CO2 Adsorption on the B12N12 Nanocage Encapsulated with Alkali Metals: A Density Functional Study

Haiyan Zhu,Qiyan Zhang,Qinfu Zhao,He Zhao,Yifan Feng,Bingbing Suo,Huixian Han,Qi Song,Yawei Li,Wenli Zou,Haiyan Zhu 성균관대학교(자연과학캠퍼스) 성균나노과학기술원 2019 NANO Vol.14 No.3

Density functional theory (DFT) calculations have been carried out to study the capacity of the B12N12 nanocage encapsulated with alkali metals (Li, Na, K) for the CO2 adsorption and activation. It is found that after encapsulating alkali metals, the alkali metal atoms are closer to one side of clusters instead of exactly lying at the center, and a considerable charge transfers from the inner alkali metal atoms to the B12N12 cage. Besides, the HOMO–LUMO gap (HLG) values of Li@B12N12, Na@B12N12 and K@B12N12 are decreased to about 6 eV, being much smaller than that of the pristine B12N12. Although the geometry structure parameters and the energy differences of M06-2X are slightly different from the ones of ωB97X-D, some identical results of two kinds of functional can be obtained. CO2 can be adsorbed chemically and physically on majority bonds of all the clusters, except for some bonds with large change in bond length and bond indices. The encapsulation of alkali-metal atoms may enhance the physical and chemical adsorption of CO2 on the surface of the clusters, in which Na@B12N12 and K@B12N12 are the most powerful physical and chemical adsorbent for CO2, respectively.

Disruption of endothelial barrier function is linked with hyposecretion and lymphocytic infiltration in salivary glands of Sjögren's syndrome

Cong, Xin,Zhang, Xue-Ming,Zhang, Yan,Wei, Tai,He, Qi-Hua,Zhang, Li-Wei,Hua, Hong,Lee, Sang-Woo,Park, Kyungpyo,Yu, Guang-Yan,Wu, Li-Ling Elsevier 2018 Biochimica et biophysica acta. Molecular basis of Vol.1864 No.10

<P><B>Abstract</B></P> <P>Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is an inflammatory autoimmune disease that causes hyposecretion in salivary glands. Endothelial tight junctions (TJs) play crucial roles in salivation and barrier function of blood vessels. However, whether the alteration of endothelial TJs were involved in pathogenesis of SS was still unknown. Here, the ultrastructure and function of endothelial TJs in submandibular glands (SMGs) were detected by transmission electron microscopy and in vivo paracellular permeability assay in different aged NOD mouse model for SS. CFSE-labeled lymphocytes were injected into tail vein to trace the infiltration, while claudin-5 expression and distribution were detected by immunofluorescence, qRT-PCR, and western blot. Results showed that the stimulated salivary flow rate was gradually decreased and lymphocytic infiltration was found as age increased in 12- and 21-week-old NOD mice, but not 7-week-old NOD mice. Blood vessels were dilated, while endothelial TJ width and paracellular tracer transport were increased in 12-week-old NOD mice. Moreover, the injected CFSE-labeled lymphocytes were observed in SMGs of 12-week-old NOD mice. Claudin-5 level was increased and relocalized from the apical portion of neighboring endothelial cells to lateral membranes and cytoplasm in 12-week-old NOD mice. Additionally, the alteration of claudin-5 expression and distribution was further confirmed in labial salivary glands and bilateral parotid glands from SS patients. In cultured human microvessel endothelial cell line (HMEC-1), IFN-γ stimulation significantly increased claudin-5 expression. Taken together, we identified that the endothelial TJ barrier was disrupted and contributed to the development of salivary hyposecretion and lymphocytic infiltration in SS.</P> <P><B>Highlights</B></P> <P> <UL> <LI> Endothelial tight junction barrier is disrupted in hyposecretory submandibular glands from Sjögren's syndrome mouse model </LI> <LI> The disrupted salivary endothelial barrier is linked with lymphocytic infiltration in Sjögren's syndrome mouse model </LI> <LI> The redistribution of claudin-5 is responsible for disrupted endothelial barrier in salivary glands from Sjögren's syndrome </LI> </UL> </P>

A Study on Heat Resistance of High Temperature Resistant Coating

( Li Ping Zhang ),( Xue Ying Wang ),( Qi Bin Zhang ),( Yan Long Qin ),( Zhu Lin ) 한국부식방식학회 2005 Corrosion Science and Technology Vol.4 No.2

Recent advances of bioactive proteins/polypeptides in the treatment of breast cancer

Qi-Zhang Li,Ze-Rong Zhou,Cui-Yu Hu,Xian-Bin Li,Yu-Zhou Chang,Yan Liu,Yu-Liang Wang,Xuan-Wei Zhou 한국식품과학회 2023 Food Science and Biotechnology Vol.32 No.3

Proteins do not only serve as nutrients to fulfill the demand for food, but also are used as a source of bioactive proteins/polypeptides for regulating physical functions and promoting physical health. Female breast cancer has the highest incidence in the world and is a serious threat to women’s health. Bioactive proteins/polypeptides exert strong anti-tumor effects and exhibit inhibition of multiple breast cancer cells. This review discussed the suppressing effects of bioactive proteins/polypeptides on breast cancer in vitro and in vivo, and their mechanisms of migration and invasion inhibition, apoptosis induction, and cell cycle arrest. This may contribute to providing a basis for the development of bioactive proteins/polypeptides for the treatment of breast cancer.

RBPJ contributes to acquired docetaxel resistance in prostate cancer cells

Li Xue,Zhenlong Wang,Hecheng Li,Zhaolun Li,Qi Chen,Peng Zhang,Haiwen Chen,Ziming Wang,Tie Chong,T. Chong 대한독성 유전단백체 학회 2017 Molecular & cellular toxicology Vol.13 No.3

Our previous work has shown that depletion of recombination signal-binding protein J (RBPJ) results in reduced cell growth in prostate cancer cells. In this study, we aimed to investigate the function of RBPJ in the chemoresistance of prostate cancer. The expression of RBPJ was quantified in docetaxel-resistant and parental prostate cancer cells. Loss- and gainof- function experiments were conducted to explore the regulatory role of RBPJ in prostate cancer sensitivity to docetaxel. The pro-apoptotic effect of RBPJ silencing was checked in docetaxel-resistant prostate cancer cells. We found that docetaxel-resistant PC3-DR and DU145- DR cells expressed 3-5-fold high levels of RBPJ than parental PC3 and DU145 cells. Short hairpin RNAmediated knockdown of RBPJ inhibited cell proliferation and colony formation and reversed docetaxel resistance in docetaxel-resistant prostate cancer cells. In contrast, overexpression of RBPJ promoted cell growth, colony formation, and docetaxel resistance in parental prostate cancer cells. Downregulation of RBPJ induced apoptosis in docetaxel-resistant cells, which was accompanied by enhanced cleavage of caspase-3. In addition, RBPJ silencing or overexpression markedly modulated the expression of the Bcl-2 family members including Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, Mcl-1, Bax, and Bak. Altogether, RBPJ contributes to acquisition of docetaxel resistance in prostate cancer cells and may thus represent a potential target for overcoming chemotherapeutic resistance in this malignancy.

Biological Control of Apple Ring Rot on Fruit by Bacillus amyloliquefaciens 9001

Li, Yan,Han, Li-Rong,Zhang, Yuanyuan,Fu, Xuechi,Chen, Xinyi,Zhang, Lixia,Mei, Ruhong,Wang, Qi The Korean Society of Plant Pathology 2013 Plant Pathology Journal Vol.29 No.2

Apple ring rot disease, caused by Botryosphaeria dothidea (Moug. ex. Fr) Ces. et de Not., is one of the most important diseases on apple fruits. In this study, strain 9001 isolated from healthy apple fruits from an infested orchard was evaluated for its biocontrol activity against apple ring rot in vitro and in vivo. Strain 9001 showed obvious antagonistic activity to B. dothidea YL-1 when plated on potato dextrose agar. Soaking healthy apples in the bacterial suspensions of strain 9001 prior to artificial inoculation of fungal pathogen resulted in a dramatic decrease in disease incidence when compared to the control. Moreover, either field application in the growth season or postharvest treatment of apples from infected orchards with bacterial suspensions of strain 9001 resulted in significantly reduced disease incidence within the storage period for 4 months at room temperature. Based on the phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA and the gyrA gene, strain 9001 was identified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. These results indicated that B. amyloliquefaciens 9001 could be a promising agent in biocontrol of apple ring rot on fruit, which might help to minimize the yield loss of apple fruit during the long postharvest period.

Four new sesqui-lignans isolated from Acanthopanax senticosus and their diacylglycerol acyltransferase (DGAT) inhibitory activity

Li, J.L.,Li, N.,Lee, H.S.,Xing, S.S.,Qi, S.Z.,Tuo, Z.D.,Zhang, L.,Li, B.B.,Chen, J.G.,Cui, L. Elsevier 2016 Fitoterapia Vol.109 No.-

<P>Four new sesqui-lignans, (7R, 7'R, 7 '' S, 8S, 8'S, 8 '' S)-4',5 ''-dihydroxy-3,5,3',4 ''-tetramethoxy-7,9':7',9-diepoxy4,8 ''-oxy-8,8'-sesquineo-lignan-7',9 ''-diol (1), (7R, 7'R, 7 '' S, 8S, 8'S, 8 '' S)-4',3'-dihydroxy-3,5,3',5',4'pentamethoxy-7,9':7',9-diepoxy-4,8'-oxy-8,8'-sesquineo-lignan-7',9'-diol (2), (7R, 7'R, 7'S, 8S, 8'S, 8'S)-3',4'dihydroxy-3,5,4',5 ''-tetramethoxy-7,9':7',9-diepoxy-4,8'-oxy-8,8'-sesquineo-lignan-7',9'-diol (3) and acanthopanax A (7) together with three known compounds (4-6) were isolated from the EtOAc-soluble extract of Acanthopanax senticosus. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic and physicochemical analyses. All the isolates were evaluated for in vitro inhibitory activity against DGAT1 and DGAT2. Among them, compounds 1-6 were found to exhibit selective inhibitory activity on DGAT1 with IC50 values ranging from 61.1 1.3 to 97.7 1.1 111\4 and compound 7 showed selective inhibition of DGAT2 with IC50 value 93.2 1.2. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.</P>

Beneficial effects of andrographolide in a rat model of autoimmune myocarditis and its effects on PI3K/Akt pathway

Qi Zhang,Li-qun Hu,Hong-qi Li,Jun Wu,Na-na-Bian,Guang Yan 대한약리학회 2019 The Korean Journal of Physiology & Pharmacology Vol.23 No.2

The study is to investigate effects of andrographolide on experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM). Lewis rats were immunized on day 0 with porcine cardiac myosin to establish EAM. The EAM rats were treated with either andrographolide (25, 50, 100 mg/kg/day) or vehicle for 21 days. An antigen-specific splenocytes proliferation assay was performed by using the cells from control rats immunized with cardiac myosin. Survival rates, myocardial pathology and myocardial functional parameters (left ventricle end-diastolic pressure, ± dP/dt and left ventricular internal dimension) of EAM rats received andrographolide were significantly improved. Andrographolide treatment caused an decrease in the infiltration of CD3+ and CD14+ positive cells in myocardial tissue. Moreover, andrographolide treatment caused a reduction in the plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-17 (IL-17) and myosin-antibody, and an increase in the level of IL-10 in EAM rats. Oral administration of andrographolide resulted in the decreased expression of p-PI3K, p-Akt without any change of PI3K and Akt. Further results indicate andrographolide significantly inhibited myosin-induced proliferation in splenocytes, and this effect was inhibited by co-treatment of SC79 (Akt activator). Our data indicate andrographolide inhibits development of EAM, and this beneficial effect may be due to powerful anti-inflammatory activity and inhibitory effect on PI3K/Akt pathway.

Beneficial effects of andrographolide in a rat model of autoimmune myocarditis and its effects on PI3K/Akt pathway

Zhang, Qi,Hu, Li-qun,Li, Hong-qi,Wu, Jun,Bian, Na-na,Yan, Guang The Korean Society of Pharmacology 2019 The Korean Journal of Physiology & Pharmacology Vol.23 No.2

The study is to investigate effects of andrographolide on experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM). Lewis rats were immunized on day 0 with porcine cardiac myosin to establish EAM. The EAM rats were treated with either andrographolide (25, 50, 100 mg/kg/day) or vehicle for 21 days. An antigen-specific splenocytes proliferation assay was performed by using the cells from control rats immunized with cardiac myosin. Survival rates, myocardial pathology and myocardial functional parameters (left ventricle end-diastolic pressure, ${\pm}dP/dt$ and left ventricular internal dimension) of EAM rats received andrographolide were significantly improved. Andrographolide treatment caused an decrease in the infiltration of $CD3^+$ and $CD14^+$ positive cells in myocardial tissue. Moreover, andrographolide treatment caused a reduction in the plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-17 (IL-17) and myosin-antibody, and an increase in the level of IL-10 in EAM rats. Oral administration of andrographolide resulted in the decreased expression of p-PI3K, p-Akt without any change of PI3K and Akt. Further results indicate andrographolide significantly inhibited myosin-induced proliferation in splenocytes, and this effect was inhibited by co-treatment of SC79 (Akt activator). Our data indicate andrographolide inhibits development of EAM, and this beneficial effect may be due to powerful anti-inflammatory activity and inhibitory effect on PI3K/Akt pathway.

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.