Prevalence, predictors, and outcomes of acute respiratory distress syndrome in severe stroke

OBJECTIVES

Patients with severe stroke are at high risk of developing acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), but this severe complication was often under-diagnosed and rarely explored in stroke patients. We aimed to investigate the prevalence, early predictors, and outcomes of ARDS in severe stroke.

METHODS

This prospective study included consecutive patients admitted to neurological intensive care unit (neuro-ICU) with severe stroke, including acute ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, and subarachnoid hemorrhage. The incidence of ARDS was examined, and baseline characteristics and severity scores on admission were investigated as potential early predictors for ARDS. The in-hospital mortality, length of neuro-ICU stay, the total cost in neuro-ICU, and neurological functions at 90 days were explored.

RESULTS

Of 140 patients included, 35 (25.0%) developed ARDS. Over 90% of ARDS cases occurred within 1 week of admission. Procalcitonin (OR 1.310 95% CI 1.005-1.707, P = 0.046) and PaO2/FiO2 on admission (OR 0.986, 95% CI 0.979-0.993, P < 0.001) were independently associated with ARDS, and high brain natriuretic peptide (OR 0.994, 95% CI 0.989-0.998, P = 0.003) was a red flag biomarker warning that the respiratory symptoms may be caused by cardiac failure rather than ARDS. ARDS patients had longer stays and higher expenses in neuro-ICU. Among patients with ARDS, 25 (62.5%) were moderate or severe ARDS. All the patients with moderate to severe ARDS had an unfavorable outcome at 90 days.

CONCLUSIONS

ARDS is common in patients with severe stroke, with most cases occurring in the first week of admission. Procalcitonin and PaO2/FiO2 on admission are early predictors of ARDS. ARDS worsens both short-term and long-term outcomes. The conflict in respiratory support strategies between ARDS and severe stroke needs to be further studied.

The clinical value of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and systemic inflammation response index (SIRI) for predicting the occurrence and severity of pneumonia in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage

Background

Inflammatory mechanisms play important roles in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and have been linked to the development of stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP). The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and systemic inflammation response index (SIRI) are inflammatory indexes that influence systemic inflammatory responses after stroke. In this study, we aimed to compare the predictive value of the NLR, SII, SIRI and PLR for SAP in patients with ICH to determine their application potential in the early identification of the severity of pneumonia.

Methods

Patients with ICH in four hospitals were prospectively enrolled. SAP was defined according to the modified Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria. Data on the NLR, SII, SIRI and PLR were collected at admission, and the correlation between these factors and the clinical pulmonary infection score (CPIS) was assessed through Spearman's analysis.

Results

A total of 320 patients were enrolled in this study, among whom 126 (39.4%) developed SAP. The results of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis revealed that the NLR had the best predictive value for SAP (AUC: 0.748, 95% CI: 0.695-0.801), and this outcome remained significant after adjusting for other confounders in multivariable analysis (RR=1.090, 95% CI: 1.029-1.155). Among the four indexes, Spearman's analysis showed that the NLR was the most highly correlated with the CPIS (r=0.537, 95% CI: 0.395-0.654). The NLR could effectively predict ICU admission (AUC: 0.732, 95% CI: 0.671-0.786), and this finding remained significant in the multivariable analysis (RR=1.049, 95% CI: 1.009-1.089, P=0.036). Nomograms were created to predict the probability of SAP occurrence and ICU admission. Furthermore, the NLR could predict a good outcome at discharge (AUC: 0.761, 95% CI: 0.707-0.8147).

Conclusions

Among the four indexes, the NLR was the best predictor for SAP occurrence and a poor outcome at discharge in ICH patients. It can therefore be used for the early identification of severe SAP and to predict ICU admission.

[Analysis of HIV-1 genetic subtype and pretreatment drug resistance among men who have sex with men infected with HIV-1 from 19 cities of 6 provinces in China]

Objective: To investigate the distribution of HIV-1 genetic subtypes and pretreatment drug resistance (PDR) among men who have sex with men (MSM) from 19 cities of 6 provinces in China. Methods: From April to November 2019, 574 plasma samples of ART-naive HIV-1 infected MSM were collected from 19 cities in Hebei, Shandong, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, Fujian, and Guangdong provinces, total ribonucleic acid (RNA) was extracted and amplified the HIV-1 pol gene region by nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) after reverse transcription. Then sequences were used to construct a phylogenetic tree to determine genetic subtypes and submitted to the Stanford drug resistance database for drug resistance analysis. Results: A total of 479 samples were successfully amplified by PCR. The HIV-1 genetic subtypes included CRF01_AE, CRF07_BC, B, CRF55_01B, CRF59_01B, CRF65_cpx, CRF103_01B, CRF67_01B, CRF68_01B and unrecognized subtype, which accounted for 43.4%, 36.3%, 6.3%, 5.9%, 0.8%, 0.8%, 0.4%, 0.4%, 0.2% and 5.5%, respectively. The distribution of genetic subtypes among provinces is statistically different (χ²=44.141, P<0.001). The overall PDR rate was 4.6% (22/479), the drug resistance rate of non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors, and protease inhibitors were 3.5% (17/479), 0.8% (4/479) and 0.2% (1/479), respectively. The PDR rate of recent infections was significantly higher than that of long-term infections (χ²=4.634, P=0.031). Conclusions: The HIV-1 genetic subtypes among MSM infected with HIV-1 from 19 cities of 6 provinces in China are diverse, and the distribution of subtypes is different among provinces. The overall PDR rate is low, while the PDR rate of recent infections was significantly higher than that of long-term infections, suggesting the surveillance of PDR in recent infections should be strengthened.

[The molecular mechanism of oxaliplatin-induced peripheral neuropathic pain]

Objective: To investigate the molecular mechanism of oxaliplatin-induced chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathic pain (CIPNP). Methods: A total of 16 male Sprague-Dawley rats of specific pathogen-free grade were randomly divided into two groups: oxaliplatin experimental group (2.4 mg/kg oxaliplatin dissolved in 5.0% glucose solution, n=8) and control group (equal volume 5% glucose solution, n=8). The rat model of CIPNP was established by continuous administration with oxaliplatin. In addition, mechanical allodynia, thermal hyperalgesia and cold hyperalgesia were measured and compared between the two groups. To explore the molecular mechanism of oxaliplatin-induced CIPNP, the gene expression of dorsal root ganglia (DRG) from the rat model of CIPNP was analyzed using RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). Results: Mechanical and thermal hypersensitivity was exhibited on day 7 and a stronger hypersensitivity was observed on day 14. A total of 20 152 genes were quantified by RNA-Seq, and 379 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained with absolute fold change cut-offs ≥ 2 and P value<0.05. There were 7 genes (Npy, Car3, Cdkn1a, Nts, Prc1, Ms4a7 and Ecel1) that were involved in peripheral nerve injury-related neuropathic pain. Gene ontology (GO) functional enrichment analyses indicated that the DEGs induced by oxaliplatin were involved in oxygen transport, cell division, intermediate, centromere, oxygen transporter activity, oxygen binding. Moreover, the result of Kyoto Encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) analyses highlighted that the DEGs induced by oxaliplatin were involved in malaria, African trypanosomiasis, primary immunodeficiency, peroxisome proliferator activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathway. Conclusion: Oxaliplatin induces CIPNP via pain-related genes and signaling pathways.

New Micropeptins with Anti-Neuroinflammatory Activity Isolated from a Cyanobacterial Bloom

Metabolite mining of environmentally collected aquatic and marine microbiomes offers a platform for the discovery of new therapeutic lead molecules. Combining a prefractionated chromatography library with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)-based molecular networking and biological assays, we isolated and characterized two new micropeptins (1 and 2) along with the previously characterized micropeptin 996. These metabolites showed potency in anti-neuroinflammatory assays using BV-2 mouse microglial cells, showing a 50% reduction in inflammation in a range from 1 to 10 μM. These results show promise for cyanobacterial peptides in the therapeutic realm apart from their impact on environmental health and provide another example of the utility of large prefractionated natural product libraries for therapeutic hit and lead identification.

Sexing chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) with high-resolution melting analysis using feather crude DNA

Identification of sex in broiler chickens allows researchers to reduce the level of variation in an experiment caused by the sex effect. Broiler breeds commonly used in research are no longer feather sexable because of the change in their genetics. Other alternate sexing methods are costly and difficult to apply on a large scale. Therefore, a sexing method is required that is both cost effective and highly sensitive as well as having the ability to offer high throughput genotyping. In this study, high-resolution melting (HRM) analysis was used to detect DNA variations present in the gene chromodomain helicase DNA binding 1 protein (CHD1) on the Z and W chromosomes (CHD1Z and CHD1W, respectively) of chickens. In addition, a simplified DNA extraction protocol, which made use of the basal part of chicken feathers, was developed to speed up the sexing procedure. Three pairs of primers, that is, CHD1UNEHRM1F/R, CHD1UNEHRM2F/R, and CHD1UNEHRM3F/R, flanking the polymorphic regions between CHD1Z and CHD1W were used to differentiate male and female chickens via distinct melting curves, typical of homozygous or heterozygous genotypes. The assay was validated by the HRM-sexing of 1,318 broiler chicks and verified by examining the sex of the birds after dissection. This method allows for the sexing of birds within a couple of days, which makes it applicable for use on a large scale such as in nutritional experiments.

Jaboticabin and Related Polyphenols from Jaboticaba ( Myrciaria cauliflora) with Anti-inflammatory Activity for Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Myrciaria cauliflora (jaboticaba) is an edible fruit common in Brazil that has been used for treating respiratory diseases, including chronic tonsillitis and asthma. This study explores the distribution of an anti-inflammatory depside, jaboticabin, in different parts of the jaboticaba plant as well as major polyphenols from the wood of jaboticaba, some with biological activity similar to jaboticabin. The peel of the fruit was found to be the major source of jaboticabin. This is the first phytochemical study of the wood of M. cauliflora. The antioxidant-activity-guided fractionation strategy successfully identified 3,3'-dimethylellagic acid-4- O-sulfate from jaboticaba wood. This ellagic acid derivative, in a manner similar to jaboticabin, showed antiradical activity and inhibited the production of the chemokine interleukin-8 after treating the human small airway epithelial cells with cigarette smoke extract. The human intestinal Caco-2 cell studies demonstrated the jaboticabin transport in vitro. The polyphenols, jaboticabin and 3,3'-dimethyellagic acid-4- O-sulfate, from jaboticaba were both found to exhibit anti-inflammatory activities, thus suggesting the potential use of these compounds or even the fruits themselves for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Cyanobufalins: Cardioactive Toxins from Cyanobacterial Blooms

Cyanobufalins A-C (1-3), a new series of cardiotoxic steroids, have been discovered from cyanobacterial blooms in Buckeye Lake and Grand Lake St. Marys in Ohio. Compounds 1-3 contain distinctive structural features, including geminal methyl groups at C-4, a 7,8 double bond, and a C-16 chlorine substituent that distinguish them from plant- or animal-derived congeners. Despite these structural differences, the compounds are qualitatively identical to bufalin in their cytotoxic profiles versus cell lines in tissue culture and cardiac activity, as demonstrated in an impedance-based cellular assay conducted with IPSC-derived cardiomyocytes. Cyanobufalins are nonselectively toxic to human cells in the single-digit nanomolar range and show stimulation of contractility in cardiomyocytes at sub-nanomolar concentrations. The estimated combined concentration of 1-3 in the environment is in the same nanomolar range, and consequently more precise quantitative analyses are recommended along with more detailed cardiotoxicity studies. This is the first time that cardioactive steroid toxins have been found associated with microorganisms in an aquatic environment. Several factors point to a microbial biosynthetic origin for the cyanobufalins.

Dietary L-glutamine supplementation improves growth performance, gut morphology, and serum biochemical indices of broiler chickens during necrotic enteritis challenge

Necrotic enteritis (NE) causes significant economic losses in the broiler chicken industry, especially in birds raised without in-feed antibiotics. L-glutamine (Gln) is an amino acid that may compensate for metabolic losses from infection and improve the intestinal development. This study investigated the effects of dietary Gln (10 g/kg) supplementation on growth performance, intestinal lesions, jejunum morphology, and serum biochemical indices of broiler chickens during NE challenge. The study employed a factorial arrangement of treatments with factors: NE challenge, no or yes; dietary Gln inclusion, 0 g/kg in starter (S), d 0 to 10, grower (G) d 10 to 24, and finisher (F) d 24 to 35; 10 g/kg in S, G, F, or 10 g/kg in S, G only. Each treatment was replicated in 6 floor pens with 17 birds per pen as the experimental unit for performance and 2 birds for other measurements. Challenge significantly reduced bird performance, increased incidence of intestinal lesions, and affected intestinal development and serum biochemical indices. Regardless of challenge, Gln supplementation increased gain (P < 0.05), feed intake (P < 0.05), and decreased FCR (P < 0.05) on d 24. On d 35, Gln improved gain (P < 0.05) and FCR (P < 0.001) whereas withdrawing Gln from finisher tended to diminish the beneficial effect on weight gain but not FCR. Dietary Gln reduced lesion scores in the jejunum (P < 0.01) and ileum (P < 0.01) in challenged birds. On d 16, Gln increased villus height to crypt depth ratio in unchallenged birds (P < 0.05) and reduced crypt depth of challenged birds on d 24 (P < 0.05). Regardless of challenge, supplementation with Gln reduced crypt depth on d 16 (P < 0.05), and increased villus height (P < 0.01) and the villus height to crypt depth ratio (P < 0.001) on d 24. Dietary Gln lowered serum uric acid level regardless of challenge (P < 0.05). The current study indicates that dietary Gln alleviates adverse effects of NE and may be useful in antibiotic-free diets.

Effect of elevated dietary amino acid levels in high canola meal diets on productive traits and cecal microbiota population of broiler chickens in a pair-feeding study

A pair-feeding study was conducted to determine if reduced feed intake (FI) in broiler chickens fed high canola meal (CM) diets per se accounts for reduced growth performance and whether this lower growth rate can be mitigated by increasing dietary amino acid (AA) levels. Five experimental wheat-based diets were formulated as follows: soybean meal (SBM) diet, high CM diet with normal AA concentration, and high CM diets with 3, 6, or 9% additional AA concentration (Lys, Met+Cys, Thr, Ile, Arg, and Val). Another group of birds was pair-fed with SBM diet to the consumption levels of birds fed CM diet with normal AA. There were 6 replicates of 17 male 10-day-old Ross 308 chicks per treatment over grower and finisher periods. Birds fed the CM diets had reduced FI and BWG, but improved FCR (P < 0.01) compared to SBM ad libitum fed birds. The SBM pair-fed birds gained the same weight and exhibited similar FCR compared to CM fed birds. Additional 9% AA improved FCR (P < 0.01) compared to SBM and CM diets with normal AA. No significant differences were observed in ileal digestibility of DM, energy, crude protein, and AA between CM with normal AA and SBM diets. The additional 6 and 9% AA in CM diets increased digestibility of crude protein and some AA (P < 0.05). SBM ad libitum and CM + 6 and 9% AA fed birds had the highest and lowest relative weight of abdominal fat, respectively (P < 0.05). Addition of 6 and 9% AA in CM diets increased relative carcass and breast yields (P < 0.01). Serum triglyceride level was higher in SBM ad libitum fed birds (P < 0.05). The composition of microbiota in the ceca was not affected by treatments. This study showed that reduced growth of birds fed high CM diets is primarily mediated through reduced FI. This growth depression could partially be ameliorated by increasing dietary AA levels.

Microcystins Containing Doubly Homologated Tyrosine Residues from a Microcystis aeruginosa Bloom: Structures and Cytotoxicity

Four new microcystin congeners are described including the first three examples of microcystins containing the rare doubly homologated tyrosine residue 2-amino-5-(4-hydroxyphenyl)pentanoic acid (Ahppa) (1-4). Large-scale harvesting and biomass processing allowed the isolation of substantial quantities of these compounds, thus enabling complete structure determination by NMR as well as cytotoxicity evaluation against selected cancer cell lines. The new Ahppa-toxins all incorporate Ahppa residues at the 2-position, and one of these also has a second Ahppa at position 4. The two most lipophilic Ahppa-containing microcystins showed 10-fold greater cytotoxic potency against human tumor cell lines (A549 and HCT-116) compared to microcystin-LR (5). The presence of an Ahppa residue in microcystin congeners is difficult to ascertain by MS methods alone, due to the lack of characteristic fragment ions derived from the doubly homologated side chain. Owing to their unexpected cytotoxic potency, the potential impact of the compounds on human health should be further evaluated.

Performance, nutrient utilization, and energy partitioning in broiler chickens offered high canola meal diets supplemented with multicomponent carbohydrase and mono-component protease

Two broiler chicken experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of canola meal (CM) replacing soybean meal (SBM) in diets supplemented with carbohydrase and protease on performance and partitioning of energy. First, a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments was employed to evaluate: protein meals (CM vs. SBM), carbohydrase (none or 300 mg/kg), protease (none or 200 mg/kg), and their interactions. Each treatment was fed to 6 replicated pens of 16 male broilers (Ross 308) from d 10 to 35. In the second experiment, 32 broiler chicks were used in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement to investigate CM and carbohydrase effects on energy partitioning. Birds were transferred into 16 closed-circuit calorimeter chambers (4 chambers/diet; 2 birds/chamber) to measure heat production (HP), metabolizable and net energy (NE) by gaseous exchange, and total excreta collection from d 25 to 28. There were no 3-way interactions among experimental factors for any of the performance parameters measured. Birds given CM diets consumed less feed, had lower BW, and exhibited higher FCR compared to the control birds (P < 0.01). Both enzymes, alone or in combination, improved final BW and FCR (P < 0.05). There was an interaction between carbohydrase and protease for FCR over the grower period (P < 0.01), in which the combination of the enzymes resulted in further improvement of FCR. Energy, DM, and crude protein digestibility values were higher in control birds (P < 0.05). There was an interaction of protein meal and carbohydrase for HP, respiratory quotient (P < 0.05), and NE:ME ratio of the diets (P = 0.06). Inclusion of CM without carbohydrase increased HP and decreased NE and NE:ME ratio of the diets (P < 0.05). Carbohydrase decreased HP and increased retained energy (P = 0.06) and NE and NE:ME ratio (P < 0.05). In conclusion, high CM in the diet negatively affects growth performance through reduction in feed consumption, nutrient digestibility, and NE of the diet, which could partly be restored by enzyme supplementation.

Dietary inclusion of arabinoxylo-oligosaccharides in response to broilers challenged with subclinical necrotic enteritis

1. This study investigated the prebiotic properties of arabinoxylo-oligosaccharides (AXOS) produced both in situ and in vitro for their activity against the onset of necrotic enteritis in broiler chickens. 2. A 2 × 3 factorial arrangement was applied, including necrotic enteritis challenge (challenged/unchallenged) and three dietary treatments from d 10 to 21. A wheat-soy commercial-type basal-grower diet was fed with 2% of the wheat proportion replaced by the same amount of either arabinoxylan (AX), AXOS produced from hydrolysing AX with 16 000 BXU (birch xylanase unit) xylanase in vitro or AX fed with 16 000 BXU xylanase (AX + E). Necrotic enteritis (NE) challenge was induced by orally infecting birds with a vaccine strain of Eimeria oocysts at d 9 of age followed by oral gavage of a freshly prepared Clostridium perfringens broth at d 14. 3. The challenge depressed growth performance, induced gross lesions and reduced ileal viscosity at d 10-21. Birds fed on the AXOS diet had numerically less severe gross lesions, improved feed conversion at d 0-16 and lower ileal viscosity at d 16 compared to birds fed on AX. Weight gain of the unchallenged birds ranked as follows in terms of the diets: AXOS > AX + E > AX. AX + E produced a lower ileal viscosity compared to the AX treatment but only led to marginal improvements in performance and intestinal lesion scores. 4. Caecal short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentration was higher in birds fed on AXOS and AX + E compared to those fed on AX and was higher in the challenged birds compared to the unchallenged birds. Gizzard pH was lower in birds fed on AX + E compared to those fed on AXOS at d 16. Challenged birds had lower ileum pH compared to the unchallenged birds at d 16 and 21. 5. Results of this study suggest that AXOS appeared to be efficacious prebiotics, as highlighted by improvements in feed conversion ratio and increased SCFA production. Future studies are warranted to elucidate the types of AXOS that are most active against NE and the mechanisms by which different levels of AXOS enhance bird performance.

[Risk factors for lower extremity amputation in patients with diabetic foot]

Objective: To explore the risk factors for lower extremity amputation in patients with diabetic foot. Methods: The clinical data of 1 771 patients with diabetic foot at the Air Force General Hospital of PLA from November 2001 to April 2015 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into the non-amputation and amputation groups. Within the amputation group, subjects were further divided into the minor and major amputation subgroups. Binary logistic regression analyses were used to assess the association between risk factors and lower extremity amputation. Results: Among 1 771 patients with diabetic foot, 323 of them (18.24%) were in the amputation group (major amputation: 41; minor amputation: 282) and 1 448 (81.76%) in the non-amputation group. Compared with non-amputation patients, those in the amputation group had a longer hospital stay and higher estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR)levels. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), C-reaction protein (CRP), ESR, ferritin, fibrinogen and WBC levels of the amputation group were higher, while hemoglobin albumin, transferrin, TC, TG, HDL-C and LDL-C were lower than those of the non-amputation group (all P<0.05). The proportion of hypertension(52.48% vs 59.98%), peripheral vascular disease (PAD)(68.11% vs 25.04%), and coronary heart disease(21.33% vs 28.71%)were different between the amputation and non-amputation groups (all P<0.05). Multivariable logistic regression analyses showed that Wagner's grade, PAD and CRP were the independent risk factors associated with lower extremity amputation in hospitalized patients with diabetic foot. Conclusion: Wagner's grade, ischemia of lower limbs and infection are closely associated with amputation of diabetic foot patients.

[Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumour of thyroid: a case report]

A elderly woman patient，with a unclear boundary,solid,smooth surface,moderately active mass that estimated 0.4 cm at its greatest diameter in the left lobe of thyroid. Ultrasonography revealed a hypoechoic mass in the left lobe and Computed Tomography showed a 38 mm×25 mm×23 mm oval lesion with uniform density in the left lobe also. The surgical findings revealed tumor located in the inner side of left thyroid lobe near the isthmus,with unclear boundary. Pathological examination showed unclear boundaries between thyroid and tumor,the tumor cells attack into the muscle tissue,braided/ fascicles spindle shaped or star shaped myofibroblasts cells in the tumor area with myxedema inflammatory background and the lesion did not have any mitotic figures. Immunohistochemical analysis indicated that the spindle cells were positive for Vim,ACT,SMA,Bcl2 and ClyD1,and focal lesion histiocytes showed focal positive for CD68,CK and S-100,but negative for DES,Mgo,CD99,CD34,CD117,IgG4,ALK-1.The pathological diagnosis supports inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor of thyroid. Imaging and immunohistochemistry and others are useful in differential diagnosis.

Performance, intestinal microflora, and amino acid digestibility altered by exogenous enzymes in broilers fed wheat- or sorghum-based diets

The objective of the current study was to compare the effects of dietary enzymes and nutrient restriction on performance and bone mineralization in birds fed wheat- or sorghum-based diets. A total of 720 d-old male broiler chicks were randomly allocated to 8 treatments, with 6 replicates per treatment and 15 birds per replicate. Birds were reared in floor pens from 0 to 35 d. The study used a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement with 2 grains (sorghum or wheat) and 4 diets: positive control (no enzyme and ME, digestible Lys, Ca, and P sufficient, negative control (NC; no enzyme and reduced ME [-100 kcal/kg], digestible AA [-2%], Ca [-0.12 percentage points], and available P [-0.18 percentage points in the starter phase and -0.22 percentage points in the grower phase]), NC + nonstarch polysaccharide-degrading enzymes + phytase (500 phytase units [FTU]; NCCP), and NC + phytase (1,000 FTU; NCP). From 0 to 35 d, birds fed wheat-based diets had greater G:F (4.5%), BW gain (9.2%), breast meat yield (6.8%), and tibia ash (2.0%) compared with birds fed sorghum-based diets. Across grain types, the NCCP treatment improved BW gain ( < 0.001), feed intake ( < 0.001), G:F ( < 0.05), and livability ( < 0.001) compared with the NC treatment. Birds fed NCP had greater BW gain ( < 0.001), feed intake ( < 0.001), G:F ( < 0.001), and livability ( < 0.001) compared with birds fed NC. Birds fed the NCP diet had greater BW gain ( < 0.001), toe ash ( < 0.01), and tibia ash ( < 0.001) compared with birds fed the NCCP diet. There was a grain × diet interaction for feed intake ( < 0.01), BW gain ( < 0.001), tibia ash ( < 0.01), and tibia breaking strength ( < 0.05). The influence of enzymes was more pronounced in sorghum-based diets than in wheat-based diets. Birds fed wheat-based diets had greater ileal digestibility of His, Met, Val, Phe, Ile, Leu, Trp, Glu, Pro, Ala, Tyr, and Cys compared with those fed sorghum-based diets ( < 0.05). Across grain types, NCP had greater apparent ileal digestibility of Met, Lys, Ser, Pro, Gly, and Cys than NC ( < 0.05). The results suggest that wheat is superior to sorghum for broilers, as expected, but that enzyme supplementation has the capability to restore the compromised bird performance due to feeding sorghum. In addition, compared with nonstarch polysaccharide-degrading enzymes and phytase (500 FTU/kg feed) added in concert, phytase supplemented at 1,000 FTU/kg resulted in a further improvement of some of the performance and bone mineralization parameters in male broilers fed sorghum-based diets.

UPLC-QTOFMS(E)-Guided Dereplication of the Endangered Chinese Species Garcinia paucinervis to Identify Additional Benzophenone Derivatives

A number of Garcinia species accumulate benzophenone derivatives that may be useful for the treatment of breast cancer. The dereplication of new benzophenone derivatives from Garcinia species is challenging due to the occurrence of multiple isomers and the known compounds found in their extracts. In the current study, a strategy is described using the UPLC-QTOFMS(E) technique to identify tentatively the known and uncharacterized benzophenones of interest based upon the characteristic fragmentation ions. Several UPLC-QTOFMS peaks (a-ee) appeared to contain benzophenone derivatives, and 12 of these peaks contained compounds with MS ionization profiles not consistent with previously identified compounds from the seeds of Garcinia paucinervis, an endangered Chinese species. The targeted isolation of unidentified compounds of interest afforded five new benzophenones, paucinones E-I (1-5), which were determined by MS and NMR analysis and ECD spectroscopy. These compounds were evaluated for cytotoxicity against three breast cancer cell lines inclusive of MDA-MB-231, SKBR3, and MCF-7. These results indicate that the UPLC-QTOFMS(E)-guided isolation procedure is an efficient strategy for isolating new benzophenones from Garcinia species.

Cytotoxic oplopane sesquiterpenoids from Arnoglossum atriplicifolium

Pale Indian plantain (Arnoglossum atriplicifolium (L.) H. Rob.) is a plant with traditional medicinal usage among the Cherokee Native American tribe for treating cancer. Two oplopane sesquiterpenoids were isolated from an extract of A. atriplicifolium from Western North Carolina. The compounds were isolated by bioassay-guided fractionation using an MCF-7 breast tumour cell line assay. The known compound (1S,6R,7R,8R)-1-acetoxy-6,7-diangeloxy-8,10-epoxy-2-oxo-oplopa-3,14Z,11,12-dien-13-al (1) had an EC50 value of 9.0 μM against MCF-7 cells, while the new compound (1S,3R,6R,7R,8R,11S)-1-acetoxy-6,7-diangeloxy-8,10,11,13-bisepoxyoplopan-2-one (2) had an EC50 value of 96 μM. The compounds were characterised by 1D and 2D NMR spectroscopy and by comparison with literature values in the case for 1. Based on NOESY analysis, a correction of the relative configuration for 1 is presented. The presence of these compounds may help to explain the folk remedy usage of this plant as an anticancer agent.

Comparison of 3 phytases on energy utilization of a nutritionally marginal wheat-soybean meal broiler diet

The net energy (NE) value may be a better measure than apparent metabolizable energy (ME) of the effect of supplemental phytase on energy utilization in broilers. The present study was conducted to assess the impact of 3 microbial phytases supplemented at an unconventionally high level (1,000 FTU/kg feed) on performance and NE of broilers using the indirect calorimetric method (IC). Four treatments included: 1) Control, formulated to be deficient in ME (12.35 MJ/kg in the starter diet; 12.56 MJ/kg in the grower diet), calcium (0.72% in the starter diet; 0.60% in the grower diet), and available phosphorus (0.25% in the starter diet; 0.20% in the grower diet); 2) control + intrinsically thermostable phytase A; 3) control + intrinsically thermostable phytase B; and 4) control + coated phytase C. A completely randomized design was employed. A total of 384 male broiler chicks were used, and each treatment had 6 replicates with 16 birds per replicate. The birds were reared until d 21 in floor pens with hardwood shavings. Thirty-two birds (8 birds per treatment) were randomly selected to determine heat production and NE (from 25-28 d) following a 3-d acclimatization in the respiratory chambers. Performance results at d 21 showed that supplementation with either of the 3 phytases improved body weight (P < 0.001) and feed intake (P < 0.05), and increased the relative weights of tibia ash (P < 0.05) and toe ash (P < 0.01). Phytases A and B increased the NE value of the diet (P < 0.05). It may be concluded that the negative effects imposed by calcium and available phosphorus down-specification can be compensated by phytase supplementation in general, and intrinsically thermostable phytases improve the ME and NE value. However, phytase did not reduce heat production, heat increment, or increase NE:ME in birds.

Parallel reductions in phenolic constituents resulting from the domestication of eggplant

Crop domestication is often accompanied by changes in metabolite compositions that alter traits such as flavor, color, or other beneficial properties. Fruits of eggplants (Solanum melongena L.) and related species are abundant and diverse in pharmacologically interesting phenolic compounds, particularly hydroxycinnamic acid (HCA) conjugates such as the antioxidant caffeoylquinic acids (CQA) and HCA-polyamine amides (HCAA). To understand metabolite variability through the lens of natural and artificial selection, HPLC-DAD was used to generate phenolic profiles for 32 compounds in fruits from 93 accessions representing 9 Solanum species. Profiles were used for identification of species-level and infraspecific chemical patterns across both genetic distance and landscape. Sampling of plant lines included the undomesticated progenitor of eggplant and Asian landraces with a genetic background associated with three Asian regions near proposed separate centers of domestication to test whether chemical changes were convergent despite different origins. Results showed ten compounds were unique to species, and ten other compounds varied significantly in abundance among species. Five CQAs and three HCA-polyamine conjugates were more abundant in wild (undomesticated) versus domesticated eggplant, indicating that artificial selection may have led to reduced phenolic levels. No chemical abundance patterns were associated with site-origin. However, one genetically distinct lineage of geographically-restricted SE Asian eggplants (S. melongena subsp. ovigerum) had a higher HCAA content and diversity than other lineages, which is suggested to be related to artificial selection for small, firm fruit. Overall, patterns show that fruit size, palatability and texture were preferentially selected over health-beneficial phytochemical content during domestication of several nightshade crops.

Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory caffeoyl phenylpropanoid and secoiridoid glycosides from Jasminum nervosum stems, a Chinese folk medicine

Eight compounds including four caffeoyl phenylpropanoid glycosides, jasnervosides A-D (1-4), one monoterpenoid glycoside, jasnervoside E (5), and three secoiridoid glycosides, jasnervosides F-H (10-12), were isolated from the stems of Jasminum nervosum Lour. (Oleaceae), along with four known compounds, poliumoside (6), verbascoside (7), α-l-rhamnopyranosyl-(1→3)-O-(α-l-rhamnopyranosyl(1→6)-1-O-E-caffeoyl-β-d-glucopyranoside (8), and jaspolyanthoside (9). Their structures were elucidated on the basis of their physicochemical and spectroscopic properties. Compounds 1, 2, 4 and 11 displayed potent antioxidant activities in the DPPH assay, while 2 and 3 displayed good activities against LPS-induced TNF-α and IL-1β production in BV2 cells. Compounds 1-5 and 10-12 were evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against three human cancer cell lines (A-549, Bel-7402, and HCT-8), but none displayed significant activity.

Effect of sorghum distillers dried grains with solubles and microbial enzymes on metabolizable and net energy values of broiler diets

There is generally no information regarding the influence of distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) on the net energy (NE) value of broiler diets. It was hypothesized that the ME content of DDGS may overestimate its productive energy, leading to higher heat increment when used in broiler diets. Furthermore, it was of interest to investigate the potential benefits of a mixture of carbohydrases and protease on energy partitioning in diets containing DDGS. In this study, 2 evaluations, comparative slaughter (CS) or indirect calorimetry (IC), were conducted using the same batch of birds and feed. Two levels of DDGS (0 or 30%) without or with an enzyme mixture were used in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. The CS evaluation used 240 male Ross 308 broiler chicks with 6 replicates (10 birds each) per treatment from d 18 to 28. Carcass energy values were examined in 2 birds per replicate on each of d 18 and 28 to determine heat production (HP), NE, and ME. The IC evaluation used 32 birds acclimatized to 16 closed-circuit calorimeters (2 birds per chamber) following energy partitioning measurement by gaseous exchange and total excreta collection from 18 to 24 d. Birds fed DDGS had increased feed efficiency during starter and grower phases (P < 0.001). The CS showed no difference in HP between birds fed diets with or without DDGS. When measured by IC, birds fed diets containing DDGS had higher HP and lower NE (P < 0.01). Enzyme supplementation had no effect on HP, ME, or NE:ME ratio measured using CS or IC but increased NE and NE intake (P < 0.01) from d 18 to 28. Carcass fat retention was decreased (P < 0.05) and there was a lower NE (P < 0.01) in birds fed the DDGS-diets. This study showed that 30% dietary DDGS affects energy partitioning in broilers with more heat produced, decreased dietary NE, and less fat retained in the carcass.

Transport in Caco-2 cell monolayers of antidiabetic cucurbitane triterpenoids from Momordica charantia fruits

Bitter melon, the fruit of Momordica charantia L. (Cucurbitaceae), is a widely-used treatment for diabetes in traditional medicine systems throughout the world. Various compounds have been shown to be responsible for this reputed activity, and, in particular, cucurbitane triterpenoids are thought to play a significant role. The objective of this study was to investigate the gastrointestinal transport of a triterpenoid-enriched n-butanol extract of M. charantia using a two-compartment transwell human intestinal epithelial cell Caco-2 monolayer system, simulating the intestinal barrier. Eleven triterpenoids in this extract were transported from the apical to basolateral direction across Caco-2 cell monolayers, and were identified or tentatively identified by HPLC-TOF-MS. Cucurbitane triterpenoids permeated to the basolateral side with apparent permeability coefficient (P app) values for 3-β-7-β,25-trihydroxycucurbita-5,23(E)-dien-19-al and momordicines I and II at 9.02 × 10(-6), 8.12 × 10(-6), and 1.68 × 10(-6)cm/s, respectively. Also, small amounts of these triterpenoids were absorbed inside the Caco-2 cells. This is the first report of the transport of the reputed antidiabetic cucurbitane triterpenoids in human intestinal epithelial cell monolayers. Our findings, therefore, further support the hypothesis that cucurbitane triterpenoids from bitter melon may explain, at least in part, the antidiabetic activity of this plant in vivo.

Structural diversity and bioactivities of natural benzophenones

Natural benzophenones are a class of compounds with more than 300 members, mainly in the Clusiaceae family. We review key benzophenones, and provide an in-depth discussion of their great structural diversity and biological activity.

Anti-inflammatory activities of an active fraction isolated from the root of Astragalus membranaceus in RAW 264.7 macrophages

The root of Astragalus membranaceus (AR), which has been widely used in Traditional Chinese herbal formulae for treating foot ulcer, was found to exhibit anti-inflammatory property, but its molecular mechanism still remains unknown. We previously identified the anti-inflammatory sub-fraction using bioassay-guided fractionation. The objective of the present study was to investigate the anti-inflammatory mechanism of the major active fraction (MAF) (0.039 to 0.156 mg/mL) using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated mouse macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. MAF was shown to inhibit LPS-induced mRNA and protein expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase by 54.7% and 65.1%, respectively. Additionally, MAF down-regulated the protein expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and MAPK regulator by 45.0% to 74.6%, as well as the reduction of DNA binding activity of nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) by 66.5%. It also attenuated the production of prostaglandin E2 , interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha by 21.2% to 86.2%. Furthermore, the chemical constituents of MAF were identified. A total of 13 known chemical compounds were found in MAF, including five isoflavonoids and eight saponins. In conclusion, a bioactive fraction of AR was identified which possessed anti-inflammatory property by reducing the release of inflammatory mediators and inactivation of NFκB through MAPK signalling pathway.

Bioactive and marker compounds from two edible dark-colored Myrciaria fruits and the synthesis of jaboticabin

Jaboticaba (Myrciaria cauliflora) and false jaboticaba (Myrciaria vexator) fruits are two pleasant-tasting, dark-colored fruits, native to Brazil. They are rich sources of phenolic compounds, including anthocyanins, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and tannins, as well as less well known polyphenols such as depsides. These two fruits are very similar in morphology, but their taste profiles differ markedly. This study was focused on identifying the marker compounds between them using HPLC-PDA and LC-TOF-MS, combined with principal component analysis. As a result, cyanidin-3-O-glucoside was found as the major anthocyanin in Myrciaria fruits. Delphinidin-3-O-glucoside was found to be the marker compound for jaboticaba, while cyanidin-3-O-galactoside and cyanidin-3-O-arabinose were two marker compounds distinguishing false jaboticaba. In addition, two ellagitannins, iso-oenothein C and oenothein C, were isolated and identified from both of these fruits for the first time. Jaboticabin, a minor bioactive depside, occurred in both fruits and, because of its potential to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, was successfully synthesized in the laboratory.

Antioxidant and metabolite profiling of North American and neotropical blueberries using LC-TOF-MS and multivariate analyses

There are many neotropical blueberries, and recent studies have shown that some have even stronger antioxidant activity than the well-known edible North American blueberries. Antioxidant marker compounds were predicted by applying multivariate statistics to data from LC-TOF-MS analysis and antioxidant assays of 3 North American blueberry species (Vaccinium corymbosum, Vaccinium angustifolium, and a defined mixture of Vaccinium virgatum with V. corymbosum) and 12 neotropical blueberry species (Anthopterus wardii, Cavendishia grandifolia, Cavendishia isernii, Ceratostema silvicola, Disterigma rimbachii, Macleania coccoloboides, Macleania cordifolia, Macleania rupestris, Satyria boliviana, Sphyrospermum buxifolium, Sphyrospermum cordifolium, and Sphyrospermum ellipticum). Fourteen antioxidant markers were detected, and 12 of these, including 7 anthocyanins, 3 flavonols, 1 hydroxycinnamic acid, and 1 iridoid glycoside, were identified. This application of multivariate analysis to bioactivity and mass data can be used for identification of pharmacologically active natural products and may help to determine which neotropical blueberry species will be prioritized for agricultural development. Also, the compositional differences between North American and neotropical blueberries were determined by chemometric analysis, and 44 marker compounds including 16 anthocyanins, 15 flavonoids, 7 hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, 5 triterpene glycosides, and 1 iridoid glycoside were identified.

Tetracyclic triterpenoids and terpenylated coumarins from the bark of Ailanthus altissima ("Tree of Heaven")

Tetracyclic triterpenoids (named as altissimanins A-E, 1-5) and a terpenylated coumarin (denominated as altissimacoumarin G, 6), along with fifteen known compounds (7-21) were isolated from the bark of Ailanthus altissima. Structures of compounds 1-6 were established by spectroscopic methods and chemical transformations. Altissimanin A (1) is a tirucallane-type triterpenoid bearing an uncommon oxetane ring in the side-chain, while altissimanins D (4) and E (5) are two unprecedented dimers each consisting of one tirucallane-type and one dammarane-type triterpenoid moiety. All the isolates were evaluated for their cytotoxic effects against a small panel of human cancer cell lines.

Antioxidant glucosylated caffeoylquinic acid derivatives in the invasive tropical soda apple, Solanum viarum

Eggplant and related Solanum species contain abundant caffeoylquinic acid (CQA) derivatives. Fruit of the invasive species Solanum viarum Dunal contain numerous complex CQA derivatives, but only a few have been identified. The structures of two new compounds isolated from methanolic extracts of S. viarum fruit by C(18)-HPLC-DAD were determined using 2D NMR and MS data. Both include two 5-CQA molecules joined by glucose via ester and glycosidic linkages. The structures of compounds 1 and 2 (viarumacids A and B) are, respectively, 5-caffeoyl- and 3-malonyl-5-caffeoyl-[4-(1β-[6-(5-caffeoyl)quinate]glucopyranosyl)]quinic acid. The antioxidant activities determined by ABTS(•+) and DPPH(•) assays were in the order 1 > 2 > 5-CQA.

Impact of climatic factors on genetic diversity of Stipa breviflora populations in Inner Mongolia

Genetic diversity of Stipa breviflora populations in the Inner Mongolian grasslands of China and its possible correlation with climatic factors was examined using geographic information systems and random amplified polymorphism DNA analysis. A total of 308 bands were produced with 28 arbitrary decamer oligonucleotide. Three major findings were demonstrated. First, the genetic diversity of S. breviflora was high but lower than that of Stipa grandis and Stipa krylovii. Second, genetic distances between the populations analyzed using the unweighted pair group method and the Mantel test had a highly positive correlation with geographical distances, indicating that spatial separation of this species in the studied area produced genetic shift in the population. Finally, both canonical correspondence and Pearson's analyses revealed strong correlations between genetic differentiation and temperature in the area. We therefore conclude that temperature variations play an important role in genetic differentiations among the investigated S. breviflora populations.

Metabolite profiling of jaboticaba (Myrciaria cauliflora) and other dark-colored fruit juices

Many dark-colored fruit juices, rich in anthocyanins, are thought to be important for human health. Joboticaba (Myrciaria cauliflora) fruits, native to Brazil, have phenolics including anthocyanins and are processed into juice and other products. The phenolic constituents in the fruits of jaboticaba were studied by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Twenty-two compounds were identified or tentatively determined by detailed analysis of their mass spectral fragmentation patterns; 11 compounds including 7 gallotannins, 2 ellagic acid derivatives, syringin, and its glucoside were detected for the first time in the fruit. The compositional differences among the fruit extracts and their commercial products were also compared by principal component analysis; two anthocyanins, delphinidin 3-O-glucoside and cyanidin-3-O-glucoside, as well as two depsides, jaboticabin and 2-O-(3,4-dihydroxybenzoyl)-2,4,6-trihydroxyphenylacetic acid, present in the fruit extracts were not detected unexpectedly in commercial jaboticaba juice or jam. Therefore, the stability of anthocyanins in jaboticaba fresh fruits and products has been compared directly with that of other dark-colored fruit products made from blueberry and Concord grape, and the same trend of decreasing amounts of anthocyanins was observed in all tested products. The antioxidant activities (DPPH(•) and ABTS(•+)) of jaboticaba fresh fruit extract and commercial samples were also compared. Principal component analysis proved to be a useful way to discern changes between fresh and processed fruits. Jaboticaba is a promising fruit with antioxidant capacity similar to those of other so-called superfruits; however, during processing the levels of some of anthocyanins and other polyphenols decrease significantly, and therefore the capacity of these products to affect human health may vary significantly from that of the fresh fruit.

Lycopene cyclase paralog CruP protects against reactive oxygen species in oxygenic photosynthetic organisms

In photosynthetic organisms, carotenoids serve essential roles in photosynthesis and photoprotection. A previous report designated CruP as a secondary lycopene cyclase involved in carotenoid biosynthesis [Maresca J, et al. (2007) Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 104:11784-11789]. However, we found that cruP KO or cruP overexpression plants do not exhibit correspondingly reduced or increased production of cyclized carotenoids, which would be expected if CruP was a lycopene cyclase. Instead, we show that CruP aids in preventing accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), thereby reducing accumulation of β-carotene-5,6-epoxide, a ROS-catalyzed autoxidation product, and inhibiting accumulation of anthocyanins, which are known chemical indicators of ROS. Plants with a nonfunctional cruP accumulate substantially higher levels of ROS and β-carotene-5,6-epoxide in green tissues. Plants overexpressing cruP show reduced levels of ROS, β-carotene-5,6-epoxide, and anthocyanins. The observed up-regulation of cruP transcripts under photoinhibitory and lipid peroxidation-inducing conditions, such as high light stress, cold stress, anoxia, and low levels of CO(2), fits with a role for CruP in mitigating the effects of ROS. Phylogenetic distribution of CruP in prokaryotes showed that the gene is only present in cyanobacteria that live in habitats characterized by large variation in temperature and inorganic carbon availability. Therefore, CruP represents a unique target for developing resilient plants and algae needed to supply food and biofuels in the face of global climate change.

Edible Myrciaria vexator fruits: bioactive phenolics for potential COPD therapy

The edible fruits of Myrciaria vexator McVaugh (Myrtaceae), from northern South America, are eaten in certain locales, either fresh or processed into jellies and drinks. Activity-guided fractionation of M. vexator resulted in identification of ellagic acid (1), cyanidin-3-O-glucoside (2), delphinidin-3-O-glucoside (3), 2-O-(3,4-dihydroxybenzoyl)-2,4,6-trihydroxyphenylacetic acid (4), and jaboticabin (5), and latter two compounds are being reported for the first time in this species. Ellagic acid was further examined, and found to inhibit cigarette smoke extract induced MMP-1 expression in vitro, and may be of significance in the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary (COPD). Other compounds identified for the first time from M. vexator include cyanidin-3-O-galactoside (6), cyanidin-3-O-arabinoside (7), cyanidin-3-O-rutionoside (8), petunidin (9), peonidin-3-O-galactoside (10) malvidin (11), hyperoside (12), querecetin-3-O-glucoside (13), and guajaverin (14), methyl protocatechuate (15), and protocatechuic acid (16).

Glycosides from the methanol extract of Notopterygium incisum

Five new (1-5) and twelve known (6-17) different types of glycosides together with a known sesquiterpene triol (18) were isolated from the methanol extract of the rhizomes of Notopterygium incisum. The new structures were elucidated by means of spectroscopic and chemical methods to be pregn-5-en-3 β,20( S)-diol-3- O-bis-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(l → 2,1 → 6)-β-D-glucopyranoside (1), oleuropeic aldehyde 8-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (2), 2( R)-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-propane-1,3-diol-1-O- β-D-glucopyranoside (3), eudesman-3 α,4 α,11-triol-11-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (4), and marmesin-11-O-β-D-glucopyranosyl-(1 → 6)-β-D-glucopyranoside (5). The absolute configuration of the aglycone in compound 3 was assigned by application of Klyne's rule.

Cytotoxic triterpenoids and steroids from the bark of Melia azedarach

Two new triterpenoids (1, 2) and two new steroids (3, 4) along with twelve related known compounds (5-16) were isolated from the bark of Melia azedarach. The new structures were elucidated by means of spectroscopic methods and molecular modeling studies and found to be 21,24-cycloeupha-7-ene-3 β,16 β,21 α,25-tetrol (1), 3 β-acetoxy-12 β-hydroxy-eupha-7,24-dien-21,16 β-olide (2), 29-hydroperoxy-stigmasta-7,24(28) E-dien-3 β-ol (3), and 24 ξ-hydroperoxy-24-vinyl-lathosterol (4). All isolated compounds were tested for their cytotoxic activity against three human cancer cell lines (A549, H460, HGC27) using the CellTiter Glo™ luminescent cell viability assay. Among them, compounds 2- 4, 24 ξ-hydroperoxy-24-vinyl-cholesterol (6), kulinone (7), meliastatin 3 ( 8), 3-oxo-olean-12-en-28-oic acid (10), and (22 E,24 S)-5 α,8 α-epidioxy-24-methyl-cholesta-6,22-dien-3 β-ol (12) were found to have cytotoxic effects, with IC₅₀ values of 5.6-21.2 µg/mL.

Triterpenoids and steroids from the fruits of Melia toosendan and their cytotoxic effects on two human cancer cell lines

Ten new triterpenoids, named meliasenins I-R (1-10), one new steroid (11), and 11 related known compounds (12-22) were isolated from fruits of Melia toosendan. The structures of the new compounds were established on the basis of spectroscopic methods, including 2D NMR techniques and mass spectrometry. The relative configuration of 1, (20R*,23E)-25-hydroperoxyeupha-7,23-diene-3β,16β-diol (meliasenin I), was confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. All isolated triterpenoids (1-10, 12-15) and two steroids (11, 20) were tested for their cytotoxicity against U20S human osteosarcoma and MCF-7 human breast cancer cells using the MTT assay, and some of them were significantly cytotoxic (IC(50) <10 μg/mL). The insecticidal properties of compounds 1-15 and 20 were also briefly evaluated.

Antiproliferative and apoptotic activities of linear furocoumarins from Notopterygium incisum on cancer cell lines

Bioassay-guided fractionation of the antiproliferative chloroform extract of the traditional Chinese medicine Qiang-Huo (Notopterygium incisum) led to the isolation of nine linear furocoumarins (1- 9). All the isolates were tested against two human cancer cell lines (HepG-2 and MCF-7) and a rat cancer cell line (C6) using the MTT assay method. Among them, notopol (1), notopterol (2), 5-[(2 E,5 Z)-7-hydroxy-3,7-dimethyl-2,5-octadienoxy]psoralene (3), and 5-[(2,5)-epoxy-3-hydroxy-3,7-dimethyl-6-octenoxy]psoralene (4) showed significant antiproliferative activity against the HepG-2 and C6 cancer cell lines, with IC(50) values of 7.7-24.8 microg/mL (5-FU: ca. 5 microg/mL). Compounds 1- 3 also showed moderate cytotoxicity against the MCF-7 cancer cell line, with IC(50) values of 39.4-61.3 microg/mL (5-FU: 17.3 microg/mL). The cell cycle-specific inhibition and apoptosis induced by compounds 1 and 2 were determined using flow cytometry. The structure-activity relationship (SAR) is briefly discussed herein. It was found that the presence of a free hydroxy at the lipophilic side chain linked to C-5 of the linear furocoumarins was essential for their in vitro antiproliferative activity.

Steroids from the leaves of Chinese Melia azedarach and their cytotoxic effects on human cancer cell lines

Three new (1-3) and several known (4-6) steroids were isolated from the leaves of Chinese Melia azedarach. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by means of spectroscopic methods including 2D NMR techniques and mass spectrometry to be (20S)-5,24(28)-ergostadiene-3beta,7alpha,16beta,20-tetrol (1), (20S)-5-ergostene-3beta,7alpha,16beta,20-tetrol (2), and 2alpha,3beta-dihydro-5-pregnen-16-one (3). The cytotoxicities of the isolated compounds against three human cancer cell lines (A549, H460, U251) were evaluated; only compounds 1, 2, and (20S)-5-stigmastene-3beta,7alpha,20-triol (4) were found to show significant cyctotoxic effects with IC(50)s from 12.0 to 30.1 microg/mL.

New guaiane sesquiterpenes and furanocoumarins from Notopterygium incisum

In addition to twenty-nine known compounds, two new guaiane sesquiterpenes and two new furanocoumarins were isolated from the chloroform extract of the rhizomes of Notopterygium incisum. The new structures were elucidated by means of spectroscopic methods including 2 D NMR techniques and mass spectrometry to be 8 beta-acetoxy-4 alpha,6 alpha-dihydroxy-1 alpha,5 alpha( H)-guai-9-ene (incisumdiol A, 1), 4 alpha,6 alpha-dihydroxy-1 alpha,5 alpha( H)-guai-9-ene (incisumdiol B, 2), 5-[(2 E,5 Z)-7-hydroxy-3,7-dimethyl-2,5-octadienoxy]psoralene ( 3) and 5-[(2,5)-epoxy-3-hydroxy-3,7-dimethyl-6-octenoxy]psoralene ( 4).

Suppression of 5-lipoxygenase gene is involved in triptolide-induced apoptosis in pancreatic tumor cell lines

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is characterized by a poor prognosis and lack of response to conventional therapy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of triptolide (TL) on proliferation and apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells in vitro. We found that TL induced prominent growth inhibition and apoptosis in human pancreatic cell lines. In addition, TL treatment significantly down-regulated 5-lipoxygenase (5-LOX) expression, as well as downstream leukotriene B4 (LTB4) production, in these cell lines. Furthermore, overexpression of 5-LOX in SW1990 cell lines or exogenous LTB4 made them more resistant to TL-induced apoptosis, which was correlated with increased Bcl-2 expression. Taken together, these findings suggest that inhibition of the 5-LOX pathway of arachidonic acid metabolism is associated with the anti-proliferation activity of TL. We also provide evidence that TL has clinical therapeutic value for patients with pancreatic cancer.

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) frequency among patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma in Taiwan

In order to assess the association between human leukocyte antigens (HLA) and nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC), a total of 10 familial and 10 sporadic NPC patients and 171 unrelated healthy controls were studied. HLA typing was performed using commercial trays which defined 30 specificities of HLA-A, B and C loci and 10 specificities of HLA-D locus according to the method of Tiwari and Terasaki. HLA-A2, B16 and DR1 were found to be higher among patients with NPC than unrelated healthy controls with an odds ratio (OR) and a 95% confidence interval of 5.91 (2.1-16.6), 6.00 (2.0-18.0) and 6.89 (1.3-37.5), respectively. Further analysis showed that A2(+) B16(+) haplotype was significantly associated with a much higher risk of NPC (OR = 15.5) as compared with A2(-) B16(-) haplotype. No difference in frequency distributions of HLA-A, B, C and D antigens was observed between familial and sporadic NPC patients.

Discovery and epidemiology of PCB poisoning in Taiwan: a four-year followup

An outbreak of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) poisoning from the consumption of contaminated rice oil, covering four counties in central Taiwan, was investigated. There were 1843 cases by the end of 1980. The highest frequency of incidence occurred during the period from March to July 1979. The severity of clinical manifestations varied. Most patients showed symptoms of mild or moderate severity. The major age group affected was between 11 and 20 years old. Most of the victims were students and factory workers. The amount of PCB intake in each victim was estimated to be 0.7 to 1.84 g and the latent period from the time of intake to the onset of clinical manifestations was approximately 3 to 4 months. The patients' blood PCB concentrations ranged from 3 ppb to 1156 ppb; 44.27% of 613 patients had levels of 51 to 100 ppb and 27.6% PCB blood levels over 100 ppb. In the course of 3.5 years, 2061 persons were determined to be PCB poisoning victims. Now, except for a few severe cases, their skin symptoms are very much improved. Thirty-nine babies showing hyperpigmentation were born from PCB-poisoned mothers. The fatality rate was high: eight of them died. Another 24 deaths were reported among the PCB-poisoned group, almost half of them (12) from hepatoma, liver cirrhosis or liver diseases with hepatomegaly.