1.New trends and new strategies of drug repurposing: 2020–2024
Fangsu CHEN ; Junjie YANG ; Jiayu DU ; Shimiao HUANG ; Yuxuan ZHANG ; Qidong YOU ; Lei WANG ; Qiuyue ZHANG
Journal of China Pharmaceutical University 2026;57(1):11-18
The research and development of innovative drug have progressed remarkably, but the long development circle and high failure rate have become the bottleneck. Drug repurposing, discovering new indications of approved drugs, is a strategy to overcome these obstacles. By exploring new indications for approved drugs, rapid progress has been made in basic research and clinical translation in recent years. Rich resources of drugs, proven security, efficient development workflow and reduced cost are core advantages of this strategy, making the strategy a crucial direction of optimizing the pipeline of drug research and development. This review systematically summarizes drug repurposing cases that have received clinical approval over the past five years, and proposes core strategies for drug repurposing, including approaches based on targets, pathways, drug similarity, post-treatment phenotypes, and clinical side effects, aiming to provide some strategic guidance for drug repurposing efforts.
2.Cost-effectiveness analysis of insulin degludec and insulin aspart in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Jiali QIN ; Yawen ZHANG ; Lei ZHANG ; Shan JIANG ; Xiaoyan YOU ; Xiaomei WANG ; Xianying WANG
China Pharmacy 2025;36(22):2809-2814
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the long-term cost-effectiveness of insulin degludec and insulin aspart (IDegAsp) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in China. METHODS A cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted from the perspective of the Chinese healthcare system, using the CORE diabetes model to simulate long-term (20-year) health and economic outcomes. Baseline cohort characteristics and treatment effect data were derived from the CREATE study. The prices of glucose- lowering drugs were obtained from medical insurance payment standards and the average winning bid prices in the follow-up round of the specialized centralized procurement for insulin, while the daily dosages were derived from the CREATE study. The costs of complications and utility values were obtained from published literature, with a discount rate of 5%. One-way sensitivity analysis, scenario analysis, and probabilistic sensitivity analysis were performed to verify the robustness of the results. RESULTS Patients switching from previous once-daily basal insulin regimens to IDegAsp therapy gained an incremental 0.190 quality-adjusted life year (QALY) with direct medical cost savings of 42 163.58 yuan. For those switching from premixed insulin therapies, IDegAsp treatment provided 0.130 incremental QALY and reduced direct healthcare costs by 41 129.11 yuan. The outcome was significantly influenced by the discount rate and the cost of complications. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis and scenario analysis confirmed the robustness of these findings. CONCLUSIONS Switching from previous daily basal insulin or premixed insulin regimens to IDegAsp in Chinese patients with T2DM can improve patients’ long-term health outcomes and achieve cost savings, making it a more cost-effective treatment option.
3.Novel paradigms in KRAS targeting: Unveiling strategies to combat drug resistance.
Xiyuan LUO ; Feihan ZHOU ; Yuemeng TANG ; Xiaohong LIU ; Ruilin XIAO ; Minzhi GU ; Jialu BAI ; Decheng JIANG ; Gang YANG ; Lei YOU ; Yupei ZHAO
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(18):2243-2267
The Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog ( KRAS ) mutation is one of the most prevalent activating alterations in cancer. It indicates a poor overall prognosis due to its highly invasive nature. Although several KRAS inhibitors have been developed in recent years, a significant clinical challenge has emerged as a substantial proportion of patients eventually develop resistance to these therapies. Therefore, identifying determinants of drug resistance is critical for guiding treatment strategies. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the mutation landscape and molecular mechanisms of KRAS activity in various cancers. Meanwhile, it summaries the progress and prospects of small molecule KRAS inhibitors undergoing clinical trials. Furthemore, this review explores potential strategies to overcome drug resistance, with the ultimate goal of steering toward patient-centric precision oncology in the foreseeable future.
Humans
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Drug Resistance, Neoplasm/drug effects*
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras)/metabolism*
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Mutation/genetics*
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Neoplasms/genetics*
;
Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use*
4.Research progress on the role and mechanism of endothelin-1 in pain.
Cong-Kun HU ; Hao-Jun YOU ; Jing LEI
Acta Physiologica Sinica 2025;77(1):120-130
Endothelin-1 is a peptide derived from endothelial cells, consisting of 21 amino acid residues. In recent years, research has found that endothelin-1 not only plays a key role in vascular tone regulation but also participates in the occurrence and development of various types of pathological pain, including inflammatory pain, neuropathic pain, and cancer pain. Endothelin-1 binds to its receptors and activates multiple signaling pathways such as protein kinase C, calcium ion channels, and the phosphoinositide pathway, thereby influencing neuronal excitability and nociceptive information transmission. This article briefly reviews the current understanding of the mechanisms and potential roles of endothelin-1 in the development of pain, as well as commonly used endothelin-1 receptor antagonists, aiming to provide clues for better utilizing endothelin-1 and its receptors to alleviate and treat pathological pain.
Humans
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Endothelin-1/physiology*
;
Pain/physiopathology*
;
Signal Transduction/physiology*
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Animals
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Neuralgia/physiopathology*
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Cancer Pain/physiopathology*
;
Endothelin Receptor Antagonists
5.Research progress of JAK/STAT signaling pathway in rheumatoid arthritis pain.
Zhen-Qiang LIU ; Hao-Jun YOU ; Jing LEI
Acta Physiologica Sinica 2025;77(1):131-138
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a common systemic inflammatory autoimmune disease characterized by synovitis and bone destruction. Its clinical characteristics are mainly joint pain, swelling, stiffness and joint deformity. Due to the poor efficacy of both drug and non-drug therapies, RA can significantly impact patients' quality of life and increase personal and socioeconomic burdens. Studies have found that the Janus kinase (JAK)/signal transduction and activator of transcription (STAT) pathway, as classical intracellular signaling pathway, plays an important role in the occurrence and development of connective tissue diseases by regulating inflammation, immunity, and cell differentiation. This article reviews the research progress on the involvement of JAK/STAT signaling pathway in the mechanism of RA pathological pain, in order to provide some reference for understanding the pathogenesis of RA pathological pain and developing specific drug.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid/metabolism*
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Humans
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Signal Transduction/physiology*
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Janus Kinases/metabolism*
;
STAT Transcription Factors/metabolism*
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Pain/etiology*
;
Animals
6.The neurophysiological mechanisms of exercise-induced improvements in cognitive function.
Jian-Xiu LIU ; Bai-Le WU ; Di-Zhi WANG ; Xing-Tian LI ; Yan-Wei YOU ; Lei-Zi MIN ; Xin-Dong MA
Acta Physiologica Sinica 2025;77(3):504-522
The neurophysiological mechanisms by which exercise improves cognitive function have not been fully elucidated. A comprehensive and systematic review of current domestic and international neurophysiological evidence on exercise improving cognitive function was conducted from multiple perspectives. At the molecular level, exercise promotes nerve cell regeneration and synaptogenesis and maintains cellular development and homeostasis through the modulation of a variety of neurotrophic factors, receptor activity, neuropeptides, and monoamine neurotransmitters, and by decreasing the levels of inflammatory factors and other modulators of neuroplasticity. At the cellular level, exercise enhances neural activation and control and improves brain structure through nerve regeneration, synaptogenesis, improved glial cell function and angiogenesis. At the structural level of the brain, exercise promotes cognitive function by affecting white and gray matter volumes, neural activation and brain region connectivity, as well as increasing cerebral blood flow. This review elucidates how exercise improves the internal environment at the molecular level, promotes cell regeneration and functional differentiation, and enhances the brain structure and neural efficiency. It provides a comprehensive, multi-dimensional explanation of the neurophysiological mechanisms through which exercise promotes cognitive function.
Animals
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Humans
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Brain/physiology*
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Cognition/physiology*
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Exercise/physiology*
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Nerve Regeneration/physiology*
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Neuronal Plasticity/physiology*
7.Cerium oxide nanoparticles alleviate acute pancreatitis through anti-inflammatory and antioxidant mechanisms
Bingqing OUYANG ; Hainan YANG ; Luyao QI ; Zhongming YE ; Lihong LOU ; Lijiao YOU ; Kailiang XU ; Ming LEI
Journal of Chongqing Medical University 2025;50(9):1253-1260
Objective:To investigate the protective mechanism of cerium oxide nanoparticles(CeO2 NPs)against acute pancreatitis(AP),with a focus on their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.Methods:CeO2 NPs were characterized by transmission elec-tron microscopy(TEM)and dynamic light scattering.In in vitro experiments,cell counting Kit-8(CCK-8)assay,flow cytometry,and Western blotting were used to validate the role of CeO2 NPs in preventing the apoptosis of pancreatic acinar cells.In in vivo experi-ments,C57BL/6 mice were divided into control group,AP group,AP+CeO2 group,SAP group,and SAP+CeO2 group to investigate the mechanism of action of CeO2 NPs in alleviating inflammation and oxidative stress in AP mice.Results:CeO2 NPs demonstrated rela-tively good stability and biocompatibility,with a particle size of(50±4)nm on TEM.In vitro experiments showed that CeO2 NPs sig-nificantly reduced the apoptosis of pancreatic acinar cells by alleviating lipid peroxidation and maintaining mitochondrial membrane potential.In vivo experiments showed that CeO2 NPs could reduce the serum levels of amylase,lipase,and inflammatory cytokines(in-terleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α).This result might be related to the regulation of the IKK/P53/Bcl-2 pathway.CeO2 NPs re-duced the production of reactive oxygen species and enhanced anti-oxidant response by regulating the Nrf-2 signaling pathway.Con-clusion:CeO2 NPs exert anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects by regulating the IκB kinase/tumor protein p53/B-cell lymphoma 2(IKK/P53/bcl-2)and nuclear factor erythroid 2-related(Nrf-2)signaling pathways,thereby showing promising potential for the treatment of AP.
8.Determination of Seven Kinds of Haloacetic Acids in Drinking Water by In Situ Derivatization-Headspace Gas Chromatography
Deng-Kun LI ; Han-Qing WANG ; Shu-Lin ZHUANG ; Lei LI ; Yu-Lan YANG ; Dong-Xin JIANG ; Jia-You LU ; Jun LIU
Chinese Journal of Analytical Chemistry 2025;53(8):1342-1351
Haloacetic acids(HAAs),as a class of disinfection byproducts in drinking water,pose potential threats to human health,so the rapid,accurate and simultaneous detection of HAAs is of great significance for ensuring drinking water safety.Aiming at the challenges in HAAs detection and risk analysis,a novel method for synchronous rapid detection of seven kinds of HAAs in drinking water based on in situ derivatization technology and headspace gas chromatography was developed in this study.Through single-factor optimization experiments,the optimal reaction parameters for in situ derivatization were determined,including the type and dosage of salting-out agent,the acidity of reaction system,the amount of phase transfer catalyst,the dosage of derivatization agent,and the extraction solvent volume.Methodologic validation showed that the seven kinds of HAAs exhibited excellent linear relationships within their respective detection concentration ranges(R2>0.998).The method detection limits(MDLs)ranged from 0.04 to 0.33 μg/L,and the limits of quantification(LOQs)were between 0.14 and 1.34 μg/L.For real water samples,the average spiked recoveries of the seven HAAs ranged from 90.9%to 107.7%,with relative standard deviation(RSDs)between 1.55%and 6.49%,and the HAAs contents in all tested samples were below the limits specified in the Standards for Drinking Water Quality(GB 5749-2022)of China.This method was featured with simple operation,fast analysis speed,high sensitivity,and good accuracy,providing an efficient and reliable technical support for routine monitoring of HAAs contaminants in drinking water and showing promising application value for widespread promotion.
9.Exploration on the etiology, pathogenesis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma based on the theory of yin excess
Yanling JIN ; Si WANG ; Lei LI ; You LYU ; Ciming PAN ; Jiabao LIAO
International Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;47(9):1189-1194
The term yin excess originated in the Huang Di Nei Jing, which refers to the phenomenon of "heavy yin" when wind pathogens invades the human body and defensive qi enters the yin part of the human body. Later doctors have played a role in yin excess. Theoretically, yin and yang are out of balance in the human body, and yin is too much and yang is not enough, which is the process of physiological transformation to pathology; from the diagnosis point of view, patients with yin deficiency have less pulse and more blood; from the clinical manifestations, patients with yin excess appear cold from the back, hands and feet cold reverse; from the point of view of treatment, bitter cold products can cause yin excess. Modern research specifies yin as phlegm, dampness, stasis and other pathological products, and emphasize the relation between yin excess and yang deficiency. Yin excess includes pathological factors such as phlegm stasis cold, external cold straight in the liver wood, set in the hypochasm, resulting in mass; or overthinking and cold drink injury spleen, phlegm turbidiousness, long and hard phlegm forming lumps, thus resulting yin excess; or it may deplete the yang energy of the heart, leading to neglect of the warming function and stagnation of blood stasis; or if the kidney yang is deficient and the body lacks warmth, and there is no true yang in the ridge, then the wood will sink and congest blood stasis; the above etiology and pathogenesis lead to the occupation of yin pathogens, resulting in liver cancer. The treatment methods include liver cold turbidizing, warming liver and dispelling cold, with Wuzhuyu Decoction; spleen-deficiency phlegm production, the treatment should be warm the middle and resolving the phlegm, with Linggui Zhugan Decoction and Zhenwu Decoction; Yang deficiency and stasis, the treatment should warm kidney to remove blood stasis, with Poyu Decoction.
10.Mechanistic study on hesperidin improving inflammatory microenvironment after spinal cord injury through PI3K /AKT /NF-κB signaling pathway
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2025;60(9):1614-1623
Objective:
To explore the mechanism of hesperidin on hindlimb motor function in mice with spinal cord injury(SCI).
Methods:
Oxygen glucose deprivation(OGD) was used to induce SCI in PC12 neuronal cells.CCK-8 assay determined the optimal hesperidin concentration(0,10,20,30,40,50,60 mmol/L) for subsequent experiments after 24 h treatment. PC12 cells were divided into Control group,OGD group and Hesperidin(30 mmol/L) + OGD groups. Hoechst staining assessed apoptosis; Western blot(WB),qPCR and immunofluorescence(IF) detected the expression of i NOS,CD206 and TNF-α. Flow cytometry measured apoptosis rates,and WB examined the impact of hesperidin on PI3K,p-PI3K,AKT,p-AKT,and NF-κB expression. Forty-five healthy male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into Sham group,Sci group and Hesperidin groups. Sham and Sci groups received 0. 1 mL PBS,while the Hesperidin group received 0. 1 mL hesperidin. After modeling,i NOS,CD206,and TNF-α expression levels,spinal cord cavitation,and hindlimb motor function were evaluated.
Results:
Hesperidin at 10-30 mmol/L for 24 h did not significantly affect PC12 cell activity. Hoechst staining showed reduced apoptosis in PC12 cells after 24 h of 30 mmol/L hesperidin treatment. Compared to the OGD group,Hesperidin + OGD group had decreased mRNA and protein expression of inflammatory factors(i NOS and TNF-α) and increased expression of the anti-in ammatory factor(CD206). Hesperidin treatment inhibited PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathway activation,with similar results in mouse experiments. Compared to Sci group,Hesperidin group had reduced spinal cord cavitation area and improved hindlimb motor function.
Conclusion
Hesperidin may improve hindlimb motor function in mice with SCI by downregulating the phosphorylation level of the PI3K/AKT/NF-κB pathway,inhibiting in ammatory factor release,promoting anti-inflammatory factor release,regulating the inflammatory microenvironment after SCI,and suppressing the acute inflammatory response.


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