Twenty-one caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) derivatives were synthesized, and characterized by IR, HR-MS, (1)H and (13)C NMR analyses. All compounds were evaluated for their cytoprotective effects against H2O2-induced cytotoxicity and neuritogenic activities in the neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells. Compounds 1 and 20 exhibited stronger cytoprotective activities than their parent compound CAPE at 4 nM. Compounds 1, 4, 12 and 13 showed potential neuritogenic activities at 0.5 nM, while compounds 19 and 20 induced neurite outgrowth at 10 nM. The results from this study suggested that CAPE and its derivatives may be potential functional food ingredients for the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases.

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Key indicatorsSingle-crystal X-ray study T = 298 K Mean '(C±C) = 0.003 A Ê R factor = 0.040 wR factor = 0.097 Data-to-parameter ratio = 14.7For details of how these key indicators were automatically derived from the article, see

During exposure to stress, betaine content was reported to increase in maize (Zea mays L.), but the exact mechanism of this increase is not clearly understood. In the current study, we attempted to identify a novel betaine transporter gene and investigated the expression patterns under salt and drought stresses. The betaine transporter gene, ZmBetProt, was cloned by RACE technique from Maize, which covered 1538 bp with a 1299 bp open reading frame encoding 432 amino acids, protein molecular weight was 46.986 kDa and theoretical isoelectric point of 8.90.The Bet/ProT homologous genes were obtained from various plant species. The highest similarity was observed with proline transporter of Arabidopsis thaliana (AtProT3). Under salt stress, betaine gene expression was not induced significantly, but induced significantly under mannitol stress. Full-length sequence data for cDNA of the betaine transporter gene was submitted to the GenBank with accession number: KX013323.1. This study is designed to provide in-depth understanding of the roles of ZmBetProt in regulation of betaine transporter under abiotic stress.