Efficacy comparison between olaparib and platinum-containing regimen for treatment of platinum-sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer patients with BRCA mutation / 肿瘤研究与临床

Objective:To explore the differences in tumor-specific growth factors, cellular immune function and efficacy of olaparib and platinum-containing regimen for treatment of platinum-sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer patients with BRCA mutation.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted. A total of 100 platinum-sensitive relapsed BRCA-mutant ovarian cancer patients in Baoding Second Central Hospital from September 2017 to March 2020 were retrospectively selected. The clinical data of the patients were analyzed, and they were divided into the olaparib group (treated with olaparib tablets) and the platinum-containing regimen group (treated with paclitaxel and platinum drugs for 6 cycles, followed by olaparib tablets maintenance therapy), with 50 patients in each group. The clinical efficacy, tumor specific growth factor [carbohydrate antigen (CA) 125, CA199, human epididymal protein 4 (HE4)] levels, cellular immune function-related indicators [T-cell subsets (proportions of CD3 + cells and CD4 + cells), CD4 + cells/CD8 + cells ratio (CD4 +/CD8 +)], and quality of life scores before treatment and after 2, 4 and 6 cycles of treatment of the two groups were compared, as well as the safety of the two groups. The data of three years of follow-up were obtained, Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze the progression-free survival (PFS) of patients in the two groups, and log-rank test was used for comparison between groups. Results:The age of patients in the olaparib and platinum-containing regimen groups was (53±7) years old and (56±7) years old, respectively. The differences in compositions of patients with different age, body mass index, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status score, primary tumor location, lesion size, pathological stage, pathological type, germline BRCA mutation, and previous chemotherapy response between the two groups were not statistically significant (all P > 0.05). The objective response rate (ORR) [58.0% (29/50) vs. 38.0% (19/50)] and disease control rate (DCR) [80.0% (40/50) vs. 56.0% (28/50)] of the olaparib group after treatment were higher than those of the platinum-containing regimen group, and the differences were statistically significant (both P < 0.05). Serum CA125, CA199 and HE4 levels were gradually decreased in both groups before treatment and after 2, 4 and 6 cycles of treatment (all P < 0.05); serum CA125, CA199 and HE4 levels in the olaparib group after 2, 4 and 6 cycles of treatment were lower than those in the platinum-containing regimen group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). The CD3 + cells ratio, CD4 + cell ratio and CD4 +/CD8 + in the olaparib group gradually increased before treatment and after 2, 4 and 6 cycles of treatment (all P < 0.05), while those in the platinum-containing regimen group all gradually decreased (all P < 0.05); the CD3 + cells ratio, CD4 + cells ratio and CD4 +/CD8 + in the olaparib group were higher than those in the platinum-containing regimen group after 2, 4 and 6 cycles of treatment, and the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). The quality of life scores of both groups increased before treatment and after 2, 4 and 6 cycles of treatment (all P < 0.05), and the quality of life scores of the olaparib group were higher than those of the platinum-containing regimen group after 2, 4 and 6 cycles of treatment, and the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). The incidence of nausea, fatigue and malaise, vomiting, anemia, and diarrhea at all levels in the olaparib group was lower than those in the platinum-containing regimen group (all P < 0.05). By follow-up for 3 years, there was no statistically significant difference in PFS between the olaparib group and the platinum-containing regimen group ( P > 0.05). Conclusions:The efficacy of olaparib treatment in platinum-sensitive relapsed ovarian cancer patients with BRCA mutation is superior to platinum-containing regimen, and it can increase the level of T cells, inhibit the expression of tumor-specific growth factors, improve the quality of life, and have a positive effect on improving the safety of treatment.

Pharmacoeconomic evaluation of trastuzumab biosimilars versus original drug in the treatment of recurrent/metastatic HER-2 positive breast cancer / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of trastuzumab biosimilars （Hanquyou） versus original drug （Hesaiting） in the treatment of recurrent/metastatic human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 （HER-2） positive breast cancer. METHODS A partitional survival model was constructed based on the NCT03084237 trial data. The simulation period was 3 weeks， and the simulation time was 10 years. Using costs and quality-adjusted life year （QALY） as the output indicator， the cost- utility analysis method was used to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of the two schemes mentioned above. Univariate and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were performed to verify the robustness of the basic analysis. RESULTS The costs of the trastuzumab biosimilars group and original drug group were 111 516.72 yuan and 111 122.30 yuan respectively， with health utility values of 1.52 QALYs and 1.36 QALYs， and ICER of 2 465.12 yuan/QALY， which were less than 3 times China’s per capita gross domestic product （GDP） in 2023 as the threshold for willingness-to-pay （WTP） （268 200 yuan/QALY）. Univariate sensitivity analysis showed that the cost of the trastuzumab biosimilars and original drug had a great impact on the ICER. The probabilistic sensitivity analysis showed that the probability of trastuzumab biosimilars being cost-effective was 100% at WTP threshold of 14 902 yuan/QALY. CONCLUSIONS When WTP threshold is 3 times China’s GDP in 2023 （268 200 yuan/QALY）， compared with original drug， trastuzumab biosimilars have good cost-effectiveness in the treatment of recurrent/metastatic HER-2 positive breast cancer.

Toremifene, an Alternative Adjuvant Endocrine Therapy, Is Better Than Tamoxifen in Breast Cancer Patients with CYP2D6*10 Mutant Genotypes / Journal of the Korean Cancer Association, 대한암학회지

Purpose@#Tamoxifen showed individual differences in efficacy under different CYP2D6*10 genotypes. Our study evaluated the prognosis of tamoxifen or toremifene in hormone receptor (HR)–positive breast cancer patients under different genotypes. @*Materials and Methods@#CYP2D6*10 genotypes of HR-positive breast cancer patients were determined by Sanger sequencing, and all the patients were divided into tamoxifen group or toremifene group. @*Results@#A total of 268 patients with HR-positive breast cancer were studied. The median follow-up time was 72.0 months (range, 5.0 to 88.0 months). Of these, 88 (32.9%), 114 (42.5%), and 66 (24.6%) patients had C/C, C/T, and T/T genotypes, respectively. Among patients who received tamoxifen (n=176), the 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) rate in patients with C/C and C/T genotype was better than that in patients with T/T genotype, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001 and p=0.030, respectively). In patients receiving toremifene, CYP2D6*10 genotype was not significantly associated with DFS (p=0.325). Regardless of genotypes, the 5-year DFS rate was higher in patients treated with toremifene than in patients with tamoxifen (91.3% vs. 80.0%, p=0.011). Compared with tamoxifen, toremifene remained an independent prognostic marker of DFS in multivariate analysis (hazard ratio, 0.422; p=0.021). For all the 180 patients with CYP2D6*10 C/T and T/T genotypes, the 5-year DFS rate was significantly higher in the toremifene group than in the tamoxifen group (90.8% vs. 70.1%, p=0.003). @*Conclusion@#Toremifene may be an alternative adjuvant endocrine therapy for patients with CYP2D6*10 mutant genotypes.

Effect of pre-pregnancy obesity on trimester-specific thyroid dysfunction / 上海预防医学

ObjectiveTo explore the risk of different levels of pre-pregnancy obesity on trimester-specific thyroid dysfunction. MethodsQuestionnaire information， blood samples， and urine samples from a 2017 pregnancy cohort study in Shanghai， China were collected. A total of 2 455 pregnant women were included in the analysis. Pre-pregnancy BMI was calculated based on the height and self-reported pre-pregnancy weight. Serum TSH， total thyroxine （TT4）， free thyroxine （FT4）， total triiodothyronine （TT3）， free triiodothyronine （FT3）， thyroid globulin antibody（TgAb）， and Thyroid peroxidase antibody （TPOAb） were measured using the electrochemiluminescence method. Urine iodine levels were measured using the acid digestion method. Levels of thyroid function indexes of pregnant women with different degrees of obesity during pre-pregnancy were compared， and trimester-specific thyroid dysfunction was evaluated according to the reference range of trimester-specific thyroid hormone established by this cohort. Multivariate logistic regressions analysis was used to assess the correlation between pre-pregnancy obesity and trimester-specific thyroid dysfunction. ResultsAs the degree of obesity increased， maternal levels of FT3 and TT3 gradually increased during pregnancy （P<0.001， P=0.001）， while FT4 levels gradually decreased （P=0.001）. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that compared with the normal weight group， pregnant women who were overweight or obesity before pregnancy had a significantly higher risk of hypothyroxinemia （OR=3.85， 95%CI： 2.08‒7.14， P<0.001） and high TT3 （OR=2.78， 95%CI： 1.45‒5.26， P=0.002） during pregnancy. ConclusionPre-pregnancy overweight or obesity can increase the risk of thyroid dysfunction during pregnancy.

A case-control study on gut microbiota diversity and species composition in obese/overweight children aged 2-6 years in Shanghai / 环境与职业医学

Background Multiple studies have shown a close relationship between changes in gut microbiota composition and obesity, and research results are influenced by factors such as race and geographical location, but there are few studies on children. Objective To analyze the diversity of gut microbiota related to obesity in a population of 2-6 years old, observe the distribution characteristics and species differences of gut microbiota between obese/overweight and normal weight groups, and explore the association betweenobese/overweight and gut microbiota diversity. Methods Fecal samples were collected from 74 children aged 2-6 years in Shanghai, including 18 obese/overweight individuals, 6 males and 12 females (male to female ratio of 1∶2), and 56 normal weight individuals, 18 males and 38 females (male to female ratio is nearly 1∶2). The 16S rDNA was extracted from bacteria in fecal samples, followed by PCR amplification, cDNA construction, and high-throughput sequencing. Naive Bayes algorithm was used to perform taxonomic analysis (phylum, class, order, family, genus, species) and community diversity analysis (Sobs index, Shannon index, Shannoneven index, Coverage index, PD index, and principal co-ordinates analysis) on representative sequences and abundance of amplicon sequence variants (ASV). Wilcoxon rank sum test, P-value multiple test correction, and analysis of similarities were used to test differences between the two groups to obtain information on the distribution characteristics and species differences of intestinal microbiota in children. Results Seventy-four fecal samples were sequenced, and the sequencing results were subjected to quality control and filtering. A total of 4905306 optimized sequences were obtained, resulting in 1860 ASVs. The diversity data analysis of ASVs generated 889 species annotation results at 8 taxonomic levels. The alpha diversity analysis showed that the richness (Sobs index), diversity (Shannon index), evenness (Shannoneven index), and phylogenetic diversity (PD index) of fecal community of the obese/overweight children were increased compared to those of the normal weight children, but there were no statistical differences between the two groups (P>0.05). The beta diversity analysis showed that there was little difference in the composition of microbial species between the two groups, and no significant clustering separation was observed. The results of species composition analysis at phylum, order, family, and genus levels of 74 samples showed a consistent core microbiota structure in the two groups of gut microbiota, but there were differences in microbiota composition. The differences in microbial community composition between the two groups were manifested at the taxonomic levels of order, family, and genus, among which phylum Firmicutes, order Erysipelotrichales, family Erysipelatocyclostridiaceae, genus Erysipelotrichaceae_ UCG-003 and genus Catenibacterium were significantly enriched in the obese/overweight group and contributed significantly to the phenotypic difference of obese/overweight [linear discriminant analysis (LDA)=3.72, P<0.01; LDA=3.29, P<0.05). Phylum Proteobacteria, order Enterobacterales, family Enterobacteriaceae, genus unclassified was significantly enriched in the normal weight group and contributed significantly to the phenotypic difference of normal body weight (LDA=3.93, P<0.05). Conclusion The richness and diversity of gut microbiota in obese/overweight children aged 2-6 years in Shanghai are increased, but there is no difference compared to normal weight children. There is a difference in the composition of gut microbiota between the obese/overweight group and the normal weight group.

A new strategy for evaluating antitumor activity in vitro with time-dimensional characteristics of RTCA technology / 中国药理学通报

Aim To analyze the anti-A549 and HI299 lung ade-nocarcinoma activities via using examples of baicalin, astragalo-side, hesperidin and cisplatin based on real time cellular analysis (RTCA) technology, and to build a new strategy for EC50 e-valuation reflecting the time-dimensional characteristic. Methods Using RTCA Software Pro for data analysis and GraphPad Prism and Origin Pro plotting, the in vitro anti-A549 and H1299 lung adenocarcinoma activities of baicalin, astragaloside, hesperidin, and cisplatin were characterized using the endpoint method and time dimension, respectively. Results (X) There were significant differences in EC50 values of A549 and H1299 cells at 24 h and 48 h endpoint methods. (2) The correlation coefficient of the curve fitted with the four-parameter equation was > 0. 9, and the dynamic change of EC50 remained relatively stable (the linear fitting of EC50 at adjacent 4 points I slope 1

RAS-selective lethal small molecule 3 inhibits the fibrosis of pathological scar fibroblasts / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND:Abnormal extracellular matrix accumulation and excessive proliferation of fibroblasts are the main manifestations of pathological scars.Excessive proliferation of fibroblasts leads to the production of large amounts of collagen-based extracellular matrix.Therefore,to investigate the role of fibroblast fibrosis in the formation of pathological scar will provide a new idea for revealing the mechanism of pathological scar and biological therapy. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of RAS-selective lethal small molecule 3(RSL3)on the fibrosis of human pathological scar fibroblasts. METHODS:Then cases of pathological scar tissue and normal skin tissue samples from the same individuals,provided by the Department of Burn Plastic Surgery,General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University,were collected.Fibroblasts of human pathological scar and human normal skin were extracted and used in the following experiments.The general condition of the pathological scar tissue and the normal skin tissue was detected by hematoxylin-eosin staining.The appearance of fibroblasts from pathological scar and normal skin were observed by inverted microscope.The fibroblasts were verified by immunofluorescence assay.The cells were treated with different concentrations of RSL3(1,3,5,7,9,11,13 μmol/L).The inhibitory concentration of RSL3 on fibroblasts was detected by cell counting kit-8.Control group(without treatment)and RSL3 intervention group(treated with 7 μmol/L RSL3 for 24 hours)were set up.The mRNA and protein expressions of glutathione peroxidase 4,type Ⅰ collagen,type Ⅲ collagen and α-smooth muscle actin were detected by Qrt-PCR and western blot,respectively.Level of malondialdehyde in cells was detected.The residual scratch area was measured by cell scratch test after 24 hours to calculate the percentage of residual scratch area. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The expression of glutathione peroxidase 4 in the pathological scar group was higher than that in the normal skin group(Mrna:t=3.252,P<0.01;protein:t=5.075,P<0.01).The expression of glutathione peroxidase 4 in the pathological scar fibroblast group was higher than that in the normal skin fibroblast group(Mrna:t=10.32,P<0.01;protein:t=26.22,P<0.01).Compared with the control group,the expression of glutathione peroxidase 4 was decreased(Mrna:t=2.798,P<0.05;protein:t=4.643,P<0.01),the content of malondialdehyde was increased(t=2.917,P<0.05),the expression of type Ⅰ collagen(Mrna:t=15.84,P<0.01;protein:t=4.610,P<0.01),type Ⅲ collagen(Mrna:t=28.86,P<0.01;protein:t=7.713,P<0.01)and α-smooth muscle actin(Mrna:t=2.671,P<0.05;protein:t=7.417,P<0.01)were decreased in the RSL3 intervention group.Compared with the control group,the migration ability was weakened in the RSL3 intervention group(t=14.06,P<0.01).To conclude,RSL3 can inhibit the expression of glutathione peroxidase 4 and then inhibit the ability of fibrosis and migration of pathological scar fibroblasts.

The pathogenesis of diabetes retinopathy:progress in miRNAs / 眼科新进展

Diabetic retinopathy,a main microvascular complication of diabetes,remains the leading cause of blindness in the working-age population,but its specific pathogenesis has not been fully elucidated.microRNAs(miRNAs)are small non-coding RNAs,acting as post-transcriptional regulators of gene expression.Its aberrant expression plays a key role in modulating pathological processes associated to many diseases.Studies confirmed the role of miRNAs in the regulation of oxidative stress,inflammation,cell death and angiogenesis which influences the development of DR.This review focuses on the role of miRNAs in DR,which may provide a reference basis for diagnosis,prognosis and therapeutics.

PDCD6 Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Proliferation and Metastasis through the AKT/GSK3β/β-catenin Pathway / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

OBJECTIVE@#Programmed cell death 6 (PDCD6), a Ca 2+-binding protein, has been reported to be aberrantly expressed in all kinds of tumors. The aim of this study was to explore the role and mechanism of PDCD6 in hepatocellular carcinomas (HCCs).@*METHODS@#The expression levels of PDCD6 in liver cancer patients and HCC cell lines were analyzed using bioinformatics and Western blotting. Cell viability and metastasis were determined by methylthiazol tetrazolium (MTT) and transwell assays, respectively. And Western blotting was used to test related biomarkers and molecular pathway factors in HCC cell lines. LY294002, a PI3K inhibitor inhibiting AKT, was used to suppress the AKT/GSK3β/β-catenin pathway to help evaluate the role of this pathway in the HCC carcinogenesis associated with PDCD6.@*RESULTS@#The analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas Database suggested that high PDCD6 expression levels were relevant to liver cancer progression. This was consistent with our finding of higher levels of PDCD6 expression in HCC cell lines than in normal hepatocyte cell lines. The results of MTT, transwell migration, and Western blotting assays revealed that overexpression of PDCD6 positively regulated HCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Conversely, the upregulation of PDCD6 expression in the presence of an AKT inhibitor inhibited HCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. In addition, PDCD6 promoted HCC cell migration and invasion by epithelial-mesenchymal transition. The mechanistic investigation proved that PDCD6 acted as a tumor promoter in HCC through the AKT/GSK3β/β-catenin pathway, increasing the expression of transcription factors and cellular proliferation and metastasis.@*CONCLUSION@#PDCD6 has a tumor stimulative role in HCC mediated by AKT/GSK3β/β-catenin signaling and might be a potential target for HCC progression.

LOX-1 Regulation in Anti-atherosclerosis of Active Compounds of Herbal Medicine: Current Knowledge and the New Insight / 中国结合医学杂志

Lectin-like oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor-1 (LOX-1) have recently been identified to be closely related to the occurrence and development of atherosclerosis (AS). A growing body of evidence has suggested Chinese medicine takes unique advantages in preventing and treating AS. In this review, the related research progress of AS and LOX-1 has been summarized. And the anti-AS effects of 10 active components of herbal medicine through LOX-1 regulation have been further reviewed. As a potential biomarker and target for intervention in AS, LOX-1 targeted therapy might provide a promising and novel approach to atherosclerotic prevention and treatment.

Medication guidelines for glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist （2023 edition） / 中国药房

The prevalence of diabetes in China is increasing year by year， and has become a health issue of close concern to the whole society. Glucagon-like peptide-1 （GLP-1） receptor agonist （GLP-1RA）， as a new class of glucose-lowering drugs， is now widely used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus （T2DM） because of its significant glucose-lowering efficacy and low risk of hypoglycemia. As the level of evidence for its effects on improving cardiovascular system and renal protection and reducing body mass continues to improve， its status in the treatment guidelines for T2DM is gradually increasing. Currently， nine GLP-1RA drugs have been approved for the clinical treatment of T2DM in China. Although all of these drugs exert hypoglycemic effects based on the activation of GLP-1 receptors in the body， the differences in their own structures and natural GLP-1 amino acid homology lead to large differences in pharmacokinetic parameters and clinical efficacy among different analogs. In order to enable clinicians and pharmacists to have a full understanding of the characteristics and clinical evidence of these analogs and to better perform their therapeutic effects， Liaoning Provincial Pharmaceutical Society organized clinical medicine and pharmacy experts to develop a medication guide for nine GLP-1RA drugs to provide a reference for clinical medication needs and promote rational and standardized use by compiling and summarizing the pharmacological characteristics， clinical applications， adverse reactions， interactions， the medications in special populations and medication management.

The developments of silicosis drugs / 药学学报

Pneumoconiosis is the most common occupational disease in China, which severely endangers people's health. Depending on the inhaled air pollutants, pneumoconiosis is classified as anthracosis, silicosis, asbestosis, etc., among which silicosis is the most common and serious. Silicosis is a systemic, poor prognostic disease characterized by diffuse fibrosis of lung tissue, which is caused by long-term exposure to dust with high levels of free silicon dioxide (SiO2) in the occupational environment. Appropriate treatment in time is important for the disease. Unfortunately, no effective drugs have been approved to delay or even reverse pulmonary fibrosis caused by SiO2. This review briefly classifies potent therapeutic drugs and compounds in term of mechanisms, providing the probability for clinical treatment of silicosis.

Application characteristics and modern research progress of "bone-approaching" acupuncture / 中国针灸

The paper explores the evolution of "bone-approaching" acupuncture, its effect target and mechanism. The concrete operation procedure of "bone-approaching" method is recorded originally in Huangdi Neijing (Inner Canon of Yellow Emperor) as short needling and Shu needling (referring to the category of the five needling technique). The periosteum is the most effective stimulation target of "bone-approaching" acupuncture for analgesia, regaining consciousness and regulating spirit. The "bone-approaching" acupuncture is not only prominently effective on bone bi syndrome, but also has the unique effect on painful, encephalogenic and emotional diseases. The paper summarizes and improves "bone-approaching" acupuncture, i.e. "touching bone surface" with needle tip by slow insertion, "touching bone surface" without pain by swift insertion and "touching bone" with needle body by oblique insertion. It contributes to the inheritance, development and supplementation to the bone needling techniques in Huangdi Neijing and is significant for broadening the clinical application range of acupuncture.

Lipopolysaccharides protect mesenchymal stem cell against cardiac ischemia-reperfusion injury by HMGB1/STAT3 signaling / 老年心脏病学杂志（英文版）

BACKGROUND@#Myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) is a serious and irreversible injury. Bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is considered to be a potential therapy for I/R injury due to the paracrine effects. High-mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is a novel mediator in MSC and regulates the response of inflammation injury. Signal Transduction and Transcription Activator 3 (STAT3) is a critical transcription factor and important for release of paracrine factors. However, the relationship between HMGB1 and STAT3 in paracrine effect of MSC remains unknown.@*METHODS@#In vitro, hypoxia/reoxygenation injury model was established by AnaeroPack System and examined by Annexin V flow cytometry, CCK8 assay and morphology observation. Detection of apoptotic proteins and protein expression of HMGB1 and STAT3 by Western blot.@*RESULTS@#The conditioned medium of MSCs with or without LPS pretreatment was cocultured with H9C2 cells for 24 h before hypoxia treatment and MSC showed obvious cardiomyocytes protect role, as evidence by decreased apoptosis rate and improved cells viability, and LPS pretreated MSC exhibited better protect role than untreated MSC. However, such effect was abolished in HMGB1 deficiency group, silencing HMGB1 decreased the secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), insulin growth factor (IGF), cell viability, and the expression of STAT3. Furthermore, STAT3 silence attenuated the protective effect of LPS in MSC.@*CONCLUSIONS@#These findings suggested that LPS improved MSC-mediated cardiomyocytes protection by HMGB1/STAT3 signaling.

The Chinese herbal prescription JieZe-1 inhibits caspase-1-dependent pyroptosis induced by herpes simplex virus-2 infection in vitro / 中西医结合学报

OBJECTIVE@#JieZe-1 (JZ-1), a Chinese herbal prescription, has an obvious effect on genital herpes, which is mainly caused by herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2). Our study aimed to address whether HSV-2 induces pyroptosis of VK2/E6E7 cells and to investigate the anti-HSV-2 activity of JZ-1 and the effect of JZ-1 on caspase-1-dependent pyroptosis.@*METHODS@#HSV-2-infected VK2/E6E7 cells and culture supernate were harvested at different time points after the infection. Cells were co-treated with HSV-2 and penciclovir (0.078125 mg/mL) or caspase-1 inhibitor VX-765 (24 h pretreatment with 100 μmol/L) or JZ-1 (0.078125-50 mg/mL). Cell counting kit-8 assay and viral load analysis were used to evaluate the antiviral activity of JZ-1. Inflammasome activation and pyroptosis of VK2/E6E7 cells were analyzed using microscopy, Hoechst 33342/propidium iodide staining, lactate dehydrogenase release assay, gene and protein expression, co-immunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.@*RESULTS@#HSV-2 induced pyroptosis of VK2/E6E7 cells, with the most significant increase observed 24 h after the infection. JZ-1 effectively inhibited HSV-2 (the 50% inhibitory concentration = 1.709 mg/mL), with the 6.25 mg/mL dose showing the highest efficacy (95.76%). JZ-1 (6.25 mg/mL) suppressed pyroptosis of VK2/E6E7 cells. It downregulated the inflammasome activation and pyroptosis via inhibiting the expression of nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing protein 3 (P < 0.001) and interferon-γ-inducible protein 16 (P < 0.001), and their interactions with apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain, and reducing cleaved caspase-1 p20 (P < 0.01), gasdermin D-N (P < 0.01), interleukin (IL)-1β (P < 0.001), and IL-18 levels (P < 0.001).@*CONCLUSION@#JZ-1 exerts an excellent anti-HSV-2 effect in VK2/E6E7 cells, and it inhibits caspase-1-dependent pyroptosis induced by HSV-2 infection. These data enrich our understanding of the pathologic basis of HSV-2 infection and provide experimental evidence for the anti-HSV-2 activity of JZ-1. Please cite this article as: Liu T, Shao QQ, Wang WJ, Liu TL, Jin XM, Xu LJ, Huang GY, Chen Z. The Chinese herbal prescription JieZe-1 inhibits caspase-1-dependent pyroptosis induced by herpes simplex virus-2 infection in vitro. J Integr Med. 2023; 21(3): 277-288.

Effects of Huangqin Tang on NLRP3/Caspase-1 pathway in mice model of ulcerative colitis / 中国中药杂志

The aim of this study was to explore the effects of Huangqin Tang(HQT) on the NLRP3/Caspase-1 signaling pathway in mice with DSS-induced ulcerative colitis(UC). C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a blank group, a model group(DSS group), and low-, medium-and high-dose HQT groups(HQT-L, HQT-M, and HQT-H), and western medicine mesalazine group(western medicine group). The UC model was induced in mice. Subsequently, the mice in the HQT-L, HQT-M, HQT-H groups, and the western medicine group were given low-, medium-, high-dose HQT, and mesalazine suspension by gavage, respectively, while those in the blank and DSS groups were given an equal volume of distilled water by gavage. After 10 days of administration, the body weight, DAI scores, and colonic histopathological score of mice in each group were determined. The levels of IL-6, IL-10, IL-1β, and TNF-α in serum were determined by ELISA. The mRNA expression of NLRP3 and Caspase-1 in colon tissues was determined by RT-qPCR. The protein expression of NLRP3 and Caspase-1 in colon tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry. The results showed that compared with the blank group, the DSS group showed decreased body weight of mice and increased DAI scores and intestinal histopathological score. Compared with the DSS group, the HQT groups and the western medicine group showed improved DAI scores, especially in the HQT-M, HQT-H, and the western medicine groups(P<0.05). The intestinal histopathological scores of the HQT groups and the western medicine group significantly decreased, especially in the HQT-M, HQT-H, and the western medicine groups(P<0.05). In addition, compared with the blank group, the DSS group showed elevated expression of NLRP3 and Caspase-1 in colon tissues, increased serum levels of IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α, and decreased IL-10 level. Compared with the DSS group, the HQT groups and the western medicine group displayed decreased expression of NLRP3 and Caspase-1 in colon tissues, reduced serum levels of IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α, and increased IL-10 level. The improvement was the most significant in the HQT-H group and the western medicine group(P<0.01). In conclusion, HQT may reduce the expression of NLRP3 and Caspase-1 in colon tissues, reduce the se-rum levels of IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α, and increase the expression of IL-10 by regulating the classic pyroptosis pathway of NLRP3/Caspase-1, thereby improving the symptoms of intestinal injury and inflammatory infiltration of intestinal mucosa in DSS mice to achieve its therapeutic effect.

Preparation of silk fibroin/hyaluronic acid composite hydrogel based on thiol-ene click chemistry / 浙江大学学报·医学版

OBJECTIVES@#To design and prepare silk fibroin/hyaluronic acid composite hydrogel.@*METHODS@#The thiol modified silk fibroin and the double-bond modified hyaluronic acid were rapidly cured into gels through thiol-ene click polymerization under ultraviolet light condition. The grafting rate of modified silk fibroin and hyaluronic acid was characterized by 1H NMR spectroscopy; the gel point and the internal microstructure of hydrogels were characterized by rheological test and scanning electron microscopy; the mechanical properties were characterized by compression test; the swelling rate and degradation rate were determined by mass method. The hydrogel was co-cultured with the cells, the cytotoxicity was measured by the lactate dehydrogenase method, the cell adhesion was measured by the float count method, and the cell growth and differentiation on the surface of the gel were observed by scanning electron microscope and fluorescence microscope.@*RESULTS@#The functional group substitution degrees of modified silk fibroin and hyaluronic acid were 17.99% and 48.03%, respectively. The prepared silk fibroin/hyaluronic acid composite hydrogel had a gel point of 40-60 s and had a porous structure inside the gel. The compressive strength was as high as 450 kPa and it would not break after ten cycles. The water absorption capacity of the composite hydrogel was 4-10 times of its own weight. Degradation experiments showed that the hydrogel was biodegradable, and the degradation rate reached 28%-42% after 35 d. The cell biology experiments showed that the cytotoxicity of the composite gel was low, the cell adhesion was good, and the growth and differentiation of the cells on the surface of the gel were good.@*CONCLUSIONS@#The photocurable silk fibroin/hyaluronic acid composite hydrogel can form a gel quickly, and has excellent mechanical properties, adjustable swelling rate and degradation degree, good biocompatibility, so it has promising application prospects in biomedicine.

Application of serum creatinine to prealbumin ratio in chronic heart failure patients with renal failure / 中华检验医学杂志

Objective:To investigate the application of serum creatinine to prealbumin ratio (Scr/PA) in the diagnosis of patients with heart failure complicated with renal failure.Methods:This was a case-control study. Patients with chronic heart failure and heart failure complicated with renal failure admitted to Dalian Central Hospital from January 5, 2020 to April 23, 2023 were retrospectively analyzed, and Scr/PA was calculated. The general data and laboratory examination indexes of the two groups were compared. According to the data type, t test, Wilcoxon rank sum test and χ 2 test were used for comparison between the two groups. The risk factors of heart failure complicated with renal failure were analyzed by univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis, and Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between Scr/PA and N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and hemoglobin (HGB). ROC curve was used to determine the predictive value of Scr/PA and NT-proBNP for heart failure complicated with renal failure. Results:Compared with the heart failure group, Triglyceride [1.25 (0.94, 1.81) mmol/L vs. 1.07 (0.76, 1.46) mmol/L, Z=-2.159, P=0.031], D-dimer [2.30 (1.53, 4.67) mg/L vs. 1.63 (0.64, 2.96) mg/L, Z=-2.339, P=0.02],NT-proBNP [18 500 (9 575, 30 000) pg/ml vs. 4 865 (1 600, 9 800) pg/ml, Z=-5.637, P<0.001], Scr/PA [0.233 (0.188, 0.351) mg/mg vs 0.064 (0.044, 0.103) mg/mg, Z=-8.197, P<0.001] were higher in heart failure complicated with renal failure group. While albumin [(33.9±5.2) g/L vs. (36.3±4.3) g/L, t=-2.173, P=0.008], estimated glomerular filtration rate[12.86 (7.88, 17.40) ml/(1 min×1.73 m 2) vs. 65.82 (48.66, 86.32) ml/(1 min×1.73 m 2), Z=-9.794, P<0.001], and HGB [(91±24) g/L vs. (123±23) g/L, t=-7.489, P<0.001] were lower. Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that albumin ( OR=0.900, 95% CI 0.830-0.975, P=0.010), HGB ( OR=0.948, 95% CI 0.930-0.966, P<0.001), Scr/PA ( OR=1.639, 95% CI 1.346-1.957, P<0.001) were associated with heart failure complicated with renal failure. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that only Scr/PA was an independent risk factor for heart failure complicated with renal failure. The correlation coefficients of Scr/PA with NT-proBNP and HGB were r=0.578 and r=-0.559, respectively (all P<0.001). The area under the AUC curve of Scr/PA and NT-proBNP for predicting heart failure complicated with renal failure was 0.927 (95% CI: 0.881-0.973, P<0.001) and 0.797 (95% CI: 0.717-0.877, P<0.001), respectively. Conclusions:Scr/PA is an independent risk factor for heart failure complicated with renal failure, and it has a good correlation with NT-proBNP and HGB. Scr/PA is superior to NT-proBNP in predicting heart failure complicated with renal failure.

Association of genetic variants of m6A binding protein with the risk of gastric cancer / 实用医学杂志

Objective To investigate the association between single nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs)of YTHDF1 rs6011668,HNRNPA2B1 rs2070601 and rs76558212 with the risk of gastric cancer.Methods A total of 457 cases with gastric cancer and 525 healthy controls were collected.The candidate SNPs were genotyped using Hi-SNP genotyping methods by multiplex rounds of PCR and high-throughput sequencing;the association between the three SNPs with the risk of gastric cancer was analyzed by test and Logistic regression.Multifactorial logistic regression and Risk Score(RS)model was used to analyze the influence of environmental and genetic factors on the risk of gastric cancer.Results YTHDF1rs6011668 TT genotype carriers had 3.075 times higher risk of gastric cancer than CC genotype carriers(95%CI:1.128～8.382,P = 0.028),and 2.961 times higher risk than CC/TC genotypes carriers(95%CI:1.091～8.033,P = 0.033).Subgroups-analysis revealed that TT genotype mainly increased the risk of gastric cancer in non-tea drinkers,pickled food eaters and fried food eaters(P<0.05).In addition,TT genotype carriers had the increased risk of gastric cancer infiltration,lymph node metastasis,distal metastasis and intermediate to advanced stages(P<0.05).The RS of the case and control groups were calculated by combining environmental and genetic factors.The higher the RS score,the higher the risk of gastric cancer was found in the RS quartile groups.Compared with the RS<Q25 group,the risk of gastric cancer in the Q25<RS<Q50,Q50<RS<Q75 and RS≥Q75 groups was 3.090,9.731 and 19.949,respectively.Conclusion The YTHDF1 rs6011668 mutant genotype may be associated with an increased risk and clinical progression of gastric cancer,and combining environmental and genetic factors could better assess the risk of gastric cancer.

Pure single-port lumpectomy non-lipolysis breast-conserving surgery in the treatment of early-stage breast cancer / 中华内分泌外科杂志

Objective:To summarize the clinical data and experience of pure single-port lumpectomy non-lipolysis breast-conserving surgery (PSLN-BCS) in patients with early-stage breast cancer.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 400 patients who underwent breast-conserving surgery for early-stage breast cancer in the Second Department of Breast Surgery at Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital from Jan. 2022 to Jan. 2023. Patients were divided into two groups: PSLN-BCS group ( n=200) and conventional breast-conserving surgery (C-BCS) group ( n=200). The surgical time, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative drainage within three days, and short-term (3 months to 6 months after surgery) complications, including the incidence of residual fluid after drain removal and incision infection were observed. Long-term (6 months after surgery) complications, including the incidence of skin and pectoralis major muscle adhesions in the surgical area and cosmetic results after breast-conserving surgery, were also evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed using R language, and quantitative data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation ( ± s) and analyzed using t-test, while count data were analyzed using χ2 test. A p-value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results:PSLN-BCS had a longer average surgical time than C-BCS (198.341min vs 62.961min, P<0.001, 95% CI:132.028 vs 138.732). PSLN-BCS had less intraoperative bleeding (18.824 ml vs 22.627 ml, P=0.003, 95% CI: -6.294 vs -1.311) and lower postoperative drainage volume (346.157 ml vs 406.191 ml, P<0.001, 95% CI: -70.571-a-49.496). There were no significant differences in short-term postoperative complications such as subcutaneous fluid accumulation ( χ2=2.33, P=0.127) or incisional infection ( χ2=0.14, P=0.708) between the two groups. The incidence of skin and muscle adhesions in the surgical area was lower in patients who underwent PSLN-BCS at 6 months postoperatively ( χ2=11.58, P<0.001). Patients who received PSLN-BCS achieved better cosmetic outcomes, with a statistically significant difference ( χ2=273.00, P<0.001) compared to those who received C-BCS. Conclusion:Pure single-port lumpectomy non-lipolysis breast-conserving surgery is a safe and effective treatment option for early-stage breast cancer and can be considered as a surgical option for patients with cosmetic requirements.