Background: High-mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1) is a chromatin-binding protein involved in arthritis, ischemia, sepsis, atherosclerosis, neurodegenerative disorders, meningitis, and cancer. HMGB1 exhibits dual roles in cancer, acting as either a tumor suppressor or oncoprotein depending on context. Objective: This research aimed to elucidate HMGB1’s functional significance in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). Methods: We overexpressed HMGB1 in cSCC cell lines using recombinant adenovirus and examined its effects on cell proliferation, colony formation, and cell migration. Results: Immunohistochemical analysis revealed elevated HMGB1 expression levels in cSCC tissue relative to normal epidermis. To assess the influence of HMGB1, we employed recombinant adenoviruses expressing HMGB1 to transduce SCC cell lines (SCC12 and SCC13). Enhanced HMGB1 expression significantly promoted cellular proliferation and colony formation capacity.Notably, HMGB1 overexpression elevated the levels of proliferation regulators, including P63, SOX2, CDK4 and CDK6. Furthermore, HMGB1 overexpression substantially enhanced tumor invasiveness, accompanied by upregulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) biomarkers. Mechanistically, overexpression of HMGB1 enhanced transforming growth factor-β signaling by increasing phosphorylation of SMAD2/3, the key mediators of EMT. Conclusion These data imply that HMGB1 acts as a tumor-promoting factor in cSCC.

Objective This study reports on the obligatory parasitism of water mites Arrenurus sp. on Anopheles messeae at the Manzhouli Port, Inner Mongolia, China. Methods Duing July 2024, a survey on the mosquito diversity was conducted at the Manzhouli Port. Captured mosquitoes and their ectoparasites were identified to species level. Results A total of 1840 adult mosquitoes were collected, representing species from three genera: Culex(Cx. modestus, Cx. pipiens pallens), Aedes(Ae. dorsalis, Ae. flavidorsalis, Ae. flavescens), and Anopheles (An. messeae). Among all the mosqutioes specimens,3 out of 150 captured An. messeae were found to carry ectoparasitic mites, with number of 2,4,27 mites separately. Morphological and molecular identification reached the same result as water mites(Hydrachnidiae, Hydracrina). COI gene sequence showed 94% similarity with the closest species Arrenurus truncatellus. Conlusions Literature review suggests water mites are host-specific parasitism of mosquito species and herein with the first record of Arrenurus sp. parasiting on An. Messeae in the most high-latitude region globally.

Objective : To investigate the protective effect of dimethyl fumarate(DMF) on maternal intrahepatic cholestasis(ICP) during pregnancy induced by di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate(DEHP) exposure and its mechanism. Methods : Thirty-two 8-week-old female institute of cancer research(ICR) mice were randomly divided into 4 groups: Ctrl group, DEHP group, DMF group and DEHP+DMF group. DEHP and DEHP+DMF groups were treated with DEHP(200 mg/kg) by gavage every morning at 9:00 a.m. DMF and DEHP+DMF groups were treated with DMF(150 mg/kg) from day 13 to day 16 of gestation by gavage. After completion of gavage on day 16 of pregnancy, maternal blood, maternal liver, placenta, and amniotic fluid were collected from pregnant mice after a six-hour abrosia. The body weight of the mother rats and the body weight of the fetus rats were sorted and analyzed; the levels of total bile acid(TBA), alkaline phosphatase(ALP), aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase(AST/ALT) in serum and TBA in liver, amniotic fluid and placenta were detected by biochemical analyzer; HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of liver tissue; Quantitative reverse transcription PCR(RT-qPCR) was used to detect the expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin(IL)-6, IL-1, IL-18 and NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3(NLRP3) in the liver; Western blot was used to detect the expression of the nuclear factor KappaB(NF-κB) and NLRP3. Results : Compared with the control group, the body weight of the DEHP-treated dams and pups decreased(P<0.05); the levels of TBA, ALP, AST/ALT in the serum of dams and the levels of TBA in the liver, amniotic fluid, and placenta of dams increased(P<0.05); the histopathological results showed that liver tissue was damaged, bile ducts were deformed, and there was inflammatory cell infiltration around them; the levels of inflammation-related factors TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1, IL-18 and NLRP3 transcription in maternal liver increased(P<0.05); the expression of NF-κB and NLRP3 protein in maternal liver significantly increased( P<0. 05). Compared with the DEHP group,the body weight of both dams and fetuses significantly increased in DEHP + DMF group( P<0. 05); the levels of TBA,ALP,AST/ALT in the serum of dams and amniotic fluid of fetuses decreased( P<0. 05); the degree of liver lesions was improved; the transcription levels of inflammation-related factors TNF-α,IL-6,IL-1,IL-18 and NLRP3 in maternal liver decreased( P<0. 05); the expression of NF-κB and NLRP3 protein in maternal liver significantly decreased( P<0. 05). Conclusion DMF can effectively protect the DEHP exposure to lead to female ICP,and its mechanism may be through inhibiting the NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway and reducing liver inflammation.

[Objective] To study on the genotyping of a sample with inconsistent forward and reverse serological tests, and to conduct a pedigree investigation and molecular biological mechanism study. [Methods] The ABO blood group of the proband and his family members were identified using blood group serological method. The ABO gene exon 1-7 of samples of the proband and his family were sequenced by Sanger and single molecule real-time sequencing (SMRT). DeepTMHMM was used to predict and analyze the transmembrane region of proteins before and after mutation. [Results] The proband and his mother have the Bw phenotype, while his maternal grandfather has ABw phenotype. The blood group results of forward and reverse typing of other family members were consistent. ABO gene sequencing results showed that there was B new mutation of c.3 G>C in exon 1 of ABO gene in the proband, his mother and grandfather, leading to a shift in translation start site. DeepTMHMM analysis indicated that the shift in the translation start site altered the protein topology. [Conclusion] The c.3G>C mutation in the first exon of the ABO gene leads to a shift in the translation start site, altering the protein topology from an α-transmembrane region to a spherical signaling peptide, reducing enzyme activity and resulting in the Bw serological phenotype.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is one of the most common and severe nephropathy syndromes in clinical practice and also one of the most common serious complications after organ transplantation, with high incidence and fatality. Iron is an essential trace element in the body. Ferroptosis is a form of programmed cell death induced by the accumulation of iron-mediated lipid peroxidation, and its occurrence is closely related to iron metabolism, lipid metabolism, amino acid metabolism and multiple signaling pathways. Recent studies have shown that ferroptosis plays a key role in the occurrence and development of AKI and provides therapeutic targets for AKI. This article summarizes the regulatory mechanism of ferroptosis and its role in AKI, as well as the compounds that play an important role in the prevention and treatment of AKI by inhibiting ferroptosis, providing new ideas for the future treatment and research of AKI.

In order to explore the possible role and molecular mechanism of the combined action of leech and bear bile in liver and gallbladder diseases, this study first used network pharmacology methods to screen the components and targets of leech and bear bile, as well as the related target genes of liver and gallbladder diseases. The selected key genes were subjected to interaction network and GO/KEGG enrichment analysis. Then, using sodium oleate induced HepG2 cell lipid deposition model and DL-ethionine induced mouse fatty liver model, the activity of leech and bear bile alone and in combination in reducing liver fat was evaluated in vitro and in vivo, and the expression of key pathway related proteins suggested by network pharmacology was detected by Western blot. The results of network pharmacology analysis showed that the active ingredients of leech and bear bile have 295 intersecting targets with liver and gallbladder related diseases, involving more than 200 signaling pathways, including the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway and phospholipase D signaling pathway closely related to glucose and lipid metabolism. The results of in vitro validation experiments showed that both leech and bear bile, alone and in combination, can significantly inhibit the lipid deposition induced by sodium oleate in human liver cells, reduce the triacylglycerol level in cell culture supernatant, and inhibit the lipid content in liver cells. The observation results of Nile red staining confocal microscopy showed that the combination of leech and bear bile had better activity in reducing lipid deposition in liver cells compared to using them alone. In a mouse fatty liver model, the combination of leech and bear bile can better reduce elevated organ indices, blood lipids, and liver lipid levels, as well as lower the levels of serum liver injury biomarkers. The animals used in this experiment and related disposal meet the requirements of animal welfare. Before the experiment, it was reviewed and approved by IACUC, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. The Western blot experiment results showed that the combination of leech and bear bile can significantly upregulate the expression levels of p-PI3K and p-Akt proteins, and increase the p-PI3K/PI3K and p-Akt/Akt ratios, which is consistent with the predicted results of network pharmacology. The combination of leech and bear bile has great potential for treating fatty liver disease, and activating the PI3K/Akt pathway may be one of the important mechanisms for reducing lipid deposition in liver cells.

Pain modulation encompasses a complex neurobiological process, in which the lateral habenula (LHb) plays a crucial role in integrating, regulating and modulating pain signals. It is also involved in pain-related memory functions associated with perception, transmission and regulation of pain. Furthermore, the LHb collaborates with structures such as the spinal dorsal horn, forebrain, and amygdala to form an essential neural circuit that contributes to sensitization, development of tolerance, and adaptation processes related to pain. However, there remains limited understanding regarding the specific roles and interactions among different neuron subtypes within the LHb concerning pain regulation. Additionally, further investigation is warranted to explore functional changes and plasticity within both the LHb and its associated neural circuits in chronic pain models. Future research endeavors should utilize advanced neuroimaging techniques alongside optogenetics and gene editing technologies to elucidate intricate neural circuits, cellular architecture, and molecular mechanisms governing LHb function in pain regulation. In conclusion, this paper aims to comprehensively review existing literature on the involvement of the LHb and its neural circuits in modulating pain, thereby enhancing our understanding of their neurobiological mechanisms while providing novel targets for precise therapeutic strategies aimed at alleviating pain.

Objective To explore the safety and efficacy of applying Bivalirudin in complex high-risk and indicated patients(CHIP)undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)while on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO).This study will provide additional evidence for making informed decisions regarding anticoagulation therapy during ECMO.Methods A total of 83 CHIP who underwent VA-ECMO assisted PCI in the Heart Center of the First Hospital of Lanzhou University from March 2019 to December 2022 were retrospectively enrolled as the research objects.According to the use of anticoagulant drugs during ECMO support and PCI,they were divided into Bivalirudin group(40 cases)and heparin group(43 cases).The cost of anticoagulants,coefficient of variation of activated partial thromboplastin time(APTT),APTT compliance rate,bleeding events,thrombotic events,blood product transfusion,and net adverse clinical events(NACE)at 30 days after PCI were compared between the two groups to determine the safety and efficacy of Bivalirudin in CHIP undergoing ECMO assisted PCI.Results The proportion of previous PCI(25.00％vs.4.65％),fibrinogen level[(3.52±1.14)g/L vs.(2.92±1.28)g/L],CRUSADE score[(32.00±12.69)scores vs.(26.14±10.60)scores],anticoagulation cost[1 400.00(700.00,2 100.00)RMB vs.107.69(58.74,205.59)RMB]and compliance rate of APTT[(57.76±33.11)％vs.(31.44±27.63)％]in the Bivalirudin group were higher,while the coefficient of variation for APTT[10.64(7.72,21.11)vs.19.47(10.48,31.28)]was lower than those in the heparin group.The total bleeding events(25.00％vs.46.51％),Bleeding Academic Research Consortium(BARC)1-2 bleeding events(12.50％vs.32.56％),and total thrombotic events(12.50％vs.32.56％)of the Bivalirudin group was significantly lower compared with the heparin group.Kaplan-Meier curves showed that cumulative incidence of 30-days NACE was significantly lower in the Bivalirudin group than in the heparin group.The differences between the above two groups were statistically significant(Log-rank P＜0.001).Conclusions Compared with heparin,Bivalirudin has better safety and efficacy in CHIP undergoing PCI assisted by VA-ECMO.

Objective:To explore inhibitory effect of Tianzhi granule on neuroinflammation in vascular dementia(VD)rats.Methods:Sixty rats were randomly divided into Sham group,VD group,TZG-L group and TZG-H group,with 15 rats in each group.Bilateral common carotid artery occlusion was used to construct VD rats model,Sham group was not ligated.Rats in TZG-L group and TZG-H group were gavaged with Tianzhi granule 5 g/kg,20 g/kg every day,while rats in Sham group and VD group were gavaged with same amount of normal saline for 8 weeks.Y-maze test was used to detect cognitive ability of rats;Nissl staining and FJC staining were used to assess neuronal damage;TUNEL staining was used to detect neuronal apoptosis;immunofluorescence staining and Western blot were used to detect Bcl-2,Bax,Caspase-3,NLRP3,ASC,Caspase-1,IL-1β,IL-18,TNF-α,Iba-1,GFAP,MPO,Nrf2,HO-1 protein levels in temporal cortex tissue.PC12 cells was divided into Control group,Glutamate group,TZG-L group and TZG-H group.Glutamate(20 μmol/L)was used to construct neuron injury model.TZG-L group and TZG-H group were added with Tianzhi granule 1 mg/ml,4 mg/ml.Neurons in each group were incubated for 48 h.CCK8 method and TUNEL staining were used to detect activity and apoptosis of neurons;immunofluorescence staining and Western blot were used to detect Bcl-2,Bax,Caspase-3,Nrf2,HO-1 protein levels in cells.Results:Compared with Sham group,cognitive ability of rats in VD group were decreased,TUNEL positive neurons ratio was increased,Bcl-2 level was decreased,Bax,Caspase-3,NLRP3,ASC,Caspase-1,IL-1β,IL-18,TNF-α,Iba-1,GFAP,MPO,Nrf2,HO-1 levels were increased(all P<0.05).Compared with VD group,cognitive ability of rats in TZG-L group and TZG-H group were increased,TUNEL positive neurons ratio was decreased,Bcl-2,Nrf2,HO-1 levels were increased,Bax,Caspase-3,NLRP3,ASC,Caspase-1,IL-1β,IL-18,TNF-α,Iba-1,GFAP,MPO levels were decreased(all P<0.05).Morphology of neurons in control group were normal;compared with control group,neurons in Glutamate group were swollen,activity of neurons was decreased,apoptosis rate was increased,Bcl-2 level was decreased,Bax,Caspase-3,Nrf2,HO-1 levels were increased(all P<0.05);compared with Glutamate group,cell damage in TZG-L group and TZG-H group were reduced,activity of neurons was increased and apoptosis rate was decreased,Bcl-2,Nrf2,HO-1 levels were increased,Bax,Caspase-3 levels were decreased(all P<0.05).Conclusion:Tianzhi granule can inhibit neuronal apoptosis and expression of NLRP3 inflammasome in VD rats,inhibit activa-tion of microglia/astrocytes and neutrophil infiltration,improve neuroinflammation of VD,which may play a role by activating Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway in neurons.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of sweet potato leaf extract on production per-formance,systematic and mammary gland oxidative stress status and rumen microbiota of dairy goats fed high concentrate diets.Twenty Guanzhong dairy goats with same parity,similar lactation period(120±15)d and healthy body condition were selected and randomly divided into four groups:low-concentrate(LC),low-concentrate supplemented with 1％sweet potato leaf extract(LCS),high-concentrate(HC)and high-concentrate supplemented with 1％sweet potato leaf ex-tract(HCS).The experimental period was 35 days.The results showed that in the third week,milk yield in the HCS group was significantly higher than that in the LC and LCS groups(P＜0.05).The content of lipopolysaccharide in the rumen fluid of the HC group was significantly higher than that of the other three groups(P＜0.05),the content of malondialdehyde in the serum of the HC group was significantly higher than that of the LCS group(P＜0.05),the content of reactive oxygen species,protein carbonyl,8-hydroxydeoxyguanosine in the milk of the HC group was sig-nificantly higher than that of the LC and LCS groups(P＜0.05),GSH-Px in HCS group was sig-nificantly higher than that in the other three groups(P＜0.05).After the addition of sweet potato leaf extract,there was an increasing trend in the content of Anabaena phylum at the phylum level.In the joint analysis of genera,rumen fluid LPS showed highly significant negative correlation with Succiniclasticum(P＜0.01)and negative correlation with Prevotella(P＜0.05).Valeric acid was negatively correlated with Prevotella(P＜0.05).The pH value was negatively correlated with Treponema(P＜0.05).Butyric acid was positively correlated with Anaeroplasma(P＜0.05).In conclusion,the addition of sweet potato leaf extract to the diet can increase milk production and al-leviate the state of mammary gland oxidative stress,as well as improving rumen microbial diversi-ty of dairy goats.