1.Mechanism prediction and validation of Kaixinsan in ameliorating neuroinflammation in Alzheimer’s disease
Dandan XU ; Yongchang ZENG ; Shaoyu LIANG ; Qi LIU ; Junhong WU ; Kang HE
China Pharmacy 2025;36(12):1476-1482
OBJECTIVE To predict and validate the potential mechanisms of Kaixinsan (KXS) in ameliorating neuroinflammation in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). METHODS Network pharmacology was employed to identify core anti- inflammatory components and key inflammatory targets of KXS for AD. Gene ontology (GO) functional annotation, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment, and molecular docking were performed. Based on these findings, male SD rats were used to establish an AD model via chronic D-galactose induction. The effects of KXS on AD rats were evaluated, including quantitative behavioral score, learning and memory parameters (escape latency, platform crossings, platform quadrant distance and time), organ indexes (heart, liver, spleen, thymus), histopathological alterations in the hippocampus, and expressions of inflammation-related pathway proteins and their upstream/downstream regulators. RESULTS Core anti-inflammatory components of KXS for AD included gomisin B, panaxytriol, gomisin A, enhydrin, vulgarin and panaxydol, while key inflammatory targets involved nuclear factor-kappa B subunit 1( NFKB1), nuclear factor-κB p65( NF-κB p65), interleukin-1β( IL- 1β), IL-6, Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), tumor necrosis factor, nucleotide-binding domain leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain- containing receptor 3 (NLRP3) and caspase-1 (CASP1). GO and KEGG pathway enrichment involved inflammatory response, phosphorylation and the NF-κB signaling pathway. Molecular docking confirmed strong binding affinities between core components and key targets. Animal experiments demonstrated that, compared to the model group, KXS significantly alleviated histopathological damage (e.g., neuronal shrinkage, reduced Nissl bodies in hippocampal CA1, CA3, and DG regions), increased organ indexes (except for liver index) and Nissl-stained positive cells, improved learning and memory performance, and reduced behavioral scores (at the 8 and 12 weeks of the experiment) and protein expression of NF- κB p65, phosphorylated NF- κB p65, TLR4, NLRP3, CASP1 and IL-1β. CONCLUSIONS KXS effectively mitigates neuroinflammation, reduces hippocampal neuronal injury, and enhances learning and memory ability in AD rats, potentially through suppressing the NF-κB signaling pathway and its upstream/ downstream regulators.
2.Mechanism of Action of Coptidis Rhizoma and Ophiopogonis Radix in Delaying Diabetic Nephropathy Based on EGFR/PI3K/Akt Signaling Pathway
Shaoyu LI ; Man GONG ; Qiufang LI ; Liping DAI ; Guiqun WANG ; Qiuchen YANG ; Qiongqiong ZHANG ; Erping XU ; Yalin LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(20):22-29
ObjectiveTo observe the effect of Coptidis Rhizoma and Ophiopogonis Radix on renal tissue injury and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway in rats with diabetic nephropathy (DN) and explore its possible mechanism of delaying DN. MethodThirty-six male Wistar rats were randomly divided into a normal group (6 rats) and a model group (30 rats). The model group was fed with a high-fat and high-sugar diet combined with streptozotocin (STZ) to establish a rat model of type 2 diabetes. After the successful preparation of the model, the rats were randomly divided into the model group, low, medium, and high dose groups of Coptidis Rhizoma and Ophiopogonis Radix (100, 200, 400 mg·kg-1), and metformin group (200 mg·kg-1). After administration, the levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), 24 h urine protein (24 h-UTP), creatinine (SCr), urea nitrogen (BUN), and uric acid (UA) were detected. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and Masson staining were used to observe the pathological changes of renal tissue in rats. Western blot and Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) were used to detect the related protein expression of EGFR, PI3K, and Akt and their mRNA expression levels in the renal tissue of rats in each group. ResultsCompared with the normal group, the levels of FBG, SCr, BUN, UA, 24 h-UTP, and kidney index in the model group were significantly increased (P<0.01), most renal tubular epithelial cells were necrotic, and the content of collagen in glomeruli was significantly increased (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the above indexes of rats in each administration group were improved to varying degrees. The FBG, SCr, BUN, UA, 24 h-UTP, and kidney index of rats in each dose group and metformin group were significantly decreased (P<0.01, P<0.05). The necrosis degree of renal tubular epithelial cells was reduced, and the fibrosis area was decreased (P<0.01). There related protein and mRNA expressions of EGFR, PI3K, and Akt were significantly increased (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionCoptidis Rhizoma and Ophiopogonis Radix can alleviate renal tissue injury in rats with DN, and their mechanism may be related to the regulation of the EGFR/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.
3.Thinking on the training mode of interdisciplinary talents from the perspective of general education
Shaoyu LIANG ; Fang LIU ; Shengmei ZHAO ; Lei CHEN
Chinese Journal of Medical Education Research 2024;23(5):640-645
In medical scientific research, the contradiction between the adequacy of professional talents and the lack of interdisciplinary talents has gradually become a bottleneck for the high-quality development of medical scientific research. In order to effectively promote interdisciplinarity and high-quality cultivation of interdisciplinary talents, the West China Hospital of Sichuan University takes the lead in incorporating medical scientific research knowledge into general education for lower-grade undergraduate students. The general education system of medical scientific research spreads professional medical scientific research knowledge that is "highly concentrated and purified", and "simple" but not "shallow" to lower-grade undergraduate students while cultivating students' interdisciplinary awareness and ability of condensing scientific research problems. The system, based on curriculum design, refers to a series of teaching activities, such as professional teaching material compilation, teaching project research, course video recording, scientific research platform support, medical scientific research practice guarantee, and interdisciplinary evaluation. By adhering to the teaching concept of precise interdisciplinary education oriented by medical research, a paradigm for the reform of medical education and the training mode of interdisciplinary talents has been explored through the advancement of medical knowledge and the breakthrough of disciplinary boundaries.
4.Design and application of a virtual simulation tutorial system for bone traction nursing of the lower limbs
Shan HE ; Qianzhu CHEN ; Yunmei ZHANG ; Yongli TANG ; Jian ZENG ; Feng XIAO ; Fang LIU ; Hengyu ZHOU ; Shaoyu MU
Chinese Journal of Medical Education Research 2024;23(10):1413-1419
Objective:To design a virtual simulation tutorial system for bone traction nursing of the lower limbs, and to investigate its application effect.Methods:Based on clinical cases, a 3D model was established for the fractured lower limb using the virtual simulation technique. The design of the model considered the position and mechanical relationship between bone traction and fracture ends, as well as the assessment and intervention of the condition after bone traction, and such factors were taken as the core elements of simulation design. Virtual experiments were conducted for the four scenarios of pre-hospital first aid, triage in the hospital, bone traction operation, and postoperative nursing. Such experiments were conducted among junior nursing undergraduates, and examination results and student satisfaction survey were used to evaluate the application effect of the experiments.Results:The teaching software consisted of four training modules, i.e., theoretical knowledge learning of fractures, preparation before bone traction operation, methods and principles of bone traction operation, and observation of conditions after bone traction. The final score of experiments was (90.99±0.58) points among the students, and the degree of satisfaction with the experimental system and the teaching model was 87.85% (441/502) and 63.35% (318/502), respectively.Conclusions:The virtual simulation experiments for bone traction nursing of the lower limbs are scientific, professional, and interesting and have a relatively high degree of satisfaction among students, and therefore, they can be applied in the education of nursing students and the continuing education of nurses.
5.Study on the Pharmacodynamic Substances of Simiao Wan for Treatment of Hyperuricemia and Gout Based on Disease and Syndrome Model
Yongchang ZENG ; Shaoyu LIANG ; Junhong WU ; Dandan XU ; Changqing LIU ; Kang HE ; Yu JIN ; Zhengzhi WU
Traditional Chinese Drug Research & Clinical Pharmacology 2024;35(8):1152-1162
Objective To explore the pharmacodynamic substances of Simiao Wan for the treatment of hyperuricemia and gout.Methods The pharmacological model of hyperuricemia was established.The chemical components in vivo and in vitro of Simiao Wan were analyzed by UPLC-Q-Exactive-MS.Based on the components absorbed in blood,the"active ingredient-target-pathway"network of Simiao Wan for regulating hyperuricemia and gout was constructed by network pharmacology method.The key ingredients were used for molecular docking with key targets[uricogenase(XDH),uric acid transporter(ABCG2,GLUT9,OAT1,URAT1)and inflammatory targets(PTGS2,TLR2,TLR4)]of hyperuricemia and gout.Finally,experimental verification was conducted according to the results of molecular docking.Our aim is to identify the key pharmacodynamic substances of Simiao Wan for the treatment of hyperuricemia and gout.Results Eighty-nine components of Simiao Wan were identified by UPLC-Q-Exactive-MS analysis,including 74 components absorbed in blood,which were confirmed as candidate ingredients.Network pharmacology was used to constructed"components absorbed in blood-target-pathway"network,and components absorbed in blood were matched with 116 targets of hyperuricemia and 173 targets of gout.It is involved in the regulation of biological processes,such as glucose and lipid metabolism,oxidative stress,inflammatory response,ERK1 and ERK2 cascade,MAPK cascade,PI3K signal transduction.Moreover,Simiao Wan plays a role in regulating the network of hyperuricemia and gout through regulating blood lipids and atherosclerosis,apoptosis,AGE-RAGE,TNF,PI3K-Akt,MAPK,TLRs,JAK-STAT,NF-κB and other signaling pathways.Molecular docking studies showed that berberine,phellodendrine,magnoflorine,jatrorrhizine,palmatine,obacunone,limonin,atractylodin,taxifolin,atractylenolide Ⅲ and β-ecdysterone had good affinity with uric acid synthase,uric acid transporter and inflammatory targets.Western Blot test showed that taxifolin negatively regulates the expression of URAT1.The above-mentioned compounds were the main pharmacodynamic substances of Simiao Wan for the treatment of hyperuricemia and gout.Conclusion This article describes the main pharmacodynamic substances of Simiao Wan in the regulation of hyperuricemia and gout,which can provides a scientific basis for the clinical application,improvement in quality evaluation and standard of Simiao Wan.
6.The deubiquitinating enzyme 13 retards non-alcoholic steatohepatitis via blocking inactive rhomboid protein 2-dependent pathway.
Minxuan XU ; Jun TAN ; Liancai ZHU ; Chenxu GE ; Wei DONG ; Xianling DAI ; Qin KUANG ; Shaoyu ZHONG ; Lili LAI ; Chao YI ; Qiang LI ; Deshuai LOU ; Linfeng HU ; Xi LIU ; Gang KUANG ; Jing LUO ; Jing FENG ; Bochu WANG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2023;13(3):1071-1092
Nowadays potential preclinical drugs for the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) have failed to achieve expected therapeutic efficacy because the pathogenic mechanisms are underestimated. Inactive rhomboid protein 2 (IRHOM2), a promising target for treatment of inflammation-related diseases, contributes to deregulated hepatocyte metabolism-associated nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) progression. However, the molecular mechanism underlying Irhom2 regulation is still not completely understood. In this work, we identify the ubiquitin-specific protease 13 (USP13) as a critical and novel endogenous blocker of IRHOM2, and we also indicate that USP13 is an IRHOM2-interacting protein that catalyzes deubiquitination of Irhom2 in hepatocytes. Hepatocyte-specific loss of the Usp13 disrupts liver metabolic homeostasis, followed by glycometabolic disorder, lipid deposition, increased inflammation, and markedly promotes NASH development. Conversely, transgenic mice with Usp13 overexpression, lentivirus (LV)- or adeno-associated virus (AAV)-driven Usp13 gene therapeutics mitigates NASH in 3 models of rodent. Mechanistically, in response to metabolic stresses, USP13 directly interacts with IRHOM2 and removes its K63-linked ubiquitination induced by ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2N (UBC13), a ubiquitin E2 conjugating enzyme, and thus prevents its activation of downstream cascade pathway. USP13 is a potential treatment target for NASH therapy by targeting the Irhom2 signaling pathway.
7.Promoting learning gains and practical ability of nursing students: the construction and empirical research of inquiry learning community
Bing YANG ; Fuying LI ; Shiqi XIE ; Yunmei ZHANG ; Siyuan YANG ; Shaoyu MOU ; Weichu LIU
Chinese Journal of Medical Education Research 2023;22(2):315-320
Objective:To develop an inquiry learning community centered on learning experience in the course of Nursing Clinical Comprehensive Experiment to verify the influence of this teaching mode on the learning gains and practical ability of nursing students. Methods:A total of 132 undergraduate nursing students form grade 3 in Chongqing Medical University were enrolled. The participants were randomly assigned to a learning community group ( n = 69) and a control group ( n = 63) using Minitab 14.0 software. The students in the learning community group adopted the inquiry learning community mode in accordance with the curriculum map for online self-learning, group discussion and skills practice, while the control group received the teacher-led teaching mode for offline theory teaching, operation teaching and skills practice. After the teaching intervention, both groups of students received the assessment questionnaire of learning gains and the comprehensive experimental ability evaluation. Chi-square test or paired t-test was performed using SPSS 23.0. Results:Compared with the control group, students in the learning community group reported that their sense of learning gain was enhanced ( P<0.001, Cohen d=0.97); sub-items showed that the effect size for the understanding of learning content ( P<0.001, Cohen d=1.22), the overall course situation ( P<0.001, Cohen d=0.90), the course activities ( P=0.000, Cohen d=0.83), and the information obtained ( P<0.001, Cohen d=1.16) was significantly different. The total score of practical ability of comprehensive experiment was significantly improved ( P = 0.005, Cohen d=0.51), in which the experimental situation displays ( P=0.002, Cohen d=0.55) and experimental effect ( P=0.006, Cohen d=0.49) were better than the control group. There was no significant difference in the performance of experimental preparation and case analysis between the two groups. Conclusion:Developing an inquiry learning community in nursing clinical comprehensive experiment can effectively enhance student' sense of learning gains and promote the improvement of clinical practical ability.
8.Protective effect of gastrodin on A β 25-35-induced HT22 cell injury by improving glycolytic function through activating PI3K/Akt/BACH1 signaling axis
Tingting LIU ; Xinhao JI ; Aihong WEI ; Huiping LEI ; Lingnan WU ; Shaoyu ZHOU ; Jingshan SHI ; Feng JIN
Chinese Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology 2023;37(7):505-505
OBJECTIVE To investigate whether gas-trodin(GAS)plays a neuroprotective role by activating PI3K/Akt/BACH1 signaling axis to improve glycolytic func-tion.METHODS HT22 cells were treated with Aβ25-35 for 24 h to establish cell damage model.GAS pretreated HT22 cells for 2 h,and Akt agonist SC79,Akt inhibitor MK2206,PI3K inhibitor LY294002 were added 0.5 h before GAS treatment to detect their protective mecha-nisms.Pharmacodynamic research of GAS in this model were divided into six groups:control group,GAS group(GAS 10 μmol·L-1),model group(Aβ25-35 20 μmol·L-1),model +GAS 2.5,5 and 10 μ mol·L-1 group).Mecha-nism research of GAS in this model was divided into 6 groups:control group,Aβ25-35 20 μmol·L-1 group,Aβ25-35 20 μmol·L-1 + GAS 10 μmol·L-1 group,Aβ25-35 + SC79 group(Aβ25-35 20 μmol·L-1 +SC79 10 μmol·L-1),Aβ25-35+MK2206+GAS group(A β 25-35 20 μ mol·L-1 +MK2206 10 μmol·L-1+GAS 10 μmol·L-1),Aβ25-35+LY294002+GAS group(Aβ25-35 20 μmol·L-1+LY294002 10 μmol·L-1+GAS 10 μmol·L-1).Cell viability was detected by MTT,mor-phological changes of cells were observed by micro-scope,ATP content was detected by chemilumines-cence,and pyruvate(PA)content was detected by colo-rimetry.Western blotting was used to detect the protein levels of transcription factor BACH1,key glycolysis enzyme hexokinase(HK1)and PI3K/Akt signaling path-way related proteins PI3K,p-PI3K,Akt and p-Akt.RESULTS The results showed that compared with the control group,the cell morphology of HT22 cells damaged by Aβ25-35 was damaged,the number of cells decreased,the cell body became smaller,the number of dead cells increased,the cell survival rate,ATP and PA contents decreased significantly,and the protein expressions of p-PI3K,p-Akt,BACH1 and HK1 were significantly down-regulated.GAS treatmentcansignificantlyimprovethemor-phology of HT22 cells damaged by Aβ25-35,increase cell survival rate,ATP and PA contents,and up-regulate the expression of p-PI3K,p-Akt,BACH1 and HK1 proteins.SC79 also significantly increased cell survival rate,ATP content,protein expression of BACH1 and HK1.However,the above ameliorative effect of GAS on HT22 cell dam-age induced by Aβ25-35 was antagonized by LY294002 and MK2206.CONCLUSION GAS exerts a neuroprotec-tive effect on Aβ25-35-induced HT22 cell injury by improv-ing glycolytic function through activating PI3K/Akt/BACH1 signaling axis.
9.Protective effect of icariin on Aβ25-35-induced HT22 cell injury by ameliorating glycolytic dysfunction through activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway
Aihong WEI ; Ju LIU ; Tingting LIU ; Xinhao JI ; Shaoyu ZHOU ; Feng JIN
Chinese Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology 2023;37(7):513-514
OBJECTIVE To investigate whether icari-in(ICA)plays a neuroprotective role by improving glyco-lytic function through activating Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.METHODS HT22 cells were treated with Aβ25-35 for 24 h to establish AD cell model,ICA was added in 2 h before Aβ25-35 and the DKK1(a specific inhibitor of the Wnt signaling pathway)was added in 0.5 h before ICA.Pharmacodynamic study:HT22 cells were divided into control group,ICA group(ICA 10 μmol·L-1),model group(Aβ25-3520 μmol·L-1),model + ICA group(Aβ25-3520 μmol·L-1 +ICA 2.5,5,10 μmol·L-1);Mechanism study:HT22 cells were divided into control group,model group,Aβ25-35+ICA 10 μmol·L-1 group,Aβ25-35+DKK1 group,Aβ25-35+DKK1+ ICA group.The cell viability was detected by MTT assay and the cell morphology was obtained by microscope,the lactate content was detected by lactate assay,the ATP content was measured with the chemiluminescence method,the expression levels of HK1,PKM1 and the pro-tein expression of molecules related to the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway(Wnt3a,GSK3β,pGSK3β Try216,pGSK3β Ser9,β-catenin,pβ-catenin Ser33/37 Thr41,Active β-catenin and nuclear β-catenin)was assayed by Western blotting.The nuclear translocation of β-catenin was observed by immunofluorescent staining.RESULTS Compared with the control group,the viability of cells in the model group was reduced,the morphology of cells was significantly damaged,the ATP content and lactate content were significantly decreased,and the glycolytic key enzymes:the protein levels of HK1,PKM1 and the protein levels of Wnt3a,pGSK3β Ser9,active β-catenin and nuclear β-catenin were significantly reduced,and the phosphorylation levels of β-catenin Ser33/37 Thr41 were significantly increased.Compared with the model group,the cell morphology was significantly improved and the viability was significantly increased,the ATP and lactate content were significantly increased,the expressions of HK1,PKM1 and Wnt3a,pGSK3β Ser9,active β-catenin and nuclear β-catenin protein were significantly upregulat-ed,and the phosphorylation levels of β-catenin Ser33/37 Thr41 were significantly reduced after ICA treatment.However,when the canonical Wnt signaling was inhibited by DKK1,the above effects of ICA on glycolysis were abolished.CONCLUSION ICA exerts neuroprotective effects on Aβ25-35-induced HT22 cell injury by enhancing the glycolysis function through the activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.
10.Value of age and D-dimer combined with Model for End-Stage Liver Disease in predicting the prognosis of patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure
Shaoyu DONG ; Changyu SUN ; Fangfang QIAO ; Xiao LIU ; Jianying ZHANG
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2022;38(11):2478-2482
Objective To investigate the value of age and D-dimer (D-D) combined with Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score in predicting the prognosis of patients with hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF). Methods A total of 111 patients with HBV-ACLF who were hospitalized in The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from December 2019 to October 2021 were enrolled, and according to their prognosis on day 90 after confirmed diagnosis, they were divided into survival group with 49 patients and death group with 62 patients. Related clinical data were collected, including age, sex, underlying liver diseases, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bilirubin (TBil), Albumin (Alb), D-D, prothrombin time (PT), plasma fibrinogen (FIB), prothrombin activity (PTA), international normalized ratio (INR), serum creatinine (SCr), and serum sodium (Na), and MELD score was calculated. Immunoturbidimetric assay was used to measure the plasma level of D-D. The t -test or the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of continuous data between the two groups, and the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between the two groups; a binary Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the independent risk factors for the prognosis of patients, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to predict the accuracy of variables. Results There were significant differences between the two groups in age, TBil, D-D, PT, PTA, INR, SCr, Na, and MELD score (all P < 0.05). The binary Logistic regression analysis showed that age (odds ratio [ OR ]=1.088, 95% confidence interval [ CI ]: 1.001-1.183, P =0.047), D-D ( OR =1.521, 95% CI : 1.078-2.145, P =0.017), and MELD score ( OR =1.892, 95% CI : 1.408-2.543, P < 0.001) were independent risk factors for the prognosis of HBV-ACLF patients. Age, MELD score and D-D had an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.664, 0.869, and 0.887, respectively, in predicting the prognosis of HBV-ACLF, while D-D combined with age, age combined with MELD score, D-D combined with MELD score, and the combination of these three indicators had an AUC of 0.895, 0.906, 0.965, and 0.970, respectively. A combination of the three indices had a significantly increased AUC compared with other indices except D-D combined with MELD score. and the combination of these three indicators had relatively high sensitivity (0.935) and specificity (0.918). Conclusion Age, D-D, and MRLD score are independent risk factors for the prognosis of HBV-ACLF, among which D-D and MELD score have a good value in predicting prognosis, and the combination of these three indicators has a significantly better predictive value.

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail