1.Intervention Mechanism of Guizhi Fulingwan in Delaying Colitis-associated Colon Cancer via Modulating and Restoring MDSCs and Reshaping Immune Microenvironment
Yanwei HAO ; Chunrun LI ; Zhengwu QU ; Junmei TANG ; Jing GUO ; Yi ZHANG ; Fengming YOU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(14):185-194
ObjectiveThis paper aims to investigate the efficacy and related actions of Guizhi Fulingwan in intervening in the mice with colitis-associated colon cancer (CAC) based on the immunosuppressive microenvironment associated with myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). MethodsSixty male C57BL/6 mice were randomly assigned to a blank group, a model group, an aspirin group (0.04 g·kg-1), and low-, medium-, and high-dose Guizhi Fulingwan groups (4.87, 9.75, and 19.50 g·kg-1), with ten mice per group. The CAC mouse model was established via combined induction of azoxymethane (AOM)/dextran sulphate sodium (DSS). Drug intervention commenced in week five, with continuous intragastric administration for nine weeks. The food intake, body weight, fecal characteristics, and haematochezia were observed and recorded, and disease activity index (DAI) scores were calculated according to scoring criteria. Hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining was used to observe the histopathological changes in the colon tissues of the mice. Immunohistochemistry was used to determine proliferating cell nuclear antigen-67 (Ki67) expression in the colon tissues, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the contents of interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the serum of the mice. Flow cytometry was employed to determine the proportion levels of MDSCs, CD4+ T cells, and CD8+ T cells in the spleen tissues of the mice. The mRNA expressions of MDSC-associated effector molecules, including arginase 1 (Arg1) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), were detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR). After that, an in vitro co-culture model of MDSCs and CD8+ T cells was established, and drug-containing serum of Guizhi Fulingwan was used for intervention. The Flow cytometry was employed to assess the effects of drug-containing serum of Guizhi Fulingwan with different concentrations on the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and iNOS in MDSCs and the proliferation of CD8+ T cells. The levels of granzyme B (GZMB) and interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in cell supernatant were detected by ELISA. ResultsCompared with those in the control group, the mice in the model group exhibited significantly reduced body weight, elevated DAI scores, shortened colon length (P<0.01), increased number of tumors and Ki67 expression (P<0.01), and significantly elevated contents of IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α in the serum (P<0.01). Significant increases in the number of MDSCs were observed in mouse spleens, alongside marked reductions in the levels of CD4+ T and CD8+ T cells (P<0.01). Furthermore, the mRNA expressions of MDSC function-associated effector molecules Arg1 and iNOS were significantly upregulated (P<0.01). Compared with those in the model group, the mice in the middle-dose Guizhi Fulingwan group exhibited increased body weight and significantly decreased DAI scores (P<0.05, P<0.01). The mice in the middle- and high-dose Guizhi Fulingwan groups exhibited significantly improved colon shortening, significantly decreased number of tumors and Ki67 expression (P<0.05, P<0.01), and significantly decreased contents of IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α in the serum (P<0.05, P<0.01). Furthermore, administration of Guizhi Fulingwan markedly reduced MDSC infiltration in the spleen of the mice, with different degrees of increase in the levels of both CD4+ T and CD8+ T cells (P<0.05, P<0.01), alongside significant decreases in the mRNA expressions of Arg1 and iNOS (P<0.05, P<0.01). In vitro cell co-culture shows that administration of drug-containing serum of Guizhi Fulingwan significantly decreases the activity levels of ROS and iNOS in MDSCs and promotes the proliferation of CD8+ T cells and the secretion of GZMB and IFN-γ (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionGuizhi Fulingwan can reduce pro-inflammatory cytokine secretion and inhibit tumor proliferation in the colon tissues of CAC mice. Its potential mechanism may involve reducing MDSC infiltration, enhancing effector T cells, particularly CD8+ T cell response, and improving the tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment.
2.Analysis and Prospects of the Rapid Antidepressant Mechanism of Nasal Administration Based on the Theory of Opening Orifices with Aromatic Medicinals
You LI ; Haiyu ZHANG ; Xiaowen ZHANG ; Xunjia ZHANG ; Aoxuan ZHANG ; Hao ZHANG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(18):2020-2026
Addressing the current clinical problems of conventional antidepressants, such as delayed onset of action and prominent adverse reactions, this paper explores the theoretical basis, mechanism of action, and application prospects of nasal administration as a novel rapid antidepressant strategy. By clarifying the conceptual connotation of rapid antidepressants, elucidating their clinical demands and application advantages, and explaining the physiological basis of nasal-to-brain delivery, it is proposed that the olfactory and trigeminal nerve pathways can bypass the blood-brain barrier to achieve rapid targeted delivery of drugs to brain tissue. On this basis, combined with the theory of opening orifices with aromatic medicinals in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) as well as related research in modern aromatherapy, the ancient and modern clinical evidence of nasal administration in regulating emotions was systematically reviewed. Furthermore, this article discusses the application advantages of nasal administration in special populations such as the elderly, children, and pregnant women, and analyzes the practical bottlenecks such as mucosal clearance, limited formulation volume, and safety evaluation. Nasal administration is expected to become an important supplementary means for rapid antidepressants, and the integrated model of "TCM aromatic medicinals plus nanopreparations plus nasal administration" can provide new ideas for research on the integration of TCM and western medicine in treating depression.
3.Prognostic value and immunomodulatory role of DNAJC5B in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Junxi HU ; Qingwen LIU ; Jiaqi HOU ; Jie YOU ; Shuyu TIAN ; Hao KONG ; Xiaolin WANG ; Yusheng SHU
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2026;33(10):1634-1639
Objective To explore the role of DNAJC5B in immunotherapy for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Methods Using the ESCC dataset from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, genes correlated with DNAJC5B expression were identified through Pearson correlation analysis. Subsequently, Gene Ontology (GO) functional enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were performed. Additionally, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data were utilized to analyze the expression of DNAJC5B in different T-cell subsets. The prognostic value of DNAJC5B was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier survival curves, receiver operating characteristic curves, and Cox proportional hazards models. Results DNAJC5B was highly expressed in patients with advanced-stage ESCC, particularly in males. GO and KEGG analyses revealed a significant correlation between DNAJC5B expression and immune-related processes, such as the adaptive immune response and cell surface receptor signaling pathways. Single-cell analysis results indicated that DNAJC5B expression was positively correlated with immune function, with DNAJC5B predominantly accumulating in CD8+ T cells. Kaplan-Meier survival curves showed that the median survival time for patients with high DNAJC5B expression was 681 days, significantly shorter than the 1 361 days for patients with low expression (P<0.05). Furthermore, univariate and multivariate independent prognostic analyses demonstrated that DNAJC5B was an independent risk factor, with hazard ratios (HRs) of 3.577 and 4.114, respectively (both P<0.05). Conclusion DNAJC5B may play a crucial immunomodulatory role in ESCC, particularly in regulating CD8+ T-cell function and tumor immune escape. These findings support the potential of DNAJC5B as a biomarker for the treatment and prognostic assessment of ESCC.
4.Etiology and Management of Astronaut Low Back Pain Induced by Space Flight or Simulated Microgravity
Yan-Feng LIU ; Jing LEI ; Hao-Jun YOU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(1):133-146
It has been demonstrated that long-term space flights have a significantly greater impact on the cardiovascular, skeletal, and nervous systems of astronauts. The structural and functional alterations in the skeletal and muscular systems resulting from exposure to weightlessness can lead to the development of low back pain, significantly impairing the ability of astronauts to perform tasks and respond to emergencies. Both space flight and simulated microgravity have been shown to result in low back pain among astronauts, with the following factors identified as primary contributors to this phenomenon. The occurrence of intervertebral disc (IVD) edema results in the stimulation of type IV mechanoreceptors, which subsequently activate nociceptive afferents. The protrusion of an IVD causes compression of the spinal nerve roots. Furthermore, the elongation of the vertebral column and/or the diminished lumbar curvature of the spine exert traction on the dorsal root nerves. Paravertebral muscle degeneration leads to the inhibition of decreased nociceptive activity of the wide-dynamic range neurons of the spinal dorsal horn. Moreover, endogenous pain descending facilitation triggered by conditioning stimulation can be enhanced via the thalamic mediodorsal nuclei, while endogenous pain descending inhibition triggered by conditioning stimulation can be weakened via the thalamic ventromedial nuclei. Psychological factors may contribute to the development of low back pain. The mechanisms governing the generation, maintenance, and alleviation of low back pain in weightlessness differ from those observed in normal gravitational environments. This presents a significant challenge for space medicine research. Therefore, the elucidation of the occurrence and development mechanism of low back pain in weightlessness is important for the prevention and treatment during space flight. To reduce the incidence of low back pain during long-term missions on the space station, astronauts may choose to wear specialized space clothing that can provide axial physiological loads, designed to stimulate both musculature and skeletal structures, mitigating potential increases in vertebral column length, diminished lumbar curvature, and intervertebral disc edema and/or muscular atrophy. Additionally, assuming a “fetal tuck position” described as the knees to chest position may increase lumbar IVD hydrostatic pressure, subsequently reducing disc volume, rectifying diminished lumbar curvature, and alleviating dorsal root nerve tensions. Moreover, this position may reduce type IV mechanoreceptor facilitation and nerve impulse propagation from the sinuvertebral nerves of the annulus fibrosus. Elongated posterior soft tissues (apophyseal joint capsules and ligaments) with spinal flexion may potentially stimulate type I and II mechanoreceptors. It is also recommended to exercise the paraspinal muscles to prevent and alleviate the decrease in their cross-sectional area and maintain their structure and function. Photobiomodulation has been proved to be an effective means of activating the pain descending inhibition pathway of the central nervous system. In addition, astronauts should be encouraged to participate in mission-related activities and strive to avoid psychological problems caused by the long-term confinement in a small space station. The article presents a concise review of potential causes and targeted treatment strategies for low back pain induced by space flight or simulated microgravity in recent years. Its objective is to further elucidate the mechanisms underlying the occurrence and development of low back pain in weightless environments while providing scientific evidence to inform the development of guidelines for preventing, treating, and rehabilitating low back pain during long-term space flights.
5.Emerging role of lysosomal regulation in Alzheimer's disease
Mengqi HAO ; Wenbo JI ; Yuankai GU ; Xinyu LU ; Li WANG ; Siqi LI ; Along HOU ; Chao GAO ; You YIN
Academic Journal of Naval Medical University 2025;46(4):518-523
Alzheimer's disease(AD)is the most common neurodegenerative disease in the elderly,and its main pathological manifestations include senile plaques formed by β-amyloid deposition and neuronal fibrillar nodules formed by hyperphosphorylation of tau proteins.Lysosome is an important organelle in eukaryotic cells,containing a variety of hydrolytic enzymes that can break down proteins and other biomolecules.It is closely related to intracellular transport and autophagy,and is important for maintaining cellular homeostasis.This review summarizes the interaction between lysosomal dysfunction and the development and progression of AD and the potential therapeutic mechanisms in treating AD by regulating and restoring the functions of lysosomes.Lysosomal dysfunction can lead to neurodegenerative diseases such as AD.Modulation of lysosomal function is a promising treatment strategy for AD.It is expected that more drugs and therapeutic regimens based on this mechanism can be used in the clinical treatment for AD patients in the future.
6.Establishment and Application of TaqMan qPCR Detection Method for Human DNA Contamination in DNA Laboratory
Gao-Fang SHEN ; Yong-Song ZHOU ; Jian-Qiu ZHANG ; Shi-You JI ; Ying-Feng WU ; Hao SHANG ; Bo-Feng ZHU
Journal of Forensic Medicine 2025;41(1):66-73
Objective To establish a highly sensitive and specific method for detecting human DNA based on real time quantitative PCR(qPCR)technique for the rapid detection of potential DNA con-tamination sources in DNA laboratories.Methods Primers and probes were designed with Primer Ex-pressTM software using the reference sequence of human 18S rRNA gene as a template,and the opti-mal prime-probe combination was screened by matrix method.The PCR products of the target se-quence of human 18S rRNA gene were used to construct the plasmid,and a plasmid standard was used to draw the standard curve of the qPCR system.According to the Minimum Information for Pub-lication of Quantitative Real-time PCR Experiments(MIQE)guidelines,the specificity,sensitivity,re-peatability and application effect of the qPCR system were evaluated.Results The sensitivity of the qPCR system established in this study was 5.3×10-5 ng/μL,which showed good specificity for human DNA samples.The correlation coefficient of the qPCR system was-0.999,and amplification efficiency was 100%.Both the intra-batch and inter-batch variation coefficients were less than 2%.Conclusion The established human DNA detection method based on qPCR technique has good specificity,high sen-sitivity,and robust stability.It can be used for rapid detection of DNA contamination and daily moni-toring of the accumulated human DNA in the laboratory environment.
7.Engineering CHO Cell Lines to Stably Express B4GALT1,ST6GAL1,and GnTⅢ with Site-directed Integration
Xian-Hong LI ; Run-Qing JIA ; You-Liang WANG ; Wei-Ling MAN ; Tian-Hao ZHU ; Xin-Long YAN ; Yan-Li LIN
Chinese Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 2025;41(4):576-585
Glycoengineering was carried out in the mammalian cell line CHO for the production of pro-tein-based drugs.Firstly,the genome sequence of the Rosa26 locus of CHO cells was determined,the gRNA sequences were designed,and the landing pad was integrated into the Rosa26 locus of CHO cells by CRISPR/Cas9 technology.Three targeting vectors co-expressed by glycosyltransferases,which are β-1,4 galactosyltransferase(B4GALT1),α-2,6-sialyltransferase 1(ST6GAL1)and N-acetaminoglycosyl-transferase Ⅲ(GnT Ⅲ),were constructed by overlapping PCR and seamless ligation technology,and the three glycosyltransferase genes were integrated into the CHO Rosa26 locus by Cre enzyme-mediated cassette exchange technology.PCR confirmed that three glycosyltransferases had been successfully site-directed integrated into the Rosa26 site.The mRNA expression levels of the three glycosyltransferases were more than 50 000-fold by qRT-PCR,and the protein expression levels of the three glycosyltrans-ferases were more than 4-fold via western blotting(P<0.001).A CHO-engineered cell line with three glycosyltransferases integrated into Rosa26 site was successfully constructed.
8.Protective Effect and Mechanism of MyD88 Inhibitor in Acute Pancreatitis Associated Gastric Injury
Hao WANG ; Jianhua LIU ; Jian YOU
Acta Medicinae Universitatis Scientiae et Technologiae Huazhong 2025;54(2):198-202
Objective To investigate the inhibitory effect of MyD88 inhibitor St-2825 on inflammatory pathways and its protective efficacy on gastric tissue in sodium taurocholate-induced acute pancreatitis-associated gastric injury.Methods An a-cute pancreatitis rat model was established by subcapsular pancreatic injection of sodium taurocholate.Rats were randomly di-vided into normal control group(Group C,received saline+saline treatment),acute pancreatitis group(Group P,received sodium taurocholate+saline treatment),and intervention group(Group T,received sodium taurocholate+MyD88 inhibitor St-2825 treatment),with 16 rats in each group,48 rats in total.Pancreatic and gastric tissue samples were collected at 2 h and 6 h post-modeling.The samples were paraffin-embedded,sectioned,and stained with hematoxylin-eosin(HE)for comparative pathological scoring.Serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-1(IL-1),and interleukin-6(IL-6)were measured by ELISA.Immunofluorescence staining was performed to assess immune cell infiltration in gastric tissues.Western blot was used to determine the protein expression of MyD88 and the phosphorylation ratio of p65 in the TLR/MyD88/NF-κB p65 signaling pathway in rat gastric tissues.Results In sodium taurocholate-induced acute pancreatitis-associated gastric injury rats,both pancreatic and gastric pathological scores were increased progressively over time.The plasma levels of TNF-α,IL-1 and IL-6 were significantly elevated.During pancreatic injury,gastric tissues exhibited markedly increased infiltration of neutrophils,mac-rophages,dendritic cells and T lymphocytes.The upregulated MyD88 in tissues stimulated NF-κB pathway activation,leading to phosphorylated p65 nuclear translocation and downstream inflammatory factors transcription.MyD88 inhibitor St-2825 inter-vention effectively blocked p65 phosphorylation and nuclear translocation,attenuated downstream inflammatory responses,and reduced immune cell infiltration in gastric tissues.Conclusion Gastric tissues undergo progressive damage during pancreatic in-jury.The MyD88 inhibitor St-2825 attenuates inflammatory responses and mitigates immune cell infiltration in acute pancreati-tis-associated gastric injury,thereby exerting protective effects.
9.Establishment of interpretable cytotoxicity prediction models using machine learning analysis of transcriptome features.
You WU ; Ke TANG ; Chunzheng WANG ; Hao SONG ; Fanfan ZHOU ; Ying GUO
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(3):1344-1358
Cytotoxicity, usually represented by cell viability, is a crucial parameter for evaluating drug safety in vitro. Accurate prediction of cell viability/cytotoxicity could accelerate drug development in the early stage. In this study, by integrating cellular transcriptome and cell viability data using four machine learning algorithms (support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), and light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM)) and two ensemble algorithms (voting and stacking), highly accurate prediction models of 50% and 80% cell viability were developed with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.90 and 0.84, respectively; these models also showed good performance when utilized for diverse cell lines. Concerning the characterization of the employed Feature Genes, the models were interpreted, and the mechanisms of bioactive compounds with a narrow therapeutic index (NTI) can also be analyzed. In summary, the models established in this research exhibit superior capacity to those of previous studies; these models enable accurate high-safety substance screening via cytotoxicity prediction across cell lines. Moreover, for the first time, Cytotoxicity Signature (CTS) genes were identified, which could provide additional clues for further study of mechanisms of action (MOA), especially for NTI compounds.
10.Protective Effect and Mechanism of MyD88 Inhibitor in Acute Pancreatitis Associated Gastric Injury
Hao WANG ; Jianhua LIU ; Jian YOU
Acta Medicinae Universitatis Scientiae et Technologiae Huazhong 2025;54(2):198-202
Objective To investigate the inhibitory effect of MyD88 inhibitor St-2825 on inflammatory pathways and its protective efficacy on gastric tissue in sodium taurocholate-induced acute pancreatitis-associated gastric injury.Methods An a-cute pancreatitis rat model was established by subcapsular pancreatic injection of sodium taurocholate.Rats were randomly di-vided into normal control group(Group C,received saline+saline treatment),acute pancreatitis group(Group P,received sodium taurocholate+saline treatment),and intervention group(Group T,received sodium taurocholate+MyD88 inhibitor St-2825 treatment),with 16 rats in each group,48 rats in total.Pancreatic and gastric tissue samples were collected at 2 h and 6 h post-modeling.The samples were paraffin-embedded,sectioned,and stained with hematoxylin-eosin(HE)for comparative pathological scoring.Serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-1(IL-1),and interleukin-6(IL-6)were measured by ELISA.Immunofluorescence staining was performed to assess immune cell infiltration in gastric tissues.Western blot was used to determine the protein expression of MyD88 and the phosphorylation ratio of p65 in the TLR/MyD88/NF-κB p65 signaling pathway in rat gastric tissues.Results In sodium taurocholate-induced acute pancreatitis-associated gastric injury rats,both pancreatic and gastric pathological scores were increased progressively over time.The plasma levels of TNF-α,IL-1 and IL-6 were significantly elevated.During pancreatic injury,gastric tissues exhibited markedly increased infiltration of neutrophils,mac-rophages,dendritic cells and T lymphocytes.The upregulated MyD88 in tissues stimulated NF-κB pathway activation,leading to phosphorylated p65 nuclear translocation and downstream inflammatory factors transcription.MyD88 inhibitor St-2825 inter-vention effectively blocked p65 phosphorylation and nuclear translocation,attenuated downstream inflammatory responses,and reduced immune cell infiltration in gastric tissues.Conclusion Gastric tissues undergo progressive damage during pancreatic in-jury.The MyD88 inhibitor St-2825 attenuates inflammatory responses and mitigates immune cell infiltration in acute pancreati-tis-associated gastric injury,thereby exerting protective effects.

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