1.LSS deficiency ameliorates MASLD by downregulating NPC1L1 and activating the CD36/TLR4/JNK pathway
Zihan WANG ; Hongmei BAI ; Qingya HE ; Wenjing ZHOU ; Jian ZHONG ; Xiaoli JIANG ; Sumei ZHANG ; Shengquan ZHANG
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(5):812-818
ObjectiveTo investigate whether intestinal deficiency of lanosterol synthase (LSS), a key enzyme in cholesterol synthesis, influences the progression of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) by regulating intestinal cholesterol absorption and immune response. MethodsLSS heterozygous knockout (LSS+/-) mice and wild-type (WT) controls were generated using CRISPR/Cas9 technology and fed either a high-fat diet (HFD) or regular chow (CHOW). The model was validated by genotyping. Hepatic steatosis was assessed by HE and oil red O staining. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the localization and expression of NPC1L1 and CD36 proteins in the intestine. Western blot analysis was performed to measure JNK phosphorylation and TLR4 protein levels in intestinal tissues. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was employed to examine the mRNA expression of TLR4 and IL-6. ResultsLSS+/- mice were successfully validated by genotyping and reduced intestinal LSS protein expression. HE and oil red O staining of liver sections showed that, compared with WT mice fed a CHOW diet, WT mice fed a HFD exhibited a marked increase in hepatic lipid vacuoles. In contrast, compared with HFD-fed WT mice, HFD-fed LSS+/- mice displayed significantly attenuated hepatic lipid deposition and reduced serum ALT levels (P<0.05). Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that, compared with WT mice, the expression of the cholesterol absorption protein NPC1L1 in the intestinal villi of LSS+/- mice was downregulated under both CHOW and HFD conditions (PHFD<0.001). Conversely, the expression of the fatty acid transporter CD36 was upregulated in the intestines of LSS+/- mice (PCHOW<0.05, PHFD<0.01). Western blot analysis demonstrated that, compared with WT mice, TLR4 protein expression in the intestines of LSS+/- mice significantly increased under both CHOW and HFD conditions (both P<0.05). JNK phosphorylation level was significantly elevated in LSS+/- mice under CHOW condition (both P<0.05). Under HFD condition, total JNK protein expression increased, but its phosphorylation level showed no significant change. qPCR analysis showed that, compared with WT mice, the mRNA levels of TLR4 (PCHOW<0.01, PHFD<0.000 1) and IL-6 (PCHOW<0.001, PHFD<0.01) were significantly upregulated in the intestines of LSS+/-mice. ConclusionLSS deficiency counteracts hepatic lipid deposition by orchestrating a synergistic reprogramming involving restricted intestinal cholesterol absorption, enhanced fatty acid utilization, and activation of immune pathways, suggesting intestinal LSS as a potential therapeutic target of MASLD.
2.Mechanism of 1,25(OH)2D3 improving liver inflammation in a rat model of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis induced by choline-deficient L-amino acid-defined diet
Haiyang ZHU ; Jingshu CUI ; Liu YANG ; Mengting ZHOU ; Jian TONG ; Hongmei HAN
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(2):254-262
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of 1,25(OH)2D3 on the level of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) in the liver, the phenotype of hepatic macrophages, and liver inflammation in a rat model of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), as well as the mechanism of 1,25(OH)2D3 improving liver inflammation. MethodsAfter 1 week of adaptive feeding, 24 specific pathogen-free Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal group [choline-supplemented L-amino acid-defined (CSAA) diet], normal+1,25(OH)2D3 group [CSAA diet+1,25(OH)2D3], model group [choline-deficient L-amino acid-defined diet (CDAA) diet], and model+1,25(OH)2D3 group [CDAA diet+1,25(OH)2D3], with 6 rats in each group. The dose of 1,25(OH)2D3 was 5 μg/kg for intraperitoneal injection twice a week for 12 weeks. The serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were measured, liver histopathology was observed, and SAF score was assessed. M1 hepatic macrophages and M2 hepatic macrophages were measured to analyze in the change in the phenotype of hepatic macrophages, and ELISA was used to measure the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-4 (IL-4), and interleukin-10 (IL-10) in liver tissue, and qPCR was used to measure the mRNA level of PPAR-γ. The two-factor analysis of variance was use for comparison between groups, and the least significant difference t-test was used for further comparison; the Pearson method was used for correlation analysis. ResultsCompared with the normal group, the model rats with CDAA diet-induced NASH had significant increases in the serum levels of AST and ALT (P=0.019 and P<0.001), the SAF score of liver histopathology (P<0.001), the level of M1 hepatic macrophages (P<0.001), and the ratio of M1 and M2 hepatic macrophages (P<0.001), as well as a significant increase in the level of TNF-α (P<0.001) and a significant reduction in the level of IL-4 in liver tissue (P=0.025). The 1,25(OH)2D3 group had significant reductions in the serum levels of ALT (P<0.001), the SAF score of liver histopathology (P<0.001), the level of M1 hepatic macrophages (P<0.001), and the ratio of M1 and M2 hepatic macrophages (P=0.001), the level of IL-1β (P<0.001) and a significant increase in the level of M2 hepatic macrophages (P=0.017), the level of IL-10 (P=0.039), the level of IL-4 (P<0.001), the level of PPAR-γ (P=0.016). There were significant interactions between CDAA diet-induced NASH model and 1,25(OH)2D3 in serum the levels of AST and ALT (P=0.007 and P=0.008), the SAF scores of liver histopathology (P<0.001), the level of M1 hepatic macrophages (P<0.001), the level of M2 hepatic macrophages (P=0.008), the ratio of M1 and M2 of hepatic macrophages (P=0.005), the level of TNF-α (P<0.001), the level of IL-10 (P=0.038), the level of IL-4 (P<0.001) and the level of PPAR-γ (P=0.009). The correlation analysis showed that PPAR-γ was negatively correlated with the ratio of M1 and M2 hepatic macrophages (r=-0.415, P=0.044) and was positively correlated with M2 hepatic macrophages (r=0.435, P=0.033), IL-10 (r=0.433, P=0.035), and IL-4 (r=0.532, P=0.007). ConclusionThis study shows that 1,25(OH)2D3 improves liver inflammation in NASH by activating PPAR-γ to regulate the phenotypic transformation of hepatic macrophages.
3.Cross - border joint prevention and control of tropical diseases in countries along the “Belt and Road” Initiative: a framework and roadmap
Yingjun QIAN ; Wei DING ; Hongmei LI ; Duoquan WANG ; Shan LÜ ; Shizhu LI ; Xiaonong ZHOU
Chinese Journal of Schistosomiasis Control 2025;37(1):8-13
Recently, there has been an increasing risk of importation of tropical diseases into China and the resultant re-transmission in the country with the in-depth implementation of the “Belt and Road” Initiative, which poses a serious threat to the national public health security. To effectively respond to the cross-border transmission risk of tropical diseases and facilitate the process towards tropical disease control and elimination in China and the countries along the “Belt and Road” Initiative, this article analyzes the current status and governance risks of major imported tropical diseases, cross-border joint prevention and control polices implemented for tropical diseases and challenges in the establishment of the joint prevention and control system for tropical diseases in China, and discusses the establishment and implementation path of the joint prevention and control system for tropical diseases in countries along the “Belt and Road” Initiative. This path covers the establishment of cross-border cooperation mechanisms, research and development and pilot production of Chinese public health products, and implementation of key cross-border tropical disease prevention and control projects. The establishment of this system will further improve Chinese prevention and control capabilities for key cross-border tropical diseases, build a demonstrative prevention and control model for tropical diseases, and promote international technical exchanges and cooperation of tropical diseases.
4.Systematic review on medication risk prediction models for hospitalized adult patients
Yang YANG ; Xuefeng SHAN ; Haidong LI ; Yaozheng LI ; Qiwen ZHOU ; Hongmei WANG
China Pharmacy 2025;36(10):1254-1259
OBJECTIVE To systematically evaluate medication risk prediction models for hospitalized adult patients and provide references for their development and clinical application. METHODS Databases including PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang data, VIP and CBM were searched for studies on medication risk prediction models from their inception to May 2024. After screening the literature, extracting data, and evaluating the quality of the literature, descriptive analysis was performed on the results of the included studies. RESULTS A total of 13 studies were included, involving 12 models. Nine studies used Logistic regression algorithm for modeling, and the number of included predictive factors ranged from 3 to 11; the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve ranged from 0.65 to 0.865. The literature quality evaluation results showed that 10 studies had high risk of bias; 10 studies had high applicability risk. A total of 31 predictive factors were extracted, including 15 items of basic patient information, 3 test indicators, and 5 items of medication information, and 8 others. CONCLUSIONS The existing medication risk prediction models for hospitalized adult inpatients are mainly Logistic regression algorithm, with predictive factors mainly focusing on basic indicators such as demographics. The overall prediction performance of the models needs to be improved, and the overall risk of bias is relatively high.
5.Effects of LSS function deficiency on intestinal function in NAFLD model mice
Hongmei Bai ; Zhen Yang ; Weikang Hu ; Zihan Wang ; Wenjing Zhou ; Qingya He ; Jian Zhong ; Mingcong Li ; Li Liu ; Chaoyang Zhang ; Sumei Zhang ; Shengquan Zhang
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2025;60(9):1653-1660
Objective:
To investigate the effect of loss of function of lanosterol synthase( LSS) gene on intestinal function in a mouse model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease( NAFLD) induced by a high-fat diet.
Methods:
LSS gene heterozygous knockout C57 mice ( LSS + / -) were established using the CRISRP / Cas9 system.After being fed a high-fat diet with 60% fat content for 6 months,the fat deposition in liver tissues was detected by HE and Oil red O staining,the morphological changes of small intestine tissue were detected by HE staining.The changes in total cholesterol content in intestinal tissue were detected by kits.The gastrointestinal motility function of mice was detected by phenol red paste.The intestinal permeability was detected by Evans blue staining,and the expression of LSS,tight junction protein ( Claudin) -1,Claudin-5,cluster of differentiation 36 ( CD36) ,and Niemann-Pick type C1-like 1 protein ( NPC1L1) proteins in small intestinal tissues were detected by Western blot.
Results :
The results of HE and Oil red O staining of liver tissues showed that liver fat deposition in LSS gene heterozygous knockout mice was lower than that in wild-type mice in the high-fat diet group.The total cholesterol content in intestinal tis- sue of LSS gene heterozygous knockout mice decreased ( P <0. 01) ,but no morphological differences were ob- served between the two groups of mice by HE staining of intestinal tissues.The gastrointestinal motility function of LSS gene heterozygous knockout mice did not show significant changes.The intestinal permeability of LSS gene het- erozygous knockout mice in the high-fat diet group decreased as detected by Evans blue ( P<0. 05) .The expres- sion levels of Claudin-5 protein in the intestinal tissue of LSS gene heterozygous knockout mice in the high-fat diet group increased ( P <0. 05 ) ,while the expression of LSS protein in the intestinal tissues of LSS heterozygous knockout mice decreased ( P <0. 05) .
Conclusion
In the NAFLD model induced by a high-fat diet,LSS gene heterozygous knockout reduces liver fat deposition induced by a high-fat diet and improves intestinal barrier function by regulating cholesterol metabolism in intestinal tissues and up-regulating the expression of Claudin-5.
6.Changes in behavior and spatial memory of C57BL/6J mice of different ages
Zhen Yang ; Hongmei Bai ; Weikang Hu ; Mingcong Li ; Xiaoli Jiang ; Chaoyang Zhang ; Zihan Wang ; Wenjing Zhou ; Qingya He ; Jian Zhong ; Shengquan Zhang
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2025;60(8):1410-1417
Objective :
To explore the changes in behavior and spatial memory of C57BL/6J female mice of different ages (youth , middle-aged , and elderly) .
Methods:
C57BL/6J female mice were divided into female youth group (YG group) , female middle-aged group ( MG group) and female elderly group ( OG group) according to age. The Morris water maze test measured spatial memory ability , and the open field and elevated cross maze test observed activity level and anxiety level. Western blot was used to determine the protein expressions of CREB , CaMKⅡ(pan) and CaMKⅡ(p) in the hippocampus of the brain tissues of female mice in each group.
Results:
Compared with the YG group , the weight of the MG group and the OG group significantly increased (P < 0. 01 , P < 0. 001) . Compared with the OG group , the third quadrant escape latency and the number of crossings in the YG group and MG group were shortened , and the difference was not statistically significant. Compared with the OG group , there was a statistically significant difference in the exercise speed in the open field of the YG group (P < 0. 01) , there was no significant difference in the movement speed in the open field of the MG group , the number of entries into the central zone significantly increased in the MG group ( P < 0. 05 ) , and there was no significant difference in the number of entries in the YG group (P > 0. 05) . Compared with the OG group , the YG group had a statistically significant difference in the elevated cross maze (P < 0. 05) , the MG group had no statistically signif- icant difference in the elevated cross maze , and the number of closed arm entries in the YG group and MG group significantly increased (P < 0. 001 , P < 0. 01) . Compared with the YG group , the relative expression level of CaMKⅡ(pan) in the OG group was statistically significant ( P < 0. 05 ) , while the relative expression level of CaMKⅡ(pan) in the MG group was not statistically significant ( P > 0. 05) .
Conclusion
With the increase of age , the weight of C57BL/6J female mice gradually increased , the activity level and desire to explore gradually de- creased , the spatial memory ability also declined , and the anxiety level and anxiety-like behavior increased. This study helps to reveal the effect of age on the activity level and cognitive function of females , and provides a refer- ence for studying cognitive and memory decline in older females.
7.miR-15b-5p affects PIK3CA/AKT1 pathway through USP9X to alleviate airway inflammation in asthma.
Yuyang ZHOU ; Zhiguang WANG ; Yihua PIAO ; Xue HAN ; Yilan SONG ; Guanghai YAN ; Hongmei PIAO
Chinese Journal of Cellular and Molecular Immunology 2025;41(3):193-203
Objective To investigate whether miR-15b-5p can alleviate airway inflammation in asthma by negatively regulating ubiquitin specific peptidase 9X (USP9X) to down-regulate the expression of phosphatidylinositol 4, 5-diphosphate 3-kinase catalytic subunit α/AKT serine/threonine kinase 1 (PIK3CA/AKT1) pathway. Methods USP9X was predicted to be a direct target of miR-15b-5p by using an online database (miRWalk), and the luciferase reporter gene assay was performed to verify it. Co-immunoprecipitation (CO-IP) was used to verify the direct binding between USP9X and PIK3CA and the role of USP9X and its small molecule inhibitor WP1130 in the deubiquitination of PIK3CA. C57 mice were randomly divided into Control group, OVA group, OVA combined with NC group and miR-15b-5p agomir group, with 10 mice in each group. BEAS-2B cells were induced with interleukin 13 (IL-13) and treated with miR-15b-5p mimic. HE, Masson, PAS, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence staining, flow cytometry, Western blot and quantitative real-time PCR(qRT-PCR) were performed. Results It was found that the administration of miR-15b-5p agomir and mimic could reduce peribronchial inflammatory cells and improve airway inflammation, and miR-15b-5p could target negative regulation of USP9X. USP9X could directly bind to PIK3CA and regulate PIK3CA level in a proteasome-dependent manner, and USP9X could deubiquitinate K29-linked PIK3CA protein. Down-regulation of USP9X could increase PIK3CA ubiquitination level. WP1130, a small molecule inhibitor of USP9X, has the same effect as knockdown of USP9X, both of which could increase the ubiquitination level of PIK3CA and reduce the protein level of PIK3CA. Conclusion The miR-15b-5p/USP9X/PIK3CA/AKT1 signaling pathway may provide potential therapeutic targets for asthma.
Animals
;
MicroRNAs/metabolism*
;
Asthma/pathology*
;
Class I Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/genetics*
;
Ubiquitin Thiolesterase/metabolism*
;
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/genetics*
;
Mice
;
Signal Transduction
;
Mice, Inbred C57BL
;
Humans
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Inflammation/genetics*
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Cell Line
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Female
;
Male
8.Risk factors for slow-flow or no-reflow during percutaneous coronary intervention in patients with ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction:a meta-analysis
Yunfei ZHANG ; Wenjuan YAN ; Hongmei WEN ; Weichen CHEN ; Hongjuan ZHOU ; Qiong HAN ; Jiaoyang XU ; Yingfeng LI
Journal of Interventional Radiology 2025;34(3):243-252
Objective Using meta-analysis to identify the risk factors for slow-flow or no-reflow during percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)in patients with ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction(AMI).Methods A computerized retrieval of academic papers concerning the risk factors for slow-flow or no-reflow during PCI in patients with ST-segment elevation AMI from the databases of CNKI,Wanfang Database,VIP,SinoMed,PubMed,Web of Science,Embase,and Cochrane Library was conducted.The retrieval time period was from the establishment of the database to January 2024.In order to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the study,two independent reviewers screened the literature according to the preset inclusion and exclusion criteria,extracted key data,and strictly evaluated the quality of the literature.RevMan5.4 software was used to make meta-analysis.Results A total of 23 articles with a total of 9 780 cases were included in this analysis.The results of meta-analysis showed that reperfusion time ≥6 h(OR=1.52),preoperative TIMI blood flow≤level-Ⅰ(OR=1.12),heavy thrombus burden(OR=1.60),advanced age(OR=1.56),diabetes(OR=1.83),preoperative Killip grade≥Ⅲ(OR=2.52),long target vessel disease(OR=1.95),and collateral flow≤level-Ⅰ(OR=1.61)were the risk factors for slow-flow or no-reflow during PCI in patients with ST-segment elevation AMI.Preoperative systolic blood pressure<90 mmHg(OR=1.17)and high white blood cell(WBC)count(OR=1.27)were not the risk factors for slow-flow or no-reflow during PCI in patients with ST-segment elevation AMI.Conclusion Reperfusion time ≥ 6 h,preoperative TIMI blood flow≤level-Ⅰ,heavy thrombus burden,advanced age,diabetes,preoperative Killip grade≥level-Ⅲ,long target vessel lesion,and collateral blood flow≤level-Ⅰ are the independent risk factors for slow-flow or no-reflow during PCI in patients with ST-segment elevation AMI.
9.Effects of laminarin on non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy in C57BL/6 mice based on transcriptomics analysis
Lei Zhang ; Sumei Zhang ; Zhen Yang ; Weikang Hu ; Hongmei Bai ; Wenjing Zhou ; Zihan Wang ; Mingcong Li ; Shengquan Zhang ; Rongfeng Liao
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2025;60(3):392-398
Objective :
To investigate the effect of laminarin(LAM) on nonproliferative diabetes retinopathy by high throughput sequencing(RNA-seq).
Methods :
The diabetes model was established by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin(STZ), and the effect of LAM on diabetic mice was observed.C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into three groups: Control group, Model group, and LAM group, with 8 mice in each group. After 8 weeks of modeling, the LAM group received a 4-week intraperitoneal injection of LAM treatment. Changes in blood glucose and body weight of the three groups of mice were recorded, HE staining was performed to examine retinal lesions, and RNA-seq was used to identify differentially expressed genes(DEGs) in diabetic retinopathy(DR) under the action of STZ and LAM.
Results :
STZ successfully established the model of DR, and LAM reduced the blood sugar in diabetic mice to a certain extent and improved the pathological morphology of retinal structural looseness in diabetic mice. After RNA-seq analysis of DEGs, it was found that there were a total of 214 DEGs in the retina of the Model group mice compared to the Control group. Enrichment analysis revealed that DR could exacerbate the lesions through the PI3K Akt signaling pathway. There were a total of 42 DEGs in the retina of the Model group and LAM group mice, and enrichment showed that LAM improved the lesions through the neutrophil extracellular trap pathway. Early growth response factor 1(Egr1), FBJ osteosarcoma oncogene(Fos), nuclear receptor subfamily 4A member 1(Nr4a1), and salt-induced kinase 1(Sik1) were regulated by STZ, and LAM significantly regulated their expression, which might be closely related to LAM′s treatment of diabetic retinopathy.
Conclusion
DEGs can exacerbate the severity of diabetic retinopathyviathe PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. LAM can mitigate diabetic retinopathyviathe neutrophil extracellular trap pathway. Egr1, Fos, Nr4a1, and Sik1 are key genes involved in LAM treatment of STZ-induced DR.
10.Effects of milk processing method on the content of esculentoside A and hepatotoxicity in Mongolian medicine Phytolacca acinosa
Jinhua CHEN ; Hongmei CHEN ; XINTUYA ; Xing’an ZHOU ; Jiesi WU ; Minglan BAO
China Pharmacy 2025;36(23):2941-2945
OBJECTIVE To study the effects of milk processing method on the content of esculentoside A and hepatotoxicity in Mongolian medicine Phytolacca acinosa. METHODS High performance liquid chromatography-evaporative light-scattering detection was used to determine the content of esculentoside A in raw P. acinosa, milk-soaked P. acinosa and milk-boiled P. acinosa. The rats were randomly divided into normal group, raw P. acinosa group, milk-soaked P. acinosa group and milk-boiled P. acinosa group, with 10 rats in each group. Except for the normal group, the rats in the remaining groups were administered corresponding medicinal solutions at a dose of 0.8 g/kg once daily for 15 consecutive days. After the last administration, the levels of biochemical markers [alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST)] and inflammatory factors [interleukin-2 (IL- 2), IL-6, tumor necrosis factor- α (TNF- α)] in plasma of rats, as well as the levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in liver tissue, were determined. The pathological changes of liver tissue in rats were observed. RESULTS The contents of esculentoside A in raw P. acinosa, milk-soaked P. acinosa and milk-boiled P. acinosa were 6.46-6.59, 4.79-4.89, 5.04-5.14 mg/g, respectively. Compared with the normal group, the plasma levels of ALT, AST, IL-2 and TNF-α in rats were increased significantly in the raw P. acinosa group (P<0.05), while the level of SOD in liver tissue was decreased significantly (P<0.05); scattered punctate necrotic foci were observed within the hepatic lobules, and hepatocytes exhibited slight vacuolar degeneration. Compared with the raw P. acinosa group, the levels of ALT and AST in plasma of rats and the level of MDA in liver tissue were all decreased significantly in the milk-soaked P. acinosa group and the milk-boiled P. acinosa group (P<0.05), while the level of SOD in liver tissue was increased significantly (P<0.05). The plasma level of TNF-α in the rats of the milk-soaked P. acinosa group and the plasma levels of IL-2 and IL-6 in the rats of the milk-boiled P. acinosa group were all decreased significantly (P<0.05); additionally, the degree of liver injury was markedly alleviated in both groups. CONCLUSIONS The content of esculentoside A and hepatotoxicity both decrease after processing Mongolian medicine P. acinosa using the milk processing method.


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