何首乌水提物及其活性成分大黄素通过调控胆固醇代谢抑制软骨细胞炎症缓解骨关节炎的研究

[目的]何首乌是一种被广泛应用的传统中草药,具有多种药理作用。经过炮制加工后具有不同的药理作用。然而,何首乌炮制前后的化学成分变化,以及其炮制品具补肝肾、强筋骨,进而是否具有治疗骨关节炎的功效作用尚不清楚。因此,本研究探索制首乌是否具有改善骨关节炎的药效作用,并研究制首乌中主要活性成分在防治骨关节炎作用中的分子机制。[方法]采用高效液相色谱法对炮制前后何首乌水提物进行对比分析。利用GEO数据库及R语言对骨关节炎疾病靶点进行KEGG和GO富集分析。通过GC-MS代谢组学技术测定经药物处理前后软骨细胞的代谢表征。[结果]结果显示何首乌炮制后具有改善骨关节炎的药效作用,且炮制后活性成分大黄素含量显著增加。GEO数据库分析进一步证明骨关节炎的发病进程与生物代谢途径存在较大关联。大黄素能够在一定程度上促进软骨细胞增殖,并显著抑制炎症因子的表达。代谢组学结果显示,大黄素通过调节5种代谢途径包括:氨基酸代谢、脂肪酸合成、胆固醇代谢等参与延缓软骨细胞退变,进而抑制骨关节炎的发生发展。[结论]本研究揭示了经过中药炮制后的制何首乌具有抑制骨关节炎的功效作用,并证实经过炮制后主要增量物质大黄素是产生抗炎药理活性,进而治疗骨关节炎的活性成分,本研究为制何首乌治疗骨关节炎提供了科学依据。

细胞自噬调控在肿瘤中作用的研究进展

自噬是溶酶体介导的细胞自行消化,其构成了一个被损坏的细胞器和长寿命蛋白质的循环动态途径,在机体内环境稳态和肿瘤发生机制中发挥着重大作用,以保证细胞在营养不足、肿瘤微环境等应激条件下可获得持续利用的能量,并以此来维持体内平衡及生存能力。自噬不仅依赖于肿瘤中的环境、细胞种类和阶段,而且还受肿瘤细胞与微环境之间相互串扰的调节。自噬在肿瘤的早期阶段能抑制肿瘤发生,然而肿瘤晚期阶段自噬促进肿瘤发生,并增加肿瘤细胞生长和转移。本文将就自噬机制及其在肿瘤细胞增殖发展中的作用进行综述,深入研究自噬在癌症生物学中作用,有助于针对自噬相关靶点抗肿瘤的新药设计和临床转化研究。

Carbon neutrality of wastewater treatment-A systematic concept beyond the plant boundary

Recently,every industry has been working to achieve carbon neutrality,and the wastewater sector is no exception.However,little research focuses on the carbon accounting of wastewater treatment and the roadmap to carbon neutrality.Here,to systematically perform accounting,we provide a sketch that describes three boundaries of the wastewater system and propose that the carbon neutrality of the wastewater system is far beyond the plant boundary.Moreover,we identify the direct and indirect carbon emissions of wastewater treatment.In addition to direct emissions of CH_(4) and N_(2)O,direct fossil CO_(2) emissions from wastewater treatment should be included in accounting to set accurate guidelines.Next,the technologies that assist in achieving carbon-neutral wastewater treatment both within-thefence of wastewater treatment plants and beyond the plant boundary are summarized.All measurements of energy recovery,resource recovery,and water reuse contribute to reaching this goal.The concepts of energy neutrality and carbon neutrality are identified.Successful wastewater treatment cases in energy self-sufficiency may not achieve carbon neutrality.Meanwhile,resource recovery methods are encouraged,especially to produce carbon-based materials.Ultimately,the trend of preference for the decentralized sewage treatment system is pinpointed,and systematic thinking to set the urban infrastructure layout as a whole is advocated.

Quality assessment of processed Eucommiae Cortex based on the color and tensile force

Eucommiae Cortex(EC),the dried stem bark of Eucommia ulmoides Oliv,has been traditionally used to strengthen the muscle and bone tissues and improve liver and kidney functions in East Asian countries,including China,Japan,and Korea.Salty-fried EC(SFEC)is made by using mixing EC and saline together based on the protocol of Chinese Materia Medica Processing(CMMP)for clinical use.However,the clinical effectiveness of SFEC is directly impacted by the frying temperature and time.But precise techniques for evaluating the caliber of SFEC have yet to be developed.Thus,this study aimed to establish a fast and accurate quality-check method for SFEC decoction pieces.According to the frying temperature and time,four different categories of SFEC had been got according to the Chinese Pharmacopoeia method as Raw(R),Under(U),Moderately(M),and Overly(O).The red(R),green(G),blue(B),and light(L)color values of the decoction pieces were quantitated using the Photoshop software to determine the standard value range of the L color(raw[104.44±15.06],under[67.28±8.20],moderately[39.94±6.40],and over[15.02±5.03]).Additionally,the tensile strengths and pinoresinol diglucoside(PDG)levels of EC gum-silks were measured using the mechanical tensile test and HPLC,respectively.We also conducted Pearson correlation analysis on the L color value,EC gum-silk tension(FbcN),and PDG level,and established the following muliple-linear regression equation:the decline in PDG level(w)=0.829-0.001×FbeN-0.009×I.In conclusion,the L color value and FbeN could be used for cluster analysis of four categories of SFEC.Additinally,based on the correlation among the L color value,gum-silk tensile test,and PDG level,a rapid and accurate quality-control method for SFEC decoction pieces with different frying temperatures and durations was estab-lished.This method facilitates the manufacturing of efficacious SFEC.

Expanding antiviral therapy indications for HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B patients with normal ALT and positive HBV DNA

With the improved efficacy and accessibility of antiviral agents as well as the concerns about disease progression,there is a hot discussion on whether HBeAg-negative chronic hepatitis B(CHB)patients with normal alanine aminotransferase(ALT)and positive HBV DNA should be treated.According to the international guidelines on the stages of the natural history of HBV infection,HBeAgnegative CHB patients with normal ALT and positive HBV DNA can be divided into two groups:one is the well-known“inactive carrier phase”,which is defined as serum HBV DNA<2000 IU/ml and no significant liver inflammation;and the other is the“indeterminate phase”,which is defined as serum HBV DNA≥2000 IU/mL regardless of the pathological changes in liver tissue,or HBV DNA<2000 IU/mL but accompanied by significant pathological changes in the liver.In this minireview,we will expound the disease characteristics,disease progression,and clinical management status of these two groups.Based on the analysis,we propose that HBeAg-negative patients with normal ALT but detectable serum HBV DNA should be treated,regardless of their age,family history of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)or the severity of liver necroinflammation.Expanding the indications of antiviral therapy will help improve the survival and quality of life of patients by preventing disease progression,and consequently reduce the risk of HCC development.