Olfactory receptors (ORs) form the largest superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Traditionally recognized for their role in the nasal olfactory epithelium, where they mediate the sense of smell, accumulating evidence has firmly established their ectopic expression in non-olfactory tissues, including the intestine, lungs, and kidneys. The intestine, as the primary site for nutrient digestion and absorption, harbors a highly complex chemical environment. To adapt to this environment, the gut employs a sophisticated network of “chemosensors” to monitor luminal contents and maintain homeostasis. Among these sensors, intestinal ORs have emerged as crucial functional components, serving as a molecular bridge that connects environmental chemical signals—such as food-derived odorants—to specific physiological responses. This discovery has significantly deepened our understanding of how dietary flavors and compounds influence intestinal physiology at the molecular level. This review systematically summarizes the expression profiles, ligand classification, and biological functions of ORs within the gastrointestinal tract. Studies indicate that intestinal ORs exhibit distinct spatial distribution patterns across different gut segments and display cell-type specificity, particularly within enterocytes and enteroendocrine cells. These receptors function as versatile sensors capable of recognizing a wide variety of ligands, including exogenous dietary components, gut microbiota metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids, and endogenous small molecules like azelaic acid. Upon activation by specific ligands, intestinal ORs trigger intracellular signaling cascades, primarily involving the AC-cAMP-PKA pathway or calcium influx channels. A major focus of this review is to elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which these receptors regulate the secretion of gut hormones. Activation of specific ORs in enteroendocrine cells has been shown to stimulate the release of hormones such as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), peptide YY (PYY), and serotonin (5-HT), thereby modulating systemic energy metabolism, glucose homeostasis, and gastrointestinal motility. Furthermore, the review addresses the critical roles of ORs in immune regulation and pathology. Evidence suggests that specific ORs contribute to the maintenance of intestinal immune homeostasis and may offer protection against inflammation. Beyond their involvement in inflammatory responses, ORs such as Olfr78 have been shown to regulate the differentiation and function of intestinal endocrine cells. Similarly, Olfr544 has been demonstrated to alleviate intestinal inflammation by remodeling the gut microbiome and metabolome. These findings collectively suggest that specific ORs hold promise as therapeutic targets for mitigating intestinal inflammation and maintaining gut homeostasis. Additionally, the review explores the emerging role of ORs in cancer. Although OR expression is often downregulated in tumor tissues compared to normal mucosa, activation of specific ORs by certain ligands can inhibit tumor cell proliferation and migration and induce apoptosis via pathways such as MEK/ERK and p38 MAPK. Conversely, other receptors, such as OR7C1, may serve as biomarkers for cancer-initiating cells. In conclusion, intestinal ORs represent a vital component of the gut’s sensory network. The review also discusses the translational potential of these findings. By elucidating the precise pairing relationships between dietary components and specific ORs, novel therapeutic strategies could be developed. Intestinal ORs may thus emerge as promising targets for nutritional and pharmacological interventions in metabolic diseases, inflammatory bowel diseases, and malignancies.

Background and aims The mechanism of cholestatic liver injury (CLI) is unclear, and effective therapies are lacking. While peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) agonists show potential hepatoprotective effect and pyroptosis is implicated in hepatocellular damage, how PPARα activation mitigates lithocholic acid (LCA)-induced pyroptosis remains unknown. Methods The hepatoprotective effect of PPARα agonists was evaluated in a mouse model of intrahepatic cholestasis induced by LCA. Liver injury was assessed via serum biochemistry, hematoxylin and eosin and TUNEL staining, and electron microscopy. Pyroptosis pathways were analyzed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and co-immunoprecipitation. Results Combined morphological, histopathological, and biochemical analyses confirmed that PPARα activation protects against CLI. Compared with LCA treatment alone, PPARα activation significantly attenuated the elevation of serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), the increased TUNEL-positive cells, and the formation of hepatocyte membrane pores. Mechanistically, PPARα activation suppressed both NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis and apoptosis protease-activating factor-1 (APAF-1)/CASPASE-3/GSDME-mediated pyroptosis. Furthermore, PPARα agonist pretreatment inhibited activation of the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and forkhead box O1 (FOXO1) signaling pathways. Conclusions PPARα protects against LCA-induced CLI by inhibiting both NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis associated with NF-κB and APAF-1/CASPASE-3/GSDME-mediated pyroptosis associated with the FOXO1 signaling pathway.

Skeletal muscle atrophy refers to a pathological condition characterized by muscle fiber atrophy as well as decreased muscle mass and muscle strength induced by various predisposing factors. It falls under the category of “flaccidity syndrome” in traditional Chinese medicine， and its pathogenesis is mainly associated with disturbed protein homeostasis， mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress injury. Active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine exerts synergistic regulatory effects via multiple pathways， thus possessing unique advantages in the clinical prevention and treatment of skeletal muscle atrophy. This paper reviews the mechanisms by which active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine alleviate skeletal muscle atrophy. Existing studies have demonstrated that such active ingredients can ameliorate skeletal muscle atrophy through multiple approaches： regulating protein metabolic balance （geniposide， matrine， schisandrin A， etc.） and oxidative stress （astragaloside Ⅳ， Gastrodia elata polysaccharide， Angelica sinensis polysaccharide， etc.）， improving mitochondrial function （parthenolide， berberine， curcumin， etc.）， facilitating myogenesis and myogenic differentiation （cucurbitacin Ⅱb， saikosaponin A， saikosaponin D， etc.）， suppressing inflammatory response （ursolic acid， triptolide， emodin， etc.）， ameliorating insulin resistance （akebiasaponin D， etc.）. In the future， active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine are expected to achieve breakthroughs in clinical treatment for skeletal muscle atrophy， providing novel ideas and strategies for the prevention and treatment of degenerative disorders.

Body weight abnormalities, including overweight, obesity, and underweight, have become a dual public health challenge in Chinese adults: overweight and obesity lead to a variety of chronic complications, while underweight increases the risks of malnutrition, sarcopenia, and organ dysfunction. To systematically address these issues, multidisciplinary experts in endocrinology, sports science, nutrition, and psychiatry from various regions have held multiple weight management seminars. Based on the latest epidemiological data and clinical evidence, they expanded the guideline to include assessment and intervention strategies for underweight, in addition to the core content of obesity management. This guideline outlines the etiological mechanisms, evaluation methods, and multidimensional management strategies for overweight and obesity, covering key areas such as diagnosis and assessment, medical nutrition therapy, exercise prescription, pharmacological intervention, and psychological support. It is intended to provide a scientific and standardized approach to weight management across the adult population, aiming to curb the rising prevalence of obesity, mitigate complications associated with abnormal body weight, and improve nutritional status and overall quality of life.

Objective To study the correlation between the serum ferritin level and the pathological classification,tumor stage,PD-L1 expression,disease control rate(DCR),and survival period of patients with lung cancer.Methods A total of 85 patients with lung cancer admitted to our hospital from February 2020 to February 2021 were selected as the research subjects.All patients received immunotherapy,and the serum ferritin levels of patients before and after immunotherapy were detected.Meanwhile,according to the difference in serum ferritin levels before and after immunotherapy,the patients were divided into the increased group(31 cases)and the decreased group(54 cases).The correlation between the serum ferritin level and the pathological classification,tumor stage and PD-L1 expression level of patients was analyzed,and the DCRs and survival periods of patients with serum ferritin level≥300 ng/mL and<300 ng/mL before treatment were compared,as well as the increased group and the decreased group.The survival curve of patients in each group was analyzed by the Kaplan-Meier.Results Patients with tumor stage Ⅰ to Ⅲ showed significantly lower serum ferritin levels than patients with tumor stage Ⅳ(P<0.05).The DCR,3-year survival rate and progression-free survival(PFS)of patients with serum ferritin level≥300 ng/mL were significantly lower/shorter than those of patients with serum ferritin level<300 ng/mL(P<0.05).The DCR,3-year survival rate and PFS of patients in the increased group were significantly lower/shorter than those in the decreased group(P<0.05).Conclusion The increased serum ferritin level in lung cancer patients before treatment and the further increase after treatment are significantly associated with the reduced efficacy of immunotherapy and the shortened survival period.The combination of baseline serum ferritin levels before treatment and dynamic changes after treatment may serve as a clinical biomarker panel for predicting immunotherapy outcomes.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical predictive value of SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) in the occurrence of cardiac death in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD).Methods:A retrospective follow-up was performed for 160 patients (109 males, 51 females; age: 68.5(61.0, 74.0) years) who underwent MPI in Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University between June 2017 and March 2024. The 17-segment 5-point method was used for image analysis to obtain the left ventricular myocardial perfusion and functional parameters. The patients were followed up for cardiac death, and divided into death group and survival group. Clinical data of those 2 groups were compare by χ2 test, the independent-sample t test or Mann-Whitney U test. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to analyze the predictors related to cardiac death. The ROC curve was used to analyze the performance of predictors. Survival curves were obtained by the Kaplan-Meier method, and log-rank test was performed to compare the difference between 2 groups. Results:The follow-up time of 160 patients with CKD was 26.0(10.0, 46.5) months. Of 160 patients, 17 died and 143 survived. There were statistically significant differences in body mass index (BMI), previous myocardial infarction, previous revascularization, hypersensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), positive MPI, left ventricular end-diastolic volume (EDV), end-systolic volume (ESV), ejection fraction (EF), summed stress score (SSS), summed rest score (SRS) and summed difference score (SDS) between the death group and the survival group ( χ2 values: 4.58-16.13, t values: -2.34, -3.97, Z values: from -2.81 to 5.02, all P<0.05). Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that SSS (hazard ratio ( HR)=1.153, 95% CI: 1.062-1.252, P=0.001) and hs-CRP ( HR=1.031, 95% CI: 1.004-1.058, P=0.023) were independent risk factors for cardiac death in patients with CKD. The optimal cut-off value of SSS for predicting cardiac death in those patients was determined to be 8 with the AUC of 0.815, and the incidence of cardiac death in the SSS ≥8 group was significantly higher than that in the SSS<8 group (33.3%(12/36) vs 4.0%(5/124); χ2 = 25.44, P<0.001). Conclusion:MPI is an important imaging method for the evaluation of cardiac death in patients with CKD, SSS and hs-CRP are important risk factors in predicting cardiac death in those patients.

Aim To investigate the effect of Huangqi injection(HI)and Huangqi oral solution(HO)on cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity(CIN)based on un-targeted metabolomics technology and the underlying mechanisms.Methods Sprague Dawley(SD)rats were randomly divided into the blank group,cisplatin(CDDP)model group,HI treatment group,and HO treatment group,then the CIN model was built with low dose multiple intraperitoneal injections of CDDP.Pre-liminary evaluation of the renal protective efficacy of HI and HO was performed by measuring serum creatinine(Scr),blood urea nitrogen(BUN),and organ indi-ces.Further screening and identification of potential biomarkers(PBs)related to CIN and HI/HO pharma-cological effects were attained through metabolomics studies of renal tissues,and pathway enrichment analy-sis was conducted.Results HI and HO significantly restored the abnormal increase in renal function indica-tors and abnormal decrease in organ indices caused by CDDP,as well as significantly improved the abnormal renal metabolic profile induced by CDDP,indicating that both HI and HO had good alleviating effects on CIN.HI significantly reversed 47 out of 54 CIN related PBs,mainly involving metabolic pathways such as glycerophospholipid metabolism,tryptophan metabo-lism,pantothenate and CoA biosynthesis;HO signifi-cantly reversed 18 out of 54 CIN related PBs,mainly involving metabolic pathways such as taurine and hypo-taurine metabolism,ascorbate and aldarate metabo-lism,pentose and glucuronate interconversions.Con-clusions Both HI and HO have significant alleviating effects on CIN.In the short term,HI salleviating effect is superior to that of HO.Overall,the mechanisms by which both alleviate CIN are mainly related to regula-ting lipid metabolism,amino acid metabolism.

Objective:To study the relationship between microRNA (miRNA, miR)-675-3p, miR-675-5p, miR-29b-3p, miR-let-7b-3p and fluoride induced articular cartilage injury in rats.Methods:Using the factorial design, thirty 3-week-old specific pathogen free grade male Wistar rats (weighted 125 - 150 g) were selected and randomly divided into a control group, a 25 mg/L fluoride group, and a 50 mg/L fluoride group using a random number table method, with 10 rats in each group. The control group drank distilled water, while the fluoride exposure groups drank distilled water with fluoride ion concentrations of 25 and 50 mg/L, respectively. Five rats were euthanized in each group at 3 and 6 months of feeding, respectively. Visual observation was used to observe the occurrence of dental fluorosis in rats, and fluoride ion selective electrode method was used to detect the fluoride level in blood, urine, and cartilage. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and safranin O-fast green staining were used to observe the pathological changes of articular cartilage, and Mankin score was used to evaluate the grading of cartilage injury. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to detect the expression levels of miR-675-3p, miR-675-5p, miR-29b-3p, and miR-let-7b-3p in cartilage.Results:After 3 and 6 months of fluoride exposure, no dental fluorosis was observed in the control group, while rats in the 25 and 50 mg/L fluoride groups showed varying degrees of dental fluorosis. There were statistically significant differences in the levels of blood fluoride (mg/L: 0.11 ± 0.04, 0.57 ± 0.32, 0.29 ± 0.06, 0.07 ± 0.01, 0.31 ± 0.05, 0.38 ± 0.06), urine fluoride (mg/L: 1.81 ± 0.58, 13.18 ± 2.29, 66.11 ± 20.74, 2.35 ± 1.08, 14.79 ± 3.87, 28.32 ± 4.79), and cartilage fluoride (mg/kg: 341.83 ± 44.07, 612.99 ± 174.72, 991.26 ± 227.32, 338.29 ± 72.53, 957.09 ± 195.86, 1 535.53 ± 89.01) among in rats the control group, 25 mg/L fluoride group, and 50 mg/L fluoride group ( F = 7.76, 42.78, 40.54, 23.10, 18.96, 80.81, P < 0.05). In the 50 mg/L fluoride group, there were statistically significant differences in the levels of urine fluoride and cartilage fluoride of rats exposed for different times ( t = 4.45, - 3.80, P < 0.05). The Mankin score grading for cartilage injury showed that at 3 months of fluoride exposure, there were 4, 0, and 0 rats with normal cartilage in the control group, 25 mg/L fluoride group, and 50 mg/L fluoride group, 1, 4, and 1 rats with mild injury, and 0, 1, and 4 rats with moderate injury, respectively. At 6 months of fluoride exposure, there were 4, 0, and 0 rats with normal cartilage in the control group, 25 mg/L fluoride group, and 50 mg/L fluoride group, 1, 3, and 0 rats with mild injury, 0, 1, and 3 rats with moderate injury, and 0, 1, and 2 rats with severe injury, respectively. Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR results showed that fluoride exposure dose had individual effects on the expression of miR-675-3p, miR-675-5p, miR-29b-3p, and miR-let-7b-3p in cartilage ( F = 8.68, 7.97, 9.34, 10.14, P < 0.05). There was no individual effect of fluoride exposure time on the expression of miR-675-3p, miR-675-5p, miR-29b-3p, and miR-let-7b-3p in cartilage ( F = 0.00, 0.15, 0.63, 0.53, P > 0.05). However, there was no interaction effect between fluoride exposure time and dose on the above-mentioned miRNA ( F = 0.68, 0.05, 0.22, 0.24, P > 0.05). The correlation analysis results showed that miR-675-3p and miR-675-5p in cartilage were negatively correlated with blood fluoride, urine fluoride, and cartilage fluoride ( r = - 0.37, - 0.42, - 0.56, - 0.53, - 0.57, - 0.53, P < 0.05), while miR-29b-3p and miR-let-7b-3p were positively correlated with urine fluoride and cartilage fluoride ( r = 0.58, 0.40, 0.48, 0.47, P < 0.05). The results of ordered logistic regression analysis showed that miR-675-3p, miR-675-5p, miR-29b-3p, and miR-let-7b-3p were influencing factors of dental fluorosis grading ( OR = 0.13, 0.04, 1.55, 2.58, P < 0.05) and Mankin score grading ( OR = 0.04, 0.06, 1.41, 1.58, P < 0.05). Conclusion:MiR-675-3p, miR-675-5p, miR-29b-3p, and miR-let-7b-3p may be involved in the process of fluoride induced articular cartilage injury.

Objective:To investigate the related factors of cognitive impairment in middle-aged and old-aged patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM).Methods:A total of 970 patients with T2DM(585 middle-aged group and 385 old-aged group)were selected from residents of a large community in Beijing from September to December 2018.The Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE)was used to assess the cognitive func-tion.Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the related factors.Results:The detection rates of cognitive impairment were 12.0％and 13.5％in middle-aged and old-aged patients with T2DM,respectively.Among mid-dle-aged patients with T2DM,work(OR=0.22,95％CI:0.03-0.77)and education at the junior college or un-dergraduate level and above(OR=0.18,95％CI:0.04-0.55)were protective factors for cognitive impair-ment.Myocardial infarction(OR=4.13,95％CI:1.26-13.63)was a risk factor for cognitive impairment.Among old-aged patients with T2DM,drinking tea 1-2 times a week(OR=0.11,95％CI:0.01-0.58)and education at the junior college or undergraduate level and above(OR=0.19,95％CI:0.05-0.54)were protective factors for cognitive impairment.Stroke(OR=3.64,95％CI:1.55-8.39)and good sleep self-assessment(OR=2.75,95％CI:1.13-7.35)were risk factors for cognitive impairment.Conclusion:Cognitive impairment in middle-aged pa-tients with T2DM is related to work,education level and myocardial infarction,and cognitive impairment in old-aged patients with T2DM is related to lifestyle,education level and stroke.

Objective To investigate the role and mechanism of inflammatory marker C5a in regulating the polarization of M2 macro-phages as well as its clinical application value in the prognosis evaluation of lung cancer.Methods The phorbol 12-myristate 13-ace-tate(PMA)-pulsed human monocytic leukemia cell line THP-1 was stimulated with C5a for 0,6,12,24,and 48 h or 0,1,2,3,6,and 12 h,and then the expression levels of M2 markers CD163 and CD206 mRNA were determined by real-time fluorescence quantita-tive PCR(qRT-PCR).The expression level of general control non-repressed protein 5(GCN5)with histone acetyltransferase(HAT)activity was detected by Western blot.Co-immunoprecipitation(co-IP)was used to determine the acetylation of GATA binding protein 3(GATA3),a key transcription factor for macrophages,and its binding ability to GCN5 and E1A binding protein p300(Ep300/p300).After the macrophages pre-treated with GCN5 inhibitor butyrolactone 3(MB-3)were stimulated with C5a,the expression levels of CD163 and CD206,acetylation of GATA3,and its binding ability to GCN5 were determined by Western blot and co-IP.The clinical significance of the expression of C5a receptor 1(C5aR1)and GCN5 in lung cancer tissues in the prognosis of lung cancer patients was analyzed using the KM plotter database.Results C5a could significantly increase the expression levels of CD163 and CD206 mRNA,expression of GCN5,acetylation of GATA3,and its binding ability to GCN5 in PMA-induced adherent macrophages,but did not affect the binding of GATA3 to p300.Inhibiting the activity of GCN5 not only significantly reduced the acetylation of GATA3 and its binding ability to GCN5,but also down-regulated the expressions of CD163 and CD206.The overall survival rate of lung cancer patients with high expression of C5aR1 or GCN5 was significantly reduced.Conclusion C5a promotes the polarization of M2 macrophages by indu-cing GCN5 to acetylate GATA3.The expressions of C5aR1 and GCN5 in lung cancer tissues may have certain clinical application value for the prognosis of the patients.