Objective:To investigate the clinical value of abdominal adipose volume in predicting early tumor recurrence after resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).Methods:The retrospective case-control study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 132 HCC patients with tumor diameter ≤5 cm who were admitted to The First Affiliated Hospital of Army Medical University from December 2017 to October 2019 were collected. There were 110 males and 22 females, aged (51±4)years. All patients underwent resection of HCC. Preoperative computer tomography scanning was performed and the visceral and subcutaneous fats of patients were quantified using the Mimics Research 21.0 software. Based on time to postoperative tumor recurrence patients were divided to two categories: early recurrence and non-early recurrence. Observation indicators: (1) consistency analy-sis; (2) analysis of factors influencing early tumor recurrence after resection of HCC and construction of prediction model. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD, and comparison between groups was conducted using the t test. Measurement data with skewed distribu-tion were represented as M( Q1,Q3) or M(range), and comparison between groups was conducted using the Mann-Whitney U test. Count data were expressed as absolute numbers, and comparison between groups was conducted using the chi-square test or Fisher exact probability. Consistency analysis was conducted using the intragroup correlation coefficient (ICC) test. Multivariate analysis was performed using the binary Logistic regression model forward method. Independent risk factors influencing early tumor recurrence after resection of HCC were screened. The area under curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was applied to select the optimal cut-off value to classify high and low risks of recurrence. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to draw survival curve and calculate survival time. The Log-Rank test was used for survival analysis. Results:(1) Consistency analysis. The consistency ICC of abdominal fat parameters of visceral fat volume (VFV), subcutaneous fat volume, visceral fat area, and subcutaneous fat area measured by 2 radiologists were 0.84, 1.00, 0.86, and 0.94, respectively. (2) Analysis of factors influencing early tumor recurr-ence after resection of HCC and construction of prediction model. All 132 patients were followed up after surgery for 662(range, 292-1 111)days. During the follow-up, there were 52 patients with non-early recurrence and 80 patients with early recurrence. Results of multivariate analysis showed that VFV was an independent factor influencing early tumor recurrence after resection of HCC ( odds ratio=4.07, 95% confidence interval as 2.27-7.27, P<0.05). The AUC of ROC curve based on VFV was 0.78 (95% confidence interval as 0.70-0.85), and the sensitivity and specificity were 72.2 % and 77.4 %, respectively. The optimal cut-off value of VFV was 1.255 dm 3, and all 132 patients were divided into the high-risk early postoperative recurrence group of 69 cases with VFV >1.255 dm 3, and the low-risk early postoperative recurrence group of 63 cases with VFV ≤1.255 dm 3. The disease-free survival time of the high-risk early postoperative recurrence group and the low-risk early post-operative recurrence group were 414(193,702)days and 1 047(620,1 219)days, showing a significant difference between them ( χ2=31.17, P<0.05). Conclusions:VFV is an independent factor influen-cing early tumor recurrence of HCC after resection. As a quantitative indicator of abdominal fat, it can predict the prognosis of HCC patients.

Objective To investigate the mechanism of morin-induced autophagy in non-small cell lung cancer A549 cells based on mTOR/STAT3 signaling axis.Methods A549 cells were divided into blank group and 30,60,90,120 and 150 μg·mL-1 of morin groups.After 24,48 and 72 hours of culture,the cell proliferation activity was detected by CCK-8 method,and the cell inhibition rate was calculated.A549 cells were divided into blank group and 30,90,150 μg·mL-1 morin groups.After 14 days of culture,the cell proliferation was detected by colony formation assay.After 24 hours of culture,the cell proliferation ability was detected by BeyoClickTM EdU-488.Apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry;acridine orange staining was used to detect cell autophagy;the formation of autophagosomes was observed by transmission electron microscopy.Western Blot was used to detect the expression levels of apoptosis,autophagy and mTOR/STAT3 signaling axis-related proteins in cells.A549 cells were divided into blank group,blank group + chloroquine(10 μg·mL-1)group,morin(30,150 μg·mL-1)group,morin(30,150 μg·mL-1)+ chloroquine(10 μg·mL-1)group.After 48 hours of intervention,the cell activity was detected by CCK-8 method,and the cell survival rate was calculated.Results Compared with the blank group,the inhibition rate of A549 cells in 60,90,120,150 μ g·mL-1 of morin group was significantly increased after 24 hours of intervention(P＜0.05,P＜0.001).The inhibition rates of A549 cells in 30,60,90,120 and 150 μg·mL-1 of morin groups were significantly increased after 48 and 72 hours of intervention(P＜0.001).The number of A549 cell colonies and the number of green fluorescent proliferation positive cells in the 30,90,150 μg·mL-1 of morin groups were significantly decreased(P＜0.01,P＜0.001),the apoptosis rate was significantly increased(P＜0.01,P＜0.001),and the protein expression level of cleaved-PARP was significantly increased(P＜0.001).The protein expression levels of p-P38/P38 MAPK in A549 cells of 90 and 150 μg·mL-1 of morin groups were significantly increased(P＜0.01,P＜0.001).Different degrees of orange fluorescence appeared in A549 cells of 30,90 and 150 μg·mL-1 of morin groups,and the orange fluorescence of 90 and 150 μg·mL-1 of morin groups was significant.Autophagosomes and autolysosomes appeared in the cytoplasm of A549 cells in 150 μg·mL-1 of morin group,respectively.The protein expression of LC3-Ⅱ in A549 cells of 150 μg·mL-1 of morin group was significantly up-regulated(P＜0.05).The protein expression of Atg16L1-Ⅱ in A549 cells of 90,150 μg·mL-1 of morin group was significantly up-regulated(P＜0.001),and the protein expressions of p-mTOR/mTOR and p-STAT3/STAT3 were significantly down-regulated(P＜0.001).Compared with the morin(150 μg·mL-1)group,the survival rate of A549 cells in the morin(150 μg·mL-1)+chloroquine(10 μg·mL-1)group was significantly increased(P＜0.05).Conclusion Morin can promote the apoptosis of A549 cells and induce autophagy in A549 cells,and the mechanism may be related to mTOR/STAT3 axis.

Objective To establish the UPLC fingerprint chromatogram combined with chemometric analysis for the quality evaluation of classical formula Linggui Zhugan Decoction.Methods SHIMADZU Shim-Pack GIST C18 column(100 mm×2.1 mm,2.0 μm)was used with acetonitrile-0.1%phosphoric acid aqueous solution as mobile phase,gradient elution;flow rate was 0.2 mL/min;the detection wavelength was 266 nm for the first 30 minutes and 235 nm for the last 36 minutes;the column temperature was 30℃.The UPLC fingerprint of Linggui Zhugan Decoction was established by Similarity Evaluation System for Chromatographic Fingerprint of TCM(2012.130723 version),and the common peak was determined and the similarity evaluation was carried out.Based on the peak area determination results of the common peak of the fingerprint,the quality of different batches of Linggui Zhugan Decoction was evaluated by chemometrics such as clustering analysis and principal component analysis.Results A total of 24 common peaks were confirmed and 14 components were identified by using reference substances.The similarity of 10 batches of Linggui Zhugan Decoction samples was greater than 0.950,which could be divided into two categories by chemometrics,and the principal component 1-4 were the main factors affecting its quality evaluation.OPLS-DA identified 6 differential markers.Conclusion The fingerprint research method established in the study is simple,reliable and reproducible.Through the method of fingerprint combined with chemometrics analysis,the differences between Linggui Zhugan Decoction from different origins of medicinal materials are identified,which provides a reference for the internal quality evaluation of Linggui Zhugan Decoction.

ObjectiveTo explore the therapeutic effect and mechanism of the Danhe granules on hypercholesterolemia rats by observing the changes in the efficacy indicators and the levels of proteins related to the cholesterol metabolism pathway in the rats under the intervention of Danhe granules. MethodSD rats were randomly assigned to either the blank group or the model group based on their body weight. The blank group had normal chow diets， while the model group was fed high-fat diets for seven weeks. One week after the establishment of the model， the content of the serum total cholesterol （TC） in the model rats was detected. According to the TC value， the model group was further randomly divided into a control group， pravastatin sodium tablet group（4.02 mg·kg^-1）， Xuezhikang capsule group（0.12 g·kg^-1）， high-dose， middle-dose， and low-dose groups of Danhe granules（4.536， 2.268， 1.134 g·kg^-1）. After grouping the model groups， each treatment group received continuous oral gavage for six weeks， with weekly measurements of body weight and food intake （the difference between feed intake and feed surplus）. Six weeks later， the levels of serum TC， triglyceride （TG）， low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （LDL-C）， and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C） were measured. The liver pathology and lipid droplet distribution were evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining and oil red O staining， with scoring and calculation conducted. Rat liver tissue was collected， and western blot and immunohistochemistry （IHC） were used to detect the expression levels of cholesterol metabolism-related proteins namely phosphorylated adenosine 5'-monophosphate （AMP）-activated protein kinase （p-AMPK）， AMPK， 3-hydroxy-3-methyl glutaryl coenzyme A reductase （HMGCR）， low-density lipoprotein receptor （LDLR）， cholesterol 7α-hydroxylase （CYP7A1）， Acyl-coenzyme A： cholesterol acyltransferase 2 （ACAT2）， and apolipoprotein B （ApoB） in hypercholesterolemia rats. ResultCompared with the blank group， the model group showed a significantly higher level of serum TC （P<0.01）. The TG level had no significant change， and the HDL-C level was significantly decreased （P<0.05）. The liver index， steatosis score， total score of pathological state， and the positive area ratio of oil red O staining were significantly increased （P<0.01）， and the protein expression levels of p-AMPK， p-AMPK/AMPK， LDLR， and CYP7A1 were significantly decreased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while the protein expression levels of AMPK， HMGCR， and ACAT2 were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， the TC level in each dose group of Danhe granules was significantly decreased （P<0.05）， and the positive area ratio of oil red O staining in the pravastatin sodium tablet group and medium-dose group of Danhe granules was significantly decreased （P<0.05）. In each administration group， the protein expression levels of p-AMPK and p-AMPK/AMPK were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the levels of HMGCR and ACAT2 were significantly decreased （P<0.01）. The ApoB level showed a downward trend. The CYP7A1 level in the pravastatin sodium tablet group and each dose group of Danhe granules was significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the LDLR level in the pravastatin sodium tablet group， Xuezhikang capsule group， and high-dose and medium-dose groups of Danhe granules was significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionDanhe granules can reduce serum TC levels and improve hepatic steatosis. It may activate AMPK， down-regulate the expression of HMGCR， and inhibit cholesterol synthesis. It can also up-regulate the expression of LDLR and CYP7A1， promote cholesterol uptake and excretion， down-regulate the expression of ACAT2 and ApoB， reduce cholesterol absorption and assembly of LDL and other lipoproteins， and thus play a role in the treatment of hypercholesterolemia.

This study was aimed at comparing performance differences among three metagenomic sequencing platforms,MGISEQ-2000,Illumina NextSeq 2000,and Ion GeneStudio S5 Plus,to optimize the sequencing process for trace samples.The three sequencing platforms were used to perform high-throughput sequencing on DNA standards and simulated samples.Through analysis of the quality of raw data and microbial detection capabilities,systematic differences among platforms were compared.The sequencing results were optimized for trace samples by incorporation of exogenous nucleic acids during the li-brary preparation process.In terms of data output per batch and base quality,MGISEQ-2000 surpassed the other two plat-forms.Illumina NextSeq 2000 had the lowest proportion of duplicate reads,whereas Ion GeneStudio S5 Plus had the highest proportion,and significant differences were observed across platforms(P＜0.001).In sequencing uniformity,MGISEQ-2000 and Illumina NextSeq 2000 were superior to Ion GeneStudio S5 Plus.MGISEQ-2000 provided a substantial advantage in microbial detection capability(P＜0.001),but the advantage diminished with decreasing bacterial fluid concentration.Ion GeneStudio S5 Plus had the shortest duration for single-batch sequencing.Moreo-ver,for trace samples with DNA content ≤0.05 ng,the experi-mental group(with added exogenous nucleic acids)achieved a higher number of reads than the control group(without exogenous nucleic acids),with a 11.09±8.03 fold increase.In conclu-sion,the different sequencing platforms each had advantages and disadvantages,thus allowing researchers to choose the appro-priate platform according to specific needs.Furthermore,the addition of exogenous nucleic acids improved the microorganism detection efficiency,and provided better support for subsequent diagnosis and evaluation of results.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effects of dehydrocostus lactone （DL） on the proliferation， apoptosis， and autophagy of human lung cancer cell A549 and to elucidate its related mechanism. MethodThe effect of DL with different concentrations （0， 5， 10， 15， 20， 25 μmol·L^-1） on the proliferation of human lung cancer A549 cells was investigated by cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8）， and its impact on the clonogenic ability of A549 cells was studied by cell clonogenic assay. The concentrations 10， 20 μmol·L^-1 were selected as DL low-dose group and high-dose group. Hoechst 33258 staining and western blot were used to observe the effect of DL on apoptosis of A549 cells. Autolysosomes were detected by acridine orange staining， and the expression level of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 （LC3） was determined by immunofluorescence and western blot. In addition， the effects of DL in combination with autophagy inhibitors bafilomycin A1 （BAF-A1） or 3-methyladenine （3-MA） on the autophagy of A549 cells was checked by CCK-8 assay. Finally， the role of DL in the regulation of A549 cell signaling pathway was explored by Western blot. ResultCompared with the conditions in the control group， the survival rate of A549 cells in the DL groups （10， 15， 20， 25 μmol·L^-1） was decreased （P<0.01）， and 5 μmol·L^-1 DL could inhibited the formation of A549 clone cells （P<0.01）， indicating that DL could inhibit the proliferation of human lung cancer A549 cells. The number of apoptotic cells was higher in both DL low-dose and high-dose groups than that in the control group， and the expression of apoptosis-related proteins poly （ADP ribose） polymerase （PARP） and B lymphocytoma-2 （Bcl-2）-associated X protein （Bax） were up-regulated （P<0.05， P<0.01）， while the expression of Bcl-2 was down-regulated （P<0.01） in DL high-dose group. The acridine orange staining showed that the orange fluorescence in the DL high-dose group was enhanced compared with that in the control group， indicating that DL could dramatically promote the formation of autolysosomes. Moreover， 20 μmol·L^-1 DL could increase the orange fluorescent particles of LC3 and up-regulated the expression level of LC3 Ⅱ （P<0.01）. After addition of autophagy inhibitors， the sensitivity of A549 cells to the effects of DL was attenuated （P<0.01）， which suggested that autophagy was involved in DL-induced A549 cell death. Compared with the control group， DL high-dose group had increased expression of autophagy-related protein 3 （Atg3） and autophagy-related protein 5 （Atg5） while reduced phosphorylation levels of protein kinase B （Akt）， mammalian target of rapamycin （mTOR） and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 （STAT3） （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionDL could activate apoptosis and autophagy to inhibit the proliferation and clonogenic ability of A549 cells via suppressing Akt/mTOR/STAT3 signaling pathway.

This study aimed to investigate the effect and molecular mechanism of sinomenine on proliferation, apoptosis, metastasis, and combination with inhibitors in human hepatocellular carcinoma HepG2 cells and SK-HEP-1 cells. The effect of sinomenine on the growth ability of HepG2 and SK-HEP-1 cells were investigated by CCK-8 assay, colony formation assay, and BeyoClick~(TM) EdU-488 staining. The effect of sinomenine on DNA damage was detected by immunofluorescence assay, and the effect of sinomenine on apoptosis of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells was clarified by Hoechst 33258 staining and CellEvent~(TM) Cystein-3/7Green ReadyProbes~(TM) reagent assay. Cell invasion assay and 3D tumor cell spheroid invasion assay were performed to investigate the effect of sinomenine on the invasion ability of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro. The effect of sinomenine on the regulation of protein expression related to the protein kinase B(Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3) signaling pathway in HepG2 and SK-HEP-1 cells was examined by Western blot. Molecular docking was used to evaluate the strength of affinity of sinomenine to the target cysteinyl aspartate specific proteinase-3(caspase-3) and STAT3, and combined with CCK-8 assay to detect the changes in cell viability after combination with STAT3 inhibitor JSI-124 in combination with CCK-8 assay. The results showed that sinomenine could significantly reduce the cell viability of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells in a concentration-and time-dependent manner, significantly inhibit the clonogenic ability of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells, and weaken the invasive ability of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells in vitro. In addition, sinomenine could up-regulate the cleaved level of poly ADP-ribose polymerase(PARP), a marker of apoptosis, and down-regulate the protein levels of p-Akt, p-mTOR, and p-STAT3 in human hepatocellular carcinoma cells. Molecular docking results showed that sinomenine had good affinity with the targets caspase-3 and STAT3, and the sensitivity of sinomenine to hepatocellular carcinoma cells was diminished after STAT3 was inhibited. Therefore, sinomenine can inhibit the proliferation and invasion of human hepatocellular carcinoma cells and induce apoptosis, and the mechanism may be attributed to the activation of caspase-3 signaling and inhibition of the Akt/mTOR/STAT3 pathway. This study can provide a new reference for the in-depth research and clinical application of sinomenine and is of great significance to further promote the scientific development and utilization of sinomenine.
Humans ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/genetics* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; Caspase 3/metabolism* ; Liver Neoplasms/genetics* ; Molecular Docking Simulation ; Sincalide/pharmacology* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Cell Proliferation ; Hep G2 Cells ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism* ; Apoptosis

This study investigated the effect and mechanism of morin in inducing autophagy and apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells through the protein kinase B(Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR)/signal transducer and activator of transcription protein 3(STAT3) pathway. Human hepatocellular carcinoma SK-HEP-1 cells were stimulated with different concentrations of morin(0, 50, 100, 125, 200, and 250 μmol·L~(-1)). The effect of morin on the viability of SK-HEP-1 cells was detected by Cell Counting Kit-8(CCK-8). The effect of morin on the proliferation and apoptosis of SK-HEP-1 cells was investigated using colony formation assay, flow cytometry, and BeyoClick~(TM) EdU-488 with different concentrations of morin(0, 125, and 250 μmol·L~(-1)). The changes in the autophagy level of cells treated with morin were examined by transmission electron microscopy and autophagy inhibitors. The impact of morin on the expression levels of proteins related to the Akt/mTOR/STAT3 pathway was verified by Western blot. Compared with the control group, the morin groups showed decreased viability of SK-HEP-1 cells in a time-and concentration-dependent manner, increased number of apoptotic cells, up-regulated expression level of apoptosis marker PARP, up-regulated phosphorylation level of apoptosis-regulating protein H2AX, decreased number of positive cells and the colony formation rate, an upward trend of expression levels of autophagy-related proteins LC3-Ⅱ, Atg5, and Atg7, and decreased phosphorylation levels of Akt, mTOR, and STAT3. These results suggest that morin can promote apoptosis, inhibit proliferation, and induce autophagy in hepatocellular carcinoma cells, and its mechanism of action may be related to the Akt/mTOR/STAT3 pathway.
Humans ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism* ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology* ; Liver Neoplasms/pathology* ; TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism* ; Apoptosis ; Autophagy ; Cell Proliferation ; Cell Line, Tumor ; STAT3 Transcription Factor/metabolism*

Objective:To analyze the value of serum related cytokines in predicting intestinal mucosal injury in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) and its correlation with intestinal mucosal injury.Methods:A total of 92 patients with SAP admitted to the First Hospital of Qinhuangdao from January 2020 to December 2021 were included in the study. According to the presence or absence of intestinal mucosal barrier dysfunction, the patients were divided into intestinal mucosal barrier dysfunction group (33 cases) and non-intestinal mucosal barrier dysfunction group (59 cases). Another 100 healthy subjects were selected as the control group. Clinical data of the subjects were collected. Serum levels of procalcitonin (PCT), D-lactic acid (D-L), endotoxin, diamine oxidase (DAO), citrulline and intestinal fatty acid binding protein (I-FABP) of the three groups were compared, and the correlation between the above indexes was analyzed by Pearson correlation analysis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the value of each indicator in predicting intestinal mucosal barrier dysfunction in SAP patients.Results:The levels of serum PCT, D-L, endotoxin, DAO and I-FABP in intestinal mucosal barrier dysfunction group, non-intestinal mucosal barrier dysfunction group and control group showed a downward trend, while the level of serum citrulline showed an upward trend, with statistically significant difference (all P<0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that serum citrulline was negatively correlated with serum PCT, D-L, and endotoxin levels ( r=-0.740, -0.629, -0.310, all P<0.05); There was a positive correlation between serum DAO and serum PCT, D-L and endotoxin levels ( r=0.482, 0.779, 0.338, all P<0.05); There was a positive correlation between serum I-FABP and serum PCT, D-L and endotoxin levels ( r=0.613, 0.421, 0.341, all P<0.05). The ROC curve results showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of serum PCT, D-L, endotoxin, DAO, citrulline, and I-FABP predicting intestinal mucosal injury in SAP patients were 0.816, 0.789, 0.732, 0.801, 0.812, and 0.857, respectively. The AUC of the combination of the above indicators predicting intestinal mucosal barrier dysfunction in SAP patients was 0.909, significantly higher than that predicted by each index alone (all P<0.05). Conclusions:The occurrence of intestinal mucosal barrier dysfunction in SAP patients may be related to the increase of serum PCT, D-L, endotoxin, DAO, I-FABP levels and the decrease of citrulline levels. It may be considered to predict the risk of intestinal mucosal injury by detecting the levels of various indicators in patients′ serum.

Cancer still has elevated morbidity and mortality, which undoubtedly impacts the life quality of affected individuals. Remarkable advances have been made in cancer therapy, although the toxicities of traditional therapies remain an obvious challenge. Dahuang Zhechong Pill (DHZCP), developed by Zhongjing Zhang in the Synopsis of the Golden Chamber, represents an effective anticancer traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). In this review, it was found that DHZCP is therapeutically utilized in liver, lung, gastric, pancreatic and other cancers in clinic. Pharmacological evidence showed that its anti-tumor mechanisms mainly involve induced cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and autophagy, as well as suppressed tumor cell proliferation, obstructed angiogenesis and metastasis, enhanced immunity, and reversal of multidrug resistance. The present review provides a solid basis for the clinical application of DHZCP and may promote the wide use of TCM in clinical antitumor application.