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.

ObjectiveTo explore the feasibility of constructing a programmed death receptor-1（PD-1） molecular probe for non-invasive micro-positron emission tomography/computed tomography （Micro-PET/CT） imaging of PD-1 protein in mouse S180 sarcoma. MethodsA transgenic PD-1 C57 S180 sarcoma mouse model was established using the S180 sarcoma cell injection. Furthermore， ¹²⁴I-anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody probe was synthesized. 18.5 MBq of the ¹²⁴I-anti-PD-1 probe was injected into the tail vein of transgenic PD-1 C57 mice. Subsequently， S180 sarcoma was imaged using Micro-PET/CT. ResultsStudy successfully established a transgenic PD-1 C57 S180 sarcoma mouse model. Immunohistochemical （IHC） results showed PD-1 protein expression in S180 sarcoma. Micro-PET/CT imaging successfully visualized the PD-1 protein receptor in S180 sarcoma at different time points （20， 48， 72， and 120 h） after probe injection. ConclusionThe ¹²⁴I-anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody molecular probe successfully targets the PD-1 receptor in S180 sarcoma of transgenic PD-1 C57 mice， and presents clear Micro-PET/CT immunoassay results， thus it potentially enables the non-invasive screening of patients with PD-1 positive malignant tumors.

The liver performs multiple life-sustaining functions. Hepatic diseases, including hepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatoma, pose significant health and economic burdens globally. Along with the advances in nanotechnology, mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) exhibiting diversiform size and shape, distinct morphological properties, and favorable physico-chemical features have become an ideal choice for drug delivery systems and inspire alternative thinking for the management of hepatic diseases. Initially, we introduce the physiological structure of the liver and highlight its intrinsic cell types and correlative functions. Next, we detail the synthesis methods and physicochemical properties of MSNs and their capacity for controlled drug loading and release. Particularly, we discuss the interactions between liver and MSNs with respect to the passive targeting mechanisms of MSNs within the liver by adjusting their particle size, pore diameter, surface charge, hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity, and surface functionalization. Subsequently, we emphasize the role of MSNs in regulating liver pathophysiology, exploring their value in addressing liver pathological states, such as tumors and inflammation, combined with multi-functional designs and intelligent modes to enhance drug targeting and minimize side effects. Lastly, we put forward the problems, challenges, opportunities, as well as clinical translational issues faced by MSNs in the management of liver diseases.

The coinfection of respiratory viruses and bacteria is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, despite the development of vaccines and powerful antibiotics. As a macromolecule that is difficult to absorb in the gastrointestinal tract, a homogeneous polysaccharide from Houttuynia cordata (HCPM) has been reported to exhibit anti-complement properties and alleviate influenza A virus (H1N1)-induced lung injury; however, the effects of HCPM without in vitro antiviral and antibacterial activities on more complicated pulmonary diseases resulting from viral-bacterial coinfection remains unclear. This study established a representative coinfection murine pneumonia model infected with H1N1 (0.2 LD₅₀) and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA, 10⁷ CFU). HCPM significantly improved survival rate and weight loss, and ameliorated gut-lung damage and inflammatory cytokine production. Interestingly, the therapeutic effect of HCPM on intestinal damage preceded that in the lungs. Mechanistically, HCPM inhibited the overactivation of the intestinal complement (C3a and C5a) and suppressed the activation of the NLR family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) pathway, which contributes to the regulation of the Treg/Th17 cell balance in the gut-lung axis. The results indicate the beneficial effects of an anti-complement polysaccharide against viral-bacterial coinfection pneumonia by modulating crosstalk between multiple immune regulatory networks.

Neuropathic pain, a debilitating condition caused by dysfunction of the somatosensory nervous system, remains difficult to treat due to limited understanding of its molecular mechanisms. Bioinformatics analysis identified cerebellin 2 (CBLN2) as highly enriched in human and murine proprioceptive and nociceptive neurons. We found that CBLN2 expression is persistently upregulated in dorsal root ganglia (DRG) following spinal nerve ligation (SNL) in mice. In addition, transcription factor SOX11 binds to 12 cis-regulatory elements within the Cbln2 promoter to enhance its transcription. SNL also induced SOX11 upregulation, with SOX11 and CBLN2 co-localized in nociceptive neurons. The siRNA-mediated knockdown of Sox11 or Cbln2 attenuated SNL-induced mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia. High-throughput sequencing of DRG following intrathecal injection of CBLN2 revealed widespread gene expression changes, including upregulation of numerous NF-κB downstream targets. Consistently, CBLN2 activated NF-κB signaling, and inhibition with pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate reduced CBLN2-induced pain hypersensitivity, proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines production, and neuronal hyperexcitability. Together, these findings identified the SOX11/CBLN2/NF-κB axis as a critical mediator of neuropathic pain and a promising target for therapeutic intervention.
Animals ; Neuralgia/metabolism* ; Ganglia, Spinal/metabolism* ; Up-Regulation ; Mice ; NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; SOXC Transcription Factors/genetics* ; Male ; Neuroinflammatory Diseases/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Nerve Tissue Proteins/genetics* ; Hyperalgesia/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction ; Spinal Nerves

Objective To explore the application of the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model in predicting the number of reported hepatitis E cases in Yunnan Province，to use this model to predict the incidence trend of hepatitis E, and to provide reference for the scientific prevention and control of hepatitis E. Methods Monthly reported cases of hepatitis E in Yunnan Province from 2012 to 2021 were collected. The ARIMA model was established using SPSS 27.0, and the model was validated and parameters were optimized with data from January 2022 to December 2022. The optimal fitting model was used to predict the incidence of hepatitis E in 2023. Results Hepatitis E incidence in Yunnan Province showed a certain seasonal distribution, with most cases concentrated from March to August. All parameters of ARIMA(3,1,4)(1,1,1)₁₂ passed statistical tests. The Ljung-Box test showed statistic Q =10.050, P = 0.346, residual sequence was a white noise sequence, and goodness-of-fit index stationary R² was 0.591. The model extrapolation effect was verified with 2022 data, and MAPE was 14.747, indicating that the model extrapolation effect was effective. The number of hepatitis E cases in Yunnan Province in 2023 was expected to be 1,086. Conclusion The ARIMA (3,1,4)(1,1,1)₁₂ model shows good fitting performance for hepatitis E cases in Yunnan Province and can effectively predict short-term disease trends, providing a theoretical basis for formulating prevention and control measures for hepatitis E.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of saltwater stir-fried Plantaginis Semen(SPS) on renal fibrosis in rats and decipher the underlying mechanism. Thirty-six Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned into control, model, losartan potassium, and low-, medium-, and high-dose(15, 30, and 60 g·kg~(-1), respectively) SPS groups. Rats in other groups except the control group were subjected to unilateral ureteral obstruction(UUO) to induce renal fibrosis, and the modeling and gavage lasted for 14 days. After 14 consecutive days of treatment, the levels of serum creatinine(Scr) and blood urea nitrogen(BUN) in rats of each group were determined by an automatic biochemical analyzer. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) and Masson staining were used to evaluate pathological changes in the renal tissue. Western blot and immunofluorescence assay were conducted to determine the protein levels of fibronectin(FN), collagen Ⅰ, vimentin, and α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA) in the renal tissue. The mRNA levels of epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)-associated transcription factors including twist family bHLH transcription factor 1(TWIST1), snail family transcriptional repressor 1(SNAI1), and zinc finger E-box binding homeobox 1(ZEB1), as well as inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-1β(IL-1β), interleukin-6(IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), were determined by RT-qPCR. Human renal proximal tubular epithelial(HK2) cells exposed to transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β) for the modeling of renal fibrosis were used to investigate the inhibitory effect of SPS on EMT. Network pharmacology and Western blot were employed to explore the molecular mechanism of SPS in alleviating renal fibrosis. The results showed that SPS significantly reduced Scr and BUN levels and alleviated renal injury and collagen deposition in UUO rats. Moreover, SPS notably down-regulated the protein levels of FN, collagen Ⅰ, vimentin, and α-SMA as well as the mRNA levels of SNAI1, ZEB1, TWIST1, IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in the kidneys of UUO rats and TGF-β-treated HK-2 cells. In addition, compared with Plantaginis Semen without stir-frying with saltwater, SPS showed increased content of specific compounds, which were mainly enriched in the mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK) signaling pathway. SPS significantly inhibited the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase(ERK) and p38 MAPK in the kidneys of UUO rats and TGF-β-treated HK2 cells. In conclusion, SPS can alleviate renal fibrosis by attenuating EMT through inhibition of the MAPK signaling pathway.
Animals ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition/drug effects* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Male ; Rats ; Fibrosis/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Kidney Diseases/pathology* ; Kidney Tubules/pathology* ; Humans