Alcoholic extracts of the roots and leaves of three Echinacea species (E. purpurea, E. angustifolia and E. pallida) were analysed for the presence of characteristic chemicals by HPLC directly coupled to ultraviolet absorbance and electrospray mass spectrometric detectors. The method permitted rapid characterization and tentative identification of a large number of caffeoyl conjugates and alkamides in all the samples investigated. The roots of the three species differed markedly in their contents of characteristic compounds. Cichoric acid and verbascoside predominated in extracts of E. purpurea root whereas cynarine and dodeca-2E,4E,8Z,10Z/E-tetraenoic acid isobutylamide were the major chemicals characteristic of E. angustifolia root extracts. Echinacoside and 6-O-caffeoylechinacoside predominated in extracts of E. pallida roots. Characteristic alkamides were also examined by electrospray tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) and these compounds provided characteristic fragmentation patterns. Extracts of the roots and leaves of all three species were found to have antioxidant properties in a free radical scavenging assay and in a lipid peroxidation assay.

The results indicate that increasing spectrin tension is caused by osmotic swelling. Hightened tension of spectrin was closely associated with the shrink tension transmitted synergistically by microfilaments (MFs) and microtubules (MTs). However, the increment of spectrin tension in pyroptotic cells was controlled antagonistically by MF and MT forces. Different from MF tension, outward MT forces participated in the formation of membrane blebs. Spectrin tension caused by inward MF forces resisted pyroptosis swelling. Stabilization of MF and MT structure had little influence on intracellular tension and pyroptosis deformation. Pyroptosis-induced cytoskeletal structural tension was highly dependent on calcium signaling and reactive oxygen species generation. Blocking of membrane pores, nonselective ion flux, or elimination of caspase-1 cleavage resulted in the remission of structural forces associated with pyroptosis failure. Innovation and Conclusions: The data suggest that subcellular tension, in terms of magnitude and vector, is integral to pyroptosis through the mediation of swelling and blebbing and the elimination of structural tension, especially MT forces, may result in pyroptosis inhibition. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 00, 000-000.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common viral pathogen of the lower respiratory tract, which, in the absence of effective management, causes millions of cases of severe illness per year. Many of these infections develop into fatal pneumonia. In a review of English and Chinese medical literature, recent traditional Chinese medical herb- (TCMH-) based progress in the area of prevention and treatment was identified, and the potential anti-RSV compounds, herbs, and formulas were explored. Traditional Chinese medical herbs have a positive effect on inhibiting viral attachment, inhibiting viral internalization, syncytial formation, alleviation of airway inflammation, and stimulation of interferon secretion and immune system; however, the anti-RSV mechanisms of TCMHs are complicated, which should be further investigated.

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Neuronal polarization depends on the interaction of intracellular chemical and mechanical activities in which the cytoplasmic protein, talin, plays a pivotal role during neurite growth. To better understand the mechanism underlying talin function in neuronal polarization, we overexpressed several truncated forms of talin and found that the presence of the rod domain within the overexpressed talin is required for its positive effect on neurite elongation because the neurite number only increased when the talin head region was overexpressed. The tension in the talin rod was recognized using a Förster resonance energy transfer‐based tension probe. Nerve growth factor treatment resulted in inward tension of talin elicited by microfilament force and outward osmotic pressure. By contrast, the glial scar‐inhibitor aggrecan weakened these forces, suggesting that interactions between inward pull forces in the talin rod and outward osmotic pressure participate in neuronal polarization. Integrin activation is also involved in up‐regulation of talin tension and osmotic pressure. Aggrecan stimuli resulted in up‐regulation of docking protein 1 (DOK1), leading to the down‐regulation of integrin activity and attenuation of the intracellular mechanical force. Our study suggests interactions between the intracellular inward tension in talin and the outward osmotic pressure as the effective channel for promoting neurite outgrowth, which can be up‐regulated by integrin activation and down‐regulated by DOK1.—Wang, Y., Zhang, X., Tian, J., Shan, J., Hu, Y., Zhai, Y., Guo, J. Talin promotes integrin activation accompanied by generation of tension in talin and an increase in osmotic pressure in neurite outgrowth. FASEB J. 33, 6311–6326 (2019). http://www.fasebj.org