Parkinson's disease（PD） is the second most common neurodegenerative disease in the world， which seriously affects the lives of patients. With the acceleration of aging process， the number of patients continues to rise. Its main pathological features are aggregation of α-synuclein and degenerative death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra. However， the pathogenesis of PD is still unclear. According to reports， the brain-derived neurotrophic factor（BDNF）/tyrosine kinase receptor B（TrkB） signaling pathway is highly expressed and activated in dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra， which is closely related to neurophysiological processes such as neurogenesis， synaptic plasticity， neuroinflammation， and oxidative stress. It plays an important role in the occurrence and development of PD. At present， the treatment methods of Western medicine for PD are mainly based on drugs such as levodopa and dopamine agonists to alleviate motor symptoms， but with the increase of dose， the adverse reactions are significantly enhanced. Traditional Chinese medicine（TCM） has attracted people to explore its therapeutic effects on PD due to its characteristics of homology of medicine and food， economy， minor adverse reactions and multi-target action. Therefore， this paper systematically reviews the role of BNDF/TrkB pathway in the pathogenesis of PD and the mechanism of TCM formulas， extracts and monomers in the treatment of PD by regulating the BNDF/TrkB pathway according to retrieving the latest research reports at home and abroad， so as to provide a reference for the clinical application of related TCM and the development of new drugs for PD.

This paper summarizes clinical insights on treating the syndrome of coexisting dryness and dampness in Sjögren's syndrome （SS） based on the "three methods for liver diseases". It is proposed that the core pathogenesis of this subtype lies in the liver's failure to regulate and disperse， leading to fluid retention and transformation into dryness； disharmony between wood （liver） and earth （spleen）， resulting in internal generation of dryness and dampness； and liver impairment affecting the kidney， eventually causing extreme dryness to transform into dampness. This syndrome is thus characterized by disharmony between the liver and spleen， as well as dysfunction between ti （character， 体） and yong （function， 用）. Drawing from the Guide to Clinical Case （《临证指南医案》）， the "three methods for liver diseases" are applied as follows，i.e. using pungent and dispersing herbs to regulate the liver and resolve qi stagnation； using sweet and gentle herbs to soothe the liver and address the root of concurrent dryness and dampness； and using sour and purgative herbs to soften the liver and restore fluid balance. The coordinated use of these three methods， treating both ti and yong， facilitates the separation of dryness and dampness， providing a novel approach to syndrome differentiation and treatment for this subtype of SS.

Objective: To investigate the role of ferroptosis in transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) and evaluate the efficacy of the specific inhibitor Ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1), thereby to provide a basis for the prevention and treatment of TRALI. Methods: This study utilized a ”2-hit” model to induce TRALI in mice. The mouse model of TRALI was validated through survival curve analysis, lung tissue wet/dry weight ratio (W/D), myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, and total protein concentration in lung tissue. Samples from the TRALI model group, LPS group, and control group (n=6) were collected. The occurrence of ferroptosis in TRALI was confirmed by measuring key ferroptosis indicators, including iron concentration in lung tissue, malondialdehyde (MDA) level, lipid peroxidation products (LPO) level, and expression levels of related proteins (GPX4, ACSL4). Additionally, a Fer-1 intervention group was added to evaluate its preventive and therapeutic effects. The survival rates and clinical symptoms of the four groups (n=6) were dynamically monitored, and the degrees of lung injury were assessed. Ferroptosis-related indicators were also measured to elucidate the protective mechanism of Fer-1. Results: A mouse model of TRALI was successfully established. Compared to the control and LPS groups, the TRALI group showed significantly higher levels of ferrous iron [(18.32±1.11) nmol/well, MDA [(14.68±0.96) μmol/L], and LPO [(1.60±0.02) μmol/L] in lung tissue (all P<0.01), along with a downregulation of GPX4 and an upregulation of ACSL4. Fer-1 pretreatment significantly reversed these abnormalities: the W/D ratio decreased to 4.01±0.43, and MPO activity significantly decreased [Fer-1 group: (21 606±4 235) pg/mL vs TRALI group: (30 724±2 616) pg/mL], the total protein concentration in lung tissue of the Fer-1 group decreased by approximately 40.8% compared to the TRALI group (all P<0.01). These changes indicate that the lung injury in mice was alleviated after treatment. Following Fer-1 intervention, ferrous iron concentration [(7.46±1.83) nmol/well] was restored to a level close to that of the control group [(5.48±0.70) nmol/well]. Lipid peroxidation tests further revealed that Fer-1 intervention reduced MDA and LPO levels by 35.8% and 29.4%, respectively (P<0.001). Additionally, the expression levels of GPX4 and ACSL4 proteins returned to near-normal levels in the treated mice (both P>0.05). Conclusion: The progression of TRALI is closely related to the activation of ferroptosis, characterized by iron overload, lipid peroxidation accumulation, and the imbalance of GPX4/ACSL4. Ferrostatin-1 significantly alleviates pulmonary edema and inflammatory damage by inhibiting the ferroptosis pathway, suggesting that targeting ferroptosis may provide a new therapeutic strategy for TRALI.

OBJECTIVES: Lymph node metastasis in papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is closely associated with tumor recurrence and patient survival. However, current technologies have limited sensitivity in detecting occult cervical lymph node metastases. Identifying accurate molecular markers for predicting PTC metastasis holds significant clinical value. This study aims to analyze WNT10A expression in PTC and its clinical significance, and to explore the role of WNT10A gene knockdown in PTC cell proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. METHODS: The expression of WNT10A in thyroid carcinoma was analyzed using the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) and University of Alabama at Birminghara Cancer data analysis Portal (UALCAN) databases. Real-time RT-PCR was used to measure WNT10A mRNA levels in tumor and adjacent normal tissues from 32 PTC patients. Immunohistochemistry was conducted on 158 PTC specimens to assess WNT10A protein expression and its correlation with clinicopathological features. In vitro experiments were performed using K1 and TPC-1 cell lines. Cell proliferation was assessed using the Celigo system and methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assays; apoptosis was measured via flow cytometry; invasion and metastasis were evaluated using scratch and Transwell assays. A xenograft model was established in nude mice to observe tumor growth, and tumor weight and volume were compared between cell lines. Differentially expressed genes regulated by WNT10A were identified via mRNA sequencing, followed by Gene Ontology (GO) and ingenuity pathway analysis (IPA). Real-time PCR and Western blotting were used to validate the effects of WNT10A on key downstream mRNA and protein in the Tec kinase signaling pathway. RESULTS: WNT10A mRNA expression was significantly higher in thyroid cancer tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues according to GEPIA and UALCAN (both P<0.01). The real-time RT-PCR result showed that WNT10A mRNA expression in PTC tissues was high than that in adjacent tissues (P<0.01). Immunohistochemistry revealed significantly higher WNT10A protein expression in PTC tissues compared to adjacent tissues (P<0.01), and its expression correlated with multifocality, extrathyroidal invasion, and lymph node metastasis. WNT10A knockdown significantly inhibited proliferation, altered cell cycle distribution, and increased apoptosis in K1 and TPC-1 cells (all P<0.01). WNT10A silencing also reduced migration and invasion abilities in both cell lines. In vivo, WNT10A knockdown in TPC-1 cells suppressed tumor formation in nude mice. GO analysis and IPA suggested that the Tec kinase signaling pathway was a key downstream target of WNT10A. RT-PCR and Western blotting confirmed that WNT10A knockdown downregulated the expression of key genes (STAT3, MAPK8, TNFRSF21, and AKT2) in this pathway. CONCLUSIONS WNT10A is highly expressed in PTC and is associated with tumor proliferation, invasion, and metastasis. Its tumor-promoting effects may be mediated through suppression of the Tec kinase signaling pathway.
Humans ; Cell Proliferation ; Thyroid Cancer, Papillary/pathology* ; Thyroid Neoplasms/metabolism* ; Animals ; Wnt Proteins/metabolism* ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; Mice ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Female ; Male ; Mice, Nude ; Apoptosis ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Middle Aged ; Cell Movement ; Adult

OBJECTIVES: Depressive and anxiety disorders are among the most common mental disorders worldwide and are associated with unhealthy lifestyle behaviors. The Life's Simple 7 (LS7) guideline proposed by the American Heart Association aims to reduce cardiovascular risk by improving behaviors such as diet and physical activity, but its impact on mental health is not yet fully clear. This study examined the association between LS7 scores and symptoms of anxiety and depression in adults undergoing routine health examinations. METHODS: Data were collected from individuals who underwent health examinations from May 2015 to December 2024 at the Health Management Center of the Third Xiangya Hospital. All participants completed the LS7 assessments, the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), and the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS). Participants were categorized into 4 LS7 score groups: Low (≤7), average (8-9), good (10), and excellent (11-14). Those with SDS or SAS≥50 were classified as having mental disorder symptoms; with this group, SAS≥50 indicated anxiety, SDS≥50 indicated depression, and SDS and SAS≥50 indicated comorbid anxiety-depression. Binary logistic regression was used to assess associations between LS7 score and mental symptoms, calculating odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). A restricted cubic spline (RCS) regression model was used to analyze the dose-response relationship between LS7 score (continuous variable) and the risk of mental symptoms. Nodes were set at the 5th, 35th, 65th, and 95th percentiles of the LS7 score, with the 5th percentile as the reference point. All models were adjusted for covariates such as gender, age, living alone, drinking status, education level, and sleep quality. Logistic regression framework was used to fit and calculate the adjusted OR (aOR) and 95% CI. Nonlinear relationship tests were also conducted. Subgroup analysis was performed to explore the interaction between gender, age, drinking habits, education level, and other factors and the LS7 score in influencing the risk of mental symptoms. RESULTS: A total of 5 449 participants were included; 1 363 (25.01%) had depressive symptoms, 398 (7.30%) had anxiety symptoms, and 259 (4.75%) had comorbid anxiety-depression. The prevalence of mental symptoms decreased significantly as LS7 scores increased. Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression indicated that LS7 score≥8 was protective against mental symptoms. Multivariate Logistic regression demonstrated moderate discriminative ability (AUC=0.672). Among individuals with anxiety, depression, or comorbid symptoms, LS7 score distributions showed a graded decrease from poor to excellent groups. After adjustment, an excellent LS7 score was associated with a 39% lower risk of depression (aOR=0.61, 95% CI 0.47 to 0.78, P<0.001), a 63% lower risk of anxiety (aOR=0.37, 95% CI 0.22 to 0.59, P<0.001), and a 66% lower risk of comorbid anxiety-depression (aOR=0.34, 95% CI 0.17 to 0.62, P=0.001). The AUC values of the anxiety model, depression model, and comorbid anxiety and depression model were 0.632, 0.672, and 0.619, respectively. All models demonstrated moderate discriminatory ability, which was statistically significant, but their capacity to distinguish cases from non-cases was limited. RCS analysis confirmed a linear inverse relationship between LS7 score and mental symptom risk. Not smoking and regular physical activity were the strongest protective behaviors. Subgroup analysis suggested stronger protective effects in men, younger adults (≤60), non-drinkers, and those with higher education levels, and revealed a significant interaction between alcohol use and LS7 score (P for interaction=0.021), indicating that alcohol consumption may weaken the protective effect of LS7. CONCLUSIONS Ideal healthy lifestyle behaviors, as reflected by higher LS7 scores, are associated with lower risks of anxiety and depression in adults. Promoting LS7-based lifestyle practices may serve as a practical and effective strategy for the prevention and management of anxiety and depression in both clinical and daily life settings.
Humans ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Depression/epidemiology* ; Anxiety/epidemiology* ; Adult ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Healthy Lifestyle ; Risk Factors ; Anxiety Disorders/epidemiology* ; Exercise ; Physical Examination ; Aged

Intestinal fibrosis is a significant clinical challenge in inflammatory bowel diseases, but no effective anti-fibrotic therapy is currently available. Glucagon receptor (GCGR) and glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor (GLP1R) are both peptide hormone receptors involved in energy metabolism of epithelial cells. However, their role in intestinal fibrosis and the underlying mechanisms remain largely unexplored. Herein GCGR and GLP1R were found to be reduced in the stenotic ileum of patients with Crohn's disease as well as in the fibrotic colon of mice with chronic colitis. The downregulation of GCGR and GLP1R led to the accumulation of the metabolic byproduct lactate, resulting in histone H3K9 lactylation and exacerbated intestinal fibrosis through epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Dual activating GCGR and GLP1R by peptide 1907B reduced the H3K9 lactylation in epithelial cells and ameliorated intestinal fibrosis in vivo. We uncovered the role of GCGR/GLP1R in regulating EMT involved in intestinal fibrosis via histone lactylation. Simultaneously activating GCGR/GLP1R with the novel dual agonist peptide 1907B holds promise as a treatment strategy for alleviating intestinal fibrosis.

Osteosarcoma (OS), chondrosarcoma (CS), and Ewing sarcoma (ES) represent primary malignant bone tumors and pose significant challenges in oncology research and clinical management. Conventional research methods, such as two-dimensional (2D) cultured tumor cells and animal models, have limitations in recapitulating the complex tumor microenvironment (TME) and often fail to translate into effective clinical treatments. The advancement of three-dimensional (3D) culture technology has revolutionized the field by enabling the development of in vitro constructed bone tumor models that closely mimic the in vivo TME. These models provide powerful tools for investigating tumor biology, assessing therapeutic responses, and advancing personalized medicine. This comprehensive review summarizes the recent advancements in research on 3D tumor models constructed in vitro for OS, CS, and ES. We discuss the various techniques employed in model construction, their applications, and the challenges and future directions in this field. The integration of advanced technologies and the incorporation of additional cell types hold promise for the development of more sophisticated and physiologically relevant models. As research in this field continues to evolve, we anticipate that these models will play an increasingly crucial role in unraveling the complexities of malignant bone tumors and accelerating the development of novel therapeutic strategies.
Bone Neoplasms/pathology* ; Humans ; Osteosarcoma/pathology* ; Tumor Microenvironment ; Sarcoma, Ewing/pathology* ; Chondrosarcoma/pathology* ; Animals ; Cell Culture Techniques/methods* ; Cell Culture Techniques, Three Dimensional/methods* ; Cell Line, Tumor

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis （NASH） is a chronic liver disease with the main pathological features of hepatic steatosis， inflammatory cell infiltration， and interstitial fibroplasia， and it is an important risk factor for liver fibrosis， liver cirrhosis， and hepatocellular carcinoma. NOD-like receptor protein 3 （NLRP3） inflammasome is the core of innate immunity， and the abnormal activation of NLRP3 inflammasome is closely associated with the development and progression of NASH， which involves multiple links such as inflammatory response and oxidative stress. A large number of studies have shown that the active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） and TCM compound prescriptions can improve oxidative stress， regulate lipid metabolism， and alleviate liver inflammation by regulating NLRP3 inflammasome. TCM treatment applied in clinical practice has achieved a good therapeutic effect， while inflammasome is one of the key pathways or targets for TCM in improving NASH. This article reviews the mechanism of action of NLRP3 inflammasome in NASH and the research advances in TCM intervention of NLRP3 inflammasome， in order to provide ideas for the clinical TCM treatment of NASH， as well as reference targets and research directions for the research and development of new TCM drugs.

BACKGROUND:Upregulation of hedgehog protein signaling can increase the expression of osteoarthritis markers,Runx2,a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs,collagen type X alpha 1,and matrix metalloproteinase 13,while inhibition of hedgehog proteins attenuates the severity of osteoarthritis.It is speculated that osteoarthritic chondrocytes can influence bone formation by affecting osteoblasts through the Indian hedgehog protein(IHH)signaling pathway. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of human osteoarthritic chondrocytes on subchondral osteoblasts. METHODS:Tibial plateau specimens from patients with osteoarthritis were collected.Chondrocytes were extracted using enzymatic digestion,and osteoblasts were extracted using enzymatic pre-digestion + bone block method.Chondrocytes were identified by toluidine blue staining and immunofluorescence and osteoblasts were identified by alkaline phosphatase staining and immunofluorescence.Chondrocytes were cultured in sodium alginate beads to maintain chondrocyte phenotype and co-cultured with osteoblasts.The co-culture system was added with IHH signaling pathway inhibitor(cyclopamine,10 nmol/L)and activator(purmorphamine,10 nmol/L)separately.After 48 hours of co-culture,osteoblasts from each group were collected,mRNA expressions of Gli1,osteoprotegerin,Runx2,parathyroid hormone-related peptide,alkaline phosphatase,receptor activator of nuclear factor-kB ligand(RANKL)and osteocalcin were detected by qRT-PCR,and protein expressions of GLi1,oseoprotegerin and RANKL in osteoblasts were detected by western blot. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The mRNA expression levels of GLi1,osteoprotegerin and RUNX2 in osteoblasts were significantly increased,while the mRNA expression levels of parathyroid hormone-related peptide were decreased(P＜0.05)when co-cultured with human osteoarthritic chondrocytes.The mRNA and protein levels of Gli1 were significantly decreased after the addition of IHH signaling pathway inhibitor(cyclopamine)(P＜0.05),and the mRNA and protein levels of Gli1 were significantly increased after the addition of IHH signaling pathway activator(purmorphamine)(P＜0.05).Osteoprotegerin showed the same trend as Gli1 in the experiment.The osteoprotegerin/RANKL ratio followed the same trend as osteoprotegerin.To conclude,human osteoarthritic chondrocytes can promote the expression of Gli1,osteoprotegerin,Runx2 and other proteins in osteoblasts.The upregulation of osteoprotegerin is related to the IHH signaling pathway.Osteoarthritic chondrocytes can up-regulate the expression of osteoprotegerin in osteoblasts through the IHH signaling pathway and thus up-regulate the osteoprotegerin/RANKL ratio,which will contribute to bone formation in subchondral bone.

The occurrence of benign prostate hyperplasia(BPH)was related to disrupted sex steroid hormones,and metformin(Met)had a clinical response to sex steroid hormone-related gynaecological disease.How-ever,whether Met exerts an antiproliferative effect on BPH via sex steroid hormones remains unclear.Here,our clinical study showed that along with prostatic epithelial cell(PEC)proliferation,sex steroid hormones were dysregulated in the serum and prostate of BPH patients.As the major contributor to dysregulated sex steroid hormones,elevated dihydrotestosterone(DHT)had a significant positive rela-tionship with the clinical characteristics of BPH patients.Activation of adenosine 5'-monophosphate(AMP)-activated protein kinase(AMPK)by Met restored dysregulated sex steroid hormone homeostasis and exerted antiproliferative effects against DHT-induced proliferation by inhibiting the formation of androgen receptor(AR)-mediated Yes-associated protein(YAP1)-TEA domain transcription factor(TEAD4)heterodimers.Met's anti-proliferative effects were blocked by AMPK inhibitor or YAP1 over-expression in DHT-cultured BPH-1 cells.Our findings indicated that Met would be a promising clinical therapeutic approach for BPH by inhibiting dysregulated steroid hormone-induced PEC proliferation.