BACKGROUND:Sarcopenia is an age-related condition characterized by the loss of skeletal muscle mass,strength,and/or physical function.Currently,effective treatments for sarcopenia remain limited.A new therapeutic approach to improve symptoms and prognosis of sarcopenia patients clinically was important.OBJECTIVE:To explore the effects of canine adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells and their exosomes on a dexamethasone-induced sarcopenia in mice.METHODS:Mesenchymal stem cells were isolated and cultured from canine adipose tissue,and identified and functionally evaluated through flow cytometry and differentiation assays for osteogenesis,adipogenesis,and chondrogenesis.Subsequently,exosomes from adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells were extracted and characterized using transmission electron microscopy,western blot assay,and nanocoulter tracking analysis.In vitro,the effects of canine adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells and their exosomes on myotube growth and the expression of muscle atrophy-related genes were investigated using dexamethasone-induced C2C12 myotube atrophy and aging C2C12 models.In vivo,a dexamethasone-induced mouse sarcopenia model was established and received intraperitoneal or intravenous injection of canine adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells.Therapeutic efficacy was assessed through mouse rotarod performance,histopathological analysis,and muscle atrophy-related genes testing.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The isolated canine adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells highly expressed CD73,CD90,and CD105,and lowly expressed MHC-Ⅱ,CD14,CD19,CD34,and CD45,and successfully differentiated into osteoblasts,adipocytes,and chondrocytes in vitro.(2)The adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes met the identification criteria in terms of particle size,electron microscopy morphology,and positive expression of specific markers.(3)Compared to the dexamethasone-induced C2C12 atrophy group,treatment with adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells and their exosomes promoted the recovery and growth of myotubes,inhibited the expression of muscle atrophy-related genes MuRF1 and Atrogin-1.(4)Compared to the aging C2C12 group,adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells and their exosomes significantly enhanced the recovery and growth of aged muscle tubes in aging cells.(5)Compared to the control group,the rotarod time in dexamethasone-induced sarcopenia model mice was significantly decreased(P＜0.01).After 7 days(P＜0.01,P＜0.01)and 10 days(P＜0.01,P＜0.05)of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells treatment via intraperitoneal and intravenous injection,rotarod time was significantly increased,respectively.After 14 days,all treatment groups showed longer rotarod times than the model group,although with no significant differences between them.(6)Compared to the control group,the cross-sectional area of anterior tibial muscle in the model group was significantly reduced(P＜0.01),and it was significantly increased after intraperitoneal and intravenous administration of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).(7)Compared to the model group,intraperitoneal and intravenous administration of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells significantly inhibited the mRNA expression of MuRF1 and Atrogin-1 genes(P＜0.01,P＜0.01,P＜0.01,P＜0.01).The results indicated that adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells and their exosomes promoted recovery and growth of atrophic myotube cells by inhibiting the expression of muscle atrophy-related genes,and both intraperitoneal and intravenous administration of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells provided good therapeutic effects on sarcopenia in mice.

BACKGROUND:Sarcopenia is an age-related condition characterized by the loss of skeletal muscle mass,strength,and/or physical function.Currently,effective treatments for sarcopenia remain limited.A new therapeutic approach to improve symptoms and prognosis of sarcopenia patients clinically was important.OBJECTIVE:To explore the effects of canine adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells and their exosomes on a dexamethasone-induced sarcopenia in mice.METHODS:Mesenchymal stem cells were isolated and cultured from canine adipose tissue,and identified and functionally evaluated through flow cytometry and differentiation assays for osteogenesis,adipogenesis,and chondrogenesis.Subsequently,exosomes from adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells were extracted and characterized using transmission electron microscopy,western blot assay,and nanocoulter tracking analysis.In vitro,the effects of canine adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells and their exosomes on myotube growth and the expression of muscle atrophy-related genes were investigated using dexamethasone-induced C2C12 myotube atrophy and aging C2C12 models.In vivo,a dexamethasone-induced mouse sarcopenia model was established and received intraperitoneal or intravenous injection of canine adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells.Therapeutic efficacy was assessed through mouse rotarod performance,histopathological analysis,and muscle atrophy-related genes testing.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The isolated canine adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells highly expressed CD73,CD90,and CD105,and lowly expressed MHC-Ⅱ,CD14,CD19,CD34,and CD45,and successfully differentiated into osteoblasts,adipocytes,and chondrocytes in vitro.(2)The adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes met the identification criteria in terms of particle size,electron microscopy morphology,and positive expression of specific markers.(3)Compared to the dexamethasone-induced C2C12 atrophy group,treatment with adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells and their exosomes promoted the recovery and growth of myotubes,inhibited the expression of muscle atrophy-related genes MuRF1 and Atrogin-1.(4)Compared to the aging C2C12 group,adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells and their exosomes significantly enhanced the recovery and growth of aged muscle tubes in aging cells.(5)Compared to the control group,the rotarod time in dexamethasone-induced sarcopenia model mice was significantly decreased(P＜0.01).After 7 days(P＜0.01,P＜0.01)and 10 days(P＜0.01,P＜0.05)of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells treatment via intraperitoneal and intravenous injection,rotarod time was significantly increased,respectively.After 14 days,all treatment groups showed longer rotarod times than the model group,although with no significant differences between them.(6)Compared to the control group,the cross-sectional area of anterior tibial muscle in the model group was significantly reduced(P＜0.01),and it was significantly increased after intraperitoneal and intravenous administration of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).(7)Compared to the model group,intraperitoneal and intravenous administration of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells significantly inhibited the mRNA expression of MuRF1 and Atrogin-1 genes(P＜0.01,P＜0.01,P＜0.01,P＜0.01).The results indicated that adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells and their exosomes promoted recovery and growth of atrophic myotube cells by inhibiting the expression of muscle atrophy-related genes,and both intraperitoneal and intravenous administration of adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells provided good therapeutic effects on sarcopenia in mice.

Objective:To explore the therapeutic effect of Bupiqiangli compound on experimental myasthenia gravis with sub-clinical hypothyroidism in rats and the influence of hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid-thymus(HPTT)axis.Methods:SPF Lewis rats were randomly divided into normal group,model group,Bupiqiangli compound low-dose,medium-dose and high-dose groups.Model rats were immunized with AchR-α subunit 97-116 peptide sequence to construct an experimental myasthenia gravis model,and then methimazole was used to prepare an experimental myasthenia gravis with subclinical hypothyroidism model.Bupiqiangli compound low-dose,medium-dose and high-dose groups were given 4.57 g/kg,7.12 g/kg and 9.49 g/kg of Bupiqiangli compound by gavage,nor-mal group and model group were given an equal volume of normal saline by gavage,once a day,for 4 weeks.After the last gavage,Lennon scores of rats in each group were recorded;HE staining was used to detect pathological changes of thymus and thyroid;ELISA was used to detect expression levels of acetylcholine receptor antibody(AchRab),thyroid stimulating hormone(TSH),thyrotropin releasing hormone(TRH),free thyroxine(FT4)and thyroxine(T4)in serum;mRNA level of TRH in hypothalamus and TSH in pituitary tissue were detected by qPCR;Western blot detected changes of protein expressions of Cleaved Caspase3,Bcl2 associated X protein(Bax)and B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl2)in thymus.Results:Compared with normal group,model group showed obvious symp-toms of muscle weakness,Lennon score increased significantly(P<0.05),obvious pathological changes in thymus and thyroid tissues,while no significant changes in expressions of FT4 and T4 in serum(P>0.05),expressions of AchRab,TSH and TRH in serum were significantly increased(P<0.05),expressions of TRH in hypothalamus and TSH in pituitary were significantly increased(P<0.05),protein expressions of Cleaved Caspase3 and Bax in thymus were significantly decreased(P<0.05),while expression of Bcl2 protein in thymus increased significantly(P<0.05).Compared with model group,myasthenia symptoms of compound high-dose group were im-proved,Lennon score was significantly decreased(P<0.05),pathological changes of thymus and thyroid tissues were improved,ex-pressions of FT4 and T4 in serum had no significant changes(P>0.05),expressions of AchRab,TSH and TRH in serum were signifi-cantly decreased(P<0.05),expressions of TRH in hypothalamus and TSH in pituitary were significantly decreased(P<0.05),expres-sions of Cleaved Caspase3 and Bax in thymus were significantly increased(P<0.05),while expression of Bcl2 in thymus was signifi-cantly decreased(P<0.05).Conclusion:Bupiqiang compound can improve clinical symptoms of experimental myasthenia gravis with subclinical hypothyroidism in rats,and its mechanism may be related to the regulation of HPTT axis.

Objective:To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the probiotic Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum BL21 (BL21) in preventing radiation-induced diarrhea (RID) in cervical cancer patients during radiotherapy (RT) and to investigate the intestinal microbiota in the patients. Methods:This study was a prospective, single-arm, phase Ⅱ clinical trial, involving cervical cancer patients treated with radical and adjuvant RT. From the first day of RT, participants took one pack of BL21 powder (containing 20 billion colony-forming unit(CFU) of Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum BL21) orally every day until the end of RT. The occurrence of adverse events and RID during RT were assessed as per Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events ( CTCAE) v5.0. In this way, the safety and efficacy of BL21 in preventing RID were evaluated. Additionally, the intestinal microbiota in fecal samples collected from the patients before and after RT were analyzed using 16S rRNA sequencing. Results:A total of 35 cervical cancer patients were enrolled in this study, with 29 cases incorporated for the final analysis. No serious adverse event related to the administration of BL21 was observed. The patients exhibited slight RID, with the majority (22/29) developing no or grade 1 RID during RT. The microbiota in the fecal samples showed decreased alpha diversity after RT, as indicated by the Chao1 ( P = 0.002) and Shannon ( P = 0.005) indices. Furthermore, these samples exhibited a notably higher abundance of genus Clostridium (LDA score = 3.98). The fecal samples from patients with grade 1 RID or no RID post-RT exhibited higher alpha diversity than those from patients with grade 2 RID or above post-RT (Chao1: P = 0.07, Shannon: P = 0.28), as well as a high abundance of genera Gemmiger (LDA score = 4.48) and Dorea (LDA score = 3.83). Conclusions:The administration of BL21 to cervical cancer patients during RT is simple, convenient, safe, and effective in preventing RID, thus warranting further investigation.

Objective To compare the clinical efficacy of modified multi-side hole nasobiliary drainage(MHND)via the percuta-neous transhepatic cholangiography(PTC)route with traditional percutaneous transhepatic cholangial drainage(PTCD)for palliative treatment of patients with advanced obstructive cholangiocarcinoma.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the data from 66 patients with advanced cholangiocarcinoma who underwent biliary drainage.Results Both groups normalize temperature and alleviate symptoms of acute cholangitis within 24 h post-puncture.There was no statistically significant difference in laboratory indicators such as white blood cell(WBC),total bilirubin(TBiL),alanine transaminase(ALT),aspartic transaminase(AST)at 48 h post-operation,and in the incidence of bile leakage,biliary peritonitis,and cholangitis during the postoperative hospital stay(P>0.05).However,the incidence of postoperative electrolyte disorders,gastrointestinal symptoms,and the recurrence rate of gastrointestinal symptoms during the follow-up period were significantly higher in the PTCD group compared to the MHND group,while the recur-rence rate of biliary tract infections was slightly higher in the MHND group compared to the PTCD group.The differences between the two groups were statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion Modified MHND shows better clinical efficacy in the treatment of patients with advanced tumor jaundice.Compared with traditional PTCD,it not only effectively reduces jaundice and relieves acute cholangitis but also significantly reduces gastrointestinal symptoms during the postoperative period,thereby improving the quality of life for patients.However,it is noteworthy that it may also increase the risk of biliary tract infections.

Background and Aims:Complex choledocholithiasis often coexists with stenosis of the ampulla of Vater,which increases the difficulty and complexity of treatment.If only the stones in the bile duct are removed without addressing the ampullary stenosis,the disease is prone to recurrence.Previously,most treatments involved the use of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP)to guide the wire for sphincterotomy and stone extraction,followed by laparoscopic cholecystectomy.However,ERCP has limitations in handling complex cases.In response,our team pioneered a new method of treating choledocholithiasis combined with stenosis of the ampulla of Vater via a transabdominal approach.This study was performed to investigate the feasibility and efficacy of this method,aiming to provide a new therapeutic option for clinical practice.Methods:A randomized controlled study was conducted with 120 patients treated at Chengdu Second People's Hospital from 2021 to 2023 for gallbladder stones and choledocholithiasis with stenosis of the ampulla of Vater.Patients were divided into an observation group and a control group,with 60 cases in each group.The observation group underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy with choledochotomy for stone extraction,followed by retrograde guidance of duodenal papillary sphincterotomy through the opened bile duct,simultaneously treating gallbladder,bile duct stones,and stenosis of the ampulla of Vater.The control group underwent traditional ERCP approach for sphincterotomy,stone extraction,and laparoscopic cholecystectomy.Perioperative variables were collected for both groups and the surgical outcomes were compared.Results:Among the 120 patients,54 were male and 66 were female.There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of stone extraction success rate,intraoperative blood loss,postoperative 24-h total bilirubin,direct bilirubin,transaminases,white blood cell count,jaundice relief time,or incidence rates of bile leakage,retroperitoneal bleeding/infection,and severe pancreatitis(all P>0.05).The observation group had significantly shorter average operative time and postoperative hospital stay compared to the control group(98.67 min vs.110.8 min,P<0.05;3.81 d vs.5.61 d,P<0.05).Additionally,the observation group had a significantly lower incidence of postoperative hyperamylasemia and/or hyperlipasemia and mild pancreatitis(1.67%vs.25.00%,P<0.001;0 vs.10%,P=0.027).Conclusion:The novel transabdominal approach is superior to the ERCP approach in terms of reducing surgery time and hospitalization time,and it carries a lower risk of postoperative mild pancreatitis and hyperamylasemia and/or hyperlipasemia.The stone extraction success rate is comparable to that of ERCP,making it a viable alternative treatment option.

Objective To compare the clinical efficacy of modified multi-side hole nasobiliary drainage(MHND)via the percuta-neous transhepatic cholangiography(PTC)route with traditional percutaneous transhepatic cholangial drainage(PTCD)for palliative treatment of patients with advanced obstructive cholangiocarcinoma.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the data from 66 patients with advanced cholangiocarcinoma who underwent biliary drainage.Results Both groups normalize temperature and alleviate symptoms of acute cholangitis within 24 h post-puncture.There was no statistically significant difference in laboratory indicators such as white blood cell(WBC),total bilirubin(TBiL),alanine transaminase(ALT),aspartic transaminase(AST)at 48 h post-operation,and in the incidence of bile leakage,biliary peritonitis,and cholangitis during the postoperative hospital stay(P>0.05).However,the incidence of postoperative electrolyte disorders,gastrointestinal symptoms,and the recurrence rate of gastrointestinal symptoms during the follow-up period were significantly higher in the PTCD group compared to the MHND group,while the recur-rence rate of biliary tract infections was slightly higher in the MHND group compared to the PTCD group.The differences between the two groups were statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion Modified MHND shows better clinical efficacy in the treatment of patients with advanced tumor jaundice.Compared with traditional PTCD,it not only effectively reduces jaundice and relieves acute cholangitis but also significantly reduces gastrointestinal symptoms during the postoperative period,thereby improving the quality of life for patients.However,it is noteworthy that it may also increase the risk of biliary tract infections.

Background and Aims:Complex choledocholithiasis often coexists with stenosis of the ampulla of Vater,which increases the difficulty and complexity of treatment.If only the stones in the bile duct are removed without addressing the ampullary stenosis,the disease is prone to recurrence.Previously,most treatments involved the use of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography(ERCP)to guide the wire for sphincterotomy and stone extraction,followed by laparoscopic cholecystectomy.However,ERCP has limitations in handling complex cases.In response,our team pioneered a new method of treating choledocholithiasis combined with stenosis of the ampulla of Vater via a transabdominal approach.This study was performed to investigate the feasibility and efficacy of this method,aiming to provide a new therapeutic option for clinical practice.Methods:A randomized controlled study was conducted with 120 patients treated at Chengdu Second People's Hospital from 2021 to 2023 for gallbladder stones and choledocholithiasis with stenosis of the ampulla of Vater.Patients were divided into an observation group and a control group,with 60 cases in each group.The observation group underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy with choledochotomy for stone extraction,followed by retrograde guidance of duodenal papillary sphincterotomy through the opened bile duct,simultaneously treating gallbladder,bile duct stones,and stenosis of the ampulla of Vater.The control group underwent traditional ERCP approach for sphincterotomy,stone extraction,and laparoscopic cholecystectomy.Perioperative variables were collected for both groups and the surgical outcomes were compared.Results:Among the 120 patients,54 were male and 66 were female.There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of stone extraction success rate,intraoperative blood loss,postoperative 24-h total bilirubin,direct bilirubin,transaminases,white blood cell count,jaundice relief time,or incidence rates of bile leakage,retroperitoneal bleeding/infection,and severe pancreatitis(all P>0.05).The observation group had significantly shorter average operative time and postoperative hospital stay compared to the control group(98.67 min vs.110.8 min,P<0.05;3.81 d vs.5.61 d,P<0.05).Additionally,the observation group had a significantly lower incidence of postoperative hyperamylasemia and/or hyperlipasemia and mild pancreatitis(1.67%vs.25.00%,P<0.001;0 vs.10%,P=0.027).Conclusion:The novel transabdominal approach is superior to the ERCP approach in terms of reducing surgery time and hospitalization time,and it carries a lower risk of postoperative mild pancreatitis and hyperamylasemia and/or hyperlipasemia.The stone extraction success rate is comparable to that of ERCP,making it a viable alternative treatment option.

Objective:To explore the therapeutic effect of Bupiqiangli compound on experimental myasthenia gravis with sub-clinical hypothyroidism in rats and the influence of hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid-thymus(HPTT)axis.Methods:SPF Lewis rats were randomly divided into normal group,model group,Bupiqiangli compound low-dose,medium-dose and high-dose groups.Model rats were immunized with AchR-α subunit 97-116 peptide sequence to construct an experimental myasthenia gravis model,and then methimazole was used to prepare an experimental myasthenia gravis with subclinical hypothyroidism model.Bupiqiangli compound low-dose,medium-dose and high-dose groups were given 4.57 g/kg,7.12 g/kg and 9.49 g/kg of Bupiqiangli compound by gavage,nor-mal group and model group were given an equal volume of normal saline by gavage,once a day,for 4 weeks.After the last gavage,Lennon scores of rats in each group were recorded;HE staining was used to detect pathological changes of thymus and thyroid;ELISA was used to detect expression levels of acetylcholine receptor antibody(AchRab),thyroid stimulating hormone(TSH),thyrotropin releasing hormone(TRH),free thyroxine(FT4)and thyroxine(T4)in serum;mRNA level of TRH in hypothalamus and TSH in pituitary tissue were detected by qPCR;Western blot detected changes of protein expressions of Cleaved Caspase3,Bcl2 associated X protein(Bax)and B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl2)in thymus.Results:Compared with normal group,model group showed obvious symp-toms of muscle weakness,Lennon score increased significantly(P<0.05),obvious pathological changes in thymus and thyroid tissues,while no significant changes in expressions of FT4 and T4 in serum(P>0.05),expressions of AchRab,TSH and TRH in serum were significantly increased(P<0.05),expressions of TRH in hypothalamus and TSH in pituitary were significantly increased(P<0.05),protein expressions of Cleaved Caspase3 and Bax in thymus were significantly decreased(P<0.05),while expression of Bcl2 protein in thymus increased significantly(P<0.05).Compared with model group,myasthenia symptoms of compound high-dose group were im-proved,Lennon score was significantly decreased(P<0.05),pathological changes of thymus and thyroid tissues were improved,ex-pressions of FT4 and T4 in serum had no significant changes(P>0.05),expressions of AchRab,TSH and TRH in serum were signifi-cantly decreased(P<0.05),expressions of TRH in hypothalamus and TSH in pituitary were significantly decreased(P<0.05),expres-sions of Cleaved Caspase3 and Bax in thymus were significantly increased(P<0.05),while expression of Bcl2 in thymus was signifi-cantly decreased(P<0.05).Conclusion:Bupiqiang compound can improve clinical symptoms of experimental myasthenia gravis with subclinical hypothyroidism in rats,and its mechanism may be related to the regulation of HPTT axis.

Objective To evaluate the promoting effect of continuous low-intensity pulsed ultrasound(LIPUS)combined with microbubble(MB)cavitation therapy(hereinafter referred to as ultrasound cavitation therapy)on microcirculatory perfusion in the ischemic hindlimbs of mice,and to explore the non-invasive therapeutic potential of this treatment for limb arterial ischemic injury.Methods A mouse model of left hindlimb ischemia was established,and the mice were randomly assigned to 4 groups(16 mice per group)according to different treatment methods:model group,ultrasound contrast microbubble group(MB group),LIPUS treatment group(LIPUS group),and ultrasound cavitation therapy group(LIPUS+MB group).Mice in the model group were injected with 0.1 mL of normal saline via the tail vein,those in the MB group were injected with 0.1 mL of MB via the tail vein,those in the LIPUS group were treated with LIPUS on the ischemic hindlimb after injection of 0.1 mL of normal saline via the tail vein,and those in the LIPUS+MB group were treated with LIPUS on the ischemic hindlimb after injection of 0.1 mL of MB via the tail vein;each group was injected once a day for a total of 7 d.On the 1st,4th and 7th days after treatment,the microcirculatory perfusion in the ischemic hindlimbs of mice was evaluated using contrast-enhanced ultrasound.The effects of different treatments on promoting microcirculatory perfusion in the ischemic hindlimbs of mice were assessed by combining hematoxylin-eosin(H-E)staining and CD31 immunohistochemical staining of the gastrocnemius muscle tissue in the hindlimbs.Results The left hindlimb ischemia model was successfully constructed,and all model mice showed obvious ischemic microcirculation perfusion disorders with good model stability.After the 7th day of treatment,the LIPUS+MB group showed a increase in microcirculation perfusion in the ischemic hindlimb,with the ratio of microvascular flow on the ischemic to non-ischemic sides higher than that of the LIPUS group([94.33±4.51]%vs[70.33±2.09]%,P＜0.05).H-E staining results showed that the LIPUS+MB group had more newly formed capillaries and myofibroblasts in the gastrocnemius muscle,with better muscle structure repair compared to the LIPUS group,while the model group and MB group showed muscle cell necrosis,disorganized arrangement of muscle bundles,and sparse capillaries.CD31 immunohistochemical analysis further confirmed that ultrasonic cavitation therapy significantly outperformed traditional LIPUS treatment in promoting microcirculation perfusion,microvascular neogenesis,and tissue repair in ischemic skeletal muscles(CD31 relative expression level 5.03±0.33 vs 3.57±0.21,P＜0.01).Conclusion Compared with single LIPUS treatment,continuous ultrasound cavitation therapy has a more significant effect on promoting microcirculation perfusion in the ischemic hindlimb of mice,which provides a new strategy for microcirculatory perfusion disorders in skeletal muscles of limbs caused by peripheral arterial ischemic diseases.