1.Regulation of Relevant Signaling Pathways by Traditional Chinese Medicine in Intervention of Pancreatic Cancer: A Review
Quanyou ZHAO ; Conghui ZHAO ; Yu ZHANG ; Yiping FU ; Yuting LIU ; Xiaoran WANG ; Zhanzhan LI ; Mingsan MIAO ; Li BAI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(5):280-289
Pancreatic cancer is a highly malignant solid tumor of the digestive system with extremely poor treatment prognosis. Although its incidence rate is low, its mortality rate is extremely high. In recent years, the number of diagnosed cases worldwide has continued to rise, making pancreatic cancer the sixth leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally. Currently, clinical treatment primarily relies on operation and chemotherapy to suppress tumors. However, these approaches face challenges such as suboptimal efficacy, high postoperative recurrence rates, and severe adverse reactions. Therefore, identifying safe and effective treatment modalities remains a pressing challenge for the medical community. In recent years, research on traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) interventions for pancreatic cancer has increased significantly. Multiple studies have shown that single-herb TCM, TCM formulas, and their derived single compounds can regulate the levels of tumor cell signaling pathways through multiple action targets. They inhibit the development and progression of pancreatic cancer by inhibiting cancer cell proliferation, promoting cell apoptosis, inhibiting tumor angiogenesis, reducing cancer cell invasion and migration capabilities, regulating the cell cycle, and modulating the tumor microenvironment. Additionally, TCM has the advantages of significantly enhancing the anticancer efficacy of chemotherapy drugs and causing fewer adverse reactions. However, the specific action mechanisms by which TCM intervenes in pancreatic cancer remain unclear. Further extensive research is still needed to validate the role of regulating classical signaling pathways such as phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), Wnt/β-catenin, nuclear transcription factor-κB (NF-κB), notch, and hedgehog in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Therefore, this paper reviewed Chinese and international studies on TCM intervention in pancreatic cancer through relevant signaling pathways in recent years, summarized the potential action mechanisms of TCM in the treatment of pancreatic cancer, and provided references for related research in the future.
2.Analysis of Inpatient Mortality Cases in a Tertiary General Hospital in Beijing Based on Diagnosis-related Groups
Yufei ZHANG ; Jiong ZHOU ; Xiaojun MA ; Xiaoran WANG
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2025;16(3):697-702
To analyze inpatient mortality cases in a tertiary general hospital in Beijing based on diagnosis-related groups (DRG), with the aim of providing references for healthcare quality management. We retrospectively collected DRG data of hospitalized patients admitted to a tertiary general hospital in Beijing from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2023. Mortality cases were analyzed according to mortality risk stratification, with a focus on the temporal trends, departmental distribution, and DRG composition of low/medium-low mortality risk cases. Among 927 304 DRG-classified hospitalizations, 2346 cases resulted in death (stratified into 130 low-risk, 209 medium-low-risk, 411 medium-high-risk, and 1596 high-risk cases), yielding an overall mortality rate of 0.25%. The mortality rates were 0.02% (130/680 939) in the low-risk group and 0.16% (209/130 449) in the medium-low-risk group. From 2015 to 2023, the mortality rate showed a significant downward trend ( Critical care units accounted for the highest proportion of mortality cases, with surgical patients having complications/comorbidities representing the major DRG-related factors for low/medium-low-risk deaths. Hospitals should prioritize these findings by identifying areas for improvement, implementing multidisciplinary case reviews, and strengthening patient safety measures.
3.Data Mining of Professor Zhang Farong's Core Prescription for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Its Clinical Efficacy
Wei FANG ; Jie XU ; Huanping WANG ; Xiaoran ZHANG ; Hongxia ZHU ; Qiu CHEN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(22):174-182
ObjectiveTo explore the medication patterns of Professor Zhang Farong in treating type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and the clinical efficacy of his core prescription. MethodsClinical case records of T2DM treated by Professor Zhang Farong were collected to establish a prescription database. Frequency statistics, visual analysis, and factor analysis were employed to investigate the characteristics and principle of the prescriptions, and a core prescription was derived. A randomized controlled trial was conducted, enrolling 60 T2DM patients with the dampness-heat syndrome. The patients were allocated into an observation group (core prescription + metformin) and a control group (metformin alone), with both groups undergoing a 12-week treatment course. Changes in TCM symptom scores, glucose metabolism indicators [fasting plasma glucose (FPG), 2-hour postprandial blood glucose (2 hPG), and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c)], pancreatic function indicators [fasting C-peptide (FCP), 2-hour postprandial C-peptide (2 hCP), and area under the C-peptide curve (AUCcp)], and lipid profiles were measured before and after treatment. The adverse reactions were observed and recorded. ResultsA core prescription named modified Gegen Qinlian Decoction was formulated, comprising Puerariae Lobatae Radix, Coptidis Rhizoma, Scutellariae Radix, Astragali Radix, Lycii Cortex, Mori Cortex, Jineijin Endothelium Corneum Gigeriae Galli, Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata, Atractylodis Rhizoma, Polygonati Rhizoma, and Pogostemonis Herba. The clinical trial results showed that both groups had significantly decreased FPG, 2 hPG, and HbA1c (P0.05), and the observation group outperformed the control group in recovering the level of HbA1c (P0.05). After treatment, both groups had declined TCM symptoms scores (P0.05), and the declines in the observation group were larger than those in the control group (P0.05). After treatment, the TC and LDL-C levels declined in the observation group (P 0.05), while the lipid levels showed a decreasing trend with no statistically significant difference in the control group. After treatment, both groups showed increases in FCP and AUCcp (P0.05), and the 2 hCP in both groups presented a recovering trend with no statistically significant difference. There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups. ConclusionModified Gegen Qinlian Decoction embodies Professor Zhang Farong's academic philosophy of treating consumptive thirst by tonifying the spleen and kidney, replenishing Qi and Yin, clearing deficiency and heat, unblocking stasis in collaterals, and addressing both deficiency and stasis. The combination of the core prescription with metformin alleviates clinical symptoms in T2DM patients with the dampness-heat syndrome, demonstrating potential effects in restoring pancreatic islet function, regulating blood glucose, and improving lipid profiles. It serves as a therapeutic option for T2DM in the patients with the dampness-heat syndrome under syndrome differentiation, meriting broader clinical application.
4.Nanomedicine-driven tumor glucose metabolic reprogramming for enhanced cancer immunotherapy.
Chenwei JIANG ; Minglu TANG ; Yun SU ; Junjie XIE ; Qi SHANG ; Mingmei GUO ; Xiaoran AN ; Longfei LIN ; Ruibin WANG ; Qian HUANG ; Guangji ZHANG ; Hui LI ; Feihu WANG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(6):2845-2866
Tumors exhibit abnormal glucose metabolism, consuming excessive glucose and excreting lactate, which constructs a tumor microenvironment that facilitates cancer progression and disrupts immunotherapeutic efficacy. Currently, tumor glucose metabolic dysregulation to reshape the immunosuppressive microenvironment and enhance immunotherapy efficacy is emerging as an innovative therapeutic strategy. However, glucose metabolism modulators lack specificity and still face significant challenges in overcoming tumor delivery barriers, microenvironmental complexity, and metabolic heterogeneity, resulting in poor clinical benefit. Nanomedicines, with their ability to selectively target tumors or immune cells, respond to the tumor microenvironment, co-deliver multiple drugs, and facilitate combinatorial therapies, hold significant promise for enhancing immunotherapy through tumor glucose metabolic reprogramming. This review explores the complex interactions between tumor glucose metabolism-specifically metabolite transport, glycolysis processes, and lactate-and the immune microenvironment. We summarize how nanomedicine-mediated reprogramming of tumor glucose metabolism can enhance immunotherapy efficacy and outline the prospects and challenges in this field.
5.Efficacy of navel application of Jianpiwenyang Gel for chronic diarrhea of spleen and stomach weakness type:a randomized controlled trial and analysis of the mechanism
Yixin CUI ; Decai WANG ; Dongqing XIE ; Haiming WANG ; Ruixin XU ; Xiaoran TANG ; Yin ZHANG
Journal of Southern Medical University 2024;44(2):217-225
Objective To investigate the efficacy of Jianpiwenyang Gel(SSWYG)for treating chronic diarrhea and explore its therapeutic mechanism.Methods Eighty patients with chronic diarrhea of spleen and stomach weakness type were randomized into two groups for interventions with lifestyle adjustment and treatment with bifid triple viable capsules(control group,n=40)or naval application with SSWYG(treatment group,n=40)for one week,after which symptoms of chronic diarrhea were evaluated.The Chinese medicine system pharmacology analysis platform(TCMSP),GeneCards,NCBI,OMIM database and GEO database(GSE14841)were used to obtain the active ingredients and target proteins of SSWYG and chronic diarrhea-related targets.The key targets were obtained by topological analysis for Gene Ontology(GO)and KEGG analyses.The affinity and binding characteristics of SSWYG for specific targets were verified by molecular docking using AutoDock software.Results In both groups,gastrointestinal symptom rating scale(GSRS),Bristol Scale and TCM syndrome scores significantly improved after the treatments(P<0.05),and better effects were observed in the treatment group(P<0.05).Sixty-eight targets of SSWYG in treating chronic diarrhea were obtained,and 33 most probable ones were screened out by topological analysis.GO and KEGG analyses identified several chronic diarrhea-related pathways including the TNF and IL-17 pathways.Molecular docking study showed good affinity of the core components of SSWYG for the key targets CASP3,JNK,IL1B,IL6,and AKT1.JUN and CASP3 had the lowest binding energy and the highest stable binding energy with multiple major active ingredients of SSWYG.Conclusion SSWYG can significantly improve clinical symptoms of chronic diarrhea possibly by regulating the TNF and IL-17 as well as other pathways via CASP3 and JUN,suggesting a complex therapeutic mechanism of SSWYG involving multiple ingredients and targets and coordinated regulation of multiple pathways.
6.Characteristics of STAT Family Association with Breast Cancer and Intervention Effect of Traditional Chinese Medicine
Lin GUO ; Xiaoran WANG ; Sizhe LIU ; Yuanxin ZHANG ; Shuo TIAN ; Mingsan MIAO
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(7):225-233
As the pace of society increases and lifestyles change, the incidence and mortality rates of breast cancer continue to rise. Targeted therapies are now promising in the treatment of breast cancer, and a variety of protein targets have been identified to play an important role in the development of breast cancer. Among them, signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) proteins constitute a crucial group that serves as important targets for transducing cellular transcriptional information, which can regulate downstream cell proliferation, apoptosis, cell migration, invasion, angiogenic factors, etc. and then affect the progression of breast cancer. The STAT family is closely associated with the inflammatory response to tumors and plays a landmark role in tumor development as well as in diagnosis and prognosis. The "inflammation-cancer" transformation refers to the process in which the inflammatory microenvironment caused by uncontrolled inflammation promotes normal cells to become cancerous. According to the theory of Chinese medicine, "heat toxicity" in "cancer toxicity" corresponds to inflammation, which is closely related to tumor development. As a major link associated with the inflammatory response, the STAT family has a promising role in the development and treatment of a variety of tumors, but its relevance to breast cancer remains inadequately explored. Chinese medicine has been shown to have good efficacy in the prevention and treatment of breast cancer, and some current studies have shown that the active ingredients and compounds of Chinese medicine have certain intervention effects on breast cancer-related STAT proteins, but there has not been a systematic review. In order to better sort out and summarize the studies on the effects of Chinese herbal medicines based on the STAT family interventions in breast cancer, this paper reviewed the studies on Chinese herbal medicines acting on the STAT family in recent years, aiming to provide new ideas for clinical applications in breast cancer and to provide thoughts for the development of STAT protein-based drugs.
7.Expression levels of USF2 and USP10 in peripheral blood of patients with sepsis complicated with acute kidney injury and their clinical significance
Xin YU ; Yongjie WANG ; Zhenxiao LI ; Haitao SONG ; Chunli DONG ; Liangliang ZHANG ; Haitao ZHANG ; Xiaoran WANG
International Journal of Laboratory Medicine 2024;45(10):1233-1237,1242
Objective To investigate the expression levels and the clinical significance of upstream tran-scription factor 2(USF2)and ubiquitin-specific protease 10(USP10)in peripheral blood of patients with sep-sis combined with acute kidney injury(AKI).Methods A total of 259 patients with sepsis were selected from Jilin Provincial People's Hospital from January 2018 to December 2022.Patients were divided into AKI group(107 cases)and non AKI(NAKI)group(152 cases)according to whether they had AKI or not.General clini-cal data were collected and the expression levels of USF2 and USP10 in peripheral blood were detected.Pear-son analysis was used to investigate the correlation between USF2,USP10,and renal function.Binary Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the factors influencing sepsis patients with AKI.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was drown to analyze the value of USF2 and USP10 in diagnosing AKI in patients with sepsis.Results The expression level of serum USF2 in AKI group was higher than that in NAKI group,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05),while the serum USP10 expression level in AKI group was lower than that in NAKI group,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).In AKI group,USF2 expression was positively correlated with urea nitrogen(BUN),serum creatinine(Scr)and Cys-tatin C(CysC)(P<0.05),while USP10 expression was negatively correlated with BUN,Scr and CysC(P<0.05).High sequential organ failure assessment(SOFA)score,septic shock and high expression of USF2 were risk factors for AKI in sepsis patients(P<0.05),and high expression of USP10 was protective factor(P<0.05).The area under the curve(AUC)of single detection of USF2 and USP10 for diagnosing AKI in patients with sepsis was 0.742(95%CI:0.676-0.808)and 0.781(95%CI:0.724-0.839),respectively.The AUC of the combination of USF2 and USP10 for diagnosing AKI in patients with sepsis was 0.907(95%CI:0.865-0.948),which was higher than that of single detection(P<0.05).Conclusion Increased expression of USF2 and decreased expression of USP10 in peripheral blood of patients with sepsis are associated with in-creased risk of AKI and decreased renal function.
8.Establishment and verification of reference intervals for blood cell ratios in apparently healthy people
Jingzhu NAN ; Xu ZHANG ; Hui YUAN ; Xuemei WEI ; Shuai ZHANG ; Chen WANG ; Xiujuan LI ; Honghao LU ; Xiaoran SHEN
International Journal of Laboratory Medicine 2024;45(19):2396-2402,2407
Objective To establish the reference intervals of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio(NLR),mono-cyte to lymphocyte ratio(MLR)and platelet to lymphocyte ratio(PLR)in different genders and age groups in northern Chinese adults.Methods The data were analyzed according to the Clinical and Laboratory Stand-ards Institute C28-A3.Outliers were checked and judged according to the Dixon method.Subgroups were di-vided according to gender or age factors,and reference intervals were established for different subgroups.Ref-erence intervals were expressed as two-sided 95%percentiles.Results The reference intervals of NLR,MLR and PLR were 0.90-3.82,0.09-0.33 and 71.20-246.87,respectively.The results showed that NLR and PLR in men were lower than those in women(P<0.001),while MLR in men was significantly higher than that in women(P<0.001).Linear trend plots showed that NLR,MLR and PLR changed significantly in dif-ferent genders and age groups.In men,NLR and MLR increased with age,while PLR gradually increased and reached the peak before 50 years old,and gradually decreased after 50 years old.In women,NLR and MLR showed the lowest values at 50-<60 years old,while PLR reached the peak at about 50 years old.The refer-ence intervals established by the model set were verified,and the percentages beyond the reference intervals were less than 10%in different genders and age groups.Conclusion The reference intervals of NLR,MLR and PLR in different genders and age groups of healthy adults in northern China are established in the study.
9.Inferring the spinal nerve root segments responsible for innervation of the lower limb muscles by use of magnetic stimulation
Xiuli ZHANG ; Zongyao WU ; Weiwei DENG ; Siyu DONG ; Xiaoran TANG ; Xianli ZHOU ; Lijuan XIE ; Hongliang LIU
Chinese Journal of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2024;46(10):916-922
Objective:To explore the locations of the lumbosacral nerve roots by use of the magnetic stimulation.Methods:Thirty healthy subjects were studied. The projections of the right L 2 to S 1 intervertebral foramina on their body surfaces were determined manually with ultrasound assistance. Magnetic stimulation was applied to different nerve root segments to induce compound muscle action potentials (CMAP) in the vastus medialis, tibialis anterior, and gastrocnemius muscles of the lower limbs. The changes in latency, amplitude, and motor threshold were observed. Results:Magnetic stimulation on the L 2-L 3 segment resulted in a significant direct excitation of the vastus medialis. That on the L 5-S 1 segment evoked a significant direct excitatory effect on the tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius, with a motor threshold below 40%, an amplitude exceeding 1mV, and many effective responses. However, during the magnetic stimulation on the L 4 segment, the amplitude of the vastus medialis was above 1mV, with no significant differences in the number of effective responses among the muscle groups. Moreover, there was a stepwise change in the latency of effective muscle responses to magnetic stimulation at different segments. The CMAP latencies of 12+ ms for the tibialis anterior and 13+ ms for the gastrocnemius indicated activation of the L 5 and L 4 nerve roots, respectively, while those of 6+ ms, 7+ ms, and 8+ ms for the vastus medialis suggested activation of the L 4, L 3, and L 2 nerve roots, respectively. Conclusions:Based on the responses (CMAP latency, amplitude and motor threshold) of the vastus medialis, tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius to magnetic stimulation at different L 2 to S 1 segments, the spinal nerve root segments responsible for innervation can be inferred.
10.Effects of monocular deprivation during critical period of visual development on astrocytes in different regions of the mouse brain
Yifan SUN ; Xiao WANG ; Shiqiao YANG ; Kailei WANG ; Xuechun WANG ; Yamin CHEN ; Xiaoran ZHANG ; Panpan LÜ ; Rui HAO
Recent Advances in Ophthalmology 2024;44(7):517-521
Objective To explore the effects of monocular deprivation(MD)on the expression of astrocytes in the superior colliculus,hippocampus,and visual cortex in mice during the critical period of visual development.Methods Eighteen C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into the normal control group(CON group)and the MD group,with 9 mice in each group.Mice were bred under the 12 h/12 h dark/light conditions.Mice in the CON group received no treat-ment,while mice in the MD group underwent MD of the right eye on postnatal day 27,and the tissue was removed after 7 days.The mRNA and protein expression levels of glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP)in the superior colliculus,hippo-campus and visual cortex of mice in the two groups were detected using the real-time reverse transcription quantitative pol-ymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR)and Western blot,respectively.The number of astrocytes labeled by GFAP and central nervous system specific protein β(S100β)in the superior colliculus,hippocampus and visual cortex of mice in the two groups was detected using the immunofluorescence staining.Results RT-qPCR and Western blot results showed that compared with the CON group,the mRNA and protein expression levels of GFAP in the superior colliculus,hippocampus(CA1,CA3 and dentate gyrus)and visual cortex of mice in the MD group decreased,and the differences were statistically significant(all P<0.05).The immunofluorescence staining results showed that compared with the CON group,the number of GFAP and S1OOβ co-labeled astrocytes in the superior colliculus,hippocampus(CA1,CA3 and dentate gyrus)and visual cortex of mice in the MD group decreased,and the differences were statistically significant(all P<0.05).Conclusion MD of mice during the critical period of visual development can result in a decrease in the number of astrocytes in the supe-rior colliculus,hippocampus and visual cortex.

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