1.Application Value and Pathways of Traditional Chinese Medicine Constitution Theory in Elderly Health Management
Zhuqing LI ; Meiqing LI ; Xiaohong ZHENG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(10):1052-1056
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) constitution theory, with its focus on individualized diagnosis and treatment, provides the theoretical foundation and practical pathways for the prevention and control of comorbidities in the elderly, mental health interventions, and rehabilitation for functional impairment, based on the principle of "treating different diseases with the same approach and preventing multiple diseases simultaneously". Addressing the current issues of insufficient accuracy in identifying elderly constitutions and a lack of targeted prevention and treatment strategies, this paper proposes the construction of a precision identification system characterized by data-driven, dynamic tracking, and human-machine collaboration. It also establishes a dynamic regulatory framework based on classification-based foundation, grad-based quantification, and tiered collaboration. These approaches aim to expand the application of TCM constitution theory in promoting elderly health promotion.
2.Strategies for selecting recipient vessels in free flap reconstruction for head and neck defects
Hongbo XU ; Lifeng LI ; Xinmeng QI ; Jing ZHOU ; Zheng YANG ; Qi FU ; Guihua WANG ; Xiaohong CHEN ; Zhigang HUANG
Chinese Archives of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery 2025;32(7):409-412
OBJECTIVE To investigate the selection strategy for recipient vessels in free flap reconstruction of head and neck defects.METHODS A retrospective analysis was conducted on 96 patients who underwent 99 free flap reconstructions for head and neck defects between January 2020 and December 2024.Recipient vessel selection,flap survival,and postoperative complications were analyzed based on defect location and flap type.RESULTS In 99 cases microvessel anastomosis,the recipient arteries were superior thyroid artery in 49 branches,facial artery in 28 branches,superficial temporal artery in 14 branches,lingual artery in 5 branches.external carotid artery in 1 branch,transverse cervical artery in 1 branch,and superior laryngeal artery in 1 branch.Venous anastomosis was performed in 104 branches,with 94 cases in 1 venous anastomosis and 5 cases in 2 venous anastomoses.The recipient veins selected were facial vein in 62 branches,external jugular vein in 21 branches,superficial temporal vein in 12 branches,retromandibular vein in 3 branches,middle thyroid vein in 2 branches,internal jugular vein in 2 branches,middle temporal vein in 1 branch,and superior thyroid vein in 1 branch.Complete flap necrosis occurred in 5 cases,and partial necrosis occurred in 4 cases.When the recipient vessels were deficient,the lingual artery was chosen in 3 cases,the facial artery in 1 case,the external jugular vein in 3 cases,the internal jugular vein with end-to-side anastomosis in 1 case,and the common facial vein with end-to-side anastomosis in 1 case.CONCLUSION In free flap reconstruction for head and neck defects,the superior thyroid artery,facial artery,and superficial temporal artery are commonly used as recipient arteries,while the facial vein,external jugular vein,and superficial temporal vein are frequently selected as recipient veins.When recipient vessels are scarce,the ipsilateral lingual artery,transverse cervical artery,and main trunk of the internal jugular vein can serve as alternative recipient vessels.
3.Clinical efficacy analysis of temporal bone-parotid composite defect repair strategy:Surgical selection and functional evaluation based on 17 cases
Zheng YANG ; Xiaolian FANG ; Jing ZHOU ; Xuejun CHEN ; Xiaohong CHEN ; Pingdong LI
Chinese Archives of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery 2025;32(7):413-417
OBJECTIVE To systematically evaluate the repair strategies for temporal bone-parotid composite defects,compare the clinical applicability of local muscle flaps and free flaps,and provide references for optimizing the reconstruction of complex head and neck defects.METHODS We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 17 patients with postoperative defects in the temporal bone-parotid region treated at Beijing Tongren Hospital,Capital Medical University,between January 2018 and June 2023.There were 11 males and 6 females,with a median age of 58 years(range:42-72 years).All patients had undergone radical resection.Defects were reconstructed with local flaps in 13 cases(temporalis muscle flap,n=6;sternocleidomastoid flap,n=3;submental platysma flap,n=2;submental island flap,n=2)and with free flaps in 4 cases(anterolateral thigh fascial flap,n=1;anterolateral thigh flap,n=1;free abdominal adipofascial flap,n=2).RESULTS The primary diseases of the 17 patients were malignant tumors of the external auditory canal and parotid gland(6 cases of squamous cell carcinoma,6 cases of adenoid cystic carcinoma,and 3 cases of ductal carcinoma).All flaps survived completely.One patient with temporalis muscle flap repair developed postoperative wound infection,which healed after debridement and dressing change.The median follow-up period was 16 months(4-29 months).Two cases(11.8%)of external auditory canal squamous cell carcinoma had local recurrence,one case(5.9%)of parotid ductal carcinoma developed pulmonary metastasis 9 months after surgery and died at 15 months.The remaining 14 cases(82.4%)were tumor-free survivors.Functional evaluation showed that the local tissue flap group had a shorter repair time,but was limited by muscle flap rotation arc;the free flap group could accurately match the defect shape,but the surgical time was prolonged to 3.5-4.5 hours.Fourteen cases(82.4%)received postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy.None of the tissue flaps developed radiation necrosis after radiotherapy.CONCLUSION Temporal bone-parotid composite defects need to balance the dual requirements of surgical cavity coverage and cosmetic repair.Local muscle flaps are easy to operate and have reliable blood supply,suitable for small and medium-sized defects;free tissue flaps have better shape adaptability in complex three-dimensional defect reconstruction,but require microsurgical technical support.The repair plan should be comprehensively decided based on the defect range,vascular conditions,and radiotherapy plan.The data of this group confirmed that both techniques can achieve stable therapeutic effects.
4.Advances in the treatment of IgA nephropathy
Xiaohong ZHENG ; Liping RONG ; Xiaoyun JIANG
International Journal of Pediatrics 2025;52(10):671-675
IgA nephropathy(IgAN)is the most common primary glomerular disease,characterized by the deposition of IgA in the glomerular mesangial area. IgAN is a progressive disease with a protracted and relapsing course. Approximately 50%~75% of adult IgAN patients experience renal function deterioration and eventually progress to end-stage kidney disease(ESKD)within 20 years after diagnosis. Among patients with onset in childhood,about 30% ultimately progress to ESKD after 20 years of long-term follow-up. In recent years,numerous studies have continuously explored important signaling pathways and key molecules in its pathogenesis. This review introduces the therapeutic advances in IgAN,aiming to provide better treatment options for clinicians.
5.Astragaloside IV-pretreated neural stem cell-derived exosomes attenuate brain injury in ischemic stroke rats by inhibiting classical pyroptosis pathway
Chunyue ZUO ; Meng LI ; Xiaofei JING ; Tianci ZHANG ; Xiaohan CHEN ; Shaoze YANG ; Tiangang ZHENG ; Weijuan GAO ; Xiaohong ZHOU
Chinese Journal of Pathophysiology 2025;41(2):277-286
AIM:To investigate the mechanism by which exosomes(EXOs)derived from neural stem cells(NSCs)pretreated with astragaloside IV(ASIV)alleviate brain damage in rats after ischemic stroke.METHODS:Rat NSCs were isolated from fetal rats within 24 h of birth,cultured for 3 d,and subsequently treated with ASIV for additional 5 d.The EXOs from untreated NSCs and ASIV-pretreated NSCs(ASIV-EXOs)were isolated via ultracentrifugation of the cell supernatant.These EXOs were characterized using Western blot to detect specific markers such as CD63,tumor sus-ceptibility gene 101(TSG101)and calnexin.Nanoparticle analysis was employed to determine the size,and the morpholo-gy of the EXOs was observed under electron microscope.Six to eight-week-old SD male rats were randomly assigned to 6 groups:sham group,middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion(MCAO/R)model group,edaravone(EDA)treatment(MCAO/R+EDA)group,EXOs treatement(MCAO/R+EXOs)group and ASIV-EXOs treatment(MCAO/R+ASIV-EXOs)group.Tail vein injections were administered within 2 h following the successful establishment of the MCAO/R model.The Zea Longa method was utilized to evaluate neurological deficits,while the TTC method was employed to assess brain infarc-tion.Pathological changes were examined through HE staining,and TUNEL and caspase-1 immunofluorescence double staining were conducted to detect cellular pyroptosis.Serum levels of interleukin-1β(IL-1β)and IL-18 were measured us-ing ELISA,and Western blot was performed to evaluate the expression of caspase-1,nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3),apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain(ASC),gasdermin D(GSDMD),and IL-18 proteins in the ischemic area of the rat cerebral cortex across all groups.RE-SULTS:The MCAO/R group exhibited significantly higher neurological deficit scores compared to the sham group(P<0.01)and lower scores in the administered groups relative to the MCAO/R group(P<0.05).Cerebral infarction was mark-edly increased in the MCAO/R group compared to the sham group(P<0.01),whereas the infarction area was reduced in the administered groups compared to the MCAO/R group(P<0.05).Serum levels of IL-1β and IL-18 were significantly el-evated in the MCAO/R group versus the sham group(P<0.01)and were lower in the administered groups compared to the MCAO/R group(P<0.01).Moreover,IL-1β and IL-18 levels in the MCAO/R+ASIV-EXOs group were lower than those in the MCAO/R+EXOs group(P<0.05).HE staining revealed pronounced sieve-like infarction foci in the ischemic area of the rat cerebral cortex in MCAO/R group,characterized by disorganized neuronal arrangements,reduced or absent Nys-trom's vesicles,shrunken or fragmented nuclei,and numerous red neurons.In contrast,drug-treated groups exhibited milder pathological changes with clearer neuronal structures and a significant reduction in red neuron counts.Immunofluo-rescence double staining indicated a significant increase in double-positive cells in the MCAO/R group compared to the sham group(P<0.01),with a decrease in double-positive cells in the administered groups relative to the MCAO/R group(P<0.05)and a further reduction in the MCAO/R+ASIV-EXOs group compared to the MCAO/R+EXOs group(P<0.05).The expression levels of caspase-1,NLRP3,ASC,IL-18 and GSDMD proteins in the ischemic region of the rat cerebral cortex were significantly reduced in the administered groups compared to the MCAO/R group(P<0.01),with further re-duction observed in the MCAO/R+ASIV-EXOs group compared to the MCAO/R+EXOs group(P<0.05).CONCLU-SION:Exosomes derived from ASIV-pretreated NSCs attenuate brain damage in ischemic stroke rats,potentially through a mechanism involving the inhibition of pyroptosis mediated by the NLRP3/caspase-1 pathway.
6.Bendamustine combined with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody in the first-line treatment of older patients with indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma: a multicenter retrospective study
Shuchao QIN ; Yi MIAO ; Zhaoliang ZHANG ; Jie ZHANG ; Yuye SHI ; Yuqing MIAO ; Weiying GU ; Weicheng ZHENG ; Zhuxia JIA ; Guoqiang LIN ; Haiwen NI ; Xiaohong XU ; Min XU ; Xiaoyan XIE ; Ling WANG ; Yun ZHUANG ; Wei ZHANG ; Ping LIU ; Jianyong LI ; Wenyu SHI
Chinese Journal of Hematology 2025;46(9):820-826
Objective:To investigate the efficacy and safety of bendamustine combined with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody in the first-line treatment of older patients with indolent B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-iNHL) .Methods:The clinical data of 159 patients with B-iNHL enrolled in 16 hospitals from Jiangsu Cooperative Lymphoma Group from December 1, 2019, to April 20, 2024, were analyzed for regimen efficacy and safety. Bendamustine plus rituximab (BR) and bendamustine plus obinutuzumab (BG) were administered to 139 (87.4% ) and 20 (12.6% ) patients, respectively.Results:Among the 159 patients, 101 (63.5% ) were male and 58 (36.5% ) were female, with a median age of 69 years (range: 60–84). Efficacy could be assessed in 138 (86.8% ) patients. The efficacy assessment demonstrated that the overall response rate was 92.0% with complete and partial remissions in 75 (54.3% ) and 52 (37.7% ) cases, respectively. With a median follow-up of 24 months (range: 4–64), the progression-free survival rate was (87.5 ± 3.0) % and the overall survival rate was (83.2 ± 3.3) %. Of the 27 patients who died, 6 (22.2% ) died due to disease progression. The mean applied dose of bendamustine per cycle was 73.0 (50.8–89.7) mg/m 2 per day, administered on days 1 and 2. Adverse events of grade 3 or higher were reported in 53 (33.3% ) patients, with infection (30 cases,18.9% ) and neutropenia (24 cases, 15.1% ) demonstrating the highest incidence. Conclusion:Bendamustine combined with anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody demonstrated good efficacy and is well-tolerated in the first-line treatment of elderly patients with B-iNHL.
7.Efficacy of R0 surgery combined with PARP inhibitors in the treatment of advanced epithelial ovarian cancer in 52 patients
Xiaohong ZHENG ; Xiaofeng WU ; Dandan LIU ; Hong HU
Chinese Journal of Primary Medicine and Pharmacy 2025;32(7):1019-1023
Objective:To investigate the efficacy and safety of R0 surgery combined with PARP inhibitors in the treatment of advanced epithelial ovarian cancer in 52 patients.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on 104 patients with International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics Ⅲ-Ⅳ epithelial ovarian cancer who received treatment at the Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Xinhua Hospital, Huainan Xinhua Medical Group from January 2021 to December 2023. The patients were divided into a control group and an observation group ( n = 52/group). Patients in the control group underwent non-R0 surgery followed by six cycles of chemotherapy with platinum and paclitaxel, along with maintenance therapy using olaparib or niraparib. Patients in the observation group underwent R0 surgery followed by the same chemotherapy and maintenance therapy as those in the control group. Comparisons were made between the two groups regarding general data, perioperative conditions, and postoperative levels of cancer antigen 125, human epididymis protein 4, vascular endothelial growth factor, interleukin-15, gamma interferon, and recurrence rates measured within 1 year after chemotherapy. Results:There was no statistically significant difference in age, underlying diseases, or pathological types according to International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics staging between the two groups (all P > 0.05). However, compared with the control group, the observation group had a longer surgical time [(290.17 ± 36.72) minutes vs. (206.58 ± 22.57) minutes, t = 171.20, P < 0.001]. The intraoperative blood loss in the observation group was significantly greater than that in the control group [(800.44 ± 134.22) mL vs. (743.16 ± 87.85) mL, t = 1 094.00, P = 0.003]. The interval between surgery and the start of chemotherapy in the observation group was longer than that in the control group [(13.00 ± 0.94) days vs.(12.04 ± 0.92) days, t = 3.07, P < 0.001]. There was no statistically significant difference in postoperative complications ( P > 0.05). Compared with the control group, the observation group had lower levels of cancer antigen 125 [(14.27 ± 2.16) IU/mL vs. (188.57 ± 30.74) IU/mL, t = 40.794, P < 0.001], human epididymis protein 4 [(25.29 ± 2.49) pmol/L vs. (74.21 ± 0.52) pmol/L, t = 138.68, P < 0.001], vascular endothelial growth factor [(23.70 ± 3.01) ng/mL vs. (51.66 ± 4.67) ng/mL, t = 36.28, P < 0.001], and recurrence rate [17.30% (9/52) vs. 88.46% (46/52), χ2 = 52.83, P < 0.001]. Compared with the control group, the observation group showed higher levels of interleukin-15 [(57.36 ± 9.48) pg/mL vs. (24.24 ± 4.04) pg/mL, t = -23.17, P < 0.001] and gamma interferon [(50.16 ± 4.43) pg/mK vs. (12.99 ± 1.30) pg/mL, t = -763.17, P < 0.001]. Conclusions:R0 surgery is effective and safe. R0 surgery followed by maintenance therapy with PARP inhibitors can significantly improve chemotherapy outcomes and delay tumor recurrence in patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer non-R0 surgery combined with chemotherapy plus maintenance therapy with PARP inhibitors.
8.The efficacy and safety of nebulized inhalation of recombinant human interferon α1b in the treatment of pediatric respiratory syncytial viral associated lower respiratory tract infections: a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase Ⅲ clinical study
Xiaohui LIU ; Baoping XU ; Yunxiao SHANG ; Han ZHANG ; Zhenkun ZHANG ; Guangyu LIN ; Ju YIN ; Aihua CUI ; Guocheng ZHANG ; Zhaoling SHI ; Liwei GAO ; Chunming JIANG ; Junmei BIAN ; Yongjian HUANG ; Rongfang ZHANG ; Xiaomei LIU ; Xiaoqing YANG ; Yu TANG ; Lili ZHONG ; Hongmei QIAO ; Chuangli HAO ; Yuqing WANG ; Qubei LI ; Ling CAO ; Yungang YANG ; Ling LU ; Rongjun LIN ; Xingzhen SUN ; Wei ZHOU ; Qiang CHEN ; Jikui DENG ; Yuejie ZHENG ; Lin ZHAO ; Tao AI ; Xiaohong LIU ; Xiaoxia LU ; Ning JIANG ; Ming LI
Chinese Journal of Applied Clinical Pediatrics 2025;40(3):180-186
Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of nebulized inhalation of recombinant human interferon (IFN) α1b injection in the treatment of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) associated lower respiratory tract infections (pneumonia and bronchiolitis) in children.Methods:A randomized, double-blind, parallel, placebo-controlled add-on design was used.Children with pneumonia or bronchiolitis aged 2 months to 5 years who tested positive for RSV antigen within 72 hours of onset from 30 clinical trial sites including Beijing Children′s Hospital, Capital Medical University between February 2021 and December 2022 were included in this study and randomly divided into 2 groups at a ratio of 1∶1 based on a stratified-block method.Both groups received basic treatments such as cough control, asthma relieving, expectorant treatment, fever reduction, oxygen therapy, etc.The experimental group received additional nebulized inhalation of IFN α1b injection at a dose of 2.0 μg/(kg·time), twice a day.The control group received nebulized inhalation of placebo twice a day.Clinical efficacy was evaluated based on indicators such as the duration of clinical symptoms and signs, and the Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the median and 95% CI of the duration of clinical symptoms and signs.The Log-rank test was used to compared data between groups.Safety was assessed through the incidence of adverse reactions and laboratory tests, and the Chi-square test was used to analyze the difference between groups. Results:There were 123 children in the experimental group and 122 children in the control group.The median durations of all the 5 clinical symptoms and signs [including shortness of breath, wheezing, dyspnea (visible retractions), decreased transcutaneous oxygen saturation, and abnormal mental state] in the experimental group after treatment were slightly shortened than those in the control group [2.7 d(95% CI: 1.9-3.0 d)] vs.[2.9 d(95% CI: 2.6-3.6 d), P=0.027].The improvement in dyspnea (retractions) was especially pronounced in the experimental group, with a relief rate of 50.0% (0, 100%) on the first day of administration[compared with 0 (0, 50.0%) in the control group ( Z=2.002, P=0.025)].The median duration of dyspnea in the experimental group was nearly 1 day shorter than that in the control group [1.0 d(95% CI: 0.7-1.7 d) vs.1.8 d(95% CI: 1.0-2.5 d), P=0.046].There were no significant difference in hospital stay [6.0(5.0, 8.0) d vs.6.5(5.0, 8.0) d, Z=0.675, P=0.500], oxygen therapy duration [32.0(14.0, 96.3) h vs.39.0 (24.0, 83.2) h, Z=0.094, P=0.925], the recovery rate from clinical symptoms during treatment [(105/106, 99.1%) vs.(96/101, 95.0%)], and recurrence rate [(0/106, 0) vs.(2/101, 2.0%)] between the 2 groups (all P>0.05).However, the above-mentioned four indicators in the experimental group showed a trend of clinical benefits.The quantitative virus detection results showed that the RSV viral load in both groups decreased after treatment compared to before treatment.After 2 days of treatment, the decline rate of RSV viral load from the baseline was 0.90 lg copies/(mL·d) in the experimental group and 0.25 lg copies/(mL·d)in the control group, with a statistically significant difference ( P<0.05).Furthermore, there was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the 2 groups ( P>0.05).Importantly, no drug-related serious adverse reactions occurred in both groups. Conclusions:The nebulized inhalation therapy of IFN α1b demonstrates efficacy and safety in treating pediatric RSV associated lower respiratory tract infections.It particularly offers outstanding clinical therapeutic value for severe children.
9.Effect of TINCR-MAF:MAFB transcription factor network on proliferation and differentiation of human kerathnocytes
Jinfen ZHENG ; Cuiping SHI ; Yunxia LING ; Dehua ZHANG ; Qianyu ZHAI ; Lijia ZHU ; Doukou JIANG ; Xiaohong WANG ; Yonghui LAI
The Journal of Practical Medicine 2025;41(4):509-514
Objective To explore the impact of the TINCR-MAF:MAFB transcription factor network on the expression of proliferation and differentiation-related genes in keratinocytes,to verify the role of this network in the occurrence and development of psoriasis and its potential mechanisms.Methods Employed RNA interference technology to knock down TINCR gene expression,and the proliferation ability of keratinocytes was assessed using the CCK-8 method.Additionally,qRT-PCR and Western blot analyses were conducted to evaluate the RNA and protein expression levels of TINCR,MAFB,and KLF4 genes.Immunohistochemical methods were used to detect the expression of KLF4 protein in psoriasis tissues.Results After TINCR gene siRNA interference,the proliferation ability of keratinocytes significantly decreased at 24,48,and 72 hours(P<0.001),indicating that the TINCR gene plays a critical role in cell proliferation.The results of qRT-PCR and Western blot analyses showed that the RNA and protein expression levels of TINCR,MAFB,and KLF4 genes were significantly reduced(P<0.001),suggesting that TINCR may influence the differentiation of keratinocytes by regulating the expression of MAFB transcription factor and KLF4 differentiation-related genes.Furthermore,immunohistochemical results indicated that the expression of KLF4 protein was significantly elevated in psoriasis tissues compared to normal skin tissues,suggesting that KLF4 plays an important role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis.Conclusions The TINCR-MAF:MAFB transcription factor network may participate in the occurrence and development of psoriasis by affecting the proliferation and differentiation of keratinocytes.This finding provides a new perspective on the pathogenesis of psoriasis and potential targets for future therapeutic strategies.
10.Astragaloside IV-pretreated neural stem cell-derived exosomes attenuate brain injury in ischemic stroke rats by inhibiting classical pyroptosis pathway
Chunyue ZUO ; Meng LI ; Xiaofei JING ; Tianci ZHANG ; Xiaohan CHEN ; Shaoze YANG ; Tiangang ZHENG ; Weijuan GAO ; Xiaohong ZHOU
Chinese Journal of Pathophysiology 2025;41(2):277-286
AIM:To investigate the mechanism by which exosomes(EXOs)derived from neural stem cells(NSCs)pretreated with astragaloside IV(ASIV)alleviate brain damage in rats after ischemic stroke.METHODS:Rat NSCs were isolated from fetal rats within 24 h of birth,cultured for 3 d,and subsequently treated with ASIV for additional 5 d.The EXOs from untreated NSCs and ASIV-pretreated NSCs(ASIV-EXOs)were isolated via ultracentrifugation of the cell supernatant.These EXOs were characterized using Western blot to detect specific markers such as CD63,tumor sus-ceptibility gene 101(TSG101)and calnexin.Nanoparticle analysis was employed to determine the size,and the morpholo-gy of the EXOs was observed under electron microscope.Six to eight-week-old SD male rats were randomly assigned to 6 groups:sham group,middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion(MCAO/R)model group,edaravone(EDA)treatment(MCAO/R+EDA)group,EXOs treatement(MCAO/R+EXOs)group and ASIV-EXOs treatment(MCAO/R+ASIV-EXOs)group.Tail vein injections were administered within 2 h following the successful establishment of the MCAO/R model.The Zea Longa method was utilized to evaluate neurological deficits,while the TTC method was employed to assess brain infarc-tion.Pathological changes were examined through HE staining,and TUNEL and caspase-1 immunofluorescence double staining were conducted to detect cellular pyroptosis.Serum levels of interleukin-1β(IL-1β)and IL-18 were measured us-ing ELISA,and Western blot was performed to evaluate the expression of caspase-1,nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3),apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain(ASC),gasdermin D(GSDMD),and IL-18 proteins in the ischemic area of the rat cerebral cortex across all groups.RE-SULTS:The MCAO/R group exhibited significantly higher neurological deficit scores compared to the sham group(P<0.01)and lower scores in the administered groups relative to the MCAO/R group(P<0.05).Cerebral infarction was mark-edly increased in the MCAO/R group compared to the sham group(P<0.01),whereas the infarction area was reduced in the administered groups compared to the MCAO/R group(P<0.05).Serum levels of IL-1β and IL-18 were significantly el-evated in the MCAO/R group versus the sham group(P<0.01)and were lower in the administered groups compared to the MCAO/R group(P<0.01).Moreover,IL-1β and IL-18 levels in the MCAO/R+ASIV-EXOs group were lower than those in the MCAO/R+EXOs group(P<0.05).HE staining revealed pronounced sieve-like infarction foci in the ischemic area of the rat cerebral cortex in MCAO/R group,characterized by disorganized neuronal arrangements,reduced or absent Nys-trom's vesicles,shrunken or fragmented nuclei,and numerous red neurons.In contrast,drug-treated groups exhibited milder pathological changes with clearer neuronal structures and a significant reduction in red neuron counts.Immunofluo-rescence double staining indicated a significant increase in double-positive cells in the MCAO/R group compared to the sham group(P<0.01),with a decrease in double-positive cells in the administered groups relative to the MCAO/R group(P<0.05)and a further reduction in the MCAO/R+ASIV-EXOs group compared to the MCAO/R+EXOs group(P<0.05).The expression levels of caspase-1,NLRP3,ASC,IL-18 and GSDMD proteins in the ischemic region of the rat cerebral cortex were significantly reduced in the administered groups compared to the MCAO/R group(P<0.01),with further re-duction observed in the MCAO/R+ASIV-EXOs group compared to the MCAO/R+EXOs group(P<0.05).CONCLU-SION:Exosomes derived from ASIV-pretreated NSCs attenuate brain damage in ischemic stroke rats,potentially through a mechanism involving the inhibition of pyroptosis mediated by the NLRP3/caspase-1 pathway.

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