Local anesthetics (LAs), such as articaine (AT), exhibit limited efficacy in inflammatory environments, which constitutes a significant limitation in their clinical application within oral medicine. In our prior research, we developed AT-17, which demonstrated effective properties in chronic inflammatory conditions and appears to function as a novel oral LA that could address this challenge. In the present study, we further elucidated the beneficial effects of AT-17 in acute inflammation, particularly in oral acute inflammation, where mitochondrial-related apoptosis played a crucial role. Our findings indicated that AT-17 effectively inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nerve cell apoptosis by ameliorating mitochondrial dysfunction in vitro. This process involved the inhibition of mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (mtROS) production and the subsequent activation of the NRF2 pathway. Most notably, improvements in mitochondria-related apoptosis were key contributors to AT-17's inhibition of voltage-gated sodium channels. Additionally, AT-17 was shown to reduce mtROS production in nerve cells through the Na⁺/NCLX/ETC signaling axis. In conclusion, we have developed a novel local anesthetic that exhibits pronounced anesthetic functionality under inflammatory conditions by enhancing mitochondria-related apoptosis. This advancement holds considerable promise for future drug development and deepening our understanding of the underlying mechanisms of action.

To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the mechanosensitive ion channel PI-EZO2 in osteoarthritis(OA),we developed a lentiviral vector for endogenous PIEZO2 overexpression and established a stable PIEZO2-high-expressing immortalized human primary chondrocyte line.By map-ping the open reading frame of the PIEZO2 locus and designing sequence-specific sgRNA,we employed the CRISPR/Cas9 synergistic activation mediator(SAM)system to precisely integrate transcriptional ac-tivation elements into the PIEZO2 promoter region.Lentiviral-mediated targeted genomic integration en-sured endogenous PIEZO2 overexpression,confirmed by mCherry fluorescence tracing coupled with flow cytometric sorting,which revealed membrane-specific localization of PIEZO2 protein(localization effi-ciency:78.49％).Quantitative PCR demonstrated a 17-fold upregulation of PIEZO2 mRNA,while Western blotting validated enhanced membrane-localized protein expression.Strikingly,PIEZO2-overex-pressing chondrocytes exhibited hallmark OA metabolic phenotypes compared to wild-type controls:typeⅡ collagen mRNA expression decreased to 50％of baseline levels,whereas matrix metalloproteinase 13(MMP13)mRNA surged by 20-fold.These alterations recapitulated the pathological matrix metabolic phenotype observed in biomechanical OA models induced by cyclic mechanical stress(10％strain,0.5 Hz,8 h/day for 2 consecutive days).Collectively,we successfully generated a human chondrocyte model with stable PIEZO2 overexpression,which faithfully mirrors mechanotransduction-driven OA progression.This engineered cellular system provides a robust platform for dissecting PIEZO2-mediated mechanosig-naling networks and advancing targeted therapeutic discovery.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common condition of chronic rheumatic disease in children. JIA is an autoimmune or autoinflammatory disease, with unclear mechanism and limited treatment efficacy. Recent studies have found a number of alterations in gut microbiota and its metabolites in children with JIA, which are related to the development and progression of JIA. This review focuses on the influence of the gut microbiota and its metabolites on immune function and the intestinal mucosal barrier and discuss the key role of the gut-joint axis in the pathogenesis of JIA and emerging treatment methods based on gut microbiota and its metabolites. This review could help elucidate the pathogenesis of JIA and identify the potential therapeutic targets for the prevention and treatment of JIA.
Humans ; Arthritis, Juvenile/physiopathology* ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/physiology* ; Child ; Intestinal Mucosa

To investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the mechanosensitive ion channel PI-EZO2 in osteoarthritis(OA),we developed a lentiviral vector for endogenous PIEZO2 overexpression and established a stable PIEZO2-high-expressing immortalized human primary chondrocyte line.By map-ping the open reading frame of the PIEZO2 locus and designing sequence-specific sgRNA,we employed the CRISPR/Cas9 synergistic activation mediator(SAM)system to precisely integrate transcriptional ac-tivation elements into the PIEZO2 promoter region.Lentiviral-mediated targeted genomic integration en-sured endogenous PIEZO2 overexpression,confirmed by mCherry fluorescence tracing coupled with flow cytometric sorting,which revealed membrane-specific localization of PIEZO2 protein(localization effi-ciency:78.49％).Quantitative PCR demonstrated a 17-fold upregulation of PIEZO2 mRNA,while Western blotting validated enhanced membrane-localized protein expression.Strikingly,PIEZO2-overex-pressing chondrocytes exhibited hallmark OA metabolic phenotypes compared to wild-type controls:typeⅡ collagen mRNA expression decreased to 50％of baseline levels,whereas matrix metalloproteinase 13(MMP13)mRNA surged by 20-fold.These alterations recapitulated the pathological matrix metabolic phenotype observed in biomechanical OA models induced by cyclic mechanical stress(10％strain,0.5 Hz,8 h/day for 2 consecutive days).Collectively,we successfully generated a human chondrocyte model with stable PIEZO2 overexpression,which faithfully mirrors mechanotransduction-driven OA progression.This engineered cellular system provides a robust platform for dissecting PIEZO2-mediated mechanosig-naling networks and advancing targeted therapeutic discovery.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the clinical treatment outcomes and the changes of the outcomes over time in extremely preterm twins in Guangdong Province, China. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed for 269 pairs of extremely preterm twins with a gestational age of <28 weeks who were admitted to the department of neonatology in 26 grade A tertiary hospitals in Guangdong Province from January 2008 to December 2017. According to the admission time, they were divided into two groups: 2008-2012 and 2013-2017. Besides, each pair of twins was divided into the heavier infant and the lighter infant subgroups according to birth weight. The perinatal data of mothers and hospitalization data of neonates were collected. The survival rate of twins and the incidence rate of complications were compared between the 2008-2012 and 2013-2017 groups. RESULTS: Compared with the 2008-2012 group, the 2013-2017 group (both the heavier infant and lighter infant subgroups) had lower incidence rates of severe asphyxia and smaller head circumference at birth (P<0.05). The mortality rates of both of the twins, the heavier infant of the twins, and the lighter infant of the twins were lower in the 2013-2017 group compared with the 2008-2012 group (P<0.05). Compared with the 2008-2012 group, the 2013-2017 group (both the heavier infant and lighter infant subgroups) had lower incidence rates of pulmonary hemorrhage, patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage (P-IVH), and neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS) and a higher incidence rate of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS There is a significant increase in the survival rate over time in extremely preterm twins with a gestational age of <28 weeks in the 26 grade A tertiary hospitals in Guangdong Province. The incidences of severe asphyxia, pulmonary hemorrhage, PDA, P-IVH, and NRDS decrease in both the heavier and lighter infants of the twins, but the incidence of bronchopulmonary dysplasia increases. With the improvement of diagnosis and treatment, the multidisciplinary collaboration between different fields of fetal medicine including prenatal diagnosis, obstetrics, and neonatology is needed in the future to jointly develop management strategies for twin pregnancy.
Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia/epidemiology* ; Female ; Gestational Age ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Extremely Premature ; Infant, Newborn ; Pregnancy ; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn/epidemiology* ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome

Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common geriatric motor system diseases in the clinical practice. Aging, whose hallmark is cellular senescence, is an important factor leading to the occurrence and development of OA, but its exact role in the pathological development of OA is not completely clear. Studies have proved that targeting senescence can effectively treat aging-related diseases. In this study, the heterozygous mouse model of Cdkn2a-e (Luc-2A-tdTomato-2a-CreerT2-Wpre-PA)1 was established by the CRISPR/ Cas9 technique. The expression of Cdkn2a (p16, p16INK4a), a classical marker of senescence, can be traced in vivo in mice. We then utilized anterior cruciate ligament transection (ACLT) to induce OA in Cdkn2a mice, and we hope to verify the relationship between aging and the occurrence and development of OA and visualize aging changes during OA development through the mice model. In this study, 10-12 weeks old Cdkn2a mice were randomly divided into no surgery control group, sham operation group and ACLT group. OA model was constructed in mice by ACLT operation. After surgery for 4 weeks, animals were collected for fluorescence imaging detection in vivo, which showed that local fluorescence expression of Cdkn2a increased in knee joints of mice in the ACLT group four weeks after surgery (P < 0. 05) . The Safranin O-Fast Green Staining of mouse knee tissue sections showed degeneration of the knee cartilage in the ACLT group at 4 weeks after surgery (P < 0. 05) . Immunohistochemical staining of Cdkn2a was performed on the knee tissue of mice. Compared with the other two groups, Cdkn2a staining on the cartilage surface of the knee tissue of mice in the ACLT group was deeper. The results showed that the OA model induced by surgery showed local aging, which further verified the relationship between aging and OA. At the same time, the Cdkn2a tracer mouse model can reflect the aging progress of mice in vivo, with combination of imaging examinations, so that the occurrence and progress of the relationship between aging and OA can be observed in real time. This heterozygous mouse model of Cdkn2a-e(Luc-2A-tdTomato-2a-CreerT2-Wpre-PA) 1 is not only useful for mechanism research of aging and OA diseases, but also beneficial for finding more potential therapy targets to OA and aging.

Huang-Kui-Si-Wu Formula (HKSWF) can reduce the accumulation of uremic toxin p-cresyl sulfate (PCS) and its precursor p-cresol (PC) in a rat model of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and delay the progression of CKD. However, the mechanism by which HKSWF decreases PC accumulation is not clear. This study investigated the effect of HKSWF on PC production in intestinal microbes as well as its mechanism of action. After CKD model rats were given HKSWF by intragastric administration, feces were collected to analyze the gut bacterial composition by 16S rDNA sequencing technology. All procedures were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of the Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine. The results showed that HKSWF inhibited PC production without decreasing the abundance of harmful bacteria. HPLC-UV-FLD was used to detect p-cresol. An in vitro anaerobic culture system was used to study the effect and mechanism of action of HKSWF on PC production in gut bacteria. The results show that food-derived tyrosine (Tyr) could significantly promote PC production in intestinal bacteria, and HKSWF (4000, 400, 40 μg·mL^-1) could dose-dependently inhibit PC production in gut bacteria in vitro. HKSWF inhibited bacterial PC synthesis by two pathways: it decreased the oxidation pathway from 82.83% to 38.87%, and increased the reductive pathway from 17.17% to 61.13%. This result suggests that HKSWF could inhibit PC production by switching tyrosine metabolism from an oxidative pathway to a reductive pathway. Secondly, HKSWF could directly inhibit the oxidative pathway of tyrosine and decrease the decomposition of PHA, thereby inhibiting PC production. These results suggest that HKSWF could inhibit the formation of harmful uremic toxins by modulating the metabolic pathway of PC in gut microbiota and thereby delaying CKD progression.

Malignant tumor is a disease that severely threaten human health. Common chemotherapeutical drugs currently used in clinical practice have some problems in severe side effects and chemoresistance. In contrast, natural venom peptides and artificially designed targeting peptides have excellent biological activities and potential druggability due to their small molecular weights and high affinity to tumor tissues. Thus, the methods for the discovery of anti-tumor peptides have attracted much attention. In this paper, we summarized the types of anti-tumor peptides from recent literatures. Then, we systematically reviewed screening theories, methods and applications based on traditional chromatographic separation, peptidomics, phage display, phenotypic screening, and artificial intelligence. These strategies and technologies will provide a methodological reference for accelerating anti-tumor peptides research.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the protective effect of NANOG against hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) -induced cell damage in the human hair follicle mesenchymal stem cells (hHF-MSCs). METHODS: NANOG was expressed from a lentiviral vector, pLVX-IRES-ZsGreen. NANOG hHF-MSCs and vector hHF-MSCs were treated with 400 μmol/L hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) for 2 h, the cell survival rate, cell morphology, ROS production, apoptosis and expression of AKT, ERK, and p21 were determined and compared. RESULTS: Our results showed that NANOG could activate AKT and upregulate the expression of p-AKT, but not p-ERK. When treated with 400 μmol/L H2O2, NANOG hHF-MSCs showed higher cell survival rate, lower ROS production and apoptosis, higher expression of p-AKT, higher ratio of p-AKT/AKT. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that NANOG could protect hHF-MSCs against cell damage caused by H2O2 through activating AKT signaling pathway.
Cell Survival ; Drug Evaluation, Preclinical ; Hair Follicle ; cytology ; Humans ; Hydrogen Peroxide ; Lentivirus ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells ; drug effects ; metabolism ; Nanog Homeobox Protein ; metabolism ; pharmacology ; Oxidative Stress ; drug effects ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases ; metabolism ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt ; metabolism ; Signal Transduction

Uremic toxins are harmful substances that accumulate in the body when the renal function declines in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). It is an important factor contributing to accelerated progression of CKD. There is no effective treatment for reducing uremic toxins. As an extensively used medicine for treatment of CKD in the clinic, Huangkui capsule is effective but the mechanism of its action remains unclear. This study investigated the effect of Huangkui on the accumulation of uremic toxins in CKD rats, with the discussion about its mechanism of action. UPLC-TQ/MS was used to detect the accumulation of uremic toxins in CKD rats after oral gavage with Huangkui. 16S rDNA sequencing technology was used to analyze the gut bacteria composition in rats. HPLC-FLD was used to detect the uremic toxins and their molecular precursors in feces. The effect and mechanism of Huangkui on the uremic toxin precursor in gut bacteria were studied by anaerobic culture system in vitro. All procedures were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of the Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine. The results showed that Huangkui (0.675 g·kg^-1) could effectively inhibit the accumulation of uremic toxin indoxyl sulfate (IS) in CKD rats, with IS concentration in rat's plasma, liver and kidney decreased by 49.5%, 68.9% and 40.6%, respectively. Huangkui didn't affect the metabolic pathway of IS in host liver, didn't intervene the process of the IS precursor molecule indole conversion to IS. Instead, Huangkui significantly decreased the indole content in gut, with the indole in CKD rat's feces decreased by 46.4%, suggesting that the gut bacteria may be a target for intervene IS biosynthesis by Huangkui. Huangkui didn't affect the abundance of enterobacteriaceae bacteria (the main gut flora of indole synthesis) in CKD rats, suggesting that Huangkui didn't interfere with indole biosynthesis by directly affecting the abundance of indole synthesis related bacteria. Huangkui at 4 000, 400, 40, and 4 μg·mL^-1 showed a dose-dependent inhibition of the indole production by gut bacteria in vitro. The bacteria tryptophan transport concentration decreased from 83.4 μmol·L^-1 to 43.6 μmol·L^-1 after co-incubated with Huangkui for 12 h, suggesting that Huangkui inhibited indole production of gut bacteria by interfering with tryptophan transportation. These results indicate that gut bacteria may be a potential target for alleviation of uremic toxin accumulation and for delaying CKD progression.