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.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.
4.Analysis of Risk Factors for Early Relapse/Progression in Patients with Multiple Myeloma and Development of a Nomogram Predic-tion Model
Mei-Jiao HUANG ; Yu LIU ; Hong-Yan WANG ; Tai-Ran CHEN ; Xing-Li ZOU
Journal of Experimental Hematology 2025;33(6):1655-1661
Objective:To analyze the potential risk factors for early relapse/progression in patients with multiple myeloma(MM)and develop a risk prediction model based on these factors.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 187 newly diagnosed multiple myeloma(NDMM)patients who treated at the Affiliated Hospital of North Sichuan Medical College from February 2014 to December 2020.The clinical,laboratory examination,and follow-up data of patients experiencing relapse/progression within 24 months after treatment(ER/EP24)were analyzed using univariate and multivariate analyses,and a nomogram prediction model was established.Results:Among the 187 patients,58(31.0%)experienced ER/EP24,with a median survival time of only 24 months.The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that failure to achieve partial response(PR)or better after 3-4 cycles of chemotherapy and albumin(ALB)levels<35 g/L were independent risk factors for ER/EP24(P<0.05).These factors,along with other clinically relevant variables,were further incorporated into the nomogram prediction model.The model demonstrated a concordance index(C-index)of 0.784,indicating strong predictive accuracy.Conclusion:MM patients experiencing ER/EP24 exhibit poor outcome,and the nomogram model developed in this study effectively predicts the risk of ER/EP24 in NDMM patients,providing a valuable tool for clinical risk assessment.
5.Clinical Characteristics and Survival Analysis of 34 Patients with Aggressive NK-Cell Leukemia
Hui-Hui ZHANG ; Chun-Lan HUA ; Ping-Ping SUN ; Shuai LIU ; Wen-Juan FAN ; Xing-Wu LI ; Bao-Hong YUE
Journal of Experimental Hematology 2025;33(6):1577-1582
Objective:To explore the clinical characteristics and prognosis risk factors of aggressive NK-cell leukemia(ANKL).Methods:The clinical and laboratory data of 34 patients with ANKL and 15 patients with chronic lymphoproliferative disorders of NK cells(CLPD-NK)admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from September 2019 to December 2024 were retrospectively analyzed.The Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate survival rates,and the Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to analyze prognostic factors.Results:Compared with CLPD-NK patients,ANKL patients had a younger median age of onset,a higher proportion patients with EBV-DNA≥500 copies/ml,hepatosplenomegaly and hemophagocytic syndrome.They also presented with a higher peak of fever,a shorter median survival time,lower WBC count,PLT count,ALB and Fib values,while having higher LDH,AST,TG,ferritin,CRP and PCT levels.There were statistically significant differences in the morphology and expression of HLA-DR,CD56,CD57,CD16 and CD158 on abnormall cells between ANKL patients and CLPD-NK patients.Multivariate survival analysis revealed that combined with asparaginase treatment could improve patients' survival,and CRP≥ 15 mg/L and Fib<2.0 g/L were independent risk factors affecting the overall survival of patients with ANKL.Conclusion:The differences in clinical features and laboratory tests between patients with ANKL and CLPD-NK aid in the diagnosis of ANKL.CRP and Fib levels can be used to predict the prognosis of patients,and combined asparaginase therapy can enhance the overall survival of patients.
6.Exercise fear condition in patients with coronary heart disease participating in phase Ⅱ cardiac rehabil-itation after PCI and its influencing factors
Hong-xin HUANG ; Yi-fan JIA ; Kuan-lie JIANG ; Xing-jue LI ; Hua-kang WANG ; Wei LU
Chinese Journal of cardiovascular Rehabilitation Medicine 2025;34(1):1-6
Objective:To investigate exercise fear condition and its influencing factors in patients with coronary heart dis-ease(CHD)involving in phase Ⅱ cardiac rehabilitation after percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI).Methods:Conven-ience sampling was performed among cardiac rehabilitation patients from a Shanxi grade-A tertiary hospital between Janu-ary 2023 and June 2023.General data questionnaire,Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia-Short Version for Heart patients(TSK-SV H),the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support(MSPSS)and the Post Percutaneous Coronary In-tervention Health Literacy Scale(PPCIHLS)were used for assessment.Pearson and Spearman rank correlation analyses were applied to investigate the relationships between social support factors and health literacy factors with patients'fear of exercise;multivariate linear regression models and quantile regression models were used to analyze the influencing factors of fear of exercise.Results:Among the 118 patients,average TSK-SV H score was(33.78±3.79)points;10.2%patients showed significant fear.The correlation analysis showed that PPCIHLS score was negatively correlated with TSK-SV H score(r=-0.423,P<0.001).Results from multivariate regression analysis indicated that health literacy,cardiac func-tion class and drinking status affected the average score of exercise fear(P<0.05 all).The quantile regression model pro-vided additional insights,showing that the impact of factors such as living situation,drinking status,cardiac function class and health literacy on exercise fear varied across different quantiles.Notably,cardiac function class had a consistently posi-tive effect on TSK-SV H score at various quantiles.Conclusion:Improving health literacy and tailored rehabilitation plans are vital to reduce exercise fear and improve cardiac rehabilitation effect.
7.Research progress on moxibustion therapy for regulating inflammatory responses for the treatment of bone-related diseases
Xing LI ; Xiao LI ; Xiaoli CHEN ; Lu CUI ; Xiaojuan HONG ; Xiaoshen HU ; Xiang LI
Chinese Journal of Comparative Medicine 2025;35(6):104-118
The advent of an aging society means that bone-related diseases impose a substantial burden on the general population and on healthcare systems,highlighting the need to find new treatment method.The occurrence and progression of such diseases are closely linked to inflammatory responses.Moxibustion,as a traditional external treatment in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM),is well-known for its anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects,and it has also demonstrated remarkable therapeutic efficacy for bone-related diseases.Here we review the impact of moxibustion on inflammatory responses associated with bone-related conditions.The anti-inflammatory mechanism of moxibustion in treating bone-related diseases involves mediating pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory factors and related mediators,and regulating signaling pathways(e.g.,nuclear factor-kappa B(NF-κB),Janus kinase(JAK)/signal transducer and activator of transcription(STAT),mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK),programmed death receptor-1(PD-1)/programmed death ligand-1(PD-L1),adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase(AMPK)/UNC-51 like autophagy activating kinase(ULK1)),the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis,the activation of immune cells,and autophagy.Despite these findings however,the anti-inflammatory mechanisms underlying moxibustion treatment for bone-related diseases remain poorly understood.Further research utilizing advanced technologies is needed to gain a more comprehensive understanding of the anti-inflammatory mechanisms involved in moxibustion therapy.This approach aims to facilitate better clinical applications and contribute to safeguarding human bone health.
8.Dahuang Zhechong pill regulates stress fiber remodeling mediated by mechanistic signaling pathway to alleviate liver cirrhosis
Yi-heng ZHANG ; Su-zhou HUANG ; Xing-xing LU ; Hui-hua FANG ; Hong-lin CHEN ; Fan-sheng MENG ; Gao-hong LYU ; Zhi-peng CHEN ; Li WU
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2025;41(8):1562-1568
Aim To explore the effect of the classical famous prescription Dahuang Zhechong pill(DHZCP)on relieving liver cirrhosis by regulating the stress fiber remodeling mediated by mechanistic signaling pathway and to explore the underlying mechanism.Methods Mice were randomly divided into the control group,model group,DHZCP low-dose group,DHZCP high-dose group,and Colchicine-positive control group.The liver cirrhosis mouse model was constructed by intrap-eritoneal injection of olive oil-solubilized CCl4.HE staining and serologic markers were used to reflect liver injury.Masson staining was used to evaluate collagen deposition in liver tissue.ELISA was applied to detect vasoactive molecules and cancer indicators.Atomic force microscopy was employed to detect liver tissue stiffness.Color Doppler diagnostic instrument was used to assess portal blood flow velocity.Western blot was utilized to detect ROCK2 expression and phosphoryla-tion of YAP,Cofilin,and MLC.Results The liver tis-sues in the model group had obvious inflammatory cell infiltration and collagen deposition,accompanied by significant elevation of serum transaminases and fibrosis indexes.Similarly,vasoactive molecules and cancer in-dicators were elevated,and the mechanoregulatory pro-tein ROCK2 expression and phosphorylation of Cofilin and MLC were elevated,with YAP being strongly de-phosphorylated.Both low and high doses of DHZCP re-versed the pathological changes,serological indices,and inhibited the activation of the stress fiber(SF)re-modeling mechanistic signaling pathway.Conclusion DHZCP effectively ameliorates liver tissue lesions in mice with liver cirrhosis,and its mechanism may be re-lated to the inhibition of SF remodeling mechanistic signaling pathway.
9.Construction of prescription review standard of Chinese patent medicine
Juan LI ; Guohan YANG ; Hong ZHANG ; Huanhuan ZHOU ; Min HOU ; Chengying XU ; Xiaofeng LUO ; Haiyan XING
Adverse Drug Reactions Journal 2025;27(9):559-567
Objective:To formulate the audit standards of Chinese patent medicine prescriptions, and provide reference for rational prescriptions of Chinese patent medicine.Methods:A three-level evidence system for prescription review of Chinese patent medicine was established according to the national regulatory documents, drug labels, relevant guidelines, and expert consensuses. The catalog of Chinese patent medicines in Army Medical Center of the People′s Liberation Army was integrated and classified, preliminary review criteria including indications, drug selection, usage and dosage, and combination drugs was established and submitted to clinical experts of traditional Chinese medicine for review and revision, and finally the prescription review standard was confirmed.Results:The Chinese patent medicine catalog of the Medical Center contained 218 drugs, which were divided into 23 kinds according to efficacy and 17 kinds according to dosage forms. The prescription review standards of Chinese patent medicine were as follows. (1) Indications: both traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine diagnosis were required. (2) Drug selection: 37 kinds of Chinese patent medicines were marked as forbidden for pregnant women in the labels, and 16 kinds were not marked but contained forbidden ingredients; 4 kinds were marked with caution for patients with liver dysfunction, and 24 kinds were not marked but contained ingredients with caution; 2 kinds of Chinese patent medicines were marked with caution for patients with renal insufficiency, and 9 kinds were not marked but contained ingredients with caution. (3) Usage and dosage: the usage and dosage rules of Chinese patent medicines for children, the elderly and patients with liver and kidney dysfunction were formulated. (4) Combined medication: 5 and 21 kinds of Chinese patent medicines were marked as "highly toxic" and "toxic" in the labels, respectively, 11 kinds of Chinese patent medicines contained incompatible ingredients of "Shibafan" (eighteen antagonisms) and "Shijiuwei (nineteen incompatibilities), and a new review scale for repeated use of Chinese patent medicine was developed.Conclusions:Based on the existing evidence-based medicine, the evidence system of prescription review of Chinese patent medicine is established, the prescription review standards of Chinese patent medicine prescription based on the pharmaceutical interaction mode is formulated and constructed.
10.Guideline for Adult Weight Management in China
Weiqing WANG ; Qin WAN ; Jianhua MA ; Guang WANG ; Yufan WANG ; Guixia WANG ; Yongquan SHI ; Tingjun YE ; Xiaoguang SHI ; Jian KUANG ; Bo FENG ; Xiuyan FENG ; Guang NING ; Yiming MU ; Hongyu KUANG ; Xiaoping XING ; Chunli PIAO ; Xingbo CHENG ; Zhifeng CHENG ; Yufang BI ; Yan BI ; Wenshan LYU ; Dalong ZHU ; Cuiyan ZHU ; Wei ZHU ; Fei HUA ; Fei XIANG ; Shuang YAN ; Zilin SUN ; Yadong SUN ; Liqin SUN ; Luying SUN ; Li YAN ; Yanbing LI ; Hong LI ; Shu LI ; Ling LI ; Yiming LI ; Chenzhong LI ; Hua YANG ; Jinkui YANG ; Ling YANG ; Ying YANG ; Tao YANG ; Xiao YANG ; Xinhua XIAO ; Dan WU ; Jinsong KUANG ; Lanjie HE ; Wei GU ; Jie SHEN ; Yongfeng SONG ; Qiao ZHANG ; Hong ZHANG ; Yuwei ZHANG ; Junqing ZHANG ; Xianfeng ZHANG ; Miao ZHANG ; Yifei ZHANG ; Yingli LU ; Hong CHEN ; Li CHEN ; Bing CHEN ; Shihong CHEN ; Guiyan CHEN ; Haibing CHEN ; Lei CHEN ; Yanyan CHEN ; Genben CHEN ; Yikun ZHOU ; Xianghai ZHOU ; Qiang ZHOU ; Jiaqiang ZHOU ; Hongting ZHENG ; Zhongyan SHAN ; Jiajun ZHAO ; Dong ZHAO ; Ji HU ; Jiang HU ; Xinguo HOU ; Bimin SHI ; Tianpei HONG ; Mingxia YUAN ; Weibo XIA ; Xuejiang GU ; Yong XU ; Shuguang PANG ; Tianshu GAO ; Zuhua GAO ; Xiaohui GUO ; Hongyi CAO ; Mingfeng CAO ; Xiaopei CAO ; Jing MA ; Bin LU ; Zhen LIANG ; Jun LIANG ; Min LONG ; Yongde PENG ; Jin LU ; Hongyun LU ; Yan LU ; Chunping ZENG ; Binhong WEN ; Xueyong LOU ; Qingbo GUAN ; Lin LIAO ; Xin LIAO ; Ping XIONG ; Yaoming XUE
Chinese Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism 2025;41(11):891-907
Body weight abnormalities, including overweight, obesity, and underweight, have become a dual public health challenge in Chinese adults: overweight and obesity lead to a variety of chronic complications, while underweight increases the risks of malnutrition, sarcopenia, and organ dysfunction. To systematically address these issues, multidisciplinary experts in endocrinology, sports science, nutrition, and psychiatry from various regions have held multiple weight management seminars. Based on the latest epidemiological data and clinical evidence, they expanded the guideline to include assessment and intervention strategies for underweight, in addition to the core content of obesity management. This guideline outlines the etiological mechanisms, evaluation methods, and multidimensional management strategies for overweight and obesity, covering key areas such as diagnosis and assessment, medical nutrition therapy, exercise prescription, pharmacological intervention, and psychological support. It is intended to provide a scientific and standardized approach to weight management across the adult population, aiming to curb the rising prevalence of obesity, mitigate complications associated with abnormal body weight, and improve nutritional status and overall quality of life.

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