ObjectiveTo investigate the ability of clinically isolated， Helicobacter pylori （H. pylori）-specific gene polymerase chain reaction （PCR）-positive gastric， vaginal， and fecal Candida to release H. pylori. MethodsResuscitate 4 strains of H. pylori -specific 16S rDNA and ureA gene PCR-positive Candida strains isolated in laboratory from clinical sources， including 1 strain of gastric Candida， 1 strain of fecal Candida， 2 strains of vaginal Candida and the standard Candida albicans strain ATCC10231 （Ca10231）. The presence of H. pylori-specific ureA in the 5 strains of Candida isolates was confirmed by PCR. The aforementioned strains of Candida and H.pylori were inoculated into urea medium and cultured in a constant temperature incubator at 37 ℃. The color change of the medium was observed daily. A change in the medium's color from yellow to red indicated the presence of urease activity. Then， the five strains of Candida and H. pylori were co-incubated with the magnetic beads coated with H. pylori antibodies respectively. Scanning electron microscopy （SEM） was employed to observe the presence of bacilli adsorbed on the surface of the magnetic beads. PCR was used to detect the presence of H.pylori-specific 16S rDNA and ureA genes on magnetic beads. ResultsThe PCR analysis of the ureA gene in the four Candida isolates was positive， whereas the Ca10231 strain tested negative. Upon culturing the four Candida isolates on urea medium， the medium color changed from yellow to red which was determined to be urease positive， while the medium containing Ca10231 remained unchanged， which was urease negative. SEM revealed that bacilli could be observed on the surface of magnetic beads co-incubated with the 4 strains of Candida of clinical origin and H.pylori isolate. Specifically， PCR testing of the magnetic beads co-incubated with one vaginal Candida， one gastric Candida and H.pylori isolate showed positive results for the 16S rDNA and ureA genes of H. pylori； however， the PCR tests for the two genes were negative for the magnetic beads co-incubated with the other two Candida isolate. ConclusionThis study demonstrates that H. pylori-specific genes Candida can release H. pylori.

Pancreatic cancer （PC）， a highly malignant tumor of the digestive system， is characterized by extremely high incidence and mortality rates， imposing a severe burden on the healthcare system. Despite significant advancements in comprehensive therapeutic strategies for PC， clinical benefits for patients remain limited due to the high heterogeneity and unique microenvironment of the tumor. Therefore， further elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying PC progression and developing novel， effective therapeutic strategies have become an urgent necessity in the current research. Programmed cell death （PCD） is a genetically orchestrated process of autonomous cell demise that is crucial for maintaining cellular homeostasis. Recent studies have demonstrated that tumor cells can remodel the tumor microenvironment by modulating various PCD pathways—including apoptosis， autophagy， pyroptosis， and ferroptosis—thereby driving tumor proliferation， invasion， and drug resistance. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） possesses unique advantages in anti-tumor therapy， characterized by multi-component， multi-target， and multi-pathway regulation. Accumulating evidence suggests that TCM formulas and their natural active compounds can effectively delay the malignant progression of PC by modulating PCD in tumor cells. This article systematically summarizes the molecular mechanisms of PCD in PC progression and reviews the mechanisms by which TCM formulas and natural active compounds intervene in PC through PCD modulation. This review aims to provide theoretical support and future research directions for the prevention and treatment of PC with TCM.

Objective To investigate the role of SLC7A11-mediated disulfidptosis in regulating the functional heterogeneity of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and remodeling the immune microenvironment in ovarian cancer (OC). Methods Utilizing an integrative multi-omics framework, we synchronized transcriptomic data from TCGA and GEO with high-resolution single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and spatial transcriptomics. We employed CellChat interactome algorithms to map disulfidptosis-related gene expression profiles across various cellular hierarchies. The mechanistic link between SLC7A11 and SPP1 was further examined via qPCR assays under glucose-deprived, disulfidptosis-inducing conditions. Results SLC7A11 was identified as a crucial regulator of disulfidptosis, exhibiting significant overexpression in OC tissues. Elevated SLC7A11 levels were positively correlated with advanced FIGO stages, increased tumor burden, and resistance to immune checkpoint blockade. scRNA-seq profiling identified a distinct CAF lineage (CAF1/CAF5) characterized by a robust disulfidptosis signature. This subpopulation was associated with epithelial-mesenchymal transition and an immunosuppressive niche via the SPP1-CD44 signaling axis. In situ spatial mapping suggested the localized amplification of SPP1-mediated signaling at the CAF-tumor cell interface, forming high-intensity interactomes with ITGAV, ITGB1, and CD44. Metabolic stress induced by glucose starvation significantly altered the transcriptional profiles of SLC7A11 and SPP1. Notably, the glucose starvation-induced upregulation of NRF2 mRNA in fibroblasts was effectively mitigated by NRF2 knockdown or treatment with the disulfidptosis inhibitor 2-mercaptoethanol. Conclusion SLC7A11-mediated disulfidptosis may activates a subset of CAFs, which may contribute to remodeling the tumor microenvironment and suppressing anti-tumor immunity through the secretion of SPP1.

AIM:To investigate the effect of paeoniflorin on the inflammatory response of diabetic retinopathy rats by regulating phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase/protein kinase B(PI3K/Akt)signaling pathway.METHODS: A total of 70 SPF male SD rats were selected, and 12 rats were randomly selected as the control group(normal saline gavage). The remaining 58 rats were fed with high-sugar and high-fat diet combined with intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin(STZ)to establish diabetic rat models. Rats with diabetic retinopathy were randomly divided into model group(normal saline), paeoniflorin low-dose group(100 mg/kg paeoniflorin), paeoniflorin high-dose group(200 mg/kg paeoniflorin)and metformin group(100 mg/kg metformin), with 12 rats in each group. The body mass of the rats in each group were compared. HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of the rat retina. Automatic biochemical analyzer was used to detect the levels of fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C), total cholesterol and triglyceride in the rats. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the levels of serum superoxide dismutase(SOD), reactive oxygen species(ROS), malondialdehyde(MDA), glutathione peroxidase(GSH-PX), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-6(IL-6)and interleukin-1β(IL-1β)in the rats. Western blot was used to detect the expressions of Occludin, p-PI3K, tight junction protein-1(ZO-1), p-Akt and VE-Cadherin in the rat retina.RESULTS: The expression levels of Occludin, ZO-1 and VE-cadherin in low-dose and high-dose paeoniflora groups were higher than those in the model group, while the expression levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, p-PI3K and p-Akt in serum were lower than those in the model group. The high-dose group of paeoniflorin was significantly better than the low-dose group of paeoniflorin(all P<0.05).CONCLUSION: Paeoniflorin may reduce inflammatory response in diabetic retinopathy rats by inhibiting PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

AIM:To investigate the effect of paeoniflorin on the inflammatory response of diabetic retinopathy rats by regulating phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase/protein kinase B(PI3K/Akt)signaling pathway.METHODS: A total of 70 SPF male SD rats were selected, and 12 rats were randomly selected as the control group(normal saline gavage). The remaining 58 rats were fed with high-sugar and high-fat diet combined with intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin(STZ)to establish diabetic rat models. Rats with diabetic retinopathy were randomly divided into model group(normal saline), paeoniflorin low-dose group(100 mg/kg paeoniflorin), paeoniflorin high-dose group(200 mg/kg paeoniflorin)and metformin group(100 mg/kg metformin), with 12 rats in each group. The body mass of the rats in each group were compared. HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of the rat retina. Automatic biochemical analyzer was used to detect the levels of fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C), total cholesterol and triglyceride in the rats. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the levels of serum superoxide dismutase(SOD), reactive oxygen species(ROS), malondialdehyde(MDA), glutathione peroxidase(GSH-PX), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-6(IL-6)and interleukin-1β(IL-1β)in the rats. Western blot was used to detect the expressions of Occludin, p-PI3K, tight junction protein-1(ZO-1), p-Akt and VE-Cadherin in the rat retina.RESULTS: The expression levels of Occludin, ZO-1 and VE-cadherin in low-dose and high-dose paeoniflora groups were higher than those in the model group, while the expression levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, p-PI3K and p-Akt in serum were lower than those in the model group. The high-dose group of paeoniflorin was significantly better than the low-dose group of paeoniflorin(all P<0.05).CONCLUSION: Paeoniflorin may reduce inflammatory response in diabetic retinopathy rats by inhibiting PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt. is a characteristic oil crop rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, particularly α-linolenic acid, which has important development and utilization value. The Dof transcription factor is one of the plant-specific transcription factor families, which is widely involved in important biological processes such as plant growth, development, and metabolic regulation. In order to explore the key Dof transcription factors involved in the oil biosynthesis and systematically analyze their regulatory mechanisms of P. frutescens seeds, a total of 56 PfDof gene family members were identified from the genome and transcriptome data of P. frutescens and classified into four subfamilies according to sequence characteristics. All PfDofs contained highly conserved C₂-C₂ zinc finger domains, with gene duplication being the primary mechanism driving their evolution and expansion. Genes within the same subgroup exhibited similar gene structures and conserved motifs. The 56 PfDofs were predicted as unstable hydrophilic proteins, with α-helixes and random coils as their predominant structural components. The RNA-seq results revealed that 11 PfDofs exhibited differential expression during different developmental stages of P. frutescens seeds. RT-qPCR was performed to further validate the expression patterns of these 11 members across various tissue samples (root, stem, leaf, and flower) of P. frutescens and at different developmental stages of its seeds. The results showed that PfDof29 exhibited the highest expression level in seeds, which was consistent with the transcriptome data. Subcellular localization studies demonstrated that PfDof29 was localized to the nucleus and had a transcriptional activation activity. Overexpression of PfDof29 in Nicotiana tabacum resulted in a significant increase in total oil content of tobacco leaves, accompanied by reductions in starch and soluble sugar content, while the protein content remained unchanged. Additionally, the metabolic balance between saturated and unsaturated fatty acids in the transgenic tobacco leaves was altered, with a significant increase in α-linolenic acid content. The expression levels of the fatty acid desaturase genes NtFAD2, NtFAD3, and NtFAD8 were significantly upregulated. A yeast one-hybrid assay revealed that PfDof29 could directly bind to the promoter region of PfFAD8, thereby regulating its expression. This study provides an initial understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of PfDof transcription factors in the synthesis and accumulation of oil in P. frutescens. These findings offer new insights into the enhancement of oil content and quality of P. frutescens seeds.
Transcription Factors/physiology* ; Perilla frutescens/metabolism* ; Plant Proteins/metabolism* ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; alpha-Linolenic Acid/biosynthesis* ; Lipids/biosynthesis* ; Seeds/genetics*

Liver diseases have become a major challenge threating the global health, posing a heavy burden on both social and personal well-being. In recent years, the development of the gut-liver axis theory has provided new research perspectives and intervention strategies for the prevention and treatment of liver diseases. Natural products, recognized as biological molecules with diverse sources, rich activities, and minimal side effects, demonstrate great potential in regulating intestinal flora and improving liver health. Studies have shown that natural products such as saponins, polyphenols, polysaccharides, and alkaloids can regulate the composition and metabolites of intestinal flora, thereby intervening in liver diseases. In this paper, we systematically review the role of natural products in the regulation of the intestinal flora-gut-liver axis and summarize recent research progress in the prevention and treatment of liver diseases. Furthermore, we outline the challenges and limitations currently facing the study in this field. Finally, this paper makes an outlook on the clinical application of natural products in treating liver diseases and discusses future research directions, aiming to give new insights into the mechanisms by which natural products regulate the intestinal flora-gut-liver axis and the applications of these products in the prevention and treatment of liver diseases.
Humans ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects* ; Liver Diseases/prevention & control* ; Biological Products/pharmacology* ; Polyphenols/pharmacology* ; Saponins/pharmacology* ; Intestines/microbiology* ; Alkaloids/pharmacology* ; Polysaccharides/pharmacology* ; Liver

Objective:To evaluate alterations in dopaminergic neurons, cortical metabolism, and functional connectivity networks in patients with early-onset Parkinson′s disease (EOPD) using multimodal neuroimaging.Methods:In this prospective cross-sectional study, 26 patients with EOPD and 16 healthy controls (HC group) were recruited from the PLA General Hospital between April and November 2023. All participants underwent integrated 11C-β-CFT PET/MR, 18F-FDG PET/CT brain imaging and resting-state functional MRI. Clinical assessments were conducted using the Unified Parkinson′s Disease Rating Scale and Hoehn-Yahr staging. Cognitive status was evaluated using the Mini-Mental State Examination and Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Standardized uptake value ratios for both 11C-β-CFT and 18F-FDG PET images were calculated using cerebellar gray matter as the reference region. Voxel-wise two-sample t-tests were performed to identify regions with significant group differences in tracer uptake. Seed regions showing altered 11C-β-CFT or 18F-FDG uptake were used to compute seed-based functional connectivity (FC) with all other brain voxels, and group differences in FC were assessed. Correlations between imaging metrics and clinical scales were evaluated using Pearson or Spearman analyses as appropriate. Results:Compared with HC group, EOPD group showed significantly reduced 11C-β-CFT uptake in the bilateral putamen, globus pallidus, and left temporal pole ( P<0.05), and decreased 18F-FDG uptake in the right superior frontal gyrus and anterior cingulate cortex ( P<0.05). Relative to HC group, EOPD group exhibited markedly lower FC between the right putamen and the left gyrus rectus as well as the right parahippocampal gyrus; the right superior frontal gyrus and the left gyrus rectus; the anterior cingulate cortex and the olfactory area of the frontal lobe, the left gyrus rectus, and the right superior parietal gyrus; the left temporal pole and the left orbitofrontal cortex as well as the left olfactory area ( P<0.05). Correlation analyses revealed no statistically significant associations between altered FC values and clinical scale scores in the EOPD group. Conclusions:Patients with EOPD demonstrate impaired nigrostriatal dopaminergic function, regional cortical hypometabolism, and aberrant functional connectivity across multiple brain networks.

Objective:To analyze the differentially diagnostic ability of metabolic parameters of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron-emission tomography/computed tomography(18F-FDG PET/CT)in thymic epithelial tumors(TETs)of different histological types.Methods:A total of 72 patients who underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT examination and were confirmed as TETs before treatment at the Department of Nuclear Medicine of the First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital between January 2013 to May 2022 were analyzed.The patients were divided into thymic tumor with low risk group(9 cases),thymic tumor with high risk group(15 cases)and thymic cancer group(9 cases)according to histological type.The clinical data of patients were recorded,and the patients were staged according to pathological Masaoka-Koga staging of thymic tumor surgery.The maximum standardized uptake value(SUVmax),average standardized uptake value(SUVmean),metabolic tumor volume(MTV),total lesion glycolysis(TLG)and standardized uptake value ratio(SUVR)of the lesions were recorded respectively.The differences of metabolic parameters of various group were compared.The area under curve(AUC)value of receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to analyze the diagnostic efficacy of 18F-FDG PET/CT in TETs of different histological types.Results:The results of analyzing each metabolic parameter of three groups indicated that the SUVmax,SUVmean and SUVR values of thymic tumor with high risk group and thymic cancer group were significantly higher than them of thymic tumor with low risk group,and the differences were significant(F=10.315,8.336,11.593,P<0.05),respectively.SUVR has the highest diagnostic efficacy in the differential diagnosis for thymic tumor and thymic cancer(AUC:0.864,sensitivity:83.3%,specificity:75.0%),and for thymic tumor with high-risk and thymic cancer(AUC:0.832,sensitivity:56.3%,specificity:100.0%).In addition,SUVR has the highest diagnostic efficacy for thymic tumor with high-risk and thymic tumor with low-risk(AUC:0.748,sensitivity:80.0%,specificity:66.7%).Conclusion:The metabolic parameters of 18F-FDG PET/CT have a certain of differential and diagnostic value in identifying TETs of different histological types.

Objective:To investigate the characteristic distribution of vaginal microbiota in infertile women.Methods:We collected the results of vaginal microbiological examinations from 19322 initial visit infertile women who visited the Reproductive Medicine Center of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology,the Second Affili-ated Hospital of Air Force Medical University from March 1,2023 to July 31,2024.The vaginal microbiota infection status of patients was compared in different age groups(＜25 years old,25-＜30 years old,30-＜35 years old,35-＜40 years old,≥40 years old)and different seasons(spring,summer,autumn,winter).Results:①Among 19322 women,6027 cases(31.19％)showed abnormal vaginal microecology.Pathogenic microorganisms were detected in 3093 cases,including 2882 cases of single vaginitis,211 cases of mixed vaginitis,3764 cases with vagi-nal cleanliness grade Ⅲ-Ⅳ,and 3965 cases with abnormal lactobacilli.Among patients with single vaginitis,1349 cases(46.81％)were diagnosed with vulvovaginal candidiasis(VVC),which was the highest proportion.Aerobic vaginitis(AV)followed with 752 cases(26.09％),and bacterial vaginosis(BV)had 671 cases(23.28％),trichomonal vaginitis(TV)with 110 cases(3.82％).Among patients with mixed vaginitis,AV+BV was the most common with 96 cases(45.49％).②The detection rates of cleanliness grade Ⅲ-Ⅳ,abnormal lactobacilli,abnor-mal microorganisms(unclear pathogen),single vaginitis(BV,VVC and TV),and mixed vaginitis showed statisti-cally significant differences across different seasons(P＜0.05).Specifically,the detection rates of cleanliness grade Ⅲ-Ⅳ and abnormal microorganisms(unclear pathogens)were significantly higher in autumn than in other seasons(P＜0.05),while the detection rate of abnormal lactobacilli was higher in spring than in other seasons(P＜0.05).③The detection rates of abnormal lactobacilli,abnormal microorganisms(unclear pathogen),single vaginitis(BV,VVC and AV),and mixed vaginitis showed significant differences among different age groups(P＜0.05).Specifically,the detection rate of abnormal microorganisms(unclear pathogen)was higher in the age group＜25 years than in other age groups(P＜0.05),while the detection rate of BV among single vaginitis cases was higher in the age group≥40 years than in other age groups(P＜0.05).Conclusions:The vaginal microecol-ogy of infertile women varies in terms of infection rates across different age groups and seasons.Patients with simple vaginitis have the highest rate of VVC,while those with mixed vaginitis have the highest proportion of AV+BV infection.