In Silico Analysis of Pyeongwi-San Involved in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Treatment Using Network Pharmacology, Molecular Docking, and Molecular Dynamics

BACKGOUND

Pyeongwi-san (PWS) is a widely used formula for treating digestive disorders in Korea and China. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by progressive inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract. Emerging evidence supports the protective effect of PWS against IBD, but specific mechanisms are still elusive.

METHODS

Active compounds of PWS were screened from the medicinal materials and chemical compounds in Northeast Asian traditional medicine (TM-MC) in the consideration of drug-likeness and oral bioavailability. Target candidates of active compounds were predicted using the ChEMBL database. IBD-related targets were obtained from the GeneCards and DisGeNET databases. The network of composition-targets-disease was constructed. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment were analyzed. Molecular docking was used to simulate the binding affinity of active compounds on target proteins and molecular dynamics was used to validate the molecular docking result.

RESULTS

A total of 26 core target proteins of PWS were related to IBD. Enrichment analysis suggested that PWS is highly associated with tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway, apoptosis, and the collapse of tight junctions. Moreover, molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation proposed β-eudesmol and (3R,6R,7S)-1,10-bisaboladien-3-ol to ameliorate IBD through the binding to TNF and MMP9, respectively.

CONCLUSION

Present in silico analysis revealed potential pathways and insight of PWS to regulate IBD. These results imply that the therapeutic effect of PWS might be achieved via an inhibitory effect.

Rumex japonicus Houtt. Extract Suppresses Colitis-Associated Colorectal Cancer by Regulating Inflammation and Tight-Junction Integrity in Mice

Irritable bowel disease (IBD), which results in an elevated risk of colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CAC), is characterized by inflammation and barrier disruption of the gut. The genus Rumex has anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory effects, and the roots of Rumex japonicus Houtt (RJ) have been traditionally used in East Asia to treat digestive problems. We investigated the protective effect of RJ against azoxymethane (AOM)-and dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced CAC in C57BL/6N male mice. The mice were intraperitoneally injected with AOM on the first day and orally treated with 2% DSS for 2 weeks (on the third and sixth weeks). RJ extract (100 mg/kg) was administered to the mice in the RJ group for 4 weeks (from the third to sixth week), and all mice were sacrificed on the final day of the eighth week. Changes in morphology, tight junctions (TJs), inflammation-related factors in the colon and serum inflammatory cytokine levels were measured. The colons of AOM/DSS-treated mice were shorter and heavier than those of normal mice. The number of tumors in the colons of AOM/DSS-treated mice increased; however, RJ suppressed these changes. RJ also reduced the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-1β in the colon and serum, and it increased the level of IL-10 in the colon. Moreover, RJ inhibited the barrier disruption and apoptosis in the colons of AOM/DSS-treated mice. RJ effectively suppressed AOM/DSS-induced CAC by inhibiting tumor formation, inflammation, disruption of TJ, and apoptosis in the colon.

Sixteen new generic records of Korean Bryozoa from southern coastal waters and Jeju Island, East China Sea: evidence of tropical affinities

The first records of 16 genera of cheilostome Bryozoa not previously reported for Korea are given here. All are from southern coastal waters, especially Jeju Island, which appears to be Korea's marine-biodiversity 'hotspot'. Jodoella koreensis n. gen. et sp. (Robertsonidridae) is new to science. Seven additional new species are described for the genera Copidozoum, Reptadeonella, Schizosmittina, Saevitella, Torquatella, Stephanollona and Plesiocleidochasma. The other genera new to the Korean fauna are Dibunostoma, Corbulella, Onychocella, Stephanotheca, Bryopesanser, Calloporina, Hippaliosina and Pleuromucrum. The Japanese Pleistocene species Calloporina hayamiae Arakawa is newly reported alive from Jeju Island. Four of the species were previously known only from the tropical Indo-West Pacific, three others are found in semitropical/warm-temperate water, and the other known genera have warm-water species, supporting data from other taxa that Korean's southern waters, especially in the vicinity of Jeju Island, are profoundly influenced by the warm Kuroshio Current and global warming trends. Currently, at least 112 species of Bryozoa are known from Jeju Island, 101 of them Cheilostomata, representing c. 70% of all Korean cheilostome species. Four new combinations are introduced: Copidozoum canui (Sakakura) n. comb., Schizo pedicellata (Soule, Soule Chaney) n. comb., Torquatella ensenada (Tilbrook) n. comb. and Torquatella longiuscula (Harmer) n. comb. Torquatellidae is subsumed in Celleporidae and Predanophora in Torquatella.

Cribrilinidae (Bryozoa: Cheilostomata) of Korea

The cribrilinid Bryozoa of Korea are described for the first time. Eight species are recognized, distributed in five genera: Cribrilina, Reginella, Jullienula, Figularia and Puellina. Juxtacribrilina n. subgen. is recognized as comprising a group of species within Cribrilina characterized, inter alia, by having adventitious avicularia, reduced and/or vestigial ooecia, a pair of proportionately long protective latero-oral costae that cross the front of the ooecium and fuse in the midline, and a cribrimorph ancestrula. Cribrilina (Juxtacribrilina) flavomaris n. sp., Jullienula erinae n. sp. and Puellina paracaesia n. sp. are so far known only from the west and southwest coasts of the Korean Peninsula. The following six new combinations are recognized: Cribrilina (Juxtacribrilina) annulata (Fabricius, 1780) n. comb., Cribrilina (Juxtacribrilina) corbicula O'Donoghue O'Donoghue, 1923 n. comb., Cribrilina (Juxtacribrilina) mutabilis Ito, Onishi Dick, 2015 n. comb., Reginella multipora (Sakakura, 1935) n. comb., Reginella biporosa (Okada, 1923) n. comb. and Jullienula ortmanni (Silén, 1941) n. comb.

Intertidal Bryozoa from Korea-new additions to the fauna and a new genus of Bitectiporidae (Cheilostomata) from Baengnyeong Island, Yellow Sea

Eight species are added to the intertidal bryozoan fauna of South Korea, all collected from the extreme northwestern part of the country at Baengnyeong Island. Five of the species (Hippothoa imperforata, Celleporella hyalina, Celleporella nodasakae, Porella donoghueorum and Suhius rubescentis) are new records. Cauloramphus dicki n. sp., Cauloramphus spencerjonesae n. sp., and Exochella cryptodontia n. sp. are new to science; Suhius n. gen. is a newly recognized genus in Bitectiporidae. The close morphological similarity of umbonuloid-shielded P. donoghueorum to Australasian and Antarctic species of lepralioid-shielded species of Aimulosia is discussed in relation to ascophoran phylogeny. The described cheilostome fauna from South Korea is herein increased to 121 species.

BMP2 accelerates the motility and invasiveness of gastric cancer cells via activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway

Up-regulation of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) and their receptors by tumor is an important hallmark in cancer progression, as it contributes through autocrine and paracrine mechanisms to tumor development, invasion, and metastasis. Generally, increased motility and invasion are positively correlated with the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). The purpose of the present study was to determine whether BMP-2 signaling to induce gastric cancer cells to undergo EMT-mediated invasion might pass through the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway. Herein we showed that gastric cancer cell lines express all the components of BMP-2 signaling, albeit to different extents. Moreover, an increased concentration of BMP-2 strongly enhanced motility and invasiveness in gastric cancer cells, whereas no increase was observed in cells treated with either Noggin (a BMP-2 inhibitor) or BMP-2 blocking antibodies. The stimulation of BMP-2 in gastric cancer cells induces a full EMT characterized by Snail induction, E-cadherin delocalization and down-regulation, and up-regulation of mesenchymal and invasiveness markers. Furthermore, blockade of BMP-2 signaling by Noggin or BMP-2 blocking antibodies also restored these changes in EMT markers. In addition, phosphorylation of Akt was also enhanced by treatment with BMP-2, but not Noggin or BMP-2 blocking antibodies. Pretreatment of gastric cancer cells with PI-3 kinase/Akt kinase inhibitor (kinase-dead Akt [DN-Akt], Akt siRNA, or LY294002) significantly inhibited BMP-2-induced EMT and invasiveness. Overall, our studies suggest that BMP-2 promotes motility and invasion of gastric cancer cells by activating PI-3 kinase/Akt and that targeting of this signaling pathway may provide therapeutic opportunities in preventing metastasis mediated by BMP-2.

Acute exposure of human skin to ultraviolet or infrared radiation or heat stimuli increases mast cell numbers and tryptase expression in human skin in vivo

BACKGROUND

Mast cells are key effector cells in diverse immunological and pathological processes. It is still unclear why there are more mast cells at peripheral and sun-exposed skin sites than at sun-protected sites.

OBJECTIVES

To investigate changes in mast cell numbers associated with natural ageing and photoageing, and to observe the effects of ultraviolet (UV) and infrared (IR) radiation and heat on the prevalence of mast cells and tryptase expression in human skin in vivo.

METHODS

Sun-exposed and sun-protected skin samples were taken from individuals in four different age groups. UV, IR or heat-treated buttock skin of young volunteers was also obtained. Mast cells were quantified by immunohistochemical staining of mast cell-specific tryptase and chymase. The expression of tryptase was determined by Western blotting.

RESULTS

Both sun-exposed and sun-protected skin showed a gradual decrease in total mast cells (MC(Total)) number with ageing. The number of mast cells in sun-exposed skin was significantly higher than that in sun-protected skin. After UV irradiation (2 minimal erythema doses), MC(Total) and mast cells expressing tryptase and chymase were significantly increased at 24 and 48 h postirradiation. After IR irradiation (3 minimal heating doses) and heat treatment (43 degrees C for 90 min), MC(Total) reached peak induction at 8 and 48 h after stimulation, respectively. Tryptase expression was also clearly upregulated by UV, IR and heat.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data demonstrate that mast cell numbers decreased with ageing in human skin. Also, mast cells may be activated and recruited by UV, IR and heat. These findings should further our understanding of the reason for the high prevalence of mast cells at peripheral sun-exposed skin sites.

Expression and secretion of the heterodimeric protein interleukin-12 in plant cell suspension culture

It has been suggested that plant cell culture is the most suitable system for producing small-to-medium quantities of specialized, expensive, and high-purity proteins. Here, we report that a heterodimeric protein, human interleukin-12 (hIL-12), was expressed and secreted into culture medium in a biologically active form. A transgenic plant expressing hIL-12 was constructed by sexual crossing of plants that expressed each subunit of the protein. From a piece of transgenic plant, callus was induced and cell suspension culture was established. The biological activity and amount of hIL-12 secreted into culture medium were analyzed using bioassays and ELISA. Analysis of cellular localization demonstrated that the protein was secreted into the culture medium together with its intrinsic signal peptide.