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.

The pathogenesis of respiratory diseases such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD),asthma,and pulmonary hypertension remains incompletely understood.However,accumulating evi-dence suggests that calcium ion channels play a critical role in these disorders.As a key second messenger,cal-cium ions regulates diverse physiological and pathological processes.Studies indicate that calcium ion homeo-stasis,including their concentration and distribution and spatial distribution is mediated primarily through ino-sitol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor(IP3R)channel.Disruption of this homeostasis may contribute to the devel-opment of COPD,asthma,and other respiratory diseases.Nevertheless,the role of IP3R channels in respirato-ry diseases require further investigation.

ObjectiveTo investigate the relationship between plasma surfactant protein⁃A （SP⁃A） expression level and silicosis progression， and to provide early evidence for exploring whether SP⁃A can be used as a biomarker for clinical monitoring of silicosis disease progression. MethodsWe recruited 187 silicosis patients in Guangdong Province hospital for occupational disease prevention and treatment between November， 2019 and November，2020. Their peripheral venous blood samples were collected for the plasma isolation. The level of pulmonary SP⁃A was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. ResultsThere was a statistically significant difference in the level of SP⁃A among the silicosis groups （P<0.05）， and the plasma SP-A level of the silicosis patients in stage Ⅲ was higher than that in stage Ⅰ and stage Ⅱ （P<0.05）. Smoking had effect on plasma SP⁃A levels， Age， working years and drinking had no effect on plasma SP⁃A levels. ConclusionThe expression level of SP⁃A in the plasma of silicosis patients is increased， which has a certain correlation with the disease stage， and plays a certain early warning role in the occurrence and development of silicosis， and may be a potential biomarker for the diagnosis and prognosis of silicosis.

ObjectiveTo investigate the impact of early intervention with Yishen Huazhuo prescription （YHP） on the learning and memory of accelerated aging model mice， as well as its underlying mechanism. MethodForty-eight 3-month-old male SAMP8 mice were randomly assigned into four groups， including the model group， low-dose YHP group， high-dose YHP group， and donepezil group. Additionally， 24 SAMR1 mice of the same age were divided into a control group and a YHP treatment control group， each consisting of 12 mice. The YHP groups received YHP at doses of 6.24 g·kg^-1 and 12.48 g·kg^-1， while the donepezil group was treated with donepezil at a dose of 0.65 mg·kg^-1. The model group and control groups were given physiological saline. The mice were gavaged once daily for a duration of four weeks. Spatial learning and memory abilities of mice were assessed using the Morris water maze test. Immunofluorescence staining was employed to evaluate neuronal density as well as expression levels of M1 microglial （MG） polarization marker inducible nitric oxide synthase （iNOS） and M2 MG polarization marker arginase-1 （Arg-1） in the hippocampus region. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to measure serum levels of pro-inflammatory factor interleukin 1β （IL-1β） and anti-inflammatory factor transforming growth factor-β₁ （TGF-β₁）. Furthermore， Western blot analysis was conducted to determine expressions of amyloid β peptide1-42 （Aβ_1-42） along with triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 （TREM2）/nuclear factor kappa B （NF-κB） signaling pathway-related proteins TREM2， phospho （p）-NF-κB p65， and phospho-inhibitory kappa B kinase β （IKKβ） in the hippocampus. ResultCompared with the control group， the model group exhibited a significantly prolonged escape latency （P<0.01）， a significant reduction in neuron-specific nuclear protein （NeuN） expression in the hippocampus， a significant increase in iNOS expression in MG， and a significant decrease in Arg-1 expression. The serum IL-1β content was significantly increased， while the TGF-β₁ content was significantly decreased. Additionally， there was a significant decrease in TREM2 expression in the hippocampus and significant increases in p-NF-κB p65， p-IKKβ， and Aβ_1-42 expressions （P<0.05， P<0.01）. However， no significant changes were observed in escape latency， times of crossing the platform， and hippocampal NeuN expression in the YHP treatment control group. Conversely， iNOS expression in MG as well as the hippocampal p-NF-κB p65， p-IKKβ， and Aβ_1-42 expressions were significantly decreased. Furthermore， TREM2 expression was significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. In comparison to the model group， the low-dose YHP group showed a significantly shortened escape latency and an increased number of crossing the platform （P<0.05， P<0.01）. In the high-dose YHP group， the escape latency was significantly shortened （P<0.05）. In the low-dose YHP group， high-dose YHP group， the expression of NeuN in the hippocampus was significantly increased， the expression of iNOS in MG was significantly decreased， and the expression of Arg-l was significantly increased. The serum IL-1β content was significantly decreased， while the TGF-β₁ content was significantly increased. Furthermore， the expression of TREM2 in the hippocampus was significantly increased， and the expressions of p-NF-κB p65， p-IKKβ， and Aβ_1-42 were significantly decreased （P<0.01）. ConclusionEarly YHP intervention may promote the transformation of hippocampal MG from M1 to M2 by regulating the TREM2/NF-κB signaling pathway， reduce the release of neuroinflammatory factors， protect hippocampal neurons， and reduce the deposition of Aβ_1-42， and finally delay the occurrence of learning and memory decline in SAMP8 mice.

Objective To analyze the changes of serum humoral immunity related indicators, including immunoglobulins (Ig), complement and C-reactive protein (CRP) in patients with occupational medicamentose-like dermatitis due to trichloroethylene (OMDT) at different stages. Methods A total of 131 OMDT patients were selected as the study subjects using a retrospective analysis method, and liver function and humoral immunity related indicators were collected for analysis in the early stage and the recovery stage of the disease. Results The abnormality of liver function among study subjects was 89.3% (117/131) in the early stage of the disease, with mild, moderate, and severe liver damage accounting for 61.8%, 5.3%, and 22.1%, respectively. The levels of serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, γ-glutamyl transferase, total bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, total bile acid, IgG and CRP in the early stage increased ( all P<0.01), while the level of serum cholinesterase and C3 decreased (both P<0.01) compared with the recovery stage. However, there was no significant difference in the level of serum albumin, globulin, IgA, IgM and C4 or albumin/globulin ratio between the early stage and the recovery stage (all P>0.05). The level of patients′ serum IgA in the group with severe liver function injury was lower than that in the group with mild to moderate liver function injury in the recovery stage (P<0.05). The level of serum C3 in the patients with severe liver function injury was lower than that in the group with mild to moderate liver function injury in the early stage (P<0.05). Conclusion Serum IgG and CRP levels increased and C3 level decreased in OMDT patients at the early stage of the disease, which was correlated with the degree of liver function injury. It is suggested that humoral immune response is involved in the autoimmune liver injury in OMDT patients.

Objective To explore the effects of Cordyceps sinensis extract (CSE) on osteoporosis and RANKL-mediated osteoclastogenesis. Methods Bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs) was isolated from the bone marrow of C57BL/6 mice. CSE was added in osteoclast differentiation. Osteoclasts were stained by tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP). The nearly mature osteoclasts were planted on hydroxyapatite plates and the area of bone lacunae was observed by microscope. The F-actin belt was stained by DAPI and phylloeptide and the number of nuclei was observed by confocal microscopy. The expressions of DC-STAMP, ATP6V0D2, TRAP, CTSK, and NFATC1 were detected by q-PCR. The protein expression of the MAPK pathway was detected by Western Blot. The in vivo experiments were carried out by administering CSE to the ovariectomized mice daily through gavage. After 6 weeks of intervention, mouse femurs were taken for morphological analysis. Peripheral blood was taken for ELISA. Results CSE represses osteoclastogenesis, bone resorption, F-actin belts formation, osteoclast specific gene expressions and MAPK signaling pathways in vitro. In vivo study indicated that CSE prevents OVX-induced osteoporosis and preserves bone volume by repressing osteoclast activity and function. It also increases the serum ALP, BGP content, and reduces TRAP content. Conclusion CSE can attenuate osteoclast formation and OVX-induced osteoporosis, suggesting potential clinical therapeutic effects for osteoporosis.

Liver cholesterol metabolism disorder plays an important role in the development of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).In order to reveal the molecular mechanism of cholesterol homeostasis imbalance induced by saturated fatty acids, HepG2 cells were stimulated with palmitic acid (PA).Lipids accumulation was analyzed by Oil Red O staining, intracellular triglyceride and cholesterol quantification.The level of genes and proteins related to cholesterol homeostasis was measured by RT-qPCR and western blotting.Additionally, intracellular bile acids and mitochondrial oxysterols were detected by LC-MS/MS.The results demonstrated that intracellular lipids such as TG and TC were significantly increased in the model with PA stimulation.Although no significant difference was detected in genes related to cholesterol synthesis and uptake, the protein expression of ABCG5 and LXRα were significantly down-regulated, indicating a decrease in cholesterol efflux.Meanwhile, the gene expression of STARD1 and CYP7B1, which are responsible for bile acid alternative synthesis, were markedly enhanced, along with a significant increase of cholesterol and 27-OHC in mitochondria and CDCA in cells.These results suggested that PA overload may disrupt cholesterol homeostasis by inhibiting cholesterol efflux and promoting bile acids synthesis.

Objective: To investigate the role of surfactant associated protein-A (SP-A) in the development and progression of silicosis, and its mechanism. Methods: Homozygous and heterozygous mice of SP-A knockout of specific pathogen free (SPF) grade were selected for mating, and mice with SP-A^-/- genotype were selected for subsequent experiments. SP-A wild-type (SP-A^+/+) and SP-A^-/- mice were divided into SP-A^+/+ control group, SP-A^-/- control group, SP-A^+/+ silicosis group and SP-A^-/- silicosis group with six mice in each group by random number table method. Mice in both silicosis groups were given 20.0 μL 250 g/L silica suspension by tracheal exposure, and mice in both control groups were injected with 0.9% sodium chloride solution at the same volume. On the 28th day after modeling, mice were sacrificed. Lung tissues were used for lung histopathology examination. The apoptosis of alveolar type Ⅱ epithelial cells of mice was detected by TUNEL method. The mRNA expression of B-lymphoblastoma 2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax), cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase (Caspase)-3 and Caspase-9 in lung tissues of mice was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Results: The histopathological result of mice showed that thickened alveolar septum, scattered silicon nodule and collagen fiber formation were observed in the mice lungs of SP-A^+/+ silicosis group, and a large number of inflammatory cells were observed in silicosis nodule, after exposure to silica dust. SP-A^-/- silicosis group resulted in a more severe pulmonary inflammation and interstitial fibrosis compared to SP-A^+/+ silicosis group. The apoptosis of alveolar type Ⅱ epithelial cells and the mRNA relative expression levels of Bax, Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 in lung tissues of mice in each silicosis groups were increased compared with their control groups (all P<0.05). The above four indexes of mice in SP-A^-/- silicosis group were higher than those in SP-A^+/+ silicosis group (all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the expression of Bcl-2 mRNA in lung tissues of these four groups (P>0.05). Conclusion: Knockout of SP-A can aggravate inflammation and pulmonary fibrosis in silicosis model mice, and promote apoptosis of alveolar type Ⅱ epithelial cells. The mechanism may be related to the Bcl-2/Bax/Caspase-3 signaling pathway which affects the apoptosis of mitochondrial pathway.

At present, clinical interventions for chronic kidney disease are very limited, and most patients rely on dialysis to sustain their lives for a long time. However, studies on the gut-kidney axis have shown that the gut microbiota is a potentially effective target for correcting or controlling chronic kidney disease. This study showed that berberine, a natural drug with low oral availability, significantly ameliorated chronic kidney disease by altering the composition of the gut microbiota and inhibiting the production of gut-derived uremic toxins, including p-cresol. Furthermore, berberine reduced the content of p-cresol sulfate in plasma mainly by lowering the abundance of g_Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 and inhibiting the tyrosine-p-cresol pathway of the intestinal flora. Meanwhile, berberine increased the butyric acid producing bacteria and the butyric acid content in feces, while decreased the renal toxic trimethylamine N-oxide. These findings suggest that berberine may be a therapeutic drug with significant potential to ameliorate chronic kidney disease through the gut-kidney axis.

The extremely low bioavailability of oral paclitaxel (PTX) mainly due to the complicated gastrointestinal environment, the obstruction of intestinal mucus layer and epithelium barrier. Thus, it is of great significance to construct a coordinative delivery system which can overcome multiple intestinal physicochemical obstacles simultaneously. In this work, a high-density PEGylation-based glycocholic acid-decorated micelles (PTX@GNPs) was constructed by a novel polymer, 9-Fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl-polyethylene glycocholic acid (Fmoc-PEG-GCA). The Fmoc motif in this polymer could encapsulate PTX via π‒π stacking to form the core of micelles, and the low molecular weight and non-long hydrophobic chain of Fmoc ensures the high-density of PEG. Based on this versatile and flexible carriers, PTX@GNPs possess mucus trapping escape ability due to the flexible PEG, and excellent intestine epithelium targeting attributed to the high affinity of GCA with apical sodium-dependent bile acid transporter. The in vitro and in vivo results showed that this oral micelle could enhance oral bioavailability of PTX, and exhibited similar antitumor efficacy to Taxol injection via intravenous route. In addition, oral PTX@GNPs administered with lower dosage within shorter interval could increase in vivo retention time of PTX, which supposed to remodel immune microenvironment and enhance oral chemotherapy efficacy by synergistic effect.