Objective: To examine the mediating effect of frailty on social isolation and cognitive function among the elderly. Methods: Demographic information, smoking, alcohol consumption and cognitive function of the elderly at ages of 60 years and older were collected from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study 2020. Social isolation and frailty were evaluated using social isolation index and frailty index, respectively. The mediating effect of frailty on social isolation and cognitive function was analyzed using the Process program, and the significance of the mediating role was tested using the Bootstrap test. Results: A total of 2 822 individuals were enrolled, including 1 483 males (52.55%) and 1 339 females (47.45%). There were 2 497 (88.48%) and 325 (11.52%) individuals at ages of 60-<75 years and ≥75 years, respectively. The median cognitive function score was 14 (interquartile range, 16) points. There were 432 cases with social isolation (15.31%), with a median social isolation index of 10 (interquartile range, 5) points. The median frailty index was 0.11 (interquartile range, 0.15). There were 1 111 individuals without frailty, accounting for 39.37%; 1 214 individuals with pre-frailty, accounting for 43.02%; and 497 individuals with frailty, accounting for 17.61%. Mediating effect analysis showed that social isolation affected cognitive function directly and negatively with the effect value of -0.773 (95%CI: -0.899 to -0.647), and also affected cognitive function by frailty indirectly and negatively with the effect value of -0.147 (95%CI: -0.188 to -0.110), with the mediating effect contributed 15.98% of the total effect. Conclusion Frailty can directly or indirectly affect cognitive function among elderly through social isolation.

Cholesterol is an essential molecule for the biosynthesis of cell membranes and cell proliferation and differentiation， and the liver plays a central role in cholesterol metabolism and is responsible for the synthesis， uptake， secretion， and transport of cholesterol. The initial stages of cholesterol synthesis in the liver are particularly important， and abnormalities in such stages are closely associated with the progression of various liver diseases. Studies have shown that as a key rate-limiting enzyme in cholesterol biosynthesis， 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase （HMGCR） has well-defined regulatory properties and has been confirmed as an important target for the regulation of various liver diseases. This article reviews the process of cholesterol metabolism， the degradation and regulatory mechanisms of HMGCR， and the application of inhibitors， as well as the role of HMGCR in liver diseases， in order to provide new insights for scientific research and the clinical prevention and treatment of liver diseases.

[摘 要] 目的：探讨烯醇化酶1（ENO1）对胃癌细胞增殖、迁移及侵袭的影响及其分子机制。方法：通过WB法检测ENO1在人胃癌细胞HGC27、MKN-45、N-87、MGC803、BGC-823及人胃黏膜上皮细胞GES-1中的表达水平，利用CRISPR、过表达等基因编辑工具分别构建ENO1敲低及敲低—恢复表达细胞株，将MKN-45和BGC-823细胞分别分组为Ctrl组、ENO1 KD组、ENO1 KD-OE组。通过克隆形成实验、EdU染色、划痕实验、Transwell实验、流式细胞术检测敲低或敲低—恢复表达ENO1对胃癌细胞增殖、迁移、侵袭及凋亡的影响。构建胃癌细胞裸鼠移植瘤模型，通过小动物活体成像技术及肿瘤组织块测量观察ENO1对肿瘤生长的影响。在MKN-45细胞中通过RNA干扰技术沉默ENO1，利用RNA免疫共沉淀-转录组测序（RIP-Seq）结合生物信息学分析技术鉴定ENO1下游的靶基因，分析ENO1调控胃癌细胞增殖、迁移及侵袭的分子机制。结果：ENO1在胃癌细胞中表达水平均显著升高（P < 0.01或P < 0.001）。在MKN-45和BGC-823细胞中敲低ENO1可显著降低胃癌细胞的增殖、迁移、侵袭能力并促进细胞凋亡（P < 0.001或P < 0.000 1）；回复实验结果显示，恢复ENO1的表达后，胃癌细胞的增殖、迁移、侵袭能力均显著提高并减少细胞凋亡（P < 0.05或P < 0.01或P < 0.001或P < 0.000 1）。裸鼠荷瘤实验结果表明，敲低ENO1的表达可以显著抑制裸鼠移植瘤的生长（P < 0.000 1）。与ENO1蛋白具有相互作用的差异基因主要富集于RNA剪切相关通路，且ENO1蛋白与PKM基因具有相互作用，胃癌组织中ENO1与PKM2基因表达事呈正相关（r = 0.886）。结论：ENO1在胃癌细胞中呈高表达，其通过与PKM的前体mRNA相互作用影响PKM的RNA剪接过程，进而调控PKM2的表达水平并促进胃癌的进展。

Background Existing studies suggest that cadmium exposure is associated with the occurrence of cardiovascular disease (CVD), but the current epidemiological evidence is inconsistent. Objective To systematically evaluate the relationship between cadmium exposure and CVD through meta-analysis. Methods We systematically searched PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang and SinoMed databases to collect observational studies on the relationship between cadmium exposure and CVD in human population published until July 30, 2024. On the basis of following predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria, the retrieved literature was systematically screened, and the basic information of the included research was extracted, including basic participant information, research outcomes, and data results. This study used the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale and a cross-sectional study evaluation protocol (11 items) recommended by the Quality of Health Care and Research Institutions of the United States for literature quality evaluation. Meta-analysis, subgroup analysis, sensitivity analysis, and assessment of publication bias of the data were conducted using Stata16.0 software. Result A total of 15 studies (18 datasets) were included, and the quality of all the studies was graded as medium or above. Among them, there were 10593 cases of CVD and 86801 controls. The results of meta-analysis showed that the standard mean difference (SMD) of the CVD case group was 0.44 and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) was (0.30, 0.58), and the cadmium exposure level of the CVD case group was higher than that of the control group (P<0.05). The subgroup analysis showed that the cadmium exposure levels in the CVD patients from the Americas (SMD=0.46, 95%CI: 0.29, 0.63) and Europe (SMD=0.14, 95%CI: 0.09, 0.19) were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). The cadmium levels in blood (SMD=0.52, 95%CI: 0.31, 0.73) and urine (SMD=0.34, 95%CI: 0.16, 0.52) in the CVD case group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). In those cross-sectional studies (SMD=0.34, 95%CI: 0.23, 0.46), the cadmium exposure level in the CVD patients was higher than that in the control group (P<0.05). The sensitivity analysis showed robust meta-analysis results and the assessment of publication bias also showed no publication bias. Conclusion Cadmium exposure may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease after multiple studies were combined by meta analysis, suggesting that the scope and level of cadmium exposure in the population should be further controlled.

Several types of arthritis share the common feature that the generation of inflammatory mediators leads to joint cartilage degradation. However, the shared mechanism is largely unknown. H2BK120ub1 was reportedly involved in various inflammatory diseases but its role in the shared mechanism in inflammatory joint conditions remains elusive. The present study demonstrated that levels of cartilage degradation, H2BK120ub1, and its regulator WW domain-containing adapter protein with coiled-coil (WAC) were increased in cartilage in human rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA) patients as well as in experimental RA and OA mice. By regulating H2BK120ub1 and H3K27me3, WAC regulated the secretion of inflammatory and cartilage-degrading factors. WAC influenced the level of H3K27me3 by regulating nuclear entry of the H3K27 demethylase KDM6B, and acted as a key factor of the crosstalk between H2BK120ub1 and H3K27me3. The cartilage-specific knockout of WAC demonstrated the ability to alleviate cartilage degradation in collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) and collagenase-induced osteoarthritis (CIOA) mice. Through molecular docking and dynamic simulation, doxercalciferol was found to inhibit WAC and the development of cartilage degradation in the CIA and CIOA models. Our study demonstrated that WAC is a key factor of cartilage degradation in arthritis, and targeting WAC by doxercalciferol could be a viable therapeutic strategy for treating cartilage destruction in several types of arthritis.

Cardiac fibrosis is characterized by an elevated amount of extracellular matrix (ECM) within the heart. However, the persistence of cardiac fibrosis ultimately diminishes contractility and precipitates cardiac dysfunction. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are emerging as important regulators of cardiac fibrosis. Here, we elucidate the functional role of a specific circular RNA CELF1 in cardiac fibrosis and delineate a novel feedback loop mechanism. Functionally, circ-CELF1 was involved in enhancing fibrosis-related markers' expression and promoting the proliferation of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs), thereby exacerbating cardiac fibrosis. Mechanistically, circ-CELF1 reduced the ubiquitination-degradation rate of BRPF3, leading to an elevation of BRPF3 protein levels. Additionally, BRPF3 acted as a modular scaffold for the recruitment of histone acetyltransferase KAT7 to facilitate the induction of H3K14 acetylation within the promoters of the Celf1 gene. Thus, the transcription of Celf1 was dramatically activated, thereby inhibiting the subsequent response of their downstream target gene Smad7 expression to promote cardiac fibrosis. Moreover, Celf1 further promoted Celf1 pre-mRNA transcription and back-splicing, thereby establishing a feedback loop for circ-CELF1 production. Consequently, a novel feedback loop involving CELF1/circ-CELF1/BRPF3/KAT7 was established, suggesting that circ-CELF1 may serve as a potential novel therapeutic target for cardiac fibrosis.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the therapeutic mechanism of compound Centella asiatica formula (CCA) for alleviating Schistosoma japonicum (Sj)-induced liver fibrosis in mice. METHODS: The active components and targets of CCA were identified using the TCMSP database with cross-analysis of Sj-related liver fibrosis targets. A "drug-component-target-pathway-disease" network was constructed using Cytoscape 3.9.1. Functional enrichment analysis (GO/KEGG) was performed using DAVID. Molecular docking study was carried out to validate interactions between the core targets and the key compounds. For experimental validation of the results, 36 mice were divided into control group, Sj-infected model group, and CCA-treated groups. In the latter two groups, liver fibrosis was induced via abdominal infection with Sj cercariae for 8 weeks, followed by 8 weeks of daily treatment with CCA decoction or saline. Hepatic pathology of the mice was assessedwith HE and Masson staining, and hepatic expressions of collagen-I and collagen-III were detected using immunohistochemistry; serum IL-6 and TNF-α levels were determined with ELISA. Hepatic expressions of TLR4 and MyD88 proteins were analyzed with Western blotting. RESULTS: We identified a total of 107 bioactive CCA components and 791 targets, including 37 intersection targets linked to Sj-induced fibrosis. The core targets included TNF, TP53, JUN, MMP9, and CXCL8, involving the IL-17 signaling, lipid metabolism, TLR4/MyD88 axis, and cancer pathways. Molecular docking study confirmed strong binding affinity between quercetin (a primary CCA component) and TNF/TP53/JUN/MMP9. In Sj-infected mouse models, CCA treatment significantly attenuated hepatic inflammatory cell infiltration, reduced collagen-I and collagen-III deposition, improved tissue architecture, reduced serum IL-6 and TNF-α levels, and downregulated TLR4 and MyD88 expressions in the liver. CONCLUSIONS CCA mitigates Sj-induced liver fibrosis by targeting TNF, TP53, JUN, and MMP9 to modulate the TLR4/MyD88 pathway, thereby suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokine release, inhibiting hepatic stellate cell activation, reducing collagen deposition, and preventing granuloma formation in the liver.
Animals ; Toll-Like Receptor 4/metabolism* ; Mice ; Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88/metabolism* ; Schistosoma japonicum ; Liver Cirrhosis/parasitology* ; Schistosomiasis japonica ; Signal Transduction ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Inflammation ; Centella/chemistry* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism*

Radiochemotherapy-induced oral mucositis (OM) is a common oral complication in patients with tumors following head and neck radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Erosion and ulcers are the main features of OM that seriously affect the quality of life of patients and even the progress of tumor treatment. To date, differences in clinical prevention and treatment plans for OM have been noted among doctors of various specialties, which has increased the uncertainty of treatment effects. On the basis of current research evidence, this expert consensus outlines risk factors, clinical manifestations, clinical grading, ancillary examinations, diagnostic basis, prevention and treatment strategies and efficacy indicators for OM. In addition to strategies such as basic oral care, anti-inflammatory and analgesic agents, anti-infective agents, pro-healing agents, and photobiotherapy recommended in previous guidelines, we also emphasize the role of traditional Chinese medicine in OM prevention and treatment. This expert consensus aims to provide references and guidance for dental physicians and oncologists in formulating strategies for OM prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, standardizing clinical practice, reducing OM occurrence, promoting healing, and improving the quality of life of patients.
Humans ; Chemoradiotherapy/adverse effects* ; Consensus ; Risk Factors ; Stomatitis/etiology*

Functional dyspepsia (FD), characterized by persistent or recurrent dyspeptic symptoms without identifiable organic, systemic or metabolic causes, is an increasingly recognized global health issue. The objective of this guideline is to equip clinicians and nursing professionals with evidence-based strategies for the management and treatment of adult patients with FD using traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The Guideline Development Group consulted existing TCM consensus documents on FD and convened a panel of 35 clinicians to generate initial clinical queries. To address these queries, a systematic literature search was conducted across PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP Database, China Biology Medicine (SinoMed) Database, Wanfang Database, Traditional Medicine Research Data Expanded (TMRDE), and the Traditional Chinese Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System (TCMLARS). The evidence from the literature was critically appraised using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. The strength of the recommendations was ascertained through a consensus-building process involving TCM and allopathic medicine experts, methodologists, pharmacologists, nursing specialists, and health economists, leveraging their collective expertise and empirical knowledge. The guideline comprises a total of 43 evidence-informed recommendations that span a range of clinical aspects, including the pathogenesis according to TCM, diagnostic approaches, therapeutic interventions, efficacy assessments, and prognostic considerations. Please cite this article as: Zhang SS, Zhao LQ, Hou XH, Bian ZX, Zheng JH, Tian HH, Yang GH, Hong WS, He YY, Liu L, Shen H, Li YP, Xie S, Shu J, Zeng BF, Li JX, Liu Z, Xiao ZH, Xiao JD, Zheng PY, Huang SG, Chen SL, Fei GJ. International clinical practice guideline on the use of traditional Chinese medicine for functional dyspepsia (2025). J Integr Med. 2025; 23(5):502-518.
Dyspepsia/drug therapy* ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods* ; Practice Guidelines as Topic ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*

Andrographolide sulfonate (AS) is a sulfonated derivative of andrographolide extracted from Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Nees, and has been approved for several decades in China. The present study aimed to investigate the novel therapeutic application and possible mechanisms of AS in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Results indicated that administration of AS by injection or gavage significantly reduced the paw swelling, improved body weights, and attenuated pathological changes in joints of rats with adjuvant-induced arthritis. Additionally, the levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and IL-1β in the serum and ankle joints were reduced. Bioinformatics analysis, along with the spleen index and measurements of IL-17 and IL-10 levels, suggested a potential relationship between AS and Th17 cells under arthritic conditions. In vitro, AS was shown to block Th17 cell differentiation, as evidenced by the reduced percentages of CD4⁺ IL-17A⁺ T cells and decreased expression levels of RORγt, IL-17A, IL-17F, IL-21, and IL-22, without affecting the cell viability and apoptosis. This effect was attributed to the limited glycolysis, as indicated by metabolomics analysis, reduced glucose uptake, and pH measurements. Further investigation revealed that AS might bind to hexokinase2 (HK2) to down-regulate the protein levels of HK2 but not glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) or pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2), and overexpression of HK2 reversed the inhibition of AS on Th17 cell differentiation. Furthermore, AS impaired the activation of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) signals in vivo and in vitro, which was abolished by the addition of lactate. In conclusion, AS significantly improved adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) in rats by inhibiting glycolysis-mediated activation of PI3K/AKT to restrain Th17 cell differentiation.
Animals ; Th17 Cells/immunology* ; Diterpenes/pharmacology* ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/metabolism* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/immunology* ; Glycolysis/drug effects* ; Cell Differentiation/drug effects* ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/genetics* ; Rats ; Male ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Humans ; Andrographis paniculata/chemistry* ; Arthritis, Experimental/drug therapy* ; Interleukin-17/immunology* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects*