1.Aerobic Exercise and MOTS-c Ameliorate Hepatic Oxidative Stress and Metabolic Disorder in Type 2 Diabetes via The NRF2/PPARγ Axis
Fei-Long CHEN ; Zhi-Yu LI ; Tu-Tu WANG ; Yu FU ; Lei LÜ ; Cheng-Yuan XING ; Shun-Chang LI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(8):2071-2090
ObjectiveType 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) often causes severe hepatic metabolic complications, dominated by metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD). Persistent hepatic steatosis and oxidative stress further trigger steatohepatitis and progressive liver damage, increasing the mortality risk of diabetic patients. Aerobic exercise effectively improves hepatic lipid metabolism and antioxidant capacity, but poor patient adherence restricts its long-term clinical application. Mitochondrial-derived mitochondrial open reading frame of the 12S rRNA type-c (MOTS-c) is a key peptide regulating insulin sensitivity and hepatic redox homeostasis. This study aimed to explore the protective mechanism of MOTS-c against T2DM-related liver injury and its combined beneficial effect with aerobic exercise via the NRF2/PPARγ signaling axis. This study aimed to investigate whether MOTS-c cooperates with aerobic exercise to alleviate T2DM-associated hepatic oxidative stress and metabolic dysfunction by activating the NRF2/PPARγ axis, and to clarify the molecular and transcriptomic characteristics of their combined intervention. MethodsStable MOTS-c overexpression and knockdown HepG2 cell lines were constructed using lentiviral transfection. An oleic acid-induced cellular lipid accumulation model and NRF2-knockout cell model were applied to verify the NRF2-dependent mechanism ofMOTS-c. Intracellular lipid deposition, triglyceride levels, antioxidant enzyme activities, and the expression of NRF2/PPARγ pathway-related genes and proteins were detected. In vivo, a T2DM rat model with obvious hepatic steatosis was established via a high-fat and high-sucrose diet combined with streptozotocin injection. Model rats received aerobic exercise, MOTS-c intraperitoneal injection, or combined intervention. We detected systemic glycolipid metabolic indicators, hepatic histopathological changes, and the expression of core proteins in the hepatic NRF2/PPARγ axis. Hepatic transcriptomic sequencing was performed to screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and enrich key pathways co-regulated by MOTS-c and aerobic exercise. ResultsCellular results showed that MOTS-c overexpression significantly reduced oleic acid-induced lipid deposition, enhanced antioxidant enzyme activity, and upregulated NRF2 and PPARγ expression. Conversely, MOTS-c knockdown aggravated hepatic lipid accumulation and oxidative damage and inhibited NRF2/PPARγ pathway activation. NRF2 knockout completely eliminated the protective effects of MOTS-c on lipid metabolism and redox balance, confirming its NRF2-dependent regulatory mechanism. In T2DM rats, both MOTS-c supplementation and aerobic exercise effectively improved insulin resistance, corrected glycolipid metabolic disorders, and alleviated hepatic steatosis, while consistently activating the hepatic NRF2/PPARγ axis. Compared with single intervention, the combined treatment showed a better improvement trend in hepatic metabolic and oxidative injury, without definitive synergistic effects. Transcriptomic analysis revealed that the co-regulated DEGs of MOTS-c and aerobic exercise were primarily enriched in lipid metabolism and PPAR signaling pathways, with multiple antioxidant and lipid-regulating genes significantly modulated by combined intervention. ConclusionMOTS-c exhibits obvious exercise-mimetic hepatoprotective effects in T2DM. It activates the hepatic NRF2/PPARγ axis to strengthen antioxidant defense, stabilize lipid metabolism, and relieve T2DM-associated hepatic steatosis and oxidative damage. Furthermore, MOTS-c produces additive beneficial effects with aerobic exercise, showing a superior intervention trend on diabetic liver dysfunction. This study identifies the NRF2/PPARγ axis as the core mechanism of MOTS-c-regulated hepatic protection, elucidates the transcriptomic basis of combined intervention, and provides a reliable theoretical basis and potential therapeutic target for clinical intervention in T2DM-complicated MAFLD.
2.In-room cytologic evaluation by trained endosonographer for determination of procedure end in endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle biopsy of solid pancreatic lesions: a prospective study in Taiwan
Weng-Fai WONG ; Yu-Ting KUO ; Wern-Cherng CHENG ; Chia-Tung SHUN ; Ming-Lun HAN ; Chieh-Chang CHEN ; Hsiu-Po WANG
Clinical Endoscopy 2025;58(3):465-473
Background/Aims:
Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle biopsy (EUS-FNB) is an essential tool for tissue acquisition in solid pancreatic tumors. Rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) by cytologists ensures diagnostic accuracy. However, the universal application of the ROSE is limited by its availability. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the feasibility of determining the end of the procedure based on the results of in-room cytological evaluation by trained endosonographers (IRCETE).
Methods:
A training course focusing on the cytological interpretation of common pancreatic tumors was provided to the three endosonographers. After training, the decision to terminate EUS-FNB was made based on IRCETE results. The diagnostic accuracy, concordance rate of diagnostic categories, and sample adequacy were compared with those determined by board-certified cytologists and macroscopic on-site evaluation (MOSE).
Results:
We enrolled 65 patients with solid pancreatic tumors, most of whom were malignant (86.2%). The diagnostic accuracy was 90.8% when the end of the procedure was determined based on IRCETE, compared to 87.7% and 98.5% when determined by MOSE and cytologists, respectively (p=0.060). Based on the cytologists’ results, the accuracy of IRCETE in diagnostic category interpretation was 97.3%.
Conclusions
In the absence of ROSE, IRCETE can serve as a supplementary alternative to MOSE in determining the end of tissue sampling with a high accuracy rate.
3.Application progress on functional insoles in the prevention and treatment of diabetic foot.
Heng-Yu LIU ; Zhen-de JIANG ; Yao-Kuan RUAN ; Qiu-Ju LI ; Si-Yuan CHEN ; Shun-Yu WEI ; Nan MEI ; Chou WU ; Fei CHANG
China Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology 2025;38(9):969-975
Diabetic foot (DF) is one of the most serious chronic complications of diabetes. The incidence rate among global diabetes patients is as high as 15% to 25%, and about 50% of patients will develop contralateral foot ulcers within 5 years after the first unilateral ulcer. As a non-invasive prevention and control solution, the application progress of functional insoles is mainly reflected in the following aspects:(1) Material innovation. The application of new composite materials and smart materials has significantly enhanced the pressure reduction effect and comfort. (2) Structural optimization. The development of multi-layer design and local pressure reduction structure has achieved more precise pressure distribution regulation. (3) Manufacturing process. 3D printing and parametric design have enabled the personalized customization of functional insoles. (4) Intelligent monitoring. It integrates functions such as pressure sensing and temperature monitoring, achieving real-time monitoring and early warning of foot conditions. Clinical research has confirmed that personalized functional insoles could reduce the incidence of foot ulcers and shorten the healing time of ulcers. At present, the research hotspots mainly focus on the development of smart materials, the construction of multi-functional integration and remote monitoring systems. However, in-depth research is still needed in the aspects of biomechanical mechanisms, standardized evaluation systems and long-term efficacy assessment. The development of future functional insoles should focus on the coordinated advancement of "personalization-intelligence-standardization", with the aim of providing more effective solutions for the prevention and treatment of DF.
Humans
;
Diabetic Foot/therapy*
;
Foot Orthoses
4.In-room cytologic evaluation by trained endosonographer for determination of procedure end in endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle biopsy of solid pancreatic lesions: a prospective study in Taiwan
Weng-Fai WONG ; Yu-Ting KUO ; Wern-Cherng CHENG ; Chia-Tung SHUN ; Ming-Lun HAN ; Chieh-Chang CHEN ; Hsiu-Po WANG
Clinical Endoscopy 2025;58(3):465-473
Background/Aims:
Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle biopsy (EUS-FNB) is an essential tool for tissue acquisition in solid pancreatic tumors. Rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) by cytologists ensures diagnostic accuracy. However, the universal application of the ROSE is limited by its availability. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the feasibility of determining the end of the procedure based on the results of in-room cytological evaluation by trained endosonographers (IRCETE).
Methods:
A training course focusing on the cytological interpretation of common pancreatic tumors was provided to the three endosonographers. After training, the decision to terminate EUS-FNB was made based on IRCETE results. The diagnostic accuracy, concordance rate of diagnostic categories, and sample adequacy were compared with those determined by board-certified cytologists and macroscopic on-site evaluation (MOSE).
Results:
We enrolled 65 patients with solid pancreatic tumors, most of whom were malignant (86.2%). The diagnostic accuracy was 90.8% when the end of the procedure was determined based on IRCETE, compared to 87.7% and 98.5% when determined by MOSE and cytologists, respectively (p=0.060). Based on the cytologists’ results, the accuracy of IRCETE in diagnostic category interpretation was 97.3%.
Conclusions
In the absence of ROSE, IRCETE can serve as a supplementary alternative to MOSE in determining the end of tissue sampling with a high accuracy rate.
5.In-room cytologic evaluation by trained endosonographer for determination of procedure end in endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle biopsy of solid pancreatic lesions: a prospective study in Taiwan
Weng-Fai WONG ; Yu-Ting KUO ; Wern-Cherng CHENG ; Chia-Tung SHUN ; Ming-Lun HAN ; Chieh-Chang CHEN ; Hsiu-Po WANG
Clinical Endoscopy 2025;58(3):465-473
Background/Aims:
Endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine needle biopsy (EUS-FNB) is an essential tool for tissue acquisition in solid pancreatic tumors. Rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) by cytologists ensures diagnostic accuracy. However, the universal application of the ROSE is limited by its availability. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the feasibility of determining the end of the procedure based on the results of in-room cytological evaluation by trained endosonographers (IRCETE).
Methods:
A training course focusing on the cytological interpretation of common pancreatic tumors was provided to the three endosonographers. After training, the decision to terminate EUS-FNB was made based on IRCETE results. The diagnostic accuracy, concordance rate of diagnostic categories, and sample adequacy were compared with those determined by board-certified cytologists and macroscopic on-site evaluation (MOSE).
Results:
We enrolled 65 patients with solid pancreatic tumors, most of whom were malignant (86.2%). The diagnostic accuracy was 90.8% when the end of the procedure was determined based on IRCETE, compared to 87.7% and 98.5% when determined by MOSE and cytologists, respectively (p=0.060). Based on the cytologists’ results, the accuracy of IRCETE in diagnostic category interpretation was 97.3%.
Conclusions
In the absence of ROSE, IRCETE can serve as a supplementary alternative to MOSE in determining the end of tissue sampling with a high accuracy rate.
6.Effects of dietary supplements on patients with osteoarthritis: A systematic review and network meta-analysis.
Chang-Shun CHEN ; Lei WEN ; Fei YANG ; Yong-Cheng DENG ; Jian-Hua JI ; Rong-Jin CHEN ; Zhong CHEN ; Ge CHEN ; Jin-Yi GU
Journal of Integrative Medicine 2025;23(4):357-369
BACKGROUND:
A growing body of research is exploring the role of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory dietary supplements in the treatment of osteoarthritis, highlighting an increasing emphasis on non-pharmacological interventions. Although more patients are turning to supplements to manage osteoarthritis, their actual effectiveness remains uncertain.
OBJECTIVE:
This study aims to provide a comprehensive evaluation of the available evidence concerning the efficacy of various dietary supplements in osteoarthritis treatment.
SEARCH STRATEGY:
We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library and Web of Science for studies on the use of various dietary supplements in the treatment of osteoarthritis from the creation of each database until Jan 20, 2025.
INCLUSION CRITERIA:
(1) Research object: osteoarthritis. (2) Intervention measures: patients in the treatment group received dietary supplements, while the control group received placebos. (3) Research type: randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
DATA EXTRACTION AND ANALYSIS:
Two researchers independently examined the literature and retrieved data based on predefined criteria. The information gathered included the first author, year of publication, sample size, participant demographics, length of the follow-up period, intervention and control measures, and inclusion indications. RCTs comparing dietary supplements to placebo with the pain and function subscales of the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) among patients with osteoarthritis were included. The optimal dietary supplement was identified based on the total ranking by summing the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA) of these two scores. Furthermore, the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) was used to confirm the quality of the evidence.
RESULTS:
Overall, 23 studies covering 21 dietary supplements and involving 2455 participants met the inclusion criteria. In the WOMAC pain score, the SUCRA of passion fruit peel extract was 91% (mean difference [MD]: -9.2; 95% confidence interval [CI]: [-16.0, -2.3]), followed by methylsulfonylmethane (89%), undenatured type II collagen (87%), collagen (84%), and Lanconone (82%). The SUCRA (99%) of passion fruit peel extract (MD: -41.0; 95% CI: [-66.0, -16.0]) ranked first in terms of the WOMAC function score, followed by Lanconone (95%), collagen (86%), ParActin (84%), and Lactobacillus casei strain Shirota (83%). The top three total rankings are passion fruit peel extract (95.0%), Lanconone (88.5%), and collagen (85.0%). However, the GRADE revealed low evidence quality.
CONCLUSION
Passion fruit peel extract was the best supplement for improving WOMAC pain and function scores in patients with osteoarthritis, followed by Lanconone and collagen. However, further large-scale, well designed RCTs are required to substantiate these promising findings. Please cite this article as: Chen CS, Wen L, Yang F, Deng YC, Ji JH, Chen RJ, Chen Z, Chen G, Gu JY. Effects of dietary supplements on patients with osteoarthritis: A systematic review and network meta-analysis. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(4): 357-369.
Humans
;
Dietary Supplements
;
Osteoarthritis/drug therapy*
;
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
7.Bioequivalence of rivaroxabanpian in healthy Chinese subjects
Xu ZHU ; Xiao-ni WANG ; Chang LU ; Ran ZHANG ; Ning CHEN ; Jin-mei ZHOU ; Feng ZHANG ; Wen ZHANG ; Sheng-long ZHAO ; Shun-wang HUANG ; Huan ZHOU
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2025;41(11):2194-2199
Aim To evaluate the bioequivalence of two oral preparations of rivaroxaban tablets(test preparation T and refe-rence preparation R)in fasting/postprandibular state in healthy Chinese subjects.Methods A randomized,open,single-dose,four-cycle,completely repeated crossover experiment was used in this study.A total of 70 healthy male and female subjects were enrolled,including 38 subjects in the fasting group and 32 sub-jects in the postprandial group.Rivaroxaban tablets(2.5 mg/tablet)were taken orally once per cycle and their reference preparations were tested.The plasma rivaroxaban concentration was determined by LC-MS/MS method.The pharmacokinetic parameters of rivaroxaban tablets were calculated by WinNonlin software,and the parameters were analyzed and processed.Re-sults The PK parameters of rivaroxaban tablets and reference preparations in fasting group were as follows:Cmax was(72.48±17.08)and(66.36±15.64)μg·L-1,respectively.AUC0-t were(383.49±101.06)and(370.43±102.16)h·ng·mL-1,and AUC0-inr were(389.58±102.28)and(375.84±103.01)h·μg·L-,respectively.Main PK parameters of subjects taking rivaroxaban tablets orally after meals:Cmax were(66.48±15.64 and 60.87±13.44)μg·L-1,AUC0-t were(404.44±72.58)and(381.80±79.93)h·μg·L-1,re-spectively.AUC0_inf was(410.88±73.55)and(393.64±69.71)h·μg·L-1,respectively.Under fasting and postmeal conditions,subjects took rivaroxaban test and reference prepara-tion orally,one tablet(2.5 mg/tablet)each time.The geometric mean of the main pharmacokinetic parameters of rivaroxaban in plasma(Cmax,AUC0-t,AUC0-inf)and their corresponding values had a 90%confidence interval ranging from 80.00%to 125.00%.No serious adverse events or unexpected adverse e-vents occurred in both groups.Conclusion Rivaroxaban tablets are bioequivalent and safe in vivo under fasting and postprandial conditions.
8.Bioequivalence of rivaroxabanpian in healthy Chinese subjects
Xu ZHU ; Xiao-ni WANG ; Chang LU ; Ran ZHANG ; Ning CHEN ; Jin-mei ZHOU ; Feng ZHANG ; Wen ZHANG ; Sheng-long ZHAO ; Shun-wang HUANG ; Huan ZHOU
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2025;41(11):2194-2199
Aim To evaluate the bioequivalence of two oral preparations of rivaroxaban tablets(test preparation T and refe-rence preparation R)in fasting/postprandibular state in healthy Chinese subjects.Methods A randomized,open,single-dose,four-cycle,completely repeated crossover experiment was used in this study.A total of 70 healthy male and female subjects were enrolled,including 38 subjects in the fasting group and 32 sub-jects in the postprandial group.Rivaroxaban tablets(2.5 mg/tablet)were taken orally once per cycle and their reference preparations were tested.The plasma rivaroxaban concentration was determined by LC-MS/MS method.The pharmacokinetic parameters of rivaroxaban tablets were calculated by WinNonlin software,and the parameters were analyzed and processed.Re-sults The PK parameters of rivaroxaban tablets and reference preparations in fasting group were as follows:Cmax was(72.48±17.08)and(66.36±15.64)μg·L-1,respectively.AUC0-t were(383.49±101.06)and(370.43±102.16)h·ng·mL-1,and AUC0-inr were(389.58±102.28)and(375.84±103.01)h·μg·L-,respectively.Main PK parameters of subjects taking rivaroxaban tablets orally after meals:Cmax were(66.48±15.64 and 60.87±13.44)μg·L-1,AUC0-t were(404.44±72.58)and(381.80±79.93)h·μg·L-1,re-spectively.AUC0_inf was(410.88±73.55)and(393.64±69.71)h·μg·L-1,respectively.Under fasting and postmeal conditions,subjects took rivaroxaban test and reference prepara-tion orally,one tablet(2.5 mg/tablet)each time.The geometric mean of the main pharmacokinetic parameters of rivaroxaban in plasma(Cmax,AUC0-t,AUC0-inf)and their corresponding values had a 90%confidence interval ranging from 80.00%to 125.00%.No serious adverse events or unexpected adverse e-vents occurred in both groups.Conclusion Rivaroxaban tablets are bioequivalent and safe in vivo under fasting and postprandial conditions.
10.Application and Prospects of Polygenic Risk Score (PRS) in Genetic Disease Research: a Review of Data Analysis Methods
Shu-Xin HE ; Chang-Shun YU ; Xiao-Dong JIA ; Jian-Chun CHEN ; Ke-Qiang YAN
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2024;51(8):1797-1808
Lower-cost genotyping technology has promoted the generation of large genetic datasets with the evolving next-generation sequencing technology. The emergence of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) has facilitated researchers’ understanding of common complex diseases. GWAS refers to finding the sequence variations present in the human genome and screening out disease-related single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). These SNPs are considered as the basis for assessing the stability of complex diseases. However, a single variation is not sufficient to assess an individual’s risk of disease. Polygenic risk score (PRS) is an emerging genetic data analysis method for quantitatively estimating an individual’s genetic risk for complex diseases by comprehensively considering multiple genetic variation sites. A single-value estimate of an individual’s genetic risk for a certain phenotype can be calculated as the cumulative impact of multiple genetic variants by building a PRS model. The finally expected risk score is weighted by the strength and direction of association of each SNP with the phenotype based on the number of alleles carried by each SNP. With the continuous development of various PRS calculation methods and the constant accumulation of genomic data, PRS has received widespread attention in the field of genetics. So far, quite a few studies at home and abroad have shown that PRS is valuable in risk prediction of different types of human traits or complex diseases, and its effectiveness has been further verified in clinical applications. At present, many studies have established PRS models based on GWAS summary statistics to quantify the genetic risk of susceptibility loci and clinical characteristics on diseases such as lung cancer, breast cancer, coronary heart disease, diabetes and Alzheimer’s disease. The disease-susceptible populations can be recognized through comparing the relative risk and absolute risk of the disease in different risk groups according to the population risk stratification results. Additionally, individual-level genotype data and omics data can also be used as data sources for PRS analysis research, especially the latter can dynamically reflect the short-term or long-term effects of environmental factors on human gene expression, and has potential application value in building early warning models to assess health risks. Since the calculation of PRS involves a large amount of genomic data analysis, there are big differences in the methods for data selection, model building and validation. Different PRS construction methods and software have different performances in disease risk prediction, and even the performance of same algorithm varies across diseases. It is worth noting that the PRS model often needs to be re-evaluated and verified for different groups of people, because PRS is affected by race and region. This review combines currently published PRS-related research and algorithms to describe the basic principles of PRS, compares their construction and verification methods, and discusses their applications and prospects. As a powerful genetic risk assessment tool, PRS has great potential in analyzing the genetic code of complex diseases and achieving precise diagnosis and personalized treatment.

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