1.TGF-β1-engineered Biomimetic Platelet Nanoparticles for Targeted Therapy of Ischemic Stroke
Li-Qi CHEN ; Tian-Fang KANG ; Guo-Jun HUANG ; Ting YIN ; Ai-Qing MA ; Lin-Tao CAI ; Hong PAN
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(3):697-710
ObjectivePost-ischemic acute inflammation and the subsequent persistent dysregulation of the immune microenvironment represent major pathological drivers that aggravate neuronal injury and severely restrict functional recovery following ischemic stroke. Although current reperfusion therapies partially restore blood flow, they fail to effectively modulate the secondary inflammatory cascade and oxidative stress, which remain critical barriers to neurological restoration. To address this challenge, this study aimed to engineer and systematically evaluate a biomimetic nanosystem composed of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-loaded platelet membrane-camouflaged lipid nanoparticles (PLP). This nanosystem was designed to achieve dual lesion-targeted delivery and immune microenvironment remodeling. By verifying its spatiotemporal accumulation, anti-inflammatory activity, and neuroprotective efficacy, we sought to establish an integrated therapeutic strategy that simultaneously enables lesion targeting, immune regulation, and functional recovery after ischemic injury. MethodsThe physicochemical properties of PLP, including hydrodynamic particle size, zeta potential, structural stability, and morphology, were characterized using dynamic light scattering, zeta potential analysis, and transmission electron microscopy. The preservation of platelet membrane-derived adhesion and immunoregulatory proteins was confirmed by SDS-PAGE through comparative analysis of protein band profiles between PLP and native platelet membranes. The in vitro biological activities of PLP were evaluated using two complementary cellular models. LPS-induced M1-polarized RAW264.7 macrophages were employed to assess inflammatory modulation, while oxygen glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R)-induced BV2 microglial cells and SH-SY5Y neuronal cells were utilized to investigate neuroinflammatory regulation and neuronal protection. For in vivo validation, a transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) mouse model was established to mimic ischemia-reperfusion injury. The spatiotemporal biodistribution and lesion-targeting capability of the PLP were monitored through live fluorescence imaging. Therapeutic efficacy was comprehensively evaluated by triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunofluorescence analysis, body weight monitoring, and neurological severity score (NSS) assessment. ResultsPLP nanoparticles displayed a uniform spherical morphology, nanoscale particle size distribution, and stable negative surface charge, indicating favorable colloidal stability and circulation potential. SDS-PAGE results confirmed the effective retention of key platelet membrane proteins associated with endothelial adhesion, immune evasion, and inflammatory regulation, demonstrating the successful biomimetic construction. Optimal therapeutic concentrations were determined in OGD/R-induced BV2 cells, where PLP exhibited excellent cytocompatibility and anti-inflammatory activity.In vitro experiments demonstrated that PLP significantly inhibited the polarization of RAW264.7 macrophages toward the pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype and markedly reduced neuronal apoptosis under ischemia-reperfusion conditions. In vivo fluorescence imaging revealed that PLP rapidly accumulated in the ischemic brain hemisphere and maintained prolonged retention for up to 7 d, suggesting enhanced lesion-specific targeting and sustained drug release. Compared with control group, PLP treatment significantly reduced cerebral infarct volume, attenuated reactive astrogliosis, improved weight recovery, and accelerated neurological functional restoration, as reflected by significantly improved NSS scores. ConclusionThis study establishes a multifunctional biomimetic nanoplatform that integrates platelet membrane-mediated active targeting with the anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and neuroprotective properties of TGF-β1. The PLP system enables rapid lesion homing and long-term retention while synergistically regulating the post-stroke inflammatory microenvironment by suppressing pro-inflammatory immune activation, reducing neuronal apoptosis, and limiting excessive astrocyte reactivity. Importantly, this study proposes a conceptually therapeutic paradigm that combines targeted delivery with immune microenvironment remodeling to achieve comprehensive neurovascular protection. These findings provide strong experimental evidence supporting the translational potential of biomimetic nanotherapeutics as next-generation precision interventions for ischemic stroke.
2.Research on the High-Quality Development Path of Laboratory Animal Management in Jiangsu Province Empowered by Digital Transformation
Lin CHEN ; Housen ZHANG ; Man AI ; Chongyang QI
Laboratory Animal and Comparative Medicine 2026;46(3):426-436
Digital government refers to the wide application of digital technology in government management and services, promoting the optimization of government governance processes, model innovation, and performance enhancement, and building a new form of digital and intelligent government operation. Laboratory animal management is an important national foundational and strategic support work. It is closely related to digital government construction, and is not only an important part of digital government construction but also a typical application of government digital transformation in the field of science and technology. Digital transformation empowering laboratory animal management is a new proposition of government governance in the digital age, and research on its systematic and holistic reform is crucial. Through digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, and cloud computing, the government can optimize approval process, strengthen in-process and post-event supervision, and promote regional coordination, thereby improving laboratory animal management capacity and service levels. In addition, laboratory animal data sharing contributes to government scientific decision-making and industry supervision. This article summarizes the experience and practices of domestic leading regions in recent years, reviews the background and development process of digital transformation of laboratory animal management in Jiangsu Province, describes the current status of such digital transformation in Jiangsu Province across areas including digital infrastructure, data sharing, and government services, analyzes existing challenges in top-level design, data governance, and data sharing, and, focusing on institutional mechanisms, government functions, data governance, and support systems, puts forward corresponding transformation ideas, frameworks, and pathways and provides an outlook. Thereby it provides a reference for the high-quality development of laboratory animal management in Jiangsu Province and other regions.
3.Research progress on the role and mechanism of ferroptosis in heart diseases.
Yu-Tong CUI ; Xin-Xin ZHU ; Qi ZHANG ; Ai-Juan QU
Acta Physiologica Sinica 2025;77(1):75-84
Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death in China, with its morbidity and mortality continue to rise. Ferroptosis, a unique form of iron-dependent cell death, plays a major role in many heart diseases. The classical mechanisms of ferroptosis include iron metabolism disorder, oxidative antioxidant imbalance and lipid peroxidation. Recent studies have found many additional mechanisms of ferroptosis, such as coenzyme Q10, ferritinophagy, lipid autophagy, mitochondrial metabolism disorder, and the regulation by nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2). This article reviews recent advances in understanding the mechanisms of ferroptosis and its role in heart failure, myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury, diabetic cardiomyopathy, myocardial toxicity of doxorubicin, septic cardiomyopathy, and arrhythmia. Furthermore, we discuss the potential of ferroptosis inhibitors/inducers as therapeutic targets for heart diseases, suggesting that ferroptosis may be an important intervention target of heart diseases.
Ferroptosis/physiology*
;
Humans
;
Heart Diseases/physiopathology*
;
NF-E2-Related Factor 2/physiology*
;
Animals
;
Myocardial Reperfusion Injury/physiopathology*
;
Lipid Peroxidation
;
Heart Failure/physiopathology*
;
Iron/metabolism*
;
Diabetic Cardiomyopathies/physiopathology*
;
Ubiquinone/analogs & derivatives*
4.Research and development of new traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for "preventive treatment of diseases" and innovation of TCM.
Rui-Ting LYU ; Yan-Ling AI ; Zhong-Qi YANG ; Ting WANG ; Jian-Yuan TANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(13):3589-3595
In the development of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), the concept of "preventive treatment of disease" has a long history and plays a crucial role in bridging the past and the future. With the continuous growth of public health needs and the ongoing transformation of the registration management of TCM, its position in the research and development of new drugs has become increasingly significant. As one of the important sources of new drug innovation, the new TCM for "preventive treatment of diseases" represents a new thinking proposed based on the current routine registration and research and development. The research and development of TCM for "preventive treatment of diseases" mainly cover four stages: prevention(before the onset of disease), early intervention(when the disease is about to occur), interruption and reversal(when the disease has already occurred), and prevention of recurrence after recovery(after the disease). This study aims to comprehensively analyze the positioning, key points, and difficulties in the research and development of TCM for "preventive treatment of diseases" and explore effective paths to promote the innovative development of TCM through relevant cases. The research and development of new TCM for "preventive treatment of disease" require researchers to seize the opportunities for innovation before the start of the research and development, accurately grasp the key issues at different stages, and pay attention to the full lifecycle evaluation of the drugs. Meanwhile, in the design of the research plan, the optimal effectiveness evaluation indicators should be explored; key and difficult areas such as chronic diseases and rare diseases should be taken seriously, and the limitations of new drug development only based on the diagnosed diseases should be broken, so as to cater to more patients. In addition, through relevant representative cases in China and abroad, the unique advantages of TCM for "preventive treatment of diseases" should be fully leveraged. By learning from the past, all aspects of key points in the evaluation of new drug research and development should be strengthened. Finally, this study proposed that TCM for "preventive treatment of diseases" can employ novel methods and advanced technologies such as new biomarkers and innovative clinical design protocols, as well as new perspectives on disease research and health management. This can provide new paths for the innovation of TCM and public health management.
Humans
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*
;
Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods*
;
Pharmacy Research
5.Morin inhibits ubiquitination degradation of BCL-2 associated agonist of cell death and synergizes with BCL-2 inhibitor in gastric cancer cells.
Yi WANG ; Xiao-Yu SUN ; Fang-Qi MA ; Ming-Ming REN ; Ruo-Han ZHAO ; Meng-Meng QIN ; Xiao-Hong ZHU ; Yan XU ; Ni-da CAO ; Yuan-Yuan CHEN ; Tian-Geng DONG ; Yong-Fu PAN ; Ai-Guang ZHAO
Journal of Integrative Medicine 2025;23(3):320-332
OBJECTIVE:
Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignancies seen in clinic and requires novel treatment options. Morin is a natural flavonoid extracted from the flower stalk of a highly valuable medicinal plant Prunella vulgaris L., which exhibits an anti-cancer effect in multiple types of tumors. However, the therapeutic effect and underlying mechanism of morin in treating GC remains elusive. The study aims to explore the therapeutic effect and underlying molecular mechanisms of morin in GC.
METHODS:
For in vitro experiments, the proliferation inhibition of morin was measured by cell counting kit-8 assay and colony formation assay in human GC cell line MKN45, human gastric adenocarcinoma cell line AGS, and human gastric epithelial cell line GES-1; for apoptosis analysis, microscopic photography, Western blotting, ubiquitination analysis, quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis, flow cytometry, and RNA interference technology were employed. For in vivo studies, immunohistochemistry, biomedical analysis, and Western blotting were used to assess the efficacy and safety of morin in a xenograft mouse model of GC.
RESULTS:
Morin significantly inhibited the proliferation of GC cells MKN45 and AGS in a dose- and time-dependent manner, but did not inhibit human gastric epithelial cells GES-1. Only the caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK was able to significantly reverse the inhibition of proliferation by morin in both GC cells, suggesting that apoptosis was the main type of cell death during the treatment. Morin induced intrinsic apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner in GC cells, which mainly relied on B cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) associated agonist of cell death (BAD) but not phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate-induced protein 1. The upregulation of BAD by morin was due to blocking the ubiquitination degradation of BAD, rather than the transcription regulation and the phosphorylation of BAD. Furthermore, the combination of morin and BCL-2 inhibitor navitoclax (also known as ABT-737) produced a synergistic inhibitory effect in GC cells through amplifying apoptotic signals. In addition, morin treatment significantly suppressed the growth of GC in vivo by upregulating BAD and the subsequent activation of its downstream apoptosis pathway.
CONCLUSION
Morin suppressed GC by inducing apoptosis, which was mainly due to blocking the ubiquitination-based degradation of the pro-apoptotic protein BAD. The combination of morin and the BCL-2 inhibitor ABT-737 synergistically amplified apoptotic signals in GC cells, which may overcome the drug resistance of the BCL-2 inhibitor. These findings indicated that morin was a potent and promising agent for GC treatment. Please cite this article as: Wang Y, Sun XY, Ma FQ, Ren MM, Zhao RH, Qin MM, Zhu XH, Xu Y, Cao ND, Chen YY, Dong TG, Pan YF, Zhao AG. Morin inhibits ubiquitination degradation of BCL-2 associated agonist of cell death and synergizes with BCL-2 inhibitor in gastric cancer cells. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(3): 320-332.
Humans
;
Flavonoids/therapeutic use*
;
Stomach Neoplasms/pathology*
;
Animals
;
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/metabolism*
;
Cell Line, Tumor
;
Apoptosis/drug effects*
;
Cell Proliferation/drug effects*
;
Ubiquitination/drug effects*
;
Mice
;
Drug Synergism
;
Mice, Inbred BALB C
;
Mice, Nude
;
Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
;
Flavones
7.Association of Body Mass Index with All-Cause Mortality and Cause-Specific Mortality in Rural China: 10-Year Follow-up of a Population-Based Multicenter Prospective Study.
Juan Juan HUANG ; Yuan Zhi DI ; Ling Yu SHEN ; Jian Guo LIANG ; Jiang DU ; Xue Fang CAO ; Wei Tao DUAN ; Ai Wei HE ; Jun LIANG ; Li Mei ZHU ; Zi Sen LIU ; Fang LIU ; Shu Min YANG ; Zu Hui XU ; Cheng CHEN ; Bin ZHANG ; Jiao Xia YAN ; Yan Chun LIANG ; Rong LIU ; Tao ZHU ; Hong Zhi LI ; Fei SHEN ; Bo Xuan FENG ; Yi Jun HE ; Zi Han LI ; Ya Qi ZHAO ; Tong Lei GUO ; Li Qiong BAI ; Wei LU ; Qi JIN ; Lei GAO ; He Nan XIN
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2025;38(10):1179-1193
OBJECTIVE:
This study aimed to explore the association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality based on the 10-year population-based multicenter prospective study.
METHODS:
A general population-based multicenter prospective study was conducted at four sites in rural China between 2013 and 2023. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and restricted cubic spline analyses were used to assess the association between BMI and mortality. Stratified analyses were performed based on the individual characteristics of the participants.
RESULTS:
Overall, 19,107 participants with a sum of 163,095 person-years were included and 1,910 participants died. The underweight (< 18.5 kg/m 2) presented an increase in all-cause mortality (adjusted hazards ratio [ aHR] = 2.00, 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.66-2.41), while overweight (≥ 24.0 to < 28.0 kg/m 2) and obesity (≥ 28.0 kg/m 2) presented a decrease with an aHR of 0.61 (95% CI: 0.52-0.73) and 0.51 (95% CI: 0.37-0.70), respectively. Overweight ( aHR = 0.76, 95% CI: 0.67-0.86) and mild obesity ( aHR = 0.72, 95% CI: 0.59-0.87) had a positive impact on mortality in people older than 60 years. All-cause mortality decreased rapidly until reaching a BMI of 25.7 kg/m 2 ( aHR = 0.95, 95% CI: 0.92-0.98) and increased slightly above that value, indicating a U-shaped association. The beneficial impact of being overweight on mortality was robust in most subgroups and sensitivity analyses.
CONCLUSION
This study provides additional evidence that overweight and mild obesity may be inversely related to the risk of death in individuals older than 60 years. Therefore, it is essential to consider age differences when formulating health and weight management strategies.
Humans
;
Body Mass Index
;
China/epidemiology*
;
Male
;
Female
;
Middle Aged
;
Prospective Studies
;
Rural Population/statistics & numerical data*
;
Aged
;
Follow-Up Studies
;
Adult
;
Mortality
;
Cause of Death
;
Obesity/mortality*
;
Overweight/mortality*
8.Study of Reference Materials for Quantitative Analysis of Gene Copy Numbers of Lentiviral Vectors
Yin-Bo HUO ; Jia-Qi YANG ; Qing TAO ; Wen LIANG ; Li XU ; Lan-Ying LI ; Xiao-Lei ZUO ; Juan YAN ; Min DING ; Ai-Wen MA ; Gang LIU
Chinese Journal of Analytical Chemistry 2025;53(9):1555-1565
Lentiviral vectors(LVs)are key gene delivery tools for integrating target genes into the host genome,but they may also pose risks of insertional mutagenesis.The vector copy number(VCN)in cells is critical for determining the safety of gene modification.However,the reliability and accuracy of its quantification process are influenced by multiple factors.Developing cell reference materials with specific vector copy numbers represents a viable approach to enhance the reliability and consistency of measurement results,enabling quality control of the quantification process and traceability of outcomes.However,the preparation of such reference materials faces challenges in cell sample design,preparation protocols,and advanced quantification techniques.In this study,T lymphocyte cell line Jurkat-based reference materials with LV gene copy numbers of 1 and 2 copy/cell were developed.A high-precision duplex digital polymerase chain reaction(dPCR)method was established to quantify the LV gene and endogenous genes simultaneously.Additionally,the results of dPCR were cross-validated through next-generation sequencing and flow cytometric analysis.Ultimately,confocal microscopy characterization results showed that the developed cell reference materials had intact morphology.The quantification result of VCN-1 was(1.07±0.11)copy/cell,and that of VCN-2 was(2.09±0.21)copy/cell.These cell reference materials demonstrated compliance with stability and homogeneity requirements,and could be applied for quality control throughout the VCN measurement workflow and metrological traceability,improving the accuracy,comparability,and validity of copy number measurements.
9.Relationship between postoperative revascularization efficacy and levels of VEGF,IGF-1 and TGF-β1 in joint synovial fluid in children with Perthes Disease
Tian LIANG ; Qi ZHANG ; Li-Hai MA ; Ai-Qiang LANG ; Chuan-Jiang YAO ; Lan-Ping XU
Medical Journal of Chinese People's Liberation Army 2025;50(10):1263-1269
Objective To explore the relationship between levels of vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF),insulin-like growth factor 1(IGF-1),and transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1)in the synovial fluid of children with avascular necrosis of the femoral head(also known as Perthes disease)and the efficacy of postoperative revascularization,aiming to provide a basis for subsequent diagnosis and treatment.Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 262 children with Perthes disease admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Gansu University of Chinese Medicine from January 2023 to June 2024.Based on postoperative revascularization efficacy,patients were divided into good revascularization group(n=228)and poor revascularization group(n=34).For poor revascularization group,a 1:2 matched case-control design was used to select 68 age-matched children with hip synovitis who underwent hip joint fluid puncture as control group.Additionally,82 children with Perthes disease treated at the hospital from June 2024 to January 2025 were enrolled as a validation cohort for nomogram model verification.The expression levels of VEGF,IGF-1 and TGF-β1 in the synovial fluid of three groups were compared.Confounding biases were controlled through univariate and stratified analyses.Binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent factors affecting the revascularization effect.R software was utilized to draw and verify the nomogram model for predicting the postoperative revascularization effect.Results The levels of VEGF,IGF-1 and TGF-β1 in the synovial fluid of children in poor revascularization group were all higher than those in control group and good revascularization group(P<0.05).After three types of reconstructive surgeries,the levels of VEGF,IGF-1 and TGF-β1 in the synovial fluid of children with poor revascularization were all higher than those in children with good revascularization(P<0.05);however,there was no statistically significant difference in the above indicators among different surgical types(P>0.05).Binary logistic regression analysis showed that the levels of VEGF,IGF-1,and TGF-β1 in the synovial fluid were independent risk factors for poor postoperative revascularization in children with Perthes disease.The area under the ROC curve of the nomogram model established accordingly for predicting poor postoperative revascularization in children with Perthes disease was 0.875(95%CI 0.805-0.945),with a sensitivity of 0.874 and a specificity of 0.851.Moreover,the calibration curve and decision curve analysis(DCA)indicated that the model had good clinical applicability.Conclusions The increased levels of VEGF,IGF-1 and TGF-β1 in synovial fluid are associated with poor postoperative revascularization in children with Perthes disease.These three factors are expected to become prognostic indicators for children with Perthes disease.
10.Moxibustion affects angiogenesis by regulating VEGF/Rho family proteins in knee joint synovial tissue of rats with adjuvant arthritis
Fang QI ; Qingze WU ; Yi CHEN ; Qirui QU ; Li LIU ; Xiaorong CHANG ; Kun AI ; Liang ZHANG ; Yanping YANG
Journal of Acupuncture and Tuina Science 2025;23(4):287-295
Objective:To observe the effect of moxibustion on angiogenesis-related indicators in knee joint synovial tissue of adjuvant arthritis model rats,and to explore the mechanism of moxibustion in inhibiting vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)expression in synovial tissue and further limiting the activation of Rho family proteins Rac1 and Cdc42,thereby inhibiting angiogenesis during rheumatoid arthritis(RA)treatment.Methods:Forty-eight male Sprague-Dawley rats were equally divided into a normal group,a model group,a moxibustion group,and a moxibustion+VEGF agonist group according to the random principle.The complete Freund's adjuvant method was used for modeling.On the 12th day after modeling,the moxibustion group and the moxibustion+VEGF agonist group were subjected to suspended moxibustion at bilateral Zusanli(ST36),Guanyuan(CV4),and Ashi points for 20 min each time,once a day,for a total of 15 times.The moxibustion+VEGF agonist group received VEGF agonist(tirofiban hydrochloride hydrate)injection in the knee joint cavity at the same time.Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to evaluate the pathological changes of rat synovial tissue in each group.Immunohistochemistry was used to observe the CD31 expression level in rat synovial tissue.Western blotting was used to detect the levels of VEGF,Rac1,and Cdc42 protein in rat synovial tissue,and polymerase chain reaction(PCR)was used to detect the VEGF mRNA expression.Results:Compared to the normal group,the expression levels of CD31 protein and VEGF mRNA and protein in rat synovial tissue in the model group increased significantly(P<0.01),and the expression levels of phospho-Rac1 and phospho-Cdc42 proteins also increased significantly(P<0.01).After moxibustion intervention,the expression levels of CD31 protein and VEGF mRNA and protein in the moxibustion group were significantly lower than those in the model group(P<0.01),while the differences in each indicator between the moxibustion+VEGF agonist group and the model group were not statistically significant(P>0.05).Compared to the moxibustion group,the expression levels of CD31 protein,VEGF mRNA and protein,phospho-Cdc42,and phospho-Rac1 in the moxibustion+VEGF agonist group increased significantly(P<0.01).Conclusion:Moxibustion improved synovial inflammation in RA by inhibiting angiogenesis.The mechanism may be to regulate angiogenesis-related VEGF,restrict the activation of Rac1 and Cdc42,and inhibit pseudopodia formation in vascular endothelial cells,thereby reducing angiogenesis.

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail