BACKGROUND:Dyslipidemia affects chondrocyte metabolism and plays an important role in the occurrence and progression of osteoarthritis,yet its underlying mechanisms remain unclear.OBJECTIVE:To identify characteristic genes related to lipid metabolism in chondrocytes of osteoarthritis through the weighted gene co-expression network analysis combined with machine learning algorithms and to conduct the preliminary experimental validation.METHODS:Based on the weighted gene co-expression network analysis and linear models for microarray data,differentially co-expressed genes were identified.Machine learning methods were used for screening characteristic genes related to lipid metabolism.Protein-protein interaction analysis was conducted to explore the interaction network and Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses were employed to investigate the signaling pathways involved in the differentially co-expressed genes.Subsequently,immune correlation analysis was utilized to identify the associations between the characteristic genes and immune infiltration patterns.Furthermore,in vitro molecular experiments were performed to validate the mRNA and protein levels of the characteristic genes.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)A total of 123 high-expression and 110 low-expression differentially co-expressed genes were identified after data normalization and application of principal component analysis,weighted gene co-expression network analysis,and linear models for microarray data.(2)Thirty-seven characteristic genes were screened using logistic regression,random forest,and support vector machine,among which SMPD3 and CYP4F3 were identified as two characteristic genes related to lipid metabolism.(3)Protein-protein interaction analysis revealed that SMPD3 and CYP4F3 proteins showed relatively low levels of interaction.(4)Gene Ontology analysis indicated that these genes were primarily enriched in multiple biological processes,including neutrophils and their immune responses,immune system processes,and neutrophil activation.Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis suggested that they were mainly involved in key pathways such as extracellular matrix-receptor interaction and cell adhesion.(5)Cell type Identification by estimating relative subsets of RNA transcripts immune infiltration analysis showed significant differences in eight types of immune cells in osteoarthritis.Further correlation analysis revealed that SMPD3 was significantly positively correlated with resting dendritic cells(r=0.44,P=3.6×10-3)and significantly negatively correlated with neutrophils(r=-0.48,P=1.7×10-3),whereas CYP4F3 was significantly positively correlated with monocytes and neutrophils(r=0.76,P=7.6×10-9;r=0.73,P=6.0×10-8),and significantly negatively correlated with T follicular helper cells and resting dendritic cells(r=-0.38,P=0.01;r=-0.38,P=0.01).(6)In vitro molecular experiments demonstrated that SMPD3 mRNA and protein levels were significantly increased in the osteoarthritis group,while CYP4F3 mRNA and protein levels were decreased.To conclude,the lipid metabolism-related SMPD3 and CYP4F3 of osteoarthritis can serve as potential biomarkers for the targeted therapy of osteoarthritis and for assessing cartilage repair or degeneration,which provides a new strategy for exploring the relationship between dyslipidemia and osteoarthritis and for clinical targeted treatment in Chinese population.

BACKGROUND:Forskolin,a diterpenoid natural compound extracted from Coleus forskohlii,has a crucial regulatory role in skeletal muscle repair.However,the regulatory role of forskolin on myogenic differentiation of C2C12 skeletal muscle cells has not been fully explored.OBJECTIVE:To explore the effects of forskolin on the differentiation of C2C12 myoblast cell line and probe into the underlying molecular mechanisms.METHODS:C2C12 cells were treated with 0,0.1,0.25,0.5,1,5,10 and 20 μmol/L forskolin during growth,and cell proliferation was detected by cell counting kit-8 and qRT-PCR.C2C12 cells were treated with 0,0.25,0.5 and 1 μmol/L forskolin during the induction of myogenic differentiation.Immunofluorescence staining and qRT-PCR were used to detect C2C12 cells differentiation.Western blot was used to detect the expression level of myogenic differentiation-related signaling pathway proteins.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The viability of C2C12 cells was decreased and cell proliferation was inhibited after treatment with high concentrations(＞1 μmol/L)of forskolin.(2)The qRT-PCR results showed that forskolin up-regulated the expression of Myh2,Myh4,Myomaker,but down-regulated the expression of Myh7 compared with the 0 μmol/L group,when C2C12 cells were differentiated for 4 days.Immunofluorescence staining results showed that the fusion index and myotube diameter of C2C12 cells were increased after forskolin treatment,and the number of myotubes was also increased.(3)Western blot results showed that the phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 expression was inhibited;however,the phosphorylated protein kinase B was promoted after treatment with forskolin.The protein expression level of the myogenic differentiation transcription factor Myogenin was significantly up-regulated after treatment with forskolin.The above results demonstrate that forskolin may promote myogenic differentiation of C2C12 skeletal muscle cells through the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and protein kinase B signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND:Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a destructive cardiopulmonary disease for which there is no cure.An association between plasma proteins and pulmonary arterial hypertension has been suggested,but the causal relationship has not been specifically elucidated.OBJECTIVE:To elucidate the causal relationship between plasma proteome and pulmonary arterial hypertension using a two-sample Mendelian randomization method,thereby searching for potential therapeutic targets for pulmonary arterial hypertension.METHODS:Plasma Protein Gene-Wide Association Analysis Statistics for 4 907 Aptamer Measurements in 35 559 Icelanders from the Icelandic Database;Genome-wide association analysis statistics for pulmonary arterial hypertension were obtained from the Finn Gen database,version R9,including 234 cases and 265 626 controls.Analyses were performed using Mendelian randomization and Bayesian co-localization analysis,the findings were examined using sensitivity analyses,and protein-protein interaction network maps were constructed to explore the causal relationship between plasma proteins and pulmonary arterial hypertension.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The results of inverse variance weighting,maximum likelihood and Wald ratio methods showed 19 proteins causally associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension(P＜0.05).Among them,10 plasma proteins,including Beta-1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase manic fringe(odds ratio[OR]=0.12,95％confidence interval[CI]0.02-0.61,P=0.01)and interferon alpha/beta receptor 1(OR=0.45,95％CI 0.24-0.84,P=0.012),might be associated with a reduced risk of pulmonary arterial hypertension.In contrast,nine plasma proteins,such as glucoside xylosyltransferase 1(OR=3.48,95％CI 1.51-8.00,P=0.003)and plasminogen(OR=42.78,95％CI 2.49-734.31,P=0.01),might be associated with an increased risk of pulmonary arterial hypertension.After the false discovery rate was corrected,19 proteins remained significantly associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension.(2)Multiple sensitivity analyses such as the MR-Egger intercept test and leave-one-out method showed no horizontal multiplicity or heterogeneity in the results of the study,indicating the stability of the study's results.(3)Bayesian co-localization analysis showed that six plasma proteins,including plasminogen(PPH4=1.0)and glucoside xylosyltransferase 1(PPH4=0.94),had PPH4＞0.8,suggesting that plasma proteins and the genome-wide association study of pulmonary arterial hypertension had similar causal variance in terms of genetic association.(4)By constructing a protein-protein interaction network map,plasminogen,Annexin A1,fibrinogen gamma chain and matrix metalloproteinase 7 were found to be core proteins.(5)The article used Mendelian randomization analysis to reveal a potential causal association between 4 907 plasma proteins and pulmonary arterial hypertension,suggesting that plasma proteins may be potential therapeutic targets for pulmonary arterial hypertension.The core proteins identified in the study also provide a theoretical basis for further in-depth study of the pathophysiological mechanisms of pulmonary arterial hypertension.Secondly,analyses using the large-scale international databases of Iceland and FinnGen provide new research directions and treatment ideas for pulmonary arterial hypertension in specific populations and environments,as well as ideas and methods that can be used to prevent and treat pulmonary arterial hypertension in China.

BACKGROUND:Living microecological hydrogels are a hot topic in the field of wound dressing and have received widespread attention.OBJECTIVE:To summarize the basic features and advantages of living microecological hydrogels,review the progress in the application of hydrogels loaded with different living organisms in skin wound repair in recent years.METHODS:The articles published from database inception to 2024 were retrieved from Web of Science,PubMed,CNKI,and WanFang databases with"cell,probiotics,phage,chlorella,algae,living microecological,hydrogel,skin,wound healing,wound repair"as search terms in English and Chinese.The articles for inclusion were screened according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria.Finally,108 articles were included for review.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The living microecological hydrogels have good biocompatibility,and the hydrogel can provide a suitable living environment for the loaded organisms,and play a barrier role between the living organisms and the wound to avoid potential threats.Compared with traditional wound dressings,the effect of living microecological hydrogels is sustainable and renewable.Biological regulation can keep the microenvironment at the wound site relatively stable,which can provide suitable conditions for wound healing for a long time and reduce the additional trauma caused by frequent dressing changes.Compared with the direct use of living organisms to promote wound healing,living microecological hydrogels can improve the survival rate of organisms and ensure their biological regulation.Living microecological hydrogels promote wound healing mainly by regulating the"inflammation"and"proliferation"stages in the wound healing process.The existing living microecological hydrogels mainly load organisms such as cells,probiotics,algae,and phages,which give hydrogels with different biological properties,so that they can promote wound healing by releasing substances required for wound healing or improving the wound environment,and have great application potential.To further expand the actual clinical application of living microecological hydrogels,it is necessary to further control the biosafety risks of active organisms in hydrogels in the future,avoid potential biological threats,and research the hydrogel matrix that can better adapt to the complex changes of human skin wounds and can support living organisms.

BACKGROUND:Studies have found that probiotics have a certain preventive and therapeutic effect on peri-implantitis,and there are further explorations in the mechanism against peri-implantitis.OBJECTIVE:To review the mechanism and clinical application of probiotics in the treatment of peri-implantitis.METHODS:Relevant literature was searched on PubMed,Web of Science,CNKI,and WanFang Data,using the search terms of"probiotics,peri-implantitis,flora imbalance,immunoregulation,inflammatory reaction,mechanism of action"in Chinese and English.A total of 90 articles were finally included.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Probiotics have the following mechanisms.They can activate the anti-inflammatory mechanism by inhibiting the secretion of inflammatory factors and promoting the production of anti-inflammatory factors.They can destroy the cell wall of pathogenic bacteria by secreting microbial complexes and bacteriocins,reduce the pH value of biofilms,improve the composition of microorganisms in microecology,induce the change of bacterial community structure,and restore the balance of microbial population around implants.They have immunomodulatory effects and can enhance the resistance of the host oral mucosa to pathogenic bacteria in the surrounding area of the implant.In addition,probiotics can produce antibacterial compounds,offset the adhesion of pathogenic microorganisms,and regulate immune function.Through the above mechanisms,probiotics have certain potential in the adjuvant treatment of peri-implantitis,which can improve the clinical parameters of peri-implantitis and affect the microbiota.Probiotic therapy provides a new treatment option,but more long-term prospective studies are needed to further verify its effect.

BACKGROUND:Several observational studies have found a strong association between thyroid function and its related disorders and osteoporosis,but the causal relationship is unclear.OBJECTIVE:To ascertain the causal relationship between genetically predicted thyroid function and its associated disorders,as well as osteoporosis,through the Mendelian randomization analysis with extensive pooled genetic data.METHODS:Pooled data from genome-wide association studies were employed to investigate the causal relationship between thyroid function and its associated disorders and osteoporosis.This was achieved through the utilization of the inverse variance weighting method as the primary Mendelian randomization analysis method,in conjunction with the MR-Egger method,weighted median method,simple model method,and weighted model method.A two-step mediated Mendelian randomization analysis was used to calculate the mediating effect of drug-mediated thyroid dysfunction on osteoporosis and the mediating proportion.Subsequently,sensitivity analyses were conducted using the MR-Egger intercept test and MR-PRESSO to detect multiplicity,Cochran's Q test to detect heterogeneity,and leave-one-out to perform sensitivity analyses.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The results of the inverse variance weighting method showed that thyroid function had an effect on bone mineral density,and that thyrotropin,free triiodothyronine on bone mineral density,free thyroxine,and subclinical hyperthyroidism all had a causal effect on bone mineral density.(2)In addition,mediation analyses revealed a potential mediating effect of carbimazole in the causal relationship between hyperthyroidism and the risk of developing osteoporosis,as well as a potential mediating effect of levothyroxine sodium in the causal relationship between hypothyroidism and the risk of developing osteoporosis.(3)In conclusion,thyrotropin,which is high in the normal range,has been demonstrated to increase bone mineral density.Conversely,free triiodothyronine and free thyroxine,which are also high within the normal range,as well as subclinical hyperthyroidism,have been shown to decrease bone mineral density.The risk of developing osteoporosis is partially mediated by the pathway of taking the therapeutic medication in the context of pharmacologic treatment of thyroid dysfunction.(4)The present study primarily focuses on European population data.However,given the commonality of the genetic background and the generalizability of genome-wide data analysis methods,it is of significant importance to explore the pathogenesis of osteoporosis in the Chinese population,develop effective interventions,and provide genetic counseling.

BACKGROUND:Dyslipidemia affects chondrocyte metabolism and plays an important role in the occurrence and progression of osteoarthritis,yet its underlying mechanisms remain unclear.OBJECTIVE:To identify characteristic genes related to lipid metabolism in chondrocytes of osteoarthritis through the weighted gene co-expression network analysis combined with machine learning algorithms and to conduct the preliminary experimental validation.METHODS:Based on the weighted gene co-expression network analysis and linear models for microarray data,differentially co-expressed genes were identified.Machine learning methods were used for screening characteristic genes related to lipid metabolism.Protein-protein interaction analysis was conducted to explore the interaction network and Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses were employed to investigate the signaling pathways involved in the differentially co-expressed genes.Subsequently,immune correlation analysis was utilized to identify the associations between the characteristic genes and immune infiltration patterns.Furthermore,in vitro molecular experiments were performed to validate the mRNA and protein levels of the characteristic genes.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)A total of 123 high-expression and 110 low-expression differentially co-expressed genes were identified after data normalization and application of principal component analysis,weighted gene co-expression network analysis,and linear models for microarray data.(2)Thirty-seven characteristic genes were screened using logistic regression,random forest,and support vector machine,among which SMPD3 and CYP4F3 were identified as two characteristic genes related to lipid metabolism.(3)Protein-protein interaction analysis revealed that SMPD3 and CYP4F3 proteins showed relatively low levels of interaction.(4)Gene Ontology analysis indicated that these genes were primarily enriched in multiple biological processes,including neutrophils and their immune responses,immune system processes,and neutrophil activation.Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis suggested that they were mainly involved in key pathways such as extracellular matrix-receptor interaction and cell adhesion.(5)Cell type Identification by estimating relative subsets of RNA transcripts immune infiltration analysis showed significant differences in eight types of immune cells in osteoarthritis.Further correlation analysis revealed that SMPD3 was significantly positively correlated with resting dendritic cells(r=0.44,P=3.6×10-3)and significantly negatively correlated with neutrophils(r=-0.48,P=1.7×10-3),whereas CYP4F3 was significantly positively correlated with monocytes and neutrophils(r=0.76,P=7.6×10-9;r=0.73,P=6.0×10-8),and significantly negatively correlated with T follicular helper cells and resting dendritic cells(r=-0.38,P=0.01;r=-0.38,P=0.01).(6)In vitro molecular experiments demonstrated that SMPD3 mRNA and protein levels were significantly increased in the osteoarthritis group,while CYP4F3 mRNA and protein levels were decreased.To conclude,the lipid metabolism-related SMPD3 and CYP4F3 of osteoarthritis can serve as potential biomarkers for the targeted therapy of osteoarthritis and for assessing cartilage repair or degeneration,which provides a new strategy for exploring the relationship between dyslipidemia and osteoarthritis and for clinical targeted treatment in Chinese population.

BACKGROUND:Forskolin,a diterpenoid natural compound extracted from Coleus forskohlii,has a crucial regulatory role in skeletal muscle repair.However,the regulatory role of forskolin on myogenic differentiation of C2C12 skeletal muscle cells has not been fully explored.OBJECTIVE:To explore the effects of forskolin on the differentiation of C2C12 myoblast cell line and probe into the underlying molecular mechanisms.METHODS:C2C12 cells were treated with 0,0.1,0.25,0.5,1,5,10 and 20 μmol/L forskolin during growth,and cell proliferation was detected by cell counting kit-8 and qRT-PCR.C2C12 cells were treated with 0,0.25,0.5 and 1 μmol/L forskolin during the induction of myogenic differentiation.Immunofluorescence staining and qRT-PCR were used to detect C2C12 cells differentiation.Western blot was used to detect the expression level of myogenic differentiation-related signaling pathway proteins.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The viability of C2C12 cells was decreased and cell proliferation was inhibited after treatment with high concentrations(＞1 μmol/L)of forskolin.(2)The qRT-PCR results showed that forskolin up-regulated the expression of Myh2,Myh4,Myomaker,but down-regulated the expression of Myh7 compared with the 0 μmol/L group,when C2C12 cells were differentiated for 4 days.Immunofluorescence staining results showed that the fusion index and myotube diameter of C2C12 cells were increased after forskolin treatment,and the number of myotubes was also increased.(3)Western blot results showed that the phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 expression was inhibited;however,the phosphorylated protein kinase B was promoted after treatment with forskolin.The protein expression level of the myogenic differentiation transcription factor Myogenin was significantly up-regulated after treatment with forskolin.The above results demonstrate that forskolin may promote myogenic differentiation of C2C12 skeletal muscle cells through the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 and protein kinase B signaling pathway.

BACKGROUND:Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a destructive cardiopulmonary disease for which there is no cure.An association between plasma proteins and pulmonary arterial hypertension has been suggested,but the causal relationship has not been specifically elucidated.OBJECTIVE:To elucidate the causal relationship between plasma proteome and pulmonary arterial hypertension using a two-sample Mendelian randomization method,thereby searching for potential therapeutic targets for pulmonary arterial hypertension.METHODS:Plasma Protein Gene-Wide Association Analysis Statistics for 4 907 Aptamer Measurements in 35 559 Icelanders from the Icelandic Database;Genome-wide association analysis statistics for pulmonary arterial hypertension were obtained from the Finn Gen database,version R9,including 234 cases and 265 626 controls.Analyses were performed using Mendelian randomization and Bayesian co-localization analysis,the findings were examined using sensitivity analyses,and protein-protein interaction network maps were constructed to explore the causal relationship between plasma proteins and pulmonary arterial hypertension.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The results of inverse variance weighting,maximum likelihood and Wald ratio methods showed 19 proteins causally associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension(P＜0.05).Among them,10 plasma proteins,including Beta-1,3-N-acetylglucosaminyltransferase manic fringe(odds ratio[OR]=0.12,95％confidence interval[CI]0.02-0.61,P=0.01)and interferon alpha/beta receptor 1(OR=0.45,95％CI 0.24-0.84,P=0.012),might be associated with a reduced risk of pulmonary arterial hypertension.In contrast,nine plasma proteins,such as glucoside xylosyltransferase 1(OR=3.48,95％CI 1.51-8.00,P=0.003)and plasminogen(OR=42.78,95％CI 2.49-734.31,P=0.01),might be associated with an increased risk of pulmonary arterial hypertension.After the false discovery rate was corrected,19 proteins remained significantly associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension.(2)Multiple sensitivity analyses such as the MR-Egger intercept test and leave-one-out method showed no horizontal multiplicity or heterogeneity in the results of the study,indicating the stability of the study's results.(3)Bayesian co-localization analysis showed that six plasma proteins,including plasminogen(PPH4=1.0)and glucoside xylosyltransferase 1(PPH4=0.94),had PPH4＞0.8,suggesting that plasma proteins and the genome-wide association study of pulmonary arterial hypertension had similar causal variance in terms of genetic association.(4)By constructing a protein-protein interaction network map,plasminogen,Annexin A1,fibrinogen gamma chain and matrix metalloproteinase 7 were found to be core proteins.(5)The article used Mendelian randomization analysis to reveal a potential causal association between 4 907 plasma proteins and pulmonary arterial hypertension,suggesting that plasma proteins may be potential therapeutic targets for pulmonary arterial hypertension.The core proteins identified in the study also provide a theoretical basis for further in-depth study of the pathophysiological mechanisms of pulmonary arterial hypertension.Secondly,analyses using the large-scale international databases of Iceland and FinnGen provide new research directions and treatment ideas for pulmonary arterial hypertension in specific populations and environments,as well as ideas and methods that can be used to prevent and treat pulmonary arterial hypertension in China.

Colorectal cancer （CRC） is one of the most common cancers， with its incidence ranking high among cancers. It stands as the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. In the early stages， CRC lacks specific symptoms， and most patients are diagnosed at advanced stages， making it a major research focus in the field of gastrointestinal tumors. Currently， clinical CRC treatments face several common challenges， including high surgical risks， frequent metastasis and recurrence， drug resistance， and significant side effects from chemotherapy and radiation therapy. With the development and application of traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， it has been found that TCM and its active ingredients can effectively inhibit CRC cell proliferation， invasion， migration， and angiogenesis， and promote apoptosis and autophagy， thereby slowing the progression of CRC. This has become a key focus of CRC treatment research. Salvia Miltiorrhiza has multiple pharmacological effects， including activating blood circulation to dispel blood stasis， unlocking meridians to relieve pain， clearing heat to calm irritability， and cooling blood to reduce abscesses. It contains a variety of chemical components， including diterpenoids， phenolic acids， flavonoids， polysaccharides， nitrogen-containing compounds， steroids， and lactone compounds. This review summarized the molecular mechanisms of Salvia miltiorrhiza and its active ingredients in the treatment of CRC. It is found that these ingredients exert anti-CRC effects through various molecular mechanisms， including cell cycle arrest， promotion of apoptosis， inhibition of cell invasion and migration， induction of autophagy， suppression of tumor angiogenesis， and remodeling of the tumor microenvironment. The review aims to provide new insights for the drug development and clinical application of Salvia miltiorrhiza in CRC treatment.