Monotropein is a compound classified into iridoid which is found in herbaceous plants Morindae officinalis. It possesses anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-osteoarthritic activities. Previous study indicates that monotropein may have the potential to combat cardiovascular disease, although the related mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we constructed the model of atherosclerosis by oxidized low density lipoprotein-induced vascular smooth muscle cells and LDLR –/–mice given high-fat diet to investigate the effects of monotropein on atherosclerosis.Our results showed that monotropein treatment significantly reduced the area of atherosclerotic plaques and necrotic cores in mice, inhibited the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells, and reduced inflammatory responses and oxidative stress, which in turn alleviated atherosclerosis. In addition, we found that monotropein reduced the expression levels of P-NF-κB and P-AP-1. In conclusion, our data suggest that monotropein inhibited the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells by mediating the activity of NF-κB, AP-1, reducing the level of inflammation and oxidative stress, and thus resisting the development of atherosclerosis. These findings demonstrate the efficacious therapeutic impact of monotropein on atherosclerosis and elucidate its specific target.

Monotropein is a compound classified into iridoid which is found in herbaceous plants Morindae officinalis. It possesses anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-osteoarthritic activities. Previous study indicates that monotropein may have the potential to combat cardiovascular disease, although the related mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we constructed the model of atherosclerosis by oxidized low density lipoprotein-induced vascular smooth muscle cells and LDLR –/–mice given high-fat diet to investigate the effects of monotropein on atherosclerosis.Our results showed that monotropein treatment significantly reduced the area of atherosclerotic plaques and necrotic cores in mice, inhibited the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells, and reduced inflammatory responses and oxidative stress, which in turn alleviated atherosclerosis. In addition, we found that monotropein reduced the expression levels of P-NF-κB and P-AP-1. In conclusion, our data suggest that monotropein inhibited the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells by mediating the activity of NF-κB, AP-1, reducing the level of inflammation and oxidative stress, and thus resisting the development of atherosclerosis. These findings demonstrate the efficacious therapeutic impact of monotropein on atherosclerosis and elucidate its specific target.

Monotropein is a compound classified into iridoid which is found in herbaceous plants Morindae officinalis. It possesses anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-osteoarthritic activities. Previous study indicates that monotropein may have the potential to combat cardiovascular disease, although the related mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we constructed the model of atherosclerosis by oxidized low density lipoprotein-induced vascular smooth muscle cells and LDLR –/–mice given high-fat diet to investigate the effects of monotropein on atherosclerosis.Our results showed that monotropein treatment significantly reduced the area of atherosclerotic plaques and necrotic cores in mice, inhibited the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells, and reduced inflammatory responses and oxidative stress, which in turn alleviated atherosclerosis. In addition, we found that monotropein reduced the expression levels of P-NF-κB and P-AP-1. In conclusion, our data suggest that monotropein inhibited the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells by mediating the activity of NF-κB, AP-1, reducing the level of inflammation and oxidative stress, and thus resisting the development of atherosclerosis. These findings demonstrate the efficacious therapeutic impact of monotropein on atherosclerosis and elucidate its specific target.

Monotropein is a compound classified into iridoid which is found in herbaceous plants Morindae officinalis. It possesses anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-osteoarthritic activities. Previous study indicates that monotropein may have the potential to combat cardiovascular disease, although the related mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we constructed the model of atherosclerosis by oxidized low density lipoprotein-induced vascular smooth muscle cells and LDLR –/–mice given high-fat diet to investigate the effects of monotropein on atherosclerosis.Our results showed that monotropein treatment significantly reduced the area of atherosclerotic plaques and necrotic cores in mice, inhibited the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells, and reduced inflammatory responses and oxidative stress, which in turn alleviated atherosclerosis. In addition, we found that monotropein reduced the expression levels of P-NF-κB and P-AP-1. In conclusion, our data suggest that monotropein inhibited the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells by mediating the activity of NF-κB, AP-1, reducing the level of inflammation and oxidative stress, and thus resisting the development of atherosclerosis. These findings demonstrate the efficacious therapeutic impact of monotropein on atherosclerosis and elucidate its specific target.

Monotropein is a compound classified into iridoid which is found in herbaceous plants Morindae officinalis. It possesses anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-osteoarthritic activities. Previous study indicates that monotropein may have the potential to combat cardiovascular disease, although the related mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we constructed the model of atherosclerosis by oxidized low density lipoprotein-induced vascular smooth muscle cells and LDLR –/–mice given high-fat diet to investigate the effects of monotropein on atherosclerosis.Our results showed that monotropein treatment significantly reduced the area of atherosclerotic plaques and necrotic cores in mice, inhibited the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells, and reduced inflammatory responses and oxidative stress, which in turn alleviated atherosclerosis. In addition, we found that monotropein reduced the expression levels of P-NF-κB and P-AP-1. In conclusion, our data suggest that monotropein inhibited the proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells by mediating the activity of NF-κB, AP-1, reducing the level of inflammation and oxidative stress, and thus resisting the development of atherosclerosis. These findings demonstrate the efficacious therapeutic impact of monotropein on atherosclerosis and elucidate its specific target.

BACKGROUND: The available evidence regarding the benefits of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on patients receiving dialysis with coronary artery disease (CAD) is limited and inconsistent. This study aimed to evaluate the association between PCI and clinical outcomes as compared with medical therapy alone in patients undergoing dialysis with CAD in China. METHODS: This multicenter, retrospective study was conducted in 30 tertiary medical centers across 12 provinces in China from January 2015 to June 2021 to include patients on dialysis with CAD. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), defined as a composite of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and non-fatal stroke. Secondary outcomes included all-cause death, the individual components of MACE, and Bleeding Academic Research Consortium criteria types 2, 3, or 5 bleeding. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the association between PCI and outcomes. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) and propensity score matching (PSM) were performed to account for potential between-group differences. RESULTS: Of the 1146 patients on dialysis with significant CAD, 821 (71.6%) underwent PCI. After a median follow-up of 23.0 months, PCI was associated with a 43.0% significantly lower risk for MACE (33.9% [ n  = 278] vs . 43.7% [ n  = 142]; adjusted hazards ratio 0.57, 95% confidence interval 0.45-0.71), along with a slightly increased risk for bleeding outcomes that did not reach statistical significance (11.1% vs . 8.3%; adjusted hazards ratio 1.31, 95% confidence interval, 0.82-2.11). Furthermore, PCI was associated with a significant reduction in all-cause and cardiovascular mortalities. Subgroup analysis did not modify the association of PCI with patient outcomes. These primary findings were consistent across IPTW, PSM, and competing risk analyses. CONCLUSION This study indicated that PCI in patients on dialysis with CAD was significantly associated with lower MACE and mortality when comparing with those with medical therapy alone, albeit with a slightly increased risk for bleeding events that did not reach statistical significance.
Humans ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention/methods* ; Male ; Female ; Coronary Artery Disease/drug therapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Renal Dialysis/methods* ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; China ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Treatment Outcome

Colorectal tumorigenesis generally progresses from adenoma to adenocarcinoma, accompanied by dynamic changes in the tumor microenvironment (TME). A randomized controlled trial has confirmed the efficacy and safety of Shen-Bai-Jie-Du decoction (SBJDD) in preventing colorectal tumorigenesis. However, the mechanism remains unclear. In this study, we employed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to investigate the dynamic evolution of the TME and validated cell infiltration with multiplex immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. Bulk RNA sequencing was utilized to assess the underlying mechanisms. Our results constructed the mutually verifiable single-cell transcriptomic atlases in Apc ^Min/+ mice and clinical patients. There was a marked accumulation of CCL22⁺ dendritic cells (DCs) and an enhanced immunosuppressive action, which SBJDD and berberine reversed. Combined treatment with cholesterol and lipopolysaccharide induced characteristic gene expression of CCL22⁺ DCs, which may represent "exhausted DCs". Intraperitoneal injection of these DCs after SBJDD treatment eliminated its therapeutic effects. TMEM131 derived CCL22⁺ DCs generation by TNF signaling pathway and may be a potential target of berberine in retarding colorectal tumorigenesis. These findings emphasize the role of exhausted DCs and the regulatory mechanisms of SBJDD and berberine in colorectal cancer (CRC), suggesting that the multi-component properties of SBJDD may help restore TME homeostasis and offer novel cancer therapy.

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is a naturally occurring, low-toxicity, and hydrophilic bile acid (BA) in the human body that is converted by intestinal flora using primary BA. Solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) functions to uptake extracellular cystine in exchange for glutamate, and is highly expressed in a variety of human cancers. Retroperitoneal liposarcoma (RLPS) refers to liposarcoma originating from the retroperitoneal area. Lipidomics analysis revealed that UDCA was one of the most significantly downregulated metabolites in sera of RLPS patients compared with healthy subjects. The augmentation of UDCA concentration (≥25 μg/mL) demonstrated a suppressive effect on the proliferation of liposarcoma cells. [¹⁵N₂]-cystine and [¹³C₅]-glutamine isotope tracing revealed that UDCA impairs cystine uptake and glutathione (GSH) synthesis. Mechanistically, UDCA binds to the cystine transporter SLC7A11 to inhibit cystine uptake and impair GSH de novo synthesis, leading to reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and mitochondrial oxidative damage. Furthermore, UDCA can promote the anti-cancer effects of ferroptosis inducers (Erastin, RSL3), the murine double minute 2 (MDM2) inhibitors (Nutlin 3a, RG7112), cyclin dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) inhibitor (Abemaciclib), and glutaminase inhibitor (CB839). Together, UDCA functions as a cystine exchange factor that binds to SLC7A11 for antitumor activity, and SLC7A11 is not only a new transporter for BA but also a clinically applicable target for UDCA. More importantly, in combination with other antitumor chemotherapy or physiotherapy treatments, UDCA may provide effective and promising treatment strategies for RLPS or other types of tumors in a ROS-dependent manner.

Objective:To analyze the occurrence of concomitant gene mutations in cytogenetically normal acute myeloid leukemia(CN-AML)patients with CEBPA mutation and its impact on the clinical characteristics and prognosis of the patients.Methods:151 newly diagnosed patients with CN-AML in the Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University from June 2013 to June 2020 were analyzed retrospectively.34 common genetic mutations associated with hematologic malignancies were detected by next-generation sequencing technology.The occurrence of concomitant gene mutations in patients with CEBPA positive and negative groups was compared,and the correlation between concomitant mutations in different functional groups and the clinical characteristics and prognosis of CN-AML patients with CEBPA mutation was analyzed.Results:In 151 patients with CN-AML,55(36.42％)were positive for CEBPA mutation(including 36 cases of CEBPAdm and 19 cases of CEBPAsm),of which 41(74.55％)had co-mutations with other genes.The main mutated genes were GATA2(25.45％,14/55),TET2(21.82％,12/55),FLT3(20.00％,11/55),NRAS(12.73％,7/55)and WT1(9.09％,9/55),etc.Some cases had two or more concomitant gene mutations.Grouping the mutant genes according to their functions showed that CEBPA+group had lower mutation rates of histone methylation(P=0.002)and chromatin modification genes(P=0.002,P=0.033),and higher mutation rates of transcription factors(P=0.037)than CEBPA-group.In 55 patients with CEBPA+CN-AML,the platelet count at diagnosis in signaling pathway gene mutation-positive group was lower than that in the mutation-negative group(P=0.005),the proportion of bone marrow blasts in transcription factor mutation-positive group was higher than that in the mutation-negative group(P=0.003),and the onset age in DNA methylation gene mutation-positive group and chromatin modifier mutation-positive group was older than that in the mutation-negative group,respectively(P=0.002,P=0.008).DFS of CEBPA+CN-AML patients in signaling pathway gene mutation group was shorter than that in signaling pathway gene mutation-negative group(median DFS:12 months vs not reached)(P=0.034).Compared with DNA methylation gene mutation-negative group,CEBPA+CN-AML patients with DNA methylation gene mutation had lower CR rate(P=0.025)significantly shorter OS and DFS(median OS:20 months vs not reached,P=0.006;median DFS:15 months vs not reached,P=0.049).OS in patients with histone methylation gene mutation was significantly shorter than that in the histone methylation gene mutation-negative group(median OS:12 months vs 40 months)(P=0.008).Multivariate analysis of prognostic factors showed that the proportion of bone marrow blasts(P=0.046),concomitant DNA methylation gene mutation(P=0.006)and histone methylation gene mutation(P=0.036)were independent risk factors affecting the prognosis.Conclusion:CN-AML patients with CEBPA mutation have specific concomitant gene profile,and the concomitant mutations of different functional genes have a certain impact on the clinical characteristics and prognosis of the patients.

Objective To investigate the predictive value of serum lipoprotein-associated phospho-lipase A2(Lp-PLA2)for long-term prognosis of elderly patients with stable coronary heart dis-ease(CHD).Methods A retrospective trial was conducted on 198 patients with stable CHD ad-mitted to our hospital from January 2016 to December 2018.All of them were followed up for 5 years,and divided into adverse cardiovascular event group(n=42)and control group(n=156)according to whether adverse cardiovascular events occurred during follow-up.Clinical features and Lp-PLA2 level were compared between the two groups.The predictive value of Lp-PLA2 for adverse cardiovascular events was analyzed in elderly patients with stable CHD within 5 years.Re-sults The adverse cardiovascular event group had significantly older age(74.95±7.02 vs 70.17±6.30 years,P=0.000),larger proportions of diabetes(54.76％vs 27.56％,P=0.001),of coronary artery stenosis ≥75％(69.05％vs 47.44％,P=0.013)and of left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)＜50％(50.00％vs 28.21％,P=0.008),and higher Lp-PLA2 level(478.38±187.54 U/L vs 308.17±126.73 U/L,P=0.000)when compared with the control group.The AUC value of age and Lp-PLA2 was 0.683(95％CI:0.590--0.776,P＜0.001)and 0.763(95％CI:0.677--0.848,P=0.763),respectively,in predicting the long-term prognosis in elderly patients with stable CHD.Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age,diabetes,coronary artery stenosis ≥75％,LVEF＜50％and Lp-PLA2 were independent influencing factors for adverse cardiovascular events within 5 years in elderly patients with stable CHD(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Con-clusion Increased Lp-PLA2 level is associated with adverse cardiovascular events within 5 years in patients with stable CHD.