Research progress in risk factors of post-transplantation diabetes mellitus / 器官移植

Solid organ transplantation has significantly prolonged the survival of patients with end-stage diseases. However, long-term use of immunosuppressants will increase the risk of post-transplantation diabetes mellitus (PTDM) in the recipients, thereby elevating the risk of infection, cardiovascular disease and death. In recent years, with persistent improvement of diagnostic criteria of PTDM, clinicians have deepened the understanding of this disease. Compared with type 2 diabetes mellitus, PTDM significantly differs in pathophysiological characteristics and clinical progression. Hence, different treatment strategies should be adopted. Early identification of risk factors of organ transplant recipients, early diagnosis and intervention are of significance for improving the quality of life of recipients, prolonging the survival of grafts and reducing the fatality of recipients. Therefore, the diagnosis, incidence and risk factors of PTDM were reviewed in this article, aiming to provide reference for clinicians to deliver prompt diagnosis and intervention for PTDM.

Protective Mechanism of Paeoniflorin on Mice with Ulcerative Colitis Based on AMPK/mTOR Autophagy Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the protective mechanism of paeoniflorin on mice with ulcerative colitis （UC） through the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase （AMPK）/mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR） autophagy pathway. MethodUC mouse model was established by allowing mice freely drink 4% DSS， and 56 BALB/c male mice were randomly divided into model group， AMPK inhibitor group （20 mg·kg-1）， paeoniflorin （50 mg·kg-1） + inhibitor （20 mg·kg-1） group， and high dose （50 mg·kg-1）， medium dose （25 mg·kg-1）， and low dose （12.5 mg·kg-1） paeoniflorin groups. After seven days of drug intervention， the protective effect of paeoniflorin on mice with UC was determined by comparing the body weight， disease activity index （DAI） changes， and Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining results. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） and interleukin-6 （IL-6） in the serum of mice in each group， and immunofluorescence was utilized to detect microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 （LC3） content in the colon， AMPK， mTOR proteins， and their phosphorylated proteins including p-AMPK and p-mTOR in the colon tissue were detected by Western blot， and the mRNA expression levels of AMPK， mTOR， Beclin1， LC3， and p62 were detected by Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. ResultCompared with the blank group， the model group showed a decrease in body mass， an increase in DAI score， and severe pathological damage to the colon. The levels of inflammatory factors including TNF-α and IL-6 increased in serum （P<0.01）， while the protein levels of LC3 and p-AMPK/AMPK were down-regulated in colon tissue， and those of p-mTOR/mTOR were up-regulated （P<0.01）. The mRNA expression levels of AMPK and LC3 were down-regulated， while the mRNA expression levels of mTOR and p62 were up-regulated （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group and the paeoniflorin + inhibitor group， the mice treated with paeoniflorin showed an increase in body mass， a decrease in DAI score， a reduction in pathological damage to colon tissue， and a reduction in the levels of inflammatory factors of TNF-α and IL-6 in serum （P<0.05）. The protein levels of LC3 and p-AMPK/AMPK in colon tissue were up-regulated， while the protein levels of p-mTOR/mTOR were down-regulated （P<0.01）. The mRNA expression levels of AMPK， Beclin1， and LC3 were up-regulated， while the mRNA expression of mTOR and p62 were down-regulated （P<0.01）. The colon tissue of the inhibitor group was severely damaged， and the trend of various indicators was completely opposite to that of the high dose paeoniflorin group. ConclusionPaeoniflorin can enhance autophagy and reduce inflammatory damage in mice with UC by activating the AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway and thus play a protective role.

Comparison of Effect of Hirudo， Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma， and Their Combinations on Renal Fibrosis in Rats with Chronic Renal Failure / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the effects of Hirudo， Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma， and drug pair on renal pathological morphology and protein phosphatase 2A （PP2A）/adenylate activated protein kinase （AMPK）/mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR） signal pathway in rats with chronic renal failure （CRF）. MethodThe 55 male SD rats were randomly divided into a normal group （n=11） and a modeling group （n=44）. The normal group was fed conventionally， and the modeling group was given 0.25 g·kg-1·d-1 adenine by gavage for 28 days to replicate the CRF model. After successful modeling， rats were randomly divided into model group， Hirudo group （3 g·kg-1·d-1）， Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma group （3 g·kg-1·d-1）， and Hirudo + Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma group （3 g·kg-1·d-1）， with 9 rats in each group. The normal group and model group were given a constant volume of normal saline by intragastric administration for 30 days. At the end of the experiment， the levels of serum creatinine （SCr） and urea nitrogen （BUN） in all groups were measured. The renal pathological morphology changes were observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining， Masson staining， and electron microscopy. The mRNA expressions of PP2A， AMPK， and mTOR were detected by Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. The protein expression levels of PP2A， AMPK， phosphorylation（p）-AMPK， mTOR， and p-mTOR in renal tissue were detected by Western blot. ResultCompared with the normal group， the renal pathological structure changes were obvious， and the levels of SCr and BUN were significantly increased. The mRNA expression of PP2A， protein expression of PP2A， and p-mTOR/mTOR expression were significantly increased， and the p-AMPK/AMPK was significantly decreased in the model group （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the renal pathological morphology changes were significantly improved， and the levels of SCr and BUN were significantly decreased. The mRNA expression of PP2A， protein expression of PP2A， and p-mTOR/mTOR expression in the renal tissue were significantly decreased， and the p-AMPK/AMPK was significantly increased （P<0.05） in all groups after drug intervention. In addition， the effect in the Hirudo+Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma group was better. The mRNA expression levels of AMPK and mTOR in the renal tissue were not significantly different among the normal group， model group， and other groups. ConclusionThe efficacy of Hirudo and Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma pairs in improving renal fibrosis in rats with CRF is significantly better than that of the single drug， and its improvement on renal fibrosis in rats with CRF may be related to the regulation of PP2A/AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway.

Danggui Shaoyaosan Regulates Autophagy via AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 Signaling Pathway in Rat Model of Metabolism-associated Fatty Liver Disease / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the regulatory effect of Danggui Shaoyaosan on adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase （AMPK）/mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR）/Unc-51-like kinase-1 （ULK1） signaling pathway in the rat model of metabolism-associated fatty liver disease （MAFLD）. MethodSixty SD rats were randomized into control， model， western medicine （polyene phosphatidylcholine capsules，0.144 g·kg-1）， and low-， medium-， and high-dose （2.44， 4.88， 9.76 g·kg-1， respectively） Danggui Shaoyaosan groups. After being fed with a high-fat diet for 8 weeks， the rats in each group were administrated with corresponding drugs for 4 weeks. At the end of drug treatment， serum and liver tissue were collected for subsequent determination of related indicators. ResultCompared with the control group， the model group showed increased contents of total cholesterol （TC）， triglyceride （TG）， low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C） and activities of alanine aminotransferase （ALT） and aspartate aminotransferase （AST） in the serum， increased contents of TC， TG， and free fatty acids （FFAs） in the liver （P<0.01）， and decreased content of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C） in the serum （P<0.01）. Furthermore， the model group showed down-regulated protein levels of p-AMPK， microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3B （LC3B） Ⅱ， Beclin1， and ULK1 （P<0.01） and up-regulated protein levels of p-mTOR and ubiquitin-binding protein p62 in the liver （P<0.01）. The hepatic steatosis was obvious and the NAFLD activity score （NAS） and oil red O staining area increased in the model group， （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， Danggui Shaoyaosan reduced the contents of TC and TG and the activities of ALT and AST in the serum， lowered the levels of TC， TG， and FFA in the liver， down-regulated the protein levels of p-mTOR and p62 （P<0.01）， elevated the serum HDL-C level， and up-regulated the protein levels of p-AMPK， LCBⅡ， Beclin1， and ULK1 in the liver （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Moreover， it alleviated hepatic steatosis and decreased the NAS and oil red O staining area （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionDanggui Shaoyaosan has therapeutic effect on MAFLD rats by regulating AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 signaling pathway to enhance autophagy.

Effects of fluoride exposure on autophagy and AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 pathway in NG108-15 cells / 中华地方病学杂志

Objective:To investigate the effects of fluoride exposure on autophagy and the expression levels of adenosine monophosphate activated protein kinase (AMPK), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and Unc-51-like kinase 1 (ULK1) in mouse neuroblastoma and rat glioma fusion cells (NG108-15 cells).Methods:NG108-15 cells were cultured in vitro and divided into control group (0 mg/L), low fluoride group (20 mg/L), medium fluoride group (40 mg/L) and high fluoride group (80 mg/L) according to the final concentration of sodium fluoride, and the cells were collected after 24 h of treatment for standby. NG108-15 cells autophagy was detected by immunofluorescence/immunocytochemistry (IF/ICC method, the autophagy positive control group was treated with chloroquine phosphate); the mRNA expression levels of AMPK, mTOR and ULK1 in each group were detected by real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR); the protein expression levels of autophagy related protein microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3B (LC3B), AMPK, mTOR, ULK1, phosphorylation (p)-AMPK, p-mTOR, p-ULK1 in each group were detected by Western blotting. Results:No autophagosome was detected in the control group, and autophagosomes were detected in all the fluoride groups. The protein expression level of LC3B in the low, medium and high fluoride groups (1.80 ± 0.59, 2.16 ± 0.60, 2.30 ± 0.57) was significantly higher than that in the control group (1.00 ± 0.29, P < 0.05). The results of qRT-PCR showed that compared with the control group, the mRNA expression levels of AMPK in medium and high fluoride groups were higher (2.30 ± 0.57, 4.41 ± 1.05 vs 1.00 ± 0.01, P < 0.05); the mRNA expression levels of mTOR in the low, medium and high fluoride groups were lower (0.79 ± 0.04, 0.76 ± 0.09, 0.64 ± 0.10 vs 1.00 ± 0.01, P < 0.05), and the mRNA expression levels of ULK1 were higher (1.81 ± 0.39, 1.96 ± 0.35, 4.22 ± 1.03 vs 1.00 ± 0.01, P < 0.05). The results of Western blotting showed that compared with the control group, the protein expression levels of AMPK (1.21 ± 0.05, 1.20 ± 0.04, 1.30 ± 0.07 vs 1.00 ± 0.03), p-AMPK (1.12 ± 0.05, 1.20 ± 0.06, 1.49 ± 0.07 vs 1.00 ± 0.02), ULK1 (1.16 ± 0.05, 1.26 ± 0.05, 1.15 ± 0.05 vs 1.00 ± 0.04) and p-ULK1 (1.19 ± 0.04, 1.17 ± 0.02, 1.24 ± 0.05 vs 1.00 ± 0.05) in the low, medium and high fluoride groups were higher ( P < 0.05), and the protein expression levels of mTOR were lower (0.77 ± 0.03, 0.60 ± 0.03, 0.55 ± 0.04 vs 1.00 ± 0.04, P < 0.05); the protein expression levels of p-mTOR in the medium and high fluoride groups were lower (0.93 ± 0.05, 0.48 ± 0.02 vs 1.00 ± 0.02, P < 0.05). Conclusion:Fluoride exposure can induce autophagy in NG108-15 cells, and the expression of AMPK and ULK1 are up-regulated, while the expression of mTOR is down-regulated.

Shouwuwan Regulates Synaptic Plasticity of Hippocampal Neurons in Rat Model of D-galactose-induced Aging via mTOR Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Shouwuwan on the synaptic plasticity of hippocampal neurons in the rat model of D-galactose-induced aging via the mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR） signaling pathway. MethodA total of 50 male SPF-grade SD rats were randomized into normal group， model group， vitamin E （0.018 g·kg-1） group， and low- and high-dose （1.08，2.16 g·kg-1， respectively） Shouwuwan groups. Except the normal group， the other four groups were treated with D-galactose （120 mg·kg-1） for the modeling of aging. The rats were simultaneously administrated with corresponding agents by gavage. After six weeks of modeling， Morris water maze test was carried out to examine the behavioral changes. The whole brain and hippocampus samples were collected. The expression of postsynaptic density protein-95 （PSD-95） and synaptophysin （SYN） in the hippocampus was detected by immunohistochemistry. Golgi staining was employed to observe the changes in the morphology and function of neurons. Western blot and Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） were respectively employed to determine the mRNA and protein levels of mTOR， phosphorylated （p）-mTOR， p70 ribosome protein S6 kinase （p70S6K）， phosphorylated （p）-p70S6K， eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E-binding protein 2 （4EBP2）， and phosphorylated （p）-4EBP2 in the hippocampus. ResultCompared with the normal group， the model group showed slow swimming （P<0.01）， extended total swimming distance （P<0.05）， prolonged latency （P<0.01）， and decreased crossing number （P<0.01）. The modeling inhibited the expression of PSD-95 and SYN in the CA1 region of the hippocampus （P<0.01）， with the weakest staining effect and the smallest region， decreased the intersections of hippocampal neuron dendrites with concentric circles at the concentric distance of 100， 140， 180， and 200 μm from the cell body （P<0.01）， and reduced the length and density of dendritic spine （P<0.01）. In addition， the modeling up-regulated the mRNA levels of mTOR and p70S6K and the protein levels of p-mTOR and p-p70S6K （P<0.01） and down-regulated the mRNA level of 4EBP2 and the protein levels of 4EBP2 and p-4EBP2 （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， low- and high-dose Shouwuwan increased the average swimming speed （P<0.01）， shortened the latency （P<0.01）， increased the crossing number （P<0.01）， promoted the expression of PSD-95 and SYN in the hippocampal CA1 region （P<0.01）， increased the intersections between hippocampal neuronal dendrites and concentric circles at the concentric distance of 100， 140， 180，200 μm from the cell body （P<0.01）， and increased the number， length， and density of dendritic spine （P<0.01）. Furthermore， Shouwuwan down-regulated the protein levels of p-mTOR and p-p70S6K （P<0.01）， up-regulated the protein levels of 4EBP2 and p-4EBP2 （P<0.05，P<0.01）， down-regulated the mRNA levels of mTOR and p70S6K （P<0.01）， and up-regulated the mRNA level of 4EBP2 （P<0.01）. ConclusionShouwuwan can improve the learning and memory ability of rats exposed to D-galactose， promote the expression of proteins associated with synaptic plasticity， improve the morphology of neurons， repair neural function， reduce neuronal apoptosis， and inhibit mTOR signaling pathway to delay brain aging.

The role of mammalian target of rapamycin inhibitor in virus infection of organ transplant recipients / 器官移植

At present, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors are commonly-used immunosuppressive drugs after organ transplantation, including sirolimus (rapamycin) and everolimus. mTOR inhibitors not only exert an immunosuppressive effect by inhibiting T cell proliferation, but also possess multiple potential functions, such as antiaging, anti-tumor and anti-virus infection, etc. Virus infection is one of the most common complications after organ transplantation. Current anti-viral treatments are limited and yield poor efficacy. In this article, the role of mTOR pathway in virus infection, the mechanism of common mTOR inhibitors and the role of mTOR inhibitors in different types of virus infections were reviewed, aiming to provide reference for clinical application and subsequent research of mTOR inhibitors in organ transplant recipients.

Research progress of active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine in the intervention of diabetic nephropathy by regulating mTOR signaling pathway / 中国药房

Diabetic nephropathy （DN） has become one of the main causes of end-stage renal disease，and its pathogenesis is still unclear. Currently，it is believed to be closely related to kidney injury mediated by various factors such as autophagy disorder under the condition of high glucose，oxidative stress and inflammation. Mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR） signaling pathway is crucial for protein synthesis and autophagy regulation，which plays an important role in the occurrence and development of DN. In recent years，the research on the prevention and treatment of DN with traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has made important progress. Plenty of evidence has shown that the active ingredients of TCM can enhance autophagy，improve oxidative stress and inflammation，inhibit cell apoptosis and abnormal proliferation by regulating mTOR signaling pathway，so as to relieve pathological changes in the kidney such as podocyte injury，glomerular basement membrane thickening，mesangial tissue abnormalities and renal tubule dysfunction，thereby reducing proteinuria and improving renal function. All of the above are of great significance for delaying the progression of DN. This article systematically summarizes the research progress of saponins，flavonoids，polyphenols，alkaloids， terpenoids and other active ingredients of TCM intervening in DN through mTOR signaling pathway，in order to provide some reference for further basic research and the development of new drugs.

Bushen Jianpi Prescription Regulates Autophagy in Patients with Aplastic Anemia / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the effects of Bushen Jianpi prescription on the autophagy and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin （PI3K/Akt/mTOR） signaling pathway in the patients with aplastic anemia （AA）. MethodA total of 30 AA patients admitted to Xiyuan Hospital and 6 healthy donors who were prepared to undergo peripheral blood hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in 304 Hospital from September 2020 to August 2021 were enrolled and assigned into an AA group and a control group. The AA group was treated with Bushen Jianpi prescription combined with cyclosporin A （CsA） and androgen for 3 months. The mononuclear cells from bone marrow in the AA group before and after treatment and the peripheral blood of the control group were collected. Transmission electron microscopy was then employed to detect autophagosomes. Western blotting was employed to determine the protein levels of microtuble-associated protein 1 light chain 3 （LC3）Ⅰ， LC3Ⅱ， mTOR， phosphorylated （p）-mTOR， Akt， p-Akt， PI3K， and p-PI3K， and real-time polymerase chain reaction （PCR） to determine the mRNA levels of LC3， mTOR， Akt， and PI3K. ResultIn the AA group， the treatment was completed in 29 patients， and the total response rate was 51.72% （15/29）. ① The AA group showed lower levels of white blood cell （WBC）， hemoglobin （HGB）， platelet （PLT）， and absolute neutrophil count （ANC） in the peripheral blood （P<0.01） and lower number of intracellular autophagosomes than the control group before treatment. Moreover， the AA group showed lower mRNA level of LC3 （P<0.01） and protein levels of LC3Ⅰ and LC3Ⅱ （P<0.01） and higher mRNA levels of mTOR， Akt， and PI3Kα （P<0.01） and protein levels of Akt， p-Akt， PI3K， p-PI3K， mTOR， and p-mTOR （P<0.01） than the control group. ② In AA group， the levels of HGB and PLT elevated （P<0.05） and the number of intracellular autophagosomes increased after treatment compared with those before treatment. Moreover， the mRNA level of LC3 and the protein levels of LC3Ⅰ and LC3Ⅱ were up-regulated （P<0.01）， the mRNA levels of mTOR， Akt， and PI3Kα （P<0.01） and the protein levels of Akt， p-PI3K （P<0.01）， p-Akt， PI3K， mTOR， p-mTOR （P<0.05） were down-regulated after treatment. ConclusionAA patients show lower autophagy levels， while Bushen Jianpi prescription can effectively improve the autophagy level and down-regulated the expression of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway in AA patients.

Wendantang Treats Inflammation in Obesity （Syndrome of Phlegm-dampness） by Regulating PI3K/Akt/mTOR Pathway-mediated Adipocyte Autophagy / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the effects of Wendantang on the expression of inflammatory cytokines， autophagy markers， and key molecules of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin （PI3K/Akt/mTOR） signaling pathway in the adipocytes of the rat model of obesity （syndrome of phlegm-dampness） and to explore the material basis of inflammation in obesity （syndrome of phlegm-dampness） and the underlying mechanism of Wendantang intervention. MethodA total of 126 SD rats were randomized into 2 groups： 16 rats in the blank group and 110 rats in the modeling group. The blank group was fed with a basic diet while the modeling group with a high-fat diet to establish the animal model of obesity （syndrome of phlegm-dampness） for 8 weeks. After successful modeling， 48 obese rats were selected according to their body mass and randomized into a model control group， an orlistat （ORLI， 32.40 mg·kg-1） group， a rapamycin （RAPA， 2 mg·kg-1） group， and low-， medium-， and high-dose （4.45， 8.90， 17.80 g·kg-1， respectively） Wendantang groups， with 8 rats in each group. In addition， 8 rats were randomly selected from the blank group to be set as the normal control group. The corresponding agents in each group were administrated by gavage and the model and control groups were administrated with equal amounts of distilled water once daily for 6 weeks. The body mass， Lee's index， body fat ratio， and obesity rate were measured or calculated. The expression of UNC51-like kinase-1 （ULK1）， Beclin1， human autophagy-related protein 5 （Atg5）， p62， and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 （LC3） Ⅰ/Ⅱ （markers of autophagy in adipocytes） was detected by the immunohistochemical two-step method. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was employed to determine the expression of tumor necrosis factor （TNF）-α， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， IL-1β， monocyte chemotactic protein-1 （MCP-1）， IL-4， IL-10， IL-13， and transforming growth factor （TGF）-β in adipocytes. Western blot was employed to measure the protein levels of classⅠ-PI3K， phosphatidylinositol triphosphate （PIP3）， Akt， mTORC1， ULK1， TSC1， and TSC2 in adipocytes. ResultCompared with the blank group， the modeling group showed increased body mass and Lee's index （P<0.01）， the obesity rate >20%， and phlegm-dampness syndrome manifestations such as physical obesity， decreased mobility， decreased appetite， lusterless and tight fur， loose stools， decreased responsiveness to the outside world， and decreased water intake. Compared with the normal control group， the model control group showed increased body mass， Lee's index， body fat ratio， adipocyte autophagy marker expression， pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine levels （P<0.05， P<0.01）， down-regulated protein levels of classⅠ-PI3K， PIP3， Akt， mTORC1， TSC1， and TSC2 （P<0.01）， and up-regulated protein level of ULK1 （P<0.01）. The intervention groups showed lower body mass， body fat ratio， adipocyte autophagy marker protein expression， and protein levels of TNF-α， IL-6， IL-1β， MCP-1， IL-4， and IL-13 than the model control group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Moreover， the RAPA and Wendantang （medium and high dose） groups showed lowered levels of IL-10 and TGF-β （P<0.01）， and the ORLI group showed down-regulated expression of TGF-β （P<0.01）. The expression of key molecules of the signaling pathway was up-regulated （P<0.05， P<0.01） while that of ULK1 was down-regulated （P<0.01） in all the intervention groups. Compared with the RAPA group， the Wendantang groups showed up-regulated expression of all autophagy marker proteins in adipocytes （P<0.01）. In addition， the low-dose Wendantang group showed elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines （except TNF-α） （P<0.05， P<0.01） and down-regulated expression of all key molecules of the signaling pathway （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The levels of inflammatory cytokines （except IL-16， MCP-1， and IL-10） were elevated in the medium-dose Wendantang group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The expression of key molecules except PI3K of the signaling pathway was down-regulated in the medium- and high-dose Wendantang groups （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the ORLI group， low- and medium-dose Wendantang groups showed up-regulated expression of autophagy markers in adipocytes （P<0.01）， and the low-dose group showed elevated levels of inflammatory cytokines （IL-6， IL-4， and TGF-β） （P<0.01） and down-regulated expression of all key molecules of the signaling pathway （P<0.01）. The medium-dose Wendantang group showed up-regulated expression of IL-4 （P<0.01） and down-regulated expression of key molecules except PI3K of the signaling pathway （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The high-dose Wendantang group showed increased body mass， up-regulated expression levels of autophagy markers （ULK1， LC3 Ⅰ/Ⅱ） （P<0.05， P<0.01）， down-regulated expression of PIP3， mTORC1， and TSC1 （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and lowered levels of Beclin1， Atg5， TNF-α， and IL-13 （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionThe inflammation in obesity （syndrome of phlegm-dampness） is closely associated with the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway-mediated adipocyte autophagy. Wendantang can treat the chronic inflammation in obese rats with the syndrome of phlegm-dampness by regulating this signaling pathway and thus improve adipocyte autophagy.

Research progress on T cell glycolytic metabolism in oral lichen planus / 口腔疾病防治

@#Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the oral mucosa. The pathogenesis of OLP is still unclear. Immune abnormalities mediated by T cells and related cytokines play a crucial role in the pathogenesis of OLP. In recent years, glycolytic metabolism-related transporters, enzymes and regulators, such as glucose transporter-1 (Glut1), glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and hypoxia inducible factor-1α (HIF-1a), have attracted an increasing amount of attention in OLP by regulating the proliferation and differentiation of T cells and the secretion of inflammatory factors. It has been shown that 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) or rapamycin (RAPA) inhibits the glycolytic metabolism of T cells and then inhibits OLP. This article reviews the research progress of glycolytic metabolism-related transporters, enzymes and regulatory factors in OLP in recent years.

Mechanism of PI3K/Akt Pathway in Regulating Colorectal Cancer and Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Colorectal cancer （CRC）， as the third most common cancer in the world， develops from the colonic and rectal epithelial cells. With the rapid development of the global economy， the incidence of CRC in developing countries has been increasing year by year. In the past few years， although preventive colonoscopy screening has improved the survival rate of CRC patients， the majority of cases are still detected after symptoms appear. Currently， the clinical treatment of CRC carries high surgical risks and is prone to recurrence， while radiotherapy and chemotherapy have significant side effects and cause a heavy psychological burden on patients. Therefore， there is currently no ideal treatment protocol for CRC. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B （PI3K/Akt） pathway， as a classical oncogenic pathway， provides potential for the diagnosis and treatment of various malignant diseases， and offers a new direction for the treatment of CRC. In recent years， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has become a major focus in cancer treatment due to its advantages in "preventing and treating diseases" and its multiple components， targets， and pathways. Its advantages in having fewer side effect complement western medicine in treatment. Multiple studies have shown that Chinese medicinal monomers and compound formulas can inhibit the proliferation， invasion， migration， and angiogenesis of CRC cells， promote apoptosis and autophagy of cancer cells， and slow down the development of CRC by intervening in the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway， thereby achieving the therapeutic effect on CRC. In recent years， the research progress related to this has been updating rapidly. Previous literature failed to timely incorporate the latest research results， which brought many inconveniences to the literature search of many scholars. Therefore， this article summarized the relevant information from PI3K/Akt pathway， the association between the PI3K/Akt pathway and CRC， and the progress of TCM intervention in the treatment of CRC to provide references for the development of CRC in molecular biology and the clinical development of new drugs in the future.

Jiedu Huoxue Prescription Affects Plaque Stability in ApoE-/- Atherosclerosis Mice by Modulating PI3K/Akt/mTOR Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate whether Jiedu Huoxue prescription can induce macrophage autophagy and inhibit inflammatory response to stabilize vulnerable plaques of atherosclerosis （AS） by regulating phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt）/mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR） signaling pathway. MethodThirty ApoE-/- mice fed with high-fat diet were randomly assigned into model， low-， medium-， and high-dose （5.35， 10.7， and 21.4 g·kg-1·d-1， respectively） Jiedu Huoxue prescription （Chinese medicine）， and rapamycin （2 mg·kg-1·d-1） groups. Six ApoE-/- mice fed with common diet were used as the control group， and 6 C57BL/6J mice fed with common diet as the blank group. The drugs or equal volume of normal saline were administrated by gavage after 7 weeks of modeling， and the treatment lasted for 4 weeks. The serum levels of lipids and inflammatory cytokines ［monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 （MCP-1） and interleukin-6 （IL-6）］ were measured. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was employed to observe the pathological changes of the vascular wall of the aortic root. Immunohistochemistry was employed to detect the expression of macrophages/monocytes monoclonal antibody （MOMA-2） and α-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA）. Transmission electron microscopy was employed to count the autophagosomes in the aorta， and Western blot to determine the protein levels of Beclin-1， LC3， PI3K， Akt， and mTOR. ResultCompared with the control group， the model group showed elevated serum levels of lipids， MCP-1， and IL-6 （P<0.05）， inhibited expression of MOMA-2 and α-SMA （P<0.05， P<0.01）， up-regulated protein level of Beclin-1 （P<0.05）， and down-regulated protein levels of PI3K， Akt， and mTOR （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The model group presented obvious atherosclerotic plaques on the inner wall of the aorta， infiltration of inflammatory cells in the plaque， thickened and disarranged vascular intima where the plaque was attached， decreased autophagosomes and mitochondria， and destroyed mitochondrial structure. Chinese medicine and rapamycin groups showed lower levels of total cholesterol， triglycerides， low-density lipoprotein cholesterol， MCP-1， and IL-6 （P<0.05）， higher level of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （P<0.05）， inhibited expression of MOMA-2 and α-SMA （P<0.05， P<0.01）， higher protein levels of Beclin-1 and LC3Ⅱ （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and lower protein levels of PI3K， Akt， and mTOR （P<0.05， P<0.01） than the model group. Moreover， Chinese medicine and rapamycin groups showed only a small number of atherosclerotic plaques on the inner wall of the aorta， reduced infiltration of inflammatory cells and thickness of the blood vessel wall， and increased autophagosomes and autophagic lysosomes. ConclusionJiedu Huoxue prescription can improve lipid metabolism， enhance macrophage autophagy， and reduce AS-induced inflammation to improve the stability of vulnerable plaques in AS mice by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.

Danggui Sinitang Mitigates Gouty Arthritis in Rats by Regulating Autophagy via PI3K/Akt/mTOR Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo study the mechanism of Danggui Sinitang in mitigating gouty arthritis （GA） in rats by regulating autophagy via the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt）/mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR） signaling pathway. MethodSixty male SD rats were randomly assigned into normal， model， colchicine （0.3 mg·kg-1）， and low-， medium-， and high-dose Danggui Sinitang （6.54， 13.08， and 26.16 g·kg-1） groups （n=10） and administrated with corresponding drugs by gavage. The rats in the normal group and model group were administrated with equal volume of normal saline by gavage for 7 days. One hour after administration on day 5， the GA model was established by injecting sodium urate suspension （50 g·L-1） into the right ankle joint of rats in other groups except the normal group， and the rats in the normal group were injected with sterile normal saline of the same volume. The swelling and pathological changes of the ankle joint were observed. The serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， and IL-1β were determined. Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of PI3K， phosphorylated PI3K （p-PI3K）， protein kinase B （Akt）， phosphorylated Akt （p-Akt）， mTOR， phosphorylated mTOR （p-mTOR）， microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 Ⅱ/Ⅰ （LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ）， autophagy effector Beclin-1， and ubiquitin-binding protein p62 in the synovial tissue. Real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR （Real-time PCR） was employed to determine the mRNA levels of PI3K， Akt， mTOR， LC3， Beclin-1 and p62. ResultCompared with the normal control， the model group showed increased joint swelling index （P<0.01）， elevated serum levels of TNF-α， IL-6， and IL-1β， inflammatory cell infiltration， and fibrous tissue hyperplasia. In addition， the model group showed up-regulated protein levels of PI3K， p-PI3K， Akt， p-Akt， mTOR， p-mTOR， and p62 and mRNA levels of PI3K， Akt， mTOR， and p62 in the synovial tissue， while it showed down-regulated protein levels of LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ and Beclin-1 and mRNA levels of LC3 and Beclin-1 （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， medium- and high-dose Danggui Sinitang alleviated the joint swelling （P<0.01）， lowered the serum levels of TNF-α， IL-6， and IL-1β （P<0.05）， and relieved the inflammatory cell infiltration in the synovial tissue of the ankle joint and the fibrous tissue hyperplasia. Moreover， they down-regulated the protein levels of PI3K， p-PI3K， Akt， p-Akt， mTOR， p-mTOR， and p62 and the mRNA levels of PI3K， Akt， mTOR， and p62 in the synovial tissue （P<0.05）， while they up-regulated the protein levels of LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ and Beclin-1 and the mRNA levels of LC3 and Beclin-1 （P<0.05）. ConclusionDanggui Sinitang， especially at a high dose， can inhibit PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway to improve autophagy in the synovial tissue， thereby mitigating GA.

Research progress on targeted drugs for vascular malformations / 口腔疾病防治

@#Vascular malformations, which mainly occur in the head and neck region, are a group of congenital disorders that cannot involute and dilate gradually as patients grow. Traditional therapeutic strategies for vascular malformations include laser therapy, sclerotherapy, interventional embolization, surgical resection, etc. However, for some cases with a relatively larger range of lesions, traditional therapeutic strategies might fall short of the goals. With the development of molecular genetics, gene mutations are currently recognized as the root cause of the occurrence of vascular malformations. The progression of vascular malformation lesions is further promoted by the activation of related pathways. Low-flow vascular malformations mainly involve activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, whereas high-flow vascular malformations mainly involve activation of the rat sarcoma (RAS)/rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma (RAF)/mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase (MAPKK)/extracellular-signal regulated protein kinase (ERK) pathway. Targeted drugs against relevant gene mutations and signaling pathways have also been applied in the treatment of vascular malformations, and previous studies have shown that the mTOR inhibitor rapamycin is effective and now widely used in the treatment of low-flow vascular malformations. The PI3K inhibitor alpelisib is also promising in the treatment of venous malformations, and the MAPKK inhibitor trametinib has shown good results in the treatment of arteriovenous malformations. Therefore, traditional therapies supplemented by targeted drugs may bring new breakthroughs to the treatment of vascular malformations.

Research progress of the protection of rapamycin for proliferative vitreoretinopathy / 中华实验眼科杂志

Proliferative vitreoretinopathy (PVR) is a complication of ocular trauma, rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD), and also a common cause of RRD repair surgery failure.Abnormal proliferation, migration and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells play a leading role in the formation of PVR epiretinal membrane.Rapamycin is the specific inhibitor of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). It selectively binds to the cell protein FKBP-12 and directly binds to the FKBP12-rapamycin domain (FRB) of FKBP rapamycin associated protein (FRAP) to inhibit mTOR activity.Rapamycin has a variety of rapalog (rapamycin analog), which inhibits cell proliferation and regulate cell cycle by inhibiting mTOR signal transduction pathway.It also plays a certain role in inhibiting RPE cell abnormal proliferation, migration and EMT in PVR, and protecting the repair of glial cells, inhibiting the inflammatory cells and preventing the vascular endothelial cell damage.In recent years, the clinical trials and drug studies have shown the important role of rapamycin in ocular diseases.In addition, the evidence on ocular administrations and drug safety of rapamycin has been gradually accumulated.This article reviewed the protective effects and safety of rapamycin on RPE cells and other cells in PVR.

Neonatal Smith-Kingsmore syndrome: case report and literature review / 中国新生儿科杂志

Objective:To study the clinical and genetic features of neonatal Smith-Kingsmore syndrome (SKS).Methods:The clinical data of a newborn with SKS admitted to our hospital in November 2021 were reviewed. Using "Smith-Kingsmore", "rapamycin gene", "newborn", "premature infant", "the mammalian target of rapamycin", "MTOR", "mTOR", "Smith-Kingsmore syndrome", "megalencephaly", "macrocephaly" and "hemimegalencephaly" as keywords, databases including CNKI, Wanfang Database, VIP database, PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and the Cochrane Library were searched from the date of establishment to January 1, 2022. The clinical and genetic features of neonatal SKS from published literature were summarized.Results:The case admitted to our hospital was a male preterm infant. The presenting symptoms were groan and hypotonia. The facial abnormalities included macrocrania, ocular hypertelorism, depressed nasal bridge and low-set ears. Brain MRI showed lateral ventricle enlargement. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) showed mTOR gene nonsense heterozygous mutation (NM_004958.4:c.7255G>A:p.Glu2419Lys). Neither father nor mother had any pathogenic gene mutations. The infant had seizure at 2-month and phenobarbital was effective reducing seizure. Gross motor delay was present at 3-month. Sixteen related articles were retrieved, including eight articles with 10 neonatal cases. Among them, 6 cases were male. The main clinical features were megalencephaly or hemimegalencephaly (9/10), facial developmental malformation (8/10), hypotonia (6/10), large-for-gestational age (LGA) infants (5/10), cerebral ventricle dilation (4/10) and abnormal corpus callosum (4/10). All the gene mutations were missense mutations, including c.5395G>A(p.Glu1799Lys) mutation in 5 cases, c.4448G>T(p.Cys1483Phe) mutation in 1 case, c.4448G>T(p.Cys1483Tyr) mutation in 1 case, c.7235A>T(p.Asp2412Val) mutation in 1 case, c.5663T>G(p.Phe1888Cys) mutation in 1 case, c.5390C>T(p.Thr1799IIe) mutation in 1 case.Conclusions:The clinical phenotypes of neonatal SKS are diverse, including megalencephaly, facial malformation, LGA and hypotonia. The brain MR findings included (hemi) megalencephaly, cerebral ventricle dilation and corpus callosum hypoplasia. Most of the gene mutations are missense mutations and c.5395G>A(p.Glu1799Lys) is the hotspot.

Effect and Mechanism of Osthole on Proliferation and Apoptosis in Human Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma HuCCT1 Cells / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect and mechanism of osthole on the proliferation and apoptosis in human intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma HuCCT1 cells. MethodThe effect of 10， 20， 40， 80， and 120 μmol·L-1 osthole on the proliferation of HuCCT1 cells was detected by the cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8）. A blank group， and low-， medium-， and high-dose osthole groups （16， 32， and 64 μmol·L-1） were set up. The effect of osthole on cell clone formation rate was detected by colony formation assay. The effect of osthole on cell cycle and apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry. The effect of osthole on cell apoptotic morphology was detected by Hoechst 33342 fluorescent staining. The effect of osthole on cell cycle protein cyclin B1， proliferating cell nuclear antigen （PCNA）， cysteine-aspartic acid protease （Caspase）-9， Caspase-3， cleaved Caspase-9， cleaved Caspase-3， cleaved poly（ADP-ribose） polymerase （cleaved PARP）， B-cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2）， phosphorylated protein kinase B （p-Akt）， phosphorylated mammalian target of rapamycin （p-mTOR）， and phosphorylated ribosomal protein S6 （p-RPS6） was detected by Western blot. ResultThe cell viability in the osthole group（40，80，120 μmol·L-1） decreased （P<0.05，P<0.01）， with the half maximal inhibitory concentration （IC50） of 63.8 μmol·L-1 as compared with that in the blank group. Compared with the blank group， the osthole groups（32，64 μmol·L-1）showed reduced clone formation rate （P<0.01）， increased number of cells in the G2 phase （P<0.05，P<0.01）， decreased number of cells， increased pyknosis and fragmentation， increased apoptosis rate （P<0.05，P<0.01）， down-regulated expression of cyclin B1， PCNA， Bcl-2， Caspase-3， Caspase-9， p-Akt， p-mTOR， and p-RPS6 （P<0.05，P<0.01）， and up-regulated expression of cleaved Caspase-3， cleaved Caspase-9， and cleaved PARP （P<0.05，P<0.01）. ConclusionOsthole can inhibit the proliferation and promote the apoptosis of HuCCT1 cells， and its mechanism may be related to the Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.

Risk factors of new-onset hypertriglyceridemia in kidney transplant recipients: a single-center analysis / 器官移植

Objective To identify the risk factors of new-onset hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) in kidney transplant recipients. Methods Clinical data of 149 kidney transplant recipients were retrospectively analyzed. According to serum triglyceride (TG) level after operation, they were divided into the non-HTG group (TG≤1.7 mmol/L, n=60) and new-onset HTG group (TG>1.7 mmol/L, n=89). Baseline data of all recipients were compared between two groups. The risk factors of HTG in kidney transplant recipients were analyzed by generalized estimating equation (GEE), and validated by multiple regression equations. Results No significant differences were observed in baseline data between two groups (all P>0.05). Multivariate analysis showed that the incidence of HTG in the middle and high tacrolimus (Tac) concentration groups was higher than that in the low Tac concentration group [odds ratio (OR) 3.11, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.22-7.93, P=0.018 in the middle Tac concentration group; OR 5.11, 95%CI 1.31-19.98, P=0.019 in the high Tac concentration group]. Compared with type-A blood recipients, the risk of new-onset HTG was significantly increased in type-O blood counterparts (OR 2.77, 95%CI 1.14-6.71, P=0.024). The risk of new-onset HTG was decreased along with the increase of preoperative globulin level (OR 0.93, 95%CI 0.87-0.99, P=0.043). At postoperative 3 months, Tac blood concentration in the new-onset HTG group was significantly higher compared with that in the non-HTG group, and significant difference was observed (P<0.05). Multiple regression equations confirmed that the risk of new-onset HTG in type-O blood kidney transplant recipients was higher than that in type-A blood counterparts, and the risk of new-onset HTG in the middle and high Tac concentration groups was higher than that in the low Tac concentration group (all P<0.05). Conclusions Type-O blood kidney transplant recipients are more prone to HTG. It is necessary to strengthen postoperative monitoring and control of blood lipids. The blood concentration of Tac probably affects the new-onset HTG in kidney transplant recipients. Maintaining an appropriate blood concentration of Tac may be beneficial to lowering the risk of HTG.

Mechanism of Huangqisan Regulating Autophagy by AMPK/mTOR Signaling Pathway Against Hepatic Steatosis / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism of Huangqisan （HQS） in regulating autophagy to alleviate hepatic steatosis and improve non-alcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD） based on adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase （AMPK）/mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR） signaling pathway. MethodThe main chemical components and targets of HQS and NAFLD-related targets were collected from database and the intersection targets were used for Gene Ontology （GO） functional enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） pathway enrichment analysis. The protein-protein interaction （PPI） network was constructed， and in vivo experimental verification was conducted. Sixty C57BL/6J male mice were randomly divided into normal control group （NCD）， model group high-fat diet （HFD）， metformin group （MET， 0.25 g·kg-1）， low-dose Huangqisan group （HQS-L， 0.5 g·kg-1）， and the high-dose Huangqisan group （HQS-H， 1 g·kg-1）， with 12 mice in each group after a one-week acclimatization period. NAFLD model was induced by HFD， and intragastric administration was performed at the same time， once a day for 13 weeks. Random blood glucose， serum total cholesterol （TC）， triglyceride （TG）， non-esterified fatty acid （NEFA）， low density lipoprotein-chdesterol （LDL-C） levels， and liver TG content were determined. The liver weight was weighed， and liver index was calculated. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining， oil red O staining， transmission electron microscope （TEM）， real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）， and Western blot were used to verify the effect and reveal the potential mechanism of C57BL/6J mice in vivo. ResultThrough network pharmacology analysis， combined with previous studies， it was predicted that HQS may improve NAFLD by regulating autophagy via the AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway. The result of in vivo experiment showed that， as compared with NCD group， random blood glucose， body weight， serum TC， LDL-C， NEFA， liver weight， liver index， and liver TG content of mice in the HFD groups were significantly increased （P<0.01）. HE staining showed massive lipid droplets （LDs） vacuolated， oil red O staining showed lipid accumulation in liver cells， and no obvious autophagosomes and autolysosome were observed under TEM. The relative mRNA expression of LC3A、LC3B、AMPKα1 and protein expression of AMPK， phosphory phosphorylated（p）-AMPK， and p-AMPK/AMPK were significantly down-regulated （P<0.01）， while the protein expression of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 （LC3）Ⅱ/Ⅰ and p-mTOR was significantly up-regulated （P<0.01）. As compared with HFD groups， liver weight， serum TG， and NEFA levels in HQS-L and HQS-H groups were significantly deceased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. HE staining and oil red O staining showed the improvement of liver pathological changes after HQS administration. Under TEM， a small amount of autophagosome and autolysosome were observed. Besides， liver index was significantly decreased in the HQS-L group （P<0.01）， and random blood glucose， serum TC level and liver TG content were significantly decreased in the HQS-H group （P<0.05）. The results of Western blot and Real-time PCR showed that the mRNA expression of LC3A and LC3B and the protein expression of LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ， p-AMPK， and p-AMPK/AMPK were significantly up-regulated （P<0.01）， while the mRNA expressions of p62 and protein expression of p62 and p-mTOR were significantly down-regulated （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionHQS may promote autophagy and restore autophagy flux via the AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway to alleviate hepatic steatosis improving NAFLD.