Regulatory Mechanism of Total Glucosides of Paeony on Gut Microenvironment in Non-obese Diabetic Mice with Sjogren's Syndrome / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To investigate the effects of total glucosides of paeony （TGPs） on intestinal motility， barrier function， and gut microbiota in non-obese diabetic （NOD） mice with Sjogren's syndrome （SS）. Method:Thirty NOD mice were randomly assigned into the model group （deionized water）， prebiotic fructo-oligosaccharide （FOS） group （700 mg∙kg^-1）， and the low- （160 mg∙kg^-1）， medium- （320 mg∙kg^-1）， and high-dose （640 mg∙kg^-1） TGP groups， with six mice in each group. Moreover， the BALB/c mice were employed as the normal control and administered with deionized water. The food and water intakes， number of discharged fecal particles， and fecal moisture content were observed to evaluate the effect of TGPs on intestinal motility in SS mice. The levels of <italic>D</italic>-lactate （<italic>D</italic>-Lac） content， diamine oxidase （DAO）， and junction-associated protein zonula occludens-1 （ZO-1） in mouse serum were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The fecal samples collected at different time points were determined by spread plate method and gas chromatography for uncovering the intestinal microbial communities and the content of short-chain fatty acids. Result:Compared with the normal group， the model group exhibited decreased food and water intakes （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， weakened intestinal propulsion （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， elevated <italic>D</italic>-Lac and DAO （<italic>P</italic><0.05，<italic>P</italic><0.01）， lowered ZO-1 and SCFAs （<italic>P</italic><0.05，<italic>P</italic><0.01）， and reduced number of intestinal bacteria （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. The comparison with the model group revealed that TGPs significantly increased the number of discharged fecal particles and fecal moisture content （<italic>P</italic><0.05，<italic>P</italic><0.01）， enhanced intestinal propulsion （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P</italic><0.01）， decreased serum <italic>D</italic>-Lac and DAO levels （<italic>P</italic><0.05，<italic>P</italic><0.01）， and up-regulated ZO-1 expression （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Apart from increasing the proportions of <italic>Bifidobacterium</italic> and <italic>Lactobacillus</italic> and decreasing the proportion of<italic> Enterobacter </italic>in intestinal flora （<italic>P</italic><0.05，<italic>P</italic><0.01）， TGPs also accelerated the production of acetic acid and butyric acid （<italic>P</italic><0.05，<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Conclusion:TGPs attenuate SS-mediated constipation and restore the impaired intestinal barrier function in mice by increasing fecal moisture content， boosting intestinal motility， regulating intestinal microbial communities， elevating acetic acid and butyric acid levels， and up-regulating tight junction protein expression.

Mechanism of Chinese Medicine Against Sjögren Syndrome： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Sjögren syndrome （SS） is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by immune cell infiltration and progressive destruction of salivary and lacrimal glands. It not only affects the lacrimal and salivary glands， manifested as dry eyes and dry mouth， but also involves heart， lung，kidney，and central nervous system， seriously affecting human physical and mental health. Although western medicine has made extensive and in-depth research on the diagnosis and treatment of this disease in recent years，there is no effective treatment targeting the potential causes. Chinese medicine emphasizes the concept of holism，treatment and prescription formulation based on syndrome differentiation， and effect exertion via multiple targets，multiple levels，and multiple pathways，exhibiting great advantages in the treatment of SS. This paper reviews the mechanisms of Chinese medicine in treating SS from the perspectives of immunity regulation，aquaporin up-regulation， and anti-oxidative stress reported in the related literature，so as to provide more theoretical basis for the research and clinical treatment of SS.

Effect of Huoxue Jiedu Runzao Prescription on Expression of Apoptosis Inhibitor Survivin in Submandibular Gland Cells of Sjögren's Syndrome Mice / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To investigate the effect of Huoxue Jiedu Runzao prescription on the morphology， apoptosis， and function of submandibular gland in the mouse model of Sjögren's syndrome （SS） and its functioning mechanism， we analyzed the expression of the apoptosis inhibitor Survivin in the submandibular gland cells of SS mice. Method:Female BALB/c57 mice were selected as the normal group. The naive non-obese diabetic （NOD/Ltj） female mice were selected as the SS model， which were randomly assigned into the model group， Paeoniae Radix Alba total glucosides capsule （0.234 g·kg^-1） group， and low-， medium-， and high-dose （15.6， 31.2， 62.4 g·kg^-1， respectively） Huoxue Jiedu Runzao prescription groups. Each group had 15 mice. The morphological and functional changes of submandibular gland and the Survivin expression were observed and measured after 8 weeks of drug intervention. Survivin expression was determined by immunohistochemistry （IHC）， Western blot， and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction （RT-PCR）. Result:Compared with normal group， salivary flow and submandibular gland index in model group were significantly decreased （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， and histopathological score of submandibular gland was significantly increased （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Western blot showed that Survivin protein expression was significantly decreased （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. IHC showed that， Survivin mRNA expression was significantly decreased （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， and RT-PCR results showed that Survivin mRNA expression was significantly decreased （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Compared with model group， salivary flow and submandibular gland index of mice in Huoxue Jiudu Runzao prescription groups and Paeoniae Radix Alba total glucosides capsules groups were significantly increased （<italic>P</italic><0.05）， histopathological score of submandibular gland was significantly decreased （<italic>P</italic><0.05）， IHC results showed that Survivin expression was significantly increased （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Western blot and RT-PCR results showed that Survivin protein and mRNA expression of Huoxue Jiudu Runzao prescription high-dose group and Paeoniae Radix Alba total glucosides capsule group were significantly increased （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. Conclusion:Huoxue Jiedu Runzao prescription can improve the secretion function of submandibular acinus， increase the submandibular gland index， and saliva secretion of SS mice by up-regulating survivin in submandibular gland cells of SS mice.

Síndrome de Sjögren primario y enfermedad quística pulmonar: reporte de un caso / Primary Sjögren syndrome and pulmonary cysts disease: case report

El síndrome de Sjögren (SS) es una enfermedad inflamatoria, autoinmunitaria crónica de etiología desconocida, caracterizada por infiltración del tejido glandular y extraglandular por linfocitos y células plasmáticas. Presenta manifestaciones glandulares (xeroftalmia y xerostomía) y extraglandulares (50%); v.gr.: pulmonares (11%) ­las más comunes son la enfermedad intersticial linfocítica y la enfermedad quística pulmonar (25%)­; las manifestaciones extraglandulares preceden, muchas veces, a las manifestaciones glandulares; por este motivo su diagnóstico se confunde o se retrasa. Caso clínico: paciente de sexo femenino, 71 años de edad, con antecedentes de hipertensión arterial e hipotiroidismo. Hospitalizada por astenia, tos seca y disnea de medianos esfuerzos. Revisión de aparatos y sistemas: xeroftalmia y xerostomía. Exámenes complementarios: Rx tórax: opacidades difusas redondeadas en ambos campos pulmonares; tomografía simple de tórax: múltiples lesiones quísticas predominantes en los lóbulos inferiores y calcificaciones nodulares. Se amplían los estudios para determinar la etiología: exámenes inmunoquímicos: anti SSA/Ro 200 U/ml (< 20 UE/ ml), anti SSB/La 84,4U/ml (< 20 UE/ml), anticuerpos antinucleares 1/160 (≤ 1/40), factor reumatoideo 49,9UI/ml (< 20 UI/ml). Se sospecha síndrome de Sjogren y realiza sialografía de parótidas que evidencia obstrucción y procesos inflamatorios de los conductos parotídeos. Biopsia de labio inferior: mucosa revestida por epitelio escamoso, edema intercelular y exocitosis linfocitaria. El estroma contiene infiltrado linfomononuclear disperso característico del SS. Una vez confirmado el diagnóstico, se trata con corticoides y tratamiento específico del ojo y boca seca.

Context: Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is an inflammatory, chronic autoimmune disease of unknown etiology, which is characterized by infiltration of glandular and extraglandular tissue by lymphocytes and plasma cells. It presents glandu-lar manifestations (xerophthalmia and xerostomia), as extraglandular (50%). Within these, there are pulmonary manifestations (11%), the most common manifestation being lymphocytic interstitial disease followed by cystic lung dis-ease (25%). Its manifestations often precede the glandular manifestations so that the diagnosis of it is confused or delayed. Case presentation: A 71-year-old female patient with a history of high blood pressure and hypothyroidism. Hospitalized for presenting asthenia, dry cough and dyspnea to the medium efforts. In the review of all systems, she referred xerophthalmia and xerostomia. The following exams were carried out: Rx thor-ax: rounded diffuse opacities in both pulmonary fields, is complemented with simple chest Tomography: Multiple pre-dominant cystic lesions in lower lobes and nodular calcifications. It was decided to expand the studies to determine etiology and see if it is related to its xerophthalmia and xerostomia characteris-tic of SS. Immunochemical tests were performed. The results: anti-SSA / Ro 200 U / mL (< 20 EU / mL); anti SSB / 84.4U / mL (< 20 EU / mL); antinuclear antibodies with fine granular pattern 1/160 (≤ 1/40) Rheumatoid factor 49.9UI / mL (< 20 IU / mL). With the suspicion of Sjogren's syndrome, parotid sialog-raphy is performed, obstruction is evidenced and chronic inflammatory pro-cesses of parotid ducts. Lower lip biopsy: Mucosa lined by squamous epitheli-um with intercellular edema and exocytosis of small lymphocytes. The stroma contains mild scattered lymphomononuclear infiltrate characteristic of SS. Con-firmed diagnosis of SS managed with corticosteroids and specific treatment of eye and dry mouth.