1.Role of SWI/SNF Chromatin Remodeling Complex in Tumor Drug Resistance
Gui-Zhen ZHU ; Qiao YE ; Yuan LUO ; Jie PENG ; Lu WANG ; Zhao-Ting YANG ; Feng-Sen DUAN ; Bing-Qian GUO ; Zhu-Song MEI ; Guang-Yun WANG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(1):20-31
Tumor drug resistance is an important problem in the failure of chemotherapy and targeted drug therapy, which is a complex process involving chromatin remodeling. SWI/SNF is one of the most studied ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complexes in tumorigenesis, which plays an important role in the coordination of chromatin structural stability, gene expression, and post-translation modification. However, its mechanism in tumor drug resistance has not been systematically combed. SWI/SNF can be divided into 3 types according to its subunit composition: BAF, PBAF, and ncBAF. These 3 subtypes all contain two mutually exclusive ATPase catalytic subunits (SMARCA2 or SMARCA4), core subunits (SMARCC1 and SMARCD1), and regulatory subunits (ARID1A, PBRM1, and ACTB, etc.), which can control gene expression by regulating chromatin structure. The change of SWI/SNF complex subunits is one of the important factors of tumor drug resistance and progress. SMARCA4 and ARID1A are the most widely studied subunits in tumor drug resistance. Low expression of SMARCA4 can lead to the deletion of the transcription inhibitor of the BCL2L1 gene in mantle cell lymphoma, which will result in transcription up-regulation and significant resistance to the combination therapy of ibrutinib and venetoclax. Low expression of SMARCA4 and high expression of SMARCA2 can activate the FGFR1-pERK1/2 signaling pathway in ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma cells, which induces the overexpression of anti-apoptosis gene BCL2 and results in carboplatin resistance. SMARCA4 deletion can up-regulate epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by activating YAP1 gene expression in triple-negative breast cancer. It can also reduce the expression of Ca2+ channel IP3R3 in ovarian and lung cancer, resulting in the transfer of Ca2+ needed to induce apoptosis from endoplasmic reticulum to mitochondria damage. Thus, these two tumors are resistant to cisplatin. It has been found that verteporfin can overcome the drug resistance induced by SMARCA4 deletion. However, this inhibitor has not been applied in clinical practice. Therefore, it is a promising research direction to develop SWI/SNF ATPase targeted drugs with high oral bioavailability to treat patients with tumor resistance induced by low expression or deletion of SMARCA4. ARID1A deletion can activate the expression of ANXA1 protein in HER2+ breast cancer cells or down-regulate the expression of progesterone receptor B protein in endometrial cancer cells. The drug resistance of these two tumor cells to trastuzumab or progesterone is induced by activating AKT pathway. ARID1A deletion in ovarian cancer can increase the expression of MRP2 protein and make it resistant to carboplatin and paclitaxel. ARID1A deletion also can up-regulate the phosphorylation levels of EGFR, ErbB2, and RAF1 oncogene proteins.The ErbB and VEGF pathway are activated and EMT is increased. As a result, lung adenocarcinoma is resistant to epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs). Although great progress has been made in the research on the mechanism of SWI/SNF complex inducing tumor drug resistance, most of the research is still at the protein level. It is necessary to comprehensively and deeply explore the detailed mechanism of drug resistance from gene, transcription, protein, and metabolite levels by using multi-omics techniques, which can provide sufficient theoretical basis for the diagnosis and treatment of poor tumor prognosis caused by mutation or abnormal expression of SWI/SNF subunits in clinical practice.
2.Effect of Shenqi Yiliu Formula (参芪抑瘤方) Drug-Containing Serum on the Cycle of Gastric Cancer Cell AGS and Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway
Na WEI ; Chongyuan GUO ; Min BAI ; Yaorong AN ; Sichao ZHANG ; Liyang WU ; Yongqiang DUAN
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(4):399-406
ObjectiveTo investigate the potential mechanism of Shenqi Yiliu Formula (参芪抑瘤方) in treating precancerous lesions of gastric cancer (PLGC) by the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. MethodsThe CCK-8 assay was used to determine the optimal intervention time for Shenqi Yiliu Formula drug-containing serum and the concentration of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway inhibitor XAV939 depends on the survival rate of AGS gastric cancer cell line. AGS cells were divided into the gastric cancer cell group (15% blank serum), inhibitor group (selected concentration of XAV939), high-dose Shenqi Yiliu Formula group (12% Shenqi Yiliu Formula drug-containing serum + 3% blank serum), medium-dose Shenqi Yiliu Formula group (6% Shenqi Yiliu Formula drug-containing serum + 9% blank serum), and low-dose Shenqi Yiliu Formula group (3% Shenqi Yiliu Formula drug-containing serum + 12% blank serum). Each group was tested in triplicate. After culturing for 24 and 48 hours, cell migration and invasion were assessed by scratch assays; after a selected intervention period (48 hours), cell cycle distribution was analyzed using flow cytometry, Ki67 protein levels were detected by immunofluorescence, the protein levels of Wnt, β-catenin, GSK-3β, and intranuclear T-cell specific factor(TCF) were measured by the protein immunoblotting assay, and the mRNA expressions of these above factors were determined by quantitative real-time PCR. ResultsThe optimal intervention time for Shenqi Yiliu Formula drug-containing serum was determined to be 48 hours, and the effective concentration of XAV939 was 20 μmol/L. Compared with the gastric cancer cell group, Shenqi Yiliu Formula at all doses reduced the cell migration rate at 24 and 48 hours (P<0.05), except for the low-dose group at 24 hours. Compared to the low-dose group at corresponding time points, high- and medium-dose Shenqi Yiliu Formula groups showed significantly reduced migration rates, particularly the high-dose group at 48 hours (P<0.05). Compared with the gastric cancer cell group, the high-dose Shenqi Yiliu Formula and inhibitor groups exhibited reduced protein and mRNA levels of Wnt, β-catenin, and TCF, along with reduced Ki67 protein levels and a decreased proportion of cells in the S and G2 phases of the cell cycle, but GSK-3β protein levels, GSK-3β mRNA expression, and the proportion of cells in the G1 phase increased (P<0.05). Compared to the inhibitor group, the high-dose Shenqi Yiliu Formula group showed a decreased proportion of G1-phase cells and an increased proportion of G2-phase cells (P<0.05), although differences in Wnt and β-catenin protein levels and mRNA expressions were not statistically significant (P>0.05). ConclusionShenqi Yiliu Formula drug-containing serum inhibits the migration and invasion of gastric cancer AGS cells and block the cell cycle at G1 phase, and its underlying mechanism may be related to the regulation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.
3.Salidroside promotes osteogenic differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells:an in vitro experiment
Zhaohui LIU ; Xiaoqian HAN ; Xin DUAN ; Pengda GUO ; Yuntao ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(2):231-237
BACKGROUND:Bone defects can directly affect the success rate and long-term stability of dental implants.Studies have shown that salidroside has the ability to promote the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts,but less is reported on its pathways related to osteogenic differentiation. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effects of salidroside on the proliferation and differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells and the expression of related genes and proteins through in vitro cell experiments. METHODS:Cell counting kit-8 test and alkaline phosphatase test were used to determine the optimal concentration of salidroside(0.5,1,5,10,and 50 μmol/L)in promoting the proliferation and differentiation of MC3T3-E1 cells.There were four groups in the experiment:control group,salidroside group,salidroside+LY294002 group,and LY294002 group,which were cultured with osteogenic induction solution,osteogenic induction solution containing 10 μmol/L salidroside,osteogenic induction solution containing 10 μmol/L salidroside+10 μmol/L LY294002,and osteogenic induction solution containing 10 μmol/L LY294002,respectively.The effects of salidroside and LY294002,an inhibitor of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway,on the expressions of genes and proteins related to osteogenesis were observed. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Cell counting kit-8 assay and alkaline phosphatase assay showed that salidroside promoted the proliferation of MC3T3-E1 cells most significantly at 10 μmol/L.Compared with the control group,salidroside could promote mineralization,promote cell adhesion,reduce cell death,increase mRNA expression of Runx-2,osteocalcin and osteopontin(P<0.01),and increase protein expression of Runx-2 and p-Akt(P<0.01).However,the addition of LY294002 reversed the above results.These findings indicate that salidroside can promote the mineralization of MC3T3-E1 cells and the expression of osteogenesis-related genes and proteins,which may be related to the activation of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.
4.Research progress on the mechanism of action of rosmarinic acid in the prevention of cardiovascular diseases
Ke CAI ; Sheng-ru HUANG ; Fang-fang GAO ; Xiu-juan PENG ; Sheng GUO ; Feng LIU ; Jin-ao DUAN ; Shu-lan SU
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2025;60(1):12-21
With the rapid development of social economy and the continuous improvement of human living standard, the incidence, fatality and recurrence rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) are increasing year by year, which seriously affects people's life and health. Conventional therapeutic drugs have limited improvement on the disability rate, so the search for new therapeutic drugs and action targets has become one of the hotspots of current research. In recent years, the therapeutic role of the natural compound rosmarinic acid (RA) in CVD has attracted much attention, which is capable of preventing CVD by modulating multiple signalling pathways and exerting physiological activities such as antioxidant, anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory, anti-platelet aggregation, as well as anti-coagulation and endothelial function protection. In this paper, the role of RA in the prevention of CVD is systematically sorted out, and its mechanism of action is summarised and analysed, with a view to providing a scientific basis and important support for the in-depth exploration of the prevention value of RA in CVD and its further development as a prevention drug.
5.Heterogeneity of Adipose Tissue From a Single-cell Transcriptomics Perspective
Yong-Lang WANG ; Si-Si CHEN ; Qi-Long LI ; Yu GONG ; Xin-Yue DUAN ; Ye-Hui DUAN ; Qiu-Ping GUO ; Feng-Na LI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(4):820-835
Adipose tissue is a critical energy reservoir in animals and humans, with multifaceted roles in endocrine regulation, immune response, and providing mechanical protection. Based on anatomical location and functional characteristics, adipose tissue can be categorized into distinct types, including white adipose tissue (WAT), brown adipose tissue (BAT), beige adipose tissue, and pink adipose tissue. Traditionally, adipose tissue research has centered on its morphological and functional properties as a whole. However, with the advent of single-cell transcriptomics, a new level of complexity in adipose tissue has been unveiled, showing that even under identical conditions, cells of the same type may exhibit significant variation in morphology, structure, function, and gene expression——phenomena collectively referred to as cellular heterogeneity. Single-cell transcriptomics, including techniques like single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq), enables in-depth analysis of the diversity and heterogeneity of adipocytes at the single-cell level. This high-resolution approach has not only deepened our understanding of adipocyte functionality but also facilitated the discovery of previously unidentified cell types and gene expression patterns that may play key roles in adipose tissue function. This review delves into the latest advances in the application of single-cell transcriptomics in elucidating the heterogeneity and diversity within adipose tissue, highlighting how these findings have redefined the understanding of cell subpopulations within different adipose depots. Moreover, the review explores how single-cell transcriptomic technologies have enabled the study of cellular communication pathways and differentiation trajectories among adipose cell subgroups. By mapping these interactions and differentiation processes, researchers gain insights into how distinct cellular subpopulations coordinate within adipose tissues, which is crucial for maintaining tissue homeostasis and function. Understanding these mechanisms is essential, as dysregulation in adipose cell interactions and differentiation underlies a range of metabolic disorders, including obesity and diabetes mellitus type 2. Furthermore, single-cell transcriptomics holds promising implications for identifying therapeutic targets; by pinpointing specific cell types and gene pathways involved in adipose tissue dysfunction, these technologies pave the way for developing targeted interventions aimed at modulating specific adipose subpopulations. In summary, this review provides a comprehensive analysis of the role of single-cell transcriptomic technologies in uncovering the heterogeneity and functional diversity of adipose tissues.
6.Phenomics of traditional Chinese medicine 2.0: the integration with digital medicine
Min Xu ; Xinyi Shao ; Donggeng Guo ; Xiaojing Yan ; Lei Wang ; Tao Yang ; Hao LIANG ; Qinghua PENG ; Lingyu Linda Ye ; Haibo Cheng ; Dayue Darrel Duan
Digital Chinese Medicine 2025;8(3):282-299
Abstract
Modern western medicine typically focuses on treating specific symptoms or diseases, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) emphasizes the interconnections of the body’s various systems under external environment and takes a holistic approach to preventing and treating diseases. Phenomics was initially introduced to the field of TCM in 2008 as a new discipline that studies the laws of integrated and dynamic changes of human clinical phenomes under the scope of the theories and practices of TCM based on phenomics. While TCM Phenomics 1.0 has initially established a clinical phenomic system centered on Zhenghou (a TCM definition of clinical phenome), bottlenecks remain in data standardization, mechanistic interpretation, and precision intervention. Here, we systematically elaborates on the theoretical foundations, technical pathways, and future challenges of integrating digital medicine with TCM phenomics under the framework of “TCM phenomics 2.0”, which is supported by digital medicine technologies such as artificial intelligence, wearable devices, medical digital twins, and multi-omics integration. This framework aims to construct a closed-loop system of “Zhenghou–Phenome–Mechanism–Intervention” and to enable the digitization, standardization, and precision of disease diagnosis and treatment. The integration of digital medicine and TCM phenomics not only promotes the modernization and scientific transformation of TCM theory and practice but also offers new paradigms for precision medicine. In practice, digital tools facilitate multi-source clinical data acquisition and standardization, while AI and big data algorithms help reveal the correlations between clinical Zhenghou phenomes and molecular mechanisms, thereby improving scientific rigor in diagnosis, efficacy evaluation, and personalized intervention. Nevertheless, challenges persist, including data quality and standardization issues, shortage of interdisciplinary talents, and insufficiency of ethical and legal regulations. Future development requires establishing national data-sharing platforms, strengthening international collaboration, fostering interdisciplinary professionals, and improving ethical and legal frameworks. Ultimately, this approach seeks to build a new disease identification and classification system centered on phenomes and to achieve the inheritance, innovation, and modernization of TCM diagnostic and therapeutic patterns.
7.Guideline for the workflow of clinical comprehensive evaluation of drugs
Zhengxiang LI ; Rong DUAN ; Luwen SHI ; Jinhui TIAN ; Xiaocong ZUO ; Yu ZHANG ; Lingli ZHANG ; Junhua ZHANG ; Hualin ZHENG ; Rongsheng ZHAO ; Wudong GUO ; Liyan MIAO ; Suodi ZHAI
China Pharmacy 2025;36(19):2353-2365
OBJECTIVE To standardize the main processes and related technical links of the clinical comprehensive evaluation of drugs, and provide guidance and reference for improving the quality of comprehensive evaluation evidence and its transformation and application value. METHODS The construction of Guideline for the Workflow of Clinical Comprehensive Evaluation of Drugs was based on the standard guideline formulation method of the World Health Organization (WHO), strictly followed the latest definition of guidelines by the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States, and conformed to the six major areas of the Guideline Research and Evaluation Tool Ⅱ. Delphi method was adopted to construct the research questions; research evidence was established by applying the research methods of evidence-based medicine. The evidence quality classification system of the Chinese Evidence-Based Medicine Center was adopted for evidence classification and evaluation. The recommendation strength was determined by the recommendation strength classification standard formulated by the Oxford University Evidence-Based Medicine Center, and the recommendation opinions were formed through the expert consensus method. RESULTS & CONCLUSIONS The Guideline for the Workflow of Clinical Comprehensive Evaluation of Drugs covers 4 major categories of research questions, including topic selection, evaluation implementation, evidence evaluation, and application and transformation of results. The formulation of this guideline has standardized the technical links of the entire process of clinical comprehensive evaluation of drugs, which can effectively guide the high-quality and high-efficient development of this work, enhance the standardized output and transformation application value of evaluation evidence, and provide high-quality evidence support for the scientific decision-making of health and the rationalization of clinical medication.
8.3-butylphthalideimproves neuronal apoptosis induced by oxidative stress through PRDM5
Kang HE ; Yong-Tao GAO ; Chen-Yang XU ; Guo-Qing DUAN
The Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2024;40(1):17-21
Objective To investigate the effects of 3-Butylphthalideon oxidative stress-induced apoptosis of neuronal cells PC-12 and its mechanism.Methods PC-12 cells were divided into four groups,Vector group:DMSO treated and transfected with vector plasmid;3-butylphthalide+vector group:DMSO+25 μmol·L-1 3-butylphthalidewas treated with vector plasmid was transfected;PRDM5 group:PR domain zinc finger protein 5(PRDM5)overexpression plasmid was transfected with DMSO;3-butylphthalide+PRDM5 group:Treated with DMSO+25 μmol·L-1 3-butylphthalide and transfected with PRDM5 overexpression plasmid.Apoptosis levels of neurons were detected by flow cytometry;Cleaved cysteine aspartate proteinase 3(Cleaved-caspase 3),B cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2)and Bcl-2 associated X(Bax)expression levels were detected by Western blotting;binding sites of 3-Butylphthalideand PRDM5 were analyzed by molecular docking.Results The apoptosis levels of vector group,3-butylphthalide+vector group,PRDM5 group and 3-butylphthalide+PRDM5 group were(63.52±5.72)%,(20.48±3.56)%,(79.48±8.13)%and(22.58±3.01)%;Cleaved-caspase 3 expression levels were 0.89±0.09,0.29±0.03,1.12±0.09 and 0.31±0.05;the expression levels of Bcl-2 were 0.31±0.02,0.79±0.05,0.12±0.01 and 0.89±0.11;the expression levels of Bax were 0.83±0.08,0.25±0.03,1.03±0.11 and 0.27±0.03,respectively.The above indexes of Vector group were significantly different from those of PRDM5 group(all P<0.05).That 3-Butylphthalidewas bound to PRDM5(free energy-12.55 kcal·mol-1),and binding sites were K413R and D414A.Conclusion 3-butylphthalidebinds to K413R and D414A of PRDM5,inhibiting the function of PRDM5 and improving the apoptosis of neuronal cells induced by oxidative stress.
9.Serological characteristics of HBsAg positive/HBV DNA non-reactive blood donors
Yuanyuan JING ; Yun FAN ; Yan GUO ; Wenjuan ZHANG ; Yong DUAN ; Na FENG
Chinese Journal of Blood Transfusion 2024;37(4):412-416
【Objective】 To explore the distribution of serological markers related to samples whose serological test results were inconsistent with HBV DNA test results among voluntary blood donors in Xi′an. 【Methods】 A total of 71 HBsAg ELISA positive and NAT non-reactive (ELISA+ /NAT-)blood samples were collected from Shaanxi Blood Center from November 1, 2022 to April 30, 2023. The serological markers of hepatitis B were detected by electrochemiluminescence method, and the HBV S region and C region gene fragments were amplified by nested-PCR. 【Results】 The positive rate of nested-PCR in double ELISA+ /NAT- group(n=30) was statistically higher than that of ELISA+ /NAT- group(n=41)(60% vs 24.4%, P<0.05). Donors in double ELISA+ /NAT- group were all first-time blood donors, with the positive rate of anti-HBc in serum of 100%, and the serological pattern was mainly positive for items 1, 4 and 5 items(80%). Among the ELISA+ /NAT- group, 31.7% were repeat blood donors, with the positive rate of anti-HBc in serum of only 19.51%, and the serological patterns were mainly single anti-HBs positive (43.90%) and all negative (36.58%). 【Conclusion】 There are false positives in the test results of ELISA+ /NAT- group, which leads to unnecessary blood discarding. Meanwhile, the samples with negative NAT may have low levels of HBV DNA, which may lead to missed detection. It is suggested that multiple systems and methods should be applied to trace the blood donors who are HBsAg positive and NAT non-reactive, so as to improve the accuracy of HBV screening of blood donors and reduce blood waste.
10.Analysis of the clinical presentation and genetic profile of epilepsy-aphasia spectrum due to GRIN2A gene mutations
Ang MA ; Daoqi MEI ; Yaodong ZHANG ; Shiyue MEI ; Yuan WANG ; Yuanning MA ; Jianmei GUO ; Wenqian ZHANG ; Yongtao DUAN
Chinese Journal of Neurology 2024;57(2):123-132
Objective:To explore the clinical phenotypic features and genetic variation characteristics of children with epilepsy-aphasia spectrum due to GRIN2A gene variants confirmed by second-generation sequencing. Methods:The clinical data of 5 children with epilepsy-aphasia spectrum with epileptic onset diagnosed in the Department of Neurology, Children′s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University, from February 2019 to November 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Whole-exome genome sequencing of the probands using a second-generation sequencing method confirmed that all 5 cases were children with the GRIN2A gene variant. The characteristics of the GRIN2A gene variants were analyzed. Results:Among the 5 children diagnosed with epileptic aphasia spectrum due to GRIN2A gene variants, the male-to-female ratio was 4∶1, and the age range of onset was 1.5-4.4 years. The clinical phenotype included seizures in all cases, language and intellectual developmental deficits in 4 cases, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in 3 cases. The seizures were manifested as focal seizures or secondary generalized seizures, and were effectively controlled with antiepileptic drugs. Among the 5 children, gene variant of case 1 was originated from a paternal heterozygous variant, and cases 2-5 had de novo variants, which were c.2107C>T (p.Gln703 *) nonsense variant, c.2284G>A (p.Gly762Arg) missense variant, c.2197del (p.Ala733Glnfs *3) shifted coding variant, c.2511G>A (p.Trp837 *) nonsense variant, and c.1651+1G>C shear site variant, respectively. None of the 5 loci were reported in the literature. Conclusions:Epilepsy-aphasia spectrum is an epilepsy syndrome with a complex onset, and may have different phenotypes at different genetic variant loci, with focal seizures or secondary generalized seizures, which can be effectively controlled with anti-seizure medication. The GRIN2A gene variant is the genetic etiology of the epileptic aphasia spectrum.

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