1.Efficacy of the dynamic changes of noninvasive indicators in evaluating clinical outcomes of metabolic associated fatty liver disease
Xiaowei AI ; Mengyang ZHANG ; Yameng SUN ; Hong YOU
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2026;42(1):167-171
Histopathological examination is currently the gold standard for the diagnosis of metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD); however, due to its invasiveness, high risks, and low feasibility, application of noninvasive indicators in the staging and classification of MAFLD has become a research hotspot. This article systematically reviews the efficacy of dynamic changes in various noninvasive markers in reflecting histological changes and clinical outcome events in MAFLD patients, in order to provide theoretical support for dynamic monitoring and individualized management of the disease.
2.Jujuboside A Improves Cognitive Function in Rat Model of VCI via PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway
Zixuan HUANG ; Shuo YANG ; Jiaqi ZHOU ; Gengchao ZHANG ; Qiuyun YOU ; Aihua TAN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(6):107-114
ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of jujuboside A (JuA) on the learning and memory abilities and histopathological changes in the rat model of vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) and explore the potential mechanisms by which JuA treats VCI. MethodsA total of 50 male SPF-grade SD rats were randomized into a sham operation group (n=10), a blank control group (n=10), and a modeling group (n=30). The rats in the modeling group underwent bilateral carotid artery ligation (2-VO) for the modeling of VCI. After stabilization, the VCI rats were randomized into model, JuA (20 mg·kg-¹), and donepezil (0.45 mg·kg-¹) groups. After 4 weeks of gavage, the novel object recognition and Morris water maze tests were conducted to evaluate the learning and memory abilities of rats. Nissl staining was employed to evaluate the morphology and number of hippocampal neurons. Real-time PCR was employed to measure the mRNA levels of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB), B cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), and protein kinase B (Akt) in the hippocampal tissue. Western blot was employed to quantify the protein levels of GSK-3β, p-GSK-3β, p-CREB, Bcl-2, PI3K, p-PI3K, Akt, and p-Akt in the hippocampal tissue. ResultCompared with the sham operation group, the model group exhibited declines in the learning and memory abilities (P<0.01), neuronal damage and decreased neurons in the hippocampal CA1 region (P<0.01), up-regulation in the mRNA level of GSK-3β (P<0.01), and down-regulation in the mRNA levels of PI3K, Akt, CREB, and Bcl-2, as well as the protein levels of p-PI3K, p-Akt, p-GSK-3β, p-CREB, and Bcl-2 (P<0.01). In comparison to the model group, both the JuA and donepezil groups demonstrated improvements in the learning and memory abilities (P<0.05, P<0.01), with reduced neuronal damage and increased neurons (P<0.05, P<0.01). In addition, the two groups showed down-regulation in the mRNA level of GSK-3β (P<0.01) and up-regulation in the mRNA levels of PI3K, Akt, CREB, and Bcl-2 and the protein levels of p-PI3K, p-Akt, p-GSK-3β, p-CREB, and Bcl-2 (P<0.05, P<0.01). There were no statistically significant differences between the blank control and sham operation groups in terms of the learning and memory abilities, neuron count, and mRNA and protein levels of PI3K/Akt/GSK-3β pathway-related factors. ConclusionJuA can ameliorate the cognitive impairment in the rat model of VCI by activating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, reducing the apoptosis of hippocampal neurons, and alleviating the hippocampal neuronal damage.
3.Zishen Tiaogan Prescription Treats Diminished Ovarian Reserve in Rats via Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 Signaling Pathway
Zhongtong LI ; Yaping ZHANG ; Chen YOU ; Qingqing LI ; Yingjie WANG ; Siwen OU ; Taomei XUE ; Chuqi ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(7):72-80
ObjectiveTo observe the effect of Zishen Tiaogan prescription on the oxidative stress injury in the rat model of diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) and explore the role of the Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1)/nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) signaling pathway. MethodsForty-eight female SD rats were randomly assigned into a normal group (n=12) and a modeling group (n=36). The rats in the modeling group received subcutaneous injection of galactose (350 mg·kg-1) combined with immobilization stress daily. After 28 days of modeling, 6 rats in the normal group and 6 rats in the modeling group were sacrificed to examine the modeling results. The successfully modeled rats were assigned into model, estradiol valerate (0.09 mg·kg-1), and low-, medium-, and high-dose (6.39, 12.78, 25.56 g·kg-1, respectively) Zishen Tiaogan prescription groups. The intervention lasted for 4 weeks with 6 animals per group. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe the estrous cycle and the pathological changes in the ovarian tissue. The ovarian index was calculated. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to measure the serum levels of sex hormones and oxidative stress-related indexes. Western blot and real-time PCR were employed to determine the protein and mRNA levels, respectively, of Nrf2, Keap1 and HO-1 in the ovarian tissue. The positive expression of superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) in the ovarian tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC). ResultsCompared with the normal group, the model group showed reduced follicles in the ovary, loose arrangement of the follicle granule layer, declined levels of anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) and estradiol (E2) in the serum, elevated levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) (P<0.01), lowered levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH) (P<0.01), and increased accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) (P<0.01). In addition, the modeling led to up-regulated protein and mRNA levels of Keap1 (P<0.01), the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 protein was significantly decreased (P<0.01), the mRNA expression of Nrf2 was significantly decreased (P<0.05), the mRNA expression of HO-1 was significantly decreased (P<0.01), in the ovarian tissue. Compared with model group, the estradiol valerate and low-, medium-, and high-dose Zishen Tiaogan prescription groups showed increases in the ovarian index (P<0.01) and serum E2 and AMH levels (P<0.01), declined levels of FSH and LH (P<0.01), increased follicles in the ovary, elevated levels of SOD, CAT, and GSH, and reduced accumulation of MDA (P<0.05, P<0.01). Furthermore, these groups showcased down-regulated protein and mRNA levels of Keap1 (P<0.01), the expression of Nrf2 protein was significantly increased (P<0.01), the expression level of HO-1 protein was increased (P<0.05,P<0.01), and increased positive expression of SOD2 (P<0.01). ConclusionZishen Tiaogan prescription can regulate the serum levels of hormones, down-regulate the expression of Keap1, up-regulate the expression of Nrf2, HO-1, and SOD2, enhance the antioxidant capacity, and reduce the peroxidation damage in the ovarian tissue to improve the ovarian reserve function in the rat model of DOR. High-dose Zishen Tiaogan prescription demonstrated the best effect and the mechanism is associated with the regulation of the Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.
4.Zishen Tiaogan Prescription Treats Diminished Ovarian Reserve in Rats via Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 Signaling Pathway
Zhongtong LI ; Yaping ZHANG ; Chen YOU ; Qingqing LI ; Yingjie WANG ; Siwen OU ; Taomei XUE ; Chuqi ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(7):72-80
ObjectiveTo observe the effect of Zishen Tiaogan prescription on the oxidative stress injury in the rat model of diminished ovarian reserve (DOR) and explore the role of the Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1)/nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) signaling pathway. MethodsForty-eight female SD rats were randomly assigned into a normal group (n=12) and a modeling group (n=36). The rats in the modeling group received subcutaneous injection of galactose (350 mg·kg-1) combined with immobilization stress daily. After 28 days of modeling, 6 rats in the normal group and 6 rats in the modeling group were sacrificed to examine the modeling results. The successfully modeled rats were assigned into model, estradiol valerate (0.09 mg·kg-1), and low-, medium-, and high-dose (6.39, 12.78, 25.56 g·kg-1, respectively) Zishen Tiaogan prescription groups. The intervention lasted for 4 weeks with 6 animals per group. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe the estrous cycle and the pathological changes in the ovarian tissue. The ovarian index was calculated. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to measure the serum levels of sex hormones and oxidative stress-related indexes. Western blot and real-time PCR were employed to determine the protein and mRNA levels, respectively, of Nrf2, Keap1 and HO-1 in the ovarian tissue. The positive expression of superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) in the ovarian tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC). ResultsCompared with the normal group, the model group showed reduced follicles in the ovary, loose arrangement of the follicle granule layer, declined levels of anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) and estradiol (E2) in the serum, elevated levels of luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) (P<0.01), lowered levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione (GSH) (P<0.01), and increased accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) (P<0.01). In addition, the modeling led to up-regulated protein and mRNA levels of Keap1 (P<0.01), the expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 protein was significantly decreased (P<0.01), the mRNA expression of Nrf2 was significantly decreased (P<0.05), the mRNA expression of HO-1 was significantly decreased (P<0.01), in the ovarian tissue. Compared with model group, the estradiol valerate and low-, medium-, and high-dose Zishen Tiaogan prescription groups showed increases in the ovarian index (P<0.01) and serum E2 and AMH levels (P<0.01), declined levels of FSH and LH (P<0.01), increased follicles in the ovary, elevated levels of SOD, CAT, and GSH, and reduced accumulation of MDA (P<0.05, P<0.01). Furthermore, these groups showcased down-regulated protein and mRNA levels of Keap1 (P<0.01), the expression of Nrf2 protein was significantly increased (P<0.01), the expression level of HO-1 protein was increased (P<0.05,P<0.01), and increased positive expression of SOD2 (P<0.01). ConclusionZishen Tiaogan prescription can regulate the serum levels of hormones, down-regulate the expression of Keap1, up-regulate the expression of Nrf2, HO-1, and SOD2, enhance the antioxidant capacity, and reduce the peroxidation damage in the ovarian tissue to improve the ovarian reserve function in the rat model of DOR. High-dose Zishen Tiaogan prescription demonstrated the best effect and the mechanism is associated with the regulation of the Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.
5.Macrophage efferocytosis:a new target for the treatment of obesity-related metabolic diseases
Fengying YANG ; Yuqing ZHAO ; Huijuan YOU ; Pengyi ZHANG ; Yan CHEN ; Qinglu WANG ; Yingying LIU
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(2):430-440
BACKGROUND:Dysfunction of macrophage efferocytosis can induce local and systemic inflammatory damage and is associated with a variety of obesity-related metabolic diseases.Moreover,compounds targeting efferocytosis have shown good therapeutic effects. OBJECTIVE:By reviewing the effects of obesity on macrophage efferocytosis,to analyze the key mechanism by which obesity inhibits efferocytosis,to summarize the research progress in compounds targeting efferocytosis to treat obesity-related metabolic diseases,so as to provide new ideas for fully understanding efferocytosis and its relationship with metabolic diseases,aiming to provide new strategies for disease prevention and treatment. METHODS:The English search terms were"efferocytosis,metabolism,obesity,obese,atherosclerosis,non-alcoholic steatohepatitis,neurodegeneration,tumor,osteoarthritis,diabetes,compound,medicine,treatment,"which were used for literature retrieval in PubMed and Web of Science.The Chinese search term was"efferocytosis,"which was used for literature retrieval in CNKI,VIP and WanFang datebases.Ninety-nine papers were finally included in the review analysis after a rigorous screening process. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:In the process of efferocytosis,the"Find me"and"Eat me"processes involving a large number of apoptotic cell derived factors are mainly regulated by apoptotic cells.The efferocytosis factor involved in cytoskeletal remodeling and digestion are mainly derived from macrophages,which are crucial for efferocytosis activity.These results suggest that the"Find me"and"Eat me"factors mainly reflect the condition of apoptosis,and it is more scientific to select the expression of factors involved in cytoskeletal remodeling and digestion when evaluating the efferocytosis activity of macrophages.Obesity inhibits efferocytosis,and shows an inhibitory effect on most digestive factors,but has a stress-induced activation effect on most"Find me,""Eat me"and cytoskeletal recombination factors,which further indicates the decisive effect of digestive stage on efferocytosis and suggests that it is not reliable for some studies to evaluate the efferocytosis based on the increased expression of"Find me"and"Eat me"factors.Targeting cytokines in the digestive phase may be more effective when discussing future intervention strategies targeting macrophages efferocytosis.The efferocytosis activators of macrophages are effective in the treatment of various metabolic diseases,but the efferocytosis inhibitors in tumor tissue show good anticancer effects,suggesting that the role of efferocytosis should be rationally evaluated according to the characteristics of tissue inflammation.Efferocytosis is a relatively new concept proposed in 2003,with a short research history and complex efferocytosis factors.Current studies on obesity and efferocytosis only involve a tip of the iceberg and most of them are at a superficial level and a large number of scientific experiments are needed to further validate the mechanisms.
6.Reporting quality and influencing factors of patient-reported outcomes in randomized controlled trials of lung cancer: Based on the CONSORT-PRO extension
Guiying ZHANG ; Yueyuan YOU ; Xiaoqin ZHOU ; Jing LI
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2025;32(03):322-331
Objective To evaluate the reporting quality and influencing factors of patient-reported outcome (PRO) data in randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of lung cancer. Methods RCTs of lung cancer with PRO as either primary or secondary endpoints were searched from PubMed, EMbase, Medline, CNKI, Wanfang Data, and VIP databases between January 1, 2010 and April 20, 2024. Reporting quality of included RCTs were assessed based on the CONSORT-PRO extension. Descriptive statistics and bivariate regression analysis were used to describe the reporting quality and analyze the factors influencing the reporting quality. Results A total of 740 articles were retrieved. After screening, 53 eligible RCTs of lung cancer with 22 780 patients were included. The patients were mainly with non-small cell lung cancer (84.91%), with the median sample size of the included studies was 364.0 (160.5, 599.5) patients. The primary PRO tool used was the EORTC QLQ-C30 (60.38%). There were 52 (98.11%) studies whose PRO measured the domain of "symptom management of cough, dyspnea, fatigue, pain, etc.", and 45 (84.91%) studies measured "health-related quality of life". Multicenter studies accounted for 84.91%, and randomized non-blind trials accounted for 62.26%. PRO was used as the primary endpoint in 33.96% of the studies and as secondary endpoints in 66.04%. The reliability and validity of the PRO tools were explicitly mentioned in 11.32% and 7.55% of the studies, respectively. The average completeness of reporting according to the CONSORT-PRO guidelines was 60.00%, ranging from 25.00% to 93.00%. The main factors affecting the completeness of CONSORT-PRO reporting included sample size and publication year. For every increment in sample size, the completeness of reporting increased by 27.5% (SE=0.00, t=2.040, P=0.046). Additionally, studies published after 2018 had a 67.2% higher completeness of reporting compared to those published in or before 2018 (SE=17.8, t=–3.273, P=0.006). Conclusion The study reveals that the overall reporting quality of PRO in lung cancer RCTs is poor. Particularly, the reporting of PRO measures reliability and validity, PRO assumptions, applicability, and handling of missing data need further improvement. Future research should emphasize comprehensive adherence to the CONSORT-PRO guidelines.
7.Geraniin attenuates isoproterenol-induced cardiac hypertrophy by inhibiting inflammation, oxidative stress and cellular apoptosis
Jiaqi DING ; Shenjie ZHANG ; Qi LI ; Boyu XIA ; Jingjing WU ; Xu LU ; Chao HUANG ; Xiaomei YUAN ; Qingsheng YOU
The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology 2025;29(3):307-319
Geraniin, a polyphenol derived from the fruit peel of Nephelium lappaceum L., has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties in the cardiovascular system. The present study explored whether geraniin could protect against an isoproterenol (ISO)-induced cardiac hypertrophy model. Mice in the ISO group received an intraperitoneal injection of ISO (5 mg/kg) once daily for 9 days, and the administration group were injected with ISO after 5 days of treatment with geraniin or spironolactone. Potential therapeutic effects and related mechanisms analysed by anatomical coefficients, histopathology, blood biochemical indices, reverse transcription-PCR and immunoblotting. Geraniin decreased the cardiac pathologic remodeling and myocardial fibrosis induced by ISO, as evidenced by the modifications to anatomical coefficients, as well as the reduction in collagen I/III á1mRNA and protein expression and cross-sectional area in hypertrophic cardiac tissue. In addition, geraniin treatment reduced ISO-induced increase in the mRNA and protein expression levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α, whereas ISO-induced IL-10 showed the opposite behaviour in hypertrophic cardiac tissue.Further analysis showed that geraniin partially reversed the ISO-induced increase in malondialdehyde and nitric oxide, and the ISO-induced decrease in glutathione, superoxide dismutase and glutathione. Furthermore, it suppressed the ISO-induced cellular apoptosis of hypertrophic cardiac tissue, as evidenced by the decrease in Bcell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2)-associated X/caspase-3/caspase-9 expression, increase in Bcl-2 expression, and decrease in TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling-positive cells.These findings suggest that geraniin can attenuate ISO-induced cardiac hypertrophy by inhibiting inflammation, oxidative stress and cellular apoptosis.
8.Analysis of Animal Model of Chronic Heart Failure Based on Combination of Diseases and Syndromes of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine
Xueyan ZHANG ; Kexin ZHANG ; You YU ; Huan ZHANG ; Yingzhu DUAN ; Rui YU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(12):239-247
Chronic heart failure (CHF) represents the terminal stage of cardiovascular diseases, and its prevalence remains high in China. In this study, existing animal models of CHF were retrieved and categorized. In combination with the characteristics of CHF from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine perspectives, the models were weighted, and their clinical consistency was evaluated. The advantages and disadvantages of the models were assessed. Among them, models with higher TCM clinical consistency included the doxorubicin-induced model, the isoproterenol-induced model, and the left anterior descending coronary artery ligation model, each with a TCM consistency rate of 90%. The animal model established by the left anterior descending coronary artery ligation showed a high degree of clinical consistency with Western medicine, with a consistency rate of 82%. Each model exhibited its own advantages and disadvantages, with a general lack of modeling methods combining diseases and syndromes of TCM and Western medicine. At present, the inducement factors used for animal models are relatively singular, mainly reflecting the etiology and pathogenesis of Western medicine, with insufficient correlation to the pathogenesis of TCM. The characteristics of TCM syndromes are not fully represented, and the consistency between TCM and Western medicine is generally not high. TCM has the advantage of a multi-dimensional syndrome differentiation and treatment approach. It is necessary to integrate the characteristics of diseases and syndromes of TCM and Western medicine, adopt multi-factor modeling methods to reflect the pathological process of CHF, improve existing models, and establish animal models of CHF that better align with the characteristics of clinical diseases and syndromes of TCM and Western medicine, so as to provide a reliable reference for clinical prevention and treatment.
9.Analysis of Animal Model of Chronic Heart Failure Based on Combination of Diseases and Syndromes of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western Medicine
Xueyan ZHANG ; Kexin ZHANG ; You YU ; Huan ZHANG ; Yingzhu DUAN ; Rui YU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(12):239-247
Chronic heart failure (CHF) represents the terminal stage of cardiovascular diseases, and its prevalence remains high in China. In this study, existing animal models of CHF were retrieved and categorized. In combination with the characteristics of CHF from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and Western medicine perspectives, the models were weighted, and their clinical consistency was evaluated. The advantages and disadvantages of the models were assessed. Among them, models with higher TCM clinical consistency included the doxorubicin-induced model, the isoproterenol-induced model, and the left anterior descending coronary artery ligation model, each with a TCM consistency rate of 90%. The animal model established by the left anterior descending coronary artery ligation showed a high degree of clinical consistency with Western medicine, with a consistency rate of 82%. Each model exhibited its own advantages and disadvantages, with a general lack of modeling methods combining diseases and syndromes of TCM and Western medicine. At present, the inducement factors used for animal models are relatively singular, mainly reflecting the etiology and pathogenesis of Western medicine, with insufficient correlation to the pathogenesis of TCM. The characteristics of TCM syndromes are not fully represented, and the consistency between TCM and Western medicine is generally not high. TCM has the advantage of a multi-dimensional syndrome differentiation and treatment approach. It is necessary to integrate the characteristics of diseases and syndromes of TCM and Western medicine, adopt multi-factor modeling methods to reflect the pathological process of CHF, improve existing models, and establish animal models of CHF that better align with the characteristics of clinical diseases and syndromes of TCM and Western medicine, so as to provide a reliable reference for clinical prevention and treatment.
10.Preparation and in vitro evaluation of platelet membrane biomimetic liposomes loaded with vincristine sulfate
Jing XIAO ; Xunyi YOU ; Along ZHANG ; Rui ZHONG ; Jiaxin LIU ; Ye CAO ; Hong WANG
Chinese Journal of Blood Transfusion 2025;38(5):652-659
Objective: To prepare platelet membrane biomimetic liposomes loaded with vincristine sulfate (VCR) for targeted delivery to tumor. Methods: Vincristine sulfate liposomes (LIPO) were prepared using the pH-gradient method, followed by the fusion of platelet membranes and subsequent drug loading to obtain platelet membrane biomimetic liposomes (PLM-LIPO). The particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), Zeta potential, and drug encapsulation efficiency (EE%) of both liposomes were characterized. The tumor-targeting capability was evaluated through in vitro cellular experiments and in vivo biodistribution studies. Results: The optimal preparation conditions for LIPO were determined as follows: DPPC-to-cholesterol molar ratio of 1∶1, internal aqueous phase of 0.3 M pH 4.0 citrate buffer, external aqueous phase of 1 M Na
HPO
solution, drug-to-lipid ratio of 1∶10, drug loading temperature of 60℃, and loading time of 10 minutes. The LIPO exhibited a mean particle size of (147.3±2.24) nm, PDI of 0.078±0.014, Zeta potential of (-3.54±0.75) mV, and EE% of 91.37±0.47. For PLM-LIPO, prepared via membrane fusion followed by drug loading, the mean particle size was (185.3±3.61) nm, PDI was 0.075±0.022, Zeta potential was (-18.91±1.54) mV, and EE% was 63.36±2.45. In the CD62P validation experiment, the fluorescence intensity of PLM-LIPO was five times higher than that of LIPO. In vitro cellular uptake experiments revealed that PLM-LIPO showed 1.3-fold and 1.2-fold higher uptake rates compared to LIPO at 6 h and 12 h, respectively. In vivo experiments demonstrated that 1h after administration, the accumulation of PLM-LIPO at tumor sites was 4-fold higher than that of LIPO and 6-7 times higher than that in healthy mice. Conclusion: The platelet membrane biomimetic liposomes loaded with vincristine sulfate were successfully developed. Both cellular uptake and tissue distribution studies confirmed the PLM-LIPO enhanced tumor-targeting capability.

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