ObjectiveTo investigate the effect and potential mechanism of Zhishi Daozhi Formula （枳实导滞方， ZDF） on inflammation in rats with sepsis-induced gastrointestinal dysfunction based on the Toll-like receptor 4/myeloid differentiation factor 88/nuclear factor-κB （TLR4/MyD88/NF‑κB） signaling pathway and intestinal flora. MethodsSixty SD rats were randomly divided into sham‑operation group， model group， ulinastatin group， and low‑， medium‑ and high‑dose ZDF groups， with 10 rats in each group. Except for the sham‑operation group， the rat model of sepsis‑induced gastrointestinal dysfunction was established by cecal ligation and puncture （CLP）. Three days before modeling and 12 h after modeling， the low-， medium- and high-dose ZDF groups were intragastrically administered with ZDF solution at doses of 3.80， 7.60 and 15.20 g·kg⁻¹·d⁻¹， respectively. The ulinastatin group received intraperitoneal injection of ulinastatin at 100,000 U/kg， while the sham-operation and model groups were given normal saline at 1 ml/100 g by gavage. All interventions were performed once daily for 4 consecutive days. Tow hours after the last intervention， gastric emptying rate and small intestinal propulsion rate were detected. Gastrointestinal function indicators including D‑lactic acid （D‑LA） and intestinal fatty acid binding protein （i‑FABP）， as well as inflammatory indicators including procalcitonin （PCT） and C‑reactive protein （CRP） were measured by ELISA 24 h after modeling. The counts of Escherichia coli， Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus in the intestine were compared. The histopathological morphological changes of the rat intestinal mucosa were observed by HE staining. The protein and mRNA expressions of IκB kinase （Ikk）， TLR4， MyD88 and NF‑κB in ileal tissues were detected by western blot and qRT‑PCR， respectively. ResultsCompared to the sham-operation group， the model group showed decreased gastric emptying rate and small intestinal propulsion rate， increased intestinal Escherichia coli count， elevated serum D‑LA， i‑FABP， PCT and CRP levels， increased protein and mRNA expressions of Ikk， TLR4， MyD88 and NF-κB in ileal tissue， decreased counts of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium （P＜0.05）， accompanied by obvious pathological injury of ileal mucosa. Compared to the model group， all medication groups exhibited significant improvements in the above mentioned indicators and alleviated intestinal mucosal injury （P＜0.05）. Compared to the ulinastatin group， except for D-LA in the medium-dose ZDF group， the differences in the above indicators between the low- and medium-dose ZDF groups were statistically significant （P＜0.05）， while the differences between the high-dose ZDF group and the ulinastatin group were not statistically significant （P＞0.05）. With increasing dosage， the gastric emptying rate， small intestinal propulsion rate， Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium counts in the rats of all three ZDF groups increased， while the levels of serum D-LA， PCT， CRP， and i-FABP， the protein levels of Ikk， TLR4， MyD88， and NF-κB in intestinal tissue， and the Escherichia coli count decreased （P＜0.05）. ConclusionZDF can ameliorate intestinal mucosal injury， maintain intestinal flora balance and inhibit inflammatory response in rats with sepsis‑induced gastrointestinal dysfunction， with the high-dose group showing the best efficacy， which may be achieved by down‑regulating the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway.

ObjectiveTo elucidate the correlation between alterations in digestion and absorption functions and hepatic deficiency states in aging rats based on the R-spondin1/Wnt3a signaling pathway， and reveal the intervention mechanism of Bugansan. MethodsForty-eight SPF-grade male SD rats were randomly assigned to six groups： blank control， model， low-， medium-， and high-dose （7.03， 14.06， 28.12 g·kg^-1， respectively） Bugansan， and vitamin E （suspension， 27 mg·kg^-1）， with 8 rats in each group. The rat model of aging was established by intraperitoneal injection of D-galactose （400 mg·kg^-1）， while the blank control group was injected with normal saline. Since the day of modeling， rats in intervention groups received corresponding agents by gavage， and those in blank control and model groups received an equal volume of normal saline （10 mL·kg^-1）. General biological features such as fur color， activity， body mass， water intake， and food intake were observed. Meanwhile， the content of malondialdehyde （MDA） and the activities of superoxide dismutase （SOD） and glutathione peroxidase （GSH-Px） in the serum were measured to assess aging. Grip strength and the content of total bile acids （TBA） and the activity of α-amylase （AMY） in the serum were measured to evaluate hepatic deficiency states. The activity of β-galactosidase （β-gal） in the duodenum was measured to evaluate intestinal senescence. The levels of glucagon-like peptide-1 （GLP-1）， vasoactive intestinal peptide （VIP）， and D-xylose in the serum were determined to assess digestion and absorption functions of the small intestine. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was conducted to observe pathological changes of the duodenum to assess the small intestine damage. Immunohistochemical staining was employed to visualize the expression of B-cell-specific Moloney murine leukemia virus integration site 1 （Bmi1） and leucine-rich repeat-containing G protein-coupled receptor 5 （Lgr5） in the duodenal tissue. Moreover， Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） was utilized to quantify the mRNA levels of Ki67， Bmi1， and Lgr5 to assess proliferation and regeneration of the small intestine. Additionally， the mRNA levels of R-spondin1， Wnt3a， β-catenin， and glycogen synthase kinase-3β （GSK-3β） and the protein levels of R-spondin1， Wnt3a， β-catenin， and phosphorylated GSK-3β （p-GSK-3β） in the duodenum were determined by Real-time PCR and Western blot， respectively， to analyze the mechanisms of intestinal digestion and absorption dysfunction in aging rats and the regulatory characteristics of Bugansan. ResultsCompared with blank control group， the model group showed decreases in body mass， water intake， food intake， grip strength， activities of SOD， GSH-Px， and AMY in the serum and content of GLP-1， VIP and D-xylose in the serum （P<0.05）， increases in the content of MDA and TBA in the serum and β-gal activity in the duodenum （P<0.05）， reductions in villus length， villus width， crypt depth， and villi/crypt （V/C） value， down-regulated mRNA and protein levels of Ki67， Lgr5， Bmi1， R-spondin1， Wnt3a， β-catenin， and up-regulated level of GSK-3β， phosphorylation （p）-GSK-3β （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， Bugansan increased the body mass， water intake， food intake， grip strength， and activities of SOD， GSH-Px， and AMY and levels of GLP-1， VIP and D-xylose in the serum （P<0.05）， while decreasing the content of MDA and TBA in the serum and β-gal activity in the duodenum （P<0.05）. Furthermore， Bugansan increased the villus length， villus width， crypt depth， and V/C value， up-regulated the mRNA and protein levels of Ki67， Lgr5， Bmi1， R-spondin1， Wnt3a， β-catenin， and down-regulated the level of GSK-3β and p-GSK-3β （P<0.05）. ConclusionAging rats exhibit obvious impairments in digestion and absorption functions， accompanied by a state of hepatic deficiency. The traditional Chinese medicine approach of tonifying liver Qi effectively ameliorates aging-related changes by modulating the R-spondin1/Wnt3a signaling pathway to mitigate intestinal senescence and enhance digestion and absorption functions， ultimately contributing to the delay of aging.

Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a genetically heterogeneous disease characterized by structural or functional abnormalities of motile cilia. It often presents clinically with recurrent respiratory infections, situs inversus, hydrocephalus, and infertility. Currently, there is no clinical treatment to directly restore ciliary motility in PCD patients.In recent years, researchers have explored gene therapy methods such as gene replacement, gene editing, and RNA replacement in vitro and in mouse models, offering potential new strategies for PCD treatment. This paper comprehensively reviews the current status of PCD gene therapy research, evaluates the potential of different gene therapies, and provides an outlook on the future treatment directions for this disease.

Objective To investigate the mechanisms by which astaxanthin(AST)alleviates oxaliplatin(OXA)-induced neuropathic pain through antioxidant pathways so as to provide theoretical basis for clinical intervention.Methods Animal experiments:SD rats were divided into five groups(n=6):control group,OXA(4 mg/kg)group,OXA+Oil group,OXA+AST(5 mg/kg)group,and OXA+AST(10 mg/kg)group.Mechanical and cold pain thresholds were measured at day 0,7,14,and 21.Malondialdehyde(MDA)content and superoxide dismutase(SOD)activity in the dorsal root ganglia(DRG)were detected using the thiobarbituric acid(TBA)method and WST-1 assay,respectively.Western blotting was performed to analyze the expressions of Nrf2 and HO-1.Cell experiments:neuro-2a cells were divided into control group,OXA(50 μmol/L)group,AST(10 μmol/L)group,and OXA(50 μmol/L)+AST(10 μmol/L)group.Cells were treated with nerve growth factor(NGF,50 ng/mL)to induce growth,and morphological changes were observed under an inverted microscope.Intracellular reactive oxygen species(ROS)level and mitochondrial superoxide were measured using DCFH-DA fluorescent probe and MitoSOXTM red,respectively.Mitochondrial function was assessed by JC-1 assay.Western blotting was used to detect Nrf2 and HO-1 expressions.Results Animal experiments:① Mechanical and cold pain thresholds were reduced in OXA and OXA+Oil groups(P＜0.05),while AST significantly increased these thresholds in OXA-treated rats(P＜0.05).② SOD activity decreased while MDA content increased in the DRG of OXA-treated rats(P＜0.05).AST restored SOD activity and reduced MDA level(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).③ Western blotting showed elevated Nrf2 and HO-1 expressions in OXA group(P＞0.05),which were further upregulated by AST(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Cell experiments:① OXA reduced the number of neurite-bearing cells and shortened the average neurite length(P＜0.05).Inverted microscopic observation revealed that AST intervention increased both parameters(P＜0.01,P＜0.001).② OXA increased intracellular and mitochondrial ROS fluorescence intensity(P＜0.05),which was attenuated by AST(P＜0.01).③ JC-1 assay revealed decreased mitochondrial membrane potential in OXA group(P＜0.01),which was partially reversed by AST(P＜0.05).④ Western blotting results showed that OXA upregulated Nrf2 and HO-1 expressions(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),and AST further enhanced their levels(P＜0.01).Conclusion AST alleviates OXA-induced neuropathic pain by promoting Nrf2/HO-1 expression,enhancing SOD activity,reducing lipid peroxidation and ROS production,and improving mitochondrial function.

Background and purpose:In recent years,chimeric antigen receptor T(CAR-T)cell therapy has achieved breakthrough progress in cancer treatment.γδ T cells,with their non-major histocompatibility complex(MHC)-restricted antigen recognition,broad antitumor activity,and low risk of graft-versus-host disease(GVHD),have garnered significant interest in CAR-γδ T cell therapy.However,critical challenges including suboptimal in vitro expansion and low viral transduction efficiency severely hinder the research and clinical application of CAR-γδ T cells.This study aimed to establish an efficient platform for preparing CAR-γδ T cells by optimizing the in vitro expansion conditions of γδ T cells and refining lentiviral transduction strategies.Methods:We first optimized the expansion protocol for γδ T cells by screening various cytokine combinations and the concentrations of individual cytokines within combination,and evaluating cell purity,viability,fold expansion,and expressions of cytotoxicity and exhaustion markers to identify the optimal culture conditions.Subsequently,the transduction conditions for CAR-γδ T cells were improved by determining the optimal activation duration of γδ T cells prior to gene transfer,as well as the optimal multiplicity of infection(MOI)for lentiviral transduction.Finally,CAR-γδ T cells were successfully generated using the optimized protocol,and their cytotoxic activity against target cells was validated via calcein-release assay and flow cytometry,with a preliminary assessment of the potential risk of GVHD induction.Results:Experimental data demonstrated that,compared with the interleukin(IL)-2-only culture,the IL-2+IL-7+IL-15 combination significantly enhanced the expansion capacity of γδ T cells(876.50±238.35-fold vs 1 627.50±472.15-fold),cell purity(73.67%±1.53%vs 90.69%±2.00%),and cell viability(63.01%±7.05%vs 89.00%±3.61%).It also increased the expression of the cytotoxicity marker CD16(4.20%±1.73%vs 14.66%±0.58%)and reduced the expression of the exhaustion marker programmed death-1(PD-1)(35.67%±6.26%vs 21.10%±6.49%).A cytokine concentration gradient orthogonal assay further identified 10 ng/mL IL-7 and 10 ng/mL IL-15 as the optimal concentrations within the IL-2+IL-7+IL-15 combination.Gene transduction performed 96-120 h after activation using a multiplicity of infection(MOI)of 5-10 resulted in the highest transduction efficiency for CAR-γδ T cells(96 h:12.87%±4.35%;120 h:11.37%±2.35%).CAR-γδ T cells generated using the optimized system exhibited specific cytotoxic effects against tumor cells expressing the target antigen,and no evidence of GVHD induction was observed.Conclusion:CAR-γδ T cells produced using the IL-2+IL-7(10 ng/mL)+IL-15(10 ng/mL)regimen combined with a 96-120 h activation period prior to transduction using a multiplicity of infection(MOI)of 5-10 significantly outperformed conventional methods in terms of expansion efficiency,cell purity,and transduction efficiency.The synergistic antitumor effects mediated by both natural immune receptors and CAR-specific recognition,along with the initial absence of GVHD risk,provide critical technical support for the clinical translation of CAR-γδ T cell therapy,establishing a solid theoretical and practical foundation.

Objective To investigate the mechanisms by which astaxanthin(AST)alleviates oxaliplatin(OXA)-induced neuropathic pain through antioxidant pathways so as to provide theoretical basis for clinical intervention.Methods Animal experiments:SD rats were divided into five groups(n=6):control group,OXA(4 mg/kg)group,OXA+Oil group,OXA+AST(5 mg/kg)group,and OXA+AST(10 mg/kg)group.Mechanical and cold pain thresholds were measured at day 0,7,14,and 21.Malondialdehyde(MDA)content and superoxide dismutase(SOD)activity in the dorsal root ganglia(DRG)were detected using the thiobarbituric acid(TBA)method and WST-1 assay,respectively.Western blotting was performed to analyze the expressions of Nrf2 and HO-1.Cell experiments:neuro-2a cells were divided into control group,OXA(50 μmol/L)group,AST(10 μmol/L)group,and OXA(50 μmol/L)+AST(10 μmol/L)group.Cells were treated with nerve growth factor(NGF,50 ng/mL)to induce growth,and morphological changes were observed under an inverted microscope.Intracellular reactive oxygen species(ROS)level and mitochondrial superoxide were measured using DCFH-DA fluorescent probe and MitoSOXTM red,respectively.Mitochondrial function was assessed by JC-1 assay.Western blotting was used to detect Nrf2 and HO-1 expressions.Results Animal experiments:① Mechanical and cold pain thresholds were reduced in OXA and OXA+Oil groups(P＜0.05),while AST significantly increased these thresholds in OXA-treated rats(P＜0.05).② SOD activity decreased while MDA content increased in the DRG of OXA-treated rats(P＜0.05).AST restored SOD activity and reduced MDA level(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).③ Western blotting showed elevated Nrf2 and HO-1 expressions in OXA group(P＞0.05),which were further upregulated by AST(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Cell experiments:① OXA reduced the number of neurite-bearing cells and shortened the average neurite length(P＜0.05).Inverted microscopic observation revealed that AST intervention increased both parameters(P＜0.01,P＜0.001).② OXA increased intracellular and mitochondrial ROS fluorescence intensity(P＜0.05),which was attenuated by AST(P＜0.01).③ JC-1 assay revealed decreased mitochondrial membrane potential in OXA group(P＜0.01),which was partially reversed by AST(P＜0.05).④ Western blotting results showed that OXA upregulated Nrf2 and HO-1 expressions(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),and AST further enhanced their levels(P＜0.01).Conclusion AST alleviates OXA-induced neuropathic pain by promoting Nrf2/HO-1 expression,enhancing SOD activity,reducing lipid peroxidation and ROS production,and improving mitochondrial function.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA)is a super drug-resistant pathogen for its multi-drug resistance,strong pathogenicity,high morbidity and mortality and is common in communities and hospi-tals in recent years.With the extensive use of various broad-spectrum antibiotics and the abuse of antimicrobial a-gents,MRSA strains have shown extensive resistance to conventional antibiotics such as vancomycin in recent years.The development of new drugs and new therapeutic regimens is the major clinical task for treatment of MR-SA infection.Enhancing the antimicrobial effect of traditional antibiotics and reducing the resistance through com-bined usage of drugs are at present the feasible measures for clinical treatment.The article focuses on the drug combinations of anti-MRSA drugs such as vancomycin and the combination of traditional Chinese medicine and nanotechnology with antibiotics so as to provide reference for clinical medication and subsequent development of new drugs and new technology.

Background and purpose:In recent years,chimeric antigen receptor T(CAR-T)cell therapy has achieved breakthrough progress in cancer treatment.γδ T cells,with their non-major histocompatibility complex(MHC)-restricted antigen recognition,broad antitumor activity,and low risk of graft-versus-host disease(GVHD),have garnered significant interest in CAR-γδ T cell therapy.However,critical challenges including suboptimal in vitro expansion and low viral transduction efficiency severely hinder the research and clinical application of CAR-γδ T cells.This study aimed to establish an efficient platform for preparing CAR-γδ T cells by optimizing the in vitro expansion conditions of γδ T cells and refining lentiviral transduction strategies.Methods:We first optimized the expansion protocol for γδ T cells by screening various cytokine combinations and the concentrations of individual cytokines within combination,and evaluating cell purity,viability,fold expansion,and expressions of cytotoxicity and exhaustion markers to identify the optimal culture conditions.Subsequently,the transduction conditions for CAR-γδ T cells were improved by determining the optimal activation duration of γδ T cells prior to gene transfer,as well as the optimal multiplicity of infection(MOI)for lentiviral transduction.Finally,CAR-γδ T cells were successfully generated using the optimized protocol,and their cytotoxic activity against target cells was validated via calcein-release assay and flow cytometry,with a preliminary assessment of the potential risk of GVHD induction.Results:Experimental data demonstrated that,compared with the interleukin(IL)-2-only culture,the IL-2+IL-7+IL-15 combination significantly enhanced the expansion capacity of γδ T cells(876.50±238.35-fold vs 1 627.50±472.15-fold),cell purity(73.67%±1.53%vs 90.69%±2.00%),and cell viability(63.01%±7.05%vs 89.00%±3.61%).It also increased the expression of the cytotoxicity marker CD16(4.20%±1.73%vs 14.66%±0.58%)and reduced the expression of the exhaustion marker programmed death-1(PD-1)(35.67%±6.26%vs 21.10%±6.49%).A cytokine concentration gradient orthogonal assay further identified 10 ng/mL IL-7 and 10 ng/mL IL-15 as the optimal concentrations within the IL-2+IL-7+IL-15 combination.Gene transduction performed 96-120 h after activation using a multiplicity of infection(MOI)of 5-10 resulted in the highest transduction efficiency for CAR-γδ T cells(96 h:12.87%±4.35%;120 h:11.37%±2.35%).CAR-γδ T cells generated using the optimized system exhibited specific cytotoxic effects against tumor cells expressing the target antigen,and no evidence of GVHD induction was observed.Conclusion:CAR-γδ T cells produced using the IL-2+IL-7(10 ng/mL)+IL-15(10 ng/mL)regimen combined with a 96-120 h activation period prior to transduction using a multiplicity of infection(MOI)of 5-10 significantly outperformed conventional methods in terms of expansion efficiency,cell purity,and transduction efficiency.The synergistic antitumor effects mediated by both natural immune receptors and CAR-specific recognition,along with the initial absence of GVHD risk,provide critical technical support for the clinical translation of CAR-γδ T cell therapy,establishing a solid theoretical and practical foundation.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA)is a super drug-resistant pathogen for its multi-drug resistance,strong pathogenicity,high morbidity and mortality and is common in communities and hospi-tals in recent years.With the extensive use of various broad-spectrum antibiotics and the abuse of antimicrobial a-gents,MRSA strains have shown extensive resistance to conventional antibiotics such as vancomycin in recent years.The development of new drugs and new therapeutic regimens is the major clinical task for treatment of MR-SA infection.Enhancing the antimicrobial effect of traditional antibiotics and reducing the resistance through com-bined usage of drugs are at present the feasible measures for clinical treatment.The article focuses on the drug combinations of anti-MRSA drugs such as vancomycin and the combination of traditional Chinese medicine and nanotechnology with antibiotics so as to provide reference for clinical medication and subsequent development of new drugs and new technology.

BACKGROUND:Obesity has become a global health issue,often accompanied by complications including obesity-related muscle atrophy.While exercise has been reported to improve various obesity-related diseases,there is limited research focusing on exercise modes. OBJECTIVE:To compare the effects of moderate-intensity continuous training(MICT)and high-intensity interval training(HIIT)on obesity-related muscle atrophy in mice under the premise of the same exercise distance,providing a scientific basis for exercise interventions for obesity-related muscle atrophy. METHODS:Seventy-two male C57BL/6 mice were divided into six groups(n=12 per group):standard chow diet,standard chow diet+MICT,standard chow diet+HIIT,high-fat diet,high-fat diet+MICT,and high-fat diet+HIIT.The study evaluated the effects of 8-week treadmill training with different exercise modes on long-term high-fat diet-induced muscle atrophy by detecting muscle mass,muscle index,muscle fiber cross-sectional area,muscle lipid deposition,and the expression of muscle atrophy marker genes Murf-1 and Atrogin-1 in the gastrocnemius muscle of mice exposed to long-term high-fat diet. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared to the high-fat diet group,both MICT and HIIT improved the decrease in gastrocnemius muscle index(MICT+18.8%vs.HIIT+17.6%,not significant between the two modes),muscle fiber atrophy(MICT+15.5%vs.HIIT+13.7%,not significant between the two modes),and muscle lipid deposition(MICT-19.8%vs.HIIT-17.1%,not significant between the two modes).At the gene level,compared with the high-fat diet group,both MICT and HIIT could significantly down-regulate the expression of Murf-1(MICT-62.4%vs.HIIT-52.6%,the down-regulation caused by MICT was significantly greater than that by HIIT;P＜0.01)and Atrogin-1(MICT-43.3%vs.HIIT-29.8%,the down-regulation caused by MICT was significantly greater than that by HIIT;P＜0.01).Based on exercise mode comfort and genetic evidence,MICT mode might be more suitable for exercise interventions in obesity-related muscle atrophy.