Diabetes is a very complex endocrine disease whose common feature is the increase in blood glucose concentration. Persistent hyperglycemia can lead to blindness, kidney and heart disease, neurodegeneration, and many other serious complications that have a significant impact on human health and quality of life. The number of people with diabetes is increasing yearly. The global diabetes prevalence in 20-79 year olds in 2021 was estimated to be 10.5% (536.6 million), and it will rise to 12.2% (783.2 million) in 2045. The main modes of intervention for diabetes include medication, dietary management, and exercise conditioning. Medication is the mainstay of treatment. Marketed diabetes drugs such as metformin and insulin, as well as GLP-1 receptor agonists, are effective in controlling blood sugar levels to some extent, but the preventive and therapeutic effects are still unsatisfactory. Peptide drugs have many advantages such as low toxicity, high target specificity, and good biocompatibility, which opens up new avenues for the treatment of diabetes and other diseases. Currently, insulin and its analogs are by far the main life-saving drugs in clinical diabetes treatment, enabling effective control of blood glucose levels, but the risk of hypoglycemia is relatively high and treatment is limited by the route of delivery. New and oral anti-diabetic drugs have always been a market demand and research hotspot. Inhibitor cystine knot (ICK) peptides are a class of multifunctional cyclic peptides. In structure, they contain three conserved disulfide bonds (C3-C20, C7-C22, and C15-C32) form a compact “knot” structure, which can resist degradation of digestive protease. Recent studies have shown that ICK peptides derived from legume, such as PA1b, Aglycin, Vglycin, Iglycin, Dglycin, and aM₁, exhibit excellent regulatory activities on glucose and lipid metabolism at the cellular and animal levels. Mechanistically, ICK peptides promote glucose utilization by muscle and liver through activation of IR/AKT signaling pathway, which also improves insulin resistance. They can repair the damaged pancrease through activation of PI3K/AKT/Erk signaling pathway, thus lowering blood glucose. The biostability and hypoglycemic efficacy of the ICK peptides meet the requirements for commercialization of oral drugs, and in theory, they can be developed into natural oral anti-diabetes peptide drugs. In this review, the structural properties, activity and mechanism of ICK pattern peptides in regulating glucose and lipid metabolism were summaried, which provided a reference for the development of new oral peptides for diabetes.

BACKGROUND:The diabetic microenvironment can cause excessive M1 polarization of macrophages,and this hyperglycemic inflammatory state can inhibit osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells,thus affecting the healing of diabetic bone defects.Studies have indicated that mogroside V possesses anti-inflammatory,antioxidant,and hypoglycemic properties.However,its potential to modulate M1 polarization of macrophages and osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells under high glucose and inflammatory condition remains unclear. OBJECTIVE:To explore the effect of mogroside V on regulating M1 macrophage polarization and its effect on osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells under high glucose and inflammatory condition. METHODS:Murine diabetic models were established using C57BL/6 mice.Bone marrow-derived macrophages were isolated from tibia and fibula of normal and diabetic mice,and cultured in low-glucose and high-glucose media.Then M1 polarization of bone marrow-derived macrophages was induced using lipopolysaccharide and interferon-γ.Bone marrow-derived macrophages were treated with 160,320,and 640 μmol/L mogroside V.Flow cytometry was employed to determine the proportion of F4/80+CD86+cells.qRT-PCR was utilized to assess mRNA expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase,interleukin 1β,and interleukin 6.ELISA was employed to evaluate tumor necrosis factor-α secretion in bone marrow-derived macrophage supernatants.Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were isolated from tibia and fibula of C57BL/6 suckling mice,and induced osteogenic differentiation using low-or high-glucose osteogenic induction medium.Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells were treated with M1 macrophage-conditioned mediums with or without 320 μmol/L mogroside V in osteogenic differentiation process.qRT-PCR was employed to assess the mRNA expression of alkaline phosphatase,Runt-related factor 2,osteocalcin,and osteopontin on day 14 after osteogenic induction.Alizarin red staining and quantitative analysis were conducted to evaluate calcium deposition on day 21 after osteogenic induction. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Flow cytometry results showed that with the treatment of 320 and 640 μmol/L mogroside V,the proportion of F4/80+CD86+bone marrow-derived macrophages was significantly lower than that in the high-glucose control group(P<0.05).(2)qRT-PCR results showed that with the treatment of 160,320,and 640 μmol/L mogroside V,the mRNA expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase and interleukin 6 were significantly lower than that in the high-glucose control group(P<0.05).With the treatment of 320 and 640 μmol/L mogroside V,the mRNA expression level of interleukin 1β was significantly lower than that in the high-glucose control group(P<0.05).(3)ELISA results exhibited that with the treatment of 160,320,and 640 μmol/L mogroside V,the tumor necrosis factor-α secretion level was significantly lower than that in the high-glucose control group(P<0.05).(4)With the treatment of 320 μmol/L mogroside V,calcium salt deposition was increased in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells under high glucose and inflammatory conditions(P<0.05),and the mRNA relative expression levels of alkaline phosphatase,Runt-related factor 2,and osteopontin were increased(P<0.05).These findings indicate that mogroside V can promote osteogenic differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells by inhibiting the M1 polarization of bone marrow-derived macrophages under high glucose and inflammatory conditions and reducing the generation of inflammatory factors.

[Objective] To investigate the effect of Shenmai injection on the preservation quality of suspended red blood cells of high hemoglobin population in Xizang plateau. [Methods] Whole blood (400 mL, n=8) collected by the Xizang Autonomous Region Blood Center was centrifuged at 3 000 g for 10 minutes to remove most of the plasma, followed by the addition of 100 mL of MAP preservation solution to obtain plateau suspended red blood cells, which were then divided into three equal portions. One portion was the control group, and another part had 15 mL of MAP preservation solution added, which was the dosage group. The third portion involved diluting Shenmai injection with MAP, followed by addition of 15 mL of MAP preservation solution containing Shenmai to the red blood cells, resulting in a final concentration of Shenmai injection of 1%, which was the Shenmai group. Blood routine, pH value, electrolytes, glucose, lactate, free Hb, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), P50, phosphatidylserine (PS) and other indicators were detected at day 1, 21 and 35, respectively. [Results] The Hb concentration and Hct of the dosage group and the Shenmai group were significantly lower than those of the control group, with values of (179.3±17.8) vs (181.0±17.1) vs (199.1±19.5) g/L for Hb concentration and (53.2±2.6)% vs (53.3±2.5)% vs (58.4±3.1)% for Hct. The three groups maintained this pattern until the end of storage. In the middle and late stages of preservation, the glucose and Na⁺ contents in the dosage group and the Shenmai group were higher than those in the control group, while the lactate and K⁺ contents were lower than those in the control group. At the end of storage, the glucose and Na⁺ content of the Shenmai group was higher than that of the dosage group, while the lactate and K⁺ content were lower than that of the dosage group. From day 1 to day 35 of storage, the hemolysis rate of the Shenmai group was significantly lower than that of the control group and the dosage group. On day 21 and 35 of storage, the PS expression rate in the Shenmai group was significantly lower than that in the control group and the dosage group, which were (6.52±0.40)% vs (7.24±0.91)% vs (8.27±0.93)% and (7.29±0.53)% vs (9.37±0.82)% vs (8.39±0.76)%, respectively. [Conclusion] The hemolysis rate and PS of suspended red blood cells of Xizang high altitude prepared by adding Shenmai injection were significantly lower than those in the control group and the dosage group, which was conducive to reducing hemolysis and slowing down the aging of red blood cells, and had a certain improvement on the preservation quality of suspended red blood cells in Xizang plateau people.

[Objective] To use Chitosan Methacryloyl (CSMA) loaded with artificial platelet-derived exosomes (aPexos) as the needle body material, and gelatin and carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS) loaded with Epigallocatechin gallate(EGCG) as the backing material to prepare microneedles, aims to investigate the therapeutic effect and mechanism of aPexos-EGCG microneedles in the treatment of burn wound healing. [Methods] First, aPexos were extracted using ultrasound and gradient ultracentrifugation. The concentration, morphology, and growth factor content (TGF-β1, PDGF-BB, VEGF) of the exosomes were assessed using NTA, transmission electron microscopy, and ELISA kits. The aPexos and EGCG were then dissolved in the needle body and backing materials, respectively. The aPexos and EGCG were loaded into the needle body and backing layer, respectively. The morphology, mechanical properties, and puncture performance of the microneedles were examined, and the preparation conditions for the microneedles loaded with aPexos-EGCG were optimized. Finally, animal experiments and tissue staining were conducted to assess the efficacy of the aPexos-EGCG microneedles in promoting burn wound healing in rats. [Results] The size distribution of aPexos was mainly in the range of 50-150 nm, with an average diameter of 132.7±3.8 nm and an average concentration of approximately 2.88×10¹³±3.62×10¹² particles/mL. The concentrations of TGF-β1, PDGF-BB, and VEGF were approximately 1 363±135.9 ng/mL, 63.5±14.8 ng/mL, and 1 606.0±77.5 pg/mL, respectively. Mechanical property testing of the microneedles indicated that, compared with the blank microneedles, the drug-loaded microneedles had sufficient piercing ability to penetrate the stratum corneum of the skin. The results of the rat burn wound healing experiment showed that the wound healing rates of the d 3, d 7, aPexos-EGCG microneedle group compared to the control group showed significant differences, with respective values of (47.64±12.5)% vs (18.11±6.40)%, (87.45±5.57)% vs (79.85±5.03)%(P<0.05). Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining revealed more intact epidermal layers in the aPexos-EGCG microneedle group. Masson staining showed that the collagen deposition percentage in the aPexos-EGCG microneedle group was higher than in the control group. Immunofluorescence staining results indicated that the aPexos-EGCG microneedle group had a reduced content of M1-type macrophages and an increased content of M2-type macrophages. Additionally, the vascular markers CD31 and α-SMA showed elevated expression in this group, with significant differences compared to the other groups (P<0.05). [Conclusion] The aPexos-EGCG microneedle developed in this study exhibits good mechanical properties, capable of successfully penetrating the skin's stratum corneum and delivering aPexos and EGCG. aPexos promotes wound repair, while EGCG regulates the ratio of M1 and M2 macrophages at the wound site and suppresses the inflammatory response. This microneedle can effectively promote wound healing in rats with burn injuries, offering a novel approach for tissue repair.

Objective: To prepare platelet membrane biomimetic liposomes loaded with vincristine sulfate (VCR) for targeted delivery to tumor. Methods: Vincristine sulfate liposomes (LIPO) were prepared using the pH-gradient method, followed by the fusion of platelet membranes and subsequent drug loading to obtain platelet membrane biomimetic liposomes (PLM-LIPO). The particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), Zeta potential, and drug encapsulation efficiency (EE%) of both liposomes were characterized. The tumor-targeting capability was evaluated through in vitro cellular experiments and in vivo biodistribution studies. Results: The optimal preparation conditions for LIPO were determined as follows: DPPC-to-cholesterol molar ratio of 1∶1, internal aqueous phase of 0.3 M pH 4.0 citrate buffer, external aqueous phase of 1 M Na HPO solution, drug-to-lipid ratio of 1∶10, drug loading temperature of 60℃, and loading time of 10 minutes. The LIPO exhibited a mean particle size of (147.3±2.24) nm, PDI of 0.078±0.014, Zeta potential of (-3.54±0.75) mV, and EE% of 91.37±0.47. For PLM-LIPO, prepared via membrane fusion followed by drug loading, the mean particle size was (185.3±3.61) nm, PDI was 0.075±0.022, Zeta potential was (-18.91±1.54) mV, and EE% was 63.36±2.45. In the CD62P validation experiment, the fluorescence intensity of PLM-LIPO was five times higher than that of LIPO. In vitro cellular uptake experiments revealed that PLM-LIPO showed 1.3-fold and 1.2-fold higher uptake rates compared to LIPO at 6 h and 12 h, respectively. In vivo experiments demonstrated that 1h after administration, the accumulation of PLM-LIPO at tumor sites was 4-fold higher than that of LIPO and 6-7 times higher than that in healthy mice. Conclusion: The platelet membrane biomimetic liposomes loaded with vincristine sulfate were successfully developed. Both cellular uptake and tissue distribution studies confirmed the PLM-LIPO enhanced tumor-targeting capability.

ObjectiveTo optimize the processing technology of honey bran-fried Rosae Laevigatae Fructus（h-RLF）， formulate relevant quality standards， and explore its improving effect and mechanism on mice with ulcerative colitis（UC） induced by dextran sodium sulfate（DSS）. MethodsTaking the content of polysaccharides and water-soluble extract as the indexes， L₉（3⁴） orthogonal test was used to optimize parameters of the amount of honey bran， frying time and frying temperature. The quality of 15 batches of h-RLF decoction pieces was evaluated according to the optimized process， and the inspection limit standard was preliminarily drawn up. Eighty SPF male Kunming mice were randomly divided into 8 groups， including the blank group， model group， mesalazine group（0.13 g·kg^-1）， RLF group（3.77 g·kg^-1）， bran-fried RLF group（3.77 g·kg^-1）， h-RLF low， medium and high dose groups（1.89， 3.77， 7.54 g·kg^-1）， with 10 mice in each group. The mice in the blank group were free to drink pure water， and the other groups were free to drink 3% DSS solution for 7 days to prepare UC mouse model. Each treatment group was given corresponding drugs by intragastric administration， and the blank and model groups were given equal volume of normal saline. The body weight of mice was recorded daily and the disease activity index（DAI） was calculated. After the administration， the colon tissues of mice were collected to observe the pathological changes by hematoxylin-eosin（HE） staining. The levels of tumor necrosis factor（TNF）-α， interleukin（IL）-1β， IL-6 and IL-10 in the colon of mice were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay（ELISA）. Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of phosphorylation nuclear transcription factor-κB p65（p-NF-κB p65）， Toll-like receptor 4（TLR4）， p-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase（p-p38 MAPK）， p-extracellular signal-regulated kinase（p-ERK） and p-c-Jun N-terminal kinase（p-JNK） proteins in colon tissues. ResultsThe optimum processing technology of h-RLF was 20 g honey bran per 100 g RLF， and stir-frying at 200 ℃ for 8 min. The limit standard under the examination of h-RLF was preliminarily formulated as follows：the polysaccharide content should not be less than 25% based on anhydrous glucose（C₆H₁₂O₆）， the content of water-soluble extract should not be less than 38%， the moisture content should not be more than 12.0%， the total ash content should not be more than 5.0%， and the acid-insoluble ash content should not be more than 1.0%. The cluster heat map analysis showed that the quality of RLF from Huanggang， Hubei province was better. Animal experiments showed that compared with the blank group， the DAI score of the model group was significantly increased， the levels of TNF-α， IL-1β and IL-6 in the colon tissue were significantly increased， the IL-10 level was significantly decreased， the colonic mucosa was seriously damaged， accompanied by a large number of inflammatory cell infiltration， tissue congestion and a significant reduction in glands， and the expression levels of p-NF-κB p65， TLR4， p-p38 MAPK， p-ERK and p-JNK proteins were significantly increased（P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， each administration group could alleviate the symptoms of colonic ulcer， the structure of colonic crypt was basically intact， and the glands were arranged in an orderly manner. Among them， the high-dose group of h-RLF had a better effect， which could significantly reduce the DAI score and the levels of TNF-α， IL-1β and IL-6 in colon tissue（P<0.01）， and significantly increase the level of IL-10（P<0.01）， alleviate the colonic mucosal injury， and effectively inhibit the expression levels of p-NF-κB p65， TLR4， p-p38 MAPK， p-ERK and p-JNK proteins（P<0.01）. ConclusionThe key parameters of the processing technology of h-RLF are determined， and the optimized technology is stable and feasible. The established quality standard is simple and reliable， and can be used for the quality control. h-RLF can effectively alleviate DSS-induced UC， and its mechanism may be related to inhibiting the activation of NF-κB/TLR4/MAPK pathway.

Objective: Data on syncopal donation-related vasovagal reaction (DRVR) collected from 74 blood centers between 2020 and 2023 was statistically analyzed to provide a reference for developing preventive strategies against syncopal DRVR. Methods: Data on blood donation adverse reactions and basic information of donors from 2020 to 2023 were collected through the information management system at monitoring sentinel sites. Statistical analysis was performed on the following aspects of syncopal DRVR: characteristics of donors who experienced syncope, reported incidence, triggers, duration, presence and occurrence time of syncope-related trauma, clinical management including outpatient and inpatient treatment, and severity grading. Results: From 2020 to 2023, 45 966 donation-related adverse reactions were recorded. Of these, 1 665 (3.72%) cases were syncopal DRVR. The incidence of syncopal DRVR decreased with age, being the highest in the 18-22 age group. Incidence was significantly higher in female donors than male donors, in first-time donors than repeat donors, and in university and individual donors than group donors (all P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference among different blood donation locations (P>0.05). The top three triggers were tension, fatigue, and needle phobia or fear of blood. Among syncopal DRVR cases, 60.36% occurred during blood collection, 87.63% lasted for less than 60 seconds, and 5.05% were accompanied by trauma. Notably, 57.14% of these traumas occurred after donor had left the blood collection site. Syncope severity was graded based on required treatment: grade 1 (fully recovered without treatment, 95.50%); grade 2 (recovered after outpatient treatment, 4.02%); and grade 3 (recovered after inpatient treatment, 0.48%). Conclusion: By analyzing the data of syncopal DRVR cases, it is possible to provide a reference for formulating blood donor safety policies.

ObjectiveTo compare the contents and relative molecular weight distributions of proteins and polypeptides in Naoxuekang dropping pills， Huoxue Tongmai capsules and Maixuekang capsules of Hirudo single medicinal preparations， to evaluate the in vitro anticoagulant， antiplatelet and fibrinolytic activities of the three preparations， and to investigate the effects of temperature， pH and digestive enzymes on the anticoagulant activities of the three preparations. MethodsThe contents of soluble proteins and polypeptides in the three preparations were determined by bicinchoninic acid assay（BCA） and Bradford method， and the relative molecular weight distributions of the three preparations were determined by electrophoresis combined with gel chromatography. The antithrombin activity of the three preparations was evaluated by fibrinogen-thrombin time（Fibg-TT） method， and their anticoagulant activities were further assessed by the elongations of activated partial thromboplastin time（APTT）， prothrombin time（PT） and thrombin time（TT）. The antiplatelet aggregation activities of the three preparations were measured by turbidimetry and the fibrinolytic activities were measured by fibrin plate method. Relative TT was used as index to investigate the effects of temperature， pH and digestive enzyme buffer on anticoagulant activities of the three preparations. ResultsAt the lowest single dosage， the contents of proteins and polypeptides were in the order of Maixuekang capsules>Huoxue Tongmai capsules>Naoxuekang dropping pills. Both Huoxue Tongmai capsules and Maixuekang capsules had 11 electrophoretic bands between 4.0 kDa and 90 kDa， the bands of Maixuekang capsules were more clear in the range of >25 kDa， and there was 1 obvious band at 14 kDa for the two capsules. Huoxue Tongmai capsules had one specific band at 9.0 kDa and Maixuekang capsules had one specific band at 48.0 kDa. Naoxuekang dropping pills only had 2 electrophoretic bands at 6.5 kDa and 8.5 kDa， primarily containing peptides below 2 kDa， most of which were oligopeptides. The anticoagulant activity concentrations of the three preparations exhibited a certain dose-dependent effect. At the lowest single dosage， The anticoagulant activity concentrations were ranked as Naoxuekang dropping pills>Huoxue Tongmai capsules>Maixuekang capsules. The prolongation effect of the three preparations on coagulation time was dose-dependent. At the same concentration， the prolongation effect of Naoxuekang dropping pills and Huoxue Tongmai capsules was APTT prolongation rate>TT prolongation rate>PT prolongation rate， whereas for Maixuekang capsules， the sequence was TT prolongation rate>APTT prolongation rate>PT lengthening rate. At the single minimum dosage， the order of APTT prolongation rate was Maixuekang capsules>Huoxue Tongmai capsules≈Naoxuekang dropping pills， the order of PT prolongation rate was Naoxuekang dropping pills≈Maixuekang capsules>Huoxue Tongmai capsules， and the order of TT prolongation rate was Maixuekang capsules>Huoxue Tongmai capsules>Naoxuekang dropping pills. The three preparations showed dose-dependent effects on platelet aggregation induced by adenosine diphosphate（ADP） and arachidonic acid（AA）， and the effect induced by ADP was stronger than that induced by AA. The anti-platelet aggregation effect of Naoxuekang dropping pills was significantly stronger than that of Maixuekang capsules（P<0.01）， whereas Huoxue Tongmai capsules had the effect of promoting platelet aggregation. None of the three preparations had the ability to dissolve fibrin. The anticoagulant activity of Naoxuekang dropping pills was least affected by heating， while the activities of the two capsules decreased significantly within 5 min above 80 ℃， and continued to decrease within 2 h. Compared with pure water， the anticoagulant activities of the three preparations could be increased by 1-3 times under strong acidity（pH 1-3）. In the pepsin buffer， the anticoagulant activity of Naoxuekang dropping pills could be increased by 1-3 times， while the anticoagulant activities of Huoxue Tongmai capsules and Maxuekang capsules were significantly decreased， the lowest levels were about 60% and 20%， respectively. In trypsin buffer， the anticoagulant activities of Naoxuekang dropping pills， Huoxue Tongmai capsules and Maixuekang capsules decreased significantly， and the lowest levels decreased to about 41%， 41% and 35%， respectively. ConclusionThe contents of proteins and polypeptides and relative molecular weights of the preparations derived from lyophilized fresh Hirudo powder， dried Hirudo powder and reflux extract of Hirudo decrease sequentially， and the anticoagulant activity decrease gradually， but the anticoagulant pathway is different. And the anti-platelet aggregation activity of the reflux extract is significantly enhanced. The heat resistance and gastrointestinal stability of the three preparations increase successively， and the first two are suitable for enteric-soluble preparations， while the latter is suitable for routine oral administration. The above results can provide data reference for the rationality of different preparation methods， active substances， pharmacodynamics and mechanism of Hirudo preparations.

BACKGROUND:Extracellular vesicles can regulate insulin resistance and control inflammatory response by participating in intercellular communication,while repairing skeletal muscles and promoting skeletal muscle regeneration,which is expected to be a novel treatment modality for sarcopenic obesity. OBJECTIVE:To review the biogenesis of extracellular vesicles,their biological functions,their relationship with sarcopenic obesity,and recent advances in the pathogenesis,diagnosis,and treatment of sarcopenic obesity. METHODS:The first author performed a computer search of PubMed,Embase,CNKI and other databases for relevant studies involving extracellular vesicle in sarcopenic obesity.The search keywords were"extracellular vesicle,exosome,sarcopenic obesity,obese sarcopenia,skeletal muscle regeneration,skeletal muscle mass regulation"in English and Chinese,respectively.The search period was from June 2022 to November 2022.After screening,87 articles were included for further review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Extracellular vesicles are important vectors of bidirectional cell communication and participate in the regulation of normal physiological and pathological processes through autocrine,paracrine and endocrine ways.Sarcopenic obesity is a complex multi-factor disease.Extracellular vesicles are involved in the occurrence and development of sarcopenic obesity mainly by regulating the inflammatory response of skeletal muscle and the homeostasis of muscle cells.Cytokines secreted by adipose tissue and skeletal muscle are released into the extracellular circulation through extracellular vesicle encapsulation and interact with each other to promote skeletal muscle insulin resistance and lipogenesis,which is the main pathophysiology of skeletal muscle atrophy in sarcopenic obesity.Extracellular vesicles not only promote the development of sarcopenic obesity by providing specific pathogenic markers,but also are a valuable diagnostic indicator of sarcopenic obesity.Release of extracellular vesicles from skeletal muscle during exercise enhances metabolic response and promotes skeletal muscle regeneration.Extracellular vesicles can not only be used as therapeutic targets for sarcopenic obesity but also be used to treat sarcopenic obesity by loading drugs to effectively improve drug bioavailability.

BACKGROUND:The researchers noted that upon embedding clinical-grade catgut and polyglycolide-co-lactide threads in the normal human"Zusanli"(ST 36)acupoint,the local area displayed temporal and inflammatory stimulatory effects,resulting in thread differentiation.However,the underlying mechanism behind thread involvement remains to be studied. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the expression levels of calcitonin gene-related peptide,5-hydroxytryptamine,leukotriene B4,and bradykinin at point"Zusanli"(ST 36)in rats after embedding catgut and polyglycolide-co-lactide respectively at different time points. METHODS:110 male SD rats were divided into a blank group(10 rats),a catgut embedding group(50 rats),and a polyglycolide-co-lactide embedding group(50 rats)according to the random number table method.In the blank group,no thread was embedded.In catgut embedding group and the polyglycolide-co-lactide embedding group,the thread was embedded in the left side of the ST36 acupoint once.Tissue was collected from the left side of the ST36 acupoint area 8 hours,3,7,14,and 21 days after embedding.The expression levels of calcitonin gene-related peptide and 5-hydroxytryptamine were detected by immunohistochemistry,and the contents of leukotriene B4 and bradykinin were detected by ELISA. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Compared with the blank group,the expression of calcitonin gene-related peptide,5-hydroxytryptamine,bradykinin,and leukotriene B4 was significantly increased in the 8 hours,3,7,14,and 21 days of the catgut embedding group(P<0.05);calcitonin gene-related peptide expression was significantly increased in 8 hours,3,7,and 14 days in the polyglycolide-co-lactide embedding group(P<0.05);the expression of bradykinin was significantly increased in 8 hours,3,and 7 days(P<0.05);the expression of leukotriene B4 was significantly increased at 8 hours,3,7,14,and 21 days(P<0.05).(2)Compared with the polyglycolide-co-lactide embedding group,the expression of calcitonin gene-related peptide was increased at 7,14,21 days after thread embedding(P<0.05),and the expression of 5-hydroxytryptamine was increased at 8 hours,3,7,14 and 21 days after thread embedding(P<0.05);contents of leukotriene B4 and bradykinin in tissues were increased at 8 hours,3,14 and 21 days after embedding(P<0.05)in the catgut embedding group.(3)The results show that calcitonin gene-related peptide,5-hydroxytryptamine,leukotriene B4,and bradykinin in the acupoint region alter after catgut embedding in the ST36 of rats,as well as the alteration of calcitonin gene-related peptide,leukotriene B4,and bradykinin is found in the acupoint region after polyglycolide-co-lactide embedding in rats,which may be one of the mechanisms involved in the local time sensitive stimulus effects caused by embedding threads at acupoints.Moreover,there is a discernible difference between the two thread types.