Two new flavone glycosides from <i>Polygonum viviparum </i>L.

167-169Two novel flavone glycosides, 5,4'-dimethoxyl-6,7-methylenedioxyflavone-3-O-β--xylopyranoside (viviparum A), 3'-hydroxy-5,4' -dimethoxy-6, 7-methylenedioxyflavone-3- O-β--xylopyranoside (viviparum B), have been isolated along with seven known flavones and their structures have been deduced on the basis of their spectral data and chemical studies. This is the first report on the isolation of flavone glycosides from Polygonum viviparum

Protection of Fecal Microbiota Transplantation in a Mouse Model of Multiple Sclerosis

Given the growing evidence of a link between gut microbiota (GM) dysbiosis and multiple sclerosis (MS), fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT), aimed at rebuilding GM, has been proposed as a new therapeutic approach to MS treatment. To evaluate the viability of FMT for MS treatment and its impact on MS pathology, we tested FMT in mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a mouse model of MS. We provide evidence that FMT can rectify altered GM to some extent with a therapeutic effect on EAE. We also found that FMT led to reduced activation of microglia and astrocytes and conferred protection on the blood-brain barrier (BBB), myelin, and axons in EAE. Taken together, our data suggest that FMT, as a GM-based therapy, has the potential to be an effective treatment for MS

SCD rs41290540 single‐nucleotide polymorphism modifies miR‐498 binding and is associated with a decreased risk of coronary artery disease

Abstract Background Atherosclerosis is the primary cause of coronary artery disease (CAD), and stearoyl‐CoA desaturase (SCD) is associated with atherosclerosis. However, the associations between variants of SCD and CAD have not yet been decided. Methods This study analyzed SCD rs41290540 single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the 3′‐untranslated region for an association with a risk of CAD among the Chinese Han population. CAD patients and controls were genotyped for SNP rs41290540 in SCD by SNaPshot. The binding affinity of miR‐498 to rs41290540 was determined by a luciferase assay, and SCD expression was assessed using Western blot. Results A total of 969 CAD patients and 1,095 control subjects were involved in this study. The SCD rs41290540CC genotype is associated with a decreased risk of CAD compared with the AA genotype. Furthermore, the CC genotype is associated with lower serum total cholesterol (TC). Western blot analysis demonstrated that miR‐498 suppressed the expression of SCD. A luciferase assay confirmed that rs41290540 A>C variation in the SCD 3′UTR inhibits miR‐498 binding. Conclusion This study demonstrates that the SCD rs41290540 may be associated with a decreased risk of CAD, lower serum TC, and decreased miR‐498 binding