Journal: Brain and Behavior

Article Title: Electroacupuncture Alleviates Comorbid Depression‐Like Behaviors and Dyspepsia‐Like Symptoms in Rats Accompanied by Alterations in Hippocampal Neuroinflammation and Gut Microbiota

doi: 10.1002/brb3.71854

Figure Lengend Snippet: Effects of EA on dyspepsia and intestinal barrier in rats. (A) Observation of the duodenum by TEM. The yellow arrows indicate microvilli, and the green arrows indicate mitochondria. Scale bars = 5 µm. (B) HE staining of the duodenum and stomach, and the number of eosinophils in the duodenum ( n = 3). Scale bars = 100 µm. (C) Small intestinal propulsion rate and gastric emptying rate assay; arrowheads indicate the termination of small intestinal propulsion ( n = 5). (D) MTL and GAS assay ( n = 8). (E–H) IF assay for duodenal tight junction protein ZO‐1 and Occludin protein expression ( n = 3). Scale bars = 100 µm. Data are expressed as mean±SD. ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001, **** p < 0.0001.

Article Snippet: Duodenal tissue sections were added with the primary antibody ZO‐1 (1:400, 21773‐1‐AP; Proteintech) and the primary antibody Occludin (1:400, 27260‐1‐AP; Proteintech), and incubated at 4°C overnight.

Techniques: H&E Stain, Expressing

Journal: Gut Microbes

Article Title: Targeted intestinal ROS scavenging alleviated rheumatoid arthritis by microbial metabolite kynurenic acid mediated Treg/Th17 balance through AhR pathway activation

doi: 10.1080/19490976.2026.2739669

Figure Lengend Snippet: BPNSs gavage ameliorated arthritis by remodeling Treg/Th17 imbalance. (A) Detailed schematic of the animal experimental procedures of CIA PBS and CIA BPNSs groups. (B) Arthritis scores in CIA mice. (C) Representative photographs and micro-CT images of paws. (D) Quantitative analyses of bone histomorphometry indexes including BMD, BV/TV, Tb.Th, Tb.Sp, and Tb.N in CIA mice. (E) Representative histology images of joints. Scale bar, 100 μm. (F) Histological scores of the joints. (G) Representative TRAP staining images of joints. Scale bar, 100 μm. (H) Quantitative analyses of TRAP staining. (I–N) Flow cytometric analysis and quantification of IL-17A⁺ Th17 cells and FOXP3⁺ Treg cells among CD4⁺ T cells, as well as the Treg/Th17 ratio, in the spleen, MLN and DLN. (O–S) Flow cytometric analysis and quantification of MDSC-like cells, G-MDSC-like cells and M-MDSC-like cells in the spleen. (T) The expression of CD11c, MHCII and CD86 of MDSC-like cells in spleen detected by flow cytometry and statistically analyzed. (U) Immunofluorescence staining of ZO-1 and Occludin in colon tissue. Scale bar, 100 μm. (V) MFI quantification of ZO-1 and Occludin after normalization. (W) Volcano plot of differentially abundant serum inflammatory proteins in CIA BPNSs versus CIA PBS , as determined by a mouse inflammation antibody array. ns, p ≥ 0.05; * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001, and **** p < 0.0001.

Article Snippet: For IEC-6 cells, ZO-1 (Proteintech, Cat. no. 21773-1-AP, 1:5,000) and Occludin (Proteintech, Cat. no. 27260-1-AP, 1:5,000) antibodies were used.

Techniques: Micro-CT, Histology, Staining, Analysis, Expressing, Flow Cytometry, Immunofluorescence, Tissue, Ab Array

Journal: Gut Microbes

Article Title: Targeted intestinal ROS scavenging alleviated rheumatoid arthritis by microbial metabolite kynurenic acid mediated Treg/Th17 balance through AhR pathway activation

doi: 10.1080/19490976.2026.2739669

Figure Lengend Snippet: KYNA exerted anti-rheumatic arthritis effects in vivo through the AhR pathway. (A) Detailed schematic of the animal experimental procedures of CIA PBS , CIA KYNA and CIA KYNA+CH-223191 groups. (B) Arthritis scores in CIA mice. (C) Representative photographs and micro-CT images of paws. (D) Quantitative analyses of bone histomorphometry indexes including BMD, BV/TV, Tb.Th, Tb.Sp, and Tb.N in CIA mice. (E) Representative HE staining images of joints. Scale bar, 100 μm. (F) Histological scores of the joints. (G) Representative TRAP staining images of joints. Scale bar, 100 μm. (H) Quantitative analyses of TRAP staining. (I–L) Flow cytometric analysis and quantification of IL-17A⁺ Th17 cells and FOXP3⁺ Treg cells among CD4⁺ T cells, as well as the Treg/Th17 ratio, in the spleen and MLN. (M–P) (M and O), Representative immunofluorescence staining of ZO-1 and Occludin in colon tissue. Scale bar, 100 μm. (N and P) Quantification of the MFI of ZO-1 and Occludin after normalization. (Q) Representative Western blot images of ZO-1 and Occludin in the presence of KYNA or KYNA + CH-223191 in IEC-6 cells. (R and S) Western blot quantification of ZO-1 and Occludin protein levels (normalized to β-actin). ns, p ≥ 0.05; * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001, and **** p < 0.0001.

Article Snippet: For IEC-6 cells, ZO-1 (Proteintech, Cat. no. 21773-1-AP, 1:5,000) and Occludin (Proteintech, Cat. no. 27260-1-AP, 1:5,000) antibodies were used.

Techniques: In Vivo, Micro-CT, H&E Stain, Staining, Analysis, Immunofluorescence, Tissue, Western Blot

Journal: Animal Models and Experimental Medicine

Article Title: ABCA1 deficiency‐induced cholesterol accumulation aggravates colonic epithelial injury in knockout hamsters

doi: 10.1002/ame2.70301

Figure Lengend Snippet: ABCA1 deficiency disrupts the junctional integrity of the colonic mucosal barrier. (A) Representative images of immunofluorescence staining of the zippering junction with E‐cadherin. (B, C) Effects of ABCA1 silencing on cholesterol crystals (CHO)‐induced cell injury. Caco‐2 cells were transfected with siNC or siABCA1 for 24 h, and then exposed to 1 mmol/L CHO or not for 24 h. The cell viability was determined using Calcein‐AM/PI staining (B) and CCK8 assay (C). The data in panel C are expressed as mean ± SD ( n = 4; *** p < 0.001 vs . siNC without CHO by Student's t ‐test). (D) ABCA1 silencing aggravates CHO‐mediated barrier dysfunction in Caco‐2 cells. Caco‐2 cells were transfected with siNC or siABCA1 for 24 h, and then exposed to 1 mmol/L CHO for 6 h. Cellular lysates were assayed for E‐cadherin, Occludin and ZO‐1 expression. The respective densitometric quantitations of bands are presented in the bar graphs to the right of the blots. Data are expressed as mean ± SD ( n = 3; * p < 0.05, ** p < 0.01, *** p < 0.001 vs . siNC without CHO by Student's t ‐test).

Article Snippet: Then, proteins were transferred to a polyvinylidene difluoride membrane and hybridized with the following antibodies: ABCA1 (26564‐1‐AP, Proteintech, Wuhan, China), ABCA1 (96292, Cell Signaling Technology, Danvers, MA), ZO‐1 (A0659, ABclonal, Wuhan, China), E‐cadherin (sc‐8426, Santa cruz Biotechnology, Santa Cruz, CA), Occludin (66378‐1‐Ig, Proteintech, Wuhan, China), p‐p38 (8796‐1‐AP, Proteintech, Wuhan, China) or β‐actin (66009‐1‐Ig, Proteintech, Wuhan, China).

Techniques: Immunofluorescence, Staining, Transfection, CCK-8 Assay, Expressing