ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism of kidney-tonifying and liver-regulating cyclical therapy and its formula in regulating endometrial receptivity during the "implantation window" in rats with polycystic ovary syndrome （PCOS）. MethodsSix rats were randomly selected from 36 SPF SD female rats as the normal group， and the remaining rats were administered letrozole to induce a PCOS model. By using a random number method， the rats were divided into the following groups： normal group， model group， Xiaoyaosan group （11.97 g·kg^-1）， Sanzi Yangmo decoction group （28.35 g·kg^-1）， cyclical therapy group （11.97/28.35 g·kg^-1）， and aspirin group （8 × 10^-3 mg·kg^-1）. After 12 days of continuous administration by gavage （equivalent to three estrous cycles）， female and male rats were co-housed. On the fifth day of pregnancy， the number of blastocyst implantation in each group was counted. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe the pathological morphology of rat endometrial tissue. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to measure the levels of estradiol （E₂） and progesterone （P） in rat serum. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF）， progesterone receptor （PR）， estrogen receptor （ER）， androgen receptor （AR）， and integrin（ITG） αvβ3 in rat endometrial blood vessels. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to detect the mRNA expression of miR-140-5 P， VEGF， vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 （VEGFR2）， PR， ER， AR， and ITGαvβ3 in rat endometrium. ResultsCompared with normal group， the estrous cycle of the rats in model group continued to be in the estrus interval and the estrous cycle lost regular changes. The endometrium was significantly thinner， the number of uterine glands and blood vessels were significantly reduced （P<0.01）， and the pregnancy rate was significantly reduced. Compared with the model group， each drug group restored the regular estrous cycle to varying degrees， and the endometrial thickness and the number of blood vessels were significantly improved （P<0.01）. The pregnancy rate of each drug group increased， and the effect of the cycle therapy group could reach the normal level. The results of molecular biology experiments showed that compared with the normal group， the levels of serum E₂ and P in the model group were significantly decreased （P<0.01）， the expression of VEGF， ER， PR and ITGαvβ3 protein was significantly decreased （P<0.05，P<0.01）， the expression of AR protein was significantly increased （P<0.01）， the expression of miR-140-5P and AR mRNA was significantly increased （P<0.01）， and the expression of VEGF， VEGFR2， ER， PR and ITGαvβ3 mRNA was significantly decreased （P<0.01）. Compared with model group， the serum E₂ level in the Xiaoyaosan group was significantly increased （P<0.01）.The levels of E₂ and P in serum of rats in Sanzi Yangmo decoction group， cycle therapy group and aspirin group were significantly increased （P<0.01）. The expression of AR protein in each drug group was significantly decreased （P<0.01）. The expression of VEGF and ITGαvβ3 protein in Xiaoyaosan group was significantly increased （P<0.01）. The expression of VEGF， ER and PR protein in Sanzi Yangmo decoction group was increased to varying degrees （P<0.05，P<0.01）. The expression of VEGF， PR， ER and ITGαvβ3 protein in the cycle therapy group and the aspirin group increased to varying degrees （P<0.05，P<0.01）. The expression of miR-140-5P and AR mRNA in each drug group was significantly decreased （P<0.01）. The expression of VEGF， VEGFR2， ER， PR and ITGαvβ3 mRNA in each drug group increased to varying degrees （P<0.05，P<0.01）. Compared with Xiaoyaosan group and Sanzi Yangmo decoction group， the expression of miR-140-5P， VEGFR2， ER， PR， AR and ITGαvβ3 mRNA in the cycle therapy group were significantly different （P<0.05，P<0.01）. ConclusionThe kidney-tonifying and liver-regulating cyclical therapy may reduce the activity of miR-140-5P， target the upregulation of VEGF expression， mediate angiogenesis， and promote endometrial angiogenesis， thereby playing a synergistic role in improving endometrial receptivity in PCOS-induced infertility. Its efficacy in increasing pregnancy rates surpasses that of Xiaoyaosan or Sanzi Yangmo decoction used alone.

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism of kidney-tonifying and liver-regulating cyclical therapy and its formula in regulating endometrial receptivity during the "implantation window" in rats with polycystic ovary syndrome （PCOS）. MethodsSix rats were randomly selected from 36 SPF SD female rats as the normal group， and the remaining rats were administered letrozole to induce a PCOS model. By using a random number method， the rats were divided into the following groups： normal group， model group， Xiaoyaosan group （11.97 g·kg^-1）， Sanzi Yangmo decoction group （28.35 g·kg^-1）， cyclical therapy group （11.97/28.35 g·kg^-1）， and aspirin group （8 × 10^-3 mg·kg^-1）. After 12 days of continuous administration by gavage （equivalent to three estrous cycles）， female and male rats were co-housed. On the fifth day of pregnancy， the number of blastocyst implantation in each group was counted. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe the pathological morphology of rat endometrial tissue. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to measure the levels of estradiol （E₂） and progesterone （P） in rat serum. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF）， progesterone receptor （PR）， estrogen receptor （ER）， androgen receptor （AR）， and integrin（ITG） αvβ3 in rat endometrial blood vessels. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was used to detect the mRNA expression of miR-140-5 P， VEGF， vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 （VEGFR2）， PR， ER， AR， and ITGαvβ3 in rat endometrium. ResultsCompared with normal group， the estrous cycle of the rats in model group continued to be in the estrus interval and the estrous cycle lost regular changes. The endometrium was significantly thinner， the number of uterine glands and blood vessels were significantly reduced （P<0.01）， and the pregnancy rate was significantly reduced. Compared with the model group， each drug group restored the regular estrous cycle to varying degrees， and the endometrial thickness and the number of blood vessels were significantly improved （P<0.01）. The pregnancy rate of each drug group increased， and the effect of the cycle therapy group could reach the normal level. The results of molecular biology experiments showed that compared with the normal group， the levels of serum E₂ and P in the model group were significantly decreased （P<0.01）， the expression of VEGF， ER， PR and ITGαvβ3 protein was significantly decreased （P<0.05，P<0.01）， the expression of AR protein was significantly increased （P<0.01）， the expression of miR-140-5P and AR mRNA was significantly increased （P<0.01）， and the expression of VEGF， VEGFR2， ER， PR and ITGαvβ3 mRNA was significantly decreased （P<0.01）. Compared with model group， the serum E₂ level in the Xiaoyaosan group was significantly increased （P<0.01）.The levels of E₂ and P in serum of rats in Sanzi Yangmo decoction group， cycle therapy group and aspirin group were significantly increased （P<0.01）. The expression of AR protein in each drug group was significantly decreased （P<0.01）. The expression of VEGF and ITGαvβ3 protein in Xiaoyaosan group was significantly increased （P<0.01）. The expression of VEGF， ER and PR protein in Sanzi Yangmo decoction group was increased to varying degrees （P<0.05，P<0.01）. The expression of VEGF， PR， ER and ITGαvβ3 protein in the cycle therapy group and the aspirin group increased to varying degrees （P<0.05，P<0.01）. The expression of miR-140-5P and AR mRNA in each drug group was significantly decreased （P<0.01）. The expression of VEGF， VEGFR2， ER， PR and ITGαvβ3 mRNA in each drug group increased to varying degrees （P<0.05，P<0.01）. Compared with Xiaoyaosan group and Sanzi Yangmo decoction group， the expression of miR-140-5P， VEGFR2， ER， PR， AR and ITGαvβ3 mRNA in the cycle therapy group were significantly different （P<0.05，P<0.01）. ConclusionThe kidney-tonifying and liver-regulating cyclical therapy may reduce the activity of miR-140-5P， target the upregulation of VEGF expression， mediate angiogenesis， and promote endometrial angiogenesis， thereby playing a synergistic role in improving endometrial receptivity in PCOS-induced infertility. Its efficacy in increasing pregnancy rates surpasses that of Xiaoyaosan or Sanzi Yangmo decoction used alone.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy of percutaneous pedicle screw combined with unilateral nail placement combined with bone cement strengthening and bilateral nail placement in the treatment of osteoporotic thoracic and lumbar fractures. METHODS: A retrospective case-control study was used to analyze the clinical data of 78 patients with osteoporotic thoracic and lumbar fractures admitted from October 2017 to May 2019. According to the surgical method, it was divided into percutaneous pedicle screw combined with unilateral nail placement combined with unilateral bone cement strengthening group(bone cement group) and percutaneous pedicle screw combined with bilateral nail placement(screw group). In the bone cement group, 40 patients included 16 males and 24 females, with a mean age of (62.1±8.1) years old. In the screw group, 38 patients included 18 males and 20 females with a mean age of (65.1±9.3) years old. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, length of hospital stay and postoperative complications were compared between two groups. The kyphosis Cobb angle, anterior edge height ratio, central height ratio and pain visual analogue score(VAS) were compared. RESULTS: All patients were followed up for 25 to 36 months. The operation time (70.1±17.3) min of the cement group was shorter than that of the screw group (78.6±18.2) min(P<0.05). There were no significant differences in intraoperative blood loss and length of hospital stay(P>0.05). The VAS in the cement group 1 year 1.5±0.5 and the latest follow-up 0.5±0.3 after operation were lower than 1 year 1.8±0.3 and the latest follow-up 0.8±0.4 in the screw group(P<0.05). The kyphosis Cobb angle, anterior edge height ratio, central height ratio in bone cement group, 1 year (6.2±1.2)°, (86.6±3.5)%, (91.1±2.5)%, the last follow-up (6.4±0.7)°, (85.5±3.3)%, (90.5±6.3)% were better than that of the screw group 1 year (6.8±1.4)°, (83.1±2.4)%, (89.9±3.4)% and the latest follow-up (7.1±1.1)°, (82.6±4.1)%, (87.6±5.9)%(P<0.05). There were 3 cases of bone cement leakage in the cement group, all of which had no clinical symptoms;and 2 cases of pedicle screws were extracted in the screw group, and the screws were removed at the last follow-up. CONCLUSION Percutaneous pedicle screw combined with unilateral nail placement combined with bone cement strengthening and bilateral nail placement in the treatment of osteoporotic thoracic and lumbar compression fractures in the elderly can achieve satisfactory efficacy and effectively relieve the pain of patients, but the former internal fixation system is more stable, and the long-term follow-up can effectively maintain the height of the anterior middle column and the correction of kyphosis deformity, and the incidence of chronic low back pain is lower.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Aged ; Bone Cements ; Middle Aged ; Thoracic Vertebrae/surgery* ; Lumbar Vertebrae/surgery* ; Retrospective Studies ; Spinal Fractures/surgery* ; Osteoporotic Fractures/surgery* ; Case-Control Studies ; Bone Nails ; Pedicle Screws

BACKGROUND: It is inaccurate to reflect the level of dust exposure through working years. Furthermore, identifying a predictive indicator for lung function decline is significant for coal miners. The study aimed to explored whether club cell secretory protein (CC16) levels can reflect early lung function changes. METHODS: The cumulative respiratory dust exposure (CDE) levels of 1,461 coal miners were retrospectively assessed by constructed a job-exposure matrix to replace working years. Important factors affecting lung function and CC16 were selected by establishing random forest models. Subsequently, the potential of CC16 to reflect lung injury was explored from multiple perspectives. First, restricted cubic spline (RCS) models were used to compare the trends of changes in lung function indicators and plasma CC16 levels after dust exposure. Then mediating analysis was performed to investigate the role of CC16 in the association between dust exposure and lung function decline. Finally, the association between baseline CC16 levels and follow-up lung function was explored. RESULTS: The median CDE were 35.13 mg/m³-years. RCS models revealed a rapid decline in forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV₁), and their percentages of predicted values when CDE exceeded 25 mg/m³-years. The dust exposure level (<5 mg/m³-years) causing significant changes in CC16 was much lower than the level (25 mg/m³-years) that caused changes in lung function indicators. CC16 mediated 11.1% to 26.0% of dust-related lung function decline. Additionally, workers with low baseline CC16 levels experienced greater reductions in lung function in the future. CONCLUSIONS CC16 levels are more sensitive than lung indicators in reflecting early lung function injury and plays mediating role in lung function decline induced by dust exposure. Low baseline CC16 levels predict poor future lung function.
Uteroglobin/blood* ; Humans ; Dust/analysis* ; Occupational Exposure/analysis* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Retrospective Studies ; Lung Injury/chemically induced* ; Coal Mining ; Biomarkers/blood* ; China/epidemiology* ; Air Pollutants, Occupational ; Female

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dynamic changes of glucocorticoid (GC) dose and the feasibility of GC discontinuation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients under the background of Chinese medicine (CM). METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 1,196 RA patients enrolled in the China Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry of Patients with Chinese Medicine (CERTAIN) from September 1, 2019 to December 4, 2023, who initiated GC therapy. Participants were divided into the Western medicine (WM) and integrative medicine (IM, combination of CM and WM) groups based on medication regimen. Follow-up was performed at least every 3 months to assess dynamic changes in GC dose. Changes in GC dose were analyzed by generalized estimator equation, the probability of GC discontinuation was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curve, and predictors of GC discontinuation were analyzed by Cox regression. Patients with <12 months of follow-up were excluded for the sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Among 1,196 patients (85.4% female; median age 56.4 years), 880 (73.6%) received IM. Over a median 12-month follow-up, 34.3% (410 cases) discontinued GC, with significantly higher rates in the IM group (40.8% vs. 16.1% in WM; P<0.05). GC dose declined progressively, with IM patients demonstrating faster reductions (median 3.75 mg vs. 5.00 mg in WM at 12 months; P<0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis identified age <60 years [P<0.001, hazard ratios (HR)=2.142, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.523-3.012], IM therapy (P=0.001, HR=2.175, 95% CI: 1.369-3.456), baseline GC dose ⩽7.5 mg (P=0.003, HR=1.637, 95% CI: 1.177-2.275), and absence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use (P=0.001, HR=2.546, 95% CI: 1.432-4.527) as significant predictors of GC discontinuation. Sensitivity analysis (545 cases) confirmed these findings. CONCLUSIONS RA patients receiving CM face difficulties in following guideline-recommended GC discontinuation protocols. IM can promote GC discontinuation and is a promising strategy to reduce GC dependency in RA management. (Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, No. NCT05219214).
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy* ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Retrospective Studies

Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the primary fibrogenic cells in the liver, and their activation plays a crucial role in the development and progression of hepatic fibrosis. Here, we report that retinoid X receptor-alpha (RXRα), a unique member of the nuclear receptor superfamily, is a key modulator of HSC activation and liver fibrosis. RXRα exerts its effects by modulating calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase kinase β (CaMKKβ)-mediated activation of AMP-activated protein kinase-alpha (AMPKα). In addition, we demonstrate that K-80003, which binds RXRα by a unique mechanism, effectively suppresses HSC activation, proliferation, and migration, thereby inhibiting liver fibrosis in the CCl₄ and amylin liver NASH (AMLN) diet animal models. The effect is mediated by AMPKα activation, promoting mitophagy in HSCs. Mechanistically, K-80003 activates AMPKα by inducing RXRα to form condensates with CaMKKβ and AMPKα via a two-phase process. The formation of RXRα condensates is driven by its N-terminal intrinsic disorder region and requires phosphorylation by CaMKKβ. Our results reveal a crucial role of RXRα in liver fibrosis regulation through modulating mitochondrial activities in HSCs. Furthermore, they suggest that K-80003 and related RXRα modulators hold promise as therapeutic agents for fibrosis-related diseases.

OBJECTIVE: Peritoneal fibrosis (PF) is an adverse event that occurs during long-term peritoneal dialysis, significantly impairing treatment efficiency and adversely affecting patient outcomes. Astragaloside IV (AS-IV), a principal active component derived from Astragalus membranaceus (Fisch.) Bunge, has exhibited anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic effects in various settings. This study aims to investigate the potential therapeutic efficacy and mechanism of AS-IV in the treatment of PF. METHODS: The PF mouse model was established by intraperitoneal injection of 4.25% peritoneal dialysis fluid (100 mL/kg). The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of HMrSV5 cells was induced by the addition of 10 ng/mL transforming growth factor β (TGF-β). The differentially expressed genes in HMrSV5 cells treated with AS-IV were screened using transcriptome sequencing analysis. The potential targets of AS-IV were screened using network pharmacology and analyzed using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations. RESULTS: Administration of AS-IV at doses of 20, 40, or 80 mg/kg effectively mitigated the increase in peritoneal thickness and the development of fibrosis in mice with PF. The expression of the fibrosis marker α-smooth muscle actin in the peritoneum was significantly decreased in AS-IV-treated mice. The treatment of AS-IV (10, 20, and 40 μmol/L) significantly delayed the EMT of HMrSV5 cells induced by TGF-β, as demonstrated by the decreased number of 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine-positive cells, reduced migrated area, and decreased expression of fibrosis markers. A total of 460 differentially expressed genes were detected in AS-IV-treated HMrSV5 cells through transcriptome sequencing, with notable enrichment in the phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate 3-kinase (PI3K)-AKT serine/threonine kinase 1 (AKT) signaling pathway. The reduced levels of phosphorylated PI3K (p-PI3K) and p-AKT were detected in HMrSV5 cells with AS-IV treatment. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was predicted as a direct target of AS-IV, exhibiting strong hydrogen bond interactions. The activation of the PI3K-AKT pathway by the compound 740Y-P, and the activation of the EGFR pathway by NSC 228155 each partially counteracted the inhibitory effect of AS-IV on the EMT of HMrSV5 cells. CONCLUSION AS-IV delayed the EMT process in peritoneal mesothelial cells and slowed the progression of PF, potentially serving as a therapeutic agent for the early prevention and treatment of PF. Please cite this article as: Huang Y, Chu CL, Qiu WH, Chen JY, Cao LX, Ji SY, Zhu B, Wang GK, Shen QQ. Astragaloside IV delayed the epithelial-mesenchymal transition in peritoneal fibrosis by inhibiting the activation of EGFR and PI3K-AKT pathways. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(6):694-705.
Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition/drug effects* ; Animals ; Saponins/pharmacology* ; Triterpenes/pharmacology* ; Mice ; Peritoneal Fibrosis/pathology* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; ErbB Receptors/metabolism* ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Male ; Humans ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Cell Line ; Mice, Inbred C57BL

MADS-box protein family are important transcriptional regulatory factors in plant growth and development. The AGAMOUS 12 (AGL12) subfamily is believed to play an important regulatory role in the process of plant flowering transition. To explore the potential mechanism of AGL12 subfamily involved in regulating the flower development of Lonicera macranthoides, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), prokaryotic expression and yeast two-hybrid techniques were used to analyze the expression pattern, protein expression, and protein-protein interaction pattern of LmAGL12 based on transcriptome data. The results showed that the LmAGL12 gene contains a 603 bp open reading frame (ORF), encoding 200 amino acids, and the encoded protein was stable and hydrophilic without a transmembrane region and signal peptide. Through homologous sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis, it was confirmed that LmAGL12 protein belongs to the MADS-box protein family and is closely related to the AGL12 protein of Heracleum sosnowskyi and Daucus carota subsp. sativus. The LmAGL12 gene was cloned into prokaryotic expression vector pET-28a and the recombinant constructs were transformed into Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3), which inducing the target protein successfully. The yeast two-hybrid results showed that LmAGL12 protein interacts with LmSVP protein, LmSOC1 protein and LmAP1 protein, respectively. The qRT-PCR results showed that LmAGL12 gene were differentially expressed in different development stages of flower bud, stem, and leaves of 'Longhua' and 'Baiyun' in L. macranthoides. The LmAGL12 gene showed the highest expression level in the middle stage of the 'Longhua' floral bud; For the 'Baiyun' variety, the relative expression level of LmAGL12 gene is the highest in the stem. This study cloned the LmAGL12 gene in L. macranthoides and analyzed it expression for the first time, enriching the research on flower organ development and providing a research basis for further exploring the molecular mechanisms of long bud stage and non-unfolded corolla in L. macranthoides, as well as for variety improvement.

AIM:To explore the expression of RhoC in oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC)and its effects on the malignant biological behavior of OSCC cells.METHODS:The UALCAN and K-M plotter databases,alongside tis-sue sample analyses,facilitated understanding RhoC expression in cancer and its links to clinicopathological traits.Two small interfering RNAs(RhoC-siRNA)were constructed according to the RhoC gene sequence.The mRNA and protein ex-pression levels of RhoC in OSCC cells were determined.The protein levels of FAK,p-FAK,MAPK,p-MAPK,matrix me-talloproteinase-2(MMP-2)and MMP-9 were also examined by Western blot.Furthermore,the invasion and migration of OSCC cells were analyzed by Transwell assay and scratch test.Finally,the pulmonary metastasis model of nude mice was established.RESULTS:The results of the databases showed that RhoC was highly expressed in OSCC tissues,which was closely related to pathological stage,pathological grade and lymph node metastasis,but not significantly related to the sur-vival rate of patients.Furthermore,compared with paracancer tissues,the mRNA and protein expression levels of RhoC were increased in OSCC tissues(P<0.01).Silencing of RhoC prominently reduced the migration and invasion of OSCC cells as well as the protein levels of p-FAK,p-MAPK,MMP2 and MMP9(P<0.05).The protein levels of MAPK and FAK were unchanged(P>0.05).The fluorescence intensity of the experimental group was significantly lower than that of the control group,and the results of HE staining showed that the number of lung nodules in the experimental group was sig-nificantly reduced(P<0.05).CONCLUSION:RhoC can effectively influence the migration and invasion of OSCC cells,and its potential mechanism may be related to FAK/MAPK/MMPs signaling pathway.

Objective To explore the prognostic impact and clinical application value of therapeutic plasma exchange(TPE)intervention timing and liver injury periodization in patients with exertional heat stroke(EHS).Methods Data of 127 EHS patients from the First Medical Center of the General Hospital of the People′s Liberation Army from January 2011 to December 2023 were collected,then divided into the death group and the survival group based on therapeutic outcomes and into 5 stages according to the dynamic changes of ALT,AST,TBIL and DBIL.According to propensity score matching analysis,11 patients in the survival group and 12 patients in the death group were included in the statistical analysis,and 20 of them were treated with TPE.The changes in indicators and clinical outcomes before and after TPE were observed,in order to evaluate the impact of intervention timing on prognosis.Results Among the 23 patients,14 had no liver injury or could progress to the repair phase,resulting in 3 deaths(with the mortality rate of 21.43%),while 9 patients failed to pro-gress to the repair phase,resulting in 9 deaths(with the mortality rate of 100%),with significant differences(P＜0.05).The mortality rate of the first TPE intervention before the third stage of liver injury was 23.08%(3/13),while that of interven-tion after reaching or exceeding the third stage was 85.71%(6/7),and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).Conclusion TPE should be executed actively in EHS patients combined with liver injury before the third phase to lock its pathological and physiological processes,thereby improving prognosis and reducing mortality.