Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a metabolic disease characterized by abnormal deposition of lipid in hepatocytes. If not intervened in time, NAFLD may develop into liver fibrosis or liver cancer, and ultimately threatening life. NAFLD has complicated etiology and pathogenesis, and there are no effective therapeutic means and specific drugs. Currently, insulin sensitizers, lipid-lowering agents and hepatoprotective agents are often used for clinical intervention, but these drugs have obvious side effects, and their effectiveness and safety need to be further confirmed. Adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) plays a central role in maintaining energy homeostasis. Activated AMPK can enhance lipid degradation, alleviate insulin resistance (IR), suppress oxidative stress and inflammatory response, and regulate autophagy, thereby alleviating NAFLD. Natural herbal medicines have received extensive attention recently because of their regulatory effects on AMPK and low side effects. In this article, we reviewed the biologically active natural herbal medicines (such as natural herbal medicine formulas, extracts, polysaccharides, and monomers) that reported in recent years to treat NAFLD via regulating AMPK, which can serve as a foundation for subsequent development of candidate drugs for NAFLD.

BACKGROUND:Macrophage migration inhibitory factor(MIF)is a pleiotropic cytokine,which is secreted in different types of stem cells and can regulate the proliferation,differentiation and migration of various types of stem cells.Our previous research has confirmed that human embryonic stem cells secrete MIF and that its concentration in the culture medium is relatively stable.However,whether MIF is involved in the survival,proliferation and differentiation of human embryonic stem cells remains unclear. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of MIF on survival,proliferation,and differentiation of human embryonic stem cells. METHODS:(1)Human embryonic stem cells H9 were cultured.The growth curve of cells was detected and plotted by CCK-8 assay.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the level of MIF in the medium.(2)To determine the effects of exogenous MIF on the survival and proliferation of human embryonic stem cells,different groups were established:the control group,which was cultured in stem cell medium without any modifications;the exogenous MIF group,which was treated with different concentrations(30,100,300 ng/mL)of MIF in the stem cell medium;the MIF inhibitor ISO-1 group,which was treated with different concentrations(2,7,21 μmol/L)of ISO-1 in the stem cell medium;and the MIF+ISO-1 group,which was treated with different concentrations of ISO-1 along with 100 ng/mL of MIF.Cell viability was assessed using the CCK-8 assay.(3)To further elucidate the effect of MIF gene on survival and proliferation of human embryonic stem cell,the MIF knockout H9 cell line was constructed by CRISPR-Cas 9 technology to observe the lineage establishment.(4)To determine the effect of high concentrations of MIF on human embryonic stem cell differentiation,100 ng/mL MIF and 100 ng/mL of CXCR4 neutralizing antibody were separately added to the normal stem cell culture medium.The expression levels of self-renewal factors(KLF4,c-MYC,NANOG,OCT4,and SOX2)and differentiation transcription factors(FOXA2,OTX2)were measured using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction,immunofluorescence staining,and western blot analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The logarithmic growth phase of H9 cells was between 3-6 days.Under normal growth conditions,human embryonic stem cells secreted MIF at a concentration of approximately 20 ng/mL,independent of cell quantity.(2)Compared to the control group,the addition of different concentrations of MIF had no effect on the proliferation of human embryonic stem cells(P>0.05).ISO-1 significantly inhibited the proliferation of human embryonic stem cells,with a stronger inhibition observed at higher concentrations of ISO-1(P<0.05).The addition of MIF in the presence of ISO-1 reduced the inhibitory effect of ISO-1(P<0.05).(3)Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction showed that knocking out 50%of the MIF gene resulted in a significant decrease in the growth vitality of human embryonic stem cells and failure to establish cell lines.(4)Adding 100 ng/mL exogenous MIF to the culture medium resulted in a decrease in the mRNA,protein,and fluorescence expression levels of the self-renewal transcription factor KLF4,while the mRNA,protein,and fluorescence expression levels of the differentiation factor FOXA2 increased.(5)When 100 ng/mL CXCR4 neutralizing antibody was added to the culture medium,the mRNA and protein expression levels of KLF4 increased,while the mRNA and protein expression levels of FOXA2 decreased,contrary to the expression trend observed in the MIF group.In conclusion,the endogenous secretion of MIF by human embryonic stem cells is essential for their survival.The addition of MIF to the culture medium does not promote the proliferation of human embryonic stem cells.However,it can lead to a decrease in the expression of the self-renewal factor KLF4 and an increase in the expression of the transcription factor FOXA2.This provides a clue for further investigation into the effects and mechanisms of MIF on the differentiation of human embryonic stem cells.The MIF-CXCR4 axis plays a regulatory role in this process.

Objective To investigate the therapeutic efficacy of artesunate(AS)on polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS)in mice and explore the potential mechanism primarily.Methods Twenty-five female C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into Control group,model group(PCOS group),low-and high-dose AS groups(AS15 and AS30 groups)and metformin group(Met group).In addition to the Control group,the mouse model of PCOS was established by subcutaneous injection of dehydroepiandrosterone(DHEA,60 mg/kg)following by a high-fat diet for 21 d.After modeling,AS of 15 and 30 mg/kg was intraperitoneally injected into the mice of the AS 15 and AS30 groups,respectively,and 200 mg/kg Met was given to those of the Met group by gavage,once per day,for 6 weeks.ELISA was used to detect serum testosterone(T),fasting insulin(FINS),luteinizing hormone(LH)and follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH),and the LH/FSH ratio was calculated.The levels of fasting blood glucose(FBG),triglyceride(TG)and total cholesterol(TC)were detected by automatic biochemical analyzer,and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance(HOMA-IR)was calculated.The estrous cycle was observed,and HE staining was performed for pathological changes in the ovary and uterus.Immunofluorescence assay was employed to measure the expression of p-eIF2α,ATF4 and CHOP in the ovarian tissue.After steroidogenic human granulosa-like tumor cell line KGN were exposed to 100 μmol/L DHEA to simulate the hyperandrogen environment of PCOS,and then treated with 5 and 10 μg/mL AS for 24 h,the protein levels of endoplasmic reticulum stress signaling pathway was detected by Western blotting.Results Compared with the Control group,the PCOS mice had disturbed estrous cycle,polycystic changes in the ovaries,and significantly increased serum T level and LH/FSH ratio(P＜0.05),and obviously elevated HOMA-IR,TC and TG levels in terms of metabolism(P＜0.01).The expression levels of p-eIF2α,ATF4 and CHOP were notably up-regulated in the ovarian granulosa cells of PCOS mice and KGN cells after DHEA exposure(P＜0.05).Additionally,AS treatment attenuated the pathological changes of ovary and uterine expression,decreased the serum T level and the LH/FSH ratio(P＜0.05),and reduced HOMA-IR,TC and TG levels(P＜0.05)when compared with the PCOS mice.Moreover,the expression levels of p-eIF2α,ATF4 and CHOP were significantly down-regulated after AS treatment in both ovarian granulosa cells of PCOS mice and KGN cells(P＜0.05).Conclusion AS significantly improves glycolipid metabolic disorder and reproductive dysfunction in PCOS mice,which may be associated with its suppressing endoplasmic reticulum stress by inhibiting the PERK/eIF2α/ATF4/CHOP pathway.

Objective To investigate the role of p300 in lipid metabolism disorders.Methods Bioinformatics analysis was performed to analyze the expression patterns of p300 in lipid metabolism disorder-related diseases and its correlation with SREBP-1c and downstream lipid metabolic enzymes.Immunofluorescence assay was used to detect the expression of p300 in the liver tissues of the patients with varying disease severity of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD).A mouse model of lipid metabolism disorder was established in male C57BL/6J mice by feeding high-fat diet(HFD)for 12 weeks.Western blotting was employed to assess p300 expression level in the liver tissues of HFD-fed mice.A cell model of lipid metabolism disorder was established in HepG2/AML-12 cells induced with free fatty acid(FFA).The effects of siRNA-mediated knockdown of p300 was observed to measure the levels of intracellular total cholesterol(TC)and triglyceride(TG),lipid deposition,and production of reactive oxygen species(ROS).Results Clinically,p300 was highly expressed in lipid metabolism disorders,and its level was positively correlated with NAFLD severity(P<0.05).Gene Set Enrichment Analysis(GSEA)revealed that p300 expression was significantly associated with fatty acid metabolism,cholesterol homeostasis,lipogenesis,PPAR signaling pathway,and peroxisome pathway.In vivo,p300 was significantly up-regulated in the livers of HFD-fed mice(P<0.01).In vitro,FFA stimulation markedly increased p300 expression in both HepG2 and AML-12 cells(P<0.01),whereas p300 knockdown significantly reduced intracellular TG and TC levels(P<0.01),attenuated lipid droplet accumulation,and reversed FFA-induced ROS elevation(P<0.01).Furthermore,p300 expression was positively correlated with the expression of SREBP-1c and its downstream key lipid synthesis enzymes.Conclusion p300 may promote hepatic lipid accumulation by acetylating and activating SREBP-1c and regulating downstream lipid metabolic enzymes,thereby affecting lipid synthesis and oxidative stress.These findings suggest that p300 may be a potential therapeutic target for lipid metabolism disorder-related diseases.

Transarterial chemoembolization （TACE） is currently the primary treatment method for advanced liver cancer. This article elaborates on the current status of application of TACE in hepatocellular carcinoma from the aspects of existing techniques， patient selection， and efficacy assessment and summarizes the research advances and prospects of TACE combined with local treatment and systemic therapy， so as to provide new ideas for clinical practice and experimental studies.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the common malignancies in China, which has the characteristics of insidious onset, strong invasiveness, high recurrence rate and poor prognosis. Its incidence is increasing year by year, and it has become the fifth malignancy that seriously threatens human health. The clinical symptoms of HCC are not typical, which makes it difficult to screen through conventional examinations. Patients are mostly in the advanced stage of HCC when they visit the hospital due to discomfort, bringing adverse effects on the treatment and prognosis of HCC. The malignant transformation of liver cirrhosis-HCC is a transitional stage from benign lesions to malignant lesions, involving proliferative lesions of tumor cells. If the cause is clear and removed in time or appropriate treatment is carried out, it is possible to stop this malignant transformation and prevent the occurrence of HCC. Currently, there is a lack of specific indicators for diagnosing precancerous lesions of HCC, and it is urgent to find more reliable diagnostic methods. Herein, the research results of the pathogenesis and diagnostic biomarkers of HCC in recent years at home and abroad were summarized through concluding related mechanisms of malignant transformation of liver cirrhosis-HCC and potential biomarkers for early diagnosis, aiming to provide a more intuitive theoretical basis for the diagnosis and treatment of HCC in clinical practice.

Objective:To explore the MR enterography (MRE) features of intestinal Behcet disease (BD) and Crohn disease (CD) in pediatric patients.Methods:This study was a cross-sectional study. The BD patients and CD patients were retrospectively enrolled from Children′s Hospital Affiliated to Capital Institute of Pediatrics from January 2019 to October 2022. There were 17 children with intestinal BD, including 6 males and 11 females, aged 5-12 (8.4±2.6) years, and 23 children with CD, including 15 males and 8 females, aged 7-15 (10.2±2.7) years. The MRE images were observed, and the evaluation contents included the diseased intestine (terminal ileum, ileum+ascending colon, ileum+ascending colon+transverse colon, whole colon), the form of intestinal wall thickening (uniform/eccentric thickening), MRI signal (fat suppression T 2WI, DWI), the enhancement mode (uniform/layered enhancement), intestinal stenosis, intestinal dilatation, mesentery comb sign, mesentery fatty fibrosis, lymph node enlargement, and the extraintestinal complication (anal fistula, fluid collection). The comparison of MRE signs between groups was performed using the χ2 test or Fisher exact test. Results:All children were completed MRE examination with good intestinal filling, and no adverse reactions. The significant differences were found in the scope of the diseased bowel, the form of intestinal wall thickening, DWI signal, intestinal dilatation, lymph node enlargement, anal fistula and fluid collection between the intestinal BD and CD patients ( P<0.05), while no significant differences were found in the fat suppression T 2WI signal, enhancement mode of the lesion, intestinal stenosis, mesentery comb sign, and mesentery fatty fibrosis ( P>0.05). Conclusion:MRE is safe and effective, and there are certain significantly different MRE features between children with intestinal BD and CD.

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma(ICC)is a relatively rare type of primary liver cancer,and its incidence rate has gradually increased in recent years.Due to its insidious onset and atypical clinical symptoms,most patients are already in the advanced stage of the disease at the time of confirmed diagnosis,and therefore,timely diagnosis and treatment are of great importance.Radical surgical resection is the standard treatment regimen for early-stage ICC patients,while systemic chemotherapy is the basic treatment for patients with advanced ICC and is often combined with interventional treatment,targeted therapy,and immunotherapy.This article reviews the advances in the diagnosis and treatment of ICC.

Objective To investigate the efficacy and safety of tyrosine kinase inhibitor(TKI)combined with immune checkpoint inhibitor as the second-line therapy for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 63 patients with advanced HCC who were admitted to Department of Interventional Radiology,The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University,from January 2018 to December 2022,and all patients experienced progression/intolerance after transcatheter arterial chemoembolization combined with first-line TKI and were switched to second-line TKI with or without immune checkpoint inhibitor.The 32 patients receiving second-line TKI with immune checkpoint inhibitor were enrolled as combination group,and the 31 patients receiving second-line TKI alone were enrolled as single treatment group.Modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors was used to evaluate tumor response,and Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events 5.0 was used to evaluate adverse events.The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate median overall survival(mOS)and median progression-free survival(mPFS)for the two groups,and the two groups were compared in terms of objective response rate(ORR)and disease control rate(DCR).The chi-square test was used for comparison of baseline data and follow-up results between groups.Results The median follow-up time was 16.5(3.2-53.4)months for the 63 patients.The combination group had an mOS of 24.3(95%confidence interval[CI]:20.0-28.6)months and an mPFS of 9.8(95%CI:7.5-12.1)months,while the single treatment group had an mOS of 15.8(95%CI:11.4-20.1)months and an mPFS of 4.1(95%CI:3.2-4.9)months,and there were significant differences in mOS and mPFS between the two groups(P=0.029 and 0.038).The combination group had an ORR of 47%and a DCR of 84%,while the single treatment group had an ORR of 19%and a DCR of 65%;there was a significant difference in ORR between the two groups(P=0.021),but with no significant difference in DCR between the two groups(P=0.070).As for adverse events,4 patients(12.5%)in the combination group and 3(10.0%)in the single treatment group experienced grade Ⅲ-Ⅳ serious adverse events,with no fatal drug reactions in either group,and there was no significant difference in the incidence rate of adverse events between the two groups(P=0.783).Conclusion Compared with TKI alone,TKI combined with immune checkpoint inhibitor has a more significant therapeutic effect as the second-line therapy for advanced HCC,without increasing serious adverse reactions.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of first-line transcatheter arterial chemoembolization （TACE） combined with targeted therapy and immunotherapy in the treatment of patients with stage Ⅱb/Ⅲa hepatocellular carcinoma （HCC） based on China Liver Cancer Staging （CNLC）. MethodsA total of 198 patients who received first-line TACE combined with targeted therapy and immunotherapy or received TACE alone from January 2015 to December 2022 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University were enrolled in this study， and after propensity score matching， there were 50 patients in combination group and 50 patients in TACE group. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate median overall survival （mOS） and median progression-free survival （mPFS）. Modified Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors was used to evaluate objective response rate （ORR） and disease control rate （DCR）， and Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events v5.0 was used to evaluate adverse events. The chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups； the t-test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups， and the Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to estimate survival time and calculate 95% confidence interval （CI）， and the Log-rank test was used for comparison of mOS and mPFS between two groups. ResultsThe combination group had an mOS of 30.1 months （95%CI： 21.9‍ ‍—‍ ‍38.3）， and the TACE group had an mOS of 14.5 months （95%CI： 11.0 ‍—‍‍ ‍18.0）， with a significant difference between the two groups （χ²=17.8， P<0.001）； the combination group had an mPFS of 10.3 months （95%CI： 8.8‍ ‍—‍ ‍11.8）， and the TACE group had an mPFS of 7.1 months （95%CI： 5.8‍ — ‍8.4）， with a significant difference between the two groups （χ²=10.4， P<0.001）. There were significant differences between the combination group and the TACE group in ORR （84% vs 58%， P<0.05） and DCR （94% vs 80%， P<0.05）. There was no significant difference between the combination group and the TACE group in the incidence rate of adverse events （24% vs 16%， P=0.317）， and no adverse event-related deaths were observed in either group. ConclusionCompared with TACE alone， TACE combined with targeted therapy and immunotherapy has a better efficacy in the treatment of patients with CNLC stage Ⅱb/Ⅲa HCC， without increasing the incidence rate of severe adverse events.