Isolation of four new monoterpenes from Ailanthus altissima (mill.) Swingle and their enzyme inhibitory effects

A phytochemical study of the ethanol extract from Ailanthus altissima (Mill.) Swingle leaves resulted in the isolation of four new monoterpenoids (1-3, 5). The structures were elucidated using HRESIMS data, NMR spectroscopic data, quantum chemical calculations for NMR and ECD, and custom DP4+ probability analysis. Additionally, the absolute configuration of sugar was determined by acid hydrolysis. Compounds 1-4 are cyclogeraniane monocyclic monoterpenes, while compound 5 contains an acyclic mycrane monoterpenes skeleton. Anti-tyrosinase, anti-acetylcholinesterase, and anti-butyrylcholinesterase activities were tested. Compound 1 showed notable anti-acetylcholinesterase activity, and compound 3 exhibited significant inhibitory effects on anti-tyrosinase activity. Furthermore, the potential binding sites of compounds 1 and 3 were predicted by molecular docking.

Isolation and characterization of seven neovibsane-type diterpenoids from Viburnum odoratissimum and their neuroblastoma cell protective effects

Seven undescribed neovibsane-type diterpenoids (1-7) were isolated from the leaves of Viburnum odoratissimum. Their planar structures and relative configurations were elucidated based on a combination of 1D and 2D NMR analysis. The absolute configurations were confirmed by Rh2(OCOCF3)4-induced ECD analysis and comparison of experimental and TDDFT-calculated ECD spectrum. Based on the empirical results of the ECD of in situ formed Rh-complexes, rapid determination of the absolute configuration of C-14 within vibsane-type diterpenoids was proposed. In addition, 3 exhibited a high neuroblastoma cell protective effect of 81.8 % at 50 μM (the control group showed a neuroblastoma cell protective effect of 56.2 % at 50 μM).

Four pairs of neolignan enantiomers with distinctive isochroman moiety from the fruits of Crataegus pinnatifida and their protective activities against H2O2-induced SH-SY5Y cells

Four pairs of neolignan enantiomers (±)-1- (±)-4 with a distinctive isochroman moiety, including seven undescribed compounds, were isolated and identified from the fruits of Crataegus pinnatifida. Structural characterization of these compounds was established through comprehensive spectroscopic analyses, as well as quantum chemical calculations of ECD and NMR data. The preliminary bioassay displayed that compounds (+)-2 and (±)-3 exerted protective activities against H2O2-induced human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells compared with the positive control. These bioactive compounds could be potential candidates for further pharmaceutical applications.

[Efficacy observation and compliance analysis of pollen allergen drops in seasonal allergic rhinitis]

To study the efficacy and compliance analysis of pollen allergen drops in the treatment of allergic rhinitis. The method of single-center controlled was used to analyze the dates' results. From July 2021 to September 2021, 80 patients with seasonal allergic rhinitis were referred to the clinic of otorhinolaryngology in First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University.40 patients received sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT group), and the other 40 patients received symptomatic drug treatment as the control group. The total rhinoconjunctivitis symptom score (TRSS), the visual analogue scale(VAS), total medication score (TMS) and combined scores of medication and rhinoconjunctivitis symptoms (CSMRS) of the patient before the start of the treatment and after the first year of the treatment were compared to assess the efficacy of sublingual immunotherapy of Artemisia pollen. Follow the shedding during the study, the safety of the drug and the causes for compliance analysis were analyzed and recorded. The results of comparison with TRSS, VAS, TMS and CSMRS in two groups in the period of pretherapy were as follows: TRSS(12.393±3.023, 12.450±3.029, t=-0.077, P=0.939), VAS(8.357±1.026, 8.400±0.982, t=-0.173, P=0.862), TMS(3.214±0.568, 3.175±0.501, t=0.301, P=0.764), CSMRS (5.286±0.680, 5.253±0.677, t=0.199, P=0.843), there was no significant difference (P>0.05); lower observed symptom scores were got in the post-treatment pollen peak SLIT group compared to the control group, TRSS(3.964±1.551, 7.750±2.169, t=-7.918, P<0.05), VAS(2.893±0.956, 5.175±1.481, t=-8.286, P<0.05), TMS (1.821±0.863, 3.175±0.501, t=-8.163, P<0.05), CSMRS (2.489±0.921, 4.468±0.601, t=-10.723, P<0.05), and the differences between the groups were statistically significant (P<0.05); the SLIT group significantly reduced all symptom scores at the first peak compared to the starting, TRSS(12.393±3.023, 3.964±1.551, t=20.576, P<0.05), VAS (8.357±1.026, 2.893±0.956, t=30.070, P<0.05), TMS (3.214±0.568, 1.821±0.863, t=7.151, P<0.05), CSMRS(5.286±0.680, 2.489±0.921, t=14.533, P<0.05) and there was statistical difference (P<0.05). No significant adverse reactions occured during medication in the SLIT group. A total of 12 cases were shed in the SLIT group, so the compliance rate was 70%. The four reasons were that patients considered the course was long (4 cases, 33%); the drugs were expensive (3 cases, 25%); patients were busy with their work and life (3 cases, 25%); patients were affected by the outbreak (2 cases, 17%). In summary, Artemisia pollen sublingual drops may improve the symptoms of the patients who got allergic rhinitis caused by Artemisia pollen after the treatment for one year. However, due to the lack of sufficient understanding of immunotherapy or the difficulty in adhering to standardized medication, the compliance with sublingual immunotherapy is still poor, the compliance with sublingual immunotherapy needs to be further improved through patient education.

Structurally diverse terpenoids from Elephantopus scaber L. and their acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities

Three undescribed compounds elephantopuscabers A-C, along with one previously reported compound spirowallichiione, were isolated from Elephantopus scaber L. Their structures were determined via extensive NMR spectroscopic analysis, quantum chemical calculations, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction crystallography. A plausible biosynthetic pathway for spirowallichiione was proposed. All the isolated compounds were tested for their acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities. Among them, elephantopuscaber B and C displayed promising inhibitory activities against AChE, and the binding sites were predicted by molecular docking.

Four Pairs of Neuroprotective Aryldihydronaphthalene-Type Lignanamide Enantiomers from the Herbs of Solanum lyratum

Four pairs of aryldihydronaphthalene-type lignanamide enantiomers were isolated from Solanum lyratum (Solanaceae). The enantiomeric separation was accomplished by chiral-phase HPLC, and five undescribed compounds were elucidated. Analysis by various spectroscopy and ECD calculations, the structures of undescribed compounds were illuminated. The neuroprotective effects of all compounds were evaluated using H2 O2 -induced human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells and AchE inhibition activity. Among them, compound 4 a exhibited remarkable neuroprotective effects at high concentrations of 25 and 50 μmol/L comparable to Trolox. Compound 1 a showed the highest AchE inhibition with the IC50 value of 3.06±2.40 μmol/L. Molecular docking of the three active compounds was performed and the linkage between the compounds and the active site of AchE was elucidated.

[Analysis on the concept and clinical practice of patient-controlled analgesia in the treatment of cancer pain by Chinese medical providers]

Objective: To investigated the concept and clinical practice of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) in the treatment of cancer pain. Methods: Doctors, nurses, pharmacists from the oncology department, pain department, or hospice department were investigated using an electronic questionnaire from December 1 to December 31, 2021. In addition to the basic information, there were 26 questions were collected, including the current situation of cancer pain treatment, the concept of medical staff on PCA treatment of cancer pain and the clinical practice of PCA. Results: Questionnaires from 2 872 medical staff were collected from 993 hospitals in 30 provincial administrative units. Only 34.8% (955/2 748) of medical staff considered that the satisfaction rate of cancer pain control was over 75%, and 27.9% (548/1 968) of medical staff convinced that the satisfaction rate of breakthrough pain control was less than 50%. 97.1% (2 439/2 513) of medical staff considered that PCA could be effectively used for cancer pain treatment. The proportion of medical staff in secondary and tertiary hospitals who thought that PCA was applicable to cancer pain that could not be effectively alleviated by standardized non-invasive drug administration was 64.6% (319/494) and 69.1% (1 262/1 826) respectively, which was higher than that in primary hospitals [57.0% (110/193)] (P=0.002). In different occupations, the proportion of nurses who convinced PCA treatment of cancer pain increased the risk of addiction and drug overdose was 62.8% (431/686) and 76.1% (522/686), respectively, which was higher than doctors [39.2% (670/1709) and 58.2% (995/1709), respectively] and pharmacists [49.2% (58/118) and 65.3% (77/118), respectively] (all P<0.001). There was no significant difference in type of pump, route of administration, mode of infusion, protocol for PCA administration and selection of common medication in PCA treatment of cancer pain among different hospitals (all P>0.05). The calculation of continuous infusion dose and rescue dose of PCA was not uniform among different hospitals. After initiation of PCA, 71.7% (1 226/1 709) of hospitals had insufficient analgesia and most of them needed to be adjusted for 1-3 times to achieve satisfactory analgesia. Conclusion: Medical staff have insufficient cognition of PCA treatment of cancer pain and there is a lack of unified guidance in clinical practice. Therefore, it is an urgent need to develop an expert consensus on PCA treatment of cancer pain.

Sperm quality and DNA damage in men from Jilin Province, China, who are occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation

Long-term radiation exposure affects human health. Ionizing radiation has long been known to raise the risk of cancer. In addition to high doses of radiation, low-dose ionizing radiation might increase the risk of cardiovascular disease, lens opacity, and some other non-cancerous diseases. Low- and high-dose exposures to ionizing radiation elicit different signaling events at the molecular level, and may involve different response mechanisms. The health risks arising from exposure to low doses of ionizing radiation should be re-evaluated. Health workers exposed to ionizing radiation experience low-dose radiation and have an increased risk of hematological malignancies. Reproductive function is sensitive to changes in the physical environment, including ionizing radiation. However, data is scarce regarding the association between occupational radiation exposure and risk to human fertility. Sperm DNA integrity is a functional parameter of male fertility evaluation. Hence, we aimed to report sperm quality and DNA damage in men from Jilin Province, China, who were occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation. Sperm motility and normal morphology were significantly lower in the exposed compared with the non-exposed men. There was no statistically significant difference in sperm concentration between exposed and non-exposed men. The sperm DNA fragmentation index was significantly higher in the exposed than the non-exposed men. Chronic long-term exposure to low doses of ionizing radiation could affect sperm motility, normal morphology, and the sperm DNA fragmentation index in the Chinese population. Sperm quality and DNA integrity are functional parameters that could be used to evaluate occupational exposure to ionizing radiation.

A novel mechanism of NALP3 inducing ischemia reperfusion injury by activating MAPK pathway in acute renal failure

Acute renal failure (ARF) is a rapid loss of kidney function. The reasons and mechanism by which this occurs has not been clarified so far thus creating obstacles to management of this disease. Presently, the experimental research using the accepted renal ischemia reperfusion injury (I/R injury) model represented for ARF focuses on several possible relevant factors such as reactive oxygen species, no-reflow phenomenon, apoptosis and extensive inflammatory response. The latter is much talked about currently. Some intracellular danger sensing proteins, such as the nucleotide binding domain leucine rich repeats-containing family proteins known as NLRs, adjust the inflammatory response through the formation of a multi-protein complex known as an inflammasome. The most classic family member of this complex is NALP3 confirmed to serve as a contributor to I/R injury. However, how it contributes to the pathology remains obscure. The extensive inflammatory response is considered to be modulated by the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPK) signaling pathway. NOD2, another family member of NLR, which shares similar structure with NALP3, indicated that it induced the activation of MAPK in response to a pathogen, thus we assumed that NALP3 performed the harmful process of I/R injury, resulting probably from the activation of the MAPK signaling pathway. If this hypothesis proves to be correct, it might benefit the management of ARF.

CD147/EMMPRIN and CD44 are potential therapeutic targets for metastatic prostate cancer

Prostate cancer (CaP) is a major health problem in males in Western countries. Current therapeutic approaches are limited and many patients die of secondary disease (metastases). There is no cure for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Targeting tumor-associated antigens is fast emerging as an area of promise to treat late stage and recurrent CaP. Extracellular matrix metalloproteinase inducer, EMMPRIN (CD147) is a multifunctional glycoprotein that can modify the tumor microenvironment by activating proteinases, inducing angiogenic factors in tumor and stromal cells, and regulating growth and survival of anchorage-independent tumor cells (micrometastases) and multidrug resistance (MDR). CD44 is a multifunctional protein involved in cell adhesion, migration and drug resistance, and is a primary receptor for hyaluronan (HA), a major component of the extracellular matrix (ECM) with a critical role in cell signaling and cell-ECM interactions in cancer. Our recent studies indicate both CD147 and CD44 are involved in cancer drug resistance and play very important roles in CaP metastasis. Thus, CD147 and CD44 may be ideal therapeutic targets to control metastatic and CRPC disease. This review will discuss their putative roles in CaP metastasis and MDR, and give an overview of literature regarding their expression on human CaP tissues. Additional focus will be on the potential of therapeutic strategies targeting CD147 and CD44 to prevent CaP metastasis and overcome drug resistance.

Stimulatory effect of pseudomonal elastase on collagen degradation by cultured keratocytes

PURPOSE

The pathobiology of corneal ulceration induced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa was investigated by characterization of the pseudomonal pathogenic factors responsible for degradation of the collagen matrix.

METHODS

Three-dimensional gels of type I collagen containing (or not) rabbit keratocytes were incubated in the presence of either culture supernatant of P. aeruginosa strain PAO1 or pseudomonal pathogenic factors (elastase, lipopolysaccharide, or exotoxin A), and the extent of collagen degradation was assessed after 24 hours by measurement of released hydroxyproline. Activation of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) produced by keratocytes was also examined by gelatin zymography and immunoblot analysis.

RESULTS

In the absence of keratocytes, the PAO1-conditioned medium increased the extent of collagen degradation. The conditioned medium also promoted keratocyte-mediated collagen degradation. Of the pseudomonal pathogenic factors examined, only elastase degraded collagen directly as well as stimulated keratocyte-mediated collagen degradation. Culture supernatant of elastase-deficient P. aeruginosa (lasR or lasB) mutants had no effect on collagen degradation in the absence or presence of keratocytes. Elastase also induced the conversion of the inactive precursors of MMP-1, -2, -3, and -9 produced by keratocytes to the active forms of the enzymes.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that pseudomonal elastase both degrades type I collagen directly and promotes collagen degradation mediated by keratocytes, the latter effect being likely attributable, at least in part, to the activation of proMMPS:

Effect of galardin on collagen degradation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The authors examined the effect of a synthetic peptidyl hydroxamate inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase, Galardin, on collagen degradation by Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) in the presence or absence of keratocytes. Type I collagen gels, with or without suspended keratocytes, were incubated under medium containing sterile P. aeruginosa culture broth and/or Galardin for 24 hr. Degradation of collagen fibrils during culture was measured by the release of hydroxyproline. The conditioned media were also subjected to gelatin zymography and Western blotting to analyse the activation, by P. aeruginosa factor(s), of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) released by keratocytes. The effects of protease inhibitors, aprotinin, leupeptin and pepstatin, on collagen degradation by P. aeruginosa were also examined. P. aeruginosa broth by itself induced collegen gel degradation. When keratocytes were present, P. aeruginosa broth increased the amount of degraded collagen even further. Galardin significantly reduced the amounts of collagen degraded by P. aeruginosa culture broth, whether keratocytes were present or absent in the gel. However, the protease inhibitors had no inhibitory effects on collagen degradation. Gelatin zymography and Western blotting revealed that inactive proMMP-1, -2 and -3, released by keratocytes, were converted to active forms in the presence of P. aeruginosa broth. Galardin decreased the amounts of active MMPs and increased those of inactive proMMPs, suggesting that Galardin inhibited the activation of proMMPs by P. aeruginosa. The present results suggest that Galardin inhibits the keratocyte-mediated collagen degradation by P. aeruginosa culture broth, resulting from preventing the conversion of proMMPs to active MMPs.

Galardin inhibits collagen degradation by rabbit keratocytes by inhibiting the activation of pro-matrix metalloproteinases

We investigated the inhibitory action of a synthetic peptidyl hydroxamate inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), Galardin (GM6001), on collagen degradation by rabbit corneal stromal fibroblasts (keratocytes) cultured three-dimensionally in the type I collagen gel with medium containing interleukin 1alpha (IL-1alpha) and/or plasminogen. Degradation of collagen fibrils during culture was measured by the release of hydroxyproline, and activation of MMPs was also analyzed by gelatin zymography and Western blotting. Plasmin activity was measured using a synthetic substrate. In the absence of plasminogen, treatment of the cells with IL-1alpha in collagen gel greatly enhanced the production of proMMP-1, -3 and -9, but no significant degradation of collagen was detected. In the presence of plasminogen, IL-1alpha stimulated collagen degradation by keratocytes in a dose-dependent manner. This resulted from the plasminogen activator-plasmin system-dependent activation of proMMP-1, -3 and -9. Galardin inhibited the collagen degradation in a dose-dependent fashion in the presence of plasminogen, whether IL-1alpha was present or not. Galardin inhibited the activation of proMMP-3, and also prevented the activation of proMMP-9 and the conversion of MMP-1 intermediates to the fully active MMP-1. Galardin did not affect plasmin activity. The present results suggest that Galardin inhibits IL-1alpha-stimulated collagen degradation in the presence of plasminogen, resulting from not only inhibiting active MMPs but also preventing the conversion of proMMPs to active MMPs.