The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) plays a crucial role in regulating many physiological processes. Activating the AhR-CYP1A1 axis has emerged as a novel therapeutic strategy against various inflammatory diseases. Here, a practical in situ cell-based fluorometric assay was constructed to screen AhR-CYP1A1 axis modulators, via functional sensing of CYP1A1 activities in live cells. Firstly, a cell-permeable, isoform-specific enzyme-activable fluorogenic substrate for CYP1A1 was rationally constructed for in-situ visualizing the dynamic changes of CYP1A1 function in living systems, which was subsequently used for discovering the efficacious modulators of the AhR-CYP1A1 axis. Following screening of a compound library, LAC-7 was identified as an efficacious activator of the AhR-CYP1A1 axis, which dose-dependently up-regulated the expression levels of both CYP1A1 and AhR in multiple cell lines. LAC-7 also suppressed macrophage M1 polarization and reduced the levels of inflammatory factors in LPS-induced bone marrow-derived macrophages. Animal tests showed that LAC-7 could significantly mitigate DSS-induced ulcerative colitis and LPS-induced acute lung injury in mice, and markedly reduced the levels of multiple inflammatory factors. Collectively, an optimized fluorometric cell-based assay was devised for in situ functional imaging of CYP1A1 activities in living systems, which strongly facilitated the discovery of efficacious modulators of the AhR-CYP1A1 axis as novel anti-inflammatory agents.

Notum, a negative feedback regulator of the Wnt signaling, has emerged as a promising target for treating glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP). This study showcases an efficient strategy for discovering the anti-Notum constituents from herbal medicines (HMs) as novel anti-GIOP agents. Firstly, a rapid-responding near-infrared fluorogenic substrate for Notum was rationally engineered for high-throughput identifying the anti-Notum HMs. The results showed that Bu-Gu-Zhi (BGZ), a known anti-osteoporosis herb, potently inhibited Notum in a competitive-inhibition manner. To uncover the key anti-Notum constituents in BGZ, an efficient strategy was adapted via integrating biochemical, phytochemical, computational, and pharmacological assays. Among all identified BGZ constituents, three furanocoumarins were validated as strong Notum inhibitors, while 5-methoxypsoralen (5-MP) showed the most potent anti-Notum activity and favorable safety profiles. Mechanistically, 5-MP acted as a competitive inhibitor of Notum via creating strong hydrophobic interactions with Trp128 and Phe268 in the catalytic cavity of Notum. Cellular assays showed that 5-MP remarkably promoted osteoblast differentiation and activated Wnt signaling in dexamethasone (DXMS)-challenged MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts. In dexamethasone-induced osteoporotic mice, 5-MP strongly elevated bone mineral density (BMD) and improved cancellous and cortical bone thickness. Collectively, this study constructs a high-efficient platform for discovering key anti-Notum constituents from HMs, while 5-MP emerges as a promising anti-GIOP agent.

Protrusive facial deformities, characterized by the forward displacement of the teeth and/or jaws beyond the normal range, affect a considerable portion of the population. The manifestations and morphological mechanisms of protrusive facial deformities are complex and diverse, requiring orthodontists to possess a high level of theoretical knowledge and practical experience in the relevant orthodontic field. To further optimize the correction of protrusive facial deformities, this consensus proposes that the morphological mechanisms and diagnosis of protrusive facial deformities should be analyzed and judged from multiple dimensions and factors to accurately formulate treatment plans. It emphasizes the use of orthodontic strategies, including jaw growth modification, tooth extraction or non-extraction for anterior teeth retraction, and maxillofacial vertical control. These strategies aim to reduce anterior teeth and lip protrusion, increase chin prominence, harmonize nasolabial and chin-lip relationships, and improve the facial profile of patients with protrusive facial deformities. For severe skeletal protrusive facial deformities, orthodontic-orthognathic combined treatment may be suggested. This consensus summarizes the theoretical knowledge and clinical experience of numerous renowned oral experts nationwide, offering reference strategies for the correction of protrusive facial deformities.
Humans ; Orthodontics, Corrective/methods* ; Consensus ; Malocclusion/therapy* ; Patient Care Planning ; Cephalometry

The prevalence of Class III malocclusion varies among different countries and regions. The populations from Southeast Asian countries (Chinese and Malaysian) showed the highest prevalence rate of 15.8%, which can seriously affect oral function, facial appearance, and mental health. As anterior crossbite tends to worsen with growth, early orthodontic treatment can harness growth potential to normalize maxillofacial development or reduce skeletal malformation severity, thereby reducing the difficulty and shortening the treatment cycle of later-stage treatment. This is beneficial for the physical and mental growth of children. Therefore, early orthodontic treatment for Class III malocclusion is particularly important. Determining the optimal timing for early orthodontic treatment requires a comprehensive assessment of clinical manifestations, dental age, and skeletal age, and can lead to better results with less effort. Currently, standardized treatment guidelines for early orthodontic treatment of Class III malocclusion are lacking. This review provides a comprehensive summary of the etiology, clinical manifestations, classification, and early orthodontic techniques for Class III malocclusion, along with systematic discussions on selecting early treatment plans. The purpose of this expert consensus is to standardize clinical practices and improve the treatment outcomes of Class III malocclusion through early orthodontic treatment.
Humans ; Malocclusion, Angle Class III/classification* ; Orthodontics, Corrective/methods* ; Consensus ; Child

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP), whose etiology is influenced by genetic and clinical risk factors, considerably impacts women's quality of life. However, the genetic underpinnings in non-European populations and comprehensive risk models integrating genetic and clinical factors remain underexplored. This study constructed the first polygenic risk score (PRS) for POP in the Chinese population by utilizing 20 disease-associated variants from the largest existing genome-wide association study. We analyzed a discovery cohort of 576 cases and 623 controls and a validation cohort of 264 cases and 200 controls. Results showed that the case group exhibited a significantly higher PRS than the control group. Moreover, the odds ratio of the top 10% risk group was 2.6 times higher than that of the bottom 10%. A high PRS was significantly correlated with POP occurrence in women older than 50 years old and in those with one or no childbirths. As far as we know, the integrated prediction model, which combined PRS and clinical risk factors, demonstrated better predictive accuracy than other existing PRS models. This combined risk assessment model serves as a robust tool for POP risk prediction and stratification, thereby offering insights into individualized preventive measures and treatment strategies in future clinical practice.
Humans ; Female ; Pelvic Organ Prolapse/epidemiology* ; Middle Aged ; Risk Assessment/methods* ; China/epidemiology* ; Multifactorial Inheritance ; Aged ; Risk Factors ; Genome-Wide Association Study ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Case-Control Studies ; Adult ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Genetic Risk Score ; East Asian People

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic and recurrent intestinal disease, and has become a major global health issue. Individuals with IBD face an elevated risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC), and recent studies have indicated that mitochondrial dysfunction plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of both IBD and CRC. This review covers the pathogenesis of IBD and CRC, focusing on mitochondrial dysfunction, and explores pharmacological targets and strategies for addressing both conditions by modulating mitochondrial function. Additionally, recent advancements in the pharmacological modulation of mitochondrial dysfunction for treating IBD and CRC, encompassing mitochondrial damage, release of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), and impairment of mitophagy, are thoroughly summarized. The review also provides a systematic overview of natural compounds (such as flavonoids, alkaloids, and diterpenoids), Chinese medicines, and intestinal microbiota, which can alleviate IBD and attenuate the progression of CRC by modulating mitochondrial function. In the future, it will be imperative to develop more practical methodologies for real-time monitoring and accurate detection of mitochondrial function, which will greatly aid scientists in identifying more effective agents for treating IBD and CRC through modulation of mitochondrial function.

Surgical resection is an important method for treating liver cancer,and postoperative liver failure caused by insufficient liver remnant volume is a key factor limiting the success rate of surgical resection.The portal vein embolization(PVE),through artificially obstructing the portal vein,can induce liver volume enlargement,thus,providing theoretical support for preventing postoperative death due to liver failure.In recent years,many innovations and studies on the limitations of PVE,especially on the problem of postoperative insufficient growth rate of liver tissues,have been made by experts both at home and abroad.In view of this,this paper,through summarizing the relevant literature on PVE,makes a detailed review concerning the clinical application and research progress of PVE.

Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics of survival in patients with high-risk myelodysplastic syndromes(HR-MDS)and provide a reference for the clinical prognosis of patients with HR-MDS.Methods General data,blood routine test,bone marrow smear with histopathology,cytogenetics,and other clinical data of 200 patients diagnosed with HR-MDS at Xiyuan Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences,during the period of January 2016-September 2022,were retrospectively analyzed.The included patients were categorized into the arsenic-containing herbal combination combined with demethylating agents(HMAs)treatment group and the arsenic-containing Chinese medicine compound combined with androgen treatment group.The influence of clinical indices on the survival characteristics of each group was analyzed.Results Comparison of the impact of clinical indicators on survival in 200 patients with HR-MDS who were treated with arsenic-containing herbal compounds in combination with HMAs or androgens showed that high-risk vs.very high-risk(P=0.018),hemoglobin(Hb)<80 g/L vs.Hb≥80 g/L(P=0.035),platelet(PLT)counts<50×109 L-1 vs.PLT counts≥50×109 L-1(P<0.001),and the difference in median progression-free survival(PFS)time between myelodysplastic syndromes converted to leukemia(MDS-AML)and non-MDS-AML(P=0.003)were statistically significant.Comparison of survival effects of clinical indicators in 68 patients with HR-MDS who were treated with arsenic-containing Chinese medicine compound combined with HMAs showed that the difference in median PFS between PLT count<50×109 L-1 and PLT count≥50×109 L-1(P<0.001)and the difference in median PFS between<5 and≥5 courses of chemotherapy(P=0.018)were statistically significant.Comparison of survival effects of clinical indicators in 132 patients with HR-MDS who were treated with arsenic-containing Chinese medicine compound combined with androgens showed that Hb<80 g/L and Hg≥80 g/L(P=0.028),PLT count<50×109 L-1 and PLT count≥50×109 L-1(P=0.002),and the mean differences in PFS between MDS-AML and non-MDS-AML(P=0.024)were statistically significant.Conclusion The clinical characteristics of long-surviving patients treated with arsenic-containing herbal combination in combination with HMAs included PLT counts≥50×109 L-1 and≥5 courses of chemotherapy.The clinical characteristics of long-surviving patients treated with arsenic-containing herbal combination in combination with androgens included Hg≥80 g/L,PLT count≥50×109 L-1,and non-MDS-AML.

AIM:To observe the effect of folic acid(FA)on C2C12 myoblast proliferation and differentia-tion,and to explore its mechanism.METHODS:During the proliferation stage,C2C12 myoblasts were treated with vari-ous concentrations of FA(0,2.5,5,10 and 20 μmol/L).The cell status was observed under a microscope,cell viability was detected using the MTT method,and cell proliferation was assessed using the EdU method.In the differentiation stage,C2C12 cells were divided into control(Ctrl)group(0 μmol/L FA)and FA group(10 μmol/L FA).On day 2 or 4 of differentiation,immunofluorescence staining and Western blot were employed to detect the expression of myoblast differen-tiation-related proteins,myoblast determination protein 1(MyoD),myogenin(MyoG)and myosin heavy chain(MyHC).The myotubule formation in each group was analyzed.On day 4 of differentiation,C2C12 cells were treated with FA for 0,1,3 and 6 h,and the protein levels of p-JNK,JNK,p-p38 MAPK and p38 MAPK at each time point were detected by Western blot.Additionally,C2C12 cells after 4-day differentiation were divided into Ctrl group,FA group,FA+ SP600125(specific inhibitor of JNK)group,and FA+SB203580(specific inhibitor of p38)group.The cells in FA+ SP600125 and FA+SB203580 groups were treated with 10 μmol/L SP600125 or SB203580 for 1 h,followed by treatment with 10 μmol/L FA for 24 h.The cells in FA group were treated with 10 μmol/L FA for 24 h,while the cells in Ctrl group were left untreated.The protein levels of p-JNK,JNK,p-p38 MAPK,p38 MAPK and MyHC were detected by Western blot.RESULTS:(1)Compared with 0 μmol/L FA group,the number of the cells in other concentration groups in-creased,cell viability was raised(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01),and the rate of EdU positive cells increased(P＜0.05).(2)Com-pared with Ctrl group,the expression levels of MyoD,MyoG and MyHC in FA group were increased(P＜0.05),and the myotube fusion index was raised(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).(3)Compared with 0 h group,the ratios of p-JNK/JNK and p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK were elevated after FA treatment for 1,3 and 6 h(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01),and showed a trend of gradual increase with the extension of treatment time.(4)After FA treatment,the ratios of p-JNK/JNK and p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK,and the expression of MyHC were elevated(P＜0.01).Treatment with SP600125 decreased the ratio of p-JNK/JNK and the expression of MyHC(P＜0.05),while SB203580 intervention cut down the ratio of p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK and the expression of MyHC(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).CONCLUSION:Folic acid can promote the differentiation of C2C12 myoblasts by activating the JNK/p38 MAPK signaling pathway.