1.Effects and mechanisms of the aqueous extract of Artemisia capillaris(Yin Chen)in alleviating liver injury induced by LPS combined with D-GalN in mice
Yanan CHUO ; Jiaxue SHEN ; Weiyu YAO ; Xiao WANG ; Yongzhan BAO ; Jinxu TANG ; Wanyu SHI
Chinese Journal of Veterinary Science 2025;45(10):2239-2245,2263
In order to investigate the mitigating effect of Yin Chen aqueous extract on liver injury induced by LPS combined with D-GalN in mice,a mouse liver injury model was established by in-traperitoneal injection of LPS and D-GalN,and the mice were group-fed by instillation of saline,bi-phenyl dibenzyl ester,and Yin Chen aqueous extract with different concentrations of LPS and D-GalN.The liver index of mice was calculated,pathological tissue sections were observed,and the expression of ALT,AST,inflammatory cytokines,oxidative stress,hepatic enzymes,and IL-17/TNF pathway were detected in serum to investigate the effects and mechanisms of the aqueous ex-tracts of Yin Chen in alleviating the liver injury in mice.The results showed that the liver index of mice in the model group was significantly elevated,the serum levels of ALT and AST were signifi-cantly elevated,the levels of IL-iβ,IL-8 and TNF-α in liver tissue were significantly elevated,the levels of IL-4 were significantly reduced,the levels of GSH-Px,CAT and SOD were significantly reduced,the levels of ROS and MDA were significantly elevated,CYP2E1 and CYP1A2 protein content and mRNA expression were significantly up-regulated,and the expression levels of TNF,TNFR1,IL-17A,ACT1 and IL-6 mRNA were significantly up-regulated.The study showed that the aqueous extract of Yin Chen had a certain alleviating effect on the liver injury caused by LPS combined with D-GalN in mice.The mechanism of action includes decreasing the metabolic level of hepatic drug enzymes,alleviating oxidative stress,inhibiting the expression of IL-17/TNF pathway and down-regulating the level of inflammatory factors in mice.
2.Mechanism of action of the nuclear factor-kappa B signaling pathway in liver diseases and its potential as a therapeutic target
Wenqian FENG ; Yang DU ; Dewen MAO ; Weiyu CHEN ; Lei FU ; Luyi YAN ; Chun YAO ; Yanmei LAN
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(9):1949-1955
Nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) is an important intracellular transcription factor widely involved in the processes such as immune response, inflammatory response, cell proliferation, and apoptosis. The abnormal activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in various liver diseases including chronic hepatitis, liver fibrosis, liver cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Extensive studies have shown that inhibiting NF-κB activity may effectively reduce inflammation and fibrosis and improve metabolic disorders. Several natural compounds, such as matrine and salvianolic acid B, have shown the potential in suppressing NF-κB activity, thereby exerting anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic, and anti-tumor effects. This article systematically reviews the critical role of the NF-κB signaling pathway in liver diseases and its potential as a therapeutic target, in order to highlight its potential as a therapeutic target for liver diseases and provide new directions for the treatment of liver diseases.
3.Immunomodulatory effect of short-chain fatty acids in hepatic encephalopathy and its potential diagnostic value
Weiyu CHEN ; Dewen MAO ; Han WANG ; Yang DU ; Wenqian FENG ; Lei FU ; Chun YAO
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;42(5):954-962
Hepatic encephalopathy(HE)is a common complication of severe liver disease in the end stage,and it is urgently needed to improve the rate of effective treatment and clarify the pathogenesis of HE.The liver is a crucial hub for immune regulation,and disruption of immune homeostasis is a key factor in the pathological mechanisms of HE.As the main metabolites of intestinal flora,short-chain fatty acids(SCFAs)play a vital role in the biological processes of both innate and adaptive immunity and can regulate the proliferation and differentiation of immune cells maintain the homeostasis of intestinal microenvironment and the integrity of barrier function.Studies have shown that SCFAs participate in bidirectional and dynamic interactions with the liver-gut-brain axis through immunomodulatory pathways,thereby playing an important role in the diagnosis,treatment,and prognostic evaluation of HE.Starting from the immunoregulatory effect of SCFAs,this article summarizes and analyzes the crosstalk relationship between SCFAs and the liver-gut-brain axis and the significance of SCFAs in the diagnosis and treatment of HE,in order to provide new ideas for optimizing clinical prevention and treatment strategies.
4.Role of neutrophil extracellular traps in hepatocellular carcinoma
Xueru TIAN ; Weiyu CHEN ; Luyi YAN ; Yang HONG ; Han WANG ; Shouqin LIU ; Lei QING ; Guojuan MA ; Dewen MAO ; Chun YAO
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(11):2410-2417
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignant tumor with high incidence and mortality rates worldwide. Recent studies have shown that neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) play an important role in the development, progression, and immune escape of HCC. NETs are released by neutrophils and mainly consist of DNA, histones, and antimicrobial molecules, and in addition to immune defense, they are also involved in the initiation, metastasis, and thrombosis of HCC. This article elaborates on the formation and regulatory mechanisms of NETs, explores their potential mechanisms in the initiation, metastasis, immune escape, and thrombosis of HCC, and discusses the prospect of NETs as a target for the diagnosis and treatment of HCC, in order to provide new ideas for the precise treatment of HCC in the future and promote the early diagnosis and effective treatment of HCC.
5.Immunomodulatory effect of short-chain fatty acids in hepatic encephalopathy and its potential diagnostic value
Weiyu CHEN ; Dewen MAO ; Han WANG ; Yang DU ; Wenqian FENG ; Lei FU ; Chun YAO
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(5):954-962
Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a common complication of severe liver disease in the end stage, and it is urgently needed to improve the rate of effective treatment and clarify the pathogenesis of HE. The liver is a crucial hub for immune regulation, and disruption of immune homeostasis is a key factor in the pathological mechanisms of HE. As the main metabolites of intestinal flora, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) play a vital role in the biological processes of both innate and adaptive immunity and can regulate the proliferation and differentiation of immune cells maintain the homeostasis of intestinal microenvironment and the integrity of barrier function. Studies have shown that SCFAs participate in bidirectional and dynamic interactions with the liver-gut-brain axis through immunomodulatory pathways, thereby playing an important role in the diagnosis, treatment, and prognostic evaluation of HE. Starting from the immunoregulatory effect of SCFAs, this article summarizes and analyzes the crosstalk relationship between SCFAs and the liver-gut-brain axis and the significance of SCFAs in the diagnosis and treatment of HE, in order to provide new ideas for optimizing clinical prevention and treatment strategies.
6.Association between bile acid/short-chain fatty acid metabolic disorders and hepatic encephalopathy based on the traditional Chinese medicine theory of Yin and Yang
Luyi YAN ; Weiyu CHEN ; Han WANG ; Wenqian FENG ; Yang DU ; Xueru TIAN ; Yang HONG ; Dewen MAO ; Lei FU ; Chun YAO
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(7):1443-1449
Hepatic encephalopathy is a neuropsychiatric syndrome secondary to severe liver disease.Recent studies have shown that the development of hepatic encephalopathy is closely associated with bile acid/short-chain fatty acid metabolic disorder.As the core theory of traditional Chinese medicine,the theory of Yin and Yang provides a unique perspective for analyzing the association between bile acids/short-chain fatty acids and hepatic encephalopathy.Bile acids function like Yang,governing the free flow of Qi and assisting in metabolic processes,while short-chain fatty acids belong to Yin,maintaining internal stability and conservation,preserving the intestinal barrier,and combating inflammation and toxins.Bile acids and short-chain fatty acids constrain each other and are interdependent to regulate the dynamic equilibrium of the gut-liver-brain axis.On this basis,by regulating the metabolic imbalance of bile acids and short-chain fatty acids,it is expected to restore the dynamic balance of Yin and Yang in patients with hepatic encephalopathy under the synergistic intervention of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine.
7.Association between bile acid/short-chain fatty acid metabolic disorders and hepatic encephalopathy based on the traditional Chinese medicine theory of Yin and Yang
Luyi YAN ; Weiyu CHEN ; Han WANG ; Wenqian FENG ; Yang DU ; Xueru TIAN ; Yang HONG ; Dewen MAO ; Lei FU ; Chun YAO
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(7):1443-1449
Hepatic encephalopathy is a neuropsychiatric syndrome secondary to severe liver disease.Recent studies have shown that the development of hepatic encephalopathy is closely associated with bile acid/short-chain fatty acid metabolic disorder.As the core theory of traditional Chinese medicine,the theory of Yin and Yang provides a unique perspective for analyzing the association between bile acids/short-chain fatty acids and hepatic encephalopathy.Bile acids function like Yang,governing the free flow of Qi and assisting in metabolic processes,while short-chain fatty acids belong to Yin,maintaining internal stability and conservation,preserving the intestinal barrier,and combating inflammation and toxins.Bile acids and short-chain fatty acids constrain each other and are interdependent to regulate the dynamic equilibrium of the gut-liver-brain axis.On this basis,by regulating the metabolic imbalance of bile acids and short-chain fatty acids,it is expected to restore the dynamic balance of Yin and Yang in patients with hepatic encephalopathy under the synergistic intervention of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine.
8.Effects and mechanisms of the aqueous extract of Artemisia capillaris(Yin Chen)in alleviating liver injury induced by LPS combined with D-GalN in mice
Yanan CHUO ; Jiaxue SHEN ; Weiyu YAO ; Xiao WANG ; Yongzhan BAO ; Jinxu TANG ; Wanyu SHI
Chinese Journal of Veterinary Science 2025;45(10):2239-2245,2263
In order to investigate the mitigating effect of Yin Chen aqueous extract on liver injury induced by LPS combined with D-GalN in mice,a mouse liver injury model was established by in-traperitoneal injection of LPS and D-GalN,and the mice were group-fed by instillation of saline,bi-phenyl dibenzyl ester,and Yin Chen aqueous extract with different concentrations of LPS and D-GalN.The liver index of mice was calculated,pathological tissue sections were observed,and the expression of ALT,AST,inflammatory cytokines,oxidative stress,hepatic enzymes,and IL-17/TNF pathway were detected in serum to investigate the effects and mechanisms of the aqueous ex-tracts of Yin Chen in alleviating the liver injury in mice.The results showed that the liver index of mice in the model group was significantly elevated,the serum levels of ALT and AST were signifi-cantly elevated,the levels of IL-iβ,IL-8 and TNF-α in liver tissue were significantly elevated,the levels of IL-4 were significantly reduced,the levels of GSH-Px,CAT and SOD were significantly reduced,the levels of ROS and MDA were significantly elevated,CYP2E1 and CYP1A2 protein content and mRNA expression were significantly up-regulated,and the expression levels of TNF,TNFR1,IL-17A,ACT1 and IL-6 mRNA were significantly up-regulated.The study showed that the aqueous extract of Yin Chen had a certain alleviating effect on the liver injury caused by LPS combined with D-GalN in mice.The mechanism of action includes decreasing the metabolic level of hepatic drug enzymes,alleviating oxidative stress,inhibiting the expression of IL-17/TNF pathway and down-regulating the level of inflammatory factors in mice.
9.Expression of TRPV 1 and OTR in eutopic/ectopic endometrium and their correlation with dysmenorrhea in adenomyosis
Guo Chen ; Yuting Zhu ; Hui Yao ; Weiyu Zhang ; Shuguang Zhou ; Xiaomin Jiang
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2022;57(2):273-278
Objective :
To investigate the roles of transient receptor potentia1 vanilloid 1 ( TRPV 1) and oxytocin
receptor ( OTR) in the mechanism of dysmenorrhea in adenomyosis.
Methods :
The ectopic endometrium ( EC) and the homologous eutopic endometrium (EU) were selected from 60 patients with adenomyosis surgery , and the control endometrium (CE) of patients without endometriosis was used as control. Streptavidin⁃Peroxidase immunosion of TRPV 1 and OTR was detected by Western blot. The degree of dysmenorrhea was scored by visual analogue scale/score (VAS) , and its correlation with the TRPV 1 and OTR was analyzed.
Results :
The expression of TRPV 1 and OTR in EC was higher than that in EU and CE (P < 0. 05) , but there was no statistically significant difference between EU and CE. In EC , the expression of TRPV 1 and OTR in the severe dysmenorrhea group was higher than that in the mild and moderate groups (P < 0. 05) , but there was no statistically significant difference between the mild dysmenorrhea group and the moderate group. The expression of TRPV 1 and OTR was positively correlated with the severity of dysmenorrhea ( rs = 0. 280 , P < 0. 05 ; rs = 0. 318 , P < 0. 05) ; the expression of TRPV 1 and OTR was positively correlated ( rs = 0. 287 , P < 0. 05) .
Conclusion
TRPV 1 and OTR may play a synergistic role in the pathogenesis of dysmenorrhea in patients with adenomyosis , which are important predictors of dysmenorrhea severity and potential therapeutic targets.
10.Preparation of gadolinium-loaded stearic acid grafted chitooligosaccharide and application in pancreatic tumor imaging
Weihua ZHANG ; Shuangshuang ZHENG ; Xiuzhong YAO ; Bin DU ; Weiyu WENG
Chinese Journal of Medical Imaging Technology 2017;33(4):499-503
Objective To prepare gadolinium-loaded stearic acid grafted chitooligosaccharide (COSSA-DTPA-Gd) and evaluate its micelle properties,cytotoxicity,relaxation rate in vitro,and pancreatic tumor in vivo imaging.Methods Stear ic acid grafted chitooligosaccharide (COSSA) was synthesized by acetylation reaction between stearic acid and chitooligosaccharide.Diethylenetriaminepentaacetic dianhydride (DTPA) was conjugated to the residual amino groups of COSSA,then Gd3+ was chelated to obtain the final product.The micelle properties were measured using an electron microscopy and a laser particle sizer.The MTT assay was adopted to determine cytotoxicity.The in vitro relaxation rate and in vivo imaging of pancreatic tumor were evaluated using an MR scanner.Results COSSA-DTPA-Gd could self-assemble into stable micelles in aqueous solutions with a critical micelle concentration of (5.12±0.43)μg/ml.The micelles had positive charge and exhibited roughly spherical shape with a mean diameter of (58.3± 5.7)nm.The content of Gd3+ in COSSA-DTPA-Gd was 330.31 μmol/g.The nanoprobe and Magnevist,the commercial formulation,showed similar cytotoxicity (P>0.05).The cell survival rate within 24 h were higher than 85%.The in vitro relaxation rate of COSSA-DTPA-Gd was 8.23 mM-1 ·s-1.After intravenous injection,COSSA-DTPA-Gd showed a better positive contrast-enhancing effect for pancreatic tumor than Magnevist.The MR images at the tumor periphery was rapidly enhanced,while a slow increase in image quality was observed in tumor core.Conclusion The prepared COSSA-DTPA-Gd can be used for efficient MR imaging of pancreatic tumor.


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