A Component-resolved Diagnostic Approach for a Study on Grass Pollen Allergens in Chinese Southerners with Allergic Rhinitis and/or Asthma.[Pubmed: 28605372]

Sensitization to grass pollen imposes a global risk for allergic airway diseases. Although prevention relies on local investigation of the pollen allergens, data on this topic are limited in southern China. Any available data were obtained by self-report questionnaires, skin prick tests, and total or specific IgE tests using crude extracts. For many reasons, these methods are unreliable. Serum sIgE reactivity to Bermuda grass, Timothy grass, and Humulus scandens allergens in a cohort of patients from Greater Guangzhou (southern China's largest city and its outskirts) with allergic rhinitis and/or asthma were examined using a fully-automated immunoassay analyzer as a component-resolved diagnostics (CRD) tool. For the first time, a considerably high prevalence of Bermuda grass sIgE positivity was demonstrated in Chinese southerners with allergic rhinitis and/or asthma. In these patients, a subtle prevalence of sensitization to Timothy grass and Humulus scandens was also noted, which may arise from cross-reactivity, as the latter two are not common in the region. This was also supported by the detection of allergen components. Fully-automated immunoassay analyzers may offer satisfactory consistency between regions, laboratories, and institutions and over time. The automaticity of the instrument may enable a standardized detection that would not have been readily revealed before the advent of CRD. This is a study that uses a CRD approach to investigate sensitization to grass pollen allergens in southern China. It adds to current evidence in the literature. Future studies are needed to validate these findings. However, although CRD is a useful tool, the findings made with the fully-automated immunoassay analyzer should not substitute for other laboratory investigations, clinical evaluations, and physician expertise.

Identification of male-specific AFLP and SCAR markers in the dioecious plant Humulus scandens.[Pubmed: 28552829]

In this study, 17 male-specific amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) markers were identified between male and female Humulus scandens plants. BLAST analysis revealed that 7 of the 17 sex-linked sequences were highly similar to retrotransposons. Two stable male-specific sequence-characterized amplified regions (SCAR) markers were developed. These AFLP and SCAR markers are novel molecular probes that can be used efficiently to identify the genetic gender of H. scandens and may provide a basis for further investigations on the evolution of sex chromosomes.

[Study on quality standard for Humulus scandens].[Pubmed: 25751951]

To control the quality of Humulus scandens, the quality standard was established in this study. According to the method recorded in the Appendix of Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2010 Edition) , the water and ash inspections were carried out. The component luteoloside and cosmosiin in Humulus scandens were identified and assayed by TLC and HPLC. The results showed a strong characteristics microscopic of Humulus scandens, and trichoromethane-methanol-formic acid (10: 3: 0. 3) as the mobile phase of TLC, the spots at 365 nm with a UV lamp was clear. The 16 batches of samples were analyzed by HPLC with a gradient elution of acetonitrile and phosphate solution (0.2%) at a flow rate of 1.0 mL · min(-1) and detected at 350 nm. The content of luteoloside was 0.015%- 0.651% (average 0.148%); the content of cosmosiin was 0.003%-0.118% (average 0.036%). The linear calibration curve of luteoloside and cosmosiin was acquired in the ranges of 0.011-0.364 g · L(-1) (r = 1.000 0) and 0.003-0.096 g · L(-1) (r = 1.000 0), respectively. The average recovery was 100.5% and 98.5%, respectively. The methods are convenient and reliable, which can be ap- plied for quality assessment of Humulus scandens.

Humulus scandens exhibits immunosuppressive effects in vitro and in vivo by suppressing CD4(+) T cell activation.[Pubmed: 25004883]

Humulus scandens, rich in flavonoids, is a traditional Chinese medicine. It is widely used in China to treat tuberculosis, dysentery and chronic colitis. In this study, the major active faction of Humulus scandens (H.S) was prepared. Then, its immunosuppressive effects and underlying mechanisms on T cell activation were investigated in vitro and in vivo. Results showed that H.S significantly inhibited the proliferation of splenocytes induced by concanavalin A, lipopolysaccharides, and mixed-lymphocyte reaction in vitro. Additionally, H.S could dramatically suppress the proliferation and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) production from T cells stimulated by anti-CD3 and anti-CD28. Flow cytometric results confirmed that H.S could suppress the differentiation of IFN-γ-producing type 1 helper T cells (Th1). Furthermore, using ovalbumin immunization-induced T cell reaction and CD4(+) T-cell-mediated delayed type hypersensitivity reaction, H.S the immunosuppressive effects of H.S was also demonstrated in vivo. Western blot results showed that H.S could impede the activation of both Erk1/2 and P38 in primary T cells triggered by anti-CD3/28. Collectively, the active fraction of H.S showed promising immunosuppressive activities both in vitro and in vivo.

Estimation of soil-to-plant transfer factors of radiocesium in 99 wild plant species grown in arable lands 1 year after the Fukushima 1 Nuclear Power Plant accident.[Pubmed: 24346655]

One year after the deposition of radionuclides from the Fukushima 1 Nuclear Power Plant (A formal name is Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station) in March 2011, radiocesium (¹³⁴Cs, ¹³⁷Cs) concentrations ([Cs]) were comprehensively investigated in the wild plants of 99 species most of which were annual or summer green perennial herbs and started to grow from April 2012 at the heavily contaminated fields of paddy (three study sites) and upland (one study site) in Fukushima Prefecture. The survey was conducted three times (April, July and October) in the year. In each site, soils (soil cores of 5-cm depth) and plants (aerial shoots) were collected for determination of [Cs] on a dry weight basis, and then the transfer factor (TF) of radiocesium from soil to plant ([Cs]plant/[Cs]soil) was estimated in each species. The [Cs] values of both soils and plants largely varied. However, some species exhibited relatively high TF values (more than 0.4) (e.g., Athyrium yokoscense, Dryopteris tokyoensis, and Cyperus brevifolius), while others exhibited almost negligible values (less than 0.01) (e.g., Salix miyabeana, Humulus scandens, and Elymus tsukushiensis). In addition, judging from the 11 species grown in both paddy and upland fields, TF values were generally higher in the paddy fields. The estimation of phytoextraction efficiency of soil radiocesium by weed communities in the paddy fields suggests that the weed community is not a practical candidate for phytoremediation technique.

Allergenicity of recombinant profilins from Japanese hop, Humulus japonicus.[Pubmed: 24260980]

Pollen from Japanese hop, Humulusjaponicus, is a major cause of pollinosis in Korea. Profilin (15 kDa) from Humulus scandens has been associated with strong allergenicity in allergic Chinese patients. Profilin has also been detected in pollen extract from Korean Japanese hop by proteomic analysis and immunoglobulin (Ig) E immunoblotting. However, the allergenicity of allergens isolated from Japanese hop has not been investigated in Korean individuals. This study was undertaken to produce recombinant profilin from Japanese hop and evaluate its allergenicity.