OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of triptolide （TP） exposure during pregnancy and lactation on the reproductive system development and function in male offspring of rats， providing a reference for medication safety during pregnancy and lactation. METHODS Pregnant rats were randomly divided into control group （12 rats， normal saline） and T1-T4 groups [12， 13， 14， 17 rats that received TP at 200， 400， 600， and 800 μg/（kg·d） respectively]. They were given relevant medicine/normal saline intragastrically， once a day， until the offspring were born and naturally weaned， the intragastric administration volume of each rat was consistently 2 mL. After 60 days of feeding， reproductive organ weights and coefficients were measured in male offspring， testicular and epididymal histology and sperm morphology were observed. Sperm motility， sperm count， and serum levels of gonadotropin-releasing hormone （GnRH）， follicle stimulating hormone （FSH）， luteinizing hormone （LH）， and testosterone （T） in the epididymides were analyzed. Protein expressions of glycogen synthase kinase 3α （GSK3α）， phosphorylated GSK3α （p-GSK3α）， and phosphatase 1γ2 （PP1γ2） in sperm were also determined. RESULTS Compared with the control group， the testicular and epididymal weights， serum levels of GnRH and T， the relative protein expression of PP1γ2 were significantly decreased in T1-T4 groups. Additionally， in the T2 to T4 groups， there were significant reductions in the weight and coefficient of the seminal vesicle， total number of sperm， sperm concentration， sperm motility as well as relative protein expressions of GSKα， p-GSK3α in the offspring rats. Furthermore， the epididymal coefficient in the T3 and T4 groups， the testicular coefficient， mean sperm track velocity and sperm curvature velocity in the T4 group were significantly decreased （P＜ 0.05）； the number of abnormal sperm， rate of sperm abnormality， and levels of FSH and LH in the offspring rats of the T1 to T4 groups were all significantly increased （P＜0.05）； in the offspring rats of the T1 to T4 groups， there was a decrease in the number of epithelial cells in the seminiferous tubules of the testes. Within the epididymal tissue， degenerative and necrotic changes in the epithelial cells were visible， accompanied by mild infiltration of inflammatory cells in the stroma. CONCLUSIONS TP exposure during pregnancy and lactation disrupts reproductive organ development， impairs spermatogenesis and sperm motility， as well as suppresses androgen synthesis in male offspring，thereby having a negative impact on the development of the reproductive system. These effects may be mechanistically linked to regulation of GSK3α， p-GSK3α and PP1γ2 protein expressions.

Objective:To investigate the potential characteristic manifestations and application value of the Dynamic Visual Acuity Test（DVAT） in vestibular migraine（VM）. Methods:A total of 50 VM patients（case group） and 50 healthy subjects（control group） diagnosed at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, First Hospital of Shanxi Medical University between November 1, 2023, and December 31, 2024, were enrolled. The case group underwent DVAT, video head impulse test（vHIT）, caloric test, and Dizziness Handicap Inventory（DHI） assessment, whereas the control group only received DVAT. Group-based analyses were conducted to examine the effect of age on Dynamic Visual Acuity Loss（DVALoss）, as well as the correlations of DVALoss with vestibular function tests and DHI scores. Results:DVALoss in the case group was significantly higher than that in the control group（P<0.001）. In both groups, age was significantly and positively correlated with DVALoss（P<0.001）. Within the case group, DVALoss was strongly and positively correlated with DHI scores（r=0.807, P<0.001）; it was negatively correlated with the vestibulo-ocular reflex（VOR） gain in vHIT, though without clinical significance, and showed no significant association with the caloric test. Age and DVALoss collectively accounted for 71.3% of the variance in DHI scores（R²=0.713）, with age exerting a relatively minor actual impact. Conclusion:DVAT can sensitively identify the core functional impairments of VM. DVALoss, as a direct functional reflection of the pathological mechanism of VM, is strongly correlated with DHI scores. Incorporating DVALoss into standardized assessments may provide an objective basis for the diagnosis and management of VM.
Humans ; Migraine Disorders/diagnosis* ; Visual Acuity ; Case-Control Studies ; Head Impulse Test ; Vestibular Function Tests ; Female ; Male ; Adult ; Vestibular Diseases/physiopathology* ; Middle Aged ; Caloric Tests

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2022.05.019.].

Osteoarthritis (OA) causes chronic pain that significantly impairs quality of life, with current treatments often proving insufficient and accompanied by adverse effects. Recent research has identified the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and its resident macrophages as crucial mediators of chronic OA pain through neuroinflammation driven by macrophage polarization. We present a novel injectable thermo-sensitive hydrogel system, KAF@PLEL, designed to deliver an anti-inflammatory peptide (KAF) specifically to the DRG. This biodegradable hydrogel enables sustained KAF release, promoting the reprogramming of DRG macrophages from pro-inflammatory to anti-inflammatory phenotypes. Through comprehensive in vitro and in vivo studies, we evaluated the hydrogel's biocompatibility, effects on macrophage polarization, and therapeutic efficacy in chronic OA pain management. The system demonstrated significant capabilities in preserving macrophage mitochondrial function, suppressing neuroinflammation, alleviating chronic OA pain, reducing cartilage degradation, and improving motor function in OA rat models. The sustained-release properties of KAF@PLEL enabled prolonged therapeutic effects while minimizing systemic exposure and side effects. These findings suggest that KAF@PLEL represents a promising therapeutic approach for improving outcomes in OA patients through targeted, sustained treatment.

Gene regulation relies on the precise binding of transcription factors (TFs) at regulatory elements, but simultaneously detecting hundreds of TFs on chromatin is challenging. We developed cFOOT-seq, a cytosine deaminase-based TF footprinting assay, for high-resolution, quantitative genome-wide assessment of TF binding in both open and closed chromatin regions, even with small cell numbers. By utilizing the dsDNA deaminase SsdAtox, cFOOT-seq converts accessible cytosines to uracil while preserving genomic integrity, making it compatible with techniques like ATAC-seq for sensitive and cost-effective detection of TF occupancy at the single-molecule and single-cell level. Our approach enables the delineation of TF footprints, quantification of occupancy, and examination of chromatin influences on TF binding. Notably, cFOOT-seq, combined with FootTrack analysis, enables de novo prediction of TF binding sites and tracking of TF occupancy dynamics. We demonstrate its application in capturing cell type-specific TFs, analyzing TF dynamics during reprogramming, and revealing TF dependencies on chromatin remodelers. Overall, cFOOT-seq represents a robust approach for investigating the genome-wide dynamics of TF occupancy and elucidating the cis-regulatory architecture underlying gene regulation.
Transcription Factors/genetics* ; Humans ; Chromatin/genetics* ; Animals ; Binding Sites ; Mice ; DNA Footprinting/methods*

Background Chrysotile is widely used in construction and industry. Research has shown that it is associated with lung fibrosis in occupational groups, but the involvement of microRNAs (miRNAs) in chrysotile-induced lung fibrosis has been less well studied, and the specific mechanism is still unclear. Objective Using next-generation sequencing technology to analyze the effects of chrysotile exposure on the miRNAs expression profiles of human lung epithelial cells (BEAS-2B cells), to explore the variations of differentially expressed miRNAs and related signaling pathways, and to identify potential targets and molecular mechanisms of chrysotile-induced lung fibrosis. Methods Chrysotile was analyzed with a laser particle size analyzer and an X-ray diffractometer for particle size and physical phase. BEAS-2B cells were exposed to chrysotile for designed time sessions (12, 24, and 48 h) and doses (0, 50, 100, and 200 μg·mL⁻¹). Cell viability was detected with a cell viability assay kit (CCK8); expression levels of Fibronectin, Collagen-Ⅰ, and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) were detected by Western blot after exposure to 200 μg·mL⁻¹ chrysotile for 24 h. Sample correlation and changes in miRNAs expression profiles between the chrysotile-exposed and the control groups were analyzed by next-generation sequencing technology. The target genes of differentially expressed miRNAs were predicted and subjected to Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis. Results The average particle size of the chrysotile dust sample used in this study was 3.58 μm, and the results of X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the characteristic peaks of chrysotile. Compared with the control group, the chrysotile gradually inhibited the survival rate of BEAS-2B cells with increasing concentration and exposure time (P<0.01). The survival rates of the 50, 100, and 200 μg·mL⁻¹ chrysotile-exposed cells after 12 h exposure were 83.88%±1.86%, 78.07%±3.97%, and 71.95%±2.99%, respectively; the survival rates after 24 h exposure were 77.41%±1.58%, 69.57%±2.23%, and 62.79%±3.65%, respectively; the survival rates after 48 h exposure were 74.31%±4.93%, 65.84%±2.71%, and 52.74%±6.31%, respectively. The Fibronectin, Collagen-Ⅰ, and α-SMA protein expression levels were elevated in the 200 μg·mL⁻¹ chrysotile-exposed BEAS-2B cells (P <0.05). The results of principal component analysis showed that there were differences in the composition of the samples between the chrysotile exposure group and the control group, and a total of 163 differential miRNAs were screened, of which 79 were up-regulated and 84 were down-regulated. The results of GO analysis showed that the differential miRNAs were mainly associated with biological processes such as regulation of transcription by RNA polymerase II, regulation of DNA templated transcription, cellular differentiation, protein phosphorylation, lipid metabolism, and cell cycle, cellular components such as nucleus, cytomembrane, cytoskeleton, mitochondria, and endoplasmic reticulum, as well as molecular functions such as protein binding, metal ion binding, transferase activity, and DNA binding. The results of KEGG analysis revealed that the differential miRNAs were mainly enriched in cancer pathway, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/ protein kinase B (PI3K/AKT) pathway, Ras-associated protein 1 (Rap1) pathway, calcium pathway, cyclic guanosine monophosphate/ protein kinase G (cGMP-PKG) pathway, Hippo pathway, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) pathway, and Ras pathway. Conclusion Chrysotile exposure could significantly inhibit BEAS-2B cell survival, elevate the expression of lung fibrosis-associated proteins, and induce differential miRNAs expression, affecting biological processes (such as lipid metabolism, protein phosphorylation, and cell cycle) and cell components (such as mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum), and interfering with PI3K/AKT pathway, Hippo pathway, cAMP pathway, Rap1 pathway, and Ras pathway.

ObjectiveTo investigate the intervention effect of heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) on learning and memory impairment induced by combined exposure to lead and hypertension in mice, and the relative mechanism of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2). Methods Specific pathogen-free C57BL/6J male mice were randomly divided into control group, hypertension group, lead-exposed group and lead-exposed + hypertension group, or into control group, heat shock protein 60 (HSP60) control group, lead-exposed + hypertension group and HSP60 intervention group, with 10 mice in each group. Mice of hypertension group and lead-exposed + hypertension group were intraperitoneally injected with angiotensin Ⅱ at a dose of 0.5 mg/(kg·d) for seven consecutive days to induce hypertension model. Mice of the lead-exposed group, lead-exposed + hypertension group, and HSP60 intervention group were given lead acetate drinking water with a mass concentration of 250.0 mg/L, while mice in the control group, hypertension group, and HSP60 control group were given purified water for 12 weeks. Mice of the HSP60 control group and HSP60 intervention group were intraperitoneally injected with a solution of HSP60 at a dose of 4 mg/kg body weight, every other day for a total of three times at the 12th week. The learning and memory ability of mice was detected using the Morris water maze test. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the hippocampal tissues of the mice. The relative expression of ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule-1 (IBA1) and TREM2 protein in the hippocampus of mice was detected using Western blot. Results i) The number of platform crossings of the mice in the hypertension group and the lead-exposed group was lower than that in the control group (both P<0.05). The escape latency of the mice on the third day was longer and the number of platform crossings was lower in the lead-exposed + hypertension group compared with the control group, hypertension group and lead-exposed group (all P<0.05). The levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in the hippocampus of the other three groups increased compared with the control group (all P<0.05). The relative expression of IBA1 protein in the hippocampus of lead-exposed group and lead-exposed + hypertension group increased (all P<0.05), while the relative protein expression of TREM2 decreased compared with the control group (all P<0.05). The levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and the relative protein expression of IBA1 protein in the hippocampus of the lead-exposed+hypertension group were higher (all P<0.05), and relative expression of TREM2 protein was lower (P<0.05) than those in the hypertension group. The level of TNF-α and the relative expression of IBA1 protein in the hippocampus of lead-exposed+hypertension group were higher than those in lead-exposed group (all P<0.05). ii) The escape latency of mice in the lead-exposed + hypertension group was longer than that in the control group (P<0.05), and the number of platform crossings was fewer than that in the control group (P<0.05). The escape latency of mice in the HSP60 intervention group was shortened (P<0.05), the number of platform crossings increased (P<0.05), and the levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α and relative expression of IBA1 protein decreased in the hippocampus (all P<0.05), while the relative expression of TREM2 protein increased (P<0.05) compared with the lead-exposed+hypertension group. Conclusion Combined exposure of lead and hypertension has a synergistic effect on learning and memory impairment in mice. The mechanism may be related to the inhibition of TREM2 expression by lead in the hippocampus of hypertensive mice and aggravating the neuroinflammatory response. Intervention with TREM2 receptor agonist HSP60 can alleviate learning and memory impairment in mice exposed to lead and hypertension by up-regulating TREM2 expression in the hippocampus.

Objective:To assess the applicability of fully automatic pipeline automated testing for internal quality control (automated quality control).Methods:Stability, assay efficiency and implementation costs of 18 biochemical tests, 5 immunoturbidimetric tests and 11 chemical illuminescent tests in the Department of Laboratory Medicine of Peking Union Hospital from January 2019 to July 2022 were evaluated using automated quality control implementation methods. The detailed method is as follows: quality control materials for biochemical, immunoturbidimetric and chemiluminescent tests were stored in the refrigerator in the pipeline which was controlled by the intermediate software, and were automatically retrieved and tested as pre-set followed by documenting and storing. The quality control setup for the biochemical tests included refreshing quality control materials daily and weekly,both of which were paralleled for 3 months. The on-line storage stability of quality control materials in the pipeline was evaluated by comparing the coefficients of variation ( CV) of the quality control results between the two patterns. Effect of automated quality control application was evaluated using 6 indicators, including the results′ variation of automatically performed and manually performed quality controls, the out-of-controlled rate, the consumption of quality control materials, the change of staff workload, the impact on the testing time of the first sample, and the failure rate of automated quality control. Results:(1) Storage stability of quality control materials in the pipeline: under the pattern of weekly refresh of the biochemical quality control materials, except for total carbon dioxide (TCO 2) (the CVs of low and high level quality control were respectively 20.24% and 21.82%) and sodium (the CV of low level quality control was 1.51%) that were greater than the allowable variation set by the laboratory, the CVs of the rest tests meet the lab requirements on the allowable variations. (2) The results′ variation of quality control in automatically performed and manually performed control patterns: in the patterns of daily refresh of biochemical quality control materials and weekly refresh of immunoturbidimetric and chemiluminescent quality control materials, the CVs of both low and high levels of quality control were lower in the automatically performed control pattern than that in manually performed pattern for 8 chemiluminescent items of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, estradiol, follicle stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, serum ferritin, serum folic acid, vitamin B12 and testosterone, 3 immunologic items of complement 3, C reactive protein and immunoglobulin G, and 10 biochemical items of alkaline phosphatase, glucose, calcium, chloride, potassium, lactate dehydrogenase, sodium, urea, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, and adenosine deaminase. The out-of-control rates of biochemistry, immunoturbidimetric and chemiluminescence tests in both quality control patterns conformed with the clinical routine work requirements. (3) Comparison of quality control materials′ consumption: compared with manually performed quality control, weekly consumption of automatically performed chemiluminescent quality control materials decreased 37.5% (from 8 ml to 5 ml); weekly consumption of automatically performed immunoturbidimetric quality control materials decreased 33.3% (from 3 ml to 2 ml). (4)Comparison of staff workload and first sample testing time: compared with manually performed quality control, automatical quality control reduced manual work by about 156 steps per week, and the daily initial testing time was earlier by 15 min on average. The failure rate was 54.5% (37/64) during the early-stage application of the automated quality control which dropped to 10.2% (13/128) in the late-stage. Conclusion:The results of automated quality control detected in the pipeline system meet the quality indicators′ requirements of the laboratory, and the application of automated quality control can improve the quality control, save costs, reduce workload, and improve work efficiency.