Objective To investigate gender differences of plasma glial cell line-derived neurotro-phic factor (GDNF) levels in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). Methods MDD subjects (male 20,female 36) and healthy controls (HCs) (male 35,female 45) were divided into four groups by gender. Plasma levels of GDNF were measured and compared in different gender groups. The clinical symp-tom severity of MDD patients was evaluated by 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-17) and Hamil-ton Anxiety Scale (HAMA-17). Results (1)The plasma GDNF level in male patients with major depres-sive disorder (( 1. 55 ± 0. 43 ) pg/ml ) was significantly lower than that in healthy controls (( 1. 86 ± 0. 50)pg/ml,F=4. 64,P=0. 036). There was no significant difference in GDNF level between female de-pression patients((1.62±0.46)pg/ml)) and female healthy control((1. 64±0. 48)pg/ml,F=0. 18,P=0. 672). In HCs,the GDNF level of male was significantly higher than that of female((1. 86±0. 50)pg/ml, (1. 64±0. 48)pg/ml,F=2. 04,P=0. 045). There was no significant difference in GDNF level between male and female patients(P>0. 05). (2) GDNF level in male patients with major depressive disorder was nega-tively correlated with HAMA score(r=-0. 388,P=0. 034). Conclusion The expression of GDNF is affect-ed by sex factors,which may be related to the different pathogenesis of MDD.

Background::Exercise, as the cornerstone of pulmonary rehabilitation, is recommended to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) patients. The underlying molecular basis and metabolic process were not fully elucidated.Methods::Sprague-Dawley rats were classified into five groups: non-COPD/rest ( n = 8), non-COPD/exercise ( n = 7), COPD/rest ( n = 7), COPD/medium exercise ( n = 10), and COPD/intensive exercise ( n = 10). COPD animals were exposed to cigarette smoke and lipopolysaccharide instillation for 90 days, while the non-COPD control animals were exposed to room air. Non-COPD/exercise and COPD/medium exercise animals were trained on a treadmill at a decline of 5° and a speed of 15 m/min while animals in the COPD/intensive exercise group were trained at a decline of 5° and a speed of 18 m/min. After eight weeks of exercise/rest, we used ultrasonography, immunohistochemistry, transmission electron microscopy, oxidative capacity of mitochondria, airflow-assisted desorption electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry imaging (AFADESI-MSI), and transcriptomics analyses to assess rectal femoris (RF). Results::At the end of 90 days, COPD rats’ weight gain was smaller than control by 59.48 ± 15.33 g ( P = 0.0005). The oxidative muscle fibers proportion was lower ( P < 0.0001). At the end of additional eight weeks of exercise/rest, compared to COPD/rest, COPD/medium exercise group showed advantages in weight gain, femoral artery peak flow velocity (Δ58.22 mm/s, 95% CI: 13.85-102.60 mm/s, P = 0.0104), RF diameters (Δ0.16 mm, 95% CI: 0.04-0.28 mm, P = 0.0093), myofibrils diameter (Δ0.06 μm, 95% CI: 0.02-0.10 μm, P = 0.006), oxidative muscle fiber percentage (Δ4.84%, 95% CI: 0.15-9.53%, P = 0.0434), mitochondria oxidative phosphorylate capacity ( P < 0.0001). Biomolecules spatial distribution in situ and bioinformatic analyses of transcriptomics suggested COPD-related alteration in metabolites and gene expression, which can be impacted by exercise. Conclusion::COPD rat model had multi-level structure and function impairment, which can be mitigated by exercise.