Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a chronic interstitial lung disease, is characterized by aberrant wound healing, excessive scarring and the formation of myofibroblastic foci. Although the role of alternative splicing (AS) in the pathogenesis of organ fibrosis has garnered increasing attention, its specific contribution to pulmonary fibrosis remains incompletely understood. In this study, we identified an up-regulation of serine/arginine-rich splicing factor 7 (SRSF7) in lung fibroblasts derived from IPF patients and a bleomycin (BLM)-induced mouse model, and further characterized its functional role in both human fetal lung fibroblasts and mice. We demonstrated that enhanced expression of Srsf7 in mice spontaneously induced alveolar collagen accumulation. Mechanistically, we investigated alternative splicing events and revealed that SRSF7 modulates the alternative splicing of pyruvate kinase (PKM), leading to metabolic dysregulation and fibroblast activation. In vivo studies showed that fibroblast-specific knockout of Srsf7 in conditional knockout mice conferred resistance to bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Importantly, through drug screening, we identified lomitapide as a novel modulator of SRSF7, which effectively mitigated experimental pulmonary fibrosis. Collectively, our findings elucidate a molecular pathway by which SRSF7 drives fibroblast metabolic dysregulation and propose a potential therapeutic strategy for pulmonary fibrosis.

Overweight and obesity have emerged as critical public health issues,posing significant threats to life expectancy and overall well-being,thereby underscoring the need for effective interventions.Electroacupuncture(EA)has shown confirmed efficacy in the treatment of simple obesity,with high safety and patient acceptance.However,its underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood.This article synthesized current basic research on EA for obesity,indicated the pivotal role of central nervous system(CNS)regions,including the lateral hypothalamic area(LHA),arcuate nucleus(ARC),and ventromedial nucleus(VMH)in mediating EA-induced regulation of energy balance and metabolic homeostasis.Furthermore,EA regulates endocrine factors,immune system,inflammatory factors,and microbiota-gut-brain axis in the body is also an important pathway and target for its intervention in obesity.By sorting out the possible mechanisms of EA treatment for simple obesity,it could provide references for related research and clinical practice of this disease.

Objective To observe the safety and effectiveness of acupuncture in young and middle-aged women suffering from insomnia with liver-depression using liver-soothing and mind-regulating method.Methods Totally 76 female patients with insomnia of liver-depression were randomly divided to the acupuncture group and the sham-acupuncture group,with 38 cases in each group.The treatment group received acupuncture with the method of liver-soothing and mind-regulating,while the sham-acupuncture group used the same acupoints with simulated stimulation using blunt-tip needles.Treatment lasted 8 weeks,with a total of 18 sessions,as well as a 3-month follow-up period.The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI),Insomnia Severity Index(ISI),and Self-Rating Anxiety Scale(SAS)were measured before treatment,at the week 4 and week 8,and at 1-and 3-month follow-ups.The adverse reaction of both groups were monitored.Results Four cases in the acupuncture group and 2 cases in the sham-acupuncture group were lost.Compared with before treatment,the total score and factor scores of PSQI,ISI and SAS of the two groups at 4 and 8 weeks of treatment and the first and third months of follow-up significantly decreased(P<0.05);compared with the sham-acupuncture group at the same time point,the total score of PSQI,ISI and SAS in the acupuncture group decreased significantly at 8 weeks of treatment(P<0.05).No serious adverse events occurred in the two groups during the treatment.Conclusion The acupuncture of liver-soothing and mind-regulating method is a safe and effective treatment for improving sleep quality and anxious mood of young and middle-aged female patients with liver-depression type of insomnia.

Overweight and obesity have emerged as critical public health issues,posing significant threats to life expectancy and overall well-being,thereby underscoring the need for effective interventions.Electroacupuncture(EA)has shown confirmed efficacy in the treatment of simple obesity,with high safety and patient acceptance.However,its underlying mechanisms remain incompletely understood.This article synthesized current basic research on EA for obesity,indicated the pivotal role of central nervous system(CNS)regions,including the lateral hypothalamic area(LHA),arcuate nucleus(ARC),and ventromedial nucleus(VMH)in mediating EA-induced regulation of energy balance and metabolic homeostasis.Furthermore,EA regulates endocrine factors,immune system,inflammatory factors,and microbiota-gut-brain axis in the body is also an important pathway and target for its intervention in obesity.By sorting out the possible mechanisms of EA treatment for simple obesity,it could provide references for related research and clinical practice of this disease.

Objective To observe the safety and effectiveness of acupuncture in young and middle-aged women suffering from insomnia with liver-depression using liver-soothing and mind-regulating method.Methods Totally 76 female patients with insomnia of liver-depression were randomly divided to the acupuncture group and the sham-acupuncture group,with 38 cases in each group.The treatment group received acupuncture with the method of liver-soothing and mind-regulating,while the sham-acupuncture group used the same acupoints with simulated stimulation using blunt-tip needles.Treatment lasted 8 weeks,with a total of 18 sessions,as well as a 3-month follow-up period.The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI),Insomnia Severity Index(ISI),and Self-Rating Anxiety Scale(SAS)were measured before treatment,at the week 4 and week 8,and at 1-and 3-month follow-ups.The adverse reaction of both groups were monitored.Results Four cases in the acupuncture group and 2 cases in the sham-acupuncture group were lost.Compared with before treatment,the total score and factor scores of PSQI,ISI and SAS of the two groups at 4 and 8 weeks of treatment and the first and third months of follow-up significantly decreased(P<0.05);compared with the sham-acupuncture group at the same time point,the total score of PSQI,ISI and SAS in the acupuncture group decreased significantly at 8 weeks of treatment(P<0.05).No serious adverse events occurred in the two groups during the treatment.Conclusion The acupuncture of liver-soothing and mind-regulating method is a safe and effective treatment for improving sleep quality and anxious mood of young and middle-aged female patients with liver-depression type of insomnia.

Objective To investigate Furin,tumor growth factor-β(TGF-β),vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF),neuron towards axon guidance factor-1(netrin-1)level expressions and polymorphism of Furin gene P1 promoter r2071410 locus C/T in endometriosis(EMT)patients with different r-AFS stages,and explore the correlation with the incidence of EMT in Shenzhen.Methods A total of 102 patients diagnosed with EMT from May 2021 to January 2023 in the People's Hospital of Longhua,Shenzhen were selected as EMT group,and the EMT group was divided into stage Ⅰ to Ⅱ group and stageⅢ to Ⅳ group according to r-AFS staging method.At the same time,78 non-EMT patients were collected as control group.The levels of serum Furin,TGF-β,VEGF and netrin-1 were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA),and the polymorphism of the r2071410 C/T locus in the P1 promoter region of Furin gene was analyzed by reverse transcription-real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR).Results The levels of Furin(140.84±47.02pg/ml),TGF-β(376.46±82.36ng/L)and VEGF(167.67±53.02ng/L)in EMT group were higher than those in control group(55.49±13.67pg/ml,216.37±15.04ng/L,102.27±8.45ng/L),while the level of netrin-1(48.37±15.20pg/ml)was lower than that of the control group(165.85±15.63pg/ml),with significant differences(t=28.409,20.347,16.915,36.653,all P＜0.05).The levels of Furin(192.41±20.62pg/ml),TGF-β(452.61±72.03ng/L)and VEGF(201.84±28.01ng/L)in patients with stage Ⅲ to Ⅳ were higher than those in patients with stage Ⅰ to Ⅱ(78.05±16.54pg/ml,283.75±56.92ng/L,126.07±19.35ng/L),while the level of netrin-1(37.95±11.34pg/ml)was lower than that of stage Ⅰ to Ⅱ(61.05±9.52pg/ml),with significant differences(t=31.071,18.054,19.183,21.625,all P＜0.05).Pearson/Spearman correlation analysis showed that Furin was positively correlated with levels of TGF-β and VEGF and clinical stage(r=0.614 9,0.752 6,0.790 5,均 P＜0.05),but negatively correlated with netrin-1 level(r=-0.670 1,all P＜0.05).The TT genotype and T allele frequencies at r2071410 C/T locus of Furin gene P1 promoter in EMT group(42.16％,55.39％)were higher than those in control group(7.69％,19.87％),while the TT genotype and T allele frequencies at stages Ⅲ to Ⅳ(51.79％,65.18％)were higher than those at stage Ⅰ to Ⅱ(30.43％,43.48％),and the differences were statistically significant(x2=26.500,46.472,4.721,9.626,all P＜0.05).The Furin level of patients with different genotypes in EMT group was different(F=51.286,P＜0.001),in which the Furin level of TT genotype(216.29±68.53pg/ml)was higher than that of CC(83.04±21.37pg/ml)and CT genotype,(89.18±20.95pg/ml),and the differences were statistically significant(t=27.146,25.719,all P＜0.01),but there was no significant difference between CC and CT genotypes(t=1.326,P＞0.05).Conclusion The level of Furin in EMT patients was increased,and it was certainly correlated with the levels of TGF-β,VEGF,netrin-1 and clinical stage.Meanwhile,the r2071410 C/T locus in the promoter region of Furin gene P1 showed a polymorphic distribution,in which the Furin level increased more significantly in patients with TT genotype,which may be related to the incidence of EMT in Shenzhen area.

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of electroacupuncture treatment,the clinical efficacy of electroacupuncture in the treatment of abdominal obesity patients with stomach heat and dampness resistance type was observed by randomized controlled clinical trials.Methods 74 patients with stomach heat and dampness resistance type abdominal obesity recruited by Shanghai Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital were randomly assigned to the electroacupuncture group and the control group(1∶1,37 patients in each group).The electroacupuncture group selected acupoints such as Zhongwan,Jianli,Xiawan,Bilateral Quchi,Hegu,Liangmen,Tianshu,Shuidao,Zusanli,Shangjuxu,Neiting,etc.After the needle was inserted,the patient was given Qi by using techniques such as lifting,inserting,twisting,and turning.The bilateral Liangmen and Tianshu transverse acupoints were selected to connect the electroacupuncture,and a continuous wave of 3 Hz was selected,with the intensity determined based on the patient's tolerance.The needle was left for 30 min.The control group received Streitberger comfort sham acupuncture at the same acupoint,and the flat headed needle was struck through a cannula without piercing the skin.The electroacupuncture device was connected to the same acupoint but not electrified.Both groups of patients received treatment three times a week for 30 min each time,a total of 36 times.The main outcome measure was waist to hip ratio.The secondary outcome measures were weight,blood lipids,and the impact of weight on quality of life scale(IWQOL-Lite)and food desire trait questionnaire(FCQ-T).Each indicator was recorded before and after treatment in both groups.Simultaneously record all medication usage during the treatment period and monitor adverse reactions.Results After treatment,the waist hip ratio and average weight of patients in the electroacupuncture group decreased significantly(P＜0.05).The levels of triglycerides and cholesterol decreased,and the scores of IWQOL-Lite and FCQ-T decreased,but there was no statistically significant difference before and after treatment.Compared with the control group,the waist hip ratio of patients in the electroacupuncture group was lower after treatment(P＜0.05).Conclusion Electroacupuncture can effectively improve abdominal obesity caused by stomach heat and dampness resistance,and is superior to sham acupuncture in reducing the waist hip ratio.

Objective To observe the expression of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K)and protein kinase B(Akt)signal transducer in liver tissue of rats with bilateral ovarian castration(OVX)by electroacupuncture at Guanyuan(CV4)point,and explore the mechanism of electroacupuncture in up regulating PI3K/Akt signal pathway,regulating lipid metabolism,and reducing weight was investigated.Methods Thirty-two female SD rats were randomly divided into blank,sham operation,model and electroacupuncture group,with 8 rats in each group.Perimenopausal obesity(PMO)model was prepared by OVX in the model and the electroacupuncture group.After the model was successfully prepared,the electroacupuncture group was subjected to electroacupuncture at CV4(continuous wave,2 Hz,1 mA),once day,20 min once time,and for 14 consecutive days.The body mass of each group of rats was recorded during the whole experiment,and Lee's index was calculated during sampling.The pathological changes of liver were observed by HE staining.Serum levels of HDL,LDL and TG were detected by ELISA.Western blot analysis of PI3K,Akt,p-Akt protein expression and p-Akt/Akt in liver tissues.Results Compared with blank group and sham operation group,the body mass of rats in model group was significantly increased(P＜0.05),Lee's index was increased(P＜0.05),fat vacuoles appeared in liver,serum HDL level was decreased(P＜0.001),LDL and TG levels were increased(P＜0.01).PI3K,Akt,p-Akt,p-Akt/Akt were decreased in liver(P＜0.05).Compared with model group,body mass and Lee's index of rats in electroacupuncture group were decreased(P＜0.05),fat vacuoles in liver were decreased,HDL level was increased(P＜0.01),LDL and TG levels were decreased(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),PI3K,Akt and P-Akt were decreased(P＜0.05),and p-akt/Akt decreased(P＜0.01).Conclusion Electroacupuncture at CV4 can significantly up-regulate PI3K/Akt signaling pathway,improve lipid metabolism disorder and accumulation,and reduce body mass in OVX rats.

Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of Tongdu Tiaoyang rolling needle pricking-cupping(RNP-C)therapy for cervical spondylosis of qi stagnation and blood stasis type.Methods A total of 90 patients with cervical spondylosis of qi stagnation and blood stasis type were randomly divided into the rolling needle pricking-cupping(RNP-C)group and the electroacupuncture(EA)group,with 45 cases in either group.Both groups were treated with electroacupuncture at Tianzhu(BL 10),Jingjiaji(EX-B2),Houxi(SI 3),Shenmai(BL 62),Xuanzhong(GB 39),Geshu(BL 17),Hegu(LI 4)and Ashi points with continuous wave and 2 Hz of frequency for once a day,7 times as a treatment course.On the basis of electroacupuncture treatment,the rolling needle pricking-cupping(RNP-C)group was treated with bloodletting by rolling needle on the neck Du Mai and three yang channels,from Fengfu(DU 16)to Taodao(DU 13),Yuzhen(BL 9)to Dazhu(BL 11),Fengchi(GB 20)to Jianjing(GB 21),and Yifeng(SJ 17)to Tianyou(SJ 16),followed by fire cupping,for once every other day,and 3 times in all.The visual analogue scale(VAS)scores and Japanese Orthopaedic Association Scores(JOA)were observed before and after treatment,and the efficacy was evaluated.Results Compared before treatment,the scores of VAS in either group were all significantly reduced after treatment(P＜0.01).The scores of VAS in the RNP-C group were significantly inferior to those in the EA group after treatment(P＜0.01).Compared before treatment,the scores of JOA in either group were all significantly promoted after treatment(P＜0.01).The differences of JOA scores between the RNP-C group and EA group after treatment were not significant(P＞0.05).The therapeutic effecacy of the RNP-C group is superior to that of the traditional EA group(P＜0.05).Conclusion Tongdu Tiaoyang rolling needle pricking-cupping(RNP-C)therapy combining with traditional electroacupuncture could improve the cervical pain symptoms of patients with cervical spondylosis of qi stagnation and blood stasis type in a short period of time,and the clinical efficacy is better than traditional electroacupuncture.

Objective This study aim to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of ultrasound-guided acupuncture,specifically targeting the Tiaokou(ST38)acupoint through Chengshan(BL57)to elicit the Deqi sensation,in the context of acute scapulohumeral periarthritis.Methods Utilizing a randomized controlled trial design,a total of 60 subjects diagnosed with acute scapulohumeral periarthritis underwent random allocation into either the observation or control group,with 30 subjects in each.Under ultrasound guidance,acupuncture was administered unilaterally at the specific acupoint ST38 through BL57.The observation group received needling traversing the calf interosseous membrane,reaching the deep fascia of the tibialis posterior muscle,employing lifting and inserting twisting techniques to induce Deqi.In contrast,the control group received acupuncture targeting the sub-superficial fascia without needle manipulation or the requirement for Deqi.Both groups underwent a singular acupuncture session,with a standardized 20-minute needle retention period.Results Post-acupuncture intervention,the observation group exhibited a statistically significant total effective rate of 76.66％,greater than that in the control group at 30％(P＜0.01).Comparative analysis revealed substantial enhancements in the observation group,including improvements in VAS score,Constant shoulder joint function score,the highest △T of red external thermal imaging around the shoulder,and patients'subjective acupuncture sensation scores(P＜0.05).Additionally,within the observation group,post-treatment reductions were observed in VAS score and △ T of red external thermal imaging,coupled with an elevation in Constant shoulder joint function score(P＜0.01).Importantly,neither group manifested discernible adverse reactions.Conclusion Ultrasound-guided acupuncture,facilitating Deqi at Tiaokou(ST38),emerges as a clinically significant and secure intervention for acute scapulohumeral periarthritis.These findings substantiate its potential as a viable therapeutic modality,promoting broader clinical adoption.