1.Engineered Bacteriophages for The Treatment of Multidrug-resistant Bacterial Infections
Yu-Ying CHEN ; Chun-Mei HUANG ; Jin-Zhi PAN ; De-Liang LIU ; Yang ZHOU ; Gui-Qin DAI ; Peng-Fei ZHAO ; Hong-Zhou LU ; Ming-Bin ZHENG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(6):1581-1596
Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections have emerged as a serious challenge of global public health crisis. The overuse and misuse of conventional antibiotics have dramatically accelerated the emergence, evolution and worldwide spread of drug-resistant bacterial strains, necessitating urgent exploration of novel antibacterial strategies. Bacteriophages serve as natural bacterial predators offering distinct advantages including high host specificity, autonomous self-replication capabilities and cost-effective large-scale production. However, wild-type phages present significant clinical limitations due to their narrow host ranges, susceptibility to rapid immune clearance and poor penetration of bacterial biofilms, which severely restrict their therapeutic applications. The convergence of synthetic biology, nanotechnology and advanced gene editing technologies has accelerated the development of engineered bacteriophage platforms, providing programmable, scalable and clinically translatable pathways to overcome these inherent biological constraints. Here, we systematically delineate four fundamental strategies for engineered bacteriophage development. Chemical modification utilizes reactive functional groups such as amino, carboxyl and thiol moieties on capsid proteins through esterification, amidation or click chemistry reactions to achieve precise drug conjugation and surface functionalization. In vivo editing encompasses ultraviolet or chemical mutagenesis for random mutation induction, homologous recombination for targeted genetic alterations, recombineering methodologies including electroporation-mediated bacteriophage recombination engineering, and CRISPR-Cas systems for precise genome editing to enable exact genetic reconstruction and host range reprogramming. In vitro synthesis leverages genome engineering platforms where intact phage genomes are transferred into yeast or host bacteria to facilitate highly efficient homologous recombination, enabling large DNA fragment assembly and cross-gene host range expansion without bacterial toxicity constraints. Directed evolution combines artificial selection through mutation library screening with rational design approaches involving chimeric receptor binding protein construction or site-specific mutagenesis, effectively balancing the discovery of unknown adaptive pathways with targeted host specificity modification. Moreover, we comprehensively discuss therapeutic applications across diverse clinical scenarios. Engineered bacteriophage effectively disrupt bacterial biofilms through sophisticated functionalized delivery platforms including nanozyme-conjugated phages, phage-liposome nanoconjugates and bio-responsive hydrogels, demonstrating significantly enhanced bactericidal efficiency compared to unmodified free phages. These bioengineered vectors attenuate bacterial virulence and resensitize pathogens to antibiotics by delivering CRISPR-Cas systems or base editors to disrupt critical virulence factors such as pili, capsule synthesis machineries and quorum sensing systems, or by inactivating antibiotic resistance determinants including beta-lactamase genes. As an intelligent nanomedicine delivery platform, engineered bacteriophage enable precise pathogen elimination an through photocatalytic reactive oxygen species generation, immunomodulatory interventions, or controlled release of antibacterial drugs. Furthermore, oral administration of engineered bacteriophage facilitates microbiota modulation, which selectively eliminate intestinal pathogens while preserve beneficial commensal microbiota, thereby restoring microbial community balance and preventing complications associated with dysbiosis. Finally, we critically analyze persistent challenges including host strain matching complexity, evolution of bacterial resistance mechanisms, pharmacokinetic optimization requirements, optimal administration route selection, large-scale production quality control standards and clinical dosing determination protocols. Through multidisciplinary integration of synthetic biology, infectious disease medicine and immunology, future translational medicine studies of bacteriophage should establish comprehensive technical platforms encompassing rapid phage screening, intelligent rational design, rigorous in vivo evaluation and standardized clinical validation processes, ultimately advancing engineered bacteriophage from laboratory innovations to clinically approved therapeutics for effectively combating MDR bacterial infections.
2.Processing technology of calcined Magnetitum based on concept of QbD and its XRD characteristic spectra.
De-Wen ZENG ; Jing-Wei ZHOU ; Tian-Xing HE ; Yu-Mei CHEN ; Huan-Huan XU ; Jian FENG ; Yue YANG ; Xin CHEN ; Jia-Liang ZOU ; Lin CHEN ; Hong-Ping CHEN ; Shi-Lin CHEN ; Yuan HU ; You-Ping LIU
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(9):2391-2403
Guided by the concept of quality by design(QbD), this study optimizes the calcination and quenching process of calcined Magnetitum and establishes the XRD characteristic spectra of calcined Magnetitum, providing a scientific basis for the formulation of quality standards. Based on the processing methods and quality requirements of Magnetitum in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia, the critical process parameters(CPPs) identified were calcination temperature, calcination time, particle size, laying thickness, and the number of vinegar quenching cycles. The critical quality attributes(CQAs) included Fe mass fraction, Fe~(2+) dissolution, and surface color. The weight coefficients were determined by combining Analytic Hierarchy Process(AHP) and the criteria importance though intercrieria correlation(CRITIC) method, and the calcination process was optimized using orthogonal experimentation. Surface color was selected as a CQA, and based on the principle of color value, the surface color of calcined Magnetitum was objectively quantified. The vinegar quenching process was then optimized to determine the best processing conditions. X-ray diffraction(XRD) was used to establish the characteristic spectra of calcined Magnetitum, and methods such as similarity evaluation, cluster analysis, and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) were used to evaluate the quality of the spectra. The optimized calcined Magnetitum preparation process was found to be calcination at 750 ℃ for 1 h, with a laying thickness of 4 cm, a particle size of 0.4-0.8 cm, and one vinegar quenching cycle(Magnetitum-vinegar ratio 10∶3), which was stable and feasible. The XRD characteristic spectra analysis method, featuring 9 common peaks as fingerprint information, was established. The average correlation coefficient ranged from 0.839 5-0.988 1, and the average angle cosine ranged from 0.914 4 to 0.995 6, indicating good similarity. Cluster analysis results showed that Magnetitum and calcined Magnetitum could be grouped together, with similar compositions. OPLS-DA discriminant analysis identified three key characteristic peaks, with Fe_2O_3 being the distinguishing component between the two. The final optimized processing method is stable and feasible, and the XRD characteristic spectra of calcined Magnetitum was initially established, providing a reference for subsequent quality control and the formulation of quality standards for calcined Magnetitum.
X-Ray Diffraction/methods*
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry*
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Quality Control
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Particle Size
3.Optimization of extraction process for Shenxiong Huanglian Jiedu Granules based on AHP-CRITIC hybrid weighting method, grey correlation analysis, and BP-ANN.
Zi-An LI ; De-Wen LIU ; Xin-Jian LI ; Bing-Yu WU ; Qun LAN ; Meng-Jia GUO ; Jia-Hui SUN ; Nan-Yang LIU ; Hui PEI ; Hao LI ; Hong YI ; Jin-Yu WANG ; Liang-Mian CHEN
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(10):2674-2683
By employing the analytic hierarchy process(AHP), the CRITIC method(a weight determination method based on indicator correlations), and the AHP-CRITIC hybrid weighting method, the weight coefficients of evaluation indicators were determined, followed by a comprehensive score comparison. The grey correlation analysis was then performed to analyze the results calculated using the hybrid weighting method. Subsequently, a backpropagation-artificial neural network(BP-ANN) model was constructed to predict the extraction process parameters and optimize the extraction process for Shenxiong Huanglian Jiedu Granules(SHJG). In the extraction process, an L_9(3~4) orthogonal experiment was designed to optimize three factors at three levels, including extraction frequency, water addition amount, and extraction time. The evaluation indicators included geniposide, berberine, ginsenoside Rg_1 + Re, ginsenoside Rb_1, ferulic acid, and extract yield. Finally, the optimal extraction results obtained by the orthogonal experiment, grey correlation analysis, and BP-ANN method were compared, and validation experiments were conducted. The results showed that the optimal extraction process involved two rounds of aqueous extraction, each lasting one hour; the first extraction used ten times the amount of added water, while the second extraction used eight times the amount. In the validation experiments, the average content of each indicator component was higher than the average content obtained in the orthogonal experiment, with a higher comprehensive score. The optimized extraction process parameters were reliable and stable, making them suitable for subsequent preparation process research.
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/analysis*
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Neural Networks, Computer
4.Multidimensional supportive psychological intervention in clinical practice teaching of andrological nursing
Li-Hong LI ; Ya-Ting SUN ; De-Yu KONG ; Shan-Na SU ; Xue ZHANG ; Liang ZHANG ; Hong-En XIANG ; Xuan LUO ; Xu-Qiang WANG
National Journal of Andrology 2024;30(3):229-232
Objective:To examine the application of a novel pedagogical approach multidimensional supportive psychological intervention(MSPI)in the clinical practice teaching of andrological nursing care.Methods:Using the Hamilton Depression Scale(HAMD),we assessed the psychology of 100 nursing interns about to enter clinical practice in the Department of Andrology from De-cember 2021 to December 2022.We equally randomized the subjects into an experimental and a control group,the former receiving MSPI and the latter trained on the conventional teaching model without any psychological support intervention.Results:Compared with the baseline,the HAMD scores were significantly decreased in the experimental group after intervention(12.4±2.1 vs 8.9±2.4,P<0.01),but increased in the controls(13.1±1.8 vs 14.7±1.9,P<0.01);the skill scores dramatically increased in the experimental group(82.6±4.7 vs 91.2±2.4,P<0.01),but decreased in the control group after intervention(81.0±3.5 vs 80.4±2.7,P=0.28).Conclusion:MSPI can significantly enhance the learning enthusiasm of nursing students in a short period,re-duce their psychological stress and improve teaching outcomes.This approach,combining psychology with teaching,can also strength-en the mental resilience of nursing students and better confront them with future professional challenges.
5.Focal therapy for prostate cancer:Progress in research
Jing-Xing BAI ; Yin HUANG ; De-Hong CAO ; Liang-Ren LIU
National Journal of Andrology 2024;30(3):272-276
Prostate cancer(PCa)is currently the second most common malignancy in men worldwide,and its incidence rate is on the rise.Most cases of PCa are treated by radical prostatectomy,but with the development of medical imaging and innovation in therapeutic theories and technology,focal therapy has shown better application prospects in the treatment of PCa.Compared with radi-cal prostatectomy,focal therapy yields satisfactory results in terms of effectiveness and reduction of complications in addition to avoid-ance of overtreatment and treatment-related financial burden.This article reviews the strategies of focal therapy for PCa,including cryo-ablation,high-intensity focused ultrasound,irreversible electroporation,and photodynamic therapy,with an analysis of the clinical tri-als in recent years.
6.Effects of astrocyte activation in cognitive impairment after traumatic brain injury
Xin LIANG ; Jia-qing LI ; Yu-bao WANG ; Xiao-guang CAO ; Hong-da HUO ; De-hai LIANG
The Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2024;40(21):3119-3123
Objective To explore astrocyte activation's impact on cognitive deficits post-traumatic brain injury(TBI).Methods SPF male rats were divided into control,sham-operation and model groups with 10 rats per group.Control group did not receive the surgical intervention;sham-operation group underwent craniotomy without damaging the dura mater;model group was struck with brain injury instrument after craniotomy.The rats with knockout overexpressed glial fibrillary acidic protein(GF AP)gene were set as the knockout group and overexpression group,with 10 rats per group.The knockout and overexpression groups were treated as the model group.Neurological function was evaluated by modified neurological severity score(mNSS).Escape latency was assessed with the Morris water maze test.The expression levels of GFAP in astrocytes were measured quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.The positive expression of astrocytes was determined by immunohistochemistry.Results The mNSS of control,sham-operation,model,knockout and overexpression groups were 0,0,(9.60±1.17),(15.20±1.55)and(12.00±1.33)points;the escape latency period at day 7 was(16.15±2.48),(16.98±2.35),(40.72±5.42),(75.42±8.59)and(47.23±6.04)s;the number of positive astrocytes was(1 264.60±135.45),(1 289.20±132.29),(3 269.10±189.39),(103.90±11.09)and(5 301.50±236.29)cell·mm-2;the expression levels of GFAP gene in control,sham-operation,model and overexpression groups were 0.86±0.02,0.92±0.04,1.37±0.07 and 3.42±0.07.Compared with overexpression group,the differences of above indexes in control,sham-operation,model,knockout groups were statistically significant(all P<0.05).Conclusion TBI causes cognitive impairment and affects cognition and memory in rats,and the GFAP gene is associated with the activation of astrocytes and helps repair nerve damage.
7.Nanomaterial-based Therapeutics for Biofilm-generated Bacterial Infections
Zhuo-Jun HE ; Yu-Ying CHEN ; Yang ZHOU ; Gui-Qin DAI ; De-Liang LIU ; Meng-De LIU ; Jian-Hui GAO ; Ze CHEN ; Jia-Yu DENG ; Guang-Yan LIANG ; Li WEI ; Peng-Fei ZHAO ; Hong-Zhou LU ; Ming-Bin ZHENG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2024;51(7):1604-1617
Bacterial biofilms gave rise to persistent infections and multi-organ failure, thereby posing a serious threat to human health. Biofilms were formed by cross-linking of hydrophobic extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), such as proteins, polysaccharides, and eDNA, which were synthesized by bacteria themselves after adhesion and colonization on biological surfaces. They had the characteristics of dense structure, high adhesiveness and low drug permeability, and had been found in many human organs or tissues, such as the brain, heart, liver, spleen, lungs, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, and skeleton. By releasing pro-inflammatory bacterial metabolites including endotoxins, exotoxins and interleukin, biofilms stimulated the body’s immune system to secrete inflammatory factors. These factors triggered local inflammation and chronic infections. Those were the key reason for the failure of traditional clinical drug therapy for infectious diseases.In order to cope with the increasingly severe drug-resistant infections, it was urgent to develop new therapeutic strategies for bacterial-biofilm eradication and anti-bacterial infections. Based on the nanoscale structure and biocompatible activity, nanobiomaterials had the advantages of specific targeting, intelligent delivery, high drug loading and low toxicity, which could realize efficient intervention and precise treatment of drug-resistant bacterial biofilms. This paper highlighted multiple strategies of biofilms eradication based on nanobiomaterials. For example, nanobiomaterials combined with EPS degrading enzymes could be used for targeted hydrolysis of bacterial biofilms, and effectively increased the drug enrichment within biofilms. By loading quorum sensing inhibitors, nanotechnology was also an effective strategy for eradicating bacterial biofilms and recovering the infectious symptoms. Nanobiomaterials could intervene the bacterial metabolism and break the bacterial survival homeostasis by blocking the uptake of nutrients. Moreover, energy-driven micro-nano robotics had shown excellent performance in active delivery and biofilm eradication. Micro-nano robots could penetrate physiological barriers by exogenous or endogenous driving modes such as by biological or chemical methods, ultrasound, and magnetic field, and deliver drugs to the infection sites accurately. Achieving this using conventional drugs was difficult. Overall, the paper described the biological properties and drug-resistant molecular mechanisms of bacterial biofilms, and highlighted therapeutic strategies from different perspectives by nanobiomaterials, such as dispersing bacterial mature biofilms, blocking quorum sensing, inhibiting bacterial metabolism, and energy driving penetration. In addition, we presented the key challenges still faced by nanobiomaterials in combating bacterial biofilm infections. Firstly, the dense structure of EPS caused biofilms spatial heterogeneity and metabolic heterogeneity, which created exacting requirements for the design, construction and preparation process of nanobiomaterials. Secondly, biofilm disruption carried the risk of spread and infection the pathogenic bacteria, which might lead to other infections. Finally, we emphasized the role of nanobiomaterials in the development trends and translational prospects in biofilm treatment.
8.Effects of astrocyte activation in cognitive impairment after traumatic brain injury
Xin LIANG ; Jia-qing LI ; Yu-bao WANG ; Xiao-guang CAO ; Hong-da HUO ; De-hai LIANG
The Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2024;40(21):3119-3123
Objective To explore astrocyte activation's impact on cognitive deficits post-traumatic brain injury(TBI).Methods SPF male rats were divided into control,sham-operation and model groups with 10 rats per group.Control group did not receive the surgical intervention;sham-operation group underwent craniotomy without damaging the dura mater;model group was struck with brain injury instrument after craniotomy.The rats with knockout overexpressed glial fibrillary acidic protein(GF AP)gene were set as the knockout group and overexpression group,with 10 rats per group.The knockout and overexpression groups were treated as the model group.Neurological function was evaluated by modified neurological severity score(mNSS).Escape latency was assessed with the Morris water maze test.The expression levels of GFAP in astrocytes were measured quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction.The positive expression of astrocytes was determined by immunohistochemistry.Results The mNSS of control,sham-operation,model,knockout and overexpression groups were 0,0,(9.60±1.17),(15.20±1.55)and(12.00±1.33)points;the escape latency period at day 7 was(16.15±2.48),(16.98±2.35),(40.72±5.42),(75.42±8.59)and(47.23±6.04)s;the number of positive astrocytes was(1 264.60±135.45),(1 289.20±132.29),(3 269.10±189.39),(103.90±11.09)and(5 301.50±236.29)cell·mm-2;the expression levels of GFAP gene in control,sham-operation,model and overexpression groups were 0.86±0.02,0.92±0.04,1.37±0.07 and 3.42±0.07.Compared with overexpression group,the differences of above indexes in control,sham-operation,model,knockout groups were statistically significant(all P<0.05).Conclusion TBI causes cognitive impairment and affects cognition and memory in rats,and the GFAP gene is associated with the activation of astrocytes and helps repair nerve damage.
9.Feasibility and clinical benefits of the double-ProGlide technique for hemostasis after cryoballoon atrial fibrillation ablation with uninterrupted oral anticoagulants.
Jia-Yin SUN ; Chang-Bo XUAN ; Hai-Liang YU ; Hai-Yang WANG ; Hong-Ya HAN ; Zhi-Ming ZHOU ; De-An JIA ; Dong-Mei SHI ; Yu-Jie ZHOU ; Shi-Wei YANG
Journal of Geriatric Cardiology 2023;20(4):268-275
OBJECTIVE:
To access the efficacy and safety of the double-ProGlide technique for the femoral vein access-site closure in cryoballoon ablation with uninterrupted oral anticoagulants (OAC), and its impact on the electrophysiology laboratory time as well as hospital stay after the procedure in this observational study.
METHODS:
Patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing cryoballoon ablation with uninterrupted OAC at Department of Cardiology, Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China from May 2019 to May 2021 were enrolled in this study. From October 2020, double-ProGlide technique was consistently used for hemostasis (ProGlide group), and before that conventional manual compression was utilized (manual compression group). The occurrence of vascular and groin complications was accessed during the hospital stay and until the three-month follow-up.
RESULTS:
A total of 140 participants (69.30% of male, mean age: 59.21 ± 10.29 years) were evaluated, 70 participants being in each group. Immediate hemostasis was achieved in all the patients with ProGlide closure. No major vascular complications were found in the ProGlide group while two major vascular complications were occurred in the manual compression group. The incidence of any groin complication was obviously higher in subjects with manual compression than patients with ProGlide devices (15.71% vs. 2.86%, P = 0.009). In addition, compared with the manual compression group, the ProGlide group was associated with significantly shorter total time in the electrophysiology laboratory [112.0 (93.3-128.8) min vs. 123.5 (107.3-158.3) min, P = 0.006], time from sheath removal until venous site hemostasis [3.8 (3.4-4.2) min vs. 8.0 (7.6-8.5) min, P < 0.001], bed rest time [8.0 (7.6-8.0) h vs. 14.1 (12.0-17.6) h, P < 0.001] and hospital stay after the procedure [13.8 (12.5-17.8) h vs. 38.0 (21.5-41.0) h, P < 0.001].
CONCLUSIONS
Utilization of the double-ProGlide technique for hemostasis after cryoballoon ablation with uninterrupted OAC is feasible and safe, which has the clinical benefit in reducing the total electrophysiology laboratory time and the hospital stay length after the procedure.
10.Epidemiological Survey of Hemoglobinopathies Based on Next-Generation Sequencing Platform in Hunan Province, China.
Hui XI ; Qin LIU ; Dong Hua XIE ; Xu ZHOU ; Wang Lan TANG ; De Guo TANG ; Chun Yan ZENG ; Qiong WANG ; Xing Hui NIE ; Jin Ping PENG ; Xiao Ya GAO ; Hong Liang WU ; Hao Qing ZHANG ; Li QIU ; Zong Hui FENG ; Shu Yuan WANG ; Shu Xiang ZHOU ; Jun HE ; Shi Hao ZHOU ; Fa Qun ZHOU ; Jun Qing ZHENG ; Shun Yao WANG ; Shi Ping CHEN ; Zhi Fen ZHENG ; Xiao Yuan MA ; Jun Qun FANG ; Chang Biao LIANG ; Hua WANG
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2023;36(2):127-134
OBJECTIVE:
This study was aimed at investigating the carrier rate of, and molecular variation in, α- and β-globin gene mutations in Hunan Province.
METHODS:
We recruited 25,946 individuals attending premarital screening from 42 districts and counties in all 14 cities of Hunan Province. Hematological screening was performed, and molecular parameters were assessed.
RESULTS:
The overall carrier rate of thalassemia was 7.1%, including 4.83% for α-thalassemia, 2.15% for β-thalassemia, and 0.12% for both α- and β-thalassemia. The highest carrier rate of thalassemia was in Yongzhou (14.57%). The most abundant genotype of α-thalassemia and β-thalassemia was -α 3.7/αα (50.23%) and β IVS-II-654/β N (28.23%), respectively. Four α-globin mutations [CD108 (ACC>AAC), CAP +29 (G>C), Hb Agrinio and Hb Cervantes] and six β-globin mutations [CAP +8 (C>T), IVS-II-848 (C>T), -56 (G>C), beta nt-77 (G>C), codon 20/21 (-TGGA) and Hb Knossos] had not previously been identified in China. Furthermore, this study provides the first report of the carrier rates of abnormal hemoglobin variants and α-globin triplication in Hunan Province, which were 0.49% and 1.99%, respectively.
CONCLUSION
Our study demonstrates the high complexity and diversity of thalassemia gene mutations in the Hunan population. The results should facilitate genetic counselling and the prevention of severe thalassemia in this region.
Humans
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beta-Thalassemia/genetics*
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alpha-Thalassemia/genetics*
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Hemoglobinopathies/genetics*
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China/epidemiology*
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High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing

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