OBJECTIVE To study the improvement effect and mechanism of Tripterygium wilfordii multiglucoside （TWM） on nephrotic syndrome in rats. METHODS The nephrotic syndrome model was established by intravenous injection of adriamycin via the tail vein. The modeling rats were randomly divided into the model group （distilled water）， prednisone group （10 mg/kg）， and TWM high- and low-dose groups （10 and 5 mg/kg， respectively）. Additionally， blank group （distilled water） without model induction was established. Each group consisted of 9 rats. Rats in each group were administered the corresponding drugs or distilled water by gavage， once a day， for 6 consecutive weeks. The histopathological morphology of kidney tissues in rats was observed； the levels of 24-hour urinary protein （24 h-UTP） and serum biochemical indicators [albumin （ALB）， blood urea nitrogen （BUN）， serum creatinine （SCr）， cholesterol （CHOL）， and triglyceride （TG）] in rats were determined； the levels of oxidative stress indicators [superoxide dismutase （SOD）， malondialdehyde （MDA）] in kidney tissue of rats were determined； expressions of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α （HIF-1α）/microRNA-155-5p （miR-155-5p）/nuclear factor erythriod 2- related factor 2 （Nrf2） signaling pathway-related mRNA and protein in the renal tissues of rats were detected. RESULTS Compared with the blank group， the rats in the model group exhibited disordered renal tissue structure， with a small amount of glomerular necrosis and edema of the renal tubular epithelial cells. 24 h-UTP， serum levels of SCr， BUN， CHOL and TG， MDA content， mRNA and protein expressions of HIF-1α and Keap1 as well as the expression of miR-155-5p in renal tissues were increased significantly （ P ＜0.05）. Serum level of ALB， SOD level in renal tissue as well as mRNA and protein expressions of Nrf2 were decreased significantly （ P ＜0.05）. Compared with the model group， TWM high-dose and low-dose groups exhibited significant improvements in renal injury， with notable reversals in the levels of the above quantitative indicators （ P ＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS TWM can alleviate oxidative stress-induced damage and thereby improve nephrotic syndrome in rats by regulating the HIF-1α/miR-155-5p/Nrf2 signaling pathway.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the mechanism of isochlorogenic acid A against hepatocellular carcinoma based on the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin （PI3K/Akt/mTOR） signaling pathway and multi-omics technology. METHODS The invasion rate and migration rate of human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells after 48 h of intervention with 0 （control group）， 0.25 and 0.5 mg/mL isochlorogenic acid A were examined； mRNA expression of DEP domain-containing mTOR-interacting protein （DEPTOR）， the protein expressions of mTOR， PI3K and phosphatase and tensin homologue deleted on chromosome ten （PTEN）， as well as the phosphorylation level of Akt protein were determined in the cells. Metabolomics analysis was performed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry， and differential metabolites were screened and subjected to Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） pathway enrichment analysis； transcriptomics monitoring was conducted by RNA sequencing， and differentially expressed genes were screened and subjected to gene ontology （GO） and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses. RESULTS Compared with the control group， intervention with 0.25 and 0.5 mg/mL isochlorogenic acid A for 48 h significantly inhibited the invasion rate and migration rate of HepG2 cells， significantly up-regulated the mRNA expression of DEPTOR and the protein expression of PTEN， and significantly down-regulated the protein expression of PI3K and the phosphorylation level of Akt protein （except for 0.25 mg/mL isochlorogenic acid A） （ P ＜0.05）. A total of 304 differential metabolites and 212 differentially expressed genes were screened by multi-omics analysis. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis suggested that isochlorogenic acid A regulated key signaling of HepG2 cell growth mainly by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway， synergizing with metabolic reprogramming such as mTOR signaling pathway， ferroptosis， pentose phosphate pathway and purine/pyrimidine metabo lism. CONCLUSIONS The anti-hepatocellular carcinoma effect of isochlorogenic acid A is associated with the blockade of abnormal activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. In addition， it may also be related to the inhibition of the pentose phosphate pathway and purine/pyrimidine metabolism， as well as the induction of ferroptosis，etc.

Background and aims The mechanism of cholestatic liver injury (CLI) is unclear, and effective therapies are lacking. While peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPARα) agonists show potential hepatoprotective effect and pyroptosis is implicated in hepatocellular damage, how PPARα activation mitigates lithocholic acid (LCA)-induced pyroptosis remains unknown. Methods The hepatoprotective effect of PPARα agonists was evaluated in a mouse model of intrahepatic cholestasis induced by LCA. Liver injury was assessed via serum biochemistry, hematoxylin and eosin and TUNEL staining, and electron microscopy. Pyroptosis pathways were analyzed using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, Western blot, and co-immunoprecipitation. Results Combined morphological, histopathological, and biochemical analyses confirmed that PPARα activation protects against CLI. Compared with LCA treatment alone, PPARα activation significantly attenuated the elevation of serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), the increased TUNEL-positive cells, and the formation of hepatocyte membrane pores. Mechanistically, PPARα activation suppressed both NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis and apoptosis protease-activating factor-1 (APAF-1)/CASPASE-3/GSDME-mediated pyroptosis. Furthermore, PPARα agonist pretreatment inhibited activation of the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and forkhead box O1 (FOXO1) signaling pathways. Conclusions PPARα protects against LCA-induced CLI by inhibiting both NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated pyroptosis associated with NF-κB and APAF-1/CASPASE-3/GSDME-mediated pyroptosis associated with the FOXO1 signaling pathway.

Da Chaihutang， first recorded in Shanghanlun by Zhang Zhongjing of the Eastern Han dynasty， is composed of eight medicinal herbs， namely Bupleuri Radix， Scutellariae Radix， Rhei Radix et Rhizoma， Aurantii Fructus Immaturus， Paeoniae Radix Alba， Pinelliae Rhizoma， Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens， and Jujubae Fructus. It features a well-defined hierarchy of sovereign， minister， assistant， and courier ingredients. The prescription is characterized by its balanced compatibility， mutually restrained cold and warm properties， and combined use of harmonizing and purging therapeutic strategies. As a renowned classical formula indicated for harmonizing Shaoyang and purging internal heat accumulation， it is the core prescription for the treatment of Shaoyang-Yangming combined disease. A comprehensive review of modern research literature on Da Chaihutang reveals that its chemical composition is notably diverse. The core pharmacologically active material bases of its constituent single herbs have been clearly identified， including saikosaponins from Bupleuri Radix， flavonoids from Scutellariae Radix， anthraquinones from Rhei Radix et Rhizoma， flavonoids and alkaloids from Aurantii Fructus Immaturus， monoterpene glycosides from Paeoniae Radix Alba， alkaloids and organic acids from Pinelliae Rhizoma， gingerols from Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens， and polysaccharides and triterpenoid acids from Jujubae Fructus. In the compound formula， a total of 163 chemical constituents have been comprehensively identified， among which flavonoids and their glycosides constitute the most abundant component category. Flavonoids and their glycosides， monoterpene glycosides， and pentacyclic triterpenoid saponins are regarded as the core pharmacologically active substances of the whole formula. In addition， 9 potential quality markers that can comprehensively characterize the overall quality and core therapeutic efficacy of the whole formula have been screened out. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that the pharmacological effects of Da Chaihutang exhibit synergistic characteristics involving multiple components， multiple targets， and multiple pathways. Its core pharmacological activities encompass the regulation of digestive system disorders， including pancreatic protection， intervention in biliary tract diseases， and protection of gastrointestinal mucosa； intervention in hepatobiliary diseases such as non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and cholestatic liver injury； and regulation of metabolic disorders such as hypoglycemic effect， improvement of insulin resistance， and regulation of lipid metabolism. Furthermore， it also possesses multiple pharmacological activities， including intervention in atherosclerosis， regulation of immune and inflammatory responses， multi-organ protection， and anti-hepatocellular carcinoma effect. In modern clinical practice， Da Chaihutang and its modified formulas are mostly used in combination with conventional Western medical regimens. They have demonstrated notable therapeutic advantages in the treatment of digestive system diseases such as cholecystitis， acute pancreatitis， cholelithiasis， and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease， but also have shown definite curative efficacy in the management of diseases affecting multiple other systems， including cardiovascular， endocrine， dermatological， reproductive， respiratory， neurological， urinary， pediatric， and immune systems. These combined applications can effectively improve the overall clinical response rate， shorten the time to symptom relief， and reduce both the disease recurrence rate and the incidence of adverse reactions. This review systematically summarized the formula compatibility， chemical constituents， pharmacological mechanisms， and modern clinical applications of Da Chaihutang and its modified formulas， to provide a theoretical basis and practical reference for the secondary development of classic formulas， the research and development of new drugs， and the precise and safe clinical application of this classical prescription.

“Runner’s high” refers to a momentary sense of pleasure that suddenly appears during running or other exercise activities, characterized by anti-anxiety, pain relief, and other symptoms. The neurobiological mechanism of “runner’s high” is unclear. This review summarizes human and animal models for studying “runner’s high”, analyzes the neurotransmitters and neural circuits involved in runner’s high, and elucidates the evidence and shortcomings of researches related to “runner’s high”. This review also provides prospects for future research. Research has found that exercise lasting more than 30 min and with an intensity exceeding 70% of the maximum heart rate can reach a “runner’s high”. Human experiments on “runner’s high” mostly use treadmill exercise intervention, and evaluate it through questionnaire surveys, measurement of plasma AEA, miRNA and other indicators. Animal experiments often use voluntary wheel running intervention, and evaluate it through behavioral experiments such as conditional place preference, light dark box experiments (anxiety), hot plate experiments (pain sensitivity), and measurement of plasma AEA and other indicators. Dopamine, endogenous opioid peptides, endogenous cannabinoids, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and other substances increase after exercise, which may be related to the “runner’s high”. However, attention should be paid to the functional differences of these substances in the central and peripheral regions, as well as in different brain regions. Moreover, current studies have not identified the targets of the neurotransmitters or neural factors mentioned above, and further in-depth researches are needed. The mesolimbic dopamine system, prefrontal cortex-nucleus accumbens projection, ventral hippocampus-nucleus accumbens projection, red nucleus-ventral tegmental area projection, cerebellar-ventral tegmental area projection, and brain-gut axis may be involved in the regulation of runner’s high, but there is a lack of direct evidence to prove their involvement. There are still many issues that need to be addressed in the research on the neurobiological mechanisms of “runner’s high”. (1) Most studies on “runner’s high” involve one-time exercise, and the characteristics of changes in “runner’s high” during long-term exercise still need to be explored. (2) The using of scales to evaluate subjects lead to the lacking of objective indicators. However, some potential biomarkers (such as endocannabinoids) have inconsistent characteristics of changes after one-time and long-term exercise. (3) The neurotransmitters involved in the formation of the “runner’s high” all increase in the peripheral and/or central nervous system after exercise. Attention should be paid to whether peripheral substances can enter the blood-brain barrier and the binding effects of neurotransmitters to different receptors are completely different in different brain regions. (4) Most of the current evidence show that some brain regions are activated after exercise. Is there a functional circuit mediating “runner’s high” between these brain regions? (5) Although training at a specific exercise intensity can lead to “runner’s high”, most runners have not experienced “runner’s high”. Can more scientific training methods or technological means be used to make it easier for people to experience the “runner’s high” and thus be more willing to engage in exercise? (6) The “runner’s high” and “addiction” behaviors are extremely similar, and there are evidences that exercise can reverse addictive behaviors. However, why is there still a considerable number of people in the sports population and even athletes who smoke or use addictive drugs instead of pursuing the “pleasure” brought by exercise? Solving the problems above is of great significance for enhancing the desire of exercise, improving the clinical application of neurological and psychiatric diseases through exercise, and enhancing the overall physical fitness of the population.

Background/Aims: Dexamethasone (DEX) is a widely used exogenous therapeutic glucocorticoid in clinical settings. Its long-term use leads to many side effects. However, its effect on metabolic disorders in individuals on a high-fat diet (HFD) remains poorly understood. Methods: In this study, HFD-fed mice were intraperitoneally injected with DEX 2.5 mg/kg/day for 30 days. Lipid metabolism, adipocyte proliferation, and inflammation were assayed using typical approaches. Results: DEX increased the epididymal fat index and epididymal adipocyte size in HFD-fed mice. The number of epididymal adipocytes with diameters > 70 μm accounted for 0.5% of the cells in the control group, 30% of the cells in the DEX group, 19% of the cells in the HFD group, and 38% of all the cells in the D+H group. Adipocyte proliferation in the D+H group was inhibited by DEX treatment. Adipocyte enlargement in the D+H group was associated with increased the lipid accumulation but not the adipocyte proliferation. In contrast, the liver triglyceride and total cholesterol levels and their metabolism were downregulated by the same treatment, indicating the therapeutic potential of DEX for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Conclusions DEX synergizes with HFD to promote lipid deposition in adipose tissues. A high risk of obesity development in patients receiving HFD and DEX treatment is suggested.

Background/Aims: Dexamethasone (DEX) is a widely used exogenous therapeutic glucocorticoid in clinical settings. Its long-term use leads to many side effects. However, its effect on metabolic disorders in individuals on a high-fat diet (HFD) remains poorly understood. Methods: In this study, HFD-fed mice were intraperitoneally injected with DEX 2.5 mg/kg/day for 30 days. Lipid metabolism, adipocyte proliferation, and inflammation were assayed using typical approaches. Results: DEX increased the epididymal fat index and epididymal adipocyte size in HFD-fed mice. The number of epididymal adipocytes with diameters > 70 μm accounted for 0.5% of the cells in the control group, 30% of the cells in the DEX group, 19% of the cells in the HFD group, and 38% of all the cells in the D+H group. Adipocyte proliferation in the D+H group was inhibited by DEX treatment. Adipocyte enlargement in the D+H group was associated with increased the lipid accumulation but not the adipocyte proliferation. In contrast, the liver triglyceride and total cholesterol levels and their metabolism were downregulated by the same treatment, indicating the therapeutic potential of DEX for nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Conclusions DEX synergizes with HFD to promote lipid deposition in adipose tissues. A high risk of obesity development in patients receiving HFD and DEX treatment is suggested.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the mediating role of sleep duration in the relationship between depression symptoms and myopia among middle school students. METHODS: This study was a cross-sectional research conducted using a stratified cluster random sampling method. A total of 1 728 middle school students were selected from two junior high schools and two senior high schools in certain urban areas and farms of the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps. Questionnaire surveys and vision tests were conducted among the students. Spearman analysis was used to analyze the correlation between depression symptoms, sleep duration, and myopia. The Bootstrap method was employed to investigate the mediating effect of sleep duration between depression symptoms and myopia. RESULTS: The prevalence of myopia in the overall population was 74.02% (1 279/1 728), with an average sleep duration of (7.6±1.0) hours. The rate of insufficient sleep was 83.62% (1 445/1 728), and the proportion of students exhibiting depression symptoms was 25.29% (437/1 728). Correlation analysis showed significant negative correlations between visual acuity in both eyes and sleep duration with depressive emotions as measured by the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (with correlation coefficients of -0.064, -0.084, and -0.199 respectively; P<0.01), as well as with somatic symptoms and activities (with correlation coefficients of -0.104, -0.124, and -0.233 respectively; P<0.01) and interpersonal relationships (with correlation coefficients of -0.052, -0.059, and -0.071 respectively; P<0.05). The correlation coefficients for left and right eye visual acuity and sleep duration were 0.206 and 0.211 respectively (P<0.001). Sleep duration exhibited a mediating effect between depression symptoms and myopia (indirect effect=0.056, 95%CI: 0.029-0.088), with the mediating effect value for females (indirect effect=0.066, 95%CI: 0.024-0.119) being higher than that for males (indirect effect=0.042, 95%CI: 0.011-0.081). CONCLUSIONS Sleep duration serves as a partial mediator between depression symptoms and myopia in middle school students.
Humans ; Myopia/etiology* ; Male ; Female ; Depression/physiopathology* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Sleep ; Adolescent ; Students ; Child ; Time Factors ; Sleep Duration

Objectives:To investigate the enhancement of tumor penetration and photodynamic therapy (PDT) efficacy in triple-negative breast cancer by hyaluronidase (HAase) using a novel pH-responsive IR780-loaded photosensitive micelle.Methods:The pH-responsive IR780-loaded photosensitive micelles were prepared using the nanoprecipitation method, and their morphology, size, and encapsulation efficiency were characterized. The in vitro stability and pH-responsive drug release of the micelles were also evaluated. The cytotoxicity of the micelles on triple-negative breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231) was assessed using a cell counting kit. A nude mouse breast cancer model was established, and HAase was injected intratumorally 24 hours before intravenous injection of the photosensitive micelles. The effect of HAase on the biodistribution and tumor uptake of the micelles was detected using small animal in vivo imaging. CD31 and HIF-1α immunofluorescence staining were performed to investigate the mechanism of HAase-enhanced tumor penetration. The body weight and tumor volume of the mice were measured, and necrosis and apoptosis of tumor tissues were assessed using HE staining and TUNEL staining, respectively. Results:Transmission electron microscopy showed that the micelles had a uniform particle size of approximately 60-70 nm, with a hydrated particle size of (98.03±0.22) nm. The IR780 encapsulation efficiency was 74.15%, with a drug loading content of 2.07%. After 7 days at 4 ℃, there was no significant change in hydrated particle size ( P=0.062). The 24-hour release rates of the micelles in PBS at pH 7.4 and 6.5 were (2.41±0.21)% and (43.69±2.09)%, respectively, showing a significant difference ( P＜0.000 1). The cytotoxicity assay revealed that the cell viability in the micelles group without light exposure was significantly higer than that in the micelles group under light exposure [(97.00±5.38)% vs. (53.27±9.00)%, P=0.000 2]. The micelles were able to target and accumulate in the tumor tissue, and this accumulation increased significantly with HAase treatment. CD31 and HIF-1α immunofluorescence staining indicated that the CD31 signal was enhanced [(0.27±0.05)% vs. (4.57±0.27)%, P＜0.000 1] and the HIF-1α signal was reduced [(5.14±0.38)% vs. (0.08±0.04)%, P＜0.000 1] in the HAase-treated group compared to that in the micelle-only group. After 11 days of treatment with HAase combined with photosensitive micelles, there was no statistically significant difference in mouse body weight ( P＞0.05). However, the tumor volume inhibition rate in the HAase-micelle-mediated PDT group was significantly higher than that in the micelle-mediated PDT group [(87.66±6.37)% vs. (25.34±12.63)%, P=0.002]. Histological staining showed a significant increase in tumor cell necrosis and apoptosis in the HAase-micelle-mediated PDT group. Conclusion:HAase enhances the deep tumor penetration and targeted accumulation of pH-responsive IR780-loaded photosensitive micelles, significantly improves the efficacy of photodynamic therapy in triple-negative breast cancer.

Objective:To identify the trajectories of dietary choline intake in middle-aged and older population, and to analyze its longitudinal association with cognitive function.Methods:Subjects aged 55 to 79 years with at least two rounds of completed population economics, lifestyle, disease history, cognitive function, dietary assessments and physical measurements in 1997-2018 and those with at least three rounds of dietary measures in 1991-2015 were selected from the China Health and Nutrition Survey. Dietary survey was conducted using three consecutive 24-hour dietary recalls combined with a weighing inventory at the household level. Cognitive assessment was performed using part of the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status Scale. Group-based univariate trajectory modeling was used to identify trajectory of choline intake, and three-level linear mixed-effects models or three-level logistic mixed-effects models was employed to analyze the relationship between trajectory groups and cognitive function. Subgroup analyses were conducted by gender and age at baseline.Results:Four trajectories of dietary choline intake were identified in the whole population, named as low-intake-stable group (61.0%), medium-intake-stable group (23.9%), medium-intake-slowly-declined group (11.2%), and high-intake-stable group (3.9%). Three trajectories were identified for each subgroup. Low-intake-stable group accounted for more than 60% in total population as well as each subgroup, especially in women and 55-59 years group. After adjusting for covariates, global cognitive scores were 0.54 (95% CI: 0.26-0.82), 0.77 (95% CI: 0.36-1.18), and 0.85 (95% CI: 0.21-1.48) points higher in medium-intake-stable, medium-intake- slowly-declined and high-intake-stable groups in the whole population, respectively, compared with the low-intake-stable group. The likelihoods of cognitive decline were 18.4% ( OR=0.816,95% CI: 0.709-0.939), 17.6% ( OR=0.824, 95% CI: 0.680-0.998), 24.4% ( OR=0.756, 95% CI: 0.589-0.970) and 22.4% ( OR=0.776,95% CI: 0.623-0.968) lower in medium-intake-stable group of dietary choline in the whole population, medium-intake-stable group in males, medium-intake-slightly-increased group in females and medium-intake-slowly-increased group in 55-59 years at baseline than in low-intake-stable group, respectively. Conclusions:Dietary choline intake is generally lower in the Chinese population aged 55-79 years. Long-term lower choline intake has a negative impact on cognitive function in middle-aged and older adults and may increase the risk of cognitive decline. The increment in the consumption of choline-enriched foods should be recommended.