1.Mechanism of Shenfu Xiongze Prescription in Regulating Autophagy Level to Intervene in Myocardial Remodeling in Rats via AMPK/mTOR Signaling Pathway
Xueqing WANG ; Wei ZHONG ; Liangliang PAN ; Caihong LI ; Man HAN ; Xiaowei YANG ; Yuanwang YU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(2):136-144
ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism by which the Shenfu Xiongze prescription regulates autophagy in rats with myocardial remodeling through the adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. MethodsA rat model of myocardial remodeling induced by isoprenaline (ISO) was established. Rats were divided into the blank group,the model group,the low-,medium-, and high-dose groups of Shenfu Xiongze prescription,and the captopril group, 6 rats in each group. Except for the blank group,the rat model of myocardial remodeling was established in the other groups by intraperitoneal injection of 2.5 mg·kg-1 ISO for 3 consecutive weeks. At the same time of modeling, the low-,medium-, and high-dose groups of Shenfu Xiongze prescription were administered the corresponding doses of Shenfu Xiongze prescription solution (8.4,16.8,and 33.6 g·kg-1),and the captopril group was administered captopril solution (25 mg·kg-1). As for the blank group and the model group, the same volume of normal saline was given. The treatment was continued for 3 weeks. Echocardiography was used to observe the cardiac structure and function,and the heart weight index was detected. Masson staining and hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining were used to observe the pathological morphology changes of myocardial tissue. The levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) in serum were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expression of type Ⅰ collagen (Collagen Ⅰ),type Ⅲ collagen (Collagen Ⅲ),and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) proteins in myocardial tissue was determined by immunohistochemistry. Autophagy was observed by transmission electron microscopy. The mRNA expression of Collagen Ⅰ,Collagen Ⅲ,α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA),LC3,yeast Atg6 homolog protein (Beclin-1),AMPK,and mTOR in myocardial tissue was detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR). The protein expression of Collagen Ⅰ,α-SMA,transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1),LC3,Beclin-1,p62, phosphorylation(p)-AMPK,p-mTOR,AMPK,and mTOR was detected by Western blot. ResultsCompared with the normal group,rats in the model group exhibited significantly decreased values of ejection fraction (EF) and left ventricular fractional shortening (FS) (P<0.01), significantly increased values of left ventricular end-diastolic diameter (LVIDd) and left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVIDs) (P<0.01). Additionally, the model group also showed increased degrees of inflammatory infiltration and fibrosis of myocardial tissue, significantly elevated levels of serum IL-6 and BNP (P<0.01), significantly increased mRNA and protein levels of Collagen Ⅰ,Collagen Ⅲ,α-SMA,and mTOR (P<0.01),and markedly decreased mRNA and protein levels of LC3,Beclin-1,and AMPK (P<0.05,P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the low-,medium-, and high-dose groups of Shenfu Xiongze prescription presented significantly elevated EF and FS values (P<0.01) and lowered LVIDd and LVIDs (P<0.05). In these groups, the inflammation and fibrosis were alleviated significantly. They also exhibited decreased serum levels of IL-6 and BNP (P<0.01), significantly reduced protein expression of Collagen Ⅰ, α-SMA, TGF-β1, p62, and p-mTOR (P<0.01), significantly decreased mRNA expression of Collagen Ⅰ, Collagen Ⅲ, α-SMA, and mTOR (P<0.01), and significantly increased mRNA and protein levels of LC3, Beclin-1, and AMPK (P<0.05,P<0.01). ConclusionThe Shenfu Xiongze prescription can improve the myocardial remodeling induced by ISO in rats by regulating the autophagy level,enhance cardiac function,and reduce inflammatory and fibrotic levels. This effect may be achieved through the AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway.
2.Joint Relation Extraction of Famous Medical Cases with CasRel Model Combining Entity Mapping and Data Augmentation
Yuxin LI ; Xinghua XIANG ; Hang YANG ; Dasheng LIU ; Jiaheng WANG ; Zhiwei ZHAO ; Jiaxu HAN ; Mengjie WU ; Qianzi CHE ; Wei YANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(2):218-225
ObjectiveTo address the challenges of unstructured classical Chinese expressions, nested entity relationships, and limited annotated data in famous traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) case records, this study proposes a joint relation extraction framework that integrates data augmentation and entity mapping, aiming to support the construction of TCM diagnostic knowledge graphs and clinical pattern mining. MethodsWe developed an annotation structure for entities and their relationships in TCM case texts and applied a data augmentation strategy by incorporating multiple ancient texts to expand the relation extraction dataset. A cascade binary tagging framework for relation triple extraction(CasRel) model for TCM semantics was designed, integrating a pre-trained bidirectional encoder representations from transformers(BERT) layer for classical TCM texts to enhance semantic representation, and using a head entity-relation-tail entity mapping mechanism to address entity nesting and relation overlapping issues. ResultsExperimental results showed that the CasRel model, combining data augmentation and entity mapping, outperformed the pipeline-based Bert-Radical-Lexicon(BRL)-bidirectional long short-term memory(BiLSTM)-Attention model. The overall precision, recall, and F1-score across 12 relation types reached 65.73%, 64.03%, and 64.87%, which represent improvements of 14.26%, 7.98%, and 11.21% compared to the BRL-BiLSTM-Attention model, respectively. Notably, the F1-score for tongue syndrome relations increased by 22.68%(69.32%), and the prescription-syndrome relations performed the best with the F1-score of 70.10%. ConclusionThe proposed framework significantly improves the semantic representation and complex dependencies in TCM texts, offering a reusable technical framework for structured mining of TCM case records. The constructed knowledge graph can support clinical syndrome differentiation, prescription optimization, and drug compatibility, providing a methodological reference for TCM artificial intelligence research.
3.Exploration in Mechanism of Sini San for Inhibiting Ferroptosis and Ameliorating Isoprenaline-induced Myocardial Infarction in Mice Based on Bioinformatics and Experimental Validation
Shupeng LIU ; Zhiguang HAN ; Jiaying LI ; Jiayao XU ; Weihao GAO ; Yanping WU ; Guangguo BAN ; Yongmin LI ; Hongxia YANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(3):67-77
ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism by which Sini San (SNS) inhibits ferroptosis, alleviates inflammation and myocardial injury, and improves myocardial infarction (MI). MethodsThe active ingredients of SNS were obtained by searching the Traditional Chinese Medicine System Pharmacology Platform (TCMSP) database, its target sites were predicted using the SwissTargetPrediction Database, and the core components were screened out using the CytoNCA plug-in. The targets of MI and ferroptosis were obtained by using GeneCards, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) database, DrugBank, Therapeutic Target Database (TTD), FerrDb database and literature review, respectively. The intersection of these targets of SNS-MI-ferroptosis was plotted as a Venn diagram. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using the STRING database, and the visualization graph was prepared using Cytoscape. The core targets were screened out using the CytoNCA plug-in, and the biological functions were clustered by the MCODE plug-in. Gene Ontology (GO) functional enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were performed using the David database. Molecular docking was performed using AutoDock and visualized with PyMOL2.5.2. The Kunming mice were randomly divided into the control group, the model group, the SNS group, and the trimetazidine (TMZ) group. The mice were subcutaneously injected with isoprenaline (ISO, 5 mg·kg-1·d-1) to establish an MI model. The drug was continuously intervened for 7 days. The ST-segment changes were recorded by electrocardiogram (ECG), and the tissue morphology changes were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. Cardiomyocyte ferroptosis was investigated by transmission electron microscopy. Serum creatine kinase (CK), creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), reduced glutathione (GSH), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were detected by biochemical assay. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect serum levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE). Immunohistochemical staining was employed to detect IL-6 and phosphorylated signal transducer and transcription activator 3 (p-STAT3) in cardiac tissues. Western blot was used to detect STAT3 and p-STAT3 in cardiac tissues. Real-time PCR was used to detect the levels of IL-6, IL-18, solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11), arachidonic acid 15-lipoxygenase (ALOX15), and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPx4) in cardiac tissues. ResultsA total of 121 active ingredients of SNS were obtained, and 58 potential targets of SNS in the treatment of MI by regulating ferroptosis were screened. The three protein modules with a score5 were mainly related to the inflammatory response. The GO function was mainly related to inflammation, and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that SNS mainly regulated ferroptosis- and inflammation- related signaling pathways. Molecular docking indicated that the core component had a higher binding force to the target site. Animal experiments confirmed that SNS reduced the level of p-STAT3 (P0.01), down-regulated the expression of ALOX15 mRNA (P0.01), up-regulated the level of serum GSH, and the expressions of SLC7A11 and GPx4 mRNA, reduced MDA and 4-HNE levels (P0.05, P0.01). Additionally, SNS improved the mitochondrial injury induced by cardiomyocyte ferroptosis, reduced the area of MI, alleviated inflammation and myocardial injury, lowered the levels of serum CK, CK-MB, LDH, IL-6, and the mRNA expression levels of IL-16 and IL-18 (P0.05), and improved ST segment elevation. ConclusionSNS can reduce ISO-induced STAT3 phosphorylation levels, inhibit ferroptosis in cardiomyocytes, alleviate inflammation and myocardial injury, thereby improving MI.
4.Herbal Textual Research on Inulae Flos in Famous Classical Formulas
Caixia LIU ; Yue HAN ; Yanzhu MA ; Lei GAO ; Sheng WANG ; Yan YANG ; Wenchuan LUO ; Ling JIN ; Jing SHAO ; Zhijia CUI ; Zhilai ZHAN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(3):210-221
In this paper, by referring to ancient and modern literature, the textual research of Inulae Flos has been conducted to clarify the name, origin, production area, quality evaluation, harvesting, processing and others, so as to provide reference and basis for the development and utilization of famous classical formulas containing this herb. After textual research, it could be verified that the medicinal use of Inulae Flos was first recorded in Shennong Bencaojing of the Han dynasty. In successive dynasties, Xuanfuhua has been taken as the official name, and it also has other alternative names such as Jinfeicao, Daogeng and Jinqianhua. The period before the Song and Yuan dynasties, the main origin of Inulae Flos was the Asteraceae plant Inula japonica, and from the Ming and Qing dynasties to the present, I. japonica and I. britannica are the primary source. In addition to the dominant basal species, there are also regional species such as I. linariifolia, I. helianthus-aquatili, and I. hupehensis. The earliest recorded production areas in ancient times were Henan, Hubei and other places, and the literature records that it has been distributed throughout the country since modern times. The medicinal part is its flower, the harvesting and processing method recorded in the past dynasties is mainly harvested in the fifth and ninth lunar months, and dried in the sun, and the modern harvesting is mostly harvested in summer and autumn when the flowers bloom, in order to remove impurities, dry in the shade or dry in the sun. In addition, the roots, whole herbs and aerial parts are used as medicinal materials. In ancient times, there were no records about the quality of Inulae Flos, and in modern times, it is generally believed that the quality of complete flower structure, small receptacles, large blooms, yellow petals, long filaments, many fluffs, no fragments, and no branches is better. Ancient processing methods primarily involved cleaning, steaming, and sun-drying, supplemented by techniques such as boiling, roasting, burning, simmering, stir-frying, and honey-processing. Modern processing focuses mainly on cleaning the stems and leaves before use. Regarding the medicinal properties, ancient texts describe it as salty and sweet in taste, slightly warm in nature, and mildly toxic. Modern studies characterize it as bitter, pungent, and salty in taste, with a slightly warm nature. Its therapeutic effects remain consistent across eras, including descending Qi, resolving phlegm, promoting diuresis, and stopping vomiting. Based on the research results, it is recommended that when developing famous classical formulas containing Inulae Flos, either I. japonica or I. britannica should be used as the medicinal source. Processing methods should follow formula requirements, where no processing instructions are specified, the raw products may be used after cleaning.
5.Exploration in Mechanism of Sini San for Inhibiting Ferroptosis and Ameliorating Isoprenaline-induced Myocardial Infarction in Mice Based on Bioinformatics and Experimental Validation
Shupeng LIU ; Zhiguang HAN ; Jiaying LI ; Jiayao XU ; Weihao GAO ; Yanping WU ; Guangguo BAN ; Yongmin LI ; Hongxia YANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(3):67-77
ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism by which Sini San (SNS) inhibits ferroptosis, alleviates inflammation and myocardial injury, and improves myocardial infarction (MI). MethodsThe active ingredients of SNS were obtained by searching the Traditional Chinese Medicine System Pharmacology Platform (TCMSP) database, its target sites were predicted using the SwissTargetPrediction Database, and the core components were screened out using the CytoNCA plug-in. The targets of MI and ferroptosis were obtained by using GeneCards, Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) database, DrugBank, Therapeutic Target Database (TTD), FerrDb database and literature review, respectively. The intersection of these targets of SNS-MI-ferroptosis was plotted as a Venn diagram. The protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed using the STRING database, and the visualization graph was prepared using Cytoscape. The core targets were screened out using the CytoNCA plug-in, and the biological functions were clustered by the MCODE plug-in. Gene Ontology (GO) functional enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were performed using the David database. Molecular docking was performed using AutoDock and visualized with PyMOL2.5.2. The Kunming mice were randomly divided into the control group, the model group, the SNS group, and the trimetazidine (TMZ) group. The mice were subcutaneously injected with isoprenaline (ISO, 5 mg·kg-1·d-1) to establish an MI model. The drug was continuously intervened for 7 days. The ST-segment changes were recorded by electrocardiogram (ECG), and the tissue morphology changes were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining. Cardiomyocyte ferroptosis was investigated by transmission electron microscopy. Serum creatine kinase (CK), creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), reduced glutathione (GSH), and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were detected by biochemical assay. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect serum levels of interleukin (IL)-6 and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE). Immunohistochemical staining was employed to detect IL-6 and phosphorylated signal transducer and transcription activator 3 (p-STAT3) in cardiac tissues. Western blot was used to detect STAT3 and p-STAT3 in cardiac tissues. Real-time PCR was used to detect the levels of IL-6, IL-18, solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11), arachidonic acid 15-lipoxygenase (ALOX15), and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPx4) in cardiac tissues. ResultsA total of 121 active ingredients of SNS were obtained, and 58 potential targets of SNS in the treatment of MI by regulating ferroptosis were screened. The three protein modules with a score5 were mainly related to the inflammatory response. The GO function was mainly related to inflammation, and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that SNS mainly regulated ferroptosis- and inflammation- related signaling pathways. Molecular docking indicated that the core component had a higher binding force to the target site. Animal experiments confirmed that SNS reduced the level of p-STAT3 (P0.01), down-regulated the expression of ALOX15 mRNA (P0.01), up-regulated the level of serum GSH, and the expressions of SLC7A11 and GPx4 mRNA, reduced MDA and 4-HNE levels (P0.05, P0.01). Additionally, SNS improved the mitochondrial injury induced by cardiomyocyte ferroptosis, reduced the area of MI, alleviated inflammation and myocardial injury, lowered the levels of serum CK, CK-MB, LDH, IL-6, and the mRNA expression levels of IL-16 and IL-18 (P0.05), and improved ST segment elevation. ConclusionSNS can reduce ISO-induced STAT3 phosphorylation levels, inhibit ferroptosis in cardiomyocytes, alleviate inflammation and myocardial injury, thereby improving MI.
6.Herbal Textual Research on Inulae Flos in Famous Classical Formulas
Caixia LIU ; Yue HAN ; Yanzhu MA ; Lei GAO ; Sheng WANG ; Yan YANG ; Wenchuan LUO ; Ling JIN ; Jing SHAO ; Zhijia CUI ; Zhilai ZHAN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(3):210-221
In this paper, by referring to ancient and modern literature, the textual research of Inulae Flos has been conducted to clarify the name, origin, production area, quality evaluation, harvesting, processing and others, so as to provide reference and basis for the development and utilization of famous classical formulas containing this herb. After textual research, it could be verified that the medicinal use of Inulae Flos was first recorded in Shennong Bencaojing of the Han dynasty. In successive dynasties, Xuanfuhua has been taken as the official name, and it also has other alternative names such as Jinfeicao, Daogeng and Jinqianhua. The period before the Song and Yuan dynasties, the main origin of Inulae Flos was the Asteraceae plant Inula japonica, and from the Ming and Qing dynasties to the present, I. japonica and I. britannica are the primary source. In addition to the dominant basal species, there are also regional species such as I. linariifolia, I. helianthus-aquatili, and I. hupehensis. The earliest recorded production areas in ancient times were Henan, Hubei and other places, and the literature records that it has been distributed throughout the country since modern times. The medicinal part is its flower, the harvesting and processing method recorded in the past dynasties is mainly harvested in the fifth and ninth lunar months, and dried in the sun, and the modern harvesting is mostly harvested in summer and autumn when the flowers bloom, in order to remove impurities, dry in the shade or dry in the sun. In addition, the roots, whole herbs and aerial parts are used as medicinal materials. In ancient times, there were no records about the quality of Inulae Flos, and in modern times, it is generally believed that the quality of complete flower structure, small receptacles, large blooms, yellow petals, long filaments, many fluffs, no fragments, and no branches is better. Ancient processing methods primarily involved cleaning, steaming, and sun-drying, supplemented by techniques such as boiling, roasting, burning, simmering, stir-frying, and honey-processing. Modern processing focuses mainly on cleaning the stems and leaves before use. Regarding the medicinal properties, ancient texts describe it as salty and sweet in taste, slightly warm in nature, and mildly toxic. Modern studies characterize it as bitter, pungent, and salty in taste, with a slightly warm nature. Its therapeutic effects remain consistent across eras, including descending Qi, resolving phlegm, promoting diuresis, and stopping vomiting. Based on the research results, it is recommended that when developing famous classical formulas containing Inulae Flos, either I. japonica or I. britannica should be used as the medicinal source. Processing methods should follow formula requirements, where no processing instructions are specified, the raw products may be used after cleaning.
7.Application of machine learning in the diagnosis and treatment of chronic hepatitis C
Hua HAN ; Zhongping DUAN ; Yang WANG
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(1):141-144
With the development of artificial intelligence, machine learning has shown great potential in the field of medical health. Machine learning conducts a comprehensive analysis of patient data including clinical features, blood tests, and imaging examinations and establishes corresponding mathematical models to achieve the diagnosis and treatment of diseases and the prediction of disease conditions, thereby guiding disease management. With reference to the latest research findings, this article reviews the application of machine learning in chronic hepatitis C and related research advances.
8.Inhibitory effect of pterostilbene on high glucose-mediated endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition in human retinal microvascular endothelial cells
Xiaolan* WANG ; Hanyi* YANG ; Yimeng ZHANG ; Sida LIU ; Chengming CHEN ; Tingke XIE ; Yixuan CHEN ; Jiayi NING ; Jing HAN
International Eye Science 2025;25(3):359-364
AIM: To investigate the potential inhibitory effect of pterostilbene on the endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition(EndMT)induced by high glucose conditions in human retinal microvascular endothelial cells(HRMECs).METHODS: The optimal concentration of pterostilbene for treating HRMECs was determined using the CCK-8 assay, with 12.5 and 25 μmol/L concentrations selected for subsequent experiments. Four experimental groups were established: control group, high glucose group, high glucose combined with 12.5 μmol/L pterostilbene treatment group, and high glucose combined with 25 μmol/L pterostilbene treatment group. The expression levels of HDAC7 and EndMT-associated markers were detected via Western blot analysis. Cell migration ability was assessed using Transwell migration assays and scratch wound healing tests, while vasculogenic capability was evaluated through tube formation assays.RESULTS: The CCK-8 assay revealed that pterostilbene at a concentration of 22.07 μmol/L inhibited 50% of cell viability in HRMECs. Western blot analysis demonstrated that compared with the control group, the expression levels of HDAC7, ZEB1, Vimentin, and Snail were significantly upregulated in HRMECs cultured in high glucose(all P<0.01), while the expressions of VE-cadherin and CD31 were significantly reduced(all P<0.01). Compared to the high glucose group, the treatment with 12.5 and 25 μmol/L pterostilbene significantly reduced the expression of HDAC7, ZEB1, Vimentin, and Snail under high glucose conditions(all P<0.01). Notably, 25 μmol/L pterostilbene enhanced the expression of VE-cadherin and CD31(all P<0.01). Scratch wound healing tests revealed that HRMECs treated with high glucose exhibited a significantly increased cell migration rate compared to the control group(P<0.05), while the application of 25 μmol/L pterostilbene significantly suppressed HRMECs migration under high glucose conditions(P<0.01). Transwell migration assays demonstrated that the cell migration rate in the high glucose group was significantly higher than that in the control group(P<0.01), with cell migration rate markedly reduced following treatment with both of 12.5 and 25 μmol/L pterostilbene(all P<0.01). The tube formation assay revealed that the ability of HRMECs to form tubular structures was significantly enhanced under high glucose conditions(P<0.01), and both 12.5 and 25 μmol/L of pterostilbene effectively inhibited this effect(all P<0.01).CONCLUSION: Pterostilbene can inhibit HDAC7 expression, suppress EndMT-mediated migration of HRMECs, and impair tube formation under high-glucose conditions.
9.Inhibitory effect of pterostilbene on high glucose-mediated endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition in human retinal microvascular endothelial cells
Xiaolan* WANG ; Hanyi* YANG ; Yimeng ZHANG ; Sida LIU ; Chengming CHEN ; Tingke XIE ; Yixuan CHEN ; Jiayi NING ; Jing HAN
International Eye Science 2025;25(3):359-364
AIM: To investigate the potential inhibitory effect of pterostilbene on the endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition(EndMT)induced by high glucose conditions in human retinal microvascular endothelial cells(HRMECs).METHODS: The optimal concentration of pterostilbene for treating HRMECs was determined using the CCK-8 assay, with 12.5 and 25 μmol/L concentrations selected for subsequent experiments. Four experimental groups were established: control group, high glucose group, high glucose combined with 12.5 μmol/L pterostilbene treatment group, and high glucose combined with 25 μmol/L pterostilbene treatment group. The expression levels of HDAC7 and EndMT-associated markers were detected via Western blot analysis. Cell migration ability was assessed using Transwell migration assays and scratch wound healing tests, while vasculogenic capability was evaluated through tube formation assays.RESULTS: The CCK-8 assay revealed that pterostilbene at a concentration of 22.07 μmol/L inhibited 50% of cell viability in HRMECs. Western blot analysis demonstrated that compared with the control group, the expression levels of HDAC7, ZEB1, Vimentin, and Snail were significantly upregulated in HRMECs cultured in high glucose(all P<0.01), while the expressions of VE-cadherin and CD31 were significantly reduced(all P<0.01). Compared to the high glucose group, the treatment with 12.5 and 25 μmol/L pterostilbene significantly reduced the expression of HDAC7, ZEB1, Vimentin, and Snail under high glucose conditions(all P<0.01). Notably, 25 μmol/L pterostilbene enhanced the expression of VE-cadherin and CD31(all P<0.01). Scratch wound healing tests revealed that HRMECs treated with high glucose exhibited a significantly increased cell migration rate compared to the control group(P<0.05), while the application of 25 μmol/L pterostilbene significantly suppressed HRMECs migration under high glucose conditions(P<0.01). Transwell migration assays demonstrated that the cell migration rate in the high glucose group was significantly higher than that in the control group(P<0.01), with cell migration rate markedly reduced following treatment with both of 12.5 and 25 μmol/L pterostilbene(all P<0.01). The tube formation assay revealed that the ability of HRMECs to form tubular structures was significantly enhanced under high glucose conditions(P<0.01), and both 12.5 and 25 μmol/L of pterostilbene effectively inhibited this effect(all P<0.01).CONCLUSION: Pterostilbene can inhibit HDAC7 expression, suppress EndMT-mediated migration of HRMECs, and impair tube formation under high-glucose conditions.
10.Mechanism of 1,25(OH)2D3 improving liver inflammation in a rat model of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis induced by choline-deficient L-amino acid-defined diet
Haiyang ZHU ; Jingshu CUI ; Liu YANG ; Mengting ZHOU ; Jian TONG ; Hongmei HAN
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(2):254-262
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of 1,25(OH)2D3 on the level of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) in the liver, the phenotype of hepatic macrophages, and liver inflammation in a rat model of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), as well as the mechanism of 1,25(OH)2D3 improving liver inflammation. MethodsAfter 1 week of adaptive feeding, 24 specific pathogen-free Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal group [choline-supplemented L-amino acid-defined (CSAA) diet], normal+1,25(OH)2D3 group [CSAA diet+1,25(OH)2D3], model group [choline-deficient L-amino acid-defined diet (CDAA) diet], and model+1,25(OH)2D3 group [CDAA diet+1,25(OH)2D3], with 6 rats in each group. The dose of 1,25(OH)2D3 was 5 μg/kg for intraperitoneal injection twice a week for 12 weeks. The serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were measured, liver histopathology was observed, and SAF score was assessed. M1 hepatic macrophages and M2 hepatic macrophages were measured to analyze in the change in the phenotype of hepatic macrophages, and ELISA was used to measure the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-4 (IL-4), and interleukin-10 (IL-10) in liver tissue, and qPCR was used to measure the mRNA level of PPAR-γ. The two-factor analysis of variance was use for comparison between groups, and the least significant difference t-test was used for further comparison; the Pearson method was used for correlation analysis. ResultsCompared with the normal group, the model rats with CDAA diet-induced NASH had significant increases in the serum levels of AST and ALT (P=0.019 and P<0.001), the SAF score of liver histopathology (P<0.001), the level of M1 hepatic macrophages (P<0.001), and the ratio of M1 and M2 hepatic macrophages (P<0.001), as well as a significant increase in the level of TNF-α (P<0.001) and a significant reduction in the level of IL-4 in liver tissue (P=0.025). The 1,25(OH)2D3 group had significant reductions in the serum levels of ALT (P<0.001), the SAF score of liver histopathology (P<0.001), the level of M1 hepatic macrophages (P<0.001), and the ratio of M1 and M2 hepatic macrophages (P=0.001), the level of IL-1β (P<0.001) and a significant increase in the level of M2 hepatic macrophages (P=0.017), the level of IL-10 (P=0.039), the level of IL-4 (P<0.001), the level of PPAR-γ (P=0.016). There were significant interactions between CDAA diet-induced NASH model and 1,25(OH)2D3 in serum the levels of AST and ALT (P=0.007 and P=0.008), the SAF scores of liver histopathology (P<0.001), the level of M1 hepatic macrophages (P<0.001), the level of M2 hepatic macrophages (P=0.008), the ratio of M1 and M2 of hepatic macrophages (P=0.005), the level of TNF-α (P<0.001), the level of IL-10 (P=0.038), the level of IL-4 (P<0.001) and the level of PPAR-γ (P=0.009). The correlation analysis showed that PPAR-γ was negatively correlated with the ratio of M1 and M2 hepatic macrophages (r=-0.415, P=0.044) and was positively correlated with M2 hepatic macrophages (r=0.435, P=0.033), IL-10 (r=0.433, P=0.035), and IL-4 (r=0.532, P=0.007). ConclusionThis study shows that 1,25(OH)2D3 improves liver inflammation in NASH by activating PPAR-γ to regulate the phenotypic transformation of hepatic macrophages.

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