1.Emerging role of proteomics in advancing diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of liver cancer
Yunyang Xu ; Jiarui Li ; Xingyu Luo ; Ze Xiang ; Zhe Yang ; Xuyong Wei ; Xiao Xu ; Jian Chen
Liver Research 2026;10(2):121-132
Liver cancer (LC) remains one of the most prevalent tumors globally. Despite considerable advancements in its clinical treatment in recent years, the global burden of this disease is projected to increase. According to World Health Organization statistics, the number of LC deaths worldwide in 2022 was 760,000, ranking third among all cancers. Therefore, there is an urgent need to delve deeper into the realms of LC diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. Proteomics, as an emerging technology leveraging mass spectrometry (MS)-based protein identification, liquid chromatography separation, and bioinformatics-driven data integration, enables the systematic characterization of proteome dynamics to address critical challenges in LC research. These challenges include the discovery of diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers as well as therapeutic targets. By scrutinizing the expression of specific proteins in both normal and cancerous tissues through high-throughput protein microarrays, researchers can uncover novel biomarkers. The use of these biomarkers alone or in combination with established ones holds the potential to significantly advance the fields of LC diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. In general, the application of proteomics has significantly promoted the development of LC research. In this review, we summarized the latest advancements in the application of proteomics in LC, with a particular focus on diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment. We also concluded selected protein markers, aiming to offer guidance for further applications and present additional therapeutic targets for LC.
2.Research progress in mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine polysaccharides in prevention and treatment of alcoholic liver disease.
Yu-Fan CHEN ; He JIANG ; Qing MA ; Qi-Han LUO ; Shuo HUANG ; Jiang QIU ; Fu-Zhe CHEN ; Zi-Yi SHAN ; Ping QIU
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(2):356-362
Alcoholic liver disease(ALD), a major cause of chronic liver disease worldwide, poses a serious threat to human health. Despite the availability of various drugs for treating ALD, their efficacy is often uncertain, necessitating the search for new therapeutic approaches. Traditional Chinese medicine polysaccharides have garnered increasing attention in recent years due to their versatility, high efficiency, and low side effects, and they have demonstrated significant potential in preventing and treating ALD. Emerging studies have suggested that these polysaccharides exert their therapeutic effects through multiple mechanisms, including the inhibition of oxidative stress and the regulation of lipid metabolism, gut microbiota, and programmed cell death. This review summarizes the recent research progress in the pharmacological effects and regulatory mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine polysaccharides in treating ALD, aiming to provide a scientific basis and theoretical support for their application in the prevention and treatment of ALD.
Humans
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Liver Diseases, Alcoholic/metabolism*
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Polysaccharides/administration & dosage*
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage*
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Animals
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Oxidative Stress/drug effects*
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Medicine, Chinese Traditional
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Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects*
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Lipid Metabolism/drug effects*
3.Dehydrodiisoeugenol resists H1N1 virus infection via TFEB/autophagy-lysosome pathway.
Zhe LIU ; Jun-Liang LI ; Yi-Xiang ZHOU ; Xia LIU ; Yan-Li YU ; Zheng LUO ; Yao WANG ; Xin JIA
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(6):1650-1658
The present study delves into the cellular mechanisms underlying the antiviral effects of dehydrodiisoeugenol(DEH) by focusing on the transcription factor EB(TFEB)/autophagy-lysosome pathway. The cell counting kit-8(CCK-8) was utilized to assess the impact of DEH on the viability of human non-small cell lung cancer cells(A549). The inhibitory effect of DEH on the replication of influenza A virus(H1N1) was determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR). Western blot was employed to evaluate the influence of DEH on the expression level of the H1N1 virus nucleoprotein(NP). The effect of DEH on the fluorescence intensity of NP was examined by the immunofluorescence assay. A mouse model of H1N1 virus infection was established via nasal inhalation to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of 30 mg·kg~(-1) DEH on H1N1 virus infection. RNA sequencing(RNA-seq) was performed for the transcriptional profiling of mouse embryonic fibroblasts(MEFs) in response to DEH. The fluorescent protein-tagged microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3(LC3) was used to assess the autophagy induced by DEH. Western blot was employed to determine the effect of DEH on the autophagy flux of LC3Ⅱ/LC3Ⅰ under viral infection conditions. Lastly, the role of TFEB expression in the inhibition of DEH against H1N1 infection was evaluated in immortalized bone marrow-derived macrophage(iBMDM), both wild-type and TFEB knockout. The results revealed that the half-maximal inhibitory concentration(IC_(50)) of DEH for A549 cells was(87.17±0.247)μmol·L~(-1), and DEH inhibited H1N1 virus replication in a dose-dependent manner in vitro. Compared with the H1N1 virus-infected mouse model, the treatment with DEH significantly improved the body weights and survival time of mice. DEH induced LC3 aggregation, and the absence of TFEB expression in iBMDM markedly limited the ability of DEH to counteract H1N1 virus replication. In conclusion, DEH exerts its inhibitory activity against H1N1 infection by activating the TFEB/autophagy-lysosome pathway.
Influenza A Virus, H1N1 Subtype/genetics*
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Animals
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Autophagy/drug effects*
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Humans
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Mice
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Basic Helix-Loop-Helix Leucine Zipper Transcription Factors/genetics*
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Influenza, Human/metabolism*
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Lysosomes/metabolism*
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Orthomyxoviridae Infections/genetics*
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Eugenol/pharmacology*
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Antiviral Agents/pharmacology*
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Virus Replication/drug effects*
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A549 Cells
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Male
4.DLGAP5 promotes progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma by regulating the Warburg effect
Qingzi ZHANG ; Foqing GUO ; Yongqin CHEN ; Feifei XIA ; Jun LUO ; Zhe LIU ; Xiaoyu ZHA ; Changxue LI
Journal of Army Medical University 2025;47(22):2749-2762
Objective Investigate the expression level of discs large homolog associated protein 5(DLGAP5)in oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC)and analyze its effects on cell proliferation,migration,invasion capacity,and the Warburg effect.Methods Bioinformatics analysis was performed to identify the potential therapeutic targets for OSCC.A total of 72 OSCC tissue samples and 40 adjacent non-cancerous tissue samples collected in the First Affiliated Hospital of Shihezi University from 2013 to 2024 were included,and the clinical pathological and prognostic data were collected from patients.Immunohistochemistry assay was applied to detect the protein expression of DLGAP5,and its association with clinical pathological features was analyzed.Kaplan-Meier survival curve was plotted for survival analysis,and Cox regression model was employed to analyze the prognostic factors.The expression of DLGAP5 at mRNA and protein levels was detected in HOK,SCC-9,SCC-15,SCC-25,and CAL-27 cell lines with RT-qPCR and Western blotting,respectively.Four small interfering RNAs(siRNAs)were designed to target the DLGAP5 sequence,and then based on the transfection efficiency,the sequence with optimal silencing effect was selected for subsequent functional studies.After DLGAP5 was silenced in the CAL-27 and SCC-15 cells,Western blotting was applied to detect the expression of hexokinase 2(HK2)and enolase 1(ENO1),CCK-8,scratch healing and Transwell assays were conducted to assess cell proliferation,migration,and invasion capabilities,and glucose,lactate,and ATP detection kits were utilized to determine the glycolytic metabolic levels in OSCC cells.Results Bioinformatics analysis indicates that DLGAP5 is a potential key therapeutic target for OSCC.Experimental validation demonstrated that DLGAP5 was highly expressed in both OSCC tissues and cells(P<0.05).Analysis of clinical pathology and prognostic data revealed that DLGAP5 expression level was significantly correlated with tumor TNM stage,lymph node metastasis,and differentiation grade in OSCC patients,and high DLGAP5 expression was associated with poor prognosis(P<0.05).DLGAP5 silencing resulted in significantly reduced expression of HK2 and ENO1,markedly decreased levels of glycolytic metabolites(P<0.05),and notably declined cell proliferation,migration,and invasion capabilities(P<0.05).Conclusion DLGAP5 is highly expressed in OSCC.Silencing DLGAP5 may inhibit OSCC cell proliferation,migration,and invasion by indirectly regulating the Warburg effect,and the molecule is associated with poor prognosis in the OSCC patients.
5.Tailoring a traditional Chinese medicine prescription for complex diseases:A novel multi-targets-directed gradient weighting strategy
Zhe YU ; Teng LI ; Zhi ZHENG ; Xiya YANG ; Xin GUO ; Xindi ZHANG ; Haoying JIANG ; Lin ZHU ; Bo YANG ; Yang WANG ; Jiekun LUO ; Xueping YANG ; Tao TANG ; En HU
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(4):804-816
Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)exerts integrative effects on complex diseases owing to the char-acteristics of multiple components with multiple targets.However,the syndrome-based system of diagnosis and treatment in TCM can easily lead to bias because of varying medication preferences among physicians,which has been a major challenge in the global acceptance and application of TCM.Therefore,a standardized TCM prescription system needs to be explored to promote its clinical application.In this study,we first developed a gradient weighted disease-target-herbal ingredient-herb network to aid TCM formulation.We tested its efficacy against intracerebral hemorrhage(ICH).First,the top 100 ICH targets in the GeneCards database were screened according to their relevance scores.Then,SymMap and Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology(TCMSP)databases were applied to find out the target-related ingredients and ingredient-containing herbs,respectively.The relevance of the resulting ingredients and herbs to ICH was determined by adding the relevance scores of the corresponding targets.The top five ICH therapeutic herbs were combined to form a tailored TCM prescriptions.The absorbed components in the serum were detected.In a mouse model of ICH,the new prescription exerted multifaceted effects,including improved neurological function,as well as attenuated neuronal damage,cell apoptosis,vascular leakage,and neuroinflammation.These effects matched well with the core pathological changes in ICH.The multi-targets-directed gradient-weighting strategy presents a promising avenue for tailoring precise,multipronged,unbiased,and standardized TCM prescriptions for complex diseases.This study provides a paradigm for advanced achievements-driven modern innovation in TCM concepts.
6.3D-EDiffMG:3D equivariant diffusion-driven molecular generation to accelerate drug discovery
Chao XU ; Runduo LIU ; Yufen YAO ; Wanyi HUANG ; Zhe LI ; Hai-Bin LUO
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(6):1344-1353
Structural optimization of lead compounds is a crucial step in drug discovery.One optimization strategy is to modify the molecular structure of a scaffold to improve both its biological activities and absorption,distribution,metabolism,excretion,and toxicity(ADMET)properties.One of the deep molecular generative model approaches preserves the scaffold while generating drug-like molecules,thereby accelerating the molecular optimization process.Deep molecular diffusion generative models simulate a gradual process that creates novel,chemically feasible molecules from noise.However,the existing models lack direct interatomic constraint features and struggle with capturing long-range dependencies in macromolecules,leading to challenges in modifying the scaffold-based molecular structures,and creates limitations in the stability and diversity of the generated molecules.To address these challenges,we propose a deep molecular diffusion generative model,the three-dimensional(3D)equivariant diffusion-driven molecular generation(3D-EDiffMG)model.The dual strong and weak atomic interaction force-based long-range dependency capturing equivariant encoder(dual-SWLEE)is introduced to encode both the bonding and non-bonding information based on strong and weak atomic interactions.Addi-tionally,a gate multilayer perceptron(gMLP)block with tiny attention is incorporated to explicitly model complex long-sequence feature interactions and long-range dependencies.The experimental results show that 3D-EDiffMG effectively generates unique,novel,stable,and diverse drug-like molecules,highlighting its potential for lead optimization and accelerating drug discovery.
7.Inhibitory effects of Shuyu Pills combined with everolimus on TGF-β1-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in triple-negative breast cancer cells
Xiao-shan LUO ; Su XIE ; Dou-dou FENG ; Yan-yun MENG ; Jing-zhe ZHAO ; Qing XIE ; Xiang-li LING
Chinese Traditional Patent Medicine 2025;47(7):2190-2197
AIM To investigate the effects of Shuyu Pills combined with evolimus on the epithelial mesenchymal transformation of triple negative breast cancer cells 4T1 and MDA-MB-231 induced by TGF-β1.METHODS The 4T1 and MDA-MB-231 cells were divided into the blank group and the induction group to induce the epithelial mesenchymal transformation with TGF-β1 cytokine treatment,followed by the assignment into the model group,the Shuyu Pills group,the everolimus group and the Shuyu Pills combined with everolimus group.CCK8 method,plate cloning method,cell scratch test and Transewll test were used to detect the proliferation,cloning formation,migration and invasion ability of the cells whose expressions of E-cadherin,N-cadherin,Vimentin,MMP9,MMP2 and pathway proteins PTEN,PI3K,Akt and mTOR were detected by Western blot.RESULTS Compared with the blank group,the induction group displayed a cell morphological change from epithelioid to stromal,decreased expression of E-cadherin protein(P<0.01);and increased protein expressions of N-cadherin and Vimentin(P<0.05).Compared with the model group,each group intervened with the medicine displayed decreased proliferation,clone formation,migration and invasion ability of both kinds of cells(P<0.01);increased protein expressions of PTEN and E-cadherin(P<0.05,P<0.01);and decreased protein expressions of PI3K,Akt,mTOR,N-cadherin,Vimentin,MMP9 and MMP2(P<0.05,P<0.01);and more significantly in the Shuyu Pills combined with evolimus group(P<0.05,P<0.01).CONCLUSION With a more ideal effect than the single uses in inhibiting the TGF-β1-induced epithelial mesenchymal transformation of triple-negative breast cancer cells,the combination use of Shuyu Pills and everolimus may work through the regulation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway.
8.Follow-up study of left heart valve regurgitation after implantation of left ventricular assist device
Junjiang LIU ; Wenrui MA ; Dingqian LIU ; Yun ZHAO ; Lili DONG ; Zhe LUO ; Kefang GUO ; Chunsheng WANG ; Xiaoning SUN
Chinese Journal of Clinical Medicine 2025;32(1):72-77
Objective To explore the valve regurgitation status of left heart after the implantation of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) and its effect on prognosis of patients with LVAD implantation. Methods A total of 35 patients with cardiomyopathy who underwent magnetic levitation LVAD implantation at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University from February 2021 to July 2024 were retrospectively selected. Clinical data during hospitalization were collected, including preoperative basic data and postoperative valve regurgitation status. Telephone follow-ups were conducted to monitor patients’ survival status and transthoracic echocardiography was used to assess left valve function. Kaplan-Meier survival curves and log-rank test were employed to compare the survival rate of patients with different levels of valve regurgitation. Results The 35 patients had a mean age of (53.9±11.1) years, with 85.7% male, and 3 patients (8.6%) died during hospitalization. Preoperatively, 17 patients (48.6%) had moderate or greater mitral regurgitation, while all 35 patients had less than moderate aortic regurgitation. One month postoperatively, thirty patients were followed up, among which 24 patients (80%) had less than moderate mitral regurgitation, including 11 cases with alleviated regurgitation compared to pre-surgery; 6 patients (20%) had moderate or greater mitral regurgitation, including 4 cases with stable regurgitation and 2 cases with progression of regurgitation compared to pre-surgery; 2 patients (6.7%) had progression of aortic regurgitation to moderate or greater. The follow-up time was 1.2 (1.0, 2.1) years, with 1-year survival rate of 91.4% and 3-year survival rate of 71.1%. Survival analysis showed that the 3-year survival rate of patients with moderate or greater mitral regurgitation one month postoperatively was significantly lower than that of patients with less than moderate regurgitation (66.7% vs 83.3%, P=0.046). Conclusions After the implantation of magnetic levitation LVAD, most patients showed improvement in mitral regurgitation, while aortic regurgitation remained unchanged. The degree of mitral regurgitation one month postoperatively is associated with prognosis.
9.The relationship between preoperative pulmonary vascular resistance and prognosis in patients undergoing left ventricular assist device implantation: a single-center report
Junjiang LIU ; Dingqian LIU ; Guangwei HAO ; Zhe LUO ; Kefang GUO ; Lili DONG ; Xin LI ; Guowei TU ; Chunsheng WANG ; Xiaoning SUN
Chinese Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2025;41(9):556-560
Objective:To compare the impact of preoperative pulmonary vascular resistance(PVR) levels on the prognosis of patients undergoing left ventricular assist device(LVAD)implantation.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 33 patients among September 2021 and June 2024, who underwent LVAD implantation at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University. 29 males and 4 females, with a mean age of(53.61±9.65)years old. The cohort included 30 cases of dilated cardiomyopathy, 2 cases of ischemic cardiomyopathy, and 1 case of noncompaction cardiomyopathy. Patients were grouped based on a preoperative PVR threshold of 3 WU, Preoperative data from Swan-Ganz catheterization, liver and renal function indicators, as well as other relevant clinical parameters were recorded. Patients were followed up to assess differences in survival outcomes.Results:Preoperative PVR was elevated in 18 cases(60%)of the patients, with a mean preoperative PVR of(3.16±1.71)WU. Immediate postoperative right heart catheterization was performed in 20 patients, showing a significant reduction in PVR from(3.85±1.72)WU preoperatively to(1.80±1.38)WU postoperatively( P<0.05). The cardiac index improved significantly from(1.95±0.63)L·min -1·m -2 preoperatively to(4.25±1.26)L·min -1·m -2 postoperatively( P<0.001). The mean follow-up duration was(14.78±12.06)months, no significant difference in postoperative survival was observed between the two groups(100% vs. 80%, P=0.667). Conclusion:Increased pulmonary resistance is often secondary to left heart dysfunction. After the implantation of a LVAD, pulmonary resistance can be improved. For patients with relatively normal right heart function before surgery, elevated pulmonary resistance does not affect the short-term outcomes of the implantation.
10.Application of proximal femoral reconstruction osteotomy in hip revision arthroplasty
Min CHEN ; Guoyuan LI ; Zhengliang LUO ; Xiaoqi ZHANG ; Zhe NI ; Xiaofeng JI ; Xifu SHANG
Chinese Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma 2025;27(6):492-498
Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of proximal femoral reconstruction osteotomy (PFRO) in hip revision arthroplasty.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted of the 92 patients (93 hips) who had undergone PFRO in hip revision arthroplasty at Department of Orthopedics, The First Affiliated Hospital, University of Science and Technology of China from January 2019 to December 2023. The cohort included 50 males (51 hips) and 42 females (42 hips), with an age of (64.5±11.7) years and a body mass index of (23.7±2.9) kg/m 2. Surgical procedures were performed under general anesthesia via a posterolateral approach. Biologic prostheses were used in femoral reconstruction, and PFRO fragments repositioned and fixed using cerclage wires. The data collected were operative time, intraoperative blood loss, length of osteotomy fragments, healing at the osteotomy site, intraoperative and follow-up complications, as well as Harris hip score (HHS) and leg length discrepancy (LLD) at the last follow-up. Results:For this cohort, operative time was (174.9±45.6) minutes, intraoperative blood loss (594.6±206.6) mL, and length of osteotomy fragments (12.3±2.3) mm. The 92 patients were followed up for (35.8±12.3) months. For them, HHS improved from preoperative (38.3±8.5) points to (80.5±12.8) points at the last follow-up, and LLD decreased from preoperative (21.2±13.0) mm to 2.0(0.0, 5.0) mm at the last follow-up, showing significant differences ( P<0.05). The osteotomy sites healed in 89 cases (90 hips), with a displacement of the greater trochanter <5 mm; 3 cases (3 hips) experienced nonunion with wire loosening and a displacement of the greater trochanter >10 mm. The osteotomy fragment of the greater trochanter got fractured in 2 patients (2 hips) and a fracture of the medial cortex of the proximal femur occurred in 11 patients (11 hips), but follow-ups observed healing of all the fractures. One patient (1 hip) developed postoperative posterior dislocation of the hip which was treated conservatively. One patient (1 hip) developed postoperative periprosthetic infection which did not recur after twice of debridement followed by prosthetic revision of the proximal femoral tumor. Conclusion:In hip revision arthroplasty, as PFRO demonstrates a low incidence of fragment fractures of the greater trochanter and a high rate of healing at the osteotomy site, its short-term clinical outcomes are satisfactory.


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