Objective To evaluate the impact of Jixiong Jiedu decoction on the efficacy of diabetic kidney disease in mice and its influence on intestinal flora and trimethylamine oxide(TMAO)levels.Methods Twelve 7-week-old male db/db mice were randomly assigned to the model group or Jixiong Jiedu decoction group(6 mice per group),while 6 male db/m mice were designated as the control group.Following 8 weeks of continuous gavage,we monitored the body weight and blood glucose levels of the mice at weeks 0,4,and 8.Additionally,we assessed urinary microalbumin,kidney injury molecule-1(KIM-1),creatinine(Scr),and urea nitrogen(BUN)levels in urine.Renal pathology was evaluated using HE and PAS staining.Furthermore,fecal samples underwent 16s RNA sequencing,and the serum TMAO levels were determined.Results Compared with the control group,the blood glucose,body weight,8-hour urinary microalbumin,KIM-1 and Scr in the model group were significantly increased,and the renal pathology showed that glomerular segmental mesangial matrix increased,glomerular volume hypertrophy and renal tubular epithelial cell swelling.The abundance of Lactobacillaceae and Lactobacillus in the model group was significantly increased(P<0.01).The abundance of Lachnospiraceae,Helicobacter and Oscillospira decreased significantly(P<0.01),the abundance of each bacterial group changed,and the serum TMAO content increased significantly.Compared with the model group,the 8h urinary microalbumin,KIM-1(P<0.01)and Scr(P<0.05)in the Jixiong Jiedu decoction group were significantly decreased,and there was no significant difference in BUN(P>0.05),and the renal pathological damage was significantly improved.The abundance of Lactobacillaceae and Lactobacillus in intestinal flora decreased significantly(P<0.01),while the abundance of Lachnospiraceae and Oscillospira increased significantly(P<0.01,P<0.05).The structure of gut microbiota,the abundance of dominant and non-dominant bacteria were positively adjusted,and the serum TMAO content was significantly decreased(P<0.01).Conclusion Jixiong Jiedu decoction effectively ameliorates intestinal flora disorders in db/db mice and regulates serum TMAO levels,thereby exerting a nephroprotective effect.

To prepare a recombinant adeno-associated virus(rAAV9-ZsGreen1-EsASP)capable of expressing the aspartic protease protein of Eimeria stiedai(E.stiedai),and explore its in vitro ac-tivity.The EsASP gene was amplified by PCR,and recombinant adeno-associated viral vector pAAV-IRES-ZsGreen1 was combined with the EsASP gene using homologous recombination to construct the pAAV-ZsGreen1-EsASP expression plasmid;pAAV-ZsGreen1-EsASP expression plasmid,pHelper,and pAAV-RC9 plasmids were cotransfected into HEK-293T cells by liposomal transfection to package and produce recombinant adeno-associated virus rAAV9-ZsGreen1-EsASP capable of expressing EsASP protein.rAAV9-ZsGreen1-EsASP was purified using chloroform treatment-PEG/NaCl precipitation-chloroform extraction method,the purity of the virus was iden-tified by silver staining,the virus morphology was observed by TEM,and virus titer was detected by qRT-PCR;the purified recombinant virus was further infected into HEK-293T cells,and EsASP expression was detected by observing green fluorescent protein ZsGreen1 and Western blot method.The results indicated that double enzyme digestion and DNA sequencing confirmed that the EsASP gene had been successfully constructed into the pAAV-IRES-ZsGreen1 expression plas-mid.The expression of green fluorescent protein in HEK-293T cells suggested that co-transfection was successful.Western blot results of cell protein preparation showed that EsASP protein was successfully expressed;The purified recombinant viral capsid proteins show three distinct bands(VP1-3).The purified rAAV9-ZsGreen1-EsASP was uniform in size,around 20 nm,and had a titer higher than 1.0 × 1012 vg/mL;Green fluorescent protein expression was observed after infection of HEK-293T cells with the recombinant virus,and EsASP expression was detected by Western blot.The results suggest that rAAV9-ZsGreen1-EsASP with in vitro infectious activity was suc-cessfully obtained,providing a material basis for the development of a novel vaccine against Eimer-ia stiedai.

To prepare a recombinant adeno-associated virus(rAAV9-ZsGreen1-EsASP)capable of expressing the aspartic protease protein of Eimeria stiedai(E.stiedai),and explore its in vitro ac-tivity.The EsASP gene was amplified by PCR,and recombinant adeno-associated viral vector pAAV-IRES-ZsGreen1 was combined with the EsASP gene using homologous recombination to construct the pAAV-ZsGreen1-EsASP expression plasmid;pAAV-ZsGreen1-EsASP expression plasmid,pHelper,and pAAV-RC9 plasmids were cotransfected into HEK-293T cells by liposomal transfection to package and produce recombinant adeno-associated virus rAAV9-ZsGreen1-EsASP capable of expressing EsASP protein.rAAV9-ZsGreen1-EsASP was purified using chloroform treatment-PEG/NaCl precipitation-chloroform extraction method,the purity of the virus was iden-tified by silver staining,the virus morphology was observed by TEM,and virus titer was detected by qRT-PCR;the purified recombinant virus was further infected into HEK-293T cells,and EsASP expression was detected by observing green fluorescent protein ZsGreen1 and Western blot method.The results indicated that double enzyme digestion and DNA sequencing confirmed that the EsASP gene had been successfully constructed into the pAAV-IRES-ZsGreen1 expression plas-mid.The expression of green fluorescent protein in HEK-293T cells suggested that co-transfection was successful.Western blot results of cell protein preparation showed that EsASP protein was successfully expressed;The purified recombinant viral capsid proteins show three distinct bands(VP1-3).The purified rAAV9-ZsGreen1-EsASP was uniform in size,around 20 nm,and had a titer higher than 1.0 × 1012 vg/mL;Green fluorescent protein expression was observed after infection of HEK-293T cells with the recombinant virus,and EsASP expression was detected by Western blot.The results suggest that rAAV9-ZsGreen1-EsASP with in vitro infectious activity was suc-cessfully obtained,providing a material basis for the development of a novel vaccine against Eimer-ia stiedai.

Objective To evaluate the impact of Jixiong Jiedu decoction on the efficacy of diabetic kidney disease in mice and its influence on intestinal flora and trimethylamine oxide(TMAO)levels.Methods Twelve 7-week-old male db/db mice were randomly assigned to the model group or Jixiong Jiedu decoction group(6 mice per group),while 6 male db/m mice were designated as the control group.Following 8 weeks of continuous gavage,we monitored the body weight and blood glucose levels of the mice at weeks 0,4,and 8.Additionally,we assessed urinary microalbumin,kidney injury molecule-1(KIM-1),creatinine(Scr),and urea nitrogen(BUN)levels in urine.Renal pathology was evaluated using HE and PAS staining.Furthermore,fecal samples underwent 16s RNA sequencing,and the serum TMAO levels were determined.Results Compared with the control group,the blood glucose,body weight,8-hour urinary microalbumin,KIM-1 and Scr in the model group were significantly increased,and the renal pathology showed that glomerular segmental mesangial matrix increased,glomerular volume hypertrophy and renal tubular epithelial cell swelling.The abundance of Lactobacillaceae and Lactobacillus in the model group was significantly increased(P<0.01).The abundance of Lachnospiraceae,Helicobacter and Oscillospira decreased significantly(P<0.01),the abundance of each bacterial group changed,and the serum TMAO content increased significantly.Compared with the model group,the 8h urinary microalbumin,KIM-1(P<0.01)and Scr(P<0.05)in the Jixiong Jiedu decoction group were significantly decreased,and there was no significant difference in BUN(P>0.05),and the renal pathological damage was significantly improved.The abundance of Lactobacillaceae and Lactobacillus in intestinal flora decreased significantly(P<0.01),while the abundance of Lachnospiraceae and Oscillospira increased significantly(P<0.01,P<0.05).The structure of gut microbiota,the abundance of dominant and non-dominant bacteria were positively adjusted,and the serum TMAO content was significantly decreased(P<0.01).Conclusion Jixiong Jiedu decoction effectively ameliorates intestinal flora disorders in db/db mice and regulates serum TMAO levels,thereby exerting a nephroprotective effect.

Objective To investigate the effect of solasonine,an active component of Solanum nigrum,on proliferation and apoptosis of non-small cell lung cancer PC9 cells.Methods PC9 cells were treated with 2,5,10,15,20,or 25 μmol/L solasonine,and the changes in cell proliferation were examined using CCK-8 assay.Tetramethyl rhodamine ethyl ester(TMRE)was used to detect the changes in mitochondrial membrane potential,and caspase-3/7 detection kit and GreenNuc? caspase-3/Annexin V-mCherry kit for live cell were used to analyze the changes in caspase-3 of the cells.Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining was employed to analyze the apoptosis rate of the cells.The effect of PTEN inhibitors on solasonine-induced cell apoptosis was examined by detecting apoptosis-related protein expressions using Western blotting.Results Solasonine treatment for 24,48,and 72 h significantly lowered the viability of PC9 cells.The cells treated with solasonine for 24 h showed significantly decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and increased cell apoptosis with enhanced caspase-3/7 and caspase-3 activities and expression of cleaved caspase-3.Solasonine treatment significantly decreased phosphorylation levels of PI3K and Akt,increased the protein expressions of PTEN and Bax,and lowered the expression of Bcl-2 protein in the cells.Conclusion Solasonine inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis of PC9 cells by regulating the Bcl-2/Bax/caspase-3 pathway and its upstream proteins.

Objective To investigate the role of lncSIL in transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1)-induced alveo-lar epithelial interstitial transformation(EMT)and its related signaling pathways.Methods Western blot was used to detect the effect of lncSIL silencing on the expression of E-cadherin(E-cad),alpha-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA)and Collagen I(Col I)in the process of EMT induced by TGF-β1.LncSIL interacting proteins were ana-lyzed by RNA pulldown.Western blot was used to detect the effect of overexpression or silencing of lncSIL on the expression of its target gene enhancer of zeste homolog 2(EZH2)and its downstream factors P21 and cyclin-de-pendent kinase 6(CDK6).Flow cytometry was used to analyze the effect of lncSIL on cell cycle progression.Re-sults After lncSIL silencing,the expression of α-SMA and Col I increased,the expression of E-cad decreased.RNA pulldown assay showed that EZH2 was the target protein that interacted with lncSIL,and the expression of EZH2 increased after silencing lncSIL,the expression of EZH2 downstream gene P21 decreased,CDK6 increased.Flow cytometry showed that the number of cells in S phase significantly increased.When lncSIL was overexpressed,the expression of EZH2 and CDK6 was down-regulated,the expression of P21 was up-regulated,and the number of S phase cells significantly decreased.Conclusion LncSIL inhibits TGF-β1-induced alveolar epithelial cell mesen-chymal transition by negatively regulating EZH2/P21/CDK6 signaling pathway to inhibit cell cycle progression.

Objective To investigate the effect of solasonine,an active component of Solanum nigrum,on proliferation and apoptosis of non-small cell lung cancer PC9 cells.Methods PC9 cells were treated with 2,5,10,15,20,or 25 μmol/L solasonine,and the changes in cell proliferation were examined using CCK-8 assay.Tetramethyl rhodamine ethyl ester(TMRE)was used to detect the changes in mitochondrial membrane potential,and caspase-3/7 detection kit and GreenNuc? caspase-3/Annexin V-mCherry kit for live cell were used to analyze the changes in caspase-3 of the cells.Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining was employed to analyze the apoptosis rate of the cells.The effect of PTEN inhibitors on solasonine-induced cell apoptosis was examined by detecting apoptosis-related protein expressions using Western blotting.Results Solasonine treatment for 24,48,and 72 h significantly lowered the viability of PC9 cells.The cells treated with solasonine for 24 h showed significantly decreased mitochondrial membrane potential and increased cell apoptosis with enhanced caspase-3/7 and caspase-3 activities and expression of cleaved caspase-3.Solasonine treatment significantly decreased phosphorylation levels of PI3K and Akt,increased the protein expressions of PTEN and Bax,and lowered the expression of Bcl-2 protein in the cells.Conclusion Solasonine inhibits proliferation and induces apoptosis of PC9 cells by regulating the Bcl-2/Bax/caspase-3 pathway and its upstream proteins.

Objective:To clarify the key genes and biological processes in spermatogenesis, integrate and analyze the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and key signaling pathways in the differentiation process of human spermatogonia (SPG), and to explore the early molecular mechanism of spermatogenesis, increase the molecular biology understanding of SPG differentiation process.Methods:The transcriptome data of human undifferentiated spermatogonia and differentiated spermatogonia (dSPG) were downloaded from the public database. Hisat2 and StingTie were used to screen DEGs. DEGs were analyzed by gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) functional enrichment analysis. MACS2 software was used to analyze the open chromatin regions (OCRs) in ATAC-seq data.Results:A total of 8 532 DEGs were screened, including 4 127 up-regulated genes and 4 405 down-regulated genes. They regulate the differentiation of SPG through some important biological processes, such as cell cycle, cytokine-mediated signaling pathways, organic matter metabolism, cell movement, and methylation. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that some important signaling pathways including FoxO signaling pathway and JAK-STAT signaling pathway played an important role in SPG differentiation. GO enrichment analysis showed that methylation played an important role in the differentiation of SPG, and the expression of methylation-related genes was significantly different. The TDRDs family was significantly enriched, and 9 TDRDs genes were found to be more active in dSPG. Conclusion:In this study, the differentially expressed genes during SPG differentiation were identified by bioinformatics analysis, and the differences in transcription and chromatin levels of key genes were clarified, which laid an important theoretical foundation for the study of SPG differentiation mechanism.

Objective:To clarify the key genes and biological processes in spermatogenesis, integrate and analyze the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and key signaling pathways in the differentiation process of human spermatogonia (SPG), and to explore the early molecular mechanism of spermatogenesis, increase the molecular biology understanding of SPG differentiation process.Methods:The transcriptome data of human undifferentiated spermatogonia and differentiated spermatogonia (dSPG) were downloaded from the public database. Hisat2 and StingTie were used to screen DEGs. DEGs were analyzed by gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) functional enrichment analysis. MACS2 software was used to analyze the open chromatin regions (OCRs) in ATAC-seq data.Results:A total of 8 532 DEGs were screened, including 4 127 up-regulated genes and 4 405 down-regulated genes. They regulate the differentiation of SPG through some important biological processes, such as cell cycle, cytokine-mediated signaling pathways, organic matter metabolism, cell movement, and methylation. KEGG enrichment analysis showed that some important signaling pathways including FoxO signaling pathway and JAK-STAT signaling pathway played an important role in SPG differentiation. GO enrichment analysis showed that methylation played an important role in the differentiation of SPG, and the expression of methylation-related genes was significantly different. The TDRDs family was significantly enriched, and 9 TDRDs genes were found to be more active in dSPG. Conclusion:In this study, the differentially expressed genes during SPG differentiation were identified by bioinformatics analysis, and the differences in transcription and chromatin levels of key genes were clarified, which laid an important theoretical foundation for the study of SPG differentiation mechanism.

Objective:To assess the interobserver and inter-modalities agreement with two non-invasive diagnostic modalities of hepatocellular carcinoma in high-risk patients: contrast-enhanced ultrasound liver imaging reporting and data system (CEUS LI-RADS) and magnetic resonance imaging liver imaging reporting and data system (MRI LI-RADS).Methods:From August 2017 to August 2019, the CEUS and MRI data of patients at high risk for HCC from the Second Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University School of Medicine were analyzed retrospectively. A total of 217 lesions in 173 patients were classified according to CEUS LI-RADS v. 2017 or MRI LI-RADS v. 2018, by 4 blinded independent observers with more than 10 years of experience of CEUS or MRI. Interobserver and inter-modalities agreement was assessed with Cohen′s kappa.Results:The interobserver agreement was moderate and comparable for CEUS/MRI LI-RADS category (κ=0.606/0.603), the inter-modalities agreement was moderate for CEUS and MRI LI-RADS category (κ=0.564), LI-RADS 3, M, 4 and 5 by two imaging methods showed that the Kappa values were 0.739, 0.551, 0.734 and 0.592, respectively.Conclusions:The total inter-modalities agreement between CEUS and MRI LI-RADS categories is moderate, while the agreements of LI-RADS 3, 4 are strong, and LI-RADS M, 5 are moderate.