Five saponins were isolated from the kernels of Momordica cochinchinensis, by macroporous resin, silica gel, ODS column chromatography, and semi preparative HPLC. Based on MS and NMR analysis, combining with alkaline hydrolysis and acid hydrolysis, their structures were identified as: gypsogenin-3-O-{β-D-galactopyranosyl (1→2)-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→3)]-β-D-glucuropyranonosyl}-28-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl (1→3)-[β-D-xylopyranosyl (1→4)]-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→2)-β-D-fucopyranoside (1), quillaic acid-3-O-{β-D-galactopyranosyl (1→2)-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→3)]-β-D-glucuropyranonosyl}-28-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl (1→3)-[β-D-xylopyranosyl (1→4)]-α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→2)-β-D-fucopyranoside (2), gypsogenin-3-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl (1→2)-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→3)]-β-D-glucuropyranonoside sodium (3), quillaic acid-3-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl (1→2)-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→3)]-β-D-glucuropyranonoside sodium (4), 18α-quillaic acid-3-O-β-D-galactopyranosyl (1→2)-[α-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1→3)]-β-D-glucuropyranonoside (5). Compounds 1-5 were new compounds, and named as mubezhisides A, B, C, D, E, respectively. They all could obviously inhibited the growth of Candida albicans, C. parapsilosis, and C. tropicalis.

Aim To predict the mechanism of Fufang Congrong Yizhi Capsules (FCYC) in the treatment of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) by network pharmacology method, and further validate it in combination with cellular experiments. Methods TCMSP, Gene-Cards, OMIM and TTD databases, Chinese Pharmacopoeia and related literature were used to screen the active ingredients of FCYC and the targets of MCI treatment. The TCM-compound-target-disease network and PPI of intersection targets were constructed, and the GO and KEGG analysis were performed by the Ehamb bioinformation platform. GO and KEGG analysis were performed through Yihanbo biological information platform. Cell model of MCI was established by PC-12 injury induced by Aβ

Objective:To investigate the current situation of the use of transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) for portal hypertension, which should aid the development of TIPS in China.Methods:The China Portal Hypertension Alliance (CHESS) initiated this study that comprehensively investigated the basic situation of TIPS for portal hypertension in China through network research. The survey included the following: the number of surgical cases, main indications, the development of Early-TIPS, TIPS for portal vein cavernous transformation, collateral circulation embolization, intraoperative portal pressure gradient measurement, commonly used stent types, conventional anticoagulation and time, postoperative follow-up, obstacles, and the application of domestic instruments.Results:According to the survey, a total of 13 527 TIPS operations were carried out in 545 hospitals participating in the survey in 2021, and 94.1% of the hospital had the habit of routine follow-up after TIPS. Most hospitals believed that the main indications of TIPS were the control of acute bleeding (42.6%) and the prevention of rebleeding (40.7%). 48.1% of the teams carried out early or priority TIPS, 53.0% of the teams carried out TIPS for the cavernous transformation of the portal vein, and 81.0% chose routine embolization of collateral circulation during operation. Most of them used coils and biological glue as embolic materials, and 78.5% of the team routinely performed intraoperative portal pressure gradient measurements. In selecting TIPS stents, 57.1% of the hospitals woulel choose Viator-specific stents, 57.2% woulel choose conventional anticoagulation after TIPS, and the duration of anticoagulation was between 3-6 months (55.4%). The limitation of TIPS surgery was mainly due to cost (72.3%) and insufficient understanding of doctors in related departments (77.4%). Most teams accepted the domestic instruments used in TIPS (92.7%).Conclusions:This survey shows that TIPS treatment is an essential part of treating portal hypertension in China. The total number of TIPS cases is far from that of patients with portal hypertension. In the future, it is still necessary to popularize TIPS technology and further standardize surgical indications, routine operations, and instrument application.

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) belong to ligand-gated ion channel receptors, of which α7 nAChR subtype is widely distributed in the cerebral cortex, thalamus, hippocampus, and also identified in microglia, macrophages, bone marrow cells, etc. Previous studies revealed that α7 nAChR is closely related to the function of the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway, and is a vital target for drug development of Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. The establishment of a stable α7 nAChR in vitro drug screening system is crucial for the efficient screening of novel drugs targeting this target. Recombinant expression of different subtypes of nAChRs on Xenopus laevis oocyte membranes and current detected by two-electrode voltage clamp (TEVC) is an advanced and complex model for novel drug screening. Molecular chaperones can assist the assembly of some nAChR subunits to form functional receptors, providing a stable expression model for the screening of compounds targeting this receptor. In this study, a molecular chaperone gene of α7 nAChR, transmembrane protein 35A (Tmem35a), was isolated and cloned from rats. We constructed the recombinant expression vector and obtained the cRNA of Tmem35a by in vitro transcription technique. Two cRNAs (Tmem35a and α7) were mixed and injected into X. laevis oocytes for expression. Then, the effects of this molecular chaperone on the current expression and pharmacological properties of α7 nAChR were evaluated by the TEVC. The results revealed that TMEM35A, also known as novel acetylcholine receptor chaperone (NACHO) could effectively increase the expression of α7 nAChR protein on oocyte membranes, and the amount of α7 nAChR protein was increased about 1-fold. The peak current induced by agonist acetylcholine (ACh) was increased about 10-fold. After injection of Tmem35a cRNA, the median effect concentration (EC₅₀) value of α7 nAChR to agonist ACh is 228.5 μmol·L^-1, which shows almost no difference from native α7 nAChR (EC₅₀: 223.3 μmol·L^-1), indicating the preservation of the normal properties of α7 nAChR. The results of this investigation indicate that the molecular chaperone NACHO effectively assists the heterologous expression of α7 nAChR in X. laevis oocytes, which provides a model for screening the potency of lead compounds targeting α7 nAChR. All animal experiments in this study were reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of Guangxi University (approval number: GXU-2023-0249).

Objective To investigate renal expression level of STING in mice with renal ischemia-reperfusion injury(IRI)and its regulatory role in IRI.Methods C57BL/6 mice were divided into sham operation group,IRI(induced by clamping the renal artery)model group,IRI+DMSO treatment group,and IRI+SN-011 treatment group.Serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen of the mice were analyzed,and pathological changes in the renal tissue were assessed with PAS staining.RT-qPCR,ELISA,Western blotting,and immunohistochemistry were used to detect the expression levels of STING,KIM-1,Bcl-2,Bax,caspase-3,TLR4,P65,NLRP3,caspase-1,CD68,MPO,IL-1β,IL-6,and TNF-α in the renal tissues.In the cell experiment,HK-2 cells exposed to hypoxia-reoxygenation(H/R)were treated with DMSO or SN-011,and cellular STING expression levels and cell apoptosis were analyzed using RT-qPCR,Western blotting or flow cytometry.Results In C57BL/6 mice,renal IRI induced obvious renal tissue damage,elevation of serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen levels and renal expression levels of KIM-1,STING,TLR4,P65,NLRP3,caspase-1,caspase-3,Bax,CD68,MPO,IL-1β,IL-6,and TNF-α,and reduction of Bcl-2 expression level.Treatment of the mouse models with SN-011 for inhibiting STING expression significantly alleviated these changes.In HK-2 cells,H/R exposure caused significant elevation of cellular STING expression and obviously increased cell apoptosis rate,which was significantly lowered by treatment with SN-011.Conclusion Renal STING expression is elevated in mice with renal IRI to exacerbate renal injury by regulating the TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway and promoting inflammation and apoptosis in the renal tissues.

Purpose::To identify the risk factors for training-related lower extremity muscle injuries in young males by a non-invasive method of body composition analysis.Methods::A total of 282 healthy young male volunteers aged 18 -20 years participated in this cohort study. Injury location, degree, and injury rate were adjusted by a questionnaire based on the overuse injury assessment methods used in epidemiological studies of sports injuries. The occurrence of training injuries is monitored and diagnosed by physicians and treated accordingly. The body composition was measured using the BodyStat QuadScan 4000 multifrequency Bio-impedance system at 5, 50, 100 and 200 kHz to obtain 4 impedance values. The Shapiro-Wilk test was used to check whether the data conformed to a normal distribution. Data of normal distribution were shown as mean ± SD and analyzed by t-test, while those of non-normal distribution were shown as median (Q 1, Q 3) and analyzed by Wilcoxon rank sum test. The receiver operator characteristic curve and logistic regression analysis were performed to investigate risk factors for developing training-related lower extremity injuries and accuracy. Results::Among the 282 subjects, 78 (27.7%) developed training injuries. Lower extremity training injuries revealed the highest incidence, accounting for 23.4% (66 cases). These patients showed higher percentages of lean body mass ( p = 0.001), total body water (TBW, p=0.006), extracellular water ( p=0.020) and intracellular water ( p=0.010) as well as a larger ratio of basal metabolic rate/total weight ( p=0.006), compared with those without lower extremity muscle injuries. On the contrary, the percentage of body fat ( p=0.001) and body fat mass index ( p=0.002) were lower. Logistic regression analysis showed that TBW percentage > 65.35% ( p=0.050, odds ratio =3.114) and 3rd space water > 0.95% ( p=0.045, odds ratio =2.342) were independent risk factors for lower extremity muscle injuries. Conclusion::TBW percentage and 3rd space water measured with bio-impedance method are potential risk factors for predicting the incidence of lower extremity muscle injuries in young males following training.

Objective To investigate the effect and mechanism of leucine zipper/EF-hand-containing transmembrane protein 1(LETM1)on proliferation,migration,apoptosis,osteogenic differentiation,and tumorigenesis in vivo of human osteosarcoma MG63 and 143B cells.Methods The osteosarcoma MG63 and 143B cells were divided into blank control group(without adenovirus infection),negative control group(sh-NC group,infected with RNAi negative control virus),and LETM1 knockdown group(sh-LETM1 group,infected with sh-LETM1 adenovirus).Western blotting was performed to detect LETM1 expression in normal human osteoblasts hFOB1.19 and osteosarcoma cells,and to verify the knockdown effect of adenovirus;cell clone formation assays and CCK-8 method were used to detect the proliferation of MG63 and 143B cells;wound-healing assay and Transwell assay were used to test cell migration;DAPI staining and Annexin V-APC/7-AAD flow cytometry double staining were used to detect the apoptosis of MG63 and 143B cells;alkaline phosphatase(ALP)staining and Alizarin Red S staining were used to evaluate early and late osteogenic differentiation of MG63 and 143B cells.Ten nude mice were divided into sh-NC group(n=5,injected subcutaneously into nude mice with 143B cells infected with RNAi negative control virus)and sh-LETM1 group(n=5,injected subcutaneously into nude mice with 143B cells infected with sh-LETM1 adenovirus),and nude mice subcutaneous tumor formation assay was used to examine the in vivo tumor-forming ability of 143B cells in each group.Results Western blotting showed that the expression of LETM1 protein in osteosarcoma MG63 and 143B cells was significantly higher than that in human normal osteoblasts hFOB1.19(P<0.05),and that the expression of LETM1 protein was markedly reduced after injection with sh-LETM1 adenovirus in MG63 and 143B cells.The results of cell clone formation assay and CCK-8 assay indicated that in MG63 and 143B osteosarcoma cells,the clone formation ability and proliferation ability were significantly reduced in sh-LETM1 group compared with sh-NC group and blank control group(P<0.01).The results of wound-healing assay and Transwell assay demonstrated that in MG63 and 143B osteosarcoma cells,the cell migration rate in sh-LETM1 group was significantly lower than that in sh-NC group and blank control group(P<0.01).DAPI staining and flow cytometry results revealed that the apoptosis rate in sh-LETM1 group was significantly higher than those in MG63 and 143B osteosarcoma cells in sh-NC group(P<0.01).Alkaline phosphatase staining and Alizarin red S staining experiments showed more stained areas and calcium salt nodules in MG63 and 143B osteosarcoma cells in sh-LETM1 group than those in sh-NC group and blank control group.The results of the subcutaneous tumor formation assay in nude mice indicated that subcutaneous tumor formation ability was reduced in 143B sh-LETM1 group compared with 143B sh-NC group.Conclusion LETM1 promotes the proliferation,migration and in vivo tumor formation of MG63 and 143B osteosarcoma cells and the mechanism may be related to the inhibition of apoptosis and osteogenic differentiation.

Hip fracture in the elderly is characterized by high incidence, high disability rate, and high mortality and has been recognized as a public health issue threatening their health. Surgery is the preferred choice for the treatment of elderly patients with hip fracture. However, lower extremity deep venous thrombosis (DVT) has an extremely high incidence rate during the perioperative period, and may significantly increase the risk of patients′ death once it progresses to pulmonary embolism. In response to this issue, the clinical guidelines and expert consensuses all emphasize active application of comprehensive preventive measures, including basic prevention, physical prevention, and pharmacological prevention. In this prevention system, basic prevention is the basis of physical and pharmacological prevention. However,there is a lack of unified and definite recommendations for basic preventive measures in clinical practice. To this end, the Orthopedic Nursing Professional Committee of the Chinese Nursing Association and Nursing Department of the Orthopedic Branch of the China International Exchange and Promotive Association for Medical and Health Care organized relevant nursing experts to formulate Expert consensus on perioperative basic prevention for lower extremity deep venous thrombosis in elderly patients with hip fracture ( version 2024) . A total of 10 recommendations were proposed, aiming to standardize the basic preventive measures for lower extremity DVT in elderly patients with hip fractures during the perioperative period and promote their subsequent rehabilitation.

This study was aimed at creating an engineered strain of Bacillus subtilis for efficient expression of biologically active type 2 toxin B(TcdB2)derived from a highly virulent strain of Clostridium difficile.The TcdB2 gene was cloned from ST1/RT027 strain genome DNA,incorporated into the PHT01 vector,and then transformed into B.subtilis strain WB800N for prokaryotic expression.Cell toxicity assays revealed that the recombinant TcdB2 exhibited cytotoxic effects in various cells.The engineered B.subtilis strain effectively expressed biologically active TcdB2,thus providing a basis for further exploration of the pathogenic mechanisms of highly virulent strains of C.difficile and establishing a foundation for potential vaccine can-didate targets.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect and mechanism of action of KRT8 small interfering RNA(si-KRT8)in exosomes derived from patient serum with hypopharyngeal carcinoma on chemosensitivity to 5-fluorouracil(5-FU)in human pharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma FaDu cell line.METHODS The cancerous tissues of hypopharyngeal cancer patients and The serum,cancerous tissues and paracancerous tissues of drug-resistant patients after treatment were collected.A 5-FU-resistant cell line of FaDu(FaDu/R)was constructed for subsequent experiments.Exosomes were isolated from patient serum by ultrafast gradient centrifugation,identified using transmission electron microscopy and Western blot(WB)techniques.si-KRT8 was encapsulated into exosomes(Exosome@si-KRT8)using electroporation technology and subsequently used to treat cells.Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR)and WB were used to detect the expression levels of KRT8 in different tissues,exosomes after electroporation of si-KRT8,and FaDu cells,respectively.Cell counting kit-8(CCK-8),terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling assay,migration invasion technique and WB were used to detect the effects of Exosome@si-KRT8 on viability,apoptosis,and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of FaDu/R cells.RESULTS The expression level of KRT8 in drug-resistant tissues of hypopharyngeal carcinoma and FaDu/R cells was elevated compared with that in paraneoplastic tissues,cancer tissues and normal FaDu cells(t=15.79,P＜0.01).Isolated patient serum exosomes showed a double membrane structure and expressed both CD63 and TSG101 proteins,and KRT8 expression in exosomes was decreased after electro-transfection with si-KRT8(t=6.70,P＜0.01).Exosome@si-KRT8 inhibited KRT8 protein expression levels in FaDu/R cells(t=123.50,P＜0.01).Compared with the 5-FU group and the 5-FU+Exosome group,Exosome@si-KRT8 was able to inhibit the viability of FaDu/R cells(t=17.07,P＜0.01),promote the level of apoptosis in FaDu/R cells,and inhibit the expression of drug-resistance-associated proteins in FaDu/R cells(P-gp:t=103.20,MDR1:t=238.60,P＜0.01),and Exosome@si-KRT8 was able to suppress the expression of metastasis of FaDu/R cells(t=42.30,t=122.00,P＜0.01)and promoted the expression of E-cadherin while inhibiting the expression level of N-cadherin(t=130.80,t=83.90,P＜0.01).CONCLUSION Serum-derived exosome encapsulation of si-KRT8 enhances chemosensitivity of hypopharyngeal carcinoma cells and its mechanism of action may be related to inhibition of epithelial-mesenchymal transition.