1.Compatibility characteristics of Bufei Yishen formula Ⅲ in regulating chronic obstructive pulmonary disease mucus hypersecretion
Yanqin QIN ; Minyan LI ; Yange TIAN ; Peng ZHAO ; Kangchen LI ; Congcong LI ; Jiansheng LI
Chinese Critical Care Medicine 2021;33(11):1309-1314
Objective:To evaluate the compatibility laws of effective-component compatibility of Bufei Yishen formula Ⅲ (ECC-BYFⅢ) in regulating mucus hypersecretion of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).Methods:According to the efficacy of the original Chinese medicine, the components of ECC-BYFⅢ were divided into four categories: Buqi (Ginsenoside Rh1+Astragaloside), Bushen (Icariin), Huatan (Nobiletin), and Huoxue (Paeonol). The four categories were divided into 14 groups based on the method of mathematical permutation. ① The rats were divided into control group, model group, ECC-BYFⅢ, and different components compatibility groups according to the random number table, totaling 17 groups. COPD rat model in stable phase was established by cigarette smoke exposure combined with repeated bacterial infections. The corresponding drugs were given by gavage at the 9th week of modeling, and the samples were collected at the end of the 16th week. The levels of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinase 1 (TIMP-1) in serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), and the levels of mucin (MUC) 5AC in lung tissue and BALF were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). ② Human lung epithelial cells BEAS-2B were divided into blank group, model group, and different components compatibility groups. Hypoxia-induced mucus hypersecretion model of human lung epithelial cells BEAS-2B was established 4 hours after corresponding drug pretreatment. The mRNA expressions of MUC5AC, MUC5B, and MUC1 were detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The mucus secretion indexes of rats and BEAS-2B cells were evaluated by Region (R) value comprehensive evaluation method.Results:① Compared with the control group, MMP-9 in serum and BALF from the model group were significantly increased, the level of TIMP-1 was significantly decreased, and MUC5AC in lung tissue and BALF were significantly increased. The results of R value comprehensive evaluation showed that except for the Buqi and Bushen groups, ECC-BYFⅢ and other components compatibility groups significantly corrected mucus hypersecretion in COPD rats, ECC-BYFⅢ, Bushen Quxie, Fuzheng Huatan, and Quxie groups were much better (R values were 2.15±0.42, 2.11±0.23, 2.16±0.23 and 2.16±0.55, respectively), compared with the model group (R value: 3.00±0.00), the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). ② Compared with the blank group, the mRNA expressions of MUC5AC, MUC5B, and MUC1 increased in the model group. But different components compatibility groups had no significant effects on the mucus secretion of BEAS-2B cells. ③ The comprehensive evaluation results of R value about each in vivo and in vitro index showed that ECC-BYFⅢ, Huoxue, Quxie, Bushen Huoxue, Fuzheng Huatan, Buqi Quxie groups significantly corrected the mucus hypersecretion (R values were 2.30±0.43, 2.33±0.44, 2.12±0.68, 2.27±0.64, 2.24±0.27 and 2.29±0.47, respectively), compared with the model group (R value: 3.00±0.00), the difference was statistically significant (all P < 0.01). The order was: Quxie > Fuzheng Huatan > Bushen Huoxue > Buqi Quxie > ECC-BYFⅢ > Huoxue. Conclusions:Different components compatibility of ECC-BYFⅢ had different effects on COPD mucus secretion. The components containing Huatan (Nobiletin) or Huoxue (Paeonol) showed a better inhibitory effect on mucus secretion.
2.Investigating Interventional Mechanism of Bufei Yishen Formula for Inhibiting Macrophage Inflammatory Response Based on Gene Set Enrichment Analysis
Qingzhou GUAN ; Peng ZHAO ; Yange TIAN ; Kangchen LI ; Yan PENG ; Hongyan GUO ; Jiansheng LI
World Science and Technology-Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;26(6):1490-1496
Objective To explore the interventional mechanism of Bufei Yishen formula on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease from pathway level.Methods Macrophage inflammatory model was established by LPS stimulation.Based on gene set enrichment analysis(GSEA)method,macrophage inflammation related pathways were screened,and normalized enrichment score(NES)was used to identify pathways that were reversed by traditional Chinese medicine treatment,revealing the interventional mechanism of Bufei Yishen formula and its compatibility.Results The NES of Bufei Yishen formula was-1377.23,among which the NES of Bushen compatibility was-485.07,that of Huoxue was-351.86,Huatan was-303.71,and Yiqi was-236.59.There were 213 significantly disturbed pathways reversed after the intervention of Bufei Yishen formula,among which there were 184 reversed pathways for Huoxue compatibility,147 reversed pathways for Bushen,134 reversed pathways for Huatan,133 reversed pathways for Yiqi,and the reversal rate was 75.41%,60.25%,54.92%,54.51%,respectively.90 pathways,including TGF-β production,were significantly reversed in the four compatibilities.Positive regulation of cytokine production involved in inflammatory response etc were specifically reversed pathways for compatibility.Conclusion The intensity of Bufei Yishen formula that reversed macrophage-inflammatory related pathways was in order of Bushen,Huoxue,Huatan and Yiqi compatibility.And the number of pathways that could be reversed by the compatibility of Bufei Yishen formula was Huoxue,Bushen,Huatan and Yiqi.Bufei Yishen formula could regulate the common and specific reversal pathways of the compatibilities to intervene the inflammatory response.
3. Clinical features and molecular characteristics of influenza A (H1N1) viral pneumonia in 17 elderly patients
Yiyue GE ; Yan TAN ; Chen CHEN ; Tao WU ; Xiaojuan ZHU ; Kangchen ZHAO ; Li WANG ; Wei GU ; Lunbiao CUI
Chinese Journal of Experimental and Clinical Virology 2018;32(6):576-581
Objective:
To analyze the clinical manifestations and results of etiological examinations of 17 elderly patients with influenza A (H1N1) viral pneumonia, and to understand the clinical features of pneumonia and molecular characteristics of influenza A (H1N1) virus infection in the elderly.
Methods:
The elderly patients with pneumonia who were hospitalized in the Department of Respiratory Diseases of Nanjing First Hospital from January 2018 to March were enrolled. The cases were confirmed by nucleic acid examination for influenza virus and the clinical data were collected. After the amplification of the whole genome of influenza virus, the high throughput sequencing and bioinformatics analysis were performed.
Results:
The mean age of the 17 enrolled patients was 73.8±10.8. All of them had at least 1 underlying disease, and 7 cases had co-infection. Respiratory symptoms and fever were the most prominent clinical manifestations. Lesions in both lungs were found in 76.5% of the patients. The result of high throughput sequencing showed that all the viruses were highly homologous to the vaccine strain, and the HA gene belonged to the 6B.1 subgroup. Furthermore, three variations of antigenic locus (H138Y, S74R and S164T in HA) and a drug-resistant variation (H275Y in NA) were detected in the circulating strains.
Conclusions
Elderly patients with influenza A (H1N1) virus pneumonia often have underlying diseases and are prone to have co-infection. The molecular characteristics of the virus and the variation of key amino acid loci should be closely monitored in order to provide evidence for epidemic prevention and clinical antiviral treatment.
4.Rho/ROCK:key Mediator of Pulmonary Fibrosis and New Target of TCM for IPF Prevention and Treatment
Yuanyuan WU ; Kangchen LI ; Mingyan LI ; Xiling PENG ; Feifan ZHANG ; Han LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(4):256-265
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic interstitial lung disease characterized by dyspnea and progressive deterioration of lung function, which significantly impacts patients' quality of life and imposes a major burden on society. Although modern medicine has increasingly enriched the treatment options for pulmonary fibrosis, unfavorable factors such as high costs and significant side effects contribute to the persistently low survival rate of patients. Studies have shown that the occurrence and development of pulmonary fibrosis are closely related to abnormalities in multiple pathways. Among these, Rho/Rho-associated coiled-coil protein kinase (ROCK) plays a key role in the disease progression of IPF by regulating the cytoskeleton. This pathway not only transmits biochemical molecular signals that promote the progress of fibrosis but also responds to the biomechanical environment, such as the increased lung tissue stiffness caused by the deposition of extracellular matrix (ECM) during the process of pulmonary fibrosis. Therefore, research on this pathway is of great significance for the prevention and treatment of IPF. In recent years, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has shown remarkable effects in preventing and treating IPF. Many TCM compounds and active components can reduce the production of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), CollagenⅠ (ColⅠ), ColⅢ, and inflammatory factors in lung tissue by regulating the Rho/ROCK signaling pathway. These compounds inhibit the transformation of fibroblasts (FBs) into myofibroblasts (MyoFBs), intervening in the process of pulmonary fibrosis. Based on this, the article briefly reviews relevant research from recent years, discusses the key role of the Rho/ROCK pathway in pulmonary fibrosis from an interdisciplinary perspective, and summarizes the mechanisms through which TCM regulates Rho/ROCK to prevent and treat IPF, based on resources from PubMed, CNKI, and other databases, in order to provide important references for the broader clinical application of TCM in the prevention and treatment of IPF.