1.Mechanism of Anmeidan in Improving Learning and Memory in Insomnia Model Rats by Mediating Immunoinflammation via cGAS/STING Signaling Pathway
Bo XU ; Zijing YE ; Ping WANG ; Jing CHENG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(10):27-35
ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism by which Anmeidan improves learning and memory in insomnia rats by regulating the cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate synthase (cGAS)/stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling pathway to influence immunoinflammation. MethodsSixty SD rats were randomly divided into a blank group, a model group, a suvorexant group (30 mg·kg-1), and Anmeidan low-, medium-, and high-dose groups (4.55, 9.09, and 18.18 g·kg-1), with 10 rats in each group. The insomnia rat model was induced by intraperitoneal injection of p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA). Anmeidan decoction and normal saline were administered by gavage for 28 days at the corresponding doses. Morris water maze and new object recognition tests were used to assess learning and memory functions. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and Nissl staining were performed to observe hippocampal cell morphology. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure the serum levels of interleukin-1 (IL-1), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), interleukin-12 (IL-12), interleukin-18 (IL-18), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α). Western blot and Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(Real-time PCR) were used to detect the relative protein and mRNA expression levels of hippocampal cGAS and STING. ResultsCompared with the blank group, the 5-HT content in the model group was significantly reduced (P<0.01). The latency to the upper platform and total distance were significantly increased (P<0.05, P<0.01), while the residence time in the target quadrant and the number of platform crossings were significantly reduced (P<0.01), and the relative recognition index for new objects was significantly lower (P<0.01). The morphology and arrangement of hippocampal neurons were loose and disordered, with a decreased number of intracellular Nissl bodies. The relative expression levels of IL-1, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, IL-18, TNF-α, cGAS, and STING pathway proteins and mRNA were significantly upregulated (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the latency to the upper platform in the high-dose Anmeidan group was significantly shortened (P<0.05). In the medium- and high-dose Anmeidan groups and the suvorexant group, the residence time in the target quadrant and the number of platform crossings were significantly increased (P<0.01). The total distance traveled was significantly reduced (P<0.01), and the relative recognition index for new objects was significantly increased (P<0.01). The hippocampal neurons were more neatly arranged, and the number of intracellular Nissl bodies increased. The expression of IL-1, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-12, IL-18, TNF-α, and cGAS proteins and mRNA in the medium- and high-dose Anmeidan groups was significantly downregulated (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionAnmeidan improves learning and memory in insomnia rats, possibly by suppressing immunoinflammation through inhibition of the cGAS/STING signaling pathway.
2.Effect of Anmeidan on Cognitive Function and Metabolic Profiling in Insomnia Model Rats Based on Untargeted Metabolomics
Feizhou LI ; Bo XU ; Zijing YE ; Lianyu LI ; Andong ZHANG ; Ping WANG ; Linlin CHEN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(10):54-64
ObjectiveTo elucidate the potential mechanisms by which the classic prescription Anmeidan alleviates cognitive impairment in insomnia model rats through metabolic profiling. MethodsA total of 60 SD rats were randomly divided into six groups: blank group, model group, low-, medium-, and high-dose Anmeidan groups, and the Suvorexant group, with 10 rats in each group. Except for the blank group, the insomnia model was established in all other groups via intraperitoneal injection of para-chlorophenylalanine. The Suvorexant group was administered Suvorexant solution (30 mg·kg-1·d-1) by gavage, while the low-, medium-, and high-dose Anmeidan groups received Anmeidan decoction (4.55, 9.09, 18.18 g·kg-1·d-1) by gavage. The blank group received an equivalent volume of normal saline. The open field test was used to assess spatial exploration and anxiety/depressive-like behaviors in rats. Serum levels of epidermal growth factor (EGF), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Untargeted metabolomics was employed to identify differential metabolites in rat serum, and systematic biological methods were applied to analyze the potential targets and pathways of Anmeidan. ResultsCompared to the blank group, the model group exhibited significant reductions in total distance traveled, average speed, number of entries into the central area, time spent in the central area, and frequency of upright events (P<0.01), along with significant decreases in VIP, EGF, and BDNF levels (P<0.05,P<0.01). A total of 100 differential metabolites were identified between the model and blank groups. Compared to the model group, the low-, medium-, and high-dose Anmeidan groups showed significant increases in total distance traveled, average speed, number of entries into the central area, time spent in the central area, and frequency of upright events (P<0.05,P<0.01), as well as a significant increase in VIP levels (P<0.05,P<0.01). Anmeidan significantly reversed abnormal changes in 67 metabolites compared to the model group. A combined analysis identified 134 potential targets of Anmeidan, with network topology analysis suggesting that Caspase-3, B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), nuclear transcription factor-κB (NF-κB), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-2 (IL-2), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), and Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), among others, may serve as key targets of Anmeidan. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis revealed major enriched pathways, including the cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling pathway, hypoxia inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) signaling pathway, and IL-17 signaling pathway. ConclusionThis study demonstrates that Anmeidan can recalibrate abnormal metabolic profiles in insomnia model rats to mitigate cognitive impairment, with its mechanisms of action potentially involving the regulation of immune-inflammatory responses, energy metabolism, and apoptosis-related pathways.
3.Heterogeneity of Adipose Tissue From a Single-cell Transcriptomics Perspective
Yong-Lang WANG ; Si-Si CHEN ; Qi-Long LI ; Yu GONG ; Xin-Yue DUAN ; Ye-Hui DUAN ; Qiu-Ping GUO ; Feng-Na LI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(4):820-835
Adipose tissue is a critical energy reservoir in animals and humans, with multifaceted roles in endocrine regulation, immune response, and providing mechanical protection. Based on anatomical location and functional characteristics, adipose tissue can be categorized into distinct types, including white adipose tissue (WAT), brown adipose tissue (BAT), beige adipose tissue, and pink adipose tissue. Traditionally, adipose tissue research has centered on its morphological and functional properties as a whole. However, with the advent of single-cell transcriptomics, a new level of complexity in adipose tissue has been unveiled, showing that even under identical conditions, cells of the same type may exhibit significant variation in morphology, structure, function, and gene expression——phenomena collectively referred to as cellular heterogeneity. Single-cell transcriptomics, including techniques like single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq), enables in-depth analysis of the diversity and heterogeneity of adipocytes at the single-cell level. This high-resolution approach has not only deepened our understanding of adipocyte functionality but also facilitated the discovery of previously unidentified cell types and gene expression patterns that may play key roles in adipose tissue function. This review delves into the latest advances in the application of single-cell transcriptomics in elucidating the heterogeneity and diversity within adipose tissue, highlighting how these findings have redefined the understanding of cell subpopulations within different adipose depots. Moreover, the review explores how single-cell transcriptomic technologies have enabled the study of cellular communication pathways and differentiation trajectories among adipose cell subgroups. By mapping these interactions and differentiation processes, researchers gain insights into how distinct cellular subpopulations coordinate within adipose tissues, which is crucial for maintaining tissue homeostasis and function. Understanding these mechanisms is essential, as dysregulation in adipose cell interactions and differentiation underlies a range of metabolic disorders, including obesity and diabetes mellitus type 2. Furthermore, single-cell transcriptomics holds promising implications for identifying therapeutic targets; by pinpointing specific cell types and gene pathways involved in adipose tissue dysfunction, these technologies pave the way for developing targeted interventions aimed at modulating specific adipose subpopulations. In summary, this review provides a comprehensive analysis of the role of single-cell transcriptomic technologies in uncovering the heterogeneity and functional diversity of adipose tissues.
4.An assessment model for efficacy of autologous CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy and relapse or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma risk.
Bin XUE ; Yifan LIU ; Min ZHANG ; Gangfeng XIAO ; Xiu LUO ; Lili ZHOU ; Shiguang YE ; Yan LU ; Wenbin QIAN ; Li WANG ; Ping LI ; Aibin LIANG
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(1):108-110
5.Development goals and strategies of ecological agriculture of Chinese materia medica.
Chuan-Zhi KANG ; Si-Qi LIU ; Bang-Xing HAN ; Tao ZHOU ; Xiao WANG ; Da-Hui LIU ; Ye YANG ; Lan-Ping GUO
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(1):42-47
This paper aims to contribute to guaranteeing the stable development and enhancing the understanding of ecological agriculture of Chinese materia medica so that the national strategy and industrial demand can be better served. It first introduces current traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)policy and industrial development status from five aspects, including policy guarantee, theoretical support, technological innovation, standardization system, and brand influence. Then, the paper analyzes the development dilemma of TCM agriculture in production and quality increase and ecological environment protection. It also proposes the development goals of ecological agriculture of Chinese materia medica that meet the current industrial development demand, which are reducing chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and carbon emissions, improving quality, increasing efficiency, and protecting ecological environment. In addition, the new development goals are interpreted through case studies. Finally, this paper proposes four development strategies for ecological agriculture of Chinese materia medica: conducting research on the pattern and spatial and temporal variations of nationwide TCM production areas; studying the internal and external ecological memories of medicinal plant growth from the perspectives of genetic variations and environmental adaptation variations and elucidating their contributions to the formation of quality; carrying out selection and breeding of stress-resistant varieties for ecological agriculture of Chinese materia medica, the optimization of key technologies for soil improvement and restoration and green prevention and control against diseases and pests, and the improvement of quality; carrying out research on the quality assurance and value realization of ecological products made from TCM. This research can provide guidance for policy formulation, theoretical development of the discipline, and the enhancement of industrial technology for ecological agriculture of Chinese materia medica.
Agriculture/methods*
;
China
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal
;
Plants, Medicinal/chemistry*
;
Ecosystem
;
Materia Medica
;
Medicine, Chinese Traditional
6.Expert consensus on evaluation index system construction for new traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) from TCM clinical practice in medical institutions.
Li LIU ; Lei ZHANG ; Wei-An YUAN ; Zhong-Qi YANG ; Jun-Hua ZHANG ; Bao-He WANG ; Si-Yuan HU ; Zu-Guang YE ; Ling HAN ; Yue-Hua ZHOU ; Zi-Feng YANG ; Rui GAO ; Ming YANG ; Ting WANG ; Jie-Lai XIA ; Shi-Shan YU ; Xiao-Hui FAN ; Hua HUA ; Jia HE ; Yin LU ; Zhong WANG ; Jin-Hui DOU ; Geng LI ; Yu DONG ; Hao YU ; Li-Ping QU ; Jian-Yuan TANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(12):3474-3482
Medical institutions, with their clinical practice foundation and abundant human use experience data, have become important carriers for the inheritance and innovation of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) and the "cradles" of the preparation of new TCM. To effectively promote the transformation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions and establish an effective evaluation index system for the transformation of new TCM conforming to the characteristics of TCM, consensus experts adopted the literature research, questionnaire survey, Delphi method, etc. By focusing on the policy and technical evaluation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions, a comprehensive evaluation from the dimensions of drug safety, efficacy, feasibility, and characteristic advantages was conducted, thus forming a comprehensive evaluation system with four primary indicators and 37 secondary indicators. The expert consensus reached aims to encourage medical institutions at all levels to continuously improve the high-quality research and development and transformation of new TCM originating from the TCM clinical practice in medical institutions and targeted at clinical needs, so as to provide a decision-making basis for the preparation, selection, cultivation, and transformation of new TCM for medical institutions, improve the development efficiency of new TCM, and precisely respond to the public medication needs.
Medicine, Chinese Traditional/standards*
;
Humans
;
Consensus
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*
;
Surveys and Questionnaires
8.Clinical characteristics and prognosis of acute erythroleukemia in children.
Ping ZHU ; Wen-Jing QI ; Ye-Qing TAO ; Ding-Ding CUI ; Guang-Yao SHENG ; Chun-Mei WANG
Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics 2025;27(1):88-93
OBJECTIVES:
To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of acute erythroleukemia (AEL) in children.
METHODS:
A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data, treatment, and prognosis of 8 children with AEL treated at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January 2013 to December 2023.
RESULTS:
Among the 7 patients with complete bone marrow morphological analysis, 4 exhibited trilineage dysplasia, with a 100% incidence of erythroid dysplasia (7/7), a 71% incidence of myeloid dysplasia (5/7), and a 57% incidence of megakaryocytic dysplasia (4/7). Immunophenotyping revealed that myeloid antigens were primarily expressed as CD13, CD33, CD117, CD38, and CD123, with 4 cases expressing erythroid antigens CD71 and 2 cases expressing CD235a. Chromosomal analysis indicated that 2 cases presented with abnormal karyotypes, including +8 in one case and +4 accompanied by +6 in another; no complex karyotypes were observed. Genetic abnormalities were detected in 4 cases, with fusion genes including one case each of dup MLL positive and EVI1 positive, as well as mutations involving KRAS, NRAS, WT1, and UBTF. Seven patients received chemotherapy, with 6 achieving remission after one course of treatment; 2 underwent hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and all had disease-free survival. Follow-up (median follow-up time of 6 months) showed that only 3 patients survived (2 cases after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and 1 case during treatment).
CONCLUSIONS
Children with AEL have unique clinical and biological characteristics, exhibit poor treatment response, and have a poor prognosis; however, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation may improve overall survival rates.
Humans
;
Male
;
Female
;
Prognosis
;
Child, Preschool
;
Retrospective Studies
;
Child
;
Leukemia, Erythroblastic, Acute/diagnosis*
;
Infant
;
Adolescent
9.Diagnosis of coronary artery lesions in children based on Z-score regression model.
Yong WANG ; Jia-Ying JIANG ; Yan DENG ; Bo LI ; Ping SHUAI ; Xiao-Ping HU ; Yin-Yan ZHANG ; Han WU ; Lu-Wei YE ; Qian PENG
Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics 2025;27(2):176-183
OBJECTIVES:
To construct a Z-score regression model for coronary artery diameter based on echocardiographic data from children in Sichuan Province and to establish a Z-score calculation formula.
METHODS:
A total of 744 healthy children who underwent physical examinations at Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital from January 2020 to December 2022 were selected as the modeling group, while 251 children diagnosed with Kawasaki disease at the same hospital from January 2018 to December 2022 were selected as the validation group. Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to analyze the relationships between coronary artery diameter values and age, height, weight, and body surface area. A regression model was constructed using function transformation to identify the optimal regression model and establish the Z-score calculation formula, which was then validated.
RESULTS:
The Pearson correlation analysis showed that the correlation coefficients for the diameters of the left main coronary artery, left anterior descending artery, left circumflex artery, and right coronary artery with body surface area were 0.815, 0.793, 0.704, and 0.802, respectively (P<0.05). Among the constructed regression models, the power function regression model demonstrated the best performance and was therefore chosen as the optimal model for establishing the Z-score calculation formula. Based on this Z-score calculation formula, the detection rate of coronary artery lesions was found to be 21.5% (54/251), which was higher than the detection rate based on absolute values of coronary artery diameter. Notably, in the left anterior descending and left circumflex arteries, the detection rate of coronary artery lesions using this Z-score calculation formula was higher than that of previous classic Z-score calculation formulas.
CONCLUSIONS
The Z-score calculation formula established based on the power function regression model has a higher detection rate for coronary artery lesions, providing a strong reference for clinicians, particularly in assessing coronary artery lesions in children with Kawasaki disease.
Humans
;
Male
;
Female
;
Child, Preschool
;
Child
;
Coronary Artery Disease/diagnostic imaging*
;
Infant
;
Mucocutaneous Lymph Node Syndrome
;
Regression Analysis
;
Coronary Vessels/diagnostic imaging*
;
Echocardiography
;
Adolescent
10.Lymph node metastasis in the prostatic anterior fat pad and prognosis after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy.
Zhou-Jie YE ; Yong SONG ; Jin-Peng SHAO ; Wen-Zheng CHEN ; Guo-Qiang YANG ; Qing-Shan DU ; Kan LIU ; Jie ZHU ; Bao-Jun WANG ; Jiang-Ping GAO ; Wei-Jun FU
National Journal of Andrology 2025;31(3):216-221
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate lymph node metastasis (LNM) in the prostatic anterior fat pad (PAFP) of PCa patients after robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP), and analyze the clinicopathological features and prognosis of LNM in the PAFP.
METHODS:
We retrospectively analyzed the clinicopathological data on 1 003 cases of PCa treated by RARP in the Department of Urology of PLA General Hospital from January 2017 to December 2022. All the patients underwent routine removal of the PAFP during RARP and pathological examination, with the results of all the specimens examined and reported by pathologists. Based on the presence and locations of LNM, we grouped the patients for statistical analysis, compared the clinicopathological features between different groups using the Student's t, Mann-Whitney U and Chi-square tests, and conducted survival analyses using the Kaplan-Meier and Log-rank methods and survival curves generated by Rstudio.
RESULTS:
Lymph nodes were detected in 77 (7.7%) of the 1 003 PAFP samples, and LNM in 11 (14.3%) of the 77 cases, with a positive rate of 1.1% (11/1 003). Of the 11 positive cases, 9 were found in the upgraded pathological N stage, and the other 2 complicated by pelvic LNM. The patients with postoperative pathological stage≥T3 constituted a significantly higher proportion in the PAFP LNM than in the non-PAFP LNM group (81.8% [9/11] vs 36.2% [359/992], P = 0.005), and so did the cases with Gleason score ≥8 (87.5% [7/8] vs 35.5% [279/786], P = 0.009). No statistically significant differences were observed in the clinicopathological features and biochemical recurrence-free survival between the patients with PAFP LNM only and those with pelvic LNM only.
CONCLUSION
The PAFP is a potential route to LNM, and patients with LNM in the PAFP are characterized by poor pathological features. There is no statistically significant difference in biochemical recurrence-free survival between the patients with PAFP LNM only and those with pelvic LNM only. Routine removal of the PAFP and independent pathological examination of the specimen during RARP is of great clinical significance.
Humans
;
Male
;
Prostatectomy/methods*
;
Robotic Surgical Procedures
;
Lymphatic Metastasis
;
Retrospective Studies
;
Prognosis
;
Prostatic Neoplasms/pathology*
;
Adipose Tissue/pathology*
;
Prostate/pathology*
;
Lymph Nodes/pathology*
;
Middle Aged
;
Aged

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