1.Screening and characterization of camelid-derived nanobodies against hemoglobin.
Ning ZHONG ; Wenhui LEI ; Zuying LIU ; Xiaoxiao XIE ; Lingjing ZHANG ; Tengchuan JIN ; Minjie CAO ; Yulei CHEN
Chinese Journal of Biotechnology 2025;41(4):1515-1534
Hemoglobin, the principal protein in red blood cells, is crucial for oxygen transport in the bloodstream. The quantification of hemoglobin concentration is indispensable in medical diagnostics and health management, which encompass the diagnosis of anemia and the screening of various blood disorders. Immunological methods, based on antigen-antibody interactions, are distinguished by their high sensitivity and accuracy. Consequently, it is necessary to develop hemoglobin-specific antibodies characterized by high specificity and affinity to enhance detection accuracy. In this study, we immunized a Bactrian camel (Camelus bactrianus) with human hemoglobin and subsequently constructed a nanobody library. Utilizing a solid-phase screening method, we selected nanobodies and evaluated the binding activity of the screened nanobodies to hemoglobin. Initially, human hemoglobin was used to immunize a Bactrian camel. Following four immunization sessions, blood was withdrawn from the jugular vein, and a nanobody library with a capacity of 2.85×108 colony forming units (CFU) was generated. Subsequently, ten hemoglobin-specific nanobody sequences were identified through three rounds of adsorption-elution-enrichment assays, and these nanobodies were subjected to eukaryotic expression. Finally, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and biolayer interferometry were employed to evaluate the stability, binding activity, and specificity of these nanobodies. The results demonstrated that the nanobodies maintained robust binding activity within the temperature range of 20-40 ℃ and exhibited the highest binding activity at pH 7.0. Furthermore, the nanobodies were capable of tolerating a 10% methanol solution. Notably, among the nanobodies tested, VHH-12 displayed the highest binding activity to hemoglobin, with a half maximal effective concentration (EC50) of 10.63 nmol/L and a equilibrium dissociation constant (KD) of 2.94×10-7 mol/L. VHH-12 exhibited no cross-reactivity with a panel of eight proteins, such as ovalbumin and bovine serum albumin, while demonstrating partial cross-reactivity with hemoglobin derived from porcine, goat, rabbit, and bovine sources. In this study, a hemoglobin-specific high-affinity nanobody was successfully isolated, demonstrating potential applications in disease diagnosis and health monitoring.
Animals
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Camelus/immunology*
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Single-Domain Antibodies/immunology*
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Hemoglobins/immunology*
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Humans
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Peptide Library
2.Identification of natural product-based drug combination (NPDC) using artificial intelligence.
Tianle NIU ; Yimiao ZHU ; Minjie MOU ; Tingting FU ; Hao YANG ; Huaicheng SUN ; Yuxuan LIU ; Feng ZHU ; Yang ZHANG ; Yanxing LIU
Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines (English Ed.) 2025;23(11):1377-1390
Natural product-based drug combinations (NPDCs) present distinctive advantages in treating complex diseases. While high-throughput screening (HTS) and conventional computational methods have partially accelerated synergistic drug combination discovery, their applications remain constrained by experimental data fragmentation, high costs, and extensive combinatorial space. Recent developments in artificial intelligence (AI), encompassing traditional machine learning and deep learning algorithms, have been extensively applied in NPDC identification. Through the integration of multi-source heterogeneous data and autonomous feature extraction, prediction accuracy has markedly improved, offering a robust technical approach for novel NPDC discovery. This review comprehensively examines recent advances in AI-driven NPDC prediction, presents relevant data resources and algorithmic frameworks, and evaluates current limitations and future prospects. AI methodologies are anticipated to substantially expedite NPDC discovery and inform experimental validation.
Artificial Intelligence
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Biological Products/chemistry*
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Humans
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Drug Combinations
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Drug Discovery/methods*
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Machine Learning
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Algorithms
3.Sulfafurazole dimers potentiate chemo-immunotherapy of low immunogenic breast cancer by preventing the PD-L1 exosomes secretion.
Zheng WANG ; Ronghui YIN ; Lin ZHANG ; Shiyu LI ; Zhanwei ZHOU ; Minjie SUN
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(5):2673-2686
The αPD-L1 antibody-based immune checkpoint blockade therapy is still limited by the poor clinical response rate as it is mainly utilized to block surface PD-L1 on tumor cells while ignoring abundant PD-L1 exosomes secreted in the environment, causing tumor immune evasion. Here, we proposed an exosome biogenesis inhibition strategy to suppress tumor exosomes secretion from the source, reducing the inhibitory effect on T cells and enhancing chemo-immunotherapy efficacy. We developed sulfafurazole homodimers (SAS) with disulfide linkages, effectively releasing the drug in response to glutathione (GSH) and inhibiting 4T1 tumor-derived exosomes secretion. Subsequently, gemcitabine (Gem) was encapsulated to induce immunogenic cell death (ICD). Consequently, Gem@SAS inhibited the secretion of tumor exosomes by more than 70%, increased proliferation and granzyme B secretion ability of T cells by more than 2 times, and showed superior efficacy in breast cancer treatment as well as lung metastasis of breast cancer.
4.Yttrium-90 selective internal radiation therapy on liver cancer: the past, the present, and the future
Jingqin MA ; Linhong ZHANG ; Minjie YANG ; Jiabin CAI ; Ying FANG ; Rong LIU ; Xudong QU ; Lingxiao LIU ; Zhiping YAN
Chinese Journal of Clinical Medicine 2025;32(1):3-8
Yttrium-90 selective internal radiation therapy (90Y-SIRT) is a treatment technique that delivers radioactive microspheres precisely to the arterial vascular bed of neoplasms, utilizing beta radiation to administer a high local dose of radiation to the neoplasm tissues. This technology has demonstrated significant efficacy in patients with unresectable pirmary liver cancers and liver metastases. This article systematically reviews the development history and clinical application status of 90Y-SIRT in the treatment of liver cancer, and looks forward to future development directions.
5.Study of the occurrence of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease in obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome and its risk factors
Yanlan GUO ; Daiyi ZHANG ; Shenjie XU ; Minjie ZHANG ; Jie LI
Chinese Journal of Internal Medicine 2025;64(2):128-133
Objective:To analyze the occurrence of metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and related inflammatory indicators in obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) and explore the risk factors of MAFLD.Methods:A cross-sectional study. From January 2022 to October 2024,172 patients with sleep disorders were enrolled in the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University,including 38 patients with non-OSAHS,53 patients with mild OSAHS,37 patients with moderate OSAHS,and 44 patients with severe OSAHS. The occurrence of MAFLD was comprehensively judged from three aspects: metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver (MAFL),elevated liver enzymes,and liver fibrosis. The situation of MAFLD and the level of related inflammatory markers were compared among the four groups. Binary logistic regression was used to analyze the risk factors for MAFLD in OSAHS.Results:There were significant differences in the prevalence of MAFL,the percentage of elevated liver enzymes,and interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha levels among the four groups ( P<0.05). The differences of fibrosis-4 index and C-reactive protein among the four groups were not statistically significant ( P>0.05). Binary logistic regression showed that BMI,triglycerides,longest time of sleep apnea and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were the risk factors for MAFL ( P<0.05). BMI,glucose,and apnea-hypopnea index were the risk factors for elevated liver enzymes ( P<0.05). Conclusions:OSAHS is strongly associated with MAFLD,and the involvement of OSAHS in the occurrence and development of MAFLD may be related to obesity,lipid metabolism disorders,insulin resistance,inflammatory responses,and intermittent hypoxia.
6.Efficacy of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation assisted virtual reality interactive robot training on function of upper limbs in patients with stroke
Shuangyue YANG ; Xing JIN ; Zhaoxiang MENG ; Minghui KE ; Minjie ZHANG ; Chen CHEN
Journal of Clinical Medicine in Practice 2025;29(1):28-32
Objective To explore the efficacy of low-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation(rTMS)combined with virtual reality interactive robot training in improving upper limb function of patients with stroke.Methods From February to December 2023,92 patients in the hos-pital were randomly divided into control group(n=30),virtual reality group(n=31),and com-bined group(n=31).The control group received conventional rehabilitation therapy;the virtual re-ality group received conventional rehabilitation therapy and virtual reality interactive robot training for upper limb;the combined group received low-frequency rTMS on the therapeutic basis of the virtual reality group.Before treatment and 4 weeks after treatment,the Upper Extremity Fugl-Meyer Assess-ment(UFMA)score,the Functional Test for the Hemiplegic Upper Extremity-Hong Kong Version(FTHUE-HK)score,motor evoked potential(MEP)amplitude,cortical latency(CL)value,and the ratio of root mean square of myoelectricity(RMS)of wrist dorsiflexor muscles between the affect-ed and unaffected sides were compared among the three groups.Results Four weeks after treatment,the UFMA and FTHUE-HK scores of the three groups significantly improved compared with those before treatment,the UFMA and FTHUE-HK scores of the combined group were significantly higher than those of the control group and the virtual reality group,and the UFMA score of the virtual reality group was significantly higher than that of the control group(P<0.05);the RMS ratios and MEP amplitudes of the three groups significantly increased compared with those before treatment,the RMS ratios and MEP amplitudes of the combined group were significantly higher than those of the control group and the virtual reality group,and the virtual reality group had higher values than the control group,with significant between-group differences(P<0.05);the CL of the three groups significantly shortened compared with that before treatment,the CL of the combined group was significantly shorter than that of the control group and the virtual reality group,and the CL of the virtual reality group was significantly shorter than that of the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion The rTMS assisted virtu-al reality interactive robot training can effectively improve upper limb function in stroke patients.
7.druglikeFilter 1.0: An AI powered filter for collectively measuring the drug-likeness of compounds.
Minjie MOU ; Yintao ZHANG ; Yuntao QIAN ; Zhimeng ZHOU ; Yang LIAO ; Tianle NIU ; Wei HU ; Yuanhao CHEN ; Ruoyu JIANG ; Hongping ZHAO ; Haibin DAI ; Yang ZHANG ; Tingting FU
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(6):101298-101298
Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and emerging technologies are rapidly expanding the exploration of chemical space, facilitating innovative drug discovery. However, the transformation of novel compounds into safe and effective drugs remains a lengthy, high-risk, and costly process. Comprehensive early-stage evaluation is essential for reducing costs and improving the success rate of drug development. Despite this need, no comprehensive tool currently supports systematic evaluation and efficient screening. Here, we present druglikeFilter, a deep learning-based framework designed to assess drug-likeness across four critical dimensions: 1) physicochemical rule evaluated by systematic determination, 2) toxicity alert investigated from multiple perspectives, 3) binding affinity measured by dual-path analysis, and 4) compound synthesizability assessed by retro-route prediction. By enabling automated, multidimensional filtering of compound libraries, druglikeFilter not only streamlines the drug development process but also plays a crucial role in advancing research efforts towards viable drug candidates, which can be freely accessed at https://idrblab.org/drugfilter/.
8.Discovery of selective HDAC6 inhibitors driven by artificial intelligence and molecular dynamics simulation approaches.
Xingang LIU ; Hao YANG ; Xinyu LIU ; Minjie MOU ; Jie LIU ; Wenying YAN ; Tianle NIU ; Ziyang ZHANG ; He SHI ; Xiangdong SU ; Xuedong LI ; Yang ZHANG ; Qingzhong JIA
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(8):101338-101338
Increasing evidence showed that histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) dysfunction is directly associated with the onset and progression of various diseases, especially cancers, making the development of HDAC6-targeted anti-tumor agents a research hotspot. In this study, artificial intelligence (AI) technology and molecular simulation strategies were fully integrated to construct an efficient and precise drug screening pipeline, which combined Voting strategy based on compound-protein interaction (CPI) prediction models, cascade molecular docking, and molecular dynamic (MD) simulations. The biological potential of the screened compounds was further evaluated through enzymatic and cellular activity assays. Among the identified compounds, Cmpd.18 exhibited more potent HDAC6 enzyme inhibitory activity (IC50 = 5.41 nM) than that of tubastatin A (TubA) (IC50 = 15.11 nM), along with a favorable subtype selectivity profile (selectivity index ≈ 117.23 for HDAC1), which was further verified by the Western blot analysis. Additionally, Cmpd.18 induced G2/M phase arrest and promoted apoptosis in HCT-116 cells, exerting desirable antiproliferative activity (IC50 = 2.59 μM). Furthermore, based on long-term MD simulation trajectory, the key residues facilitating Cmpd.18's binding were identified by decomposition free energy analysis, thereby elucidating its binding mechanism. Moreover, the representative conformation analysis also indicated that Cmpd.18 could stably bind to the active pocket in an effective conformation, thus demonstrating the potential for in-depth research of the 2-(2-phenoxyethyl)pyridazin-3(2H)-one scaffold.
9.Study on the Protective Effects of the Mongolian Prescription Jiruhen Gurigumu-7 and Guangzao Sanwei Tang on Myocardial Ischemia-Reperfusion Mice
Zhongyue ZHANG ; Shuhong ZHOU ; Qian GAO ; Xiaoxia SONG ; Xiaoru ZHANG ; Lingze YU ; Yulu DU ; Na GUO ; Minjie WANG
World Science and Technology-Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;27(8):2331-2339
Objective To explore the protective effects of pretreatment with the Mongolian medicine Jiruhen Gurigumu-7(JG-7)and Guangzao Sanwei Tang(GZ-3)on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury(MIRI)in mice.Methods 60 male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into sham operation(Sham)group,model(Model)group,compound danshen drip pill(CDDP)positive control group,JG-7 group,GZ-3 group,and 12 mice in each group to establish the MIRI model,and the H9C2 cells were randomly divided into Control(normoxic)group,H/R(hypoxia 6 h reoxygenation 14 h)group,H/R+JG-7 group,H/R+GZ-3 group.The mice in each group were tested for cardiac function indexes after 30 min of ischemia,24 h and 7 d of reperfusion,TTC staining to detect infarct area after 24 h of MIRI,HE staining to detect myocardial tissue structure and cellular morphology after 24 h of MIRI,TUNEL apoptosis kit to detect apoptosis of myocardial cells after 24 h of MIRI,Masson staining to detect myocardial fibrosis after 7 d of MIRI.Blood was taken from the abdominal aorta,serum was separated,and the indexes after oxidative stress of MIRI were detected in each group of mice,and the survival rate of H9C2 cells after H/R was detected in each group by CCK-8 method.Results The results of TTC showed that JG-7 and GZ-3 reduced the infarct area after 24 h of MIRI in mice.ELISA and kit assays proved that JG-7 and GZ-3 reduced creatine phosphokinase isoenzyme(Creatinekinase-MB,CK-MB),Lactic dehydrogenase(LDH),malondialdehyde(MDA)levels,and increased superoxide dismutase(SOD)levels.HE staining showed that JG-7 and GZ-3 improved myocardial pathology after MIRI 24 h.The results of TUNEL apoptosis assay showed that JG-7 and GZ-3 improved apoptosis in myocardial tissues 24 h after MIRI.Masson staining results showed that JG-7 and GZ-3 could reduce the area of myocardial tissue fibrosis after MIRI 7 d.CCK-8 assay results showed that JG-7 and GZ-3 could improve the cell survival rate after H/R in H9C2 cells.Conclusion Pre-treatment with Mongolian medicine Jiruhen Gurigumu-7 and Guangzao Sanwei Tang can reduce the damage caused after ischemia-reperfusion(I/R),decrease the area of myocardial infarction and fibrosis after I/R in mice,and protect the heart.
10.Effects of different modes of cerebellar transcranial magnetic stimulation on response inhibition function in healthy adults
Qianshu ZHUANG ; Minjie TIAN ; Chi ZHANG
Journal of Clinical Neurology 2025;38(4):276-282
Objective To explore the effects of different modes of cerebellar transcranial magnetic stimulation(TMS)on response inhibition function in healthy adults and the underlying mechanisms.Methods Eighty-one healthy adult volunteers were randomly divided into 5 Hz repetitive TMS(rTMS)group(n=28),intermittent theta burst stimulation(iTBS)group(n=26)and sham stimulation group(n=27).The TMS stimulation target was the cerebellar Crus Ⅱ region,and the stimulation site was accurately located by the neuronavigation system.The stimulation intensity was 80%of the individual resting motor threshold(RMT).The Go/No-Go task response time(RT)and response inhibition ability and synchronous EEG were measured before and after intervention in each group.The changes of N2 wave and time-frequency in the time window related to response inhibition function in the event-related potential(ERP)were analyzed.Results Compared with that pre-stimulation,RT after stimulation in rTMS group and iTBS group was significantly shortened(all P<0.05).There was a significant difference in the difference of RT before and after stimulation among the three groups(P<0.001).Compared with that in the sham stimulation group,the RT after stimulation in the rTMS group and the iTBS group was significantly shortened(P<0.05-0.01).There was no significant difference in RT changes before and after stimulation between rTMS group and iTBS group(P>0.05).There was no significant difference in the correct rate of Go task and No-Go task before and after stimulation in the rTMS group,iTBS group and sham stimulation group(all P>0.05).There was no significant difference in the changes of correct rate in Go task and No-Go task among the three groups(P>0.05).In the No-Go condition,compared with pre-TMS intervention,the N2 amplitude at Fz and FCz electrodes in rTMS group and iTBS group significantly decreased after intervention(all P<0.05).Compared with that in the sham stimulation group,the changes of N2 amplitude in the frontal electrodes of the rTMS group and the iTBS group were statistically significant(all P<0.01),but there was no significant difference in the N2 amplitude changes before and after intervention between the rTMS and iTBS groups(all P>0.05).In the Go condition,there was no significant difference in N2 amplitude before and after intervention in each group(all P>0.05).There was no significant difference in the latency changes of Go/No-Go task before and after intervention in each group(all P>0.05).In the No-Go task,the theta frequency power was increased significantly after rTMS intervention(P<0.01),and the alpha,beta and gamma frequency powers were decreased significantly(all P<0.05).Theta frequency power at the Fz channel in the iTBS group was significantly increased after intervention(P<0.05).No significant time-frequency changes were observed in the sham group before and after the intervention.There were no significant differences in the frequency changes(alpha,theta,beta,gamma)between the rTMS and iTBS groups after intervention(all P>0.05).In the Go task,there was no significant change in each frequency before and after intervention in each group.Correlation analysis showed that there was no significant correlation between RT and N2 amplitude and theta oscillation activity in each group(all P>0.05).Conclusions Both 5 Hz rTMS and iTBS interventions significantly improve response inhibition ability in healthy adults.The two types of stimulation may modulate cerebellar executive control functions through similar neuroregulatory mechanisms,providing new evidence for the clinical application of cerebellar TMS in cognitive control-related disorders.

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