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Despite the significant progress in diagnostic and therapeutic strategies, vascular diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and respiratory diseases, still cannot be successfully eliminated. Vascular cells play a key role in maintaining vascular homeostasis. Notably, a variety of cells produce and secrete platelet-derived growth factors (PDGFs), which promote mitosis and induce the division, proliferation, and migration of vascular cells including vascular smooth muscle cells (SMCs), aortic SMCs, endothelial cells, and airway SMCs. Therefore, PDGF/PDGR receptor signaling pathways play vital roles in regulating the homeostasis of blood vessels and the onset and development of CVDs, such as atherosclerosis, and respiratory diseases including asthma and pulmonary arterial hypertension. Recently, accumulating evidence has demonstrated that microRNA, long-chain non-coding RNA, and circular RNA are involved in the regulation of PDGF/PDGFR signaling pathways through competitive interactions with target mRNAs, contributing to the occurrence and development of the above-mentioned diseases. These novel findings are useful for laboratory research and clinical studies. The aim of this article is to conclude the recent progresses in this field, particular the mechanisms of action of these non-coding RNAs in regulating vascular remodeling, providing potential strategies for the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of vascular-dysfunction-related diseases, particularly CVDs and respiratory diseases.

KNOXs, a type of homeobox genes that encode atypical homeobox proteins, play an essential role in the regulation of growth and development, hormonal response, and abiotic stress in plants. However, the KNOX gene family has not been explored in sweet potato. In this study, through sequence alignment, genomic structure analysis, and phylogenetic characterization, 17, 12 and 11 KNOXs in sweet potato (I. batatas, 2n = 6x = 90) and its two diploid relatives I. trifida (2n = 2x = 30) and I. triloba (2n = 2x = 30) were identified. The protein physicochemical properties, chromosome localization, phylogenetic relationships, gene structure, protein interaction network, cis-elements of promoters, tissue-specific expression and expression patterns under hormone treatment and abiotic stresses of these 40 KNOX genes were systematically studied. IbKNOX4, -5, and - 6 were highly expressed in the leaves of the high-yield varieties Longshu9 and Xushu18. IbKNOX3 and IbKNOX8 in Class I were upregulated in initial storage roots compared to fibrous roots. IbKNOXs in Class M were specifically expressed in the stem tip and hardly expressed in other tissues. Moreover, IbKNOX2 and - 6, and their homologous genes were induced by PEG/mannitol and NaCl treatments. The results showed that KNOXs were involved in regulating growth and development, hormone crosstalk and abiotic stress responses between sweet potato and its two diploid relatives. This study provides a comparison of these KNOX genes in sweet potato and its two diploid relatives and a theoretical basis for functional studies., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Sophora viciifolia Hance is an edible plant used in traditional Chinese medicine. Sophocarpine, a tetracyclic quinolizidine alkaloid, is one of the most abundant active ingredients in Sophora viciifolia Hance. Here, we study the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects, as well as the acute toxicity of sophocarpine from Sophora viciifolia Hance in mice. Sophocarpine (20, 40, and 80 mg/kgbw) significantly prolonged the delay period before a hot plate reaction occurred (all P < 0.05), and the delay before a tail-flick response was induced by a warm bath ( P < 0.05; P < 0.01). Sophocarpine (40, 80 mg/kg) resulted in dose-dependent inhibition of the writhing reaction induced by acetic acid in mice ( P < 0.05; P < 0.001, respectively). Sophocarpine (80 mg/kg) reduced the total duration of a formalin-induced pain response ( P < 0.05). Sophocarpine prolonged the foot-licking latency of mice after the hot plate reaction, and this effect was antagonized by calcium chloride and enhanced by verapamil. Sophocarpine (20, 40, and 80 mg/kg) significantly inhibited xylene-induced ear edema ( P < 0.01; P < 0.001; P < 0.001, respectively) and the penetration of acetic acid-induced dye into the peritoneal cavity ( P < 0.01; P < 0.01; P < 0.001, respectively). It also reduced the levels of proinflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-1 β , IL-6, and prostaglandin E2 ( P < 0.05, P < 0.01, P < 0.001) and those of serum nitric oxide ( P < 0.05). The results of this study suggest that sophocarpine possesses certain analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities, which may be related to calcium and inhibition of the secretion of inflammatory factors., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 F. L. Wang et al.)

This study investigated the nature and mechanism of juglone-induced apoptosis in the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7. The inhibitory effect of juglone on MCF-7 cell growth was evaluated by the dimethylthiazol tetrazolium assay. Morphological apoptotic changes were characterized using an inverted microscope, Hoechst 33258 fluorescence staining, and Giemsa staining. The rate of cell apoptosis, intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and mitochondrial membrane potential were detected using flow cytometry. Intracellular Ca(2+) concentrations were detected using laser scanning confocal fluorescence microscopy. Expression of the proteins Bcl-2, Bax, and cytochrome C was assessed by western blotting. Caspase-3 activity was quantified using a caspase-3 activity kit. Juglone inhibited the growth of MCF-7 cell line with an IC50 of 11.99 μM. The rates of MCF-7 cell apoptosis at 24 h after exposure to 5, 10, and 20 μM juglone were 9.29, 20.67, and 28.39%, respectively; compared to unexposed cells, juglone-exposed cells exhibited significant elevation in intracellular ROS level, decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential, and increase in intracellular Ca(2+) concentration. Juglone upregulated the expression of Bax, and downregulated the expression of Bcl-2, promoting the release of cytochrome C, thereby upregulating the activity of caspase-3. The results suggest that the mechanism of juglone-induced apoptosis in MCF-7 cells is characterized by elevated ROS levels, reduced Bcl-2 expression, increased Bax expression, decreased mitochondrial membrane potential, increased intracellular Ca(2+) concentration, outer mitochondrial-membrane rupture, cytochrome C release, and caspase-3 activation., Competing Interests: There authors declare no conflict of interest.

For the mixture forge from different types of grassland, trace elements including copper, manganese, iron, zinc and molybdenum were separately determined by ICP-AES using high pressure system-sealed microwave digestion in the habitat of the Przewalski's gazelle in Qinghai Hudong in summer (mid-June), autumn (mid-September) and winter (mid-December). The samples of mixture forage were digested with HNO3-H2O2 acids system. The detection limits of the method for the elements varied from 0.002 to 0.008 microg x g(-1), with relative standard deviations between 0.13% and 4.29%, and the spike recovery ratios for them were in the range from 94.0% to 101.30%. This method was simple, sensitive and precise compared with conventional method, which will provide scientific basis for the research on gazelles habitat condition.

The contents of inorganic elements including K, Ca, Na, Mg, P, S, Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn, Mo, and Co from the chicken muscle were determined by ICP-AES using sealed microwave digestion. The sample of the chicken muscle was digested with HNO3-H2O2 system. The relative standard deviation was less than 5% for all the elements, and the recovery was 92.5%-110% by adding standard recovery experiment. This method was simple, sensitive and precise and can perform simultaneous multi-elements determination compared with conventional method of the chicken muscle determination, which could satisfy the sample examination request and provide scientific rationale for determining inorganic elements of chicken meat.

The contents of inorganic elements including K, Ca, Na, Mg, P, S, Fe, Cu, Mn, Zn, Mo, and Co in the soil-grass-animal mineral system from Qinghai Tibetan Plateau were determined by ICP-AES using high pressure system-sealed microwave digestion. The sample of soil was digested with HNO3-HF-H2O2 acids system, but others including pasture, animal fur, liver, and serum were digested with HNO3-H2O2 acids system. The operation would be simplified and the blank value would be decreased with the above acids systems. The results were proved to be reliable with the relative standard deviation being 0.271%-2.633% for Ca, 2.971%-4.854% for Co, 0.372%-2.874% for Cu, 0.600%-3.683% for Fe, 0.347%-2.829% for K, 0.626%-2.593% for Mg, 0.705%-4.828% for Mn, 2.946%-4.622% for Mo, 0.689%-3.621% for Na, 0.422%-3.890% for P, and 0.143%-4.622% for S, 0.166%-2.399% for Zn, and all of them were less than 5% for all the elements, and the recovery being 97.1%-101.4% for Ca, 93.5%-112.5% for Co, 95.2%-104.0% for Cu, 96.9%-104.2% for Fe, 96.1%-105.6% for K, 96.2%-102.8% for Mg, 91.5%-108.9% for Mn, 95.0%-113.5% for Mo, 95.2%-101.8% for Na, 94.7%-100.7% for P, 98.3%-108.4% for S, and 97.5%-102.0% for Zn by adding standard recovery experiment. The results of determination were proved that the method of sealed microwave digestion ICP-AES was sensitive, precise, easy to operate and rapid for the determination of inorganic elements in the soil-grass-animal mineral system, and could satisfy the sample examination request. The methods and results were meaningful to research on the soil-pasture-animal mineral system including the contents of mineral elements, the circulation of mineral elements, the interaction, and the application of mineral additive.