Project description:In this study, a novel IR-binding protein (IRBP) from Momordica charantia, named as mcIRBP, was identified by analyzing the physical and functional interactions between mcIRBP and IR. The hypoglycemic effect and mechanism of mcIRBP were further evaluated in normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice.
Project description:In this study, a novel IR-binding protein (IRBP) from Momordica charantia, named as mcIRBP, was identified by analyzing the physical and functional interactions between mcIRBP and IR. The hypoglycemic effect and mechanism of mcIRBP were further evaluated in normal and streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice. Normal and diabetic mice were treated without or with mcIRBP and RNAs from muscle tissues were extracted for microarray analysis. Number of replicate was three.
Project description:<p><strong>INTRODUCTION: </strong>Bitter melon (Momordica charantia, Cucurbitaceae) is a popular edible medicinal plant, which has been used as a botanical dietary supplement for the treatment of diabetes and obesity in Chinese folk medicine. Previously, our team has proved that cucurbitanes triterpenoid were involved in bitter melon's anti-diabetic effects as well as on increasing energy expenditure. The triterpenoids composition can however be influenced by changes of varieties or habitats.</p><p><strong>OBJECTIVES:</strong> To clarify the significance of bioactive metabolites diversity among different bitter melons and to provide a guideline for selection of bitter melon varieties, an exploratory study was carried out using a UHPLC-HRMS based metabolomic study to identify chemotypes.</p><p><strong>METHODS:</strong> Metabolites of 55 seed samples of bitter melon collected in different parts of China were profiled by UHPLC-HRMS. The profiling data were analysed with multivariate (MVA) statistical methods. Principle component analysis (PCA) and hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) were applied for sample differentiation. Marker compounds were identified by comparing spectroscopic data with isolated compounds, and additional triterpenes were putatively identified by propagating annotations through a molecular network (MN) generated from UHPLC-HRMS & MS/MS metabolite profiling.</p><p><strong>RESULTS:</strong> PCA and HCA provided a good discrimination between bitter melon samples from various origins in China. This study revealed for the first time the existence of two chemotypes of bitter melon. Marker compounds of those two chemotypes were identified at different MSI levels. The combined results of MN and MVA demonstrated that the two chemotypes mainly differ in their richness in cucurbitane versus oleanane triterpenoid glycosides (CTGs vs. OTGs).</p><p><strong>CONCLUSION:</strong> Our finding revealed a clear chemotype distribution of bioactive components across bitter melon varieties. While bioactivities of individual CTGs and OTGs still need to be investigated in more depth, our results could help in future the selection of bitter melon varieties with optimised metabolites profile for an improved management of diabetes with this popular edible Chinese folk medicine.</p>