Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and osteoporosis (OP) are two very common metabolic diseases. A growing body of experimental evidence supports a pathophysiological link between MAFLD and OP. MAFLD is often associated with the development of OP. Rutaecarpine (RUT) is one of the main active components of Chinese medicine Euodiae Fructus. Our previous studies have demonstrated that RUT has lipid-lowering, anti-inflammatory and anti-atherosclerotic effects, and can improve the OP of rats. However, whether RUT can improve both fatty liver and OP symptoms of MAFLD mice at the same time remains to be investigated. In this study, we used C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 4 months to construct a MAFLD model, and gave the mice a low dose (5 mg·kg^-1) and a high dose (15 mg·kg^-1) of RUT by gavage for 4 weeks. The effects of RUT on liver steatosis and bone metabolism were then evaluated at the end of the experiment [this experiment was approved by the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (approval number: IMB-20190124D₃03)]. The results showed that RUT treatment significantly reduced hepatic steatosis and lipid accumulation, and significantly reduced bone loss and promoted bone formation. In summary, this study shows that RUT has an effect of improving fatty liver and OP in MAFLD mice.

This study investigated the effect of Wuling San on transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1)-induced fibrosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress in human renal tubular epithelial cells(HK-2) and its mechanism of antioxidant stress injury. HK-2 cells were cultured in vitro and divided into a control group, a TGF-β1 model group, and three treatment groups receiving Wuling San-containing serum at low(2.5%), medium(5.0%), and high(10.0%) doses. TGF-β1 was used to establish the model in all groups except the control group. CCK-8 was used to analyze the effect of different concentrations of Wuling San on the activity of HK-2 cells with or without TGF-β1 stimulation. The expression of key fibrosis molecules, including actin alpha 2(Acta2), collagen type Ⅰ alpha 1 chain(Col1α1), collagen type Ⅲ alpha 1 chain(Col3α1), TIMP metallopeptidase inhibitor 1(Timp1), and fibronectin 1(Fn1), was detected using qPCR. The expression levels of inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-1β(IL-1β), interleukin-6(IL-6), interleukin-8(IL-8), and interleukin-4(IL-4), were measured using ELISA kits. Glutathione peroxidase(GSH-Px), malondialdehyde(MDA), catalase(CAT), and superoxide dismutase(SOD) biochemical kits were used to analyze the effect of Wuling San on TGF-β1-induced oxidative stress injury in HK-2 cells, and the expression of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2(Nrf2), heme oxygenase 1(HO-1), and NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1(NQO1) was analyzed by qPCR and immunofluorescence. The CCK-8 results indicated that the optimal administration concentrations of Wuling San were 2.5%, 5.0%, and 10.0%. Compared with the control group, the TGF-β1 model group showed significantly increased levels of key fibrosis molecules(Acta2, Col1α1, Col3α1, Timp1, and Fn1) and inflammatory cytokines(TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-4). In contrast, the Wuling San administration groups were able to dose-dependently inhibit the expression levels of key fibrosis molecules and inflammatory cytokines compared with the TGF-β1 model group. Wuling San significantly increased the activities of GSH-Px, CAT, and SOD enzymes in TGF-β1-stimulated HK-2 cells and significantly inhibited the level of MDA. Furthermore, compared with the control group, the TGF-β1 model group exhibited a significant reduction in the expression of Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO1 genes and proteins. After Wuling San intervention, the expression of Nrf2, HO-1, and NQO1 genes and proteins was significantly increased. Correlation analysis showed that antioxidant stress enzymes(GSH-Px, CAT, and SOD) and Nrf2 signaling were significantly negatively correlated with key fibrosis molecules and inflammatory cytokines in the TGF-β1-stimulated HK-2 cell model. In conclusion, Wuling San can inhibit TGF-β1-induced fibrosis in HK-2 cells by activating the Nrf2 signaling pathway, improving oxidative stress injury, and reducing inflammation.
Humans ; Oxidative Stress/drug effects* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1/metabolism* ; Fibrosis/genetics* ; Cell Line ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Epithelial Cells/immunology* ; Inflammation/metabolism*

The tumor microenvironment is a crucial factor in tumor occurrence and progression. The hypoxic microenvironment is widely present in tumor tissue and is a key endogenous factor accelerating tumor deterioration. The "blood stasis toxin" theory, as an emerging perspective in tumor research, is regarded as the unique "soil" in tumor progression from the perspective of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) due to its dynamic evolution mechanism, which closely resembles the formation of the hypoxic microenvironment. Scientifically integrating TCM theories with the biological characteristics of tumors and exploring precise syndrome differentiation and treatment strategies are key to achieving comprehensive tumor prevention and control. This article focused on the hypoxic microenvironment of the tumor, elucidating its formation mechanisms and evolutionary processes and carefully analyzing the internal relationship between the "blood stasis toxin" theory and the hypoxic microenvironment. Additionally, it explored the interaction among blood stasis, toxic pathogens, and hypoxic environment and proposed micro-level prevention and treatment strategies targeting the hypoxic microenvironment based on the "blood stasis toxin" theory, aiming to provide TCM-based theoretical support and therapeutic approaches for precise regulation of the hypoxic microenvironment.
Humans ; Tumor Microenvironment/drug effects* ; Neoplasms/therapy* ; Animals ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Disease Progression ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal

OBJECTIVES: To explore the therapeutic mechanism of puerarin for alleviating synovitis in rats with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). METHODS: In a SD rat model of CIA, we tested the effects of daily gavage of puerarin at low, moderate and high doses (10, 30, and 100 mg/kg, respectively) for 3 weeks, with tripterygium glycosides (GTW, 10 mg/kg) as the positive control, on swelling in the hind limb joints regions evaluated by arthritis index scoring. Mass fraction of the liver of the rats was calculated, and pathologies in joint synovial membrane were observed with HE staining. The expressions of transforming growth factor β‑activated kinase-1 (TAK1), Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), and nuclear factor kappa-Bp65 (NF‑κB p65) at the mRNA and protein levels in the synovial tissues were detected using Real-time PCR and Western blotting. RESULTS: Compared with those in the model group, the rats in GTW group and high-dose puerarin group showed significantly reduced mass fraction of the liver. Treatment with GTW and puerarin at the 3 doses all significantly alleviated plantar swelling, lowered arthritis index scores, and improved synovitis in CIA rats (P<0.05), and the effects of puerarin showed an obvious dose dependence. Both GTW and puerarin treatments significantly lowered TAK1, TLR4, and NF‑κB p65 mRNA and protein expressions in the synovium of CIA rats. CONCLUSIONS Puerarin alleviates synovium damages in CIA rats possibly by suppressing the TLR4/NF‑κB signaling pathway via downregulating TAK1 expression.
Animals ; Toll-Like Receptor 4/metabolism* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Rats ; MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy* ; NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; Isoflavones/therapeutic use* ; Male ; Arthritis, Experimental/drug therapy* ; Transcription Factor RelA/metabolism* ; Synovial Membrane/metabolism*

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) with increasing global prevalence lacks effective therapeutic targets to halt or reverse its progression. Therapeutic targets supported by causal genetic evidence are more likely to succeed in randomized clinical trials. In this study, we integrated large-scale plasma proteomics, genetic-driven causal inference, and experimental validation to identify prioritized targets for DKD using the UK Biobank (UKB) and FinnGen cohorts. Among 2844 diabetic patients (528 with DKD), we identified 37 targets significantly associated with incident DKD, supported by both observational and causal evidence. Of these, 22% (8/37) of the potential targets are currently under investigation for DKD or other diseases. Our prospective study confirmed that higher levels of three prioritized targets-insulin-like growth factor binding protein 4 (IGFBP4), family with sequence similarity 3 member C (FAM3C), and prostaglandin D2 synthase (PTGDS)-were associated with a 4.35, 3.51, and 3.57-fold increased likelihood of developing DKD, respectively. In addition, population-level protein-altering variants (PAVs) analysis and in vitro experiments cross-validated FAM3C and IGFBP4 as potential new target candidates for DKD, through the classic NLR family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3)-caspase-1-gasdermin D (GSDMD) apoptotic axis. Our results demonstrate that integrating omics data mining with causal inference may be a promising strategy for prioritizing therapeutic targets.

Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) is an acquired clonal hematopoietic stem cell disease caused by abnormal expression of glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) on the cell membrane due to mutations in the phosphatidylinositol glycan class A(PIGA) gene. It is commonly characterized by intravascular hemolysis, repeated thrombosis, and bone marrow failure, as well as multiple systemic involvement symptoms such as renal dysfunction, pulmonary hypertension, swallowing difficulties, chest pain, abdominal pain, and erectile dysfunction. Due to the rarity of PNH and its strong heterogeneity in clinical manifestations, multidisciplinary collaboration is often required for diagnosis and treatment. Peking Union Medical College Hospital, relying on the rare disease diagnosis and treatment platform, has invited multidisciplinary clinical experts to form a unified opinion on the diagnosis and treatment of PNH, and formulated the Expert Consensus of Multidisciplinary Diagnosis and Treatment for Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (2024), with the hope of promoting the standardization of PNH diagnosis and treatment.

Lattice strain ruthenium nanoparticles uniformly and stably supported on nitrogen-modified carbon nanosheets(RuNPs/NC)were prepared via simple wet-chemical and subsequent pyrolysis method.The nitrogen doped NC could effectively improve their uniform dispersion and lattice compression of RuNPs.Through changing the pyrolysis temperature,the nitrogen content,types and degree of lattice strain of RuNPs could be effectively tuned,which could be used to adjust and control their peroxidase-like activity.The as-prepared RuNPs/NC-900 exhibited highest peroxidase-like activity,and could catalyze the oxidation of 3,3′,5,5′-tetramethylbenzidine(TMB)to produce a blue product with the maximum absorption at 652 nm in the presence of H2O2.The steady-state kinetic analysis indicated that the reaction catalyzed by RuNPs/NC followed the Michaelis-Menten kinetic model.Tannic acid(TA),gallic acid(GA)and ascorbic acid(AA)could effectively inhibit the RuNPs/NC-H2O2-triggered chromogenic reaction of TMB,resulting in color fading and decrease in absorbance.Based on this,a sensitive and accurate system was constructed for detection of TA,GA and AA.The detection limits(3σ/S)for TA,GA and AA were 0.014,0.014 and 0.29 μmol/L,respectively.This study not only developed a colorimetric sensing method based on RuNPs/NC nanozyme but also offered a new approach for the sensitive detection of antioxidants in food.

Since the concept of patient versions of guidelines （PVGs） was introduced into China， several PVGs have been published in China， but we found that there is a big difference between the concept of PVG at home and abroad， and the reason for this difference has not been reasonably explained， which has led to ambiguity and even misapplication of the PVG concept by guideline developers. By analyzing the background and purpose of PVGs， and the understanding of the PVG concept by domestic scholars， we proposed the term patient guidelines （PGs）. This refers to guidelines developed under the principles of evidence-based medicine， centered on health issues that concern patients， and based on the best available evidence， intended for patient use. Except for the general attribute of providing information or education， which is typical of common health education materials， PGs also provide recommendations and assist in decision-making， so PGs include both the patient versions of guidelines （PVG） as defined by the Guidelines International Network （GIN） and "patient-directed guidelines"， i.e. clinical practice guidelines resulting from the adaptation or reformulation of recommendations through clinical practice guidelines.

At present， the process and methodology of patient guidelines （PGs） development varies greatly and lacks systematic and standardised guidance. In addition to the interviews with PG developers， we have sorted out the relevant methodology for the adaptation and development of existing clinical practice guideline recommendations and facilitated expert deliberations to achieve a consensus， so as to finally put forward a proposal for guidance on the process and methodology for the development of PGs. The development of PGs can be divided into the preparation stage， the construction stage， and the completion stage in general， but the specific steps vary according to the different modes of development of PGs. The development process of Model 1 is basically the same as the patient version of the guideline development process provided by the International Guidelines Network， i.e.， team formation， screening of recommendations， guideline drafing， user testing and feedback， approval and dissemination. The developer should also first determine the need for and scope of translating the clinical practice guideline into a patient version during the preparation phase. Model 2 adds user experience and feedback to the conventional clinical practice guideline development process （forming a team， determining the scope of the PG， searching， evaluating and integrating evidence， forming recommendations， writing the guideline， and expert review）. Based on the different models， we sort out the process and methods of PG development and introduce the specific methods of PG development， including how to identify the clinical problem and how to form recommendations based on the existing clinical practice guidelines， with a view to providing reference for guideline developers and related researchers.

Objective To evaluate the pharmacokinetics(PK)of tenofovir alafenamide Fumarate tablets(25 mg)in healthy Chinese subjects after single oral administration to provide a basis for bioequivalence evaluation.Methods Using a single-dose,randomized,open-lable,two-period,two-way crossover design under fasting condition,while three-way crossover design under fed condition,42 healthy subjects respectively for fasting and fed study were enrolled,and randomized into two groups to receive a single dose of test product(T)or reference product(R)25 mg.Plasma concentration of tenofovir alafenamide and tenofovir were determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(LC-MS/MS)method.The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by WinNonlin software(8.1 version)using non-compartmental model,and bioequivalence evaluation was performed for the two preparations.Relevant safety evaluations were performed during the trial.Results The test product and the reference product under fasting study,the main PK parameters of tenofovir alafenamide were as follows:Cmax were(215.17±94.24)and(199.30±71.11)ng·mL-1;AUC0-t were(135.44±71.60)and(123.91±53.82)h·ng·mL-1;the main PK parameters of tenofovir were as follows:Cmax were(7.30±2.27)and(7.12±1.74)ng·mL-1,AUC0-t of tenofovir were(237.16±47.09)and(230.06±43.41)h·ng·mL-1,respectively.The test product and the reference product under fed study,the main PK parameters of tenofovir were as follows:Cmax were(197.69±82.19)and(197.10±110.54)ng·mL-1;AUC0-t were(197.69±82.19)and(197.10±110.54)h·ng·mL-1;the main PK parameters of tenofovir were as follows:CMax were(2.57±1.37)and(2.58±1.31)ng·mL-1;AUC0-t were(227.08±74.33)and(238.51±128.30)h·ng·mL-1,respectively.The 90％confidence interval for geometric mean ratio of Cmax,AUC0-tof T and R under fed condition were between 80.00％-125.00％,respectively.The incidence of adverse events in fasting and fed tests was 21.43％and 30.95％,respectively,and no serious adverse event was reported.Conclusion The test formulation and reference formulation of tenofovir alafenamide fumarate tablets were equivalent and was safe.