1.Reconsideraton of Stroke with Syndrome of Combined Blood Stasis and Toxin from the Perspective of Xiang Thinking
Yunfan ZHANG ; Di ZHAO ; Lina MIAO ; Hongxi LIU ; Jingjing WEI ; Xiao LIANG ; Liuding WANG ; Xueru ZHANG ; Yunmeng CHEN ; Yunling ZHANG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(13):1305-1310
Xiang thinking is a cognitive approach that reflects the relationships between phenomena and their underlying principles by analyzing their external manifestations through methods such as analogy, reasoning, deduction, and symbolism. This article applied xiang thinking to analyze the etiology and pathogenesis of "wind, fire, phlegm, and blood stasis" in stroke, thereby exploring its impact on the principles of syndrome differentiation and treatment of this condition. Meanwhile, the article traced the construction process of xiang thinking, and interpreted the concept of "toxin pathogen" in traditional Chinese medicine from four perspectives, state, attribute, origin, and law. Furthermore, the relationship between the process of constructing xiang thinking and the origin of etiology, identification methods, pathogenesis evolution, and treatment strategies for stroke with syndrome of combined blood stasis and toxin was explored, so as to provide insights into research on the etiology and pathogenesis of stroke, as well as clinical diagnosis and treatment approaches.
2.Role of neutrophil extracellular traps in hepatocellular carcinoma
Xueru TIAN ; Weiyu CHEN ; Luyi YAN ; Yang HONG ; Han WANG ; Shouqin LIU ; Lei QING ; Guojuan MA ; Dewen MAO ; Chun YAO
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(11):2410-2417
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a malignant tumor with high incidence and mortality rates worldwide. Recent studies have shown that neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) play an important role in the development, progression, and immune escape of HCC. NETs are released by neutrophils and mainly consist of DNA, histones, and antimicrobial molecules, and in addition to immune defense, they are also involved in the initiation, metastasis, and thrombosis of HCC. This article elaborates on the formation and regulatory mechanisms of NETs, explores their potential mechanisms in the initiation, metastasis, immune escape, and thrombosis of HCC, and discusses the prospect of NETs as a target for the diagnosis and treatment of HCC, in order to provide new ideas for the precise treatment of HCC in the future and promote the early diagnosis and effective treatment of HCC.
3.P4HA1 mediates YAP hydroxylation and accelerates collagen synthesis in temozolomide-resistant glioblastoma.
Xueru LI ; Gangfeng YU ; Xiao ZHONG ; Jiacheng ZHONG ; Xiangyu CHEN ; Qinglong CHEN ; Jinjiang XUE ; Xi YANG ; Xinchun ZHANG ; Yao LING ; Yun XIU ; Yaqi DENG ; Hongda LI ; Wei MO ; Yong ZHU ; Ting ZHANG ; Liangjun QIAO ; Song CHEN ; Fanghui LU
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(16):1991-2005
BACKGROUND:
Temozolomide (TMZ) resistance is a significant challenge in treating glioblastoma (GBM). Collagen remodeling has been shown to be a critical factor for therapy resistance in other cancers. This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of TMZ chemoresistance by GBM cells reprogramming collagens.
METHODS:
Key extracellular matrix components, including collagens, were examined in paired primary and recurrent GBM samples as well as in TMZ-treated spontaneous and grafted GBM murine models. Human GBM cell lines (U251, TS667) and mouse primary GBM cells were used for in vitro studies. RNA-sequencing analysis, chromatin immunoprecipitation, immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry, and co-immunoprecipitation assays were conducted to explore the mechanisms involved in collagen accumulation. A series of in vitro and in vivo experiments were designed to assess the role of the collagen regulators prolyl 4-hydroxylase subunit alpha 1 (P4HA1) and yes-associated protein (YAP) in sensitizing GBM cells to TMZ.
RESULTS:
This study revealed that TMZ exposure significantly elevated collagen type I (COL I) expression in both GBM patients and murine models. Collagen accumulation sustained GBM cell survival under TMZ-induced stress, contributing to enhanced TMZ resistance. Mechanistically, P4HA1 directly binded to and hydroxylated YAP, preventing ubiquitination-mediated YAP degradation. Stabilized YAP robustly drove collagen type I alpha 1 ( COL1A1) transcription, leading to increased collagen deposition. Disruption of the P4HA1-YAP axis effectively reduced COL I deposition, sensitized GBM cells to TMZ, and significantly improved mouse survival.
CONCLUSION
P4HA1 maintained YAP-mediated COL1A1 transcription, leading to collagen accumulation and promoting chemoresistance in GBM.
Temozolomide
;
Humans
;
Glioblastoma/drug therapy*
;
Animals
;
Mice
;
Cell Line, Tumor
;
Drug Resistance, Neoplasm/genetics*
;
YAP-Signaling Proteins
;
Hydroxylation
;
Dacarbazine/pharmacology*
;
Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing/metabolism*
;
Transcription Factors/metabolism*
;
Collagen/biosynthesis*
;
Collagen Type I/metabolism*
;
Prolyl Hydroxylases/metabolism*
;
Antineoplastic Agents, Alkylating/therapeutic use*
4.Association between bile acid/short-chain fatty acid metabolic disorders and hepatic encephalopathy based on the traditional Chinese medicine theory of Yin and Yang
Luyi YAN ; Weiyu CHEN ; Han WANG ; Wenqian FENG ; Yang DU ; Xueru TIAN ; Yang HONG ; Dewen MAO ; Lei FU ; Chun YAO
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(7):1443-1449
Hepatic encephalopathy is a neuropsychiatric syndrome secondary to severe liver disease.Recent studies have shown that the development of hepatic encephalopathy is closely associated with bile acid/short-chain fatty acid metabolic disorder.As the core theory of traditional Chinese medicine,the theory of Yin and Yang provides a unique perspective for analyzing the association between bile acids/short-chain fatty acids and hepatic encephalopathy.Bile acids function like Yang,governing the free flow of Qi and assisting in metabolic processes,while short-chain fatty acids belong to Yin,maintaining internal stability and conservation,preserving the intestinal barrier,and combating inflammation and toxins.Bile acids and short-chain fatty acids constrain each other and are interdependent to regulate the dynamic equilibrium of the gut-liver-brain axis.On this basis,by regulating the metabolic imbalance of bile acids and short-chain fatty acids,it is expected to restore the dynamic balance of Yin and Yang in patients with hepatic encephalopathy under the synergistic intervention of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine.
5.Association between bile acid/short-chain fatty acid metabolic disorders and hepatic encephalopathy based on the traditional Chinese medicine theory of Yin and Yang
Luyi YAN ; Weiyu CHEN ; Han WANG ; Wenqian FENG ; Yang DU ; Xueru TIAN ; Yang HONG ; Dewen MAO ; Lei FU ; Chun YAO
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(7):1443-1449
Hepatic encephalopathy is a neuropsychiatric syndrome secondary to severe liver disease.Recent studies have shown that the development of hepatic encephalopathy is closely associated with bile acid/short-chain fatty acid metabolic disorder.As the core theory of traditional Chinese medicine,the theory of Yin and Yang provides a unique perspective for analyzing the association between bile acids/short-chain fatty acids and hepatic encephalopathy.Bile acids function like Yang,governing the free flow of Qi and assisting in metabolic processes,while short-chain fatty acids belong to Yin,maintaining internal stability and conservation,preserving the intestinal barrier,and combating inflammation and toxins.Bile acids and short-chain fatty acids constrain each other and are interdependent to regulate the dynamic equilibrium of the gut-liver-brain axis.On this basis,by regulating the metabolic imbalance of bile acids and short-chain fatty acids,it is expected to restore the dynamic balance of Yin and Yang in patients with hepatic encephalopathy under the synergistic intervention of traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine.
6.Effect of embryo cryostorage duration on pregnancy and obstetric outcomes in patients undergoing FET assisted reproduction
Haixia CHEN ; Tuo KUANG ; Fang LI ; Jing ZHANG ; Xiaohuan MU ; Yonghuan LYU ; Wenyan TIAN ; Xueru SONG ; Xiaohong BAI
Chinese Journal of Reproduction and Contraception 2025;45(1):59-66
Objective:To investigate the effect of the embryo cryopreservation duration on pregnancy and obstetric outcome.Methods:A retrospective cohort study of 2 662 frozen-thawed embyro tranfer (FET) cycles was conducted in the Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital from January 2016 to December 2020. According to embryo cryopreservation duration, the patients were divided into group A (≤1 year, n=2 115), group B (>1 years and ≤3 years, n=319), group C (>3 years and ≤6 years, n=174), and group D (>6 years, n=54). We used the propensity score matching (PSM) to match the baseline data of oocyte retrieval age of the other three groups according to group D at a ratio of 1∶3. Clinical and obstetric outcomes were compared among the four groups. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the effect of oocyte retrieval age, embryo transfer age, the duration of embryo cryopreservation, endometrial preparation scheme, endometrial thickness, the number of transferred embryos and the number of high-quality embryos on pregnancy and live birth outcome. Results:1) Before PSM, there were significant differences in the maternal age at oocyte retrieval and embryo transfer and duration of embryo cryopreservation among the four groups(all P<0.001). 2) After PSM, the baseline characteristics of oocyte retrieval age reached a balance among the four groups. There were no statistical differences in the number of embryos transfer, the number of high-quality embryos, the transferred embryo stage, the endometrial regimen among the groups (all P>0.05). The clinical pregnancy rate [37.04% (20/54)] and the live birth rate [33.33% (18/54)] in group D were lower than those in group A [51.57% (82/159), 40.88% (65/159)], group B [50.00% (65/130), 40.77% (53/130)] and group C [49.59% (61/123), 39.02% (48/123)], but the difference was not statistically significant between the four groups ( P=0.310, P=0.781). There were no statistical differences among the four groups in the ratio of male to female newborns, gestational age, birth weight, preterm delivery rate, low birth weight rate, macrosomia rate, birth defects, and premature repture of membranes (all P>0.05). 3) Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the number of high-quality embryos transferred affected the clinical pregnancy outcome (before PSM, OR=2.614, 95% CI: 2.168-3.151, P<0.001; after PSM, OR=1.984, 95% CI: 1.406-2.800, P<0.001) and live birth (before PSM, OR=2.708, 95% CI: 2.198-3.336, P<0.001; after PSM, OR=2.122, 95% CI: 1.474-3.053, P<0.001). The duration of embryo cryopreservation does not affect the clinical outcome and live birth (all P>0.05). Conclusion:The duration of embryo cryopreservation does not affect the clinical outcome and live birth, but large sample data are still needed to support this conclusion in the future.
7.Effect of embryo cryostorage duration on pregnancy and obstetric outcomes in patients undergoing FET assisted reproduction
Haixia CHEN ; Tuo KUANG ; Fang LI ; Jing ZHANG ; Xiaohuan MU ; Yonghuan LYU ; Wenyan TIAN ; Xueru SONG ; Xiaohong BAI
Chinese Journal of Reproduction and Contraception 2025;45(1):59-66
Objective:To investigate the effect of the embryo cryopreservation duration on pregnancy and obstetric outcome.Methods:A retrospective cohort study of 2 662 frozen-thawed embyro tranfer (FET) cycles was conducted in the Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital from January 2016 to December 2020. According to embryo cryopreservation duration, the patients were divided into group A (≤1 year, n=2 115), group B (>1 years and ≤3 years, n=319), group C (>3 years and ≤6 years, n=174), and group D (>6 years, n=54). We used the propensity score matching (PSM) to match the baseline data of oocyte retrieval age of the other three groups according to group D at a ratio of 1∶3. Clinical and obstetric outcomes were compared among the four groups. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the effect of oocyte retrieval age, embryo transfer age, the duration of embryo cryopreservation, endometrial preparation scheme, endometrial thickness, the number of transferred embryos and the number of high-quality embryos on pregnancy and live birth outcome. Results:1) Before PSM, there were significant differences in the maternal age at oocyte retrieval and embryo transfer and duration of embryo cryopreservation among the four groups(all P<0.001). 2) After PSM, the baseline characteristics of oocyte retrieval age reached a balance among the four groups. There were no statistical differences in the number of embryos transfer, the number of high-quality embryos, the transferred embryo stage, the endometrial regimen among the groups (all P>0.05). The clinical pregnancy rate [37.04% (20/54)] and the live birth rate [33.33% (18/54)] in group D were lower than those in group A [51.57% (82/159), 40.88% (65/159)], group B [50.00% (65/130), 40.77% (53/130)] and group C [49.59% (61/123), 39.02% (48/123)], but the difference was not statistically significant between the four groups ( P=0.310, P=0.781). There were no statistical differences among the four groups in the ratio of male to female newborns, gestational age, birth weight, preterm delivery rate, low birth weight rate, macrosomia rate, birth defects, and premature repture of membranes (all P>0.05). 3) Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the number of high-quality embryos transferred affected the clinical pregnancy outcome (before PSM, OR=2.614, 95% CI: 2.168-3.151, P<0.001; after PSM, OR=1.984, 95% CI: 1.406-2.800, P<0.001) and live birth (before PSM, OR=2.708, 95% CI: 2.198-3.336, P<0.001; after PSM, OR=2.122, 95% CI: 1.474-3.053, P<0.001). The duration of embryo cryopreservation does not affect the clinical outcome and live birth (all P>0.05). Conclusion:The duration of embryo cryopreservation does not affect the clinical outcome and live birth, but large sample data are still needed to support this conclusion in the future.
8.Effects of TMCO1 on proliferation and migration of cervical cancer cells
Xun CHEN ; Zhenxia ZHENG ; Xueru RUAN
China Oncology 2024;34(6):571-580
Background and purpose:Transmembrane and coiled-coil domains 1(TMCO1)is a recently discovered endoplasmic reticulum calcium channel protein that has been found to be associated with the progression of various tumors,however,its role in cervical cancer has not yet been clarified.This study aimed to investigate the effects of TMCO1 on the proliferation and migration of cervical cancer HeLa cells.Methods:By transfecting cervical cancer HeLa cells with plasmids,cells with stable overexpression of TMCO1 and cells with stable knockdown of TMCO1 were obtained.Cell counting kit-8(CCK-8)assay,clone formation assay and EdU labeling assay were used to detect cell proliferation ability,transwell assay was used to detect cell migration ability,and proteomic analysis was performed on the cells that stably overexpressed TMCO1 and control cells.Results:TThe CCK-8 experiment and clone formation experiment showed that overexpression of TMCO1 in cervical cancer HeLa cells significantly increased their proliferation ability(P<0.05).EdU labeling experiments showed that overexpression of TMCO1 in cervical cancer HeLa cells significantly increased the number of cells undergoing active DNA synthesis(P<0.01).After knocking down TMCO1 in cervical cancer HeLa cells,the expression of cell cycle inhibitory protein p27 increased,and the phosphorylation of histone H3 decreased.Clonogenesis experiments showed that knocking down TMCO1 significantly inhibited the proliferation of cervical cancer HeLa cells(P<0.001).EdU labeling experiments showed that after knocking down TMCO1 in cervical cancer HeLa cells,the number of cells undergoing active DNA synthesis was significantly reduced(P<0.05).Transwell experiment showed that overexpression of TMCO1 in cervical cancer HeLa cells significantly increased their migration ability(P<0.001),while knocking down TMCO1 significantly inhibited the migration of cervical cancer HeLa cells(P<0.001).The pathways related to extracellular matrix adhesion and PI3K-AKT signaling were significantly upregulated in the cells with stable overexpression of TMCO1,while ribosome related pathways were downregulated in proteomic analysis.Conclusion:Overexpression of TMCO1 significantly promotes the proliferation and migration of cervical cancer cells,while knockdown of TMCO1 significantly inhibits the proliferation and migration of cervical cancer HeLa cells.TMCO1 may affect the proliferation and migration of HeLa cells by regulating cell adhesion and signal transduction.
9.Exploring the Disease Mechanism and Treatment of Ischemic Stroke Based on Ascending and Descending of Qi Movement from the Perspective of Xiang Thinking
Liuding WANG ; Xiao LIANG ; Yifan CHEN ; Yue LIU ; Hongxi LIU ; Di ZHAO ; Yunfan ZHANG ; Yunmeng CHEN ; Xueru ZHANG ; Yunling ZHANG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;65(14):1443-1448
Xiang thinking is the key way of thinking to construct the life model of human body in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), and the theory of ascending and descending of qi movement is an important manifestation of xiang thinking in the theory of TCM. Based on the theory of qi movement, this paper interpreted the mechanism of ischemic stroke through the perspective of xiang thinking "earth weakness - wood constraint - fire hyperactivity", as "earth weakness in the central and dampness accumulated to phlegm" "wood constraint and stirring wind led to blood stasis" and "fire hyperactivity and fire toxin showed flaming upward" due to disorder of qi movement. Combined with the "xiang of medicinal properties and therapy methods" to discuss the treatment and prescriptions of ischaemic stroke, applying wind medicinals to elevate ji-earth (己土) and yi-wood (乙木), so that phlegm and stasis can be eliminated, and cold medicinals to descend jia-wood (甲木) and wu-earth (戊土) so that fire toxin can be cleared, with a view to restore ascending and descending of qi movement for ischaemic stroke.
10.Diagnosis of duplicated kidney and ureter with ectopic opening of ureter in vagina before embryo transfer
Ye TIAN ; Fang LI ; Jing ZHANG ; Hui XIA ; Qi CHEN ; Ying LUO ; Xueru SONG
Chinese Journal of Reproduction and Contraception 2024;44(12):1281-1284
A retrospective analysis was conducted on a case of duplicate right kidney and ureter with ectopic opening in the vagina discovered before embryo transfer, and literature review was conducted. The patient planned to undergo a third embryo transfer. Prior to the transfer, laparoscopic bilateral salpingectomy was performed due to "right fallopian tube hydrosalpinx". About a week after the surgery, there was a continuous increase in vaginal discharge with an odor for more than 50 d. Repeated antibiotic treatments in the outpatient department were ineffective. Vaginal ultrasound examination revealed a cyst in the right adnexal area. After multiple gynecological examinations, vaginal ultrasound, urological ultrasound, whole abdominal CT, magnetic resonance urography, etc., the diagnosis was right kidney and ureteral malformation with ectopic opening of the ureter in the vagina. Upon reviewing the preoperative images of the patient undergoing salpingectomy, it was found that the dilated right repeated ureter was misdiagnosed as hydrosalpinx. Women with adnexal cysts accompanied by continuous vaginal discharge should consider the possibility of repeated ureters and ectopic ureteral opening, and should pay attention to distinguishing it from hydrosalpinx.

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