According to General Chapter 1145 of Division IV in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2020 Edition), the test for depressor substances is a common method for drug testing. It determines whether the level of depressor substances in a test sample complies with the specified standards by comparing the extent of blood pressure reduction in anesthetized cats induced by the histamine reference substance and the test sample. If an out-of-specification (OOS) result occurs in the test for depressor substances, it may be caused by inherent quality issues of the drug or errors in the testing process. Therefore, analyzing the causes of OOS is particularly important for confirming the test results and evaluating drug quality. Cats are used as experimental animals in the test for depressor substances. Compared with conventional laboratory animals, they are less stable, surgery procedures are more challenging, and the testing process is more complex. These factors make it more difficult to investigate the causes of OOS in this test. Based on a review of the literature and practical work experience, this article analyzes the causes of OOS in the test for depressor substances from the following five aspects: (1) an analysis of the impact of drug standards on OOS from three aspects: standard determination, standard content, and standard drafting; (2) personnel qualifications, including pre-employment training, compliance with standard operating procedures during experimental operations, and the ability to operate instruments; (3) factors related to cats, used as experimental animals in the test for depressor substances, including physiological characteristics, genetic background, and abnormal conditions during the experiment; (4) reference substances, reagents, test samples, and key instruments such as the multi-channel physiological signal instrument; (5) experimental operations including animal anesthesia, arterial and venous catheterization, drug administration, and data processing. This article aims to provide reference approaches for professionals engaged in the testing of pharmaceuticals and biological products when analyzing the causes of OOS in the test for depressor substances.

According to General Chapter 1145 of Division IV in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2020 Edition), the test for depressor substances is a common method for drug testing. It determines whether the level of depressor substances in a test sample complies with the specified standards by comparing the extent of blood pressure reduction in anesthetized cats induced by the histamine reference substance and the test sample. If an out-of-specification (OOS) result occurs in the test for depressor substances, it may be caused by inherent quality issues of the drug or errors in the testing process. Therefore, analyzing the causes of OOS is particularly important for confirming the test results and evaluating drug quality. Cats are used as experimental animals in the test for depressor substances. Compared with conventional laboratory animals, they are less stable, surgery procedures are more challenging, and the testing process is more complex. These factors make it more difficult to investigate the causes of OOS in this test. Based on a review of the literature and practical work experience, this article analyzes the causes of OOS in the test for depressor substances from the following five aspects: (1) an analysis of the impact of drug standards on OOS from three aspects: standard determination, standard content, and standard drafting; (2) personnel qualifications, including pre-employment training, compliance with standard operating procedures during experimental operations, and the ability to operate instruments; (3) factors related to cats, used as experimental animals in the test for depressor substances, including physiological characteristics, genetic background, and abnormal conditions during the experiment; (4) reference substances, reagents, test samples, and key instruments such as the multi-channel physiological signal instrument; (5) experimental operations including animal anesthesia, arterial and venous catheterization, drug administration, and data processing. This article aims to provide reference approaches for professionals engaged in the testing of pharmaceuticals and biological products when analyzing the causes of OOS in the test for depressor substances.

Based on the trinity life view of ''physique， Qi， and spirit''， Chaihu Jia Longgu Mulitang treats the patient's physical symptoms， disorders of Qi movement， and disorders of consciousness， covering the overall treatment and comprehensive nursing of physique， Qi， and spirit. It is widely applied and recognized for its efficacy in modern clinical practice. This paper explored the treatment effect of Chaihu Jia Longgu Mulitang from the trinity life view of ''physique， Qi， and spirit''. This formula mainly targeted patients with Qi deficiency caused by cold， leading to a syndrome of Qi stagnation and water retention in the Triple Energizer Meridian of Hand Lesser Yang （TE）， as well as fire-heat syndrome in the Large Intestine Meridian of Hand Yang Brightness （LI） and Stomach Meridian of Foot Yang Brightness （ST）， accompanied by disorder of nutrient-blood and subsequent spirit and soul unrest. Accurately judging the imbalance of the patient's physique， Qi， and spirit and using an appropriate combination of medicinals can achieve balance among the three to achieve the best effect. The treatment strategy of Chaihu Jia Longgu Mulitang is as follows： For disorders of Qi movement， such as Qi deficiency， Qi stagnation， and gastrointestinal fire-heat， Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma and Bupleuri Radix-Scutellariae Radix， and Rhei Radix et Rhizoma are used in combination. For physical symptoms such as water retention and disorder of nutrient-blood， Poria-Pinelliae Rhizoma-Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens， as well as Cinnamomi Ramulus-Jujubae Fructus are used in combination. Finally， Os Draconis-Ostreae Concha-Plumbum Rubrum is used to calm the spirit and soothe the soul. According to existing research， Chaihu Jia Longgu Mulitang has shown good efficacy in treating a variety of complex clinical diseases. This article provides a comprehensive interpretation of Chaihu Jia Longgu Mulitang from the perspective of the trinity life view of ''physique， Qi， and spirit''， offering new insights for clinical syndrome differentiation， treatment， and prescription.

Immune checkpoint blockade therapy has demonstrated remarkable efficacy in treating various malignancies; however, its clinical application remains challenged by low response rates and immune-related adverse events. Immunoglobulin superfamily member 11 (IGSF11), an inhibitory immune checkpoint molecule, serves as a specific ligand for the V-domain immunoglobulin suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA). Through the IGSF11/VISTA axis, it suppresses T cell function and represents a promising novel target for cancer immunotherapy. IGSF11 is widely expressed across multiple tumor types, though its regulatory mechanisms vary depending on the malignancy. Studies have confirmed that blocking the IGSF11-VISTA interaction or specifically inhibiting IGSF11 exerts antitumor effects. While IGSF11 is closely associated with patient prognosis, its prognostic significance differs among cancer types. This review systematically summarizes the structural characteristics of IGSF11, its regulatory mechanisms, interaction with VISTA, and functional role within the tumor microenvironment.
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Humans ; Immunotherapy ; Neoplasms/metabolism* ; B7 Antigens/chemistry* ; Animals ; Molecular Targeted Therapy ; Tumor Microenvironment

Metastasis is the leading cause of death from cutaneous melanoma. Identifying metastasis-related targets and developing corresponding therapeutic strategies are major areas of focus. While functional genomics strategies provide powerful tools for target discovery, investigations at the protein level can directly decode the bioactive epitopes on functional proteins. Aptamers present a promising avenue as they can explore membrane proteomes and have the potential to interfere with cell function. Herein, we developed a target and epitope discovery platform, termed functional aptamer evolution-enabled target identification (FAETI), by integrating affinity aptamer acquisition with phenotype screening and target protein identification. Utilizing the aptamer XH3C, which was screened for its migration-inhibitory function, we identified the Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4), as a potential target involved in melanoma migration. Further evidence demonstrated that XH3C induces cytoskeletal rearrangement by blocking the interaction between the bioactive epitope of CSPG4 and integrin α4. Taken together, our study demonstrates the robustness of aptamer-based molecular tools for target and epitope discovery. Additionally, XH3C is an affinity and functional molecule that selectively binds to a unique epitope on CSPG4, enabling the development of innovative therapeutic strategies.

Myocardial fibrosis is a serious cause of heart failure and even sudden cardiac death. However, the mechanisms underlying myocardial ischemia-induced cardiac fibrosis remain unclear. Here, we identified that the expression of sterile alpha and TIR motif containing 1 (SARM1), was increased significantly in the ischemic cardiomyopathy patients, dilated cardiomyopathy patients (GSE116250) and fibrotic heart tissues of mice. Additionally, inhibition or knockdown of SARM1 can improve myocardial fibrosis and cardiac function of myocardial infarction (MI) mice. Moreover, SARM1 fibroblasts-specific knock-in mice had increased deposition of extracellular matrix and impaired cardiac function. Mechanically, elevated expression of SARM1 promotes the deposition of extracellular matrix by directly modulating P4HA1. Notably, by using the Click-iT reaction, we identified that the increased expression of ZDHHC17 promotes the palmitoylation levels of SARM1, thereby accelerating the fibrosis process. Based on the fibrosis-promoting effect of SARM1, we screened several drugs with anti-myocardial fibrosis activity. In conclusion, we have unveiled that palmitoylated SARM1 targeting P4HA1 promotes collagen deposition and myocardial fibrosis. Inhibition of SARM1 is a potential strategy for the treatment of myocardial fibrosis. The sites where SARM1 interacts with P4HA1 and the palmitoylation modification sites of SARM1 may be the active targets for anti-fibrosis drugs.

Gene regulation relies on the precise binding of transcription factors (TFs) at regulatory elements, but simultaneously detecting hundreds of TFs on chromatin is challenging. We developed cFOOT-seq, a cytosine deaminase-based TF footprinting assay, for high-resolution, quantitative genome-wide assessment of TF binding in both open and closed chromatin regions, even with small cell numbers. By utilizing the dsDNA deaminase SsdAtox, cFOOT-seq converts accessible cytosines to uracil while preserving genomic integrity, making it compatible with techniques like ATAC-seq for sensitive and cost-effective detection of TF occupancy at the single-molecule and single-cell level. Our approach enables the delineation of TF footprints, quantification of occupancy, and examination of chromatin influences on TF binding. Notably, cFOOT-seq, combined with FootTrack analysis, enables de novo prediction of TF binding sites and tracking of TF occupancy dynamics. We demonstrate its application in capturing cell type-specific TFs, analyzing TF dynamics during reprogramming, and revealing TF dependencies on chromatin remodelers. Overall, cFOOT-seq represents a robust approach for investigating the genome-wide dynamics of TF occupancy and elucidating the cis-regulatory architecture underlying gene regulation.
Transcription Factors/genetics* ; Humans ; Chromatin/genetics* ; Animals ; Binding Sites ; Mice ; DNA Footprinting/methods*

Objective To explore the difference of transfer RNA-derived small RNA(tsRNA)expression profile before and after acute myocardial infarction(AMI)and the diagnostic value of tsRNA for AMI.Methods Age-and weight-matched male C57 mice(8-10 weeks)were randomly divided into MI group and Sham group,with 4 in each group.AMI model was surgically induced in mice in MI group.After 24 h of modeling,RNA was extracted from left ventricular myocardial tissue.After removing modifications,total RNA of each sample was sequentially ligated to 3'and 5'small RNA adapters.Subsequently,reverse transcription PCR was performed.cDNA was then synthesized and amplified.The amplified products corresponding to the size of 15-40 nt RNA were screened to construct a library for sequencing.The sequencing results were compared with the mature tRNA and tRNA precursor sequences in GtRNAdb database.Differentially expressed tsRNA profiles before and after AMI were obtained.The alterations of the cleaved patterns of tRNA corresponding to the same codon before and after AMI were analyzed.According to the profile of differentially expressed tsRNA before and after AMI,tsRNA only abundantly expressed in MI group were selected and verified in myocardial tissue and plasma of mice to explore the potential of these tsRNAs as diagnostic markers of AMI.Results tsRNA profile showed good repeatability within the same group and great distinctiveness between the different groups.After AMI occurred,the cleaved patterns of a variety of tRNAs changed,including tRNA Asn-GTT,Glu-TTC,Gly-ACC,Gly-GCC,His-GTG,Ile-AAT,Ile-GAT,Pro-TGG,Ser-AGA,and Trp-CCA.Compared with the Sham group,268 tsRNAs significantly up-regulated and 1 228 tsRNAs down-regulated in MI group,and 64 tsRNAs were uniquely expressed in MI group.tRF-Gly-CCC-2-31,tiRNA-Val-CAC-1-32,tiRNA-Val-AAC-2-32,tiRNA-Glu-TTC-2-32,and tiRNA-Lys-TTT-1-34 were specifically expressed in cardiac tissue on the 1st day post AMI.Among them,tiRNA-Val-AAC-2-32 and tiRNA-Lys-TTT-1-34 showed specifically abundant levels in plasma from MI group and dynamically changed with AMI duration.Conclusions The expression profile of tsRNA is significantly different before and after AMI.tiRNA-Val-AAC-2-32 and tiRNA-Lys-TTT-1-34 are uniquely highly expressed in myocardial tissue and plasma from AMI mice,and might have the potential as diagnostic markers of AMI.

Objective To investigate the utility of dual-energy CT combined with musculoskeletal ultraso-nography in differentiating between calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease and gouty arthritis.Methods A retro-spective analysis was conducted on the medical records of 102 patients diagnosed with gouty arthritis and 102 patients diagnosed with calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease.These patients were categorized into the Gout group and Calcium Deposition group,respectively,based on their respective diagnoses.All patients underwent dual-energy CT and musculoskeletal ultrasonography examinations,while joint fluid aspiration results or intra-articular crystal material served as the gold standard for diagnosis.The diagnostic efficacy of dual-energy CT and musculoskeletal ultrasonography in discriminating between calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease and gouty arthritis was evalu-ated.Results In the gout group,the proportion of male patients and serum uric acid levels were significantly higher compared to those in the calcium deposition group(P<0.05).The prevalence rates of knee joint,first metatarsopha-langeal joint,and ankle joint involvement were higher in the gout group,while knee joint,wrist joint,and shoulder joint involvement rates were higher in the calcium deposition group.The proportions of irregular bone cortex,carti-lage injury,and degenerative meniscus changes were lower in the gout group compared to the calcium deposition group(P<0.05).The proportions of double contour sign,tophus formation,hyperechoic band within ligaments or tendons,and bone erosion were higher in the gout group compared to the calcium deposition group(P<0.05),whereas cartilage calcification was lower in the gout group(P<0.05).The sensitivities for diagnosing calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease and gouty arthritis using dual-energy CT scan alone,musculoskeletal ultrasound alone,and their combined use were 86.27%,83.33%,and 94.12%respectively.The specificities for diagnosing these conditions using dual-energy CT scan alone,musculoskeletal ultrasound alone,and their combined use were 89.22%,88.24%,and 86.27%respectively.The positive predictive values were 88.89%,87.63%,and 87.27%,respectively.The negative predictive values were 86.67%,84.11%,and 93.63%,respectively.The accuracies were 87.75%,85.78%,and 90.20%respectively.The agreement Kappa values were 0.755,0.716,and 0.804 respectively.Conclusions The integration of dual-energy CT and musculoskeletal ultrasonography exhibits promising diagnostic efficacy in discriminating between calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease and gouty arthritis.This combined approach serves as a valuable adjunctive tool for the diagnosis of both conditions.

Objective:To investigate the efficacy and safety of separated R-CHOP in older patients with newly diagnosed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma(DLBCL).Methods:A total of 137 patients aged 65-80 years newly diagnosed with DLBCL between April 2013 and September 2022 at The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University were enrolled.The patients were assigned into separated R-CHOP,full-dose R-CHOP,and reduced R-CHOP-like groups based on their different chemotherapy regimens.All individuals were treated in 21-day cycles for 4-8 cycles.The short-term and long-term efficacies and adverse reactions of the treatments were compared among the three groups,and factors influencing progression-free survival(PFS)and overall survival(OS)were analyzed.Results:The overall response rates(ORR)of patients in the separated R-CHOP,full-dose R-CHOP,and reduced R-CHOP-like groups were 89.7%,90.3%,and 86.1%,respectively,with no significant differences among them.The complete respond rate(CRR)of the separated R-CHOP group(64.1%)was significantly higher than that of the reduced R-CHOP-like group(33.3%)(P=0.008)but not significantly different from that of the full-dose R-CHOP group(66.1%).Survival curve analysis revealed no significant differences in PFS and OS between the separated and full-dose R-CHOP groups.Although the separated R-CHOP group showed improved PFS compared with the reduced R-CHOP-like group(P=0.036),there was no statistical difference in OS between these two groups.Multivariate analysis revealed that the international prognostic index(IPI)and separated R-CHOP had significant effects on PFS in patients with DLBCL(all P<0.05),whereas only IPI had a significant effect on OS(P<0.001).The incidence of leukopenia and grade 3-4 leukopenia in the separated R-CHOP group was significantly lower than that in the full-dose R-CHOP group(P=0.007,P=0.012),but there was no significant difference with the reduced R-CHOP-like group in this regard.Conclusions:In older patients with newly diagnosed DLBCL,separated R-CHOP showed good efficacy both in the short and long terms and had acceptable safety and tolerability profiles.