1.Animal Models of Functional Constipation: A Review
Youcheng HE ; Shijin LIN ; Fengru JIANG ; Sihan LI ; Xiao KE ; Wenrong WANG ; Jianye YUAN ; Minghan HUANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(11):196-209
Functional constipation (FC) is a clinically common functional bowel disorder characterized by a protracted course and associations with various chronic disorders and psychological abnormalities. Although not life-threatening, FC significantly impairs patients' quality of life. FC subtypes include slow-transit constipation (STC), defecatory disorder (DD), and normal-transit constipation (NTC). The pathological mechanisms underlying FC have not been fully elucidated, and overall clinical efficacy remains unsatisfactory. Animal models of FC serve as essential tools for the study of disease mechanisms and the development of novel therapeutics. This article systematically reviews the current state of research on the animal models of FC and identifies that rodents, particularly rats and mice, are the most commonly used species. Dogs and pigs are also employed in complex intervention studies due to their physiological similarities to humans, though their use is limited by housing challenges and ethical considerations. Induction methods vary across different FC subtypes. STC models are primarily established with chemical agents such as loperamide or compound diphenoxylate. DD modeling often involves low-fiber diets combined with methylene blue injection or rectal narrowing. NTC modeling mainly relies on low-fiber dietary interventions. In addition, disease-syndrome combination models based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) theory have been developed, encompassing excess patterns such as heat accumulation, cold accumulation, and Qi stagnation, as well as deficiency patterns including Qi deficiency, blood deficiency, Yin deficiency, and Yang deficiency. These are achieved through an approach of disease model + syndrome induction, enabling the integration of mechanisms from both Western and TCM perspectives. Models are evaluated from two aspects: disease and syndrome manifestations (e.g., colonic transit, secretory function, and TCM syndrome indicators such as mental state and body weight) and disease mechanisms (e.g., enteric nervous system, interstitial cells of Cajal, smooth muscle cells, gut microbiota, and metabolites). However, current research still faces challenges such as poor consistency in some models, non-specific interference in mechanism interpretation, insufficient studies on NTC, and lack of TCM tongue and pulse diagnosis in evaluation. Future efforts should focus on optimizing model stability and specificity to provide a more reliable experimental basis for investigating the pathological mechanisms of FC and developing therapeutic agents.
2.Expert recommendations on vision friendly built environments for myopia prevention and control in children and adolescents
Chinese Journal of School Health 2026;47(1):1-5
Abstract
The prevention and control of myopia in Chinese children and adolescents has become a major public health issue. While maintaining increased outdoor activity as a cornerstone intervention, there is an urgent need to explore new complementary approaches that can be effectively implemented in both indoor and outdoor settings. In recent years, environmental spatial frequency has gained increasing attention as one of the key environmental factors influencing the development and progression of myopia. Both animal studies and human research have confirmed that indoor environments lacking mid to high spatial frequency components, often characterized as "visually impoverished", can promote axial elongation and myopia through mechanisms such as disruption of retinal neural signaling, impaired accommodative function, and altered expression of related molecules. Based on the scientific consensus, it is recommended that "enriching of environmental spatial frequency" should be integrated into the myopia prevention and control framework. Following the principles of schoolled organization, family cooperation, community involvement, and student participation, specific measures are put forward in three areas:optimizing school visual settings, improving home spatial environments, and promoting healthy visual behavior. The aim is to create "visually friendly" indoor environments as an important supplement to outdoor activity, thereby providing a novel perspective and strategy for comprehensively advancing myopia prevention and control among children and adolescents.
3.Clinical Experience of Professor TU Jinwen in Staged Differentiating and Treating Cancer-Related Insomnia Based on the Qi and Fire
Cheng LUO ; Yuanhang YE ; Jia KE ; Yi YANG ; Cong HE ;
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(10):1044-1048
This paper summarizes professor TU Jinwen's clinical experience in treating cancer-related insomnia (CRI) based on different qi and fire. It is believed that the pathogenesis of CRI can be divided into three stages. At the initial stage, qi movement is constrained, while the strong fire begins to stir, and the sovereign fire is unsettled, when qi is abundant, but the fire is not excessive. For this, Sanhua Jieyu Anshen Decoction (三花解郁安神汤) is suggested, which can move qi and vent constraint, clear and diffuse strong fire, calm the heart and spirit. At the progressive stage, strong fire becomes intense and burning, and qi transformation weakens, with toxin fire harassing the spirit. This is the stage where both qi and fire are excessive, for which Huanglian Jiedu Anshen Decoction (黄连解毒安神汤) can be used to clear and dissipate strong fire, drain fire and resolve toxin, clear heart and calm spirit. At the terminal stage, strong fire subsides, and consumption of qi damages healthy qi, with failure of nourishment of heart spirit, when both qi and fire deplete. Correspondingly, Erren Yangxin Anshen Decoction (二仁养心安神汤) is used to boost qi and nourish yin, restore interaction between the heart and the kidney, nourish the heart and calm spirit.
4.The Diversity of Filamentous Morphologies and Magnetic Sensitivity Modulated by Diverse MagR Expression in Bacteria
Ya-Fei CHANG ; Jing ZHANG ; Peng ZHANG ; Xiu-Juan ZHOU ; Meng-Ke WEI ; Tian-Tian CAI ; Pei-Qi HE ; Jun-Feng WANG ; Can XIE
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(5):1439-1456
Objective Magnetoreception, the remarkable ability of diverse animals to sense and utilize the geomagnetic field for orientation and navigation, remains a molecularly unresolved mystery in sensory biology. The putative magnetoreceptor (MagR, previously known as IscA1) is a highly conserved iron-sulfur protein implicated in both magnetoreception and iron metabolism; however, the functional diversity among its cross-species homologs remains poorly understood. Cellular morphology is a key genetically determined trait that can be altered through genetic or environmental modifications—a process known as cell morphology engineering. Constructing engineered cells with specific morphological features and magnetic sensitivity to achieve remote, non-invasive magnetic modulation represents a crucial goal in this field with significant application potential. Therefore, this study aims to systematically investigate the effects of MagR heterologous expression on bacterial morphology and magnetic sensing capabilities, screen for MagR-based magnetically sensitive morphology engineering pathways, and reveal the underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods We systematically screened 28 MagR homologous genes from diverse prokaryotic and animal taxa to evaluate their expression and corresponding phenotypic effects in Escherichia coli (E. coli). To compare the differential magnetic responses among bacteria expressing various recombinant MagR proteins, we utilized high-throughput automated bright-field microscopic imaging and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Furthermore, comprehensive biochemical and biophysical characterizations of iron and iron-sulfur cluster binding were performed using Ferrozine colorimetric assays, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption, and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Additionally, 100 mT static magnetic field (SMF) exposure experiments were conducted to assess magnetically tunable phenotypes, while the intrinsic magnetic properties of purified MagR proteins were directly measured using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer. Results Our results demonstrated that the heterologous expression of MagR homologs induced varying degrees of bacterial filamentation. From this comprehensive screen, two distinct morphological patterns were identified: hydra (Hydra vulgaris) MagR (hyMagR) promoted uniform cell elongation and filamentation, exhibiting robust magnetic sensitivity manifested as significantly enhanced filamentation under the 100 mT SMF. In contrast, pigeon (Columba livia) MagR (clMagR) induced only low-frequency, extreme filamentation (sporadically exceeding 80 μm) with a relatively weaker magnetic morphological response. Mechanistically, our data unambiguously proved that these phenotypic differences are primarily driven by distinct iron redox preferences rather than total cellular iron accumulation. Specifically, hyMagR preferentially binds ferrous iron (Fe2+), whereas clMagR favors ferric iron (Fe3+) and forms more stable iron-sulfur clusters. Intriguingly, although SQUID magnetometry showed that purified clMagR exhibited approximately five-fold higher mass magnetic susceptibility than hyMagR, its cellular magnetic response was weaker. We hypothesize that the Fe2+-preferred intracellular environment associated with hyMagR overexpression primes the cell for enhanced generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) via the Fenton reaction. Exposure to an SMF synergizes with this primed redox state, triggering the bacterial SOS response and upregulating cell division inhibitors to efficiently induce uniform filamentation. Conclusion Our findings identify the Fe2+/Fe3+ redox state as a critical determinant of MagR-mediated morphological remodeling and magnetic responsiveness. This discovery suggests a potential strategy for engineering magnetically responsive cellular systems for synthetic biology applications, and provides a plausible framework, which potentially combines intrinsic protein magnetism with redox-state modulation, for further investigating the evolutionary mechanisms of MagR-mediated magnetoreception.
5.The Diversity of Filamentous Morphologies and Magnetic Sensitivity Modulated by Diverse MagR Expression in Bacteria
Ya-Fei CHANG ; Jing ZHANG ; Peng ZHANG ; Xiu-Juan ZHOU ; Meng-Ke WEI ; Tian-Tian CAI ; Pei-Qi HE ; Jun-Feng WANG ; Can XIE
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(5):1439-1456
Objective Magnetoreception, the remarkable ability of diverse animals to sense and utilize the geomagnetic field for orientation and navigation, remains a molecularly unresolved mystery in sensory biology. The putative magnetoreceptor (MagR, previously known as IscA1) is a highly conserved iron-sulfur protein implicated in both magnetoreception and iron metabolism; however, the functional diversity among its cross-species homologs remains poorly understood. Cellular morphology is a key genetically determined trait that can be altered through genetic or environmental modifications—a process known as cell morphology engineering. Constructing engineered cells with specific morphological features and magnetic sensitivity to achieve remote, non-invasive magnetic modulation represents a crucial goal in this field with significant application potential. Therefore, this study aims to systematically investigate the effects of MagR heterologous expression on bacterial morphology and magnetic sensing capabilities, screen for MagR-based magnetically sensitive morphology engineering pathways, and reveal the underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods We systematically screened 28 MagR homologous genes from diverse prokaryotic and animal taxa to evaluate their expression and corresponding phenotypic effects in Escherichia coli (E. coli). To compare the differential magnetic responses among bacteria expressing various recombinant MagR proteins, we utilized high-throughput automated bright-field microscopic imaging and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Furthermore, comprehensive biochemical and biophysical characterizations of iron and iron-sulfur cluster binding were performed using Ferrozine colorimetric assays, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption, and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Additionally, 100 mT static magnetic field (SMF) exposure experiments were conducted to assess magnetically tunable phenotypes, while the intrinsic magnetic properties of purified MagR proteins were directly measured using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer. Results Our results demonstrated that the heterologous expression of MagR homologs induced varying degrees of bacterial filamentation. From this comprehensive screen, two distinct morphological patterns were identified: hydra (Hydra vulgaris) MagR (hyMagR) promoted uniform cell elongation and filamentation, exhibiting robust magnetic sensitivity manifested as significantly enhanced filamentation under the 100 mT SMF. In contrast, pigeon (Columba livia) MagR (clMagR) induced only low-frequency, extreme filamentation (sporadically exceeding 80 μm) with a relatively weaker magnetic morphological response. Mechanistically, our data unambiguously proved that these phenotypic differences are primarily driven by distinct iron redox preferences rather than total cellular iron accumulation. Specifically, hyMagR preferentially binds ferrous iron (Fe2+), whereas clMagR favors ferric iron (Fe3+) and forms more stable iron-sulfur clusters. Intriguingly, although SQUID magnetometry showed that purified clMagR exhibited approximately five-fold higher mass magnetic susceptibility than hyMagR, its cellular magnetic response was weaker. We hypothesize that the Fe2+-preferred intracellular environment associated with hyMagR overexpression primes the cell for enhanced generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) via the Fenton reaction. Exposure to an SMF synergizes with this primed redox state, triggering the bacterial SOS response and upregulating cell division inhibitors to efficiently induce uniform filamentation. Conclusion Our findings identify the Fe2+/Fe3+ redox state as a critical determinant of MagR-mediated morphological remodeling and magnetic responsiveness. This discovery suggests a potential strategy for engineering magnetically responsive cellular systems for synthetic biology applications, and provides a plausible framework, which potentially combines intrinsic protein magnetism with redox-state modulation, for further investigating the evolutionary mechanisms of MagR-mediated magnetoreception.
6.Sex Disparities in Breast Cancer Survival According to Clinical Treatment Score Post-5 Years (CTS5) Risk Stratification
Ke LIU ; Zhen-Zhen LU ; Zhen-Yu HE ; San-Gang WU
Cancer Research and Treatment 2026;58(2):525-533
Purpose:
The role of the Clinical Treatment Score post-5 years (CTS5) in male breast cancer (MBC) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the characteristics and prognosis of CTS5 between MBC and female breast cancer (FBC).
Materials and Methods:
Patients diagnosed with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2–negative/estrogen receptor–positive breast cancer between 2010 and 2015 were identified from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. The chi-square test, Kaplan-Meier analysis, and multivariate Cox proportional hazard model were used for statistical analysis.
Results:
This study included 169,869 patients, comprising 168,422 (99.1%) FBC and 1,447 (0.9%) MBC patients. More MBC patients had intermediate risk (IR)/high risk (HR) disease compared to FBC patients (17.7% vs. 8.7%, p < 0.001). MBC patients had an inferior overall survival (OS) but similar breast cancer-specific survival compared to those with FBC. Sensitivity analyses showed that sex was an independent prognostic factor associated with OS but not breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) in both the low-risk (LR) and IR/HR cohorts. Those with MBC exhibited significantly worse OS (p < 0.001) than FBC patients in both cohorts. In MBC patients, those with IR/HR disease had significantly worse OS (p < 0.001) and BCSS (p < 0.001) compared to those with LR disease. For FBC patients, the IR/HR group had also significantly worse OS (p < 0.001) and BCSS (p < 0.001) compared to the LR group.
Conclusion
Our findings highlight critical differences in clinical characteristics, treatment patterns, and outcomes between MBC and FBC, suggesting the need for sex-tailored approaches in breast cancer management.
7.Expert recommendations on artificial intelligence assisted myopia prevention and control in children and adolescents
PAN Chenwei, LI Danlin, LIANG Gang, HE Xiangui, LIU Hu, HU Ke, GUO Lan, WU Xiaoyan, TAO Fangbiao, Vision Health Branch of Chinese Association for Student Nutrition & ; Health Promotion
Chinese Journal of School Health 2026;47(8):1065-1068
Abstract
The prevention and control of myopia in children and adolescents has become a national health strategy in China, and its prevention and management are transitioning from experience driven approaches to precise and intelligent strategies. Understanding the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in myopia prevention and control can provide a foundation for a comprehensive myopia prevention and control system. AI, with its powerful capabilities in data analysis and pattern recognition, shows significant potential in myopia risk prediction, screening and diagnosis, intervention support and behavior monitoring in children and adolescents. The article systematically summarizes the scientific evidence and consensus on the application of AI for myopia prevention and control in children and adolescents. From the perspective of public health practice, it proposes hierarchical expert recommendations for multiple scenarios including schools, families, communities and medical institutions, as well as policy and research with development. Furthermore, it discusses current challenges and future directions, aiming to provide a reference for building an intelligent, precise and fully covered comprehensive myopia prevention and control system in children and adolescents.
8.Electroacupuncture at the Governor Vessel / Jiaji Acupoints Can Activate Lumbar Spinal Cord Neurons to Improve the Motor Function of the Hind Limbs in Rats with Spinal Cord Injury
Yidong LIAO ; Minghan KE ; Miao TIAN ; Beining LI ; Guanheng HE ; Biqin LAI ; Yuanshan ZENG ; Ying DING
Journal of Sun Yat-sen University(Medical Sciences) 2026;47(4):644-655
ObjectiveTo explore the effects of electroacupuncture at governor vessel or Jiaji acupoints on the activation of lumbar spinal cord neurons and the recovery of motor function in paralyzed hind limbs in rats with complete transection of spinal cord injury. MethodsTwenty adult female SD rats were selected. Among them, 15 rats underwent the complete transection of the 10th thoracic spinal cord and were randomly divided into the Control group, the electroacupuncture at governor vessel acupoints (GV) group and the electroacupuncture at Jiaji acupoints (JJ) group, with 5 rats in each group. The other 5 rats served as the Normal group. Electroacupuncture treatment was initiated 3 days after surgery in the GV and JJ groups and performed every other day. Basso-Beatti-Bresnahan (BBB) behavioral score was evaluated weekly. Eight weeks after the operation, cortical motor evoked potential (CMEP) detection was performed, followed by perfusion fixation, tissue harvest, frozen sectioning, and immunofluorescence staining experiments. Results① Both electroacupuncture treatments activated the expression of the excitatory marker c-Fos in L1 spinal cord neurons. The c-Fos+ activated neurons were mainly distributed in lamina Ⅳ, Ⅴ and Ⅶ of the L1 spinal cord, while no c-Fos+ neuron was observed in the Normal group and the Control group. The percentages of c-Fos+ neurons activated by electroacupuncture in the GV group and the JJ group were (10.23±0.15) % and (10.77±1.12) %, respectively, and there was no significant difference between the two electroacupuncture groups. ② vGluT1+ proprioceptive afferent nerve fibers were mainly distributed in the dorsal horn and lamina Ⅶ of intermediate zone of L1 spinal cord gray matter. In the dorsal horn of L1 spinal cord, the relative fluorescence intensity of vGluT1+ nerve fibers in the GV group and the JJ group were greater than that in the Control group, and that in the JJ group was greater than that in the GV group. In the lamina Ⅶ in intermediate zone of L1 spinal cord, where the central pattern generator (CPG) for hindlimb rhythmic movement is located, the relative fluorescence intensity of vGluT1+ nerve fibers in the GV group and the JJ group were significantly higher than that in the Control group, and the JJ group was also higher than the GV group; The lamina Ⅶ neurons innervated by vGluT1+ axon terminals were activated to express the excitatory marker c-Fos in the GV group and the JJ group. ③ The immunofluorescence staining results of acetylcholinesterase (ChAT) in the ventral horn of L4 spinal cord of each group showed that the number of surviving ChAT+ motor neurons in the GV group (19.1±3.4, P=0.000 2) and JJ group (19.0±2.9, P=0.000 2) were higher than that in the Control group (9.9±1.9). ④ The quantitative analysis of the vGluT2+ excitatory axonal terminals, vGAT+ inhibitory axonal terminals, and the ratio of vGluT2+/vGAT+ axonal terminals [reflecting the excitation/inhibition (E/I) balance of motor neurons] innervating ChAT+ motor neurons in the ventral horn of the L4 spinal cord revealed that all three indices were significantly higher in the GV and JJ groups than in the Control group. Moreover, the E/I ratio of motor neurons in the two electroacupuncture groups gradually reached the same level as normal and showed no statistical difference from the Normal group. ⑤ The electrophysiological and behavioral detection results showed that compared with the Control group, the latencies of CMEP in the GV group and the JJ group shortened, while their amplitudes increased. The BBB score of paralyzed hindlimbs showed that after 8 weeks of treatment, the scores of both the GV group (4.25±1.26, P=0.023 4) and the JJ group (4.75±0.96, P=0.000 2) were higher than those of the Control group (1.80±1.30), but there was no statistical difference between the two electroacupuncture groups. ConclusionElectroacupuncture at GV or JJ acupoints may promote the afferent of vGluT1+ proprioceptive nerve fibers into the spinal cord, indicating the possibility to activate CPG neurons in lamina Ⅶ of L1 spinal cord; facilitate the survival of motor neurons in the L4 spinal cord and restore their excitatory/inhibitory balance, improving the motor function of the paralyzed hindlimbs in rats.
9.Protective effect and mechanism of trophoblast-derived mesenchymal stem cells against liver injury in a mouse model of autoimmune hepatitis
Long XU ; Wanwan SHI ; Jiandan QIAN ; Shiyun KE ; Yusheng HE ; Xiaofang WANG ; Guiqiang WANG
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2026;42(9):2116-2125
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of trophoblast-derived mesenchymal stem cell (T-MSC) on concanavalin A (Con A)-induced immune-mediated liver injury in mice, as well as its association with the changes in inflammatory response. MethodsMorphological assessment, flow cytometry, and tri-lineage differentiation assay were used to observe the biological characteristics of T-MSC. In the pilot experiment, mice were divided into PBS group, T-MSC monotherapy group, and Con A groups at a concentration of 10, 15, or 20 mg/kg to evaluate the safety of T-MSC monotherapy on liver function and determine the appropriate dose for modeling. In the formal experiment, mice were divided into healthy control group (HC group), Con A group, and Con A+T-MSC group, with 5 mice in each group. The mice were given injection of Con A (15 mg/kg) via the caudal vein to establish a mouse model of immune-mediated liver injury, while the mice in the T-MSC monotherapy group were given transfusion of 1×106 T-MSCs via the caudal vein at 3 hours after modeling, and samples were collected 12 hours later. The serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were measured; liver histopathological changes were observed, and Ishak inflammatory activity score and inflammatory necrosis area were assessed; the serum levels of inflammatory cytokines were measured; transcriptome sequencing, immunofluorescence assay, and Western blot were used to measure the changes in inflammation-related molecules in liver tissue. The Shapiro-Wilk test was used to assess the normality of continuous data, and the homogeneity of variance test was also performed; a one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of normally distributed data with homogeneity of variance between multiple groups, and the Tukey’s post-hoc test was used for further comparison between two groups; the Kruskal-Wallis H test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed data with heterogeneity of variance between multiple groups, and the Wilcoxon test was used for further comparison between two groups. ResultsT-MSC had a long spindle shape, showed the characteristics of fibroblast-like morphology and adherent growth, and possessed the osteogenic, chondrogenic, and adipogenic differentiation abilities. Flow cytometry showed high expression levels of CD90, CD105, and CD73 in T-MSC, with a positive rate of 96.8%, 99.0%, and 99.9%, respectively, while there was low or no expression of CD31, human leukocyte antigen DR, CD45, and CD34, with a positive rate of 0.120%, 0, 0.061%, and 0, respectively. Administration of T-MSC alone did not cause obvious abnormalities in ALT, AST, or LDH. Con A at the concentrations of 10, 15, and 20 mg/kg all increased the serum levels of biochemical parameters for liver injury in a dose-dependent manner, with mortality observed in the 20 mg/kg group. In the formal experiment, compared with the HC group, the Con A group had significant increases in the serum levels of ALT, AST, and LDH (P<0.01), and after T-MSC treatment, there were significant reductions in these markers compared with the Con A group (P<0.01). HE staining showed that the Con A group had disordered structure of the liver, accompanied by marked inflammatory cell infiltration and focal/patchy necrosis, and these pathological changes were alleviated after T-MSC treatment. Compared with the HC group, the Con A group had significant increases in Ishak score and the percentage of inflammatory necrosis area (P<0.001), while there were significant reductions in these indicators after T-MSC treatment compared with the Con A group (P<0.01). ELISA showed that compared with the HC group, the Con A group had significant increases in the serum levels of interleukin-21 (IL-21), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-2 (IL-2), interleukin-17A (IL-17A), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) (P<0.05), and there were significant reductions in these markers after T-MSC treatment compared with the Con A group (P<0.05), with no significant differences in IL-21, IL-1β, IL-17A, and TNF-α compared with the HC group (P>0.05); although there was a significant reduction in the level of IL-2, the Con A+T-MSC group still had a significantly higher level of IL-2 than the HC group (P=0.001). In contrast, compared with the HC group, the Con A group had a significant increase in IL-10 (P<0.05), with a further increase after T-MSC treatment (P<0.05). The transcriptome analysis showed that T-MSC treatment downregulated the expression of the inflammation- and chemokine-related genes including Ccl2, Cxcl10, Il-21, and Il-6 and inhibited the inflammation-related pathways such as TNF, IL-17, nuclear factor-κB, and JAK-STAT. Immunofluorescence assay showed that compared with the HC group, the Con A group had a significant increase in the expression of IL-21 in the liver (P<0.001), and there was a significant reduction in IL-21 after T-MSC treatment compared with the Con A group (P<0.001); the results of Western blot showed the same trend. ConclusionT-MSC can alleviate Con A-induced immune-mediated liver injury in mice, as evidenced by the improvement in liver biochemical parameters, the alleviation of histopathological damage, and the overall downregulation of inflammation-related molecules. T-MSC exerts marked anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects in this model, and IL-21 shows a significant change in inflammatory response and can be used as a candidate molecule for further investigation.
10.Effects of Electroacupuncture at "Fengchi" (GB 20), "Waiguan" (TE 5), and "Yanglingquan" (GB 34) on Nociceptive Sensitization and PKC/TRPV1 Pathway in the Trigeminal Ganglion of Chronic Migraine Model Rats
Yixiang ZENG ; Runze TU ; Shucong ZHAO ; Yang YANG ; Haojia WEN ; Zhuozhong HE ; Shengli ZHOU ; Lei TAN ; Ke HE ; Lei FU
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(3):283-289
ObjectiveTo explore the possible mechanisms of electroacupuncture at Fengchi (GB 20), Waiguan (TE 5), and Yanglingquan (GB 34) in treating chronic migraine from the perspective of nociceptive sensitization. MethodsForty SPF-grade SD rats were randomly divided into blank group, model group, electroacupuncture group, electroacupuncture + agonist group, and inhibitor group, with 8 rats in each group. Except for the blank group, rats were injected intraperitoneally with nitroglycerin to establish a chronic migraine rat model. After successful modeling, the electroacupuncture group received electroacupuncture at bilateral "Fengchi" (GB 20), "Waiguan" (TE 5), and "Yanglingquan" (GB 34) for 30 minutes each session. The electroacupuncture + agonist group received the same electroacupuncture treatment and additional injection of protein kinase C (PKC) agonist Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (1.0 ng/μl, 25 μl) via the infraorbital foramen. The inhibitor group received PKC inhibitor Chelerythrine Chloride (1.0 ng/μl, 10 μl) via the infraorbital foramen. The blank group, model group, and inhibitor group underwent restraint for 30 minutes without other interventions. All groups were continuously intervened for 5 days. After the intervention, the nociceptive thresholds (mechanical and thermal pain) of the periorbital area and hind paw were measured. The expression levels of transient receptor potential vanillic acid subtype 1 (TRPV1), phosphorylated TRPV1 (p-TRPV1), PKC proteins, Trpv1, Pkc mRNA, and the average fluorescence intensity of transient receptor potential vanillic acid subtype 1 (TRPV1) and PKC in the trigeminal ganglion were detected using Western Blot, real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR, and immunofluorescence methods. ResultsCompared with the blank group, the mechanical and thermal pain thresholds of the periorbital area and hind paw were reduced in the model group, and the protein levels of TRPV1, PKC, p-TRPV1, as well as the mRNA expression of Trpv1 and Pkc, and the average fluorescence intensity of TRPV1 and PKC in the trigeminal ganglion significantly increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the electroacupuncture group exhibited increased mechanical and thermal pain thresholds in the periorbital and hind paw areas, and decreased protein levels of TRPV1, PKC, p-TRPV1, mRNA expression of Trpv1 and Pkc, and average fluorescence intensity of TRPV1. In the electroacupuncture + agonist group, the average fluorescence intensity of TRPV1 in the trigeminal ganglion decreased. The inhibitor group exhibited increased mechanical pain thresholds in the periorbital area and thermal pain thresholds in the hind paw, along with decreased protein levels of TRPV1, PKC, p-TRPV1, and the average fluorescence intensity of TRPV1 and PKC (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with the electroacupuncture group, the electroacupuncture + agonist group showed an increase in the protein levels of TRPV1, PKC, p-TRPV1, and the mRNA expression of Trpv1 (P<0.05 or P<0.01). ConclusionElectroacupuncture at the "Fengchi" (GB 20), "Waiguan" (TE 5), and "Yanglingquan" (GB 34) acupoints can increase the mechanical and thermal pain thresholds in chronic migraine rats and alleviate nociceptive sensitization. The mechanism may be related to the inhibition of PKC/TRPV1 pathway.


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