Objective To elucidate the changes in the gut microbiota and molecular mechanism of huaier in enhancing the efficacy of oxaliplatin (OXA) chemotherapy in gastric cancer (GC). Methods The effects of huaier on the gut microbiota structure and intestinal barrier function in MKN45-bearing mice were analyzed by using 16S rRNA sequencing, RT-qPCR, and IHC. UPLC-MS and network pharmacology, as well as in vivo experimental approaches, were employed to investigate the key bioactive constituents of huaier systematically and elucidate the underlying mechanisms by which huaier exerts therapeutic effects against GC. The expression of the PI3K/AKT/SREBP pathway was detected in cancer cells and tissues via Western blot analysis. The safety profile of huaier combined with OXA was verified through serum biochemistry and HE-stained tissue section analyses. Results Huaier inhibited the PI3K/AKT/SREBP pathway by increasing the abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila, reduced lipid droplet deposition, and ultimately enhanced the sensitivity to OXA in the treatment of GC. Conclusion This study demonstrates the value of huaier in gastric cancer treatment by enhancing chemosensitivity and provides novel insights into its systemic therapeutic effects through molecular mechanisms and gut microbiota modulation.

ObjectiveTo explore the potential mechanism of Weicanqing Formula （微残清方， WF） combined with chemotherapy in treating acute myeloid leukemia （AML） based on malic enzyme 2 （ME2）-mediated bone marrow immune-metabolic homeostasis and . MethodsSixty-five male C57BL/6N mice were randomly divided into control group， model group， WF group， chemotherapy group， and the combination group （WF plus chemotherapy）， with 13 mice per group. Except for the control group， mice were injected with C1498 cells （appro-ximately 1×10⁶ cells per mouse） via the tail vein on day 1 to establish an AML model. Starting from day 8， mice in the chemotherapy group and the combination group were administered with cytarabine at 30 mg/（kg·d） via subcutaneous injection， once daily for 3 consecutive days； WF group and the combination group received WF at 7.54 g/（kg·d） by gavage， once daily for 21 consecutive days. On days 1， 7， 14， 21 and 28， hemoglobin （Hb） and white blood cell （WBC） levels were determined in each group. On day 28， Giemsa staining was used to observe morphological changes in bone marrow cells. Flow cytometry was employed to detect the expression levels of bone marrow T lympthocyte subsets， including CD8⁺， CD4⁺， and regulatory T lymphocytes （Treg）. The contents of glutamine （Gln）， nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate （NADP⁺）， and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate （NADPH） in bone marrow were determined using visible spectrophotometry. Adenosine triphosphate （ATP） concentration in bone marrow was measured by chemiluminescence assay. The mRNA expression of malic enzyme 2 （ME2） in bone marrow was detected by RT-qPCR， and the protein expression level of ME2 was determined by Western blotting. ResultsCompared to the control group， the model group showed decreased Hb levels on day 14， 21， and 28， and increased WBC levels on day 7， 14， 21， and 28 （P＜0.05）. On day 28， bone marrow CD8⁺ and CD8⁺/CD4⁺ levels decreased， while Treg cells， ATP， Gln， NADP⁺， NADPH， ME2 mRNA， and their corresponding protein levels increased （P＜0.05）. Compared to the model group， the chemotherapy group and the combination group both exhibited reduced Hb level on day 14， 21 and 28， as well as the increased WBC level； the combination group showed increased CD8⁺ level， decreased Treg， ATP， Gln， and NADPH content， as well as reduced ME2 mRNA expression and protein levels （P＜0.05）. Compared to the chemotherapy group， the combination group showed significantly increased Hb level on days 21 and 28， and increased WBC level on day 28 （P＜0.05）. Bone marrow smear pathology revealed that， in the model group， myeloid blast cells exhibited cytoplasmic vacuoles indicative of abnormal metabolic activity. In contrast， both the chemotherapy group and the combination group showed large numbers of metamyelocytes and band neutrophils， with only a few immature granulocytic blast cells observed. ConclusionWF may improve the prognosis of AML when used as an adjunct to chemotherapy by modulating ME2 expression， inhibiting metabolic energy competition within the bone marrow microenvironment， and reshaping the distribution of T lymphocyte subsets in the bone marrow.

Objective:To investigate the mechanism of improving liver injury by enhancing the abundance of Akkermansia mu-ciniphila(AKK bacteria)with hepatocyte-specific Yap1 knockout during PD-1 monoclonal antibody treatment.Methods:Hepatocyte-specific Yap1 knockout mice(genotype Yap1Flox/Flox;albumin-Cre,labeled as Yap1LKO)and control mice(genotype Yap1Flox/Flox,labeled Yap1Flox),aristolocholic acidⅠ(AAⅠ)and CCl4 were used to induce liver injury,Yap1LKO mice and Yap1Flox mice were randomly di-vided into control group and PD-1 monoclonal antibody group.After the intervention,real-time PCR detected changes in the abun-dance of AKK bacteria in the fecal microbial DNA of mice,16S rRNA gene sequencing further analyzes intestinal flora changes,the livers of mice were made into wax blocks for HE staining to observe the histopathological changes of the liver.Results:Yap1Flox mice exhibited balloon-like edema degeneration of hepatocytes and infiltration of inflammatory factors in the manifold area,compared with Yap1Flox mice,Yap1LKO mice had reduced the abundance of AKK bacteria in the intestine,fibrosis of the liver,and the degree of dam-age was more serious;PD-1 monoclonal antibody treatment alone did not increase the abundance of AKK bacteria in the intestines of mice,and fibrosis appeared in the liver;however,the abundance of intestinal AKK bacteria in Yap1LKO mice treated with PD-1 mono-clonal antibody increased,the ratio(F/B value)of Firmicutes to Bacteroides at the phylum level decreased,and the morphology of he-patocytes returned to normal and the degree of liver damage decreased.Conclusion:In AAⅠ and CCl4 induced liver injury mice,he-patocyte-specific Yap1 knockout reduced the abundance of AKK bacteria in the intestine,and the degree of liver injury was more se-vere than that in Yap1Flox mice.When treated with PD-1 monoclonal antibody,hepatocyte-specific Yap1 knockout could increase the abundance of AKK bacteria in the intestine,change the composition of intestinal flora,maintain intestinal homeostasis and ameliorate liver injury.

Objectives:To investigate the predictive value of epicardial fat volume(EFV)and atrioventricular groove fat thickness(AVGT)—morphological biomarkers of epicardial adipose tissue—for major adverse cardiovascular events(MACE)in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy(DCM).Methods:This study enrolled 216 DCM patients.EFV and AVGT were obtained from cardiac magnetic resonance imaging(CMR).Patients were divided into event-free group(n=142)and event group(n=74)based on MACE occurrence during follow-up.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis was used to determine optimal cutoff values.Survival differences were assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis,Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors,and restricted cubic spline(RCS)models were used to evaluate dose-response relationships.Results:AVGT and EFV were significantly higher in the event group than in event-free group(both P<0.05).ROC analysis identified optimal MACE-predicting cutoffs as follows:AVGT≥7.74 mm(area under the curve[AUC]=0.57)and EFV≥78.6 ml(AUC=0.62).Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed significantly lower MACE-free survival rates in patients with AVGT≥7.74 mm and EFV≥78.6 ml(both P<0.05).Cox regression analysis confirmed that AVGT(HR=2.18,95%CI:1.34-3.54)and EFV(HR=1.81,95%CI:1.11-2.96)were independent MACE risk factors(both P<0.05)in this patient cohort.RCS models demonstrated the significant linear associations between EFV/AVGT and MACE risk(bothoverall P<0.05).Conclusions:EFV and AVGT,the non-invasive imaging biomarkers quantifying and characterizing fat distribution,are independently correlated with elevated MACE risk in DCM patients.These metrics serve as potential prognostic indicators,enriching risk stratification indicators for early identification of high-risk patients and guiding personalized medication strategies.

Objectives:To investigate the physical growth status of pediatric patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia (TDT) and analyze the effects of treatment-related and socioeconomic factors on physical growth.Methods:Based on the specialized thalassemia database from gene therapy clinical research at the Institute of Hematology & Hospital of Blood Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, we collected data on height and weight development, family economic status, and medical records of 338 pediatric patients with TDT from October 2023 to May 2024. The length/height-for-age and body mass index (BMI) -for-age were classified based on the Growth Standard for Children under 7 Years of Age, Standard for Height Level Classification among Children and Adolescents Aged 7-18 Years, and Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the effects of family economic status and disease-related treatment on length/height-for-age and BMI-for-age.Results:Among the 338 patients, 118 were children and 220 were adolescents (192 males and 146 females), with a median age of 12 years (range: 0.8-18) and a median diagnosis duration of 10.3 years (range: 0.5-17.9). Subtypes included α-thalassemia [21 cases (6.2%) ], β-thalassemia [288 cases (85.2%) ], and combined αβ-thalassemia[29 cases (8.6%) ]. The monthly household income of patients was concentrated in 3 000-5 000 yuan (39.9%) and 5 001-10 000 yuan (34.9%), whereas 67.2% of the families had monthly medical expenses of <3 000 yuan. Of the patients, 75.5% received their first transfusion before 1 year of age. The proportions of children and adolescents with pretransfusion hemoglobin (HGB) of ≤70 g/L were 4.2% and 6.4%, respectively. Adolescents demonstrated significantly higher rates of transfusion frequency of <4 weeks/session, monthly red blood cell infusion of >2 U, serum ferritin (SF) of ≥5 000 μg/L, iron chelation therapy, and splenectomy compared with children (all P<0.05). Of the 338 patients, 26.0%, 22.8%, and 8.9% demonstrated stunted growth, underweight, and concurrent stunted growth with underweight, respectively. No significant difference was observed in the stunted growth rates between children (22.9%) and adolescents (27.7%) ( P=0.402). However, the underweight rate in adolescents (26.8%) was significantly higher than that in children (15.3%) ( P=0.023). The multivariate analysis determined the following risk factors for stunted growth: monthly household income of <10 000 yuan (5 001-10 000 yuan: OR=5.49, 95% CI: 1.48-35.76; 3 000-5 000 yuan: OR=6.87, 95% CI: 1.88-44.60; <3 000 yuan: OR=9.29, 95% CI: 2.20-64.77), pretransfusion HGB of ≤70 g/L ( OR=3.25, 95% CI: 1.07-10.18), and SF of ≥5 000 μg/L ( OR = 3.04, 95% CI: 1.20-7.70). Longer diagnostic duration was associated with underweight ( OR=1.10, 95% CI: 1.01-1.20) . Conclusions:Children and adolescents with TDT with pretransfusion SF of ≥5 000 μg/L, HGB of ≤70 g/L, low monthly household income, or longer diagnosis duration were significantly more likely to experience delayed physical growth.

Objective:To investigate the mechanism of improving liver injury by enhancing the abundance of Akkermansia mu-ciniphila(AKK bacteria)with hepatocyte-specific Yap1 knockout during PD-1 monoclonal antibody treatment.Methods:Hepatocyte-specific Yap1 knockout mice(genotype Yap1Flox/Flox;albumin-Cre,labeled as Yap1LKO)and control mice(genotype Yap1Flox/Flox,labeled Yap1Flox),aristolocholic acidⅠ(AAⅠ)and CCl4 were used to induce liver injury,Yap1LKO mice and Yap1Flox mice were randomly di-vided into control group and PD-1 monoclonal antibody group.After the intervention,real-time PCR detected changes in the abun-dance of AKK bacteria in the fecal microbial DNA of mice,16S rRNA gene sequencing further analyzes intestinal flora changes,the livers of mice were made into wax blocks for HE staining to observe the histopathological changes of the liver.Results:Yap1Flox mice exhibited balloon-like edema degeneration of hepatocytes and infiltration of inflammatory factors in the manifold area,compared with Yap1Flox mice,Yap1LKO mice had reduced the abundance of AKK bacteria in the intestine,fibrosis of the liver,and the degree of dam-age was more serious;PD-1 monoclonal antibody treatment alone did not increase the abundance of AKK bacteria in the intestines of mice,and fibrosis appeared in the liver;however,the abundance of intestinal AKK bacteria in Yap1LKO mice treated with PD-1 mono-clonal antibody increased,the ratio(F/B value)of Firmicutes to Bacteroides at the phylum level decreased,and the morphology of he-patocytes returned to normal and the degree of liver damage decreased.Conclusion:In AAⅠ and CCl4 induced liver injury mice,he-patocyte-specific Yap1 knockout reduced the abundance of AKK bacteria in the intestine,and the degree of liver injury was more se-vere than that in Yap1Flox mice.When treated with PD-1 monoclonal antibody,hepatocyte-specific Yap1 knockout could increase the abundance of AKK bacteria in the intestine,change the composition of intestinal flora,maintain intestinal homeostasis and ameliorate liver injury.

Objectives:To investigate the predictive value of epicardial fat volume(EFV)and atrioventricular groove fat thickness(AVGT)—morphological biomarkers of epicardial adipose tissue—for major adverse cardiovascular events(MACE)in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy(DCM).Methods:This study enrolled 216 DCM patients.EFV and AVGT were obtained from cardiac magnetic resonance imaging(CMR).Patients were divided into event-free group(n=142)and event group(n=74)based on MACE occurrence during follow-up.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis was used to determine optimal cutoff values.Survival differences were assessed using Kaplan-Meier analysis,Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was used to identify independent risk factors,and restricted cubic spline(RCS)models were used to evaluate dose-response relationships.Results:AVGT and EFV were significantly higher in the event group than in event-free group(both P<0.05).ROC analysis identified optimal MACE-predicting cutoffs as follows:AVGT≥7.74 mm(area under the curve[AUC]=0.57)and EFV≥78.6 ml(AUC=0.62).Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed significantly lower MACE-free survival rates in patients with AVGT≥7.74 mm and EFV≥78.6 ml(both P<0.05).Cox regression analysis confirmed that AVGT(HR=2.18,95%CI:1.34-3.54)and EFV(HR=1.81,95%CI:1.11-2.96)were independent MACE risk factors(both P<0.05)in this patient cohort.RCS models demonstrated the significant linear associations between EFV/AVGT and MACE risk(bothoverall P<0.05).Conclusions:EFV and AVGT,the non-invasive imaging biomarkers quantifying and characterizing fat distribution,are independently correlated with elevated MACE risk in DCM patients.These metrics serve as potential prognostic indicators,enriching risk stratification indicators for early identification of high-risk patients and guiding personalized medication strategies.

Objectives:To investigate the physical growth status of pediatric patients with transfusion-dependent thalassemia (TDT) and analyze the effects of treatment-related and socioeconomic factors on physical growth.Methods:Based on the specialized thalassemia database from gene therapy clinical research at the Institute of Hematology & Hospital of Blood Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, we collected data on height and weight development, family economic status, and medical records of 338 pediatric patients with TDT from October 2023 to May 2024. The length/height-for-age and body mass index (BMI) -for-age were classified based on the Growth Standard for Children under 7 Years of Age, Standard for Height Level Classification among Children and Adolescents Aged 7-18 Years, and Dietary Guidelines for Chinese Residents. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the effects of family economic status and disease-related treatment on length/height-for-age and BMI-for-age.Results:Among the 338 patients, 118 were children and 220 were adolescents (192 males and 146 females), with a median age of 12 years (range: 0.8-18) and a median diagnosis duration of 10.3 years (range: 0.5-17.9). Subtypes included α-thalassemia [21 cases (6.2%) ], β-thalassemia [288 cases (85.2%) ], and combined αβ-thalassemia[29 cases (8.6%) ]. The monthly household income of patients was concentrated in 3 000-5 000 yuan (39.9%) and 5 001-10 000 yuan (34.9%), whereas 67.2% of the families had monthly medical expenses of <3 000 yuan. Of the patients, 75.5% received their first transfusion before 1 year of age. The proportions of children and adolescents with pretransfusion hemoglobin (HGB) of ≤70 g/L were 4.2% and 6.4%, respectively. Adolescents demonstrated significantly higher rates of transfusion frequency of <4 weeks/session, monthly red blood cell infusion of >2 U, serum ferritin (SF) of ≥5 000 μg/L, iron chelation therapy, and splenectomy compared with children (all P<0.05). Of the 338 patients, 26.0%, 22.8%, and 8.9% demonstrated stunted growth, underweight, and concurrent stunted growth with underweight, respectively. No significant difference was observed in the stunted growth rates between children (22.9%) and adolescents (27.7%) ( P=0.402). However, the underweight rate in adolescents (26.8%) was significantly higher than that in children (15.3%) ( P=0.023). The multivariate analysis determined the following risk factors for stunted growth: monthly household income of <10 000 yuan (5 001-10 000 yuan: OR=5.49, 95% CI: 1.48-35.76; 3 000-5 000 yuan: OR=6.87, 95% CI: 1.88-44.60; <3 000 yuan: OR=9.29, 95% CI: 2.20-64.77), pretransfusion HGB of ≤70 g/L ( OR=3.25, 95% CI: 1.07-10.18), and SF of ≥5 000 μg/L ( OR = 3.04, 95% CI: 1.20-7.70). Longer diagnostic duration was associated with underweight ( OR=1.10, 95% CI: 1.01-1.20) . Conclusions:Children and adolescents with TDT with pretransfusion SF of ≥5 000 μg/L, HGB of ≤70 g/L, low monthly household income, or longer diagnosis duration were significantly more likely to experience delayed physical growth.

Objective To investigate the mechanism of Yes-associated protein 1(YAP1)ameliorating aristolochic acid 1(AAI)-induced liver injury in mice based on untargeted metabolomics techniques.Methods There were 83-week-old male hepatocyte-specific Yap1 gene knockout mice(genotyped as Yap1Flox/Flox,Albumin-Cre,aka.Yap1LKO)were randomly selected as the Yap1LKO+AAI group,and 8 Yap1Flox control mice as the Yap1Flox+AAI group.Both groups were injected intraperitoneally with AAI at a dose of 2.5 mg·kg-1·d-1 for 14 consecutive days.Genotypes were identified by tail PCR;serum alanine transaminase(ALT)and aspartate transaminase(AST)activities were determined by microplate assay;histopathological changes of liver tissue were observed by HE staining;and the protein expression of YAP1 in liver tissue was determined by immunohistochemistry.The untargeted metabolomics approach was used to analyze the liver tissue differential metabolites,and the samples were analyzed by ultra performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-electrostatic field orbit trap high-resolution mass spectrometry,and the differential metabolites were screened by principal component analysis(PCA),Partial least square-discriminant analysis(PLS-DA),and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA);using HMDB database and METLIN database to identify metabolites,and the pathway enrichment of differential metabolites was analyzed by KEGG database.Results(1)After 14 days of AAI induction,the increase of body mass in Yap1LKO mice was lower than that in Yap1Flox mice,but there was no statistical significance(P＞0.05).On day 14,compared with the Yap1Flox+AAI group,the serum ALT and AST enzyme activities in the Yap1LKO+AAI group of mice were significantly increased(P＜0.05),and the histopathological damage of the liver was significantly aggravated.The livers of the Yap1Flox mice had a positive protein expression of YAP1,whereas the Yap1LKO mice did not have a positive protein expression of YAP1.(2)A total of 139 differential metabolites with significant changes(VIP＞1 and P＜0.05)were screened by metabonomic analysis;compared with Yap1LKO+ AAI group,62 liver metabolites in Yap1Flox+AAI group were up-regulated,including choline,taurine,hypotaurine,α-linolenic acid,eleostearic acid,chenodeoxycholic acid and so on.Seventy-seven metabolites were down-regulated including glycerophosphocholine,L-phosphatidylcholine,L-glutamine,L-serine,L-glutathione,5-methionine,phenylalanine,glucose 6-phosphate,lactic acid,uric acid glycosides,etc..KEGG-enriched pathways were mainly choline metabolism,glycerophospholipid metabolism,insulin resistance,glutathione metabolism,etc..Conclusion Hepatocyte-specific Yap1 gene knockout exacerbated AAI-induced liver injury in mice,and YAP1 was involved in the regulation of choline metabolism and glycerophospholipid metabolism through the up-regulation of unsaturated fatty acids,such as choline and taurine,which ameliorated AAI-induced liver injury in mice.

OBJECTIVE To screen the prescription and preparation method of Bupleurum nanoemulsion, and evaluate its quality, study the antipyretic effect. METHODS The emulsifier and co-emulsifier of the nanoemulsion were preliminarily screened, and then the prescription was screened by pseudo-ternary phase diagram. The quality evaluation of the appearance, particle size distribution, structure type, stability and content of the prepared Bupleurum nanoemulsion was performed. Wistar rats were further randomly divided into blank control group, model control group, positive control group(aspirin group), Bupleurum nanoemulsion high-dose, medium-dose and low-dose groups(18.00, 9.00, 3.00 g·kg−1). Except for the blank control group, the pathological model of fever rats was prepared in the other groups. According to the scheduled experimental requirements, rats in each group were given the corresponding drugs. And the temperature changes of rats in each group were recorded at 0.5, 1, 1.5, 2, 3 h to observe the antipyretic effect of Bupleurum nanoemulsion. RESULTS The best prescription of Bupleurum nanoemulsion: Tween-80 6 g and n-butanol 3 g, Bupleurum extract dissolved in pure water as water phase 20 mL, Bupleurum oil as oil phase 2 g. At room temperature, the Bupleurum nanoemulsion was a yellow-brown clear and transparent liquid, O/W nanoemulsion, with an average particle size of (77.21±3.66)nm, polydispersity index of 0.28±0.04, Zeta potential of (–18.81±1.42)mV, and saikosaponin content of 3.071 mg·mL−1, with good stability. In animal experiments, compared with the model control group, the rectal temperature of aspirin group and Bupleurum nanoemulsion high-dose group was significantly lower after the first administration(P<0.01), the rectal temperature of Bupleurum nanoemulsion middle-dose group was significantly lower after the first administration 2, 3 h(P<0.01). CONCLUSION The Bupleurum nanoemulsion is transparent and stable, and it has good antipyretic effect on fever rat model.