Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), including non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL), non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and advanced fibrosis, is a leading cause of chronic liver disease worldwide, progressing to cirrhosis and ultimately hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Excessive accumulation of fatty acids in the liver triggers multiple forms of hepatocyte death and exacerbates NAFLD progression, with pyroptosis and apoptosis considered key events. Recent studies show that cysteine aspartic acid specific protease-3 (caspase-3) is a central regulator of both pyroptosis and apoptosis in NAFLD. Activated caspase-3 not only directly induces apoptosis but also cleaves the N-terminal domain of gasdermin E (GSDME), disrupts cell membranes, releases inflammatory factors, and thereby mediates pyroptosis. Inhibiting caspase-3 expression in NAFLD can alleviate hepatocyte injury (such as ballooning degeneration), dampen pro-inflammatory signaling, and reduce apoptosis. Caspase-3 acts as a key node coordinating pyroptosis and apoptosis and may serve as a novel therapeutic target for the prevention and treatment of NAFLD.
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/metabolism* ; Humans ; Pyroptosis/physiology* ; Apoptosis/physiology* ; Caspase 3/physiology* ; Animals ; Gasdermins

ObjectiveBy studying acupuncture at Neiguan (PC6), Shuigou (GV26), and Baihui (GV20) in septic shock patients, to observe the effect of acupuncture on T cell subsets, vital signs, white blood cell (WBC) count, and procalcitonin (PCT) level in septicshock patients.MethodSixty patients were randomized into a treatment group and a control group. The control group was intervened by symptomatic managements including supplementing blood volume, anti-inflammation, nutrition support, and organ protection, and the treatment group was by acupuncture at Neiguan, Shuigou, and Baihui in addition to the intervention given to the control group. The T cell subsets contents were detected before and after intervention, and serum PCT level, APACHEⅡscore, vital signs, and WBC count were determined on day 1, 3, 5, and 7.ResultIn the treatment group, T cell subsets including CD3﹢, CD4﹢, and CD4﹢/CD8﹢increased significantly after intervention (P<0.01,P<0.05), while CD8﹢dropped significantly afterintervention (P<0.05), and the changes in the treatment group were all markedly superior to that in the control group (P<0.05). The decrease of PCT level in the treatment group was more significant than that in the control group after treatment, the PCTlevel dropped significantly on the 5th day in the treatment group compared to that before treatment, and the inter-group difference was statistically significant after the 3rd day (P<0.01); the APACHEⅡscore in the treatment group was different from that in the control group after 3 d treatment, and the score was significantly changed in the treatment group after 5 d treatment (P<0.05); the body temperature, heart rate, inspiration, WBC count all showed decrease or improvement, and the improvements of vitalsigns in the treatment group were more significant than that in the control group (P<0.01,P<0.05).ConclusionAcupuncture at Baihui, Shuigou, and Neiguan can improve the immune function of septic shock patients, and its treatment effect is confirmed.