Objective:To explore the effects of neutrophilic granule protein (NGP) on the expression of lipocalin 2 (LCN2) in inflammatory macrophages and its mechanism.Methods:NGP-high-expressed RAW264.7 cells (NGP/RAW cells) and negative control RAW264.7 cells (NC/RAW cells) were cultured in vitro. Primary peritoneal macrophages of NGP-high-expressed mice and wild-type C57BL/6 mice were extracted, then cultured in vitro. The cell inflammatory model was established by stimulating with 10 mg/L lipopolysaccharide (LPS, LPS group), and the phosphate buffer solution (PBS) control group was set up. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the level of LCN2 in different types of cells. The protein expression of phosphorylated signal transduction and activator of transcription 1 (p-STAT1) was detected with Western blotting. Other NGP/RAW cells and NC/RAW cells were treated with 10 mg/L LPS, 5 mg/L STAT1 pathway inhibitor (fludarabine)+10 mg/L LPS, respectively. The PBS control group was set up. ELISA was used to detect the level of LCN2. Results:In different types of cells, the levels of LCN2 were increased significantly after LPS stimulation in the LPS group as compared with those in the PBS control group, and peaked at 24 hours (μmol/L: 25.61±1.02 vs. 0.46±0.02 in NC/RAW cells, 74.51±2.14 vs. 0.25±0.04 in NGP/RAW cells, 10.13±0.22 vs. 0.01±0.01 in primary macrophages of wild-type C57BL/6 mice, 28.35±0.61 vs. 0.08±0.01 in primary macrophages of NGP-high-expressed mice, all P < 0.05), indicating that the expression of LCN2 in macrophages altered during inflammation reaction. The level of LCN2 in NGP/RAW cells was found significantly increased at different time points after LPS stimulation comparing with that in NC/RAW cells (μmol/L: 8.32±0.22 vs. 3.12±0.11 at 6 hours, 23.12±0.86 vs. 8.12±0.32 at 12 hours, 74.51±2.14 vs. 25.61±1.02 at 24 hours, all P < 0.05), along with the expression of p-STAT1 was significantly up-regulated. The level of LCN2 in the primary macrophages of NGP-high-expressed mice was also significantly increased at 24 hours after LPS stimulation comparing with that in the primary macrophages of wild-type C57BL/6 mice (μmol/L: 28.35±0.61 vs. 10.13±0.22, P < 0.05). However, after pretreated with STAT1 pathway inhibitors, the production of LCN2 in NGP/RAW cells was decreased significantly comparing with that in the LPS group (μmol/L: 6.81±0.19 vs. 22.54±0.58, P < 0.05). But the inhibitors had no significant effect on LCN2 production in NC/RAW cells showing no significant difference as compared with LPS group (μmol/L: 8.04±0.20 vs. 7.86±0.15, P > 0.05), indicating that NGP could up-regulate the expression of LCN2 in macrophages stimulated by LPS by promoting STAT1 activation. Conclusion:NGP could positively regulate LCN2 expression in inflammatory macrophages by activating STAT1 pathway.

Objective To explore the risk factors of aspiration during hospitalization in patients with ischemic stroke (IS) and establish a predictive model. Methods Based on the case-control design, clinical materials of 316 IS patients treated in the Department of Neurology of Suzhou Ninth Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University from March 2022 to October 2023 were retrospectively collected. According to incidence of aspiration during hospitalization, the patients were divided into case group with 89 cases (aspiration occurred during hospitalization) and control group with 227 cases (no aspiration occurred during hospitalization). Univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were performed in both groups to screen out the risk factors of aspiration during hospitalization in IS patients. R software was used to extract 70 % of the data from the two groups as the training set (establishing a Nomogram model), and the remaining 30 % data was used as test set. Value of predictive model was evaluated by area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration curve, and decision curve. Results There were significant differences in the terms of age, the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, number of lesions, homocysteine (Hcy) level, spontaneous cough, and grading of Wada drinking water test between the case group and the control group (P < 0.05). Multivariate Logistic analysis showed that large age (OR=2.201, 95 %CI, 1.254 to 3.865), high NIHSS score (OR=4.816, 95 %CI, 1.652 to 14.041), multiple lesions (OR=2.649, 95 %CI, 1.249 to 5.613), high level of Hcy (OR=1.501, 95 %CI, 1.044 to 2.158), weakened or absent spontaneous cough (OR=3.384, 95 %CI, 1.639 to 6.987), and high grading of Wada drinking water test (OR=2.878, 95 %CI, 1.422 to 5.783) were the risk factors of aspiration during hospitalization in IS patients (P < 0.05). In the training set, the AUC of the Nomogram model for predicting aspiration during hospitalization in IS patients was 0.872 (95 %CI, 0.827 to 0.919), and was 0.859 (95 %CI, 0.807 to 0.904) in the test set. The calibration curve analysis showed that P value was 0.869 in the training set and 0.898 in the test set. The decision curve analysis for both the training set and test set showed that the Nomogram model was of good clinical applicability. Conclusion The risk of aspiration during hospitalization in IS patients is related to large age, high NIHSS score, multiple lesions, high level of Hcy, weakened or absent spontaneous cough, and high grading of Wada drinking water test. The Nomogram predictive model established on these factors can effectively evaluate the risk of aspiration during hospitalization in IS patients.

BACKGROUND: The presence of fibrosis is a criterion for subtype classification in the newly updated hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP) guidelines. The present study aimed to summarize differences in clinical characteristics and prognosis of non-fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (NFHP) and fibrotic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (FHP) and explore factors associated with the presence of fibrosis. METHODS: In this prospective cohort study, patients diagnosed with HP through a multidisciplinary discussion were enrolled. Collected data included demographic and clinical characteristics, laboratory findings, and radiologic and histopathological features. Logistic regression analyses were performed to explore factors related to the presence of fibrosis. RESULTS: A total of 202 patients with HP were enrolled, including 87 (43.1%) NFHP patients and 115 (56.9%) FHP patients. Patients with FHP were older and more frequently presented with dyspnea, crackles, and digital clubbing than patients with NFHP. Serum levels of carcinoembryonic antigen, carbohydrate antigen 125, carbohydrate antigen 153, gastrin-releasing peptide precursor, squamous cell carcinoma antigen, and antigen cytokeratin 21-1, and count of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) eosinophils were higher in the FHP group than in the NFHP group. BAL lymphocytosis was present in both groups, but less pronounced in the FHP group. Multivariable regression analyses revealed that older age, <20% of lymphocyte in BAL, and ≥1.75% of eosinophil in BAL were risk factors for the development of FHP. Twelve patients developed adverse outcomes, with a median survival time of 12.5 months, all of whom had FHP. CONCLUSIONS Older age, <20% of lymphocyte in BAL, and ≥1.75% of eosinophil in BAL were risk factors associated with the development of FHP. Prognosis of patients with NFHP was better than that of patients with FHP. These results may provide insights into the mechanisms of fibrosis in HP.
Humans ; Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid ; Prospective Studies ; Alveolitis, Extrinsic Allergic/diagnosis* ; Fibrosis ; Carbohydrates

Pulmonary blast injury has become the main type of trauma in modern warfare, characterized by externally mild injuries but internally severe injuries, rapid disease progression, and a high rate of early death. The injury is complicated in clinical practice, often with multiple and compound injuries. Currently, there is a lack of effective protective materials, accurate injury detection instrument and portable monitoring and transportation equipment, standardized clinical treatment guidelines in various medical centers, and evidence-based guidelines at home and abroad, resulting in a high mortality in clinlcal practice. Therefore, the Trauma Branch of Chinese Medical Association and the Editorial Committee of Chinese Journal of Trauma organized military and civilian experts in related fields such as thoracic surgery and traumatic surgery to jointly develop the Clinical treatment guideline for pulmonary blast injury ( version 2023) by combining evidence for effectiveness and clinical first-line treatment experience. This guideline provided 16 recommended opinions surrounding definition, characteristics, pre-hospital diagnosis and treatment, and in-hospital treatment of pulmonary blast injury, hoping to provide a basis for the clinical treatment in hospitals at different levels.

Objective:To explore the influences of neutrophilic granule protein (NGP) on nitric oxide (NO) production in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced macrophages and the regulatory mechanism.Methods:NGP highexpression RAW264.7 cells (NGP/RAW) and negative control empty vector cells (NC/RAW), NGP knockout RAW264.7 cells (NGP KO/RAW) and wild-type cells (WT/RAW) were cultured in vitro. Cells in logarithmic phase were stimulated with 10 mg/L LPS (LPS group) or phosphate buffered saline (PBS group) respectively. The content of NO in the supernatant was detected by Griess method. The mRNA expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was detected by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The protein expressions of iNOS and phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (p-STAT1) were detected by Western blotting.Results:Compared with PBS group, iNOS mRNA and NO expression were significantly increased at different time after LPS stimulation, the mRNA expression of iNOS peaked at 12 hours after LPS stimulation (2 -ΔΔCt: 38.45±1.34 vs. 1.00±0.00 in NC/RAW cells, 56.24±2.41 vs. 1.45±0.30 in NGP/RAW cells, 37.84±1.52 vs. 1.00±0.00 in WT/RAW cells, 5.47±0.62 vs. 0.98±0.40 in NGP KO/RAW cells, all P < 0.05), and the production of NO peaked at 24 hours after LPS stimulation (μmol/L: 24.15±1.26 vs. 0.15±0.04 in NC/RAW cells, 58.80±2.11 vs. 0.18±0.02 in NGP/RAW cells, 25.04±1.80 vs. 0.16±0.02 in WT/RAW cells, 2.42±0.38 vs. 0.12±0.03 in NGP KO/RAW cells, all P < 0.05). After being stimulated by LPS, the expression of iNOS mRNA and NO in NGP/RAW cells were increased significantly compared with NC/RAW cells [iNOS mRNA (2 -ΔΔCt): 8.42±0.59 vs. 4.63±0.37 at 2 hours, 27.16±1.60 vs. 14.25±1.02 at 6 hours, 56.24±2.41 vs. 38.45±1.34 at 12 hours; NO (μmol/L): 4.12±0.25 vs. 2.23±0.17 at 6 hours, 16.50±1.52 vs. 6.35±0.39 at 12 hours, 58.80±2.11 vs. 24.15±1.26 at 24 hours, all P < 0.05]. At the same time, the protein expressions of p-STAT1 and iNOS were also significantly enhanced (p-STAT1/GAPDH: 4.26±1.84 vs. 1.00±0.32 at 0 hours, 20.59±4.97 vs. 0.93±0.21 at 2 hours, 141.99±10.99 vs. 11.17±2.11 at 6 hours; iNOS/GAPDH: 1.27±0.86 vs. 1.00±0.22 at 0 hours, 7.94±1.94 vs. 2.01±0.92 at 2 hours, 24.24±4.88 vs. 3.72±1.11 at 6 hours, all P < 0.05), indicating that NGP might increase the expression of iNOS by promoting the phosphorylation of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) pathway, thereby increasing the production of NO. After being stimulated by LPS, the expression of iNOS mRNA and NO in NGP KO/RAW cells were significantly lower than that of WT/RAW cells [iNOS mRNA (2 -ΔΔCt): 2.46±0.31 vs. 4.22±0.18 at 2 hours, 3.61±0.44 vs. 13.02±1.34 at 6 hours, 5.47±0.62 vs. 37.84±1.52 at 12 hours; NO (μmol/L): 1.22±0.19 vs. 2.01±0.12 at 6 hours, 1.60±0.44 vs. 5.15±0.62 at 12 hours, 2.42±0.38 vs. 25.04±1.80 at 24 hours, all P < 0.05]. It showed that iNOS activation was reduced after NGP knockout, which in turn reduced NO production. Conclusion:NGP can positively regulate NO production in activated macrophages by activating the STAT1/iNOS pathway.

Background: Visceral hypersensitivity is considered as a key pathophysiological mechanism involved in functional gastrointestinal disorders (FGIDs). Visceral nociception and hyperalgesia is existed extensively following exposure to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), however, its molecular mechanism in intestinal tract is unclear. Aims: To explore the potential role of N-Myc downstream-regulated gene 2 (NDRG2) in intestinal tract for mediating visceral hypersensitivity following exposure to PTSD. Methods: PTSD model was established by single prolonged stress (SPS). SD rats were divided into normal control group, CTX group, PTSD group and PTSD+CTX group. Mice were divided into normal control group, PTSD group, NDRG2

Infection is one of the main causes of death in clinical patients, and multi-drug resistance leads to ineffective treatment with conventional antibiotics. Therefore, it is imperative to develop new anti-infective drugs. Antimicrobial peptides cathelicidins are cationic host defense peptides found in many organisms. It has been demonstrated by in vivo and in vitro studies that antimicrobial peptides cathelicidins not only show broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and high sensitivity to drug-resistant bacteria, but also have a good guiding effect on the immune response. This paper summarizes the reports of antimicrobial peptides cathelicidins in recent years, highlighting their research achievements in antibiosis, anti-inflammatory, chemotaxis regulation and phagocytosis, providing new ideas for the treatment of infection-related diseases.

Objective: To investigate the potential effects of cytochrome P450 1A1 (CYP1A1) in regulating macrophages polarize to M2 type and explore the molecular mechanism. Methods: All trials were completely randomized. ① Experiment 1: 6-8 weeks old healthy male C57BL/6J mice were collected, and primary peritoneal cells were extracted, then the cells were divided into phosphate buffered saline (PBS) group and interleukin-4 (IL-4) group. The cells in the IL-4 group were stimulated with 10 mg/L IL-4 (M2 macrophage inducer); and those in the PBS group were given with an equal amount of PBS. The mRNA expressions of intracellular M2 type polarized marker molecules including arginase-1 (Arg-1) and chitinase 3 like protein 1 (YM1) at 2, 4, 6 hours after IL-4 challenge were determined by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The phosphorylation of tyrosine protein kinase 1/signaling transcriptional and transduced activator 6 (JAK1/STAT6) signaling pathway and protein expressions of CYP1A1 and Arg-1 at 6, 12, 24 hours after IL-4 challenge were determined by Western Blot. ② Experiment 2: RAW264.7 cells with high expression CYP1A1 (CYP1A1/RAW) and their negative control cells (NC/RAW) were cultured in vitro. The cells in logarithmic growth phase were collected, and then they were divided into PBS control group and IL-4 group. The treatment method was the same as experiment 1. The phosphorylations of intracellular JAK1/STAT6 and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) pathways in different cells at 1 hour and 2 hours after IL-4 challenge were determined by Western Blot. The mRNA and protein expressions of Arg-1 in different cells at 2 hours and 4 hours after IL-4 challenge were determined by RT-qPCR and Western Blot, respectively. Results: ① Experiment 1: after IL-4 challenge for 2 hours, the mRNA expressions of Arg-1 and YM1 in the primary peritoneal macrophages of mice were significantly increased as compared with the PBS control group [Arg-1 mRNA (2^-ΔΔCt): 1.75±0.82 vs. 1.00±0.21; YM1 mRNA (2^-ΔΔCt): 2.58±0.53 vs. 1.00±0.20, both P < 0.05] which indicated that IL-4 induced macrophage to M2 type polarization successfully. Meanwhile, the mRNA expression of CYP1A1 in polarized mouse peritoneal primary macrophages was also elevated as compared with the PBS control group, and peaked at 4 hours [CYP1A1 mRNA (2^-ΔΔCt): 2.25±0.69 vs. 1.00±0.17, P < 0.01]. The results indicated that CYP1A1 expression was enhanced when macrophages polarized to M2 type. Compared with the PBS control group, the bands of phosphorylated JAK1 (p-JAK1), phosphorylated STAT6 (p-STAT6), Arg-1 and CYP1A1 were enhanced in primary peritoneal macrophages of mice in the IL-4 group, and reached the peak value at 12 hours then gradually decreased. This result indicated that the phosphorylation of JAK1/STAT6 pathway was enhanced in M2 macrophages with high expression of CYP1A1, and the pathway was activated. ② Experiment 2: after IL-4 challenge for 2 hours, the expression of Arg-1 mRNA in CYP1A1/RAW cells was significantly higher than that in NC/RAW cells (2^-ΔΔCt: 3.02±0.60 vs. 1.47±0.43, P < 0.05), and the protein band signal was also stronger, and both peaked at 4 hours. This indicated that CYP1A1 could promote the polarization of macrophages to M2. After IL-4 challenge for 2 hours, the expression of p-JAK1 and p-JAK3 protein bands in both cells were significantly enhanced as compared with the PBS control group, but the enhancement of p-STAT6 band in CYP1A1/RAW cells was stronger than that of NC/RAW cells, indicating that CYP1A1 promoted macrophage polarization by promoting phosphorylation of the JAK1/STAT6 pathway. In the meantime, the protein band of Akt, a downstream protein of the PI3K/Akt pathway, in CYP1A1/RAW cells was significantly lower than that of NC/RAW cells, indicating that CYP1A1 did not promote macrophage polarization through this pathway. Conclusions CYP1A1 promotes the polarization of macrophage to M2 type. The mechanism is related to promoting the phosphorylation of JAK1/STAT6 pathway.

This article reviews different screening and assessment tools for frailty in the elderly, including tool makers, assessment contents, scoring methods, results determination and applicability of tools, in order to provide reference for the broad medical staff in screening and evaluating frailty in elderly people.

Infection is one of the main causes of death in clinical patients, and multi-drug resistance leads to ineffective treatment with conventional antibiotics. Therefore, it is imperative to develop new anti-infective drugs. Antimicrobial peptides cathelicidins are cationic host defense peptides found in many organisms. It has been demonstrated by in vivo and in vitro studies that antimicrobial peptides cathelicidins not only show broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and high sensitivity to drug-resistant bacteria, but also have a good guiding effect on the immune response. This paper summarizes the reports of antimicrobial peptides cathelicidins in recent years, highlighting their research achievements in antibiosis, anti-inflammatory, chemotaxis regulation and phagocytosis, providing new ideas for the treatment of infection-related diseases.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Anti-Infective Agents ; Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides ; Bacteria ; Cathelicidins ; Humans