Oral administration of Clostridium butyricum CGMCC0313-1 reduces ovalbumin-induced allergic airway inflammation in mice.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Probiotic bacteria can induce immune regulation or immune tolerance in patients with allergic diseases, but the underlying mechanisms are still unclear. There has been a growing interest in the use of beneficial bacteria for allergic diseases recently. This study aimed at exploring whether Clostridium butyricum CGMCC0313-1 (C. butyricum) can reduce ovalbumin (OVA)-induced allergic airway inflammation in a mouse model. METHODS: Mouse model of allergic airway inflammation induced via OVA was used in this study. C. butyricum was administered daily by the oral route during or after the sensitization. Airway function, pulmonary airway inflammation, mast cell degranulation, T helper (Th)-specific and anti-inflammatory cytokines, OVA-specific Ig, matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) and histopathological alterations were examined. RESULTS: C. butyricum significantly reduced lung resistance in the asthmatic mice. Pulmonary airway inflammation, mast cell degranulation, airway remodelling and the expression of OVA-specific IgE/G1 were suppressed by oral C. butyricum. It also reversed the imbalance of Th1/Th2 and increased the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. CONCLUSION: C. butyricum reduces OVA-induced allergic airway inflammation in mice and might be an additional or supplementary therapy for allergic asthma.

The efficiency of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in colon cancer with mismatch repair deficiency.

Colon cancers with mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR) have specific clinicopathologic characteristics compared with mismatch repair proficiency (pMMR); however, the effect of MMR status on the efficiency of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NCT) remains unclear. In our study, 439 dMMR and 26 pMMR colon cancer patients with or without NCT from 2010 to 2017 were retrospectively collected. Clinicopathological features, treatment response, and survival were compared between different groups. In the dMMR group, patients with NCT were likely to have higher CEA (abnormal CEA: 51.6% vs. 17.4%, p < 0.001), more multiorgan resection (38.7% vs. 16.8%, p = 0.006), and larger postoperative tumor diameter (7.26 vs. 6.21, p = 0.033) than those without NCT, but nearly half of cT4b patients who had NCT (42.9%, 9/21) avoid multiorgan resection. pT4 stage (HR, 14.97; 95% CI, 1.88-118.92; p = 0.010), number of positive lymph nodes (HR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.09-1.26; p < 0.001), and tumor deposit (HR, 6.73; 95% CI, 2.08-21.74; p = 0.001) were independent prognosis factors of disease-free survival (DFS). For the advanced tumor subset, there is no significant difference between patients with or without NCT for OS (p = 0.13) and DFS (p = 0.11), although the survival rate of NCT was higher than non-NCT patients. Moreover, tumor regression grade was similar between dMMR and pMMR patients who had NCT. This study showed that NCT was more likely to be employed in dMMR patients with advanced tumors and may reduce the rate of multiorgan resection for cT4b dMMR patients. More large-scaled researches are needed to further explore if MMR status could predict the efficacy of neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with colon cancer.

The influence of stigma and disability acceptance on psychosocial adaptation in patients with stoma: A multicenter cross-sectional study.

Background: The stoma can cause serious physical and psychological distress to the patient, leading to an inability to live a normal life; although it effectively improves the 5-year survival rate of patients. Objective: The purpose of this study is to explore the status of stigma and disability acceptance of patients with stoma and their influences on psychosocial adaptation. Design: A multicenter cross-sectional study. Methods: A total of 259 patients with stoma in 6 hospitals from southeast China were enrolled. And this research adhered to the STROBE guideline and approved by the Ethics Committee of Fu Jian Provincial Hospital. The ostomy adjustment inventory-20、acceptance of disability scale and social impact scale were used to collect data. The hypothetical path model was tested using the SPSS version 22.0 software and AMOS version 26.0 software. Results: Stigma, disability acceptance and psychosocial adaptation was associated. The sense of stigma was severe (72.76 ± 12.73), the acceptance of disability was medium (179.24 ± 32.29) and the psychosocial adaptation was poor (38.06 ± 8.76). Also, the hypothesis model of this study fitted the data well (AGFI = 0.967>0.08; χ 2/df = 1.723, p = 0.08 > 0.05), and the results showed that disability acceptance positively affected psychosocial adaptation; while stigma negatively affected psychosocial adaptation, and disability acceptance mediated between stigma and psychosocial adaptation (p < 0.01). Conclusion: The stigma and disability acceptance of patients with stoma are serious problems that are closely related to their psychosocial adaptation. Medical staff should take some interventions based on different paths to reduce stoma patients' stigma and guide them to improve disability acceptance, thus to improve the level of psychosocial adaptation of patients with stoma.

[Quantified research of measuring postural balance by posturography using inclinometer technique in normal subjects].

OBJECTIVE: To measure the normal values of a new type of posturography using inclinometer technique. METHODS: A total of 98 normal persons, including 48 males and 50 females, aged 20 - 59, were measured. The messages of postural average sway angular velocity and the angle of deflection were recorded by an inclined sensor fixed at the waist. Four tests were conducted in opening and closing eyes respectively: standing upright, walking forward, walking forward and backward repeatedly and walking at original site. The subjects were grouped by age and gender. Group A, aged 20-39, had 54 persons. Group B, aged 40-59, had 44 persons. The statistical significance was analyzed by T test. RESULTS: The swaying extent in closing eyes was wider than that in opening eyes. The average sway angular velocities (degree/S, positive value: right and forward, negative value: left and backward) of male patients in the four tests in opening and closing eyes respectively were: 0.99, -0.35, 0.03, 0.02, 1.08, -0.36, 0.10, 0.02. Those of female patients were respectively: 1.04, -0.36, -0.01, 0.01, 1.22, -0.37, 0.04, 0.06. And those of patients in group A and B were respectively: 1.01, 0.41, -0.01, -0.01, 1.10, 0.26, -0.03, 0.03 and 1.02, -0.76, 0.03, 0.04, 1.20, -0.99, 0.17, 0.05. There was no statistical significance grouped by age and gender. CONCLUSION: The normal reference values are provided here. There is no difference between males and females. It may be applicable in all subjects of 20 - 59 yr. This instrument can quantify the results of walking test so as to evaluate the balance function of vestibo-spinal system more accurately.

Polysaccharide of Balanophora involucrata Hook. f. attenuates cell ferroptosis in rats with experimental liver injury through SLC7A11/GPX4 pathway / 药学学报

Polysaccharide of Balanophora involucrata Hook. f. (BPS), the major component of Balanophora involucrata Hook. f., was confirmed the protective effect on liver injury in our previous study. This research aimed to investigate the protective mechanism of BPS on experimental liver injury by attenuating cell ferroptosis through modulating solute carrier family 7 member 11/glutathione peroxidase 4 (SLC7A11/GPX4) pathway. The animal experiment was approved by the Experimental Animal Ethical Committee of Hubei Minzu University and all rats had received human care in compliance with the institutional animal care guidelines. Rats were given intraperitoneal injection of (D-galactosamine, D-GalN) solution (800 mg·kg-1) one time to establish the acute liver injury model. The results showed aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) levels in serum were decreased, and the contents of reactive oxygen species (ROS), Fe2+, malondialdehyde (MDA) and lipid peroxide (LPO) in liver tissues also decreased and glutathione (GSH) level increased after BPS administration with 200 mg·kg-1. Besides, BPS reduced iron deposition and increased the expression of SLC7A11 and GPX4 proteins in liver tissue. In conclusion, BPS ameliorated experimental liver injury by alleviating cell ferroptosis through SLC7A11/GPX4 pathway. The present study pointed to the possibility of utilizing BPS for protection against liver injury in clinic.

Effects of ethanolic extracts of Euonymus alatus on CCl / 中国药理学通报

Aim To explore the mechanism of ethanolic extracts of euonymus alatus on CCl4-induced hepatic fibrosis in mice by regulating JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway. Methods Sixty C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into control group,model group,EAL,EAM),EAH,and Silybin(n=10). Except for the control group,mice in other groups were injected with 25% CCl4 of 1.6 mL·kg

Effect of Gupi Xiaoji Decoction on mitochondrial structure and function of human hepatoma cell line HepG2 / 中国药理学通报

Aim To observe the effect of Gupi Xiaoji Decoction (GPXJY) on the structure and function of mitochondria of human hepatoma cell HepG2 cells and explore its possible mechanism. Methods CCK8 was used to detect cell proliferation, Mito-Tracker Green fluorescence staining was used to observe the mitochondrial structure, flow cytometry was used to detect the membrane potential, Elisa was used to detect the ATP content, fluoroscopic electron microscopy was used to observe the microstructure changes, and high-content screening(HCS) was used to detect the related proteins. Results Fluorescence staining showed that GPXJY damaged the mitochondria of HepG2 cells and decreased the content of ATP. The results of flow cytometry showed that GPXJY could reduce the mitochondrial membrane potential of HepG2 cells. The results of electron microscope showed that GPXJY made the mitochondria of cancer cells swell and so on. HCS found that GPXJY significantly reduced the average fluorescence intensity of Bcl-2 in HepG2 cells, and significantly increased the average fluorescence intensity of apoptosis promoting proteins Bax, cytochrome-c, caspase-3 and cleaved-caspase-3, which was statistically significant. Conclusion GPXJY can regulate the structure and function of mitochondria in HepG2 cells.

Improving Blood Monocyte Energy Metabolism Enhances Its Ability to Phagocytose Amyloid-β and Prevents Alzheimer's Disease-Type Pathology and Cognitive Deficits / 神经科学通报·英文版

Deficiencies in the clearance of peripheral amyloid β (Aβ) play a crucial role in the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Previous studies have shown that the ability of blood monocytes to phagocytose Aβ is decreased in AD. However, the exact mechanism of Aβ clearance dysfunction in AD monocytes remains unclear. In the present study, we found that blood monocytes in AD mice exhibited decreases in energy metabolism, which was accompanied by cellular senescence, a senescence-associated secretory phenotype, and dysfunctional phagocytosis of Aβ. Improving energy metabolism rejuvenated monocytes and enhanced their ability to phagocytose Aβ in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, enhancing blood monocyte Aβ phagocytosis by improving energy metabolism alleviated brain Aβ deposition and neuroinflammation and eventually improved cognitive function in AD mice. This study reveals a new mechanism of impaired Aβ phagocytosis in monocytes and provides evidence that restoring their energy metabolism may be a novel therapeutic strategy for AD.

Elevated Levels of Naturally-Occurring Autoantibodies Against the Extracellular Domain of p75NTR Aggravate the Pathology of Alzheimer's Disease / 神经科学通报·英文版

The extracellular domain (p75ECD) of p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) antagonizes Aβ neurotoxicity and promotes Aβ clearance in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The impaired shedding of p75ECD is a key pathological process in AD, but its regulatory mechanism is largely unknown. This study was designed to investigate the presence and alterations of naturally-occurring autoantibodies against p75ECD (p75ECD-NAbs) in AD patients and their effects on AD pathology. We found that the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) level of p75ECD-NAbs was increased in AD, and negatively associated with the CSF levels of p75ECD. Transgenic AD mice actively immunized with p75ECD showed a lower level of p75ECD and more severe AD pathology in the brain, as well as worse cognitive functions than the control groups, which were immunized with Re-p75ECD (the reverse sequence of p75ECD) and phosphate-buffered saline, respectively. These findings demonstrate the impact of p75ECD-NAbs on p75NTR/p75ECD imbalance, providing a novel insight into the role of autoimmunity and p75NTR in AD.

Research progress of protein post-translational modification in hepatocellular carcinoma / 中国药理学通报

Liver cancer has the characteristics of high incidence rate, high malignancy and hidden disease.At present, the treat¬ment of liver cancer mainly includes surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, but the prognosis is poor.Therefore, it is very important to explore the pathogenesis of liver cancer and find ef¬fective drugs on this basis.Protein post-translational modifica¬tion is a hot topic in epigenetics.Recent studies have found that the occurrence and development of liver cancer is related to the abnormality of post-translational modification, and can be used as a target for the diagnosis and treatment of liver cancer.This article reviews the relationship between the major protein post- translational modifications discovered in recent years and liver cancer, and provides clues for the diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of liver cancer.

Data Mining and Systems Pharmacology to Elucidate Effectiveness and Mechanisms of Chinese Medicine in Treating Primary Liver Cancer / 中国结合医学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To identify specific Chinese medicines (CM) that may benefit patients with primary liver cancer (PLC), and to explore the mechanism of action of these medicines.@*METHODS@#In this retrospective, singlecenter study, prescription information from PLC patients was used in combination with Traditional Chinese Medicine Inheritance Supports System to identify the specific core drugs. A system pharmacology approach was employed to explore the mechanism of action of these medicines.@*RESULTS@#Taking CM more than 6 months was significantly associated with improved survival outcomes. In total, 77 putative targets and 116 bioactive ingredients of the core drugs were identified and included in the analysis (P<0.05). A total of 1,036 gene ontology terms were found to be enriched in PLC. A total of 75 pathways identified from Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes were also enriched in this disease, including fluid shear stress, interleukin-17 signaling, signaling between advanced glycan end products and their receptors, cellular senescence, tumor necrosis factor signaling, p53 signaling, cell cycle signaling, steroid hormone biosynthesis, T-helper 17 cell differentiation, and metabolism of xenobiotics by cytochrome. Docking studies suggested that the ingredients in the core drugs exert therapeutic effects in PLC by modulating c-Jun and interleukin-6.@*CONCLUSIONS@#Receiving CM for 6 months or more improves survival for the patients with PLC. The core drugs that really benefit for PLC patients likely regulates the tumor microenvironment and tumor itself.

Polydatin improves intestinal barrier injury after traumatic brain injury in rats by reducing oxidative stress and inflammatory response via activating SIRT1-mediated deacetylation of SOD2 and HMGB1 / 南方医科大学学报

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate the protective effect against intestinal mucosal injury in rats following traumatic brain injury (TBI) and explore the underlying mechanism.@*METHODS@#SD rat models of TBI were established by fluid percussion injury (FPI), and the specimens were collected at 12, 24, 48, and 72 h after TBI. Another 15 rats were randomly divided into shamoperated group (n=5), TBI with saline treatment (TBI+NS) group (n=5), and TBI with PD treatment (TBI+PD) group (treated with 30 mg/kg PD after TBI; n=5). Body weight gain and fecal water content of the rats were recorded, and after the treatments, the histopathology of the jejunum was observed, and the levels of D-lactic acid (D-LAC), diamine oxidase (DAO), ZO-1, claudin-5, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were detected. Lipid peroxide (LPO) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) 2 content, jejunal pro-inflammatory factors (IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF- α), Sirt1 activity, SOD2 and HMGB1 acetylation level were also determined after the treatments.@*RESULTS@#The rats showed significantly decreased body weight and fecal water content and progressively increased serum levels of D-LAC and DAO after TBI (P < 0.05) with obvious jejunal injury, significantly decreased expression levels of ZO-1 and claudin-5, lowered SOD2 and Sirt1 activity (P < 0.05), increased expression levels of LPO, ROS, and pro-inflammatory cytokines, and enhanced SOD2 and HMGB1 acetylation levels (P < 0.05). Compared with TBI+NS group, the rats in TBI+PD group showed obvious body weight regain, increased fecal water content, reduced jejunal pathologies, decreased D-LAC and DAO levels (P < 0.05), increased ZO-1, claudin-5, SOD2 expression levels and Sirt1 activity, and significantly decreased ROS, LPO, pro-inflammatory cytokines, and acetylation levels of SOD2 and HMGB1 (P < 0.05).@*CONCLUSION@#PD alleviates oxidative stress and inflammatory response by activating Sirt1-mediated deacetylation of SOD2 and HMGB1 to improve intestinal mucosal injury in TBI rats.

Effect of Gupi Xiaoji Decoction on Pyroptosis of HepG2.2.15 Cells Based on Network Pharmacology and Molecular Docking / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo screen the active antitumor components of Gupi Xiaoji decoction by network pharmacology and molecular docking based on the pyroptosis mediated by cysteinyl aspartate-specific protease 1 （Caspase-1） and explore its molecular mechanism in intervening in the pyroptosis of HepG2.2.15 cells through in vitro experiments. MethodThe compounds and targets of Gupi Xiaoji decoction were screened out by Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform（TCMSP） to obtain the corresponding gene symbols. The targets of Caspase-1 were collected from GeneCards，online mendelian inheritance in man（OMIM），PharmGKB，and TTD，and the compound-gene target regulatory network was constructed by Cytoscape. The protein-protein interaction（PPI） network was established and analyzed by STRING. The mechanism of the effective components of Gupi Xiaoji decoction on Caspase-1 was predicted by gene ontology（GO） functional enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes（KEGG） pathway enrichment analyses. The molecular docking was verified with AutoDock Vina. The plasma medicated with Gupi Xiaoji Decoction was prepared and HepG2.2.15 cells were cultured in vitro. HepG2.2.15 cells were divided into a blank plasma group，a VX-765 group，a VX-765+medicated plasma group， and a medicated plasma group. After 48 hours of intervention with 15% medicated plasma， the expression and distribution of gasdermin D-N （GSDMD-N） on the surface of the cell membrane were detected by immunofluorescence staining. The release of lactic dehydrogenase （LDH）， interleukin（IL）-1β，and IL-18 in the cell supernatant was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA） kits. The expression of Caspase-1 and GSDMD-N was measured by Western blot. ResultThe mitogen-activated protein kinase 14 （MAPK14），MAPK1，protein kinase B1 （Akt1）， MAPK8， V-Jun sarcoma virus oncogene homolog （JUN）， and TP53 screened by network pharmacology were the main targets. The compounds 7-hydroxy-5，8-dimethoxy-2-phenyl-chromone，wogonin，rhamnazin，moslosooflavone，isorhamnetin，7-O-methylisomucronulatol，formononetin，calycosin，luteolin，quercetin，kaempferol，β-sitosterol，and baicalein screened by network pharmacology were the main active components of Gupi Xiaoji decoction. Go enrichment analysis showed that multiple biological processes were involved， including responses to oxidative stress and metal ions，ubiquitin-like protein ligase binding，and phosphatase binding. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed MAPK pathway，nuclear factor（NF）-κB pathway，p53 pathway， and hypoxia-inducible factor-1（HIF-1） pathway were involved. Molecular docking showed that the targets had good binding with the components. In vitro experiments displayed that compared with the blank plasma group，the VX-765 group showed weakened GSDMD-N fluorescence signal，reduced release of LDH，IL-1β，and IL-18，and declining expression of Caspase-1 and GSDMD-N（P<0.01）， and the medicated plasma group showed increased GSDMD-N fluorescence signal， increased release of LDH，IL-1β，and IL-18，and up-regulated expression of Caspase-1 and GSDMD-N（P<0.01）. ConclusionGupi Xiaoji Decoction can induce the pyroptosis of HepG2.2.15 cells by regulating Caspase-1 through multiple targets and multiple pathways.

Polysaccharide Krestin Prevents Alzheimer's Disease-type Pathology and Cognitive Deficits by Enhancing Monocyte Amyloid-β Processing / 神经科学通报·英文版

Deficits in the clearance of amyloid β protein (Aβ) by the peripheral system play a critical role in the pathogenesis of sporadic Alzheimer's disease (AD). Impaired uptake of Aβ by dysfunctional monocytes is deemed to be one of the major mechanisms underlying deficient peripheral Aβ clearance in AD. In the current study, flow cytometry and biochemical and behavioral techniques were applied to investigate the effects of polysaccharide krestin (PSK) on AD-related pathology in vitro and in vivo. We found that PSK, widely used in therapy for various cancers, has the potential to enhance Aβ uptake and intracellular processing by human monocytes in vitro. After administration of PSK by intraperitoneal injection, APP/PS1 mice performed better in behavioral tests, along with reduced Aβ deposition, neuroinflammation, neuronal loss, and tau hyperphosphorylation. These results suggest that PSK holds promise as a preventive agent for AD by strengthening the Aβ clearance by blood monocytes and alleviating AD-like pathology.

Phenotypes and ATP7B gene variants in 316 children with Wilson disease / 中华儿科杂志

Objectives: To summarize the clinical phenotypes and the variation spectrum of ATP7B gene in Chinese children with Wilson's disease (WD) and to investigate their significance for early diagnosis. Methods: Retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 316 children diagnosed as WD in Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center during the period from January 2010 to June 2021. The general situations, clinical manifestations, lab test results, imaging examinations, and ATP7B gene variant characteristics were collected. The patients were divided into asymptomatic WD group and symptomatic WD group based on the presence or absence of clinical symptoms at the time that WD diagnosis was made. The χ2 test, t test or Mann-Whitney U test were used to compare the differences between groups. Results: Among the 316 children with WD, 199 were males and 117 were females, with the age of 5.4 (4.0, 7.6) years at diagnosis; 261 cases (82.6%) were asymptomatic with the age of 4.9 (3.9, 6.4) years; whereas 55 cases (17.4%) were symptomatic with the age of 9.6 (7.3, 12.0) years. The main symptoms invloved liver, kidney, nervous system, or skin damage. Of all the patients, 95.9% (303/316) had abnormal liver function at diagnosis; 98.1% (310/316) had the serum ceruloplasmin lever lower than 200 mg/L; 97.7% (302/309) had 24-hour urine copper content exceeding 40 μg; only 7.4% (23/310) had positive corneal K-F rings, 8.2% (23/281) had abnormal MRI signals in the lenticular nucleus, and all of them had symptoms of damage in liver, kidney or nervous system. Compared with the group of symptomatic WD, asymptomatic group had higher levels of serum alanine aminotransferase and lower levels ceruloplasmin and 24-hour urine copper [(208±137) vs. (72±78) U/L, (55±47) vs. (69±48) mg/L, 103 (72, 153) vs. 492 (230, 1 432) μg; t=9.98, -1.98, Z=-4.89, all P<0.001]. Among the 314 patients completing genetic sequencing, a total of 107 mutations in ATP7B gene were detected, of which 10 are novel variants, and 3 cases (1.0%) had large heterozygous deletion (exons 10 to exon 11) in ATP7B gene. The percentage of missense mutation in asymptomatic WD children was significantly higher than that in symptomatic WD (81.5% (422/518) vs. 69.1% (76/110), χ²=8.47, P<0.05). WD patients carrying homozygous variant of c.2 333G>T had significantly low levels of ceruloplasmin than those not carrying this variant ((23±5) vs. (61±48) mg/L, t=-2.34, P<0.001). Conclusions: The elevation of serum ALT is an important clue for early diagnosis of WD in children, while serum ceruloplasmin and 24-hour urine copper content are specific markers for early diagnosis of WD. In order to confirm the diagnosis of WD, it is necessary to combine the Sanger sequencing with multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification or other testing technologies.

In vitro culture and purification of Schwann cells: A systematic review / 中国组织工程研究

OBJECTIVE: Schwann cells can promote the regeneration of damaged peripheral nerves and serve as seed cells in the engineering repair of peripheral nerve tissue. The effective culture and purification of Schwann cells are the basis of clinical treatment for peripheral nerve injury. This paper summarized the literature of culture of Schwann cells in vitro in recent ten years and made a descriptive review on the research progress of Schwann cell culture and purification, in order to provide references for culture of Schwann cells in vitro. METHODS: Literature related to Schwann cell isolation, culture and purification was retrieved from PubMed, Web of Science, Medline databases, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP and other databases. The keywords included “Schwann cells; isolation; culture; purification”. All the papers obtained from the search were read, analyzed and judged, and finally 62 papers meeting the standards were included. RESULTS: The classical methods of Schwann cell culture include tissue block culture and enzyme digestion. Purification methods include mitosis resistance, immune selection, specific adhesion, pre degeneration, cold jet, differential adherent, laminin package, low serum, stimulating factor, fluorescence activated cell sorting or magnetic activated cell sorting, immunopanning, and extracorporeal shock wave treatment. CONCLUSION: Schwann cells can be cultured and purified in various ways in vitro, and each method has its advantages and disadvantages. How to obtain high-purity Schwann cells quickly and efficiently is still a challenge. Multiple methods can be combined for purification and affective factors can be controlled for Schwann cell proliferation as much as possible.

Effect of Shugan Jianpi Jiedu Prescription Medicated Serum on Proliferation， Migration and Invasion of Triple-negative Breast Cancer MDA-MB-231 Cells Based on PI3K/Akt/mTOR Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To study the efficacy and mechanism of Shugan Jianpi Jiedu prescription （SJJ） in the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer through <italic>in vitro</italic> cell experiments. Method:The following groups were set up in this study： a normal serum group，a pirarubicin group，and low-，medium-， and high-dose SJJ-medicated serum groups. Twenty SD rats were randomly divided into four groups and administered with SJJ solution （16.8，8.2，4.05 g·kg^-1） and normal saline （equal volume） according to the body surface area to prepare serum. MDA-MB-231 cells were treated separately. The proliferation， migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells were detected by the cell counting kit-8（CCK-8），wound healing assay and transwell cell invasion assay. The phosphoinositide 3-kinase （PI3K），protein kinase B （Akt）， and mechanistic target of rapamycin （mTOR） protein expression levels in MDA-MB-231 cells were tested by the Western blot. Result:The cell proliferation in the three different doses of medicated serum groups and the pirarubicin positive control group was significantly inhibited as compared with that in the normal serum group（<italic>P</italic><0.01），and there was no statistical difference for this between the medium/high dose medicated serum group and the pirarubicin positive control group.The wound healing in the SJJ-medicated serum groups and the pirarubicin group was slowed down as compared with that in the normal serum group （<italic>P</italic><0.01），and the effect in the SJJ-medicated serum groups was weaker than that in the pirarubicin group （<italic>P</italic><0.05，<italic>P</italic><0.01）. The number of cells invading the lower transwell chamber was decreased as compared with that in the normal serum group （<italic>P</italic><0.01），and there was no statistical difference between the medium-/high-dose SJJ-medicated serum groups and the pirarubicin group. Western blot results showed that 48 h after treatment，the PI3K，Akt， and mTOR expression levels in the cells of SJJ-medicated serum groups and the pirarubicin group were lower than those of the normal serum group（<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Conclusion:The SJJ-medicated serum could inhibit the proliferation， migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells presumedly by down-regulating the protein expression levels in the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.

Early developmental bisphenol-A exposure sex-independently impairs spatial memory by remodeling hippocampal dendritic architecture and synaptic transmission in rats.

Bisphenol-A (BPA, 4, 4'-isopropylidene-2-diphenol), a synthetic xenoestrogen that widely used in the production of polycarbonate plastics, has been reported to impair hippocampal development and function. Our previous study has shown that BPA exposure impairs Sprague-Dawley (SD) male hippocampal dendritic spine outgrowth. In this study, the sex-effect of chronic BPA exposure on spatial memory in SD male and female rats and the related synaptic mechanism were further investigated. We found that chronic BPA exposure impaired spatial memory in both SD male and female rats, suggesting a dysfunction of hippocampus without gender-specific effect. Further investigation indicated that BPA exposure causes significant impairment of dendrite and spine structure, manifested as decreased dendritic complexity, dendritic spine density and percentage of mushroom shaped spines in hippocampal CA1 and dentate gyrus (DG) neurons. Furthermore, a significant reduction in Arc expression was detected upon BPA exposure. Strikingly, BPA exposure significantly increased the mIPSC amplitude without altering the mEPSC amplitude or frequency, accompanied by increased GABAARß2/3 on postsynaptic membrane in cultured CA1 neurons. In summary, our study indicated that Arc, together with the increased surface GABAARß2/3, contributed to BPA induced spatial memory deficits, providing a novel molecular basis for BPA achieved brain impairment.

Effect of Shenwei Ningyu Pills on Immunoinflammatory Response Mediated by TLR4/MyD88 Signaling Pathway in Hippocampus of Rats Exposed to Chronic Restraint Stress / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To explore the effects of Shenwei Ningyu pills （SNP）， a new Chinese medicine for depression， on the immunoinflammatory response mediated by Toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4）/myeloid differentiation factor 88 （MyD88） signaling pathway in the hippocampus of rats exposed to chronic restraint stress （CRS）. Method:Forty-four male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly enrolled into a normal group， a model group， an escitalopram group， and an SNP group. Except for the rats in the normal group， all rats were exposed to CRS and isolated rearing for 21 days continuously. Rats in the escitalopram group and the SNP group were administered with escitalopram （30 mg·kg^-1） and SNP （18 mg·kg^-1） one hour prior to CRS， respectively. The changes in body weight， sucrose preference index， horizontal movement scores， and vertical movement scores were observed by body weight assessment， sucrose preference test， and open field test. The expression of hippocampal TLR4 and MyD88 was detected by Western blot. The content of serum interleukin-1<italic>β</italic> （IL-1<italic>β</italic>）， IL-10， and tumor necrosis factor-<italic>α</italic> （TNF-<italic>α</italic>） was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Result:The results of the behavioral assessment showed that there was no significant difference in the changes of behavioral baselines among the groups before intervention. However， significant differences were found among the groups following different interventions. The body weight， sugar preference index， horizontal movement score， and vertical movement score of rats in the model group decreased after CRS for 21 days as compared with those in the normal group （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. The above indicators in the SNP<italic> </italic>group and the escitalopram group were higher than those in the model group （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， which indicated that SNP<italic> </italic>exerted an obvious antidepressant effect. The results of Western blot and ELISA showed that compared with the normal group， the model group showed elevated levels of hippocampal TLR4 and MyD88 and serum IL-1<italic>β</italic> and TNF-<italic>α </italic>（<italic>P</italic>˂0.01） and dwindled serum IL-10 （<italic>P</italic>˂0.01）， while SNP<italic> </italic>and escitalopram reversed the conditions in the model group （<italic>P</italic>˂0.01） except for TNF-<italic>α</italic>. Conclusion:The present study indicated that the antidepressant effect of SNP was presumedly achieved by inhibiting the immunoinflammatory response mediated by the TLR4/Myd88 signaling pathway in CRS rats.

Effect of Betulic Acid on RAGE/NF-κB/iNOS Signaling Pathway Expression in Steatosis Cell / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective::To investigate the effect of betulic acid(BA) on steatosis LO2 cells. Method::LO2 cells were intervened with BA at different gradient concentrations (0, 10, 20, 40, 80, 160, 250 μmol·L-1) for 24 hours. methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium(MTT) staining was used to observed cell viability to determine the final concentration of BA. The cells were divided into control, model, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) and BA groups, as well as BA groups intervened with low, middle and high concentrations. First, model, DMSO and BA group's cells were cultured in 10% Lipid Mix 1 medium for 24 hours to establish a nonalcoholic fatty liver model. Then, DMSO group and low, medium and high-concentration groups were separately cultured with 0.1%DMSO medium and 20, 40, 80 μmol·L-1 BA medium for 24 hours. And control and model groups were cultured in drug-free medium for 24 hours. Oil red O staining and Nile red staining were used to observe the intracellular lipid droplets. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the protein expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). Western blot was used to detect the protein expression levels of receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE), nuclear factor κB p65 (NF-κB p55) and iNOS. Result::BA within the concentration of 80 μmol·L-1 had no significant toxicity on LO2 cells. Compared with control group, the intracellular lipid droplets were significantly increased in the model group, and the expressions of oxidative stress-related proteins RAGE, NF-κB p65 and iNOS also increased significantly(P<0.05). Compared with model group, the intracellular lipid droplets in DMSO group were similar to those in model group, with no significant difference in the three protein expressions between the two groups. However, the intracellular lipid droplets deposition in the BA group was significantly decreased. And the expressions of RAGE, NF-κB p65 and iNOS proteins in high-concentration BA group were significantly decreased(P<0.05, P<0.01). Conclusion::BA can significantly improve the intracellular fat deposition in LO2 cells, which was probably related to the inhibition of the expressions of oxidative stress-related proteins RAGE, NF-κB p65 and iNOS.