BACKGROUND:Our previous study found that Modified Erxian Pill could alleviate inflammation in collagen-induced arthritis rats,but its mechanism needs to be further verified. OBJECTIVE:To analyze the components absorbed in the blood of Modified Erxian Pill,and observe the effect of the drug-containing serum of Modified Erxian Pill on pyroptosis of J774A.1 macrophages. METHODS:(1)Analysis of components absorbed in the blood of Modified Erxian Pill:Ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry was used to detect and identify Modified Erxian Pill and its components absorbed in the blood.(2)Effect of the drug-containing serum of Modified Erxian Pill on pyroptosis of J774A.1 macrophages:Molecular docking technology was used to initially verify the sesquiterpenoids and NLRP3 in components absorbed in the blood of Modified Erxian Pill.J774A.1 macrophages were randomly divided into blank control group,lipopolysaccharide+adenosine triphosphate group,and lipopolysaccharide+adenosine triphosphate+Modified Erxian Pill with low(2.5%),medium(5%),and high(10%)dose groups.The release of lactate dehydrogenase in the cell supernatant of each group was detected according to the kit instructions.The levels of interleukin-1β and interleukin-18 in cell supernatant were detected in each group by ELISA.The cell membrane damage was detected by Hoechst/PI staining.The expression levels of NLRP3,Caspase-1,GSDMD,and GSDMD-N protein in the cells of each group were detected by western blot assay. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)A total of 32 active components of Modified Erxian Pill were identified,and 21 components entered the blood.The main components into blood included a variety of sesquiterpenoids.(2)Molecular docking results showed that 3-O-Acetyl-13-deoxyphomenone,Incensol oxide,Atractylenolide III,Rupestonic acid,and 3,7-Dihydroxy-9,11-eremophiladien-8-one had good binding activity with NLRP3.(3)Compared with the blank control group,lactate dehydrogenase activity and the expression levels of interleukin-1β and interleukin-18 were significantly increased in cell supernatant of lipopolysaccharide+adenosine triphosphate group(P<0.001).Hoechst/PI staining showed that the number of PI-positive cells was significantly increased.After the intervention of lipopolysaccharide+adenosine triphosphate+Modified Erxian Pill group,all of them showed different degrees of reduction.(4)Compared with the blank control group,NLRP3,Caspase-1,GSDMD,and GSDMD-N protein expression levels were significantly increased in the lipopolysaccharide+adenosine triphosphate group(P<0.05).Compared with lipopolysaccharide+adenosine triphosphate group,the protein expressions of NLRP3,Caspase-1,GSDMD,and GSDMD-N were significantly decreased in the lipopolysaccharide+adenosine triphosphate+Modified Erxian Pill group(P<0.05),and had a certain dose dependence.These findings verify that the drug-containing serum of Modified Erxian Pill may inhibit the pyroptosis of J774A.1 macrophages by regulating the NLRP3/Caspase-1/GSDMD pathway.

OBJECTIVE To prepare polyethylene glycol （PEG）-modified flower lactose （FL） loaded Curcumin （Cur） solid lipid nanoparticle （SLN） inhalable micropowder （referred to as “PEG-Cur-FL”）. METHODS PEG-Cur-FL was prepared by the solvent emulsification diffusion low-temperature solidification method， and its encapsulation efficiency， drug loading capacity， powder properties， aerodynamic particle size， in vitro deposition properties， and in vitro release characteristics were characterized. The mice were divided into Cur-SLN-FL （unmodified with PEG） group and PEG-Cur-FL group， with 55 mice in each group. Both groups of mice were given a single inhalation of 5 mg/kg （calculated as Cur） of the corresponding drug micropowder through an air tube. At 0.25， 0.5， 1， 2， 4， 6， 8， 12， 24， 48 and 72 hours after administration， eyeballs were removed to collect blood and tracheal， lung， liver and kidney tissues were separated. The mass concentration of Cur in mouse plasma and various tissue samples was measured， and the tissue distribution and retention of the drug were analyzed. RESULTS The encapsulation efficiency and drug loading capacity of PEG-Cur-FL were （86.2±1.8）% and （4.2±0.2）%， respectively； the bulk density and tap density were （0.24±0.01） g/cm3 and （0.30±0.01） g/cm3， respectively； the aerodynamic particle size was （2.74±0.64） μm； the in vitro effective site deposition rate （secondary drug deposition rate） was （45.07±2.79）%. Compared with Cur raw materials， Cur-SLN- FL and PEG-Cur-FL had sustained release effects under both leakage and non-leakage conditions， and PEG-Cur-FL had a smoother sustained release in artificial lung fluid， with release characteristics consistent with the Weibull model. The results of in vivo distribution showed that the drug concentration in the lung tissue of PEG-Cur-FL group was significantly lower than that of Cur- SLN-FL group during the same period after 1 hour of administration， while the drug concentration in the lung tissue at 4 to 48 hours was significantly higher than that of Cur-SLN-FL group during the same period （P＜0.05）； the plasma drug concentrations of the PEG-Cur-FL group at all time points from 0.25 to 12 hours were significantly lower than those of the Cur-SLN-FL group during the same period （P＜0.05）， and the drug concentrations in liver and kidney tissues were also lower than those of the Cur-SLN-FL group during the same period （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS PEG-Cur-FL is prepared successfully； the inhalable micropowder has good inhalability and release performance； after administration through the trachea， the effective concentration of Cur in lung tissue can be increased， while reducing its plasma drug concentration and drug distribution concentration in non-target organs.

This study aims to investigate the pathogenesis of precancerous lesions of gastric cancer(PLGC) and explore the potential molecular mechanism of Weifuchun Capsules(WFC) in treating PLGC via the nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB)/NOD-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3) inflammasome signaling pathway. Ninety male SPF-grade Wistar rats were randomized into a normal feeding group and a modeling group. The normal feeding group received a regular diet, while the modeling group was subjected to the disease-syndrome combined modeling of PLGC. Specifically, the rats had free access to the water containing 120 μg·mL~(-1) N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine(MNNG) and received a diet containing 0.05% ranitidine in an irregular feeding pattern(alternations between fasting and overfeeding). After 15 weeks, the rats in the normal feeding group were randomized into control, control-NF-κB activator betulinic acid(C-BA), and control-NF-κB inhibitor pyrrolidine dithiocarbamaten(C-PDTC) groups. Meanwhile, the rats in the modeling group continuously underwent the modeling procedure and were randomized into model, WFC, model-NF-κB activator(M-BA), and model-NF-κB inhibitor(M-PDTC) groups. The model group and control group were given aseptic water by intragastric administration, once a day. WFC was given at a dose(432 mg·kg~(-1)) 6 times the equivalent dose for adults(body weight: 60 kg) by gavage, once a day. The rats in the C-BA and M-BA groups were administrated with BA by intraperitoneal injection at a dose of 10 mg·kg~(-1), twice a week. The rats in the C-PDTC and M-PDTC groups were administrated with PDTC by intraperitoneal injection at a dose of 50 mg·kg~(-1), twice a week. The interventions were carried out for 4 weeks. Histopathological changes of the gastric mucosa were observed and scored by hematoxylin-eosin(HE) and alcian blue-periodic acid Sthiff(AB-PAS) staining. The levels of inflammatory cytokines including interleukin(IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-18, tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α), and IL-10 in the gastric tissue were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). The expression levels of proteins associated with the NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome in the gastric mucosa were determined by Western blot. The positive expression areas of proteins related to NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome in the gastric mucosa were measured by immunohistochemistry. The results showed that compared with the control group, the model, C-BA, and M-BA groups showed significantly risen scores of mucosal inflammation, degree of inflammatory activity, gland atrophy, and intestinal metaplasia, and the model and M-BA groups showed significanly risen scores of dysplasia. Compared with the model group, the WFC group demonstrated significantly declined scores of mucosal inflammation and degree of inflammatory activity, as well as declined scores of intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia. Compared with the control group, the model and C-BA groups showed significantly elevated levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18, and TNF-α in the gastric tissue, and the model group showed significantly elevated level of IL-10. In addition, the model and C-BA groups showed significantly up-regulated expression of NF-κB p65, NLRP3, cysteine-aspartic acid protease 1(caspase-1), and apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD(ASC) in the gastric mucosa and increased positive expression areas of NF-κB p65, NLRP3, and ASC. Compared with the model group, the WFC group showed significantly decreased levels of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18, TNF-α, and IL-10 in the gastric tissue, and the M-PDTC group showed significantly lowered levels of IL-1β, IL-18, and TNF-α in the gastric mucosa. Both WFC and M-PDTC groups demonstrated significantly down-regulated expression levels of NF-κB p65, phosphorylated NF-κB p65(p-NF-κB p65), NLRP3, and caspase-1 in the gastric mucosa, along with significant decreases in the positive expression areas of NF-κB p65, NLRP3, and ASC. In conclusion, the pathogenesis of PLGC is closely related to the activation of the NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway. WFC can alleviate mucosal inflammation, inhibit glandular atrophy, partially reverse intestinal metaplasia, and reduce dysplasia to delay the process of inflammation-cancer transformation, and meanwhile it can effectively lower the levels of inflammatory cytokines and down-regulate the expression of pathway-related proteins in the stomach. Therefore, WFC may treat PLGC by inhibiting the NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammasome signaling pathway.
Animals ; Male ; NF-kappa B/genetics* ; Rats ; Rats, Wistar ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/metabolism* ; Stomach Neoplasms/pathology* ; Inflammasomes/genetics* ; Humans ; Precancerous Conditions/metabolism* ; Capsules

Based on the interleukin-17(IL-17) signaling pathway, this study explores the effect and mechanism of Bufei Decoction on Klebsiella pneumoniae pneumonia in rats. SD rats were randomly divided into the control group, model group, Bufei Decoction low-dose group(6.68 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), Bufei Decoction high-dose group(13.36 g·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), and dexamethasone group(1.04 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), with 10 rats in each group. A pneumonia model was established by tracheal drip injection of K. pneumoniae. After successful model establishment, the improvement in lung tissue damage was observed following drug administration. Core targets and signaling pathways were screened using transcriptomics techniques. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the mRNA expression of core targets interleukin-6(IL-6), interleukin-1β(IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), and chemokine CXC ligand 6(CXCL6). Western blot was used to assess key proteins in the IL-17 signaling pathway, including interleukin-17A(IL-17A), nuclear transcription factor-κB activator 1(Act1), tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6(TRAF6), and downstream phosphorylated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase(p-p38 MAPK), and phosphorylated nuclear factor-κB p65(p-NF-κB p65). Apoptosis of lung tissue cells was detected by terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling(TUNEL). The results showed that, compared with the control group, the model group exhibited significant pathological damage in lung tissue. The mRNA expression of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, and CXCL6, as well as the protein levels of IL-17A, Act1, TRAF6, p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK, and p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65, were significantly increased, and the number of apoptotic cells was notably higher, indicating successful model establishment. Compared with the model group, both low-and high-dose groups of Bufei Decoction showed reduced pathological damage in lung tissue. The mRNA expression levels of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, and CXCL6, and the protein levels of IL-17A, Act1, TRAF6, p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK, and p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65, were significantly decreased, with a significant reduction in apoptotic cells in the high-dose group. In conclusion, Bufei Decoction can effectively improve lung tissue damage and reduce inflammation in rats with K. pneumoniae. The mechanism may involve the regulation of the IL-17 signaling pathway and the reduction of apoptosis.
Animals ; Interleukin-17/metabolism* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Rats ; Male ; Klebsiella pneumoniae/physiology* ; Klebsiella Infections/immunology* ; Humans ; Lung/drug effects*

OBJECTIVE: To explore the expression regulation of lipid metabolism gene ABHD5 in testes. METHODS: Differential gene analysis was performed by integrating databases of TCGA and GTEx to identify the target gene ABHD5. The expression trends of ABHD5 gene in testicular carcinoma tissue were analyzed. Human testis single-cell atlases were obtained from the Human Protein Atlas and Male Health Atlas databases to determine the expression distribution of ABHD5 across different testicular cell types. Additionally, the GTEx database was utilized to visualize the expression pattern of ABHD5 in the testis, thereby enhancing the understanding of its transcriptional profile. The relationship between ABHD5 expression and age was assessed through integrated database analysis. Western blotting and immunofluorescence were performed to detect differential expressions of ABHD5 in testicular tissues of young and aged mice respectively. RESULTS: The TCGA database indicated that the expression of ABHD5 in human testicular carcinoma tissue was significantly lower than that in normal testicular tissue which showed a negative correlation with patient survival. ABHD5 was highly expressed in germ cells of the testis reveaked from Human Protein Atlas and Male Health Atlas databases. The stability of ABHD5 protein was crucial for testicular tissue, and its expression decreased with age. Furthermore, Western blot and immunofluorescence staining demonstrated that ABHD5 expression in the testicular tissue of aged mice was significantly lower than that in young mice. CONCLUSION ABHD5 plays an important role in testicular tissue, and may be inseparable from testicular tumors and reproductive aging. However, its mechanism of action remains to be further studied.
Male ; Animals ; Mice ; Testis/metabolism* ; Humans ; Lipid Metabolism/genetics* ; 1-Acylglycerol-3-Phosphate O-Acyltransferase/metabolism* ; Testicular Neoplasms/metabolism*

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) expresses abundant glycolytic enzymes and displays comprehensive glucose metabolism reprogramming. Aldolase A (ALDOA) plays a prominent role in glycolysis; however, little is known about its role in HCC development. In the present study, we aim to explore how ALDOA is involved in HCC proliferation. HCC proliferation was markedly suppressed both in vitro and in vivo following ALDOA knockout, which is consistent with ALDOA overexpression encouraging HCC proliferation. Mechanistically, ALDOA knockout partially limits the glycolytic flux in HCC cells. Meanwhile, ALDOA translocated to nuclei and directly interacted with c-Jun to facilitate its Thr93 phosphorylation by P21-activated protein kinase; ALDOA knockout markedly diminished c-Jun Thr93 phosphorylation and then dampened c-Jun transcription function. A crucial site Y364 mutation in ALDOA disrupted its interaction with c-Jun, and Y364S ALDOA expression failed to rescue cell proliferation in ALDOA deletion cells. In HCC patients, the expression level of ALDOA was correlated with the phosphorylation level of c-Jun (Thr93) and poor prognosis. Remarkably, hepatic ALDOA was significantly upregulated in the promotion and progression stages of diethylnitrosamine-induced HCC models, and the knockdown of A ldoa strikingly decreased HCC development in vivo. Our study demonstrated that ALDOA is a vital driver for HCC development by activating c-Jun-mediated oncogene transcription, opening additional avenues for anti-cancer therapies.

Objective To analyze the characteristics of intestinal flora of personnel stationed on an island,so as to lay the foundation for maintaining the intestinal microecological balance of personnel stationed on island and provide accurate medical security.Methods Several subjects stationed on an island and several subjects from coastal areas were enrolled by random and sampling method,and their fecal samples were sequenced by 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing.Diversity and composition of gut microbiota in 2 cohorts of personnel were compared.Results Alpha diversity analysis of intestinal flora showed that the abundance of intestinal flora in subjects stationed on the island was significantly higher than that of subjects from coastal areas.Beta diversity analysis indicated significant differences in the composition of intestinal microbial communities between the subjects stationed on the island and those from coastal areas(P=0.001).The abundance of the Bacteroidota in the intestinal tract of subjects stationed on the island was significantly lower than that of subjects from coastal areas(30.8%vs 48.3%,P＜0.001),while the abundance of the Proteobacteria was significantly higher than that of subjects from coastal areas(28.3%vs 10.2%,P＜0.001).After multiple hypothesis testing correction,it was found that the abundance of the Bacteroides,Roseburia,Alistipes,and Parabacteroides in the intestines of subjects stationed on the island decreased significantly,while the abundance of the Prevotella,Escherichia-Shigella,Citrobacter,and Eubacterium_coprostanoligenes increased significantly.Conclusion The special environment of islands affects the characteristics of intestinal flora of personnel,and the intestinal microecological health needs precise maintenance.

Laccase is a type of polyphenol oxidase that can catalyze the oxidation of various substances,including phenols,aromatic amines,and catecholamines.It has been widely utilized in pollutant degradation and analytical applications.However,the high cost of preparation of natural laccase and its susceptibility to environmental factors,which can lead to denaturation and inactivation,limit its practical applications.Nanozymes,which are nanomaterials that exhibit enzyme-like properties,offer advantages such as easy preparation,adjustable activity,and exceptional stability.Currently,many types of nanozymes have been developed.Inspired by the coordination of Cu2+with amino acids in the active site of natural laccase,researchers have employed coordination synthetic strategies to prepare laccase-like nanozymes.The metal nodes in these laccase-like nanozymes include copper,manganese,and cerium,while the ligands involve a variety of chemicals like nucleotides,amino acids,polypeptides,and aromatic acids.By manipulating factors such as the metal-to-ligand ratio,reducing capacity of ligands,buffer solutions,chloride ions,bromine ions,the catalytic activity of laccase-like nanozymes can be finely tuned.In this paper,laccase-like nanozymes developed through coordination strategies were categorized and summarized,along with review of their analytical applications in detection of phenolic compounds,disease biomarkers,antibiotics,pesticides,sulfur-containing pollutants,and time-temperature indicators.Furthermore,the challenges currently faced in the research of laccase-like nanozymes and future research directions were discussed.

As a cheap and effective antibiotic,sulfonamides are often used in animal husbandry.However,their residues in animal-derived foodstuffs will threaten human health.Consequently,a high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC)method integrated with supramolecular solvent microextraction was successfully established for simultaneous quantification of sulfonamide residues sulfachlorpyridazine,sulfamethoxazole,sulfamethoxypyridazine and sulfadimethoxine in milk matrices.This approach exhibited prominent characteristics of operational simplicity,environmental sustainability,and high extraction efficiency.The supramolecular solvents prepared by tributyl octylphosphine tetrafluoroborate and tetrahydrofuran were employed as extraction solvents.The analytes underwent isolation and concentration via dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction(DLLME)prior to quantitative determination using high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC).The composition and microscopic morphology of the supramolecular solvent were characterized through a series of analytical techniques,including phase diagram,Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy,scanning electron microscopy,and inverted fluorescence microscopy and so on.The density and pH value of supramolecular solvents were determined.The extraction conditions were optimized through the one-factor experiments.The experimental results demonstrated that under the optimal extraction conditions,the four kinds of sulfonamide antibiotics exhibited excellent linearity within respective detection range(R2 ≥ 0.9998)and the limits of detection(LOD)were 0.67-1.45 μg/L.Compared with literature methods,this approach offered some advantages such as simplicity of operation and less reagent consumption,and could be used for analysis and detection of sulfonamide antibiotic residues in milk samples.The present method provided technical support for food safety regulation and paved a new way for the application of supramolecular solvents in the field of extraction and separation.

Early screening of tumors is crucial for prevention and treatment of cancer,thus identifying effective biomarkers is of great importance for early diagnosis of tumors.In recent years,tumor-secreted exosomes(Exos)have attracted widespread attention as a novel biomarker for tumor liquid biopsy.Especially,some specific proteins contained in Exos play important roles in the occurrence,development,metastasis and microenvironment regulation of tumors,indicating their enormous potential as potential diagnostic biomarkers for tumors.Compared to traditional biopsy sample testing,exosome-based protein detection methods exhibit significant advantages in liquid biopsy,including rapid sampling,easy operation,non-invasiveness,and feasibility for early detection,holding important application value for clinical diagnosis of tumors.This review aimed to comprehensively summarize and discuss various detection strategies for exosomal proteins in liquid biopsy for tumors,while comprehensively evaluating the analytical performance of these methods.Meanwhile,new perspectives and strategies for early diagnosis and treatment of tumors were discussed.Additionally,the unique advantages of exosomal proteins as a new generation of non-invasive diagnostic biomarkers and insights into their promising prospects for future clinical applications were emphasized.