This study aims to investigate the therapeutic effects of the Coptidis Rhizoma-Scutellariae Radix on cytokine storm secondary lung injury(CSSLI) induced by CpG1826 in mice, and to elucidate the potential molecular mechanisms by which its major active components, i.e., coptisine and wogonin, alleviate CSSLI by inhibiting the mitochondrial permeability transition pore(mPTP)/nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3) inflammasome pyroptosis pathway. In vivo, a mouse model of CSSLI was established by CpG1826 induction. Pulmonary edema was assessed by lung wet-to-dry weight ratio(W/D), lung injury was evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining, and ultrastructural changes in lung tissue were observed by transmission electron microscopy(TEM). The levels of interleukin(IL)-1β, high mobility group box 1 protein(HMGB1), IL-18, and IL-1α in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). The results showed that the decoction of the Coptidis Rhizoma-Scutellariae Radix significantly reduced pulmonary edema, alleviated lung injury, and decreased the concentrations of related cytokines in BALF more effectively than either single herb alone, thereby improving CSSLI. In vitro, a CpG1826-induced CSSLI model was established in mouse alveolar macrophage MH-S cells. Calcein-AM quenching was used to screen for the most effective monomer components from the herb pair in inhibiting mPTP opening. Coptisine(5, 10, 20 μmol·L~(-1)) and wogonin(10, 20, 40 μmol·L~(-1)) markedly inhibited mPTP opening, with optimal effects and a clear dose-dependent pattern. These components suppressed mPTP opening, thereby reducing the release of mitochondrial DNA(mtDNA) and the accumulation of reactive oxygen species(ROS), effectively reversing the CpG1826-induced decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential(MMP). Further studies revealed that both coptisine and wogonin inhibited pyroptosis and downregulated the expression of key proteins in the NLRP3/Caspase-1/gasdermin D(GSDMD) pathway. In conclusion, the Coptidis Rhizoma-Scutellariae Radix improves CpG1826-induced CSSLI in mice, and this effect is associated with the inhibition of the mPTP/NLRP3 pyroptosis pathway, providing scientific evidence for its clinical application and further development.
Animals ; Mice ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Pyroptosis/drug effects* ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/immunology* ; Male ; Lung Injury/immunology* ; Cytokines/immunology* ; Scutellaria baicalensis/chemistry* ; Oligodeoxyribonucleotides/adverse effects* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Coptis chinensis

Objective To explore the medication rules of Professor HUANG Li for the treatment of recurrent angina pectoris after percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)for coronary heart disease by data mining method.Methods The prescriptions for effective cases of recurrent angina pectoris after PCI for coronary heart disease treated by Professor HUANG Li in the outpatient department of China-Japan Friendship Hospital were collected.SPSS Statistics 26.0 software and SPSS Modeler 18.0 software were used for frequency statistics,analysis of the therapeutic actions,properties,flavors and meridian tropism of the prescribed herbs as well as association rule analysis,cluster analysis and factor analysis of the herbs.Results A total of 344 Chinese medicine prescriptions were obtained,involving 209 herbs,with a cumulative frequency of 5 874 times.The top 30 Chinese medicinals were named as the high-frequency Chinese medicines,and the herbs with the frequency over 100 times in descending order were Astragali Radix,Chuanxiong Rhizoma,Puerariae Lobatae Radix,Rhodiolae Crenulatae Radix et Rhizoma,Notoginseng Radix et Rhizoma,Poria,Dalbergiae Odoriferae Lignum,Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma,Curcumae Rhizoma,Sparganii Rhizoma,Dioscoreae Rhizoma,Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium,Pinelliae Rhizoma Praeparatum,Codonopsis Radix,and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma.The high-frequency Chinese medicinals were mostly classified as blood-activating and stasis-resolving drugs and qi-replenishing drugs.The medicinal properties of the drugs were characterized by being warm,mild,or cold,the flavors were predominated by being sweet,pungent or bitter,and the medicinals usually had the meridian tropism of the spleen,lung and liver meridians.A total of 30 association rules were mined out,cluster analysis yielded 5 herbal groups,and factor analysis yielded 11 groups of common factors.Conclusion For the treatment of cardiovascular diseases,Professor HUANG Li follows the theory of qi,blood and water,and especially pays more attention to the ascending and descending of qi movement.For qi deficiency and blood stasis contribute to the basic pathogenesis of recurrent angina pectoris after PCI,the therapy of benefiting qi,activating blood and removing stasis is recommended.Moreover,the simultaneous regulation of five zang-organs and simultaneous use of the cold and warm herbs are performed,and the herbs of benefiting qi and invigorating spleen,resolving phlegm and inducing diuresis,tranquilizing mind,promoting qi and dissipating masses,and activating blood to eliminate stasis are used for adjuvant therapy.

A rapid analytical method for simultaneous determination of 32 kinds of multi-residue veterinary drugs in eggs was developed using a modified QuEChERS technique based on a reduced graphene oxide-coated melamine sponge(r-GO@MeS)by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(UPLC-MS/MS).The influences of graphene oxide(GO)concentrations,sponge dosages,and purification modes on drug recoveries were investigated during the purification process.The optimal purification conditions involved using a GO concentration of 0.5 mg/mL,a sponge dosage of 6.0 cm3/mL,and a dynamic purification mode of 5 extrusion cycles.Separation was achieved using an Agilent Eclipse Plus C18 RRHD column(100 mm×2.1 mm,1.8 μm),and quantitative analysis was performed by the external standard method using an electrospray ionization source(ESI)in multiple reaction monitoring(MRM)mode.The results showed that all 32 kinds of veterinary drugs exhibited good linear correlation with coefficients greater than 0.999,and matrix effects(MEs)ranging from?7.8%to 18.9%.The limits of detection(LODs)and quantification(LOQs)ranged from 0.2 to 10.2 μg/kg and from 0.6 to 28.0 μg/kg,respectively.The recoveries for the three spiked levels were in the range of 66.5%?117.5%,with intra-day and inter-day precision(Relative standard deviation)below 13.3%and 16.3%,respectively.The synthetic r-GO@MeS exhibited efficient matrix purification without the need of high-speed centrifugation or strong magnetic field assistance.This significantly shorted the sample pretreatment time and improved the convenience of the matrix purification process.Combined with UPLC-MS/MS,the method was suitable for the rapid determination of multi-residue veterinary drugs in eggs.

AIM: To study the correlation between meibomian gland dysfunction(MGD)patients and their sleep quality.METHODS: Retrospective case-control study. A total of 150 MGD patients treated in our hospital from January 2021 to October 2022 were selected and divided into sleep disorder group(75 cases, PSQI>10 points)and control group(75 cases, PSQI≤10 points)according to the Pittsburgh sleep quality index(PSQI). Both groups were scored using the ocular surface disease index(OSDI), underwent meibomian gland-related examinations(eyelid margin morphology, meibomian gland secretion ability, meibomian gland secretion quality score), corneal fluorescein staining(FL)score, Schirmer Ⅰ test(SⅠt), tear film break-up time(BUT)was measured, and sleep indicators(sleep quality, sleep latency, subjective sleep quality, sleep time)were evaluated.RESULTS: There were significant differences in OSDI score, FL score, SⅠt, BUT, eyelid margin morphology score, meibomian gland secretion ability score, and meibomian gland secretion quality score between the two groups(P<0.05). In the sleep disorder group, PSQI score, sleep latency score, subjective sleep quality score, and sleep time score were significantly positively correlated with OSDI score, FL score, meibomian gland secretion ability score, and meibomian gland secretion quality score(P<0.05); PSQI score, subjective sleep quality score, and sleep time score were significantly positively correlated with eyelid margin morphology score(P<0.05); PSQI score, sleep latency score, and subjective sleep quality score were significantly negatively correlated with BUT and SⅠt(P<0.05); sleep time score was significantly negatively correlated with BUT(P<0.05); sleep latency score was not significantly correlated with eyelid margin morphology score(P>0.05); sleep time score was not significantly correlated with SⅠt(P>0.05).CONCLUSION:The ocular surface condition of MGD patients is correlated with multiple sleep quality indicators, and a decline in sleep quality may increase the risk of MGD.

OBJECTIVE: Campylobacter jejuni NCTC11168 is commonly used as a standard strain for flagellar biosynthesis research. In this report, two distinguished phenotypic isolates (CJ1Z, flhA mutant strain, lawn; CJ2S, flhA complemented strain, normal colony) appeared during laboratory passages for NCTC11168. METHODS: Phenotypic assessments, including motility plates, transmission electron microscopy, biofilm formation assay, autoagglutination assay, and genome re-sequencing for these two isolates (CJ1Z, flhA mutant strain; CJ2S, flhA complemented strain) were carried out in this study. RESULTS: Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the flagellum was lost in CJ1Z. Phenotypic assessments and genome sequencing of the two isolates were performed in this study. The capacity for biofilm formation, colony auto-agglutination, and isolate motility was reduced in the mutant CJ1Z. Comparative genomic analysis indicated a unique native nucleotide insertion in flhA (nt, 2154) that caused the I719Y and I720Y mutations and early truncation in flhA. CONCLUSION FlhA has been found to influence the expression of flagella in C. jejuni. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to describe the function of the C-terminal of this protein.
Campylobacter jejuni/genetics* ; Bacterial Proteins/metabolism* ; Mutation ; Biological Variation, Population

Uric acid (UA) is the final product of purine metabolism in human body,and its metabolic disorder will induce hyperuricemia (HUA).The occurrence and development of HUA are associated with a variety of pathological mechanisms such as oxidative stress injury,activation of inflammatory cytokines,and activation of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system.These mechanisms directly or indirectly affect the bioavailability of endogenous nitric oxide (NO).The decrease in NO bioavailability is common in the diseases with high concentration of UA as an independent risk factor.In this review,we summarize the mechanisms by which high concentrations of UA affect the endogenous NO bioavailability,with a focus on the mechanisms of high-concentration UA in decreasing the synthesis and/or increasing the consumption of NO.This review aims to provide references for alleviating the multisystem symptoms and improving the prognosis of HUA,and lay a theoretical foundation for in-depth study of the correlations between HUA and other metabolic diseases.
Humans ; Nitric Oxide ; Uric Acid ; Hyperuricemia ; Biological Availability ; Cytokines

Based on data mining technology, the acupoints compatibility rules of acupuncture for depression diseases were explored. The randomized controlled trial (RCT) articles regarding acupuncture for depression diseases published from establishment of database to September 2nd, 2022 were searched in CNKI database, Wangfang database, VIP database, SinoMed database, PubMed, EMbase, Web of Science and Cochrane Library. The use frequency of acupoints, meridian tropism, selection of special acupoints and acupoint association rules for five common depression diseases, including primary depression, post-stroke depression, menopausal syndrome, psychoneurosis and anxiety disorder, were analyzed by Python programming language. Cytoscape software was used to analyze the acupoint association and the disease-acupoint co-occurrence network. As a result, totally 387 articles were included, and 319 acupoints prescriptions for the above five common depression diseases were extracted, involving 159 acupoints. The use frequency of acupoints was 2 574 times in total. The frequently-used acupoints were Baihui (GV 20), Sanyinjiao (SP 6), Taichong (LR 3), Neiguan (PC 6), Shenmen (HT 7), Yintang (GV 24⁺), Zusanli (ST 36), Hegu (LI 4), Sishencong (EX-HN 1) and Taixi (KI 3), etc. The frequently involved meridians were the governor vessel, foot-taiyang bladder meridian, foot-taiyin spleen meridian, and foot-jueyin liver meridian. The frequency of the special acupoints from high to low was crossing points, five-shu points, yuan-primary points, back-shu points, luo-connecting points, and eight confluent points, etc, which were often used in combination with "Baihui (GV 20)-Yintang (GV 24⁺)" (the highest degree of association). At the same time, the analysis of the co-occurrence network of depression diseases and acupoints showed that the core acupoints group of acupuncture for depression diseases were Baihui (GV 20), Taichong (LR 3), Shenmen (HT 7), Zusanli (ST 36), Neiguan (PC 6) and Sanyinjiao (SP 6). In conclusion, acupuncture treatment for depression diseases has gradually formed a rule of acupoint compatibility, with special acupoint as the main body and "unblocking the governor vessel, and regulating the spirit and qi " as the main therapeutic principle.
Acupuncture Points ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Data Mining ; Depression ; Meridians ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

Objective To determine the distribution of two important virulence factors [lipooligosaccharide (LOS) and capsular polysaccharide (CPS)] in Campylobacter jejuni (C. jejuni) isolated from different sources in China and to develop a rapid screening method for Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS)-associated strains. Methods Whole-genome sequencing was carried out for 494 C. jejuni strains. The OrthoMCL software was used to define the LOS/CPS gene clusters. CPS genotyping was performed with serotype-specific sequence alignment using the BLAST software. Real-time Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was developed with the unique sequences of specific CPS types. Results Nine novel and 29 previously confirmed LOS classes were identified. LOS classes A, B, and C were the most common (48.2％, 238/494) among the 494 strains. Twenty-six capsular types were identified in 448 strains. HS2, HS4c, HS5/31, HS19, and HS8/17 were the most frequent CPS genotypes (58.7％, 263/448). Strains of 17 CPS genotypes (strain number > 5) had one or two prevalent LOS classes (P < 0.05). Multiplex real-time PCR for rapid identification of HS2, HS19, and HS41 was developed and validated with strains of known serotypes. Conclusion Our results describe the genetic characteristics of the important virulence factors in C. jejuni strains in China. The multiplex real-time PCR developed in this study will facilitate enhanced surveillance of GBS-associated strains in China.

Macrophages play an important role in maintaining homeostasis of the body, and they are also one of the most abundant immune cells in the tumor microenvironment (TME). These macrophages are often called tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs), which play an important role in the development of tumor and are an important target for tumor therapy. Studies have shown that tumor growth and metastasis can be inhibited by regulating the function of macrophages, but the therapeutic efficacy was often hampered by the poor performance of the drugs such as lack of targeting, poor solubility, low bioavailability, and severe side effects. After introduction of the background of macrophage and tumor therapy, this review focuses on the research progress of nano-drug delivery systems in the modulation of the function of macrophages to enhance tumor immunotherapy. Nano-drug delivery systems are diverse in structures and functions, and can regulate macrophage functions through a variety of mechanisms. Four important aspects of macrophage modulation, which included TAMs depletion, repolarization of TAMs, promoted phagocytosis of TAMs, and combinational modulation of TAMs were summarized. Each strategy together with typical examples was reviewed and future directions in this field were also prospected.

ObjectiveTo study the effects of Toddalia asiatica alcohol extract on autophagy and apoptosis of non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells， and to explore its possible mechanism. MethodA549 cells were cultured in vitro. Cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） was used to detect the proliferation of A549 cells， and cell survival rate was calculated to screen the drug concentration. The apoptosis in each dose group and that after the use of 3-methyladenine （3-MA）， an autophagy inhibitor， were detected by flow cytometry combined with Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining. Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of apoptosis-related proteins such as B cell lymphocytoma-2（Bcl-2）， Bcl-2-associated X protein（Bax）， microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 （LC3）， cleaved cysteinyl aspartate-specific protease-3 （cleaved Caspase-3）， activated poly （Adenosine diphosphate） ribonucleotide polymerase （cleaved PARP1）， PARP1， activated death activator （t-Bid）， Bid， and ubiquitin-binding protein p62 in each group and those after the use of 3-MA. ResultCompared with the conditions in the control group， the cell survival rate in 0.25 g·L^-1 group （P<0.05）， and 0.5， 1， 2， 4 g·L^-1 groups （P<0.01） was decreased after 24 h intervention. Additionally， the cell survival rate was reduced in a concentration-dependent manner at 48 h and it was less than 10% at 4 g·L^-1 （P<0.01）. Compared with the conditions in the control group， the total apoptosis rate in 0.5 g·L^-1 group was increased （P<0.05）， and the apoptosis rate in 1 and 2 g·L^-1 groups was also increased （P<0.01）. Compared with the 2 g·L^-1 group and 3-MA group， the 3-MA combined with T. asiatica alcohol extract had significantly decreased apoptosis rate （P<0.01）. Compared with the conditions in the control group， elevated expression of pro-apoptotic proteins cleaved PARP1， Bax and t-Bid in 1 and 2 g·L^-1 groups （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and reduced expression of Bid in the 2 g·L^-1 group （P<0.01） were found. Compared with the conditions in the control group， the expression of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 （P<0.05， P<0.01） and the level of p62 （P<0.01） were down-regulated in 0.5， 1， 2 g·L^-1 groups， while the level of LC3 Ⅱ protein was up-regulated （P<0.01）， with certain concentration dependence. ConclusionT. asiatica alcohol extract could significantly inhibit the proliferation of A549 cells， which might be related to promoting autophagy and inducing apoptosis.