ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism by which Shenqi Yiliu prescription reverses cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer cells by regulating the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt）/mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR） signaling pathway-mediated glycolysis. MethodsThe human ovarian cancer A2780 cell line was intervened with progressively increasing doses of cisplatin （1 g·L^-1） to establish the cisplatin-resistant cell line A2780cisR， and the cell sensitivity to cisplatin was examined by the cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay. High， medium， and low （39.9， 19.95， 9.98 g·kg^-1） doses of Shenqi Yiliu prescription-containing sera were used to treat A2780cisR cells for 48 h. Glucose consumption and lactate production were measured by the cuvette assay. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was employed to determine the activities of glucose transporter （GLUT）， phosphofructokinase （PFK）， and pyruvate kinase （PK）. Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling （TUNEL） staining was used to detect apoptosis. Western blot was employed to quantify the protein levels of phosphorylated （p）-PI3K， p-Akt， p-mTOR， hexokinase 2 （HK2）， pyruvate kinase M2 （PKM2）， B-cell lymphoblastoma-2 （Bcl-2）， Bcl-2-associated X-protein （Bax）， and B-lymphoblastoma-2 gene-related promoter （Bad）. Real-time PCR was conducted to determine the mRNA levels of HK2， PKM2， Bax， Bcl-2， and Bad. ResultsThe median inhibitory concentration （IC₅₀） of cisplatin on A2780cisR cells was nearly 3 times that on A2780P cells. Compared with A2780P cells， A2780cisR cells showed increased glucose consumption， lactate production， GLUT， PFK， and PK activities， and mRNA and protein levels of p-PI3K， Akt， p-mTOR， HK2， PKM2， Bax （P<0.05）， and decreased apoptosis rate and Bcl-2 expression （P<0.05）. Compared with A2780cisR cells， medium- and high-dose Shenqi Yiliu prescription reduced the glucose consumption， lactate production， GLUT， PFK， and PK activities， and mRNA and protein levels of p-PI3K， Akt， p-mTOR， HK2， PKM2， Bax， and Bad （P<0.05）， while increasing the apoptosis rate and Bcl-2 expression （P<0.05）. ConclusionShenqi Yiliu prescription can inhibit glycolysis mediated by the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway to promote apoptosis， thereby reversing cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer cells.

Osteoporosis is a systemic disease, and epidemiological projections indicate that by 2050, approximately 23.43% of the Chinese population over 50 years of age will be affected. Given the poor prognosis associated with osteoporosis, the exploration of safe and effective natural products is of considerable significance. Studies investigating the chemical constituents of traditional Chinese medicine in cellular and/or animal models have demonstrated bone-protective effects. Although most of these compounds lack clinical data, they hold considerable potential as lead candidates for drug development. In-depth study of the structure-activity relationship of these natural products not only contributes to elucidating the mechanisms of action but also provides a theoretical basis for the development of novel antiosteoporosis therapies. This review summarizes natural products with potential antiosteoporotic effects reported between 2020 and 2024. Overall, plant-derived natural compounds exhibit antiosteoporotic effects by regulating bone remodeling, inflammation, and oxidative stress, highlighting their promise as multitarget therapeutic candidates.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic etiology of a Chinese pedigree affected with Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD). METHODS: A child who presented at the ENT Department of Zhengzhou University Children's Hospital in March 2024 due to secretory otitis media, chronic sinusitis, adenoid hypertrophy, dextrocardia, and bronchiectasis was selected as study subject. Relevant clinical data were collected. Peripheral blood samples from the child and her family members were collected. Following DNA extraction, whole exome sequencing was carried out. Candidate variants were validated by Sanger sequencing, and the correlation between the variants and phenotype was analyzed. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Hospital (Ethics No.: 2024-K-135). RESULTS: The child and her elder siblings exhibited similar clinical manifestations including recurrent cough, secretory otitis media, chronic sinusitis, tracheobronchitis, and pneumonia. The child also presented with bronchiectasis and visceral situs inversus. Genetic testing results indicated that the child and her elder siblings had all harbored compound heterozygous variants of the DNAH11 gene, namely c.3000 1G>A and c.5775C>G (p.Tyr1925*), which were respectively inherited from their phenotypically normal parents. Both variants can affect mRNA splicing and protein translation integrity. Based on the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics, both variants were classified as likely pathogenic. It was predicted that they may jointly lead to a functional defect in axonemal dynein, resulting in the phenotype of PCD, conforming to an autosomal recessive inheritance. CONCLUSION The compound heterozygous variants c.3000 1G>A and c.5775C>G (p.Tyr1925*) of the DNAH11 gene probably underlay the pathogenesis of PCD in this pedigree. The same variant in different individuals may lead to different clinical phenotypes, which has reflected significant heterogeneity in genetic background and clinical phenotype. Above findings have enriched the mutational spectrum of PCD gene and have important implications for the accurate diagnosis, treatment, prognosis, and genetic counseling.
Humans ; Pedigree ; Female ; Axonemal Dyneins/genetics* ; Male ; Child ; Asian People/genetics* ; Kartagener Syndrome/genetics* ; Mutation ; Phenotype ; China ; Adult ; East Asian People

Objective This study was to investigate the effects of Ginseng Astragalus Tumor Suppressor Formula combined with cisplatin on relevant immune genes and immune functions in mice modeled with hepatocellular carcinoma based on bioinformatics research.Methods Gene expression profiles and clinical data of hepatocellular carcinoma patients were downloaded from TCGA and GEO databases and screened for immune-expressed genes by taking intersections with immune-related genes downloaded from ImmPort database.Immune-related gene pair coefficients(IRGPI)were calculated to construct IRGP prognostic models.The optimal cut-off value of IRGPI for 1-year overall survival of hepatocellular carcinoma patients was determined based on ROC curve analysis,and hepatocellular carcinoma patients were divided into high and low immune risk groups,and the survival status of patients in the two groups was analyzed using the Kaplan-Meier method and the Log-Rank test.Then,we screened the active ingredients and gene targets of Ginseng Astragali Tumor Suppressor Formula for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma by network pharmacology,and obtained the intersection genes between Ginseng Astragali Tumor Suppressor Formula and disease,and then extracted the intersection of hepatocellular carcinoma-related immune genes and the intersection genes between Ginseng Astragali Tumor Suppressor Formula and disease through the"VennDiagram"software,and verified it through the animal model.The effects of Astragalus tumor-suppressing formula combined with cisplatin on the immunity genes and immune functions in the tumor tissues of mice with hepatocellular carcinoma were verified in animal models.Results Among 2483 relevant immune genes,84 pairs of immune-related genes were significantly associated with OS in the experimental group(P<0.001),and among the patients categorized into high and low immune risk groups by cut-off value-0.258,the overall survival rate of the high immune risk group was significantly lower than that of the low immune risk group(P<0.001).Univariate Cox analysis showed that IRGP model risk values and clinical characteristics of tumor T-staging had an impact on prognosis.Multifactorial Cox analysis showed that IRGP model risk value and tumor T-stage could be used as independent prognostic factors.266 genes intersecting with hepatocellular carcinoma were screened by network pharmacology technique for Ginseng Astragalus Tumor Suppressor Formula,and further 8 genes were obtained by taking the intersection with 84 pairs of immune-related genes.The experimental results showed that compared with the model group,the tumor mass of mice in each treatment group decreased(P<0.05);the spleen index and thymus index of mice increased(P<0.05);the CD4+/CD8+ratio in serum and spleen tissues of mice decreased;ICAM1,FABP5,IGF2,CDK4,NR1,ADRB2,AR,NR3C2 in tumor tissue of mice mRNA expression were all decreased(P<0.05),and the therapeutic effect of the combined group was significant(P<0.01).Conclusion This study predicted the key immune genes related to hepatocellular carcinoma as well as the prognostic analysis of immune-related genes,and the experimental study verified that Ginseng and Astragalus Tumor Suppressor Formula could effectively reduce the expression of related immune genes in tumor tissues,and improve the proportion of related immune cells in the splenic tissues of mice with hepatocellular carcinoma model as well as improve the immune function of mice.

Objective:To investigate the relationship between the expression levels of serum microRNA(miR-138-5p)and long non-coding RNA(LncRNA)NEAT1 in patients with colorectal cancer(CRC)and clinical pathological features and prognosis.Methods:Totally 163 CRC patients admitted to our hospital from May 2019 to August 2021 were used as the CRC group,and were assigned into a survival group(n=104)and a death group(n=47)based on 3-year prognosis.Another 175 patients with benign colorectal lesions were as the control group.Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR was used to measure serum miR-138-5p and LncRNA NEAT1.K-M curve was used to analyze the relationship between serum miR-138-5p and LncRNA NEAT1 expression and prognosis of CRC.Multivariate Cox re-gression was used to analyze the influencing factors of prognosis of CRC.ROC was used to analyze the predictive value of serum miR-138-5p and LncRNA NEAT1 for prognosis of CRC.Results:Compared with the control group,the serum miR-138-5p in the CRC group was lower(t=12.802,P<0.05),and the LncRNA NEAT1 was higher(t=13.752,P<0.05).The serum miR-138-5p was related to the differentiation degree,T stage,and N stage of CRC patients(χ2=4.780,6.557,8499,P<0.05);and the serum LncRNA NEAT1 was associated with T stage and N stage in CRC patients(χ2=8.352,9.642,P<0.05).There were obvious differences between the survival group and the death group in T stage and N stage(χ2=6.801,7.580,P<0.05),and the serum miR-138-5p in the survival group was lower than that in the death group(t=8.290,P<0.05),while the serum LncRNA NEAT1 was higher than that in the death group(t=10.008,P<0.05).K-M curve showed that patients with high miR-138-5p expression had a higher 3-year survival rate than those with low miR-138-5p expression(Log Rank χ2=6.661,P=0.010);and the 3-year survival rate of patients with high ex-pression of LncRNA NEAT1 was lower than that of patients with low expression of LncRNA NEAT1(Log Rank χ2=10.620,P=0.001).Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that T stage(HR=3.516),N stage(HR=2.983),serum miR-138-5p(HR=0.927),and LncRNA NEAT1(HR=1.659)were all factors affecting the prognosis of CRC(P<0.05).ROC results showed that the AUC for predicting poor prognosis in CRC by combining serum miR-138-5p and LncRNA NEAT1 was 0.716,which was obviously higher than that predicted by miR-138-5p(Z=3.173,P=0.002)and LncRNA NEAT1(Z=3.253,P=0.001)alone.Conclusion:Serum miR-138-5p is lower and LncRNA NEAT1 is higher in CRC pa-tients.Moreover,the levels of both are closely related to the clinical pathological features and prognosis.

Erector spinae plane block(ESPB)is a fascia plane block technique that involves injecting local anesthetics between the erector spinae muscle and the transverse processes of the spine.It blocks the posterior branches of the spinal nerves to provide perioperative analgesia for spinal surgeries.In recent years,ESPB has been increasingly widely used in spinal surgery analgesia due to its relatively simple operation,high safety and significant clinical benefits.However,its mechanism of action and the best application strategy still need to be further explored.This article systematically reviews the anatomical basis,mechanism of action,op-eration methods,drug selection,analgesic effect in various spinal surgeries,comparative advantages with other commonly used analgesic methods,and potential complications of ESPB,aiming to provide a reference for the clinical application of ESPB.

AIM:To investigate the immunosuppressive effects of M2-like tumor-associated macrophages(M2-TAMs)on CD8+T cells within the tumor microenvironment of esophageal cancer.METHODS:Multiplex fluores-cence immunohistochemistry was used to analyze the distribution of immune cells in esophageal cancer tissues.An in vitro co-culture system was established,and flow cytometry along with Calcein-AM/PI staining was employed to assess the im-pact of M2-TAMs on CD8+T cell function.The GEPIA database was utilized to evaluate the prognostic significance of PDCD1 expression in esophageal cancer patients and to analyze the correlations between gene expressions.Immunohisto-chemistry(IHC)was performed to detect the expression of TGF-β1 in esophageal cancer tissues.Flow cytometry and en-zyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)were used to measure PD-1,IFN-γ and TNF-α expression in CD8+T cells fol-lowing treatment with a TGF-β1 inhibitor.RESULTS:Compared with early-stage(stage I)esophageal cancer patients,the patients with advanced disease(stages Ⅱ to Ⅳ)exhibited dynamic changes in the infiltration of CD4+T cells,CD8+T cells,Tregs,and M2-TAMs within tumor tissues,with significant correlations observed among these cell populations(P<0.05).The distribution of M2-TAMs and Tregs was positively correlated with poor prognosis(P<0.05),while that of CD8+T cells was negatively correlated(P<0.05).In contrast,CD4+T cell infiltration showed no significant association with clinical outcomes(P>0.05).Co-culture of CD8+T cells with M2-TAMs resulted in significant downregulation of CD107a,granzyme B,IFN-γ and TNF-α expression(P<0.01).Additionally,M2-TAM-treated CD8+T cells co-cultured with esophageal cancer cells led to reduced apoptosis of cancer cells.High expression of PDCD1 was significantly associated with poor prognosis(P<0.05),and significant correlations were observed between CD8A and PDCD1 expression,as well as between TGF-β1 and CD274 gene expression(P<0.01).TGF-β1 was also significantly associated with CD163+macro-phage infiltration and the progression of esophageal cancer(P<0.05).Treatment with a TGF-β1 inhibitor in the M2-TAM and CD8+T cell co-culture system significantly down-regulated PD-1 expression and increased the secretion of IFN-γ and TNF-α(P<0.01).CONCLUSION:The TGF-β1 derived from M2-TAMs inhibits the antitumor activity of CD8+T cells in the esophageal cancer microenvironment,suggesting potential therapeutic targets for overcoming immunosuppression in esophageal cancer.

OBJECTIVES: To characterize fine particulate matter (PM _2.5)-bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) emitted from different cooking fumes and their exposure routes and assess their health-associated impact to provide a reference for health risk prevention from PAH exposure across different age and sex groups. METHODS: Sixteen PM _2.5-bound PAHs emitted from 11 cooking styles were analyzed using GC-MS/MS. The health hazards of these PAHs in the Handan City population (stratified by age and sex) were predicted using the incremental lifetime cancer risk ( ILCR) model. The respiratory deposition doses ( RDDs) of the PAHs in children and adults were calculated using the PM _2.5 deposition rates in the upper airway, tracheobronchial, and alveolar regions. RESULTS: The total concentrations of PM _2.5-bound PAHs ranged from 61.10 to 403.80 ng/m ³. Regardless of cooking styles, the ILCR _total values for adults (1.23 × 10 ^-6 to 3.70 × 10 ^-6) and older adults (1.28 × 10 ^-6 to 3.88 × 10 ^-6) exceeded the acceptable limit of 1.00 × 10 ^-6. With increasing age, the ILCR _total value first declined and then increased, varying substantially among the population groups. Cancer risk exhibited particularly high sensitivity to short exposure to barbecue-derived PAHs under equivalent body weights. Furthermore, barbecue, Sichuan and Hunan cuisine, Chinese cuisine, and Chinese fast food were associated with higher RDDs for both adults and children. CONCLUSION ILCR _total values exceeded the acceptable limit for both females and males of adults, with all cooking styles showing a potentially high cancer risk. Our findings serve as an important reference for refining regulatory strategies related to catering emissions and mitigating health risks associated with cooking styles.
Humans ; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons/analysis* ; Cooking/methods* ; Male ; Female ; Particulate Matter/analysis* ; Adult ; Child ; Middle Aged ; Air Pollutants/analysis* ; Adolescent ; Air Pollution, Indoor/analysis* ; Young Adult ; Child, Preschool ; Aged ; China ; Inhalation Exposure ; Age Factors ; Sex Factors ; Cities ; Infant

This study explored the drying kinetics of Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma(SM), established the suitable models simulating the drying kinetics, and then analyzed the dynamic changes of active components during the drying processes with different methods, aiming to provide a basis for the establishment of suitable drying methods and the quality control of SM. The drying kinetics were studied based on the drying curve, drying rate, moisture effective diffusion coefficient, and drying activation energy, and the appropriate drying kinetics model of SM was established. The drying performance of different methods, such as hot air drying, infrared drying, and microwave drying of SM was evaluated, and the changes in the content of 10 salvianolic acids and 6 tanshinones during drying were analyzed by UPLC-TQ-MS. The Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution(TOPSIS) was employed to evaluate the quality of SM dried with different methods. The results showed that the drying rate and moisture effective diffusion coefficient of SM increased with the rise in drying temperature, and the maximum drying rates of different methods were in the order of microwave drying > infrared drying > hot air drying, slice > whole root. The drying rate decreased with the rise in temperature and the extension of drying time. The activation energy of hot air drying was higher than that of infrared drying in SM. The most suitable model for simulating the drying process of SM was the Page model. The TOPSIS results suggested infrared drying at 50 ℃ was the optimal drying method for SM. During the drying process, the content of salvianolic acids increased in different degrees with the loss of moisture, among which salvianolic acid B showed the largest increase of 44 times compared with that in the fresh medicinal material. Tanshinones also existed in the fresh herb of SM, and the content of tanshinone Ⅱ_A increased by 3 times after drying. The results provided a basis for the establishment of suitable drying methods and the quality control of SM.
Salvia miltiorrhiza/chemistry* ; Desiccation/methods* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Rhizome/chemistry* ; Kinetics ; Quality Control ; Abietanes

This study aims to explore the mechanism of lung and gut protection by Tanreqing Capsules on the mice infected with influenza virus based on "the lung-gut axis". A total of 110 C57BL/6J mice were randomized into control group, model group, oseltamivir group, and low-and high-dose Tanreqing Capsules groups. Ten mice in each group underwent body weight protection experiments, and the remaining 12 mice underwent experiments for mechanism exploration. Mice were infected with influenza virus A/Puerto Rico/08/1934(PR8) via nasal inhalation for the modeling. The lung tissue was collected on day 3 after gavage, and the lung tissue, colon tissue, and feces were collected on day 7 after gavage for subsequent testing. The results showed that Tanreqing Capsules alleviated the body weight reduction and increased the survival rate caused by PR8 infection. Compared with model group, Tanreqing Capsules can alleviate the lung injury by reducing the lung index, alleviating inflammation and edema in the lung tissue, down-regulating viral gene expression at the late stage of infection, reducing the percentage of neutrophils, and increasing the percentage of T cells. Tanreqing Capsules relieved the gut injury by restoring the colon length, increasing intestinal lumen mucin secretion, alleviating intestinal inflammation, and reducing goblet cell destruction. The gut microbiota analysis showed that Tanreqing Capsules increased species diversity compared with model group. At the phylum level, Tanreqing Capsules significantly increased the abundance of Firmicutes and Actinobacteria, while reducing the abundance of Bacteroidota and Proteobacteria to maintain gut microbiota balance. At the genus level, Tanreqing Capsules significantly increased the abundance of unclassified＿f＿Lachnospiraceae while reducing the abundance of Bacteroides, Eubacterium, and Phocaeicola to maintain gut microbiota balance. In conclusion, Tanreqing Capsules can alleviate mouse lung and gut injury caused by influenza virus infection and restore the balance of gut microbiota. Treating influenza from the lung and gut can provide new ideas for clinical practice.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Mice ; Lung/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Capsules ; Orthomyxoviridae Infections/virology* ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Male ; Humans ; Female ; Influenza A virus/physiology* ; Influenza, Human/virology*