Pathological vascular remodeling is a hallmark of various vascular diseases. Previous research has established the significance of andrographolide in maintaining gastric vascular homeostasis and its pivotal role in modulating endothelial barrier dysfunction, which leads to pathological vascular remodeling. Potassium dehydroandrographolide succinate (PDA), a derivative of andrographolide, has been clinically utilized in the treatment of inflammatory diseases precipitated by viral infections. This study investigates the potential of PDA in regulating pathological vascular remodeling. The effect of PDA on vascular remodeling was assessed through the complete ligation of the carotid artery in C57BL/6 mice. Experimental approaches, including rat aortic primary smooth muscle cell culture, flow cytometry, bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation assay, Boyden chamber cell migration assay, spheroid sprouting assay, and Matrigel-based tube formation assay, were employed to evaluate the influence of PDA on the proliferation and motility of smooth muscle cells (SMCs). Molecular docking simulations and co-immunoprecipitation assays were conducted to examine protein interactions. The results revealed that PDA exacerbates vascular injury-induced pathological remodeling, as evidenced by enhanced neointima formation. PDA treatment significantly increased the proliferation and migration of SMCs. Further mechanistic studies disclosed that PDA upregulated myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) expression in SMCs and interacted with T-cadherin (CDH13). This interaction augmented proliferation, migration, and extracellular matrix deposition, culminating in pathological vascular remodeling. Our findings underscore the critical role of PDA in the regulation of pathological vascular remodeling, mediated through the MyD88/CDH13 signaling pathway.
Mice ; Rats ; Animals ; Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88/metabolism* ; Vascular Remodeling ; Cell Proliferation ; Vascular System Injuries/pathology* ; Carotid Artery Injuries/pathology* ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Muscle, Smooth, Vascular ; Cell Movement ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Signal Transduction ; Succinates/pharmacology* ; Potassium/pharmacology* ; Cells, Cultured ; Diterpenes ; Cadherins

Objective:To evaluate the effect of sleep deprivation on the expression of sirtuin 6 (SIRT6) in the cerebellum of immature mice.Methods:Fifty SPF healthy male C57BL/6 mice, aged 4 weeks, weighing 14-16 g, were divided into 2 groups ( n=25 each) using a random number table method: control group (Con group) and sleep deprivation group (SD group). The chronic sleep deprivation model was prepared by using the multi-platform water environment method, with 20 h of sleep deprivation per day for 10 consecutive days. After sleep deprivation, a balance beam experiment was performed to test the balance and coordination ability of mice. The mice were sacrificed after anesthesia and cerebellar lobular IV-VI (4-6 cb) tissues were taken for microscopic examination of the ultrastructure (with a transmission electron microscope) and for determination of the dendritic spine density of cerebellar 4-6cb Purkinje neurons (by Golgi staining), co-expression of SIRT6 and Calbindin D-28k (CbD-28k) and expression of glucose transporter Glut3 of cerebellar 4-6cb (by immunofluorescence staining). Results:Compared with group Con, the duration of passage through the balance beam was significantly prolonged, and the number of posterior foot slips was increased, the synaptic gap of cerebellar 4-6cb neurons was increased, the thickness of postsynaptic density was increased, the density of dendritic spines of Purkinje cells and the number of positive cells co-expressing SIRT6 and CbD-28k were decreased, and the expression of Glut3 was down-regulated in group SD ( P<0.05). Conclusions:The mechanism by which sleep deprivation decreases the abilities of balance and coordination is related to down-regulating SIRT6 expression in cerebellar Purkinje cells and decreasing neuronal glucose metabolism, thus damaging the synaptic plasticity of cerebellum in immature mice.

In the progression of end-stage liver disease,the incidence of sleep disorders in patients with liver cirrhosis is high.Currently,western medicine treatment has obvious liver and kidney damage and adverse reactions after discontinuation,which affects the therapeutic effect.Cirrhosis and sleep disorders can be separately attributed to the category of"abdominal mass"and"insomnia"in traditional Chinese medicine.The"abdominal mass"is caused by the disorder of liver and spleen qi movement,as well as the obstruction of phlegm-dampness and blood stasis.In the development of"abdominal mass",the liver failed in ensuring free movement of qi,the spleen failed in transportation and transformation,liver yin and liver blood became insufficiency and the imbalance of yin and yang in the zang-fu organs became imbalanced,and then the ethereal soul depart from the housing,which leads to"insomnia"as an outward manifestation.Professor ZHOU Xiao-Zhou focuses on the concept of qi and blood,and points out that the pathogenesis of sleep disorder in cirrhosis is characterized by liver stagnation and spleen deficiency.He proposed that the treatment principle is to regulate the liver and spleen simultaneously,as well as to nourish the heart and calm the mind.Professor ZHOU has developed Ganyinghua Anshen Formula for treating sleep disorders in cirrhosis,which is derived from the modification of Xiangsha Liujunzi Decoction,and is composed of 14 Chinese medicines of vinegar-prepared Cyperi Rhizoma,Amomi Fructus,Coicis Semen,Dioscoreae Rhizoma,bran-fried Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma,Galli Gigerii Endothelium Corneum,Gardeniae Fructus,Codonopsis Radix,Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma,Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium,Sclerotium Poriae Pararadicis,Longan Arillus,Albiziae Cortex,and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Praeparata cum Melle.The formula has achieved remarkable clinical effect.The clinical experience of Professor ZHOU Xiao-Zhou for treating sleep disorders in cirrhosis through regulating the liver and spleen simultaneously will provide a reference for its clinical treatment with traditional Chinese medicine.

A prokaryotic expression vector for the mutant diphtheria toxin CRM197 was constructed and expressed in Esch-erichia coli cells.Anti-CRM197 antibody concentrations were detected in serum samples of healthy volunteers.The crm 197 gene was codon-optimized in E.coli and cloned into the plasmid pET28a(+)under optimized expression conditions.CRM197 was purified using Ni-NTA spin columns and ion exchange chromatography,and confirmed by western blot analysis.The puri-fied CRM197 was used to detect specific anti-CRM197 antibody levels in serum samples of different age groups.The results showed that soluble codon-optimized CRM197 was successfully expressed under optimized expression conditions.The purity of CRM197 was more than 95％,as determined with Ni-NTA spin columns and ion exchange chromatography,consistent with the single specific bands obtained by western blot analysis and detection of serum levels of the anti-CRM197 antibody.Collec-tively,these results confirmed that the proposed expression strategy achieved high-yield production of soluble CRM197,al-though high levels in human serum may affect evaluation of immune interactions with glycan-CRM197 conjugates for applica-tion as a diagnostic antigen.The diphtheria mutant toxin CRM197 is used in many conjugate vaccines.The synthetic crm 197 gene with codon optimization in pET28a was transformed into E.coli Origami B(DE3)cells.CRM197 was induced by isopro-pyl β-d-1-thiogalactopyranoside and high level accumulation of soluble CRM197 was purified using Ni-NTA spin columns and ion exchange chromatography.The purity of the final prepara-tion reached 95％.CRM197 was used to detect the concentra-tions of the anti-CRM197 antibody in serum samples of healthy volunteers of different ages.The proposed expression strategy yielded high production of CRM197,which could interfere with evaluations of induced immune interactions by glycan-CRM197 conjugates and prohibit application as a diagnostic antigen.

Exosomes can ameliorate neuronal cell injury induced by hypoxia-ischemia,but the relation-ship between astrocyte-derived exosomes(As-exo)and mitochondrial function,mitochondrial associated ER membrane(MAM)function and whether mitochondrial autophagy is relevant is currently unclear.The aim of this study was to investigate the role of astrocyte-derived exosomes in the regulation of mito-chondrial function,MAM and mitochondrial autophagy in PC 12 cells after oxygen and glucose depriva-tion/reoxygenation(OGD/R).Exosomes were extracted from the supernatant of the astrocyte culture me-dium by ultracentrifugation.Using the live cell imaging system,we observed that fluorescently labeled exosomes could show obvious enrichment in PC 12 cells at 24 h.Meanwhile,co-localization of exosomes with mitochondria could be observed under the laser confocal scanning microscope;mitochondrial pres-sure changes were detected using the Seahorse cellular energy metabolism fractionation instrument.The result showed that basal respiration in the OGD/R group,compared with that in the control group,proton leakage,maximal respiration and ATP-related respiration were significantly reduced(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01),and all four indexes were elevated and statistically significant in the OGD/R+exo group compared with the control group(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).The results of the co-localization of the mitochondria and ER showed that the structure of the MAM was harmed by oxygen-sugar deprivation and then reoxygen-ation,and the structure of As-exo and the mitochondria appeared to have a distance-reduced polymeriza-tion phenomenon,while the mitochondria and ER co-localized.The co-localization results of mitochondri-a and ER showed that the structure of MAM was damaged by oxygen deprivation and reoxygenation,and the aggregation phenomenon of MAM was weakened by the treatment of As-exo;the flow-through results showed that As-exo could restore the decrease of the mitochondrial membrane potential and the elevation of the ROS by oxygen deprivation to a certain degree.Western blotting showed that As-exo could signifi-cantly inhibit the mitochondrial autophagy-associated tension protein homologue induced hypothetical ki-nase 1(PTEN induced kinase 1(PINK1)and Parkin protein(parkin RBR E3 ubiquitin protein ligase(Parkin))were elevated,and the addition of As-exo decreased LC3 Ⅱ/LC3 Ⅰ protein expression,ele-vated P62 protein expression,and reduced OGD/R-induced mitochondrial autophagy.The results showed that OGD/R treatment can cause mitochondrial dysfunction,MAM structural changes and increased mito-chondrial autophagy in PC12 cells,and As-exo treatment can improve mitochondrial function,attenuate the formation of MAM,and reduce mitochondrial autophagy in PC 12 cells,which can have the potential of preventing the reperfusion injury in ischemic stroke.

Objective:To explore the plasma metabolomic characteristics of children with transfusion-dependent thalassemia(TDT),and reveal the changes of metabolic pattern in children with TDT.Methods:23 children with TDT who received regular blood transfusion in Ganzhou Women and Children's Health Care Hospital in 2021 were selected,and 11 healthy children who underwent physical examination during the same period were selected as the control group.The routine indexes between children with TDT and the control group were compared,and then the metabolic composition of plasma samples from children with TDT and the control group was detected by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.An OPLS-DA model was established to perform differential analysis on the detected metabolites,and the differential metabolic pathways between the two groups were analyzed based on the differential metabolites.Results:The results of routine testing showed that the indexes of ferritin,bilirubin,total bile acid,glucose and triglycerides in children with TDT were significantly higher than those in healthy controls,while hemoglobin and total cholesterol were significantly lower(all P＜0.05).However there was no significant difference in lactate dehydrogenase between the two groups(P＞0.05).Compared with the control group,190 differential metabolites(VIP＞1)were identified in TDT children.Among them,168 compounds such as arginine,proline and glycocholic acid were significantly increased,while the other 22 compounds such as myristic acid,eleostearic acid,palmitic acid and linoleic acid were significantly decreased.The metabolic pathway analysis showed that the metabolic impact of TDT on children mainly focused on the upregulation of amino acid metabolism and downregulation of lipid metabolism.Conclusion:The amino acid and lipid metabolism in children with TDT were significantly changed compared with the healthy control group.This finding is helpful to optimize the treatment choice for children with TDT,and provides a new idea for clinical treatment.

Objective: To examine the feasibility and surgical approach of removing type D trigeminal schwannoma through nasal cavity and nasal sinus under endoscope. Methods: Eleven patients with trigeminal schwannoma who were treated in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University from December 2014 to August 2021 were analyzed retrospectively in this study. There were 7 males and 4 females, aged (47.5±13.5) years (range: 12 to 64 years). The neoplasm involved the pterygopalatine fossa, infratemporal fossa, ethmoidal sinus, sphenoid sinus, cavernous sinus, and middle cranial fossa. The size of tumors were between 1.6 cm×2.0 cm×2.0 cm and 5.7 cm×6.0 cm×6.0 cm. Under general anesthesia, the tumors were resected through the transpterygoid approach in 4 cases, through the prelacrimal recess approach in 4 cases, through the extended prelacrimal recess approach in 2 cases, and through the endoscopic medial maxillectomy approach in 1 case. The nasal endoscopy and imaging examination were conducted to detect whether neoplasm recurred or not, and the main clinical symptoms during follow-up. Results: All the surgical procedures were performed under endonasal endoscope, including Gross total resection in 10 patients. The tumor of a 12-year-old patient was not resected completely due to huge tumor size and limited operation space. One patient was accompanied by two other schwannomas located in the occipital region and the ipsilateral parotid gland region originating from the zygomatic branch of the facial nerve, both of which were removed concurrently. After tumor resection, the dura mater of middle cranial fossa was directly exposed in the nasal sinus in 2 cases, including 1 case accompanied by cerebrospinal fluid leakage which was reconstructed by a free mucosal flap obtained from the middle turbinate, the other case was packed by the autologous fat to protect the dura mater. The operation time was (M(IQR)) 180 (160) minutes (range: 120 to 485 minutes). No complications and deaths were observed. No recurrence was observed in the 10 patients with total tumor resection during a 58 (68) months' (range: 10 to 90 months) follow-up. No obvious change was observed in the facial appearance of all patients during the follow-up. Conclusion: Type D trigeminal schwannoma involving pterygopalatine fossa and infratemporal fossa can be removed safely through purely endoscopic endonasal approach by selecting the appropriate approach according to the size and involvement of the tumor.
Male ; Female ; Humans ; Child ; Retrospective Studies ; Endoscopy/methods* ; Nasal Cavity/surgery* ; Neurilemmoma/surgery* ; Cranial Nerve Neoplasms/surgery*

OBJECTIVE: Physical exercise, a common non-drug intervention, is an important strategy in cancer treatment, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the mechanism remains largely unknown. Due to the importance of hypoxia and cancer stemness in the development of HCC, the present study investigated whether the anti-HCC effect of physical exercise is related to its suppression on hypoxia and cancer stemness. METHODS: A physical exercise intervention of swimming (30 min/d, 5 d/week, for 4 weeks) was administered to BALB/c nude mice bearing subcutaneous human HCC tumor. The anti-HCC effect of swimming was assessed in vivo by tumor weight monitoring, hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, and immunohistochemistry (IHC) detection of proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) and Ki67. The expression of stemness transcription factors, including Nanog homeobox (NANOG), octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (OCT-4), v-Myc avian myelocytomatosis viral oncogene homolog (C-MYC) and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), was detected using real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. A hypoxia probe was used to explore the intratumoral hypoxia status. Western blot was used to detect the expression of HIF-1α and proteins related to protein kinase B (Akt)/glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β)/β-catenin signaling pathway. The IHC analysis of platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 (CD31), and the immunofluorescence co-location of CD31 and desmin were used to analyze tumor blood perfusion. SMMC-7721 cells were treated with nude mice serum. The inhibition effect on cancer stemness in vitro was detected using suspension sphere experiments and the expression of stemness transcription factors. The hypoxia status was inferred by measuring the protein and mRNA levels of HIF-1α. Further, the expression of proteins related to Akt/GSK-3β/β-catenin signaling pathway was detected. RESULTS: Swimming significantly reduced the body weight and tumor weight in nude mice bearing HCC tumor. HE staining and IHC results showed a lower necrotic area ratio as well as fewer PCNA or Ki67 positive cells in mice receiving the swimming intervention. Swimming potently alleviated the intratumoral hypoxia, attenuated the cancer stemness, and inhibited the Akt/GSK-3β/β-catenin signaling pathway. Additionally, the desmin⁺/CD31⁺ ratio, rather than the number of CD31⁺ vessels, was significantly increased in swimming-treated mice. In vitro experiments showed that treating cells with the serum from the swimming intervention mice significantly reduced the formation of SMMC-7721 cell suspension sphere, as well as the mRNA expression level of stemness transcription factors. Consistent with the in vivo results, HIF-1α and Akt/GSK-3β/β-catenin signaling pathway were also inhibited in cells treated with serum from swimming group. CONCLUSION Swimming alleviated hypoxia and attenuated cancer stemness in HCC, through suppression of the Akt/GSK-3β/β-catenin signaling pathway. The alleviation of intratumoral hypoxia was related to the increase in blood perfusion in the tumor. Please cite this article as: Xiao CL, Zhong ZP, Lü C, Guo BJ, Chen JJ, Zhao T, Yin ZF, Li B. Physical exercise suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma progression by alleviating hypoxia and attenuating cancer stemness through the Akt/GSK-3β/β-catenin pathway. J Integr Med. 2023; 21(2): 184-193.
Humans ; Animals ; Mice ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/drug therapy* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen/therapeutic use* ; Mice, Nude ; Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 beta/genetics* ; beta Catenin/therapeutic use* ; Liver Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Desmin/therapeutic use* ; Ki-67 Antigen ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Hypoxia ; RNA, Messenger/therapeutic use* ; Cell Proliferation

OBJECTIVE: Campylobacter jejuni NCTC11168 is commonly used as a standard strain for flagellar biosynthesis research. In this report, two distinguished phenotypic isolates (CJ1Z, flhA mutant strain, lawn; CJ2S, flhA complemented strain, normal colony) appeared during laboratory passages for NCTC11168. METHODS: Phenotypic assessments, including motility plates, transmission electron microscopy, biofilm formation assay, autoagglutination assay, and genome re-sequencing for these two isolates (CJ1Z, flhA mutant strain; CJ2S, flhA complemented strain) were carried out in this study. RESULTS: Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the flagellum was lost in CJ1Z. Phenotypic assessments and genome sequencing of the two isolates were performed in this study. The capacity for biofilm formation, colony auto-agglutination, and isolate motility was reduced in the mutant CJ1Z. Comparative genomic analysis indicated a unique native nucleotide insertion in flhA (nt, 2154) that caused the I719Y and I720Y mutations and early truncation in flhA. CONCLUSION FlhA has been found to influence the expression of flagella in C. jejuni. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to describe the function of the C-terminal of this protein.
Campylobacter jejuni/genetics* ; Bacterial Proteins/metabolism* ; Mutation ; Biological Variation, Population

OBJECTIVE: Jiedu Recipe (JR), a Chinese herbal remedy, has been shown to prolong overall survival time and decrease recurrence and metastasis rates in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This work investigated the mechanism of JR in HCC treatment. METHODS: The chemical constituents of JR were detected using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The potential anti-HCC mechanism of JR was screened using network pharmacology and messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) microarray chip assay, followed by experimental validation in human HCC cells (SMMC-7721 and Huh7) in vitro and a nude mouse subcutaneous transplantation model of HCC in vivo. HCC cell characteristics of proliferation, migration and invasion under hypoxic setting were investigated using thiazolyl blue tetrazolium bromide, wound healing and Transwell assays, respectively. Image-iT™ Hypoxia Reagent was added to reveal hypoxic conditions. Stem cell sphere formation assay was used to detect the stemness. Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers like E-cadherin, vimentin and α-smooth muscle actin, and pluripotent transcription factors including nanog homeobox, octamer-binding transcription factor 4, and sex-determining region Y box protein 2 were analyzed using Western blotting and real-time polymerase chain reaction. Western blot was performed to ascertain the anti-HCC effect of JR under hypoxia involving the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. RESULTS: According to network pharmacology and mRNA microarray chip analysis, JR may potentially act on hypoxia and inhibit the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. In vitro and in vivo experiments showed that JR significantly decreased hypoxia, and suppressed HCC cell features of proliferation, migration and invasion; furthermore, the hypoxia-induced increases in EMT and stemness marker expression in HCC cells were inhibited by JR. Results based on the co-administration of JR and an agonist (LiCl) or inhibitor (IWR-1-endo) verified that JR suppressed HCC cancer stem-like properties under hypoxia by blocking the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. CONCLUSION JR exerts potent anti-HCC effects by inhibiting cancer stemness via abating the Wnt/β-catenin pathway under hypoxic conditions. Please cite this article as: Guo BJ, Ruan Y, Wang YJ, Xiao CL, Zhong ZP, Cheng BB, Du J, Li B, Gu W, Yin ZF. Jiedu Recipe, a compound Chinese herbal medicine, inhibits cancer stemness in hepatocellular carcinoma via Wnt/β-catenin pathway under hypoxia. J Integr Med. 2023; 21(5): 474-486.
Animals ; Mice ; Humans ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/genetics* ; beta Catenin/pharmacology* ; Liver Neoplasms/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; RNA, Messenger/therapeutic use* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Cell Movement ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic