The chemical components of Carthami Flos were investigated by using macroporous resin, silica gel column chromatography, reversed-phase octadecylsilane(ODS) column chromatography, Sephadex LH-20, and semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC). The planar structures of the compounds were established based on their physicochemical properties and ultraviolet-visible(UV-Vis), infrared(IR), high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry(HR-ESI-MS), and nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR) spectroscopic technology. The absolute configurations were determined by comparing the calculated and experimental electronic circular dichroism(ECD). Six flavonoid C-glycosides were isolated from the 30% ethanol elution fraction of macroporous resin obtained from the 95% ethanol extract of Carthami Flos, and identified as saffloquinoside F(1), 5-hydroxysaffloneoside(2), iso-5-hydroxysaffloneoside(3), isosafflomin C(4), safflomin C(5), and vicenin 2(6). Among these, the compounds 1 to 3 were new chalcone C-glycosides. The compounds 1, 2, 4, and 5 could significantly increase the viability of H9c2 cardiomyocytes damaged by oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation(OGD/R) at a concentration of 50 μmol·L~(-1), showing their good cardioprotective activity.
Glycosides/pharmacology* ; Flowers/chemistry* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Carthamus tinctorius/chemistry* ; Chalcones/pharmacology* ; Animals

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of BRD4 inhibition on migration of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) cells with low acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1) expression. METHODS: ESCC cell lines with lentivirus-mediated ACC1 knockdown or transfected with a negative control sequence (shNC) were treated with DMSO, JQ1 (a BRD4 inhibitor), co-transfection with shNC-siBRD4 or siNC with additional DMSO or C646 (an ahistone acetyltransferase inhibitor) treatment, or JQ1combined with 3-MA (an autophagy inhibitor). BRD4 mRNA expression in the cells was detected using RT-qPCR. The changes in cell proliferation, migration, autophagy, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were examined with CCK8 assay, Transwell migration assay, and Western blotting. RESULTS: ACC1 knockdown did not significantly affect BRD4 expression in the cells but obviously increased their sensitivity to JQ1. JQ1 treatment at 1 and 2 μmol/L significantly inhibited ESCC cell proliferation, while JQ1 at 0.2 and 2 μmol/L promoted cell migration. The cells with ACC1 knockdown and JQ1 treatment showed increased expresisons of vimentin and Slug and decreased expression of E-cadherin. BRD4 knockdown promoted migration of ESCC cells, and co-transfection with shACC1 and siBRD4 resulted in increased vimentin and Slug expressions and decreased E-cadherin expression in the cells. C646 treatment of the co-transfected cells reduced acetylation levels, decreased vimentin and Slug expressions, and increased E-cadherin expression. Treatment with JQ1 alone obviously increased LC3A/B-II levels in the cells either with or without ACC1 knockdown. In the cells with ACC1 knockdown and JQ1 treatment, additional 3-MA treatment significantly decreased the expressions of vimentin, Slug and LC3A/B-II and increased the expression of E-cadherin. CONCLUSIONS BRD4 inhibition promotes autophagy of ESCC cells via a histone acetylation-dependent mechanism, thereby enhancing EMT and ultimately increasing cell migration driven by ACC1 deficiency.
Humans ; Cell Movement ; Transcription Factors/metabolism* ; Esophageal Neoplasms/metabolism* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Cycle Proteins ; Azepines/pharmacology* ; Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition ; Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/metabolism* ; Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma ; Triazoles/pharmacology* ; Nuclear Proteins/genetics* ; Cell Proliferation ; Acetyl-CoA Carboxylase/genetics* ; Transfection ; Autophagy ; Bromodomain Containing Proteins

Objective To compare the prevention and control effects of binocular myopia after wearing orthokeratology lenses or glasses for correction in adolescents with low-to-moderate unilateral myopia.Methods The clinical data of 46 adolescents with unilateral myopia treated in First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University were retrospectively analyzed,the patients were divided into the orthokeratology lenses group and spectacles group according to the correction methods,with 23 cases in each group.The axial length(AL),changes in spherical diopter(SD)and anisometropia between the myopic eye and the control eye with orthokeratology lenses spectacles for unilateral myopia correction,and orthokeratology lenses for unilateral and binocular myopia were compared.Results There was no significant difference in baseline AL,SD or anisometropia between the two groups(P>0.05).One year after unilateral myopia correction,the increase of SD for the myopic eye in the orthokeratology lenses group was less than that in the spectacles group(P<0.05),and there was no significant difference in the AL elongation of myopic eyes between the two groups(P>0.05);the elongation of AL for the control eyes in the orthokeratology lenses group was more than that in the spectacles group;the increase of SD for the myopic eyes in the orthokeratology lens group was lower than that in the spectacles group(P<0.05),and there was no significant difference in the increase of SD for the control eyes between the two groups(P>0.05);the anisometropia of patients in the orthokeratology lenses group was less than that in the spectacles group(P<0.05).The biological parameters of the eyes before and after wearing orthokeratology lenses in the patients with monocular and binocular myopia in the orthokeratology lens group were compared,the elongation of AL for the myopic eyes with lens in one eye was less than that with lenses in both eyes(P<0.05),and the elongation of AL for the control eye was more than that with lenses in both eyes(P<0.05),the increases of SD in both myopic eyes and control eyes were more than those with lenses in both eyes(P<0.05),and the anisotropia was more than that with lenses in both eyes(P<0.05).Conclusion Orthokeratology lenses is better than spectacles in controlling the increase of myopia in low-to-moderate unilateral myopia,which can reduce anisometropia between eyes.However,the AL of the emmetropic eye increases rapidly during unilateral myopia correction by orthokeratology lenses,and the progression of binocular myopia can be significantly delayed after wearing orthokeratology lenses.

Ten compounds were isolated and purified from ethanol extracts of dried roots bark of Polygala tenuifolia Willd. by various chromatography techniques such as silica gel and Sephadex LH-20. Their structures were identified by analysis of physicochemical properties and spectral data, and determined as β-sitosterol (1), tenuifolin (2), 6-methoxy coumarin (3), 7-phenyl-1-hydroxy-2,3,6-trimethoxyxanthone (4), 1,8-dihydroxy-3,4,7-trimethoxyanthone (5), mangiferin (6), quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucoside (7), rutin (8), syringaldehyde (9), salicylicacid (10). Among them, compounds 3, 4 and 5 were isolated from the genus of Ploygala for the first time and compound 4 was a new xanthone. The acetylcholinesterase inhibitory activities of compounds 3, 4 and 5 were evaluated by Ellman colorimetric method, compounds 3 and 5 exhibited moderate inhibitory activity, compound 4 exhibited weak inhibitory activity.

Objective:To investigate the response of mandibular condylar chondroprogenitors to flow fluid shear stress(FFSS).Methods:Chondroprogenitors were in vitro cultured and stimulated with FFSS that can cause cell degeneration,and treated with sec-ond-generation high-throughput RNA sequencing.Differential gene expression was screened using DESeq2 software for gene ontology(GO)functional enrichment analysis,kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes(KEGG)pathway enrichment analysis and protein-protein interaction(PPI)network analysis.qRT-PCR was performed to validate the core genes screened by PPI.Results:A total of 1996 differentially expressed genes were obtained,mainly including inflammatory response and cell cycle related molecules.Among them,Actal,Atf3,Ccl2,116,Nfkbia,Ret and Vcaml were identified as the core genes.Conclusion:FFSS stimulation affects chondroprogenitor function by acting on inflammatory responses and cell cycle-related signaling pathways in chondroprogenitors.

Objective:To evaluate the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of HEMO-FISS-QoL(HF-QoL) questionnaire (HF-QoL-C) in the Chinese population with hemorrhoids.Methods:From November 2021 to November 2022, a self-constructed general information questionnaire, HF-QoL-C, and the 36-item short form health survey (SF-36), Goligher classification, and Giordano severity of hemorrhoid symptom questionnaire (GSQ) were used to conduct a questionnaire survey on 760 hemorrhoid patients in the anorectal department of six hospitals. The data was analyzed for reliability and validity using SPSS 21.0 and AMOS 26.0 software.Results:The Cronbach's α coefficient of HF-QoL-C and its dimension ranged from 0.831 to 0.960, and the split coefficient was 0.832-0.915. Four common factors were extracted through principal component exploratory factor analysis. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated acceptable structural validity( χ2/ df=8.152, RSMEA=0.097, CFI=0.881, IFI=0.881, NFI=0.867). HF-QoL-C was correlated with SF36 and GSQ( r=-0.694, 0.501, both P<0.01). There were differences in the total score and dimensional scores of HF-QoL-C between surgical and drug treated patients, different grades of Goligher classification for hemorrhoidal disease, and different ranges of hemorrhoid prolapse (all P<0.001). No ceiling effect was found in the total score and the scores of each dimension(0.3%-2.0%). There was a floor effect in both psychological function and sexual activity dimensions (16.7%, 35.1%). Conclusion:HF-QoL-C has good reliability and validity, which can be used to measure the quality of life of Chinese hemorrhoid patients.

Objective To investigate the effects of acute sleep deprivation on the behavior and synaptic protein expression of rats.Methods Seventy healthy male Wistar rats were randomly divided into seven groups,a Control group and sleep deprivation groups(24,48,72,96,120 and 144 hours).The sleep deprivation rat model was established by the modified multiplatform water environment sleep deprivation method.Spatial learning and memory were assessed by the Morris water maze.Anxiety was assessed by the open field test.The morphology and quantity of hippocampal neurons were observed by Nissl staining.Western blot and Real-time PCR were used to determine the expression of synaptophysin(SYN),post-synaptic density protein-95(PSD-95),and brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF)in rats.Results Compared with the Control group,the numbers of standing and modification were significantly increased by prolongation of the sleep deprivation time(P＜0.05).The escape latency and path length were significantly increased in 120 and 144 h groups(P＜0.05),whereas the number of platform crossings and the percentage of the target quadrant time were significantly decreased(P＜0.01)and negatively correlated to the sleep deprivation time.The expression levels of BDNF,SYN,and PSD-95 were significantly decreased with the prolongation of sleep deprivation time(P＜0.01).Conclusions With the increase in sleep deprivation time,cognitive dysfunction and anxiety gradually deteriorated,which may be related to decreases in the expression of synaptic biomarkers.

Background::The conversion of adenosine (A) to inosine (I) through deamination is the prevailing form of RNA editing, impacting numerous nuclear and cytoplasmic transcripts across various eukaryotic species. Millions of high-confidence RNA editing sites have been identified and integrated into various RNA databases, providing a convenient platform for the rapid identification of key drivers of cancer and potential therapeutic targets. However, the available database for integration of RNA editing in hematopoietic cells and hematopoietic malignancies is still lacking.Methods::We downloaded RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data of 29 leukemia patients and 19 healthy donors from National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database, and RNA-seq data of 12 mouse hematopoietic cell populations obtained from our previous research were also used. We performed sequence alignment, identified RNA editing sites, and obtained characteristic editing sites related to normal hematopoietic development and abnormal editing sites associated with hematologic diseases.Results::We established a new database, "REDH", represents RNA editome in hematopoietic differentiation and malignancy. REDH is a curated database of associations between RNA editome and hematopoiesis. REDH integrates 30,796 editing sites from 12 murine adult hematopoietic cell populations and systematically characterizes more than 400,000 edited events in malignant hematopoietic samples from 48 cohorts (human). Through the Differentiation, Disease, Enrichment, and knowledge modules, each A-to-I editing site is systematically integrated, including its distribution throughout the genome, its clinical information (human sample), and functional editing sites under physiological and pathological conditions. Furthermore, REDH compares the similarities and differences of editing sites between different hematologic malignancies and healthy control.Conclusions::REDH is accessible at http://www.redhdatabase.com/. This user-friendly database would aid in understanding the mechanisms of RNA editing in hematopoietic differentiation and malignancies. It provides a set of data related to the maintenance of hematopoietic homeostasis and identifying potential therapeutic targets in malignancies.