This study investigated the effect of Wuling San on transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1)-induced fibrosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress in human renal tubular epithelial cells(HK-2) and its mechanism of antioxidant stress injury. HK-2 cells were cultured in vitro and divided into a control group, a TGF-β1 model group, and three treatment groups receiving Wuling San-containing serum at low(2.5%), medium(5.0%), and high(10.0%) doses. TGF-β1 was used to establish the model in all groups except the control group. CCK-8 was used to analyze the effect of different concentrations of Wuling San on the activity of HK-2 cells with or without TGF-β1 stimulation. The expression of key fibrosis molecules, including actin alpha 2(Acta2), collagen type Ⅰ alpha 1 chain(Col1α1), collagen type Ⅲ alpha 1 chain(Col3α1), TIMP metallopeptidase inhibitor 1(Timp1), and fibronectin 1(Fn1), was detected using qPCR. The expression levels of inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-1β(IL-1β), interleukin-6(IL-6), interleukin-8(IL-8), and interleukin-4(IL-4), were measured using ELISA kits. Glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px), malondialdehyde(MDA), catalase(CAT), and superoxide dismutase(SOD) biochemical kits were used to analyze the effect of Wuling San on TGF-β1-induced oxidative stress injury in HK-2 cells, and the expression of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2(Nrf2), heme oxygenase 1(HO-1), and NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1(NQO1) was analyzed by qPCR and immunofluorescence. The CCK-8 results indicated that the optimal administration concentrations of Wuling San were 2.5%, 5.0%, and 10.0%. Compared with the control group, the TGF-β1 model group showed significantly increased levels of key fibrosis molecules(Acta2, Col1α1, Col3α1, Timp1, and Fn1) and inflammatory cytokines(TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-4). In contrast, the Wuling San administration groups were able to dose-dependently inhibit the expression levels of key fibrosis molecules and inflammatory cytokines compared with the TGF-β1 model group. Wuling San significantly increased the activities of GSH-Px, CAT, and SOD enzymes in TGF-β1-stimulated HK-2 cells and significantly inhibited the level of MDA. Furthermore, compared with the control group, the TGF-β1 model group exhibited a significant reduction in the expression of Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO1 genes and proteins. After Wuling San intervention, the expression of Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO1 genes and proteins was significantly increased. Correlation analysis showed that antioxidant stress enzymes(GSH-Px, CAT, and SOD) and Nrf2 signaling were significantly negatively correlated with key fibrosis molecules and inflammatory cytokines in the TGF-β1-stimulated HK-2 cell model. In conclusion, Wuling San can inhibit TGF-β1-induced fibrosis in HK-2 cells by activating the Nrf2 signaling pathway, improving oxidative stress injury, and reducing inflammation.
Humans ; Oxidative Stress/drug effects* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1/metabolism* ; Fibrosis/genetics* ; Cell Line ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Epithelial Cells/immunology* ; Inflammation/metabolism*

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the underlying causes and clinical manifestations in infants undergoing colonoscopy, and to analyze changes in disease spectrum. METHODS: Clinical data from 180 infants who underwent a total of 184 colonoscopies at the Department of Gastroenterology, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University from January 2015 to December 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were grouped by age: ≤6 months (n=41) and >6-12 months (n=139); and by examination period: 2015-2019 (n=83) and 2020-2024 (n=97). Primary causes for performing colonoscopy, final diagnoses, and disease spectrum evolution were assessed. RESULTS: Among 184 colonoscopies, the leading causes prompting examination were hematochezia (37.8%, 68/180), diarrhea (36.7%, 66/180), and co-occurring hematochezia and diarrhea (21.1%, 38/180). Causes for performing colonoscopy differed significantly by age group (P<0.05). Colonic polyps were only detected in the >6-12 months group (P<0.05). Compared to the 2015-2019 group, the 2020-2024 group had fewer food allergy-related gastrointestinal diseases (P<0.05) but more colitis (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Colonoscopy is essential for diagnosing infantile digestive disorders, with disease spectra varying by age and time period.
Humans ; Infant ; Colonoscopy ; Male ; Female ; Retrospective Studies ; Infant, Newborn ; Diarrhea/etiology* ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/etiology*

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the impact of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection on oral microbiota and metabolites in patients with metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: This prospective study was conducted in 47 MAFLD patients complicated with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and 48 MAFLD patients without CHB enrolled from November, 2023 to January, 2024. Fasting tongue coating samples were collected from the patients for analyzing microbial community structures and metabolites using high-throughput 16S rDNA sequencing and non-targeted metabolomics techniques, and their associations with clinical indicators and biological pathways were explored using correlation analysis and functional annotation. RESULTS: The levels of fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol (TC), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), and severity of fatty liver were all significantly lower in MAFLD+CHB group than in MAFLD group. Microbiota analysis showed that the abundances of Patescibacteria (at the phylum level), Hydrogenophaga, and Absconditabacteriales (at the genus level) were significantly increased, while the abundance of Megasphaera was decreased in MAFLD+CHB group. The differential microbiota were significantly correlated with TC, GGT and low-density lipoprotein (r=-0.68‒0.75). Metabolomics analysis revealed that 469 metabolites (including lipids and amino acids) were upregulated and 2306 (including organic oxygen-containing compounds and phenylpropanoids) were downregulated in MAFLD+CHB group, for which KEGG enrichment analysis suggested abnormal activation of the linoleic acid metabolism and glycerophospholipid metabolism pathways. Correlation analysis between microbiota and metabolites indicated that Patescibacteria and Megasphaera, which were positively correlated with lipid metabolites and negatively with fatty acid metabolites, respectively, jointly affected glycolipid metabolism and oxidative stress pathways. CONCLUSIONS Compared to patients with MAFLD alone, MAFLD patients with concurrent chronic HBV infection showed lower levels in some lipid metabolism indicators and the degree of hepatic steatosis, accompanied by alterations in oral microbiota structure and metabolic profiles. The precise mechanisms involved require further investigation to be fully elucidated.
Humans ; Lipid Metabolism ; Prospective Studies ; Microbiota ; Hepatitis B, Chronic/microbiology* ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Fatty Liver/microbiology* ; Middle Aged ; Mouth/microbiology* ; Metabolomics

Research integrity is the foundation for ensuring the sound and orderly development of scientific and technological innovation. As the main battlefield of clinical medical research, hospitals should effectively fulfill their main responsibilities and do a good job in research integrity management. The China Hospital Research Integrity Alliance, consisting of the first batch of 43 hospitals, was established in November 2021. With the aim of " complementary advantages, resource sharing, and collaborative development", the alliance has carried out construction practices from seven aspects: construction mode, cultural system construction, organizational management, institutional construction, publicity and education, early warning and supervision, and technological empowerment. It has achieved the overall improvement of the research integrity construction ability of member units of the alliance, organic linkage between government and medical institutions, and efficient combination of internal and external resources, which can provide reference for the research integrity construction of medical institutions in China.

Objective:To investigate the value of serum vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGF), pepsinogen ratio (PGR) combined with magnifying chromoendoscopy in the diagnosis of Epstein-Barr virus associated gastric carcinoma (EBVaGC).Methods:A retrospective case control study was conducted. The clinical data of 314 patients with gastric cancer who were confirmed by pathological examination in Baoji Central Hospital from January 2018 to January 2023 were retrospectively collected. All patients were divided into EBVaGC group (34 cases) and EB virus negative gastric cancer (EBVnGC) group (280 cases) according to the result of EB virus quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction in serum before treatment, while 50 healthy volunteers who underwent the physical examination in the same period were selected as the control group. The level of VEGF was detected by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and serum levels of pepsinogen (PG) Ⅰ and PGⅡ were detected by using fluorescence immunochromatography. PGR was calculated by PGⅠ-to-PGⅡ ratio. Electronic magnification gastroscopy was performed, suspicious lesions were stained and the pathological state of gastric tissues was observed. Taking the pathological results of living tissues as the gold standard, the diagnostic efficacy of each index alone and the combination detection for EBVaGC was calculated. Multivariate logistic regression model was used to analyze the independent risk factors of the incidence of EBVaGC.Results:The age of patients in EBVaGC group, EBVnGC group and the healthy control group was (61±10) years, (63±12) years and (61±12) years, respectively; and there were 28 males (82.4%), 228 males (81.4%) and 41 males (82.0%), respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in age and gender among the 3 groups (all P>0.05). The serum VEGF level and the proportion of positive patients detected by endochromatography in EBVaGC group were higher than those in the EBVnGC group and the healthy control group [VEGF: (253±48) pg/ml vs. (183±38) pg/ml, (92±25) pg/ml; positive proportion: 94.1% (32/34) vs. 77.9% (218/280), 2.0% (1/50)], and the PGR in EBVaGC group was lower than that in EBVnGC group and the healthy control group (2.1±1.0 vs. 3.1±1.1, 14.1±1.9), and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). The sensitivity of serum VEGF in the diagnosis of EBVaGC was higher than that of PGR [73.5% (25/34) vs. 66.9% (22/34)]. The diagnostic specificity of PGR [78.2% (219/280) vs. 69.3% (194/280)] and accuracy [76.8% (241/314) vs. 69.8% (219/314)] were higher than those of VEGF. The sensitivity [85.3% (29/34)], specificity [82.9% (232/280)] and accuracy [83.1% (261/314)] of magnifying chromoendoscopy in the diagnosis of EBVaGC were higher than those of VEGF and PGR. The sensitivity [94.1% (32/34)], specificity [95.7% (268/280)] and accuracy [95.5% (300/314)] of the 3 combined detection were higher than those of single and pairwise detection. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the independent risk factors for the incidence of EBVaGC included alcoholism ( OR = 2.310, 95% CI: 1.243-3.581, P = 0.007), spicy food preference ( OR = 1.516, 95% CI: 1.084-2.142, P = 0.026), irregular diet ( OR = 1.448, 95% CI: 1.013-2.104, P = 0.043), family history of gastric cancer ( OR = 2.732, 95% CI: 1.312-4.894, P = 0.001). Conclusions:Serum VEGF and PGR combined with magnifying chromoendoscopy can improve the diagnostic efficiency of EBVaGC, and developing good eating will be helpful to prevent or slow down the progression of stomach diseases.

Objective To explore the mechanism of Buyang Huanwu Decoction for"treating different diseases with same therapies"in type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)and Alzheimer's disease(AD)based on network pharmacology and molecular docking techniques.Methods Firstly,the active ingredients of seven herbs in Buyang Huanwu Decoction were searched and screened by TCMSP,SymMap and other databases,the target prediction of these active ingredients was carried out by PharmMapper.The disease targets of T2DM and AD were collected from OMIM,DrugBank,GeneCards and Disgenet databases.The potential targets of Buyang Huanwu Decoction for"treating different diseases with same therapies"in T2DM and AD were obtained by intersecting with targets of active ingredients and the disease targets.Then STRING database and Cytoscape software were used to construct the PPI network and"herbs-components-targets"network,respectively.The core targets and pharmacodynamic components were screened through network topology analysis.Furthermore,GO functional and KEGG enrichment analysis was performed for potential targets using Metascape database.Finally,AutoDock software was used to verify the molecular docking between the selected components and targets.Results Ninety-four active components of Buyang Huanwu Decoction can act on 342 protein targets,and 100 intersection targets were obtained by comparing with 3 140 AD targets and 1 708 T2DM targets.GO functional enrichment analysis showed that these targets were mainly involved in MAPK cascade-mediated regulation,hormone-mediated signaling pathways,cellular response to lipids,regulation of inflammation response and other biological processes.MAPK,PI3K/Akt,FoxO,AGE/RAGE,insulin resistance,lipid and atherosclerosis,and non-alcoholic fatty liver signaling pathway were significantly enriched in KEGG analysis.PPI and topology analysis of"herbs-components-targets"network were used to screen out 10 core targets such as MAPK8,MAPK14,GSK3B,PPARG,and 10 core pharmacodynamic components such as paeoniflorin,benzoyl paeoniflorin,(+)-catechin.The results of molecular docking showed that these components had strong binding ability to the targets.Conclusion The core components of Buyang Huanwu Decoction,such as paeoniflorin and catechin,may act on PPARG,GSK3B and other key targets,and participate in the regulation of signaling pathways including MAPK and PI3K/Akt,which play a role in"treating different diseases with the same therapies"of T2DM and AD.

Cancer genomics has led to the discovery of numerous oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes that play critical roles in cancer development and progression.Oncogenes promote cell growth and proliferation,whereas tumor suppressor genes inhibit cell growth and division.The dysregulation of these genes can lead to the development of cancer.Recent studies have focused on non-coding RNAs(ncRNAs),including circular RNA(circRNA),long non-coding RNA(lncRNA),and microRNA(miRNA),as therapeutic targets for cancer.In this article,we discuss the oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes of ncRNAs associated with different types of cancer and their potential as therapeutic targets.Here,we highlight the mechanisms of action of these genes and their clinical applications in cancer treatment.Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying cancer development and identifying specific therapeutic targets are essential steps towards the development of effective cancer treatments.

Objective:To observe the inhibitory effect of dobutamine on proliferation of FLT3-ITD mutated acute myeloid leukemia(AML)cells and explore the feasibility of dobutamine as a monotherapy or in combination with quizartinib for the treatment of this type of AML.Methods:FLT3-ITD mutant cell lines MOLM13 and MV4-11 were cultured in vitro and divided into control group,dobutamine treatment group,quizartinib treatment group,and dobutamine combined with quizartinib treatment group.Cell viability,ROS levels,and apoptosis rate were detected by CCK-8,Flow cytometry,respectively,as well as the expression of YAP1 protein by Western blot.Results:Both dobutamine and quizartinib inhibited the proliferation of FLT3-ITD mutant AML cell lines.Compared with the control group,the dobutamine group exhibited a significant increase in ROS levels(P＜0.01),an increase in apoptosis rates(P＜0.05),and a decrease in YAP1 protein expression(P＜0.05).Compared with the dobutamine group,the combination of quizartinib and dobutamine significantly reduced cell viability(P＜0.05),increased ROS levels(P＜0.01),and decreased YAP1 expression(P＜0.05).Conclusion:Dobutamine as a monotherapy can inhibit the proliferation of FLT3-ITD mutated AML cells,inducing apoptosis.Additionally,the combination of quizartinib enhances the targeted inhibitory effect on FLT3-ITD mutated AML.The mechanism may involve the inhibition of YAP1 protein expression in AML cells of this type,leading to an increase in ROS levels and exerting its anti-tumor effects.

Objective:To explore the effect of heterozygous deletion of histone methyltransferase Kmt2c gene on the hematological system of mice.Methods:CRISPR/Cas9 technology was used to construct mice model of Kmt2c heterozygous deletion(Kmt2c+/-)and the changes of whole blood cell count in mice were continuously monitored by blood routine test.The clonal expansion ability of bone marrow cells was explored by colony formation assay in vitro and the proportion of primitive hematopoietic cells,including long-term hematopoietic stem cell(LT-HSC),short-term hematopoietic stem cell(ST-HSC),and multipotent progenitor cell in mutant mice was analyzed by flow cytometry.Results:Kmt2c+/-mice model was successfully constructed,and the mRNA expression level of Kmt2c was 28％of that of C57BL/6J mice.The colony formation ability of bone marrow cells of Kmt2c+/-mice in vitro increased with the passage times,and the colony number in the fourth generation was significantly higher than that of control group(P＜0.05).The proportions of LT-HSC and ST-HSC in the primitive hematopoietic cell population of Kmt2c+/-mice was 19.6％±3.3％and 28.9％±4.9％,respectively,which showed an increasing trend compared with 16.9％±2.6％and 18.9％±2.5％in control group,but the difference was not statistically significant(P＞0.05).The white blood cell count of Kmt2c+/-mice gradually increased after 12 weeks of monitoring and reached(9.8±1.0)×109/L at the 14th week,which was significantly higher than(7.3±1.4)× 109/L of control group(P＜0.05).Conclusion:The bone marrow cells of Kmt2c+/-mice have potential of clonal expansion.

Objective:To explore the genotypes and frequency distribution of thalassemia in Lingui District,Guilin City,and provide reference for the prevention and control of thalassemia in this area. Methods:The results of genetic testing for thalassemia in 1501 suspected cases at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical University were analyzed retrospectively. The deletional mutations of α-thalassemia were detected by gap-PCR,the non-deletional mutations of α-thalassemia and β-thalassemia mutations were detected by PCR-reverse dot blot (PCR-RDB). Results:In 1501 samples,a total of 678 cases of thalassemia carriers were detected,with a detection rate of 45.17％. Among them,379 cases were α-thalassemia (including deletional α-thalassemia and non-deletional α-thalassemia),with a detection rate of 25.25％,the most common genotype was--SEA/αα (227 cases,15.12％),followed by-α3.7/αα (53 cases,3.53％). 270 cases of β-thalassemia were detected,with a detction rate of 17.99％,and βCD41-42/βN (144 cases,9.59％) was the main genotypes,followed by βCD17/βN (66 cases,4.40％) . In addition,there were 29 cases of αβ compound thalassemia,accounting for 1.93％,and the most common genotype was--SEA/αα complex βCD41-42/βN (5 cases,0.33％). Conclusion:Lingui District in Guilin City is a high-incidence area of thalassemia,and the genotypes of carriers are complex and diverse,with genetic heterogeneity. The results of this study provide a scientific basis for genetic counseling and prenatal diagnosis in this area.