ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Tongxinluo capsules on traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome elements and major adverse cardiovascular events （MACEs） in patients with chronic coronary syndrome of Qi deficiency and blood stasis type. MethodsA multicenter and prospective cohort study was conducted. The intervention of Tongxinluo Capsules was used as the exposure factor， and the patients were divided into an exposure group （integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine treatment group） and a non-exposure group （western medicine treatment group）. The patients were followed up for one year. The TCM syndrome element scores were assessed by using a syndrome element diagnosis scale on the day of enrollment and in the third， sixth， and twelfth months， and the incidence of MACE within one year was recorded. ResultsA total of 186 patients were included， with 128 patients in the exposure group and 58 patients in the non-exposure group. There was no significant difference in baseline data between the two groups. Compared with those in the pretreatment period for each group， the Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome scores in the treatment and follow-up period were significantly improved （P<0.05）. Compared with the non-exposure group， the exposure group exhibited significantly decreased Qi deficiency syndrome scores in the treatment and follow-up period （P<0.01） and significantly reduced blood stasis syndrome scores in the sixth month （P<0.05）. In the remaining follow-up period， there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups. Compared with that of the non-exposure group， during the treatment period （the third month）， the difference in Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome scores of the exposure group was statistically significant （P<0.05， P<0.01）. At the end of the follow-up period， patients in the non-exposure group had a MACE probability of 6.90% （4/58）， higher than 3.13% in the exposure group （4/58）. Compared with patients with angina pectoris who used conventional medicine， patients administered with Tongxinluo Capsules had a relative risk（RR） of 0.45 ［95%confidence interval（95%CI） 0.12-1.75， P=0.26］. There was no significant difference in the incidence of MACE within one year between the two groups. ConclusionTongxinluo capsules can improve the degree of Qi deficiency in patients with chronic coronary syndrome in the short term， and the improvement effect of blood stasis syndrome appears in the medium and long term. They can better improve the Qi deficiency syndrome in the long term. Within one year， the incidence of MACE in the exposure group was lower than that in the non-exposure group.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Tongxinluo capsules on traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） syndrome elements and major adverse cardiovascular events （MACEs） in patients with chronic coronary syndrome of Qi deficiency and blood stasis type. MethodsA multicenter and prospective cohort study was conducted. The intervention of Tongxinluo Capsules was used as the exposure factor， and the patients were divided into an exposure group （integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine treatment group） and a non-exposure group （western medicine treatment group）. The patients were followed up for one year. The TCM syndrome element scores were assessed by using a syndrome element diagnosis scale on the day of enrollment and in the third， sixth， and twelfth months， and the incidence of MACE within one year was recorded. ResultsA total of 186 patients were included， with 128 patients in the exposure group and 58 patients in the non-exposure group. There was no significant difference in baseline data between the two groups. Compared with those in the pretreatment period for each group， the Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome scores in the treatment and follow-up period were significantly improved （P<0.05）. Compared with the non-exposure group， the exposure group exhibited significantly decreased Qi deficiency syndrome scores in the treatment and follow-up period （P<0.01） and significantly reduced blood stasis syndrome scores in the sixth month （P<0.05）. In the remaining follow-up period， there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups. Compared with that of the non-exposure group， during the treatment period （the third month）， the difference in Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome scores of the exposure group was statistically significant （P<0.05， P<0.01）. At the end of the follow-up period， patients in the non-exposure group had a MACE probability of 6.90% （4/58）， higher than 3.13% in the exposure group （4/58）. Compared with patients with angina pectoris who used conventional medicine， patients administered with Tongxinluo Capsules had a relative risk（RR） of 0.45 ［95%confidence interval（95%CI） 0.12-1.75， P=0.26］. There was no significant difference in the incidence of MACE within one year between the two groups. ConclusionTongxinluo capsules can improve the degree of Qi deficiency in patients with chronic coronary syndrome in the short term， and the improvement effect of blood stasis syndrome appears in the medium and long term. They can better improve the Qi deficiency syndrome in the long term. Within one year， the incidence of MACE in the exposure group was lower than that in the non-exposure group.

BACKGROUND: Disease-modifying therapies have been approved for the treatment of relapsing multiple sclerosis (RMS). The present study aims to examine the safety of teriflunomide in Chinese patients with RMS. METHODS: This non-randomized, multi-center, 24-week, prospective study enrolled RMS patients with variant (c.421C>A) or wild type ABCG2 who received once-daily oral teriflunomide 14 mg. The primary endpoint was the relationship between ABCG2 polymorphisms and teriflunomide exposure over 24 weeks. Safety was assessed over the 24-week treatment with teriflunomide. RESULTS: Eighty-two patients were assigned to variant ( n  = 42) and wild type groups ( n  = 40), respectively. Geometric mean and geometric standard deviation (SD) of pre-dose concentration (variant, 54.9 [38.0] μg/mL; wild type, 49.1 [32.0] μg/mL) and area under plasma concentration-time curve over a dosing interval (AUC tau ) (variant, 1731.3 [769.0] μg∙h/mL; wild type, 1564.5 [1053.0] μg∙h/mL) values at steady state were approximately similar between the two groups. Safety profile was similar and well tolerated across variant and wild type groups in terms of rates of treatment emergent adverse events (TEAE), treatment-related TEAE, grade ≥3 TEAE, and serious adverse events (AEs). No new specific safety concerns or deaths were reported in the study. CONCLUSION: ABCG2 polymorphisms did not affect the steady-state exposure of teriflunomide, suggesting a similar efficacy and safety profile between variant and wild type RMS patients. REGISTRATION NCT04410965, https://clinicaltrials.gov .
Humans ; Crotonates/adverse effects* ; Toluidines/adverse effects* ; Nitriles ; Hydroxybutyrates ; Female ; Male ; Adult ; ATP Binding Cassette Transporter, Subfamily G, Member 2/genetics* ; Middle Aged ; Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting/genetics* ; Prospective Studies ; Young Adult ; Neoplasm Proteins/genetics* ; East Asian People

This study aimed to explore the therapeutic mechanisms of Colquhounia Root Tablets(CRT) in treating diabetic kidney disease(DKD) by integrating biomolecular network mining with animal model verification. By analyzing clinical transcriptomics data, an interaction network was constructed between candidate targets of CRT and DKD-related genes. Based on the topological eigenvalues of network nodes, 101 core network targets of CRT against DKD were identified. These targets were found to be closely related to multiple pathways associated with type 2 diabetes, immune response, and metabolic reprogramming. Given that immune-inflammatory imbalance driven by metabolic reprogramming is one of the key pathogenic mechanisms of DKD, and that many core network targets of CRT are involved in this pathological process, receptor for advanced glycation end products(RAGE)-reactive oxygen species(ROS)-phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K)-protein kinase B(AKT)-nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB)-NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3(NLRP3) signaling axis was selected as a candidate target for in-depth research. Further, a rat model of DKD induced by a high-sugar, high-fat diet and streptozotocin was established to evaluate the pharmacological effects of CRT and verify the expression of related targets. The experimental results showed that CRT could effectively correct metabolic disturbances in DKD, restore immune-inflammatory balance, and improve renal function and its pathological changes by inhibiting the activation of the RAGE-ROS-PI3K-AKT-NF-κB-NLRP3 signaling axis. In conclusion, this study reveals that CRT alleviates the progression of DKD through dual regulation of metabolic reprogramming and immune-inflammatory responses, providing strong experimental evidence for its clinical application in DKD.
Animals ; Diabetic Nephropathies/metabolism* ; Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products/genetics* ; NF-kappa B/genetics* ; Signal Transduction/drug effects* ; Rats ; NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/genetics* ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/genetics* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage* ; Male ; Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/genetics* ; Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism* ; Humans ; Plant Roots/chemistry* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Tablets/administration & dosage*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the dynamic changes of glucocorticoid (GC) dose and the feasibility of GC discontinuation in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients under the background of Chinese medicine (CM). METHODS: This multicenter retrospective cohort study included 1,196 RA patients enrolled in the China Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry of Patients with Chinese Medicine (CERTAIN) from September 1, 2019 to December 4, 2023, who initiated GC therapy. Participants were divided into the Western medicine (WM) and integrative medicine (IM, combination of CM and WM) groups based on medication regimen. Follow-up was performed at least every 3 months to assess dynamic changes in GC dose. Changes in GC dose were analyzed by generalized estimator equation, the probability of GC discontinuation was assessed using Kaplan-Meier curve, and predictors of GC discontinuation were analyzed by Cox regression. Patients with <12 months of follow-up were excluded for the sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: Among 1,196 patients (85.4% female; median age 56.4 years), 880 (73.6%) received IM. Over a median 12-month follow-up, 34.3% (410 cases) discontinued GC, with significantly higher rates in the IM group (40.8% vs. 16.1% in WM; P<0.05). GC dose declined progressively, with IM patients demonstrating faster reductions (median 3.75 mg vs. 5.00 mg in WM at 12 months; P<0.05). Multivariate Cox analysis identified age <60 years [P<0.001, hazard ratios (HR)=2.142, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.523-3.012], IM therapy (P=0.001, HR=2.175, 95% CI: 1.369-3.456), baseline GC dose ⩽7.5 mg (P=0.003, HR=1.637, 95% CI: 1.177-2.275), and absence of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs use (P=0.001, HR=2.546, 95% CI: 1.432-4.527) as significant predictors of GC discontinuation. Sensitivity analysis (545 cases) confirmed these findings. CONCLUSIONS RA patients receiving CM face difficulties in following guideline-recommended GC discontinuation protocols. IM can promote GC discontinuation and is a promising strategy to reduce GC dependency in RA management. (Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, No. NCT05219214).
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid/drug therapy* ; Glucocorticoids/therapeutic use* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Retrospective Studies

The innate immune sensor NLRP3 inflammasome overactivation is involved in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis. PGAM5 is a mitochondrial phosphatase involved in NLRP3 inflammasome activation in macrophages. However, the role of PGAM5 in ulcerative colitis and the mechanisms underlying PGAM5 regulating NLRP3 activity remain unknown. Here, we show that PGAM5 deficiency ameliorates dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis in mice via suppressing NLRP3 inflammasome activation. By combining APEX2-based proximity labeling focused on PGAM5 with quantitative proteomics, we identify NEK7 as the new binding partner of PGAM5 to promote NLRP3 inflammasome assembly and activation in a PGAM5 phosphatase activity-independent manner upon inflammasome induction. Interfering with PGAM5-NEK7 interaction by punicalagin inhibits the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in macrophages and ameliorates DSS-induced colitis in mice. Altogether, our data demonstrate the PGAM5-NEK7 interaction in macrophages for NLRP3 inflammasome activation and further provide a promising therapeutic strategy for ulcerative colitis by blocking the PGAM5-NEK7 interaction.

The Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK-STAT) control natural killer (NK) cells development and cytotoxic functions, however, whether long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are involved in this pathway remains unknown. We found that miR155HG was elevated in activated NK cells and promoted their proliferation and effector functions in both NK92 and induced-pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs)-derived NK (iPSC-NK) cells, without reliance on its derived miR-155 and micropeptide P155. Mechanistically, miR155HG bound to miR-6756 and relieved its repression of JAK3 expression, thereby promoting the JAK-STAT pathway and enhancing NK cell proliferation and function. Further investigations disclosed that upon cytokine stimulation, STAT3 directly interacts with miR155HG promoter and induces miR155HG transcription. Collectively, we identify a miR155HG-mediated positive feedback loop of the JAK-STAT signaling. Our study will also provide a power target regarding miR155HG for improving NK cell generation and effector function in the field of NK cell adoptive transfer therapy against cancer, especially iPSC-derived NK cells.