Objective: To investigate the mechanism of action of Prim-O-glucosylcimifugin (POG) to improve cholesterol metabolism in osteoarthritic (OA) chondrocytes based on the long noncoding RNA nuclear-enriched transcript 1 (lncRNA NEAT1)/microRNA-128-3p (miR-128-3p) pathway. Methods: For in vivo experiments, 60 mice were divided into the normal, sham operation, model, and POG groups using the random number table method, with 15 mice per group. The osteoarthritis mouse model was constructed using the modified Hulth method in the model and POG groups. Mice in the POG group were administered 30 mg/(kg·d)POG by gavage. The other groups were administered an equal amount of normal saline for 8 weeks. The cartilage tissue structure of mice in each group was observed using hematoxylin and eosin staining. Real-time PCR was used to detect changes in the lncRNA NEAT1 and miR-128-3p mRNA expression levels in the cartilage tissues of mice. Western blotting was used to detect the protein expressions of ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), liver X receptor β (LXRβ), matrix metalloprotein-3 (MMP-3), and B-lymphoblastoma-2-associated X protein (Bax) in articular cartilage of mice. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) content in the synovial fluid of mice. A biochemical microplate assay was used to measure the total cholesterol level in the synovial fluid of mice. The in vitro experiments were divided into the negative control, interleukin-1β(IL-1β), IL-1β+ POG, IL-1β+ oe-lncRNA NEAT1, IL-1β+ oe-lncRNA NEAT1 + POG, IL-1β + miR-128-3p inhibition, and IL-1β+ miR-128-3p inhibition+ POG groups. An OA model was established by inducing chondrocytes with IL-1β for 24 h, and 90 mg/L of POG and miR-128-3p inhibitor(50 nmol/L) were administered for 48 h as an intervention. lncRNA NEAT1 expression in chondrocytes was detected using fluorescence in situ hybridization. A dual luciferase assay was used to detect the targeting relationship between lncRNA NEAT1 and miR-128-3p. Lentiviral plasmids overexpressing lncRNA NEAT1 were used to transfect mouse chondrocytes. Real-time PCR was used to detect the effect of lncRNA NEAT1 overexpression on the mRNA level of miR-128-3p in chondrocytes. Western blotting was used to detect ABCA1, LXRβ, MMP-3, and Bax protein expression in chondrocytes after lncRNA NEAT1 overexpression and miR-128-3p inhibition. Results: POG significantly reduced OA cartilage tissue damage. Compared with the model group, the lncRNA NEAT1 mRNA level decreased, whereas the miR-128-3p mRNA level increased in the cartilage tissue of the POG group (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, ABCA1 and LXRβ protein expression increased in the POG group, whereas MMP-3 and Bax protein expression decreased (P<0.05). The TNF-α levels decreased in the POG group compared to the model group (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the total cholesterol level in the synovial fluid of the joint of mice in the POG group decreased (P<0.05). The mean fluorescence intensity of lncRNA NEAT1 in the IL-1β+ POG group decreased compared with the IL-1β group (P<0.05). The relative luciferase activity in the miR-128-3p mimics group bound to the lncRNA NEAT1-WT plasmid decreased compared with the miR-128-3p negative control group (P<0.05). The lncRNA NEAT1 mRNA levels decreased, whereas the miR-128-3p mRNA levels increased in the IL-1β+ oe-lncRNA NEAT1 + POG group compared with the IL-1β+ oe-lncRNA NEAT1 group (P<0.05). Compared with the IL-1β+ POG group, ABCA1 and LXRβ protein expression decreased, whereas MMP-3 and Bax protein expression increased (P<0.05). Conclusion POG mediates lncRNA NEAT1/miR-128-3p to improve cholesterol metabolism in OA chondrocytes.

Objective To investigate the mechanism by which Tougu Xiaotong Capsule(TGXTC)alleviates chondrocyte degeneration in knee osteoarthritis(KOA).Methods Thirty 2-month-old C57BL/6 mouse models of KOA established using the Hulth method were randomized into model group,TGXTC group,and diclofenac sodium group and received treatment with saline,TGXTC(368 mg/kg),and diclofenac sodium(10 mg/kg)by gavage,respectively,with another 10 untreated mice as the blank control group.All interventions were administered 6 times a week for 4 weeks.After the treatments,structural changes in the cartilage tissue were observed with morphological staining,and Nav1.7 mRNA expression and the protein expression levels of Nav1.7,MMP-3,ADAMTS-5,and COX-2 were detected using RT-qPCR and Western blotting.Fluorescence in situ hybridization(FISH)was used to detect Nav1.7 expression in the chondrocytes.In cultured KOA chondrocytes,the effect of TGXTC and lentivirus-mediated Nav1.7 knockdown on MMP-3,MMP-13,ADAMTS-4,ADAMTS-5,and COX-2 protein expressions were assessed with Western blotting.Results In KOA mice treatments with TGXTC and diclofenac sodium both significantly alleviated structural damage of the cartilage layer,reduced Nav1.7 protein and mRNA expressions and lowered the expressions of MMP-3,ADAMTS-5,and COX-2 proteins in the cartilage tissues.FISH results indicated that TGXTC treatment significantly reduced IL-1β-induced Nav1.7 expression in the chondrocytes.In Nav1.7 knockdown experiment,Nav1.7 levels were significantly lower in IL-1β+sh-Nav1.7 group than in IL-1β group,and also lower in IL-1β+TGXTC group than in IL-1β+sh-Nav1.7+TGXTC group.TGXTC treatment significantly inhibited IL-1β-induced elevation of MMP-3,MMP-13,ADAMTS-4,ADAMTS-5 and COX-2 protein expressions in the chondrocytes,but its effects were strongly weakened by Nav1.7 knockdown.Conclusion TGXTC alleviates extracellular matrix metabolic disorder in KOA chondrocytes by regulating Nav1.7,thereby mitigating chondrocyte degeneration in KOA mice.

Objective To investigate the mechanism by which Tougu Xiaotong Capsule(TGXTC)alleviates chondrocyte degeneration in knee osteoarthritis(KOA).Methods Thirty 2-month-old C57BL/6 mouse models of KOA established using the Hulth method were randomized into model group,TGXTC group,and diclofenac sodium group and received treatment with saline,TGXTC(368 mg/kg),and diclofenac sodium(10 mg/kg)by gavage,respectively,with another 10 untreated mice as the blank control group.All interventions were administered 6 times a week for 4 weeks.After the treatments,structural changes in the cartilage tissue were observed with morphological staining,and Nav1.7 mRNA expression and the protein expression levels of Nav1.7,MMP-3,ADAMTS-5,and COX-2 were detected using RT-qPCR and Western blotting.Fluorescence in situ hybridization(FISH)was used to detect Nav1.7 expression in the chondrocytes.In cultured KOA chondrocytes,the effect of TGXTC and lentivirus-mediated Nav1.7 knockdown on MMP-3,MMP-13,ADAMTS-4,ADAMTS-5,and COX-2 protein expressions were assessed with Western blotting.Results In KOA mice treatments with TGXTC and diclofenac sodium both significantly alleviated structural damage of the cartilage layer,reduced Nav1.7 protein and mRNA expressions and lowered the expressions of MMP-3,ADAMTS-5,and COX-2 proteins in the cartilage tissues.FISH results indicated that TGXTC treatment significantly reduced IL-1β-induced Nav1.7 expression in the chondrocytes.In Nav1.7 knockdown experiment,Nav1.7 levels were significantly lower in IL-1β+sh-Nav1.7 group than in IL-1β group,and also lower in IL-1β+TGXTC group than in IL-1β+sh-Nav1.7+TGXTC group.TGXTC treatment significantly inhibited IL-1β-induced elevation of MMP-3,MMP-13,ADAMTS-4,ADAMTS-5 and COX-2 protein expressions in the chondrocytes,but its effects were strongly weakened by Nav1.7 knockdown.Conclusion TGXTC alleviates extracellular matrix metabolic disorder in KOA chondrocytes by regulating Nav1.7,thereby mitigating chondrocyte degeneration in KOA mice.

Hazardous environmental factors as well as occupational factors can lead to elevated incidence of diseases including tumors, and specific molecular biomarkers are needed to guide the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. In recent years, ubiquitin-specific protease 14 (USP14) has gradually attracted the attention of researchers. USP14 is widely expressed in various organs of human body and regulates the stability and degradation of important proteins in various signaling pathways. Studies have shown that its abnormal expression is highly correlated with tumors, neurodegenerative diseases, autophagy, immune response, and viral infections, and is involved in the regulation of various classic signaling pathways. It has been shown to play a key role in the development of various human diseases and can be used as a diagnostic and prognostic molecular biomarker and therapeutic target in the development of tumors. This paper reviewed the current status of research on the structure and regulation of USP14 and its function in physiological and pathological processes, with the aim of providing a reference for research on diseases or injuries caused by environmental and occupational factors.

The family of voltage-gated potassium Kv2 channels consists of the Kv2.1 and Kv2.2 subtypes. Kv2.1 is constitutively highly phosphorylated in neurons and its function relies on its phosphorylation state. Whether the function of Kv2.2 is also dependent on its phosphorylation state remains unknown. Here, we investigated whether Kv2.2 channels can be phosphorylated by protein kinase C (PKC) and examined the effects of PKC-induced phosphorylation on their activity and function. Activation of PKC inhibited Kv2.2 currents and altered their steady-state activation in HEK293 cells. Point mutations and specific antibodies against phosphorylated S481 or S488 demonstrated the importance of these residues for the PKC-dependent modulation of Kv2.2. In layer II pyramidal neurons in cortical slices, activation of PKC similarly regulated native Kv2.2 channels and simultaneously reduced the frequency of action potentials. In conclusion, this study provides the first evidence to our knowledge that PKC-induced phosphorylation of the Kv2.2 channel controls the excitability of cortical pyramidal neurons.
Action Potentials ; HEK293 Cells ; Humans ; Protein Kinase C/metabolism* ; Pyramidal Cells/enzymology* ; Shab Potassium Channels/genetics*

Objective:The investigation and research on the application status of Hepatic Venous Pressure Gradient (HVPG) is very important to understand the real situation and future development of this technology in China.Methods:This study comprehensively investigated the basic situation of HVPG technology in China, including hospital distribution, hospital level, annual number of cases, catheters used, average cost, indications and existing problems.Results:According to the survey, there were 70 hospitals in China carrying out HVPG technology in 2021, distributed in 28 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities directly under the central Government). A total of 4 398 cases of HVPG were performed in all the surveyed hospitals in 2021, of which 2 291 cases (52.1%) were tested by HVPG alone. The average cost of HVPG detection was (5 617.2±2 079.4) yuan. 96.3% of the teams completed HVPG detection with balloon method, and most of the teams used thrombectomy balloon catheter (80.3%).Conclusion:Through this investigation, the status of domestic clinical application of HVPG has been clarified, and it has been confirmed that many domestic medical institutions have mastered this technology, but it still needs to continue to promote and popularize HVPG technology in the future.

Objective:To investigate the effects of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosome (hucMSC-ex) on proliferation, migration, apoptosis and autophagy in ischemia-anoxia neurons, and to provide a theoretical study for clinical research on stroke.Methods:Primary glial cells were cultured and OGD model was established. Then, these cells were incubated with huMSC-exosome. The inhibition rate of proliferation was detected by MTT assay. Apoptosis was observed by flow cytometry. The expressions of apoptosis related proteins were confirmed by RT-PCR and Western blot. The expressions of autophagy related proteins and PI3K/Akt signal were observed by Western blot. The data were analyzed using SPSS 17.0 software, multiple-group comparisons were performed using one-way ANOVA, and SNK- q test was used for pairwise comparison between groups. Results:MTT assay showed that OGD could inhibit cell proliferation of primary glial cells. After incubation with hucMSC-ex for 2 h, the inhibition rate of cell proliferation was lower than that of the control. The flow cytometry technology showed that hucMSC-ex reduced cell apoptosis. The cell migration experiments showed that OGD reduced cell migration capacity, but cell migration increased after exosomal incubation. RT-PCT and Western blot showed that OGD induced autophagy and apoptosis, hucMSC-ex activated PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, inhibited the expression of Bax and Caspase-3 (both P<0.05), and promoted the expression of Bcl-2 ( P<0.05). hucMSC-ex inhibited the expression of Beclin-1, Atg3 and LC3-Ⅱ(al l P<0.01). Conclusions:huMSC-exosome promote the proliferation and migration in ischemia-anoxia-injured neurons and inhibit the apoptosis and autophagy. The mechanism that hucMSC-ex repaired the injured nerve cells might be associated with PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Objective To evaluate the clinical effects of fiberoptic bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage in the treatment of refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia.Method The clinical data of 55 children with refractory Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia were retrospectively analyzed during February 2015 to February 2016.Results Among those 55 children,30 cases who received the treatment of bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage were assigned to treatment group,and the other 25 cases were assigned to control group.17 children in treatment group and 13 children in control group had lung lamellar shadow.After treatment,the improvement rates were 100％ and 69.2％ in treatment group and control group,respectively.There was significant difference between two groups (P=0.026).The total effective rate in treatment group was 96.7％,which was significantly higher than that of control group (64.0％) (P=0.006).The length of hospital stay were significantly shorter and average treatment fee were significantly lower in treatment group than those in control group (P＜0.01).There were no severe adverse reactions in treatment group.Conclusion The effects of fiberoptic bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage with local application of drug were remarkable in the treatment of refractory mycoplasma pneumonia,and there were no severe adverse reactions.

BACKGROUND:In recent years, some studies have demonstrated that ganglioside can promote survival and differentiation of umbilical blood cord mesenchymal stem cel s in vitro. OBJECTIVE:To observe the effect of injection of human umbilical blood cord mesenchymal stem cel s and ganglioside into rat lateral ventricles on neurological functional recovery from cerebral palsy. METHODS:Total y 60 cerebral palsy neonatal rats were delivered from pregnant rats which were modes were given intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide for 2 successive days on day 17 of gestation. Then those neonatal rats were randomly divided into five groups, including model group (n=10), sham transplantation group (n=10), stem cel transplantation group (n=18), ganglioside group (n=10) and combination group (n=12). Under stereotaxic instrument, umbilical blood cord mesenchymal stem cel s or ganglioside were injected into left lateral ventricles of the rat brain, respectively, and the sham transplantation group was given the same volume of phosphate buffered saline. Two rats from the stem cel transplantation group were put to death for immunofluorescence staining at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after transplantation, respectively, and two rats in the combination group were kil ed for immunofluorescence staining at 14 days. Besides, al rats were underwent neurologic evaluation at 28 days after transplantation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The umbilical blood cord mesenchymal stem cel s could survive, migrate and differentiate, which mainly distributed in the lateral ventricle, hippocampus and cortex. At 14 days after transplantation, positive expressions of BrdU and glial fibril ary acidic protein in the combination group were significantly higher than those in the stem cel transplantation group (P<0.05). In addition, compared with the model group, the holding time significantly prolonged and foot error times significantly decreased in the latter three groups (P<0.05), as wel as in the combination group compared with the stem cel transplantation and ganglioside groups (P<0.05). These results indicate that umbilical blood cord mesenchymal stem cel s and ganglioside can both improve neurological function of rats with cerebral palsy. Given that ganglioside can promote survival and differentiation of umbilical blood cord mesenchymal stem cel s in vivo, the combined transplantation is preferred.

Objective To investigate the application value of Photoshop in grading invasive risk of gastric stromal tumors (GSTs). Methods EUS image of 97 cases of GSTs confirmed by pathological and immunohistochemical examination were collected. GSTs were divided into four groups (very low risk, low risk, intermediate risk, high risk) by tumor size, mitotic count and rupture of tumor. Mean gray value (intensity of echo) and gray value standard deviation (uniformity of echo) of EUS images of the lesions were determined by Photoshop and then the differences of each group were found by statistical analysis. Results It is difficult to differentiate EUS images of GSTs from each group by visual observation. The mean gray value of EUS image of very low risk group,low risk group, intermediate risk group and high risk group of GSTs respectively were (56.54 ± 6.10), (59.20 ± 7.51), (77.77 ± 10.90) and (83.43 ± 12.47). There was no significant difference between very low risk group and low risk group (P > 0.05). There was no significant difference between intermediate risk group and high risk group (P > 0.05). In addition, the others all had significantly different from that of each group (P < 0.05). The mean gray value standard deviation of EUS image of very low risk group, low risk group, intermediate risk group and high risk group of GSTs respectively were (8.46 ± 2.59), (12.57 ± 5.89), (12.84 ± 4.15) and (16.69 ± 4.69). There was no significant difference between low risk group and intermediate risk group (P > 0.05). In addition, the others all had significantly different from that of each group (P < 0.05). Conclusions The higher risk of GSTs, the higher of echo intensity and the worse of echo uniformity under EUS. Photoshop combined with EUS is helpful for differentiating different risk of GSTs by analyzing mean gray value and gray value standard deviation of the lesions.