1.Targeting cAMP in D1-MSNs in the nucleus accumbens, a new rapid antidepressant strategy.
Yue ZHANG ; Jingwen GAO ; Na LI ; Peng XU ; Shimeng QU ; Jinqian CHENG ; Mingrui WANG ; Xueru LI ; Yaheng SONG ; Fan XIAO ; Xinyu YANG ; Jihong LIU ; Hao HONG ; Ronghao MU ; Xiaotian LI ; Youmei WANG ; Hui XU ; Yuan XIE ; Tianming GAO ; Guangji WANG ; Jiye AA
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2024;14(2):667-681
Studies have suggested that the nucleus accumbens (NAc) is implicated in the pathophysiology of major depression; however, the regulatory strategy that targets the NAc to achieve an exclusive and outstanding anti-depression benefit has not been elucidated. Here, we identified a specific reduction of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) in the subset of dopamine D1 receptor medium spiny neurons (D1-MSNs) in the NAc that promoted stress susceptibility, while the stimulation of cAMP production in NAc D1-MSNs efficiently rescued depression-like behaviors. Ketamine treatment enhanced cAMP both in D1-MSNs and dopamine D2 receptor medium spiny neurons (D2-MSNs) of depressed mice, however, the rapid antidepressant effect of ketamine solely depended on elevating cAMP in NAc D1-MSNs. We discovered that a higher dose of crocin markedly increased cAMP in the NAc and consistently relieved depression 24 h after oral administration, but not a lower dose. The fast onset property of crocin was verified through multicenter studies. Moreover, crocin specifically targeted at D1-MSN cAMP signaling in the NAc to relieve depression and had no effect on D2-MSN. These findings characterize a new strategy to achieve an exclusive and outstanding anti-depression benefit by elevating cAMP in D1-MSNs in the NAc, and provide a potential rapid antidepressant drug candidate, crocin.
2.Research on the application of non-contact physiological and psychological detection in the analysis of long-term simulated weightlessness effects
Shuai DING ; Zi XU ; Qian RONG ; Shujuan LIU ; Zihao LIU ; Yuan WU ; Yao YU ; Zhili LI ; Cheng SONG ; Lina QU ; Hao WANG ; Yinghui LI
Space Medicine & Medical Engineering 2024;35(2):78-83,98
Objective Explore a non-contact physiological and psychological detection model based on facial video in simulations of weightlessness effects,research new methods for non-contact heart rate and negative mood state detection in long-term simulations of weightlessness effect analysis.Methods Construct a non-contact physiological and psychological data collection system for fusion analysis of visible light and thermal infrared videos.Collect physiological and psychological data of volunteers in the"Earth Star-Ⅱ"90-day head-down bed rest experiment.A non-contact heart rate detection model based on GCN facial multi-region feature fusion and a non-contact negative mood state detection model considering data reliability were constructed,and the effectiveness of the models were validated with finger clip heart rate and POMS-SF scale as labels.Results The experimental results show that the average difference in the Bland-Altman plot of the non-contact heart rate detection model is-1.26 bpm,and 96.3%of value error detection data falls within the 95%confidence interval,indicating a high consistency between the model detected heart rate and the finger clip heart rate.The non-contact negative mood state detection model achieves an accuracy of>0.85 for detecting tension,depression,anger,and fatigue.Features such as heart rate,AU06,eye gaze,and head pose were observed to be important to mood state detection.Conclusion Non-contact physiological and psychological detection methods not only can be utilized for long-term physiological analysis in simulations of weightlessness effects,but also provide a novel technical approach for on-orbit astronauts health assurance during long-term space flight in the future.
3.Translocation of IGF-1R in endoplasmic reticulum enhances SERCA2 activity to trigger Ca2+ER perturbation in hepatocellular carcinoma.
Yanan LI ; Keqin LI ; Ting PAN ; Qiaobo XIE ; Yuyao CHENG ; Xinfeng WU ; Rui XU ; Xiaohui LIU ; Li LIU ; Jiangming GAO ; Wenmin YUAN ; Xianjun QU ; Shuxiang CUI
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2023;13(9):3744-3755
The well-known insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1)/IGF-1 receptor (IGF-1R) signaling pathway is overexpressed in many tumors, and is thus an attractive target for cancer treatment. However, results have often been disappointing due to crosstalk with other signals. Here, we report that IGF-1R signaling stimulates the growth of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cells through the translocation of IGF-1R into the ER to enhance sarco-endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase 2 (SERCA2) activity. In response to ligand binding, IGF-1Rβ is translocated into the ER by β-arrestin2 (β-arr2). Mass spectrometry analysis identified SERCA2 as a target of ER IGF-1Rβ. SERCA2 activity is heavily dependent on the increase in ER IGF-1Rβ levels. ER IGF-1Rβ phosphorylates SERCA2 on Tyr990 to enhance its activity. Mutation of SERCA2-Tyr990 disrupted the interaction of ER IGF-1Rβ with SERCA2, and therefore ER IGF-1Rβ failed to promote SERCA2 activity. The enhancement of SERCA2 activity triggered Ca2+ER perturbation, leading to an increase in autophagy. Thapsigargin blocked the interaction between SERCA2 and ER IGF-1Rβ and therefore SERCA2 activity, resulting in inhibition of HCC growth. In conclusion, the translocation of IGF-1R into the ER triggers Ca2+ER perturbation by enhancing SERCA2 activity through phosphorylating Tyr990 in HCC.
4.Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy in the ventromedial prefrontal lobe of adolescents with bipolar de-pression with anxiety symptoms
Chengji WANG ; Yuan QU ; Cheng ZHANG ; Xiaoxiao TANG ; Abula GULIBAKERANMU ; Gaiyu TONG ; Shaohong ZOU
Chinese Journal of Nervous and Mental Diseases 2023;49(10):604-608
Objective Exploring the relationship between anxiety symptoms and neurometabolism in the ventrome-dial prefrontal cortex(vmPFC)of adolescents with bipolar depression.Methods Thirty-six adolescent patients with bi-polar depression were assessed and grouped by using the 14-item Hamilton anxiety rating scale(HAMA),including 20 pa-tients with anxiety symptoms and 16 patients without anxiety symptoms.The severity of depressive symptoms was assessed using the 24-Hamilton depression scale(HAMD),and 1H-magnetic resonance spectroscopy(1H-MRS)was used.The dif-ference of vmPFC neurometabolism between 2 groups was compared.Results Compared with the group without anxiety symptoms,the HAMD score[24.50(24.00,26.75)vs.23.00(22.00,24.00)]and the proportion of family history(40.0%vs.0)were significantly higher in the group with anxiety symptoms than in the group without anxiety symptoms(P<0.05).The level of mI/Cr was higher in the group with anxiety symptoms than that in the group without anxiety symptoms(0.58±0.12 vs.0.47±0.11),and the difference was significant(P<0.05).Cho/Cr and HAMD scores in patients with anxiety symptoms were positively correlated(r=0.589,P=0.006),and mI/Cr was negatively correlated with disease duration(r=-0.481,P= 0.032).Conclusions Anxiety symptoms in adolescent bipolar depression patients may be related to elevated levels of mI,a neurometabolite in the brain region of vmPFC.
5.Cardiovascular complications in malaria: a review.
Yu LI ; Zhong-Yuan ZHENG ; Yu ZHANG ; Shui-Qing QU ; Shuo-Qiu DENG ; Yue DAI ; Cheng-Cheng LIU ; Tuo LIU ; Li-Na CHEN ; Yu-Jie LI
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2023;48(18):4902-4907
Malaria, one of the major global public health events, is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity among children and adults in tropical and subtropical regions(mainly in sub-Saharan Africa), threatening human health. It is well known that malaria can cause various complications including anemia, blackwater fever, cerebral malaria, and kidney damage. Conventionally, cardiac involvement has not been listed as a common reason affecting morbidity and mortality of malaria, which may be related to ignored cases or insufficient diagnosis. However, the serious clinical consequences such as acute coronary syndrome, heart failure, and malignant arrhythmia caused by malaria have aroused great concern. At present, antimalarials are commonly used for treating malaria in clinical practice. However, inappropriate medication can increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases and cause severe consequences. This review summarized the research advances in the cardiovascular complications including acute myocardial infarction, arrhythmia, hypertension, heart failure, and myocarditis in malaria. The possible mechanisms of cardiovascular diseases caused by malaria were systematically expounded from the hypotheses of cell adhesion, inflammation and cytokines, myocardial apoptosis induced by plasmodium toxin, cardiac injury secondary to acute renal failure, and thrombosis. Furthermore, the effects of quinolines, nucleoprotein synthesis inhibitors, and artemisinin and its derivatives on cardiac structure and function were summarized. Compared with the cardiac toxicity of quinolines in antimalarial therapy, the adverse effects of artemisinin-derived drugs on heart have not been reported in clinical studies. More importantly, the artemisinin-derived drugs demonstrate favorable application prospects in the prevention and treatment of cardiovascular diseases, and are expected to play a role in the treatment of malaria patients with cardiovascular diseases. This review provides reference for the prevention and treatment of malaria-related cardiovascular complications as well as the safe application of antimalarials.
Child
;
Adult
;
Humans
;
Antimalarials/pharmacology*
;
Cardiovascular Diseases/drug therapy*
;
Artemisinins/pharmacology*
;
Quinolines
;
Malaria, Cerebral/drug therapy*
;
Heart Failure/drug therapy*
;
Arrhythmias, Cardiac/drug therapy*
6.Research progress on pesticide residues of Panax notoginseng.
Kai ZHENG ; Lan-Ping GUO ; Xiao-Bo ZHANG ; Cheng-Xiao WANG ; Yuan QU ; Wei LIU ; Tao ZHOU ; Ya-Yu ZHANG ; Xiu-Ming CUI ; Ye YANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2022;47(6):1438-1444
Panax notoginseng is a perennial Chinese medicinal plant, which has serious continuous cropping obstacles and is prone to a variety of diseases and insect pests during the growth process. At present, the prevention and control of pests and diseases is mainly carried out through chemical pesticides, and the consequent pesticide residues of P. notoginseng have attracted much attention. This study reviewed the types and detection methods of pesticide residues in P. notoginseng from 1981 to 2021, and compared the limits of pesticide residues in P. notoginseng in China and abroad to provide a reference for rational application of pesticides in P. notoginseng and quality control of medicinal materials, thereby promoting the sustainable development of the P. notoginseng industry in China. Currently, there are only 40 published papers on pesticide residues of P. notoginseng, which is indicative of a serious problem of insufficient research. At present, hundreds of pesticide residues in P. notoginseng can be detected simultaneously by using chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. The pesticides detected have gradually changed from early prohibited ones, such as dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane(DDT), benzene hexachloride(BHC), and parathion, to low toxic ones(e.g., dimethomorph, procymidone, propicona-zole, and difenoconazole). The dietary risk from pesticide residues in P. notoginseng is low, which would not cause harm to consu-mers. This study concluded that in the future, the development of the quality standard for pesticide residues of P. notoginseng should be actively carried out. To increase the pesticides used in actual production in the quality standard based on the existing ones and to guide farmers to use pesticides scientifically will be the focus of future work.
China
;
Panax notoginseng
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Pesticide Residues/analysis*
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Pesticides/analysis*
;
Plants, Medicinal
7.Inhibition of the CDK9-cyclin T1 protein-protein interaction as a new approach against triple-negative breast cancer.
Sha-Sha CHENG ; Yuan-Qing QU ; Jia WU ; Guan-Jun YANG ; Hao LIU ; Wanhe WANG ; Qi HUANG ; Feng CHEN ; Guodong LI ; Chun-Yuen WONG ; Vincent Kam Wai WONG ; Dik-Lung MA ; Chung-Hang LEUNG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2022;12(3):1390-1405
Cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) activity is correlated with worse outcomes of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients. The heterodimer between CDK9 with cyclin T1 is essential for maintaining the active state of the kinase and targeting this protein-protein interaction (PPI) may offer promising avenues for selective CDK9 inhibition. Herein, we designed and generated a library of metal complexes bearing the 7-chloro-2-phenylquinoline CˆN ligand and tested their activity against the CDK9-cyclin T1 PPI. Complex 1 bound to CDK9 via an enthalpically-driven binding mode, leading to disruption of the CDK9-cyclin T1 interaction in vitro and in cellulo. Importantly, complex 1 showed promising anti-metastatic activity against TNBC allografts in mice and was comparably active compared to cisplatin. To our knowledge, 1 is the first CDK9-cyclin T1 PPI inhibitor with anti-metastatic activity against TNBC. Complex 1 could serve as a new platform for the future design of more efficacious kinase inhibitors against cancer, including TNBC.
8.Urinary Creatinine Concentrations and Its Explanatory Variables in General Chinese Population: Implications for Creatinine Limits and Creatinine Adjustment.
Sai Sai JI ; Yue Bin LYU ; Ying Li QU ; Xiao Jian HU ; Yi Fu LU ; Jun Fang CAI ; Shi Xun SONG ; Xu ZHANG ; Ying Chun LIU ; Yan Wei YANG ; Wen Li ZHANG ; Ya Wei LI ; Ming Yuan ZHANG ; Chen CHEN ; Cheng Cheng LI ; Zheng LI ; Heng GU ; Ling LIU ; Jia Yi CAI ; Tian QIU ; Hui FU ; S John JI ; Feng ZHAO ; Ying ZHU ; Zhao Jin CAO ; Xiao Ming SHI
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2022;35(10):899-910
OBJECTIVE:
The study aimed to analyze the applicability of the World Health Organization's exclusionary guidelines for Urinary creatinine (Ucr) in the general Chinese population, and to identify Ucr related factors.
METHODS:
We conduct a cross-sectional study using baseline data from 21,167 participants in the China National Human Biomonitoring Program. Mixed linear models and restricted cubic splines (RCS) were used to analyze the associations between explanatory variables and Ucr concentration.
RESULTS:
The geometric mean and median concentrations of Ucr in the general Chinese population were 0.90 g/L and 1.01 g/L, respectively. And 9.36% samples were outside 0.3-3.0 g/L, including 7.83% below the lower limit and 1.53% above the upper limit. Middle age, male, obesity, smoking, higher frequency of red meat consumption and chronic kidney disease were associated significantly with higher concentrations of Ucr. Results of the RCS showed Ucr was positively and linearly associated with body mass index, inversely and linearly associated with systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides level, and glomerular filtration rate, and were non-linearly associated with triiodothyronine.
CONCLUSION
The age- and gender-specific cut-off values of Ucr that determine the validity of urine samples in the general Chinese population were recommended. To avoid introducing bias into epidemiologic associations, the potential predictors of Ucr observed in the current study should be considered when using Ucr to adjust for variations in urine dilution.
Middle Aged
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Male
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Humans
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Creatinine
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Cross-Sectional Studies
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Asian People
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Glomerular Filtration Rate
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China
9.Synthesis of selective PAK4 inhibitors for lung metastasis of lung cancer and melanoma cells.
Peilu SONG ; Fan ZHAO ; Dahong LI ; Jiqiang QU ; Miao YAO ; Yuan SU ; Hanxun WANG ; Miaomiao ZHOU ; Yujie WANG ; Yinli GAO ; Feng LI ; Dongmei ZHAO ; Fengjiao ZHANG ; Yu RAO ; Mingyu XIA ; Haitao LI ; Jian WANG ; Maosheng CHENG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2022;12(6):2905-2922
The p21 activated kinase 4 (PAK4) is serine/threonine protein kinase that is critical for cancer progression. Guided by X-ray crystallography and structure-based optimization, we report a novel subseries of C-3-substituted 6-ethynyl-1H-indole derivatives that display high potential and specificity towards group II PAKs. Among these inhibitors, compound 55 exhibited excellent inhibitory activity and kinase selectivity, displayed superior anti-migratory and anti-invasive properties against the lung cancer cell line A549 and the melanoma cell line B16. Compound 55 exhibited potent in vivo antitumor metastatic efficacy, with over 80% and 90% inhibition of lung metastasis in A549 or B16-BL6 lung metastasis models, respectively. Further mechanistic studies demonstrated that compound 55 mitigated TGF-β1-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT).
10.Genetic Polymorphism of 16 X-STR Loci in Xinjiang Uygur Population.
Chun-Yan YUAN ; Ruo-Cheng XIA ; Su-Hua ZHANG ; Li-Qin CHEN ; Ya-Li WANG ; Yi-Ling QU ; Guang-Yuan YANG ; Xin-Yu DONG ; Si-Yu CHAI ; Cheng-Tao LI ; Rui-Yang TAO
Journal of Forensic Medicine 2022;38(4):500-506
OBJECTIVES:
To study the genetic polymorphism and population genetic parameters of 16 X-STR loci in Xinjiang Uygur population.
METHODS:
The Goldeneye® DNA identification system 17X was used to amplify 16 X-STR loci in 502 unrelated individuals (251 females and 251 males). The amplified products were detected by 3130xl genetic analyzer. Allele frequencies and population genetic parameters were analyzed statistically. The genetic distances between Uygur and other 8 populations were calculated. Multidimensional scaling and phylogenetic tree were constructed based on genetic distance.
RESULTS:
In the 16 X-STR loci, a total of 67 alleles were detected in 502 Xinjiang Uygur unrelated individuals. The allele frequencies ranged from 0.001 3 to 0.572 4. PIC ranged from 0.568 8 to 0.855 3. The cumulative discrimination power in females and males were 0.999 999 999 999 999 and 0.999 999 999 743 071, respectively. The cumulative mean paternity exclusion chance in trios and in duos were 0.999 999 997 791 859 and 0.999 998 989 000 730, respectively. The genetic distance between Uygur population and Kazakh population was closer, and the genetic distance between Uygur and Han population was farther.
CONCLUSIONS
The 16 X-STR loci are highly polymorphic and suitable for identification in Uygur population, which can provide a powerful supplement for the study of individual identification, paternity identification and population genetics.
Female
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Humans
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Male
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DNA, Ribosomal
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Ethnicity/genetics*
;
Gene Frequency
;
Paternity
;
Phylogeny
;
Polymorphism, Genetic
;
Microsatellite Repeats
;
Chromosomes, Human, X/genetics*

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