Circular RNAs in human diseases.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a unique class of RNA molecules formed through back-splicing rather than linear splicing. As an emerging field in molecular biology, circRNAs have garnered significant attention due to their distinct structure and potential functional implications. A comprehensive understanding of circRNAs' functions and potential clinical applications remains elusive despite accumulating evidence of their involvement in disease pathogenesis.

Jianpi-Tiaoqi decoction inhibits tumour proliferation and lung metastasis in tumour-bearing mice with triple-negative breast cancer.

Traditional Chinese medicine, specifically the Jianpi Tiaoqi (JPTQ) decoction, has been explored for its role in treating breast cancer, particularly in inhibiting lung metastasis in affected mice. Our study evaluated the effects of JPTQ on several factors, including tumour growth, apoptosis, angiogenesis, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and immune microenvironment regulation. We used bioluminescence imaging to observe in situ tumour growth and potential lung metastasis.

ROS regulation in gliomas: implications for treatment strategies.

Gliomas are one of the most common primary malignant tumours of the central nervous system (CNS), of which glioblastomas (GBMs) are the most common and destructive type. The glioma tumour microenvironment (TME) has unique characteristics, such as hypoxia, the blood-brain barrier (BBB), reactive oxygen species (ROS) and tumour neovascularization. Therefore, the traditional treatment effect is limited.

Transcriptomic and proteomic profiling of the anterior cingulate cortex in neuropathic pain model rats.

Background: Neuropathic pain (NP) takes a heavy toll on individual life quality, yet gaps in its molecular characterization persist and effective therapy is lacking. This study aimed to provide comprehensive knowledge by combining transcriptomic and proteomic data of molecular correlates of NP in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), a cortical hub responsible for affective pain processing.

Methods: The NP model was established by spared nerve injury (SNI) in Sprague-Dawley rats.

Targeted therapy based on ubiquitin-specific proteases, signalling pathways and E3 ligases in non-small-cell lung cancer.

Lung cancer is one of the most common malignant tumours worldwide, with the highest mortality rate. Approximately 1.6 million deaths owing to lung cancer are reported annually; of which, 85% of deaths occur owing to non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Adeno-associated virus vector intraperitoneal injection induces colonic mucosa and submucosa transduction and alters the diversity and composition of the faecal microbiota in rats.

Background: Viral vector technology, especially recombinant adeno-associated virus vector (rAAV) technology, has shown great promise in preclinical research for clinical applications. Several studies have confirmed that rAAV can successfully transduce the enteric nervous system (ENS), and rAAV gene therapy has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of the early childhood blindness disease Leber congenital amaurosis and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). However, until now, it has not been possible to determine the effect of AAV9 on intestinal microbiota.

The effects of elemene emulsion injection on rat fecal microbiota and metabolites: Evidence from metagenomic exploration and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

Objective: Elemene emulsion injection (EEI) has been approved for interventional and intracavitary chemotherapy in treating malignant ascites in China, but few studies have focused on the effects of EEI on gut microbiota and metabolites. In this study, we investigated the effects of EEI on the fecal microbiota and metabolites in healthy Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats.

Methods: We randomly assigned 18 male SD rats to three groups ( = 6 in each group): the sham group (group S), the low-concentration EEI group (L-EEI), and the high-concentration EEI group (H-EEI).

MSC Senescence-Related Genes Are Associated with Myeloma Prognosis and Lipid Metabolism-Mediated Resistance to Proteasome Inhibitors.

Background: Complex carcinogenic mechanisms and the existence of tumour heterogeneity in multiple myeloma (MM) prevent the most commonly used staging system from effectively interpreting the prognosis of patients. Since the microenvironment plays an important role in driving tumour development and MM occurs most often in middle-aged and elderly patients, we hypothesize that ageing of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) may be associated with the progression of MM.

Methods: In this study, we collected the transcriptome data on MM from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases.

The analgesic effects of β-elemene in rats with neuropathic pain by inhibition of spinal astrocytic ERK activation.

Neuropathic pain takes a heavy toll on individual well-being, while current therapy is far from desirable. Herein, we assessed the analgesic effect of β-elemene, a chief component in the traditional Chinese medicine Curcuma wenyujin, and explored the underlying mechanisms at the level of spinal dorsal horn (SDH) under neuropathic pain. A spared nerve injury (SNI)-induced neuropathic pain model was established in rats.

Knockdown of CLC-3 may improve cognitive impairment caused by diabetic encephalopathy.

Background: Diabetic encephalopathy(DE) is a neurological complication of diabetes, and its pathogenesis is unclear. Current studies indicate that insulin receptors and downstream signaling pathways play a key role in the occurrence and development of DE. Additionally, CLC-3, a member of the CLC family of anion channels and transporters, is closely related to the secretion and processing of insulin.

Clinical course and outcomes of COVID-19 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A retrospective observational study in Wuhan, China.

Information about coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients with pre-existing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is still lacking. The aim of this study is to describe the clinical course and the outcome of COVID-19 patients with comorbid COPD.This retrospective study was performed at Wuhan Huoshenshan Hospital in China.

Different Drugs for the Treatment of Painful Diabetic Peripheral Neuropathy: A Meta-Analysis.

To systematically evaluate the effects of different drugs for the treatment of painful diabetic peripheral neuropathy. All literature from PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials published over the past 12 years (from January 1, 2008 to June 1, 2020) was searched, and two reviewers independently assessed study eligibility, continuous data extraction, independent assessment of bias risk, and graded strength of evidence. The pain score was used as the main result, and 30 and 50% pain reduction and adverse events were used as secondary results.

Elemene Emulsion Injection Administration Reduces Neuropathic Pain by Inhibiting Astrocytic NDRG2 Expression within Spinal Dorsal Horn.

Objective: To investigate the mechanisms underlying elemene-induced analgesia in rats with spared nerve injury (SNI).

Methods: Sixty-five rats were equally divided into 5 groups using a random number table: naive group, sham group, SNI group, SNI + elemene (40 mg·kg·d) group and naive + elemene (40 mg·kg·d) group. An SNI rat model was established and the intervention were given respectively for 14 consecutive days.

GOLPH3 Promotes Angiogenesis of Lung Adenocarcinoma by Regulating the Wnt/β-Catenin Signaling Pathway.

Purpose: We aim to investigate the role of Golgi phosphoprotein 3 (GOLPH3) and the possible regulation mechanism underlying lung adenocarcinoma (LADC).

Methods: The level of GOLPH3 was performed by quantitative real time (qRT)-PCR, Western blot and immunohistochemistry. Patient survival rate was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier method.

Nucleus tractus solitarius mediates hyperalgesia induced by chronic pancreatitis in rats.

Background: Central sensitization plays a pivotal role in the maintenance of chronic pain induced by chronic pancreatitis (CP). We hypothesized that the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS), a primary central site that integrates pancreatic afferents apart from the thoracic spinal dorsal horn, plays a key role in the pathogenesis of visceral hypersensitivity in a rat model of CP.

Aim: To investigate the role of the NTS in the visceral hypersensitivity induced by chronic pancreatitis.

Anterior insular cortex mediates hyperalgesia induced by chronic pancreatitis in rats.

Central sensitization plays a pivotal role in the maintenance of chronic pain induced by chronic pancreatitis (CP), but cortical modulation of painful CP remains elusive. This study was designed to examine the role of anterior insular cortex (aIC) in the pathogenesis of hyperalgesia in a rat model of CP. CP was induced by intraductal administration of trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS).

The roles of PDGFRα signaling in the postnatal development and functional maintenance of the SMC-ICC-PDGFRα+ cell (SIP) syncytium in the colon.

Background: The SIP syncytium in the gut consists of smooth muscle cells, interstitial cells of Cajal, and PDGFRα+ cells. We studied the fate of SIP cells after blocking PDGFRα receptor to explore the roles of PDGFRα signaling in the postnatal development and functional maintenance of the SIP syncytium.

Methods: Crenolanib was administered to mice from P0, P10, or P50.

Anti-fibrotic Effects and Mechanism of Shengmai Injection () on Human Hepatic Stellate Cells LX-2.

Objective: To investigate the effects of Shengmai Injection (, SMI) on the proliferation, apoptosis and N-myc downstream-regulated gene 2 (NDRG2, a tumour suppressor gene) expression in varying densities of human hepatic stellate cells LX-2.

Methods: LX-2 cells were cultured in vitro. Then, cells were plated in 96-well plates at an approximate density of 2.

Anti-fibrotic effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza and Ligustrazine Injection on LX-2 cells involved with increased N-myc downstream-regulated gene 2 expression.

Objective: To investigate the effects of Salvia miltiorrhiza and Ligustrazine Injection (SML) on proliferation and apoptosis of human hepatic stellate cell LX-2 and the expression of N-myc downstreamregulated gene 2 (NDRG2, a tumor suppressor gene).

Methods: HSCs from the LX-2 cell line were cultured in vitro. The proliferative state of different initial LX-2 cell numbers was measured using a 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol- 2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) colorimetric assay.

The influence of astragalus polysaccharide and β-elemene on LX-2 cell growth, apoptosis and activation.

Background: Activated hepatic stellate cells are the main source of excessive collagen deposition in liver fibrosis. Here we report the inhibitory effects of the combinational treatment of two natural products, astragalus polysaccharide (APS) and β-elemene (ELE) on the activation of human liver hepatic stellate cell line LX-2 cells.

Methods: Cultured LX-2 cells were treated with different concentrations of APS or ELE for 24 or 48 hours.

Importance of N-glycosylation on CD147 for its biological functions.

Glycosylation of glycoproteins is one of many molecular changes that accompany malignant transformation. Post-translational modifications of proteins are closely associated with the adhesion, invasion, and metastasis of tumor cells. CD147, a tumor-associated antigen that is highly expressed on the cell surface of various tumors, is a potential target for cancer diagnosis and therapy.