1.Discovery of a potential hematologic malignancies therapy: Selective and potent HDAC7 PROTAC degrader targeting non-enzymatic function.
Yuheng JIN ; Xuxin QI ; Xiaoli YU ; Xirui CHENG ; Boya CHEN ; Mingfei WU ; Jingyu ZHANG ; Hao YIN ; Yang LU ; Yihui ZHOU ; Ao PANG ; Yushen LIN ; Li JIANG ; Qiuqiu SHI ; Shuangshuang GENG ; Yubo ZHOU ; Xiaojun YAO ; Linjie LI ; Haiting DUAN ; Jinxin CHE ; Ji CAO ; Qiaojun HE ; Xiaowu DONG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(3):1659-1679
HDAC7, a member of class IIa HDACs, plays a pivotal regulatory role in tumor, immune, fibrosis, and angiogenesis, rendering it a potential therapeutic target. Nevertheless, due to the high similarity in the enzyme active sites of class IIa HDACs, inhibitors encounter challenges in discerning differences among them. Furthermore, the substitution of key residue in the active pocket of class IIa HDACs renders them pseudo-enzymes, leading to a limited impact of enzymatic inhibitors on their function. In this study, proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) technology was employed to develop HDAC7 drugs. We developed an exceedingly selective HDAC7 PROTAC degrader B14 which showcased superior inhibitory effects on cell proliferation compared to TMP269 in various diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells. Subsequent investigations unveiled that B14 disrupts BCL6 forming a transcriptional inhibition complex by degrading HDAC7, thereby exerting proliferative inhibition in DLBCL. Our study broadened the understanding of the non-enzymatic functions of HDAC7 and underscored the importance of HDAC7 in the treatment of hematologic malignancies, particularly in DLBCL and AML.
2.Compound Centella asiatica formula alleviates Schistosoma japonicum-induced liver fibrosis in mice by inhibiting the inflammation-fibrosis cascade via regulating the TLR4/MyD88 pathway.
Liping GUAN ; Yan YAN ; Xinyi LU ; Zhifeng LI ; Hui GAO ; Dong CAO ; Chenxi HOU ; Jingyu ZENG ; Xinyi LI ; Yang ZHAO ; Junjie WANG ; Huilong FANG
Journal of Southern Medical University 2025;45(6):1307-1316
OBJECTIVES:
To explore the therapeutic mechanism of compound Centella asiatica formula (CCA) for alleviating Schistosoma japonicum (Sj)-induced liver fibrosis in mice.
METHODS:
The active components and targets of CCA were identified using the TCMSP database with cross-analysis of Sj-related liver fibrosis targets. A "drug-component-target-pathway-disease" network was constructed using Cytoscape 3.9.1. Functional enrichment analysis (GO/KEGG) was performed using DAVID. Molecular docking study was carried out to validate interactions between the core targets and the key compounds. For experimental validation of the results, 36 mice were divided into control group, Sj-infected model group, and CCA-treated groups. In the latter two groups, liver fibrosis was induced via abdominal infection with Sj cercariae for 8 weeks, followed by 8 weeks of daily treatment with CCA decoction or saline. Hepatic pathology of the mice was assessedwith HE and Masson staining, and hepatic expressions of collagen-I and collagen-III were detected using immunohistochemistry; serum IL-6 and TNF-α levels were determined with ELISA. Hepatic expressions of TLR4 and MyD88 proteins were analyzed with Western blotting.
RESULTS:
We identified a total of 107 bioactive CCA components and 791 targets, including 37 intersection targets linked to Sj-induced fibrosis. The core targets included TNF, TP53, JUN, MMP9, and CXCL8, involving the IL-17 signaling, lipid metabolism, TLR4/MyD88 axis, and cancer pathways. Molecular docking study confirmed strong binding affinity between quercetin (a primary CCA component) and TNF/TP53/JUN/MMP9. In Sj-infected mouse models, CCA treatment significantly attenuated hepatic inflammatory cell infiltration, reduced collagen-I and collagen-III deposition, improved tissue architecture, reduced serum IL-6 and TNF-α levels, and downregulated TLR4 and MyD88 expressions in the liver.
CONCLUSIONS
CCA mitigates Sj-induced liver fibrosis by targeting TNF, TP53, JUN, and MMP9 to modulate the TLR4/MyD88 pathway, thereby suppressing pro-inflammatory cytokine release, inhibiting hepatic stellate cell activation, reducing collagen deposition, and preventing granuloma formation in the liver.
Animals
;
Toll-Like Receptor 4/metabolism*
;
Mice
;
Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88/metabolism*
;
Schistosoma japonicum
;
Liver Cirrhosis/parasitology*
;
Schistosomiasis japonica
;
Signal Transduction
;
Molecular Docking Simulation
;
Inflammation
;
Centella/chemistry*
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology*
;
Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism*
3.Impact of DRG Payment Method Reform on Hospitalization Costs and Structures of Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospitals
Meng'en CHEN ; Youshu YUAN ; Yan WANG ; Haojia HOU ; Jingyu YANG ; Zhiwei WANG
Chinese Health Economics 2025;44(3):18-24
Objective:To analyze the impact of DRG payment method reform on hospitalization costs and structure in traditional Chinese medicine hospitals.Methods:Using the cost data of hospitalized patients from 2017 to 2022 for public traditional Chinese medicine hospitals in Qingyang and Tianshui,descriptive statistics and two groups interrupted time-series models were implemented to compare the changes before and after DRG payment method reform.Results:DRG payment method reform had no effective impact on the secondary traditional Chinese medicine hospital's average hospitalization costs,average Chinese medicine costs,and average western medicine costs(P>0.05),but the average proportion of western medicine costs showed an obvious downward trend after the reform(β9=-0.19,P<0.01).DRG payment method reform resulted in tertiary traditional Chinese medicine hospitals turning to obvious decreasing trends in average hospitalization costs,average Chinese medicine costs,and average western medicine costs(P<0.05),while the pre-reform decreasing trends in the average proportion Chinese medicine costs share of both secondary and tertiary traditional Chinese medicine hospitals were curbed in the post-reform period.Conclusion:DRG payment method reform had effectively controlled hospitalization costs,Chinese medicine costs,and western medicine costs of tertiary traditional Chinese medicine hospitals,while the cost control of secondary traditional Chinese medicine hospitals has been ineffective,probably contributing to the enhancement of the use of Chinese medicine and the average proportion of Chinese medicine costs.DRG payment method reform for Chinese medicine should strengthen the supervision of costs,actively utilize the advantages of the characteristics of Chinese medicine,and promote the differentiated reform of traditional Chinese medicine hospitals.
4.Therapeutic effect of metallic stent implantation on the treatment of central airway malacia after lung transplantation
Hang YANG ; Min XIONG ; Jingyu CHEN ; Ting JIANG ; Bo WU
Chinese Journal of Organ Transplantation 2025;46(4):300-305
Objective:To investigate the efficacy and safety of metallic stent implantation for the treatment of central airway malacia following lung transplantation.Methods:Clinical data of 14 recipients who underwent metallic stent implantation for central airway malacia after lung transplantation at Wuxi People's Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University from January 2023 to June 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical symptoms, modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) dyspnea scale scores, Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) scores, and pulmonary function were evaluated before and 2 weeks after stent implantation. The incidence of post-implantation complications was recorded during follow-up.Results:Among the 14 recipients, 13 were male and 1 was female, with a mean age of (57.29±10.93) years (range: 27-71 years). All patients successfully underwent metallic stent placement in a single attempt, with no serious intraoperative complications. Clinical symptoms such as dyspnea improved significantly after stent implantation. Compared with pre-treatment values, mMRC scores decreased [3.00 (2.00, 4.00) vs 1.00 (1.00, 2.00), P<0.001], KPS scores increased [30.00 (10.00, 32.50) vs 80.00 (60.00, 90.00), P=0.001], and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV 1) improved [(1.25±0.42) L vs (1.74±0.38) L, P=0.006]. Postoperative complications included granulation tissue formation (7 cases), epithelialization within the stent (3 cases), and mucus plugging (4 cases). As of the last follow-up in September 2024, eight patients had their stents successfully removed, and one patient had died due to cytomegalovirus infection. Conclusions:Metallic stent implantation can significantly relieve clinical symptoms of central airway malacia after lung transplantation, improve quality of life, and shows a favorable safety profile.
5.Artemin promotes proliferation and invasion of malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor cells through the PI3K/Akt pathway
Hongliang ZHANG ; Haotian LIU ; Junyang LIU ; Chao ZHANG ; Ting LI ; Zhichao LIAO ; Yancheng LIU ; Jingyu ZHANG ; Kai ZHU ; Shuang LI ; Jinwei LIU ; Jilong YANG
Chinese Journal of Oncology 2025;47(2):149-159
Objective:To investigate the expression of Artemin (ARTN) in malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor (MPNST), its effect on the malignant behavior of MPNST cells, and its signaling pathway.Methods:Fifty-one MPNST paraffin embedded tissues through surgical resection at Tianjin Medical University Cancer Hospital from January 1995 to November 2011 were collected, the expression of the ARTN protein was detected by immunohistochemistry, and the relationship between the ARTN protein expression and the clinical pathological characteristics and prognosis were analyzed. In human MPNST cell lines ST-8814 (NF-1) and STS26T(sporadic), ARTN overexpression and low expression cell lines were constructed by transfecting ARTN overexpression plasmids and ARTN small interfering RNA (siRNA), respectively. The expression of ARTN mRNA was detected by real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), the expression of the ARTN protein and Phosphoinositide 3-kinase(PI3K)/Akt signaling pathway related proteins were detected by Western blot. CCK-8 assay was used to detect cell proliferation ability, and cell invasion assay was used to detect cell invasion ability. The pathway proteins that interacted with ARTN were searched in the STRING database, and the functional pathways were clarified by Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analysis. The PI3K/Akt pathway specific inhibitor LY294002 was used to block the PI3K/Akt pathway of ST-8814 and STS26T cells to observe the changes in cell proliferation and invasion.Results:Among the 51 MPNST tissue specimens, 22 cases showed a high expression of the ARTN protein and 29 cases showed a low expression of the protein. Higher expressions of the ARTN protein was associated with larger tumor diameters and disease progression (recurrence or metastasis) (both P<0.05). The median disease-free survival (DFS) of patients with a low expression of the ARTN protein was 26.2 months, and the median overall survival (OS) was 66.9 months. The median DFS and median OS of patients with a high expression of the ARTN protein were 10.7 months and 53.8 months, respectively. The log rank test results showed that the progression free survival rate of patients with a high expression of the ARTN protein was worse than that of patients with a low expression ( P=0.027), but the difference in overall survival rate between the two groups was not statistically significant ( P=0.790), which was also confirmed by Cox regression analysis. The CCK-8 assay results showed that after 48 hours of transfection, the absorbance ( A) values of ST-8814 and STS26T cells in the ARTN overexpression group were 1.35±0.01 and 1.10±0.02, respectively, which were higher than those in the empty plasmid control group (1.05±0.01 and 0.78±0.01, both P<0.01), while the A values of ST-8814 and STS26T cells in the ARTN siRNA group were 0.35±0.01 and 0.61±0.01, respectively, which were lower than those in the control siRNA group (0.74±0.01 and 1.10±0.04, both P<0.01). The results of cell invasion assay showed that the number of transmembrane cells in ST-8814 and STS26T cells overexpressing ARTN was (29.67±2.08) and (31.67±2.08), respectively, which were higher than those in the empty plasmid control group [(20.00±1.00) and (24.33±1.15), both P<0.01]. The number of transmembrane cells in ST-8814 and STS26T cells in the ARTN siRNA group were (14.00±2.00) and (19.33±1.53), respectively, which were lower than those in the control siRNA group [(19.33±2.52) and (23.33±0.58), both P<0.05].The KEGG results showed that ARTN is associated with multiple tumor signaling pathways, especially the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway. Western blot results showed that overexpression of ARTN upregulated the expression of p-PI3K and p-Akt proteins in ST-8814 and STS26T cells (both P<0.01).After knocking down ARTN expression, the expression of p-PI3K and p-Akt proteins was significantly down regulated (both P<0.01). LY294002 could significantly inhibit the effect of ARTN overexpression on ST-8814 and STS26T cells after blocking the PI3K/Akt pathway. The A values of ST-8814 and STS26T cells in the ARTN overexpression+LY294002 group were 1.09±0.06 and 0.82±0.01, respectively, which were lower than those in the ARTN overexpression group (1.50±0.01 and 1.29±0.01, respectively, both P<0.01). The numbers of transmembrane cells in the cell invasion assay were 16.67±3.21 and 19.67±2.31, respectively, which were also lower than those in the ARTN overexpression group (29.67±2.08 and 31.67±2.08, respectively, both P<0.01). Conclusions:In MPNST, a high expression of the ARTN protein was associated with larger tumor size, disease progression, and worse DFS. ARTN promotes the proliferation and invasion of MPNST cells through the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.
6.The effect of NaClO and EDTA pretreatment on the shear bond strength between the enamel white spot lesions and resin composite:An in vitro study
Jingyu HE ; Yu DING ; Yuanyuan YANG ; Ke NI ; Yan WANG ; Jian MENG ; Qingfei MENG
STOMATOLOGY 2025;45(3):185-190
Objective To compare the impact of NaClO and EDTA pretreatment on the enamel surfaces pore exposure rate,resin in-filtration effectiveness and shear bond strength between the enamel white spot lesions(WSLs)and resin composite.Methods A total of 104 sound premolars were selected for the study.4 mm×4 mm×2 mm enamel blocks from 64 sound premolars were cut in the center of the buccal surfaces of the teeth.All blocks were randomly divided into five groups:group SE(sound enamels as negative control);group DE(enamel blocks demineralised as positive control);group RI(resin infiltration);group N/RI(5.25%NaClO pretreatment and resin infiltration)and group E/RI(17%EDTA pretreatment and resin infiltration).The pore exposure rate of enamel surfaces and resin penetration depths were observed by scanning electron microscopy(SEM)and confocallaser scanning microscopy(CLSM)in each group.The remaining 40 premolars were cut from the cervical roots and the residual crowns were embedded in self-condensing resin ma-terial(buccal surfaces of the enamel exposed only).According to the grouping information,the samples were given the corresponding pretreatments and resin infiltration respectively and were bonded with a cylindrical resin cylinder on the buccal enamel surface for shear bond test.The shear bond strength and fracture modes were recorded and analyzed in each group.Results Compared to group RI,the pore exposure rate of the enamel surface,resin penetration depths,and percentage of resin penetration area in the N/RI and E/RI groups were significantly increased(P<0.05).The shear bond strength of the samples in group SE was the highest,and the lowest in group DE.Compared to group DE,the shear bond strength in groups RI,N/RI,and E/RI was significantly increased(P<0.05).Con-clusion Enamel surface pretreatment with 5.25%NaClO or 17%EDTA has been demonstrated to effectively enhance the enamel pore exposure rate,resin penetration depth and the shear bond strength between WSLs and resin composite.
7.The role of host protein RBM8A in the replication of pseudorabies virus
Xiangqi QIU ; Jingyu SUN ; Jianhang HE ; Xing YANG ; Xiuwen YANG ; Guoqing ZHUANG ; Aijun SUN
Chinese Journal of Veterinary Science 2025;45(10):2126-2132
RNA binding motif protein 8A(RBM8A)is an RNA binding protein,which is mainly in-volved in translation and cell cycle regulation.In addition,RBM8A is a core factor of the exon-junc-tion complex(EJC),which is highly expressed in cells,especially in cancer cells,and abnormally expressed in cytoplasm and nucleus.Studies have shown that RBM8A plays a key regulatory role in the replication process of some viruses,such as Flaviviridae viruses.Therefore,whether RBM8A is involved in the replication of pseudorabies virus(PRV)is unknown.Therefore,this study proved whether RBM8A is involved in the replication of PRV.In order to study the effect of RBM8A pro-tein on PRV replication,the eukaryotic expression plasmid pCAGGS-HA-RBM8A was designed and constructed to express RBM8A,and sh-RBM8A was simultaneously designed and constructed to overexpress and inhibit RBM8A.qRT-PCR and Western blot were used to detect the effect of RBM8A on PRV replication.At the same time,PRV-GB standard plasmid was constructed to make PRV proliferation standard curve.After overexpression and inhibition of RBM8A,DNA was ex-tracted.Virus copy number was calculated by qRT-PCR to further detect the effect of RBM8A on PRV replication.The results showed that overexpression of RBM8A inhibited PRV replication and decreased the copy number of the virus,while overexpression of shRBM8A promoted PRV replication and increased the copy number of the virus.This study shows that RBM8A can inhibit PRV replication,which provides reference for the functional study of RBM8A and lays a founda-tion for the mechanism of anti-PRV replication.
8.Value of PET/CT Radiomics Combined with Machine Learning in Differentiating Primary Central Nervous System Lymphoma from Brain Metastases
Jingyu FU ; Yuxi ZHANG ; Fan YANG
Journal of Medical Research 2025;54(7):96-102
Objective This study aimed to investigate the value of PET/CT radiomics combined with machine learning in differentia-ting primary central nervous system lymphoma(PCNSL)from brain metastases(BM).Methods Sixty-nine patients with 127 lesions(including 43 PCNSL lesions and 84 BM lesions)who attended the Department of Nuclear Medicine of Lanzhou University Second Hospi-tal from January 2019 to November 2024 were selected and divided into a training set(n=88)and a validation set(n=39)in a 7∶3 rati-o.Radiomics features of PET and CT were extracted using the 3D slicer,and feature dimensionality reduction was performed using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO)regression combined with 5-fold cross-validation to construct three classical machine learning models-Logistic regression(LR),decision tree(DT),and support vector machine(SVM),and the diagnostic efficacy of each model was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves and confusion matrices.Results The SVM model based on PET imaging performed best in the validation set[area under the curve(AUC)=0.917,sensitivity=84.6%,specificity=92.3%]and was significantly better than the CT model(AUC=0.787,sensitivity=73.1%,specificity=76.9%).Conclusion The support vector machine model constructed based on PET radiomics metabolic features demonstrated high diagnostic value in the preoperative differentia-tion between PCNSL and BM,showing potential for clinical application as a non-invasive auxiliary diagnostic tool.
9.Research advances on the mechanism of gut-brain axis metabolic imbalance in brain injury associated with fetal growth restriction
Jingyu LIU ; Jing YANG ; Nana HUANG ; Yangyu ZHAO
Chinese Journal of Perinatal Medicine 2025;28(10):906-910
Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is a common obstetric complication associated with a significantly increased risk of perinatal neurological injury. Recent research on the gut-brain axis suggests that disruption of gut microbiota metabolic homeostasis is closely linked to the development of various fetal-origin neurological disorders. Optimizing early-life gut microbiota colonization and metabolic function may thus offer a novel therapeutic approach to mitigate brain injury and neurological sequelae. However, the precise mechanisms by which gut-brain axis and metabolite dysregulation contribute to FGR-related brain injury remain to be fully elucidated. This review focuses on the potential mechanisms through which gut microbiota metabolites regulate neurological damage in FGR, providing new insights for clinical monitoring and treatment strategies for FGR-associated brain injury.
10.Protective Effect against Helicobacter pylor Gastritis in Mice by Flavonoid Combinations of Alpiniae Officinarum Rhizoma via Inhibition of PI3K/Akt Pathway
Xin LUO ; Wuyinxiao ZHENG ; Jingyu YANG ; Jianting ZHAN ; Haoran MA ; Xiaochuan YE ; Guopin GAN ; Dan LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(8):61-68
ObjectiveTo investigate the protective effect and mechanism of action of flavonoid combination of Alpiniae Officinarum Rhizoma (A. officinarum) against Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) gastritis in mice. MethodsAfter acclimatization for one week, 56 SPF-grade healthy C57BL/6J mice were gavaged with mixed antibiotics for three consecutive days. They were randomly divided into a normal group, model group, positive drug group (triple therapy group), and low- and high-dose groups (100, 200 mg·kg-1) of flavonoid combination of A. officinarum. The H. pylori gastritis mice model was established by gavage with H. pylori bacterial suspension in each group except for the normal group. After successful modeling, mice were administrated with corresponding drugs once a day for two weeks. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to observe the pathological changes in gastric tissue. Rapid urease test paper was used to detect the positive rate of H. pylori. Silver staining was used to observe the H. pylori adherence on the surface of gastric tissue. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the protein expression of interleukin-8 (IL)-8 and myeloid differentiation factor (MyD88) in gastric tissue. The serum levels of IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), IL-8, and IL-1β were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expressions of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) protein were detected by Western blot. ResultsCompared with those in the normal group, mice in the model group had lower gastric weight coefficients, higher pH of gastric juice, 100% H. pylori infection rate, and significantly changed gastric histopathology. The expressions of IL-8 and MyD88 proteins in the gastric tissue of mice in the model group were significantly elevated, and the serum levels of inflammatory factors IL-6, TNF-α, IL-8, and IL-1β were significantly up-regulated in mice. Compared with that in the model group, the gastric weight coefficient of mice in each treatment group of the flavonoid combinations of A. officinarum was elevated (P<0.01), and the pH of gastric juice was reduced (P<0.01). The infection rate of H. pylori was reduced. The expressions of IL-8 and MyD88 proteins in the gastric tissue of mice in the treatment groups were significantly reduced (P<0.01), and the serum levels of inflammatory factors IL-6, TNF-α, IL-8, and IL-1β were significantly reduced in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.01). The flavonoid combinations of A. officinarum down-regulated the expression of PI3K and Akt proteins in H. pylori gastritis-infected cells (P<0.01). ConclusionThe protective effect of flavonoid combinations of A. officinarum against H. pylori gastritis is associated with the inhibition of H. pylori infection rate and regulation of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway, resulting in inhibiting the release of inflammatory factors.

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