1.Mechanism of Ferroptosis in Regulating Chronic Heart Failure and Traditional Chinese Medicine Prevention and Treatment Based on Qi Deficiency and Stagnation: A Review
Ziyang YUAN ; Yan ZHANG ; Wei ZHANG ; Yaqin WANG ; Wenjun MAO ; Guo YANG ; Xuewei WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(2):248-255
Chronic heart failure (CHF) is the final stage of cardiovascular diseases. It is a complex syndrome, with dyspnea and edema as the main clinical manifestations, and it is characterized by complex disease conditions, difficult cure, and high mortality. Ferroptosis, a new type of programmed cell death, is different from other types of programmed cell death. Ferroptosis is iron-dependent, accompanied by lipid peroxide accumulation and mitochondrial shrinkage, becoming a hot research topic. Studies have confirmed that ferroptosis plays a key role in the occurrence and development of CHF. The regulation of ferroptosis may become a potential target for the treatment of CHF in the future. The theory of Qi deficiency and stagnation refers to the pathological state of original Qi deficiency and abnormal transportation and distribution of Qi, blood, and body fluid, which has guiding significance for revealing the pathogenesis evolution of some chronic diseases. We believe that Qi deficiency and stagnation is a summary of the pathogenesis of ferroptosis in CHF. Deficiency of Qi (heart Qi) is the root cause of CHF, and stagnation (phlegm turbidity and blood stasis) is the branch of this disease. The two influence each other in a vicious circle to promote the development of this disease. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) plays an important role in the treatment of CHF, improving the prognosis and quality of life of CHF patients. This paper explores the correlation between the theory of Qi deficiency and stagnation and the mechanism of ferroptosis in CHF. Furthermore, this paper reviews the mechanism of Chinese medicines and compound prescriptions in preventing and treating CHF by regulating ferroptosis according to the principles of replenishing Qi and dredging to remove stagnation, aiming to provide new ideas and methods for the treatment of CHF with TCM.
2.Determination method of plasma concentrations of 7 anti-tumor drugs and its application
Jinxiu LYU ; Nan YAN ; Wenjun XU ; Jing ZHAO ; Hua ZHU ; Pengzhou HANG
China Pharmacy 2025;36(4):475-481
OBJECTIVE To establish a method for simultaneous determination of 7 anti-tumor drugs (irinotecan, capecitabine, paclitaxel, docetaxel, tamoxifen, letrozole and methotrexate) in human plasma and apply it to the clinic. METHODS After precipitating with a methanol-acetonitrile mixture (1∶ 1, V/V) containing 0.1% formic acid, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) was used to determine the plasma concentration, using deuterium isotopes of each analyte as internal standards. The chromatography was performed on the Agilent Eclipse Plus C18 column with a gradient elution of water (containing 0.1% formic acid+0.04% 5 mmol/L ammonium formate) as mobile phase A and acetonitrile (containing 0.1% formic acid) as mobile phase B. The flow rate was 0.6 mL/min, and the column temperature was set at 40 ℃ . The sample size was 10 μL, and the analysis lasted for 5.5 min. Electrospray ionization was used in positive and negative ion mode, and multiple reaction monitoring mode was used. The ion pairs used for quantitative analysis were m/z 587.1→167.1 (irinotecan), m/z 360.1→244.1 (capecitabine), m/z 876.4→308.0 (paclitaxel), m/z 830.3→304.2 (docetaxel), m/z 372.1→129.1 (tamoxifen), m/z 284.1→242.1 (letrozole), and m/z 455.0→ 308.0 (methotrexate). A total of 97 patients with malignant tumors in our hospital were selected to measure the plasma concentrations of 7 anti-tumor drugs using the above method. RESULTS The linear ranges of irinotecan, capecitabine, paclitaxel, docetaxel, tamoxifen, letrozole and methotrexate were 2-1 000 ng/mL (r=0.994 3), 20-10 000 ng/mL (r=0.997 5), 2-1 000 ng/mL (r=0.997 9), 1-500 ng/mL (r=0.995 8), 1-500 ng/mL (r=0.995 2), 1-500 ng/mL (r=0.996 4), 10-5 000 (r=0.997 7), respectively. The quantitative lower limits were 2, 20, 2, 1, 1, 1 and 10 ng/mL; RSDs of intra-assay precision were 0.08%-14.86% (n=6). RSDs of inter-batch precision were 1.51%-11.55% (n=3), and the accuracies were 89.17%-114.93% (n=6). The matrix effects ranged from 89.89%-119.74% (n=6). RSDs of the stability tests were 1.98%-14.88% (n=6). The results of E-mail:hangpengzhou@163.com clinical application showed, the average plasma concentrations of irinotecan, capecitabine, paclitaxel and docetaxel were 704.09, 909.40, 36.45, 150.43 ng/mL, respectively. The values of the coefficient of variation were 25.24%, 62.65%, 122.69%, and 92.27%. CONCLUSIONS The established LC-MS/MS method is simple and rapid, and can be used for the simultaneous determination of 7 commonly used anti-tumor drugs in the plasma of patients with malignancy.
3.A case-crossover study on association between ambient temperature and injury incidence in Shenzhen City
Yan MA ; Qijiong ZHU ; Weicong CAI ; Ping XU ; Zhixue LI ; Jianxiong HU ; Wenjun MA ; Tao LIU ; Ying XU ; Ji PENG
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2025;42(5):536-542
Background Under the background of global warming, research on association between ambient temperature and risk of injury is needed. Objective To examine the effect of temperature on injury in Bao'an district, Shenzhen and identify the sensitive population, thereby providing a scientific basis for formulating prevention and control strategies and measures of injury. Methods The injury reports from the Injury Surveillance System and the meteorological data of Bao'an District between 2018 to 2022 were collected. The meteorological data were sourced from the fifth generation of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) land reanalysis data. Based on time-stratified case-crossover design, conditional logistic regression combined with distributed lag nonlinear model was used to evaluate the exposure-response association between ambient temperature and injury. The stratified analyses were further conducted by gender, age, and causes of injury. Results A total of
4.Pathomechanism and Treatment of Otolith Disorders from the Perspective of "Turbid Pathogen Disturbing Clarity"
Yan KONG ; Zihe KUANG ; Bin WU ; Wenjun SUN
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(13):1405-1408
Guided by the theory of turbid pathogen disturbing clarity, this paper holds that the pathogenesis of otolith disorders involves the failure of clear yang to ascend and the internal generation of phlegm-turbidity as the initiating factors. The clinical manifestations are characterized by the intermingling of phlegm and fluid, as well as the disturbance between turbid and clear substances, while the root lies in spleen-kidney deficiency and depletion of primordial qi. Treatment strategies are formulated according to the different stages of the disease: in the acute phase, therapy focuses on warming and resolving phlegm-fluid retention, using a modified combination of Linggui Zhugan Decoction (苓桂术甘汤) and Zexie Decoction (泽泻汤); in the residual phase, the approach shifts to tonifying qi and uplifting clear yang, with a modified combination of Shengxian Decoction (升陷汤) and Shengmai Power (生脉散); in the consolidation phase, therapy aims to tonify the kidney and replenish essence, employing a modified version of Qiju Dihuang Pill (杞菊地黄丸).
5.Mechanism and clinical research progress of remifentanil in the prevention and treatment of emergence agitation
Na WANG ; Yongbo DUAN ; Zhongjie XIAO ; Yujing SONG ; Wenjun YAN
China Pharmacy 2025;36(15):1947-1952
Emergence agitation (EA) is a common complication after general anesthesia, especially in children and adolescents. Remifentanil, as a short-acting μ-receptor agonist, has become an important drug for the prevention and treatment of EA due to its rapid recovery and low risk of respiratory depression. This article reviews the mechanism of action and clinical research progress of remifentanil in the prevention and treatment of EA. Its mechanism of action involves the inhibition of pain signals mediated by traditional μ-receptor activation and potential new mechanism based on neural-endocrine-immune network, including regulation of microglial inflammatory pathways, and the modulation of cytokines and chemokines,etc. Clinical studies have shown that remifentanil can significantly shorten the recovery time, reduce the incidence of EA, and further optimize the analgesic effect and recovery quality by combining with other drugs (such as local anesthetics, sedatives, and opioid drugs). Future research should further explore the mechanism of action of remifentanil, optimize clinical treatment strategies, and conduct large- scale clinical trials to standardize the drug use plan, while paying attention to its long-term effects and the development of multimodal treatment plans to promote the further development of EA prevention and treatment plans.
6.Application of artificial intelligence and automated scripts in3D printing brachytherapy
Wentai LI ; Jiandong ZHANG ; Zhihe WANG ; Xiaozhen QI ; Yan DING ; Baile ZHANG ; Wenjun MA ; Yao ZHAI ; Weiwei ZHOU ; Yanan SUN ; Xin ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Radiological Health 2025;34(3):419-425
Objective To explore the efficiency improvement in segmenting neural network with the application of Transformer + U-Net artificial intelligence (AI) and modeling with the application of Python scripts in three-dimensional (3D) printing brachytherapy. Methods A Transformer + U-Net AI neural network model was constructed, and Adam optimizer was used to ensure rapid gradient descent. Computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging data of patients were standardized and processed as self-made data sets. The training set was used to train AI and the optimal result weight parameters were saved. The test set was used to evaluate the AI ability. Python programming language was used to write an automated script to obtain the output segmentation image and convert it to the STL file for import. The source applicator and needle could be automatically modeled. The time of automatic segmentation and modeling and the time of manual segmentation and modeling were entered by two people, and the difference was verified by paired t-test. Results Dice similarity coefficient (DSC), mean intersection over union (MIOU), and Hausdorff distance (HD95) were used for evaluation. DSC was
7.Curcumin inhibits lipid metabolism in non-small cell lung cancer by downregulating the HIF-1α pathway.
Dandan LI ; Jiaxin CHU ; Yan YAN ; Wenjun XU ; Xingchun ZHU ; Yun SUN ; Haofeng DING ; Li REN ; Bo ZHU
Journal of Southern Medical University 2025;45(5):1039-1046
OBJECTIVES:
To investigate the effect of curcumin on lipid metabolism in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and its molecular mechanism.
METHODS:
The inhibitory effect of curcumin (0-70 μmol/L) on proliferation of A549 and H1299 cells was assessed using MTT assay, and 20 and 40 μmol/L curcumin was used in the subsequent experiments. The effect of curcumin on lipid metabolism was evaluated using cellular uptake assay, wound healing assay, triglyceride (TG)/free fatty acid (NEFA) measurements, and Oil Red O staining. Western blotting was performed to detect the expressions of PGC-1α, PPAR-α, and HIF-1α in curcumin-treated cells. Network pharmacology was used to predict the metabolic pathways, and the results were validated by Western blotting. In a nude mouse model bearing A549 cell xenograft, the effects of curcumin (20 mg/kg) on tumor growth and lipid metabolism were assessed by measuring tumor weight and observing the changes in intracellular lipid droplets.
RESULTS:
Curcumin concentration-dependently inhibited the proliferation of A549 and H1299 cells and significantly reduced TG and NEFA levels and intracellular lipid droplets. Western blotting revealed that curcumin significantly upregulated PGC-1α and PPAR‑α expressions in the cells. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis predicted significant involvement of the HIF-1 signaling pathway in curcumin-treated NSCLC, suggesting a potential interaction between HIF-1α and PPAR‑α. Western blotting confirmed that curcumin downregulated the expression of HIF-1α. In the tumor-bearing mice, curcumin treatment caused significant reduction of the tumor weight and the number of lipid droplets in the tumor cells.
CONCLUSIONS
Curcumin inhibits NSCLC cell proliferation and lipid metabolism by downregulating the HIF-1α pathway.
Curcumin/pharmacology*
;
Humans
;
Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1, alpha Subunit/metabolism*
;
Animals
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Lipid Metabolism/drug effects*
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Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/pathology*
;
Lung Neoplasms/pathology*
;
Mice, Nude
;
Down-Regulation
;
Mice
;
Cell Proliferation/drug effects*
;
Cell Line, Tumor
;
Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha
;
PPAR alpha/metabolism*
;
Signal Transduction/drug effects*
;
A549 Cells
8.Construction of microfluidic organ-on-a-chip and its application in simulating subchondral bone remodeling
Fuming SHEN ; Lingni LIAO ; Wenjun WANG ; Jilong LI ; Hao ZHANG ; Yan HU ; Ke XU ; Jiacan SU
Chinese Journal of Trauma 2024;40(2):179-189
Objective:To construct a microfluidic organ-on-a-chip and evaluate its capability in simulating subchondral bone remodeling during the progression of osteoarthritis.Methods:The chip′s main body was designed based on the microfluidic technology and cell co-culture technique. MC3T3-E1 cells were cultured adherently within the cell seeding micro-chamber, with the culture medium perfused at a flow rate of 0.5 ml/min at the bottom of the micro-chamber. Evaluation metrics were as follows: (1) Assessment of the microfluidic organ-on-a-chip: The growth culture medium was perfused and simulation experiments were conducted to test the concentration differences and equilibrium times of the fluid inside and at the bottom of the cell seeding micro-chamber at various time points; live-dead staining was performed to observe the biocompatibility of cells cultured continuously for 3 days and 7 days at a set flow rate, which was divided into 3-day and 7-day groups. (2) Osteogenic potential of the microfluidic organ-on-a-chip: The osteogenic induction medium was perfused, and ALP staining and PCR were performed to compare the number of the black alkaline phosphatase (ALP)-positive cells and the expression levels of osteogenesis-related marker genes including osteoblast-specific transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), type I collagen (COL1A1), bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2), and osteocalcin (OCN) under static, 3-day and 7-day perfusion conditions, which was divided into static non-induced, static-induced and perfusion-induced groups. (3) Characterization of morphology and size, and biocompatibility of extracellular vesicles (EVs) of three osteoblast subtypes: Three different subtypes of osteoblasts were obtained [endothelial-type osteoblasts (EnOB)-EVs, stromal-type osteoblasts (StOB)-EVs and mineralizing-type osteoblasts (MinOB)-EVs]. Their morphology and size were obtained through transmission electron microscopy and particle size analysis. Growth medium containing EVs of three different cell subtypes was perfused, and cell proliferation/apoptosis assay was performed to compare the biocompatibility of the addition of different EVs concentrations (1, 1.25, 2.5, and 5 μg/ml) for 24 hours, which was categorized into the EnOB-EVs group, StOB-EVs group and MinOB-EVs group. (4) Osteogenic effect of EVs from three subtypes of osteoblasts: Osteogenic induction media containing EVs from three different osteoblast subtypes were perfused for 3 days, and ALP staining and PCR were performed to compare the number of black ALP-positive cells and the expression levels of osteogenesis-related marker genes including RUNX2, COL1A1, BMP-2, and OCN, which was divided into non-EVs group, EnOB-EVs group, StOB-EVs group and MinOB-EVs group.Results:(1) Evaluation of the microfluidic organ-on-a-chip: Simulation results showed that the concentration in the top layer of the upper chamber reached more than 95% of that in the lower chamber and that the concentration in the bottom layer was about 96.5% of that in the lower chamber after 12 hours of continuous perfusion, reaching an equilibrium state of the concentration difference between the upper and lower chambers. The results of live-dead staining showed that the chip was biocompatible at a flow rate of 0.5 ml/min, and the cell survival rate at 3 and 7 days of perfusion was (99.48±0.12)% and (97.07±1.05)% ( P<0.01). (2) ALP staining results showed that at 3 days, the perfusion-induced group showed the highest number of black ALP-positive cells, followed by the static-induced group, and the least in the static non-induced group. At 7 days, the static-induced group had the highest number of black ALP-positive cells, followed by the perfusion-induced group, and the least in the static non-induced group. PCR results indicated that at 3 days, the expression levels of RUNX2, COL1A1, BMP-2, and OCN were 1.00±0.03, 1.00±0.12, 1.00±0.01, and 1.00±0.02 respectively in the static non-induced group; 1.80±0.04, 4.05±0.37, 9.80±1.94, and 4.38±0.89 respectively in the static-induced group, and 2.45±0.23, 5.48±0.42, 91.50±4.56, and 10.82±4.96 respectively in the perfusion-induced group ( P<0.01). At 7 days, the expression levels of RUNX2 was 1.00±0.01 in the static non-induced group, 1.46±0.46 in the static-induced group, and 1.11±0.08 in the perfusion-induced group ( P>0.05); the expression levels of COL1A1, BMP-2, and OCN were 1.00±0.03, 1.00±0.13, and 1.00±0.09 respectively in the static non-induced group, 9.38±0.25, 14.27±4.35, and 84.01±4.02 respectviely in the static-induced group, and 2.39±0.08, 133.64±8.87, and 86.64±8.36 respectively in the perfusion-induced group ( P<0.01). When comparing the static non-induced, static-induced, and perfusion-induced groups at both 3 and 7 days, the perfusion-induced group demonstrated the strongest osteogenic capability. (3) Characterization of morphology and size and biocompatibility of EVs from three osteoblast subtypes: Under the transmission electron microscope, EVs from EnOB-EVs, StOB-EVs, and MinOB-EVs all exhibited a typical saucer-shaped morphology. The particle sizes of EnOB-EVs, StOB-EVs, and MinOB-EVs were (91.3±14.7)nm, (106.0±16.0)nm, and (68.1±10.7)nm, respectively. Cell proliferation/apoptosis assay results indicated that the optimal administration concentration of EnOB-EVs, StOB-EVs, and MinOB-EVs was all 1.25 μg/mL. (4) Validation of osteogenic effect of the microfluidic organ-on-a-chip on three types of EVs: ALP staining results showed that the non-EVs group had the fewest black ALP-positive cells, followed by the EnOB-EVs group, then the StOB-EVs group, and the MinOB-EVs group had the most. PCR results showed that the expression levels of RUNX2, COL1A1, BMP-2, and OCN were 1.00±0.01, 1.00±0.03, 1.00±0.02, and 1.00±0.02 respectively in the non-EVs group, 1.95±0.11, 6.78±2.04, 7.99±0.57, and 6.93±3.83 repectively in the EnOB-EVs group, 0.79±0.12, 5.68±1.53, 12.59±3.15, and 25.59±0.95 respectively in the StOB-EVs group, and 0.68±0.10, 4.36±0.69, 18.75±3.21, and 34.74±3.98 repectively in the MinOB-EVs group ( P<0.01). Compared with the non-EVs group, EnOB-EVs group, StOB-EVs group, and MinOB-EVs group, the MinOB-EVs group showed the most significant osteogenic effect. Conclusions:The microfluidic organ-on-a-chip constructed using microfluidic technology and cell co-culture techniques is capable of maintaining the normal growth of MC3T3-E1 cells, enhancing their proliferation and osteogenic induction differentiation. EVs released by osteoblasts at different stages possess osteogenic effects and can accelerate the bone sclerosis in the remodeling of subchondral bone during the progression of osteoarthritis.
9.Early prediction of growth patterns after pediatric kidney transplantation based on height-related single-nucleotide polymorphisms
Yi FENG ; Yonghua FENG ; Mingyao HU ; Hongen XU ; Zhigang WANG ; Shicheng XU ; Yongchuang YAN ; Chenghao FENG ; Zhou LI ; Guiwen FENG ; Wenjun SHANG
Chinese Medical Journal 2024;137(10):1199-1206
Background::Growth retardation is a common complication of chronic kidney disease in children, which can be partially relieved after renal transplantation. This study aimed to develop and validate a predictive model for growth patterns of children with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) after kidney transplantation using machine learning algorithms based on genomic and clinical variables.Methods::A retrospective cohort of 110 children who received kidney transplants between May 2013 and September 2021 at the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University were recruited for whole-exome sequencing (WES), and another 39 children who underwent transplant from October 2021 to March 2022 were enrolled for external validation. Based on previous studies, we comprehensively collected 729 height-related single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in exon regions. Seven machine learning algorithms and 10-fold cross-validation analysis were employed for model construction.Results::The 110 children were divided into two groups according to change in height-for-age Z-score. After univariate analysis, age and 19 SNPs were incorporated into the model and validated. The random forest model showed the best prediction efficacy with an accuracy of 0.8125 and an area under curve (AUC) of 0.924, and also performed well in the external validation cohort (accuracy, 0.7949; AUC, 0.796). Conclusions::A model with good performance for predicting post-transplant growth patterns in children based on SNPs and clinical variables was constructed and validated using machine learning algorithms. The model is expected to guide clinicians in the management of children after renal transplantation, including the use of growth hormone, glucocorticoid withdrawal, and nutritional supplementation, to alleviate growth retardation in children with ESRD.
10.Curative Effect of Jieyu Qingxin Formula Granules Combined with Remote Interactive CBT-I in Treating Chronic Insomnia of Liver-depression and Fire-turning Type
Yequn WANG ; Wujie FANG ; Shang XIANG ; Tao ZHOU ; Wenjun YIN ; Yan CAO
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(20):120-126
ObjectiveTo observe the clinical effect of Jieyu Qingxin formula granules combined with remote interactive cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) on chronic insomnia of liver depression and fire-turning type. MethodThis study was a prospective randomized controlled trial. 120 patients with chronic insomnia of liver depression and fire-turning type in Lu'an traditional Chinese medicine Hospital from January 2022 to June 2023 were selected as objects. They were randomly divided into two groups,with 60 cases in each group. The control group received remote interactive CBT-I. The observation group was treated with Jieyu Qingxin formula granules on the basis of the control group. Intervention treatment lasted for four weeks,and observation lasted for six weeks. Comparison of data of each group:clinical efficacy,changes in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome score before and after treatment,changes in insomnia severity index (ISI) score,self-rating depression scale (SDS) and self-rating anxiety scale (SAS) score changes,total sleep time,wake time,sleep latency,sleep efficiency, Actigraphy sleep parameter value changes,serum neuron specific enolase (NSE) ,adenosine,dopamine (DA), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) level changes,and adverse reactions. ResultThe total effective rate in the observation group (92.45%,49/53) was higher than that in the control group(76.92%,40/52), and the difference was statistically significant(χ2=4.711 1,P<0.05). After treatment,TCM syndrome score,ISI score,SAS score, and SDS score were decreased in all groups. The total sleep time was extended,and wake time and sleep latency were shortened. The sleep efficiency was increased,but the NSE and DA levels were decreased. Adenosine and 5-HT levels were increased in all groups(P<0.05). After treatment,compared with the control group,the observation group had lower TCM syndrome score,ISI score,SAS score, and SDS score,longer total sleep time,higher sleep efficiency,shorter wake time and sleep latency,lower NSE and DA levels, and higher adenosine and 5-HT level (P<0.05). There was one case of nausea in the observation group and no adverse reaction in the control group during treatment. There was no significant difference between the two groups. ConclusionBy reducing NSE and DA and increasing the levels of 5-HT and adenosine,the anxiety (SAS score) and depression (SDS score) of patients can be improved, so as to improve their sleep and effectively treat chronic insomnia of liver depression and fire-turning type.

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