BACKGROUND:Basement membrane genes are closely related to the occurrence and development of rheumatoid arthritis,but the role of basement membrane-related genes in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis under different traditional Chinese medicine patterns is not yet clear.OBJECTIVE:To explore the differences in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis with five different traditional Chinese medicine syndromes based on the analysis of basement membrane-related genes and transcriptomics,and to predict potential therapeutic drugs.METHODS:Rheumatoid arthritis-related traditional Chinese medicine syndrome microarray data and basement membrane-related genes were collected from the GEO database.The differentially expressed genes were screened using the R-limma package,and the expression trends were analyzed using the Mfuzz package.The protein-protein interaction network was constructed using the STRING database and key genes were selected using UPset.The differentially expressed genes were subjected to gene set enrichment analysis(GSEA)and enrichment analysis using the R-clusterProfiler package.Receiver operating characteristics curves were plotted to evaluate the diagnostic value of core basement membrane-related targets for each of the five syndromes.The immune infiltration of each syndrome was calculated using the CIBERSORT algorithm.Finally,potential traditional Chinese medicines and small molecule drugs targeting core basement membrane-related genes for the treatment of different traditional Chinese medicine syndromes of rheumatoid arthritis were predicted using SymMap and COREMINE databases.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)67,47,59,57,and 55 basement membrane-related differentially expressed genes were screened for the five traditional Chinese medicine syndromes of rheumatoid arthritis(obstruction syndrome,cold-dampness obstruction syndrome,liver-kidney deficiency syndrome,qi-blood deficiency syndrome,and blood stasis obstructing collaterals syndrome),with 5,7,5,3,and 5 key targets identified,respectively.(2)The most enriched biological processes in each syndrome were extracellular matrix adhesion,immune cell migration,collagen metabolism,and extracellular matrix receptor interaction,PI3K-Akt,focal adhesion,and Rap1 signaling pathways.(3)According to the predictions,Smilax glabra,Sargentodoxa cuneata,and Polygonatum sibiricum have the most potential as traditional Chinese medicines for the treatment of the five traditional Chinese medicine syndromes of rheumatoid arthritis by affecting basement membrane-related genes.(4)These results indicate that abnormal expression of basement membrane-related genes may affect the occurrence and development of rheumatoid arthritis through the regulation of cell adhesion,immune cell migration,and inflammatory reactions,among other pathways.These effects vary among different syndromes,with ITGA6 serving as a common diagnostic marker for the five traditional Chinese medicine syndromes of rheumatoid arthritis.Traditional Chinese medicines with heat-clearing and detoxifying properties may be potential effective drugs for the treatment of different syndromes of rheumatoid arthritis.

ObjectiveThis study aims to explore the mechanism of action of Huangqi Guizhi Wuwutang in treating rheumatoid arthritis （RA）-associated sarcopenia by regulating autophagy and improving skeletal muscle homeostasis based on network pharmacology，bioinformatics，machine learning，and animal experiments. MethodsActive ingredients and targets of Huangqi Guizhi Wuwutang were screened using the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform （TCMSP），PubChem，and SwissTargetPrediction databases. RA-related datasets were retrieved from the GEO database，and differential genes were screened. Sarcopenia-related targets were searched through GeneCards and the Comparative Toxicology Database （CTD），and autophagy-related gene sets were downloaded from the Human Autophagy Database （HADb）. Their intersection was analyzed to identify autophagy-related therapeutic targets，followed by enrichment analysis. A protein-protein interaction （PPI） network was constructed using the STRING database，and key targets were selected using multiple methods. Machine learning was applied to predict models based on the expression profiles of intersecting targets，and nomogram models were constructed based on key targets. Molecular docking of the top four active ingredients with key targets was performed using AutoDockVina. A collagen-induced arthritis （CIA） rat model was established using bovine type Ⅱ collagen，with SD rats divided into groups including a blank group，a model group，and low-，medium-，and high-dose groups of Huangqi Guizhi Wuwutang （2.44，4.88，and 9.76 g·kg^-1） and administered for five consecutive weeks. Joint scores and gastrocnemius muscle mass were recorded and analyzed after modeling. Hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining and Masson's staining were used to observe pathological changes in muscle tissue. Immunofluorescence staining was applied to observe the protein expression levels of myosin heavy chain （MYHC） and insulin-like growth factor-1 （IGF-1） in skeletal muscle. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression levels of autophagy-related proteins ATG5，Beclin1，LC3B，muscle-specific proteins （MuRF1），MaFbx，and MYHC. Real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR （Real-time PCR） was performed to measure the mRNA expression levels of ATG5，Beclin1，LC3B，MuRF1，MaFbx，and MYHC in muscle tissue. ResultsNetwork pharmacology revealed that Huangqi Guizhi Wuwutang shared 25 common targets with autophagy genes related to RA-associated sarcopenia. The PPI network and machine learning identified six key targets，which were primarily involved in autophagy and inflammatory pathways. Animal experiments showed that compared to the blank group，the model group had significantly higher joint scores （P<0.01） and lower gastrocnemius muscle index （P<0.01）. HE staining indicated a significant reduction in the cross-sectional area of gastrocnemius muscle fibers，with notable inflammatory cell infiltration and muscle atrophy in the model group. Masson's staining revealed obvious collagen fiber proliferation and deposition，with significant muscle fibrosis in the model group. The protein and mRNA expression levels of ATG5，Beclin1，LC3B，MuRF1，and MaFbx were significantly increased （P<0.01），while the protein expression of MYHC and IGF1 was significantly downregulated （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group，the high-dose group of Huangqi Guizhi Wuwutang showed significantly reduced protein and mRNA expression levels of ATG5，Beclin1，LC3B，MuRF1，and MaFbx （P<0.01） and increased protein expression levels of MYHC and IGF1 （P<0.01）. The cross-sectional area of muscle fibers increased，and the muscle cell morphology approached normal. Moreover，pathological abnormalities in the gastrocnemius muscle were significantly improved，with reduced collagen fiber proliferation （P<0.01）. ConclusionHuangqi Guizhi Wuwutang can mediate autophagy by regulating the expression of ATG5，Beclin1，LC3B，and IGF1，thereby reducing skeletal muscle catabolism and improving skeletal muscle homeostasis，which contributes to the treatment of RA-associated sarcopenia. The findings provide insight into the mechanisms underlying the effects of Huangqi Guizhi Wuwutang in the treatment of RA-related sarcopenia and offer a reference for its enhanced clinical application.

BACKGROUND:Basement membrane genes are closely related to the occurrence and development of rheumatoid arthritis,but the role of basement membrane-related genes in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis under different traditional Chinese medicine patterns is not yet clear.OBJECTIVE:To explore the differences in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis with five different traditional Chinese medicine syndromes based on the analysis of basement membrane-related genes and transcriptomics,and to predict potential therapeutic drugs.METHODS:Rheumatoid arthritis-related traditional Chinese medicine syndrome microarray data and basement membrane-related genes were collected from the GEO database.The differentially expressed genes were screened using the R-limma package,and the expression trends were analyzed using the Mfuzz package.The protein-protein interaction network was constructed using the STRING database and key genes were selected using UPset.The differentially expressed genes were subjected to gene set enrichment analysis(GSEA)and enrichment analysis using the R-clusterProfiler package.Receiver operating characteristics curves were plotted to evaluate the diagnostic value of core basement membrane-related targets for each of the five syndromes.The immune infiltration of each syndrome was calculated using the CIBERSORT algorithm.Finally,potential traditional Chinese medicines and small molecule drugs targeting core basement membrane-related genes for the treatment of different traditional Chinese medicine syndromes of rheumatoid arthritis were predicted using SymMap and COREMINE databases.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)67,47,59,57,and 55 basement membrane-related differentially expressed genes were screened for the five traditional Chinese medicine syndromes of rheumatoid arthritis(obstruction syndrome,cold-dampness obstruction syndrome,liver-kidney deficiency syndrome,qi-blood deficiency syndrome,and blood stasis obstructing collaterals syndrome),with 5,7,5,3,and 5 key targets identified,respectively.(2)The most enriched biological processes in each syndrome were extracellular matrix adhesion,immune cell migration,collagen metabolism,and extracellular matrix receptor interaction,PI3K-Akt,focal adhesion,and Rap1 signaling pathways.(3)According to the predictions,Smilax glabra,Sargentodoxa cuneata,and Polygonatum sibiricum have the most potential as traditional Chinese medicines for the treatment of the five traditional Chinese medicine syndromes of rheumatoid arthritis by affecting basement membrane-related genes.(4)These results indicate that abnormal expression of basement membrane-related genes may affect the occurrence and development of rheumatoid arthritis through the regulation of cell adhesion,immune cell migration,and inflammatory reactions,among other pathways.These effects vary among different syndromes,with ITGA6 serving as a common diagnostic marker for the five traditional Chinese medicine syndromes of rheumatoid arthritis.Traditional Chinese medicines with heat-clearing and detoxifying properties may be potential effective drugs for the treatment of different syndromes of rheumatoid arthritis.

More than 300 million people worldwide suffer from asthma, and the incidence is increasing year by year. As one of the most common chronic diseases, asthma is an immune-mediated inflammatory disease with complex triggering mechanisms and strong heterogeneity. With the in-depth study of physiological and pathological mechanisms, therapeutic small molecule and hormone drugs have been introduced to control and treat most patients, but about 5% - 10% of patients still suffer from various subtypes of difficult to control and treat asthma, that is, severe asthma. In the past decade, with the rapid development of bio-pharmaceutical research, protein and antibody have become the key drugs for the treatment of severe asthma with high efficacy, high specificity and high safety. However, biological drugs are usually administered by injection, they cannot be noninvasive and directly delivered into the lung to quickly absorb and take effect. Therefore, there is an urgent need for the introduction of inhaled biologics with quick effectiveness, convenience, economy and safety in clinical. The review summarizes the existing small molecule, hormone and biological therapy drugs, and summarizes the development of inhalable biological agents of asthma, and analyzes the future prospects of the inhalable biological drugs, which is designed to deepen the perception of the direction of the inhalable biological drugs research, and update the information of the field, in order to provide reference for the development of more inhalable biologics.

More than 300 million people world-wide suffer from asthma,and the incidence is in-creasing year by year.As one of the most common chronic diseases,asthma is an immune-mediated inflammatory disease with complex triggering mechanisms and strong heterogeneity.With the in-depth study of physiological and pathological mech-anisms,therapeutic small molecule and hormone drugs have been introduced to control and treat most patients,but about 5％-10％of patients still suffer from various subtypes of difficult to control and treat asthma,that is,severe asthma.In the past decade,with the rapid development of bio-pharmaceutical research,protein and antibody have become the key drugs for the treatment of se-vere asthma with high efficacy,high specificity and high safety.However,biological drugs are usually administered by injection,they cannot be noninva-sive and directly delivered into the lung to quickly absorb and take effect.Therefore,there is an ur-gent need for the introduction of inhaled biologics with quick effectiveness,convenience,economy and safety in clinical.The review summarizes the existing small molecule,hormone and biological therapy drugs,and summarizes the development of inhalable biological agents of asthma,and ana-lyzes the future prospects of the inhalable biologi-cal drugs,which is designed to deepen the percep-tion of the direction of the inhalable biological drugs research,and update the information of the field,in order to provide reference for the develop-ment of more inhalable biologics.

More than 300 million people world-wide suffer from asthma,and the incidence is in-creasing year by year.As one of the most common chronic diseases,asthma is an immune-mediated inflammatory disease with complex triggering mechanisms and strong heterogeneity.With the in-depth study of physiological and pathological mech-anisms,therapeutic small molecule and hormone drugs have been introduced to control and treat most patients,but about 5％-10％of patients still suffer from various subtypes of difficult to control and treat asthma,that is,severe asthma.In the past decade,with the rapid development of bio-pharmaceutical research,protein and antibody have become the key drugs for the treatment of se-vere asthma with high efficacy,high specificity and high safety.However,biological drugs are usually administered by injection,they cannot be noninva-sive and directly delivered into the lung to quickly absorb and take effect.Therefore,there is an ur-gent need for the introduction of inhaled biologics with quick effectiveness,convenience,economy and safety in clinical.The review summarizes the existing small molecule,hormone and biological therapy drugs,and summarizes the development of inhalable biological agents of asthma,and ana-lyzes the future prospects of the inhalable biologi-cal drugs,which is designed to deepen the percep-tion of the direction of the inhalable biological drugs research,and update the information of the field,in order to provide reference for the develop-ment of more inhalable biologics.

More than 300 million people world-wide suffer from asthma,and the incidence is in-creasing year by year.As one of the most common chronic diseases,asthma is an immune-mediated inflammatory disease with complex triggering mechanisms and strong heterogeneity.With the in-depth study of physiological and pathological mech-anisms,therapeutic small molecule and hormone drugs have been introduced to control and treat most patients,but about 5％-10％of patients still suffer from various subtypes of difficult to control and treat asthma,that is,severe asthma.In the past decade,with the rapid development of bio-pharmaceutical research,protein and antibody have become the key drugs for the treatment of se-vere asthma with high efficacy,high specificity and high safety.However,biological drugs are usually administered by injection,they cannot be noninva-sive and directly delivered into the lung to quickly absorb and take effect.Therefore,there is an ur-gent need for the introduction of inhaled biologics with quick effectiveness,convenience,economy and safety in clinical.The review summarizes the existing small molecule,hormone and biological therapy drugs,and summarizes the development of inhalable biological agents of asthma,and ana-lyzes the future prospects of the inhalable biologi-cal drugs,which is designed to deepen the percep-tion of the direction of the inhalable biological drugs research,and update the information of the field,in order to provide reference for the develop-ment of more inhalable biologics.

More than 300 million people world-wide suffer from asthma,and the incidence is in-creasing year by year.As one of the most common chronic diseases,asthma is an immune-mediated inflammatory disease with complex triggering mechanisms and strong heterogeneity.With the in-depth study of physiological and pathological mech-anisms,therapeutic small molecule and hormone drugs have been introduced to control and treat most patients,but about 5％-10％of patients still suffer from various subtypes of difficult to control and treat asthma,that is,severe asthma.In the past decade,with the rapid development of bio-pharmaceutical research,protein and antibody have become the key drugs for the treatment of se-vere asthma with high efficacy,high specificity and high safety.However,biological drugs are usually administered by injection,they cannot be noninva-sive and directly delivered into the lung to quickly absorb and take effect.Therefore,there is an ur-gent need for the introduction of inhaled biologics with quick effectiveness,convenience,economy and safety in clinical.The review summarizes the existing small molecule,hormone and biological therapy drugs,and summarizes the development of inhalable biological agents of asthma,and ana-lyzes the future prospects of the inhalable biologi-cal drugs,which is designed to deepen the percep-tion of the direction of the inhalable biological drugs research,and update the information of the field,in order to provide reference for the develop-ment of more inhalable biologics.

More than 300 million people world-wide suffer from asthma,and the incidence is in-creasing year by year.As one of the most common chronic diseases,asthma is an immune-mediated inflammatory disease with complex triggering mechanisms and strong heterogeneity.With the in-depth study of physiological and pathological mech-anisms,therapeutic small molecule and hormone drugs have been introduced to control and treat most patients,but about 5％-10％of patients still suffer from various subtypes of difficult to control and treat asthma,that is,severe asthma.In the past decade,with the rapid development of bio-pharmaceutical research,protein and antibody have become the key drugs for the treatment of se-vere asthma with high efficacy,high specificity and high safety.However,biological drugs are usually administered by injection,they cannot be noninva-sive and directly delivered into the lung to quickly absorb and take effect.Therefore,there is an ur-gent need for the introduction of inhaled biologics with quick effectiveness,convenience,economy and safety in clinical.The review summarizes the existing small molecule,hormone and biological therapy drugs,and summarizes the development of inhalable biological agents of asthma,and ana-lyzes the future prospects of the inhalable biologi-cal drugs,which is designed to deepen the percep-tion of the direction of the inhalable biological drugs research,and update the information of the field,in order to provide reference for the develop-ment of more inhalable biologics.

More than 300 million people world-wide suffer from asthma,and the incidence is in-creasing year by year.As one of the most common chronic diseases,asthma is an immune-mediated inflammatory disease with complex triggering mechanisms and strong heterogeneity.With the in-depth study of physiological and pathological mech-anisms,therapeutic small molecule and hormone drugs have been introduced to control and treat most patients,but about 5％-10％of patients still suffer from various subtypes of difficult to control and treat asthma,that is,severe asthma.In the past decade,with the rapid development of bio-pharmaceutical research,protein and antibody have become the key drugs for the treatment of se-vere asthma with high efficacy,high specificity and high safety.However,biological drugs are usually administered by injection,they cannot be noninva-sive and directly delivered into the lung to quickly absorb and take effect.Therefore,there is an ur-gent need for the introduction of inhaled biologics with quick effectiveness,convenience,economy and safety in clinical.The review summarizes the existing small molecule,hormone and biological therapy drugs,and summarizes the development of inhalable biological agents of asthma,and ana-lyzes the future prospects of the inhalable biologi-cal drugs,which is designed to deepen the percep-tion of the direction of the inhalable biological drugs research,and update the information of the field,in order to provide reference for the develop-ment of more inhalable biologics.