Project description:Schisandra chinensis fruit extract (SCE) and its active ingredient Schisandrin B (SchB), which are effective in the treatment of vascular diseases, have been known to suppress transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1)-mediated Smad activation and myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). However, it is still largely unknown about the pharmacologic effects and mechanisms of SCE and SchB on TGF-β1-induced intracellular signaling pathways in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs).
Project description:We reported the application of high-throughput sequencing technology (RNA-seq) for the transcriptome of T. chinensis cells and the transcriptional alternatives of that responded to MeJA were comprehensively and quantitatively assessed with high-throughput sequencing technology (RNA-seq). By sequencing > 29 million reads (200 bp in length) of cDNA from each of MeJA-treated T. chinensis cells at 16 h (T16) and the control (T0), we identified 46,581 transcripts and uncovered 13,469 genes differentially expressed in response to MeJA. We provided functional clues for understanding the regulation mechanisms of MeJA-mediated defense responses and taxol biosynthesis.
Project description:Pistacia chinensis Bunge is known as dioecious, but we have found wild monoecious individuals. In order to screen the candidate genes which may influence the sex expression or floral phenotypic differences of P. chinensis, the inflorescence buds for different sex types associated with the sex differentiation were selected and tested for small RNA sequencing. Sex-specific differentially expressed small RNA were discovered, combined with real-time PCR data, the regulation patterns of various sex types were first revealed. Our study represents the first detailed analysis of small RNA sequencing, providing more clues for understanding the mechanism of sex determination on P. chinensis.
Project description:<p>The aim of this study was to investigate the hepatoprotection of <em>Schisandra chinensis</em> Caulis polysaccharides (SCP) in the nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) induced by high-fat diet (HFD) in rats. A total of 30 Wistar rats were randomly divided into control group (CON), model group (MOD) and <em>Schisandra chinensis</em> caulis polysaccharide (SCP) group. Except for those in CON group, the other rats were fed with high-fat diet for 4 weeks to establish a NAFLD model. From the 5th week, rats in SCP group were given SCP solution (100 mg/kg) by gavage for 6 weeks, and those in CON and MOD groups were given an equal volume of distilled water in the same way. The serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels were detected. The small molecular metabolites in the blood of rats were determined by the metabolomics method of ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole/electrostatic field orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS/MS) combined with multivariate analysis. The enrichment analysis and pathway analysis of the different metabolites were carried out. The therapeutic mechanism of SCP in NAFLD rats was verified by Western blot. The results showed that the levels of AST, ALT, TG, TC and LDL-C in the serum of rats in SCP group were significantly lower, and the levels of HDL-C were significantly higher than those in MOD group. The screening and analysis of the metabolic pathways showed that SCP could alleviate the development of NAFLD by regulating the expression of UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase (UGP2), UDP-glucose 6-dehydrogenase (UGDH), acetyl CoA carboxylase (ACC) and fatty acid synthase (FAS) in the blood of NAFLD rats. This study may provide a theoretical basis for the development and utilization of SCP.</p>
