1.Wumeiwan Promotes M1 Polarization of Tumor-associated Macrophages to Treat Metastatic Colorectal Cancer
Nianzhi CHEN ; Shiyun TANG ; Yuanyuan FENG ; Yan WANG ; Ningning LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(1):92-100
ObjectiveTo explore the effects of Wumeiwan on liver metastasis and lung metastasis of colorectal cancer and its potential mechanism. MethodsFirstly, mice were randomized into control, low-dose (20 g·kg-1) Wumeiwan, high-dose (40 g·kg-1) Wumeiwan, and paclitaxel (10 mg·kg-1) groups. Secondly, liver metastasis and lung metastasis models of colorectal cancer were established in mice. After 4 weeks of intervention, the body weight of each mouse was recorded, and the lung weight, liver weight, and survival time of mice with metastatic colorectal cancer were determined. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was employed to detect the effects of Wumeiwan on liver metastasis and lung metastasis. Real-time PCR was employed to determine the mRNA levels of M1 and M2 macrophage markers in the liver tissue. Finally, the content of M1 macrophage markers CD80 and CD86 in the liver tissue was measured by flow cytometry. ResultsCompared with the control group, Wumeiwan and paclitaxel reduced the body weight (P<0.01) and liver weight (P<0.01) and prolonged the survival of the mouse model of liver metastasis of colorectal cancer (P<0.01). In the mouse model of lung metastasis of colorectal cancer, Wumeiwan and paclitaxel also reduced the body weight (P<0.01) and lung weight (P<0.01) and extended the survival time (P<0.01). Histopathological results showed that compared with the control group, Wumeiwan inhibited the liver and lung metastases of colorectal cancer. Real-time PCR results showed that compared with the control group, Wumeiwan upregulated the mRNA levels of M1 macrophage markers IL-1β, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), and prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2) in the liver and lung tissue of mice with liver metastasis and lung metastasis of colorectal cancer (P<0.01). Meanwhile, Wumeiwan downregulated the mRNA levels of M2 macrophage markers Arg1, CD163, and CD206 (P<0.01). Meanwhile, the flow cytometry results showed that compared with the control group, Wumeiwan increased the content of CD86 and CD80 (P<0.01). In addition, immunohistochemical results showed that Wumeiwan promoted the expression of CD86 and inhibited the expression of CD206 in the liver and lung tissue of mice with liver metastasis and lung metastasis. ConclusionWumeiwan can inhibit the liver metastasis and lung metastasis of colorectal cancer by promoting the M1 polarization of macrophages in the liver and lung of the model mice.
2.Role of liver cancer stem cells in hepatocellular carcinoma and related strategies for targeted therapy
Wenting CUI ; Ningning LIU ; Xiuzhen MA ; Ping MAI
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2026;42(2):457-463
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignant tumor with relatively high incidence and mortality rates worldwide, and its therapeutic resistance and recurrence mechanism are closely associated with liver cancer stem cells (LCSC). This article systematically introduces the biological characteristics of LCSC and their key role in the progression of HCC, reviews the functional characteristics of the specific surface markers (such as EpCAM and CD133) and related signaling pathways (such as Wnt/β-catenin, TGF-β, and STAT3), elaborates on the interaction between LCSC and tumor microenvironment, and summarizes the latest clinical treatment strategies targeting LCSC and the countermeasure for existing resistance mechanisms. The article points out that LCSC promote tumor development and progression through metabolic reprogramming and immune microenvironment remodeling, and it is proposed to establish a standardized detection system for LCSC specific markers and promote a triple synergistic therapeutic paradigm combining targeted therapy, immune regulation, and traditional chemotherapy, in order to provide new ideas for the clinical intervention of HCC.
3.Impact of DRG payment on length of stay and medical costs in COPD patients from Kashgar region
Jiale YANG ; Ningning WANG ; Aierken AIZEZIJIANG ; Lingkai LIAN ; Xinyi LYU ; Pengcheng LIU ; Wenbing YAO
China Pharmacy 2026;37(8):991-997
OBJECTIVE To analyze the impact of the diagnosis-related groups (DRG) payment reform on the length of stay and medical costs in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in Kashgar region, aiming to provide localized empirical evidence for the optimization of regional medical insurance payment methods. METHODS Based on the inpatient settlement database of the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region Healthcare Security Administration, settlement data of COPD inpatients from 17 medical institutions in Kashgar region between January 1, 2022, and December 31, 2024, were extracted. The overall changes in patients’ length of stay and costs were compared before and after the reform. Subsequently, interrupted time series analysis (ITSA) was employed to explore the impact of the DRG payment reform on these variables. RESULTS Following the reform, both the average length of stay and various cost decreased significantly compared to the pre-reform period ( P <0.001). At the overall sample level, the average length of stay, average total cost, average drug cost, average medical service cost, and average examination cost per admission all demonstrated significant long-term downward trends after the reform ( P <0.05). However, the decrease in average out-of-pocket costs and the increase in average consumable costs per admission were not statistically significant ( P >0.05). In tertiary medical institutions, the average length of stay and all categories of costs (except average consumable costs per admission) exhibited significant long-term upward trends after the reform ( P <0.05); conversely, in secondary and lower-level medical institutions, the average length of stay, average total cost, average drug cost, average medical service cost, and average examination cost per admission showed significant long-term downward trends ( P <0.05). CONCLUSIONS The DRG payment reform has achieved an overall effect of reducing the length of stay and controlling costs in COPD patients from Kashgar region. However, the effects vary across different levels of medical institutions: secondary and lower-level institutions show a long-term downward trend in length of stay and costs, whereas tertiary institutions exhibit a long-term upward trend. Furthermore, patients’ out-of-pocket financial burden does not show significant improvement.
4.Novel pathogenesis and intervention strategies for liver cirrhosis based on the gut microbiota-bile acid axis
Ningning LIU ; Wenting CUI ; Shuli MU ; Xiuzhen MA ; Ping MAI
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2026;42(3):718-725
Liver cirrhosis is the final stage of the progression of various chronic liver diseases, often accompanied by serious complications and high mortality rates. Recent studies have shown that the interaction between gut microbiota and bile acid metabolism (the gut microbiota-bile acid axis) is closely associated with liver cirrhosis. This article systematically reviews the mechanism of action of the gut microbiota-bile acid axis in the progression of liver cirrhosis, elaborates on the pathological features of liver cirrhosis and its harm to the body, and summarizes the association of the gut microbiota-bile acid axis with the development and progression of liver cirrhosis. It also analyzes the key regulatory role of this axis in the progression of liver cirrhosis and explores its potential application value as a therapeutic target for liver cirrhosis, in order to provide a theoretical basis for exploring more effective clinical intervention methods.
5.Mechanism study on liraglutide combined with neural stem cells in alleviating diabetic retinopathy in rats
Jifei ZHAO ; Lihua HOU ; Tian LIU ; Li WANG ; Peiyao YANG ; Yang QIN ; Ningning CHEN
International Eye Science 2026;26(8):1332-1342
AIM: To investigate the effect and potential mechanism of liraglutide(LIR)combined with neural stem cells(NSCs)in alleviating diabetic retinopathy(DR)in rats.METHODS:A DR rat model was established using a high-fat diet combined with a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin(STZ). Rats in the control group were fed a normal diet and received an intraperitoneal injection of citric acid-sodium citrate buffer. After modeling, the rats were divided into the control group, DR group, DR+LIR group, DR+BMSCs group, DR+NSCs group, DR+BMSCs+LIR group, and DR+NSCs+LIR group. According to the grouping instructions, rats were given intraperitoneal injection of LIR at 200 μg/(kg·d)and intravitreal injection of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(BMSCs), or NSCs, or the combined therapy accordingly for 8 wk. Fasting blood glucose(FBG)and serum insulin levels, as well as retinal oxidative stress indexes and serum inflammatory indexes, were detected in each group. Retinopathy was evaluated by hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining, retinal cell apoptosis was detected by TUNEL staining, SIRT1 expression in retinal tissues was detected by immunohistochemistry, and BDNF expression in retinal tissues was detected by immunofluorescence. The transcriptional levels of cZNF532, miR-29a-3p, SIRT1, TGF-β1, NRF2, Keap1, and BDNF in retinal tissues were detected by qRT-PCR, and the protein expression levels of SIRT1, TGF-β1, SMAD2/3, p-SMAD2/3, NRF2, Keap1, p65, and p-p65 in retinal tissues were detected by Western blot. RESULTS:Compared with the other groups of rats, the retinal morphology of rats in the DR+NSCs+LIR group was significantly improved, the levels of FBG, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 and MDA were decreased(all P<0.05), the serum insulin level and the levels of SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px were increased(all P<0.05), the TUNEL-positive rate of retinal cells was reduced(all P<0.05). The expression levels of cZNF532, SIRT1, NRF2, and BDNF in retinal tissue were up-regulated(all P<0.05), whereas the expression levels of miR-29a-3p, TGF-β1, p-SMAD2/3, Keap1, and p-p65 were down-regulated(all P<0.05). CONCLUSION:LIR combined with NSCs alleviates DR by regulating the cZNF532-miR-29a-3p-SIRT1 network and its downstream TGF-β/SMAD, NF-κB, and Keap1/NRF2 signaling pathways.
6.Single-center retrospective analysis of peritoneal mesothelioma
Qi LIU ; Muwen NIE ; Jingqi ZHANG ; Ningning LI ; Lin ZHAO
Basic & Clinical Medicine 2025;45(10):1362-1367
Objective To explore the diagnosis and treatment experience of malignant peritoneal mesothelioma by analyzing the clinical characteristics of patients with single center peritoneal mesothelioma.Methods Retrospec-tively analyze the clinical data,including age and treatment regimens,of 99 patients with malignant peritoneal mes-othelioma admitted to Peking Union Medical College Hospital from June 2012 to July 2023.Kaplan-Meier for surviv-al analysis and Logistic and Cox regression were applied to assess the impact of factors like age and treatment regi-mens on survival time.Results The median age of diagnosis for 99 patients with peritoneal mesothelioma was 56 years,of which 82 were pathologically diagnosed.Among them,38 cases(51.4%)underwent tumor cell reduction surgery,and 57 cases(77.0%)underwent systemic or local treatment.The median survival time for all patients was 43 years.The age of diagnosis may affect the prognosis of patients with malignant mesothelioma,and those aged≥65 at the time of diagnosis have a worse prognosis.Conclusions Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare but invasive malignant tumor with a poor prognosis.There is still a need to develop novo drugs and comprehensive treat-ment strategies.
7.Cerebral Blood Flow Characteristics of Boys with Different Subtypes of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Their Relationship with Executive Function
Xinyi ZHANG ; Ningning LIU ; Haimei LI ; Yufeng WANG ; Lu LIU ; Qiujin QIAN
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2025;16(2):314-320
Objective To analyze the differences in cerebral blood flow(CBF)characteristics among children with different subtypes of attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder(ADHD)and their relationship with executive function using arterial spin labeling(ASL)technology.Methods A case-control study was conducted,including children diagnosed with ADHD at the outpatient clinic of Peking University Sixth Hospital from July 2015 to December 2019 as the ADHD group,and typically developing schoolchildren from January to December 2021 as the healthy control group.Both groups underwent pseudo-continuous ASL(pCASL)scanning to measure CBF,and executive function was assessed using the parent version of the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function(BRIEF).Differences in CBF between ADHD children and healthy controls were com-pared.For brain regions showing significant group differences,CBF values were extracted and linear regression models were constructed with BRIEF scores to further explore the relationship between regional CBF and execu-tive function.Results A total of 134 boys with ADHD were included[83 with ADHD predominantly inat-tentive subtype(ADHD-Ⅰ)and 51 with ADHD combined subtype(ADHD-C)],along with 25 healthy control boys.Intergroup comparisons revealed that the CBF in the left middle temporal gyrus was significantly lower in ADHD-C children compared to both ADHD-Ⅰ children(P=0.010)and healthy controls(P<0.001),while no significant difference was observed between ADHD-Ⅰ children and healthy controls(P=0.280).After adjusting for age and total IQ scores,the linear regression model showed that the CBF in the left middle temporal gyrus of ADHD-C children was negatively correlated with the planning/organization score on the BRIEF(β=-0.062,P=0.030).Conclusions The CBF in the left middle temporal gyrus of boys with ADHD-C is significantly lower than that of boys with ADHD-Ⅰ and healthy controls.This reduced regional CBF may be associated with executive function deficits in organization and planning abilities in ADHD-C,providing new insights into the neurobiological mechanisms underlying ADHD subtypes.
8.Intervention of Sinomenine in Rat Osteoarthritis by Modulating FABP4
Shiqi ZHANG ; Jun ZHAO ; Ningning LIU ; Yu ZHANG ; Yifei ZHAO ; Jiao LIU ; Hongjian YU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(15):115-123
ObjectiveThis study aims to observe the effect of sinomenine (SIN) on fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) in synovial tissue of rats with osteoarthritis (OA) and investigate the therapeutic mechanism of SIN on OA, further providing new ideas for the management of osteoarthritis by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). MethodsAn OA rat model was constructed and randomly divided into a control group, an OA group, an OA + SIN-L group (50 mg·kg-1), an OA + SIN-M (100 mg·kg-1), an OA + SIN-H (200 mg·kg-1), and an OA + prednisone (PDN) group (5 mg·kg-1). Following surgical modeling for three weeks, an appropriate medication was administered for four weeks. During modeling and administration, a hot plate test was performed to detect the pain and swelling of the knee joints of the rats. The periarticular tissue was collected for arthropathological observation at the end of drug administration. The expression of cleaved Caspase-3, B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2 associated X protein (Bax), and FABP4 in the synovial tissue of rats was detected by Western blot and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR), and the expression and distribution of FABP4 protein in the synovial membrane were detected by immunofluorescence. ResultsCompared with those in the control group, the levels of inflammatory factors and FABP4 in the serum of rats in the OA group were significantly increased (P<0.05, P<0.01), and joint swelling was significantly elevated (P<0.01). The thermal pain threshold was significantly reduced (P<0.01), and the expression of FABP4 protein and the fluorescence intensity were significantly increased (P<0.01). The synovial tissue exhibited significantly increased inflammatory infiltration, proliferated fibroblasts, and an elevated apoptotic index (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with those in the OA group, the serum lipid metabolism indexes of rats in the SIN administration group gradually returned to normal (P<0.05, P<0.01), while the levels of inflammatory factors and FABP4 in the serum of rats in the SIN-administered group were significantly reduced (P<0.05, P<0.01), and joint swelling was significantly decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01). The thermal pain threshold was significantly elevated (P<0.05, P<0.01), and the expression of FABP4 protein and fluorescence intensity in the synovial tissue were significantly decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01). The synovial tissue displayed significantly reduced inflammatory infiltration and a decreased apoptotic index (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionThe therapeutic effect of SIN on OA may be related to the down-regulation of FABP4 expression, reduction of apoptosis, and inhibition of inflammatory factor expression.
9.Research Progress on Immunomodulatory Activity and Mechanism of Polygonatum sibiricum
Jinyu LI ; Ningning QIU ; Chang YI ; Mengqin ZHU ; Yanfeng YUAN ; Guang CHEN ; Xili ZHANG ; Wenlong LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(16):298-306
Polygonatum sibiricum, as a traditional Chinese medicine with both medicinal and edible properties, has attracted considerable attention due to its functions of nourishing Yin and moistening the lungs, tonifying the spleen and benefiting Qi, and nourishing the kidneys and filling essence. Recent studies have demonstrated that Polygonatum sibiricum plays a significant role in regulating the immune system, effectively enhancing and improving the morphology and function of immune organs, stimulating the proliferation and activation of immune cells, and regulating the secretion and release of immune factors, thereby enhancing the immune function of the body and improving various immune-related diseases. Although a large number of studies have explored the pharmacological effects and mechanisms of P. sibiricum, there has been no systematic review and summary of its immune regulatory activity and mechanisms. Therefore, this article comprehensively reviews the research achievements of P. sibiricum polysaccharides and saponins in the field of immune regulation in recent years, and further sorts out the immune regulatory mechanisms of P. sibiricum in multiple aspects: including increasing the organ index of the spleen and thymus, increasing the number and activity of tumor-suppressive bone marrow hematopoietic stem cells, improving intestinal flora imbalance, regulating the quantity and proportion of T lymphocyte subsets, increasing the level of immunoglobulin, promoting the proliferation of macrophages, enhancing the activity of natural killer cells, increasing the number of white blood cells, and promoting the maturation of dendritic cells, providing a solid theoretical basis and scientific evidence for the research and application of P. sibiricum, and promoting its development and application in traditional Chinese medicine immune enhancers and various functional products.
10.Construction and verification of a core competency index system of nurses in"internet+postpartum maternal and infant home care"
Chunchai YING ; Yacen LI ; Ningning LIU ; Yunxia XIAO ; Suwen FENG
Chinese Journal of Nursing 2025;60(12):1486-1492
Objective The core competence index system of nurses providing"internet+postpartum maternal and infant home care"service was constructed and preliminarily verified,so as to provide references for objective evaluation of their core competence.Methods Based on literature review and semi-structured interviews,the core competence index system of nurses in"internet+postpartum maternal and infant home care"service was initially constructed with the iceberg model as the theoretical framework.In April to May 2024,the indicators are organized and analyzed using the Delphi method to form a final indicator system.In December 2024,30 nurses providing"internet+postpartum maternal and infant home care"service in a tertiary A obstetrics and gynecology hospital in Hangzhou were selected as the survey subjects,and the index system was preliminarily verified by questionnaires.Results A total of 20 experts completed 2 rounds of correspondence.The authoritative coefficients of the 2 rounds of expert inquiry were 0.88 and 0.90,respectively;the Kendall coordination coefficients were 0.34 and 0.39,respectively(P<0.001);the variation coefficients were 0~0.17 and 0.05~0.18,respectively.The final index system includes 3 first-class indicators,12 second-class indicators and 68 third-class indicators.The comprehensive,specialized,necessary,applicable,and overall satisfaction scores of the indicator system are(4.27±0.77)points,(4.43±0.56)points,(4.43±0.72)points,(4.47±0.56)points,and(4.46±0.56)points,respectively.Conclusion The core competence index system of nurses in"internet+postpartum maternal and infant home care"service is comprehensive,specialized,scientific and reliable,and can provide references for the training,assessment and evaluation of"internet+postpartum maternal and infant home care"talents.

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