Objective To investigate the effect of astragaloside Ⅳ on high glucose-induced pyroptosis and invasive migration of human chorionic trophoblast cells(HTR-8/SVneo).Methods HTR-8/SVneo cells were divided into 4 groups:control group(untreated),high glucose group(high glucose stimulation)and astragaloside Ⅳ 50 and 100 μmol/L group(high glucose stimulation + astragaloside).Cell activity was detected by Cell Counting Kit 8(CCK-8),cell invasion and migration abilities were determined by Transwell assay and scratch assay,respectively,cell pyroptosis was assessed by Hoechst 33342/propidium iodide(PI)dual fluorescence staining.The protein expression levels of NOD-like receptor thermoprotein structural domain(NLRP3),cleaved-Caspase-1,GSDMD-NT,and IL-18 were detected by Western Blot.Results Compared with the control group,HTR-8/SVneo cell viability was significantly reduced in the high glucose group,the rate of cell migration was significantly reduced,the number of invasive cells was significantly reduced,the percentage of PI-positive cells was significantly increased,and the levels of NLRP3,cleaved-Caspase-1,GSDMD-NT and IL-18 protein expression levels were significantly increased(P<0.05 or P<0.01);compared with the high glucose group,cell viability was significantly higher in the astragaloside Ⅳ treated group,the rate of cell migration was significantly increased,the number of invasive cells was significantly increased,the percentage of PI-positive cells was significantly decreased,and the protein expressions of number of NLRP3,cleaved-Caspase-1,GSDMD-NT,IL-18 were significantly decreased(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Conclusion AstragalosideⅣcan inhibit high glucose-induced HTR-8/SVneo cell pyrolysis and improve cell invasion and migration ability.

Objective:To investigate the influencing factors for total number, total volume, and total iron burden of cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) and the relationship between CMBs with cognitive impairment in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) using semi-automatic quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM).Methods:The study was a cross-sectional study. Clinical and imaging data of 46 ESRD patients with≥1 CMBs who attended Tianjin First Central Hospital from November 2018 to August 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. There were 26 males and 20 females, aged 42-75 years. All patients underwent susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) scanning, then SWI data was post-processed to obtain QSM. The semi-automatic dynamic programming algorithm was used to get the volume and mean susceptibility value of each CMB by sketching the boundary of CMBs. The CMBs iron load total volume were calculated. Stepwise linear regression analysis was used to explore independent influencing factors for the number, total volume, and total iron burden of CMBs in ESRD patients. Partial correlation analysis was used to explore the relationship between CMBs and cognitive impairment with the other signs of cerebral small vessel diseases as covariates.Results:In patients with ESRD, CMBs were located in the frontal lobe in 19 cases, parietal lobe in 9 cases, temporal lobe in 19 cases, occipital lobe in 14 cases, basal ganglia in 27 cases, dorsal thalamus in 15 cases, centrum semiovale in 14 cases, cerebellum in 14 cases, and brainstem in 13 cases. C-reactive protein levels (95% CI 101.81-157.85, r=0.96, P=0.001) and creatinine levels (95% CI 5.32-29.61, r=0.71, P=0.010) were influencing factors for the total iron burden of CMBs. C-reactive protein levels (95% CI 0.72-1.15, r=0.99, P=0.001) and creatinine levels (95% CI 0.03-0.22, r=0.89, P=0.014) were influencing factors for the total volume of CMBs. C-reactive protein levels (95% CI 0.10-0.12, r=0.96, P=0.001) and alkaline phosphatase levels (95% CI 0.16-0.38, r=0.59, P=0.001) were influencing factors for the number of CMBs. The total volume ( r=-0.61, P=0.009) and total iron burden ( r=-0.71, P=0.002) of CMBs in the frontal lobe were negatively correlated with cognitive function. However, although the number of CMBs in the frontal lobe was negatively correlated with cognitive function, the statistics analysis was insignificant ( r=-0.53, P=0.063). Conclusions:C-reactive protein and creatinine are influencing factors for CMBs′ total volume and total iron burden; C-reactive protein levels and alkaline phosphatase are influencing factors for the number of CMBs. The total iron burden and total volume of CMBs in the frontal lobe may be the biomarkers of cognitive impairment in patients with end-stage renal disease.

Tumors represent one of the primary threats to human life, with the dissemination of malignant tumors being a leading cause of mortality among cancer patients. Early diagnosis of tumors can reliably predict their progression, significantly reducing mortality rates. Tumor markers, including circulating tumor cells, exosomes, proteins, circulating tumor DNA, miRNAs and so on, generated during the tumor development process, have emerged as effective approach for early tumor diagnosis. Several methods are currently employed to detect tumor markers, such as polymerase chain reaction, Northern blotting, next-generation sequencing, flow cytometry, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. However, these methods often suffer from time-consuming process, high costs, low sensitivity, and the requirement for specialized personnel. Therefore, a new rapid, sensitive, and specific tumor detection method is urgently needed.The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein (Cas) system, originating from the adaptive immune system of bacteria, has found extensive applications in gene editing and nucleic acid detection. Based on the structure and function of Cas proteins, the CRISPR/Cas system can be classified into two classes and six types. Class I systems consist of multiple Cas protein complexes, including types I, III, and IV, while Class II systems comprise single, multi-domain Cas proteins mediated by RNA, including types II (Cas9), V (Cas12), and VI (Cas13). Class II systems have been widely employed in the fields of biotechnology and nucleic acid diagnostics due to their efficient target binding and programmable RNA specificity. Currently, fluorescence method is the most common signal output technique in CRISPR/Cas-based biosensors. However, this method often requires the integration of signal amplification technologies to enhance sensitivity and involves expensive and complex fluorescence detectors. To enhance the detection performance of CRISPR/Cas-based biosensors, the integration of CRISPR/Cas with some alternative techniques can be considered. The CRISPR/Cas integrated electrochemical sensor (E-CRISPR) possesses advantages such as miniaturization, high sensitivity, high specificity, and fast response speed.E-CRISPR can convert the reactions between biomolecules and detecting components into electrical signals, rendering the detection signals more easily readable and reducing the impact of background values. Therefore,E-CRISPR enhances the accuracy of detection results. E-CRISPR has been applied in various fields, including medical and health, environmental monitoring, and food safety. Furthermore, E-CRISPR holds tremendous potential for advancing the detection levels of tumor markers.Among all types of Cas enzymes, the three most widely applied are Cas9, Cas12, and Cas13, along with their respective subtypes. In this work, we provided a brief overview of the principles and characteristics of Class II CRISPR/Cas single-effector proteins. This paper focused on the various detection technologies based on E-CRISPR technique, including electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, voltammetry, photoelectrochemistry, and electrochemiluminescence. We also emphasized the applications of E-CRISPR in the field of tumor diagnosis, which mainly encompasses the detection of three typical tumor markers (ctDNA, miRNA, and proteins). Finally, we discussed the advantages and limitations of E-CRISPR, current challenges, and future development prospects. In summary, althoughE-CRISPR platform has made significant strides in tumor detection, certain challenges still need to be overcome for their widespread clinical application. Continuous optimization of the E-CRISPR platform holds the promise of achieving more accurate tumor subtyping diagnoses in clinical settings, which would be of significant importance for early patient diagnosis and prognosis assessment.

AIM To explore the mechanism of Yiqi Wenyang Huwei Decoction on airway inflammation improvement of rats with bronchial asthma based on IL-25/NF-κB signaling pathway.METHODS 60 rats were randomly divided into the control group,the model group,the dexamethasone group(0.2 mg/mL),the low-dose,medium-dose and high-dose Yiqi Wenyang Huwei Decoction groups(1,2,4 g/mL),with 10 rats in each group.Intraperitoneal injection of ovalbumin(OVA)and aluminum hydroxide suspension was applied to establish the rat asthma model,followed by 2-week corresponding dosing of the drugs.The rats of each group had their daily diet,mental status,hair growth and respiration observed;their differential count of inflammatory cells in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF)detected by automatic hematology analyzer;their pathological changes of lung tissue observed by HE staining;their pulmonary IL-25 protein expression detected by immunohistochemistry(IHC);their levels of IL-4,IL-5 and IL-13 in BALF measured by ELISA;their pulmonary expression of IL-25 and TRAF6 mRNA detected by RT-qPCR;and their pulmonary protein expressions of IL-25,TRAF6,IκBα,p-IκBα,NF-κB p65 and p-NF-κB p65 detected by Western blot.RESULTS Compared with the control group,the model group displayed severe damage of the lung tissue and infiltration of a large number of inflammatory cells;increased number of inflammatory cells and levels of IL-4,IL-5 and IL-13 in BALF(P<0.01);increased mRNA expressions of IL-25 and TRAF6,and pulmonary protein expressions of IL-25,TRAF6,p-IκBα/IκBα and p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,all of the Yiqi Wenyang Huwei Decoction groups shared improved pulmonary infiltration of inflammatory cells;decreased number of inflammatory cells and levels of IL-4,IL-5 and IL-13 in BALF(P<0.05,P<0.01);and decreased mRNA expressions of IL-25 and TRAF6,and pulmonary protein expressions of IL-25,TRAF6,p-IκBα/IκBα and p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65(P<0.01).CONCLUSION Yiqi Wenyang Huwei Decoction can inhibit the airway inflammation in the rat model of bronchial asthma,which may be related to the inhibited activation of IL-25/NF-κB signaling pathway and the reduced expression of inflammatory factors.

Liver is the main organ of glucose and lipid metabolism, and persistent hyperglycemia is a common cause of liver injury. Panax notoginsenosides (PNS) is the main active ingredient in Panax notoginseng, which have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. In this study, quantitative proteomics combined with experimental verification was used to explore the protective effect of PNS on liver injury in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) mice and its potential mechanism. All experiments were approved by the Ethical Committee Experimental Animal Center of North Sichuan Medical College (NSMC2022023). Hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining and transmission electron microscopy were used to observe the effect of PNS on the histopathological changes of liver in T2DM mice. TdT-mediated dUTP Nick-end labeling (TUNEL) staining was used to analyze the effect of PNS on hepatocyte apoptosis in T2DM mice. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malonaldehyde (MDA) kits were used to detect the effect of PNS on oxidative damage of liver in T2DM mice. Subsequently, proteomics profiling of mice in T2DM and T2DM+PNS groups were investigated based on quantitative proteomics. Differentially expressed proteins were screened out according to fold change and significance level in T2DM and T2DM+PNS groups, respectively. Pathway enrichment analysis of these differential proteins was done using GeneAnalytics database. Gene ontology analysis was conducted by Metascape database. Protein-protein interaction networks were constructed based on STRING database. Western blot was used to detect protein expression. These results showed that PNS could improve liver abnormalities, inhibit hepatocyte apoptosis, and improve the morphology of mitochondria and endoplasmic reticulum in T2DM mice. Proteome data demonstrated that 489 genes expression changed significantly in liver of T2DM mice compared with normal, and 42 ones were significantly reversed after PNS treatment and returned to normal levels. Pathway analysis showed that sterol hormone biosynthesis, adenosine 5′-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway, oxidative stress, insulin signaling, phosphatidylinositol pathway, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) mediated inflammation, insulin resistance, and mTOR signaling pathway exhibited notable changes based on pathway enrichment ratio and significance level. It is worth noting that PNS could improve the abnormal changes of AMPK, TNF-α, apoptosis and insulin pathways. Western blot manifested that PNS inhibit the expression of Bax, Grp78 and Chop, reduce ratio of cleaved casp6/casp6, increase the levels of pAMPKα, HO-1 and Nu-Nrf2 in the liver of T2DM mice. These results suggested that PNS may play protective roles in the liver of T2DM mice by inhibiting apoptosis via activating AMPK/Nrf2/HO-1 signaling pathway, alleviating oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress.

Objective:To evaluate the clinical effect of modified posterior pharyngeal flap surgery in the treatment of velopharyngeal insufficiency.Methods:Clinical data of patients with cleft lip and palate diagnosed with velopharyngeal insufficiency and undergoing modified posterior pharyngeal flap surgery in Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology from January 2018 to May 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The traditional posterior pharyngeal flap surgery was improved by combining the modern concept and method of soft palate muscle reconstruction, and performed modified posterior pharyngeal flap surgery to correct velopharyngeal insufficiency. Preoperative and postoperative follow-up were performed including speech evaluation (classifying as none, mild, moderate, moderate to severe hypernasality and nasal emission), nasopharyngeal fiberscope (classifying velopharyngeal insufficiency as mild, moderate, or severe), lateral cephalometric radiographs (resting position and /i/ position), and the Nasal Obstruction Symptom Evaluation (NOSE) scale. The recovery of velopharyngeal function and nasal ventilation after the operation were statistically analyzed. The difference of resting velar length (RVL), effective working length (EWL) and angel of velar lifting (AVL) before and after the operation was compared by paired t-test to evaluate the clinical effect of surgery. P<0.05 indicates a statistically significant difference. Results:A total of 83 patients with velopharyngeal insufficiency were enrolled, including 44 males and 39 females, aged (13.04±11.31) years (4-53 years). 83 patients were followed up for 6-18 months after surgery, and all patients had primary wound healing without postoperative bleeding, perforation, or posterior pharyngeal flap detachment; 78 cases achieved complete velopharyngeal closure, the surgical success rate was 94%, three patients still had mild hypernasality and nasal emission after surgery, one patient still had moderate hypernasality and nasal emission after surgery, and one patient had severe hypernasality after surgery. The RVL was (29.27±6.01) mm before the operation and (36.88±6.51) mm after the operation.The EWL of the soft palate was (18.53±5.04) mm before the operation and (25.76±5.17) mm after the operation.The angel of velar lifting was 11.42°±11.65° before the operation and 15.91°±8.54° after operation. The differences were statistically significant ( P<0.01). 98%(81/83) patients had subjective nasal obstruction symptom in the short period after surgery (within one month), the nasal obstruction symptom evaluation (NOSE) score was 8.61±3.64. The long-term postoperative follow-up showed that the NOSE score was 3.06±2.92, and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.01). Conclusion:Modified posterior pharyngeal flap surgery can significantly increase the resting velar length and effective working length, improve the movement ability of the soft palate, acquire functional reconstruction of velopharyngeal closure, improve speech function and achieve effectively surgical results.

Background: Genetic defects in the human thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) receptor (TSHR) gene can cause congenital hypothyroidism (CH). However, the biological functions and comprehensive genotype–phenotype relationships for most TSHR variants associated with CH remain unexplored. We aimed to identify TSHR variants in Chinese patients with CH, analyze the functions of the variants, and explore the relationships between TSHR genotypes and clinical phenotypes. Methods: In total, 367 patients with CH were recruited for TSHR variant screening using whole-exome sequencing. The effects of the variants were evaluated by in-silico programs such as SIFT and polyphen2. Furthermore, these variants were transfected into 293T cells to detect their Gs/cyclic AMP and Gq/11 signaling activity. Results: Among the 367 patients with CH, 17 TSHR variants, including three novel variants, were identified in 45 patients, and 18 patients carried biallelic TSHR variants. In vitro experiments showed that 10 variants were associated with Gs/cyclic AMP and Gq/11 signaling pathway impairment to varying degrees. Patients with TSHR biallelic variants had lower serum TSH levels and higher free triiodothyronine and thyroxine levels at diagnosis than those with DUOX2 biallelic variants. Conclusions We found a high frequency of TSHR variants in Chinese patients with CH (12.3%), and 4.9% of cases were caused by TSHR biallelic variants. Ten variants were identified as loss-of-function variants. The data suggest that the clinical phenotype of CH patients caused by TSHR biallelic variants is relatively mild. Our study expands the TSHR variant spectrum and provides further evidence for the elucidation of the genetic etiology of CH.

Pancreatic cancer is among the most malignant cancers,and thus early intervention is the key to better survival outcomes.However,no methods have been derived that can reliably identify early precursors of development into malignancy.Therefore,it is urgent to discover early molecular changes during pancreatic tumorigenesis.As aberrant glycosylation is closely associated with cancer progression,numerous efforts have been made to mine glycosylation changes as biomarkers for diagnosis;however,detailed glycoproteomic information,especially site-specific N-glycosylation changes in pancreatic cancer with and without drug treatment,needs to be further explored.Herein,we used comprehensive solid-phase chemoenzymatic glycoproteomics to analyze glycans,glycosites,and intact glycopeptides in pancreatic cancer cells and patient sera.The profiling of N-glycans in cancer cells revealed an increase in the secreted glycoproteins from the primary tumor of MIA PaCa-2 cells,whereas human sera,which contain many secreted glycoproteins,had significant changes of glycans at their specific glycosites.These results indicated the potential role for tumor-specific glycosylation as disease biomarkers.We also found that AMG-510,a small molecule inhibitor against Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog(KRAS)G12C mutation,profoundly reduced the glycosylation level in MIA PaCa-2 cells,suggesting that KRAS plays a role in the cellular glycosylation process,and thus glycosylation inhibition contributes to the anti-tumor effect of AMG-510.

Objective To investigate the mechanism of matrine hydrochloride injection on acetaminophen(APAP)induced liver injury in mice.Methods Sixty male Kunming mice were randomly divided into blank group,model group and experimental-L,-M,-H groups.The mice were abdominal injected 300 mg·kg-1 APAP to build the acute liver injury modeling.The experimental-L,-M,-H groups were intravenous injected matrine of 0.7,1.4,and 2.8 mg·kg-1,respectively.Blank and model groups were injected with 10％glucose solution 10 mL·kg-1·d-1 via tail vein.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay were used to measure the levels of glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase(GOT),glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase(GPT),interleukin-6(IL-6)and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)in mice serum.The kit were employed to detect the levels of superoxide dismutase(SOD)and malondialdehyde(MDA)in liver tissue.Results The serum GOT levels in the experimental-M,-H groups,model group and blank group were(5 593.45±128.46),(2 316.24±125.37),(8 302.16±267.15)and(40.13±7.69)U·L-1;the GPT levels were(6 159.37±129.64),(2 597.10±120.37),(8 1699.54±259.87)and(36.47±9.46)U·L-1;the IL-6 levels were(159.43±26.42),(96.37±25.84),(215.34±47.68)and(83.72±26.37)pg·mL-1;the TNF-α levels were(327.68±38.37),(249.69±44.97),(477.68±58.59)and(254.35±50.67)pg·mL-1;the SOD levels were(329.46±37.49),(371.16±33.76),(246.84±38.79)and(429.67±23.76)U·mg-1;the MDA levels were(5.34±0.76),(4.09±0.54),(12.46±3.76)and(3.12±0.42)nmol·mg-1.There were significant differences between the experimental-M,-H groups and the model group(all P＜0.05).Conclusion Matrine has a significant protective effect on APAP induced drug-induced liver injury,and its protective mechanism is related to inhibiting inflammatory response and alleviating oxidative stress response.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)and its chronic complications are the main causes of disability and death in diabetic patients.Traditional Chinese medicine has the advantages of significant curative effect and low recurrence rate.In recent years,the basic research on the treatment of T2DM with traditional Chinese medicine has made significant progress,and its mechanism may be related to the regulation of Janus kinase(JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription(STAT)signal pathway by traditional Chinese medicine.This paper expounds the relationship between JAK/STAT signaling pathway and T2DM,and summarizes the research progress of traditional Chinese medicine extract and compound prescription in the intervention of T2DM by regulating this signaling pathway,in order to provide references for the clinical application of T2DM therapeutics and the development of new drugs.