1.Molecular Mechanism of Programmed Cell Death in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Traditional Chinese Medicine Intervention: A Review
Xin PENG ; Yunhui LI ; Lei LIANG ; Zheyu LUAN ; Hanxiao WANG ; Haotian XU ; Ziming DANG ; Jihong FENG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(3):304-313
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic respiratory disease that poses a significant threat to global health, exhibiting high morbidity, disability and mortality rate, with its prevention and treatment situation becoming increasingly critical. The pathogenesis of COPD is complex, and the underlying cellular and molecular biological mechanisms remain incompletely elucidated. Programmed cell death (PCD) is the process wherein cells actively undergo demise to maintain internal environmental stability in response to certain signals or specific stimuli. Contemporary medical research indicates that the dysregulation of PCD patterns such as apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis, autophagy, and ferroptosis is closely related to the onset and progression of COPD. Clarifying the molecular mechanisms of PCD in COPD may provide novel perspectives for in-depth understanding and prevention of the disease. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is characterized by holistic regulation. In recent years, extensive research has been conducted in the TCM field focusing on modulating apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis, autophagy, and ferroptosis for the treatment of COPD, yielding remarkable achievements. Therefore, this study systematically explored the molecular mechanism of PCD in COPD and reviewed the potential mechanisms and intervention status of TCM targeting PCD in COPD, aiming to provide insights and references for the clinical prevention, treatment and in-depth research of COPD.
2.Molecular Mechanism of Programmed Cell Death in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Traditional Chinese Medicine Intervention: A Review
Xin PENG ; Yunhui LI ; Lei LIANG ; Zheyu LUAN ; Hanxiao WANG ; Haotian XU ; Ziming DANG ; Jihong FENG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(3):304-313
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic respiratory disease that poses a significant threat to global health, exhibiting high morbidity, disability and mortality rate, with its prevention and treatment situation becoming increasingly critical. The pathogenesis of COPD is complex, and the underlying cellular and molecular biological mechanisms remain incompletely elucidated. Programmed cell death (PCD) is the process wherein cells actively undergo demise to maintain internal environmental stability in response to certain signals or specific stimuli. Contemporary medical research indicates that the dysregulation of PCD patterns such as apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis, autophagy, and ferroptosis is closely related to the onset and progression of COPD. Clarifying the molecular mechanisms of PCD in COPD may provide novel perspectives for in-depth understanding and prevention of the disease. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is characterized by holistic regulation. In recent years, extensive research has been conducted in the TCM field focusing on modulating apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis, autophagy, and ferroptosis for the treatment of COPD, yielding remarkable achievements. Therefore, this study systematically explored the molecular mechanism of PCD in COPD and reviewed the potential mechanisms and intervention status of TCM targeting PCD in COPD, aiming to provide insights and references for the clinical prevention, treatment and in-depth research of COPD.
3.Thoughts of Syndrome Differentiation and Treatment and Effect Mechanism of Haoqin Qingdantang in Treating Viral Pneumonia Based on Theory of Treating Different Diseases with Same Therapy
Xin PENG ; Haotian XU ; Lei LIANG ; Zheyu LUAN ; Hanxiao WANG ; Yihao ZHANG ; Kun YANG ; Jihong FENG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(8):209-217
The principle of treating different diseases with the same therapy is the essence of syndrome differentiation and treatment in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). It means that when the same pathogenic changes or the same symptoms appear in the development of different diseases, the same principles or methods can be used for treatment. Due to the complexity and high variability of viral pathogenicity, the precise and effective treatment of different types of viral pneumonia (VP) has always been a research focus and difficulty in modern medicine. VP belongs to the category of external-contraction febrile disease, warm disease, and epidemic in TCM. Haoqin Qingdantang (HQQDD) is a representative formula for clearing heat and dispelling dampness in warm diseases, and its intervention in VP caused by various viral infections has significant effects. This study, guided by the theory of treating different diseases with the same therapy, links the related studies on using HQQDD to treat different types of VP and finds that influenza virus pneumonia (IVP), severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), and COVID-19 all have a common pathogenic mechanism of dampness-heat at different stages of respective diseases. When these diseases are dominated by damp-heat factors, the use of HQQDD yields remarkable therapeutic effects. Modern pharmacological studies have confirmed that HQQDD can inhibit virus replication, reduce fever reactions, inhibit the expression of inflammatory mediators, and regulate immune balance. Moreover, the sovereign medicine in this formula has excellent antiviral activity, and the formula reflects rich scientific connotations of treating VP. According to the theory of treating different diseases with the same therapy and based on the effective treatment practice and modern pharmacological research of HQQDD for different types of VP, this paper mines the underlying TCM theory of treatment with the same therapy, explores the syndrome differentiation and treatment strategy and effect mechanism of this formula for different types of VP, and analyzes the treatment mechanism and characteristics, with the aim of providing evidence and reference for the clinical application and modern research of HQQDD.
4.Role of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Regulating Immune Inflammation and Microvascular Damage in Preventing Recurrence of Pneumonia During Recovery Based on Combination of Pathogenic Factors
Xin PENG ; Haotian XU ; Lei LIANG ; Zheyu LUAN ; Hanxiao WANG ; Kun YANG ; Jihong FENG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(9):249-258
Pneumonia is an infectious disease with high morbidity and mortality worldwide, and its damage to the body is not limited to the acute phase. The theory of combination of pathogenic factors emphasizes that the combination of new pathogens and residual pathogens in the body leads to the occurrence of diseases, which generalizes the causes of recurrence during pneumonia recovery. During the recovery stage of pneumonia, pathological changes such as disturbance of immune homeostasis, persistent low-grade inflammation, and microvascular damage continue to affect the body function, impair the health and quality of life of patients, and increase the risk of secondary infection. According to the theory of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), pneumonia is caused by deficiency, and Qi deficiency and blood stasis is the core pathogenesis in the recovery stage. At this time, the body is not full of healthy qi and still has residual pathogens, and thus it is susceptible to external pathogenic factors that lead to disease recurrence. As an important part of the TCM philosophy of treating disease before its onset, prevention of recurrence after recovery emphasizes the need for aftercare in the recovery stage to prevent disease recurrence. Based on the pathogenesis theory of combination of pathogenic factors and the pathogenesis of Qi deficiency and blood stasis, this paper discusses the effect and connotation of TCM in regulating immune inflammation and microvascular damage in preventing recurrence of pneumonia during the recovery stage, aiming to develop new ideas for effective prevention and treatment of pneumonia at this stage.
5.Single-cell transcriptome analysis reveals abnormal angiogenesis and placentation by loss of imprinted glutaminyl-peptide cyclotransferase.
Jing GUO ; Jihong ZHENG ; Ruixia LI ; Jindong YAO ; He ZHANG ; Xu WANG ; Chao ZHANG
Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B 2025;26(6):589-608
Imprinted genes play a key role in regulating mammalian placental and embryonic development. Here, we generated glutaminyl-peptide cyclotransferase-knockout (Qpct-/-) mice utilizing the clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) platform and identified Qpct as a novel anti-angiogenic factor in regulating mouse placentation. Compared with Qpct+/+ mice, placentae and embryos (Qpct-/+ and Qpct-/-) showed significant overgrowth at embryonic Day 12.5 (E12.5), E15.5, and E18.5. Using single-cell transcriptome analysis of 32 309 cells from Qpct+/+ and Qpct-/- mouse placentae, we identified 13 cell clusters via single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) (8880 Qpct+/+ and 13 577 Qpct-/- cells) and 20 cell clusters via single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) (6567 Qpct+/+ and 3285 Qpct-/- cells). Furthermore, we observed a global up-regulation of pro-angiogenic genes in the Qpct-/- background. Immunohistochemistry assays revealed a notable increase in the number of blood vessels in the decidual and labyrinthine layers of E15.5 Qpct-/+ and Qpct-/- mice. Moreover, the elevation of multiple pairs of ligand-receptor interactions was observed in decidual cells, endothelial cells, and macrophages, promoting angiogenesis and inflammatory response. Our findings indicate that loss of maternal Qpct leads to altered phenotypic characteristics of placentae and embryos and promotes angiogenesis in murine placentae.
Animals
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Female
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Pregnancy
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Mice
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Placentation/genetics*
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Single-Cell Analysis
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Gene Expression Profiling
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Mice, Knockout
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Transcriptome
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Placenta/blood supply*
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Neovascularization, Pathologic/genetics*
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Genomic Imprinting
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Single-Cell Gene Expression Analysis
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Angiogenesis
6.Targeting cAMP in D1-MSNs in the nucleus accumbens, a new rapid antidepressant strategy.
Yue ZHANG ; Jingwen GAO ; Na LI ; Peng XU ; Shimeng QU ; Jinqian CHENG ; Mingrui WANG ; Xueru LI ; Yaheng SONG ; Fan XIAO ; Xinyu YANG ; Jihong LIU ; Hao HONG ; Ronghao MU ; Xiaotian LI ; Youmei WANG ; Hui XU ; Yuan XIE ; Tianming GAO ; Guangji WANG ; Jiye AA
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2024;14(2):667-681
Studies have suggested that the nucleus accumbens (NAc) is implicated in the pathophysiology of major depression; however, the regulatory strategy that targets the NAc to achieve an exclusive and outstanding anti-depression benefit has not been elucidated. Here, we identified a specific reduction of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) in the subset of dopamine D1 receptor medium spiny neurons (D1-MSNs) in the NAc that promoted stress susceptibility, while the stimulation of cAMP production in NAc D1-MSNs efficiently rescued depression-like behaviors. Ketamine treatment enhanced cAMP both in D1-MSNs and dopamine D2 receptor medium spiny neurons (D2-MSNs) of depressed mice, however, the rapid antidepressant effect of ketamine solely depended on elevating cAMP in NAc D1-MSNs. We discovered that a higher dose of crocin markedly increased cAMP in the NAc and consistently relieved depression 24 h after oral administration, but not a lower dose. The fast onset property of crocin was verified through multicenter studies. Moreover, crocin specifically targeted at D1-MSN cAMP signaling in the NAc to relieve depression and had no effect on D2-MSN. These findings characterize a new strategy to achieve an exclusive and outstanding anti-depression benefit by elevating cAMP in D1-MSNs in the NAc, and provide a potential rapid antidepressant drug candidate, crocin.
7.Establishment and application of animal models for portal vein thrombosis
Zhuang LIU ; Jihong CHEN ; Xingshun QI ; Xiangbo XU ; Yuzheng ZHUGE
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2024;40(1):29-32
Portal vein thrombosis (PVT) refers to thromboembolism that occurs in the extrahepatic main portal vein and/or intrahepatic portal vein branches. PVT is the result of the combined effect of multiple factors, but its pathogenesis remains unclear. Animal models are an important method for exploring the pathophysiological mechanism of PVT. Based on the different species of animals, this article reviews the existing animal models of PVT in terms of modeling methods, principles, advantages and disadvantages, and application.
8.Advances in the mechanism of arteriovenous endovascular fistula dysfunction
Wentong HUANG ; Xiaolu SUI ; Tingfei XIE ; Yunpeng XU ; Yanzi ZHANG ; Aisha ZHANG ; Jiahui CHEN ; Xiaoling ZHONG ; Jihong CHEN
Journal of Chinese Physician 2024;26(6):958-960
The stenosis and embolization of internal fistula vessels directly affect the clinical treatment effect of maintenance hemodialysis patients, and the study of the mechanism of internal fistula stenosis has become a research hotspot in recent years. Previous studies mainly focused on the hemodynamics and pathophysiology of blood vessel wall, and there were few studies on molecular biology and its related signaling pathways. This paper reviews the hemodynamics of the vascular pathway of internal arteriovenous fistula (AVF), the pathophysiological mechanism, molecular biology, and changes in various signaling pathways of AVF dysfunction at home and abroad, in order to provide references for the study of AVF dysfunction.
9.Mechanistic study of tripterygium glycosides in the treatment of ulcerative colitis through the Nur77-Traf2-P62 signaling pathway
Jihong ZHONG ; Yongpan LIU ; Dandan CHEN ; Qiuwei HUANG ; Xinrui ZHANG ; Qinke XU ; Lu YE
China Modern Doctor 2024;62(11):58-62
Objective To investigated the effect of tripterygium glycosides(TG)on dextran sodium sulfate(DSS)-induced colonic mucosal damage in ulcerative colitis(UC)mice and its regulatory mechanism.Methods Forty C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a normal group,a model group,and a tretinoin low,medium,and high dose group(administered at concentrations of 9.00mg/kg,27.03mg/kg,and 81.09mg/kg,respectively).The mice in the normal group were free to drink distilled water,and the rest of the mice drank 5%DSS to induce UC modeling.After modeling,mice in the model group were given 0.4ml of saline by gavage daily,and the rest of the mice in the treatment group were given the corresponding dose of TG for gavage intervention.The mass and disease activity index of the mice in each group were compared,and the pathological and histological damage of the colon was observed.Tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),malondialdehyde(MDA),and superoxide dismutase(SOD)levels were measured using the corresponding kits.Western blot Detection of Nur77,tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 2(Traf2),nucleoporin 62(P62),autophagy protein-microtubule associated protein1 light chain 3(LC3)molecular expression.Results Compared with the blank group,the body weight,colon length,SOD,Nur77,Traf2,and LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ levels of mice in the model group were significantly decreased(P<0.05),and the DAI level,colon pathology score,TNF-α,MDA level,and P62 of the mice were significantly increased(P<0.05).Compared with mice in the UC model group,mice in the low,medium and high dose groups of tretinoin polyphenols showed significant increases in body weight,colon length,SOD,Nur77,Traf2,LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰlevels(P<0.05),and mice with DAI scores,TNF-α,MDA levels in the colon,and P62 levels were significantly decreased(P<0.05).Mice in the medium and high dose groups of tretinoin polyphenols pathological scores were significantly reduced(P<0.05).Conclusion TG is able to treat ulcerative colitis through Nur77-Traf2-P62 signaling pathway.
10.Analysis of β-thalassemia gene testing results in western region of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
Xuejuan NONG ; Yu HUANG ; Jihong JIA ; Ming LEI ; Guidan XU ; Wujun WEI ; Zhengyi CHANG ; Liqiu XIE ; Juhua LIANG ; Chunfang WANG
Chinese Journal of Endemiology 2024;43(2):104-112
Objective:To analyze the positive detection rate, main genotypes of β-thalassemia in western region of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (referred to as Guangxi).Methods:Retrospective analysis of 26 189 individuals who underwent gene testing for thalassemia at the Affiliated Hospital of Youjiang Medical University for Nationalities from January 2013 to December 2019. Using the crossing breakpoint PCR (Gap-PCR) and reverse dot blot (RDB) techniques to detect Chinese common type of 7 kinds of α-thalassemia and 17 kinds of β-thalassemia genotypes, high-throughput sequencing(Sanger) was performed for suspected rare β-thalassemia. Gap-PCR was used for suspected deletion β-thalassemia types.Results:β-thalassemia was diagnosed in 4 495 (17.16%) of 26 189 samples. A total of 6 177 alleles of 20 types of β-thalassemia were detected, mainly CD17 (2 712 cases, 43.90%) and CD41-42 (2 240 cases, 36.26%), including 7 rare alleles: Gγ +( Aγδβ) 0, SEA-HPFH, Hb New York, Hb G-Taipei, Hb Hezhou, Hb G-Coushatta and IVS-Ⅱ-81. There were 3 903 case (86.83%) heterozygous, 273 case (6.07%) double heterozygous, and 319 case (7.10%) homozygous among 4 495 β-thalassaemia subjects. A total of 48 genotypes were detected. The two most common genotypes were CD17/β N (1 890 cases, 42.05%) and CD41-42/β N (1 212 cases, 26.96%), accounted for 69.01% (3 102/4 495). Seven rare genotypes were detected: Gγ +( Aγδβ) 0/β N in 3 cases, Hb New York/β N in 3 cases, Hb G-Taipei/β N in 2 cases, SEA-HPFH/β N, Hb Hezhou/β N, Hb G-Coushatta/β N and IVS-Ⅱ-81/β N in 1 case each. A total of 1 041 cases (3.97%, 1 041/26 189) of 116 types of αβ-thalassemia were detected, mainly -- SEA/αα composite CD17/β N (144 cases, 13.83%), followed by -α 3.7/αα composite CD17/β N (112 cases, 10.76%). Conclusions:Western region of Guangxi is a high prevalence area of β-thalassemia, CD17/β N and CD41-42/β N are the main genotypes. The variation spectrum of β-thalassemia is complex and diverse, with rich genotype.

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