1.Strategic Optimization of CHO Cell Expression Platforms for Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing
Rui-Ming ZHANG ; Meng-Lin LI ; Hong-Wei ZHU ; Xing-Xiao ZHANG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(2):327-341
Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are the most established and versatile mammalian expression system for the large-scale production of recombinant therapeutic proteins, owing to their genetic stability, adaptability to serum-free suspension culture, and ability to perform human-like post-translational modifications. More than 70% of biologics approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration rely on CHO-based production platforms, underscoring their central role in modern biopharmaceutical manufacturing. Despite these advantages, CHO systems continue to face three persistent bottlenecks that limit their potential for high-yield, reproducible, and cost-efficient production: excessive metabolic burden during high-density culture, heterogeneity of glycosylation patterns, and progressive loss of long-term expression stability. This review provides an integrated analysis of recent advances addressing these challenges and proposes a forward-looking framework for constructing intelligent and sustainable CHO cell factories. In terms of metabolic regulation, excessive lactate and ammonia accumulation disrupts energy balance and reduces recombinant protein synthesis efficiency. Optimization of culture parameters such as temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, osmolarity, and glucose feeding can effectively alleviate metabolic stress, while supplementation with modulators including sodium butyrate, baicalein, and S-adenosylmethionine promotes specific productivity (qP) by modulating apoptosis and chromatin structure. Furthermore, genetic engineering strategies—such as overexpression of MPC1/2, HSP27, and SIRT6 or knockout of Bax, Apaf1, and IGF-1R—have demonstrated significant improvements in cell viability and product yield. The combination of multi-omics metabolic modeling with artificial intelligence (AI)-based prediction offers new opportunities for building self-regulating CHO systems capable of dynamic adaptation to environmental stress. Regarding glycosylation uniformity, which determines therapeutic efficacy and immunogenicity, gene editing-based glycoengineering (e.g., FUT8 knockdown or ST6Gal1 overexpression) has enabled the humanization of CHO glycan profiles, minimizing non-human sugar residues and enhancing drug stability. Process-level strategies such as galactose or manganese co-feeding and fine control of temperature or osmolarity further allow rational regulation of glycosyltransferase activity. Additionally, in vitro chemoenzymatic remodeling provides a complementary route to construct human-type glycans with defined structures, though industrial applications remain constrained by cost and scalability. The integration of model-driven process design and AI feedback control is expected to enable real-time prediction and correction of glycosylation deviations, ensuring batch-to-batch consistency in continuous biomanufacturing. Long-term expression stability, another critical challenge, is often impaired by promoter silencing, chromatin condensation, and random genomic integration. Molecular optimization—such as the use of improved promoters (CMV, EF-1α, or CHO endogenous promoters), Kozak and signal peptide refinement, and incorporation of chromatin-opening elements (UCOE, MAR, STAR)—helps maintain durable transcriptional activity, while site-specific integration systems including Cre/loxP, Flp/FRT, φC31, and CRISPR/Cas9 can enable single-copy, position-independent gene insertion at genomic safe-harbor loci, ensuring stable, predictable expression. Collectively, this review highlights a paradigm shift in CHO system optimization driven by the convergence of genome editing, synthetic biology, and artificial intelligence. The transition from empirical optimization to rational, data-driven design will facilitate the development of programmable CHO platforms capable of autonomous regulation of metabolic flux, glycosylation fidelity, and transcriptional activity. Such intelligent cell factories are expected to accelerate the transformation from laboratory-scale research to industrial-scale, high-consistency, and economically sustainable biopharmaceutical manufacturing, thereby supporting the next generation of efficient and customizable biologics manufacturing.
2.Strategic Optimization of CHO Cell Expression Platforms for Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing
Rui-Ming ZHANG ; Meng-Lin LI ; Hong-Wei ZHU ; Xing-Xiao ZHANG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(2):327-341
Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are the most established and versatile mammalian expression system for the large-scale production of recombinant therapeutic proteins, owing to their genetic stability, adaptability to serum-free suspension culture, and ability to perform human-like post-translational modifications. More than 70% of biologics approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration rely on CHO-based production platforms, underscoring their central role in modern biopharmaceutical manufacturing. Despite these advantages, CHO systems continue to face three persistent bottlenecks that limit their potential for high-yield, reproducible, and cost-efficient production: excessive metabolic burden during high-density culture, heterogeneity of glycosylation patterns, and progressive loss of long-term expression stability. This review provides an integrated analysis of recent advances addressing these challenges and proposes a forward-looking framework for constructing intelligent and sustainable CHO cell factories. In terms of metabolic regulation, excessive lactate and ammonia accumulation disrupts energy balance and reduces recombinant protein synthesis efficiency. Optimization of culture parameters such as temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, osmolarity, and glucose feeding can effectively alleviate metabolic stress, while supplementation with modulators including sodium butyrate, baicalein, and S-adenosylmethionine promotes specific productivity (qP) by modulating apoptosis and chromatin structure. Furthermore, genetic engineering strategies—such as overexpression of MPC1/2, HSP27, and SIRT6 or knockout of Bax, Apaf1, and IGF-1R—have demonstrated significant improvements in cell viability and product yield. The combination of multi-omics metabolic modeling with artificial intelligence (AI)-based prediction offers new opportunities for building self-regulating CHO systems capable of dynamic adaptation to environmental stress. Regarding glycosylation uniformity, which determines therapeutic efficacy and immunogenicity, gene editing-based glycoengineering (e.g., FUT8 knockdown or ST6Gal1 overexpression) has enabled the humanization of CHO glycan profiles, minimizing non-human sugar residues and enhancing drug stability. Process-level strategies such as galactose or manganese co-feeding and fine control of temperature or osmolarity further allow rational regulation of glycosyltransferase activity. Additionally, in vitro chemoenzymatic remodeling provides a complementary route to construct human-type glycans with defined structures, though industrial applications remain constrained by cost and scalability. The integration of model-driven process design and AI feedback control is expected to enable real-time prediction and correction of glycosylation deviations, ensuring batch-to-batch consistency in continuous biomanufacturing. Long-term expression stability, another critical challenge, is often impaired by promoter silencing, chromatin condensation, and random genomic integration. Molecular optimization—such as the use of improved promoters (CMV, EF-1α, or CHO endogenous promoters), Kozak and signal peptide refinement, and incorporation of chromatin-opening elements (UCOE, MAR, STAR)—helps maintain durable transcriptional activity, while site-specific integration systems including Cre/loxP, Flp/FRT, φC31, and CRISPR/Cas9 can enable single-copy, position-independent gene insertion at genomic safe-harbor loci, ensuring stable, predictable expression. Collectively, this review highlights a paradigm shift in CHO system optimization driven by the convergence of genome editing, synthetic biology, and artificial intelligence. The transition from empirical optimization to rational, data-driven design will facilitate the development of programmable CHO platforms capable of autonomous regulation of metabolic flux, glycosylation fidelity, and transcriptional activity. Such intelligent cell factories are expected to accelerate the transformation from laboratory-scale research to industrial-scale, high-consistency, and economically sustainable biopharmaceutical manufacturing, thereby supporting the next generation of efficient and customizable biologics manufacturing.
3.Consideration of Health Economics Evidence in Clinical Practice Guidelines: Methods and Steps
Dongrui PENG ; Qi ZHOU ; Xufei LUO ; Zijun WANG ; Hui LIU ; Junxian ZHAO ; Jinghong HUANG ; Hongyu HU ; Xin XING ; Jing WU ; Shitong XIE ; Xiaohui WANG ; Yaolong CHEN
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2026;17(3):862-870
Health economics evidence plays an important role in linking clinical value evidence with health resource allocation decisions in the development of clinical practice guidelines. It can not only effectively balance clinical effectiveness and economic feasibility but also avoid forming "idealized" recommendations that are detached from the affordability of the healthcare system or the burden-bearing capacity of patients. To promote guideline developers to use health economics evidence more standardizedly and fully, this paper conducts an in-depth analysis of the current application status, existing challenges, access channels, and application processes of health economics evidence in current guidelines, and on this basis, puts forward considerations and suggestions for strengthening and standardizing the application of health economics evidence in China's clinical practice guidelines.
4.Differential Diagnosis of Insomnia in Traditional Medicine
Aruna A ; Hasitana M ; Tsetsegdari T ; Hong Xing H ; Ankhtsatsral L ; Bold Sh
Mongolian Medical Sciences 2026;215(1):131-139
Background:
Problems related to sleep affect approximately 23-56% of the world’s population. In Mongolia,
the prevalence of non-organic sleep disorders is estimated at 27.9%, among which 42.2% of
the population have poor sleep quality. Long-term insomnia can have a negative impact on
an individual’s normal work and life, increasing the risk of various health problems. Severe
insomnia can reduce work efficiency and concentration, thereby causing serious harm.
Traditional medicine has a long history of treating insomnia. However, there are currently no
systematic studies on insomnia based on ancient traditional medical books.
Goal:
Based on the ancient medical literature of traditional medicine, identify the underlying
diseases that cause insomnia and compare their symptoms.
Materials and Methods:
We adopted the checklist method to list the relevant information of insomnia from the literature,
providing a prerequisite for further analysis and the issue of syndrome differentiation of
insomnia was analyzed by using comparison methods.
The research protocol was reviewed and approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the
Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences at its meeting on June 24, 2025 (No. 04),
and ethical clearance was granted for the conduct of this study.
Results:
The research materials we selected did not describe insomnia as a dedicated chapter, but
mentioned the content related to insomnia in the form of disease symptoms, such as terms
like ”sleeplessness”, ”reduced sleep” and ”light sleep”. We explore the underlying diseases
of insomnia based on the above symptoms related to insomnia and analyze the syndrome
differentiation of insomnia. Exploring the underlying disease of insomnia:
1. Insomnia caused
by diseases resulting from Wind include Wind delirium, palpitations, bone marrow Wind,
heart Wind, lung Wind, Wind-induced diabetes, Wind tsbs.
2. Insomnia caused by diseases
resulting from Bile include heat Bile, heart Bile, liver sdembu, deficiency heat, Invisible heat
and epidemic heat.
3. Other diseases include mugpo spreads to the heart, heart chuser,
trichomoniasis and childhood evil spirit disease.
We also compared the symptoms of the
underlying diseases that cause insomnia and listed their similarities and differences.
Conclusion
The underlying etiologies of insomnia were categorized into Wind, Bile, Mugpo, yellow fluid,
parasitic and evil spirit disorders. Accordingly, effective management of insomnia requires
differentiation based on the primary disease and an individualized treatment approach that
integrates both etiological and symptomatic therapies.
5.Role of exosomal miR-320c in gingerol-mediated defense against Staphylococcus aureus infection
Zhencai XING ; Mengxue XU ; Xiang KONG ; Jinghan SUN ; Zhen MA ; Yu GAO ; Siyuan DU ; Hong ZHENG ; Yakun LIU
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(5):795-802
ObjectiveTo investigate the inhibitory effect of gingerol, an active component of ginger, on Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) infection, and to preliminarily explore its mechanism related to extracellular vesicles (EVs). MethodsS.aureus infection models were established in human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVECs), Vero E6 cells, and C57BL/6 mice. Experimental groups included control, infection, and gingerol-treated groups. Bacterial load and VE-cadherin protein expression were detected using immunofluorescence and Western blot. EVs were isolated by size exclusion chromatography and characterized by transmission electron microscopy and nanoparticle tracking analysis. miRNA sequencing was performed on EVs. ResultsGingerol treatment significantly reduced the bacterial load in both in vitro and in vivo infection models and upregulated VE-cadherin expression. miRNA sequencing of EVs revealed that S. aureus infection upregulated the expression of hsa-miR-320c, while gingerol treatment reversed this abnormal expression. Bioinformatic analysis further predicted that the target genes of hsa-miR-320c were significantly enriched in cell junction-related pathways. ConclusionGingerol exhibits clear antibacterial and host-protective effects, by regulating hsa-miR-320c in EVs to maintain endothelial barrier integrity.
6.Role of myeloid cell transcription factor EB in alcohol-induced liver injury in mice
Sha Neisha Williams ; Kafayat Yusuf ; Xiaojuan Chao ; Hong-Min Ni ; Wen-Xing Ding
Liver Research 2026;10(1):71-81
Background and aims
Alcohol-associated liver disease (ALD) is a leading cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality worldwide, with no currently effective treatment. ALD is caused by excessive lipid buildup, which eventually triggers inflammation and fibrosis in the liver. Activation of hepatic Kupffer cells (KCs) and macrophages drives liver inflammation, which can worsen alcohol-induced liver injury. The autophagy-lysosome system is crucial for macrophages to support their innate immune functions. Transcription factor EB (TFEB) is a key regulator of autophagy and lysosomal biogenesis, but the role of macrophage TFEB in ALD development is unknown. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Gao-binge alcohol consumption on myeloid cell TFEB and elucidate the role of myeloid TFEB in ALD.
Methods
Two-to-three-month-old male and female LysM Cre− (WT) and LysM Cre+ Tfeb Flox/Flox (f/f) (myeloid-Tfeb KO) mice were subjected to chronic alcohol feeding plus an acute binge following the Gao-binge model. Serum alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, triglycerides, and cholesterol content were determined using biochemical assays. Total hepatic protein content and messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of autophagy-related proteins and inflammatory markers were determined using immunoblotting, immunohistochemistry, and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Isolated hepatic infiltrating macrophages and KCs from mice given intragastric ethanol infusions were analyzed by Western blot for TFEB and autophagy-related protein content. Raw 264.7 macrophages were treated with ethanol, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and LPS plus ethanol to examine nuclear TFEB translocation using immunofluorescence.
Results
We found that TFEB levels were higher in macrophage/KC cells than in hepatocytes and cholangiocytes. While ethanol feeding increased serum alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase levels, as well as hepatic triglyceride levels, no significant differences were observed between WT and myeloid-Tfeb KO mice. The number of F4/80-positive KCs/macrophages was similar in all four experimental groups, but hepatic neutrophil infiltration increased in alcohol-fed myeloid-Tfeb KO mice. LPS or ethanol alone induced nuclear TFEB translocation only moderately in Raw 264.7 macrophages.
Conclusions
Our findings suggest that myeloid TFEB is dispensable for alcohol-induced liver injury in mice.
7.Enzyme-directed Immobilization Strategies for Biosensor Applications
Xing-Bao WANG ; Yao-Hong MA ; Yun-Long XUE ; Xiao-Zhen HUANG ; Yue SHAO ; Yi YU ; Bing-Lian WANG ; Qing-Ai LIU ; Li-He ZHANG ; Wei-Li GONG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(2):374-394
Immobilized enzyme-based enzyme electrode biosensors, characterized by high sensitivity and efficiency, strong specificity, and compact size, demonstrate broad application prospects in life science research, disease diagnosis and monitoring, etc. Immobilization of enzyme is a critical step in determining the performance (stability, sensitivity, and reproducibility) of the biosensors. Random immobilization (physical adsorption, covalent cross-linking, etc.) can easily bring about problems, such as decreased enzyme activity and relatively unstable immobilization. Whereas, directional immobilization utilizing amino acid residue mutation, affinity peptide fusion, or nucleotide-specific binding to restrict the orientation of the enzymes provides new possibilities to solve the problems caused by random immobilization. In this paper, the principles, advantages and disadvantages and the application progress of enzyme electrode biosensors of different directional immobilization strategies for enzyme molecular sensing elements by specific amino acids (lysine, histidine, cysteine, unnatural amino acid) with functional groups introduced based on site-specific mutation, affinity peptides (gold binding peptides, carbon binding peptides, carbohydrate binding domains) fused through genetic engineering, and specific binding between nucleotides and target enzymes (proteins) were reviewed, and the application fields, advantages and limitations of various immobilized enzyme interface characterization techniques were discussed, hoping to provide theoretical and technical guidance for the creation of high-performance enzyme sensing elements and the manufacture of enzyme electrode sensors.
8.Alternative Polyadenylation in Mammalian
Yu ZHANG ; Hong-Xia CHI ; Wu-Ri-Tu YANG ; Yong-Chun ZUO ; Yong-Qiang XING
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(1):32-49
With the rapid development of sequencing technologies, the detection of alternative polyadenylation (APA) in mammals has become more precise. APA precisely regulates gene expression by altering the length and position of the poly(A) tail, and is involved in various biological processes such as disease occurrence and embryonic development. The research on APA in mammals mainly focuses on the following aspects:(1) identifying APA based on transcriptome data and elucidating their characteristics; (2) investigating the relationship between APA and gene expression regulation to reveal its important role in life regulation;(3) exploring the intrinsic connections between APA and disease occurrence, embryonic development, differentiation, and other life processes to provide new perspectives and methods for disease diagnosis and treatment, as well as uncovering embryonic development regulatory mechanisms. In this review, the classification, mechanisms and functions of APA were elaborated in detail and the methods for APA identifying and APA data resources based on various transcriptome data were systematically summarized. Moreover, we epitomized and provided an outlook on research on APA, emphasizing the role of sequencing technologies in driving studies on APA in mammals. In the future, with the further development of sequencing technology, the regulatory mechanisms of APA in mammals will become clearer.
9.Clinical analysis of nutritional components in children with acute leukemia.
Li-Xia SHI ; Ming-Zhong ZHAO ; Fei-Fei WANG ; Yu-Qian XING ; Hong-Yan JI ; Ping ZHAO
Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics 2025;27(3):300-307
OBJECTIVES:
To assess the changes in body composition and nutritional risks faced by children with different stages of acute leukemia (AL).
METHODS:
Bioelectrical impedance analysis combined with anthropometric measurements was used to detect body composition. This prospective study was conducted from August 2023 to July 2024 at Shandong Provincial Hospital, examining the body composition and physical balance of children with various stages of AL and healthy children.
RESULTS:
The non-fat components of children with AL and healthy children both showed a linear increase with age. In the younger age group, there were no significant differences in body composition between children with AL and healthy children. However, in the older age group, the body composition of children undergoing chemotherapy for AL was significantly lower than that of healthy children (P<0.05), and muscle mass recovered first after the completion of AL chemotherapy. The proportion of children with increased trunk fat in AL children who completed chemotherapy was significantly lower than that in healthy children (P<0.05), while the incidence rate of severe left-right imbalance in body composition was significantly higher (P<0.05). Muscle distribution in children with AL primarily showed insufficient limb and overall muscle mass, whereas healthy children mainly exhibited insufficient upper limb muscle mass.
CONCLUSIONS
The body composition of children with AL varies at different treatment stages, indicating that nutritional status is affected by both the disease itself and the treatment. Early screening can provide a basis for reasonable nutritional intervention.
Humans
;
Child
;
Male
;
Female
;
Child, Preschool
;
Body Composition
;
Prospective Studies
;
Adolescent
;
Leukemia/metabolism*
;
Infant
;
Nutritional Status
;
Acute Disease
;
Electric Impedance
10.Clinical features and immunotherapy for children with loss-of-function/gain-of-function mutations in the STAT gene: an analysis of 10 cases.
Hong-Wei LI ; Yan-Hong WANG ; Shang-Zhi WU ; Bi-Yun ZHANG ; Shi-Hui XU ; Jia-Xing XU ; Zhan-Hang HUANG ; Cheng-Yu LU ; De-Hui CHEN
Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics 2025;27(8):951-958
OBJECTIVES:
To investigate the clinical features of children with STAT gene mutations, and to explore corresponding immunotherapy strategies.
METHODS:
A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 10 children with STAT gene mutations who were admitted to the Department of Pediatrics of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, from October 2015 to October 2024. Exploratory immunotherapy was implemented in some refractory cases, and the changes in symptoms, imaging manifestations, and cytokine levels were assessed after treatment.
RESULTS:
For the 10 children, the main clinical manifestations were recurrent rash since birth (7/10), cough (8/10), wheezing (5/10), expectoration (4/10), and purulent nasal discharge (4/10). Genotyping results showed that there was one child with heterozygous loss-of-function (LOF) mutation in the STAT1 gene, four children with heterozygous LOF mutation in the STAT3 gene, and five children with heterozygous gain-of-function (GOF) mutation in the STAT3 gene. Two children with LOF mutation in the STAT3 gene showed decreased interleukin-6 levels and improved clinical symptoms and imaging findings after omalizumab treatment. Three children with GOF mutation in the STAT3 gene achieved effective disease control after treatment with methylprednisolone (0.5 mg/kg per day). Two children with GOF mutation in the STAT3 gene received treatment with JAK inhibitor and then showed some improvement in symptoms.
CONCLUSIONS
STAT gene mutation screening should be considered for children with recurrent rash and purulent respiratory tract infections. Targeted immunotherapy may improve prognosis in patients with no response to conventional treatment.
Humans
;
Male
;
Immunotherapy
;
Female
;
Child, Preschool
;
Child
;
Gain of Function Mutation
;
Retrospective Studies
;
Infant
;
Loss of Function Mutation
;
STAT Transcription Factors/genetics*


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