The Effect of Ethephon on Ethylene and Chlorophyll in Zoysia japonica Leaves.

Zoysia japonica (Zoysia japonica Steud.) is a kind of warm-season turfgrass with many excellent characteristics. However, the shorter green period and longer dormancy caused by cold stress in late autumn and winter are the most limiting factors affecting its application. A previous transcriptome analysis revealed that ethephon regulated genes in chlorophyll metabolism in Zoysia japonica under cold stress. Further experimental data are necessary to understand the effect and underlying mechanism of ethephon in regulating the cold tolerance of Zoysia japonica. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of ethephon by measuring the enzyme activity, intermediates content, and gene expression related to ethylene biosynthesis, signaling, and chlorophyll metabolism. In addition, the ethylene production rate, chlorophyll content, and chlorophyll a/b ratio were analyzed. The results showed that ethephon application in a proper concentration inhibited endogenous ethylene biosynthesis, but eventually promoted the ethylene production rate due to its ethylene-releasing nature. Ethephon could promote chlorophyll content and improve plant growth in Zoysia japonica under cold-stressed conditions. In conclusion, ethephon plays a positive role in releasing ethylene and maintaining the chlorophyll content in Zoysia japonica both under non-stressed and cold-stressed conditions.

Radical-Mediated Decarboxylative C-C and C-S Couplings of Carboxylic Acids via Iron Photocatalysis.

Despite the significant success of decarboxylative radical reactions, the catalytic systems vary considerably upon different radical acceptors, requiring renewed case-by-case reaction optimization. Herein, we developed an iron catalytic condition that enables the highly efficient decarboxylation of various carboxylic acids for a range of radical transformations. This operationally simple protocol was amenable to a wide array of radical acceptors, delivering structurally diverse oxime ethers, alkenylation, alkynylation, thiolation, and amidation products in useful to excellent yields (>40 examples, up to 95% yield).

Urethrocutaneous fistula and glans dehiscence formation of hypospadias surgery in patients receiving caudal block vs. non-caudal block: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the difference in postoperative complications as urethrocutaneous fistula or glans dehiscence, in children undergoing primary hypospadias repair with caudal block (CB) versus non-caudal block (NCB). METHODS: Data were obtained from MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. Comparative studies of CB versus NCB were identified, with reports of complications published or presented until October 2022. Subgroup analyses were performed based on study type, meatal location (distal only), type of NCB, surgeon and technique, and concentration and dose of anesthetics. RESULTS: Compared to the reference group of NCB, CB was not significantly associated with the development of complications following primary hypospadias repair (OR 1.40, 95 % CI 0.88-2.23). After adjusting for confounding factors, such as type of study(OR 1.51, 95%CI: 0.29-7.91), type of NCB[PB (OR 1.82, 95 % CI: 0.87-3.84), GA (OR 1.26, 95 % CI: 0.39-4.04)], meatal location (distal only) (OR 1.22, 95 % CI: 0.61-2.43), surgeon and technique (OR 1.37, 95 % CI: 0.59-3.14) and concentration and dose of anesthetics(OR 2.74, 95 % CI: 0.82-9.20), subgroup analyses revealed no significant association between CB and NCB (P > 0.05). DISCUSSION: Previous studies have found a correlation between CB and increased incidence of postoperative complications (urethrocutaneous fistula or glans dehiscence) of hypospadias, but different literature have suggested that surgical technique, surgical duration and the severity of hypospadias, rather than CB, are closely related to the occurrence of complications. In order to reduce confounding factors, subgroup analyses were conducted. The results showed that no correlation could be found in postoperative complications and CB. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis compared the incidence of urethrocutaneous fistula or glans dehiscence in the CB and NCB groups for primary hypospadias repair in children, indicating that no clear correlation could be found in postoperative complications and CB. Subgroup analyses on study type, type of NCB, meatal location (distal only), surgeon and technique, and regional anesthetic concentration and dose supported this conclusion.

Sepsis­induced cardiac dysfunction and pathogenetic mechanisms (Review).

Sepsis is a manifestation of the immune and inflammatory response to infection, which may lead to multi­organ failure. Health care advances have improved outcomes in critical illness, but it still remains the leading cause of death. Septic cardiomyopathy is heart dysfunction brought on by sepsis. Septic cardiomyopathy is a common consequence of sepsis and has a mortality rate of up to 70%. There is a lack of understanding of septic cardiomyopathy pathogenesis; knowledge of its pathogenesis and the identification of potential therapeutic targets may reduce the mortality rate of patients with sepsis and lead to clinical improvements. The present review aimed to summarize advances in the pathogenesis of cardiac dysfunction in sepsis, with a focus on mitochondrial dysfunction, metabolic changes and cell death modalities and pathways. The present review summarized diagnostic criteria and outlook for sepsis treatment, with the goal of identifying appropriate treatment methods for this disease.

Development of a nomogram to predict negative postoperative behavioral changes based on a prospective cohort.

BACKGROUND: It is believed that negative postoperative behavioral changes (NPOBC) is associated with negative perioperative outcomes in children. The importance of development of a predictive model of NPOBC was noted. This study aims to identify potential risk factors develop a nomogram to predict NPOBC on postoperative day 3 based on a prospective cohort. METHODS: A prospective observational study was conducted on children(American Society of Anesthesiologists I ~ III) aged 2 ~ 12 years who underwent selective surgery under general anesthesia between September 2022 and February 2023. The patient's clinical data were analyzed. The method of measuring NPOBC is with the The Posthospital Behaviour Questionnaire (PHBQ), and all of children remained hospitalized at the time of assessment. The enrolled patients were categorized into the NPOBC group and the non-NPOBC group according to if children developed NPOBC on postoperative day 3. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify independent risk factors and develop the nomogram to predict NPOBC. Internal validation was performed using the parametric bootstrapping method. RESULTS: One hundred ninety-two patients were enrolled in the study, 44.8% (86/192 patients) of children developed NPOBC on postoperative day 3. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the Pediatric Anesthesia Behavior (PAB) score (OR: 1.23, 95%CI: 1.14-1.33), cerebral desaturation (OR: 1.16, 95%CI: 1.02-1.32), and postoperative pain score (OR: 1.07, 95%CI: 1.02-1.13) were independent predictors for NPOBC on postoperative day 3 (P < 0.05). They were used to develop the prediction model. The calibration curve demonstrated satisfied discrimination and calibration of the prediction model. The model presented with good discriminative ability (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve: 0.762 [95%CI: 0.691-0.833]). The decision curve analysis also revealed the great clinical utility of the nomogram. CONCLUSION: Based on our prospective observational study, pre-anesthesia patients with higher PAB scores, presence of cerebral desaturation, and higher postoperative pain score were more likely to develop NPOBC on postoperative day 3. We established and validated a nomogram for predicting NPOBC, which could help assess patients individually, identify high-risk groups of NPOBC and improve patient prognosis. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR-2,200,059,776. Registered 11 May 2022.

Molecular Mechanism Pathways of Natural Compounds for the Treatment of Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common chronic liver disease in the world, and its incidence continues to increase each year. Yet, there is still no definitive drug that can stop its development. This review focuses mainly on lipotoxicity, oxidative stress, inflammation, and intestinal flora dysbiosis to understand NAFLD's pathogenesis. In this review, we used NCBI's PubMed database for retrieval, integrating in vivo and in vitro experiments to reveal the therapeutic effects of natural compounds on NAFLD. We also reviewed the mechanisms by which the results of these experiments suggest that these compounds can protect the liver from damage by modulating inflammation, reducing oxidative stress, decreasing insulin resistance and lipid accumulation in the liver, and interacting with the intestinal microflora. The natural compounds discussed in these papers target a variety of pathways, such as the AMPK pathway and the TGF-ß pathway, and have significant therapeutic effects. This review aims to provide new possible therapeutic lead compounds and references for the development of novel medications and the clinical treatment of NAFLD. It offers fresh perspectives on the development of natural compounds in preventing and treating NAFLD.

Reduced regional cerebral oxygen saturation increases risk for emergence delirium in pediatric patients.

Objectives: To assess whether decreased regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rScO2) is associated with the emergence delirium (ED) following general anesthesia in the pediatric population. Methods: A retrospective observational cohort study was conducted on 113 children (ASA I-III) aged 2-14 years who underwent selective surgery under general anesthesia between 2022-01 and 2022-04. Intraoperatively, the rScO2 was monitored using a cerebral oximeter. The Pediatric Anesthesia Emergence Delirium (PAED) score was used to evaluate the patients for ED. Results: The incidence of ED was 31%. Low rScO2 was reported in 41.6% of patients, who had a higher incidence of ED (P < 0.001) than those who did not experience desaturation. Logistic regression analysis revealed that decreased rScO2 was significantly associated with incident ED events [odds ratio (OR), 10.77; 95% confidence interval, 3.31-35.05]. Children under 3 years of age had a higher incidence of ED after rScO2 desaturation during anesthesia compared to older children (OR, 14.17 vs. 4.64). Conclusion: Intraoperative rScO2 desaturation significantly increased the incidence of ED following general anesthesia. Monitoring should be enhanced to improve the oxygen balance in vital organs to improve the quality and safety of anesthesia.

Dysregulation of PD-L1 by UFMylation imparts tumor immune evasion and identified as a potential therapeutic target.

Immunotherapy of PD-L1/PD-1 blockage elicited impressive clinical benefits for cancer treatment. However, the relative low response and therapy resistance highlight the need to better understand the molecular regulation of PD-L1 in tumors. Here, we report that PD-L1 is a target of UFMylation. UFMylation of PD-L1 destabilizes PD-L1 by synergizing its ubiquitination. Inhibition of PD-L1 UFMylation via silencing of UFL1 or Ubiquitin-fold modifier 1 (UFM1), or the defective UFMylation of PD-L1, stabilizes the PD-L1 in multiple human and murine cancer cells, and undermines antitumor immunity in vitro and mice, respectively. Clinically, UFL1 expression was decreased in multiple cancers and lower expression of UFL1 negatively correlated with the response of anti-PD1 therapy in melanoma patients. Moreover, we identified a covalent inhibitor of UFSP2 that promoted the UFMylation activity and contributed to the combination therapy with PD-1 blockade. Our findings identified a previously unrecognized regulator of PD-L1 and highlighted UFMylation as a potential therapeutic target.

A Retrospective Study of the Use of Antibiotic Lock Therapy and Cluster Nursing Management in Infections in Children with Short Bowel Syndrome or Solid Abdominal Tumours Treated with Totally Implantable Venous Access Ports.

Objective: To explore the effective response strategies for infections in infants with short bowel syndrome and solid abdominal tumours, treated with totally implantable venous access ports (TIVAPs). Methods: A total of 210 children who were treated with a TIVAP in our department from 2020 to 2021 were selected for this retrospective study. Eight of these children diagnosed with a catheter-related bloodstream infection were studied in this study; antibiotic lock therapy (ALT) and cluster nursing management were used for treatment, and their effects on the infection outcome were observed. Results: Among the eight children, seven access ports were successfully protected, and one catheter was removed from the right chest wall port due to repeated infection. In this one child, the left side was re-implanted. Conclusion: The use of the ALT combined with cluster-based nursing can better treat infections of TIVAPs, improve the children's healing time, and has important clinical significance in the prevention of complications from the infection and improving the treatment and nursing of the patients diagnosed with these infections.

Organo-cyanamides: convenient reagents for catalytic amidation of carboxylic acids.

An unprecedented DMAP-catalysed amidation of aryl and alkyl carboxylic acids with organo-cyanamides has been developed. Unlike the use of N-cyano-N-phenyl-p-methylbenzenesulfonamide (NCTS) as an electrophilic cyanating reagent, an unusual desulfonylation/decyanation reaction model has been disclosed for the first time. Remarkable features of this reaction include readily available substrates, simple operation and broad scope, enabling the efficient synthesis of structurally diverse amides. The synthetic utility of this protocol was demonstrated by the late-stage amidation of bioactive carboxylic acids and a scale-up reaction.

New prenylated flavonoid glycosides from the stems of Celastrus orbiculatus with their anti-tumor activities.

Two new prenylated flavonoid glycosides (1-2), together with five known compounds (3-7) were isolated from the EtOAc-soluble extract of the stems of Celastrus orbiculatus. The structures of new compounds were elucidated with spectroscopic and physico-chemical analyses. All isolates were evaluated for in vitro cytotoxic activities against HepG2, MCF-7, A549, and A2780 cancer cells. Among them, compound 1 showed potential antiproliferative activity on A2780 cells with IC50 value of 10.76 µM. In addition, compound 2 exhibited selective cytotoxic activity on A2780 cells with IC50 value of 26.30 µM.

Association of regional cerebral oxygen saturation and postoperative pulmonary complications in pediatric patients undergoing one-lung ventilation: A propensity score matched analysis of a prospective cohort study.

Background: Previous studies of the relationship of regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rScO2) and postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) in pediatric patients are not well established, and further investigation is warranted. The aim of this prospective study was to determine whether a decrease in intraoperative rScO2 is associated with PPCs in children undergoing thoracoscopic surgery requiring one-lung ventilation (OLV). Methods: One hundred and six children of ages 3 months to 8 years who received one-lung ventilation were enrolled in the study. Upon entering the operating room, regional cerebral oxygen saturation was continuously monitored bilaterally by near-infrared spectroscopy. Patients were divided into low rScO2 (L-rScO2) or high rScO2 (H- rScO2) groups according to whether the lowest intraoperative rScO2 value was 15% lower than the baseline value. Outcome is defined as PPCs occurring within 7 days after surgery. Results: After propensity score matching, 23 pediatric patients with decreased rScO2 and 46 pediatric patients without a decrease in rScO2 were included in this study. According to logistic regression analysis, patients in the H- rScO2 group were less likely to have PPCs than those in the L-rScO2 group (OR = 3.16; 95% CI = 1.05-9.5; P = 0.04). Moreover, intraoperative rScO2 reduction was associated with an increase in the severity of PPCs (OR = 3.90; 95% CI = 1.19-12.80; P = 0.025). Conclusions: The decrease in regional cerebral oxygen saturation during surgery increases the likelihood of postoperative pulmonary complications.

[Research progress on the mechanism of ferroptosis in septic cardiomyopathy].

Sepsis is a serious complication of infection, and its further development may lead to multi-organ dysfunction syndrome. Sepsis cardiomyopathy is a common complication of sepsis and has been directly linked to high mortality. Although the pathogenesis of septic cardiomyopathy is not fully understood, in-depth study of the pathogenesis of septic cardiomyopathy and the identification of its potential therapeutic targets may reduce mortality in patients with sepsis. Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent mode of cell death that has been shown to be involved in the pathophysiological mechanisms of many diseases. Some related studies have reported that ferroptosis may be a potential mechanism of septic cardiomyopathy. This review provides new insights into the mechanisms of mitochondrial dysfunction, lipid peroxidation, xc-system, glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), iron metabolism and the role of ferroptosiswith septic cardiomyopathy for further research and treatment of septic cardiomyopathy.

Effect of bispectral index-guided total intravenous anesthesia in younger children: A prospective, randomized, controlled trial.

Background: BIS-guided total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) is widely used in children, but few studies have attempted to evaluation of the effect of BIS-guided TIVA in younger children. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of bispectral index (BIS) guidance during TIVA in younger children during anesthesia. Methods: This study is a prospective, randomized, single-blind and controlled clinical trial. This study enrolled pediatric patients (aged 1-3 years) who were scheduled for surgery under TIVA with propofol and remifentanil. The children were randomly assigned to the BIS group (group B) and standard clinical practice group (group S). The BIS values in group B were maintained at 45-60. The anesthesiologist controlled the depth of anesthesia in group S according to the variation in the clinical signs of the children. The time of extubation, duration of stay in post-anesthesia care unit (PACU), as well as BIS values, heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), pulse oxygen saturation at eight time points 1 min before induction (T1), 1 min after induction (1 min after the induction drugs were administrated) (T2), immediately after intubation (T3), immediately after skin incision (T4), 30 min after the start of the operation (T5), 60 min after the start of operation (T6), immediately after drug withdrawal (T7), and immediately after extubation (T8), propofol consumption, and postoperative adverse reactions were recorded. Results: There was no significant difference in time to extubation 15(10,21) vs 14 (11,20) and duration of stay in PACU 27 (20,37) vs. 29 (22,39) between the group B and group S. At the time points 30 min after the start of the operation, 60 min after the start of operation and immediately after drug withdrawal, the BIS values in group S were significantly higher than those in group B (57 ± 9, 57 ± 9, 60 ± 8 vs 52 ± 7, 54 ± 7, 57 ± 6). Conclusions: The use of BIS-guided total intravenous anesthesia in younger children does not shorten the time of extubation and the duration of stay in the PACU. Trial registration: Chictr.org.cn identifier: 24/11/2017, ChiCTR-IOR-17013530.

Icaritin, a metabolite of Icarrin, Alleviates non-alcoholic fatty liver disease via inhibition of lipogenesis and ER stress.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is one of the most serious global public health concerns. However, there are currently no effective drugs for treatment of this disease. Icariin (ICA), a small-molecule natural product extracted from Epimedium brevicornu Maxim, offers various pharmacological activities. In the present work, we wondered whether ICA can attenuate NAFLD in db/db mice treated with ICA for 8 weeks and how ICA exerts an influence on NAFLD. In db/db mice, ICA treatment had a robust effect on inhibition of lipogenesis associated with NAFLD amelioration by decreasing liver lipid deposition, together with ameliorating insulin sensitivity, glucose tolerance, and fasting serum glucose. Of note, ICA-treated rats showed a much higher concentration of icaritin (ICT) in plasma, a major metabolite of ICA, about 2000 times higher than that of ICA by liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS). Interestingly, ICT, rather than ICA, can dramatically decrease hepatic lipogenesis-related markers in oleate acid/palmitate acid (OA/PA)-induced steatosis in primary hepatocytes (PH) and HepG2 cells, and hepatic lipid accumulation in db/db mice, demonstrating the inhibitory effect of ICT on lipogenesis. Mechanistically, we found that anti-lipogenic activities of ICT were related to reducing endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress as evidenced by Western blot, qPCR, and other assays in thapsigargin (THP) induced-ER stress models. To our knowledge, this is the first report showing the unexpected and key role for ICT on the prevention of NAFLD in db/db mice through an ER stress mechanism.

Molecular Mechanistic Pathways Targeted by Natural Compounds in the Prevention and Treatment of Diabetic Kidney Disease.

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is one of the most common complications of diabetes, and its prevalence is still growing rapidly. However, the efficient therapies for this kidney disease are still limited. The pathogenesis of DKD involves glucotoxicity, lipotoxicity, inflammation, oxidative stress, and renal fibrosis. Glucotoxicity and lipotoxicity can cause oxidative stress, which can lead to inflammation and aggravate renal fibrosis. In this review, we have focused on in vitro and in vivo experiments to investigate the mechanistic pathways by which natural compounds exert their effects against the progression of DKD. The accumulated and collected data revealed that some natural compounds could regulate inflammation, oxidative stress, renal fibrosis, and activate autophagy, thereby protecting the kidney. The main pathways targeted by these reviewed compounds include the Nrf2 signaling pathway, NF-κB signaling pathway, TGF-ß signaling pathway, NLRP3 inflammasome, autophagy, glycolipid metabolism and ER stress. This review presented an updated overview of the potential benefits of these natural compounds for the prevention and treatment of DKD progression, aimed to provide new potential therapeutic lead compounds and references for the innovative drug development and clinical treatment of DKD.

Component-Effect Relationship between HPLC Fingerprints and Lipid-Lowering Activity of Buyang Huanwu Decoction.

Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BHD) has lipid-lowering and antioxidant effects. In this study, HPLC was used to establish the fingerprint of extracts from different polar parts of BHD. Through the L02 cell lipid deposition model induced by oleic acid, extracts from different polar parts of BHD were administered for treatment. Oil red O staining, TG detection, and MDA detection were used to determine lipid deposition and antioxidant activity. The component-effect relationship is established by using grey relational analysis and PLSR analysis. The results showed that the extracts from different polar parts of BHD could reduce the levels of TG and MDA. The grey relational analysis showed that the peaks that contributed greatly to the reduction of TG and MDA were peaks 3, 16, 14, 10, 1, 15, 2, and 11, respectively. Peaks 1, 4, 9, 10, 14, 16, and 17 could reduce TG and MDA through PLSR analysis. According to the results of grey relational analysis and PLSR analysis, peaks 1, 10, 14, and 16 may have good lipid-lowering and antioxidant effects. This study provides a certain preliminary basis for follow-up research on lipid-lowering drugs.

Urban Low-Rise Residential Areas Provide Preferred Song Post Sites for a Resident Songbird.

Urbanization is expanding rapidly worldwide, and brings additional selection pressure on animals. The song differences between urban and rural songbirds have been widely verified, but the effects of urban morphological variation on long-settled urban birds have been poorly explored. Here, we investigated the distribution and song differences of a common resident songbird-the oriental magpie-robin (Copsychus saularis) between three urban morphology types (i.e., urban park, low-rise residential area, and high-rise residential area). The results indicated that the population density in low-rise residential areas was significantly higher than in urban parks, while it was the lowest in high-rise residential areas. Males in low-rise residential areas had greater song length, syllable numbers, frequency bandwidth, and song diversity than those in urban parks. The song differences were mainly related to habitat types, independent of singing height and perch type. Our findings suggest that low-rise residential areas may provide preferred song post sites for the oriental magpie-robin, which is well-adapted to the low-rise building morphology, but rejects the emerging high-rise buildings. Future studies are needed to assess the effects of urban morphological variation on more resident animals to determine which urban morphologies are conducive to enhancing biodiversity and encouraging animals to settle in urban areas.

Human Trophoblast Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles Facilitate Preeclampsia by Transmitting miR-1273d, miR-4492, and miR-4417 to Target HLA-G.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) can intercellularly transmit a wide range of bioactive molecules, and these cargoes may potentially serve as therapeutic biomarkers for preeclampsia. Herein, the current study aims to elucidate the mechanism underlying the human trophoblast cell-derived EV-mediated miRNA-mRNA network that could potentially influence the development of preeclampsia based on microarray datasets from publicly available GEO databases. Preeclampsia-related genes were retrieved from the GeneCards and CTD databases, which were then subjected to GO and KEGG enrichment analyses in an effort to identify key pathways in preeclampsia. The obtained results suggested an important role of the immune- and inflammation-related pathways in preeclampsia. Infiltration proportion of 22 immune cells was subsequently analyzed using the CIBERSORT algorithm. Placental tissues of patients with preeclampsia presented with increased proportion of resting NK cells and resting dendritic cells, while there was a reduction in the proportion of activated NK cells. Differentially expressed mRNAs were additionally predicted in the preeclampsia-related datasets retrieved from the GEO database, and then intersected with preeclampsia-related genes to identify the key genes. HLA-G was indicated as a key target gene in the development of preeclampsia and further associated with hypoxia, immune, and inflammatory pathways. The upstream microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) of the key genes were further predicted and intersected with differentially expressed miRNAs in the human trophoblast cell-derived EV-related datasets from the GEO database to obtain the key miRNAs. EVs secreted by human trophoblast cells under hypoxic conditions were associated with 3 key upstream miRNAs of HLA-G, namely miR-1273d, miR-4492, and miR-4417, which might be implicated in the development of preeclampsia via targeting of HLA-G. Collectively, our findings highlighted that EVs secreted by human trophoblast cells under hypoxic conditions transferred miR-1273d, miR-4492, and miR-4417, all of which targeted HLA-G, thus orchestrating immune- and inflammation-related pathways and consequently promoting the development of preeclampsia.

Transcriptome Analysis Revealed a Positive Role of Ethephon on Chlorophyll Metabolism of Zoysia japonica under Cold Stress.

Zoysia japonica is a warm-season turfgrass with a good tolerance and minimal maintenance requirements. However, its use in Northern China is limited due to massive chlorophyll loss in early fall, which is the main factor affecting its distribution and utilization. Although ethephon treatment at specific concentrations has reportedly improved stress tolerance and extended the green period in turfgrass, the potential mechanisms underlying this effect are not clear. In this study, we evaluated and analyzed chlorophyll changes in the physiology and transcriptome of Z. japonica plants in response to cold stress (4 °C) with and without ethephon pretreatment. Based on the transcriptome and chlorophyll content analysis, ethephon pretreatment increased the leaf chlorophyll content under cold stress by affecting two processes: the stimulation of chlorophyll synthesis by upregulating ZjMgCH2 and ZjMgCH3 expression; and the suppression of chlorophyll degradation by downregulating ZjPAO, ZjRCCR, and ZjSGR expression. Furthermore, ethephon pretreatment increased the ratio of chlorophyll a to chlorophyll b in the leaves under cold stress, most likely by suppressing the conversion of chlorophyll a to chlorophyll b due to decreased chlorophyll b synthesis via downregulation of ZjCAO. Additionally, the inhibition of chlorophyll b synthesis may result in energy redistribution between photosystem II and photosystem I.