Olfactory receptors (ORs) form the largest superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Traditionally recognized for their role in the nasal olfactory epithelium, where they mediate the sense of smell, accumulating evidence has firmly established their ectopic expression in non-olfactory tissues, including the intestine, lungs, and kidneys. The intestine, as the primary site for nutrient digestion and absorption, harbors a highly complex chemical environment. To adapt to this environment, the gut employs a sophisticated network of “chemosensors” to monitor luminal contents and maintain homeostasis. Among these sensors, intestinal ORs have emerged as crucial functional components, serving as a molecular bridge that connects environmental chemical signals—such as food-derived odorants—to specific physiological responses. This discovery has significantly deepened our understanding of how dietary flavors and compounds influence intestinal physiology at the molecular level. This review systematically summarizes the expression profiles, ligand classification, and biological functions of ORs within the gastrointestinal tract. Studies indicate that intestinal ORs exhibit distinct spatial distribution patterns across different gut segments and display cell-type specificity, particularly within enterocytes and enteroendocrine cells. These receptors function as versatile sensors capable of recognizing a wide variety of ligands, including exogenous dietary components, gut microbiota metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids, and endogenous small molecules like azelaic acid. Upon activation by specific ligands, intestinal ORs trigger intracellular signaling cascades, primarily involving the AC-cAMP-PKA pathway or calcium influx channels. A major focus of this review is to elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which these receptors regulate the secretion of gut hormones. Activation of specific ORs in enteroendocrine cells has been shown to stimulate the release of hormones such as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), peptide YY (PYY), and serotonin (5-HT), thereby modulating systemic energy metabolism, glucose homeostasis, and gastrointestinal motility. Furthermore, the review addresses the critical roles of ORs in immune regulation and pathology. Evidence suggests that specific ORs contribute to the maintenance of intestinal immune homeostasis and may offer protection against inflammation. Beyond their involvement in inflammatory responses, ORs such as Olfr78 have been shown to regulate the differentiation and function of intestinal endocrine cells. Similarly, Olfr544 has been demonstrated to alleviate intestinal inflammation by remodeling the gut microbiome and metabolome. These findings collectively suggest that specific ORs hold promise as therapeutic targets for mitigating intestinal inflammation and maintaining gut homeostasis. Additionally, the review explores the emerging role of ORs in cancer. Although OR expression is often downregulated in tumor tissues compared to normal mucosa, activation of specific ORs by certain ligands can inhibit tumor cell proliferation and migration and induce apoptosis via pathways such as MEK/ERK and p38 MAPK. Conversely, other receptors, such as OR7C1, may serve as biomarkers for cancer-initiating cells. In conclusion, intestinal ORs represent a vital component of the gut’s sensory network. The review also discusses the translational potential of these findings. By elucidating the precise pairing relationships between dietary components and specific ORs, novel therapeutic strategies could be developed. Intestinal ORs may thus emerge as promising targets for nutritional and pharmacological interventions in metabolic diseases, inflammatory bowel diseases, and malignancies.

Objective: The effects and molecular mechanisms of micheliolide on cytokine expression in myeloproliferative neoplasm cell lines were explored based on the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathways. Methods: The UKE-1 and SET-2 cell lines were investigated, and micheliolide concentrations were screened using the CCK-8 assay. The UKE-1 and SET-2 cells were divided into the control and micheliolide-treated groups at concentrations of 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 μmol/L. Each group received 1 mL of micheliolide solution at final concentrations of 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 μmol/L, respectively, whereas the control group only received an equal volume of culture medium. The inhibition rates of interleukin-1β(IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) mRNA expression in cells from each group were detected using real-time fluorescent PCR (RT-PCR). Western blotting was used to measure STAT3 and phosphorylated STAT3 (p-STAT3) protein expression levels in cells from each group. Reversal experiments with reduced glutathione and dithiothreitol were performed using UKE-1 cells, which were divided into the control group, micheliolide, micheliolide + glutathione, micheliolide + dithiothreitol, and glutathione + dithiothreitol groups. Western blotting was used to detect the STAT3 and p-STAT3 protein expression levels in the cells of each group. UKE-1 cells were stimulated with TNF-α (5 μg/L) to replicate a pathological model of excessive cytokine secretion. Subsequently, UKE-1 cells were divided into the control, model, and three micheliolide-treated groups at concentrations of 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 μmol/L. RT-PCR was used to measure the indicators above. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the CCL2 content in the cell culture media of each group. Western blotting was performed to assess the protein expression levels of STAT3, p-STAT3, and proteins related to the NF-κB signaling pathway. Results: Compared with the control group, the proliferation inhibition rates of UKE-1 cells at 24, 48, and 72 h increased in the micheliolide-treated groups at concentrations of 2.5, 5.0, 10.0, and 20.0 μmol/L. Similarly, the proliferation inhibition rates of SET-2 at 48 and 72 h increased in the micheliolide-treated groups at concentrations of 5.0, 10.0, and 20.0 μmol/L (P<0.05). Concentrations of 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 μmol/L were selected for further studies to exclude the potential influence of high micheliolide concentrations on subsequent result owing to reduced cell numbers. Compared with the control group, the inhibition rates of TNF-α mRNA expression in UKE-1 and SET-2 cells increased in the micheliolide-treated groups at concentrations of 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 μmol/L. Similarly, the inhibition rates of IL-1β mRNA expression in UKE-1 and SET-2 cells also increased in the micheliolide-treated groups at concentrations of 5.0 and 10.0 μmol/L. Additionally, the inhibition rate of CCL2 mRNA expression in UKE-1 and SET-2 cells increased in the micheliolide-treated group at a concentration of 10 μmol/L (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, the inhibition rates of TNF-α, IL-1β, and CCL2 mRNA expression in UKE-1 cells increased in the micheliolide-treated groups at concentrations of 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 μmol/L after stimulation with TNF-α (P<0.05). ELISA showed that compared with the control group, the CCL2 content in UKE-1 cells increased in the model group. Compared with the model group, the CCL2 content in UKE-1 cells decreased in the micheliolide-treated groups at concentrations of 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 μmol/L (P<0.05). Western blotting showed that compared with the control group, the p-STAT3 protein expression levels in UKE-1 and SET-2 cells were downregulated in the micheliolide-treated groups at concentrations of 5.0 and 10.0 μmol/L, and the protein expression level of STAT3 in SET-2 was also downregulated (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the p-STAT3 expression level in UKE-1 cells decreased in the micheliolide group in the reductive glutathione and dithiothreitol reversal experiments. Compared with the micheliolide group, the p-STAT3 protein expression levels in UKE-1 cells increased in the micheliolide + dithiothreitol and micheliolide + glutathione groups (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the model group showed increased p-STAT3, p-IκKα/β, p-IκBα, and p-NF-κB p65 protein expression and decreased IκBα protein expression after stimulation with TNF-α. Compared with the model group, the micheliolide-treated groups showed decreased p-IκKα/β, p-IκBα, p-STAT3, and p-NF-κB p65 protein expression at concentrations of 2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 μmol/L, whereas the micheliolide-treated groups showed increased IκBα protein expression at concentrations of 5.0 and 10.0 μmol/L (P<0.05). Conclusion Micheliolide potently suppresses IL-1β, TNF-α, and CCL2 mRNA expression in UKE-1 and SET-2 cells, as well as CCL2 secretion by UKE-1 cells, which may be associated with STAT3 phosphorylation suppression and NF-κB signaling pathway activation.

BACKGROUND: The benefits of ideal cardiovascular-health metrics (ICVHMs) in patients with renal insufficiency remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate the associations between ICVHM and prognosis in a renal insufficiency population. METHODS: The trial enrolled 29,682 participants from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), 2007-2018, with mortality follow-up through December 31, 2019. Participants were divided into three groups based on estimated glomerular filtration rates. Cardiovascular health was assessed using new "Life's Essential 8" metrics. Cox regression analyses based on NHANES data were used to determine the associations between ICVHMs and cardiovascular mortality in patients with renal insufficiency. RESULTS: During a mean follow-up of 6.58 years, ideal cardiovascular health (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.42; 95% confidence interval [CI]; 0.25-0.70) and ideal health behavior (HR = 0.53; 95% CI; 0.39-0.73) reduced cardiovascular mortality in participants with renal insufficiency. For each one ICVHM increment, a 25% reduction in cardiovascular mortality was recorded (95% CI; 0.69-0.82). When compared with participants with normal renal function, for those with mild renal insufficiency, the HR for cardiovascular mortality gradually decreased from 1.47 (95% CI; 0.85-2.52) in those who had ≤1 ICVHMs to 0.30 (95% CI; 0.12-0.77) in participants who had >6 ICVHMs. CONCLUSIONS From an ICVHM perspective, enhanced cardiovascular benefits were observed in individuals with renal insufficiency, coupled with a reduced risk of all-cause mortality. Furthermore, when compared with individuals with normal renal function, increased ICVHMs can mitigate adverse risks associated with renal impairment.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Nutrition Surveys ; Middle Aged ; Renal Insufficiency/physiopathology* ; Aged ; Prognosis ; Adult ; Cardiovascular Diseases/mortality* ; Glomerular Filtration Rate/physiology* ; Proportional Hazards Models

Healthy dental pulp is essential for preserving teeth and maintaining their normal function. Vital pulp therapy (VPT) is widely used in clinical applications because it aims to preserve vital pulp and enhance the long-term survival of teeth. An accurate diagnosis of pulp vitality is a prerequisite for successful VPT. However, accurately assessing pulp viability remains challenging in clinical practice. Pulp viability is influenced by various factors, including the type of pulp exposure, caries status, periodontitis, trauma, treatment factors, patient age, and individual differences. Assessing pulp viability requires a comprehensive consideration of medical history and clinical manifestations, along with a combination of various auxiliary methods, such as pulp sensibility tests, pulp blood flow tests, imaging techniques and molecular diagnostics. In the future, the technology for assessing pulp vitality should evolve toward chairside, visualization, and precision techniques, to achieve consistency between clinical and histological diagnoses, thereby providing patients with the most effective treatment.

Objective:To analyze the epidemiological characteristics and influencing factors of single-cigarette use and dual cigarette-cigar use in China.Methods:This study was a cross-sectional study that selected 85 638 urban and rural residents who met the inclusion criteria from the 2018 China Health Literacy Survey as research subjects. An analysis was conducted on 21 849 users of cigarettes and cigars among them. Due to the small number of individuals who exclusively used cigars (247 cases), the research subjects were divided into two categories: exclusive cigarette users and dual users of cigarettes and cigars. The groups were categorized by age (18-34 years, 35-54 years, ≥55 years), gender (male, female), education level (primary school and below, junior high school and high school, university and above) and annual household income (<20 000 yuan, 20 000-<80 000 yuan, ≥80 000 yuan) to compare the tobacco usage rate and conduct subgroup analyses for each subgroup. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was employed, incorporating general demographic characteristic information to explore the influencing factors of exclusive cigarette use and dual use of cigarettes and cigars, respectively.Results:The rate of exclusive cigarette use in our country was 24.3%, while the dual use rate of cigarettes and cigars was 0.9%. The exclusive cigarette use rate and the dual use rate of cigarettes and cigars among males were significantly higher than those among females (48.25% vs 2.48%, and 1.84% vs 0.06%) (both P<0.001). For males, the high-risk factors for exclusive cigarette use included living in urban areas ( OR: 1.37, 95% CI: 1.23-1.54), being Han ethnicity ( OR: 1.73, 95% CI: 1.51-1.98), and having an annual household income ≥20 000 yuan ( OR: 1.54, 95% CI: 1.38-1.82) while having a junior high school education or higher was a protective factor ( OR: 0.68, 95% CI: 0.52-0.90). Age≥35 years ( OR: 3.36, 95% CI: 2.62-4.32) and having a junior high school education or higher ( OR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.02-1.67) were risk factors for dual use of cigarettes and cigars in males. Among females, living in urban areas ( OR: 1.53, 95% CI: 1.19-1.97) and being Han ethnicity ( OR: 5.96, 95% CI: 4.47-7.96) were risk factors for exclusive cigarette use, while having a university education or higher was a protective factor ( OR: 0.28, 95% CI: 0.18-0.42). However, for female dual use of cigarettes and cigars, no significant effects were observed for any demographic characteristics. Conclusions:The use rate of cigarettes alone in China is significantly higher than that of cigarette-cigar dual use, and the rates of cigarette use alone and cigarette-cigar dual use in men are significantly higher than those in women. Tobacco use is being affected by sociodemographic factors, among which place of residence, ethnicity and education level are the main influencing factors of cigarette use alone, and gender, age and education level are the main influencing factors of cigarette-cigar dual use.

Body weight abnormalities, including overweight, obesity, and underweight, have become a dual public health challenge in Chinese adults: overweight and obesity lead to a variety of chronic complications, while underweight increases the risks of malnutrition, sarcopenia, and organ dysfunction. To systematically address these issues, multidisciplinary experts in endocrinology, sports science, nutrition, and psychiatry from various regions have held multiple weight management seminars. Based on the latest epidemiological data and clinical evidence, they expanded the guideline to include assessment and intervention strategies for underweight, in addition to the core content of obesity management. This guideline outlines the etiological mechanisms, evaluation methods, and multidimensional management strategies for overweight and obesity, covering key areas such as diagnosis and assessment, medical nutrition therapy, exercise prescription, pharmacological intervention, and psychological support. It is intended to provide a scientific and standardized approach to weight management across the adult population, aiming to curb the rising prevalence of obesity, mitigate complications associated with abnormal body weight, and improve nutritional status and overall quality of life.

Abelmoschi Corolla, the dried corolla of Abelmoschus manihot, has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anti-fibrosis activities. Its chemical constituents mainly include flavonoids, organic acids, steroids, and polysaccharides. This study reviewed the research progress in the chemical constituents and pharmacological activities of Abelmoschi Corolla in recent 20 years. According to the concept of quality marker(Q-marker), the Q-markers of Abelmoschi Corolla were predicted from plant phylogeny, chemical constituent specificity, traditional efficacy, chemical constituent measurability, and absorbed constituents. The primary Q-markers for Abelmoschi Corolla were anticipated to include quercetin-3'-O-β-D-glucopyranoside, gossypetin-8-O-β-D-glucuronide, isoquercetin, myricetin,quercetin, and hyperoside, with the aim of providing reference data for improving the quality evaluation system of Abelmoschi Corolla.
Abelmoschus/chemistry* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Flowers/chemistry* ; Humans ; Animals ; Quality Control ; Flavonoids/chemistry*

Cardiac fibrosis(CF) is a cardiac pathological process characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix(ECM). When the heart is damaged by adverse stimuli, cardiac fibroblasts are activated and secrete a large amount of ECM, leading to changes in cardiac fibrosis, myocardial stiffness, and cardiac function declines and accelerating the development of heart failure. There is a close relationship between heart yin deficiency and cardiac fibrosis, which have similar pathogenic mechanisms. Heart Yin deficiency, characterized by insufficient Yin fluids, causes the heart to lose its nourishing function, which acts as the initiating factor for myocardial dystrophy. The deficiency of body fluids leads to stagnation of blood flow, resulting in blood stasis and water retention. Blood stasis and water retention accumulate in the heart, which aligns with the pathological manifestation of excessive deposition of ECM, as a tangible pathogenic factor. This is an inevitable stage of the disease process. The lingering of blood stasis combined with water retention eventually leads to the generation of heat and toxins, triggering inflammatory responses similar to heat toxins, which continuously stimulate the heart and cause the ultimate outcome of CF. Considering the syndrome of heart Yin deficiency, traditional Chinese medicine capable of nourishing Yin, activating blood, and promoting urination can reduce myocardial cell apoptosis, inhibit fibroblast activation, and lower the inflammation level, showing significant advantages in combating CF.
Humans ; Fibrosis/drug therapy* ; Animals ; Yin Deficiency/metabolism* ; Myocardium/metabolism* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*

Based on latent structure model and association rule analysis, this study investigates the prescription patterns used by professor YANG Zhong-qi in treating hypertension with traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) and infers the associated TCM syndromes, providing a reference for clinical syndrome differentiation and treatment. The observation window spanned from January 8, 2013, to June 26, 2024, during which qualified herbal decoction prescriptions meeting efficacy criteria were extracted from the outpatient medical record system of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine and compiled into a standardized database. Statistical analysis of high-frequency herbs included frequency counts and herbal property-channel tropism analysis. Latent structure modeling and association rule analysis were performed using R 4.3.2 and Lantern 5.0 software to identify core herbal combinations and infer TCM syndrome patterns. A total of 2 436 TCM prescriptions were included in the study, involving 263 drugs with a cumulative frequency of 29 783. High-frequency herbs comprised Uncariae Ramulus cum Uncis, Poria, Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Puerariae Lobatae Radix, and Alismatis Rhizoma, predominantly categorized as deficiency-tonifying, heat-clearing, and blood-activating and stasis-resolving herbs. Latent structure analysis identified 18 latent variables, 74 latent classes, 5 comprehensive clustering models, and 15 core herbal combinations, suggesting that the core syndrome clusters include liver Yang hyperactivity pattern, Yin deficiency with Yang hyperactivity pattern, phlegm-stasis intermingling pattern, and liver-kidney insufficiency pattern. Association rule analysis revealed 22 robust association rules. RESULTS:: indicate that hypertension manifests as a deficiency-rooted excess manifestation, significantly associated with functional dysregulation of the liver, lung, spleen-stomach, heart, and kidney. Key pathogenic mechanisms involve liver Yang hyperactivity, phlegm-stasis interaction, and liver-kidney insufficiency. Therapeutic strategies should prioritize liver-calming, spleen-fortifying, and deficiency-tonifying principles, supplemented by dynamic regulation of Qi-blood and Yin-Yang balance according to syndrome evolution, alongside pathogen-eliminating methods such as phlegm-resolving and stasis-dispelling. Synergistic interventions like mind-tranquilizing therapies should be tailored to individual conditions.
Hypertension/drug therapy* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Humans ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Drug Prescriptions ; Latent Class Analysis

To investigate the effects of phosphorus fertilizer on the morphological traits, active ingredients and rhizosphere soil microbial community of Polygala tenuifolia. The phosphorus fertilizer was calculated in terms of P_2O_5. Five treatments were set up: 0(CK), 17(P1), 34(P2), 51(P3), and 68(P4) kg per Mu(1 Mu≈667 m~2). A randomized block design was adopted. Samples of P. tenuifolia and its rhizosphere soil were collected under different superphosphate fertilizer treatments. Illumina high-throughput sequencing was used to analyze the rhizosphere soil microbial community, 9 morphological traits were measured and the content of 11 active ingredients were determined. The results showed that the whole plant weight, shoot fresh weight, root weight, and root peel thickness were the highest under P1 treatment, increasing by 34.41%, 38.80%, 39.21%, and 3.17% respectively compared to CK. Under P2 treatment, the plant height, stem diameter, root thickness, and core thickness were significantly higher than CK. Phosphorus fertilizer had a significant impact on the content of tenuifolin, sibiricose A5, sibiricose A6, arillanin A, 3,6'-disinapoyl sucrose, and polygalaxanthone Ⅲ. Correlation analysis results showed that the relative abundance of Arthrobacter, Bacillus, norank＿f＿Vicinamibacteraceae, norank＿o＿Vicinamibacterales, MND1 and other bacteria, as well as the relative abundance of Neocosmospora, Paraphoma and other fungi were positively correlated with root diameter, wood core diameter, the whole plant weight, root weight, shoot fresh weight of P. tenuifolia. Bacillus, Neocosmospora, Subulicystidium were significantly positively correlated with oligosaccharides such as 3,6'-disinapoyl sucrose, sibiricose A5、sibiricose A6、glomeratose A、arillanin A and tenuifoliside C. Arthrobacter, Humicola, Aspergillus, Paraphoma were positively correlated with tenuifolin and norank＿f＿Vicinamibacteraceae, norank＿o＿Vicinamibacterales, Fusarium were positively correlated with polygalaxanthone Ⅲ. Evidently, appropriate phosphorus application is conducive to the growth and quality improvement of P. tenuifolia, and can increase the abundance of beneficial microorganisms in the soil.
Rhizosphere ; Phosphorus/pharmacology* ; Soil Microbiology ; Polygala/anatomy & histology* ; Fertilizers/analysis* ; Bacteria/metabolism* ; Soil/chemistry* ; Microbiota/drug effects* ; Plant Roots/metabolism*