ObjectiveTo integrate network pharmacology prediction with multi-level experimental verification methods， and to explore in depth the therapeutic efficacy and potential mechanism of luteolin in treating gout. MethodsDatabases were used to obtain potential pharmacodynamic targets of luteolin. Protein-protein interaction （PPI） network construction and network pharmacology analysis techniques were used to screen key core targets of luteolin in gout treatment. Further biological function enrichment analysis and signaling pathway analysis were performed on these targets. Molecular docking simulation was used to calculate the binding energy between luteolin and potential core targets， clarifying the strength of their interactions. In the in vivo experiment for hyperuricemia， 48 mice were randomly divided into a blank group， a model group， an allopurinol group （5 mg·kg^-1）， and low-dose （10 mg·kg^-1）， medium-dose （30 mg·kg^-1）， and high-dose （90 mg·kg^-1） luteolin groups. For the first three days， the blank and model groups were gavaged with an equal volume of normal saline， while the allopurinol group and luteolin groups were gavaged with corresponding drugs. From day 4 onwards， modeling was performed by intraperitoneal injection at 12：00 daily （normal saline for the blank group， and oxonic acid potassium-hypoxanthine mixture for other groups， with 300 mg·kg^-1 for each group）. Gavage intervention was administered at 18：00 daily （normal saline for the blank/model groups， and corresponding drugs for the treatment groups） until day 7. After sampling， levels of serum uric acid （UA）， alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， and aspartate aminotransferase （AST） were measured. Levels of xanthine oxidase （XO） in the liver and kidney， ATP-binding cassette transporter G2 （ABCG2） and malondialdehyde （MDA） in the kidney， and superoxide dismutase （SOD） in the liver were determined. Renal HE staining was also performed. In the pharmacodynamic study of gouty arthritis， 36 rats were randomly divided into a blank group， a model group， a colchicine group （0.315 mg·kg^-1）， and low-dose （7 mg·kg^-1）， medium-dose （21 mg·kg^-1）， and high-dose （63 mg·kg^-1） luteolin groups. The model was established by vertically injecting 100 µL of 25 g·L^-1 monosodium urate suspension into the posterior lateral aspect of the right ankle joint （the blank group was injected with an equal volume of normal saline）， with repeated injections every two days for reinforcement. From day 2 after modeling， daily gavage administration was performed （normal saline for the blank/model groups， and corresponding drugs for the treatment groups） for a total of 16 days. During the experiment， ankle swelling and pain threshold were measured regularly. After sampling， levels of serum tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， and interleukin-1β （IL-1β） were determined. Ankle joints were subjected to HE， Masson， and safranin O-fast green staining， and HE staining was also performed on ankle synovial tissue and various organs. Western blot was used to determine the expression levels of key proteins in gout-related signaling pathways. ResultsNetwork pharmacology analysis predicted that luteolin may regulate over 20 core targets， such as XO， ABCG2， nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 （Nrf2）， and SOD， through acting on signaling pathways including NF-κB， phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B （PI3K/Akt）， and ABC transporters， thereby affecting uric acid metabolism and inflammatory responses. In the hyperuricemia model， compared with the blank group， the model group showed significantly increased serum UA level， liver and kidney XO activity， renal ABCG2 expression， and liver SOD activity （P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the high-dose luteolin group significantly reduced serum UA level （P<0.01）， inhibited liver and kidney XO activity （P<0.01）， and significantly increased renal ABCG2 expression and liver SOD activity （P<0.01）， effectively alleviating renal oxidative stress damage and improving renal histopathological status. In the gouty arthritis model， compared with the blank group， the model group showed significant ankle swelling， decreased pain threshold， and significantly increased levels of IL-6， IL-1β， and TNF-α in serum and synovial tissue （P<0.01）. The high-dose luteolin group significantly reduced ankle swelling， prolonged hot plate pain threshold， effectively decreased the levels of the above inflammatory factors in serum and synovial tissue （P<0.01）， and significantly improved ankle pathological damage， showing good analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects. Western blot results further confirmed that luteolin significantly upregulated Nrf2 protein expression and downregulated XO and nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain （NOD）-like receptor protein 3 （NLRP3） expression in animals. ConclusionLuteolin can improve symptoms of hyperuricemia and gouty arthritis， and its potential mechanism may be related to inhibiting XO activity， increasing ABCG2 and SOD levels， and regulating Nrf2-mediated oxidative stress-related pathways.

Successful cloning through somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) faces significant challenges due to epigenetic obstacles. Recent studies have highlighted the roles of H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 as potential contributors to these obstacles. However, the underlying mechanisms remain largely unclear. In this study, we generated genome-wide maps of H3K4me3 and H3K27me3 in mouse pre-implantation NT embryos. Our analysis revealed that aberrantly over-represented broad H3K4me3 domain and H3K27me3 signal lead to increased bivalent marks at gene promoters in NT embryos compared with naturally fertilized (NF) embryos at the 2-cell stage, which may link to relatively low levels of H3K36me3 in NT 2-cell embryos. Notably, the overexpression of Setd2, a H3K36me3 methyltransferase, successfully restored multiple epigenetic marks, including H3K36me3, H3K4me3, and H3K27me3. In addition, it reinstated the expression levels of ZGA-related genes by reestablishing H3K36me3 at gene body regions, which excluded H3K27me3 from bivalent promoters, ultimately improving cloning efficiency. These findings highlight the excessive bivalent state at gene promoters as a potent barrier and emphasize the removal of these barriers as a promising approach for achieving higher cloning efficiency.
Animals ; Mice ; Histone-Lysine N-Methyltransferase/biosynthesis* ; Histones/genetics* ; Nuclear Transfer Techniques ; Female ; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental ; Promoter Regions, Genetic ; Epigenesis, Genetic ; Embryo, Mammalian/metabolism*

To summarize Professor WANG Xixing's clinical experience in treating advanced breast cancer with anxiety and depression from the perspective of shaoyang pivot. It is believed that the core pathogenesis of advanced breast cancer with anxiety and depression lies in the dysfunction of shaoyang pivot （referring to the imbalanced regulatory function of the shaoyang meridian system that governs the transportation and transformation of qi， blood， and body fluids）. This dysfunction can lead to abnormal circulation of qi， blood， and body fluids， as well as the intermingling of phlegm and blood stasis， which further promotes the spread and diffusion of cancer toxin. Meanwhile， it disturbs mental activity， resulting in a condition characterized by stagnation of cancer toxin and concurrent disorders of both the physical body and the spirit. Based on this pathogenesis， the basic therapeutic principles of harmonizing shaoyang， regulating the pivot to calm the spirit， and dissipating masses and resolving toxins are proposed. Clinically， the disease is classified into three syndromes for differentiation and treatment. For shaoyang pivot dysfunction syndrome， treatment should use self-prescribed Chaiqin Hengshu Ningxin Decoction （柴芩衡枢宁神汤）； for sanjiao pivot dysfunction syndrome， treatment should prescribe Chaigui Tongshu Dashen Decoction （柴归通枢达神饮）； for gallbladder function disorder syndrome， treatment should apply Wendan Qishu Shoushen Decoction （温胆启枢守神汤）. Throughout the treatment process， the concept of "simultaneous treatment of cancer and depression" is implemented to smooth the shaoyang pivot， block the vicious cycle where cancer toxin and emotional abnormalities mutually reinforce each other.

OBJECTIVES: Osteoarthritis (OA) and sarcopenia are significant health concerns in the elderly, substantially impacting their daily activities and quality of life. However, the relationship between them remains poorly understood. This study aims to uncover common biomarkers and pathways associated with both OA and sarcopenia. METHODS: Gene expression profiles related to OA and sarcopenia were retrieved from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between disease and control groups were identified using R software. Common DEGs were extracted via Venn diagram analysis. Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were conducted to identify biological processes and pathways associated with shared DEGs. Protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were constructed, and candidate hub genes were ranked using the maximal clique centrality (MCC) algorithm. Further validation of hub gene expression was performed using 2 independent datasets. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to evaluate the predictive value of key genes for OA and sarcopenia. Mouse models of OA and sarcopenia were established. Hematoxylin-eosin and Safranin O/Fast Green staining were used to validate the OA model. The sarcopenia model was validated via rotarod testing and quadriceps muscle mass measurement. Real-time reverse transcription PCR (real-time RT-PCR) was employed to assess the mRNA expression levels of candidate key genes in both models. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) was conducted to identify pathways associated with the selected shared key genes in both diseases. RESULTS: A total of 89 common DEGs were identified in the gene expression profiles of OA and sarcopenia, including 76 upregulated and 13 downregulated genes. These 89 DEGs were significantly enriched in protein digestion and absorption, the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, and extracellular matrix-receptor interaction. PPI network analysis and MCC algorithm analysis of the 89 common DEGs identified the top 17 candidate hub genes. Based on the differential expression analysis of these 17 candidate hub genes in the validation datasets, AEBP1 and COL8A2 were ultimately selected as the common key genes for both diseases, both of which showed a significant upregulation trend in the disease groups (all P<0.05). The value of area under the curve (AUC) for AEBP1 and COL8A2 in the OA and sarcopenia datasets were all greater than 0.7, indicating that both genes have potential value in predicting OA and sarcopenia. Real-time RT-PCR results showed that the mRNA expression levels of AEBP1 and COL8A2 were significantly upregulated in the disease groups (all P<0.05), consistent with the results observed in the bioinformatics analysis. GSEA revealed that AEBP1 and COL8A2 were closely related to extracellular matrix-receptor interaction, ribosome, and oxidative phosphorylation in OA and sarcopenia. CONCLUSIONS AEBP1 and COL8A2 have the potential to serve as common biomarkers for OA and sarcopenia. The extracellular matrix-receptor interaction pathway may represent a potential target for the prevention and treatment of both OA and sarcopenia.
Sarcopenia/genetics* ; Osteoarthritis/genetics* ; Computational Biology/methods* ; Humans ; Protein Interaction Maps/genetics* ; Animals ; Mice ; Gene Expression Profiling ; Gene Ontology ; Transcriptome ; Male ; Signal Transduction/genetics* ; Gene Regulatory Networks

OBJECTIVES: Osteoarthritis (OA) is one of the most common chronic degenerative diseases, with chondrocyte apoptosis and extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation as the major pathological changes. The mechanical stimulation can attenuate chondrocyte apoptosis and promote ECM synthesis, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the role of primary cilia (PC) in mediating the effects of mechanical stimulation on OA progression. METHODS: In vivo, conditional knockout mice lacking intraflagellar transport 88 (IFT88^flox/flox IFT88 knockout; i.e., primary cilia-deficient mice) were generated, with wild-type mice as controls. OA models were established via anterior cruciate ligament transection combined with destabilization of the medial meniscus, followed by treadmill exercise intervention. OA progression was evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin staining, safranin O-fast green staining, and immunohistochemistry; apoptosis was assessed by TUNEL staining; and limb function by rotarod testing. In vitro, primary articular chondrocytes were isolated from mice and transfected with lentiviral vectors to suppress IFT88 expression, thereby constructing a primary cilia-deficient cell model. Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) was used to induce an inflammatory environment, while cyclic tensile strain (CTS) was applied via a cell stretcher to mimic mechanical loading on chondrocytes. Immunofluorescence and Western blotting were used to detect the protein expression levels of type II collagen α1 chain (COL2A1), primary cilia, IFT88, and caspase-12; reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was performed to assess COL2A1 mRNA levels; and flow cytometry was used to evaluate apoptosis. RESULTS: In vivo, treadmill exercise significantly reduced Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) scores and apoptotic cell rates, and improved balance ability in wild-type OA mice, whereas IFT88-deficient OA mice showed no significant improvement. In vitro, CTS inhibited IL-1β-induced ECM degradation and apoptosis in primary chondrocytes; however, this protective effect was abolished in cells with suppressed primary cilia expression. CONCLUSIONS Mechanical stimulation delays OA progression by mediating signal transduction through primary cilia, thereby inhibiting cartilage degeneration and chondrocyte apoptosis.
Animals ; Chondrocytes/cytology* ; Apoptosis/physiology* ; Mice ; Cilia/metabolism* ; Osteoarthritis/pathology* ; Extracellular Matrix/metabolism* ; Mice, Knockout ; Disease Progression ; Interleukin-1beta ; Male ; Cells, Cultured

Objective To analyze the prevalence of dengue fever in Guangzhou based on circuit-qi theory.Methods Data on dengue fever cases in Guangzhou from January 21,2012,to January 19,2024 were collected.And then the incidence of dengue fever was analyzed under the circuit-qi conditions of dominant qi,guest qi,celestial qi,joining of guest qi with dominant qi,and dissimilation of circuit and qi.Results Higher incidence of dengue fever in Guangzhou was presented under the circuit-qi conditions of the fifth qi of the dominant qi in each year,shaoyang minister fire of the guest qi,shaoyin monarch fire of the celestial qi,guest qi restricting dominant qi in the joining of guest qi with dominant qi,shaoyang minister fire(guest qi)joining with yangming dry-metal(dominant qi)in the pattern of guest qi restricting dominant qi.The outbreak of dengue fever under the circuit-qi conditions of dissimilation of circuit and qi showed no statistically significant difference.Conclusion Over the 12-year period from 2012 to 2024,the prevalence of dengue fever in Guangzhou exhibited a 4-5-year cyclical pattern,often with consecutive outbreaks over two years.The prevalence of dengue fever in Guangzhou is associated with the factors of dampness and heat in the theory of five circuits and six qi,while has less relation with dissimilation of circuit and qi.

Objective To construct an in vitro research model for studying human liver regeneration based on human pluripotent stem cells(hPSCs)-derived hepatocyte-like organoid(HLO).Methods The hPSCs-derived HLO was obtained by inducing differentiation and the regeneration model after liver injury was constructed by adding acetaminophen(APAP)at fixed time points in HLO culture conditions to simulate acute liver injury.Subse-quently,HLO with catenin/cadherin-associated protein beta 1(CTNNB1)knockout,a key gene regulating liver re-generation,was constructed using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology,and regeneration experiments with APAP injury were performed.HLO as a model for liver regeneration studies was further evaluated by morphological observation,RT-qPCR,Western blot and pathological analysis.Results Morphology evidence as well as expres-sion of marker genes showed that hPSCs-derived HLO was able to initiate a post-injury regeneration response after APAP treatment.CTNNB1-deficient HLO showed delayed recovery in dimension and down-regulated or delayed ex-pression of related genes during post-injury regeneration as compared to control HLO.Conclusions A HLO-based hPSCs-derived human liver regeneration model is successfully constructed,which can be used for gene function studies during liver regeneration.

Objective To investigate alteration of blood routine parameters,blood gas analysis profile,coagulation function,and inflammatory factors during exposure to high-altitude hypoxic environments.Methods Rats were raised in a hypobaric oxygen chamber to simulate the altitude of 5 500 meters.The animals were divided into groups with exposure duration of 0(control),1,3,5,7,14,and 28 days.Arterial blood gas was measured using a blood gas analyzer.The routine blood test was performed by an automatic five-differential animal hematology analyzer.The coagulation function was measured by a fully automatic coagulation analyzer.The level of plasma D-dimer(DD),erythropoietin(EPO),interleukin-10(IL-10),interleukin-6(IL-6),tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)and C-reactive protein(CRP)was detected by ELISA method.The protein expression of IL-10,IL-6,and TNF-α in lung tissues of the animals was detected by Western blot.Results As compare to control group,the arterial partial pressure of ox-ygen(PaO2)decreased at different durations of hypoxia exposure.The PaO2 in the group exposed to hypoxia for 7 d was the lowest(P＜0.05).The red blood cell count(RBC),hemoglobin(HGB),hematocrit(HCT),mean cor-puscular volume(MCV),mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration(MCHC)and mean platelet volume(MPV)were all higher than control group(P＜0.05).Erythropoietin(EPO),prothrombin time(PT),activated partial thromboplastin time(APTT),thrombin time(TT),fibrinogen(FIB)and D-dimer(DD)all gradually increased(P＜0.05).The white blood cell count(WBC)and platelet count(PLT),as well as the plasma inflammatory fac-tors including interleukin-10(IL-10),interleukin-6(IL-6),tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α),C-reactive protein(CRP),and the expression of inflammatory factors in the lung tissue including IL-10,IL-6 and TNF-α pro-teins all showed a curve of increasing at beginning and then followed by a slow decrease with the prolongation of the hypoxia time(P＜0.05).Conclusions In high-altitude hypoxic environment,the blood circulation undergoes dy-namic evolution of functional remodeling with higher risk of inflammatory response.As the hypoxia time prolongs,the animals adapt the environment and the level of inflammatory cytokines gradually decline but remains at a level which is still higher than that of control animals.

AIM:To investigate the immunosuppressive effects of M2-like tumor-associated macrophages(M2-TAMs)on CD8+T cells within the tumor microenvironment of esophageal cancer.METHODS:Multiplex fluores-cence immunohistochemistry was used to analyze the distribution of immune cells in esophageal cancer tissues.An in vitro co-culture system was established,and flow cytometry along with Calcein-AM/PI staining was employed to assess the im-pact of M2-TAMs on CD8+T cell function.The GEPIA database was utilized to evaluate the prognostic significance of PDCD1 expression in esophageal cancer patients and to analyze the correlations between gene expressions.Immunohisto-chemistry(IHC)was performed to detect the expression of TGF-β1 in esophageal cancer tissues.Flow cytometry and en-zyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)were used to measure PD-1,IFN-γ and TNF-α expression in CD8+T cells fol-lowing treatment with a TGF-β1 inhibitor.RESULTS:Compared with early-stage(stage I)esophageal cancer patients,the patients with advanced disease(stages Ⅱ to Ⅳ)exhibited dynamic changes in the infiltration of CD4+T cells,CD8+T cells,Tregs,and M2-TAMs within tumor tissues,with significant correlations observed among these cell populations(P<0.05).The distribution of M2-TAMs and Tregs was positively correlated with poor prognosis(P<0.05),while that of CD8+T cells was negatively correlated(P<0.05).In contrast,CD4+T cell infiltration showed no significant association with clinical outcomes(P>0.05).Co-culture of CD8+T cells with M2-TAMs resulted in significant downregulation of CD107a,granzyme B,IFN-γ and TNF-α expression(P<0.01).Additionally,M2-TAM-treated CD8+T cells co-cultured with esophageal cancer cells led to reduced apoptosis of cancer cells.High expression of PDCD1 was significantly associated with poor prognosis(P<0.05),and significant correlations were observed between CD8A and PDCD1 expression,as well as between TGF-β1 and CD274 gene expression(P<0.01).TGF-β1 was also significantly associated with CD163+macro-phage infiltration and the progression of esophageal cancer(P<0.05).Treatment with a TGF-β1 inhibitor in the M2-TAM and CD8+T cell co-culture system significantly down-regulated PD-1 expression and increased the secretion of IFN-γ and TNF-α(P<0.01).CONCLUSION:The TGF-β1 derived from M2-TAMs inhibits the antitumor activity of CD8+T cells in the esophageal cancer microenvironment,suggesting potential therapeutic targets for overcoming immunosuppression in esophageal cancer.

Oxidative stress(OS)and dopaminergic neuron(DN)dysfunction are implicated in the pathogenesis and progression of various neurological disorders.As the primary active component of the traditional Chinese herb Scutellaria baicalensis,baicalin has garnered significant attention due to its potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.Baicalin exhibits a particular affinity for the dopamine(DA)system,maintaining cerebral DA levels by regulating oxidative stress(OS)-related pathways,suggesting that the DA system serves as the"intracerebral target system"through which it exerts its neuroprotective effects.Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2),a central transcription factor regulating redox homeostasis,plays a pivotal role in the anti-OS process mediated by baicalin.This systematic review covers the pharmacological effects of baicalin,providing an in-depth mechanistic analysis of the interaction between OS and DN,with a focus on the latest research progress in baicalin-mediated treatment of OS through the Nrf2 signaling pathway in neurological diseases to provide theoretical references for the pharmacological and molecular mechanisms of baicalin's anti-OS modulation of the DA system for the treatment of neurological diseases.