Integrated analysis of the transcriptome, metabolome and analgesic effect provide insight into potential applications of different parts of Lindera aggregata

Norisoboldine, a Natural Alkaloid from Lindera aggregata (Sims) Kosterm, Promotes Osteogenic Differentiation via S6K1 Signaling Pathway and Prevents Bone Loss in OVX Mice

SCOPE

Norisoboldine (NOR) is a major isoquinoline alkaloid component in the traditional Chinese herbal plant Lindera aggregata (Sims) Kosterm, with previously reported anti-osteoclast differentiation and antiarthritis properties. However, the roles of NOR on osteoblasts, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), and osteoporosis in vivo have never been well established.

METHODS AND RESULTS

This study investigates the ability of NOR to improve bone formation in vitro and in vivo. Osteoblasts and BMSCs are used to study the effect of NOR on osteogenic and adipogenic differentiation. It finds that NOR promotes osteogenic differentiation of osteoblasts and BMSCs, while inhibiting adipogenic differentiation of BMSCs by reducing the relative expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (Ppar-γ) and adiponectin, C1Q and collagen domain containing (Adipoq). Mechanistic studies show that NOR increases osteoblast differentiation through the mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase (mTOR)/ribosomal protein S6 kinase; polypeptide 1 (S6K1) pathway, and treatment with an mTOR inhibitor rapamycin blocked the NOR-induced increase in mineral accumulation. Finally, the study evaluates the therapeutic potential of NOR in a mouse model of ovariectomy (OVX)-induced bone loss. NOR prevents bone loss in both trabecular and cortical bone by increasing osteoblast number and phospho-S6K1 (p-S6K1) expression in osteoblasts.

CONCLUSION

NOR effects in enhancing osteoblast-induced bone formation via S6K1 pathway, suggesting the potential of NOR in osteoporosis treatment by increasing bone formation.

Biologically active isoquinoline alkaloids covering 2019-2022

Isoquinoline alkaloids are an important class of natural products that are abundant in the plant kingdom and exhibit a wide range of structural diversity and biological activities. With the deepening of research in recent years, more and more isoquinoline alkaloids have been isolated and identified and proved to contain a variety of biological activities and pharmacological effects. In this review, we introduce the research progress of isoquinoline alkaloids from 2019 to 2022, mainly in the part of biological activities, including antitumor, antimicrobial, antidiabetic, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, neuroprotective, hepatoprotective, analgesic, and other activities. This study provides a clear direction for the rational development and utilization of isoquinoline alkaloids, suggesting that these alkaloids have great potential in the field of drug research.

Chemistry and bioactivity of lindenane sesquiterpenoids and their oligomers

Covering: 1925 to July 2023Among the sesquiterpenoids with rich structural diversity and potential bioactivities, lindenane sesquiterpenoids (LSs) possess a characteristic cis, trans-3,5,6-carbocyclic skeleton and mainly exist as monomers and diverse oligomers in plants from the Lindera genus and Chloranthaceae family. Since the first identification of lindeneol from Lindera strychnifolia in 1925, 354 natural LSs and their oligomers with anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and anti-infective activities have been discovered. Structurally, two-thirds of LSs exist as oligomers with interesting skeletons through diverse polymeric patterns, especially Diels-Alder [4 + 2] cycloaddition. Fascinated by their diverse bioactivities and intriguing polycyclic architectures, synthetic chemists have engaged in the total synthesis of natural LSs in recent decades. In this review, the research achievements related to LSs from 1925 to July of 2023 are systematically and comprehensively summarized, focusing on the classification of their structures, chemical synthesis, and bioactivities, which will be helpful for further research on LSs and their oligomers.

Characterization of Ginsenosides from the Root of Panax ginseng by Integrating Untargeted Metabolites Using UPLC-Triple TOF-MS

To compare the chemical distinctions of Panax ginseng Meyer in different growth environments and explore the effects of growth-environment factors on P. ginseng growth, an ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem triple quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Triple-TOF-MS/MS) was used to characterize the ginsenosides obtained by ultrasonic extraction from P. ginseng grown in different growing environments. Sixty-three ginsenosides were used as reference standards for accurate qualitative analysis. Cluster analysis was used to analyze the differences in main components and clarified the influence of growth environment factors on P. ginseng compounds. A total of 312 ginsenosides were identified in four types of P. ginseng, among which 75 were potential new ginsenosides. The number of ginsenosides in L15 was the highest, and the number of ginsenosides in the other three groups was similar, but it was a great difference in specie of ginsenosides. The study confirmed that different growing environments had a great influence on the constituents of P. ginseng, and provided a new breakthrough for the further study of the potential compounds in P. ginseng.

A review on the chemical constituents and pharmacological efficacies of Lindera aggregata (Sims) Kosterm

Lindera aggregata (Sims) Kosterm. (L. aggregata), which belongs to the genus Lindera in the family Lauraceae, is widely distributed in Asia and the temperate, tropical regions of North America. Its roots and leaves have been used for thousands of years as traditional Chinese medicine and/or functional food. To further explore its underlying nutritional value, this review provided a comprehensive insight into chemical constituents and pharmacological effects on L. aggregata. The phytochemical investigation of different parts of L. aggregata led to the identification of up to 349 components belonging to sesquiterpenoids, alkaloids, flavonoids, essential oils, and other compounds. Among them, sesquiterpenoids, flavonoids, and alkaloids are assessed as representative active ingredients of L. aggregata. A wide variety of pharmacological effects of L. aggregata, such as anti-hyperlipidemic, anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and anti-oxidant, have been proved in vitro and in vivo. In summary, this review aims to provide a scientific basis and reference for further research and utilization of L. aggregata and lay the foundation for developing functional foods with potential active ingredients for the prevention and management of related diseases.

Determination of geographic origins and types of Lindera aggregata samples using a portable short-wave infrared hyperspectral imager

A portable short-wavelength infrared microscope hyperspectral imager (SMHI) combined with machine learning algorithms for the purpose of classifying geographical origins as well as root types of Lindera aggregata is developed. The spectral range of the SMHI system is 1090-1820 nm (5500-9100 cm-1) with spectral and spatial resolutions of 4 nm and 27.3 μm, respectively. Utilizing PCA-RF algorithms, the geographic origin of tuberous roots and leaves from five different origins were classified with accuracies of 97.5% and 97.8%, respectively. In addition, spatial identification of tuberous root and taproot tubers in a mixed sample was done with an accuracy of 98.98%. The accuracy of origin classification and spatial identification are high enough which indicate the significant potential of applying SMHI system into the non-invasive spatial mapping and rapid quality assessment of medicinal herbs.

Transcriptome Analysis Reveals an Essential Role of Exogenous Brassinolide on the Alkaloid Biosynthesis Pathway in Pinellia Ternata

Pinellia ternata (Thunb.) Druce is a traditional medicinal plant containing a variety of alkaloids, which are important active ingredients. Brassinolide (BR) is a plant hormone that regulates plant response to environmental stress and promotes the accumulation of secondary metabolites in plants. However, the regulatory mechanism of BR-induced alkaloid accumulation in P. ternata is not clear. In this study, we investigated the effects of BR and BR biosynthesis inhibitor (propiconazole, Pcz) treatments on alkaloid biosynthesis in the bulbil of P. ternata. The results showed that total alkaloid content and bulbil yield was enhanced by 90.87% and 29.67% under BR treatment, respectively, compared to the control. We identified 818 (476 up-regulated and 342 down-regulated) and 697 (389 up-regulated and 308 down-regulated) DEGs in the BR-treated and Pcz-treated groups, respectively. Through this annotated data and the Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG), the expression patterns of unigenes involved in the ephedrine alkaloid, tropane, piperidine, pyridine alkaloid, indole alkaloid, and isoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis were observed under BR and Pcz treatments. We identified 11, 8, 2, and 13 unigenes in the ephedrine alkaloid, tropane, piperidine, and pyridine alkaloid, indole alkaloid, and isoquinoline alkaloid biosynthesis, respectively. The expression levels of these unigenes were increased by BR treatment and were decreased by Pcz treatment, compared to the control. The results provided molecular insight into the study of the molecular mechanism of BR-promoted alkaloid biosynthesis.

Anti-osteoporosis effects and regulatory mechanism of Lindera aggregata based on network pharmacology and experimental validation

Osteoporosis (OP) is characterized by the flaccidity of bones or bone bi-disease caused by kidney deficiency. Lindera aggregate has been used to strengthen kidney function in China for thousands of years. It has been approved by Chinese Pharmacopoeia that the root of Lindera aggregata (RLA) can replenish and tonify the kidney, which is thought to be an effective way to alleviate OP. In this study, a network pharmacology approach was applied to explore the active components and potential mechanisms of RLA in osteoporosis treatment. Then, the ethanolic extract of the root of L. aggregata (EERL) was prepared and these predicted results were validated by prednisone-induced zebrafish embryos model. Moreover, the candidate compounds were identified by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS. The anti-OP results showed that EERL could significantly reverse the bone loss of zebrafish induced by prednisone. The mRNA expressions results showed that EERL decreased osteoclast bone resorption by regulating the RANK/RANKL/OPG system. Also, it increased bone formation by regulating the gene expressions of spp1, mmp2, mmp9, runx2b, alp, and entpd5a. Our results demonstrated the reliability of the network pharmacology method, and also revealed the anti-OP effect and potential mechanism of RLA.

Comparative metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses revealed the differential accumulation of secondary metabolites during the ripening process of acerola cherry (Malpighia emarginata) fruit

BACKGROUND

Acerola cherry is a famous functional fruit containing plentiful antioxidants and other nutrients. However, studies on the variations among nutrients during the ripening process of acerola fruit are scare.

RESULTS

Comparative metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses were performed and identified 31 331 unigenes and 1896 annotated metabolite features in acerola cherry fruit. K Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis showed that several antioxidant and nutrient-related metabolic pathways, such as the flavonoids, vitamins, carotenoids, amino acids, and fatty acids metabolic pathways, were significantly changed during the ripening process. The metabolites related to the vitamin, carotenoid, and fatty acid metabolic pathways were downregulated during the ripening process. Several flavonoid biosynthesis-related genes (including dihydroflavonol 4-reductase, chalcone synthase, flavanone 3-hydroxylase, and anthocyanidin synthase), were significantly upregulated, suggesting their essential functions in the accumulation of flavonoids in mature fruit.

CONCLUSION

Most of the vitamin and carotenoid metabolism-related metabolites significantly accumulated in immature fruit, suggesting that immature acerola fruit is a good material for the extraction of vitamins and carotenoids. For macronutrients, most of the amino acids accumulated in mature fruit and most of the fatty acids greatly accumulated in immature fruit. Our data revealed the differential accumulation of antioxidants and nutrients during the ripening process of acerola cherry fruit. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.

Comprehensive evaluation of Bletilla striata and its substitutes by combining phenotypic characteristic, chemical composition, and anti-melanogenic activity

Bletilla striata is a precious traditional Chinese medical herb with a wide range of applications in pharmacological and cosmetic fields. Because of the shortage of resources, Bletilla ochracea and Bletilla formosanare are also used as the substitutes. To distinguish the differences and homologies, the typical morphologic and microscopic characteristics of them were compared, and a UPLC fingerprint analysis coupled with chemometric methods were developed for characterization and quality evaluation of Bletillae Rhizoma. Gastrodin, protocatechuic acid, gymnoside V, blestrianol A, coelonin, gymnosides Ⅸ and batatasin II were identified as the potential chemical markers for comprehensive quality evaluation by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). The anti-melanogenic activities of the three species were also compared for the first time in vivo using the zebrafish model, the results suggested that B. striata and its two substitutes had obvious anti-melanogenic activities, and they were not-toxic at depigmenting doses. Molecular docking studies revealed batatasin III, blestrianol A, coelonin, and gastrodin were possible multitarget compounds associated with melanogenesis suppression, which are important for their potential future medical application.

Multi-omics analyses revealed key factors involved in fluorescent carbon-dots-regulated secondary metabolism in Tetrastigma hemsleyanum

BACKGROUND

Luminescent nanomaterials (LNMs), especially newly-exploited fluorescent carbon-dots (CDs), have demonstrated promising candidates for sunlight harvesting and enhanced photosynthesis efficiency of crops. However, most of the studies focus on the design and synthesis of LNMs and primary metabolism in biomass acceleration, secondary metabolism that closely associated with the quality ingredients of plants is rarely mentioned.

RESULTS

UV-absorptive and water-soluble NIR-CDs were harvested via a facile microwave-assisted carbonization method. The effect and regulatory mechanism of NIR-CDs on the secondary metabolism and bioactive ingredients accumulation in Tetrastigma hemsleyanum were explored. A total of 191 differential secondary metabolites and 6874 differentially expressed genes were identified when the NIR-CDs were adopted for enhancing growth of T. hemsleyanum. The phenolic acids were generally improved, but the flavonoids were more likely to decrease. The pivotal differentially expressed genes were involved in biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, flavonoid biosynthesis, porphyrin and chlorophyll metabolism, etc. The gene-metabolite association was constructed and 44 hub genes highly related to quality ingredients accumulation and growth were identified, among which and the top 5 genes of the PPI network might be the key regulators.

CONCLUSION

This research provided key regulatory genes and differentially accumulating quality ingredients under NIR-CDs-treatment, which could provide a theoretical basis for expanding the applications of nanomaterial in industrial crop agriculture.

Combined Metabolome and Transcriptome Analyses of Young, Mature, and Old Rhizome Tissues of Zingiber officinale Roscoe

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) is known for its unique pungent taste and useability in traditional Chinese medicine. The main compounds in ginger rhizome can be classified as gingerols, diarylheptanoids, and volatile oils. The composition and concentrations of the bioactive compounds in ginger rhizome might vary according to the age of the rhizome. In this regard, the knowledge on the transcriptomic signatures and accumulation of metabolites in young (Y), mature (M), and old (O) ginger rhizomes is scarce. This study used HiSeq Illumina Sequencing and UPLC-MS/MS analyses to delineate how the expression of key genes changes in Y, M, and O ginger rhizome tissues and how it affects the accumulation of metabolites in key pathways. The transcriptome sequencing identified 238,157 genes of which 13,976, 11,243, and 24,498 were differentially expressed (DEGs) in Y vs. M, M vs. O, and Y vs. O, respectively. These DEGs were significantly enriched in stilbenoid, diarylheptanoid, and gingerol biosynthesis, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, plant-hormone signal transduction, starch and sucrose metabolism, linoleic acid metabolism, and α-linoleic acid metabolism pathways. The metabolome profiling identified 661 metabolites of which 311, 386, and 296 metabolites were differentially accumulated in Y vs. M, Y vs. O, and M vs. O, respectively. These metabolites were also enriched in the pathways mentioned above. The DEGs and DAMs enrichment showed that the gingerol content is higher in Y rhizome, whereas the Y, M, and O tissues differ in linoleic and α-linoleic acid accumulation. Similarly, the starch and sucrose metabolism pathway is variably regulated in Y, M, and O rhizome tissues. Our results showed that ginger rhizome growth slows down (Y > M > O) probably due to changes in phytohormone signaling. Young ginger rhizome is the most transcriptionally and metabolically active tissue as compared to M and O. The transitioning from Y to M and O affects the gingerol, sugars, linoleic acid, and α-linoleic acid concentrations and related gene expressions.

Metabolome profiling and molecular docking analysis revealed the metabolic differences and potential pharmacological mechanisms of the inflorescence and succulent stem of Cistanche deserticola

Cistanche deserticola is an endangered plant used for medicine and food. Our purpose is to explore the differences in metabolism between inflorescences in non-medicinal parts and succulent stems in medicinal parts in order to strengthen the application and development of the non-medicinal parts of C. deserticola. We performed metabolomics analysis through LC-ESI-MS/MS on the inflorescences and succulent stems of three ecotypes (saline-alkali land, grassland and sandy land) of C. deserticola. A total of 391 common metabolites in six groups were identified, of which isorhamnetin O-hexoside (inflorescence) and rosinidin O-hexoside (succulent stems) can be used as chemical markers to distinguish succulent stems and inflorescences. Comparing the metabolic differences of three ecotypes, we found that most of the different metabolites related to salt-alkali stress were flavonoids. In particular, we mapped the biosynthetic pathway of phenylethanoid glycosides (PhGs) and showed the metabolic differences in the six groups. To better understand the pharmacodynamic mechanisms and targets of C. deserticola, we screened 88 chemical components and 15 potential disease targets through molecular docking. The active ingredients of C. deserticola have a remarkable docking effect on the targets of aging diseases such as osteoporosis, vascular disease and atherosclerosis. To explore the use value of inflorescence, we analyzed the molecular docking of the unique flavonoid metabolites in inflorescence with inflammation targets. The results showed that chrysoeriol and cynaroside had higher scores for inflammation targets. This study provides a scientific basis for the discovery and industrialization of the resource value of the non-medicinal parts of C. deserticola, and the realization of the sustainable development of C. deserticola. It also provides a novel strategy for exploring indications of Chinese herb.

Flow chart for exploring the metabolic and pharmacological characteristics of different parts of Cistanche deserticola.