1.Exploration and Practice of Safe Access System Construction for Barrier Environment Facilities of Laboratory Animals: A Case Study on Xianlin Campus of Nanjing University
Dongxia HOU ; Zuoxiu TIE ; Yong LU ; Panpan NAN ; Jie BAO
Laboratory Animal and Comparative Medicine 2025;45(1):96-100
Laboratory animals are essential in scientific research and experimental teaching in colleges and universities. Disciplines such as life sciences, medicine, pharmacy, chemistry, and biomedical engineering heavily rely on animal experiments. The standardized barrier environmental facility for laboratory animals provides a fundamental platform for stable, scientific, and reliable animal experiment results. Rigorous access management for such facilities is a vital safeguard for maintaining standardized operations of facilities, controlling the quality and stability of laboratory animals, mitigating pathogen contamination risks among animals and laboratory staff, and preventing biosecurity incidents such as zoonotic disease outbreaks. Taking the small-scale barrier facilities for laboratory rats and mice at Nanjing University's Xianlin Campus, operational since 2019, as an example, this study focuses on the safety access management system of these facilities. Based on five years of operational data and accumulated experience in studying and optimizing the access management system, this study, from the perspectives of management system development and the formulation and implementation of standard operating procedures, reviews five aspects of access management: personnel access, animals access, material access, equipment access, and air circulation control. Furthermore, these aspects are systematically analyzed and summarized to serve as a reference for the construction and management of the laboratory animal facilities in universities, while also contributing to scientific research, public health security, and the well-being of experimental personnel.
2.Identification and drug sensitivity analysis of key molecular markers in mesenchymal cell-derived osteosarcoma
Haojun ZHANG ; Hongyi LI ; Hui ZHANG ; Haoran CHEN ; Lizhong ZHANG ; Jie GENG ; Chuandong HOU ; Qi YU ; Peifeng HE ; Jinpeng JIA ; Xuechun LU
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(7):1448-1456
BACKGROUND:Osteosarcoma has a complex pathogenesis and a poor prognosis.While advancements in medical technology have led to some improvements in the 5-year survival rate,substantial progress in its treatment has not yet been achieved. OBJECTIVE:To screen key molecular markers in osteosarcoma,analyze their relationship with osteosarcoma treatment drugs,and explore the potential disease mechanisms of osteosarcoma at the molecular level. METHODS:GSE99671 and GSE284259(miRNA)datasets were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database.Differential gene expression analysis and Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis(WGCNA)on GSE99671 were performed.Functional enrichment analysis was conducted using Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes separately for the differentially expressed genes and the module genes with the highest positive correlation to the disease.The intersection of these module genes and differentially expressed genes was taken as key genes.A Protein-Protein Interaction network was constructed,and correlation analysis on the key genes was performed using CytoScape software,and hub genes were identified.Hub genes were externally validated using the GSE28425 dataset and text validation was conducted.The drug sensitivity of hub genes was analyzed using the CellMiner database,with a threshold of absolute value of correlation coefficient|R|>0.3 and P<0.05. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Differential gene expression analysis identified 529 differentially expressed genes,comprising 177 upregulated and 352 downregulated genes.WGCNA analysis yielded a total of 592 genes with the highest correlation to osteosarcoma.(2)Gene Ontology enrichment results indicated that the development of osteosarcoma may be associated with extracellular matrix,bone cell differentiation and development,human immune regulation,and collagen synthesis and degradation.Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment results showed the involvement of pathways such as PI3K-Akt signaling pathway,focal adhesion signaling pathway,and immune response in the onset of osteosarcoma.(3)The intersection analysis revealed a total of 59 key genes.Through Protein-Protein Interaction network analysis,8 hub genes were selected,which were LUM,PLOD1,PLOD2,MMP14,COL11A1,THBS2,LEPRE1,and TGFB1,all of which were upregulated.(4)External validation revealed significantly downregulated miRNAs that regulate the hub genes,with hsa-miR-144-3p and hsa-miR-150-5p showing the most significant downregulation.Text validation results demonstrated that the expression of hub genes was consistent with previous research.(5)Drug sensitivity analysis indicated a negative correlation between the activity of methotrexate,6-mercaptopurine,and pazopanib with the mRNA expression of PLOD1,PLOD2,and MMP14.Moreover,zoledronic acid and lapatinib showed a positive correlation with the mRNA expression of PLOD1,LUM,MMP14,PLOD2,and TGFB1.This suggests that zoledronic acid and lapatinib may be potential therapeutic drugs for osteosarcoma,but further validation is required through additional basic experiments and clinical studies.
3.The Mechanisms of Quercetin in Improving Alzheimer’s Disease
Yu-Meng ZHANG ; Yu-Shan TIAN ; Jie LI ; Wen-Jun MU ; Chang-Feng YIN ; Huan CHEN ; Hong-Wei HOU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(2):334-347
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative condition characterized by progressive cognitive decline and memory loss. As the incidence of AD continues to rise annually, researchers have shown keen interest in the active components found in natural plants and their neuroprotective effects against AD. Quercetin, a flavonol widely present in fruits and vegetables, has multiple biological effects including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant. Oxidative stress plays a central role in the pathogenesis of AD, and the antioxidant properties of quercetin are essential for its neuroprotective function. Quercetin can modulate multiple signaling pathways related to AD, such as Nrf2-ARE, JNK, p38 MAPK, PON2, PI3K/Akt, and PKC, all of which are closely related to oxidative stress. Furthermore, quercetin is capable of inhibiting the aggregation of β‑amyloid protein (Aβ) and the phosphorylation of tau protein, as well as the activity of β‑secretase 1 and acetylcholinesterase, thus slowing down the progression of the disease.The review also provides insights into the pharmacokinetic properties of quercetin, including its absorption, metabolism, and excretion, as well as its bioavailability challenges and clinical applications. To improve the bioavailability and enhance the targeting of quercetin, the potential of quercetin nanomedicine delivery systems in the treatment of AD is also discussed. In summary, the multifaceted mechanisms of quercetin against AD provide a new perspective for drug development. However, translating these findings into clinical practice requires overcoming current limitations and ongoing research. In this way, its therapeutic potential in the treatment of AD can be fully utilized.
4.Metabolite identification and metabolic pathway analysis of pirtobrutinib in rats
Meijuan ZHANG ; Jie LI ; Hang YIN ; Mengyu HOU ; Jiangshuo LI ; Jingxuan WU ; Ruihua DONG
China Pharmacy 2025;36(9):1076-1081
OBJECTIVE To analyze and identify the metabolites of pirtobrutinib (PTN) in rats, and clarify the possible metabolic pathways of PTN in rats. METHODS Six rats were intragastrically administered with 10 mg/kg PTN suspension. Blood samples were collected from the rats 30 minutes before administration and at 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24 hours after administration. Urine and feces samples were collected 12 hours before administration and 24 hours after administration. UHPLC- Orbitrap Exploris 240 system combined with Compound Discoverer 3.0 and Xcalibur 2.0 software were adopted for structural identification and metabolic pathway analysis of PTN metabolites in rat plasma, urine, and feces. RESULTS A total of 29 PTN metabolites were identified, including 17, 19 and 22 metabolites in plasma, urine and feces, respectively. The metabolic pathways of PTN mainly included oxidation, sulfation, glucuronidation, etc., and its metabolites were mostly combination products of two or more different metabolic forms. In detail, a total of 26 metabolites were associated with phase Ⅰ metabolic reactions (14 oxidation metabolites, 9 reduction/dehydrogenation metabolites, 8 demethylation metabolites, and 5 hydrolysis metabolites). Meanwhile, a total of 20 products were involved in phase Ⅱ metabolites (14 sulfation metabolites and 8 glucuronic acid binding metabolites). CONCLUSIONS PTN exhibits a diverse range of metabolites in rat fecal samples, with the primary metabolic pathways being oxidation, sulfation, glucuronidation, and others.
5.Progress of different cyclotorsion compensation methods and theirs effects on small incision lenticule extraction
International Eye Science 2025;25(6):938-941
Cyclotorsion of the eye is a factor that affects the accuracy of astigmatic correction after small incision lenticule extraction(SMILE), potentially leading to unexpected outcomes such as astigmatic undercorrection and an increase in higher-order aberrations. One possible explanation for these issues is the lack of active rotational tracking software in the VisuMax femtosecond laser system. Accurately measuring ocular cyclotorsion can effectively guide the design of the surgery and improve the postoperative visual quality. Several methods have been developed to measure and compensate for cyclotorsion during SMILE. This article reviews the characteristics of cyclotorsion in refractive surgery, the methods of cyclotorsion compensation, and the impact of cyclotorsion compensation on the outcomes of SMILE.
6.Postoperative Stage-based Functional Protection Strategies for Lung Cancer Based on Theory of "Lungs Governing Qi"
Luchang CAO ; Guanghui ZHU ; Ruike GAO ; Manman XU ; Xiaoyu ZHU ; Wei HOU ; Ying ZHANG ; Jie LI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(18):86-93
Lung cancer (LC) is a significant global public health issue, with both its incidence and mortality rates ranking among the highest worldwide. The age-standardized incidence and mortality rates are increasing annually, posing a serious threat to the life and health of LC patients. Radical surgical resection is the primary treatment for malignant lung tumors. However, postoperative multidimensional functional impairments, including respiratory, mucosal, and psychological functions, are common. These impairments not only reduce patients' quality of life and affect their treatment tolerance and duration, but also negatively correlate with prognosis, facilitating disease recurrence and metastasis. At present, postoperative functional dysfunction after LC surgery remains a key clinical challenge that urgently needs to be addressed. There is a lack of standardized and regulated postoperative rehabilitation treatment management and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) differentiation and treatment strategies for LC. Focusing on the core underlying pathogenesis of "Qi sinking" after LC surgery, and guided by the classical TCM theory of "lungs governing Qi", this study, based on the core concept of the "five perspectives on treatment" theory, innovatively proposes the respiratory dysfunction as the core pathogenesis of "Qi sinking in the chest" during the rapid rehabilitation phase, mucosal dysfunction as the core pathogenesis of "Yin deficiency and Qi sinking" during the postoperative adjuvant treatment phase, and the psychological dysfunction as the core pathogenesis of "Qi sinking with emotional constraint" during the consolidation phase. Accordingly, stage-specific dynamic functional protection strategies are constructed. In the rapid rehabilitation phase, the strategy emphasizes tonifying Qi and uplifting sinking Qi, with differentiation and treatment based on the principle of ''descending before ascending''. In the adjuvant treatment phase, the approach focuses on nourishing Yin and uplifting Qi, with prescription combinations that integrate unblocking and tonification. In the consolidation phase, the strategy aims to resolve constraint and uplift Qi, with clinical treatment emphasizing a combination of dynamic and static methods. At each stage of functional rehabilitation, clinical differentiation and treatment should support healthy Qi and eliminate pathogenic factors simultaneously. This study is the first to propose the concept of postoperative functional protection in TCM, offering a new approach for TCM differentiation and treatment in the full-cycle, stage-based, and dynamic protection of postoperative function in LC patients. It is expected to contribute to the construction and development of an integrated TCM-Western medicine comprehensive program for cancer prevention and treatment in China.
7.Allogeneic intrastromal lenticule implantation combined with corneal collagen cross-linking for moderate to advanced keratoconus
Jing ZHANG ; Jie HOU ; Yahui DONG ; Yulin LEI ; Yafei XU ; Fangfang SUN
International Eye Science 2025;25(9):1517-1522
AIM: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of allogeneic intrastromal lenticule implantation combined with corneal collagen cross-linking(CXL)in patients with moderate to advanced keratoconus.METHODS: A retrospective case series analysis was conducted. A total of 19 patients(20 eyes)with moderate to advanced keratoconus who underwent combined allogeneic intrastromal lenticule implantation and CXL at the Jinan Mingshui Eye Hospital from June 2021 to December 2023 were included. The uncorrected distance visual acuity(UCVA), thinnest corneal thickness, central corneal epithelial thickness, anterior corneal flat keratometry(Kf), steep keratometry(Ks), and mean keratometry(Km), as well as the first applanation time(A1T), the first applanation length(A1L), the velocity during the first applanation moment(VIN), the second applanation time(A2T), the second applanation length(A2L), the velocity during the second applanation moment(VOUT), highest concavity time(HCT), highest concavity radius(HCR), peak distance(PD), deformation amplitude(DA), stiffness parameter at first applanation(SP-A1), integrated radius(IR), central corneal thickness(CCT), intraocular pressure(IOP), corneal thickness-corrected IOP, biomechanically intraocular pressure IOP(bIOP), and corneal thickness variation rate(ARTH)were compared between the two groups before surgery and at 1 wk, 1, 3 and 6 mo after surgery.RESULTS: All patients successfully completed the surgery without any intraoperative complications. No significant differences were observed between pre-operative and post-operative measurements for UCVA or the corneal biomechanical parameters, including A1L, A2L, PD, A1T, A2T, VIN, VOUT, DA, IOP, and bIOP(all P>0.05). Significant differences were found between pre-operative and post-operative values for corneal thinnest point thickness, central corneal epithelial thickness, Kf, Ks, Km, and the corneal biomechanical parameters, including HCT, HCR, SP-A1, ARTH, IR, and CCT(all P<0.05). The anterior corneal curvature demonstrated an initial increase followed by a decrease post-operatively. Furthermore, significant differences were observed between pre-operative and post-operative values for HCT, HCR, SP-A1, ARTH, IR, and CCT(all P<0.005).CONCLUSION: Allogenic intrastromal lenticule implantation combined with corneal collagen cross-linking demonstrates favorable safety and stability in treating moderate-to-advanced keratoconus. This combined procedure effectively increases corneal thickness and rigidity, resulting in corneas that are more resistant to deformation postoperatively.
8.Effects of diosgenin on autophagy of human osteosarcoma cells
Chao NIE ; Hua-Ming HUANG ; Bao-Quan HOU ; Jie ZHOU ; Lei ZHANG
Chinese Traditional Patent Medicine 2024;46(1):100-106
AIM To investigate the effects of diosgenin on autophagy of human osteosarcoma cells.METHODS Human osteosarcoma MG63 and U2OS cells with or without exposure to diosgenin had their proliferation detected by MTT assay,their ultrastructure observed by transmission electron microscopy,their expression of autophagy protein Beclin1 observed by immunofluorescence staining,and their expressions of autophagy molecular markers LC3,Beclin1 and PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway related proteins detected by Western blot.The MG63 and U2OS cells cotreated with diosgenin and PI3K pathway inhibitor LY294002 had the expression of Beclin1 mRNA detected by RT-qPCR.The MG63 and U2OS cells cotreated with autophagy inhibitor 3-methyladenine(3-MA)had their inhibition rate of proliferation detected by MTT assay,their expression of cleaved-caspase3 protein detected by Western blot,and their expression of caspase3 mRNA detected by RT-qPCR.RESULTS Upon osteosarcoma MG63 and U2OS cells,diosgenin inhibited their proliferation,promoted the generation of autophagosomes,increased the protein expression of LC3 Ⅱ and Beclin1(P<0.05,P<0.01),reduced the protein expression of LC3 I(P<0.01),and inhibited the protein phosphorylation level of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway(P<0.05,P<0.01),whose effects were offset by the intervention with autophagy inhibitors in terms of the reduced proliferation inhibition and down-regulated expressions of caspase3 mRNA and cleaved-caspase3 protein(P<0.01).CONCLUSION Diosgenin can inhibit the proliferation of osteosarcoma cells and induce their autophagy leading to their death and autophagy apoptosis,which may be related to the activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway and up-regulation of the expression of LC3 Ⅱ and Beclin1 proteins.
9.Meta-analysis of retinal microvascular changes in migraine patients
Ziqiang LIU ; Chuanhong JIE ; Jianwei WANG ; Xiaoyu HOU ; Yuanyuan LI ; Jingying WANG ; Weiqiong ZHANG
International Eye Science 2024;24(6):930-936
AIM: To explore retinal microvascular changes in migraine patients using meta-analysis.METHODS: The National Library of Medicine PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library were searched to find relevant studies, and the search period was from the creation of database to June 2023. Two investigators independently screened the literatures, extracted data, and evaluated the quality of included studies using the NOS scale. STATA15.0 was used for Meta-analysis and publication bias evaluation, sensitivity analysis was performed for results with large heterogeneity, and the funnel plot and Egger were used to assess the publication bias of the literature.RESULTS:A total of 12 studies, including 217 patients(252 eyes)with migraine with aura(MA), 283 patients(388 eyes)with migraine without aura(MO), and 374 healthy individuals(479 eyes), were included in this Meta-analysis. Several optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA)indicators, including foveal avascular zone(FAZ)macular or optic disc perfusion density were compared and analyzed. The Meta-analysis results showed that compared with healthy controls, patients with MA had a significant increase in FAZ area and perimeter, a significant decrease in perfusion density of the macular deep capillary plexus(mDCP)except for the fovea, and a significant decrease in perfusion density of the radial peripapillary capillaries(RPC)around the optic disc; the FAZ parameters were significantly increased in MO, while the differences in perfusion density of the macular superficial capillary plexus(mSCP), mDCP and RPC were not statistically significant, except for the perfusion density in the parafovea mDCP.CONCLUSIONS: Both MA and MO patients had an enlarged FAZ area, patients with MA had a significant decrease in mDCP perfusion density, and migraine patients had some degree of retinal ischemia.
10.Mechanism of Fucoidan Phlorofucofuroeckol A on Inhibit the Proliferation and Invasion of Colorectal Cancer Cells by Down-regulating TGF-β1/Smads Signaling Pathway
Hong LI ; Wei DONG ; Jie HOU ; De HE
Herald of Medicine 2024;43(4):495-501
Objective To investigate the effect of phlorofucofuroeckol A(PFFE-A)on the proliferation and invasion of colorectal carcinoma cells and its regulation of transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1)and mothers against decapentaplegic hom-olog 2/3(Smad2/3)signaling pathway.Methods The cells were processed as follows:the cells were intervened with low,medium and high doses of 50,100,and 150 μmol·L-1 of PFFE-A,respectively and cells in the normal control group were also established.5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine(EdU)staining was used to detect the cell proliferation.The transwell chamber was used to detect the invasion ability.A xenograft colon cancer nude mice model was used to detect the growth and metastasis ability of the cells in vivo.Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR)was used to detect the expression of epithelial-to-mes-enchymal transition(EMT)related genes.Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of TGF-β1 and p-Smad2/3 in cells.Results Compared with normal control group,the proliferation rate,the number of invaded cells,the tumor mass,the pro-portion of tumor metastasis,the expression of N-cadherin mRNA,the expression of TGF-β1 and p-Smad2/3 were significantly de-creased(P<0.05),and the mRNA expression of E-cadherin was significantly increased(P<0.05).All were presented with a sig-nificant dose-dependent(P<0.05).Conclusion PFFE-A could inhibit the EMT process of tumor cells,inhibit the prolifera-tion and invasion of HT29 cells in vitro,and down-regulate the growth and metastasis of HT29 cells in vivo,which may be achieved by down-regulating TGF-β1/Smad2/3 signaling pathway.

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail