1.Effect Analysis of Different Interventions to Improve Neuroinflammation in The Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease
Jiang-Hui SHAN ; Chao-Yang CHU ; Shi-Yu CHEN ; Zhi-Cheng LIN ; Yu-Yu ZHOU ; Tian-Yuan FANG ; Chu-Xia ZHANG ; Biao XIAO ; Kai XIE ; Qing-Juan WANG ; Zhi-Tao LIU ; Li-Ping LI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(2):310-333
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a central neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive cognitive decline and memory impairment in clinical. Currently, there are no effective treatments for AD. In recent years, a variety of therapeutic approaches from different perspectives have been explored to treat AD. Although the drug therapies targeted at the clearance of amyloid β-protein (Aβ) had made a breakthrough in clinical trials, there were associated with adverse events. Neuroinflammation plays a crucial role in the onset and progression of AD. Continuous neuroinflammatory was considered to be the third major pathological feature of AD, which could promote the formation of extracellular amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles. At the same time, these toxic substances could accelerate the development of neuroinflammation, form a vicious cycle, and exacerbate disease progression. Reducing neuroinflammation could break the feedback loop pattern between neuroinflammation, Aβ plaque deposition and Tau tangles, which might be an effective therapeutic strategy for treating AD. Traditional Chinese herbs such as Polygonum multiflorum and Curcuma were utilized in the treatment of AD due to their ability to mitigate neuroinflammation. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and indomethacin had been shown to reduce the level of inflammasomes in the body, and taking these drugs was associated with a low incidence of AD. Biosynthetic nanomaterials loaded with oxytocin were demonstrated to have the capability to anti-inflammatory and penetrate the blood-brain barrier effectively, and they played an anti-inflammatory role via sustained-releasing oxytocin in the brain. Transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells could reduce neuroinflammation and inhibit the activation of microglia. The secretion of mesenchymal stem cells could not only improve neuroinflammation, but also exert a multi-target comprehensive therapeutic effect, making it potentially more suitable for the treatment of AD. Enhancing the level of TREM2 in microglial cells using gene editing technologies, or application of TREM2 antibodies such as Ab-T1, hT2AB could improve microglial cell function and reduce the level of neuroinflammation, which might be a potential treatment for AD. Probiotic therapy, fecal flora transplantation, antibiotic therapy, and dietary intervention could reshape the composition of the gut microbiota and alleviate neuroinflammation through the gut-brain axis. However, the drugs of sodium oligomannose remain controversial. Both exercise intervention and electromagnetic intervention had the potential to attenuate neuroinflammation, thereby delaying AD process. This article focuses on the role of drug therapy, gene therapy, stem cell therapy, gut microbiota therapy, exercise intervention, and brain stimulation in improving neuroinflammation in recent years, aiming to provide a novel insight for the treatment of AD by intervening neuroinflammation in the future.
2.The Mechanisms of Quercetin in Improving Alzheimer’s Disease
Yu-Meng ZHANG ; Yu-Shan TIAN ; Jie LI ; Wen-Jun MU ; Chang-Feng YIN ; Huan CHEN ; Hong-Wei HOU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(2):334-347
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a prevalent neurodegenerative condition characterized by progressive cognitive decline and memory loss. As the incidence of AD continues to rise annually, researchers have shown keen interest in the active components found in natural plants and their neuroprotective effects against AD. Quercetin, a flavonol widely present in fruits and vegetables, has multiple biological effects including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant. Oxidative stress plays a central role in the pathogenesis of AD, and the antioxidant properties of quercetin are essential for its neuroprotective function. Quercetin can modulate multiple signaling pathways related to AD, such as Nrf2-ARE, JNK, p38 MAPK, PON2, PI3K/Akt, and PKC, all of which are closely related to oxidative stress. Furthermore, quercetin is capable of inhibiting the aggregation of β‑amyloid protein (Aβ) and the phosphorylation of tau protein, as well as the activity of β‑secretase 1 and acetylcholinesterase, thus slowing down the progression of the disease.The review also provides insights into the pharmacokinetic properties of quercetin, including its absorption, metabolism, and excretion, as well as its bioavailability challenges and clinical applications. To improve the bioavailability and enhance the targeting of quercetin, the potential of quercetin nanomedicine delivery systems in the treatment of AD is also discussed. In summary, the multifaceted mechanisms of quercetin against AD provide a new perspective for drug development. However, translating these findings into clinical practice requires overcoming current limitations and ongoing research. In this way, its therapeutic potential in the treatment of AD can be fully utilized.
3.Mechanism of Paeoniae Radix Rubra and Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata in Treatment of Acute-on-chronic Liver Failure Based on Bioinformation Analysis and Experimental Validation
Xiaoling TIAN ; Yu ZHANG ; Shan DU ; Mengsi WU ; Nianhua TAN ; Bin CHEN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(1):156-165
ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism of action of Paeoniae Radix Rubra and Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata (CSFZ) in the treatment of acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) through network pharmacology, molecular docking, and animal experiments. MethodsNetwork pharmacology was used to identify potential targets and related signaling pathways for the treatment of ACLF with CSFZ. Molecular docking was used to examine the binding activity of the core components with corresponding key targets. An ACLF rat model was established by subcutaneous and tail vein injections of bovine serum albumin combined with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) + D-galactosamine (D-GalN) intraperitoneal injection. A normal control group (NC), a model group, a CSFZ group (CSFZ, 5.85 g·kg-1), and a hepatocyte growth-promoting granule group (HGFG, 4.05 g·kg-1) were set up in this study. Pathological changes in rat liver tissue were observed using hematoxylin and eosin (HE) and Masson staining. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the expression levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), Caspase-3, and albumin (ALB). Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) and Western blot were used to measure the mRNA and protein expression levels of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (Akt), phosphorylated PI3K (p-PI3K), and phosphorylated Akt (p-Akt). ResultsNetwork pharmacology screening identified 49 active ingredients of CSFZ, 103 action targets, and 3 317 targets related to ACLF. Among these, 74 targets overlapped with CSFZ drug targets. Key nodes in the protein-protein interaction (PPI) network included Akt1, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), IL-6, Bcl-2, and Caspase-3. Gene Ontology (GO) functional analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis identified multiple signaling pathways, with the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway being the most frequent. Molecular docking showed that the core components of the drug exhibited good binding activity with the corresponding key targets. Animal experiments confirmed that CSFZ significantly improved liver tissue pathological damage in ACLF rats, reduced the release of inflammatory factors and liver cell apoptosis, and upregulated the expression levels of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. ConclusionThrough network pharmacology, molecular docking, and in vivo experiments, this study confirms the effect of CSFZ in reducing liver cell inflammatory damage and inhibiting liver cell apoptosis. The specific mechanism may be related to its involvement in regulating the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.
4.Structural and Spatial Analysis of The Recognition Relationship Between Influenza A Virus Neuraminidase Antigenic Epitopes and Antibodies
Zheng ZHU ; Zheng-Shan CHEN ; Guan-Ying ZHANG ; Ting FANG ; Pu FAN ; Lei BI ; Yue CUI ; Ze-Ya LI ; Chun-Yi SU ; Xiang-Yang CHI ; Chang-Ming YU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(4):957-969
ObjectiveThis study leverages structural data from antigen-antibody complexes of the influenza A virus neuraminidase (NA) protein to investigate the spatial recognition relationship between the antigenic epitopes and antibody paratopes. MethodsStructural data on NA protein antigen-antibody complexes were comprehensively collected from the SAbDab database, and processed to obtain the amino acid sequences and spatial distribution information on antigenic epitopes and corresponding antibody paratopes. Statistical analysis was conducted on the antibody sequences, frequency of use of genes, amino acid preferences, and the lengths of complementarity determining regions (CDR). Epitope hotspots for antibody binding were analyzed, and the spatial structural similarity of antibody paratopes was calculated and subjected to clustering, which allowed for a comprehensively exploration of the spatial recognition relationship between antigenic epitopes and antibodies. The specificity of antibodies targeting different antigenic epitope clusters was further validated through bio-layer interferometry (BLI) experiments. ResultsThe collected data revealed that the antigen-antibody complex structure data of influenza A virus NA protein in SAbDab database were mainly from H3N2, H7N9 and H1N1 subtypes. The hotspot regions of antigen epitopes were primarily located around the catalytic active site. The antibodies used for structural analysis were primarily derived from human and murine sources. Among murine antibodies, the most frequently used V-J gene combination was IGHV1-12*01/IGHJ2*01, while for human antibodies, the most common combination was IGHV1-69*01/IGHJ6*01. There were significant differences in the lengths and usage preferences of heavy chain CDR amino acids between antibodies that bind within the catalytic active site and those that bind to regions outside the catalytic active site. The results revealed that structurally similar antibodies could recognize the same epitopes, indicating a specific spatial recognition between antibody and antigen epitopes. Structural overlap in the binding regions was observed for antibodies with similar paratope structures, and the competitive binding of these antibodies to the epitope was confirmed through BLI experiments. ConclusionThe antigen epitopes of NA protein mainly ditributed around the catalytic active site and its surrounding loops. Spatial complementarity and electrostatic interactions play crucial roles in the recognition and binding of antibodies to antigenic epitopes in the catalytic region. There existed a spatial recognition relationship between antigens and antibodies that was independent of the uniqueness of antibody sequences, which means that antibodies with different sequences could potentially form similar local spatial structures and recognize the same epitopes.
5.Predictive Modeling of Symptomatic Intracranial Hemorrhage Following Endovascular Thrombectomy: Insights From the Nationwide TREAT-AIS Registry
Jia-Hung CHEN ; I-Chang SU ; Yueh-Hsun LU ; Yi-Chen HSIEH ; Chih-Hao CHEN ; Chun-Jen LIN ; Yu-Wei CHEN ; Kuan-Hung LIN ; Pi-Shan SUNG ; Chih-Wei TANG ; Hai-Jui CHU ; Chuan-Hsiu FU ; Chao-Liang CHOU ; Cheng-Yu WEI ; Shang-Yih YAN ; Po-Lin CHEN ; Hsu-Ling YEH ; Sheng-Feng SUNG ; Hon-Man LIU ; Ching-Huang LIN ; Meng LEE ; Sung-Chun TANG ; I-Hui LEE ; Lung CHAN ; Li-Ming LIEN ; Hung-Yi CHIOU ; Jiunn-Tay LEE ; Jiann-Shing JENG ;
Journal of Stroke 2025;27(1):85-94
Background:
and Purpose Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) following endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) is a severe complication associated with adverse functional outcomes and increased mortality rates. Currently, a reliable predictive model for sICH risk after EVT is lacking.
Methods:
This study used data from patients aged ≥20 years who underwent EVT for anterior circulation stroke from the nationwide Taiwan Registry of Endovascular Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke (TREAT-AIS). A predictive model including factors associated with an increased risk of sICH after EVT was developed to differentiate between patients with and without sICH. This model was compared existing predictive models using nationwide registry data to evaluate its relative performance.
Results:
Of the 2,507 identified patients, 158 developed sICH after EVT. Factors such as diastolic blood pressure, Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score, platelet count, glucose level, collateral score, and successful reperfusion were associated with the risk of sICH after EVT. The TREAT-AIS score demonstrated acceptable predictive accuracy (area under the curve [AUC]=0.694), with higher scores being associated with an increased risk of sICH (odds ratio=2.01 per score increase, 95% confidence interval=1.64–2.45, P<0.001). The discriminatory capacity of the score was similar in patients with symptom onset beyond 6 hours (AUC=0.705). Compared to existing models, the TREAT-AIS score consistently exhibited superior predictive accuracy, although this difference was marginal.
Conclusions
The TREAT-AIS score outperformed existing models, and demonstrated an acceptable discriminatory capacity for distinguishing patients according to sICH risk levels. However, the differences between models were only marginal. Further research incorporating periprocedural and postprocedural factors is required to improve the predictive accuracy.
6.Predictive Modeling of Symptomatic Intracranial Hemorrhage Following Endovascular Thrombectomy: Insights From the Nationwide TREAT-AIS Registry
Jia-Hung CHEN ; I-Chang SU ; Yueh-Hsun LU ; Yi-Chen HSIEH ; Chih-Hao CHEN ; Chun-Jen LIN ; Yu-Wei CHEN ; Kuan-Hung LIN ; Pi-Shan SUNG ; Chih-Wei TANG ; Hai-Jui CHU ; Chuan-Hsiu FU ; Chao-Liang CHOU ; Cheng-Yu WEI ; Shang-Yih YAN ; Po-Lin CHEN ; Hsu-Ling YEH ; Sheng-Feng SUNG ; Hon-Man LIU ; Ching-Huang LIN ; Meng LEE ; Sung-Chun TANG ; I-Hui LEE ; Lung CHAN ; Li-Ming LIEN ; Hung-Yi CHIOU ; Jiunn-Tay LEE ; Jiann-Shing JENG ;
Journal of Stroke 2025;27(1):85-94
Background:
and Purpose Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) following endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) is a severe complication associated with adverse functional outcomes and increased mortality rates. Currently, a reliable predictive model for sICH risk after EVT is lacking.
Methods:
This study used data from patients aged ≥20 years who underwent EVT for anterior circulation stroke from the nationwide Taiwan Registry of Endovascular Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke (TREAT-AIS). A predictive model including factors associated with an increased risk of sICH after EVT was developed to differentiate between patients with and without sICH. This model was compared existing predictive models using nationwide registry data to evaluate its relative performance.
Results:
Of the 2,507 identified patients, 158 developed sICH after EVT. Factors such as diastolic blood pressure, Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score, platelet count, glucose level, collateral score, and successful reperfusion were associated with the risk of sICH after EVT. The TREAT-AIS score demonstrated acceptable predictive accuracy (area under the curve [AUC]=0.694), with higher scores being associated with an increased risk of sICH (odds ratio=2.01 per score increase, 95% confidence interval=1.64–2.45, P<0.001). The discriminatory capacity of the score was similar in patients with symptom onset beyond 6 hours (AUC=0.705). Compared to existing models, the TREAT-AIS score consistently exhibited superior predictive accuracy, although this difference was marginal.
Conclusions
The TREAT-AIS score outperformed existing models, and demonstrated an acceptable discriminatory capacity for distinguishing patients according to sICH risk levels. However, the differences between models were only marginal. Further research incorporating periprocedural and postprocedural factors is required to improve the predictive accuracy.
7.Predictive Modeling of Symptomatic Intracranial Hemorrhage Following Endovascular Thrombectomy: Insights From the Nationwide TREAT-AIS Registry
Jia-Hung CHEN ; I-Chang SU ; Yueh-Hsun LU ; Yi-Chen HSIEH ; Chih-Hao CHEN ; Chun-Jen LIN ; Yu-Wei CHEN ; Kuan-Hung LIN ; Pi-Shan SUNG ; Chih-Wei TANG ; Hai-Jui CHU ; Chuan-Hsiu FU ; Chao-Liang CHOU ; Cheng-Yu WEI ; Shang-Yih YAN ; Po-Lin CHEN ; Hsu-Ling YEH ; Sheng-Feng SUNG ; Hon-Man LIU ; Ching-Huang LIN ; Meng LEE ; Sung-Chun TANG ; I-Hui LEE ; Lung CHAN ; Li-Ming LIEN ; Hung-Yi CHIOU ; Jiunn-Tay LEE ; Jiann-Shing JENG ;
Journal of Stroke 2025;27(1):85-94
Background:
and Purpose Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) following endovascular thrombectomy (EVT) is a severe complication associated with adverse functional outcomes and increased mortality rates. Currently, a reliable predictive model for sICH risk after EVT is lacking.
Methods:
This study used data from patients aged ≥20 years who underwent EVT for anterior circulation stroke from the nationwide Taiwan Registry of Endovascular Thrombectomy for Acute Ischemic Stroke (TREAT-AIS). A predictive model including factors associated with an increased risk of sICH after EVT was developed to differentiate between patients with and without sICH. This model was compared existing predictive models using nationwide registry data to evaluate its relative performance.
Results:
Of the 2,507 identified patients, 158 developed sICH after EVT. Factors such as diastolic blood pressure, Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score, platelet count, glucose level, collateral score, and successful reperfusion were associated with the risk of sICH after EVT. The TREAT-AIS score demonstrated acceptable predictive accuracy (area under the curve [AUC]=0.694), with higher scores being associated with an increased risk of sICH (odds ratio=2.01 per score increase, 95% confidence interval=1.64–2.45, P<0.001). The discriminatory capacity of the score was similar in patients with symptom onset beyond 6 hours (AUC=0.705). Compared to existing models, the TREAT-AIS score consistently exhibited superior predictive accuracy, although this difference was marginal.
Conclusions
The TREAT-AIS score outperformed existing models, and demonstrated an acceptable discriminatory capacity for distinguishing patients according to sICH risk levels. However, the differences between models were only marginal. Further research incorporating periprocedural and postprocedural factors is required to improve the predictive accuracy.
8.Systemic comparison of molecular characteristics in different skin fibroblast senescent models.
Xiaokai FANG ; Shan ZHANG ; Mingyang WU ; Yang LUO ; Xingyu CHEN ; Yuan ZHOU ; Yu ZHANG ; Xiaochun LIU ; Xu YAO
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(17):2180-2191
BACKGROUND:
Senescent human skin primary fibroblast (FB) models have been established for studying aging-related, proliferative, and inflammatory skin diseases. The aim of this study was to compare the transcriptome characteristics of human primary dermal FBs from children and the elderly with four senescence models.
METHODS:
Human skin primary FBs were obtained from healthy children (FB-C) and elderly donors (FB-E). Senescence models were generated by ultraviolet B irradiation (FB-UVB), D-galactose stimulation (FB-D-gal), atazanavir treatment (FB-ATV), and replication exhaustion induction (FB-P30). Flow cytometry, immunofluorescence staining, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, co-culturing with immune cells, and bulk RNA sequencing were used for systematic comparisons of the models.
RESULTS:
In comparison with FB-C, FB-E showed elevated expression of senescence-related genes related to the skin barrier and extracellular matrix, proinflammatory factors, chemokines, oxidative stress, and complement factors. In comparison with FB-E, FB-UVB and FB-ATV showed higher levels of senescence and expression of the genes related to the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP), and their shaped immune microenvironment highly facilitated the activation of downstream immune cells, including T cells, macrophages, and natural killer cells. FB-P30 was most similar to FB-E in terms of general transcriptome features, such as FB migration and proliferation, and aging-related characteristics. FB-D-gal showed the lowest expression levels of senescence-related genes. In comparisons with the single-cell RNA sequencing results, FB-E showed almost complete simulation of the transcriptional spectrum of FBs in elderly patients with atopic dermatitis, followed by FB-P30 and FB-UVB. FB-E and FB-P30 showed higher similarity with the FBs in keloids.
CONCLUSIONS
Each senescent FB model exhibited different characteristics. In addition to showing upregulated expression of natural senescence features, FB-UVB and FB-ATV showed high expression levels of senescence-related genes, including those involved in the SASP, and FB-P30 showed the greatest similarity with FB-E. However, D-galactose-stimulated FBs did not clearly present aging characteristics.
Humans
;
Fibroblasts/drug effects*
;
Cellular Senescence/physiology*
;
Skin/metabolism*
;
Child
;
Transcriptome/genetics*
;
Aged
;
Ultraviolet Rays
;
Cells, Cultured
;
Galactose/pharmacology*
9.Association of NLRP3 genetic variant rs10754555 with early-onset coronary artery disease.
Lingfeng ZHA ; Chengqi XU ; Mengqi WANG ; Shaofang NIE ; Miao YU ; Jiangtao DONG ; Qianwen CHEN ; Tian XIE ; Meilin LIU ; Fen YANG ; Zhengfeng ZHU ; Xin TU ; Qing K WANG ; Zhilei SHAN ; Xiang CHENG
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(21):2844-2846
10.Research progress in mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine polysaccharides in prevention and treatment of alcoholic liver disease.
Yu-Fan CHEN ; He JIANG ; Qing MA ; Qi-Han LUO ; Shuo HUANG ; Jiang QIU ; Fu-Zhe CHEN ; Zi-Yi SHAN ; Ping QIU
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(2):356-362
Alcoholic liver disease(ALD), a major cause of chronic liver disease worldwide, poses a serious threat to human health. Despite the availability of various drugs for treating ALD, their efficacy is often uncertain, necessitating the search for new therapeutic approaches. Traditional Chinese medicine polysaccharides have garnered increasing attention in recent years due to their versatility, high efficiency, and low side effects, and they have demonstrated significant potential in preventing and treating ALD. Emerging studies have suggested that these polysaccharides exert their therapeutic effects through multiple mechanisms, including the inhibition of oxidative stress and the regulation of lipid metabolism, gut microbiota, and programmed cell death. This review summarizes the recent research progress in the pharmacological effects and regulatory mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine polysaccharides in treating ALD, aiming to provide a scientific basis and theoretical support for their application in the prevention and treatment of ALD.
Humans
;
Liver Diseases, Alcoholic/metabolism*
;
Polysaccharides/administration & dosage*
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage*
;
Animals
;
Oxidative Stress/drug effects*
;
Medicine, Chinese Traditional
;
Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects*
;
Lipid Metabolism/drug effects*

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail