Objective:To standardize the origin of Rubi Fructus by using ITS2 and matK molecular markers to identify Rubi Fructus and its analogues. Methods:The ITS and matK sequences of Rubus chingii Hu, Rubus corchorifolius L.f., Rubus hirsutus Thunb., Rubus parvifolius L., Rubus buergeri Miq. and Rubus lambertianus Ser. were amplified and sequenced. The hidden Markov model was used to remove 5.8S and 28S from ITS sequences. A total of 25 ITS2 sequences were obtained. And a total of 22 matK sequences were obtained by proofreading by Glustal software. MEGA software was used for matK and ITS2 sequences analysis, intraspecific and interspecific genetic distances caculation, and neighbor joining (NJ) phylogenetic tree construction. ITS2 secondary structure was predicted by ITS2 database and aligned by 4Sale software. Profile neighbor-joining (PNJ) phylogenetic tree was constructed based on combined ITS2 sequence and its secondary structure by ProfDistS software. Results:An obvious barcoding gap between Rubi Fructus and its analogues was showed. The topological relationship between NJ tree and PNJ tree was consistent, and each taxon exhibits monophyly. The ITS2 secondary structure of Rubi Fructus was significant different from its analogues.Conclusions:It is recommended that both ITS2 and matK markers can serve as DNA barcodes for identifying Rubi Fructus and its analogues. The addition of ITS2 secondary structure information can enrich the identification results and provide theoretical support for resource research and variety selection of Rubi Fructus.

Objective To establish a liver-specific Rbp4 gene knockout mouse model and to explore the effect of liver Rbp4 gene deletion on glucose metabolism.Methods Cre-LoxP technology was used to construct a liver-specific Rbp4 gene knockout mouse model using C57/BL6J and Alb-Cre mice.The genotype of the mice was identified by polymerase chain reaction and agarose gel electrophoresis.Ten 18 week old C57/BL6J male mice were included in the WT group,10 flox homozygous and Alb-Cre negative mice of the same age were included in the experimental control group(Rbp4flox/flox:Cre-),and 10 flox homozygous and Alb-Cre positive mice of the same age were included in the experimental group(Rbp4flox/flox:Cre+).Expression levels of RBP4 protein and mRNA in the liver were verified by Western Blot and quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR),respectively,and expression levels of Rbp4 mRNA in other tissues were detected by qRT-PCR.Morphological changes in liver tissue were detected by hematoxylin and eosin staining.Blood glucose values were detected in mouse tail vein blood samples using a blood glucose meter,and glucose tolerance and insulin tolerance were determined.Expression levels of the liver glucose metabolism genes phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase(Pepck)and glucose-6-phosphatase(G6pase)were detected by qRT-PCR.Results Liver-specific Rbp4 knockout mice were successfully bred and identified.RBP4 protein and mRNA levels were significantly decreased in the liver of Rbp4flox/flox:Cre+mice(P＜0.05),but there was no significant difference in the relative expression levels of Rbp4 mRNA in fat,kidney,pancreas,spleen,heart,or muscle tissues among the three groups(P＞0.05).Liver-specific Rbp4 knockout had no significant effect on liver morphology,glucose tolerance,or insulin tolerance(P＞0.05).Pepck mRNA levels in the liver differed significantly among the three groups(P＜0.05),and pairwise comparison showed that liver Pepck mRNA levels were significantly lower in Rbp4flox/flox:Cre+mice compared with levels in Rbp4flox/flox:Cre-mice(P＜0.05).There was no significant difference in liver glucose-6-phosphatase(G6pase)mRNA expression among the three groups(P＞0.05).Conclusions We successfully constructed a liver-specific Rbp4 knockout mouse model.Deletion of Rbp4 in the liver inhibited expression of Pepck mRNA in the liver,thus providing a basis for further exploration of the role of this gene in glucose metabolism in mice.

Objective:To study the relationship and the role of leptin in children with biliary atresia and hepatic fibrosis to provide a treatment basis for these patients.Methods:The clinical data of children with biliary atresia or congenital biliary dilatation (CBD) who underwent surgical treatment at the Department of General Surgery of Tianjin Children's Hospital from August 2019 to August 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Of 31 children included in this study, there were 14 males and 17 females, with age of 60 (30, 63) d. Children with biliary atresia served as the study group ( n=26) and children with CBD served as the control group ( n=5). Leptin protein, α-smooth muscleactin (α-SMA) and phosphorylation of extracellular-regulated protein kinase 1/2 (p-ERK1/2) in liver tissues were detectd by immunohistochemistry (IHC). The expression level of leptin mRNA in liver tissues were detected by quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Results:The average optical density values of leptin protein, α-SMA protein and p-ERK1/2 protein in the liver tissues of children in the study group were significantly higher than the control group ( P<0.05). The expression levels of leptin, α-SMA and p-ERK1/2 in liver tissues of children with biliary atresia significantly increased with increase in fibrosis degree ( P<0.05). The expression level of leptin in liver tissues of children with biliary atresia was positively correlated with the liver fibrosis grade ( rs=0.876), α-SMA ( r=0.723) and p-ERK1/2 ( r=0.725) ( P<0.01). The results of qRT-PCR showed that the content of leptin mRNA in liver tissues of children with biliary atresia was significantly higher than that of children with CBD ( P<0.05). Conclusion:Expressions of leptin increased with aggravation of degrees of hepatic fibrosis in biliary atresia. Leptin may be involved in activation of HSCs through the ERK1/2 signaling pathway in the process of hepatic fibrosis due to biliary atresia.

OBJECTIVE To investigated the anti-de-pressant effects of the fruit Areca catechu L.(ACL)and elucidated its potential underlying mechanism using a rat model of chronic unpredictable mild stress(CUMS).METHODS CUMS was induced in rats to establish a depression animal model for 28 d.According to the baseline sucrose preference,the male rats were divided into six different groups.They were treated with parox-etine hydrochloride,ACL,and water once a day until the behavioral tests were performed.The levels of corticoste-rone(CORT),malondialdehyde(MDA),catalase(CAT),and total superoxide dismutase(T-SOD)in serum were de-tected using a commercial kit,and the concentrations of 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT)and dopamine(DA)mono-amine neurotransmitters in the brain tissues were detect-ed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.Doublecortin(DCX)expression in the hippocampal den-tate gyrus(DG)was determined by immunofluorescence,and the relative abundance of brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF),TrkB,PI3K,p-Akt/Akt,PSD-95,and p-GSK-3β/GSK-3β of brain tissues were assayed by West-ern blotting.RESULTS ACL markedly increased sucrose preference,decreased the immobility time,and short-ened the feeding latency of CUMS-induced rats.CUMS induction resulted in marked changes in the contents of the monoamine neurotransmitters(5-HT and DA)in the hippocampus and cortex of brain tissues and the levels of CORT,MDA,CAT,and T-SOD in serum,whereas ACL administration alleviated these considerable changes.ACL promoted DCX expression in DG and increased the protein levels of BDNF,TrkB,PI3K,p-Akt/Akt,PSD-95,and p-GSK-3β/GSK-3β in the brains of CUMS-induced rats.CONCLUSION Our results indicated that ACL may improve depression-like behaviors in CUMS-induced rats by decreasing the hyperfunction and oxidative stress of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis,stimulating hippo-campal neurogenesis,and activating the BDNF signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE Cognitive deficit is a com-mon comorbidity in temporal lobe epilepsy(TLE)and that is not well controlled by current therapeutics.Currently,how epileptic seizure affects cognitive performance remains largely unclear.The subiculum is the major out-put of the hippocampus,which projects to entorhinal cor-tex and other more distinct brain regions.Physiologically,the subiculum codes spatial working memory and naviga-tion information including place,speed,and trajectory.Importantly,prior studies have noted the importance of the subiculum in the beginning,spreading,and generaliz-ing process of hippocampal seizure.How seizure-activated neurons in subiculum participate in cognitive impairment remains largely elusive.METHODS In this study,we sought to label the subicular seizure-activated c-fos+ neu-rons with a special promoter with enhanced synaptic activity-responsive element E-SARE in the subiculum,combined with chemogenetics and designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs(DREADDs),Ca2+ fiber photometry approaches,and behavioral tasks,to reveal the role of these neurons in cognitive impairment in epilepsy.RESULTS We found that chemogenetic inhibi-tion of subicular seizure-tagged c-fos+ neurons(mainly CaMK Ⅱ α+ glutamatergic neurons)alleviates seizure generalization and improves cognitive performance in the hippocampal CA3 kindling TLE model.While inhibition of seizure-labeled c-fos+ GABAergic interneuron shows no effect on seizure and cognition.As a comparison,che-mogenetic inhibition of the whole subicular CaMK Ⅱ α+ neuron impairs cognitive function in na?ve mice in basal condition.Notably,inhibition of subicular seizure-tagged c-fos+ neurons enhances the recruitment of cognition-responsive c-fos+ neurons via increasing neural excitability during cognition tasks.CONCLUSION Our results dem-onstrate that subicular seizure-activated c-fos+ neurons contribute to cognitive impairment in TLE,suggesting sei-zure-tagged c-fos+ neurons as the potential therapeutic target to alleviate cognitive impairment in TLE.

Objective To establish an immortalized tree shrew corneal stromal cells(CSCs)line and to study its response to virus infection.Methods Primary tree shrew CSCs were isolated and cultured by the tissue block adhesion method.CSCs were then transfected with a lentivirus carrying the SV40T gene and monoclonal cells were selected for passage culture.The characteristics of the CSCs were investigated by morphological observation and compared with 40 generations until the 50 generations or more,immunofluorescence identification of vimentin and SV40T genes,karyotype examination,and cell proliferation curve.The CSCs were infected with herpes simplex virus-1(HSV-1)(McKrae strain),Zika virus(ZIKV,GZ01 strain),Dengue virus typeⅡ,and H1N1(PR8).Results The immortalized tree shrew CSCs after＞50 passages appeared spindle-shaped with good cell morphology and structure compared with 40 generations.Positive immunofluorescence expression of vimentin and SV40T genes.The cell growth curve showed that the cells were in logarithmic-phase growth on days 4～5 and grew vigorously.The number of chromosomes in the primary cells was stable at 62,while immortalized CSCs had 64 chromosomes at P21 and P56.The virus titer results showed that the immortalized tree shrew CSCs were sensitive to HSV-1(McKrae strain),ZIKV(GZ01 strain),Dengue virus typeⅡ,and H1N1(PR8),with virus titers of 1.32×105,5.62×106,2.69×107,and 7.76×104 CCID50/mL,respectively.Conclusions The immortalized tree shrew CSCs were established successfully,suggesting that this cell line is suitable for studies of the mechanisms of HSV,ZIKV,Dengue virus,and influenza A virus infection in relation to corneal diseases and antiviral drugs.

OBJECTIVE To explore the potential of Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix in affecting diabetes mellitus type 2(T2DM) and the potential mechanism for T2DM related symptoms based on systematic pharmacology, bioinformatics, molecular docking and in vitro and in vivo experiments. METHODS The database was used to search the related chemical components of Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix, predict the potential targets and intervene related diseases. The differential genes of T2DM relative healthy people were retrieved from GEO database, mapped with the action target of Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix, and placed in DAVID database for biological function enrichment. The sensitivity of the target gene to T2DM was analyzed by one-way ANOVA, binary logistic regression analysis and ROC curve. The binding position and interaction force between chemical compounds of Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix and target proteins were analyzed by molecular docking technology. The effect of Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix and its chemical compounds on the expression of target protein was verified by T2DM model in vivo and in vitro. RESULTS Through database retrieval and analysis, 304 kinds of target related diseases(P value<0.05, FDR<0.05) were obtained, and T2DM with the highest degree value(Degree=59) was selected and analyzed. The 43 target genes were obtained from the intersection of differential genes in T2DM relatively healthy people and potential action targets of Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix. A total of 9 genes with significant differences were obtained by one-way ANOVA, 5 meaningful genes were obtained by binary logistic regression analysis, and 3 genes with area under ROC curve AUC>0.5 were obtained. By molecular docking (+)-Isoboldine binds to proteins APEX1, CASP1 and CBFB, Napelline binds to proteins CBX1 and EHMT2 through different forces such as hydrogen bond interaction, ligand interaction, hydrophobic interaction, ionizability and electrostatic interaction, so as to increase the ability of ligands to target proteins. After 2 weeks of treatment with Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix aqueous extract, Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix may alleviated the symptoms of T2DM by improving peripheral neuropathy. Moreover, Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix could affect the protein expression of APEX1, CASP1, CBFB, CBX1 and EHMT2 in rat liver tissue. The effect of (+)-Isoboldine and Napelline chemical compounds in Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix on the target protein of the model in vitro was consistent with that in vivo. CONCLUSION It is preliminarily revealed that Aconiti Kusnezoffii Radix can be used as a potential therapeutic drug to improve T2DM peripheral neuropathy, which lays a theoretical foundation for the research and development of Chinese Mongolian medicine and the excavation of new target drugs for the treatment of T2DM.