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• We have indicated moxibustion treatment is able to resist inflammation in CIA rats effectively. • Using GC–MS metabolomics technique, we detect novel metabolites in the moxibustion antiarthritic process, which may aid in advanced understanding of arthritis and therapeutic mechanism of moxibustion. To demonstrate the rheumatoid arthritis (RA) mechanisms by determining the biochemical changes. To investigate the therapeutic mechanism of moxibustion in RA-model rats using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) metabolomics approach. A total of 24 rats were divided into three groups as follows: normal control group, model group and moxibustion group. Rats in model group and moxibustion group were set up collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) model. Rats in moxibustion group were treated by moxibustion. After 3 weeks of intervention, right ankle joint, serum and articular synovium samples were collected. Right ankle joint samples were used for histopathological evaluation between 3 groups to get the pathological changes of tissues and cells. Serum and articular synovium samples were used to analyze the changed metabolites of moxibustion on RA rats by the GC–MS based metabolomics. Treatment of moxibustion not only significantly increased the weight of CIA rats, reduced the swelling of hind paw, arthritic scores, IL-1β, TNF-α but also improved histopathological evaluation in right ankle joint samples. Sixteen significantly altered metabolites were found in RA rats as potential biomarkers of arthritis. Thirteen metabolites, significantly adjusted by moxibustion to help relieve arthritis, were selected out as biomarkers of antiarthritic mechanism of moxibustion, which were mainly involved in phenylalanine, tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis, glycine, serine and threonine metabolism, phenylalanine metabolism, alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism and aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis. We have indicated moxibustion treatment is able to resist inflammation in CIA rats effectively. Using GC–MS metabolomics technique, we detect novel metabolites in the moxibustion antiarthritic process, which may aid in advanced understanding of arthritis and therapeutic mechanism of moxibustion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction In this study we aim to investigate the characteristic proteins in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by using iTRAQ-based proteomics approach to explore the possible inherent molecular mechanisms, disease monitoring and therapeutic targets of damp-heat impeding syndrome. Methods The iTRAQ analyses combined with liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) was performed to compare serum protein expression patterns of damp-heat impeding syndrome of RA with that of cold-damp impeding syndrome of RA, and healthy volunteers. Gene-ontology (GO) analysis of these differentially expressed proteins were performed using WEB based bioinformatics tools (DAVID v6.7, UniProtKB/Swiss-Prot, and Ingenuity Pathway Analysis). Ingenuity Pathways Analysis (IPA) was also used to interpret the interaction network and predominant canonical pathways involved in these differentially expressed proteins. Results By iTRAQ analyses and mass spectroscopic identification, 6 proteins including FLJ00382, Ig lambda chain V-I region WAH, Myosin-reactive immunoglobulin light chain variable region, C-reactive protein, S100A9, and Cathepsin G were found significantly overexpressed in damp-heat impeding syndrome. Bioinformatics analyses showed that these proteins were involved in inflammatory response, suggesting that RA patients with damp-heat impeding syndrome have severe inflammatory responses and high RA inflammatory activity. Conclusion This preliminary work provides a better understanding of the proteomic alterations of serum from RA patients with damp-heat impeding syndrome and may provide us insights into the pathophysiology and potential diagnostic biomarkers for early detection, disease monitoring and therapeutic targets for damp-heat impeding syndrome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction Moxibustion is widely used in China and other East Asian countries to manage the symptom of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to lessen the adverse effects of western medicine. The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the available evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of moxibustion for treating patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods Seven Chinese and English databases were searched to November 2013 from their inception. Eligible RCTs were included if moxibustion was used either alone or in combination with Western medicine for treating rheumatoid arthritis. Study selection, data extraction, and validation was performed independently by two reviewers. Cochrane criteria for risk of bias was used to assess the methodological quality of the trials. Results Eight RCTs met the inclusion criteria, and most were of low methodological quality. Meta-analysis showed favorable effects of moxibustion on the response rate, either alone [RR = 1.18, 95%CI (1.03, 1.35), p = 0.02; heterogeneity: Chi 2 = 1.11, p = 0.77, I 2 = 0%] or the combination with Western medicine therapy [RR = 1.28, 95%CI (1.12, 1.47), p = 0.0004; heterogeneity: Chi 2 = 1.96, p = 0.58, I 2 = 0%]. When compared with Western medicine therapy, Western medicine plus moxibustion therapy showed a favorable statistically significant effect on a reduction on American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 50 [RR = 1.57, 95%CI (1.25, 1.99), p = 0.0001; heterogeneity: Chi 2 = 2.87, p = 0.58, I 2 = 0%], whereas it failed to do so on American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 20. Additionally, when compared with western medicine therapy alone, meta-analysis of three RCTs suggested favorable but no statistically significant effects of moxibustion plus western medicine on the control of disease activities of rheumatoid arthritis. Conclusions It is difficult to draw firm conclusions on whether moxibustion is an effective intervention for treating RA due to the small sample size of eligible RCTs and the high risk of bias among the available RCTs. Further rigorous RCTs are warranted but need to overcome methodological shortcomings of the existing evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To identify new biomarkers that improve the early diagnosis and lead to possible therapeutic targets in pancreatic carcinoma, we performed a proteomic approach to compare serum protein expression patterns of pancreatic carcinoma patients with that of gastric cancer patients, other pancreatic disease patients, and healthy volunteers. By two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE) analyses and mass spectroscopic identification, 10 protein spots were found significantly changed in pancreatic carcinoma and 5 proteins including cyclin I, Rab GDP dissociation inhibitor β (GDI2), α-1 antitrypsin precursor, Haptoglobin precursor, and Serotransferrin precursor were successfully identified. The increased levels of cyclin I and GDI2 found to be associated with pancreatic carcinoma were further confirmed by Western blot analyses in an independent series of serum samples and/or pancreatic juice samples. Applying immunohistochemistry, we further validated expression of cyclin I and GDI2 in additional pancreatic carcinomas. These results indicate that cyclin I and GDI2 may be potential molecular targets for pancreatic cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a global disease with a high disability rate. Moxibustion, a well-known traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) therapy that has a long history in the treatment of RA, has attracted increasing clinical attention. However, little is known about its therapeutic mechanism. This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of moxibustion in the treatment of RA in rats through metabolomics. In this study, rats with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) were treated with moxibustion daily for three weeks at the Shenshu (BL 23) and the Zusanli acupoints (ST 36). Their weight, swelling of the hind paw, arthritic scores, histopathological parameters, and inflammatory factors were assessed. The urine samples of the rats in each group were collected after each course of moxibustion treatment. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry was used to explore the changes in the urine metabolism spectrum at different courses of moxibustion treatment and analyze the relevant targeted metabolic pathways. Results showed that moxibustion alleviated the severity of arthritis and changed 33 metabolites in the urine of rats. These metabolites are involved in glycolysis/gluconeogenesis; tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle; and phenylalanine, tryptophan, butanoate, and purine metabolism. The levels of these metabolites in the moxibustion group showed trends similar to those in the control group. Moxibustion treatment effectively inhibited inflammation in rats with CIA by regulating glycolysis/gluconeogenesis; TCA cycle; phenylalanine, tryptophan, purine and butanoate metabolism; and other biological pathways. Metabolomics may be an effective way to explain the mechanisms of moxibustion for RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To systematically review and meta-analyze the efficacy of moxibustion in treating patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). A systematic search of the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, EBSCO, CBM, Wanfang, CNKI and VIP (until November, 2019) was used to identify studies reporting pain intensity (VAS or NRS), disability (ODI or RMDQ), JOA score, and quality of life (SF-36) in patients with CLBP. Study selection, data extraction was performed critically and independently by two reviewers. Cochrane criteria for risk of bias was used to assess the methodological quality of the trials. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation Methodology (GRADE) was applied to test the quality of evidence from the quantitative analysis. Ten RCTs, including 987 patients, met the inclusion criteria. Moxibustion had a superior effect on VAS score when compared with western medicine [RR = −1.69, 95%CI(-2.40, −0.98), p < 0.00001] and acupuncture [RR = −0.47, 95%CI(-0.92, −0.02), p= 0.04], but it failed to do so when compared with core stability training [RR = −0.41, 95%CI(-0.87, 0.05), p= 0.08]. The result showed that moxibustion plus other active treatments (including western medicine, massage, acupuncture and core stability training) had better effects on low back pain relief compared with active treatments alone. Moxibustion showed favourable effects on disability [SMD = −3.80, 95%CI (−5.49, −2.11), p < 0.0001], JOA score [MD = 4.10, 95%CI(2.30, 5.90), p < 0.00001], and SF-36 score [MD = 13.41, 95%CI(9.68, 17.14), p < 0.00001]. The evidence level of the results from the ten studies was determined to be very low to low. It is difficult to draw firm conclusions that moxibustion is an effective intervention for treating CLBP due to the small sample size of eligible trails and the high risk of bias among the available articles. Rigorously designed large-scale RCTs are required to further confirm the results in this review. • We first meta-analyze the effects of moxibustion on CLBP in 4 outcomes. • Subgroup analysis was performed based on various interventions. • Results showed moxibustion may have favourable effects on CLBP. • GRADE shows that quality of evidence is very low to low. • The effects of moxibustion is inconclusive due to low quality evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• No significant correlation between genetically predicted β-blockers and the risk of developing psoriasis • European populations with genetic proxies of loop diuretics exhibited an increased risk of psoriasis East • Asians with genetic proxies of loop diuretics exhibited a reduced risk of psoriasis [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: A systematic review and analysis of data from several rheumatoid arthritis metabolomics studies attempts to determine which metabolites can be used as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis and to explore the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis.Methods: We searched all the subject-related documents published by EMBASE, PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library from the database to the September 2019 publication. Two researchers independently screened the literature and extracted the data. QUADOMICS tool was used to assess the quality of studies included in this systematic review.Results: A total of 10 studies met the inclusion criteria of systematic review, including 502 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and 373 healthy people. Among them, the biological samples utilised for metabolomic analysis include: serum (n=8), urine (n=1) and synovial fluid (n=1). Some metabolites play an important role in rheumatoid arthritis: glucose, lactic acid, citric acid, leucine, methionine, isoleucine, valine, phenylalanine, threonine, serine, proline, glutamate, histidine, alanine, cholesterol, glycerol, and ribose.Conclusions: Metabolomics provides important new opportunities for further research in rheumatoid arthritis and is expected to elucidate the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis that has not been fully understood before. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]