OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of different acupuncture methods in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) at different stages. METHODS: Thirty-two patients with AS were treated with acupuncture at ashi points (tendon focus), triple acupuncture method was used in the acute phase, accompanied needling method was used in the remission phase, once a day, 5 times a week for 4 weeks. The Bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index (BASDAI) score, Bath ankylosing spondylitis functional index (BASFI) score and TCM symptom grade quantitative standard score before and after treatment were observed, and the efficacy was evaluated. RESULTS: After treatment, the BASDAI score, BASFI score and TCM symptom grade quantitative standard score were reduced compared with those before treatment (P<0.01), the effective rate was 96.9% (31/32). CONCLUSION Different acupuncture methods in the treatment of AS at different stages could improve signs and symptoms, such as pain, activity limitation and morning stiffness.
Humans ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing/physiopathology* ; Acupuncture Therapy/methods* ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Young Adult ; Acupuncture Points ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: Myocardial inflammation during myocardial infarction (MI) could be inhibited by regulating arachidonic acid (AA) metabolism. Recent studies demonstrated that Sini Decoction (SND) was identified to be an effective prescription for treating heart failure (HF) caused by MI. But the anti-inflammatory mechanism of SND remained unclear. The work was designed to investigate the anti-inflammatory mechanism of SND through the AA metabolism pathway in vitro and in vivo experiments. METHODS: An inflammatory injury model of H9c2 cells was established by lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophage-conditioned medium (CM). The MI model was built by the ligation of left anterior descending (LAD) branch of coronary artery in rat. Meanwhile, the rats were divided into five groups: sham group, MI group, MI + Celecoxib group, MI + low-dose SND group (SND-L) and MI + high-dose SND group (SND-H). Cardiac function, histopathological changes and serum cytokines were examined four weeks later. Western blot analysis was conducted to verify the key enzymes levels in the AA metabolic pathway, including phospholipase A2 (PLA2), cyclooxygenases (COXs) and lipoxygenases (LOXs). RESULTS: These in vivo results demonstrated that SND could improve the cardiac function and pathological changes of rats with MI, and regulate the key inflammatory molecules in the AA metabolism pathway, including sPLA2, COX-1, COX-2, 5-LOX and 15-LOX. In vitro, SND could decrease the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines including TNF-α and IL-6 and inhibit cell apoptosis in CM-induced H9c2 cells. Moreover, SND could protect H9c2 cells from the damage of CM by regulating nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) signal pathway and the expression of COX-2. CONCLUSION SND may be a drug candidate for anti-inflammatory treatment during MI by regulating the multiple targets in the AA metabolism pathway.

Objective: To investigate the efficacy, nursing characteristics, and management of different desensitization strategies before allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) among patients with high level of human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 82 patients with high levels of HLA antibodies who underwent allo-HSCT at the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University and Suzhou Hopes Hematonosis Hospital between January 2020 to November 2023. Patients were divided into two groups based on the desensitization strategy they received: the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody combined with therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) group (n=50) and the anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody combined with Protein A immunoabsorption group (n=32). The differences of efficacy between the desensitization strategies were analyzed. The safety of both desensitization strategies were assessed by close monitoring of adverse events throughout the treatment. The nursing characteristics and interventions specific to these strategies were comprehensively summarized. Results: There were no significant differences in age, gender, and diagnosis between the two groups of patients receiving different desensitization strategies (P>0.05). Following desensitization in the immunoadsorption group, the mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) levels of anti-HLA Class I antibody decreased significantly compared to initial screening (P=0.048), while the decrease in MFI values of anti-HLA Class II antibody was not statistically significant (P=0.173). In the TPE group, the MFI levels for both anti-HLA Class I and II antibodies after desensitization decreased significantly compared to initial screening (P=0.025 and 0.028, respectively). Monitoring of adverse events during desensitization treatment, found that patients in the immunoadsorption group experienced mild decreases in blood pressure during the process, with two patients developing severe hypotension. No allergic reactions occurred, and no damage of liver or kidney function was observed after the immunoadsorption. In the immunoadsorption group, a total of 19 patients underwent sera immunoglobulin assays before and after immunoadsorption. Compared to the initial screening, the immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels significantly decreased after immunoadsorption (P<0.001). In TPE group, 12 patients experienced mild hypotension during the plasma exchange process, but no severe hypotension was observed. One patient developed an allergic reaction. After the TPE treatment, no damage of liver or kidney function was observed, nor any decrease of IgG levels. In terms of safety of intravenous access, neither group experienced severe complications such as catheter-related bloodstream infections or deep vein thrombosis. In the TPE group, catheter occlusion occurred during the process of plasma exchange in 2 patients, while no such incident was observed in the immunoadsorption group. Patients of both groups exhibited anxiety and depression before treatment. After psychological care, the scores for anxiety and depression significantly decreased (P<0.001). Conclusion: Both desensitization strategies significantly decreased the HLA antibodies in highly sensitized patients with high level of HLA antibodies undergoing allo-HSCT. For patients receiving immunoabsorption, nursing care should focus on preventing and managing hypotension and implementing infection-prevention measures due to IgG depletion. In contrast, for those undergoing TPE, vigilant monitoring and prompt management of potential allergic reactions are essential components of nursing practice.

Aim To explore the mechanism of oxiracetam promoting neurogenesis and migration in rats with cer-ebral infarction through stromal cell-derived factor-1α(SDF-1α)/C-X-C chemokine receptor 4(CXCR4)pathway.Methods 100 SD rats were randomly divided into control group,cerebral ischemia(CI)group,oxiracetam(200 mg/kg)group,and oxiracetam(200 mg/kg)+AMD3100(5 mg/kg)group,with 25 rats in each group.Electrocoagulation was used to create rat model of local permanent cerebral infarction.After 1,7 and 14 days of modeling,neurological deficits were scored,TTC staining was used to detect the volume of cerebral infarction,Nissl staining was used to detect cell surviv-al in the infarcted area,Western blot was used to detect SDF-1α and CXCR4 protein levels in ischemic zone.After 1～7 days of modeling,BrdU(50 mg/kg)was continuously injected intraperitoneally.After 14 days,immunofluorescence double staining was used to detect the number of BrdU+Nestin+and BrdU+DCX+cells in the SVZ region.5 days before modeling,retroviruses carrying GFP were injected into the SVZ region.After 14 days,immunofluorescence double stai-ning was used to detect the number of GFP+DCX+,GFP+MAP-2+and GFP+GFAP+cells in infarction area.C17.2 cells were divided into control group,oxygen-glucose deprivation(OGD)group,oxiracetam(final concentration:200 mg/L)group,and oxiracetam(final concentration:200 mg/L)+AMD3100(final concentration:100 μmol/L)group.OGD was used to create cell CI model.After 12 hours,immunofluorescence double staining was used to detect the number of Br-dU+/Nestin+and BrdU+/MAP-2+cells,Transwell experiment was used to detect cell migration,Western blot was used to detect SDF-1α and CXCR4 protein levels in cell culture supernatant.Results Animal experiment results showed:compared with control group,mNSS score in CI group was increased,cerebral infarction volume was increased,the number of surviving cells in infarcted area was decreased,SDF-1α and CXCR4 protein levels were increased,the number of GFP+DCX+,GFP+MAP-2+and GFP+GFAP+cells in SVZ region were increased(P＜0.05);compared with CI group,mNSS score in oxiracetam group was decreased,cerebral infarction volume was decreased,the number of surviving cells in infarc-ted area was increased,SDF-1α and CXCR4 protein levels were increased,the number of GFP+DCX+,GFP+MAP-2+and GFP+GFAP+cells in SVZ region were increased,the number of GFP+DCX+,GFP+MAP-2+and GFP+GFAP+cells in in-farcted area were increased(P＜0.05);compared with oxiracetam group,mNSS score in oxiracetam+AMD3100 group was increased,cerebral infarction volume was increased,the number of surviving cells in infarcted area was decreased,CXCR4 protein level was decreased,the number of GFP+DCX+,GFP+MAP-2+and GFP+GFAP+cells in the SVZ region were de-creased(P＜0.05).Cell experiment results showed:compared with control group,the number of BrdU+/Nestin+and Br-dU+/MAP-2+cells in OGD group were increased,the number of cell migration,SDF-1α and CXCR4 protein levels in cell culture supernatant were increased(P＜0.05);compared with OGD group,the number of BrdU+/Nestin+and BrdU+/MAP-2+cells in oxiracetam group were increased,the number of cell migration,SDF-1α and CXCR4 protein levels in cell culture supernatant were increased(P＜0.05);compared with oxiracetam group,the number of BrdU+/Nestin+and BrdU+/MAP-2+cells in oxiracetam+AMD3100 group were decreased,the number of cell migration,CXCR4 protein level in cell culture supernatant were decreased(P＜0.05).Conclusion Oxiracetam may promote the migration of neural stem cells from the SVZ region to the ischemic zone,promoting neurogenesis and functional recovery in rats with cerebral infarction by activating SDF-1α/CXCR4 pathway.

Acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome (ALI/ARDS) is characterized by diffuse alveolar injury primarily caused by an excessive inflammatory response. Regrettably, the lack of effective pharmacotherapy currently available contributes to the high mortality rate in patients with this condition. Xuebijing (XBJ), a traditional Chinese medicine recognized for its potent anti-inflammatory properties, exhibits promise as a potential therapeutic agent for ALI/ARDS. This study aimed to explore the preventive effects of XBJ on ALI and its underlying mechanism. To this end, we established an LPS-induced ALI model and treated ALI mice with XBJ. Our results demonstrated that pre-treatment with XBJ significantly alleviated lung inflammation and increased the survival rate of ALI mice by 37.5%. Moreover, XBJ substantially suppressed the production of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in the lung tissue. Subsequently, we performed a network pharmacology analysis and identified identified 109 potential target genes of XBJ that were mainly involved in multiple signaling pathways related to programmed cell death and anti-inflammatory responses. Furthermore, we found that XBJ exerted its inhibitory effect on gasdermin-E-mediated pyroptosis of lung cells by suppressing TNF-α production. Therefore, this study not only establishes the preventive efficacy of XBJ in ALI but also reveals its role in protecting alveolar epithelial cells against gasdermin-E-mediated pyroptosis by reducing TNF-α release.
Animals ; Mice ; Alveolar Epithelial Cells ; Pyroptosis ; Gasdermins ; Lipopolysaccharides/adverse effects* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha ; Acute Lung Injury/drug therapy* ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome

【Objective】 To study the effect of different concentrations of heparin, ATⅢ or a mixture of heparin and antithrombin Ⅲ (ATⅢ) (1∶1)on the activity of human coagulation factor Ⅸ (FⅨ). 【Methods】 The heparin or heparin/ATⅢ with different concentrations were added into human coagulation Ⅸ products or human prothrombin complex (PCC) to prepare heparin or heparin/ATⅢ samples, containing 0, 0.1, 0.3, 0.5, 0.8, 1, 2 and 4 IU per unit. ATⅢ with different concentrations were added into FⅨ or PCC to prepare ATⅢ samples containing ATⅢ 0, 0.1, 0.5 and 1 IU per unit. The FⅨ activity of the samples prepared was tested by one-stage coagulation method. Then corresponding amount of protamine sulfate were added to neutralize heparin or heparin/ATⅢ to detect the FⅨ activity again. Their influence of heparin, ATⅢ and heparin/ATⅢ with different concentrations on the activity of FⅨ were analyzed. 【Results】 When the content of heparin or heparin/ATⅢ was 0, 0.1, 0.3 and 0.5 IU per unit of FⅨ, the detection results of FⅨ titer in samples were consistent. When the content of heparin or heparin/ATⅢ per unit of FⅨ was 0.8, 1, 2 and 4 IU, the detection results of FⅨ titer were all lower than those of samples without heparin. When the ATⅢ content was 0, 0.1, 0.5 and 1 IU, the FⅨ titer of the samples was consistent. 【Conclution】 When the content of heparin or heparin/ATⅢ in the product is less than or equal to 0.5 IU per IU of FⅨ, the step of protamine sulfate adding could be omitted as it has little effect on FⅨ activity. When >0.5 IU per IU of FⅨ, however, protamine sulfate adding, to neutralize heparin, is necessary before FⅨ activity testing.

Plasma protein products, essential drugs for various clinical diseases, are therapeutic biological products extracted from healthy human plasma. The research and development of new plasma protein products, led by United States and European, has been widely deepened and enhanced. Therefore, accelerating the development of new plasma protein products in China is of great significance. This review summarizes the research and development of plasma protein products that have been marketed abroad but have not produced in China, as well as analyzes the difficulties and prospects of the development of plasma protein products in China.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic basis for fetuses with renal anomalies. METHODS: Genomic DNA of four fetuses and their parents was extracted from amniotic fluid and peripheral blood samples and subjected to whole genome sequencing. Candidate variants were predicted according to the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) guidelines and validated by SNP-array and Sanger sequencing. RESULTS: Two fetuses were found to carry a 1.45 Mb pathogenic microdeletion in 17q12 and a pathogenic 1.85 Mb microduplication at 1q21.1-21.2, respectively. One fetus was found to harbor compound heterozygous variants c.8301del (p.Asn2768Thrfs*18) and c.4481del (p.Asn1494Thrfs*6) of the PKHD1 gene, which were predicted to be pathogenic. And one fetus has harbored homozygous c.1372dup (p.Thr458Asnfs*5) variants of the BBS12 gene, which was predicted to be likely pathogenic. All variants were validated by Sanger sequencing. CONCLUSION Whole genome sequencing can enable efficient prenatal diagnosis for fetuses with renal anomalies with high accuracy.
Female ; Fetus/abnormalities* ; Humans ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Whole Genome Sequencing

Objective:To investigate the effect of B7-H3 gene on the biological function of fibr-oblastlike synoviocytes (FLS) in osteoarthritis (OA).Methods:Synovial tissue of five cases of OA and synovial tissue of 4 normal knee were obtained, and the primary cell lines were isolated and cultured. The expression of B7-H3 in OA synovial tissue and primary OA-FLS were studied by immunohi-stochemistry, real time-poly merase chain reaction (PCR) and FACS. According to sites 996 and 1041 of B7-H3, corresponding siRNA was designed and the expression of B7-H3 in FLS was silenced and down-regulated. The inhibition of B7-H3 and its protein in target cells was determined by Western blot and FACS. The migration and invasion ability of B7-H3 in target cells were analyzed by scratch assay and Transwell assay. CCK8 assay was used to detect cell proliferation ability, and CBA assay was used to detect cytokines and chemokines in cell culture supernatant. GraphPad Prism 8.0 software was used to analyze the experimental data. The normal distribution data was expressed as mean±standard deviation ( Mean± SD). The comparison between data was performed by T test, and P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results:The abnormally high expression of B7-H3 in fibro-blast-like synoviocytes of OA was detected. Compared with siNC, si996 and si1041 inhibited the expression of B7-H3 in OA-FLS. In the Transwell migration experiment, the mean cells number of random view in the siNC group, the si996 group, and the si1041 group indicating decreased migration ability of OA-FLS [siNC vs si996 (100.3±3.7) /view vs (48.7±1.2) /view, t=13.24, P<0.001; siNC vs si1041 (100.3±3.7) /view vs (59.7±1.9) /view, t=9.80, P<0.001). In the Transwell invasion experiment, the mean cells number of random view in the siNC group, in the si996 group, and in the si1041 group indicating decreased invasion ability of OA-FLS [siNC vs si996 (127.3±5.6) /view vs (39.7±3.3) /view, t=13.49, P<0.001; siNC vs si1041 (127.3±5.6) /view vs (57.3±1.9) /view, t=11.85, P<0.001]. The secretion of IL-6 [siNC vs si996 (248±21) pg/ml vs (111±12) pg/ml, t=24.08, P=0.002; siNC vs si1041 (248±21) pg/ml vs (46±5) pg/ml, t=13.21, P=0.006], IL-8 [siNC vs si996 (118.1±15.6) pg/ml vs (47.1±5.4) pg/ml, t=6.68, P=0.022; siNC vs si1041 (118.1±15.6) pg/ml vs (10.0±1.3) pg/ml, t=13.08, P=0.006], CXCL8 [siNC vs si996 (178.8±6.4) ng/ml vs (83.2±2.7) ng/ml, t=13.77, P=0.005; siNC vs si1041 (178.8±6.4) ng/ml vs (93.5±2.8) ng/ml, t=12.23, P=0.007] and CCL2 [siNC vs si996 [(184.1±5.1) ng/ml vs (109.4±5.9) ng/ml, t=9.57, P=0.011; siNC vs si1041 (184.1±5.1) ng/ml vs (97.1±1.5) ng/ml, t=16.39, P=0.004] was decreased . Conclusion:B7-H3 may regulate the migration, invasion, cytokine secretion and other biological functions of OA-FLS, providing clues for further study of B7-H3's involvement in the pathogenesis of OA.

To investigate the material basis and mechanism of Liupao tea on preventing COVID-19 by network pharmacology and molecular docking.The active ingredients and targets of Liupao tea were searched through the literature and the TCMSP databases and the network between the two was built by Cytoscape 3.7.1.Then using GenCards platform to predict the disease targets,mapping the common targets between Liupao tea and disease.The common targets were imported into the STRING database for exploring the protein-protein interaction.Core targets were enriched by gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and KEGG (kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes) pathway enrichment analysis using DAVID database etc..Finally,the screened active components were docked with the receptor protein SARS-CoV-2 3CL hydrolase (Mpro).Six active ingredients of Liupao tea were screened,such as (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG),(+)-catechin,(-)-catechin gallate,α-spinasterol,pelargonidin chloride and squalene,and 156 targets were identified.Among them,there were 112 common targets and 38 core targets with COVID-19.GO enrichment analysis (P<0.01) involved lipopolysaccharide,cell response to hypoxia,etc..And the KEGG pathway enrichment analysis (P<0.01)was conducted to obtain the HIF-1,IL-17,T cell receptor and other signaling pathways associated with COVID-19.The results of molecular docking showed that the active ingredients of Liupao tea were well bound to the receptor protein Mpro.The active ingredients of Liupao tea may control HIF-1,IL-17,T cell receptors signaling pathways by binding Mpro hydrolase and acting on inflammation and immune related targets such as MAPK1,TNF to prevent COVID-19.The EGCG of Mpro activity was determined ,and the IC50 was 3.4 μmol/L,which confirmed that EGCG was a certain inhibition effect on Mpro.