Recent studies have indicated that the expression of ubiquitin-specific protease 51 (USP51), a novel deubiquitinating enzyme (DUB) that mediates protein degradation as part of the ubiquitin‒proteasome system (UPS), is associated with tumor progression and therapeutic resistance in multiple malignancies. However, the underlying mechanisms and signaling networks involved in USP51-mediated regulation of malignant phenotypes remain largely unknown. The present study provides evidence of USP51's functions as the prominent DUB in chemoresistant triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. At the molecular level, ectopic expression of USP51 stabilized the 78 kDa Glucose-Regulated Protein (GRP78) protein through deubiquitination, thereby increasing its expression and localization on the cell surface. Furthermore, the upregulation of cell surface GRP78 increased the activity of ATP binding cassette subfamily B member 1 (ABCB1), the main efflux pump of doxorubicin (DOX), ultimately decreasing its accumulation in TNBC cells and promoting the development of drug resistance both in vitro and in vivo. Clinically, we found significant correlations among USP51, GRP78, and ABCB1 expression in TNBC patients with chemoresistance. Elevated USP51, GRP78, and ABCB1 levels were also strongly associated with a poor patient prognosis. Importantly, we revealed an alternative intervention for specific pharmacological targeting of USP51 for TNBC cell chemosensitization. In conclusion, these findings collectively indicate that the USP51/GRP78/ABCB1 network is a key contributor to the malignant progression and chemotherapeutic resistance of TNBC cells, underscoring the pivotal role of USP51 as a novel therapeutic target for cancer management.

In recent decades, the prevalence of hyperuricemia and gout has increased dramatically due to lifestyle changes. The drugs currently recommended for hyperuricemia are associated with adverse reactions that limit their clinical use. In this study, we report that berberine (BBR) is an effective drug candidate for the treatment of hyperuricemia, with its mechanism potentially involving the modulation of gut microbiota and its metabolite, succinic acid. BBR has demonstrated good therapeutic effects in both acute and chronic animal models of hyperuricemia. In a clinical trial, oral administration of BBR for 6 months reduced blood uric acid levels in 22 participants by modulating the gut microbiota, which led to an increase in the abundance of Bacteroides and a decrease in Clostridium sensu stricto_1. Furthermore, Bacteroides fragilis was transplanted into ICR mice, and the results showed that Bacteroides fragilis exerted a therapeutic effect on uric acid similar to that of BBR. Notably, succinic acid, a metabolite of Bacteroides, significantly reduced uric acid levels. Subsequent cell and animal experiments revealed that the intestinal metabolite, succinic acid, regulated the upstream uric acid synthesis pathway in the liver by inhibiting adenosine monophosphate deaminase 2 (AMPD2), an enzyme responsible for converting adenosine monophosphate (AMP) to inosine monophosphate (IMP). This inhibition resulted in a decrease in IMP levels and an increase in phosphate levels. The reduction in IMP led to a decreased downstream production of hypoxanthine, xanthine, and uric acid. BBR also demonstrated excellent renoprotective effects, improving nephropathy associated with hyperuricemia. In summary, BBR has the potential to be an effective treatment for hyperuricemia through the gut-liver axis.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the efficacy of DSA-guided intrathecal drug delivery system combined with Zi Wu Liu Zhu Acupoint Therapy for management of cancer pain and provide reference for its standardized clinical application. Methods and. RESULTS: Recommendations were formulated based on literature review and expert group discussion, and consensus was reached following expert consultation. The consensus recommendations are comprehensive, covering the entire treatment procedures from preoperative assessment and preparation, surgical operation process, postoperative management and traditional Chinese medicine treatment to individualized treatment planning. The study results showed that the treatment plans combining traditional Chinese with Western medicine effectively alleviated cancer pain, reduced the use of opioid drugs, and significantly improved the quality of life and enhanced immune function of the patients. Postoperative follow-up suggested good treatment tolerance among the patients without serious complications. CONCLUSIONS The formulated consensus is comprehensive and can provide reference for clinicians to use DSA-guided intrathecal drug delivery system combined with Zi Wu Liu Zhu Acupoint Therapy. The combined treatment has a high clinical value with a good safety profile for management of cancer pain.
Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Cancer Pain/therapy* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Drug Delivery Systems ; Pain Management/methods* ; China

OBJECTIVE: To assess the safety and topical efficacy of prim-O-glucosylcimifugin (POG) and investigate the molecular mechanisms of its therapeutic effects in atopic dermatitis (AD). METHODS: The effects of POG on human keratinocyte cell viability and its anti-inflammatory properties were evaluated using cell counting kit-8 assay and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Subsequently, the impact of POG on the differentiation of cluster of differentiation (CD) 4⁺ T cell subsets, including T-helper type (Th) 1, Th2, Th17, and regulatory T (Treg), was examined through in vitro experiments. Network pharmacology analysis was used to elucidate POG's therapeutic mechanisms. Furthermore, the therapeutic potential of topically applied POG was further evaluated in a calcipotriol-induced mouse model of AD. The protein and transcript levels of inflammatory markers, including cytokines, lymphocyte-specific protein tyrosine kinase (Lck) mRNA, and LCK phosphorylation (p-LCK), were quantified using immunohistochemistry, RT-qPCR, and Western blot analysis. RESULTS: POG was able to suppress cell proliferation and downregulate the transcription of interleukin 4 (Il4) and Il13 mRNA. In vitro experiments indicated that POG significantly inhibited the differentiation of Th2 cells, whereas it exerted negligible influence on the differentiation of Th1, Th17 and Treg cells. Network pharmacology identified LCK as a key therapeutic target of POG. Moreover, the topical application of POG effectively alleviated skin lesions in the calcipotriol-induced AD mouse models without causing pathological changes in the liver, kidney or spleen tissues. POG significantly reduced the levels of Il4, Il5, Il13, and thymic stromal lymphopoietin (Tslp) mRNA in the AD mice. Concurrently, POG enhanced the expression of p-LCK protein and Lck mRNA. CONCLUSION Our research revealed that POG inhibits Th2 cell differentiation by promoting p-LCK protein expression and hence effectively alleviates AD-related skin inflammation. Please cite this article as: Zhao H, Ma X, Wang H, Ding XJ, Kuai L, Song JK, Zhang Z, Yang D, Gao CJ, Li B, Zhou M. Prim-O-glucosylcimifugin mitigates atopic dermatitis by inhibiting Th2 differentiation through LCK phosphorylation modulation. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(3): 309-319.
Dermatitis, Atopic/drug therapy* ; Animals ; Humans ; Cell Differentiation/drug effects* ; Phosphorylation/drug effects* ; Mice ; Th2 Cells/drug effects* ; Keratinocytes/drug effects* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Calcitriol/analogs & derivatives*

OBJECTIVE: To assess relationships between cold spells and genitourinary hospitalization risk. METHODS: Hospitalization records for genitourinary system diseases (GUDs) from 16 districts in Beijing (2013-2018) were analyzed. Cold spells were defined based on varying intensity thresholds. A two-stage analytical method was employed: first, generalized linear models assessed district-specific associations between cold spells and hospitalizations; second, random-effects meta-analysis aggregated the district-level results. Subgroup analyses were performed by admission type (emergency vs. outpatient), age, and sex. RESULTS: A total of 271,579 GUD-related hospitalizations were recorded. Cold spells (p1day2，daily mean temperature below the 1 ^st percentiles of the daily mean temperature distribution from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2018, lasting for two or more consecutive days) were linked to a significant rise in hospitalization risks: 1.43 (95% CI: 1.32-1.56) for all GUDs, 1.35 (95% CI: 1.23-1.49) for urinary system diseases, and 1.46 (95% CI: 1.28-1.67) for renal failure, when compared to non-cold spell days. Emergency admissions showed higher risk increases than outpatient admissions. CONCLUSION Extreme cold spells significantly elevate hospitalization risks for GUDs. This highlights the urgent need for targeted public health interventions to mitigate cold-related health impacts, especially for vulnerable populations.
Humans ; Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data* ; Male ; Female ; Cold Temperature/adverse effects* ; Infant ; Child, Preschool ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Child ; Aged ; Adolescent ; Young Adult ; Beijing/epidemiology* ; Female Urogenital Diseases/etiology* ; Male Urogenital Diseases/etiology* ; Infant, Newborn ; Risk Factors

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore the expression of lysosomal-associated membrane protein 5 (LAMP5) and microRNA (miR)-302a-3p in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and their functional mechanism on the invasion and metastasis of OSCC. METHODS: The expression of LAMP5 in OSCC and its sensitivity as a prognostic indicator were analyzed on the basis of The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Western blot, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and cell immunocytochemistry were used to detect the expression of LAMP5 in OSCC tissues and cells. The effect of LAMP5 on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of OSCC cells was evaluated through cell counting kit-8, immunocytochemistry, migration, and invasion assays, respectively. The miRNA targeting prediction websites were used to predict the miR that regulates LAMP5 and verify the targeted regulatory effect of miR-302a-3p on LAMP5. The effect of LAMP5 knockdown on OSCC tumor growth was evaluated in a nude mouse tumorigenesis model. RESULTS: LAMP5 was highly expressed in OSCC tissues and cells. It showed high sensitivity in the early diagnosis of OSCC. LAMP5 knockdown significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion of OSCC cells, whereas LAMP5 overexpression increased these cell activities. The expression of LAMP5 was regulated by miR-302a-3p. In vivo, LAMP5 knockdown significantly inhibited the growth of OSCC tumor. CONCLUSIONS LAMP5 promotes the malignant progression of OSCC by enhancing the proliferation, migration, and invasion of OSCC cells. The expression of LAMP5 is negatively regulated by miR-302a-3p.
MicroRNAs/metabolism* ; Mouth Neoplasms/metabolism* ; Humans ; Animals ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/genetics* ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Cell Proliferation ; Mice, Nude ; Cell Movement ; Lysosomal Membrane Proteins/genetics* ; Mice ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Neoplasm Metastasis

OBJECTIVE To analyze and identify the metabolites of pirtobrutinib （PTN） in rats， and clarify the possible metabolic pathways of PTN in rats. METHODS Six rats were intragastrically administered with 10 mg/kg PTN suspension. Blood samples were collected from the rats 30 minutes before administration and at 0.25， 0.5， 1， 2， 4， 6， 8， 12， 24 hours after administration. Urine and feces samples were collected 12 hours before administration and 24 hours after administration. UHPLC- Orbitrap Exploris 240 system combined with Compound Discoverer 3.0 and Xcalibur 2.0 software were adopted for structural identification and metabolic pathway analysis of PTN metabolites in rat plasma， urine， and feces. RESULTS A total of 29 PTN metabolites were identified， including 17， 19 and 22 metabolites in plasma， urine and feces， respectively. The metabolic pathways of PTN mainly included oxidation， sulfation， glucuronidation， etc.， and its metabolites were mostly combination products of two or more different metabolic forms. In detail， a total of 26 metabolites were associated with phase Ⅰ metabolic reactions （14 oxidation metabolites， 9 reduction/dehydrogenation metabolites， 8 demethylation metabolites， and 5 hydrolysis metabolites）. Meanwhile， a total of 20 products were involved in phase Ⅱ metabolites （14 sulfation metabolites and 8 glucuronic acid binding metabolites）. CONCLUSIONS PTN exhibits a diverse range of metabolites in rat fecal samples， with the primary metabolic pathways being oxidation， sulfation， glucuronidation， and others.

Objective To explore the efficacy of DSA-guided intrathecal drug delivery system combined with Zi Wu Liu Zhu Acupoint Therapy for management of cancer pain and provide reference for its standardized clinical application.Methods and Results Recommendations were formulated based on literature review and expert group discussion,and consensus was reached following expert consultation.The consensus recommendations are comprehensive,covering the entire treatment procedures from preoperative assessment and preparation,surgical operation process,postoperative management and traditional Chinese medicine treatment to individualized treatment planning.The study results showed that the treatment plans combining traditional Chinese with Western medicine effectively alleviated cancer pain,reduced the use of opioid drugs,and significantly improved the quality of life and enhanced immune function of the patients.Postoperative follow-up suggested good treatment tolerance among the patients without serious complications.Conclusion The formulated consensus is comprehensive and can provide reference for clinicians to use DSA-guided intrathecal drug delivery system combined with Zi Wu Liu Zhu Acupoint Therapy.The combined treatment has a high clinical value with a good safety profile for management of cancer pain.

Objective:To evaluate the design and application of the superior thyroid artery perforator flap (STAPF) for reconstruction after head and neck oncological resection.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on 24 consecutive patients (22 men, 2 women; age 40-72 years) treated at Hunan Cancer Hospital between June 2018 and December 2023. Their primary tumors included buccal carcinoma ( n=7), tongue carcinoma ( n=8), oropharyngeal carcinoma ( n=2), floor-of-mouth carcinoma ( n=3), laryngeal carcinoma ( n=3), and hypopharyngeal carcinoma ( n=1). Flap design, venous drainage strategy, and postoperative outcomes were assessed. SPSS 19.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Results:Flap dimensions were length of 9.4±0.5 cm, width of 3.3±0.6 cm, thickness of 0.5±0.2 cm, and pedicle length of 7.3±0.6 cm. Fifteen flaps were based on a single perforator (diameter ≥0.5 mm), whereas, nine fascial flaps incorporated multiple perforators (capillary diameter ≤0.5 mm). Venous drainage routes were as follows: superior thyroid vein ( n=12, retrograde in 3), facial vein ( n=5, all retrograde), anterior jugular vein ( n=4, retrograde in 1), and external jugular vein ( n=3, retrograde in 2). All 24 flaps survived completely. Donor sites were closed primarily and all cervical wounds healed. No flap-related complications, inculding orocutaneous, pharyngocutaneous, laryngocutaneous fistula and wound infection, were observed. Final pathologic stages were T1N0M0 ( n=2), T2N0M0 ( n=16), T2N1M0 ( n=3), and T3N0M0 ( n=3). With follow-up of 12-46 months, aside from one patient with tongue cancer died of contralateral cervical and parapharyngeal lymph-node metastases at 6 months, others remained disease-free. Patients with laryngeal or hypopharyngeal carcinoma had their tracheostomy tubes removed within 4 weeks postoperatively. Conclusion:STAPF offers flexible design, with minimal donor-site morbidity and low functional impairment. It is particularly advantageous for reconstruction of small-to-moderate defects following head and neck tumor ablation.

Objective To establish a human monocytic THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cell model and analyze the role of the α subunit of coatomer protein Ⅰ(α-COP)in apolipoprotein A-1(apoA-1)-mediated cholesterol efflux from foam cells.Methods THP-1 cells were induced to adhere using PMA(PMA group),followed by treatment with acetylated low-density lipoprotein(Ac-LDL)to generate macrophage-derived foam cells(Ac-LDL group).Subsequent incubation with apoA-1 formed the apoA-1 group.Cholesterol efflux rates mediated by apoA-1 and intracellular lipid accumulation were quantified through liquid scintillation counting and oil red O staining.The expression patterns of α-COP were systematically analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR(qPCR),Western blotting,and laser scanning confocal microscopy.THP-1 macrophage-derived foam cells mediated by apoA-1 were transduced with scrambled shRNA(Scr group)or α-COP-specific shRNA lentivirus(α-COP shRNA group)to assess the effects of α-COP knockdown on cholesterol efflux efficiency and total cellular cholesterol content.Subcellular localization of adipopoilin(ADFP)and cholesterol probe Fil-ipin Ⅲ staining patterns were visualized via laser scanning confocal microscopy.Bioinformatics analysis of α-COP expression profiles in carotid atherosclerotic plaques was performed using datasets from the GEO data-base.Results Compared with the Ac-LDL group,the cholesterol efflux rate in the apoA-1 group was signifi-cantly increased[(9.77±0.79)%vs.(2.74±0.37)%,P＜0.001].Oil red O staining demonstrated reduced lipid accumulation in foam cells of the apoA-1 group compared with the Ac-LDL group.The relative mRNA expression level of α-COP in the apoA-1 group was significantly higher than that in the Ac-LDL group(P＜0.001),with corresponding elevation in protein expression(P＜0.001).Fluorescence intensity analysis re-vealed increased mean fluorescence intensity of α-COP in the apoA-1 group compared with the Ac-LDL group.Following α-COP knockdown by shRNA,the apoA-1-mediated cholesterol efflux rate was significantly de-creased(P＜0.05)and total intracellular cholesterol levels were increased(P＜0.001)in the α-COP shRNA group compared with the Scr group.The α-COP shRNA group exhibited enhanced red fluorescence intensity of ADFP(P＜0.05)and increased blue fluorescence intensity of Filipin Ⅲ(P＜0.01)compared with the Scr group.Database analysis indicated that α-COP mRNA expression was lower in carotid atherosclerotic plaques than in normal arterial tissues,with reduced expression in advanced-stage plaques compared with early-stage plaques(P＜0.05).Conclusion α-COP participates in apoA-1-mediated cholesterol efflux from foam cells,and interference with α-COP expression results in reduced cholesterol efflux and increased intracellular lipid accumulation.