1.Fexolone inhibits neuronal ferroptosis through the Nrf2/HO-1/GPX4 pathway to alleviates sepsis-associated brain injury.
Rao SUN ; Jinyao ZHOU ; Yang JIAO ; Kaixuan NIU ; Cheng YUAN ; Ximing DENG
Chinese Critical Care Medicine 2025;37(5):452-457
OBJECTIVE:
To observe the protective effect of Fisetin on sepsis-associated brain injury and explore its possible mechanism from the perspective of ferroptosis.
METHODS:
Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats (6-8-week-old male) were randomly divided into three groups: sham operation group (Sham group), colonic ligation and puncture (CLP) induced sepsis model group (CLP group) and Fisetin preprocessing group (CLP+Fisetin group), with 18 rats in each group (12 for observing survival rate and 6 for indicator testing). The CLP+Fisetin group was given Fisetin solution 50 mg×kg-1×d-1 by gavage continuously for 5 days before CLP, with dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as the solute, while Sham group and CLP group were given the same dose of DMSO. The model was established at 2 hours after the last gavage. The general condition of each group of rats were observed, and the 10-day mortality were record. The behavioral testing (new object recognition experiment, elevated cross maze experiment) were performed after 7 days of modeling. After 24 hours of modeling, nerve reflex scoring was performed, and then the rats were euthanized and brain tissue was collected. The pathological changes of brain tissue were observed under a microscope by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, the deposition of iron ion in brain tissue was observed by Prussian blue staining. The content of iron in brain tissue was determined by tissue iron kit, and the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in brain tissue was determined by colorimetry. The expressions of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), neuron damage marker S100β, nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenases-1 (HO-1) and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) were detected by Western blotting.
RESULTS:
On day 10 post-operation, 12, 3, and 7 animals survived in the Sham group, CLP group, and CLP+Fisetin group, respectively. Compared with the Sham group, rats in the CLP group showed significantly decreased nerve reflex score, new object discrimination index and open arm dwell time. HE staining showed arranged disorderly of neuronal cells, cytoplasm deep staining, nuclear condensation, unclear structures, neuron loss, and significant inflammation in the hippocampus in the hippocampus. Prussian blue staining showed iron ion deposition in the brain tissue. The contents of iron and MDA in brain tissue were elevated, and the expressions of TNF-α and S100β were up-regulated, while the expressions of Nrf2, HO-1, and GPX4 were down-regulated. Compared with the CLP group, the CLP+Fisetin group showed significantly increased neurological reflex score (7.33±1.15 vs. 4.67±1.53), improved new object discrimination index (0.44±0.02 vs. 0.32±0.04), and longer open arm dwell time (minutes: 78.33±9.29 vs. 41.15±9.64). Neuronal cells in the hippocampus were more organized, with less cytoplasmic staining, nuclear condensation, reduced neuronal loss, and fewer inflammatory cells. Iron ion deposition was reduced, and the contents of iron ions and MDA in brain tissue were decreased [iron ion (μg/g): 151.27±14.90 vs. 224.69±17.64, MDA (μmol/g): 470.0±44.3 vs. 709.3±65.4]. The expressions of TNF-α and S100β were significantly decreased (TNF-α/GAPDH: 0.651±0.060 vs. 0.896±0.022, S100β/GAPDH: 0.685±0.032 vs. 0.902±0.014), while the expressions of Nrf2, HO-1, and GPX4 were significantly increased (Nrf2/GAPDH: 0.708±0.108 vs. 0.316±0.112, HO-1/GAPDH: 0.694±0.022 vs. 0.538±0.024, GPX4/GAPDH: 0.620±0.170 vs. 0.317±0.039). All differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION
Fisetin pretreatment can inhibit ferroptosis and reduce sepsis-associated brain injury by Nrf2/HO-1/GPX4 pathway.
Animals
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Ferroptosis/drug effects*
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Rats, Sprague-Dawley
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NF-E2-Related Factor 2/metabolism*
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Sepsis/complications*
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Male
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Rats
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Phospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase
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Neurons/drug effects*
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Signal Transduction
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Brain Injuries/metabolism*
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Flavonols
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Flavonoids/pharmacology*
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Heme Oxygenase-1/metabolism*
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Heme Oxygenase (Decyclizing)
2.Trends analysis of pancreatic cancer mortality in Xuhui district, Shanghai from 1992 to 2021
Jingshu XU ; Jianhua SHI ; Haiyan GU ; Lei CHEN ; Xiaolin QIAN ; Lu LU ; Deng NIU
Journal of Surgery Concepts & Practice 2025;30(1):34-40
Objective To study the death status of pancreatic cancer among residents in Xuhui district, Shanghai, from 1992 to 2021, and analyze its trends of change, so as to provide evidence for the prevention and treatment of pancreatic cancer. Methods Based on the database of Shanghai death registration system from 1992 to 2021, the crude mortality rate, standardized mortality rate, age-specific mortality rate and other indicators of pancreatic cancer among registered residents in Xuhui district were calculated. The Joinpoint software was used to analyze the trends of average annual percent change (AAPC) of pancreatic cancer mortality rate, and the age-period-cohort model was used to analyze the age effect, period effect and birth cohort effect pairs significant changes in pancreatic cancer mortality. Results In 2021, the mortality rate of pancreatic cancer in Xuhui district, Shanghai, ranked fourth among malignant tumors, and the winning rate and world standard rate of the whole population, males and females were 8.34/100 000 (8.81/100 000, 7.98/100 000) and 7.28/100 000 (7.69/100 000, 6.96/100 000), respectively, with males higher than females. AAPC of crude mortality rate and the standardized (6) mortality rate were higher in males than that in females. The age-specific mortality rate increased with the increase of age, and the highest mortality rate was found in 60-84 years old group. The age-period-cohort model showed that from 1992 to 2021, the annual net shift of pancreatic cancer mortality among the whole population, male and female residents in Xuhui district, Shanghai, was 1.22%, 1.58%, 1.15% (P=0.20, 0.19, 0.45) respectively, and the time trend was not significant. From the perspective of age effect, the risk of death from pancreatic cancer in the whole population and with age deviation in males had an obvious trend with increasing age (P<0.05), while the age effect in females had no obvious trend. From the perspective of period effect, no period deviation was significant in the whole population, males and females (P>0.05). In terms of cohort effects, there were significant differences in the whole population and the male cohort deviations(P<0.05). No significant cohort effect was observed in the female population. Conclusions The mortality rate of pancreatic cancer among registered residents in Xuhui district, Shanghai from 1992 to 2021, was on the rise, especially in the 60-84 years old group and male. The prevention and control of pancreatic cancer needs to develop effective epidemic prevention measures for corresponding populations.
3.A study of the correlation between urinary iodine and thyroid dysfunction in Kunming of Yunnan
Yajuan XIE ; Ben NIU ; Zhenting DENG ; Jie GAO ; Heng SU ; Yuanming XUE
Chinese Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism 2025;41(3):212-218
Objective:To assess iodine nutritional status and the prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in Kunming, Yunnan Province, along with correlation and risk factors between thyroid dysfunction and urinary iodine levels.Methods:This cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2014 to July 2016 using a multi-stage, stratified cluster sampling method. A total of 2 650 residents of Kunming, Yunnan Province, who met the inclusion criteria were selected. Data on participants′ demographics, physical measurements, and laboratory tests were collected through questionnaire and clinical assessments which led to 1 463 subjects in the final analysis considering missing data. Statistical analysis were performed using SPSS 26.0, while R Studio was used to model the nonlinear relationship between urinary iodine levels and the risk of thyroid dysfunction.Results:(1) Among 2 650 subjects, 755(28.5%) were diagnosed with thyroid dysfunction, with incidence rates of clinical hyperthyroidism(0.83%), subclinical hyperthyroidism(0.38%), clinical hypothyroidism(1.36%), subclinical hypothyroidism(17.66%), and isolated thyroid antibody positive(13.85%). The median urinary iodine concentration was 177.49(123.59, 251.85) μg/L, indicating adequate iodine nutritional. (2)Among the 1 463 subjects analyzed, significant differences in urinary iodine were found between healthy individual group and abnormal TSH group or abnormal TSH group and thyroid antibody positive group( H=-83.437, P=0.003; H=107.489, P=0.003). Logistic regression revealed that rural residents had a lower risk of thyroid dysfunction than urban residents( OR=0.429, 95% CI 0.256-0.717, P=0.001). Risk of thyroid disease increased with age, and TSH, thyroid peroxidase antibody(TPOAb), thyroglobulin antibody(TgAb), and urinary iodine levels were identified as significant risk factors, with a U-shaped relationship between urinary iodine levels and thyroid dysfunction. Conclusions:The prevalence of thyroid dysfunction in Kunming is comparable to the national average. The relationship between urinary iodine concentration and thyroid dysfunction follows a U-shaped curve. Factors including region, age, TSH, TPOAb, TgAb, and urinary iodine concentration are associated with thyroid dysfunction.
4.Advances in applications of single-cell RNA sequencing to research on radiation-induced injuries
Siyu YANG ; Xiaofeng NIU ; Lijuan DENG ; Zheng REN ; Jun YANG
Chinese Journal of Radiological Medicine and Protection 2025;45(3):249-254
Radiotherapy can cause varying degrees of damage to surrounding normal tissues while treating tumors. In recent years, single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-Seq), an emerging technology in modern biology, has gradually played a significant role in research on radiation-induced injuries. Researchers have delved into a variety of radiation-induced brain injuries, including radiation-induced brain injury (RIBI), cardiovascular injury, lung injury, intestinal injury, skin injury, and hematopoietic injury. Their studies provide novel perspectives for revealing the mechanisms behind radiation-induced injuries, assessing the degree of injury, and exploring potential therapies. This study reviews the advances in the application of scRNA-seq to research on radiation-induced injuries.
5.The mechanism and application prospects of mitochondrial quality control in osteoarthritis
Liang WANG ; Yinshuan DENG ; Tao QU ; Chaoming DA ; Yunfei HE ; Rui LIU ; Weimin NIU ; Weishun YAN ; Zhen CHEN ; Shuo LI ; Zhiyun YANG ; Binbin GUO ; Xueqian LAI
Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics 2025;30(2):282-288
Osteoarthritis(OA)is a common joint disease in clinical practice,and cartilage damage is a typical pathological change.The pathogenesis of OA is complex,and various adverse factors can lead to the occurrence of OA.Mitochondria are im-portant organelles within cells and play important roles in cellular physiological and pathological activ-ities.Mitochondrial quality control is an important regulatory mechanism in the body to maintain nor-mal mitochondrial structure and function,mainly including mitochondrial biogenesis,mitochondrial dynamics,mitochondrial autophagy,mitochondrial oxidative stress,and other forms.The imbalance of mitochondrial quality control in chondrocytes is closely related to the occurrence and development of osteoarthritis,and regulating the balance of mi-tochondrial quality control is a potential therapeu-tic point for osteoarthritis.The author reviewed rel-evant research literature in recent years to provide a review of the relationship between mitochondrial quality control and the occurrence and develop-ment of osteoarthritis,in order to provide new ideas and directions for the research and diagnosis and treatment strategies of osteoarthritis.
6.Preparation of borneol-menthol eutectic mixture-loaded nanoemulsion gel of tetramethylpyrazine
Jing WEN ; Jun-song NIU ; Yu-zhen WU ; Jie DENG ; Nan LI
Chinese Traditional Patent Medicine 2025;47(8):2522-2529
AIM To prepare the borneol-menthol eutectic mixture-loaded nanoemulsion gel of tetramethylpyrazine.METHODS The equilibrium solubilities of tetramethylpyrazine in different oil phases,emulsifiers and co-emulsifiers were determined,after which compatibility experiment was performed,and pseudo-ternary phase diagram was drawn.With Km value,oil phase proportion and water phase consumption as influencing factors,particle size,PDI and saturated drug loading as evaluation indices,the formulation was optimized by central composite design-response surface method.The drug-loaded nanoemulsion was dispersed into carbomer 940 gel matrix to prepare nanoemulsion gel,then the physicochemical properties,in vitro drug release and transdermal absorption properties were investigated.RESULTS The optimal formulation was determined to be 3.31∶6.16∶1.56∶88.97 for eutectic mixture-EL-40-1,2-propylene glycol-water ratio,the particle size,PDI and saturated drug loading were 37.85 nm,23.04 and 5.82 mg/g,respectively.The obtained white,semi-solid nanoemulsion gel demonstrated the average pH value and viscosity of 6.68±0.07 and(289.69±1.06)mPa·s,respectively,whose in vitro drug release accorded with Higuchi equation,and the accumulative permeability per unit area was(2 048.23±55.6)μg/cm2 within 24 h,which were 3.72 and 1.21 times higher than those of hydrogel and aqueous solution,respectively.CONCLUSION The borneol-menthol eutectic mixture-loaded nanoemulsion gel of tetramethylpyrazine meets preparation requirements,thus can achieve the effective transdermal delivery of raw medicine.
7.Artificial intelligence in drug development for delirium and Alzheimer's disease.
Ruixue AI ; Xianglu XIAO ; Shenglong DENG ; Nan YANG ; Xiaodan XING ; Leiv Otto WATNE ; Geir SELBÆK ; Yehani WEDATILAKE ; Chenglong XIE ; David C RUBINSZTEIN ; Jennifer E PALMER ; Bjørn Erik NEERLAND ; Hongming CHEN ; Zhangming NIU ; Guang YANG ; Evandro Fei FANG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(9):4386-4410
Delirium is a common cause and complication of hospitalization in the elderly and is associated with higher risk of future dementia and progression of existing dementia, of which 70% is Alzheimer's disease (AD). AD and delirium, which are known to be aggravated by one another, represent significant societal challenges, especially in light of the absence of effective treatments. The intricate biological mechanisms have led to numerous clinical trial setbacks and likely contribute to the limited efficacy of existing therapeutics. Artificial intelligence (AI) presents a promising avenue for overcoming these hurdles by deploying algorithms to uncover hidden patterns across diverse data types. This review explores the pivotal role of AI in revolutionizing drug discovery for AD and delirium from target identification to the development of small molecule and protein-based therapies. Recent advances in deep learning, particularly in accurate protein structure prediction, are facilitating novel approaches to drug design and expediting the discovery pipeline for biological and small molecule therapeutics. This review concludes with an appraisal of current achievements and limitations, and touches on prospects for the use of AI in advancing drug discovery in AD and delirium, emphasizing its transformative potential in addressing these two and possibly other neurodegenerative conditions.
8.Expert consensus on apical microsurgery.
Hanguo WANG ; Xin XU ; Zhuan BIAN ; Jingping LIANG ; Zhi CHEN ; Benxiang HOU ; Lihong QIU ; Wenxia CHEN ; Xi WEI ; Kaijin HU ; Qintao WANG ; Zuhua WANG ; Jiyao LI ; Dingming HUANG ; Xiaoyan WANG ; Zhengwei HUANG ; Liuyan MENG ; Chen ZHANG ; Fangfang XIE ; Di YANG ; Jinhua YU ; Jin ZHAO ; Yihuai PAN ; Shuang PAN ; Deqin YANG ; Weidong NIU ; Qi ZHANG ; Shuli DENG ; Jingzhi MA ; Xiuping MENG ; Jian YANG ; Jiayuan WU ; Yi DU ; Junqi LING ; Lin YUE ; Xuedong ZHOU ; Qing YU
International Journal of Oral Science 2025;17(1):2-2
Apical microsurgery is accurate and minimally invasive, produces few complications, and has a success rate of more than 90%. However, due to the lack of awareness and understanding of apical microsurgery by dental general practitioners and even endodontists, many clinical problems remain to be overcome. The consensus has gathered well-known domestic experts to hold a series of special discussions and reached the consensus. This document specifies the indications, contraindications, preoperative preparations, operational procedures, complication prevention measures, and efficacy evaluation of apical microsurgery and is applicable to dentists who perform apical microsurgery after systematic training.
Microsurgery/standards*
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Humans
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Apicoectomy
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Contraindications, Procedure
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Tooth Apex/diagnostic imaging*
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Postoperative Complications/prevention & control*
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Consensus
;
Treatment Outcome
9.Expert consensus on pulpotomy in the management of mature permanent teeth with pulpitis.
Lu ZHANG ; Chen LIN ; Zhuo CHEN ; Lin YUE ; Qing YU ; Benxiang HOU ; Junqi LING ; Jingping LIANG ; Xi WEI ; Wenxia CHEN ; Lihong QIU ; Jiyao LI ; Yumei NIU ; Zhengmei LIN ; Lei CHENG ; Wenxi HE ; Xiaoyan WANG ; Dingming HUANG ; Zhengwei HUANG ; Weidong NIU ; Qi ZHANG ; Chen ZHANG ; Deqin YANG ; Jinhua YU ; Jin ZHAO ; Yihuai PAN ; Jingzhi MA ; Shuli DENG ; Xiaoli XIE ; Xiuping MENG ; Jian YANG ; Xuedong ZHOU ; Zhi CHEN
International Journal of Oral Science 2025;17(1):4-4
Pulpotomy, which belongs to vital pulp therapy, has become a strategy for managing pulpitis in recent decades. This minimally invasive treatment reflects the recognition of preserving healthy dental pulp and optimizing long-term patient-centered outcomes. Pulpotomy is categorized into partial pulpotomy (PP), the removal of a partial segment of the coronal pulp tissue, and full pulpotomy (FP), the removal of whole coronal pulp, which is followed by applying the biomaterials onto the remaining pulp tissue and ultimately restoring the tooth. Procedural decisions for the amount of pulp tissue removal or retention depend on the diagnostic of pulp vitality, the overall treatment plan, the patient's general health status, and pulp inflammation reassessment during operation. This statement represents the consensus of an expert committee convened by the Society of Cariology and Endodontics, Chinese Stomatological Association. It addresses the current evidence to support the application of pulpotomy as a potential alternative to root canal treatment (RCT) on mature permanent teeth with pulpitis from a biological basis, the development of capping biomaterial, and the diagnostic considerations to evidence-based medicine. This expert statement intends to provide a clinical protocol of pulpotomy, which facilitates practitioners in choosing the optimal procedure and increasing their confidence in this rapidly evolving field.
Humans
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Calcium Compounds/therapeutic use*
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Consensus
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Dental Pulp
;
Dentition, Permanent
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Oxides/therapeutic use*
;
Pulpitis/therapy*
;
Pulpotomy/standards*
10.Expert consensus on intentional tooth replantation.
Zhengmei LIN ; Dingming HUANG ; Shuheng HUANG ; Zhi CHEN ; Qing YU ; Benxiang HOU ; Lihong QIU ; Wenxia CHEN ; Jiyao LI ; Xiaoyan WANG ; Zhengwei HUANG ; Jinhua YU ; Jin ZHAO ; Yihuai PAN ; Shuang PAN ; Deqin YANG ; Weidong NIU ; Qi ZHANG ; Shuli DENG ; Jingzhi MA ; Xiuping MENG ; Jian YANG ; Jiayuan WU ; Lan ZHANG ; Jin ZHANG ; Xiaoli XIE ; Jinpu CHU ; Kehua QUE ; Xuejun GE ; Xiaojing HUANG ; Zhe MA ; Lin YUE ; Xuedong ZHOU ; Junqi LING
International Journal of Oral Science 2025;17(1):16-16
Intentional tooth replantation (ITR) is an advanced treatment modality and the procedure of last resort for preserving teeth with inaccessible endodontic or resorptive lesions. ITR is defined as the deliberate extraction of a tooth; evaluation of the root surface, endodontic manipulation, and repair; and placement of the tooth back into its original socket. Case reports, case series, cohort studies, and randomized controlled trials have demonstrated the efficacy of ITR in the retention of natural teeth that are untreatable or difficult to manage with root canal treatment or endodontic microsurgery. However, variations in clinical protocols for ITR exist due to the empirical nature of the original protocols and rapid advancements in the field of oral biology and dental materials. This heterogeneity in protocols may cause confusion among dental practitioners; therefore, guidelines and considerations for ITR should be explicated. This expert consensus discusses the biological foundation of ITR, the available clinical protocols and current status of ITR in treating teeth with refractory apical periodontitis or anatomical aberration, and the main complications of this treatment, aiming to refine the clinical management of ITR in accordance with the progress of basic research and clinical studies; the findings suggest that ITR may become a more consistent evidence-based option in dental treatment.
Humans
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Tooth Replantation/methods*
;
Consensus
;
Periapical Periodontitis/surgery*

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