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Excess levels of chemical hepatotoxicants (alcohol, aflatoxin B1), oxidative drugs (acetaminophen) and some cytokines (ET-1, TGF-β1) can induce chronic or acute liver injury. After these, the severe hepatic disease, especially the liver fibrosis (LF) occurs without taking measures, which brings threat to human health. The dibenzocyclooctadiene lignans of S. chinensis (SCDLs) were found to act as the hepatoprotective components via blocking endothelin B receptor (ETBR). While study on its anti-LF mechanisms especially for its refined compound of schisantherin D (SC-D) is still a lack. So this study aims to investigate the anti-fibrosis effect of SC-D with in vitro and in vivo assays. Bioinformatics analysis revealed the close relations of ETBR to Smad2, Smad3, Nrf2, etc. in LF-related signaling pathways (such as TGF-β/Smad and Nrf2/ARE). Histopathological staining on livers showed the recovery trend in SC-D treated LF mice. SC-D also modulated expressions of ETBR and fibrosis or anti-oxidative related proteins (such as TIMP1, p-Smad2/3, Nrf2, Smad7, etc.) in LF mice livers. Serum levels of TNF-α, COLI, ALT, AST and LDH in SC-D treated mice were also downregulated compared with LF mice, and upregulated expression of GSH. In vitro studies, SC-D also modulated expressions of LF-related proteins to the normal tendency in LX-2 cell, while weakened its anti- LX-2 proliferation effect by transfections of si-Smad7 or si-Nrf2. Accordingly the anti-LF approach of SC-D showed relations with modulating ETBR linked fibrosis and anti-oxidative related signaling. Also, Smad7 and Nrf2 might be the key factors for SC-D mediated anti-LF effect.

The study aimed to investigate the antitumor effects of Trapa acornis husks (TAH) extract on SK-BR-3 cells of Her2-positive breast cancer. The bioactive compounds of TAH extracts were analyzed qual...

An investigation on the extract from the plant Trichilia sinensis Bentv. led to the isolation of 13 new limonoids (1−13), in which two were of khayalactone skeleton and 11 were phragmalin-type limonoids, and eight known phragmalin-type limonoids (14–21). Their structures were elucidated by using spectroscopic techniques and HRESIMS experiment. Compounds 6 and 17 displayed potent protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B inhibitory activity with IC50 values of 1.2 ± 0.1 and 8.1 ± 0.5 μM, respectively.

Chemical hepatotoxicity, especially alcoholic liver injury (ALI), commonly occurs in young and middle-aged people who drink heavily. ALI is extremely harmful and can induce severe disease states, such as hepatitis, liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, or liver cancer, which are similar to CClThis study sought to elucidate the mechanisms underlying SCDL-mediated hepatoprotection.We first used in silico target prediction and computational simulation methods to identify putative lignan-binding targets relative to the hepatoprotective effect. A gene microarray analysis was performed to identify differently expressed genes that might have significance in the disease pathological process. We then used histological analyses in a mice hepatotoxicity model to test the effectiveness of SCDLs in vivo, and a hepatocellular toxicity model to analyze the candidate-compound-mediated hepatoprotection and expression states of the key targets in vitro.The in silico analysis results indicated that endothelin receptor B (ETBR/EDNRB) is likely a significant node during the liver pathological change process and a promising key target for the SCDL compound schisantherin D on the hepatoprotective effect; experimental studies showed that schisantherin D alleviated the EtOH- and ET-1-induced HL-7702 cell (belongs to liver parenchymal cell lines) injury ratio, decreased the expression of ETBR, and inhibited ECMs and ET-1 secretion in LX-2 cells (one form of hepatic stellate cells). SCDLs ameliorated EtOH- and CClThe findings indicated that SCDLs prevent hepatotoxicity via their anti-fibrotic, anti-oxidant, and anti-apoptosis properties. ETBR may be the key factor in promoting chemical hepatotoxicity.

Ethnopharmacological relevance Chemical hepatotoxicity, especially alcoholic liver injury (ALI), commonly occurs in young and middle-aged people who drink heavily. ALI is extremely harmful and can induce severe disease states, such as hepatitis, liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, or liver cancer, which are similar to CCl4-induced liver disease states in animals. In recent studies, the pathological changes of hepatocytes and the hepatic stellate cell have shown a significant connection between endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and the development of liver pathology in patients. However, the detailed pathological mechanism needs to be further studied. Schisandra chinensis, (S. chinensis), a fruit-bearing vine used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM), has been used to treat chronic or acute diseases, including liver disease. S. chinensis-derived lignans (SCDLs) in particular have been shown to alleviate liver pathological changes. Aim of the study This study sought to elucidate the mechanisms underlying SCDL-mediated hepatoprotection. Materials and methods We first used in silico target prediction and computational simulation methods to identify putative lignan-binding targets relative to the hepatoprotective effect. A gene microarray analysis was performed to identify differently expressed genes that might have significance in the disease pathological process. We then used histological analyses in a mice hepatotoxicity model to test the effectiveness of SCDLs in vivo, and a hepatocellular toxicity model to analyze the candidate-compound-mediated hepatoprotection and expression states of the key targets in vitro. Results The in silico analysis results indicated that endothelin receptor B (ETBR/EDNRB) is likely a significant node during the liver pathological change process and a promising key target for the SCDL compound schisantherin D on the hepatoprotective effect; experimental studies showed that schisantherin D alleviated the EtOH- and ET-1-induced HL-7702 cell (belongs to liver parenchymal cell lines) injury ratio, decreased the expression of ETBR, and inhibited ECMs and ET-1 secretion in LX-2 cells (one form of hepatic stellate cells). SCDLs ameliorated EtOH- and CCl4-induced fibrosis formation in mice liver tissue. Liver tissue western blots of SCDL-treated mice showed downregulated α-SMA, ETBR, PLCβ, CHOP, Bax, and the apoptotic factors of cleaved-caspase 12, cleaved-caspase 9, and cleaved-caspase 3 hinted at an anti-apoptosis and hepatoprotective effect. The SCDL treatment also elevated serum glutathione (GSH) and reduced the serum-transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) level. Conclusion The findings indicated that SCDLs prevent hepatotoxicity via their anti-fibrotic, anti-oxidant, and anti-apoptosis properties. ETBR may be the key factor in promoting chemical hepatotoxicity.

The paper focused on a self-developed methodology through using sulfur dioxide to deal with high concentration of chromium-containing wastewater. It studied the effects of different pH values, different reaction time, different temperatures and different amounts of sulfur with sulfur dioxide reduction reaction on the chromium-containing wastewater. The results showed that: when the reaction conditions were controlled as follows: the pH values ranged from 2 to 4, the reaction temperature was controlled 40~60°C, the amount of sulfur in theoretical was 1.2 times and the reaction time was 40 min, the hexavalent chromium in the high concentrations of chromium-containing wastewater could be effectively removed.

In this note we show an empirical formula of quark masses, which is found by implementing a least squares fit. In this formula the measured QCD coupling is almost a "best fitting coupling".

In this paper a cell-centered discretization scheme for the heterogeneous and anisotropic diffusion problems is proposed on general polygonal meshes. The unknowns are the values at the cell center and the scheme relies on linearity-preserving criterion and the use of the harmonic averaging points located at the interface of heterogeneity. Numerical results show that our scheme is robust, and the optimal convergence rates are verified on general distorted meshes in case that the diffusion tensor is taken to be anisotropic, at times discontinuous.

The safe and real-time monitoring of the production process of acetic acid is always a key technical problem. The conventional online chromatographic analysis can't satisfy the requirements of real-time analysis for its inherent disadvantages. A new type of on-line near-infrared analysis system has been developed for real-time analysis of the concentration of each component in acetic acid reaction kettles instantly. Its features and configuration were described in detail. Both the laboratory modeling and field application results have confirmed that this system is of high stability and accuracy. The proposed system can effectively solve the key technical problems in the manufacture and ensure the safety and stability of production process of acetic acid.

To explore the method of synthesizing the A beta(1-15) multiple antigen peptide (MAP) vaccine and to identify its quality and the immunological activity.MAP A beta(1-15) was synthesized by indirect conjugation and analyzed by RP-HPLC,SDA-PAGE and amino acid analysis. Then, C57BL/6 mice were immunized with synthesized MAP A beta(1-15). The specific anti-A beta antibody in the sera of the immunized mice was identified by ELSA.There was a high and wide peak wave in the RP-HPLC chromatogram. The 8 protein bands identified by SDA-PAGE was identical with 1 to 8 branch of MAP A beta(1-15). The amino acid sequence of synthesized MAP A beta(1-15) was almost similar with the standard. High titer of anti A beta antibody was obtained in the C57BL/6 mice immunized with MAP A beta(1-15).MAP A beta(1-15) could be synthesized successfully by indirect conjugation and the synthesized MAP A beta(1-15) had satisfactory immune activity. But the purification of the synthesized complex remained to be a problem.