Ephedra Herb extract ameliorates adriamycin-induced nephrotic syndrome in rats via the CAMKK2/AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway / 中国天然药物

This study aimed to investigate the effect and mechanisms of Ephedra Herb (EH) extract on adriamycin-induced nephrotic syndrome (NS), providing an experimental basis for the clinical treatment of NS. Hematoxylin and eosin staining, creatinine, urea nitrogen, and kidn injury molecule-1 were used to evaluate the activities of EH extract on renal function. The levels of inflammatory factors and oxidative stress were detected by kits. The levels of reactive oxygen species, immune cells, and apoptosis were measured by flow cytometry. A network pharmacological approach was used to predict the potential targets and mechanisms of EH extract in the treatment of NS. The protein levels of apoptosis-related proteins and CAMKK2, p-CAMKK2, AMPK, p-AMPK, mTOR and p-mTOR in the kidneys were detected by Western blot. The effective material basis of EH extract was screened by MTT assay. The AMPK pathway inhibitor (compound C, CC) was added to investigate the effect of the potent material basis on adriamycin-induced cell injury. EH extract significantly improved renal injury and relieve inflammation, oxidative stress, and apoptosis in rats. Network pharmacology and Western blot results showed that the effect of EH extract on NS may be associated with the CAMKK2/AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway. Moreover, methylephedrine significantly ameliorated adriamycin-induced NRK-52e cell injury. Methylephedrine also significantly improved the phosphorylation of AMPK and mTOR, which were blocked by CC. In sum, EH extract may ameliorate renal injury via the CAMKK2/AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway. Moreover, methylephedrine may be one of the material bases of EH extract.

Analysis of the impact of maternal hepatitis B virus infection on vaccination effect of the offspring / 公共卫生与预防医学

Objective To explore the impact of maternal hepatitis B (HBV) virus infection status on the vaccination effect of the offspring. Methods Eighty-six pairs of HBV-infected mothers and newborns who were treated in Dalian Sixth People's Hospital from 2017 to 2019 were selected as the research subjects. According to the strength of the hepatitis B vaccine response, all patients were divided into two groups, the observation group (none or weak response) and the control group (strong response). Hepatitis B virus infection was compared between the mothers of the two groups, and multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of vaccination effect of the offspring. Results The positive rate of HBV DNA in mothers of the observation group was higher than that in the control group. HBV DNA was mainly at high load and HBeAg was at low level. The HBV DNA of the control group was mainly at low load, while the distribution of HBeAg was close. The difference was statistically significant (P "HBsAg(+), HBeAg(+), anti-HBc(+)" in 14 cases (51.85%), "HBsAg(+), anti-HBe(+), anti- HBc(+)" in 11 cases (40.74%) , while there were 27 cases (45.76%), 25 cases (42.37%), and 7 cases (11.86%), respectively, in the control group. The difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). Multivariate logisitic regression analysis showed that HBV DNA positivity, HBV DNA high load, HBeAg positivity, and low HBeAg levels were risk factors for weak response of the offspring vaccination. Conclusion HBV DNA positivity, high HBV DNA load, HBeAg positivity, and low HBeAg levels in HBV-infected mothers were risk factors for weak response of the offspring to vaccines, which should be paid attention to in clinic.