ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Anmeidan （AMD） on protein expression of the ephrin type-A receptor 4 （EphA4）/ephrinA3 signaling pathway and synaptic structural function in an aged sleep deprivation model. MethodsSeventy-two 18-month-old aged mice were randomly divided into a blank group， a model group， AMD high-， medium-， and low-dose groups （26.26， 13.13， 6.565 g·kg^-1·d^-1， respectively）， and a melatonin group （1.3 mg·kg^-1·d^-1）， with 12 mice in each group. Cognitive function was assessed using the novel object recognition test. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe cell number and morphology in hippocampal tissues， and Nissl staining was performed to examine cellular structure and quantify Nissl bodies. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe synaptic ultrastructure， with emphasis on changes in synaptic morphology and structure. Western blot was employed to detect the expression levels of EphA4， ephrinA3， brain-derived neurotrophic factor （BDNF）， glutamate aspartate transporter （GLAST）， glutamate transporter-1 （GLT-1）， growth-associated protein 43 （GAP43）， postsynaptic density protein 95 （PSD95）， and synaptophysin （SYN） in hippocampal tissues. Immunofluorescence double labeling was performed to co-stain EphA4 and ephrinA3 with glial fibrillary acidic protein （GFAP） and neuronal nuclei antigen （NeuN）， respectively， to observe the colocalization of target proteins with neurons and astrocytes. ResultsCompared with the blank group， the model group exhibited increased exploration time of familiar objects （P<0.01）， while exploration time of novel objects and the recognition index were decreased （P<0.01）. The number of neurons in the CA1， CA3， and dentate gyrus （DG） regions of the hippocampus was reduced， Nissl bodies were decreased， and synaptic structures were damaged. Protein expression levels of BDNF， GLAST， GLT-1， GAP43， PSD95， and SYN in hippocampal tissues were decreased， whereas the expression levels of EphA4， ephrinA3， and GFAP were increased. Compared with the model group， the AMD low-， medium-， and high-dose groups and the melatonin group showed increased exploration time of novel objects and higher novel object recognition indices （P<0.01）， along with significantly reduced exploration time of familiar objects （P<0.01）. Neuronal damage in the CA1 and DG regions was ameliorated， the number of Nissl bodies in the CA1 region was increased， and organelle and synaptic structural damage was alleviated. Protein expression levels of BDNF， GLAST， GLT-1， GAP43， PSD95， and SYN were increased， and protein expression levels of EphA4， ephrinA3， and GFAP were decreased （P<0.05，P<0.01）. ConclusionAMD can regulate protein expression of the EphA4/ephrinA3 signaling pathway in an aged sleep deprivation model， enhance synaptic protein expression， and improve neuronal synaptic damage.

Objective : To investigate the effects of astragalus mongholicus extract ( AME) on lung injury and the myeloid differentiation factor 88 ( MyD88 ) / Toll-like receptor 4 ( TLR4 ) / nuclear factor kappa B ( NF-κB) p65 pathway in rheumatoid arthritis induced interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD) rats． Methods : SD rats were randomly divided into a control group，RA-ILD group，low-dose AME group (5 g / L) ，high-dose AME group ( 10 g / L) ，and high-dose AME + lipopolysaccharide (LPS) group ( 10 g / L AME + 1 mg / L TLR4 activator LPS) ．Except for the control group，rats in all other groups were injected with bovine type Ⅱ collagen，Freund ’s complete adjuvant， and bleomycin to establish the RA-ILD model．The arthritis index and lung tissue wet-dry weight ratio of rats were tested．ELISA was applied to detect the levels of inflammatory factors interleukin (IL) -1 β , IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α ( TNF-α) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid． Hematoxylin eosin staining was used to observe pathological changes of rat knee joint tissue and lung tissue．Western blot was applied to detect the expression of autophagy fac- tors Beclin 1，microtubule-associated protein 1A /1B-light chain 3 (LC3) Ⅱ / Ⅰ , and MyD88 /TLR4 /NF-κB p65 pathway related proteins in lung tissue． Results : Compared with control group，knee joint tissue and lung tissue of rats in RA-ILD group were damaged，the arthritis index，lung tissue wet-dry weight ratio，levels of IL-1 β , IL-6， and TNF-α , the expression levels of MyD88 and TLR4 proteins ，and p-NF-κB p65 /NF-κB p65 ratio increased (P＜0. 01) ，the expression of Beclin 1 and LC3 Ⅱ / Ⅰ proteins decreased (P＜0. 01) ．Compared with RA-ILD group，the low-dose and high-dose AME groups showed reduced tissue damage in rats，the arthritis index，lung tis- sue wet-dry weight ratio，levels of IL-1 β , IL-6，and TNF-α , the expression levels of MyD88 and TLR4 proteins， and p-NF-κB p65 /NF-κB p65 ratio showed a dose-dependent decrease (P＜0. 05 or P＜0. 01) ，the expression of Beclin 1 and LC3 Ⅱ / Ⅰ proteins showed a dose-dependent increase (P＜0. 05 or P＜0. 01) ．Compared with high- dose AME group，the tissue damage of rats in the high-dose AME + LPS group was worsened，the arthritis index， lung tissue wet-dry weight ratio，levels of IL-1 β , IL-6，and TNF-α , the expression levels of MyD88 and TLR4 pro- teins，and p-NF-κB p65 /NF-κB p65 ratio were higher (P＜0. 01) ，the expression of Beclin 1 and LC3 Ⅱ / Ⅰ pro- teins was lower (P ＜0. 01 ) ． Conclusion AME inhibits the MyD88 /TLR4 /NF-κB p65 pathway and alleviates lung injury in RA-ILD rats．

AIM:This study aims to investigate the role of cathelicidin-related antimicrobial peptide(Camp)gene in lung tumors in mice and to elucidate its molecular mechanisms in regulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)and the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway.METHODS:We conducted histological examinations and survival anal-yses using a KrasG12D spontaneous lung cancer mouse model with Camp gene knockout.This model was utilized to assess the impact of Camp on tumor nodule count,volume,and survival rate in mice.At the cellular level,we constructed A549-Camp and H1975-Camp cell lines to evaluate the effects of Camp on the proliferation,migration,and invasion of lung ade-nocarcinoma cells through soft agar colony formation assays,Scratch assays for cell migration rates,and Transwell assays.Additionally,we performed angiogenesis experiments to assess vascular development.At the molecular level,qRT-PCR was employed to detect the expression of angiogenic factors VEGF,bFGF,and TGF-β.Western blot analysis was utilized to examine the effects of Camp on the expression of EMT-related proteins(E-cadherin,N-cadherin,and Snail)and pro-teins associated with the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway(TGF-β,p-TGF-β,Smad3,and Smad7).RESULTS:Camp gene knockout significantly suppressed lung tumorigenesis in mice,resulting in a decrease in tumor nodule count and vol-ume,as well as an enhancement in survival rates.In vitro,overexpression of Camp stimulated the proliferation,migra-tion,and invasion of lung adenocarcinoma cells.CONCLUSION:Molecular mechanism studies indicated that Camp modulated the expression of EMT-related proteins by influencing the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway.

Objective:To investigate the expressions and prognostic value of lysyl oxidase like protein 2(LOXL2),chemo-kine c-c-motif ligand 18(CCL-18)and chitinase protein 40(YKL-40)in connective tissue disease with pulmonary interstitial lesions.Methods:A total of 308 patients with connective tissue disease who were treated in the First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North Univer-sity from July 2021 to February 2022 were selected,including 108 patients with pulmonary interstitial disease(pathological group),200 patients without pulmonary interstitial disease(non pathological group),and another 35 healthy volunteers as the control group.Serum levels of LOXL2,CCL-18 and YKL-40 were detected by ELISA;Logistic regression analysis was applied to analyze the factors affecting the prognosis of patients with connective tissue disease and pulmonary interstitial disease;the predictive value of serum LOXL2,CCL-18 and YKL-40 levels on the prognosis of patients with connective tissue disease and pulmonary interstitial disease was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis.Results:Compared with control group,the serum levels of LOXL2,CCL-18 and YKL-40 in patients with connective tissue disease in the non pathological group and the pathological group were obviously increased(P<0.05);the serum levels of LOXL2,CCL-18 and YKL-40 in patients with connective tissue disease in the le-sion group were higher than those in the non lesion group(P<0.05);compared with the survival group,the serum levels of LOXL2,CCL-18 and YKL-40 in patients with connective tissue disease and pulmonary interstitial disease in the death group were obviously higher(P<0.05);Logistic regression analysis showed that LOXL2,CCL-18 and YKL-40 were risk factors for the prognosis of patients with connective tissue disease and pulmonary interstitial disease(P<0.05);the area under the ROC curve(AUC)of the combined detection of serum LOXL2,CCL-18 and YKL-40 in predicting the prognosis of patients with connective tissue disease and pulmonary interstitial disease was 0.967,which was better than their respective independent prediction(Zcombined detection-LOXL2=1.735,P=0.041;Zcombined detection-CCL-18=2.481,P=0.007;Zcombined detection-YKL-40=2.008,P=0.022).Conclusion:The serum levels of LOXL2,CCL-18 and YKL-40 in patients with connective tissue disease and pulmonary interstitial disease are elevated,which has certain value in the prognosis evaluation of patients with connective tissue disease combined with pulmonary interstitial disease.

AIM:This study aims to investigate the role of cathelicidin-related antimicrobial peptide(Camp)gene in lung tumors in mice and to elucidate its molecular mechanisms in regulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)and the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway.METHODS:We conducted histological examinations and survival anal-yses using a KrasG12D spontaneous lung cancer mouse model with Camp gene knockout.This model was utilized to assess the impact of Camp on tumor nodule count,volume,and survival rate in mice.At the cellular level,we constructed A549-Camp and H1975-Camp cell lines to evaluate the effects of Camp on the proliferation,migration,and invasion of lung ade-nocarcinoma cells through soft agar colony formation assays,Scratch assays for cell migration rates,and Transwell assays.Additionally,we performed angiogenesis experiments to assess vascular development.At the molecular level,qRT-PCR was employed to detect the expression of angiogenic factors VEGF,bFGF,and TGF-β.Western blot analysis was utilized to examine the effects of Camp on the expression of EMT-related proteins(E-cadherin,N-cadherin,and Snail)and pro-teins associated with the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway(TGF-β,p-TGF-β,Smad3,and Smad7).RESULTS:Camp gene knockout significantly suppressed lung tumorigenesis in mice,resulting in a decrease in tumor nodule count and vol-ume,as well as an enhancement in survival rates.In vitro,overexpression of Camp stimulated the proliferation,migra-tion,and invasion of lung adenocarcinoma cells.CONCLUSION:Molecular mechanism studies indicated that Camp modulated the expression of EMT-related proteins by influencing the TGF-β/Smad signaling pathway.

Objective:To investigate the expressions and prognostic value of lysyl oxidase like protein 2(LOXL2),chemo-kine c-c-motif ligand 18(CCL-18)and chitinase protein 40(YKL-40)in connective tissue disease with pulmonary interstitial lesions.Methods:A total of 308 patients with connective tissue disease who were treated in the First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North Univer-sity from July 2021 to February 2022 were selected,including 108 patients with pulmonary interstitial disease(pathological group),200 patients without pulmonary interstitial disease(non pathological group),and another 35 healthy volunteers as the control group.Serum levels of LOXL2,CCL-18 and YKL-40 were detected by ELISA;Logistic regression analysis was applied to analyze the factors affecting the prognosis of patients with connective tissue disease and pulmonary interstitial disease;the predictive value of serum LOXL2,CCL-18 and YKL-40 levels on the prognosis of patients with connective tissue disease and pulmonary interstitial disease was analyzed by receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis.Results:Compared with control group,the serum levels of LOXL2,CCL-18 and YKL-40 in patients with connective tissue disease in the non pathological group and the pathological group were obviously increased(P<0.05);the serum levels of LOXL2,CCL-18 and YKL-40 in patients with connective tissue disease in the le-sion group were higher than those in the non lesion group(P<0.05);compared with the survival group,the serum levels of LOXL2,CCL-18 and YKL-40 in patients with connective tissue disease and pulmonary interstitial disease in the death group were obviously higher(P<0.05);Logistic regression analysis showed that LOXL2,CCL-18 and YKL-40 were risk factors for the prognosis of patients with connective tissue disease and pulmonary interstitial disease(P<0.05);the area under the ROC curve(AUC)of the combined detection of serum LOXL2,CCL-18 and YKL-40 in predicting the prognosis of patients with connective tissue disease and pulmonary interstitial disease was 0.967,which was better than their respective independent prediction(Zcombined detection-LOXL2=1.735,P=0.041;Zcombined detection-CCL-18=2.481,P=0.007;Zcombined detection-YKL-40=2.008,P=0.022).Conclusion:The serum levels of LOXL2,CCL-18 and YKL-40 in patients with connective tissue disease and pulmonary interstitial disease are elevated,which has certain value in the prognosis evaluation of patients with connective tissue disease combined with pulmonary interstitial disease.

To investigate the expression of miR-133a and miR-424 in the serum of patients with connective tissue disease(CTD)and interstitial lung disease(ILD)and their relationship with T lymphocyte subpopulations,total of 96 CTD-ILD patients treated in our hospital from December 2019 to December 2022 were selected as CTD-ILD group,while 96 CTD patients without ILD were as the control group.The real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR(qRT-PCR)method was applied to detect serum levels of miR-133a and miR-424;flow cytometry was applied to detect the levels of T lymphocyte subpopulations.Pearson method was applied to analyze the relationship of miR-133a and miR-424 with T lymphocyte subpopulations.Compared with the control group,the level of serum miR-133a in the CTD-ILD group was obviously reduced,while the expression level of miR-424 was obviously increased(P＜0.05).Under different degrees of pulmonary ventilation disorders,the expression level of miR-133a in the serum of mild,moderate,and severe patients decreased obviously,while the expression level of miR-424 increased obviously(P＜0.05).Under different grades of pulmonary diffusion dysfunction,the expression level of miR-133a in the serum of mild,moderate,and severe patients reduced obviously,while the expression level of miR-424 increased obviously(P＜0.05).Furthermore,the levels of CD4+and CD4+/CD8+in the CTD-ILD group were obviously increased,as compared to the control group,while the levels of CD8+and CD3+were obviously reduced(P＜0.05).In addition,miR-133a was negatively correlated with CD4+,and positively correlated with CD8+and CD3+;miR-424 was positively correlated with CD4+,and negatively correlated with CD8+and CD3+(P＜0.05).In conclusion,the expression level of miR-133a in serum of CTD-ILD patients is decreased,while the expression level of miR-424 is increased,and both of them are related to the T lymphocyte subpopulations.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Anmeidan （AMD） on cognitive function， cytochrome C （Cyt C） signaling pathway protein expression， and apoptosis in a geriatric sleep deprivation model. MethodSixty aged C57 mice were randomly divided into a blank group， a model group， AMD high， medium， and low dose （26.26， 13.13， 6.565 g·kg^-1·d^-1） groups， and a melatonin group （1.3 mg·kg^-1·d^-1）， with 10 mice in each group. Continuous sleep deprivation was performed for 4 weeks using a homemade sleep deprivation box. Cognitive function was assessed using the Morris water maze， and morphological changes in pyramidal cells in the CA1 area of the hippocampus were observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining and Nissl staining. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the mitochondrial morphology and structure of hippocampal neurons. Western blot was used to detect Cyt C， cysteine-aspartate protease-3 （Caspase-3）， cysteine-aspartate protease-9 （Caspase-9）， brain-derived neurotrophic factor （BDNF）， mitochondrial transcription factor A （TFAM）， and voltage-dependent anion channel 1 （VDAC1） protein expression. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect protein expression levels of Cyt C， Caspase-3， and Caspase-9， and immunofluorescence was used to detect the protein expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 （Bcl-2） and Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax）. ResultCompared with the blank group， the model group showed prolonged platform latency （P<0.01）， reduced number of platform crossings， and reduced time and distance in the target quadrant （P<0.01）. The mitochondrial structure was damaged， with disappearance or breakage of cristae， and increased swelling and deformation. The protein expression levels of Cyt C， Caspase-3， Caspase-9， Bax， and VDAC1 were significantly increased （P<0.01）， while BDNF， TFAM， and Bcl-2 protein expression levels were decreased （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the AMD high， medium， and low dose groups improved spatial exploration and navigation abilities in geriatric sleep-deprived mice （P<0.05， P<0.01）， alleviated mitochondrial damage， and increased the number of Nissl bodies. Additionally， the expression levels of Cyt C， Caspase-3， Caspase-9， Bax， and VDAC1 proteins were significantly reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while the expression levels of BDNF， TFAM， and Bcl-2 proteins were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionAMD improved the cognitive function of geriatric sleep-deprived mice， and its effect may be related to the reduction of apoptosis mediated by the Cyt C signaling pathway.

Objective:To investigate the mechanism of tissue damage caused by neutrophil matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8) in Fusarium keratitis. Methods:A total of 108 male C57BL/6J SPF grade mice, 6-8 weeks old, were selected to establish a model of Fusarium keratitis (FK) in the right eyes.Corneal inflammation in mice was observed and scored under a slit lamp microscope.Based on the corneal inflammation scores, the modeling eyes were divided into 0, 12, 24, 48, and 72-hour groups post-modeling.At the corresponding time points, mice were euthanized, and corneal tissues were collected.The expressions of MMP-8, adenylate-activated protein kinase (AMPKα) and its serine 172-site phosphorylated form (p-AMPKα) proteins in corneal tissues were detected by Western blot.The neutrophil count in mice corneal tissues at each time point was determined using hematoxylin and eosin staining.The co-localization of neutrophils and MMP-8 protein in the cornea was observed by immunofluorescence staining.In the in vitro corneal collagen degradation experiment, corneal tissues were divided into MMP-8 group, buffer group, and normal saline group, which were treated with 100 μl of activated recombinant MMP-8, detection buffer, and normal saline, respectively.Hydroxyproline content in corneal tissues was determined using a hydroxyproline assay kit, and the mass fractions of hydroxyproline were compared among the groups.Peripheral blood neutrophils were isolated from human blood samples, and Fusarium spores were collected for experiments.Human neutrophils were divided into four groups, negative control group (cultured neutrophils), co-culture group (neutrophils co-cultured with spores), AICAR-treated group (neutrophils co-cultured with spores and treated with p-AMPK protein kinase activator AICAR), and compound C-treated group (neutrophils co-cultured with spores and treated with the inhibitor compound C).The MMP-8 protein expression levels in each group of human neutrophils were assessed via immunofluorescence staining.The use and care of animals complied with the ARVO statement and Regulations for the Administration of Affairs Concerning Experimental Animals.The animal experiment protocol was approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of Henan Eye Hospital (No.HNEECA-2017-04-02).One healthy adult volunteer was selected and 10 ml of peripheral venous blood was collected.The clinical study protocol was approved by the Clinical Ethics Committee of Henan Eye Hospital (No.HNEECKY-2019[16]). Results:At 24 hours post-modeling, corneal opacification was observed in the modeling eyes, and corneal perforation occurred in 72-hour post-modeling group.The corneal inflammation scores in 24, 48, and 72-hour post-modeling groups were all higher than those in 12-hour post-modeling group, and the differences were statistically significant (all at P<0.001).The relative expression levels of MMP-8 protein in the cornea were higher in 12, 24, and 48-hour post-modeling groups compared to 0-hour group, with statistically significant differences (all at P<0.001).There was a moderate positive correlation between the relative expression level of MMP-8 protein in the cornea and the inflammation scores of the modeling eye ( rs=0.50, P<0.05).In the cornea, the p-AMPKα (Thr 172)/AMPKα ratio was higher in 24, 48, and 72-hour post-modeling groups than in 0-hour group, and the differences were statistically significant (all at P<0.05).The p-AMPKα(Thr 172)/AMPKα ratio in the cornea was moderately positively correlated with the relative expression level of MMP-8 protein ( r=0.54, P<0.01).The number of neutrophils in the cornea was significantly higher in 24, 48, and 72-hour post-modeling groups than in 0-hour group, with statistically significant differences (all at P<0.001).The number of neutrophils in the cornea was strongly positively correlated with the inflammation score ( rs=0.77, P<0.001), and was moderately positively correlated with the relative expression level of MMP-8 protein ( r=0.56, P<0.05).MMP-8 protein expression in the cornea of the modeling eyes showed a high degree of co-localization with neutrophils.The hydroxyproline content in the cornea was (0.52±0.02)μg/mg, (0.51±0.03)μg/mg, and (0.27±0.02)μg/mg in buffer group, normal saline group and MMP-8 group, respectively, with a significant overall difference among them ( F=156.63, P<0.01).The corneal hydroxyproline content was lower in MMP-8 group compared to buffer and normal saline groups, and the differences were statistically significant (all at P<0.05).In the experiment involving the infection of cultured Fusarium spores with human neutrophils, the fluorescence intensity of MMP-8 expression was significantly higher in AICAR-treated group than in negative control group and compound C-treated group, with statistically significant differences (all at P<0.05). Conclusions:The MMP-8 secreted by neutrophils in mice with fungal keratitis can degrade corneal stromal collagen fibers, leading to corneal opacification or perforation.The variations in MMP-8 protein expression levels in human neutrophils may be associated with AMPK activation.

Objective:To conduct a scoping review of health behavior-related assessment tools for pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).Methods:A total of 6 Chinese and English databases, including CNKI, Wanfang Database, China Biomedical Literature Database, PubMed, Web of Science Core set and Embase, were systematically searched by the terms of “gestational diabetes mellitus”，“health behavior”，“assessment”. The relevant contents of GDM health behavior-related assessment tools were retrieved for systematic analysis, and the results were normalized reported. The search period was from the establishment of the databases to February 1, 2023.Results:A total of 2 657 literatures were retrieved, and 41 literatures were finally included after screening, including 16 literatures on the development and verification of assessment tools, 2 literatures on localization of assessment tools, and 23 literatures on the application of the assessment tools. A comprehensive analysis was conducted on 18 assessment tools, including 16 original assessment tools and 2 localized assessment tools, spanning the years 1987 to 2020. The assessment content covered dietary behavior, physical activity behavior, medication adherence, blood glucose monitoring behavior, treatment adherence, self-management behavior, and health-promoting lifestyles. Among them, 7 assessment tools were validated for reliability and/or validity in pregnant women with GDM. Among the 23 studies that covered the implication of the assessment tools, the Pregnancy Physical Activity Questionnaire and Health-Promoting Lifestyle Ⅱ were the most commonly utilized tools for assessing health behaviors in pregnant women with GDM.Conclusions:There is a wide variety of assessment tools related to health behaviors in pregnant women with GDM, and the assessment content is relatively rich. However, most of the assessment tools have not been validated for their reliability and validity within the GDM population, limiting their clinical application and promotion.