OBJECTIVE To investigate the induction of apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells by polyphyllin 9 （PP9） through the regulation of the Fas/Fas ligand （FasL） signaling pathway， and its inhibitory effect on the growth of transplanted tumor in nude mice. METHODS Based on the screening of cell lines and intervention conditions， HepG2 cells were selected as the experimental subject to investigate the effects of 2 μmol/L and 4 μmol/L PP9 treatment on cell colony formation activity， apoptosis rate， as well as the protein expressions of Fas， FasL， cleaved caspase-8 and cleaved caspase-3. Additionally， Fas inhibitor KR- 33493 was introduced to investigate the underlying mechanism of PP9’s anti-hepatocellular carcinoma activity. Using HepG2 cell tumor-bearing nude mice model as the object， and 5-fluorouracil （20 mg/kg） as the positive control， the effects of 10 mg/kg PP9 on tumor volume， tumor mass， and the protein expressions of the nuclear proliferation-associated antigen Ki-67 and cleaved caspase-3 in tumor-bearing nude mice were investigated. RESULTS Compared with the control group， 2， 4 μmol/L PP9 significantly decreased the number of clones and the clone formation rate of cells， but significantly increased the apoptosis rate， the protein expressions of Fas， FasL， cleaved caspase-8 and cleaved caspase-3 （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. However， the combination of Fas inhibitor KR-33493 could significantly reverse the effect of PP9 on the up-regulation of proteins related to the Fas/FasL signaling pathway （P＜0.01）. Compared with the control group， the tumor volume （on day 27）， mass and protein expression of Ki- 67 in nude mice of the PP9 group were significantly decreased， while the protein expression of cleaved caspase-3 was significantly increased （P＜0.01）. CONCLUSIONS PP9 can induce apoptosis of HepG2 cells by activating the Fas/FasL signaling pathway. Meanwhile， PP9 can also effectively inhibit the growth of transplanted tumors in nude mice.

OBJECTIVE To study the improvement effect and mechanism of Shuhou tongqi formula on intestinal injury in mice with postoperative ileus （POI）. METHODS Mice were randomly divided into sham operation group， model group， positive control group （Mosapride citrate tablets， 1.95 mg/kg）， and Shuhou tongqi formula group （1.88 g/kg）， with 6 mice in each group. Except for the sham operation group， POI model was induced in other groups by typical small intestinal interference. Each group was given relevant drug liquid/water， once a day， for consecutive 2 days. After the last medication， the percentage of carbon powder propulsion in small intestine was detected， and pathomorphological changes in ileum tissue of mice were observed. The serum levels of interleukin-6 （IL-6）， IL-10， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， motilin （MTL） and somatostatin （SS） were all detected； the expression levels of Toll-like receptor 4 （TLR4）， nuclear factor κB （NF-κB p65） and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase （p38 MAPK） were determined in ileal tissue of mice； the gut microbiota of colon contents was analyzed in each group of mice. RESULTS After the intervention of Shuhou tongqi formula， pathological damage such as intestinal wall atrophy and mucosal capillary congestion in ileum tissue were improved significantly； the percentage of carbon powder propulsion and the serum level of IL-10 and MTL were increased significantly （P＜0.05）； however， serum levels of TNF-α， IL-6 and SS， the expressions of TLR4， NF-κB p65 and p38 MAPK were decreased significantly （P＜0.05）. The analysis of gut microbiota showed that Shuhou tongqi formula could significantly increase ACE， Chao1， Shannon and PD indexes， and relative abundance of Akkermansia （P＜0.05）， but decreased relative abundance of Proteobacteria， Ligilactobacillus and Escherichia-Shigella significantly （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Shuhou tongqi formula can improve intestinal injury and inflammatory reaction of POI mice， the mechanism of which may be associated with inhibiting the activity of TLR4/ NF-κB/MAPK signaling pathway， regulating the levels of gastrointestinal hormones and improving the disturbance of intestinal flora in mice. E-mail：1643589936@qq.com

Objective To investigate the role of lncRNA SNHG1 in homocysteine-induced pyroptosis of podocyte.Methods Cbs+/-mice were randomly divided into two groups:a normal diet group(ND)and a high me-thionine diet group(HMD).Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression levels of Caspase-1,Cleaved Caspase-1,and NLRP3.Mouse renal glomerular podocytes were cultured in vitro,and then assigned into a control group(Control,0 μmol/L Hcy)and a homocysteine intervention group(Hcy,80 μmol/L Hcy).Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression levels of Caspase-1,Cleaved Caspase-1,and NLRP3.Mouse renal glomerular podocyion group(OE-NC + Hcy)and the lncSNHG1 overexpression + homocysteine intervention group(OE-SNHG1 + Hcy)were also established.After 48 hours of intervention,Real-time fluorescence quantita-tive PCR was used to detect the expression of lncSNHG1 in podocytes after Hcy intervention.Western blot was used to detect the expressions of Caspase-1,Cleaved Caspase-3 and NLRP3.Immunofluorescence was used to de-tect the expression levels of GSDMD and GSDMD-N.ELISA was used to detect the contents of IL-1β and IL-18.Results(1)In the animal experiments,the expression levels of pyroptosis-related proteins Caspase-1,Cleaved Caspase-1,NLRP3,GSDMD,and GSDMD-N were all increased in the HMD group compared with the ND group.(2)In the cellular experiments,the expression levels of Caspase-1,Cleaved Caspase-1,NLRP3,GSDMD,and GSDMD-N were all increased in the Hcy group compared with the Control group,and the contents of pyroptosis-mediated inflammatory factors IL-1β and IL-18 were increased as well.(3)In the cellular experiments,the expres-sion of lncSNHG1 was increased in the Hcy group compared with the control group.After transduction with lnc-SNHG1 lentivirus,the expression of lncSNHG1 was increased in the OE-SNHG1 group,compared with the control group and the OE-NC group.(4)In the cellular experiments,the expressions of pyroptosis-related proteins Cas-pase-1,Cleaved Caspase-1,NLRP3,GSDMD,and GSDMD-N were increased compared with the OE-NC+Hcy group,and the contents of pyroptosis-mediated inflammatory factors IL-1β and IL-18 were increased in the OE-SNHG1+Hcy group.Conclusion These results indicate that lncSNHG1 may play a role in promoting Hcy induced podocytepyroptosis.

Objective To investigate the effects of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation at Neiguan combined with Danzhong on intraoperative remifentanil dosage and early postoperative pain in pa-tients undergoing radical mastectomy.Methods A total of 153 female patients undergoing radical mastecto-my under general anaesthesia aged 18-64 years,BMI 18.5-30.0 kg/m2 and ASA physical status Ⅰ or Ⅱwere enrolled.The patients were randomly assigned into three groups:single-acupoint(Neiguan)group,dual-acupoint(Neiguan and Danzhong)group and control group,51 patients in each group.TEAS for 30 minutes at different points(Neiguan combined with Danzhong for the dual-acupoint group,Neiguan for the single-acupoint group,no stimulation for the sham group)were given before anaesthesia induction.30 mi-nutes of disperse/dense stimulation of 2/10 Hz with an intensity of 4-11 mA was used.The consumption of remifentanil,time to recall and to extubation were recorded.The visual analogue scale(VAS)pain score in PACU and 24 hours after surgery,and patient satisfaction scores was recorded.Results The intra-operative remifentanil consumption in the dual-acupoint group was significantly less than groups single-acupoint and sham(P＜0.05).Patient satisfaction score 24 hours after surgery was significantly higher in the dual-acu-point group than those in groups single-acupoint and sham(P＜0.05).The VAS scores in PACU and 24 hours after surgery had no significantly differences among the three groups.Conclusion Compared with single-acupoint,stimulation at Neiguan combined with Danzhong in patients undergoing radical mastectomy induced stronger remifentanil-sparing effect and higher patients'satisfaction after radical mastectomy.

Since the concept of mixed connective tissue disease was proposed，it remains controversial in its pathogenesis and diagnosis.Mixed connective tissue disease is generally recognized as a disease entity characterized by overlapping clinical features of systemic lupus erythematosus，systemic sclerosis，and polymyositis，as well as high titers of serum anti-U1 ribonucleoprotein antibody.Studies have shown that up to 1/4 of the patients have the disease at an early age，with the first symptoms of Raynaud's phenomenon and polyarthritis，and the disease has certain differences in clinical characteristics and diagnosis and treatment from adults.The disease may evolve into other connective tissue diseases in the later stage，so early diagnosis and treatment are of great significance to improve prognosis.This article elaborates on the epidemiology，pathogenesis，clinical manifestations，diagnosis and treatment of juvenile mixed connective tissue disease.

Objective To investigate the characteristics of adverse drug event(ADE)related to tacrolimus(Tac)in pediatric solid organ transplant recipients.Methods The data were retrieved from the US Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System database from the first quarter of 2004 to the second quarter of 2023.The ADE data of pediatric organ transplant recipients with Tac as the primary suspected drug were extracted.The relationship between Tac and ADE was quantitatively analyzed by proportional imbalance method.Basic characteristics and signal strength of ADE related to Tac were analyzed.ADE related to Tac in children of different ages and different types of organ transplantation were analyzed.Results A total of 1 443 children's ADE reports involving Tac were screened,including 188 cases(13.0％)of heart transplantation,668 cases(46.3％)of liver transplantation,531 cases(36.8％)of kidney transplantation and 56 cases(3.9％)of lung transplantation.The median age of children was 10 years old.The top three countries with ADE reporting were the United States,France and the United Kingdom.China reported 26 cases,accounting for 1.8％.Infection and infectious diseases accounted for the highest proportion(20.96％)in ADE related to Tac,including EB virus and cytomegalovirus infection,etc.Infection and infectious diseases occupied the largest proportion of ADE related to Tac in children of different ages,whereas the pathogen types were different.Rejection,unstable immunosuppression level and renal function damage were also common ADE related to Tac in children of all ages.Nervous system disease was the main ADE in heart transplant recipients,while infection and infectious diseases were more common in liver and kidney transplant recipients.Rejection was the most common ADE in lung transplant recipients.Conclusions ADE related to Tac possess different distribution characteristics in different types of organ transplantation.Extensive attention should be paid to individualized drug monitoring and risk assessment in pediatric organ transplant recipients,thereby optimizing Tac treatment and reducing the risk of ADE.

Objective To explore the regulatory effect of miR-6838-5p on DDR1 gene expression and proliferation of breast cancer cells.Methods The expression levels of miR-6838-5p in normal breast epithelial cells and breast cancer cells were detected using qRT-PCR,and the potential target genes of miR-6838-5p was predicted using TargetscanV 8.0.Double luciferase reporter gene experiment was performed to verify the binding between miR-6838-5p and DDR1.Breast cancer MCF-7 cells were transfected via liposome,miR-6838-5p mimic,miR-6838-5p inhibitor,DDR1 siRNA,DDR1-overexpresisng vector,or both miR-6838-5p mimic and DDR1-overexpressing vector,and the changes in cell proliferation were examined with CCK-8 and EdU assays;Western blotting was used to detect the expression of DDR1.The mediating role of DDR1 in miR-6838-5p overexpression-induced inhibition of MCF-7 cell proliferation was verified in a nude mouse model bearing MCF-7 cell xenografts.Results The expression of miR-6838-5p was significantly lower in breast cancer cells than in normal breast epithelial cells.In MCF-7 cells,miR-6838-5p overexpression induced significant inhibition of cell proliferation.Dual luciferase reporter gene experiment demonstrated a binding relationship between miR-6838-5p and DDR1(P<0.01).Western blotting showed that miR-6838-5p overexpression significantly lowered DDR1 expression in MCF-7 cells,and DDR1 overexpression promoted proliferation of the cells;co-transfection of the cells with DDR1-overexpressing vector significantly attenuated the inhibitory effect of miR-6838-5p mimic on cell proliferation.In the tumor-bearing nude mice,the xenografts overexpressing miR-6838-5p showed a significantly smaller volum with obviously the expression of DDR1.Conclusion Overexpression of miR-6838-5p inhibits breast cancer cell proliferation by regulating DDR1 expression.

Objective To investigate the effect of melanoma associated antigen D1 (Mage-D1)on mouse femoral bone mass and mineralization ability of mouse bone marrow mesenchymal cells (BMSCs)and its potential molecular mechanism.Methods Female Mage-D1 gene knockout heterozygous mice and male wild-type (WT)mice were subjected as parent mice to breed Mage-D1 gene knockout homozygous (Mage-D1 KO)mice.PCR and agarose gel electrophoresis were used to identify male Mage-D1 knockout (Mage-D1 KO)mice and littermate male wild-type (WT)mice.Micro-CT scanning was performed to observe mouse femoral bone mass,and ELISA and chemical assay were employed to detect serum levels of calcium,phosphorus,calcitonin,and parathyroid hormone in mice.After primary cultured BMSCs were identified with flow cytometry,immunofluorescence staining was utilized to detect the expression of Mage-D1 in BMSCs.BMSCs were infected by Mage-D1 silencing lentivirus,and then the cells were divided into negative control group (sh-NC)and silencing group (sh-Mage-D1).Cell scratch assay was conducted to detect the migration ability of BMSCs,and flow cytometry and CCK-8 assay were conducted to detect the cycle change and proliferation ability of BMSCs.After mineralization induction,alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining and alizarin red staining were performed;RT-qPCR and Western blotting were used to measure the expression levels of ALP,Runx2 and Col1.RT-qPCR was used to detect mineralization-related genes p75NTR and Msx1.Results Compared with the WT mice,the femoral cortical bone thickness,cortical bone mineral content,cancellous bone mineral content,trabecular number,and cancellous bone surface density were decreased,and trabecular separation was increased in the Mage-D1 knockout homozygous mice (P<0.05).There were no significant changes in the serum levels of calcium,phosphorus,calcitonin and parathyroid hormone in mice after Mage-D1 knockout.Mage-D1 was expressed in the whole BMSCs and was highly expressed in the nucleus and perinuclear regions.Compared with the sh-NC BMSCs,the sh-Mage-D1 group had decreased proliferation ability (P<0.01),enhanced migration ability (P<0.01),and decreased expression of ALP,Runx2 and Col1 genes (P<0.05)and protein (P<0.01)after mineralization induction,milder ALP and alizarin red stain,and lower expression levels of p75NTR and Msx1.Conclusion Mage-D1 knockout can significantly reduce femur bone mass in mice.It can promote the proliferation and inhibit migration of BMSCs,and positively regulate their mineralization in vitro,and the p75NTR-Dlx1/Msx1 signaling axis may be involved in the regulation of bone metabolism by Mage-D1.

Objective:To report the long-term outcomes of Chinese rectal cancer patients after adopting a Watch and Wait (W&W) strategy following neoadjuvant therapy (NAT).Methods:This multicenter, cross-sectional study was based on real-world data. The study cohort comprised rectal cancer patients who had achieved complete or near complete clinical responses (cCRs, near-cCRs) after NAT and were thereafter managed by a W&W approach, as well as a few patients who had achieved good responses after NAT and had then undergone local excision for confirmation of pathological complete response. All participants had been followed up for ≥2 years. Patients with distant metastases at baseline or who opted for observation while living with the tumor were excluded. Data of eligible patients were retrospectively collected from the Chinese Wait-and-Watch Data Collaboration Group database. These included baseline characteristics, type of NAT, pre-treatment imaging results, evaluation of post-NAT efficacy, salvage measures, and treatment outcomes. We herein report the long-term outcomes of Chinese rectal cancer patients after NAT and W&W and the differences between the cCR and near-cCR groups.Results:Clinical data of 318 rectal cancer patients who had undergone W&W for over 2 years and been followed up were collected from eight medical centers (Peking University Cancer Hospital, Fudan University Shanghai Cancer Center, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Liaoning Cancer Hospital, the First Hospital of Jilin University, and Yunnan Cancer Hospital.) The participants comprised 221 men (69.4%) and 107 women (30.6%) of median age 60 (26-86) years. The median distance between tumor and anal verge was 3.4 (0-10.4) cm. Of these patients, 291 and 27 had achieved cCR or near-cCR, respectively, after NAT. The median duration of follow-up was 48.4 (10.2-110.3) months. The 5-year cumulative overall survival rate was 92.4% (95%CI: 86.8%-95.7%), 5-year cumulative disease-specific survival (CSS) rate 96.6% (95%CI: 92.2%-98.5%), 5-year cumulative organ-preserving disease-free survival rate 86.6% (95%CI: 81.0%-90.7%), and 5-year organ preservation rate 85.3% (95%CI: 80.3%-89.1%). The overall 5-year local recurrence and distant metastasis rates were 18.5% (95%CI: 14.9%-20.8%) and 8.2% (95%CI: 5.4%-12.5%), respectively. Most local recurrences (82.1%, 46/56) occurred within 2 years, and 91.0% (51/56) occurred within 3 years, the median time to recurrence being 11.7 (2.5-66.6) months. Most (91.1%, 51/56) local recurrences occurred within the intestinal lumen. Distant metastases developed in 23 patients; 60.9% (14/23) occurred within 2 years and 73.9% (17/23) within 3 years, the median time to distant metastasis being 21.9 (2.6-90.3) months. Common sites included lung (15/23, 65.2%), liver (6/23, 26.1%), and bone (7/23, 30.4%) The metastases involved single organs in 17 patients and multiple organs in six. There were no significant differences in overall, cumulative disease-specific, or organ-preserving disease-free survival or rate of metastases between the two groups (all P>0.05). The 5-year local recurrence rate was higher in the near-cCR than in the cCR group (41.6% vs. 16.4%, P<0.01), with a lower organ preservation rate (69.2% vs. 88.0%, P<0.001). The success rates of salvage after local recurrence and distant metastasis were 82.1% (46/56) and 13.0% (3/23), respectively. Conclusion:Rectal cancer patients who achieve cCR or near-cCR after NAT and undergo W&W have favorable oncological outcomes and a high rate of organ preservation. Local recurrence and distant metastasis during W&W follow certain patterns, with a relatively high salvage rate for local recurrence. Our findings highlight the importance of close follow-up and timely intervention during the W&W process.

Objective To discuss the efficacy and safety of transarterial chemoembolization(TACE)and hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy(HAIC)combined with tyrosine kinase inhibitors(TKI)and immune checkpoint inhibitors(ICI)for advanced hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods A total of 101 patients with unresectable HCC,who were admitted to the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Harbin Medical University of China between January 2021 and October 2022 to receive treatment,were enrolled in this study.Of the 101 patients,50 received TACE+TKI+ICI therapy(TACE+TKI+ICI group)and 51 received HAIC+TKI+ICI therapy(HAIC+TKI+ICI group).The overall survival(OS)and the progression-free survival(PFS)were compared between the two groups,and the adverse events were analyzed to assess the safety of the therapeutic scheme.Results The median PFS in the TACE+TKI+ICI group was 12.0 months,which in the HAIC+TKI+ICI group was 11.0 months(P=0.030).The median OS was not achieved in the TACE+TKI+ICI group,which in the HAIC+TKI+ICI group was 14.6 months(P=0.005).The most common adverse effects in the TACE+TKI+ICI group were the elevation of total bilirubin(46.0％)and hepatic function injury(26.0％),which in the HAIC+TKI+ICI group were the decrease of albumin level(62.7％),fatigue(39.2％),and gastrointestinal reactions(31.4％).Conclusion For the treatment of advanced HCC,the therapeutic scheme of TACE+TKI+ICI has a better long-term survival benefits and the therapeutic scheme of HAIC+TKI+ICI can better maintain the liver function reserve of the patients.Neither therapeutic scheme shows any unexpected toxicity,and both therapeutic schemes have high clinical safety.(J Intervent Radiol,2024,33:543-548)