Breast cancer is a kind of malignant tumor with a complex mechanism， and its morbidity and mortality are increasing year by year， which seriously threatens women's health. At present， the main clinical treatments are surgical resection， radiotherapy， chemotherapy， and drug therapy， but they are often accompanied by side effects and adverse reactions， which affect the therapeutic effect. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） has the advantages of multi-component and multi-target treatment in the fight against breast cancer. The wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway is one of the classic pathways in cancer research. Abnormally activated Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway inhibits β-catenin degradation by blocking the formation of Axin/glycogen synthase kinase 3β/adenomatous polyposis coli complex， thus promoting β-catenin nuclear metastasis， and it binds to T cell transcription factor/lymphoenhancer factor-1 to initiate downstream target genes and further interfere with the proliferation， migration， and invasion of tumor cells to affect the tumor process. Previous studies have shown that TCM monomers and compounds can mediate the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to inhibit the malignant phenotype of breast cancer cells， thus playing an anti-breast cancer role， and the biochemical process involved in the regulation of therapeutic drugs has not been systematically combed. By analyzing and collating Chinese and foreign literature at the present stage， this paper discussed the association mechanism between Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and breast cancer and analyzed the internal mechanism of TCM monomers and compounds in mediating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to exert anti-breast cancer effect. The statistical results showed that the flavonoids， alkaloids， and terpenoids in TCM monomers could target the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and block the further development of malignant phenotype of breast cancer cells. TCM compounds with functions of clearing heat and detoxifying， promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis， and tonifying kidney and liver were commonly used to intervene in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway to prevent breast cancer. Compared with the current inhibitors of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway， the application of TCM monomers and compounds is expected to bring low-toxicity and high-efficiency breast cancer treatment drugs to the clinical practice， and the existing results provide a reference for the subsequent screening， research， and development of TCM small-molecule compounds and TCM compounds against breast cancer.

ObjectiveTo optimize Tusizi prescription for ovarian reserve function based on the uniform design method combined with in vitro experiments and explore the underlying mechanisms of this prescription. MethodsThe uniform design method was adopted to design a 5-factor 11-level experiment on the water extract of Tusizi prescription. The cell-counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay was employed to measure the viability of human ovarian granulosa cells （KGN cells） treated with Tusizi prescription extracts 1-11， and multivariate regression analysis was performed to determine the optimal herb ratio in this prescription. The potential targets of active ingredients in the prescription were retrieved from traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology database and analysis platform （TCMSP） and encyclopedia of traditional Chinese medicine （ETCM）. The common targets shared by Tusizi prescription and diminished ovarian reserve （DOR） were selected and imported into search tool for the retrieval of interacting genes/proteins （STRING） to construct a protein-protein interaction （PPI） network and into gene function annotation database （DAVID） for gene ontology （GO） analysis. The CCK-8 assay was used to measure the viability of ovarian germline stem cells treated with hyperoside. The CCK-8 assay， 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine （EdU） staining， terminal-deoxynucleoitidyl transferase mediated nick-end labeling （TUNEL）， and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） were employed to examine the proliferation， apoptosis， and estradiol （E₂） secretion of KGN cells treated with the water extract 11 of Tusizi prescription （Cuscutae Semen-Lycii Fructus-Dioscoreae Rhizoma-Poria-Nelumbinis Semen 4∶4∶2∶1∶1） and the optimal prescription screened by uniform design. On this basis， the optimal prescription composition for maximizing the effect on ovarian reserve function was determined and preliminary insights into the underlying mechanisms of this prescription were gained. ResultsA total of 147 common targets were obtained from 278 targets of Tusizi prescription and 1 721 targets of DOR. GO analysis revealed 194 biological processes， primarily involving cellular responses to exogenous compound stimuli， negative regulation of apoptotic process， and positive regulation of cell proliferation. It identified 84 cellular components， including cell membrane， mitochondria， and neuronal cell body， as well as 144 molecular functions such as enzyme binding， estrogen response element binding， and nuclear estrogen receptor binding. The multivariate regression analysis revealed that when Tusizi prescription was composed of Cuscutae Semen， Lycii Fructus， Dioscoreae Rhizoma， Poria， and Nelumbinis Semen in a ratio of 27∶30∶17∶12∶14， the water extract of Tusizi prescription had the best effect of enhancing the viability of KGN cells. CCK-8 results showed that compared with the normal group， the hyperoside group demonstrated increased viability of ovarian germline stem cells （P<0.01）. The CCK-8， EdU， and ELISA results showed that compared with the normal group， the optimal prescription screened by uniform design and the water extract 11 of Tusizi prescription increased the proliferation and reduced the apoptosis of KGN cells （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ELISA results showed that compared with the normal group， the water extract 11 of Tusizi prescription promoted the E₂ secretion of KGN cells （P<0.05）， while the optimal prescription screened by uniform design had no significant effect on the E₂ secretion. ConclusionBoth the water extract 11 of Tusizi prescription （Cuscutae Semen-Lycii Fructus-Dioscoreae Rhizoma-Poria-Nelumbinis Semen 4∶4∶2∶1∶1） and the optimal prescription screened by uniform design （Cuscutae Semen-Lycii Fructus-Dioscoreae Rhizoma-Poria-Nelumbinis Semen 27∶30∶17∶12∶14） can improve the ovarian reserve function， and the former has better effect. Tusizi prescription can modulate biological processes （such as cell proliferation and apoptosis） and molecular functions （such as enzyme binding and estrogen response element binding） through active components like hyperoside to promote the proliferation and E₂ secretion and inhibit the apoptosis of KGN cells， thereby protecting the ovarian reserve function.

ObjectiveTo optimize Tusizi prescription for ovarian reserve function based on the uniform design method combined with in vitro experiments and explore the underlying mechanisms of this prescription. MethodsThe uniform design method was adopted to design a 5-factor 11-level experiment on the water extract of Tusizi prescription. The cell-counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay was employed to measure the viability of human ovarian granulosa cells （KGN cells） treated with Tusizi prescription extracts 1-11， and multivariate regression analysis was performed to determine the optimal herb ratio in this prescription. The potential targets of active ingredients in the prescription were retrieved from traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology database and analysis platform （TCMSP） and encyclopedia of traditional Chinese medicine （ETCM）. The common targets shared by Tusizi prescription and diminished ovarian reserve （DOR） were selected and imported into search tool for the retrieval of interacting genes/proteins （STRING） to construct a protein-protein interaction （PPI） network and into gene function annotation database （DAVID） for gene ontology （GO） analysis. The CCK-8 assay was used to measure the viability of ovarian germline stem cells treated with hyperoside. The CCK-8 assay， 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine （EdU） staining， terminal-deoxynucleoitidyl transferase mediated nick-end labeling （TUNEL）， and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） were employed to examine the proliferation， apoptosis， and estradiol （E₂） secretion of KGN cells treated with the water extract 11 of Tusizi prescription （Cuscutae Semen-Lycii Fructus-Dioscoreae Rhizoma-Poria-Nelumbinis Semen 4∶4∶2∶1∶1） and the optimal prescription screened by uniform design. On this basis， the optimal prescription composition for maximizing the effect on ovarian reserve function was determined and preliminary insights into the underlying mechanisms of this prescription were gained. ResultsA total of 147 common targets were obtained from 278 targets of Tusizi prescription and 1 721 targets of DOR. GO analysis revealed 194 biological processes， primarily involving cellular responses to exogenous compound stimuli， negative regulation of apoptotic process， and positive regulation of cell proliferation. It identified 84 cellular components， including cell membrane， mitochondria， and neuronal cell body， as well as 144 molecular functions such as enzyme binding， estrogen response element binding， and nuclear estrogen receptor binding. The multivariate regression analysis revealed that when Tusizi prescription was composed of Cuscutae Semen， Lycii Fructus， Dioscoreae Rhizoma， Poria， and Nelumbinis Semen in a ratio of 27∶30∶17∶12∶14， the water extract of Tusizi prescription had the best effect of enhancing the viability of KGN cells. CCK-8 results showed that compared with the normal group， the hyperoside group demonstrated increased viability of ovarian germline stem cells （P<0.01）. The CCK-8， EdU， and ELISA results showed that compared with the normal group， the optimal prescription screened by uniform design and the water extract 11 of Tusizi prescription increased the proliferation and reduced the apoptosis of KGN cells （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ELISA results showed that compared with the normal group， the water extract 11 of Tusizi prescription promoted the E₂ secretion of KGN cells （P<0.05）， while the optimal prescription screened by uniform design had no significant effect on the E₂ secretion. ConclusionBoth the water extract 11 of Tusizi prescription （Cuscutae Semen-Lycii Fructus-Dioscoreae Rhizoma-Poria-Nelumbinis Semen 4∶4∶2∶1∶1） and the optimal prescription screened by uniform design （Cuscutae Semen-Lycii Fructus-Dioscoreae Rhizoma-Poria-Nelumbinis Semen 27∶30∶17∶12∶14） can improve the ovarian reserve function， and the former has better effect. Tusizi prescription can modulate biological processes （such as cell proliferation and apoptosis） and molecular functions （such as enzyme binding and estrogen response element binding） through active components like hyperoside to promote the proliferation and E₂ secretion and inhibit the apoptosis of KGN cells， thereby protecting the ovarian reserve function.

Adipose tissue is a critical energy reservoir in animals and humans, with multifaceted roles in endocrine regulation, immune response, and providing mechanical protection. Based on anatomical location and functional characteristics, adipose tissue can be categorized into distinct types, including white adipose tissue (WAT), brown adipose tissue (BAT), beige adipose tissue, and pink adipose tissue. Traditionally, adipose tissue research has centered on its morphological and functional properties as a whole. However, with the advent of single-cell transcriptomics, a new level of complexity in adipose tissue has been unveiled, showing that even under identical conditions, cells of the same type may exhibit significant variation in morphology, structure, function, and gene expression——phenomena collectively referred to as cellular heterogeneity. Single-cell transcriptomics, including techniques like single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq), enables in-depth analysis of the diversity and heterogeneity of adipocytes at the single-cell level. This high-resolution approach has not only deepened our understanding of adipocyte functionality but also facilitated the discovery of previously unidentified cell types and gene expression patterns that may play key roles in adipose tissue function. This review delves into the latest advances in the application of single-cell transcriptomics in elucidating the heterogeneity and diversity within adipose tissue, highlighting how these findings have redefined the understanding of cell subpopulations within different adipose depots. Moreover, the review explores how single-cell transcriptomic technologies have enabled the study of cellular communication pathways and differentiation trajectories among adipose cell subgroups. By mapping these interactions and differentiation processes, researchers gain insights into how distinct cellular subpopulations coordinate within adipose tissues, which is crucial for maintaining tissue homeostasis and function. Understanding these mechanisms is essential, as dysregulation in adipose cell interactions and differentiation underlies a range of metabolic disorders, including obesity and diabetes mellitus type 2. Furthermore, single-cell transcriptomics holds promising implications for identifying therapeutic targets; by pinpointing specific cell types and gene pathways involved in adipose tissue dysfunction, these technologies pave the way for developing targeted interventions aimed at modulating specific adipose subpopulations. In summary, this review provides a comprehensive analysis of the role of single-cell transcriptomic technologies in uncovering the heterogeneity and functional diversity of adipose tissues.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness of stone needle thermocompression and massage compared to flurbiprofen gel patch in relieving chronic musculoskeletal pain in the shoulder and back， and to explore the potential mediating mechanism through muscle elasticity. MethodsA total of 120 patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain in the shoulder and back were randomly assigned to either stone needle group or flurbiprofen group， with 60 patients in each. The stone needle group received stone needle thermocompression and massage for 30 minutes， three times per week； the flurbiprofen group received flurbiprofen gel patch twice daily. Both groups were treated for 2 weeks. Pain improvement， as the primary outcome， was assessed using the Global Pain Scale （GPS） at baseline， after 2 weeks of treatment， and again 2 weeks post-treatment. To explore potential mechanisms， a mediator analysis was conducted by measuring changes in superficial and deep muscle elasticity using musculoskeletal ultrasound at baseline and after the 2-week treatment period. ResultsThe stone needle group showed significantly greater pain relief than the flurbiprofen group 2 weeks post-treatment. After adjusting for confounders related to pain duration， the between-group mean difference was -8.8 ［95% CI （-18.2， -0.7）， P＜0.05］. Part of the therapeutic effect was mediated by changes in deep muscle elasticity， with a mediation effect size of -1.5 ［95% CI （-2.0， -0.9）， P = 0.024］， accounting for 17.9% of the total effect. ConclusionStone needle thermocompression and massage can effectively relieve chronic musculoskeletal pain in the shoulder and back， partly through a mediating effect of improved deep muscle elasticity.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the lipidomic characteristics of children with bronchial asthma (hereafter referred to as asthma) and identify potential biomarkers for asthma. METHODS: A total of 26 asthmatic children were prospectively enrolled as the asthma group, and 20 healthy children served as the healthy control group. The asthma group was further divided into atopic (n=13) and non-atopic (n=13) subgroups based on IgE levels. Serum lipid metabolites were analyzed using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, followed by statistical analysis and data visualization. RESULTS: A total of 1 435 lipids were detected in the 46 children, primarily glycerophospholipids (625/1 435, 43.55%). Significant differences were observed in serum lipid profiles between the asthma and control groups. Twelve significantly differential lipids were identified, with receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showing that phosphatidylserine (PS)(18:0/20:4) and ceramide (Cer)(c16:0) exhibited the highest diagnostic value for asthma. The relative abundances of PS(18:0/20:4) and PS(18:0/22:6) were higher in the atopic subgroup than in the non-atopic subgroup (P<0.05) and positively correlated with total IgE levels in asthmatic children (r=0.675 and 0.740, respectively; P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Asthmatic children exhibit significant lipid metabolic disturbances, primarily characterized by abnormal glycerophospholipid metabolism. Among these, PS(18:0/20:4) and Cer(c16:0) demonstrate specific alterations and may serve as potential diagnostic biomarkers for asthma. Furthermore, the positive correlation between PS(18:0/20:4) and PS(18:0/22:6) levels and serum total IgE suggests their possible involvement in immune regulation in asthma.
Humans ; Asthma/metabolism* ; Male ; Child ; Female ; Prospective Studies ; Mass Spectrometry/methods* ; Lipids/blood* ; Chromatography, Liquid/methods* ; Child, Preschool ; Immunoglobulin E/blood* ; Biomarkers/blood* ; Adolescent ; Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

Schizophrenia (SZ) stands as a severe psychiatric disorder. This study applied diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) data in conjunction with graph neural networks to distinguish SZ patients from normal controls (NCs) and showcases the superior performance of a graph neural network integrating combined fractional anisotropy and fiber number brain network features, achieving an accuracy of 73.79% in distinguishing SZ patients from NCs. Beyond mere discrimination, our study delved deeper into the advantages of utilizing white matter brain network features for identifying SZ patients through interpretable model analysis and gene expression analysis. These analyses uncovered intricate interrelationships between brain imaging markers and genetic biomarkers, providing novel insights into the neuropathological basis of SZ. In summary, our findings underscore the potential of graph neural networks applied to multimodal DTI data for enhancing SZ detection through an integrated analysis of neuroimaging and genetic features.
Humans ; Schizophrenia/pathology* ; Diffusion Tensor Imaging/methods* ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Brain/metabolism* ; Young Adult ; Middle Aged ; White Matter/pathology* ; Gene Expression ; Nerve Net/diagnostic imaging* ; Graph Neural Networks

Liver fibrosis is a vital cause of morbidity in patients with liver diseases and developing novel anti-fibrotic drugs is imperative. Isovalerylspiramycin I (ISP I) as a major component of carrimycin applied to upper respiratory infections, was first found to possess anti-fibrotic potential. The present study aims to evaluate the functions and mechanisms of ISP I in protecting against liver fibrosis. According to our results, ISP I not only reduced the expressions of fibrogenic markers in LX-2 cells but also appeared great protective effects on liver injury and liver fibrosis in bile duct ligation (BDL) rats and carbon tetrachloride (CCl₄) mice. We proved that nucleotide-binding protein 2 (NUBP2) was the direct target of ISP I. ISP I through targeting NUBP2, increased the amount of vascular non-inflammatory molecule-1 (VNN1) on the cell membrane, which will inhibit oxidative stress and fibrosis. Simultaneously, the original carrimycin's protective effect on liver damage and fibrosis was verified. Therefore, our study provides potential agents for patients with liver fibrosis-related diseases, and the clear mechanism supports wide application in the clinic.

OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying sepsis-induced injury in mouse intestinal organoids and investigate the possible mechanisms or potential drug targets of myeloid differentiation factor 88 inhibitor [TJ-M2010-5 (TJ5)] on this condition. METHODS: Small intestinal organoids from C57BL/6 mice aged 6-8 weeks were established and characterized using immunofluorescence for cell growth and proliferation marker nuclear antigen Ki-67, goblet cell marker mucin-2 (MUC-2), epithelial cell marker E-cadherin, and Paneth cell marker lysozyme (Lyz). Small intestinal organoids after 3 days of passaging were divided into different groups: a normal control group treated with culture medium containing 0.2% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) for 10 hours, a lipopolysaccharide (LPS) group treated with culture medium containing 200 mg/L LPS and 0.2% DMSO for 10 hours, and a TJ5 group pre-treated with 10 mmol/L TJ5 for 2 hours followed by treatment with culture medium containing 200 mg/L LPS for 10 hours. Real-time fluorescence quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to measure the expression levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) in the small intestinal organoids. RNA transcriptome sequencing was performed on the small intestinal organoids from each group to analyze differentially expressed genes between groups, and significant enrichment was analyzed using gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG). RESULTS: By the 7th day of primary culture, mature organoids had formed, and their growth rate increased after passaging. Immunofluorescence identification showed expressions of Ki-67, MUC-2, E-cadherin, and Lyz, indicating that the mouse small intestinal organoids maintained their cellular composition and functional characteristics under in vitro culture conditions. RT-qPCR results showed that compared with the normal control group, the mRNA expression of IL-6 in the small intestinal organoids of the LPS group was significantly increased (2^-ΔΔCT: 1.83±0.16 vs. 1.02±0.28, P < 0.05), while the mRNA expression of ZO-1 was significantly decreased (2^-ΔΔCT: 0.53±0.11 vs. 1.01±0.18, P < 0.05). In contrast, the mRNA expression trends of both IL-6 and ZO-1 were reversed in the TJ5 group, showing statistically significant differences as compared with the LPS group (2^-ΔΔCT: IL-6 mRNA was 1.24±0.01 vs. 1.83±0.16, ZO-1 mRNA was 1.97±0.29 vs. 0.53±0.11, both P < 0.05). RNA transcriptome sequencing showed 49 differentially expressed genes in the LPS group compared to the normal control group, with 42 upregulated and 7 downregulated. Compared to the LPS group, the TJ5 group showed 84 differentially expressed genes, with 47 upregulated and 37 downregulated. GO enrichment analysis of these differentially expressed genes showed that the significantly enriched biological processes of the differentially expressed genes between the normal control group and the LPS group included responses to LPS, responses to molecule of bacterial origin and responses to bacterium. The significantly enriched biological processes of the differentially expressed genes between the LPS group and the TJ5 group included glutathione metabolic processes, responses to stress cellular and responses to chemical stimulus. In molecular function groups, glutathione binding and oligopeptide binding were significantly enriched by the differentially expressed genes. In cellular component classifications, the enrichment of the differentially expressed genes was mainly observed in the cytoplasm, endoplasmic reticulum, and microsomes. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis indicated that the differentially expressed genes between the normal control group and LPS group were enriched in IL-17 signaling pathways, tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathways, viral protein interactions with cytokines and cytokine receptors signaling pathways, and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction signaling pathways. In contrast, the differentially expressed genes between the LPS and TJ5 groups were mainly enriched in atherosclerosis signaling pathways, ferroptosis signaling pathways, glutathione metabolism signaling pathways, and cytochrome P450-mediated drug metabolism signaling pathways. CONCLUSIONS Mouse small intestinal organoids were successfully extracted and cultured. TJ5 may exert its protective effects by regulating gene expression and related signaling pathways (fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis, ferroptosis, glutathione metabolism, cytochrome P450 drug metabolism, etc.) in sepsis-injured mouse small intestinal organoids. These genes and signaling pathways may be key targets for treating sepsis-induced intestinal injury.
Animals ; Mice ; Sepsis/genetics* ; Organoids/drug effects* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Intestine, Small/metabolism* ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Transcriptome ; Lipopolysaccharides

OBJECTIVE: To explore and quantify the association of hot night exposure during the sperm development period (0-90 lag days) with semen quality. METHODS: A total of 6,640 male sperm donors from 6 human sperm banks in China during 2014-2020 were recruited in this multicenter study. Two indices (i.e., hot night excess [HNE] and hot night duration [HND]) were used to estimate the heat intensity and duration during nighttime. Linear mixed models were used to examine the association between hot nights and semen quality parameters. RESULTS: The exposure-response relationship revealed that HNE and HND during 0-90 days before semen collection had a significantly inverse association with sperm motility. Specifically, a 1 °C increase in HNE was associated with decreased sperm progressive motility of 0.0090 (95% confidence interval [ CI]: -0.0147, -0.0033) and decreased total motility of 0.0094 (95% CI: -0.0160, -0.0029). HND was significantly associated with reduced sperm progressive motility and total motility of 0.0021 (95% CI: -0.0040, -0.0003) and 0.0023 (95% CI: -0.0043, -0.0002), respectively. Consistent results were observed at different temperature thresholds on hot nights. CONCLUSION Our findings highlight the need to mitigate nocturnal heat exposure during spermatogenesis to maintain optimal semen quality.
Humans ; Male ; Semen Analysis ; Adult ; Sperm Motility ; Hot Temperature/adverse effects* ; China ; Middle Aged ; Spermatozoa/physiology* ; Young Adult