OBJECTIVE To explore the mechanism of joint injection of Caulophyllum robustum Maxim in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis （RA）. METHODS The targets of main saponins in C. robustum Maxim were obtained from Swiss Target Prediction， and the RA treatment targets collected from the GeneCards and OMIM database were intercrossed to establish an interaction network based on network pharmacology. Gene ontology analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes （KEGG） pathway analysis were performed. RA model was established by injecting complete Freund’s adjuvant into the back of rabbits for verification. The arthritis index score， knee diameter and pain threshold of rabbits were compared. Pathological examination of rabbit synovial tissue was carried out. The levels of tumor necrosis factor α （TNF-α）， interleukin-1β （IL-1β） and IL-6 in rabbit serum and synovial fluid were detected. The phosphorylation levels of tyrosine protein Janus kinase 2 （JAK2） and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （STAT3） proteins in rabbit synovium were detected. RESULTS Network pharmacology identified 143 intersection targets between the drug and RA. After the construction of the “drug-component-target” network， the core components of the network were echinocystic acid， oleanolic acid， hederagenin， cauloside A and cauloside C， etc. Additionally， the top 10 core targets of PPI network were SRC， STAT3， MAPK1， EGFR， PIK3CA， MAPK3， GRB2， JUN， PTPN11 and JAK2. The results of KEGG pathway analysis showed that the JAK/STAT signaling pathway was mainly involved in the treatment of RA by joint injection of C. robustum Maxim. Results of validation test showed that compared with model group， joint injection of C. robustum Maxim could reduce the swelling of rabbit knee joint， relieve the hyperplasia of synovial layer， reduce the hyperplasia of lower connective tissue， and reduce the number of inflammatory cells and capillaries. The arthritis index score （excluding low-dose group of C. robustum Maxim）， knee diameter， the levels of TNF-α， IL-1β and IL-6 in serum and synovial fluid， and the protein phosphorylation levels of JAK2 and STAT3 were decreased significantly （P＜0.05 of P＜0.01）， while the pain threshold were reduced significantly （P＜0.01）. CONCLUSIONS The core components that may alleviate the inflammatory response of RA in joint injection of C. robustum Maxim could include echinocystic acid， oleanolic acid， hederagenin， cauloside A， and cauloside C. Its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of JAK/STAT signaling pathway and the reduction of inflammatory responses.

Background: Both sodium-glucose cotransporters (SGLTs) and Na+/H+ exchangers (NHEs) rely on a favorable Na-electrochemical gradient. Gastrin, through the cholecystokinin B receptor (CCKBR), can induce natriuresis and diuresis by inhibiting renal NHEs activity. The present study aims to unveil the role of renal CCKBR in diabetes through SGLT2-mediated glucose reabsorption. Methods: Renal tubule-specific Cckbr-knockout (CckbrCKO) mice and wild-type (WT) mice were utilized to investigate the effect of renal CCKBR on SGLT2 and systemic glucose homeostasis under normal diet, high-fat diet (HFD), and HFD with a subsequent injection of a low dose of streptozotocin. The regulation of SGLT2 expression by gastrin/CCKBR and the underlying mechanism was explored using human kidney (HK)-2 cells. Results: CCKBR was downregulated in kidneys of diabetic mice. Compared with WT mice, CckbrCKO mice exhibited a greater susceptibility to obesity and diabetes when subjected to HFD. In vitro experiments using HK-2 cells revealed an upregulation of glucose transporters after incubation with high glucose, a response that was significantly attenuated following gastrin intervention. The glucose uptake from the culture medium of cells was altered accordingly. Moreover, gastrin administration effectively mitigated hyperglycemia in WT diabetic mice by inhibition of SGLT2 mediated glucose reabsorption, but this effect was compromised in the absence of CCKBR, as seen in CckbrCKO mice. Mechanistically, gastrin/CCKBR substantially reduced SGLT2 expression in HK-2 cells exposed to high glucose, via modulating Erkuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway. Conclusion Our study underscores the crucial role of renal gastrin/CCKBR in SGLT2 regulation and glucose reabsorption, and renal gastrin/CCKBR can be a promising therapeutic target for diabetes.

Background: Both sodium-glucose cotransporters (SGLTs) and Na+/H+ exchangers (NHEs) rely on a favorable Na-electrochemical gradient. Gastrin, through the cholecystokinin B receptor (CCKBR), can induce natriuresis and diuresis by inhibiting renal NHEs activity. The present study aims to unveil the role of renal CCKBR in diabetes through SGLT2-mediated glucose reabsorption. Methods: Renal tubule-specific Cckbr-knockout (CckbrCKO) mice and wild-type (WT) mice were utilized to investigate the effect of renal CCKBR on SGLT2 and systemic glucose homeostasis under normal diet, high-fat diet (HFD), and HFD with a subsequent injection of a low dose of streptozotocin. The regulation of SGLT2 expression by gastrin/CCKBR and the underlying mechanism was explored using human kidney (HK)-2 cells. Results: CCKBR was downregulated in kidneys of diabetic mice. Compared with WT mice, CckbrCKO mice exhibited a greater susceptibility to obesity and diabetes when subjected to HFD. In vitro experiments using HK-2 cells revealed an upregulation of glucose transporters after incubation with high glucose, a response that was significantly attenuated following gastrin intervention. The glucose uptake from the culture medium of cells was altered accordingly. Moreover, gastrin administration effectively mitigated hyperglycemia in WT diabetic mice by inhibition of SGLT2 mediated glucose reabsorption, but this effect was compromised in the absence of CCKBR, as seen in CckbrCKO mice. Mechanistically, gastrin/CCKBR substantially reduced SGLT2 expression in HK-2 cells exposed to high glucose, via modulating Erkuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway. Conclusion Our study underscores the crucial role of renal gastrin/CCKBR in SGLT2 regulation and glucose reabsorption, and renal gastrin/CCKBR can be a promising therapeutic target for diabetes.

Background: Both sodium-glucose cotransporters (SGLTs) and Na+/H+ exchangers (NHEs) rely on a favorable Na-electrochemical gradient. Gastrin, through the cholecystokinin B receptor (CCKBR), can induce natriuresis and diuresis by inhibiting renal NHEs activity. The present study aims to unveil the role of renal CCKBR in diabetes through SGLT2-mediated glucose reabsorption. Methods: Renal tubule-specific Cckbr-knockout (CckbrCKO) mice and wild-type (WT) mice were utilized to investigate the effect of renal CCKBR on SGLT2 and systemic glucose homeostasis under normal diet, high-fat diet (HFD), and HFD with a subsequent injection of a low dose of streptozotocin. The regulation of SGLT2 expression by gastrin/CCKBR and the underlying mechanism was explored using human kidney (HK)-2 cells. Results: CCKBR was downregulated in kidneys of diabetic mice. Compared with WT mice, CckbrCKO mice exhibited a greater susceptibility to obesity and diabetes when subjected to HFD. In vitro experiments using HK-2 cells revealed an upregulation of glucose transporters after incubation with high glucose, a response that was significantly attenuated following gastrin intervention. The glucose uptake from the culture medium of cells was altered accordingly. Moreover, gastrin administration effectively mitigated hyperglycemia in WT diabetic mice by inhibition of SGLT2 mediated glucose reabsorption, but this effect was compromised in the absence of CCKBR, as seen in CckbrCKO mice. Mechanistically, gastrin/CCKBR substantially reduced SGLT2 expression in HK-2 cells exposed to high glucose, via modulating Erkuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway. Conclusion Our study underscores the crucial role of renal gastrin/CCKBR in SGLT2 regulation and glucose reabsorption, and renal gastrin/CCKBR can be a promising therapeutic target for diabetes.

Background: Both sodium-glucose cotransporters (SGLTs) and Na+/H+ exchangers (NHEs) rely on a favorable Na-electrochemical gradient. Gastrin, through the cholecystokinin B receptor (CCKBR), can induce natriuresis and diuresis by inhibiting renal NHEs activity. The present study aims to unveil the role of renal CCKBR in diabetes through SGLT2-mediated glucose reabsorption. Methods: Renal tubule-specific Cckbr-knockout (CckbrCKO) mice and wild-type (WT) mice were utilized to investigate the effect of renal CCKBR on SGLT2 and systemic glucose homeostasis under normal diet, high-fat diet (HFD), and HFD with a subsequent injection of a low dose of streptozotocin. The regulation of SGLT2 expression by gastrin/CCKBR and the underlying mechanism was explored using human kidney (HK)-2 cells. Results: CCKBR was downregulated in kidneys of diabetic mice. Compared with WT mice, CckbrCKO mice exhibited a greater susceptibility to obesity and diabetes when subjected to HFD. In vitro experiments using HK-2 cells revealed an upregulation of glucose transporters after incubation with high glucose, a response that was significantly attenuated following gastrin intervention. The glucose uptake from the culture medium of cells was altered accordingly. Moreover, gastrin administration effectively mitigated hyperglycemia in WT diabetic mice by inhibition of SGLT2 mediated glucose reabsorption, but this effect was compromised in the absence of CCKBR, as seen in CckbrCKO mice. Mechanistically, gastrin/CCKBR substantially reduced SGLT2 expression in HK-2 cells exposed to high glucose, via modulating Erkuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway. Conclusion Our study underscores the crucial role of renal gastrin/CCKBR in SGLT2 regulation and glucose reabsorption, and renal gastrin/CCKBR can be a promising therapeutic target for diabetes.

Liver cancer has high prevalence and mortality rates around the world， and its development and progression are closely associated with the interaction between the tumor microenvironment and tumor-associated macrophages （TAMs）. TAMs play a significant role in immune suppression， immune escape， cell proliferation， invasion， metastasis， and drug resistance in liver cancer. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM）， with its unique therapeutic concepts and methods， has shown great potential in regulating TAMs and improving the prognosis of liver cancer. This article reviews the role and molecular mechanisms of TCM in regulating TAMs for the treatment of liver cancer， discusses the key role of TAMs in the progression of liver cancer， and analyzes the impact of Chinese medicinal components on the recruitment， polarization， and activity of TAMs and the expression of related factors based on TCM theory. Studies have shown that TCM can regulate the polarization state of TAMs， promote the formation of M1-type antitumor macrophages， and inhibit the activity of M2-type tumor macrophages， thereby playing a role in inhibiting the proliferation of liver cancer cells， promoting apoptosis， inhibiting angiogenesis， and enhancing immune response. In addition， this article also summarizes the molecular targets and mechanisms of action of TCM monomers， compound prescriptions， and novel preparations in the treatment of liver cancer， such as inhibiting the secretion of cytokines by TAMs， regulating signaling pathways， and affecting metabolic pathways， in order to provide a scientific basis for the application of TCM in liver cancer treatment and offer new ideas for immunotherapy for liver cancer.

ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate the therapeutic effects of Wenweishu granule （WWSG） on functional dyspepsia （FD） with spleen-stomach deficiency cold syndrome in rats by integrating network pharmacology， molecular docking， and animal experiments. MethodsActive components and corresponding targets of WWSG were collected from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform （TCMSP） and the Bioinformatics Analysis Tool for Molecular Mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine （BATMAN-TCM）. Disease-related targets for FD with spleen-stomach deficiency cold syndrome were screened using GeneCards and the Integrative Pharmacology-based Research Platform of Traditional Chinese Medicine （TCMIP）. Core therapeutic targets were identified via Cytoscape and validated by molecular docking. A rat model of FD with spleen-stomach deficiency cold syndrome was established using vinegar gavage combined with tail-clamping. The rats were randomly divided into a model group， low-， medium-， and high-dose WWSG groups （2.0， 4.0， 8.0 g·kg^-1）， a domperidone group （3.0 mg·kg^-1）， a Fuzi Lizhong pillwan （0.8 g·kg^-1）， and a normal control group （n=10 per group）. Drugs were administered once daily by gavage for 14 consecutive days. After treatment， body weight， symptom scores， and gastrointestinal motility indices were recorded. Gastric and duodenal pathologies changes were observed via hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. Brain-gut peptides were measured in serum and tissue using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot were performed to assess stem cell factor （SCF） and receptor tyrosine kinase （c-Kit） protein expression in gastric tissues. ResultsA total of 305 drug targets， 1 140 disease targets， and 116 overlapping targets were identified. Cytoscape analysis revealed 104 core targets. Enrichment analysis indicated that the SCF/c-Kit signaling pathway was the key mechanism. Molecular docking confirmed a strong binding affinity between active components of WWSG and SCF/c-Kit proteins （binding energy<-5.1 kcal·mol^-1）. Compared with the normal group， model rats exhibited slower weight gain （P<0.05）， reduced gastric emptying and intestinal propulsion （P<0.01）， mild gastric mucosal shedding， duodenal inflammatory cell infiltration， decreased levels of gastrin （GAS）， 5-hydroxytryptamine （5-HT）， and vasoactive intestinal peptide （VIP） （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and elevated somatostatin （SS） expression （P<0.05， P<0.01）. WWSG treatment ameliorated weight gain， symptom scores， and low-grade inflammation in gastric/duodenal tissues. High-dose WWSG significantly improved gastric emptying and intestinal propulsion， upregulated GAS， 5-HT， and VIP， and downregulated SS expression in serum and tissues （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Immunohistochemistry and Western blot demonstrated that SCF and c-Kit protein expression was decreased in the model group （P<0.05， P<0.01）， which was reversed by WWSG intervention （P<0.05）. ConclusionWWSG exerts therapeutic effects on FD with spleen-stomach deficiency cold syndrome in rats， potentially by regulating the SCF/c-Kit signaling pathway to enhance gastrointestinal motility.

Objective To evaluate the safety and efficacy of transcatheter arterial chemoembolization(TACE)combined with lenvatinib and camrelizumab in the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).Methods The clinical data of a total of 63 patients with advanced HCC,who received TACE combined with lenvatinib and camrelizumab(triple therapy)or TACE combined with lenvatinib(dual therapy)at the Jingmen Municipal People's Hospital of China between April 2020 and December 2021,were retrospectively analyzed.Triple therapy group had 30 patients,and dual therapy group had 33 patients.The post-treatment tumor response,disease progression-free survival(PFS),overall survival(OS),and the incidence of adverse drug reactions were recorded.Results The median follow-up period of the two groups was 14 months(range of 4-26 months).Compared with the dual therapy group,in the triple therapy group the objective response rate(ORR)was remarkably higher(83.3%vs.57.6%,P=0.026),the disease control rate(DCR)was obviously higher(93.3%vs.69.7%,P=0.039),the median PFS was significantly longer(8.0 months vs.5.0 months,P＜0.01),and the median OS was strikingly longer(24.0 months vs.12.0 months,P=0.004).No statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse drug reactions existed between the two groups(P＞0.05).Conclusion For the treatment of advanced HCC,TACE combined with lenvatinib and camrelizumab is clinically safe and effective.(J Intervent Radiol,2024,32:57-62)

Objective·To investigate the effect of ceria nanoparticles-polyethylene glycol(CeNP-PEG)on scavenging reactive oxygen species(ROS)and alleviating disease activity in dextran sulphate sodium(DSS)-induced colitis mice.Methods·CeNP was synthesized with the hydrates of cerium acetate,oleamine,and xylene,which was modified with polyethylene glycol-stearyl phosphatidylethanolamine(mPEG-DPSE)to obtain CeNP-PEG.Then CeNP-PEG was purified.The particle size and zeta potential of CeNP-PEG were measured by using transmission electron microscopy(TEM)and dynamic light scattering(DLS).Mouse macrophages(Raw264.7)were cultured in vitro and induced to a pro-inflammatory phenotype(M1 phenotype).M1 macrophages were treated with 0.5 μg/mL and 1.0 μg/mL CeNP-PEG,respectively,and then Western blotting was used to detect the expression changes of the proteins related with nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB)signaling pathway.DSS-induced colitis mice models were constructed,and CeNP-PEG(1.0 mg/mL)was intravenously administrated for 3 times via tail vein during the modeling period.Meanwhile,the body weight,fecal characteristics,and frequency of rectal bleeding in mice were monitored in the normal control group(Normal group),the model group(DSS group),and the CeNP-PEG treatment group.The disease activity index(DAI)was calculated to evaluate the intestinal inflammation.The level of ROS in mouse intestinal tissues was detected by dihydroethidine(DHE)staining and the mRNA expression levels of inflammatory cytokines interferon-γ(Ifn-γ),interleukin-6(Il-6),Il-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α(Tnf-α)were detected by real-time quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR).Results·The hydrated particle size of synthesized CeNP-PEG was(6.96±0.27)nm,and the average zeta potential was(-6.02±1.31)mV.Western blotting results showed that the expression of p-P65 increased in the pro-inflammatory macrophages compared with the control group.The expression of NF-κB inhibitor-α(IκB-α)decreased,and their expressions tended to recover after the intervention of different concentrations of CeNP-PEG.In the DSS-induced colitis models,mice in the CeNP-PEG treatment group lost less weight than those in the DSS group(P= 0.000)and had lower DAI scores(P=0.000).The RT-qPCR results of intestinal tissues showed that the mRNA levels of Ifn-γ,Il-1β,Il-6 and Tnf-α in the DSS group were significantly up-regulated compared with those in the Normal group(P=0.000),and all of them significantly decreased in the CeNP-PEG treatment group.The results of DHE staining showed that the fluorescence intensity of intestinal tissues in the DSS group was significantly enhanced than that in the Normal group,and the fluorescence intensity decreased in the CeNP-PEG treatment group.Conclusion·CeNP-PEG can inhibit the expression of intestinal inflammatory factors and the activation of NF-κB-related inflammatory pathway of pro-inflammatory macrophages,eliminate intestinal ROS,improve the intestinal inflammatory microenvironment,and alleviate the disease activity of DSS-induced colitis in mice.

Objective:To test the validity and reliability of the Chinese version of the Pre-sleep Arousal Scale(PSAS)in patients with brief insomnia disorder(BID).Methods:Totally 170 patients with BID and 150 normal sleepers(NS)were recruited.All participants were assessed with the PSAS,Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale(HADS)and Insomnia Severity Index(ISI).After 3 months,72 patients with BID were retested with the PSAS,HADS and ISI.Results:The PSAS scores of BID group were characteristic of a normal distribution.The PSAS total scores were positively correlated with the scores of HADS and ISI(r=0.55,0.40,Ps＜0.01).Two factors of so-matic and cognitive arousal were extracted in PSAS by the exploratory factor analysis and parallel analysis,interval variance value was 55.84％,and the load scores of items were 0.46-0.89.The scores of PSAS and its subscales were higher in the BID group than in the NS group(Ps＜0.001).The best cut-off score for the overall PSAS was found at 32/33 and had high sensitivity(0.72)and specificity(0.81).The Cronbach's α coefficient and the Spearman Brown split reliability were 0.91 and 0.76,respectively,the correlation coefficients between the items and total score ranged from 0.46 to 0.89(Ps＜0.01),and the test-retest reliability was 0.37(P＜0.01).Addi-tionally,rate of change of PSAS scores was positively correlated with the rate of change of HADS scores and ISI scores(Ps＜0.05).Conclusion:The Chinese version of PSAS is a reliable and valid instrument to assess pre-sleep arousal in patients with brief insomnia disorder.