1.Mechanisms of Salvianolic Acid B in Inhibiting Epithelial-mesenchymal Transition in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer by Downregulating PAICS Expression
Bo XU ; Jixian ZHANG ; Linling HU ; Bo JIANG ; Shasha YUAN ; Yiling FAN ; Zhishen RUAN ; Yihan YU ; Qing MIAO
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(10):23-33
ObjectiveTo investigate the molecular mechanisms by which salvianolic acid B (SalB) inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by downregulating phosphoribosylaminoimidazole carboxylase and phosphoribosylaminoimidazole succinocarboxamide synthetase (PAICS) expression. MethodsNSCLC A549 cells and normal bronchial epithelial cells (bronchial epithelium transformed with Ad12-SV40 2B, BEAS-2B) were used as models. Cell viability was assessed using the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay after treatment with SalB (0, 50, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 μmol·L-1 for 24 or 48 h to determine effective and safe intervention concentrations. Cell proliferation, cell cycle distribution, and apoptosis were evaluated by 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU) staining and flow cytometry, respectively. Wound healing and Transwell invasion assays were performed to assess cell migration and invasion. RNA sequencing combined with bioinformatic analysis was conducted to identify differentially expressed genes and functional enrichment. Molecular docking was used to predict the binding ability between SalB and PAICS, and the cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) was performed to evaluate the effect of SalB on the thermal stability of the PAICS protein. Western blot (WB) was used to detect the effects of SalB on PAICS and EMT-related proteins (E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Vimentin, Snail, and Slug). A functional rescue assay was conducted by PAICS overexpression via plasmid transfection. ResultsCompared with the control group, SalB inhibited A549 cell viability in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05), and the effective concentrations (≤300 μmol·L-1) showed no significant cytotoxicity in BEAS-2B cells. Within this concentration range, SalB significantly inhibited A549 cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and induced G0/G1 phase arrest and apoptosis (P<0.05). Transcriptomic analysis showed that SalB significantly downregulated PAICS expression, and its functions were enriched in cell proliferation and EMT. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that PAICS is highly expressed in lung adenocarcinoma and is associated with poor prognosis (P<0.01). Molecular docking showed that SalB has strong binding ability to PAICS (binding energy -9.1 kcal·mol-1. CETSA results showed that SalB significantly increased the thermal stability of the PAICS protein (P<0.05). WB results showed that, compared with the control group, SalB dose-dependently downregulated PAICS expression, upregulated E-cadherin, and downregulated N-cadherin, Vimentin, Snail, and Slug (P<0.05). Functional rescue experiments showed that, compared with the empty vector group, PAICS overexpression significantly enhanced A549 cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, promoted cell cycle progression, and inhibited apoptosis (P<0.05). Meanwhile, compared with the empty vector + SalB-H group, PAICS overexpression partially reversed the inhibitory effects of SalB on malignant phenotypes and EMT-related proteins (N-cadherin, Vimentin, Snail, and Slug), and downregulated E-cadherin expression (P<0.05,P<0.01), indicating that PAICS is a key functional target mediating the antitumor effects of SalB. ConclusionSalB effectively inhibits EMT progression and cell cycle progression in A549 cells by downregulating PAICS expression, thereby exerting anti-NSCLC effects. This study not only reveals that PAICS is a key functional target through which SalB regulates EMT, but also provides experimental evidence supporting SalB as a potential candidate drug for inhibiting NSCLC metastasis.
2.Mechanisms of Salvianolic Acid B in Inhibiting Epithelial-mesenchymal Transition in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer by Downregulating PAICS Expression
Bo XU ; Jixian ZHANG ; Linling HU ; Bo JIANG ; Shasha YUAN ; Yiling FAN ; Zhishen RUAN ; Yihan YU ; Qing MIAO
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(10):23-33
ObjectiveTo investigate the molecular mechanisms by which salvianolic acid B (SalB) inhibits epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by downregulating phosphoribosylaminoimidazole carboxylase and phosphoribosylaminoimidazole succinocarboxamide synthetase (PAICS) expression. MethodsNSCLC A549 cells and normal bronchial epithelial cells (bronchial epithelium transformed with Ad12-SV40 2B, BEAS-2B) were used as models. Cell viability was assessed using the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay after treatment with SalB (0, 50, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 μmol·L-1 for 24 or 48 h to determine effective and safe intervention concentrations. Cell proliferation, cell cycle distribution, and apoptosis were evaluated by 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU) staining and flow cytometry, respectively. Wound healing and Transwell invasion assays were performed to assess cell migration and invasion. RNA sequencing combined with bioinformatic analysis was conducted to identify differentially expressed genes and functional enrichment. Molecular docking was used to predict the binding ability between SalB and PAICS, and the cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) was performed to evaluate the effect of SalB on the thermal stability of the PAICS protein. Western blot (WB) was used to detect the effects of SalB on PAICS and EMT-related proteins (E-cadherin, N-cadherin, Vimentin, Snail, and Slug). A functional rescue assay was conducted by PAICS overexpression via plasmid transfection. ResultsCompared with the control group, SalB inhibited A549 cell viability in a dose-dependent manner (P<0.05), and the effective concentrations (≤300 μmol·L-1) showed no significant cytotoxicity in BEAS-2B cells. Within this concentration range, SalB significantly inhibited A549 cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, and induced G0/G1 phase arrest and apoptosis (P<0.05). Transcriptomic analysis showed that SalB significantly downregulated PAICS expression, and its functions were enriched in cell proliferation and EMT. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that PAICS is highly expressed in lung adenocarcinoma and is associated with poor prognosis (P<0.01). Molecular docking showed that SalB has strong binding ability to PAICS (binding energy -9.1 kcal·mol-1. CETSA results showed that SalB significantly increased the thermal stability of the PAICS protein (P<0.05). WB results showed that, compared with the control group, SalB dose-dependently downregulated PAICS expression, upregulated E-cadherin, and downregulated N-cadherin, Vimentin, Snail, and Slug (P<0.05). Functional rescue experiments showed that, compared with the empty vector group, PAICS overexpression significantly enhanced A549 cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, promoted cell cycle progression, and inhibited apoptosis (P<0.05). Meanwhile, compared with the empty vector + SalB-H group, PAICS overexpression partially reversed the inhibitory effects of SalB on malignant phenotypes and EMT-related proteins (N-cadherin, Vimentin, Snail, and Slug), and downregulated E-cadherin expression (P<0.05,P<0.01), indicating that PAICS is a key functional target mediating the antitumor effects of SalB. ConclusionSalB effectively inhibits EMT progression and cell cycle progression in A549 cells by downregulating PAICS expression, thereby exerting anti-NSCLC effects. This study not only reveals that PAICS is a key functional target through which SalB regulates EMT, but also provides experimental evidence supporting SalB as a potential candidate drug for inhibiting NSCLC metastasis.
3.Efficacy analysis of plasma exchange treatment for thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis
Miao HONG ; Dongdong CAI ; Caihui WEI ; Bing HU ; Kun XIAO ; Fangming RUAN ; Piaoping HU ; Aiping LE ; Zhanglin ZHANG ; Chang ZHONG
Chinese Journal of Blood Transfusion 2025;38(9):1188-1194
Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of plasma exchange (PE) in thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis (MG), thereby to provide theoretical support for its application in the treatment of thymoma-associated MG. Methods: A total of 133 patients with thymoma-associated MG admitted from January 2018 to September 2024 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were matched using propensity score to reduce selection bias, yielding 22 matched pairs for both PE group (n=22) and non-PE group (n=22). Patient characteristics including gender, age of disease onset, course of disease, history of thymoma resection, clinical absolute scores [clinical absolute scores (CAS) and clinical relative scores (CRS)], and synchronized immunotherapy regimen of the two groups were analyzed. The CAS scores before and after treatment were compared between the two groups, and the CRS was used to assess the treatment efficiency. Safety of the two treatment regimens were also compared. Continuous variables were compared using the t-test or ANOVA, while categorical data were compared by the chi-square test. Results: A total of 133 patients were included and divided into two groups according to whether they underwent plasma exchange treatment: the PE group (n=22) and the non-PE group (n=111). To exclude bias caused by large difference in the number of cases between the two groups, we performed propensity score matching. After matching, the number of cases in both groups was 22. There was no significant difference in baseline clinical characteristics between the two groups (P>0.05), including gender, age of onset, duration of disease course, history of thymectomy and baseline CAS score before treatment. Compared to the non-PE group, patients in the PE group showed more significant improvement in CAS score (5.09±1.95 vs 3.59±1.50, P<0.05) and a higher CRS score (75.00% vs 50.00%, P<0.001). Compared to the non-PE group, PE group had significantly longer ICU stay, longer hospital stay and higher hospitalization cost (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in adverse events between the two groups during treatment (P>0.05). During long-term follow-up, both the PE and non-PE groups showed relatively low 1-, 3-, and 5-year recurrence rate, with no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.05). Conclusion: This study indicates that plasma exchange has clear value in the treatment of patients with thymoma-associated myasthenia gravis. It can not only significantly improve patients' muscle strength to alleviate motor dysfunction and enhance quality of life, but also does not significantly increase the incidence of adverse reactions. Therefore, it can be regarded as one of the preferred treatment options that achieve a "balance between efficacy and safety" for such patients, and provides an important basis for optimizing treatment strategies, improving prognosis, and promoting the application of subsequent treatment regimens.
4.Analysis of correlation between ankle instability and load-induced osteochondral lesions of the talus
Yubo XIA ; Ying GUO ; Wen LUO ; Zhen SHEN ; Ziliang RUAN ; Miao TIAN ; Tao WANG ; Wei DONG
Chinese Journal of Trauma 2025;41(2):169-176
Objective:To investigate the biomechanical correlation between ankle instability and osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLT) under loading conditionsMethods:A healthy 29-year-old male volunteer was selected for the study. A 64-slice spiral CT scan of the right lower limb was performed to construct a detailed finite element model of the ankle joint, including ligaments and cartilage. Three injury models were created: models of distal tibiofibular syndesmosis injury, lateral collateral ligament injury, and a combined injury of the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis and lateral collateral ligament. Differences in stress distribution on the tibiotalar joint surface, talus stress, and talus displacement were analyzed through anterior drawer test, inversion stress test, and external rotation stress test.Results:In the anterior drawer test, as the forward traction force increased (40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140, and 150 N), all the injury models showed a progressive increase in tibiotalar joint surface stress, talus stress, and talus displacement. The combined injury model showed the highest tibiotalar joint surface stress (32.6 MPa), while the lateral collateral ligament injury model demonstrated the highest talus stress (56.5 MPa). Talus displacement increased significantly with traction, reaching the maximum (4.88 mm) in the combined injury model under 150 N. In the inversion stress test, stress on the tibiotalar joint surface in the lateral collateral ligament injury model was concentrated on the posterior-lateral and posterior-medial regions, whereas in the combined injury model, stress on the tibiotalar joint surface was predominantly concentrated in the posterior-medial region. Talus stress was localized to the talus neck and body in all the models, with the combined injury model showing the largest talus displacement (8.46 mm). In the external rotation stress test, stress on the tibiotalar joint surface was mainly distributed in the posterior-medial, posterior-lateral, and anterior-lateral regions in all the models. Talus stress was concentrated at the talus neck and body. The combined injury model exhibited the greatest talus displacement (12.50 mm).Conclusion:Ankle instability, particularly from combined injuries of the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis and lateral collateral ligament, significantly increases the stress concentration and talus displacement under loading conditions, thus elevating the risk of OLT.
5.Impact of donor characteristics on prognosis for myelodysplastic syndromes after haplo-identical transplantation: a retrospective study
Hong WANG ; Xueqian LI ; Qingyuan WANG ; Jiaqian QI ; Huiying QIU ; Chengcheng FU ; Xiaowen TANG ; Miao MIAO ; Ying WANG ; Suning CHEN ; Changgeng RUAN ; Depei WU ; Yue HAN
Chinese Journal of Hematology 2025;46(11):1026-1031
Objective:To evaluate the impact of donor characteristics on the prognosis of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients undergoing haplo-identical transplantation (HIDT) .Methods:A retrospective analysis of 203 MDS patients who received HIDT was conducted to evaluate how donor factors influenced transplant outcomes.Results:In MDS patients undergoing haploidentical transplantation, donors over 50 years were associated with higher EBV reactivation (2-year cumulative incidence 42.9% vs 22.0% for <50 years old; P=0.010). Female donors were linked to increased severe chronic GVHD compared with male donors (2-year incidence 11.9% vs 4.0% ; P=0.017). Additionally, 2-year overall survival (OS) was slightly lower with female donors than male donors (56.6% vs 69.7% ), but the difference was not statistically significant ( P=0.073). Donor-recipient blood type did not affect post-transplant OS or cumulative relapse rates. Donor-recipient kinship analysis revealed that child donors, compared to haploidentical sibling or parent donors, had lower rates of grade Ⅱ–Ⅳ acute GVHD (27.2% vs 45.7% vs 53.5%, P=0.007) and 2-year EBV reactivation (13.9% vs 29.3% vs 38.9%, P=0.001). For donors under 20 years, donor gender did not significantly affect 2-year OS ( P=0.913), relapse-free survival ( P=0.716), or 100-day incidence of grade Ⅱ–Ⅳ acute GVHD ( P=0.359) . Conclusion:For MDS patients undergoing HIDT, donors over 50 should be avoided. Male and child donors are preferred, while donor gender does not significantly affect outcomes if the donor is under 20 years old.
6.A Case of Aplastic Anemia-Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria with Poor Response to Complement Inhibitor Treatment:Multidisciplinary Diagnostic and Therapeutic Analysis
Juan WU ; Di WU ; Jin XU ; Bing HAN ; Guiren RUAN ; Yindong LIU ; Peipei CHEN ; Miao CHEN ; Min SHEN
JOURNAL OF RARE DISEASES 2025;4(2):214-220
A young male patient was diagnosed with aplastic anemia accompanied by paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria(PNH),and achieved only partial remission after immunosuppressive therapy.Over the past year,his anemia worsened,leading to transfusion dependence,which was considered to be caused by active he-molysis of PNH.Despite switching to eculizumab treatment,his anemia continued to deteriorate.A detailed medical history revealed chronic periodontal infection,with periodontal pain,purulent discharge,and fever in the past month.Multidisciplinary discussion suggested that chronic odontogenic infection activating the comple-ment system was the primary cause of aggravated PNH hemolysis,and the acute infection affected the efficacy of eculizumab.Based on multidisciplinary consultation,a treatment plan was formulated,including intravenous antibiotics combined with periodontal irrigation and tooth extraction to control odontogenic infection,while con-tinuing regular eculizumab infusion.The patient's symptoms improved,hemoglobin levels rose rapidly,and he was no longer transfusion-dependent.This case provides an empirical reference for addressing difficulties en-countered in the treatment of rare diseases with new drugs through multidisciplinary collaborative diagnosis and treatment.
7.Some thoughts on the construction of a digital intelligent pathology department
Ri HONG ; Chunxue YANG ; Shijie DENG ; Miao RUAN ; Qian DA
Chinese Journal of Clinical and Experimental Pathology 2025;41(8):986-990
Amid the wave of medical digitalalization,pathology departments urgently require digital and intelligent transformation to address challenges posed by surging clinical samples and resource shortages.Based on an interpreta-tion of the White Paper on the Development of Digital Intelligent Pathology Departments,this article proposes a"Four-Comprehensive"framework(encompassing all modules,full slide coverage,full workflows,and full ecosystem)as the core of intelligent pathology department development.It emphasizes a tiered implementation strategy,analyzes critical challenges and solutions,and provides tailored recommendations for hospitals at different levels.The paper further ad-vocates for industry-wide collaboration to establish unified data standards,accelerate the advancement of AI-driven pathological models and multimodal applications,and foster equitable resource distribution and precision medicine,thereby advancing China's digital-intelligent pathology ecosystem.
8.A Case of Aplastic Anemia-Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria with Poor Response to Complement Inhibitor Treatment:Multidisciplinary Diagnostic and Therapeutic Analysis
Juan WU ; Di WU ; Jin XU ; Bing HAN ; Guiren RUAN ; Yindong LIU ; Peipei CHEN ; Miao CHEN ; Min SHEN
JOURNAL OF RARE DISEASES 2025;4(2):214-220
A young male patient was diagnosed with aplastic anemia accompanied by paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria(PNH),and achieved only partial remission after immunosuppressive therapy.Over the past year,his anemia worsened,leading to transfusion dependence,which was considered to be caused by active he-molysis of PNH.Despite switching to eculizumab treatment,his anemia continued to deteriorate.A detailed medical history revealed chronic periodontal infection,with periodontal pain,purulent discharge,and fever in the past month.Multidisciplinary discussion suggested that chronic odontogenic infection activating the comple-ment system was the primary cause of aggravated PNH hemolysis,and the acute infection affected the efficacy of eculizumab.Based on multidisciplinary consultation,a treatment plan was formulated,including intravenous antibiotics combined with periodontal irrigation and tooth extraction to control odontogenic infection,while con-tinuing regular eculizumab infusion.The patient's symptoms improved,hemoglobin levels rose rapidly,and he was no longer transfusion-dependent.This case provides an empirical reference for addressing difficulties en-countered in the treatment of rare diseases with new drugs through multidisciplinary collaborative diagnosis and treatment.
9.Some thoughts on the construction of a digital intelligent pathology department
Ri HONG ; Chunxue YANG ; Shijie DENG ; Miao RUAN ; Qian DA
Chinese Journal of Clinical and Experimental Pathology 2025;41(8):986-990
Amid the wave of medical digitalalization,pathology departments urgently require digital and intelligent transformation to address challenges posed by surging clinical samples and resource shortages.Based on an interpreta-tion of the White Paper on the Development of Digital Intelligent Pathology Departments,this article proposes a"Four-Comprehensive"framework(encompassing all modules,full slide coverage,full workflows,and full ecosystem)as the core of intelligent pathology department development.It emphasizes a tiered implementation strategy,analyzes critical challenges and solutions,and provides tailored recommendations for hospitals at different levels.The paper further ad-vocates for industry-wide collaboration to establish unified data standards,accelerate the advancement of AI-driven pathological models and multimodal applications,and foster equitable resource distribution and precision medicine,thereby advancing China's digital-intelligent pathology ecosystem.
10.Analysis of correlation between ankle instability and load-induced osteochondral lesions of the talus
Yubo XIA ; Ying GUO ; Wen LUO ; Zhen SHEN ; Ziliang RUAN ; Miao TIAN ; Tao WANG ; Wei DONG
Chinese Journal of Trauma 2025;41(2):169-176
Objective:To investigate the biomechanical correlation between ankle instability and osteochondral lesions of the talus (OLT) under loading conditionsMethods:A healthy 29-year-old male volunteer was selected for the study. A 64-slice spiral CT scan of the right lower limb was performed to construct a detailed finite element model of the ankle joint, including ligaments and cartilage. Three injury models were created: models of distal tibiofibular syndesmosis injury, lateral collateral ligament injury, and a combined injury of the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis and lateral collateral ligament. Differences in stress distribution on the tibiotalar joint surface, talus stress, and talus displacement were analyzed through anterior drawer test, inversion stress test, and external rotation stress test.Results:In the anterior drawer test, as the forward traction force increased (40, 60, 80, 100, 120, 140, and 150 N), all the injury models showed a progressive increase in tibiotalar joint surface stress, talus stress, and talus displacement. The combined injury model showed the highest tibiotalar joint surface stress (32.6 MPa), while the lateral collateral ligament injury model demonstrated the highest talus stress (56.5 MPa). Talus displacement increased significantly with traction, reaching the maximum (4.88 mm) in the combined injury model under 150 N. In the inversion stress test, stress on the tibiotalar joint surface in the lateral collateral ligament injury model was concentrated on the posterior-lateral and posterior-medial regions, whereas in the combined injury model, stress on the tibiotalar joint surface was predominantly concentrated in the posterior-medial region. Talus stress was localized to the talus neck and body in all the models, with the combined injury model showing the largest talus displacement (8.46 mm). In the external rotation stress test, stress on the tibiotalar joint surface was mainly distributed in the posterior-medial, posterior-lateral, and anterior-lateral regions in all the models. Talus stress was concentrated at the talus neck and body. The combined injury model exhibited the greatest talus displacement (12.50 mm).Conclusion:Ankle instability, particularly from combined injuries of the distal tibiofibular syndesmosis and lateral collateral ligament, significantly increases the stress concentration and talus displacement under loading conditions, thus elevating the risk of OLT.

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