1.Cell Autophagy of Digestive System Tumors Induced by Active Ingredients in Traditional Chinese Medicine: A Review
Wenjun LI ; Chengzhi WANG ; Zhenyao YANG ; Mingyang HE ; Gelei ZHAO ; Dongdong LI ; Peimin LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(3):314-320
As one of the most common malignant tumors, digestive system tumors exhibit an increase in the incidence and mortality year by year. Its pathogenesis is complex, making it difficult to carry out early prevention. Autophagy is a process in which cells use lysosomes to degrade their organelles and macromolecules to maintain cellular homeostasis under the regulation of autophagy-related genes. Cellular autophagy has a dual regulatory effect on the tumor microenvironment, which always affects the occurrence and development of digestive system tumors. Therefore, the effect and mechanism of action of cellular autophagy on digestive system tumors have become a hot topic in tumor therapy in recent years. Meanwhile, the remarkable research results of targeted autophagy drugs indicate that cellular autophagy may become an important target for anti-digestive system tumors. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been widely used in the comprehensive treatment of digestive system tumors with good efficacy. A variety of active ingredients in TCM, such as flavonoids, glycosides, terpenoids, quinones, and alkaloids, can increase the expression of autophagy-associated proteins microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3)Ⅱ/Ⅰ, autophagy-related gene (ATG)5, ATG7, inhibit the expression of autophagy-related protein p62 , and induce autophagy in digestive system tumor cells, thereby exerting the anti-digestive system tumor effect. By summarizing the research results in recent years on the modulation of cell autophagy by active ingredients in TCM to fight against digestive system tumors, this paper analyzed the relevant signaling pathways, regulatory factors, and functional characteristics of cell autophagy modulation, so as to elucidate the mechanism by which active ingredients of TCM induce autophagy and to provide ideas and references for clinical application.
2.Cell Autophagy of Digestive System Tumors Induced by Active Ingredients in Traditional Chinese Medicine: A Review
Wenjun LI ; Chengzhi WANG ; Zhenyao YANG ; Mingyang HE ; Gelei ZHAO ; Dongdong LI ; Peimin LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(3):314-320
As one of the most common malignant tumors, digestive system tumors exhibit an increase in the incidence and mortality year by year. Its pathogenesis is complex, making it difficult to carry out early prevention. Autophagy is a process in which cells use lysosomes to degrade their organelles and macromolecules to maintain cellular homeostasis under the regulation of autophagy-related genes. Cellular autophagy has a dual regulatory effect on the tumor microenvironment, which always affects the occurrence and development of digestive system tumors. Therefore, the effect and mechanism of action of cellular autophagy on digestive system tumors have become a hot topic in tumor therapy in recent years. Meanwhile, the remarkable research results of targeted autophagy drugs indicate that cellular autophagy may become an important target for anti-digestive system tumors. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been widely used in the comprehensive treatment of digestive system tumors with good efficacy. A variety of active ingredients in TCM, such as flavonoids, glycosides, terpenoids, quinones, and alkaloids, can increase the expression of autophagy-associated proteins microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3)Ⅱ/Ⅰ, autophagy-related gene (ATG)5, ATG7, inhibit the expression of autophagy-related protein p62 , and induce autophagy in digestive system tumor cells, thereby exerting the anti-digestive system tumor effect. By summarizing the research results in recent years on the modulation of cell autophagy by active ingredients in TCM to fight against digestive system tumors, this paper analyzed the relevant signaling pathways, regulatory factors, and functional characteristics of cell autophagy modulation, so as to elucidate the mechanism by which active ingredients of TCM induce autophagy and to provide ideas and references for clinical application.
3.Research progress of luteolin in ocular diseases
Sijie HE ; Bin GUO ; Wenjun JIANG
International Eye Science 2026;26(4):651-656
Natural flavonoids have attracted considerable attention owing to their favorable biosafety profiles and multiple pharmacological properties in recent years. Luteolin, a representative flavonoid compound, exhibits anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-angiogenic, and neuroprotective effects in multiple ocular disease models by modulating key signaling pathways, including NF-κB, PI3K/Akt, Nrf2/HO-1, and AGE-RAGE. Accumulating experimental evidence supports the potential application of luteolin in various ocular diseases, including corneal and ocular surface diseases, inflammatory eye diseases, glaucoma, cataract, diabetic retinopathy, and age-related macular degeneration. However, clinical evidence remains limited. This review systematically summarizes research progress on luteolin in ocular diseases over the past five years, analyzes its molecular mechanisms and therapeutic potential, and discusses future directions,so as toprovide a theoretical basis for clinical translation.
4.Buzhong Yiqitang Combined with Cisplatin Inhibits Lung Adenocarcinoma Cell Proliferation by Suppressing PDK1/Akt Signaling Pathway and Regulating Glycolysis
He LI ; Sijia BAI ; Wenjun LIU ; Jianguang WANG ; Jialu LYU ; Chun WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(19):1-12
ObjectiveTo investigate the impact of Buzhong Yiqitang combined with cisplatin on the proliferation of human lung adenocarcinoma (A549) cells through regulation of the pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 (PDK1)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway and influence on glycolysis. MethodsTranscriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) was employed to compare the expression of glycolysis-related genes between A549 cells and cisplatin-resistant human lung adenocarcinoma cells (A549/DDP). Small interfering RNA (siRNA) was employed to knock down PDK1, and the knockdown efficiency was verified by Western blot and Read-time PCR. The cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was used to assess the survival and viability of A549 cells under the following conditions: siRNA negative control+cisplatin (128, 64, 32, 16, 8, 4, 0 μmol·L-1), siPDK1+cisplatin (128, 64, 32, 16, 8, 4, 0 μmol·L-1), and siPDK1+cisplatin (128, 64, 32, 16, 8, 4, 0 μmol·L-1)+Buzhong Yiqitang (10%)-containing serum. The 20% inhibitory concentration (IC20) of the siRNA negative control+cisplatin group (7.832 μmol·L-1) was calculated and used as the subsequent cisplatin concentration. Colony formation assay was performed to evaluate the proliferation of A549 cells. Lactate and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) assay kits were used to measure lactate and ATP production. The mitochondrial membrane potential was detected with the fluorescent probe JC-1. Western blotting was conducted to examine the expression levels of PDK1, phosphorylated (p)-Akt, Akt, pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2), glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH), and lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA). Confocal immunofluorescence was employed to detect PDK1 and p-Akt. ResultsRNA-seq results identified PDK1 as a highly expressed differential gene in glycolysis metabolism between A549 cells and A549/DDP cells, and it was highly expressed in tumor cells. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) revealed upregulated and downregulated genes in glycolysis and gluconeogenesis pathways. Western blot and RT-qPCR confirmed that PDK1-si-2 had the highest transfection efficiency, with a PDK1 knockdown rate exceeding 60%. CCK-8 assay determined the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values for each group as (30.698±5.348), (16.372±3.562), (13.237±1.573) μmol·L-1, while the IC20 of cisplatin in siRNA negative control-transfected A549 cells was (7.832±0.672) μmol·L-1. Compared with the siRNA negative control group, the siRNA negative control+cisplatin group showed decreased colony formation rate, reduced lactate production, lowered mitochondrial membrane potential, downregulated protein levels of p-Akt, GLUT1, PDK1, PDH, and LDHA, and reduced PDK1 fluorescence intensity (P<0.05). The siPDK1 group exhibited decreased colony formation rate, reduced lactate production, increased ATP production, lowered mitochondrial membrane potential, downregulated protein levels of p-Akt, PKM2, GLUT1, PDK1, PDH, and LDHA, and reduced PDK1 and p-Akt fluorescence intensity (P<0.05). Compared with the siPDK1 group, the siPDK1+Buzhong Yiqitang group showed decreased colony formation rate, reduced lactate production, downregulated protein levels of PKM2, GLUT1, and PDK1, and reduced PDK1 fluorescence intensity (P<0.05). The siPDK1+cisplatin group exhibited decreased colony formation rate, reduced lactate production, increased ATP production, lowered mitochondrial membrane potential, downregulated protein levels of PKM2, GLUT1, PDK1, and PDH, and reduced PDK1 and p-Akt fluorescence intensity (P<0.05). The siPDK1+cisplatin+Buzhong Yiqitang group demonstrated decreased colony formation rate, reduced lactate production, increased ATP production, lowered mitochondrial membrane potential, downregulated protein levels of p-Akt, PKM2, GLUT1, PDK1, PDH, and LDHA, and reduced PDK1 and p-Akt fluorescence intensity (P<0.05). Compared with the siPDK1+Buzhong Yiqitang group, the siPDK1+cisplatin group showed decreased colony formation rate, downregulated protein levels of p-Akt and PDH, and reduced PDK1 and p-Akt fluorescence intensity (P<0.05). The siPDK1+cisplatin+Buzhong Yiqitang group exhibited decreased colony formation rate, reduced lactate production, increased ATP production, lowered mitochondrial membrane potential, downregulated protein levels of p-Akt, GLUT1, PDH, and LDHA, and reduced PDK1 and p-Akt fluorescence intensity (P<0.05). Compared with the siPDK1+cisplatin group, the siPDK1+cisplatin+Buzhong Yiqitang group showed decreased colony formation rate, increased ATP production, and downregulated protein levels of p-Akt, PKM2, and LDHA (P<0.05). ConclusionBuzhong Yiqitang combined with cisplatin can suppress lung adenocarcinoma cell proliferation by modulating glycolysis through the PDK1/Akt signaling pathway.
5.Association between temperature and injury death and related excess death burden in Hunan Province
Yiqing XU ; Chunliang ZHOU ; Qianlai SUN ; Donghui JIN ; Jianxiong HU ; Guanhao HE ; Wenjun MA ; Zhihong DENG
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2025;42(5):528-535
Background Injury poses a serious threat to human health. As global warming continues to intensify, there is an urgent need to explore the impact of temperature changes on injury deaths. However limited research has focused on this issue. Objective To investigate the relationship between daily mean temperature change (Tm) and injury death, as well as to estimate the associated future death burden in Hunan Province. Methods We employed an individual-level, time-stratified case-crossing design to establish a conditional logistic regression model to analyze the exposure-response relationship between daily mean temperature change and injury death in Hunan Province from 2013 to 2018. Consequently, we conducted subgroup analysis of gender, age group, and injury type. Finally, we estimated the excess burden of injury death attributable to temperature changes under a sustainable development path [low emission scenario (SSP1-2.6)], regional competition path [high emission scenario (SSP3-7.0)], or fossil fuel development path [very high emission scenario (SSP5-8.5)]. Results The study collected
6.Yes-associated protein regulates microgravity-induced primary cilia disassembly and osteogenic differentiation inhibition in osteoblasts
Yanan ZHANG ; Junrui HUA ; Tianyi ZHANG ; Wenjun WEI ; Jufang WANG ; Jinpeng HE
Space Medicine & Medical Engineering 2025;36(1):38-42
Objective To investigate the effects of simulated-microgravity on the osteogenic differentiation,primary cilia status,cytoskeleton structure,and the YAP(Yes-associated protein)expression in primary osteoblasts.Methods Primary osteoblasts were isolated from the skull bones of neonatal Wistar rats and cultured in random positioning machine system to simulate the cellular effects of microgravity.The calcified nodules were stained with Arlizarin to assess the cellular mineralization ability,the primary cilia and cytoskeleton were detected by immunofluorescence staining of Arl13b/γ-Tubulin and α-Tubulin,respectively,and the expression of YAP was measured by western blot.Results The cellular osteogenic differentiation were markedly suppressed after treated with simulated microgravity for 24 h,and the ciliated cells decreased from(58.44±3.65)%to(15.76±1.84)%in parallel with a decline of average cilium length from(3.19±0.51)μm to(1.59±0.46)μm.In addition,simulated microgravity induced disassembly of microtubules.Notably,simulated microgravity interfered YAP expression and the inhibition of YAP into nucleus.Furthermore,knockdown of YAP expression in osteoblasts notably reduced primary cilia expression and inhibited osteogenic differentiation.Conclusion Primary cilia is a key organelle of osteoblasts in sensing microgravity and regulating osteogenic differentiation.Interference with YAP expression and inhibition of nuclear YAP entry may play an important role in the deaggregation of primary cilia induced by microgravity.
7.Advances in epidemiological research on correlation between air pollution, climate change and intrinsic capacity of the elderly
Ziyi LIANG ; Sujuan CHEN ; Guanhao HE ; Wenjun MA
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2025;42(8):994-1002
In the context of rapid global aging, the number of vulnerable elderly individuals who are sensitive to climate change and air pollution is increasing rapidly, potentially augmenting the burden of related diseases. The intrinsic capacity (IC) of the elderly refers to the comprehensive ability of individuals in physical, cognitive, and mental health aspects, typically encompassing 5 dimensions: cognitive status, motor ability, mental health, sensory function, and vitality. This article reviewed the advancements in epidemiological research on the effects of air pollution and climate change (including meteorological factors) on the overall intrinsic capacity of the elderly and its various dimensions. The results indicated that pollutants such as fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone (O3) are most significantly associated with the decline in the cognitive function and vitality dimensions, and extreme meteorological events like high temperatures are also related to the functional deterioration of each dimension of IC. Nevertheless, the current studies mostly focus on the impact of atmospheric environmental factors on a specific dimension of IC rather than on overall IC, and research on the combined exposure to multiple atmospheric factors is even rarer, and the exploration of associated mechanisms is insufficient. Future research should enhance the investigation of the influence and mechanism of the combined exposure to air pollution and climate change on the dynamic changes of IC, and promote multi-center research and transnational cooperation. This review is conducive to clarifying the potential impact of atmospheric environmental factors on the IC of the elderly, providing a scientific basis for formulating health intervention policies to address climate change and air pollution.
8.Using Xiaoqinglong Decoction to Treat Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Presenting External Cold and Internal Fluid Retention Syndrome:Observation of the Clinical Efficacy
Wenjun TANG ; Zhu ZENG ; Pengcheng ZHOU ; Guobing JIA ; Kairui MENG ; Chengshi HE
Journal of Sichuan University (Medical Sciences) 2025;56(3):665-671
Objective To study the clinical efficacy of Xiaoqinglong decoction combined with the conventional protocol of western medicine in the treatment of acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(AECOPD)presenting with exterior cold and interior fluid retention syndrome,and to evaluate its effect on the short-term prognosis of patients.Methods A total of 124 AECOPD patients presenting exterior cold and interior fluid retention syndrome were divided into an observation group(62 cases)and a control group(62 cases)using a random number table.Patients in the control and observation groups were managed with conventional western medicine treatment protocols consisting of bronchodilators,glucocorticoids,and antibacterial drugs.In addition,patients in the observation group were also given Xiaoqinglong decoction at one dose per day for 10 days in succession.The primary outcome indicators included the total effective treatment rate and the main traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome scores before treatment and after 10 days of Xiaoqinglong decoction treatment.The secondary outcome indicators included infection and inflammatory indicators,including white blood cell count(WBC),procalcitonin(PCT),interleukin(IL)-6,C-reactive protein(CRP),and arterial blood gas indicators,including arterial partial pressure of oxygen(PaO2),arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide(PaCO2),and arterial oxygen saturation(SaO2),measured before treatment and after 10 days of treatment,adverse drug reactions during treatment,and the severity of dyspnea assessed by the modified Medical Research Council(mMRC)dyspnea scale at the 1-month follow-up after discharge.Results Compared with baseline findings for the same group before treatment,the main TCM syndrome scores and the total score were reduced in both groups after treatment(P<0.05).After treatment,compared with those of the control group,the syndrome scores for cough,aversion to cold,nasal congestion,and runny nose,and the total score in the observation group were lower(P<0.05).The total effective treatment rate in the observation group(94.91%)was significantly higher than that in the control group(82.76%)(P<0.05).After 10 days of treatment,the levels of PaCO2,WBC,PCT,IL-6,and CRP in both groups were significantly reduced compared with those before treatment(P<0.05).After treatment,the levels of PaCO2,WBC,PCT,IL-6,and CRP in the observation group were lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).Compared with those before treatment,PaO2 and SaO2 levels in both groups increased significantly after 10 days of treatment(P<0.05).During the course of treatment,no severe adverse reactions,such as liver or kidney dysfunction,occurred in either group.No adverse reactions associated with Xiaoqinglong decoction were observed.No patients in either group reached mMRC grade 4 at the 1-month follow-up after discharge.The mMRC grades in both groups declined at the 1-month follow-up after discharge compared to those before treatment(P<0.05).At the 1-month follow-up after discharge,the mMRC grades of patients in the observation group were lower than those of the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion Xiaoqinglong decoction combined with the conventional protocol of western medicine deminstrates good clinical efficacy in treating patients with AECOPD of exterior cold and interior fluid retention syndrome,and can effectively improve the TCM syndromes,relieve the symptoms of dyspnea,reduce the inflammatory response,promote the resolution of infection,delay disease progression,improve short-term prognosis,and shows better safety.
9.Construction and validation of a nomogram prediction model for risk of depression in elderly patients with hypertension
Hua HE ; Wenxue FENG ; Qinglin LI ; Jinming SU ; Kangning SUN ; Wenjun WANG
Journal of Clinical Medicine in Practice 2025;29(19):120-124
Objective To explore the influencing factors of depression risk in elderly patients with hypertension and construct and validate a nomogram prediction model.Methods A total of 869 elderly patients with hypertension were selected from national survey database of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study(CHARLS)in 2018.Multivariate Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the risk factors for depression in elderly patients with hypertension,and a nomogram prediction model was constructed.The accuracy and effectiveness of the model were validated by the Hosmer-Lemeshow(H-L)goodness-of-fit test,the area under the curve(AUC)of the receiver oper-ating characteristic(ROC)curve,and the calibration curve.Results The incidence of depression in elderly patients with hypertension was 47.18%.Factors influencing the risk of depression included rural residence(OR=2.191,P<0.05),impaired basic activities of daily living(BADL)(OR=2.338,P<0.05),impaired instrumental activitiesofdaily living(IADL)(OR=1.674,P<0.05),poor life satisfaction(OR=7.348,P<0.05),fair self-rated health(OR=0.441,P<0.05),good self-rated health(OR=0.259,P<0.05),and sleep duration of 6 to 9 hours(OR=0.510,P<0.05).The AUC of the ROC curve was 0.795,the slope of the calibration curve was close to 1,and the H-L goodness-of-fit test yielded x2=5.074.The validation set showed an AUC of 0.703.Conclusion The prediction model established in this study has high accuracy and discriminative ability.Healthcare professionals can take effective preventive measures based on individual patient factors.
10.Clinical phenotype and genotypic analysis of a four-generation Chinese pedigree affected with Stickler syndrome and a literature review
Wenjun HE ; Fang TANG ; Fan JIANG ; Ziman CHEN ; Yan LU ; Yutong NI ; Jianying ZHOU ; Dongzhi LI
Chinese Journal of Medical Genetics 2025;42(6):684-690
Objective:To carry out genetic testing and clinical phenotypic characterization on a four-generation Chinese pedigree affected with Stickler syndrome type I and explore its genotype-phenotype correlation.Methods:A child presented at the Second Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine in February 2023 for micrognathia, glossoptosis and cleft palate and his family members were selected as the study subjects. Clinical data were collected from the affected members, and peripheral blood samples were obtained from 17 participants (4 patients and 13 asymptomatic individuals). Whole exome sequencing (WES) was carried out. Candidate variant was verified by Sanger sequencing. Genotype-phenotype correlations were analyzed by integrating the sequencing data with evidence from existing literature. This study has bee granted by the Ethics Committee of Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Guangzhou Women and Children′s Medical Center (Ethics No.: 2022-406B00).Results:The four-generation pedigree has comprised 19 members. In addition to the proband, 5 affected individuals had manifested high myopia, congenital cataracts, and progressive vision loss. Two deceased members reportedly exhibited similar ocular manifestations. Among the four living patients, two had developed retinal detachment, while two others presented with chronic joint pain onset between 35 ~ 40 years of age. One patient required hip replacement surgery at age 42 secondary to femoral head necrosis. The proband, the youngest affected member, exhibited characteristic phenotypes including congenital micrognathia and cleft palate, consistent with Pierre-Robin syndrome. Genetic analysis revealed a heterozygous nonsense mutation in COL2A1 (NM_001844.5: c. 2668C>T; p. Gln890Ter) segregating with the disease in all four symptomatic patients. This variant was absent in asymptomatic family members and unaffected controls. While the mutation is listed in ClinVar, no clinical case reports has associated it with this phenotypic spectrum. It was not observed in population databases (gnomAD v4.1.0, 1000 Genomes Project, or ExAC), supporting its potential pathogenicity. Conclusion:This study has diagnosed a four-generation Chinese pedigree with Stickler syndrome type I attributed to the pathogenic COL2A1 variant c. 2668C>T (p.Gln890Ter), which is a rare nonsense mutation associated with ocular predominance and variable skeletal involvement. Notably, this family exhibited marked clinical heterogeneity despite sharing the identical genotype, which highlighted challenges in phenotype-genotype correlation. The autosomal dominant transmission pattern observed in this pedigree has provided critical insights into COL2A1-related collagenopathies and underscored the necessity of ultrasonographic monitoring for ocular anomalies in prenatal diagnostics. Above findings have advanced our understanding of pleiotropic effects in type Ⅱ collagen disorders and lay the foundation for precision-based genetic counseling, enabling targeted cascade screening and implementation of tertiary prevention strategies against congenital disabilities in high-risk families.

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