Wilson's Disease in Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Wilson's disease （WD） is a copper metabolism disorder caused by mutations in the ATP7B gene， with diverse phenotypes and complex pathogenesis. It is one of the few rare diseases that can achieve good clinical efficacy through standardized treatment. Since there are few systematic reviews of this disease， we summarize the pathogenesis and treatment methods of WD from traditional Chinese and western medicine by reviewing the literature related to WD. In western medicine， ATP7B gene mutation is considered as the root cause of WD， which affects copper transport and causes copper metabolism disorders. The excessive copper deposited in the body will result in oxidative stress， defects in mitochondrial function， and cell death. Western medicine treatment of WD relies mainly on drugs， and copper antagonists are the first choice in clinical practice， which are often combined with hepatoprotective and antioxidant therapy. Surgery is a common therapy for the patients with end-stage WD， and gene therapy provides an option for WD patients. According to the traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） theory， WD is rooted in constitutional deficiency and copper accumulation and triggered by dampness-heat accumulation or phlegm combined with stasis. The patient syndrome varies in different stages of the disease， and thus the treatment should be based on syndrome differentiation. The TCM treatment method of nourishing the liver and kidneys and warming the spleen and kidneys can address the root cause. The methods of clearing heat and drying dampness， resolving phlegm and dispelling stasis， and soothing liver and regulating qi movement can be adopted to treat symptoms. On the basis of syndrome differentiation， special prescriptions for the treatment of WD have been formulated， such as Gandou decoction， Gandouling， and Gandou Fumu decoction， which have been widely used in clinical practice. TCM and western medicine have their own advantages and shortcomings. The integrated Chinese and western medicine complementing with each other demonstrates great therapeutic potential. This paper summarizes the pathogenesis and treatment of WD with integrated Chinese and western medicine， aiming to provide a reference for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of this disease.

Effect of Gandou Fumu Decoction on Autophagy in Mice with Liver Fibrosis in Wilson's Disease by Regulating Expression of miR-29b-3p/ULK1 / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism and pathway of Gandou Fumu decoction （GDFMD） in the development of liver fibrosis in Wilson's disease （WD）. MethodFirst， 30 TX-j mice were randomly divided into the model group， high-dose， medium-dose， and low-dose GDFMD groups， and penicillamine group， with six mice in each group， and another six wild-type mice were used as the normal group. The high-dose， medium-dose， and low-dose GDFMD groups were intragastrically administered drugs of 13.92， 6.96， 3.48 g·kg-1. In the penicillamine group， 0.1 g·kg-1 of penicillamine was given by intragastric administration. The model group and the normal group were given equal volume of normal saline， once a day， for four consecutive weeks. Samples were collected four weeks after gavage， and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect type Ⅲ procollagen peptide （PCⅢ）， collagen type Ⅳ （Col Ⅳ）， hyaluronic acid （HA）， and laminin （LN）. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE）， Masson， and picric acid-Sirus red collagen （Sirus Red） staining were used to observe the histopathological changes of liver fibrosis. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）， immunohistochemistry， and Western blot were used to observe the expressions of α-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA） and collagen type Ⅰ （Col Ⅰ）， which were related to the activation of hepatic stellate cells （HSCs）. The expression of miR-29b-3p was observed by Real-time PCR. The expression of Unc-51-like kinase 1 （ULK1） and its downstream-related factors were observed by Western blot. The downstream genes of miR-29b-3p were verified by the dual luciferase reporter gene detection method. ResultCompared with the normal group， the four items of liver fibrosis （PCⅢ， Col Ⅳ， HA， and LN） in the model group were significantly abnormal （P<0.01）， and the pathology was significantly abnormal. The expression of HSC activation-related indicators including α-SMA and Col Ⅰ， as well as α-SMA mRNA and Col Ⅰ mRNA was up-regulated （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and miR-29b-3p expression was down-regulated （P<0.01）. ULK1， p-ULK1， autophagy-related gene 13 （Atg13）， p-Atg13， Beclin-1， FAK family kinase-interacting protein of 200 kDa （FIP200）， activating molecule in BECN1-regulated autophagy protein 1 （AMBKA1）， and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3Ⅱ/Ⅰ（LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ） were up-regulated （P<0.05， P<0.01）. p62 protein expression was down-regulated （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the four items of liver fibrosis in the high-dose， medium-dose， and low-dose GDFMD groups and the penicillamine group were significantly improve （P<0.01）， and the pathological conditions were improved. The expression of HSC activation-related indicators including α-SMA and Col Ⅰ， as well as α-SMA mRNA and Col Ⅰ mRNA was down-regulated （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the expression of miR-29b-3p was up-regulated （P<0.01）. ULK1， p-ULK1， Atg13， p-Atg13， Beclin-1， FIP200， AMBKA1， and LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ were down-regulated （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and p62 protein expression was up-regulated （P<0.01）. The prediction software predicted that there was a binding site between miR-29b-3p and ULK1. The dual-luciferase reporter gene detection method indicated that the luciferase activity of the ULK1-WT plasmid-transfected cell group was reduced when miR-29b-3p mimics were co-cultured （P<0.01）. ConclusionGDFMD can regulate ULK1-mediated autophagy by up-regulating miR-29b-3p and further exert its anti-hepatic fibrosis effect in Wilson's disease.

Headache as the sole manifestation of Wilson’s disease

Wilson’s disease (WD) is an inborn error of copper metabolism caused by a mutation to the copper-transporting gene ATP7B. In the first decade of life, hepatic involvement predominates but neurological manifestations occur in the third or fourth decades. Studies showed Indian children with neuro WD present with behavior abnormality, speech and cognitive impairment, sub-clinical affection of visual pathway, and autonomic function. As a treatable disease, WD should be detected early in the course of the disease by any health professional at any care level, but the rare prevalence of the disease explains the lack of awareness of this disease. Even a high index of suspicion about this entity gets more difficult when the rare and atypical symptom is the only presentation of the disease. Here, we present the case of a 15-year-old girl with worsening headache for the past 3 months as the only neurological manifestation of WD, and that also without any evidence of hepatic involvement.

Calculated parameters for the diagnosis of Wilson disease

INTRODUCTION@#The diagnosis of Wilson disease (WD) is plagued by biochemical and clinical uncertainties. Thus, calculated parameters have been proposed. This study aimed to: (a) compare the diagnostic values of non-caeruloplasmin copper (NCC), NCC percentage (NCC%), copper-caeruloplasmin ratio (CCR) and adjusted copper in WD; and (b) derive and evaluate a discriminant function in diagnosing WD.@*METHODS@#A total of 213 subjects across all ages who were investigated for WD were recruited. WD was confirmed in 55 patients, and the rest were WD free. Based on serum copper and caeruloplasmin values, NCC, NCC%, CCR and adjusted copper were calculated for each subject. A function was derived using discriminant analysis, and the cut-off value was determined through receiver operating characteristic analysis. Classification accuracy was found by cross-tabulation.@*RESULTS@#Caeruloplasmin, total copper, NCC, NCC%, CCR, adjusted copper and discriminant function were significantly lower in WD compared to non-WD. Discriminant function showed the best diagnostic specificity (99.4%), sensitivity (98.2%) and classification accuracy (99.1%). Caeruloplasmin levels <0.14 g/L showed higher accuracy than the recommended 0.20 g/L cut-off value (97.7% vs. 87.8%). Similarly, molar NCC below the European cut-off of 1.6 umol/L showed higher accuracy than the American cut-off of 3.9 umol/L (80.3% vs. 59.6%) (P < 0.001). NCC%, mass NCC, CCR and adjusted copper showed poorer performances.@*CONCLUSION@#Discriminant function differentiates WD from non-WD with excellent specificity, sensitivity and accuracy. Performance of serum caeruloplasmin <0.14 g/L was better than that of <0.20 g/L. NCC, NCC%, CCR and adjusted copper are not helpful in diagnosing WD.

Intervention Effect of Gandou Fumu Decoction on Renal Fibrosis in TX Mice Through JAK/STAT Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the protective effect and underlying mechanism of Gandou Fumu decoction （GDFMT） on renal fibrosis in a mouse model of Wilson's disease. MethodSixty adult male toxic milk （TX） mice were randomly divided into a model group， high-， medium-， and low-dose GDFMT groups， and a positive control （penicillamine） group， and another 12 wild-type mice were assigned to the normal group. The high-， medium-， and low-dose GDFMT groups were administered GDFMT at 13.92， 6.96， 3.48 g·kg-1， respectively， and the positive control group received penicillamine at 0.1 g·kg-1， while the model and normal groups were given an equal volume of 0.9% saline solution by gavage once a day for 4 consecutive weeks. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to measure the levels of blood urea nitrogen （BUN）， creatinine （CRE）， type Ⅲ procollagen （PC-Ⅲ）， and type Ⅳ collagen （C-Ⅳ） in the serum. Histological changes in the mouse kidneys were examined by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） and Masson's trichrome staining. Immunofluorescence was used to assess the protein expression of leptin， Janus kinase 2 （JAK2）， and signal transducer and activator of transcription （STAT） in renal cells. Real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was performed to analyze the mRNA expression levels of leptin， leptin receptor（OB-R）， JAK2， and STAT. Western blot was used to detect the expression of transforming growth factor-β1 （TGF-β1） and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 （MCP-1）. ResultCompared with the normal group， the model mice exhibited a significant increase in BUN， CRE， PC-Ⅲ， and C-Ⅳ levels （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the high- and medium-dose GDFMT groups and the penicillamine groups showed significant decreases in these parameters （P<0.05， P<0.01）， with the high-dose GDFMT group demonstrating the most significant reduction （P<0.01）. The histological examination of renal tissue revealed fibrosis in the model group， while the fibrotic damage was mitigated to varying degrees after drug intervention， with improvement in fibrosis. Immunofluorescence results showed that leptin， JAK2， and STAT3 protein expression levels were significantly upregulated in the renal fibrosis of the model group. After GDFMT intervention， the fluorescence intensity decreased， with the high-dose GDFMT group showing the lowest intensity. Real-time PCR results demonstrated that leptin， OB-R， JAK2， and STAT3 mRNA expression levels were significantly elevated in the model group compared with those in the normal group， while the high- and medium-dose GDFMT groups and the penicillamine group showed significant reductions in their expression levels （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Western blot analysis revealed that TGF-β1 and MCP-1 expression levels were significantly increased in the model group （P<0.01）， and the high- and medium-dose GDFMT groups exhibited significant reductions in their expression levels （P<0.01）. ConclusionGDFMT can alleviate renal fibrosis damage in TX mice， and its mechanism of action may be related to the regulation of leptin and the JAK/STAT signaling pathway.

Effect of Gandouling Decoction Combined with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy on Impulse Control Disorders in Wilson's Disease with Syndrome of Combined Phlegm and Stasis / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy of Gandouling decoction combined with cognitive behavioral therapy （CBT） in the treatment of impulse control disorders in patients with Wilson's disease （WD， syndrome of combined phlegm and stasis）. MethodA prospective study was conducted on 90 WD patients with the syndrome of combined phlegm and stasis and impulse control disorders （ICD） treated in the Department of Encephalopathy of the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine from August 2018 to February 2023. They were randomized into a control group， a CBT group， and a treatment group， with 30 patients in each group. The control group received routine Western medicine treatment （basic copper removal）. The CBT group received cognitive behavioral therapy in addition to the therapy in the control group， and the treatment group received Gandouling decoction in addition to the therapy in the CBT group. Each course of treatment was 8 days， and the patients were treated for 4 courses. Before and after treatment， the 24-hour urine copper （24 h U-Cu）， non-ceruloplasmin-bound copper （NCC）， traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome score， unified WD rating scale part Ⅲ （UWDRS Ⅲ） score， Barratt Impulse Scale Version 11 （BIS-11） score， Buss-Perry aggression questionnaire （BPAQ） score， modified overt aggression scale （MOAS） score， and treatment emergent symptom scale （TESS） score of three groups of patients were determined and statistically analyzed. ResultBefore treatment， there was no statistically significant difference in the level of 24 h U-Cu or NCC among the three groups. After treatment， all the three groups showed an increase in 24 h U-Cu （P<0.01） and a decrease in the NCC level （P<0.05， P<0.01）. There was no significant difference in the 24 h U-Cu level among the three groups after treatment. After treatment， the NCC level showed no significant difference between the control group and the CBT group， while the NCC level in the treatment group was lower than that in the control group and CBT group （P<0.05）. Before treatment， there was no statistically significant difference in the TCM syndrome score among the three groups. After treatment， the TCM syndrome scores of all the three groups decreased （P<0.01）. Moreover， the treatment group had lower TCM syndrome score than the control group and CBT group （P<0.05）. Before treatment， the UWDRS Ⅲ， BIS-11， BPAQ， and MOAS scores had no statistically significant differences among the three groups. After treatment， the UWDRS Ⅲ， BIS-11， BPAQ， and MOAS in all the three groups declined （P<0.05）. Moreover， the CBT group and treatment group had lower UWDRS Ⅲ， BIS-11， BPAQ， and MOAS scores than the control group （P<0.05）， and the treatment group had lower BIS-11 and BPAQ scores than the CBT group （P<0.05）. ConclusionThe combination of Gandouling decoction and CBT can ameliorate impulse control disorders in the WD patients with combined phlegm and stasis.

Clinical features and genetic variants of children with hepatic Wilson′s disease / 中华全科医师杂志

Objective:To analyze the clinical characteristics and genetic variants of children with hepatic Wilson disease (WD).Methods:The clinical data and genetic test results of 35 children, who were diagnosed as WD with primary hepatic manifestation in the Department of Gastroenterology, Children′s Hospital of Capital Institute of Pediatrics from March 2018 to March 2022, were retrospectively analyzed. The relationship between phenotype and genotype of patients was analyzed.Results:Among 35 children, there were 24 males and 11 females with a median age at diagnosis of 5.5 (4.0, 7.5) years. All patients had elevated transaminases. The elevated transaminases was found during routine physical examination in 33 cases (94.3%), in whom there was no fever, cough, recurrent vomiting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, jaundice, limb tremor, gait instability and other discomfort 2 weeks before admission, except 1 case with nausea; abdominal ultrasonography showed that 5 cases (15.2%) had no abnormality, and others had different degrees of hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, and echo enhancement in liver parenchyma. Among the remaining 2 cases, one 11-year-old child presented with edema, and had cirrhosis portal hypertension with esophageal varices; another 7-year-old child was diagnosed as acute liver failure manifested with nausea and jaundice. Thirty three patients(94.3%)had decreased serum ceruloplasmin levels (<100 mg/L); 24-h urinary copper concentration was>100 μg in 16 cases (45.7%) and<40 μg in 2 cases (5.7%). The tests of hepatitis B virus, hepatitis C virus, cytomegalovirus and EB virus were all negative in 35 children, and the autoimmune hepatitis antibodies were also negative. A total of 34 different ATP7B gene mutations were detected; the most frequent mutation was c.2333G>T (P.R778L) at exon 8, followed by c.2621C>T(p.A874V)at exon 11 and c.2621C>T(p.A874V)at exon 13. There was no significant difference in clinical phenotype between patients with nonsense mutation, frameshift mutation or splicing mutation and those with only missense mutations( Z=-1.00, t=-0.16, Z=-1.14, Z=-1.03,all P>0.05). Conclusions:The onset of WD in children is obscure, and clinicians should consider this disease in patients presenting with elevated transaminase. Ceruloplasmin and urine copper should be tested timely, the early diagnosis and treatment can improve the prognosis. And there is no significant correlation between genotype and clinical phenotype.

A rare case of hepatolenticular degeneration with double panda sign on imaging

Wilson's disease is an inborn error of copper metabolism that is characterized by deficiency of ceruloplasmin, the serum transport protein for copper. Copper is collected in the liver, and after hepatic binding sites are saturated, it is released. Systemic disease then develops and there is abnormal accumulation of copper in the brain, particularly in the putamen and globus pallidus. Presenting this case of a 32-year-old male patient who presented with peculiar features for Wilson抯 disease.

Perinatal management and genetic testing and for a puerperant affected with ATP7B gene variation in Wilson disease / 中国综合临床

Objective:To explore the perinatal management of patients with WD during pregnancy, and to determine its genetic etiology and the possibility of fetal morbidity using the genetic detection of amniotic fluid and umbilical cord blood.Method:In terms of fine management during the perinatal period, a case of K-F ring was found in the Ophthalmology Department of Beijing Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University in March 2019 due to eye astringency and eye swelling, and the hepatology department further diagnosed WD for one artificial abortion. After the second pregnancy in October 2020, multidisciplinary consultation and standardized treatment during pregnancy including gynecology and obstetrics, liver disease center, anesthesiology department, gastroenterology department and nutrition department were carried out. The genomes of patients' venous blood, amniotic fluid and umbilical cord blood were extracted and analyzed for ATP7B gene variation by Sanger sequencing.Result:Through multi-disciplinary collaborative management, the patient gave birth successfully in the case of pregnancy complicated with liver cirrhosis, portal hypertension, splenomegaly with hyperfunction, thrombocytopenia, anemia, esophageal and gastric varices and other complications. The phenotype of the newborn was normal, and the Apgar score was 10-10-10. Sequencing results showed that the patient had ATP7B p.Arg778Leu and p.Val890Met, which were missense heterozygous variants reported in the mutation database, and ACMG was classified as pathogenic variants. The results of amniotic fluid and umbilical cord blood showed that the fetus had only p.Arg778Leu single heterozygous variation, and it was predicted that there would be no clinical phenotype of WD.Conclusion:Perinatal multidisciplinary collaborative management has important protective significance for the successful pregnancy of patients with WD. Genetic screening of amniotic fluid and umbilical cord blood is conducive to early detection of fetal WD.

Management and research progress of Wilson disease in pregnancy / 中国综合临床

Wilson disease (WD) is an autosomal recessive disorder of copper metabolism. The clinical characteristics, management and prognosis of pregnancy in WD are special and less reported, which are the key and difficult problems concerned by clinicians. Regardless of whether they receive treatment or not, pregnant women with WD may have disease progression or even death, and their fetuses are also faced with the risk of genetic disease, malformation and death. Domestic and foreign guidelines suggest that during pregnancy, drugs such as D penicillamine and zinc should continue to be taken to remove copper, however breast-feeding is not recommended now. Although the safety of treatment drugs and breastfeeding in WD needs to be further evaluated, the benefits of appropriate copper removal treatment still outweigh the disadvantages. Most women of childbearing age with WD can successfully conceive and deliver after receiving appropriate copper removal treatment and pre pregnancy consultation.

Characteristics of attentional bias in Wilson disease patients with different levels of state-trait anxiety / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective:To investigate the characteristics of attention bias in Wilson disease(WD) patients with different levels of state-trait anxiety.Methods:The emotional Stroop paradigm and the state-trait anxiety inventory(STAI) were used to evaluate the anxiety level and the characteristics of attention bias in 49 inpatients with WD.SPSS 25.0 software was used for statistical analysis.Independent sample t-test was used for comparison between the two groups.Multiple linear regression analysis was used to evaluated the influencing factors of attentional bias response time. Results:(1) In WD patients, the response times measured under the positive, negative and neutral words in the high trait anxiety group((867.0±172.1)ms, (877.0±167.7)ms, (898.4±169.8)ms, respectively) were significantly higher than the low trait anxiety group((771.9±128.9)ms, (770.9±110.4)ms, (778.4±120.1)ms, respectively) and the differences were statistically significant( t=-2.183, -2.605, -2.847, all P<0.05). The response times under the positive, negative and neutral word measured in the high state anxiety group((866.9±171.9)ms, (867.8±173.8)ms, (889.8±173.5)ms, respectively) were higher than those of the low state anxiety group((771.9±129.2)ms, (780.4±109.3)ms, (787.3±123.0)ms, respectively) and the differences were statistically significant( t=-2.177, -2.116, -2.378, all P<0.05). (2) Multiple linear regression analysis showed that the total score of trait anxiety ( B=4.584, 4.671, 5.376, P=0.020, 0.015, 0.008) and age ( B=9.314, 7.864, 7.505, P=0.002, 0.008, 0.014) were the influencing factors of response times measured under the positive, negative and neutral emotion words. Conclusion:Anxiety will lead patients with WD to show more negative attention bias, and trait anxiety can significantly predict the characteristics of attention bias.

Management of hepatolenticular degeneration during pregnancy / 中华肝脏病杂志

Hepatolenticular degeneration (Wilson's disease, WD) is a kind of autosomal recessive genetic disease characterized by disorders of copper metabolism. It is caused by mutations in the ATP7B gene, resulting in impaired excretion of copper into the bile, and then pathological deposition in the liver, brain, and other organs. Early diagnosis and treatment can significantly improve the prognosis of patients with WD. However, there is still no clear consensus on the treatment and management of WD during pregnancy. Herein, the clinical management of WD during pregnancy is summarized for clinicians' reference.

Etiology and Pathogenesis of Hepatolenticular Degeneration Caused by Latent Toxin Blocking Collaterals / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Hepatolenticular degeneration（HLD），also known as Wilson disease （WD）， is a genetic disorder characterized by copper metabolism disorder caused by ATP7B gene mutation. Specifically， due to the ceruloplasmin synthesis disorder induced by gene mutation，copper cannot be excreted through bile，which results in pathological deposition of copper in various organs and damage to organs such as the brain and the liver. The incidence of WD in Chinese is significantly higher than that in the world. Copper chelating agents， such as D-penicillamine and dimercaptosuccinic acid， are used as the main therapeutic agents in western medicine. However， many clinical adverse events limit the application of these drugs. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has its characteristics in the treatment of WD. As confirmed by long-term research on TCM clinical diagnosis and treatment，MD has become TCM dominant disease. In spite of many views about the etiology and pathogenesis of WD，a consensus has not been reached so far. Based on the theory of latent pathogen in TCM and the pathological mechanism of excessive deposition of copper ions in the body，this study proposed that latent toxin is the key etiology of WD，and further elaborated that the latent toxin of WD was inherited from parents and occurred in children and adolescents，which was hidden in the liver and the kidney and damaged the brain. The latent toxin， Yang in nature and dispersing in property， is prone to transform into dampness-heat to block Qi movement and produce phlegm leading to stasis. Furthermore， this study determined latent toxin blocking collaterals as the basic pathogenesis of WD and revealed the complex clinical manifestations of latent toxin blocking collaterals such as liver collaterals，brain collaterals，kidney collaterals，spleen collaterals，stomach collaterals，lung collaterals，heart collaterals， and uterus collaterals. Treatment should follow the basic therapeutic principles of resolving pathogens，removing toxins， and dredging collaterals. This study is expected to provide a theoretical basis for syndrome differentiation and treatment of WD in TCM.

Clinical Efficacy of Gandou Fumu Granules on Wilson Disease with Liver-kidney Deficiency and Phlegm-blood Stasis / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy of Gandou Fumu granules （GDFM） in the treatment of Wilson disease （WD） with liver-kidney deficiency and phlegm-blood stasis. MethodNinety WD patients in The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Chinese Medicine were randomly divided into a control group （45 cases） and a treatment group （45 cases）. All patients were treated with sodium 2，3-dimercaptopropane-1-sulfonate （DMPS）， while those in the treatment group received additional GDFM. All patients were treated for four courses （32 days）. The traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome scores，clinical effective rate，24 h urinary copper，ceruloplasmin （CER），tumor necrosis factor-α（TNF-α），interleukin-1β（IL-1β），interleukin-6 （IL-6），superoxide dismutase （SOD），glutathione peroxidase （GSH-Px） and malondialdehyde （MDA） levels of the two groups before and after treatment were observed. ResultAfter treatment， the TCM syndrome scores of the two groups decreased （P<0.01），and the score of TCM syndrome in the treatment group was lower than that of the control group （P<0.01）. The total effective rate of the treatment group was 82.22% （37/45）， higher than 57.78% （26/45） of the control group （χ2=6.402，P<0.05）. There was no significant difference in CER before and after treatment in both groups. The post-treatment 24 hour urinary copper increased （P<0.01）， which was higher in the treatment group than that in the control group （P<0.05）. The TNF-α，IL-1β， and IL-6 levels were significantly reduced in both groups after treatment（P<0.01），and the above indicators in the treatment group were significantly lower than those in the control group （P<0.01）. After treatment，the SOD level increased and the MDA level decreased in the control group （P<0.01）， while no significant difference in GSH-Px level was observed. The SOD and GSH-Px levels increased and the MDA level decreased in the treatment group （P<0.01）. After treatment， SOD and GSH-Px levels of the treatment group were higher than those in the control group， while the MDA level was lower than that in the control group（P<0.05，P<0.01）. ConclusionGDFM can improve the TCM syndrome score and clinical efficacy，enhance the copper removing effect，and inhibit the inflammatory response and antioxidative stress in the treatment of WD with liver and kidney deficiency and phlegm-blood stasis.

Intervention of Gandou Fumu Decoction on Liver Fibrosis in Mice with Wilson's Disease Through JNK Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo identify the protective effect and possible mechanism of Gandou Fumu decoction （GDFMD） on liver fibrosis in mice with Wilson's disease. MethodA total of 50 homozygous TXJ mice were randomly divided into five groups， with 10 mice in each group. Ten wild-type mice were selected as a normal group. The GDFMD high， medium， and low-dose groups were given 13.92， 6.96， 3.48 g·kg-1 of GDFMD， respectively. The penicillamine group were given 0.1 g·kg-1 of penicillamine. The model group and the normal group were given the same volume of 0.9% sodium chloride solution once a day for 4 consecutive weeks. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） method was performed to detect serum superoxide dismutase （SOD） activity and malondialdehyde （MDA） content. Corresponding kits were used to detect the mitochondrial adenine triphosphate （ATP） content and Na+-K+-ATPase activity in liver tissues. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） and Masson staining were used to observe the pathological morphology of liver tissue， and transmission electron microscope was used to observe ultrastructural changes of liver tissues in mice. Western blot was used to detect the c-Jun N-terminal kinase， the phosphorylated protein， and the expressions of Caspase-3， B cell lymphoma-2 （Bcl-2）， and Bcl-2 associated X protein （Bax） in c-Jun N-terminal kinase （JNK） signaling pathway. ResultCompared with the normal group， MDA content increased and SOD activity decreased in the model group （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， SOD activities in the GDFMD high-， medium-， and low-dose groups and the penicillamine group significantly increased （P<0.01）， and MDA content significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the normal group， ATP content and Na+-K+-ATPase activity significantly decrease in the model group （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， ATP content and Na+-K+-ATPase activity in the GDFMD medium and high-dose groups and the penicillamine group significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The results of the pathological morphology of liver tissue showed that a large number of liver cells degeneration and necrosis， inflammatory cell infiltration， unclear liver lobule structure， and collagen fiber deposition were observed in the model group. Transmission electron microscopy showed that the number of mitochondria in liver tissues significantly reduced， the mitochondria were locally damaged， and the cristae of mitochondria were broken even disappear in the model group. The pathological morphology of liver tissue and mitochondrial structure recovered to varying degrees after medicinal intervention. The results of Western blot suggested that， compared with the normal group， the expression levels of phosphorylation-JNK （p-JNK）， p-JNK/JNK， Caspase-3， and Bax in the liver tissues were up-regulated， while the expression of Bcl-2 was down-regulated in the model group （P<0.05）. The expression levels of p-JNK， p-JNK/JNK， Caspase-3 and Bax were down-regulated and the expression of Bcl-2 was up-regulated in the GDFMD high and medium-dose groups and the penicillamine group （P<0.01）. ConclusionGDFMD can alleviate oxidative stress damage and recover mitochondrial function of TXJ mice with liver fibrosis. The mechanism of GDFMD may be related to regulating the JNK signaling pathway and downstream factors and inhibiting cell apoptosis.

Effect of Gandou Decoction on Mitophagy in Toxic Milk （TX） Mouse Model of Wilson Disease Based on Pink1/Parkin Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Gandou decoction （GDD） on the mitophagy of hippocampal neurons in toxic milk （TX） mouse model of Wilson disease and explore the protective mechanism of GDD against neuron injury through the PTEN induced kinase 1 （Pink1） /E3 ubiquitin ligase （Parkin） pathway. MethodSixty mice were randomly divided into a blank group， a model group， a penicillamine group （0.09 g·kg-1）， and low- （5.5 g·kg-1）， medium- （11 g·kg-1）， and high-dose （22 g·kg-1） GDD groups， and treated correspondingly by gavage for 8 weeks. Morris water maze， traction test， and pole test were used for the evaluation of animal behaviors. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining and transmission electron microscopy were used to observe cell apoptosis， ultrastructure， autophagy， and mitochondrial structure. The levels of superoxide dismutase （SOD）， reactive oxygen species （ROS）， and malondialdehyde （MDA） were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Real-time fluorescence-based quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to detect the mRNA expression of Pink1， Parkin， autophagy-associated protein Beclin-1， microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3Ⅱ （LC3Ⅱ）， and p62. Western blot was conducted to detect the protein expression of Pink1， Parkin， Beclin-1， LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ， and p62. ResultCompared with the blank group， the model group showed prolonged escape latency， decreased times of platform crossing， lower score in the traction test， and longer pole climbing time （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the medium- and high-dose GDD groups and the penicillamine group showed shortened escape latencies， increased times of platform crossing， higher scores in the traction test， and shortened pole climbing time （P<0.01）. Compared with the blank group， the model group displayed severely damaged neurons and increased autophagosomes. Compared with the model group， the medium- and high-dose GDD groups and the penicillamine group showed improved neuron damage and reduced autophagosomes. The levels of ROS and MDA were higher and SOD was lower in the model group than those in the blank group （P<0.01）， while the levels of the above indicators were reversed by GDD intervention as compared with the model group （P<0.01）. Compared with the blank group， the model group exhibited up-regulated mRNA and protein expression of Pink1， Parkin， LC3Ⅱ， and Beclin-1 and down-regulated p62 （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the medium- and high-dose GDD groups showed reduced mRNA and protein expression of Pink1， Parkin， LC3Ⅱ， and Beclin-1 and increased p62 （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionGDD can significantly inhibit the excessive mitophagy in neurons of TX mice and protect neurons from damage. The mechanism may be related to the regulation of the Pink1/Parkin pathway.

Adult cerebral hepatolenticular degeneration: report of one case with literature review / 中华全科医师杂志

A 26-year-old male presented with tremor of bilateral shoulders and hands as the major symptom and also had cognitive and emotional abnormalities for more than 1 year, who was diagnosed as cerebral hepatolenticular degeneration (HLD) in Tongji Hospital of Huazhong University of Science and Technology in October 2021. The serum ceruloplasmin and urine copper levels of the patient were 0.023 g/L and 3760.00 μg/24 h, respectively, and the Kayser-Fleischer (K-F) ring was seen in the cornea. Genetic testing revealed a homozygous mutation of ATP7B gene c.2975C>T (p.Pro992Leu), while transcranial sonography (TCS) showed lenticular nucleus hyper-echogenicity. The literature was searched using hepatolenticular degeneration and transcranial sonography as key words; and 9 articles involving 150 HLD cases were obtained. The lenticular nucleus hyper-echogenicity was presented in 76.9% HLD patients (150/195), while only in 12.7% healthy subjects (17/134) ( P<0.001), suggesting that advanced transcranial sonography can detect the metal deposition and may be used for diagnosis of cerebral HLD.

Clinical efficacy of liver transplantation for Wilson's disease / 中华器官移植杂志

Objective:To explore the clinical efficacy of liver transplantation for Wilson's disease(WD).Methods:From January 1999 to November 2021, clinical data were retrospectively reviewed for 16 recipients with WD undergoing liver transplantation.There were 9 males and 7 females with an age range of 29.5(14~54)years.They were followed up by telephone, outpatient services and hospitalization.The starting point of follow-up was operation date.And recipient death was an endpoint.Postoperative survival, improvement of neuropsychiatric symptom, changes of corneal K-F ring, altered levels of liver function and serum copper-protein at Month 1 post-operation were observed.The follow-up deadline was November 24, 2021.Results:15 recipients underwent classical orthotopic liver transplantation and the other one recipient underwent living-related liver transplantation.No perioperative deaths occurred.All 16 recipients were followed up for 122(6~260)months.The 1-, 5-, and 10-year survival rates were 93.8%、85.2%and 75.8%, respectively.Among 10 recipients with corneal K-F ring positive with varying degrees after operation and was disappeared in 2 recipients at 7 and 11 months.Among 5 recipients with neuropsychiatric manifestation, 4 recipients showed ameliorative neuropsychic symptoms with varying degrees after operation and 1 recipient died.All the levels of liver function and serum copper-protien of all recipients recovered obviously in 1 month and the 1-, 5-, and 10-year post-operation.Conclusions:Classical orthotopic liver transplantation and living-related liver transplantation not only effectively improves copper metabolism of patient with WD and relieves their severe neurological manifestation, but also improves their life and prolongs survival, which is worthy of clinical promotion.

Advance in diagnostic indicators of hepatolenticular degeneration / 国际儿科学杂志

Hepatolenticular degeneration, also known as Wilson disease(WD), is an autosomal recessive disease with copper excretion disorder caused by ATP7B gene mutation.At present, the global incidence of hepatolenticular degeneration is about 1/30 000, but the frequency of ATP7B gene mutation is about 1/90.WD mainly manifests clinically as acute and chronic liver disease, neurological damage and renal impairment, etc.It is a genetic disease that can be well controlled by early diagnosis and treatment, so early diagnosis and treatment are important.However, because of its complex genotype and phenotype, it is easy to be misdiagnosed and delayed treatment.There is no single diagnostic standard for diagnosis of WD at the moment.The Leipzig diagnostic scoring system is often used for diagnosis.In recent years, there has been a new supplement to the diagnostic methods of WD.Some studies have confirmed that measuring the concentration of ATP7B protein by using ATP7B peptide can be used as a new diagnostic method for hepatolenticular degeneration, which is helpful for early accurate diagnosis.

Protective Effect and Mechanism of Gandou Fumu Decoction on Oxidative Damage of HepG2 Cells Induced by CuCl2 / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To explore the effect of Gandou Fumu decoction （GDFMD） on the oxidative damage of HepG2 cells induced by CuCl₂based on the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin （PI3K/Akt/mTOR） signaling pathway. Method:CuCl₂ （200 μmol·L^-1） was used to induce a copper-loaded HepG2 cell model. HepG2 cells were divided into a blank group （HepG2 cells + blank rat serum）， a model group （HepG2 cells + CuCl₂ + normal rat serum）， a GDFMD group （HepG2 cells + CuCl₂ + GDFMD-medicated rat serum）， an inhibitor group （HepG2 cells + NVP-BEZ235 + normal rat serum）， and a GDFMD + NVP-BEZ235 group （HepG2 cells + NVP-BEZ235 + GDFMD-medicated rat serum）. ELISA method was used to determine superoxide dismutase （SOD）， glutathione peroxidase （GSH-Px） activity， and malondialdehyde （MDA） content. The expression of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 （LC3） was detected by immunofluorescence. Phospho-PI3K/PI3K （p-PI3K/PI3K）， p-Akt/Akt， p-mTOR/mTOR， Beclin-1， LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ， and p62/Actin were determined by Western blot. PI3K， Akt， mTOR， Beclin-1， LC3Ⅰ， LC3Ⅱ， p62 mRNA expression was measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction （PCR）. Result:Compared with the blank group， the model group displayed decreased activities of SOD and GSH-Px and increased content of MDA （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Compared with the model group， the GDFMD group showed elevated activities of SOD and GSH-Px and reduced content of MDA （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P</italic><0.01）， while the inhibitor group exhibited weakened GSH-Px activity and up-regulated content of MDA （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. Compared with the blank group， the model group showed diminished expression of p-PI3K/PI3K， p-Akt/Akt， p-mTOR/mTOR， and p62， and increased expression of Beclin-1 and LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. The expression of p-PI3K/PI3K， p-Akt/Akt， p-mTOR/mTOR， and p62 was elevated， and the expression of Beclin-1 and LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ declined in the GDFMD group （<italic>P</italic><0.05，<italic> P<</italic>0.01）， while the p-PI3K/PI3K and p-mTOR/mTOR expression was down-regulated and the Beclin-1 and LC3Ⅱ/LC3 I expression was increased in the inhibitor group （<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P<</italic>0.01） as compared with those in the model group. Compared with the GDFMD group， the GDFMD + NVP-BEZ235 group showed down-regulated expression of p-Akt/Akt and p-mTOR/mTOR and up-regulated expression of Beclin-1 and LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ（<italic>P</italic><0.05， <italic>P</italic><0.01）. The expression of LC3Ⅱ protein in the model group was increased （<italic>P</italic><0.01） as compared with that in the blank group. The expression of LC3Ⅱ protein was lower in the GDFMD group than in the model group， and higher in the GDFMD + NVP-BEZ235 group than in the GDFMD group. No significant difference in the expression of PI3K， Akt， and mTOR mRNA was observed among the groups. Compared with the blank group， the model group displayed lowered expression of p62 mRNA， and elevated expression of Beclin-1， LC3Ⅰ， and LC3Ⅱ mRNA （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Compared with the model group， the GDFMD group exhibited increased expression of p62 mRNA， and declining expression of Beclin-1， LC3Ⅰ， and LC3Ⅱ mRNA （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， while the inhibitor group showed increased expression of Beclin-1 mRNA （<italic>P</italic><0.05）. The expression of Beclin-1 and LC3Ⅱ mRNA in the GDFMD + NVP-BEZ235 group was elevated （<italic>P</italic><0.01） as compared with that in the GDFMD group. Conclusion:GDFMD may inhibit the excessive autophagy and alleviate the oxidative damage of HepG2 cells induced by CuCl₂， with the underlying mechanism related to the activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signalling pathway.