1.Astragali Radix Polysaccharide Inhibits Proliferation and Migration of Gastric Cancer Cells by Targeting ID1 and Akt
Peizheng SHI ; Shanshan XIAO ; Xinjiang ZHANG ; Yixiang NIE ; Xianchao WANG ; Jing HUANG ; Jie MEI ; Huaquan LAN ; Tuanyun JI ; Tianyi ZHANG ; Xiaoyong WEI ; Qiaohong YANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(15):96-105
ObjectiveTo explore the regulatory effects and mechanisms of Astragali Radix polysaccharide (APS) on inhibitor of differentiation1 (ID1) and protein kinase B (Akt) in gastric cancer. MethodsImmunohistochemical staining was used to detect the expression of ID1 and Akt in 61 gastric cancer tissue samples and 20 adjacent normal gastric tissue samples. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the localization of ID1 and Akt. The effects of APS at the concentrations of 0.625, 1.25, 2.5, 5, 10, 20 mg·L-1 on the proliferation of gastric cancer MGC-803 cells were examined by the cell counting kit-8(CCK-8) method and the colony formation assay. The target information of APS was retrieved from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology and Analysis Platform and Swiss Target Prediction. Keywords such as gastric cancer, gastric tumor, and stomach cancer were searched against GeneCards, UniProt, DisGeNET, and Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) for the screening of gastric cancer-related targets. The online tool jvenn was used to create the Venn diagram to identify the common targets, and STRING and Cytoscape were used to construct the protein-protein interaction network. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses were conducted via R 4.2.2 to predict the potential roles of APS in the development of gastric cancer. The cell scratch assay was employed to assess the effect of APS on the migration of MGC-803 cells. The protein and mRNA levels of ID1 and Akt in the cells treated with APS were determined by Western blot and Real-time PCR, respectively. ResultsCompared with the adjacent normal gastric tissue, the gastric adenocarcinoma tissue showed increased positive expression of ID1 (χ2 =81.00, P<0.01). Immunofluorescence detection showed that ID1 and Akt were mainly located in the cytoplasm of gastric adenocarcinoma cells. Bioinformatics analysis identified 14 common genes shared between APS and gastric cancer. The average degree of protein-protein interaction network nodes was 14.29. GO and KEGG pathway enrichment results showed that ID1 and Akt were significantly enriched in the Rap1 and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) /Akt signaling pathways. Cell experiments demonstrated that 5-fluorouracil (0.1 mg·L-1) and APS (10, 20 mg·L-1) groups showed decreased cell proliferation, migration, and colony formation. Compared with the control group, 10, 20 mg·L-1 APS inhibited the proliferation of MGC-803 cells (P<0.01), with 10 mg·L-1 APS demonstrating stronger inhibitory effect. In addition, APS at 10, 20 mg·L-1 inhibited the migration (P<0.01) and colony formation (P<0.05, P<0.01) of MGC-803 cells. Compared with the control group, APS at 10, 20 mg·L-1 down-regulated the protein levels of ID1 (P<0.01) and Akt (P<0.05) and the mRNA levels of ID1 (P<0.05, P<0.01) and Akt (P<0.05, P<0.01) in MGC-803 cells. ConclusionID1 and Akt are highly expressed in the gastric adenocarcinoma tissue, which may be related to the development of gastric cancer. APS can down-regulate the protein and mRNA levels of ID1 and Akt to exert anti-tumor effects, which is expected to provide new therapeutic targets for gastric cancer treatment.
2.Medication rules and mechanisms of treating chronic renal failure by Jinling medical school based on data mining, network pharmacology, and experimental validation.
Jin-Long WANG ; Wei WU ; Yi-Gang WAN ; Qi-Jun FANG ; Yu WANG ; Ya-Jing LI ; Fee-Lan CHONG ; Sen-Lin MU ; Chu-Bo HUANG ; Huang HUANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(6):1637-1649
This study aims to explore the medication rules and mechanisms of treating chronic renal failure(CRF) by Jinling medical school based on data mining, network pharmacology, and experimental validation systematically and deeply. Firstly, the study selected the papers published by the inherited clinicians in Jinling medical school in Chinese journals using the subject headings named "traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) + chronic renal failure", "TCM + chronic renal inefficiency", or "TCM + consumptive disease" in China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, and VIP Chinese Science and Technology Periodical Database and screened TCM formulas for treating CRF according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. The study analyzed the frequency of use of single TCM and the four properties, five tastes, channel tropism, and efficacy of TCM used with high frequency and performed association rule and clustering analysis, respectively. As a result, a total of 215 TCM formulas and 235 different single TCM were screened, respectively. The TCM used with high frequency included Astragali Radix, Rhei Radix et Rhizoma, Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Poria, and Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma(top 5). The single TCM characterized by "cold properties, sweet flavor, and restoring spleen channel" and the TCM with the efficacy of tonifying deficiency had the highest frequency of use, respectively. Then, the TCM with the rules of "blood-activating and stasis-removing" and "diuretic and dampness-penetrating" appeared. In addition, the core combination of TCM [(Hexin Formula, HXF)] included "Astragali Radix, Rhei Radix et Rhizoma, Poria, Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix, and Angelicae Sinensis Radix". The network pharmacology analysis showed that HXF had 91 active compounds and 250 corresponding protein targets including prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2(PTGS2), PTGS1, sodium voltage-gated channel alpha subunit 5(SCN5A), cholinergic receptor muscarinic 1(CHRM1), and heat shock protein 90 alpha family class A member 1(HSP90AA1)(top 5). Gene Ontology(GO) function analysis revealed that the core targets of HXF predominantly affected biological processes, cellular components, and molecular functions such as positive regulation of transcription by ribonucleic acid polymerase Ⅱ and DNA template transcription, formation of cytosol, nucleus, and plasma membrane, and identical protein binding and enzyme binding. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) analysis revealed that CRF-related genes were involved in a variety of signaling pathways and cellular metabolic pathways, primarily involving "phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K)-protein kinase B(Akt) pathway" and "advanced glycation end products-receptor for advanced glycation end products". Molecular docking results showed that the active components in HXF such as isomucronulatol 7-O-glucoside, betulinic acid, sitosterol, and przewaquinone B might be crucial in the treatment of CRF. Finally, a modified rat model with renal failure induced by adenine was used, and the in vivo experimental confirmation was performed based on the above-mentioned predictions. The results verify that HXF can regulate mitochondrial autophagy in the kidneys and the PI3K-Akt-mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR) signaling pathway activation at upstream, so as to alleviate renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis and then delay the progression of CRF.
Data Mining
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry*
;
Network Pharmacology
;
Humans
;
Kidney Failure, Chronic/metabolism*
;
Medicine, Chinese Traditional
;
China
3.Application scenarios of rare and endangered Chinese medicinal materials and their substitutes.
Wen-Ting HU ; Xiao-Bo ZHANG ; Yi-Jing ZHANG ; Zhi-Yong LI ; Lan-Ping GUO ; Lu-Qi HUANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(10):2640-2647
Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) resources are an important foundation for the theory and practice of TCM. Rare and endangered TCM, as a significant component of these resources, plays an essential role. Conducting research on substitutes for rare and endangered TCM resources is of great significance for alleviating resource shortages, promoting the sustainable utilization of TCM, and advancing TCM modernization. This paper reviews the conservation achievements of rare and endangered Chinese medicinal materials in China and organizes the substitution methods for these materials. Currently, the main substitution approaches include introduction and domestication, tissue culture, varietal replacement, and artificial synthesis. Furthermore, this paper proposes the following approaches for researching the application scenarios of rare and endangered medicinal materials, i.e., tracing the historical context of their use to clarify foundational principles; verifying disease classifications to strengthen the clinical application scenarios of these materials; analyzing the evolution patterns of prescription formulations to strengthen the mining of the compatibility application scenarios of rare and endangered medicinal materials; scientifically evaluating to strengthen the application scenario research and development of endangered Chinese patent medicine industry. These efforts aim to promote the scientific substitution and sustainable utilization of rare and endangered medicinal materials and their substitutes.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry*
;
Humans
;
Medicine, Chinese Traditional
;
China
;
Plants, Medicinal/growth & development*
;
Endangered Species
;
Conservation of Natural Resources
;
Animals
4.Research progress in pharmacological activities and pharmacokinetics of geniposidic acid.
Zi-Wei LI ; Sheng-Lan QI ; Qing-Guang ZHANG ; Ling CHEN ; Jing HU ; Guang-Bo GE ; Feng HUANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(13):3679-3691
Geniposidic acid(GA), a natural iridoid, exists in the roots, stems, leaves, flowers, bark, fruits, and seeds of medicinal plants of Rubiaceae, Eucommiaceae, and Plantaginaceae. Modern pharmacological studies have revealed that GA has multiple pharmacological activities, including organ-protective, anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, anti-osteoporosis, anti-neurodegenerative, and anti-cardiovascular effects. GA can enhance cell/organism defenses by upregulating key anti-inflammatory and antioxidant cytokines, while downregulating key node proteins in pro-inflammatory signaling pathways such as AhR and TLR4/MyD88, thereby exerting pharmacological effects such as organ protection. Pharmacokinetic investigations have suggested that after oral administration, GA can be distributed in multiple organs(kidney, liver, heart, spleen, lung, etc.). In addition, the pharmacokinetic behavior of GA could be significantly altered under disease conditions, as demonstrated by a marked increase in systematic exposure. This article comprehensively summarizes the reported pharmacological activities and mechanisms and systematically analyzes the pharmacokinetic characteristics and key parameters of GA, with the aim of providing a theoretical basis and scientific reference for the precise clinical application of GA-related Chinese patent medicines, as well as for the investigation and development of innovative drugs based on GA.
Humans
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry*
;
Animals
;
Iridoid Glucosides/chemistry*
;
Plants, Medicinal/chemistry*
;
Anti-Inflammatory Agents/pharmacology*
5.Ferrum@albumin assembled nanoclusters inhibit NF-κB signaling pathway for NIR enhanced acute lung injury immunotherapy.
Xiaoxuan GUAN ; Binbin ZOU ; Weiqian JIN ; Yan LIU ; Yongfeng LAN ; Jing QIAN ; Juan LUO ; Yanjun LEI ; Xuzhi LIANG ; Shiyu ZHANG ; Yuting XIAO ; Yan LONG ; Chen QIAN ; Chaoyu HUANG ; Weili TIAN ; Jiahao HUANG ; Yongrong LAI ; Ming GAO ; Lin LIAO
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(11):5891-5907
Acute lung injury (ALI) has been a kind of acute and severe disease that is mainly characterized by systemic uncontrolled inflammatory response to the production of huge amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the lung tissue. Given the critical role of ROS in ALI, a Fe3O4 loaded bovine serum albumin (BSA) nanocluster (BF) was developed to act as a nanomedicine for the treatment of ALI. Combining with NIR irradiation, it exhibited excellent ROS scavenging capacity. Significantly, it also displayed the excellent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory functions for lipopolysaccharides (LPS) induced macrophages (RAW264.7), and Sprague Dawley rats via lowering intracellular ROS levels, reducing inflammatory factors expression levels, inducing macrophage M2 polarization, inhibiting NF-κB signaling pathway, increasing CD4+/CD8+ T cell ratios, as well as upregulating HSP70 and CD31 expression levels to reprogram redox homeostasis, reduce systemic inflammation, activate immunoregulation, and accelerate lung tissue repair, finally achieving the synergistic enhancement of ALI immunotherapy. It finally provides an effective therapeutic strategy of BF + NIR for the management of inflammation related diseases.
6.The 5-HT Descending Facilitation System Contributes to the Disinhibition of Spinal PKCγ Neurons and Neuropathic Allodynia via 5-HT2C Receptors.
Xiao ZHANG ; Xiao-Lan HE ; Zhen-Hua JIANG ; Jing QI ; Chen-Chen HUANG ; Jian-Shuai ZHAO ; Nan GU ; Yan LU ; Qun WANG
Neuroscience Bulletin 2025;41(7):1161-1180
Neuropathic pain, often featuring allodynia, imposes significant physical and psychological burdens on patients, with limited treatments due to unclear central mechanisms. Addressing this challenge remains a crucial unsolved issue in pain medicine. Our previous study, using protein kinase C gamma (PKCγ)-tdTomato mice, highlights the spinal feedforward inhibitory circuit involving PKCγ neurons in gating neuropathic allodynia. However, the regulatory mechanisms governing this circuit necessitate further elucidation. We used diverse transgenic mice and advanced techniques to uncover the regulatory role of the descending serotonin (5-HT) facilitation system on spinal PKCγ neurons. Our findings revealed that 5-HT neurons from the rostral ventromedial medulla hyperpolarize spinal inhibitory interneurons via 5-HT2C receptors, disinhibiting the feedforward inhibitory circuit involving PKCγ neurons and exacerbating allodynia. Inhibiting spinal 5-HT2C receptors restored the feedforward inhibitory circuit, effectively preventing neuropathic allodynia. These insights offer promising therapeutic targets for neuropathic allodynia management, emphasizing the potential of spinal 5-HT2C receptors as a novel avenue for intervention.
Animals
;
Neuralgia/physiopathology*
;
Protein Kinase C/metabolism*
;
Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2C/metabolism*
;
Hyperalgesia/physiopathology*
;
Mice, Transgenic
;
Mice
;
Spinal Cord/metabolism*
;
Serotonin/metabolism*
;
Male
;
Neurons/metabolism*
;
Mice, Inbred C57BL
7.Identification of the fruit of Brucea javanica as an anti-liver fibrosis agent working via SMAD2/SMAD3 and JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathways.
Di YAN ; Liansheng QIAO ; Wenting HUANG ; Xiaoling ZHANG ; Chengmei MA ; Quansheng FENG ; Jing CHENG ; Lan XIE
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(2):101047-101047
Image 1.
8.Application of failure mode and effects analysis based on action priority in the prevention and control of surgical site infection after colorectal surgery
Hong-Man WU ; Jing-Min LAI ; Le-Tao CHEN ; Chen-Chao FU ; Zi-Yuan TANG ; Feng ZHOU ; Cui ZENG ; Lan-Man ZENG ; Nan REN ; Xun HUANG
Chinese Journal of Infection Control 2024;23(7):881-888
Objective To evaluate the process risk of the implementation of prevention and control measures for surgical site infection(SSI)after colorectal surgery,and explore the application effect of failure mode and effects analysis(FMEA)based on action priority.Methods FMEA based on action priority was adopted to evaluate the whole process of the implementation of prevention and control measures for SSI after colorectal surgery.Prioritiza-tion ranking was conducted according to whether optimized measures were taken.Standard-reaching rate of comp-liance to SSI prevention and control measures as well as SSI incidence before and after the implementation of FMEA were compared.Results After evaluation,there were 7 high-priority and 22 medium-priority prevention and control measures for SSI.The control of medium-priority measures was strengthened,with a focus on developing further preventive and detectable measures for high-priority measures.The re-evaluation results after improvement showed that 7 high-priority measures have been downgraded to medium priority,and 16 medium-priority measures have been downgraded to low priority.Standard-reaching rate of compliance to SSI prevention and control measures in-creased from 77.15%(2 566/3 326)to 92.47%(3 096/3 348),and SSI incidence decreased from 6.04%(58/960)to 2.54%(60/2 364).Conclusion Application of FMEA based on action priority can effectively evaluate the risk of prevention and control process of SSI after colorectal surgery,and adopting preventive risk control measures accord-ing to the current situation can reduce the incidence of SSI after colorectal surgery.
9.Changing trend and multivariate analysis of prevalence rates of healthcare-associated infection in a tertiary hospital for 10 years
Zi-Quan ZHOU ; Jin-Ai QIN ; Juan HUANG ; Yong-Kang YE ; Qun-Xiu GUO ; Lan-Lan LI ; Jing-Jing YA ; Ying-Hua ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Infection Control 2024;23(9):1135-1141
Objective To describe the changing trend and related factors of prevalence rates of healthcare-associa-ted infection(HAI)in a tertiary hospital in the past 10 years,and analyze the influencing factors for HAI.Methods A cross-sectional survey on HAI was conducted for 10 consecutive years from 2013 to 2022(one day was selected as the survey day each year),data were collected.The distribution and related factors of prevalence rates of HAI were analyzed by trend-x2 test and Pearson correlation coefficient.Multivariate logistic regression and multilayer percep-tron(MLP)models were constructed to analyze the independent effect and significance of factors.Results From 2013 to 2022,the prevalence rates of HAI ranged from 4.66%to 8.07%in this hospital,showing a linear upward trend.The proportions of ICU patients and utilization rate of central venous catheters within 2 days before the sur-vey showed linear upward trends,while the proportion of patients with urinary catheters within 2 days before the survey and proportion of patients undergoing surgery within 30 days before the survey decreased.The MLP model revealed that the top 3 important factors for HAI were length of hospital stay>10 days,admission in ICU,and in-dwelling central venous catheters within 2 days before the survey.Multivariate logistic regression model indicated that length of hospital stay>10 days,indwelling central venous catheters or urinary catheters within 2 days before the survey,surgery within 30 days before the survey,and admission in ICU were independent influencing factors for HAI.Conclusion The incidence of HAI in this hospital presents a linear increase in recent 10 years,the causes should be further analyzed and the direction of intervention should be determined through targeted surveillance.Adopting trend test statistical analysis method,logistic regression,MLP multi-factor model can further explore the data value of HAI prevalence survey.
10.Clinical Efficacy and Safety of Flumatinib in the Treatment of Patients with Newly Diagnosed Chronic Myeloid Leukemia in Chronic Phase
Qin LI ; Li JING ; Peng-Qiang WU ; Li-Ying HAN ; Hong-Yun XING ; Chun-Lan HUANG
Journal of Experimental Hematology 2024;32(1):14-19
Objective:To explore the clinical efficacy and safety of flumatinib mesylate produced in China in patients with newly diagnosed chronic myeloid leukemia in chronic phase(CML-CP).Methods:32 newly diagnosed CML-CP patients admitted to the Hematology Department of the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University from March 1,2020 to March 31,2022,who had never received any tyrosine kinase inhibitor(TKI)were included in the study.The patients were treated by flumatinib mesylate 600mg once daily.The hematologic,cytogenetic and molecular responses were assessed at 3-,6-and 12-month,and adverse effects of the drug were evaluated.Results:31 patients were treated with flumatinib for≥3 months,of which 24 patients were treated for ≥ 6 months and 14 patients were treated for ≥ 12 months.At 3rd month of treatment,30 out of 31 patients achieved complete hematologic response(CHR);24 patients underwent cytogenetic testing and 22 cases achieved major cytogenetic response(MCyR),of which 21 cases achieved complete cytogenetic response(CCyR);Among 25 patients who underwent molecular testing,22 patients had BCR-ABLIS ≤ 10%,including 10 patients with BCR-ABLIS ≤ 0.1%,and 6 patients with BCR-ABLIS≤0.01%.At 6th month of treatment,23 out of 24 patients achieved CHR;17 patients underwent cytogenetic testing and all achieved CCyR;Among 23 patients who underwent molecular testing,20 patients had BCR-ABLIS ≤1%,including 16 patients with BCR-ABL1S≤0.1%and 12 patients with BCR-ABLIS ≤ 0.01%.At 12nd month of treatment,all 14 patients achieved CHR and CCyR;Among them,10 patients had BCR-ABLIS ≤ 0.1%,including 9 patients with BCR-ABLIS ≤ 0.01%.The grade Ⅲ/Ⅳ leukopenia,thrombocytopenia and anemia rates in the patients were 13.3%,20.0%and 3.3%,respectively.One patient stopped flumatinib therapy due to severe and persistent hematologic toxicity.The major non-hematologic adverse events were abnormal liver function(20%),diarrhea(10%),bone/joint pain(10%),muscle spasm(10%),rash(6.7%),acute kidney injury(6.7%)and nausea(3.3%),most of which were grade Ⅰ-Ⅱ.No patient experienced grade Ⅳnon-hematologic adverse events.No drug toxicity-related death occurred.Conclusion:Flumatinib mesglate,as the first-line treatment for newly diagnosed CML-CP,can enable the patients to achieve early and deep molecular and cytogenetic responses,and shows good safety.

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail