1.Traditional Chinese Medicine Regulates VEGF Signaling Pathway for Anti-angiogenic Intervention in Preneoplastic Breast Cancer: A Review
Huikun BAI ; Min HUANG ; Benfa LI ; Rong ZHAO ; Zhuoling LI ; Dongdong ZHAO ; Na YANG ; Awei BI ; Yun GAN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(13):295-302
Breast cancer prevention and treatment have become major issues that urgently need to be addressed in the field of global public health. As a key pathological transitional stage in the progression of breast cancer, preneoplastic breast cancer (PBC) carries a significant risk of clinical transformation. Effective intervention in the progression of PBC is of great clinical significance in preventing the occurrence of breast cancer. Pathological studies have shown that abnormal angiogenesis is a key mechanism driving the transformation of PBC into breast cancer. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), as a core regulatory molecule that promotes angiogenesis, plays a pivotal role in this process. The malignant transformation of PBC is closely associated with the abnormal activation of the VEGF-mediated pro-angiogenic network. Although modern medicine has achieved certain therapeutic effects through surgery and endocrine therapy, clinical limitations such as invasiveness, drug resistance, and adverse reactions still exist. Recent studies have demonstrated that the VEGF signaling system mediates the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) signaling pathway and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. In addition, the hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α)/VEGF signaling pathway and the delta-like ligand 4 (DLL4)/Notch receptor 1 (Notch1) signaling pathway, together with other pathways, form a complex regulatory network that plays a central role in angiogenesis during PBC. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), characterized by multi-component synergy, multi-pathway regulation, and high safety, demonstrates significant advantages in inhibiting pathological angiogenesis and blocking PBC progression by targeting the VEGF signaling pathway. From the perspective of VEGF pathway regulation, this paper systematically reviews the latest research progress on TCM in inhibiting angiogenesis and intervening in PBC, and discusses its mechanisms and application value in the early prevention and treatment of PBC, with the aim of providing references for optimizing clinical intervention strategies for PBC.
2.Development and application of pilot hypoxia endurance testing system
Lin-xia LI ; Guo-yun MAO ; Ming-rui HU ; Jia-ling XU ; Yao-xuan JI ; Na ZHI ; Yan-qing BAI ; Yun-ying WANG
Chinese Medical Equipment Journal 2025;46(10):23-28
Objective To develop a hypoxia endurance testing system for aviation physiological training of pilots.Methods The hypoxia endurance testing system comprised a low-oxygen mixed gas generator,a pressurization system for low-oxygen mixed gas and a personal breathing apparatus.The low-oxygen mixed gas generator consisted of a main unit composed of an air compressor,a filter,a buffer tank,polymer membrane,a control module,sensors and regulators,wire cables,supporting hoses,etc.;the pressurization system for low-oxygen mixed gas was made up of a protective box,a cooling fan,a motor and a driver,a control module,a solenoid valve,a convergence block,a pressure gauge,etc.;the personal breating apparatus was composed of a gas cylinder,a pressure reducer,an oxygen supply regulator,etc.Forty-eight subjects were selected for hypoxia exposure tests to verify the effectiveness of the system.Results The system developed had the functions of low-oxygen gas preparation,pressurized filling and hypoxia experiment,and the experimental results indicated the acute hypoxia exposure by the system significantly caused signs and symptoms of hypoxia and weakened physiological functions.Conclusion The system developed gains advantages in high accuracy of gas volume fraction control,safety and remarkable effect of simulated hypoxia,and can be an effective tool for acute high-altitude hypoxia testing and training of pilots.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(10):23-28]
3.Hydrogen sulfide ameliorates hypoxic pulmonary hypertension in rats by inhibiting aerobic glycolysis-pyroptosis.
Yuan CHENG ; Yun-Na TIAN ; Man HUANG ; Jun-Peng XU ; Wen-Jie CAO ; Xu-Guang JIA ; Li-Yi YOU ; Wan-Tie WANG
Acta Physiologica Sinica 2025;77(3):465-471
The present study aimed to explore whether hydrogen sulfide (H2S) improved hypoxic pulmonary hypertension (HPH) in rats by inhibiting aerobic glycolysis-pyroptosis. Male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into normal group, normal+NaHS group, hypoxia group, and hypoxia+NaHS group, with 6 rats in each group. The control group rats were placed in a normoxic (21% O2) environment and received daily intraperitoneal injections of an equal volume of normal saline. The normal+NaHS group rats were placed in a normoxic environment and intraperitoneally injected with 14 μmol/kg NaHS daily. The hypoxia group rats were placed in a hypoxia chamber, and the oxygen controller inside the chamber maintained the oxygen concentration at 9% to 10% by controlling the N2 flow rate. An equal volume of normal saline was injected intraperitoneally every day. The hypoxia+NaHS group rats were also placed in an hypoxia chamber and intraperitoneally injected with 14 μmol/kg NaHS daily. After the completion of the four-week modeling, the mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) of each group was measured using right heart catheterization technique, and the right ventricular hypertrophy index (RVHI) was weighed and calculated. HE staining was used to observe pathological changes in lung tissue, Masson staining was used to observe fibrosis of lung tissue, and Western blot was used to detect protein expression levels of hexokinase 2 (HK2), pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), pyruvate kinase isozyme type M2 (PKM2), nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), GSDMD-N-terminal domain (GSDMD-N), Caspase-1, interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and IL-18 in lung tissue. ELISA was used to detect contents of IL-1β and IL-18 in lung tissue. The results showed that, compared with the normal control group, there were no significant changes in all indexes in the normal+NaHS group, while the hypoxia group exhibited significantly increased mPAP and RVHI, thickened pulmonary vascular wall, narrowed lumen, increased collagen fibers, up-regulated expression levels of aerobic glycolysis-related proteins (HK2 and PKM2), up-regulated expression levels of pyroptosis-related proteins (NLRP3, GSDMD-N, Caspase-1, IL-1β, and IL-18), and increased contents of IL-1β and IL-18. These changes of the above indexes in the hypoxia group were significantly reversed by NaHS. These results suggest that H2S can improve rat HPH by inhibiting aerobic glycolysis-pyroptosis.
Animals
;
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
;
Male
;
Hypertension, Pulmonary/metabolism*
;
Glycolysis/drug effects*
;
Hydrogen Sulfide/therapeutic use*
;
Hypoxia/complications*
;
Rats
;
Pyroptosis/drug effects*
4.Identification of blood-entering components of Anshen Dropping Pills based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS combined with network pharmacology and evaluation of their anti-insomnia effects and mechanisms.
Xia-Xia REN ; Jin-Na YANG ; Xue-Jun LUO ; Hui-Ping LI ; Miao QIAO ; Wen-Jia WANG ; Yi HE ; Shui-Ping ZHOU ; Yun-Hui HU ; Rui-Ming LI
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(7):1928-1937
This study identified blood-entering components of Anshen Dropping Pills and explored their anti-insomnia effects and mechanisms. The main blood-entering components of Anshen Dropping Pills were detected and identified by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS. The rationality of the formula was assessed by using enrichment analysis based on the relationship between drugs and symptoms, and core targets of its active components were selected as the the potential anti-insomnia targets of Anshen Dropping Pills through network pharmacology analysis. Furthermore, protein-protein interaction(PPI) network, Gene Ontology(GO) enrichment analysis, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) pathway analysis were performed on the core targets. An active component-core target network for Anshen Dropping Pills was constructed. Finally, the effects of low-, medium-, and high-dose groups of Anshen Dropping Pills on sleep episodes, sleep duration, and sleep latency in mice were measured by supraliminal and subliminal pentobarbital sodium experiments. Moreover, total scores of the Pittsburgh sleep quality index(PSQI) scale was used to evaluate the changes before and after the treatment with Anshen Dropping Pills in a clinical study. The enrichment analysis based on the relationship between drugs and symptoms verified the rationality of the Anshen Dropping Pills formula, and nine blood-entering components of Anshen Dropping Pills were identified by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS. The network proximity revealed a significant correlation between eight components and insomnia, including magnoflorine, liquiritin, spinosin, quercitrin, jujuboside A, ginsenoside Rb_3, glycyrrhizic acid, and glycyrrhetinic acid. Network pharmacology analysis indicated that the major anti-insomnia pathways of Anshen Dropping Pills involved substance and energy metabolism, neuroprotection, immune system regulation, and endocrine regulation. Seven core genes related to insomnia were identified: APOE, ALB, BDNF, PPARG, INS, TP53, and TNF. In summary, Anshen Dropping Pills could increase sleep episodes, prolong sleep duration, and reduce sleep latency in mice. Clinical study results demonstrated that Anshen Dropping Pills could decrease total scores of PSQI scale. This study reveals the pharmacodynamic basis and potential multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway effects of Anshen Dropping Pills, suggesting that its anti-insomnia mechanisms may be associated with the regulation of insomnia-related signaling pathways. These findings offer a theoretical foundation for the clinical application of Anshen Dropping Pills.
Animals
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage*
;
Tandem Mass Spectrometry/methods*
;
Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/metabolism*
;
Mice
;
Network Pharmacology
;
Male
;
Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid
;
Humans
;
Protein Interaction Maps/drug effects*
;
Sleep/drug effects*
;
Female
;
Adult
5.Studies on pharmacological effects and chemical components of different extracts from Bawei Chenxiang Pills.
Jia-Tong WANG ; Lu-Lu KANG ; Feng ZHOU ; Luo-Bu GESANG ; Ya-Na LIANG ; Guo-Dong YANG ; Xiao-Li GAO ; Hui-Chao WU ; Xing-Yun CHAI
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(11):3035-3042
The medicinal materials of Bawei Chenxiang Pills(BCPs) were extracted via three methods: reflux extraction by water, reflux extraction by 70% ethanol, and extraction by pure water following reflux extraction by 70% ethanol, yielding three extracts of ST, CT, and CST. The efficacy of ST(760 mg·kg~(-1)), CT(620 mg·kg~(-1)), and CST(1 040 mg·kg~(-1)) were evaluated by acute myocardial ischemia(AMI) and p-chlorophenylalanine(PCPA)-induced insomnia in mice, respectively. Western blot was further utilized to investigate their hypnosis mechanisms. The main chemical components of different extracts were identified by the UPLC-Q-Exactive-MS technique. The results showed that CT and CST significantly increased the ejection fraction(EF) and fractional shortening(FS) of myocardial infarction mice, reduced left ventricular internal dimension at end-diastole(LVIDd) and left ventricular internal dimension at end-systole(LVIDs). In contrast, ST did not exhibit significant effects on these parameters. In the insomnia model, CT significantly reduced sleep latency and prolonged sleep duration, whereas ST only prolonged sleep duration without shortening sleep latency. CST showed no significant effects on either sleep latency or sleep duration. Additionally, both CT and ST upregulated glutamic acid decarboxylase 67(GAD67) protein expression in brain tissue. A total of 15 main chemical components were identified from CT, including 2-(2-phenylethyl) chromone and 6-methoxy-2-(2-phenylethyl) chromone. Six chemical components including chebulidic acid were identified from ST. The results suggested that chromones and terpenes were potential anti-myocardial ischemia drugs of BCPs, and tannin and phenolic acids were potential hypnosis drugs. This study enriches the pharmacological and chemical research of BCPs, providing a basis and reference for their secondary development, quality standard improvement, and clinical application.
Animals
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/isolation & purification*
;
Mice
;
Male
;
Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/physiopathology*
;
Humans
;
Myocardial Infarction/drug therapy*
;
Myocardial Ischemia/drug therapy*
6.To explore the application value of preoperative plasma total cholesterol level in predicting postoperative delirium in patients with esophageal cancer resection
Shengrun GAO ; Chen LI ; Liang WANG ; Kezhong LI ; Na LIU ; Chengjie GAO ; Yun LI
The Journal of Practical Medicine 2025;41(7):1004-1009
Objective To investigate the predictive value of preoperative plasma total cholesterol levels for postoperative delirium(POD)following esophagectomy and to analyze its associated risk factors.Methods The complete perioperative electronic medical records of 187 patients with POD who underwent esophagectomy at the 960 Hospital of the People's Liberation Army between January 2019 and December 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.According to the occurrence of POD within one week postoperatively,the patients were categorized into a delirium group and a non-delirium group.The preoperative plasma total cholesterol levels were used to construct a receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve for predicting delirium after esophagectomy.The area under the curve(AUC)and its 95%confidence interval(CI)were calculated.Additionally,the plasma total cholesterol level corresponding to the maximum Youden index(sensitivity+specificity-1)was determined as the optimal critical value.Results POD occurred in 24 of 187 patients who underwent esophageal cancer resection,with an incidence rate of 12.83%.Compared to the non-delirium group,the delirium group exhibited older age,lower intraoperative blood pressure,lower plasma total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein levels,longer anesthesia duration,and a higher preva-lence of coronary heart disease,which was identified as a risk factor for POD.Dexmedetomidine administration was associated with a reduced occurrence of POD.The AUC,95%CI,cut-off value,sensitivity,and specificity of preop-erative plasma total cholesterol level for predicting POD were 0.761,0.657~0.865,≤4.11 mmol/L,70.8%,and 77.3%,respectively.Conclusions Among non-hyperlipidemic patients,low preoperative plasma total cholesterol levels and intraoperative hypotension are identified as independent risk factors for POD following esophageal cancer resection.Preoperative plasma total cholesterol levels exhibit moderate predictive value for the occurrence of POD.
7.Multidimensional CT radiomics for preoperative prediction of TFE3-rearranged renal cell carcinoma
Bin XIA ; Chengwei CHEN ; Na LI ; Yun BIAN ; Chengwei SHAO ; Jianping LU ; Qinqin KANG
Chinese Journal of Urology 2025;46(5):343-348
Objective:To develop a preoperative CT-based radiomics model integrating multidimensional features for the accurate prediction of TFE3-rearranged renal cell carcinoma(TFE3-rRCC).Methods:This study retrospectively enrolled 865 pathologically confirmed renal cell carcinoma(RCC)patients in The First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University from June 2013 to June 2023,including 60 cases of TFE3-rRCC and 805 cases of non-TFE3 RCC(comprising clear cell RCC,papillary RCC,and chromophobe RCC). Among them,627 were male and 238 were female,with a mean age of(54.1 ± 12.7)years(range:14?82 years). The median maximum tumor diameter was 4.0(2.6,6.0)cm. Based on the chronological order of CT examinations,the patients were divided into training( n=478),validation( n=206),and test( n=181)sets in an approximate 6∶2∶2 ratio. Using precontrast and corticomedullary phase CT images,we extracted peritumoral imaging features,habitat features,3D radiomic features,and 2.5D deep learning radiomic features. A deep learning radiomics score(DLR-SCORE)prediction model was constructed using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO)regression. The diagnostic performance of the model was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis,with the area under the curve(AUC)as the primary metric. Additionally,sensitivity,specificity,and accuracy were calculated based on the confusion matrix. Results:A total of 12 442 features were extracted from non-contrast and corticomedullary phase CT images,from which eight key features were selected to construct the DLR-SCORE model. The model demonstrated diagnostic accuracies for TFE3-rRCC of 98.5%(471/478)in the training set,81.6%(168/206)in the validation set,and 86.2%(156/181)in the test set. The AUC of ROC curve was 0.98(95% CI 0.96?1.00)in the training set,0.83(95% CI 0.71?0.94)in the validation set,and 0.88(95% CI 0.76?1.00)in the test set. In the test set,the DLR-SCORE model achieved a sensitivity of 88.9%(16/18)and a specificity of 85.9%(140/163)for detecting TFE3-rRCC. Conclusions:The DLR-SCORE model integrating multidimensional CT radiomics features demonstrated favorable predictive performance for TFE3-rRCC,offering a promising noninvasive tool to assist preoperative diagnosis.
8.Construction and verification of atherosclerosis risk prediction model for rheumatoid arthritis patients
Jing LYU ; Fangying ZHU ; Kai ZHU ; Yun LI ; Na YANG ; Shuyun WEN ; Miqian ZHONG
Tianjin Medical Journal 2025;53(10):1043-1047
Objective To construct a risk prediction model for atherosclerosis(AS)in patients with rheumatoid arthritis(RA)based on Lasso-Logistic regression analysis and provide a scientific basis for individualized clinical intervention.Methods The retrospective clinical data were collected from 344 RA patients,including 86 patients with AS(RA+AS group)and 258 patients with without AS(RA group).The clinical characteristics and initial laboratory test results were compared between the two groups.Lasso regression was used to screen the key predictive variables,and Logistic regression was combined to construct the prediction mode.The discrimination of the model was evaluated through the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve and the area under the curve(AUC).The Hosmer-Lemeshow test was used to assess the calibration,and decision curve analysis was used to verify the clinical applicability of the model.Results Seven predictive variables were identified including RA disease duration,DAS28 score,C-reactive protein(CRP),triglycerides(TG),high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C),fasting blood glucose(FBG)and hypertension.The risk prediction model for AS in RA patients was:Logit(P)=-2.674+0.605×RA disease duration+0.393×DAS28 score+0.310×CRP+1.346×TG-2.289×HDL-C+0.679×FBG+0.711×hypertension.The AUC of the model was 0.965(95%CI:0.943-0.987),and the Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed χ2=0.547,P=1.000,indicating good discrimination and calibration.Clinical decision curve analysis showed that the probability threshold ranged from 7%to 92%,demonstrating high clinical applicability.Conclusion The AS risk prediction model constructed in this study for RA patients can effectively identify high-risk individuals,supporting the development of personalized prevention and treatment strategies.
9.Oroxylin A induces apoptosis in Ishikawa cell line of endometrial cancer via PI3K/AKT signaling pathway
Huan-huan ZHAO ; Yu-qian JIAO ; Ruo-qi QIAO ; Xue BAI ; Na WANG ; Yun-jie TIAN ; Wen-ling FAN ; Li LI ; Su-wen SU ; Yan FU ; Hui ZHANG ; Hong-fang YANG
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2025;41(3):555-560
Aim To investigate the effect of oroxylin A(OA)on apoptosis in Ishikawa cell line of endometrial cancer and the underlying mechanism through the phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase/protein kinase B(PI3K/AKT)signaling pathway.Methods Ishikawa cells were treated with different concentrations of OA(0,4,8,10,12,and 20 μmol·L-1)for 24 h-72 h,the cell viability was detected by CCK-8 assay,apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry,and the protein ex-pression levels of B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2),Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax),PI3K/AKT,recombinant cytochrome P450 1B1(CYP1B1),and catechol-O-methyltransferase(COMT)were detected by Western blot technique.Results OA inhibited the prolifera-tion of Ishikawa cells in a concentration-and time-de-pendent manner.Compared with the blank control group,the expression of Bax protein increased signifi-cantly,while the expression of Bcl-2 protein decreased significantly with the increase of OA concentration.The expression of COMT protein increased significant-ly,while the expression of CYP1B1 protein decreased significantly.PI3K/AKT:IGF-1(PI3 K agonist)sup-plementation reversed the effect,the expression of COMT protein significantly decreased,and the expres-sion of CYP1B1 protein significantly increased.Con-clusions OA exerts anti-tumor effects in Ishikawa cells of endometrial cancer,which may be related to cell apoptosis mediated by the inhibition of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.
10.Genetic screening and follow-up results in 3 001 newborns in the Yunnan region.
Ao-Yu LI ; Bao-Sheng ZHU ; Jin-Man ZHANG ; Ying CHAN ; Jun-Yue LIN ; Jie ZHANG ; Xiao-Yan ZHOU ; Hong CHEN ; Su-Yun LI ; Na FENG ; Yin-Hong ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics 2025;27(6):654-660
OBJECTIVES:
To evaluate the application value of genetic newborn screening (gNBS) in the Yunnan region.
METHODS:
A prospective study was conducted with a random selection of 3 001 newborns born in the Yunnan region from February to December 2021. Traditional newborn screening (tNBS) was used to test biochemical indicators, and targeted next-generation sequencing was employed to screen 159 genes related to 156 diseases. Positive-screened newborns underwent validation and confirmation tests, and confirmed cases received standardized treatment and long-term follow-up.
RESULTS:
Among the 3 001 newborns, 166 (5.53%) were initially positive for genetic screening, and 1 435 (47.82%) were genetic carriers. The top ten genes with the highest variation frequency were GJB2 (21.29%), DUOX2 (7.27%), HBA (6.14%), GALC (3.63%), SLC12A3 (3.33%), HBB (3.03%), G6PD (2.94%), SLC25A13 (2.90%), PAH (2.73%), and UNC13D (2.68%). Among the initially positive newborns from tNBS and gNBS, 33 (1.10%) and 47 (1.57%) cases were confirmed, respectively. A total of 48 (1.60%) cases were confirmed using gNBS+tNBS. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis demonstrated that the areas under the curve for tNBS, gNBS, and gNBS+tNBS in diagnosing diseases were 0.866, 0.982, and 0.968, respectively (P<0.05). DeLong's test showed that the area under the curve for gNBS and gNBS+tNBS was higher than that for tNBS (P<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
gNBS can expand the range of disease detection, and its combined use with tNBS can significantly shorten diagnosis time, enabling early intervention and treatment.
Humans
;
Infant, Newborn
;
Neonatal Screening
;
Genetic Testing
;
Female
;
Male
;
Follow-Up Studies
;
Prospective Studies
;
China

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail