OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic variants and phenotypic characteristics of patients with Neurofibromatosis type I (NF1). METHODS: Twenty two NF1 patients who presented at Enze Medical (Center) Group in Taizhou between 2018 and 2024 were selected as the study subjects. Clinical phenotype and family history were collected for the patients. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was carried out for the 22 probands to screen the variants of NF1 gene. Candidate variants were verified by Sanger sequencing of their family members. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Hospital (Ethics No.: K20230902). RESULTS: The 22 probands were diagnosed between the age of 5 months to 47 years old, and have all shown cafe au lait spots on their skin. Seventeen patients exhibited the phenotype at birth, and 11 had various degrees of neurofibromatosis. Among them, probands 1 and 13 underwent surgical resection of the tumor but had recurred, while proband 12 had amputation due to the huge size and serious impact of the neurofibroma and had no recurrence. Five patients had various degrees of scoliosis. In total 22 germline mutations and one somatic mutation were identified among the 22 families, with 5 variants unreported previously, including 1 nonsense mutation c.1603C>T (Q535*), 3 frameshift mutations [c.7268_7269delCA (Thr2423fs), c.2293del (Arg765Alafs*26), and c.5433_5438delinsGC (Phe1812ArgfsTer50)], and 1 deletion involving exons 41-44 of the NF1 gene and adjacent introns. Proband 13 was found to harbor germline mutation c.6796C>T (Gln2266Ter) and somatic mutation c.1019_1020del (Ser340Cysfs Ter12) in the peripheral blood and tumor tissue, respectively. Among the 22 NF1 probands, 6 had received treatment due to severe illness. Proband 1 had tumor resection in the right upper limb, but was found to have malignant lung tumor and died during follow-up. Proband 12 had multiple recurrence of neurofibroma in the left ring finger. Proband 4 underwent spinal correction surgery due to severe scoliosis. Proband 11 had died due to a central nervous system disease. Among the 22 germline mutations, 6 had led to the occurrence of truncated proteins, which may have a more severe impact on the phenotype. CONCLUSION This study investigated the genetic variants and clinical phenotypes of 22 NF1 families and identified 5 novel variants of the NF1 gene, which has expanded the genotypic and phenotypic spectra of the NF1. Preliminary studies have identified an association between truncated mutations, young age, and severe phenotypes, which may provide important clues for prognosis evaluation. For the clinical diagnosis and treatment of NF1, it is necessary to consider the phenotypic characteristics and genetic testing in combination with genetic counseling and long-term follow-up.
Humans ; Neurofibromatosis 1/pathology* ; Male ; Female ; Pedigree ; Adult ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Middle Aged ; Adolescent ; Infant ; Young Adult ; Neurofibromin 1/genetics* ; Phenotype ; Asian People/genetics* ; Mutation ; Exome Sequencing ; East Asian People

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association of microribonucleic acid (miRNA) gene polymorphisms with the risk and clinicopathological characteristics of Crohn's disease (CD) and the influence of miRNA gene variants on the response to ustekinumab (UST) treatment among CD patients. METHODS: From January 2018 to February 2025, 312 patients diagnosed with CD and 527 gender- and age-matched normal controls were selected as the study subjects at the Department of Gastroenterology of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University. Genotypes of miR-155 (rs767649), miR-21 (rs13137), miR-124 (rs531564) and miR-146a (rs57095329, rs2431697) were determined with multiplex polymerase chain reaction-ligase detection reaction (PCR-LDR) technique. The patients were divided into different subgroups according to the Montreal Classification Criteria for CD. Harvey-Bradshaw index (HBI) and simplified endoscopic score for CD were respectively applied to assess the clinical and endoscopic disease activity of CD. Unconditional logistic regression model was employed to analyze the distribution of miRNA gene polymorphisms between the two groups, as well as their influence on the clinicopathological characteristics of CD patients. Among them, 185 CD patients received first-line UST treatment, with the first sufficient dose of UST (6 mg/kg) administered intravenously. Based on the changes in HBI at week 8, the response of patients to UST treatment was evaluated. Unconditional logistic regression model was employed to analyze the distribution of miRNA gene polymorphisms between clinically responsive group (the decline of HBI ≥ 3 scores compared to week 0) and non-responsive group. All of the P values were adjusted by Bonferroni correction. This study has been approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University (Ethics No.: 2025-K-12-01). RESULTS: No significant difference was found in the distribution of miRNA gene polymorphisms between the two groups (all P > 0.05). The variant genotype (TC+CC) of rs2431697 was more common among patients with terminal ileal-type and ileocolic-type CD than those with the colonic-type CD (OR = 4.98, 95%CI: 1.49~16.68, P = 0.009, adjusted P = 0.045). However, the opposite conclusion was drawn for the homozygous variant genotype (TT) of rs13137 and variant genotype (GC+CC) of rs531564 (OR = 0.37, 95%CI: 0.18~0.76, P = 0.007, adjusted P = 0.035; OR = 0.36, 95%CI: 0.18~0.73, P = 0.004, adjusted P = 0.020). Compared to patients with non-stricturing and penetrating CD, the variant genotype (AG+GG) and variant allele (G) of rs57095329 were more common in those with stricturing and penetrating CD (OR = 4.06, 95%CI: 2.46~6.71, P < 0.001, adjusted P < 0.005; OR = 3.12, 95%CI: 2.06~4.73, P < 0.001, adjusted P < 0.005). However, the frequencies of variant genotype (AT+TT) and variant allele (T) of rs13137 were lower among patients with stricturing and penetrating CD than in those without (OR = 0.25, 95%CI: 0.15~0.41, P < 0.001, adjusted P < 0.005; OR = 0.45, 95%CI: 0.33~0.63, P < 0.001, adjusted P < 0.005). Additionally, the variant genotype (AG+GG) and variant allele (G) of rs57095329 were more common among those with moderately to severely endoscopic activity than those with mildly endoscopic activity (OR = 2.01, 95%CI: 1.19~3.42, P = 0.009, adjusted P = 0.045; OR = 2.04, 95%CI: 1.28~3.25, P = 0.003, adjusted P = 0.015). In total 117 cases had shown clinical response by week 8, while 68 cases showed no response. Compared with t he clinically non-responsive group, the variant genotype (TC+CC) and variant allele (C) of rs2431697 were more common in the clinically responsive group (OR = 3.86, 95%CI: 1.80~8.32, P = 0.001, adjusted P = 0.005; OR = 2.60, 95%CI: 1.34~5.06, P = 0.005, adjusted P = 0.025). However, the variant genotype (TA+AA) of rs767649 was less frequent in the clinically responsive group than the non-responsive group (OR = 0.40, 95%CI: 0.21~0.74, P = 0.004, adjusted P = 0.020). The same conclusion was drawn for the variant genotype (AT+TT) and variant allele (T) of rs13137 when the clinically responsive group was compared with the non-responsive group (OR = 0.30, 95%CI: 0.14~0.63, P = 0.002, adjusted P = 0.010; OR = 0.54, 95%CI: 0.35~0.82, P = 0.005, adjusted P = 0.025). CONCLUSION Genetic polymorphisms of miRNAs are not associated with the risk of developing CD. The miR-146a (rs57095329) variant may increase the endoscopic activity of CD and the risk for stenosis or penetration. However, the miR-146a (rs2431697) variant may increase the risk of ileal involvement. The miR-21 (rs13137) variant may reduce the risk of ileal involvement and the risk of stenosis or penetration. The miR-124 (rs531564) variant may reduce the risk of ileal involvement. Among patients receiving UST treatment, the miR-146a (rs2431697) variant may increase the clinical response by week 8. However, both the miR-155 (rs767649) and miR-21 (rs13137) variants may decrease the clinical response by week 8.
Humans ; MicroRNAs/genetics* ; Crohn Disease/pathology* ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Middle Aged ; Asian People/genetics* ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Genotype ; Young Adult ; Case-Control Studies ; Adolescent ; East Asian People

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of autophagy on cardiac tissue injury following common bile duct ligation (CBDL) in rats. METHODS: Twenty-four SPF grade healthy adult male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into four groups, with 6 rats in each group. The sham-operated (Sham) group underwent only dissection of the common bile duct without ligation. The CBDL group underwent CBDL to simulate jaundice-induced myocardial injury. The autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine (3-MA)+CBDL group was intraperitoneally injected with 15 mg/kg 3-MA 2 hours before modeling, and then injected once every other day. The CBDL+autophagy enhancer rapamycin (Rapa) group was intraperitoneally injected with Rapa 1 mg/kg 0.5 hour after modeling, and then injected once every other day. The rats in each group were sacrificed 2 weeks after surgery, and blood was taken from the inferior vena cava. Serum total bilirubin (TBil), alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and MB isoenzyme of creatine kinase (CK-MB) were detected by using a fully automated animal biochemical analyzer. Serum oxidative stress marker superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were detected by colorimetric assay. The heart tissues of rats were taken and pathological changes were observed under a light microscope after hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. Transmission electron microscope was used to observe autophagosomes after double staining with uranyl acetate and lead citrate. The expressions of autophagy-related proteins were detected using Western blotting. RESULTS: Compared with the Sham group, the serum SOD activity of rats in the CBDL group was significantly decreased, while the serum MDA, TBil, ALT, AST, LDH, and CK-MB were significantly increased; the expressions of autophagy-related proteins Beclin-1 and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3-II/I (LC3-II/I) were significantly increased, and p62 protein expression was significantly decreased. Autophagosomes were seen under electron microscopy in the CBDL group, and cardiac histopathological morphology showed focal necrosis in the myocardium as well as infiltration of inflammatory cells, dilatation of small interstitial blood vessels, and myocardial fiber degeneration. Compared with the CBDL group, cardiac tissue injury in rats was attenuated by pretreatment with the autophagy inhibitor 3-MA, with a decrease in inflammatory cell infiltration in myocardial tissue, a reduction in interstitial vasodilatation, and a decrease in the area of myocardial fibrosis; a decrease in the number of autophagosomes by electron microscopy; and a further rise in the viability of serum TBil, ALT, and AST [TBil (μmol/L): 184.40±6.74 vs. 120.70±16.93, ALT (U/L): 501.10±62.18 vs. 178.80±22.30, AST (U/L): 806.50±76.92 vs. 275.50±55.81, all P < 0.01], as well as a decrease in the levels of serum SOD, MDA, LDH, and CK-MB [SOD (kU/L): 85.00±5.29 vs. 107.50±7.86, MDA (μmol/L): 10.72±0.93 vs. 15.06±1.88, LDH (U/L): 387.40±119.50 vs. 831.30±84.35, CK-MB (U/L): 320.10±14.04 vs. 814.70±75.66, all P < 0.05]. The expressions of the autophagy-related proteins Beclin-1 and LC3-II/I in cardiac tissues were significantly decreased [Beclin-1 protein (Beclin-1/GAPDH): 0.67±0.04 vs. 0.89±0.01, LC3-II/I ratio: 0.93±0.03 vs. 1.09±0.01, both P < 0.01], and p62 protein expression was significantly increased (p62/GAPDH: 0.99±0.01 vs. 0.60±0.01, P < 0.01). In contrast, compared with the CBDL group, after administration of the autophagy enhancer Rapa, the rats showed increased cardiac tissue injury, increased inflammatory cell infiltration in myocardial tissues, increased interstitial vasodilatation, and increased area of myocardial fibrosis; an increase in autophagosomes was seen by electron microscopy; the change tendency of serum biochemical indicators and proteins in myocardial tissues were opposite with autophagy inhibition group with a decrease in serum TBil, ALT, and AST [TBil (μmol/L): 22.00±3.21 vs. 120.70±16.93, ALT (U/L): 72.13±5.97 vs. 178.80±22.30, AST (U/L): 135.20±12.95 vs. 275.50±55.81, all P < 0.05], as well as a increase in the levels of serum SOD, MDA, LDH, and CK-MB [SOD (kU/L): 208.00±2.65 vs. 107.50±7.86, MDA (μmol/L): 20.38±0.40 vs. 15.06±1.88, LDH (U/L): 1 268.00±210.90 vs. 831.30±84.35, CK-MB (U/L): 1 150.00±158.70 vs. 814.70±75.66, all P < 0.05]. The protein expressions of Beclin-1 and LC3-II/I in cardiac tissues were significantly increased [Beclin-1 protein (Beclin-1/GAPDH): 0.96±0.01 vs. 0.89±0.01, LC3-II/I ratio: 1.19±0.01 vs. 1.09±0.01, both P < 0.05], and p62 protein expression was significantly decreased (p62/GAPDH: 0.19±0.02 vs. 0.60±0.01, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Activation of autophagy in CBDL rats led to myocardial tissue injury and reduced cardiac function. Inhibition of autophagy improved cardiac tissue injury in CBDL rats, while increasing autophagy exacerbated myocardial tissue injury.
Animals ; Autophagy ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Male ; Ligation ; Rats ; Common Bile Duct/surgery* ; Myocardium/pathology* ; Adenine/pharmacology*

Aortic dissection (AD) is a life-threatening cardiovascular disease characterized a tear in the aortic intima, which leads to the formation of two separate channels within the aortic wall due to blood flow. The mortality rate of AD is high, especially when dissection ruptures, as it can rapidly trigger acute cardiac and vascular complications, ultimately leading to death. Therefore, understanding the pathogenesis of AD and identifying potential therapeutic strategies is of critical clinical importance. Vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) play a central role in the structural and functional integrity of the aortic wall, and dysfunction of VSMC is closely associated with the development of AD. Recent studies suggest that the functional alterations of VSMC involve multiple mechanisms, including apoptosis, oxidative stress, and aberrant intracellular signaling, all of which play key roles in the disruption of the aortic wall structure. This review focuses on the role of VSMC in AD, particularly the specific involvement of VSMC apoptosis in the progression of AD, and further explores therapeutic strategies targeting the pathological processes of VSMC in AD, such as the inhibition of inflammatory mediators and oxidative stress. Despite some progress in current treatments, effectively intervening in the pathological progression of VSMC remains a significant challenge. Future research will further investigate these mechanisms, providing new insights and strategies for the treatment of AD. Studying the role of VSMC in AD is crucial for the development of novel therapeutic approaches.
Apoptosis ; Humans ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/pathology* ; Aortic Dissection/therapy* ; Oxidative Stress ; Myocytes, Smooth Muscle/pathology* ; Aortic Aneurysm/pathology*

Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by the body's dysregulated response to infection. Reversible myocardial dysfunction caused by sepsis is known as septic cardiomyopathy. A thorough understanding of the pathogenesis of septic cardiomyopathy is crucial for early intervention to prevent its progression and improve the success rate of sepsis treatment. At present, the research on the pathogenesis of septic cardiomyopathy mainly focuses on two aspects: the systemic neuroimmune mechanism and the local changes of cardiomyocytes. The former mainly includes the autonomic nervous dysfunction mainly caused by sympathetic overactivation and the inflammatory storm induced by immune response disorder. The latter covers the dysregulation of calcium homeostasis, mitochondrial dysfunction and energy metabolism disorder of cardiomyocytes. Immune dysfunction is one of the key factors that cause the poor prognosis of patients with septic cardiomyopathy. Macrophages are sentinel cells of the body's innate immunity. Cardiac macrophages have been confirmed to be one of the most heterogeneous immune cells in the heart. According to their origin and differentiation, they can be divided into bone marrow-derived tissue infiltrating macrophages and cardiac resident macrophages, which have roles of polarization, phagocytosis, regulation of inflammatory response, and participate in innate and adaptive immunity. In the occurrence and development of septic cardiomyopathy, cardiac macrophages recruited from the blood participate in balancing the inflammation and repair of myocardial tissue through the conversion of pro-inflammatory phenotype and anti-inflammatory phenotype. Cardiac resident macrophages mediate immune phagocytosis to maintain the local homeostasis of cardiomyocytes, and the glycometabolic reprogramming of macrophages regulates the release of inflammatory factors, while macrophage metabolic reprogramming regulates the release of inflammatory factors. A deeper understanding of the biological behavior of macrophages, and regulating the polarization, metabolism and phagocytosis of cardiac macrophages, could serve as new target for the prevention and treatment of septic cardiomyopathy. Therefore, this article reviews the key pathogenesis of septic cardiomyopathy and the role of macrophages of different origins and differentiation, revealing the possibility of developing new strategies for the prevention and treatment of septic cardiomyopathy.
Humans ; Cardiomyopathies/pathology* ; Macrophages/immunology* ; Sepsis/complications* ; Myocytes, Cardiac

Acute carbon monoxide poisoning (ACMP) is one of the most common gas poisonings in the emergency department, with tens of thousands of people seeking medical attention for carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning each year. The severity of poisoning is dependent upon environmental and human factors, with hypoxia and oxidative stress being important mechanisms of cardiac toxicity induced by CO. Myocardial involvement is common in moderate to severe ACMP, including myocardial injury, myocardial infarction, arrhythmia, and sudden death, which are associated with a high risk of death. Ferroptosis is a cell death mechanism caused by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation (LPO), although ferroptosis has been shown to play a critical role in various cardiovascular diseases, the potential mechanism by which it contributes to ACMP-induced myocardial injury is unclear. This review discusses the established link between ferroptosis and cardiovascular disease and summarizes the potential role of ferroptosis in ACMP-induced myocardial injury and the detrimental effects of ACMP on the heart. Elucidating these mechanisms could guide the development of novel therapeutic strategies that target ferroptosis to mitigate ACMP-induced myocardial injury. This review aims to provide a theoretical foundation for future research on the potential use of ferroptosis as a therapeutic target for ACMP-induced myocardial injury.
Humans ; Carbon Monoxide Poisoning/complications* ; Ferroptosis ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Myocardium/pathology* ; Oxidative Stress

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether auraptene (AUR) exerts a protective effect on acute diquat (DQ)-induced liver injury in mice and explore its underlying mechanisms. METHODS: Forty SPF-grade healthy male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into normal control group (Control group), DQ poisoning model group (DQ group), AUR treatment group (DQ+AUR group), and AUR control group (AUR group), with 10 mice in each group. The DQ poisoning model was established via a single intraperitoneal injection of 40 mg/kg DQ aqueous solution (0.5 mL); Control group and AUR group received an equal volume of pure water intraperitoneally. Four hours post-modeling, DQ+AUR group and AUR group were administered 0.5 mg/kg AUR aqueous solution (0.2 mL) by gavage once daily for 7 consecutive days, while Control group and DQ group received pure water. Blood and liver tissues were collected after anesthesia on day 7. Liver ultrastructure was observed by transmission electron microscopy. Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels were measured via enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Hepatic glutathione (GSH), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were detected using WST-1, thiobarbituric acid (TBA), and enzymatic reaction methods, respectively. Protein expression of nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), and activated caspase-9 in liver tissues was analyzed by Western blotting. RESULTS: Transmission electron microscopy revealed that mitochondria in the Control group exhibited mild swelling, uneven distribution of matrix, and a small number of cristae fractures. In the AUR group, mitochondria showed mild swelling, with no obvious disruption of cristae structure. In the DQ group, mitochondria demonstrated marked swelling and increased volume, matrix dissolution, loss and fragmentation of cristae, and extensive vacuolization. In contrast, the DQ+AUR group showed significantly reduced mitochondrial swelling, volume increase, matrix dissolution, cristae loss and fragmentation, and vacuolization compared to the DQ group. Compared with the DQ group, the DQ+AUR group exhibited significantly lower serum AST levels (U/L: 173.45±23.60 vs. 255.33±41.51), ALT levels (U/L: 51.77±21.63 vs. 100.70±32.35), and hepatic MDA levels (μmol/g: 12.40±2.76 vs. 19.74±4.10), along with higher hepatic GSH levels (mmol/g: 37.65±14.95 vs. 20.58±8.52) and SOD levels (kU/g: 124.10±33.77 vs. 82.81±22.00), the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). Western blotting showed upregulated Nrf2 expression (Nrf2/β-actin: 0.87±0.37 vs. 0.53±0.22) and HO-1 expression (HO-1/β-actin: 1.06±0.22 vs. 0.49±0.08), and downregulated Keap1 expression (Keap1/β-actin: 0.82±0.12 vs. 1.52±0.76) and activated caspase-9 expression (activated caspase-9/β-actin: 1.16±0.28 vs. 1.71±0.30) in the DQ+AUR group compared to the DQ group (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION AUR attenuates DQ-induced acute liver injury in mice by activating the Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway.
Animals ; Male ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Liver/pathology* ; Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury/drug therapy* ; Diquat/poisoning* ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2/metabolism* ; Oxidative Stress ; Apoptosis ; Coumarins

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role and mechanism of the cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate synthase/stimulator of interferon gene (cGAS/STING) pathway in oleic acid-induced acute lung injury (ALI) in mice. METHODS: Male wild-type C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into five groups (each n = 10): normal control group, ALI model group, and 5, 50, 500 μg/kg inhibitor pretreatment groups. The ALI model was established by tail vein injection of oleic acid (7 mL/kg), while the normal control group received no intervention. The inhibitor pretreatment groups were intraperitoneally injected with the corresponding doses of cGAS inhibitor RU.521 respectively 1 hour before modeling. At 24 hours post-modeling, blood was collected, and mice were sacrificed. Lung tissue pathological changes were observed under light microscopy after hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, and pathological scores were assessed. Western blotting was used to detect the protein expressions of cGAS, STING, phosphorylated TANK-binding kinase 1 (p-TBK1), phosphorylated interferon regulatory factor 3 (p-IRF3), and phosphorylated nuclear factor-κB p65 (p-NF-κB p65) in lung tissue. Immunohistochemistry was performed to observe STING and p-NF-κB positive expressions in lung tissue. Serum interferon-β (IFN-β) levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: Compared with the normal control group, the ALI model group exhibited significant focal alveolar thickening, intra-alveolar hemorrhage, pulmonary capillary congestion, and neutrophil infiltration in the pulmonary interstitium and alveoli, along with markedly increased pathological scores (10.33±0.58 vs. 1.33±0.58, P < 0.05). Protein expressions of cGAS, STING, p-TBK1, p-IRF3, and p-NF-κB p65 in lung tissue significantly increased [cGAS protein (cGAS/β-actin): 1.24±0.02 vs. 0.56±0.02, STING protein (STING/β-actin): 1.27±0.01 vs. 0.55±0.01, p-TBK1 protin (p-TBK1/β-actin): 1.34±0.03 vs. 0.22±0.01, p-IRF3 protein (p-IRF3/β-actin): 1.23±0.02 vs. 0.36±0.01, p-NF-κB p65 protein (p-NF-κB p65/β-actin): 1.30±0.02 vs. 0.53±0.02, all P < 0.05], positive expressions of STING and p-NF-κB in lung tissue were significantly elevated [STING (A value): 0.51±0.03 vs. 0.30±0.07, p-NF-κB (A value): 0.57±0.05 vs. 0.31±0.03, both P < 0.05], and serum IFN-β levels were also significantly higher (ng/L: 256.02±3.84 vs. 64.15±1.17, P < 0.05). The cGAS inhibitor pretreatment groups showed restored alveolar structural integrity, reduced inflammatory cell infiltration, and decreased hemorrhage area, along with dose-dependent lower pathological scores as well as the protein expressions of cGAS, STING, p-TBK1, p-IRF3 and p-NF-κB p65 in lung tissue, with significant differences between the 500 μg/kg inhibitor group and ALI model group [pathological score: 2.67±0.58 vs. 10.33±0.58, cGAS protein (cGAS/β-actin): 0.56±0.03 vs. 1.24±0.02, STING protein (STING/β-actin): 0.67±0.03 vs. 1.27±0.01, p-TBK1 protein (p-TBK1/β-actin): 0.28±0.01 vs. 1.34±0.03, p-IRF3 protein (p-IRF3/β-actin): 0.32±0.01 vs. 1.23±0.02, p-NF-κB p65 protein (p-NF-κB p65/β-actin): 0.63±0.01 vs. 1.30±0.02, all P < 0.05]. Compared with the ALI model group, positive expressions of STING and p-NF-κB in lung tissue were significantly reduced in the 500 μg/kg inhibitor group [STING (A value): 0.40±0.01 vs. 0.51±0.03, p-NF-κB (A value): 0.43±0.02 vs. 0.57±0.05, both P < 0.05], and serum IFN-β levels were also markedly reduced (ng/L: 150.03±6.19 vs. 256.02±3.84, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The cGAS/STING pathway is activated in oleic acid-induced ALI, leading to exacerbated inflammatory responses and increased lung damage. RU.521 can inhibit cGAS, thereby down-regulating the expression of pathway proteins and cytokines, and providing protection to lung tissue.
Animals ; Acute Lung Injury/chemically induced* ; Male ; Nucleotidyltransferases/metabolism* ; Mice ; Signal Transduction ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Membrane Proteins/metabolism* ; Oleic Acid/adverse effects* ; Transcription Factor RelA/metabolism* ; Lung/pathology* ; Interferon Regulatory Factor-3/metabolism* ; Disease Models, Animal

OBJECTIVE: Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignancies seen in clinic and requires novel treatment options. Morin is a natural flavonoid extracted from the flower stalk of a highly valuable medicinal plant Prunella vulgaris L., which exhibits an anti-cancer effect in multiple types of tumors. However, the therapeutic effect and underlying mechanism of morin in treating GC remains elusive. The study aims to explore the therapeutic effect and underlying molecular mechanisms of morin in GC. METHODS: For in vitro experiments, the proliferation inhibition of morin was measured by cell counting kit-8 assay and colony formation assay in human GC cell line MKN45, human gastric adenocarcinoma cell line AGS, and human gastric epithelial cell line GES-1; for apoptosis analysis, microscopic photography, Western blotting, ubiquitination analysis, quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis, flow cytometry, and RNA interference technology were employed. For in vivo studies, immunohistochemistry, biomedical analysis, and Western blotting were used to assess the efficacy and safety of morin in a xenograft mouse model of GC. RESULTS: Morin significantly inhibited the proliferation of GC cells MKN45 and AGS in a dose- and time-dependent manner, but did not inhibit human gastric epithelial cells GES-1. Only the caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK was able to significantly reverse the inhibition of proliferation by morin in both GC cells, suggesting that apoptosis was the main type of cell death during the treatment. Morin induced intrinsic apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner in GC cells, which mainly relied on B cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) associated agonist of cell death (BAD) but not phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate-induced protein 1. The upregulation of BAD by morin was due to blocking the ubiquitination degradation of BAD, rather than the transcription regulation and the phosphorylation of BAD. Furthermore, the combination of morin and BCL-2 inhibitor navitoclax (also known as ABT-737) produced a synergistic inhibitory effect in GC cells through amplifying apoptotic signals. In addition, morin treatment significantly suppressed the growth of GC in vivo by upregulating BAD and the subsequent activation of its downstream apoptosis pathway. CONCLUSION Morin suppressed GC by inducing apoptosis, which was mainly due to blocking the ubiquitination-based degradation of the pro-apoptotic protein BAD. The combination of morin and the BCL-2 inhibitor ABT-737 synergistically amplified apoptotic signals in GC cells, which may overcome the drug resistance of the BCL-2 inhibitor. These findings indicated that morin was a potent and promising agent for GC treatment. Please cite this article as: Wang Y, Sun XY, Ma FQ, Ren MM, Zhao RH, Qin MM, Zhu XH, Xu Y, Cao ND, Chen YY, Dong TG, Pan YF, Zhao AG. Morin inhibits ubiquitination degradation of BCL-2 associated agonist of cell death and synergizes with BCL-2 inhibitor in gastric cancer cells. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(3): 320-332.
Humans ; Flavonoids/therapeutic use* ; Stomach Neoplasms/pathology* ; Animals ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/metabolism* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Ubiquitination/drug effects* ; Mice ; Drug Synergism ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays ; Flavones

OBJECTIVE: Ulcerative colitis is closely associated with intestinal stem cell (ISC) loss and impaired intestinal mucus barrier. Sinisan (SNS), a compound Chinese herbal medicine, has a long history in the treatment of intestinal dysfunction, yet whether SNS can relieve acute experimental colitis by modulating ISC proliferation and secretory cell differentiation has not been studied. Our study tested the effect of SNS against acute colitis and focused on the mechanisms involving intestinal barrier recovery. METHODS: Network pharmacology analysis and blood entry component analysis of SNS were used to explore the underlying mechanism by which SNS affects the acute dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced murine colitis model. RNA-sequencing was used to demonstrate the mechanism. Further, reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction, immunofluorescence staining, and alcian blue and periodic acid-Schiff staining were performed in vivo and in the colonic organoids to investigate the cell lineage differentiation-related mechanism of SNS. Furthermore, potential active ingredients from SNS were predicted by network pharmacology analysis. RESULTS: SNS dramatically suppressed DSS-induced acute colonic inflammation in mice. RNA-sequencing analysis revealed downregulation of inflammation and apoptosis-related genes, and upregulation of lipid metabolism and proliferation-related genes, such as Irf7, Pparα, Clspn and Hspa5. Additionally, ISC renewal and intestinal secretory cell lineage commitment were significantly promoted by SNS both in vivo and in vitro in colonic organoids, leading to enhanced mucin expression. Furthermore, potential active ingredients from SNS that mediated inflammation, lipid metabolism, proliferation, apoptosis, stem cells and secretory cells were predicted using a network pharmacology approach. CONCLUSION Our study shed light on the underlying mechanism of SNS in attenuating acute colitis from the perspective of ISC renewal and secretory lineage cell differentiation, suggesting a of novel therapeutic strategy against colitis. Please cite this article as: Cai YJ, Lan JH, Li S, Feng YN, Li FH, Guo MY, et al. Sinisan, a compound Chinese herbal medicine, alleviates acute colitis by facilitating colonic secretory cell lineage commitment and mucin production. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(4): 429-444.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Mice ; Colon/pathology* ; Mucins/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Cell Differentiation/drug effects* ; Male ; Colitis/metabolism* ; Cell Lineage/drug effects* ; Dextran Sulfate ; Stem Cells/drug effects* ; Disease Models, Animal