BACKGROUND:Lots of in vitro experiments have explored the toxicity of upconversion nanoparticles, but its toxicity in vivo is little reported. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the toxicity of upconversion nanoparticles in mouse organs. METHODS:After tracheotomy, 36 Balb/c mice were randomly divided into three groups, fol owed by instil ed with 28 mg/kg upconversion nanoparticle (experimental group), the same volume of normal saline (control group), and nothing (sham operation group), respectively. The functional changes of the lung, liver and kidney were detected at 1 day, 1 and 2 weeks postoperatively, and meanwhile, the morphological changes of the lung, liver, kidney, and heart were observed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:At 1 day postoperatively, the pH values in the experimental group were lower than those in the control and sham operation groups (P<0.05), while the glutamic-pyruvic transaminase level was higher than that in the control and sham operation groups (P<0.05). The oxygen partial pressure in the sham operation group was higher than that in the other two groups at 1 day postoperatively (P<0.05). The oxygen partial pressure and glutamic-pyruvic transaminase level did not significantly differ among groups at 1 and 2 weeks postoperatively. The carbon dioxide differential pressure and kidney function showed no significant differences among groups at different time points after surgery. At postoperative 1 day, in the experimental group, hyperplasia and inflammation were most obvious, distorted alveolar cavity and congestion of blood vessels were visible. In the control group, obvious hyperplasia and inflammation were found, the alveolar cavity was crimped and the gap between alveoli was broadened. The sham operation group had normal alveoli with no inflammations. Lung lesions in the experimental and control groups became mild with time at postoperative 1 and 2 weeks. One day postoperatively, hepatocyte swel ing and vacuolar degeneration were severer in the experimental group. Moderate hepatocyte swel ing and vacuolar degeneration occurred in the control group. The sham operation group showed mild hepatocyte swel ing and vacuolar degeneration. The morphology of the liver in each group returned to normal at 2 weeks postoperatively. Fortunately, the heart and kidney structure showed no overt changes in each group. These findings suggest that upconversion nanoparticles cause transient damage to the mouse lung and liver.

Pulmonary hypertension(PH)is a progressive pulmonary vascular disease that can lead to right heart failure and death.In recent years,the incidence of PH has been increasing year by year and there is a lack of effective treatment.TCM can play an important synergistic role in the treatment of PH.Pulmonary vascular remodeling is a core pathological feature of PH,which is closely related to the physiological structure and pathological changes of the collaterals.Based on the collateral disease theory,this article described the key pathogenesis of PH in TCM and Western medicine,including the lesions of the pulmonary and cardiovascular complexes and pulmonary vascular remodeling,analyzed the physiology of the"collateral-vessel"in PH,sorting out the pathological correlation,and explored TCM targeting pulmonary vascular remodeling in the identification and treatment of PH,so as to provide a new way of thinking for the clinical treatment of PH.

ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism by which Feixin decoction treats hypoxic pulmonary hypertension （HPH） by regulating the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma （PPARγ）/nuclear factor-kappa B （NF-κB）/NOD-like receptor pyrin domain containing 3 （NLRP3） signaling pathway. MethodsForty-eight male SD rats were randomly allocated into normal， hypoxia， and low-， medium- and high-dose （5.85， 11.7， 23.4 g·kg^-1， respectively） Feixin decoction groups， with 8 rats in each group. Except the normal group， the remaining five groups were placed in a hypoxia chamber with an oxygen concentration of （10.0±0.5）% for 8 h per day， 28 days， and administrated with corresponding drugs during the modeling process. After 4 weeks of treatment， echocardiographic parameters ［pulmonary artery acceleration time （PAT）， pulmonary artery ejection time （PET）， right ventricular anterior wall thickness （RVAWd）， and tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion （TAPSE）］ were measured for each group. The right ventricular systolic pressure （RVSP） was measured by the right heart catheterization method， and the right ventricular hypertrophy index （RVHI） was calculated by weighing the heart. The pathological changes in pulmonary arterioles were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The co-localization of α-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA） with NLRP3， N-terminal gasdermin D （N-GSDMD）， and cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase-1 （Caspase-1） in pulmonary arteries was detected by immunofluorescence. The protein levels of PPARγ， NF-κB， NLRP3， apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD （ASC）， N-GSDMD， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， interleukin-18（IL-18）， and cleaved Caspase-1 in the lung tissue was determined by Western blot. The ultrastructural changes in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells （PASMCs） were observed by transmission electron microscopy. ResultsCompared with the normal group， the hypoxia group showed increased RVSP and RVHI （P<0.01）， decreased right heart function （P<0.01）， increased pulmonary vascular remodeling （P<0.01）， increased co-localization of α-SMA with NLRP3， N-GSDMD， and Caspase-1 in pulmonary arterioles （P<0.01）， up-regulated protein levels of NF-κB， NLRP3， ASC， N-GSDMD， IL-1β， IL-18， and cleaved Caspase-1 in the lung tissue （P<0.05， P<0.01）， a down-regulated protein level of PPARγ （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and pyroptosis in PASMCs. Compared with the hypoxia group， Feixin decoction reduced RVSP and RVHI， improved the right heart function and ameliorated pulmonary vascular remodeling （P<0.05， P<0.01）， decreased the co-localization of α-SMA with NLRP3， N-GSDMD， and Caspase-1 （P<0.05， P<0.01）， down-regulated the protein levels of NF-κB， NLRP3， ASC， N-GSDMD， IL-1β， IL-18， and cleaved Caspase-1 in the lung tissue （P<0.05， P<0.01）， up-regulated the protein level of PPARγ （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and alleviated pyroptosis in PASMCs. ConclusionFeixin decoction can ameliorate pulmonary vascular remodeling and right heart dysfunction in chronically induced HPH rats by regulating pyroptosis in PASMCs through the PPARγ/NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway.