Tuberculosis (TB) is a widespread infectious disease, with an incidence that is increasing worldwide. Cutaneous TB (CTB) occurs rarely, accounting for less than 1% of all TB cases. Due to the clinical presentation and diagnostic difficulties, CTB is often clinically neglected and misdiagnosed. A 32-year-old man underwent several debridement surgeries and skin flap transplantation after trauma. The wound remained unhealed, accompanied by sinus formation. According to empirical judgment, T-cell spot of TB test, and bacterial culture of pyogenic fluids, he was diagnosed with CTB due to infection with exogenous Mycobacterium tuberculosis. A comprehensive anti-TB regimen that included isoniazid, rifampicin, ethambutol, and pyrazinamide was applied. The sinus was filled with a hydrophilic fiber-containing silver dressing, and wound-protecting sponges were applied to part of the wound. The wound healed after 40 d. No ulceration was found within 2 mo after discharge; further follow-up will be conducted. A non-healing wound may be caused by TB infection. Comprehensive treatment of CTB is effective.

Chronic wounds are characterized by delayed healing driven by persistent dysbiosis of the wound microbiome. Distinct microbial communities, often organized

Dietary intervention is a reliable approach to protect high-risk individuals against cardiovascular events. Perillae folium (PF) in China is valued for its medicinal, nutritional, and economic benefits, particularly in managing diet-induced lipid metabolism disorders. However, unclear active constituents and mechanisms hinder its quality control and resource utilization. In this study, notable regional variations in the compound profiles of samples sourced from different areas were uncovered in qualitative and quantitative analyses. A comprehensive strategy was implemented, integrating network pharmacology, metabolomics, and experimental validations conducted both in vivo and in vitro, to investigate potential active compounds and mechanisms of action. Four compounds (apigenin-7-O-diglucuronide, shisonin, scutellarin, and rosmarinic acid) were identified as the primary active constituents. PF demonstrated cardiovascular protective effects by modulating the arginine biosynthesis pathway to increase the availability of L-arginine, as well as activating the PI3K-AKT1 signaling pathway, thereby facilitating the release of nitric oxide (NO).

Background: Ulcerative Cutaneous Tuberculosis (UCT) represents a diagnostically complex variant of extrapulmonary tuberculosis, characterized by the absence of standardized biomarkers for monitoring treatment efficacy. Objective: This study sought to explore the potential of lncRNA HCP5 as a diagnostic and therapeutic biomarker for UCT. Methods: We conducted an integrated bioinformatics analysis on clinical samples from patients with UCT and Non-Tuberculous Cutaneous Ulcers to identify differentially expressed lncRNAs. Co-expression networks were developed to associate HCP5 with downstream mRNAs. Validation was performed using patient tissue samples and an in vitro model of BCG-infected macrophages, incorporating functional knockdown studies. Longitudinal profiling of UCT patients undergoing therapy was employed to evaluate the dynamics of the biomarker. Results: Our investigation identified 1,994 differentially expressed long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs), with HCP5 being notably upregulated. Through co-expression analysis, HCP5 was linked to immune and inflammation pathways, and 12 correlated mRNAs were identified, among which ITGB2 was validated as a downstream target. The knockdown of HCP5 resulted in a significant reduction of ITGB2 expression in macrophages. Longitudinal analysis demonstrated a significant decline in both HCP5 and ITGB2 levels in patient tissues and plasma following two weeks of anti-tuberculosis treatment. Discussion: This study elucidates a novel HCP5/ITGB2 regulatory axis in the pathogenesis of UCT and highlights their dynamic responsiveness to therapeutic intervention. These findings address a critical clinical gap by providing objective biomarkers for the diagnosis and monitoring of treatment efficacy in cutaneous tuberculosis.