Objective To investigate the role of lipopolysaccharide(LPS)in regulating the inflammatory response of neutrophil through the leucine-rich α-2 glycoprotein 1(LRG1)/Rho-associated protein kinase(ROCK1)signaling.Methods HL-60 cells were treated with 1 μmol/L all-trans retinoic acid(ATRA)and 12.5 μL/mL dimethyl sulfoxide(DMSO)for 72 h and 96 h,and the morphological changes were observed by Wright-Giemsa staining.The expression of CD11b was detected by flow cytometry.LPS induced the activation of dHL-60 and human peripheral blood neutrophils.The transcription and secretion levels of LRG1,ROCK1 and inflammatory cytokines were detected by qPCR and ELISA,respectively.The expression levels of LRG1 and ROCK1 after the activation of dHL-60 were detected by Western blotting.Furthermore,dHL-60 was treated with the recombinant protein LRG1 and ROCK1 inhibitor Y-27632;the transcription levels of inflammatory cytokines were detected by qPCR.Results Neutrophils were activated by LPS.The expression levels of LRG1 and ROCK1 were significantly increased,and the transcription levels of inflammatory cytokines were significantly increased.The recombinant protein LRG1 activated dHL-60 in vitro,and the transcription levels of ROCK1 and inflammatory cytokines were significantly increased.Using the ROCK1 inhibitor Y-27632,the production levels of inflammatory cytokines were significantly reduced.Conclusion LPS can regulate the production levels of neutrophil inflammatory cytokines through activating the LRG1/ROCK1 signaling,thus exacerbating the inflammatory response.

The MADS-box gene family is a very important transcriptional regulator gene, which plays a role in the whole growth and development process of plants. The APETALA1 (AP1) gene is considered to play an important regulatory role in the transformation of plant flowering, but also to control the characteristic development of floral organs. Lonicera macranthoides is used as medicine with dry buds and early flowers. Therefore, studying the potential mechanism of AP1 gene in regulating flower organ development can provide a basis for improving its medicinal value by molecular means. To explore the potential mechanism of the AP1 gene in the regulation of floral organ development in L. macranthoides, the full-length cDNA of the AP1 was cloned by reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) and named LmMADS4. The results show that the CDS of the LmMADS4 gene is 729 bp and encodes 242 amino acids, and the LmMADS4 protein contains no signal peptide and no transmembrane structure, which is an unstable hydrophilic protein. Through homologous sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis, LmMADS4 and L. japonica MADS27 protein cluster into one class and are closely related. Finally, the expression pattern and protein interaction pattern of LmMADS4 were analyzed by real-time reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR) and yeast two-hybrid technology. The qRT-PCR showed that LmMADS4 gene was differentially expressed in the stems, leaves and flower bud at different developmental stages, including bud type variety Longhua and common variety Baiyun; and LmMADS4 gene was highly expressed in the flower buds, and with the development of flower buds, LmMADS4 gene was continuously up-regulated in the flower bud variety Longhua, however, the expression level of LmMADS4 in the Baiyun terminal flower bud was lower than that in the late flower bud, but the difference was not significant. The yeast two-hybrid results showed that the bait vector pGBKT7-LmMADS4 was not toxic to yeast strains and had no self-activating activity. LmMADS4 protein interacted with LmSVP1, LmSVP3 and LmSOC1s proteins. This study can provide a theoretical basis for exploring the mechanism of long flower bud stage and corolla non-unfolding at the molecular level and variety improvement of L. macranthoides.

Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of short-peptide exclusive enteral nutrition(EEN)therapy in inducing remission during active Crohn's disease(CD)in children,as well as changes in physical growth and nutritional indicators before and after treatment.Methods A prospective study included 43 children with active CD who were admitted to the Department of Gastroenterology,Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2017 to January 2024.The participants were randomly divided into a medication treatment group(13 children)and a short-peptide+medication treatment group(30 children).The changes in the Pediatric Crohn's Disease Activity Index(PCDAI)scores,physical growth,and nutritional indicators before and after treatment were analyzed in both groups.Results The PCDAI scores in the short-peptide+medication treatment group were lower than those in the medication treatment group after treatment(P<0.05).The Z-scores for weight-for-age,body mass index,and albumin levels were higher in the short-peptide+medication treatment group compared to the medication treatment group(P<0.05).In the patients with moderate to severe CD,total protein levels in the short-peptide+medication treatment group were significantly higher than those in the medication treatment group(P<0.05).Conclusions Short-peptide EEN therapy can induce clinical remission in children with active CD and promote their physical growth while improving their nutritional status.

Patients with severe trauma require an extremely timely treatment and transfusion plays an irreplaceable role in the emergency treatment of such patients. An increasing number of evidence-based medicinal evidences and clinical practices suggest that patients with severe traumatic bleeding benefit from early transfusion of low-titer group O whole blood or hemostatic resuscitation with red blood cells, plasma and platelet of a balanced ratio. However, the current domestic mode of blood supply cannot fully meet the requirements of timely and effective blood transfusion for emergency treatment of patients with severe trauma in clinical practice. In order to solve the key problems in blood supply and blood transfusion strategies for emergency treatment of severe trauma, Branch of Clinical Transfusion Medicine of Chinese Medical Association, Group for Trauma Emergency Care and Multiple Injuries of Trauma Branch of Chinese Medical Association, Young Scholar Group of Disaster Medicine Branch of Chinese Medical Association organized domestic experts of blood transfusion medicine and trauma treatment to jointly formulate Chinese expert consensus on blood support mode and blood transfusion strategies for emergency treatment of severe trauma patients ( version 2024). Based on the evidence-based medical evidence and Delphi method of expert consultation and voting, 10 recommendations were put forward from two aspects of blood support mode and transfusion strategies, aiming to provide a reference for transfusion resuscitation in the emergency treatment of severe trauma and further improve the success rate of treatment of patients with severe trauma.

This study aimed to investigate the mechanism by which Shegan Mahuang Decoction(SGMH) and its bitter Chinese herbs(BCHs) regulated the lung-gut axis through the bitter taste receptor 14(TAS2R14)/secretory immunoglobulin A(SIgA)/thymic stromal lymphopoietin(TSLP) to intervene in the epithelial cell barrier of cold asthma rats. Fifty SD rats were randomly divided into the following five groups: normal group, model group, dexamethasone group, SGMH group, and BCHs group. A 10% ovalbumin(OVA) solution was used to sensitize the rats via subcutaneous injection on both sides of the abdomen and groin, combined with 2% OVA atomization and cold(2-4 ℃) stimulation to induce a cold asthma model in rats. The SGMH, BCHs, and dexamethasone groups were given corresponding treatments by gavage and nebulization, while the normal and model groups received normal saline by gavage and nebulization. After the final stimulation, pathological changes in the lung and intestine tissues were observed using hematoxylin-eosin(HE) and periodic acid-Schiff(PAS) staining. Lung function was assessed by measuring the ratio of forced expiratory volume in the first second to forced vital capacity(FEV1/FVC), the ratio of the average flow rate at 25%-75% of forced vital capacity to foned vital capacity(FEV25%-75%/FVC), the peak expiratory flow(PEF), and pulmonary resistance(RL). The levels of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, and TNF-α in serum, and sIgA in serum, intestinal, and bronchial mucosa were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). The expression of TAS2R14 protein in lung tissue was detected by Western blot(WB). The content of short-chain fatty acids(SCFAs) in rat feces was determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS). The effect of TAS2R14/TSLP on lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced inflammation in epithelial cells in the BCHs group was observed, and the expression of TAS2R14 and TSLP in cells was detected by WB. Compared with the normal group, the model group showed reduced water intake, diet, and body weight, increased infiltration of inflammatory cells in the lung and intestinal tissues, goblet cell hyperplasia, significantly decreased FEV1/FVC, FEV25%-75%/FVC, and PEF, and significantly increased RL. Moreover, serum levels of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, and TNF-α were elevated, and sIgA levels in serum, intestine, and bronchial mucosa were significantly decreased. TAS2R14 expression in lung tissues was inhibited, and the content of acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid in feces was significantly reduced. In the LPS group, TSLP expression increased, and TAS2R14 expression decreased. Compared with the model group, the general condition of rats in the SGMH and BCHs groups improved, with reduced infiltration of inflammatory cells and goblet cell hyperplasia in the lung and intestinal tissues. FEV1/FVC, FEV25%-75%/FVC, and PEF significantly increased, and RL significantly decreased. Serum levels of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13, and TNF-α decreased, while sIgA levels in serum, intestine, and bronchial mucosa significantly increased, and TAS2R14 expression was activated in lung and intestinal tissues. The content of acetic acid, propionic acid, and butyric acid in feces significantly increased. Compared with the model group, the BCHs group and the agonist group showed inhibited TSLP expression and increased TAS2R14 expression. The results showed that both SGMH and BCHs could reduce lung and intestinal inflammatory reactions, improve lung function, and regulate the content of intestinal SCFAs in asthmatic rats. There was no significant difference in TAS2R14 protein expression between the SGMH and BCHs groups, indicating that the clinical efficacy of BCHs may be related to the activation of the bitter receptor TAS2R14 and the regulation of immune inflammatory mediators in lung and intestinal epithelial cells.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Rats ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Lung/metabolism* ; Asthma/metabolism* ; Cytokines/immunology* ; Male ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/immunology* ; Epithelial Cells/metabolism* ; Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin ; Immunoglobulin A, Secretory/genetics* ; Humans ; Cold Temperature

Plasma metabolomics based on UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS technique was developed for profiling the mechanism on attenuating hepatic fibrosis of Bupleuri Radix (BR) and Paeoniae Radix Alba (PRA) before and after vinegar-processing and compatibility, and to screen potential pharmacodynamic substances by spectrum-effect correlation method in this study. Firstly, SD rats with CCl₄-induced hepatic fibrosis were used as an in vivo model. The blood and tissue samples were collected for the analyses of pharmacodynamic indexes and plasma metabolomics after six weeks’ administration of BR, vinegar-processed BR (VPBR), PRA, vinegar-processed PRA (VPPRA), BR-PRA herb-pair, and VPBR-VPPRA herb-pair. The experiment was approved by the experimental animal ethics committee from Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine (No.202103A002). The results of pharmacodynamics indicated that the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT, P < 0.01), aspartate aminotransferase (AST, P < 0.01), and hydroxyproline (HYP, P < 0.01) were decreased significantly, while the level of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px, P < 0.05) was increased obviously after administration of all treatment groups. Next, UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS was performed to characterize the endogenous metabolites. A total of 20 differential endogenous metabolites related to the pathogenesis of hepatic fibrosis were identified in positive and negative ion modes, mainly involving five metabolic pathways of retinol metabolism, glycerol phospholipid metabolism, glyceride metabolism, fatty acid biosynthesis, and arachidonic acid metabolism. Meanwhile, a concept named correction rate was introduced to evaluate the back-regulation effects of all treatment groups on differential metabolites, and 10 differential metabolites were corrected by all treatment groups. The correction effects of the vinegar-processed herb groups were better than those of the crude ones, and the correction effects of the herb-pair groups were better than those of the single ones. Interestingly, the best correction effect was found in the VPBR-VPPRA herb-pair group, which further verified the efficacy improvement through vinegar-processing and compatibility. Partial least square method and VIP analysis combined with spectrum-effect correlation were applied for screening pharmacodynamic markers, and 38 ingredients with higher correlation with four classical pharmacodynamic indexes (ALT, AST, HYP, and GSH-Px) were identified as pharmacodynamic markers of the anti-hepatic fibrosis effects of BR and PRA before and after vinegar-processing and compatibility. The results of the investigation could not only lay a foundation for clarifying the pharmacodynamic materials and mechanism of vinegar-processing and compatibility of BR and PRA in the treatment of hepatic fibrosis as well as provide a theoretical basis for demonstrating the scientific connotation of processing and compatibility, but also provide a reference for further drug design and development of BR and PRA in clinic.

OBJECTIVE: The study aimed to estimate the benchmark dose (BMD) of coke oven emissions (COEs) exposure based on mitochondrial damage with the mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) as a biomarker. METHODS: A total of 782 subjects were recruited, including 238 controls and 544 exposed workers. The mtDNAcn of peripheral leukocytes was detected through the real-time fluorescence-based quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Three BMD approaches were used to calculate the BMD of COEs exposure based on the mitochondrial damage and its 95% confidence lower limit (BMDL). RESULTS: The mtDNAcn of the exposure group was lower than that of the control group (0.60 ± 0.29 vs. 1.03 ± 0.31; P < 0.001). A dose-response relationship was shown between the mtDNAcn damage and COEs. Using the Benchmark Dose Software, the occupational exposure limits (OELs) for COEs exposure in males was 0.00190 mg/m ³. The OELs for COEs exposure using the BBMD were 0.00170 mg/m ³ for the total population, 0.00158 mg/m ³ for males, and 0.00174 mg/m ³ for females. In possible risk obtained from animal studies (PROAST), the OELs of the total population, males, and females were 0.00184, 0.00178, and 0.00192 mg/m ³, respectively. CONCLUSION Based on our conservative estimate, the BMDL of mitochondrial damage caused by COEs is 0.002 mg/m ³. This value will provide a benchmark for determining possible OELs.
Male ; Female ; Animals ; Coke ; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons ; DNA Copy Number Variations ; Benchmarking ; Occupational Exposure/analysis* ; DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics* ; DNA Damage

Objective: To examine the value of intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) for excimer laser ablation (ELA) combined with drug-coated balloon (DCB) in treating lower limb arteriosclerotic obliterans (ASO). Methods: As a prospective case series study, patients who underwent ELA combined with DCB for lower limb ASO with the guidance of IVUS from September 2021 to March 2022 at Department of Vascular Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University were enrolled prospectively. Lesion characteristics, procedure-related outcomes and complications were collected. The therapy outcomes were compared with baseline data by paired t test. Results: There were 8 males and 2 females, aged (72.0±5.9) years (range: 61 to 81 years). Of all the 11 lesions, there were 8 lesions in superficial femoral artery and 3 in popliteal artery. The lesion length was (7.0±2.4) cm (range: 3.2 to 9.8 cm). There were 4 chronic totally occlusion and 7 severe stenosis. All patients underwent the operation successfully. The technical success rate was 10/11. Bailout stenting was performed in one lesion because of flow-limiting dissection. Four lesions were grade 3 to 4 in peripheral artery calcium score system, and 9 lesions with calcification arc≥180°. Larger diameter drug-coated balloons were selected in 5 lesions after measurement of intravascular ultrasound. The follow-up time was (6.0±1.9) months (range: 3 to 9 months). The ankle-brachial index of the patient was significantly improved immediately after surgery (0.97±0.13 vs. 0.48±0.18, t=-7.60, P<0.01) and at 3 months after surgery (0.95±0.12 vs. 0.48±0.18, t=-7.17, P<0.01). The 3-month primary patency rate was 11/11, the target lesion reintervention was 0 and ulcer healing rate was 3/4. Conclusion: IVUS assisted ELA in the treatment of lower limb artery lesions is safe and effective in early stage.
Female ; Male ; Humans ; Laser Therapy ; Lower Extremity ; Ultrasonography ; Femoral Artery ; Ultrasonography, Interventional

Nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA) is a severe condition in infertile men, and increasing numbers of causative genes have been identified during the last few decades. Although certain causative genes can explain the presence of NOA in some patients, a proportion of NOA patients remain to be addressed. This study aimed to investigate potential high-risk genes associated with spermatogenesis in idiopathic NOA patients by whole-exome sequencing. Whole-exome sequencing was performed in 46 male patients diagnosed with NOA. First, screening was performed for 119 genes known to be related to male infertility. Next, further screening was performed to determine potential high-risk causative genes for NOA by comparisons with 68 healthy male controls. Finally, risk genes with high/specific expression in the testes were selected and their expression fluctuations during spermatogenesis were graphed. The frequency of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene pathogenic variant carriers was higher in the NOA patients compared with the healthy controls. Potential risk genes that may be causes of NOA were identified, including seven genes that were highly/specifically expressed in the testes. Four risk genes previously reported to be involved in spermatogenesis (MutS homolog 5 [MSH5], cilia- and flagella-associated protein 54 [CFAP54], MAP7 domain containing 3 [MAP7D3], and coiled-coil domain containing 33 [CCDC33]) and three novel risk genes (coiled-coil domain containing 168 [CCDC168], chromosome 16 open reading frame 96 [C16orf96], and serine protease 48 [PRSS48]) were identified to be highly or specifically expressed in the testes and significantly different in the 46 NOA patients compared with 68 healthy controls. This study on clinical NOA patients provides further evidence for the four previously reported risk genes. The present findings pave the way for further functional investigations and provide candidate risk genes for genetic diagnosis of NOA.
Humans ; Male ; Azoospermia/pathology* ; East Asian People ; Exome Sequencing ; Mutation ; Proteins/genetics*