Lycium barbarum is a traditional Chinese medicinal plant that has been widely used as a functional food and dietary supplement. Lycium barbarum polysaccharide (LBP) is an important active substance found in Lycium barbarum^[1]. It has been recorded in the “Ben Cao Gang Mu (Compendium of Materia Medica)” to have anti-aging and skin whitening effects. Previous studies have focused on its antioxidant properties to explain its efficacy^[2]. However, the scientific understanding of the anti-aging and skin whitening effects of LBP, especially the underlying mechanisms, is still unclear. Wu et al. (Prog Biochem Biophys, 2023, 50(8): 1926-1936. DOI: 10.16476/j. pibb. 2023.0219) investigated the new function and mechanism of LBP1C, which is extracted from Lycium barbarum. This specific extract was found to delay cell senescence by promoting autophagy, thereby achieving the effects of anti-aging and skin whitening. As the era of aging approaches, the development of anti-aging drugs and strategies is now more focused on promoting healthy aging^[3]. This study demonstrated that LBP1C improved the motor ability of C. elegans during aging, promoting healthy aging. Mechanistically, LBP1C increased autophagy by promoting TFEB nuclear translocation, while reducing the accumulation of SASP and lipofuscin in cells and C.elegans. These findings provide new scientific evidence for understanding the efficacy of “skin whitening”. With age, the malfunctioning of autophagy can lead to the loss of proteostasis. Therefore, exploring direct modulators of autophagy is a promising approach for geroprotective interventions^[4]. LBP1C, as a natural autophagy activator, shows potential application prospects in this field.
This study has revealed the potential of LBP1C extracted from Lycium barbarum in terms of antiaging and skin whitening effects by activating autophagy. These findings provide a scientific and theoretical foundation for further research in clinical applications. Consulting Lycium barbarum as a medicinal and food source offers promising opportunities for translation. However, despite the credible and comprehensive research conducted by Wu et al., there are still certain unresolved issues. For example, the mechanism by which LBP1C regulates TFEB nuclear translocation requires further exploration, and the effects of LBP1C on humans remain unexplored. In conclusion, this study utilizes modern scientific technology to elucidate the principles of traditional Chinese medicine. Given the contemporary need for healthy aging, the potential application of LBP1C is tremendous, offering exciting prospects for following translational studies.]]> 2023/8/14 11:13:34 8true This work provides evidence for the inhibitory regulatory role of acetylcholine in locomotion. The loss-of-function of acetylcholine-gated chloride channel receptors likely disrupts the balance of neuronal and circuit physiology, thereby affecting the regulation of locomotion. Moreover, this study highlights the powerful role of quantitative behavior analysis in discovering and understanding more sophisticated functions of neural circuits.]]> 2023/6/20 16:48:54 7true 目的 槲皮素是一种广泛分布于药用植物中的黄酮类化合物，传统被认为具有神经保护作用。在本研究中，我们利用位于大鼠脑干的花萼状突触的突触前神经末梢的进行膜片钳记录，研究槲皮素调控突触传递和可塑性的突触前机制。方法 利用全细胞膜片钳结合膜电容记录，在突触后记录微小兴奋性突触后电流（mEPSC），在突触前神经末梢记录钙內流和神经囊泡的释放、回收以及可立即释放库（RRP）的恢复动力学。并且利用纤维刺激在轴突给予5~200 Hz的刺激，诱发突触后EPSC，记录突触后短时程抑制（STD）。结果 100 μmol/L槲皮素不影响突触后mEPSC的振幅、频率以及AMPA受体的动力学特征。在突触前神经末梢，槲皮素不改变钙内流或囊泡的释放，但显著抑制胞吐后的网格蛋白依赖的慢速胞吞。抑制胞吞会导致突触前囊泡动员的减慢，降低RRP的补充速率，并且增强高频刺激下的短时程可塑性STD。结论 本研究为槲皮素调控中枢神经突触传递提供全新的突触前神经机制，槲皮素有助于抑制中枢神经过度兴奋，进而发挥神经保护作用。]]> 2023/6/20 16:48:56 6true 2023/12/22 11:24:59 5true 2024/5/28 15:48:25 4true 2025/4/25 17:27:25 3true 2026/2/9 10:56:37 2true 2026/1/20 21:34:15 1true