The scientific basis of acupuncture on mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for treating ischemic stroke (IS) is discussed. MSCs transplantation has great potential for the treatment of tissue damage caused by early stage inflammatory cascade reactions of IS, but its actual transformation is limited by various factors. How to improve the homing efficiency of MSCs is the primary issue to enhance its efficacy. As such, the possible mechanisms of acupuncture and MSCs transplantation in inhibiting inflammatory cascade reactions induced by IS are explored by reviewing literature, and a hypothesis that acupuncture could promote the secretion of stromal cell-derived factor-1α (SDF-1α) from ischemic foci to regulate SDF-1α/CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) axis, thereby improving the homing efficiency of MSCs transplantation, exerting its neuroprotective function, and improving the bed transformation ability, is proposed.
Humans ; Ischemic Stroke ; Chemokine CXCL12 ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells ; Inflammation

Aim To investigate the effect of TRPC5 gene on the inflammation of cliabetie cardiomyopathy.Methods The biological functions of TRPC5 and the correlation between TRPC5 gene and other genes were analyzed by bioinformatics.Studies were performed in TRPC5 knockout ( TRPC5 ) and C57 mice.Mice were randomly divided into blank control and T2DM model groups, and the model was established by intraperitoneal injection of STZ (n = 10).The myocardial injury was detected by HE and Masson staining.Hie level of serum IL-1(3, IL-2, IL-6, IFN-7 and creatine kinase was examined by ELISA.Gene and protein expressions of IL-1(3, IL-2, IL-6 and TRPC5 were analysed by RT-PCR and Western blot respectively.Results By constructing the PPI network and analyses.the TRPC5 gene was identified to internet with a variety inflammatory genes and involved in immunity.The result of pathologieal section showed less myocardial damage and infiltrated immune cells in TRPC5 mice than in C57BL/6J mice.RT-PCR and serum results showed a lower expression of inflammatory factors in myocardium and serum obtained from TRPC5 model mice than in those obtained from C57BL/6J model mice.Conclusions TRPC5 participates in the development of dilated cardiomyopathy by regulating cardio- myocyte inflammation.

OBJECTIVE: Herbal medicine is an important therapeutic option for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), a common disease in older men that can seriously affect their quality of life. Currently, it is crucial to develop agents with strong efficacy and few side effects. Herein we investigated the effects of the extract of Rauwolfia vomitoria, a shrub grown in West Africa, on BPH. METHODS: Rats with testosterone-induced BPH were treated with R. vomitoria. Prostates were histologically analyzed by Hematoxylin and eosin staining. Proliferation index and the expression levels of androgen receptor and its associated proteins were quantified through immunohistochemistry and immunoblotting. Androgen receptor target genes were examined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The sperm count and body weight of rats were also measured. RESULTS: The oral administration of R. vomitoria extract significantly reduced the prostate weight and prostate weight index in BPH rats, supported by the decreased thickness of the prostate epithelial layer and increased lumen size. Similar effects were observed in the BPH rats treated with the reference drug, finasteride. R. vomitoria extract significantly reduced the testosterone-induced proliferation markers, including proliferating cell nuclear antigen and cyclin D1, in the prostate glands of BPH rats; it also reduced levels of androgen receptor, its associated protein steroid 5α-reductase 1 and its downstream target genes (FK506-binding protein 5 and matrix metalloproteinase 2). Notably, compared with the finasteride group, R. vomitoria extract did not significantly reduce sperm count. CONCLUSION R. vomitoria suppresses testosterone-induced BPH development. Due to its milder side effects, R. vomitoria could be a promising therapeutic agent for BPH.

ObjectiveTo describe the epidemiologic, clinical, laboratory, and radiological characteristics and prognoses of COVID-19 confirmed patients in a single center in Beijing, China. Methods The study retrospectively included 19 patients with nucleic acid-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection at our hospital from January 20 to March 5, 2020. The final follow-up date was March 14, 2020. The epidemiologic and clinical information was obtained through direct communication with the patients or their family members. Laboratory results retrieved from medical records and radiological images were analyzed both qualitatively by two senior chest radiologists as well as quantitatively via an artificial intelligence software. Results We identified 5 family clusters (13/19, 68.4%) from the study cohort. All cases had good clinical prognoses and were either mild (3/19) or moderate (16/19) clinical types. Fever (15/19, 78.9%) and dry cough (11/19, 57.9%) were common symptoms. Two patients received negative results for more than three consecutive viral nucleic acid tests. The longest interval between an initial CT abnormal finding and a confirmed diagnosis was 30 days. One patient's nucleic acid test turned positive on the follow-up examination after discharge. The presence of radiological abnormalities was non-specific for the diagnosis of COVID-19. Conclusions COVID-19 patients with mild or no clinical symptoms are common in Beijing, China. Radiological abnormalities are mostly non-specific and massive CT examinations for COVID-19 screening should be avoided. Analyses of the contact histories of diagnosed cases in combination with clinical, radiological and laboratory findings are crucial for the early detection of COVID-19. Close monitoring after discharge is also recommended.
Adult ; COVID-19/diagnostic imaging* ; COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Testing ; Child ; China ; Female ; Humans ; Lung/diagnostic imaging* ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Objective:To study the effect of Fushengong prescreption on the regulation-antagonism effect of angiotensin converting enzyme-angiotensin Ⅱ-angiotensin Ⅱ 1 receptor （ACE-AngⅡ-AT1R） axis and angiotensin converting enzyme 2-angiotensin （1-7）-Mas receptor［ACE2-Ang（1-7）-MASR］ axis of rats with chronic renal failure（CRF）， and to explore its mechanism of delaying the development of CRF. Method:The 65 male SD rats were randomly divided into normal group （n=10） and modeling group （n=55）. The normal group was routinely reared， while the modeling group were administered by gavage with 0.25 g·kg^-1d^-1 adenine suspension for 28 days. After the model was successfully established， the survival model rats were randomly divided into model group， benazepril group（0.01 g·kg^-1·d^-1）and low，medium and high dose of Fushengong prescreption groups （4，8，16 g·kg^-1·d^-1）. The normal group and model group were administered the same volume of normal saline by gavage， lasted for 28 days. After the experiment， systolic blood pressure （SBP） and diastolic blood pressure （DBP） of caudal artery were measured， and 24-hour urine was collected to determine 24-hour urine protein （24 h U-pro）. The content of serum creatinine（SCr） and blood urea nitrogen （BUN） in the serum were measured， the histological morphology was observed by hematoxylin eosin（HE）staining， and the degree of renal interstitial fibrosis was observed by Masson staining. Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to determine the contents of AngⅡ， Ang （1-7） and Cystatin C （CysC） in serum and renal homogenate. The protein level of ACE， ACE2， AT1R and MASR were detected by Western blot. The expression of ACE and ACE2 protein in renal tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry. Result:Compared with normal group， the expression levels of SCr， BUN and CysC in model group were significantly increased（P<0.05）， the content of AngⅡ in serum and kidney tissues were significantly increased， the content of Ang （1-7） were significantly decreased（P<0.05）， the expression of ACE and AT1R protein in renal tissues were significantly increased（P<0.05）， and the expression of ACE2 and MASR protein were significantly decreased（P<0.05）. Compared with model group and benazepril group， after the intervention with Fushengong prescreption， the serum SCr，BUN and CysC decreased（P<0.05），the content of AngⅡ in serum and kidney tissues decreased significantly，Ang（1-7） increased significantly（P<0.05）， the expression of ACE and AT1R protein in renal tissues decreased significantly（P<0.05）， ACE2 and MASR protein increased significantly（P<0.05）. The high-dose Fushengong prescreption has the best effect. The high， medium and low-dose effects of Fushengong prescreption were dose-dependent. Conclusion:Fushengong prescreption improved renal function and pathological change of kidney in adenine-induced rats with chronic renal failure. The mechanism may be related to the inhibition of ACE-AngⅡ-AT1R axis and promotion of ACE2-Ang（1-7）-MASR axis ，which leads to the delaying of the progression of chronic renal failure.

Objective: The aim of this study is to discover the possible working mechanisms of Ardisiae Japonicae Herba (AJH) on hepatoma carcinoma (HCC). Methods: In this study, ethanol extract of AJH was prepared and used to treat HCC cell in vitro. Furthermore, a genomic wide RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) was performed to screen deregulated genes in HCC cells after the treatment of AJH extract. The gene and protein expression related to lipid metabolism in HCC cells were also investigated to validate the results obtained from RNA-seq. Results: AJH extract could inhibit HCC cell proliferation in vitro. RNA-seq analysis has identified 1,601 differentially expressed genes (DEGs, fold change ≥ 2.0 or fold change ≤ 0.5, P < 0.05) in HCC after AJH extract treatment, which included 225 up-regulated genes and 1,376 down-regulated genes. KEGG pathway analysis of DEGs demonstrated that lipid metabolism was a potential pathway related to AJH treatment. In agreement with the RNA-seq data, qPCR and Western-blot analysis indicated that expression of genes and proteins related to lipid metabolism (SREBP1, ACC, ACLY and FASN) were significantly down-regulated in AJH treatment group as compared with the control group. Furthermore, AJH extract could also decrease lipid contents and cellular free fatty acid levels in HCC cells. Conclusion: Ethanol extract of AJH could inhibit HCC cell proliferation in vitro, the possible mechanism may be related to the inhibition of lipid metabolism.

Objective:To observe the effects of Fushengong prescription on secretory glycoprotein （Wnt）/β-serial protein （β-catenin） signaling pathway in kidney of rats with chronic renal failure （CRF），and to further explore its mechanism of releasing the aggregation of extracellular matrix（ECM），inhibiting renal tubule interstitial fibrosis （TIF） and prolonging the progression of CRF. Method:A total of 55 SD male rats were randomly divided into the normal group，the model group，and the low， medium and high dose groups of Fushengong prescription，with 11 rats in each group.The normal group was routinely reared and the other 4 groups of rats were used to establish CRF model with 0.5% adenine fodder， fed them continuously for 21 d. After successful modeling，all model rats were switched to conventional feed. Normal saline （NS） was given the normal group and the model group by 20 mL·kg^-1·d^-1， the low， middle and high dose groups rats of Fushengong prescription were given intragastric administration Fushengong prescription according to the body weight of 4， 8， 16 g·kg^-1，once a day，continuous gavage for 30 d. After the experiment，the pathomorphism change of renal tissues of rats was measured by Masson staining， the expression of Wnt4 and β-catenin mRNA in the kidney tissues were observed by the method of Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR）， the expression of Wnt4，β-catenin and matrix metalloproteinase-7（MMP-7） protein of renal tissues were detected by the methods of Western blot. The expression of Wnt4， β-catenin protein of renal tissues were detected by the methods of immunohistochemistry （IHC）. Result:Compared with normal group，renal tubule interstitial fibrosis of renal tissues increased distinctly and the expression of Wnt4，β-catenin and MMP-7 protein increased significantly in the model group. Wnt4 and β-catenin mRNA also increased significantly in model group（P<0.01）. Compared with model group， the expression of Wnt4， β-catenin and MMP-7 protein in the Fushengong prescription groups decreased obviously （P<0.05）. The expression of Wnt4 and β-catenin mRNA in Fushengong prescription groups also decreased obviously. Conclusion:The mechanism of Fushengong prescription can release the aggregation of ECM，inhibit TIF and delay the progression of CRF，which may be related with the activation of Wnt/β-catenin signal pathway.