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Biomedical subjects

Fei Zhang

Publications and source records attributed to Fei Zhang.

14 recordsLinked to original sources

Role of Sanqi Baiji San in Mitigating Ethanol-Induced Gastric Epithelial Cell Injury via PI3K/AKT-related Signaling.

This work aimed to clarify the protective mechanism of Sanqi Baiji San (SQBJ) against ethanol-induced gastric epithelial cell injury and to explore its potential relevance to gastric ulcer (GU). Network pharmacology was used to screen SQBJ's active components (Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform [TCMSP], Oral Bioavailability [OB] ≥ 20%, Drug-Likeness [DL] ≥ 0.1), map their targets (Universal Protein Resource [UniProt]), collect GU-related targets (GeneCards/OMIM/DrugBank), and analyze overlapping targets via Gene Ontology (GO)/Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment and molecular docking. Ethanol-injured Gastric Epithelial Cell Line-1 (GES-1) cells were treated with SQBJ or the PI3K inhibitor LY294002. CCK-8 was used to determine the optimal SQBJ concentration. Network pharmacology analyses identified 126 common targets enriched within PI3K/AKT/MAPK-related cascades and suggested potential interactions between principal SQBJ constituents and PI3K/AKT-related proteins. In ethanol-challenged cells, SQBJ alleviated cell injury by reducing inflammatory mediator release and oxidative stress, as evidenced by decreased intracellular reactive oxygen species and malondialdehyde levels. SQBJ restored mitochondrial membrane potential and ATP content and reduced apoptosis-associated changes in B-cell lymphoma-2, cleaved caspase-3, and Bcl-2-associated X protein levels. SQBJ also modulated PI3K/AKT- and MAPK-associated signaling markers. These protective effects were largely weakened by LY294002, suggesting that PI3K/AKT-related signaling is involved in SQBJ-mediated cytoprotection. These findings provide an in vitro mechanistic basis for the potential application of SQBJ in GU, although further validation in animal models of ethanol-induced gastric ulcer is required.

Ethanol↗

Conservation of noncoding microsatellites in plants: implication for gene regulation.

BACKGROUND: Microsatellites are extremely common in plant genomes, and in particular, they are significantly enriched in the 5' noncoding regions. Although some 5' noncoding microsatellites involved in gene regulation have been described, the general properties of microsatellites as regulatory elements are still unknown. To address the question of microsatellites associated with regulatory elements, we have analyzed the conserved noncoding microsatellite sequences (CNMSs) in the 5' noncoding regions by inter- and intragenomic phylogenetic footprinting in the Arabidopsis and Brassica genomes. RESULTS: We identified 247 Arabidopsis-Brassica orthologous and 122 Arabidopsis paralogous CNMSs, representing 491 CT/GA and CTT/GAA repeats, which accounted for 10.6% of these types located in the 500-bp regions upstream of coding sequences in the Arabidopsis genome. Among these identified CNMSs, 18 microsatellites show high conservation in the regulatory regions of both orthologous and paralogous genes, and some of them also appear in the corresponding positions of more distant homologs in Arabidopsis, as well as in other plants. A computational scan of CNMSs for known cis-regulatory elements showed that light responsive elements were clustered in the region of CT/GA repeats, as well as salicylic acid responsive elements in the (CTT)n/(GAA)n sequences. Patterns of gene expression revealed that 70-80% of CNMS (CTT)n/(GAA)n associated genes were regulated by salicylic acid, which was consistent with the prediction of regulatory elements in silico. CONCLUSION: Our analyses showed that some noncoding microsatellites were conserved in plants and appeared to be ancient. These CNMSs served as regulatory elements involved in light and salicylic acid responses. Our findings might have implications in the common features of the over-represented microsatellites for gene regulation in plant-specific pathways.

Arabidopsis↗

[Clinical evaluation of the heart function early after repair of tetralogy of Fallot: follow-up of 43 patients].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the heart function of the patients early after the repair of tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). METHODS: Forty-three patients with TOF, 25 males and 18 females, underwent operation at the age of 2.5 - 52 years (16.7 years on average) and were followed up for 1 - 3.5 years. Twenty-one age-matched healthy persons were used as controls. Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) was used to measure the values of the peak tricuspid ring velocity during early diastole (Ea), late diastole (Aa), systole, and isovolumic contraction, and isovolumetric contraction acceleration (IVA); and isovolumetric contraction time (ICT), isovolumetric relaxation time (IRT), and isovolumetric contraction velocity (IVV) of the right ventricle. Tei index was calculated using the formula: (ICT + IRT)/ET. Treadmill test was used on the patients aged > 17 to measure the maximal heart rate maximal blood pressure, maximal exercise tolerance (MET), and movement time. RESULTS: The peak tricuspid ring velocity during Ea of the repaired TOF group (rTOF group) was 11.5 +/- 2.6 cm/s, significantly lower than that of the control group (17.1 +/- 2.4 cm/s, P < 0.0001), the peak tricuspid ring velocity during Aa of the rTOF group was 9.6 +/- 1.7 cm/s, significantly lower than that of the control group (12.9 +/- 2.9 cm/s, P < 0.001), the E/A of the rTOF group was 1.16 +/- 0.36, significantly lower than that of the control group (1.36 +/- 0.26, P < 0.05). The IVV of the rTOF group was 7.7 +/- 1.8 cm/s, significantly lower than that of the control group (9.9 +/- 1.4 cm/s, P = 0.0030, and the IVA of the rTOF group was 131.7 +/- 37.6 cm/s(2), significantly lower than that of the control group (222.5 +/- 39.2 cm/s(2), P < 0.001). The Tei index of the rTOF group was 0.58 +/- 0.11, significantly higher than that of the control group (0.52 +/- 0.04, P = 0.029). The maximal heart rate maximal blood pressure, MET, and movement time of the rTOF group were all significantly lower than those of the control group (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The heart function of the patients undergoing repair of TOF fails to recover to the normal level during a short time after the surgery.

Adolescent↗

Expression of the Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus VP1 protein using a replication-competent recombinant canine adenovirus type 2 elicits a humoral antibody response in a porcine model.

To develop a new type vaccine for Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) prevention by using canine adenovirus as vector, the VP1 cDNA of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus (FMDV) type O strain China 99 was amplified by RT-PCR and cloned into pEGFP-C1 by replacing the GFP gene with the VP1 cDNA, resulting in an expression plasmid pVP1-C1. The expression cassette of VP1 composed of the CMV promoter, the VP1 gene and the SV40 early mRNA polyadenylation signal was recovered by Nsi I / Mlu I digestion of pVP1-C1 and cloned into the Canine adenovirus type-2 (CAV-2) genome in which E3 region was partly deleted by removing the Ssp I- Ssp I fragment. The recombinant virus (CAV-2-VP1) was obtained by transfecting the recombinant CAV-2-VP1 genome into MDCK cells with Lipofectamine 2000. Immunization trial in pigs with the recombinant virus, CAV-2-VP1, showed that CAV-2-VP1 could stimulate a specific immune response to both FMDV and the vector virus. Immune response to the VP1 and FMDV after VP1 expression was confirmed by ELISA, western blotting analysis and neutralization test. It was indicated that CAV-2 may serve as a vector for FMD vaccine development in pigs.

Adenoviruses, Canine↗

Functional expression of the particulate methane mono-oxygenase gene in recombinant Rhodococcus erythropolis.

In order to construct an expression system for the particulate methane mono-oxygenase (pMMO) gene (pmo), the structural gene cluster pmoCAB amplified from Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b was inserted into a shuttle vector pBS305 under the control of a dsz promoter and transformed into Rhodococcus erythropolis LSSE8-1. A stable transformant was successfully obtained using ethane as the sole carbon source. Fluorescence in situ hybridization results showed that the dsz promoter allowed the pmo genes to be transcribed in the recombinant strain. The effects of Cu2+ and Zn2+ concentrations on cell growth and pMMO activity in ethane-containing medium were examined. It was discovered that 7.5 microM Cu2+ and 1.8 microM Zn2+ were suitable to achieve high cell concentration and pMMO activity, but the amount of methanol accumulated during methane oxidation by the recombinant strain was still low.

DNA, Bacterial↗

Simultaneous determination of sildenafil, vardenafil and tadalafil as forbidden components in natural dietary supplements for male sexual potency by high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method coupled with ultraviolet detection and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HPLC-UV-ESI-MS) was developed for simultaneous determination of banned additives-sildenafil, vardenafil and tadalafil in dietary supplements for male sexual potency. The separation was achieved on a C18 column with acetonitrile and aqueous solution (20 mmol ammonium acetate, 0.2% formic acid) as mobile phase at a flow rate of I ml/min with a linear gradient program. UV detection was at 292 nm. Identification of drugs was accomplished using ESI-MS. Good linearity between response (peak area) and concentration was found over a concentration range of 0.8-80 microg/ml for sildenafil; 2.25-225 microg/ml for vardenafil; and 1.1-110 microg/ml for tadalafil, with regression coefficient is better than 0.999. The recovery of the method ranged from 93.3 to 106.1%, and the relative standard deviation varied from 2.0 to 5.6% (n = 6). The method has been successfully applied to the analysis of practical samples of natural dietary supplements.

Carbolines↗

Enantioselective preparation of ring-fused 1-fluorocyclopropane-1-carboxylate derivatives: en route to mGluR 2 receptor agonist MGS0028.

[reaction: see text] An approach to the densely functionalized fluorocyclopropane 14, a key framework toward the synthesis of mGluR 2 receptor agonist MGS0028 (1) is reported. The Trost AAA reaction enantioselectively introduced the key allylic stereogenic center and the alpha-fluoroester moiety. Stereoselective epoxidation followed by intramolecular epoxide ring opening efficiently constructed the 1-fluorocyclopropane-1-carboxylate matrix. This route can potentially be a general methodology for a concise, highly enantio- and stereoselective synthesis of 1-fluorocyclopropane-1-carboxylate derivatives.

Bridged Bicyclo Compounds↗

Simultaneous analysis of theanine, chlorogenic acid, purine alkaloids and catechins in tea samples with the help of multi-dimension information of on-line high performance liquid chromatography/electrospray-mass spectrometry.

A reverse phase high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC) separation coupled with photo diode array detection (DAD) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) detection was established for the analyzing of multiple bioactive compounds in tea and tea extracts. Theanine, chlorogenic acid, purine alkaloids and catechins were identified with authentic standard compounds and with MS-spectra. The content of theanine and catechins was measured by employing DAD and caffeine, chlorogenic acid, theobromine and theopylline by protonated molecular ion on selective ion recording (SIR) mode. The unity of LC/ESI-MS provides more qualitative and quantitative information comparing with general HPLC in the analysis of multi-components in tea, and complex extraction or sample pretreatment is unnecessary. The chromatogram acquired by using this method can be used as a bioactive components fingerprint for the quality control of tea and its extracts. With the help of multi-dimension information of HPLC-DAD-ESIMS, the compounds owning different chemical structure such as amino acid, catechins, etc. in tea and its extracts could be identified and determined in one run successfully.

Alkaloids↗

Probing the SAR of dEpoB via chemical synthesis: a total synthesis evaluation of C26-(1,3-dioxolanyl)-12,13-desoxyepothilone B.

A practical total synthesis of 26-(1,3-dioxolanyl)-12,13-desoxyepothilone B (26-dioxolanyl dEpoB) was accomplished in a highly convergent manner. A novel sequence was developed to produce the vinyl iodide segment 17 in high enantiomeric excess, which was used in a key B-alkyl Suzuki merger. Subsequently, a Yamaguchi macrocyclization formed the core lactone, while a selective oxidation and a late stage Noyori acetalization incorporated the dioxolane functionality. Sufficient amounts of synthetic 26-dioxolane dEpoB were produced using this sequence for an in vivo analysis in mice containing xenograft CCRF-CEM tumors.

Animals↗