Altered volume of the amygdala subregions in patients with chronic low back pain.

Background: Neuroimaging studies have suggested a pivotal role for the amygdala involvement in chronic low back pain (CLBP). However, the relationship between the amygdala subregions and CLBP has not yet been delineated. This study aimed to analyze whether the amygdala subregions were linked to the development of CLBP. Methods: A total of 45 patients with CLBP and 45 healthy controls (HCs) were included in this study. All subjects were asked to complete a three-dimensional T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (3D-T1 MRI) scan. FreeSurfer 7.3.2 was applied to preprocess the structural MRI images and segment the amygdala into nine subregions. Afterwards, comparisons were made between the two groups in terms of the volumes of the amygdala subregions. Correlation analysis is utilized to examine the relationship between the amygdala subregion and the scale scores, as well as the pain duration in patients with CLBP. Additionally, logistic regression was used to explore the risk of the amygdala and its subregions for CLBP. Results: In comparison to HCs, patients with CLBP exhibited a significant enlargement of the left central nucleus (Ce) and left cortical nucleus (Co). Furthermore, the increased volume of the left Ce was associated with a higher risk of CLBP. Conclusion: Our study suggests that the left Ce and left Co may be involved in the pathophysiological processes of CLBP. Moreover, the volume of the left Ce may be a biomarker for detecting the risk of CLBP.

Plasmodium yoelii surface-related antigen (PySRA) modulates the host pro-inflammatory responses via binding to CD68 on macrophage membrane.

Malaria, one of the major infectious diseases in the world, is caused by the Plasmodium parasite. Plasmodium antigens could modulate the inflammatory response by binding to macrophage membrane receptors. As an export protein on the infected erythrocyte membrane, Plasmodium surface-related antigen (SRA) participates in the erythrocyte invasion and regulates the immune response of the host. This study found that the F2 segment of P. yoelii SRA activated downstream MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways by binding to CD68 on the surface of the macrophage membrane and regulating the inflammatory response. The anti-PySRA-F2 antibody can protect mice against P. yoelii, and the pro-inflammatory responses such as IL-1ß, TNF-α, and IL-6 after infection with P. yoelii are attenuated. These findings will be helpful for understanding the involvement of the pathogenic mechanism of malaria with the exported protein SRA.

Altered cortical thickness and structural covariance networks in chronic low back pain.

BACKGROUND: Despite regional brain structural changes having been reported in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP), the topological properties of structural covariance networks (SCNs), which refer to the organization of the SCNs, remain unclear. This study applied graph theoretical analysis to explore the alterations of the topological properties of SCNs, aiming to comprehend the integration and separation of SCNs in patients with CLBP. METHODS: A total of 38 patients with CLBP and 38 healthy controls (HCs), balanced for age and sex, were scanned using three-dimensional T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. The cortical thickness was extracted from 68 brain regions, according to the Desikan-Killiany atlas, and used to reconstruct the SCNs. Subsequently, graph theoretical analysis was employed to evaluate the alterations of the topological properties in the SCNs of patients with CLBP. RESULTS: In comparison to HCs, patients with CLBP had less cortical thickness in the left superior frontal cortex. Additionally, the cortical thickness of the left superior frontal cortex was negatively correlated with the Visual Analogue Scale scores of patients with CLBP. Furthermore, patients with CLBP, relative to HCs, exhibited lower global efficiency and small-worldness, as well as a longer characteristic path length. This indicates a decline in the brain's capacity to transmit and process information, potentially impacting the processing of pain signals in patients with CLBP and contributing to the development of CLBP. In contrast, there were no significant differences in the clustering coefficient, local efficiency, nodal efficiency, nodal betweenness centrality, or nodal degree between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: From the regional cortical thickness to the complex brain network level, our study demonstrated changes in the cortical thickness and topological properties of the SCNs in patients with CLBP, thus aiding in a better understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms of CLBP.

Rational Synthesis of Functionalized Covalent Organic Frameworks via Four-Component Reaction.

The construction of function-oriented covalent organic frameworks (COFs) remains a challenge as it requires simultaneous consideration of diversified structures, robust linkage, and tailorable functionalities. Herein, we report the rational synthesis of functionalized COFs via a four-component reaction strategy. Through the four-component Debus-Radziszewski reaction, 11 N-substituted imidazole-based COFs with diversified structures were facilely constructed from readily available building blocks. By forming the N-substituted imidazole linkage, these synthesized COFs displayed ultrastability toward strong acids and base. Moreover, the four components reaction allows the rational synthesis of COFs with tailorable functionalities. As an example, the phosphonate-functionalized COF (LZU-530) was rationally constructed for the efficient adsorption of uranium(VI). The uranium(VI) uptake of LZU-530 reaches up to 95 mg·g-1 in 2 M HNO3, which is the highest uptake of the existing organic porous materials under such harsh conditions. Our results highlight the use of multicomponent reaction for the rational synthesis of robust and functionalized COFs toward targeted applications.

Supracluster Assembly of Archimedean Cages with 72 Hydrogen Bonds for the Aldol Addition Reaction.

Clusters that can be experimentally precisely characterized and theoretically accurately calculated are essential to understanding the relationship between material structure and function. Here, we propose the concept of "supraclusters", which aim to connect "supramolecules" and "suprananoparticles" as well as reveal the unique assembly behavior of "supraclusters" with nanoparticle size at the molecular level. The implementation of supraclusters is full of challenges due to the difficulty in satisfying the ordered connectivity of clusters due to their abundant and dispersed hydrogen bonding sites. By solvothermal synthesis under a high catechol (H2 CATs) content, we successfully isolated a series of triangular {Al6 M3 } cluster compounds possessing brucite-like structural features. Interestingly, eight {Al6 M3 } clusters form 72-fold strong hydrogen bonding truncatedhexahedron Archimedean {Al6 M3 }8 supracluster cage (abbreviated as H-tcu). Surprisingly, the solution stability of the H-tcu was further proved by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) characterization. Therefore, it is not difficult to explain the reason for assembly of H-tcu into edge-directed and vertex-directed isomers. These porous supraclusters can be obtained by scale-up synthesis and exhibit a noticeable catalysis effect towards the condensation of acetone and p-nitrobenzaldehyde. As an intermediate state of supramolecule and suprananoparticle, the supracluster assembly can enrich the cluster chemistry and bring new structural types.

Breaking the Trade-Off Between Polymer Dielectric Constant and Loss via Aluminum Oxo Macrocycle Dopants for High-Performance Neuromorphic Electronics.

The dielectric layer is crucial in regulating the overall performance of field-effect transistors (FETs), the key component in central processing units, sensors, and displays. Despite considerable efforts being devoted to developing high-permittivity (k) dielectrics, limited progress is made due to the inherent trade-off between dielectric constant and loss. Here, a solution is presented by designing a monodispersed disk-shaped Ce-Al-O-macrocycle as a dopant in polymer dielectrics. The molecule features a central Ce(III) core connected with eight Al atoms through sixteen bridging hydroxyls and eight 3-aminophenyl peripheries. The incorporation of this macrocycle in polymer dielectrics results in an up to sevenfold increase in dielectric constants and up to 89% reduction in dielectric loss at low frequencies. Moreover, the leakage-current densities decrease, and the breakdown strengths are improved by 63%. Relying on the above merits, FETs bearing cluster-doped polymer dielectrics give near three-orders source-drain current increments while maintaining low-level leakage/off currents, resulting in much higher charge-carrier mobilities (up to 2.45 cm2  V-1  s-1 ) and on/off ratios. This cluster-doping strategy is generalizable and shows great promise for ultralow-power photoelectric synapses and neuromorphic retinas. This work successfully breaks the trade-off between dielectric constant and loss and offers a unique design for polymer composite dielectrics.

Systematic analysis of the cuprotosis in tumor microenvironment and prognosis of gastric cancer.

Cuprotosis is a new programmed cell death related to cancer. However, the characteristics of cuprotosis in gastric cancer (GC) remain unknown. Ten cuprotosis molecules from 1544 GC patients were used to identify three GC molecular genotypes. Cluster A was characterized by the best clinical outcome and was significantly enriched in metabolic signaling pathways. Cluster B exhibited elevated immune activation, high immune stroma scores and was significantly enriched in tumor immune signaling pathways. Cluster C was characterized by severe immunosuppression and poor response to immunotherapy. Notably, the citrate cycle, cell cycle, and p53 signaling pathways were enriched in the differentially expressed genes among the three subtypes, which were critical signaling pathways for cell death. We also developed a cuprotosis signature risk score that could accurately predict the survival, immunity, and subtype of GC. This study presents a systematic analysis of cuprotosis molecules and provides new immunotherapeutic targets for GC patients.

E2F1-mediated KDM4A-AS1 up-regulation promotes EMT of hepatocellular carcinoma cells by recruiting ILF3 to stabilize AURKA mRNA.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a gastrointestinal tumor with high clinical incidence. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play vital roles in modulating the growth and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of HCC. However, the underlying mechanism of lncRNA KDM4A antisense RNA 1 (KDM4A-AS1) in HCC remains elusive. In our study, the role of KDM4A-AS1 in HCC was systematically investigated. The levels of KDM4A-AS1, interleukin enhancer-binding factor 3 (ILF3), Aurora kinase A (AURKA), and E2F transcription factor 1 (E2F1) were determined by RT-qPCR or western blot. ChIP and dual luciferase reporter experiments were performed to detect the binding relationship between E2F1 and KDM4A-AS1 promoter sequence. RIP and RNA-pull down confirmed the interaction of ILF3 with KDM4A-AS1/AURKA. Cellular functions were analyzed by MTT, flow cytometry, wound healing and transwell assays. IHC was performed to detect Ki67 in vivo. We found that KDM4A-AS1 was increased in HCC tissues and cells. Elevated KDM4A-AS1 level was correlated to poor prognosis of HCC. Knockdown of KDM4A-AS1 inhibited the proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT of HCC cells. ILF3 bound to KDM4A-AS1 and AURKA. KDM4A-AS1 maintained the stability of AURKA mRNA by recruiting ILF3. E2F1 transcriptionally activated KDM4A-AS1. Overexpressed KDM4A-AS1 reversed the contribution of E2F1 depletion to AURKA expression and EMT in HCC cells. KDM4A-AS1 promoted tumor formation in vivo through the PI3K/AKT pathway. These results revealed that E2F1 transcriptionally activated KDM4A-AS1 to regulate HCC progression via the PI3K/AKT pathway. E2F1 and KDM4A-AS1 may serve as good prognostic targets for HCC treatment.

Involvement of miR-495 overexpression in the pathogenesis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in preterm infants via the targeting of NEDD4L-ENaC pathway.

Background: Bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) is a severe pulmonary complication causing morbidity and mortality in preterm infants. A key histopathological feature of BPD is late lung growth retardation, in which the process of alveolarization is hindered and the mechanism of which is unclear. Emerging evidence indicates that microRNAs (miRNAs) promote the development of BPD via the inhibition of their target genes. MiR-495 has been reported to be involved in various lung diseases. However, the physiological function of miR-495 in BPD has not yet been fully understood. Methods: Differentially expressed miRNAs in peripheral blood of patients with BPD were compared with those of normal controls. A dual-luciferase reporter assay was performed to identify the target genes of miR-495. A BPD neonatal rat model was established by injecting lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in the amniotic sac of pregnant rats. The morphology of the lungs was observed using hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. The expression of miR-495, neural precursor cell expressed developmentally down-regulated 4-like (NEDD4L), and epithelial Na+ channel (ENaC) was tested using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), Western blot analysis, and immunofluorescent (IF) staining. Results: The expression of miR-495 was significantly increased in the peripheral blood samples of premature infants with BPD and verified using qRT-PCR. NEDD4L was proven to be the target gene of miR-495. Additionally, miR-495 expression was also increased in the lungs of rat pups with BPD at postnatal day (P) 3 compared with the control group. qRT-PCR and Western blot results showed that NEDD4L expression was decreased while ENaC expression was increased at the transcriptional and translational levels. IF staining results showed that NEDD4L level was decreased while ENaC level was increased in the LPS-induced BPD rat model, which was consistent with abnormal changes in alveolar structure. Conclusions: The aberrant overexpression of miR-495 may contribute to the development of BPD by targeting NEDD4L-ENaC pathway, implying an imbalance in lung fluid clearance.

Water-stable porous Al24 Archimedean solids for removal of trace iodine.

In this paper, we report a unique type of core-shell crystalline material that combines an inorganic zeolitic cage structure with a macrocyclic host arrangement and that can remove trace levels of iodine from water effectively. These unique assemblies are made up of an inorganic Archimedean truncatedhexahedron (tcu) polyhedron in the kernel which possesses six calixarene-like shell cavities. The cages have good adaptability to guests and can be assembled into a series of supramolecular structures in the crystalline state with different lattice pore shapes. Due to the unique core-shell porous structures, the compounds are not only stable in organic solvents but also in water. The characteristics of the cages enable rapid iodine capture from low concentration aqueous I2/KI solutions (down to 4 ppm concentration). We have studied the detailed process and mechanism of iodine capture and aggregation at the molecular level. The facile synthesis, considerable adsorption capacity, recyclability, and ß- and γ-radiation resistance of the cages should make these materials suitable for the extraction of iodine from aqueous effluent streams (most obviously, radioactive iodide produced by atomic power generation).

Overview of the preparation method, structure and function, and application of natural peptides and polypeptides.

Natural polypeptides, a kind of molecular polymer with obvious biological activity, are widely existing in nature. They participate in various physiological activities of living organisms and play an important role in promoting human health. They are also widely applied in medicine, food, and cosmetic industries. By searching literature from Pubmed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Springer Link and Elsevier, this work presents an overview of the preparation methods, the relationship between structure and function, and the application of natural polypeptides. The preparation methods mainly include solvent extraction, enzymatic decomposition, microbiological fermentation, chemical synthesis, genetic engineering recombination, and using cell free system. Natural polypeptide's physiological function mainly includes antioxidative, antibacterial, antihypertensive. This review could provide scientific basis for the research and development of natural polypeptide.

Designable assembly of atomically precise Al4O4 cubane supported mesoporous heterometallic architectures.

Heterometallic cluster-based framework materials are of interest in terms of both their porous structures and multi-metallic reactivity. However, such materials have not yet been extensively investigated because of difficulties in their synthesis and structural characterization. Herein, we reported the designable synthesis of atomically precise heterometallic cluster-based framework compounds and their application as catalysts in aldol reactions. By using the synergistic coordination protocol, we successfully isolated a broad range of compounds with the general formula, [Al4M4O4(L)12(DABCO)2] (L = carboxylates; DABCO = 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]-octane; M2+ = Co2+, Mn2+, Zn2+, Fe2+, Cd2+). The basic heterometallic building blocks contain unprecedented main-group γ-alumina moieties and surrounding unsaturated transition metal centers. Interestingly, the porosity and interpenetration of these frameworks can be rationally regulated through the unprecedented strategy of increment of the metal radius in addition to general introduction of sterically bulky groups on the ligand. Furthermore, these porous materials are effective catalysts for aldol reactions. This work provides a catalytic molecular model platform with accurate molecular bonding between the supporters and catalytically active metal ions.

Investigation of the internalization and transport mechanism of Codonopsis Radix polysaccharide both in mice and Caco-2 cells.

For Codonopsis Radix polysaccharides (CRPs), oral administration is generally considered the most convenient route for patients. However, the details of its absorption and transport mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the oral absorption of CPA (an inulin-type fructan extracted from CRPs) in mice and Caco-2 cells. It was labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate, and the fluorescence derivative (FCPA) was used to trace the behavior of CPA. The results showed that FCPA could be absorbed after oral administration and has a wide tissue distribution, including in the stomach, intestine, kidneys, and liver. FCPA was poorly absorbed, and its internalization was time- and energy-dependent, as well as dependent on cholesterol- and dynamin-mediated endocytosis. Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed successful cellular internalization of FCPA from the cytoplasm to the nucleus. In addition, we found that FCPA was trafficked to endosomes and lysosomes, and that tubulin was required for its intracellular transport. These findings add new details to our knowledge of the internalization and transport mechanisms of CPA, which may prove useful to the development and application of oral formulations of CRPs.

Immunogenicity Analysis of the Recombinant Plasmodium falciparum Surface-Related Antigen in Mice.

Plasmodium falciparum, mainly distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, has received widespread attention owing to its severity. As a novel protein, P. falciparum surface-related antigen (PfSRA) has the structural and functional characteristics to be considered as a malaria vaccine candidate; however, limited information is available on its immunogenicity. Here, we expressed three fragments of recombinant PfSRA in an Escherichia coli system and further analyzed its immunogenicity. The results showed that rPfSRA-immunized mice produced specific antibodies with high endpoint titers (1:10,000 to 1:5,120,000) and affinity antibodies (i.e., rPfSRA-F1a (97.70%), rPfSRA-F2a (69.62%), and rPfSRA-F3a (91.87%)). In addition, the sera of immunized mice recognized both the native PfSRA and recombinant PfSRA, the rPfSRA antibodies inhibited the invasion of P. falciparum into the erythrocytes, and they were dose-dependent in vitro. This study confirmed PfSRA could be immunogenic, especially the F1a at the conserved region N-terminal and provided further support for it as a vaccine candidate against P.falciparum.

Pharmacokinetics, distribution and excretion of inulin-type fructan CPA after oral or intravenous administration to mice.

The aim of this work has been to establish and validate a simple and efficient method to detect the concentration of inulin-type fructan CPA from the roots of Codonopsis pilosula (Franch.) Nannf. in biosamples, and then apply it to evaluate the pharmacokinetics behavior, distribution character in tissue and excretion in mice. In this work, fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) was used to label CPA. Then FCPA was intravenously and orally administered to mice at different doses. In both i.v and p.o administration, FCPA concentration slowly declined in the circulatory system with a much longer T1/2 and MRT. After p.o administration, the area under the time curve (AUC0-∞) was dose-dependently increased. Taken together, FCPA showed poor absorption and wide tissue distribution. These pharmacokinetic results yield helpful insights into the pharmacological actions of FCPA.

Vaginal foreign bodies in children: a single-center retrospective 10-year analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical features and outcome in girls with a vaginal foreign body. METHODS: The clinical data of 97 girls with a vaginal foreign body were collected between 2010 and 2020. The descriptive analysis was used to summarize the clinical characteristics. RESULTS: The patients were aged between 1.5 and 14.8 years, and the age of peak incidence was shown to be 3-10 years, which accounted for 88% of the cases. Blood-stained vaginal discharge or vaginal bleeding was the most common symptom (48%). The most common foreign bodies were small hard objects (57%), followed by bits of cloth or toilet tissue (22%). The patient whose foreign object was a disk battery had the most severe symptoms. When an injury of the vaginal mucosal was suspected, antibiotics were used to prevent infection, with full recovery of all patients without any additional treatment after removal of the foreign object. CONCLUSION: If there is no damage to the vaginal mucosa, no additional treatment is needed after the foreign body is removed. When a vaginal foreign body is suspected to be a battery, emergency surgery is needed to prevent further damage.

Elevated serum leptin levels are associated with lower renal function among middle-aged and elderly adults in Taiwan, a community-based, cross-sectional study.

Background: Plasma leptin is considered a risk factor for obesity and cardio-metabolic disease, but the link between serum leptin and renal function is still under evaluation. In our study, we focused on the relationship between serum leptin and renal function, and we investigated the relationship in more detail. Methods: The 396 middle-aged and elderly Taiwanese adults recruited for our health survey were the subject of our research. All participants agreed to participate and signed a consent form before they joined and completed our study. We divided the participants into three groups according to eGFR tertiles and analyzed the parameters between each group. Then, we used Pearson's correlation test to investigate the relationship between eGFR levels and cardio-metabolic risk factors with adjustment for age. The scatter plot indicates the trend between serum leptin levels and eGFR levels. Participants were reclassified into three subgroups according to their leptin levels and the bar chart reveals the prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in each group. Finally, we used multivariate linear regression to evaluate the relationship between serum leptin and eGFR levels with adjustment for age, sex, smoking status, drinking status, body mass index (BMI), uric acid levels, hypertension (HTN), diabetes mellitus (DM), and dyslipidemia. Results: In our study, we analyzed the data from 396 eligible participants. A total of 41.4% of the participants were male, and the average age of all participants was 64.81 years ( ± 8.78). The participants in the high eGFR group were more likely to have lower serum leptin levels. Furthermore, eGFR values were negatively correlated with serum leptin levels even after adjustment for age. The prevalence of CKD in the high serum leptin group was higher than that in the low serum leptin group. Serum leptin levels showed significant negative correlations with eGFR levels (ß=-0.14, p<0.01) in the multivariate linear regression after adjusting for age, sex, smoking status, drinking status, BMI, uric acid levels, HTN, DM, and dyslipidemia. Conclusion: According to our study, serum leptin levels show a negative relationship with eGFR levels in middle-aged and elderly people in Taiwan. In addition, high serum leptin levels could be an novel marker to survey kidney failure in clinical practices.

Genetic Diversity Analysis of Surface-Related Antigen (SRA) in Plasmodium falciparum Imported From Africa to China.

Plasmodium falciparum surface-related antigen (SRA) is located on the surfaces of gametocyte and merozoite and has the structural and functional characteristics of potential targets for multistage vaccine development. However, little information is available regarding the genetic polymorphism of pfsra. To determine the extent of genetic variation about P. falciparum by characterizing the sra sequence, 74 P. falciparum samples were collected from migrant workers who returned to China from 12 countries of Africa between 2015 and 2019. The full length of the sra gene was amplified and sequenced. The average pairwise nucleotide diversities (π) of P. falciparum sra gene was 0.00132, and the haplotype diversity (Hd) was 0.770. The average number of nucleotide differences (k) for pfsra was 3.049. The ratio of non-synonymous (dN) to synonymous (dS) substitutions across sites (dN/dS) was 1.365. Amino acid substitutions of P. falciparum SRA could be categorized into 35 unique amino acid variants. Neutrality tests showed that the polymorphism of PfSRA was maintained by positive diversifying selection, which indicated its role as a potential target of protective immune responses and a vaccine candidate. Overall, the ability of the N-terminal of PfSRA antibodies to evoke inhibition of merozoite invasion of erythrocytes and conserved amino acid at low genetic diversity suggest that the N-terminal of PfSRA could be evaluated as a vaccine candidate against P. falciparum infection.

Trifluoromethyl-substituted 3,5-bis(arylidene)-4-piperidones as potential anti-hepatoma and anti-inflammation agents by inhibiting NF-кB activation.

Some methoxy-, hydroxyl-, pyridyl-, or fluoro-substituted 3,5-bis(arylidene)-4-piperidones (BAPs) could reduce inflammation and promote hepatoma cell apoptosis by inhibiting activation of NF-κB, especially after introduction of trifluoromethyl. Herein, a series of trifluoromethyl-substituted BAPs (4-30) were synthesised and the biological activities were evaluated. We successfully found the most potential 16, which contains three trifluoromethyl substituents and exhibits the best anti-tumour and anti-inflammatory activities. Preliminary mechanism research revealed that 16 could promote HepG2 cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner by down-regulating the expression of Bcl-2 and up-regulating the expression of Bax, C-caspase-3. Meanwhile, 16 inhibited activation of NF-κB by directly inhibiting the phosphorylation of p65 and IκBα induced by LPS, together with indirectly inhibiting MAPK pathway, thereby exhibiting both anti-hepatoma and anti-inflammatory activities. Molecular docking confirmed that 16 could bind to the active sites of Bcl-2, p65, and p38 reasonably. The above results suggested that 16 has enormous potential to be developed as a multifunctional agent for the clinical treatment of liver cancers and inflammatory diseases.

Shaoyao-Gancao Decoction Ameliorates the Inflammation State in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Rats via Remodeling Gut Microbiota and Suppressing the TLR4/NF-κB Pathway.

Background: Emerging evidence suggests that gut microbiota plays a vital role in the occurrence of multiple endocrine disorders including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Shaoyao-Gancao Decoction (SGD), a classical Chinese prescription, has been widely used in the treatment of PCOS for decades. In previous studies, we found that SGD treatment could effectively reduce ovarian inflammation in PCOS rats. However, whether the anti-inflammation effect of SGD involves the regulation of the gut microbiota remains elusive. Methods: Letrozole-induced PCOS rat models were established, and the therapeutic effects of SGD were evaluated. Specifically, body weight, serum hormone concentrations, estrus phase and ovary histopathology were assessed. Then the structure of gut microbiota was determined by 16s rRNA sequencing. Additionally, the serum levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines and LPS were measured by ELISA kits. The key gene and protein expressions of TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway were detected by quantitative real-time PCR and western blot. Results: SGD could effectively reduce body weight, regulate estrous cycles and ameliorate hyperandrogenism in PCOS rats. In addition, SGD treatment decreased releases of pro-inflammatory cytokines, enhanced the expressions of tight junction (occludin and claudin1), and then prevented a translocation of LPS into bloodstream. SGD could significantly reduce the ratio of Firmicutes to Bacteroidetes, decrease the abundance of LPS-producing pathogens Proteobateria and enrich the abundance of Butyricicoccus, Coprococcus, Akkermansia Blautia and Bacteroides in PCOS rats. Furthermore, SGD blunted the key gene and protein expressions of TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway both in vivo and in LPS-induced RAW264.7 cells. Conclusion: SGD administration could ameliorate the inflammatory response in PCOS rats by remodeling gut microbiome structure, protecting gut barrier, and suppressing TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.