Objective: To screen and identify the key active molecules, signaling pathways, and therapeutic targets of Shuxuening (SXN) injection for treating liver cirrhosis (LC) and to evaluate its therapeutic potential using a mouse model. Methods: Target genes of SXN and LC were retrieved from public databases, and enrichment analysis was performed. A protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins (STRING), and hub genes were identified using Molecular Complex Detection (MCODE). LC was induced in rats and mice via intraperitoneal injections of diethylnitrosamine and carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) for 12 weeks. Starting at week 7, SXN was administered intraperitoneally to the mice in the treatment group. Serum and liver tissues of the mice were collected for the detection of indicators, pathological staining, and expression analysis of hub targets using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Results: We identified 368 overlapping genes (OLGs) between SXN and LC targets. These OLGs were subsequently used to build a PPI network and to screen for hub genes. Enrichment analysis showed that these genes were associated with cancer-related pathways, including phosphoinositide-3-kinase/Akt and mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling and various cellular processes, such as responses to chemicals and metabolic regulation. In vivo experiments demonstrated that SXN treatment significantly improved liver function and pathology in CCl4-induced LC mice by reducing inflammation and collagen deposition. Furthermore, qRT-PCR demonstrated that SXN regulated the expression of MAPK8, AR and CASP3 in the livers of LC mice. Conclusion This study highlighted the therapeutic effects of SXN in alleviating LC using both bioinformatics and experimental methods. The observed effect was associated with modulation of hub gene expression, particularly MAPK8, and CASP3.

Exosomes (EXOs) are formed by intracellular multivesicular bodies and carry a variety of biomacromolecules such as lipids, proteins, encoding and non-coding RNAs, and mitochondrial DNA. EXOs can be released in vivo by different cell types, including hepatocytes, hepatic stellate cells, and immune cells and play the role of intercellular communication. More and more studies have shown that EXOs are involved in the development, progression, and prognosis of chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) caused by hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and are expected to become potential biomarkers for the early diagnosis and prognostic evaluation of HBV-related HCC. This article reviews the role of EXOs in the host infection process of HBV and the importance of EXOs in the development, progression, and prognosis of CHB and HCC, in order to provide new ideas for the basic and clinical research in this field.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic basis for a case of Lamb-Shaffer syndrome. METHODS: Genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral blood samples and subjected to whole exome sequencing(WES). Suspected variant was verified by Sanger sequencing. RESULTS: The patients was found to harbor a heterozygous c.1495delA(p.Thr499Glnfs*5) frameshift variant of the SOX5 gene by WES. Sanger sequencing confirmed that the same variant was a de novo variant. Based on the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics guidelines, c.1495delA(p.Thr499Glnfs*5) variant of the SOX5 gene was predicted to be pathogenic (PVS1+PS2+PM2). CONCLUSION The c.1495delA(p.Thr499Glnfs*5) variant of the SOX5 gene probably underlies the Lamb-Shaffer syndrome in this patient.
Animals ; Genomics ; Heterozygote ; Humans ; Mutation ; SOXD Transcription Factors/genetics* ; Sheep ; Whole Exome Sequencing

Objective To investigate the effects of nerve growth factor(NGF) on metabolism and function of neuroglial cells in the normal mice and the nonobese diabetic(NOD) mice.Methods The mice were divided into normol group and NOD group(n=10).The neuroglial cells abstracted from the normal mice and the NOD mice were randomly divided into control (with RPMI-1640) and 4 experimental groups(n=10);5,10 and 20 ?g? L1NGF and 20 ?g?L1LPS +10 ?g?L-1NGF were used in experimental groups.The activity of superoxide dismutase(SOD) and malonic dialdehyde(MDA) content in the culture solution were detected with xanthine oxidase and TBA methods.Results Compared with control group of normal mice,the activity of SOD and MDA content in neuroglial cells of the NOD mice were significantly decreased(P

砄bjective: To observe NO level in gingival tissue of elderly patients with periodontitis. Methods: 4 mm 3 gingival tissue was obtained during tooth extraction and NO in the tissue of 14 patients aged 65～81 years with periodontitis was measured with nitrate reductase assay. The NO level was compared with that of 9 adult patients (40～58 years old), 6 juveniles patients (25～30 years old) with periodontitis and 9 health elders(65～77 years old).Results:NO(?mol/L)in gingival tissue of elderly patients,health elders,adult patients and juvenile patients were 33.07?12.02,63.53?18.23,55.99?22.40 and 82.15?30.35 respectively.( P

Objective To study the effect of rhu-IFN-? on immune state and vertical transmission in pregnant mice infected with Toxoplasma gondii. Methods Sixty pregnant BALB/c mice were randomly divided into three groups: a control group,infected group and treatment group. In the infected group and treatment group,each mouse was injected with T.gondii tachyzoites peritoneally on the day 8 of gestation. In the treatment group,each mouse was treated with 1 000 U rhu-IFN-? on the day 7,8,9 of gestation. Blood was collected from the tail veins of all the mice on the day 10,12 of gestation. The levels of blood CD4+ and CD8+ T cells were detected by flow cytometry. Meanwhile,on the day 12 of gestation,all mice were anatomized to observe live embryo rate and the infection status in fetal brain tissue. Results Compared with the control group,the levels of CD4+ T cells in the infected group and treatment group were low,and the levels of CD8+ T cells high on the day 10,12 of gestation,so the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ was inversed. However,compared with the infected group,the levels of CD4+ T cells in the treatment group were high and the levels of CD8+ T cells low on the day 10,12 of gestation,so the ratios of CD4+/CD8+ were high on the day 10,12 of gestation. Meanwhile,the live embryo rate was high and the infection rate of intrauterine embryonic low. Conclusion A proper dose of rhu-IFN-? could improve the function of immunity system and reduce the vertical transmission probability in pregnant mice infected with T.gondii.