Immunomodulatory effects of crude phenylethanoid glycosides from Ligustrum purpurascens

Ethnopharmacological relevance

Ligustrum purpurascens, named as “Ku ding cha”, has been used as a kind of functional tea in southern China for about two thousand years, which has the effects on diuresis, anti-hypertension, weight-loss and anti-inflammation.

The aim of the study

This study was aimed to investigate the immune enhancement effects of the crude phenylethanoid glycosides (CPGs) from Ligustrum. Purpurascens on mice and analyze the chemical profiles of phenylethanoid glycosides in the CPGs.

Materials and methods

The immune functions enhancing potential of CPGs was determined using serum hemolysin antibody, phagocytosis, splenocyte antibody production, and NK cells activity assays. The contents of five major constituents in the crude glycosides of Ligustrum purpurascens were determined by using liquid chromatography, other five glycosides were deduced according to their UV and MS spectra compared with the literature as well.

Results

In the immunizing experiment, mice treated with different doses of CPGs showed an increase (p<0.01) in the haemagglutination titre compared with the control group. The increases (p<0.05) were found to be significant at doses of 440 mg/kg and 1.32 g/kg in the experiments of antibody production of spleen cells, MΦ phagocytosis of chicken RBCs and NK cell activity. Further chemical characterization yielded 10 constituents from CPGs, five glycosides were quantified by HPLC and the structures of other five compounds were speculated according to their UV and MS spectra.

Conclusion

The results suggested that phenylethanoid glycosides from Ligustrum purpurascens have immunomodulatory effects on mice.     

灵芝多糖对小鼠免疫功能的影响(英文)

灵芝Canoderma lucidum[(Leyss.ex Fr.)Karst.]是滋补强壮、扶正固本的珍贵药物,灵芝多糖是灵芝的重要有效成分之一。国内外学者的研究证实,灵芝多糖有显著的抗肿瘤作用,能显著提高小鼠腹腔巨噬细胞的吞噬功能,增强诱发的迟发过敏反应。 为了进一步观察灵芝多糖对机体免疫功能的影响,并深入探讨其作用机制,本文从以下几方面观察     

蛋白酶体抑制剂MG132对动脉粥样硬化的影响

目的观察蛋白酶体抑制剂MG132对动脉粥样硬化的影响。方法将新西兰白兔30只随机分成高脂组、MG132(1)组和MG132(2)组。3组兔普通饲料喂养1w后行颈动脉球囊损伤术,术后高脂饲料(含1%胆固醇、3%猪油和15%蛋黄)喂养;MG132(1)组在术后高脂饲料喂养的同时血管局部应用蛋白酶体抑制剂MG132;MG132(2)组在术后高脂饲料喂养4w后血管局部应用蛋白酶体抑制剂MG132;3组均喂养8w后取颈总动脉血管制成病理切片行HE染色。结果高脂组兔的右颈总动脉管壁呈动脉粥样硬化改变。MG132(1)组兔右颈动脉血管组织结构基本正常。MG132(2)组兔的右颈总动脉管腔介于二者之间。结论局部应用蛋白酶体抑制剂MG132能够抑制血管内膜增生及动脉粥样形成,同时可能具有稳定斑块的作用。     

A fluorescence resonance energy transfer-based fluorometer assay for screening anti-coxsackievirus B3 compounds

In view of the need to develop a simple and rapid method to screen for antiviral therapeutic agents, a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based reporter system consisting of engineered mammalian cells expressing a cyan fluorescent protein-yellow fluorescent protein (CFP-YFP) pair linked by a short peptide containing the cleavage site of viral protease 2A (2A^pro) was developed. By detecting the 2A^pro produced early during the virus infection cycle, the CFP-YFP pair effectively identifies infectious coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3), a picornavirus that causes viral myocarditis in humans. The reporter system was used to screen a library of 2000 drugs and natural products for potential antiviral compounds. The reporter cells were treated with the test compounds, challenged with CVB3, and then examined using a fluorometer at 24 h post-infection. Sixty-four compounds, mostly therapeutic drugs, antimicrobial compounds and compounds with unknown functions, caused at least 50% inhibition of 2A^pro activity. Three known antiviral compounds, cosmosiin, ribavirin and baicalein, were also identified in the screening. The developed method is an effective strategy for rapid screening, and identifies compounds that inhibit CVB3 2A^pro. This method should be a valuable aid in the antiviral drug discovery effort.     

Relation of stiffness parameter β to carotid arteriosclerosis and silent cerebral infarction in patients on chronic hemodialysis

Objective   Aortic stiffness measured by pulse wave velocity (PWV) predicts all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in hemodialysis (HD) patients. However, there is a lack of information on stiffness parameter β, another index of arterial stiffness, in HD patients. The aim of the present study was to investigate the clinical usefulness of stiffness parameter β in HD patients. Materials and methods   We compared the relation of stiffness parameter β to carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and plaque score estimated by carotid ultrasound and investigated the relationship between stiffness parameter β and silent cerebral infarction (SCI) in 64 HD patients. Results   Stiffness parameter β was positively correlated with mean IMT (r = 0.318, P = 0.0113) and plaque score (r = 0.672, P < 0.0001). Stepwise regression analysis revealed that pulse pressure and age were found to be independent determinants of stiffness parameter β (partial correlation coefficients: β = 0.501 and P < 0.0001 for pulse pressure, β = 0.488 and P < 0.0001 for age). In addition, stiffness parameter β in patients with SCI (12.2 ± 3.9) was significantly higher than those (8.0 ± 2.4) in patients without SCI. However, there was no significant difference in mean IMT and plaque score in both groups. Conclusion   These results suggest that arteriosclerosis assessed by stiffness parameter β is associated with atherosclerotic changes of carotid arteries and with the presence of SCI in HD patients.     

AT1 blockade attenuates atherosclerotic plaque destabilization accompanied by the suppression of cathepsin S activity in apoE-deficient mice

Although it has been suggested that the renin–angiotensin (RA) system and cathepsins contribute to the development and vulnerability of atherosclerotic plaque, the interaction of the RA system and cathepsins is unclear. Thus, we investigated the effects of an angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1) antagonist, olmesartan, on the levels of cathepsins in brachiocephalic atherosclerotic plaque and plaque stabilization in apolipoprotein E (apoE)-deficient mice receiving a high-fat diet.Under a high fat diet, treatment with olmesartan (3 mg/kg per day) maintained collagen and elastin at high levels and attenuated the plaque development and cathepsin S (Cat S) level in the atherosclerotic plaque of apoE-deficient mice. The administration of olmesartan suppressed the accumulation of macrophages in plaque. Immunoreactivities of Cat S and AT1 were observed in macrophages. The amount of Cat S mRNA and the macrophage-mediated collagenolytic and elastolytic activities in cultured macrophages were increased by exposure to angiotensin II (Ang II), and these effects were diminished by olmesartan and the NADPH-oxidase inhibitor apocynin. These results suggested that Cat S derived from macrophages is involved in the mechanisms of atherosclerotic plaque vulnerability, and AT1 blocker maintained the plaque stabilization alongside the suppression of Cat S and macrophage activities.     

The influence of text messaging on oral hygiene effectiveness

Objective:To investigate whether text message reminders regarding oral hygiene have an effect on plaque removal in orthodontic patients.Materials and Methods:In this randomized, controlled clinical trial, 50 orthodontic patients were assigned to either a text message or control group. Patients in the text message group received 12 text messages over the course of 4 weeks and one text message for 8 weeks thereafter. Photos were taken at baseline (T0), at 4 weeks after baseline (T1), and at 12 weeks after baseline (T2). For each subject, photos of eight teeth were taken and then the area of the tooth and amount of plaque were measured using planimetry.Results:There was a statistically significant difference in plaque coverage between baseline and both T1 and T2 in the text message group as measured using planimetry. This was demonstrated by comparing the average measurements of the control group and the treatment group.Conclusion:This study demonstrated that the use of automated text message reminders sent from an orthodontic office was effective in improving oral hygiene compliance in orthodontic patients.