To study the mechanism of Huangqin decoction (HQT) in the treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC) by using network pharmacology, chemical components and targets related to the four herbs of Chinese meteria medical in HQT were searched through the traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology database and analysis platform (TCMSP) to construct the interaction network diagram of the target point of the compounds. The UC-related targets were screened through OMIM, TTD, and GeneCard databases. The compound-target network was constructed using Cytoseape_v3.7.1 software; based on the STRING database, a target interaction network for HQT for UC was constructed, and the core target of HQT for UC was selected based on topological parameters. GO (gene ontology) biological process enrichment analysis and KEGG (KEGG pathway analysis) pathway annotation analysis were performed on the disease and drug intersection targets using the R package clusterprofile version 3.12.0 in Bioconductor. The HQT compound-UC target network contains 128 compounds and corresponding targets 141. The core targets are AKTI, IL6, PTGS2, IL10, IL1β and so on. GO functional enrichment analysis yielded 151 GO terms, and KEGG pathway enrichment screening resulted in 33 associations with UC, mainly involving PI3K-AKT signaling pathway, NF-kappa B signaling pathway, TNF signaling pathway, Toll-like receptor signaling pathway and so on. The synergetic effect of HQT with multi-components and multi-pathway was confirmed by network pharmacology, and the main possible mechanism of HQT in treating UC was predicted, which lay a foundation for the identification of effective components, the mechanism of action, and clinical application.

To investigate the effect of Sishen Wan (SSW) on intestinal flora in diarrhea-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS-D) rats and explore the efficacy of this regiment for improving IBS-D, we divided 45 SPF male SD rats randomly into control, disease, SSW, Ershen Wan (ESW) and Wuweizasan (WWZS) groups. The spleen-kidney-yang deficiency type IBS-D rat model was prepared by a composite factor and administered for 14 days. After collecting the feces of the rats, total DNA was extracted from the stool samples. Primers were designed based on the 16S r RNA V3 to V4 regions of the bacteria, and used for high-throughput sequencing with the Illumina Miseq platform. We found that SSW can effectively reduce the diarrhea index (P<0.05) and reduce the high sensitivity of intestinal tract (P<0.05) of IBS-D rats. The principal component analysis (PCA), principal co-ordinates analysis (PCoA) and non-metric multidimensional scale analysis (NMDS) based on the Beta diversity distance showed that there were significant differences in the composition of the gut microbiota among the five groups (P<0.05). The disease group has the lowest in abundance, uniformity and diversity of gut microbiota. Compared with the control group, the disease group showed a significant increase in Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Veillonococcus and Mycoplasma (P<0.05), but a significant reduction in Pleaverella (P<0.05). Compared with the disease group, SSW administration caused significant reduction in the Proteobacteria and Mycoplasma (P<0.05), but significant increases of Clostridium, Turicibacter and Romboutsia (P<0.05). Our study shows that SSW has the potential as a therapeutic regiment for treatment of IBS-D due to partial regulation of the intestinal flora. In addition, there is a synergy between ESW and WWZS.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of Huangqin Tang (HQT) on oxidative stress associated with ulcerative colitis in rats, and to explore its antioxidant mechanism. After approved by Institute of Chinese Materia Medica Ethics Committees in China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, the rats were given 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic (TNBS)/ethanol mixture to induce the ulcerative colitis (UC), and were randomly divided into normal group, model group, the salazosulfapyridine (SASP) group, and high, middle or low dose (20, 10, 5 g·kg^-1) of HQT groups. After 5 days of treatment, the activity of catalase (CAT) from micrococcus lysodeikticus, glutathione peroxidase (GSH-px), myeloperoxidase (MPO), superoxide dismutase (SOD) were detected by biochemical assays. The levels of lipid peroxide (LPO) were detected by ELISA. The positive protein expression of nuclear factor erythroid-2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) were detected by immunohistochemistry method and the downstream antioxidant enzymes of Nrf2 were determined by Western blot analyses. The levels of SOD, CAT and GSH-px activities in the normal group were significantly higher than the model group, while the serum MPO activity in the model group was obviously increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with the model group, there was a significant difference in the activity of CAT in the high and middle dose groups of HQT (P<0.05 or P<0.01), the activity of GSH-px in the high, middle and low dose groups of HQT were apparently higher than the model group (P<0.05); The serum levels of LPO in the model group were significantly higher than those in the normal group (P<0.05), while the up-regulating effects on LPO were reversed by the high and middle dose groups of HQT (P<0.05). The expression of Nrf2 in the high-dose group of HQT and SASP group was statistically significant (P<0.05). The results of Western blot showed that compared with the model group, each of the HQT and SASP group could increase the heme oxygenase (HO-1) and NAD[P]H: quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO-1) expression in a dose-dependence manner. HQT has significant anti-oxidative stress and obviously improves the signs, mental status and defecation of UC rats. The mechanism of action for HQT maybe related to activate the Nrf2 pathway and increase the expression of Ⅱ phase metabolic enzymes such as HO-1 and NQO-1, reduce the content of LPO and MPO in serum and enhance the activity of SOD, CAT and GSH-px.

This study was designed to compare intestinal bacteria and inflammatory cytokine expression in rats with ulcerative colitis (UC) after treatment of three regiments, Huang-qin-tang (HQT), Si-shen-wan (SSW), and Tong-xie-yao-fang (TXYF). After approved by Institute of Chinese Materia Medica Ethics Committees in China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, UC in rats was induced by using a compound method (trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid plus ethanol). Rats were randomly divided into control, disease, positive control salazosulfapyridine (SASP, 0.5 g·kg^-1), HQT (20 g·kg^-1), SSW (26 g·kg^-1), and TXYF groups (22 g·kg^-1). After 7 days of treatment, colonic tissues and the blood were taken for various assays. Damage of colonic tissues was detected by H&E staining. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-ɑ (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8) and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) in the serum were detected by the enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Total DNA was extracted from stool samples for analyses of 16SMiseqPE300V3-4 segment using high-throughput sequencing. The inflammatory cytokine results showed that compared with the disease group, the content of IL-6, PGE₂, TNF-α in SASP group were decreased (P<0.05), with the most significant decrease being the level of IL-8 (P<0.01), whereas the levels of IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-α in HQT group were reduced (P<0.05) and PGE₂ content was clearly reduced (P<0.01). The contents of four cytokines in SSW group were decreased, but there was no statistical difference. While the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in TXYF group were reduced, and the reductions of IL-8 and PGE₂ were significant (P<0.05). The results after sequencing showed that microbiome species richness SSW group > HQT group > TXYF group; the similarity between samples TXYF group > SSW group > HQT group; the species of HQT and TXYF group have greater difference when compared to the disease group. The content of beneficial bacteria in the intestine of HQT group > SSW group > TXYF group. Three regiments all have therapeutic effects on UC, manifested by improvements of the signs and mental status of UC rats. However, in terms of inhibition of inflammatory factors IL-6, IL-8, PGE₂ and TNF-α, and regulation of intestinal microbiome, the therapeutic effect of HQT was superior than SSW and TXYF.

Cas1-and-Cas2-mediated new spacer acquisition is an essential process for bacterial adaptive immunity. The process is critical for the ecology of the oral microflora and oral health. Although molecular mechanisms for spacer acquisition are known, it has never been established if this process is associated with the morphological changes of bacteria. In this study, we demonstrated a novel Cas2-induced filamentation phenotype in E. coli that was regulated by co-expression of the Cas1 protein. A 30 amino acid motif at the carboxyl terminus of Cas2 is necessary for this function. By imaging analysis, we provided evidence to argue that Cas-induced filamentation is a step coupled with new spacer acquisition during which filaments are characterised by polyploidy with asymmetric cell division. This work may open new opportunities to investigate the adaptive immune response and microbial balance for oral health.

Objective To study the association between serum TB level and target organ damage in elderly metabolic syndrome (MS) patients.Methods Two hundred and forty-five elderly MS patients admitted to our hospital were included in this study.Their general condition was recorded,their serum TB,blood glucose,blood lipids,blood urea nitrogen and creatinine (Cr) levels were measured,and their left ventricular mass (LVM) and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) were detected by parallel echocardiography.Results Correlation analysis showed that the serum TB level was positively related with that of Cr (r=0.168,P=0.009) but not related with LVM,LVMI,serum blood urea nitrogen level,prevalence of chronic renal insufficiency and chronic kidney disease (P＞0.05).Regression analysis showed that serum TB level was an independent risk factor for urea in MS patients (OR=-0.27,95％CI:-0.48-0.06,P=0.01;OR=1.27,95％CI:0.33-2.22,P=0.01).Quantile analysis of serum TB level showed that the serum Cr level was significantly higher in Q76-100 group,Q51-75 group and Q26-50 group than in Q1-25 group (P=0.031).Conclusion Serum TB level is positively related with endogenous Cr clearance in elderly MS patients,suggesting that mildly elevated serum TB level may be a protective factor for impaired renal function in elderly MS patients.