ObjectiveTo evaluate the antitumor activity of Periplaneta americana extract（PAE） against human-derived lung adenocarcinoma organoids（LUAD-PDOs） and to elucidate its potential mechanism based on transcriptomics. MethodsFresh tumor and adjacent normal tissues from patients with LUAD were collected to construct LUAD-PDOs and normal lung organoid（Nor-PDOs） models using 3D organoid culture technology. The effective intervention concentration of PAE was determined using the cell counting kit-8（CCK-8） assay. Experimental groups included the model group（LUAD-PDOs）， normal group， model administration group（LUAD-PDOs+PAE）， and normal administration group（Nor-PDOs+PAE）. Hematoxylin-eosin（HE） staining was used to observe the pathological structures of PDOs， immunohistochemistry（IHC） was performed to detect the expressions of the proliferation marker Ki-67 and lung adenocarcinoma differentiation markers cytokeratin-7（CK-7） and Napsin A， TUNEL staining was applied to detect cell apoptosis. RNA sequencing（RNA-Seq） was conducted to identify differentially expressed genes（DEGs）， followed by Gene Ontology（GO）， Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes（KEGG）， and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis（GSEA）， alongside protein-protein interaction（PPI） network analysis to screen core mechanisms. Finally， key targets were validated by integrating external database analysis with immunofluorescence（IF）. ResultsNor-PDOs and LUAD-PDOs that highly recapitulated the pathological characteristics of the primary tissues were successfully established. The CCK-8 assay determined that the effective intervention concentration of PAE was 16 g·L^-1. Morphological observation showed that Nor-PDOs exhibited lumen-forming structures， whereas LUAD-PDOs displayed dense， solid structures. CCK-8 and TUNEL assays revealed that， compared with the model group， PAE intervention inhibited the proliferation of LUAD-PDOs and promoted apoptosis in LUAD cells， while showing no significant effect on the viability of Nor-PDOs. Transcriptomic analysis identified 719 DEGs that were significantly reversed after PAE intervention（347 up-regulated and 372 down-regulated）（P<0.05）. GO enrichment analysis indicated that DEGs in the model administration group were significantly enriched in biological processes related to cell cycle regulation compared to the model group. KEGG pathway analysis revealed that PAE affected pathways related to proliferation and metabolism， including pathways in cancer and the p53 signaling pathway. GSEA further confirmed that PAE significantly enhanced the activity of the p53 signaling pathway（P<0.05）. PPI network analysis indicated that breast cancer type 1 susceptibility protein（BRCA1） and checkpoint kinase 1（CHEK1） were the core down-regulated targets in the p53 pathway. IF verified the high expression of BRCA1 and CHEK1 in LUAD-PDOs and their significant downregulation after PAE intervention（P<0.05）. Furthermore， survival analysis based on The Cancer Genome Atlas（TCGA） database indicated that low expression of BRCA1 and CHEK1 was significantly associated with prolonged overall survival in patients with LUAD（P<0.05）. ConclusionPAE effectively inhibits proliferation of LUAD-PDOs and promotes their apoptosis， its anti-tumor mechanism is potentially associated with the activation of the p53 signaling pathway， with BRCA1 and CHEK1 genes likely serving as key downstream targets for the effects of PAE.

OBJECTIVE To establish a content determination method for multiple components in Sophora flavescens from different origins and to evaluate its quality by combining with chemometrics. METHODS Thirteen batches （No. K1-K13） of S. flavescens from different origins were selected as test samples. A high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem triple quadrupole mass spectrometry （HPLC-MS/MS） method was established to determine the contents of 12 components， including matrine， oxymatrine， betaine， cytisine， N-methylcytisine， sophoridine， genistein， sophoricoside， sophorone， formononetin， sophorolone Ⅰ and norkurarinone in S. flavescens. Chromatographic separation was performed on a Shim-pack GIST-HP C18 column with a mobile phase consisting of methanol （A） and water containing 0.1% formic acid （B）， using gradient elution at a flow rate of 0.25 mL/min， column temperature of 35 ℃， and an injection volume of 3 μL. Mass spectrometry was conducted using an electrospray ionization source with positive and negative ion scanning. Data were collected in segments using the multiple reaction monitoring mode. Technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution （TOPSIS） and grey relational analysis （GRA）methods were employed to compare and comprehensively evaluate the 13 batches of S. flavescens from different origins. RESULTS The methodological validation for the content determination met the relevant regulatory requirements. The contents of the 12 components were 490.66-1 231.00， 11 088.10- 18 021.50， 7.91-25.38， 903.97-1 713.64， 336.08-1 485.54，1 065.33-2 075.50， 27.52-71.80， 109.36-517.83， 6 034.55-10 632.73， 21.26-145.35， 814.84-1 911.32， 1 040.87-3 446.37 μg/g）， respectively. TOPSIS results showed that the top 7 samples in Euclidean distance ranking were K6， K12， K11， K3， K5， K10， K13. The GRA results showed that the top 7 samples in the relative correlation ranking were K12， K11， K10， K6， K13， K5， K3. CONCLUSIONS The established HPLC-MS/MS method is rapid， accurate， highly sensitive， stable and reliable. Combined with chemometrics methods， it can be used for the quality control and evaluation of S. flavescens. The comprehensive quality of samples K3， K5， K6（ from Hebei）， K10（ from Sichuan）， K11-K13（ from Shanxi）， etc. is relatively superior.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality based on the 10-year population-based multicenter prospective study. METHODS: A general population-based multicenter prospective study was conducted at four sites in rural China between 2013 and 2023. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic spline analyses were used to assess the association between BMI and mortality. Stratified analyses were performed based on the individual characteristics of the participants. RESULTS: Overall, 19,107 participants with a sum of 163,095 person-years were included and 1,910 participants died. The underweight (< 18.5 kg/m ²) presented an increase in all-cause mortality (adjusted hazards ratio [ aHR] = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.66-2.41), while overweight (≥ 24.0 to < 28.0 kg/m ²) and obesity (≥ 28.0 kg/m ²) presented a decrease with an aHR of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.52-0.73) and 0.51 (95% CI: 0.37-0.70), respectively. Overweight ( aHR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.67-0.86) and mild obesity ( aHR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.59-0.87) had a positive impact on mortality in people older than 60 years. All-cause mortality decreased rapidly until reaching a BMI of 25.7 kg/m ² ( aHR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.98) and increased slightly above that value, indicating a U-shaped association. The beneficial impact of being overweight on mortality was robust in most subgroups and sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSION This study provides additional evidence that overweight and mild obesity may be inversely related to the risk of death in individuals older than 60 years. Therefore, it is essential to consider age differences when formulating health and weight management strategies.
Humans ; Body Mass Index ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Rural Population/statistics & numerical data* ; Aged ; Follow-Up Studies ; Adult ; Mortality ; Cause of Death ; Obesity/mortality* ; Overweight/mortality*

AIM:This study aimed to investigate the differences in hepatic lipid metabolites in ICR mice in-duced by a high-fat diet and treated with Shaqi concentrated pills(SQ).METHODS:Thirty 8-week-old SPF-grade ICR mice were randomly assigned to five groups:the normal(CON,n=6)group,the high-fat diet model(HFD,n=6)group,the low-dose SQ administration(SQL,n=6)group,the high-dose SQ administration(SQH,n=6)group,and the liver-protecting tablets positive control(PLT,n=6)group.The HFD group was fed a diet consisting of 60%fat for 8 weeks to es-tablish a metabolic-dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease model.Upon successful model establishment,the SQL group received a daily gavage of 395 mg/kg for 4 weeks,while the SQH group received 790 mg·kg-1·d-1.The PLT group was ad-ministered liver-protecting tablets at a dosage of 0.655 g/kg via gavage.Body weight and food intake were monitored week-ly.Liver indices,including Lee's index,triglyceride(TG),total cholesterol(TC),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C),low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C),alanine aminotransferase(ALT),and aspartate transaminase(AST)levels,were measured in each group.Hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining and oil red O staining were performed to assess the extent of pathological damage in liver tissues.Western blot analysis was conducted to evaluate the protein expres-sion levels of choline/ethanolamine phosphotransferase-1(CEPT1),adipose triglyceride lipase(ATGL),and diacylglycerol acyltransferase(DGAT)in the liver.A non-targeted lipidomic analysis using LC-MS was employed to detect changes in hepatic lipid content,and multivariate statistical analyses(principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis)were utilized to compare lipid metabolic profiles among the groups and identify differential lipid metabolites.RESULTS:Compared to the CON group,mice in the HFD group exhibited significantly increased body weight,blood glucose levels,serum TG,TC,LDL-C,ALT,and AST levels,accompanied by a marked decrease in HDL-C levels.HE and oil red O staining results revealed significant lipid droplet accumulation in the liver tissues of HFD mice.In contrast,mice in the SQL and SQH groups showed significant reductions in body weight,blood glucose,serum TG,TC,LDL-C,ALT,and AST levels,along with increased HDL-C levels and less lipid accumulation in liver tissues compared to the HFD group.Staining of liver sections confirmed that SQ treatment mitigated the abnormal accumulation of lipid droplets.Lipidomic analysis indicated that SQ treatment normalized 25 aberrantly expressed lipid metabolites to lev-els comparable to the CON group and identified nine representative differential lipid metabolites.Western blot results dem-onstrated that SQ treatment reduced the protein expression levels of ATGL and DGAT while increasing the expression of CEPT1.CONCLUSION:Treatment with SQ can alleviate metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease(MAFLD)by modulating triglyceride metabolism,phosphatidylcholine metabolism,and dimethylphosphatidylethanolamine lipid me-tabolism,thereby altering the hepatic lipid profile in MAFLD mice.

Objective To investigate the thalamus and thalamic subnucleus volume changes in patients with trigeminal neuralgia(TN)and to preliminarily investigate whether there is a pain processing lateralization advantage in the thalamus.Methods The three-dimensional T1WI images of 56 TN patients and 56 matched healthy controls(HC)were collected,and thalamus and thalamic subnucleus volumes were extracted by automated segmentation via a region of interest(ROI)-based morphological analysis method.Results There was no significant difference in the whole thalamus volume between TN and HC groups.Compared with HC,the bilateral ventral lateral(VL)of the thalamus were significantly smaller in patients with right-sided trigeminal neuralgia(RTN),and no significant thalamic subnucleus volume changes were found in patients with left-sided trigeminal neuralgia(LTN).After mirror-flipping the whole-brain images of the LTN,it was found that the volume of ipsilateral thalamic VL of TN group was significantly reduced than that of HC group.The volume of ipsilateral mediodorsal lateral parvocellular(MD1)of TN group was significantly smaller than that of HC group.There was no significant difference in the volume of ipsilateral and contralateral thalamic subnucleus.Conclusion The thalamic subnucleus are exclusively reduced in volume in patients with TN,and there is no significant change in whole thalamus volume,suggesting no lateralization advantage for pain processing.

Objective:To observe the effect of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on diabetic rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and to explore the role of miR-122 in it.Methods:Forty Wistar rats were randomly divided into a healthy control group, a sedentary group, a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) group and a moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) group using a random number table. All except the healthy control group had type 2 diabetes with NAFLD induced using a high-fat and high-fructose diet. The healthy control and sedentary groups were kept quiet in their cages, while the HIIT and MICT groups performed treadmill exercise of the corresponding intensity for 8 consecutive weeks. At 48h after the last training, plasma was collected to measure biochemical markers, and the livers were resected for histological observation using hematoxylin and eosin staining. miR-122 expression was measured using real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reactions, while the protein expressions of fatty acid synthase (FAS), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP1c) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) were detected using western blotting.Results:Compared with the healthy control group, the average fasting blood glucose (FBG), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), insulin and insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) had increased significantly in the sedentary group. Compared with the sedentary group, the average FBG, TG, TC, insulin and HOMA-IR had decreased significantly in both the HIIT and MICT groups, and the average ALT and AST in the HIIT group had also decreased significantly. The average TG, TC, ALT and AST levels in the HIIT group were then significantly lower than in the MICT group. Compared with the sedentary group, the average liver steatosis score had decreased significantly in both the HIIT and MICT groups, with that of the HIIT group significantly lower than in the MICT group, on average. Compared with the healthy control group, the expression of miR-122 had decreased significantly, but that of SREBP1c, PPARγ, FAS and ACC had increased significantly in the sedentary group. And compared with the sedentary group, the expression of miR-122 had increased significantly in both the HIIT and MICT groups, on average, but that of SREBP1c, PPARγ, FAS and ACC had decreased significantly. Average miR-122 levels in the HIIT group were then significantly higher, and those of SREBP1c, PPARγ, FAS and ACC were significantly lower than in the MICT group.Conclusions:Either MICT or HIIT training can relieve NAFLD in rats modeling diabetes, but HIIT has a better therapeutic effect. Its therapeutic mechanism may be related to the upregulation of miR-122 in the liver.

AIM:To investigate the antitumor activity and targets of baicalein(Bai)in pancreatic cancer using network pharmacology combined with in vitro and in vivo experiments.METHODS:The targets of Bai and pancreatic can-cer were analyzed via multi-data screening.A protein-protein interaction network was constructed using STRING,and core targets were identified via Cytoscape.Functional enrichment was analyzed by Gene Ontology(GO)and Kyoto Ency-clopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG).Antitumor effects of Bai were assessed in pancreatic cancer cells Aspc-1 and Bxpc-3 using MTT and colony formation assays for proliferation,flow cytometry for apoptosis and cell cycle analysis,and Transwell assays for migration and invasion.A xenograft tumor model was established to evaluate tumor proliferation,im-munohistochemistry was performed to detect the protein expression of AKT in tumor tissues,and Western blot was used to analyze the expression levels of AKT,β-catenin,N-cadherin and Slug.RESULTS:A total of 108 overlapping targets were identified between Bai and pancreatic cancer.Among these,7 core targets were recognized,including proto-onco-gene tyrosine-protein kinase Src,heat shock protein 90 alpha family class A member 1(HSP90AA1),estrogen receptor 1(ESR1),tumor protein p53(TP53),epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR),AKT1,and mitogen-activated protein ki-nase 3(MAPK3).The GO analysis revealed significant enrichment in oxidative stress response,protein phosphorylation,and serine/threonine kinase activity.The KEGG analysis primarily enriched the PI3K/AKT,MAPK and Ras signaling pathways.The MTT and colony formation assays showed that Bai inhibited the viability of Aspc-1 and Bxpc-3 cells in a dose-dependent manner(72 h IC50 values were 73.6 μmol/L and 83.4 μmol/L,respectively)and reduced cell colony for-mation(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Flow cytometry confirmed that Bai induced apoptosis of Aspc-1 and Bxpc-3 cells(P<0.01)and blocked the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Transwell experiments indicated that Bai inhibited the migration and invasion of Aspc-1 and Bxpc-3 cells(P<0.05 or P<0.01).In vivo,Bai significantly inhibited the growth of Aspc-1 cell xenograft tumors(P<0.01).Immunohistochemistry revealed a significant reduction in AKT expression in tu-mor tissues(P<0.01),and Western blot showed decreased expression of AKT,β-catenin,N-cadherin and Slug in both Aspc-1 and Bxpc-3 cells(P<0.01).CONCLUSION:Baicalein inhibits pancreatic cancer cell proliferation,migration,and invasion,potentially through down-regulation of AKT,β-catenin,N-cadherin,and Slug expression.

Objective:To observe the effect of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) on diabetic rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and to explore the role of miR-122 in it.Methods:Forty Wistar rats were randomly divided into a healthy control group, a sedentary group, a high-intensity interval training (HIIT) group and a moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) group using a random number table. All except the healthy control group had type 2 diabetes with NAFLD induced using a high-fat and high-fructose diet. The healthy control and sedentary groups were kept quiet in their cages, while the HIIT and MICT groups performed treadmill exercise of the corresponding intensity for 8 consecutive weeks. At 48h after the last training, plasma was collected to measure biochemical markers, and the livers were resected for histological observation using hematoxylin and eosin staining. miR-122 expression was measured using real-time fluorescent quantitative polymerase chain reactions, while the protein expressions of fatty acid synthase (FAS), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP1c) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) were detected using western blotting.Results:Compared with the healthy control group, the average fasting blood glucose (FBG), triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), insulin and insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) had increased significantly in the sedentary group. Compared with the sedentary group, the average FBG, TG, TC, insulin and HOMA-IR had decreased significantly in both the HIIT and MICT groups, and the average ALT and AST in the HIIT group had also decreased significantly. The average TG, TC, ALT and AST levels in the HIIT group were then significantly lower than in the MICT group. Compared with the sedentary group, the average liver steatosis score had decreased significantly in both the HIIT and MICT groups, with that of the HIIT group significantly lower than in the MICT group, on average. Compared with the healthy control group, the expression of miR-122 had decreased significantly, but that of SREBP1c, PPARγ, FAS and ACC had increased significantly in the sedentary group. And compared with the sedentary group, the expression of miR-122 had increased significantly in both the HIIT and MICT groups, on average, but that of SREBP1c, PPARγ, FAS and ACC had decreased significantly. Average miR-122 levels in the HIIT group were then significantly higher, and those of SREBP1c, PPARγ, FAS and ACC were significantly lower than in the MICT group.Conclusions:Either MICT or HIIT training can relieve NAFLD in rats modeling diabetes, but HIIT has a better therapeutic effect. Its therapeutic mechanism may be related to the upregulation of miR-122 in the liver.

AIM:To investigate the antitumor activity and targets of baicalein(Bai)in pancreatic cancer using network pharmacology combined with in vitro and in vivo experiments.METHODS:The targets of Bai and pancreatic can-cer were analyzed via multi-data screening.A protein-protein interaction network was constructed using STRING,and core targets were identified via Cytoscape.Functional enrichment was analyzed by Gene Ontology(GO)and Kyoto Ency-clopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG).Antitumor effects of Bai were assessed in pancreatic cancer cells Aspc-1 and Bxpc-3 using MTT and colony formation assays for proliferation,flow cytometry for apoptosis and cell cycle analysis,and Transwell assays for migration and invasion.A xenograft tumor model was established to evaluate tumor proliferation,im-munohistochemistry was performed to detect the protein expression of AKT in tumor tissues,and Western blot was used to analyze the expression levels of AKT,β-catenin,N-cadherin and Slug.RESULTS:A total of 108 overlapping targets were identified between Bai and pancreatic cancer.Among these,7 core targets were recognized,including proto-onco-gene tyrosine-protein kinase Src,heat shock protein 90 alpha family class A member 1(HSP90AA1),estrogen receptor 1(ESR1),tumor protein p53(TP53),epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR),AKT1,and mitogen-activated protein ki-nase 3(MAPK3).The GO analysis revealed significant enrichment in oxidative stress response,protein phosphorylation,and serine/threonine kinase activity.The KEGG analysis primarily enriched the PI3K/AKT,MAPK and Ras signaling pathways.The MTT and colony formation assays showed that Bai inhibited the viability of Aspc-1 and Bxpc-3 cells in a dose-dependent manner(72 h IC50 values were 73.6 μmol/L and 83.4 μmol/L,respectively)and reduced cell colony for-mation(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Flow cytometry confirmed that Bai induced apoptosis of Aspc-1 and Bxpc-3 cells(P<0.01)and blocked the cell cycle at the G0/G1 phase(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Transwell experiments indicated that Bai inhibited the migration and invasion of Aspc-1 and Bxpc-3 cells(P<0.05 or P<0.01).In vivo,Bai significantly inhibited the growth of Aspc-1 cell xenograft tumors(P<0.01).Immunohistochemistry revealed a significant reduction in AKT expression in tu-mor tissues(P<0.01),and Western blot showed decreased expression of AKT,β-catenin,N-cadherin and Slug in both Aspc-1 and Bxpc-3 cells(P<0.01).CONCLUSION:Baicalein inhibits pancreatic cancer cell proliferation,migration,and invasion,potentially through down-regulation of AKT,β-catenin,N-cadherin,and Slug expression.

Objective Network pharmacology and molecular docking techniques were used to predict the potential mechanisms by which the active components of Piper nigrum(PN)regulate depressive-like behaviors in chronic restraint stress(CRS)mice.Methods The major chemical components and targets of PN were screened using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology database.Targets related to ferroptosis and depression were obtained from the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man,GeneCards,and FerrDB databases.The intersecting targets were then subjected to Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Gnomes(KEGG)pathway enrichment analyses,and molecular docking was performed to validate the binding capacities between the core targets and their corresponding active components.Finally,we established a CRS mouse model.Mice were treated with PN 75,150,and 300 mg/kg for 4 weeks,followed by behavioral assessments and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR)to verify the expression of core genes.Results Nine active components were screened from PN,corresponding to 27 targets,and 8377 targets related to depression and 547 targets associated with ferroptosis were screened from the databases.The intersection of these three sets resulted in 25 target genes.KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that these core targets were predominantly enriched in signaling pathways,including cholinergic synapses,serotonergic synapses,and neuroactive ligand-receptor interactions.Molecular docking result showed that the main active components of PN had strong binding affinities for the targets CHRM2,SLC6A4,PTGS2,and SLC6A2.Behavioral assessments demonstrated that PN significantly increased the sucrose preference index(P＜0.01,P＜0.001),reduced immobility time in the tail suspension and forced swimming tests(P＜0.01,P＜0.001),and enhanced exploratory behavior in the open field test(P＜0.05.P＜0.01,P＜0.001).PN significantly reduced the serum levels of inflammation markers(P＜0.05.P＜0.01,P＜0.001),as shown by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay,and neurotransmitter analysis revealed that PN significantly increased the levels of serotonin and acetylcholine in the mouse hippocampus(P＜0.05).RT-qPCR showed that PN demonstrated the mRNA expression of SLC6A4(P＜0.05.P＜0.01,P＜0.001).Conclusions PN may improve depressive-like behavior in mice by modulating serotonin and acetylcholine levels,inhibiting inflammatory responses,participating in immune regulation,and exerting neuroprotective effects.