1.Zuoguiwan Mitigates Oxidative Stress in Rat Model of Hyperthyroidism Due to Kidney-Yin Deficiency via DRD4/NOX4 Pathway
Ling LIN ; Qianming LIANG ; Changsheng DENG ; Li RU ; Zhiyong XU ; Chao LI ; Mingshun SHEN ; Yueming YUAN ; Muzi LI ; Lei YANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(2):43-51
ObjectiveTo decipher the mechanism by which Zuoguiwan (ZGW) treat hyperthyroidism in rats with kidney-Yin deficiency based on the dopamine receptor D4 (DRD4)/nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase 4 (NOX4) signaling pathway. MethodsThe rat model of kidney-Yin deficiency was induced by unilateral intramuscular injection of dexamethasone (0.35 mg·kg-1). After successful modeling, the rats were randomized into model, methimazole (positive control, 5 mg·kg-1), low-, medium-, and high-dose (1.85, 3.70, 7.40 g·kg-1, respectively) ZGW, and normal control groups. After 21 days of continuous gavage, the behavioral indexes and body weight changes of rats were evaluated. The pathological changes of the renal tissue were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The serum levels of thyroid hormones [triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH)], renal function indexes [serum creatine (Scr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN)], energy metabolism markers [cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)], and oxidative stress-related factors [superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), and NADPH)] were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Western blot was employed to analyze the expression of DRD4, NOX4, mitochondrial respiratory chain complex proteins [NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase subunit S4 (NDUFS4) and cytochrome C oxidase subunit 4 (COX4)], and inflammation-related protein [tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)] pathway in the renal tissue. ResultsCompared with the normal group, the model group showed mental malaise, body weight decreases (P<0.01), inflammatory cell infiltration in the renal tissue, a few residual parotid glands in the thyroid, elevations in serum levels of T3, T4, Scr, BUN, cAMP, cAMP/cGMP, MDA, and NADPH (P<0.01), down-regulation in protein levels of TSH, SOD, and DRD4 (P<0.05, P<0.01), and up-regulation in expression of NOX4, p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK, and inflammatory factors (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, ZGW increased the body weight (P<0.05, P<0.01), reduced the infiltration of renal interstitial inflammatory cells, restored the thyroid structure and follicle size, lowered the serum levels of T3, T4, Scr, BUN, cAMP, cAMP/cGMP, MDA and NADPH (P<0.05, P<0.01), up-regulated the expression of TSH, SOD and DRD4 (P<0.05, P<0.01), and down-regulated the expression of NOX4, p-p38 MAPK/p38 MAPK, and inflammatory factors (P<0.05, P<0.01). Moreover, high-dose ZGW outperformed methimazole (P<0.05). ConclusionBy activating DRD4, ZGW can inhibit the expression of NOX4 mediated by the p38 MAPK pathway, reduce oxidative stress and inflammatory response, thereby ameliorating the pathological state of hyperthyroidism due to kidney-Yin deficiency. This study provides new molecular mechanism support for the clinical application of ZGW.
2.Real-time platelet P2Y12 receptor occupancy as a promising pharmacodynamics biomarker for bridging the gap between PK/PD of clopidogrel therapy.
Haipeng LI ; Yueming GU ; Yumeng ZHAO ; Aiyun XU ; Dong SUN ; Jingkai GU
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(1):484-493
Clopidogrel effectively inhibits platelet aggregation in response to ADP by irreversibly binding to the platelet P2Y12 receptor through its active metabolite. However, the observed discrepancies between the pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamics (PD) of clopidogrel present substantial challenges in individualizing of antiplatelet therapy. To address these challenges, a robust liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method has been developed to facilitate the real-time assessment of platelet P2Y12 receptor occupancy. This method has been validated in animal models, providing a reliable link between individual PK profiles and PD effects. Target receptor occupancy offers a comprehensive overview of interindividual variations in clopidogrel metabolism, regulation of P2Y12 receptor expression, and platelet turnover. Moreover, it directly correlates with the inhibitory effect on platelet aggregation. The levels of platelet P2Y12 occupancy accurately reflect the extent of clinical factors influencing the PD of clopidogrel, including dosage, drug-drug interactions (DDI), and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). As a normalized metric, platelet P2Y12 occupancy not only serves potential as a diagnostic tool for personalized clopidogrel therapy but also aids in elucidating the role of the P2Y12 signaling pathway in cases of abnormal on-treatment platelet reactivity.
3.Outcomes of patients with HIV-associated Burkitt lymphoma treated with R-DA-EPOCH regimen: A single-center experience in Shanghai, China.
Yueming SHAO ; Zhenyan WANG ; Wei SONG ; Yang TANG ; Tangkai QI ; Li LIU ; Jun CHEN ; Yinzhong SHEN ; Renfang ZHANG
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(22):3010-3012
4.Robotic Versus Traditional Transumbilical Laparoendoscopic Single-site Hysterectomy
Mengchun LI ; Jun FENG ; Leilei HE ; Yueming ZHANG ; Jia SHI ; Wenjie HOU
Chinese Journal of Minimally Invasive Surgery 2025;25(9):530-533
Objective To investigate the safety of robotic single-site hysterectomy(RSSH)for benign diseases.Methods We retrospectively analyzed data of patients who underwent RSSH or traditional transumbilical laparoendoscopic single-site hysterectomy(LESSH)for benign indications from May 2024 to May 2025.The study was comprised of 24 patients in the RSSH group and 42 patients in the LESSH group.Perioperative indicators were compared between the two groups.Results All the surgeries were successfully completed in both groups without conversion or intraoperative/postoperative blood transfusion.The RSSH group had a longer operation time than the LESSH group[161.5(131.3,179.5)min vs.97.5(76.5,123.3)min,Z=-5.226,P<0.001].However,there were no significant differences in intraoperative blood loss,pre-postoperative hemoglobin difference,postoperative pain score,maximum postoperative temperature,time to flatus,indwelling catheter duration,or postoperative hospital stay(P>0.05).Conclusion RSSH for benign diseases has a safety profile comparable to traditional LESSH.
5.μQFR after target vessel pretreatment can predict the occurrence of VOCE events in patients with de novo coronary artery disease treated with drug-coated balloon
Yueming YAO ; Guoli ZHAO ; Qunxing LI ; Jie YANG ; Yuan CHANG ; Chunyuan JIANG ; Qi CHENG ; Jiayu LIU ; Xianzhen PENG ; Delu YIN
Chinese Journal of Arteriosclerosis 2025;33(6):523-530
Aim To investigate the predictive value of the Murray law-based quantitative flow ratio(μQFR)after target vessel pretreatment for vascular-related adverse events in patients with de novo coronary lesions treated with drug-coated balloon.Methods This retrospective study included 223 lesions from 223 patients who underwent drug-coated balloon-only strategy and completed 2-year clinical follow-up.Coronary angiographic images of target vessels pre-procedure,post-balloon and post-procedure were collected,and analyzed using a novel Murray's law-based algorithm.The μQFR analysis of each target vessel included not only the μQFR value of the target vessel,but also the length of the target vessel,the degree of vessel diameter stenosis,the reference lumen diameter,the minimum lumen diameter and blood flow velocity.The primary endpoint was defined as the postoperative vessel-oriented composite endpoint(VOCE).Results During the2-year clinical follow-up period,a total of 25 patients(11.2%)experienced VOCE events.Com-pared with the control group,patients with VOCE events after pretreatment showed a decrease in μQFR(P<0.001).Multivariate Logistic analysis showed that a lower target vessel μQFR after pretreatment(OR=0.931,95%CI:0.894~0.969,P<0.001)was an independent predictor of VOCE events.ROC curve analysis showed that the cut-off value for predicting 2-year VOCE events using preprocessed μQFR was 0.83(95%CI:0.727~0.840),with a sensitivity of 72.7%and a specificity of 84.0%(AUC=0.773,95%CI:0.676~0.870,P<0.001).Survival analysis showed that compared with patients with μQFR>0.83,patients with μQFR≤0.83 had a significantly higher incidence of VOCE events at 1 and 2 years,increasing to 3.909 times(16.9%vs.4.6%,HR=3.909,95%CI:1.539~9.930,P=0.004)and 2.867 times(19.7%vs.7.2%,HR=2.867,95%CI:1.301~6.316,P=0.009).After adjusting for potential con-founds,patients with pretreated μQFR≤0.83 had a 2.567 times in 2-year incidence of VOCE events(HR=2.567,95%CI:1.151~5.727,P=0.021)and a 3.712 times in 1-year incidence of VOCE events(HR=3.712,95%CI:1.478~9.810,P=0.006)compared to patients with good pretreatment.Conclusions For patients with in situ coronary artery disease,a lower μQFR after pretreatment increases the risk of postoperative adverse clinical events.μQFR≤0.83 may be used to evaluate the effectiveness of lesion pretreatment.
6.The influence of enriched environment on cognitive impairment and GAP-43 content changes in pregnant mice with obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome through regulating the NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway
Yunzhou Cheng ; Xueyan Li ; Yueming Zhang ; Rumeng Wei ; Yang Wang
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2025;60(7):1212-1217
Objective :
To investigate the effect of environmental enrichment on cognitive impairment and hippo- campus GAP-43 changes induced by exposure to obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome ( OSAHS) during the period of late pregnancy in mice,and to explore relative inflammatory pathway mechanism.
Methods :
The experi- mental group of C57BL/6J pregnant mice were exposed to an intermittent hypoxic environment for 7 consecutive days starting from gestational day 15.The corresponding offspring were then placed in an enriched environment from postnatal day 21 to 2 months of age (designated as OSAHS + EE group) or in a normal environment (designat- ed as OSAHS group) .Pregnant mice in the control group were maintained in a normal oxygen environment,and their corresponding offspring were placed in an enriched environment (designated as Control + EE group) or a nor- mal environment (designated as Control group) at the same ages.The spatial learning and memory ability of the mice was assessed by Morris water maze at the age of 2 months.The mRNA levels of NF-kB,NLRP3 and GAP-43 in the hippocampus were detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR , and the protein levels of NLRP3 and GAP-43 in the hippocampus were detected by Western blot.
Results:
Compared with Control group,the swimming distance increased (P<0. 01) ,and the percentage of swimming distance in target quadrant decreased (P<0. 01) in OSAHS group.The level of NF - κB mRNA,NLRP3 mRNA and protein in the hippocampus was increased,and the level of GAP-43 mRNA and protein was decreased (P<0. 01) .Compared with the Control group,there were no significant differences in swimming distance,percentage of swimming distance,NF-κB mRNA,NLRP3 mRNA and protein content in the OSAHS + EE group.
Conclusion
OSAHS during pregnancy impairs the learning and memory ability of offspring mice and reduces the level of GAP-43 protein.The mechanism may be related to the in- crease of NF-κB / NLRP3 level,and environmental enrichment can improve the damage.
7.Constructing a Nomogram model of vulnerable carotid plaques in patients at high risk of stroke based on clinical baseline characteristics and carotid ultrasound parameters
Jie QIN ; Yujuan LI ; Bili WANG ; Zefei LAI ; Yueming MA
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(12):2444-2449
BACKGROUND:Studies have shown that the vulnerability and elasticity of carotid plaques are related to the presence and degree of neovascularization within the plaque. Ultrasound,as the preferred measure to screen and evaluate vulnerable carotid plaques,is non-invasive,easy to perform,highly reproducible and radiation-free.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the influencing factors of vulnerable carotid plaque in the high-risk stroke population based on clinical baseline characteristics and carotid ultrasound parameters,and to develop a Nomogram prediction model based on independent risk factors.METHODS:A total of 180 patients who were identified to be at high risk of stroke by stroke screening at Fuzhou First People's Hospital from November 2021 to November 2023 were retrospectively selected as the study objects,and the patients were divided into a modeling set (n=126) and a validation set (n=54)at a ratio of 7∶3. According to the results of carotid artery ultrasound,the subjects in the modeling set were divided into a vulnerable plaque group (n=54) and a non-vulnerable plaque group (n=72). Independent risk factors were obtained by multi-factor Logistic regression,and a Nomogram model was constructed. Decision curves were drawn using R language to evaluate the clinical benefit of the model. The predictive efficacy of the model was tested by receiver operating characteristic curve and calibration curve,and the case data of the validation set were analyzed for external validation.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Multivariate Logistic regression results showed that age,family history of stroke,maximum carotid plaque thickness,carotid plaque quantity,urine microalbumin,urine microalbumin/creatinine ratio were associated with vulnerable carotid plaques in patients at high risk of stroke (P<0.05). The area under curve of the established Nomogram model was 0.917,and the sensitivity and specificity were 79.6% and 91.7%,respectively. The results of decision curve showed that the potential clinical benefit of this model was considerable and its usability was high. The calibration curve results showed that the model had good prediction accuracy. The verification set results showed that the external prediction performance of the model was good. To conclude,age,family history of stroke,and maximum carotid plaque thickness in the high-risk population are all factors that influence this prediction model. This Nomogram based on these independent risk factors can provide a powerful reference for the clinical treatment of this high-risk population.
8.Toosendanin inhibits the malignant biological behaviors of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma KYSE150 cells by downregulating HIF1A expression via the AKT/mTOR pathway
Yueming CHU ; Maofei ZHU ; Hangyu JIANG ; Qiang YUAN ; Xing LI ; Kang LIU ; Lin LI
Chinese Journal of Cancer Biotherapy 2025;32(7):723-730
Objective:To investigate the effects of toosendanin(TSN)on the proliferation,apoptosis,migration and invasion of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC)KYSE150 cells,and to elucidate its underlying molecular mechanisms.Methods:CCK-8 assay,colony formation assay,and EdU assay were used to assess the effects of varying TSN concentrations(0.062 5,0.125,and 0.25 μmol/L)on KYSE150 cell proliferation.The impacts of TSN on the apoptosis,migration,and invasion of KYSE150 cells were evaluated using flow cytometry,wound healing assay,and Transwell chamber assay,respectively.The expression of hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha(HIF1A)in esophageal cancer tissues was analyzed using the GEPIA database.qPCR was used to detect the expression level of HIF1A mRNA in human esophageal epithelial Het-1A and KYSE150 cells,and in TSN-treated KYSE150 cells.Western blot(WB)was performed to detect the effects of TSN on the upstream signaling pathway AKT/mTOR of HIF1A and the expression of downstream proteins related to cell migration,invasion,and apoptosis.Results:TSN of varying concentrations significantly inhibited proliferation,migration,and invasion of KYSE150 cells and promoted apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner(P<0.05 or P<0.01).HIF1A mRNA was highly expressed in KYSE150 cells,and its expression was significantly downregulated after TSN treatment(P<0.05 or P<0.01).TSN markedly downregulated the expression of HIF1A and key upstream signaling proteins p-AKT and p-mTOR.In addition,TSN significantly suppressed the expression of downstream proteins associated with cell migration,invasion,and apoptosis,including N-cadherin,vimentin,Bcl-2,and caspase-3,while upregulating the expression of E-cadherin(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Conclusion:TSN inhibits the proliferation,migration,and invasion,and induces apoptosis in ESCC KYSE150 cells by down-regulating HIF1A expression through suppression of the AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.
9.Clinical effect of combining astragalus membranaceus with mifepristone on endometriosis of cold coagulation stasis type and its influence on patients' immune function and inflammatory factors
Yueming ZHAO ; Xia JI ; Yanqing LI ; Xiaoli LIU ; Yanshe SHAO
Chinese Journal of Immunology 2025;41(5):1186-1191
Objective:The clinical effect of astragalus membranaceus and mifepristone on endometriosis and its effects on patiens' immune function and inflammatory factors were analyzed.Methods:A total of 86 patients with cold-coagulation and blood-stasis endometriosis treated in Henan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese from October 2021 to October 2022 were selected and divided into mifepristone group(41 cases)and astragalus and mifepristone combination group(45 cases)by random number table method.Evaluated the TCM syndrome score level of patients before and after treatment;detection of luteinizing hormone(LH),follicle-stimu-lating hormone(FSH),estradiol(E2),anti-mullerian hormon(AMH),hypersensitive C-reactive egg(hs-CRP),IL-6,IL-8,TNF-α,CD4+T,CD8+T,CD4+T/CD8+T and the number of Antral Follicle Coun(AFC)were compared between the two groups.Results:After treatment,the levels of abdominal pain,dysphoria,cold shape and limb cold score,LH,FSH,E2,hs-CRP,IL-6,IL-8,TNF-α,CD8+T and AMH in combination group were lower than those in mifepristone group(P<0.05).CD4+T,CD4+T/CD8T+and AFC were higher than those in mifepristone group(P<0.05).The total effective rate of the combination group after treatment was higher than that of the mifepristone group(P<0.05).Conclusion:By combining astragalus and mifepristone,the traditional Chinese medicine syndrome scores of patients with cold coagulation and blood stasis type endometriosis are reduced,sexual hormones and ovarian function are improved,inflammatory reactions are alleviated,and the clinical treatment effect is remarkable.
10.Prediction of Preterm Labor Using Uterine Electromyography in Women with Threatened Preterm Labor after Tocolytic Therapy
Qiang HUANG ; Feizhou JIANG ; Wenjie HOU ; Leilei HE ; Kun YU ; Li CHEN ; YIhui GU ; Jingtong ZHANG ; Yueming ZHANG
Journal of Practical Obstetrics and Gynecology 2025;41(4):346-350
Objective:To investigate the predictive value of transabdominal uterine electromyography for pre-term labor after tocolysis in women with threatened preterm labor.Methods:A total of 48 pregnant women at 28-34 weeks of gestation diagnosed with threatened preterm labor and admitted to The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Soo-chow University from January to September 2023 were included.According to the response to tocolysis and whether the pregnancy was prolonged for at least 48 h,women were divided into two groups:non-preterm birth within 48 h(n=35)and preterm birth within 48 h(n=13).Uterine electromyography parameters and difference were compared before and after tocolytic therapy in two groups.Univariate Logistic regression was performed to predict the related factors of preterm birth within 48 h after the using of tocolysis in pregnant women with threat-ened preterm birth by uterine electromyography,and receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was per-formed to evaluate their performance.Results:Compared to before treatment with tocolysis,after therapy,in the non-preterm birth within 48 h group,significant reductions in contraction frequency,area,duration and amplitude were observed(P<0.05).In the preterm birth within 48 h group,only contraction frequency decreased significant-ly(P<0.05).Univariate Logistic regression indicated that contraction frequency,contraction duration,and contrac-tion area were predictive factors for premature birth within 48 h after tocolysis(P<0.05).When the duration of u-terine contractions lasting for 104.55 s or more the sensitivity and specificity of predicting premature birth within 48 h are 92.3%and 68.6%,respectively.Conclusions:Uterine electromyography may predict the premature birth within 48 h after tocolytic treatment in preterm labor,which may provide reference for subsequent corticosteroid therapy or transfer of high-risk pregnant patients.

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail