Our research reveals the critical role of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) neurons in mediating light-induced transient forgetting. Acute exposure to bright light selectively impairs trace fear memory by activating VIP neurons in the SCN, as demonstrated by increased c-Fos expression and Ca²⁺ recording. This effect can be replicated and reversed through optogenetic and chemogenetic manipulations of SCN VIP neurons. Furthermore, we identify the SCN → PVT (paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus) VIP neuronal circuitry as essential in this process. These findings establish a novel role for SCN VIP neurons in modulating memory accessibility in response to environmental light cues, extending their known function beyond circadian regulation and revealing a mechanism for transient forgetting.
Animals ; Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide/metabolism* ; Male ; Mice ; Neurons/metabolism* ; Suprachiasmatic Nucleus/physiology* ; Light ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Memory/physiology* ; Fear/physiology* ; Suprachiasmatic Nucleus Neurons/metabolism* ; Optogenetics ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-fos/metabolism*

Background::T-cell-mediated immunity is crucial for the effective clearance of viral infection, but the T-cell-mediated immune responses that are induced by booster doses of inactivated severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) vaccines in people living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLWH) remain unclear.Methods::Forty-five PLWH who had received antiretroviral therapy (ART) for more than two years and 29 healthy controls (HCs) at Beijing Youan Hospital were enrolled to assess the dynamic changes in T-cell responses between the day before the third vaccine dose (week 0) and 4 or 12 weeks (week 4 or week 12) after receiving the third dose of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Flow cytometry, enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISpot), and multiplex cytokines profiling were used to assess T-cell responses at the three timepoints in this study.Results::The results of the ELISpot and activation-induced marker (AIM) assays showed that SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell responses were increased in both PLWH and HCs after the third dose of the inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, and a similar magnitude of immune response was induced against the Omicron (B.1.1.529) variant compared to the wild-type strain. In detail, spike-specific T-cell responses (measured by the ELISpot assay for interferon γ [IFN-γ] release) in both PLWH and HCs significantly increased in week 4, and the spike-specific T-cell responses in HCs were significantly stronger than those in PLWH 4 weeks after the third vaccination. In the AIM assay, spike-specific CD4 + T-cell responses peaked in both PLWH and HCs in week 12. Additionally, significantly higher spike-specific CD8 + T-cell responses were induced in PLWH than in HCs in week 12. In PLWH, the release of the cytokines interleukin-2 (IL-2), tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), and IL-22 by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) that were stimulated with spike peptides increased in week 12. In addition, the levels of IL-4 and IL-5 were higher in PLWH than in HCs in week 12. Interestingly, the magnitude of SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell responses in PLWH was negatively associated with the extent of CD8 + T-cell activation and exhaustion. In addition, positive correlations were observed between the magnitude of spike-specific T-cell responses (determined by measuring IFN-γ release by ELISpot) and the amounts of IL-4, IL-5, IL-2 and IL-17F. Conclusions::Our findings suggested that SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell responses could be enhanced by the booster dose of inactivated COVID-19 vaccines and further illustrate the importance of additional vaccination for PLWH.

Purpose: The poor retention and ambiguous differentiation of stem cells (SCs) within corpus cavernosum (CC) limit the cell application in erectile dysfunction (ED). Herein, the effects and mechanism of microRNA-145 (miR-145) gene modification on modulating the traits and fate of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) were investigated. Materials and Methods: The effects of miR-145 on cell apoptosis, proliferation, migration, and differentiation were determined by flow cytometry, cell counting kit-8, transwell assays and myogenic induction. Then, the age-related ED rats were recruited to four groups including phosphate buffer saline, BMSC, vector-BMSC, overexpressed-miR-145-BMSC groups. After cell transplantation, the CC were harvested and prepared to demonstrate the retention and differentiation of BMSCs by immunofluorescent staining. Then, the target of miR-145 was verified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemical. After that, APTO-253, as an inducer of Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4), was introduced for rescue experiments in corpus cavernosum smooth muscle cells (CCSMCs) under the co-culture system. Results: In vitro, miR-145 inhibited the migration and apoptosis of BMSCs and promoted the differentiation of BMSCs into smooth muscle-like cells with stronger contractility. In vivo, the amount of 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU)+cells within CC was significantly enhanced and maintained in the miR-145 gene modified BMSC group. The EdU/CD31 co-staning was detected, however, no co-staining of EdU/α-actin was observed. Furthermore, miR-145, which secreted from the gene modified BMSCs, dampened the expression of KLF4. However, the effects of miR-145 on CCSMCs could be rescued by APTO-253. Conclusions Overall, miR-145 modification prolongs the retention of the transplanted BMSCs within the CC, and this effect might be attributed to the modulation of the miR-145/KLF4 axis. Consequently, our findings offer a promising and innovative strategy to enhance the local stem cell-based treatments.

ObjectiveTo explore the protective effect and mechanism of Qihong Tongluo prescription on vascular endothelial cells in rats with deep venous thrombosis （DVT）. MethodSixty-six SD rats were randomly divided into a blank group （n=11） and a modeling group （n=55）. The DVT model was induced in rats of the modeling group by slowing down blood flow and damaging vascular endothelium. The model rats were randomly divided into model group， aspirin group （200 mg·kg^-1）， and low-，medium-， and high-dose Qihong Tongluo prescription groups （6.5， 13， 26 g·kg^-1） according to a random number table. Rats were treated with corresponding drugs by gavage， while those in the model group and the blank group received normal saline， once per day for 7 days. The rats were sacrificed and the abdominal aortic blood was taken. The levels of serum endothelin-1 （ET-1） and interleukin-6 （IL-6） were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining was used to observe the pathological changes in vascular endothelial tissues. The ultrastructure of vascular endothelial cells was observed by the transmission electron microscope. The viability of vascular endothelial cells was detected by methylthiazolyldiphenyl-tetrazolium bromide （MTT） method，and the release level of lactate dehydrogenase （LDH） was detected by the LDH kit. The messenger ribonucleic acid （mRNA） expression of platelet-activating factor （PAF），nuclear transcription factor κB （NF-κB），Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 1 （Rac1）， and Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 2 （Rac2） in vascular endothelial tissues were detected by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. The protein expression of PAF，NF-κB，Rac1， and Rac2 in vascular endothelial tissues was detected by Western blot. ResultThe model group showed seriously damaged and swollen vascular endothelial cells with massive shedding， attachment of massive inflammatory cells， nucleus pyknosis and deformation under the electron microscope， highly swollen mitochondria， serious cytoplasmic vacuolation，and exposure of internal elastic membrane. The damage of vascular endothelium and its ultrastructure in Qihong Tongluo prescription groups and the aspirin group was improved in varying degrees. Compared with the blank group，the model group showed increased levels of serum ET-1 and IL-6，potentiated vascular endothelial cell viability， up-regulated mRNA and protein expression of PAF，NF-κB，Rac1， and Rac2 in vascular endothelial tissues，and decreased LDH release level of vascular endothelial cells （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group，the aspirin group and the Qihong Tongluo prescription groups showed decreased levels of serum ET-1 and IL-6，blunted vascular endothelial cell viability，down-regulated mRNA and protein expression of PAF，NF-κB，Rac1， and Rac2 in vascular endothelial tissues，and increased LDH release level of vascular endothelial cells （P<0.05）. The effect of Qihong Tongluo prescription was dose-dependent. ConclusionQihong Tongluo prescription has a protective effect on vascular endothelial cells of DVT rats and can prevent and treat thrombosis，and its therapeutic effect is presumably achieved by inhibiting the expression of PAF，NF-κB，Rac1，and Rac2 and reducing the levels of serum ET-1 and IL-6.

With the gradual aggravation of aging in China， the prevalence of osteoporosis is increasing year by year. Osteoporosis has become a major public health problem threatening the health of middle-aged and elderly people， especially middle-aged and elderly women. There are many predisposing factors and complex pathogenesis of osteoporosis. The interpretation of osteoporosis has been the focus of clinical research in recent years. How to prevent and treat osteoporosis more effectively has also become a major problem faced by researchers. In recent years， the balance and homeostasis of calcium and phosphorus regulated by intestinal absorption， renal excretion and bone have become one of the hot topics， and the balance and homeostasis of calcium and phosphorus in vivo are the key to normal bone homeostasis. At the same time， as a complex microbial community living in the gastrointestinal tract， intestinal flora can produce a variety of regulators affecting metabolism. It has been widely confirmed that it acts on the body indirectly or directly， in multiple ways and targets to prevent and treat osteoporosis. Therefore， further exploring the role and mechanism of intestine kidney bone axis in osteoporosis plays a far-reaching significance for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. In recent years， scholars have made a lot of exploration on the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis with traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， and found that TCM can intervene the expression of intestinal flora and play the effect of prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. Based on the "intestine kidney bone axis"， this paper briefly discusses the integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine of kidney and osteoporosis， intestine and osteoporosis， intestine kidney axis， the treatment of kidney from intestine， intestine and osteoporosis， and the application of TCM in regulating intestinal flora in osteoporosis， in order to provide new ideas for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.

Objective:To investigate the feasibility of 99Tc m-hydrazinonicotinamide-(poly-(ethylene glycol)) 4-E[(poly-(ethylene glycol))4-c((Arg-Gly-Asp)fK)] 2 (3PRGD 2) in the early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods:Sixty female Wistar rats were divided into control group ( n=10; injected with saline of 0.3 ml/piece) and collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) group ( n=50; injected with type Ⅱ collagen emulsion of 0.3 ml/piece). Rats in 2 groups were subjected to 99Tc m-3PRGD 2 planar imaging before modeling, 25 and 45 d after modeling. The changes of the target/non-target ratio (T/NT) of the lesion joint and mediastinum before and after modeling were measured and analyzed in CIA rats, and compared with rats in control group. Pathological examination was conducted. Repeated measures analysis of variance and independent-sample t test were used to analyze the data. Results:Thirty-two rats in CIA group were successfully established, and obvious synovitis and synovial thickening, neovascularization were observed in the images. The T/NT of diseased joints in CIA group before modeling, 25 and 45 d after modeling were 0.158±0.023, 0.402±0.144, and 0.705±0.163 ( F=286.924, P<0.01). The T/NT of diseased joints at 25 and 45 d after modeling were significantly different from those of control group (0.160±0.028 and 0.158±0.032; t values: -10.484 and -20.917, both P<0.01). Immunohistochemistry results showed positive expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor, α vβ 3 and tumor necrosis factor-α in the synovial tissue in of diseased joints in rats of CIA group. Conclusion:99Tc m-3PRGD 2 has high sensitivity for joint synovial neovascularization in rat rheumatoid arthritis models and is expected to be used for early diagnosis of RA.

Objective:To study the expression of MMP-9 in nasal NK/T cell lymphoma, HIF-1a and its relationship with the clinical and pathologic characteristics. Methods:46 cases ( case group) of paraffin block specimens from patients with pathologically confirmed nasal NK/T cell lymphoma were collected from the Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical College For Nationalities,the same period endoscopy turbinate mucosa were confirmed by pathology in 20 cases of chronic inflammation of mucosa specimens ( control group) , respectively HE staining and immunohistochemistry handle two specimens, observation of the expression differences of two groups of specimens of pathological morphology, MMP-9 and HIF-1a, and to analyze its relationship with the clinical and pathological features of the patients. Results: Case group HIF-1a expression rate 67. 39% (31/46), expression was 6. 52% (3/20) in control group. , the HIF-1a case group were significantly higher than control group (P<0. 05). Case group MMP-9 expression rate 71. 74%(33/46), in the control group expression was 6. 52% (3/20), MMP-9 expression in the case group was significantly higher than control group (P<0. 05). HIF-1a and MMP-9 in positive expression in Ann Arbor staging (Ⅲ-Ⅳ), lymph node metastasis, vascular invasion in patients with nasal NK/T cell lymphoma tissue appeared a high expression ( P< 0. 05 ) . Conclusion: Nasal NK/T cell lymphoma tissue of patients with HIF-1a, MMP-9 presented high expression, and there was a certain relationship between Arbor Ann stage (Ⅲ-Ⅳ) , lymph node metastasis and vascular invasion.

Aim To synthesize 8-bromo-ethoxy Rhein and investigate its mechanisms and inhibition effect on hepatitis B surface antigen ( HBsAg ) and e antigen ( HBeAg) in HepG2.2.15 cells.Methods 8-bromo-ethoxy Rhein was synthesized based on the chemical structure of Rhein , and its structure was identified by IR,1 H-NMR and 13 C-NMR spectra.MTT assay was used to test the inhibitory effect of 8-bromo-ethoxy Rhein on HepG2.2.15 cells.After the cells treatment by 8-bromo-ethoxy Rhein , the HBsAg and HBeAg in cell supernatant were detected by ELISA .The expres-sion of hepatitis B virus X gene ( HBx) was detected by Western blot .The cell cycles were examined with flow cytometry.The intracellular free calcium concentration was detected by laser scanning confocal microscopy . Results The structure of 8-bromo-ethoxy Rhein was confirmed by IR,1 H-NMR and 13 C-NMR.MTT results showed that synthetic product and Rhein could inhibit the cell proliferation in HepG2.2.15 cells.After trea-ted with 8-bromo-ethoxy Rhein and Rhein for 72 h,the half inhibitory concentration 50%( IC50 ) was 14.29 mg? L-1 and 11.59 mg? L-1 , respectively .Using non-cytotoxic dose of 8-bromo-ethoxy Rhein , the inhibitory effect on HBsAg and HBeAg was gradually enhanced with increasing 8-bromo-ethoxy Rhein concentration . The inhibitory effect of synthetic product on hepatitis B virus was better than that of Rhein .8-bromo-ethoxy Rhein could down-regulate the expression of HBx , in-tracellular calcium ion concentration and block the hepatitis B virus ( HBV ) replication.Flow cytometry results showed 8-bromo-ethoxy Rhein didn′t affect the cell cycle .Conclusions Compare with Rhein , the synthesis of 8-bromo-ethoxy Rhein shows stronger inhi-bition on hepatitis B virus in HepG2.2.15, and its mechanisms may involve down-regulating the expres-sion of HBx and reducing calcium ion concentration .

Objective To investigate the trans‐regulative effect of hepatitis B virus (HBV) preS2 on the promoter of human acyl protein thioesterase 1 (APT1) gene .Methods The promoter sequence of human APT1 gene was identified applying the soft‐ware of bioinformatics .The APT1 promoter and HBV preS2 gene were amplified with PCR and cloned into pGL3 and pcDNA3 .1 (-) plasmids to construct the luciferase reporter gene plasmid of human APT1 gene promoter pGL3‐APT1 and the preS2 eukary‐otic expression plasmid pcDNA3 .1(-)‐preS2 ,respectively .The effect of the preS2 on the human APT1 gene promoter was exam‐ined by cotransfecting hepatocellular carcinoma cell HepG2 with pGL3‐APT1 and pcDNA3 .1(-)‐preS2 and measuring luciferase activities of the HepG2 cells .The statistical data were analyzed with independent‐samples t test .Results Both plasmids of pGL3‐APT1 and pcDNA3 .1(-)‐preS2 were confirmed by DNA sequencing to be accurately constructed as design .The luciferase activity of the pGL3‐APT1 was 1 .2 times (P<0 .01) that of the positive control plasmid pGL3‐Control .And the luciferase activity of the HepG2 cells cotransfected with pcDNA3 .1(-)‐preS2 and pGL3‐APT1 was 2 .6 times (P<0 .01) that of the HepG2 cells cotrans‐fected with the plasmid without preS2 gene pcDNA3 .1(-) and pGL3‐APT1 .Conclusion The human APT1 promoter cloned in the study has high promoter activity ;HBV preS2 activates human APT1 promoter .

Objective To explore the effect of the gene silencing of phosphatidic acid-preferring phospholipase A1 (PA-PLA1) on insulin secretion in mouse insulin-secreting cell line MIN6. Methods The siRNA expression vector of mouse PA-PLA1 gene targeting was constructed using mouse PA-PLA1 mRNA sequence available in GenBank, and MIN6 cells were transfected with the vector. Fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western-blotwere applied to screen efficient RNAi-vector. After transfection with obtained efficient RNAi-vectors for 48 hours, glucose-stimulated insulin secretion experiments were conducted, and the changes of insulin secretion were examined. Results Four siRNA expression vectors of mouse PA-PLA1 gene targeting were confirmed to be successfully constructed by the analyses of enzyme cleavage and sequencing. The results of fluorescence quantitative PCR and Western blot analyses indicated that the siRNA expression vectorpGPU6-PA-PLA1-1885was the most effective RNAi-vector in the four vectors. The expression levels of the PA-PLA1 mRNA and protein of the MIN6 cells transfectedwith pGPU6-PA-PLA1-1885 decreased to 46.3% and 33.9% of that of the control, respectively, and meanwhile the insulin secretion levels of the cells decreased to 65.0% of that of the control (P < 0.05). Conclusion The gene silencing of phosphatidic acid-preferring phospholipase A1 might decrease insulin secretion in MIN6 cells.