1.Traditional Chinese Medicine in Regulating Crown-like Structures for Treatment of Obese PCOS: A Review
Wenyan TU ; Liqun YE ; Muyang LI ; Yihong YIN ; Ying SHEN ; Qidi LIN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(13):296-307
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a common reproductive endocrine disorder in women, is one of the leading causes of ovulatory infertility in women of reproductive age. Due to its heterogeneous etiology, complex symptoms, and challenging treatment, PCOS has become a focal point of research in gynecological and reproductive medicine globally. The pathogenesis of PCOS is complex and may involve regulatory mechanisms such as inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, and cellular autophagy. Crown-like structures (CLSs) refer to pro-inflammatory microenvironments formed by macrophages engulfing adipocytes. The inflammatory disorders induced by CLSs are one of the key factors contributing to the development of PCOS and its complications. Current studies have indicated that the obese status in PCOS accelerates the formation of CLSs, and the density of CLSs can predict the progression of metabolic disorders and influence the outcomes of various metabolic diseases. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers the unique advantages of a holistic view, four diagnostic methods, and syndrome differentiation and treatment to ameliorate the symptoms and signs of PCOS through multiple levels, pathways, and targets. Although studies on the mechanisms of metabolic diseases and CLS formation have been reported in China and abroad, there is still a lack of literature on the correlation between CLSs and PCOS, as well as reviews on TCM interventions targeting CLSs for treating this disease. Therefore, this paper summarized the correlation between obese PCOS and CLSs and reviewed recent studies on TCM interventions based on CLS formation (adipose tissue-macrophage inflammatory crosstalk) in the treatment of obese PCOS, aiming to provide new research perspectives for the prevention and treatment of PCOS using TCM.
2.Traditional Chinese Medicine in Regulating Crown-like Structures for Treatment of Obese PCOS: A Review
Wenyan TU ; Liqun YE ; Muyang LI ; Yihong YIN ; Ying SHEN ; Qidi LIN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(13):296-307
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a common reproductive endocrine disorder in women, is one of the leading causes of ovulatory infertility in women of reproductive age. Due to its heterogeneous etiology, complex symptoms, and challenging treatment, PCOS has become a focal point of research in gynecological and reproductive medicine globally. The pathogenesis of PCOS is complex and may involve regulatory mechanisms such as inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, and cellular autophagy. Crown-like structures (CLSs) refer to pro-inflammatory microenvironments formed by macrophages engulfing adipocytes. The inflammatory disorders induced by CLSs are one of the key factors contributing to the development of PCOS and its complications. Current studies have indicated that the obese status in PCOS accelerates the formation of CLSs, and the density of CLSs can predict the progression of metabolic disorders and influence the outcomes of various metabolic diseases. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) offers the unique advantages of a holistic view, four diagnostic methods, and syndrome differentiation and treatment to ameliorate the symptoms and signs of PCOS through multiple levels, pathways, and targets. Although studies on the mechanisms of metabolic diseases and CLS formation have been reported in China and abroad, there is still a lack of literature on the correlation between CLSs and PCOS, as well as reviews on TCM interventions targeting CLSs for treating this disease. Therefore, this paper summarized the correlation between obese PCOS and CLSs and reviewed recent studies on TCM interventions based on CLS formation (adipose tissue-macrophage inflammatory crosstalk) in the treatment of obese PCOS, aiming to provide new research perspectives for the prevention and treatment of PCOS using TCM.
3.Hypoxia-inducible factor-prolyl hydroxylase inhibitors in treatment of anemia with chronic disease.
Zuolin LI ; Lan SHEN ; Yan TU ; Shun LU ; Bicheng LIU
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(12):1424-1432
Anemia of chronic disease (ACD) is the most frequent clinical issue in patients with chronic disease. ACD is usually secondary to chronic kidney disease (CKD), cancer, and chronic infection, which is associated with poor health outcomes, increased morbidity and mortality, and substantial economic costs. Current treatment options for ACD are very limited. The discovery of the hypoxia-inducible factor-prolyl hydroxylase (HIF-PHD) pathway made it possible to develop novel therapeutic agents (such as hypoxia-inducible factor-prolyl hydroxylase inhibitor, HIF-PHI) to treat ACD by stabilizing HIF and subsequently promoting endogenous erythropoietin (EPO) production and iron absorption and utilization. Thus, HIF-PHIs appear to open a new door for the treatment of ACD patients with a novel mechanism. Here, we comprehensively reviewed the latest advancements in the application of HIF-PHIs in ACD. Specifically, we highlighted the key features of HIF-PHIs on ACD, such as stimulation of endogenous EPO, handling iron metabolism, inflammation-independent, and prolonging lifespan of red blood cells. In conclusion, the success of HIF-PHIs in the treatment of ACD may expand the therapeutic opportunity for other types of anemia beyond renal anemia.
Humans
;
Anemia/metabolism*
;
Chronic Disease
;
Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-Proline Dioxygenases/metabolism*
;
Erythropoietin/metabolism*
;
Prolyl-Hydroxylase Inhibitors/therapeutic use*
;
Animals
;
Renal Insufficiency, Chronic
4.Comparison on odor components before and after processing of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum based on electronic nose, HS-GC-MS, and odor activity value.
Xiao-Yu YAO ; Ke SHEN ; Di WU ; Xiao-Fei SUN ; Chun-Qin MAO ; Li FU ; Xiao-Yan WANG ; Hui XIE ; Tu-Lin LU
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(2):421-431
Processing for deodorization is widely used in the production of animal-derived Chinese medicinal materials. In this study, Heracles Neo ultra-fast gas-phase electronic nose combined with chemometrics was employed to analyze the overall odor difference of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum(focusing on that derived from Cervus nippon Temminck in this study) before and after processing. The results showed that the electronic nose effectively distinguished between the medicinal materials and decoction pieces of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. HS-GC-MS was used to identify and quantify the volatile components in the medicinal materials and decoction pieces of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum, and 35 and 37 volatile components were detected in the medicinal materials and decoction pieces, respectively. The medicinal materials and decoction pieces contained 28 common volatile components contributing to the odor of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. The odor activity value(OAV) of each volatile component was calculated based on the olfactory threshold and relative content. The results showed that there were 17 key odor substances such as isovaleraldehyde, 2-methylbutanal, isobutyraldehyde, hexanal, and methanethiol in the medicinal materials and decoction pieces of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. All of them had bad odor and were the main source of the odor of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. The results of principal component analysis(PCA) and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) showed that there were significant differences in volatile components between the medicinal materials and decoction pieces of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. Based on the thresholds of P<0.05 and Variable Importance in Projection(VIP)>1, 21 differential volatile odor components were screened out. Among them, isopentanol, isovaleraldehyde, 2-methylbutanal, n-nonanal, and dimethylamine were the key differential odor compounds between the medicinal materials and decoction pieces of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum. The odor compounds and their relative content reduced, and some flavor substances such as esters were produced after processing with wine, which was the main reason for the reduction of the odor after processing of Cervi Cornu Pantotrichum.
Odorants/analysis*
;
Electronic Nose
;
Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry/methods*
;
Animals
;
Volatile Organic Compounds/analysis*
;
Deer
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry*
5.Effects and mechanisms of total flavones of Abelmoschus manihot combined with empagliflozin in attenuating diabetic tubulopathy through multiple targets based on mitochondrial homeostasis and ZBP1-mediated PANoptosis.
Si-Yu CHA ; Meng WANG ; Yi-Gang WAN ; Si-Ping DING ; Yu WANG ; Shi-Yu SHEN ; Wei WU ; Ying-Lu LIU ; Qi-Jun FANG ; Yue TU ; Hai-Tao TANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(13):3738-3753
This study aimed to explore the mechanisms and molecular targets of total flavones of Abelmoschus manihot(TFA) plus empagliflozin(EM) in attenuating diabetic tubulopathy(DT) by targeting mitochondrial homeostasis and pyroptosis-apoptosis-necroptosis(PANoptosis). In the in vivo study, the authors established the DT rat models through a combination of uninephrectomy, administration of streptozotocin via intraperitoneal injections, and exposure to a high-fat diet. Following modeling successfully, the DT rat models received either TFA, EM, TFA+EM, or saline(as a vehicle) by gavage for eight weeks, respectively. In the in vitro study, the authors subjected the NRK52E cells with or without knock-down Z-DNA binding protein 1(ZBP1) to a high-glucose(HG) environment and various treatments including TFA, EM, and TFA+EM. In the in vivo and in vitro studies, The authors investigated the relative characteristics of renal tubular injury and renal tubular epithelial cells damage induced by reactive oxygen species(ROS), analyzed the relative characteristics of renal tubular PANoptosis and ZBP1-mediatted PANoptosis in renal tubular epithelial cells, and compared the relative characteristics of the protein expression levels of marked molecules of mitochondrial fission in the kidneys and mitochondrial homeostasis in renal tubular epithelial cells, respectively. Furthermore, in the network pharmacology study, the authors predicted and screened targets of TFA and EM using HERB and SwissTargetPrediction databases; The screened chemical constituents and targets of TFA and EM were constructed the relative network using Cytoscape 3.7.2 network graphics software; The relative targets of DT were integrated using OMIM and GeneCards databases; The intersecting targets of TFA, EM, and DT were enriched and analyzed signaling pathways by Gene Ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) software using DAVID database. In vivo study results showed that TFA+EM could improve renal tubular injury, the protein expression levels and characteristics of key signaling molecules in PANoptosis pathway in the kidneys, and the protein expression levels of marked molecules of mitochondrial fission in the kidneys. And that, the ameliorative effects in vivo of TFA+EM were both superior to TFA or EM. Network pharmacology study results showed that TFA+EM treated DT by regulating the PANoptosis signaling pathway. In vitro study results showed that TFA+EM could improve ROS-induced cell injury, ZBP1-mediatted PANoptosis, and mitochondrial homeostasis in renal tubular epithelial cells under a state of HG, including the protein expression levels of marked molecules of mitochondrial fission, mitochondrial ultrastructure, and membrane potential level. And that, the ameliorative effects in vitro of TFA+EM were both superior to TFA or EM. More importantly, using the NRK52E cells with knock-down ZBP1, the authors found that, indeed, ZBP1 was mediated PANoptosis in renal tubular epithelial cells as an upstream factor. In addition, TFA+EM could regulate the protein expression levels of marked signaling molecules of PANoptosis by targeting ZBP1. In summary, this study clarified that TFA+EM, different from TFA or EM, could attenuate DT with multiple targets by ameliorating mitochondrial homeostasis and inhibiting ZBP1-mediated PANoptosis. These findings provide the clear pharmacological evidence for the clinical treatment of DT with a novel strategy of TFA+EM, which is named "coordinated traditional Chinese and western medicine".
Animals
;
Rats
;
Mitochondria/metabolism*
;
Benzhydryl Compounds/administration & dosage*
;
Glucosides/administration & dosage*
;
Abelmoschus/chemistry*
;
Male
;
Homeostasis/drug effects*
;
Flavones/administration & dosage*
;
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
;
Diabetic Nephropathies/physiopathology*
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage*
;
DNA-Binding Proteins/genetics*
;
Humans
;
Apoptosis/drug effects*
6.Single-position O-arm X-ray navigation assisted oblique lateral interbody fusion combined with minimally invasive percutaneous pedicle nail internal fixation for lumbar spondylolisthesis.
Kai-Kai TU ; Hui FEI ; Yu-Liang LOU ; Can-Feng WANG ; Chang-Ming LI ; Li-Shen ZHOU ; Feng HONG
China Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology 2025;38(5):447-453
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the early clinical efficacy of single-position O-arm navigation-assisted oblique lateral interbody fusion(OLIF) combined with minimally invasive percutaneous pedicle screw fixation(PPS) in the treatment of lumbar spondylolisthesis.
METHODS:
A retrospective analysis was conducted on 22 patients with lumbar spondylolisthesis who underwent OLIF-PPS surgery including 11 males and 11 females with a mean age of (64.6±1.5) years old ranging from 49 to 80 years old between April 2021 and June 2023. All patients presented with lumbosacral pain, lower limb radiating pain, numbness, and had poor responses to conservative treatment. Surgical time, intraoperative blood loss, hospital stay, and postoperative complications were recorded. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using the visual analogue scale(VAS) and Oswestry disability index(ODI) preoperatively at 3 days after operation and the final follow-up. Standing lumbar anteroposterior and lateral X-rays were performed to measure disc height(DH), slippage degree, vertebral reduction rate, pedicle screw accuracy, and cage subsidence.
RESULTS:
All surgeries were successfully completed with a mean follow-up of (27.1±2.2) months (range 18 to 36 months). The mean surgical time was (76.1±12.2) min (range 60 to 93 min), intraoperative blood loss was (86.3±32.2) ml (range 40 to 113 ml), and hospital stay was (7.1±1.2) days. Postoperative VAS significantly improved from (7.2±0.7) preoperatively to (2.3±0.5) at 3 days after operation and (1.7±0.2) at the final follow-up (P<0.05). ODI decreased from (68.5±7.2)% preoperatively to (30.3±3.1)% at 3 days after operation and (16.6±1.6)% at the final follow-up (P<0.05). DH increased from (8.5±1.7) mm preoperatively to (18.1±1.4) mm at 3 days after operation and (17.2±1.1) mm at the final follow-up (P<0.05). Slippage degree improved from (24.1±4.6)% preoperatively to (10.3±4.2)% at 3 days after operation and (10.1±3.2)% at the final follow-up (P<0.05). A total of 88 pedicle screws were implanted with an excellent rate of 98% (86/88). Complications included transient left hip flexion weakness (2 cases) and left anteromedial thigh pain (1 case), all resolved during follow-up. No incision hematoma, infection, screw loosening, or cage subsidence occurred.
CONCLUSION
Single-position O-arm navigation-assisted OLIF combined with PPS demonstrates satisfactory early clinical efficacy for lumbar spondylolisthesis, with advantages including minimal invasiveness, significant pain relief, effective vertebral reduction, and low complication rates.
Humans
;
Male
;
Female
;
Spondylolisthesis/diagnostic imaging*
;
Middle Aged
;
Aged
;
Spinal Fusion/methods*
;
Lumbar Vertebrae/diagnostic imaging*
;
Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures/methods*
;
Pedicle Screws
;
Aged, 80 and over
;
Retrospective Studies
7.Diagnosis and treatment of special type of laryngeal foreign body with granuloma in children.
Dezhen TU ; Zongtong LIN ; Ling SHEN ; Deping CHEN ; Zhongjie YANG ; Qiaoyu LIAO
Journal of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery 2025;39(2):163-167
Objective:This article explores the diagnosis and treatment of a special type of laryngeal foreign body with granuloma in children, providing a clinical reference for standardized diagnosis and treatment. Methods:This article retrospectively analyzes one case admitted to our department and five other cases reported in relevant literature involving a special type of laryngeal foreign body with granuloma in children. It summarizes the clinical characteristics of this disease and explores its diagnosis and treatment. Results:①A total of 6 cases were misdiagnosed and had a long course of illness. Five cases had no clear history of foreign body at the first visit. One case had foreign body history but no foreign body was found. ②The clinical symptoms were diverse, which could be hoarseness, cough, wheezing, dyspnea, or no symptoms. ③A total of 3 cases were diagnosed by laryngoscopy, and 3 cases were diagnosed by laryngoscopy and imaging examination. ④Foreign bodies that were not wrapped in granulomas, were removed first and then the granulomas were treated; foreign bodies wrapped in granulomas were removed after the removal of granulomas. Conclusion:A special type of laryngeal foreign body with granuloma may lack of accurate foreign body history, resulting in long-term retention of foreign bodies, leading to granuloma formation and misdiagnosis. Electronic laryngoscopy combined with CT examination contribute to early diagnosis. Low temperature plasma under endoscope and anesthetic laryngoscope is conducive to the exposure and precise removal of foreign bodies and avoids tracheotomy to a certain extent.
Child
;
Child, Preschool
;
Female
;
Humans
;
Infant
;
Male
;
Foreign Bodies/surgery*
;
Granuloma, Foreign-Body/therapy*
;
Larynx/pathology*
;
Retrospective Studies
8.Deubiquitinase JOSD2 alleviates colitis by inhibiting inflammation via deubiquitination of IMPDH2 in macrophages.
Xin LIU ; Yi FANG ; Mincong HUANG ; Shiliang TU ; Boan ZHENG ; Hang YUAN ; Peng YU ; Mengyao LAN ; Wu LUO ; Yongqiang ZHOU ; Guorong CHEN ; Zhe SHEN ; Yi WANG ; Guang LIANG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(2):1039-1055
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the gastrointestinal tract, which increases the incidence of colorectal cancer (CRC). In the pathophysiology of IBD, ubiquitination/deubiquitination plays a critical regulatory function. Josephin domain containing 2 (JOSD2), a deubiquitinating enzyme, controls cell proliferation and carcinogenesis. However, its role in IBD remains unknown. Colitis mice model developed by dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) or colon tissues from individuals with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease showed a significant upregulation of JOSD2 expression in the macrophages. JOSD2 deficiency exacerbated the phenotypes of DSS-induced colitis by enhancing colon inflammation. DSS-challenged mice with myeloid-specific JOSD2 deletion developed severe colitis after bone marrow transplantation. Mechanistically, JOSD2 binds to the C-terminal of inosine-5'-monophosphate dehydrogenase 2 (IMPDH2) and preferentially cleaves K63-linked polyubiquitin chains at the K134 site, suppressing IMPDH2 activity and preventing activation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and inflammation in macrophages. It was also shown that JOSD2 knockout significantly exacerbated increased azoxymethane (AOM)/DSS-induced CRC, and AAV6-mediated JOSD2 overexpression in macrophages prevented the development of colitis in mice. These outcomes reveal a novel role for JOSD2 in colitis through deubiquitinating IMPDH2, suggesting that targeting JOSD2 is a potential strategy for treating IBD.
9.Machine-learning-based models assist the prediction of pulmonary embolism in autoimmune diseases: A retrospective, multicenter study
Ziwei HU ; Yangyang HU ; Shuoqi ZHANG ; Li DONG ; Xiaoqi CHEN ; Huiqin YANG ; Linchong SU ; Xiaoqiang HOU ; Xia HUANG ; Xiaolan SHEN ; Cong YE ; Wei TU ; Yu CHEN ; Yuxue CHEN ; Shaozhe CAI ; Jixin ZHONG ; Lingli DONG
Chinese Medical Journal 2024;137(15):1811-1822
Background::Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a severe and acute cardiovascular syndrome with high mortality among patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIIRDs). Accurate prediction and timely intervention play a pivotal role in enhancing survival rates. However, there is a notable scarcity of practical early prediction and risk assessment systems of PE in patients with AIIRD.Methods::In the training cohort, 60 AIIRD with PE cases and 180 age-, gender-, and disease-matched AIIRD non-PE cases were identified from 7254 AIIRD cases in Tongji Hospital from 2014 to 2022. Univariable logistic regression (LR) and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) were used to select the clinical features for further training with machine learning (ML) methods, including random forest (RF), support vector machines (SVM), neural network (NN), logistic regression (LR), gradient boosted decision tree (GBDT), classification and regression trees (CART), and C5.0 models. The performances of these models were subsequently validated using a multicenter validation cohort.Results::In the training cohort, 24 and 13 clinical features were selected by univariable LR and LASSO strategies, respectively. The five ML models (RF, SVM, NN, LR, and GBDT) showed promising performances, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC) of 0.962-1.000 in the training cohort and 0.969-0.999 in the validation cohort. CART and C5.0 models achieved AUCs of 0.850 and 0.932, respectively, in the training cohort. Using D-dimer as a pre-screening index, the refined C5.0 model achieved an AUC exceeding 0.948 in the training cohort and an AUC above 0.925 in the validation cohort. These results markedly outperformed the use of D-dimer levels alone.Conclusion::ML-based models are proven to be precise for predicting the onset of PE in patients with AIIRD exhibiting clinical suspicion of PE.Trial Registration::Chictr.org.cn: ChiCTR2200059599.
10.Objective indicators of tongue and pulse manifestations in endometriosis diseases
Xu ZHENG ; Mengfei ZHUANG ; Weiwei ZENG ; Li SHEN ; Tingting ZHANG ; Liping TU ; Jiatuo XU ; Xinyi ZHU
Academic Journal of Naval Medical University 2024;45(9):1077-1082
Objective To explore the objective indicators of tongue and pulse manifestations in patients with endometriosis diseases by collecting the data of tongue and pulse manifestations of patients with endometriosis diseases by digital tongue and pulse diagnostic instrument. Methods The endometriosis disease group included 72 patients with endometriosis diseases who were treated in Department of Gynecology (Professor ZHANG Tingting),Yueyang Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine from Jun. 1,2021 to Sep. 15,2022. The normal group included 35 healthy adult women recruited by the Physical Examination Center of Shuguang Hospital,Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine. Results In terms of age,there was no significant difference between the endometriotic disease group and normal group (P>0.05). In terms of tongue color,the values of zhiCon,zhiASM,zhiENT,zhiMEAN,zhiClrB,zhiClrI,zhiClrLa,zhiClrCb,and zhiClrLb in the endometriosis disease group were significantly different from those in the normal group (all P<0.05),while there were no significant differences in the values of zhiClrR,zhiClrG,zhiClrS,zhiClrL,zhiClrY,or zhiClrCr between the 2 groups (all P>0.05). In terms of tongue coating color,the values of taiClrR,taiClrB,taiClrI,taiClrS,taiClrLa,taiClrLb,taiClrCr,and taiClrCb in the endometriosis disease group were significantly different from those in the normal group (all P<0.05),while there were no significant differences in the values of taiClrG,taiClrL,or taiClrY (all P>0.05). In terms of texture and thickness of tongue coating,there were no significant differences in the values of perAll,perPart,taiCon,taiASM,taiENT,or taiMEAN between the 2 groups (all P>0.05). In terms of pulse manifestation,the values of h3,h4,h5,t4,h3/h1,and h4/h1 in the endometriosis disease group were significantly different from those in the normal group (all P<0.05),while there were no significant differences in the values of h1,t,t1,or t5 (all P>0.05). Conclusion There are significant differences in tongue and pulse indicators between patients with endometriosis diseases and healthy individuals. It can provide objective indicators for further research on the pathogenesis changes and clinical differentiation of endometriosis diseases.

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail