Studyon effective rate,vas score,hss score and tnf-α index level of the application of arthroscopic me-niscus in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis / 现代医院

Objective To analyze the effects of arthroscopic meniscus treatment on knee osteoarthritis on the effective rate,VAS score,HSS score and TNF-α level.Methods We selected 86 patients with knee osteoarthritis caused by meniscus injury who were treated in our hospital from June 2019 to May 2020 as the research subjects.The treatment method was selected according to the patient's wishes,with 43 patients who chose conventional conservative treatment included in the control group and 43 patients who chose arthroscopic meniscus therapy included in the study group.The treatment effectiveness,visual ana-logue scale(VAS)score,HSS knee joint score and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)index levels were compared between the two groups of patients.Results The effective rate of treatment in the study group was significantly higher than that in the control group(P＜0.05);there was no significant difference between the study group and the control group in the VAS score,HSS score,and TNF-α level before treatment(P＞0.05).After treatment,the VAS score,HSS score and TNF-α level of the group were improved.The VAS score and TNF-α level of the study group after treatment were lower than those of the control group(P＜0.05),and the HSS score was higher than the control group.Group(P＜0.05).Conclusion The arthroscopic meniscus treatment for patients with knee osteoarthritis has a significant effect,which can effectively reduce the pain and inflammation of the patients and improve the function of the knee joint.

Evidence for a pro-inflammatory state of macrophages from non-obese type-2 diabetic Goto-Kakizaki rats

Obesity causes insulin resistance (IR) through systemic low-grade inflammation and can lead to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). However, the mechanisms that cause IR and T2DM in non-obese individuals are unclear. The Goto-Kakizaki (GK) rat develops IR spontaneously and is a model of non-obese T2DM. These rats exhibit hyperglycemia beginning at weaning and exhibit lower body mass than control Wistar rats. Herein, we tested the hypothesis that macrophages of GK rats are permanently in a pro-inflammatory state, which may be associated with a systemic inflammation condition that mimics the pathogenesis of obesity-induced T2DM. Using eighteenweek-old GK and control Wistar rats, we investigated the proportions of M1 (pro-inflammatory) and M2 (anti-inflammatory) macrophages isolated from the peritoneal cavity. Additionally, the production of inflammatory cytokines and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cultured macrophages under basal and stimulated conditions was assessed. It was found that phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) stimulation increased GK rat macrophage ROS production 90-fold compared to basal levels. This response was also three times more pronounced than in control cells (36-fold). The production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), tended to be upregulated in cultured macrophages from GK rats under basal conditions. Macrophages from GK rats produced 1.6 times more granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), 1.5 times more monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and 3.3 times more TNF-α than control cells when stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (p = 0.0033; p = 0.049; p = 0.002, respectively). Moreover, compared to control cells, GK rats had 60% more M1 (p = 0.0008) and 23% less M2 (p = 0.038) macrophages. This study is the first to report macrophage inflammatory reprogramming towards a pro-inflammatory state in GK rats.

Quality evaluation of Chinese and global guidelines/consensus for TDM of anti-TNF-α agents in patients with inflammatory bowel disease / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the quality of guidelines/consensus on therapeutic drug monitoring （TDM） of anti-tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） in patients with inflammatory bowel disease （IBD） in China and globally. METHODS PubMed， Embase， CNKI， Wanfang data， VIP， and release websites of guidelines/consensus in China and globally were searched to collect guidelines/expert consensus on TDM with anti-TNF-α for IBD patients. The search period was from database establishment to June 2023. After two investigators independently screened the literature and extracted the data， the methodological quality of the included guidelines/consensuses was evaluated using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation Ⅱ. The main recommendations of the included guidelines/consensuses were summarized. RESULTS A total of 9 articles were included， 3 were guidelines and 6 were expert consensus. The standardized percentages of the 9 guidelines/consensus in the 6 dimensions （scope and aims， participants， rigor of formulation， clarity of expression， application， and editorial independence） were 90.43%， 41.98%， 52.55%， 85.49%， 19.00%， and 76.85%， respectively. Eight guidelines/consensus had a recommendation of grade B and one consensus of grade C. The main recommendations involve TDM application scenarios， threshold ranges， strategy adjustments， detection methods， and interpretation of results. Most guidelines/consensus recommend passive TDM for non-responders. It is recommended to set the TDM concentration range according to the expected treatment results and make strategy adjustments in combination with the disease condition and TDM results. Additionally， the same test method is recommended for the same patient. Some guidelines/consensus hold that no differences were noted in the interpretation of results between biosimilar and original drug. CONCLUSIONS The overall quality of the included guidelines/consensus was fair， with relatively consistent recommendation. Clinicians need to understand the characteristics and limitations of TDM with this class of drugs， and interpret and apply results of TDM in combination with specific clinical treatment goals.

Application of anesthesia management plan based on ERAS concept in thoracoscopic surgery / 中国内镜杂志

Objective To investigate the application of anesthesia management plan based on the concept of enhanced recovery after surgery(ERAS)in thoracoscopic surgery.Methods From December 2021 to December 2022,100 patients underwent thoracoscopic surgery were randomly divided into control group and observation group with 50 patients in each.The control group received routine anesthesia management,and the observation group received anesthesia management based on ERAS concept.The two groups were compared in terms of clinical indicators,the degree of incision pain on day 1,3,5 and 7 after surgery,the levels of inflammatory factors on day 1 and 3 after surgery.The incidence rates of pulmonary complications,nausea and vomiting,and respiratory depression in the two groups were calculated.Results Awakening and extubation time and hospital stay of observation group were shorter than those of control group,the treatment costs of observation group was less than that of control group,the visual analogue scale(VAS)of observation group at each time point after surgery were lower than those of control group,the levels of C-reactive protein(CRP)and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)of observation group on day 1 and 3 after surgery were lower than those of control group,the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).The total incidence of pulmonary complications of observation group was lower than that of control group(6.00%vs 22.22%),the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).The incidence rates of respiratory depression and nausea and vomiting in the observation group were 0.00%and 2.00%,respectively,while the incidence rates of respiratory depression and nausea and vomiting in the control group were 4.00%and 6.00%,respectively.There was no statistically significant difference in the total incidence rates of other complications between the two groups of patients(P>0.05).Conclusion Applying the anesthesia management plan based on ERAS concept in thoracoscopic surgery can promote postoperative recovery,reduce pain and pulmonary complications,and save treatment costs.It is worthy of clinical application.

Mechanism of Modified Erchentang on COPD Inflammation Based on TNF-α/TNFR1/RIPKs Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveBased on tumor necrosis factor alpha （TNF-α）/tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 （TNFR1）/receptor-interacting protein kinases （RIPKs） signaling pathway， this paper aims to study the effect of modified Erchentang on inflammation in rats with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD） and explore its mechanism of action. MethodA total of 60 SD rats were randomly divided into normal group， model group， high， medium， and low-dose groups （20， 10， 5 g·kg-1·d-1） of modified Erchentang， and Xiaokechuan group （3.5 mL·kg-1·d-1）， with 10 rats in each group. The COPD rat model was established by cigarette smoke combined with lipopolysaccharide （LPS）. The normal group and model group were given the same amount of normal saline for 21 days by gavage administration. The contents of TNF-α and TNFR1 in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid （BALF） of rats were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to detect mRNA expressions of RIPK1， RIPK3， and mixed lineage kinase domain-like （MLKL） in the lung tissue. The protein expressions of RIPK1， RIPK3， and MLKL in the lung tissue were detected by Western blot. The pathological changes in lung tissue were observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. ResultCompared with the normal group， the contents of TNF-α and TNFR1 in BALF of the model group were significantly increased （P<0.01）， and the mRNA and protein expression levels of RIPK1， RIPK3， and MLKL in the lung tissue were significantly increased （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the contents of TNF-α and TNFR1 in BALF of high， medium， and low-dose groups of modified Erchentang and Xiaokechuan group were decreased （P<0.01）. The mRNA and protein expression levels of RIPK1， RIPK3， and MLKL in the lung tissue were decreased to different degrees （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionModified Erchentang can effectively improve the inflammatory response of lung tissue in COPD rats， and the mechanism may be by inhibiting the activation of the TNF-α/TNFR1/RIPKs signaling pathway.

The diagnostic value and correlation of magnetic resonance parameters with TNF-α and IL-1α levels in Alzheimer's disease / 中国现代医生

Objective To explore the diagnostic value of magnetic resonance DKI parameters and serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α)and interleukin-1α(IL-1α)in Alzheimer's disease(AD).Methods From July 2020 to July 2022,60 patients with Alzheimer's disease in our hospital were selected as the observation group and 60 healthy elderly people over 60 years old as the control group.All patients underwent routine MRI sequence examination,measured DKI parameters,and detected serum TNF-α and IL-1α levels by ELISA.Results The MD value of each brain area was significantly increased in alzheimer's disease patients.FA of white matter,hippocampus and substantia nigra decreased in temporal and parietal cortex,while FA of caudate nucleus,red nucleus and dentate nucleus increased.RK of white matter,hippocampus and thalamus in temporal and parietal cortex decreased significantly,while RK in substantia nigra increased significantly.AK of white matter,thalamus,dentate nucleus and substantia nigra in temporal and parietal cortex were significantly decreased.The MK in white matter,hippocampus and thalamus of temporal and parietal cortex decreased significantly,while the MK in caudate nucleus and substantia nigra increased significantly.The serum levels of homotype hemisoline and acetylcholinesterase increased significantly.Conclusion Combined magnetic resonance DKI parameters and detection of serum TNF-α and IL-1α levels have certain diagnostic and predictive value for the occurrence of Alzheimer's disease.

Xuebijing alleviates LPS-induced acute lung injury by downregulating pro-inflammatory cytokine production and inhibiting gasdermin-E-mediated pyroptosis of alveolar epithelial cells / 中国天然药物

Acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ALI/ARDS) is characterized by diffuse alveolar injury primarily caused by an excessive inflammatory response. Regrettably, the lack of effective pharmacotherapy currently available contributes to the high mortality rate in patients with this condition. Xuebijing (XBJ), a traditional Chinese medicine recognized for its potent anti-inflammatory properties, exhibits promise as a potential therapeutic agent for ALI/ARDS. This study aimed to explore the preventive effects of XBJ on ALI and its underlying mechanism. To this end, we established an LPS-induced ALI model and treated ALI mice with XBJ. Our results demonstrated that pre-treatment with XBJ significantly alleviated lung inflammation and increased the survival rate of ALI mice by 37.5%. Moreover, XBJ substantially suppressed the production of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in the lung tissue. Subsequently, we performed a network pharmacology analysis and identified identified 109 potential target genes of XBJ that were mainly involved in multiple signaling pathways related to programmed cell death and anti-inflammatory responses. Furthermore, we found that XBJ exerted its inhibitory effect on gasdermin-E-mediated pyroptosis of lung cells by suppressing TNF-α production. Therefore, this study not only establishes the preventive efficacy of XBJ in ALI but also reveals its role in protecting alveolar epithelial cells against gasdermin-E-mediated pyroptosis by reducing TNF-α release.

Study on the Mechanism of Liuling Jiedu Pills Inhibiting Acute Pharyngitis Induced by Staphylococcus Aureus in Rats / 中药新药与临床药理

Objective To investigate the effect and mechanism of Liuling Jiedu Pills on acute pharyngitis caused by Staphylococcus aureus in rats.Methods The rat model of acute pharyngitis was replicated using the method of injecting 1×109 CFU·mL-1 of Staphylococcus aureus solution into the pharynx of rats.SD rats were randomly divided into a blank group,a model group,a Lanqin Oral Solution group(5 mL·kg-1),and a low-,medium-,and high-dose group of Liuling Jiedu Pills(4.375,8.750,and 17.500 mg·kg-1),with 10 rats in each group.Rats in each group were administered the drug by gavage once a day for 7 days.The general conditions of the rats were observed and recorded every day during the modeling and drug administration periods,and the local inflammation in the pharynx was scored;histopathological changes in the pharynx of the rats were observed by hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining;serum interleukin 1β(IL-1β),interleukin 6(IL-6),tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α),and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)were detected by ELISA.Immunohistochemistry and Western Blot were used to detect the protein expression levels of IL-1β,IL-6 and TNF-α in rat pharyngeal tissue.Results Compared with the blank group,rats in the model group had significantly increased pharyngeal erythema,significantly higher inflammation scores(P＜0.01),significantly lower body mass on days 5-7 after modeling(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),significantly higher pathological scores(P＜0.01),significantly higher levels of the serum inflammatory factors IL-1β,IL-6,and TNF-α(P＜0.01),and significantly higher pharyngeal tissues showed significantly higher levels of IL-1β,IL-6,and TNF-α proteins(P＜0.01).Compared with the model group,the pharyngeal erythema was significantly reduced in the Lanqin Oral Solution group and the low-,medium-and high-dose groups of Liuling Jiedu Pills,and the inflammation scores were significantly reduced(P＜0.01),and the serum levels of IL-1β,IL-6,and TNF-α were significantly reduced(P＜0.01);the body mass of the rats in the Lanqin Oral Solution group,and in the medium-and high-dose groups of Liuling Jiedu Pills,were significantly increased on the seventh day of the modeling(P＜0.01);the histopathological scores and the levels of IL-1β,IL-6 and TNF-α proteins in pharyngeal tissue were significantly decreased(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Conclusion Liuling Jiedu Pills can significantly improve the symptoms and inflammatory pathological changes of pharyngeal tissues in rats with acute pharyngitis,and its mechanism may be related to the down-regulation of the expression levels of inflammatory factors such as IL-1β,IL-6,and TNF-α.

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 infliximab combined with miRNA-21 on lung cancer A549 cells / 中华内分泌外科杂志

Objective:To investigate the effect of infliximab combined with miRNA-21 on lung cancer A549 cells.Methods:A549 cells were cultured in vitro and then divided into four groups (blank group, infliximab group, miRNA-21 inhibitor group and combined treatment group) ; CCK-8 test was used to detect cell proliferation; Flow cytometry experiments was employed to detect apoptosis; Western blot was used to detect protein expression.Results:The survival rates of A549 cells in the miRNA-21 inhibitor group and the combined treatment group were 48.67%±2.83% and 25.69%±1.98%, which were significantly different ( P<0.001) ; The proportion of A549 apoptotic cells in the miRNA-21 inhibitor group and the combined treatment group were 46.73%±2.18% and 76.58%±3.67%, respectively, with significant differences ( P<0.001) ; The expression of Caspase-3 (1.21±0.26 vs 0.57±0.07) and Bad (1.08±0.11 vs 0.52±0.06) in the combined treatment group was significantly higher than that of the miRNA-21 inhibitor group in the detection of apoptosis-related proteins, and the expression of Bcl-2 was significantly reduced, with a significant difference ( P<0.001). In the combined treatment group, the expression levels of TNF-α (0.63±0.11 vs 1.23±0. 22, 1.18±0.17, 1.14±0.17) and NF-κB p65 (0.34±0.08 vs 1.31±0.09, 1.29±0.12, 1.11±0.06) were both reduced, and there was a significant difference compared with the other three groups ( P<0.001) . Conclusion:Infliximab combined with miRNA-21 inhibitors can play a synergistic role in lung cancer cells, inhibit the TNF-α/NF-κB signaling pathway, regulate the expression of the Bcl-2 family and Caspase-3, and promote apoptosis, thereby inhibiting lung cancer A549 cell proliferation.

Moxibustion as an adjunctive treatment for rheumatoid arthritis and its effects on the serum levels of SOST and β-catenin / 中国针灸

OBJECTIVES@#To observe the clinical efficacy of moxibustion as an adjunctive treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) based on conventional medication and its effects on serum sclerostin (SOST) and β-catenin levels, exploring the potential mechanisms by which moxibustion may protect joint bones in RA patients.@*METHODS@#Seventy-six RA patients were randomly divided into an observation group (38 cases, 3 cases dropped out) and a control group (38 cases, 4 cases were eliminated, 2 cases dropped out). The patients in the control group were treated with conventional oral medication; based on the treatment of the control group, the patients in the observation group were treated with moxibustion. The direct moxibustion was applied at Zusanli (ST 36) on both sides and ashi points around small joints, and indirect moxibustion was applied at Shenshu (BL 23) on both sides and ashi points around large joints. The treatment was given three times a week for a total of 5 weeks. The count of pain and swollen joint, morning stiffness score, disease activity score of 28 joints (DAS28), visual analogue scale (VAS) score, health assessment questionnaire (HAQ) score, and serum levels of SOST, β-catenin, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were evaluated before and after treatment in the two groups.@*RESULTS@#Compared those before treatment, after treatment, both groups showed a reduction in pain and swollen joint count (P<0.01, P<0.05), morning stiffness, DAS28, VAS, and HAQ scores (P<0.01, P<0.05), with the observation group having lower scores than the control group (P<0.01). Serum levels of SOST, β-catenin, and TNF-α after treatment in the observation group were lower than those in both before treatment and the control group (P<0.01, P<0.05). There was a positive correlation between the difference in serum β-catenin levels before and after treatment and the difference in serum SOST (r=0.578, P<0.001) and TNF-α (r=0.403, P<0.05) levels in the observation group.@*CONCLUSIONS@#In addition to medication, moxibustion as an adjunctive treatment could significantly alleviate joint pain and reduce disease activity in RA patients, suggesting a potential role in joint protection. This mechanism may be related to the inhibition of the inflammatory factor TNF-α, regulation of β-catenin levels, and reduction in the production of the endogenous negative regulator protein SOST within the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Mechanism of Hedysari Radix Polysaccharide on Diabetic Nephropathy in db/db Mice Based on JAK2/STAT3 Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of Hedysari Radix polysaccharide （HRP） on the Janus kinase 2 （JAK2）/signal transducer and activator of transcription protein 3 （STAT3） signaling pathway in diabetic nephropathy db/db mice. MethodFifty db/db mice were randomly divided into model group， irbesartan group （irbesartan suspension， 22.75 mg·kg-1）， and high-， medium-， and low-dose HRP groups （HRP suspension， 200， 100， 50 mg·kg-1） according to the body weight， with 10 mice in each group. Another 10 C57BL/6 mice were assigned to the normal group. The mice were treated with corresponding drugs by gavage， while those in the normal group and the model group received distilled water at 5 mL·kg-1. The mice in the six groups were administered once a day by gavage for 12 consecutive weeks. The uric acid （UA）， triglycerides （TG）， and total cholesterol （TC） were detected. Periodic acid-Schiff （PAS） staining and Masson staining were used to observe the pathological changes in kidney tissues. Western blot and Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） were used to detect the protein and mRNA expression levels of JAK2， STAT3， suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 （SOCS3）， and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） in the kidney. ResultAfter 12 weeks of treatment， compared with the normal group， the model group showed significant pathological ultrastructural changes in kidney tissues and increased UA， TG， and TC levels （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the high- and medium-dose HRP groups and the irbesartan group showed improvement in pathological ultrastructure of kidney tissues and reduced UA， TG， and TC levels （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the normal group， the model group showed a decrease in SOCS3 protein and mRNA expression levels and an increase in JAK2， STAT3， and TNF-α protein and mRNA expression levels （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the high- and medium-dose HRP groups and the irbesartan group showed an increase in SOCS3 protein and mRNA expression levels and a decrease in JAK2， STAT3， and TNF-α protein and mRNA expression levels （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionHRP can alleviate renal damage in diabetic nephropathy to a certain extent， and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of the activation of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.

S100A9 activates NF-κB to promote TLR7 expression and inflammatory cytokine release in microglia / 神经解剖学杂志

Objective:To investigate the effect of S100 calcium-binding protein A9(S100A9)activation of nuclear factor kappa-B(NF-κB)on the upregulation of toll-like receptor 7(TLR7)expression and the release of inflammatory factors in microglia,as well as its underlying mechanism.Methods:The viability of BV2 microglia was assessed using CCK-8 kit.Transcriptome sequencing was employed to compare differential genes(DEGs)and identify target genes from the pool of differentially expressed genes.This analysis was complemented by GO analysis,KEGG enrichment analysis and the STRING database.The expression of TLR7 mRNA was verified by real time RT-PCR.The expressions of CD68 and CD206 were detected using immunofluorescence.The expressions of CD68,CD206,TLR7,p65,and p-p65 were detected using Western Blot.The level of interleukin 6(IL-6)and tumor necrosis factor alpha(TNF-α)were verified by ELISA.Results:Moderate concentrations of S100A9 had no inhibitory effect on microglial viability.Compared to the control group,the experimental group showed a significant increase in the expression level of CD68 pro-tein,while the CD206 protein was decreased.This suggests that S100A9 promotes the activation of BV2 microglia into pro-inflammatory types.TAK-242,an inhibitor of toll-like receptor 4(TLR4),significantly inhibited the expression levels of TNF-α and IL-6 after S100A9 stimulated BV2 cells.Activation of the TLR4/NF-κB pathway promoted the ex-pression of TLR7 protein.Conclusion:The moderate concentration of S100A9 can promote the polarization of microglia towards a proinflammatory direction.It also promotes the expression of TLR7 and the release of various inflammatory factors,including TNF-α and IL-6,through the activation of the TLR4/NF-κB pathway.This activation has an obvious proinflammatory effect.

Emerging therapeutic role of Prunella vulgaris in thyroid disease / 中草药·英文版

Thyroid disease is characterized by unusual levels of thyroid hormones, which results in either hyperthyroidism or hypothyroidism. The pathology of a particular type or stage of thyroid disease is very complicated, and always linked to a variety of biological functions. Although the mortality rate is not high, thyroid dysfunction could lead to metabolic and immunological disorders that can subsequently cause discomfort. To date, many drugs are suggested to have curative effects on thyroid disease, however, drug toxicity and long treatment periods encourage the search for more promising ones. Prunella vulgaris L. (Labiatae) is a popular herb that has shown great potential for improving human immunity and organ protection. It has been extensively used in the treatment of many diseases but its ability to treat specific diseases has not been fully reported. In this review, a literature search regarding herbs and herbal recipes for treating thyroid disease were carried out, organized, and summarized. In addition, this study conducted a literature search on the current situation and progress of P. vulgaris treatment for various diseases. Finally, this study discussed studies regarding P. vulgaris treatment of goiter, and the mechanism of treatment through the regulation of apoptosis. Accordingly, a combination therapy of herbs and Western medicine can provide significant therapeutic effects in the clinical treatment of thyroid disease. Furthermore, the association between P. vulgaris and various diseases suggests that P. vulgaris is rich in a variety of active substances that can fight oxidation and participate in the regulation of apoptosis, thus having a protective effect on the thyroid. Here, a comprehensive literature review regarding the application of herbs or herbal recipes in the treatment of thyroid disease was presented. It is concluded that there is strong evidence for further research regarding the use of P. vulgaris in the treatment of thyroid diseases.

Prefrontal cortex and hippocampus inflammation in mice fed high-carbohydrate or high-fat diets

We previously reported that a high-carbohydrate diet (HCD) induced systemic inflammation and higher gene expression of proinflammatory mediators in the liver, skeletal muscle, and brain than a high-fat diet (HFD). However, the differences between the groups were less pronounced in the brain. In this study, we extended the evaluation of inflammation to specific areas of the brain. In this study, we evaluated the gene expression of caspase 2, caspase 3, caspase 9, cyclooxygenase-2 (Cox 2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), interleukin (IL), IL-6, IL-1β, IL-10, IL-4, tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), integrin subunit alpha m (Itgam), S100 protein (S100), allograft inflammatory factor 1 (Aif1), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (Gfap) in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of male Swiss mice that were fed with HCD or HFD for 8 weeks. The HCD group exhibited higher IL-1β expression, whereas the HFD group showed higher TNF-α expression in the prefrontal cortex. In the hippocampus, TNF-α expression was higher in the HFD group. IL-1β and TNF-α are proinflammatory cytokines that have been associated with impaired brain function and numerous brain disorders. Our results indicate that both HCD and HFD promote prefrontal cortex inflammation; however, the hippocampus seems more sensitive to a HFD than HCD.

Effect of Astragali Radix-Curcumae Rhizoma compatibility combined with 5-fluorouracil on Th17/Treg balance and tumor-related mRNA and protein expression in orthotopic xenograft model mice of CT26.WT colorectal carcinoma / 中国中药杂志

Astragali Radix-Curcumae Rhizoma(AR-CR) is a combination commonly used in the clinical treatment of tumors. Based on the T helper 17(Th17)/regulatory T cell(Treg) balance, the present study explored the possible mechanism of AR-CR combined with 5-fluorouracil(5-FU) on the tumor growth of orthotopic xenograft model mice of colorectal carcinoma. Ninety male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into nine groups, i.e., a blank group, a model group, a 5-FU group, high-, medium-, and low-dose AR-CR(2∶1) groups, and high-, medium-, and low-dose AR-CR+5-FU groups, with 10 mice in each group. The orthotopic xenograft model of CT26.WT colorectal carcinoma was induced in mice except those in the blank group. Twenty-four hours after the ope-ration, mice in the blank group and the model group received normal saline by gavage(10 mL·kg~(-1), once per day), and those in the 5-FU group received 5-FU by intraperitoneal injection(25 mg·kg~(-1), once every other day). Mice in the AR-CR groups received AR and CR decoctions by gavage(12, 6, and 3 g·kg~(-1), once a day) and those in the combination groups received AR and CR decoctions and 5-FU(doses and administration methods were the same as above). After intervention for three weeks, all mice were sacrificed and tumor tissues were collected. The tumor mass was weighed and the average tumor weight was calculated. The changing trend of Th17/Treg(%) in the CD4~+T lymphocytes of the spleen tissues of the mice in each group was detected. The mRNA expression in the blood and protein expression in the tumor tissues of transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interferon-γ(IFN-γ), Smad4, N-cadherin, matrix metalloproteinase-7(MMP-7) were detected. The experimental results revealed that compared with the model group, the groups with drug intervention showed reduced tumor mass(P<0.01), decreased CD4~+IL-17~+ in the spleen tissues to varying degrees(P<0.001), and increased proportion of CD4~+Foxp3~+(P<0.001 or P<0.05), indicating that Th17/Treg maintained dynamic balance, and the effect of the combination groups was predominant. Additionally, the mRNA expression in the blood and protein expression in the tumor tissues of TGF-β, TNF-α, IFN-γ, Smad4, N-cadherin, and MMP-7 declined to varying degrees in a dose-dependent manner(P<0.01 or P<0.001). The AR-CR combined with 5-FU can inhibit the tumor growth of orthotopic xenograft model mice of CT26.WT colorectal carcinoma. The mechanism may be related to maintenance of Th17/Treg dynamic balance in the body and down-regulation of TGF-β, TNF-α, IFN-γ, Smad4, N-cadherin, and MMP-7 expression.

Effect of Maxing Shigantang on Airway Injury and EGFR Expression in Asthma Model Rats / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the optimal formula of Maxing Shigantang in regulating epidermal growth factor receptor（EGFR）expression and alleviating airway injury in asthmatic rats and to reveal the underlying mechanism. MethodSD male rats were randomly divided into normal group, model group, dexamethasone group (5×10-4 g·kg-1) and Maxing Shigantang 1∶0.5, 1∶1, 1∶2 groups (group A, B, C, 10 g·kg-1), with 8 rats in each group. The other groups except the normal group received nebulization of 2% acetylcholine chloride and 0.4% histamine phosphate for the modeling of asthma. One hour before modeling， the normal group and the model group were given the same amount of normal saline， and the other groups were given the same amount of corresponding drugs， once a day for 7 days. On the 7th day， the model was established and the incubation period of asthma was recorded. The rats were then immediately anesthetized， and arterial blood and tracheal tissue were collected. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was employed to detect the levels of interleukin-2 （IL-2）， interleukin-4 （IL-4）， and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） in serum. Pathological sections were prepared for the observation of the pathological changes of tracheal tissues and the ultrastructure of epithelial cells in each group. Terminal-deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick-end labeling （TUNEL） was adopted to detect epithelial cell apoptosis， and in situ hybridization and Western blot were employed to determine the mRNA and protein levels of epidermal growth factor receptor （EGFR）， respectively. ResultCompared with the model group， groups A， B and C prolonged the incubation period of asthma （P<0.05，P<0.01）. Compared with the control group， the model group showed declined IL-2 level （P<0.01）， risen IL-4 and TNF-α levels （P<0.05，P<0.01）， increased airway pathology score， collagen volume fraction， and airway epithelial cell apoptosis index （P<0.01）， and up-regulated mRNA and protein levels of EGFR in trachea tissue （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， group A showed increased IL-2 level （P<0.05） and declined IL-4 （P<0.05，P<0.01） level， and group B showed declined IL-4 level （P<0.05）. The level of TNF-α in groups A， B， and C declined compared with that in the model group （P<0.01）. Maxing Shigantang repaired the tracheal tissue to different degrees （P<0.05）. Among the three groups， group A inhibited tracheal fibrosis （P<0.05） and had the most significant effect of repairing the ultrastructural changes of airway epithelial cells. Groups A， B and C all inhibited the apoptosis of airway epithelial cells （P<0.05）. All the three groups inhibited the up-regulation of EGFR mRNA level （P<0.05，P<0.01）， and groups B and C inhibited the up-regulation of EGFR protein level （P<0.05，P<0.01）. ConclusionMaxing Shigantang can inhibit the abnormal changes of airway epithelial structure， alleviate airway injury， and can down-regulate the expression of EGFR in the tracheal tissue of asthma model rats. In this study， the optimal compatibility of Maxing Shigantang to repair airway epithelial injury in asthmatic rats was group A， with the Ephedrae Herba-Armeniacae Semen Amarum-Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma-Gypsum Fibrosum ratio of 1∶0.5∶4∶1.

Effective Components of Periploca forrestii Against Rheumatoid Arthritis by Targeting TNF-α / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo analyze the effective components of Periploca forrestii against rheumatoid arthritis（RA）by targeting tumor necrosis factor （TNF）-α based on network pharmacology and experimental verification. MethodThe preliminary research of the research group found that the alcohol extracts of P. forrestii （CDLF and CQAF） had significant anti-RA activities，and 10 monomers with such activities were identified. The anti-RA activities of active monomers，CDLF， and CQAF were compared by the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）with interleukin（IL）-6，nitric oxide （NO），IL-1β， and prostaglandin E2（PGE2）as indicators. Network pharmacology was employed to analyze the possible molecular mechanism of P. forrestii against RA. The targeting ability of P. forrestii chemical monomers to TNF-α was verified by TNF-α molecular docking，surface plasmon resonance （SPR）， and TNF-α-induced L929 injury model. ResultELISA showed that the anti-RA activities of CDLF and CQAF were significantly stronger than those of identified 10 active monomers. Network pharmacology analysis showed that the core targets of P. forrestii against RA were signal transducer and activator of transcription protein 3 （STAT3），TNF， and IL-6. Gene Ontology（GO） analysis revealed collagen catabolism，inflammatory response，positive regulation of nuclear factor kappa-B（NF-κB） transcription factor activity，and positive regulation of B cell proliferation. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （EKGG） pathway enrichment analysis demonstrated TNF signaling pathway，phosphoinositide 3-kinase（PI3K）/protein kinase B（Akt） signaling pathway，NF-κB signaling pathway，Toll-like receptor signaling pathway，mitogen-activated protein kinase（MAPK） signaling pathway， etc. Verification experiments by TNF-α molecular docking，SPR， and TNF-α-induced L929 injury model found that CDLF and CQAF had good binding activities and could manifestly antagonize TNF-α. However， the active components separated and identified from CDLF and CQAF did not show the same anti-TNF-α activity. ConclusionThe CDLF and CQAF of P. forrestii may treat RA by targeting TNF-α. The experiments found that the isolated chemical components had weaker binding activity to TNF-α than CDLF and CQAF. Meanwhile，the research group isolated chemical components with a minimum mass fraction of 0.25 ng·g-1 from P. forrestii， which suggested that the active components generated by binding to TNF-α with anti-RA activities were presumedly trace components .

Regulatory Effect of Herbal Pair Astragali Radix-Puerariae Lobatae Radix on PI3K/Akt/FoxO1 Signaling Pathway in Rats with T2DM Based on Network Pharmacology / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism of herbal pair Astragali Radix-Puerariae Lobatae Radix （AR-PLR） against type 2 diabetes mellitus （T2DM） based on network pharmacology and experimental verification. MethodThe active ingredients and targets of AR and PLR were retrieved from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform （TCMSP）. The related targets of T2DM were retrieved from disease databases and the common targets of drugs and diseases were extracted. The protein-protein interaction （PPI） network was analyzed and constructed by STRING and the network topology of key targets was analyzed by Cytoscape 3.7.1. Then gene ontology（GO） and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes（KEGG） enrichment analyses of core targets were carried out by DAVID to explore its possible molecular mechanism. The T2DM model was induced in rats by the high-fat diet combined with tail intravenous injection of streptozocin. The rats were divided into a normal group，a model group，a metformin group，and high-，medium- and low-dose AR-PLR groups. After four weeks of intragastric administration，the serum levels of fasting blood sugar （FBS），fasting insulin（FINS），aspartate aminotransferase（AST），alanine aminotransferase（ALT），triglyceride（TG），total cholesterol（TC），low-density lipoprotein cholesterin（LDL-C），high-density lipoprotein cholesterin （HDL-C），interleukin-6（IL-6）， and tumor necrosis factor-α（TNF-α） of rats in each group were measured. The protein expression of insulin receptor substrate-2（IRS-2），phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase（PI3K），protein kinase B（Akt）， and forkhead box transcription factor O1（FoxO1） in rat liver was detected by Western blot. ResultA total of 131 core targets of AR-PLR in the treatment of T2DM were screened out by network pharmacology， where Akt1，mitogen-activated protein kinase 1 （MAPK1），TNF-α，and IL-6 were critical. As revealed by KEGG enrichment analysis， AR-PLR exerted the hypoglycemic effect mainly through the PI3K/Akt，TNF， and FoxO signaling pathways. Compared with the model group，the high- and medium-dose AR-PLR groups showed reduced FBS and FINS levels and increased glycogen level （P<0.05，P<0.01），all the AR-PLR groups showed decreased levels of AST，ALT，TG， and LDL-C （P<0.05，P<0.01）， the high- and low-dose AR-PLR groups showed decreased TC levels （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the high- and medium-dose AR-PLR groups showed reduced levels of IL-6 and TNF-α（P<0.05，P<0.01）， and the high-dose AR-PLR group showed increased expression of IRS-2， Akt， p-Akt， PI3K， and p-PI3K， and decreased expression of FoxO1 protein（P<0.05）. ConclusionAR-PLR has the characteristics of multi-component，Multi-target and multi-pathway in the treatment of T2DM. This herbal pair may regulate the PI3K/Akt/FoxO1 signaling pathway through IL-6， TNF-α， and other targets to affect insulin resistance， glycogen synthesis， gluconeogenesis， glucose transport， inflammation， immune response， and other processes， thereby treating T2DM.

Progress in Application of TNF-α Inhibitors in Immune Checkpoint Therapy / 肿瘤防治研究

Immune checkpoint inhibitors significantly improves the prognosis of patients with advanced malignancy, but it is also associated with off-target toxicity caused by activation of the immune system, known as immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Severe irAEs will lead to temporary or permanent termination of immunotherapy, which greatly affects its clinical application. At present, glucocorticoids are mainly used to treat irAEs clinically. On one hand, severe adverse reactions will cause serious damage to patients' health; on the other hand, the extensive application of glucocorticoids will affect the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors. In recent years, TNF-α inhibitors have shown significant effect in reducing toxic and side effects. This paper reviews the progress of TNF-α in preventing and treating irAEs.