1.Exploring Chemical Constituent Distribution in Blood/Brain(Hippocampus) and Emotional Regulatory Effect of Raw and Vinegar-processed Products of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride
Yi BAO ; Yonggui SONG ; Qianmin LI ; Zhifu AI ; Genhua ZHU ; Ming YANG ; Huanhua XU ; Qin ZHENG ; Yiting HUANG ; Zihan GAO ; Dan SU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(2):189-197
ObjectiveTo investigate the migration and distribution characteristics of chemical constituents in blood and hippocampal tissues before and after vinegar processing of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride(CRPV), and to explore the potential material basis and mechanisms underlying their regulatory effects on emotional disorders by comparing the effects of raw and vinegar-processed products of CRPV. MethodsUltra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS) was employed to characterize and identify the chemical constituents of raw and vinegar-processed products of CRPV extracts, as well as their migrating components in blood and hippocampal tissues after oral administration. Reference standards, databases, and relevant literature were utilized for compound annotation, with data processing performed using PeakView 1.2 software. Seventy male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into seven groups, including the blank group, model group, diazepam group(2.5 mg·kg-1), raw CRPV low/high dose groups(0.6, 1.2 g·kg-1), and vinegar-processed CRPV low/high dose groups(0.6, 1.2 g·kg-1), with 10 mice per group. Except for the blank group, all other groups underwent chronic restraint stress(2 h·d-1) for 20 d. Each drug-treated group received oral administration at the predetermined dose starting 10 d after modeling, with a total treatment duration of 10 d. Following model-based drug administration, mice underwent open-field, forced swimming, and elevated plus maze tests. After anesthesia with isoflurane, whole brains were collected from each group of mice, and hippocampi were dissected. Reactive oxygen species(ROS) level in hippocampal tissues was quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was used to observe hippocampal tissue morphology. Immunofluorescence was performed to detect neuronal nuclei(NeuN) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha(PPARα) expressions in hippocampal tissue. Then, pharmacodynamic evaluations were conducted to assess the effects of raw and vinegar-processed CRPV on mood disorders, exploring the potential mechanisms. ResultsVinegar processing caused significant changes in the chemical composition of CRPV, with 18 components showing increased relative content and 35 components showing decreased relative content. The primary changes occurred in flavonoid compounds, including 20 flavonoids, 20 flavonoid glycosides, 3 triterpenes, 3 phenolic acids, 1 alkaloid, and 6 other compounds. Twenty-one components were detected in blood(15 methoxyflavones, 4 flavonoid glycosides, and 2 phenolic acids), with 17 shared between raw and vinegar-processed CRPV. Seven components reached hippocampal tissues(all common to both forms). In regulating emotional disorders, Vinegar-processed CRPV exhibited superior antidepressant-like effects compared to raw products. HE staining revealed that both treatments improved hippocampal neuronal morphology, particularly in the damaged CA1 and CA3 regions. Immunofluorescence and ELISA analyses demonstrated that both raw and vinegar-processed CRPV significantly modulated NeuN and PPARα expressions in hippocampal tissue while alleviating oxidative stress induced by excessive ROS(P<0.05). ConclusionThe chemical composition of CRPV undergoes changes after vinegar processing, but the migrating components in blood and hippocampus are primarily methoxyflavonoids. These components may serve as the potential material basis for activating the PPARα pathway, thereby negatively regulating ROS generation in the hippocampus, reducing oxidative stress, and promoting the development of NeuN-positive neurons. These findings provide experimental evidence for enhancing quality standards, pharmacodynamic material research, and active drug development of raw and vinegar-processed CRPV.
2.Effect of the number of times to urinate on the modeling rate of neurogenic bladder model in rats after complete spinal cord transection
Roujun LIANG ; Lifen ZHAN ; Xuejiu ZENG ; Qiangsheng DING ; Xiaojing LUO ; Yue ZHUO ; Kun AI ; Shifeng DENG ; Ming XU ; Hong ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(18):3840-3847
BACKGROUND:Spinal cord injury often leads to neurogenic bladder with hyperreflexia of the forced urethral muscle,but there is a lack of clear understanding of its pathogenesis and treatment,and establishing a stable and reliable animal model has an important impact on revealing its pathomechanisms and exploring therapeutic approaches.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of the number of times to urinate on neurogenic model rats after complete spinal cord transection in order to improve the postoperative survival and modeling rate of neurogenic model rats.METHODS:Out of 46 female Sprague-Dawley rats,6 were selected as the sham-operated group using the random number table method,and the remaining 40 rats were randomly divided into 0,1,3,and 5 times daily urination groups after complete spinal cord transection modeling,with 10 rats in each group.The residual urine volume was measured every 3 days within 19 postoperative days,and the survival and modeling were observed on the 19th day after the operation,and urodynamics tests and contraction experiments of isolated forced urethra muscle strips were performed.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Survival and modeling rate:there was 10%survival rate and 10%modeling rate in the group of 0 times daily urination;20%survival rate and 10%modeling rate in the group of 1 time daily urination;70%survival rate and 70%modeling rate in the groups of 3 and 5 times daily urination.(2)Residual urine volume:compared with the sham-operated group,the residual urine volume of the groups of 3 and 5 times daily urination was significant increased on postoperative days 3,6,9,12,and 15(P<0.01);the residual urine volume of the groups of 3 and 5 times daily urination was increased on the 18th day after surgery(P<0.05).Compared with the 3 times daily urination group,the residual urine volume was decreased in the 5 times daily urination group on the 6th day after surgery(P<0.05),while there was no significant difference in the residual urine volume between the 3 and 5 times daily urination groups on the 3rd,9th,12th,15th,and 18th days after surgery.(3)Urodynamics:Compared with the sham-operated group,the differential pressure at the point of leakage was significantly reduced(P<0.01)and the maximal volume was significantly increased(P<0.01)in the 3 and 5 times daily urination groups.There was no statistical difference in the differential pressure at the point of leakage and the maximal volume between the 3 and 5 times daily urination groups.(4)Muscle-strip contraction test of isolated detrusor muscles:Compared with the sham-operated group,the contraction amplitude and frequency of detrusor muscle strips were significantly reduced in the 3 and 5 times daily urination groups(P<0.01).There was no statistically significant difference in the contraction amplitude and frequency of detrusor muscle strips between the 3 and 5 times daily-urination groups.In conclusion,assisted urination is one of the keys to establish a successful neurogenic model of urethral reflexes,and there is no significant difference in the effects of urinating 3 or 5 times a day on the neurogenic model.It is recommended to urinate at least 3 times a day based on the actual workload and the modeling rate.
3.Progress on antisense oligonucleotide in the field of antibacterial therapy
Jia LI ; Xiao-lu HAN ; Shi-yu SONG ; Jin-tao LIN ; Zhi-qiang TANG ; Zeng-ming WANG ; Liang XU ; Ai-ping ZHENG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2025;60(2):337-347
With the widespread use of antibiotics, drug-resistant bacterial infections have become a significant threat to human health. Finding new antibacterial strategies that can effectively control drug-resistant bacterial infections has become an urgent task. Unlike small molecule drugs that target bacterial proteins, antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) can target genes related to bacterial resistance, pathogenesis, growth, reproduction and biofilm formation. By regulating the expression of these genes, ASO can inhibit or kill bacteria, providing a novel approach for the development of antibacterial drugs. To overcome the challenge of delivering antisense oligonucleotide into bacterial cells, various drug delivery systems have been applied in this field, including cell-penetrating peptides, lipid nanoparticles and inorganic nanoparticles, which have injected new momentum into the development of antisense oligonucleotide in the antibacterial realm. This review summarizes the current development of small nucleic acid drugs, the antibacterial mechanisms, targets, sequences and delivery vectors of antisense oligonucleotide, providing a reference for the research and development of antisense oligonucleotide in the treatment of bacterial infections.
4.Effect of Different Fermentation Conditions on Fungal Community and Chemical Composition of Aurantii Fructus
Zhihong YAN ; Xiumei LIU ; Qiuyan GUAN ; Yonggui SONG ; Zhifu AI ; Genhua ZHU ; Yuhui PING ; Ming YANG ; Qin ZHENG ; Huanhua XU ; Dan SU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(11):254-262
ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of different fermentation methods and times on the fungal flora and chemical composition of Aurantii Fructus, in order to obtain the optimal fermentation conditions and flora structure, and to ensure the stability and controllability of the fermented varieties. MethodsScanning electron microscopy was used to observe and analyze the colony characteristics on the surface of Aurantii Fructus under different fermentation conditions. Internal transcribed spacer 2(ITS2) high-throughput sequencing, combined with fungal community diversity analysis and fungal community structure analysis, were used to obtain the fungal flora microbial categories of Aurantii Fructus under the conditions of traditional pressure-shelf fermentation and non-pressure-shelf natural fermentation for 7, 14, 21 d(numbered Y1-Y3 for the former, and numbered F1-F3 for the latter), respectively. At the same time, the chemical components in the fermentation process were detected by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS), combined with principal component analysis(PCA), partial least squares-discriminant analysis(PLS-DA) and compound retention time, parent ions, characteristic fragment ions and other information, the differential compounds between the different fermentation samples were screened and identified. ResultsThe analysis of fungal community diversity showed that the dominant flora did not change at different fermentation time points in the traditional pressure-shelf fermentation method, while in the non-pressure-shelf natural fermentation method, there was a significant difference with the fermentation process, and at the genus level, the dominant genus of samples Y1, Y2, Y3 and F2 was Aspergillus, while the dominant genera of samples F1 and F3 were both Rhizopus. This indicated that the microbial growth environment provided by the traditional fermentation method was more stable, and the microbial community structure was more stable, which was more conducive to the stable and controllable fermentation process and fermented products. A total of 155 compounds were identified by compositional analysis, including 70 flavonoids, 38 coumarins, 10 alkaloids, 34 organic acids and 3 other compounds. After fermentation, two new components of ribalinine and pranferin were produced. Different fermentation conditions also brought about differences in chemical composition, multivariate statistical analysis obtained 26 differential compounds under two different fermentation methods, mainly including flavonoids, organic acids and coumarins. Comprehensively, the microbial community structure of samples fermented by the traditional pressure-shelf method of Aurantii Fructus for 14 d was stable, the species richness was high and the overall content of differential compounds was high, which was the optimal processing condition. ConclusionCompared with non-pressure-shelf natural fermentation, the traditional method has obvious advantages in terms of the stability of the microbial community structure and the content of chemical compounds, and the optimal condition is 14 days of fermentation. This study is helpful to promote the quality stability and fermentation bioavailability of fermented products of Aurantii Fructus, as well as to provide an experimental basis for the further improvement of the quality control methods of this variety.
5.Effect of Different Fermentation Conditions on Fungal Community and Chemical Composition of Aurantii Fructus
Zhihong YAN ; Xiumei LIU ; Qiuyan GUAN ; Yonggui SONG ; Zhifu AI ; Genhua ZHU ; Yuhui PING ; Ming YANG ; Qin ZHENG ; Huanhua XU ; Dan SU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(11):254-262
ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of different fermentation methods and times on the fungal flora and chemical composition of Aurantii Fructus, in order to obtain the optimal fermentation conditions and flora structure, and to ensure the stability and controllability of the fermented varieties. MethodsScanning electron microscopy was used to observe and analyze the colony characteristics on the surface of Aurantii Fructus under different fermentation conditions. Internal transcribed spacer 2(ITS2) high-throughput sequencing, combined with fungal community diversity analysis and fungal community structure analysis, were used to obtain the fungal flora microbial categories of Aurantii Fructus under the conditions of traditional pressure-shelf fermentation and non-pressure-shelf natural fermentation for 7, 14, 21 d(numbered Y1-Y3 for the former, and numbered F1-F3 for the latter), respectively. At the same time, the chemical components in the fermentation process were detected by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS), combined with principal component analysis(PCA), partial least squares-discriminant analysis(PLS-DA) and compound retention time, parent ions, characteristic fragment ions and other information, the differential compounds between the different fermentation samples were screened and identified. ResultsThe analysis of fungal community diversity showed that the dominant flora did not change at different fermentation time points in the traditional pressure-shelf fermentation method, while in the non-pressure-shelf natural fermentation method, there was a significant difference with the fermentation process, and at the genus level, the dominant genus of samples Y1, Y2, Y3 and F2 was Aspergillus, while the dominant genera of samples F1 and F3 were both Rhizopus. This indicated that the microbial growth environment provided by the traditional fermentation method was more stable, and the microbial community structure was more stable, which was more conducive to the stable and controllable fermentation process and fermented products. A total of 155 compounds were identified by compositional analysis, including 70 flavonoids, 38 coumarins, 10 alkaloids, 34 organic acids and 3 other compounds. After fermentation, two new components of ribalinine and pranferin were produced. Different fermentation conditions also brought about differences in chemical composition, multivariate statistical analysis obtained 26 differential compounds under two different fermentation methods, mainly including flavonoids, organic acids and coumarins. Comprehensively, the microbial community structure of samples fermented by the traditional pressure-shelf method of Aurantii Fructus for 14 d was stable, the species richness was high and the overall content of differential compounds was high, which was the optimal processing condition. ConclusionCompared with non-pressure-shelf natural fermentation, the traditional method has obvious advantages in terms of the stability of the microbial community structure and the content of chemical compounds, and the optimal condition is 14 days of fermentation. This study is helpful to promote the quality stability and fermentation bioavailability of fermented products of Aurantii Fructus, as well as to provide an experimental basis for the further improvement of the quality control methods of this variety.
6.Screening of Antidepressant Active Components from Curcumae Rhizoma and Its Mechanism in Regulating Nrf2/GPX4/GSH Pathway
Yonggui SONG ; Delin DUAN ; Meixizi LAI ; Yali LIU ; Zhifu AI ; Genhua ZHU ; Huanhua XU ; Qin ZHENG ; Ming YANG ; Dan SU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(6):211-221
ObjectiveTo screen and evaluate the antidepressant compounds of Curcumae Rhizoma, and explore its mechanism of regulating the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)/glutathione(GSH) peroxidase 4(GPX4)/GSH pathway from an antioxidant perspective. MethodsThe antioxidant activities in vitro of 11 characteristic components from Curcumae Rhizoma, including curcumol, curgerenone, curdione, curzerene, curcumenol, curcumenone, dehydrocurdione, isocurcumenol, furanodienone, furanodiene and zederone, were detected using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl(DPPH) and 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) diammonium salt(ABTS) radical scavenging assays. The depression in Drosophila melanogaster was induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress(CUMS), and W1118 wild-type male D. melanogaster were randomly divided into blank group, model group, curcumol group, curgerenone group, curdione group, curzerene group, curcumenol group,curcumenone group, dehydrocurdione group, isocurcumenol group, furanodienone group, furanodiene group, zederone group and fluoxetine group(10 μmol·L-1). The treatment groups received a dose of 0.1 g·L-1 of 11 characteristic components from Curcumae Rhizoma, while the blank and model groups were administered equivalent volumes of solvent. The sucrose preference test, climbing test and forced swimming test were used to evaluate the behavioral indicators of depression in D. melanogaster. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(LC-MS) was used to detect the levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT) and dopamine(DA) in the brain of D. melanogaster, and the entropy weight method was used to comprehensively evaluate neurobehavioral and neurotransmitter indicators, resulting in the identification of the antidepressant active components of Curcumae Rhizoma. In addition, a mouse depression model was established by CUMS, and C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into blank group, model group, low and high dose groups of curzerene(0.5, 1 mg·kg-1), and fluoxetine group(10 mg·kg-1) to confirm the antidepressant effect of the optimal active ingredient by behavioral analysis. Flow cytometry was used to detect the content of reactive oxygen species(ROS) in the hippocampus of mice from each group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the contents of adenosine triphosphate(ATP), superoxide dismutase(SOD), catalase(CAT) and GSH. Transmission electron microscope(TEM) was used to observe the effect of curzerene on the ultrastructure of mitochondria in hippocampal tissue. Western blot was performed to determine the level of Nrf2 protein, and Nrf2 inhibitor(ML385) was used to verify the relationship between the antidepressant effect of curzerene and regulation of Nrf2. Real time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction(Real-time PCR) was employed to detect the effect of curzerene on the mRNA expression level of GPX. ResultsIn vitro antioxidant experiments showed that curzerene and curgerenone exhibited the most significant ability to scavenge free radicals, and comprehensive evaluation results of entropy weight method indicated that curzerene stood out as the most promising active component. Compared with the blank group, the model group exhibited a significant decrease in sucrose preference coefficient and the number of times entering the open field center(P<0.01), as well as a significant increase in immobility time in the forced swimming and tail suspension tests(P<0.01), and the ROS content in hippocampus significantly elevated(P<0.01), while the ATP content significantly reduced(P<0.01). In the hippocampal neurons of the model group, mitochondrial cristae were disordered, with vacuolation of the inner membrane and severe damage. Nrf2 protein expression level in the model group was significantly decreased(P<0.05), and the antioxidant enzymes SOD, CAT and GSH contents were also significantly reduced(P<0.05, P<0.01), and the gene expression levels of GPX1, GPX4 and GPX7 were significantly decreased(P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the high-dose group of curzerene showed a significant increase in the sucrose preference coefficient and the number of times entering the open field center(P<0.05), as well as a significant decrease in immobility time in the forced swimming and tail suspension tests(P<0.05, P<0.01). The ROS content in the hippocampus of the high-dose group of curzerene was significantly reduced(P<0.01), while the ATP content was significantly increased(P<0.05). The neuronal mitochondrial damage in the hippocampus of the high-dose group of curzerene was alleviated, and the expression level of Nrf2 protein was significantly increased(P<0.05). The Nrf2 inhibitor ML385 reversed the improvement of curzerene on depressive behaviors in CUMS mice. The GSH content in the hippocampal neurons of the high-dose group of curzerene was significantly increased(P<0.01), while there were no significant differences in SOD and CAT contents. The expression level of GPX4 gene in the hippocampal neurons of the high-dose group of curzerene was significantly increased(P<0.05), while there were no significant differences in other GPX genes. ConclusionCurzerene is the best component with antidepressant activity in Curcumae Rhizoma. It may improve mitochondrial dysfunction to exert its antidepressant effect by regulating Nrf2 and its downstream GPX4/GSH pathway rather than CAT or SOD pathways.
7.Morin inhibits ubiquitination degradation of BCL-2 associated agonist of cell death and synergizes with BCL-2 inhibitor in gastric cancer cells.
Yi WANG ; Xiao-Yu SUN ; Fang-Qi MA ; Ming-Ming REN ; Ruo-Han ZHAO ; Meng-Meng QIN ; Xiao-Hong ZHU ; Yan XU ; Ni-da CAO ; Yuan-Yuan CHEN ; Tian-Geng DONG ; Yong-Fu PAN ; Ai-Guang ZHAO
Journal of Integrative Medicine 2025;23(3):320-332
OBJECTIVE:
Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignancies seen in clinic and requires novel treatment options. Morin is a natural flavonoid extracted from the flower stalk of a highly valuable medicinal plant Prunella vulgaris L., which exhibits an anti-cancer effect in multiple types of tumors. However, the therapeutic effect and underlying mechanism of morin in treating GC remains elusive. The study aims to explore the therapeutic effect and underlying molecular mechanisms of morin in GC.
METHODS:
For in vitro experiments, the proliferation inhibition of morin was measured by cell counting kit-8 assay and colony formation assay in human GC cell line MKN45, human gastric adenocarcinoma cell line AGS, and human gastric epithelial cell line GES-1; for apoptosis analysis, microscopic photography, Western blotting, ubiquitination analysis, quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis, flow cytometry, and RNA interference technology were employed. For in vivo studies, immunohistochemistry, biomedical analysis, and Western blotting were used to assess the efficacy and safety of morin in a xenograft mouse model of GC.
RESULTS:
Morin significantly inhibited the proliferation of GC cells MKN45 and AGS in a dose- and time-dependent manner, but did not inhibit human gastric epithelial cells GES-1. Only the caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK was able to significantly reverse the inhibition of proliferation by morin in both GC cells, suggesting that apoptosis was the main type of cell death during the treatment. Morin induced intrinsic apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner in GC cells, which mainly relied on B cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) associated agonist of cell death (BAD) but not phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate-induced protein 1. The upregulation of BAD by morin was due to blocking the ubiquitination degradation of BAD, rather than the transcription regulation and the phosphorylation of BAD. Furthermore, the combination of morin and BCL-2 inhibitor navitoclax (also known as ABT-737) produced a synergistic inhibitory effect in GC cells through amplifying apoptotic signals. In addition, morin treatment significantly suppressed the growth of GC in vivo by upregulating BAD and the subsequent activation of its downstream apoptosis pathway.
CONCLUSION
Morin suppressed GC by inducing apoptosis, which was mainly due to blocking the ubiquitination-based degradation of the pro-apoptotic protein BAD. The combination of morin and the BCL-2 inhibitor ABT-737 synergistically amplified apoptotic signals in GC cells, which may overcome the drug resistance of the BCL-2 inhibitor. These findings indicated that morin was a potent and promising agent for GC treatment. Please cite this article as: Wang Y, Sun XY, Ma FQ, Ren MM, Zhao RH, Qin MM, Zhu XH, Xu Y, Cao ND, Chen YY, Dong TG, Pan YF, Zhao AG. Morin inhibits ubiquitination degradation of BCL-2 associated agonist of cell death and synergizes with BCL-2 inhibitor in gastric cancer cells. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(3): 320-332.
Humans
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Flavonoids/therapeutic use*
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Stomach Neoplasms/pathology*
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Animals
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/metabolism*
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Cell Line, Tumor
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Apoptosis/drug effects*
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Cell Proliferation/drug effects*
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Ubiquitination/drug effects*
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Mice
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Drug Synergism
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Mice, Inbred BALB C
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Mice, Nude
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Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
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Flavones
9.Mechanism of electroacupuncture treating detrusor-bladder neck dyssynergia after suprasacral spinal cord injury by proteomics
Liya TANG ; Qirui QU ; Jincan LIU ; Ming XU ; Lu ZHOU ; Qiong LIU ; Kun AI
Digital Chinese Medicine 2025;8(2):267-278
Objectives:
To elucidate the potential mechanisms of electroacupuncture (EA) in restoring detrusor-bladder neck dyssynergia (DBND) following suprasacral spinal cord injury (SSCI).
Methods:
A total of 52 specific pathogen-free (SPF) grade famale Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats (10 – 12 weeks, 250 – 280 g) were randomly assigned to either a sham group (n = 12) or a spinal cord injury model group (n = 40). In the model group, DBND was induced through Hassan Shaker spinal cord transection at T10 level, with 24 rats meeting inclusion criteria and subsequently randomized into DBND group (n = 12) and EA intervention group (DBND + EA group, n = 12). After spinal shock recovery (day 19 after modeling), DBND + EA group received EA treatment at Ciliao (BL32), Zhongji (RN3), and Sanyinjiao (SP6) acupoints for 20 min per session at 10/50 Hz frequencies, once daily for 10 d. Sham and DBND groups received anesthesia only without EA intervention. On day 29 post-modeling, all rats underwent urodynamic assessments, followed by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, tandem mass tag (TMT) proteomics, and Western blot (WB) analysis of detrusor and bladder neck tissues. Differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were defined as proteins with P < 0.05, unique peptides ≥ 2, and fold change > 1.2 or < 0.83. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis was performed using KOBAS 3.0 (P < 0.01), and protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were analyzed using Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins (STRING) 11.5 and Cytoscape 3.9.1.
Results:
Compared with sham group, DBND group showed significantly elevated leak point pressure (LPP) and maximum cystometric capacity (MCC) (both P < 0.01). EA treatment significantly reduced both LPP and MCC compared with DBND group (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively). HE staining revealed that EA reduced detrusor fibrosis and improved bladder neck inflammation. TMT proteomics identified 30 overlapping DEPs in detrusor and 59 overlapping DEPs in bladder neck when comparing DBND + EA/DBND groups with sham group. In detrusor tissue, KEGG analysis revealed 10 significantly enriched pathways (P < 0.01), including mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. PPI analysis showed 22 of 30 DEPs were interconnected. In bladder neck tissue, 14 pathways were significantly enriched (P < 0.01), including relaxin signaling pathway, with 51 of 59 DEPs showing interconnections. Both TMT and WB validations demonstrated that compared with sham controls, DBND rats exhibited upregulated collagen type IV alpha 2 chain (Col4a2) and downregulated guanine nucleotide-binding protein G(z) subunit alpha (Gnaz) in detrusor tissue, while EA treatment normalized both proteins (both P < 0.05). In bladder neck tissue, DBND rats showed decreased expression of smoothelin (Smtn) and calcium-activated potassium channel subunit beta-1 (Kcnmb1) compared with sham controls (both P < 0.01), which were both upregulated following EA treatment (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively).
Conclusion
EA restores detrusor-bladder neck coordination in DBND through dual-target mechanisms. In detrusor tissue, EA modulates contraction via extracellular matrix remodeling, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling pathway regulation, and enhanced adenosine triphosphate (ATP) biosynthesis mediated by neurotransmitters. In bladder neck tissue, EA promotes relaxation by maintaining contractile phenotypes, reducing fibrosis, suppressing smooth muscle excitation, and regulating presynaptic neurotransmitter release. These findings provide mechanistic insights into EA's therapeutic role in managing DBND.
10.Effect of Electroacupuncture on TGF-β1/Smads Signaling Pathway and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition-related Protein Expression in Rats with Neurogenic Bladder After Spinal Cord Injury
Xiaojing LUO ; Chuning TIAN ; Lifen ZHAN ; Qian LI ; Roujun LIANG ; Lubo XIAO ; Yue ZHUO ; Kun AI ; Ming XU ; Hong ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;32(10):120-126
Objective To observe the effects of electroacupuncture(EA)on TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway and epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)related proteins in rats with neurogenic bladder(NB)after spinal cord injury;To explore the possible mechanism of EA in improving NB fibrosis.Methods Totally 36 female SD rats were randomly selected,with 10 rats in the sham-operation group and the remaining 26 rats undergoing complete transection of the spinal cord beneath the T8 vertebrae to establish a NB rat model.The modeling rats were randomly divided into model group and EA group,with 10 rats in each group.EA group was applied to"Ciliao","Zhongji"and"Sanyinjiao",20 min per time,once a day for 7 days.The general condition of the rats in each group was observed,the ultrasound index of the bladder was detected by ultrasound technique,the bladder function of the rats was detected by urodynamics,the body mass of the rats and the wet weight of the bladder were recorded,and the bladder index was calculated.HE staining was used to observe bladder tissue morphology,the degree of bladder tissue fibrosis and bladder wall thickness were detected by Masson staining.The positive expressions of E-cadherin,N-cadherin and Vimentin in bladder tissue were detected by immunohistochemistry.The protein expressions of TGF-β1,p-Smad2/3,E-cadherin,N-cadherin and Vimentin were detected by Western blot.Results Compared with the sham-operation group,the upper and lower diameter,anteroposterior diameter,transverse diameter,bladder volume of the model group significantly increased(P<0.001),the maximum bladder pressure,leak point pressure difference,perfusion time and maximum bladder capacity significantly increased(P<0.001),the bladder index increased significantly(P<0.001),the bladder epithelial cells were thickened and arranged irregularly,the bladder collagen volume fraction and bladder wall thickness significantly increased(P<0.001),the expressions of TGF-β1,p-Smad2/3,N-cadherin and Vimentin in bladder tissue increased(P<0.01),and the expression of E-cadherin decreased(P<0.001).Compared with the model group,the upper and lower diameter,anteroposterior diameter,transverse diameter,bladder volume of the EA group decreased significantly(P<0.05),the maximum bladder pressure,leak point pressure difference,perfusion time and maximum bladder capacity significantly decreased(P<0.05),the bladder index significantly decreased(P<0.05),the thickness of the bladder epithelial cell layer became thinner and arranged more neatly,and the bladder collagen volume fraction and bladder wall thickness of the bladder were significantly reduced(P<0.05),the expressions of TGF-β1,p-Smad2/3,N-cadherin and Vimentin in bladder tissue significantly decreased(P<0.05),and the expression of E-cadherin significantly increased(P<0.05).Conclusion EA may reduce the EMT of bladder epithelial cells and decrease the degree of bladder tissue fibrosis by inhibiting the activation of the TGF-β1/Smads signaling pathway,thereby improving bladder function in NB rats after spinal cord injury.

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