Tumor microenvironment-activated theranostic nanozymes for trimodal imaging-guided combined therapy.

Synergistic therapy is expected to be a promising strategy for highly effective cancer treatment. However, the rational design of a simple and multifunctional nanoplatform still remains a grand challenge. Considering the nature of weak acidic, hypoxic, and H2O2 abundant tumor microenvironment, we constructed an indocyanine green (ICG) modified platinum nanoclusters (Pt NCs) decorated gold nanobipyramids (Au NBPs) to form the multifunctional nanocomposites (Au NBPs@Pt NCs-ICG) for multimodal imaging mediated phototherapy and chemodynamic cancer therapy. The photosensitizer ICG was covalently linked to Au NBPs@Pt NCs by bridging molecules of SH-PEG-NH2 for both photodynamic therapy (PDT) and fluorescence imaging. Besides, Au NBPs@Pt NCs-ICG nanocomposites exhibited catalase- and peroxidase-like activities to generate O2 and ·OH, which relieved the tumor hypoxia and upregulated antitumoral ROS level. Moreover, the combination of Au NBPs and ICG endowed the Au NBPs@Pt NCs-ICG with super photothermal conversion for effective photothermal imaging and therapy. In addition, the Au NBPs@Pt NCs-ICG nanoplatform displayed excellent X-ray computed tomography (CT) imaging ability due to the presence of high-Z elements (Au and Pt). Overall, our results demonstrated that Au NBPs@Pt NCs-ICG nanoplatform exhibited a multimodal imaging guided synergistic PTT/PDT/CDT therapeutic manners and held great potential as an efficient treatment for breast cancer.

Establishing a genomic database for the medicinal plants in the Brazilian Pharmacopoeia.

BACKGROUND: Brazil is exceptionally abundant in medicinal plant resources and has a rich ethnopharmacological history. Brazilian Pharmacopoeia (BP) acts as a national standard that regulates drug quality and has six published editions. Recent genomic approaches have led to a resurgence of interest in herbal drugs. The genomic data of plants has been used for pharmaceutical applications, protecting natural resources, and efficiently regulating the market. However, there are few genomic databases specifically for medicinal plants, and the establishment of a database that focuses on the herbs contained in the BP is urgently required. METHODS: The medicinal plant species included in each edition of the BP were analyzed to understand the evolution of the Brazilian herbal drugs. The data of 82 plants in the BP were collected and categorized into four sections: DNA barcodes, super-barcodes, genomes, and sequencing data. A typical web server architecture pattern was used to build the database and website. Furthermore, the cp-Gs of the Aloe genus in the database were analyzed as an illustration. RESULTS: A new database, the Brazilian Pharmacopoeia Genomic Database (BPGD) was constructed and is now publicly accessible. A BLAST server for species identification and sequence searching with the internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS2), the intergenic region (psbA-trnH), and the chloroplast genome (cp-G) of Brazilian medicinal plants was also embedded in the BPGD. The database has 753 ITS2 of 76 species, 553 psbA-trnH and 190 genomes (whole genome and chloroplast genome) of 57 species. In addition, it contains 37 genome sequence data sets of 24 species and 616 transcriptome sequence data sets of 34 species and also includes 187 cp-Gs representing 57 medicinal species in the BP. Analyses of the six cp-Gs of three Aloe species identified the variable regions in the cp-Gs. These can be used to identify species and understand the intraspecific relationships. CONCLUSIONS: This study presents the first genomic database of medicinal plants listed in the latest BP. It serves as an efficient platform to obtain and analyze genomic data, accelerate studies regarding Brazilian medicinal plants and facilitate the rational development on their market regulation.

A network pharmacology study on analgesic mechanism of Yuanhu-Baizhi herb pair.

BACKGROUND: Millions of people are suffering from chronic pain conditions, such as headache, arthritis, cancer. Apart from western medicines, traditional Chinese medicines are also well accepted for pain management, especially in Asian countries. Yuanhu-Baizhi herb pair (YB) is a typical herb pair applied to the treatment of stomach pain, hypochondriac pain, headache, and dysmenorrhea, due to its effects on analgesia and sedation. This study is to identify potentially active compounds and the underlying mechanisms of YB in the treatment of pain. METHODS: Compounds in YB were collected from 3 online databases and then screened by bioavailability and drug likeness parameters. Swiss target prediction was applied to obtain targets information of the active compounds. Pain-related genes were conducted for Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks of the genes were constructed using Cytoscape software. In addition, the hub genes were screened using maximal clique centrality (MCC) algorithm. RESULTS: In total, 31 compounds from Yuanhu were screened out with 35 putative target genes, while 26 compounds in Baizhi with 43 target genes were discovered. Hence, 78 potential target genes of YB were selected for further study. After overlap analysis of the 78 genes of YB and 2408 pain-associated genes, we finally achieved 34 YB-pain target genes, as well as 10 hub genes and 23 core compounds. Go enrichment and KEGG pathway analysis indicated that YB had a strong integration with neuro system, which might significantly contribute to antinociceptive effect. CONCLUSION: Our data provide deep understanding of the pharmacological mechanisms of YB in attenuating pain. The discovery shed new light on the development of active compounds of YB for the treatment of pain.

[A new Cannabis germplasm classification system and research strategies of non-psychoactive medicinal cannabis].

At present,China manages cannabis into industrial and medical types. Industrial cannabis( THC<0. 3%) is grown for fiber and seed,while medical cannabis( THC>0. 3%) is prohibited from being planted and used. In recent years,breakthroughs have been made in the applications for a variety of fields of CBD,a non-psychoactive cannabinoid of Cannabis. However,China made a minimal contribution to this international research hotspot,mainly due to the outdated way of classification on cannabis. Here we reviewed the medicinal use history of cannabis,achievements in the study of Cannabis germplasm,and first proposed the three-level classification of management: psychoactive medicinal cannabis( THC>0. 3%),non-psychoactive medicinal cannabis( THC<0. 3%,high CBD)and industrial cannabis( THC<0. 3%,for fiber and seed,low CBD). Based on summarizing the research progress of the non-psychoactive medicinal cannabis,four key research strategies of breeding,sex control,plant factory,and synthetic biology are proposed.

Influence of Acid Treatment on the Loading and Release Behavior of Halloysite with 2-Mercaptobenzothiazole.

Halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) are natural clay minerals with a tubular structure. They have attracted considerable attention as a potential nanocontainer due to their abundance, biocompatibility and nontoxicity. In this study, HNTs were handled with H2SO4 at 70 °C. The morphology and structure of these acid-treated and original HNTs were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersion spectrum (EDS), transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and their specific surface area was determined by automatic gas adsorption analyzer. The loading efficiency and release behavior of acid-treated HNTs for 2-Mercaptobenzothiazole (MBT) were investigated by UV-vis spectrophotometer. Results show that acid-treated HNTs retained their tubular structure, but their internal diameter expanded by 35-37 nm after 32 h of acid treatment. After 72 h of acid treatment, HNTs can be transferred into amorphous silica nanotubes. Moreover, the specific surface area of these HNTs samples initially increased with the increase in acid treatment time but then started to decrease after 32 h. The specific surface area of acid-treated HNTs at 32 h can reach 251.6 m2/g, which was much higher than that for untreated HNTs (55.3 m2/g). In addition, the loading capacity of acid-treated HNTs can reach 32.1% for HNTs-32, which is about three times higher than that of original HNTs. The acid treatment has slight effect on the release behavior.

The effects of photobiomodulation therapy on mouse pre-osteoblast cell line MC3T3-E1 proliferation and apoptosis via miR-503/Wnt3a pathway.

Photobiomodulation therapy (PBMT) has been demonstrated as regulating osteoblast proliferation. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are involved in various pathophysiologic processes in osteoblast, but the role of miRNAs in the PBMT-based promotion of osteoblast proliferation remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of PBMT treatment (3.75 J/cm2) on mouse pre-osteoblast cell line MC3T3-E1 proliferation and apoptosis via the miR-503/Wnt3a pathway; meanwhile, detect the expressions of miR-503 and Wnt3a after PBMT treatment and the role of miR-503 in regulating Wnt signaling molecules Wnt3a, ß-catenin, Runx2, apoptotic proteins caspase-3, and Bcl-2 in vitro. The PBMT parameters were as follows: 808 nm continuous wavelength, 0.401 W output power, 0.042 W/cm2 power density, 9.6 cm2 spot size, 36 J energy, 3.75 J/cm2 energy density, 90 s irradiation for three times per 12 h, 14.5 cm distance of the laser source and the angle of divergence of the laser beam was 7°. In our present study, the target relationship was predicted and verified by bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter assays. Gene mRNA and protein expressions were examined by qPCR and western blot analysis. The MTT method was used to evaluate the effect of miR-503 on MC3T3-E1 cells proliferation. And cell apoptosis was examined by flow cytometry. The results showed that PBMT treatment reduced the expression of miR-503 and increased the level of Wnt3a (p < 0.01). Bioinformatics analysis and luciferase reporter assays revealed that Wnt3a was a target of miR-503, and Wnt3a was regulated by miR-503. Furthermore, miR-503 was found to functionally inhibit proliferation and promote apoptosis (p < 0.01). And during this process, Wnt3a, ß-catenin, Runx2, and Bcl-2 expressions were significantly inhibited (p < 0.01); however, caspase-3 level was upregulated (p < 0.01). These results suggest that miR-503 plays a role in osteoblast proliferation and apoptosis in response to PBMT, which is potentially amenable to therapeutic manipulation for clinical application.

Laser irradiation promotes the proliferation of mouse pre-osteoblast cell line MC3T3-E1 through hedgehog signaling pathway.

Low-level laser could promote osteoblast proliferation, and it has been applied in clinical practice to promote wound healing and tissue regeneration. However, the mechanism related to laser irradiation remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the effects of low-level laser irradiation on the cell proliferation and the expressions of hedgehog signaling molecules Indian hedgehog (Ihh), Ptch, and Gli in vitro. In our present study, the MTT method was used to evaluate the effect on cell proliferation of laser irradiation on MC3T3-E1 cells. And cell cycle was examined by flow cytometry. Gene and protein expressions of hedgehog signaling molecules, including Ihh, Ptch, Smoothened (Smo), and Gli, were examined by qRT-PCR and western blot analysis. The results showed that laser irradiation at dosage of 3.75 J/cm2 enhances the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells compared with control groups (p = 0.00). Moreover, laser irradiation (3.75 J/cm2) increased the cell amount at S phase (p = 0.00). In addition, the expressions of Ihh, Ptch, Smo, and Gli were significantly increased compared to the control during laser irradiation (3.75 J/cm2)-induced MC3T3-E1 osteoblast proliferation. After adding the hedgehog signaling inhibitor CY (cyclopamine), cell proliferation and Ihh, Ptch, Smo, and Gli expressions were inhibited (p = 0.00), and the cell amount at S phase was reduced compared with combination groups (p = 0.00). These results indicated that laser irradiation promotes proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells through hedgehog signaling pathway. Our findings provide insights into the mechanistic link between laser irradiation-induced osteogenesis and hedgehog signaling pathway.

Effects of electroacupuncture on the cortical extracellular signal regulated kinase pathway in rats with cerebral ischaemia/reperfusion.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of electroacupuncture (EA) on the phosphorylated extracellular signal regulated kinase (p-ERK) pathway of the cerebral cortex in a rat model of focal cerebral ischaemia/reperfusion (I/R). METHODS: 160 adult Sprague-Dawley rats underwent middle carotid artery occlusion (MCAO) to establish I/R injury and were randomly divided into four groups (n=40 each) that remained untreated (I/R group) or received EA at LU5, LI4, ST36 and SP6 (I/R+EA group), the ERK inhibitor PD98059 (I/R+PD group), or both interventions (I/R+PD+EA groups). An additional 40 rats undergoing sham surgery formed a healthy control group. Eight rats from each group were sacrificed at the following time points: 2 hours, 6 hours, 1 day, 3 days and 1 week. Neurological function was assessed using neurological deficit scores, morphological examination was performed following haematoxylin-eosin staining of cortical tissues, and apoptotic indices were calculated after terminal deoxyribonucleotidyl transferase (TdT)-mediated biotin-16-dUTP nick-end labelling. Cortical protein and mRNA expression of p-ERK and ERK were measured by immunohistochemistry and real-time quantitative PCR, respectively. RESULTS: Compared with the I/R group, neurological deficit scores and apoptotic indices were lower in the I/R+EA group at 1 and 3 days, whereas mRNA/protein expression of ERK/p-ERK was higher in the EA group at all time points studied. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that EA can alleviate neurological deficits and reduce cortical apoptosis in rats with I/R injury. These anti-apoptotic effects may be due to upregulation of p-ERK. Moreover, apoptosis appeared to peak at 1 day after I/R injury, which might therefore represent the optimal time point for targeting of EA.

Complete chloroplast genome sequence of Fritillaria unibracteata var. wabuensis based on SMRT Sequencing Technology.

Fritillaria unibracteata var. wabuensis is an important medicinal plant used for the treatment of cough symptoms related to the respiratory system. The chloroplast genome of F. unibracteata var. wabuensis (GenBank accession no. KF769142) was assembled using the PacBio RS platform (Pacific Biosciences, Beverly, MA) as a circle sequence with 151 009 bp. The assembled genome contains 133 genes, including 88 protein-coding, 37 tRNA, and eight rRNA genes. This genome sequence will provide important resource for further studies on the evolution of Fritillaria genus and molecular identification of Fritillaria herbs and their adulterants. This work suggests that PacBio RS is a powerful tool to sequence and assemble chloroplast genomes.

Genome-wide identification of phenolic acid biosynthetic genes in Salvia miltiorrhiza.

MAIN CONCLUSION: Twenty-nine genes related to phenolic acid biosynthesis were identified in the Salvia miltiorrhiza genome. Nineteen of these are described for the first time, with ten genes experimentally correlating to phenolic acid biosynthesis. Vast stores of secondary metabolites exist in plants, many of which possess biological activities related to human health. Phenolic acid derivatives are a class of valuable bioactive pharmaceuticals abundant in the widely used Chinese medicinal herb, Salvia miltiorrhiza. The biosynthetic pathway for phenolic acids differs in this species from that of other investigated plants. However, the molecular basis for this is unknown, with systematic analysis of the genes involved not yet performed. As the first step towards unraveling this complex biosynthetic pathway in S. miltiorrhiza, the current genome assembly was searched for putatively involved genes. Twenty-nine genes were revealed, 19 of which are described here for the first time. These include 15 genes predicted in the phenylpropanoid pathway; seven genes in the tyrosine-derived pathway; six genes encoding putative hydroxycinnamoyltransferases, and one CYP98A, namely CYP98A78. The promoter regions, gene structures and expression patterns of these genes were examined. Furthermore, conserved domains and phylogenetic relationships with homologous proteins in other species were revealed. Most of the key enzymes, including 4-coumarate: CoA ligase, 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate reductase and hydroxycinnamoyltransferase, were found in multiple copies, each exhibiting different characteristics. Ten genes putatively involved in rosmarinic acid biosynthesis are also described. These findings provide a foundation for further analysis of this complex and diverse pathway, with potential to enhance the synthesis of water-soluble medicinal compounds in S. miltiorrhiza.

Natural Resource Monitoring of Rheum tanguticum by Multilevel Remote Sensing.

Remote sensing has been extensively applied in agriculture for its objectiveness and promptness. However, few applications are available for monitoring natural medicinal plants. In the paper, a multilevel monitoring system, which includes satellite and aerial remote sensing, as well as ground investigation, was initially proposed to monitor natural Rheum tanguticum resource in Baihe Pasture, Zoige County, Sichuan Province. The amount of R. tanguticum from images is M = S*ρ and S is vegetation coverage obtained by satellite imaging, whereas ρ is R. tanguticum density obtained by low-altitude imaging. Only the R. tanguticum which coverages exceeded 1 m(2) could be recognized from the remote sensing image because of the 0.1 m resolution of the remote sensing image (called effective resource at that moment), and the results of ground investigation represented the amounts of R. tanguticum resource in all sizes (called the future resource). The data in paper showed that the present available amount of R. tanguticum accounted for 4% to 5% of the total quantity. The quantity information and the population structure of R. tanguticum in the Baihe Pasture were initially confirmed by this system. It is feasible to monitor the quantitative distribution for natural medicinal plants with scattered distribution.

Genome sequence of the model medicinal mushroom Ganoderma lucidum.

Ganoderma lucidum is a widely used medicinal macrofungus in traditional Chinese medicine that creates a diverse set of bioactive compounds. Here we report its 43.3-Mb genome, encoding 16,113 predicted genes, obtained using next-generation sequencing and optical mapping approaches. The sequence analysis reveals an impressive array of genes encoding cytochrome P450s (CYPs), transporters and regulatory proteins that cooperate in secondary metabolism. The genome also encodes one of the richest sets of wood degradation enzymes among all of the sequenced basidiomycetes. In all, 24 physical CYP gene clusters are identified. Moreover, 78 CYP genes are coexpressed with lanosterol synthase, and 16 of these show high similarity to fungal CYPs that specifically hydroxylate testosterone, suggesting their possible roles in triterpenoid biosynthesis. The elucidation of the G. lucidum genome makes this organism a potential model system for the study of secondary metabolic pathways and their regulation in medicinal fungi.

An introduction to the medicinal plant genome project.

In recent years, genomics has developed rapidly with the application of next-generation sequencing technology. However, very few studies have been carried out on genomics for medicinal plants. This paper introduces the genome research of medicinal plants, including genome sequencing, assembly, annotation, and functional genomics, to set up the foundation for the development of natural medicines and the selection of cultivars with good agricultural traits. This study places the study on traditional Chinese medicine into the frontier field of life science.

Acupuncture treatment for plantar fasciitis: a randomized controlled trial with six months follow-up.

Plantar fasciitis is a common cause of heel pain. It has been suggested that some acupoints have a specific effect on heel pain. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy and specificity of acupuncture treatment for plantar fasciitis. Subjects were randomly assigned to the treatment group (n = 28) or control group (n = 25). The treatment group received needling at the acupoint PC 7, which is purported to have a specific effect for heel pain. The control group received needling at the acupoint Hegu (LI 4), which has analgesic properties. Treatment was administered five times a week for 2 weeks, with an identical method of manual needling applied to the two acupoints. The primary outcome measure was morning pain on a 100-point visual analog scale (VAS) at one month post-treatment. Secondary outcome measures included a VAS for activity pain, overall pain rating as well as pressure pain threshold using algometry. Significant differences in reduction in pain scores, favoring the treatment group, were seen at one month for morning pain (22.6 ± 4.0 versus 12.0 ± 3.0, mean ± SEM), overall pain (20.3 ± 3.7 versus 9.5 ± 3.6) and pressure pain threshold (145.5 ± 32.9 versus -15.5 ± 39.4). No serious adverse event was observed in either group. The results indicate that acupuncture can provide pain relief to patient with plantar fasciitis, and that PC 7 is a relatively specific acupoint for heel pain.

HSP90B1, a thyroid hormone-responsive heat shock protein gene involved in photoperiodic signaling.

In order to further advance the understanding of genes involved in avian photoperiodic signaling, a chicken hypothalamic cDNA microarray was made to identify changes in gene expression in the whole hypothalamus of juvenile male domestic chickens after 4 days' photostimulation. The most robust change was a depression in heat shock protein 90B1 (HSP90B1) expression. This observation was confirmed using quantitative PCR, and it was subsequently demonstrated that the depression in HSP90B1 expression first occurs in the anterior hypothalamus after 1 day's photostimulation, and was also depressed in the anterior and basal hypothalamus after 4 days' photostimulation. Four days after an intravenous injection of thyroxine (T4), an avian photomimetic, in short day birds, HSP90B1 expression was depressed in the anterior, but not in the basal hypothalamus. Depressed HSP901 expression after photostimulation or T4 treatment was associated with increased GnRH-I mRNA and plasma LH. HSP90B1 is abundant throughout the brain where it occurs in glial cells, and is involved in regulating white matter plasticity. It is suggested that photoperiodically depressed hypothalamic HSP90B1 may affect glial function in photoperiodic signaling pathways in the neuroendocrine system. This is the first report of a thyroid hormone-responsive gene involved in photoperiodic signaling.

[Effect of Tongxinluo on the proliferation and differentiation of rat embryonic neural stem cells].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect of Tongxinluo in on the proliferation and differentiation of rat embryonic neural stem cells (NSCs). METHODS: NSCs were isolated from 12- to 14-day SD rat embryo and treated with Tongxinluo at different doses, and the proliferation and differentiation of the cells were observed by immunofluorescence staining at different time points. RESULTS: The ratio of embryonic NSCs labeled with nestin decreased soon after Tongxinluo treatment, but increased afterwards. Significant difference was noted in the number of cells labeled with beta-tubulin between Tongxinluo group and the control group 3 and 7 days after the treatment, and also between high-dose and low-dose Tongxinluo groups at 7 days. CONCLUSION: Tongxinluo can induce the proliferation and neuronal differentiation of rat embryonic NSCs, and the effect is related to the dose of Tongxinluo administered.

[Effect of electro-scalp acupuncture on cerebral dopamine transporter in the striatum area of the patient of Parkinson's disease by means of single photon emission computer tomography].

OBJECTIVE: To probe the mechanism of electro-scalp acupuncture in treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD) by single photon emission computer tomography (SPECT). METHODS: Five cases of PD received electro-scalp acupuncture at Dingnie Qianxiexian (MS 6), Epangxian III (MS 4), Dingpangxian I (MS 8), Dingpangxian II (MS 9) and Zhenxia Pangxian (MS 14). Contralateral points were selected for pathologic change on one side and bilateral points were selected for pathologic lesion on both sides. All the patients received 99mTc-TRODAT-1 SPECT examination before and after acupuncture treatment of 6 weeks. And activities of dopamine transporter (DAT) were analyzed by the ratio of striatum/occipital lobe (ST/OC), which was evaluated by means of technique of regional of interesting (ROI). RESULTS: The ratio of ST/OC on the same side of the affected extremity before and after treatment were 1.19 +/- 0.15 and 1.24 +/- 0.31 respectively. And on the other side were 0.90 +/- 0.12 and 0.95 +/- 0.25 respectively. They were increased after treatment (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Electro-scalp acupuncture can decrease the loss of DAT and improve the activities of DAT in the striatum of the patient of PD.

[18FDG PET cerebral function imaging in 10 vascular dementia patients receiving needling at Baihui(DU20), Shuigou(DU26) and Shenmen(HT7)].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of needling at Baihui(DU20), Shuigou(DU26) and Shenmen(HT7) on glucose metabolism in different regions of the brain in vascular dementia patients. METHODS: Ten patients with vascular dementia were randomized into 2 groups, and the patients in the control group received the treatment with needling in the routine acupoints for hemiplegia (chosen from 6 Yang meridians of the hand and foot), while those in treatment group received needling at 3 additional acupoints, namely Baihui(DU20), Shuigou(DU26) and Shenmen(HT7), which were specific for dementia treatment. All the patients were examined by positron-emission tomography(PET) to detect the glucose metabolism in different brain regions before and after acupuncture treatment by means of semiquantitative analysis of the average values of radioactive count in the brain regions. RESULTS: Needling at the additional 3 acupoints could obviously enhance glucose metabolism in the bilateral frontal lobes, bilateral thalamus, temporal lobe and lentiform nucleus on the uncompromised side. CONCLUSION: The effect of needling at Baihui(DU20), Shuigou(DU26) and Shenmen(HT7) on vascular dementia is closely related to improved cerebral glucose metabolism.

[Effect of scalp acupuncture on glucose metabolism in brain of patients with depression].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of scalp acupuncture (SA) on the glucose metabolism in different regions of brain in patients with depression by positron emission computed tomography (PET). METHODS: Twelve depressive patients were treated by scalp acupuncture on middle line of vertex (MS5), middle line of forehead (MS1) and bilateral lateral line 1 of forehead (MS2), once a day for six days per week, and received PET detection on different region of brain before and after 6 weeks acupuncture treatment. Semiquantitative analysis was used to compare the average values of radioactive count gotten from various brain regions before and after treatment, which could reflect the condition of glucose metabolism at the brain region detected. RESULTS: SA could increase the glucose metabolism at bilateral frontal lobes, bilateral parietal lobes, right occipital lobe, right caudate nucleus, right cingulated gyrus and left cerebellum and decrease that at right temporal lobe and bilateral thalamus. CONCLUSION: SA on MS5, MS1 and MS2 in depressive patients could influence the glucose metabolism in various brain regions. It primarily illustrated that the mechanism of SA in treating depression is related with its regulation on cortex-limbic circuitry dysfunction and increase the glucose metabolism in various brain regions.