Ampelopsis grossedentata, an indigenous plant in southern China, has been used for treating pharyngitis in traditional Chinese medicine for hundreds of years. In this study, we explored the anti-inflammatory activity of dihydromyricetin (1), its major bioactive component, and the underlying mechanism of this action. We demonstrated that 1 suppressed the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) as well as increased the level of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL-10) in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated mice. Moreover, 1 was found to markedly inhibit the production of nitric oxide (NO) and the levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, whereas it increased the level of IL-10 in LPS-induced RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. Compound 1 also reduced the protein expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), TNF-α, and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in macrophage cells. Furthermore, 1 suppressed the phosphorylation of NF-kappa B (NF-κB) and IκBα as well as the phosphorylation of p38 and JNK but not ERK1/2 in LPS-stimulated macrophages. Taken together, the present results suggest that 1 exerts its topical anti-inflammatory action through suppressing the activation of NF-κB and the phosphorylation of p38 and JNK. Thus, 1 may be a potentially useful therapeutic agent for inflammatory-related diseases.

Sex reversal syndrome is a kind of human genetic disease about gender dysplasia, which is characterised by inconsistency between gonadal sexuality and chromosome sexuality; the incidence rate was about 1:20,000-100,000. The clinical manifestations, hormonal levels and cytogenetic findings in a patient of 46, XX male sex reversal syndrome retrospectively were analysed and related published reports were reviewed. The DNA fragments of sex-determining region Y (SRY) gene from the patient was found by polymerase chain reaction, but the fluorescent in situ hybridisation analysis revealed that the SRY translocated from Y to X chromosome. We concluded that the Y chromosomal SRY gene is required for the regulation of male sex determination. The detection of SRY is important for the clinical diagnosis of sex reversal syndrome. Translocation of SRY to X chromosome or other autosomes would be one of the key factors that induced XX male SRS.

These results suggest that the purinergic neurotransmitters/P2Y1/SK3 signaling pathway is up-regulated in the diabetic colons, thereby mediating diabetes-induced colonic slow transit.