1.Bioinformatics Reveals Mechanism of Schisandrin B in Inhibiting Ferroptosis to Ameliorate Methionine and Choline Deficiency-induced Fatty Liver Disease in Mice
Zhifeng ZHU ; Wenting LI ; Yongjun CAO ; Yuanyuan LIN ; Yifei LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(2):74-83
ObjectiveNonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a metabolic stress liver injury. Ferroptosis is involved in the occurrence and development of NAFLD. Exploring the efficacy and mechanism of schisandrin B in treating NAFLD facilitates the development of strategies for the prevention and treatment of NAFLD. MethodsThe molecular structure of schisandrin B was obtained by searching against PubChem, and the related targets were predicted by SwissTargetPrediction. The active ingredients and their targets were retrieved from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP) and the high-throughput experiment- and reference-guide database of traditional Chinese medicine (HERB). GeneCards and FerrDb were searched for the targets of NAFLD and ferroptosis. The common targets were taken as the core targets, and the protein-protein interaction network of the core targets was established. DAVID was used for gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses. Finally, molecular docking was performed between schisandrin B and core targets, and the binding energy was calculated. C57BL/6 mice were fed with a methionine and choline-deficiency (MCD) diet for the modeling of NAFLD. Mice were randomized into normal, model, positive drug (essentiale), and low- and high-dose schisandrin B groups. The body mass and liver index of mice were measured after drug administration. The levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in the serum and those of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and Fe2+ in the liver homogenate were measured by biochemical assay kits. The pathological changes of the liver tissue were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and red oil O staining. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to determine the levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) in the serum. Western blotting and real-time PCR were employed to determine the protein and mRNA levels, respectively, of solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11), solute carrier family 3 member 2 (SLC3A2), glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), transferrin, and ferritin heavy chain (FTH) in the liver tissue. ResultsA total of 2 370, 2 547, and 1 451 targets of schisandrin B, NAFLD, and ferroptosis were obtained, in which 90 common targets were shared by the three. Enrichment analyses predicted 505 GO terms and 92 KEGG pathways. Molecular docking suggested that schizandrin B had strong binding affinity with the key targets of ferropstosis (SLC7A11 and SLC3A2). Animal experiments showed that schizandrin B significantly decreased the liver index, lowered the levels of ALT, AST, TC, TG, IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α, alleviated hepatocyte ballooning and inflammatory cell infiltration, and reduced lipid accumulation in the liver of NAFLD mice. In addition, schisandrin B significantly lowered the levels of MDA, 4-HNE, and Fe2+, elevated the level of GSH, up-regulated the protein and mRNA levels of SLC7A11, SLC3A2, and GPX4, and down-regulated the protein and mRNA levels of transferrin in the liver tissue. ConclusionSchisandrin B can alleviate NAFLD by inhibiting ferroptosis in hepatocytes.
2.The characteristics and mechanism of dynamic changes of different components in microenvironment in regulating the progression of liver fibrosis
Huilan ZHAO ; Zongxu LIU ; Shumin LI ; Zhifeng WANG ; Minghui LIU ; Qian SHENG ; Kunbin KE ; Xinan SHI
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(4):755-760
The liver has diverse functions such as metabolism, detoxification, and immune defense, and the maintenance of hepatic microenvironment homeostasis is crucial for overall bodily health. The hepatic microenvironment consists of the components such as parenchymal cells, non-parenchymal cells, and non-cellular components. Chronic inflammatory responses induced by various etiological factors may promote the formation and progression of liver fibrosis. During the dynamic progression of liver fibrosis, from the early to advanced stages, various components within the hepatic microenvironment undergo a series of changes, which can promote the malignant progression of liver fibrosis. An in-depth exploration of the mechanisms underlying such changes in each component of the liver fibrosis microenvironment is of great significance for understanding the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis and discovering potential treatment strategies.
3.Risk factors of ineffective eradication therapy of adult Helicobacter pylori infection:a meta-analysis
Zhifeng TANG ; Guoming GAO ; Shuoquan LI ; Agang QU ; Lixia GOU
China Pharmacy 2025;36(12):1525-1529
OBJECTIVE To systematically evaluate the risk factors for ineffective eradication therapy of adult Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection. METHODS Retrieved from PubMed,Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, Embase, CNKI, VIP and Wanfang Data, cohort studies and case-control studies on the eradication therapy for Hp infection in adult patients were searched from Jan. 2000 to Jul. 2024. After screening literature, extracting data, and evaluating the quality of literature, RevMan 5.3 software was used for meta-analysis, and sensitivity analysis and publication bias analysis were also performed. RESULTS A total of 19 articles were included, all of which were cohort studies, involving 9 931 patients in total. Among them, 1 929 patients were ineffective in eradication therapy, with the ineffective rates ranging from 8.02% to 33.33%. Meta-analysis showed that age<50 years [OR=1.33, 95%CI (1.12,1.57), P<0.001], body mass index (BMI)>25 kg/m2 [OR=1.87, 95%CI (1.35, 2.59), P= 0.000 2], a history of smoking [OR=1.62, 95%CI(1.35, 1.95), P<0.001], a history of drinking [OR=1.93, 95%CI(1.47, 2.54), P<0.001], living in a rural area [OR=1.74, 95%CI(1.41, 2.15), P<0.001], having non-peptic ulcer [OR=3.45, 95%CI (1.75, 6.67), P=0.000 3], a family members’ infection history [OR=4.72, 95%CI(3.32, 6.74), P<0.001], poor treatment compliance [OR=4.89, 95%CI (3.07, 7.79), P<0.001], amoxicillin resistance [OR=3.42, 95%CI (1.95, 6.00), P<0.001] and clarithromycin resistance [OR=8.14, 95%CI(5.00, 13.24), P<0.001] had significant impacts on ineffective eradication therapy of Hp infection in adults. Sensitivity analysis and publication bias analysis showed that the result of this study was robust and reliable. CONCLUSIONS Age<50 years, BMI>25 kg/m, a history of smoking, a history of drinking, living in a rural area, having non-peptic ulcer, a family members’ infection history, poor treatment compliance, amoxicillin resistance and clarithromycin resistance are risk factors for failure of Hp infection eradication therapy in adults.
4.Research progress on epigenetic changes induced by ionizing radiation
WANG Suyi ; SONG Li ; LIU Zhifeng ; JIANG Rongyue ; SONG Yue ; XIA Lu ; YANG Fan
Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;37(4):361-364
Ionizing radiation (IR) is a genotoxic agent that can play an important role in the occurrence and development of various diseases by inducing epigenetic changes. Studies have shown that the basic mechanisms of IR-induced epigenetic changes include abnormal DNA methylation, increased oxidative stress levels, changes in histone modifications, and regulation by microRNAs. These can lead to health hazards such as malignant tumors, genetic effects, nervous system damage, circulatory system diseases, and radiation-induced cataracts. This article collected relevant literatures regarding epigenetic changes induced by IR from 2005 to 2024, and reviewed the basic mechanisms of IR-induced epigenetic changes and the associated disease risks, providing the reference for radiation protection in occupational exposure and radiotherapy.
5.Epidemiological characteristics and spatio-temporal clustering analysis of scarlet fever in Jinhua City from 2005 to 2023
LI Ke ; PANG Zhifeng ; WU Xiaohong ; TANG Huiling
Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;37(7):705-709
Objective:
To investigate the epidemiological characteristics and spatial-temporal clustering characteristics of scarlet fever in Jinhua City, Zhejiang Province from 2005 to 2023, so as to provide a reference for improving the prevention and control strategy of scarlet fever.
Methods:
The data of scarlet fever cases in Jinhua City from 2005 to 2023 were collected from the China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention, and descriptive epidemiological method was used to analyze the epidemiological characteristics of scarlet fever. The average annual percent change (AAPC) was calculated to analyze the trend of scarlet fever incidence from 2005 to 2023. The spatial-temporal clustering of scarlet fever was identified using spatial autocorrelation analysis and space-time scanning analysis.
Results:
A total of 1 494 scarlet fever cases were reported in Jinhua City from 2005 to 2023, and the average annual reported incidence rate was 1.41/100 000, with no significant change trend (AAPC=1.706%, P>0.05). There were two incidence peaks, from April to June and from November to January of the next year. There were 937 males and 557 females, with a male to female ratio of 1.68∶1. The age was mainly <10 years (1 391 cases, 93.11%), of which 3-<7 years was the high incidence age group (936 cases, 62.65%). There were 1 466 cases of preschool children, students, and scattered children, accounting for 98.13%. The average annual reported incidence of scarlet fever in Dongyang City, Pujiang County, and Yongkang City was 4.58/100 000, 3.04/100 000, and 1.99/100 000, respectively. The spatial autocorrelation analysis showed that there was a positive spatial correlation between the incidence of scarlet fever in Jinhua City from 2005 to 2023 (Moran's I=0.579, P<0.05), and the high-high clustering areas were mainly distributed in Dongyang City and Pujiang County. The spatial-temporal scanning analysis showed that there were 8 spatial-temporal clustering areas of scarlet fever in Jinhua City from 2005 to 2023. The class Ⅰ clustering area was 9 towns in Dongyang City, and the clustering period was from August 2013 to December 2022. There were 7 class Ⅱ clusters, covering some streets in Pujiang County, Dongyang City, Yongkang City, Yiwu City, and Pan'an County.
Conclusions
From 2005 to 2023, the incidence of scarlet fever in Jinhua City was relatively low, and children aged 3-<7 years had a high incidence, and there was a spatiotemporal clustering. The peak incidence was from April to June and from November to January of the next year. Dongyang City, Pujiang County, and Yongkang City had high incidence areas.
6.Epidemiological characteristics of leptospirosis in Jinhua City from 2007 to 2024
LI Ke ; PANG Zhifeng ; WU Xiaohong ; WANG Cheng ; HE Yao ; TANG Huiling
Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;37(8):818-821
Objective:
To analyze the epidemiological characteristics of leptospirosis in Jinhua City, Zhejiang Province, from 2007 to 2024, so as to provide a basis for improving the prevention and control strategies of leptospirosis.
Methods:
Data pertaining to leptospirosis cases in Jinhua City from 2007 to 2024 were collected through the Monitoring and Reporting Management System of the Chinese Disease Prevention and Control Information System. Descriptive epidemiological methods were used to analyze the distribution characteristics of leptospirosis in terms of time, region, population, interval from the onset of the disease to diagnosis and the outbreak of the epidemic.
Results:
A total of 81 cases of leptospirosis were reported in Jinhua City from 2007 to 2024, with an average annual reported incidence of 0.08/100 000. The peak incidence occurred from August to September, with 57 cases accounting for 70.37%. Leptospirosis cases were reported in 9 counties (cities, districts) in Jinhua City. Pan'an County reported the most cases, with 52 cases accounting for 64.20%. There were 54 male cases and 27 female cases, with a male-to-female ratio of 2∶1. The majority of cases were aged over 40 years, with 73 cases accounting for 90.12%. The average reported incidence of leptospirosis showed an upward trend with the increase of age (P<0.05), and the highest incidence of leptospirosis was at the 60-<80 age group (0.21/100 000). The majority of patients were farmers, with 77 cases accounting for 95.06%. The median interval from onset to diagnosis was 4.00 (interquartile range, 6.00) days. There were significant differences in the interval from onset to diagnosis among cases in Dongyang City compared with Pan'an County, Wuyi County, and Wucheng District, between Pan'an County and Jindong District, Wucheng District, and between Wuyi County and Wucheng District (all P<0.05). In 2007, one outbreak of leptospirosis was reported, which occurred in Jiuhe Township, Pan'an County, with 36 reported cases.
Conclusions
The reported incidence of leptospirosis in Jinhua City from 2007 to 2024 is generally low. The high-incidence period is from August to September, and Pan'an County is the high-incidence area. Males over 40 years and farmers are the key populations for prevention and control. It is recommended to strengthen epidemic surveillance and health education for high-risk populations.
7.Analysis of volatile components of organic solvents in key industry enterprises in Longgang District, Shenzhen City
China Occupational Medicine 2024;51(5):566-569
Objective To analyze the detection situation and variation tendency of volatile components of organic solvents in enterprises in Longgang District, Shenzhen City. Methods A total of 368 enterprises using organic solvents in Longgang District, Shenzhen City from 2019 to 2022 were selected as the research subjects using judgment sampling method. And its 2 086 reports of occupational hazards monitoring on volatile components of organic solvents in workplaces from 2019 to 2022 were collected for analysis. Results Among the 2 086 organic solvent samples, the top 10 chemical substances in terms of detection rates were toluene, methanol, xylene, n-hexane, ethylbenzene, dimethoxymethane, dichloromethane, acetone, ethyl acetate and cyclohexane, with detection rates ranging from 16.73% to 29.72%. The detection rate of benzene in organic solvent samples from 368 enterprises decreased from 13.84% to 5.13% from 2019 to 2022 (P<0.01). The detection rate of trichlorethylene decreased from 3.58% to 0.45% (P<0.01), and the detection rate of dichloroethane decreased from 4.53% to 1.81% (P<0.01). However, the reduction in the detection rate of n-hexane was not significant (from 28.88% to 23.08%, P>0.05). Benzene had relatively high detection rates in yellow glue, super glue, and thinner (10.94%, 10.00%, and 8.45%, respectively). The detection rate of n-hexane was relatively high in super glue, cleaning agent and car wash liquids (90.00%, 61.84%, and 46.81%, respectively). The detection rate of trichlorethylene was relatively high in cleaning agent (3.95%), and the detection rate of dichloroethane was relatively high in super glue (40.00%). Conclusion From 2019 to 2022, the detection rates of traditional occupational hazards such as benzene, trichloroethylene, and dichloroethane in the volatile organic components used in Longgang District enterprises showed a downward trend.
8.Research on the Role and Clinical Application Value of the Histone H2A Deubiquitinase BAP1 in the Occurrence and Progression of Malignant Glioma Cells
Yufang LI ; Zhifeng LIN ; Ying XIANG ; Fei QI ; Feizhou HAN ; Zhongli QIAN ; Tao WANG ; Xu CHEN
Journal of Modern Laboratory Medicine 2024;39(2):7-11,33
Objective To explore the role of breast/ovarian cancer susceptibility gene 1 associated protein 1(BAP1)in the occurrence and progression of human malignant glioma and the feasibility of BAP1 as a clinical diagnostic marker for malignant glioma.Methods The differential expression of BAP1 in normal and glioma tissue was analyzed based on the GSE4290 and GSE90598 sub-datasets from the gene expression omnibus(GEO)database.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis was conducted to assess the early diagnostic value of BAP1 for malignant glioma.Primary lesion tissues from 28 nonpaired malignant glioma patients and non-tumor brain tissues removed by internal decompression surgery in 5 patients with traumatic brain injury collected independently were collected,and the expression levels of BAP1 were measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR).Specific small interfering RNAs(siRNAs)targeting BAP1 were transiently transfected into U251 cells to further evaluate their interference efficiency.Flow cytometry was employed to analyze changes in the cell cycle and apoptosis of U251 cells with BAP1 knockdown.Results The results of bioinformatics showed that the expression of BAP1 in malignant glioma tissues was lower than that in normal brain tissues(GSE 4290:1 209±18.49 vs 1 476±53.90,GSE 90598:5.19±0.10 vs 5.65±0.21),and the differences were significant(t=5.115,2.267,all P<0.05).ROC curve showed that BAP1 could efficiently differentiate malignant glioma tissue from normal brain tissue(GSE4290:AUC=0.78,GSE90598:AUC=0.75,all P<0.05).The expression level of BAP1 in primary malignant glioma tissue was lower than that in normal brain tissue(0.27±0.04 vs 1.06±0.07),and the difference was significant(t=10.22,P<0.001).After down-regulating the expression of BAP1 in U251 cells,the proportion of S phase cells increased from 17.59%to 27.21%(siBAP1-1)and 25.79%(siBAP1-2),respectively,and the differences were significant(t=6.576,6.642,all P<0.01).However,the apoptosis levels decreased from 10.17%to 2.70%(siBAP-1)and 3.00%(siBAP-2),respectively,and the differences were significant(t=10.31,9.428,all P<0.01).Conclusion Histone H2A deubiquitinase BAP1 could exert the function of tumor suppressor genes by inhibiting rapid cell cycle progression and promoting apoptosis in malignant glioma,and could serve as a potential clinical diagnostic biomarker for malignant glioma.
9.Analysis of on-site technical evaluation of 88 provincial health enterprises in Shandong Province
Wenjiao LIU ; Jing LI ; Zhifeng YANG ; Yuqian CHANG ; Haidong ZHANG ; Peng LI
China Occupational Medicine 2024;51(2):238-241
ObjectiveTo analyze the on-site technical evaluation results of the provincial-level health enterprises in Shandong Province. Methods A total of 88 provincial-level health enterprises in Shandong Province in 2021 were selected as the research subjects using the convenient sampling method. The scores of on-site technical assessments were analyzed. Results The total score of on-site technical evaluations for the 88 provincial health enterprises was (942.1±21.8) points. The scores for the first-level indicators, including management system, health environment, health management and services, and health culture, were (193.7±4.7), (191.6±5.2), (414.4±16.4), and (142.3±6.7) points, respectively. The score for health culture in large-sized enterprises was higher than that in medium-sized and below enterprises (P<0.05). State-owned enterprises had higher total scores than private enterprises and joint-stock enterprises (both P<0.05). The score for health management and services in the mining industry was higher than that in the manufacturing industry (P<0.05). Enterprises with high total investment in health promotion had higher scores for health culture than those with low investment (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the scores for indicators of management system and health environment among enterprises of different sizes, natures, industries, and total investments in health promotion (all P>0.05). Conclusion The overall score of these 88 enterprises was higher than the standard for provincial health enterprises. Except for management systems and general environment, there were some differences in the scores for health management and services, and health culture assessments among enterprises of different sizes, natures, industries, and total investments in health promotion.
10.E-cigarette use among high school students in Wuhan City
ZHONG Qing ; XIONG Yuehua ; MEI Xin ; HUANG Yuanxia ; LI Yilin ; ZHANG Zhifeng
Journal of Preventive Medicine 2024;36(4):355-358
Objective:
To investigate the use of e-cigarette and analyze its influencing factors among high school students in Wuhan City, so as to provide insights into developing control measures for adolescents.
Methods:
From September to November 2019, high school students in Wuhan City were selected by the multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling method, and basic information, e-cigarette use and second-hand smoke exposure were collected through questionnaire surveys. Proportions of e-cigarette current use and attempt to use were analyzed, and factors affecting the current use of e-cigarettes were identified using a multivariable logistic regression model.
Results:
Totally 5 700 questionnaires were allocated, and 5 602 valid questionnaires were recovered, with an effective rate of 98.28%. The respondents included 2 925 males (52.21%) and 2 677 females (47.79%); 4 033 high school students (71.99%) and 1 569 vocational high school students (28.01%). The proportion of attempt to use e-cigarettes was 9.23%, and the proportion of current e-cigarette use was 2.03%. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified male (OR=2.112, 95%CI: 1.285-3.471), vocational high school (OR=1.967, 95%CI: 1.214-3.186), private high school (OR=9.684, 95%CI: 5.648-16.605), family second-hand smoke exposure (OR=3.064, 95%CI: 1.741-5.392), second-hand smoke exposure in public places (OR=4.402, 95%CI: 1.687-11.484) and having close friends who were smokers (OR=6.432, 95%CI: 3.219-12.852) as factors affecting current e-cigarette use among high school students.
Conclusions
The proportion of current e-cigarette use among high school students in Wuhan City was 2.03%. Male, vocational high school, private high school, second-hand smoke exposure and having close friends who were smokers may be promoting factors for e-cigarette use.


Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail