Intervention Effect of Qufeng Gutong Babu Ointment on Rat Model of Osteoarthritis with Cold-dampness Obstruction Based on PI3K/Akt Signal Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the intervention effect of Qufeng Gutong Babu ointment （QFGT） on rats with osteoarthritis （OA） with cold-dampness obstruction， and preliminarily clarify its mechanism. MethodSD male rats were divided into 6 groups， namely， the blank group， model group， positive control drug Huoxue Zhitong ointment （HXZTG） group （1.26 cm2·d-1）， and low， medium， and high-dose QFGT group （75， 150， 300 mg·d-1）. OA model was prepared by joint cavity injection of papain and L-cysteine. On the second day of modeling， climate factors were applied to establish an animal model of combination of disease and syndrome of OA rats with cold-dampness obstruction. Standard VonFrey fiber was used to evaluate the threshold of mechanical pain. Weight bearing difference score and joint function score of both hind limbs were recorded. Hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining and safranine fixation green staining were used to observe the pathological changes and cartilage degeneration of rat knee joint. Immunohistochemistry （IHC） was used to detect the expression of interleukin-1β （IL-1β）， interleukin-8 （IL-8）， tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）， matrix metalloproteinase-9 （MMP-9）， and cathepsin K （CTSK）. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of kinase B （Akt）， phosphorylated protein kinase B （p-Akt）， phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）， nuclear factor 1 （NFATc1）， MMP-9， and CTSK in T cells. ResultCompared with the normal group， the model group showed significant mechanical pain sensitivity reaction after modeling （P<0.01）， and the weight bearing difference of both hind limbs and joint function score were significantly increased （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the model group， both the high-dose QFGT group and the HXZTG group significantly reduced the mechanical pain sensitivity， weight difference， and joint function score of rats （P<0.05， P<0.01）， and the medium-dose QFGT group also improved the joint function to a certain extent， and the degeneration of the knee joint cartilage of rats was significantly reduced （P<0.05， P<0.01）. QFGT and HXZTG both inhibited the protein expression of IL-1β， IL-8， TNF-α， MMP-9， CTAK， PI3K， p-Akt， Akt， and other related proteins in articular cartilage of rats with OA to a certain extent （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionQFGT can inhibit the release of inflammatory factors and matrix metalloproteinases by inhibiting the PI3K/Akt signal pathway in articular articular cartilage of rats with OA with cold-dampness obstruction， thus ultimately weakening local cartilage degeneration and improving joint function.

Repair Mechanism of Jianpi Huogu Prescription on Vascular Injury in Alcohol-induced Osteonecrosis of Femoral Head Based on VEGF/VEGFR2/PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

MethodIn the experiment， 46% vol Red Star Erguotou （10 mL·kg·d-1） was used to establish the AONFH rat model， and the intervention effect of JPHGP at different doses （2.5， 5.0， 10.0 g·kg-1） was observed. Jiangusheng pill （JGS， 1.53 g·kg-1） was selected as the positive control. After 8 weeks of administration， the bone histomorphometry of the femoral head was analyzed by Micro-CT imaging， and the area of medullary microvessels in the femoral head was detected by ink perfusion. The pathological change was observed by hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining. The protein expressions of Platelet endothelial cell adhesion molecule-1 （CD31）， VEGF， VEGFR2， PI3K， phosphor-Akt （p-Akt） and phosphatase and Tensin homologue deleted on chromosome 10 （PTEN） in the femoral head were determined by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. ResultCompared with normal group， the model group presented the fracture and thinning of trabeculae in the femoral head， increased empty bone lacunae， and elevated number and diameter of adipocytes （P<0.01）. Micro-CT imaging revealed a decrease in bone mineral density （BMD）， bone volume fraction （BV/TV）， trabecular thickness （Tb.Th） and trabecular number （Tb.N） （P<0.05， P<0.01） while an increase in bone surface-to-volume ratio （BS/BV） and trabecular separation （Tb.Sp） （P<0.01）. The results of ink perfusion showed that the area of medullary microvessels in the femoral head was reduced （P<0.01）. Compared with model group， JPHGP lowered the empty bone lacunae rate as well as the number and diameter of adipocytes in the femoral head of AONFH rats. Micro-CT imaging indicated that JPHGP low-dose group had elevated BV/TV， Tb.Th and Tb.N （P<0.05， P<0.01） while decreased BS/BV （P<0.01）， and there was an upward trend in BMD while a downward trend in Tb.Sp， but without statistical difference. In addition， JPHGP medium- and high-dose groups had a rise in BMD， BV/TV， Tb.Th and Tb.N （P<0.05， P<0.01）， a decrease in BS/BV and Tb.Sp （P<0.05， P<0.01） and enlarged area of medullary microvessels in the femoral head （P<0.05， P<0.01）. The expressions of CD31， VEGF， VEGFR2， PI3K， p-Akt in the model group were lower than those in the normal group （P<0.01）， and after medium and high doses of JPHGP treatment， the expressions of CD31， PI3K and p-Akt in the femoral head of rats were up-regulated （P<0.01） while the protein expression of PTEN was down-regulated （P<0.01）. Moreover， JPHGP up-regulated the expressions of VEGF and VEGFR2 （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionJPHGP can repair the vascular injury in AONFH， and its mechanism may be related to the activation of VEGF/VEGFR2/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. This study provides certain scientific basis and reference for the clinical application of JPHGP. ObjecctiveTo observe the repair effect of Jianpi Huogu prescription （JPHGP） on vascular injury in experimental alcohol-induced osteonecrosis of femoral head （AONFH）， and to explore its mechanism based on vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF）/VEGFR2/phosphoinositide 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt） signaling pathway.

Exploration on "Efficacy-toxicity" Association Mechanisms of Tripterygium wilfordii Polyglycoside Tablets Against Rheumatoid Arthritis Based on Multi-omics Integrated Regulatory Network / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo explore the "efficacy-toxicity" association mechanisms of Tripterygium wilfordii polyglycoside tablets （TWPT） by establishing and analyzing an interaction network associated with the clinical efficacy of TWPT in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis （RA） and TWPT-induced liver injury. MethodOn the basis of the TWPT efficacy-related gene expression profile and TWPT-induced liver injury-related protein expression profile which were both obtained from our clinical cohorts， the "efficacy-toxicity" association network of TWPT was constructed， and the key network targets were identified by calculating the topological values of the nodes， including the degree， closeness and betweenness. After that， the biological functions and pathways of the key network targets were investigated by enrichment analysis. ResultA total of 119 differentially expressed genes （58 up-regulated and 61 down-regulated） between RA patients with TWPT well and weak response were identified as TWPT efficacy-related genes by clinical transcriptomics， and 49 differentially expressed proteins （36 up-regulated and 13 down-regulated） were demonstrated to be TWPT-induced liver injury-related proteins by clinical proteomics. In addition， the clinical symptom enrichment analysis indicated that the TWPT efficacy-related genes were significantly associated with various clinical symptoms of arthralgia in traditional Chinese medicine and clinical phenotypes of modern medicine， and most of the TWPT-induced liver injury-related proteins were involved in digestive system abnormalities. Therefore， the aforementioned multi-omics data represented the main clinical symptoms of TWPT treating RA and inducing liver injury. Mechanically， the "efficacy-toxicity" association network revealed that both TWPT efficacy-related genes and TWPT-induced liver injury-related core proteins were involved in the "immune-inflammatory" imbalance， especially playing an important role in neutrophil degranulation， complement cascade reaction， and immune-inflammatory response mediated by protein post-translational modification. Notably， the above genes and proteins were also enriched in various signaling pathways related to cell proliferation and cell cycle regulation， such as RAS and mitogen-activated protein kinase （MAPK） signaling pathway， and in several liver functional processes， such as glycogen metabolism and redox reaction. ConclusionThis study systematically explained the "efficacy-toxicity" association characteristics and molecular mechanisms of TWPT by applying a research strategy integrating clinical phenomics， transcriptomics and proteomics， laying a good data foundation for exploring the "efficacy enhancing and toxicity-reducing" mechanisms of TWPT.

Mechanism of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Alleviating Tripterygium wilfordii Polyglycoside Tablets-induced Liver Injury / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the protective effect of cytochrome P4502D6 （CYP2D6） and cytochrome P4503A4 （CYP3A4）， key enzymes of drug metabolism in liver， on acute liver injury in water extract of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma （WEOGRR）. MethodHealthy male Kunming mice were divided into normal group， model group， WEOGRR low-， medium- and high-dose groups （5， 10， 15 g·kg-1·d-1） and positive drug group （diammonium glycyrrhizinate， 75 mg·kg-1·d-1）， with 10 in each group. One week after preventive administration， acute liver injury model was induced by single intragastric administration of 270 mg·kg-1 Tripterygium Glycosides tablets， and samples were collected after 18 h. The pathological changes of liver were observed by hematoxylin-eosin （HE） staining. Serum liver function indexes including alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， γ-glutamyl transpeptadase （γ-GT）， alkaline phosphatase （ALP）， and total bilirubin （TBIL） as well as the levels of oxidative stress indexes including malondialdehyde （MDA） and superoxide dismutase （SOD） in hepatocytes were determined by biochemical method. Real-time polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR） and Western blot were performed to detect the mRNA and protein expression levels of CYP2D6 and CYP3A4， respectively. ResultCompared with normal group， model group had significant hepatocyte swelling and inflammatory cell infiltration （P<0.01）， increased AST， ALT， γ-GT， ALP and TBIL （P<0.05）， elevated MDA and decreased SOD （P<0.01） as well as down-regulated mRNA and protein expression levels of CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the normal group had intact liver structure without obvious abnormality， and the WEOGRR groups and positive drug group presented alleviated hepatocyte swelling and inflammatory cell infiltration （P<0.01）， reduced AST， ALT， γ-GT， ALP and TBIL （P<0.01）， lowered MDA and increased SOD （P<0.01） as well as up-regulated expression levels of CYP2D6 and CYP3A4 （P<0.01）. ConclusionThe protective effect of WEOGRR on acute liver injury induced by Tripterygium glycosides tablets may be related to reducing the contents of AST， ALT， γ-GT， ALP and TBIL in serum， inhibiting MDA and increasing the activity of SOD in liver cells， and enhancing the activities of CYP2D6 and CYP3A4， thus accelerating the metabolism of toxic substances.

Effect and Mechanism of Cuscutae Semen Total Flavonoids Combined with Tripterygium wilfordii Polyglycoside Tablets on Ovarian Germline Stem Cells of Physiological Mice by Notch Signaling Pathway / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the effect of Cuscutae Semen total flavonoids combined with Tripterygium wilfordii polyglycoside tablets （TWPT） on ovarian germline stem cells of female physiological mice through neurogenic locus notch homolog （Notch） signaling pathway. MethodSixty female Kunming mice （5 weeks old） were randomly divided into normal group， Tripterygium wilfordii polyglycoside tablets low-， high-dose groups （13.65 mg·kg-1·d-1 and 27.3 mg·kg-1·d-1， 1 and 2 times clinical equivalent dose）， Cuscutae Semen total flavonoids low- and high-dose groups （150 mg·kg-1·d-1 and 300 mg·kg-1·d-1）， and combination group （13.65 mg·kg-1·d-1 TWPT and 150 mg·kg-1·d-1 Cuscutae Semen total flavonoids）， with 10 in each group. After 3 weeks of continuous administration， the uterus/brain and ovarian/brain indexes were calculated， and the pathological changes of ovarian tissue were observed under light microscope. The content of estradiol in serum was determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. Immunofluorescence assay was performed to observe the expressions of germline stem cell markers in ovarian epithelium， including mouse vasa homologue （Mvh）， octamer-binding transcription factor 4 （Oct4）， tyrosine-protein kinase receptor （c-kit）， Nanog， Notch signaling pathway molecules， neurogenic locus notch homolog protein 1 （Notch1）， hes family BHLH transcription factor 1（Hes1）， and jagged canonical Notch ligand 1 （JAG1）. ResultCompared with the normal group， low and high doses of TWPT had no significant effect on the uterus/brain and ovary/brain indexes and the uterus and ovary morphologies of mice， while only the number of atretic follicles was increased （P<0.01）. The expressions of ovarian germline stem cell markers and Notch signaling pathway molecules had a decreasing trend in TWPT low-dose group， while the expressions of Mvh， c-kit， and Nanog were down-regulated （P<0.05， P<0.01） and the expressions of Notch1 and Hes1 were also reduced （P<0.01） in TWPT high-dose group. However， the above indexes were increased in Cuscutae Semen total flavonoids low-dose group （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Compared with the low does of TWPT group， the combination group had a decrease in the increased number of atretic follicles （P<0.01）， an improvement in the down-regulated expressions of Mvh and Nanog （P<0.01）， and an increase in the expressions of Notch1 and Hes1 （P<0.05， P<0.01）. ConclusionOvarian germline stem cells are the source target of the reproductive toxicity of TWPT. Cuscutae Semen total flavonoids participate in the regulation of the germline stem cell pathways to alleviate the reproductive toxicity caused by TWPT， and its mechanism of action may be related to the Notch signaling pathway.

Systematic Review on Safety of Chinese Medicines Combined with Tripterygium wilfordii Preparations in Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Exploration on Underlying Network Regulatory Mechanisms of Enhancing Efficacy and Reducing Toxicity / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo systematically evaluate the safety of Chinese medicines combined with Tripterygium wilfordii polyglycoside tablets/Tripterygium wilfordii tablets （TWPT/TWT） in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis （RA）， and to explore the network regulatory mechanisms of enhancing efficacy and reducing toxicity of commonly used combination regimes. MethodThe literature involving the adverse reactions of TWPT/TWT in treating RA was searched and collected from three Chinese databases （CNKI， Wanfang Data， VIP） and three English databases （PubMed， Cochrane Library， Embase） from the inception of the databases to July 2021. All studies were assessed by the Cochrane risk of bias tool， and the data were extracted and analyzed by Stata 15.0. Furthermore， Integrative Pharmacology-based Research Platform of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2.0 （TCMIP v2.0，http：//www.tcmip.cn/） was used to construct a "drug target-symptom gene of efficacy and toxicity" interaction network， to explore the underlying network regulatory mechanisms of enhancing efficacy and reducing toxicity of common T. wilfordii preparation combinations. ResultA total of 2 132 articles on Chinese medicines combined with TWPT/TWT in the treatment of RA were retrieved， and 18 of them were finally included. The systematic review showed that the adverse reactions of TWPT/TWT against RA mainly occurred in the digestive system， blood system， and reproductive system， of which digestive system had the highest incidence of damages. However， the combination with Chinese medicines effectively alleviated the adverse reactions caused by TWPT/TWT ［RR （95% CI）=0.45 （0.30， 0.66）， P<0.01］. In addition， the subgroup analysis indicated that the age of RA patients， course of disease， combination regimen， medication dosage and duration of treatment all affected the occurrence of adverse reactions of TWPT/TWT. It was found in clinical studies that total glucosides of paeony （TGP） and TWPT/TWT was most widely combined， and the effect of TGP in reducing TWPT/TWT-induced hepatotoxicity was also more significant than that of other Chinese medicines. Moreover， taking this combination regime as an example， this paper explored the "efficacy-toxicity" association mechanisms of TGP-TWPT/TWT against RA. The "drug target-symptom gene of efficacy and toxicity" interaction network revealed that the core network targets of TGP-TWPT/TWT enhanced efficacy and reduced toxicity mainly through regulating immunity-inflammation-related pathways， metabolic pathways and cell signal transduction. Especially， interleukin-4 （IL-4） and interleukin-13 （IL-13）， which were involved in the "immunity-inflammation" module， were the common targets of TGP-TWPT/TWT to enhance efficacy and reduce toxicity. The endogenous sterols， bile acids and bile salts， insulin secretion and other metabolic pathways in the "body metabolism" module were closely associated with the mechanisms of TWPT/TWT inducing hepatotoxicity and TGP reducing hepatotoxicity. While cell function regulation pathways， such as stem cell factor （SCF）/tyrosine kinase receptor （KIT） signaling pathway and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt）signaling pathway were involved in both anti-RA effects and hepatotoxicity of TWPT/TWT. ConclusionClinical application of suitable Chinese medicines combined with TWPT/TWT in the treatment of RA can effectively improve the rheumatism and reduce the adverse reactions of TWPT/TWT， and TGP-TWPT/TWT has the most significant toxicity-reducing effect. Further biological network-based investigation indicates that the toxicity-reducing mechanism of TGP-TWPT/TWT may be related to the regulation of interleukin signaling pathway and bile acid metabolism pathway， and the synergistic efficacy-enhancing effect of the combination may be achieved by acting on interleukin signaling pathway and cell function regulation pathway.

Incidence and risk factors of acute kidney injury in patients undergoing neurosurgery / 中华肾脏病杂志

Objective:To analyze the incidence and risk factors of acute kidney injury (AKI) in patients undergoing neurosurgery.Methods:This study was a single center and retrospective research. The patients hospitalized in the general neurosurgery ward of Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, due to intracranial tumors and intracranial vascular diseases from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2020 were enrolled. Demographic, clinical data and laboratory examination results of the selected patients were collected. The patients were divided into AKI group and non-AKI group according to AKI diagnosis criteria, and the differences of clinical parameters and medication between the two groups were compared. Logistic regression analysis method was used to analyze the risk factors of AKI in neurosurgical patients.Results:Among 4 509 patients undergoing neurosurgery with age of (51.93±16.03) years old, 2 361 males and 2 148 females, 152 patients (3.37%) had AKI. The incidence of AKI in patients undergoing intracranial tumor surgery was 3.69% (84/2 278), and the incidence of AKI in patients undergoing intracranial cerebrovascular surgery was 3.05%(68/2 231). The length of hospital stay ( t=4.897, P<0.001) and operation time ( t=5.496, P<0.001) in AKI group were significantly longer than those in non-AKI group. The proportions of diabetes mellitus, preoperative serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, glycosylated hemoglobin, lactic acid, fibrinogen, and systolic pressure levels in AKI group were significantly higher than those in non-AKI group (all P<0.05); the hemoglobin level in AKI group was significantly lower than that in non-AKI group ( P<0.05). The proportions of patients using angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors/angiotensin Ⅱ receptor antagonists, cephalosporins, proton pump inhibitors, mannitol, and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in AKI group were also significantly higher than those in non-AKI group (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis results showed that hemoglobin<110 g/L ( OR=4.252, 95% CI 1.569-11.527, P=0.004), elevated blood urea nitrogen ( OR=1.304, 95% CI 1.139-1.492, P<0.001) and application of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs ( OR=2.342, 95% CI 1.044-5.253, P=0.039) were independent risk factors of AKI in neurosurgical patients. Conclusions:The incidence of AKI in patients in neurosurgery general ward is 3.37%. Anemia, elevated blood urea nitrogen and application of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are independent risk factors of AKI in patients undergoing neurosurgery.

Influencing factors and prognostic value of cardiac valve calcification in non-dialysis patients with chronic kidney disease / 中华肾脏病杂志

Objective:To explore the incidence, influencing factors and prognostic value of cardiac valve calcification (CVC) in chronic kidney disease (CKD) non-dialysis patients.Methods:The non-dialysis patients with CKD stage 1-5 who were hospitalized and underwent echocardiography in the Department of Nephrology, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2019 were retrospectively admitted. The patients were divided into CVC group and non-CVC group, and the clinical data were compared between the two groups. The deadline for follow-up was November 1, 2021, and the follow-up end point event was all-cause mortality. Logistic regression model was used to analyze the risk factors of CVC in patients with CKD, and Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to analyze the risk factors of all-cause mortality in patients with CKD.Results:A total of 563 patients with CKD were enrolled in the study, with age of (59.49±13.97) years old, and 352 males (62.52%). There were 325 patients (57.73%) with CKD stage 1-3 and 238 patients (42.27%) with CKD stage 4-5. The incidence of CVC in CKD stage 1-5 patients was 32.32%(182/563). Aortic valve calcification occurred in 30.73%(173/563), mitral valve calcification occurred in 9.77% (55/563), double valve (mitral and aortic valve) calcification occurred in 8.35% (47/563), and tricuspid valve calcification occurred in 0.18%(1/563). Age (t=12.223, P<0.001) and the proportions of CKD stage 4-5 ( χ 2=10.854, P=0.001), hypertension ( χ 2=7.811, P=0.005), diabetes ( χ 2=8.424, P=0.004), hyperlipidemia ( χ 2=9.331, P=0.002), and taking statins ( χ 2=4.868, P=0.027) in CVC group were significantly higher than those in non-CVC group. Total cholesterol (t=2.243, P=0.025), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (t=2.025, P=0.043), platelet count (t=2.230, P=0.026) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (t=8.630, P<0.001) in CVC group were lower than those in the non-CVC group. Logistic regression analysis results showed that age≥60 years old (≥60 years old/<60 years old, OR=7.412, 95% CI 4.514-12.170, P<0.001), CKD stage 4-5 (stage 4-5/stage 1-3, OR=2.791, 95% CI 1.730-4.505, P<0.001) and hyperlipidemia ( OR=5.241, 95% CI 3.283-8.367, P<0.001) were the independent influencing factors of CVC in patients with CKD. Five hundred and sixty-three patients were followed up for an average of 26 months, including 68 cases (12.08%) of death, 436 cases (77.44%) of survival and 59 cases (10.48%) of loss to follow-up. Multivariate Cox regression analysis results showed that age≥60 years old (≥60 years old/<60 years old, HR=2.157, 95% CI 1.127-4.127, P=0.020), serum albumin<30 g/L (<30 g/L/≥30 g/L, HR=1.923, 95% CI 1.037-3.568, P=0.038) and double valve calcification (double valve calcification/no valve calcification, HR=2.516, 95% CI 1.279-4.950, P=0.008) were the independent influencing factors of all-cause death in patients with CKD. Conclusions:CVC accounts for 32.32% in non-dialysis patients with CKD stage 1-5. Older age, worse renal function and hyperlipidemia are the independent risk factors of CVC in CKD patients. Older age, hypoproteinemia and double valve calcification are the independent risk factors of all-cause death in patients with CKD.

Investigation on therapeutic potential and molecular mechanisms of Kunxian capsule against diabetic kidney disease via reversing the imbalance of "immune-inflammation" network / 药学学报

Drug repositioning provides new clinical indications for existing drugs. The imbalance between body's "immune-inflammation" regulation is one of the important factors in the occurrence and development of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Chinese patent medicine Kunxian capsule is clinically used for treating rheumatoid arthritis with satisfying immune-modulatory and anti-inflammatory actions. Notably, accumulating clinical evidence based on small cohorts had shown that Kunxian capsule may be used to treat DN. But the underlying pharmacological mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore, this study integrated "drug target-disease gene-biological pathway-function module" multi-level associated network analysis, and in vivo and in vitro experiments, to verify the pharmacological effects of Kunxian capsules in DN and to elucidate its molecular mechanisms. The experimental protocol was reviewed by the Laboratory Animal Welfare and Ethics Committee of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, and it complies with the relevant regulations on laboratory animal welfare and ethics. As a result, the network analysis showed that the candidate targets of Kunxian capsule against DN were significantly involved into various functional modules which were related to modulation of immune-inflammation system, basement membrane lesion, abnormal hemorheology, energy metabolism and hormone metabolism, and the number of targets enriched by PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathway is the largest. In addition, both in vivo and in vitro experiments demonstrated that Kunxian capsule by gavage effectively reduced blood glucose, improved insulin resistance, reduced blood lipid, inhibited renal extracellular matrix protein production and renal inflammation, improved renal function and pathological damages, and inhibited the activity of PI3K/AKT/NF-κB/TNF-α/IL-1β pathway in diabetic nephropathy rats. Collectively, these findings suggest the therapeutic potentials of Kunxian capsule to alleviate DN by regulating the imbalance of immune-inflammation system.

Establishment of A Mouse Model of Obesity and Depression Comorbidity and Its Application in Pharmacological Study of Tripterine / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo establish a neuroinflammation-based obesity and depression comorbidity （COM） model in mice and explore the pharmacodynamics and preliminary pharmacological mechanism of tripterine on COM mice. MethodC57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a normal group （Chow）， a diet-induced obesity group （DIO）， and a COM group. The mice in the COM group were fed on a high-fat diet and chronically stressed with moist litter for 12 weeks to establish the COM model. C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a Chow group， a COM group， and a tumor necrosis factor-α（TNF-α） knock-down group. In the TNF-α knock-down group， TNF-α shRNA adeno-associated virus was injected into the amygdala through brain stereotaxis， and the expression of TNF-α in the amygdala was down-regulated. C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a Chow group， a DIO group， a DIO + low-dose tripterine group （0.5 mg·kg-1）， a DIO + high-dose tripterine group （1.0 mg·kg-1）， a COM group， a COM + low-dose tripterine group （0.5 mg·kg-1）， and a COM + high-dose tripterine group （1.0 mg·kg-1）. The body weight， food intake， glucose tolerance， white/brown fat ratio， serum total cholesterol （TC）， triglyceride （TG）， and high-/low-density lipoprotein cholesterol （HDL-C and LDL-C） content were recorded， and obesity of mice in each group was evaluated. Forced swimming test （FST）， tail suspension test （TST）， and open field test were used to evaluate the degree of depression of mice in each group. Immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the protein expression levels of neuropeptide Y， tryptophan hydroxylase 2 （TPH2）， and brain-derived neurotrophic factor （BDNF） in various brain nuclei of mice. Correlation analysis was used to detect the correlation of obesity and depression indexes. ResultThe comparison of the Chow group and the DIO group indicated that COM mice showed obesity and depression. To be specific， obesity was manifested as increased body weight and food intake （P<0.05， P<0.01）， as well as increased NPY expression in the central amygdala， and depression was manifested as prolonged immobility time in FST and TST （P<0.01）， and reduced TPH2-positive 5-hydroxytryptamine neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus （DRN） and basolateral nucleus of the amygdala （BLA）. The down-regulation of TNF-α protein in BLA of COM mice shortened the immobility time in FST and TST （P<0.05， P<0.01）， increased TPH2/BDNF-positive neurons in BLA， and showed no significant changes in obesity. In DIO mice， the administration of 0.5 mg·kg-1 tripterine for 9 days significantly decreased the 60 min blood glucose in glucose tolerance （P<0.01） and food intake （P<0.05）. In COM mice， 1.0 mg·kg-1 tripterine was administered for 14 days to significantly decrease 30 min blood glucose in glucose tolerance （P<0.01）， and food intake （P<0.05）， and immobility time in TST （P<0.01）， increase TPH2-BDNF double-labeled cells in BLA and DRN， and reduce the area of TMEM119-stained cells. ConclusionThe model of obesity and depression comorbidity can be properly induced in mice under the condition of dual stress of energy environment. Tripterine can effectively interfere with obesity-depression comorbidity， and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of central nervous system inflammation.

Intervention Effect of Ruyi Zhenbao Pills on Mice with Central Pain After Thalamic Stroke / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo observe the intervention effect of Ruyi Zhenbao pills （RYZBP） on central pain after thalamic stroke in mice and explore the underlying mechanism. MethodThe central post-stroke pain syndrome （CPSP） model was induced by stereotactic injection of type Ⅳ collagenase into the hypothalamus in mice. The mice were divided into a sham group， a model group， low-， medium-， and high-dose RYZBP groups （0.65， 1.3， 2.6 g·kg-1）， and a pregabalin group （0.075 g·kg-1）. Seven days after modeling， the mice in the groups with drug intervention were administered with corresponding drugs by gavage according to the body mass， once per day for 25 days， while those in the sham group and the model group received an equal volume of normal saline. During this period， mechanical pain and cold pain were detected at different time points， and the apoptotic state of brain tissue cells was detected by in situ terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end-labeling （TUNEL）. The 36 classical broad-spectrum inflammatory factors were quantitatively analyzed by liquid-phase chip technology， and differential molecules were screened out and verified by Western blot and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. ResultCompared with sham operation group, mechanical pain threshold and cold sensitive pain threshold in model group were significantly changed （P<0.01）. TUNEL results showed that apoptosis of brain cells was obvious. Western blot and ELISA results showed that the expressions of interleukin-1α (IL-1α) and chemokine ligand 5 (CCL5) increased in hypothalamus tissue and serum， while the expressions of Ang-2, granulocyte-colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and IL-4 decreased significantly （P<0.01）. Compared with model group， RYZBW dose groups significantly increased mechanical pain threshold， decreased cold sensitivity pain threshold， decreased hypothalamus cell apoptosis ratio （P<0.01）， decreased the expression of IL-1α and CCL5 in hypothalamus tissue and serum， while the expression of ANG-2， G-CSF and IL-4 were significantly increased （P<0.05）. ConclusionRYZBP can relieve hyperalgesia in CPSP mice， and its mechanism is related to the regulation of the expression of pro-/anti-inflammatory factors IL-1α， CCL5， IL-4， G-CSF， and Ang-2.

Therapeutic Mechanism of Huangqi Guizhi Wuwutang on Rheumatoid Arthritis / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo reveal the mechanism of action of Huangqi Guizhi Wuwutang in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis by pharmacological research based on its clinical application. MethodThe collagen-induced arthritis （CIA） rat model was established by injecting bovine type Ⅱ collagen and Freund's adjuvant at the tail， and was treated with different concentrations of Huangqi Guizhi Wuwutang. The rats were randomly divided into blank group， model group， methotrexate （0.9 mg·kg-1） group， and Huangqi Guizhi Wuwutang low- and high-dose （5.13， 20.52 g·kg-1·d-1） groups， with continuous intragastric administration for 4 weeks. The degree of joint swelling， weight， degree of foot swelling and arthritis index score were determined and the pathological changes of ankle joints were detected by hematoxylin and eosin （HE） staining to observe the therapeutic effect of Huangqi Guizhi Wuwutang on rheumatoid arthritis. In addition， enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） and Western blot were used to measure the expression of interleukin 1β （IL-1β）， interleukin 6 （IL-6）， interleukin 10 （IL-10） and tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α） in serum and the expression of nuclear factor kappa-B （NF-κB） pathway related proteins in synovial tissue， respectively to clarify the molecular mechanism of Huangqi Guizhi Wuwutang in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. ResultCompared with the conditions in blank group， the body weight and IL-10 level were decreased （P<0.01）， and the degree of foot swelling and arthritis index score， the levels of IL-1β， IL-6 and TNF-α， and the expression of NF-κB pathway related proteins were increased （P<0.01，） in the model group， with impaired morphology and function of the ankle joint. Additionally， compared with the model group， Huangqi Guizhi Wuwutang low- and high-dose groups had increased body weight of rats and IL-10 level （P<0.01）， and reduced degree of foot swelling and arthritis index score （P<0.05， P<0.01）， levels of IL-1β， IL-6 and TNF-α （P<0.01） and expression of NF-κB pathway related proteins （P<0.05， P<0.01）， with improved function and morphology of the ankle joint. ConclusionHuangqi Guizhi Wuwutang can significantly alleviate joint inflammatory injury by down-regulating NF-κB pathway and reducing the inflammatory response in CIA rats.

Prenatal ultrasonographic manifestations and genetic analysis of eight fetuses with 16p11.2 microdeletions / 中华医学遗传学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the intrauterine phenotype and genotype of eight fetuses carrying a 16p11.2 microdeletion.@*METHODS@#5100 fetuses undergoing routine prenatal diagnosis were subjected to single nucleotide polymorphism-based microarray (SNP-array) analysis. Fetuses harboring a 16p11.2 microdeletion were analyzed for their ultrasonographic characteristics.@*RESULTS@#Eight fetuses were found to harbor a microdeletion in the 16p11.2 region. Among these, six had a typical 500-600 kb deletion, while the remaining two had an atypical 220 kb deletion at the distal part of 16p11.2. Four fetuses showed vertebral malformations, two had mild left ventriculomegaly, one had hydrocephalus, and one had pulmonary valve stenosis with regurgitation. The parents of five fetuses have accepted pedigree verification, and the results confirmed that the 16p11.2 microdeletions carried by fetuses all had a de novo origin.@*CONCLUSION@#The intrauterine phenotypes of fetuses carrying a 16p11.2 microdeletion may be variable, and the deletion can be effectively detected with the SNP-array assay.

Effect of Jianpi Huogu Formula on function damage of vascular endothelial cells induced by glucocorticoid / 中国中药杂志

This study aimed to observe the intervention effect of Jianpi Huogu Formula(JPHGF) on the functional damage of vascular endothelial cells caused by glucocorticoid, and explore its action mechanism from the PI3 K/Akt and mitogen activated protein kinase(MAPK) signaling pathways. The extracted thoracic aorta ring of normal SD rats were intervened first with vascularendothelial growth factor(VEGF, 20 μg·L-1) and/or sodium succinate(MPS, 0. 04 g·L-1) in vitro and then with JPHGF(8, 16, and 32 μg·L-1) for five mcontinuous ethylpdays, rednisolofollowed nebythe statistics of the number, length, and area of microvessels budding fromvascular rings. In addition, the human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs) induced by VEGF(20 μg·L-1) were added with MPS(0. 04 g·L-1) and then with JPHGF(8, 16, and 32 μg·L-1) for observing the migration, invasion, and luminal formation abilities of HUVECs in the migration, invasion and luminal formation experiments. The protein expression levels of PI3 K, p-Akt, p-JN K, and p-ERK in HUVECs were assayed by Western blot. The results showed that JPHGF dose-dependently improved the num-ber,length, and area of microvessels in MPS-induced rat thoracic aortic ring, reversed the migration, invasion and lumen formation abiliti es of HUVECs reduced by MPS, and up-regulated the protein expression levels of PI3 K, p-Akt, and p-JNK in HUVECs. All thesehave suggested that JPHGF exerts the protective effect against hormone-induced damage to the angiogenesis of vascular endothelial cells by activating the PI3 K/Akt and MAPK signaling pathways, which has provided reference for exploring the mechanism of JPHGF in treating s teroid-induced avascular necrosis of femoral head(SANFH) and also the experimental evidence for enriching the scientific connotationof spleen-invigorating and blood-activating therapy.

Biological connotation of four traditional Chinese medicine syndromes of rheumatoid arthritis based on "disease-syndrome-symptom" association network / 中国中药杂志

The present study explored the biological connotation of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) syndromes of rheumatoid arthritis(RA) from the "disease-syndrome-symptom" association network. RA patients with four TCM syndromes(dampness-heat obstruction, phlegm-stasis obstruction, Qi-blood deficiency, and liver and kidney deficiency), three for each type, were assigned as the RA TCM syndrome group, and three healthy volunteers as the normal control group. The differential gene sets of four syndromes were screened out through transcriptome expression profiling and bioinformatics mining. The relevant gene sets of syndrome-related clinical symptoms were collected from TCMIP v2.0(http://www.tcmip.cn/). The "disease-syndrome-symptom" association networks of four RA syndromes were established by using the intersection genes of syndrome-related differential genes and symptom-related genes, and the key network target genes of each syndrome were screened out and the corresponding biological functions were mined through topological feature calculation and enrichment analysis. The genes associated with clinical symptoms such as vasculitis, joint pain, and fever in the damp-heat obstruction syndrome ranked the top, and the key network target genes of this syndrome were most significantly enriched in the pathways related to material and energy metabolism and thermal reaction biological processes. The clinical symptom-related genes of the phlegm-stasis obstruction syndrome were most significantly enriched in the pathways related to "immunity-inflammation", nervous system regulation, and sensory response. The clinical symptoms such as hypoglycemia, hypotension, weight loss, palpitation, and arrhythmia in Qi-blood deficiency syndrome were predominant, and its key network target genes were most significantly enriched in the pathways related to the nervous system and "immunity-inflammation" response. The abnormal symptoms in the liver and kidney in the liver and kidney deficiency syndrome were commonly seen, and its key network target genes were most significantly enriched in the "immunity-inflammation" regulatory pathways, and liver and kidney development and metabolic response. In conclusion, the differences and connections of the biological basis between different TCM syndromes of RA are in line with the theoretical interpretation of TCM on the etiology and pathogenesis of RA. This study summarized the objective essence of syndromes to a certain extent from the "disease-syndrome-symptom" association network and is expected to provide a theoretical basis for the discovery of serum biomarkers of RA syndromes.

Establishment and application of quality evaluation method for Xiaochaihu Granules based on calibrator samples / 中国中药杂志

With reference to the production process documented in Chinese Pharmacopoeia, this paper prepared the calibrator samples of Xiaochaihu Granules from multiple batches and established a method for fingerprint analysis and content determination that could be used to evaluate Xiaochaihu Granules available in market. Multiple batches of Chinese herbal pieces contained in Xiaochaihu Granules were collected for preparing the calibrator samples according to the process in Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Following the establishment of fingerprints for calibrator samples by UHPLC, the method for determining the contents of saikosaponin B2, saikosaponin B1, baicalin, wogonoside, baicalein, liquiritin, glycyrrhizin G2 and glycyrrhizic acid in Xiaochaihu Granules was established. The experimental results showed that the fingerprints of calibrator samples had 26 common peaks, covering the chemical compounds of main herbs Bupleuri Radix, Scutellariae Radix, Changii Radix, Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, and Rhizoma Zingiberis Recens. The similarity of fingerprints for 47 batches of Xiaochaihu Granules from 31 companies with the calibrator sample fingerprint ranged from 0.74 to 0.99, indicating good applicability of the established fingerprint. The contents of main components baicalin, saikosaponin B2, and glycyrrhizic acid in Xiaochaihu Granules were within the ranges of 22.917-49.108 mg per bag(RSD 19%), 0.28-2.19 mg per bag(RSD 62%), and 0.897-6.541 mg per bag(RSD 41%), respectively. The quality difference in saikosaponin B2, and glycyrrhizic acid among different manufacturers was significant. The fingerprint analysis and content determination method for calibrator samples of Xiaochaihu Granules prepared according to the production process in Chinese Pharmacopoeia has been proved suitable for evaluating the quality of Xiaochaihu Granules from different manufacturers. Saikosaponin B2, glycyrrhizic acid, and liquiritin should be added as content control indicators for Xiaochaihu Granules, aiming to further improve the product quality.

Effectiveness of non-invasive prenatal screening for the detection of fetal sex chromosome anomalies / 中华医学遗传学杂志

OBJECTIVE@#To evaluate the efficacy of non-invasive prenatal screening (NIPS) for fetal sex chromosome anomalies.@*METHODS@#A retrospective analysis was carried out for 20 802 women undergoing NIPS screening. For 165 cases suspected for fetal sex chromosomal anomalies, the results of invasive prenatal diagnosis were obtained.@*RESULTS@#Among the 165 cases suspected for fetal sex chromosome anomalies, 129 have accepted invasive prenatal diagnosis, and 45 were confirmed, which yielded a positive predictive value of 34.88%. These included 16 cases of 47,XYY, 10 cases of 47,XXY, 6 cases of 45,X/46,XX, 5 cases of 47,XXX, 3 cases of 45,X, 1 case of 45,X/46,X,i(X)(q10), 1 case of 45,X/46,X,del(X)(q22), 1 case of 46,X,del(X)(q22), 1 case of 46,X,del(X)(p11) and 1 case of Xp22.31 1.2 Mb deletion.@*CONCLUSION@#NIPS has limited value for detecting fetal sex chromosome anomalies. Karyotyping analysis combined with other diagnostic techniques can offer effective prenatal diagnosis for suspected cases.

Research Progress of Role of Autophagy in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Traditional Chinese Medicine Intervention / 中国实验方剂学杂志

For rheumatoid arthritis， glucocorticoids or immunosuppressive agents are currently used in clinical treatment， but long-term use of these drugs has large side effect on humans， and immunosuppressive agents are expensive. To a certain extent， its wide application is limited. The treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with traditional Chinese medicine（TCM） has a long history and little toxic and side effect， but its specific mechanism of action needs further exploration. The process of autophagy is an active biological process in which cells themselves are stimulated by the outside world through intracellular signal transduction to maintain a stable internal environment. Its abnormality is involved in the occurrence of many diseases. At present， studies have shown that abnormal autophagy is closely related to the occurrence and development of rheumatoid arthritis， which can interfere with the pathological changes of RA pannus formation， synovial inflammation and bone destruction and affect the disease process. In recent years， many studies have found that traditional Chinese medicine and its active ingredients can affect the pathological development of rheumatoid arthritis by regulating autophagy. This article investigates the relevant literature on the intervention of rheumatoid arthritis by regulating autophagy through using TCM， with a view to providing new ideas for basic research， new drug development and clinical treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Experimental Study of Yuxuebi Tablets by Inhibiting Peripheral Inflammation to Relieve Hyperalgesia and Foot Swelling in Mice with Chronic Inflammatory Pain / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To observe the effect of Yuxuebi tablets on hyperalgesia and foot swelling in mice with chronic inflammatory pain， and to explore the preliminary mechanism of action. Method:A mouse model of chronic inflammatory pain was established with left plantar injection of complete Freund's adjuvant （CFA）. The mice were divided into model group， positive drug ibuprofen group （91 mg·kg^-1）， Yuxuebi tablets low， medium and high dose groups （55， 110， 220 mg·kg^-1），with the sham operation group as the control. After successful modeling， the daily dose was divided into two doses in the morning and evening by gavage to give Yuxuebi tablets or ibuprofen to the stomach for a total of 19 days. On the 18^th day after the administration， the thermal pain threshold was detected by the hot plate method. On the 19^th day， the standard Von Frey fiber needle was used to detect the mechanical pain threshold of the mice， and the degree of foot swelling was scored and photographed. The liquid-phase suspension chip technology was used to quantitatively analyze 36 classic broad-spectrum inflammation-related factors like inflammatory factors and receptors. Bioinformatics were used to screen core targets and perform enzymelinked immunosorbent assay （ELISA） detection. Result:Compared with the sham operation group， the mechanical pain threshold and foot swelling score of the model froup significantly increased （<italic>P</italic><0.01）， the latent time of heat sensitivity significantly decreased（<italic>P</italic><0.01）， the expressions of 30 inflammatory factors in the foot increased（<italic>P</italic><0.05）. Compared with the model group， the high dose of Yuxuebi tablets significantly reduced the mechanical pain threshold and foot swelling score of mice with chronic inflammatory pain（<italic>P</italic><0.01）， significantly increased the latent time of heat sensitivity（<italic>P</italic><0.05）， and reduced the expressions of 30 inflammatory factors in the foot（<italic>P</italic><0.05）， among which tumor necrosis factor-<italic>α</italic> （TNF-<italic>α</italic>）， interleukin-6 （IL-6）， interleukin-17A （IL-17A）， and C-C chemokine ligand 2 （CCL2） were the core targets screened out， and the expressions of TNF-<italic>α</italic>， IL-17A， and CCL2 significantly decreased （<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Conclusion:Yuxuebi tablets can relieve hyperalgesia and foot swelling in mice with chronic inflammatory pain， and its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of the expressions of peripheral inflammatory factors such as TNF-<italic>α</italic>， IL-17A， and CCL2 .

Protective Effect of Tongluo Shenggu Capsule on Function Damage of Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells Induced by Glucocorticoid / 中国实验方剂学杂志

Objective:To observe the effect of Tongluo Shenggu capsule （TLSGC） on glucocorticoid-induced vascular endothelial cell functional damage， and to preliminally explore the mechanism of action through MEK-ERK signaling pathway. Method:The blood vessel of aorta rings of normal SD rats were induced <italic>in vitro</italic> intervention with methylprednisolone sodium succinate （MPS， 0.04 g·L^-1） and/or vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF， 20 μg·L^-1）， and were treated with TLSGC（12.5， 25， 50 μg·L^-1） continuously for 5 days to observe the number， length and area of microvascular ring buds．In addition， human umbilical vein endothelial cells （HUVEC） induced by VEGF（20 μg·L^-1） were added into MPS（0.04 g·L^-1） and TLSGC （12.5， 25， 50 μg·L^-1） were added. Then， Transwell migration， Transwell invasion and lumen formation experiments were used to detect the migration， invasion and lumen formation ability of HUVEC， respectively. The content of nitric oxide（NO） in the cell supernatant was detected by nitrate reductase method， the content of endothelin 1（ET-1） in the cell supernatant was detected by dry powder method. Moreover， the protein contents of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 （VEGFR2）， extracellular signal-regulated kinase （ERK）， phospho-extracellular signal-regulated kinase （p-ERK）， mitogen extracellular kinase1（MEK） and phosphorylated mitogen extracellular kinase1（p-MEK） in the cells were determined by Western blot. Result:Compared with the normal group， MPS could significantly inhibit the number， length and area of VEGF-induced rat thoracic aortic ring microvessels， HUVEC cell migration， invasion and lumen formation ability. It could reduce NO content and increase ET-1 content. MPS could also significantly reduce the protein content of VEGF-induced VEGFR2， p-MEK and p-ERK in HUVEC（<italic>P</italic><0.05，<italic>P</italic><0.01）. Compared with the model group， TLSGC could dose-dependently increase the number， length and area of MPS-induced abnormally reduced rat thoracic aortic ring microvessels， promote MPS-induced abnormally decreased HUVEC cell migration， invasion and lumen formation ability. It could increase the protein contents of NO， VEGFR2， p-MEK and p-ERK in HUVEC， and reduce abnormally increased ET-1 content（<italic>P</italic><0.05<italic>，P</italic><0.01）. Conclusion:TLSGC has a protective effect on the damage of angiogenesis and secretion of vascular endothelial cells induced by glucocorticoid， and the mechanism may be related to the activation of MEK/ERK signaling pathway.