Chimonanthus nitens Oliv. (CN) is a species in the family Calycanthaceae. Its leaf is widely used to make traditional herbal tea in southern China and has a wide range of therapeutic effects. The profile of the ethanol extracts from CN leaves was identified by UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS. Forty seven compounds were determined including organic acids, phenolic acids and derivatives, flavonoids, coumarins, fatty acids and other compounds. The effect of the CN extracts on the inflammatory damage in zebrafish and in RAW 264.7 cells was investigated. The extracts demonstrated a strong ability to inhibit the recruitment of neutrophils in LPS-stimulated zebrafish, but macrophage migration was not significantly affected. Pro-inflammatory cytokines (i.e., TNF-α, IL-6 and IL-1β) were also determined by q-PCR. The extracts strongly reduced mRNA expression of TNF-α, IL-6 but not IL-1β in zebrafish model, while significantly inhibited the production of the factors in the RAW 264.7 cells. Therefore, our results suggest that the ethanol extracts of CN leaves may serve as a source of nutraceutical compounds with anti-inflammatory properties.

Clinical FeNO measurement is a simple, noninvasive, and rapid method used to differentiate asthmatic from nonasthmatic patients with BE. This technique exhibits potential for asthma management.

Blood vessels serve an important role in tumor growth and metastasis, and recent studies have shown that certain tumor cancer stem cells may differentiate into endothelial cells and contribute to angiogenesis. In the present study, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was used to induce endothelial differentiation of breast cancer stem-like cells (BcSLcs), and methods including flow cytometry, western blotting and immunofluorescence were used to study the relationship between autophagy and the endothelial differentiation of BcSLcs. The results showed that BcSLcs could differentiate into endothelial cells under the induction of VEGF in vitro. Subsequently, the role of autophagy in the endothelial differentiation of BcSLcs was examined. Autophagic activity was measured during endothelial differentiation of BcSLcs, and the association between autophagy and endothelial differentiation was investigated using autophagy activators, autophagy inhibitors and autophagy related 5 (Atg5)-knockdown BcSLcs. Autophagy was increased during endothelial differentiation of BcSLcs, and there was a positive association between autophagy and endothelial differentiation. The ability of cells to undergo endothelial differentiation was reduced in BcSLcs with Atg5 knockdown. Therefore, autophagy was essential for endothelial differentiation of BcSLcs, and the findings of the present study may highlight novel potential avenues for reducing angiogenesis and improving treatment of breast cancer.

Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) is a significant biological signaling molecule. However, the detection of ppb-level Nitric oxide (NO) still faces great challenges. Herein, we designed and papered a...