Objective To explore the mechanism of miR-421 affecting the occurrence and development of depression.Methods A depressive rat model was established by single intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide(LPS),and depressive behavior was detected by glucose preference test and open-field test.miRNA microarray chips and RT-PCR were used to analyze the expression level of miR-421 in hippocampus of the depressed rats.TargetScan database and mi RDB database were used to predict the target genes of miR-421.Dual luciferase reporter gene assay was used to observe the binding of miR-421 to the target genes.The impact of over-expression and inhibition of miR-421 on target genes was observed,then the influence of over-expression and inhibition of target genes on downstream factors was observed,and the related mechanism of miR-421 on depression was explored.Results miRNA microarray chips and RT-PCR assay showed that miR-421 was highly expressed in the hippocampus of the depressed rats(P<0.001),Inhibition of miR-421 expression could significantly restore the body weight and exercise ability of the depressed rats(P<0.001).Binding targets of Menin and miR-421 were predicted by TargetScan database,and interaction between Menin and miR-421 was demonstrated by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay.Menin expression was down-regulated while miR-421 was overexpressed(P<0.001),whereas it was up-regulated as miR-421 was inhibited(P<0.001).qPCR indicated that expressions of Caspase-3 and NF-κB in the hippocampus of the depressed rats was significantly increased(P<0.001),and IL-1β expression in the hippo-campus was significantly increased(P<0.01).When the expression of Menin was inhibited,the expressions of Caspase-3,NF-κB and IL-1β were increased(P<0.001),while the expressions of Caspase-3,NF-κB and IL-1β were decreased when Menin was overexpressed(P<0.001).Conclusions Inhibition of miR-421 expression can increase Menin expression,decrease Caspase-3 content,and reduce neuroinflammatory response,thereby improving depressive symptoms.

OBJECTIVE To explore the potential mechanism of the effect of Xuebijing injection （XBJ） on neurological function and survival of rats after cardiac arrest （CA）/cardiopulmonary resuscitation （CPR） based on the S-nitrosoglutathione reductase （GSNOR）/S-nitrosoglutathione （GSNO） pathway. METHODS The CA/CPR rat model was established by ventricular fibrillation. Using a sham operation group as control， high-throughput sequencing was employed to analyze and mine the differentially expressed genes （DEGs）. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine the contents of GSNOR and GSNO in the hippocampus； the active components of XBJ were screened and subjected to molecular docking analysis with GSNOR. The rats successfully modeled using the same method were divided into model group （n＝30）， inhibitor （GSNOR inhibitor） group （n＝30）， XBJ group （n＝30） and XBJ+inhibitor group （n＝30）， and a sham operation group （n＝30） was set up. Neurological function was evaluated and survival status was recorded at 3 hours， 24 hours and 3 days after the first 89） drug intervention. The contents of GSNOR and GSNO in the hippocampus of rats were determined in each group at the 0191） above time points， and the relationship of the contents of GSNOR and GSNO with modified neurologic severity scale （mNSS） score was analyzed. RESULTS GSNOR coding gene was differentially expressed between the model group and the sham operation group. Compared with the sham operation group， GSNOR content increased significantly in the hippocampus of rats in model group， while GSNO content decreased significantly （P＜0.05）. The active components of XBJ， such as 4- methylenemiltirone and salviolone， could be bound to GSNOR protein， with the binding energy lower than －6 kcal/mol， mainly connected by hydrogen bonds. Animal experiments revealed that mNSS score and GSNOR levels in the hippocampus of rats in the model group were significantly higher than those in the sham operation group （P＜0.05）， while GSNO levels and survival rate were significantly lower than those in the sham operation group （P＜0.05）. The above indexes of rats were improved significantly in administration groups， the mNSS score in the XBJ group was significantly lower than that in the inhibitor group， the content changes of GSNOR and GSNO in the inhibitor group were more obvious than those in the XBJ group， and the various indicators in the XBJ+inhibitor group were significantly better than the XBJ group and the inhibitor group （P＜0.05）. GSNOR content was positively correlated with the mNSS score， and GSNO content was negatively correlated with the mNSS score （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS XBJ can improve the neurological function of rats and enhance their survival rates after CA/CPR， the mechanism of which may be associated with the down-regulation of GSNOR and the up-regulation of GSNO.

BACKGROUND:There are differentially expressed genes in acute intracerebral hemorrhage,which are related to the occurrence and development of intracerebral hemorrhage. OBJECTIVE:To screen differentially expressed genes and key genes in brain tissue of a rat model with acute intracerebral hemorrhage,to validate them through qPCR,and to analyze the relationships between key genes and the neurological function and brain tissue water content after intracerebral hemorrhage. METHODS:Seventy-eight Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups:in intracerebral hemorrhage group,a rat model of acute intracerebral hemorrhage was made using collagenase injection at the right caudate nucleus;and in sham-operated group,rats were injected with equal amount of saline at the same site.RNA was extracted from rat brain tissues of both groups using the TRIzol method and transcriptome sequencing technology was used to identify differentially expressed genes in brain tissues of acute intracerebral hemorrhage,which were then verified by qPCR and analyzed for the relationships between the genes and neurological function and brain tissue water content after intracerebral hemorrhage.And the key genes were analyzed by GO and KEGG functional enrichment analysis in combination with bioinformatics. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Ten key genes were identified,including CXCL8,SERPINE1,TFPI2,CXCR4,GDA,KCNQ5,ERICH3,SCN3B,CACNA1E,and CCL20.The contents of GDA,KCNQ5,ERICH3,SCN3B,and CACNA1E in the intracerebral hemorrhage group were lower than those in the sham-operated group(P＜0.05).The contents of CXCL8,SERPINE1,TFPI2,CXCR4 and CCL20 in the intracerebral hemorrhage group were higher than those in the sham-operated group(P＜0.05).The contents of GDA,KCNQ5,ERICH3,SCN3B,and CACNA1E were positively correlated with brain tissue water content and neurologic deficit score(P＜0.05),while the contents of CXCL8,SERPINE1,TFPI2,CXCR4 and CCL20 were negatively correlated with brain tissue water content and neurologic deficit score(P＜0.05).GO analysis indicated that differentially expressed genes were mainly enriched in two biological processes(leukocyte chemotaxis and chemokine-mediated signaling pathways),two cell components(cation channel complexes and ion channel complexes),and two molecular functions(gated channel activity and ion channel activity).KEGG analysis indicated that differentially expressed genes were concentrated in tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway,glutamatergic synapses and GABAergic synapses.To conclude,the differentially expressed genes in intracerebral hemorrhage include CXCL8,SERPINE1,TFPI2,CXCR4,GDA,KCNQ5,ERICH3,SCN3B,CACNA1E,and CCL20,and these genes are related to brain tissue water content and neurological function after intracerebral hemorrhage.These genes are mainly enriched in cell components,binding functions,cellular protrusions,and other related biological functions.

Epidural labor analgesia aims to provide effective medical services to alleviate labor pain in parturients, while adhering to the principles of voluntary participation and clinical safety. In 2018, Peking Union Medical College Hospital(PUMCH)became one of the first pilot units for labor analgesia in China, and has achieved satisfactory results in high-quality development of labor analgesia. This article mainly introduces the achievements and experience of labor analgesia at PUMCH, including: (1) prioritizing maternal and infant safety, arranging personnel rationally, and developing standardized treatment processes through multidisciplinary collaboration to ensure safe and comfortable childbirth; (2) leveraging the hospital's comprehensive capabilities in emergency treatment, and improving collaborative rescue plans for critically ill parturients and newborns; (3) implementing advanced teaching methods to effectively train and conduct simulated drills for labor analgesia and rescue of critically ill parturients; (4) conducting patient education and informative lectures to help parturients acquire a scientific understanding of labor analgesia. We hope that this experience can provide reference and inspiration for other hospitals.

Objective To explore the mechanism of Jianshen Lishui Decoction on nerve cell apoptosis in rats with cerebral hemorrhage.Methods The expression of miR-153 in cerebral hemorrhage was analyzed by miRNA microarray and RT-PCR,and the relationship between miR-153 and neuronal apoptosis in cerebral hemorrhage was observed,and predicted the target gene of miR-153;the binding of miR-153 to target genes was studied by dual-luciferase reporter gene Experiments,and to observe the effects of overexpression and inhibition of miR-153 on target genes.Subsequently,the relationship between target genes and neuronal apoptosis in cerebral hemorrhage was determined.Finally,the effect of Jianshen Lishui Decoction on miR-153 and the target gene,and finally explored the related mechanism of Jianshen Lishui Decoction on nerve cell apoptosis in rats with cerebral hemorrhage.Results Microarray chip and RT-PCR detection showed that miR-153 was lowly expressed in cerebral hemorrhage(P<0.05),and miR-153 was negatively correlated with neuronal apoptosis(R:-0.875,P=0.0002).The online databases TargetScan and miRDB showed that miR-153 has a binding region with TREM1,and the dual-luciferase reporter gene demonstrated a binding relationship between the two.When miR-153 was overexpressed,the expression of TREM1 was down-regulated,conversely,up-regulated when miR-153 was repressed,and TREM1 was positively correlated with nerve cell apoptosis(R:0.857,P<0.001).The expression of TREM1,the number of nerve cell apoptosis and the score of Neurological Deficit Scores in the Jianshen Lishui Decoction group were lower than those in the model group(P<0.05),and the expression of miR-153 was higher than that in the model group(P<0.05).The expression of TREM1,the number of nerve cell apoptosis and the score of Neurological Deficit Scores in the Jianshen Lishui Decoction +miR-153 inhibition group were higher than those in the Jianshen Lishui Decoction group(P<0.05).Conclusion Jianshen Lishui Decoction inhibits the apoptosis of nerve cells and protects the neurologicalfunctions in rats with cerebral hemorrhage by promoting miR-153 expression and inhibitingTREM1 expression.

In the process of enamel development, premature senescence and apoptosis of ameloblasts are important causes of hereditary enamel hypoplasia. Silence information regulator 2-related enzyme 1 (Sirt1) is a nicotinamide adenosine dinucleotide (NAD+)-dependent deacetylase that has been widely reported to be involved in the regulation of cell senescence. This paper reviews the research progress of Sirt1 regulating epithelial cell senescence, starting with the structural characteristics of Sirt1, and further expounds on the relationship between Sirt1 and senescence. When epithelial cells are stimulated, Sirt1 affects the senescence of epithelial cells in many ways, such as mitochondrial dysfunction. Sirt1 participates in regulating mitochondrial function and metabolic homeostasis, and telomere length is negatively related to senescence. Sirt1 regulates the expression of telomere reverse transcriptase needed for telomere extension, thus positively regulating telomere homeostasis. DNA damage will undergo damage repair, unrepaired DNA damage will cause cell senescence, and the Sirt1/p53 pathway can inhibit epithelial cell senescence by reducing DNA damage. Senescent cells are the source of chronic inflammation, and chronic inflammation can also promote aging in many ways. Sirt1 inhibits epithelial cell senescence by relieving inflammatory symptoms. In future research, we can focus on the effect of Sirt1 on ameloblast senescence and explore its specific mechanism of action on ameloblasts to find a breakthrough in the etiology and treatment of enamel hypoplasia.

The biofilms formed by pathogenic microorganisms seriously threaten human health and significantly enhance drug resistance, which urgently call for developing drugs specifically targeting on biofilms. Chitooligosaccharides extracted from shrimp and crab shells are natural alkaline oligosaccharides with excellent antibacterial effects. Nevertheless, their inhibition efficacy on biofilms still needs to be improved. Spirulina (SP) is a microalga with negatively charged surface, and its spiral structure facilitates colonization in the depth of the biofilm. Therefore, the complex of Spirulina and chitooligosaccharides may play a synergistic role in killing pathogens in the depth of biofilm. This research first screened chitooligosaccharides with significant bactericidal effects. Subsequently, Spirulina@Chitooligosaccharides (SP@COS complex was prepared by combining chitooligosaccharides with Spirulina through electrostatic adsorption. The binding of the complex was characterized by zeta potential, z-average size, and fluorescence labeling. Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis) showed the encapsulation efficiency and the drug loading efficiency reached up to 90% and 16%, respectively. The prepared SP@COS2 exhibited a profound synergistic inhibition effect on bacterial and fungal biofilms, which was mainly achieved by destroying the cell structure of the biofilm. These results demonstrate the potential of Spirulina-chitooligosaccharides complex as a biofilm inhibitor and provide a new idea for addressing the harm of pathogenic microorganisms.
Humans ; Spirulina ; Anti-Bacterial Agents/chemistry* ; Chitosan/pharmacology* ; Biofilms ; Chitin/pharmacology*

ObjectiveTo explore the activating effects of ten important effective components in seven medicinal and edible substances on human pregnane X receptor （PXR）， including Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma （liquiritin and glycyrrhizic acid）， Houttuyniae Herba （quercetin and houttuyfonate）， Prunellae Spica （rosmarinic acid）， Cassiae Semen （aurantio-obtusin）， Poria （pachymic acid）， Lilii Bulbus （Lilium brownii saponin and colchicine）， and Lycii Fructus （Lycium barbarum polysaccharide） and screen potentially toxic components. MethodCell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） assay was used to investigate the cytotoxic effect of liquiritin， glycyrrhizic acid， quercetin， houttuyfonate， rosmarinic acid， pachymic acid， aurantio-obtusin， and colchicine （10， 20， and 50 μmol·L^-1）， and L. brownii saponin and L. barbarum polysaccharide （10， 20， and 50 mg·L^-1） on normal human hepatocyte cell line （L02）. The release of lactate dehydrogenase （LDH） in L02 cells after drug treatments was detected by the biochemical analyzer. The apoptosis induced by ten effective components was explored by Hoechst 33342 staining. The secreted luciferase reporter system was used to co-transfect the PXR expression vector and reporter gene vector containing cytochrome P450 3A4 （CYP3A4） transcriptional regulatory region into L02 cells， with 10 μmol·L^-1 rifampicin （RIF） as a positive control. After treated with liquiritin， glycyrrhizic acid， quercetin， houttuyfonate， rosmarinic acid， aurantio-obtusin， pachymic acid， and colchicine （5， 10， and 20 μmol·L^-1） and L. brownii saponin and L. barbarum polysaccharide （5， 10， and 20 mg·L^-1） for 24 h， the cells were tested for secreted luciferase activity. ResultCompared with the control group， colchicine， L. brownii saponin， and quercetin decreased the cell viability （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the control group， quercetin， rosmarinic acid， glycyrrhizic acid， colchicine， aurantio-obtusin， and pachymic acid increased the release rate of LDH in L02 cells （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The proportion of hyperchromatic nuclei increased gradually after rosmarinic acid， liquiritin， and L. barbarum polysaccharide treatments as compared with the control group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. In terms of co-transfection of pcDNA3.1-PXR and pGLuc-CYP3A4 into L02 cells， compared with the control group， aurantio-obtusin and pachymic acid showed activating effects on PXR （P<0.05）， whereas liquiritin and glycyrrhizic acid showed inhibitory effects （P<0.05）. ConclusionThe findings suggest that when medicinal and edible substances are taken for a long time， attention should be paid to their influence on drug-metabolizing enzymes and possible interactions， so as to improve their safety.

Psoraleae Fructus (PF) is an important traditional herbal medicine with a long history of clinical application. It is widely used to treat various diseases, such as osteoporosis, leucoderma and diarrhea. As a traditional nontoxic herb, it has aroused worldwide concern about the potential risks due to increasing adverse reaction events. This article reviews the botany, ancient records of medical uses, adverse reactions, toxicological research advance and detoxification methods of PF. According to clinical studies, liver injury is the most predominant in PF-related adverse reactions. The underlying mechanisms include bile acid metabolism and transport disorders, oxidative stress, mitochondrial damage, inhibition of liver cell regeneration and inflammatory reactions. Furthermore, the potential toxins of PF are summarized. Traditional methods of processing and compatibility will provide reference for reducing the toxicity of PF, which requires further research. In sum, this work systematically summarizes the reserach progress on the safety of PF, which will provide comprehensive insights into the toxicity of PF and facilitate its safe use and future development.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/toxicity* ; Fruit/toxicity* ; Liver