BACKGROUND:Studies have reported that alendronate intake significantly increases bone mineral density in patients with osteoporosis. OBJECTIVE:To analyze and compare the changes in metabolites before and after alendronate intervention in ovariectomized rats by chromatography-mass spectrometry,and to further explore the specific mechanism and target of alendronate in the treatment of osteoporosis. METHODS:A total of 36 female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into model group,alendronate sodium group and sham operation group.The osteoporosis model was established by ovariectomy in the first two groups.Four weeks after modeling,the rats in the alendronate group were intragastrically given alendronate sodium,while those in the sham operation group and model group were given equal volume of normal saline.After 12 weeks of continuous gavage,the metabolites of the lumbar spine were analyzed by chromatography-mass spectrometry,and the common differential metabolites were obtained,which were analyzed by bioinformatics such as Kyoto Gene and Genome Encyclopedia pathway. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Totally 17 different metabolites were obtained in the three groups.The enrichment analysis of the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes showed that alendronate sodium could regulate unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis,linoleic acid metabolism and other pathways to protect ovariectomized rats.These results indicate that alendronate sodium may exert its anti-osteoporosis effect by interfering with unsaturated fatty acid bioanabolism and linoleic acid metabolism,so as to achieve the purpose of preventing osteoporosis

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the molecular mechanism of Xixian Pills for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Forty-eight rats were randomized into 6 groups (n=8), including a normal control group, a collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model group, 3 Xixian Pills treatment (200, 400 and 800 mg/kg) groups, and a Tripterygium glycosides tablet (TGT) treatment group. In the latter 4 groups, the rats were treated with daily gavage of Xixian Pills or TGT 2 weeks after CIA modeling for 3 consecutive weeks. The differentially expressed proteins in high-dose Xixian Pills group and the model group compared with the normal control group were screened based on the tandem mass spectrometry tag (TMT) technology, and the core targets and signaling pathways were analyzed. The immune cell infiltration and gene expression data were analyzed using ggplot2 and tidyverse packages, and the correlation coefficients between the core targets and the immune cells were calculated. RESULTS: The CIA rats showed significantly increased serum levels of TNF-α and IL-6 and lowered serum IL-10 level. Treatments with high- and medium-dose Xixian Pills and TGT all significantly reduced serum TNF‑α and IL-6 and increased IL-10 levels in CIA rats. Proteomic analysis identified 160 differential proteins between the model group and high-dose Xixian Pills group, and the core targets included CCL5, STAT1, GZMB and IL7R. The areas under the ROC curve of CCL5 and STAT1 were both greater than 0.9. Immunohistochemical and immunofluorescence staining revealed increased levels of CCL5 and STAT1 in the ankle joints of CIA rats, which were significantly decreased after treatment with Xixian Pills. CONCLUSIONS Treatment with Xixian Pills offers protection of the joints in CIA rats possibly by inhibiting joint inflammation via regulating protein expressions of CCL5 and STAT1.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Rats ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/metabolism* ; Proteomics ; Tripterygium/chemistry* ; Arthritis, Experimental/metabolism* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/blood* ; Interleukin-10/blood* ; Interleukin-6/blood* ; Male ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction

Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of Sanren Decoction combined with triple therapy in the treatment of Hp-related chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG).Methods:A randomized controlled trial was conducted. A total of 118 patients with Hp-related CAG admitted to Department of Spleen and Stomach Diseases of Xi'an Affiliated Hospital of Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine from February 2021 to February 2023 were selected as observation subjects, and were divided into two groups according to random number table method, with 59 cases in each group. The control group received triple therapy (amoxicillin+clarithromycin+omeprazole), whereas the observation group was combined with modified Sanren Decoction on the basis of the control group. Both groups were continuously treated for 10 days. TCM symptoms were scored before and after treatment. Updated Sydney System (UAS) was applied to evaluate the gastric mucosal lesions. ELISA was applied to detect serum levels of cluster of differentiation 47 (CD47), VEGF and pepsinogenⅠ/pepsinogen Ⅱ (PGⅠ/PGⅡ). The Hp infection status was evaluated by Urea Breath Test (UBT). In addition, the adverse reactions were observed and recorded during treatment.Results:After treatment, the scores of gastric fullness, stomachache, acid reflux and bitter taste in observation group were lower than those in the control group ( t=4.52, 3.46, 4.34, 4.83, P<0.01), and the scores of gastric mucosal inflammation, atrophy, intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia were also lower compared to control group ( t=3.68, 2.88, 3.73, 4.45, P<0.01 or P<0.05). After treatment, the levels of serum CD47 [(4.46±1.29) μg/L vs. (5.01±1.37) μg/L, t=2.25] and VEGF [(70.53±10.47) ng/L vs. (79.34±10.56) ng/L, t=4.55] in observation group were lower ( P<0.05 or P<0.01), while the level of PGⅠ/PGⅡ [(12.45±1.78) vs. (10.82±1.62), t=5.20] was higher compared with that of the control group ( P<0.01). After treatment, the negative conversion rate of Hp was 96.61% (57/59) in observation group and that in control group was 81.36% (48/59) ( χ2=7.00, P=0.008). During treatment, the incidence of adverse reactions was 23.73% (14/59) in observation group and 15.25% (9/59) in control group, revealing no statistical significance between the two groups ( χ2=1.35, P=0.245). Conclusion:Modified Sanren Decoction combined with triple therapy can improve gastric mucosal lesions, reduce serum CD47 and VEGF levels, and increase PGⅠ/PGⅡ ratio and Hp negative conversion rate in patients with Hp-related CAG, with good safety.

Circadian rhythm disruption is a universal phenomenon that is associated with a combination of internal and external factors, with internal factors referring to disturbances in the intrinsic regulatory mechanisms of sleep-wake behavior, and external factors including changes in sleep habits, severe sleep deprivation, shift work, social jet lag, prolonged exposure to nighttime light, and late nighttime eating. Shift work, as a common occupational factor, can lead to disruption of the central/ peripheral biological clock which regulates the expression of almost the entire genome, and the disruption of the biological clock can lead to genetic variants, hormonal secretion abnormalities, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and systemic inflammation, which are risk factors for obesity. In the context of rapid advancement of global economy and industrialization, the prevalence of simple obesity in the traditional cognitive category is increasing in a linear trend, while the incidence of abdominal obesity, which is closely related to metabolic disorders, is also showing an increasing trend. In recent years, the mechanism of circadian rhythm disorder and obesity associated with shift work has attracted much attention, and this article summarized the latest research progress, aiming to provide a basis for the prevention and treatment of obesity caused by circadian rhythm disruption due to shift work.

Objective:To investigate the impact of BMI1 expression in OSCC on the recruitment and differentiation of tumor-associat-ed macrophages(TAMs).Methods:BMI1 expression in 519 cases of OSCC tissues and 44 normal controls was analyzed using online datasets of GEPIA 2.0,and validated in 3 cases of OSCC samples and controls by qRT-PCR and western blotting.The function of BMI1/NF-κB axis during OSCC carcinogenesis was investigated by CCK8 assays,wound healing test and transwell assays.Macrophage phenotypes and recruitment were determined using qRT-PCR and western blotting following coculture of the cells with human monocyte cells(THP-1)by OSCC conditioned medium.Moreover,a cell line-derived xenograft(CDX)model was used to detect the effect of BMI1 on tumor growth in vivo.Results:Compared with the normal tissues and cells,the expression level of BMI1 in OSCC tissues and cells was significantly upregulated.BMI1 knockdown impaired the proliferation,migration,and invasion abilities of OSCC cell lines in NF-κB-dependent manner.Furthermore,OSCC cells with high BMI1 expression inhibited the migration of THP-1 cells,promoted M2-like macrophage polarization through NF-κB pathway in vitro.Xenograft experiments further confirmed the inhibitory effect of BMI1 knockdown on the tumorigenesis ability of OSCC cells in vivo.Conclusion:BMI1 promotes M2-like polarization by regulating NF-κB and may be used as a potential therapeutic target for antitumor immunity.

Objective To analyze the emergency treatment protocols and nursing measures for patients with diquat and paraquat poisoning,aiming to provide references for updating future clinical practice.Methods A retrospective study was conducted involving 53 patients with diquat and paraquat poisoning admitted to the department of emergency of the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University from January 1,2019,to December 31,2023.The patients were divided into survival and death groups based on their prognosis.Clinical data were collected to compare organ dysfunction,the proportion of hemoperfusion(HP),average number of HP sessions,the proportion of blood purification,average duration of blood purification,and the proportion of HP combined with continuous renal replacement therapy(CRRT)between two groups of patients with different prognoses.Results Among the 53 patients,27(50.94%)were male and 26(49.06%)were female;with an age range of 14 to 86 years and a mean age of(38.13±19.68)years.Fifty-two cases were due to intentional ingestion,and 1 was accidental.The detected blood concentrations of diquat ranged from 57.38 to 119762.00 μg/L,while those of paraquat ranged from 60.12 to 71 244.89 μg/L.Forty patients developed multiple organ dysfunction syndrome(MODS),with 38 ultimately progressing to multiple organ failure,primarily affecting the gastrointestinal tract,kidneys,and liver.After aggressive treatment and nursing,the blood concentrations of 13 patients(24.53%)dropped below 50 μg/L,and they were discharged after 4 to 34 days of hospitalization.Thirty-two patients'families opted for withdrawal of treatment and discharge,with subsequent confirmation of death after follow-up,hospital stay:1-4 days.Eight patients died in-hospital,hospital stay:1-3 days,resulting in a total mortality rate of 40 cases(75.47%).Compared to the survival group,the death group had significantly higher rate of neurological,renal,respiratory,and liver injuries[neurological:90.00%(36/40)vs.15.38%(2/13),renal:95.00%(38/40)vs.69.23%(9/13),respiratory:97.50%(39/40)vs.30.77%(4/13),liver injury:85.00%(34/40)vs.46.15%(6/13),all P<0.05].Furthermore,the death group had significantly lower average number of HP sessions and average duration of blood purification compared to the survival group[average number of HP sessions:4.35±2.42 vs.6.62±1.17,average duration of blood purification time(days):1.53±1.09 vs.5.23±3.90,both P<0.05].Conclusions Poisoning with a mixture of diquat and paraquat is life-threatening and associated with a high mortality.In addition to systematic treatment,individualized and dynamic nursing support should be provided,including close monitoring of the manifestations and laboratory indicators of affected organ systems.Therefore,optimization treatment protocols during the peak mortality period may help reduce mortality in patients with diquat and paraquat poisoning.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical value of cognitive and motor function in predicting conversion to neurodegenerative disorders in patients with isolated rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (iRBD).Methods:Forty-seven patients with iRBD were collected from the Department of Neurology of Tianjin Medical University General Hospital and Tianjin Medical University General Hospital Airport Site during October 2018 and June 2022. All participants received comprehensive evaluations of cognitive and motor function at baseline. The visuospatial function was evaluated by Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test (ROCF)-copy, the memory function was evaluated by Auditory Verbal Learning Test and ROCF-recall, the attention-executive function was evaluated by Trail Making Test (TMT) and Stroop Color-Word Test, and the language function was evaluated by Boston Naming Test. The motor function was evaluated by Unified Parkinson′s Disease Rating Scale-Ⅲ, Alternate-tap Test (ATT), and 3-meter Timed Up and Go Test. The iRBD patients with phenoconversion were identified during follow-up. Receiver operating characteristic curve and generalized linear model Logistic regression were applied to identify the optimal combination of cognitive and motor tests in distinguishing the converters from non-converters in patients with iRBD. Multivariate Cox regression analyses were applied to evaluate the independent risk factors in predicting conversion to neurodegenerative diseases in patients with iRBD.Results:The median follow-up duration was 3 years. Forty-five iRBD patients were included in the analysis eventually, as 2 dropped out at follow-up. Twenty-one iRBD patients developed neurodegenerative disorders, with 14 presenting motor phenotype and 7 cognitive phenotype. Baseline ROCF-copy, TMT-A and ATT were best combination in identifying iRBD patients with phenoconversion [sensitivity: 90.0%, specificity: 87.5%, area under curve (AUC): 0.931, P<0.001]. Baseline TMT-A and ATT were best combination in identifying iRBD patients with motor phenotype conversion (sensitivity: 100.0%, specificity: 66.7%, AUC: 0.872, P<0.001); Baseline TMT-A performed best in identifying iRBD patients with cognitive phenotype conversion (sensitivity: 83.3%, specificity: 91.7%, AUC: 0.917, P<0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that individuals with poorer performance of TMT-A (cut-off value: 63.0 s) and ATT (cut-off value: 205.5 taps/min) than the cut-off values at baseline had higher risks for developing to neurodegenerative disorders, with HR values of 5.455 (95% CI 1.243-23.941, P=0.025) and 11.279 (95% CI 1.485-85.646, P=0.019), respectively. Conclusions:In iRBD, ROCF-copy, TMT-A and ATT served as optimum combination in predicting phenoconversion, whereas TMT-A and ATT served as optimum combination in predicting motor phenotype, and TMT-A performed best in predicting cognitive phenotype. The performance in TMT-A and ATT in iRBD could predict the risk of developing to neurodegenerative disorders independently.

Objective:This study aims to demonstrate the feasibility of using Bio-layer Interferometry (BLI) for label-free detection of peripheral blood biomarkers, using C-reactive protein (CRP) as a model molecule.Methods:A total of 85 clinical remnant serum samples from routine laboratory tests were collected from Fuwai Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, from July 2021 to May 2022. The biotinylated anti-CRP antibody was immobilized onto streptavidin-functionalized BLI probes. The GatorPrime BLI system was used to detect series of diluted CRP standards in real-time, and to generate dynamic binding curves for establishing standard curves based on the relationship between concentration and initial binding rates. The sensitivity of the method, including the limit of blank (LoB), limit of detection (LoD), and limit of quantitation (LoQ), was evaluated according to Clinical & Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) guidelines. Serum samples and third-party quality control materials were used to evaluate the precision, while linearity was verified through the dilution of a high-concentration serum series. Method comparison between the label-free BLI assay and conventional clinical laboratory immunoassays was conducted using Passing-Bablok regression and Spearman correlation analysis.Results:The GatorPrime BLI system demonstrated a dynamic detection range of 0.6-300 mg/L for CRP standards, and the linearity within this range was validated using serum samples. The LoB, LoD, and LoQ for this method were determined to be 0.246 mg/L, 0.573 mg/L, and 2.158 mg/L, respectively. Precision analysis showed that the total laboratory imprecision of the four levels of quality control materials (21.15-57.26 mg/L) ranged from 5.8% to 9.0%, and the total imprecision of the two serum samples (2.32 mg/L and 100.06 mg/L) was 22.3% and 7.4%, respectively. Methodological comparison with two commonly used clinical laboratory immunoassays revealed a strong correlation with our method(Passing-Bablok regression: Y=?1.065+1.119 X and Y=?0.452+1.034 X, r=0.993 and r=0.976, P<0.001). Conclusions:The label-free BLI immunoassay method enables the detection of CRP across a broad concentration range in blood samples, with analytical performance meeting the requirements for laboratory testing. This method shows potential as a reliable and efficient alternative for CRP measurement in clinical practice.

Recent trends suggest that Chinese herbal medicine formulas(CHM formulas)are promising treatments for complex diseases.To characterize the precise syndromes,precise diseases and precise targets of the precise targets between complex diseases and CHM formulas,we developed an artificial intelligence-based quantitative predictive algorithm(DeepTCM).DeepTCM has gone through multilevel model cali-bration and validation against a comprehensive set of herb and disease data so that it accurately captures the complex cellular signaling,molecular and theoretical levels of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM).As an example,our model simulated the optimal CHM formulas for the treatment of coronary heart disease(CHD)with depression,and through model sensitivity analysis,we calculated the balanced scoring of the formulas.Furthermore,we constructed a biological knowledge graph representing interactions by associating herb-target and gene-disease interactions.Finally,we experimentally confirmed the thera-peutic effect and pharmacological mechanism of a novel model-predicted intervention in humans and mice.This novel multiscale model opened up a new avenue to combine"disease syndrome"and"macro micro"system modeling to facilitate translational research in CHM formulas.

Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) have been associated with high mortality, highlighting the urgent need for developing novel antifungal strategies. Herein the first light-responsive antifungal agents were designed by optical control of fungal ergosterol biosynthesis pathway with photocaged triazole lanosterol 14α-demethylase (CYP51) inhibitors. The photocaged triazoles completely shielded the CYP51 inhibition. The content of ergosterol in fungi before photoactivation and after photoactivation was 4.4% and 83.7%, respectively. Importantly, the shielded antifungal activity (MIC₈₀ ≥ 64 μg/mL) could be efficiently recovered (MIC₈₀ = 0.5-8 μg/mL) by light irradiation. The new chemical tools enable optical control of fungal growth arrest, morphological conversion and biofilm formation. The ability for high-precision antifungal treatment was validated by in vivo models. The light-activated compound A1 was comparable to fluconazole in prolonging survival in Galleria mellonella larvae with a median survival of 14 days and reducing fungal burden in the mouse skin infection model. Overall, this study paves the way for precise regulation of antifungal therapy with improved efficacy and safety.