1.Alternative Polyadenylation in Mammalian
Yu ZHANG ; Hong-Xia CHI ; Wu-Ri-Tu YANG ; Yong-Chun ZUO ; Yong-Qiang XING
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(1):32-49
With the rapid development of sequencing technologies, the detection of alternative polyadenylation (APA) in mammals has become more precise. APA precisely regulates gene expression by altering the length and position of the poly(A) tail, and is involved in various biological processes such as disease occurrence and embryonic development. The research on APA in mammals mainly focuses on the following aspects:(1) identifying APA based on transcriptome data and elucidating their characteristics; (2) investigating the relationship between APA and gene expression regulation to reveal its important role in life regulation;(3) exploring the intrinsic connections between APA and disease occurrence, embryonic development, differentiation, and other life processes to provide new perspectives and methods for disease diagnosis and treatment, as well as uncovering embryonic development regulatory mechanisms. In this review, the classification, mechanisms and functions of APA were elaborated in detail and the methods for APA identifying and APA data resources based on various transcriptome data were systematically summarized. Moreover, we epitomized and provided an outlook on research on APA, emphasizing the role of sequencing technologies in driving studies on APA in mammals. In the future, with the further development of sequencing technology, the regulatory mechanisms of APA in mammals will become clearer.
2.Analysis of Animal Models of Autoimmune Thyroiditis Based on Clinical Characteristics of Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine
Sifeng JIA ; Zhuo ZHANG ; Yuyu DUAN ; Keqiu YAN ; Xinhe ZUO ; Yang LI ; Yong ZHAO
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(18):235-243
ObjectiveAutoimmune thyroiditis (AIT) is a complex and immune-mediated disorder, with no established treatment protocol. Both Western and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) focus on the pathogenesis and treatment of AIT. This study evaluated the clinical consistency of existing AIT animal models based on the diagnostic criteria of both Western and TCM, using a novel evaluation method. Additionally, it proposed recommendations and future prospects for improving these models. MethodsA comprehensive literature review was conducted on existing AIT animal models, using databases and the diagnostic criteria of both Western and TCM. Core and accompanying symptoms of these models were scored based on the diagnostic criteria of both Western and TCM, and clinical consistency was assessed. ResultsMice are the primary experimental animals used in AIT modeling. Modeling methods include vaccine immunization, iodine induction, heterologous thyroid antigen immunization, and a combination of high iodine water and antigen immunization. The average consistency of clinical syndromes based on TCM and Western medicine is 40%, 60%, 54%, and 63%, with the highest consistency observed in the combined high iodine water and antigen immunization model. Pathological models based on TCM are less common, with the liver-stagnation-spleen-deficiency rat model showing high clinical consistency. While most models are designed according to Western medical theory, meeting the surface and structural effectiveness criteria of Western medicine. However, there is a lack of fine-tuning and clear differentiation of TCM syndromes. ConclusionCurrent AIT syndrome-disease combination animal models primarily reflect the pathological features of Western medicine, with limited integration of TCM syndromes. Future research should aim to combine the syndrome characteristics of TCM with the pathological features of Western medicine, creating multi-factor and dynamic syndrome-disease models. Such models would better facilitate an experimental platform that conforms to the theories of TCM, providing more comprehensive support and guidance for the pathogenesis and treatment strategies of AIT.
3.Current status of diagnosis and treatment of adjacent segment diseases after lumbar fusion surgery
Tianqi FAN ; Menghao WU ; Yuquan LIU ; Weiyang ZUO ; Yong YANG
International Journal of Surgery 2024;51(7):493-499
Adjacent segment disease(ASD) refers to the degeneration of adjacent segments after lumbar fusion surgery, including intervertebral disc herniation, stress vertebral fractures, slippage, segmental scoliosis, spinal canal stenosis, and facet joint degeneration, which can lead to corresponding clinical symptoms such as lumbosacral pain, root lower limb pain, or intermittent claudication. The treatment of different pathological types of ASD varies. The patients with mild symptoms require conservative treatment and patients with severe symptoms require surgical treatment. In the past, open fusion surgery with posterior approach or intervertebral foramen approach was commonly used for surgical treatment, which had definite therapeutic effects. However, there were drawbacks such as large surgical trauma, excessive intraoperative blood loss, and slow postoperative recovery. With the booming development of minimally invasive spinal surgery technology in recent years, spinal surgeons actively use minimally invasive surgery for the treatment of ASD. It has advantages such as less bleeding, short hospital stay, fast recovery, and fewer complications (such as deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism), but its indications are limited. Therefore, this article provides a reference for the choice of ASD treatment by reviewing the treatment modalities of ASD with different pathological types.
4.CT radiomics for differentiating spinal bone island and osteoblastic bone metastases
Xin WEN ; Liping ZUO ; Yong WANG ; Ziyu TIAN ; Fei LU ; Shuo SHI ; Lingyu CHANG ; Yu JI ; Ran ZHANG ; Dexin YU
Chinese Journal of Medical Imaging Technology 2024;40(5):758-763
Objective To observe the value of CT radiomics for differentiating spinal bone islands(BI)and osteoblastic metastases(OBM).Methods Data of 109 BI lesions in 98 patients and 282 OBM lesions in 158 patients(including 103 OBM in 48 lung cancer cases,86 OBM in 52 breast cancer cases and 93 OBM in 58 prostate cancer cases)from 3 medical institutions were retrospectively analyzed.Data obtained from institution 1 were used as the internal dataset and divided into internal training set and internal validation set at a ratio of 7∶3,from institution 2 and 3 were used as external dataset.All datasets were divided into female data subset(including OBM of female lung cancer and breast cancer)and male data subset(including OBM of male lung cancer and prostate cancer).Radiomics features were extracted and screened to construct 3 different support vector machine(SVM)models,including model1 for distinguishing BI and OBM,model2 for differentiating OBM of female lung cancer and breast cancer,and model3 for differentiating OBM of male lung cancer and prostate cancer.Diagnostic efficacy of model1,CT value alone and 3 physicians(A,B,C)for distinguishing BI and OBM were assessed,as well as differentiating efficacy for different OBM of model2 and model3.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves were drawn,and area under the curves(AUC)were calculated and compared.The differential diagnostic efficacy of model2 and model3 were also assessed with ROC analysis and AUC.Results AUC of model1 for distinguishing spinal OBM from BI in internal training set,internal validation set and external dataset was 0.99,0.98 and 0.86,respectively.In internal training set,model1 had higher AUC for distinguishing BI and OBM than that of physician A(AUC=0.78),B(AUC=0.87)and C(AUC=0.93)as well as that of mean CT value(AUC=0.78,all P<0.05).AUC in internal training set,internal validation set and external dataset of model2 for identifying female lung cancer and breast cancer OBM was 0.79,0.75 and 0.73,respectively,of model3 for discriminating male lung cancer from prostate cancer OBM was 0.77,0.74 and 0.77,respectively.Conclusion CT radiomics SVM model might reliablely distinguish OBM and BI.
5.Bioinformatics analysis based on pelvic organ prolapse related aging genes of GEO Database and LASSO regression algorithm
Minqi NING ; Yong HE ; Bingshu LI ; Guotao HUANG ; Xiaohu ZUO ; Zhihan ZHAO ; Wuyue HAN ; Li HONG
Journal of Jilin University(Medicine Edition) 2024;50(1):178-187
Objective:To screen the aging genes closely associated with pelvic organ prolapse(POP)by bioinformatics techniques,and to clarify the potential clinical significance and value of key genes.Methods:Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO)Database was used to download the datasets GSE53868 and GSE151188 for POP-related genes with the keyword"pelvic organ prolapse".The aging-related genes were obtained from Aging Atlas,CellAge,and the Human Ageing Genomic Resources(HAGR)Databases;the intersection of genes related with POP in two groups provided a list of differentially expressed genes(DEGs)associated with aging in POP;gene Set Enrichment Analysis(GSEA)was conducted with R software version 4.2.1;Gene Ontology(GO)functional enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)signaling pathway enrichment analysis of DEGs were conducted by the Database for Annotation,Visualization and Integrated Discovery(DAVID);the protein-protein interaction(PPI)network was constructed with Cytoscape 3.9.1 software;the top 10 Hub genes were selected by cytoHubba plugin;the infiltration of 22 types of immune cells in the patients in POP group and control group was analyzed by CIBERSORT deconvolution method using R software;the key genes were further screened by LASSO regression algorithm;the correlation and diagnostic efficacy between key genes and immune cell infiltration were analyzed.Results:From the Aging Atlas,CellAge,and HAGR Databases,724 aging-related genes were identified.Intersection with the POP expression profile yielded an aging gene expression matrix related to POP containing 624 genes,and 29 POP-related DEGs were identified after differential analysis,including 2 upregulated genes and 27 downregulated genes.The GSEA results showed that the upregulated pathways were mainly related to diabetes and cellular senescence,whereas the downregulated pathways included Alzheimer's disease and hypoxia-inducible factor-1(HIF-1)signaling pathways.The GO functional enrichment analysis mainly enriched in the biological processes such as the response of the cells to lipopolysaccharide,inflammatory response,and negative regulation of cell proliferation.The KEGG signaling pathway enrichment analysis mainly enriched in interleukin-17(IL-17),tumor necrosis factor(TNF),and nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB)signaling pathways.The PPI network analysis got 10 Hub genes including interleukin-6(IL-6),interleukin-1B(IL-1B),prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2(PTGS2),and NF-kappa-B inhibitor alpha(NFKBIA).The CIBERSORT deconvolution method results showed a relatively higher infiltration proportion of neutrophils and activated mast cells in the patients in POP group,the activated mast cells had a positive correlation with most of the DEGs(r>0.5)and the macrophages had a significant positive correlation with IL-1B(r>0.6).The key genes Jun D proto-oncogene(JUND),Snail homolog 1(SNAI1),amphiregulin(AREG),Lamin A/C(LMNA),and superoxide dismutase 2(SOD2)selected by LASSO regression analysis had high diagnostic efficacies,and the area under receiver operating characteristic curve(ROC)(AUC)were all greater than 0.75.Conclusion:During the aging process,the genes such as JUND,SNAI1,AREG,LMNA,and SOD2 may participate in the pathophysiology of POP through various pathways,including inflammation-related pathways,transcription regulation,and affecting collagen secretion and metabolism,thereby influence the connective tissue support function and promote the occurrence and development of POP.
6.Effect of Yiqi Huayu Decoction Combined with Calcium Dobesilate in Treating Diabetic Kidney Disease with Qi Deficiency and Blood Stasis Syndrome and Its Effect on the Expression Levels of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Insulin-like Growth Factor 1
Hong-Mei PAN ; Zhong-Yong ZHANG ; Jin-Rong MA ; Guo-Hua LI ; Wei-Yi GUO ; Yang ZUO
Journal of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;41(3):583-589
Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of Yiqi Huayu Decoction(mainly composed of Astragali Radix,Dioscoreae Rhizoma,Poria,fried Euryales Semen,Ecliptae Herba,Rosae Laevigatae Fructus,charred Crataegi Fructus,Ligustri Lucidi Fructus,Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma,and Leonuri Herba)combined with Calcium Dobesilate in the treatment of diabetic nephropathy(DN)with qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome,and to observe the effect of the therapy on vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)and insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-1).Methods Ninety patients with DN of qi deficiency and blood stasis type were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group,with 45 patients in each group.All patients received basic hypoglycemic therapy and treatment for controlling blood pressure and regulating lipid metabolism disorders.Moreover,the patients in the control group were given Calcium Dobesilate orally,and the patients in the observation group were given Yiqi Huayu Decoction combined with Calcium Dobesilate.The course of treatment lasted for 3 months.The changes of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome scores,renal function parameters and serum VEGF and IGF-1 levels in the two groups of patients were observed before and after the treatment,and the clinical efficacy of the two groups was evaluated after treatment.Results(1)After 3 months of treatment,the total effective rate of the observation group was 91.11%(41/45),and that of the control group was 75.56%(34/45).The intergroup comparison(tested by chi-square test)showed that the therapeutic effect of the observation group was significantly superior to that of the control group(P<0.05).(2)After one month and 3 months of treatment,the TCM syndrome scores of both groups were significantly lower than those before treatment(P<0.05),and the scores after 3 months of treatment in the two groups were significantly lower than those after one month of treatment(P<0.05).The intergroup comparison showed that the reduction of TCM syndrome scores of the observation group was significantly superior to that of the control group after one month and 3 months of treatment(P<0.01).(3)After treatment,the levels of renal function parameters such as serum creatinine(Scr),blood urea nitrogen(BUN),and glomerular filtration rate(GFR)in the two groups of patients were significantly improved compared with those before treatment(P<0.05),and the observation group's effect on the improvement of all renal function parameters was significantly superior to that of the control group(P<0.01).(4)After treatment,the serum VEGF and IGF-1 levels in the two groups of patients were significantly lower than those before treatment(P<0.05),and the observation group's effect on the decrease of serum VEGF and IGF-1 levels was significantly superior to that of the control group(P<0.01).(5)In the course of treatment,no significant adverse reactions occurred in the two groups of patients,with a high degree of safety.Conclusion Yiqi Huayu Decoction combined with Calcium Dobesilate exerts certain therapeutic effect in treating DN patients with qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome.The combined therapy can effectively down-regulate the serum levels of VEGF and IGF-1,significantly improve the renal function,and alleviate the clinical symptoms of the patients,with a high degree of safety.
7.Mitochondria-specific near-infrared photoactivation of peroxynitrite upconversion luminescent nanogenerator for precision cancer gas therapy.
Hui YU ; Aliya TIEMUER ; Xufeng YAO ; Mingyuan ZUO ; Hai-Yan WANG ; Yi LIU ; Xiaoyuan CHEN
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2024;14(1):378-391
Gas therapy is emerging as a highly promising therapeutic strategy for cancer treatment. However, there are limitations, including the lack of targeted subcellular organelle accuracy and spatiotemporal release precision, associated with gas therapy. In this study, we developed a series of photoactivatable nitric oxide (NO) donors NRh-R-NO (R = Me, Et, Bn, iPr, and Ph) based on an N-nitrosated upconversion luminescent rhodamine scaffold. Under the irradiation of 808 nm light, only NRh-Ph-NO could effectively release NO and NRh-Ph with a significant turn-on frequency upconversion luminescence (FUCL) signal at 740 nm, ascribed to lower N-N bond dissociation energy. We also investigated the involved multistage near-infrared-controlled cascade release of gas therapy, including the NO released from NRh-Ph-NO along with one NRh-Ph molecule generation, the superoxide anion O2⋅- produced by the photodynamic therapy (PDT) effect of NRh-Ph, and highly toxic peroxynitrite anion (ONOO‒) generated from the co-existence of NO and O2⋅-. After mild nano-modification, the nanogenerator (NRh-Ph-NO NPs) empowered with superior biocompatibility could target mitochondria. Under an 808 nm laser irradiation, NRh-Ph-NO NPs could induce NO/ROS to generate RNS, causing a decrease in the mitochondrial membrane potential and initiating apoptosis by caspase-3 activation, which further induced tumor immunogenic cell death (ICD). In vivo therapeutic results of NRh-Ph-NO NPs showed augmented RNS-potentiated gas therapy, demonstrating excellent biocompatibility and effective tumor inhibition guided by real-time FUCL imaging. Collectively, this versatile strategy defines the targeted RNS-mediated cancer therapy.
8.An inter-provincial comparative study on the separate payment policy for national medical insurance negotiated drugs in China
Yu-Ting YANG ; Wan-Ci HU ; Gen-Yong ZUO
Chinese Journal of Health Policy 2024;17(1):24-29
Objective:This study aims to analyze the provincial policy text of separate payment for National medical insurance negotiated drugs,summarize the key measures and characteristics,and provide reference for the formulation and improvement of separate payment policies in various provinces.Methods:The retrieved policy texts were analyzed by searching the websites of the medical security bureaus of various provinces,municipalities,and autonomous regions.Results:There are differences in the separate payment policies of different provinces in terms of catalogue publishing,catalogue selection,drug management,policy treatment level and policy cohesion.Conclusion:The separate payment policy is the key driver of Joint Reformation for Public Health Services,Medical Insurance,and Medical Production-Circulation.And all provinces should balance the various policy elements of the separate payment catalogue,deal with the control of medical insurance funds and patients'sense of gain,and clarify the relationship between the separate payment policy and support the development of innovative drugs,so as to reduce the obstacles of Joint Reformation for Public Health Services,Medical Insurance,and Medical Production-Circulation.
9.Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics studies of azithromycin capsules in healthy Chinese subjects
Peng-Fei XIE ; Yuan-Lu CHEN ; Han CHEN ; Yan ZHOU ; Peng YANG ; Li-Zhong NIAN ; Li-Ying ZUO ; Yong-Dong ZHANG
The Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2024;40(1):97-101
Objective To evaluate the bioequivalence of the test preparation and reference preparation of azithromycin capsules in healthy Chinese subjects.Methods A total of 48 subjects were enrolled in this study using a randomized,open,two-sequence,cross design.Each subject received a single oral dose of azithromycin capsules test drug(T)or reference drug(R)for 250 mg.The concentrations of azithromycin in plasma were determined by Liquid Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer,and the pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by WinNonlin 8.1 software to evaluate the bioequivalence.Results The main pharmacokinetic parameters of azithromycin after a single fasting dose of the test drug and the reference drug were as follows:the Cmax were respectively(319.89±127.35)and(330.41±122.11)ng·mL-1;AUC0-192h were respectively(2 423.04±587.15)and(2 489.97±685.73)ng·h·mL-1;AUC0-∞ were respectively(2 753.40±644.96)and(2 851.71±784.05)ng·h·mL-;tmax were respectively(2.60±1.11)and(2.62±1.13)h;t1/2 were respectively(76.76±15.14)and(79.83±17.14)h.The 90%confidence intervals for the geometric mean ratios of Cmax,AUC0-192h and AUC0-∞ of T and R were 87.52%-107.18%,91.46%-105.80%and 91.17%-105.06%,respectively.Conclusion The test preparation of azithromycin capsule was bioequivalent to the reference preparation under fasting condition.
10.Circular RNAs Involved in The Development of Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
Si-Cheng ZUO ; Dan WANG ; Yong-Zhen MO ; Yu-Hang LIU ; Jiao-Di CAI ; Can GUO ; Fang XIONG ; Guo-Qun CHEN
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2024;51(4):809-821
Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a kind of non-coding RNA (ncRNA) with covalent closed-loop structure. They have attracted more and more attention because of their high stability, evolutionary conservatism, and tissue expression specificity. It has shown that circRNAs are involved in the development of a variety of diseases including malignant tumors recently. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a malignant tumor that occurs in the nasopharynx and has a unique ethnic and geographical distribution in South China and Southeast Asia. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection is closely related to the development of NPC. Radiotherapy and chemotherapy are the mainstays of treatment for NPC. But tumor recurrence or distant metastasis is the leading cause of death in patients with NPC. Several studies have shown that circRNAs, as gene expression regulators, play an important role in NPC and affect the progression of NPC. This review mainly summarized the research status of abnormally expressed circRNAs in NPC and EBV-encoded circRNAs. We also discussed the possibility of circRNAs as a therapeutic target, diagnostic and prognostic marker for NPC.

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail