Lung cancer is a common disease that is associated with poor prognosis. Fungal immunomodulatory protein from Nectria haematococca (FIP-nha) has potential as a lung cancer therapeutic; as such, illuminating its anti-tumor mechanism is expected to facilitate novel treatment options. Here, we showed that FIP-nha affects lung adenocarcinoma growth ex vivo and in vivo. Comparative quantitative proteomics showed that FIP-nha negatively regulates PI3K/Akt signaling and induces cell cycle arrest, autophagy, and apoptosis. We further demonstrated that FIP-nha suppresses Akt phosphorylation, leading to upregulation of p21 and p27 and downregulation of cyclin B1, cyclin D1, CDK2, and CDK4 expression, ultimately resulting in G1/S and G2/M cell cycle arrest. Meanwhile, FIP-nha-induced PI3K/Akt downregulation promotes A549 apoptosis by increasing the expression ratio of Bax/Bcl-2 and c-PARP and autophagy by decreasing the phosphorylation of mTOR. Thus, we comprehensively revealed the anti-tumor mechanism of FIP-nha, which inhibits tumor growth by modulating PI3K/Akt-regulated cell cycle arrest, autophagy, and apoptosis, and provided the basis for further application of fungal immunomodulatory proteins, especially FIP-nha.

Background/Objectives: Polygonati rhizoma (PR) is a common traditional Chinese medicine that has been used for 2000 years in China, serving as both food and medicine. It is known for various health benefits, including antidiabetic effects, regulation of gut microbiota, and enhancement of immunity. The most popular PR varieties are Polygonatum kingianum Coll. et Hemsl. (PK), Polygonatum sibiricum Red. (PS), Polygonatum cyrtonema Hua (PC), and Polygonatum odoratum (Mill.) Druce (PO). We aimed to determine the differences among these four PR species. Methods: Using an untargeted mass spectrometer we conducted a metabolomic analysis. Results: We detected 2360, 2336, 2381, and 2355 unique polysaccharide, steroid, alkaloid, nucleoside, and peptide metabolites, among which 10, 36, 5, and 26 were specific to PK, PS, PC, and PO, respectively. Differentially expressed polysaccharide, steroid, and alkaloid metabolites were identified in the four species. A total of 61, 56, 61, and 57 carbohydrates were identified in the PK, PS, PC, and PO, respectively; 33, 32, 29, and 30 steroids were identified in the PK, PS, PC, and PO, respectively; and 10, 12, 12, and 11 alkaloids were identified in PK, PS, PC, and PO, respectively. Conclusions: Our findings provide novel insights into the overall metabolome of the four PR species, improve understanding of their functions and effectiveness, and provide a theoretical basis for qualitative evaluation and comprehensive PR applications.

Dendrobium candidum is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb with green and red stems. D. candidum, which has red stems, is highly nutritious. However, there is a need to clarify the mechanisms of transcriptional regulation underlying anthocyanin biosynthesis in D. candidum. In this study, we found that the red stem of D. candidum has a high anthocyanin content and a wide variety of types. Cyanidin derivatives of anthocyanins were found to be responsible for red pigmentation in red leaves. An R3-MYB transcription factor, DcMYB56, which modulates anthocyanin biosynthesis, along with homologs of other plants, was isolated and identified. Compared with that in green stems, DcMYB56 expression in D. candidum red stems markedly increased. The binding of DcMYB56 to the DcCHS8, DcF3′H, DcF3′5′H, and DcANS1 gene promoters controlled DcMYB56 expression levels. The overexpression of DcMYB56 in Arabidopsis thaliana resulted in a red phenotype and substantially increased the anthocyanin content. Our findings suggest that DcMYB56 is important for anthocyanin biosynthesis, which thus sheds new light on the modulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis-associated transcription factors in D. candidum.

Background: Su(var)3-9 SET genes encode key histone methyltransferases that catalyze H3K9 methylation, a modification generally associated with heterochromatin formation and transcriptional repression. Methods: We identified 23 GmSu(var)3-9 SETs and systematically characterized their tissue-specific epigenetic modifications as well as their phylogenetic relationships, chromosomal distributions, conserved domains, gene structures, GO annotations, collinearity, cis-regulatory elements, and expression profiles across diverse tissues and under salt stress. Results: These genes were divided into seven groups, exhibiting diverse structures and uneven distribution on chromosomes. Gene structure and conserved motif analyses revealed high structural diversity among family members, with variations in intron–exon distribution, conserved motifs, and functional domains. Promoter analysis detected multiple cis elements responsive to light, hormones, and abiotic stresses. Most genes showed preferential expression in meristems, roots, and leaves, and responded to salt stress. Co-expression network analysis revealed that these genes were co-expressed with stress- and development-related genes. GmSUVH12 histone modifications exhibited obvious tissue specificity. Conclusions: Overall, these results provided insights into the evolutionary and functional roles of GmSu(var)3-9 SETs in soybean.