BACKGROUND:Platelet-rich fibrin(PRF)has many advantages,such as simple preparation,low production cost,and high safety,and has been widely used in the study of bone defect repair in oral and maxillofacial surgery,but there are problems such as too fast degradation rate and short release time of growth factors. OBJECTIVE:PRF was loaded into gelatin methacryloyl(GelMA)hydrogel and its osteogenic properties were analyzed by in vivo and in vitro experiments. METHODS:(1)New Zealand white rabbit venous blood was extracted to prepare PRF.GelMA hydrogels containing 0,0.05,0.075,and 0.1 g PRF were prepared,respectively,and were recorded as GelMA,GelMA/PRF-0.05,GelMA/PRF-0.075,and GelMA/PRF-0.1,respectively,to characterize the micromorphology and in vitro slow-release properties of the hydrogels.(2)Four kinds of hydrogels were co-cultured with MC3T3-E1 cells,respectively,and the cell proliferation activity was detected with the single cultured cells as the control.After osteogenic induction,alkaline phosphatase activity,mineralization ability,mRNA and protein expression levels of osteogenic genes(osteocalcin,osteopontin,RUNX2),ERK1/2-p38 MAPK pathway protein mRNA and protein expression levels were detected.(3)Fifteen New Zealand white rabbits were taken.Four full-layer bone defects of 8 mm diameter were prepared in the skull of each rabbit,one of which was implanted without any material(blank control group),and the other three were implanted with GelMA hydrogel,PRF,and GelMA/PRF-0.1 hydrogel,respectively.The bone defect was detected by Micro-CT and bone morphology was observed at 4,8,and 12 weeks after operation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Scanning electron microscopy observed that all the hydrogels of the four groups had honeycomb pore structure,and the pore size of the hydrogels decreased slightly with the increase of PRF content,but there was no significant difference between the groups.The three groups of GelMA/PRF hydrogel could release transforming growth factor β1 and insulin-like growth factor 1 at a certain rate,and the cumulative release of transforming growth factor β1 and insulin-like growth factor 1 increased significantly with the extension of time.(2)CCK-8 assay and live/dead staining showed that GelMA/PRF hydrogel could promote the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells.The results of alkaline phosphatase staining,alizarin red staining,and osteogenic gene detection showed that GelMA/PRF hydrogel could promote the osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells,and inhibit the expression of ERK1/2-p38 MAPK pathway protein,and showed a PRF content dependence.(3)Micro-CT scan showed that the bone mineral density and bone volume fraction in the bone defect of GelMA/PRF-0.1 hydrogel group were higher than those in the other three groups(P<0.05).Hematoxylin-eosin staining showed that compared with the other three groups,GelMA/PRF-0.1 hydrogel group had faster and more mature new bone formation at the bone defect.(4)These findings indicate that GelMA/PRF hydrogel has good osteogenic activity both in vivo and in vitro,which may be related to inhibiting the expression of ERK1/2-p38 MAPK pathway protein.

ObjectiveTo construct an animal model of respiratory syncytial virus（RSV）-infected pneumonia suitable for preclinical studies. MethodsThe virulence of RSV to the four cell lines was observed by cytopathic effect （CPE）， and 50% tissue culture infective dose（TCID₅₀） was calculated. Twenty BALB/c mice were randomly divided into a normal group and a model group. Six BALB/c-hIGF1R mice served as the humanized IGF1R model group. Except for the normal group， the other groups received intranasal RSV infection on days 1 and 3 to establish a viral pneumonia model. The efficacy of establishing an RSV-induced pneumonia animal model based on humanized insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor （IGF1R） mice was evaluated by measuring organ indices， peripheral blood lymphocyte percentages， pulmonary pathology and imaging， and pulmonary viral load. Additionally， ten BALB/c mice served as normal group， and thirty-two BALB/c-hIGF1R mice were randomly assigned to humanized IGF1R model group， ribavirin group （82.5 mg·kg^-¹·d^-¹）， and high and low dose groups of Lianhua Qingwen （3.3 mg·kg^-¹·d^-¹ ， 1.65 mg·kg^-¹·d^-¹）， with 8 mice per group. The viral load in lung tissue was measured after ribavirin and Lianhua Qingwen intervention， and the model was applied to the evaluation of anti-RSV drugs. ResultsIn the lungs of the humanized IGF1R model group， large solid and diffuse ground-glass shadows were seen， and the lung volume was significantly increased （P<0.01）. The lung index was significantly increased （P<0.01）， and both the spleen index and thymus index were significantly decreased （P<0.01）. The percentages of CD3⁺ and CD4⁺T cells were significantly decreased （P<0.05）， and there was a large amount of inflammation and stasis in the perivascular area of the lung tissue， which was predominantly characterized by lymphocytes. The endothelium of blood vessels was partially detached， with a small number of eosinophils. After infecting BALB/c-hIGF1R mice with RSV， the expression of viral nucleic acids in the lung tissue of the mice was significantly increased， with significant differences compared with the normal group （P<0.01）. The expression of viral nucleic acids in the ribavirin group and the high and low dose groups of Lianhua Qingwen was significantly reduced， with significant differences compared with the normal group （P<0.01）. ConclusionHumanized IGF1R mice are more susceptible to respiratory SVC， and the animal model of RSV-infected pneumonia based on humanized IGF1R mice was successfully constructed， which is suitable for the evaluation of anti-RSV drugs.

ObjectiveTo explore the effects of the Tibetan medicine Sanwei Doukoutang （SWDK） on cognitive dysfunction in mice suffering from Alzheimer's disease （AD） and its related mechanism. MethodsFifty SPF 5 × FAD mice were randomly divided into model group， total ginsenoside group（0.04 g·kg^-1）， high-， medium-， and low-dose groups of SWDK （32.60， 16.30， 8.15 g·kg^-1）， with 10 mice in each group， and ten wild-type mice of the same age were used as the normal group， male and female in 1∶1. Gavage administration was performed once daily for 8 weeks. The Morris water maze test and contextual fear memory experiment were used to observe learning and memory function. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was utilized to observe the changes in the pathomorphology of brain tissue in mice. The levels of synaptophysin （SYP） and postsynaptic dense substance 95 （PSD95） in mice serum were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The positive expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor（BDNF） in the dentate gyrus （DG） region of mouse brain tissue was observed by immunohistochemistry （IHC）. The protein levels of BDNF， Wnt family member 3A（Wnt3a）， and β-catenin were detected in the hippocampus of mice by Western blot. ResultsCompared with the normal group of mice， the model group of mice had significantly more complex swimming routes and lower swimming speed （P<0.01）， significantly lower percentage of time spent in the target quadrant （P<0.01）， and a significantly lower percentage of freezing time （P<0.05）. The number of neurons in the hippocampal region of mice was obviously reduced and unevenly arranged. The levels of SYP and PSD95（P<0.01） in the serum of mice were reduced， and the positive expression of BDNF in the DG region of the brain tissue of mice was reduced. The levels of hippocampal BDNF， Wnt3a， and β-catenin proteins in the hippocampus of mice were obviously reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the mice in the SWDK group and the total ginsenoside group had significantly shorter swimming routes， the high- and medium- dose SWDK groups significantly higher swimming speeds （P<0.01）， significantly higher percentage of time spent in the target quadrant （P<0.01）， obviously higher percentage of Freezing time （P<0.05）， and obviously more neurons in the hippocampal region of the mice with tighter arrangement. The mice had elevated levels of serum SYP （P<0.05， P<0.01）， PSD95 （P<0.01）， increased BDNF-positive cells in the DG region of brain tissue， and obviously elevated levels of BDNF， Wnt3a， and β-catenin proteins in the hippocampus of mice （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionSWDK can significantly improve the cognitive dysfunction of AD mice， and its mechanism may be related to regulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway， which promotes BDNF expression and thereby enhances synaptic plasticity， allowing neuronal signaling to be restored.

Currently， viral pneumonia （VP） presents a major challenge to global public health. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） prevention and treatment of VP is guided by the core concept of strengthening vital energy and eliminating pathogenic factors rather than targeting specific pathogens， alongside a holistic approach of syndrome differentiation and treatment. By summarizing the clinical syndromes of patients， the core pathogenesis was clarified to achieve individualized therapy. Animal models for disease-syndrome combination integrate the etiology and pathogenesis of VP and simulate the individualized manifestations of patients at different disease stages， providing an experimental platform for elucidating the theoretical basis of TCM in treating VP and promoting the development of effective TCM formulations. However， there are limitations in the application and promotion of disease-syndrome combination animal models due to the lack of standardization and normalization of model construction systems， which arise from diverse species selection， compound modeling methods， and multidimensional evaluation indicators. This paper systematically reviewed the recent research on animal models for disease-syndrome combination in VP from the perspective of species selection， modeling methods， evaluation indicators， and application status. Furthermore， it summarized the advantages and limitations of existing models， identifies future directions for improvement， and proposes optimization strategies. This review provides a reference for establishing standardized and normalized animal models for disease-syndrome combinations in VP， supporting the theoretical modernization of TCM in preventing and controlling emerging respiratory infectious diseases， and contributing to the development of new TCM drugs.

ObjectiveTo construct an animal model of respiratory syncytial virus（RSV）-infected pneumonia suitable for preclinical studies. MethodsThe virulence of RSV to the four cell lines was observed by cytopathic effect （CPE）， and 50% tissue culture infective dose（TCID₅₀） was calculated. Twenty BALB/c mice were randomly divided into a normal group and a model group. Six BALB/c-hIGF1R mice served as the humanized IGF1R model group. Except for the normal group， the other groups received intranasal RSV infection on days 1 and 3 to establish a viral pneumonia model. The efficacy of establishing an RSV-induced pneumonia animal model based on humanized insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor （IGF1R） mice was evaluated by measuring organ indices， peripheral blood lymphocyte percentages， pulmonary pathology and imaging， and pulmonary viral load. Additionally， ten BALB/c mice served as normal group， and thirty-two BALB/c-hIGF1R mice were randomly assigned to humanized IGF1R model group， ribavirin group （82.5 mg·kg^-¹·d^-¹）， and high and low dose groups of Lianhua Qingwen （3.3 mg·kg^-¹·d^-¹ ， 1.65 mg·kg^-¹·d^-¹）， with 8 mice per group. The viral load in lung tissue was measured after ribavirin and Lianhua Qingwen intervention， and the model was applied to the evaluation of anti-RSV drugs. ResultsIn the lungs of the humanized IGF1R model group， large solid and diffuse ground-glass shadows were seen， and the lung volume was significantly increased （P<0.01）. The lung index was significantly increased （P<0.01）， and both the spleen index and thymus index were significantly decreased （P<0.01）. The percentages of CD3⁺ and CD4⁺T cells were significantly decreased （P<0.05）， and there was a large amount of inflammation and stasis in the perivascular area of the lung tissue， which was predominantly characterized by lymphocytes. The endothelium of blood vessels was partially detached， with a small number of eosinophils. After infecting BALB/c-hIGF1R mice with RSV， the expression of viral nucleic acids in the lung tissue of the mice was significantly increased， with significant differences compared with the normal group （P<0.01）. The expression of viral nucleic acids in the ribavirin group and the high and low dose groups of Lianhua Qingwen was significantly reduced， with significant differences compared with the normal group （P<0.01）. ConclusionHumanized IGF1R mice are more susceptible to respiratory SVC， and the animal model of RSV-infected pneumonia based on humanized IGF1R mice was successfully constructed， which is suitable for the evaluation of anti-RSV drugs.

ObjectiveTo explore the effects of the Tibetan medicine Sanwei Doukoutang （SWDK） on cognitive dysfunction in mice suffering from Alzheimer's disease （AD） and its related mechanism. MethodsFifty SPF 5 × FAD mice were randomly divided into model group， total ginsenoside group（0.04 g·kg^-1）， high-， medium-， and low-dose groups of SWDK （32.60， 16.30， 8.15 g·kg^-1）， with 10 mice in each group， and ten wild-type mice of the same age were used as the normal group， male and female in 1∶1. Gavage administration was performed once daily for 8 weeks. The Morris water maze test and contextual fear memory experiment were used to observe learning and memory function. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was utilized to observe the changes in the pathomorphology of brain tissue in mice. The levels of synaptophysin （SYP） and postsynaptic dense substance 95 （PSD95） in mice serum were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. The positive expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor（BDNF） in the dentate gyrus （DG） region of mouse brain tissue was observed by immunohistochemistry （IHC）. The protein levels of BDNF， Wnt family member 3A（Wnt3a）， and β-catenin were detected in the hippocampus of mice by Western blot. ResultsCompared with the normal group of mice， the model group of mice had significantly more complex swimming routes and lower swimming speed （P<0.01）， significantly lower percentage of time spent in the target quadrant （P<0.01）， and a significantly lower percentage of freezing time （P<0.05）. The number of neurons in the hippocampal region of mice was obviously reduced and unevenly arranged. The levels of SYP and PSD95（P<0.01） in the serum of mice were reduced， and the positive expression of BDNF in the DG region of the brain tissue of mice was reduced. The levels of hippocampal BDNF， Wnt3a， and β-catenin proteins in the hippocampus of mice were obviously reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the mice in the SWDK group and the total ginsenoside group had significantly shorter swimming routes， the high- and medium- dose SWDK groups significantly higher swimming speeds （P<0.01）， significantly higher percentage of time spent in the target quadrant （P<0.01）， obviously higher percentage of Freezing time （P<0.05）， and obviously more neurons in the hippocampal region of the mice with tighter arrangement. The mice had elevated levels of serum SYP （P<0.05， P<0.01）， PSD95 （P<0.01）， increased BDNF-positive cells in the DG region of brain tissue， and obviously elevated levels of BDNF， Wnt3a， and β-catenin proteins in the hippocampus of mice （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionSWDK can significantly improve the cognitive dysfunction of AD mice， and its mechanism may be related to regulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway， which promotes BDNF expression and thereby enhances synaptic plasticity， allowing neuronal signaling to be restored.

Currently， viral pneumonia （VP） presents a major challenge to global public health. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） prevention and treatment of VP is guided by the core concept of strengthening vital energy and eliminating pathogenic factors rather than targeting specific pathogens， alongside a holistic approach of syndrome differentiation and treatment. By summarizing the clinical syndromes of patients， the core pathogenesis was clarified to achieve individualized therapy. Animal models for disease-syndrome combination integrate the etiology and pathogenesis of VP and simulate the individualized manifestations of patients at different disease stages， providing an experimental platform for elucidating the theoretical basis of TCM in treating VP and promoting the development of effective TCM formulations. However， there are limitations in the application and promotion of disease-syndrome combination animal models due to the lack of standardization and normalization of model construction systems， which arise from diverse species selection， compound modeling methods， and multidimensional evaluation indicators. This paper systematically reviewed the recent research on animal models for disease-syndrome combination in VP from the perspective of species selection， modeling methods， evaluation indicators， and application status. Furthermore， it summarized the advantages and limitations of existing models， identifies future directions for improvement， and proposes optimization strategies. This review provides a reference for establishing standardized and normalized animal models for disease-syndrome combinations in VP， supporting the theoretical modernization of TCM in preventing and controlling emerging respiratory infectious diseases， and contributing to the development of new TCM drugs.

BACKGROUND: G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2) could participate in the regulation of diverse cells via interacting with non-G-protein-coupled receptors. In the present work, we explored how paroxetine, a GRK2 inhibitor, modulates the differentiation and activation of immune cells in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: The blood samples of healthy individuals and RA patients were collected between July 2021 and March 2022 from the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University. C57BL/6 mice were used to induce the collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model. Flow cytometry analysis was used to characterize the differentiation and function of dendritic cells (DCs)/T cells. Co-immunoprecipitation was used to explore the specific molecular mechanism. RESULTS: In patients with RA, high expression of GRK2 in peripheral blood lymphocytes, accompanied by the increases of phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (AKT), and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). In animal model, a decrease in regulatory T cells (T regs ), an increase in the cluster of differentiation 8 positive (CD8 + ) T cells, and maturation of DCs were observed. Paroxetine, when used in vitro and in CIA mice, restrained the maturation of DCs and the differentiation of CD8 + T cells, and induced the proportion of T regs . Paroxetine inhibited the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines, the expression of C-C motif chemokine receptor 7 in DCs and T cells. Simultaneously, paroxetine upregulated the expression of programmed death ligand 1, and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Additionally, paroxetine inhibited the PI3K-AKT-mTOR metabolic pathway in both DCs and T cells. This was associated with a reduction in mitochondrial membrane potential and changes in the utilization of glucose and lipids, particularly in DCs. Paroxetine reversed PI3K-AKT pathway activation induced by 740 Y-P (a PI3K agonist) through inhibiting the interaction between GRK2 and PI3K in DCs and T cells. CONCLUSION Paroxetine exerts an immunosuppressive effect by targeting GRK2, which subsequently inhibits the metabolism-related PI3K-AKT-mTOR pathway of DCs and T cells in RA.
G-Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase 2/metabolism* ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/immunology* ; Animals ; Dendritic Cells/metabolism* ; Paroxetine/therapeutic use* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; Mice ; Humans ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Male ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/metabolism* ; Lymphocyte Activation/drug effects* ; Female ; T-Lymphocytes/metabolism* ; Middle Aged

BACKGROUND: The available evidence regarding the benefits of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on patients receiving dialysis with coronary artery disease (CAD) is limited and inconsistent. This study aimed to evaluate the association between PCI and clinical outcomes as compared with medical therapy alone in patients undergoing dialysis with CAD in China. METHODS: This multicenter, retrospective study was conducted in 30 tertiary medical centers across 12 provinces in China from January 2015 to June 2021 to include patients on dialysis with CAD. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), defined as a composite of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and non-fatal stroke. Secondary outcomes included all-cause death, the individual components of MACE, and Bleeding Academic Research Consortium criteria types 2, 3, or 5 bleeding. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the association between PCI and outcomes. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) and propensity score matching (PSM) were performed to account for potential between-group differences. RESULTS: Of the 1146 patients on dialysis with significant CAD, 821 (71.6%) underwent PCI. After a median follow-up of 23.0 months, PCI was associated with a 43.0% significantly lower risk for MACE (33.9% [ n  = 278] vs . 43.7% [ n  = 142]; adjusted hazards ratio 0.57, 95% confidence interval 0.45-0.71), along with a slightly increased risk for bleeding outcomes that did not reach statistical significance (11.1% vs . 8.3%; adjusted hazards ratio 1.31, 95% confidence interval, 0.82-2.11). Furthermore, PCI was associated with a significant reduction in all-cause and cardiovascular mortalities. Subgroup analysis did not modify the association of PCI with patient outcomes. These primary findings were consistent across IPTW, PSM, and competing risk analyses. CONCLUSION This study indicated that PCI in patients on dialysis with CAD was significantly associated with lower MACE and mortality when comparing with those with medical therapy alone, albeit with a slightly increased risk for bleeding events that did not reach statistical significance.
Humans ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention/methods* ; Male ; Female ; Coronary Artery Disease/drug therapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Renal Dialysis/methods* ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; China ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Treatment Outcome

The vasculature plays a critical role in homeostasis and health as well as in the development and progression of a wide range of diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, metabolic diseases (and their complications), chronic inflammatory diseases, ophthalmic diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases. As such, the growth of the vasculature mediates normal development and physiology, as well as disease, when pathologically induced vessels are morphologically and functionally altered owing to an imbalance of angiogenesis-stimulating and angiogenesis-inhibiting factors. This review offers an overview of the angiogenic process and discusses recent findings that provide additional interesting nuances to this process, including the roles of intussusception and angiovasculogenesis, which may hold promise for future therapeutic interventions. In addition, we review the methodology, including those of in vitro and in vivo assays, which has helped build the vast amount of knowledge on angiogenesis available today and identify important remaining knowledge gaps that should be bridged through future research.
Animals ; Signal Transduction/physiology* ; Humans ; Neovascularization, Pathologic/physiopathology* ; Neovascularization, Physiologic/physiology* ; Models, Animal ; Angiogenesis