1.The Role of Golgi Apparatus Homeostasis in Regulating Cell Death and Major Diseases
Xin-Yue CHENG ; Feng-Hua YAO ; Hui ZHANG ; Yong-Ming YAO
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(8):2051-2067
The Golgi apparatus (GA) is a key membranous organelle in eukaryotic cells, acting as a central component of the endomembrane system. It plays an irreplaceable role in the processing, sorting, trafficking, and modification of proteins and lipids. Under normal conditions, the GA cooperates with other organelles, including the endoplasmic reticulum (ER), lysosomes, mitochondria, and others, to achieve the precise processing and targeted transport of nearly one-third of intracellular proteins, thereby ensuring normal cellular physiological functions and adaptability to environmental changes. This function relies on Golgi protein quality control (PQC) mechanisms, which recognize and handle misfolded or aberrantly modified proteins by retrograde transport to the ER, proteasomal degradation, or lysosomal clearance, thus preventing the accumulation of toxic proteins. In addition, Golgi-specific autophagy (Golgiphagy), as a selective autophagy mechanism, is also crucial for removing damaged or excess Golgi components and maintaining its structural and functional homeostasis. Under pathological conditions such as oxidative stress and infection, the Golgi apparatus suffers damage and stress, and its homeostatic regulatory network may be disrupted, leading to the accumulation of misfolded proteins, membrane disorganization, and trafficking dysfunction. When the capacity and function of the Golgi fail to meet cellular demands, cells activate a series of adaptive signaling pathways to alleviate Golgi stress and enhance Golgi function. This process reflects the dynamic regulation of Golgi capacity to meet physiological needs. To date, 7 signaling pathways related to the Golgi stress response have been identified in mammalian cells. Although these pathways have different mechanisms, they all help restore Golgi homeostasis and function and are vital for maintaining overall cellular homeostasis. It is noteworthy that the regulation of Golgi homeostasis is closely related to multiple programmed cell death pathways, including apoptosis, ferroptosis, and pyroptosis. Once Golgi function is disrupted, these signaling pathways may induce cell death, ultimately participating in the occurrence and progression of diseases. Studies have shown that Golgi homeostatic imbalance plays an important pathological role in various major diseases. For example, in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD), Golgi fragmentation and dysfunction aggravate the abnormal processing of amyloid β-protein (Aβ) and Tau protein, promoting neuronal loss and advancing neurodegenerative processes. In cancer, Golgi homeostatic imbalance is closely associated with increased genomic instability, enhanced tumor cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and increased resistance to cell death, which are important factors in tumor initiation and progression. In infectious diseases, pathogens such as viruses and bacteria hijack the Golgi trafficking system to promote their replication while inducing host defensive cell death responses. This process is also a key mechanism in host-pathogen interactions. This review focuses on the role of the Golgi apparatus in cell death and major diseases, systematically summarizing the Golgi stress response, regulatory mechanisms, and the role of Golgi-specific autophagy in maintaining homeostasis. It emphasizes the signaling regulatory role of the Golgi apparatus in apoptosis, ferroptosis, and pyroptosis. By integrating the latest research progress, it further clarifies the pathological significance of Golgi homeostatic disruption in neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, and infectious diseases, and reveals its potential mechanisms in cellular signal regulation.
2.Arsenic trioxide preconditioning attenuates hepatic ischemia- reperfusion injury in mice: Role of ERK/AKT and autophagy.
Chaoqun WANG ; Hongjun YU ; Shounan LU ; Shanjia KE ; Yanan XU ; Zhigang FENG ; Baolin QIAN ; Miaoyu BAI ; Bing YIN ; Xinglong LI ; Yongliang HUA ; Zhongyu LI ; Dong CHEN ; Bangliang CHEN ; Yongzhi ZHOU ; Shangha PAN ; Yao FU ; Hongchi JIANG ; Dawei WANG ; Yong MA
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(22):2993-3003
BACKGROUND:
Arsenic trioxide (ATO) is indicated as a broad-spectrum medicine for a variety of diseases, including cancer and cardiac disease. While the role of ATO in hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury (HIRI) has not been reported. Thus, the purpose of this study was to identify the effects of ATO on HIRI.
METHODS:
In the present study, we established a 70% hepatic warm I/R injury and partial hepatectomy (30% resection) animal models in vivo and hepatocytes anoxia/reoxygenation (A/R) models in vitro with ATO pretreatment and further assessed liver function by histopathologic changes, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, cell counting kit-8, and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) assay. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) for extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 was transfected to evaluate the role of ERK1/2 pathway during HIRI, followed by ATO pretreatment. The dynamic process of autophagic flux and numbers of autophagosomes were detected by green fluorescent protein-monomeric red fluorescent protein-LC3 (GFP-mRFP-LC3) staining and transmission electron microscopy.
RESULTS:
A low dose of ATO (0.75 μmol/L in vitro and 1 mg/kg in vivo ) significantly reduced tissue necrosis, inflammatory infiltration, and hepatocyte apoptosis during the process of hepatic I/R. Meanwhile, ATO obviously promoted the ability of cell proliferation and liver regeneration. Mechanistically, in vitro studies have shown that nontoxic concentrations of ATO can activate both ERK and phosphoinositide 3-kinase-serine/threonine kinase (PI3K-AKT) pathways and further induce autophagy. The hepatoprotective mechanism of ATO, at least in part, relies on the effects of ATO on the activation of autophagy, which is ERK-dependent.
CONCLUSION
Low, non-toxic doses of ATO can activate ERK/PI3K-AKT pathways and induce ERK-dependent autophagy in hepatocytes, protecting liver against I/R injury and accelerating hepatocyte regeneration after partial hepatectomy.
Animals
;
Arsenic Trioxide
;
Autophagy/physiology*
;
Reperfusion Injury/prevention & control*
;
Mice
;
Male
;
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/physiology*
;
Arsenicals/therapeutic use*
;
Oxides/therapeutic use*
;
Liver/metabolism*
;
Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases/metabolism*
;
Mice, Inbred C57BL
3.Identification of characteristics, supply channels, and imperial court processing of Arecae Semen in the Qing court.
Feng-Yuan LI ; Hua-Sheng PENG ; Xue-Ling GUAN ; Yan JIN ; Ting YAO ; Yuan YUAN ; Lu-Qi HUANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(11):2924-2930
Qing court records show that Arecae Semen was extensively applied. The royal medical records of the Qing Dynasty document nine types of Arecae Semen, with the Palace Museum preserving seven kinds, totaling twelve cultural relics. Historical documents and physical artifacts corroborate each other, providing evidence for the study of the supply channels and court processing of Arecae Semen in the Qing court. According to relevant Qing court archival records, the sources of Arecae Semen used in the imperial court were diverse, including tributes from foreign countries such as Vietnam and Gurkha, annual tributes from local governments in Guangdong, gifts from close aides, and commodities purchased by the Imperial Household Department from civilian shops. The imperial physicians of the Qing court placed great emphasis on the specifications of Arecae Semen slices and were extremely meticulous about their processing. The variety of Arecae Semen slices used in the Qing palace exceeded those recorded in the botanical texts of the era. Compared with the commonly used processing methods for Arecae Semen in the Qing Dynasty, the imperial physicians adjusted the properties and efficacy of the herbs through different processing techniques, based on the patient's condition, constitution, and other factors, in order to meet the clinical treatment needs of the court. The slicing of Arecae Semen in the Qing court required strict control of thickness, with an average thickness of 0.44 mm, which is significantly thinner than the Arecae Semen slices found in today's markets. The texture was softer, making them easier to chew and absorb. Both the Qing court Arecae Semen slices and the Muxiang Binglang Pills focused on the use of authentic medicinal materials, ensuring the quality of the medicine and enhancing the efficacy of Arecae Semen through meticulous selection and preparation.
China
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/history*
;
Humans
;
Medicine, Chinese Traditional/history*
;
History, 19th Century
;
History, Ancient
;
History, 17th Century
;
History, 18th Century
4.Tracing origin of "Qinggong Maidong" production area based on analysis of literature and historical materials and identification of characteristics of Qinggong medicinal materials and cultural relics.
Ao-Yu REN ; Ting YAO ; Feng-Yuan LI ; Hua-Sheng PENG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(11):2931-2937
Maidong products are categorized into "Hang Maidong" and "Chuan Maidong". Since the Ming and Qing Dynasties, "Hang Maidong" has been regarded as having superior quality, but currently, it remains in name only in the market. This article reviewed historical materia medica and local chronicles from the Ming and Qing Dynasties and analyzed the historical evolution of Maidong production areas. The history of Maidong production in Zhejiang can be traced back to the Song Dynasty, and cultivation had already developed by at least the Ming Dynasty. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, it was consistently used as a tribute. Ming Dynasty chronicles record "Chuan Maidong", which had already been cultivated on a large scale by the Qing Dynasty. "Hang Maidong" and "Chuan Maidong" share the same origin, with the former identifiable by the "gourd waist" shape of its tuberous root. Based on this, it can be inferred that the "Maimendong" herb illustrated in the Origins of Materia Medica(Ben Cao Yuan Shi) and the Maidong stored in the Qing Palace Imperial Pharmacy were both "Hang Maidong". The protection and development of the authentic "Hang Maidong" medicinal herb are urgently needed.
China
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/history*
;
History, 17th Century
;
History, Ancient
;
Medicine, Chinese Traditional/history*
;
History, Medieval
;
History, 16th Century
;
History, 18th Century
;
History, 15th Century
;
Plants, Medicinal/chemistry*
;
History, 19th Century
;
History, 20th Century
;
Humans
;
Materia Medica/history*
;
History, 21st Century
5.A novel homozygous mutation of CFAP300 identified in a Chinese patient with primary ciliary dyskinesia and infertility.
Zheng ZHOU ; Qi QI ; Wen-Hua WANG ; Jie DONG ; Juan-Juan XU ; Yu-Ming FENG ; Zhi-Chuan ZOU ; Li CHEN ; Jin-Zhao MA ; Bing YAO
Asian Journal of Andrology 2025;27(1):113-119
Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a clinically rare, genetically and phenotypically heterogeneous condition characterized by chronic respiratory tract infections, male infertility, tympanitis, and laterality abnormalities. PCD is typically resulted from variants in genes encoding assembly or structural proteins that are indispensable for the movement of motile cilia. Here, we identified a novel nonsense mutation, c.466G>T, in cilia- and flagella-associated protein 300 ( CFAP300 ) resulting in a stop codon (p.Glu156*) through whole-exome sequencing (WES). The proband had a PCD phenotype with laterality defects and immotile sperm flagella displaying a combined loss of the inner dynein arm (IDA) and outer dynein arm (ODA). Bioinformatic programs predicted that the mutation is deleterious. Successful pregnancy was achieved through intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Our results expand the spectrum of CFAP300 variants in PCD and provide reproductive guidance for infertile couples suffering from PCD caused by them.
Adult
;
Female
;
Humans
;
Male
;
Pregnancy
;
China
;
Ciliary Motility Disorders/genetics*
;
Codon, Nonsense
;
East Asian People/genetics*
;
Exome Sequencing
;
Homozygote
;
Infertility, Male/genetics*
;
Kartagener Syndrome/genetics*
;
Pedigree
;
Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic
;
Cytoskeletal Proteins/genetics*
6.Clinical efficacy analysis of Shibao Decoction in the treatment of late-onset hypogonadism with kidney essence deficiency.
Shao-Kang CHEN ; Yi SHAN ; Zhen-Fu SHI ; Hai-Feng XU ; Yao-Hua ZHANG ; Yi LU
National Journal of Andrology 2025;31(7):630-636
OBJECTIVE:
To evaluate the clinical efficacy of "Shibao Decoction" in the management of late-onset hypogonadism (LOH) caused by deficiency of kidney essence.
METHODS:
Sixty male patients with late-onset hypogonadism of kidney essence deficiency type were randomly assigned to the treatment group and the control group, each with 30 cases. The patients in treatment group were treated with oral Shibao Decoction, while the control group was treated with oral Testosterone Undecanoate Capsules. The patients in both groups were treated for 12 weeks. The PADAM symptom score, TCM syndrome score, serum total testosterone (TT), serum free testosterone (FT), sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG), body mass index (BMI), total skeletal muscle mass index (SMI), appendicular skeletal muscle mass index (ASMI), FBG, FINS, and insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) levels were compared between the two groups.
RESULTS:
After treatment, PADAM scores for each item and TCM symptoms score decreased, TT and FT increased in both groups, all with statistically significant differences from those of pre-treatment (P<0.05). The level of SHBG in the control group decreased (P<0.05), which had not changed significantly in the treatment group (P>0.05). After treatment, SMI and ASMI increased in both groups significantly (P<0.05). BMI decreased in the control group (P<0.05), which had not changed significantly in the treatment group (P>0.05). The level of FINS decreased in the control group (P<0.05), which had not changed significantly in the treatment group (P>0.05). FPG had not changed significantly in both groups (P>0.05), and the insulin resistance index (HOMA-IR) had significantly improved in both groups, all with statistically significant differences from those of pre-treatment (P<0.05). After treatment, the total effective rates of PADAM score and TCM syndrome score in the treatment group were 73.3% and 86.6% respectively, and the total effective rates in the control group were 66.7% and 76.6% respectively. The total effective rates of the two scores in the treatment group were slightly higher than those in the control group (P>0.05). There was no significant difference in the indicators between the two groups after treatment, and the treatment group is generally comparable with the control group in the therapeutic effects (P>0.05). And no adverse reactions occurred during treatment in both groups.
CONCLUSION
The "Shibao Decoction" has a remarkable therapeutic effect on late-onset hypogonadism caused by deficiency of kidney essence and has good safety. It can be used as an alternative to testosterone undecanoate and is worthy of clinical promotion and application.
Humans
;
Hypogonadism/etiology*
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*
;
Male
;
Testosterone/therapeutic use*
;
Treatment Outcome
;
Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin
;
Medicine, Chinese Traditional
;
Middle Aged
;
Adult
;
Kidney
7.The chordata olfactory receptor database.
Wei HAN ; Siyu BAO ; Jintao LIU ; Yiran WU ; Liting ZENG ; Tao ZHANG ; Ningmeng CHEN ; Kai YAO ; Shunguo FAN ; Aiping HUANG ; Yuanyuan FENG ; Guiquan ZHANG ; Ruiyi ZHANG ; Hongjin ZHU ; Tian HUA ; Zhijie LIU ; Lina CAO ; Xingxu HUANG ; Suwen ZHAO
Protein & Cell 2025;16(4):286-295
8.Clinical application of split liver transplantation: a single center report of 203 cases
Qing YANG ; Shuhong YI ; Binsheng FU ; Tong ZHANG ; Kaining ZENG ; Xiao FENG ; Jia YAO ; Hui TANG ; Hua LI ; Jian ZHANG ; Yingcai ZHANG ; Huimin YI ; Haijin LYU ; Jianrong LIU ; Gangjian LUO ; Mian GE ; Weifeng YAO ; Fangfei REN ; Jinfeng ZHUO ; Hui LUO ; Liping ZHU ; Jie REN ; Yan LYU ; Kexin WANG ; Wei LIU ; Guihua CHEN ; Yang YANG
Chinese Journal of Surgery 2024;62(4):324-330
Objective:To investigate the safety and therapeutic effect of split liver transplantation (SLT) in clinical application.Methods:This is a retrospective case-series study. The clinical data of 203 consecutive SLT, 79 living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) and 1 298 whole liver transplantation (WLT) performed at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from July 2014 to July 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Two hundred and three SLT liver grafts were obtained from 109 donors. One hundred and twenty-seven grafts were generated by in vitro splitting and 76 grafts were generated by in vivo splitting. There were 90 adult recipients and 113 pediatric recipients. According to time, SLT patients were divided into two groups: the early SLT group (40 cases, from July 2014 to December 2017) and the mature SLT technology group (163 cases, from January 2018 to July 2023). The survival of each group was analyzed and the main factors affecting the survival rate of SLT were analyzed. The Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test were used for survival analysis.Results:The cumulative survival rates at 1-, 3-, and 5-year were 74.58%, 71.47%, and 71.47% in the early SLT group, and 88.03%, 87.23%, and 87.23% in the mature SLT group, respectively. Survival rates in the mature SLT group were significantly higher than those in the early SLT group ( χ2=5.560, P=0.018). The cumulative survival rates at 1-, 3- and 5-year were 93.41%, 93.41%, 89.95% in the LDLT group and 87.38%, 81.98%, 77.04% in the WLT group, respectively. There was no significant difference among the mature SLT group, the LDLT group and the WLT group ( χ2=4.016, P=0.134). Abdominal hemorrhage, infection, primary liver graft nonfunction,and portal vein thrombosis were the main causes of early postoperative death. Conclusion:SLT can achieve results comparable to those of WLT and LDLT in mature technology liver transplant centers, but it needs to go through a certain time learning curve.
9.Clinical application of split liver transplantation: a single center report of 203 cases
Qing YANG ; Shuhong YI ; Binsheng FU ; Tong ZHANG ; Kaining ZENG ; Xiao FENG ; Jia YAO ; Hui TANG ; Hua LI ; Jian ZHANG ; Yingcai ZHANG ; Huimin YI ; Haijin LYU ; Jianrong LIU ; Gangjian LUO ; Mian GE ; Weifeng YAO ; Fangfei REN ; Jinfeng ZHUO ; Hui LUO ; Liping ZHU ; Jie REN ; Yan LYU ; Kexin WANG ; Wei LIU ; Guihua CHEN ; Yang YANG
Chinese Journal of Surgery 2024;62(4):324-330
Objective:To investigate the safety and therapeutic effect of split liver transplantation (SLT) in clinical application.Methods:This is a retrospective case-series study. The clinical data of 203 consecutive SLT, 79 living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) and 1 298 whole liver transplantation (WLT) performed at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from July 2014 to July 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Two hundred and three SLT liver grafts were obtained from 109 donors. One hundred and twenty-seven grafts were generated by in vitro splitting and 76 grafts were generated by in vivo splitting. There were 90 adult recipients and 113 pediatric recipients. According to time, SLT patients were divided into two groups: the early SLT group (40 cases, from July 2014 to December 2017) and the mature SLT technology group (163 cases, from January 2018 to July 2023). The survival of each group was analyzed and the main factors affecting the survival rate of SLT were analyzed. The Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test were used for survival analysis.Results:The cumulative survival rates at 1-, 3-, and 5-year were 74.58%, 71.47%, and 71.47% in the early SLT group, and 88.03%, 87.23%, and 87.23% in the mature SLT group, respectively. Survival rates in the mature SLT group were significantly higher than those in the early SLT group ( χ2=5.560, P=0.018). The cumulative survival rates at 1-, 3- and 5-year were 93.41%, 93.41%, 89.95% in the LDLT group and 87.38%, 81.98%, 77.04% in the WLT group, respectively. There was no significant difference among the mature SLT group, the LDLT group and the WLT group ( χ2=4.016, P=0.134). Abdominal hemorrhage, infection, primary liver graft nonfunction,and portal vein thrombosis were the main causes of early postoperative death. Conclusion:SLT can achieve results comparable to those of WLT and LDLT in mature technology liver transplant centers, but it needs to go through a certain time learning curve.
10.Research on the improvement of CBCT image quality based on region-discriminative generative adversarial networks in radiotherapy for cervical cancer
Xiaoshuo HAO ; Dong HUANG ; Yao ZHENG ; Yuefei FENG ; Yutao HE ; Hua YANG ; Yang LIU
China Medical Equipment 2024;21(2):1-6
Objective:To propose a model that could improve image quality of cone-beam computed tomography(CBCT),which based on region-discriminative generative adversarial networks(GAN),in radiotherapy for cervical cancer,so as to meet the requirements of self-adaptive radiotherapy for image quality.Methods:We employed a region-discriminative strategy and a generative adversarial networks idea to construct a model of improving CBCT image quality that could focus on local details of the images of radiotherapy for cervical cancer,which discriminator could improve the quality of generating local details of images.This model of image quality was applied to CBCT images of radiotherapy for cervical cancer.And then,the effects of processing image were evaluated through quantitative indicators and visualization.Results:Both texture clarity and contrast were significantly enhanced after CBCT image quality was improved.The signal to noise ratio of peak value of images was increased by 47.2%,and the indicator of similarity of structure was enhanced to>0.838.Compared with other model,both visualization and indicators can appear better efficiency of model.Compared with Unet network and CycleGAN network,the similarities of structure were respectively increased by 11.88% and 19.54%,and the signal to noise ratios were respectively increased by 19.75% and 25.99%.Conclusion:The GAN bases on region-discrimination can significantly improve the quality of generating integral and detailed CBCT image of radiotherapy for cervical cancer,which can provide new technical pathway for image quality of CBCT with low dose,and can play an important role for improving safety and effectiveness of radiotherapy.It has importantly clinical value for formulating and executing radiotherapy plan.

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