Berberine prevents primary peritoneal adhesion and adhesion reformation by directly inhibiting TIMP-1

Progress in Polysaccharide-Based Hydrogels for Preventing Postoperative Adhesions: A Review

Postoperative adhesions are common complications following surgery, often accompanied by pain and inflammation that significantly diminish patients' quality of life. Moreover, managing postoperative adhesions incurs substantial cost, imposing a considerable financial burden on both patients and healthcare systems. Traditional anti-adhesion materials are confronted with limitations, such as inadequate tissue adherence in a moist environment and poor degradability, underscoring the urgent need for more effective solutions. Recently, polysaccharide-based hydrogels have received considerable attention for their potential in preventing postoperative adhesions. The hydrogels not only facilitate wound healing but also effectively reduce inflammation, providing a promising approach to preventing postoperative adhesions. This review provides an extensive analysis of the progress made in the development of polysaccharide-based hydrogels for postoperative anti-adhesion therapy. It highlights their principal benefits, outlines future research trajectories, and addresses the ongoing challenges that need to be overcome.

Microenvironment-Responsive Hydrogel Enclosed with Bioactive Nanoparticle for Synergistic Postoperative Adhesion Prevention

Postoperative adhesion (PA) is a severe complication of abdominal surgery caused by the inability of clinical physical barriers to cope with diverse pathological factors in the process of PA formation. Herein, we described a multifunctional hydrogel composed of bioactive nanoparticles (BNs) and dual-responsive hydrogel to serve as a combination of physical and pharmacological therapy for preventing PA. Specifically, BNs with pro-inflammatory cell-targeted aggregation were designed by integrating hyaluronic acid onto the polydopamine (PDA)-coated hollow ZrO2 nanoparticles loaded with antimicrobial peptides and platelet lysates that can eliminate bacterial infection and promote tissue repair. PDA can remove the excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) and thus suppress the oxidative stress damage and accompanying inflammation in the presence of high ROS. The dynamically cross-linked host hydrogel presents injectable yet microenvironment-responsive properties, which enables complete coverage of the uneven tissue and instantly forms a physical barrier to effectively isolate injured tissues and neighboring organs, and synchronously acts as a niche to deliver the BNs in a controlled way. The hydrogel demonstrates a remarkable antiadhesion effect in a rat cecum-abdominal wall adhesion model. Together, this "all-in-one" composite hydrogel strategy capable of a physical barrier capability and pharmacological effects represents a promising clinical solution to prevent PA.

The Toll-like receptor 4 antagonist TAK-242 in combination with sodium hyaluronate alleviates postoperative abdominal adhesion in a mouse model

Postoperative abdominal adhesion is one of the most common complications after abdominal surgery. The Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling pathway is one of the most common inflammation-related pathways, and it has been demonstrated that TLR4 is highly expressed in adhesive tissues; however, the function of TLR4 in adhesion formation has not yet been studied. In the present study, the expression of TLR4 was first detected by immunohistochemical (IHC) and double-immunofluorescence staining in 40 mice, which were randomly divided into four groups, and sacrificed at 1, 3, 5 and 7 days after surgery. Subsequently, another 40 mice were randomly divided into five groups; with the exception of the sham group, the other groups were modeled and treated with saline that contained DMSO, sodium hyaluronate (HA), TAK-242 or TAK-242 + HA (applied to damaged peritoneal wounds). A total of 7 days after surgery, the mice were sacrificed and specimens were collected. Inflammation was detected by hematoxylin and eosin staining, and ELISA of transforming growth factor- β1 (TGF-β1) and interleukin-6 (IL-6); collagen deposition was examined by Masson staining and IHC staining of α-SMA; and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were detected by ROS staining and malondialdehyde (MDA) assay. The results revealed that TLR4 was highly expressed in the adhesive tissues at 3, 5 and 7 days after surgery. In addition, TAK-242 + HA treatment could reduce abdominal adhesion formation, exhibiting lower Nair's score and inflammation scores, lower TGF-β1 and IL-6 levels, and lower collagen thickness and α-SMA levels compared with those in the control group. In addition, the TAK-242 + HA group had lower levels of ROS and MDA compared with those in the control group. The present study revealed that TLR4 was highly expressed in the process of adhesion formation and its inhibitor, TAK-242, combined with HA, could reduce adhesion formation by reducing inflammation and ROS, and alleviating collagen deposition.

The LAMB3-EGFR signaling pathway mediates synergistic Anti-Cancer effects of berberine and emodin in Pancreatic cancer

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a lethal malignancy, primarily due to the intrinsic development of chemoresistance. The most apparent histopathological feature associated with chemoresistance is the alterations in extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. Natural dietary botanicals such as berberine (BBR) and emodin (EMO) have been shown to possess chemo-preventive potential by regulating ECM in various cancers. Herein, we further investigated the potential synergistic effects of BBR and EMO in enhancing anticancer efficacy by targeting ECM proteins in pancreatic cancer. Genomewide transcriptomic profiling identified that LAMB3 was significantly upregulated in PDAC tissue and highly associated with poor overall survival (OS, hazard ratio [HR], 2.99, 95 % confidence interval [CI], 1.46-6.15; p = 0.003) and progress-free survival (PFS, HR, 2.59; 95 % CI, 1.30-5.18; p = 0.007) in PDAC. A systematic series of functional experiments in BxPC-3 and MIA-PaCa-2 cells revealed that the combination of BBR and EMO exhibited synergistic anti-tumor potential, as demonstrated by cell proliferation, clonogenicity, migration, and invasion assays (p < 0.05-0.001). The combination also altered the expression of key proteins involved in apoptosis, EMT, and EGFR/ERK1,2/AKT signaling. These findings were further supported by patient-derived organoids (PDOs), where the combined treatment resulted in fewer and smaller organoids compared to each compound individually (p < 0.05-0.001). Our results suggest that BBR combined with EMO exerts synergistic anti-cancer effects by modulating the EGFR-signaling pathway through interference with LAMB3 in PDAC.

Berberine Targets PKM2 to Activate the t-PA-Induced Fibrinolytic System and Improves Thrombosis

BACKGROUND

Arterial thrombosis, a condition in which thrombi form in arteries, can lead to various acute cardiovascular diseases and impact the quality of life and survival of patients. Berberine (BBR), a quaternary ammonium alkaloid, has been shown to treat these diseases. However, further exploration is needed to understand underlying mechanisms of BBR.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Rats were administered BBR via intramuscular injection. Then, an FeCl3-coated filter paper was applied to a carotid artery to induce thrombosis. The size of the thrombus and the blood flow velocity were evaluated by carotid ultrasound. The shape of the thrombus was observed using staining and microscopy. The expression levels of mRNA and proteins were verified. Additionally, mass spectrometry and single-cell RNA sequencing analysis were conducted. The administration of BBR resulted in a significant reduction in the thrombus area and an extension of the thrombus-clogging time. Furthermore, BBR administration effectively reversed the decreasing tissue-plasminogen activator (t-PA) expression and alterations in fibrinolysis system of model group. Additionally, the expression of PKM2 was suppressed following BBR administration, and the overexpression of PKM2 inhibited t-PA expression.

CONCLUSIONS

BBR ameliorates thrombosis by modulating expression of PKM2, subsequently impacting the expression of t-PA within fibrinolytic system. These preliminary findings suggest that BBR could be a potential preventive and therapeutic strategy for arterial thromboembolic diseases.

Berberine as a novel ACSL4 inhibitor to suppress endothelial ferroptosis and atherosclerosis

The discovery of an inhibitor for acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4), a protein involved in the process of cell injury through ferroptosis, has the potential to ameliorate cell damage. In this study, we aimed to investigate the potential of berberine (BBR) as an inhibitor of ACSL4 in order to suppress endothelial ferroptosis and provide protection against atherosclerosis. An atherosclerosis model was created in ApoE-/- mice by feeding a high fat diet for 16 weeks. Additionally, a mouse model with endothelium-specific overexpression of ACSL4 was established. BBR was administered orally to assess its potential therapeutic effects on atherosclerosis. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were exposed to oxidized low density lipoprotein (ox-LDL) to simulate atherosclerotic endothelial damage in vitro. The interaction between ACSL4 and BBR has been confirmed, with BBR playing a role in inhibiting erastin-induced ferroptosis by regulating ACSL4. Additionally, BBR has been found to inhibit lipid deposition, plaque formation, and collagen deposition in the aorta, thereby delaying the progression of atherosclerosis. It also restored the abnormal expression of ferroptosis-related proteins in atherosclerotic vascular endothelial cells both in vivo and in vitro. In conclusion, BBR, acting as an ACSL4 inhibitor, can improve atherosclerosis by inhibiting ferroptosis in endothelial cells. This highlights the potential of targeted inhibition of vascular endothelial ACSL4 as a strategy for treating atherosclerosis, with BBR being a candidate for this purpose.

Traditional Chinese medicine and mitophagy: A novel approach for cardiovascular disease management

BACKGROUND

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, imposing an enormous economic burden on individuals and human society. Laboratory studies have identified several drugs that target mitophagy for the prevention and treatment of CVD. Only a few of these drugs have been successful in clinical trials, and most studies have been limited to animal and cellular models. Furthermore, conventional drugs used to treat CVD, such as antiplatelet agents, statins, and diuretics, often result in adverse effects on patients' cardiovascular, metabolic, and respiratory systems. In contrast, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has gained significant attention for its unique theoretical basis and clinical efficacy in treating CVD.

PURPOSE

This paper systematically summarizes all the herbal compounds, extracts, and active monomers used to target mitophagy for the treatment of CVD in the last five years. It provides valuable information for researchers in the field of basic cardiovascular research, pharmacologists, and clinicians developing herbal medicines with fewer side effects, as well as a useful reference for future mitophagy research.

METHODS

The search terms "cardiovascular disease," "mitophagy," "herbal preparations," "active monomers," and "cardiac disease pathogenesis" in combination with "natural products" and "diseases" were used to search for studies published in the past five years until January 2024.

RESULTS

Studies have shown that mitophagy plays a significant role in the progression and development of CVD, such as atherosclerosis (AS), heart failure (HF), myocardial infarction (MI), myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury (MI/RI), cardiac hypertrophy, cardiomyopathy, and arrhythmia. Herbal compound preparations, crude extracts, and active monomers have shown potential as effective treatments for these conditions. These substances protect cardiomyocytes by inducing mitophagy, scavenging damaged mitochondria, and maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis. They display notable efficacy in combating CVD.

CONCLUSION

TCM (including herbal compound preparations, extracts, and active monomers) can treat CVD through various pharmacological mechanisms and signaling pathways by inducing mitophagy. They represent a hotspot for future cardiovascular basic research and a promising candidate for the development of future cardiovascular drugs with fewer side effects and better therapeutic efficacy.

D-limonene inhibits peritoneal adhesion formation in rats via anti-inflammatory, anti-angiogenic, and antioxidative effects

The aim of this research was to investigate the effects of D-limonene on decreasing post-operative adhesion in rats and to understand the mechanisms involved. Peritoneal adhesions were induced by creating different incisions and excising a 1 × 1 cm section of the peritoneum. The experimental groups included a sham group, a control group in which peritoneal adhesions were induced without any treatment, and two treatment groups in which animals received D-limonene with dosages of 25 and 50 mg/kg after inducing peritoneal adhesions. Macroscopic examination of adhesions showed that both treatment groups had reduced adhesion bands in comparison to the control group. Immunohistochemical assessment of TGF-β1, TNF-α, and VEGF on day 14 revealed a significant increment in the level of immunopositive cells for the mentioned markers in the control group, whereas administration of limonene in both doses significantly reduced levels of TGF-β1, TNF-α, and VEGF (P < 0.05). Induction of peritoneal adhesions in the control group significantly increased TGF-β1, TNF-α, and VEGF on days 3 and 14 in western blot evaluation, while treatment with limonene significantly reduced TNF-α level on day 14 (P < 0.05). Moreover, VEGF levels in both treatment groups significantly reduced on days 3 and 14. In the control group, a significant increment in the levels of MDA and NO and a notable decline in the levels of GPX, CAT was observed (P < 0.05). Limonene 50 group significantly reduced MDA level and increased GPx and CAT levels on day 14 (P < 0.05). In summary, D-limonene reduced adhesion bands, inflammatory cytokines, angiogenesis, and oxidative stress.

Carbon monoxide (CO) derived from the CO-releasing molecule CORM-2 reduces peritoneal adhesion formation in a rat model

BACKGROUND

Although low-dose carbon monoxide (CO) administration has been shown to have an anti-fibrotic effect in various fibrotic diseases, its effects on peritoneal adhesion (PA), one of the postoperative complications, are not elucidated. In this study, the effect of CO-releasing tricarbonyldichlororuthenium (II) dimer (CORM-2) administration on the formation of PA and the underlying factors of its potential effect were investigated.

METHODS AND RESULTS

After the induction of PA, rats were divided into four groups with 8 rats in each group. The rats received either (i) dimethyl sulfoxide:saline solution (1:10) as a vehicle, (ii) 2.5 mg/kg CORM-2, (iii) 5 mg/kg CORM-2, or (iv) inactive (i) CORM (iCORM) intragastrically every day for a duration of 7 days. PA was not induced in rats (n = 8) designated as sham controls. Gross, histological, immunohistochemical and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analyses were performed to evaluate the effectiveness of CORM-2 administration. Gross analysis showed that CORM-2 administration reduced PA formation compared to rats treated with vehicle. Histological and immunohistochemical examinations showed that increased collagen deposition, myofibroblast accumulation, microvessel density, and M1 macrophage count in the peritoneal fibrosis area of vehicle-treated rats decreased following CORM-2 treatments. PCR analyses showed that CORM-2 treatments decreased hypoxia-induced Hif1a, profibrotic Tgfb1, ECM components Col1a1 and Col3a1, collagen degradation suppressor Timp1, fibrinolysis inhibitor Serpine1, and pro-inflammatory Tnf mRNA expressions, while increasing the M2 macrophage marker Arg1 mRNA expression.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggested that CORM-2 administration reduces PA formation by affecting adhesiogenic processes such as pro-inflammatory response, fibrinolytic system, angiogenesis and fibrogenesis.

Tetrahydroberberrubine prevents peritoneal adhesion by suppressing inflammation and extracellular matrix accumulation

Peritoneal adhesion is a common abdominal surgical complication that induces abdominal haemorrhage, intestinal obstruction, infertility, and so forth. The high morbidity and recurrence rate of this disease indicate the need for novel therapeutic approaches. Here, we revealed the protective roles of tetrahydroberberrubine (THBru), a novel derivative of berberine (BBR), in preventing peritoneal adhesion and identified its underlying mechanism in vivo and in vitro. Abrasive surgery was used to create a peritoneal adhesion rat model. We found that THBru administration markedly ameliorated peritoneal adhesion, as indicated by a lowered adhesion score and ameliorated caecal tissue damage. By comparison, THBru exhibited more potent anti-adhesion effects than BBR at the same dose. Mechanistically, THBru inhibited inflammation and extracellular matrix (ECM) accumulation in the microenvironment of adhesion tissue. THBru suppressed the expression of inflammatory cytokines including interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, transforming growth factor β (TGF-β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), by regulating the transforming growth factor beta-activated kinase 1 (TAK1)/c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and TAK1/nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling pathways. However, THBru promoted the activation of MMP-3 by directly blocking the TIMP-1 activation core and subsequently decreased collagen deposition. Taken together, this study identifies THBru as an effective anti-adhesion agent that regulates diverse mechanisms, thereby outlining its potential therapeutic implications for the treatment of peritoneal adhesion.

Application of the Nicoya OpenSPR to Studies of Biomolecular Binding: A Review of the Literature from 2016 to 2022

The Nicoya OpenSPR is a benchtop surface plasmon resonance (SPR) instrument. As with other optical biosensor instruments, it is suitable for the label-free interaction analysis of a diverse set of biomolecules, including proteins, peptides, antibodies, nucleic acids, lipids, viruses, and hormones/cytokines. Supported assays include affinity/kinetics characterization, concentration analysis, yes/no assessment of binding, competition studies, and epitope mapping. OpenSPR exploits localized SPR detection in a benchtop platform and can be connected with an autosampler (XT) to perform automated analysis over an extended time period. In this review article, we provide a comprehensive survey of the 200 peer-reviewed papers published between 2016 and 2022 that use the OpenSPR platform. We highlight the range of biomolecular analytes and interactions that have been investigated using the platform, provide an overview on the most common applications for the instrument, and point out some representative research that highlights the flexibility and utility of the instrument.

Berberine regulates bone metabolism in apical periodontitis by remodelling the extracellular matrix

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this study were to explore the role and related mechanism of berberine in repairing bone destruction in apical periodontics (AP).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

AP was established in 14 of 21 male Wistar rats (four weeks of age; 70-80 g) for 3 weeks. The canals were cleaned and administered berberine (2 mg/ml; n = 7) or calcium hydroxide (100 mg/ml; control; n = 7), followed by glass ionomer cement sealing. After 3 weeks, specimen collection followed by micro-computed tomography (μ-CT) and histological staining was performed, including haematoxylin and eosin staining, Masson's trichrome staining, tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase staining, immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence histochemistry.

RESULTS

μ-CT showed that AP lesion volume reduced in the berberine group. Histopathology showed that berberine decreased the activity and number of osteoclasts but increased the expression of proteins related to osteoblast differentiation, including alkaline phosphatase and osterix. The immune cell, T cell, dendritic cell and macrophage counts were significantly decreased in the berberine group. In the berberine group, the expression of extracellular matrix-degraded proteases, metalloproteinases, was decreased; however, that of extracellular matrix-stable proteases, lysyl oxidases, was increased.

CONCLUSIONS

Berberine controlled the inflammatory response and regulated bone metabolism in AP by reducing metalloproteinase expression and increasing lysyl oxidases expression.

Tetrahydroberberrubine retards heart aging in mice by promoting PHB2-mediated mitophagy

Heart aging is characterized by left ventricular hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction, which in turn induces a variety of cardiovascular diseases. There is still no therapeutic drug to ameliorate cardiac abnormities in heart aging. In this study we investigated the protective effects of berberine (BBR) and its derivative tetrahydroberberrubine (THBru) against heart aging process. Heart aging was induced in mice by injection of D-galactose (D-gal, 120 mg · kg-1 · d-1, sc.) for 12 weeks. Meanwhile the mice were orally treated with berberine (50 mg · kg-1 · d-1) or THBru (25, 50 mg · kg-1 · d-1) for 12 weeks. We showed that BBR and THBru treatment significantly mitigated diastolic dysfunction and cardiac remodeling in D-gal-induced aging mice. Furthermore, treatment with BBR (40 μM) and THBru (20, 40 μM) inhibited D-gal-induced senescence in primary neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes in vitro. Overall, THBru exhibited higher efficacy than BBR at the same dose. We found that the levels of mitophagy were significantly decreased during the aging process in vivo and in vitro, THBru and BBR promoted mitophagy with different potencies. We demonstrated that the mitophagy-inducing effects of THBru resulted from increased mRNA stability of prohibitin 2 (PHB2), a pivotal factor during mitophagy, thereby upregulating PHB2 protein expression. Knockdown of PHB2 effectively reversed the antisenescence effects of THBru in D-gal-treated cardiomyocytes. On the contrary, overexpression of PHB2 promoted mitophagy and retarded cardiomyocyte senescence, as THBru did. In conclusion, this study identifies THBru as a potent antiaging medicine that induces PHB2-mediated mitophagy and suggests its clinical application prospects.

Method of prevention of post-operative peritoneal adhesions

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of the research was to assess the performance of the method of prevention of post-operative peritoneal adhesions (PAs) (author's method) in patients of different age groups.

METHODS

Two hundred eighty-five patients were in total enrolled in the study. The patients of two age groups were divided into two groups: Group 1 (treatment group), where the author's method was used on 143 patients, and Group 2 (control group) 142 patients, where was used the standard approach of prevention of intra-abdominal adhesions. All patients were operated in an urgent order on adhesive intestinal obstruction (AIO). The patients previously had surgery on AIO one to 3 times. Within each group, sick children and adults were identified. The gender distribution was comparable in both groups.

RESULTS

The recurrence of AIO was significantly less in Group 1 than in Group 2 (1.4% and 6.3%, respectively, p<0.05). A separate study of the results of treatment in the age aspect in groups showed some features. Among children the AIO relapse rate in study Groups 1 and 2: Early AIO-in 1 (0.86%) and 2 (1.8%) patients, respectively; late AIO-in 1 (0.86%) and 4 (3.5%), patients, respectively. Among adults who didn't have relapse AIO during the follow-up period in Group 1. The AIO relapse rate in Group 2: Early AIO - in 1 (3.5%) and late AIO-2 (6.9%) patients, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The proposed author's method for preventing AIO recurrence has shown its effectiveness among patients with adhesive AIO. Besides, using this method in children to reduce the AIO relapse rate by more than thrice; in adult patients, to prevent the development of clinically significant signs of PA and normalize the patient's quality of life.

New opportunities and challenges of natural products research: When target identification meets single-cell multiomics

Natural products, and especially the active ingredients found in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), have a thousand-year-long history of clinical use and a strong theoretical basis in TCM. As such, traditional remedies provide shortcuts for the development of original new drugs in China, and increasing numbers of natural products are showing great therapeutic potential in various diseases. This paper reviews the molecular mechanisms of action of natural products from different sources used in the treatment of inflammatory diseases and cancer, introduces the methods and newly emerging technologies used to identify and validate the targets of natural active ingredients, enumerates the expansive list of TCM used to treat inflammatory diseases and cancer, and summarizes the patterns of action of emerging technologies such as single-cell multiomics, network pharmacology, and artificial intelligence in the pharmacological studies of natural products to provide insights for the development of innovative natural product-based drugs. Our hope is that we can make use of advances in target identification and single-cell multiomics to obtain a deeper understanding of actions of mechanisms of natural products that will allow innovation and revitalization of TCM and its swift industrialization and internationalization.

Activating SIRT3 in peritoneal mesothelial cells alleviates postsurgical peritoneal adhesion formation by decreasing oxidative stress and inhibiting the NLRP3 inflammasome

Peritoneal adhesions (PAs) are a serious complication of abdominal surgery and negatively affect the quality of life of millions of people worldwide. However, a clear molecular mechanism and a standard therapeutic strategy for PAs have not been established. Here, we developed a standardized method to mimic the pathological changes in PAs and found that sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) expression was severely decreased in adhesion tissues, which was consistent with our bioinformatics analysis and patient adhesion tissue analysis. Thus, we hypothesized that activating SIRT3 could alleviate postsurgical PAs. Sirt3-deficient (Sirt3^−/−) mice exhibited many more PAs after standardized abdominal surgery. Furthermore, compared with wild-type (Sirt3^+/+) mice, Sirt3-deficient (Sirt3^−/−) mice showed more prominent reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, increased levels of inflammatory factors, and exacerbated mitochondrial damage and fragmentation. In addition, we observed NLRP3 inflammasome activation in the adhesion tissues of Sirt3^−/− but, not Sirt3^+/+ mice. Furthermore, mesothelial cells sorted from Sirt3^−/− mice exhibited impaired mitochondrial bioenergetics and redox homeostasis. Honokiol (HKL), a natural compound found in several species of the genus Magnolia, could activate SIRT3 in vitro. Then, we demonstrated that treatment with HKL could reduce oxidative stress and the levels of inflammatory factors and suppress NLRP3 activation in vivo, reducing the occurrence of postsurgical PAs. In vitro treatment with HKL also restored mitochondrial bioenergetics and promoted mesothelial cell viability under oxidative stress conditions. Taken together, our findings show that the rescue of SIRT3 by HKL may be a new therapeutic strategy to alleviate and block postsurgical PA formation.

Treatment with honokiol, a compound found in magnolia tree bark, significantly reduces formation of internal scar tissue after abdominal surgery in mice. Healing of incisions in the peritoneum, the connective tissue lining the abdomen, can result in scar tissue bonds known as peritoneal adhesions (PA), causing complications such as infertility or bowel obstructions. The mechanism of PA formation is unknown, and no therapies are available. Xuqi Li at The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, China, and co-workers found that PA tissues in both mice and human patients had decreased levels of SIRT3, a stress-response protein. Mice lacking SIRT3 showed increased inflammation and PA formation. When mice were treated with honokiol the day after surgery in order to boost SIRT3 levels, PA formation was significantly decreased. These results suggest a possible preventative treatment for post-surgical PAs.

Self-healing, injectable hydrogel based on dual dynamic covalent cross-linking against postoperative abdominal cavity adhesion

Clinically, increasing the peritoneal barrier is an effective adjunct to reducing postoperative peritoneal adhesion. This study presents a facile template for preparing a supramolecular hybrid hydrogel through dynamic covalent cross-linking between carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS), 2-formylphenylboronic acid (2-FPBA), and quercetin (Que). The as-prepared complex CMCS/2-FPBA/Que (CFQ) hydrogel exhibited favorable antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects. A L929 cytotoxicity evaluation confirmed the favorable cytocompatibility of the CFQ hydrogel. The postoperative anti-adhesion ability of the CFQ hydrogel was further evaluated in rats with lateral wall defects and cecal abrasions. Compared with control groups, the tissue adhesion rate was significantly reduced by increasing the Que concentration in all the hydrogel-treated groups. Additionally, the sustained-release time of the C3F0.8Q0.08 hydrogel can exceed 14 days, which is highly desirable for clinical wound treatment. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: Postoperative adhesions are a very common postoperative complication that seriously affects the quality of life of patients. The currently commonly used methods for preventing adhesion mainly use degradable barrier materials for physical separation. In this study, we prepared a dual dynamic covalently cross-linked CFQ hydrogel, which is not only degradable and injectable, but also has multiple properties such as antibacterial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, which can effectively prevent postoperative adhesion and promote wound healing.

Berberine: A Review of its Pharmacokinetics Properties and Therapeutic Potentials in Diverse Vascular Diseases

Traditional Chinese medicine plays a significant role in the treatment of various diseases and has attracted increasing attention for clinical applications. Vascular diseases affecting vasculature in the heart, cerebrovascular disease, atherosclerosis, and diabetic complications have compromised quality of life for affected individuals and increase the burden on health care services. Berberine, a naturally occurring isoquinoline alkaloid form Rhizoma coptidis, is widely used in China as a folk medicine for its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Promisingly, an increasing number of studies have identified several cellular and molecular targets for berberine, indicating its potential as an alternative therapeutic strategy for vascular diseases, as well as providing novel evidence that supports the therapeutic potential of berberine to combat vascular diseases. The purpose of this review is to comprehensively and systematically describe the evidence for berberine as a therapeutic agent in vascular diseases, including its pharmacological effects, molecular mechanisms, and pharmacokinetics. According to data published so far, berberine shows remarkable anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiapoptotic, and antiautophagic activity via the regulation of multiple signaling pathways, including AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), mitogen-activated protein kinase silent information regulator 1 (SIRT-1), hypoxia-inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α), vascular endothelial growth factor phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (Akt), janus kinase 2 (JAK-2), Ca²⁺ channels, and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Moreover, we discuss the existing limitations of berberine in the treatment of vascular diseases, and give corresponding measures. In addition, we propose some research perspectives and challenges, and provide a solid evidence base from which further studies can excavate novel effective drugs from Chinese medicine monomers.

Kanglexin delays heart aging by promoting mitophagy

Heart aging is characterized by structural and diastolic dysfunction of the heart. However, there is still no effective drug to prevent and treat the abnormal changes in cardiac function caused by aging. Here, we present the preventive effects of emodin and its derivative Kanglexin (KLX) against heart aging. We found that the diastolic dysfunction and cardiac remodeling in mice with D-galactose (D-gal)-induced aging were markedly mitigated by KLX and emodin. In addition, the senescence of neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes induced by D-gal was also reversed by KLX and emodin treatment. However, KLX exhibited better anti-heart aging effects than emodin at the same dose. Dysregulated mitophagy was observed in aging hearts and in senescent neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes, and KLX produced a greater increase in mitophagy than emodin. The mitophagy-promoting effects of KLX and emodin were ascribed to their abilities to enhance the protein stability of Parkin, a key modulator in mitophagy, with different potencies. Molecular docking and SPR analysis demonstrated that KLX has a higher affinity for the ubiquitin-like (UBL) domain of Parkin than emodin. The UBL domain might contribute to the stabilizing effects of KLX on Parkin. In conclusion, this study identifies KLX and emodin as effective anti-heart aging drugs that activate Parkin-mediated mitophagy and outlines their putative therapeutic importance.

Berberine Inhibits the Adhesion of Candida albicans to Vaginal Epithelial Cells

Vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC) is an inflammatory disease of the vagina mainly caused by Candida albicans (C. albicans), which affects around three-quarters of all women during their reproductive age. Although some antifungal drugs such as azoles have been applied clinically for many years, their therapeutic value is very limited due to the emergence of drug-resistant strains. Previous studies have shown that the adhesion of C. albicans to vaginal epithelial cells is essential for the pathogenesis of VVC. Therefore, preventing the adhesion of C. albicans to vaginal epithelial cells may be one of the most effective strategies for the treatment of VVC. Berberine (BBR) is a biologically active herbal alkaloid that was used to treat VVC. However, so far, its mechanism has remained unclear. This study shows BBR significantly inhibits the adhesion of C. albicans to vaginal epithelial cells by reducing the expressions of ICAM-1, mucin1, and mucin4 in vaginal epithelial cells, which play the most important role in modulating the adhesion of C. albicans to host cells, and balancing IL-2 and IL-4 expressions, which play a key effect on regulating the inflammatory response caused by C. albicans infection. Hence, our findings demonstrate that BBR may be a potential therapeutic agent for VVC by interfering with the adhesion of C. albicans to vaginal epithelial cells and represents a new pathway for developing antifungal therapies agents from natural herbs.

Transcriptome sequencing analysis of primary fibroblasts: a new insight into postoperative abdominal adhesion

PURPOSE

The specific genes or pathways in fibroblasts responsible for the pathogenesis of postoperative abdominal adhesion (PAA) remain to be elucidated. We aim to provide a new insight into disease mechanisms at the transcriptome level.

METHODS

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were used to establish a PAA model. Primary fibroblasts were separated from normal peritoneal tissue (NF) and postoperative adhesion tissue (PF). RNA sequencing was used to analyze the transcriptome in NF and PF.

RESULTS

One thousand two hundred thirty-five upregulated and 625 downregulated DEGs were identified through RNA-Seq. A pathway enrichment analysis identified distinct enriched biological processes, among which the most prominent was related to immune and inflammatory response and fibrosis. HE staining and Masson's trichrome staining histologically validated the RNA-Seq results. Six hub genes, ITGAM, IL-1β, TNF, IGF1, CSF1R and EGFR were further verified by RT-PCR.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study revealed the roles of the immune and inflammatory responses and fibrosis in the process of PAA. We also found six hub genes that may be potential therapeutic targets for PPA.

Effects of Berberine on the Chondrogenic Differentiation of Embryonic Limb Skeletal Progenitors

Introduction

Berberine (BBR) is an isoquinoline plant alkaloid with demonstrated anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor and immunosuppressive pharmacological properties that functions via multiple signaling pathways and epigenetic modulators. Numerous studies have proposed BBR as a promising therapeutic agent for joint cartilage degeneration, and other connective tissue diseases.

Purpose and Methods

This work aimed to evaluate the effects of BBR on the growth and differentiation of embryonic skeletal progenitors using the limb mesoderm micromass culture assay.

Results

Our findings show that at difference of its apoptotic influence on a variety of tumor tissues, cell death was not induced in skeletal progenitors by the addition of 12 or 25 µM BBR concentration to the culture medium. Morphological and transcriptional analysis revealed dual and opposite effects of BBR treatments on chondrogenesis depending on the stage of differentiation of the cultured progenitors. At early stage of culture, BBR was a potent chondrogenic inhibitor, while chondrogenesis was intensified in treatments at advanced stages of culture. The chondrogenic promoting effect was accompanied by a moderate upregulation of gene markers of prehypertrophic cartilage, including ColXa1, alkaline phosphatase Alpl, Runx2, and Indian Hedgehog Ihh. We further observed a positive transcriptional influence of BBR in the expression of DNA methyltransferase genes, Dnmt1, Dnmt3a and Dnmt3b, suggesting a potential involvement of epigenetic factors in its effects.

Conclusion

Our study uncovers a new pharmacological influence of BBR in cartilage differentiation that must be taken into account in designing clinical protocols for its employment in the treatment of cartilage degenerative diseases.

Computational Analysis Illustrates the Mechanism of Qingfei Paidu Decoction in Blocking the Transition of COVID-19 Patients from Mild to Severe Stage

BACKGROUND

The epidemic of SARS-CoV-2 has made COVID-19 a serious threat to human health around the world. The severe infections of SARS-CoV-2 are usually accompanied by higher mortality. Although the Qingfei Paidu Decoction (QFPDD) has been proved to be effective in blocking the transition of COVID-19 patients from mild to severe stage, its mechanism remains unclear.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to explore the mechanism of QFPDD in blocking the transition of COVID-19 patients from mild to severe stage.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In the process of screening active ingredients, oral bioavailability (OB) and drug likeness (DL) are key indicators, which can help to screen out pivotal compounds. Therefore, with the criteria of OB≥30% and DL≥0.18 , we searched active ingredients of QFPDD in the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology (TCMSP, https://tcmspw.com/) by using its 21 herbs as keywords.

RESULTS

We filtered out 6 pivotal ingredients from QFPDD by using the bioinformatics method, namely quercetin, luteolin, berberine, hederagenin, shionone and kaempferol, which can inhibit the highly expressed genes (i.e. CXCR4, ICAM1, CXCL8, CXCL10, IL6, IL2, CCL2, IL1B, IL4, IFNG) in severe COVID-19 patients. By performing KEGG enrichment analysis, we found seven pathways, namely TNF signaling pathway, IL-17 signaling pathway, Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, NF-kappa B signaling pathway, HIF-1 signaling pathway, JAK-STAT signaling pathway, and Th17 cell differentiation, by which QFPDD could block the transition of COVID-19 patients from mild to severe stage.

CONCLUSION

QFPDD can prevent the deterioration of COVID-19 in the following mechanisms, i.e. inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 invasion and replication, anti-inflammatory and immune regulation, and repairing body damage. These results will be helpful for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19.

Post-Operative Adhesions: A Comprehensive Review of Mechanisms

Post-surgical adhesions are common in almost all surgical areas and are associated with significant rates of morbidity, mortality, and increased healthcare costs, especially when a patient requires repeat operative interventions. Many groups have studied the mechanisms driving post-surgical adhesion formation. Despite continued advancements, we are yet to identify a prevailing mechanism. It is highly likely that post-operative adhesions have a multifactorial etiology. This complex pathophysiology, coupled with our incomplete understanding of the underlying pathways, has resulted in therapeutic options that have failed to demonstrate safety and efficacy on a consistent basis. The translation of findings from basic and preclinical research into robust clinical trials has also remained elusive. Herein, we present and contextualize the latest findings surrounding mechanisms that have been implicated in post-surgical adhesion formation.