Dendritic cells (DCs) serve as the primary antigen-presenting cells in autoimmune diseases, like rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and exhibit distinct signaling profiles due to antigenic diversity. Type II collagen (CII) has been recognized as an RA-specific antigen; however, little is known about CII-stimulated DCs, limiting the development of RA-specific therapeutic interventions. In this study, we show that CII-stimulated DCs display a preferential gene expression profile associated with migration, offering a new perspective for targeting DC migration in RA treatment. Then, saikosaponin D (SSD) was identified as a compound capable of blocking CII-induced DC migration and effectively ameliorating arthritis. Optineurin (OPTN) is further revealed as a potential SSD target, with Optn deletion impairing CII-pulsed DC migration without affecting maturation. Function analyses uncover that OPTN prevents the proteasomal transport and ubiquitin-dependent degradation of C-C chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7), a pivotal chemokine receptor in DC migration. Optn-deficient DCs exhibit reduced CCR7 expression, leading to slower migration in CII-surrounded environment, thus alleviating arthritis progression. Our findings underscore the significance of antigen-specific DC activation in RA and suggest OPTN is a crucial regulator of CII-specific DC migration. OPTN emerges as a promising drug target for RA, potentially offering significant value for the therapeutic management of RA.

Acetaminophen (APAP) is the primary cause of drug-induced acute liver failure. Ovarian tumor deubiquitinase 6A (OTUD6A), a recently discovered deubiquitinase of the OTU family, has been primarily studied in tumor contexts. However, its role in APAP-induced liver injury (AILI) remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the involvement of OTUD6A in the pathogenesis of AILI. Our findings demonstrated a substantial upregulation of OTUD6A in both the liver tissue and isolated hepatocytes of mice following APAP stimulation. OTUD6A knockout exacerbated APAP-induced inflammation, hepatocyte necrosis, and liver injury, whereas OTUD6A overexpression alleviated these pathologies. Mechanistically, OTUD6A directly interacted with the enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) and selectively removed K48-linked polyubiquitin chains from EZH2, enhancing its stability. This resulted in increased protein levels of EZH2 and H3K27me3, as well as reduced endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and cell death in hepatocytes. Collectively, our research uncovers a novel role for OTUD6A in mitigating APAP-induced liver injury by promoting EZH2 stabilization.

Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) has become the main cause of chronic liver disease in children worldwide, and the incidence of NAFLD shows an increasing trend year by year. The risk factors leading to the onset of NAFLD in children are diversified and different from those in adults. At present, most medical institutions still pay little attention to NAFLD in children. This paper summarizes the risk factors and mechanisms for NAFLD in children, including gene polymorphism, maternal and fetal conditions, diet and living habits, environmental exposure, metabolic syndrome, endocrine-related mechanisms and intestinal microecology, in order to provide reference for the prevention and management of childhood NAFLD.

Objective The objective of this study was to investigate the expression and clinical significance of serum miR-NA-24(miR-24)and miRNA-509(miR-509)in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods Ninety-four HCC patients(HCC group)who visited Suining Central Hospital in Sichuan province from January 2019 to October 2020 were select-ed,and 90 healthy subjects(control group)who underwent the physical examination center at the same time were selected.The ex-pression of miR-24 and miR-509 in human liver cancer cell lines and the serum of participants in the two groups was detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR).The correlation between miR-24 and miR-509 levels and the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of HCC was analyzed.Results The expression of miR-24 in the serum of HCC pa-tients was significantly higher than that of the control group(3.19±0.29vs.0.66±0.20),(t=-68.601,P＜0.01),and the ex-pression of miR-509 was significantly lower than that of the control group(0.74±0.27 vs.1.24±0.28),(t=12.331,P＜0.01).The expression of miR-24 in serum was positively correlated with alpha fetoprotein(AFP)level,metastasis,and TNM stage(r=0.821,0.510,0.762,P＜0.01),and negatively correlated with the degree of differentiation(r=-0.771,P＜0.01).The expression of miR-509 in serum was negatively correlated with AFP level,metastasis and TNM stage(r=-0.820,-0.506,-0.766,P＜0.01),and negatively correlated with the degree of differentiation(r=0.775,P＜0.01).Conclusion The expression of serum mir-24 is up-regulated in HCC patients,while the expression of serum mir-509 is down-regulated.Both of them are closely related to HCC metastasis and malignancy.Clinical testing of serum miR-24 and miR-509 levels in patients can help diagnose and evaluate the condition of HCC.

The key factors for producing the best quality Chinese herbal medicines are high-quality germplasm, suitable cultivation area and the proper processing methods for herbal raw materials. Gentiana crassicaulis in Gentiana (Sect. Cruciata), Gentianaceae is one of the original plants of the Chinese herb Qinjiao (Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix), and its type specimen was collected in Lijiang, Yunnan. There is a long planting history of the herb in this area. In this study a sampling plot was designated in these traditional planting areas. G. crassicaulis was planted and herbal raw materials were harvested from the plot. The raw materials were prepared locally and at a pharmaceutical factory in Shanghai using processing methods such as "sweating" or "no sweating", "slicing" or "no slicing" (whole root), and "stoving" or "no stoving" (air drying). The quality of all processed samples was evaluated. In addition, molecular markers were determined for identifying cultivated and wild samples from Lijiang, Yunnan. The results are as follows: ① Samples from the sampling plot and the field are taxonomically identified as Gentiana crassicaulis. ② A total of 270 sequences of trnC-GCA-petN, atpB-rbcL, psbN, ndhB-rps7 and ycf1 were obtained, and three genotypes were determined from the cultivated samples; the type III was shared by both cultivated and wild plants. Based on the molecular markers, a DNA barcoding method to identify cultivated and wild samples of G. crassicaulis from Lijiang, Yunnan was established. ③ Total content of loganic acid and gentiopicroside in all samples was ≥ 2.5%, and above the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2020) limit. ④ In HPLC fingerprinting, 9 common peaks were assigned and similarity between all samples was > 0.999; and ⑤ In a PCA score plot all slice samples were clustered, while whole root samples were scattered. Therefore, our studies could provide basic data for optimizing the processing method, producing best quality Gentianae Macrophyllae Radix, and evaluating the quality of different ecotype varieties and the multiple origin of herbal medicines.

Both immunosuppressants and antibiotics (ABX) are indispensable for transplant patients. However, the former increases the risk of new-onset diabetes, whereas the latter impacts intestinal microbiota (IM). It is still unclear whether and how the interaction between immunosuppressants and ABX alters the IM and thus leads to glucose metabolism disorders. This study examined the alterations of glucose and lipid metabolism and IM in mice exposed to tacrolimus (TAC) with or without ABX. We found that ABX further aggravated TAC-induced glucose tolerance and increased insulin secretion. Combined treatment resulted in exacerbated lipid accumulation in the liver. TAC-altered microbial community was further amplified by ABX administration, as characterized by reductions in phylum Firmicutes, family Lachnospiraceae, and genus Coprococcus. Analyses based on the metagenomic profiles revealed that ABX augmented the effect of TAC on microbial metabolic function mostly related to lipid metabolism. The altered components of gut microbiome and predicted microbial functional profiles showed significant correlation with hepatic lipid accumulation and glucose disorders. In conclusion, ABX aggravated the effect of TAC on the microbiome and its metabolic capacities, which might contribute to hepatic lipid accumulation and glucose disorders. These findings suggest that the ABX-altered microbiome can amplify the diabetogenic effect of TAC and could be a novel therapeutic target for patients.

BACKGROUND:Both Ms Coat and Green OrTM desensitizers can seal dentinal tubules effectively, isolate the dentinal tubule from external stimuli and also reduce the dentinal hypersensitivity. The scholars around the world have discussed their effects from the descriptive and qualitative view.
OBJECTIVE:To quantitatively assess and compare the sealing effects of Ms Coat and Green OrTM desensitizers on dentine tubules.
METHODS:Thirty fresh human third molar samples were made into 3-mm dentin specimens that were treated with 17% EDTA for 2 minutes and randomly divided into three groups: Ms Coat group, Green OrTM group and control group with no treatment. In the former two groups, MS Coat desensitizer and Green OrTM desensitizer were applied respectively on the dentin surfaces. Scanning electron microscope was used to observe the dentin surface and longitudinal sections.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Surface observation: In the control group, al of the dentinal tubules were exposed; in the MS Coat group, it was observed that almost al the dentinal tubules were obliterated; in the Green OrTM group, the dentin tubules were covered with irregular crystaline substance and only a smal number of exposed dentine tubules were visible but narrowed obviously. (2) Longitudinal profile observation: In the control group, the dentin tubules were strip-shaped and arranged in paralel without any blockage; in the MS coat group, the tubules were covered with dense sediments, and the dentinal tubules were basicaly closed; in the Green OrTM group, there were scaly crystaline material deposited within the dentinal tubules. Dentinal diameter and number of dentinal tubules were ranked as folows: control group > Green OrTM group > MS Coat group (P < 0.05). Both Ms Coat and Green OrTM desensitizers can occlude the tubules effectively, and moreover, the MS Coat is superior to the Green OrTM.

This study evaluated the correlation between DNA degradation of the splenic lymphocytes and the early time of death, examined the early time of death by computerized image analysis technique (CIAT) and identified the best parameter that quantitatively reflects the DNA degradation.The spleen tissues from 34 SD rats were collected, subjected to cell smearing every 2 h within the first 36 h after death, stained by Feulgen-Van's staining, three indices reflecting DNA content in splenic lymphocytes, including integral optical density (IOD), average optical density (AOD), average gray scale (AG) were measured by the image analysis. Our results showed that IOD and AOD decreased and AG increased over time within the first 36 h. A stepwise linear regression analysis showed that only AG was fitted. A correlation between the postmortem interval (PMI) and AG was identified and the corresponding regression equation was obtained. Our study suggests that CIAT is a useful and promising tool for the estimation of early PMI with good objectivity and reproducibility,and AG is a more effective and better quantitative indicator for the estimation of PMI within the first 36 h after death in rats.