Effectiveness and safety of vedolizumab and infliximab in biologic-naïve patients with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis: A multicenter, retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVES: We conducted this multicenter, retrospective cohort study aiming to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of vedolizumab (VDZ) and infliximab (IFX) in biologic-naïve patients with moderate-to-severe ulcerative colitis (UC). METHODS: Biologic-naïve patients with moderate-to-severe UC who were treated with IFX or VDZ for at least 14 weeks at three tertiary hospitals in southwest China between January 2021 and January 2023 were retrospectively included. Efficacy of the biologics was evaluated based on the steroid-free clinical remission rate, clinical remission rate, and mucosal healing rate at Weeks 14 and 52. Adverse events related to biologic use were recorded. RESULTS: Altogether 122 biologic-naïve patients with moderate-to-severe UC were included. No marked differences in the steroid-free clinical remission rate and clinical remission rate were observed between the two groups at Week 14 or Week 52 (P > 0.05). The VDZ group exhibited a higher mucosal healing rate at Week 14 compared to the IFX group (33.3% vs 16.9%, P = 0.036), while that at Week 52 did not differ between the two groups (65.6% vs 47.1%, P = 0.098). There was no statistically significant difference in the rate of adverse events between the two groups (P = 0.071). CONCLUSION: VDZ and IFX showed comparable clinical efficacy and safety profiles and can be used as viable first-line therapeutic options for biologic-naïve patients with moderate-to-severe UC.

Gut microbiota interactions with antitumor immunity in colorectal cancer: From understanding to application.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of highly prevalent cancer. Immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has dramatically changed the landscape of treatment for many advanced cancers, but CRC still exhibits suboptimal response to immunotherapy. The gut microbiota can affect both anti-tumor and pro-tumor immune responses, and further modulate the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy, particularly in the context of therapy with ICIs. Therefore, a deeper understanding of how the gut microbiota modulates immune responses is crucial to improve the outcomes of CRC patients receiving immunotherapy and to overcome resistance in nonresponders. The present review aims to describe the relationship between the gut microbiota, CRC, and antitumor immune responses, with a particular focus on key studies and recent findings on the effect of the gut microbiota on the antitumor immune activity. We also discuss the potential mechanisms by which the gut microbiota influences host antitumor immune responses as well as the prospective role of intestinal flora in CRC treatment. Furthermore, the therapeutic potential and limitations of different modulation strategies for the gut microbiota are also discussed. These insights may facilitate to better comprehend the interplay between the gut microbiota and the antitumor immune responses of CRC patients and provide new research pathways to enhance immunotherapy efficacy and expand the patient population that could be benefited by immunotherapy.

A bibliometric and visual analysis of cancer-associated fibroblasts.

Background: Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) represent the predominant stromal component within the tumour microenvironment (TME), exhibiting considerable heterogeneity and plasticity that significantly impact immune response and metabolic reprogramming within the TME, thereby influencing tumour progression. Consequently, investigating CAFs is of utmost importance. The objective of this study is to employ bibliometric analysis in order to evaluate the current state of research on CAFs and predict future areas of research and emerging trends. Methods: Conduct a comprehensive search for scholarly publications within the Web of Science Core Collection database, encompassing the time period from January 1, 2001, to December 31, 2022. Apply VOSviewer, CiteSpace, R software and Microsoft Excel for bibliometric analysis and visualisation. Results: This study involved a comprehensive analysis of 5,925 publications authored by 33,628 individuals affiliated with 4,978 institutions across 79 countries/regions. These publications were published in 908 journals, covering 14,495 keywords and 203,947 references. Notably, there was a significant increase in articles published between 2019 and 2022. China had the highest count of articles, while the United States emerged as the most frequently cited country. The primary research institutions in this field were Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Harvard University, and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Sotgia, Federica and Lisanti, Michael P from the University of Manchester, and Martinet, Wim from the University of Antwerp were the most prolific and highly cited authors. The journal Cancers had the highest number of publications, while Cancer Research was the most frequently cited journal. Molecular, biology, immunology, medicine and genetics were the main research disciplines in the field of CAFs. Key directions in CAFs research encompassed the study of transforming growth factor-ß, Fibroblast Activation Protein, breast cancer, as well as growth and metastasis. The findings from the analysis of keyword co-occurrence and literature co-citation have revealed several emerging hotspots and trends within the field of CAFs. These include STAT3, multidrug resistance, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma, pan-cancer analysis, preclinical evaluation, ionizing radiation, and gold nanoparticles. Conclusion: Targeting CAFs is anticipated to be a novel and effective strategy for cancer treatment. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the existing research on CAFs from 2001 to 2022, utilizing bibliometric analysis. The study identified the prominent areas of investigation and anticipated future research directions, with the aim of providing valuable insights and recommendations for future studies in the field of CAFs.

[Preliminary Study on Drug-Loaded Chondroitin Sulfate-Modified Micelles Targeting Golgi Apparatus in Tumor Cells for the Treatment of Tumor Metastasis].

Objective: To make preliminary exploration into the Golgi apparatus targeting of chondroitin sulfate-modified micelles (CSmicelles) co-loaded with pirarubicin (THP) and vinorelbine (VRL) in tumor cells, as well as their in vitro anti-tumor metastasis effect. Methods: The cellular uptake efficiency and internalization mechanism of CSmicelles in 4T1 mouse breast cancer cell line were investigated by flow cytometry. Preliminary study of the Golgi apparatus targeting CSmicelles in tumor cells was conducted by co-localization experiment. Then, the effect of CSmicelles co-loaded with THP and VRL (THP+VTL-CSmicelles) on the structure of Golgi apparatus was investigated by GM130 immunofluorescence experiment. Finally, the i n vitro anti-tumor metastasis ability of THP+VTL-CSmicelles was evaluated by wound healing assay and Transwell migration/invasion assay. Results: It was found that CSmicelles could significantly increase cellular uptake of drugs. CSmicelles were internalized into cells through clathrin-mediated and caveolin-mediated endocytosis, which was energy-dependent active transport and exhibited substantial ability of targeting Golgi apparatus in tumor cells. THP+VTL-CSmicelles could break down the structure of Golgi apparatus and significantly inhibit the migration and invasion of tumor cells. Conclusion: THP+VTL-CSmicelles demonstrate high affinity towards Golgi apparatus in tumor cells, exert targeted effects and inhibit tumor cell metastasis, which provides a novel idea and method for the treatment of cancer metastasis.

[Co-delivery of Pirarubicin and Vinorelbine by Micelles for the Treatment of Breast Cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To develop a pirarubicin (THP) and vinorelbine (VRL) codelivery nano-micellar system (T+V-CS micelles) of pirarubicin (THP) and vinorelbine (VRL) by using chondroitin sulfate-cholesterol polymers (CS-Chol) and DSPE-mPEG 2000 and to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of the codelivery nano-micelles in breast cancer treatment. METHODS: T+V-CS micelles were prepared by ultrasonic-dialysis method, and the physicochemical characterization were evaluated using multiple technological means. The anti-tumor efficacy of T+V-CS micelles in vitro was evaluated by MTT assay and cell cycle arrest analysis. Evaluation of the therapeutic effect of T+V-CS micelles in vivo was carried out on xenograft 4T1 murine breast cancer bearing BALB/c mice model. RESULTS: T+V-CS micelles displayed a nearly spherical shape when observed through transmission electron microscope. The particle size and polydispersity indexes (PDI) of T+V-CS micelles was (155.5±4.5) nm and 0.170±0.003 respectively, while the Zeta potential was (-23.0±0.9) mV. Meanwhile, T+V-CS micelles demonstrated high encapsulation efficiency of (81.87±2.56)% for THP and (87.54±2.82)% for VRL and a high overall drug loading efficiency of (10.20±1.20)%. In vitro and in vivo studies of the therapeutic efficacy of breast cancer showed that T+V-CS micelles had synergistic anti-tumor effect and induced increased G 2/M cell cycle arrest in 4T1 cells, which could significantly inhibit tumor growth and prolong survival compared with the therapeutic efficacy of micelles loaded with a single kind of drug or free drug solutions. CONCLUSION: The study showed that T+V-CS micelles had excellent anti-tumor effect, offering a reference to the clinical treatment of breast cancer.

Flavonoids-rich extract from Bidens bipinnata L. protects pancreatic ß-cells against oxidative stress-induced apoptosis through intrinsic and extrinsic pathways.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: As a traditional Chinese medicinal, Bidens bipinnata L. has been used to treat many diseases with a long history in China. The anti-diabetic effects of extract from B. bipinnata have been demonstrated in the previous reports. AIM OF THE STUDY: The protective effects of flavonoids-rich extract from B. bipinnata (BBTF) on cell damage induced by H2O2 in pancreatic ß cell and its potential mechanisms were evaluated. MATERIALS AND METHODS: MTT, ROS production, nuclear staining and flow cytometry assays were adopted to determine the effects of BBTF on cell viability, production of ROS and cell apoptosis in H2O2-treated INS-1 cell. Cell apoptosis-related proteins expressions were detected by Western blot assay. RESULTS: Pre-treatment of BBTF could significantly increase INS-1 cell viability, inhibit the production of intracellular ROS and reduced the characteristic features of cell apoptosis induced by H2O2 in INS-1 cells. The studies of the underlying mechanism showed that BBTF could regulate Bax and Bcl-2 proteins expressions, suppress the phosphorylation of JNK, ERK and p38, as well as down-regulate Fas and FasL proteins expressions induced by H2O2. The expressions of caspase-8, caspase-9 and caspase-3 were therefore decreased. CONCLUSION: The results indicated that flavonoids-rich extract from B. bipinnata could be a natural agent in diabetic prevention and therapy.

Enrichment of flavonoid-rich extract from Bidens bipinnata L. by macroporous resin using response surface methodology, UHPLC-Q-TOF MS/MS-assisted characterization and comprehensive evaluation of its bioactivities by analytical hierarchy process.

The extract of Bidens bipinnata L. exhibited wide spectrum of bioactivities owing to the presence of flavonoids. In this study, a purification process was developed to enrich the flavonoid-rich extract from B. bipinnata L. (BBTF). AB-8 resin was selected for the purification of total flavonoids. Response surface methodology coupled with Box-Behnken design was employed to optimize the purification condition; it was optimized as pH 5.1, volume of ethanol 80 ml, flow rate of ethanol 1.8 bed volume per hour (BV/h) and concentration of ethanol 76.0%. The total flavonoid content of BBTF was 56.48% under the optimal conditions. The identification of flavonoids in BBTF was conducted using UHPLC-ESI-Q-TOF MS. A total of 14 compounds, including 12 flavonoids, were identified in BBTF. Finally, the in vitro antioxidant activities, α-glucosidase and α-amylase inhibitory activities of BBTF were comprehensively analyzed by an analytical hierarchy process. The results indicated that it exhibited higher bioactivities than the crude extract. These findings suggested that the optimized process could significantly enhance the purity of flavonoids and their bioactivities. This study showed a comprehensive analysis of a total flavonoid extract of B. bipinnata L. for the first time, which could provide a useful approach for its purification process and quality control as well as bioactivities.

Taxonomic integrative and phylogenetic identification of the first recorded Triatoma rubrofasciata in Zhangzhou, Fujian Province and Maoming, Guangdong Province, China.

BACKGROUND: Most species of Triatominae live exclusively in Latin America. However, one species, Triatoma rubrofasciata, has been recorded in the Americas as well as in various port areas in Africa and Asia. An increasing number of T. rubrofasciata have been reported in southern China in recent years. However, the origin of this invasive insect vector in China remains unknown, therefore, accurate identification and phylogenetic analysis of the bugs are urgently needed. METHODS: A total of seven triatomine insect specimens were found and collected from Maoming City, Guangdong Province, China (GDMM) and Zhangzhou City, Fujian Province, China (FJZZ), respectively. The obtained insect vector specimens were observed under a dissecting microscope for morphological classification and then the genomic DNA was extracted, and the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA), 28S rRNA as well as cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) genes of the species were amplified and sequenced. Subsequently, molecular phylogenetic analyses based on multiple alignments of the above genes were conducted in order to identify the species and determine the phylogenetic origin approximation accurately. RESULTS: The triatomine insects collected from GDMM and FJZZ were identified as Triatoma rubrofasciata using morphological and genetic analyses. All of the Chinese T. rubrofasciata captured in FJZZ, GDMM and other localities in southern China, together with a Vietnamese and Brazilian strain, formed a new, cohesive clade. T. rubrofasciata in GDMM and FJZZ are likely derived from strains found in Vietnam or Brazil. CONCLUSIONS: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first record of the invasive insect T. rubrofasciata, which is likely derived from strains native to Vietnam or Brazil, in both Maoming City, Guangdong Province and Zhangzhou City, Fujian Province of China. A comparison of the DNA sequences of the 16 s rRNA, 28 s rRNA and COI genes confirmed the specific identification of T. rubrofasciata, and its potential origin in China is based on the phylogenetic analyses undertaken in this study. More targeted interventions and improved entomological surveillance are urgently needed to control the spread of this haematophagous insect in China.

Microwave-Assisted Extraction, Purification, Partial Characterization, and Bioactivity of Polysaccharides from Panax ginseng.

Polysaccharides are a main active substance in Panax ginseng; however, microwave-assisted extraction used to prepare P. ginseng polysaccharides (MPPG) has rarely been reported, and knowledge of the bactericidal activity of P. ginseng polysaccharides remains low. Thus, this study was designed to investigate the extraction of P. ginseng polysaccharides by using two methods-hot water extraction and microwave-assisted extraction-and compare their chemical composition and structure. In addition, their antibacterial and antioxidant activities were also determined. The data implied that P. ginseng polysaccharides extracted by microwave-assisted extraction possessed a higher extraction yield than hot water extraction (WPPG) under optimized conditions, and the actual yields were 41.6% ± 0.09% and 28.5% ± 1.62%, respectively. Moreover, the preliminary characterization of polysaccharides was identified after purification. The WPPG with the molecular weight (Mw) of 2.07 × 105 Da was composed of Man, Rib, Rha, GalA, Glu, Gal, and Arab, and the typical characteristics of polysaccharides were determined by IR spectra. Compared with WPPG, MPPG had a higher Mw, uronic acid content, and Glu content. More importantly, the antioxidant activity of MPPG was higher than WPPG, which was probably ascribed to its highly Mw and abundant uronic acid content. Besides, both of them exhibited high bactericidal activity. These results demonstrate that microwave-assisted extraction is an effective method for obtaining P. ginseng polysaccharides, and MPPG could be applied as an antioxidant and antibacterial agent.

Acute toxicity and anti-fatigue activity of polysaccharide-rich extract from corn silk.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and potential of PCS as the anti-fatigue functional food. PCS was prepared by water extracting-alcohol precipitating method, and its chemical compositions of monosaccharide were analyzed. Then, acute toxicity and anti-fatigue activity of PCS were evaluated. PCS is composed of Rha, Arab, Xyl, Man, Glu, and Gal, its molar ratio is 0.17: 0.30: 0.26: 0.35: 1.00: 0.57. No mortality and general symptoms of toxicity were observed in the PCS treated mice (7.5, 15, and 20g/kg body weight), the body weight and food consumption were not significantly changed compared with the normal control group. The relative weights of main organ, and biochemical indicators also did not markedly change. PCS can significantly prolong the duration of the swimming time to exhaustion in mice, decrease BUN, LA levels, increase LDH activities, and the contents of HG in the PCS treated mice. The dose of 400mg/kg body weight is the optimal dose for anti-fatigue activity both in male and female mice. In conclusion, PCS is a promising traditional natural-based therapeutic remedy for relieving fatigue with high safety.

Toxicological evaluation of Oviductus ranae: Acute, sub-acute and genotoxicity studies in mice and rats.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Oviductus ranae (OR) is a traditional animal-based Chinese medicine, which has been listed in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia since 1985 edition. Although its medicinal application has been widely acknowledged, there is little available information on its potential toxicity. AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of this study was to investigate the acute, sub-acute, and genetic toxicities of OR. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In acute toxicity evaluation, OR was administered orally to mice at doses of 2.5, 5.0, 10.0, and 20.0g/kg BW for one time. Mortality, clinical signs, and body weight were observed for 14 days after treatment. In sub-acute toxicity evaluation, OR was administered orally to rats once a day for 28 consecutive days at doses of 1.75, 3.50, and 7.00g/kg BW. Animals were observed for general behaviors, mortality, food intake, and body weight changes. At the end of treatment, relative organ weight, pathology, hematological and biochemical parameters were monitored. In genotoxicity evaluation, bacterial reverse mutation assay (Ames test) was performed by treating OR with four different Salmonella typhimurium strains at doses of 8, 40, 200, 1000, and 5000µg/plate without or with S-9 mix, respectively. The genotoxicity of OR was also evaluated by micronucleus and sperm malformation assays in mice at doses of 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0g/kg BW, respectively. RESULTS: The results of acute toxicity study showed that the LD50 value of OR is higher than 20.0g/kg BW in mice. Death and abnormal clinical symptoms were not found during the period of experiment. In sub-acute toxicity, we found that the no-observed-adverse-effect levels (NOAEL) of OR in rats is up to 7.00g/kg BW. No statistically significant or toxicologically relevant defferences in body weight, food intake, relative organ weight, pathology, hematological and biochemical parameters were observed, when compared with control group. Results of Ames test, micronucleus and sperm malformation assays indicated that OR has no mutagenicity in vitro at a limited dose of 5000µg/plate, and dose not induce micronuclei and sperm malformation in mice at the dose of up to 10.0g/kg BW in mice. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, OR is a tranditional Chinese medicine with high safety.

Toxicological evaluation of the flavonoid-rich extract from Maydis stigma: Subchronic toxicity and genotoxicity studies in mice.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Maydis stigma (corn silk) has a long history of use as a traditional herbal medicine or functional food in China and many other countries and has been listed in the Chinese Pharmacopea. However, little data about its potential toxicity is available. AIM OF THE STUDY: In this study, we evaluated the subchronic toxicity and genotoxicity of the flavonoid-rich extract from Maydis stigma (FMS) in mice. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In the subchronic toxicity study, the FMS was administered orally to mice at doses of 2.50, 5.00 and 10.00g/kg/day for 28 consecutive days. At the end of experiment, general clinical signs, mortality, haematological, biochemical and histopathological parameters were examined. The genotoxicity of FMS was also evaluated by the micronucleus assay and the sperm malformation assay. RESULTS: All animals survived until the scheduled necropsy, and no statistically significant or toxicologically relevant differences were observed in any of the FMS-treatment groups, compared with the control group. The no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) was determined as 10.00g/kg/day. Based on the results of the micronucleus assay and the sperm malformation assay, no evidence of genotoxicity was found either in somatic cells or germ cells even at an experimental upper limit dose (10.00g/kg/day). CONCLUSIONS: The results of the present studies might support the safe use of FMS as a functional food, food additive and natural remedy.

Effects of microtubule-associated protein tau expression on neural stem cell migration after spinal cord injury.

Our preliminary proteomics analysis suggested that expression of microtubule-associated protein tau is elevated in the spinal cord after injury. Therefore, the first aim of the present study was to examine tau expression in the injured spinal cord. The second aim was to determine whether tau can regulate neural stem cell migration, a critical factor in the successful treatment of spinal cord injury. We established rat models of spinal cord injury and injected them with mouse hippocampal neural stem cells through the tail vein. We used immunohistochemistry to show that the expression of tau protein and the number of migrated neural stem cells were markedly increased in the injured spinal cord. Furthermore, using a Transwell assay, we showed that neural stem cell migration was not affected by an elevated tau concentration in the outer chamber, but it was decreased by changes in intracellular tau phosphorylation state. These results demonstrate that neural stem cells have targeted migration capability at the site of injury, and that although tau is not a chemokine for targeted migration of neural stem cells, intracellular tau phosphorylation/dephosphorylation can inhibit cell migration.

Safety Evaluation, in Vitro and in Vivo Antioxidant Activity of the Flavonoid-Rich Extract from Maydis stigma.

This study aimed to assess the acute toxicity and safety of flavonoid-rich extract from Maydis stigma (FMS) in mice. The in vitro antioxidant activity of FMS was determined by 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethyl-benzthiazoline-6-sulphonate) (ABTS) scavenging assays. Furthermore, the in vivo antioxidant of FMS against ethanol-induced oxidative damage in mice was determined by analysis of the serum total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) activity, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, liver tissue glutathione (GSH) content, and protein carbonyl (PC) content in liver tissue. The oral administration of FMS at doses of 30 g/kg did not cause death in mice, and there were no significant biologically adverse effects in mice. These results indicated that the median lethal dose (LD50) is higher than this dose. The IC50 values of FMS for the DPPH and ABTS scavenging activity were 50.73 and 0.23 mg/mL, respectively. Meanwhile, FMS could significantly enhance T-SOD activity, reduce MDA content in the serum, increase GSH content, and decrease PC content in the liver tissue at the tested doses (25, 50, 100, 200 mg/kg·day). These results indicate that FMS can be generally regarded as safe and used potentially as a bioactive source of natural antioxidants.

[CCL21-CD40L fusion gene induce augmented antitumor activity in colon cancer].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the anti-tumor activity of CCL21-exCD40L eukaryotic expression vector. METHODS: CCL21-exCD40L fusion gene were constructed by overlap PCR connecting CCL21 and exCD40L through a flexible linker (Gly3Ser)4, and then was cloned into expression vector pcDNA3.1(+). pcDNA3.1(+)/CCL21 and pcDNA3.1(+)/exCD were constructed as negative control. Wsestern blot was used to identify the fusion protein. CHO cells was transfected with pcDNA3.1(+)/CCL21-exCD, pcDNA3.1(+)/CCL21 and pcDNA3.1(+), respectively. The chemotatic function of the expressed product was detected by Transwell method and its anti-tumor activity was tested with vivo transfection. RESULTS: Gene sequencing and restrictive digestion proved the successful construction of pcDNA3.1(+)/CCL21-exCD40L,and its expression was conformed by western blot. The transfectant supernantes of pcDNA3.1(+)/CCL21-exCD40 group had a significant chmotactic function to DCs, of which the cell numbers passing through the film was 14.95 times of blank control every high power microscope visual field. After tumor orthotoic injection of plasmid carrying fusion gene in Balb/c mouse, the tumor mass reduced remarkablely, and all the mouse in fusion gene group survived after 4 weeks. CONCLUSION: CCL21-exCD40L fusion protein had a remarkable function to DCs and it can inhibit tumor growth and prolong the mouse survival time, which is more effective than all control group.