[Ligusticum cycloprolactam inhibits IL-1ß-induced apoptosis and inflammation of rat chondrocytes via HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway].

Chondrocytes are unique resident cells in the articular cartilage, and the pathological changes of them can lead to the occurrence of osteoarthritis(OA). Ligusticum cycloprolactam(LIGc) are derivatives of Z-ligustilide(LIG), a pharmacodynamic marker of Angelica sinensis, which has various biological functions such as anti-inflammation and inhibition of cell apoptosis. However, its protective effect on chondrocytes in the case of OA and the underlying mechanism remain unclear. This study conducted in vitro experiments to explore the molecular mechanism of LIGc in protecting chondrocytes from OA. The inflammation model of rat OA chondrocyte model was established by using interleukin-1ß(IL-1ß) to induce. LIGc alone and combined with glycyrrhizic acid(GA), a blocker of the high mobility group box-1 protein(HMGB1)/Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)/nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB) signaling pathway, were used to intervene in the model, and the therapeutic effects were systematically evaluated. The viability of chondrocytes treated with different concentrations of LIGc was measured by the cell counting kit-8(CCK-8), and the optimal LIGc concentration was screened out. Annexin V-FITC/PI apoptosis detection kit was employed to examine the apoptosis of chondrocytes in each group. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was employed to measure the expression of cyclooxygenase-2(COX-2), prostaglandin-2(PGE2), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α) in the supernatant of chondrocytes in each group. Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax), caspase-3, HMGB1, TLR4, and NF-κB p65. The mRNA levels of HMGB1, TLR4, NF-κB p65, and myeloid differentiation factor 88(MyD88) in chondrocytes were determined by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR). The safe concentration range of LIGc on chondrocytes was determined by CCK-8, and then the optimal concentration of LIGc for exerting the effect was clarified. Under the intervention of IL-1ß, the rat chondrocyte model of OA was successfully established. The modeled chondrocytes showed increased apoptosis rate, promoted expression of COX-2, PGE2, and TNF-α, up-regulated protein levels of Bax, caspase-3, HMGB1, TLR4, and NF-κB p65 and mRNA levels of HMGB1, TLR4, NF-κB p65, and MyD88, and down-regulated protein level of Bcl-2. However, LIGc reversed the IL-1ß-induced changes of the above factors. Moreover, LIGc combined with GA showed more significant reversal effect than LIGc alone. These fin-dings indicate that LIGc extracted and derived from the traditional Chinese medicine A. sinensis can inhibit the inflammatory response of chondrocytes and reduce the apoptosis of chondrocytes, and this effect may be related to the HMGB1/TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. The pharmacological effect of LIGc on protecting chondrocytes has potential value in delaying the progression of OA and improving the clinical symptoms of patients, and deserves further study.

The Effect of Perioperative Comprehensive Nursing on Patients Undergoing Ovary Endometriosis Laparoscopic Surgery.

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of perioperative nursing interventions in improving outcomes and satisfaction for patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery for ovarian endometriosis. Methods: From July 2021 to September 2022, 80 patients with endometriosis underwent laparoscopic surgery at Shijiazhuang Fourth Hospital and were randomly assigned to the conventional (n=40) and experimental (n=40) groups. During the perioperative period, patients in the conventional group received standard nursing interventions, while patients in the experimental group received comprehensive nursing interventions. The two groups were compared in terms of postoperative clinical indicators, self-rated anxiety scale (SAS) and self-rated depression scale (SDS) scores, nursing compliance, complications, and nursing satisfaction. Results: comprehensive nursing resulted in better postoperative clinical indices (time to get out of bed, hospital stay) versus routine nursing (all P < .001). The comprehensive nursing led to significantly lower SAS and SDS scores versus routine nursing. The nursing compliance of the patients in the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the patients in the conventional group (P < .001). Comprehensive nursing was associated with a significantly lower incidence of complications versus routine nursing (P < .001). Comprehensive nursing contributed to significantly higher nursing satisfaction versus routine nursing (P < .001). Conclusion: Comprehensive perioperative nursing interventions for patients with ovarian endometriosis undergoing laparoscopic surgery considerably accelerate patient recovery and enhance nursing compliance, as well as minimize patient negative emotions and improve patient satisfaction with nursing.  The comprehensive approach addresses the specific needs of patients during the recovery period, minimizing postoperative complications, accelerating patient recovery, and improving overall quality of life. By integrating psychological support, tailored strategies for pain management, early mobilization, and prompt intervention for complications, this intervention sets a benchmark for holistic care in gynecological surgery.

Effects of light qualities on growth and physiological-biochemical traits of Scutellaria baicalensis.

Canopy spectral composition significantly affects growth and functional traits of understory plants. In this study, we explored the optimal light condition suitable for enhancing Scutellaria baicalensis's yield and quality, aiming to provide scientific reference for the exploitation and utilization of medicinal plant resources in the understory of forests. We measured the responses of growth, morphology, biomass allocation, physiological traits, and secon-dary metabolites of S. baicalensis to different light qualities. S. baicalensis was cultured under five LED-light treatments including full spectrum light (control), ultraviolet-A (UV-A) radiation, blue, green, and red light. Results showed that UV-A significantly reduced plant height, base diameter, leaf thickness, leaf area ratio, and biomass of each organ. Red light significantly reduced base diameter, biomass, effective quantum yield of photosystem Ⅱ (ФPSⅡ), and total flavonoid concentration. Under blue light, root length and total biomass of S. baicalensis significantly increased by 48.0% and 10.8%, respectively, while leaf number and chlorophyll content significantly decreased by 20.0% and 31.6%, respectively. The other physiological and biochemical traits were consistent with their responses in control. Our results suggested that blue light promoted photosynthesis, biomass accumulation, and secondary metabolite synthesis of S. baicalensis, while red light and UV-A radiation negatively affected physiological and biochemical metabolic processes. Therefore, the ratio of blue light could be appropriately increased to improve the yield and quality of S. baicalensis.

Tongxinluo Activates PI3K/AKT Signaling Pathway to Inhibit Endothelial Mesenchymal Transition and Attenuate Myocardial Fibrosis after Ischemia-Reperfusion in Mice.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the potential role of Tongxinluo (TXL) in attenuating myocardial fibrosis after myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) in mice. METHODS: A MIRI mouse model was established by left anterior descending coronary artery ligation for 45 min. According to a random number table, 66 mice were randomly divided into 6 groups (n=11 per group): the sham group, the model group, the LY-294002 group, the TXL group, the TXL+LY-294002 group and the benazepril (BNPL) group. The day after modeling, TXL and BNPL were administered by gavage. Intraperitoneal injection of LY-294002 was performed twice a week for 4 consecutive weeks. Echocardiography was used to measure cardiac function in mice. Masson staining was used to evaluate the degree of myocardial fibrosis in mice. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of endothelial mesenchymal transition (EndMT) after MIRI was performed by immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry, respectively. The protein expressions of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (CD31), α-smoth muscle actin (α-SMA), phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) and phospho protein kinase B (p-AKT) were assessed using Western blot. RESULTS: TXL improved cardiac function in MIRI mice, reduced the degree of myocardial fibrosis, increased the expression of CD31 and inhibited the expression of α-SMA, thus inhibited the occurrence of EndMT (P<0.05 or P<0.01). TXL significantly increased the protein expressions of PI3K and p-AKT (P<0.05 or P<0.01). There was no significant difference between TXL and BNPL group (P>0.05). In addition, the use of the PI3K/AKT pathway-specific inhibitor LY-294002 to block this pathway and combination with TXL intervention, eliminated the protective effect of TXL, further supporting the protective effect of TXL. CONCLUSION: TXL activated the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway to inhibit EndMT and attenuated myocardial fibrosis after MIRI in mice.

Effectiveness of focused extracorporeal shock wave versus manual therapy in postpartum patients with sacroiliac joint dysfunction: a prospective clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effectiveness of focused extracorporeal shock wave therapy (FESWT) in treating postpartum sacroiliac joint (SIJ) dysfunction. METHODS: A total of 90 patients with SIJ dysfunction were included and randomly assigned to FESWT, manual therapy (MT), or combination therapy (CT) groups. Pain intensity and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) score were measured upon admission, after 1 and 2 weeks of treatments. The treatment efficacy and adverse events of each group were also assessed. RESULTS: There were no significant differences among three groups regarding clinical data, pain intensity, and ODI score on admission (all P > 0.05). After 1 week of treatment, FESWT exhibited similar pain intensity and lower ODI score (P < 0.001) compared to MT. After 2 weeks of treatment, the pain and ODI in FESWT were similar with MT. The pain in CT was lower than MT after 1 week, but lower than FESWT after 2 weeks. Furthermore, we identified interaction effects between treatment method and duration in relation to pain intensity (Fgroup*time = 5.352, P = 0.001) and ODI score (Fgroup*time = 5.902, P < 0.001). FESWT group exhibited the highest improvement rate of 66.7%, while CT group achieved the highest cure rate of 73.3%. No adverse events were observed in any of the patients during 2 months follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to MT, FESWT mainly reduced the ODI score rather than pain after 1 week of treatment. After 2 weeks, the effect of FESWT in relieving the pain was inferior to the MT.

Moxibustion ameliorates visceral hypersensitivity by regulating hypothalamus-spinal cord-colon axis in rats with irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea. / 基于下丘脑-脊髓-ç»“è‚ è½´æŽ¢è®¨è‰¾ç¸æ”¹å–„è ¹æ³»åž‹è‚ æ˜“æ¿€ç»¼åˆå¾å¤§é¼ å† è„é«˜æ•æ„Ÿçš„ä½œç”¨æœºåˆ¶.

OBJECTIVES: To observe the effect of moxibustion intervention on the hypothalamus-spinal cord-colon axis of rats with irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea (IBS-D) and explore the mechanism of moxibustion in improving visceral hypersensitivity in rats with IBS-D. METHODS: A total of 36 SD rats were randomly divided into normal, model, and moxibustion groups, with 12 rats in each group. The IBS-D model was established by maternal separation + acetic acid stimulation + chronic restraint. Rats of the moxibustion group received bilateral moxibustion on "Tianshu" (ST25) and "Shangjuxu" (ST37) for 15 min, once a day for 7 consecutive days. The body weight, loose stool rate, and minimum threshold volume of abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) were measured before and after moxibustion intervention, respectively. The histopathological changes in the colon tissue were observed after HE staining. The number of colonic mucosal mast cells (MCs) was measured by toluidine blue staining. The activation of MCs was determined by tryptase positive expression level and examined by immunohistochemical staining. The content, protein and mRNA expression levels and positive expression levels of corticotropin releasing factor (CRF), substance P (SP), and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in the hypothalamus, spinal cord and colon tissues were measured by ELISA, Western blot, real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR and immunofluorescence staining, respectively. RESULTS: Compared with the normal group, the loose stool rate was increased (P<0.01)；the body weight and minimum threshold volume of AWR were decreased (P<0.01)；the inflammatory infiltration of colon tissues was obvious；the number of MCs and positive expression level of tryptase in the colon tissue were increased (P<0.01)；the contents, positive expression le-vels, protein and mRNA expression levels of CRF, SP and CGRP in the hypothalamus, spinal cord and colon tissues were increased (P<0.01, P<0.05) in the model group. After the intervention, compared with the model group, all these indicators showed opposite trends (P<0.01, P<0.05) in the moxibustion group. CONCLUSIONS: Moxibustion can improve visceral hypersensitivity in rats with IBS-D, and its mechanism may be related to regulating the hypothalamic-spinal-colon axis to reduce the release of CRF, SP and CGRP, and thus to inhibite MC in colon tissue.

[Screening and expression analysis of transcription factors involved in genuineness of Codonopsis pilosula in Shanxi].

This study aims to mine the transcription factors that affect the genuineness of Codonopsis pilosula in Shanxi based on the transcriptome data of C. pilosula samples collected from Shanxi and Gansu, and then analyze the gene expression patterns, which will provide a theoretical basis for the molecular assisted breeding of C. pilosula. Gene ontology(GO) functional annotation, conserved motif prediction, and gene expression pattern analysis were performed for the differential transcription factors predicted based on the transcriptome data of C. pilosula from different habitats. A total of 61 differentially expressed genes(DEGs) were screened out from the transcriptome data. Most of the DEGs belonged to AP2/ERF-ERF family, with the conserved motif of [2X]-[LG]-[3X]-T-[3X]-[AARAYDRAA]-[3X]-[RG]-[2X]-A-[2X]-[NFP]. Forty-three of the DEGs showed significantly higher gene expression in C. pilosula samples from Shanxi than in the samples from Gansu, including 11 genes in the AP2/ERF-ERF family, 5 genes in the NAC fa-mily, 1 gene in the bHLH family, and 2 genes in the RWP-RK family, while 18 transcription factors showed higher expression levels in the samples from Gansu. GO annotation predicted that most of the DEGs were enriched in GO terms related to transcriptional binding activity(103), metabolic process(26), and stress response(23). The expression of transcription factor genes, CpNAC92, CpNAC100, CpbHLH128, and CpRAP2-7 was higher in the samples from Shanxi and in the roots of C. pilosula. CpNAC92, CpbHLH128, and CpRAP2-7 responded to the low temperature, temperature difference, and iron stresses, while CpNAC100 only responded to low temperature and iron stresses. The screening and expression analysis of the specific transcription factors CpNAC92, CpNAC100, CpbHLH128, and CpRAP2-7 in C. pilosula in Shanxi laid a theoretical foundation for further research on the mechanism of genuineness formation of C. pilosula.

Blue LED light promoting the growth, accumulation of high-value isoflavonoids and astragalosides, antioxidant response, and biosynthesis gene expression in Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bunge hairy root cultures.

The root of Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bunge is one of the most frequently used herbs in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formulae for fighting COVID-19 infections, due to the presence of isoflavonoids and astragalosides associated with antiviral and immune-enhancing activities. For the first time, the exposure of A. membranaceus hairy root cultures (AMHRCs) to different colors of LED lights i.e., red, green, blue, red/green/blue (1/1/1, RGB), and white, was conducted to promote the root growth and accumulation of isoflavonoids and astragalosides. LED light treatment regardless of colors was found beneficial for root growth, which might be a result of the formation of more root hairs upon light stimulation. Blue LED light was found most effective for enhancing phytochemical accumulation. Results showed that the productivity of root biomass in blue-light grown AMHRCs with an initial inoculum size of 0.6% for 55 days was 1.40-fold higher than that in dark (control), and yields of high-value isoflavonoids and astragalosides including calycosin, formononetin, astragaloside IV, and astragaloside I increased by 3.17-fold, 2.66-fold, 1.78-fold, and 1.52-fold relative to control, respectively. Moreover, the photooxidative stress together with transcriptional activation of biosynthesis genes might contribute to the enhanced accumulation of isoflavonoids and astragalosides in blue-light grown AMHRCs. Overall, this work offered a feasible approach for obtaining higher yields of root biomass and medicinally important compounds in AMHRCs via the simple supplementation of blue LED light, which made blue-light grown AMHRCs industrially attractive as plant factory in controlled growing systems. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11240-023-02486-7.

Meroterpenoids from Ganoderma petchii inhibiting migration of triple negative breast cancer cells.

Ganoderpetchoids A-E and (-)-dayaolingzhiol H, six undescribed meroterpenoids, were isolated from Ganoderma petchii. Their structures including the relative configurations were identified by means of spectroscopic methods and 13C NMR calculations. Chiral separation of the new racemics was performed to afford their respective enantiomers. The absolute configurations of the new isolates were clarified by computational approaches, CD comparisons and X-ray diffraction analysis. Biological studies toward triple negative breast cancer indicated that (+)-6 and (-)-6 significantly inhibit the migration of MDA-MB-231 cell line.

[Moxibustion relieves colonic inflammation by up-regulating expression of miR-345-3p/miR-216a-5p and down-regulating NF-κB p65 in colonic tissue of rats with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of moxibustion on the expression of miR-345-3p, miR-216a-5p and nuclear factor-κB p65(NF-κB p65) in colonic tissue of rats with diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D), so as to explore its anti-inflammatory mechanism in relieving IBS-D. METHODS: SD rats were randomly divided into normal control (n=12), model (n=12), moxibustion (n=12) and ammonium pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC,n=12) groups. The IBS-D model was established by neonatal mother-child separation combined with acetic acid enema stimulation and chronic binding methods. The rats in the moxibustion group received moxibustion stimulation of "Tianshu"(ST25) and "Shangjuxu"(ST37) for 20 min, once a day, for 7 days, and those of the PDTC group received intraperitoneal injection of PDTC (50 mg·kg-1·d-1) once daily for 7 days. After the intervention, the body weight, loose stool rate and the minimum volume threshold of abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) were observed, and histopathological changes of colonic mucosa were observed by HE staining. The contents of interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF- α) in serum were measured by ELISA. The expression of miR-345-3p, miR-216a-5p and NF-κB p65 mRNA in the colon tissue were detected by quantitative real-time PCR, and the immunoactivities of IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α and NF-κB p65 in the colon tissue were determined by immunofluorescence histochemistry. RESULTS: Compared with the normal control group, the loose stool rate, contents of IL-1ß, IL-6 and TNF-α, experssion of NF-κB p65 mRNA and the immunoactivities of IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α and NF-κB p65 were significantly increased (P<0.01), whereas the body weight, minimum volume threshold of AWR, content of IL-4, and the relative expression of miR-345-3p and miR-216a-5p were remarkably decreased in the model group (P<0.01). In comparison with the model group, the loose stool rate, contents of IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α, expression of NF-κB p65 mRNA and the immunoactivities of IL-1ß, IL-6, TNF-α and NF-κB p65 were considerably down-regulated (P<0.01), while the content of IL-4 and the relative expressions of miR-345-3p and miR-216a-5p were obviously up-regulated in both moxibustion and PDTC groups (P<0.01, P<0.05). The content of IL-6 in serum was significantly lower in the PDTC group than in the moxibustion group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Moxibustion can reduce the level of intestinal inflammation and visceral hypersensitivity in IBS-D rats, which may be related to its functions in increasing the expression levels of miR-345-3p and miR-216a-5p and in inhibiting the expression of NF-κB p65, thus reducing the levels of inflammatory factors.

Protective Effects and Potential Mechanism of Tongxinluo on Mice with Thromboangiitis Obliterans Induced by Sodium Laurate.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of Tongxinluo (TXL) on thromboangiitis obliterans (TAO) and the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: Ninety male C57/BL6J mice were randomly divided into 6 groups according to a random number table: the sham group, TAO model group, Compound Danshen Tablet (CDT) group, and the high-, medium-, and low-dose TXL groups. All mice except the sham group were injected with sodium laurate (0.1 mL, 5 mg/mL) in the femoral artery to establish TAO mouse model. After modeling, mice in the sham and TAO model groups were intragastrically administered 0.5% (w/v) sodium carboxymethylcellulose, mice in the CDT group were intragastrically administered 0.52 g/kg CDT, and mice in the TXL-H, TXL-M, and TXL-L groups were intragastrically administered 1.5, 0.75, and 0.38 g/kg TXL, respectively. After 4 weeks of gavage, the recovery of blood flow in the lower limbs of mice was detected by Laser Doppler Imaging. The pathological changes and thrombosis of the femoral artery were observed by morphological examination. The expressions of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in the femoral artery wall were detected by HE staining. Levels of thromboxane B2 (TXB2), 6-keto-prostaglandin F1α (6-keto-PGF1α), endothelin-1 (ET-1), interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-6 were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Levels of activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), prothrombin time (PT), thrombin time (TT) and fibrinogen (FIB) were detected by a fully automated biochemical analyzer. RESULTS: TXL promoted the restoration of blood flow in the lower limbs, reduced the area of thrombosis in the femoral artery, and alleviated the pathological changes in the femoral artery wall. Moreover, the levels of TXB2, ET-1, IL-6, IL-1ß, TNF-α and iNOS were significantly lower in the TXL groups compared with the model group (P<0.05 or P<0.01), while the level of 6-keto-PGF1α was significantly higher (P<0.01). In addition, APTT, PT, and TT were significantly prolonged in TXL groups compared with the model group (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and FIB levels were significantly decreased compared with the model group (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: TXL had a protective effect on TAO mice, and the mechanism may involve inhibition of thrombosis and inflammatory responses. TXL may be a potential drug for the treatment of TAO.

[Effect of moxibustion on immune function homeostasis in rats with diarrhea irritable bowel syndrome based on SCF/c-kit signaling pathway].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effects of moxibustion on the stem cell factor (SCF)/tyrosine kinase receptor (c-kit) signaling pathway and immune function in rats with diarrhea irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D), and to explore the mechanism of moxibustion for IBS-D. METHODS: Among 52 young rats born from 6 healthy pregnant SPF rats, 12 rats were randomly selected into the normal group, and the remaining 40 rats were treated with the three-factor combination method of maternal separation, acetic acid enema and chronic restraint stress to establish the IBS-D rat model. Thirty-six rats with successful IBS-D model were randomly divided into a model group, a moxibustion group, and a medication group, 12 rats in each group. The rats in the moxibustion group were treated with suspension moxibustion at "Tianshu" (ST 25) and "Shangjuxu" (ST 37); the rats in the medication group were treated with intragastric administration of rifaximin suspension (150 mg/kg). All the treatments were given once a day for 7 consecutive days. The body mass, loose stool rate (LSR), the minimum volume threshold when abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) scored 3 were measured before acetic acid enema (35 days old), after modeling (45 days old), and after intervention (53 days old). After intervention (53 days old), HE staining was used to observe the morphology of colon tissue, and spleen and thymus coefficients were measured; ELISA method was used to detect serum inflammatory factors (tumor necrosis factor a [TNF-a], interleukin [IL]-10, IL-8), T-lymphocyte subsets (CD+4, CD+8, CD+45), value of CD+4/CD+8 and immune globulin (IgA, IgG, IgM); real-time PCR method and Western blot method was used to detect the expression of SCF, c-kit mRNA and protein in colon tissue; immunofluorescence staining method were used to detect positive expression of SCF and c-kit. RESULTS: After intervention, compared with the normal group, in the model group, the body mass and the minimum volume threshold when AWR scored 3 were decreased (P<0.01), LSR, spleen and thymus coefficients, serum levels of TNF-α, IL-8, CD+4, CD+45, CD+4/CD+8, IgA, IgG, IgM were increased (P<0.01), serum IL-10 level and protein and mRNA expression of SCF and c-kit in colon tissue were decreased (P<0.01), and the positive expression of SCF and c-kit was decreased (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, in the moxibustion group and the medication group, the body mass and the minimum volume threshold when AWR scored 3 were increased (P<0.01, P<0.05), LSR, spleen and thymus coefficients, serum levels of TNF-α, IL-8, CD+4, CD+8, CD+45, CD+4/CD+8, IgA, IgG, IgM were decreased (P<0.01, P<0.05), serum IL-10 level and protein and mRNA expression of SCF and c-kit in colon tissue were increased (P<0.01), and the positive expression of SCF and c-kit was increased (P<0.01). Compared with the medication group, in the moxibustion group, the level of serum CD+4 was decreased (P<0.05), the value of CD+4/CD+8 was increased (P<0.01), and there was no significant difference in other indexes (P>0.05). The expression of SCF and c-kit mRNA was positively correlated with the minimum volume threshold when AWR scored 3 and IL-10 (P<0.01), and negatively correlated with remaining indexes (P<0.01, P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Moxibustion could reduce visceral hypersensitivity, improve symptoms of abdominal pain and diarrhea in IBS-D rats, and its mechanism may be related to up-regulation of the expression of SCF/c-kit signaling pathway and improvement of IBS-D immune function.

Cordyceps proteins alleviate lupus nephritis through modulation of the STAT3/mTOR/NF-кB signaling pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Cordyceps is a parasitic edible fungus, which is a unique Chinese medicinal material. It has been reported to have immunomodulatory effects and use in kidney disease. Especially, Cordyceps has been used in the treatment of lupus nephritis (LN). AIM OF STUDY: Cordyceps proteins (CP) have a favorable bidirectional immunomodulatory functions and may have therapeutic potential for LN. However, the underlying molecular mechanism remains unknown. So this study aimed to examine the activities of CP in LN and possible mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS: So proteomics was performed to detect proteins components of Cordyceps, and analysis it. In addition, MRL/lpr mice were used to study the progression of LN. The MRL/lpr mice were fed either CP (i.g, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5 g/kg/d), prednisolone acetate (PA, i.g, 6 mg/kg/d), or Bailing capsule (BC, i.g, 0.75 g/kg/d) for 8 weeks. Hematoxylin-eosin (H&E), Periodic Acid Schif (PAS) and Masson's stainings, Immunofluorescence, and Immunohistochemistry were performed to verify the therapeutic effect of CP on MRL/lpr mice. The mechanism by CP alimerated LN was uncovered by Western blotting (WB) and Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) methods. RESULTS: Our results revealed that CP blocked proteinuria production and renal inflammatory infiltratation in MRL/lpr mice to reduce the renal fibrosis. In addition, CP worked better than BC which is artificial Cordyceps fungus powder in regulating proteinuria to urine creatinine ratio and interleukin-4(IL-4) protein amount. Especially, CP modulated the STAT3/mTOR/NF-кB signaling pathway in LN mice and brought a more pronounced lowering effect on the contents of IL-6 and IL-1ß than the PA. CONCLUSION: CP could be a potential anti-inflammatory immune product with strong regulatory effects and potency than BC and PA in nephritis therapeutics.

Physical exercise suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma progression by alleviating hypoxia and attenuating cancer stemness through the Akt/GSK-3ß/ß-catenin pathway.

OBJECTIVE: Physical exercise, a common non-drug intervention, is an important strategy in cancer treatment, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the mechanism remains largely unknown. Due to the importance of hypoxia and cancer stemness in the development of HCC, the present study investigated whether the anti-HCC effect of physical exercise is related to its suppression on hypoxia and cancer stemness. METHODS: A physical exercise intervention of swimming (30 min/d, 5 d/week, for 4 weeks) was administered to BALB/c nude mice bearing subcutaneous human HCC tumor. The anti-HCC effect of swimming was assessed in vivo by tumor weight monitoring, hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) detection of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and Ki67. The expression of stemness transcription factors, including Nanog homeobox (NANOG), octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (OCT-4), v-Myc avian myelocytomatosis viral oncogene homolog (C-MYC) and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), was detected using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. A hypoxia probe was used to explore the intratumoral hypoxia status. Western blot was used to detect the expression of HIF-1α and proteins related to protein kinase B (Akt)/glycogen synthase kinase-3ß (GSK-3ß)/ß-catenin signaling pathway. The IHC analysis of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (CD31), and the immunofluorescence co-location of CD31 and desmin were used to analyze tumor blood perfusion. SMMC-7721 cells were treated with nude mice serum. The inhibition effect on cancer stemness in vitro was detected using suspension sphere experiments and the expression of stemness transcription factors. The hypoxia status was inferred by measuring the protein and mRNA levels of HIF-1α. Further, the expression of proteins related to Akt/GSK-3ß/ß-catenin signaling pathway was detected. RESULTS: Swimming significantly reduced the body weight and tumor weight in nude mice bearing HCC tumor. HE staining and IHC results showed a lower necrotic area ratio as well as fewer PCNA or Ki67 positive cells in mice receiving the swimming intervention. Swimming potently alleviated the intratumoral hypoxia, attenuated the cancer stemness, and inhibited the Akt/GSK-3ß/ß-catenin signaling pathway. Additionally, the desmin+/CD31+ ratio, rather than the number of CD31+ vessels, was significantly increased in swimming-treated mice. In vitro experiments showed that treating cells with the serum from the swimming intervention mice significantly reduced the formation of SMMC-7721 cell suspension sphere, as well as the mRNA expression level of stemness transcription factors. Consistent with the in vivo results, HIF-1α and Akt/GSK-3ß/ß-catenin signaling pathway were also inhibited in cells treated with serum from swimming group. CONCLUSION: Swimming alleviated hypoxia and attenuated cancer stemness in HCC, through suppression of the Akt/GSK-3ß/ß-catenin signaling pathway. The alleviation of intratumoral hypoxia was related to the increase in blood perfusion in the tumor. Please cite this article as: Xiao CL, Zhong ZP, Lü C, Guo BJ, Chen JJ, Zhao T, Yin ZF, Li B. Physical exercise suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma progression by alleviating hypoxia and attenuating cancer stemness through the Akt/GSK-3ß/ß-catenin pathway. J Integr Med. 2023; 21(2): 184-193.

Effect of moxibustion on immune function homeostasis in rats with diarrhea irritable bowel syndrome based on SCF/c-kit signaling pathway / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVE@#To observe the effects of moxibustion on the stem cell factor (SCF)/tyrosine kinase receptor (c-kit) signaling pathway and immune function in rats with diarrhea irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D), and to explore the mechanism of moxibustion for IBS-D.@*METHODS@#Among 52 young rats born from 6 healthy pregnant SPF rats, 12 rats were randomly selected into the normal group, and the remaining 40 rats were treated with the three-factor combination method of maternal separation, acetic acid enema and chronic restraint stress to establish the IBS-D rat model. Thirty-six rats with successful IBS-D model were randomly divided into a model group, a moxibustion group, and a medication group, 12 rats in each group. The rats in the moxibustion group were treated with suspension moxibustion at "Tianshu" (ST 25) and "Shangjuxu" (ST 37); the rats in the medication group were treated with intragastric administration of rifaximin suspension (150 mg/kg). All the treatments were given once a day for 7 consecutive days. The body mass, loose stool rate (LSR), the minimum volume threshold when abdominal withdrawal reflex (AWR) scored 3 were measured before acetic acid enema (35 days old), after modeling (45 days old), and after intervention (53 days old). After intervention (53 days old), HE staining was used to observe the morphology of colon tissue, and spleen and thymus coefficients were measured; ELISA method was used to detect serum inflammatory factors (tumor necrosis factor a [TNF-a], interleukin [IL]-10, IL-8), T-lymphocyte subsets (CD+4, CD+8, CD+45), value of CD+4/CD+8 and immune globulin (IgA, IgG, IgM); real-time PCR method and Western blot method was used to detect the expression of SCF, c-kit mRNA and protein in colon tissue; immunofluorescence staining method were used to detect positive expression of SCF and c-kit.@*RESULTS@#After intervention, compared with the normal group, in the model group, the body mass and the minimum volume threshold when AWR scored 3 were decreased (P<0.01), LSR, spleen and thymus coefficients, serum levels of TNF-α, IL-8, CD+4, CD+45, CD+4/CD+8, IgA, IgG, IgM were increased (P<0.01), serum IL-10 level and protein and mRNA expression of SCF and c-kit in colon tissue were decreased (P<0.01), and the positive expression of SCF and c-kit was decreased (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, in the moxibustion group and the medication group, the body mass and the minimum volume threshold when AWR scored 3 were increased (P<0.01, P<0.05), LSR, spleen and thymus coefficients, serum levels of TNF-α, IL-8, CD+4, CD+8, CD+45, CD+4/CD+8, IgA, IgG, IgM were decreased (P<0.01, P<0.05), serum IL-10 level and protein and mRNA expression of SCF and c-kit in colon tissue were increased (P<0.01), and the positive expression of SCF and c-kit was increased (P<0.01). Compared with the medication group, in the moxibustion group, the level of serum CD+4 was decreased (P<0.05), the value of CD+4/CD+8 was increased (P<0.01), and there was no significant difference in other indexes (P>0.05). The expression of SCF and c-kit mRNA was positively correlated with the minimum volume threshold when AWR scored 3 and IL-10 (P<0.01), and negatively correlated with remaining indexes (P<0.01, P<0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#Moxibustion could reduce visceral hypersensitivity, improve symptoms of abdominal pain and diarrhea in IBS-D rats, and its mechanism may be related to up-regulation of the expression of SCF/c-kit signaling pathway and improvement of IBS-D immune function.

[Study on protective effect of Chaihu Shugan Powder against liver injury in rats with intrahepatic cholestasis by regulating FXR/Nrf2/ARE pathway].

This study aims to investigate the effect of Chaihu Shugan Powder(CHSG) on liver injury in rats with intrahepatic cholestasis by regulating farnesoid X receptor(FXR)/nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor(Nrf2)/antioxidant response element(ARE) pathway. Eighty-four SD rats were classified into normal group, model group, CHSG-L group(0.5 g·kg~(-1)), CHSG-H group(2.5 g·kg~(-1)), ursodeoxycholic acid group(UDCA group, 100 mg·kg~(-1)), CHSG-H+sh-NC group(2.5 g·kg~(-1) CHSG+subcutaneous injection of sh-NC lentivirus), CHSG-H+sh-FXR group(2.5 g·kg~(-1) CHSG+subcutaneous injection of sh-FXR lentivirus), with 12 rats in each group. Rats were treated with corresponding drugs except for the normal group and the model group, once a day, for 7 days. On 5 th day, rats, except the normal group, were given α-naphthalene isothiocyanate(ANIT) at a dose of 100 mg·kg~(-1), once a day for 3 days to induce intrahepatic cholestasis, and the normal group was given the same amount of normal saline. Rats were anesthetized 1 h after the last administration and the 2 h bile flow was measured. Aeroset chemistry analyzer was employed to detect the levels of alanine aminotransferase(ALT), aspartate aminotransferase(AST), total bilirubin(TBIL), and total bile acid(TBA) in rat serum. Based on hematoxylin and eosin(HE) staining, the pathological changes of rat liver tissue were observed. Glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px), superoxide dismutase(SOD), and malondialdehyde(MDA) in rat liver tissue homogenate were monitored with corresponding kits. Western blot was used to detect the expression of FXR, Nrf2, and heme oxygenase-1(HO-1) proteins in rat liver tissue. Compared with the normal group, the model group showed many spots or concentrated necrotic areas in the liver tissue, infiltration of a large number of inflammatory cells, swelling liver cells with nuclear shrinkage. The 2 h bile flow, levels of GSH-Px and SOD, and relative expression of FXR, Nrf2, and HO-1 proteins were significantly lower, and the levels of ALT, AST, TBIL, TBA and MDA were significantly higher in the model group than in the normal group. Compared with the model group, CHSG-L group, CHSG-H group, and UDCA group demonstrated significant alleviation of pathological damage of the liver tissue, significantly high 2 h bile flow, levels of GSH-Px and SOD, and expression of FXR, Nrf2 and HO-1 proteins, and significantly low levels of ALT, AST, TBIL, TBA and MDA. Compared with the CHSG-H group, the CHSG-H+sh-FXR group had worse liver pathological damage, significantly low levels of 2 h bile flow, levels of GSH-Px and SOD, and expression of FXR, Nrf2, and HO-1 proteins, and significantly high levels of ALT, AST, TBIL, TBA, and MDA. CHSG may protect against liver injury in rats with intrahepatic cholestasis by activating the FXR/Nrf2/ARE pathway.

Preliminary verification of the anti-hypoxia mechanism of Gentiana straminea maxim based on UPLC-triple TOF MS/MS and network pharmacology.

BACKGROUND: Anoxia is characterized by changes in the morphology, metabolism, and function of tissues and organs due to insufficient oxygen supply or oxygen dysfunction. Gentiana straminea Maxim (G.s Maxim) is a traditional Tibetan medicine. Our previous work found that G.s Maxim mediates resistance to hypoxia, and we found that the ethyl acetate extract had the best effect. Nevertheless, the primary anti-hypoxia components and mechanisms of action remain unclear. METHODS: Compounds from the ethyl acetate extraction of G.s Maxim were identified using UPLC-Triple TOF MS/MS. Then Traditional Chinese Medicine Systematic Pharmacology Database was used to filtrate them. Network pharmacology was used to forecast the mechanisms of these compounds. Male specific pathogen-free Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into six groups: (1) Control; (2) Model; (3) 228 mg/kg body weight Rhodiola capsules; (4) 6.66 g/kg body weight the G.s Maxim's ethyl acetate extraction; (5) 3.33 g/kg body weight the G.s Maxim's ethyl acetate extraction; (6) 1.67 g/kg body weight the G.s Maxim's ethyl acetate extraction. After administering intragastric ally for 15 consecutive days, an anoxia model was established using a hypobaric oxygen chamber (7000 m, 24 h). Then Histology, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, and western blots were performed to determine these compounds' anti-hypoxic effects and mechanisms. Finally, we performed a molecular docking test to test these compounds using Auto Dock. RESULTS: Eight drug-like compounds in G.s Maxim were confirmed using UPLC-Triple TOF MS/MS and Lipinski's rule. The tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathway, the hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) signaling pathway, and the nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) signaling pathway was signaling pathways that G.s Maxim mediated anti-anoxia effects. The critical targets were TNF, Jun proto-oncogene (JUN), tumor protein p53 (TP53), and threonine kinase 1 (AKT1). Animal experiments showed that the ethyl acetate extraction of G.s Maxim ameliorated the hypoxia-induced damage of hippocampal nerve cells in the CA1 region and reversed elevated serum expression of TNF-α, IL-6, and NF-κ B in hypoxic rats. The compound also reduced the expression of HIF-1α and p65 and increased the Bcl-2/Bax ratio in brain tissue. These findings suggest that G.s Maxim significantly protects against brain tissue damage in hypoxic rats by suppressing hypoxia-induced apoptosis and inflammation. Ccorosolic acid, oleanolic acid, and ursolic acid had a strong affinity with core targets. CONCLUSIONS: The ethyl acetate extraction of G.s Maxim mediates anti-hypoxic effects, possibly related to inhibiting apoptosis and inflammatory responses through the HIF-1/NF-κB pathway. The primary active components might be corosolic, oleanolic, and ursolic acids.

Habitual fish oil supplementation and incident chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Data from a prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Fish oil is one of the most popular supplements in the UK and other developed countries. However, the relationship between fish oil use and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is unclear. OBJECTIVE: To prospectively examine the association of habitual fish oil supplementation with incident COPD risk and to evaluate potential effect modification by genetic predisposition. METHODS: This study included 484,414 participants (mean and standard deviation [SD] age: 56.5 [8.1] years) from the UK Biobank who completed a touchscreen questionnaire on habitual fish oil supplement use between 2006 and 2010 and were followed up through 2018. Cox regression models were used to estimate the hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) with adjustment for sociodemographic and lifestyle behaviours, health conditions, and other potential confounding factors. A weighted genetic risk score (GRS) for COPD was derived from 112 validated single nucleotide polymorphisms. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 9.0 years, 8860 incident COPD events were recorded. A total of 31.4% (152,230) of the study participants reported habitual fish oil supplementation at baseline. Habitual fish oil supplementation was significantly associated with a lower risk of incident COPD (adjusted HR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.84-0.93). The association with COPD did not differ by GRS strata (P for interaction = 0.880). The results from subgroup and sensitivity analyses supported the robustness of our findings. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that habitual fish oil supplementation is associated with a lower risk of incident COPD, irrespective of genetic predisposition.

Can aloin develop to medicines or healthcare products?

In folk medicine, Aloe, a genus of Aloaceae, is constantly developed into laxative drugs or products and skin remedies with tremendous popularity worldwide. However, almost all products of Aloe are in roughly processed form. Therefore, developing related products of the active ingredients derived from Aloe is of great medical value. Aloin is a quality standard compound based on the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (CHP). It has a wide range of pharmacological activities, including anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, anti-osteoporotic, organ-protective, anti-viral, anti-microbial, anti-parasitic, and laxative potentials. Moreover, it regulates blood lipids and glucose and improves neuropathic pain effects, depicting potential to be transformed into promising medicines and healthcare products. In addition to the functional cosmetics and health products of Aloe, the availability, pharmacological activities, pharmacokinetics, formulation studies, and toxicity of aloin were summarized after investigating the literature from PubMed, Google, and other databases. Moreover, significant attention had been paid to the development of aloin-derived medicines and healthcare products. Thus, the present review clarified the possibility of aloin as medicines and healthcare products to develop and utilize Aloe resources.

Guben Tongluo Formula Protects LPS-induced Damage in Lamina Propria B Lymphocytes Through TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB Pathway.

OBJECTIVE: The main pathological feature of immunoglobulin A nephropathy (IgAN), an autoimmune kidney disease, is the deposition of IgA immune complexes, accompanied by mesangial cell proliferation and elevated urine protein. The Guben Tongluo formula (GTF) is a traditional Chinese medicine prescription, which has predominant protective effects on IgAN. However, the therapeutic mechanism of the GTF in IgAN remains elusive. The present study aimed to determine the effects of GTF in treating IgAN via regulating the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway. METHODS: In the present study, lamina propria B lymphocytes were treated with different concentrations of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (0, 1, 5, 10 and 20 ng/mL). Flow cytometry was used to define positive CD86+CD19+ cells. CCK-8 assay was used to examine cell proliferation. RNAi was used to induce TLR4 silencing. qRT-PCR and Western blotting were used to determine gene expression. RESULTS: It was found that the LPS dose-dependently increased the content of IgA and galactose-deficient IgA1 (Gd-IgA), the levels of TLR4, Cosmc, MyD88 and phosphorylated (p)-NF-κB, and the ratio of CD86+CD19+ and IgA-producing B cells. However, the TLR4 knockdown reversed the role of LPS. This suggests that TLR4 mediates the effects of LPS on lamina propria B lymphocytes. Furthermore, the GTF could dose-dependently counteract the effects of LPS and TLR4 overexpression on lamina propria B lymphocytes through the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway. CONCLUSION: Collectively, these results demonstrate that the GTF can regulate the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB pathway to treat IgAN model lamina propria B lymphocytes stimulated by LPS.