1.Effect and mechanism of transplantation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells with overexpression of the Numb gene in treatment of cholestatic liver fibrosis
Shihao ZHANG ; Changqing ZHAO ; Mingyan YANG ; Feifei XING ; Wei LIU ; Gaofeng CHEN ; Jiamei CHEN ; Ping LIU ; Yongping MU
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2026;42(1):80-89
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect and mechanism of transplantation of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (hUC-MSC) with overexpression of the Numb gene in the treatment of cholestatic liver fibrosis (CLF). MethodsThe technique of lentiviral transfection was used to induce the overexpression of the Numb gene in hUC-MSC (hUC-MSCNumb-OE), and hUC-MSC transfected with empty vector (hUC-MSCOE-EV) was used as negative control. Bile duct ligation (BDL) was performed to establish a rat model of CLF, and then the rats were randomly divided into BDL group, hUC-MSC group, hUC-MSCOE-EV group, and hUC-MSCNumb-OE group, while a sham-operation group was also established. The rats in the intervention groups were given a single splenic injection of the corresponding cells after BDL, and samples were collected at the end of week 4. Related indicators were measured, including serum biochemistry, liver histopathology, the content of hydroxyproline (Hyp) in the liver, hepatic stellate cell activation, ductular reaction, liver regeneration, and the expression levels of key molecules in the Numb-p53 signaling axis. A one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of continuous data between multiple groups, and the least significant difference t-test was used for further comparison between two groups. ResultsCompared with the BDL group, the hUC-MSC group and the hUC-MSCOE-EV group had significant reductions in the levels of serum biochemical parameters (aspartate aminotransferase, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase, total bile acid, total bilirubin, and direct bilirubin), liver fibrosis markers (the content of Hyp and the expression levels of alpha-smooth muscle actin, tumor necrosis factor-α, and transforming growth factor-beta 1), and ductular reaction markers (the expression levels of CK7 and CK19) (all P <0.05), and compared with the hUC-MSCOE-EV group, the hUC-MSCNumb-OE group had significantly greater improvements in the above indicators (all P <0.05). In addition, compared with the hUC-MSCOE-EV group, the hUC-MSCNumb-OE group had significant improvements in the expression levels of liver regeneration-related markers (albumin and hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α) and the molecules associated with the Numb-p53 signaling axis (Numb, pNumb, Mdm2, and p53) (all P <0.05). ConclusionOverexpression of the Numb gene can enhance the therapeutic effect of hUC-MSC on CLF, possibly by activating the Numb-PTBL-p53-HNF4α axis, promoting the hepatic differentiation of hUC-MSCs and subsequently enhancing liver regeneration.
2.Exploring Intervention Effect of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma Processed with Aurantii Fructus Immaturus Juice on Slow-transit Constipation and Its "Microbiota-Metabolism" Synergistic Regulation Mechanism Based on Theory of "Spleen Governing Transportation and Transformation"
Dan LI ; Xiaoxia LIU ; Xiaofen WANG ; Zuxin HE ; Junnan WEI ; Yanqing LIU ; Yuxuan GAO ; Ping LUO ; Fang WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(10):201-209
ObjectiveBased on the theory of "spleen governing transportation and transformation", this study investigates the efficacy of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma processed with Aurantii Fructus Immaturus juice(AMR-AFI) in improving slow-transit constipation(STC), as well as the synergistic regulatory mechanism involving the microbiota-metabolism axis, thereby elucidating the scientific basis of its processing theory. MethodsAnimals were randomly divided into the control group, model group, positive drug(mosapride) group(3 mg·kg-1), and low-, medium-, and high-dose groups of AMR-AFI(3.9, 7.8, 15.6 g·kg-1). Except for the control group, the remaining five groups were induced with STC using loperamide hydrochloride. Following modeling, interventions were administered. All groups received continuous administration for 15 d, during which fecal samples, colon tissue, and serum were collected. Constipation improvement was assessed by measuring fecal moisture content and small intestinal propulsion rate, histological morphology of colonic tissue was observed via hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining, and the levels of interleukin(IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α, and IL-2 in serum were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Furthermore, the microbial community structure in mouse feces was analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing, while transcriptomic sequencing was employed to screen differentially expressed genes in colonic tissue, followed by gene ontology(GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) enrichment analyses. Finally, Spearman correlation analysis was conducted to explore the association between differential microbiota and differential genes. ResultsCompared with the control group, the intestinal propulsion rate and fecal moisture content in the model group were significantly decreased(P<0.01), while serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-2 were significantly elevated(P<0.01). HE staining showed damage and shedding of colonic mucosal epithelial cells, along with a reduction in goblet cells in the model group. In comparison with the model group, all treatment groups improved the pathological state of the colonic mucosa to varying degrees and reduced serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-2(P<0.01). Among these, the high-dose group of AMR-AFI significantly increased the intestinal propulsion rate and fecal moisture content of rats(P<0.05, P<0.01). Further transcriptomic analysis revealed that a total of 104 differentially expressed genes were identified from comparisons between the model group and the control group, as well as between the model group and the high-dose group of AMR-AFI. These genes were mainly enriched in pathways closely related to STC pathogenesis, such as arachidonic acid metabolism and aldosterone-regulated sodium reabsorption. 16S rRNA sequencing results indicated that AMR-AFI reversed the structural imbalance of the gut microbiota in model mice, increased species richness, downregulated the relative abundance of pro-inflammatory bacteria such as Parasutterella, and enriched beneficial and butyrate-producing bacteria, including Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, Ruminococcaceae, and Lachnospiraceae. Spearman correlation analysis further showed that the beneficial bacteria enriched in the AMR-AFI group were negatively correlated with genes involved in the arachidonic acid metabolic pathway and positively correlated with genes in the aldosterone-regulated sodium reabsorption pathway. In contrast, pro-inflammatory bacteria in the model group exhibited the opposite correlation trends. ConclusionAMR-AFI can effectively exert synergistic therapeutic effects on STC by regulating intestinal microbiota, arachidonic acid-mediated inflammatory metabolism, and aldosterone-regulated water-salt balance pathways.
3.Exploring Intervention Effect of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma Processed with Aurantii Fructus Immaturus Juice on Slow-transit Constipation and Its "Microbiota-Metabolism" Synergistic Regulation Mechanism Based on Theory of "Spleen Governing Transportation and Transformation"
Dan LI ; Xiaoxia LIU ; Xiaofen WANG ; Zuxin HE ; Junnan WEI ; Yanqing LIU ; Yuxuan GAO ; Ping LUO ; Fang WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(10):201-209
ObjectiveBased on the theory of "spleen governing transportation and transformation", this study investigates the efficacy of Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma processed with Aurantii Fructus Immaturus juice(AMR-AFI) in improving slow-transit constipation(STC), as well as the synergistic regulatory mechanism involving the microbiota-metabolism axis, thereby elucidating the scientific basis of its processing theory. MethodsAnimals were randomly divided into the control group, model group, positive drug(mosapride) group(3 mg·kg-1), and low-, medium-, and high-dose groups of AMR-AFI(3.9, 7.8, 15.6 g·kg-1). Except for the control group, the remaining five groups were induced with STC using loperamide hydrochloride. Following modeling, interventions were administered. All groups received continuous administration for 15 d, during which fecal samples, colon tissue, and serum were collected. Constipation improvement was assessed by measuring fecal moisture content and small intestinal propulsion rate, histological morphology of colonic tissue was observed via hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining, and the levels of interleukin(IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α, and IL-2 in serum were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Furthermore, the microbial community structure in mouse feces was analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing, while transcriptomic sequencing was employed to screen differentially expressed genes in colonic tissue, followed by gene ontology(GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) enrichment analyses. Finally, Spearman correlation analysis was conducted to explore the association between differential microbiota and differential genes. ResultsCompared with the control group, the intestinal propulsion rate and fecal moisture content in the model group were significantly decreased(P<0.01), while serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-2 were significantly elevated(P<0.01). HE staining showed damage and shedding of colonic mucosal epithelial cells, along with a reduction in goblet cells in the model group. In comparison with the model group, all treatment groups improved the pathological state of the colonic mucosa to varying degrees and reduced serum levels of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-2(P<0.01). Among these, the high-dose group of AMR-AFI significantly increased the intestinal propulsion rate and fecal moisture content of rats(P<0.05, P<0.01). Further transcriptomic analysis revealed that a total of 104 differentially expressed genes were identified from comparisons between the model group and the control group, as well as between the model group and the high-dose group of AMR-AFI. These genes were mainly enriched in pathways closely related to STC pathogenesis, such as arachidonic acid metabolism and aldosterone-regulated sodium reabsorption. 16S rRNA sequencing results indicated that AMR-AFI reversed the structural imbalance of the gut microbiota in model mice, increased species richness, downregulated the relative abundance of pro-inflammatory bacteria such as Parasutterella, and enriched beneficial and butyrate-producing bacteria, including Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, Ruminococcaceae, and Lachnospiraceae. Spearman correlation analysis further showed that the beneficial bacteria enriched in the AMR-AFI group were negatively correlated with genes involved in the arachidonic acid metabolic pathway and positively correlated with genes in the aldosterone-regulated sodium reabsorption pathway. In contrast, pro-inflammatory bacteria in the model group exhibited the opposite correlation trends. ConclusionAMR-AFI can effectively exert synergistic therapeutic effects on STC by regulating intestinal microbiota, arachidonic acid-mediated inflammatory metabolism, and aldosterone-regulated water-salt balance pathways.
4.Effect and mechanism of Wnt5a knockdown on the efficacy of M1 bone marrow-derived macrophage in treatment of liver cirrhosis
Feifei XING ; Danyang WANG ; Xinrui ZHENG ; Yannan XU ; Shihao ZHANG ; Junyi ZHAN ; Wei LIU ; Gaofeng CHEN ; Jiamei CHEN ; Ping LIU ; Yongping MU
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2026;42(3):618-628
ObjectiveTo observe the effect of M1 bone marrow-derived macrophages (M1-BMDM) with Wnt5a knockdown on liver fibrosis and regeneration in a rat model of liver cirrhosis, and to investigate its gain-of-function effect compared with unmodified M1-BMDM. MethodsPrimary bone marrow-derived macrophages were isolated from rats and were polarized to M1 phenotype to construct M1-BMDMWnt5a-KD cells. A rat model of liver cirrhosis induced by CCl4/2-AAF was established, and at the end of week 8, rats were randomly divided into model group, M1-BMDM group, M1-BMDM Wnt5a-knockdown empty vector group (M1-BMDMKD-EV group), and M1-BMDM Wnt5a-knockdown group (M1-BMDMWnt5a-KD group), with 6 rats in each group. On the first day of week 9, the rats in each group were given a single injection of the corresponding cells via the caudal vein, along with an intraperitoneal injection of a CCR2 inhibitor. Six rats without any treatment were used as normal control group. Samples were collected at the end of week 12 to assess liver histopathology, serum liver function parameters, hepatic stellate cell activation, and the expression levels of mature hepatocyte markers. A one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of continuous data between multiple groups, and the least significant difference t-test was used for further comparison between two groups. ResultsCompared with the model group, all cell treatment groups had significant alleviation of liver inflammatory response and significant reductions in the activities of alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in serum (all P<0.01), and the M1-BMDMWnt5a-KD group had a significantly lower serum level of AST than the M1-BMDM group (P<0.05). The semi-quantitative analysis based on immunohistochemical staining showed that compared with the model group, all cell treatment groups had a significant reduction in the percentage of CD68-positive area (all P<0.05), and compared with the M1-BMDMKD-EV group, the M1-BMDMWnt5a-KD group had a significant reduction in the percentage of CD68-positive area and a significant increase in the percentage of CD163-positive area (both P<0.05). Compared with the model group, all cell treatment groups had significant reductions in the mRNA expression levels of CD68 and tumor necrosis factor-α (all P<0.05) and the protein expression level of CD68 (all P<0.01); compared with the M1-BMDMKD-EV group, the M1-BMDMWnt5a-KD group had significant increases in the protein and mRNA expression levels of CD163 (both P<0.05), significant reductions in the protein and mRNA expression levels of CD68 (both P<0.05), and a significant reduction in the protein expression level of tumor necrosis factor-α (P<0.01). Sirius Red collagen staining and alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) immunohistochemical staining showed that compared with the model group, all cell treatment groups had significant alleviation of liver collagen deposition and α-SMA-positive area, with the most significant changes in the M1-BMDMWnt5a-KD group, and compared with the M1-BMDMKD-EV group, the M1-BMDMWnt5a-KD group had significantly smaller Sirius Red-positive area and α-SMA-positive area and a significantly lower content of hydroxyproline in liver tissue (all P<0.05). Compared with the M1-BMDMKD-EV group, the M1-BMDMWnt5a-KD group had significant reductions in the protein and mRNA expression levels of α-SMA and the mRNA expression level of COL-I and TGF-β (all P<0.05). Compared with the model group, all cell treatment groups had a significant increase in the protein expression level of HNF-4α in liver tissue (all P<0.05), and the M1-BMDMWnt5a-KD group had significantly higher protein and mRNA expression levels of HNF-4α and hepatocyte specific antigen than the M1-BMDMKD-EV group (both P<0.05). The M1-BMDMWnt5a-KD group had a significantly higher serum level of albumin than the M1-BMDMKD-EV group (P<0.01). Immunofluorescence co-staining showed that compared with the model group, all cell treatment groups had a significant increase in the number of cells stained positive for HNF and HNF-4α and Ki67 (all P<0.01), and the M1-BMDMWnt5a-KD group had a significantly higher number of such cells than the M1-BMDMKD-EV group (P<0.05). ConclusionInhibition of Wnt5a expression enhances the therapeutic effect of M1-BMDM on rats with liver cirrhosis induced by CCl4/2-AAF, which provides new ideas for enhancing the anti-cirrhotic effect of M1-BMDM through genetic modification.
5.Regulatory effect of astragaloside Ⅰ and calycosin on a mouse model of cholestatic liver fibrosis
Xiaoyu JIANG ; Wei LIU ; Jiamei CHEN ; Ping LIU ; Chunhui LI
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2026;42(5):1083-1092
ObjectiveTo identify and validate the optimal compatibility dosage of astragaloside Ⅰ (ASⅠ) and calycosin (CY) in the treatment of cholestatic liver fibrosis. MethodsA 3,5-diethoxycarbonyl-1,4-dihydrocollidine (DDC) diet was used to establish a mouse model of liver fibrosis, and the uniform design method was used to identify the optimal combination ratio of the saponin component ASⅠ and the flavonoid component CY in Astragalus membranaceus. In the uniform design experiment, 80 male C57/BL6J mice were divided into normal group, model group, total astragalosides (TAS) group, groups A — F with a uniform design, and obeticholic acid (OCA) group using a random number table, with 8 mice in each group. The multiple regression analysis was used to establish the optimal regression equation and obtain the potential optimal combination ratio. The in vivo efficacy of the empirically optimal combination identified in the uniform design and the optimal dose combination predicted by the regression equation were compared for validation. A one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of continuous data between multiple groups; the Levene test was used to determine the homogeneity of variance, and the least significant difference t-test was used for comparison of data with homogeneity of variance between two groups, while the Dunnett T3 test was used for comparison of data with heterogeneity of variance. ResultsIn the uniform design regimen, the JYB combination (3.125 mg/kg ASI+50 mg/kg CY) significantly reduced the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), total bile acid (TBA), total bilirubin (TBil), and indirect bilirubin (IBil) in mice with DDC-induced cholestatic liver fibrosis (all P<0.05), and it also reduced hepatic Hyp content (P<0.01), semi-quantified collagen deposition area (P<0.001), and the mRNA expression levels of Acta2, Col1a1, Ck7, Ck19, Adgre1, TLR4, TNF-α, and CCL5 in liver tissue (all P<0.05). The regression equation showed that 50 mg/kg ASⅠ+50 mg/kg CY was the potential optimal combination, which was named as P1 combination. However, subsequent validation experiments showed that P1 combination only significantly improved the serum levels of AST and IBil and hepatic Hyp content in DDC mice (all P<0.05), with no significant impact on hepatic collagen deposition and the mRNA expression levels of Acta2, Ck7, Ck19, Adgre1, and CCL5 (all P>0.05). In contrast, the JYB combination significantly improved the serum levels of ALP, ALT, AST, TBA, TBil, and IBil, hepatic collagen deposition, hepatic Hyp content, and the mRNA expression levels of Acta2, Col1a1, Ck7, Ck19, Adgre1, TLR4, TNF-α, and CCL5 (all P<0.05). ConclusionThis study shows that the JYB combination (3.125 mg/kg ASⅠ+50 mg/kg CY) can significantly alleviate DDC-induced liver fibrosis, with comparable efficacy to total saponins from Astragalus membranaceus, and compared with ASⅠ or CY administered alone, the JYB combination has a significantly better regulatory effect on the serum levels of ALP and TBA.
6.Multimodal Interpretable Model for Predicting Pathological Complete Response After Neoadjuvant Therapy in Lung Cancer: a Multicenter Study
Qi LIU ; Junying LIU ; Pei ZHANG ; Ping WEI ; Yueping LIU
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2026;17(4):943-953
To develop an multimodal interpretable model that integrates whole slide images(WSI) and clinical features, and to validate its efficacy in predicting pathological complete response(pCR) in lung cancer patients following neoadjuvant therapy. The clinicopathologic data who received neoadjuvant therapy of patients as well as hematoxylin and eosin stained sections were retrospectively collected between March 2015 and March 2025. For the WSI branch, the predictive performance of five pathology foundation models(CTransPath, Virchow2, H-optimus-0, Phikon-Ⅴ2, and UNI-Ⅴ2) was compared within the CLAM-SB framework to identify the optimal feature extractor. The clinical branch was constructed using the extreme gradient boosting(XGBoost) model. Subsequently, a multimodal prediction model for pathologic complete response(MP-pCR) was established through decision-layer logistic regression fusion. Model performance was evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC), accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, F1-score, and Brier score. Interpretability analysis was performed using attention heatmaps and the Shapley Additive Explanations(SHAP) algorithm. A total of 728 patients were enrolled in this study. Among them, a total of 676 patients from the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University were selected as internal dataset, which was randomly divided into training set( MP-pCR model developed and validated based on multicenter data outperforms single-modality models in predicting pCR for lung cancer. The interpretability results demonstrate good consistency with clinicopathologic knowledge, suggesting that the model holds promise as a potential auxiliary reference for the clinical evaluation of treatment response and the optimization of individualized therapeutic decisions.
7.Mechanism of Shenling baizhu san in ameliorating ulcerative colitis via regulating flora metabolism-related proteins and TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammatory axis
Jiajia XU ; Yu YOU ; Jiaoman WANG ; Yuhui LIU ; Shiyao CHANG ; Zhixian HE ; Ping LI ; Ziyan WANG ; Wei XIONG ; Fei HAN
China Pharmacy 2026;37(15):1992-1997
OBJECTIVE To investigate the mechanism of Shenling baizhu san (SLBZS) in ameliorating ulcerative colitis (UC). METHODS Mice were randomly divided into normal group, model group, and low-, medium-, high-dose SLBZS groups (3, 6, 12 g/kg), with 10 mice in each group. Except for the normal group, mice in other groups were given free access to 3% dextran sulfate sodium solution for 7 days to establish UC models. Simultaneously, mice in each group were intragastrically administered corresponding medicinal liquid or double-distilled water once a day for consecutive 7 days. After the last administration, the histopathological morphology of colon tissues was observed; the serum levels of inflammatory factors including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-18 were detected; the total bile acid contents in liver, gallbladder and colon tissues were determined; the expression level of NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) in colon tissues was tested. The expression levels of flora metabolism-related proteins [G protein-coupled receptor 41(GPR41),GPR43,farnesoid X receptor (FXR), G protein-coupled bile acid receptor 1 (TGR5), flavin-containing monooxygenase 3 (FMO3), cytochrome P450 family 27 subfamily A member 1 (CYP27A1), CYP7A1] in liver or colon tissues, as well as the proteins related to Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB)/NLRP3 inflammatory axis [TLR4, NF-κB, phosphorylated NF-κB (p-NF-κB), myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), NLRP3, apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD (ASC), caspase-1] in colon tissues were measured. RESULTS Compared with the model group, the colon tissue injury and inflammatory cell infiltration were alleviated in medium- and high-dose SLBZS groups. The serum levels of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-18, total bile acid contents in liver and colon tissues, as well as the protein expression levels of FMO3 and CYP7A1 in liver tissues, TLR4, p-NF-κB, NF-κB, MyD88, NLRP3, ASC and caspase-1 in colon tissues were significantly decreased (P<0.05). Meanwhile, the total bile acid content in gallbladder, the protein expression levels of GPR41 and GPR43 in colon tissues, along with CYP27A1, FXR and TGR5 in liver tissues were significantly increased (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS SLBZS may relieve colonic inflammatory injury and ameliorate UC by regulating the expression of flora metabolism-related proteins and inhibiting the abnormal activation of TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 inflammatory axis.
8.Relationship between screening myopia and physical fitness index in college freshmen without majoring in public safety administration
Chinese Journal of School Health 2025;46(3):431-434
Objective:
To explore the relationship between visual acuity and physical fitness of university freshmen, so as to provide reference for myopia prevention and control for freshmen.
Methods:
From October to November 2022, 2 160 college freshman without majoring in public safety administration, selected from Guangxi Police College in 2022 by using the stratified cluster random sampling method, were reviewed for the results of visual acuity test and physical fitness scores. The physical fitness indices were evaluated by using the Z scores of physical fitness test scores, and the strength of association between the level of physical fitness index and myopia was analyzed by using Logistic regression model.
Results:
Among 2 160 college freshman without majoring in public safety administration, 917 (42.5%) students were diagnosed screening myopia, including 66 (3.1%) cases of high myopia, 383 (17.7%) cases of moderate myopia and 468 (21.7%) cases of mild myopia. The differences in the distribution of visual acuity tests among students with different physical fitness indices, body mass index, and gender were statistically significant ( Z/H=54.50, 49.53, 15.51, P <0.01). Low level and low middle level physical fitness indices were associated with screening myopia among freshmen[ OR (95% CI )=2.81(1.93-4.08),1.87(1.38-2.54)], and low level physical fitness indexes were associated with high myopia [ OR (95% CI )=7.22(2.33-22.32)] ( P <0.01).
Conclusions
Screening myopia among college freshman without majoring in public safety administration is related to physical fitness, and low level and low middle level physical fitness index are risk factors for myopia. Improving the level of physical fitness might be effective in preventing myopia.
9.Changes in hepatic bile acid profile in a mouse model of metabolic-associated steatohepatitis induced by a high-fat, high-sugar, and high-cholesterol diet combined with carbon tetrachloride
Jingjing WANG ; Jinghua PENG ; Yu LIU ; Feipeng XU ; Wei LIU ; Hailin YANG ; Ping LIU
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(4):661-669
ObjectiveTo compare the hepatic bile acid profile between a mouse model of metabolic-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) induced by a high-fat, high-sugar, and high-cholesterol diet combined with intraperitoneal injection of 10% carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) and MASH cases in clinical practice, and to investigate the feasibility of this model in studying drug interventions on bile acid profile in MASH. MethodsA total of 30 male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into control group and model group, with 15 mice in each group. The mice in the control group were given normal diet and drinking water and weekly injections of olive oil, and those in the model group were given a high-fat, high-sugar, and high-cholesterol diet, high-sugar drinking water, and weekly injections of CCl4+olive oil. At the end of weeks 8, 12, and 16, 5 mice were selected from each group to collect samples. Behavioral assessments were performed, and body weight and liver wet weight were measured; liver pathology and lipid deposition were evaluated by HE staining, SAF scoring, oil Red O staining, the semi-quantitative analysis of stained area, the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and liver triglyceride (TG) content; Sirius Red staining was performed for liver tissue to assess liver fibrosis; ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and targeted metabolomics were used to measure the hepatic bile acid profile, including cholic acid (CA), glycocholic acid (GCA), chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), glycochenodeoxycholic acid (GCDCA), ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), tauroursodeoxycholic acid (TUDCA), hyodeoxycholic acid (HDCA), and glycodeoxycholic acid (GDCA). The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups, and the Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups. ResultsCompared with the control group at the same time point, the model group had disheveled and dull fur, reduced activity, and relatively slow reactions at weeks 8, 12, and 16, as well as significant increases in liver wet weight (P<0.05), the serum level of ALT (P<0.05), the content of TG in the liver (P<0.05), and SAF score (P<0.05). As for the differentially expressed bile acids in liver tissue, compared with the control group at week 8, the model group had significantly higher levels of CA and CDCA and significantly lower levels of UDCA, TUDCA, HDCA, and GDCA (all P<0.05); compared with the control group at week 12, the model group had significantly higher levels of CA, GCA, CDCA, and GCDCA and significantly lower levels of UDCA and HDCA (all P<0.05); compared with the control group at week 16, the model group had significantly higher levels of CA, GCA, CDCA, GCDCA, and TUDCA and significantly lower levels of UDCA, HDCA, and GDCA (all P<0.05). As for the differentially expressed bile acids in the bile acid pool of liver tissue, compared with the control group at week 8, the model group had significantly higher levels of CA and CDCA and significantly lower levels of UDCA, TUDCA, GDCA, and HDCA (all P<0.05); compared with the control group at weeks 12 and 16, the model group had significantly higher levels of GCA and GCDCA and significantly lower levels of UDCA, GDCA, and HDCA (all P<0.05). ConclusionThere are significant changes in the hepatic bile acid profile in a mouse model of MASH induced by a high-fat, high-sugar, and high-cholesterol diet combined with CCl4, which are similar to the changes in bile acids in MASH cases in clinical practice, suggesting that this model can be used to explore the interventional effect of drugs on the bile acid profile in MASH.
10.A Case Study of Using Assisted Reproductive Technology to Rescue Genetically Modified Mice with Reproductive Disorder Phenotypes
Qianqian WANG ; Sijue TAO ; Zhen WEI ; Huihui JIN ; Ping LIU ; Lie WANG
Laboratory Animal and Comparative Medicine 2025;45(1):79-86
ObjectiveThe utilization of assisted reproductive technology to rescue genetically modified mouse strains with reproductive disorders provides a reference for improving techniques to preserve valuable experimental mouse strains. MethodsIn vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) technology was performed on 28 strains of infertile male mice aged 9-18 months. Several indicators such as sperm density and sperm motility in infertile male mice were assessed to select the most viable sperm for IVF-ET experiments. Fertility rate, abnormal egg rate, and birth rate were recorded after the birth of the pups. An optimized ovarian transplantation procedure was applied to 12 strains of infertile female mice aged 8-18 months. 6-week-old female mice with the same genetic background were selected as recipients. One intact ovary was removed from each recipient mouse, and the contralateral oviduct was ligated. An ovary from a donor mouse was isolated and transplanted orthotopically into the side where the ovary had been removed in the recipient mouse. Twenty-one days post-surgery, recipient mice were co-housed with 8-week-old wild type male mice of the same genetic background for breeding. Data such as the pregnancy rate and live birth rate of the recipients were recorded after the birth of the pups. ResultsIVF-ET successfully rescued 28 mouse strains, with the oldest male mice being 18 months old. The success rate of the first round of IVF-ET experiments was 89.29% (25/28). The average fertility rate of IVF in infertile male mice was (51.01±14.97)%, the abnormal egg rate was (9.03±5.28)%, and the birth rate of offspring mice was (18.60±7.03)%. 39 out of 40 ovarian transplant recipient mice survived, with a pregnancy rate of 33.33% (13/39) for ovarian transplant recipients, and a live birth rate of 17.95% (7/39). Four mouse strains were successfully rescued using optimized ovarian transplantation technology, with the oldest female mice being 18 months old. 8 strains were not rescued as they failed to produce offspring that survived to sexual maturity. ConclusionIVF-ET is an effective approach for rescuing mice with reproductive disorders caused by different reasons, especially for those beyond the optimal breeding age. Ovarian transplantation technology can also be used as an alternative for aged female mice. But its success rate is relatively lower than that of IVF-ET, and carries a higher experimental risk.


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