C-type lectins (CTLs) are a class of proteins containing carbohydrate recognition domains (CRDs), which are characteristic modules that recognize various glycoconjugates and function primarily in immunity. CTLs have been reported to affect growth and development and positively regulate innate immunity in Tribolium castaneum. However, the regulatory mechanisms of TcCTL16 proteins are still unclear. Here, spatiotemporal analyses displayed that TcCTL16 was highly expressed in late pupae and early adults. TcCTL16 RNA interference in early larvae shortened their body length and narrowed their body width, leading to the death of 98% of the larvae in the pupal stage. Further analysis found that the expression level of muscle-regulation-related genes, including cut, vestigial, erect wing, apterous, and spalt major, and muscle-composition-related genes, including Myosin heavy chain and Myosin light chain, were obviously down-regulated after TcCTL16 silencing in T. castaneum. In addition, the transcription of TcCTL16 was mainly distributed in the hemolymph. TcCTL16 was significantly upregulated after challenges with lipopolysaccharides, peptidoglycans, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus. Recombinant CRDs of TcCTL16 bind directly to the tested bacteria (except Bacillus subtilis); they also induce extensive bacterial agglutination in the presence of Ca²⁺. On the contrary, after TcCTL16 silencing in the late larval stage, T. castaneum were able to develop normally. Moreover, the transcript levels of seven antimicrobial peptide genes (attacin2, defensins1, defensins2, coleoptericin1, coleoptericin2, cecropins2, and cecropins3) and one transcription factor gene (relish) were significantly increased under E. coli challenge and led to an increased survival rate of T. castaneum when infected with S. aureus or E. coli, suggesting that TcCTL16 deficiency could be compensated for by increasing AMP expression via the IMD pathways in T. castaneum. In conclusion, this study found that TcCTL16 could be involved in developmental regulation in early larvae and compensate for the loss of CTL function by regulating the expression of AMPs in late larvae, thus laying a solid foundation for further studies on T. castaneum CTLs.

Sulforaphene (4-methylsufinyl-3-butenyl isothiocyanate, SFE), produced by myrosinase hydrolysis of glucoraphenin (4-methylsulfinyl-3-butenyl glucosinolate) found in radish seeds, is strongly associated with cancer prevention. In this study, we investigated the stability of SFE (purity above 98%) under various thiol-containing compounds at 25 °C, such as sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS), glutathione (GSH), and cysteine (Cys). We observed that the degradation of SFE was closely related to the presence and dissociation capacity of thiol-containing compounds in the solution, particularly the thiol group. We found that the degradation rate of SFE was influenced by incubation with NaHS, GSH, and Cys, with distinct degradation products detected for each of these thiol-containing compounds. Compared to GSH, sulfide and Cys played important roles in promoting the degradation of SFE. Furthermore, we found substantial quantities of hydrogen sulfide in conjunction with SFE during the hydrolysis process of seeds, and a heat treatment of the seeds resulted in increased production of SFE. However, the introduction of sulfide-oxidizing bacteria to the hydrolytic system did not exhibit any inhibitory effect on the degradation of SFE. These results provided a guideline for industries to improve the stability of SFE during preparation.

Queen bee larva (QBL), as a by-product of royal jelly, is a kind of protein-rich edible insect. However, the development and utilization of QBL have been very limited for an extended period, resulting in considerable economic waste. Notably, QBL has substantial potential for anti-aging treatments; however, systematic studies have been scarce. The present study aimed to analyze the effects of freeze-dried QBL powder (QBLP) treatment in a D-galactose (D-gal)-induced-aging mouse and to explore the mechanisms. A behavioral test indicated that QBLP-treated mice had improved cognitive function and memory decline caused by aging compared to untreated aged mice. Furthermore, QBLP treatment improved organ index in aged mice and prevented pathological damage to the brain tissue. Concomitantly, treatment of D-gal-induced-aging mice with QBLP significantly reduced the oxidative damage of serum and increased the skin moisture content of aging mice. Finally, integrated analyses of the gut microbiota and the serum metabolome showed that QBLP supplementation altered the composition of the gut microbiota, enriched biochemical pathways associated with amino acid metabolism, and adjusted serum concentrations of beneficial free amino acids. Overall, QBLP can improve symptoms related to D-gal-induced aging in mice by regulating gut microbiota structure and amino acid metabolism.

Acer truncatum is a valuable source of bioactive compounds, yet the dynamics of these components throughout its growth cycle remain poorly characterized, limiting the optimization of harvest timing for maximal yield. This study quantified key phytochemicals in leaves and seeds across growth stages. In leaves, total flavonoids, chlorogenic acid, and gallic acid reached their highest levels in May (5.62% ± 0.1%, 3.38 ± 0.31, and 6.87 ± 0.14 mg/g, respectively). Quercetin was highest in June (1.80 ± 0.17 mg/g), whereas vitamin C and free amino acids peaked in September (38.73 ± 1.40 and 85.76 ± 0.56 mg/g, respectively) and moisture content peaked in April (74.34% ± 0.17%). For seeds, total flavonoids and quercetin content were highest on September 30 and September 15, respectively, whereas total amino acids and moisture peaked on August 31. No significant temporal variation was detected in chlorogenic acid, gallic acid, or kaempferol. Regarding fatty acids (FA) in seeds, total FA, unsaturated FA (UFA), and monounsaturated FA (MUFA) increased through Sep 30 (reaching 85.36 ± 1.67, 76.63 ± 1.65, and 50.83 ± 1.24 g/100 g, respectively) and then declined slightly. In contrast, polyunsaturated FA (PUFA) decreased to a minimum on September 30 (25.80 ± 0.90 g/100 g) before rising markedly by October 15 (40.60 ± 2.13 g/100 g), whereas saturated FA (SFA) remained stable. These findings demonstrate that the accumulation of characteristic components in A. truncatum is markedly influenced by growth stage. Multivariate analyses and integrated nutritional quality evaluation confirmed that May was optimal for leaves, whereas September 30 was the optimal harvest time for seeds. In a word, the present study not only enhances the database of characteristic components during various growth stages of A. truncatum , but also establishes a theoretical foundation for the development of diverse harvesting and processing technologies for A. truncatum .