Transformation of SBUs and Synergy of MOF Host-Guest in Single Crystalline State: Ingenious Strategies for Modulating Third-Order NLO Signals.

Central metal exchange can innovatively open the cavity of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) by alternating the framework topology. Here, the single-crystal-to-single-crystal (SC-SC) transformation is reported from a Co-based MOF {[Co1.25 (HL)0.5 (Pz-NH2 )0.25 (µ3 -O)0.25 (µ2 -OH)0.25 (H2 O)]·0.125 Co·0.125 L·10.25H2 O}n (Co-MOF, L = 5,5'-(1H-2,3,5-triazole-1,4-diyl)diisophthalic acid) into two novel MOF materials, {[Cu1.75 L0.75 (Pz-NH2 )0.125 (µ3 -O)0.125 (µ2 -OH)0.25 (H2 O)0.375 ]•3CH3 CN}n (Cu-MOF) and {[Zn1.75 L0.625 (Pz-NH2 )0.25 (µ3 -O)0.25 (µ2 -O)0.25 (H2 O)1.25 ]•4CH3 CN}n (Zn-MOF), through exchanging the Co2+ in the MOF into Cu2+ or Zn2+ , respectively. The free Co2+ and L4- in the Co-MOF channels fuse with the skeleton during the Co→Cu and Co→Zn exchange processes, leading to the expansion of the channel space and the transformation of the secondary building units (SBUs) to form an adjustable skeleton. The nonlinear optical response results show that the MOFs generated by the exchange of the central metal exhibit different saturable absorption and the self-focusing effect. In addition, loading polypyrrole (PPy) into the MOFs can not only improve the stability of the MOFs but also further optimize the nonlinear optical behavior. This work suggests that SC-SC central metal exchange and the introduction of polymer molecules can tune the nonlinear optical response, which provides a new perspective for the future study of nonlinear optical materials.

Liver-specific deletion of microRNA-34a alleviates ductular reaction and liver fibrosis during experimental cholestasis.

Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is a chronic liver disease characterized by inflammatory responses and fibrotic scar formation leading to cholestasis. Ductular reaction and liver fibrosis are typical liver changes seen in human PSC and cholestasis patients. The current study aimed to clarify the role of liver-specific microRNA-34a in the cholestasis-associated ductular reaction and liver fibrosis. We demonstrated that miR-34a expression was significantly increased in human PSC livers along with the enhanced ductular reaction, cellular senescence, and liver fibrosis. A liver-specific miR-34a knockout mouse was established by crossing floxed miR-34a mice with albumin-promoter-driven Cre mice. Bile duct ligation (BDL) induced liver injury characterized by necrosis, fibrosis, and immune cell infiltration. In contrast, liver-specific miR-34a knockout in BDL mice resulted in decreased biliary ductular pathology associated with the reduced cholangiocyte senescence and fibrotic responses. The miR-34a-mediated ductular reactions may be functioning through Sirt-1-mediated senescence and fibrosis. The hepatocyte-derived conditioned medium promoted LPS-induced fibrotic responses and senescence in cholangiocytes, and miR-34a inhibitor suppressed these effects, further supporting the involvement of paracrine regulation. In conclusion, we demonstrated that liver-specific miR-34a plays an important role in ductular reaction and fibrotic responses in a BDL mouse model of cholestatic liver disease.

Mechanism of Zuogui pill enhancing ovarian function and skin elastic repair in premature aging rats based on artificial intelligence medical image analysis.

BACKGROUND: AI medical image analysis shows potential applications in research on premature aging and skin. The purpose of this study was to explore the mechanism of the Zuogui pill based on artificial intelligence medical image analysis on ovarian function enhancement and skin elasticity repair in rats with premature aging. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The premature aging rat model was established by using an experimental animal model. Then Zuogui pills were injected into the rats with premature aging, and the images were detected by an optical microscope. Then, through the analysis of artificial intelligence medical images, the image data is analyzed to evaluate the indicators of ovarian function. RESULTS: Through optical microscope image detection, we observed that the Zuogui pill played an active role in repairing ovarian tissue structure and increasing the number of follicles in mice, and Zuogui pill also significantly increased the level of progesterone in the blood of mice. CONCLUSION: Most of the ZGP-induced outcomes are significantly dose-dependent.

Integrating metabolomics and network toxicology to reveal the mechanism of hypoaconitine-induced hepatotoxicity in mice.

Hypoaconitine (HA), a major secondary metabolite of aconite (a plant-derived rodenticide), is a highly toxic di-ester alkaloidal constituent. The toxicity of HA is intense with a low LD50. However, studies on its toxicity mechanism have mainly focused on cardiotoxicity, with few reports on the mechanism of hepatotoxicity. In this study, we combined metabolomics and network toxicology to investigate the effects of HA on the liver and analyzed the mechanisms by which it causes hepatotoxicity. The results of metabolomics studies indicated diethylphosphate, sphingosine-1-phosphate, glycerophosphorylcholine, 2,8-quinolinediol, guanidinosuccinic acid, and D-proline as differential metabolites after HA exposure. These metabolites are involved in eight metabolic pathways including arginine and proline metabolism, ether lipid metabolism, ß-alanine metabolism, sphingolipid metabolism, glutathione metabolism, and glycerophospholipid metabolism. Network toxicology analysis of HA may affect the HIF-1 signaling pathway, IL-17 signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, and so on by regulating the targets of ALB, HSP90AA1, MMP9, CASP3, and so on. Integrating the results of metabolomics and network toxicology, it was concluded that HA may induce hepatotoxicity by triggering physiological processes such as oxidative stress, inflammatory response, and inducing apoptosis in hepatocytes.

Renal toxicity of Aconitum plants? A study based on a new mass spectrometry scanning strategy and computer virtual screening.

BACKGROUND: Radix Aconiti Lateralis (Fuzi), a mono-herbal preparation of Aconitum herbs in the genus Aconitum, is commonly used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) to treat critical illnesses. The curative effect of Fuzi is remarkable. However, the toxic effects of Fuzi are still a key clinical focus, and the substances inducing nephrotoxicity are still unclear. Therefore, this study proposes a research model combining "in vitro and in vivo component mining-virtual multi-target screening-active component prediction-literature verification" to screen potential nephrotoxic substances rapidly. METHOD: The UHPLC-Q-Exactive-Orbitrap MS analysis method was used for the correlation analysis of Fuzi's in vitro-in vivo chemical substance groups. On this basis, the key targets of nephrotoxicity were screened by combining online disease databases and a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network. The computer screening technique was used to verify the binding mode and affinity of Fuzi's components with nephrotoxic targets. Finally, the potential material basis of Fuzi-induced nephrotoxicity was screened. RESULTS: Eighty-one Fuzi components were identified. Among them, 35 components were absorbed into the blood. Based on the network biology method, 21 important chemical components and three potential key targets were screened. Computer virtual screening revealed that mesaconine, benzoylaconine, aconitine, deoxyaconitine, hypaconitine, benzoylhypaconine, benzoylmesaconine, and hypaconitine may be potential nephrotoxic substances of Fuzi. CONCLUSIONS: Fuzi may interact with multiple components and targets in the process of inducing nephrotoxicity. In the future, experiments can be designed to explore further. This study provides a reference for screening Fuzi nephrotoxic components and has certain significance for the safe use of Fuzi.

[UPLC-QE-Orbitrap-MS combined with network pharmacology to explore differential components and mechanisms of raw and scorched rhubarb for treatment of ulcerative colitis].

This study compared the therapeutic difference effects of the raw and scorched rhubarb for the treatment of ulcerative colitis(UC) and explored their difference in chemical components and mechanisms by using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-electrostatic field orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry(UPLC-QE-Orbitrap-MS) and network pharmacology. The UC therapeutic effects of Shaoyao Decoction with the raw rhubarb or the scorched rhubarb were evaluated by dextran sulfate sodium(DSS)-induced mouse model. The results showed that Shaoyao Decoction with either the raw rhubarb or the scorched rhubarb could relieve the UC symptoms of mice to different extents, while the scorched rhubarb-based formula showed advantages in reducing hemorrhagic diarrhea and inflammation levels. UPLC-QE-Orbitrap-MS was used to identify a total of 78 small molecules in the water decoction of the raw and scorched rhubarb. Multivariate statistical methods were used to screen components increasing significantly after the scorching process. The seven compounds included five free anthraquinones, gallic acid, and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural(HMF). Meanwhile, the nine compounds decreasing scorching were mainly combined anthraquinones and catechins-related compounds. Network pharmacology and molecular docking suggested that free anthraquinones, gallic acid, and 5-HMF may act on core targets such as B-cell lymphoma-2(BCL2), epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR), tumor necrosis factor(TNF), and caspase-3(CASP3) and influence the signaling pathways such as phosphoinositide-3-kinase/protein kinase B(PI3K/Akt), hypoxia inducible factor-1(HIF-1), TNF, and mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK), so as to regulate the inflammation response, oxidative stress, and cell apoptosis to relieve UC symptoms. This study compared the therapeutic effects and chemical components of the raw and scorched rhubarb, providing the clinical reference for using rhubarb to treat UC.

[Research progress on induced hepatic stellate cell ferroptosis in prevention and treatment of liver fibrosis].

Liver fibrosis is a key pathological stage in the progression of chronic liver disease. If the disease is mistreated, it can further deteriorate into liver failure, which seriously affects the quality of life of patients and brings heavy medical costs. Hepatic stellate cell(HSC) activation triggers extracellular matrix(ECM) deposition, which plays an important driving role in liver fibrosis, and ferroptosis is an effective strategy to clear or reverse the activation of HSCs into a deactivated phenotype. Therefore, inhibiting the activation and proliferation of HSCs by regulating ferroptosis is the key to the treatment of this disease, so as to derive the prospect of inducing ferroptosis of HSCs(including RNA-binding proteins, non-coding RNA, chemicals, and active components of traditional Chinese medicine) to intervene in liver fibrosis. On this basis, this paper started from the activation of HSCs to induce ECM deposition and focused on summarizing the mechanism of inducing HSC ferroptosis in delaying the progression of liver fibrosis, so as to continuously enrich the clinical practice of liver fibrosis and provide a reference for subsequent basic research.

Value of synthetic MRI quantitative parameters in preprocedural evaluation for TRUS/MRI fusion-guided biopsy of the prostate.

BACKGROUND: Transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) fusion-guided biopsy has a high clinical application value. However, this technique has some limitations, which limit its use in routine clinical practice. Therefore, the selection of suitable proatate lesions for this technique is worthy of our attention. Synthetic MRI (SyMRI) is capable of quantifying multiple relaxation parameters, which might have potential value in preprocedural evaluation for TRUS/MRI fusion-guided biopsy of the prostate. The aim of our study is to examine the value of SyMRI quantitative parameters in preprocedural evaluation for TRUS/MRI fusion-guided biopsy of the prostate. METHODS: We prospectively selected 148 lesions in 137 patients who underwent prostate biopsy in our hospital. Next, 2-4 needles of TRUS/MRI fusion-guided biopsy combined with 10 needles of system biopsy (SB) were used as the protocol for prostate biopsy. Before biopsy, the MAGiC sequences of the MRI images of the enrolled patients underwent post-processing, and the longitudinal relaxation time (T1), transverse relaxation time (T2), and proton density (PD) were extracted. The biopsy pathology results were used as a gold standard to compare the differences in SyMRI quantitative parameters between benign and malignant prostate lesions in the peripheral and transitional zones. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to confirm the optimal SyMRI quantitative parameter for prostate lesion benignancy/malignancy performance, and the cutoff values of these parameters were used for grouping the lesions. The single-needle biopsy prostate cancer (PCa)-positivity rates (number of positive biopsy needles/total biopsy needles) and PCa overall detection rates by TRUS/MRI fusion-guided biopsy and SB were compared in different subgroups. RESULTS: The T1 and T2 values can determine the benignancy/malignancy of prostate transition lesions(p < 0.01), and the T2 value has a greater diagnostic performance (p = 0.0376). The T2 value can determine the benignancy/malignancy of prostate peripheral lesions. The optimal diagnostic cutoff values for T2 were 77 and 81 ms, respectively. The single-needle PCa positivity rate of TRUS/MRI fusion-guided biopsy was higher than SB for any prostate lesions in different subgroups (p < 0.01). However, only in the subgroup of transition zone lesions with T2 ≤ 77 ms, the PCa overall detection rate of TRUS/MRI fusion-guided biopsy was significantly higher than that of SB (p = 0.031). CONCLUSION: SyMRI-T2 value can provide a theoretical basis for the selection of suitable lesions for TRUS/MRI fusion-guided biopsy.

Development of chemiluminescent lab-on-fiber immunosensors for rapid point-of-care testing of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies and evaluation of longitudinal immune response kinetics following three-dose inactivation virus vaccination.

Developing reliable, rapid, and quantitative point-of-care testing (POCT) technology of SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies and understanding longitudinal vaccination response kinetics are highly required to restrain the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. We demonstrate a novel portable, sensitive, and rapid chemiluminescent lab-on-fiber detection platform for detection of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies: the chemiluminescent lab-on-fiber immunosensor (c-LOFI). Using SARS-CoV-2 Spike S1 RBD protein functionalized fiber bio-probe, the c-LOFI can detect anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) antibodies with high sensitivity based on their respective horseradish peroxidase-labeled secondary antibodies. The limits of detection of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG and IgM antibodies were 0.6 and 0.3 ng/ml, respectively. The c-LOFI was successfully applied for direct detection of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies in whole blood samples with simple dilution, which can serve as a finger prick test to rapidly detect antibodies. Furthermore, the longitudinal immune response (>12 months) kinetics following three-dose inactivated virus vaccines was evaluated based on anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG detection results, which can provide important significance for understanding the immune mechanism against COVID-19 and identify individuals who may benefit from the vaccination and booster vaccination. The c-LOFI has great potential to become a sensitive, low-cost, rapid, high-frequency POCT tool for the detection of both SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies and other biomarkers.

A reusable fiber-embedded microfluidic chip for rapid and sensitive on-site detection of kanamycin residues in water environments.

The overuse and abuse of antibiotics have led to increased pollution in water environments. Thus, it is crucial to develop a rapid, high-frequency, and cost-effective method for on-site detection of antibiotics. In this regard, a reusable fiber-embedded microfluidic chip was constructed by combining a microfluidic chip with a functionalized fiber bioprobe that served as both a biorecognition element and an optical transducer. The fiber-embedded microfluidic chip enabled the quantitative detection of kanamycin (KANA) by integrating a portable all-fiber evanescent wave fluorescence detection device. Under optimized conditions, quantitative KANA detection was achieved with a detection limit of 0.03 µg L-1 and a linear detection range of 0.21-10.3 µg L-1. The accurate detection of KANA in various water samples can be completed within 25 min without pretreatment. The functionalized fiber-embedded microfluidic chip could be reused more than 200 times without significant performance loss. To demonstrate its suitability for practical applications, the fiber-embedded microfluidic chip was used to investigate KANA residues in surface waters obtained from the Qinghe River in Beijing, China. The results were compared with those of a traditional enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, which showed a high correlation. Compared to conventional optical microfluidic chips, the proposed fiber-embedded microfluidic chip has several advantages, including its ease of use, miniaturization, cost-effectiveness, reusability, and high flexibility. It is an ideal alternative for rapid, sensitive on-site detection of antibiotics and other trace substances in environmental, food, and medical fields.

Identification of triple-negative breast cancer and androgen receptor expression based on histogram and texture analysis of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI.

BACKGROUND: Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is highly malignant and has a poor prognosis due to the lack of effective therapeutic targets. Androgen receptor (AR) has been investigated as a possible therapeutic target. This study quantitatively assessed intratumor heterogeneity by histogram analysis of pharmacokinetic parameters and texture analysis on dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) to discriminate TNBC from non-triple-negative breast cancer (non-TNBC) and to identify AR expression in TNBC. METHODS: This retrospective study included 99 patients with histopathologically proven breast cancer (TNBC: 36, non-TNBC: 63) who underwent breast DCE-MRI before surgery. The pharmacokinetic parameters of DCE-MRI (Ktrans, Kep and Ve) and their corresponding texture parameters were calculated. The independent t-test, or Mann-Whitney U-test was used to compare quantitative parameters between TNBC and non-TNBC groups, and AR-positive (AR+) and AR-negative (AR-) TNBC groups. The parameters with significant difference between two groups were further involved in logistic regression analysis to build a prediction model for TNBC. The ROC analysis was conducted on each independent parameter and the TNBC predicting model for evaluating the discrimination performance. The area under the ROC curve (AUC), sensitivity and specificity were derived. RESULTS: The binary logistic regression analysis revealed that Kep_Range (p = 0.032) and Ve_SumVariance (p = 0.005) were significantly higher in TNBC than in non-TNBC. The AUC of the combined model for identifying TNBC was 0.735 (p < 0.001) with a cut-off value of 0.268, and its sensitivity and specificity were 88.89% and 52.38%, respectively. The value of Kep_Compactness2 (p = 0.049), Kep_SphericalDisproportion (p = 0.049), and Ve_GlcmEntropy (p = 0.008) were higher in AR + TNBC group than in AR-TNBC group. CONCLUSION: Histogram and texture analysis of breast lesions on DCE-MRI showed potential to identify TNBC, and the specific features can be possible predictors of AR expression, enhancing the ability to individualize the treatment of patients with TNBC.

Iron Catalyzed Cascade Construction of Molybdenum Carbide Heterointerfaces for Understanding Hydrogen Evolution.

The intercrystalline interfaces have been proven vital in heterostructure catalysts. However, it is still challenging to generate specified heterointerfaces and to make clear the mechanism of a reaction on the interface. Herein, this work proposes a strategy of Fe-catalyzed cascade formation of heterointerfaces for comprehending the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). In the pure solid-phase reaction system, Fe catalyzes the in situ conversion of MoO2 to MoC and then Mo2 C, and the consecutive formation leaves lavish intercrystalline interfaces of MoO2 -MoC (in Fe-MoO2 /MoC@NC) or MoC-Mo2 C (in Fe-MoC/ß-Mo2 C@NC), which contribute to HER activity. The improved HER activity on the interface leads to further checking of the mechanism with density functional theory calculation. The computation results reveal that the electroreduction (Volmer step) produced H* prefers to be adsorbed on Mo2 C; then two pathways are proposed for the HER on the interface of MoC-Mo2 C, including the single-molecular adsorption pathway (Rideal mechanism) and the bimolecular adsorption pathway (Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism). The calculation results further show that the former is favorable, and the reaction on the MoC-Mo2 C heterointerface significantly lowers the energy barriers of the rate-determining steps.

Lipidomics reveals the dysregulated ceramide metabolism in oxidized low-density lipoprotein-induced macrophage-derived foam cell.

Atherosclerosis (AS) is associated with increasing lipid peroxidation. Oxidative modification of low-density lipoproteins (ox-LDL) is one most important factors contributing to the pathogenesis and clinical features of AS. The lipid composition influenced by ox-LDL is not known clearly. In this work, a UHPLC/Orbitrap MS-based lipidomics approach integrated pathway analysis was performed to advance understanding of the lipid composition and feature pathway in an ox-LDL-induced foamy macrophage cell. In the lipid metabolic profiling, 196 lipid species from 15 (sub)classes were identified. Lipid profiling indicated that increasing ox-LDL caused lipid metabolic alternations, manifesting as phospholipids being down-regulated and sphingolipids being up-regulated. Pathway analysis explored glycerophospholipid and sphingolipid metabolism, which was involved in atherogenic changes. Notably, dysregulated ceramide metabolism was a typical feature of foamy cell formation. qRT-PCR analysis was conducted to explore the differentially expressed genes. It indicated that ceramide metabolic balance might be disordered, performing higher synthesis and lower hydrolysis, with the ratio of SMPD1/SGMS2 being significantly up-regulated (p < 0.05) in the ox-LDL induced group. Our work offers a comprehensive understanding of macrophage-derived foam cells and screen feature pathways associated with foamy cell formation, which provides a reference for the clinic diagnosis of AS and drug interventions.

On-site rapid and simultaneous detection of acetamiprid and fipronil using a dual-fluorescence lab-on-fiber biosensor.

A dual-fluorescence lab-on-fiber biosensor was developed for the rapid and simultaneous on-site determination of acetamiprid and fipronil, based on time-resolved effect and indirect competitive immunoassay principle. The optical fiber modified with two hapten-protein conjugates serves as a bifunctional bio-probe. The dual-color fluorescent reporters were prepared via labeling acetamiprid and fipronil antibodies with Cy5.5 and Alexa Fluor 555, which were excited at 635-nm and 520-nm laser wavelengths, respectively. In the presence of targets, the binding sites of corresponding antibodies were occupied and less antibodies were connected to the probe surface, resulting in the reduction of fluorescence signal. The concentration of acetamiprid and fipronil was determined by measuring the fluorescence signals at 568 nm and 702 nm (emission wavelengths), respectively. Under optimal conditions, the linear response range was 14.2-225.4 ng/L for acetamiprid and 25.1-162.8 ng/L for fipronil, and the limit of detection was 6.51 ng/L and 17.8 ng/L for acetamiprid and fipronil, respectively. The method was successfully applied to the simultaneous detection of acetamiprid and fipronil in three environmental samples, and the recoveries were between 90 and 128%. The dual-fluorescence lab-on-fiber biosensor provides a feasible platform for simultaneous and rapid detection of multiple pesticide residues. A dual-fluorescence lab-on-fiber biosensor was developed for the rapid and simultaneous on-site determination of acetamiprid and fipronil. A bifunctional bio-probe was prepared from the optical fiber modified with two hapten-protein conjugates. Acetamiprid and fipronil antibodies were labeled with different fluorophores and used as dual-color fluorescent reporters.

[Study on serum pharmacodynamic material basis of Gegen Qinlian Decoction in treatment of ulcerative colitis based on UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS].

This study established a mouse model of ulcerative colitis and explored the serum transitional components of Gegen Qinlian Decoction by UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap-MS. Based on the exact relative molecular weight and MS/MS spectrum, 55 prototype components and 59 metabolites were identified from the model group, while 18 prototype components and 35 metabolites from the control group. The prototype components in serum were mainly flavonoids and the characteristic components of the model group were alkaloids. Glucuronidation, sulfonation, and glycosylation have been confirmed to be the main metabolic types in vivo. The results of comparative analysis of differences indicated that puerarin, baicalin, wogonoside, wogonin, chrysin, oroxylin A, berberine, berberrubine, and palmatine were the characteristic components in model state, which at the same time, were confirmed by pharmacological studies to be the serum pharmacodynamic material basis of Gegen Qinlian Decoction in the treatment of ulcerative colitis. This study has provided reference for explaining the metabolic transformation pattern and mechanism of action of Gegen Qinlian Decoction in vivo.

[Compatibility mechanism of Gegen Qinlian Decoction in treatment of ulcerative colitis based on network pharmacology].

Gegen Qinlian Decoction(GQD) is commonly used for the clinical treatment of ulcerative colitis(UC) and other diseases, but its compatibility mechanism has not been elucidated systematically. In this study, the compatibility mechanism of GQD against UC was revealed based on the blood components in the mouse model of UC by network pharmacology. The targets of blood components of GQD were collected to construct a protein-protein interaction(PPI) network. The key targets were screened out according to the topological parameters of the network, and 16 core components were identified, such as puerarin, chrysin, berberine, and liquiritigenin, based on the key targets in the blood components. Functional enrichment analysis was performed on the key targets, and the regulatory network of the prescription was constructed, which elucidated the compatibility mechanism of the Chinese herbal drugs in the prescription at both target and pathway levels. The results showed that all the Chinese herbal drugs in GQD had heat-clearing and toxin-removing effects, and the four Chinese herbal drugs synergistically exerted their effects by co-regulating protooncogenes, such as FOS and JUN, and characteristically regulating signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3) and interleukin-6(IL-6). The pathway analysis revealed that GQD exerted heat-clearing and toxin-removing effects mainly by regulating the inflammatory response-related signaling pathways, such as Toll-like receptor, tumor necrosis factor(TNF), and mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK). Furthermore, the study revealed the synergistic effects of Chinese herbal drugs in GQD based on the TNF signaling pathway. The results showed that the sovereign drug Puerariae Lobatae Radix played a primary role in the regulation of targets in the TNF signaling pathway, the minister drugs Scutellariae Radix and Coptidis Rhizoma showed the synergistic effects with Puerariae Lobatae Radix, and the assistant and guiding drug Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma supported Puerariae Lobatae Radix in the key target NF-κB and the process of cell adhesion. The drugs in GQD showed good characteristics of compatibility in the TNF signaling pathway. This study is expected to provide the basis for the further exploration of the compatibility mechanism of GQD.

[Quality evaluation of commercial Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma Rubra based on multi-component quantitative analysis].

To comprehensively evaluate the quality of commercial Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma Rubra, 43 batches of commercial Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma Rubra were collected to determine the content of nine ginsenosides Rg_1, Re, Rb_1, Rk_3, Rh_4, 20(S)-Rg_3, 20(R)-Rg_3, Rk_1, and Rg_5 by high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC). The quality of the commercial Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma Rubra was evaluated by correlation analysis, principal component analysis, factor analysis, analysis of variance(ANOVA), and cluster heatmap analysis. The content determination indicated that the content of common ginsenosides in commercial Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma Rubra were higher while that of rare ginsenosides were lower. Multivariate statistical analysis revealed that ginsenosides Rg_1 and Rb_1 were significantly positively correlated with rare ginsenosides, and Rg_1, Rb_1 and rare ginsenosides played an important role in evaluating the quality of commercial Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma Rubra. In combination with the processing principle and current quality situation of Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma Rubra, it is recommended to improve the content limit of Rb_1 in the existing quality standards.

Store-operated calcium entry-associated regulatory factor regulates airway inflammation and airway remodeling in asthma mice models.

Store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) is involved in the pathogenesis of airway inflammation and remodeling in asthma. Store-operated calcium entry-associated regulatory factor (SARAF) can downregulate SOCE. We sought to investigate the role of SARAF in the regulation of airway inflammation and remodeling in asthma mice models, as well as in the functional regulation of human airway smooth muscle cells (hASMCs). Balb/c mice were sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin to establish the asthma mice models. Mice were transfected with lentivirus, which expressed the SARAF gene + GFP (green fluorescence protein) or the negative control gene + GFP. Airway resistance was measured with the animal pulmonary function system. Airway inflammation and remodeling were evaluated via histological staining. In vitro cultured hASMCs were transfected with scrambled small interfering RNA (siRNA) or SARAF-specific siRNA, respectively. The proliferation, migration rate, hypertrophy, and SOCE activity of hASMCs were examined with Cell Counting Kit-8, wound healing test, bright field imaging, and Ca2+ fluorescence imaging, respectively. SARAF expression was measured by quantitative real-time PCR. Asthma mice models showed decreased SARAF mRNA expression in the lungs. SARAF overexpression attenuated airway inflammation, resistance, and also remodeling. Downregulation of SARAF expression with siRNA promoted the proliferation, migration, hypertrophy, and SOCE activity in hASMCs. SARAF plays a protective role against airway inflammation and remodeling in asthma mice models by blunting SOCE; SARAF may also be a functional regulating factor of hASMCs.

The outer membrane protein Amuc_1100 of Akkermansia muciniphila alleviates the depression-like behavior of depressed mice induced by chronic stress.

Akkermansia muciniphila is a symbiotic intestinal bacterium with a high medicinal value. Amuc_1100 is the outer membrane protein of A. muciniphila and plays an important role in the interaction between A. muciniphila and its host. The objective of this study was to evaluate the antidepressant activity of Amuc_1100 in a chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) model. Amuc_1100 intervention ameliorated CUMS-induced depression-like behavior and CUMS-induced down-regulation of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, or simply, 5-HT) in the serum and colon of mice. Microbial analysis of mouse feces showed that Amuc_1100 could improve the gut microbiota dysregulation induced by CUMS. In addition, Amuc_1100 intervention could also improve the down-regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and inflammation in the hippocampus induced by CUMS. These results suggest that Amuc_1100 has a good antidepressant effect, and the mechanism may be related to the improvement of gut microbiota, the up-regulation of the BDNF level, and the inhibition of the neuroinflammatory response.

Amuc_1102 from Akkermansia muciniphila adopts an immunoglobulin-like fold related to archaeal type IV pilus.

Akkermansia muciniphila is a kind of beneficial microorganism colonized in the human gut. A. muciniphila is closely related to human intestinal health and has a good effect on diseases related to intestinal metabolism. The proteins encoded by the Amuc_1098-Amuc_1102 gene cluster, which are related to the formation and assembly of the pilus, are highly expressed in the membrane protein components of A. muciniphila. In this paper, we report the crystal structure of Amuc_1102 at a resolution of 1.75 Å, which adopts an immunoglobulin (Ig)-like fold. Amuc_1102 shares a similar fold to three archaeal proteins related to type IV pilus (T4P)-like structure, Pilin, FlaF, and FlaG, indicating a similar function. Amuc_1102 exists as a trimer both in the crystal structure and in solution, which differs from the assemblies of Pilin, FlaF, and FlaG. This study provides a structural basis for the elucidation of the T4P formation of A. muciniphila.