1.Exploration on Mechanism of Topical Treatment of Allergic Contact Dermatitis in Mice with Portulacae Herba Based on Nrf2/HO-1/NF-κB Signaling Pathway
Xiaoxue WANG ; Guanwei FAN ; Xiang PU ; Zhongzhao ZHANG ; Xia CHEN ; Ying TANG ; Nana WU ; Jiangli LUO ; Xiangyan KONG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(3):115-123
ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism of topical treatment of allergic contact dermatitis (ACD) mice with Portulacae Herba based on the nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1)/nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway. MethodsA total of 70 6-week-old specific pathogen free (SPF) female Kunming mice were adaptively fed for 1 week and randomly divided into blank group, model group, compound dexamethasone acetate cream group (2.075×10-2 g·g-1), blank matrix cream group, low-dose Portulacae Herba cream group (0.1 g·g-1), high-dose Portulacae Herba cream group (0.2 g·g-1), and Portulacae Herba + inhibitor group (0.2 g·g-1 + 30 mg·kg-1 ML385), with 10 mice in each group. One day before the experiment, the mice were shaved on the neck and back. Except for the blank group, the mice in the other groups were treated with 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB) to establish an ACD model. After respective administration, the skin lesion of the mice was scored, and the histopathological changes of the skin were stained with hematoxylin-eosin (HE). Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, and malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum of mice. The expression of Nrf2/HO-1/NF-κB signaling pathway-related proteins in mouse skin tissue was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC), Western blot, and real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR). ResultsCompared with the blank group, the mice in the model group had an increased skin lesion score (P<0.01), severe pathological damage to skin tissue, increased content of IL-1β, IL-6, ROS, and MDA in their serum (P<0.01), and decreased content of SOD (P<0.01). In addition, the mRNA and protein expression levels of Nrf2, HO-1, and nuclear factor-κB inhibitor α (IκBα) in skin tissue were up-regulated (P<0.01), while the protein expression levels of phosphorylated (p)-IκBα and p-NF-κB p65 and the mRNA expression of NF-κB p65 were down-regulated (P<0.01). Compared with the model group and the blank matrix cream group, the mice treated with Portulacae Herba had a decreased skin lesion score (P<0.01), reduced pathological damage to skin tissue, decreased content of IL-1β, IL-6, ROS, and MDA in their serum (P<0.01), and increased content of SOD (P<0.01). Additionally, the mRNA and protein expression levels of Nrf2, HO-1, and IκBα in skin tissue were down-regulated (P<0.05,P<0.01), and the protein expression levels of p-IκBα and p-NF-κB p65 and the mRNA expression of NF-κB p65 were up-regulated (P<0.05,P<0.01). Compared with the Portulacae Herba + inhibitor group, the high-dose Portulacae Herba cream group had a decreased skin lesion score (P<0.01), alleviated pathological damage to skin tissue, decreased content of IL-1β, IL-6, ROS, and MDA in the serum of mice (P<0.05,P<0.01), and increased content of SOD (P<0.01). The protein expression levels of Nrf2, HO-1, and IκBα and the mRNA expression of Nrf2 and HO-1 in skin tissue were up-regulated (P<0.05,P<0.01), and the protein expression levels of p-IκBα and p-NF-κB p65 and the mRNA expression of NF-κB p65 were down-regulated (P<0.05). ConclusionPortulacae Herba can improve DNCB-induced ACD skin damage in mice by regulating the Nrf2/HO-1/NF-κB signaling pathway.
2.Predictive value of T cell subtype characteristics and peripheral blood inflammatory indicators in patients with liver cancer for myelosuppression after hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy
Rongrong ZHANG ; Yanming LIU ; Xiangyan CHEN ; Jing LING
Journal of International Oncology 2025;52(7):426-431
Objective:To explore the predictive value of T cell subtype characteristics and peripheral blood inflammatory indicators in patients with liver cancer for myelosuppression after hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy.Methods:A total of 115 patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma who received transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) treatment in the Department of Oncology of Taizhou Jiangyan Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital from May 2022 to May 2024 were enrolled as the research subjects. According to whether myelosuppression occurred after TACE treatment, the patients were divided into a non-myelosuppression group ( n=93) and a myelosuppression group ( n=22). The clinical data, the proportions of T cell subsets before TACE treatment, and the differences in the levels of peripheral blood inflammatory indexes were compared between the two groups. Spearman correlation analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to screen out the influencing factors of myelosuppression after TACE treatment in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma. The receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyze the efficacy of each influencing factor in predicting the myelosuppression of patients. Results:There were no statistically significant differences in age, sex, history of hypertension, body mass index, type of hepatitis virus infection, status of hypersplenism, Barcelona staging, Child-Pugh classification of liver function, number of TACE treatments, and the proportion of CD8 + T cells between the patients in the myelosuppression group and non-myelosuppression group (all P>0.05). However, there were statistically significant differences in diabetes ( χ2=3.94, P=0.047), history of alcohol consumption ( χ2=5.47, P=0.019), the longest diameter of the tumor ( Z=2.31, P=0.021), the presence of ascites ( χ2=4.10, P=0.043), the proportion of CD4 + T cells ( t=4.66, P<0.001), the ratio of CD4 +/CD8 + ( t=4.98, P<0.001), the neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR) ( t=4.98, P<0.001), the monocyte/lymphocyte ratio (MLR) ( t=2.31, P=0.023), and the systemic immune inflammation index (SII) ( t=5.31, P<0.001). Spearman correlation analysis showed that diabetes ( r=0.19, P=0.048), history of alcohol consumption ( r=0.22, P=0.019), the presence of ascites ( r=0.19, P=0.043), the longest diameter of the tumor ( r=0.22, P=0.020), NLR ( r=0.39, P<0.001), MLR ( r=0.30, P=0.001), and SII ( r=0.36, P<0.001) were all positively correlated with myelosuppression after TACE treatment in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma, while the proportion of CD4 + T cells ( r=-0.37, P<0.001) and the ratio of CD4 +/CD8 + ( r=-0.40, P<0.001) were negatively correlated with myelosuppression after TACE treatment in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the ratio of CD4 +/CD8 + ( OR=0.01, 95% CI: 0.01-0.11, P=0.002) was an independent protective factor for myelosuppression after TACE treatment in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma, and NLR ( OR=1.82, 95% CI: 1.31-5.60, P=0.013) and SII ( OR=1.03, 95% CI: 1.01-1.05, P=0.002) were both independent risk factors for myelosuppression after TACE treatment in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma. ROC curve analysis showed that the areas under the curve (AUCs) of the ratio of CD4 +/CD8 +, NLR, and SII for predicting myelosuppression after TACE treatment in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma alone were 0.79 (95% CI: 0.70-0.89), 0.78 (95% CI: 0.65-0.92), and 0.76 (95% CI: 0.65-0.87), respectively. The AUC of the combined prediction of the three was 0.91 (95% CI: 0.83-0.99), which was higher than that of the ratio of CD4 +/CD8 + ( Z=4.21, P<0.001), NLR ( Z=4.36, P<0.001), and SII ( Z=4.48, P<0.001) for prediction alone. Conclusions:The ratio of CD4 +/CD8 +, as well as NLR and SII levels before TACE treatment are independent factors influencing the occurrence of myelosuppression after treatment in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma, and are expected to be important indicators for predicting myelosuppression after hepatic artery infusion chemotherapy in patients with primary hepatocellular carcinoma.
3.Role of G protein-coupled receptor 120 in respiratory diseases
Yanyan ZHAO ; Lijun ZHANG ; Xiaochun ZHANG ; Xiangyan LIANG ; Yufeng ZHAO
Basic & Clinical Medicine 2025;45(2):244-248
G protein-coupled receptor 120(GPR120)is one of the membrane receptors for long chain free fatty acids and is distributed in alveolus macrophages and airway epithelial Club cells.GPR120 activation alleviates the inflammation of respiratory tract,improves airway hyper-responsiveness,stimulates proliferation of Club cells and promotes the repair of respiratory epithelium,which may attenuate asthma and acute lung injury.
4.Efficacy analysis of 125I seeds implantation combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization therapy for primary liver cancer
Wenwen ZHANG ; Shanhu HAO ; Zhiguo WANG ; Liqiu JI ; Gen LI ; Youchao WANG ; Xiangyan GE ; Guoxu ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging 2024;44(1):16-19
Objective:To explore the clinical efficacy of 125I seeds implantation combined with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) in the treatment of primary liver cancer. Methods:A retrospective analysis of data from 40 patients with primary liver cancer at the Northern Theater General Hospital from January 2018 to December 2020 (26 males, 14 females, age 41 to 82 years) was performed. Among them, 21 patients were in treatment group and underwent 125I seeds implantation combined with TACE treatment, while 19 patients were in control group and received TACE treatment. Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels between the two groups were compared, effective rate and disease control rate (DCR) of the two groups were analyzed, and overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were observed. Data were analyzed by using Mann-Whitney U test, χ2 test, Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. Results:Two months after 125I seeds implantation, the effective rates of treatment group and control group were 76.19%(16/21) and 8/19, respectively ( χ2=4.83, P=0.028); the DCRs were 90.48%(19/21) and 11/19, respectively ( χ2=4.21, P=0.040). AFP levels in both groups decreased significantly, with treatment group showing a greater decrease rate (0.87(0.84, 0.90) and 0.66(0.65, 0.67); z=5.42, P<0.001). No serious adverse reaction was observed in either group. The median OS of treatment group and control group were 18.2 and 10.6 months, respectively ( χ2=10.98, P=0.037); the median PFS of the two groups were 8.4 and 6.1 months, respectively ( χ2=7.54, P=0.041). Conclusion:125I seeds implantation combined with TACE treatment can exert a synergistic and enhancing effect in the treatment of primary liver cancer.
5.Expert Consensus on Clinical Diseases Responding Specifically to Traditional Chinese Medicine: Threatened Abortion
Xinchun YANG ; Shuyu WANG ; Huilan DU ; Songping LUO ; Zhe JIN ; Rong LI ; Xiangyan RUAN ; Qin ZHANG ; Xiaoling FENG ; Shicai CHEN ; Fengjie HE ; Shaobin WEI ; Qun LU ; Yanqin WANG ; Yang LIU ; Qingwei MENG ; Zengping HAO ; Ying LI ; Mei MO ; Xiaoxiao ZHANG ; Ruihua ZHAO
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(7):241-246
Threatened abortion is a common disease of obstetrics and gynecology and one of the diseases responding specifically to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The China Association of Chinese Medicine organized experts in TCM obstetrics and gynecology, Western medicine obstetrics and gynecology, and pharmacology to deeply discuss the advantages of TCM and integrated Chinese and Western medicine treatment as well as the medication plans for threatened abortion. After discussion, the experts concluded that chromosome, endocrine, and immune abnormalities were the key factors for the occurrence of threatened abortion, and the Qi and blood disorders in thoroughfare and conception vessels were the core pathogenesis. In the treatment of threatened abortion, TCM has advantages in preventing miscarriages, alleviating clinical symptoms and TCM syndromes, relieving anxiety, regulating reproductive endocrine and immune abnormalities, personalized and diversified treatment, enhancing efficiency and reducing toxicity, and preventing the disease before occurrence. The difficulty in diagnosis and treatment of threatened abortion with traditional Chinese and Western medicine lies in identifying the predictors of abortion caused by maternal factors and the treatment of thrombophilia. Recurrent abortion is the breakthrough point of treatment with integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine. It is urgent to carry out high-quality evidence-based medicine research in the future to improve the modern diagnosis and treatment of threatened abortion with TCM.
6.Research progress in digital PCR for the detection of occult hepatitis B virus infection
Chinese Journal of Experimental and Clinical Virology 2024;38(3):351-356
Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a major public health problem worldwide. Occult hepatitis B virus infection (OBI) is a special type of HBV infection with extremely low viral load, posing a potential threat to transfusion safety and great challenges for clinical diagnosis. Currently, detecting HBV DNA in the liver and/or blood is an effective method for diagnosis of OBI. In HBV DNA detection, compared with fluorescence quantitative PCR (qPCR), digital PCR (dPCR) provides a more efficient detection platform and is a reliable method for quantifying extremely low levels of nucleic acids. It has shown great application prospects in OBI detection. This article mainly reviews the common detection method for OBI, as well as the principles and advantages of dPCR, and outlines the current application status of dPCR in OBI detection. In the hope that dPCR can fully leverage its advantages in OBI detection and better serve the detection of blood donors and clinical diagnosis in the future.
7.Clinical observation of auxiliary steel plate combined with autologous platelet rich plasma for the treatment of bone nonunion after intramedullary fixation of long bone fractures
Zhenyu ZHOU ; Guichun ZHANG ; Wen WU ; Xiangyan HUANG
Chinese Journal of Blood Transfusion 2024;37(5):556-560
Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy of utilizing auxiliary steel plates in conjunction with autologous platelet-rich plasma(PRP)therapy for the treatment of bone non-union following intramedullary fixation of long shaft fractures in the limbs.Methods From January 2020 to September 2022,33 patients with non union after intramedullary fixation of long shaft fractures of the limbs admitted to the orthopedic trauma ward of the 960th Hospital of the PLA Jonit Logistics Support Force were selected as the research subjects,including 28 males and 5 females.The age range was 22 to 55 years,with an av-erage of(37.2±6.7)years.The patients were divided into the experimental group(n=15)and the control group(n=18)in order of admission.All patients retained intramedullary fixation,and the fracture end was fixed with reconstruction steel plates.According to the random number table method,15 cases in the experimental group were treated with autologous iliac bone transplantation combined with intraoperative and postoperative autologous PRP.The activated autologous PRP was fully fused with the patient′s autologous iliac bone during surgery and transplanted to the bone defect site.Ultrasound guidance was used to accurately locate the location.Autologous PRP was injected 10 mL/(person)occasion on the 14 th and 28 th day after surgery respectively.Eighteen cases in the control group received the treatment of autologous iliac bone transplantation at the bone de-fect site only.The clinical healing status of fractures between the two groups of patients were observed and compared.Results All 33 patients were followed up for a complete period of 9 to 30 months,with an average of(11.8±2.7)months.Compared with the control group,the clinical fracture healing time(months)was 5.25±1.18 vs 7.27±1.38(P<0.05);The healing rate was 93.3%(14/15)vs 61.1%(11/18)(P<0.05).Conclusion The combination of intraoperative and postoperative use of au-tologous PRP and auxiliary steel plates could promote the healing of bone non union after intramedullary fixation of long shaft fractures in the limbs,which is beneficial for early functional exercise of patients.
8.Analysis of a Chinese pedigree with Bw subtype due to a novel variant of α-1, 3 galactose aminotransferase gene
Wen WU ; Xinping ZHANG ; Chao LIU ; Xiangyan HUANG
Chinese Journal of Medical Genetics 2024;41(7):858-861
Objective:To explore the serological characteristics and genetic variant in a Chinese pedigree with Bw subtype.Methods:A 32-year-old female proband who had undergone prenatal examination on December 10, 2020 at the 960th Hospital of the PLA Joint Logistics Support Force and five members from her pedigree were selected as the study subjects. Peripheral blood samples were collected and subjected to ABO blood group phenotyping with serological methods and ABO blood group genotyping with fluorescent PCR. Genetic testing and haplotype analysis were carried out by direct sequencing of the entire coding region of the ABO gene in the proband and cloned sequencing of exons 1-7. Results:The blood type serology of the proband showed Bw, and the ABO blood type genotype determined by fluorescence PCR was B/O. The direct sequencing results showed that the proband had matched the ABO* O. 01. 01/ ABO* B. 01 genotype and carried a c. 1A>G variant. Cloned sequencing has confirmed the c. 1A>G variant to have occurred in the ABO* B. 01 allele. Family analysis revealed that the mother of the proband had an O blood type, her husband had a B phenotype, and the her three children had a normal B blood type. DNA sequencing showed that the two sons of the proband had a genotype of ABO* B. 01 and c. 1A>G/ ABO* B. 01. The daughter of the proband was ABO* O. 01. 01/ ABO* B. 01, whilst her mother was ABO* O. 01. 01/ ABO * O. 01. 02. The novel c. 1A>G variant sequence has been registered with the database with a number of MZ076785 1. Conclusion:The novel c. 1A>G variant of exon 1 of α- 1, 3 galactose aminotransferase gene probably underlay the reduced expression of B antigen in this pedigree.
9.Targeting NUF2 suppresses gastric cancer progression through G2/M phase arrest and apoptosis induction
Bo LONG ; Huinian ZHOU ; Lixia XIAO ; Xiangyan JIANG ; Jian LI ; Zhijian MA ; Na HE ; Wei XIN ; Boya ZHANG ; Xiaoqin ZHU ; Zeyuan YU ; Zuoyi JIAO
Chinese Medical Journal 2024;137(20):2437-2451
Background::Gastric cancer (GC), a malignant tumor with poor prognosis, is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide; consequently, identifying novel therapeutic targets is crucial for its corresponding treatment. NUF2, a component of the NDC80 kinetochore complex, promotes cancer progression in multiple malignancies. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the potential of NUF2 as a therapeutic target to inhibit GC progression. Methods::Clinical samples were obtained from patients who underwent radical resection of GC at Lanzhou University Second Hospital from 2016 to 2021. Cell count assays, colony formation assays, and cell-derived xenotransplantation (CDX) models were used to determine the effects of NUF2 on GC progression. Flow cytometry was used to detect the effect of NUF2 or quercetin on cell cycle progression and apoptosis. A live-cell time-lapse imaging assay was performed to determine the effect of NUF2 on the regulation of mitotic progression. Transcriptomics was used to investigate the NUF2-associated molecular mechanisms. Virtual docking and microscale thermophoresis were used to identify NUF2 inhibitors. Finally, CDX, organoid, and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models were used to examine the efficacy of the NUF2 inhibitor in GC. Results::NUF2 expression was significantly increased in GC and was negatively correlated with prognosis. The deletion of NUF2 suppressed GC progression both in vivo and in vitro. NUF2 significantly regulated the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, promoted G2/M phase transition, and inhibited apoptosis in GC cells. Additionally, quercetin was identified as a selective NUF2 inhibitor with low toxicity that significantly suppressed tumor growth in GC cells, organoids, CDX, and PDX models. Conclusions::Collectively, NUF2-mediated G2/M phase transition and apoptosis inhibition promoted GC progression; additionally, NUF2 inhibitors exhibited potent anti-GC activity. This study provides a new strategy for targeting NUF2 to suppress GC progression in clinical settings.
10.Study on the correlation between angiopoietin-2 and prognosis in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome
Liang ZHANG ; Xiangyan BAI ; Yiqian LI ; Pengfei SHUI ; Changhang ZHAO ; Junru DAI
Chinese Critical Care Medicine 2024;36(9):962-965
Objective:To evaluate the predictive value of angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) for the prognosis in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).Methods:A retrospective study was conducted, and ARDS patients admitted to the department of emergency medicine of Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province from December 2020 to September 2022 were enrolled. General information including gender, age, causes of ARDS, disease severity scores, plasma Ang-2 levels before treatment and at 24, 48, and 72 hours after treatment, and record the 60-day prognosis were collected. Differences in clinical data between groups were compared. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the independent risk factors affecting the 60-day prognosis of ARDS patients, and the receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC curve) was plotted to assess the predictive value of these risk factors for patient outcomes. Pearson correlation analysis was used to assess the correlation between Ang-2 and pulmonary vascular permeability index (PVPI) and extravascular lung water index (EVLWI).Results:A total of 132 ARDS patients were included, of which 49 patients died within 60 days and 83 patients survived. In the death group, plasma Ang-2 levels showed a gradually increasing trend, all significantly higher than before treatment (μg/L: 12.75±1.81, 12.74±1.48, 13.45±2.21 vs. 5.98±0.57, all P < 0.05), while the trend in the survival group was not significant. At 24, 48, and 72 hours after treatment, plasma Ang-2 levels in the death group were significantly higher than those in the survival group (μg/L: 12.75±1.81 vs. 7.48±1.22, 12.74±1.48 vs. 7.41±1.19, 13.45±1.41 vs. 6.88±1.41, all P < 0.05). After adjusting for confounding variables, increased plasma Ang-2 level was an independent risk factor for prognosis in ARDS patients within 60 days [odds ratio ( OR) = 0.998, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was 0.997-0.999, P < 0.01]. ROC curve analysis demonstrated that Ang-2 levels had predictive value for prognosis in ARDS patients [area under the ROC curve (AUC) = 0.985, 95% CI was 0.971-1.000, approximate maximum Youden's index 0.867, optimal cut-off value 8.43 μg/L]. Pearson correlation analysis showed that plasma Ang-2 levels were positively correlated with PVPI and EVLWI ( r values were 0.620 and 0.712 respectively, both P < 0.01). Conclusions:Elevated level of Ang-2 is an independent risk factor for increased mortality in patients with ARDS. Higher Ang-2 levels within 72 hours after treatment may indicate poorer prognosis.

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