This study aims to investigate the protective effects and mechanisms of polysaccharide extract PCP1 from Polygonatum cyrtonema in ameliorating cerebral ischemia-reperfusion(I/R) injury in rats through modulation of the Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)/NOD-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3) signaling pathway. In vivo, SD rats were randomly divided into the sham group, model group, PCP1 group, nimodipine(NMDP) group, and TLR4 signaling inhibitor(TAK-242) group. A middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion(MCAO/R) model was established, and neurological deficit scores and infarct size were evaluated 24 hours after reperfusion. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) and Nissl staining were used to observe pathological changes in ischemic brain tissue. Transmission electron microscopy(TEM) assessed ultrastructural damage in cortical neurons. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to measure the levels of interleukin-1β(IL-1β), interleukin-6(IL-6), interleukin-18(IL-18), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-10(IL-10), and nitric oxide(NO) in serum. Immunofluorescence was used to analyze the expression of TLR4 and NLRP3 proteins. In vitro, a BV2 microglial cell oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion(OGD/R) model was established, and cells were divided into the control, OGD/R, PCP1, TAK-242, and PCP1 + TLR4 activator lipopolysaccharide(LPS) groups. The CCK-8 assay evaluated BV2 cell viability, and ELISA determined NO release. Western blot was used to analyze the expression of TLR4, NLRP3, and downstream pathway-related proteins. The results indicated that, compared with the model group, PCP1 significantly reduced neurological deficit scores, infarct size, ischemic tissue pathology, cortical cell damage, and the levels of inflammatory factors IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18, TNF-α, and NO(P<0.01). It also elevated IL-10 levels(P<0.01) and decreased the expression of TLR4 and NLRP3 proteins(P<0.05, P<0.01). Moreover, in vitro results showed that, compared with the OGD/R group, PCP1 significantly improved BV2 cell viability(P<0.05, P<0.01), reduced cell NO levels induced by OGD/R(P<0.01), and inhibited the expression of TLR4-related inflammatory pathway proteins, including TLR4, myeloid differentiation factor 88(MyD88), tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6(TRAF6), phosphorylated nuclear factor-kappaB dimer RelA(p-p65)/nuclear factor-kappaB dimer RelA(p65), NLRP3, cleaved-caspase-1, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein(ASC), GSDMD-N, IL-1β, and IL-18(P<0.05, P<0.01). The protective effects of PCP1 were reversed by LPS stimulation. In conclusion, PCP1 ameliorates cerebral I/R injury by modulating the TLR4/NLRP3 signaling pathway, exerting anti-inflammatory and anti-pyroptotic effects.
Animals ; Toll-Like Receptor 4/genetics* ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/genetics* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; Reperfusion Injury/genetics* ; Male ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Polysaccharides/isolation & purification* ; Polygonatum/chemistry* ; Brain Ischemia/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Mice ; Humans

The mechanisms of the chronic pain and depression comorbidity have gained significant attention in recent years. The complement system, widely involved in central nervous system diseases and mediating non-specific immune mechanisms in the body, remains incompletely understood in its involvement in the comorbidity mechanisms of chronic pain and depression. This review aims to consolidate the findings from recent studies on the complement system in chronic pain and depression, proposing that it may serve as a promising shared therapeutic target for both conditions. Complement proteins C1q, C3, C5, as well as their cleavage products C3a and C5a, along with the associated receptors C3aR, CR3, and C5aR, are believed to have significant implications in the comorbid mechanism. The primary potential mechanisms encompass the involvement of the complement cascade C1q/C3-CR3 in the activation of microglia and synaptic pruning in the amygdala and hippocampus, the role of complement cascade C3/C3a-C3aR in the interaction between astrocytes and microglia, leading to synaptic pruning, and the C3a-C3aR axis and C5a-C5aR axis to trigger inflammation within the central nervous system. We focus on studies on the role of the complement system in the comorbid mechanisms of chronic pain and depression.

Objective To investigate the protective effect of artesunate on hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD) and its mechanism in neonatal rats. Methods 7-day-old neonatal SD rats were randomly divided into sham operation group, model group, artesunate 5 mg/kg group, artesunate 10 mg/kg group, artesunate 20 mg/kg group and dexamethasone 6 mg/kg group, with 18 rats in each group. HIBD models were established in groups except for the sham operation group. The sham operation group only needed to separate the left common carotid artery without ligation and nitrogen-oxygen mixed gas ventilation. Each group was injected with drug intraperitoneally right after surgery and the rats in the sham operation group and the model group were injected with an equal volume of normal saline (once a day for a total of 5 times). One hour after the last injection, the rats in each group were scored for neurological defects. After the rats were sacrificed, the brain water content was measured and the pathological changes of the brain tissues of rats were observed. Terminal-deoxynucleotidyl transferase mediated nick end labeling (TUNEL) was used to detect the neuronal cell apoptosis, and ELISA was applied to detect the levels of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in brain tissues and peripheral blood of each group of rats. Western blot analysis was adopted to detect the protein expression levels of NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3), apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing CARD (ASC) and caspase-1 in the rats brain tissues of each group. Results Compared with the model group, the neurological deficit score was decreased; the pathological damage of brain tissues was relieved; the brain water content was significantly reduced; the apoptosis number of hippocampal neurons was decreased significantly; the levels of IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α in brain tissues and peripheral blood were significantly reduced; the protein expression levels of NLRP3, ASC and caspase-1 were significantly lowered in the middle-dose and high-dose artesunate groups and the dexamethasone group. Conclusion Artesunate can improve the neurological function, relieve the brain damage, and alleviate the brain edema in neonatal rats with HIBD. It can protect the HIBD, which may be related to the inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome activation and reduction of inflammatory cytokine secretion.
Animals ; Rats ; Animals, Newborn ; Artesunate/pharmacology* ; Brain/metabolism* ; Caspases/metabolism* ; Dexamethasone ; Hypoxia-Ischemia, Brain/pathology* ; Inflammasomes ; Interleukin-6/metabolism* ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/metabolism* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism* ; Water/metabolism*

Objective:To observe the effect of noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) and high-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy (HFNC) on the prognosis of patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) accompanied with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).Methods:A retrospective study was conducted in Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology when authors worked as medical team members for treating COVID-19. COVID-19 patients with pulse oxygen saturation/fraction of inspiration oxygen (SpO 2/FiO 2, S/F) ratio < 235, managed by medical teams [using S/F ratio instead of oxygenation index (PaO 2/FiO 2) to diagnose ARDS] from February to April 2020 were included. The patients were divided into NIPPV group and HFNC group according to their oxygen therapy modes. Clinical data of patients were collected, including general characteristics, respiratory rate (RR), fraction of FiO 2, SpO 2, heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), S/F ratio in the first 72 hours, lymphocyte count (LYM), percentage of lymphocyte (LYM%) and white blood cell count (WBC) at admission and discharge or death, the duration of dyspnea before NIPPV and HFNC, and the length from onset to admission. The differences of intubation rate, all-cause mortality, S/F ratio and RR were analyzed, and single factor analysis and generalized estimation equation (GEE) were used to analyze the risk factors affecting S/F ratio. Results:Among the 41 patients, the proportion of males was high (68.3%, 28 cases), the median age was 68 (58-74) years old, 28 cases had complications (68.3%), and 34 cases had multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS, 82.9%). Compared with HFNC group, the proportion of complications in NIPPV group was higher [87.5% (21/24) vs. 41.2% (7/17), P < 0.05], and the value of LYM% was lower [5.3% (3.4%-7.8%) vs. 10.0% (3.9%-19.7%), P < 0.05], the need of blood purification was also significantly lower [0% (0/24) vs. 29.4% (5/17), P < 0.05]. The S/F ratio of NIPPV group gradually increased after 2 hours treatment and RR gradually decreased with over time, S/F ratio decreased and RR increased in HFNC group compared with baseline, but there was no significant difference in S/F ratio between the two groups at each time point. RR in NIPPV group was significantly higher than that in HFNC group after 2 hours treatment [time/min: 30 (27-33) vs. 24 (21-27), P < 0.05]. There was no significant difference in rate need intubation and hospital mortality between NIPPV group and HFNC group [66.7% (16/24) vs. 70.6% (12/17), 58.3% (14/24) vs. 52.9% (9/17), both P > 0.05]. Analysis of the factors affecting the S/Fratio in the course of oxygen therapy showed that the oxygen therapy mode and the course of illness at admission were the factors affecting the S/F ratio of patients [ β values were -15.827, 1.202, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) were -29.102 to -2.552 and 0.247-2.156, P values were 0.019 and 0.014, respectively]. Conclusion:Compared with HFNC, NIPPV doesn't significantly reduce the intubation rate and mortality of patients with COVID-19 accompanied with ARDS, but it significantly increases the S/F ratio of those patients.

African swine fever (ASF) is a devastating disease of pigs caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV), which is considered to be the No. 1 killer to the global pig industry. Highly virulent strains are usually responsible for the peracute and acute forms that provoke high mortality rates that may reach 100%. Since ASF was first introduced in August 2018 into China, 137 outbreaks in domestic and wild pigs had been reported from 32 provinces by June 06, 2019, causing severe socioeconomic consequences. Efforts to develop an ASFV vaccine began in the 1960s, but all failed, the major reason is the lack of in-depth research on the biological characteristics of ASFV. It will be a great challenge for China to control the spread of current ASF, develop safe and effective vaccines. In this review, we outline the biological characteristics of ASFV, including its morphology and basic structure, transmission routes, pathogenicity, genome and proteins, entry mechanism, immune escape, and analyzed the difficulties in vaccine development. We hope to provide basic information for the control of current ASF and understanding of etiology in China.

Objective　To study the relationship between cerebral artery stenosis and homocysteine（HCY） level and methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase（MTHFR）C677T gene polymorphism in ischemic youth stroke. Methods　50 patients with ischemic young stroke were randomly selected from department 2 of neurology，China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University，41 of whom met the inclusion criteria. They were divided into stenosis group（20 cases） and non-stenosis group（21 cases） according to the presence or absence of cerebrovascular stenosis. The plasma HCY level and MTHFR C677T gene polymorphism were measured and analyzed statistically. Results　In 41 patients，HCY level CC genotype（10.61±2.66）μmol/L was lower than TT genotype（19.65±14.43）μmol/L（P=0.033） and CT+TT genotype（16.65±12.48）μmol/L（P=0.015）. HCY levels in cerebral artery stenosis group and non-stenosis group were（20.44±14.70）μmol/L，（11.03±4.40）μmol/L（P=0.012） respectively（P= 0.012）. The level CC genotype 12.23±2.18 μmol/Lof HCY in stenosis group was lower than TT genotype（28.55±16.82）μmol/L（P=0.043） and CT+TT genotype（22.48±15.82）μmol/L（P=0.023）. The HCY level of CC genotype（8.46±1.40）μmol/L in non-stenosis group was lower than that of TT genotype（11.86±5.0）μmol/L（P=0.161） and CC+TT genotype（11.46±4.60）μmol/L（P=0.048）. The level of the same genotype HCY in the two groups was（28.55±16.82）μmol/L，（11.86±5.02）μmol/L（P=0.040），the CC genotype was（12.23±2.18）μmol/L，（8.46±1.40）μmol/L（P=0.049），and the CT genotype was（17.77 ±14.12）μmol/L，（11.14±4.48）μmol/L（P=0.178）. TT，CT and CT+TT genotypes of MTHFR C677T in the two groups were respectively compared with CC genotype P>0.05，and T was compared with C allele P>0.05. Logistic regression analysis showed that HCY（OR=1.168，95%CI 1.015～1.344，P=0.030） was a risk factor for cerebrovascular stenosis. Conclusion　The level of HCY is a high risk factor for cerebral artery stenosis in ischemic young stroke patients. TT genotype of MTHFR C677T is the key factor affecting plasma HCY level，but C677T genotype and allele frequency have no direct correlation with cerebral artery stenosis.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of succinate dehydrogenase complex subunit A (sdha)gene on cell proliferation,cell cycle and apoptosis of mouse hepatic cell line BNL CL.2 cells. METHODS The BNL CL.2 cells were transfected by two kinds of sdha-shRNA lentivirus to knockdown sdha gene. The infection efficiency of BNL CL.2 cells infected with lentiviral vectors was analyzed by flow cytometry. The expression of sdha gene and SDHA protein was detected by real-time PCR and Western blotting,respectively. The effect of sdha gene on cell proliferation of BNL CL.2 cells was examined by growth curve,while cell cycle and apoptosis were analyzed by flow cytometry. RESULTS The infection efficiency of BNL CL.2 cells in sh-control group and in sdha-shRNA group was above 80%. Compared with sh-control group,the expression of sdha gene in BNL CL.2 cells infected with sdha-shRNA lentivirus was decreased by about 20 times(P<0.01),the expression of SDHA protein was decreased by about 10 times(P<0.01),and the growth rate was about 70%that of sh-control group(P<0.05). The cells were arrested in S phase,and the percentage of cells in S phase was 0.74 times that of sh-control group(P<0.01). The percentage of cells in G0/GI phase was 1.17 times that of sh-control group(P<0.01). The percentage of cells in G2/M was 1.37 times that of sh-control group(P<0.01). But there was no obvious difference in the apoptosis rate. CONCLUSION The reduced expression of SDHA protein can inhibit the proliferation of mouse hepatic cells,and the inhibitory mechanism may be cell cycle arrest. There is possibly no relationship between inhibition and cell apoptosis.

OBJECTIVETo study the chemical constituents from the aerial parts of Polygomun aviculane.

METHODThe chemical constituents were isolated by silica gel column chromatography and preparative silica thin layer chromatography, and their structures were elucidated on the basis of physico-chemical evidences and spectroscopic analysis (IR, MS, 1H and 13C-NMR).

RESULTSeven phenolic compounds were identified as rosmarinic acid (1), gallic acid (2), gentisic acid 5-O-(6'-O-galloyl)-beta-D-glucopyranoside (3), caffeic acid (4), p-coumaric acid (5), ethyl caffeate (6) and acteoside (7), respectively.

CONCLUSIONCompounds 1, 3, 6 and 7 were isolated from this plant for the first time. These results provided theoretical evidences for the further bioactive investigation on this plant.

Caffeic Acids ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Cinnamates ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Depsides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Glucosides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Phenols ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plant Components, Aerial ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Polygonum ; chemistry

Objective:To study the expression of P53, Bax, Bcl-2 proteins and the role of cell apoptosis in the formation and development of acute radiation-induced skin ulcers.Methods:A rat model which was locally irradiated with 60 Co γ-rays was used, and the pathological changes were observed for 40 days. Immunohistochemistry and TUNEL assay were performed which enabled the detection of P53, Bax, Bcl-2 and cell apoptosis during the formation and development of radiation skin ulcers.Results: Skin ulcers were found on day 14 after irradiation, and enlarged and deepened gradually during the observation period. P53 was over expressed during days 11 to 40 after irradiation and was localized in vascular endotheliocytes and smooth muscle cells. Bax was moderately positive during days 14 to 21 and weakly positive during days 28 to 35, and was localized in vascular endotheliocytes, some fibroblasts and proliferating keratinocytes. Bcl-2 was weakly positive during days 1 to 11 after irradiation, and was located in keratinocytes, hair follicular cells and some vascular endotheliocytes. Bcl-2 was negative during days 11 to 40.The rate of cell apoptosis, especially of vascular endotheliocytes,wash igher than that in the early process of normal wound healing. Conclusions:After irradiation,the increased expression of the apoptosis-inducing protein P53, Bax and the decreased expression of the apoptosis-inhibiting protein Bcl-2 might be associated with the high rate of apoptotic events, and play important roles in the formation and development of radiation skin ulcers.