ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Xijiao Dihuangtang （XJDHT） on mice with sepsis and cellular models of sepsis and explore its molecular mechanism in alleviating sepsis-induced inflammatory responses via regulating pyruvate kinase M2 （PKM2）-mediated one-carbon metabolism pathway. MethodsForty C57BL/6N mice were randomly divided into four groups： normal group， model group， low-dose XJDHT group （7.7 g·kg^-1）， and high-dose XJDHT group （15.4 g·kg^-1）. After one week of continuous gavage， sepsis was induced using cecal ligation and puncture （CLP） in groups except the normal group. 24 h after the surgery， mortality rates in all groups were recorded， and serum cytokines were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Lung histopathology was examined by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. During the in vitro experiment， the human monocytic leukemia cell line （THP-1） was exposed to various concentrations of XJDHT and treated with lipopolysaccharide （LPS） at a final concentration of 2 mg·L^-1 for 24 h. Cell apoptosis was detected using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling （TUNEL） assay. Protein levels of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， B-cell lymphoma 2 （Bcl-2）， and Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax） were measured by Western blot. Transcriptome sequencing was performed to analyze differentially expressed genes in all groups and conduct gene ontology （GO） enrichment. Key genes in the one-carbon metabolism pathway， including pyruvate kinase M2 （PKM2）， 5-methyltetrahydrofolate-homocysteine methyltransferase （MTR）， and phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase （PHGDH）， were verified by Western blot. A PKM2 inhibition model was established using shikonin for further protein expression analysis. ResultsAnimal experiments showed that compared with the normal group， the model group exhibited significantly elevated body temperature and lung pathology （P<0.01） and increased serum TNF-α and IL-1β levels （P<0.01）. High-dose XJDHT reduced body temperature and lung tissue damage （P<0.01） and significantly decreased serum TNF-α and IL-1β levels （P<0.01）. Low-dose XJDHT treatment showed no significant temperature change （P<0.01） but reduced serum TNF-α and IL-1β levels （P<0.01）. Transcriptome sequencing and Western blot revealed significant differences in the expression of TNF-α， IL-1β， and one-carbon metabolism genes （PKM2， MTR， and PHGDH） （P<0.01）. Cell experiments demonstrated that compared to the normal group， the model group showed elevated protein expressions of TNF-α and IL-1β in THP-1 cells （P<0.01）， decreased Bcl-2/Bax ratio， and increased apoptosis （P<0.01）. Transcriptome sequencing and Western blot revealed significant differences in the expression of TNF-α， IL-1β， and one-carbon metabolism genes （PKM2， MTR， and PHGDH） （P<0.01）. Compared to the model group， high-dose XJDHT significantly increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and PHGDH protein expression （P<0.01） and effectively reduced cell apoptosis （P<0.01） while down-regulating protein expressions of TNF-α， IL-1β， PKM2， and MTR （P<0.01）. Low-dose XJDHT moderately increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio and PHGDH protein expression （P<0.05）， reduced apoptosis （P<0.05）， and decreased IL-1β and MTR protein levels （P<0.05， P<0.01）， but there were no significant changes in TNF-α and PKM2 expression. After PKM2 inhibition by shikonin in THP-1 cells， the expression of protein related to one-carbon metabolism was detected. Compared with the blank group， the LPS-induced model group showed significantly upregulated PKM2 and MTR protein expression （P<0.01） and downregulated PHGDH expression （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， shikonin treatment significantly reduced PKM2 expression （P<0.05）， increased PHGDH expression （P<0.01）， and decreased MTR expression （P<0.05）. ConclusionXJDHT can inhibit the release of inflammatory factors in sepsis， and its mechanism is related to the intervention of the PKM2-regulated one-carbon metabolism pathway in macrophages.

ObjectiveTo unveil the mechanism of Jianpi Huogu prescription （JPHGP） in ameliorating the dyslipidemia of steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femur head （SONFH） by oxylipidomics combined with transcriptomics. MethodsSixty SD rats were assigned into normal， model， low-， medium-， and high-dose （2.5， 5， 10 g·kg^-1， respectively） JPHGP， and Jiangushengwan （1.53 g·kg^-1） groups. Lipopolysaccharide was injected into the tail vein at a dose of 20 μg·kg^-1 on days 1 and 2， and methylprednisolone sodium succinate was injected at a dose of 40 mg·kg^-1 into the buttock muscle on days 3 to 5. The normal group received an equal volume of normal saline. Drug administration by gavage began 4 weeks after the last injection， and samples were taken after administration for 8 weeks. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was conducted to reveal the histopathological changes of the femoral head， and the number of adipocytes， the rate of empty bone lacunae， and the trabecular area were calculated. Micro-computed tomography was used for revealing the histological and histomorphometrical changes of the femoral head. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to measure the serum levels of triglyceride （TG）， total cholesterol （TC）， low-density lipoprotein （LDL）， high-density lipoprotein （HDL）， apolipoprotein A1 （ApoA1）， and apolipoprotein B （ApoB）. At the same time， the femoral head was collected for oxylipidomic and transcriptomic detection. The differential metabolites and differential genes were enriched and analyzed， and the target genes regulating lipid metabolism were predicted. The predicted target proteins were further verified by molecular docking， immunohistochemistry， and Western blot. ResultsCompared with the normal group， the model group showcased thinning of the femoral head， trabecular fracture， karyopyknosis， subchondral cystic degeneration， increases in the number of adipocytes and the rate of empty bone lacunae （P<0.01）， a reduction in the trabecular area （P<0.01）， decreases in BMD， Tb.Th， Tb.N， and BV/TV， and increases in Tb.Sp and BS/BV （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the JPHGP groups showed no obvious thinning of the femoral head or subchondroidal cystic degeneration. The high- and medium-dose JPHGP groups presented declines in the number of adipocytes and the rate of empty bone lacunae， an increase in the trabecular area （P<0.05， P<0.01）， rises in BMD， Tb.Th， Tb.N， and BV/TV， and decreases in Tb.Sp and BS/BV （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the normal group， the model group showcased raised serum levels of TG， TC， LDL， and ApoB and lowered serum levels of HDL and ApoA1 （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the JPHGP groups had lowered serum levels of TG， TC， LDL， and ApoB （P<0.05， P<0.01） and a risen serum level of ApoA1 （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Moreover， the serum level of HDL in the high-dose JPHGP group increased （P<0.01）. A total of 19 different metabolites of disease set and drug set were screened out by oxylipidomics of the femoral head， and 119 core genes with restored expression were detected by transcriptomics. The enriched pathways were mainly concentrated in inflammation， lipids， apoptosis， and osteoclast differentiation. Molecular docking， immunohistochemistry， and Western blot results showed that compared with the normal group， the model group displayed increased content of 5-lipoxygenase （5-LO） and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ （PPARγ） in the femoral head （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， medium- and high-dose JPHGP reduced the content of 5-LO and PPARγ （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionJPHGP can restore the levels of oxidized lipid metabolites by regulating the 5-LO-PPARγ axis to treat SONFH in rats. Relevant studies provide experimental evidence for the efficacy mechanism of JPHGP in the treatment of SONFH.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of different fermentation methods and times on the fungal flora and chemical composition of Aurantii Fructus， in order to obtain the optimal fermentation conditions and flora structure， and to ensure the stability and controllability of the fermented varieties. MethodsScanning electron microscopy was used to observe and analyze the colony characteristics on the surface of Aurantii Fructus under different fermentation conditions. Internal transcribed spacer 2（ITS2） high-throughput sequencing， combined with fungal community diversity analysis and fungal community structure analysis， were used to obtain the fungal flora microbial categories of Aurantii Fructus under the conditions of traditional pressure-shelf fermentation and non-pressure-shelf natural fermentation for 7， 14， 21 d（numbered Y1-Y3 for the former， and numbered F1-F3 for the latter）， respectively. At the same time， the chemical components in the fermentation process were detected by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry（UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS）， combined with principal component analysis（PCA）， partial least squares-discriminant analysis（PLS-DA） and compound retention time， parent ions， characteristic fragment ions and other information， the differential compounds between the different fermentation samples were screened and identified. ResultsThe analysis of fungal community diversity showed that the dominant flora did not change at different fermentation time points in the traditional pressure-shelf fermentation method， while in the non-pressure-shelf natural fermentation method， there was a significant difference with the fermentation process， and at the genus level， the dominant genus of samples Y1， Y2， Y3 and F2 was Aspergillus， while the dominant genera of samples F1 and F3 were both Rhizopus. This indicated that the microbial growth environment provided by the traditional fermentation method was more stable， and the microbial community structure was more stable， which was more conducive to the stable and controllable fermentation process and fermented products. A total of 155 compounds were identified by compositional analysis， including 70 flavonoids， 38 coumarins， 10 alkaloids， 34 organic acids and 3 other compounds. After fermentation， two new components of ribalinine and pranferin were produced. Different fermentation conditions also brought about differences in chemical composition， multivariate statistical analysis obtained 26 differential compounds under two different fermentation methods， mainly including flavonoids， organic acids and coumarins. Comprehensively， the microbial community structure of samples fermented by the traditional pressure-shelf method of Aurantii Fructus for 14 d was stable， the species richness was high and the overall content of differential compounds was high， which was the optimal processing condition. ConclusionCompared with non-pressure-shelf natural fermentation， the traditional method has obvious advantages in terms of the stability of the microbial community structure and the content of chemical compounds， and the optimal condition is 14 days of fermentation. This study is helpful to promote the quality stability and fermentation bioavailability of fermented products of Aurantii Fructus， as well as to provide an experimental basis for the further improvement of the quality control methods of this variety.

ObjectiveTo unveil the mechanism of Jianpi Huogu prescription （JPHGP） in ameliorating the dyslipidemia of steroid-induced osteonecrosis of the femur head （SONFH） by oxylipidomics combined with transcriptomics. MethodsSixty SD rats were assigned into normal， model， low-， medium-， and high-dose （2.5， 5， 10 g·kg^-1， respectively） JPHGP， and Jiangushengwan （1.53 g·kg^-1） groups. Lipopolysaccharide was injected into the tail vein at a dose of 20 μg·kg^-1 on days 1 and 2， and methylprednisolone sodium succinate was injected at a dose of 40 mg·kg^-1 into the buttock muscle on days 3 to 5. The normal group received an equal volume of normal saline. Drug administration by gavage began 4 weeks after the last injection， and samples were taken after administration for 8 weeks. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was conducted to reveal the histopathological changes of the femoral head， and the number of adipocytes， the rate of empty bone lacunae， and the trabecular area were calculated. Micro-computed tomography was used for revealing the histological and histomorphometrical changes of the femoral head. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to measure the serum levels of triglyceride （TG）， total cholesterol （TC）， low-density lipoprotein （LDL）， high-density lipoprotein （HDL）， apolipoprotein A1 （ApoA1）， and apolipoprotein B （ApoB）. At the same time， the femoral head was collected for oxylipidomic and transcriptomic detection. The differential metabolites and differential genes were enriched and analyzed， and the target genes regulating lipid metabolism were predicted. The predicted target proteins were further verified by molecular docking， immunohistochemistry， and Western blot. ResultsCompared with the normal group， the model group showcased thinning of the femoral head， trabecular fracture， karyopyknosis， subchondral cystic degeneration， increases in the number of adipocytes and the rate of empty bone lacunae （P<0.01）， a reduction in the trabecular area （P<0.01）， decreases in BMD， Tb.Th， Tb.N， and BV/TV， and increases in Tb.Sp and BS/BV （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the JPHGP groups showed no obvious thinning of the femoral head or subchondroidal cystic degeneration. The high- and medium-dose JPHGP groups presented declines in the number of adipocytes and the rate of empty bone lacunae， an increase in the trabecular area （P<0.05， P<0.01）， rises in BMD， Tb.Th， Tb.N， and BV/TV， and decreases in Tb.Sp and BS/BV （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the normal group， the model group showcased raised serum levels of TG， TC， LDL， and ApoB and lowered serum levels of HDL and ApoA1 （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the JPHGP groups had lowered serum levels of TG， TC， LDL， and ApoB （P<0.05， P<0.01） and a risen serum level of ApoA1 （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Moreover， the serum level of HDL in the high-dose JPHGP group increased （P<0.01）. A total of 19 different metabolites of disease set and drug set were screened out by oxylipidomics of the femoral head， and 119 core genes with restored expression were detected by transcriptomics. The enriched pathways were mainly concentrated in inflammation， lipids， apoptosis， and osteoclast differentiation. Molecular docking， immunohistochemistry， and Western blot results showed that compared with the normal group， the model group displayed increased content of 5-lipoxygenase （5-LO） and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ （PPARγ） in the femoral head （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， medium- and high-dose JPHGP reduced the content of 5-LO and PPARγ （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionJPHGP can restore the levels of oxidized lipid metabolites by regulating the 5-LO-PPARγ axis to treat SONFH in rats. Relevant studies provide experimental evidence for the efficacy mechanism of JPHGP in the treatment of SONFH.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of different fermentation methods and times on the fungal flora and chemical composition of Aurantii Fructus， in order to obtain the optimal fermentation conditions and flora structure， and to ensure the stability and controllability of the fermented varieties. MethodsScanning electron microscopy was used to observe and analyze the colony characteristics on the surface of Aurantii Fructus under different fermentation conditions. Internal transcribed spacer 2（ITS2） high-throughput sequencing， combined with fungal community diversity analysis and fungal community structure analysis， were used to obtain the fungal flora microbial categories of Aurantii Fructus under the conditions of traditional pressure-shelf fermentation and non-pressure-shelf natural fermentation for 7， 14， 21 d（numbered Y1-Y3 for the former， and numbered F1-F3 for the latter）， respectively. At the same time， the chemical components in the fermentation process were detected by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry（UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS）， combined with principal component analysis（PCA）， partial least squares-discriminant analysis（PLS-DA） and compound retention time， parent ions， characteristic fragment ions and other information， the differential compounds between the different fermentation samples were screened and identified. ResultsThe analysis of fungal community diversity showed that the dominant flora did not change at different fermentation time points in the traditional pressure-shelf fermentation method， while in the non-pressure-shelf natural fermentation method， there was a significant difference with the fermentation process， and at the genus level， the dominant genus of samples Y1， Y2， Y3 and F2 was Aspergillus， while the dominant genera of samples F1 and F3 were both Rhizopus. This indicated that the microbial growth environment provided by the traditional fermentation method was more stable， and the microbial community structure was more stable， which was more conducive to the stable and controllable fermentation process and fermented products. A total of 155 compounds were identified by compositional analysis， including 70 flavonoids， 38 coumarins， 10 alkaloids， 34 organic acids and 3 other compounds. After fermentation， two new components of ribalinine and pranferin were produced. Different fermentation conditions also brought about differences in chemical composition， multivariate statistical analysis obtained 26 differential compounds under two different fermentation methods， mainly including flavonoids， organic acids and coumarins. Comprehensively， the microbial community structure of samples fermented by the traditional pressure-shelf method of Aurantii Fructus for 14 d was stable， the species richness was high and the overall content of differential compounds was high， which was the optimal processing condition. ConclusionCompared with non-pressure-shelf natural fermentation， the traditional method has obvious advantages in terms of the stability of the microbial community structure and the content of chemical compounds， and the optimal condition is 14 days of fermentation. This study is helpful to promote the quality stability and fermentation bioavailability of fermented products of Aurantii Fructus， as well as to provide an experimental basis for the further improvement of the quality control methods of this variety.

Lung transplantation is the optimal treatment for end-stage lung diseases and can significantly improve prognosis of the patients. However, postoperative complications such as infection, rejection, ischemia-reperfusion injury, and other challenges (like shortage of donor lungs) , limit the practical application of lung transplantation in clinical practice. Chinese research teams have been making continuous efforts and have achieved breakthroughs in basic research on lung transplantation by integrating emerging technologies and cutting-edge achievements from interdisciplinary fields, which has strongly propelled the development of this field. This article will comprehensively review the academic progress made by Chinese research teams in the field of lung transplantation in 2024, with a focus on the achievements of Chinese teams in basic research on lung transplantation. It aims to provide innovative ideas and strategies for key issues in the basic field of lung transplantation and to help China's lung transplantation cause reach a higher level.

Objective: To investigate the mechanism of in alleviating colonic mucosal inflammation in ten-eleven translocation (TET) protein 2 gene knockout (TET2-/-) mice with ulcerative colitis (UC) by regulating DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) and DNA hydroxymethylase. Methods: Male specific pathogen-free (SPF) grade C57BL/6J wild-type (WT) mice (n = 8) and TET2-/- mice (n = 20) were used to establish UC models by freely drinking 3% dextran sulfate sodium solution for 7 d. After UC model validation through histopathological examination in two mice from each type, the remaining mice were divided into four groups (n = 6 in each group): WT model (WT + UC), TET2-/- model (TET2-/- + UC), TET2-/- mild moxibustion (TET2-/- + MM), and TET2-/- electroacupuncture (TET2-/- + EA) groups. TET2-/- + MM group received mild moxibustion on Tianshu (ST25) and Qihai (CV6) for 10 min daily for 7 d. The TET2-/- + EA group also applied electroacupuncture (1 mA, 2/100 Hz) at the same acupoints for 10 min daily for 7 d. The disease activity index (DAI) scores of each group of mice were accessed daily. The colon lengths of mice in groups were measured following intervention. The pathological changes in the colon tissues were observed with hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. The concentrations of interleukin (IL)-6, C-C motif chemokine 17 (CCL17), and C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10 (CXCL10) in serum were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expression of DNMT proteins (DNMT1, DNMT3A, and DNMT3B) in the colon tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry. The expression of 5-methylcytosine (5-mC), 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC), histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2), and DNA hydroxymethylase family proteins (TET 1 and TET3) was detected using immunofluorescence, which also determined the co-localization of TET1 and IL-6 protein. Results: Compared with WT + UC group, TET2-/- + UC group exhibited significantly higher DAI scores and shorter colon lengths (P < 0.01). Both mild moxibustion and electroacupuncture significantly decreased DAI scores and ameliorated colon shortening in TET2-/- mice (P < 0.001). Histopathological scores of TET2-/- + UC mice were significantly higher than those of WT + UC group (P < 0.001) and were significantly reduced after both mild moxibustion and electroacupuncture interventions (P < 0.001). Serum levels of IL-6, CCL17, and CXCL10 were significantly elevated in TET2-/- + UC group compared with WT + UC group (P < 0.001). Mild moxibustion significantly reduced IL-6, CCL17, and CXCL10 levels (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, and P < 0.01, respectively), while electroacupuncture also significantly reduced IL-6, CCL17, and CXCL10 levels (P < 0.05, P < 0.01, and P < 0.01, respectively). TET2-/- + UC mice showed increased expression levels of DNMT1, DNMT3A , DNMT3B, and 5-mC (P < 0.05, P < 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively), with decreased expression levels of TET1, TET3, 5-hmC, and HDAC2 (P < 0.001). Mild moxibustion significantly reduced DNMT1, DNMT3B, and 5-mC levels (P < 0.05, P < 0.01, and P < 0.001, respectively), while increasing expression levels of TET1, TET3, 5-hmC, and HDAC2 (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, P < 0.05, and P < 0.001, respectively). Electroacupuncture significantly decreased 5-mC and DNMT3B levels (P < 0.001 and P < 0.01, respectively) and increased 5-hmC and HDAC2 levels (P < 0.05 and P < 0.001, respectively), but did not significantly affect TET1 and TET3 expression (P > 0.05). Compared with TET2-/- + MM group, TET2-/- + EA group showed significantly higher 5-mC expression (P < 0.001). TET2-/- + UC group exhibited markedly increased IL-6 expression and higher co-localization of TET1 and IL-6 in mucosal epithelium, whereas minimal IL-6 expression was observed in the other groups. Conclusion Mild moxibustion and electroacupuncture significantly ameliorate colonic inflammation exacerbated by TET2 deficiency in UC mice via epigenetic modulation. Distinct mechanisms exist between the two interventions: mild moxibustion regulates both DNMT and hydroxymethylase, whereas electroacupuncture primarily affects DNMT.

"Yang Wei Yin Xian" originates from "Jin Kui Yao Lue". It denotes the slight pulse at the cun pulse and the yin pulse in the yang position, which indicates a deficiency of yang qi in the upper focus. The ulnar vein is a cord, and the yin position corresponds to the yin vein, which is excessive yin pathogen in the lower jiao. Lung cancer complicated with sepsis is common in clinical practice; it is characterized by a high mortality rate and poor conventional treatment outcomes. This article discusses "Yang Wei Yin Xian" and its relationship with lung cancer complicated by sepsis, evaluates the selection of TCM prescriptions and efficacy mechanisms of "Yang Wei Yin Xian" theory, and provides a reference for the use of this theory to guide clinical treatment.

Objective To assess the risk of human Spirometra mansoni infections and investigate the knowledge, attitude and practice (KAP) towards sparganosis mansoni among residents in Henan Province, so as to provide insights into formulation of the sparganosis mansoni control measures. Methods Qinling Village in Fugou County of Zhoukou City, Bali Village in Yancheng District of Luohe City, Duzhai Village in Puyang County of Puyang City and Doushan Village in Luoshan County of Xinyang City were sampled as survey sites in Henan Province from July to August 2023, and more than 40 frogs were sampled from ponds or streams in each survey site for detection of Sparganum mansoni infections. At least 150 residents were sampled using a cluster sampling method from each survey site, and the sero-prevalence of anti-S. mansoni IgG antibody was estimated. In addition, a questionnaire survey was conducted on the KAP towards sparganosis mansoni among participants, and the proportion of eligible KAP, rate of correct KAP and KAP scores were calculated. Results A total 229 frogs were collected from 4 survey sites in 2023, and the overall prevalence of S. mansoni infection was 4.37% (10/229) in frogs, with 7.75% (10/129) prevalence in wild frogs and 0 in farm-bred frogs. A questionnaire survey was performed among 649 residents sampled from 4 survey sites, and 649 serum samples were collected. The seroprevalence of anti-S.mansoni IgG antibody was 0.15% (1/649) and the overall proportion of eligible KAP was 23.73% (154/649) among participants. There were age- (χ² = 30.905, P = 0.000), educational level- (χ² = 41.011, P = 0.000), and occupation-specific proportions of eligible KAP among participants (χ² = 10.721, P = 0.005), and the proportion of eligible KAP decreased with age (χ² _trend = 22.717, P = 0.000) and increased with education levels (χ² _trend = 40.025, P = 0.000). The rates of correct KAP towards sparganosis mansoni were 40.81% (2 119/5 192), 96.66% (1 882/1 947) and 63.81% (3 727/5 841) (χ² = 1 913.731, P = 0.000) among residents, respectively. The rates of correct KAP towards sparganosis mansoni varied significantly among survey sites (χ² = 136.872, 42.347 and 255.157; all P values= 0.000, with the highest rate of correct knowledge (51.94%, 748/1 440) and practices (75.86%, 1 229/1 620) in Yancheng District of Luohe City and the highest rate of correct attitudes in Puyang County of Puyang City (99.11%, 446/450) (all P values< 0.05). Conclusions There is still a high transmission risk of sparganosis mansoni in Henan Province, and the KAP towards sparganosis mansoni is required to be improved among residents.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) in differentiating tumor deposits (TDs) from metastatic lymph nodes (MLNs) in rectal cancer. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 70 patients with rectal cancer, including 168 lesions (70 TDs and 98 MLNs confirmed by histopathology), who underwent pretreatment MRI and subsequent surgery between March 2019 and December 2022. The morphological characteristics of TDs and MLNs, along with quantitative parameters derived from DCE-MRI (K trans , kep, and v e) and DWI (ADCmin, ADCmax, and ADCmean), were analyzed and compared between the two groups.Multivariable binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess the diagnostic performance of significant individual quantitative parameters and combined parameters in distinguishing TDs from MLNs. Results: All morphological features, including size, shape, border, and signal intensity, as well as all DCE-MRI parameters showed significant differences between TDs and MLNs (all P < 0.05). However, ADC values did not demonstrate significant differences (all P > 0.05). Among the single quantitative parameters, v e had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.772 for distinguishing TDs from MLNs. A multivariable logistic regression model incorporating short axis, border, v e, and ADC mean improved diagnostic performance, achieving an AUC of 0.833 (P = 0.027). Conclusion The combination of morphological features, DCE-MRI parameters, and ADC values can effectively aid in the preoperative differentiation of TDs from MLNs in rectal cancer.