An assessment of genetic relationships in cultivated tea clones and native wild tea in Taiwan using RAPD and ISSR maskers

Tea (Camellia sinensis [L.] O. Kuntze) is an important beverage crop in Taiwan. Most of the cultivated clones were introduced from China and India though some native wild teas are distributed in the mountains of central and southern Taiwan. in this study, 37 tea samples were evaluated using RAPD and ISSR markers. The samples comprised 21 clones of China, 3 clones of Assam, 7 hybrid clones between China and Assam tea? and 6 individual samples of native Taiwanese wild tea. A total of 53 and 56 polymorphic RAPD and ISSR markers respectively, were scored. The results of cluster analysis based on RAPDs revealed that three major groups could he recognized, i.e,, cultivars of China tea and the cultivars developed in Taiwan from hybridization and selection; Assam tea; native Taiwanese wild tea. The native Taiwanese wild teas were, however, most distant in the clustering tree, In the ISSR dendrogram. Taiwanese native wild teas clustered closely with Assam tea then with China tea and the Taiwanese hybrid cultivars. The population gene diversity of the native wild tea was found to be the highest among the three populations studied. Analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA) revealed that the variance component within groups was larger than that among groups. The correlation coefficient between similarity matrices based on RAPD and ISSR was 0.811. A Mantel test revealed that the correlation was highly significant (p <0.001), indicating good congruence between the results of these two molecular markers

A standardized aqueous extract of Anoectochilus formosanus modulated airway hyperresponsiveness in an OVA-inhaled murine model

Anoectochilus formosanus HAYATA, a Chinese herb, is a valued folk medicine for fever, pain, and diseases of the lung and liver. Allergic asthma is characterized by increased serum IgE level and inflammation of the airways with high levels of interleukin (IL)-4 and IL-5 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids (BALF). Constriction of airway smooth muscle and development of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) are the most important symptoms of allergic asthma. In our previous study, a standardized aqueous extract of A. formosanus (SAEAF) was used to modulate innate immunity of normal mice. In this study, airway inflammatory infiltrations, including T cell differentiation, cytokine modulation, allergic antibodies estimation, pulmonary pathology, and enhanced pause (Penh) of AHR were used to evaluate SAEAF treatment of an ovalbumin (OVA)-inhaled airway allergic murine model. The resulting cytokine profiles demonstrated that SAEAF can significantly reduce Th2 polarization after administration of SAEAF in OVA inhalation. These results also suggest that SAEAF modulates cytokine secretion in allergic asthma. Modulated natural T regulatory cells (CD25+/CD4+, Treg) were also shown to increase immunosuppression in the allergic lung inflammation and further down-regulate airway inflammatory infiltration in eosinophils and macrophages. Finally, decreased airway anti-OVA IgE secretion and reduced AHR were observed. Our results indicate that the administration of SAEAF can modulate cytokines and T cell subpopulation by regulating inflammatory cell infiltration and modulating the allergic response. (C) 2009 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved

KINSENOSIDE ISOLATED FROM ANOECTOCHILUS FORMOSANUS SUPPRESSES LPS-STIMULATED INFLAMMATORY REACTIONS IN MACROPHAGES AND ENDOTOXIN SHOCK IN MICE

In the present study, we reported that kinsenoside, a major component of Anoectochilus formosanus, inhibited inflammatory reactions in mouse peritoneal lavage macrophages and protects mice from endotoxin shock. In LPS-stimulated mouse peritoneal lavage macrophages, kinsenoside inhibited the inflammatory mediators, such as nitric oxide, TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, and macrophage migration inhibitory factor production. Furthermore, kinsenoside decreased the formation of a nuclear factor kappa B-DNA complex and nuclear p65 and p50 protein levels. Kinsenoside inhibited nuclear factor kappa B translocation through both I kappa B alpha-dependent and -independent pathway. In contrast, it stimulated anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 generation and enhanced the mRNA expression of IL-10 and suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 in the same cells induced by LPS. In an animal model, both pretreatment and posttreatment of kinsenoside increased the survival rate of ICR mice challenged by LPS (80 mg/kg, i.p.). Pretreatment with kinsenoside decreased serum levels of TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, IL-10, monocyte chemoattractant protein 1, and migration inhibitory factor at 1 h after sublethal dose of LPS (40 mg/kg, i. p.) in mice. In contrast, kinsenoside enhanced serum IL-10 level at 24 h after LPS injection in mice. In conclusion, kinsenoside inhibited the production of inflammatory mediators and enhanced anti-inflammatory cytokine generation. Therefore, kinsenoside can alleviate acute inflammatory hazards

Changes in the morphology and cation content of a Bambusa edulis xylem mutant, vse, derived from somaclonal variation

A xylem mutant (vse) was isolated from a Bambusa edulis (Odashima) Keng plantlet following vegetative micropropagation and subculture for 7 consecutive years and induced to proliferate in medium supplemented with 0.1 mg(.)L(-1) (0.5 mu m) thidiazuron (TDZ) and to develop roots in medium supplemented with 5 mg(.)L(-1) (26.9 mu m) alpha-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA). Subsequent investigations comparing the growth habits of mutant plantlets with those of the wild type indicated that the growth of the former was retarded in a greenhouse. Several morphological abnormalities were observed in the vse mutant: it had thinner stems with fewer trichromes on the surface; the xylem vessels were smaller in diameter and contained crystal-like structures in the pith; the leaves were shorter and narrower with a sharp leaf blade angle; the roots were thinner and contained fewer xylem cells. The cation concentrations of both the mutant and wild type were similar in the in vitro analysis, except for those of iron and potassium, which were lower in mutant leaves in vivo. In 2-month-old mutant plants, iron chlorosis was observed on young leaves and a potassium deficiency was observed on older leaves. After 1 year of growth in the greenhouse, all of the wild-type plants had survived, but only 27% (16/60) of the mutant vse plants were alive