ObjectiveTo investigate the protective effect of Xielitang on dextran sulfate sodium （DSS）-induced ulcerative colitis （UC） mice and its possible mechanism. MethodsDSS was used to establish UC model. Sixty mice were randomly divided into a normal group， a model group， a sulfasalazine group （0.6 g·kg^-1）， and low-， medium-， and high-dose Xielitang groups （1.67， 3.34， 6.68 g·kg^-1）. After treatment for 42 d， the colon length was recorded， and the disease activity index （DAI） score was calculated. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） was used to detect the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， and interleukin-10 （IL-10）. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe the pathomorphological changes of colon. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of farnesoid X receptor （FXR）， small heterodimer partner （SHP）， liver receptor homolog-1 （LRH-1）， cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase （CYP7A1）， and fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 （FGFR4） in liver and FXR， sodium-dependent bile acid transporter （ASBT）， and fibroblast growth factor 15 （FGF15） in ileum. 16S rRNA sequencing was used to analyze the intestinal flora. Moreover， ultra-high performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry was used to detect the bile acid content. ResultsCompared with the normal group， the model group showed significantly decreased colon length， IL-10 content， α-diversity index， abundance of Firmicutes and Lactobacillus， and content of deoxycholic acid （DCA） and lithocholic acid （LCA） （P<0.01）， significantly increased DAI score， IL-6 and TNF-α content， abundance of Bacteroidetes， and the content of cholic acid （CA）， chenodeoxycholic acid （CDCA）， and taurocholic acid （TCA） （P<0.05， P<0.01）， significantly down-regulated protein expression of FXR， SHP， and FGFR4 in liver and FXR， ASBT， and FGF15 in ileum （P<0.01）， and significantly up-regulated protein expression of LRH-1 and CYP7A1 in liver （P<0.01）. In addition， the structure of colonic mucosa was destroyed， and inflammatory cells infiltrated in the model group. Compared with the model group， Xielitang could significantly increase the colon length， IL-10 content， α-diversity index， the abundance of Firmicutes and Lactobacillus， and DCA and LCA content （P<0.05， P<0.01）， decrease DAI score， abundance of Bacteroidetes， and the content of IL-6， TNF-α， CA， CDCA， and TCA （P<0.01）， up-regulate the protein expression of FXR， SHP， and FGFR4 in liver and FXR， ASBT， and FGF15 in ileum （P<0.01）， and down-regulate the protein expression of LRH-1 and CYP7A1 in liver （P<0.01）. The pathological damage of colonic mucosa was obviously alleviated. ConclusionXielitang protects against UC probably by regulating the "intestinal microbiota-bile acid" axis， regulating intestinal flora imbalance， and maintaining bile acid homeostasis.

ObjectiveBola-like short peptides exhibit novel self-assembly properties due to the formation of peptide dimers via hydrogen bonding interactions between their C-terminals. In this configuration, hydrophilic amino acids are distributed at both terminals, making these peptides behave similarly to Bola peptides. The electrostatic repulsive interactions arising from the hydrophilic amino acids at each terminal can be neutralized, thereby greatly promoting the lateral association of β-sheets. Consequently, assemblies with significantly larger widths are typically the dominant nanostructures for Bola-like peptides. To investigate the effect of hydrophilic amino acids on the self-assembly behavior of Bola-like peptides, the peptides Ac-RI₃-CONH₂ and Ac-HI₃-CONH₂ were designed and synthesized using the Bola-like peptide Ac-KI₃-CONH₂ as a template. Their self-assembly behavior was systematically examined. MethodsAtomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were employed to characterize the morphology and size of the assemblies. The secondary structures of the assemblies were analyzed using circular dichroism (CD) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) was used to obtain detailed structural information at a short-length scale. Based on these experimental results, the effects of hydrophilic amino acids on the self-assembly behavior of Bola-like short peptides were systematically analyzed, and the underlying formation mechanism was explored. ResultsThe aggregation process primarily involved three steps. First, peptide dimers were formed through hydrogen bonding interactions between their C-terminals. Within these dimers, the hydrophilic amino acids K, R, and H were positioned at both terminals, enabling the peptides to self-assemble in a manner similar to Bola peptides. Next, β-sheets were formed via hydrogen bonding interactions along the peptide backbone. Finally, self-assemblies were generated through the lateral association of β-sheets. The results demonstrated that both Ac-KI₃-CONH₂ and Ac-RI₃-CONH₂ could self-assemble into double-layer nanotubes with diameters of approximately 200 nm. These nanotubes were formed by the edge fusion of helical ribbons, which initially emerged from twisted ribbons. Notably, the primary assemblies of these peptides exhibited opposite chirality: nanofibers formed by Ac-KI₃-CONH₂ displayed left-handed chirality, whereas those formed by Ac-RI₃-CONH₂ exhibited right-handed chirality. This reversal in torsional direction was primarily attributed to the different abilities of K and R to form hydrogen bonds with water. In contrast, Ac-HI₃-CONH₂ formed narrower twisted ribbons with a significantly reduced width of approximately 30 nm, which was attributed to the strong steric hindrance caused by the imidazole rings. The multilayer height of these ribbons was mainly due to the unique structure of the imidazole rings, which can function as both hydrogen bond donors and acceptors, thereby promoting aggregate growth in the vertical direction. ConclusionThe final morphology of the self-assemblies resulted from a delicate balance of various non-covalent interactions. By altering the types of hydrophilic amino acid residues in Bola-like short peptides, the relative strength of non-covalent interactions that drive assembly formation can be effectively regulated, allowing precise control over the morphology and chirality of the assemblies. This study provides a simple and effective approach for constructing diverse self-assemblies and lays a theoretical foundation for the development of functional biomaterials.

ObjectiveTo study the regulatory effect of the partial sequence within the 3’ untranslated region （3’UTR） of slit guidance ligand 1 （Slit1） （Slit1-3’UTR） on the fibrotic phenotypes of cardiac fibroblasts （CFs） and its potential mechanism. MethodsThe adenovirus vector was used to overexpress the 1526nt sequence of Slit1-3’UTR in ICR neonatal mouse CFs （mCFs）. The expression of fibrosis-related genes in mCFs， such as collagen type 1 alpha1（COL1A1）， collagen type 3 alpha3 （COL3A1） and alpha smooth muscle actin （α-SMA） were detected by Western blot assay. The effect of Slit1-3’UTR 1526nt on the proliferation and migration of mCFs was assessed by EdU staining and Trans-well assays. Angiotensin Ⅱ （Ang Ⅱ） was used to treat mCFs， and the impact of Slit1-3’UTR 1526nt on the fibrotic phenotypes of Ang Ⅱ-induced mCFs was evaluated. After overexpression of Slit1-3’UTR 1526nt， miR-34a-5p mimic was transfected into mCFs， followed by actinomycin D treatment to detect the mRNA stability of Slit1-3’UTR 1526nt， and the levels of miR-34a-5p and its target gene SIRT1（si-SIRT1） in mCFs were determined. The effects of miR-34a-5p and small interfering RNA targeting SIRT1 on the Slit1-3’UTR 1526nt-mediated regulation of fibrotic phenotypes were also determined. ResultsAdenovirus-mediated overexpression of Slit 1-3’UTR 1526nt was achieved in mCFs. Overexpression of Slit 1-3’UTR 1526nt markedly inhibited the expression of the fibrosis-related genes， proliferation and migration of mCFs and fibrotic phenotypes of Ang Ⅱ. The results of actinomycin D assay showed that miR-34a-5p inhibited the stability of Slit1-3’UTR 1526nt in mCFs， while the level of miR-34a-5p was reduced in mCFs with overexpression of Slit1-3’UTR 1526nt. Transfection of miR-34a-5p promoted the fibrotic phenotypes， and reversed the inhibitory effect of Slit1-3’UTR 1526nt on the fibrotic phenotypes of mCFs. Overexpression of Slit1-3’UTR 1526nt significantly increased the level of miR-34a-5p target gene SIRT1 in mCFs. Transfection of miR-34a-5p and si-SIRT1 consistently reversed the inhibitory effects of Slit1-3’UTR 1526nt on the fibrotic phenotypes of mCFs. ConclusionSlit1-3’UTR1526nt inhibits the fibrotic phenotypes of mCFs by binding to miR-34a-5p and increasing the expression of its target gene of SIRT1.

ObjectiveTo investigate the regulatory effect and potential mechanisms of isocitrate dehydrogenase 3A （IDH3A） on cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. MethodsThe expression of IDH3A in the myocardium of healthy volunteers （n=10） and patients with heart failure （HF） （n=10）， and in the myocardium of mice subjected to transverse aortic constriction （TAC） surgery and sham operation， as well as in phenylephrine （PE）-induced neonatal rat ventricular cardiomyocytes （NRVCs）， was assessed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （RT-qPCR） and Western blot assay. The effect of adenovirus-mediated overexpression of IDH3A on the expression of hypertrophy-related genes in PE-induced NRVCs was also evaluated. The effect of IDH3A on NRVCs area was examined by phalloidin staining assay. A mutant of IDH3A with abolished enzymatic activity， IDH3A_D208A， was generated through site-directed mutagenesis. The impact of this IDH3A mutant on the hypertrophic phenotype， ATP and ROS levels in NRVCs was evaluated to investigate whether the regulatory role of IDH3A in cardiomyocyte hypertrophy was dependent on its enzymatic activity. The effect of exogenous α-ketoglutaric acid （AKG） on cardiomyocyte hypertrophy was also detected by Western blot and phalloidin staining assay， respectively. ResultsIDH3A was significantly decreased in the myocardium of HF patients， in the myocardium of TAC-operated mice， and in PE-induced NRVCs （P = 0.005 2，P = 0.026 6，P = 0.041 3 and P = 0.006 6， respectively）. Overexpression of IDH3A markedly suppressed the expression of hypertrophy-related genes and the increase of cell size of PE-induced NRVCs （P < 0.000 1， P = 0.000 1 and P = 0.000 2， respectively）. The ATP and ROS analysis indicated that IDH3A inhibited the increases of ATP and ROS levels in PE-induced NRVCs （P = 0.001 2 and P<0.000 1， respectively）， whereas the enzymatically inactive IDH3A mutant lacked this effect. Exogenous AKG provision could， but overexpression of IDH3A mutant failed to suppress PE-induced NRVCs hypertrophy. ConclusionIDH3A inhibits cardiomyocyte hypertrophy via elevating AKG level， providing scientific evidence for study on IDH3A-based treatment of cardiac hypertrophy.

ObjectiveTo investigate the influenza virus infection status of influenza-like illness (ILI) at a sentinel hospital in Baoshan District of Shanghai, to explore the seasonal patterns of influenza, so as to provide a scientific basis for influenza prevention and control in Baoshan District of Shanghai. MethodsSurveillance data and pathogenic testing results of ILI from the monitoring year of 2015 to 2023 were collected from the sentinel hospital to describe the seasonal epidemic characteristics of influenza in this district. ResultsThe proportion of ILI visits to sentinel hospital in Baoshan District of Shanghai showed an upward trend from 2015 to 2023 (Z=2.598, P=0.09). The positive rate of influenza virus in ILI was 20.43% (1 761/8 621), of which 14.17% were positive for influenza A virus, including 8.43% for influenza A/H3N2 and 5.74% for influenza A/H1N1. The positive rate of influenza B virus was 6.25%, of which the positive detection rate of influenza B/Victoria virus was 5.35%, while that of influenza B/Yamagata virus was 0.90%. Influenza B/Yamagata virus was not detected in 2019‒2023. The highest positivity rate was observed in the 5‒<15 years age group (25.57%). The positive rate of ILI was lower in males (19.90%) than that in females (20.90%). There were three patterns of influenza epidemic in the district: with year-round circulation in 2016‒2017 and 2021‒2022; with bimodal peaks in 2015‒2016, 2017‒2018 and 2022‒2023; and with one peak in 2018‒2019 and 2019‒2020. The positive rate of influenza virus exhibited seasonal variations, with influenza A virus predominated in summer and autumn. However, influenza B virus showed an increase in spring and winter. ConclusionThe influenza epidemic in Baoshan District, Shanghai exhibits diverse patterns with heterogeneous epidemiological characteristics across different age groups and seasons. Notably, children and adolescents aged 5‒<15 years constitute the key target population for influenza prevention and control. Enhanced surveillance and targeted control measures against influenza A/H3N2 lineage viruses are particularly warranted during summer and autumn seasons.

This study aims to reveal the effect and mechanism of Gentianella turkestanorum total extract(GTI) in ameliorating non-alcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH). UPLC-Q-TOF-MS was employed to identify the chemical components in GTI. SwissTarget-Prediction, GeneCards, OMIM, and TTD were utilized to screen the targets of GTI components and NASH. The common targets shared by GTI components and NASH were filtered through the STRING database and Cytoscape 3.9.0 to identify core targets, followed by GO and KEGG enrichment analysis. AutoDock was used for molecular docking of key components with core targets. A mouse model of NASH was established with a methionine-choline-deficient high-fat diet. A 4-week drug intervention was conducted, during which mouse weight was monitored, and the liver-to-brain ratio was measured at the end. Hematoxylin-eosin staining, Sirius red staining, and oil red O staining were employed to observe the pathological changes in the liver tissue. The levels of various biomarkers, including aspartate aminotransferase(AST), alanine aminotransferase(ALT), hydroxyproline(HYP), total cholesterol(TC), triglycerides(TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C), malondialdehyde(MDA), superoxide dismutase(SOD), and glutathione(GSH), in the serum and liver tissue were determined. RT-qPCR was conducted to measure the mRNA levels of interleukin 1β(IL-1β), interleukin 6(IL-6), tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α), collagen type I α1 chain(COL1A1), and α-smooth muscle actin(α-SMA). Western blotting was conducted to determine the protein levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, and potential drug targets identified through network pharmacology. UPLC-Q-TOF/MS identified 581 chemical components of GTI, and 534 targets of GTI and 1 157 targets of NASH were screened out. The topological analysis of the common targets shared by GTI and NASH identified core targets such as IL-1β, IL-6, protein kinase B(AKT), TNF, and peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma(PPARG). GO and KEGG analyses indicated that the ameliorating effect of GTI on NASH was related to inflammatory responses and the phosphoinositide 3-kinase(PI3K)/AKT pathway. The staining results demonstrated that GTI ameliorated hepatocyte vacuolation, swelling, ballooning, and lipid accumulation in NASH mice. Compared with the model group, high doses of GTI reduced the AST, ALT, HYP, TC, and TG levels(P<0.01) while increasing the HDL-C, SOD, and GSH levels(P<0.01). RT-qPCR results showed that GTI down-regulated the mRNA levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, COL1A1, and α-SMA(P<0.01). Western blot results indicated that GTI down-regulated the protein levels of IL-1β, IL-6, TNF-α, phosphorylated PI3K(p-PI3K), phosphorylated AKT(p-AKT), phosphorylated inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa B alpha(p-IκBα), and nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κB)(P<0.01). In summary, GTI ameliorates inflammation, dyslipidemia, and oxidative stress associated with NASH by regulating the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway.
Animals ; Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/genetics* ; Mice ; Network Pharmacology ; Male ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Liver/metabolism* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Humans ; Mass Spectrometry ; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Molecular Docking Simulation

The interactions between microorganisms and medicinal plants are crucial to the quality improvement of medicinal plants. Medicinal plants attract microorganisms to colonize by secreting specific compounds and provide niche and nutrient support for these microorganisms, with a symbiotic network formed. These microorganisms grow in the rhizosphere, phyllosphere, and endophytic tissues of plants and significantly improve the growth performance and medicinal component accumulation of medicinal plants by promoting nutrient uptake, enhancing disease resistance, and regulating the synthesis of secondary metabolites. Microorganisms are also widely used in the ecological planting of medicinal plants, and the growth conditions of medicinal plants are optimized by simulating the microbial effects in the natural environment. The interactions between microorganisms and medicinal plants not only significantly improve the yield and quality of medicinal plants but also enhance their geoherbalism, which is in line with the concept of green agriculture and eco-friendly development. This study reviewed the research results on the interactions between medicinal plants and microorganisms in recent years and focused on the analysis of the great potential of microorganisms in optimizing the growth environment of medicinal plants, regulating the accumulation of secondary metabolites, inducing systemic resistance, and promoting the ecological planting of medicinal plants. It provides a scientific basis for the research on the interactions between medicinal plants and microorganisms, the research and development of microbial agents, and the application of microorganisms in the ecological planting of medicinal plants and is of great significance for the quality improvement of medicinal plants and the green and sustainable development of TCM resources.
Plants, Medicinal/metabolism* ; Bacteria/genetics* ; Symbiosis

The medicinal materials of Bawei Chenxiang Pills(BCPs) were extracted via three methods: reflux extraction by water, reflux extraction by 70% ethanol, and extraction by pure water following reflux extraction by 70% ethanol, yielding three extracts of ST, CT, and CST. The efficacy of ST(760 mg·kg~(-1)), CT(620 mg·kg~(-1)), and CST(1 040 mg·kg~(-1)) were evaluated by acute myocardial ischemia(AMI) and p-chlorophenylalanine(PCPA)-induced insomnia in mice, respectively. Western blot was further utilized to investigate their hypnosis mechanisms. The main chemical components of different extracts were identified by the UPLC-Q-Exactive-MS technique. The results showed that CT and CST significantly increased the ejection fraction(EF) and fractional shortening(FS) of myocardial infarction mice, reduced left ventricular internal dimension at end-diastole(LVIDd) and left ventricular internal dimension at end-systole(LVIDs). In contrast, ST did not exhibit significant effects on these parameters. In the insomnia model, CT significantly reduced sleep latency and prolonged sleep duration, whereas ST only prolonged sleep duration without shortening sleep latency. CST showed no significant effects on either sleep latency or sleep duration. Additionally, both CT and ST upregulated glutamic acid decarboxylase 67(GAD67) protein expression in brain tissue. A total of 15 main chemical components were identified from CT, including 2-(2-phenylethyl) chromone and 6-methoxy-2-(2-phenylethyl) chromone. Six chemical components including chebulidic acid were identified from ST. The results suggested that chromones and terpenes were potential anti-myocardial ischemia drugs of BCPs, and tannin and phenolic acids were potential hypnosis drugs. This study enriches the pharmacological and chemical research of BCPs, providing a basis and reference for their secondary development, quality standard improvement, and clinical application.
Animals ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/isolation & purification* ; Mice ; Male ; Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/physiopathology* ; Humans ; Myocardial Infarction/drug therapy* ; Myocardial Ischemia/drug therapy*

OBJECTIVES: To study the clinical and genetic characteristics of osteopetrosis (OPT) in children. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of 14 children with OPT. Whole-exome sequencing was used to detect pathogenic genes, and clinical phenotypes and genotypic features were summarized. RESULTS: Among the 14 children (10 males and 4 females), the median age at diagnosis was 8 months. Clinical manifestations included systemic osteosclerosis (14 cases, 100%), anemia (12 cases, 86%), infections (10 cases, 71%), thrombocytopenia (9 cases, 64%), hepatosplenomegaly (8 cases, 57%), and developmental delay (5 cases, 36%). Malignant osteopetrosis (MOP) cases had lower platelet counts, creatine kinase isoenzyme, and serum calcium levels, but higher white blood cell counts, lactate dehydrogenase, and alkaline phosphatase levels compared to non-MOP cases (P<0.05). Genetic testing identified 15 variants in 12 patients, including 8 variants in the CLCN7 gene (53%), 6 in the TCIRG1 gene (40%), and 1 in the TNFRSF11A gene (7%). Three novel CLCN7 variants were identified: c.2351G>C, c.1215-43C>T, and c.1534G>A. All four patients with TCIRG1 variants exhibited MOP clinical phenotypes. Of the seven patients with CLCN7 variants, 4 presented with intermediate OPT, 2 with benign OPT, and 1 with MOP. CONCLUSIONS Clinical phenotypes of OPT in children are heterogeneous, predominantly involving CLCN7 and TCIRG1 gene variants, with a correlation between clinical phenotypes and genotypes.
Humans ; Osteopetrosis/genetics* ; Male ; Female ; Infant ; Child, Preschool ; Retrospective Studies ; Vacuolar Proton-Translocating ATPases/genetics* ; Child ; Chloride Channels/genetics* ; Mutation ; Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-kappa B

OBJECTIVES: To assess the preliminary efficacy and safety of a dose-intensified C5VD regimen (cisplatin, 5-fluorouracil, vincristine, and doxorubicin) in children with locally advanced hepatoblastoma. METHODS: This prospective study enrolled 24 children with newly diagnosed, locally advanced hepatoblastoma who received the dose-intensified C5VD regimen at Shanghai Children's Medical Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, and Shanghai Children's Hospital between January 2020 and December 2023. Clinical characteristics, treatment outcomes, and chemotherapy-related toxicities were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 24 patients, 13 were male and 11 were female, with a median age at diagnosis of 18.7 months (range: 3.5-79.4 months). All patients achieved complete macroscopic resection of hepatic lesions without liver transplantation. Serum alpha-fetoprotein levels decreased significantly after two chemotherapy cycles. During a median follow-up of 38.4 months (range: 15.8-50.7 months), all patients maintained continuous complete remission, with 3-year event-free survival and overall survival rates of 100%. Across 144 chemotherapy cycles, the incidence rates of grade 3-4 neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, and infections were 97%, 77%, and 71%, respectively; no treatment-related deaths occurred. Notably, 5 patients (21%) developed Brock grade ≥3 hearing loss, of whom 1 required a hearing aid. CONCLUSIONS The dose-intensified C5VD regimen demonstrates significant efficacy with an overall favorable safety profile in the treatment of newly diagnosed, locally advanced pediatric hepatoblastoma. Grade 3-4 myelosuppression and infection are the predominant toxicities. However, high‑dose cisplatin-induced ototoxicity remains a concern, highlighting the need for improved otoprotective strategies.
Humans ; Hepatoblastoma/pathology* ; Male ; Female ; Infant ; Liver Neoplasms/pathology* ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use* ; Child, Preschool ; Prospective Studies ; Doxorubicin/adverse effects* ; Child ; Cisplatin/adverse effects* ; Vincristine/adverse effects* ; Fluorouracil/adverse effects*