Phylogenetic Analysis among Maize Exserohilum turcicum Isolates from Yunnan Province by RAPD

[ Objective ] This study aimed to investigate the genetic variation of Yunnan Exserohilum turcicum isolates from molecular level, and provide theoretical basis for E. turcicum pathogenicity virulence differentiation and effective control of disease. [Method] A total of 56 E. turc/cum isolates from some areas of Yunnan Province were analyzed by RAPD. Based on the genetic distance, a dendrogram was constructed. [Result] Ten genetic groups were formed in the dendrogram. The RAPD groups had no obvious correlation with geographic origins. Some strains from one area were closely related to some from another area. [ Conclusion] Rich ge- netic variation existed among the tested isolates.

Liquid-liquid extraction pretreatment samples method used for pharmacokinetic study of rhubarb in rats after oral administrated

Objective:Pretreatment of biological samples is the most critical step in pharmacokinetic studies,especially pre-treatment of plasma samples.The pretreatment of biological samples in pharmacokinetic study of Traditional Chinese Medicines (TCM) is difficult due to the complexity of the ingredients.An organic solvent system ethyl acetate:acetone (10:1) solution used for liquid-liquid extraction has been developed in this study and compared with the commonly used protein precipitation method.Methods:Rats,Beagle dogs and humans plasma samples were adopted in this study in order to demonstrate the universality of the pretreatment method.Feasibility of this pretreatment method was also verified through its application to the pharmacokinetics of rhubarb in rats.Results:According to the results of extraction recovery matrix effect,it was indicated that the liquid-liquid extraction methods with new organic solvent might be suitable for variety of structures of compounds and various types of plasma samples.The pharmacokinetic study result showed that the developed pretreatment method could successfully be used for simultaneous determination of three active compounds modin,emodin-8-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (EDG) and rhein in rat plasma with high sensitivity,accuracy,and recovery by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).Conclusion:The pretreatment method of liquid-liquid extraction methods with new organic solvent could be successfully applied for multi-component pharmacokinetics of TCM.

Biomarkers of aging

Aging biomarkers are a combination of biological parameters to(i)assess age-related changes,(ii)track the physiological aging process,and(iii)predict the transition into a pathological status.Although a broad spectrum of aging biomarkers has been developed,their potential uses and limitations remain poorly characterized.An immediate goal of biomarkers is to help us answer the following three fundamental questions in aging research:How old are we?Why do we get old?And how can we age slower?This review aims to address this need.Here,we summarize our current knowledge of biomarkers developed for cellular,organ,and organismal levels of aging,comprising six pillars:physiological characteristics,medical imaging,histological features,cellular alterations,molecular changes,and secretory factors.To fulfill all these requisites,we propose that aging biomarkers should qualify for being specific,systemic,and clinically relevant.

Heat shock factor 1 in fat biology: comments on ‘Local hyperthermia therapy induces browning of white fat and treats obesity’

Beige fat,a newly discovered adipose tissue featuring high functional flexibility,exhibits the characteristics of white fat at rest,but can be activated to function like brown fat under cold or β-adrenergic stimulation via a process termed‘browning of white fat’.This activation enables beige fat to greatly promote heat production and energy consumption,as well as to improve systemic glucose and lipid metabolism.Beige fat also exists in supraclavicular and paraspinal regions in human adults,which endows its great potential forintervention ofobesityandmetabolic diseases.

Aristolochic acids exposure was not the main cause of liver tumorigenesis in adulthood

Aristolochic acids(AAs) have long been considered as a potent carcinogen due to its nephrotoxicity. Aristolochic acid I(AAI) reacts with DNA to form covalent aristolactam(AL)-DNA adducts,leading to subsequent A to T transversion mutation, commonly referred as AA mutational signature. Previous research inferred that AAs were widely implicated in liver cancer throughout Asia. In this study, we explored whether AAs exposure was the main cause of liver cancer in the context of HBV infection in China's Mainland. Totally 1256 liver cancer samples were randomly retrieved from 3 medical centers and a refined bioanalytical method was used to detect AAI-DNA adducts. 5.10% of these samples could be identified as AAI positive exposure. Whole genome sequencing suggested 8.41% of 107 liver cancer patients exhibited the dominant AA mutational signature, indicating a relatively low overall AAI exposure rate. In animal models, long-term administration of AAI barely increased liver tumorigenesis in adult mice, opposite from its tumor-inducing role when subjected to infant mice. Furthermore, AAI induced dose-dependent accumulation of AA-DNA adduct in target organs in adult mice, with the most detected in kidney instead of liver. Taken together, our data indicate that AA exposure was not the major threat of liver cancer in adulthood.

The roles of zinc finger proteins in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD)is a common chronic disease characterized by excessive fat accumulation in hepatocytes in the absence of alcohol consumption.Modern trends towards excessive calorie intake and sedentary life styles have increased the prevalence of NAFLD accompanied by obesity and type 2 diabetes.However,the molecular mechanisms underlying the initiation and progression of NAFLD are not clear.Zinc finger proteins(ZFPs)are a superfamily of metalloproteins that contain zinc finger motifs.ZFPs play diverse physiological roles in tissue homeostasis and also contribute to many pathological conditions,including metabolic,cardiovascular,and neurodegenerative diseases and various types of cancer.In this review,we highlight our current knowledge of several ZFPs that play critical roles in the progression of NAFLD,describe their mechanistic functional networks,and discuss the potential for ZFPs as therapeutic targets for NAFLD.