1.The role of DPP7 protein in hepatocellular carcinoma and its underlying mechanisms
Bijun WANG ; Haodong CUI ; Wenyong WU
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(2):201-208
ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism of Dipeptidyl peptidase 7 (DPP7) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MethodsThe expression of DPP7 protein in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and liver benign tissues was detected by UALCAN and GEPIA database, immunohistochemical, and Western blot, and its relationship with clinicopathological characteristics was analyzed. The expression of DPP7 was silenced by siRNA and the protein expression of DPP7 in MHCC97H cells was detected by Western blot and qRT-PCR. MTT assay, colony formation assay and wound healing assay were used to detect cell proliferation. Transwell assay was used to detect the invasion and migration ability of cells. Western blot was used to detect the changes of protein markers related to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). ResultsIn UALCAN, GEPIA and clinical liver tissue samples, DPP7 expression was upregulated and it was closely related to TNM stage (P=0.002), lymph node metastasis (P=0.038) and depth of tumor invasion (P=0.027). The downregulation of DPP7 protein expression in MHCC97H cells was detected after transfection of siRNA in the experimental group (P<0.01); furthermore, the results of the MTT, colony formation, wound healing and Transwell assay demonstrated that knockdown of DPP7 expression in the MHCC97H cell line significantly inhibited the proliferative and metastatic capabilities of these cells. Consistent with this phenotypic change, analysis of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) related proteins revealed a significant upregulation of the epithelial marker E-cadherin (P<0.001) and downregulation of the mesenchymal markers Vimentin and N-cadherin (P<0.01). ConclusionDPP7 is highly expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and cell lines, and this is associated with poor prognosis in patients. The downregulation of DPP7 protein expression can inhibit the proliferation and metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma cell line MHCC97H, and its mechanism is closely related to EMT.
2.Literature Based Analysis on Adverse Reactions in Simultaneously Clinical Use of Banxia (Rhizoma Pinelliae)- Wutou (Aconitum)
Can CAO ; Wenyong LIAO ; Jiwen ZHANG ; Yinghao WU ; Xiangnan XU ; Meijing WU ; Xiaoqing LIU ; Shaohong CHEN ; Haiyan LIU ; Linlin XIU ; Xiangqing CUI ; Gaoyang LI ; Ying ZHANG ; Gansheng ZHONG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(9):955-962
ObjectiveTo analyze the adverse reactions associated with the clinical use of Banxia (Rhizoma Pinelliae)- Wutou (Aconitum) in the same formula, with the aim of providing a reference for the safety of their clinical application. MethodsLiterature on the clinical application of antagonistic herbs "Banxia-Wutou" used in the same formula, published from January 1st, 2014, to June 30th, 2023, was retrieved from databases including CNKI, VIP, Wanfang, SinoMed, PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Embase. A database was established, and information related to adverse reactions was extracted, including descriptions, classifications, specific manifestations, management and outcomes, patients' primary diseases (western medicine diseases and traditional Chinese medicine diagnoses and syndromes), and medication information (dosage, ratio, administration routes, and dosage forms). ResultsA total of 79 researches simultaneously used antagonistic herbs Banxia-Wutou in the same formula and reported associated advers reactions. Gastrointestinal adverse reactions were the most common, with 8 studies reporting management of adverse reactions and 3 studies reporting improvement with no intervention. Among the 11 researches, the adverse reaction relieved to extant, while other 69 researches didn't report the managment of adverse reaction and its prognosis. For the primary disease in western medicine system, chronic bronchitis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) were most common, while gastric pain was the most common symptom in traditional Chinese medicine with spleen and kidney deficiency and spleen stomach cold deficiency being the most frequent syndromes. The most common Banxia dosage was 10 g, while for the Wutou, Fuzi (Radix Aconiti Lateralis Praeparata) was predominant with the highest dose at 15 g. The most frequent herbal combination was Banxia-fuzi, with a 1∶1 ratio. The main administration route was oral, and the primary dosage form was decoction. ConclusionGastrointestinal adverse reactions are the most common in the clinical use of Banxia-Wutou antagonistic herb combinations. Research on the safety of "Banxia-Wutou" combinations should focus on respiratory system diseases and spleen-stomach related conditions.
3.Mechanism of osteoarthritis treatment by exosomes.
Xiaofei WANG ; Jihang DAI ; Lei XU ; Zhimin WU ; Linbing LOU ; Cunyi XIA ; Haixiang MIAO ; Wenyong FEI ; Jingcheng WANG
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(3):367-369
4.The predictive value of NETosis-related LncRNA for gastric cancer and the construction of risk model
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2025;60(12):2299-2307
Objective:
To construct a prognostic model for gastric cancer using NETosis-related long non-coding RNA(LncRNA) and to investigate their expression and functional roles in gastric cancer progression.
Methods:
Data from gastric cancer patients were obtained from the TCGA database, and 85 NETosis-related genes were identified from the GeneCards database. NETosis-associated LncRNAs were screened using Pearson correlation analysis. A LncRNA-based prognostic model was constructed and evaluated through survival analysis, ROC curves, C-index, and nomogram analysis. Differences in gene set enrichment between high-and low-risk groups were further explored. Additionally, RT-qPCR was performed to validate LncRNA expression in gastric cancer patients, and the CCLE database was utilized to investigate LncRNA expression across various tumor cell lines.
Results:
A risk prognostic model for gastric cancer was constructed using 12 LncRNAs. Based on risk scores, samples were stratified into high-and low-risk groups across multiple datasets. Validation results demonstrated significantly worse survival outcomes in the high-risk group compared to the low-risk group, with excellent predictive performance of the model(AUC=0.758, 95%CI: 0.688-0.828). Gene set enrichment analysis revealed that the high-risk group was enriched in gene sets strongly associated with inflammatory progression, whereas the low-risk group showed enrichment in gene sets related to normal DNA function. RT⁃qPCR confirmed differential expression of LncRNAs be⁃ tween tumor and paired normal gastric tissues (P < 0. 001) . Furthermore , analysis of the CCLE database indicated substantial variations in LncRNA expression across different tumor cell lines.
Conclusion
The prognostic model constructed with 12 LncRNA demonstrates potential for assessing prognosis and immune status in gastric cancer pa⁃tients. Gene enrichment analysis provides insights into further mechanistic studies on NETosis. The differential ex⁃pression of LncRNAs between cancerous and normal tissues , as well as across tumor cell lines , may inform novel subtype classification and therapeutic strategies.
5.Advance in drug therapy for acute kidney injury
Xiaohe CHEN ; Mengyuan WU ; Wenyong XIA ; Xuhua GE
International Journal of Pediatrics 2025;52(5):315-320
Acute kidney injury(AKI)is a clinical syndrome characterized by a rapid decline in renal function. Treatment strategies for AKI primarily focus on treating the underlying disease,providing supportive care,and preventing complications. However,the prognosis remains poor due to the lack of targeted drug therapies.In recent years,with a deeper understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms of AKI,numerous new drugs and therapeutic methods have emerged and are currently under evaluation. This review aims to thoroughly analyze the latest advancements in AKI drug therapy,covering the development of targeted drugs,innovative applications of nanomedicines,and new breakthroughs and expansions in the use of traditional drugs in the treatment of AKI,in order to provide new ideas and strategies for clinical treatment.
6.Exploring the Medication Rules and Therapeutic Mechanism of Traditional Chinese Medicine in Treating Laryngopharyngeal Reflux Disease Based on Data Mining and Network Pharmacology
Weiming LIANG ; Die WU ; Guojing WU ; Shiqing ZHOU ; Wenyong CHEN
Journal of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;42(9):2261-2270
Objective To investigate the prescription patterns and potential therapeutic mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)in treating laryngopharyngeal reflux disease(LPRD)based on data mining and network pharmacology.Methods The clinical data from 1 016 LPRD patients treated at the Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine between February 1,2012,and December 30,2023 were collected.Frequency analysis,property and flavor analysis,meridian tropism analysis,efficacy classification,association rule mining,and cluster analysis were performed on the effective TCM prescriptions to identify medication rules.Core herbs were screened,and their therapeutic mechanisms were explored using network pharmacology.Results A total of 1 976 prescriptions involving 139 medicinals(23 644 medicinal frequencies)were analyzed.The top five most frequently-used medicinals were Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma(Gancao),Poria(Fuling),Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium(Chenpi),Bombyx Batryticatus(Jiangcan),and Galli Gigerii Endothelium Corneum(Jineijin).The herbs predominantly exhibited sweet flavor and neutral property,with a primary affinity for the lung meridian.The most common therapeutic categories were deficiency-tonifying herbs and phlegm-resolving herbs.The herb combination"Gancao-Chenpi-Fuling"was identified as the core prescription for LPRD.Network pharmacology analysis of this combination revealed 11 shared targets between the core herbs and LPRD,including three key targets.The core herbs may alleviate LPRD by modulating the interleukin-17(IL-17)signaling pathway,tumor necrosis factor(TNF)signaling pathway,and cancer-related pathways.Conclusion TCM treatment for LPRD should primarily target the lung,and employs herbs with mild-sweet properties and tonifying effects,supplemented by phlegm-resolving herbs.The core combination"Gancao-Chenpi-Fuling"may exert therapeutic effects by regulating key targets such as IL-1B,TNF,and IL-6,thereby modulating the IL-17 signaling pathway,TNF signaling pathway,and cancer-related pathways to mitigate inflammatory responses in LPRD.
7.Expression and functional mechanism of PPFIA4 gene in hepatocellular
Haodong Cui ; Jimin Yin ; Kai Guo ; Bijun Wang ; Tianbing Wang ; Wenyong Wu
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2025;60(3):414-421
Objective:
To explore the expression level of PPFIA4 in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and HCCLM3 cells and its regulation of the biological behavior of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Methods :
Bioinformatics analysis, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry were employed to detect the expression of PPFIA4 in tumor tissues of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and analyze the prognosis of these patients. An siRNA plasmid was designed to knock down the expression of PPFIA4 in HCCLM3 cells. The effects of PPFIA4 knockdown on the migration and invasion abilities of HCCLM3 cells were then evaluated using scratch healing and Transwell assays. Furthermore, Western blot was utilized to detect the expression levels of epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)-related protein markers in the HCCLM3 cell line after transfection with the siRNA plasmid.
Results:
PPFIA4 was highly expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and hepatocellular carcinoma cells( HCCLM3, Li-7, MHCC97H); the high expression of PPFIA4 indicated that the clinical stage of patients was late and the overall survival(OS) was short. After knocking down the expression of PPFIA4 in HCCLM3 cell line, the migration and invasion ability of HCCLM3 cells decreased(P<0.001) and the expression of EMT markers changed. The expression of epithelial cell marker E-cadherin increased(P<0.01), while the expression of mesenchymal markers Vimentin and N-cadherin decreased(P<0.05,P<0.01).
Conclusion
PPFIA4 is highly expressed in hepatocellular carcinoma tissues and hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines and is associated with poor prognosis of patients. Silencing PPFIA4 can regulate the biological behavior of hepatocellular carcinoma cells and inhibit the migration and invasion of HCCLM3 cells. The specific mechanism may be related to EMT.
8.Trace component fishing strategy based on offline two-dimensional liquid chromatography combined with PRDX3-surface plasmon resonance for Uncaria alkaloids.
Hui NI ; Zijia ZHANG ; Ye LU ; Yaowen LIU ; Yang ZHOU ; Wenyong WU ; Xinqin KONG ; Liling SHEN ; Sihan CHEN ; Huali LONG ; Cheng LUO ; Hao ZHANG ; Jinjun HOU ; Wanying WU
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(9):101244-101244
The rapid screening of bioactive constituents within traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) presents a significant challenge to researchers. Prevailing strategies for the screening of active components in TCM often overlook trace components owing to their concealment by more abundant constituents. To address this limitation, a fishing strategy based on offline two-dimensional liquid chromatography (2D-LC) combined with surface plasmon resonance (SPR) was utilized to screen bioactive trace components targeting peroxiredoxin 3 (PRDX3), using Uncaria alkaloids (UAs) as a case study. Initially, an orthogonal preparative offline 2D-LC system combining a positively charged C18 column and a conventional C18 column under disparate mobile phase conditions was constructed. To fully reveal the trace alkaloids, 13 2D fractions of UAs were prepared, and their components were characterized using mass spectrometry (MS). Subsequently, employing PRDX3 as the targeting protein, a SPR-based screening approach was established and rigorously validated with geissoschizine methyl ether (GSM) serving as a positive control for binding. Employing this refined strategy, 29 candidate binding alkaloids were fished from the 13 2D fractions. Notably, combining offline 2D-LC with SPR increased the yield of candidate binding components from 10 to 29 when compared to SPR-based screening alone. Subsequent binding affinity assays confirmed that PRDX3 was a direct binding target for the 12 fished alkaloids, with isovallesiachotamine (IV), corynoxeine N-oxide (CO-N), and cadambine (CAD) demonstrating the highest affinity for PRDX3. Their interactions were further validated through molecular docking analysis. Subsequent intracellular H2O2 measurement assays and transfection experiments confirmed that these three trace alkaloids enhanced PRDX3-mediated H2O2 clearance. In conclusion, this study introduced an innovative strategy for the identification of active trace components in TCM. This approach holds promise for accelerating research on medicinal components within this field.
9.Impact of farrerol on LPS-induced microglial inflammatory injury by regulating cGAS-STING signal pathway
Qiongying WU ; Wenyong GAO ; Yanping AI ; Haitang WEI ; Fen CHEN
Chinese Journal of Immunology 2025;41(5):1078-1083
Objective:To investigate impact of farrerol(Far)on LPS-induced microglial inflammatory injury by regulating cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate synthase(cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes(STING)signal pathway.Methods:Mice BV2 microglial cell lines were grouped into control group(normal culture),LPS group(1 μg/ml),Far low,medium and high doses groups(1,5,10 μmol/L),activator group(10 μmol/L Far+75 μg/ml cGAS-STING signal pathway activator DMX-AA);proliferation and apoptosis of BV2 cells were detected by MTT,plate cloning assay and flow cytometry;qRT-PCR and ELISA were applied to detect levels of IL-6,IL-1β and TNF-α in cells and supernatants;NO content in cell supernatant was detected by nitrate reductase method;Western blot was applied to detect expressions of proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA),Bcl-2 associated X protein(Bax),anti-apoptotic factor B cell lymphoma protein-2(Bcl-2)and cGAS-STING pathway protein in BV2 cells.Results:Compared with control group,A490 of BV2 cells,number of cloned cells,expressions of PCNA and Bcl-2 proteins in LPS group were decreased,apoptosis rate,mRNA expressions of IL-6,IL-1β,TNF-α,contents of IL-6,IL-1β,TNF-α,NO,and protein expres-sions of Bax,cGAS and STING were increased(P<0.05);compared with LPS group,A490 of BV2 cells,number of cloned cells,expressions of PCNA and Bcl-2 proteins in Far low,medium and high dose groups were increased,apoptosis rate,mRNA expressions of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, contents of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, NO, and protein expressions of Bax, cGAS and STING were decreased (P<0.05); compared with Far high-dose group, A490 of BV2 cells, number of cloned cells, expressions of PCNA and Bcl-2 proteins in activator group were decreased, apoptosis rate, mRNA expressions of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, contents of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, NO, and protein expressions of Bax, cGAS and STING were increased (P<0.05).Conclusion:Far may inhibit apoptosis and inflammatory injury of BV2 cells and promote proliferation of BV2 cells by inhibiting cGAS-STING pathway, and thus alleviate inflammatory injury of BV2 cells induced by LPS.
10.Impact of farrerol on LPS-induced microglial inflammatory injury by regulating cGAS-STING signal pathway
Qiongying WU ; Wenyong GAO ; Yanping AI ; Haitang WEI ; Fen CHEN
Chinese Journal of Immunology 2025;41(5):1078-1083
Objective:To investigate impact of farrerol(Far)on LPS-induced microglial inflammatory injury by regulating cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate synthase(cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes(STING)signal pathway.Methods:Mice BV2 microglial cell lines were grouped into control group(normal culture),LPS group(1 μg/ml),Far low,medium and high doses groups(1,5,10 μmol/L),activator group(10 μmol/L Far+75 μg/ml cGAS-STING signal pathway activator DMX-AA);proliferation and apoptosis of BV2 cells were detected by MTT,plate cloning assay and flow cytometry;qRT-PCR and ELISA were applied to detect levels of IL-6,IL-1β and TNF-α in cells and supernatants;NO content in cell supernatant was detected by nitrate reductase method;Western blot was applied to detect expressions of proliferating cell nuclear antigen(PCNA),Bcl-2 associated X protein(Bax),anti-apoptotic factor B cell lymphoma protein-2(Bcl-2)and cGAS-STING pathway protein in BV2 cells.Results:Compared with control group,A490 of BV2 cells,number of cloned cells,expressions of PCNA and Bcl-2 proteins in LPS group were decreased,apoptosis rate,mRNA expressions of IL-6,IL-1β,TNF-α,contents of IL-6,IL-1β,TNF-α,NO,and protein expres-sions of Bax,cGAS and STING were increased(P<0.05);compared with LPS group,A490 of BV2 cells,number of cloned cells,expressions of PCNA and Bcl-2 proteins in Far low,medium and high dose groups were increased,apoptosis rate,mRNA expressions of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, contents of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, NO, and protein expressions of Bax, cGAS and STING were decreased (P<0.05); compared with Far high-dose group, A490 of BV2 cells, number of cloned cells, expressions of PCNA and Bcl-2 proteins in activator group were decreased, apoptosis rate, mRNA expressions of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, contents of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, NO, and protein expressions of Bax, cGAS and STING were increased (P<0.05).Conclusion:Far may inhibit apoptosis and inflammatory injury of BV2 cells and promote proliferation of BV2 cells by inhibiting cGAS-STING pathway, and thus alleviate inflammatory injury of BV2 cells induced by LPS.


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