BACKGROUND:Studies have shown that metformin has anti-inflammatory,anti-tumor,anti-aging and vasoprotective effects,and can inhibit the progression of osteoarthritis,but its specific mechanism of action remains unclear. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the mechanism of metformin on cartilage protection in a rat model of osteoarthritis. METHODS:Forty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups(n=10 per group):blank,control,sham-operated,and metformin groups.The blank group did not undergo any surgery.In the sham-operated group,the joint cavity was exposed.In the model group and the metformin group,the modified Hulth method was used to establish the osteoarthritis model.At 1 day after modeling,the rats in the metformin group were given 200 mg/kg/d metformin by gavage,and the model,blank,and sham-operated groups were given normal saline by gavage.Administration in each group was given for 4 weeks consecutively.Hematoxylin-eosin staining,toluidine blue staining,and safranin O-fast green staining were used to observe the morphological structure of rat knee joints.Immunohistochemical staining and western blot were used to detect the protein expression of SOX9,type Ⅱ collagen,a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs 5(ADAMTS5),Beclin1,P62,phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K),p-PI3K,protein kinase B(AKT),p-AKT,mammalian target of rapamycin(Mtor),and p-Mtor in rat cartilage tissue. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The results of hematoxylin-eosin,toluidine blue and safranin O-fast green staining showed smooth cartilage surface of the knee joints and normal histomorphology in the blank group and the sham-operated group,while in the model group,there was irregular cartilage surface of the knee joint and cartilage damage,with a decrease in the number of chondrocytes and the content of proteoglycans in the cartilage matrix.In the metformin group,there was a significant improvement in the damage to the structure of the cartilage in the knee joints of the rats,and the cartilage surface tended to be smooth,with an increase in the number of chondrocytes and the content of proteoglycans in the cartilage matrix.Immunohistochemistry staining and western blot results showed that compared with the control and sham-operated groups,the expression of SOX9,type Ⅱ collagen,and Beclin1 proteins in the cartilage tissue of rats in the model group was significantly decreased(P<0.05).Conversely,the expression of ADAMTS5,P62,as well as p-PI3K,p-AKT,and p-Mtor proteins was significantly increased(P<0.05).Furthermore,compared with the model group,the expression of SOX9,type Ⅱ collagen,and Beclin1 proteins in the cartilage tissue of rats in the metformin group was significantly increased(P<0.05),while the expression of ADAMTS5,P62,as well as p-PI3K,p-AKT,and p-Mtor proteins was significantly decreased(P<0.05).To conclude,Metformin can improve the autophagy activity of chondrocytes and reduce the degradation of cartilage matrix in osteoarthritis rats by inhibiting the activation of PI3K/AKT/Mtor signaling pathway,thus exerting a protective effect on articular cartilage.

Background Air pollution remains a critical public health issue, with persistent exposure to air pollutants continuing to pose significant health risks. Currently, research investigating the association between air pollution and myocardial infarction mortality in Shenzhen remains inadequate. Objective To quantitatively assess the association between air pollutants and myocardial infarction mortality in residents. Methods Based on the mortality surveillance system of Shenzhen Center for Disease Control and Prevention, we conducted a time-stratified case-crossover study of 10089 permanent residents who died from myocardial infarction in Shenzhen between 2013 and 2022. Using residential address information, we obtained individual-level exposure data for air pollutants from the China High Air Pollutants dataset and meteorological factors from the China Meteorological Administration Land Data Assimilation System. A time-stratified case-crossover study design was employed to construct a conditional logistic regression model to assess the association between short-term exposure to air pollutants and myocardial infarction mortality. The exposure-response relationship was visualized, and a comprehensive health risk assessment was performed. Results This study included a total of 10 089 cases of myocardial infarction deaths in Shenzhen. The median [interquartile range (IQR)] concentrations of fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), inhalable particulate matter (PM₁₀), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), carbon monoxide (CO), and ozone (O₃) in Shenzhen from 2013 to 2022 were 24.59 (20.19) μg·m⁻³, 42.85 (28.42) μg·m⁻³, 8.53 (3.39) μg·m⁻³, 29.47 (13.56) μg·m⁻³, 0.77 (0.27) mg·m⁻³, and 86.53 (51.39) μg·m⁻³, respectively. The moving average concentrations of PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ over the current day and the previous 2 days (lag02) showed the highest risk of myocardial infarction mortality, with an odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) of 1.004 (1.001, 1.007) and 1.004 (1.002, 1.006), respectively. At lag05, SO₂ demonstrated the strongest association with the risk of myocardial infarction mortality, with an OR (95%CI) of 1.042 (1.019, 1.065). The exposure-response relationships of PM_2.5, PM₁₀, and SO₂ with myocardial infarction mortality were approximately linear, whereas NO₂ exhibited a nonlinear relationship. At lag05, the highest risk of myocardial infarction mortality associated with NO₂ exposure was observed when the NO₂ concentration was ≤21.92 μg·m⁻³, with an OR (95% CI) of 1.024 (1.003, 1.046). The health risk assessment indicated that, using the WHO Air Quality Guidelines as the reference, the local PM_2.5 and NO₂ exposure led to an excess mortality of 398 and 298 cases, respectively. The sensitivity analysis revealed that after adjusting for O₃ and restricting the study period to 2013—2019, the effect estimates for PM_2.5, PM₁₀, NO₂, and SO₂ on myocardial infarction mortality slightly increased. Conclusion Short-term exposure to air pollutants, including PM_2.5, PM₁₀, NO₂, and SO₂, could increase the risk of myocardial infarction mortality. This study provides important scientific evidence for environmental health risk assessment and environmental management in Shenzhen.

BACKGROUND: Epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs), which are metabolites of arachidonic acid catalyzed by cytochrome P450 epoxygenase, are degraded into inactive dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acids by soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH). Many studies have revealed that sEH gene deletion exerts protective effects against diabetes. Vascular calcification is a common complication of diabetes, but the potential effects of sEH on diabetic vascular calcification are still unknown. METHODS: The level of aortic calcification in wild-type and Ephx2-/- C57BL/6 diabetic mice induced with streptozotocin was evaluated by measuring the aortic calcium content through alizarin red staining, immunohistochemistry staining, and immunofluorescence staining. Mouse vascular smooth muscle cell lines (MOVAS cells) treated with β-glycerol phosphate (0.01 mol/L) plus advanced glycation end products (50 mg/L) were used to investigate the effects of sEH inhibitors or sEH knockdown and EETs on the calcification of vascular smooth muscle cells, which was detected by Western blotting, alizarin red staining, and Von Kossa staining. RESULTS: sEH gene deletion significantly inhibited diabetic vascular calcification by increasing levels of EETs in the aortas of mice. EETs (especially 11,12-EET and 14,15-EET) efficiently prevented the osteogenic transdifferentiation of MOVAS cells by decreasing nidogen-2 (NID2) expression. Interestingly, suppressing sEH activity by small interfering ribonucleic acid or specific inhibitors did not block osteogenic transdifferentiation of MOVAS cells induced by β-glycerol phosphate and advanced glycation end products. NID2 overexpression significantly abolished the inhibitory effect of sEH gene deletion on diabetic vascular calcification. Moreover, NID2 overexpression mediated by adeno-associated virus 9 vectors markedly increased insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) and phospho-ERK1/2 expression in MOVAS cells. Overall, sEH gene knockout inhibited diabetic vascular calcification by decreasing aortic NID2 expression and, then, inactivating the downstream IGF2-ERK1/2 signaling pathway. CONCLUSIONS sEH gene deletion markedly inhibited diabetic vascular calcification through repressed osteogenic transdifferentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells mediated by increased aortic EET levels, which was associated with decreased NID2 expression and inactivation of the downstream IGF2-ERK1/2 signaling pathway.
Animals ; Mice ; Vascular Calcification/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Epoxide Hydrolases/metabolism* ; Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/genetics* ; Male ; Gene Deletion ; MAP Kinase Signaling System/genetics* ; Cell Line ; Immunohistochemistry ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction/genetics* ; Mice, Knockout

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effect of curcumin on lipid metabolism in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and its molecular mechanism. METHODS: The inhibitory effect of curcumin (0-70 μmol/L) on proliferation of A549 and H1299 cells was assessed using MTT assay, and 20 and 40 μmol/L curcumin was used in the subsequent experiments. The effect of curcumin on lipid metabolism was evaluated using cellular uptake assay, wound healing assay, triglyceride (TG)/free fatty acid (NEFA) measurements, and Oil Red O staining. Western blotting was performed to detect the expressions of PGC-1α, PPAR-α, and HIF-1α in curcumin-treated cells. Network pharmacology was used to predict the metabolic pathways, and the results were validated by Western blotting. In a nude mouse model bearing A549 cell xenograft, the effects of curcumin (20 mg/kg) on tumor growth and lipid metabolism were assessed by measuring tumor weight and observing the changes in intracellular lipid droplets. RESULTS: Curcumin concentration-dependently inhibited the proliferation of A549 and H1299 cells and significantly reduced TG and NEFA levels and intracellular lipid droplets. Western blotting revealed that curcumin significantly upregulated PGC-1α and PPAR‑α expressions in the cells. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis predicted significant involvement of the HIF-1 signaling pathway in curcumin-treated NSCLC, suggesting a potential interaction between HIF-1α and PPAR‑α. Western blotting confirmed that curcumin downregulated the expression of HIF-1α. In the tumor-bearing mice, curcumin treatment caused significant reduction of the tumor weight and the number of lipid droplets in the tumor cells. CONCLUSIONS Curcumin inhibits NSCLC cell proliferation and lipid metabolism by downregulating the HIF-1α pathway.
Curcumin/pharmacology* ; Humans ; Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit/metabolism* ; Animals ; Lipid Metabolism/drug effects* ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/pathology* ; Lung Neoplasms/pathology* ; Mice, Nude ; Down-Regulation ; Mice ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha ; PPAR alpha/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; A549 Cells

Objective To compare the efficacy and tolerability of the novel bowel-cleansing agent TCIC-001 and the traditional polyethylene glycol (PEG) regimen for bowel preparation prior to colonoscopy. Methods Prospective inclusion of 62 patients who were scheduled to undergo colonoscopy at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University from July 2021 to July 2022. They were randomly divided into TCIC-001 group (n=31) and PEG group (n=31) using a random number table method. The TCIC-001 group took TCIC-001 orally, drinking water in stages, with a total liquid intake of 1 500 mL; the PEG group took PEG orally, taking it in 4 doses, with a total liquid intake of 3 000 mL. The primary endpoint indicator is the quality of intestinal hygiene evaluated by the Boston Bowel Preparation Scale (BBPS), the secondary endpoint indicators were medication adherence, medication duration, frequency of bowel movements, duration of bowel movements, and incidence of adverse events between two groups. Results No significant differences were observed in sex, age, or defecation frequency between the two groups. For efficacy, both groups achieved equivalent bowel cleanliness, with a “good preparation” rate of 93.55% and comparable BBPS score of each intestinal segment and total scores. For tolerability, the TCIC-001 group had a shorter medication duration compared to the PEG group ([48.8±25.9] min vs [82.8±28.4] min, P<0.001), a longer defecation duration ([288.6±74.0] min vs [236.5±74.3] min, P<0.001), and a lower incidence of first defecation before medication completion (9.68% vs 41.94%, P=0.004). Regarding safety, no significant differences were observed between the TCIC-001 group and the PEG group in incidences of chloride disturbances (0% vs 9.68%) and calcium disturbances (3.23% vs 6.45%), and no other adverse events. Conclusions TCIC-001 demonstrated comparable bowel-cleansing efficacy to PEG while significantly improving tolerability (reduced medication time and lower risk of premature defecation) and maintaining favorable safety.

Ferroptosis is a new type of regulatory cell death and is mainly caused by changes in intracellular iron homeostasis due to various inducers,which promotes the occurrence of iron ion-dependent lipid peroxidation,thereby leading to the accumulation of toxic lipid peroxides and finally resulting in cell death.Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury is a common and serious complication after liver surgery,with the main mechanisms of anaerobic respiration,mitochondrial injury,oxidative stress response,inflammatory response,calcium overload,and microcirculation dysfunction.This article introduces the concepts and mechanisms of ferroptosis and hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury and summarizes some related treatment strategies,so as to provide a reference for exploring new treatment methods for hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Objective To investigate the active ingredients of Zizyphi Spinosae Semen(ZSS)in relieving benzodiazepine(BDZ)dependence and its molecular mechanism based on the integrated Traditional Chinese Medicine and chemical drugs idea of"enhancing effect and reducing toxicity"via the approach of network pharmacology and the technique of molecular dynamics simulation.Methods First,literature search was undertaken to find the main components of ZSS.Then,the major effective constituents of ZSS in relieving BDZ dependence and its target of action were explored on the basis of network pharmacology and molecular docking.Finally,the relationship between core components of ZSS and key proteins was further verified through the technique of molecular dynamics simulation.Results After literature search,a total of 24 chemical components in ZSS were found to act on 731 targets.Through establishing the network of"ingredients-targets-pathways",topology analysis was performed to obtain nine core components such as linoleic acid,palmitic acid,oleic acid,tetradecanoic acid,spinosin,oleanolic acid and jujuboside A,as well as five key targets including AR,PTGS2,PPARG,RXRA and CYP19A1.Bioinformation enrichment analysis was made to obtain critical pathways such as calcium signaling pathway,cAMP signaling pathway,IL-17 signaling pathway and TNF signaling pathway.The results of molecular docking revealed that there was a good combination between core components of ZSS and key targets,and it was mainly dominated by hydrogen bonding.Furthermore,the molecular dynamics simulation experiments indicated that the combinations between jujuboside A and RXRA,oleanolic acid and RXRA,spinosin and PPARG were stable,and these three active ingredients played an important role in improving BDZ dependence.Conclusion The active components in ZSS may exert multi-target and multi-pathway intervention effects on BDZ dependence by means of processes such as immunoregulation,anti-anxiety,and anti-insomnia.

The appearance and degree of damage caused by metallic mercury injection at different sites were disparate, and different from common mercury poisoning. This study reviewed literature on poisoning caused by injection of metallic mercury in different body parts, summarized the health impairments and corresponding treatment principles. The causes of such accidents were mostly intentional injury or suicide, self-harm, with a minority due to feudal superstition, tattoos, and improper treatment. Subcutaneous or deep intramuscular injection of mercury primarily caused local inflammation reactions in the early stages. Intraocular injection might lead to inflammation, tissue necrosis, and blindness. Intravenous injection might lead to local or systemic acute reactions. The injection at local sites might cause harms to respiratory, nervous, urinary, and circulatory systems and reproductive health if individuals fail to boost mercury excretion promptly. For mercury treatment, the vacuum sealing drainage and extensive removal of deposits were preferred for mercury subcutaneous, muscular, or deep tissue injected individuals. For mercury intraocular injected individuals, the prompt surgical removal of mercury drops and, if necessary, enucleation of the eyeball were preferred. For mercury intravenous injected individuals, in addition to debridement surgery, treatment such as plasma exchange, hemoperfusion, hemodialysis, and bronchoalveolar lavage could be used. For mercury poisoning caused by injection in different body parts, mercury expulsion and symptomatic treatment are recommended, in addition to psychological therapy.

Objective To investigate the role of the renin-angiotensin system(RAS)in the pathogenesis of acute kidney injury(AKI)after laparoscopic radical nephrectomy(LRN)and the predictive value of RAS activation status for AKI.Methods Eighty-two patients undergoing LRN at the Third Medical Center of General Hospital of PLA from December,2023 to March,2024 were enrolled,including 57 with postoperative AKI and 25 without AKI according to KDIGO criteria.Blood and urine samples were collected from the patients before and at 24 h after the operation for analyzing the correlation of urinary aldosterone,plasma ACE2,Ang1-7,Nrf-2,and IL-10 levels with postoperative AKI.Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses and ROC curve were employed to identify the risk factors for postoperative AKI and their predictive value for AKI.Results Compared with those without postoperative AKI,the patients with AKI had significantly higher postoperative urinary aldosterone levels and lower plasma ACE 2,Ang 1-7,Nrf-2,and IL-10 levels(P<0.05).Postoperative urinary aldosterone level was positively correlated with AKI and negatively with estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR)(P<0.05);plasma levels of ACE 2,Nrf-2,and IL-10 were all negatively correlated with AKI and positively with eGFR.Urinary aldosterone was a risk factor and plasma ACE 2,Ang 1-7,Nrf-2 and IL-10 were protective factors for AKI,and among them urinary aldosterone was an independent risk factor(AUC=0.651)and plasma Nrf-2 was an independent protective factor(AUC=0.679).The unconventional RAS pathway indices had an AUC of 0.758,and aldosterone combined with the unconventional pathway indices had an AUC of 0.788 for predicting postoperative AKI.Conclusion Activation of the conventional RAS pathway and suppression of the unconventional pathway contribute to AKI following LRA possibly by affecting eGFR.Aldosterone combined with the unconventional pathway indicators can predict the occurrence of AKI after LRN.

Objective To investigate the role of the renin-angiotensin system(RAS)in the pathogenesis of acute kidney injury(AKI)after laparoscopic radical nephrectomy(LRN)and the predictive value of RAS activation status for AKI.Methods Eighty-two patients undergoing LRN at the Third Medical Center of General Hospital of PLA from December,2023 to March,2024 were enrolled,including 57 with postoperative AKI and 25 without AKI according to KDIGO criteria.Blood and urine samples were collected from the patients before and at 24 h after the operation for analyzing the correlation of urinary aldosterone,plasma ACE2,Ang1-7,Nrf-2,and IL-10 levels with postoperative AKI.Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses and ROC curve were employed to identify the risk factors for postoperative AKI and their predictive value for AKI.Results Compared with those without postoperative AKI,the patients with AKI had significantly higher postoperative urinary aldosterone levels and lower plasma ACE 2,Ang 1-7,Nrf-2,and IL-10 levels(P<0.05).Postoperative urinary aldosterone level was positively correlated with AKI and negatively with estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR)(P<0.05);plasma levels of ACE 2,Nrf-2,and IL-10 were all negatively correlated with AKI and positively with eGFR.Urinary aldosterone was a risk factor and plasma ACE 2,Ang 1-7,Nrf-2 and IL-10 were protective factors for AKI,and among them urinary aldosterone was an independent risk factor(AUC=0.651)and plasma Nrf-2 was an independent protective factor(AUC=0.679).The unconventional RAS pathway indices had an AUC of 0.758,and aldosterone combined with the unconventional pathway indices had an AUC of 0.788 for predicting postoperative AKI.Conclusion Activation of the conventional RAS pathway and suppression of the unconventional pathway contribute to AKI following LRA possibly by affecting eGFR.Aldosterone combined with the unconventional pathway indicators can predict the occurrence of AKI after LRN.