Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases, so far, there are no effective measures to prevent and cure this deadly condition. Ginsenoside Rg1 (Rg1) was shown to improve behavioral abnormalities in AD; however, the potential mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we pretreated 7-month-old 3xTg-AD mice for 6 weeks with Rg1 and evaluated the effects of Rg1 on the behaviors and the protein expression of hippocampal tissues. The behavioral tests showed that Rg1 could improve the memory impairment and ameliorate the depression-like behaviors of 3xTg-AD mice. Proteomic results revealed a total of 28 differentially expressed hippocampal proteins between Rg1-treated and nontreated 3xTg-AD mice. Among these proteins, complexin-2 (CPLX2), synapsin-2 (SYN2), and synaptosomal-associated protein 25 (SNP25) were significantly downregulated in the hippocampus of 3xTg-AD mice compared with the WT mice, and the treatment of Rg1 modulated the expression of CPLX2 and SNP25 in the hippocampus of 3xTg-AD mice. The expression of CPLX2, SYN2, and SNP25 was further validated by Western blot analysis. Taken together, we concluded that Rg1 could be a potential candidate drug to improve the behavioral deficits in AD via modulating the expression of the proteins (i.e., CPLX2, SYN2, and SNP25).
To investigate the expression of osteopontin (OPN) and its receptor integrin alphanubeta3 in the placental tissue from pregnant women complicated with preeclampsia, the expression of OPN and alphanubeta3 in the placenta of the pregnant women with preeclampsia and healthy pregnant women was detected by immunohistochemistry, Western blotting and RT-PCR. Our results showed that OPN and alphanubeta3 protein were expressed in the placenta from normal pregnant woman and those with preeclampsia. OPN was located in the placental syncytiotrophoblasts and the cytoplasm of capillary endothelial cells and integrin alphanubeta3 was mainly expressed on the surface of trophoblast cells. Expression of OPN and integrin alphanubeta3 in the placental tissue from preeclampsia subjects was significantly lower than that from the control group (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, expression of OPN in the placental tissue from preeclampsia group was significantly lower (P<0.05) but there was no significant difference in the expression of alphanu and beta3 between the preeclampsia group and the controls. It is concluded that OPN and its receptor integrin alphanubeta3 may be involved in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia.
A study was investigated to determine and compare the key aroma components in raw and roasted walnut (Juglans regia L.). The effective aromatic compounds in raw and roasted walnut were separated by solvent-assisted flavor evaporation (SAFE), and a total of 160 volatile compounds were identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), which constituted the distinctive flavor of raw and roasted walnut. The key aroma components were further revealed by aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA), and 29 aroma compounds were identified as highly related to the characteristic aroma of walnut. Finally, the selected aroma compounds were quantitated and odor activity values (OAVs) were calculated. A total of 10 aroma-active compounds of OAVs ≥ 1 were identified in raw walnut, among which (E)-2-nonenal showed the highest OAV, and octanal, hexanal, and nonanal were also contributive to the flavor of raw walnut. In roasted walnut, 20 aroma-active compounds (OAVs ≥ 1) were obtained, and (E,E)-2,4-decadienal, 1-octen-3-ol and pyrazines were the characteristic flavor sources of roasted walnut. In general, the roasting process had a significant effect on the flavor characteristics of walnut; it can increase complexities to the walnut volatiles, and provide a more desirable roast and nutty flavor.
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