ObjectiveTo explore the vascular endothelial injury in male mice caused by exposure to polystyrene microplastics （PS-MPs） and the intervention effect of luteolin on vascular remodeling. Additionally， to investigate the mechanism through the oxidative system and metabolomics. MethodsThirty-two C57BL/6 mice （6-8 weeks old） were randomly divided into the saline group （saline group）， the 0.1 mg/kg PS-MPs exposure group （0.1PS-MPs group）， the 1 mg/kg PS-MPs exposure group （1PS-MPs group）， and the 1 mg/kg PS-MPs + luteolin treatment group （1PS-MPs + Lut group）， with 8 mice in each group. After 8 weeks of intervention， the body weight， blood pressure， aortic organ coefficient， and aortic histopathological changes of mice in each group were detected； the total cholesterol （TC）， triglyceride （TG）， and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C） lipid metabolism-related indicators in the aorta of mice were detected； the reactive oxygen species （ROS）， glutathione （GSH）， and malondialdehyde （MDA） oxidative stress-related indicators were detected； the endothelin （ET-1）， nitric oxide （NO）， vascular endothelial growth factor A （VEGF-A）， vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 （VCAM-1/CD106）， and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 （ICAM-1/CD54） endothelial function-related indicators and serum metabolomics were detected. ResultsCompared to the saline group， exposure to PS-MPs resulted in pathological thickening of the mouse aorta， increased aortic organ coefficient， and elevated blood pressure. Lipid metabolism-related indicators， including TC and TG， were elevated， while HDL-C was reduced， indicating lipid metabolism disorder in mice. Oxidative stress markers such as ROS and MDA increased， whereas GSH decreased， demonstrating oxidative damage. Vascular endothelial inflammation and injury markers， including ET-1， VEGF-A， VCAM-1， and ICAM-1， were upregulated， while the vasodilatory substance NO was downregulated， confirming endothelial injury. Furthermore， serum metabolomics results revealed that PS-MPs exposure induced endothelial damage by disrupting metabolic pathways such as the citrate cycle. Compared to the PS-MPs group， luteolin significantly reversed these effects， attenuating oxidative stress and lipid metabolism disorders， and effectively repairing endothelial injury. ConclusionPS-MPs induce vascular toxicity through oxidative stress and lipid metabolism. Luteolin effectively alleviates endothelial damage and vascular remodeling.

Organic ultraviolet absorbers (OUVs) have been widely used in personal care products and industrial products due to their unique physicochemical properties. However, with the advancement of science and technology and the deepening of research, the potential risks of OUVs have gradually emerged. They have been proven to be persistent, bioconcentrated and potential endocrine disruptors that may pose a threat to human health. In recent years, some OUVs have been widely detected in environmental and human samples worldwide, and the concentration of detection has been increasing year by year, which has attracted extensive attention both domestically and internationally. This article summarizes the research results of OUVs exposure in recent years from two aspects: external environmental exposure and internal human exposure, aiming to provide a valuable reference for the subsequent research on human exposure and health risk assessment of OUVs.

Organic ultraviolet absorbers (OUVs) have been widely used in personal care products and industrial products due to their unique physicochemical properties. However, with the advancement of science and technology and the deepening of research, the potential risks of OUVs have gradually emerged. They have been proven to be persistent, bioconcentrated and potential endocrine disruptors that may pose a threat to human health. In recent years, some OUVs have been widely detected in environmental and human samples worldwide, and the concentration of detection has been increasing year by year, which has attracted extensive attention both domestically and internationally. This article summarizes the research results of OUVs exposure in recent years from two aspects: external environmental exposure and internal human exposure, aiming to provide a valuable reference for the subsequent research on human exposure and health risk assessment of OUVs.

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

Objective To explore the relationship between dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging(DCE-MRI)and clinical pathological features of invasive breast cancer and lymphovascular invasion(LVI).Methods Imaging and clinical pathological data were retrospectively collected from 508 patients with invasive breast cancer who underwent breast DCE-MRI at the First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 2019 to August 2021.Patients were divided into the LVI-positive(LVI+)group(n=79)and LVI-negative(LVI-)group(n=429)based on postoperative pathological results.Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify risk factors for LVI.Results Compared with LVI-group,LVI+group had a higher proportion of patients aged<45 years(44.3%vs.27.0%,P=0.002),non-mass-like enhancement(NME)(31.7%vs.17.7%,P=0.004),Ki-67 expression rate(40.0%vs.30.0%,P<0.001),high Ki-67 expression(94.9%vs.78.1%,P=0.001),Luminal B subtype(76.0%vs.60.1%,P=0.008),and positive axillary lymph nodes rate(72.2%vs.31.5%,P<0.001),while the proportion of Luminal A subtype was lower(2.5%vs.21.5%,P<0.001).Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that age≥45 years(OR=0.468,95%CI 0.280-0.783,P=0.004)was an independent protective factor for LVI,while NME(OR=1.987,95%CI 1.126-3.444,P=0.016)was an independent risk factor.Compared with Luminal A subtype,patients with Luminal B subtype(OR=10.482,95%CI 3.164-64.923,P=0.001),HER-2 overexpression subtype(OR=11.571,95%CI 2.755-79.341,P=0.003)and triple-negative subtypes(OR=8.433,95%CI 1.985-57.908,P=0.009)had a higher risk of LVI.Conclusions Age≥45 years is an independent protective factor for LVI,while NME is an independent risk factor.Among molecular subtypes,patients with Luminal B,HER-2 overexpression and triple-negative subtypes have a higher risk of LVI compared with the Luminal A subtype.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effect and mechanism of Shuangshi Tonglin Capsules (SSTL) in the treatment of prostate fibrosis (PF). METHODS: Human prostate stromal cells (WPMY-1) were used for in vitro experiments to establish PF cell models induced with estradiol (E₂). The cell proliferation, migration and clonogenic capacity were determined by cell counting kit-8, scratch assay, and crystal violet staining, respectively. Sprague-Dawley rats were used for in vivo experiments. The changes in histomorphology and organ index of rat prostate by SSTL were determined. Pathologic changes and collagen deposition changes in rat prostate were observed by haematoxylin and eosin (HE) and Masson staining. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits were used to determine changes in rat PF markers fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23), E₂ and prostate specific antigen (PSA). Mechanistically, changes in oxidative stress indicators by SSTL were determined in WPMY-1 cells and PF rats. Then the expressions of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)/Smad pathway-related proteins as well as Nrf2 and TGF-β1 mRNA were further detected by Western blot or quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction both in vivo and in vitro. RESULTS: In the efficacy study, SSTL significantly reduced the proliferation, migration, and clonogenic ability of cells, improved the morphology of the glandular tissue, significantly reduced the prostate index, reduced glandular fibrous tissue and collagen deposition, and resulted in a significant decrease in the levels of FGF-23, E₂ and PSA (P<0.01 or P<0.05). In the mechanistic study, SSTL ameliorated oxidative stress by significantly increasing superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase levels and decreasing malondialdehyde level in WPMY-1 cells and rats (P<0.01 or P<0.05). SSTL significantly elevated the expressions of Nrf2, HO-1, NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO-1), and Smad7 proteins in both cells and rats, and significantly decreased the expressions of TGF-β1, collagen I, α-smooth muscle actin and Smad4 proteins (P<0.01 or P<0.05). SSTL also elevated the content of Nrf2 mRNA and decreased the content of TGF-β1 mRNA in cells and rats (P<0.01 or P<0.05). The Nrf2 inhibitor ML385 was added in in vitro experiments to further validate the pathway relevance. CONCLUSION SSTL was effective in improving PF in vivo and in vitro, and its mechanism of action may function through the Nrf2/TGF-β1 signaling pathway.
Male ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2/metabolism* ; Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta1/metabolism* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Humans ; Fibrosis ; Prostate/drug effects* ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Capsules ; Cell Movement/drug effects* ; Oxidative Stress/drug effects* ; Rats

Objective To investigate the effect of polystyrene microplastics(PS-MPs)on myocardial injury in mice and its molecular mechanism.Methods A total of 60 male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into normal sa-line group,0.1,1,10 mg/kg PS-MPs exposed group,and doxorubicin[5 mg/(kg·w)]group treated for 8 weeks.After treatment,we measured blood pressure,cardiac organ coefficient,cardiac histopathological changes,oxidative stress markers reactive oxygen species(ROS),malondialdehyde(MDA),glutathione(GSH),4-hydroxynonenal(4-HNE)and nuclear factor E2-related factor 2(Nrf2),serum centroid injury markers creatine kinase MB(CK-MB)and troponin(cTnT),ferroptosis marker recombinant glutathione peroxidase 4(GPX4),Recombinant solute carrier family 7(SLC7 A11)as well as ferrous ions(Fe2+).Results Compared with the neg-ative control group,vacuolation,inflammatory infiltration and collagen fiber deposition were evident in the hearts of mice after PS exposure.The levels of myocardial injury markers CK-MB and cTnT significantly increased.Cardiac organ coefficient decreased,blood pressure increased,oxidative stress markers and ferroptosis markers increased.Conclusion PS-MPs exposure can induce oxidative stress and activate ferroptosis pathway,resulting in myocardial injury in mice.

Objective:To study the changes in skeletal muscle and serum nutritional indicators during concurrent chemoradiotherapy in cervical cancer patients,and to evaluate their correlation with short-term efficacy and long-term prognosis. Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 114 patients with cervical cancer who underwent radical concurrent chemoradiotherapy in the Department of Oncology,Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from February 2019 to February 2023. All patients underwent a treatment regimen comprising external beam radiation (EBRT),internal radiation,and concurrent chemotherapy. Serum nutritional data of the patients were collected before radiotherapy,one week,two weeks and five weeks after the onset of radiotherapy. CT images of the patients at the time of simulation and about five weeks after the onset of radiotherapy were imported into the Pinnacle 39.10 planning system,and the skeletal muscle index (SMI) of the third lumbar vertebra (L3) were calculated for each patients. The changes of the serum nutritional indicators of the patients prior to and post EBRT were analyzed statistically. The patients are categorized into two groups according to the baseline SMI:a sarcopenic group consisting of 35 cases and a non-sarcopenic group comprising 79 cases. The therapeutic outcomes between the two groups were compared,and logistic analysis of the relevant factors affecting the occurrence of sarcopenia during radiotherapy was conducted. The survival curves were drawn using Kaplan-Meier method and disease-free survival (DFS) between the two groups was compared using Log Rank test. We used Cox univariate and multivariate regression analysis to identify prognostic factors related to DFS. Results:The serum nutritional indicators of the patient at one week,two weeks,and five weeks after the beginning of EBRT were significantly lower than those before radiotherapy (P<0.05). The SMI from the CT images of simulation at five weeks after the onset of radiotherapy was significantly lower than that before radiotherapy (P<0.001). There was a significant correlation between hemoglobin levels prior to radiotherapy and incidence of sarcopenia during radiotherapy (P=0.046). There was no significant difference in efficacy between the two groups at the end of EBRT (P>0.05). At the end of radiotherapy,the complete response (CR) rate of the non-sarcopenia group was significantly higher than that of the sarcopenia group (P=0.040). However,the objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) of both groups at the end of radiotherapy were 100％. The 2-year DFS of the sarcopenia group and the non-sarcopenia group were 66.7％ and 85.5％,respectively,and the difference was statistically significant (P=0.016). Only four patients died during the 2-year follow-up,so OS was not reached. Baseline SMI,serum squamous cell antigen levels prior to radiotherapy,and degree of bone marrow suppression were three independent prognostic factors affecting DFS in the patients. Conclusion:Cervical cancer patients experience significant nutritional loss during chemoradiotherapy,and baseline SMI is significantly correlated with short-term efficacy and long-term prognosis and can serve as a predictive marker for patients with cervical cancer receiving chemoradiotherapy.

The population aging and the coming of the information era are accompanied with the growing incidence of spinal degenerative diseases, which result in heavy social and economic burdens. Under the guidance of the tendon-bone theory, rich experience has been accumulated in the prevention and diagnosis of spinal degenerative diseases with traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), which demonstrates unique advantages. China's government has placed people's health in the strategic position of development, providing a favorable environment for the realization of healthy aging. The Healthy China 2030 advocates special actions for healthy bones. As China is facing an important period of demographic transition, the Traditional Chinese Medicine for Bone Health Program has emerged, combining the needs of the national health strategy and the advantages of TCM. This paper discusses the background and significance of the program. According to the theory of five body constituents and the characteristics of musculoskeletal system diseases, this paper constructs a theoretical system of "tendon-meridian-muscle-bone-marrow" to explain the structure and function of the musculoskeletal system. From the holistic view of TCM, this system shows not only the structure and function of the musculoskeletal system but also the patterns of disease development and the mechanism of TCM treatment. The system facilitates the research on not only the comorbidities related to bone health but also the occurrence, development, and outcome of diseases. In the management of chronic degenerative diseases, attention should be paid to the establishment and improvement of the disease prevention and control system in addition to the disease treatment alone. Finally, this paper introduces the characteristic advantages of TCM in the whole process of prevention, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and health maintenance of spinal degenerative diseases, aiming to enrich the connotation of the tendon-bone theory, provide ideas and implementation strategies for TCM clinical practice, and ultimately achieve the effective management of the diagnosis and treatment of spinal degenerative diseases.
Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Spinal Diseases/prevention & control* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; China ; Bone and Bones/drug effects*