Mechanism of Xiaojianzhong decoction in alleviating aspirin-induced gastric mucosal injury revealed by transcriptomics and metabolomics

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Aspirin, as a first-line drug for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, currently has high clinical usage. However, reports of aspirin-induced gastric mucosal injury are increasing. Xiaojianzhong decoction (XJZD), a classic traditional Chinese medicine formula, has been shown to alleviate gastric mucosal injury, although its potential mechanism of action requires further study.

AIM OF THE STUDY

This study aimed to explore the effect and mechanism of XJZD in preventing aspirin-induced gastric mucosal injury.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Aspirin was used to induce damage in the morning, while XJZD was applied as an intervention in the afternoon. The compounds in the XJZD were analyzed by means of both high-performance liquid chromatography and ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The overall condition of the aspirin-related gastric mucosal injury was evaluated. The expressions of inflammatory factors and tight-junction-related proteins and apoptosis were observed via immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. The expression levels of the apoptosis-related proteins were detected using Western blot. Transcriptomics was used to perform the integrative analysis of gastric tissues, which was then validated. Molecular dynamics was used to explore the interaction of key compounds within the XJZD with relevant targets. Finally, non-targeted metabolomics was used to observe any metabolic changes and construct a network between the differentially expressed genes and the differential metabolites to elucidate their potential relationship.

RESULTS

XJZD can alleviate inflammation response, maintain the gastric mucosal barrier's integrity, reduce apoptosis and necroptosis levels, and promote the proliferation and repair of gastric mucosal tissues. Its mechanism of action may be related to the regulation of TNF-α signaling. Furthermore, molecular docking showed that the cinnamaldehyde within XJZD played an important role in its effects. In addition, XJZD can correct metabolic disorders, mainly regulating amino acid metabolism pathways. Moreover, six differential genes (Cyp1a2, Cyp1a1, Pla2g4c, etc.) were determined to alleviate both gastric mucosal injury and inflammation by regulating arachidonic acid metabolism, Tryptophan metabolism, etc. CONCLUSIONS: This study is the first to report that XJZD can inhibit necroptosis and gastric mucosal injury induced by aspirin, thereby revealing the complex mechanism of XJZD in relation to alleviating gastric mucosal injury from multiple levels and perspectives.

Lactate metabolism in neurodegenerative diseases

Lactate, a byproduct of glycolysis, was thought to be a metabolic waste until the discovery of the Warburg effect. Lactate not only functions as a metabolic substrate to provide energy but can also function as a signaling molecule to modulate cellular functions under pathophysiological conditions. The Astrocyte-Neuron Lactate Shuttle has clarified that lactate plays a pivotal role in the central nervous system. Moreover, protein lactylation highlights the novel role of lactate in regulating transcription, cellular functions, and disease development. This review summarizes the recent advances in lactate metabolism and its role in neurodegenerative diseases, thus providing optimal perspectives for future research.

Epigenetic modification related to cognitive changes during a cognitive training intervention in depression

BACKGROUND

DNA methylation as a biomarker is well suited to investigate dynamic processes, such as symptom improvement. For this study we focus on epigenomic state or trait markers as early signatures of cognitive improvement in individuals receiving a cognitive intervention. We performed a first epigenome-wide association study (EWAS) on patients with cognitive dysfunction in depression comparing those with vs without cognitive dysfunction and those cognitively improving vs non-improving following a cognitive intervention.

METHOD

Data from a randomized controlled trial (RCT) were used for this analysis, where cognitive function of 112 patients randomly assigned to a personalized cognitive intervention was compared to standard cognitive treatment. Cognition was measured for this study using the four cognitive tasks from the THINC-it battery. We compared individuals with cognitive impairment with individuals without cognitive impairment at baseline and after a cognitive intervention of 8 weeks. Blood for DNA methylation analysis (Illumina Infinium MethylationEPIC 850 k BeadChip) was collected at baseline and 8 weeks into the treatment. For the baseline analysis, after quality control, the final sample comprised 90 individuals, and analyses at week 8 were performed on 84 individuals. Data cleaning, quality control, and differential methylation analysis of DNA methylation data was performed using the RnBeads package (R). Analyses were corrected for gender, age, depression score (MADRS), reported years of education, height and weight, as well as surrogate variables estimated by the pipeline used. The within-individual paired longitudinal analysis was performed using Welch's t-test.

RESULTS

Analyses at baseline and at week 8 did not show any genome-wide significant CpGs (p < 5 × 10-8) comparing patients with and without cognitive impairment. The most significant result in the baseline analysis comparing the groups with and without cognitive impairment at baseline is located in an open Sea region with predominantly regulatory qualities (cg10962945; 6.61 × 10-7). The most significant CpG at 8 weeks was also located in open sea, though in exon 13 of the NTRK2-gene, linked to the BDNF pathway (cg13620631, 5.56 × 10-7). Finally, a within-individual paired longitudinal analysis with only patients that show improved cognitive function over time was performed, showing 65 CpGs that overlapped between the 1% most significant of this analysis and the 1% most significant CpGs from the cross-sectional analysis at 8 weeks.

CONCLUSION

Our result suggest that DNA methylation can be suitable to capture early signs of treatment response of a cognitive intervention in depression. In our layered approach we could capture dynamics that can help differentiate between biological trait and state markers of cognitive function in depression. Despite not being genome-wide significant, the CpG locations returned by our analysis comparing patients with and without cognitive impairment, are in line with prior knowledge on pathways and genes relevant for depression treatment and cognition.

Molecular recognition of carbonate ion using a novel turn-on fluorescent probe

A novel turn-on fluorescent probe 3 was synthesized by condensing salicylaldehyde and nicotinic hydrazide for the selective detection of CO32- in aqueous medium. Probe 3 exhibited a turn-on fluorescence response toward CO32- with excellent selectivity, sensitivity (DL = 2.76 μM), and good reversibility. The binding constant (K) of probe 3 with CO32- was calculated to be 5 × 103 M-1 (log K 3.69). The 1:1 stoichiometry of the complex between probe 3 and CO32- ions was confirmed by Job's plot and ESI-MS spectra. Deprotonation and hydrogen-bonding interactions are involved in the recognition of CO32- ion, which was also suggested by 1H NMR, ESI-MS spectra, and Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations. Moreover, an INHIBIT type molecular logic gate was constructed by using 3:CO32- and CH3COOH as inputs and current signal as output. Owing to the practical applications, probe 3 demonstrated its efficiency in quantifying CO32- ion in real water samples through standard addition method, thus showcasing its potential in real environment. Further, the MTT assay indicated very low cytotoxicity (IC50 = 1 mM) of probe 3 and also the cell imaging experiments demonstrated the effective sensing of CO32- ions with probe 3 in the biological systems.

A comprehensive review of vine tea: Origin, research on Materia Medica, phytochemistry and pharmacology

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Vine tea is a popular folk tea that has been consumed in China for more than 1200 years. It is often used in ethnic medicine by ethnic groups in southwest China with at least 35 aliases in 10 provinces. In coastal areas, vine tea is mostly used to treat heatstroke, aphtha, aphonia, toothache, etc. In contrast, in the southwest inland regions, vine tea is mostly used to clear away heat and toxic materials, antiphlogosis and relieving sore-throat, lowering blood pressure and lipid levels, and alleviating fatigue. Three main species have been used as the source of vine tea, Nekemias grossedentata, Nekemias cantonensis and Nekemias megalophylla. Among them, the leaves of Nekemias grossedentata were considered as new food resource in complicance with regulations, according to the Food Safety Standards published by the Monitoring and Evaluation Department of the National Health and Family Planning Commission in China.

AIM OF THE STUDY

At present, the comprehensively summary of Materia Medica on the history and source of vine tea is currently unavailable. The current article summed up the Materia Medica, species origin and pharmacological effects of all 3 major species used in vine tea to fill the knowledge gaps. We also aim to provide a reference for future research on historical textual, resource development and medicinal utilization of vine tea.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Adhering to the literature screening methodology outlined by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA), this review encompasses 148 scholarly research papers from three database, paper ancient books, local chronicles and folklore through field investigations. We then comprehensively summarized and discussed research progresses in scientific and application studies of vine tea.

RESULTS

The historical records indicated that vine tea could have been used as early as Southern and Northern Dynasties (AC 420-589). Nekemias grossedentata, Nekemias cantonensis and Nekemias megalophylla, were used to considered as vine tea in the ethnic medicine. The main phytochemicals found in three plants are flavonoids, polyphenols and terpenoids, among which dihydromyricetin (DHM) is the most important and most studied active substance. The key words "Ampelopsis grossedentata" (Synonym of Nekemias grossedentata) and "dihydromyricetin/DHM" showed the highest frequency over the last 27 year based on the research trend analysis. And the ethnopharmacology studies drawn the main activities of vine tea are antioxidant, antibacterial, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective and anti-atherosclerosis activities.

CONCLUSIONS

This review systematically summarized and discussed vine tea from the following five aspects, history, genetic relationship, phytochemistry, research trend and ethnopharmacology. Vine tea has a long historical usage in Chinese ethnic medicine. Its outstanding therapeutic efficacies have attracted extensive attention in other places in the world at present. Nekemias cantonensis and Nekemias megalophylla are quite similar to Nekemias grossedentata in terms of many aspects. However, the current research has a narrow focus on mainly Nekemias grossedentata and DHM. We propose that future studies could be carried out to determine the synergistic effect of multi-components and multi-targets of vine tea including all 3 species to provide valuable knowledge.

A single case series of imagery rescripting of intrusive autobiographical memories in depression

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Intrusive memories are a common feature of depression, thought to be related to the onset and maintenance of the disorder. Intrusive memories have been successfully targeted in posttraumatic stress disorder through imagery rescripting. Yet there is limited evidence for the effectiveness of this technique in depression. We examined whether 12 weekly sessions of imagery rescripting was associated with reductions in depression, rumination and intrusive memories in a sample of patients with major depressive disorder (MDD).

METHODS

Fifteen clinically depressed participants completed 12 weeks of imagery rescripting treatment while completing daily measures of depression symptoms, rumination and intrusive memory frequency.

RESULTS

There were significant reductions on pre-post treatment and daily assessment measures of depression symptoms, rumination and intrusive memories. Reductions in depression symptoms represented a large effect size, while 13 participants (87%) showed reliable improvement and 12 participants (80%) demonstrated clinically significant improvement and no longer met diagnostic criteria for MDD.

LIMITATIONS

The sample size was small, however the intensive daily assessment protocol ensured the viability of within-person analyses.

CONCLUSIONS

Imagery rescripting as a stand-alone intervention appears to be effective at reducing depression symptoms. Additionally, the treatment was well tolerated by clients and observed to overcome several traditional treatment barriers in this population.

Extracellular vesicles in tumorigenesis, metastasis, chemotherapy resistance and intercellular communication in osteosarcoma

HIGHLIGHTS

Extracellular vehicles play crucial function in osteosarcoma tumorigenesis.Extracellular vehicles mediated the intercellular communication of osteosarcoma cells with other types cells in tumor microenvironment.Extracellular vehicles have potential utility in osteosarcoma diagnosis and treatment.

MRI features of intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the bile ducts, "The myth about the cyst": A systematic review

Rationale and objectives

Intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm of the bile ducts (IPMN-B) is a true pre-cancerous lesion, which shares common features with pancreatic IPMN (IPMN-P). While IPMN-P is a well described entity for which guidelines were formulated and revised, IPMN-B is a poorly described entity.We carried out a systematic review to evaluate the existing literature, emphasizing the role of MRI in IPMN-B depiction.

Materials and methods

PubMed database was used to identify original studies and case series that reported MR Imaging features of IPMN-B. The search keywords were "IPMN OR intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm OR IPNB OR intraductal papillary neoplasm of the bile duct AND Biliary OR biliary cancer OR hepatic cystic lesions". Risk of bias and applicability were evaluated using the QUADAS-2 tool.

Results

884 Records were Identified through database searching. 12 studies satisfied the inclusion criteria, resulting in MR features of 288 patients. All the studies were retrospective. Classic features of IPMN-B are under-described. Few studies note worrisome features, concerning for an underlying malignancy. 50 % of the studies had a high risk of bias and concerns regarding applicability.

Conclusions

The MRI features of IPMN-B are not well elaborated and need to be further studied. Worrisome features and guidelines regarding reporting the imaging findings should be established and published. Radiologists should be aware of IPMN-B, since malignancy diagnosis in an early stage will yield improved prognosis.

Mechanisms of dihydromyricetin against hepatocellular carcinoma elucidated by network pharmacology combined with experimental validation

CONTEXT

Dihydromyricetin (DMY) is extracted from vine tea, a traditional Chinese herbal medicine with anti-cancer, liver protection, and cholesterol-lowering effects.

OBJECTIVE

This study investigated the mechanism of DMY against hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Potential DMY, HCC, and cholesterol targets were collected from relevant databases. PPI networks were created by STRING. Then, the hub genes of co-targets, screened using CytoHubba. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment, were performed by Metascape. Based on the above results, a series of in vitro experiments were conducted by using 40-160 μM DMY for 24 h, including transwell migration/invasion assay, western blotting, and Bodipy stain assay.

RESULTS

Network pharmacology identified 98 common targets and 10 hub genes of DMY, HCC, and cholesterol, and revealed that the anti-HCC effect of DMY may be related to the positive regulation of lipid rafts. Further experiments confirmed that DMY inhibits the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HCC cells and reduces their cholesterol levels in vitro. The IC₅₀ is 894.4, 814.4, 467.8, 1,878.8, 151.8, and 156.9 μM for 97H, Hep3B, Sk-Hep1, SMMC-7721, HepG2, and Huh7 cells, respectively. In addition, DMY downregulates the expression of lipid raft markers (CAV1, FLOT1), as well as EGFR, PI3K, Akt, STAT3, and Erk.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION

The present study reveals that DMY suppresses EGFR and its downstream pathways by reducing cholesterol to disrupt lipid rafts, thereby inhibiting HCC, which provides a promising candidate drug with low toxicity for the treatment of HCC.

Local and large-scale resting-state oscillatory dysfunctions for early antidepressant response prediction in major depressive disorder

BACKGROUND

Magnetoencephalography (MEG) could explore and resolve brain signals with realistic temporal resolution to investigate the underlying electrophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD) and the treatment efficacy. Here, we explore whether neuro-electrophysiological features of MDD at baseline can be used as a neural marker to predict their early antidepressant response.

METHODS

Sixty-six medication-free patients with MDD and 48 healthy controls were enrolled and underwent resting-state MEG scans. Hamilton depression rating scale (HAMD-17) was assessed at both baseline and after two-week pharmacotherapy. We measured local and large-scale resting-state oscillatory dysfunctions with a data-driven model, the Fitting Oscillations & One-Over F algorithm. Then, we quantified band-limited regional power and functional connectivity between brain regions.

RESULTS

After two-week follow-up, 52 patients completed the re-interviews. Thirty-one patients showed early response (ER) to pharmacotherapy and 21 patients did not. Treatment response was defined as at least 50 % reduction of severity reflected by HAMD-17. We observed decreased regional periodic power in patients with MDD comparing to controls. However, patients with ER exhibited that functional couplings across brain regions in both alpha and beta band were increased and significantly correlated with severity of depressive symptoms after treatment. Receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) further confirmed the predictive ability of baseline large-scale functional connectivity for early antidepressant efficacy (AUC = 0.9969).

LIMITATIONS

Relatively small sample size and not a double-blind design.

CONCLUSIONS

The current study demonstrated the electrophysiological dysfunctions of local neural oscillatory related with depression and highlighted the identification ability of large-scale couplings biomarkers in early antidepressant response prediction.

Activation of NLRP3 Inflammasome via Drp1 Overexpression in Kupffer Cells Aggravates Ischemia-reperfusion Injury in Hepatic Steatosis

Background and Aims

Donors with fatty livers are considered to address the shortage of livers for transplantation, but those livers are particularly sensitive to ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI), and an increased incidence of graft failure is observed. Kupffer cells account for 20-35% of liver nonparenchymal cells, and have been shown to participate in the process of IRI and inflammatory reactions of hepatic steatosis. NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain-associated protein 3 (NLRP3) is an intracellular sensor activated by Kupffer cells to promote generation and participates in IRI. Dynamics-associated protein 1 (Drp1) is one of the main proteins regulating mitochondrial division and exacerbates IRI by affecting mitochondrial dynamics. The mechanism of interaction of Kupffer cells with Drp1 and NLRP3 to aggravate IRI has not been clarified.

Methods

A mouse model of hepatic steatosis was established by feeding the mice with a high-fat diet. In vitro experiments were performed using AML12 normal mouse liver cells and RAW264.7 mononuclear macrophage cells cultured in medium with palmitate and oleic acid. Western blotting and immunohistochemical (IHC) staining were used to detect the expression of NLRPP3 and Drp1 in IRI in the control and high-fat diet groups. The expression of F4/80+ cells during IRI in hepatic steatosis was verified by IHC staining, and the role of NLRPP3 and Drp1 in Kupffer-cell mediated IRI was investigated by targeting Drp-1 inhibition.

Results

Drp1 and NLRP3 expression was increased during IRI in hepatic steatosis, and the expression of Drp1 and NLRP3 were decreased after the elimination of Kupffer cells. That indicated Kupffer cells were involved in the process of IRI in hepatic steatosis through the action of Drp1 and NLRP3. After Drp1 inhibition, liver function was restored and NLRP3 expression level was reduced.

Conclusions

Kupffer cells aggravated IRI in hepatic steatosis via NLRP3 and Drp1. Drp1 inhibitors might be useful as specific therapeutics to alleviate IRI in hepatic steatosis and may have promise in case of liver donor shortage.