Photobiomodulation Drives MiR-136-5p Expression to Promote Injury Repair after Myocardial Infarction.

Photobiomodulation (PBM) has emerged as an alternative therapy involved in modulating a variety of biological effects. In this study, we verified whether PBM can affect cardiac physiological activity in mice through noninvasive irradiation using light-emitting diodes at a wavelength of 630 nm (LED-Red). We found that the PBM involved in regulating the repair of injured myocardium is wavelength-limited. LED-Red caused cardiomyocytes (CMs) that had exited the cell cycle to divide and proliferate again, and the cell proliferation ratio increased significantly with the accumulation of intracellular photopower. In addition, LED-Red promoted myocardial revascularization and myocardial regeneration, reduced the area of fibrosis in mice with myocardial infarction (MI), and thus improved cardiac contractile function. In regard to the mechanism, miRNA sequencing analysis showed that low-power LED-Red irradiation could induce differential changes in miRNAs in CMs. Among them, miR-136-5p was identified as a cardiac photo-sensitive miRNA and was obviously inhibited after stimulation, which produced a proliferation-promoting effect on CMs. Subsequent luciferase reporter assays confirmed the involvement of Ino80 as a binding target of miR-136-5p in the regulatory process of CM proliferation. Similarly, LED-Red irradiation elevated intracellular Ino80 expression. After knockdown of Ino80, the proliferation-promoting effect of LED-Red on CMs was inhibited. Collectively, this study demonstrates that LED-Red can promote CM proliferation by inhibiting cardiac photo-sensitive miRNA- miR-136-5p expression through targeting Ino80. The findings provided a new potential strategy for the treatment of ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICD).

Acupuncture around the greater tuberosity of the femur combined with acupuncture at Xuehai acupoint alleviates the postoperative pain of elderly patients with intertrochanteric fracture.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of acupuncture around the greater tuberosity of the femur (AGTF) combined with acupuncture at Xuehai acupoint for postoperative pain in elderly patients with intertrochanteric fracture. METHODS: A total of 97 elderly patients with intertrochanteric fracture treated by proximal femoral nail antirotation (PFNA) were enrolled and randomly assigned into an observation group (Obs group, n=48) and a control group (Con group, n=49). The Obs group was treated by aspirin and AGTF combined with acupuncture at Xuehai acupoint for analgesia, while the Con group was treated by aspirin alone for analgesia. Both groups were treated for 7 consecutive days. The two groups were compared in pain degree (visual analog scale (VAS) score) after operation and hip joint function (Harris score), daily living ability (modified Barthel index (MBI) score), bone metabolism-related indexes, and inflammatory factors before and after treatment. RESULTS: At 1-7 d after operation, both groups had gradually lower VAS scores, and at 5 and 7 d after operation, the Obs group had a lower VAS score than the Con group (both P<0.05). Additionally, at 2 months after operation, both groups had higher Harris scores and MBI scores, and the scores of the Obs group were both higher than those of the Con group (both P<0.05). At 7 d after operation, both groups showed a decrease in serum beta collagen degradation products (ß-CTx) and an increase in procollagen type I amino-terminal propeptide (PINP) (both P<0.05), but the differences between the two groups in ß-CTx and PINP were insignificant (P>0.05). Moreover, at 7 d after operation, both groups showed a decrease in C-reactive protein (CRP) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and the two levels in the Obs group were lower than those in the Con group (both P<0.05). CONCLUSION: For elderly patients with intertrochanteric fracture, AGTF combined with acupuncture at the Xuehai acupoint can more effectively relieve their postoperative pain and postoperative inflammation and more strongly promote their postoperative recovery of hip joint function.

[Comparison of Clinical Effects of Electroacupuncture of Abdominal and Limb Acupoints in the Treatment of Acute Pancreatitis].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the difference of therapeutic efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation of abdominal acupoints and limb acupoints in the treatment of acute pancreatitis (AP), so as to provide a reference for EA treatment of AP. METHODS: A total of 60 patients with AP were equally and randomly divided into abdominal acupoint group and limb acupoint group. On the basis of retention enema of Chaiqin Chengqi Decoction (containing Radix Bupleurum, Radix Scutellaria, etc.), and abdominal external application of Liuhe Powder ointment (containing Cinnabaris, pearl powder, etc.), patients of the two groups were also treated with acupuncture stimulation of acupoints at the abdomen or limbs. The abdominal acupoints were Shangwan (CV 13), Zhongwan (CV 12), Xiawan(CV 10), Liangmen (ST 21, left), Taiyi(ST 23, left), Chengman (ST 20, left), Fu'ai (SP 16, left), Yindu(KI 19, right), and the limb acupoints were Hegu(LI 4), Neiguan(PC 6), Zusanli(ST 36), Shangjuxu(ST 37), Xiajuxu(ST 39), and Yinlingquan(SP 9) which were punctured with filiform needles by retaining the needles for 30 min after twirling for a while. CV 12 - ST 21, CV 10- SP 16 of the abdomen group, and bilateral PC 6 and ST 36 of the limb group were administered EA (2 Hz/15 Hz, 1 mA and duration of 30 min). The treatment was conducted once daily for 5 days. The abdominal pain severity and distension severity were assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS), and the abdominal girth was measured by using a soft ruler. RESULTS: Following the treatment, the abdominal pain and distension symptom scores in the lightest and most severe phases of AP and the abdominal girth levels were considerably decreased on the 5th day in the two groups in comparison with their own pre-treatment in the same one group (P < 0.05); and the abdominal pain scores on the 2nd, 3rd and 4th day in the lightest phase, and those on the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th day in the most severe phase were markedly lower in the abdomen acupoint group than in the limb acupoint group (P<0.05). No significant differences were found between two groups in the abdominal distension symptom scores and abdominal circumference levels in the lightest and most severe phases of AP (P>0.05). In addition, no adverse events were found in both groups. CONCLUSION: EA has a good curative effect in the treatment of AP patients. The curative effect of acupuncture of the abdominal acupoints is significantly superior to that of limb acupoints in relieving abdominal pain.

Untargeted metabolomic analysis of tomato pollen development and heat stress response.

KEY MESSAGE: Pollen development metabolomics. Developing pollen is among the plant structures most sensitive to high temperatures, and a decrease in pollen viability is often associated with an alteration of metabolite content. Most of the metabolic studies of pollen have focused on a specific group of compounds, which limits the identification of physiologically important metabolites. To get a better insight into pollen development and the pollen heat stress response, we used a liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry platform to detect secondary metabolites in pollen of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) at three developmental stages under control conditions and after a short heat stress at 38 °C. Under control conditions, the young microspores accumulated a large amount of alkaloids and polyamines, whereas the mature pollen strongly accumulated flavonoids. The heat stress treatment led to accumulation of flavonoids in the microspore. The biological role of the detected metabolites is discussed. This study provides the first untargeted metabolomic analysis of developing pollen under a changing environment that can serve as reference for further studies.

The Effects of Taoren-Honghua Herb Pair on Pathological Microvessel and Angiogenesis-Associated Signaling Pathway in Mice Model of CCl4-Induced Chronic Liver Disease.

Chronic liver disease is one of the most common diseases that threaten human health. Effective treatment is still lacking in western medicine. Semen Persicae (Taoren) and Flos Carthami (Honghua) are known to relieve acute hepatic injury and inflammation, improve microcirculation, and reduce tissue fiber. The aim of our study is to investigate the potential mechanisms of Taoren-Honghua Herb Pair (THHP) in murine model of chronic liver disease caused by Carbon Tetrachloride (CCl4). Mice were randomly divided into seven groups: (1) blank, (2) model, (3) control (colchicine, 0.1 mg/kg), (4) THHP (5.53, 2.67, and 1.33 g/kg), and (5) Tao Hong Siwu Decoction (THSWD) (8.50 g/kg). Histological change and microvessels density were examined by microscopy. Hepatic function, serum fibrosis related factors, and hepatic vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) were measured with ELISA. VEGF, kinase insert domain-containing receptor (KDR), Flt-1, and Akt mRNA expression in hepatic tissue were determined with PCR. Tissues of Akt, pAkt, KDR, and Flt-1 were measured with western blotting. Data from this study showed that THHP improved hepatic function and restrained the hepatic inflammation and fibrosis. Its role in inhibiting pathological angiogenesis and hepatic fibrogenesis may be through affecting the angiogenesis-associated VEGF and its upstream and downstream signaling pathways.