OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of Qingda Granule (QDG) in ameliorating hypertension-induced cardiac damage and investigate the underlying mechanisms involved. METHODS: Twenty spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) were used to develope a hypertension-induced cardiac damage model. Another 10 Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were used as normotension group. Rats were administrated intragastrically QDG [0.9 g/(kg•d)] or an equivalent volume of pure water for 8 weeks. Blood pressure, histopathological changes, cardiac function, levels of oxidative stress and inflammatory response markers were measured. Furthermore, to gain insights into the potential mechanisms underlying the protective effects of QDG against hypertension-induced cardiac injury, a network pharmacology study was conducted. Predicted results were validated by Western blot, radioimmunoassay immunohistochemistry and quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively. RESULTS: The administration of QDG resulted in a significant decrease in blood pressure levels in SHRs (P<0.01). Histological examinations, including hematoxylin-eosin staining and Masson trichrome staining revealed that QDG effectively attenuated hypertension-induced cardiac damage. Furthermore, echocardiography demonstrated that QDG improved hypertension-associated cardiac dysfunction. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and colorimetric method indicated that QDG significantly reduced oxidative stress and inflammatory response levels in both myocardial tissue and serum (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS Both network pharmacology and experimental investigations confirmed that QDG exerted its beneficial effects in decreasing hypertension-induced cardiac damage by regulating the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE)/angiotensin II (Ang II)/Ang II receptor type 1 axis and ACE/Ang II/Ang II receptor type 2 axis.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Hypertension/pathology* ; Renin-Angiotensin System/drug effects* ; Rats, Inbred SHR ; Oxidative Stress/drug effects* ; Male ; Rats, Inbred WKY ; Blood Pressure/drug effects* ; Myocardium/pathology* ; Rats ; Inflammation/pathology*

With the rapid development of competitive sports, the incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is on the rise. Such injuries may shorten athletes′ career and lead to other long-term adverse consequences. Although athletes generally recover well after ACL reconstruction, many still struggle to return to their pre-injury performance levels. Advances in the understanding of ACL anatomy and injury mechanisms, along with the evolution of surgical techniques and rehabilitation methods, have provided more individualized and tailored options for athletes following ACL injuries. However, there is currently no consensus in China regarding surgical and rehabilitation strategies for competitive athletes aiming to return to sports after ACL injuries. To this end, the Sports Medicine Committee of the Chinese Research Hospital Association and the Editorial Board of the Chinese Journal of Trauma jointly formulated the Expert consensus on surgical treatment and rehabilitation for competitive sports athletes returning to sports after anterior cruciate ligament injury ( version 2025), and presented 14 recommendations covering surgical indications, preoperative rehabilitation, surgical timing, surgical strategies and postoperative rehabilitation strategies, aiming to improve the surgical treatment and rehabilitation system for ACL injuries in competitive athletes and facilitate their return to high-level sports performance after injury.

In recent decades, the prevalence of hyperuricemia and gout has increased dramatically due to lifestyle changes. The drugs currently recommended for hyperuricemia are associated with adverse reactions that limit their clinical use. In this study, we report that berberine (BBR) is an effective drug candidate for the treatment of hyperuricemia, with its mechanism potentially involving the modulation of gut microbiota and its metabolite, succinic acid. BBR has demonstrated good therapeutic effects in both acute and chronic animal models of hyperuricemia. In a clinical trial, oral administration of BBR for 6 months reduced blood uric acid levels in 22 participants by modulating the gut microbiota, which led to an increase in the abundance of Bacteroides and a decrease in Clostridium sensu stricto_1. Furthermore, Bacteroides fragilis was transplanted into ICR mice, and the results showed that Bacteroides fragilis exerted a therapeutic effect on uric acid similar to that of BBR. Notably, succinic acid, a metabolite of Bacteroides, significantly reduced uric acid levels. Subsequent cell and animal experiments revealed that the intestinal metabolite, succinic acid, regulated the upstream uric acid synthesis pathway in the liver by inhibiting adenosine monophosphate deaminase 2 (AMPD2), an enzyme responsible for converting adenosine monophosphate (AMP) to inosine monophosphate (IMP). This inhibition resulted in a decrease in IMP levels and an increase in phosphate levels. The reduction in IMP led to a decreased downstream production of hypoxanthine, xanthine, and uric acid. BBR also demonstrated excellent renoprotective effects, improving nephropathy associated with hyperuricemia. In summary, BBR has the potential to be an effective treatment for hyperuricemia through the gut-liver axis.

With the rapid development of competitive sports, the incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is on the rise. Such injuries may shorten athletes′ career and lead to other long-term adverse consequences. Although athletes generally recover well after ACL reconstruction, many still struggle to return to their pre-injury performance levels. Advances in the understanding of ACL anatomy and injury mechanisms, along with the evolution of surgical techniques and rehabilitation methods, have provided more individualized and tailored options for athletes following ACL injuries. However, there is currently no consensus in China regarding surgical and rehabilitation strategies for competitive athletes aiming to return to sports after ACL injuries. To this end, the Sports Medicine Committee of the Chinese Research Hospital Association and the Editorial Board of the Chinese Journal of Trauma jointly formulated the Expert consensus on surgical treatment and rehabilitation for competitive sports athletes returning to sports after anterior cruciate ligament injury ( version 2025), and presented 14 recommendations covering surgical indications, preoperative rehabilitation, surgical timing, surgical strategies and postoperative rehabilitation strategies, aiming to improve the surgical treatment and rehabilitation system for ACL injuries in competitive athletes and facilitate their return to high-level sports performance after injury.

Objective:To investigate the effects of down-regulation of p21 activated kinase 1(PAK1)on the proliferation,differentiation,and apoptosis of myeloproliferative neoplasm(MPN)cells(6133/MPL)with thrombopoietin receptor MPL mutation at codon 515(MPLW515L)and survival of 6133/MPL mice.Methods:Interference with the protein level of PAK1 in 6133/MPL cells was assessed using lentivirus-mediated shRNA transfection technology.CCK-8 assay was used to detect the effect of down-regulation of PAK1 on the proliferation viability of 6133/MPL cells,and colony-forming ability was measured by cell counting.Flow cytometry was used to detect the PAK1 kinase activity on the ability of polyploid DNA formation and cell apoptosis in 6133/MPL cells.The expression of cyclin D1,cyclin D3 and apoptosis-related protein Bax was detected by Western blot.The infiltration of tumor cells in spleen and bone marrow of 6133/MPL mice were detected by HE staining.Results:Down-regulation of PAK1 inhibited the proliferation and reduced the ability of cell colony formation of 6133/MPL cells.After knocking down PAK1,the content of polyploid DNA in 6133/MPL cells increased from 31.8 to 57.5％and 48.0％,and the proportion of apoptosis increased approximately to 10.8％.Down-regulation of PAK1 led to a reduction of infiltration of tumor cells in liver and bone marrow of 6133/MPL mice,thereby prolonging survival time.Conclusion:Down-regulation of PAK1 can significantly inhibit the growth of 6133/MPL cells,promote the formation of polyploid DNA,induce 6133/MPL cell apoptosis,and prolong the survival time of 6133/MPL mice.

AIM To establish a quantitative analysis of multi-components by single-marker (QAMS) method for the simultaneous content determination of synephrine,syringin,magnoflorine,narirutin,naringoside,hesperridin,neoesperridin,limonin,naringenin,honokiol and magnolol in different compatibility ratios of Fructus Aurantii Immaturus-Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex drug pair.METHODS The ratios of 1:1,1:2 and 2:1 were adopted in the compatibility of Fructus Aurantii Immaturus and Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex,respectively.The analysis was performed on a 30℃ thermostatic Agilent 5TC-C18 column (4.6 mm × 250 mm,5μm),with the mobile phase comprising of methanol-0.1％ phosphoric acid flowing at 1.0 mL/min in a gradient elution manner,and the detection wavelength was set at 280 nm.Hesperidin was used as an internal standard to calculate the relative correction factors of the other ten constituents,after which the content determination was made.RESULTS Eleven constituents showed good linear relationships within their own ranges (r≥0.9990),whose average recoveries were 97.04％-99.45％ with the RSDs of 1.22％-2.48％.The result obtained by QAMS approximated those obtained by external standard method.CONCLUSION This simple,accurate and reproducible method can be used for the quality control of Fructus Aurantii Immaturus-Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex drug pair.The extraction of various constituents is more favourable when the compatibility ratio of two medicinal materials is 1∶1.

The study is designed to observe the mechanism of Tongfu Xiefei Guanchang Solution(TFXF) in the treatment of acute lung injury(ALI) in rats by improving intestinal barrier and intestinal flora structure via p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase(p38 MAPK)/myosin light chain kinase(MLCK) signaling pathway. Sixty SPF-grade Wistar rats were randomly divided into the control(CON) group, lipopolysaccharide(LPS) group(7.5 mg·kg~(-1)), LPS + dexamethasone(DEX) group(3.5 mg·kg~(-1)), LPS + high-dose(HD)-TFXF group(14.74 g·kg~(-1)), LPS + middle-dose(MD)-TFXF group(7.37 g·kg~(-1)), and LPS + low-dose(LD)-TFXF group(3.69 g·kg~(-1)). ALI model of the rat was established by intraperitoneal injection of LPS. The lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) activity and total protein concentration in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF) were measured; tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and interleukin-1β(IL-1β) levels in lung and colon tissue of rats were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was used to observe the pathological expression in the lung and colon tissue of rats. The mRNA expression of p38 MAPK, TNF-α, and IL-1β in rat lung tissue was determined by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction(real-time PCR). Western blot was used to detect the protein expression related to the p38 MAPK/MLCK signaling pathway in the colon tissue of rats. 16S rRNA sequencing was used to detect changes in the composition and content of intestinal flora in rats, and correlation analyses were performed to explore the regulatory role of intestinal flora in improving ALI in rats. The results showed that compared with those in the LPS group, the histopathological scores of lung and colon tissue, LDH activity, and total protein concentration in BALF were significantly reduced in rats in all groups after drug administration. Except for the LPS + LD-TFXF group, the remaining groups significantly reduced the levels of TNF-α and IL-1β in the lung and colon tissue of rats. The protein expressions of phosphorylated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase(p-p38 MAPK)/p38, phosphorylated myosin light chain(p-MLC)/myosin light chain 2(MLC2), and MLCK in colon tissue of rats in each drug administration group were significantly decreased. The mRNA expression levels of p38 MAPK, TNF-α, and IL-1β were significantly reduced in the LPS + HD-TFXF group. 16S rRNA sequencing results showed that the abundance of intestinal flora was significantly higher in the LPS + HD-TFXF group, and intestinal floras including Sobs, Shannon, and Npshannon were significantly higher. The β-diversity distribution of intestinal flora tends toward the CON group, and the abundance of Firmicutes was significantly higher. The abundance of Proteobacteria was significantly reduced; the abundance of Bacteroides was significantly reduced, and the abundance of Ruminococcus was significantly higher. The main species differences were Blautia, Roseburia＿sp＿499, and Butyricicoccus. TNF-α and IL-1β of lung tissue were negatively correlated with Muribaculaceae, unclassified norank＿f＿Eubacterium＿coprostanoligenes, and Ruminococcus and positively correlated with Bacteroides. Meanwhile, TNF-α and IL-1β of colon tissue were negatively correlated with unclassified norank＿f＿Eubacterium＿coprostanoligenes and Ruminococcus and positively correlated with Bacteroides. The predicted biological function of the flora was related to the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, amino acid biosynthesis, sugar metabolism, and oxidative phosphorylation. The above studies show that TFXF can repair lung and colon tissue structure and regulate inflammatory factor levels by modulating the abundance and diversity of intestinal flora species in ALI rats. Its mechanism of action in ameliorating ALI in rats may be related to the inhibition of inflammation, improvement of intestinal mucosal permeability, and maintenance of intestinal flora homeostasis and barrier through the p38 MAPK/MLCK signaling pathway.
Animals ; Acute Lung Injury/genetics* ; Rats ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Myosin-Light-Chain Kinase/genetics* ; Male ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Rats, Wistar ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Interleukin-1beta/metabolism* ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism* ; Lung/metabolism* ; Intestinal Mucosa/metabolism* ; Humans

AIM To establish a quantitative analysis of multi-components by single-marker (QAMS) method for the simultaneous content determination of synephrine,syringin,magnoflorine,narirutin,naringoside,hesperridin,neoesperridin,limonin,naringenin,honokiol and magnolol in different compatibility ratios of Fructus Aurantii Immaturus-Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex drug pair.METHODS The ratios of 1:1,1:2 and 2:1 were adopted in the compatibility of Fructus Aurantii Immaturus and Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex,respectively.The analysis was performed on a 30℃ thermostatic Agilent 5TC-C18 column (4.6 mm × 250 mm,5μm),with the mobile phase comprising of methanol-0.1％ phosphoric acid flowing at 1.0 mL/min in a gradient elution manner,and the detection wavelength was set at 280 nm.Hesperidin was used as an internal standard to calculate the relative correction factors of the other ten constituents,after which the content determination was made.RESULTS Eleven constituents showed good linear relationships within their own ranges (r≥0.9990),whose average recoveries were 97.04％-99.45％ with the RSDs of 1.22％-2.48％.The result obtained by QAMS approximated those obtained by external standard method.CONCLUSION This simple,accurate and reproducible method can be used for the quality control of Fructus Aurantii Immaturus-Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex drug pair.The extraction of various constituents is more favourable when the compatibility ratio of two medicinal materials is 1∶1.

OBJECTIVE: To construct a myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPN) transplanted mouse model with JAK2-V617F, MPLW515L or CALR-Type I gene mutation, and establish a systematic evaluation system to verify the success of model construction. METHODS: The bone marrow c-kit⁺ cells of the mice were obtained by the following steps: The mice were killed by cervical dislocation, the femur, tibia and ilium were separated, and the bone marrow cells were collected. The c-kit⁺ cells were sorted after incubation with CD117 magnetic beads. The method of constructing mouse primary mutant cells is as follows: A gene mutation vector with a GFP tag was constructed by the retroviral system, and the retroviral vector was packaged into the Platinum-E cells to obtain the virus supernatant, and then used it to infect the c-kit⁺ cells of mice. The MPN mouse model was constructed as follows: the mouse primary c-kit⁺ cells containing the mutant genes were collected after infection, and then transplanted them via the tail vein into the female recipient mice of the same species which were irradiated with a lethal dose of gamma rays (8.0 Gy). The MPN mouse model was evaluated as follows: After transplantation, the peripheral blood of the mice was regularly collected from the tail vein to perform the complete blood count test, and the size of spleen and the degree of bone marrow fibrosis were estimated. RESULTS: The mouse c-kit⁺ cells with the mutant genes were successfully obtained from the bone marrow. MPN mouse model was successfully constructed: The peripheral blood cells of the MPN-transplanted mice carried exogenous implanted GFP-positive cells, and the white blood cells (WBC), platelet (PLT) and hematocrit (HCT) were all increased; the body weight loss, and the water and food intake were reduced in the transplanted mice; further pathological analysis showed that the transplanted mice displayed splenomegaly and bone marrow fibrosis. These results suggested that the MPN mouse model was successfully constructed. According to the common and different characteristics of the three MPN mouse model, a preliminary evaluation system for judging the success of MPN mouse model construction was summarized, which mainly included the following indicators, for example, the proportion of GFP-positive cells in the peripheral blood of mice; WBC, PLT and HCT; the degree of spleen enlargement and the bone marrow fibrosis. CONCLUSION The MPN mouse model with JAK2-V617F, MPLW515L or CALR-Type I gene mutation is successfully established by retroviral system, which can provide an important experimental animal model for the research of MPN pathogenesis and drug-targeted therapy.
Female ; Mice ; Animals ; Primary Myelofibrosis ; Myeloproliferative Disorders/genetics* ; Bone Marrow/pathology* ; Mutation ; Disease Models, Animal ; Neoplasms ; Janus Kinase 2/genetics*

【Objective】 To detect the anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody levels in blood donors in Guangzhou, so as to provide laboratory data support for the collection and clinical use of convalescent plasma. 【Methods】 Anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were measured by ELISA in qualified donors. Among them, 326 donors who gave blood in February 2023 were tested for IgG antibodies, 444 donors were tested for neutralizing antibodies. In July 2023, 398 donors were tested for IgG and IgM. 【Results】 399 of 724 blood samples diluted with normal saline (1∶160) were IgG reactive, with a reactive rate of 55.11%. Chi-square test showed that there was a significant difference in the reactive rate of IgG among samples collected at different times (25.46% in February vs 79.40% in July, χ²=210.74, P<0.01, 95%CI: 7.97, 15.98), but there was no significant difference in the reactive rate between different genders and different age groups. IgM was detected in 5 of 398 blood samples, with a reactive rate of 1.26%. The IgG test results of these five blood donors were all reactive, whereas the nucleic acid test results were negative. Neutralizing antibody was detected in 440 of 444 blood samples, with a reactive rate of 99.10%, and 71.59% of the reactive donors had a neutralizing antibody level of 10 μg/mL or more. 【Conclusion】 Blood donors in Guangzhou have a high level of SARS-CoV-2 antibody, which is sufficient to provide convalescent plasma for clinical treatment.