ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of jatrorrhizine on endogenous metabolites and metabolic pathways in the mouse model of ulcerative colitis. MethodsThirty male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into the normal group， the model group， the low-dose and high-dose jatrorrhizine groups （0.04， 0.16 g·kg^-1）， and the mesalazine group （0.52 g·kg^-1）The mouse model of ulcerative colitis was established with 3% dextran sulfate sodium （DSS） and treated with different doses of jatrorrhizine by gavage. The changes in body weight， colon length， disease activity index （DAI）， and colonic histopathology were analyzed to evaluate the therapeutic effects of jatrorrhizine. UPLC-Q-TOF/MS was employed to determine the serum and fecal levels of metabolites in mice. Metabolomics methods were used to screen the differential metabolites， on the basis of which the potential therapeutic mechanism of jatrorrhizine on DSS-induced ulcerative colitis in mice was investigated. ResultsAfter intervention with jatrorrhizine， the model mice showed significantly decreased DAI（P<0.05，P<0.01）， recovered colon length，（P<0.05，P<0.01） and alleviated histopathology of the colon. The metabolomics study screened out 13 differential metabolites in the serum and 8 differential metabolites in the feces. The pathway enrichment analysis predicted three potential metabolic pathways： Biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids， phenylalanine， tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis， and phenylalanine metabolism. ConclusionJatrorrhizine may treat ulcerative colitis by regulating the biosynthesis and metabolism of amino acids and the synthesis of unsaturated fatty acids.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the association between Chinese visceral adiposity index (CVAI) and the risk of nephrolithiasis. METHODS: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from 78 438 Chinese adults who underwent ultrasound examinations during health screening at the Health Examination Center of Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University. Participants were divided into quartiles (Q1-Q4 groups) based on CVAI. Multivariate logistic regression models were utilized to evaluate the association between CVAI and nephrolithiasis risk, followed by subgroup analyses to further explore potential relationships. The performance of CVAI in predicting the risk of nephrolithiasis was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS: Increased CVAI was significantly associated with a higher risk of nephrolithiasis, with prevalence rising from 3.36% in the Q1 group to 10.67% in the Q4 group (P<0.01). In adjusted models, CVAI was positively correlated with the prevalence rate of nephrolithiasis (OR=1.002, 95%CI: 1.001-1.004, P<0.01). The risks of nephrolithiasis in the Q2, Q3, and Q4 groups were 1.196-fold (95%CI: 1.069-1.338, P<0.01), 1.260-fold (95%CI: 1.109-1.433, P<0.01), and 1.316-fold (95%CI: 1.125-1.539, P<0.01) higher than in the Q1 group, respectively. Subgroup analysis revealed that CVAI was positively associated with the risk of nephrolithiasis in male participants, individuals aged <60 years, the hypertension group, populations with or without diabetes mellitus, and the normal body mass index subgroup. Genders and age had an interaction effect on the correlation between CVAI and the risk of nephrolithiasis development (both P<0.05). The ROC curve analysis demonstrated that CVAI exhibited superior predictive efficacy compared to waist circumference, body mass index, visceral adiposity index, weight-adjusted waist index, cardiometabolic index and body shape index, with an area under the curve of 0.622. CONCLUSIONS In Chinese adults, CVAI is positively associated with the risk of nephrolithiasis development, which may serve as a potential predictive marker for nephrolithiasis.
Humans ; Nephrolithiasis/etiology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Adult ; Intra-Abdominal Fat ; Risk Factors ; China/epidemiology* ; Adiposity ; Aged ; Logistic Models ; Obesity, Abdominal/epidemiology* ; East Asian People

Myocardial fibrosis is a serious cause of heart failure and even sudden cardiac death. However, the mechanisms underlying myocardial ischemia-induced cardiac fibrosis remain unclear. Here, we identified that the expression of sterile alpha and TIR motif containing 1 (SARM1), was increased significantly in the ischemic cardiomyopathy patients, dilated cardiomyopathy patients (GSE116250) and fibrotic heart tissues of mice. Additionally, inhibition or knockdown of SARM1 can improve myocardial fibrosis and cardiac function of myocardial infarction (MI) mice. Moreover, SARM1 fibroblasts-specific knock-in mice had increased deposition of extracellular matrix and impaired cardiac function. Mechanically, elevated expression of SARM1 promotes the deposition of extracellular matrix by directly modulating P4HA1. Notably, by using the Click-iT reaction, we identified that the increased expression of ZDHHC17 promotes the palmitoylation levels of SARM1, thereby accelerating the fibrosis process. Based on the fibrosis-promoting effect of SARM1, we screened several drugs with anti-myocardial fibrosis activity. In conclusion, we have unveiled that palmitoylated SARM1 targeting P4HA1 promotes collagen deposition and myocardial fibrosis. Inhibition of SARM1 is a potential strategy for the treatment of myocardial fibrosis. The sites where SARM1 interacts with P4HA1 and the palmitoylation modification sites of SARM1 may be the active targets for anti-fibrosis drugs.

[Objective]Leveraging the advanced capabilities of nanopore long-read sequencing technology,our study undertook a comprehensive analysis of the distinct transcriptomic alterations occurring in normal liver parenchymal cells and liver cancer cells subjected to hypoxic conditions.The primary goal was to elucidate the underlying mechanisms governing tumor cell survival and metastasis in low-oxygen environments,thereby paving the way for innovative targeted cancer therapies.[Methods]The normal liver parenchymal cell line THLE-3 and the hepatocellular carcinoma cell line Hep3B were chosen as the focal points of this investigation.Following a 48-hour incubation period in both normoxic and hypoxic conditions,total RNA was extracted from these cells.Subsequently,we employed nanopore sequencing technology to conduct a high-throughput,high-fidelity analysis of the transcriptomes of these two cell lines across different oxygen levels.[Results]This study established a hypoxic transcriptome dataset using third-generation nanopore sequencing technology,achieving an unprecedented level of sequencing accuracy.By conducting a Gene Ontology(GO)enrichment analysis,we systematically identified and explored the key biological pathways associated with the hypoxic response(P＜0.05).Furthermore,we integrated molecular dynamics simulation techniques to gain deeper insights into the dynamic structural changes of Solute Carrier Family 1 Member 5(SLC1A5)during the translation of hypoxic-specific subtypes,providing direct evidence to elucidate its functional regulation.[Conclusion]The application of nanopore long-read sequencing technology has proven to be a powerful tool,not only successfully capturing the distinctive expression patterns and specific subtypes of mRNA under hypoxic conditions,but also offering robust technical support for delving into the intricate transcriptomic landscape of hypoxic microenvironments.By further integrating protein structure simulations and molecular dynamics,we have proposed novel avenues for exploring protein structures in hypoxic microenvironments.The findings of this study have significantly enriched the field of hypoxic-specific transcriptomics,providing a more reliable data foundation for investigating hypoxic-specific protein structures.Moreover,these discoveries have unveiled potential hypoxic-specific targets that could be harnessed for the development of future targeted cancer treatment strategies.

[Objective]To explore the effect of Baoyuan Jiedu Decoction(BJD)on liver lipids and liver mitochondrial function in cancer cachexia mice.[Methods]The mice model of cancer cachexia was established by subcutaneous inoculation of Lewis lung cancer cells,and the mice were randomly divided into normal group,model group,BJD group and medroxyprogesterone acetate(MPA)group,which were given continuously for 21 days,and the food intake,body weight and tumor volume of the mice were recorded.Multi-dimensional mass spectrometry-based shotgun lipidomics(MDMS-SL)was used to detect liver lipid content.Changes of liver mitochondria were observed by transmission electron microscope.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to detect adenosine triphosphate(ATP)content in liver.Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR)was used to detect the mRNA expression levels of liver mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase subunit B8(NDUFB8),succinate dehydrogenase complex iron sulfur subunit B(SDHB)and ubiquinol-cytochrome-c reductase complex core protein 2(UQCRC2).The expression level of liver mitochondrial respiratory chain complex NDUFB8 protein was detected by Western blot.[Results]Compared with model group,the food intake and body weight of BJD group increased,and the tumor growth was slow(P<0.05).The results of lipidomics showed that the liver lipids in model group changed significantly compared with those in normal group,and BJD could obviously regulate 33 lipid molecules after intervention(P<0.05).The transmission electron microscope showed that the morphology of mitochondria in the model group was distorted,some mitochondrial contents were degraded,the outer membrane of mitochondria was broken,and the crista of mitochondria was obviously shortened and broken.Compared with the model group,the morphology of mitochondria in Baoyuan Jiedu Decoction group was obviously relieved,and the damage of crista structure was alleviated.The results of ELISA showed that the ATP content in the liver of BJD group was significantly higher than that of model group(P<0.05).RT-qPCR results showed that BJD could significantly increase the mRNA expression levels of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes NDUFB8,SDHB and UQCRC2 after intervention(P<0.05).Western blot results showed that BJD group could significantly increase the protein expression level of mitochondrial respiratory chain complex NDUFB8 after intervention(P<0.05).[Conclusion]BJD can obviously increase the body weight and food intake of cancer cachexia mice,regulate the abnormal changes of liver lipid metabolism,restore the activity of liver mitochondrial respiratory chain complex,and improve mitochondrial respiratory function and energy metabolism.

Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of tirofiban in the treatment of branch atheromatous disease(BAD)in elderly patients.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 215 elderly BAD patients admitted to our department from June 2021 to June 2023.According to their treatment,they were divided into tirofiban group 1(55 cases)and control group 1(160 ca-ses).Using propensity score matching in a ratio of 1∶1 algorithm for adjustment,the differences in baseline features between the two groups were eliminated,and there were finally 53 cases in the tirofiban group 2 and 53 cases in the control group 2 after matching.The NIHSS scores before treatment and at 24 h and 7 d after treatment were collected.All of them were followed up for 90 d,and modified Rankin scale(mRS)was applied to evaluate the prognosis.Results The tirofiban group 1 had significantly lower NIHSS score at 24 h and 7 d after treatment and shorter length of hospital stay than the control group 1(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),so were in the tirofiban group 2 than the control group[3(1,4)vs 3(2,6),1(0,3)vs 1(1,4),8(6,10)d vs 9(8,11)d,P＜0.05].The proportion of mRS score ≤1 was obviously larger in the tirofiban group 1 than the control group 1(P＜0.01).The tirofiban group 2 obtained notably larger proportions of mRS score≤1 and≤2(71.7％vs 43.4％,P=0.003;79.2％vs 60.4％,P=0.034),and smaller proportion of mRS≥4(5.7％vs 20.8％,P=0.045)when compared with the control group 2.Logistic regression analysis indicated that in the patients without diabetes and those non-smoking,tirofiban was associated with increased good outcomes(OR=0.266,95％CI:0.090-0.788,P=0.017;OR=0.341,95％CI:0.107-0.931,P=0.046).Conclusion Tirofiban may effectively improve the clinical outcomes in the elderly BAD patients.But further randomized controlled trials are needed for verification.

Deactivation of the mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase complex (PDC) is important for the metabolic switching of cancer cell from oxidative phosphorylation to aerobic glycolysis. Studies examining PDC activity regulation have mainly focused on the phosphorylation of pyruvate dehydrogenase (E1), leaving other post-translational modifications largely unexplored. Here, we demonstrate that the acetylation of Lys 488 of pyruvate dehydrogenase complex component X (PDHX) commonly occurs in hepatocellular carcinoma, disrupting PDC assembly and contributing to lactate-driven epigenetic control of gene expression. PDHX, an E3-binding protein in the PDC, is acetylated by the p300 at Lys 488, impeding the interaction between PDHX and dihydrolipoyl transacetylase (E2), thereby disrupting PDC assembly to inhibit its activation. PDC disruption results in the conversion of most glucose to lactate, contributing to the aerobic glycolysis and H3K56 lactylation-mediated gene expression, facilitating tumor progression. These findings highlight a previously unrecognized role of PDHX acetylation in regulating PDC assembly and activity, linking PDHX Lys 488 acetylation and histone lactylation during hepatocellular carcinoma progression and providing a potential biomarker and therapeutic target for further development.
Humans ; Acetylation ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/genetics* ; Liver Neoplasms/genetics* ; Pyruvate Dehydrogenase Complex/genetics* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic ; Animals ; Mice ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Protein Processing, Post-Translational ; Histones/metabolism* ; Disease Progression

Objective To investigate the application value of arterial spin labeling(ASL)perfusion weighted imaging in the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease(AD).Methods A total of 60 patients with different ages(control group)and 60 AD patients with different degrees(patient group)who underwent cerebral ASL perfusion weighted imaging examination were selected.At the work-station,the region of interest(ROI)of the hippocampus and limbic system brain structures were delineated and the cerebral blood flow(CBF)value of the ROI were measured.The CBF values of the brain structures of the control group at different ages and the corresponding ROI of the control group and the patient group were compared.Results There were statistically significant differences in the CBF values of the cingulate gyrus,parahippocampal gyrus,hippocampus,orbital part of frontal lobe,temporal pole of temporal lobe,insula lobe and amygdaloid body of the limbic system among the different ages in the control group(P＜0.05),and the CBF value of brain structures gradually decreased with the increase of age.There were statistically significant differences in CBF values of ROI between the control group and mild,moderate,severe patient group(P＜0.05),and the CBF value of brain structures gradually decreased with the severity of AD condition.Conclusion The CBF value of ASL perfusion weighted imaging can objectively reflect the blood flow changes and functional status of the hippocampus and limbic system brain structures in elderly people of different ages and AD patients of different degrees,and has important value in the early diagnosis of AD patients.

Objective:To explore the correlation between levels of serum cold-inducible RNA-binding protein(CIRBP), cystatin C(CysC) and cognitive impairment in patients with cerebral small vessel disease(CSVD), as well as the diagnostic value of CI in CSVD.Methods:A total of 90 CSVD patients admitted to the Neurology Department of Zhengzhou People's Hospital from January 2024 to December 2024 were consecutively selected. According to the mini-mental state examination(MMSE) and Montreal cognitive assessment(MoCA), they were divided into non cognitive impairment group(NCI group, n=47) and cognitive impairment group(CI group, n=43). The general clinical data of patients were collected.Fasting venous blood was collected in the morning on the second day of admission to measure serum CIRBP, CysC, homocysteine(Hcy) and high-sentivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP) levels.A multiple-factor Logistic regression model was applied to identify independent risk factors for CI in CSVD patients, the predictive performance of the model was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curves, and the area under the curve(AUC) value was calculated to quantify the diagnostic accuracy of the model. Results:The levels of Hcy((13.01±4.22)μmol/L vs (11.44±3.00)μmol/L), hs-CRP((2.84±3.01)mmol/L vs (1.81±1.32)mmol/L), CIRBP((2 412.40±967.78)pg/mL vs (1 715.13±971.98)pg/mL), and CysC((1.93±1.08)mg/L vs (1.24±0.87)mg/L) in the CI group were significantly higher than those in the NCI group(all P<0.05). Multiple Logistic regression analysis showed that both CIRBP( OR=1.001, 95% CI=>1.000-1.002, P=0.011) and CysC( OR=1.833, 95% CI=1.056-3.181, P=0.031) were independently influencing factors of the occurrence of CI in CSVD patients(all P<0.05). ROC curve analysis showed that the optimal cutoff values for serum CIRBP and CysC levels to evaluate CI were 1 875.50 pg/mL and 1.42 mg/L, respectively. The AUC (95% CI) were 0.805(95% CI=0.713-0.897, P<0.001) and 0.716(95% CI=0.607-0.825, P<0.001), respectively.The AUC(95% CI) of combined detection of CIRBP+ CysC was 0.820(95% CI=0.733-0.907, P<0.001), with specificity and sensitivity of 89.4% and 67.4%. Conclusion:The serum CIRBP and CysC levels can serve as independent predictors of CI in CSVD patients. Combined testing can improve the accuracy of patient condition assessment and may assist in the diagnosis and prediction of cognitive impairment in CSVD.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the activity and mechanism of tetrandrine(TET)against influenza A virus in vitro and in vivo.METHODS(1)Cell experiments.① Human non-small cell lung cancer cells(A549)were divided into TET 0(cell control),1.25,2.5,5,10,20 and 25 μmol·L-1 groups,and H1N1+TET 0,1.25,2.5,5,10,20 and 25 μmol·L-1 groups.The TET groups were treated with the corresponding concentrations of TET while the H1N1+TET groups were infected with H1N1 for 1 h before the corresponding concentrations of TET were added.After 48 h,cell viability was detected using the CCK-8 method.② The cells were divided into cell control,H1N1+TET 0,2.5,5,and 10 μmol·L-1 groups and treated as in ①.After 24 h of incubation,the mRNA expressions of matrix protein 1(M1),hemagglutinin(HA),interleukin-6(IL-6),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interferon-β(IFN-β)were tested by the real-time quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR).The expression levels of M1,HA,neuraminidase(NA),nucleoprotein(NP),and phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3)protein were detected by Western blotting.(2)Animal experiments.① Male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into the solvent control group,H1N1 group,H1N1+oseltamivir phosphate(Ose)20 mg·kg-1 group,and H1N1+TET 25,50 and 100 mg·kg-1 groups.The solvent control group and the H1N1 group were ig administered with 0.5％carboxymethyl cellulose sodium(CMC-Na),while the H1N1+Ose group and the H1N1+TET 25,50 and 100 mg·kg-1 groups were ig given suspensions of the respective concentrations of drugs in 0.5％CMC-Na.After three consecutive days of pretreatment,all these groups except the solvent control group were intranasally inoculated with H1N1 to establish an influenza-infected mouse model.The survival rate and body mass of mice were monitored and recorded for 15 consecutive days post-H1N1 infection.② The grouping and treatment were the same as ①.After infection,mice were sacrificed on day 3 and 5.The expression levels of M1,HA,TNF-α,IL-1βand IL-6in lung tissues were detected by RT-qPCR,and those of M1,HA,NA,NP,and phosphoryla-tion of STAT3 protein in mice lung tissues by Western blotting.Hematoxylin-Eosin(HE)staining was performed to observe the pathological changes of lung tissues in mice.The levels of IL-6,TNF-α and IFN-β in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF)were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays(ELISA).RESULTS(1)① The half maximal inhibitory concentration study showed a value of 18.06 μmol·L-1 for A549 effected by TET.Compared with the H1N1 group,TET 2.5,5 and 10 μmol·L-1 significantly increased cell viability.② The expression levels of M1,HA mRNA and M1,HA,NA protein in the TET 2.5,5 and 10 μmol·L-1 groups were significantly lowered compared with the H1N1 group.TET 5 μmol·L-1 significantly decreased H1N1-induced IL-6,TNF-α and IFN-β mRNA expression levels in A549 cells.TET 5 and 10 μmol·L-1 could significantly mitigate the phosphorylation of STAT3.(2)① Com-pared with the H1N1 group,TET 50 mg·kg-1 significantly improved the survival rate of H1N1-infected mice while TET 25 mg·kg-1 significantly elevated the body-weight of H1N1-infected mice.In the TET 50 mg·kg-1 group,expressions of HA and M1 mRNA,and HA,M1,NA and NP protein in the lung tissues of H1 N1-infected mice were significantly reduced compared with the H1N1 group.Compared with the H1N1 group,TET 50 mg·kg-1 significantly decreased the lung index,improved inflammatory lesions in lung tissues,inhibited the mRNA expressions of TNF-α,IL-6 and IFN-β in lung tissues,and down regu-lated the expressions of TNF-α,IL-6 and IFN-β proinflammatory cytokines in the BALF of the H1N1-infected mice.In addition,TET 50 mg·kg-1 also significantly inhibited STAT3 phosphorylation in lung tissues of mice infected with H1N1.CONCLUSION TET can inhibit H1N1 infection both in vivo and in vitro.The potential mechanism may be related to the inhibition of the IL-6/STAT3 pathway,which subse-quently suppresses the inflammatory response induced by H1N1.