AIM:The study aims to investigate the effects of Huayu-Qutan formula(HYQT)-medicated serum on oleic acid-induced lipid damage and endoplasmic reticulum stress(ERS)in HepG2 cells,and to explore the mecha-nism underlying the prevention and treatment of lipid metabolism disorders by HYQT.METHODS:The HepG2 cells were treated with various concentrations of oleic acid,and CCK8 assay,oil red O staining and ELISA were used to identify the optimal treatment concentration and time of oleic acid and HYQT-medicated serum.Moreover,the cells were divided into control,model,thapsigargin(Tg),and Tg+HYQT groups.Cellular lipid deposition was measured using oil red O staining,while triglyceride(TG)and free fatty acid(FFA)levels were assessed by ELISA.Transmission electron micros-copy was used to examine endoplasmic reticulum structures,and RT-qPCR and Wes fully automated protein quantification analysis system were used to measure the mRNA and protein expression of glucose-regulated protein 78(GRP78),sterol regulatory element binding protein 1c(SREBP1c),acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase(ACC1),fatty acid synthase(FAS)and stearoyl coenzyme A desaturase 1(SCD1)in different groups.RESULTS:Significant lipid deposition was induced in HepG2 cells after treatment with 1 000 μmol/L oleic acid,while treatment with serum containing 10%HYQT for 48 h was found to be optimal.Compared with control group,the cells in model group showed significant deposition of oil red O-stained lipid droplets in the cytoplasm,associated with endoplasmic reticulum expansion,ERS,and nuclear condensa-tion.The TG and FFA levels,and the mRNA and protein expression levels of GRP78,SREBP1c,ACC1,FAS and SCD1 were increased significantly(P<0.01).Compared with model group,the cells treated with HYQT-mediated serum showed marked decrease in the number of lipid droplets in the cytoplasm,with restored endoplasmic reticulum morphology.The TG and FFA levels were significantly reduced(P<0.01),and the mRNA and protein levels of factors related to ERS and de novo fatty acid synthesis were markedly decreased(P<0.01).Treatment with Tg,an ERS agonist,led to greater accu-mulation of cytoplasmic lipid droplets and increased endoplasmic reticulum expansion.Marked variations in the morpholo-gy and size of the endoplasmic reticulum were observed,with fusion and clustering of vacuoles.The TG and FFA levels,and the expression of ERS-and fatty acid synthesis-related factors were increased(P<0.01).Compared with Tg group,the cells treated with Tg+HYQT showed reduced number of cytoplasmic lipid droplets,attenuated endoplasmic reticulum dilation,and decreased number and volume of vacuoles,while the TG and FFA levels and the expression of ERS-and fatty acid synthesis-associated factors were significantly decreased(P<0.01).CONCLUSION:Serum containing HYQT alle-viates oleic acid-induced lipid damage in HepG2 cells by inhibiting ERS-induced de novo synthesis of fatty acids.

AIM:The study aims to investigate the effects of Huayu-Qutan formula(HYQT)-medicated serum on oleic acid-induced lipid damage and endoplasmic reticulum stress(ERS)in HepG2 cells,and to explore the mecha-nism underlying the prevention and treatment of lipid metabolism disorders by HYQT.METHODS:The HepG2 cells were treated with various concentrations of oleic acid,and CCK8 assay,oil red O staining and ELISA were used to identify the optimal treatment concentration and time of oleic acid and HYQT-medicated serum.Moreover,the cells were divided into control,model,thapsigargin(Tg),and Tg+HYQT groups.Cellular lipid deposition was measured using oil red O staining,while triglyceride(TG)and free fatty acid(FFA)levels were assessed by ELISA.Transmission electron micros-copy was used to examine endoplasmic reticulum structures,and RT-qPCR and Wes fully automated protein quantification analysis system were used to measure the mRNA and protein expression of glucose-regulated protein 78(GRP78),sterol regulatory element binding protein 1c(SREBP1c),acetyl coenzyme A carboxylase(ACC1),fatty acid synthase(FAS)and stearoyl coenzyme A desaturase 1(SCD1)in different groups.RESULTS:Significant lipid deposition was induced in HepG2 cells after treatment with 1 000 μmol/L oleic acid,while treatment with serum containing 10%HYQT for 48 h was found to be optimal.Compared with control group,the cells in model group showed significant deposition of oil red O-stained lipid droplets in the cytoplasm,associated with endoplasmic reticulum expansion,ERS,and nuclear condensa-tion.The TG and FFA levels,and the mRNA and protein expression levels of GRP78,SREBP1c,ACC1,FAS and SCD1 were increased significantly(P<0.01).Compared with model group,the cells treated with HYQT-mediated serum showed marked decrease in the number of lipid droplets in the cytoplasm,with restored endoplasmic reticulum morphology.The TG and FFA levels were significantly reduced(P<0.01),and the mRNA and protein levels of factors related to ERS and de novo fatty acid synthesis were markedly decreased(P<0.01).Treatment with Tg,an ERS agonist,led to greater accu-mulation of cytoplasmic lipid droplets and increased endoplasmic reticulum expansion.Marked variations in the morpholo-gy and size of the endoplasmic reticulum were observed,with fusion and clustering of vacuoles.The TG and FFA levels,and the expression of ERS-and fatty acid synthesis-related factors were increased(P<0.01).Compared with Tg group,the cells treated with Tg+HYQT showed reduced number of cytoplasmic lipid droplets,attenuated endoplasmic reticulum dilation,and decreased number and volume of vacuoles,while the TG and FFA levels and the expression of ERS-and fatty acid synthesis-associated factors were significantly decreased(P<0.01).CONCLUSION:Serum containing HYQT alle-viates oleic acid-induced lipid damage in HepG2 cells by inhibiting ERS-induced de novo synthesis of fatty acids.

This paper introduces the development and application of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) scales in research on coronary heart disease (CHD). Currently, the scales for CHD patients have been more systematically developed and widely used in foreign countries, while domestically in China, they are developed successfully but problematically; research in this field has started later and the scales introduced are limited and not suitable for the entire range of domestic CHD patients. Thus, this paper introduces 26 HRQOL scales in research on CHD, including five generic scales, ten disease-specific scales from abroad and eleven scales originating from China. With the deficiency of HRQOL scales, especially that in traditional Chinese medicine and specific scales, this paper analyzes and summarizes the problems existing in development of scales. The authors also provide solutions in order to help the development and application of scales in further studies.