A comprehensive analysis of the Bencao(herbal)small RNA Atlas reveals novel RNA therapeutics for treating human diseases

Cross-kingdom herbal mi RNA was first reported in 2012.Using a modified herbal extraction protocol,we obtained 73,677,287sequences by RNA-seq from 245 traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM),of which 20,758,257 were unique sequences.We constructed a Bencao(herbal)small RNA(s RNA)Atlas(http://bencao.bmicc.cn),annotated the sequences by sequence-based clustering,and created a nomenclature system for Bencao s RNAs.The profiles of 21,757 mi RNAs in the Atlas were highly consistent with those of plant mi RNAs in mi RBase.Using software tools,our results demonstrated that all human genes might be regulated by s RNAs from the Bencao s RNA Atlas,part of the predicted human target genes were experimentally validated,suggesting that Bencao s RNAs might be one of the main bioactive components of herbal medicines.We established roadmaps for oligonucleotide drugs development and optimization of TCM prescriptions.Moreover,the decoctosome,a lipo-nano particle consisting of 0.5%–2.5%of the decoction,demonstrated potent medical effects.We propose a Bencao(herbal)Index,including small-molecule compounds(SM),protein peptides(P),nucleic acid(N),non-nucleic and non-proteinogenic large-molecule compounds(LM)and elements from Mendeleev's periodic table(E),to quantitatively measure the medical effects of botanic medicine.The Bencao s RNA Atlas is a resource for developing gene-targeting oligonucleotide drugs and optimizing botanical medicine,and may provide potential remedies for the theory and practice of one medicine.

Orally administered BZL-s RNA-20 oligonucleotide targeting TLR4 effectively ameliorates acute lung injury in mice

The global COVID-19 pandemic emerged at the end of December 2019.Acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS)and acute lung injury(ALI)are common lethal outcomes of bacterial lipopolysaccharide(LPS),avian influenza virus,and SARS-Co V-2.Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)is a key target in the pathological pathway of ARDS and ALI.Previous studies have reported that herbal small RNAs(s RNAs)are a functional medical component.BZL-s RNA-20(Accession number:B59471456;Family ID:F2201.Q001979.B11)is a potent inhibitor of Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)and pro-inflammatory cytokines.Furthermore,BZLs RNA-20 reduces intracellular levels of cytokines induced by lipoteichoic acid(LTA)and polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid(poly(I:C)).We found that BZL-s RNA-20 rescued the viability of cells infected with avian influenza H5N1,SARS-Co V-2,and several of its variants of concern(VOCs).Acute lung injury induced by LPS and SARS-Co V-2 in mice was significantly ameliorated by the oral medical decoctosome mimic(bencaosome;sphinganine(d22:0)+BZL-s RNA-20).Our findings suggest that BZLs RNA-20 could be a pan-anti-ARDS/ALI drug.

Herbal small RNAs in patients with COVID-19 linked to reduced DEG expression

In China,more than 80%of patients with coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)received traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)as a treatment and their clinical efficacy have been reported.However,the underlying molecular mechanism remains unclear.Previous studies have identified herbal small RNAs(s RNAs)as novel functional components.In this study,a cohort of 22patients with COVID-19 treated with Toujie Quwen(TQ)granules was analyzed.We observed thousands of herbal small RNAs that entered the blood cells of patients after the consumption of TQ granules.In response to this treatment,the reduced differentially expressed genes(DEGs)were highly correlated with the predicted target genes of the most prevalent herbal s RNAs detected in the blood.Moreover,the predicted target genes of the top 30 s RNAs from each of the 245 TCMs in the Bencao s RNA Atlas overlapped with 337 upregulated DEGs in patients with mild COVID-19,and 33 TCMs,with more than 50%overlapping genes were identified as effective TCMs.These predicted target genes of top 30 s RNAs from Juhong,Gualoupi and Foshou were confirmed experimentally.Our results not only elucidated a novel molecular mechanism of TCM potential clinical efficacy for COVID-19 patients,but also provided 33 effective COVID-19 TCMs for prescription optimization.

Clinical and biochemical indexes from 2019-nCoV infected patients linked to viral loads and lung injury

The outbreak of the 2019-nCoV infection began in December 2019 in Wuhan,Hubei province,and rapidly spread to many provinces in China as well as other countries.Here we report the epidemiological,clinical,laboratory,and radiological characteristics,as well as potential biomarkers for predicting disease severity in 2019-nCoV-infected patients in Shenzhen,China.All 12 cases of the 2019-nCoV-infected patients developed pneumonia and half of them developed acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).The most common laboratory abnormalities were hypoalbuminemia,lymphopenia,decreased percentage of lymphocytes (LYM) and neutrophils (NEU),elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH),and decreased CD8 count.The viral load of 2019-nCoV detected from patient respiratory tracts was positively linked to lung disease severity.ALB,LYM,LYM (%),LDH,NEU (%),and CRP were highly correlated to the acute lung injury.Age,viral load,lung injury score,and blood biochemistry indexes,albumin (ALB),CRP,LDH,LYM (%),LYM,and NEU (%),may be predictors of disease severity.Moreover,the Angiotensin Ⅱlevel in the plasma sample from 2019-nCoV infected patients was markedly elevated and linearly associated to viral load and lung injury.Our results suggest a number of potential diagnosis biomarkers and angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) drugs for potential repurposing treatment of 2019-nCoV infection.