Objective To clarify the role and underlying mechanism of macrophage-to-myofibroblast transition (MMT) in renal fibrosis that develops after acute kidney injury (AKI) induced by ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI). Methods Mouse AKI model was generated by renal ischemia-reperfusion. Animals were randomized into control (Con), sham operated (Sham), and IRI groups sacrificed at 1 d (IRI 1 d), 3 d (IRI 3 d) and 14 d (IRI 14 d) after reperfusion (n = 5). Renal injury was assessed by renal coefficient, serum creatinine (Scr) and kidney injury molecule-1 (KIM-1). Periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining was used to evaluate tubular damage and inflammatory infiltration. Masson staining and immunohistochemistry were employed to quantify collagen deposition, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and type I collagen (COL I). Flow cytometry was used to determine macrophage infiltration and phenotype. MMT was identified by flow cytometry plus immunofluorescence. Transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1/Smad3 pathway proteins were examined by Western blotting. Results Compared with Sham group, renal coefficient, Scr and KIM-1 rose in IRI 1 d group, renal coefficient and KIM-1 remained elevated in IRI 3 d group. Compared with the IRI 1 d group, the renal coefficient and KIM-1 decreased in the IRI 14 d group. Compared with the IRI 3 d group, the renal coefficient, Scr and KIM-1 decreased in the IRI 14 d group (all P < 0.05). PAS revealed the most severe tubular injury at IRI 3 d. Masson staining showed progressively increasing collagen deposition, while immunohistochemistry demonstrated α-SMA and COL I rising from day 1 and persisting to day 14 (all P < 0.05). Macrophage infiltration increased from day 1 and lasted to day 14 (P < 0.05). M1 macrophages peaked at day 1 then declined, whereas M2 macrophages increased at day 3 and remained high through day 14 (P < 0.05). MMT began to rise at day 3 and continued to day 14 and M2 macrophages were the predominant source of MMT cells (all P < 0.05). Compared with Sham group, TGF-β1 protein was up-regulated and p-Smad3/Smad3 ratio was elevated in all IRI groups (all P < 0.05). Conclusions M2 macrophages promote post-IRI-AKI renal fibrosis via MMT, a process closely linked to activation of the TGF-β1/Smad3 signaling pathway.

Objective To investigate the effect of ubiquitin specific peptidase 22 (USP22) on the occurrence and development of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) under hypoxic conditions, and its regulatory relationship with hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α). Methods Western blotting and quantitative polymerase chain reaction were used to detect the differences in USP22 protein and mRNA expression between normal esophageal epithelial cells HEEC and ESCC cell lines KYSE30, KYSE150, EC9706, and TE-1 under normoxic (5% CO2, 20% O2, 75% N2) and hypoxic (5% CO2, 1% O2, 94% N2) conditions. By transfecting USP22 plasmid or siUSP22, ESCC cells were divided into a normoxia control group, a normoxia+USP22 group, a normoxia+siUSP22 group, a hypoxia control group, a hypoxia+USP22 group, and a hypoxia+siUSP22 group. The proliferation and migration abilities of cells in each group were detected. The expression of USP22 and HIF-1α under hypoxic conditions after up-regulating or down-regulating USP22 was detected, and their regulatory relationship was verified. The interaction between USP22 and HIF-1α was verified by co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) technique. Results Compared with HEEC cells, the expression of USP22 in ESCC cells was significantly increased (P<0.05). Up-regulation of USP22 expression promoted the proliferation and migration of ESCC cells, while silencing USP22 inhibited the proliferation and migration of ESCC cells (P<0.05). Under hypoxic conditions, the expression of USP22 and HIF-1α increased, and with the up-regulation of USP22 expression, the expression of HIF-1α also significantly increased (P<0.05). Co-IP experiment confirmed the binding between USP22 and HIF-1α. Conclusion Up-regulation of USP22 expression promotes the proliferation and migration of ESCC cells. Hypoxia microenvironment can induce the increase of USP22 expression in ESCC. USP22 may participate in the regulation of the occurrence and development of ESCC by directly binding to HIF-1α.

ObjectiveTo systematically retrieve， analyze， and summarize the basic information and clinical research evidence of Chinese patent medicines （CPMs） for endometriosis via a scoping review method. MethodsCPMs indicated for EM were identified from three major drug lists， CNKI， clinical guidelines， and textbooks. Relevant clinical studies were retrieved from eight Chinese and English databases from inception to April 1， 2025. Key data from included studies were extracted to analyze characteristics of CPMs and their clinical evidence. ResultsA total of 18 CPMs were included， among which those with blood-activating and stasis-resolving effects accounted for the highest proportion. Constituent herbs predominantly exhibited sweet， bitter， and pungent flavors， with tropism to the liver and spleen meridians. Daily treatment costs varied substantially across CPMs. The 438 included studies involved 13 CPMs， among which Guizhi Fuling capsules/pills， Sanjie Zhentong capsules， and Dan'e Fukang soft extract/granules were the most extensively studied. Randomized controlled trials （RCTs） were the predominant study design. The most common comparison was between CPMs combined with Western medicine and Western medicine alone. The largest number of studies reported a sample size of 51-100 cases. The high-frequency outcome indicators covered 10 domains， including clinical response rate， adverse reactions， female hormone levels， serum CA125 levels， and recurrence status. ConclusionMultiple oral CPMs demonstrate efficacy in EM management， yet inadequate safety profiles persist in drug labeling. The annual number of clinical studies on oral CPMs for endometriosis showed an overall increasing trend. However， clinical research has shortcomings including uneven distribution of CPMs， small sample sizes， and suboptimal methodological rigor. Future efforts should focus on updating drug indications and safety information in package inserts， conducting high-quality clinical research， and generating more robust evidence to support the clinical use of oral CPMs for EM.

ObjectiveTo systematically retrieve， analyze， and summarize the basic information and clinical research evidence of Chinese patent medicines （CPMs） for endometriosis via a scoping review method. MethodsCPMs indicated for EM were identified from three major drug lists， CNKI， clinical guidelines， and textbooks. Relevant clinical studies were retrieved from eight Chinese and English databases from inception to April 1， 2025. Key data from included studies were extracted to analyze characteristics of CPMs and their clinical evidence. ResultsA total of 18 CPMs were included， among which those with blood-activating and stasis-resolving effects accounted for the highest proportion. Constituent herbs predominantly exhibited sweet， bitter， and pungent flavors， with tropism to the liver and spleen meridians. Daily treatment costs varied substantially across CPMs. The 438 included studies involved 13 CPMs， among which Guizhi Fuling capsules/pills， Sanjie Zhentong capsules， and Dan'e Fukang soft extract/granules were the most extensively studied. Randomized controlled trials （RCTs） were the predominant study design. The most common comparison was between CPMs combined with Western medicine and Western medicine alone. The largest number of studies reported a sample size of 51-100 cases. The high-frequency outcome indicators covered 10 domains， including clinical response rate， adverse reactions， female hormone levels， serum CA125 levels， and recurrence status. ConclusionMultiple oral CPMs demonstrate efficacy in EM management， yet inadequate safety profiles persist in drug labeling. The annual number of clinical studies on oral CPMs for endometriosis showed an overall increasing trend. However， clinical research has shortcomings including uneven distribution of CPMs， small sample sizes， and suboptimal methodological rigor. Future efforts should focus on updating drug indications and safety information in package inserts， conducting high-quality clinical research， and generating more robust evidence to support the clinical use of oral CPMs for EM.

Hepatitis E is an acute and self-limiting viral hepatitis caused by the hepatitis E virus (HEV). It has a higher mortality rate among immunosuppressed patients and pregnant women infected with HEV. Although HEV infections in humans are mostly caused by contaminated water or food worldwide, the incidence of transfusion-transmitted hepatitis E is continuously rising. Additionally, the prevalence of serum anti-HEV IgG in the blood donors in China is at a relatively high level, making it worth considering screening blood donors for HEV. This article briefly reviews the globally reported cases of transfusion-transmitted hepatitis E and the HEV screening strategies for blood donations.

Objective: To explore the mechanism of action of Zangjiangzhi capsule (ZJZC) in treating hyperlipidemia (HLP). Methods: The components of ZJZC were analyzed and identified using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography with Q-Exactive Orbitrap tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Exactive-Orbitrap-MS/MS). Network pharmacology analysis was used to explore the mechanism of action of ZJZC in HLP treatment. The SwissTargetPrediction database was used to predict compound targets, and GeneCards, DisGeNet, OMIM, and DRUGBANK databases were used to identify HLP-related targets. Protein–protein interaction diagrams were constructed using the STRING database. The targets were subjected to gene ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. The “herb-ingredient-target” network was visualized using Cytoscape. Preliminary validation was performed using molecular docking and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results: Ninety compounds were identified in ZJZC, including 34 flavonoids, 12 phenols, 10 terpenoids, 10 alkaloids, 8 organic acids, 8 anthraquinones, and 9 other compounds. In total, 904 targets were identified for these compounds. Among them, 158 targets intersected with the HLP target network. Network pharmacology analysis showed that MAPK1, PPAR-α, RXRA, HSP90AA1, PIK3R1, AKT1, PIK3CA, IL6, TNF, and ESR1 are the key targets of action. KEGG enrichment analysis identified 164 pathways. Among these, the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications, lipid and atherosclerosis pathways, regulation of lipids in adipocytes, and insulin resistance are related to HLP. Molecular docking showed good affinity between the key targets and ingredients. Further, ZJZC treatment in mice resulted in lower expression of MAPK1 protein and increased expression of PPAR-α protein, which have been shown to be strongly associated with HLP. Conclusions This study showed that ZJZC contains various active ingredients and can modulate multiple targets and pathways associated with HLP, providing evidence at the molecular level for its clinical application in the treatment of HLP.

Objective:To investigate the safety and efficacy of flow diverter (FD) in the treatment of middle cerebral artery (MCA) dissection aneurysms.Methods:Patients with MCA dissection aneurysm received FD treatment at the Department of Neurosurgery, Jinjiang Hospital and the Cerebrovascular Disease Center of the First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University from January 2021 to December 2023 were included retrospectively. The success rate of procedure, incidence of complications, occlusion rate of aneurysms, and clinical outcome were evaluated.Results:A total of 23 patients were included, with a success rate of 100% for FD implantation and a periprocedural complication rate of 8.7%. Nineteen patients (82.6%) completed angiography follow-up within an average of 7.2 months, of which the aneurysms of 16 patients (84.2%) were completely occluded, 3 (15.8%) were partial occluded, and 2 (10.5%) experienced in-stent restenosis; 14 (73.7%) showed stenosis of covered branch openings, of which 2 (10.5%) had branch occlusions, with no relevant clinical symptoms. The median clinical follow-up time was 23.2 months, with 95.7% of patients achieving good outcome (modified Rankin scale score ≤2).Conclusion:FD is safe and effective in the treatment of MCA dissection aneurysms, and precise device selection and release is the key to improving procedural safety.

[Objective] To investigate the factors associated with alanine aminotransferase (ALT) abnormalities in multi-ethnic blood donors across five Zang autonomous prefectures in the plateau regions of Qinghai Province, and to provide evidence for ensuring blood safety and formulating screening strategies. [Methods] A retrospective analysis was performed on the ALT abnormal test results of blood donors in the Zang autonomous prefectures of Qinghai from 2022 to 2024. The correlations between ALT levels and factors including gender, age, altitude, and infectious markers were investigated. [Results] The overall ALT unqualified rate among blood donors in this region was 9.01%. Significant differences in ALT levels were observed across genders and age groups (P<0.05). Variations in ALT abnormality rates were also noted among different plateau regions (P<0.05). Overall, ALT values exhibited an increasing trend with rising altitude. The average ALT unqualified rates were 11.19% in Zang donors, 7.96% in Han donors, and 4.79% in donors from other ethnic groups (P<0.05). No statistically significant association was observed between ALT abnormality and the presence of HBV/HCV infectious markers (P>0.05). [Conclusion] In the plateau areas of Qinghai, multi-ethnic blood donors have a relatively high ALT levels and ALT unqualified rates, showing distinct regional characteristics. ALT elevation in voluntary blood donors is related to non-pathological factors such as gender, age, and dietary habits, but not to infectious indicators.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is an idiopathic intestinal inflammatory condition with chronic and relapsing manifestations and is characterized by a disturbance in the interplay between the intestinal microbiota, the gut, and the brain. The microbiota-gut-brain axis involves interactions among the nervous system, the neuroendocrine system, the gut microbiota, and the host immune system. Increasing published data indicate that psychological stress exacerbates the severity of IBD due to its negative effects on the microbiota-gut-brain axis, including alterations in the stress response of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, the balance between the sympathetic nervous system and vagus nerves, the homeostasis of the intestinal flora and metabolites, and normal intestinal immunity and permeability. Although the current evidence is insufficient, psychotropic agents, psychotherapies, and interventions targeting the microbiota-gut-brain axis show the potential to improve symptoms and quality of life in IBD patients. Therefore, further studies that translate recent findings into therapeutic approaches that improve both physical and psychological well-being are needed.
Humans ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/metabolism* ; Stress, Psychological/microbiology* ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/physiology* ; Brain/metabolism* ; Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System ; Pituitary-Adrenal System ; Animals