Isoliquiritigenin (ISL) is a chalcone compound isolated from licorice, known for its anti-diabetic, anti-cancer, and antioxidant properties. Our previous study has demonstrated that ISL effectively lowers blood glucose levels in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) mice and improves disturbances in glucolipid and energy metabolism induced by T2DM. This study aims to further investigate the effects of ISL on alleviating abnormal endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) caused by T2DM and to elucidate its molecular mechanisms. In vivo experiments were conducted using 8-week-old SPF male C57BL/6J mice. The T2DM animal model was established by high-fat and high-sugar diet combined with intraperitoneal injections of streptozotocin (STZ), in compliance with the ethical guidelines set by the Animal Welfare Committee of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine (approval number: BUCM-2022021503-1134). In vitro experiments employed human liver cancer HepG2 cells, which were induced with tunicamycin (TM) to establish the ERS cell model. Transcriptomic sequencing was used to analyze changes in gene expression in the liver samples of T2DM mice following ISL treatment. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was employed to assess the regulatory effects of ISL on key ERS genes. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), Western blot (WB), and immunofluorescence techniques were used to evaluate ISL's effects on ERS-related proteins. Results indicate that ISL significantly downregulates the expression of ERS-related genes, reduces the level of glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78), and inhibits the phosphorylation of protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK), thereby alleviating abnormal ERS induced by T2DM. Additionally, ISL increases the protein levels of insulin receptor substrate (IRS) 1 and IRS2 and enhances the phosphorylation of protein kinase B (Akt), thereby improving insulin sensitivity. In conclusion, ISL is able to alleviate T2DM associated symptoms by improving abnormal ERS and enhancing insulin sensitivity.

In the process of maintaining the steady state of bone tissue, the transcription network and signal pathway of the body play a vital role. These complex regulatory mechanisms need precise coordination to ensure the balance between bone formation and bone absorption. Once this balance is broken, it may lead to pathological changes of bone and cartilage, and then lead to various bone diseases. Therefore, it is of great significance to understand these regulatory mechanisms for the prevention and treatment of bone diseases. In recent years, with the deepening of research, more and more lncRNA has been found to be closely related to bone health. Among them, nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 (NEAT1), as an extremely abundant RNA molecule in mammalian nuclei, has attracted extensive attention. NEAT1 is mainly transcribed from a specific site in human chromosome 11 by RNA polymerase II (RNaseP), which can form two different subtypes NEAT1_1 and NEAT1_2. These two subtypes are different in intracellular distribution and function, but they participate in many biological processes together. Studies have shown that NEAT1 plays a specific role in the process of cell growth and stress response. For example, it can regulate the development of osteoblasts (OB), osteoclasts (OC) and chondrocytes by balancing the differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), thus maintaining the steady state of bone metabolism. This discovery reveals the important role of NEAT1 in bone development and remodeling. In addition, NEAT1 is closely related to a variety of bone diseases. In patients with bone diseases such as osteoporosis (OP), osteoarthritis (OA) and osteosarcoma (OS), the expression level of NEAT1 is different. These differential expressions may be closely related to the pathogenesis and progression of bone diseases. By regulating the level of NEAT1, it can affect a variety of signal transduction pathways, and then affect the development of bone diseases. For example, some studies show that by regulating the expression level of NEAT1, the activity of osteoclasts can be inhibited, and the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts can be promoted, thus improving the symptoms of osteoporosis. It is worth noting that NEAT1 can also be used as a key sensor for the prevention and treatment of bone diseases. When exercising or receiving some natural products, the expression level of NEAT1 will change, thus reflecting the response of bones to external stimuli. This feature makes NEAT1 an important target for studying the prevention and treatment strategies of bone diseases. However, although the role of NEAT1 in bone biology and bone diseases has been initially recognized, its specific mechanism and regulatory relationship are still controversial. For example, the expression level, mode of action and interaction with other molecules of NEAT1 in different bone diseases still need further in-depth study. This paper reviews the role of NEAT1 in maintaining bone and cartilage metabolism, and discusses its expression and function in various bone diseases. By combing the existing research results and controversial points, this paper aims to provide new perspectives and ideas for the prevention and treatment of bone diseases, and provide useful reference and enlightenment for future research.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) in differentiating tumor deposits (TDs) from metastatic lymph nodes (MLNs) in rectal cancer. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 70 patients with rectal cancer, including 168 lesions (70 TDs and 98 MLNs confirmed by histopathology), who underwent pretreatment MRI and subsequent surgery between March 2019 and December 2022. The morphological characteristics of TDs and MLNs, along with quantitative parameters derived from DCE-MRI (K trans , kep, and v e) and DWI (ADCmin, ADCmax, and ADCmean), were analyzed and compared between the two groups.Multivariable binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess the diagnostic performance of significant individual quantitative parameters and combined parameters in distinguishing TDs from MLNs. Results: All morphological features, including size, shape, border, and signal intensity, as well as all DCE-MRI parameters showed significant differences between TDs and MLNs (all P < 0.05). However, ADC values did not demonstrate significant differences (all P > 0.05). Among the single quantitative parameters, v e had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.772 for distinguishing TDs from MLNs. A multivariable logistic regression model incorporating short axis, border, v e, and ADC mean improved diagnostic performance, achieving an AUC of 0.833 (P = 0.027). Conclusion The combination of morphological features, DCE-MRI parameters, and ADC values can effectively aid in the preoperative differentiation of TDs from MLNs in rectal cancer.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) in differentiating tumor deposits (TDs) from metastatic lymph nodes (MLNs) in rectal cancer. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 70 patients with rectal cancer, including 168 lesions (70 TDs and 98 MLNs confirmed by histopathology), who underwent pretreatment MRI and subsequent surgery between March 2019 and December 2022. The morphological characteristics of TDs and MLNs, along with quantitative parameters derived from DCE-MRI (K trans , kep, and v e) and DWI (ADCmin, ADCmax, and ADCmean), were analyzed and compared between the two groups.Multivariable binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess the diagnostic performance of significant individual quantitative parameters and combined parameters in distinguishing TDs from MLNs. Results: All morphological features, including size, shape, border, and signal intensity, as well as all DCE-MRI parameters showed significant differences between TDs and MLNs (all P < 0.05). However, ADC values did not demonstrate significant differences (all P > 0.05). Among the single quantitative parameters, v e had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.772 for distinguishing TDs from MLNs. A multivariable logistic regression model incorporating short axis, border, v e, and ADC mean improved diagnostic performance, achieving an AUC of 0.833 (P = 0.027). Conclusion The combination of morphological features, DCE-MRI parameters, and ADC values can effectively aid in the preoperative differentiation of TDs from MLNs in rectal cancer.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) in differentiating tumor deposits (TDs) from metastatic lymph nodes (MLNs) in rectal cancer. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 70 patients with rectal cancer, including 168 lesions (70 TDs and 98 MLNs confirmed by histopathology), who underwent pretreatment MRI and subsequent surgery between March 2019 and December 2022. The morphological characteristics of TDs and MLNs, along with quantitative parameters derived from DCE-MRI (K trans , kep, and v e) and DWI (ADCmin, ADCmax, and ADCmean), were analyzed and compared between the two groups.Multivariable binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess the diagnostic performance of significant individual quantitative parameters and combined parameters in distinguishing TDs from MLNs. Results: All morphological features, including size, shape, border, and signal intensity, as well as all DCE-MRI parameters showed significant differences between TDs and MLNs (all P < 0.05). However, ADC values did not demonstrate significant differences (all P > 0.05). Among the single quantitative parameters, v e had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.772 for distinguishing TDs from MLNs. A multivariable logistic regression model incorporating short axis, border, v e, and ADC mean improved diagnostic performance, achieving an AUC of 0.833 (P = 0.027). Conclusion The combination of morphological features, DCE-MRI parameters, and ADC values can effectively aid in the preoperative differentiation of TDs from MLNs in rectal cancer.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) in differentiating tumor deposits (TDs) from metastatic lymph nodes (MLNs) in rectal cancer. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 70 patients with rectal cancer, including 168 lesions (70 TDs and 98 MLNs confirmed by histopathology), who underwent pretreatment MRI and subsequent surgery between March 2019 and December 2022. The morphological characteristics of TDs and MLNs, along with quantitative parameters derived from DCE-MRI (K trans , kep, and v e) and DWI (ADCmin, ADCmax, and ADCmean), were analyzed and compared between the two groups.Multivariable binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess the diagnostic performance of significant individual quantitative parameters and combined parameters in distinguishing TDs from MLNs. Results: All morphological features, including size, shape, border, and signal intensity, as well as all DCE-MRI parameters showed significant differences between TDs and MLNs (all P < 0.05). However, ADC values did not demonstrate significant differences (all P > 0.05). Among the single quantitative parameters, v e had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.772 for distinguishing TDs from MLNs. A multivariable logistic regression model incorporating short axis, border, v e, and ADC mean improved diagnostic performance, achieving an AUC of 0.833 (P = 0.027). Conclusion The combination of morphological features, DCE-MRI parameters, and ADC values can effectively aid in the preoperative differentiation of TDs from MLNs in rectal cancer.

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) in differentiating tumor deposits (TDs) from metastatic lymph nodes (MLNs) in rectal cancer. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 70 patients with rectal cancer, including 168 lesions (70 TDs and 98 MLNs confirmed by histopathology), who underwent pretreatment MRI and subsequent surgery between March 2019 and December 2022. The morphological characteristics of TDs and MLNs, along with quantitative parameters derived from DCE-MRI (K trans , kep, and v e) and DWI (ADCmin, ADCmax, and ADCmean), were analyzed and compared between the two groups.Multivariable binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess the diagnostic performance of significant individual quantitative parameters and combined parameters in distinguishing TDs from MLNs. Results: All morphological features, including size, shape, border, and signal intensity, as well as all DCE-MRI parameters showed significant differences between TDs and MLNs (all P < 0.05). However, ADC values did not demonstrate significant differences (all P > 0.05). Among the single quantitative parameters, v e had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.772 for distinguishing TDs from MLNs. A multivariable logistic regression model incorporating short axis, border, v e, and ADC mean improved diagnostic performance, achieving an AUC of 0.833 (P = 0.027). Conclusion The combination of morphological features, DCE-MRI parameters, and ADC values can effectively aid in the preoperative differentiation of TDs from MLNs in rectal cancer.

Isoliquiritigenin (ISL) is an active chalcone compound isolated from licorice. It possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidative activities. In our previous study, we uncovered a great potential of ISL in treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Therefore, this study aims to reveal the mechanism underlying the alleviatory effects of ISL on T2DM-induced glycolipid metabolism disorder. High-fat-high-sugar diet (HFD) combined with intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) were used to establish T2DM mice model. All animal experiments were carried out with approval of the Committee of Ethics at Beijing University of Chinese Medicine. HepG2 cells were used in in vitro experiments, and sodium palmitate (SP) was applied to establish insulin resistance (IR) model cells. The effects of ISL on body weight, fasting blood glucose levels, and pathological changes in the livers of mice were examined. Enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA) and real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) were applied to detect the regulatory effects of ISL on key targets involved in glucolipid metabolism. Additionally, molecular docking and analytical dynamics simulation methods were used to analyze the interaction between ISL and key target protein. The results indicate that ISL significantly downregulates the transcriptional levels and inhibits the activities of key enzymes involved in gluconeogenesis, including pyruvate carboxylase (PC), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), and fructose-1, 6-bisphosphatase (FBP). It also downregulates the transcriptional and protein levels of hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α) and cAMP response element binding protein (CREB), the two transcriptional factors involved in gluconeogenesis. Thus, ISL inhibits hepatic gluconeogenesis in T2DM mice. In addition, ISL reduces total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) levels in the livers of T2DM mice. Moreover, ISL downregulates the mRNA levels of lipogenesis genes and upregulates those of genes involved in fatty acid oxidation, lipid uptake, and lipid export. In conclusion, ISL suppresses hepatic gluconeogenesis, promotes lipolysis, and restrains lipogenesis in T2DM mice, thereby improving the abnormal glycolipid metabolism caused by T2DM.

Objective To investigate whether Liuwei Dihuang Pills enhances the antigen cross-presenting ability of dendritic cell(DC)by increasing gap junctional intercellular communication(GJIC),and to explore the mechanisms involved.Methods Western Blot and immunofluorescence were used to observe the effects of Liuwei Dihuang Pills-containing serum on the expression and membrane localisation of gap junction protein connexin43(Cx43)in mouse melanoma cells(B16);Calcein-AM/DiI fluorescence tracer assay was used to observe the effects of Liuwei Dihuang Pills-containing serum on the function of GJIC in B16 cells;flow cytometry was used to observe the role of GJIC in the enhancement of DC antigen presenting ability by Liuwei Dihuang Pills-containing serum;and propidium iodide(PI)/Hoechst staining assay was used to observe the immunocidal effect of CD8+ T-lymphocytes.Results Western Blot and immunofluorescence experiments showed that Liuwei Dihuang Pills-containing serum led to the up-regulation of Cx43 expression;fluorescence tracer experiments proved that the GJIC function of B16 cells was significantly enhanced by Liuwei Dihuang Pills-containing serum;flow cytometry analyses showed that the DC antigen-presenting ability was enhanced by Liuwei Dihuang Pills-containing serum;and the results of PI/Hoechst staining showed that the immuno-killing effect of CD8+T-cells was more significant after the intervention of Liuwei Dihuang Pills-containing serum in B16-OVA.Conclusion Liuwei Dihuang Pills improve the GJIC function by up-regulating the Cx43 expression of melanoma cells,and then enhance the cross-presenting ability of DCs thus activating stronger CD8+ T-cell immunocidal responses.

Objective To construct a lentiviral vector for overexpression of bone morphogenetic protein 7(BMP7)in mice,and the effect of BMP7 overexpression on the expression of Jagged1 in mouse aortic endothelial cells and the calcification of the co-cultured vascular smooth muscle cells(VSMCs)were analyzed.Methods According to the target gene information Mouse-BMP7(NM_007557.3)and plasmid information pLVX-zsGreen-C1,gene sequence synthesis was carried out to construct BMP7 overexpression lentivirus.The efficiency of BMP7 overexpression lentivirus infection was detected by qPCR;the expression of Jagged1 protein in aortic endothelial cells from infected mice was detected by Western blot.The endothelial cells with lentivirus overexpressing BMP7 were co-cultured with VSMCs,and the calcification of VSMCs was observed by alizarin red staining.Results BMP7 overexpression lentiviral vector was successfully constructed and transfected into aortic endothelial cells.qPCR test results showed that the expression level of BMP7 mRNA was significantly increased in the BMP7 overexpression group than that in the normal control group(P<0.01),while there was no significant difference in the expression of BMP7 mRNA between the empty vector control group and the normal control group(P>0.05).Western blot results showed that the expression level of Jagged1 protein in endothelial cells of mouse in the BMP7 overexpression group was significantly lower than that in the normal control group(P<0.01),while there was no significant difference in the expression level of Jagged1 protein in endothelial cells between the empty vector control group and the normal control group(P>0.05).The results of alizarin red staining showed that the calcification of VSMCs was significantly increased after co-cultured with endothelial cells infected with BMP7 lentivirus.Conclusion Mouse BMP7 overexpression lentiviral vector was successfully constructed,and overexpression of BMP7 can reduce the expression of Jagged1 in mouse aortic endothelial cells and promote the calcification of co-cultured VSMCs.