ObjectiveTo explore the pharmacological mechanism involved in the treatment of allergic cough （AC） by Xiaoer Huatan Zhike granules （XEHT） based on proteomics and network pharmacology. MethodsAfter sensitization by intraperitoneal injection of 1 mL suspension containing 2 mg ovalbumin （OVA） and 100 mg aluminum hydroxide， a guinea pig model of allergic cough was constructed by nebulization with 1% OVA. The modeled guinea pigs were randomized into the model， low-， medium- and high-dose （1， 5， 20 g·kg^-1， respectively） XEHT， and sodium montelukast （1 mg·kg^-1） groups （n=6）， and another 6 guinea pigs were selected as the blank group. The guinea pigs in drug administration groups were administrated with the corresponding drugs by gavage， and those in the blank and model groups received the same volume of normal saline by gavage， 1 time·d^-1. After 10 consecutive days of drug administration， the guinea pigs were stimulated by 1% OVA nebulization， and the coughs were observed. The pathological changes in the lung tissue were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to measure the levels of C-reactive protein （CRP）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， superoxide dismutase （SOD）， and malondialdehyde （MDA） in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid （BALF） and immunoglobulin G （IgG） and immunoglobulin A （IgA） in the serum. Immunohistochemistry （IHC） was employed to observe the expression of IL-6 and TNF-α in the lung tissue. Transmission electron microscopy was employed observe the alveolar type Ⅱ epithelial cell ultrastructure. Real-time PCR was employed to determine the mRNA levels of IL-6， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， and TNF-α in the lung tissue. Label-free proteomics was used to detect the differential proteins among groups. Network pharmacology was used to predict the targets of XEHT in treating AC. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） enrichment analysis was performed to search for the same pathways from the results of proteomics and network pharmacology. ResultsCompared with the blank group， the model group showed increased coughs （P<0.01）， elevated levels of CRP， TNF-α， IL-6， and MDA and lowered level of SOD in the BALF （P<0.05， P<0.01）， elevated levels of IgA and IgG in the serum （P<0.05， P<0.01）， congestion of the lung tissue and infiltration of inflammatory cells， increased expression of IL-6 and TNF-α （P<0.01）， large areas of low electron density edema in type Ⅱ epithelial cells， obvious swelling and vacuolization of the organelles， karyopyknosis or sparse and dissolved chromatin， and up-regulated mRNA levels of IL-6， IL-1β， and TNF-α （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the drug administration groups showed reduced coughs （P<0.01）， lowered levels of CRP， TNF-α， IL-6， and MDA and elevated level of SOD in the BALF （P<0.05， P<0.01）， alleviated lung tissue congestion， inflammatory cell infiltration， and type Ⅱ epithelial cell injury， and decreased expression of IL-6 and TNF-α （P<0.01）. In addition， the medium-dose XEHT group and the montelukast sodium group showcased lowered serum levels of IgA and IgG （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The medium- and high-dose XEHT groups and the montelukast sodium showed down-regulated mRNA levels of IL-6， IL-1β， and TNF-α and the low-dose XEHT group showed down-regulated mRNA levels of IL-6 and TNF-α （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Phospholipase D， mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR）， and epidermal growth factor receptor family of receptor tyrosine kinase （ErbB） signaling pathways were the common pathways predicted by both proteomics and network pharmacology. ConclusionProteomics combined with network pharmacology reveal that XEHT can ameliorate AC by regulating the phospholipase D， mTOR， and ErbB signaling pathways.

The KCNQ potassium channels play a crucial role in modulating neural excitability, and their dysfunction is closely associated with epileptic disorders. While variants in KCNQ2 have been extensively studied, KCNQ3-related disorders have rarely been reported. With advances in next-generation sequencing technologies, an increasing number of cases of KCNQ3-related disorders have been identified. However, the correlation between genotype and phenotype remains poorly understood. In this study, we established a variant library consisting of 24 missense mutations in KCNQ3 and introduced these mutations into three different template types: KCNQ3, KCNQ3-A315T (Q3*), and KCNQ3-KCNQ2 tandem (Q3-Q2). We then analyzed the effects of these mutations on the KCNQ3 channel function using patch-clamp recording. The most informative parameter across all three backgrounds was the current density of the mutant channels. The current density patterns in the Q3* and Q3-Q2 backgrounds were similar, with most mutations resulting in an almost complete loss of function (LOF), they were concentrated in the pore-forming domain of KCNQ3. In contrast, mutations in the voltage-sensing domain or C-terminus did not show significant differences from the wild-type channel. Interestingly, these LOF mutations were typically associated with self-limited familial neonatal epilepsy, while neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD) were more closely associated with mutations that did not significantly differ from the wild-type. V_1/2, another important parameter of the electrophysiological properties, could not be accurately determined in the majority of KCNQ3 mutations due to its nearly complete LOF in the Q3* and Q3-Q2 backgrounds. Intriguingly, the V_1/2 of functional mutations were primarily leftward shifted, indicating a gain-of-function (GOF) effect, which was typically associated with NDD. In addition to previously reported mutations, we identified G553R as a novel GOF mutation. In the co-transfection background, parameters such as V_1/2 could be determined, but the dysfunctional effects of these mutations were mitigated by the co-expression of wild-type KCNQ3 and KCNQ2 subunits, resulting in no significant differences between most mutations and the wild-type channel. Furthermore, we applied KCNQ modulators to reverse the electrophysiological abnormalities caused by KCNQ3 variants. The LOF mutations were reversed by the application of Pynegabine (HN37), a KCNQ opener, while the GOF mutation responded well to Amitriptyline (AMI), a KCNQ inhibitor. These findings provide essential insights into the pathogenic mechanisms underlying KCNQ3-related disorders and may inform clinical decision-making.
KCNQ3 Potassium Channel/genetics* ; Humans ; Mutation, Missense/genetics* ; KCNQ2 Potassium Channel/genetics* ; Patch-Clamp Techniques ; HEK293 Cells ; Animals ; Phenylenediamines/pharmacology* ; Carbamates

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the therapeutic potential of octaarginine (R8)-modified essential oil from Fructus Alpiniae zerumbet (EOFAZ) lipid microspheres (EOFAZ@^R8LM) for cardiovascular therapy. METHODS: EOFAZ@^R8LM was developed by leveraging the volatilization of EOFAZ and integrating it with the oil phase of LM, followed by surface modification with cell-penetrating peptide R8 to target the site of vascular endothelial injury. The therapeutic effects of this formulation in alleviating lipopolysaccharide-induced vascular endothelial inflammation were evaluated by assessing mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels, as well as inflammatory factors interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) levels. RESULTS: EOFAZ@^R8LM effectively delivered EOFAZ to the site of injury and specifically targeted the mitochondria in vascular endothelial cells, thereby ameliorating mitochondrial dysfunction through regulation of MMP and reduction of intracellular ROS levels. Moreover, it attenuated the expression levels of IL-6 and IL-1β, exerting protective effects on the vascular endothelium. CONCLUSION Our findings highlight the significant therapeutic potential of EOFAZ@^R8LM in cardiovascular therapy, providing valuable insights for developing novel dosage forms utilizing EOFAZ for effective treatment against cardiovascular diseases.

Cholesterol (CH) plays a crucial role in enhancing the membrane stability of drug delivery systems (DDS). However, its association with conditions such as hyperlipidemia often leads to criticism, overshadowing its influence on the biological effects of formulations. In this study, we reevaluated the delivery effect of CH using widely applied lipid microspheres (LM) as a model DDS. We conducted comprehensive investigations into the impact of CH on the distribution, cell uptake, and protein corona (PC) of LM at sites of cardiovascular inflammatory injury. The results demonstrated that moderate CH promoted the accumulation of LM at inflamed cardiac and vascular sites without exacerbating damage while partially mitigating pathological damage. Then, the slow cellular uptake rate observed for CH@LM contributed to a prolonged duration of drug efficacy. Network pharmacology and molecular docking analyses revealed that CH depended on LM and exerted its biological effects by modulating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) expression in vascular endothelial cells and estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) protein levels in myocardial cells, thereby enhancing LM uptake at cardiovascular inflammation sites. Proteomics analysis unveiled a serum adsorption pattern for CH@LM under inflammatory conditions showing significant adsorption with CH metabolism-related apolipoprotein family members such as apolipoprotein A-V (Apoa5); this may be a major contributing factor to their prolonged circulation in vivo and explains why CH enhances the distribution of LM at cardiovascular inflammatory injury sites. It should be noted that changes in cell types and physiological environments can also influence the biological behavior of formulations. The findings enhance the conceptualization of CH and LM delivery, providing novel strategies for investigating prescription factors' bioactivity.

ObjectiveTo prepare oral nanoemulsions encapsulating essential oil from Alpinia zerumbet fructus（EOFAZ） and to investigate its pro-absorption effect in vitro and distribution in vivo. MethodThe proteoglycan conjugate polysaccharides of vinegar-processed Bupleuri Radix-bovine serum albumin（VBCP-BSA） was prepared by Maillard reaction of VBCP and BSA. Taking VBCP-BSA as emulsifier， vitamin B₁₂（VB₁₂） as absorption enhancer， and medium chain triglycerides mixed with EOFAZ as oil phase， the nanoemulsions loaded with EOFAZ was prepared by high energy emulsification method. The particle size， particle size distribution， surface Zeta potential， EOFAZ content and appearance and morphology of the nanoemulsions were characterized， and fluorescein tracer method was used to investigate the absorption effect of fluorescein-labeled EOFAZ nanoemulsions in vitro and their distribution in vivo. ResultVBCP-BSA was formed by Maillard reaction for 48 h with high grafting rate. Using VBCP-BSA as emulsifier， the homogeneous pink nanoemulsions was prepared and denoted as EOFAZ@VBCP-BSA/VB₁₂. The particle size of the nanoemulsions was less than 100 nm and the particle size distribution was uniform. The surface of the nanoemulsions was a weak negative charge， and the shape was spherical. The encapsulation rate of the nanoemulsions for EOFAZ was greater than 80%， which had a good absorption effect in vitro and could enhance liver accumulation after oral administration. ConclusionThe designed proteoglycan nanoemulsions can effectively load EOFAZ， promote oral absorption and enhance liver distribution， which can provide experimental basis for the development of oral EOFAZ liver protection preparations.

OBJECTIVE To study the interventional effect and mechanism of 1，8-cineole on pancreatic β cell ferroptosis induced by type 2 diabetes. METHODS In vitro ferroptosis model was established in pancreatic β cells of mice by using high glucose. The effects of low-dose and high-dose 1，8-cineole （0.25， 0.5 μmol/L） on the level of Fe2+ in pancreatic β cells were investigated. The effects of 1，8-cineole （0.5 μmol/L） combined with ferroptosis inducer Erastin （20 μmol/L） and ferroptosis inhibitor Ferrostatin-1 （20 μmol/L） on the protein expressions of glutathione peroxidase-4 （GPX4） and cyclooxygenase-2 （COX2） were also detected. The type 2 diabetes model mice were established by feeding high-sugar and high-fat diet combined with intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. The effects of low-dose and high-dose 1，8-cineole （50， 200 mg/kg） on the pathological morphology of pancreatic tissue， the content of iron as well as the protein expressions of GPX4 and COX2 were investigated. RESULTS The results of the cell experiment showed that compared with the model group， pretreatment with 1，8-cineole significantly reduced intracellular Fe2+ levels and upregulated GPX4 protein expression， while downregulated COX2 protein expression in pancreatic β cells （P＜0.05）. After combining with Ferrostatin-1， the expression trends of the above two proteins were the same， while there was no statistically significant difference after combining with Erastin. The results of animal experiments showed that compared with the model group， after intervention with 1，8-cineole， the structure of the pancreatic islets in mice recovered intact and their morphology improved； the iron content of pancreatic tissue and protein expression of COX2 were decreased significantly （P＜0.05）， while protein expression of GPX4 was increased significantly （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS 1，8-cineole could ameliorate pancreatic β cell injury induced by diabetes， the mechanism of which may be related to reducing intracellular iron deposition and regulating ferroptosis-related proteins.

ObjectiveTo evaluate some properties of scutellarin-phospholipid complex nanoemulsion（SCU-PC-NE）， such as release， cell uptake and tissue distribution， and to investigate its effect on ameliorating lipopolysaccharide（LPS）-induced vascular endothelial injury. MethodSCU-PC-NE was prepared by weighting SCU-PC， ethyl oleate， Kolliphor HS15， 1，2-propylene glycol（50， 400， 514.3， 85.7 mg）， respectively. And the appearance of SCU-PC-NE was observed by transmission electron microscope， the average paticle size and Zeta potential were measured by nanopotential particle size analyzer. The cumulative release of SCU-PC-NE in vitro was measured by dynamic dialysis， thiazolyl blue（MTT） colorimetric assay was used to investigate the effect of SCU-PC-NE on the viability of human umbilical vein endothelial cells（HUVECs）， the inverted fluorescence microscope and flow cytometry were used to investigate cell uptake of HUVECs by SCU-PC-NE in vitro using coumarin 6 as a fluorescent probe， the tissue distribution of DiR/SCU-PC-NE labeled by near infrared fluorescent dyes was obeserved by small animal in vivo imaging system. The inflammation injury model was established by co-incubation with LPS（1 mg·L^-1） and HUVECs， the effect of SCU-PC-NE on the levels of interleukin（IL）-1β and IL-6 were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA）， 18 Kunming male mice were randomly divided into blank group， model group， blank preparation group（equivalent to high dose group）， SCU group and SCU-PC-NE low and high dose groups（5， 10 mg·kg^-1）， 3 mice in each group， and the drug administration groups were administered once in the tail vein at the corresponding dose every 48 h， equal volume of normal saline was given to the blank group and the model group， and the drug was administered for 4 consecutive times. Except for the blank group， the endothelial inflammatory injury was induced by intraperitoneal injection of LPS（10 mg·kg^-1） at 12 h before the last administration in each group. Hematoxylin-eosin（HE） staining was used to investigate the effect of SCU-PC-NE on the histopathological changes in the thoracic aorta of mice. ResultThe appearance of SCU-PC-NE displayed pale yellow milky light， mostly spherical with rounded appearance and relatively uniform particle size distribution， with the average particle size of 35.31 nm， Zeta potential of 7.23 mV， and the encapsulation efficiency of 75.24%. The cumulative release in vitro showed that SCU-PC-NE exhibited sustained release properties compared with SCU. The cell viability of SCU-PC-NE was >90% at a concentration range of 1.05-8.4 mg·L^-1. The results of cellular uptake experiments showed that the cellular uptake ability of SCU-PC-NE was significantly enhanced when compared with the SCU group（P<0.01）. Compared with normal mice， the results of tissue distribution showed that the fluorescence intensity of DiR/SCU-PC-NE was significantly enhanced in the spleen， kidney， brain and thoracic aorta of mice at different time points after intraperitoneal injection of LPS（P<0.05， P<0.01）， especially in thoracic aorta. ELISA results showed that the levels of IL-1β and IL-6 in the model group were significantly increased when compared with the blank group（P<0.05， P<0.01）， and compare with the model group， all administration groups significantly down-regulated IL-1β level， with the strongest effect in the SCU-PC-NE high-dose group（P<0.01）， and all administration groups significantly down-regulated IL-6 level， with the strongest effect in the SCU-PC-NE low-dose group（P<0.05）. Compare with the blank group， the results of HE staining showed that the endothelial cells were damaged， the elastic fibers were broken and arranged loosely in the model group， although similar vascular injury could be observed in the blank preparation group， SCU group and SCU-PC-NE low-dose group， the vascular endothelial damage was significantly reduced in the high-dose group of SCU-PC-NE， which had a better effect than that in the SCU group. ConclusionSCU-PC-NE can promote the uptake of drugs by endothelial cells and effectively enriched in the site of vascular endothelial injury caused by LPS， suggesting that it has a protective effect on vascular endothelial injury and is a good carrier of SCU.

Objective To investigate the effects of zalcitabine(ddC),a mitochondrial DNA polymerase γ(POLG)inhibitor,on the migration,invasion,and to preliminarily explore mitochondrial biogenesis of human tri-ple-negative breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells.Methods The effect of ddC on cell viability was detected using the MTT assay.The migration and invasion abilities of the cells were evaluated using the cell scratch and Transwell in-vasion assays.Cell apoptosis was determined using flow cytometry and a V-FITC/PI cell apoptosis detection kit.The protein expression of POLG,NADH dehydrogenase subunit Ⅰ(NADH1),NADH dehydrogenase subunit Ⅱ(NADH2),ATP synthase subunit 6(ATPase6),cytochrome c oxidase subunit Ⅰ(COX-1)and cytochrome c ox-idase subunit Ⅲ(COX-3)were determined using Western blot.The POLG mRNA level and mtDNA copy number were determined using qPCR.The mitochondrial content and ATP levels were determined using MitoTracker Green fluorescent probe staining and an ATP determination kit.MDA-MB-231 cells were transfected with pcDNA3.1-EG-FP-POLG plasmids to overexpress POLG.The inhibitory effects of ddC on cell migration and invasion were detected in POLG-overexpressed MDA-MB-231 cells.Results POLG expression was higher in MDA-MB-231 cells than in normal mammary epithelial cells(MCF-10A)(P＜0.01).ddC inhibited cell viability in a dose-dependent man-ner.ddC inhibited the migration(P＜0.01)and invasion(P＜0.01)of MDA-MB-231 cells;however,it dis-played no significant inhibitory effects on cell viability in normal mammary epithelial cells(MCF-10A)at the same concentration.ddC downregulated the protein(P＜0.01)and mRNA(P＜0.01)levels of POLG,reduced mtD-NA copy number(P＜0.01)and downregulated mtDNA-coded NADH1,NADH2,ATPase6,COX-1 and COX-3 protein expression(P＜0.01)in MDA-MB-231 cells.Furthermore ddC inhibited mitochondrial content(P＜0.01)and ATP(P＜0.01)levels in MDA-MB-231 cells.POLG overexpression increased the migration(P＜0.05)and invasion(P＜0.05)abilities of MDA-MB-231 cells,while ddC did not significantly inhibit the migra-tion and invasion abilities of MDA-MB-231 cells overexpressing POLG.Conclusion ddC downregulates POLG ex-pression in MDA-MB-231 cells and inhibits mitochondrial biogenesis and ATP levels,thereby inhibiting the migra-tion and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells.

OBJE CTIVE To prepare and characterize evodiamine phospholipid complex self-microemulsifying drug delivery system（EVO-PC-SMEDDS），and to investigate its gastric mucosal permeability. METHODS EVO-PC-SMEDDS was prepared ， and particle size ，polydispersity（PDI）and Zeta potential were tested ，and microscopic observation was carried out. The stability of EVO-PC-SMEDDS in simulated gastric liquid with different pH （1.2，2.0，4.0，7.0）was investigated. The entrapment efficiency and drug-loading amount of the preparation were determined ，and the in vitro release was investigated. The gastric mucosal permeability of EVO-PC-SMEDDS was studied by combining rat gastric mucosal tissue and Ussing Chamber technology. RESULTS The particle size of EVO-PC-SMEDDS was （53.63±1.51）nm，PDI and Zeta potential were 0.217±0.017 and （－12.20±0.15）mV，entrapment efficiency was （95.25±0.97）％ and drug-loading amount was （19.30±1.21）mg/g. EVO-PC- SMEDDS exhibited a uniformly dispersed round spherical shape under transmission electron microscope. Stability experiments showed that EVO-PC-SMEDDS exhibited no significant change in particle size ，PDI and Zeta potential under the simulated gastric fluid with different pH and showed excellent stability. Results of in vitro release test showed that compared with evodiamine （EVO），in vitro accumulative release of EVO-PC-SMEDDS were enhanced 6.83-fold，which was in line with the first-order kinetic release model. Results of gastric mucosal permeability showed that gastric mucosal permeation transport ，permeation rate ， permeation flux and area under curve of cumulative permeability of EVO-PC-SMEDDS were higher than those of EVO ， respectively. CONCLUSIONS EVO-PC-SMEDDS is prepared N successfully and shows good stability. It could significantly improve the release behavior and gastric mucosal permeability of EVO.

Objective: To explore the effect of hypoxia inducible factor 1α(HIF-1α)on tamoxifen resistance in breast cancer MCF-7,and to established a human breast cancer cell line(MCF-7/TR)with 4-hydroxy tamoxifen(4-OHT)resistance. Methods: 4-OHT was an active form of tamoxifenin vivo, resistant breast cancer cells MCF-7/TR were establishedin vitrousing 4-OHT. MTT assay was used to detect the effect of 4-OHT on the MCF-7 and MCF-7/TR cells, and the drug resistance multiple was detected. Western blot was used to detect the expression level of HIF-1α protein in MCF-7 and MCF-7/TR cells. The effects of HIF-1α inhibitor(LW6) or siRNA HIF-1α on MCF-7/TR cells and 4-OHT on MCF-7 cells treated with HIF-1α stabilizer(FG-4592) were detected by MTT and flow cytometry AV/PI staining. Results: The results showed that the MCF-7/TR was successfully constructed, and the drug resistance ratio was(5.56±0.80). Compared with MCF-7 cells, MCF-7/TR cells had higher expression of HIF-1α protein and it was up-regulated after tamoxifen treatment. After giving LW6 or silencing the expression of HIF-1α,the down-regulation of HIF-1α expression enhanced the inhibitory effect of 4-OHT on MCF-7/TR cells. After treatment of FG-4592, the expression level of HIF-1α in breast cancer cells MCF-7 was up-regulated, and hindered the inhibition effect of tamoxifen on MCF-7 cells. Conclusion The above results indicate that HIF-1α plays an important role in 4-OHT resistant breast cancer, and targeting HIF-1α may be an effective way to increase the sensitivity of MCF7/TR cells to tamoxifen.