1.Development status and prospects of aerosol removal using flame-retardant atomized fixatives for nuclear facility decommissioning
Shuli ZHOU ; Zhiping LUO ; Chuangao WANG ; Chunsheng CUI ; Ran CHEN ; Huan WANG
Chinese Journal of Radiological Health 2026;35(1):136-140
Aerosol removal using flame-retardant atomized fixatives, as a major means of aerosol control, has achieved remarkable results in the field of nuclear facility decommissioning and decontamination. Traditional atomized fixatives for aerosol removal have deficiencies in high-temperature resistance and flame retardancy, rendering them inadequate for operational scenarios involving high temperatures and flammability encountered during nuclear decommissioning. This paper investigates the current development of flame-retardant atomized fixatives for aerosol removal both domestically and internationally and presents a preliminary exploration of this technology. The experiments showed that atomized fixatives modified with flame-retardant properties not only maintained excellent aerosol capture efficiency, but also exhibited significantly improved flame-retardant performance. This confirmed the technical feasibility of the proposed approach. Finally, suggestions and reflections are proposed for the development of this technology and its application in nuclear facility decommissioning.
2.Prediction and verification of the mechanism of Chaiqi yigan granules improving hepatocellular carcinoma
Guiping MA ; Yuanjie ZHANG ; Yichi ZHOU ; Jinzhen LYU ; Conghui WANG ; Fenping LU ; Bowen LIU ; Yun RAN ; Shiping HU
China Pharmacy 2026;37(5):620-625
OBJECTIVE To predict and validate the mechanisms of Chaiqi yigan granules (CQYG) improving hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). METHODS The signaling pathways of CQYG intervention in HCC were predicted using network pharmacology. A mice model of transplanted hepatocellular carcinoma was established by injecting H22 hepatoma cells into the axilla. Successfully modeled mice were randomly divided into model group (normal saline), sorafenib group (positive control, 50 mg/kg), and CQYG low-, medium- and high-dose groups (24.83, 49.66, 99.32 g/kg), with 10 mice in each group. Mice in each group were administered the corresponding drug solution or normal saline intragastrically, once a day, for 14 consecutive days. After last administration, pathological morphological changes in the tumor tissues of mice were observed in each group. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to detect the expression of the nuclear proliferation antigen Ki-67 in tumor tissues of mice. Western blot assay was used to measure the expression of proteins related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) [N-cadherin, E-cadherin, Vimentin, matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP7)] and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway [p38 MAPK, phosphorylated p38 MAPK, c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), phosphorylated JNK, extracellular regulated protein kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), phosphorylated ERK1/2] in tumor tissue of mice. RESULTS Network pharmacology analysis revealed that metabolic pathways, pathways in cancer, and the MAPK signaling pathway were key signaling pathways through which CQYG exert their anti-hepatocellular carcinoma effects. In animal experiments, the tumor tissues of mice in the model group exhibited dense tumor cells and vigorous growth. Compared with model group, CQYG high-dose group showed a decreased density of tumor cells in the tumor tissues of mice. Moreover, the expression levels of Ki-67, N-cadherin, MMP7 and Vimentin proteins, along with the phosphorylation levels of ERK1/2 and JNK proteins, were all significantly reduced ( P <0.05). The expression level of E-cadherin protein was significantly increased ( P <0.05), the phosphorylation level of p38 MAPK protein was increased, the difference was not statistically significant ( P >0.05). CONCLUSIONS CQYG can inhibit EMT by regulating the MAPK signaling pathway, thereby suppressing tumor cell invasion and metastasis and ultimately exerting a therapeutic effect in improving HCC.
3.Influence of Wenfei Guyuan Umbilical Moxibustion on Quality of Life and Immune Function in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease in Stable Phase
Qionghua XIAO ; Yuanyuan MENG ; Gaoming WANG ; Minghang WANG ; Yong MENG ; Miao ZHOU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(7):241-250
ObjectiveThis paper aims to assess the effects of Wenfei Guyuan umbilical moxibustion on the quality of life and immune function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in stable phase. MethodsA multi-center randomized controlled trial design was employed,and the 220 cases of patients with COPD in stable phase from three grade A class-Ⅲ hospitals were included as research objects. The patients were randomly divided into the test group and control group,with each group consisting of 110 cases. Both groups received standardized treatment of western medicine,and the test group received Wenfei Guyuan umbilical moxibustion twice weekly for 13 weeks,followed by a 26-week follow-up period. Quality of life was evaluated by using the COPD assessment test (CAT),the modified COPD patient-reported outcomes (mCOPD-PRO) measure,and the modified effectiveness satisfaction questionnaire for COPD (mESQ-COPD) before treatment,four weeks, eight weeks, and 13 weeks of the treatment period,as well as 13 weeks and 26 weeks of the follow-up period. The number of acute exacerbation cases of patients in both groups was recorded during study period to evaluate the effect of Wenfei Guyuan umbilical moxibustion on acute exacerbations. 30 cases were randomly selected in both observation group and control group. Peripheral blood samples were collected before treatment and at 13 weeks of treatment. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the levels of immunoglobulin A (IgA),immunoglobulin G (IgG),immunoglobulin M (IgM),interleukin 10 (IL-10),interleukin 17A (IL-17A),transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1),and tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α). Flow cytometry was used to detect cluster of differentiation 4 positive (CD4+),cluster of differentiation 8 positive (CD8+),T helper 17 (Th17),and Treg levels, thereby preliminarily exploring the effect of Wenfei Guyuan umbilical moxibustion on immune function. ResultsA total of 220 patients were included,with five cases dropping out. 215 cases were finally included in the per-protocol set,including 107 in the treatment group and 108 in the control group. Baseline characteristics of the first two groups before treatment were compared between the two groups. In terms of life quality evaluation, the main effect of group differences on the CAT scores was significant (F=15.108,P<0.01). The main effects of group differences on the physical domain (F=38.807,P<0.01),psychological domain (F=38.996,P<0.01),environmental domain (F=17.436,P<0.01),and total score of mCOPD-PRO (F=41.972,P<0.01) were significant. The main effects of group difference on clinical symptoms domain of mESQ-COPD (F=81.516,P<0.01),work-life ability domain (F=36.549,P<0.001),environmental adaptation ability domain (F=22.677,P<0.01),therapeutic effect domain (F=74.055,P<0.01),and total score of mESQ-COPD (F=73.251,P<0.01) were significant. Regarding acute exacerbations,during the entire study period,as well as the treatment period and follow-up period,the observation group showed fewer patients experiencing acute exacerbations compared to the control group,but the difference between the two groups was not statistically significant. In terms of immune indicators,after 13 weeks of treatment,the levels of IgA,IgG,and IgM in the observation group were significantly better than those in the control group (P<0.05). The level of IL-10 was significantly higher than that in the control group (P<0.05),and the levels of IL-17A,TGF-β1,and TNF-α were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). Compared with those in the control group,the level of CD4+/CD8+ in the observation group was significantly increased (P<0.05),while the levels of CD4+ and Treg were slightly increased,but the difference was not statistically significant. The levels of CD8+,Th17,and Th17/Treg were significantly decreased (P<0.05). ConclusionWenfei Guyuan umbilical moxibustion can improve the quality of life, and immune function in patients with COPD in stable phase. It is worth promoting in clinical practice.
4.Mechanisms of Gegen Qinlian Tang-containing Serum in Improving 5-FU Sensitivity by Inhibiting Glycolysis in Colorectal Cancer Cells Based on CDK16/MYC Pathway
Rong CAI ; Shang WANG ; Fuqing CHENG ; Yanping ZHOU ; Zuowei HU ; Yunhai LI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(8):1-9
ObjectiveTo explore the molecular mechanisms by which serum containing Gegen Qinlian Tang (GQT) inhibits glycolysis and enhances chemotherapy sensitivity in 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-resistant colorectal cancer (CRC) cells based on the cyclin-dependent kinase 16 (CDK16)/MYC proto-oncogene (MYC) pathway. MethodsHCT-116/5-FU cells were treated with different concentrations (5%, 10%, 20%, 30%) of GQT-containing serum. Cell viability and 5-FU sensitivity were assessed using the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, and the experimental concentrations of 5-FU and GQT for subsequent experiments were determined. Cell proliferation and apoptosis under individual 5-FU, GQT, and combined 5-FU + GQT treatments were evaluated using 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EDU) staining and annexin V-FITC/PI double staining, respectively. Glucose consumption, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production, and lactate levels were measured by colorimetric assays. Expression levels of glycolysis-related proteins, CDK16, MYC, and phosphorylated MYC were detected by Western blot. Co-immunoprecipitation (CoIP) was used to examine the protein interaction between CDK16 and MYC, and cycloheximide (CHX) treatment was applied to assess the effect of CDK16 overexpression on MYC protein stability. ResultsCCK-8 assays showed that 2.5 mg·L-1 5-FU significantly inhibited HCT-116 cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. In HCT-116/5-FU cells, significant inhibition was observed only at 5 mg·L-1 5-FU (P<0.05), which was used for model establishment. Compared with 5-FU alone, addition of 5% GQT-containing serum significantly suppressed HCT-116/5-FU cell viability (P<0.05), with stronger inhibition at higher serum concentrations. Thus, 5% GQT-containing serum was used in subsequent experiments. Compared with the control group, 5-FU, GQT, and 5-FU + GQT treatments all significantly reduced cell proliferation (P<0.05) and increased apoptosis (P<0.01). The 5-FU + GQT combination showed superior inhibition of proliferation compared with 5-FU or GQT alone (P<0.01), accompanied by more pronounced reductions in glucose consumption, ATP production, and lactate generation (P<0.01). Additionally, compared with control, 5-FU, and GQT groups, the 5-FU + GQT group exhibited stronger suppression of MYC and its phosphorylated forms (P<0.01) and greater inhibition of glycolytic enzymes, including hexokinase 2 (HK2), 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1 (PDK1), lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA), and pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) (P<0.01). CDK16, MYC, and MYC phosphorylation expression levels were significantly downregulated in the 5-FU + GQT group compared with the 5-FU group (all P<0.01). MYC protein stability decreased in a time-dependent manner in the 5-FU + GQT group (P<0.05), which was rescued by CDK16 overexpression (P<0.05). ConclusionGQT significantly enhances the sensitivity of HCT-116/5-FU cells to 5-FU, potentially by inhibiting CDK16 and thereby reducing MYC-mediated glycolysis.
5.Effect of Ligustilide on Neutrophil Extracellular Traps in Rats with Cerebral Ischemia-reperfusion Injury
Qian WU ; Yang WANG ; Jianing ZHOU ; Zhihan WAN ; Ke HU ; Qi HUANG ; Ning WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(8):82-88
ObjectiveTo explore the possible mechanisms by which ligustilide (LIG) exerts neuroprotective effects on ischemic stroke (IS) by inhibiting the release of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), promoting blood-brain barrier repair, and alleviating post-ischemic neuroinflammation, thereby providing a new direction for IS treatment. MethodsA middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model was established in rats. The rats were divided into the sham operation (Sham) group, model (Model) group, low- and high-dose LIG groups (20, 40 mg·kg-1), and the NET inhibitor CI-amidine group (CI-amidine, 10 mg·kg-1). Drug treatments were administered for 3 days. Neurological injury after ischemia was evaluated by 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining, neurological deficit scoring, and brain index measurement. Flow cytometry and Western blot were used to analyze changes in neutrophil expression. Immunofluorescence was used to observe the fluorescence intensity of the NET marker citrullinated histone H3 (H3Cit). Western blot was performed to detect the expression of blood-brain barrier tight junction-related proteins and inflammatory factors, including interleukin-18 (IL-18) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β). ResultsCompared with the Sham group, the Model group exhibited significant brain tissue injury (P<0.05), significantly increased neutrophil numbers and NET expression (P<0.05), significantly impaired blood-brain barrier permeability (P<0.05), and significantly increased expression of inflammatory factors (P<0.05). Compared with the Model group, both low- and high-dose LIG significantly alleviated brain tissue injury in rats (P<0.01), inhibited neutrophil numbers and NET expression (P<0.01), reduced blood-brain barrier damage (P<0.01), and suppressed the expression of inflammatory factors IL-18 and IL-1β (P<0.01), thereby ultimately exerting a neuroprotective effect. ConclusionThe neuroprotective effect of LIG in rats with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury may be related to inhibition of neutrophils and the NETs induced by them.
6.Correlation Analysis of Huanglian Jiedu Wan on Syndrome Improvement and Clinical Biomarkers of "Excess Heat-Toxicity" Based on Machine Learning Model
Qi LI ; Keke LUO ; Baolin BIAN ; Hongyu YU ; Mengxiao WANG ; Mengyao TIAN ; Wen XIA ; Yuan MA ; Xinfang ZHANG ; Pengyue LI ; Nan SI ; Hongjie WANG ; Yanyan ZHOU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(8):162-173
ObjectiveThis paper aims to find the identified and validated clinical biomarker data building upon a clinical study of early-phase phase Ⅱ and investigate the correlation analysis of Huanglian Jiedu Wan on syndrome improvement and clinical biomarkers in the treatment of "excess heat-toxicity" based on a machine learning model. Additionally, the effective prediction of clinical biomarker values for the main symptoms of the "excess heat-toxicity" syndrome was assessed. MethodsA total of 229 patients meeting the inclusion criteria for "excess heat-toxicity" syndrome were randomly divided into the Huanglian Jiedu Wan group and the placebo group. Syndrome score transition matrices were constructed for the Huanglian Jiedu Wan group and the placebo group based on three main symptoms of "excess heat-toxicity" syndrome, such as oral ulcers, sore throat, and gum swelling and pain. Data from the patients with these three syndromes were also integrated for an overall analysis. The corresponding syndrome score transition matrices were further constructed to visualize symptom change trends of the patients in the two groups via heatmaps. Based on the identified and validated clinical biomarkers related to inflammation, oxidative stress, and energy metabolism in the early phase, Spearman correlation analysis was employed to analyze and evaluate the associations between clinical biomarkers and syndrome improvement. Key clinical biomarkers reflecting the effect of Huanglian Jiedu Wan were screened through the comparison of differences between groups. An extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) algorithm was used to develop a prediction model for main symptom classification, with classification performance evaluated through 10-fold cross-validation. Feature importance analysis was applied to identify variables with the greatest contribution to the prediction result. ResultsThe syndrome transition matrix results indicated that the Huanglian Jiedu Wan group showed a superior effect to the placebo group in improving oral ulcers, sore throat, and overall symptoms, with significant effects observed especially in sore throat and overall symptom analyses (P<0.01). Spearman correlation analysis revealed that several clinical biomarkers positively correlated with "excess heat-toxicity" syndrome and its main symptom improvement, were also called "heat-related biomarkers", including succinic acid, α-ketoglutaric acid, glycine, lactic acid, adenosine monophosphate (AMP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and so on. Conversely, clinical biomarkers negatively correlated with symptom severity, were also called "heat-clearing related biomarkers" after administration of Huanglian Jiedu Wan, including malic acid, fumaric acid, cis-aconitic acid, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), IL-1β, IL-4, IL-8, succinic acid, and citric acid. The XGBoost classification model using all 52 biomarkers as variables achieved an average test accuracy of 0.754 and an average F1 score of 0.777. Feature importance analysis identified the scores of glutamic acid in saliva and IL-6 were the highest in all the variables, with importance scores of 0.081 and 0.080, respectively. After screening out 14 key variables and optimizing the parameters, model performance improved to an average accuracy of 0.758 and an F1 score of 0.798. Feature importance analysis further determined that the glutamic acid in saliva and IL-6 showed obvious changes after screening the variables, confirming the good syndrome prediction ability of the model constructed by these key clinical biomarkers. ConclusionThis study systematically elucidates the correlation between syndrome improvement and clinical biomarkers of Huanglian Jiedu Wan in the treatment of "excess heat-toxicity" syndrome. An XGBoost classification model based on key clinical biomarkers is successfully established, achieving effective prediction of the symptoms related to the "excess heat-toxicity" syndrome such as oral ulcers and sore throat and providing a new insight for objective identification of traditional Chinese medicine syndromes.
7.Identification and Analysis of bHLH Genes Related to Color Formation of Gastrodia elata Stem
Xue JIANG ; Dandan RAN ; Xiuwen WANG ; Xiaobo ZHANG ; Xiaohong OU ; Jie PAN ; Tao ZHOU ; Zhen OUYANG ; Jiao XU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(8):202-209
ObjectiveGastrodia elata has evolved ecological types with shortened rhizome internodes and diversified flower and fruit coloration in response to different altitudes. Studying the genetic mechanisms of different ecotype germplasm is significant for guiding variety breeding in different cultivation areas. MethodsThe bHLH gene family was identified based on the whole-genome datasets of G. elata f. elata and G. elata f. glauca. Subsequently, the gene family members were subject to analysis, including gene structure, chromosomal localization, cis-acting elements, gene synteny, and phylogeny. Combined with transcriptome data and quantitative Real-time PCR, the expression patterns of bHLH genes in the stems of the different G. elata ecotype germplasm were analyzed. Finally, correlation analysis was conducted between gene expression patterns and color to obtain the key bHLH genes regulating the color formation of stem. ResultsA total of 63 bHLH genes were identified in both G elata f. elata and G. elata f. glauca, unevenly distributed across 17 chromosomes and clustered into 16 subfamilies, with significant expansion in some family members. Obvious inversions of bHLH genes on the same chromosome and interchromosomal translocations were detected in the two ecotype germplasm. Among these genes, 12 bHLH genes (such as bHLH62-3 and bHLH74) were associated with the bright yellow color of G elata f. elata stem, while 9 bHLH genes (such as PIL13, UNE12, and bHLH130) were correlated with the red color of G. elata f. glauca stem. Compared to G. elata f. glauca, the bHLH48 expression level was significantly higher in flowers and scale leaves of G elata f. elata, and the bHLH62-3 expression level was significantly higher in all organs of G elata f. elata. ConclusionsFunctional pathway divergence of the bHLH family members has occurred across different chromosomes in G elata f. elata and G. elata f. glauca. Through synergism or antagonism with other genes, 21 bHLH genes participate in the coloration metabolic pathway regulation of stems, flowers, and fruits. Specifically, bHLH62-3 is involved in regulating stem color differentiation in the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway of G. elata, thus relevant to the color formation of stem. Additionally, GebHLH48 positively regulates flowering-related pathways to promote the early-flowering phenotype of G. elata f. elata. These findings have laid the foundation for analyzing the genetic regulatory mechanisms underlying the color formation of the G. elata stem.
8.Mechanism of Diaphragmatic Dysfunction in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine: A Review
Yuanyuan YING ; Xiaoqing ZHOU ; Kaiwen NI ; Zhen WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(8):285-296
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD) is a common chronic respiratory disorder frequently accompanied by diaphragmatic dysfunction during its course, which significantly increases respiratory burden and impairs quality of life. As the primary inspiratory muscle, the diaphragm is prone to fatigue, atrophy, inflammation, and fibrosis during the long-term progression of COPD. Its pathological mechanisms involve multiple pathways such as inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis, ion channel abnormalities, epigenetic regulation, autophagy disorder, and protein metabolism imbalance. In recent years, traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) has demonstrated multi-targeted and systemic regulatory advantages in improving diaphragmatic function in COPD. However, related studies remain fragmented, and integrated mechanistic understanding is lacking. This paper focuses on the mechanism-target-TCM intervention framework, systematically summarizing the molecular mechanisms of diaphragmatic dysfunction, while incorporating the TCM theory of Zongqi(ancestral Qi). It highlights the therapeutic effects of Chinese herbal formulas, single herbs, and active components in modulating inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial function, ion channels, epigenetic processes, autophagy, and protein homeostasis. Additionally, the review outlines existing challenges, including insufficient study volume, unbalanced selection of herbal prescriptions, limited mechanistic depth, inconsistent disease models and experimental designs, lack of standardized diaphragmatic function assessment, and weak clinical validation. Future research should strengthen the integration of TCM and modern medicine, identify additional therapeutic targets, deepen mechanistic research, and establish unified and standardized experimental systems to advance the theoretical foundation and clinical application of TCM in the prevention and treatment of COPD-related diaphragmatic dysfunction.
9.Trends and drivers of lung cancer disease burden among residents in Jing'an District, Shanghai, from 2002 to 2021
Qiuping WAN ; Zhou ZHOU ; Yanmin WANG ; Yunhui WANG ; Wenjun GAO ; Xiaolie YIN ; Xiaoming YANG
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2026;43(2):214-221
Background Lung cancer, one of the most common malignant tumors worldwide, has long ranked first in cancer incidence and mortality, posing a severe challenge to public health systems. Objective To analyze the trends in incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) of lung cancer among residents in Jing'an District, Shanghai, from 2002 to 2021, explore the impacts of population aging, population growth, and age-specific prevalence on disease burden, and provide a scientific basis for optimizing regional lung cancer prevention and control strategies. Methods Based on the cancer registration and cause-of-death surveillance data of registered residents in Jing'an District, Shanghai, from 2002 to 2021, Joinpoint regression models were used to analyze the annual change trends (APC) and average annual change trends (AAPC) of lung cancer incidence, mortality, DALY rate, and their age-standardized rates. Decomposition analysis was applied to quantify the contribution of population aging, population growth, and age-specific prevalence to changes in the number of new cases, deaths, and DALYs. Results From 2002 to 2021, the crude incidence rate of lung cancer in Jing'an District increased from 68.00 per
10.Mechanisms of Gegen Qinlian Tang-containing Serum in Improving 5-FU Sensitivity by Inhibiting Glycolysis in Colorectal Cancer Cells Based on CDK16/MYC Pathway
Rong CAI ; Shang WANG ; Fuqing CHENG ; Yanping ZHOU ; Zuowei HU ; Yunhai LI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(8):1-9
ObjectiveTo explore the molecular mechanisms by which serum containing Gegen Qinlian Tang (GQT) inhibits glycolysis and enhances chemotherapy sensitivity in 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-resistant colorectal cancer (CRC) cells based on the cyclin-dependent kinase 16 (CDK16)/MYC proto-oncogene (MYC) pathway. MethodsHCT-116/5-FU cells were treated with different concentrations (5%, 10%, 20%, 30%) of GQT-containing serum. Cell viability and 5-FU sensitivity were assessed using the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay, and the experimental concentrations of 5-FU and GQT for subsequent experiments were determined. Cell proliferation and apoptosis under individual 5-FU, GQT, and combined 5-FU + GQT treatments were evaluated using 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EDU) staining and annexin V-FITC/PI double staining, respectively. Glucose consumption, adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production, and lactate levels were measured by colorimetric assays. Expression levels of glycolysis-related proteins, CDK16, MYC, and phosphorylated MYC were detected by Western blot. Co-immunoprecipitation (CoIP) was used to examine the protein interaction between CDK16 and MYC, and cycloheximide (CHX) treatment was applied to assess the effect of CDK16 overexpression on MYC protein stability. ResultsCCK-8 assays showed that 2.5 mg·L-1 5-FU significantly inhibited HCT-116 cell viability in a dose-dependent manner. In HCT-116/5-FU cells, significant inhibition was observed only at 5 mg·L-1 5-FU (P<0.05), which was used for model establishment. Compared with 5-FU alone, addition of 5% GQT-containing serum significantly suppressed HCT-116/5-FU cell viability (P<0.05), with stronger inhibition at higher serum concentrations. Thus, 5% GQT-containing serum was used in subsequent experiments. Compared with the control group, 5-FU, GQT, and 5-FU + GQT treatments all significantly reduced cell proliferation (P<0.05) and increased apoptosis (P<0.01). The 5-FU + GQT combination showed superior inhibition of proliferation compared with 5-FU or GQT alone (P<0.01), accompanied by more pronounced reductions in glucose consumption, ATP production, and lactate generation (P<0.01). Additionally, compared with control, 5-FU, and GQT groups, the 5-FU + GQT group exhibited stronger suppression of MYC and its phosphorylated forms (P<0.01) and greater inhibition of glycolytic enzymes, including hexokinase 2 (HK2), 3-phosphoinositide-dependent protein kinase 1 (PDK1), lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA), and pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) (P<0.01). CDK16, MYC, and MYC phosphorylation expression levels were significantly downregulated in the 5-FU + GQT group compared with the 5-FU group (all P<0.01). MYC protein stability decreased in a time-dependent manner in the 5-FU + GQT group (P<0.05), which was rescued by CDK16 overexpression (P<0.05). ConclusionGQT significantly enhances the sensitivity of HCT-116/5-FU cells to 5-FU, potentially by inhibiting CDK16 and thereby reducing MYC-mediated glycolysis.

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