ObjectiveTo investigate the differential expression of integrin alpha-6（ITGA6） in abdominal wall endometriosis （AWE） tissues and its molecular mechanisms in regulating AWE. Methods36 AWE lesions were designated as the experimental group， while 36 cases of normal endometrial tissues served as the controls. Differential expression of ITGA6 between the two groups was assessed through immunohistochemical （IHC） staining. Human ITGA6 gene-specific interference sequences were designed， synthesized， and packaged into lentiviral vectors to establish the Ishikawa cell line with ITGA6-knockdown. Similarly， the ITGA6-overexpression cell line was constructed using the coding sequence （CDS） of the gene. Real-time PCR and Western blot were performed to detect changes in epithelial-mesenchymal transition（EMT）-related markers and angiogenesis-related indicators. Cell invasion and migration capabilities were assessed by Cell Scratch and Transwell assays. Furthermore， Western blot was conducted to profile PI3K/AKT pathway dynamics. ResultsEctopic endometrial tissues exhibited a marked increase in the number of ITGA6-positive cells and their expression intensity compared to eutopic endometrium （each P < 0.001）. Compared with the NC group， the ITGA6-knockdown group showed significantly reduced expression of N-cadherin， VEGF， and TGF-β1 （all P < 0.01）， while E-cadherin expression was markedly increased （P < 0.01）. Concomitantly， the invasion and migration capacities of ITGA6-low expression were significantly impaired （P < 0.001 for both）， accompanied by a marked reduction in AKT and phosphorylated AKT（p-AKT） levels （P < 0.001）. Conversely， overexpressing ITGA6 resulted in opposite effects. ConclusionITGA6 modulates EMT and angiogenesis in Ishikawa cells via the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway， thereby enhancing cell invasion and migration capabilities， which contributes to the pathogenesis of AWE.

ObjectiveTo investigate the risk factors for plastic bronchitis （PB） in children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia （MPP） and to construct a predictive model. MethodsPropensity score matching （1∶4 nearest neighbor matching） was used to balance baseline data between the two groups. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify independent risk factors. Various machine learning algorithms were applied to build predictive models， and model performance was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves， decision curves， and calibration curves. SHapley Additive exPlanations （SHAP） method was used for model interpretation. ResultsAfter matching， baseline characteristics were comparable between the two groups. Compared with the non-PB group， the PB group had significantly longer fever duration， higher incidence of pleural effusion and right upper lobe involvement， and higher levels of procalcitonin （PCT）， D-dimer， lactate dehydrogenase （LDH）， alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， immunoglobulin E （IgE）， and red blood cell count in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid （BALF） （all P<0.05）， while lymphocyte and eosinophil counts in blood were significantly lower （P<0.05）. Multivariate Logistic regression showed that PCT>0.207 μg/L， LDH>386.25 U/L， right upper lobe involvement， and red blood cell count in BALF>1 500×10⁶ were independent risk factors. Among machine learning models， the gradient boosting machine （GBM） model achieved an area under the curve of 0.786 in the validation set， demonstrating the best generalization ability. SHAP analysis validated the importance of the above variables. ConclusionThe four indicators above have independent predictive value for PB occurrence， and the GBM model shows certain clinical risk stratification capability.

ObjectiveTo identify the direct target proteins for the anti-obesity effect of resveratrol （Res） via chemical proteomic analysis and systematically explore the molecular mechanisms by which Res inhibits lipid accumulation in adipocytes from mitochondrial function regulation， adipocyte browning， and inflammation inhibition， thus providing new targets and experimental evidence for the prevention and treatment of obesity and related metabolic diseases. MethodsThe cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay was adopted to detect the safe and effective doses （7.5， 15， 30 μmol·L^-1） of Res for treating 3T3-L1 cells based on the cell survival rate. After being induced to differentiate into mature adipocytes， the cells were assigned into the blank ［treated with dimethyl sulfoxide （DMSO）］ group and the Res （7.5， 15， 30 μmol·L^-1） groups and treated for 48 h. Oil red O staining and total triglyceride （TG） content were assessed to measure lipid accumulation in adipocytes. Target protein identification of Res was conducted through IAA-P-based chemical proteomics combined with high-resolution mass spectrometry. Target proteins of Res were validated by cellular thermal shift assay （CETSA） combined with Western blot analysis. Furthermore， the expression of browning markers peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α （PGC-1α） and mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1 （UCP1）， as well as the target proteins NADH-ubiquinone oxidoreductase core subunit S8 （NDUFS8） and high-mobility group protein B1 （HMGB1） were determined by Western blot. The ATP assay kit was used to measure the ATP concentration. Mitochondrial biogenesis was characterized with MitoTracker Green， on the basis of which the regulatory effect of Res on mitochondrial function was analyzed. The level of the inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）， on the basis of which the anti-inflammatory effect of Res on adipocytes was evaluated. ResultsCompared with the control group， Res demonstrated safety and efficacy within the range of 7.5-30 μmol·L^-1， without significantly affecting cell viability. Compared with the control group， different concentrations of Res reduced lipid accumulation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes （P<0.01）， promoted the expression of NDUFS8 （P<0.01）， increased the ATP concentration and the protein levels of UCP1 and PGC-1α， elevated the level of TNF-α （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionNDUFS8 and HMGB1were identified as the target proteins of Res in mitigating obesity. Res promotes mitochondrial biogenesis to induce the browning of 3T3-L1 adipocytes via targeting NDUFS8 and it inhibits the TNF-α-mediated inflammatory signaling via targeting HMGB1， thus inhibiting lipid accumulation and ameliorating obesity.

OBJECTIVE To explore the effect of superoxide dismutase （SOD） administration on the malignant behavior of PLC/PRF/5 liver cancer cells， and analyze the correlation between SOD and alpha-fetoprotein （AFP） expression， to provide new ideas for targeting AFP with SOD as a drug for hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS Normal human liver cells L-02， AFP- negative human liver cancer cells HLE， and AFP-positive human liver cancer cells PLC/PRF/5 were used as experimental cells. Western blot assay and SOD activity detection kit were used to detect the expression of AFP， SOD and activity of SOD in cells before and after changing AFP expression； the effects of different concentrations of SOD [0 （control）， 0.188， 0.375， 0.75， 1.5， 3 U/mL] administration on the migration and proliferation of PLC/PRF/5 cells were detected using cell scratch assay and CCK-8 assay. The effects of SOD overexpression on the expression of malignant biological behavior-related proteins AFP and sarcoma virus protein （Src） in PLC/PRF/5 cells were detected using Western blot. RESULTS Compared with L-02 group and HLE group， the expression levels of SOD1 and SOD2， and SOD activity in PLC/PRF/5 cells were significantly reduced （P＜0.05）. After down-regulating AFP expression in PLC/PRF/ 5 cells， compared with PLC/PRF/5 group， the expression levels of SOD1 and SOD2， as well as SOD activity， were significantly increased in the PLC/PRF/5-shAFP group （low-expression） （P＜0.05）. After 48 hours of SOD treatment， compared with control group， the scratch healing rates of PLC/PRF/5 cells in the 0.375， 0.75， 1.5 and 3 U/mL SOD groups were significantly reduced （P＜0.05）； after 72 hours of SOD treatment， compared with control group， the scratch healing rates of PLC/PRF/5 cells in the 0.375， 0.75， and 1.5 U/mL SOD groups were significantly reduced （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared with control group， proliferation rates of PLC/PRF/5 cells were significantly reduced in the 0.375， 0.75， 1.5 and 3 U/mL SOD groups （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared with the PLC/PRF/5 group before up-regulating SOD1 and SOD2 expression， the expression levels of AFP and Src in the PLC/PRF/5-oeSOD1 and PLC/PRF/5-oeSOD2 groups （over-expression） after up-regulating SOD1 and SOD2 expression were significantly reduced （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS A certain concentration of SOD can inhibit malignant behavior such as migration and proliferation of PLC/PRF/5 cells， and the expression level and activity of SOD are negatively correlated with AFP.

Programmed cell death (PCD) is characterized as a cell death pathway governed by specific gene-encoding requirements, plays crucial roles in the homeostasis and innate immunity of organisms, and serves as both a pathogenic mechanism and a therapeutic target for a variety of human diseases. Z-DNA-binding protein 1 (ZBP1) functions as a cytosolic nucleic acid sensor, utilizing its unique Zα domains to detect endogenous or exogenous nucleic acids and its receptor-interacting protein homotypic interaction motif (RHIM) domains to sense or bind specific signaling molecules, thereby exerting regulatory effects on various forms of PCD. ZBP1 is involved in apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis, and PANoptosis and interacts with molecules, such as receptor-interacting protein kinase 3 (RIPK3), to influence cell fate under various pathological conditions. It plays a crucial role in regulating PCD during infections, inflammatory and neurological diseases, cancers, and other conditions, affecting disease onset and progression. Targeting ZBP1-associated PCD may represent a viable therapeutic strategy for related pathological conditions. This review comprehensively summarizes the regulatory functions of ZBP1 in PCD and its interactions with several closely associated signaling molecules and delineates the diseases linked to ZBP1-mediated PCD, along with the potential therapeutic implications of ZBP1 in these contexts. Ongoing research on ZBP1 is being refined across various disease models, and these advancements may provide novel insights for studies focusing on PCD, potentially leading to new therapeutic options for related diseases.

OBJECTIVE: The analgesic effect of acupuncture has been widely accepted. Nevertheless, the mechanism behind its analgesic effect remains elusive, thus impeding the progress of research geared toward enhancing the analgesic effect of acupuncture. This paper investigated the role of acupuncture needle surface textures on acupuncture's analgesic effect by creating four experimental acupuncture needles with different patterns of surface augmentation. METHODS: Four types of acupuncture needles with different surface textures (the lined needle, circle needle, sandpaper needle, and threaded needle) were designed. Additionally, the force/torque measurement system used a robot arm and mechanical sensor to measure the force on the needle during insertion and manipulation. To perform acupuncture analgesia experiments, four experimental acupuncture needles and a normal needle were inserted into the Zusanli (ST36) acupoint of rats with inflammatory pain. By comparing the force and torque and the analgesic efficacy of the different acupuncture needles, these experiments tested the role of acupuncture needle body texture on acupuncture analgesia. RESULTS: The analgesic effects of different acupuncture needle body textures varied. Specifically, the force required to penetrate the skin with the lined needle was not greater than that for the normal needle; however, the needle with inscribed circles and the sandpaper-roughened needle both required greater force for insertion. Additionally, the torque of the lined needle reached 2 × 10^-4 N·m under twisting manipulation, which was four times greater the torque of a normal needle (5 × 10^-5 N·m). Furthermore, the lined needle improved pain threshold and mast cell degranulation rate compared to the normal needle. CONCLUSION Optimizing the texture of acupuncture needles can enhance acupuncture analgesia. The texture of our experimental acupuncture needles had a significant impact on the force needed to penetrate the skin and the torque needed to manipulate the needle; it was also linked to variable analgesic effects. This study provides a theoretical basis for enhancing the analgesic efficacy of acupuncture through the modification of needles and promoting the development of acupuncture therapy. Please cite this article as: Sun MZ, Wang X, Li YC, Liu YH, Yu Y, Ren LJ, Gu W, Yao W. Effects of acupuncture needle modification on acupuncture analgesia. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(1): 66-78.
Needles ; Acupuncture Analgesia/methods* ; Animals ; Rats ; Male ; Acupuncture Points ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley

OBJECTIVE: Prunella vulgaris L. has long been used for liver protection according to traditional Chinese medicine theory and has been proven by modern pharmacological research to have multiple potential liver-protective effects. However, its effects on non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are currently uncertain. Our study explores the effects of P. vulgaris polysaccharides on NASH and intestinal homeostasis. METHODS: An aqueous extract of the dried fruit spikes of P. vulgaris was precipitated in an 85% ethanol solution (PVE85) to extract crude polysaccharides from the herb. A choline-deficient, L-amino acid-defined, high-fat diet (CDAHFD) was administrated to male C57BL/6 mice to establish a NASH animal model. After 4 weeks, the PVE85 group was orally administered PVE85 (200 mg/[kg·d]), while the control group and CDAHFD group were orally administered vehicle for 6 weeks. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis, Western blotting, immunohistochemistry and other methods were used to assess the impact of PVE85 on the liver in mice with NASH. 16S rRNA gene amplicon analysis was employed to evaluate the gut microbiota abundance and diversity in each group to examine alterations at various taxonomic levels. RESULTS: PVE85 significantly reversed the course of NASH in mice. mRNA levels of inflammatory mediators associated with NASH and protein expression of hepatic nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) were significantly reduced after PVE85 treatment. Moreover, PVE85 attenuated the thickening and cross-linking of collagen fibres and inhibited the expression of fibrosis-related mRNAs in the livers of NASH mice. Intriguingly, PVE85 restored changes in the gut microbiota and improved intestinal barrier dysfunction induced by NASH by increasing the abundance of Actinobacteria and reducing the abundance of Proteobacteria at the phylum level. PVE85 had significant activity in reducing the relative abundance of Clostridiaceae at the family levels. PVE85 markedly enhanced the abundance of some beneficial micro-organisms at various taxonomic levels as well. Additionally, the physicochemical environment of the intestine was effectively improved, involving an increase in the density of intestinal villi, normalization of the intestinal pH, and improvement of intestinal permeability. CONCLUSION PVE85 can reduce hepatic lipid overaccumulation, inflammation, and fibrosis in an animal model of CDAHFD-induced NASH and improve the intestinal microbial composition and intestinal structure. Please cite this article as: Zhu MJ, Song YJ, Rao PL, Gu WY, Xu Y, Xu HX. Therapeutic role of Prunella vulgaris L. polysaccharides in non-alcoholic steatohepatitis and gut dysbiosis. J Integr Med. 2025; 2025; 23(3): 297-308.
Animals ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/drug therapy* ; Male ; Dysbiosis/drug therapy* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Polysaccharides/therapeutic use* ; Prunella/chemistry* ; Mice ; Liver/metabolism* ; Plant Extracts/therapeutic use* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Diet, High-Fat

BACKGROUND: Modern acupuncture anesthesia is a combination of Chinese and Western medicine that integrates the theories of acupuncture with anesthesia. However, some clinical studies of acupuncture anesthesia lack specific descriptions of randomization, allocation concealment, and blinding processes, with subsequent systematic reviews indicating a risk of bias. OBJECTIVE: Clinical trial registration is essential for the enhancement of the quality of clinical trials. This study aims to summarize the status of clinical trial registrations for acupuncture anesthesia listed on the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP). SEARCH STRATEGY: We searched the ICTRP for clinical trials related to acupuncture anesthesia registered between January 1, 2001 and May 31, 2023. Additionally, related publications were retrieved from PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Science and Technology Journal Database, and Wanfang Data. Registrations and publications were analyzed for consistency in trial design characteristics. INCLUSION CRITERIA: Clinical trials that utilized one of several acupuncture-related therapies in combination with pharmacological anesthesia during the perioperative period were eligible for this review. DATA EXTRACTION AND ANALYSIS: Data extracted from articles included type of surgical procedure, perioperative symptoms, study methodology, type of intervention, trial recruitment information, and publication information related to clinical enrollment. RESULTS: A total of 166 trials related to acupuncture anesthesia from 21 countries were included in the analysis. The commonly reported symptoms in the included studies were postoperative nausea and vomiting (19.9%) and postoperative pain (13.3%). The concordance between the publications and the trial protocols in the clinical registry records was poor, with only 31.7% of the studies being fully compatible. Inconsistency rates were high for sample size (39.0%, 16/41), blinding (36.6%, 15/41), and secondary outcome indicators (24.4%, 10/41). CONCLUSION The volume of acupuncture anesthesia clinical trials registered in international trial registries over the last 20 years is low, with insufficient disclosure of results. Postoperative nausea and vomiting as well as postoperative pain, are the most investigated for acupuncture intervention. Please cite this article as: Li Y, Liu YN, Guo Z, Gu ME, Wang WJ, Zhu Y, Zhuang XJ, Chen LM, Zhou J, Li J. Current situation of clinical trial registration in acupuncture anesthesia: A scoping review. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(3): 256-263.
Humans ; Acupuncture Analgesia ; Acupuncture Therapy ; Anesthesia ; Clinical Trials as Topic ; Registries

Objective:To investigate the value of 3.0T magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)in the assessment for clinically pathologic features of prostate cancer(PCa).Methods:The case data of 102 PCa patients who were confirmed by histology in The Second Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical University from April 2020 to July 2024 were retrospectively analyzed.51 PCa patients of them were included in cancer group,and 51 patients with prostatic hyperplasia were included in hyperplasia group.Multi-parametric MRI was implemented in all patients.Imaging performance was scored by using Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System version 2.1(PI-RADS v2.1).The distribution of scores between the two groups was compared and analyzed.The correlations between the PI-RADS v2.1 scores and PCa clinically pathological features which included Gleason scores,serum prostate specific antigen(PSA)level,tumor staging and aggressiveness were analyzed and explored by using Spearman correlation analysis.The diagnostic efficacy of the 3.0T MRI technique for PCa was analyzed by using the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.Results:The PI-RADS v2.1 score of cancer group was 4(4,5)scores,which was significantly higher than 2(3,4)scores of hyperplasia group,and the difference of that between two groups was significant(U=369.5,P<0.05).The rate of high scores(4,5 scores)of cancer group was more than that of hyperplasia group in the distribution of scores,and the difference of that between two groups was significant(x2=51.220,P<0.05).In patients of cancer group,PI-RADS v2.1 score showed significant correlation with serum PSA level,Gleason score,tumor staging and aggressiveness(P<0.05),respectively,and they were significant(r=0.815,0.723,0.693,P<0.05).ROC curve analysis showed that the area under curve(AUC)value of PI-RADS v2.1 score was 0.858(95%CI:0.783-0.932)in diagnosing PCa,which can effectively distinguish PCa and prostate hyperplasia.It had higher diagnostic efficacy,which was higher than that of serum PSA.Conclusions:3.0T MRI has favorable accuracy in diagnosing PCa,and it can be used as a noninvasive test method to diagnose and assess pathological features of tumor.