ObjectiveThis study leverages structural data from antigen-antibody complexes of the influenza A virus neuraminidase (NA) protein to investigate the spatial recognition relationship between the antigenic epitopes and antibody paratopes. MethodsStructural data on NA protein antigen-antibody complexes were comprehensively collected from the SAbDab database, and processed to obtain the amino acid sequences and spatial distribution information on antigenic epitopes and corresponding antibody paratopes. Statistical analysis was conducted on the antibody sequences, frequency of use of genes, amino acid preferences, and the lengths of complementarity determining regions (CDR). Epitope hotspots for antibody binding were analyzed, and the spatial structural similarity of antibody paratopes was calculated and subjected to clustering, which allowed for a comprehensively exploration of the spatial recognition relationship between antigenic epitopes and antibodies. The specificity of antibodies targeting different antigenic epitope clusters was further validated through bio-layer interferometry (BLI) experiments. ResultsThe collected data revealed that the antigen-antibody complex structure data of influenza A virus NA protein in SAbDab database were mainly from H3N2, H7N9 and H1N1 subtypes. The hotspot regions of antigen epitopes were primarily located around the catalytic active site. The antibodies used for structural analysis were primarily derived from human and murine sources. Among murine antibodies, the most frequently used V-J gene combination was IGHV1-12*01/IGHJ2*01, while for human antibodies, the most common combination was IGHV1-69*01/IGHJ6*01. There were significant differences in the lengths and usage preferences of heavy chain CDR amino acids between antibodies that bind within the catalytic active site and those that bind to regions outside the catalytic active site. The results revealed that structurally similar antibodies could recognize the same epitopes, indicating a specific spatial recognition between antibody and antigen epitopes. Structural overlap in the binding regions was observed for antibodies with similar paratope structures, and the competitive binding of these antibodies to the epitope was confirmed through BLI experiments. ConclusionThe antigen epitopes of NA protein mainly ditributed around the catalytic active site and its surrounding loops. Spatial complementarity and electrostatic interactions play crucial roles in the recognition and binding of antibodies to antigenic epitopes in the catalytic region. There existed a spatial recognition relationship between antigens and antibodies that was independent of the uniqueness of antibody sequences, which means that antibodies with different sequences could potentially form similar local spatial structures and recognize the same epitopes.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dynamic changes of glucocorticoid (GC) dose and the feasibility of GC discontinuation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients under the background of Chinese medicine (CM). METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 1,196 RA patients enrolled in the China Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry of Patients with Chinese Medicine (CERTAIN) from September 1, 2019 to December 4, 2023, who initiated GC therapy. Participants were divided into the Western medicine (WM) and integrative medicine (IM, combination of CM and WM) groups based on medication regimen. Follow-up was performed at least every 3 months to assess dynamic changes in GC dose. Changes in GC dose were analyzed by generalized estimator equation, the probability of GC discontinuation was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curve, and predictors of GC discontinuation were analyzed by Cox regression. Patients with <12 months of follow-up were excluded for the sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Among 1,196 patients (85.4% female; median age 56.4 years), 880 (73.6%) received IM. Over a median 12-month follow-up, 34.3% (410 cases) discontinued GC, with significantly higher rates in the IM group (40.8% vs. 16.1% in WM; P<0.05). GC dose declined progressively, with IM patients demonstrating faster reductions (median 3.75 mg vs. 5.00 mg in WM at 12 months; P<0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis identified age <60 years [P<0.001, hazard ratios (HR)=2.142, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.523-3.012], IM therapy (P=0.001, HR=2.175, 95% CI: 1.369-3.456), baseline GC dose ⩽7.5 mg (P=0.003, HR=1.637, 95% CI: 1.177-2.275), and absence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use (P=0.001, HR=2.546, 95% CI: 1.432-4.527) as significant predictors of GC discontinuation. Sensitivity analysis (545 cases) confirmed these findings. CONCLUSIONS RA patients receiving CM face difficulties in following guideline-recommended GC discontinuation protocols. IM can promote GC discontinuation and is a promising strategy to reduce GC dependency in RA management. (Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, No. NCT05219214).
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy* ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Retrospective Studies

Objective To investigate the expression of the histone deacetylase SIRT7 in glioma cells and its impact on epithelial-mesenchymal transformation(EMT),as well as its effects on proliferative,migratory and invasive capabilities of glioma cells.Methods Bioinformatics analysis was conducted on data from glioma patients in the Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)and the Chinese glioma Genome Atlas(CGGA)databases to explore the expression of SIRT7 gene in gliomas and its correlation with tumor grading,molecular characteristics and patient clinical prognosis.Glioma cells were randomly divided into control,SIRT7 knockdown,SIRT7 overexpression,drug treatment(10 μmol/L hydrochlorothiazide)and drug(10 μmol/L hydrochlorothiazide)+SIRT7 overexpression groups.The CCK-8 assay,cell scratch assay and Transwell assay were used to observe the effects of upregulating and downregulating SIRT7 expression on glioma cell proliferation,migration and invasion.RT-qPCR and Western blotting were employed to detect the effects of SIRT7 on the expression of neural cadherin(N-cadherin),Vimentin,E-cadherin,transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β),Ki-67,and Smad3 protein in glioma cells.Nude mouse tumor-bearing experiments were conducted to observe the effect of SIRT7 knockdown on glioma growth.Results Higher expression levels of SIRT7 gene were associated with poorer clinical prognosis(P＜0.0001).SIRT7 expression levels were significantly correlated with tumor grading and 1p19q coding status(P＜0.01).Compared with normal HA cells,glioma cells showed significantly increased SIRT7 expression levels(P＜0.01).CCK-8 assay results indicated that,compared with control group,the proliferation activity of glioma cells in SIRT7 knockout group was significantly decreased(P＜0.01),while SIRT7 overexpression group showed significantly increased proliferation activity(P＜0.01).EdU assay results showed that,compared with control group,the proportion of glioma cells in the proliferative stage was significantly decreased in SIRT7 knockdown group(P＜0.01),and significantly increased in SIRT7 overexpression group(P＜0.01).Western blotting results revealed that,compared with control group,the protein expression levels of TGF-β,Smad3,N-cadherin and Vimentin were significantly decreased in SIRT7 knockdown group(P＜0.01),while the expression level of E-cadherin protein was significantly increased(P＜0.05).SIRT7 overexpression group showed significantly increased protein expression levels of TGF-β,Smad3,N-cadherin and Vimentin(P＜0.05),and a significantly decrease in E-cadherin protein expression level(P＜0.05).Scratch assay results indicated that,compared with control group,the migration ability of cells in SIRT7 knockdown group and drug group was significantly decreased(P＜0.01),and SIRT7 overexpression group showed significantly increased cell migration ability(P＜0.05).Compared with drug group,drug+SIRT7 overexpression group exhibited significantly increased cell migration ability(P＜0.01).Transwell assay results showed that,compared with control group,the migration and invasion abilities of cells in SIRT7 knockdown group and drug group were significantly decreased(P＜0.01),and SIRT7 overexpression group exhibited significantly increased migration and invasion abilities(P＜0.01).Compared with drug group,drug+SIRT7 overexpression group showed significantly increased migration and invasion abilities(P＜0.01).Nude mouse tumor-bearing assay results indicated that the volume and weight of glioma in SIRT7 knockdown group were significantly reduced compared with control group(P＜0.01).Conclusions Glioma patients with high SIRT7 expression have poorer clinical prognosis.SIRT7 can regulate the TGF-β/Smad3 pathway to mediate EMT,promoting the proliferation and migration of glioma cells.SIRT7 knockdown can inhibit the growth of transplanted gliomas in nude mice.

Objective To establish and evaluate a nomogram prediction model for spontaneous peritonitis in HBV-related primary liver cancer.Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 1298 patients with HBV-related primary liver cancer hospitalized in the Kunming Third People's Hospital from January 2012 to December 2022.General data and serological indicators were collected,and patients were divided into infection group(n=262)and control group(n=1036)based on the occurrence of spontaneous peritonitis.Univariate and LASSO regression analyses were used to screen variables,followed by binary logistic regression to analyze the influencing factors of spontaneous peritonitis in HBV-related primary liver cancer patients,leading to the establishment of a nomogram prediction model.Finally,the Hosmer-lemeshow(H-L)goodness of fit test,receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve,calibration curve,decision curve analysis(DCA)and clinical impact curve(CIC)were utilized to evaluate the fit degree,accuracy,calibration,and clinical practicability of the nomogram prediction model.Results Single factor analysis revealed significant differences between infection group and control group in portal vein cancer thrombus(PVTT),Child-Pugh grade,China Liver Cancer Staging(CNLC)stage,alcohol consumption history,smoking history,white blood cell count(WBC),neutrophil count(NE),hemoglobin(Hb),fibrinogen(FIB),abnormal prothrombin(PIVKA-Ⅱ),aspartate aminotransferase(AST),alanine aminotransferase(ALT),total protein(TP),prealbumin(PA),γ-glutamyltransferase(GGT),alkaline phosphatase(ALP),cholinesterase(CHE),total bile acid(TBA),total cholesterol(TC),low density lipoprotein(LDL),creatinine(Cr),HBV DNA,CD3+T cells count,CD4+T cells count,CD8+T cells count,CD4+T cells/CD8+T cells ratio,procalcitonin(PCT),serum amyloid A(SAA),interleukin-6(IL-6),high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP),alpha-fetoprotein(AFP),and IL-4(P＜0.05).LASSO regression analysis identified 5 variables:Child-Pugh grade,PVTT,WBC,CHE and hs-CRP.Binary logistic regression analysis indicated that Child-Pugh grade(Grade B:OR=5.780,95％CI 3.271-10.213,P＜0.001;Grade C:OR=14.818,95％CI 7.697-28.526,P＜0.001),PVTT(OR=2.893,95％CI 2.037-4.108,P＜0.001),WBC(OR=1.088,95％CI 1.031-1.148,P=0.002),and hs-CRP(OR=1.005,95％CI 1.001-1.010,P=0.026)were the independent risk factors of spontaneous peritonitis in HBV-related primary liver cancer patients.Using these 4 variables,a nomogram prediction model was constructed and evaluated.The P-value of the H-L goodness of fit test was 0.760.Moreover,the area under ROC curve(AUC)was 0.866,with a sensitivity of 0.870 and a specificity of 0.716.The average absolute error of the calibration curve is 0.022.DCA and CIC analyses demonstrated that the nomogram prediction model possessed some clinical utility.Conclusion The nomogram prediction model for spontaneous peritonitis in HBV-related primary liver cancer patients,constructed using Child-Pugh grade,PVTT,WBC and hs-CRP,exhibits a high fitting degree and accuracy,with the prediction probability highly consistent with the actual occurrence probability,and possesses certain clinical practicability.

Objective To investigate the effect of sal-like gene 2(Sall2)gene overexpression on the progression of disease in human superoxide dismutase 1(hSOD1)-G93A mutant amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS)transgenic mice,with the aim of identifying potential therapeutic targets for ALS gene therapy.Methods Differential Sall2 gene were screened through bioinformatics analysis.Forty-eight ALS transgenic mice were selected for this study.AAV-PHP.eB-Sall2 adeno-associated virus with a neuron-specific promoter,human synapsin I(hSyn),was constructed and administered via tail vein injection to six-week-old mice.In parallel,the same litter of ALS mice received an injection of AAV-PHP.eB-GFP.The staining of Sall2 and neuron-specific nuclear protein(NeuN)/GFAP in the spinal cord and cerebral cortex of mice were detected through immunofluorescent double-label staining technology.The survival period,weight changes,exercise ability,and electromyographic changes of the gastrocnemius muscle were detected.The morphological changes in the spinal cord anterior horn neurons were detected through Nissl staining.The effect of Sall2 gene overexpression on the expression of the cell cycle protein E1(cyclin E1)was investigated through Western blotting.Results Bioinformatics analysis showed out that Sall2 was differentially expressed in ALS mice.Compared with ALS mice in the control group,the Sall2 protein expression of ALS mice in the overexpressing Sall2 gene group increased in both the spinal cord and cerebral cortex,and the Sall2 integral absorbance values of Sall2+/NeuN+double-positive cells were higher.The survival time of ALS mice in the Sall2 gene overexpressing group was prolonged,the rate of weight loss was slowed down,the performance in the rotarod and inverted grid tests was improved with longer times,and the positive sharp waves and fibrillation potentials in the gastrocnemius electromyography were reduced.The number of Nissl bodies labeled neurons increased in the spinal cord anterior horn of the Sall2 gene overexpressing mice,and the condition of neuronal damage was improved.Overexpression of the Sall2 gene also reduced the expression of cyclin E1 in both the spinal cord and cerebral cortex of ALS transgenic mice.Conclusion Overexpression of the Sall2 gene can delay disease progression and improve motor performance in ALS transgenic mice,affecting the expression of cyclin E1,thus exerting a therapeutic effect on these mice.

Objective To investigate the expression of myelin transcription factor 1-like(MYT1L)during amyotrophic lateral sclerosis(ALS)progression and its association with neuronal degeneration through bioinformatics analysis combined with in vivo and in vitro experiments.Methods Bioinformatics analysis of the GSE106803 dataset from the Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO)database revealed significant down-regulation of MYT1L in spinal cords of ALS transgenic mice carrying the human superoxide dismutase 1 mutant gene(hSOD1G93A)compared to the wild-type(WT)mice.hSOD1G93A transgenic mice and their WT littermates were selected to analyze MYT1L mRNA and protein changes in spinal cord tissues at different disease stages using Real-time PCR and Western blotting.Double immunofluorescent staining was used to determine the distribution and cellular localization of MYT1L in the spinal cord of mice at the middle stage of the disease.An ALS cellular model was established using hSOD1G93A mutant NSC34 cells,with hSOD1WT NSC34 cells as controls.MYT1L expression and distribution were assessed in these cells via Real-time PCR,Western blotting,and immunofluorescent staining.Based on the GSE76220 dataset from the GEO database,differentially expressed genes(DEGs)between MYT1L high-and low-expression groups in lumbar spinal motor neurons of ALS patients were identified,followed by Gene Ontology(GO)functional enrichment analysis.MYT1L overexpression was induced in the ALS cellular model to evaluate alterations in cell viability and neurite outgrowth.Results In the GSE106803 dataset,MYT1L expression was significantly down-regulated in the spinal cord of ALS mice.Animal experiments confirmed progressive reductions in MYT1L mRNA and protein levels in spinal cord tissues of ALS mice during mid-and late-disease stages.Compared to the WT group,MYT1L expression decreased in motor neurons of the lumbar spinal cord gray matter anterior horn in ALS mice,while it increased in astrocytes.In vitro,hSOD1G93Amutant NSC34 cells exhibited significantly reduced MYT1L expression than controls,with MYT1L localized to both the cytoplasm and nucleus.DEGs between MYT1L high-and low-expression groups in lumbar spinal cord motor neurons of ALS patients(GSE76220 dataset)were enriched in synaptic-related functions through GO analysis.Overexpression of MYT1L in hSOD1G93A mutant NSC34 cells enhanced cell viability and promoted neurite outgrowth.Conclusion Aberrantly low expression of MYT1L is closely associated with ALS pathogenesis.Overexpression of MYT1L promotes neurite growth and exerts protective effects on ALS motor neurons,suggesting its therapeutic potential.

AIM To evaluate the quality of benchmark sample of Zexie Decoction.METHODS HPLC fingerprints were established,after which the content determination of epoxy alisma ene,23-acetyl alisol B,23-acetyl alisol C,alisol A,alisol B,atractylenolide Ⅰ,atractylenolide Ⅱ and atractylenolide Ⅲ was performed,and the transfer rate and paste yield were calculated.RESULTS There were 20 common peaks in the fingerprints for 15 batches of benchmark samples with the similarities of more than 0.95.The average contents of various effective constituents were 180.86 μg/g for alisol B 23-acetate,18.65 μg/g for alisol C 23-acetate,34.74 μg/g for alismoxide,17.65 μg/g for alisol A,238.19 μg/g for alisol B,2.85 μg/g for atractylenolide Ⅰ,6.38 μg/g for atractylenolide Ⅱ,and 15.42 μg/g for atractylenolide Ⅲ,respectively.In the decoction piece-benchmark sample,alisol B 23-acetate,alisol C 23-acetate,atractylenolide Ⅰ,atractylenolide Ⅱ and atractylenolide Ⅲ demonstrated the average transfer rates of 12.09％,16.45％,3.93％,12.17％and 34.37％respectively.The paste yields in various batches of benchmark samples were 15.2％-20.2％.CONCLUSION HPLC fingerprints combined with content determination can be used for the quality control of benchmark sample of Zexie Decoction,thus provides a reference for the development of its compound preparations.

This study identified 8 members including NjBIN2 of the GSK3 family in Nardostachys jatamansi by bioinformatics analysis. Moreover, the phylogenetic tree revealed that the GKS3 family members of N. jatamansi had a close relationship with those of Arabidopsis. RT-qPCR results showed that NjBIN2 presented a tissue-specific expression pattern with the highest expression in roots, suggesting that NjBIN2 played a role in root growth and development. In addition, the application of epibrassinolide or the brassinosteroid(BR) synthesis inhibitor(brassinazole) altered the expression pattern of NjBIN2 and influenced the photomorphogenesis(cotyledon opening) and root development of N. jatamansi, which provided direct evidence about the functions of NjBIN2. In conclusion, this study highlights the roles of BIN2 in regulating the growth and development of N. jatamansi by analyzing the expression pattern and biological function of NjBIN2. It not only enriches the understanding about the regulatory mechanism of the growth and development of N. jatamansi but also provides a theoretical basis and potential gene targets for molecular breeding of N. jatamansi with improved quality in the future.
Brassinosteroids/metabolism* ; Steroids, Heterocyclic/metabolism* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant/drug effects* ; Plant Proteins/metabolism* ; Phylogeny ; Nardostachys/metabolism* ; Plant Growth Regulators/pharmacology* ; Plant Roots/drug effects*

In order to investigate whether the effect of Yuxuebi Tablets on the peripheral and central inflammation resolution of mice with inflammatory pain is related to their regulation of G protein-coupled receptor 37(GPR37), an inflammatory pain model was established by injecting complete Freund's adjuvant(CFA) into the paws of mice, with a sham-operated group receiving a similar volume of normal saline. The mice were assigned randomly to the sham-operated group, model group, ibuprofen group(91 mg·kg~(-1)), and low-, medium-, and high-dose groups of Yuxuebi Tablets(60, 120, and 240 mg·kg~(-1)). The drug was administered orally from days 1 to 19 after modeling. Von Frey method and the hot plate test were used to detect mechanical pain thresholds and heat hyperalgesia. The levels of interleukin-10(IL-10) and transforming growth factor-beta(TGF-β) in the spinal cord were quantified using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA), and the mRNA and protein expression of GPR37 in the spinal cord was measured by real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR(qRT-PCR) and Western blot. Additionally, immunofluorescence was used to detect the expression of macrosialin antigen(CD68), mannose receptor(MRC1 or CD206), and GPR37 in dorsal root ganglia, as well as the expression of calcium-binding adapter molecule 1(IBA1), CD206, and GPR37 in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. The results showed that compared with those of the sham-operated group, the mechanical pain thresholds and hot withdrawal latency of the model group significantly declined, and the expression of CD68 in the dorsal root ganglia and the expression of IBA1 in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord significantly increased. The expression of CD206 and GPR37 significantly decreased in the dorsal root ganglion and dorsal horn of the spinal cord, and IL-10 and TGF-β levels in the spinal cord were significantly decreased. Compared with those of the model group, the mechanical pain thresholds and hot withdrawal latency of the high-dose group of Yuxuebi Tablets significantly increased, and the expression of CD68 in the dorsal root ganglion and IBA1 in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord significantly decreased. The expression of CD206 and GPR37 in the dorsal root ganglion and dorsal horn of the spinal cord significantly increased, as well as IL-10 and TGF-β levels in the spinal cord. These findings indicated that Yuxuebi Tablets may reduce macrophage(microglial) infiltration and foster M2 macrophage polarization by enhancing GPR37 expression in the dorsal root ganglia and dorsal horn of the spinal cord of CFA-induced mice, so as to improve IL-10 and TGF-β levels, promote resolution of both peripheral and central inflammation, and play analgesic effects.
Inflammation/genetics* ; Pain/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Animals ; Mice ; Freund's Adjuvant/pharmacology* ; Ibuprofen ; Pain Threshold/drug effects* ; Hyperalgesia/genetics* ; Ganglia, Spinal ; Interleukin-10/genetics* ; Transforming Growth Factor beta/genetics* ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Tablets ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled

Cardiac fibrosis(CF) is a cardiac pathological process characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix(ECM). When the heart is damaged by adverse stimuli, cardiac fibroblasts are activated and secrete a large amount of ECM, leading to changes in cardiac fibrosis, myocardial stiffness, and cardiac function declines and accelerating the development of heart failure. There is a close relationship between heart yin deficiency and cardiac fibrosis, which have similar pathogenic mechanisms. Heart Yin deficiency, characterized by insufficient Yin fluids, causes the heart to lose its nourishing function, which acts as the initiating factor for myocardial dystrophy. The deficiency of body fluids leads to stagnation of blood flow, resulting in blood stasis and water retention. Blood stasis and water retention accumulate in the heart, which aligns with the pathological manifestation of excessive deposition of ECM, as a tangible pathogenic factor. This is an inevitable stage of the disease process. The lingering of blood stasis combined with water retention eventually leads to the generation of heat and toxins, triggering inflammatory responses similar to heat toxins, which continuously stimulate the heart and cause the ultimate outcome of CF. Considering the syndrome of heart Yin deficiency, traditional Chinese medicine capable of nourishing Yin, activating blood, and promoting urination can reduce myocardial cell apoptosis, inhibit fibroblast activation, and lower the inflammation level, showing significant advantages in combating CF.
Humans ; Fibrosis/drug therapy* ; Animals ; Yin Deficiency/metabolism* ; Myocardium/metabolism* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*