in the CE-SB groups, especially in the CE-SB high dose group, were lower than that of the model group (P<0.05). The results from histological examination indicated that the number of liver nodules in the CE-SB groups decreased compared with the model group (P<0.05). Content of MDA determined in liver was significantly decreased, and level of SOD elevated by CE-SB. CE-SB can inhibit experimental liver tumorigenesis and relieve hepatic injury in rats.