ObjectiveTo establish an animal model of atrial fibrillation（AF） that accurately reflects the phlegm-heat and blood stasis（TRYZ） pathogenesis in traditional Chinese medicine. MethodsForty SPF-grade SD rats were randomly assigned using a random number table to the following groups：the control group， the TRYZ+AF group，the AF group and the TRYZ group， with ten rats in each group. The TRYZ+AF and TRYZ groups underwent a high-fat diet combined with intraperitoneal lipopolysaccharide（LPS） injection to simulate the pathological alterations of TRYZ syndrome. Groups TRYZ+AF and AF were induced with acetylcholine-calcium chloride（Ach-CaCl₂） via caudal vein injection to induce AF. The control group received no intervention and was maintained under normal conditions. The modeling period lasted 3 weeks. Electrocardiography was used to assess AF episodes and duration， echocardiography evaluated left atrial dimensions and cardiac function， fully automated biochemical analyzer measured the levels of total cholesterol（TC）， triglycerides（TG）， high-density lipoprotein cholesterol（HDL-C） and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol（LDL-C）， hemoreometer analyzed the whole blood viscosity， plasma viscosity， and whole blood reduced viscosity， a coagulation analyzer assessed prothrombin time（PT）， activated partial thromboplastin time（APTT）， thrombin time（TT）， and fibrinogen（FIB）， enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA） was used to determine the levels of C-reactive protein（CRP）， interleukin（IL）-1β， IL-6， IL-17， tumour necrosis factor（TNF）-α， matrix metalloproteinase-9（MMP-9）， galectin-3（Gal-3）， Collagen Ⅰ， and α-smooth muscle actin（α-SMA）. Hematoxylin-eosin（HE） staining and Masson's trichrome staining were used to analyze pathological changes in atrial myocardium， Western blot was employed to detect MMP-9， Collagen Ⅰ and α-SMA protein expression in myocardial tissue， real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction（Real-time PCR） evaluated fibrous factor gene expression levels. Changes in the TRYZ syndrome were assessed via body weight， tongue color［red（R）， green（G）， and blue（B）］， and rectal temperature. Ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry（UPLC-Q-TOF-MS） was employed to detect differential metabolites between the control group and the TRYZ+AF group. ResultsFollowing three weeks of sustained modeling， compared with the control group， rats in the TRYZ+AF and the TRYZ groups exhibited reduced body weight， dry faeces， elevated rectal temperature， dark red tongue， decreased RGB values on the tongue surface， and markedly elevated TC and LDL-C levels（P<0.05， P<0.01）. The TRYZ+AF， TRYZ， and AF groups exhibited significantly decreased TT， APTT and PT， along with markedly elevated whole blood viscosity and FIB（P<0.05， P<0.01）. Rats in the TRYZ+AF and AF groups exhibited AF rhythm， markedly decreased heart rate， prolonged RR intervals， enlarged left atrium， and significantly reduced ejection fraction and shortening fraction（P<0.05， P<0.01）. Serum levels of CRP， IL-1β， IL-6， IL-17， TNF-α， MMP-9， Gal-3， Collagen Ⅰ， and α-SMA were elevated in rats from the TRYZ+AF， TRYZ， and AF groups compared to the control group， with the most pronounced increase observed in the TRYZ+AF group（P<0.05， P<0.01）. Histopathology revealed that the collagen fiber deposition in the atrial of rats in the TRYZ+AF， TRYZ and AF groups was higher than that in the control group（P<0.05， P<0.01）. Western blot and Real-time PCR results further demonstrated that the protein and mRNA expression levels of MMP-9， Collagen Ⅰ and α-SMA in the myocardial tissue of the TRYZ+AF group were higher than those in the other three groups（P<0.05， P<0.01）. Metabolomic analysis revealed 173 differentially expressed metabolites in the TRYZ+AF group and the control group， primarily enriched in pathways such as glycerophospholipid metabolism and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis. ConclusionThis study successfully establishes a rat model of AF integrated with the TRYZ syndrome， demonstrating the pathological process where the interactions of phlegm， heat and stasis jointly trigger tremor， this provides a reliable experimental tool for in-depth research into the biological basis of this disease syndrome.

Background: Both sodium-glucose cotransporters (SGLTs) and Na+/H+ exchangers (NHEs) rely on a favorable Na-electrochemical gradient. Gastrin, through the cholecystokinin B receptor (CCKBR), can induce natriuresis and diuresis by inhibiting renal NHEs activity. The present study aims to unveil the role of renal CCKBR in diabetes through SGLT2-mediated glucose reabsorption. Methods: Renal tubule-specific Cckbr-knockout (CckbrCKO) mice and wild-type (WT) mice were utilized to investigate the effect of renal CCKBR on SGLT2 and systemic glucose homeostasis under normal diet, high-fat diet (HFD), and HFD with a subsequent injection of a low dose of streptozotocin. The regulation of SGLT2 expression by gastrin/CCKBR and the underlying mechanism was explored using human kidney (HK)-2 cells. Results: CCKBR was downregulated in kidneys of diabetic mice. Compared with WT mice, CckbrCKO mice exhibited a greater susceptibility to obesity and diabetes when subjected to HFD. In vitro experiments using HK-2 cells revealed an upregulation of glucose transporters after incubation with high glucose, a response that was significantly attenuated following gastrin intervention. The glucose uptake from the culture medium of cells was altered accordingly. Moreover, gastrin administration effectively mitigated hyperglycemia in WT diabetic mice by inhibition of SGLT2 mediated glucose reabsorption, but this effect was compromised in the absence of CCKBR, as seen in CckbrCKO mice. Mechanistically, gastrin/CCKBR substantially reduced SGLT2 expression in HK-2 cells exposed to high glucose, via modulating Erkuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway. Conclusion Our study underscores the crucial role of renal gastrin/CCKBR in SGLT2 regulation and glucose reabsorption, and renal gastrin/CCKBR can be a promising therapeutic target for diabetes.

Objective To observe the effect of specialist team-led walking-cognition dual-task train-ing combined with active self-disclosure on control and balance abilities in elderly patients with acute ischemic stroke(AIS).Methods A total of 90 elderly AIS patients treated in our hospital from January 2022 to January 2024 were enrolled and randomly assigned into the control group and the observation group,with 45 cases in each group.The control group received routine walk-ing training,while the observation group received specialist team-led walking-cognition dual-task training combined with active self-disclosure intervention.Control ability,balance ability,walking ability,cognitive function and psychological status were compared between the two groups.Results After intervention,the scores of Sheikh Trunk Control Scale and Fugl-Meyer Assessment(FMA),and the static balance score,dynamic balance score and total score of Berg Balance Scale(BBS)were significantly increased in both the observation and the control groups(P＜0.05),and all above scores were obviously higher in the former group than the latter one(P＜0.01).The two groups also obtained notably shorter single-and dual-task walking time after intervention,but there were no statistical difference in the single-task walking time in both groups before and after intervention(P＞0.05).After intervention,the observation group had significantly shorter dual-task walking time(22.87±7.36 s vs 27.52±8.71 s,P=0.008)and lower walking time cost of dual task[(11.16±4.07)％vs(25.61±7.82)％,P=0.000]when compared with the control group.After intervention,the scores of Mini-Mental Status Examination were increased,and the scores of Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale were decreased in the two groups(P＜0.05).Conclusion Specialist team-led walking-cognition dual-task training com-bined with active self-disclosure intervention can effectively improve trunk control ability,balance ability,walking ability,cognitive function and psychological state in elderly AIS patients,has cer-tian clinical application value.

Objective:To investigate the characteristics of brain network reorganization in migraine patients and its relationship with the grading of right-to-left shunt (RLS) in patent foramen ovale(PFO) by integrated 3.0T structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI),resting-state functional MRI(fMRI),and contrast-enhanced transthoracic echocardiography, thereby toexplore the mechanism underlying cognitive impairment in migraine.Methods:A total of 49 migraine patients (migraine group)and 16 demographically matched healthy subjects (healthy control group) who received diagnosis and treatment at China-Japan Union Hospital of Jilin University from September 2020 to September 2023 were selected as the study participants. Structural images (T1-weighted) and resting-state functional images were obtained from brain imaging (MRI and fMRI) data. The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) algorithm was used to quantify the intensity of spontaneous neural activity in brain regions, while the Fazekas scale and the Age-Related White Matter Changes (ARWMC) scale were employed to assess white matter lesions. Participants were evaluated using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Based on the results of contrast-enhanced transthoracic echocardiography (cTTE),the migraine group was further subdivided into A1 group (18 cases, no PFO), A2 group (17 cases, PFO with small-to-moderate RLS) and A3 group (14 case, PFO with large RLS) group, the differences in brain functional activity and cognitive function were compared among these groups.Results:By Fazekas scale scores and ARWMC scale scores, the incidence of hyperintense foci in the deep white matter regions in the migraine group were higher than those in the healthy control group: 67.3%(33/49) vs. 6/16, 61.2%(30/49) vs. 5/16, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). Compared with the healthy control group, the migraine group exhibited higher spontaneous neural activity intensity in the brainstem,bilateral posterior cingulate cortex,left medial frontal gyrus,and left middle frontal gyrus,while showing reduced brain activity in the right angular gyrus region. The short-term delayed recall scores and total MMSE scores in the migraine group were lower than thosein the healthy control group: (1.61 ± 1.06) scores vs. (2.44 ± 0.81) scores, (25.06 ± 2.31) scores vs. (27.94 ± 1.44) scores, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). The short-term delayed recall scores mong the A1 group, A2 group and A3 group had statistical difference( P<0.05). Conclusions:Migraine patients exhibit specific brain functional network reorganization and cognitive dysfunction, which are closely related to the degree of RLS.

Based on the concept of"two-stage,four-phase,and three-phase treatments"of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer(IVF-ET)assisted the whole-course management of TCM by national TCM master You Zhaoling,this article analyzed the treatment strategy assisted by acupuncture in five aspects:principle,method,prescription,acupoint,and technique.Principle:syndrome differentiation and treatment follow different cases;method establish guiding methods based on principles,while following stage diagnoses and treatments;prescription:determine the prescriptions based on therapeutic principles within the context of overall regulation;acupoint:precise acupoint taking and rational acupoint matching;technique:the primary method is acupuncture,supported by various therapeutic modalities,providing a comprehensive framework and evidence-based support for the clinical application of acupuncture and moxibustion in IVF-ET.

Background: Both sodium-glucose cotransporters (SGLTs) and Na+/H+ exchangers (NHEs) rely on a favorable Na-electrochemical gradient. Gastrin, through the cholecystokinin B receptor (CCKBR), can induce natriuresis and diuresis by inhibiting renal NHEs activity. The present study aims to unveil the role of renal CCKBR in diabetes through SGLT2-mediated glucose reabsorption. Methods: Renal tubule-specific Cckbr-knockout (CckbrCKO) mice and wild-type (WT) mice were utilized to investigate the effect of renal CCKBR on SGLT2 and systemic glucose homeostasis under normal diet, high-fat diet (HFD), and HFD with a subsequent injection of a low dose of streptozotocin. The regulation of SGLT2 expression by gastrin/CCKBR and the underlying mechanism was explored using human kidney (HK)-2 cells. Results: CCKBR was downregulated in kidneys of diabetic mice. Compared with WT mice, CckbrCKO mice exhibited a greater susceptibility to obesity and diabetes when subjected to HFD. In vitro experiments using HK-2 cells revealed an upregulation of glucose transporters after incubation with high glucose, a response that was significantly attenuated following gastrin intervention. The glucose uptake from the culture medium of cells was altered accordingly. Moreover, gastrin administration effectively mitigated hyperglycemia in WT diabetic mice by inhibition of SGLT2 mediated glucose reabsorption, but this effect was compromised in the absence of CCKBR, as seen in CckbrCKO mice. Mechanistically, gastrin/CCKBR substantially reduced SGLT2 expression in HK-2 cells exposed to high glucose, via modulating Erkuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway. Conclusion Our study underscores the crucial role of renal gastrin/CCKBR in SGLT2 regulation and glucose reabsorption, and renal gastrin/CCKBR can be a promising therapeutic target for diabetes.

Background: Both sodium-glucose cotransporters (SGLTs) and Na+/H+ exchangers (NHEs) rely on a favorable Na-electrochemical gradient. Gastrin, through the cholecystokinin B receptor (CCKBR), can induce natriuresis and diuresis by inhibiting renal NHEs activity. The present study aims to unveil the role of renal CCKBR in diabetes through SGLT2-mediated glucose reabsorption. Methods: Renal tubule-specific Cckbr-knockout (CckbrCKO) mice and wild-type (WT) mice were utilized to investigate the effect of renal CCKBR on SGLT2 and systemic glucose homeostasis under normal diet, high-fat diet (HFD), and HFD with a subsequent injection of a low dose of streptozotocin. The regulation of SGLT2 expression by gastrin/CCKBR and the underlying mechanism was explored using human kidney (HK)-2 cells. Results: CCKBR was downregulated in kidneys of diabetic mice. Compared with WT mice, CckbrCKO mice exhibited a greater susceptibility to obesity and diabetes when subjected to HFD. In vitro experiments using HK-2 cells revealed an upregulation of glucose transporters after incubation with high glucose, a response that was significantly attenuated following gastrin intervention. The glucose uptake from the culture medium of cells was altered accordingly. Moreover, gastrin administration effectively mitigated hyperglycemia in WT diabetic mice by inhibition of SGLT2 mediated glucose reabsorption, but this effect was compromised in the absence of CCKBR, as seen in CckbrCKO mice. Mechanistically, gastrin/CCKBR substantially reduced SGLT2 expression in HK-2 cells exposed to high glucose, via modulating Erkuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway. Conclusion Our study underscores the crucial role of renal gastrin/CCKBR in SGLT2 regulation and glucose reabsorption, and renal gastrin/CCKBR can be a promising therapeutic target for diabetes.

Background: Both sodium-glucose cotransporters (SGLTs) and Na+/H+ exchangers (NHEs) rely on a favorable Na-electrochemical gradient. Gastrin, through the cholecystokinin B receptor (CCKBR), can induce natriuresis and diuresis by inhibiting renal NHEs activity. The present study aims to unveil the role of renal CCKBR in diabetes through SGLT2-mediated glucose reabsorption. Methods: Renal tubule-specific Cckbr-knockout (CckbrCKO) mice and wild-type (WT) mice were utilized to investigate the effect of renal CCKBR on SGLT2 and systemic glucose homeostasis under normal diet, high-fat diet (HFD), and HFD with a subsequent injection of a low dose of streptozotocin. The regulation of SGLT2 expression by gastrin/CCKBR and the underlying mechanism was explored using human kidney (HK)-2 cells. Results: CCKBR was downregulated in kidneys of diabetic mice. Compared with WT mice, CckbrCKO mice exhibited a greater susceptibility to obesity and diabetes when subjected to HFD. In vitro experiments using HK-2 cells revealed an upregulation of glucose transporters after incubation with high glucose, a response that was significantly attenuated following gastrin intervention. The glucose uptake from the culture medium of cells was altered accordingly. Moreover, gastrin administration effectively mitigated hyperglycemia in WT diabetic mice by inhibition of SGLT2 mediated glucose reabsorption, but this effect was compromised in the absence of CCKBR, as seen in CckbrCKO mice. Mechanistically, gastrin/CCKBR substantially reduced SGLT2 expression in HK-2 cells exposed to high glucose, via modulating Erkuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway. Conclusion Our study underscores the crucial role of renal gastrin/CCKBR in SGLT2 regulation and glucose reabsorption, and renal gastrin/CCKBR can be a promising therapeutic target for diabetes.

OBJECTIVES: Recent evidence suggests that the gut may be a primary site of metformin action. However, studies on the effects of metformin on gut microbiota remain limited, and its impact on gut microbial metabolites such as short-/medium-chain fatty acids is unclear. This study aims to investigate the effects of metformin on gut microbiota, short-/medium-chain fatty acids, and associated metabolic benefits in high-fat diet rats. METHODS: Twenty-four Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into 3 groups: 1) Normal diet group (ND group), fed standard chow; 2) high-fat diet group (HFD group), fed a high-fat diet; 3) high-fat diet + metformin treatment group (HFD+Met group), fed a high-fat diet for 8 weeks, followed by daily intragastric administration of metformin solution (150 mg/kg body weight) starting in week 9. At the end of the experiment, all rats were sacrificed, and serum, liver, and colonic contents were collected for assessment of glucose and lipid metabolism, liver pathology, gut microbiota composition, and the concentrations of short-/medium-chain fatty acids. RESULTS: Metformin significantly improved HFD-induced glucose and lipid metabolic disorders and liver injury. Compared with the HFD group, the HFD+Met group showed reduced abundance of Blautia, Romboutsia, Bilophila, and Bacteroides, while Lactobacillus abundance significantly increased (all P<0.05). Colonic contents of butyric acid, 2-methyl butyric acid, valeric acid, octanoic acid, and lauric acid were significantly elevated (all P<0.05), whereas acetic acid, isoheptanoic acid, and nonanoic acid levels were significantly decreased (all P<0.05). Spearman correlation analysis revealed that Lactobacillus abundance was negatively correlated with body weight gain and insulin resistance, while butyrate and valerate levels were negatively correlated with insulin resistance and liver injury (all P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Metformin significantly increases the abundance of beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus and promotes the production of short-/medium-chain fatty acids including butyric, valeric, and lauric acid in the colonic contents of HFD rats, suggesting that metformin may regulate host metabolism through modulation of the gut microbiota.
Animals ; Metformin/pharmacology* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Diet, High-Fat/adverse effects* ; Rats ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Male ; Fatty Acids, Volatile/metabolism* ; Fatty Acids/metabolism*

Patients suffering from nerve injury often experience exacerbated pain responses and complain of memory deficits. The dorsal hippocampus (dHPC), a well-defined region responsible for learning and memory, displays maladaptive plasticity upon injury, which is assumed to underlie pain hypersensitivity and cognitive deficits. However, much attention has thus far been paid to intracellular mechanisms of plasticity rather than extracellular alterations that might trigger and facilitate intracellular changes. Emerging evidence has shown that nerve injury alters the microarchitecture of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and decreases ECM rigidity in the dHPC. Despite this, it remains elusive which element of the ECM in the dHPC is affected and how it contributes to neuropathic pain and comorbid cognitive deficits. Laminin, a key element of the ECM, consists of α-, β-, and γ-chains and has been implicated in several pathophysiological processes. Here, we showed that peripheral nerve injury downregulates laminin β1 (LAMB1) in the dHPC. Silencing of hippocampal LAMB1 exacerbates pain sensitivity and induces cognitive dysfunction. Further mechanistic analysis revealed that loss of hippocampal LAMB1 causes dysregulated Src/NR2A signaling cascades via interaction with integrin β1, leading to decreased Ca²⁺ levels in pyramidal neurons, which in turn orchestrates structural and functional plasticity and eventually results in exaggerated pain responses and cognitive deficits. In this study, we shed new light on the functional capability of hippocampal ECM LAMB1 in the modulation of neuropathic pain and comorbid cognitive deficits, and reveal a mechanism that conveys extracellular alterations to intracellular plasticity. Moreover, we identified hippocampal LAMB1/integrin β1 signaling as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of neuropathic pain and related memory loss.
Animals ; Laminin/genetics* ; Hippocampus/metabolism* ; Neuralgia/metabolism* ; Cognitive Dysfunction/etiology* ; Male ; Peripheral Nerve Injuries/metabolism* ; Extracellular Matrix/metabolism* ; Integrin beta1/metabolism* ; Pyramidal Cells/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction