1.SR9009 combined with indolepropionic acid alleviates inflammation in C2C12 myoblasts through the nuclear factor-kappa B signaling pathway
Huihui JI ; Xu JIANG ; Zhimin ZHANG ; Yunhong XING ; Liangliang WANG ; Na LI ; Yuting SONG ; Xuguang LUO ; Huilin CUI ; Ximei CAO
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(6):1220-1229
BACKGROUND:Rev-erbα is involved in the regulation of inflammation,but pharmacological activation of Rev-erbα increases the risk for cardiovascular diseases.To reduce the relevant risk,an exploration on SR9009,a Rev-erbα agonist,combined with other drugs to relieve inflammation in skeletal myoblasts was conducted,laying the theoretical foundation for the treatment of inflammation-associated skeletal muscle atrophy. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the relationship of SR9009,indolepropionic acid and nuclear factor-κB signaling pathways in lipopolysaccharide-induced C2C12 myoblasts. METHODS:(1)C2C12 myoblasts were induced to differentiate in the presence of lipopolysaccharide(1 μg/mL).RNA-seq and KEGG pathway analysis were used to study signaling pathways.(2)C2C12 myoblast viability was assessed using the cell counting kit-8 assay to determine optimal concentrations of indolepropionic acid.Subsequently,cells were categorized into control group,lipopolysaccharide(1 μg/mL)group,SR9009(10 μmol/L)+lipopolysaccharide group,indolepropionic acid(80μmol/L)+lipopolysaccharide group,and SR9009+indolepropionic acid+lipopolysaccharide group.ELISA was employed to measure protein expression levels of interleukin-6 in the cultured supernatant.Real-time quantitative PCR were employed to measure mRNA expression levels of interleukin-6,tumor necrosis factor α,TLR4 and CD14.Western blot assay were employed to measure protein expression levels of NF-κB p65 and p-NF-κB p65.(3)After Rev-erbα was knocked down by siRNA,knockdown efficiency was assessed by RT-qPCR.And mRNA levels of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor α were also measured. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with the blank control group,lipopolysaccharide time-dependently inhibited myofibroblast fusion to form myotubes,the mRNA expression levels of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor α were elevated,and the level of interleukin-6 in the cell supernatant was significantly increased.The results of KEGG pathway showed that the nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway was activated by lipopolysaccharide.Indolepropionic acid exhibited significant suppression of C2C12 myoblasts viability when its concentration exceeded 80 μmol/L.Indolepropionic acid and SR9009 inhibited the activation of NF-κB signaling pathway,thereby played an anti-inflammatory role,and suppressed the mRNA expression levels of interleukin-6,tumor necrosis factor α,TLR4 and CD14.Compared with the lipopolysaccharide group,the ratio of p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 protein expression were downregulated.SR9009 combined with indolepropionic acid notably reduced lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation,further downregulated the mRNA expression levels of interleukin-6,tumor necrosis factor α,TLR4 and CD14.The ratio of p-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 protein expression was significantly lower than that in the SR9009+lipopolysaccharide group or indolepropionic acid+lipopolysaccharide group.Rev-erbα increases time-dependently with lipopolysaccharide induction.The knockdown efficiency of Rev-erbα by siRNA reached over 58%,and lipopolysaccharide was added after Rev-erbα was successfully knocked down.Compared with the lipopolysaccharide group,the mRNA expression levels of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor α were significantly up-regulated.These results conclude that Rev-erbα may act as a promising pharmacological target to reduce inflammation.SR9009 targeted activation of Rev-erbα combined with indolepropionic acid significantly inhibits the nuclear factor-κB signaling pathway and attenuates the inflammatory response of C2C12 myofibroblasts.Moreover,the combined anti-inflammatory effect is superior to that of the intervention alone.
2.An experimental method for simultaneous extraction and culture of primary cortical neurons and microglial cells from SD rats
Longcai HE ; Wenxue SONG ; Jiang MING ; Guangtang CHEN ; Junhao WANG ; Yidong LIAO ; Junshuan CUI ; Kaya XU
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(7):1395-1400
BACKGROUND:Primary cortical neurons and microglial cells play a crucial role in exploring cell therapies for neurological disorders,and most of the current methods for obtaining the two types of cells are cumbersome and require separate extraction.It is therefore crucial to find a convenient and rapid method to extract both types of cells simultaneously. OBJECTIVE:To explore a novel method for simultaneous extraction of primary cortical neurons and microglial cells. METHODS:Newborn suckling SD rats were taken within 24 hours.The brain was removed and placed in a dish with DMEM,and the pia mater was removed for later use.Primary neurons were extracted from the same brain tissue,and then the remaining brain tissue was used to extract microglial cells.The whole process was performed on ice.Extraction and culture steps of primary cortical neurons:The cerebral cortex was taken 2.0-3.0 mm with forceps,and the tissue was digested with papain for 20 minutes.After aborting digestion,the blown tissue presented an adherent tissue suspension.The supernatant cell suspension was obtained,filtered,and dispensed into 15 mL centrifuge tubes.After centrifugation and re-suspension,the cells were inoculated onto 6-well plate crawls coated with L-polylysine.Neuronal morphology was observed at 1-day intervals,and staining could be performed for identification using immunofluorescence staining of MAP2 and β-Tubulin by day 7.Microglia extraction and culture steps:The remaining brain tissue at 8-10 mm thick was subjected to microglial cell extraction,digested by trypsin for 20 minutes.After digestion was stopped,the tissue was blown to a homogenate,and then the homogenate was transferred to the culture bottle for culture.On day 14,the culture flasks were sealed and subjected to constant temperature horizontal shaking for 2 hours.Microglial cells were shed in the supernatant.Purified microglial cells were taken and continued to be cultured for 3 days for identification by Iba1 immunofluorescence staining. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)After 24 hours of culture,the neurons were adherent to the wall,the cytosol was enlarged,and some neurons developed synapses.After 3 and 5 days of culture,the cytosol was further enlarged,and most of the neurons were in the form of synapses,and some neurons were growing in clusters.On day 7,neuronal synapses were prolonged and thickened,and they were connected with each other to form a network.The neurons were identified by β-Tubulin and MAP2 immunofluorescence staining.(2)The cells grew close to the wall on day 1 of culture.On days 3,5,and 7,the density of microglial cells was small,and the cell morphology was bright oval or round,but the cells basically grew in clumps on the upper layer of other cells.On day 10,the density of microglial cells increased significantly.On day 14,microglial cells grew in dense clumps on the upper layer of other cells,and then they could be isolated and purified.The isolated and purified cells were taken and re-cultured to day 3 and identified as microglial cells by Iba1 immunofluorescence;their purity was greater than 95%.(3)The results show that primary cortical neurons and microglial cells obtained by this method after extraction and culture are of high purity,good morphology,and high viability.
3.Comprehensive analysis of genes related to endometrial receptivity and alternative splicing events in northwest Tibetan cashmere goats
Ji DE ; Langda SUO ; Yuchen WEI ; Bin WANG ; Awangcuoji ; Renqingcuomu ; Jiuzeng CUI ; Lei ZHANG ; Gui BA
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(7):1429-1436
BACKGROUND:Endometrial receptivity is a key factor in embryo implantation in northwest Tibetan cashmere goats,and the expression of genes related to endometrial receptivity and their variable splicing are still unclear. OBJECTIVE:To analyze and explore genes and variable splicing events related to endometrial receptivity in northwest Tibetan cashmere goats. METHODS:On days 5 and 15 of pregnancy(representing pre receptive endometrium group and receptive endometrium group),three northwest Tibetan cashmere goats were randomly selected.Endometrial tissue was collected and stained with hematoxylin and eosin to observe tissue morphology.Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect the expression of endometrial receptive marker proteins leukemia inhibitory factor and vascular endothelial growth factor.After the total RNA was extracted and the quality test was qualified,transcriptome sequencing was performed to search differentially expressed mRNAs,lncRNAs,circRNAs,and miRNAs,perform functional prediction,and analyze alternative splicing mRNAs and lncRNAs related to endometrial receptivity. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Compared with the pre receptive endometrium group,the expression levels of leukemia inhibitory factor and vascular endothelial growth factor proteins in the endometrial tissue of the receptive endometrium group were significantly increased.(2)The sequencing results showed that the differentially expressed genes were mostly mRNA and lncRNA genes,including 250 upregulated mRNAs,193 upregulated lncRNAs,135 downregulated mRNAs,and 123 downregulated lncRNAs,which were significantly enriched in the Wnt,Hedgehog,and Hippo signaling pathways.(3)Alternative splicing event analysis uncovered 8 differentially expressed variable splicing transcripts,which were all mRNA transcripts,including 2 downregulated and 6 upregulated,and were significantly associated with vascular endothelial growth factor receptor signaling,cell motility,and embryonic development.
4.Role of cellular autophagy in cerebral ischemic injury and the regulatory mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine
Panpan ZHOU ; Yinglin CUI ; Wentao ZHANG ; Shurui WANG ; Jiahui CHEN ; Tong YANG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(8):1650-1658
BACKGROUND:Studies have shown that ischemia-induced cellular autophagy dysfunction is a key factor in brain injury.Autophagy related genes 6(ATG6),microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain(LC3),p62,and other autophagy key proteins are involved in the processes such as neuronal axonal degeneration,death,and intracellular homeostasis maintenance,playing an important role in the recovery of neural function. OBJECTIVE:To review the research progress in the role of cellular autophagy in cerebral ischemic injury and the regulatory mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine. METHODS:The first author used"ischemic stroke,brain tissue injury,cellular autophagy,signaling pathways,traditional Chinese medicine compounds,terpenoids,alkaloids,flavonoids,saponins,lignans,phthalates"as Chinese and English keywords respectively to search for literature on autophagy,cerebral ischemic injury,and the regulatory mechanisms of traditional Chinese medicine from China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI)and PubMed databases from January 2016 to February 2024.Literature that is not highly relevant,repetitive,or outdated was excluded.A total of 1 746 relevant literature were retrieved,and 92 articles were ultimately included. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Numerous studies have confirmed that autophagy plays an important role in cerebral ischemic injury.Moderate autophagy can promote cell survival,while excessive autophagy exacerbates brain injury.Traditional Chinese medicine can regulate the expression of autophagy related proteins,inhibit neuronal necrosis and apoptosis,and exert neuroprotective effects at different stages of cerebral ischemia by regulating signaling pathways such as PI3K/Akt/mTOR,AMPK-mTOR,and mitogen activated protein kinase.
5.Quality Evaluation of Clinical Guidelines for Acute Myocardial Infarction Based on AGREE Ⅱ
Shuyu GUAN ; Tianying CHANG ; Jiankang WANG ; Hang SHANG ; Yueying ZHANG ; Jiajuan GUO ; Yingzi CUI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(10):201-209
ObjectiveThis paper used the AGREE Ⅱ guideline evaluation tool to evaluate the quality of 14 clinical guidelines for acute myocardial infarction,aiming to provide reference for the formulation and improvement of the guidelines. MethodsClinical guidelines and expert consensus related to acute myocardial infarction were searched by web search. The search period ranges from January 1,2019 to November 1,2024 in CNKI,VIP,Wanfang Data,SinoMed,Web of Science,OVID, the International Guidelines Collaboration Network (GIN),the UK National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE),Yimaitong, and other platforms. Three researchers independently screened the literature and used AGREE Ⅱ to score the screening results. After ensuring that the researchers have a consistent understanding of each guideline,the quality of the guidelines was evaluated. After that,the ratings were analyzed by layer according to the issuing agency,category,method of formulation,and funding situation and compared longitudinally by rating time. The clinical guidelines and expert consensus were compared in terms of content and evidence. ResultsA total of 14 guidelines and consensus were included. The results of AGREE Ⅱ in the six areas in descending order were scope and purpose (62.82%±10.43%),rigor (62.40%±12.77%),editorial independence (62.11%±22.26%),participants (61.42%±11.65%),clarity of expression (59.98%±9.62%),and application (52.94%±16.90%) . Eleven of the guidelines were at level B, and three were at level A. In the stratified analysis,the score of the guideline formulated by the Chinese Medical Doctor Association was lower. There was little difference between the scores of Chinese/Western and Western medicine guidelines. The average score of the guidelines was higher than the consensus. Funded guidelines and consensus scores were higher. In the longitudinal comparison,the highest number of guidelines were developed in 2020 and 2021,while those developed in 2023 scored the highest. In the differential comparison analysis,the content of the guidelines was more comprehensive, and the evidence level was higher,while the content of the consensus was more novel, and the evidence was less. ConclusionThe AGREE Ⅱ score of the clinical guidelines for acute myocardial infarction is generally moderate,and there is room for improvement in terms of applicability. At the same time,the content quality of expert consensus should be improved,and more efforts should be made to develop and apply Chinese medicine guidelines for complications such as heart failure and microcirculatory obstruction after acute myocardial infarction.
6.Herbal Textual Research on Euphorbiae Pekinensis Radix and Knoxiae Radix in Famous Classical Formulas
Xiaoxuan CUI ; Kaizhi WU ; Wuwei MENG ; Yapeng WANG ; Wenyue LI ; Cheng FENG ; Zhilai ZHAN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(10):282-294
This article systematically analyzes the historical evolution of the name, origin, medicinal parts, processing and other aspects of Euphorbiae Pekinensis Radix(EPR) by referring to the herbal medicine, medical books, prescription books and other documents of the past dynasties, combined with the relevant modern research materials, so as to provide a basis for the development and utilization of famous classical formulas containing this herbal medicine. According to research, EPR was first recorded in the Shennong Bencaojing in the name of Daji, and it is the correct name of the herbal medicine in all dynasties, there are also other aliases such as Qiongju, Hongya Daji, and Xiamaxian. The dried roots of Euphorbia pekinensis from Euphorbiaceae was the mainstream of the past dynasties. Before the Ming dynasty, the above ground parts of E. pekinensis were used as Zeqi in herbal works. However, since LI Shizhen in the Ming dynasty proposed that the origin of Zeqi should be E. helioscopia, the aerial part of EPR is no longer used as medicine. Since modern times, the roots of Knoxia valerianoides has been used as EPR, and has become the mainstream of commodities, which should be corrected. Throughout history, it has been recorded that the main producing areas were Jiangsu, Anhui, Zhejiang, Shanxi and other regions, while modern botanical survey have shown that EPR is a widespread species distributed throughout the country. In ancient times, the harvesting time of EPR was mostly the twelfth lunar month, while in modern time, it is more common to harvest in autumn and winter. The main processing methods of EPR in ancient times were vinegar processing, wine processing, and stir frying, while in modern times, it is uniformly vinegar processing. In the medicinal properties and clinical aspects, the records are basically consistent throughout history, mainly characterized by bitter taste, cold and toxic nature. Its main efficacy is expelling water retention and reducing swelling. Based on the textual research, it is suggested to choose the dried roots of E. pekinensis when famous classical formulas containing EPR, processing method can be based on the original specified prescription requirements, if the processing method is not clear, it is recommended to use vinegar-processed products as medicine.
7.The Ferroptosis-inducing Compounds in Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Xin-Die WANG ; Da-Li FENG ; Xiang CUI ; Su ZHOU ; Peng-Fei ZHANG ; Zhi-Qiang GAO ; Li-Li ZOU ; Jun WANG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(4):804-819
Ferroptosis, a programmed cell death modality discovered and defined in the last decade, is primarily induced by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. At present, it has been found that ferroptosis is involved in various physiological functions such as immune regulation, growth and development, aging, and tumor suppression. Especially its role in tumor biology has attracted extensive attention and research. Breast cancer is one of the most common female tumors, characterized by high heterogeneity and complex genetic background. Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a special type of breast cancer, which lacks conventional breast cancer treatment targets and is prone to drug resistance to existing chemotherapy drugs and has a low cure rate after progression and metastasis. There is an urgent need to find new targets or develop new drugs. With the increase of studies on promoting ferroptosis in breast cancer, it has gradually attracted attention as a treatment strategy for breast cancer. Some studies have found that certain compounds and natural products can act on TNBC, promote their ferroptosis, inhibit cancer cells proliferation, enhance sensitivity to radiotherapy, and improve resistance to chemotherapy drugs. To promote the study of ferroptosis in TNBC, this article summarized and reviewed the compounds and natural products that induce ferroptosis in TNBC and their mechanisms of action. We started with the exploration of the pathways of ferroptosis, with particular attention to the System Xc--cystine-GPX4 pathway and iron metabolism. Then, a series of compounds, including sulfasalazine (SAS), metformin, and statins, were described in terms of how they interact with cells to deplete glutathione (GSH), thereby inhibiting the activity of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and preventing the production of lipid peroxidases. The disruption of the cellular defense against oxidative stress ultimately results in the death of TNBC cells. We have also our focus to the realm of natural products, exploring the therapeutic potential of traditional Chinese medicine extracts for TNBC. These herbal extracts exhibit multi-target effects and good safety, and have shown promising capabilities in inducing ferroptosis in TNBC cells. We believe that further exploration and characterization of these natural compounds could lead to the development of a new generation of cancer therapeutics. In addition to traditional chemotherapy, we discussed the role of drug delivery systems in enhancing the efficacy and reducing the toxicity of ferroptosis inducers. Nanoparticles such as exosomes and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) can improve the solubility and bioavailability of these compounds, thereby expanding their therapeutic potential while minimizing systemic side effects. Although preclinical data on ferroptosis inducers are relatively robust, their translation into clinical practice remains in its early stages. We also emphasize the urgent need for more in-depth and comprehensive research to understand the complex mechanisms of ferroptosis in TNBC. This is crucial for the rational design and development of clinical trials, as well as for leveraging ferroptosis to improve patient outcomes. Hoping the above summarize and review could provide references for the research and development of lead compounds for the treatment for TNBC.
8.Mechanism of action of sex hormones in regulating T cell-mediated autoimmune hepatitis: A study based on the phenomenon of female bias
Haiqiang WANG ; Dasha SUN ; Han WANG ; Jiahua TIAN ; Xinyue CUI ; Ming LI
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(4):742-747
Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is an autoimmune disease characterized by liver parenchymal destruction and chronic fibrosis, and it is often mediated by T cells. The pathogenesis of AIH involves multiple factors, including sex, region, environmental factors, and genetic susceptibility. A notable predisposition is observed in female individuals, and the incidence rate of AIH in female individuals is significantly higher than that in male individuals. This sex difference is associated with various factors, and sex hormones may be an important cause of the female predominance of AIH, although the specific mechanisms remain unclear. An in-depth understanding of the mechanism of action of sex hormones in the pathogenesis of AIH will help to better understand the pathogenesis of the disease and may provide important clues for developing future treatment methods and prevention strategies. This article reviews the mechanism of action of estrogen and androgen in regulating the pathogenesis of AIH by regulating T cells, in order to provide new ideas and directions for further exploring the potential role of sex hormones in the etiology of autoimmune diseases.
9.Comparison of nutritional intervention effects at different initiation time in patients with respiratory diseases at nutritional risk
Lihong WANG ; Yuan CUI ; Shaoye HUO ; Yunhua ZHAO ; Yuhuan WEI ; Rong JIANG ; Chunhai SHAO
Chinese Journal of Clinical Medicine 2025;32(2):268-275
Objective To assess the effect of early nutritional intervention on the patients with respiratory diseases at nutritional risk. Methods A total of 130 patients with respiratory disease who were hospitalized in Shanghai Fifth People’s Hospital, Fudan University between May 2023 and December 2024 and had a nutritional risk screening 2002 score ≥3 points. Based on the initiation time of nutritional intervention, patients were divided into an early group (≤5 days, n=65) and a late group (>5 days, n=65). Results In the early group, prealbumin (P-ALB) and retinol-binding protein (RBP) levels were significantly higher (P<0.01), C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT) levels were significantly lower after intervention (P<0.05). Compared with the late group, the hospital costs were lower and hospital stays were shorter in the early group (P<0.001). Spearman analysis showed ALB, P-ALB, and total protein (TP) were negatively correlated with hospital costs (r=-0.37, -0.20, and-0.22, P<0.05). RBP, ALB, P-ALB, and lymphocyte count (LYM) were negatively correlated with CRP (r=-0.30, -0.26, -0.37, -0.18, P<0.01), RBP, ALB, P-ALB, hemoglobin (HB), and TP were negatively correlated with PCT (r=-0.23,-0.36, -0.40, -0.30, -0.19, P<0.05). Conclusions For patients with respiratory diseases, early nutritional assessment should be underwent, and for patients with nutritional risk screening 2002 score ≥3 points, early nutritional intervention could improve the nutritional status and alleviate inflammatory response, promote recovery, shorten the hospital stays.
10.Molecular Mechanism of Treating Different Diseases with Same Treatment of Gypenoside L Affecting Oxidative Damage HUVEC and OVCAR-3 Through EGFR/STAT3/Glycolytic Pathway
Ying YANG ; Jiao ZHAO ; Xiaofei SUN ; Jiaxin WANG ; Peng CUI ; Nan SONG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(11):125-134
ObjectiveWith the epidermal growth factor receptor(EGFR)/Signal Transducers and Activators of Transcription(STAT3)/Hexokinase 2(HK2) signaling pathway in atherosclerosis (AS) and ovarian cancer (OC) as the entry point, this paper discusses the molecular mechanism of Gypenoside L (Gyp-L) treating AS and OC with different diseases, provides a new perspective and theoretical basis for TCM treating AS and OC with EGFR-STAT3-HK2 pathway, and enriches the scientific connotation of the theory of "cytoskeleton in the heart". MethodsCCK-8 was used to detect the proliferation of HUVEC and OVCAR-3 cells, in order to determine the intervention concentration for subsequent experiments. The colorimetric method was used to detect the NO content in HUVEC and the contents of pyruvate and LDH in two cell lines. Cell cloning experiments and scratch experiments reflect the proliferation and migration ability of OVCAR-3 cells. Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of relevant proteins. Furthermore, two cell models overexpressing EGFR were constructed and co treated with Gyp-L. HUVEC cells were divided into control, ox-LDL, OE-NC, OE-EGFR, OE-NC+Gyp-L, and OE-EGFR+Gyp-L group. OVCAR-3 cells were divided into control, OE-NC, OE-EGFR , OE-NC+Gyp-L, and OE-EGFR+Gyp-L group. The colorimetric method was used to detect the NO content in HUVEC and the contents of pyruvate and LDH in two cell lines. Western blot was used to detect the expression levels of EGFR-STAT3-HK2 pathway related proteins. Cell cloning experiments and scratch experiments reflect the proliferation and migration ability of OVCAR-3 cells. ResultsGyp-L can significantly reduce the NO content of HUVEC and the pyruvate and LDH content of two cell lines (P<0.05); Inhibit the proliferation and migration ability of OVCAR-3 cells; Reduce the expression levels of EGFR/STAT3/HK2 pathway related proteins in HUVEC and OVCAR-3 cell lines (P<0.05), and inhibit the glycolysis pathway. ConclusionGyp-L can inhibit glycolysis in HUVEC and OVCAR-3 cells through the EGFR/STAT3/HK2 pathway,thereby suppressing the occurrence and development of AS and OC.

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