A novel pyroptosis-related gene signature for predicting laryngeal carcinoma prognosis.

Pyroptosis, a newly-defined mode of cell death related to inflammation, is closely related to cancers but has not yet been studied in laryngeal carcinoma (LC). We investigated pyroptosis in LC and constructed a prognostic model. Using RNA sequencing data, we identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in LC and normal tissues to construct a prognostic risk model.

Candidate metabolite markers of peripheral neuropathy in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes.

Objectives: To analyze the serum and urine metabolites present in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients and T2DM patients with diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN) and to select differentially expressed biomarkers for early diagnosis of DPN.

Methods: Serum and urine metabolites from 74 T2DM patients with peripheral neuropathy and 41 without peripheral neuropathy were analyzed using gas chromatograph system with time-of-flight mass spectrometer metabolomics to detect biomarkers of peripheral neuropathy in T2DM.

Results: There were increased serum triglycerides, alanine aminotransferase, and decreased C-peptide, and total cholesterol levels in T2DM patients with DPN compared to those without peripheral neuropathy.

[Textual research on classical famous prescription Dajianzhong Decoction].

The classical famous prescription Dajianzhong Decoction is recorded in Synopsis of the Golden Chamber written by Zhang Zhongjing in the Eastern Han Dynasty. It has a long history and definite clinical effects, while this prescription has not been manufactured into Chinese patent medicine preparation. We collected many ancient books of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) by using the method of bibliometrics and got 211 valid data terms which involved 67 ancient books.

A novel 8-gene panel for prediction of early biochemical recurrence in patients with prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy.

Approximately 25% of prostate cancer (PCa) cases experience biochemical recurrence (BCR) following radical prostatectomy (RP). The patients with BCR, especially with BCR ≤2 year after RP (early BCR), are more likely to develop clinical metastasis and castration resistance. Now decision-making regarding BCR after RP relies solely on clinical parameters.

[Simultaneous determination of 11 neurotransmitters in brain microdialysis samples from rats by UPLC-MS/MS].

This study established a method for simultaneous determination of 11 neurotransmitters, such as acetylcholine, glutamic acid, glycine, and norepinephrine from rat brain microdialysis samples using UPLC-MS/MS. A total of 20 μL of rat brain dialysate was diluted with 60 μL of acetonitrile-water(4∶1) and centrifuged for 10 min at 10 000 r·min~(-1),and 5 μL was injected into UPLC-MS/MS system for assay. Chromatographic separation was performed on a Waters ACQUITY BEH amide column(2.

[Effects of shell composition in shell-core structured nanoparticles on oral physiological barrier and bioavailability].

The present study prepared shell-core nanoparticles comprising poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)(PLGA) cores encapsulated by shells composed of mixed lipids(Lipoid S100 and DSPE-PEG 2000) or polymer F127 to investigate the effects of shell composition on overcoming physiological barriers of gastrointestinal mucus and intestinal epithelial cells and improving bioavailability.The results are expected to provide references for the research on the improvement of the oral bioavailability of Chinese medicine by nanocar-riers. Silibinin(SLB) was used as a model drug to prepare PLGA nanoparticles coated with the shell of mixed lipids(SLB-LPNs) or F127(SLB-FPNs) via a modified nanoprecipitation method.

The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (M): Structure, function, and emerging therapies for COVID-19.

The main proteases (M), also termed 3-chymotrypsin-like proteases (3CL), are a class of highly conserved cysteine hydrolases in β-coronaviruses. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that 3CLs play an indispensable role in viral replication and have been recognized as key targets for preventing and treating coronavirus-caused infectious diseases, including COVID-19. This review is focused on the structural features and biological function of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) main protease M (also known as 3CL), as well as recent advances in discovering and developing SARS-CoV-2 3CL inhibitors.

Eltrombopag binds SDC4 directly and enhances MAPK signaling and macropinocytosis in cancer cells.

Syndecan-4 (SDC4) is a single-pass transmembrane glycoprotein implicated in a variety of oncogenic signaling pathways. It is also an intrinsically disordered protein and considered "undruggable". In the present study, we confirmed that knocking out SDC4 in pancreatic cancer cells markedly impaired macropinocytosis, colony formation, as well as xenograft tumor initiation and growth.

Evaluation of acoustic changes in and the healing outcomes of rat eardrums with pars tensa and pars flaccida perforations.

Objectives: To systematically explore the differences in acoustic changes and healing outcomes of tympanic membranes (TMs) with pars flaccida perforation (PFP) and pars tensa perforation (PTP).

Methods: We created PFPs and PTPs of various sizes in Sprague-Dawley rats, and evaluated TM umbo velocity and hearing function using laser Doppler vibrometry and auditory brainstem response (ABR) measurement before and immediately after perforation. Two weeks later, hearing was reevaluated and TMs were investigated by immunohistochemical staining.

[Action mechanism and active components of Fuzheng Huayu Recipe against liver fibrosis via regulating macrophage with network pharmacology and transcriptomics methods].

We have demonstrated that Fuzheng Huayu Recipe(FZHY) plays an anti-liver fibrosis role by regulating the polarization of intrahepatic macrophages, while the key targets in macrophages and the effective components of FZHY remain unclear. In this study, we obtained the potential anti-liver fibrosis target set of FZHY through network pharmacological analysis, and the differentially expressed gene set of FZHY for the prevention and treatment of mouse liver fibrosis through RNA-Seq of the liver tissue. The potential core targets of FZHY against liver fibrosis were obtained by degree value analysis of the common target proteins between the above two sets.

[Research advances of chemical constituents and analytical methods of Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride and Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium].

Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium Viride(CRPV) and Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium(CRP) are two commonly used Chinese medicinal materials. They have the same origin while are harvested in different seasons and have different clinical effects. They contain similar chemical components, like flavonoids, terpenes, volatile oils, and alkaloids.

Research progress in the role and mechanism of LPCAT3 in metabolic related diseases and cancer.

Lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferases (LPCATs) are among the lysophopholipid acyltransferases (LPLATs) that specifically regulate the abundance of different phosphatidylcholine (PC) species in a variety of cell and tissue types, thereby playing an important role in lipid metabolism and homeostasis. Lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase 3 (LPCAT3, MBOAT5) is a member of the LPCAT family that primarily regulates the levels of arachidonic PC species. LPCAT3 is regulated by the liver X receptor, which plays an important role in lipoprotein production in the liver and small intestine.

The role and therapeutic implication of endoplasmic reticulum stress in inflammatory cancer transformation.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress occurs when proteins are affected by various factors, fail to fold properly into higher structures and accumulate in the lumen of the ER, which activates the unfolded protein response (UPR) to restore normal cellular function or induce apoptosis as a self-protective mechanism. However, a growing number of studies have shown that the three branches of ER stress and the UPR can mediate inflammation and cancer development by interacting with inflammatory transformation-related signaling pathways. Targeting the UPR, especially the use of small molecules that target the active sites of the enzymes IRE1α and PERK and BIP/GRP78 inhibitors are potential strategies for treating tumors and have shown promising results in some tumor models.

Curcumin treats endometriosis in mice by the HIF signaling pathway.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether curcumin has a therapeutic effect on endometriosis (EM) and to determine the specific mechanism.

Methods: Network pharmacology was used to obtain the core targets of curcumin for the treatment of EM and the specific biologic processes involved. A mouse model of EM was constructed and divided into different groups, as follows: control, negative control, curcumin, and denogestrel.

[Network Meta-analysis of efficacy and safety of Chinese patent medicines in treatment of ankylosing spondylitis].

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Chinese patent medicines in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis(AS) by frequency network Meta-analysis. Randomized controlled trials(RCTs)of Chinese patent medicines for AS were retrieved from CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, CBM, PubMed, EMbase and Cochrane Library databases from the time of database establishment to January 2021. The quality of the included RCTs was evaluated according to the Cochrane bias risk standard, and the data was analyzed by RevMan 5.

[Icariin improves renal interstitial fibrosis in a rat model of chronic renal failure by regulating mitochondrial dynamics].

This study aims to explore the effect of icariin(ICA) on mitochondrial dynamics in a rat model of chronic renal failure(CRF) and to investigate the molecular mechanism of ICA against renal interstitial fibrosis(RIF). CRF was induced in male Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats with 5/6(ablation and infarction, A/I) surgery(right kidney ablation and 2/3 infarction of the left kidney). Four weeks after surgery, the model rats were randomized into the following groups: 5/6(A/I) group, 5/6(A/I)+low-dose ICA group, and 5/6(A/I)+high-dose ICA group.

A periodic review of chemical and pharmacological profiles of Tubiechong as insect Chinese medicine.

Tubiechong, in Chinese medicine, denotes the dried female insects of Walker (ESW) or Bolivar (PPB). As a traditional insect-type, in medicine, it has been historically utilized to treat bruises, fractures, amenorrhea, postpartum blood stasis, lumps and relieving pain. We herein have performed a systematic survey involving the chemical and biological studies in the past decades to reveal the value of such insect resources for their development and clinical utilization.

An integrated approach for structural characterization of Gui Ling Ji by traveling wave ion mobility mass spectrometry and molecular network.

Gui Ling Ji (GLJ), an ancient reputable traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula prescription, has been applied for the treatment of oligospermia and asthenospermia in clinical practice. However, its inherent compounds have not yet been systematically elucidated, which hampers developing standards or guidelines for quality evaluation and even the understanding of pharmacological effects. In this study, an integrated approach has been established for comprehensive structural characterization of GLJ.

Volatile components in Yinchenzhufu decoction and their pharmacokinetics after oral administration in rats.

In China, Yinchenzhufu decoction (YCZFD) has been used to treat cholestatic liver disease in clinical practice for hundreds of years. Nonvolatile components in YCZFD, their composition, components absorbed in blood, and pharmacokinetic characteristics have been clarified. However, information about its volatile components is limited.

Discovery and characterization of naturally occurring potent inhibitors of catechol--methyltransferase from herbal medicines.

Human catechol--methyltransferase (hCOMT) is considered a therapeutic target due to its crucial roles in the metabolic inactivation of endogenous neurotransmitters and xenobiotic drugs. There are nevertheless few safe and effective COMT inhibitors and there lacks a diversity in structure. To discover novel safe and effective hCOMT inhibitors from herbal products, in this study, 53 herbal products were collected and their inhibitory effects against hCOMT were investigated.