Antifibrotic Effect of Curcumin in TGF-β1-Induced Myofibroblasts from Human Oral Mucosa

Zhang, Shan-Shan,Gong, Zhao-Jian,Li, Wen-Hui,Wang, Xiao,Ling, Tian-You Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2012 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.13 No.1

Background: Myofibroblasts play an important role in the development of oral submucous fibrosis (OSF). In the current study, we investigate the effect of curcumin on growth and apoptosis of myofibroblasts derived from human oral mucosa. Methods: Myofibroblasts were generated by incubating fibroblasts, obtained from human oral mucosa, with transforming growth factor-${\beta}1$ (TGF-${\beta}1$). MTT, PI staining, and FACS assays were used to investigate curcumin's effect on proliferation and cell cycle of fibroblasts and myofibroblasts. Annexin V/PI binding and FACS assays were used to examine apoptosis of myofibroblasts, Western blotting to determine the levels of Bcl-2 and Bax, and enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay was employed to examine the levels of collagen type I and III in the supernatants of myofibroblasts. Results: Curcumin inhibits proliferation of fibroblasts and myofibroblasts; it also disturbs the cell cycle, induces apoptosis and decreases the generation of collagen type I and III in myofibroblasts, which are more sensitive to its effects than fibroblasts. Curcumin induces apoptosis in myofibroblasts by down-regulating the Bcl-2/ Bax ratio. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate the antifibrotic effect of curcumin in vitro. It may therefore be a candidate for the treatment of OSF.

Contact toxicity and transcriptomic analysis of terpinen-4-ol exposure in Tribolium castaneum

Shan-shan Gao,Yong-lei Zhang,Kun-peng Zhang,Wang Xing-yun,Qing-bo Tang,Yuan-chen Zhang 한국응용곤충학회 2022 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.25 No.3

The terpene, terpinen-4-ol (T4ol), exhibits contact toxicity in Tribolium castaneum. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this toxicity have not been elucidated. This study examined changes in the expression of four classic enzymes after exposure of T. castaneum to T4ol. Acetylcholinesterase and glutathione S-transferase activities were markedly inhibited after exposure to T4ol, while that of the detoxifying enzyme cytochrome oxidase P450 increased markedly. Carboxylesterase activity did not show significant changes. Furthermore, RNA sequencing revealed 260 differentially expressed genes (DEG) between the T4ol-treated and control samples, and qRT-PCR was used to validate the RNA-Seq data. The Gene Ontology analysis classified the DEGs into 36 functional groups, including the immune system processes, response to stimulus, and developmental processes. T4ol altered the response to stimulus and the immune system process of beetles by inducing the expression of the genes Stabilin-1, Attacin 1, and Defensin 1. Furthermore, the DEGs receptor tyrosine kinase Torso-like protein (RTKTsl), Frizzled 4 (Fz4), Protein Wnt-5b, Ecdysone-induced protein 78C (E78), Zinc finger protein GLIS1 (ZFPGLIS1) were classified as participating in beetle development, and Fz4 and Protein Wnt-5b also mapped to the Wnt signaling pathway. This indicated that pathways associated with development are inhibited after exposure to T4ol. T4ol also induced CYP9Z6/GSTs7 overexpression, and RNAi targeting these genes significantly increased larvae mortality on T4ol exposure, supporting the participation of CYP9Z6/GSTs7 in the response to T4ol in T. castaneum. The results of this study will facilitate understanding of the toxic mechanisms of T4ol and provide a basis for controlling the pests of stored products.

A sigma class glutathione S-transferase gene regulated by the CncC pathway is required for phytochemical tolerance in the red flour beetle, Tribolium castaneum

Gao Shan-shan,Li Dong-yu,Huo Zhuang-kun,Zhang Yong-lei,Cao Yi-zhuo,Tan Yue-yao,Guo Xin-long,Zhang Jia-hao,Zhang Kun-peng,Li Rui-min 한국응용곤충학회 2022 Journal of Asia-Pacific Entomology Vol.25 No.4

Insect glutathione S-transferases (GSTs) play a crucial role in the detoxification of exogenous compounds, especially insecticides and plant allelochemicals. A sigma class GST gene, TcGSTS7, mediates the response to eugenol in Tribolium castaneum. However, the mechanism underlying this effect remains largely unknown. In this study, TcGSTS7, which exhibits a structural motif and domain organization characteristic of GSTs, was cloned from the T. castaneum genome. Spatiotemporal expression analysis revealed that TcGSTS7 was most highly expressed at the late larva stage and was mainly expressed in the fat body and epidermis of larvae and adults, suggesting that TcGSTS7 may play a potential role in the protection against toxic xenobiotics in T. castaneum. Furthermore, the expression of TcGSTS7 was significantly induced after exposure to eugenol, while RNA inter ference (RNAi) targeting TcGSTS7 enhanced the sensitivity of the beetle to eugenol, indicating that TcGSTS7 is involved in the tolerance of T. castaneum to this insecticide. Interestingly, the depletion of TcCncC, which encodes a transcription factor of the CncC pathway that has been associated with the regulation of detoxification-related genes in insects, led to a reduction in the TcGSTS7 transcript level following exposure to eugenol, which suggests that TcGSTS7 acts downstream of the CncC pathway. Combined, these results indicated that TcGSTS7 partici pates in the tolerance of T. castaneum to phytochemicals in a CncC pathway-dependent manner. These findings have implications for the development of novel drugs for use in pest control.

RPSA Gene Mutants Associated with Risk of Colorectal Cancer among the Chinese Population

Zhang, Shan-Chun,Jin, Wen,Liu, Hui,Jin, Ming-Juan,Chen, Ze-Xin,Ding, Zhe-Yuan,Zheng, Shuang-Shuang,Wang, Li-Juan,Yu, Yun-Xian,Chen, Kun Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2013 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.14 No.12

The primary aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in ribosomal protein SA (RPSA) gene with colorectal cancer (CRC). A case-control study including 388 controls and 387 patients with CRC was conducted in a Chinese population. Information about socio-demography and living behavior factors was collected by a structured questionnaire. Three SNPs (rs2133579, rs2269349, rs7641291) in RPSA gene were genotyped by Illumina SnapShot method. Multiple logistic regression models were used for assessing the joint effects between tea consumption and SNPs on CRC. The subjects with rs2269349 CC genotype had a decreased risk for CRC (OR=0.60; 95%CI = 0.37-0.99), compared with TT/CT genotype after adjustment for covariates. A similar association of rs2269349 with rectal cancer was observed (OR=0.49; 95%CI=0.24-1.00). Further analyses indicated that this SNP could modify the protective effect of tea drinking on CRC. Among the subjects with rs2269349 TT/CT or rs2133579 AA/GA, there was a marginal significantly lower risk of CRC (OR and 95%CI: 0.63 and 0.39-1.01 for rs2269349; 0.64 and 0.40-1.02 for rs2133579) in tea-drinking subjects in comparison to non-tea-drinking subjects. Mutants in the RPSA gene might be associated with genetic susceptibility to CRC and influence the protective effect of tea consumption in the Chinese population.

The treatment effect of novel hGHRH homodimer to male infertility hamster

Zhang, Xu-Dong,Guo, Xiao-Yuan,Tang, Jing-Xuan,Yue, Lin-Na,Zhang, Juan-Hui,Liu, Tao,Dong, Yu-Xia,Tang, Song-Shan The Korean Society of Pharmacology 2018 The Korean Journal of Physiology & Pharmacology Vol.22 No.6

Extra-hypothalamic growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) plays an important role in reproduction. To study the treatment effect of Grin (a novel hGHRH homodimer), the infertility models of 85 male Chinese hamsters were established by intraperitoneally injecting 20 mg/kg of cyclophosphamide once in a week for 5 weeks and the treatment with Grin or human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) as positive control was evaluated by performing a 3-week mating experiment. 2-8 mg/kg of Grin and 200 U/kg of hMG showed similar effect and different pathological characteristics. Compared to the single cyclophosphamide group (0%), the pregnancy rates (H-, M-, L-Grin 26.7, 30.8, 31.3%, and hMG 31.3%) showed significant difference, but there was no difference between the hMG and Grin groups. The single cyclophosphamide group presented loose tubules with pathologic vacuoles and significant TUNEL positive cells. Grin induced less weight of body or testis, compactly aligned tubules with little intra-lumens, whereas hMG caused more weight of body or testis, enlarging tubules with annular clearance. Grin presented a dose-dependent manner or cell differentiation-dependentincrease in testicular GHRH receptor, and did not impact the levels of blood and testicular GH, testosterone. Grin promotes fertility by proliferating and differentiating primitive cells through up-regulating testicular GHRH receptor without triggering GH secretion, which might solve the etiology of oligoasthenozoospermia.

Cough Inhibition Activity of Schisandra chinensis in Guinea Pigs

Shan Zhong,Li-Ping Bai,Xiao-Dong Liu,Die-Yi Cai,Lee-Fong Yau,Chu-Qin Huang,Jia-Qi Zhang,Ke-Fang Lai,Nan-Shan Zhong 한국식품영양과학회 2021 Journal of medicinal food Vol.24 No.4

Chronic cough is very common in respiratory clinics, and no effective drugs are available. Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill. (S. chinensis), an important traditional Chinese medicine, has been extensively prescribed for patients with a persistent cough. Preliminary research indicated that 95% ethanol extracts (EE) of S. chinensis showed remarkable antitussive activity in guinea pigs exposed to cigarette smoke (CS). To find out the antitussive ingredients of S. chinensis, EE was divided into four fractions according to the polarity: petroleum ether extract (PEE), ethyl acetate extract (ECE), n-butyl alcohol extract, and residue extract. The antitussive, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory effects of the four fractions were evaluated in a guinea pig model of cough hypersensitivity induced by CS exposure. Eighteen main constituents of the two effective fractions, PEE and ECE, were identified using ultra-high-pressure liquid chromatography electronic spray ion time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The cough inhibition activities of compound 1, 3, 9, 10, 17 were evaluated on citric acid induced acute cough guinea pigs. The results showed that the antitussive activity of EE was almost all contained in PEE and ECE. The 16 major peaks in PEE were identified as 15 lignans (1–12 and 14–16) and 1 triterpene (compound 13), and 3 major peaks (1, 17, and 18) in ECE were also identified as lignans. Three doses of five compounds brought about a significant decrease in number of cough efforts (P < .01), and the cough inhibition rates were between 40.9% and 85.1%. Therefore, lignans are the antitussive ingredients of S. chinensis.

Comparative Proteomic Analysis of Changes in the Bovine Whey Proteome during the Transition from Colostrum to Milk

Zhang, Le-Ying,Wang, Jia-Qi,Yang, Yong-Xin,Bu, Deng-Pan,Li, Shan-Shan,Zhou, Ling-Yun Asian Australasian Association of Animal Productio 2011 Animal Bioscience Vol.24 No.2

Bovine whey protein expression patterns of colostrum are much different from that of milk. Moreover, bovine colostrum is an important source of protective, nutritional and developmental factors for the newborn. However, to our knowledge, no research has been performed to date using a comparative proteomic method on the changes in the bovine whey proteome during the transition from colostrum to milk. This study therefore separated whey protein of days 1, 3, 7 and 21 after calving using two dimension electrophoresis. Differentially expressed proteins at different collection times were identified using high-performance liquid chromatography in tandem with mass spectrometry (LC/MS) and validated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in order to understand the developmental changes in the bovine whey proteome during the transition from colostrum to milk. The expression patterns of whey protein of days 1 and 3 post-partum were similar except that immunoglobulin G was down-regulated on day 3, and four proteins were found to be down-regulated on days 7 and 21 compared with day 1 after delivering, including immunoglobulin G, immunoglobulin M, albumin, and lactotransferrin, which are involved in immunity and molecule transport. The results of this study confirm the comparative proteomic method has the advantage over other methods such as ELISA and immunoassays in that it can simultaneously detect more differentially expressed proteins. In addition, the difference in composition of milk indicates a need for adjustment of the colostrum feeding regimen to ensure a protective immunological status for newborn calves.

Equivocal Association of RAD51 Polymorphisms with Risk of Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma in a Chinese Population

Zhang, Shu-Xiang,Yang, Shan,Xu, Chang-Qing,Hou, Rui-Ping,Zhang, Chuan-Zhen,Xu, Cui-Ping Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention 2014 Asian Pacific journal of cancer prevention Vol.15 No.2

Aim: To study the contribution of genetic variation in RAD51 to risk of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods: Three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in RAD51 (rs1801320, rs4144242 and rs4417527) were genotyped in 316 ESCC patients and 316 healthy controls in Anyang area of China using PCR-RFLP (polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism). Demographic variables between cases and controls were statistically compared by T test and Chi-square test. Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was evaluated by the Chi-square test. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to measure any association with ESCC. Haplotype frequencies were estimated by Phase 2.1. Result: The genotype frequencies of rs1801320, rs4144242 and rs4417527 in patients with ESCC demonstrated no significant differences from those in control group (P>0.05). When the haplotypes of these three SNPs were constructed and their relationships with ESCC risk investigated, however, CGG was observed to increase the risk (P=0.020, OR=2.289). Conclusions: There was no association between the three SNPs of RAD51 and ESCC susceptibility in our Chinese population. However, the CGG haplotype might be a risk factor.

LOCAL WELL-POSEDNESS FOR THE NONLINEAR SCHRÖDINGER EQUATION WITH HARMONIC POTENTIAL IN H^s

Zhang, Shan,Liu, Zuhan,Lu, Zhongxue Korean Mathematical Society 2011 대한수학회보 Vol.48 No.6

We establish the local well-posedness for the Cauchy problem of the nonlinear Schr$\ddot{o}$odinger equation with harmonic potential in $H^s(\mathbb{R}^n)$, where $s{\in}\mathbb{R}$, s > 0.

Identification and Functional Analysis of the Chain Length Determinant Gene ste8 Involved in the Biosynthesis of Ebosin by Streptomyces sp.139

( Zhang Yang ),( Xiao Hua Li ),( Xiao Qaing Qi ),( Jun Jie Shan ),( Rong Jiang ),( Lian Hong Guo ),( Ren Zhang ),( Yuan Li ) 한국미생물 · 생명공학회 2013 Journal of microbiology and biotechnology Vol.23 No.11

Ebosin, a novel exopolysaccharide produced by Streptomyces sp. 139, has obvious antirheumatic arthritis activity in vivo, and its biosynthesis gene cluster (ste), consisting of 27 open reading frames, has been identified. This paper reports our study of the gene functionality of ste8, the predicted protein product of which is homologous to some bacterial chain length determinant Wzz proteins. For characterization of Ste8, ste8 was cloned and expressed in the mutant strain E. coli 086:H2 (Δwzz). The functional complementation of wzz by ste8 was demonstrated by the restoration of wild-type lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis and increased levels of serum resistance of E. coli 086:H2 (Δwzz) (pET30a-ste8). To examine the function of ste8 in ebosin biosynthesis, the gene was knocked out with a double crossover via homologous recombination. The molecular weight of the ebosin derivative EPS-8m produced by the mutant Streptomyces sp. 139 (ste8-) was much lower than that of ebosin, and the binding activity of EPS-8m for IL-1R decreased significantly compared with ebosin. These results demonstrate that ste8 encodes a chain length determinant (Wzz) that functions in ebosin biosynthesis.