ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism of Lycium barbarum polysaccharides （LBP） in promoting the activation of RAW264.7 macrophages. MethodRAW264.7 macrophages were stimulated with LBP at different concentrations （50， 100， 200 mg·L^-1）， and those stimulated with lipopolysaccharide （LPS） at 100 μg·L^-1 and galactose （Gal） at 100 mg·L^-1 as positive controls. After 24 h of LBP stimulation， the cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） was used to detect the survival rate of RAW264.7 macrophages treated with LBP （0， 50， 100， 200， 400， 800 mg·L^-1）. The levels of interleukin-6 （IL-6） and interleukin-12 （IL-12） in cell culture supernatant were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The protein and mRNA expression of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK）， extracellular signal-regulated kinase （ERK）， c-Jun N-terminal kinase （JNK）， and nuclear factor κB （NF-κB） in Toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4）/Toll-like receptor 2 （TLR2）/macrophage galactose-type lectin （MGL） pathway of RAW264.7 macrophages was detected by Real-time fluorescence-based quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot. ResultCCK-8 results showed that compared with the results in the blank group， the survival rate of RAW264.7 macrophages decreased in the 400， 800 mg·L^-1 LBP groups （P<0.05）. ELISA results showed that compared with the blank group， 50 mg·L^-1 LBP could promote the secretion of IL-12 in RAW264.7 macrophages （P<0.01）. Compared with the blank group， 100 mg·L^-1 LBP and 200 mg·L^-1 LBP could promote the secretion of IL-6 in RAW264.7 macrophages （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Western blot results showed that compared with the blank group， the LBP groups （50， 100， 200 mg·L^-1） enhanced protein expression levels of MAPK key molecules （p-p38 MAPK， p-ERK， p-NF-κB， and p-JNK） in TLR4， TLR2， and MGL pathways （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the 200 mg·L^-1 LBP group could promote the expression level of p-NF-κB protein in RAW264.7 macrophages （P<0.01）. Real-time PCR results showed that compared with the blank group， the LBP groups （50， 100， and 200 mg·L^-1） enhanced the mRNA expression levels of MAPK key molecules （p38 MAPK， ERK， NF-κB， and JNK） in TLR4 and TLR2 pathways （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the 50 and 200 mg·L^-1 LBP groups could promote the mRNA expression levels of JNK and ERK2 in RAW264.7 macrophages （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionLBP can regulate the activation of RAW264.7 macrophages and participate in the immune response through the TLR2/TLR4/MGL pathway.

Objective     To provide experience for clinical diagnosis and treatment through exploring the perioperative characteristics and short-term treatment outcomes of adult cardiac surgery in patients with prior coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19). Methods    A retrospective analysis was performed on patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or valve surgery in the Department of Cardiac Surgery of Beijing Anzhen Hospital from December 26, 2022 to December 31, 2022, and previously diagnosed with COVID-19 before surgery. Results    Finally 108 patients were collected, including 81 males and 27 females, with an average age of 60.73±8.66 years. Two (1.9%) patients received emergency surgery, and the others received elective surgery. The 86.1% of patients had been vaccinated, and the duration of COVID-19 was 5.0 (4.0, 7.0) days. The time from COVID-19 to operation was 15.0 (12.0, 17.8) days. Eighty-nine patients received CABG, of which off-pump CABG was dominant (92.1%). Nineteen patients received valve surgery. The rate of delayed extubation of ventilator was 17.6%. The ICU stay was 21.0 (17.3, 24.0) hours, and the postoperative hospital stay was 7.0 (6.0, 8.0) days. Three (2.8%) patients were treated with intra-aortic balloon  pump (IABP), one (0.9%) patient was treated with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), one (0.9%) patient was treated with continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) due to acute renal insufficiency, three (2.8%) patients were treated with temporary pacemaker, and one (0.9%) patient underwent rethoracotomy. In terms of postoperative complications, the incidence of cerebrovascular accident, acute renal insufficiency, gastrointestinal bleeding and septicemia was 0.9%, respectively, and the incidence of acute heart failure, lung infection, and liver insufficiency was 1.9%, respectively. All patients recovered and were discharged from hospital, and no in-hospital death occurred. Conclusion     The utilization rate of postoperative IABP, ECMO, CRRT, temporary pacemaker and the incidence of serious complications in patients with prior COVID-19 are not higher than those of normal patients, and the short-term treatment outcome is good.