AIM:To observe the changes of Th17 related cytokines in tears of conjunctivochalasis(CCH)patients with liver-kidney yin deficiency treated with traditional Chinese medicine Qi Jing Mingmu decoction combined with artificial tears.METHODS:A total of 56 CCH patients(56 eyes)with liver-kidney yin deficiency of grade Ⅱ to Ⅲ were collected and randomly divided into treatment group(treated with Qi Jing Mingmu decoction combined with artificial tears)of 26 cases(26 eyes)and control group(treated with pure artificial tears)of 30 cases(30 eyes). The treatment course was 1 mo, and international ocular surface disease index(OSDI), tear film break-up time(BUT), tear meniscus height(TMH)and conjunctival congestion index of the patients were observed before and after treatment. The patients' tears were collected before and after treatment, and Th17 related cytokines in tears were detected using flow cytometry immunofluorescence luminescence method.RESULTS:After treatment, the OSDI, BUT and conjunctival congestion index of CCH patients in the treatment group and control group were significantly improved(all P<0.01). After treatment, the TMH of CCH patients in the treatment group was significantly reduced(P<0.01), while there was no statistically significant difference in TMH of the control group before and after treatment(P=0.41). After treatment, the levels of Th17 related cytokines IL-17A, IL-22, IFN-γ, IL-17F, and IL-1β in tears of CCH patients in the treatment group were significantly reduced after treatment(all P<0.01), and the changes in the treatment group were more significant(all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the control group before and after treatment(all P>0.05). After treatment, the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in the tears of both groups of CCH patients decreased compared to those before treatment(both P<0.05), but the changes in the treatment group were more significant(both P<0.01).CONCLUSION:Qi Jing Mingmu decoction combined with artificial tears can effectively improve the ocular surface microenvironment, enhance tear film stability, and inhibit ocular surface inflammation in CCH patients with liver-kidney yin deficiency. This may be related to its reduction in the secretion of Th17 related cytokines in tears.

OBJECTIVES: Osteoarthritis (OA) and sarcopenia are significant health concerns in the elderly, substantially impacting their daily activities and quality of life. However, the relationship between them remains poorly understood. This study aims to uncover common biomarkers and pathways associated with both OA and sarcopenia. METHODS: Gene expression profiles related to OA and sarcopenia were retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between disease and control groups were identified using R software. Common DEGs were extracted via Venn diagram analysis. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were conducted to identify biological processes and pathways associated with shared DEGs. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were constructed, and candidate hub genes were ranked using the maximal clique centrality (MCC) algorithm. Further validation of hub gene expression was performed using 2 independent datasets. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to evaluate the predictive value of key genes for OA and sarcopenia. Mouse models of OA and sarcopenia were established. Hematoxylin-eosin and Safranin O/Fast Green staining were used to validate the OA model. The sarcopenia model was validated via rotarod testing and quadriceps muscle mass measurement. Real-time reverse transcription PCR (real-time RT-PCR) was employed to assess the mRNA expression levels of candidate key genes in both models. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was conducted to identify pathways associated with the selected shared key genes in both diseases. RESULTS: A total of 89 common DEGs were identified in the gene expression profiles of OA and sarcopenia, including 76 upregulated and 13 downregulated genes. These 89 DEGs were significantly enriched in protein digestion and absorption, the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, and extracellular matrix-receptor interaction. PPI network analysis and MCC algorithm analysis of the 89 common DEGs identified the top 17 candidate hub genes. Based on the differential expression analysis of these 17 candidate hub genes in the validation datasets, AEBP1 and COL8A2 were ultimately selected as the common key genes for both diseases, both of which showed a significant upregulation trend in the disease groups (all P<0.05). The value of area under the curve (AUC) for AEBP1 and COL8A2 in the OA and sarcopenia datasets were all greater than 0.7, indicating that both genes have potential value in predicting OA and sarcopenia. Real-time RT-PCR results showed that the mRNA expression levels of AEBP1 and COL8A2 were significantly upregulated in the disease groups (all P<0.05), consistent with the results observed in the bioinformatics analysis. GSEA revealed that AEBP1 and COL8A2 were closely related to extracellular matrix-receptor interaction, ribosome, and oxidative phosphorylation in OA and sarcopenia. CONCLUSIONS AEBP1 and COL8A2 have the potential to serve as common biomarkers for OA and sarcopenia. The extracellular matrix-receptor interaction pathway may represent a potential target for the prevention and treatment of both OA and sarcopenia.
Sarcopenia/genetics* ; Osteoarthritis/genetics* ; Computational Biology/methods* ; Humans ; Protein Interaction Maps/genetics* ; Animals ; Mice ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Gene Ontology ; Transcriptome ; Male ; Signal Transduction/genetics* ; Gene Regulatory Networks

OBJECTIVES: Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common chronic degenerative diseases, with chondrocyte apoptosis and extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation as the major pathological changes. The mechanical stimulation can attenuate chondrocyte apoptosis and promote ECM synthesis, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the role of primary cilia (PC) in mediating the effects of mechanical stimulation on OA progression. METHODS: In vivo, conditional knockout mice lacking intraflagellar transport 88 (IFT88^flox/flox IFT88 knockout; i.e., primary cilia-deficient mice) were generated, with wild-type mice as controls. OA models were established via anterior cruciate ligament transection combined with destabilization of the medial meniscus, followed by treadmill exercise intervention. OA progression was evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin staining, safranin O-fast green staining, and immunohistochemistry; apoptosis was assessed by TUNEL staining; and limb function by rotarod testing. In vitro, primary articular chondrocytes were isolated from mice and transfected with lentiviral vectors to suppress IFT88 expression, thereby constructing a primary cilia-deficient cell model. Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) was used to induce an inflammatory environment, while cyclic tensile strain (CTS) was applied via a cell stretcher to mimic mechanical loading on chondrocytes. Immunofluorescence and Western blotting were used to detect the protein expression levels of type II collagen α1 chain (COL2A1), primary cilia, IFT88, and caspase-12; reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was performed to assess COL2A1 mRNA levels; and flow cytometry was used to evaluate apoptosis. RESULTS: In vivo, treadmill exercise significantly reduced Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) scores and apoptotic cell rates, and improved balance ability in wild-type OA mice, whereas IFT88-deficient OA mice showed no significant improvement. In vitro, CTS inhibited IL-1β-induced ECM degradation and apoptosis in primary chondrocytes; however, this protective effect was abolished in cells with suppressed primary cilia expression. CONCLUSIONS Mechanical stimulation delays OA progression by mediating signal transduction through primary cilia, thereby inhibiting cartilage degeneration and chondrocyte apoptosis.
Animals ; Chondrocytes/cytology* ; Apoptosis/physiology* ; Mice ; Cilia/metabolism* ; Osteoarthritis/pathology* ; Extracellular Matrix/metabolism* ; Mice, Knockout ; Disease Progression ; Interleukin-1beta ; Male ; Cells, Cultured

Dry eye is an age-related disease characterized by tear film instability and ocular discomfort.Its onset is closely related to various factors such as age and environment.Studies have shown that oxidative stress plays a key role in the pathogenesis of dry eyes.This review mainly describes the mechanism of oxidative stress by activating autophagy,in-flammation and aging to induce dry eyes,and the application progress of the antioxidants from natural foods in relieving the oxidative stress state of the ocular surface and treating dry eyes.

Cataract is a common eye disease caused by metabolic disorders of the lens, which can lead to visual impairment or blindness. Its occurrence and development are affected by various factors, among which age is the most important factor. At present, drug therapy only has a delaying effect on early cataracts, but surgical treatment is still needed for cataracts that affect vision in the middle and late stages. Therefore, it is crucial to establish an experimental cataract model and explore appropriate drugs for preventing and treating cataracts. D-galactose has been widely used in the study of aging animal models, and is often used in the models of diabetes cataract and age-related cataract. This article elaborates on the pathogenesis, modeling methods, and evaluation criteria for successful modeling of D-galactose-induced cataract models, in order to guide experimental researches related to cataract prevention and treatment.

Objective To study the protective effect of polydatin on lipopolysaccharide-induced injury of human umbilical vein vascular endothelial cells(HUVECs)through the protein Janus kinase 2(JAK2)/signal transducers and activators of transcription 3(STAT3)signaling pathway.Methods HUVECs were cultured in vitro,and 500 ng/ml LPS induced their injury and set as a model group;based on the model group,endothelial cells were inter-vened with different concentrations(10,20,and 40 μmol/L)of polydatin for 24 h,and set as polydatin low concentration group,polydatin medium concentration group,and polydatin high concentration group,respectively;a control group was set as another group.CCK-8,monocyte-endothelial cell adhesion,scratch and Transwell assays were used to detect cell viability,adhesion,migration and invasive ability;ELISA was used to detect interleukin-6(IL-6)and tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α)levels in the cell supernatant;Western blot was used to detect the expression of proteins related to the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway levels of JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway relat-ed proteins.Results Compared with the control group,the model group showed decreased cell survival(P＜0.01),increased cell adhesion,migration and invasion(P＜0.001,P＜0.05,P＜0.01),increased levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in the cell supernatant(P＜0.001),and increased levels of phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT3 pro-teins in the cells(P＜0.05).Compared with the model group,LPS damage to cells was attenuated after polydatin intervention,cell survival was increased in polydatin low-,medium-and high-concentration groups(P＜0.05),cell adhesion,migration,and invasion decreased(P＜0.05,P＜0.05,P＜0.001),IL-6 and TNF-α levels in cell supernatants decreased(P＜0.05),and the levels of cellular JAK2 and STAT3 protein phosphorylation lev-els decreased(P＜0.05).Conclusion Polydatin seems to reduce the inflammatory injury of human umbilical vein endothelial cells induced by LPS,reducing the secretion of inflammatory factors,and inhibiting the ability of cell ad-hesion,migration and invasion,which may be related to the down-regulation of JAK2/STAT3 signal pathway by polydatin.

AIM To explore the clinical effects of Polygonum cuspidatum Sieb.et Zucc.on patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus of Dampness-Heat Pattern.METHODS One hundred and forty patients were randomly assigned into control group(70 cases)for 8-week intervention of conventional treatment,and observation group(70 cases)for 8-week intervention of both P.cuspidatum granules and conventional treatment.The changes in body weight,BMI,blood glucose indices(FBG,2 h PG,HbA1C,GA),blood lipid indices(TC,TG,HDL-C,LDL-C,ApoA-I,ApoB,ApoA,ApoE,sdLDL-C),liver function indices(ALT,AST),fatty liver progression,TyG,HSI,TCM syndrome score and effects were detected.RESULTS The observation group demonstrated higher total effective rates of TCM syndromes than the control group(P＜0.01),along with slighter fatty liver progression(P＜0.01).After the treatment,the observation group displayed decreased body weight,BMI,FBG,GA,TG,ApoE,TyG,HSI,ALT and TCM syndrome score(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),and 2 h PG,TyG,HSI,ALT,TCM syndrome score were lower than those in the control group(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).CONCLUSION For the patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus of Dampness-Heat Pattern,P.cuspidatum can improve glucose and lipid metabolism disorders,which is worthy of clinical popularization and application.

Objective:The problems associated with child health continue to constitute a global concern,and child morbidity and mortality remain problematic in Sub-Sahara Africa(SSA).Utilizing a community-based survey conducted in Ibadan North Local government,Southwest Nigeria the study examined the influences of maternal perceived self-efficacy(MPSE)and maternal perceived vulnerability(MPV)on child health outcomes(CHO).Methods:The study appraised data from 683 nursing mothers aged 15-45 obtained from 20 major primary healthcare centers in the region undergoing routine health checks for their children.Three regression models were fitted to examine the effects of MPV,MPSE,and confounding variables of maternal preventive actions such as insecticide-treated nets(ITN)usage and child immunization,among other maternal and child sociodemographic attributes on CHO.Results:The study finds that MPV has no correlation with CHO and MPSE but positively correlates with maternal age(r=0.123,P＜0.05).However,CHO has a negative correlation with MPSE(r=-0.200,P＜0.05)while positively correlated with child age(r=0.134,P＜0.05).MPSE has a unique effect on CHO(β=-0.203,P＜0.05),maternal preventive action of ITN usage show a positive association with CHO in the study Model 2(β=-0.163,P＜0.05),while in Model 3,child's age has a positive association with CHO(β=0.180,P＜0.05).The net effect of the study models accounted for approximately 10％of the variance in CHO reported among the children.Conclusion:Overall,MPSE and ITN usage are essential factors for understanding and reducing the potential adverse CHO.Global effort must continue to improve maternal education to support child health and preventive care practices in SSA.

Cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) activity is correlated with worse outcomes of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients. The heterodimer between CDK9 with cyclin T1 is essential for maintaining the active state of the kinase and targeting this protein-protein interaction (PPI) may offer promising avenues for selective CDK9 inhibition. Herein, we designed and generated a library of metal complexes bearing the 7-chloro-2-phenylquinoline CˆN ligand and tested their activity against the CDK9-cyclin T1 PPI. Complex 1 bound to CDK9 via an enthalpically-driven binding mode, leading to disruption of the CDK9-cyclin T1 interaction in vitro and in cellulo. Importantly, complex 1 showed promising anti-metastatic activity against TNBC allografts in mice and was comparably active compared to cisplatin. To our knowledge, 1 is the first CDK9-cyclin T1 PPI inhibitor with anti-metastatic activity against TNBC. Complex 1 could serve as a new platform for the future design of more efficacious kinase inhibitors against cancer, including TNBC.

Objective:To investigate the printability and cytocompatibility of sodium alginate-gelatin (AG) bioink containing platelet-rich plasma derived from human umbilical cord blood (HUCB-PRP), named HUCB-PRP-AG bioink, and the effect of the three-dimensionally printed tissue with the bioink on full-thickness skin defect wounds in nude mice.Methods:The method of experimental research was used. HUCB-PRP-AG bioinks with 2.5%, 5.0%, and 10.0% of HUCB-PRP by volume were prepared and named 1P-AG, 2P-AG, and 4P-AG, respectively. The appearances of AG, 1P-AG, 2P-AG, and 4P-AG at room temperature were observed, and their viscosity and storage/loss modulus were measured by a rotational rheometer. The above four bioinks were used for three-dimensional bioprinting respectively, and the appearances of the printed tissue were observed (the printed tissue was subsequently cross-linked and used). The four kinds of bioprinted tissue were respectively co-cultured with human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) in Transwell chambers with HUVEC special medium for 24 h, and the cell proliferation level was detected by cell counting kit 8 ( n=3). The four kinds of bioprinted tissue were respectively cultured in Dulbecco's modified eagle medium for 12, 24, and 48 h, which were dried and weighed, and the degradation rate was calculated ( n=3). The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the culture supernatant of 1P-AG, 2P-AG, or 4P-AG cultured in phosphate buffer solution at 0.5, 24.0, and 48.0 h was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay ( n=5). Sixteen female BALB/c-NU nude mice aged 6-8 weeks were selected to establish a full-thickness skin defect wound model on the back and were divided into conventional control group with wounds being covered with medical hydrocolloid dressing alone, HUCB-PRP group with additional HUCB-PRP dripping to the wounds, AG group additionally covered with AG printed tissue, and 4P-AG group additionally covered with 4P-AG printed tissue, respectively (with 4 nude mice in each group). The wound healing of 3 nude mice in each group was observed on post injury day (PID) 4, 8, and 14, and the wound healing rate was calculated. The wound tissue of the remaining nude mouse in each group was collected on PID 8, the histopathological changes were observed after hematoxylin and eosin staining, and the CD31-positive new blood vessels were observed after immunohistochemical staining. Data were statistically analyzed with analysis of variance for repeated measurement, least significant difference test, and Bonferroni correction. Results:At room temperature, AG, 1P-AG, 2P-AG, and 4P-AG were semi-transparent liquid, and AG was light yellow, while 1P-AG, 2P-AG, and 4P-AG were light red but the color successively deepened. The viscosity of AG, 1P-AG, 2P-AG, and 4P-AG decreased with the increase of shear rate at the temperature of 10 ℃ and shear rate of 0.1-10.0 s -1; the storage moduli of the four bioinks were greater than the loss moduli at the temperature of 10 ℃ and angular frequency range of 1-100 rad/s. Both the resolution and morphology of the printed tissue of four bioinks were similar. The proliferation levels of HUVECs co-cultured with 1P-AG, 2P-AG, and 4P-AG printed tissue for 24 h were 0.885±0.030, 1.126±0.032, and 1.156±0.045, respectively, which were significantly higher than 0.712±0.019 of HUVECs co-cultured with AG printed tissue ( P<0.01). The proliferation levels of HUVECs co-cultured with 2P-AG and 4P-AG printed tissue for 24 h were significantly higher than the level of HUVECs co-cultured with 1P-AG printed tissue ( P<0.01). The degradation rates of 1P-AG, 2P-AG, and 4P-AG printed tissue were significantly higher than those of AG printed tissue at 12, 24, and 48 h of culture ( P<0.01). The degradation rates of 2P-AG and 4P-AG printed tissue at 24 and 48 h of culture were significantly higher than those of 1P-AG printed tissue ( P<0.01). The degradation rate of 4P-AG printed tissue at 12 h of culture was significantly higher than that of 1P-AG printed tissue ( P<0.01), and the degradation rates of 4P-AG printed tissue at 24 and 48 h of culture were significantly higher than those of 2P-AG printed tissue ( P<0.01). At 0.5, 24.0, and 48.0 h of culture, the expressions of VEGF in the culture supernatant of 2P-AG printed tissue were significantly higher than those of 1P-AG printed tissue ( P<0.01), and the expressions of VEGF in the culture supernatant of 1P-AG and 2P-AG printed tissue were significantly lower than those of 4P-AG printed tissue ( P<0.01). The wounds of nude mice in conventional control group and HUCB-PRP group were dry and smaller on PID 8 compared with those on PID 4, and the wounds of nude mice in HUCB-PRP group were smaller with no scabs on PID 14 compared with those in conventional control group. The printed tissue on the wound of nude mice in AG and 4P-AG groups was significantly degraded with no obvious exudation being observed on the wounds on PID 4, the wounds were significantly epithelialized and smaller on PID 8, and there was no scab on the wound on PID 14. The wounds of nude mice in 4P-AG group were completely epithelialized on PID 14. Compared with those in conventional control group, the wound healing rate of nude mice in AG group was significantly decreased on PID 4 ( P<0.05), and the wound healing rates of nude mice in HUCB-PRP group and 4P-AG group at all time points after injury and in AG group on PID 8 and 14 were significantly increased ( P<0.01). Compared with those in HUCB-PRP group, the wound healing rates of nude mice were significantly decreased on PID 4 and 8 in AG group and on PID 4 in 4P-AG group ( P<0.01), while the wound healing rates of nude mice were significantly increased on PID 14 in AG group and on PID 8 and 14 in 4P-AG group ( P<0.01). The wound healing rate of nude mice in 4P-AG group was significantly higher than that in AG group at all time points after injury ( P<0.01). On PID 8, a large number of inflammatory cells infiltration, a small amount of new microvessels, and a small amount of CD31-positive new blood vessels were observed in the wounds of nude mice in conventional control group; a large number of inflammatory cells infiltration, abundant new microvessels, and quite a lot CD31-positive new blood vessels were observed in the wounds of nude mice in HUCB-PRP group; light inflammatory inflammation, a small amount of new microvessels, and a small amount of CD31-positive new blood vessels were observed in the wounds of nude mice in AG group; light inflammatory inflammation, a large number of new microvessels, and a large number of CD31-positive new blood vessels were observed in the wounds of nude mice in 4P-AG group. Conclusions:HUCB-PRP-AG bioink has good printability and cytocompatibility, and its three-dimensionally printed tissue can promote vascularization of full-thickness skin defect wounds in nude mice and accelerate wound healing.