OBJECTIVE To explore the mechanism of action of Qingre huatan huoxue decoction against atherosclerosis （AS）based on macrophage polarization. METHODS Using atorvastatin served as the positive control， the drug-containing serum of the Qingre huatan huoxue decoction was prepared to treat RAW264.7 macrophages. Macrophage viability， apoptosis rate， and the fluorescence intensities of CD86 and CD206 were measured， along with the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） and interleukin-1β （IL-1β）. Apolipoprotei n E-deficient （ApoE －/－ ） mice （AS model mice） fed with a high-fat diet were randomly assigned to model group， atorvastatin group （2.6 mg/kg）， and low-， medium- and high-dose groups of Qingre huatan huoxue decoction （90， 180， 360 mg/kg）， respectively. C57BL/6J mice fed with a standard diet served as the normal control group， with 10 mice per group. The treatment group mice were administered the corresponding drugs intragastrically， once daily， for 8 consecutive weeks. Serum levels of TNF-α and IL-1β were measured in all groups. Lipid deposition in the aorta （assessed by the percentage of plaque in the entire aorta and aortic root） and morphological changes in the aortic root were observed. Expression levels of CD86 and CD206 in aortic tissue， as well as the protein expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase （iNOS）， arginase-1 （Arg-1）， AMP-activated protein kinase （AMPK）， phosphorylated AMPK （p-AMPK）， and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ （PPAR-γ） in aortic tissues were all detected. RESULTS Cell experiment results showed that， at concentrations of 5-100 μg/mL， the drug-containing serum of the Qingre huatan huoxue decoction significantly increased RAW264.7 cell viability （ P ＜0.05）. The drug-containing serum of the Qingre huatan huoxue decoction at concentrations of 10， 50， and 100 μg/mL， along with atorvastatin， significantly reduced apoptosis rates， CD86 fluorescence intensity， and TNF-α and IL-1β levels in RAW264.7 cells， while markedly enhancing CD206 fluorescence intensity （ P ＜0.05）. Animal experiment results showed that， compared with the model group， all dosage groups of Qingre huatan huoxue decoction and the atorvastatin group showed significantly reduced/down-regulated levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in serum， along with decreased aortic total and root plaque percentages， CD86 expression， and iNOS protein expression. CD206 expression and Arg-1， p-AMPK/AMPK， PPAR-γ protein expression were significantly up-regulated （ P ＜0.05）. Pathological morphology of the aorta showed varying degrees of improvement. CONCLUSIONS The formula of Qingre huatan huoxue decoction exerts its anti-AS effects by regulating macrophage polarization， increasing the proportion of M2 macrophages， thereby effectively inhibiting AS plaque formation and reducing inflammatory responses.

The risk of patient infection inevitably increases with the use of more invasive operations in the intensive care unit(ICU),including endotracheal tubes,indwelling catheter,central venous catheter,etc.The preparation of antibacterial coatings is an effective way to solve such infections.Antibacterial coatings,such as silver nanoparticles coating,zinc oxide coating,methyl blue coating,antimicrobial peptides coating,and nano titanium dioxide(TiO2)coating,can effectively prevent the formation of biofilms on the surface of implant materials.As a photocatalyst,TiO2 has excellent photocatalytic and antibacterial activity,non-toxic and biocompatible properties,strong physical and chemical stability,and long-lasting antibacterial properties,which makes it high value for research.This review summarizes the bactericidal mechanism and clinical application of TiO2,offering valuable reference for clinical practice.

Sepsis is a syndrome of systemic inflammatory response in which the body′s response to infection is dysregulated, and is characterized by persistent infection, excessive inflammation and immunosuppression, etc. It often leads to organ dysfunction and can be life threatening, and also a common complication after trauma. The pathogenesis of post-traumatic sepsis is still unclear at present due to the complexity of its etiology, progression and prognosis. Multi-omics technology is a method to combine two or more single omics for comprehensive analysis, which can reveal the interaction network among the disease-associated molecules from multiple perspectives and aspects and is of great significance for the analysis of the pathogenesis of post-traumatic sepsis. To this end, the authors reviewed the research progress on the role of multi-omics technology in elucidating the pathogenesis of post-traumatic sepsis from the perspectives of genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, single-cell transcriptomics and combination of multi-omics technologies, etc so as to provide a reference for the researches on post-traumatic sepsis.

Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of morusin on the migration and invasion of human glioblastoma U87 cells,and to explore its mechanism of action.Methods The Cell Counting Kit-8(CCK-8)was used to detect the effect of morusin on proliferation of U87 cells.Wound-healing and Transwell assays were used to detect the effects of morusin on mi-gration and invasion of U87 cells.Western blot was employed to detect the effect of morusin on the expressions of MMP-2 and Vimen-tin in U87 cells.Results The results of CCK-8 assay showed that morusin(1,2,4,and 6μg/mL)could significantly inhibit the pro-liferation of U87 cells compared to the 0 μg/mL morusin(P<0.001).The results of wound-healing assay showed that the migration rates of morusin-treated groups(2,4,and 6 μg/mL)were(20.597±1.225)%,(14.734±1.528)%and(7.811±1.496)%,respec-tively,which were significant lower than that in the 0 μg/mL group(40.566±3.284)%(P<0.001).The results of Transwell assay showed that the invasion number of U87 cells treated with morusin at the concentrations of 2,4,and 6 μg/mL was 85.000±6.557,41.000±6.245,and 13.333±3.215,respectively,which were significant lower than that in the 0 μg/mL group(116.667±14.572)(P<0.001).The results of Western blot showed that the expression of Vimentin in U87 cells increased gradually accompanying with the increase of morusin concentrations,while the expression of MMP-2 decreased gradually accompanying with the increase of morusin concentrations(P<0.001).Conclusion Morusin can effectively inhibit the migration and invasion ability of U87 cells,and its effect is positively correlated with the concentration of morusin within a certain range.

Objective:To explore the prognostic value of tumor deposits (TD) by number and anatomical distribution in gastric cancer (GC) patients without lymph node metastasis.Methods:From Aug 2012 to Aug 2018 all 91 GC patients undergoing radical gastrectomy and without nodal metastasis at Yijishan Hospital of Wannan Medical College were enrolled in this study. Patients were divided into L1, L2, and L3 groups according to the number of TD and into Q1 and Q2 groups according to the anatomical regions of the TD.Results:The 3-year overall survival (OS) rates of groups L1, L2, and L3 were 58.9%, 52.1%, and 31.5%, respectively ( χ2=9.769, P=0.008). The 3-year OS rates of groups Q1 and Q2 were 58.9% and 7.1% ( χ2=46.310, P<0.001). The number of TD, their distribution, neural invasion, vascular invasion, tumor size, and pT stage were all related to prognosis by univariate analysis (all P<0.05). Tumor size>4 cm ( HR=2.460, 95% CI:1.307-4.629, P=0.005), distribution of TD (non-perigastric)( HR=3.959, 95% CI:2.077-7.545, P<0.001), neural invasion ( HR=4.299,95% CI:1.953-9.461, P<0.001), and pT 4 stage ( HR=2.283, 95% CI:1.250-4.171, P=0.007) were independent risk factors for prognosis by multivariate analysis. Conclusion:The distribution of TD (non-perigastric) is an independent risk factor for poor prognosis in gastric cancer patients after radical gastrectomy and with negative lymph node metastasis.

Humans ; Asthma/drug therapy* ; Biological Therapy

Objective:To investigate the related genes, signaling pathways and possible mechanisms of malignant transformation of human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) immortalized cervical epithelial cell line H8.Methods:The malignant transformed H8 cell model was constructed, and the changes of cell invasion ability and cell migration ability of H8 cells after malignant transformation were detected by Transwell assay, and the changes of clone formation ability of H8 cells after malignant transformation were detected by plate clone formation assay. Total RNA was extracted from malignant transformed H8 cells and H8 cells, and the two groups of cells were sequenced by transcriptome using Illumina novaseq 6000 sequencing platform, differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified and analyzed, and Gene Ontology (GO) function enrichment analysis, Kyoto Encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis and protein-protein interaction were performed.Results:The invasion ability, migration ability and clone formation ability of malignant transformed H8 cells significantly increased as compared to H8 cells. A total of 203 differentially expressed genes were identified in H8 cells before and after malignant transformation, of which 98 were up-regulated and 105 down-regulated. GO enrichment analysis showed that DEGs were mainly involved in biological processes such as cellular processes, biological regulation, and metabolic processes. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis showed that DEGs were mainly enriched in alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolic pathway, glycine, serine and threonine metabolism pathway, p53 signaling pathway and TGF-β signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. PPI analysis screened 10 hub genes including DDIT3, TRIB3 and ASNS.Conclusions:Compared with H8 cells, malignant transformed H8 cells have a large number of differentially expressed genes and pathways at the transcriptional level, which could further provide new ideas for the mechanism of malignant transformation and carcinogenesis as well as finding new targets for the prevention of malignant transformation.

Photohardening therapy, also known as photodesensitization therapy, refers to the phototherapy and photochemotherapy of idiopathic actinic dermatoses, and its goal is to improve the patients′ tolerance to sunlight and prevent disease flares. Its mechanisms of action involve a variety of cellular and inflammatory factors. This therapy is suitable for all idiopathic actinic dermatoses, with definite efficacy and good safety. However, the treatment specificity usually leads to poor compliance. The development of UVA1 rush hardening and home phototherapy is expected to solve this problem.

Objective:To investigate serum lipidomic profiles in patients with chronic actinic dermatitis (CAD), and to search for biomarkers of CAD.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted. Serum samples were collected from 46 patients with CAD and 16 age- and gender-matched healthy controls in the Guangzhou Institute of Dermatology from April 2011 to December 2021. Changes in serum lipid composition and expression were assessed by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Principal component analysis, partial least squares discriminant analysis, and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis were performed to screen differential biomarkers, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was conducted to screen diagnostic markers. Comparisons of the age and gender distribution between groups were performed using t test and chi-square test, respectively. Results:The 46 CAD patients were aged from 30 to 84 (60.39 ± 10.52) years, including 41 males and 5 females; the 16 healthy controls were aged from 50 to 89 (59.81 ± 10.72) years, including 14 males and 2 females; there were no significant differences in the age or gender distribution between the two groups (age: t = 0.19, P = 0.853; gender: χ2 = 0.03, P = 0.859). Totally, 4 136 lipid molecules belonging to 40 subclasses were identified in the serum samples from CAD patients as well as healthy controls. Twenty-two differential lipid molecules were identified between the CAD patients and healthy controls, belonging to 9 subclasses (triglycerides, sphingomyelin, phosphatidylserine, phosphatidylethanolamine, monofatty acid glycerides, lysophosphatidylcholine, hexose ceramide, diglycerides, and cardiolipin). When the combinations of triglycerides (37.7e) and Na, those of monoglycerides (22.3) and NH 4, or those of phosphatidylserine (18.0_18.1) and H served as diagnostic markers separately, the areas under the ROC curve (AUCs) were all > 0.8, and the AUCs of 16 differential lipid molecules were all > 0.7. Conclusion:The serum lipid composition differed between healthy controls and CAD patients, and the combinations of triglycerides (37.7e) and Na, those of monoglycerides (22.3) and NH 4, and those of phosphatidylserine (18.0_18.1) and H may be promising biomarkers for the diagnosis of CAD.

Objective:To evaluate the effect of metformin on ultraviolet A (UVA) -induced photoaging of an immortalized human keratinocytes cell line (HaCaT), and to explore its potential mechanisms.Methods:Cell counting kit 8 (CCK8) assay was performed to evaluate the effect of metformin at different concentrations (0 - 100 mmol/L) on the viability of HaCaT cells, and 10 mmol/L metformin was selected for subsequent experiments. Cultured HaCaT cells were divided into a blank control group (conventional culture), a metformin group (treated with culture medium containing 10 mmol/L metformin), a UVA irradiation group (conventional culture for 24 hours followed by 10 J/cm 2 UVA irradiation) and a metformin + UVA group (treated with culture medium containing 10 mmol/L metformin for 24 hours followed by 10 J/cm 2 UVA irradiation) ; UVA irradiation was performed at a dose of 10 J/cm 2 once a day for 3 consecutive days. After 4-day treatment, cells were collected, the β-galactosidase assay was performed to determine the proportion of senescent cells in each group, 2′, 7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate assay to detect levels of intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS), and the comet assay to detect DNA damage levels. Additionally, some HaCaT cells were divided into the blank control group, metformin group, 1.25 μmol/L dorsomorphin (an adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase [AMPK] inhibitor) + metformin group, and 2.5 μmol/L dorsomorphin + metformin group, and cells in the latter two groups were treated with 1.25 and 2.5 μmol/L dorsomorphin respectively for 2 hours, followed by the treatment with 10 mmol/L metformin for 24 hours. Western blot analysis was performed to determine the cellular localization and phosphorylation levels of nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2). By using the small-interfering RNA (siRNA) -mediated silencing method, siRNA-Nrf2 was transfected into HaCaT cells to knock down Nrf2 expression (siRNA-Nrf2 group) ; 2.5 μmol/L dorsomorphin-treated HaCaT cells or Nrf2-knockdown HaCaT cells were treated with metformin and UVA irradiation (dorsomorphin + metformin + UVA group, siRNA-Nrf2 + metformin + UVA group, respectively), and the proportions of senescent cells were further calculated in each group. Statistical analysis was carried out by using one-way analysis of variance and two-way analysis of variance, and least significant difference (LSD) - t test was used for multiple comparisons. Results:Treatment with different concentrations of metformin for 24 hours could affect the viability of HaCaT cells to varying degrees ( F = 5 206.31, P < 0.001) ; there were no significant differences in the relative survival rates of HaCaT cells between the 10 - 20 mmol/L metformin groups and the control group (0 mmol/L metformin group, all P > 0.05), while the relative cell survival rates were significantly lower in the 25 - 100 mmol/L metformin groups than in the control group (all P < 0.05). After UVA irradiation, HaCaT cells shrank significantly and became narrow and elongated, and the intercellular spaces increased; the relative cell survival rate was significantly lower in the UVA irradiation group (76.13% ± 1.03%) than in the blank control group (100.00% ± 1.24%, LSD- t = 14.86, P < 0.001), but significantly higher in the metformin + UVA group (106.69% ± 2.45%) than in the UVA irradiation group (LSD- t = 11.55, P < 0.001). Moreover, the UVA irradiation group showed significantly increased proportions of senescent cells (45.14% ± 4.98%), intracellular ROS levels (144.61% ± 4.91%), and percentages of DNA in the tail (75.33% ± 1.77%) compared with the blank control group (23.84% ± 1.89%, 55.49% ± 1.57%, 1.88% ± 0.29%, respectively, all P < 0.001), while the metformin + UVA group showed significantly decreased proportions of senescent cells (24.26% ± 1.34%), intracellular ROS levels (58.62% ± 2.17%), percentages of DNA in the tail (15.83% ± 1.23%) compared with the UVA irradiation group (all P < 0.001). Western blot analysis showed that the Nrf2 expression in the cytoplasm was lower in the 10 mmol/L metformin group than in the blank control group, while the phosphorylated Nrf2 expression in the nuclei was higher in the 10 mmol/L metformin group than in the blank control group, suggesting that metformin could effectively induce the phosphorylation of Nrf2 and its nuclear translocation; both the pretreatment with 1.25 and 2.5 μmol/L dorsomorphin could significantly reduce the phosphorylation levels of AMPKα and Nrf2 induced by 10 mmol/L metformin. The proportions of senescent cells in the dorsomorphin + metformin + UVA group and the siRNA-Nrf2 + metformin + UVA group were 67.84% ± 2.74% and 65.94% ± 1.33%, respectively, which were significantly higher than those in the metformin + UVA group (37.76% ± 1.64%, t = 14.45, 13.34, respectively, both P < 0.001) . Conclusion:Metformin may inhibit UVA-induced photoaging of HaCaT cells by activating the AMPK/Nrf2 signaling pathway, scavenging ROS and reducing DNA damage.