1.Effect of fluoride exposure on endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondrial calcium transfer and apoptosis in primary nerve cells
Yongheng LU ; Shuang ZHU ; Feiyan ZHAO ; Fujun AI ; Yanjie LIU ; Yangting DONG ; Zhizhong GUAN ; Na WEI
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2026;30(1):111-119
BACKGROUND:Previous studies have found that neuronal damage caused by continuous excessive fluoride exposure is related to Ca2+overload,but the mechanism of Ca2+flow conversion between intracellular calcium stores and cell apoptosis damage is still unclear.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of fluoride exposure on Ca2+transport channel proteins and apoptosis levels in the mitochondria-associated endoplasmic reticulum membrane of primary cultured neural cells.METHODS:Primary nerve cells of neonatal SD rats were cultured in vitro and identified by immunofluorescence staining with neuronal nucleus-specific antibody up to day 7.The nerve cells were divided into control group(containing 0 mmol/L sodium fluoride),low fluoride group(containing 0.5 mmol/L sodium fluoride),and high fluoride group(containing 1 mmol/L sodium fluoride).The cell morphological changes were observed by light microscope 24 hours after fluorine exposure.The expression levels of apoptosis-related protein BAX/BCL-2 and calcium transfer-related pathways VDAC1,GRP 75,and IP3R were detected using western blot assay.The expression levels of VDAC1,GRP 75,and IP3R mRNA were detected by RT-PCR.Ca2+levels were detected by Rhood-2AM Ca2+probe.Mitochondrial membrane potential detection kit was used to detect the change in mitochondrial membrane potential.The level of apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry and TUNEL staining.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The purity of neurons cultured on day 7 had been determined to be over 90%,with few impurities,good growth status,and tight cell network connections,meeting the requirements of subsequent experiments.(2)Compared with the control group,growth of neural cell clusters in the low-fluoride group and the high-fluoride group increased;the processes were broken;the cell body was rounded,and the connection network between cells was destroyed.Compared with the low-fluoride group,the cell damage changes in the high-fluoride group were more obvious.(3)Compared with the control group,the protein expressions of VDAC1,GRP75,and IP3R were increased in the low-fluoride group and the high-fluoride group(P<0.05),and the ratio of apoptosis-related protein BAX/BCL-2 was increased(P<0.05).Compared with the control group,the expression of VDAC1 and GRP75 mRNA in the low-fluoride group was significantly increased(P<0.05);the expression levels of VDAC1,GRP75,and IP3R mRNA in the high-fluoride group were significantly increased(P<0.01).(4)The level of cell apoptosis increased significantly after fluoride exposure,and the high-fluoride group was significantly higher than the control and low-fluoride groups(P<0.01).(5)After fluoride exposure,the concentration of mitochondrial Ca2+in nerve cells increased significantly(P<0.05),the mitochondrial membrane potential decreased(P<0.01),and the degree of damage in the high-fluoride group was more obvious(P<0.05).The results show that fluoride exposure impairs the morphological structure of primary neural cells,resulting in upregulation of Ca2+transfer pathway protein expression between the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria,mitochondrial Ca2+overload,mitochondrial damage,and increased levels of apoptosis.
2.Effect of fluoride exposure on endoplasmic reticulum-mitochondrial calcium transfer and apoptosis in primary nerve cells
Yongheng LU ; Shuang ZHU ; Feiyan ZHAO ; Fujun AI ; Yanjie LIU ; Yangting DONG ; Zhizhong GUAN ; Na WEI
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2026;30(1):111-119
BACKGROUND:Previous studies have found that neuronal damage caused by continuous excessive fluoride exposure is related to Ca2+overload,but the mechanism of Ca2+flow conversion between intracellular calcium stores and cell apoptosis damage is still unclear.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of fluoride exposure on Ca2+transport channel proteins and apoptosis levels in the mitochondria-associated endoplasmic reticulum membrane of primary cultured neural cells.METHODS:Primary nerve cells of neonatal SD rats were cultured in vitro and identified by immunofluorescence staining with neuronal nucleus-specific antibody up to day 7.The nerve cells were divided into control group(containing 0 mmol/L sodium fluoride),low fluoride group(containing 0.5 mmol/L sodium fluoride),and high fluoride group(containing 1 mmol/L sodium fluoride).The cell morphological changes were observed by light microscope 24 hours after fluorine exposure.The expression levels of apoptosis-related protein BAX/BCL-2 and calcium transfer-related pathways VDAC1,GRP 75,and IP3R were detected using western blot assay.The expression levels of VDAC1,GRP 75,and IP3R mRNA were detected by RT-PCR.Ca2+levels were detected by Rhood-2AM Ca2+probe.Mitochondrial membrane potential detection kit was used to detect the change in mitochondrial membrane potential.The level of apoptosis was determined by flow cytometry and TUNEL staining.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The purity of neurons cultured on day 7 had been determined to be over 90%,with few impurities,good growth status,and tight cell network connections,meeting the requirements of subsequent experiments.(2)Compared with the control group,growth of neural cell clusters in the low-fluoride group and the high-fluoride group increased;the processes were broken;the cell body was rounded,and the connection network between cells was destroyed.Compared with the low-fluoride group,the cell damage changes in the high-fluoride group were more obvious.(3)Compared with the control group,the protein expressions of VDAC1,GRP75,and IP3R were increased in the low-fluoride group and the high-fluoride group(P<0.05),and the ratio of apoptosis-related protein BAX/BCL-2 was increased(P<0.05).Compared with the control group,the expression of VDAC1 and GRP75 mRNA in the low-fluoride group was significantly increased(P<0.05);the expression levels of VDAC1,GRP75,and IP3R mRNA in the high-fluoride group were significantly increased(P<0.01).(4)The level of cell apoptosis increased significantly after fluoride exposure,and the high-fluoride group was significantly higher than the control and low-fluoride groups(P<0.01).(5)After fluoride exposure,the concentration of mitochondrial Ca2+in nerve cells increased significantly(P<0.05),the mitochondrial membrane potential decreased(P<0.01),and the degree of damage in the high-fluoride group was more obvious(P<0.05).The results show that fluoride exposure impairs the morphological structure of primary neural cells,resulting in upregulation of Ca2+transfer pathway protein expression between the endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondria,mitochondrial Ca2+overload,mitochondrial damage,and increased levels of apoptosis.
3.Mediating roles of loneliness and rumination in the relationship between bullying victimization and sleep quality among rural boarding junior high school students
YANG Jianzhe, ZHAO Xianzi, LIU Chenxu, YE Wenjing, JIN Sijia, ZHAO Xiaoya, WEI Fuqiang
Chinese Journal of School Health 2026;47(5):685-689
Objective:
To explore the longitudinal relationship between bullying victimization and sleep quality among rural boarding junior high school students in Hebei Province, and to investigate the chain mediated role of loneliness and rumination, so as to provide evidence for promoting sleep health in the population.
Methods:
A baseline survey was conducted in May, 2023 (T1) by convenient sampling method, and two rounds of longitudinal surveys were conducted in November, 2023 (T2) and May, 2024 (T3) among students in two rural boarding junior high schools in Hebei Province, and a sample of 601 students who completed all the surveys was finally obtained. Students completed questionnaires, including the Delaware Bullying Victimization Scale Student (DBVS-S), the University of California at Los Angeles Loneliness Scale (UCLA), the Ruminative Responses Scale, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). Group differences were examined by using t-test or ANOVA, correlations between variables were analyzed by using Pearson correlation coefficients, and a serial mediation structural equation model was constructed, with mediation effects tested via the Bootstrap method.
Results:
Female students scored higher on sleep quality than male students (7.47±2.70, 6.47 ±2.46, t =4.74, P <0.01). Pearson correlation analysis indicated that bullying victimization was positively correlated with loneliness, rumination, and sleep quality; loneliness was positively correlated with rumination and sleep quality; and rumination was positively correlated with sleep quality ( r =0.26, 0.33, 0.23; 0.39, 0.38; 0.54, all P <0.01). Mediation analysis showed that T2 loneliness had an independent mediating effect of 0.70 (95% CI =0.36-1.35) between T1 bullying victimization and T3 sleep quality, T2 rumination had an independent mediating effect of 1.34 (95% CI =0.71-2.45), and the serial mediation effect of T2 loneliness and T2 rumination was 0.64 (95% CI =0.37-1.13), accounting for 22.11% of the total effect (all P <0.01).
Conclusions
Bullying victimization adversely affects sleep quality among rural boarding junior high school students through a longitudinal chain mediating pathway involving loneliness and rumination. Psychological interventions should be strengthened for students who experience bullying to alleviate their loneliness and reduce rumination, thereby improving sleep quality.
4.The Role of Long Non-coding RNAs in Regulating Adipogenesis and Metabolism
Wei-Xiu JI ; Bo-Wei-Cheng KU ; Yun-Gang ZHAO
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(5):1313-1332
Obesity represents a critical global health challenge characterized by a complex pathogenesis involving dysregulated adipogenesis and lipid metabolism. In recent years, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been established as crucial regulators in the initiation and progression of obesity. These RNA molecules, typically exceeding 200 nucleotides in length, have emerged as key modulators of various biological processes through multiple molecular mechanisms. This review innovatively defines lncRNAs as “molecular switches” in energy metabolism—they regulate adipogenesis and lipid metabolism through key signaling pathways, and exert bidirectional control over obesity via ceRNA mechanisms or recruitment of chromatin-modifying complexes in tissues such as adipose and liver. Additionally, circulating lncRNAs, owing to their tissue specificity and stability, hold promise as non-invasive liquid biopsy biomarkers for obesity and related metabolic disorders. Furthermore, we systematically summarize lncRNA-based intervention strategies, including targeting pathogenic lncRNAs using antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) or CRISPR/Cas gene editing systems, utilizing viral vectors (such as adeno-associated virus, AAV) to deliver or mimic beneficial lncRNAs in target tissues, and employing exercise as a non-pharmacological intervention that ameliorates obesity and its related complications at multiple levels, offering novel insights for personalized therapeutic approaches. We also critically assess the current challenges in clinical translation, particularly addressing issues related to delivery efficiency, target specificity, and long-term safety concerns. Future research should focus on the following directions: integrating multi-omics with functional screening to elucidate the regulatory networks of lncRNAs in obesity and its complications; leveraging artificial intelligence to construct predictive models of lncRNA-target gene interactions; developing efficient and safein vivo delivery systems, and optimizing drug design to enhance specificity and safety; establishing highly sensitive detection methods and stable circulating lncRNA biomarkers to enable precise patient stratification and real-time monitoring of therapeutic responses; investigating the synergistic effects of lncRNAs with existing treatments (e.g., GLP-1 receptor agonists, lifestyle interventions) to develop combination therapies and establish a multidimensional, personalized precision medicine framework for obesity. This review aims to provide novel perspectives for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying obesity and to establish a solid theoretical foundation for developing lncRNA-targeted precision medicine strategies against obesity and its associated metabolic complications.
5.The Role of Long Non-coding RNAs in Regulating Adipogenesis and Metabolism
Wei-Xiu JI ; Bo-Wei-Cheng KU ; Yun-Gang ZHAO
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(5):1313-1332
Obesity represents a critical global health challenge characterized by a complex pathogenesis involving dysregulated adipogenesis and lipid metabolism. In recent years, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been established as crucial regulators in the initiation and progression of obesity. These RNA molecules, typically exceeding 200 nucleotides in length, have emerged as key modulators of various biological processes through multiple molecular mechanisms. This review innovatively defines lncRNAs as “molecular switches” in energy metabolism—they regulate adipogenesis and lipid metabolism through key signaling pathways, and exert bidirectional control over obesity via ceRNA mechanisms or recruitment of chromatin-modifying complexes in tissues such as adipose and liver. Additionally, circulating lncRNAs, owing to their tissue specificity and stability, hold promise as non-invasive liquid biopsy biomarkers for obesity and related metabolic disorders. Furthermore, we systematically summarize lncRNA-based intervention strategies, including targeting pathogenic lncRNAs using antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) or CRISPR/Cas gene editing systems, utilizing viral vectors (such as adeno-associated virus, AAV) to deliver or mimic beneficial lncRNAs in target tissues, and employing exercise as a non-pharmacological intervention that ameliorates obesity and its related complications at multiple levels, offering novel insights for personalized therapeutic approaches. We also critically assess the current challenges in clinical translation, particularly addressing issues related to delivery efficiency, target specificity, and long-term safety concerns. Future research should focus on the following directions: integrating multi-omics with functional screening to elucidate the regulatory networks of lncRNAs in obesity and its complications; leveraging artificial intelligence to construct predictive models of lncRNA-target gene interactions; developing efficient and safein vivo delivery systems, and optimizing drug design to enhance specificity and safety; establishing highly sensitive detection methods and stable circulating lncRNA biomarkers to enable precise patient stratification and real-time monitoring of therapeutic responses; investigating the synergistic effects of lncRNAs with existing treatments (e.g., GLP-1 receptor agonists, lifestyle interventions) to develop combination therapies and establish a multidimensional, personalized precision medicine framework for obesity. This review aims to provide novel perspectives for understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying obesity and to establish a solid theoretical foundation for developing lncRNA-targeted precision medicine strategies against obesity and its associated metabolic complications.
6.Research progress of Qifu yin in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease with marrow-sea insufficiency syndrome
Zilong WEI ; Chenyi ZHAO ; Mingliang QIAO ; Hongwei WANG ; Pei ZHU ; Yi MENG
China Pharmacy 2026;37(10):1376-1380
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an age-related neurodegenerative disorder. Marrow-sea insufficiency serves as the fundamental basis for the onset of AD. Early syndrome differentiation-based intervention helps to delay disease progression, and improve patients’ cognitive function. Qifu yin is a representative specialized prescription for AD with marrow-sea insufficiency syndrome. Studies demonstrate that Qifu yin exerts neuroprotective effects through multiple pathways, including inhibiting the abnormal deposition of amyloid β -protein and hyperphosphorylation of tau protein, alleviating neuroinflammation, regulating oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, modulating the cholinergic system, and improving synaptic plasticity. Qifu yin combined with Western medicine such as donepezil, memantine, and butylphthalide, or combined with external therapies such as acupuncture, can effectively improve cognitive function and activities of daily living in AD patients with favorable safety. Future research should focus on the core pathogenesis and key targets of AD with marrow-sea insufficiency syndrome, provide in-depth elucidation of the scientific connotation of Qifu yin’s “tonifying the kidney to produce marrow”, and further conduct high-quality clinical studies to provide scientific evidence for the prevention and treatment of AD with marrow-sea insufficiency syndrome.
7.Joint Relation Extraction of Famous Medical Cases with CasRel Model Combining Entity Mapping and Data Augmentation
Yuxin LI ; Xinghua XIANG ; Hang YANG ; Dasheng LIU ; Jiaheng WANG ; Zhiwei ZHAO ; Jiaxu HAN ; Mengjie WU ; Qianzi CHE ; Wei YANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(2):218-225
ObjectiveTo address the challenges of unstructured classical Chinese expressions, nested entity relationships, and limited annotated data in famous traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) case records, this study proposes a joint relation extraction framework that integrates data augmentation and entity mapping, aiming to support the construction of TCM diagnostic knowledge graphs and clinical pattern mining. MethodsWe developed an annotation structure for entities and their relationships in TCM case texts and applied a data augmentation strategy by incorporating multiple ancient texts to expand the relation extraction dataset. A cascade binary tagging framework for relation triple extraction(CasRel) model for TCM semantics was designed, integrating a pre-trained bidirectional encoder representations from transformers(BERT) layer for classical TCM texts to enhance semantic representation, and using a head entity-relation-tail entity mapping mechanism to address entity nesting and relation overlapping issues. ResultsExperimental results showed that the CasRel model, combining data augmentation and entity mapping, outperformed the pipeline-based Bert-Radical-Lexicon(BRL)-bidirectional long short-term memory(BiLSTM)-Attention model. The overall precision, recall, and F1-score across 12 relation types reached 65.73%, 64.03%, and 64.87%, which represent improvements of 14.26%, 7.98%, and 11.21% compared to the BRL-BiLSTM-Attention model, respectively. Notably, the F1-score for tongue syndrome relations increased by 22.68%(69.32%), and the prescription-syndrome relations performed the best with the F1-score of 70.10%. ConclusionThe proposed framework significantly improves the semantic representation and complex dependencies in TCM texts, offering a reusable technical framework for structured mining of TCM case records. The constructed knowledge graph can support clinical syndrome differentiation, prescription optimization, and drug compatibility, providing a methodological reference for TCM artificial intelligence research.
8.Xuefu Zhuyutang in Malignant Tumor Disease: A Review
Jiaqi JI ; Xiaoqing HU ; Yihan ZHAO ; Xuhang SUN ; Dandan WEI ; Junwen PEI ; Shiqing JIANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(3):321-330
Cancer has become a significant global public health issue, severely impacting public health and societal development. Despite advances in tumor treatment methods in recent years and a gradual decline in cancer mortality rates, drug-related adverse reactions and drug resistance remain substantial challenges. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has demonstrated significant clinical efficacy in cancer treatment and small side effects, making it widely applied in the field of oncology. Xuefu Zhuyutang, derived from Yilin Gaicuo, is known for its abilities to invigorate blood circulation, dispel blood stasis, promote Qi flow, and alleviate pain. It was specifically formulated by the esteemed WANG Qingren of the Qing dynasty for the "blood stasis syndrome in the blood mansion" and is commonly used to treat Qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome. Clinical studies have shown that Xuefu Zhuyutang, when combined with conventional Western medications, produces significant effects in the treatment of malignant tumors such as liver cancer, lung cancer, and cervical cancer. It substantially reduces the incidence of adverse reactions following Western treatments, including radiation esophagitis, radiation encephalopathy, radiation-induced oral mucositis, and edema. Additionally, it alleviates cancer-related pain and fever, blood hypercoagulability, and associated complications such as depression and anxiety, and also mitigates chemotherapy-induced side effects like hand-foot syndrome. Basic research has demonstrated its potential anti-tumor mechanisms, including the inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway activation, suppression of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway activation, and anti-tumor angiogenesis. Pharmacological studies have revealed that its active components inhibit tumor cell proliferation and migration, induce tumor cell apoptosis, suppress tumor angiogenesis, enhance the cytotoxicity of natural killer cells against tumors, improve the tumor microenvironment, and regulate immune function. This paper reviewed the latest research progress on Xuefu Zhuyutang in the treatment of malignant tumors from four aspects: theoretical exploration, clinical studies, mechanisms of action, and pharmacological basis, aiming to provide insights and methods for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of malignant tumors.
9.Xuefu Zhuyutang in Malignant Tumor Disease: A Review
Jiaqi JI ; Xiaoqing HU ; Yihan ZHAO ; Xuhang SUN ; Dandan WEI ; Junwen PEI ; Shiqing JIANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(3):321-330
Cancer has become a significant global public health issue, severely impacting public health and societal development. Despite advances in tumor treatment methods in recent years and a gradual decline in cancer mortality rates, drug-related adverse reactions and drug resistance remain substantial challenges. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has demonstrated significant clinical efficacy in cancer treatment and small side effects, making it widely applied in the field of oncology. Xuefu Zhuyutang, derived from Yilin Gaicuo, is known for its abilities to invigorate blood circulation, dispel blood stasis, promote Qi flow, and alleviate pain. It was specifically formulated by the esteemed WANG Qingren of the Qing dynasty for the "blood stasis syndrome in the blood mansion" and is commonly used to treat Qi stagnation and blood stasis syndrome. Clinical studies have shown that Xuefu Zhuyutang, when combined with conventional Western medications, produces significant effects in the treatment of malignant tumors such as liver cancer, lung cancer, and cervical cancer. It substantially reduces the incidence of adverse reactions following Western treatments, including radiation esophagitis, radiation encephalopathy, radiation-induced oral mucositis, and edema. Additionally, it alleviates cancer-related pain and fever, blood hypercoagulability, and associated complications such as depression and anxiety, and also mitigates chemotherapy-induced side effects like hand-foot syndrome. Basic research has demonstrated its potential anti-tumor mechanisms, including the inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway activation, suppression of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway activation, and anti-tumor angiogenesis. Pharmacological studies have revealed that its active components inhibit tumor cell proliferation and migration, induce tumor cell apoptosis, suppress tumor angiogenesis, enhance the cytotoxicity of natural killer cells against tumors, improve the tumor microenvironment, and regulate immune function. This paper reviewed the latest research progress on Xuefu Zhuyutang in the treatment of malignant tumors from four aspects: theoretical exploration, clinical studies, mechanisms of action, and pharmacological basis, aiming to provide insights and methods for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of malignant tumors.
10.Allogeneic lung transplantation in miniature pigs and postoperative monitoring
Yaobo ZHAO ; Ullah SALMAN ; Kaiyan BAO ; Hua KUI ; Taiyun WEI ; Hongfang ZHAO ; Xiaoting TAO ; Xinzhong NING ; Yong LIU ; Guimei ZHANG ; He XIAO ; Jiaoxiang WANG ; Chang YANG ; Feiyan ZHU ; Kaixiang XU ; Kun QIAO ; Hongjiang WEI
Organ Transplantation 2026;17(1):95-105
Objective To explore the feasibility and reference value of allogeneic lung transplantation and postoperative monitoring in miniature pigs for lung transplantation research. Methods Two miniature pigs (R1 and R2) underwent left lung allogeneic transplantation. Complement-dependent cytotoxicity tests and blood cross-matching were performed before surgery. The main operative times and partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO2) after opening the pulmonary artery were recorded during surgery. Postoperatively, routine blood tests, biochemical blood indicators and inflammatory factors were detected, and pathological examinations of multiple organs were conducted. Results The complement-dependent cytotoxicity test showed that the survival rate of lymphocytes between donors and recipients was 42.5%-47.3%, and no agglutination reaction occurred in the cross-matching. The first warm ischemia times of D1 and D2 were 17 min and 10 min, respectively, and the cold ischemia times were 246 min and 216 min, respectively. Ultimately, R1 and R2 survived for 1.5 h and 104 h, respectively. Postoperatively, in R1, albumin (ALB) and globulin (GLB) decreased, and alanine aminotransferase increased; in R2, ALB, GLB and aspartate aminotransferase all increased. Urea nitrogen and serum creatinine increased in both recipients. Pathological results showed that in R1, the transplanted lung had partial consolidation with inflammatory cell infiltration, and multiple organs were congested and damaged. In R2, the transplanted lung had severe necrosis with fibrosis, and multiple organs had mild to moderate damage. The expression levels of interleukin-1β and interleukin-6 increased in the transplanted lungs. Conclusions The allogeneic lung transplantation model in miniature pigs may systematically evaluate immunological compatibility, intraoperative function and postoperative organ damage. The data obtained may provide technical references for subsequent lung transplantation research.


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