1.Pathogenesis and treatment progress of flap ischemia-reperfusion injury
Bo HE ; Wen CHEN ; Suilu MA ; Zhijun HE ; Yuan SONG ; Jinpeng LI ; Tao LIU ; Xiaotao WEI ; Weiwei WANG ; Jing XIE
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(6):1230-1238
BACKGROUND:Flap transplantation technique is a commonly used surgical procedure for the treatment of severe tissue defects,but postoperative flap necrosis is easily triggered by ischemia-reperfusion injury.Therefore,it is still an important research topic to improve the survival rate of transplanted flaps. OBJECTIVE:To review the pathogenesis and latest treatment progress of flap ischemia-reperfusion injury. METHODS:CNKI,WanFang Database and PubMed database were searched for relevant literature published from 2014 to 2024.The search terms used were"flap,ischemia-reperfusion injury,inflammatory response,oxidative stress,Ca2+overload,apoptosis,mesenchymal stem cells,platelet-rich plasma,signaling pathways,shock wave,pretreatment"in Chinese and English.After elimination of irrelevant literature,poor quality and obsolete literature,77 documents were finally included for review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Flap ischemia/reperfusion injury may be related to pathological factors such as inflammatory response,oxidative stress response,Ca2+overload,and apoptosis,which can cause apoptosis of vascular endothelial cells,vascular damage and microcirculation disorders in the flap,and eventually lead to flap necrosis.Studies have found that mesenchymal stem cell transplantation,platelet-rich plasma,signaling pathway modulators,shock waves,and pretreatment can alleviate flap ischemia/reperfusion injuries from different aspects and to varying degrees,and reduce the necrosis rate and necrosis area of the grafted flap.Although there are many therapeutic methods for skin flap ischemia/reperfusion injury,a unified and effective therapeutic method has not yet been developed in the clinic,and the advantages and disadvantages of various therapeutic methods have not yet been compared.Most of the studies remain in the stage of animal experiments,rarely involving clinical observations.Therefore,a lot of research is required in the future to gradually move from animal experiments to the clinic in order to better serve the clinic.
2.Xiaozhong Zhitong Mixture(消肿止痛合剂)Combined with Antibiotic Bone Cement in the Treatment of Diabetic Foot Ulcers with Damp-Heat Obstructing Syndrome:A Randomized Controlled Trial of 35 Patients
Xiaotao WEI ; Zhijun HE ; Tao LIU ; Zhenxing JIANG ; Fei LI ; Yan LI ; Jinpeng LI ; Wen CHEN ; Bihui BAI ; Xuan DONG ; Bo SUN
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(7):704-709
ObjectiveTo observe the clinical effectiveness and safety of Xiaozhong Zhitong Mixture (消肿止痛合剂) combined with antibiotic bone cement in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) with damp-heat obstructing syndrome. MethodsA total of 72 DFU patients with damp-heat obstructing syndrome were randomly assigned to treatment group (36 cases) and the control group (36 cases). Both groups received standard treatment and topical antibiotic bone cement for ulcer wounds, while the treatment group received oral Xiaozhong Zhitong Mixture (50 ml per time, three times daily) in additionally. Both groups underwent daily wound dressing changes for 21 consecutive days. Ulcer healing rate, serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD), C-reactive protein (CRP), and white blood cell (WBC) count were observed before and after treatment, and visual analog scale (VAS) scores for wound pain, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome scores, and the DFU Healing Scale (DMIST scale) were also compared. Liver and kidney function were evaluated before and after treatment, and adverse events such as allergic reactions, worsening ulcer pain were recorded. ResultsTotally 35 patients in the treatment group and 33 in the control group were included in the final analysis. The ulcer healing rate in the treatment group was (87.93±9.34)%, significantly higher than (81.82±12.02)% in the control group (P = 0.035). Compared to pre-treatment levels, both groups showed significant reductions in serum CRP, WBC, MDA, IL-1β, and TNF-α levels, with an increase in SOD level (P<0.05). TCM syndrome scores, VAS, and DMIST scores also significantly decreased in both groups (P<0.05), with greater improvements in the treatment group (P<0.05). No significant adverse reactions were observed in either group during treatment. ConclusionXiaozhong Zhitong Mixture combined with antibiotic bone cement has significant advantages in promoting DFU healing, reducing inflammatory response, and alleviating oxidative stress in DFU patients with damp-heat obstructing syndrome, with good safety for DFU patients with damp-heat obstructing syndrome.
3.Boron neutron capture therapy: A new era in radiotherapy.
Ling ZHOU ; Meng PENG ; Yuming CHEN ; Huanqing LIANG ; Xiumao YIN ; Jieming MO ; Xiaotao HUANG ; Zhigang LIU
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(19):2517-2519
4.Huoxue Shufeng Granule alleviates central sensitization in chronic migraine mice via TLR4/NF-κB inflammatory pathway.
Xiaotao LIANG ; Yifan XIONG ; Xueqi LIU ; Xiaoshan LIANG ; Xiaoyu ZHU ; Wei XIE
Journal of Southern Medical University 2025;45(5):986-994
OBJECTIVES:
To investigate the therapeutic mechanism of Huoxue Shufeng Granules (HXSFG) for alleviating central sensitization in a mouse model of chronic migraine (CM).
METHODS:
We analyzed the main chemical components of HXSFG through literature review and explored their pharmacological mechanisms by bioinformatics analyses. In a male C57BL/6J mouse model of CM established by intraperitoneal injections of nitroglycerin (10 mg/kg) every other day (5 injections), the effects of gavage with low, and high doses of HXSFG or intraperitoneal injections of topiramate for ameliorating central sensitization were evaluated using Von Frey test and a hot plate apparatus; the changes in expressions of inflammatory factors, the proteins in the TLR4/NF‑κB signaling pathway, and activation of c-Fos and CGRP were detected using RT-qPCR, Western blotting and immunofluorescence staining.
RESULTS:
Network pharmacology analysis suggested that the main active components in HXSFG for alleviating CM included formononetin, paeoniflorin, quercetin, and tanshinone. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis identified 492 GO entries, comprising 366 biological processes, 46 cellular components, and 80 molecular functions. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis indicated that the Toll-like receptor and NF‑κB signaling pathways were crucial in mediating the therapeutic effects of HXSFG on CM. In the mouse models of CM, both topiramate and HXSFG treatments alleviated the symptoms of central sensitization, evidenced by improved mechanical and thermal pain thresholds in the mice. HXSFG significantly reduced the expression of c-Fos and CGRP, improved inflammatory markers, and downregulated the expressions of TLR4, p-NF‑κB, IL-1β, and TNF‑α proteins in the mouse models.
CONCLUSIONS
HXSFG effectively alleviates central sensitization in CM mice by modulating the inflammatory pathways and inhibiting the TLR4/ NF-κB signaling pathway, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic option for CM.
Animals
;
Toll-Like Receptor 4/metabolism*
;
NF-kappa B/metabolism*
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*
;
Mice
;
Male
;
Mice, Inbred C57BL
;
Signal Transduction/drug effects*
;
Migraine Disorders/metabolism*
;
Disease Models, Animal
;
Inflammation
5.Recombinant yeast-cell microcapsules carrying the DNA vaccine against enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli.
Xiafang ZHAO ; Lihong DU ; Baoxia MA ; Shaona JIA ; Yufei LIU ; Yufei ZHU ; Xiaotao MA ; Xiaojun YANG ; Kun XU
Chinese Journal of Biotechnology 2025;41(6):2388-2404
The enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) infection is a major factor restricting the development of animal husbandry. However, the abuse of antibiotics will lead to the antibiotic residues and emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The existing vaccines face challenges in stimulating intestinal immunity, demonstrating limited prevention effects. Therefore, it is indispensable to develop a new vaccine that is safe and suitable as a feed additive to activate intestinal immunity. This study constructed yeast-cell microcapsules (YCM) carrying the DNA vaccine against ETEC by genetic engineering. Furthermore, animal experiments were carried out to explore the regulatory effects of feeding YCM on the intestinal immune system and intestinal microbiota. Saccharomyces cerevisiae was selected as the oral delivery vehicle (microcapsules) of the DNA vaccine. The codon-optimized nucleic acid sequence of K88, the main antigen of mammal-derived ETEC, was synthesized, and the yeast shuttle vector containing the corresponding DNA vaccine expression cassette was constructed by DNA recombination. The recombinant strain of YCM was prepared by transforming JMY1. Additionally, the characteristics of the YCM strain and its feasibility as an oral vaccine were comprehensively evaluated by the fluorescence reporter assay, gastrointestinal fluid tolerance assay, intestinal epithelial cell adhesion assay, intestinal retention assessment, antiserum detection, and intestinal microbiota detection. The experimental results showed that the DNA vaccine expression cassette was expressed in mammals, and the recombinant strain of YCM could tolerate up to 8 hours of gastrointestinal fluid digestion and had good adhesion to intestinal epithelial cells. The results of mouse feeding experiments indicated that the recombinant strain of YCM could stay in the intestinal tract for at least two weeks, and the DNA vaccine expression cassette carried by YCM entered the intestinal immune system and triggered an immune response to induce the production of specific antibodies. Moreover, feeding YCM recombinant bacteria also improved the abundance of gut microbiota in mice, demonstrating a positive effect in regulating intestinal flora. In summary, we prepared the recombinant strain of YCM carrying the DNA vaccine against ETEC and comprehensively evaluated its characteristics and feasibility as an oral vaccine. Feeding the recombinant YCM could induce specific immune responses and regulate intestinal microbiota. The findings provide a reference for the immunoprevention of ETEC-related animal diseases.
Animals
;
Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli/genetics*
;
Saccharomyces cerevisiae/metabolism*
;
Vaccines, DNA/genetics*
;
Mice
;
Escherichia coli Infections/immunology*
;
Escherichia coli Vaccines/genetics*
;
Capsules
;
Mice, Inbred BALB C
;
Female
6.Chinese Medicine Intervention in Signaling Pathways Related to Diabetic Ulcer: A Review
Xiaotao WEI ; Zhijun HE ; Tao LIU ; Jinfeng WEI ; Jinpeng LI ; Yuan SONG ; Jie CHEN ; Haigang WANG ; Yuanxu HE
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(2):212-220
Diabetic ulcer (DU) wound is one of the chronic and serious complications of diabetes characterized by prolonged wound healing, and it is more common in foot and lower extremity ulcers. DU has brought great economic and psychological pressure to patients and seriously affected the quality of life of patients because of its great difficulty in treatment, long treatment process, and high morbidity and mortality. Therefore, how to help the rapid healing of DU wounds, reduce the disability rate and mortality rate, protect limb function, and improve the quality of life is an important topic and hot spot in the field of medical research. The pathogenesis of DU is complex, mainly including microcirculation disorder, peripheral neuropathy, inflammation and infection, and excessive apoptosis of cells, involving physiological processes such as wound inflammation, granulation tissue hyperplasia and re-epithelialization. A large number of previous studies have found that Chinese medicine can regulate phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt), Wnt/β-catenin, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), Notch, nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)/Smad, and other signaling pathways, regulate abnormal glucose metabolism, improve microcirculation, inhibit inflammation and oxidative stress, regulate cell proliferation and excessive apoptosis, and promote wound tissue growth to promote the rapid healing of DU wounds under the guidance of treatment based on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome differentiation and internal and external treatment. Therefore, this paper reviewed Chinese medicinal monomers or Chinese medicinal compounds in recent years in regulating the above signaling pathways and the expression of key protein molecules and promoting the rapid healing of DU wounds, aiming to provide ideas and a theoretical basis for the in-depth study and clinical application of Chinese medicine in promoting the healing of DU wounds.
7.Traditional Chinese Medicine Regulates Autophagy to Prevent and Treat Osteoarthritis: A Review
Jutang CHAI ; Qian YANG ; Hongxia NING ; Wenjuan LIU ; Tao LIU ; Xiaotao WEI ; Xiaoyu LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(2):287-298
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common chronic, highly prevalent, painful, and disabling degenerative joint disease. It has imposed a heavy burden on social healthcare and patients' psychology and economy due to its clinical symptoms such as impaired joint mobility and severe joint pain and the immature therapies. Studies have shown that OA is closely associated with articular cartilage dysfunction, synthesis and degradation disorders of chondrocyte extracellular matrix (ECM), and joint inflammation. Moderate autophagy can restore the function of damaged chondrocytes, regulate chondrocyte apoptosis, and promote the synthesis and metabolism of ECM to alleviate the inflammation of joints and delay the onset and progression of OA. According to the clinical symptoms, OA can be classified into the category of impediment in traditional Chinese medicine. With the theories of holistic conception, treatment based on syndrome differentiation, and individualised diagnosis and treatment, traditional Chinese medicine has demonstrated definite effects in the treatment of OA in thousands of years of practice. Moreover, traditional Chinese medicine causes mild adverse reactions, and the patients have high tolerance and acceptance. This paper briefly explains the roles of autophagy and the related regulatory proteins, such as Unc-51-like autophagy-activated kinase 1 (ULK1), Beclin-1, and microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3), and details the latest research achievements in the prevention and control of OA by traditional Chinese medicines and its related markers via the regulation of autophagy, so as to provide a idea for the in-depth research in this field and the clinical application of traditional Chinese medicine in preventing and treating OA.
8.Mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine Intervening in Pyroptosis to Prevent and Treat Bone and Joint Related Diseases: A Review
Jutang CHAI ; Hongxia NING ; Yongzhang LI ; Xiaoyu LIU ; Xiaotao WEI ; Tao LIU ; Zhigang WEN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(6):289-298
Osteoarthritis (OA), rheumatoid arthritis (RA), gouty arthritis (GA), and intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) are the most common bone and joint-related diseases in clinical practice. They can all affect related joints, leading to joint pain, swelling, dysfunction, and other symptoms. The difference is that OA is mainly caused by joint wear and age-related degradation and is manifested as joint pain, stiffness, and limited movement. RA is an autoimmune disease, manifested as joint pain, swelling, morning stiffness, and systemic symptoms. GA is caused by abnormal uric acid metabolism, manifested as acute arthritis, and IVDD is caused by intervertebral disc degeneration. Studies have shown that the mechanism of the occurrence and development of these bone and joint diseases is extremely complex. Pyroptosis is closely related to these bone and joint-related diseases by participating in bone and joint inflammation, cartilage metabolism imbalance, extracellular matrix degradation, and pathological damage of bone and joint. Inhibition of bone and joint-related pyroptosis will effectively prevent and treat bone and joint-related diseases. At the same time, many studies have confirmed that traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a prominent curative effect and obvious advantages in the prevention and treatment of bone and joint-related diseases. TCM can reduce the inflammatory reaction of bone and joints, improve the pathological damage of bone and joint diseases, and relieve bone and joint pain by inhibiting pyroptosis. Therefore, this article aims to briefly explain the relationship between pyroptosis and the occurrence and development of bone and joint-related diseases and summarize the latest research reports on the intervention of pyroptosis in the treatment of bone and joint-related diseases by TCM monomers, TCM extracts, and TCM compounds. It offers new ideas for the in-depth study of the pathogenesis and drug treatment of bone and joint diseases and provides a basis for the clinical use of TCM to prevent and treat bone and joint diseases.
9.Combined analysis of transcriptome and metabolome on the effect of virulence protein Mp1p from Talaromyces marneffei on macrophages
LIU Yuxuan ; WEI Wudi ; BAO Xiuli ; CHEN Lixiang ; ZHANG Baili ; HE Xiaotao ; YE Li ; JIANG Junjun ; LIANG Hao
China Tropical Medicine 2024;24(3):265-
Objective To explore the effect of Mp1p on host macrophages through transcriptomics combined with metabolomics. Methods Firstly, a THP-1 macrophage strain (THP-1-Mp1p+) stably expressing Mp1p was constructed using lentivirus. Secondly, using high-throughput RNA sequencing (RNA Seq) technology, the expression level of intracellular mRNA was detected in transcriptomics analysis to determine differentially expressed genes; In metabolomics analysis, metabolite identification was performed through database comparison, and pathway analysis was performed on differential metabolites to reveal potential mechanisms of action. Finally, the results of metabolomics and transcriptomics were combined for analysis, and differential metabolites and genes were analyzed to further elucidate the mechanism of action of Mp1p on macrophages. Results Transcriptome analysis showed that, compared with the negative control group, the THP-1-Mp1p+ group had a total of 1 180 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), with 345 upregulated genes and 835 downregulated genes. GO enrichment analysis of DEGs showed that there were 135 differentially expressed genes, including 105 in biological processes (BP), 28 in cellular components (CC), and 2 in molecular functions (MF). The KEGG analysis results showed that the effect of Mp1p on THP-1 macrophages was highly correlated with the TNF pathway. The metabolomic analysis found that both the blank control group and the THP-1-Mp1p+ macrophage group achieved good separation between QC samples in both positive and negative ion modes. The threshold for significant differential metabolites was set at: VIP≥1 and T-test P<0.05, resulting in the identification of 488 differential metabolites, with 230 in the positive ion mode and 258 in the negative ion mode. Pathway enrichment analysis of the identified metabolites pointed to significant enrichment in metabolic pathways. The combined analysis confirmed that the tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway, interleukin-17 signaling pathway, and NF-kappaB signaling pathway were important metabolic pathways involved. Conclusions The virulence factor Mp1p may affect host macrophages by modulating the tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway, interleukin-17 signaling pathway, and NF-kappaB signaling pathway. The findings contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms of action of Mp1p and may offer potential directions for the selection of relevant diagnostic and therapeutic targets in the future.
10.Study on individualized use of opioid analgesics based on SNP polymorphism
Tingting PENG ; Xiaotao ZHU ; Linlin SONG ; Jian LIU ; Lei ZHENG ; Jing YANG
China Pharmacy 2024;35(24):3041-3045
OBJECTIVE To investigate the correlation between gene polymorphisms and adverse drug reaction (ADR) and demands of opioids, aiming to guide personalized opioid analgesic therapy. METHODS The existing evidence-based medical data were adopted to identify gene loci related to the efficacy and ADR of opioid analgesics and select highly relevant single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) for a clinical case-control study. The study cohort was divided into two evaluation groups: ADR assessment and drug demand assessment. The ADR assessment group included 254 cancer pain patients and was subdivided into the trial subgroup (with ADR) and the control subgroup (without ADR) based on the presence or absence of ADR following opioid usage; the two subgroups included 126 and 128 patients, respectively. The drug demand assessment group included a total of 120 cancer pain patients, who were divided into trial subgroup (equivalent to a daily dose of oral morphine ≥100 mg) and control subgroup (equivalent to a daily dose of oral morphine <100 mg) based on the different daily doses of opioid analgesics, with 60 patients in each subgroup. Polymorphism detection of SNP loci in these patients was performed using fluorescence in situ hybridization. SPSS 21.0 software and SNPStats genetic models were employed to compare genetic testing results between subgroups and conduct correlation analyses, aiming to evaluate the association of the selected SNP loci with opioid ADR and drug demand inclinical real-world cases. RESULTS The strongly correlated SNP loci identified were CYP2D6*10(rs1065852,C>T), CYP3A5*3(rs776746,A>G),ABCB1(rs1045642,C>T)and OPRM1(rs1799971,A>G). Genetic testing results indicated that the allele frequency distributions of these SNP loci conformed to Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Correlation analysis revealed that in the ADR assessment group, compared with control subgroup, the proportion of patients in trial subgroup with the AA genotype of OPRM1 (rs1799971, A>G) was significantly higher (P<0.05); in the drug demand assessment group, compared with control subgroup, the proportion of patients in trial subgroup with the CC+CT genotype of ABCB1 (rs1045642, C>T) was significantly higher (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS The AA genotype of OPRM1 (rs1799971, A>G) is associated with the occurrence of ADR following oxycodone use. Patients with the CC+ CT genotype of ABCB1( rs1045642, C>T) require higher doses of opioid analgesics.

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail