This paper aimed to explore the effects of Duzhong Decoction(DZD)-containing serum on the proliferation and osteoblast differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells through L-type voltage-gated calcium channels(L-VGCCs). L-VGCCs inhibitors, nifedipine and verapamil, were used to block L-VGCCs in osteoblasts. MC3T3-E1 cells were divided into a control group, a low-dose DZD-containing serum(L-DZD) group, a medium-dose DZD-containing serum(M-DZD) group, a high-dose DZD-containing serum(H-DZD) group, a nifedipine group, a H-DZD + nifedipine group, verapamil group, and a H-DZD + verapamil group. The CCK-8 method was used for cell proliferation analysis, alkaline phosphatase(ALP) assay kits for intracellular ALP activity measurement, Western blot for protein expression level in cells, real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR technology for intracellular mRNA expression level determination, fluorescence spectrophotometer for free Ca~(2+) concentration determination in osteoblasts, and alizarin red staining(ARS) for mineralized nodule formation in osteoblasts. The experimental results show that compared to the control group, DZD groups can promote MC3T3-E1 cell proliferation, ALP activity, and mineralized nodule formation, increase intracellular Ca~(2+) concentrations, and upregulate the protein expression of bone morphogenetic protein 2(BMP2), collagen Ⅰ(COL1), α2 subunit protein of L-VGCCs(L-VGCCα2), and the mRNA expression of Runt-related transcription factor 2(RUNX2), and BMP2. After blocking L-VGCCs with nifedipine and verapamil, the intervention effects of DZD-containing serum were inhibited to varying degrees. Both nifedipine and verapamil could inhibit ALP activity, reduce mineralized nodule areas, and downregulate the expression of bone formation-related proteins. Moreover, the effects of DZD-containing serum on increasing MC3T3-E1 cell proliferation, osteoblast differentiation, and Ca~(2+) concentrations, upregulating the mRNA expression of osteoprotegerin(OPG) and protein expression of phosphorylated protein kinase B(p-Akt) and phosphorylated forkhead box protein O1(p-FOXO1), and upregulating phosphatase and tensin homolog(PTEN) expression were reversed by nifedipine. The results indicate that DZD-containing serum can increase the Ca~(2+) concentration in MC3T3-E1 cells to promote bone formation, which may be mediated by L-VGCCs and the PTEN/Akt/FoxO1 signaling pathway, providing a new perspective on the mechanism of DZD in treating osteoporosis.
Animals ; Osteoblasts/metabolism* ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Cell Differentiation/drug effects* ; Mice ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Calcium Channels, L-Type/genetics* ; Alkaline Phosphatase/genetics* ; Serum/chemistry* ; Cell Line ; Osteogenesis/drug effects* ; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 2/genetics*

OBJECTIVE: To screen out the key metabolites related to diabetic foot (DF) by integrating genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and metabolome genome-wide association studies (mGWAS). METHODS: The literature databases such as PubMed and China national knowledge infrastructure(CNKI), as well as genomics databases such as PAN UKBB, FinnGen, and IEU Open GWAS were systematically retrieved from database estobilishment to November 2024 on DF-related single nucleotide polymorphisms and genome-wide association studies. DF-single nucleotide polymorphism-metabolite network was constructed by mGWAS package and mGWAS-Explorer platform. The causal relationship between key factors was evaluated by two-sample Mendelian randomization. The genetic correlation between DF and 575 metabolites (source:IEU Open GWAS) was evaluated by linkage disequilibrium score regression. In vitro experiments were conducted to induce injury of human umbilical vein endothelial cells with 30 mM glucose and intervene with 20 μM γ-tocopherol. Changes in cell migration, scratch healing and tube formation function were detected. RESULTS: Twenty-senen literatures on single nucleotide polymorphism literatures and 3 studies on GWAS were included. Genetic analysis results showed DF-related single nucleotide polymorphisms were enriched in vascular endothelial dysfunction-related pathways (such as fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis). The results of metabolic network analysis screened out 19 associated metabolites, among which 12 such as γ -tocopherol and pyruvate had significant genetic correlations with DF. Mendelian randomization suggested matrix metalloproteinase-9(MMP-9) might be a potential driver of DF (β=0.658, P=0.063 8), and the occurrence of DF could reduce the level of high-density lipoprotein (β=-0.002, P=0.015 2). The results of in vitro experiments confirmed that γ -tocopherol could improve endothelial dysfunction induced by high glucose, specifically manifested as an increase in the number of cell migrations, improvement in the scratch healing rate, and recovery of tubule formation ability (P<0.05). CONCLUSION DF has a genetic basis centered on vascular endothelial dysfunction, and its occurrence can lead to further metabolic disorders. The key single nucleotide polymorphism loci integrated provided molecular markers for the risk stratification of foot ulcers in diabetic patients. In addition, γ -tocopherol has demonstrated clinical application potential as a therapeutic drug for DF by significantly improving the function of vascular endothelial cells in a high-glucose environment.
Humans ; Diabetic Foot/drug therapy* ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Genome-Wide Association Study ; Genomics ; Metabolomics ; Metabolome

OBJECTIVES: To explore the efficacy of DSA-guided intrathecal drug delivery system combined with Zi Wu Liu Zhu Acupoint Therapy for management of cancer pain and provide reference for its standardized clinical application. Methods and. RESULTS: Recommendations were formulated based on literature review and expert group discussion, and consensus was reached following expert consultation. The consensus recommendations are comprehensive, covering the entire treatment procedures from preoperative assessment and preparation, surgical operation process, postoperative management and traditional Chinese medicine treatment to individualized treatment planning. The study results showed that the treatment plans combining traditional Chinese with Western medicine effectively alleviated cancer pain, reduced the use of opioid drugs, and significantly improved the quality of life and enhanced immune function of the patients. Postoperative follow-up suggested good treatment tolerance among the patients without serious complications. CONCLUSIONS The formulated consensus is comprehensive and can provide reference for clinicians to use DSA-guided intrathecal drug delivery system combined with Zi Wu Liu Zhu Acupoint Therapy. The combined treatment has a high clinical value with a good safety profile for management of cancer pain.
Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Cancer Pain/therapy* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Pain Management/methods* ; China

Oligodendrocyte lineage cells, including oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) and oligodendrocytes (OLs), are essential in establishing and maintaining brain circuits. Autophagy is a conserved process that keeps the quality of organelles and proteostasis. The role of autophagy in oligodendrocyte lineage cells remains unclear. The present study shows that autophagy is required to maintain the number of OPCs/OLs and myelin integrity during brain aging. Inactivation of autophagy in oligodendrocyte lineage cells increases the number of OPCs/OLs in the developing brain while exaggerating the loss of OPCs/OLs with brain aging. Inactivation of autophagy in oligodendrocyte lineage cells impairs the turnover of myelin basic protein (MBP). It causes MBP to accumulate in the cytoplasm as multimeric aggregates and fails to be incorporated into integral myelin, which is associated with attenuated endocytic recycling. Inactivation of autophagy in oligodendrocyte lineage cells impairs myelin integrity and causes demyelination. Thus, this study shows autophagy is required to maintain myelin quality during aging by controlling the turnover of myelin components.
Animals ; Autophagy/physiology* ; Oligodendroglia/metabolism* ; Myelin Sheath/physiology* ; Aging/pathology* ; Myelin Basic Protein/metabolism* ; Cell Lineage/physiology* ; Mice ; Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cells ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Brain/cytology* ; Cells, Cultured ; Cell Count

Chronic cerebral hypoperfusion leads to white matter injury (WMI), which plays a significant role in contributing to vascular cognitive impairment. While 13-docosenamide is a type of fatty acid amide, it remains unclear whether it has therapeutic effects on chronic cerebral hypoperfusion. In this study, we conducted bilateral common carotid artery stenosis (BCAS) surgery to simulate chronic cerebral hypoperfusion-induced WMI and cognitive impairment. Our findings showed that 13-docosenamide alleviates WMI and cognitive impairment in BCAS mice. Mechanistically, 13-docosenamide specifically binds to cannabinoid receptor 1 (CNR1) in oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs). This interaction results in an upregulation of ubiquitin-specific peptidase 33 (USP33)-mediated CNR1 deubiquitination, subsequently increasing CNR1 protein expression, activating the phosphorylation of the AKT/mTOR pathway, and promoting the differentiation of OPCs. In conclusion, our study suggests that 13-docosenamide can ameliorate chronic cerebral hypoperfusion-induced WMI and cognitive impairment by enhancing OPC differentiation and could serve as a potential therapeutic drug.
Animals ; Oligodendrocyte Precursor Cells/metabolism* ; Mice ; Cell Differentiation/drug effects* ; Male ; Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Ubiquitin Thiolesterase/metabolism* ; Ubiquitination/drug effects* ; Carotid Stenosis/complications* ; Cognitive Dysfunction/drug therapy*

The NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is essential in innate immune-mediated inflammation, with its overactivation implicated in various autoinflammatory, metabolic, and neurodegenerative diseases. Pharmacological inhibition of NLRP3 offers a promising treatment strategy for inflammatory conditions, although no medications targeting the NLRP3 inflammasome are currently available. This study demonstrates that clioquinol (CQ), a clinical drug with chelating properties, effectively inhibits NLRP3 activation, resulting in reduced cytokine secretion and cell pyroptosis in both human and mouse macrophages, with a half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC₅₀) of 0.478 μM. Additionally, CQ mitigates experimental acute peritonitis, gouty arthritis, sepsis, and colitis by lowering serum levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Mechanistically, CQ covalently binds to Arginine 335 (R335) in the NACHT domain, inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome assembly and blocking the interaction between NLRP3 and its component protein. Collectively, this study identifies CQ as an effective natural NLRP3 inhibitor and a potential therapeutic agent for NLRP3-driven diseases.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association between long-term exposure to ambient fine particulate matter (PM _2.5) and its constituents and the risk of incident type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and to examine the modification roles of overweight status. METHODS: This prospective study included 27,507 adults living in rural China. The annual mean residential exposure to PM _2.5 and its constituents was estimated using a satellite-based statistical model. Cox models were used to estimate the risk of T2DM associated with PM _2.5 and its constituents. Stratified analysis quantified the role of overweight status in the association between PM _2.5 constituents and T2DM. RESULTS: Over a median follow-up of 9.4 years, 3,001 new T2DM cases were identified. The hazard ratio ( HR) for a 10 μg/m ³ increase in ambient PM _2.5 was 1.30 (95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.17, 1.45). Among the constituents, the strongest association was observed with black carbon. Being overweight significantly modified the association between certain constituents and the risk of T2DM. Participants who were overweight and exposed to the highest quartile of PM _2.5 constituents had the highest risk of T2DM ( HR: 2.46, 95% CI: 2.04, 2.97). CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that PM _2.5 was associated with an increased risk of T2DM, with black carbon potentially being the primary contributor. Being overweight appeared to enhance the association between PM _2.5 and T2DM. This suggests that controlling both PM _2.5 exposure and overweight status may reduce the burden of T2DM.
Humans ; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/chemically induced* ; China/epidemiology* ; Particulate Matter/analysis* ; Overweight/epidemiology* ; Female ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rural Population ; Air Pollutants/analysis* ; Adult ; Prospective Studies ; Environmental Exposure/adverse effects* ; Aged ; Risk Factors

Objective:To investigate the pollution levels and influencing factors of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in household dust in five cities in northern China.Methods:Based on the "Chinese Indoor Environment and Health Surveillance" project carried out by the National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention in 2018-2019, during the warm season (April 2018 to September 2018) and the cold season (November 2018 to March 2019), Lanzhou in Northwest China, Shijiazhuang in North China, Panjin in Northeast China, Luoyang in Central China, and Qingdao in East China were selected as the research sites. A total of 87 families were recruited to study residences in real-life scenarios. At the same time, dust samples were collected to detect the concentration of PBDEs. The level of household environmental indicators was measured, and the residential building characteristics and family behavior habits were collected through questionnaires. A total of 142 valid dust samples and 140 valid questionnaires were obtained. The differences in PBDE concentrations across seasons, wind zones, residential building characteristics, and family habits were analyzed. The exploratory factor analysis was performed to investigate the possible sources of PBDEs, and multivariate linear regression was used to explore the factors influencing PBDEs in household dust.Results:The M ( Q1,Q3) of total PBDE concentrations in 142 household dust samples in five cities was 144.51 (106.61, 222.65) ng/g in the warm season and 145.10 (98.57, 180.65) ng/g in the cold season, respectively. There were seasonal differences in the concentration of ∑ 12PBDEs in Luoyang and Shijiazhuang ( P<0.01). The concentration of BDE-71 was highest among PBDE homologues, followed by BDE-66 and BDE-47. Three factors were extracted by exploratory factor analysis in the warm season, and the cumulative variance contribution rate was 67.90%. The multivariate linear regression showed that the house completion less than ten years [ β (95% CI): 0.186 (0.013, 0.359)], infrequent home cooking [ β (95% CI):-0.342 (-0.570, -0.114)], and increased residential PM 10 concentration [ β (95% CI): 0.001 (0.000, 0.002)] during the warm season, as well as the house far from driveway [ β (95% CI): 0.093 (0.013, 0.172)], house area less than 90 m 2 [ β (95% CI):-0.138 (-0.264, -0.013)], and lower residential xylene concentration [ β (95% CI):-0.006 (-0.011, -0.001)] during the cold season might be related to the elevated concentrations of ∑ 12PBDEs in household dust. Conclusion:The pollution of PBDEs in household dust in five northern cities is at a medium to high level. Years of house completion, frequency of cooking at home, residential PM 10 concentration, distance from house to driveway, house area, and residential xylene concentration may influence household PBDE concentrations.

Objective:To investigate the pollution levels and influencing factors of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in household dust in five cities in northern China.Methods:Based on the "Chinese Indoor Environment and Health Surveillance" project carried out by the National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention in 2018-2019, during the warm season (April 2018 to September 2018) and the cold season (November 2018 to March 2019), Lanzhou in Northwest China, Shijiazhuang in North China, Panjin in Northeast China, Luoyang in Central China, and Qingdao in East China were selected as the research sites. A total of 87 families were recruited to study residences in real-life scenarios. At the same time, dust samples were collected to detect the concentration of PBDEs. The level of household environmental indicators was measured, and the residential building characteristics and family behavior habits were collected through questionnaires. A total of 142 valid dust samples and 140 valid questionnaires were obtained. The differences in PBDE concentrations across seasons, wind zones, residential building characteristics, and family habits were analyzed. The exploratory factor analysis was performed to investigate the possible sources of PBDEs, and multivariate linear regression was used to explore the factors influencing PBDEs in household dust.Results:The M ( Q1,Q3) of total PBDE concentrations in 142 household dust samples in five cities was 144.51 (106.61, 222.65) ng/g in the warm season and 145.10 (98.57, 180.65) ng/g in the cold season, respectively. There were seasonal differences in the concentration of ∑ 12PBDEs in Luoyang and Shijiazhuang ( P<0.01). The concentration of BDE-71 was highest among PBDE homologues, followed by BDE-66 and BDE-47. Three factors were extracted by exploratory factor analysis in the warm season, and the cumulative variance contribution rate was 67.90%. The multivariate linear regression showed that the house completion less than ten years [ β (95% CI): 0.186 (0.013, 0.359)], infrequent home cooking [ β (95% CI):-0.342 (-0.570, -0.114)], and increased residential PM 10 concentration [ β (95% CI): 0.001 (0.000, 0.002)] during the warm season, as well as the house far from driveway [ β (95% CI): 0.093 (0.013, 0.172)], house area less than 90 m 2 [ β (95% CI):-0.138 (-0.264, -0.013)], and lower residential xylene concentration [ β (95% CI):-0.006 (-0.011, -0.001)] during the cold season might be related to the elevated concentrations of ∑ 12PBDEs in household dust. Conclusion:The pollution of PBDEs in household dust in five northern cities is at a medium to high level. Years of house completion, frequency of cooking at home, residential PM 10 concentration, distance from house to driveway, house area, and residential xylene concentration may influence household PBDE concentrations.