1.Research progress on molecular mechanism of neuroprotective effects of acetazolamide under acute hypoxic exposure
Qi FU ; Yu WANG ; Ruili GUAN ; Yuankang ZOU ; Kejun DU
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2026;43(5):656-662
Acute hypoxic exposure can induce functional brain impairment, driven by molecular mechanisms including mitochondrial dysfunction, intracellular calcium overload, glial cell activation and inflammatory responses, blood-brain barrier disruption, and alterated cerebral blood flow. Acetazolamide, a broad-spectrum carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, is a standard clinical treatment and remains the only medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the prevention and treatment of acute mountain sickness. Substantial evidence confirms that under acute hypoxic exposure, acetazolamide exerts multi-level neuroprotective effects on brain tissue by inhibiting carbonic anhydrase VB and other isoforms. These protective mechanisms involve preserving mitochondrial integrity, regulating calcium homeostasis and pH balance, modulating glial cell activity to mitigate neuroinflammation, maintaining blood-brain barrier structure integrity, and improving cerebral perfusion through cerebrovascular regulation. This article reviewed the molecular pathological mechanisms of hypoxia-induced nervous system damage, summarized the pharmacological properties and neuroprotective effects of acetazolamide, and provided a theoretical basis for therapeutic interventions against high-altitude hypoxic neural injury.
2.Research progress on molecular mechanism of neuroprotective effects of acetazolamide under acute hypoxic exposure
Qi FU ; Yu WANG ; Ruili GUAN ; Yuankang ZOU ; Kejun DU
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2026;43(5):656-662
Acute hypoxic exposure can induce functional brain impairment, driven by molecular mechanisms including mitochondrial dysfunction, intracellular calcium overload, glial cell activation and inflammatory responses, blood-brain barrier disruption, and alterated cerebral blood flow. Acetazolamide, a broad-spectrum carbonic anhydrase inhibitor, is a standard clinical treatment and remains the only medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the prevention and treatment of acute mountain sickness. Substantial evidence confirms that under acute hypoxic exposure, acetazolamide exerts multi-level neuroprotective effects on brain tissue by inhibiting carbonic anhydrase VB and other isoforms. These protective mechanisms involve preserving mitochondrial integrity, regulating calcium homeostasis and pH balance, modulating glial cell activity to mitigate neuroinflammation, maintaining blood-brain barrier structure integrity, and improving cerebral perfusion through cerebrovascular regulation. This article reviewed the molecular pathological mechanisms of hypoxia-induced nervous system damage, summarized the pharmacological properties and neuroprotective effects of acetazolamide, and provided a theoretical basis for therapeutic interventions against high-altitude hypoxic neural injury.
3.Detection and characterization of the types of CYP21A1P/CYP21A2 and TNXA/TNXB fused genes by long-read sequencing among children with Steroid 21-hydroxylase deficiency.
Qingxian FU ; Zhen LI ; Shiyi XU ; Lingling DU ; Huishu E ; Limei GUAN
Chinese Journal of Medical Genetics 2024;41(12):1416-1425
OBJECTIVE:
To assess the diagnostic efficiency of long-read sequencing (LRS) for the determination of CYP21A1P/CYP21A2 and TNXA/TNXB fusion genotypes among children with 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21-OHD) and explore their clinical characteristics.
METHODS:
LRS sequencing was carried out on 30 children diagnosed with 21-OHD at the Department of Endocrinology, Fujian Children's Hospital between November 2022 and September 2023 by clinical symptoms or conventional Sanger sequencing combined with multiple ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA). The results of the two methods were compared. Clinical data of the children were collected and analyzed. This study has been approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Fujian Children's Hospital (Ethic No. 2022ETKLR10024).
RESULTS:
Of the 30 children with 21-OHD, 11 (36.7%) were found to carry CYP21A1P/CYP21A2 and TNXA/TNXB fusion genes by LRS. The most common type of fused CYP21A1P/CYP21A2 gene was CH-1 (72.7%), and 1 (3.3%) was found to harbor TNXA/TNXB CH-1. Eleven cases (36.7%) were found to carry large deletions by Sanger sequencing combined with MLPA, with the most common one being CYP21A2 exons 1-3 del (72.7%), which was followed by CYP21A2 exons 1-7 del (18.2%). Follow up of 11 patients carrying a fusion gene revealed that 6 were sale wasting (SW) types, 5 were simple virilizing (SV) types, whilst no non-classical (NC) type was found. Four girls had presented with central precocious puberty (CPP). One child carrying TNXA/TNXB CH-1 had presented with CAH-X syndrome.
CONCLUSION
Compared with Sanger sequencing combined with MLPA detection method, LRS sequencing was able to differentiate the subtypes of CYP21A1P/CYP21A2 and TNXA/TNXB fusion genes, pinpoint the breakpoints of the deletions, and directly determine the cis-trans position without the need to analyze the genotype of the pedigree members, which has provided a reliable method for the typing of 21-OHD. As some fusion genes may retain 21-hydroxylase activity, female carriers may have a higher incidence of CPP.
Humans
;
Steroid 21-Hydroxylase/genetics*
;
Adrenal Hyperplasia, Congenital/genetics*
;
Child
;
Female
;
Male
;
Child, Preschool
;
Tenascin/genetics*
;
Infant
;
Genotype
;
Sequence Analysis, DNA/methods*
;
Pseudogenes
4.Detection and characterization of the types of CYP21A1P/CYP21A2 and TNXA/TNXB fused genes by long-read sequencing among children with Steroid 21-hydroxylase deficiency
Qingxian FU ; Zhen LI ; Shiyi XU ; Lingling DU ; Huishu E ; Limei GUAN ; Hui LIU
Chinese Journal of Medical Genetics 2024;41(12):1416-1425
Objective:To assess the diagnostic efficiency of long-read sequencing (LRS) for the determination of CYP21A1P/ CYP21A2 and TNXA/ TNXB fusion genotypes among children with 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21-OHD) and explore their clinical characteristics. Methods:LRS sequencing was carried out on 30 children diagnosed with 21-OHD at the Department of Endocrinology, Fujian Children′s Hospital between November 2022 and September 2023 by clinical symptoms or conventional Sanger sequencing combined with multiple ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA). The results of the two methods were compared. Clinical data of the children were collected and analyzed. This study has been approved by the Medical Ethic Committee of the Fujian Children Hospital(Ethic No. 2022ETKLR10024).Results:Of the 30 children with 21-OHD, 11 (36.7%) were found to carry CYP21A1P/ CYP21A2 and TNXA/ TNXB fusion genes by LRS. The most common type of fused CYP21A1P/ CYP21A2 gene was CH-1 (61.5%), and 1 (3.3%) was found to harbor TNXA/ TNXB CH-1. 11 cases (36.7%) were found to carry large deletions by Sanger sequencing combined with MLPA, with the most common one being CYP21A2 exons 1-3 del (61.5%), which was followed by CYP21A2 exons 1-7 del (23.1%). Follow up of 11 patients carrying a fusion gene revealed that 6 were sale wasting (SW) types, 5 were simple virilizing (SV) types, whilst no non-classical (NC) type was found. Four girls had presented with central precocious puberty (CPP). One child carrying TNXA/ TNXB CH-1 had presented with CAH-X syndrome. Conclusion:Compared with Sanger sequencing combined with MLPA detection method, LRS sequencing was able to differentiate the subtypes of CYP21A1P/ CYP21A2 and TNXA/ TNXB fusion genes, pinpoint the breakpoints of the deletions, and directly determine the cis-trans position without the need to analyze the genotype of the pedigree members, which has provided a reliable method for the typing of 21-OHD. As some fusion genes may retain 21-hydroxylase activity, female carriers may have a higher incidence of CPP.
5.Link Brain-Wide Projectome to Neuronal Dynamics in the Mouse Brain.
Xiang LI ; Yun DU ; Jiang-Feng HUANG ; Wen-Wei LI ; Wei SONG ; Ruo-Nan FAN ; Hua ZHOU ; Tao JIANG ; Chang-Geng LU ; Zhuang GUAN ; Xiao-Fei WANG ; Hui GONG ; Xiang-Ning LI ; Anan LI ; Ling FU ; Yan-Gang SUN
Neuroscience Bulletin 2024;40(11):1621-1634
Knowledge about the neuronal dynamics and the projectome are both essential for understanding how the neuronal network functions in concert. However, it remains challenging to obtain the neural activity and the brain-wide projectome for the same neurons, especially for neurons in subcortical brain regions. Here, by combining in vivo microscopy and high-definition fluorescence micro-optical sectioning tomography, we have developed strategies for mapping the brain-wide projectome of functionally relevant neurons in the somatosensory cortex, the dorsal hippocampus, and the substantia nigra pars compacta. More importantly, we also developed a strategy to achieve acquiring the neural dynamic and brain-wide projectome of the molecularly defined neuronal subtype. The strategies developed in this study solved the essential problem of linking brain-wide projectome to neuronal dynamics for neurons in subcortical structures and provided valuable approaches for understanding how the brain is functionally organized via intricate connectivity patterns.
Animals
;
Neurons/physiology*
;
Mice
;
Brain/physiology*
;
Mice, Inbred C57BL
;
Somatosensory Cortex/physiology*
;
Neural Pathways/physiology*
;
Hippocampus/physiology*
;
Mice, Transgenic
;
Male
;
Brain Mapping
;
Nerve Net/physiology*
;
Substantia Nigra/physiology*
;
Tomography, Optical/methods*
6.Detection and characterization of the types of CYP21A1P/CYP21A2 and TNXA/TNXB fused genes by long-read sequencing among children with Steroid 21-hydroxylase deficiency
Qingxian FU ; Zhen LI ; Shiyi XU ; Lingling DU ; Huishu E ; Limei GUAN ; Hui LIU
Chinese Journal of Medical Genetics 2024;41(12):1416-1425
Objective:To assess the diagnostic efficiency of long-read sequencing (LRS) for the determination of CYP21A1P/ CYP21A2 and TNXA/ TNXB fusion genotypes among children with 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21-OHD) and explore their clinical characteristics. Methods:LRS sequencing was carried out on 30 children diagnosed with 21-OHD at the Department of Endocrinology, Fujian Children′s Hospital between November 2022 and September 2023 by clinical symptoms or conventional Sanger sequencing combined with multiple ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA). The results of the two methods were compared. Clinical data of the children were collected and analyzed. This study has been approved by the Medical Ethic Committee of the Fujian Children Hospital(Ethic No. 2022ETKLR10024).Results:Of the 30 children with 21-OHD, 11 (36.7%) were found to carry CYP21A1P/ CYP21A2 and TNXA/ TNXB fusion genes by LRS. The most common type of fused CYP21A1P/ CYP21A2 gene was CH-1 (61.5%), and 1 (3.3%) was found to harbor TNXA/ TNXB CH-1. 11 cases (36.7%) were found to carry large deletions by Sanger sequencing combined with MLPA, with the most common one being CYP21A2 exons 1-3 del (61.5%), which was followed by CYP21A2 exons 1-7 del (23.1%). Follow up of 11 patients carrying a fusion gene revealed that 6 were sale wasting (SW) types, 5 were simple virilizing (SV) types, whilst no non-classical (NC) type was found. Four girls had presented with central precocious puberty (CPP). One child carrying TNXA/ TNXB CH-1 had presented with CAH-X syndrome. Conclusion:Compared with Sanger sequencing combined with MLPA detection method, LRS sequencing was able to differentiate the subtypes of CYP21A1P/ CYP21A2 and TNXA/ TNXB fusion genes, pinpoint the breakpoints of the deletions, and directly determine the cis-trans position without the need to analyze the genotype of the pedigree members, which has provided a reliable method for the typing of 21-OHD. As some fusion genes may retain 21-hydroxylase activity, female carriers may have a higher incidence of CPP.
7.Chemical constituents from fruits of Morinda citrifolia and their inhibitory effects on proliferation of synoviocytes in vitro.
Zhang-Yang SHEN ; Ruo-Qing GUAN ; Meng-Ran DU ; Yuan BIAN ; Yu WANG ; Xin-Yuan SUO ; Shu-Hong XIONG ; Yan-Ping LIU ; Yan-Hui FU
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2023;48(1):105-113
The chemical constituents from the fruits of Morinda citrifolia were systematically explored by chromatographic fractionation methods including silica gel, octadecylsilyl(ODS) gel, Sephadex LH-20 gel, and preparative high performance liquid chromatography(pre-HPLC). The chemical structures of all isolated compounds were identified on the basis of their physicochemical properties, spectroscopic analyses, as well as the comparisons of their physicochemical and spectroscopic data with the reported data in literature. As a result, 22 isolated compounds from the 90% ethanol extract of the fruits of M. citrifolia were identified, which were moricitritone(1), 2'-deoxythymidine(2), cyclo-(L-Pro-L-Tyr)(3), methyl-5-hydroxy-2-pyridinecarboxylate(4), methyl pyroglutamate(5), bisbenzopyran(6), epipinoresinol(7), 3, 3'-bisdemethyl pinoresinol(8), 3, 3'-bisdemethyltanegool(9), trimesic acid(10), crypticin B(11), kojic acid(12), vanillic acid(13), protocatechoic acid(14), 5-hydroxymethyl furfural(15), blumenol A(16), 1-O-(9Z, 12Z-octadecadienoyl) glycerol(17), mucic acid dimethylester(18), methyl 2-O-β-D-glucopyranosylbenzoate(19), 2-phenylethyl-O-β-D-glucoside(20), scopoletin(21), and quercetin(22). Among them, compound 1 was a new pyrone derivative, compounds 2, 4-7, 10-12, and 17 were isolated from the plants belonging to Morinda genus for the first time, and compound 18 was obtained from M. citrifolia for the first time. Moreover, on the basis of testing the activities of all isolated compounds on inhibiting the proliferation of synovial fibroblasts in vitro by MTS assay, the anti-rheumatoid arthritis activities of all isolated compounds were initially evaluated. The results showed that compounds 1-6, 9, 19, and 20 exhibited remarkable anti-rheumatoid arthritis activities, which displayed the inhibitory effects on the proliferation of MH7A synovial fibroblast cells with the IC_(50) values in the range of(3.69±0.08) to(168.96±0.98) μmol·L~(-1).
Fruit/chemistry*
;
Morinda/chemistry*
;
Synoviocytes
;
Cell Proliferation
;
Arthritis
8.Identification Strategy of Biological Half Sibling Relationship.
Zheng TAN ; Guan-Ju MA ; Li-Hong FU ; Xiao-Jing ZHANG ; Qian WANG ; Guang-Ping FU ; Qing-Qing DU ; Shu-Jin LI
Journal of Forensic Medicine 2023;39(3):262-270
OBJECTIVES:
To compare the application value of the likelihood ratio (LR) method and identity by state (IBS) method in the identification involving half sibling relationships, and to provide a reference for the setting of relevant standards for identification of half sibling relationship.
METHODS:
(1) Based on the same genetic marker combinations, the reliability of computer simulation method was verified by comparing the distributions of cumulated identity by state score (CIBS) and combined full sibling index in actual cases with the distributions in simulated cases. (2) In different numbers of three genetic marker combinations, the simulation of full sibling, half sibling and unrelated individual pairs, each 1 million pairs, was obtained; the CIBS, as well as the corresponding types of cumulative LR parameters, were calculated. (3) The application value of LR method was compared with that of IBS method, by comparing the best system efficiency provided by LR method and IBS method when genetic markers in different amounts and of different types and accuracy were applied to distinguish the above three relational individual pairs. (4) According to the existing simulation data, the minimum number of genetic markers required to distinguish half siblings from the other two relationships using different types of genetic markers was estimated by curve fitting.
RESULTS:
(1) After the rank sum test, under the premise that the real relationship and the genetic marker combination tested were the same, there was no significant difference between the simulation method and the results obtained in the actual case. (2) In most cases, under the same conditions, the system effectiveness obtained by LR method was greater than that by IBS method. (3) According to the existing data, the number of genetic markers required for full-half siblings and half sibling identification could be obtained by curve fitting when the system effectiveness reached 0.95 or 0.99.
CONCLUSIONS
When distinguishing half sibling from full sibling pairs or unrelated pairs, it is recommended to give preference to the LR method, and estimate the required number of markers according to the identification types and the population data, to ensure the identification effect.
Humans
;
Siblings
;
Genetic Markers
;
Computer Simulation
;
Irritable Bowel Syndrome/genetics*
;
Reproducibility of Results
;
Genotype
9.Identification of multi-target anti-cancer agents from TCM formula by in silico prediction and in vitro validation.
Bao-Yue ZHANG ; Yi-Fu ZHENG ; Jun ZHAO ; De KANG ; Zhe WANG ; Lv-Jie XU ; Ai-Lin LIU ; Guan-Hua DU
Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines (English Ed.) 2022;20(5):332-351
Cancer is a complex disease associated with multiple gene mutations and malignant phenotypes, and multi-target drugs provide a promising therapy idea for the treatment of cancer. Natural products with abundant chemical structure types and rich pharmacological characteristics could be ideal sources for screening multi-target antineoplastic drugs. In this paper, 50 tumor-related targets were collected by searching the Therapeutic Target Database and Thomson Reuters Integrity database, and a multi-target anti-cancer prediction system based on mt-QSAR models was constructed by using naïve Bayesian and recursive partitioning algorithm for the first time. Through the multi-target anti-cancer prediction system, some dominant fragments that act on multiple tumor-related targets were analyzed, which could be helpful in designing multi-target anti-cancer drugs. Anti-cancer traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and its natural products were collected to form a TCM formula-based natural products library, and the potential targets of the natural products in the library were predicted by multi-target anti-cancer prediction system. As a result, alkaloids, flavonoids and terpenoids were predicted to act on multiple tumor-related targets. The predicted targets of some representative compounds were verified according to literature review and most of the selected natural compounds were found to exert certain anti-cancer activity in vitro biological experiments. In conclusion, the multi-target anti-cancer prediction system is very effective and reliable, and it could be further used for elucidating the functional mechanism of anti-cancer TCM formula and screening for multi-target anti-cancer drugs. The anti-cancer natural compounds found in this paper will lay important information for further study.
Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology*
;
Bayes Theorem
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry*
;
Humans
;
Medicine, Chinese Traditional
;
Neoplasms/drug therapy*
10.Chemical constituents from Artocarpus incisus and their inhibitory effects on proliferation of synoviocytes in vitro.
Yu-Tong XIE ; Shu-Hong XIONG ; Yuan BIAN ; Yu WANG ; Ruo-Qing GUAN ; Xin-Yuan SUO ; Meng-Ran DU ; Yan-Ping LIU ; Yan-Hui FU
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2022;47(17):4665-4673
The chemical constituents from the branches and leaves of Artocarpus incisus were isolated and purified via silica gel, ODS, and Sephadex LH-20 column chromatography as well as preparative HPLC. The chemical structures of all isolated compounds were identified in the light of their physicochemical properties, spectroscopic analyses, and comparisons of their physicochemical and spectroscopic data with the reported data in literature. As a result, 20 compounds were isolated and characterized from the 90% ethanol extract of the branches and leaves of A. incisus, which were identified as tephrosin(1), 6-hydroxy-6 a, 12 a-dehydrodeguelin(2), sarcolobin(3), lupiwighteone(4), 12-deoxo-12α-methoxyelliptone(5), 6 aα,12 aα-12 a-hydroxyelliptone(6), homopterocarpin(7), 3-hydroxy-8,9-dimethoxypterocarpan(8), pterocarpin(9), maackiain(10), medicarpin(11), calycosin(12), genistein(13), formononetin(14), 5-hydroxy-4',7-dimethoxy isoflavone(15), liquiritigenin(16), 4(15)-eudesmene-1β,7α-diol(17), ent-4(15)-eudesmene-1β,6α-diol(18), 1α-hydroxyisodauc-4-en-15-al(19), and guaianediol(20). Except compounds 13 and 16, all other compounds were isolated from the Artocarpus plants for the first time. Additionally, using MTS assay, compounds 1-20 were eva-luated for their anti-rheumatoid arthritis activities by measuring their anti-proliferative effects on synoviocytes in vitro. As a consequence, compounds 1-16 showed notable anti-rheumatoid arthritis activities, which displayed inhibitory effects on the proliferation of MH7 A synovial fibroblast cells, with the IC_(50) values in range of(9.86±0.09)-(218.07±1.96) μmol·L~(-1).
Arthritis
;
Artocarpus
;
Cell Proliferation
;
Ethanol
;
Genistein
;
Plant Extracts/pharmacology*
;
Silica Gel
;
Synoviocytes

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