Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response caused by severe infection or trauma, and is one of the common causes of acute lung injury(ALI) and acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS). Sepsis-acute lung injury(SALI) is a critical clinical condition with high morbidity and mortality. Its pathogenesis is complex and not yet fully understood, and there is currently a lack of targeted and effective treatment options. Pyroptosis, a novel form of programmed cell death, plays a key role in the pathological process of SALI by activating inflammasomes and releasing inflammatory factors, making it a potential therapeutic target. In recent years, the role of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) in regulating signaling pathways related to pyroptosis through multi-components and multi-targets has attracted increasing attention. TCM may intervene in pyroptosis by inhibiting the activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes and regulating the expression of Caspase family proteins, thus alleviating inflammatory damage in lung tissues. This paper systematically reviews the molecular regulatory network of pyroptosis in SALI and explores the potential mechanisms and research progress on TCM intervention in cellular pyroptosis. The aim is to provide new ideas and theoretical support for basic research and clinical treatment strategies of TCM in SALI.
Pyroptosis/drug effects* ; Humans ; Sepsis/genetics* ; Acute Lung Injury/physiopathology* ; Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Inflammasomes/metabolism* ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/genetics*

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the risk factors of acute spinal cord injury complicated with respiratory dysfunction, and to construct the clinical prediction model of acute spinal cord injury complicated with respiratory dysfunction. METHODS: Continuous 170 cases of acute spinal cord injury treated from April 2019 to October 2022 were retrospectively collected, and clinical data were uniformly collected. Patients were divided into respiratory dysfunction group 30 cases and non-respiratory dysfunction group 140 cases according to whether they had respiratory dysfunction during treatment. The predictive factors of acute spinal cord injury complicated with respiratory dysfunction were screened by Lasso analysis, and the risk factors of acute spinal cord injury complicated with respiratory dysfunction were screened by multivariate Logistic regression analysis. R(R4.2.1) software was used to establish a nomogram risk warning model for predicting acute spinal cord injury complicated with respiratory dysfunction, and Hosmer-Lemeshow test was used to evaluate the model fit. Finally, area under receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve (AUC), calibration curve, and decision curve analysis(DCA) were used to evaluate the differentiation, calibration and clinical impact of the model. RESULTS: The incidence of respiratory dysfunction in 170 patients was 17.65%. Lasso regression analysis selected age, residence, marital status, smoking, hypertension, degree of paralysis, spinal cord injury plane, multiple injuries, spinal cord fracture and dislocation, and ASIA grade as the influencing factors. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that age, smoking, degree of paralysis, level of spinal cord injury, spinal cord injury of fracture and dislocation, and ASIA grade were risk factors for acute spinal cord injury complicated with respiratory dysfunction. The prediction model of acute spinal cord injury complicated with respiratory dysfunction was established by Hosmer-Lemeshow test, χ²=5.830, P=0.67. The AUC value of the model was 0.912. DCA analysis showed that the net benefit value of nomogram prediction of acute spinal cord injury complicated with respiratory dysfunction was higher when threshold probability ranged from 1% to 100%. CONCLUSION This column chart can help identify the risk of acute spinal cord injury complicated with respiratory dysfunction in early clinical stage, facilitate early clinical decision-making and intervention, and has important guiding significance for optimizing clinical efficacy and improving prognosis of patients. It is expected to improve and verify this model with larger samples and multi-center in the future.
Humans ; Spinal Cord Injuries/complications* ; Nomograms ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors ; Aged ; Respiration Disorders/etiology* ; Adolescent ; Logistic Models

Objective To establish a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method for the quantitative detection of Chromogranin A (CHGA) in saliva, and to explore its preliminary application in the testing of saliva samples. Methods Recombinant human CHGA protein was used to immunize BALB/c mice, and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) were prepared and screened using conventional hybridoma technology. A double-antibody sandwich ELISA detection method was constructed, and the matrix effect of saliva samples was optimized. This method was then applied to detect the concentration of CHGA in the saliva of stressed individuals. Results Twenty-one stable hybridoma cell lines secreting high affinity anti-human CHGA antibodies were obtained. A pair of detection antibodies with the best effect was selected, and the optimal coating concentration was determined to be 10 μg/mL, with the optimal dilution of detection antibodies being 1:32 000. The accuracy and reproducibility of this method were verified, with both intra-batch and inter-batch variation coefficients less than 15×, and the recovery rate between 80× and 120×. The matrix effect was further optimized to make it suitable for saliva sample detection. Saliva samples from individuals in different stress states were collected, and the CHGA levels were detected using the method established in this study, indicating its potential to reflect the intensity of stress. Conclusion A reliable saliva CHGA ELISA detection method has been successfully established, and its potential as a biomarker in stress-related research has been preliminarily explored.
Saliva/metabolism* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay/methods* ; Humans ; Animals ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice ; Chromogranin A/immunology* ; Antibodies, Monoclonal/immunology* ; Female ; Male ; Reproducibility of Results ; Adult

The regulatory processes in developmental biology research are significantly influenced by long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). However, the dynamics of lncRNA expression during human tooth development remain poorly understood. In this research, we examined the lncRNAs present in the dental epithelium (DE) and dental mesenchyme (DM) at the late bud, cap, and early bell stages of human fetal tooth development through bulk RNA sequencing. Developmental regulators co-expressed with neighboring lncRNAs were significantly enriched in odontogenesis. Specific lncRNAs expressed in the DE and DM, such as PANCR, MIR205HG, DLX6-AS1, and DNM3OS, were identified through a combination of bulk RNA sequencing and single-cell analysis. Further subcluster analysis revealed lncRNAs specifically expressed in important regions of the tooth germ, such as the inner enamel epithelium and coronal dental papilla (CDP). Functionally, we demonstrated that CDP-specific DLX6-AS1 enhanced odontoblastic differentiation in human tooth germ mesenchymal cells and dental pulp stem cells. These findings suggest that lncRNAs could serve as valuable cell markers for tooth development and potential therapeutic targets for tooth regeneration.
Humans ; RNA, Long Noncoding/metabolism* ; Odontogenesis/genetics* ; Tooth Germ/embryology* ; Cell Differentiation ; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental ; Mesoderm/metabolism* ; Tooth/embryology* ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Sequence Analysis, RNA ; Dental Pulp/cytology*

Aim To investigate the pharmacological mechanism of Ebselenin(Ebselen,EbSe)in the treat-ment of Escherichia coli(E.coli)infection,which had no significant inhibitory effect on Gram-negative bacte-ria,based on previous studies.Methods After EbSe intervention in E.coli infected Raw264.7 cells,the via-bility of Raw264.7 cells was determined by CCK-8 method,the morphology and structure of Raw264.7 cells were observed by electron microscope,and the in-tracellular bacterial load of Raw264.7 cells was calcu-lated by coated plate method.Polarization status of peritoneal macrophages,Raw264.7 intracellular NO and ROS content and intracellular HO-1 expression in Raw264.7 and E.coli acutely infected mice after E.co-li infection by flow cytometry.qPCR was used to detect the expression of related mRNAs in Raw264.7 cells.qPCR was used to detect the intracellular GSH content in Raw264.7 cells by spectrophotometric assay,and the state of cytoskeletal proteins was observed by immuno-fluorescence.Western blot assay was performed to de-tect the intracellular Txnrd1 expression level.Results Microtiter method,CCK-8,and electron microscopy observations showed that EbSe had no effect on the growth of E.coli and Raw264.7 cells in vitro.The re-sults of smear plate counting showed that EbSe reduced the intracellular bacterial load of Raw264.7 in the in-fected group.Flow cytometry results showed that EbSe upregulated the number of M2-type macrophages.The EbSe-treated infected group had reduced intracellular NO and ROS levels and increased GSH levels.The qPCR results showed that the expression of IL-6,IL-1β,and iNOS was decreased,and the expression of HO-1,Txnrd1,and Glut1 was increased in DHB4-in-fected Raw264.7 cells after EbSe treatment.Cytoskel-etal staining showed that the morphology of the EbSe-treated infected cells was similar to that of oxPAPC-in-duced cells.Western blot results showed the expres-sion of Txnrd1 protein in EbSe-treated infected cells in-creased.Conclusion EbSe exerts anti-E.coli acute infection effect by regulating macrophage polarization and inhibiting macrophage excessive inflammatory state.

Objective To investigate the establishment and evaluation method of a rat model for cold asthma syndrome during the acute exacerbation phase of asthma.Methods Thirty-two rats were randomly allocated into four distinct groups:normal control group,asthma group,cold asthma group,and Shegan Mahuang Decoction group(SMD).While the normal control group was not subjected to any modeling procedures,the remaining groups were induced to develop asthma by a combination of intraperitoneal injections and atomized inhalation of ovalbumin sensitization solution.Furthermore,to emulate the traditional Chinese medicine syndrome of cold asthma,the cold asthma group and the SMD underwent an additional protocol involving"swimming,cold water consumption,and external cold stimulation."Commencing from the 14th day of the experiment,the SMD received daily gavage administration of Shegan Mahuang Decoction for a consecutive period of 14 days.The cold asthma rat model was comprehensively evaluated from both macroscopic and microscopic perspectives.Results ①Following model induction,both the asthma and cold asthma groups exhibited significant increases in asthmatic behavioral scores,sluggish weight gain,and airway hyperreactivity.Additionally,there was a notable rise in eosinophils(EOS)in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF),decreased expression of aquaporin-5(AQP5)in lung tissue,and altered immune balances with reduced Th1/Th2 ratios and elevated Th17/Treg ratios in the spleen.Hemorheological changes included increased whole blood viscosity,relative high-shear,and low-shear indices,alongside a marked decline in erythrocyte aggregation index.The cold asthma group further displayed pronounced cold asthma symptoms,slower weight gain,and more significant increases in whole blood viscosity and low-shear relative index compared to the asthma group.②Administration of SMD alleviated asthmatic behaviors and traditional Chinese medicine syndrome manifestations in cold asthma rats,resulting in enhanced weight gain.SMD also mitigated airway hyperreactivity,reduced EOS percentage in BALF,and ameliorated lung tissue damage and inflammatory cell infiltration.The treatment increased AQP5 expression levels and rectified the immune imbalances of Th1/Th2 and Th17/Treg in cold asthma rats.Furthermore,SMD significantly lowered whole blood viscosity,relative high-shear,and low-shear indices in these rats.Conclusion The research effectively established a model for cold asthma syndrome in TCM through a method that integrates intraperitoneal injection,nebulized ovalbumin sensitization,and a triad of swimming,cold water intake,and external cold exposure.This model consistently displays the symptoms of cold asthma and corresponds with the microscopic pathological alterations seen in asthma,thereby validating the robustness of the model's creation process.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the analgesic effects and potential mechanisms of the partial agonist of the 5-hydroxytryptamine 1A(5-HT1A)receptor and the selective 5-HT reuptake inhibitor,viladazone(Vil),in various animal models of pain.METHODS ① Mouse acetic acid writhing test:KM mice were divided into the model group,model+morphine 10 mg·kg-1 group,and model+Vil 2,4,8 mg·kg-1 groups.Thirty minutes after ig administration of saline(model group)or corresponding drugs,each group was ip injected with a 2%acetic acid aqueous solution(0.01 mL·g-1),and the writhing frequency of the mice was observed and recorded from 5 to 20 min.② Mouse formalin pain test:KM mice were divided into the model group and model+Vil 2,4 and 8 mg·kg-1 groups.Thirty minutes after ig adminis-tration of saline(model group)or drugs,20 μL of 5%formalin solution was sc injected into the right plantar region of the mice.The licking time(the sum of the duration of licking and biting the paw)of the mice was observed and recorded during two periods:the acute phase(0-5 min after sc formalin injec-tion)and the delayed phase(15-35 min after sc formalin injection).③ Rat chronic constriction injury(CCI)of the sciatic nerve experiment:SD rats successfully examined with a paw withdrawal threshold(PWT)<5 g were randomly divided into a CCI model group and a CCI model+Vil 2,4 and 8 mg·kg-1 group.Solvent(model group)or corresponding drugs were ig administered,and the PWT of the modeled side was measured at 30,60,120 and 240 min after the first administration to evaluate the acute anal-gesic effect of Vil on mechanical pain.Then,Vil was continuously ig administered for 14 d,and the PWT was measured 1 h after Vil administration on the 7th and 14th d to evaluate the long-term analgesic effect of Vil.Immunofluorescence staining was employed to analyze the expression levels of inflamma-tion-related proteins,ionized calcium binding adapter molecule 1(IBA-1),tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α),and interleukin 1β(IL-1β),in brain tissues.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to detect the levels of IBA-1,TNF-α and IL-1β in the dorsal root ganglion of the spinal cord in the CCI model.RESULTS ① In the mouse model of acetic acid writhing,single ig administration of morphine 10 mg·kg-1 and Vil at varied doses significantly reduced the number of writhings induced by acetic acid compared to the model group.② In the formalin-induced pain model,the average licking time of the model group was 50.5 s during the acute phase of inflammatory pain(0-5 min after intraplantar injec-tion of 5%formalin),and 347.9 s during the delayed phase of inflammatory pain(25-35 min after formalin injection).Compared to the model group,single ig administration of Vil 2-8 mg·kg-1 reduced chronic pain induced by formalin in mice,and each dose of Vil significantly decreased the licking time of mice,but had no notable impact on the licking duration exhibited by mice during acute phase.③ In the CCI model,the PWT values of CCI model rats significantly decreased compared with the control group.Pathological damage to varying extents was observed in brain slices,manifested as enlarged intercellular spaces and the appearance of vacuoles.The expression of IBA-1 in brain tissue significantly increased,while TNF-α and IL-1β hardly changed.The levels of IBA-1,TNF-α and IL-1β in the spinal dorsal root ganglion significantly increased.Compared with the CCI model,after single administration of Vil 2-8 mg·kg-1 for 60,120 and 240 min,Vil significantly reduced the PWT values.After two-week continuous administration,the PWT values in Vil 4 and 8 mg·kg-1 were significantly reduced,and Vil 2-8 mg·kg-1 could alleviate the neuropathic pain to some extent.Vil 8 mg·kg-1 significantly reduced the elevated levels of inflammatory factors compared to CCI rats.CONCLUSION The antidepressant Vil exhibits analgesic effects in mouse models of acetic acid writhing,formalin-induced inflammation,and neuropathic pain induced by CCI in rats,with a more pronounced effect on neuropathic pain.The mechanism of action may be related to the inhibition of inflammatory pathways of IBA-1.

In this study, we constructed a GLP-2R-HEK293 cell line and established a method for the determination of the in vitro biological activity of teduglutide based on HTRF, after optimizing experimental conditions and methodological verification. We also carried out relative potency detection of teduglutide pharmaceutical products using this method. The result showed that there was a quantitative-efficient relationship between the teduglutide activity and cAMP contents in GLP-2R-HEK293 cells, which conformed to four-parameter model. Method verification results of five concentrations of teduglutide (64%, 80%, 100%, 125% and 156%) met the requirements of the General Rules of Chinese Pharmacopoeia, 2020 edition, Volume IV (9401). We then analyzed the relative potency of three batches of teduglutide drug substances and three batches of drug products. The linearity, regression and parallelism of the obtained curves all fit the system suitability requirements. The relative potency of six batches of teduglutide was from 83% to 105%. In summary, the biological activity detection method established in this study was accurate, precise, simple and time-saving, which can be used for quality control of teduglutide pharmaceutical products.

OBJECTIVE To explore the main factors influencing the blood concentration of duloxetine， and provide a scientific basis for the individualized use of duloxetine. METHODS Retrospective analysis was conducted on 434 inpatients with depressive disorders at the First Hospital of Hebei Medical University， who were treated with duloxetine and underwent blood concentration monitoring between January 2022 and April 2024. The study examined the impact of various factors， including gender， age， body mass index （BMI）， gene phenotypes， combined medication， drug type （original/generic）， and genotyping results of gene single nucleotide polymorphism loci， on blood concentration and the concentration-to-dose （C/D） after dose adjustment. RESULTS The blood concentration of duloxetine was 76.65 （45.57， 130.31） ng/mL， and C/D was 0.96 （0.63， 1.60） ng·d/（mL·mg）. The blood concentration of duloxetine was positively correlated with the daily dose of administration （R2＝0.253 7， P＜0.001）. Blood concentration of duloxetine in 38.94% of patients exceeded the recommended range specified in the guidelines. Gender， age， BMI， combined use of CYP2D6 enzyme inhibitors， and CYP2D6 and CYP1A2 phenotypes had significant effects on C/D of duloxetine （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS The patient’s age， gender， BMI， combined medication， and genetic phenotypes are closely related to the blood concentration of duloxetine.

ObjectiveObesity has been identified as one of the most important risk factors for cognitive dysfunction. Physical exercise can ameliorate learning and memory deficits by reversing synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus and cortex in diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease. In this study, we aimed to determine whether 8 weeks of treadmill exercise could alleviate hippocampus-dependent memory impairment in high-fat diet-induced obese mice and investigate the potential mechanisms involved. MethodsA total of sixty 6-week-old male C57BL/6 mice, weighing between 20-30 g, were randomly assigned to 3 distinct groups, each consisting of 20 mice. The groups were designated as follows: control (CON), high-fat diet (HFD), and high-fat diet with exercise (HFD-Ex). Prior to the initiation of the treadmill exercise protocol, the HFD and HFD-Ex groups were fed a high-fat diet (60% fat by kcal) for 20 weeks. The mice in the HFD-Ex group underwent treadmill exercise at a speed of 8 m/min for the first 10 min, followed by 12 m/min for the subsequent 50 min, totally 60 min of exercise at a 0° slope, 5 d per week, for 8 weeks. We employed Y-maze and novel object recognition tests to assess hippocampus-dependent memory and utilized immunofluorescence, Western blot, Golgi staining, and ELISA to analyze axon length, dendritic complexity, number of spines, the expression of c-fos, doublecortin (DCX), postsynaptic density-95 (PSD95), synaptophysin (Syn), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and the number of major histocompatibility complex II (MHC-II) positive cells. ResultsMice with HFD-induced obesity exhibit hippocampus-dependent memory impairment, and treadmill exercise can prevent memory decline in these mice. The expression of DCX was significantly decreased in the HFD-induced obese mice compared to the control group (P<0.001). Treadmill exercise increased the expression of c-fos (P<0.001) and DCX (P=0.001) in the hippocampus of the HFD-induced obese mice. The axon length (P<0.001), dendritic complexity (P<0.001), the number of spines (P<0.001) and the expression of PSD95 (P<0.001) in the hippocampus were significantly decreased in the HFD-induced obese mice compared to the control group. Treadmill exercise increased the axon length (P=0.002), dendritic complexity(P<0.001), the number of spines (P<0.001) and the expression of PSD95 (P=0.001) of the hippocampus in the HFD-induced obese mice. Our study found a significant increase in MHC-II positive cells (P<0.001) and the concentration of IL-1β (P<0.001) in the hippocampus of HFD-induced obese mice compared to the control group. Treadmill exercise was found to reduce the number of MHC-II positive cells (P<0.001) and the concentration of IL-1β (P<0.001) in the hippocampus of obese mice induced by a HFD. ConclusionTreadmill exercise led to enhanced neurogenesis and neuroplasticity by increasing the axon length, dendritic complexity, dendritic spine numbers, and the expression of PSD95 and DCX, decreasing the number of MHC-II positive cells and neuroinflammation in HFD-induced obese mice. Therefore, we speculate that exercise may serve as a non-pharmacologic method that protects against HFD-induced hippocampus-dependent memory dysfunction by enhancing neuroplasticity and neurogenesis in the hippocampus of obese mice.