Aim To explore the mechanism of the syn-ergistic effect of the ferroptosis inducer erastin com-bined with shikonin in promoting ferroptosis in human hypertrophic scar fibroblasts(HSFBs).Methods Hypertrophic scar tissues provided by the General Hos-pital of Ningxia Medical University were collected,and HSFBs were extracted.HSFBs were identified by HE staining and immunofluorescence.The inhibitory rates of Era and SHK on HSFBs at different concentrations were detected by CCK-8 assay,and the IC50 value was calculated.CompuSyn software was used to calculate the co-use index(CI).Control group,Erastin(Era)group,shikonin(SHK)group and Era+SHK group were set up,and the number and morphological chan-ges of cells were observed after 24 hours of interven-tion.The ability of cell migration and invasion was de-tected by scratch test and Transwell test.The changes of malondialdehyde(MDA),total iron ion and reactive oxygen species(ROS)were detected by corresponding biochemical kits.The expressions of collagen I,α-SMA and GOT1,SLC7A11,GPX4 and FTH1 were detected by Western blot.Results The IC50 value of Era and SHK of primary HSFBs was 2.22 μmol·L-1 and 3.94μmol·L-1 respectively,which was used as the single drug concentration for subsequent experiments.The CompuSyn software was employed to calculate the CI value when the two drugs were used in combination,and the concentrations corresponding to CI=0.39597(Era:1.2 μmol·L-1+SHK:1.5 μmol·L-1)were selected as subsequent combination concentrations(Because when CI was equal to 0.395 97,the concen-tration of each drug was lower than the concentration of single drug,and the inhibition rate of combined drug was greater than 50％).Compared with the monother-apy group,the number of HSFBs in the SHK+Era group was significantly reduced,cell membrane showed breakage and vesiculation,cell wrinkling became smal-ler,and cytoplasm was concentrated.The migration and invasion ability of HSFBs in the SHK+Era group were obviously weakened(P＜0.05),and the expres-sion of fibrosis-related proteins collagen Ⅰ and α-SMA was reduced(P＜0.05);the contents of MDA,total i-ron ions,and ROS in HSFBs of the SHK+Era group increased(P＜0.05),and the protein expression lev-els of SLC7A11,GOT1,GPX4,and FTH1 further de-creased(P＜0.05).Conclusions Erastin in combi-nation with shikonin can synergistically inhibit the pro-liferation,migration and fibrosis levels of HSFBs.The mechanism may be that erastin enhances the inhibition of shikotin on GOT1,increases the levels of cellular i-ron ions,ROS,and lipid peroxides,thereby promoting ferroptosis in HSFBs.

Aim To explore the mechanism of the syn-ergistic effect of the ferroptosis inducer erastin com-bined with shikonin in promoting ferroptosis in human hypertrophic scar fibroblasts(HSFBs).Methods Hypertrophic scar tissues provided by the General Hos-pital of Ningxia Medical University were collected,and HSFBs were extracted.HSFBs were identified by HE staining and immunofluorescence.The inhibitory rates of Era and SHK on HSFBs at different concentrations were detected by CCK-8 assay,and the IC50 value was calculated.CompuSyn software was used to calculate the co-use index(CI).Control group,Erastin(Era)group,shikonin(SHK)group and Era+SHK group were set up,and the number and morphological chan-ges of cells were observed after 24 hours of interven-tion.The ability of cell migration and invasion was de-tected by scratch test and Transwell test.The changes of malondialdehyde(MDA),total iron ion and reactive oxygen species(ROS)were detected by corresponding biochemical kits.The expressions of collagen I,α-SMA and GOT1,SLC7A11,GPX4 and FTH1 were detected by Western blot.Results The IC50 value of Era and SHK of primary HSFBs was 2.22 μmol·L-1 and 3.94μmol·L-1 respectively,which was used as the single drug concentration for subsequent experiments.The CompuSyn software was employed to calculate the CI value when the two drugs were used in combination,and the concentrations corresponding to CI=0.39597(Era:1.2 μmol·L-1+SHK:1.5 μmol·L-1)were selected as subsequent combination concentrations(Because when CI was equal to 0.395 97,the concen-tration of each drug was lower than the concentration of single drug,and the inhibition rate of combined drug was greater than 50％).Compared with the monother-apy group,the number of HSFBs in the SHK+Era group was significantly reduced,cell membrane showed breakage and vesiculation,cell wrinkling became smal-ler,and cytoplasm was concentrated.The migration and invasion ability of HSFBs in the SHK+Era group were obviously weakened(P＜0.05),and the expres-sion of fibrosis-related proteins collagen Ⅰ and α-SMA was reduced(P＜0.05);the contents of MDA,total i-ron ions,and ROS in HSFBs of the SHK+Era group increased(P＜0.05),and the protein expression lev-els of SLC7A11,GOT1,GPX4,and FTH1 further de-creased(P＜0.05).Conclusions Erastin in combi-nation with shikonin can synergistically inhibit the pro-liferation,migration and fibrosis levels of HSFBs.The mechanism may be that erastin enhances the inhibition of shikotin on GOT1,increases the levels of cellular i-ron ions,ROS,and lipid peroxides,thereby promoting ferroptosis in HSFBs.

Objective To investigate the risk factors for bronchopulmonary dysplasia(BPD)in twin preterm infants with a gestational age of<34 weeks,and to provide a basis for early identification of BPD in twin preterm infants in clinical practice.Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for the twin preterm infants with a gestational age of<34 weeks who were admitted to 22 hospitals nationwide from January 2018 to December 2020.According to their conditions,they were divided into group A(both twins had BPD),group B(only one twin had BPD),and group C(neither twin had BPD).The risk factors for BPD in twin preterm infants were analyzed.Further analysis was conducted on group B to investigate the postnatal risk factors for BPD within twins.Results A total of 904 pairs of twins with a gestational age of<34 weeks were included in this study.The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that compared with group C,birth weight discordance of>25%between the twins was an independent risk factor for BPD in one of the twins(OR=3.370,95%CI:1.500-7.568,P<0.05),and high gestational age at birth was a protective factor against BPD(P<0.05).The conditional logistic regression analysis of group B showed that small-for-gestational-age(SGA)birth was an independent risk factor for BPD in individual twins(OR=5.017,95%CI:1.040-24.190,P<0.05).Conclusions The development of BPD in twin preterm infants is associated with gestational age,birth weight discordance between the twins,and SGA birth.

Deficiencies in the clearance of peripheral amyloid β (Aβ) play a crucial role in the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Previous studies have shown that the ability of blood monocytes to phagocytose Aβ is decreased in AD. However, the exact mechanism of Aβ clearance dysfunction in AD monocytes remains unclear. In the present study, we found that blood monocytes in AD mice exhibited decreases in energy metabolism, which was accompanied by cellular senescence, a senescence-associated secretory phenotype, and dysfunctional phagocytosis of Aβ. Improving energy metabolism rejuvenated monocytes and enhanced their ability to phagocytose Aβ in vivo and in vitro. Moreover, enhancing blood monocyte Aβ phagocytosis by improving energy metabolism alleviated brain Aβ deposition and neuroinflammation and eventually improved cognitive function in AD mice. This study reveals a new mechanism of impaired Aβ phagocytosis in monocytes and provides evidence that restoring their energy metabolism may be a novel therapeutic strategy for AD.
Animals ; Mice ; Alzheimer Disease ; Amyloid beta-Peptides ; Monocytes ; Cognition ; Energy Metabolism ; Phagocytosis

ObjectiveTo investigate the preventive effects of Astragaloside IV （ASIV） on the formation of colonic adenomatous polyps （CAP） in high-fat-fed （HF） mice with adenomatous polyposis mutation （Apc ^Min/+） and its regulation mechanism on serum metabolite disorders. MethodsA total of 24 mice were evenly assigned to Apc ^Min/+ mice group （Con， n=8）， high-fat diet-fed Apc ^Min/+ mice group （HF， n=8）， and ASIV treatment group （HF-ASIV， n=8）. Apc ^Min/+ mice in HF group and HF-ASIV group were given high-fat diet for 8 consecutive weeks to construct CAP mouse model. Meanwhile， Apc ^Min/+ mice in HF-ASIV group were given 50 mg/kg ASIV every other day for 8 weeks. Daily amount of water intake， food intake and body weight of mice in each group were recorded. At the end of the 8th week， mice were sacrificed for serum and the distal and proximal colon. The number of colonic polyps in each group was recorded. Hematoxylin-eosin （H&E） staining was used to observe the morphological changes of the proximal colon. Immunohistochemistry （IHC） was applied to analyze the amount of COX2 positive cells in the proximal colon. The expression levels of IL-1 β and TNFα in intestinal wall were detected by QRT PCR. Non-targeted metabolic profiling of mouse gut by liquid-phase mass spectrometry was used to screen for differential metabolites and perform functional enrichment. ResultsNo mice died in each group during experiment.ASIV effectively reduced the size and the number of the CAPs that accompanied with the downregulation of inflammatory signaling molecules （COX-2， IL-1 β and TNFα）. Alcian blue and lysozyme staining showed ASIV improved the gut epithelium by promoting goblet and Paneth cells population. Significant differences in metabolite OPLS-DA scores between groups were noted （P < 0.001； P = 0.02）. Compared with HF group， 13 differential metabolites in the serum of HF-ASIV group were significantly recalled， and the levels of the metabolites functionally enriched to N-acetyl-α-D-glucosaminyl-diphosphate were significantly increased in the positive and negative ion modes （P < 0.05） ， which was negatively correlated with the number of medium-sized adenomas （P < 0.01）. ConclusionASIV reduced the number of colonic adenomatous polyps in high-fat-fed Apc ^Min/+ mice and was closely associated with reduced intestinal wall inflammation and regulation of serum metabolite N-acetyl-α-D-glucosamine-diphosphate levels.

At present, cancer is still one of the most serious threats to human health. Despite the wide application of multiple cancer therapies in clinical practice, the therapeutic effects of most cancers are still far from satisfactory. In recent years, the discovery of regulated cell death may be a good first step on the road to treat cancer. Ferroptosis is triggered by lipid peroxidation of unsaturated fatty acids in cell membrane catalyzed by iron ion. It has been widely concerned as an emerging target for cancer therapy. With the booming of biomedical nanotechnology, ferroptosis as an emerging therapeutic target has attracted extensive attention. Here, we review the advance on the intersection of ferroptosis and biomedical nanotechnology. First, the research background of ferroptosis and nano-preparation as well as the feasibility of ferroptosis-based nano-drug delivery systems (nano-DDS) for cancer treatment are presented and analyzed. Then, the strategies for inducing ferroptosis based on nano-DDS are summarized, mainly including: the promotion of Fenton reaction, the inhibition of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX-4) and the restriction of the cysteine-glutamate exchange transporter (system Xc^-). Furthermore, the combination therapy strategies based on biomedical nanotechnology induced ferroptosis are also discussed. Finally, we shine the spotlight on the prospects and challenges of ferroptosis-based nanotherapeutics in clinical application.

Diabetic nephropathy is a microvascular complication of diabetes. Its etiology involves metabolic disorder-induced endothelial dysfunction. Endothelium-derived nitric oxide (NO) plays an important role in a number of physiological processes, including glomerular filtration and endothelial protection. NO dysregulation is an important pathogenic basis of diabetic nephropathy. Hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia can lead to oxidative stress, chronic inflammation and insulin resistance, thus affecting NO homeostasis regulated by endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and a conglomerate of related proteins and factors. The reaction of NO and superoxide (O₂^.-) to form peroxynitrite (ONOO^-) is the most important pathological NO pathway in diabetic nephropathy. ONOO^- is a hyper-reactive oxidant and nitrating agent in vivo which can cause the uncoupling of eNOS. The uncoupled eNOS does not produce NO but produces superoxide. Thus, eNOS uncoupling is a critical contributor of NO dysregulation. Understanding the regulatory mechanism of NO and the effects of various pathological conditions on it could reveal the pathophysiology of diabetic nephropathy, potential drug targets and mechanisms of action. We believe that increasing the stability and activity of eNOS dimers, promoting NO synthesis and increasing NO/ONOO^- ratio could guide the development of drugs to treat diabetic nephropathy. We will illustrate these actions with some clinically used drugs as examples in the present review.
Diabetes Mellitus ; Diabetic Nephropathies/drug therapy* ; Endothelium, Vascular ; Humans ; Nitric Oxide/metabolism* ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III/therapeutic use* ; Oxidative Stress ; Peroxynitrous Acid/therapeutic use*

Molecular pharmacognosy is a science of classification and identification, cultivation and protection, and production of active ingredients of graduated drugs at the molecular level. The proposal of molecular pharmacognosy allows the research of crude drugs to advance from the microscopic level to the genetic level. Pueraria lobata root, as a medicinal and edible plant, has high application value and economic value. There are many varieties that are easy to cause confusion, and it is not easy to distinguish and identify according to traditional identification methods. Moreover, the research of P. lobate root at the genetic level is still relatively shallow. the study received extensive attention of scholars. This article reviews recent research on molecular identification of P. lobate, transcriptome sequencing, cloning and synthesis of functional genes of P. lobate root in recent years in order to provide references for further promoting the development and utilization of P. lobate root and its active ingredients.
Pharmacognosy ; Plant Roots/genetics* ; Pueraria

Objective:To establish the sequence-related amplified polymorphism （SRAP）-polymerase chain reaction （PCR） system for Valeriana officinalis var. latifolia，so as to lay the theoretical and technical foundations for the breeding of V. officinalis var. latifolia. Method:Single factor test was applied to investigate the effects of Taq Mix dose，Mg²⁺ concentration，template DNA concentration，and Taq DNA polymerase content on SRAP-PCR amplification of V. officinalis var. latifolia，based on which the orthogonal experiments were performed to optimize the SRAP-PCR system for V. officinalis var. latifolia. The effective primers that could be used for genetic diversity studies of V. officinalis var. latifolia were selected under the optimal reaction condition. Result:The results of the single factor test showed that Taq Mix dose within the range of 8-11 μL resulted in better amplification. The addition of a low concentration of Mg²⁺，the medium to low concentrations of template DNA，or the low concentration of Taq DNA polymerase enhanced the amplification efficiency or richness. As demonstrated by the orthogonal experiments，the influencing degrees of related factors on SRAP-PCR amplification of V. officinalis var. latifolia were sorted in a descending order as follows： Taq Mix dose>Taq DNA polymerase content>Mg²⁺ concentration>template DNA concentration. The optimal reaction system for V. officinalis var. latifolia was determined to consist of 11 μL of Taq Mix，30 ng of template DNA，0.025 mmol·L^-1 Mg²⁺，1.5 U of Taq DNA polymerase，5 μmol·L^-1 forward primer，and 5 μmol·L^-1 reverse primer，which was supplemented to 20 μL with ddH₂O. The optimal annealing temperature was 36.8 ℃. A total of 17 pairs of effective primers with high band resolution and polymorphism were selected from 88 primer pairs for SRAP-PCR of V. officinalis var. latifolia. Conclusion:The established SRAP-PCR system for V. officinalis var. latifolia is stable， which can be used for genetic diversity studies of V. officinalis var. latifolia.