Extract of Euryale ferox Salisb exerts antidepressant effects and regulates autophagy through the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase-UNC-51-like kinase 1 pathway

Ethyl cellulose/gelatin-carboxymethyl chitosan bilayer films doped with Euryale ferox seed shell polyphenol for cooked meat preservation

This study evaluated the effects of an edible bilayer containing polyphenols from the Euryale ferox seed shell on ready-to-eat cooked beef products, including the physical, mechanical, antioxidant, and antibacterial capabilities. Here, the bilayer films were prepared by layer-by-layer solution pouring using hydrophobic ethyl cellulose (EC) as the outer layer, and hydrophilic gelatin/carboxymethyl chitosan (GC) as the inner layer. By adjusting the proportion of gelatin to carboxymethyl chitosan, the optical, mechanical, and barrier characteristics of bilayer films were markedly enhanced. Extracted polyphenol (EP) from shell of the Euryale ferox seed performed potent antibacterial property against Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes). The addition of EP to the inner layer of the optimized bilayer film further improved the mechanical and barrier properties of films, and as expected, the film exhibited antioxidant and antibacterial abilities. Additionally, cooked beef and cooked chicken preservation tests indicated that the active bilayer film showed good inhibition of L. monocytogenes and delayed lipid oxidation in ready-to-eat meat products, and significantly delayed the pH, moisture loss, color and texture changes. This study developed multifunctional bilayer active edible films, which has a great potential in the preservation ready-to-eat cooked meat products.

Effect of different fertilization strategies on the yield, quality of Euryales Semen and soil microbial community

Introduction

Euryales Semen, a medicinal herb widely utilized in Asia, faces a critical constraint in its production, primarily attributed to fertilizer utilization. Understanding the impact of different fertilization schemes on Euryales Semen (ES) planting and exploring the supporting mechanism are crucial for achieving high yield and sustainable development of the ES planting industry.

Methods

In this study, a field plot experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of four different fertilization treatments on the yield and quality of ES using morphological characteristics and metabolomic changes. These treatments included a control group and three groups with different organic fertilizer to chemical fertilizer ratios (3:7, 5:5, and 7:3). The results of this study revealed the mechanisms underlying the effect of the different treatments on the yield and quality of Euryales Semen. These insights were achieved through analyses of soil physicochemical properties, soil enzyme activity, and soil microbial structure.

Results

We found that the quality and yield of ES were the best at a ratio of organic fertilizer to chemical fertilizer of 7:3. The optimality of this treatment was reflected in the yield, soil available nitrogen, soil available phosphorus, and soil enzyme activity of ES. This ratio also increased soil microbial diversity, resulting in an increase and decrease in Proteobacteria and Firmicutes abundances, respectively. In addition, linear discriminant analysis showed that Chloroflexi, Gammaproteobacteria, and Hypocreales-incertae-sedis were significantly enriched in the ratio of organic fertilizer to chemical fertilizer of 7:3. Variance partitioning analysis showed that the soil properties, enzyme activities, and their interactions cumulatively can explain 90.80% of the differences in Euryales Semen yield and metabolome. In general, blending organic and chemical fertilizers at a 7:3 ratio can enhance soil fertility, boost Euryales Semen yield and quality, and bring forth conditions that are agriculturally beneficial to microbial (bacteria and fungi) dynamics.

Discussion

This study initially revealed the scientific connotation of the effects of different fertilization patterns on the planting of Euryales Semen and laid a theoretical foundation for the study of green planting patterns of Euryales Semen with high quality and yield.

Antidepressant pharmacological mechanisms: focusing on the regulation of autophagy

The core symptoms of depression are anhedonia and persistent hopelessness. Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and their related medications are commonly used for clinical treatment, despite their significant adverse effects. Traditional Chinese medicine with its multiple targets, channels, and compounds, exhibit immense potential in treating depression. Autophagy, a vital process in depression pathology, has emerged as a promising target for intervention. This review summarized the pharmacological mechanisms of antidepressants by regulating autophagy. We presented insights from recent studies, discussed current research limitations, and proposed new strategies for basic research and their clinical application in depression.

Structure and physicochemical properties of low digestible Euryale ferox Salisb. seed starch

BACKGROUND

Euryale ferox Salisb. is widely grown in China and Southeast Asia as a grain crop and medicinal plant. The composition, morphology, structure, physicochemical properties, thermal properties, and in vitro digestibility of North Euryale ferox seeds starch (NEFS), hybrid Euryale ferox seeds starch (HEFS), and South Euryale ferox seeds starch (SEFS) were studied.

RESULT

Of the varieties that were studied, the amylose content of NEFS (23.03%) was the highest. Starch granules of each variety were smooth, sharp, small, and had an average diameter of 2 μm. All three varieties were A-type crystals with crystallinity ranging from 26.42% to 28.17%. The degree of double helix and the short-range order ranged from 1.9006 to 2.5324 and 1.4294 to 1.6006, respectively. The high proportion of C1 region in NEFS (17.74%) and HEFS (17.66%) were found. Thermodynamic properties in North Euryale ferox seeds included the highest onset temperature (T_o ) (71.43 °C), peak temperature (T_p ) (76.60 °C), conclusion temperature (T_c ) (82.77 °C), enthalpy of gelatinization (ΔH) (12.64 J g^-1 ), and peak viscosity (1514 mPa·s). All three varieties maintained a low level of in vitro digestibility, with the highest resistant starch (RS) content (29.57%), the lowest rapidly digestible starch (RDS) content (27.07%), and the slowest hydrolysis kinetic constant (0.0303) in NEFS.

CONCLUSION

The results revealed that the low digestibility of NEFS was attributable to compact granules, high crystallinity, high degree of order, and strong thermal stability. These digestive, physicochemical, and thermodynamic properties provide information for the future application of Euryale ferox seed starch in the food industry. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry.

The Ethnopharmacological, Phytochemical, and Pharmacological Review of Euryale ferox Salisb.: A Chinese Medicine Food Homology

Euryale ferox Salisb. (prickly water lily) is the only extent of the genus Euryale that has been widely distributed in China, India, Korea, and Japan. The seeds of E. ferox (EFS) have been categorized as superior food for 2000 years in China, based on their abundant nutrients including polysaccharides, polyphenols, sesquineolignans, tocopherols, cyclic dipeptides, glucosylsterols, cerebrosides, and triterpenoids. These constituents exert multiple pharmacological effects, such as antioxidant, hypoglycemic, cardioprotective, antibacterial, anticancer, antidepression, and hepatoprotective properties. There are very few summarized reports on E. ferox, albeit with its high nutritional value and beneficial activities. Therefore, we collected the reported literature (since 1980), medical classics, database, and pharmacopeia of E. ferox, and summarized the botanical classification, traditional uses, phytochemicals, and pharmacological effects of E. ferox, which will provide new insights for further research and development of EFS-derived functional products.

Euryale ferox, a prominent superfood: Nutritional, pharmaceutical, and its economical importance

Euryale ferox (also known as foxnut), belongs to the family Nymphaeaceae. It is mainly grown in India, China, Japan, and Korea. It is a highly nutritious food, abundant in nutritional and bioactive compounds such as carbohydrates, protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and polyphenols. It is considered a functional food owing to its various health benefits such as antidiabetic, antihyperlipidemic, antifatigue, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, antimelanogenic, etc. E. ferox has immense potential in both food and non-food industries. Regardless of being recognized as a superfood packed with nutritional as well as medicinal properties, it is still neglected, and there has not been much attention given to its cultivation. Therefore, in this review, the potential of E. ferox as a superfood has been explored to enhance its utilization in the development of different foods and make it available outside its growing area. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Euryale ferox is abundant in several macronutrients and micronutrients; and considered as a superfood in terms of various health benefits. E. ferox has the ability to be used in the development of different health, functional, and nutraceutical foods, which will open a new door for the food industry to combat with numerous diseases.

Bio-Fabrication of Euryale ferox (Makhana) Leaf Silver Nanoparticles and Their Antibacterial, Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Potential

Bio-fabrication of green or plant extract-based silver nanoparticles has garnered much praise over the past decade as the methodology is environment-friendly, undemanding, non-pathogenic, and economical. In the current study, leaves of Eurale ferox (Makhana), considered as waste, were used for the bio-fabrication of silver nanoparticles (ELAgNPs). Various analytical techniques including UV−VIS spectroscopy, Field emission scanning electron microscopy equipped with an energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (FESEM-EDX), Particle size analyzer (PSA), Fourier transform infra-red spectroscopy (FTIR) and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) were used for their characterization. Their antibacterial efficacy was examined against gram positive bacterium, Bacillus subtilis and gram negative bacterium, Escherichia coli. The antioxidant potential of the ELAgNPs was compassed by 2, 2 diphenyl-1-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH; λmax = 517 nm) assay, H2O2 (λmax = 230 nm) and OH− (λmax = 520 nm)-based radical scavenging assays. The cytotoxicity was checked against the VERO cell line using 3-[4, 5-dimethyl thiazol-2-yl]-2, 5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. A mean particle size of 26.51 ± 8.87 nm with a size distribution of 7.08−53.94 nm was obtained using HRTEM. The ELAgNPs exhibited dose-dependent antibacterial efficacy with a maximum zone of inhibition (ZOI) of 21.98 ± 0.59 mm against B. subtilis and of 16.46 ± 0.22 mm against E. coli at 500 ppm after 24 h of incubation. The median lethal concentration for the cytotoxicity analysis was found to be 9.54 ± 0.35 ppm, 120.9 ± 6.31 ppm, and 20.74 ± 0.63 ppm for ELAgNPs, commercial silver nanoparticles (CAgNPs), and silver nitrate (SN), respectively. The ordinary one-way ANOVA results exhibited a significant decrease in cell viability after 72 h of incubation at p < 0.05, α = 0.05. In conclusion, the ELAgNPs showed good antibacterial, radical scavenging and dose-dependent cytotoxicity against the VERO cells. Therefore, these could be used for biomedical applications. Phyto-constituents present in the plant not only act as reducing agents but also as stabilizing and coating agents, and the availability of a wide range of metabolites makes the green approach more promising.

Olive oil-rich diet during pregnancy/lactation attenuated the early life stress effects on depressive-like behavior and altered energy metabolism in the dorsal hippocampus in a sex-specific manner

METHODS

and results: Pregnant Wistar rats received diets enriched in soybean oil (SO) or OO during gestation/lactation. At birth, litters were subdivided into MS or intact groups. After weaning, the pups received standard chow until adulthood, when they were subjected to behavioral tasks. At PND90 biochemical analyses were performed. Maternal OO-enriched diet prevented MS-induced higher weight gain, and decreased MS-induced anhedonic behavior. Increased latency to immobility and shorter immobility time were observed in the maternal OO-enrich diet groups. Maternal OO-enrich diet groups also presented reduced reactive oxygen species and increased activity of antioxidant enzymes. In addition, this diet showed sex-specific effects, by decreasing mitochondrial mass and potential, reducing AMPK activation, and increasing synaptophysin and PSD-95 immunocontent in the DH of male rats. Early stress, on the other hand, decreased production of free radicals and decreased levels of SIRT1 in the DH of male rats. In females, OO prevented the anhedonic behavior induced by MS.

CONCLUSIONS

Maternal OO-enrich diet attenuated MS-induced depressive behavior in both sexes. In addition, it affected energy metabolism in the DH of male rats, favored synaptic plasticity, and contributed to reducing pathophysiological conditions.

Euryale Small Auxin Up RNA62 promotes cell elongation and seed size by altering the distribution of indole-3-acetic acid under the light

Euryale (Euryale ferox Salisb.) is an aquatic crop used as both food and drug in Asia, but its utilization is seriously limited due to low yield. Previously, we hypothesized that Euryale small auxin up RNAs (EuSAURs) regulate seed size, but the underlying biological functions and molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we observed that the hybrid Euryale lines (HL) generate larger seeds with higher indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) concentrations than those in the North Gordon Euryale (WT). Histological analysis suggested that a larger ovary in HL is attributed to longer cells around. Overexpression of EuSAUR62 in rice (Oryza sativa L.) resulted in larger glumes and grains and increased the length of glume cells. Immunofluorescence and protein interaction assays revealed that EuSAUR62 modulates IAA accumulation around the rice ovary by interacting with the rice PIN-FORMED 9, an auxin efflux carrier protein. Euryale basic region/leucine zipper 55 (EubZIP55), which was highly expressed in HL, directly binds to the EuSAUR62 promoter and activated the expression of EuSAUR62. Constant light increased the expression of both EubZIP55 and EuSAUR62 with auxin-mediated hook curvature in HL seedlings. Overall, we proposed that EuSAUR62 is a molecular bridge between light and IAA and plays a crucial role in regulating the size of the Euryale seed.

Effect of Thermal Treatment on the Physicochemical, Ultrastructural, and Antioxidant Characteristics of Euryale ferox Seeds and Flour

Euryale ferox seeds (EFS) were less gelatinized, preventing the release of nutrients and functional compounds, resulting in limited applications in meals and the food industry. Nutraceutical importance of EFS includes starch, protein, lipids, 20 amino acids, minerals, and vitamins (C, E, and beta carotene). This study aimed to evaluate the effect of three different thermal treatments on EFS’s physicochemical and nutritional properties and expected to improve its applicability. The results showed that the bulk density, thousand-grain weight, and hardness of thermal treated EFS were significantly decreased (p < 0.05), whereas the maximum decrease was observed in the industrial infrared heating-assisted fluidized bed (IHFH) treatment. Meanwhile, there were more crevices, fissures, and heightened porous structures in EFS between the pericarp and episperm and the endosperm after heat treatment, which facilitated grinding and water absorption. Notably, EFS’s water and oil absorption capacities increased significantly (p < 0.05) with microwave and IHFH treatments. EFS ground’s solubility into powder was increased significantly with thermal treatment (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the functional properties of TPC, TFC, DPPH radical scavenging activity, and reducing power were significantly increased (p < 0.05). In general, the changes in the physicochemical properties of EFS and increased bioactivity were caused by microwave and IHFH treatments. Hence, it might improve the food value of EFS while providing valuable information to researchers and food manufacturers.

Targeting autophagy and neuroinflammation pathways with plant-derived natural compounds as potential antidepressant agents

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a life-threatening disease that presents several characteristics. The pathogenesis of depression still remains poorly understood. Moreover, the mechanistic interactions of natural components in treating depression to target autophagy and neuroinflammation are yet to be evaluated. This study overviewed the effects of plant-derived natural components in regulating critical pathways, particularly neuroinflammation and autophagy, associated with depression. A list of natural components, including luteolin, apigenin, hyperforin, resveratrol, salvianolic acid b, isoliquiritin, nobiletin, andrographolide, and oridonin, have been investigated. All peer-reviewed journal articles were searched by Scopus, MEDLINE, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar using the appropriated keywords, including depression, neuroinflammation, autophagy, plant, natural components, etc. The neuroinflammation and autophagy dysfunction are critically associated with the pathophysiology of depression. Natural components with higher efficiency and lower complications can be used for targeting neuroinflammation and autophagy. These components with different doses showed the beneficial antidepressant properties in rodents. These can modulate autophagy markers, mainly AMPK, LC3II/LC3I ratio, Beclin-1. Moreover, they can regulate the NLRP3 inflammasome, resulting in the suppression of proinflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-1β and IL-18). Future in vitro and in vivo studies are required to develop novel therapeutic approaches based on plant-derived active components to treat MDD.

Genome-Wide Analysis of NBS-LRR Genes From an Early-Diverging Angiosperm Euryale ferox

NBS-LRR genes are the largest gene family in plants conferring resistance to pathogens. At present, studies on the evolution of NBS-LRR genes in angiosperms mainly focused on monocots and eudicots, while studies on NBS-LRR genes in the basal angiosperms are limited. Euryale ferox represents an early-diverging angiosperm order, Nymphaeales, and confronts various pathogens during its lifetime, which can cause serious economic losses in terms of yield and quality. In this study, we performed a genome-wide identification and analysis of NBS-LRR genes in E. ferox. All 131 identified NBS-LRR genes could be divided into three subclasses according to different domain combinations, including 18 RNLs, 40 CNLs, and 73 TNLs. The E. ferox NBS-LRR genes are unevenly distributed on 29 chromosomes; 87 genes are clustered at 18 multigene loci, and 44 genes are singletons. Gene duplication analysis revealed that segmental duplications acted as a major mechanism for NBS-LRR gene expansions but not for RNL genes, because 18 RNL genes were scattered over 11 chromosomes without synteny loci, indicating that the expansion of RNL genes could have been caused by ectopic duplications. Ancestral gene reconciliation based on phylogenetic analysis revealed that there were at least 122 ancestral NBS-LRR lineages in the common ancestor of the three Nymphaeaceae species, suggesting that NBS-LRR genes expanded slightly during speciation in E. ferox. Transcriptome analysis showed that the majority of NBS-LRR genes were at a low level of expression without pathogen stimulation. Overall, this study characterized the profile of NBS-LRR genes in E. ferox and should serve as a valuable resource for disease resistance breeding in E. ferox.

The therapeutic potential of traditional Chinese medicine in depression: Targeting adult hippocampal neurogenesis

BACKGROUND

Depression is a common mental disorder characterized by persistent sadness and lack of interest or pleasure in previously rewarding or enjoyable activities. Understandably, the causes of depression are complex. Nevertheless, the understanding of depression pathophysiology has progressed considerably and numerous studies indicate that hippocampal neurogenesis plays a pivotal role. However, no drugs specifically targeting hippocampal neurogenesis yet exist. Meanwhile, the effects of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) on hippocampal neurogenesis have received increasing attention in the field of antidepressant treatment because of its multi-ingredient, multi-target, and holistic view. However, the effects and mechanisms of TCM on hippocampal neurogenesis in clinical trials and pharmaceutical studies remain to be comprehensively delineated.

PURPOSE

To summarize the importance of hippocampal neurogenesis in depression and illustrate the targets and mechanisms of hippocampal neurogenesis regulation that underlie the antidepressant effects of TCM.

METHOD

A systematic review of clinical trials and studies ending by January 2022 was performed across eight electronic databases (Web of Science, PubMed, SciFinder, Research Gate, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, Scopus and China Knowledge Infrastructure) according to the PRISMA criteria, using the search terms 'traditional Chinese medicine' "AND" 'depression' "OR" 'hippocampal neurogenesis' "OR" 'multi-ingredient' "OR" 'multi-target'.

RESULTS

Numerous studies show that hippocampal neurogenesis is attenuated in depression, and that antidepressants act by enhancing hippocampal neurogenesis. Moreover, compound Chinese medicine (CCM), Chinese meteria medica (CMM), and major bioactive components (MBCs) can promote hippocampal neurogenesis exerting antidepressant effects through modulation of neurotransmitters and receptors, neurotrophins, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, inflammatory factors, autophagy, and gut microbiota.

CONCLUSION

We have comprehensively summarized the effect and mechanism of TCM on hippocampal neurogenesis in depression providing a unique perspective on the use of TCM in the antidepressant field. TCM has the characteristics and advantages of multiple targets and high efficacy, showing great potential in the field of depression treatment.

Sagittaria trifolia tuber: bioconstituents, processing, products, and health benefits

Sagittaria trifolia is an aquatic plant that is distributed worldwide. The edible tuber part of S. trifolia is a very common and popular vegetable in China. The aim of the present review is to discuss the discovery of nutraceuticals from S. trifolia tuber by reviewing its major constituents, food processing, food products, and health-promoting benefits. Sagittaria trifolia tuber comprises a series of nutritional and bioactive constituents, including dietary fibers, amino acids, minerals, starches, non-starch polysaccharides, diterpenoids, colchicine, phenols, and organic acids. Food processing affects its flavor, biocomponents, and bioactivity. Numerous S. trifolia tuber-based food products and nutraceuticals have been developed, but new categories of products and the anticipated functions still need to be explored. The non-starch polysaccharides could be the central ingredients that contribute to the plant's antioxidant, hepatoprotective, hypoglycemic, lipid-regulating, and immunostimulatory properties. Of these, antioxidant and hepatoprotective effects have been thoroughly investigated. Procedures for the extraction and purification of polysaccharides influence their health-promoting actions. Overall, S. trifolia tuber is an underutilized aquatic vegetable species that is an emerging subject for nutraceutical research. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Radix Polygalae extract exerts antidepressant effects in behavioral despair mice and chronic restraint stress-induced rats probably by promoting autophagy and inhibiting neuroinflammation

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Radix Polygalae (RP) has been traditionally used for the treatment of various psychiatric disorders in East Asia.

AIM OF THE STUDY

Depression is a severe mental disease with high prevalence in people, and neurobiology changes of depression are not fully clarified yet. The present study aimed to investigate the antidepressant effect and underlying mechanism of RP in behavioral despair mice and chronic restraint stress (CRS)-induced rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

ICR mice were treated with various doses of RP (0.13-1.0 g/kg) for 14 days and then subjected to forced swimming test (FST). Wistar rats were exposed to 6-hour restraint stress daily for 28 days, and RP (0.5 and 1 g/kg) was administered by gavage 1 h prior to CRS procedure. Subsequently, behavioral tests were performed and brains were collected for biochemical analysis.

RESULTS

RP reduced immobility time of mice in FST and reversed abnormal behaviors of rats induced by CRS in sucrose preference test, novelty-suppressed feeding test, open field test and FST. Moreover, RP could enhance the expression of LC3-II and beclin1 and decrease the level of p62 both in cortex of mice and prefrontal cortex (PFC) of rats, and regulate the dysfunction of AMPK-mTOR pathway in PFC of CRS rats. Activated microglia, impaired astrocyte, elevated protein expression of NLRP3, ASC and caspase-1, and increased mRNA levels of proinflammatory cytokines were observed in PFC of CRS rats, all of which were corrected by RP treatment.

CONCLUSION

RP exerted remarkable antidepressant activity in behavioral despair mice and CRS-induced rats, probably by promoting autophagy and inhibiting neuroinflammation.

EA Ameliorated Depressive Behaviors in CUMS Rats and Was Related to Its Suppressing Autophagy in the Hippocampus

Autophagy is confirmed to be involved in the onset and development of depression, and some antidepressants took effect by influencing the autophagic process. Electroacupuncture (EA), as a common complementary treatment for depression, may share the mechanism of influencing autophagy in the hippocampus like antidepressants. To investigate that, sixty Sprague-Dawley rats firstly went through chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) model establishment, and 15 rats were assigned to a control group. After modeling, 45 successfully CUMS-induced rats were randomly divided to 3 groups: CUMS, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), and EA groups (15 rats per group), to accept different interventions for 2 weeks. A sucrose preference test (SPT), weighing, and open field test (OFT) were measurement for depressive behaviors of rats. Transmission electron microscope (TEM), immunohistochemistry (IHC), and western blot analysis were used to evaluate the autophagic changes. After that, depression-like behaviors were successfully induced in CUMS models and reversed by SSRI and EA treatments (both p < 0.05), but these two therapies had nonsignificant difference between each other (p > 0.05). Autolysosomes observed through TEM in the CUMS group were more than that in the control group. Their number and size in the SSRI and EA groups also decreased significantly. From IHC, the CUMS group showed enhanced positive expression of both Beclin1 and LC3 in CA1 after modeling (p < 0.05), and the LC3 level declined after EA treatments, which was verified by decreased LC3-II/LC3-I in western blot analysis. We speculated that CUMS-induced depression-like behavior was interacted with an autophagy process in the hippocampus, and EA demonstrated antidepressant effects by partly inhibiting autophagy with a decreased number of autolysosomes and level of LC3 along with LC3-II/LC3-I.

MTMR14 protects against cerebral stroke through suppressing PTEN-regulated autophagy

The phosphoinositide phosphatase, myotubularinrelated protein 14 (MTMR14), plays a critical role in the regulating autophagy. However, its functional contribution to neuronal autophagy is still unclear. In the present study, we attempted to explore the effects of MTMR14 on ischemic stroke progression, as well as the underlying molecular mechanisms. Oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGDR)-induced primary cortical neurons and pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells, and middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO)-operated mice were used to establish cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury in vitro and in vivo, respectively. OGDR treatment markedly decreased the expression of MTMR14 expression from mRNA and protein levels in the cultured primary neurons and PC12 cells. Functional analysis showed that OGDR-reduced cell viability was further accelerated by MTMR14 knockdown. On the contrary, MTMR14 over-expression significantly rescued the cell survival in OGDR-exposed cells. Moreover, autophagic markers including LC3BII and Beclin 1 were highly up-regulated in OGDR-incubated neurons and PC12 cells, while being further exacerbated by MTMR14 deletion. However, promoting MTMR14 dramatically alleviated LC3BII and Beclin 1 expression levels stimulated by OGDR. Importantly, we found that MTMR14-regulated autophagy was through its interactions with phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN). MTMR14 negatively modulated PTEN protein expression levels in OGDR-exposed cells. In vivo, MCAO-operated mice exhibited significantly reduced expression of MTMR14 in the ischemic penumbra tissues. After MCAO operation, MTMR14 over-expression effectively reduced infarct volume and neurological deficits scores, along with decreased activation of LC3B in neurons. Consistently, MCAO-increased PTEN, LC3BII and Beclin 1 were repressed by MTMR14 in mice. An interaction between MTMR14 and PTEN in response to MCAO was confirmed in vivo. Together, these results indicated the neuroprotective effects of MTMR14 on modulating PTEN-dependent excessive autophagy during cerebral I/R injury. Thus, targeting MTMR14 may provide feasible therapy for ischemic stroke onset and progression.

Small Auxin Up RNAs influence the distribution of indole-3-acetic acid and play a potential role in increasing seed size in Euryale ferox Salisb

BACKGROUND

Aquatic Euryale ferox Salisb. is an economically important crop in China and India. Unfortunately, low yield limitations seriously hinder market growth. Unveiling the control of seed size is of remarkable importance in improvement of crops. Here, we generated a new hybrid line (HL) with larger seeds by crossing South Gordon Euryale and North Gordon Euryale (WT) which hasn't been reported before. However, the functional genes and molecular mechanisms controlling the seed size in Euryale ferox Salisb. remain unclear. In this study, we focused on the differentially expressed genes in the auxin signal transduction pathway during fruit development between HL and WT to explore candidate regulatory genes participated in regulating seed size.

RESULTS

Both concentration and localization of indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) at two growth stages of fruits of WT and HL were detected by LC-MS and immunofluorescence. Although IAA content between the two lines did not differ, IAA distribution was significantly different. To elucidate the mechanism and to seek the key genes underlying this difference, RNA-seq was performed on young fruits at the two selected growth stages, and differentially expressed genes related to the auxin transduction pathway were selected for further analysis.

CONCLUSION

Hybrid Euryale ferox Salisb. expressed significant heterosis, resulting in non-prickly, thin-coated, large seeds, which accounted for the significantly larger yield of HL than that of WT. Our study indicated that Small Auxin Up RNAs (SAURs) -mediated localization of IAA regulates seed size in Euryale ferox Salisb. We found that some SAURs may act as a positive mediator of the auxin transduction pathway, thereby contributing to the observed heterosis.

Hippocampus Metabolic Disturbance and Autophagy Deficiency in Olfactory Bulbectomized Rats and the Modulatory Effect of Fluoxetine

An olfactory bulbectomy (OBX) rodent is a widely-used model for depression (especially for agitated depression). The present study aims to investigate the hippocampus metabolic profile and autophagy-related pathways in OBX rats and to explore the modulatory roles of fluoxetine. OBX rats were given a 30-day fluoxetine treatment after post-surgery rehabilitation, and then behavioral changes were evaluated. Subsequently, the hippocampus was harvested for metabonomics analysis and Western blot detection. As a result, OBX rats exhibited a significantly increased hyperemotionality score and declined spatial memory ability. Fluoxetine reduced the hyperemotional response, but failed to restore the memory deficit in OBX rats. Sixteen metabolites were identified as potential biomarkers for the OBX model including six that were rectified by fluoxetine. Disturbed pathways were involved in amino acid metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, purine metabolism, and energy metabolism. In addition, autophagy was markedly inhibited in the hippocampus of OBX rats. Fluoxetine could promote autophagy by up-regulating the expression of LC3 II, beclin1, and p-AMPK/AMPK, and down-regulating the levels of p62, p-Akt/Akt, p-mTOR/mTOR, and p-ULK1/ULK1. Our findings indicated that OBX caused marked abnormalities in hippocampus metabolites and autophagy, and fluoxetine could partly redress the metabolic disturbance and enhance autophagy to reverse the depressive-like behavior, but not the memory deficits in OBX rats.

The antidepressant effects of apigenin are associated with the promotion of autophagy via the mTOR/AMPK/ULK1 pathway

The present study aimed to investigate whether apigenin elicits antidepressant effects in depressant‑like mice via the regulation of autophagy. The depressant‑like behaviors were established in a chronic restraint stress model. Male BALB/c mice were subjected to restraint stress for 6 h/day for a period of 21 days, and deficits in sucrose preference, tail suspension and forced swim tests were confirmed to be improved following oral apigenin. To investigate the underlining mechanisms, the hippocampal levels of p62 and microtubule‑associated protein light chain 3‑II/I (LC3‑II/I) were measured using western blot analysis. The expression levels of LC3‑II/I and p62 indicated that the significantly inhibited autophagy level induced by chronic restraint stress can be increased following apigenin treatment. Similar to the level of autophagy, the expression levels of adenosine monophosphate‑activated protein kinase (AMPK) and Unc‑51 like autophagy activating kinase‑1 were downregulated after chronic restraint stress stimulation and, subsequently upregulated following treatment with apigenin. Conversely, the levels of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) were increased in chronic restraint stress mice and inhibited by apigenin. Collectively, the present findings indicated that apigenin potentially promotes autophagy via the AMPK/mTOR pathway and induces antidepressive effects in chronic restraint stress mice.

Crocin induces anti-ischemia in middle cerebral artery occlusion rats and inhibits autophagy by regulating the mammalian target of rapamycin

Crocin, an active compound found in Gardenia jasminoides Ellis, has been shown to possess neuron-protective properties, but its potential mechanisms of action still remain poorly understood. In this study, the anti-ischemic effect and underlying mechanism of action of crocin were investigated in male rats with right middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging were used to evaluate the area of infarction 24 h after reperfusion. Neurological scores were employed to evaluate nerve injury. Direct 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining was used to calculate the infarct ratio 120 h after reperfusion. Finally, HT22 cells and Western blot were used to study the underlying mechanisms. Crocin showed a decreased infarct volume and neurological score in vivo, while the expression of LC3-II/I and AMP-activated protein kinase was remarkably down-regulated with increased levels of p62 and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) expression. However, rapamycin significantly inhibited mTOR, which can impact the anti-ischemic effect of crocin in vitro. These results suggest that crocin may elicit an anti-ischemic effect probably through the mTOR pathway.

Is There a Role of Autophagy in Depression and Antidepressant Action?

Autophagy has been recognized as evolutionary conserved intracellular pathway that ensures energy, organelle, and protein homeostasis through lysosomal degradation of damaged macromolecules and organelles. It is activated under various stress situations, e.g., food deprivation or proteotoxic conditions. Autophagy has been linked to several diseases, more recently also including stress-related diseases such as depression. A growing number of publications report on the role of autophagy in neurons, also referred to as "neuronal autophagy" on the one hand, and several studies describe effects of antidepressants-or of compounds that exert antidepressant-like actions-on autophagy on the other hand. This minireview highlights the emerging evidence for the involvement of autophagy in the pathology and treatment of depression and discusses current limitations as well as potential avenues for future research.