Antimicrobial Substances from Rhizomes of the Giant Knotweed Polygonum sachalinense against the Fish Pathogen Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida
The antimicrobial compounds against the fish pathogen Photobacterium damselae subsp. piscicida were isolated from Polygonum sachalinense rhizomes. The structures of the antimicrobial compounds 1 and 2 were determined by 1H and 13C NMR, 2D-NMR (COSY, HSQC, HMBC and ROESY) and FAB-MS to be phenylpropanoid glycosides, vanicoside A and B, respectively. Both compounds have feruloyl and p-coumaroyl groups bonded to a sucrose moiety in their structures. Vanicoside A also has an acetyl group in the sucrose moiety. The MIC values for vanicoside A and B against Ph. damselae subsp. piscicida DPp-1 were 32 and 64 μg/ml, respectively. The antimicrobial activities of these vanicosides were modest, in contrast to higher activities (MICs at <4 μg/ml) of antibiotics, florphenicol, ampicillin and amoxicillin, which have been generally used for treating pasteurellosis. The activities of the vanicosides, however, were higher than those (MICs at 256 μg/ml) of ferulic acid and p-coumaric acid. It was suggested that the structure of phenylpropanoids esterified with sucrose was essential for higher antimicrobial activity of vanicosides and also acetylation of sucrose might affect the activity against the bacterium.
Glossogin, a novel phenylpropanoid from Glossogyne tenuifolia, induced apoptosis in A549 lung cancer cells.
Glossogyne tenuifolia has been shown to exhibit good antioxidant and anticancer activity. In this study, a new phenylpropanoid compound, glossogin (1'-acetoxy-4-O-isovalyryleugenol), was isolated from ethyl acetate extract of G. tenuifolia by using column chromatography and HPLC. Its chemical structure was determined by (1)H and (13)C NMR, MS and IR spectroscopic evidence. This compound showed the cytotoxicity against A549 human lung cancer cell line and it induced the progressing apoptosis on A549 cells. This apoptosis was verified as A549 cells were arrested at the sub-G(1) phase. The apoptosis was accompanied by release of cytochrome C and activation of caspase-9 and -3. It was also associated with the decrease in Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL protein levels, and the increase in Bad protein expression. Data analysis suggests glossogin exerted significant apoptotic effect on A549 cells through the mitochondrial pathway. Hence, our findings showed that glossogin exhibited potential anticancer activity against lung cancer through proliferating inhibition and apoptosis induction of cancer cells.
Optimized Delivery System Achieves Enhanced Endomyocardial Stem Cell Retention
Background—Regenerative cell-based therapies are associated with limited myocardial retention of delivered stem cells. The objective of this study is to develop an endocardial delivery system for enhanced cell retention. Methods and Results—Stem cell retention was simulated in silico using 1- and 3-dimensional models of tissue distortion and compliance associated with delivery. Needle designs, predicted to be optimal, were accordingly engineered using nitinol, a nickel and titanium alloy displaying shape memory and superelasticity. Biocompatibility was tested with human mesenchymal stem cells. Experimental validation was performed with species-matched cells directly delivered into Langendorff-perfused porcine hearts or administered percutaneously into the endocardium of infarcted pigs. Cell retention was quantified by flow cytometry and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction methodology. Models, computing optimal distribution of distortion calibrated to favor tissue compliance, predicted that a 75°-curved needle featuring small-to-large graded side holes would ensure the highest cell retention profile. In isolated hearts, the nitinol curved needle catheter (C-Cath) design ensured 3-fold superior stem cell retention compared with a standard needle. In the setting of chronic infarction, percutaneous delivery of stem cells with C-Cath yielded a 37.7±7.1% versus 10.0±2.8% retention achieved with a traditional needle without effect on biocompatibility or safety. Conclusions—Modeling-guided development of a nitinol-based curved needle delivery system with incremental side holes achieved enhanced myocardial stem cell retention.