Lycium barbarum has been used in China for more than 2,000 years as a traditional medicinal herb and food supplement. Lycium barbarum contains abundant Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBPs), betaine, phenolics, carotenoids (zeaxanthin and β-carotene), cerebroside, 2-O-β-d-glucopyranosyl-l-ascorbic acid (AA-2βG), β-sitosterol, flavonoids and vitamins (in particular, riboflavin, thiamine, and ascorbic acid). LBPs are the primary active components of Lycium barbarum. In this review, we discuss the pharmacological activities of LBPs and other major components. They have been reported to mediate significant anti-aging effects, through antioxidant, immunoregulative, anti-apoptotic activities and reducing DNA damage. Thus, the basic scientific evidence for anti-aging effects of LBPs is already available. However, additional studies are needed to understand mechanisms by which LBPs mediate anti-aging properties. Novel findings from such studies would likely pave the way for the clinical application of traditional chinese medicine Lycium barbarum in modern evidence-based medicine.

Lycium Barbarum: A Traditional Chinese Herb and A Promising Anti-Aging Agent.

Major review: Exfoliation syndrome; advances in disease genetics, molecular biology, and epidemiology

An overview of myopia genetics

Oxidative stress is known to impair architecture and function of cells, which may lead to various chronic diseases, and therefore therapeutic and nutritional interventions to reduce oxidative damages represent a viable strategy in the amelioration of oxidative stress-related disorders, including neurodegenerative diseases. Over the past decade, a variety of natural polysaccharides from functional and medicinal foods have attracted great interest due to their antioxidant functions such as scavenging free radicals and reducing oxidative damages. Interestingly, these antioxidant polysaccharides are also found to attenuate neuronal damages and alleviate cognitive and motor decline in a range of neurodegenerative models. It has recently been established that the neuroprotective mechanisms of polysaccharides are related to oxidative stress-related pathways, including mitochondrial function, antioxidant defense system and pathogenic protein aggregation. Here, we first summarize the current status of antioxidant function of food-derived polysaccharides and then attempt to appraise their anti-neurodegeneration activities.

https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/9/7/778/pdf

Food-Derived Antioxidant Polysaccharides and Their Pharmacological Potential in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Although lysyl oxidase-like 1 (LOXL1) is known as the principal genetic risk factor for pseudoexfoliation (PEX) syndrome, a major cause of glaucoma and cardiovascular complications, no functional variants have been identified to date Here, we conduct a genome-wide association scan on 771 German PEX patients and 1,350 controls, followed by independent testing of associated variants in Italian and Japanese data sets We focus on a 35-kb four-component polymorphic locus positioned spanning introns 1 and 2 of LOXL1 with enhancer-like chromatin features We find that the rs11638944:C>G transversion exerts a cis-acting effect on the expression levels of LOXL1, mediated by differential binding of the transcription factor RXRα (retinoid X receptor alpha) and by modulating alternative splicing of LOXL1, eventually leading to reduced levels of LOXL1 mRNA in cells and tissues of risk allele carriers These findings uncover a functional mechanism by which common noncoding variants influence LOXL1 expression

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Pseudoexfoliation syndrome-associated genetic variants affect transcription factor binding and alternative splicing of LOXL1

Objectives
We aimed to investigate the protective effect of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides (LBPs) against oxidative stress–induced apoptosis and senescence in human lens epithelial cells.

Lycium barbarum polysaccharides protect human lens epithelial cells against oxidative stress-induced apoptosis and senescence.

Aim To investigate the association of lysyl oxidase-like 1 (LOXL1) single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with exfoliation syndrome (XFS)/exfoliation glaucoma (XFG). Methods Published manuscripts from PubMed and EMBASE were identified until May 2014. Summary odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for LOXL1 (rs1048661, rs2165241 and rs3825942) polymorphisms and the risk of XFS/XFG were estimated using random- or fixed- effect model. Results The three LOXL1 polymorphisms (rs1048661, rs3825942, and rs2165241) were associated with an increased risk for XFS/XFG among Caucasians, with OR 2.19(1.96-2.45), 8.8 (6.05-12.79) and 3.41 (3.11-3.73), respectively. On the contrast, the rs1048661 and rs2165241, but not rs3825942 polymorphism, have a potential protective effect on XFS/XFG in Asians, with OR 0.06 (0.02-0.18), 0.15 (0.09-0.25), respectively. Conclusion There is strong evidence that LOXL1 polymorphisms are associated with XFS/XFG risk. The strength of risk might be ethnicity-dependent.

The association of LOXL1 polymorphisms with exfoliation syndrome/glaucoma: Meta-analysis.

AIM To investigate the correlation between lumican (LUM) gene and high myopia in a Southern Chinese population. METHODS The study comprised of 95 high myopia patients with a spherical equivalent ≤-6.5 diopters (D). The control group recruited 95 individuals with a spherical equivalent ranging from -0.5 D to +0.5 D. Direct sequencing was used to detect the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of LUM gene in coding region. Genotype distributions were tested for Hardy-Weinberg disequilibrium. Genotypic and allelic frequencies were analyzed through Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. RESULTS We identified 3 SNPs of the LUM gene: LUM c.32 (rs577456426), LUM c.507 (rs17853500) and LUM c.849 (rs181915277). Among the three SNPs, the genotype and allele frequencies of rs17853500 showed a significant difference between patients and control subjects (P 0.05). CONCLUSION LUM c.507 polymorphism may be a risk factor for the pathogenesis of high myopia in the Southern Chinese population.

The association of lumican polymorphisms and high myopia in a Southern Chinese population.

AIM To compare conventional slow equilibrium cooling and directional freezing (DF) by gauze package for cryopreservation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). METHODS HUVECs were randomly assigned to conventional freezing (CF) and DF by gauze package group. The two groups of HUVECs were incubated with a freezing liquid consisting of 10% dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), 60% fetal bovine serum (FBS) and 30% Dulbecco's modified Eagle's medium (DMEM) and then put into cryopreserved tubes. CF group, slow equilibrium cooling was performed with the following program: precool in 4°C for 30min, -20°C for 1h, and then immersion in -80°C refrigerator. DF group, the tubes were packaged with gauze and then directional freezing in -80°C refrigerator straightly. One month later, the vitality of HUVECs were calculated between two groups. RESULTS There was no significant difference in the survival rate and growth curve between CF and DF groups. The DF group was significantly better than CF group in adherent rates, morphological changes and proliferative ability. CONCLUSION In the conventional cryopreserved method, cells are slow equilibrium cooling by steps (4°C, -20°C and finally -80°C), which is a complicated and time-consuming process. But the improved DF by gauze package method is better than conventional method, for which is convenient and easy to operate.

Qing-Shan Ji

Papers

Lycium barbarum polysaccharides protect human lens epithelial cells against oxidative stress-induced apoptosis and senescence.

The association of LOXL1 polymorphisms with exfoliation syndrome/glaucoma: Meta-analysis.

The association of lumican polymorphisms and high myopia in a Southern Chinese population.

Comparison of conventional and directional freezing for the cryopreservation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells.