1.Gualou Xiebai Banxiatang in Treatment of Cardiovascular Diseases: A Review
Yalong KANG ; Bo NING ; Juanjuan TAN ; Hongfei QI ; Yan SHI ; Fang GUAN ; Haifang WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(2):256-267
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD),a group of common diseases in clinical practice,are witnessing a steady rise in both incidence and mortality rates,posing a challenge to public health. Gualou Xiebai Banxiatang,originating from Synopsis of the Golden Chamber (《金匮要略》),was initially used to treat severe cases of chest impediment. The formula consists of Trichosanthis Fructus,Allii Macrostemonis Bulbus,Pinelliae Rhizoma,and Baijiu. It has a wide range of clinical applications,with therapeutic effects including moving Qi to relieve depression,activating Yang to dissipate mass,and expelling phlegm to alleviate chest congestion. In recent years,clinical research has confirmed that Gualou Xiebai Banxiatang,with or without modification,used alone or in combination with Western medicine,has definite effects in the treatment of CVD such as hyperlipidemia,coronary atherosclerotic heart disease,hypertension,heart failure,and arrhythmia. It can alleviate disease symptoms and reduce the risk of re-hospitalization. Basic research indicates that the mechanisms of Gualou Xiebai Banxiatang include improving endothelial functions,exhibiting anti-inflammatory properties,countering oxidative stress,preventing apoptosis,inhibiting ventricular remodeling,regulating mitochondrial functions,improving hemorheology,and modulating autophagy and neurotransmitters. This article reviews relevant articles in recent years with focuses on the compatibility,clinical application,and mechanism of Gualou Xiebai Banxiatang. This review is expected to provide a theoretical basis for the mechanism research and clinical application of this formula in treating CVD and to offer ideas and reference for in-depth research.
2.Integrated molecular characterization of sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma
Rong-Qi SUN ; Yu-Hang YE ; Ye XU ; Bo WANG ; Si-Yuan PAN ; Ning LI ; Long CHEN ; Jing-Yue PAN ; Zhi-Qiang HU ; Jia FAN ; Zheng-Jun ZHOU ; Jian ZHOU ; Cheng-Li SONG ; Shao-Lai ZHOU
Clinical and Molecular Hepatology 2025;31(2):426-444
Background:
s/Aims: Sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a rare histological subtype of HCC characterized by extremely poor prognosis; however, its molecular characterization has not been elucidated.
Methods:
In this study, we conducted an integrated multiomics study of whole-exome sequencing, RNA-seq, spatial transcriptome, and immunohistochemical analyses of 28 paired sarcomatoid tumor components and conventional HCC components from 10 patients with sarcomatoid HCC, in order to identify frequently altered genes, infer the tumor subclonal architectures, track the genomic evolution, and delineate the transcriptional characteristics of sarcomatoid HCCs.
Results:
Our results showed that the sarcomatoid HCCs had poor prognosis. The sarcomatoid tumor components and the conventional HCC components were derived from common ancestors, mostly accessing similar mutational processes. Clonal phylogenies demonstrated branched tumor evolution during sarcomatoid HCC development and progression. TP53 mutation commonly occurred at tumor initiation, whereas ARID2 mutation often occurred later. Transcriptome analyses revealed the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and hypoxic phenotype in sarcomatoid tumor components, which were confirmed by immunohistochemical staining. Moreover, we identified ARID2 mutations in 70% (7/10) of patients with sarcomatoid HCC but only 1–5% of patients with non-sarcomatoid HCC. Biofunctional investigations revealed that inactivating mutation of ARID2 contributes to HCC growth and metastasis and induces EMT in a hypoxic microenvironment.
Conclusions
We offer a comprehensive description of the molecular basis for sarcomatoid HCC, and identify genomic alteration (ARID2 mutation) together with the tumor microenvironment (hypoxic microenvironment), that may contribute to the formation of the sarcomatoid tumor component through EMT, leading to sarcomatoid HCC development and progression.
3.Integrated molecular characterization of sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma
Rong-Qi SUN ; Yu-Hang YE ; Ye XU ; Bo WANG ; Si-Yuan PAN ; Ning LI ; Long CHEN ; Jing-Yue PAN ; Zhi-Qiang HU ; Jia FAN ; Zheng-Jun ZHOU ; Jian ZHOU ; Cheng-Li SONG ; Shao-Lai ZHOU
Clinical and Molecular Hepatology 2025;31(2):426-444
Background:
s/Aims: Sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a rare histological subtype of HCC characterized by extremely poor prognosis; however, its molecular characterization has not been elucidated.
Methods:
In this study, we conducted an integrated multiomics study of whole-exome sequencing, RNA-seq, spatial transcriptome, and immunohistochemical analyses of 28 paired sarcomatoid tumor components and conventional HCC components from 10 patients with sarcomatoid HCC, in order to identify frequently altered genes, infer the tumor subclonal architectures, track the genomic evolution, and delineate the transcriptional characteristics of sarcomatoid HCCs.
Results:
Our results showed that the sarcomatoid HCCs had poor prognosis. The sarcomatoid tumor components and the conventional HCC components were derived from common ancestors, mostly accessing similar mutational processes. Clonal phylogenies demonstrated branched tumor evolution during sarcomatoid HCC development and progression. TP53 mutation commonly occurred at tumor initiation, whereas ARID2 mutation often occurred later. Transcriptome analyses revealed the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and hypoxic phenotype in sarcomatoid tumor components, which were confirmed by immunohistochemical staining. Moreover, we identified ARID2 mutations in 70% (7/10) of patients with sarcomatoid HCC but only 1–5% of patients with non-sarcomatoid HCC. Biofunctional investigations revealed that inactivating mutation of ARID2 contributes to HCC growth and metastasis and induces EMT in a hypoxic microenvironment.
Conclusions
We offer a comprehensive description of the molecular basis for sarcomatoid HCC, and identify genomic alteration (ARID2 mutation) together with the tumor microenvironment (hypoxic microenvironment), that may contribute to the formation of the sarcomatoid tumor component through EMT, leading to sarcomatoid HCC development and progression.
4.Integrated molecular characterization of sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma
Rong-Qi SUN ; Yu-Hang YE ; Ye XU ; Bo WANG ; Si-Yuan PAN ; Ning LI ; Long CHEN ; Jing-Yue PAN ; Zhi-Qiang HU ; Jia FAN ; Zheng-Jun ZHOU ; Jian ZHOU ; Cheng-Li SONG ; Shao-Lai ZHOU
Clinical and Molecular Hepatology 2025;31(2):426-444
Background:
s/Aims: Sarcomatoid hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a rare histological subtype of HCC characterized by extremely poor prognosis; however, its molecular characterization has not been elucidated.
Methods:
In this study, we conducted an integrated multiomics study of whole-exome sequencing, RNA-seq, spatial transcriptome, and immunohistochemical analyses of 28 paired sarcomatoid tumor components and conventional HCC components from 10 patients with sarcomatoid HCC, in order to identify frequently altered genes, infer the tumor subclonal architectures, track the genomic evolution, and delineate the transcriptional characteristics of sarcomatoid HCCs.
Results:
Our results showed that the sarcomatoid HCCs had poor prognosis. The sarcomatoid tumor components and the conventional HCC components were derived from common ancestors, mostly accessing similar mutational processes. Clonal phylogenies demonstrated branched tumor evolution during sarcomatoid HCC development and progression. TP53 mutation commonly occurred at tumor initiation, whereas ARID2 mutation often occurred later. Transcriptome analyses revealed the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and hypoxic phenotype in sarcomatoid tumor components, which were confirmed by immunohistochemical staining. Moreover, we identified ARID2 mutations in 70% (7/10) of patients with sarcomatoid HCC but only 1–5% of patients with non-sarcomatoid HCC. Biofunctional investigations revealed that inactivating mutation of ARID2 contributes to HCC growth and metastasis and induces EMT in a hypoxic microenvironment.
Conclusions
We offer a comprehensive description of the molecular basis for sarcomatoid HCC, and identify genomic alteration (ARID2 mutation) together with the tumor microenvironment (hypoxic microenvironment), that may contribute to the formation of the sarcomatoid tumor component through EMT, leading to sarcomatoid HCC development and progression.
5.Discussion of the methodology and implementation steps for assessing the causality of adverse event
Hong FANG ; Shuo-Peng JIA ; Hai-Xue WANG ; Xiao-Jing PEI ; Min LIU ; An-Qi YU ; Ling-Yun ZHOU ; Fang-Fang SHI ; Shu-Jie LU ; Shu-Hang WANG ; Yue YU ; Dan-Dan CUI ; Yu TANG ; Ning LI ; Ze-Huai WEN
The Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2024;40(2):299-304
The assessment of adverse drug events is an important basis for clinical safety evaluation and post-marketing risk control of drugs,and its causality assessment is gaining increasing attention.The existing methods for assessing the causal relationship between drugs and the occurrence of adverse reactions can be broadly classified into three categories:global introspective methods,standardized methods,and probabilistic methods.At present,there is no systematic introduction of the operational details of the various methods in the domestic literature.This paper compares representative causality assessment methods in terms of definition and concept,methodological steps,industry evaluation and advantages and disadvantages,clarifies the basic process of determining the causality of adverse drug reactions,and discusses how to further improve the adverse drug reaction monitoring and evaluation system,with a view to providing a reference for drug development and pharmacovigilance work in China.
6.Pathologic Function of Cyclin-dependent Kinase 5 and Its Relationship With Exercise
Dan JIN ; Rui-Qi HUANG ; Ting-Ting YAO ; Xue-Jie YI ; Hai-Ning GAO
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2024;51(11):2868-2879
Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are proline-induced serine/threonine kinases that are primarily involved in the regulation of cell cycle, gene transcription, and cell differentiation. In general, CDKs are activated by binding to specific regulatory subunits of cell cycle proteins and are regulated by phosphorylation of specific T-loops by CDK activated kinases. In the CDKs family, cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) is a specialized member whose activity is triggered only by interaction with p35 and p39, which do not have the same sequence as the cell cycle proteins, and this may be one reason why CDK5 is distinguished from other CDK members by its structural and functional differences. In addition, unlike most CDK members that require phosphorylation at specific sites to function, CDK5 does not require such phosphorylation, and it can be activated simply by binding to p35 and p39. More notably, inhibitors that are commonly used to inhibit the activity of other CDK members have almost zero effect on CDK5. In contrast, CDK5, as a unique CDK family member, plays an important role in the development of numerous diseases. In metabolic diseases, elevated CDK5 expression leads to decreased insulin secretion, increased foam cell formation and triggers decreased bone mass in the body, thus accelerating metabolic diseases, and the role of CDK5 in bone biology is gradually gaining attention, and the role of CDK5 in bone metabolic diseases may become a hotspot for research in the future; in neurodegenerative diseases, hyperphosphorylation of Tau protein is an important hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease development, and changes in CDK5 expression are associated with Tau protein phosphorylation and nerve death, indicating that CDK5 is highly related to the development of the nervous system; in tumor diseases, the role of CDK5 in the proliferation, differentiation and migration and invasion of tumor cells marks the development of tumorigenesis, but different researchers hold different views, and further studies are needed in the follow-up. Therefore, the study of its mechanism of action in diseases can help to reveal the pathogenesis and pathological process of diseases. Appropriate exercise not only helps in the prevention of diseases, but also plays a positive role in the treatment of diseases. Exercise-induced mechanical stress can improve bone microstructure and increase bone mass in osteoporosis patients. In addition, exercise can effectively inhibit neuronal apoptosis and improve mitochondrial dysfunction, more importantly, appropriate exercise can inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells to a certain extent. It can be seen that exercise occupies a pivotal position in the prevention and treatment of pathologic diseases. It has been shown that exercise can reduce the expression of CDK5 and affect the pathological process of neurological diseases. Currently, there is a dearth of research on the specific mechanisms of CDK5’s role in improving disease outcomes through exercise. In order to understand its effects more comprehensively, subsequent studies need to employ diverse exercise modalities, targeting patients with various types of diseases or corresponding animal models for in-depth exploration. This article focuses on the pathological functions of CDK5 and its relationship with exercise, with a view to providing new insights into the prevention and treatment of disease by CDK5.
7.Prognostic significance of MyD88L265P and CD79B mutations in primary central nervous system lymphoma
Hao-Yun JIANG ; Qi-Qi JIN ; Li-Tian ZHANG ; Cui-Cui LI ; Ning-Ning YUE ; Chong-Yang WU
Medical Journal of Chinese People's Liberation Army 2024;49(1):57-63
Objective To analyze the relationship between MyD88L265P and CD79B mutations in tumor tissue and the prognosis of primary central nervous system lymphoma(PCNSL).Methods 18 PCNSL patients with normal immune function(no history of HIV infection and immunosuppressants administration)who were diagnosed by craniotomy or stereotaxic biopsy in the Second Hospital of Lanzhou University from August 2018 to November 2020 were retrospectively analyzed.Real-time quantitative PCR and first-generation sequencing techniques were respectively used to detect MyD88L265P and CD79B mutations in tumor tissues of 18 PCNSL patients.Univariate analysis and Cox regression multivariate analysis were performed for indicators that may be associated with first progression-free survival(PFS)and overall survival in PCNSL.Results The mutation rate of MyD88L265P was 38.9%,the mutation rate of CD79B was 33.3%,and the co-mutation rate of MyD88L265P/CD79B was 27.8%in PCNSL tissue of 18 patients.Univariate analysis showed that the PCNSL patients with multiple lesions,deep involvement of lesions,and tissue CD79B mutation had a statistically significant shorter time of PFS(P<0.05).Multivariate analysis showed that deep lesion involvement(HR=0.135,95%CI 0.023-0.799,P<0.05)and CD79B mutation(HR=0.149,95%CI 0.028-0.800,P<0.05)in PCNSL tissue were independent prognostic factors for PCNSL patients.Conclusion The frequency of MyD88L265P and CD79B mutations was high in tumor tissues of 18 PCNSL patients,and these two gene mutations may be associated with poor prognosis of PCNSL,especially CD79B mutation.
8.Effects of different fortified feeding methods on the nutrient metabolism and growth rate of very low birth weight preterm infants
Yue NING ; Liyan LUO ; Jiang DUAN ; Yunbo XIE ; Zhiye QI ; Caiying ZHANG ; Li YANG ; Qinghua ZHONG
Chinese Journal of Child Health Care 2024;32(1):84-88
【Objective】 To analyze the effects of different fortified feeding methods on nutritional metabolism and growth rate of preterm very low birth weight infants (VLBWI), in order to provide new clues for improving the prognosis of the preterm infants. 【Methods】 A total of 115 cases of premature VLBWI admitted to Department of Neonatology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Kunming Medical University from January 2019 to December 2020 were included in this study, and were divided into fortified breastfeeding group (HFM group), mixed feeding group, and premature formula feeding group (PF group) based on their feeding methods. The effects of different feeding methods on the nutritional metabolism and growth rate of premature VLBWI were analyzed. 【Results】 1) The hospitalization time of infants in the HFM group was shorter than that in PF group and mixed feeding group (t=7.185, 6.924, P<0.05). 2) The proportion of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) in the HFM group during hospitalization was lower than that in the PF group (P<0.05); the proportions of late onset septicemia(LOS) and extra uterine growth restriction(EUGR) in the HFM group during hospitalization were lower than those in the PF group (χ2=5.030, 4.147, P<0.05); the proportion of LOS was lower than that of the mixed feeding group(χ2=6.589, P<0.05). 3) During hospitalization, the proportions of abdominal distension, bloody stools and increased eosinophils in the HFM group were lower than those in the PF group (P<0.05), which in mixed feeding group was lower than those in PF group (Fisher exact test, P<0.05). 4) At discharge, the weight and length growth rate of the HFM group were higher than those of the mixed feeding group (t=3.722, 0.425, P<0.001) and the PF group (t =6.015, 0.496, P< 0.001). 【Conclusion】 Fortified breastfeeding can more effectively increase the growth rate of VLBWI in premature infants, improve nutritional metabolism, reduce complications and adverse feeding reactions related to premature infants, and is safer and more effective.
9.Reflection on general and innovative education of palliative care in China
Xiaona QI ; Qiang YAO ; Qinming YU ; Miaomiao ZHAO ; Yan WANG ; Menglan ZHONG ; Lijuan YU
Chinese Medical Ethics 2024;37(3):332-338
With the process of China’s aging population intensifying, palliative care, as an important guarantee for improving the quality of life of terminally ill patients, is receiving more and more social attention, and the demand is constantly increasing. Palliative care needs versatile professionals, and general education can enhance people’s awareness and understanding of it, enabling more people to understand, accept, and participate in palliative care. With the advancement of knowledge and technology in palliative care, the traditional cramming education models are no longer able to meet the actual needs. Therefore, there is an urgent need to innovate palliative care education strategies. By analyzing the current problems in the general education of palliative care in China, this paper proposed thoughts and suggestions for general and innovative education of palliative care in several aspects, such as establishing general and innovative education systems and evaluation systems of palliative care, diversifying educational contents and methods, strengthening medical staffs training, promoting diversified student groups, and strengthening the popularization of palliative care knowledge among the public.
10.The Role and Possible Mechanisms of Exercise in Combating Osteoporosis by Modulating The Bone Autophagy Pathway
Xin-Yu DAI ; Bin LI ; Dan JIN ; Xue-Jie YI ; Rui-Qi HUANG ; Hai-Ning GAO
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2024;51(7):1589-1603
Osteoporosis leads to an imbalance in bone remodelling, where bone resorption is greater than bone formation and osteoclast degradation increases, resulting in severe bone loss. Autophagy is a lysosomal degradation pathway that regulates the proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis of various bone cells (including osteoblasts, osteoclasts, and osteoclasts), and is deeply involved in the bone remodelling process. In recent years, the role of autophagy in the progression of osteoporosis and related bone metabolic diseases has received more and more attention, and it has become a research hotspot in this field. Summarising the existing studies, it is found that senile osteoporosis is the result of a combination of factors. On the one hand, it is the imbalance of bone remodelling and the increase of bone resorption/bone formation ratio with ageing, which causes progressive bone loss. On the other hand, aging leads to a general decrease in the level of autophagy, a decrease in the activity of osteoblasts and osteoclasts, and an inhibition of osteogenic differentiation. The lack of oestrogen leads to the immune system being in a low activation state, and the antioxidant capacity is weakened and inflammatory response is increased, inducing autophagy-related proteins to participate in the transmission of inflammatory signals, excessive accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the skeleton, and negatively regulating bone formation. In addition, with aging and the occurrence of related diseases, glucocorticoid treatments also mediate autophagy in bone tissue cells, contributing to the decline in bone strength. Exercise, as an effective means of combating osteoporosis, improves bone biomechanical properties and increases bone density. It has been found that exercise induces oxidative stress, energy imbalance, protein defolding and increased intracellular calcium ions in the organism, which in turn activates autophagy. In bone, exercise of different intensities activates messengers such as ROS, PI3K, and AMP. These messengers signal downstream cascades, which in turn induce autophagy to restore dynamic homeostasis in vivo. During exercise, increased production of AMP, PI3K, and ROS activate their downstream effectors, AMPK, Akt, and p38MAPK, respectively, and these molecules in turn lead to activation of the autophagy pathway. Activation of AMPK inhibits mTOR activity and phosphorylates ULK1 at different sites, inducing autophagy. AMPK and p38 up-regulate per-PGC-1α activity and activate transcription factors in the nucleus, resulting in increased autophagy and lysosomal genes. Together, they activate FoxOs, whose transcriptional activity controls cellular processes including autophagy and can act on autophagy key proteins, while FoxOs proteins are expressed in osteoblasts. Exercise also regulates the expression of mTORC1, FoxO1, and PGC-1 through the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway, which ultimately plays a role in the differentiation and proliferation of osteoblasts and regulates bone metabolism. In addition, BMPs signaling pathway and long chain non-coding RNAs also play a role in the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts and autophagy process under exercise stimulation. Therefore, exercise may become a new molecular regulatory mechanism to improve osteoporosis through the bone autophagy pathway, but the specific mechanism needs to be further investigated. How exercise affects bone autophagy and thus prevents and treats bone-related diseases will become a future research hotspot in the fields of biology, sports medicine and sports science, and it is believed that future studies will further reveal its mechanism and provide new theoretical basis and ideas.

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