Furong Ying

Objective: To evaluate the therapeutic potential of the curcumin analog J7 in protecting the liver and regulating glucose and lipid metabolism in rats with type 2 diabetes. Methods: Bioinformatics methods were used to identify signaling pathways linked to diabetic liver disease. Diabetic rats were treated with curcumin, low-dose J7, or high-dose J7, and liver function and fibrosis were assessed through biochemical analyses, histopathology, immunohistochemistry, and ELISA. Results: J7 administration significantly improved lisver function, reduced fibrosis, and regulated metabolic profiles in diabetic rats. J7 downregulated TGF-β 1, NF-κB p65, and BAX, while upregulating BCL-2, showing superior effects to traditional curcumin in reducing TGF-β 1 and inhibiting α-SMA expression. Conclusion: J7 demonstrates potential as a therapeutic agent for managing liver complications in type 2 diabetes, effectively attenuating liver fibrosis and regulating metabolism through the modulation of key signaling pathways and proteins. Plain Language Summary: Diabetes is a common condition that can cause serious problems in the liver, such as damage and scarring (fibrosis). These problems are linked to how the body handles sugar and fat. Right now, there are not many effective treatments for diabetes-related liver issues. Our study looked at a new drug called J7, which is based on curcumin, a natural compound found in turmeric, to see if it could help protect the liver and improve sugar and fat metabolism. We used a rat model of type 2 diabetes to test J7. Rats were given either curcumin, a low dose of J7, or a high dose of J7. We then measured how well their livers were working and examined their liver tissue under a microscope. We also looked at the levels of specific molecules in the liver that are involved in inflammation, scarring, and cell survival. We found that J7 worked better than regular curcumin. It reduced liver damage, improved how the liver handled sugar and fat, and lessened scarring. J7 achieved this by affecting certain biological pathways, like the TGF-β/Smad pathway and NF-κB signaling, which are key players in liver damage and inflammation. These results suggest that J7 could be a promising new treatment for liver problems in people with diabetes. This study highlights the potential of improving natural compounds like curcumin to make them more effective as medicines. Further research is needed to explore how J7 might help people with diabetes and liver issues.

The methods routinely used to detect trichomonads in the lungs are not sensitive enough, and an effective method is urgently needed. Primers were first designed to match the conserved area of the 18S rRNA gene of trichomonads. Then, nested PCR was carried out to detect trichomonads in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF). Finally, all positive specimens were subjected to DNA sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Among 115 bronchoalveolar lavage fluid samples, ten samples tested positive in nested PCR (10/115), while no samples were positive in wet mount microscopy (0/115) (P < 0.01). Among the ten positive specimens, two were identified as Tetratrichomonas spp. and the other eight as Trichomonas tenax in phylogenetic analysis. Nested PCR is an effective way to detect trichomonads in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid.