On the road towards the global analysis of human synapses

Synapses are essential units for the flow of information in the brain.Over the last 70 years,synapses have been widely studied in multiple animal models including worms,fruit flies,and rodents.In comparison,the study of human synapses has evolved significantly slower,mainly because of technical limitations.However,three novel methods allowing the analysis of molecular,morphological,and functional properties of human synapses may expand our knowledge of the human brain.Here,we briefly describe these methods,and evaluate how the information provided by each unique approach may contribute to the functional and anatomical analysis of the synaptic component of human brain circuitries.In particular,using tissue from cryopreserved human brains,synaptic plasticity can be studied in isolated synaptosomes by fluorescence analysis of single-synapse long-term potentiation（FASS-LTP）,and subpopulations of synapses can be thoroughly assessed in the ribbons of brain tissue by array tomography（AT）.Currently,it is also possible to quantify synaptic density in the living human brain by positron emission tomography（PET）,using a novel synaptic radio-ligand.Overall,data provided by FASS-LTP,AT,and PET may significantly contribute to the global understanding of synaptic structure and function in both healthy and diseased human brains,thus directly impacting translational research.

Two new terpenoids from Reduning Injection

Objective:To study the antipyretic and anti-inflammatory constituents from the active fraction of Reduning(RDN)Injection.Methods:In this study,the active fraction of RDN Injection was screened by the LPS-induced mouse endotoxin shock model.The chemical constituents were isolated by chromatography on HP-20 macroporous adsorptive resins,silica gel,ODS columns and reverse phase MPLC and HPLC repeatedly,and their structures were elucidated based on spectroscopic analysis(HR-ESI-MS,NMR,ECD)and chemical methods.Meanwhile,we evaluated the anti-inflammatory activities of the isolates by measuring their inhibitory effects on TNF-αproduction in LPS stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages.Results:The 95%ethanol eluate of RDN Injection by the macroporous adsorption resin column was proved to be the antipyretic and anti-inflammatory active fraction of this injection.A novel iridoid,named jasminoide A(1),and a new guaiane sesquiterpenoid,named(1 R,7 R,8 S,10 R)-7,8,11-trihydroxy-4-guaien-3-one(2),were isolated from Reduning injection,and compound 2 can inhibit TNF-αproduction with IC50 values of 72.24μmol/L.Conclusion:In this study,two new terpenoids were isolated from Reduning Injection,and compound 2 showed inhibitory activity against LPS-activated TNF-αproduction in RAW 264.7 cells in vitro.

二妙丸HPLC指纹图谱及UPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap成分分析

目的建立二妙丸的HPLC指纹图谱质量评价方法,并对二妙丸中的化学成分进行UPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap定性分析。方法指纹图谱采用HPLC法,色谱柱为Shiseido C18柱(250 mm×4.6 mm,5μm),乙腈-0.1%甲酸水溶液为流动相进行梯度洗脱,体积流量为1.0 m L/min,检测波长为330 nm,以黄柏、苍术混合对照药材生成的色谱图为标准对照图谱,采用"中国药典委员会相似度评价软件(2012A)"对样品进行相似度评价;采用UPLC-LTQ-Orbitrap技术对二妙丸中化学成分进行定性分析,色谱柱为Thermo Scientific Syncronis C18柱(100 mm×2.1 mm,1.9μm),乙腈-0.1%甲酸水溶液梯度洗脱,经DAD检测器后采用LTQ-Orbitrap Elite质谱正离子模式采集,各成分的一级全扫描离子在离子阱内进行CID多级质谱、FT检测高分辨质谱数据分析。结果所建立的指纹图谱有10个共有色谱峰,20批样品的相似度在0.869~0.992。通过对照品指认、文献比对以及高分辨质谱数据解析,鉴定了21个化学成分,分别为neo-chlorogenic acid、木兰箭毒碱、竹叶椒碱、木兰花碱、3-O-feruloylquinic acid、蝙蝠葛碱、demethyleneberberine、oxyberberine、非洲防己碱、药根碱、小檗红碱、巴马汀、小檗碱、丁香酸、咖啡酸、(E)-4-(3-hydroxyprop-1-en1yl)-2-methoxyphenol、白术内酯II、acetosyringone、白术内酯I、selina-4(14),7(11)-dien-8-one、苍术素。结论建立的二妙丸HPLC指纹图谱专属性强,重现性好,结合液质联用技术的定性分析,可全面评价二妙丸的内在质量。