1.Quality evaluation of Marsdenia tenacissimae from different producing areas based on multi-component quantitative combined with chemometrics
Yue LONG ; Yang HU ; Ling HE ; Lichao ZHU ; Li SHAO
Journal of China Pharmaceutical University 2026;57(1):46-53
A quantitative method for the analysis of the multi-component contents in Marsdenia tenacissimae was established, and the quality differences were evaluated by principal component analysis (PCA), orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA), factor analysis (FA) and weighted technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) method. The contents of chlorogenic acid, cryptochlorogenic acid, sinapic acid, tenacigenoside A, tenacissoside G, tenacissoside I, tenacissoside H, drevogenin A, betulinic acid and lupeol were determined by HPLC wavelength switching method. At the same time, the contents of alcohol-soluble extract and total ash were detected. PCA, OPLS-DA and FA methods were used to identify the origin of M. tenacissimae from different producing areas. According to the OPLS-DA model, the index weight was determined to construct the weighted TOPSIS evaluation model. The qualities of M. tenacissimae from different producing areas were analyzed by model scoring results. The contents of 12 indexes in 18 batches of M. tenacissimae varied to different degrees, and the repeatability and accuracy of the test method were satisfactory. PCA analysis divided 18 batches of M. tenacissimae into three categories. OPLS-DA identified five main potential quality markers, including tenacissoside A, tenacissoside I, lupeol, tenacissoside H and chlorogenic acid. The evaluation results of FA and weighted TOPSIS method were consistent, which showed that the quality of M. tenacissimae from Yunnan and Guizhou was better. The established multi-component quantitative analysis method is accurate and reliable, the chemometrics model has strong predictive ability, and the evaluation results of FA and weighted TOPSIS method are scientific and objective. The combination of the four methods can clearly determine the qualities of M. tenacissimae from different producing areas.
2.Effects and Regulation of Glycosylation Modifications on G Protein-coupled Receptor Function
Fang-Ming WU ; Sheng-Long LING ; Pan SHI ; Yu SUN ; Chang-Lin TIAN
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(9):2352-2364
Glycosylation constitutes a critical, highly intricate, and diverse co- and post-translational modification characterized by the covalent attachment of sugar moieties to proteins, lipids, or small RNAs. Complex glycans are ubiquitously present across nearly all living organisms. Despite their prevalence, our comprehension of glycan diversity remains limited, likely due to the inherent challenges associated with elucidating their structural complexity. Among post-translational modifications, protein glycosylation is notably prevalent, involving the enzymatic transfer of oligosaccharides to specific amino acid residues by glycosyltransferases. This modification plays a pivotal role in modulating protein function, including participation in various biological and biochemical recognition processes. G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), encoded by approximately one thousand genes, share a conserved architecture comprising seven transmembrane helices interconnected by three intracellular and three extracellular loops. Representing the largest family of human membrane proteins, GPCRs regulate a vast array of physiological and pathological processes, thereby constituting the most extensive class of therapeutic targets. In mammalian systems, the majority of GPCRs undergo glycosylation predominantly at their extracellular N-terminus or extracellular loops, primarily through N-linked and O-linked glycosylation. These covalent carbohydrate modifications exert profound effects on multiple facets of GPCR biology, including endoplasmic reticulum folding and quality control, membrane trafficking and surface expression, receptor internalization and recycling or degradation, ligand binding and signal transduction, biased signaling, and receptor dimerization. Notably, glycosylation can exert both positive and negative regulatory influences on these processes. Dysregulation of GPCR glycosylation has been implicated in a range of pathological conditions, such as cancer, diabetes, and neurological disorders, underscoring its physiological and pathological significance. Aberrant glycosylation patterns may lead to dysfunctional receptor signaling, thereby contributing to disease progression. Consequently, elucidating the precise roles of glycosylation in GPCR function not only enhances fundamental understanding of receptor biology but also facilitates the development of novel therapeutic strategies targeting glycosylation pathways or specific GPCR glycoforms. Although the functional consequences of glycosylation have been investigated for several decades, delineating their exact structural underpinnings has remained challenging due to the intrinsic flexibility and heterogeneity of carbohydrate structures. Recent advances in structural biology, particularly single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and X-ray crystallography, have catalyzed a paradigm shift in our understanding of GPCR glycosylation. The integration of these sophisticated structural techniques with biochemical approaches has redefined glycosylation as a complex structural element integral to receptor function. These developments provide a molecular framework for comprehending how glycans influence receptor pharmacology and open new avenues for the rational design of glyco-engineered biologics and allosteric modulators targeting specific extracellular motifs. This mini-review concentrates on glycosylation within the GPCR superfamily, summarizing the impact of glycosylation modifications on receptor function and regulatory mechanisms, recent progress in the structural biology of GPCR glycosylation, and prospective directions for future research in this field.
3.Application of the Anderson sampler in the inspection for the filtration efficiency for bacteria in medical mask
Di LEI ; Chen WANG ; Minjuan ZHANG ; Cunlin LONG ; Jian REN ; Zhijie ZHAO ; Yuwei LI ; Yun LING ; Xiaoning SUN ; Jing ZHAO
China Medical Equipment 2025;22(3):160-163
The medical mask,which is used as an important tool of preventing the spread of respiratory diseases,can effectively block the transmission of biological aerosols.The detection for the filtration efficiency of bacteria in medical mask is particular importance.The Andersen sampler,is one kind of device that samples microbial aerosols,is widely used in the inspection for the filtration efficiency for bacteria in medical masks.It mainly consists of six impactors with different pore sizes.It simulates the deposition process of the most of particles at different positions in respiratory system through the bacterial particles in biological aerosols impact respectively the surface of petri dishes with agar under different pore sizes.This paper explored the development background,structure and sampling principle,operation and counting procedures of the Andersen sampler,as well as its application and importance in the inspection for the filtration efficiency for bacteria in medical mask.
4.Experience of exercise in HIV infected/AIDS patients: a Meta-synthesis of qualitative research
Liaozhi ZHANG ; Lianzhao YANG ; Hui GAO ; Ling CHEN ; Xiuhong LONG ; Fan QIN ; Liyin LUO ; Xiaochen YAN
Chinese Journal of Practical Nursing 2025;41(2):88-95
Objective:Systematic evaluation and integration of the exercise experience of HIV infected/AIDS patients.Methods:Databases including Web of science, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Wangfang Database, CNKI, SinoMed and Vip were searched, from their inception to January 31, 2024, to collect qualitative studies on HIV infected/AIDS patients′ experience of exercise. The quality of included studies was evaluated according to JBI Critical Appraisal Tool for qualitative studies in Australia. The results were integrated by integrating methods.Results:A total of 20 studies were included. 87 complete findings were grouped according to similarities to form 10 new categories.These categories resulted in 4 synthesized findings: perceived benefits of exercise in HIV infected/AIDS patients; motivation of exercise in HIV infected/AIDS patients; obstructive factors of exercise in HIV infected/AIDS patients; the needs and expectations of HIV infected/AIDS for exercise.Conclusions:Exercise is a supportive nursing choice for HIV infected/AIDS patients during the treatment process, and nursing staff should pay attention to the patients′perception of exercise and guide their perception of benefits. Focus on the patients′ positive psychology and provide support from multiple perspectives. Pay attention to the factors that hinder patient movement and provide personalized care. Targeting patient needs and optimizing home exercise intervention methods.
5.The synergistic effect and mechanism verification of effective components of Biejia-Ezhu against triple-negative breast cancer based on network pharmacology and component compatibility theory
Dou-dou FENG ; Xiao-shan LUO ; Yan-yun MENG ; Jing-zhe ZHAO ; Jiu-long ZHU ; Ya-zhen HUANG ; Qing XIE ; Xiang-Li LING ; Su XIE
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2025;41(5):950-959
Aim To explore the compatibility and po-tential mechanism of effective components of Biejia-Ezhu against triple negative breast cancer(TNBC)and verify it by experiments.Methods Effective compo-nents and targets of Biejia-Ezhu were obtained by TC-MSP and Swiss Target Prediction.Disease targets of TNBC were obtained from OMMI and GeneCards data-bases.The PPI network was constructed using STRING database.GO and KEGG path enrichment analysis was performed using DAVID database.Cytoscape3.9.1 software was used to construct the"drug-component-target-disease"network,screen key targets and compo-nents for molecular docking,and further verify the com-patibility of key components and targets in vitro.Re-sults ① A total of 71 effective components were iden-tified in the Biejia-Ezhu drug pair.There were 146 drug targets associated with the disease.A total of 113 signaling pathways were identified by KEGG analysis.The 71 potential active components of Biejia-Ezhu mainly acted on key targets such as mTORC1,ULK1,TNF,EGFR,ESR1,STAT3,HIF1A,and PTGS2.Mo-lecular docking results showed that glycine and curcu-min were the key active components of Biejia-Ezhu,and both had strong docking activity against key target proteins mTORC1 and ULK1.②The results of in vitro experiment showed that glycine combined with curcu-min significantly inhibited the proliferation and clonal formation ability of TNBC cells(P<0.05),up-regula-ted the expression of autophagy marker LC3 Ⅱ/Ⅰ,down-regulated the expression of EGFR,down-regula-ted the expression of pathway protein mTORC1,p-mTOR,p-ULK1,and promoted the expression of path-way protein ULK1(P<0.05).Conclusion The key component of Biejia-Ezhu against triple-negative breast cancer is glycine-curcumin,the mechanism of which may be related to the regulation of the mTORC1/ULK1 signaling pathway to promote autophagy.
6.Research progress of basic helix-loop-helix E40 in immune cells
Zhenjie LUO ; Dengrong ZHANG ; Chunyao LIU ; Ling GAO ; Xianping LONG ; Song WANG
Chinese Journal of Immunology 2025;41(6):1512-1516
Immune cells are formed by the proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells in the bone marrow,in-cluding lymphocytes,macrophages,etc,which participate in the immune defense,immune stability and immune monitoring of the body,and are an indispensable basic component of the immune system.Basic helix-loop-helix family member E40(BHLHE40)has been shown to play an important role in adipogenesis,tumorigenesis,circadian rhythm and hypoxia response.Recently,it was found that BHLHE40 plays a key role in the cell cycle,proliferation and cytokine production of immune cells.This article will review the discovery,naming,structure,and mechanism of BHLHE40 in various periods,as well as it's research progress in immune cells,in order to provide new target for the treatment of immune-related diseases at the genetic level.
7.Huachansu injection enhances anti-colorectal cancer efficacy of irinotecan and alleviates its induced intestinal toxicity through upregulating UGT1A1-OATP1B3 expression in vitro and in vivo.
Bo JIANG ; Zhao-Yang MENG ; Yu-Jie HU ; Jun-Jun CHEN ; Ling ZONG ; Ling-Yan XU ; Xiang-Qi ZHANG ; Jing-Xian ZHANG ; Yong-Long HAN
Journal of Integrative Medicine 2025;23(5):576-590
OBJECTIVE:
Huachansu injection (HCSI), a promising anti-cancer Chinese medicine injection, has been reported to have the potential for reducing the toxicity of chemotherapy and improving the quality of life for colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. The objective of this study is to explore the synergistic and detoxifying effects of HCSI when used in combination with irinotecan (CPT-11).
METHODS:
To investigate the effect of HCSI on anti-CRC efficacy and intestinal toxicity of CPT-11, we measured changes in the biological behavior of LoVo cells in vitro, and anti-tumor effects in LoVo cell xenograft nude mice models in vivo. Meanwhile, the effect of HCSI on intestinal toxicity and the uridine diphosphate-glucuronosyltransferase 1A1 (UGT1A1) expression was investigated in the CPT-11-induced colitis mouse model. Subsequently, we measured the effect of HCSI and its 13 constituent bufadienolides on the expression of UGT1A1 and organic anion transporting polypeptides 1B3 (OATP1B3) in HepG2 cells.
RESULTS:
The combination index (CI) results showed that the combination of HCSI and CPT-11 exhibited a synergistic effect (CI < 1), which significantly suppressing the LoVo cell migration, enhancing G2/M and S phase arrest, and inhibiting tumor growth in vivo. Additionally, the damage to intestinal tissues was attenuated by HCSI in CPT-11-induced colitis model, while the increased expression of UGT1A1 in HepG2 cells and in mouse was observed.
CONCLUSION
The co-therapy with HCSI alleviated the intestinal toxicity induced by CPT-11 and exerted an enhanced anti-CRC effect. The detoxifying mechanism may be related to the increased expression of UGT1A1 and OATP1B3 by HCSI and its bufadienolides components. The findings of this study may serve as a theoretical insights and strategies to improve CRC patient outcomes. Please cite this article as: Jiang B, Meng ZY, Hu YJ, Chen JJ, Zong L, Xu LY, Zhang XQ, Zhang JX, Han YL. Huachansu injection enhances anti-colorectal cancer efficacy of irinotecan and alleviates its induced intestinal toxicity through upregulating UGT1A1-OATP1B3 expression in vitro and in vivo. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(5):576-590.
Irinotecan/therapeutic use*
;
Animals
;
Glucuronosyltransferase/genetics*
;
Humans
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Colorectal Neoplasms/metabolism*
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*
;
Mice, Nude
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Mice
;
Up-Regulation/drug effects*
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Male
;
Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
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Mice, Inbred BALB C
;
Hep G2 Cells
;
Cell Line, Tumor
;
Intestines/drug effects*
;
Amphibian Venoms
8.The synergistic effect and mechanism verification of effective components of Biejia-Ezhu against triple-negative breast cancer based on network pharmacology and component compatibility theory
Dou-dou FENG ; Xiao-shan LUO ; Yan-yun MENG ; Jing-zhe ZHAO ; Jiu-long ZHU ; Ya-zhen HUANG ; Qing XIE ; Xiang-Li LING ; Su XIE
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2025;41(5):950-959
Aim To explore the compatibility and po-tential mechanism of effective components of Biejia-Ezhu against triple negative breast cancer(TNBC)and verify it by experiments.Methods Effective compo-nents and targets of Biejia-Ezhu were obtained by TC-MSP and Swiss Target Prediction.Disease targets of TNBC were obtained from OMMI and GeneCards data-bases.The PPI network was constructed using STRING database.GO and KEGG path enrichment analysis was performed using DAVID database.Cytoscape3.9.1 software was used to construct the"drug-component-target-disease"network,screen key targets and compo-nents for molecular docking,and further verify the com-patibility of key components and targets in vitro.Re-sults ① A total of 71 effective components were iden-tified in the Biejia-Ezhu drug pair.There were 146 drug targets associated with the disease.A total of 113 signaling pathways were identified by KEGG analysis.The 71 potential active components of Biejia-Ezhu mainly acted on key targets such as mTORC1,ULK1,TNF,EGFR,ESR1,STAT3,HIF1A,and PTGS2.Mo-lecular docking results showed that glycine and curcu-min were the key active components of Biejia-Ezhu,and both had strong docking activity against key target proteins mTORC1 and ULK1.②The results of in vitro experiment showed that glycine combined with curcu-min significantly inhibited the proliferation and clonal formation ability of TNBC cells(P<0.05),up-regula-ted the expression of autophagy marker LC3 Ⅱ/Ⅰ,down-regulated the expression of EGFR,down-regula-ted the expression of pathway protein mTORC1,p-mTOR,p-ULK1,and promoted the expression of path-way protein ULK1(P<0.05).Conclusion The key component of Biejia-Ezhu against triple-negative breast cancer is glycine-curcumin,the mechanism of which may be related to the regulation of the mTORC1/ULK1 signaling pathway to promote autophagy.
9.Correlation between triglyceride-glucose index-body mass index product and hypertension
Yangyi ZHENG-LIU ; Zihao DING ; Tianyao LONG ; Tong YU ; Minqi LI ; Ling LI ; Xiuqin HONG
Journal of Chinese Physician 2025;27(8):1191-1196
Objective:To explore the correlation between triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index-body mass index (BMI) product (TyG-BMI) and hypertension.Methods:Based on the cross-sectional survey data of adult hypertension prevalence in Hunan Province from June 2013 to May 2014, 4 012 subjects aged ≥18 years with complete key data were included. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the correlation between TyG-BMI and hypertension, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to compare the ability of TyG index and TyG-BMI to identify hypertension.Results:A total of 4 012 subjects were included in this study, with an average age of (54.6±12.6)years, and males accounted for 40.98%(1 644/4 012). The prevalence of hypertension was 38.33%(1 538/4 012). Logistic regression analysis showed that elevated TyG-BMI was an independent risk factor for hypertension ( P<0.05). In the fully adjusted model, each 1/4 increase in TyG-BMI was associated with a 1.017-fold increase in the risk of hypertension ( OR=1.017, 95% CI: 1.014-1.019). Compared with the lowest quartile group (Q 1), the higher quartile groups (Q 2, Q 3, Q 4) of TyG-BMI had a higher risk of hypertension, with OR values of 1.841, 2.265, and 4.386, respectively. Restricted cubic spline plot showed a linear dose-response relationship between TyG-BMI and the risk of hypertension (overall trend P<0.001). In subgroup analyses stratified by age, gender, smoking and drinking status, TyG-BMI was positively correlated with hypertension. In addition, ROC curve analysis showed that TyG-BMI had better diagnostic value for hypertension compared with TyG index. Conclusions:TyG-BMI is an independent risk factor for hypertension. Excessively high TyG-BMI or gradual increase of TyG-BMI will increase the risk of hypertension, and TyG-BMI has higher value in identifying hypertension compared with TyG index.
10.CMTM3 regulates proliferation and migration of glioblastoma U251 cells via the NF-κB signaling pathway
Lishi JIANG ; Wei TENG ; Wenjin QIU ; Yuanguo LING ; Xueping SHI ; Niya LONG ; Liangzhao CHU ; Jian LIU
Chinese Journal of Oncology 2025;47(2):136-148
Objective:To explore the effects and potential mechanisms of chemokine-like factor-like MARVEL transmembrane domain-containing Protein 3 (CMTM3) on the proliferation and migration of glioblastoma (GBM) cells.Methods:Using CMTM3 expression data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) databases, we analyzed the differential expression of CMTM3 in GBM tissues and its impact on the prognosis of GBM patients. Immunohistochemical staining and protein content determination of CMTM3 was performed on GBM and adjacent non-cancerous tissue samples from 11 GBM patients who underwent surgical treatment at the Affiliated Hospital of Guizhou Medical University between November 3, 2022 and March 15, 2023. Additionally, the expression of CMTM3 was validated in GBM cell lines U87, U251, LN229, and the human astrocyte (NHA) cell line using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and Western blot analyses. Stable cell lines with silenced and overexpressed CMTM3 (sh-CMTM3 group and OE-CMTM3 group) were constructed using U251 cells. The effect of CMTM3 expression on cell proliferation was assessed using the Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Flow cytometry was employed to examine the impact of CMTM3 expression on the cell cycle. Transwell assays were conducted to evaluate the influence of CMTM3 expression on cell migration. Bioinformatics analysis, Western blotting, NF-κB activation-nuclear translocation assays, and the NF-κB pathway inhibitor pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate ammonium (PDTC) were used to validate the effect of CMTM3 on the NF-κB pathway. Finally, a subcutaneous tumorigenesis assay in nude mice was performed to observe the impact of CMTM3 expression on the in vivo growth of U251 cells. Results:Bioinformatics analysis revealed that CMTM3 is highly expressed in GBM tissues. Patients with a high CMTM3 expression had lower overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS) rates compared with those with a low CMTM3 expression (with P values of 0.010 and 0.032, respectively). Among the 11 GBM pathological specimens, 10 samples exhibited higher CMTM3 protein expression levels in the cancerous tissue compared with the adjacent non-cancerous tissue. The average CMTM3 protein expression in these samples was 0.44±0.09, significantly higher than that in the adjacent non-cancerous tissues (0.12±0.02, P<0.001). In one sample, the difference in CMTM3 protein expression between the cancerous and adjacent non-cancerous tissues was not statistically significant ( P=0.750).The RT-qPCR results showed that the mRNA expression level of CMTM3 in NHA cells was 1.0±0.1, whereas in GBM cells U87, LN229, and U251, the levels were 2.1±0.3, 3.4±0.5, and 3.7±0.8, respectively, all significantly higher than that in NHA cells (all P<0.01). Western blot results demonstrated that the protein expression levels of CMTM3 in GBM cells U87, LN229, and U251 were 1.5±0.2, 1.8±0.2, and 1.9±0.1, respectively, also higher than that in NHA cells (0.7±0.2, all P<0.01), with the highest level observed in U251 cells. The CCK-8 assay, Flow cytometry, and Transwell migration experiments indicated that cell viability was inhibited in the sh-CMTM3 group, with an increase in the proportion of cells in the G 0/G 1 phase ( P<0.01) and a decrease in the S phase ( P<0.01), and the number of migrated cells was 233.6±35.5, lower than that in the sh-NC group ( P<0.001). Conversely, the OE-CMTM3 group showed enhanced cell viability, a reduction in the proportion of cells in the G 0/G 1 phase ( P<0.01), and an increase in the S phase ( P<0.01), and the number of migrated cells was 1212.0±20.8, higher than that in the OE-NC group ( P<0.001). However, in the OE-CMTM3+PDTC group, cell viability, cell cycle distribution (G 1, S, and G 2 phases), and cell migration numbers showed no significant changes (all P>0.05). Western blot analysis and NF-κB activation-nuclear translocation assay results indicated that in the sh-CMTM3 group, the p-p65/p65 ratio was 0.51±0.04 and the p-IκBα/IκBα ratio was 0.39±0.03, both lower than those in the sh-NC group (both P<0.01). The cytoplasmic staining rate was (49.29±1.98)%, higher than that in the sh-NC group ( P<0.01). In the OE-CMTM3 group, the p-p65/p65 ratio was 2.27±0.10 and the p-IκBα/IκBα ratio was 2.14±0.15, both higher than those in the OE-NC group (both P<0.01). The cytoplasmic staining rate was (18.96±1.44)%, lower than that in the OE-NC group ( P<0.01). In the OE-CMTM3+PDTC group, there were no significant differences in the p-p65/p65 ratio, p-IκBα/IκBα ratio, and cytoplasmic staining rate compared with the OE-NC group (all P>0.05). The subcutaneous tumorigenesis assay in nude mice showed that the tumor volume in the sh-CMTM3 group was (408.9±96.2) mm3, smaller than that in the sh-NC group ( P=0.003). The tumor volume in the OE-CMTM3 group was (1 514.5±251.5) mm3, larger than that in the OE-NC group ( P=0.005). Conclusions:In GBM, CMTM3 is highly expressed and negatively correlated with both OS and DFS of patients. CMTM3 regulates the proliferation and migration abilities of U251 cells through the NF-κB signaling pathway.

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