ObjectiveTo prepare triptolide-Chuanxiong Rhizoma extract ethanol transfersomes（TP-CX@TESs）， conduct its quality evaluation， and investigate its in vitro anti-inflammatory efficacy and the underlying mechanisms. MethodsTP-CX@TESs was prepared via the ultrasonic injection method. With encapsulation efficiency and particle size as evaluation indicators， Box-Behnken design-response surface methodology（BBD-RSM） was employed to optimize the formulation process. The TP-CX@TESs prepared under the optimal process was characterized and evaluated for in vitro transdermal performance. A lipopolysaccharide（LPS）-induced RAW264.7 cell inflammation model was established. After 24 h of drug intervention， the levels of inflammatory factors such as nitric oxide（NO）， interleukin-6（IL-6）， and tumor necrosis factor-α（TNF-α） in the cell supernatant were detected. Western blot was used to determine the protein expression levels of Janus kinase 2（JAK2）， signal transducer and activator of transcription 3（STAT3）， and α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor（α7nAChR）， and real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR） was applied to measure the mRNA expression levels of JAK2， STAT3， the encoding gene of α7nAChR（CHRNA7）， and nuclear transcription factor-κB（NF-κB）. ResultsResults of BBD-RSM showed that the optimal formulation for preparing TP-CX@TESs was as follows：egg yolk lecithin content of 2.3%， ethanol volume fraction of 30%， and ratio of polysorbate-80 to egg yolk lecithin of 2∶5. Microscopic characterization revealed that TP-CX@TESs exhibited a spherical-like structure with a particle size of （105.60±3.85） nm， a polydispersity index of 0.19±0.03， and a Zeta potential of （-15.89±0.98） mV. The encapsulation efficiencies of triptolide， ferulic acid， and ligustilide were （76.88±4.40）%， （78.84±4.40）%， and （65.88±0.06）%， respectively. Both in vitro release and transdermal penetration of triptolide， ferulic acid， and ligustilide in TP-CX@TESs all followed the first-order kinetic model， showing a certain sustained-release property. Experimental results in RAW264.7 cells indicated that TP-CX@TESs significantly inhibited the release of NO， TNF-α， and IL-6（P<0.01）， remarkably upregulated the protein expression levels of STAT3 and α7nAChR（P<0.01）， increased the mRNA expression level of CHRNA7， and significantly downregulated the mRNA expression level of NF-κB（P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionThe optimized formulation process of TP-CX@TESs is simple and feasible， along with favorable in vitro release property， good transdermal permeability， and excellent in vitro anti-inflammatory activity， the mechanism is related to the inhibition of NF-κB.

AIM: To investigate the differences in morphological structure and retinal blood perfusion between the affected eye and the contralateral healthy eye using optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA)in patients with idiopathic macular epiretinal membrane(IMEM)before and after surgery, and to evaluate the association of these parameters with functional and anatomical outcomes to inform prognostic assessment. METHODS:A prospective study was conducted at Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital between January 2023 and December 2024. Consecutive patients diagnosed with unilateral IMEM were enrolled; the fellow eye served as an internal control. All participants underwent standardized ophthalmic evaluations, including optical coherence tomography(OCT), OCTA, and color fundus photography. Key quantitative parameters assessed included best-corrected visual acuity(BCVA), central macular thickness(CMT), foveal avascular zone(FAZ)area, vessel density in the inner capillary plexus(ICP), superficial capillary plexus(SCP), deep capillary plexus(DCP), and choroidal capillary perfusion area(CCPA). Measurements were obtained preoperatively and at 1 and 3 mo postoperatively. Correlation analyses were performed between the above parameters and postoperative BCVA and CMT.RESULTS: This study enrolled 30 patients(60 eyes)diagnosed with IMEM, comprising 14 males and 16 females, with a mean age of 65.4±10.8 y.At baseline, IMEM-affected eyes demonstrated significantly reduced BCVA, DCP density, and FAZ area, alongside significantly increased CMT and CCPA, compared with contralateral controls. Following vitrectomy with membrane peeling, CMT decreased significantly at both 1 and 3 mo(both P<0.05)postoperatively; DCP density and BCVA showed significant improvement(both P<0.05). No significant change in FAZ area was observed postoperatively(P>0.05). At 3 mo postoperatively, BCVA of the affected eye was negatively correlated with CMT(r=-0.549, P=0.022). At 1 mo postoperatively, CMT was negatively correlated with preoperative DCP and FAZ, positively correlated with preoperative CMT, and positively correlated with ICP and SCP at 1 mo postoperatively, and negatively correlated with FAZ at 1 mo postoperatively(all P<0.05). Furthermore, CMT at 3 mo postoperatively was negatively correlated with preoperative DCP(r=-0.498,P=0.042).CONCLUSION:In patients with IMEM, the affected eyes exhibit significantly reduced DCP density and FAZ area, alongside increased CMT and CCPA. Following vitrectomy with membrane peeling, CMT decreased progressively, DCP density demonstrated partial restoration, and vision improved gradually. Preoperatively, smaller CMT larger DCP, and FAZ were associated with more favorable surgical outcomes; postoperatively, smaller ICP and SCP densities—combined with a larger FAZ—also correlated with better functional recovery.

ObjectiveTo prepare triptolide-Chuanxiong Rhizoma extract ethanol transfersomes（TP-CX@TESs）， conduct its quality evaluation， and investigate its in vitro anti-inflammatory efficacy and the underlying mechanisms. MethodsTP-CX@TESs was prepared via the ultrasonic injection method. With encapsulation efficiency and particle size as evaluation indicators， Box-Behnken design-response surface methodology（BBD-RSM） was employed to optimize the formulation process. The TP-CX@TESs prepared under the optimal process was characterized and evaluated for in vitro transdermal performance. A lipopolysaccharide（LPS）-induced RAW264.7 cell inflammation model was established. After 24 h of drug intervention， the levels of inflammatory factors such as nitric oxide（NO）， interleukin-6（IL-6）， and tumor necrosis factor-α（TNF-α） in the cell supernatant were detected. Western blot was used to determine the protein expression levels of Janus kinase 2（JAK2）， signal transducer and activator of transcription 3（STAT3）， and α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor（α7nAChR）， and real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR） was applied to measure the mRNA expression levels of JAK2， STAT3， the encoding gene of α7nAChR（CHRNA7）， and nuclear transcription factor-κB（NF-κB）. ResultsResults of BBD-RSM showed that the optimal formulation for preparing TP-CX@TESs was as follows：egg yolk lecithin content of 2.3%， ethanol volume fraction of 30%， and ratio of polysorbate-80 to egg yolk lecithin of 2∶5. Microscopic characterization revealed that TP-CX@TESs exhibited a spherical-like structure with a particle size of （105.60±3.85） nm， a polydispersity index of 0.19±0.03， and a Zeta potential of （-15.89±0.98） mV. The encapsulation efficiencies of triptolide， ferulic acid， and ligustilide were （76.88±4.40）%， （78.84±4.40）%， and （65.88±0.06）%， respectively. Both in vitro release and transdermal penetration of triptolide， ferulic acid， and ligustilide in TP-CX@TESs all followed the first-order kinetic model， showing a certain sustained-release property. Experimental results in RAW264.7 cells indicated that TP-CX@TESs significantly inhibited the release of NO， TNF-α， and IL-6（P<0.01）， remarkably upregulated the protein expression levels of STAT3 and α7nAChR（P<0.01）， increased the mRNA expression level of CHRNA7， and significantly downregulated the mRNA expression level of NF-κB（P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionThe optimized formulation process of TP-CX@TESs is simple and feasible， along with favorable in vitro release property， good transdermal permeability， and excellent in vitro anti-inflammatory activity， the mechanism is related to the inhibition of NF-κB.

Background/Aims: Liver transplantation (LT) following total hepatectomy is a life-saving treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The HCC recurrence after LT hinders the effectiveness of the procedure. The objective of this study is to develop a pre-operative risk stratification model based on a liquid biopsy. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive multi-omics study of 260 HCC patients from three centers, including clinical data, low-coverage whole-genome sequencing of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from plasma, as well as whole-exome, single-nucleus RNA, and spatial transcriptomics from matched tumor and non-tumor tissues. Results: We identified cfDNA-derived copy number alteration (CNA) signatures associated with post-transplant recurrence. By integrating cfDNA-derived CNA profiles with single-cell transcriptomic data, we traced recurrence-associated cfDNA to a distinct subpopulation of malignant cells within the primary tumor. These cells were embedded in a pro-metastatic microenvironment of specialized endothelial subtypes and cancer-associated fibroblasts. Notably, most recurrence-associated lesions were detectable in cfDNA prior to liver transplantation (LT). Building on these insights, we developed the ZJU Criteria based on CNA fragments and tumor markers, a pre-LT risk prediction tool that integrates conventional clinical factors with cfDNA-derived CNA signatures, and validated it using internal and independent external cohorts. Conclusion Our findings suggest that post-transplant recurrence commonly originates from advanced subclones that emerge late during tumor evolution. The ZJU Criteria provides an accurate, non-invasive strategy that significantly improves pre-LT risk stratification and clinical decision-making for patients with HCC.

BACKGROUND: Based on the China-VHD database, this study sought to develop and validate a Valvular Heart Disease- specific Age-adjusted Comorbidity Index (VHD-ACI) for predicting mortality risk in patients with VHD. METHODS & RESULTS: The China-VHD study was a nationwide, multi-centre multi-centre cohort study enrolling 13,917 patients with moderate or severe VHD across 46 medical centres in China between April-June 2018. After excluding cases with missing key variables, 11,459 patients were retained for final analysis. The primary endpoint was 2-year all-cause mortality, with 941 deaths (10.0%) observed during follow-up. The VHD-ACI was derived after identifying 13 independent mortality predictors: cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarction, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, pulmonary artery hypertension, low body weight, anaemia, hypoalbuminaemia, renal insufficiency, moderate/severe hepatic dysfunction, heart failure, cancer, NYHA functional class and age. The index exhibited good discrimination (AUC, 0.79) and calibration (Brier score, 0.062) in the total cohort, outperforming both EuroSCORE II and ACCI (P < 0.001 for comparison). Internal validation through 100 bootstrap iterations yielded a C statistic of 0.694 (95% CI: 0.665-0.723) for 2-year mortality prediction. VHD-ACI scores, as a continuous variable (VHD-ACI score: adjusted HR (95% CI): 1.263 (1.245-1.282), P < 0.001) or categorized using thresholds determined by the Yoden index (VHD-ACI ≥ 9 vs. < 9, adjusted HR (95% CI): 6.216 (5.378-7.184), P < 0.001), were independently associated with mortality. The prognostic performance remained consistent across all VHD subtypes (aortic stenosis, aortic regurgitation, mitral stenosis, mitral regurgitation, tricuspid valve disease, mixed aortic/mitral valve disease and multiple VHD), and clinical subgroups stratified by therapeutic strategy, LVEF status (preserved vs. reduced), disease severity and etiology. CONCLUSION The VHD-ACI is a simple 13-comorbidity algorithm for the prediction of mortality in VHD patients and providing a simple and rapid tool for risk stratification.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the effectiveness of Chinese medicine (CM) Lianhua Qingwen Granule (LHQW) and Jingyin Gubiao Prescription (JYGB) in asymptomatic or mild patients with Omicron infection in the shelter hospital. METHODS: This single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted in the largest shelter hospital in Shanghai, China, from April 10, 2022 to May 30, 2022. A total of 56,244 asymptomatic and mild Omicron cases were included and divided into 4 groups, i.e., non-administration group (23,702 cases), LHQW group (11,576 cases), JYGB group (12,112 cases), and dual combination of LHQW and JYGB group (8,854 cases). The length of stay (LOS) in the hospital was used to assess the effectiveness of LHQW and JYGB treatment on Omicron infection. RESULTS: Patients aged 41-60 years, with nadir threshold cycle (C_T) value of N gene <25, or those fully vaccinated preferred to receive CM therapy. Before or after propensity score matching (PSM), the multiple linear regression showed that LHQW and JYGB treatment were independent influence factors of LOS (both P<0.001). After PSM, there were significant differences in LOS between the LHQW/JYGB combination and the other groups (P<0.01). The results of factorial design ANOVA proved that the LHQW/JYGB combination therapy synergistically shortened LOS (P=0.032). CONCLUSIONS Patients with a nadir C_T value <25 were more likely to accept CM. The LHQW/JYGB combination therapy could shorten the LOS of Omicron-infected individuals in an isolated environment.
Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Adult ; China/epidemiology* ; Hospitalization ; COVID-19 Drug Treatment ; COVID-19/epidemiology* ; SARS-CoV-2 ; Retrospective Studies ; Treatment Outcome ; Length of Stay ; Young Adult ; Aged

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Yangxue Qingnao Pills (YXQNP) combined with amlodipine in treating patients with grade 1 hypertension. METHODS: This is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled study. Adult patients with grade 1 hypertension of blood deficiency and Gan (Liver)-yang hyperactivity syndrome were randomly divided into the treatment or the control groups at a 1:1 ratio. The treatment group received YXQNP and amlodipine besylate, while the control group received YXQNP's placebo and amlodipine besylate. The treatment duration lasted for 180 days. Outcomes assessed included changes in blood pressure, Chinese medicine (CM) syndrome scores, symptoms and target organ functions before and after treatment in both groups. Additionally, adverse events, such as nausea, vomiting, rash, itching, and diarrhea, were recorded in both groups. RESULTS: A total of 662 subjects were enrolled, of whom 608 (91.8%) completed the trial (306 in the treatment and 302 in the control groups). After 180 days of treatment, the standard deviations and coefficients of variation of systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels were lower in the treatment group compared with the control group. The improvement rates of dizziness, headache, insomnia, and waist soreness were significantly higher in the treatment group compared with the control group (P<0.05). After 30 days of treatment, the overall therapeutic effects on CM clinical syndromes were significantly increased in the treatment group as compared with the control group (P<0.05). After 180 days of treatment, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity, ankle brachial index and albumin-to-creatinine ratio were improved in both groups, with no statistically significant differences (P>0.05). No serious treatment-related adverse events occurred during the study period. CONCLUSIONS Combination therapy of YXQNP with amlodipine significantly improved symptoms such as dizziness and headache, reduced blood pressure variability, and showed a trend toward lowering urinary microalbumin in hypertensive patients. These findings suggest that this regimen has good clinical efficacy and safety. (Registration No. ChiCTR1900022470).
Humans ; Amlodipine/adverse effects* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Male ; Female ; Hypertension/complications* ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Adult ; Blood Pressure/drug effects* ; Double-Blind Method ; Aged ; Antihypertensive Agents/adverse effects*

Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (HIRI) has been considered as an inevitable process of liver transplantation. Hepatocyte ferroptosis is a key factor in HIRI development, yet precise mechanism and potential therapies are still unclear. Here, we demonstrated a strong correlation between hepatocyte ferroptosis and the downregulation of poly(rC)-binding protein (PCBP2), which compromised the stability of antiporter system Xc^- (consisted of SL3A2/SLC7A11). Besides, inhibiting PCBP2 contributed to facilitating cofactor p300 to enhance the transcriptional activity of HIF1α, leading to the expression and secretion of HMGB1. Then, released HMGB1 from ferroptotic hepatocytes worsened M1 macrophage recruitment and immune response during HIRI. Additionally, acteoside (ACT) was shown to assist PCBP2 in stabilizing the mRNA stability of Slc3a2 and Slc7a11, as well as enhance the binding affinity of PCBP2-system Xc^-. Beyond that, ACT also supported PCBP2 to limit HMGB1-induced M1 macrophage recruitment through imposing restrictions on p300 and HIF1α. Furthermore, specific knockdown of PCBP2 in hepatocytes directly interposed the therapeutic efficacy of ACT on HIRI mice. In conclusion, ACT alleviated hepatocyte ferroptosis and HIRI via promoting PCBP2 to maintain the stability of system Xc^- and limit HIF1α/p300-HMGB1 signaling. These findings highlight the therapeutic benefits of ACT in treating HIRI and offer insights into innovative therapeutic strategies.

Ovarian tumor (OT) is the most lethal form of gynecologic malignancy, with minimal improvements in patient outcomes over the past several decades. Metastasis is the leading cause of ovarian cancer-related deaths, yet the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Psychological stress is known to activate the glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1), a factor associated with poor prognosis in OT patients. However, the precise mechanisms linking NR3C1 signaling and metastasis have yet to be fully elucidated. In this study, we demonstrate that chronic restraint stress accelerates epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastasis in OT through an NR3C1-dependent mechanism involving nuclear protein 1 (NUPR1). Mechanistically, NR3C1 directly regulates the transcription of NUPR1, which in turn increases the expression of snail family transcriptional repressor 2 (SNAI2), a key driver of EMT. Clinically, elevated NR3C1 positively correlates with NUPR1 expression in OT patients, and both are positively associated with poorer prognosis. Overall, our study identified the NR3C1/NUPR1 axis as a critical regulatory pathway in psychological stress-induced OT metastasis, suggesting a potential therapeutic target for intervention in OT metastasis.

Allergic rhinitis (AR), a globally prevalent immune-mediated inflammatory condition, is still an incurable disease. In the present study, we have validated the impact of the Kelch-like ECH associated protein 1 (Keap1)-related oxidative stress and inflammatory response in clinical AR patient peripheral blood and nasal swab samples, emphasizing the biological relevance of Keap1 and AR. Targeting Keap1 -nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) related anti-oxidative stress may be effective for AR intervention. Drawing inspiration from the Keap1 homodimerization and the E3 ligase characteristics, we herein present a design of novel bivalent molecules for chemical knockdown of Keap1. For the first time, we characterized ternary complexes of Keap1 dimer and one molecule of bivalent compounds. The best bivalent molecule 8 encompasses robust capacity to degrade Keap1 as a homoPROTAC^KEAP1. It efficaciously suppresses inflammatory cytokines in extensively different cells, including human nasal epithelial cells. Moreover, in an AR mouse model, we confirmed that the chemical degradation induced by homoPROTAC^KEAP1 led to therapeutic benefits in managing AR symptoms, oxidative stress and inflammation. In summary, our findings underscore the efficacy of targeting the Keap1 system through the homoPROTAC-ing technology as an innovative and promising treatment strategy for the incurable allergic disorders.