Avaliação Cintilográfica e Ecocardiográfica em Portadores de Variantes Patogênicas ou Provavelmente Patogênicas do Gene TTR sem Envolvimento Cardíaco Manifesto / Scintigraphic and Echocardiographic Study of Patients with Pathogenic or Probably Pathogenic Variants of the TTR Gene without Overt Cardiac Involvement

Resumo Fundamento: A amiloidose por transtirretina (ATTR) é uma doença infiltrativa causada pela deposição anormal de proteína principalmente no coração e no sistema nervoso periférico. Quando acomete o coração, a doença manifesta-se como uma cardiomiopatia restritiva e, quando afeta o sistema nervoso periférico e autônomo, apresenta-se como uma polineuropatia, podendo ser chamada de Polineuropatia Amiloidótica Familiar (PAF). Existem dois subtipos de ATTR, a ATTR selvagem, em que não há variantes genéticas, e a ATTR hereditária, caracterizada por uma variante no gene que codifica a proteína transtirretina (T/TR). Em ambos os subtipos, o envolvimento cardíaco é o principal marcador prognóstico. Objetivos: Avaliar a prevalência do envolvimento cardíaco subclínico em uma amostra de pacientes com variantes genéticas no gene TTR usando a cintilografia com pirofosfato e o ecocardiograma com strain; comparar os achados cintilográficos e as medidas de strain; avaliar a associação entre PAF e o envolvimento subclínico; e analisar se existe uma associação entre uma variante genética específica e o envolvimento cardíaco. Métodos: Estudo transversal com carreadores de variantes no gene TTR sem sintomas cardiovasculares e sem alterações nos parâmetros da eletrocardiografia ou do ecocardiograma convencional. Todos os pacientes foram submetidos à cintilografia com pirofosfato e à ecocardiografia com análise de strain. O envolvimento cardíaco subclínico, definido como um escore de Perugini ≥ 2, razão Coração (C)/ Hemitórax Contralateral (CL) ≥ 1,5 em uma hora, C/CL ≥ 1,3 na terceira hora, ou um strain longitudinal global (SGL) ≤ −17%. Realizadas análises descritiva e analítica, e aplicados o teste exato de Fisher e o teste de Mann-Whitney. Um valor de p<0,05 foi considerado significativo. Resultados: Os 23 pacientes avaliados apresentavam uma idade mediana de 51 (37-57) anos, 15 (65,2%) eram do sexo feminino, 12 (52,2%) eram pardos, nove (39,1%) apresentavam hipertensão arterial sistêmica, e nove (39,1%) tinham um diagnóstico prévio de PAF. Dos nove pacientes com PAF, oito (34,8%) usavam tafamidis. As variantes genéticas identificadas foram Val142IIe, Val50Met e IIe127Val. O valor mediano do SGL foi −19% (-16% - −20%). Dos 23 pacientes, nove (39,1%; 95% CI = 29-49%) preencheram os critérios de envolvimento cardíaco, seis (26%) somente pelo critério do SGL. Não houve associação entre PAF e um carreador assintomático avaliado por ecocardiograma com análise de strain e pela cintilografia com pirofostato (p=0,19). A prevalência de hipertensão arterial sistêmica, diabetes mellitus, dislipidemia, tabagismo e SGL reduzido não foi diferente entre os grupos. A velocidade da onda e' septal foi a única variável que apresentou diferença significativa entre os indivíduos com e sem SGL reduzido, com uma área sob a curva ROC de 0,80 (IC95% = 0,61-0,98, p = 0,027). A melhor acurácia diagnóstica foi alcançada com uma velocidade e' septal ≤ 8,5 cm/s. Não houve associação entre o tipo de variante genética e o envolvimento cardíaco pré-clínico, nem entre o uso de tafamidis e este mesmo envolvimento (37,5% versus 40,0%, p = 0,90). Conclusão: O envolvimento cardíaco subclínico foi frequente em uma amostra de carreadores da variante genética do gene TTR. Um valor do SGL reduzido foi o achado mais comum. Não houve associação entre a presença de polineuropatia amiloidótica e o envolvimento subclínico. O tipo de variante genética não foi associado com envolvimento cardíaco precoce. Nesta amostra, o uso de tafamidis (20mg/dia) não foi associado com uma menor prevalência de envolvimento cardíaco subclínico.

Abstract Background: Transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR) is an infiltrative disease caused by abnormal protein deposition mainly in the heart and peripheral nervous system. When it affects the heart, the disease presents as restrictive cardiomyopathy; when it affects the peripheral and autonomic nervous system, it manifests as polyneuropathy, and is called familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP). There are two ATTR subtypes: wild-type ATTR, where there is no mutation, and mutant ATTR (ATTRm), which is characterized by a mutation in the gene encoding the transthyretin protein (TTR). In both subtypes, cardiac involvement is the major marker of poor prognosis. Objectives: To assess the prevalence of subclinical cardiac involvement in a sample of patients with TTR gene mutation by using pyrophosphate scintigraphy and strain echocardiography; to compare scintigraphy and strain findings; to evaluate the association between neurological manifestations (FAP) and subclinical cardiac involvement; and to analyze whether there is an association between any specific mutation and cardiac involvement. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study with carriers of the TTR gene mutation, without cardiovascular symptoms or changes in electrocardiographic or conventional echocardiographic parameters. All patients underwent pyrophosphate scintigraphy and strain echocardiography. Subclinical cardiac involvement was defined as a Perugini score ≥ 2, heart-to-contralateral lung (H/CL) ratio ≥ 1.5 at 1 h, H/CL ≥1.3 at 3 h, or global longitudinal strain (GLS) ≤ −17%. Descriptive and analytical analyses were performed and Fisher's exact test and Mann-Whitney test were applied. A value of p < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: The 23 patients evaluated had a median age of 51 years (IQR 37-57 years), 15 (65.2%) were female, 12 (52.2%) were Pardo, nine (39.1%) had systemic arterial hypertension, and nine (39.1%) had a previous diagnosis of FAP. Of the nine patients with FAP, 8 (34.8%) were on tafamidis. The associated mutations were Val142IIe, Val50Met, and IIe127Val. The median GLS in the sample was −19% (−16% to −20%). Of the 23 patients, nine (39.1%; 95% CI = 29-49%) met criteria for cardiac involvement, six (26%) by the GLS-based criteria only. There was no association between having FAP and being an asymptomatic carrier, as assessed by strain echocardiography and pyrophosphate scintigraphy (p = 0.19). The prevalence of systemic arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, smoking, and reduced GLS did not differ between groups. Septal e' wave velocity was the only variable that significantly differed between individuals with and without reduced GLS, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.80 (95% CI = 0.61-0.98, p = 0.027). The best diagnostic accuracy was achieved with a septal e' velocity ≤ 8.5 cm/s. There was no association between mutation type and preclinical cardiac involvement, nor between tafamidis use and lower degree of cardiac involvement (37.5% versus 40.0%, p = 0.90). Conclusion: Subclinical cardiac involvement was common in a sample of TTR mutation carriers without cardiac involvement. Reduced left ventricular GLS was the most frequent finding. There was no association between the presence of amyloid polyneuropathy and subclinical cardiac involvement. Type of mutation was not associated with early cardiac involvement. In this sample, the use of tafamidis 20 mg/day was not associated with a lower prevalence of subclinical cardiac involvement.

Mechanism of Linggui Zhugantang in Promoting Astrocyte Endocytosis and Degradation of Amyloid β / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Linggui Zhugantang （LGZGT）-containing serum on primary astrocytes （AS） induced by β amyloid 1-42 （Aβ1-42） in a rat model of Alzheimer's disease （AD） and explore the phagocytic and degradative effects of LGZGT on Aβ. MethodAn AD model was established by inducing AS with Aβ1-42. The cells were divided into normal group， model group， LGZGT low-， medium-， and high-dose （LGZGT-L， LGZGT-M， and LGZGT-H） groups， and donepezil hydrochloride group. The model group was treated with Aβ1-42 at a final concentration of 10 μmol∙L-1. The LGZGT-L， LGZGT-M， and LGZGT-H groups were treated with 10% serum containing LGZGT on the basis of the model group. Cell viability was assessed using a cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8）， lactate dehydrogenase （LDH） activity was measured using an LDH assay kit， and cell morphology was observed using an inverted microscope. The expression of Aβ-related degradation enzymes insulin-degrading enzyme （IDE） and cathepsin D （CTSD） was detected using Western blot， and the fluorescence intensity of cathepsin B （CTSB） was measured using immunofluorescence. The content of Aβ1-42 in cells was determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay （ELISA）. ResultCompared with the normal group， the viability of AS in all groups decreased， and Aβ1-42 at different concentrations had inhibitory effects on AS proliferation. After administration， compared with the normal group， the cell survival rate of the model group decreased significantly （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the cell survival rates of the LGZGT-H group and donepezil hydrochloride group increased significantly （P<0.05）. The LDH activity of cells in the model group was significantly increased compared with that in the normal group （P<0.05）， and cell bodies were swollen and enlarged with increased protrusions and elongation， suggesting more obvious cell damage. Compared with the model group， the LDH activity of cells in the donepezil hydrochloride， LGZGT-L， LGZGT-M， and LGZGT-H groups decreased significantly （P<0.05）. After administration， the cell swelling in the LGZGT-M， LGZGT-H， and donepezil hydrochloride groups improved， cell protrusions shortened， and cell clustering decreased. Compared with the normal group， the expression of IDE and CTSD in the model group decreased significantly （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the expression of IDE increased significantly in the LGZGT-M and LGZGT-H groups （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the expression of CTSD increased significantly in the LGZGT-L， LGZGT-M， LGZGT-H， and donepezil hydrochloride groups （P<0.05）. The average fluorescence intensity of CTSB in the model group was significantly lower than that in the normal group （P<0.05）. Compared with the model group， the average fluorescence intensity of CTSD in the LGZGT-L， LGZGT-M， LGZGT-H， and donepezil hydrochloride groups increased significantly （P<0.05）. The intracellular content of Aβ1-42 in cells in the model group was significantly higher than that in the normal group （P<0.05）. After administration， compared with the model group， the intracellular content of Aβ1-42 in cells in the LGZGT-L， LGZGT-M， LGZGT-H， and donepezil hydrochloride groups decreased significantly （P<0.05）， and LGZGT-containing serum reduced Aβ1-42 in a dose-dependent manner （P<0.05）. ConclusionLGZGT has a protective effect on Aβ1-42-induced AS and can promote the degradation of Aβ. Its mechanism may be related to reducing Aβ toxicity， enhancing cell viability， promoting the expression of IDE， CTSD， and CTSB， and restoring lysosomal function.

Prevention and Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease by Traditional Chinese Medicine via Regulating ROS： A Review / 中国实验方剂学杂志

The pathological mechanism of Alzheimer's disease （AD） is complex， and there are many hypotheses. The mainstream theory is the amyloid-beta protein （Aβ） and Tau protein phosphorylation. Oxidative stress （OS） is a bridge between other hypotheses and mechanisms and plays a key role in many hypotheses. Therefore， the treatment of OS in AD （ADOS） is beneficial in alleviating disease progression. Reactive oxygen species （ROS） is a kind of antioxidant and a kind of oxidation products， with Aβ and Tau protein interactions， activating microglia and astrocytes， triggering inflammation and mitochondrial dysfunction， leading to the deterioration of the environment in the brain， and accelerating the development of disease. ROS， as a signal messenger inducing OS， is widely involved in the progression of AD and may be a new target for the progression of AD. Traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） monomers and compounds play an increasingly important role in the prevention and treatment of AD. Recent studies have found that the effective prevention and treatment of AD by TCM is closely related to the regulation of ROS. There are many studies on the mechanism of TCM in the treatment of AD via regulating ROS， but there is a lack of systematic review. By analyzing and summarizing the literature in China and abroad in recent years， this paper reviewed the generation and physiology of ROS， the mechanism of action of AD， and the prevention of AD by TCM via regulating ROS through relevant ways， so as to provide references for the research on the regulation of ROS by TCM and provide new targets and new methods for the prevention and treatment of AD.

Expression relationship and significance of NEAT1 and miR-27a-3p in serum and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with Alzheimer disease / 北京大学学报(医学版)

Objective:To explore the expression relationship and significance of long chain non-coding RNA nuclear-enriched abundant transcript 1(LncRNA NEAT1)and miR-27a-3p in serum and cerebro-spinal fluid of patients with Alzheimer disease(AD).Methods:Sixty-six AD patients received by the department of neurology of our hospital from October 2019 to September 2021 were gathered,according to the clinical dementia rating scale score,they were grouped into mild group(≤ 1 point,n=41)and moderate-to-severe group(＞1 point,n=25).Another 66 cases of serum and cerebrospinal fluid sam-ples from outpatient physical examination personnel were regarded as the control group.The general infor-mation on all subjects was recorded and cognition was assessed;real-time quantitative PCR was performed to measure the expression levels of miR-27a-3p and NEAT1 in serum and cerebrospinal fluid;enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to measure the protein levels of β-amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1(BACE1),β-amyloid(Aβ)40 and Aβ42 in cerebrospinal fluid;Spearman's method was performed to analyze the correlation of serum miR-27a-3p and NEAT1 levels with mini-mental state examination(MMSE)and montreal cognitive assessment(MoCA)scores;Pearson method was per-formed to analyze the correlation between serum miR-27a-3p and NEAT1 levels and Aβ deposition standard uptake value ratio(SUVR)and cerebrospinal fluid miR-27a-3p,NEAT1,BACE1,Aβ42 and Aβ40 levels.Results:The MMSE score[21(17,25),9(7,11)vs.27(21,34)],MoCA score[17(12,21),10(7,13)vs.27(21,31)],serum miR-27a-3p level(0.55±0.13,0.46±0.06 vs.0.97± 0.22),cerebrospinal fluid miR-27a-3p(0.48±0.10,0.35±0.10 vs.1.03±0.31),Aβ42 levels[(303.55±36.77)ng/L,(231.45±34.14)ng/L vs.(499.99±53.63)ng/L]and Aβ42/Aβ40 ra-tio(0.030±0.008,0.022±0.007 vs.0.048±0.010)of AD patients in mild group and moderate-to-severe group were all lower than those in the control group,and the moderate-to-severe group were lower than the mild group(all P＜0.05);the serum NEAT1 level(2.31±0.64,3.13±0.76 vs.1.05± 0.20),SUVR(1.50±0.29,1.76±0.52 vs.0.74±0.15),and cerebrospinal fluid NEAT1(3.51± 1.24,4.30±1.65 vs.1.01±0.23)and B ACE 1 levels[(55.78±5.98)μg/L,(72.32±16.08)μg/L vs.(21.39±3.73)μg/L]were higher than those in the control group,and the moderate-to-se-vere group were higher than the mild group(all P＜0.05).Serum NEAT1 level in AD patients was posi-tively correlated with SUVR,cerebrospinal fluid NEAT1 and BACE1(r=0.350,0.606,0.341,P＜0.05),and negatively correlated with MMSE score and MoCA score(r=-0.473,-0.482,all P＜0.05);serum miR-27a-3p level was positively correlated with cerebrospinal fluid miR-27a-3p level,MMSE score and MoCA score(r=0.695,0.424,0.412,all P＜0.05),and negatively correlated with SUVR and cerebrospinal fluid BACE1 level(r=-0.521,-0.447,all P＜0.05).Conclusion:The expression trends of NEAT1 and miR-27a-3p in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid of AD patients are con-sistent,the level of NEAT1 is increased,and the level of miR-27a-3p is decreased.The levels of the two are negatively correlated,which is related to the degree of Aβ deposition in the brain of AD patients and is involved in the progression of AD.

Analysis of inflammatory factors and BDNF expression in the brain hippocampus of Alzheimer's disease-like mice caused by Aβ25-35 / 重庆医学

Objective To investigate the expression of inflammatory factors and brain-derived neurotro-phic factor(BDNF)in the brain hippocampus of Alzheimer's disease(AD)-like mice caused by amyloid β-protein 25-35(Aβ25-35).Methods A total of 40 six-week-old male Kunming mice were taken to construct an AD-like mouse model using bilateral ventricular injection of Aβ25-35,and were divided into the 0 d,7 d,14 d,and 28 d groups for observation,with 10 mice in each group.The Y-maze and new object recognition assay were used to test the learning and memory functions of the mice.The hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining was used to observe the neuronal damage in the hippocampal region.Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the expression levels of phosphorylated-tau(p-tau),CD11b and BDNF in hippocampus.ELISA was used to detect the expression levels of inflammatory factors in hippocampus,including interleukin-1β(IL-1β)and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF)-α,and real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR(RT-qPCR)and Western blot were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression levels of BDNF.Results Aβ25-35 could impair memory and cognitive function in the mice.Compared with the 0 d group,the neuron number in the hippocampal tissue of mice in the 14 d and 28 d groups was significantly reduced(P<0.05),and the optical density values of p-Tau and CD11b,and expression levels of IL-1β and TNF-α in the hippocampal region of mice in the 14 d and 28 d groups were significantly increased(P<0.05).In addition,compared with the 0 d group,the relative expression levels of BDNF mRNA and protein in the hippocampal tissue of mice were sig-nificantly increased in the 7 d group(P<0.05),while the relative expression levels of BDNF mRNA and pro-tein were significantly decreased in the 14 d and 28 d groups(P<0.05).Conclusion Aβ25-35 may increase the expression of TNF-α,IL-1β and p-tau in hippocampal tissue by activating microglia,which in turn impaired the memory and cognitive functions of mice,and the expression level of BDNF in hippocampal tissue showed a first increase and then a decrease in the injury period.

Evaluation of molecular point-of-care testing for rapid diagnosis of influenza A virus and influenza B virus / 国际检验医学杂志

Objective To evaluate the performance of two molecular point-of-care testing(POCT)prod-ucts in the diagnosis of influenza A virus(Flu A)and influenza B virus(Flu B)of clinical samples,and pre-liminarily evaluate the clinical diagnostic value of the changes of infection-related indicators in peripheral blood.Methods A total of 491 oropharyngeal swabs from patients with influenza-like symptoms who were treated in the hospital were recruited into this study from November 1,2019 to June 30,2023.These swabs were collected using reverse transcription real-time quantitative fluorescent polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR),and two POCT molecular products,XpertTM Xpress Flu/RSV and EasyNAT? Flu Assay,respectively.The diagnostic performance of two POCT molecular products was analyzed using RT-qPCR reaction as a standard.According to the results of RT-qPCR method,the subjects were divided into Flu A positive group,Flu B positive group and negative group(both Flu A and Flu B were negative).The levels of indicators in pe-ripheral blood of the three groups were compared to evaluate the value of these indicators in the clinical diag-nosis of Flu A and Flu B.Results Among the 491 patient specimens,the XpertTM Xpress Flu/RSV assay showed the sensitivity for Flu A was 96.88%,and the specificity was 99.75%,and the sensitivity for Flu B was 100.00%,and the specificity was 100.00%.EasyNAT? Flu Assay assay showed the sensitivity for Flu A was 94.79%,and the specificity was 96.81%,and the sensitivity for Flu B was 100.00%,and the specificity was 100.00%.And two POCT molecular methods performed well consistency(Kappa value was 0.974).There was no significant difference in the levels of C-reactive protein and serum amyloid A among the negative group,Flu A positive group,and Flu B positive group(P>0.05).But the levels of white blood cell count in the negative group were higher than those in the Flu A positive group and Flu B positive group(P<0.01).Conclusion In this paper,two typical molecular POCT products are studied.Their sensitivity and specificity are highly consistent with the results of RT-qPCR.Molecular POCT products have the advantages of flexibil-ity and rapidity,which are of great value for the improvement of clinical diagnosis and treatment.Molecular detection combined with peripheral blood infection related indicators is helpful for the early diagnosis of influ-enza virus infectious diseases.

Relationship between serum indexes,pathogenetic condition and prognosis in patients with acute ischemic stroke / 天津医药

Objective To discuss the relationship between serum lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2(Lp-PLA2),low-density lipoprotein(LDL),amyloid beta 1-42(Aβ1-42)and soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1(sICAM-1)levels,the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS)score and prognosis in patients with acute ischemic stroke(AIS).Methods A total of 106 patients with AIS who underwent intravenous thrombolysis(the thrombolysis group),30 AIS patients without thrombolysis(the non-thrombolysis group)and 95 healthy individuals(the control group)were included in the study.The thrombolysis group was divided into the recanalization group(n=41)and the non-recanalization group(n=65)according to whether the vein was recanalized after thrombolysis.Patients were divided into the mild group(n=45),the moderate group(n=36)and the severe group(n=25)based on the NIHSS score.They were divided into the good prognosis group(n=65)and the poor prognosis group(n=41)based on the modified Rankin Scale(mRS)score.Serum levels of four indexes in different groups were compared.Their relationship with the NIHSS score and the prognosis was analyzed.Results The vein recanalization rate in 106 patients with thrombolysis was 38.68%(41/106).Serum Lp-PLA2,LDL,Aβ1-42 and sICAM-1 levels were lower in the recanalization group than those in the non-canalization group(P＜0.05).Serum Lp-PLA2,LDL,Aβ1-42 and sICAM-1 levels increased successively in the control group,the thrombolysis group and the non-thrombolysis group(P＜0.05).The 4 serum indexes increased with the aggravation of disease condition,and were positively correlated with NIHSS score(P＜0.05).High serum levels of Lp-PLA2,LDL,Aβ1-42 and sICAM-1 were risk factors for poor prognosis of patients with thrombolysis(P＜0.05).The area under the curve(AUC)and specificity of the combination of 4 serum indexes for predicting poor prognosis of patients with thrombolysis were higher than those of prediction with single index(P＜0.05).Conclusion The expression levels of serum Lp-PLA2,LDL,Aβ1-42 and sICAM-1 in patients with AIS are high.They can be used as important reference indexes for disease condition monitoring and prognosis evaluation.

Effects of electroacupuncture with"Zhi San Zhen"on Notch signaling pathway and synaptic plasticity in 5xFAD mice / 中国组织工程研究

BACKGROUND:Alzheimer's disease is a degenerative neurological disorder characterized primarily by cognitive impairment.Acupuncture is a kind of traditional Chinese medicine therapy for treating Alzheimer's disease,but its mechanism is not yet clear. OBJECTIVE:To observe the effects of electroacupuncture with"Zhi San Zhen"on the Notch signaling pathway,β-amyloid protein(Aβ)and synaptic plasticity in 5xFAD mice. METHODS:Sixteen male,6-month-old 5xFAD mice,SPF-grade,were randomly divided into the electroacupuncture with"Zhi San Zhen"group(electroacupuncture group)and the model group,with eight mice in each group.Eight SPF-grade,male,6-month-old C57BL/6 mice were used as the wild control(wild)group.The electroacupuncture group received electroacupuncture with"Zhi San Zhen"intervention,5 times a week for 4 consecutive weeks.The model group and the wild group did not receive electroacupuncture intervention.The Morris water maze was used to preliminarily assess their learning and memory abilities.Thioflavin S staining was performed to detect Aβ plaque deposition.Western blot and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR)were used to measure the expression levels of transmembrane receptor protein Notch-1,Notch 1 intracellular domain(NICD),hairy and enhancer of split 1(Hes 1),hairy and enhancer of split 5(Hes 5),synaptophysin(SYN),postsynaptic density protein-95(PSD-95),and Aβ. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the model group,the wild group and the electroacupuncture group showed shortened escape latency,increased platform crossing times,and longer target quadrant dwell time(P<0.05).Compared with the wild group,the model group had significantly increased deposition of Aβ plaques,while electroacupuncture with"Zhi San Zhen"inhibited the deposition of Aβ plaques in the hippocampus of 5xFAD mice(P<0.05).Compared with the wild group,the model group had decreased mRNA levels of SYN,PSD-95,Notch 1,NICD,Hes 1,and Hes 5 in the hippocampal tissue of mice,and increased mRNA levels of Aβ(P<0.05).Electroacupuncture with"Zhi San Zhen"increased the mRNA levels of SYN,PSD-95,Notch 1,NICD,Hes 1,and Hes 5 in the hippocampal tissue,and decreased the mRNA level of Aβ(P<0.05).Compared with the Wild group,the model group had decreased protein expression levels of SYN,PSD-95,Notch 1,NICD,Hes 1,and Hes 5 in the hippocampal tissue of mice,and increased protein expression levels of Aβ(P<0.05).Electroacupuncture with"Zhi San Zhen"upregulated the protein expression levels of SYN,PSD-95,Notch 1,NICD,Hes 1,and Hes 5,and inhibited the protein expression of Aβ(P<0.05).To conclude,electroacupuncture with"Zhi San Zhen"can improve the learning and memory abilities of 5xFAD mice,possibly by inhibiting the deposition of Aβ protein and activating the Notch signaling pathway in the hippocampus to enhance synaptic plasticity.

Liuwei Dihuang Pills-elicited inhibition of MMP-2/MMP-9 via RAGE on tight junction protein of Aβ1-40-injured bEnd.3 cells / 中成药

AIM To investigate the protective effects and the mechanism of the Liuwei Dihuang Pills on mouse brain microvascular endothelial(bEnd.3)cells damaged by β-Amyloid protein1-40(Aβ1-40).METHODS CCK8 method was used to detect the effects of Aβ1-40 and medicated serum of Liuwei Dihuang Pills(MSLDP)on cell activity,and to screen the appropriate concentration.bEnd.3 cells of the control group,the Aβ1-40 group,the MSLDP+Aβ1-40 group and the MSLDP group had their low density lipoprotein-associated protein 1(LRP1),receptor for advanced glycation end products(RAGE),matrix metalloproteinase-2(MMP-2),MMP-9,scaffold protein zonule protein-1(ZO-1)detected by Western blot.bEnd.3 cells assigned into the control group,the Aβ1-40 group,the FPS-ZM1(RAGE inhibitor)+Aβ1-40 group and the FPS-ZM1+Aβ1-40+MSLDP group had their expressions of RAGE,MMP-9,MMP-2 and ZO-1 detected by Western blot as well.RESULTS The cell activity of bEnd.3,was dose-dependently decreased by Aβ1-40(P<0.01),but was protected by MSLDP(P<0.05,P<0.01).And 10 μmol/L Aβ1-40 and 10%MSLDP were selected for subsequent experiments.Compared with the control group,the Aβ1-40 group displayed increased protein expressions of RAGE,MMP-2 and MMP-9(P<0.01),decreased protein expressions of LRP1,ZO-1 and BDNF(P<0.05,P<0.01),and decreased fluorescence intensities of LRP1 and ZO-1(P<0.01).Compared with the Aβ1-40 group,the MSLDP group shared decreased expressions of RAGE,MMP-2,MMP-9 proteins and RAGE fluorescence intensity(P<0.05,P<0.01),and increased expressions of LRP1,ZO-1 and BDNF proteins,and the fluorescence intensity of LRP1 and ZO-1(P<0.05,P<0.01);the Aβ1-40+FPS-ZM1 group displayed decreased protein expressions of MMP-2,MMP9 and RAGE(P<0.05,P<0.01),and increased ZO-1 protein expression(P<0.05);and the Aβ1-40+FPS-ZM1+ MSLDP group displayed an even more decreased protein expressions of MMP-2,MMP9 and RAGE(P<0.01),increased ZO-1 protein expression(P<0.01)due to the the combination use of FPS-ZM1 and MSLDP.CONCLUSION Liuwei Dihuang Pills can protect the tight junction of bEnd.3 injured by Aβ1-40 and neurovascular units from Alzheimer's disease by alleviating the dysfunction of the blood-brain barrier via RAGE-mediated MMP-2/MMP-9 pathway inhibition.

Prospects for the application of blood-based biomarkers in Alzheimer′s disease / 中华检验医学杂志

The early diagnosis of Alzheimer′s disease (AD) has long been a challenge in the field of medicine. In recent years, research on blood biomarkers of AD has flourished, which holds significant promise for advancing the early diagnosis, monitoring, and early intervention of AD. With the new generation of ultra-sensitive detection techniques, a series of studies have successfully validated core biomarkers, non-specific biomarkers, and other relevant biomarkers of AD in blood. However, the use of blood-based biomarkers for the diagnosis and prediction of AD still faces some challenges related to accuracy and robustness. This article compiles and analyzes the advances, strengths, and limitations of each type of biomarkers, and provides several potential strategies to address these challenges.

The Role of TREM2 Receptor in Alzheimer’s Disease / 中山大学学报(医学科学版)

Alzheimer's disease （AD） is the most common form of senile dementia， and its pathogenesis is still unclear. While β-amyloid （Aβ） is considered an important cause of AD， the pathological mechanism of Aβ inducing AD is subject to various controversies. Recent studies have shown that the myeloid cell trigger receptor （TREM2） plays an important role in the pathological process of AD， and it can not only serve as an important receptor for the internalization of Aβ but also become a biological diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target. Hence， elucidating the structure and function of TREM2 will provide important ideas for the prevention and treatment of AD. This article will provide a systematic review of the structure of TREM2， its impact on microglial cell function， its pathological role in AD， and the current status of targeted TREM2 therapy for AD. These summaries will provide valuable references for basic research on AD.

Correlations of brain network functional connectivity alterations with cerebrospinal fluid pathological markers in patients with Alzheimer's disease / 中华神经医学杂志

Objective:To explore the correlations of brain network functional connectivity (FC) alterations with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pathological biomarkers in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD).Methods:A total of 39 patients with cognitive impairment, admitted to Department of Neurology, Drum Tower Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Medical School, Nanjing University from January 2020 to December 2022 were recruited; 23 patients were with AD and 16 with non-AD. Clinical data were compared between the 2 groups. Resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) data were collected, and FC differences between brain networks and FC differences within brain networks were compared by independent component analysis. Correlations of FC differences between brain networks and FC differences within brain networks with concentrations of β-amyloid protein 1-42 (Aβ 1-42) and Tau protein in CSF were analyzed. Results:Compared with the non-AD group, AD group had significantly lower Aβ 1-42 in CSF ( P<0.05). Compared with those in the non-AD group, FC alterations between the left frontoparietal network (lFPN) and anterior default mode network (aDMN) and between the visual network (VN) and posterior cingulate cortex (PCC), as well as FC alterations in lFPN, were significantly increased in AD group ( P<0.05). Compared with those in the non-AD group, FC alterations between lFPN and cerebellar network (CEN), and FC alterations in aDMN, sensorimotor network (SMN) and VN were significantly decreased in AD group ( P<0.05). In AD group, FC in SMN was positively correlated with total Tau and phosphorylated-Tau181 in CSF ( P<0.05); FC between VN and PCC was positively correlated with total Tau in CSF ( P<0.05). CSF Aβ 1-42 was positively correlated with FC alterations in aDMN and VN, but negatively correlated with FC in FPN ( P<0.05). Conclusion:In AD patients, characteristic changes in FC within and between multiple brain networks are noted, which are related to changes of Tau protein and Aβ 1-42 in CSF.

Effects of budegforo combined with doxofylline on inflammatory indexes, monocyte chemotactic protein 1 and serum amyloid A protein levels in patients with moderate and severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease during acute exacerbation period / 中国医师进修杂志

Objective:To investigate the effects of budegforo combined with doxofylline on inflammatory indexes, monocyte chemotactic protein 1 (MCP-1) and serum amyloid A protein (SAA) levels in patients with moderate and severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) during exacerbation period.Methods:The method of prospective study was adopted, 80 patients with moderate and severe COPD during exacerbation period who were treated in Gongan County People′s Hospital from January 2020 to December 2021 were selected as the research objects, and they were divided into the combined group and the budegforo group by random number table method, with 40 cases in each group. The budegforo group was treated with budegforo inhalation and the conventional maintenance therapy, the combined group was treated with doxofylline on the basis treatment of the budegforo group. The patients of the two groups were treated for 12 weeks. The clinical total effective rate and pulmonary function, inflammatory indexes and MCP-1, SAA levels before and after treatment and adverse reactions of the two groups were compared.Results:The clinical total effective rate in the combined group was higher than that in the budegforo group: 95.00%(38/40) vs. 75.00%(30/40), there was statistical difference ( χ2 = 4.80, P<0.05). After 12 weeks of treatment, the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV 1), FEV 1 and forced vital capacity (FVC) ratio (FEV 1/FVC), percentage of FEV 1 in predicted value (FEV 1% pred), maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV), percentage of predicted value of diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DLCO% pred) in the combined group were higher than those in the budegforo group: (2.80 ± 0.56) L vs. (2.41 ± 0.27) L, (66.35 ± 8.20)% vs. (61.84 ± 9.77)%, (72.73 ± 7.57)% vs. (65.39 ± 5.41)%, (73.56 ± 7.06) L/min vs. (68.53 ± 6.25) L/min, (71.03 ± 5.85)% vs. (66.37 ± 7.08)%; residual volume (RV) to total lung capacity (TLC) ratio (RV/TLC) level was lower than that in the budegforo group: (45.32 ± 6.64)% vs. (51.73 ± 8.45)%, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). After 12 weeks of treatment, the levels of interleukin(IL)-17, IL-22, MCP-1, SAA in the combined group were lower than those in the budegforo group: (21.46 ± 5.86) ng/L vs. (30.55 ± 8.74) ng/L, (155.62 ± 14.39) ng/L vs. (170.81 ± 16.70) ng/L, (89.57 ± 7.41) ng/L vs. (105.25 ± 8.70) ng/L, (45.21 ± 8.86) ng/L vs. (57.67 ± 7.16) ng/L, there were statistical differences ( P<0.05). There was no statistical difference in adverse reactions between the two groups ( P>0.05). Conclusions:The application of budegforo combined with doxofylline can improve the pulmonary function and clinical efficacy of patients with moderate and severe COPD during exacerbation period, and also play a positive role in reducing MCP-1 and SAA levels.

Clinical Characteristics of Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Infection and Factors Associated with Co-infections in Children / 医学研究杂志

Objective To analyze the clinical characteristics of mycoplasma pneumoniae pneumonia(MPP)in children with atopic constitution and exploring the predictors of disease conditions.Methods A total of 250 children diagnosed with MPP in the Department of Pediatric Respiratory Medicine,Xinhua Hospital,Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine from September 2019 to September 2022 were selected and divided into atopic group(n=149)and non-atopic group(n=101)according to whether they were atopic,to explore the clinical characteristics of MPP in children with atopic constitution and the risk factors of severe mycoplasma pneumoniae pneu-monia(SMPP).The efficacy of the combined test of lactate dehydrogenase(LDH),immunoglobulin E(IgE)and serum amyloid A(SAA)in predicting the development of SMPP in MPP children with atopic constitution was evaluated by the receiver operating character-istic(ROC)curve.Results Children in the atopic group had more pronounced symptoms of cough,wheezing,nasal congestion,croup,combined pleural effusion with severe pneumonia and the proportion requiring hormone therapy than those in the non-atopic group,and the differences were statistically significant(P＜0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that serum IgE,SAA and LDH levels were in-dependent risk factors for the development of SMPP in MPP children with atopic constitution(P＜0.05);ROC curve analysis showed that the combined test of IgE,LDH and SAA could be used to predict the development of SMPP in MPP children with atopic constitution,with an area under the curve(AUC)of 0.881,sensitivity of 81.0％,and specificity of 85.0％.Conclusion MPP children with atopic con-stitution are more likely to develop SMPP and require hormone therapy.The combined detection of serum IgE,SAA and LDH can effec-tively predict the occurrence of SMPP in MPP children with atopic constitution.

Discussing the Overview of Typical Traditional Chinese Medicines in the Prevention and Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease Based on Pathogenesis of Amyloid β Protein / 医药导报

Alzheimer's disease(AD)is a disease with clinical manifestations of learning and memory impairment,cognitive dysfunction,and language dysfunction,the pathogenesis of AD is complex,of which Aβ theory covers various mechamisms such as oxidative stress,inflammation,apoptosis and other mechanisms.Based on the Aβ mechanism and related signaling pathways,this study discusses the overview of typical Chinese medicines and their active ingredients in the prevention and treatment of AD.The aim is to provide insights and references for the development of traditional Chinese medicines for the prevention and treatment of AD.

Mutual facilitation of Alzheimer disease and sarcopenia:roles of myokines,amyloid proteins,and other factors / 中国病理生理杂志

Increasing age is the most important factor for cognitive impairment.Alzheimer disease(AD)and sarcopenia are significant causes of frailty and disability in older adults.It is important to have an in-depth understanding of the relationship between sarcopenia and AD.Studies have reported that sarcopenia often disturbs the secretion of muscle factors,which may increase the risk of developing dementia.In turn,the pathological feature of dementia,such as the de-position of amyloid β-protein(Aβ),amyloid precursor protein(APP)and tau protein in peripheral neurons,may be related to a decline in muscle function.In particular,the deposition of Aβ and APP may eventually lead to movement disorders and disability.Therefore,we hypothesize that AD and sarcopenia may mutually promote each other's pathological develop-ment.This results in exacerbation of clinical and pathological damage,in which myokine and amyloid proteins play impor-tant roles.However,the interrelationship based on amyloid protein and myokine production has not been discussed in de-tail in other reviews.In this paper,we reference and discuss the studies on this topic,and review the common risk factors for sarcopenia and AD and the potential and mechanisms for mutual improvement.

The value of serum amyloid protein A in the early diagnosis of neonatal sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis / 中国感染控制杂志

Early/late onset sepsis(EOS/LOS)and necrotizing enterocolitis(NEC)are common diseases during the neonatal period,with poor prognosis in severe cases.The early clinical manifestations are not specific,the diag-nosis is difficult,currently-used non-specific laboratory tests(C-reactive protein,procalcitonin,etc.)have disad-vantages,which may lead to missed diagnosis or misdiagnosis.Serum amyloid A(SAA)is a novel acute phase re-actant that increases significantly in the early stage of EOS/LOS and NEC,and lasts for a long time,it is related to the severity of the disease and can reflect the therapeutic effect,thus it can be used as a biomarker for diagnosis and treatment of these two diseases.This paper reviews SA A and its value in the early diagnosis of EOS/LOS and NEC,providing new references for the diagnosis and treatment of such diseases.

Effects of olfactory three needle on apolipoprotein E and pathological substrates in the hippocampus of mice with Parkinson's disease dementia / 中国康复医学杂志

Objective:To explore the mechanism of olfactory three needle therapy on Parkinson's disease dementia(PDD)by observing its effects on expression of apolipoprotein E(ApoE)、glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP)and related core pathology substrates in the hippocampus of PDD model mice. Method:Male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into four groups:control group(Control),sham opera-tion group(Sham),model group(Model)and acupuncture electrotherapy group(AE),with 10 mice in each group.The PD model was established by injecting 6-OHDA into the medial forebrain tract(MFB)and PDD mice were selected.After successful modeling and selection,the AE group received"olfactory three needle"electro acupuncture treatment.After 14 days of intervention,Morris water maze test and shuttle box test were used to evaluate the learning and memory ability of mice in each group.Hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining was used to observe the pathological changes of hippocampal CA1 region.Western blotting was used to detect the expression of α-syn,Aβ and ApoE proteins in hippocampal CA1 region.The co-location rate of ApoE and GFAP in hippocampal CA1 region was observed by double immunofluorescence markers. Result:Compared with Model group,the AE group exhibited a shortened escape latency in water maze(P＜0.01),increased platform crossing(P＜0.05),increased active escape times of shuttle box(P＜0.05),and reduced the average total time of electric stimulation(P＜0.01).In the Model group,the neurons in the hippocampal CA1 area were sparsely arranged and showed signs of degeneration and necrosis;and cell nuclei were small,hyperchromatic and had unclear structures,indicating the appearance of nuclear pyrosis.In contrast,the AE group showed significant improvements in neuronal pathology,with most cells regularly arranged,round and large nuclei,lightly stained and clearly shaped.Compared with the Model group,the expression levels of α-syn,Aβ,ApoE protein and the co-localization rate of ApoE and GFAP in hippocampal CA1 region in AE group were decreased(P＜0.01,P＜0.01,P＜0.01,P＜0.05). Conclusion:The"Olfactory three needle"acupuncture can improve the cognitive ability and restore the morpho-logical structure and function of neurons in PDD mice.The mechanism may be related to the inhibition of ApoE expression in astrocytes and the reduction of α-syn and Aβ deposition in hippocampal CA1 region.

Molecular Mechanism Study of β-amyloid Aggregation Inhibition by Transthyretin / 生物化学与生物物理进展

ObjectiveIt was reported that the transthyretin (TTR) has a neuroprotective effect on Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which is manifested by the ability of TTR to inhibit the pathological aggregation of amyloid beta protein (Aβ). In this work, we investigated the mechanism of the interactions between TTR and Aβ at the molecular level to reveal the neuroprotective effect of TTR on AD. MethodsProtein-protein docking was used to explore the models of interaction between different structural forms of TTR and Aβ, and molecular dynamics simulation was further applied to investigate the dynamic process of the interaction between the two. ResultsBoth TTR tetramer and monomer can interact with Aβ monomer, and the thyroxine-binding channel of TTR tetramer is the main binding site of Aβ monomer. In addition, the EF helix and EF loop of TTR tetramer were also able to bind Aβ monomer. When the TTR tetramer dissociates, the hydrophobic site of the internal TTR monomer is exposed, which has a strong affinity for Aβ monomer. For the interaction between Aβ aggregates and TTR, a higher degree of aggregation can be formed between TTR monomer and Aβ aggregates due to the β-sheet-rich property of TTR monomer and Aβ aggregates, which may therefore reduce the cytotoxicity of Aβ aggregates. ConclusionBoth TTR tetramer and monomer can inhibit Aβ aggregation by “sequestering” Aβ monomer, while TTR monomer can reduce the cytotoxicity of Aβ aggregates by forming large co-aggregation with Aβ aggregates. This work can provide an important theoretical basis for the design and discovery of anti-AD drugs based on the neuroprotective effects of TTR.

Huanglian Jiedutang Regulates HIF-1α/VEGF Signaling Pathway to Improve Learning and Memory Abilities of APP/PS1 Transgenic Mice / 中国实验方剂学杂志

ObjectiveTo reveal the effects of Huanglian Jiedutang （HLJDT） on the learning and memory abilities of APP/PS1 transgenic mice via hypoxia-inducible factor-1α （HIF-1α）/vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF） signaling pathway. MethodForty 5-month-old β-amyloid precursor protein （APP）/presenilin 1（PS1） mice were randomized into the model， donepezil （0.001 g·kg-1·d-1）， and low-， medium-， and high-dose （1.5， 3， 6 g·kg-1·d-1， respectively） HLJDT groups， and 8 C57BL/6 mice were taken as the normal group. After 45 days of continuous administration， Morris water maze test was conducted， and the organ indexes were calculated. The morphological structure of cerebral vascular endothelial cells in mice was observed under a transmission electron microscope. Western blot was employed to measure the protein levels of APP， HIF-1α， VEGF，VEGFA， and brain-derived neurotrophic factor （BDNF） in the hippocampus. The mRNA levels of APP， HIF-1α， and VEGF were determined by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction （Real-time PCR）. ResultCompared with the normal group， the model group showed prolonged escape latency （P<0.05）， reduced distance and time around the target platform （P<0.05）， decrease brain and spleen indexes （P<0.05）， vascular endothelial cells with karyopyknosis and not abundant cytoplasm， up-regulated protein levels of APP， HIF-1α， VEGF， and VEGFA （P<0.05）， down-regulated protein level of BDNF （P<0.05）， and up-regulated mRNA levels of APP， HIF-1α， and VEGF （P<0.05） in the hippocampus. Compared with the model group， high-dose HLJDT shortened the escape latency （P<0.05）， increased the distance and time around the target platform （P<0.05）， raised the brain and spleen indexes （P<0.05）， repaired the organelles of vascular endothelial cells， down-regulated the protein levels of APP， HIF-1α， VEGF， and VEGFA （P<0.05）， up-regulated the protein level of BDNF （P<0.05）， and down-regulated the mRNA levels of APP， HIF-1α， and VEGF （P<0.05） in the hippocampus. ConclusionHLJDT can improve the learning and memory abilities of mice by reducing the expression of HIF-1α and VEGF， thus protecting the nerves.