1.Polygonatum Sibiricum Polysaccharides Improve Colonic Injury in a Mouse Model of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease by Regulating Bile Acid Metabolism in the Colon
Wanrong LI ; Mengting TAO ; Yuanfeng ZOU ; Dan HE ; Nengyuan TANG ; Xin TAN ; Lixia LI ; Dandan CHEN
Journal of Sun Yat-sen University(Medical Sciences) 2025;46(3):431-443
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect and mechanism of Polygonatum neutral polysaccharides from sibiricum (PSP-NP) on colon injury in mice with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). MethodsMale C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a control group, a COPD model group, and a PSP-NP group. The COPD model was established using smoke exposure combined with intranasal LPS administration. The PSP-NP group was simultaneously treated daily with 200 mg/kg of PSP-NP via intragastric gavage, while the other groups received an equal volume of saline. HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes in the colon. ELISA was employed to detect the levels of LPS in serum and the expressions of ZO-1, Occludin, IL-6, and TNF-α in colon tissue. UPLC-MS was used to detect the types and contents of bile acids in colonic content, and to screen for differential bile acids. Differential microbial flora were identified using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, and correlation analysis was conducted with differential bile acids. PSP-NP was combined with the differential bile acids cholic acid (CA), and deoxycholic acid (DCA) in vitro to analyze the binding capacity of PSP-NP for CA and DCA. PSP-NP was applied to NCM460 normal colonic epithelial cells cultured in CA and DCA. Cell migration ability was assessed using the scratch assay, and the mRNA expression levels of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-6, and NF-κB were measured by RT-qPCR. ResultsPSP-NP effectively improved colonic damage in COPD model mice, enhanced mechanical barrier function, alleviated inflammatory response, and regulated abnormal changes in colonic flora and bile acid metabolism. Correlation analysis further revealed that PSP-NP regulated colonic bile acid metabolism and reduced the redundancy of secondary bile acids by increasing the relative abundance of Bacteroidota, Verrucomicrobiota, Bacteroides, and Akkermansia, while decreasing the relative abundance of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. Notably, in vitro binding assays demonstrated that PSP-NP bound to differential bile acids DCA and CA, with the strongest binding capacity for DCA at 58.2%. In cellular functional studies, DCA inhibited the migration ability of colonic epithelial cells NCM460 and significantly increased the relative mRNA expression levels of inflammatory factors TNF-α, IL-6, and NF-κB. Importantly, co-treatment with PSP-NP significantly ameliorated the impact of DCA on NCM460 cells. ConclusionsPSP-NP may significantly improve colonic damage in COPD model mice. The mechanism may involve the regulation of colonic bile acid metabolism and bile acid profiles through both microbial modulation and direct binding, thereby reducing the damage caused by secondary bile acids such as DCA to colonic epithelial cells.
2.Houshihei San Repairs Skeletal Muscle Injury After Ischaemic Stroke by Regulating Ferroptosis Pathway
Hu QI ; Dan TIAN ; Xiongwei ZHANG ; Zeyang ZHANG ; Yuanlin GAO ; Yanning JIANG ; Xinran MIN ; Jiamin ZOU ; Jiuseng ZENG ; Nan ZENG ; Ruocong YANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(20):1-11
ObjectiveTo investigate the pharmacodynamic effects of Houshihei San (HSHS) recorded with the effects of treating wind and limb heaviness on muscle tissue injury after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in rats through the ferroptosis pathway. MethodsThirty SD male rats were selected and randomly grouped as follows: sham, MCAO, deferoxamine mesylate, high-dose HSHS (HSHS-H, 0.54 g·kg-1), and low-dose HSHS (HSHS-L, 0.27 g·kg-1), with 6 rats in each group. A laser scattering system was used to evaluate the stability of the MCAO model, and rats were administrated with corresponding agents by gavage for 7 days. During the administration period, behavioral, imaging and other methods were used to systematically evaluate the skeletal muscle tissue injury after MCAO and the therapeutic effect in each administration group. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was employed to evaluate the cross-section of muscle cells. Subsequently, immunohistochemistry was used to detect tumor suppressor p53 and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) in the soleus tissue. Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of p53, GPX4, myogenic differentiation 1 (MyoD1), nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), Myostatin, solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11), muscle ring-finger protein-1 (MuRF1), and muscle atrophy F-box protein (MAFbx) to verify the therapeutic effect in each group. ResultsCompared with the MCAO group, HSHS enhanced the locomotor ability and promoted muscle regeneration, which suggested that the pharmacological effects of HSHS were related to the inhibition of muscle tissue ferroptosis to reduce the expression of muscle atrophy factors. Behavioral and imaging results suggested that compared with the MCAO group, HSHS ameliorated neurological impairments in rats on day 7 (P<0.01), enhanced 5-min locomotor distance and postural control (P<0.01), strengthened grasping power and promoted muscle growth (P<0.01), stabilized skeletal muscle length and weight (P<0.01), and increased the cross-section of muscle cells (P<0.01). Compared with the MCAO group, HSHS promoted the increases in glutathione and superoxide dismutase content and inhibited the increase in malondialdehyde content (P<0.05,P<0.01). Ferroptosis pathway-related assays suggested that HSHS reduced the p53-positive cells and increased the GPX4-positive cells (P<0.01). HSHS ameliorated muscle function decline after stroke by promoting the expression of GPX4, Nrf2, SLC7A11, and MyoD1 and inhibiting the expression of p53, Myostatin, MurRF1, and MAFbx to reduce ferroptosis in the muscle (P<0.01). ConclusionHSHS, prepared with reference to the method in the Synopsis of Golden Chamber, can simultaneously reduce the myolysis and increase the protein synthesis in the skeletal muscle tissue after ischemic stroke by regulating the ferroptosis pathway.
4.Visualization analysis on research hotspots and trends of Yupingfeng Powder from 2000 to 2023
Ying ZOU ; Nijina LI ; Suhui TAN ; Yuting HUANG ; Dan ZHANG ; Hao ZHANG
International Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;47(1):96-101
Objective:To analyze the research hotspots and trends of Yupingfeng Powder from 2000 to 2023; To provide reference for related research.Methods:The research literature related to Yupingfeng Powder was retrieved from CNKI, VIP, Wanfang Data and SinoMed from January 1, 2000 to December 20, 2023. Excel 2022 software was used to analyze the annual number of publications. CiteSpace 6.1.R6 software was used for visualization analysis on the authors, research institutions and key words.Results:A total of 2 522 articles were included, and the number of published articles showed a fluctuating growth trend in recent years. The journal with the largest number of articles was New Chinese Medicine (55 articles). The authors with the most publications were Hong Min from Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine (9 articles) and Zhang Zhonglin from Chengdu Medical College (9 articles). Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine (13 articles) had the largest number of publications. High-frequency keywords included allergic rhinitis, children, urticaria, recurrent respiratory tract infection, etc. The clustering analysis generated 11 labels. Conclusions:The research hotspots of Yupingfeng Powder focus on clinical application, integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine therapy, syndrome type research and pharmacological research. Predicting potential drug targets with the help of network pharmacology and molecular docking technology and exploring its mechanism are the research trends in this field.
5.Visualization analysis on research hotspots and trends of Banxia Houpu Decoction based on CiteSpace
Nijina LI ; Ying ZOU ; Hao ZHANG ; Yamin LI ; Dan ZHANG
International Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;47(8):1141-1146
Objective:To analyze the research status, hotspots, and trends of Banxia Houpu Decoction.Methods:Research literature about Banxia Houpu Decoction was retrieved from the CNKI, VIP, Wanfang Data, and SinoMed from January 1, 2000 to June 30, 2024. NoteExpress 3.6.0.9220 software was used to merge and eliminate duplicates, and CiteSpace 6.1.R6 software was used to draw and interpret the annual publication volume, authors, and keywords.Results:A total of 716 articles were included in this study, and the number of articles increased first and then decreased in recent years. The journal with the most published articles was Journal of Practical Traditional Chinese Medicine (23 articles); the author with the largest number of articles was Kong Lingdong from Nanjing University (7 articles); high-frequency keywords included "globus hystericus", "cough" and "chronic pharyngitis". A total of 11 labels were generated by clustering analysis, which could be summarized into two topics: clinical application (chronic pharyngitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, aspiration pneumonia, depression, etc.) and literature type (clinical observation, experimental research). Conclusions:The research hotspots of Banxia Houpu Decoction are focused on clinical application and compatibility research. Using network pharmacology to predict potential drug targets and explore their mechanisms, conducting experimental research to explore pharmacological effects and clinical applications for treating diseases is a research trend in this field.
6.Inhibitory effect of β-elemonic acid on proliferation and invasion of colon cancer cell lines
Ting SUN ; Teng ZOU ; Yisong YANG ; Shuangping LIU ; Xin REN ; Dan WANG
Basic & Clinical Medicine 2025;45(6):748-754
Objective To investigate the inhibitory effect of β-elemonic acid(β-EA)on the proliferation and inva-sion of colon cancer cells and the underlying mechanisms through PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.Methods The effects of β-EA on colon cancer cell proliferation were evaluated using the MTT assay and colony formation as-say.Transwell invasion assay were used to assess the impact of β-EA on invasion.Western blot analysis was con-ducted to detect changes in PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway proteins after treatment.Results MTT assay showed thatβ-EA effectively inhibited the proliferation of colon cancer HCT8 and HCT116 cells in a dose-dependent manner.The colony formation assay confirmed its inhibitory effect on cell proliferation.Transwell invasion assays demonstra-ted that β-elemonic acid reduced the invasion abilities of the cells.Western blot analysis revealed increased expression of apoptosis-related proteins cleaved-caspase 3,cleaved-caspase 9,and Bax,while Bcl-2 expression was decreased.Invasion-related proteins vimentin,snail,MMP2,and MMP9 were downregulated after treatment.Addi-tionally,β-EAA reduced the levels of p-PI3K,p-Akt,and p-mTOR,and these reductions were more pronounced af-ter the addition of the PI3K inhibitor LY294002.Conclusions β-EA may inhibit proliferation and invasion in colon cancer cell lines HCT8 and HCT116 through PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway,and potentially be transformed as a novel therapeutic agent for colon cancer.
7.Analysis of current status and related factors of breakfast among primary and secondary school students in Zhejiang Province
ZHAO Dong, SU Danting, ZOU Yan, HUANG Lichun, HE Mengjie, HAN Dan, GU Wei, ZHANG Ronghua
Chinese Journal of School Health 2024;45(9):1260-1263
Objective:
To understand current status and related factors of breakfast among primary and secondary school students in Zhejiang Province, so as to provide a scientific basis for improving breakfast habits of primary and secondary school students.
Methods:
During May to November of 2023, 33 326 students from grade four to six of primary schools and grade one to two of secondary schools were selected from 90 counties and cities in Zhejiang Province by using the stratified cluster random sampling method. General information and breakfast consumption were collected by questionnaire. Multivariate Logistic regression was used to analyze the related factors of breakfast.
Results:
About 81.29% of the primary and secondary school students reported regular breakfast consumption. The rate of regular breakfast consumption was higher on the school days (92.23%) than on the weekends (85.17%), and higher in primary school students (85.83%) compared to secondary school students (74.71%), with statistically significant differences ( χ 2=827.42, 655.03, P <0.01). About 49.19% of primary and secondary school students had their breakfast within 10 minutes or less, and 83.30% of primary and secondary school students had 3-5 food groups for breakfast. The proportions of students who consumed cereals and potatoes, milk, and eggs were respectively 18.76%, 28.85%, 14.63%. About 22.84%, 28.00 %, 32.60% and 32.23% of the students had no meat, soybeans, vegetables and fruits in their breakfast. The results of multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that girls, rural area, secondary school, place of living (dormitory, others), migrant parent (one or both outside the hometown), late bedtime (22:00-22:59, 23:00 and later) and late wake up time (9:00 and later) on the weekends were positively correlated with no having breakfast every day ( OR=1.22, 1.40, 1.46, 1.20, 1.20, 1.34, 1.36, 1.41 , 3.51, 2.32, P <0.05). The time of physical activity per day (30-<60, 60-<90, 90-120, >120 min), bedtime (21:00-21:59, 22:00-22:59) and wake up time (6:00-6:59, 7:00-7:59) on school days were negatively correlated with no having breakfast every day ( OR=0.75, 0.64, 0.67, 0.64, 0.77, 0.82, 0.75, 0.67, P <0.05).
Conclusions
There is a considerable number of primary and secondary school students with irregular breakfast consumption, which are related to multiple factors. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen nutrition education and improve the behavior of breakfast for primary and secondary school students.
8.Clinical trial of rituximab and leflunomide in the treatment of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus
Jia-Hui GUO ; Jun-Jie ZOU ; Yang-Yang WANG ; Jin-Long ZHANG ; Dan-Dan PANG ; Xiao-Yan XU
The Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2024;40(11):1547-1550
Objective To observe the clinical efficacy and safety of rituximab injection combined with leflunomide tablets in the treatment of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE).Methods The SLE patients were divided into control and treatment groups according to cohort method.The control group received leflunomide with 50 mg·d-1 after meal in the first 3 days of treatment and was adjusted to 20 mg·d-1 thereafter.On the basis of control group,the treatment group was combined with rituximab,375 mg·m-2 was given intravenously every 2 weeks in the first 3 times of treatment,and adjusted to once every 4 weeks from the 4th dose.Two groups were treated for 24 weeks.The clinical efficacy,systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index(SLEDAI)scores,serological indicators,24-hour urinary protein and adverse drug reactions were compared between two groups.Results The treatment and control groups were enrolled 74 cases and 72 cases,respectively.After treatment,the total effective rates of treatment and control groups were 91.89%(68 cases/74 cases)and 79.17%(57 cases/72 cases)with significant difference(P<0.05).After treatment,the SLEDAI scores of treatment and control groups were(7.21±1.67)and(9.03±1.35)points;the levels of anti-Smith/ribonucleoprotein antibodies were(81.43±18.25)and(59.38±14.61)U·mL-1;the levels of immunoglobulin G were(12.04±2.15)and(17.28±2.64)g·L-1;the levels of interleukin-10 were(33.39±7.13)and(39.87±9.02)pg·mL-1;24-hour urinary protein quantification were(1.46±0.32)and(2.67±0.54)g·24 h-1;all the differences were statistically significant(all P<0.05).The drug adverse reactions of two groups were liver and kidney function injury and digestive tract reactions.The total incidences of drug adverse reactions in the treatment and control groups were 13.51%and 5.56%without significant difference(P>0.05).Conclusion Rituximab injection combined with leflunomide tablets has a definitive clinical efficacy in the treatment of SLE patients,which can significantly reduce disease activity and inflammatory reactions,improve immune function,without increasing the incidence of drug adverse reactions.
9.Regulation of miR-142-5p targeting PLEKHA3 by curcumin and its effects on proliferation,migration and apoptosis of adrenocortical carcinoma cells
The Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2024;40(14):2043-2047
Objective To investigate the effect of curcumin regulating miR-142-5p targeting pleckstrin homology domain containing family A member 3(PLEKHA3)on proliferation,migration and apoptosis of adrenocortical carcinoma cells.Methods Adrenal cortical cancer cells were divided into NC group(normal culture),NC+60 μmol·L-1 curcumin(60 μmol·L-1 curcumin),NC+60 μmol·L-1curcumin+miR-142-5p group(60 μmol·L-1 curcumin and transfected with miR-142-5p mimic),NC+60 μmol·L-1 curcumin+miR-142-5p+PLEKHA3 group(60 μmol·L-1 curcumin and transfected with miR-142-5p mimic+PLEKHA3).Cell proliferation and migration abilities were detected by cell counting kit-8(CCK-8)and Transwell assays.Expression levels of apoptosis-related proteins were detected by Western blotting.At the animal level,a nude mouse model of human adrenal cortical tumor SW-13 cell transplantation was established and divided into control group and 15,30,45,60 μmol·L-1curcumin groups to verify the anti-adrenal cortical carcinoma effect of curcumin in vivo.Results The cell migration numbers in NC group,NC+60 μmol·L-1 curcumin group,NC+60 μmol·L-1+miR-142-5p group and NC+60 μmol·L-1+miR-142-5p+PLEKHA3 group were 135.76±17.42,37.11±10.08,98.31±14.88 and 24.39±5.28;the apoptosis rates were(3.27±0.11)%,(68.80±4.64)%,(25.47±2.39)%and(78.29±5.47)%;the protein expression levels of B-cell lymphoma 2(Bel-2)were 1.00±0.13,0.59±0.11,0.97±0.09 and 0.31±0.06;the protein expression levels of Bel-2 associated X protein were 1.00±0.08,1.38±0.11,0.69±0.05 and 1.93±0.18;there were statistically significant differences between NC group and NC+60 μmol·L-1 group(P<0.05,P<0.01).At the animal level,the volumes of the xenograft tumors in control group and 15,30,45 and 60 μmol·L-1 curcumin groups were(1 653.02±435.93),(1 148.77±327.18),(1 054.21±286.06),(996.89±257.62)and(670.64±157.32)mm3;the weights of the xenograft tumors were(1.00±0.17),(0.82±0.09),(0.76±0.12),(0.68±0.13)and(0.44±0.11)g,there were statistically significant differences between 15,30,45 and 60 μmol·L-1curcumin groups and control group(P<0.05,P<0.01).Conclusion Curcumin exerts anti-adrenal cortical cancer effects both in vitro and in vivo,may inhibit the proliferation and migration of adrenal cortical cancer cells and promote their apoptosis by regulating the miR-142-5p/PLEKHA3 signaling pathway.This provides a new potential target for the treatment of adrenal cortical cancer.
10.Epidemiological characteristics of recovered COVID-19 cases with re-positive nucleic acid in Pudong New Area of Shanghai from May to June 2022
Dan LIU ; Zou CHEN ; Mengjue HU ; Chuchu YE ; Yanxin XIE
Shanghai Journal of Preventive Medicine 2024;36(9):842-845
ObjectiveTo understand the epidemiological characteristics of recovered COVID-19 cases with re-positive nucleic acid in Pudong New Area of Shanghai, and to provide a reference for the prevention and control of COVID-19. MethodsA three-month health follow-up and nucleic acid testing were conducted on 339 COVID-19 cases cured and discharged between May 20 and June 20, 2022, in Pudong New Area, Shanghai, to analyze their epidemiological characteristics. ResultsAmong the 339 follow-up cases, 75 cases experienced re-positive nucleic acid results, with a recurrence rate of 22.12%. Factors such as gender, age group, occupation, presence of heart disease, hypertension, and full vaccination status had no effect on the re-positive results. Being diagnosed as a confirmed case during the first presence of infection, having diabetes, and a hospitalization period of ≤7 days were related factors for recurrence. The median interval between discharge and re-positive nucleic acid results was 26 days. The close contacts of the re-positive cases did not contract COVID-19 after the isolation and observation period. ConclusionThere is a possibility of re-positive nucleic acid results after COVID-19 recovery and discharge. Cases initially diagnosed as confirmed cases and those with a hospitalization period of no more than 7 days have a high rate of re-positivity. No secondary transmission is observed from the re-positive cases.


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