The medicinal materials of Bawei Chenxiang Pills(BCPs) were extracted via three methods: reflux extraction by water, reflux extraction by 70% ethanol, and extraction by pure water following reflux extraction by 70% ethanol, yielding three extracts of ST, CT, and CST. The efficacy of ST(760 mg·kg~(-1)), CT(620 mg·kg~(-1)), and CST(1 040 mg·kg~(-1)) were evaluated by acute myocardial ischemia(AMI) and p-chlorophenylalanine(PCPA)-induced insomnia in mice, respectively. Western blot was further utilized to investigate their hypnosis mechanisms. The main chemical components of different extracts were identified by the UPLC-Q-Exactive-MS technique. The results showed that CT and CST significantly increased the ejection fraction(EF) and fractional shortening(FS) of myocardial infarction mice, reduced left ventricular internal dimension at end-diastole(LVIDd) and left ventricular internal dimension at end-systole(LVIDs). In contrast, ST did not exhibit significant effects on these parameters. In the insomnia model, CT significantly reduced sleep latency and prolonged sleep duration, whereas ST only prolonged sleep duration without shortening sleep latency. CST showed no significant effects on either sleep latency or sleep duration. Additionally, both CT and ST upregulated glutamic acid decarboxylase 67(GAD67) protein expression in brain tissue. A total of 15 main chemical components were identified from CT, including 2-(2-phenylethyl) chromone and 6-methoxy-2-(2-phenylethyl) chromone. Six chemical components including chebulidic acid were identified from ST. The results suggested that chromones and terpenes were potential anti-myocardial ischemia drugs of BCPs, and tannin and phenolic acids were potential hypnosis drugs. This study enriches the pharmacological and chemical research of BCPs, providing a basis and reference for their secondary development, quality standard improvement, and clinical application.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/isolation & purification* ; Mice ; Male ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/physiopathology* ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction/drug therapy* ; Myocardial Ischemia/drug therapy*

A targeted metabolomics study was conducted on the bile acid profiles in the liver and feces of rats induced by a high-fat diet and intervened by ginsenoside Rb_1, along with the detection of FXR pathway gene expression in the liver, to explore and clarify its mechanism of action. The content of biochemical indicators in the serum were detected using an automatic biochemical analyzer. Hematoxylin and eosin(HE) staining and oil red O staining were used to detect pathological changes and lipid deposition in the liver. RT-PCR was used to detect the mRNA expression of FXR, small heterodimer partner(SHP), cholesterol 7 alpha-hydroxylase(CYP7A1), and sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c(SREBP-1c) in the liver. Targeted bile acid metabolomics technology was employed to analyze changes in bile acid profiles in liver tissue and feces, and a correlation analysis was performed between key genes such as FXR, SHP, CYP7A1, SREBP-1c and differential bile acid metabolites. The results showed that ginsenoside Rb_1 significantly reduced the levels of total cholesterol(TC), triglycerides(TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C) in the serum, alleviated the large fat vacuoles and lipid deposition in the liver, increased the expression of FXR mRNA in the liver, and decreased the expression of SREBP-1c mRNA. The expression of CYP7A1 and SHP mRNA was increased, but the differences were not statistically significant. Targeted bile acid metabolomics showed that ginsenoside Rb_1 could restore the levels of 9 bile acids in the liver and 8 bile acids in the feces. Ginsenoside Rb_1 also increased the percentage of taurocholic acid(TCA) in the liver(56.78%) and the percentage of 12-ketolithocholic acid(12-KLCA) in the feces(26.10%). Pathway enrichment analysis revealed two pathways involved in bile acid metabolism: primary bile acid biosynthesis and taurine and hypotaurine metabolism. Correlation analysis showed that FXR, SHP, CYP7A1, and SREBP-1c were positively correlated with multiple differential bile acids. These results suggest that ginsenoside Rb_1 may intervene in lipid metabolism disorders induced by a high-fat diet by regulating the FXR pathway and modulating bile acid profiles in the liver and feces.
Animals ; Bile Acids and Salts/metabolism* ; Rats ; Ginsenosides/pharmacology* ; Male ; Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear/genetics* ; Liver/drug effects* ; Diet, High-Fat/adverse effects* ; Metabolomics ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Feces/chemistry* ; Cholesterol 7-alpha-Hydroxylase/metabolism* ; Sterol Regulatory Element Binding Protein 1/genetics* ; Humans

Nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA), one of the most severe types of male infertility, etiology often remains unclear in most cases. Therefore, this study aimed to detect four biallelic detrimental variants (0.5%) in the minichromosome maintenance domain containing 2 ( MCMDC2 ) genes in 768 NOA patients by whole-exome sequencing (WES). Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) demonstrated that MCMDC2 deleterious variants caused meiotic arrest in three patients (c.1360G>T, c.1956G>T, and c.685C>T) and hypospermatogenesis in one patient (c.94G>T), as further confirmed through immunofluorescence (IF) staining. The single-cell RNA sequencing data indicated that MCMDC2 was substantially expressed during spermatogenesis. The variants were confirmed as deleterious and responsible for patient infertility through bioinformatics and in vitro experimental analyses. The results revealed four MCMDC2 variants related to NOA, which contributes to the current perception of the function of MCMDC2 in male fertility and presents new perspectives on the genetic etiology of NOA.
Humans ; Male ; Azoospermia/genetics* ; Meiosis/genetics* ; Spermatogenesis/genetics* ; Adult ; Exome Sequencing ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins/genetics* ; Alleles ; Infertility, Male/genetics*

Neuropathic pain, a debilitating condition caused by dysfunction of the somatosensory nervous system, remains difficult to treat due to limited understanding of its molecular mechanisms. Bioinformatics analysis identified cerebellin 2 (CBLN2) as highly enriched in human and murine proprioceptive and nociceptive neurons. We found that CBLN2 expression is persistently upregulated in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) following spinal nerve ligation (SNL) in mice. In addition, transcription factor SOX11 binds to 12 cis-regulatory elements within the Cbln2 promoter to enhance its transcription. SNL also induced SOX11 upregulation, with SOX11 and CBLN2 co-localized in nociceptive neurons. The siRNA-mediated knockdown of Sox11 or Cbln2 attenuated SNL-induced mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia. High-throughput sequencing of DRG following intrathecal injection of CBLN2 revealed widespread gene expression changes, including upregulation of numerous NF-κB downstream targets. Consistently, CBLN2 activated NF-κB signaling, and inhibition with pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate reduced CBLN2-induced pain hypersensitivity, proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines production, and neuronal hyperexcitability. Together, these findings identified the SOX11/CBLN2/NF-κB axis as a critical mediator of neuropathic pain and a promising target for therapeutic intervention.
Animals ; Neuralgia/metabolism* ; Ganglia, Spinal/metabolism* ; Up-Regulation ; Mice ; NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; SOXC Transcription Factors/genetics* ; Male ; Neuroinflammatory Diseases/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics* ; Hyperalgesia/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction ; Spinal Nerves

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy and safety of facilitated percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)with half-dose recombinant staphylokinase(r-SAK)in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction(STEMI)who are expected to undergo PCI within 120 minutes.Methods From October 2021 to August 2022,a total of 200 STEMI patients in eight centers were included and randomly assigned in a 1﹕1 ratio to either r-SAK group or control group.Patients received loading doses of aspirin and ticagrelor and intravenous heparin and were randomized to receive an intravenous bolus of either 5 mg r-SAK or normal saline prior to PCI.The outcomes were set as ST-segment resolution(STR)at 60-90 minutes after PCI,the proportion and transition of pathological Q waves on the 5th day after PCI,and the proportion of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T(hs-cTnT)peaking within 12 hours of onset.The safety outcome was major bleeding events defined as Bleeding Academic Research Consortium(BARC)≥type 3 bleeding during hospitalization.Results Compared with the control group,the r-SAK group had a higher proportion of STR≥70%within 60-90 minutes after PCI(58.3%vs.40.3%,P=0.009);a lower proportion of pathological Q waves(59.1%vs.74.1%,P=0.040);a lower rate of Q wave progression(14.8%vs.43.2%,P＜0.001);a higher rate of Q wave disappearance(12.5%vs.3.7%,P=0.027);and a higher proportion of hs-cTnT peaking within 12 hours of symptom onset[31/40(77.5%)vs.17/33(51.5%),P=0.027].Regarding the safety outcome,no significant difference in BARC≥type 3 bleeding was found between the two groups during hospitalization(P＞0.05).Conclusions For STEMI patients who were expected to undergo primary PCI within 120 minutes of symptom onset,the facilitated PCI with half-dose r-SAK significantly increased the proportion of STR≥70%at 60-90 minutes after PCI,reduced the formation of pathological Q waves,and shortened the time to peak hs-cTnT,without increasing the risk of bleeding,which should be an alternative reperfusion strategy worthy of further study.

ObjectiveFor prepubertal and urgently treated malignant tumor patients, ovarian tissue cryopreservation and transplantation represent more appropriate fertility preservation methods. Current clinical practices often involve freezing ovarian tissue with high concentrations of cryoprotectants (CPAs) and thawing with water baths. These processes lead to varying degrees of toxicity and devitrification damage to ovarian tissue. Therefore, this paper proposes optimized methods for vitrification of ovarian tissues based on sodium alginate hydrogel encapsulation and magnetic induction nanowarming technology. MethodsFirstly, the study investigated the effects of sodium alginate concentration, the sequence of hydrogel encapsulation and CPAs loading on vitrification efficiency of encapsulated ovarian tissue. Additionally, the capability of sodium alginate hydrogel encapsulation to reduce the required concentration of CPAs was validated. Secondly, a platform combining water bath and magnetic induction nanowarming was established to rewarm ovarian tissue under various concentrations of magnetic nanoparticles and magnetic field strengths. The post-warming follicle survival rate, antioxidant capacity, and ovarian tissue integrity were evaluated to assess the efficacy of the method. ResultsThe study found that ovarian tissue encapsulated with 2% sodium alginate hydrogel exhibited the highest follicle survival rate after vitrification. The method of loading CPAs prior to encapsulation proved more suitable for ovarian tissue cryopreservation, effectively reducing the required concentration of CPAs by 50%. A combination of 8 g/L Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles and an alternating magnetic field of 300 Gs showed optimal warming effectiveness for ovarian tissue. Combining water bath rewarming with magnetic induction nanowarming yielded the highest follicle survival rate, enhanced antioxidant capacity, and preserved tissue morphology. ConclusionSodium alginate hydrogel encapsulation of ovarian tissue reduces the concentration of CPAs required during the freezing process. The combination of magnetic induction nanowarming with water bath provides an efficient method ovarian tissue rewarming. This study offers novel approaches to optimize ovarian tissues vitrification.

Objective:To investigate the expression of platelet activating factor acetylhydrolase 1b catalytic subunit 3 (PAFAH1B3) in bladder cancer cells, and to explore the effects of PAFAH1B3 on proliferation, migration, and aerobic glycolysis in bladder cancer T24 cells and its mechanism.Methods:The relative expression of PAFAH1B3 in bladder cancer RT4, 5637, T24, J82T24 cells and human normal bladder epithelial SV-HUC-1 cells were detected using Western blotting. After culture, T24 cells were divided into a control group and a knockdown group based on treatment conditions. T24 cells were transfected with 50 nmol/L of negative control small interfering RNA (siRNA) or PAFAH1B3 siRNA, respectively. T24 cells with PAFAH1B3 knockdown were subsequently infected with an adenovirus vector overexpressing αB-crystallin ( CRYAB) at a multiplicity of infection of 50, and were designated as the overexpression group. The relative expression of PAFAH1B3 in T24 cells was detected using Western blotting. The cell survival rate, the number of colonies per unit field of view and the scratch closure rate of T24 cells were assessed using cell counting kit-8, colony formation assay and scratch assay, respectively. Glucose uptake, lactate production and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels of T24 cells were measured with corresponding commercial kits. The relative expression levels of glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), hexokinase 2 (HK2), lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA), CRYAB, phosphorylated phosphoinositide 3-kinase (p-PI3K) to PI3K and phosphorylated protein kinase B (p-Akt) to Akt were detected using Western blotting. Data were analyzed by an independent sample t test or one-way analysis of variance. Results:The relative expression levels of PAFAH1B3 protein in RT4, 5637, T24 and J82 cells (1.13±0.15, 1.40±0.10, 1.50±0.10, 0.77±0.13) were significantly higher than that in SV-HUC-1 cells (0.42±0.08) (all P<0.01). The relative expression levels of PAFAH1B3 protein in the knockdown group (0.22±0.08) was significantly lower than that in the control group (1.08±0.03) ( P<0.01). The cell survival rate, the number of colonies per unit field of view and the scratch closure rate in the knockdown group [(54.00±6.00)%, (104.00±8.00) cells, (42.00±3.00)%] were all lower than those in the control group [(96.00±3.00)%, (170.00±6.00) cells, (72.00±4.00)%] (all P<0.01). Glucose uptake, lactate production and ATP level in the knockdown group [(0.46±0.09) mg/ml, (22.67±2.67, 7.50±0.15) μmol/L] were lower than those in the control group [(1.21±0.11) mg/ml, (41.67±2.33, 18.00±2.00) μmol/L] (all P<0.01). The relative expression levels of GLUT1, HK2 and LDHA proteins in the knockdown group (0.31±0.04, 0.18±0.03, 0.47±0.07) were all lower than those in the control group (0.89±0.09, 0.97±0.04, 0.95±0.03) (all P<0.01). The relative expression of CRYAB, p-PI3K/PI3K and p-Akt/Akt proteins in the knockdown group (0.26±0.04, 0.44±0.03, 0.31±0.04) were all lower than those in the control group (0.99±0.05, 0.94±0.05, 0.99±0.06) (all P<0.01). The relative expression of CRYAB in the overexpression group (4.30±0.40) was higher than that in the knockdown group (0.94±0.05) ( P<0.01). The cell survival rate and the number of colonies per unit field of view in the overexpression group [(92.00±3.00)%, (172.00±8.00) cells] were all higher than those in the knockdown group [(46.00±3.00)%, (103.00±7.00) cells] (both P<0.01). Glucose uptake, lactate production and ATP level in the overexpression group [(1.25±0.06) mg/ml, (43.00±4.00, 21.00±2.00) μmol/L] were all higher than those in the knockdown group [(0.49±0.06) mg/ml, (19.00±3.00, 7.00±1.00) μmol/L] (all P<0.01). The relative expression levels of GLUT1, HK2 and LDHA proteins in the overexpression group (0.71±0.04, 0.98±0.04, 0.99±0.04) were higher than those in the knockdown group (0.26±0.03, 0.52±0.03, 0.21±0.02) (all P<0.01). The relative expression levels of p-PI3K/PI3K and p-Akt/Akt proteins in the overexpression group (0.77±0.03, 0.96±0.04) were all higher than those in the knockdown group (0.24±0.05, 0.18±0.03) (both P<0.01). Conclusions:PAFAH1B3 may promote the proliferation, migration and aerobic glycolysis of bladder cancer cells via regulation of the CRYAB/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Objective To explore the role of miR-429 in synovial mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes(SMSC-Exos)in repairing cartilage damage in temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis(TMJ OA)by extracting SMSC-Exos from human synovial tissue and screening differentially expressed microRNA(miRNA)through transcriptome sequencing.Methods Human synovial tissues were obtained from 6 patients who underwent surgery at the First Medical Center of the Chinese PLA General Hospital from June to December 2023,including 3 patients with osteoarthritis(OA group)and 3 control patients(control group),all of whom were male.SMSC-Exos were extracted from the synovial tissues for miRNA sequencing and differential expression analysis.Further,Gene Ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)enrichment analyses were performed on the target genes of differentially expressed miRNA to identify key functional miRNA and construct miRNA-target gene regulatory networks and protein-protein interaction(PPI)networks of target genes.An in vitro model of rabbit condylar cartilage cell inflammatory microenvironment induced by interleukin-1β(IL-1β)was established,with the control group cultured in DMEM/F12 basic medium and the inflammation-induced group cultured in DMEM/F12 basic medium containing 10 ng/ml IL-1β.RT-qPCR was used to detect the effects of overexpressed target miRNA on the mRNA expression levels of cartilage phenotype factors such as type Ⅱ collagen α1 chain(Col2a1),aggrecan(Acan),as well as inflammatory factors including a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 5(Adamts5)and cyclooxygenase-2(Cox-2).Results(1)SMSC-Exos were successfully isolated,cultured,and identified.(2)miRNA sequencing of SMSC-Exos from OA and control groups revealed 16 differentially expressed miRNAs(|log2FC|>2,P<0.05).Compared with control group,7 miRNAs were up-regulated and 9 were down-regulated in OA group.GO and KEGG analysis indicated that the target genes of miR-429 were mainly involved in development process,anatomical structure development,system development,cell development and differentiation,and were enriched in inflammation-related pathways such as mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-protein kinase B(PI3K-Akt).(3)Functional validation of miR-429 in the rabbit condylar cartilage cell inflammatory model showed that overexpression of miR-429 increased the mRNA expression levels of Col2a1 and Acan(P<0.05)and decreased the mRNA expression levels of Adamts5 and Cox-2(P<0.05)in the inflammation-induced group.Conclusions miRNA sequencing of SMSC-Exos isolated and identified from human synovial tissues reveals a specific miRNA expression profile in OA patients,with miR-429 significantly down-regulated.Functional validation demonstrates that overexpression of miR-429 has reparative and anti-inflammatory effects on condylar cartilage cells in an inflammatory microenvironment.

B lymphocytes (B cells) play a complex and paradoxical role in tumorigenesis. They can recognize tumor-associated antigens, present these antigens to T cells, and produce antibodies that directly target and eliminate tumor cells. This makes B cells a potentially powerful ally in combating cancer. However, B cells also exhibit immunosuppressive functions, secreting cytokines like IL-10 or generating tumor-promoting antibodies that dampen the anti-tumor immune response, and some tumor cells have even been shown to exploit B cells to promote their growth and metastasis. This dual nature of B cells presents both opportunities and challenges for tumor immunotherapy. In this review, we summarize the mechanisms underlying the multifaceted functions of B cells and their current applications in cancer immunotherapy. Furthermore, we also explore the key issues and future directions in this field, emphasizing the need for further research to fully harness the anti-tumor potential of B cells in the fight against cancer.
Humans ; B-Lymphocytes/immunology* ; Neoplasms/therapy* ; Carcinogenesis/immunology* ; Immunotherapy/methods* ; Animals

Purpose To investigate the expression of SNRPA in gastric cancer and its effect on the proliferation,migration and invasion of gastric cancer cells.Methods The expression of SNRPA in gastric cancer tissues was ana-lyzed using The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)database.The level of SNRPA was detected by immunohistochemistry(EnVision method),and its relationship with clinicopathological parameters was analyzed.Western blot was used to detect the expression of SNRPA in 15 cases of fresh gastric cancer and paracancerous tissues.The expression of SNRPA in MGC-803 and GES-1 cells was detected by immunofluorescence staining.The effects of SNRPA expression on the proliferation,migration and invasion of gastric cancer cell lines were determined by RNA interference technology and cell function assays,and the expression levels of Cyclin D1 protein and EMT-related proteins(E-cadherin,N-cadher-in)were detected by Western blot.Results The expression level of SNRPA in gastric cancer tissues was significantly higher than that in normal gastric mucosal tissues(P＜0.05),with an area under the curve(AUC)of 0.902 for diag-nostic accuracy.The Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that the survival time of the group with high expression of SNRPA was shorter.SNRPA expression correlated with tumor size,Ki67,infiltration depth,and p53 status(P＜0.05).Compared with the corresponding control group,SNRPA silencing inhibited the proliferation,migration and in-vasion ability of gastric cancer cells,accompanied by decreased Cyclin D1 and N-cadherin expression and increased E-cadherin expression(P＜0.05).Conclusion SNRPA expression is upregulated in gastric cancer tissues and cell lines,promoting the proliferation,migration,and invasion of gastric cancer cells,and may be a potential molecular marker for gastric cancer.