AIM:To investigate the effect of dyes,Remazol BrOrange yellow(RBY)and erythrosine(ERY),on the outcomes of immunoblotting analysis when used for staining the concentrate gel in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacryl-amide gel electrophoresis(SDS-PAGE).METHODS:Polyacrylamide gels were divided into five groups:the control group(prepared according to the conventional kit protocol),the RBY-stained group with a final concentration of 0.08 g/L,the RBY-stained group with a final concentration of 0.16 g/L,the ERY-stained group with a final concentration of 0.08 g/L,and the ERY-stained group with a final concentration of 0.8 g/L.Gels were prepared and subjected to electro-phoresis,followed by coomassie brilliant blue staining to visualize protein bands.Subsequently,proteins were transferred to PVDF membranes,which were then blocked,incubated with primary and secondary antibodies,washed,and finally ex-posed for imaging to observe the target protein vinculin bands.RESULTS:Compared with the unstained concentrate gel,the loading wells of the RBY or ERY pre-stained concentrate gel were more clearly visible.Analysis of the gels stained with coomassie brilliant blue after electrophoresis and marker visualization showed no significant different in protein elec-trophoretic mobility between prestained and unstained gels.Comparative analysis of the immunoblotting also indicated that the detection of protein samples transferred to PVDF membranes was unaffected.CONCLUSION:Prestaining concen-trate gels with RBY or ERY can enhance the efficiency of gel-based electrophoresis and immunoblotting analysis.

Pulmonary hypertension(PH)is a serious cardiovascular condition that significantly impacts pa-tients'quality of life.Currently available clinical medications lack selectivity for pulmonary blood vessels,often produce substantial side effects,and are prohibitively expensive.Therefore,it is crucial to explore the mechanisms underlying the onset and progression of PH and to develop new,effective treatments.Ubiquitination is a key form of protein post-transla-tional modification in which specific E3 enzymes recognize substrate proteins and induce ubiquitination,leading to chang-es in their activity or stability.During the onset of PH,the activities of ubiquitin ligases and deubiquitinases undergo vari-ous changes,resulting in altered ubiquitination levels of different proteins.These variations primarily influence the degra-dation rates of substrate proteins within cells,thereby regulating essential physiological processes.Proteasomes play a vi-tal role in the degradation of ubiquitinated proteins,and inhibitors targeting these complexes have been developed,demon-strating therapeutic efficacy in experimental settings of PH.However,their low specificity presents significant challenges for practical applications.In this context,we summarize the relevant mechanisms of ubiquitination regulation in the onset of PH and highlight its practical significance for future therapeutic strategies.

AIM:To investigate the effect of dyes,Remazol BrOrange yellow(RBY)and erythrosine(ERY),on the outcomes of immunoblotting analysis when used for staining the concentrate gel in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacryl-amide gel electrophoresis(SDS-PAGE).METHODS:Polyacrylamide gels were divided into five groups:the control group(prepared according to the conventional kit protocol),the RBY-stained group with a final concentration of 0.08 g/L,the RBY-stained group with a final concentration of 0.16 g/L,the ERY-stained group with a final concentration of 0.08 g/L,and the ERY-stained group with a final concentration of 0.8 g/L.Gels were prepared and subjected to electro-phoresis,followed by coomassie brilliant blue staining to visualize protein bands.Subsequently,proteins were transferred to PVDF membranes,which were then blocked,incubated with primary and secondary antibodies,washed,and finally ex-posed for imaging to observe the target protein vinculin bands.RESULTS:Compared with the unstained concentrate gel,the loading wells of the RBY or ERY pre-stained concentrate gel were more clearly visible.Analysis of the gels stained with coomassie brilliant blue after electrophoresis and marker visualization showed no significant different in protein elec-trophoretic mobility between prestained and unstained gels.Comparative analysis of the immunoblotting also indicated that the detection of protein samples transferred to PVDF membranes was unaffected.CONCLUSION:Prestaining concen-trate gels with RBY or ERY can enhance the efficiency of gel-based electrophoresis and immunoblotting analysis.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the ameliorative effect and potential mechanism of imperatorin(IMP)on doxorubicin(DOX)resistance in breast cancer.METHODS The effects of maximum non-toxic concentration(100 μg/mL)of IMP combined with different concentrations of DOX(12.5,25,50,75,100 μg/mL)on the proliferation of MCF-7/DOX cells were determined by MTT method.MCF-7/DOX cells were divided into blank control group(1‰ dimethyl sulfoxide),DOX group(50 μg/mL),IMP+DOX group(100 μg/mL IMP+50 μg/mL DOX)and IMP group(100 μg/mL).mRNA and protein expressions of multidrug resistance protein 1(MDR1)and multidrug resistance-associated protein l in each group were measured.The relevant pathways and targets involved in the improvement of DOX resistance in breast cancer cells by IMP were screened and validated by using transcriptome sequencing technology,along with gene ontology(GO)enrichment analyses and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)pathway enrichment analyses.RESULTS Compared with DOX alone,the combination of IMP and DOX reduced the half inhibitory concentration of DOX on MCF-7/DOX cells from 81.965 μg/mL to 43.170 μg/mL,the reverse fold was 1.90,and the mRNA expression of MDR1 was significantly down-regulated(P＜0.05).The results of GO enrichment analyses and KEGG pathway enrichment analyses indicated that the reversal of DOX resistance in breast cancer by IMP was mainly associated with the regulation of biological processes such as detoxification,multiple biological processes,and cell killing.The main pathway involved was the p53 signaling pathway,and the key targets mainly included constitutively photomorphogenic protein 1(COP1),cyclin E1(CCNE1),growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible protein 45A(GADD45A)and GADD45B.The results of the verification experiments showed that compared with DOX group,there was a trend of up-regulation of COP1 mRNA,and significant down-regulation of CCNE1,GADD45A,and GADD45B mRNA expression in IMP+DOX group(P＜0.05).CONCLUSIONS The effect of IMP in ameliorating DOX resistance in breast cancer is related to its regulation of COP1,CCNE1,GADD45A and GADD45B targets in the p53 signaling pathway.

Pulmonary hypertension(PH)is a serious cardiovascular condition that significantly impacts pa-tients'quality of life.Currently available clinical medications lack selectivity for pulmonary blood vessels,often produce substantial side effects,and are prohibitively expensive.Therefore,it is crucial to explore the mechanisms underlying the onset and progression of PH and to develop new,effective treatments.Ubiquitination is a key form of protein post-transla-tional modification in which specific E3 enzymes recognize substrate proteins and induce ubiquitination,leading to chang-es in their activity or stability.During the onset of PH,the activities of ubiquitin ligases and deubiquitinases undergo vari-ous changes,resulting in altered ubiquitination levels of different proteins.These variations primarily influence the degra-dation rates of substrate proteins within cells,thereby regulating essential physiological processes.Proteasomes play a vi-tal role in the degradation of ubiquitinated proteins,and inhibitors targeting these complexes have been developed,demon-strating therapeutic efficacy in experimental settings of PH.However,their low specificity presents significant challenges for practical applications.In this context,we summarize the relevant mechanisms of ubiquitination regulation in the onset of PH and highlight its practical significance for future therapeutic strategies.

Objective:To observe the development process of the neuronal synapse in cerebral cortex and basal ganglionic eminence(GE)regions of the mice,and to clarify the differences in the development of excitatory and inhibitory synapses in different brain regions in vivo and in vitro.Methods:The female C57BL/6 mice were euthanized by cervical dislocation from the 13.5th day to the 15.5th day during the pregnancy,and the embryos were collected under the sterile conditions.The cortex and GE regions of brain tissue of the embryonic mice were gradually isolated under microscope.The primary neurons from the embryonic mice were cultured in vitro,and the cell samples were collected on the 3rd,7th,14th,and 21th days,respectively,and regarded as culture 3 d,7 d,14 d,and 21 d groups.The expression levels of postsynaptic density 95(PSD95)and Gephyrin mRNA in the primary neurons from the cortex and GE regions of the mice in various groups were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR)method.Immunofluorescence method was used to detect the expression levels of vesicular glutamate transporter 1(vGLUT1),PSD95,vesicular GABA transporter(vGAT),and Gephyrin proteins in the neurons from the cortex and GE regions of the mice in various groups.Immunofluorescence method was also used to detect the expression levels of vGLUT1 and vGAT proteins in the neurons from the cortical and GE regions in brain tissue of the embryonic mice.Results:Compared with culture 3 d group,the expression levels of PSD95 and Gephyrin mRNA in cortex and GE regions of the mice in culture 14 d and 21 d groups were significantly increased(P<0.01).Compared with cortex area,the expression level of Gephyrin mRNA in the neurons from GE region of the mice in culture 14 d group was significantly decreased(P<0.01).The microscope observation results showed that the excitatory and inhibitory synapses in the neurons from cortex and GE regions of the mice in culture 14 d group showed preliminary development,with positive expression of relevant proteins;among them,the excitatory synaptic proteins showed more distinct positive expression in the cortex neurons,and the presynaptic vGLUT1 and postsynaptic PSD95 molecules exhibited co-localization in the cell bodies and protrusions of the cortical neurons;the inhibitory presynaptic vGAT protein and postsynaptic Gephyrin protein in the neurons from GE region also exhibited co-localization in the cell bodies and protrusions,and there were more distinct expressions of the presynaptic molecule proteins than postsynaptic molecule proteins.Compared with cortex region,the levels of vGLUT1 and PSD95 proteins in the neurons from GE region of the mice in culture 14 d group were significantly decreased(P<0.01),while the levels of vGAT and gephyrin proteins were significantly increased(P<0.01).In culture 21 d group,the positive expressions of synaptic protein in the neurons from cortex and GE regions were increased,and the excitatory and inhibitory synapses further matured and enhanced.In the neurons from cortex and GE regions,rich patterns of corresponding pre-and postsynaptic expression were formed in the cell bodies and protrusions,and synapse structures showed gradual,positive development,with more apparent expression of presynaptic molecules compared wih postsynaptic proteins.Compared with cortex region,the levels of vGLUT1 and PSD95 proteins in the neurons from GE region of the mice in culture 21 d group were significantly decreased(P<0.01),and the levels of vGAT and Gephyrin proteins were significantly increased(P<0.01).Compared with cortex region,the expression level of vGLUT1 protein in the neurons from GE region in brain tissue of the embryonic mice was significantly decreased(P<0.01),while the expression level of vGAT protein was significantly increased(P<0.05).Conclusion:There are distinct differences in synaptic development between the neurons from cortex and GE regions,the excitatory synapses develope earlier in the cortical region and the inhibitory synapses develope earlier in the GE region.The region-specific development of synapses suggests that different types of neural diseases with different cell types might originate from different developmental processes.

Objective:To assess the association between body mass index (BMI) and major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE) among patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS).Methods:This was a multicenter prospective cohort study, which was based on the Improving Care for Cardiovascular Disease in China (CCC) project. The hospitalized patients with ACS aged between 18 and 80 years, registered in CCC project from November 1, 2014 to December 31, 2019 were included. The included patients were categorized into four groups based on their BMI at the time of admission: underweight (BMI<18.5 kg/m 2), normal weight (BMI between 18.5 and 24.9 kg/m 2), overweight (BMI between 25.0 and 29.9 kg/m 2), and obese (BMI≥30.0 kg/m 2). Multivariate logistic regression models was used to analyze the relationship between BMI and the risk of in-hospital MACCE. Results:A total of 71 681 ACS inpatients were included in the study. The age was (63.4±14.7) years, and 26.5% (18 979/71 681) were female. And the incidence of MACCE for the underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese groups were 14.9% (322/2 154), 9.5% (3 997/41 960), 7.9% (1 908/24 140) and 7.0% (240/3 427), respectively ( P<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed a higher incidence of MACCE in the underweight group compared to the normal weight group ( OR=1.30, 95% CI 1.13-1.49, P<0.001), while the overweight and obese groups exhibited no statistically significant difference in the incidence of MACCE compared to the normal weight group (both P>0.05). Conclusion:ACS patients with BMI below normal have a higher risk of in-hospital MACCE, suggesting that BMI may be an indicator for evaluating short-term prognosis in ACS patients.

BACKGROUND:Hydrogen,as an antioxidant,can reduce oxidative stress induced by strenuous exercise and achieve the effect of improving fatigue.Several studies have been reported on the potential effects of hydrogen-rich water or hydrogen-rich gas on improving exercise fatigue and athletic performance. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of hydrogen-rich gas inhalation prior to high-intensity exercise on proprioception and muscular endurance performance after exercise fatigue. METHODS:Through a randomized,double-blind,crossover,and repeated measurement experimental design,24 healthy men were randomly divided into group A and group B,with 12 in each group.In the first phase of the crossover experiment,group A inhaled hydrogen-rich gas(hydrogen group)for 20 minutes and group B inhaled placebo gas(air;placebo group)for 20 minutes.Then,cycle ergometers were used to establish the fatigue model.Visual analog fatigue scale,heart rate variability,knee joint proprioception(passive position perception,joint motion perception,and muscle force perception)and isometric knee extension muscle endurance were tested before and after intervention.After a 7-day washout period,two groups exchanged intervention methods and the above tests were performed again in the second phase of the experiment.Differences between the results of groups A and B in the two phases were compared,and finally the results of the two phases were integrated to compare the overall differences between hydrogen intervention and placebo intervention. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:In the first phase of the crossover experiment,the visual analog fatigue scale score of the hydrogen group after intervention was significantly lower than that of the placebo group(P<0.01).The root mean square of the difference between the adjacent R-R,mean low-frequency output power,mean high-frequency output power,and isometric muscle endurance after intervention in the hydrogen group were significantly higher than those in the placebo group(P<0.05).Passive position perception and joint motion perception after intervention in the hydrogen group were significantly better than those in the placebo group(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in muscle force perception between the two groups(P>0.05),but muscle force perception in the placebo group after intervention was significantly worse than that before intervention(P<0.01).The difference trend of all test results after intervention in the two groups in the first phase of the experiment showed the same results in the second phase of the experiment.The integrated results also showed that the hydrogen group had better test values for the above indicators than the placebo group(P<0.05).Linear regression analysis showed a positive correlation between post-intervention visual analog fatigue scale scores and passive position perception results(r=0.327,P=0.023),i.e.,the higher subjective fatigue level after high-intensity exercise indicated the worse passive position perception results.To conclude,inhaling hydrogen-rich gas before high-intensity exercise can reduce the degree of fatigue after exercise,thereby improving proprioception and muscle endurance performance,which may be a new strategy to reduce the occurrence of injury.And its effectiveness can be achieved repeatedly.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the anti-pulmonary fibrosis effect of linarin in vivo and in vitro， and investigate its mechanism preliminarily. METHODS C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into normal group （carboxymethylcellulose sodium）， model group （carboxymethylcellulose sodium）， positive control group （pirfenidone， 200 mg/kg）， linarin low-dose and high-dose groups （12.5， 25 mg/kg）， with 8 mice in each group. Except for normal group， pulmonary fibrosis model was induced in other groups. After modeling， they were given relevant medicine intragastrically， once a day， for consecutive 14 d. The general situation of mice was observed， and their lung indexes were measured； the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） and transforming growth factor-β1（ TGF-β1） in serum and interleukin-6 （IL-6） in lung tissue were determined. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining and Masson staining were used to observe the histopathological morphology of lung. The pulmonary fibrosis was scored according to Ashcroft score standard. The expressions of α-smooth muscle actin （α-SMA） and （type Ⅰ collagen， Collagen Ⅰ）， phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase （p-ERK1/2） and TGF-β1 in lung tissues were detected. HFL1 cells were stimulated by TGF- β1 to form pulmonary fibrosis model in vitro， which were divided into normal group， model group and linarin low-， medium- and high-concentration groups （3.7， 7.4， 14.8 mg/L）. After being cultured for 48 h， the protein expressions of α-SMA， Collagen Ⅰ and p-ERK1/2 in HFL1 cells were detected. RESULTS In vivo， compared with normal group， the lung index of model group and the levels of TNF- α， TGF- β1 and IL-6 were significantly increased （P＜0.01）. There were a large number of inflammatory infiltration and cellular fibrosis lesions in the alveoli， and a large number of collagen depositions. The scores of HE staining and Masson staining were significantly increased （P＜0.01）. The protein expressions of α-SMA， Collagen Ⅰ， p-ERK1/2 and TGF-β1 in lung tissue were up-regulated significantly （P＜0.01）. Compared with model group， above indexes of mice were improved significantly in linarin high-dose group （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）， and most of indexes （except for lung index） were improved significantly in linarin low-dose group （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. In vitro， compared with blank group， the density of cells in the model group increased， and obvious proliferation and other changes occurred； protein expressions of α-SMA， Collagen Ⅰ and p-ERK1/2 were significantly up-regulated （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared with model group， the cell density of each concentration group was decreased and the morphology gradually returned to normal； the expressions of above proteins in linarin high-concentration group and the protein expression of p-ERK1/2 in linarin medium-concentration group were down-regulated significantly（P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. CONCLUSIONS Linarin may regulate ERK and inflammatory pathways to reduce the inflammatory response， thereby exerting anti-pulmonary fibrosis effect.

Although it is widely believed that abnormal energy metabolism exists in cancer cells and affects the biological behavior of cancers, the exact mechanism of energy metabolic reprogramming and specific mechanism of its effect on proliferation, invasion and metastasis of cancer cells have not been clarified. In recent years, studies have shown that long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) can affect energy metabolism, development and progression of cancer cells through binding to specific nucleic acids and proteins at the transcriptional and post-transcriptional stages, and specifically through transcriptional interference, epigenetic regulation of genes, changes in protein activity, competitive binding to microRNA (miRNA) and other related mechanisms. The further study on the mechanism of lncRNA regulating energy metabolism reprogramming of cancer cells is expected to find new markers and targets for diagnosis and treatment of cancer. This paper reviews the current research progress of the mechanism of lncRNA regulating metabolic reprogramming of glucose, fatty acid, protein and nucleotide in cancer, and provides a new idea of lncRNA's regulation of energy metabolism pathways for targeted anticancer therapy.