1.Exploration on the Effects of Tuina on Glutamate Content and Synaptic Ultrastructure in Spinal Dorsal Horn of Rats with Chronic Sciatic Nerve Compression Injury Based on the SNAP25/VGLUT2 Pathway
Jingjing JIANG ; Limei HUANG ; Hongye HUANG ; Hengchang CAI ; Huanzhen ZHANG ; Lechun CHEN ; Shuijin CHEN ; Shiye WU ; Hui LIN ; Zhigang LIN
Chinese Journal of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;32(4):113-119
Objective To observe the effect of tuina on glutamate content and synaptic ultrastructure in spinal dorsal horn of rats with chronic sciatic nerve compression injury;To explore the potential mechanism of tuina regulation of the SNAP25/VGLUT2 pathway in alleviating lumbar disc herniation.Methods A chronic sciatic nerve compression injury model was used to simulate neuropathic pain in lumbar disc herniation.24 SD rats were randomly divided into blank group,model group and tuina group,with 8 rats in each group.From the 4th day after modeling,the tuina group was intervened with the tuina method for 10 minutes once a day for 14 consecutive days.The paw withdrawal threshold(PWT)and paw withdrawal latency(PWL)of rats in each group on the day before modeling,and the 4th,10th,14th and 17th days after modeling were detected.The spinal cord tissue of the modeling side was taken,synaptic ultrastructure of spinal dorsal horn neurons was observed using transmission electron microscopy,immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the expression of NR2A in the spinal dorsal horn,Western blot was used to detect the expression of SNAP25 protein in the spinal dorsal horn,immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of VGLUT2 in the spinal dorsal horn,ELISA was used to detect the content of glutamate in the spinal dorsal horn.Results Compared with the blank group,PWT and PWL of the model group were significantly reduced on the 4th,10th,14th and 17th days after modeling(P<0.001),with accumulation of vesicles in the presynaptic membrane of the dorsal horn of the spinal cord,increase in the area of the postsynaptic dense zone,and enlargement of the synaptic cleft,while the protein expressions of NR2A,SNAP25 and VGLUT2 in the spinal dorsal horn increased(P<0.05,P<0.001),and the content of glutamate increased(P<0.001).Compared with the model group,PWT and PWL of the tuina group rats significantly increased on the 10th,14th and 17th days after modeling(P<0.001),synaptic vesicles were evenly distributed,the area of the postsynaptic dense zone decreased,and the synaptic cleft decreased,while the protein expressions of NR2A,SNAP25 and VGLUT2 in the spinal dorsal horn decreased(P<0.05,P<0.001),and the content of glutamate decreased(P<0.01).Conclusion Tuina may regulate the content of glutamate through the SNAP25/VGLUT2 pathway in the spinal dorsal horn,improve the synaptic ultrastructure of neurons,and have an analgesic effect on lumbar disc herniation.
2.Effective therapeutic targeting of tumor lineage plasticity in neuroendocrine prostate cancer by BRD4 inhibitors.
Xiong ZHANG ; Yatian YANG ; Hongye ZOU ; Yang YANG ; Xingling ZHENG ; Eva COREY ; Amina ZOUBEIDI ; Nicolas MITSIADES ; Ai-Ming YU ; Yuanpei LI ; Hong-Wu CHEN
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(3):1415-1429
Tumor lineage plasticity (LP) is an emerging hallmark of cancer progression. Through pharmacologically probing the function of epigenetic regulators in prostate cancer cells and organoids, we identified bromodomain protein BRD4 as a crucial player. Integrated ChIP-seq and RNA-seq analysis of tumors revealed, for the first time, that BRD4 directly activates hundreds of genes in the LP programs which include neurogenesis, axonogenesis, EMT and stem cells and key drivers such as POU3F2 (BRN2), ASCL1/2, NeuroD1, SOX2/9, RUNX1/2 and DLL3. Interestingly, BRD4 genome occupancy is reprogrammed by anti-AR drugs from facilitating AR function in CRPC cells to activating the LP programs and is facilitated by pioneer factor FOXA1. Significantly, we demonstrated that BRD4 inhibitor AZD5153, currently at clinical development, possesses potent activities in complete blockade of tumor growth of both de novo neuroendocrine prostate cancer (NEPC) and treatment-induced NEPC PDXs and that suppression of tumor expression of LP programs through reduction of local chromatin accessibility is the primary mechanism of action (MOA) by AZD5153. Together, our study revealed that BRD4 plays a fundamental role in direct activation of tumor LP programs and that its inhibitor AZD5153 is highly promising in effective treatment of the lethal forms of the diseases.
3.Study on the effects of carvacrol on stomach-heat and stomach-cold rats and its mechanism of cooling and clearing based on energy metabolism and gastrointestinal function
Qi ZHANG ; Yi LI ; Hongye LI ; Fengwei ZHANG ; Minghui JIANG ; Xingyu ZHAO ; Linze LI ; Xiaofang WU ; Yinming ZHAO ; Songrui DI ; Jianjun ZHANG ; Chun WANG ; Linyuan WANG
Journal of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;48(4):471-482
Objective:
To investigate the biological effects of carvacrol on rats with stomach-heat and stomach-cold and its regulation on transient receptor potential(TRP) channels in rats with stomach-heat, and to study the cold and heat properties of carvacrol and its possible mechanism.
Methods:
According to the random number method, 100 SD rats were divided into stomach-heat blank group, stomach-heat model group, Coptidis Rhizoma group, stomach-heat low-dose and high-dose carvacrol group, stomach-cold blank group, stomach-cold model group, Baked ginger group, stomach-cold low-dose group and high-dose carvacrol group, 10 rats in each group. The rat model of stomach-heat was established by intragastric administration of pepper aqueous solution (0.80 g/kg) and anhydrous ethanol, and the rat model of stomach-cold was established by intragastric administration of water extract of Anemarrhena asphodeloides and sodium hydroxide (10.40 g/kg). On the day of modeling, the rats in the Baked ginger group were given Baked ginger decoction (0.78 g/kg), and the rats in the Coptidis Rhizoma group were given Coptidis Rhizoma decoction (0.43 g/kg).The stomach-cold and stomach-heat low-dose group of carvacrol was given carvacrol emulsion (40 mg/kg), high-dose group was given carvacrol emulsion (80 mg/kg).All rats of the blank and model groups were given the equal volume of emulsion prepared by 5% dimethyl sulfoxide, 1% Tween 80, 1% polyethylene glycol 400, and 93% normal saline, once a day, for 7 days. The general condition of rats was observed and the body mass was recorded. The pathological morphology of gastric tissue was observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The changes of material and energy metabolism, cyclic nucleotide (cAMP), thyroid hormone and gastrointestinal hormone in each group were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The expression levels of transient receptor potential vanilloid subtype 1 (TRPV1), transient receptor potential channel M8 (TRPM8) and uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1) in rats with gastric fever were detected by Western blotting.
Results:
Compared with the stomach-heat blank group, the body mass of rats in the stomach-heat model group decreased at the fifth and seventh day (P<0.05). The contents (or ratio) of hepatic glycogen (HGlyc), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP) were decreased (P<0.05), and Na+ -K+ -ATPase, Ca2+ -Mg2+ -ATPase, cytochrome C oxidase (COX), NADH dehydrogenase (ND), cyclic adenosine phosphate (cAMP), cAMP/cyclic guanosine phosphate (cGMP), triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4), gastrin (GAS), motilin (MTL), and α-amylase (α-AMS) all increased (P<0.05). Compared with the stomach-heat model group, the body mass of rats in the Coptidis Rhizoma group decreased at the third, fifth, and seventh day, the contents (or ratio) of HGlyc, TC, TG, VIP and α-AMS were increased, and Na+ -K+ -ATPase, COX, ND, cAMP, cAMP/cGMP, T3, T4, and GAS all decreased (P<0.05). The body mass of rats in the stomach-heat low-dose carvacrol group decreased at the seventh day. The contents (or ratio) of HGlyc, TC, and VIP were increased, Na+ -K+ -ATPase, COX, ND, cAMP, cAMP/cGMP, T3, T4, and MTL all decreased, the expression of TRPV1 and UCP1 in gastric tissue decreased, while TRPM8 increased (P<0.05) in rats of the stomach-heat low-dose and high-dose carvacrol groups. Compared with the stomach-cold blank group, the body mass of rats in the stomach-cold model group decreased at the third, fifth, and seventh day, the contents (or ratio) of HGlyc, TC, TG, α-AMS, and VIP all increased, while Na+ -K+ -ATPase, Ca2+ -Mg2+ -ATPase, COX, ND, cAMP, cAMP/cGMP, T3, T4, GAS, and MTL all decreased (P<0.05). Compared with the stomach-cold model group, the body mass of rats in the Baked ginger group was increased at the seventh day, and the contents (or ratio) of HGlyc, VIP, and α-AMS all decreased, while Na+ -K+ -ATPase, COX, ND, cAMP/cGMP, T3, T4, GAS, and MTL all increased (P<0.05). The contents of HGlyc, cAMP, α-AMS, and VIP of rats in the stomach-cold low and high-dose carvacrol group all decreased (P<0.05). TG in the stomach-cold low-dose carvacrol group was increased. TC, Ca2+ -Mg2+ -ATPase, and cGMP all increased, while cAMP/cGMP decreased (P<0.05) in the high-dose carvacrol group.
Conclusion
In this study, the rat model of stomach-cold and stomach-heat were successfully established by using cold and heat factors. The result showed that carvacrol had a certain inhibitory effect on body mass, material energy metabolism, cyclic nucleotide level, thyroid hormone and gastrointestinal function in rats with stomach-heat, indicating that the drug was cold. Carvacrol′s cold medicinal property could be biologically explained by TRPV1 activation, UCP1 induction, and TRPM8 suppression.
4.Exploration on the Effects of Tuina on Glutamate Content and Synaptic Ultrastructure in Spinal Dorsal Horn of Rats with Chronic Sciatic Nerve Compression Injury Based on the SNAP25/VGLUT2 Pathway
Jingjing JIANG ; Limei HUANG ; Hongye HUANG ; Hengchang CAI ; Huanzhen ZHANG ; Lechun CHEN ; Shuijin CHEN ; Shiye WU ; Hui LIN ; Zhigang LIN
Chinese Journal of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;32(4):113-119
Objective To observe the effect of tuina on glutamate content and synaptic ultrastructure in spinal dorsal horn of rats with chronic sciatic nerve compression injury;To explore the potential mechanism of tuina regulation of the SNAP25/VGLUT2 pathway in alleviating lumbar disc herniation.Methods A chronic sciatic nerve compression injury model was used to simulate neuropathic pain in lumbar disc herniation.24 SD rats were randomly divided into blank group,model group and tuina group,with 8 rats in each group.From the 4th day after modeling,the tuina group was intervened with the tuina method for 10 minutes once a day for 14 consecutive days.The paw withdrawal threshold(PWT)and paw withdrawal latency(PWL)of rats in each group on the day before modeling,and the 4th,10th,14th and 17th days after modeling were detected.The spinal cord tissue of the modeling side was taken,synaptic ultrastructure of spinal dorsal horn neurons was observed using transmission electron microscopy,immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the expression of NR2A in the spinal dorsal horn,Western blot was used to detect the expression of SNAP25 protein in the spinal dorsal horn,immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of VGLUT2 in the spinal dorsal horn,ELISA was used to detect the content of glutamate in the spinal dorsal horn.Results Compared with the blank group,PWT and PWL of the model group were significantly reduced on the 4th,10th,14th and 17th days after modeling(P<0.001),with accumulation of vesicles in the presynaptic membrane of the dorsal horn of the spinal cord,increase in the area of the postsynaptic dense zone,and enlargement of the synaptic cleft,while the protein expressions of NR2A,SNAP25 and VGLUT2 in the spinal dorsal horn increased(P<0.05,P<0.001),and the content of glutamate increased(P<0.001).Compared with the model group,PWT and PWL of the tuina group rats significantly increased on the 10th,14th and 17th days after modeling(P<0.001),synaptic vesicles were evenly distributed,the area of the postsynaptic dense zone decreased,and the synaptic cleft decreased,while the protein expressions of NR2A,SNAP25 and VGLUT2 in the spinal dorsal horn decreased(P<0.05,P<0.001),and the content of glutamate decreased(P<0.01).Conclusion Tuina may regulate the content of glutamate through the SNAP25/VGLUT2 pathway in the spinal dorsal horn,improve the synaptic ultrastructure of neurons,and have an analgesic effect on lumbar disc herniation.
5.Progress of the application of peripheral nerve blocks for older hip fractures in older adults
Jinyu WU ; Hongye ZHANG ; Zhen HUA
Chinese Journal of Geriatrics 2024;43(2):251-256
Older patients with hip fractures often experience moderate to severe pain, which can increase the risk of complications during surgery and hinder early postoperative mobility and rehabilitation.To address this, peripheral nerve blocks have been suggested as a method for perioperative pain management in these patients.This article aims to provide an overview of the neural innervation of the hip joint, the techniques used for peripheral nerve blocks in hip fracture surgeries, and their impact on postoperative complications and recovery in older patients.Current evidence suggests that peripheral nerve blocks may have a positive effect on the prognosis of older patients with hip fractures.However, further high-quality clinical studies are required to validate these findings.
6.Effects of Tuina on P2Y12/RhoA/ROCK2 Pathway and c-Fos Protein Expression of Microglia in Spinal Dorsal Horn of Sciatic Nerve Chronic Compressive Injury Rats
Jingjing JIANG ; Zhigang LIN ; Hongye HUANG ; Huanzhen ZHANG ; Lechun CHEN ; Hui LIN ; Shiye WU ; Shuijin CHEN
Chinese Journal of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;31(7):100-105
Objective To observe the effects of tuina on P2Y12/RhoA/ROCK2 pathway and c-Fos protein expression of microglia in spinal dorsal horn of sciatic nerve chronic compressive injury(CCI)rats;To explore the mechanism of tuina in treating lumbar disc herniation.Methods A CCI model of right sciatic nerve was used to simulate neuropathic pain in lumbar disc herniation.24 male SD rats were randomly divided into blank group,model group and tuina group,with 8 rats in each group.After 4 days of modeling,massage intervention was used to in the tuina group for 14 days.The paw withdrawal threshold(PWT)and paw withdrawal latency(PWL)of rats before and on the 4th,10th,and 17th day after modeling were observed,immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the expression of Iba1 and P2Y12 protein in right spinal dorsal horn,Western blot was used to detect the expressions of RhoA and ROCK2 protein in right spinal dorsal horn,immunohistochemistry staining was used to detect the number of c-Fos positive cells in right spinal dorsal horn.Results Compared with the blank group,the PWT and PWL of the model group were significantly reduced on the 4th,10th,and 17th day after modeling(P<0.001),while the expressions of Iba1,P2Y12,RhoA and ROCK2 protein in right spinal dorsal horn significantly increased(P<0.001,P<0.05),the number of c-Fos positive cells significantly increased(P<0.001).Compared with the model group,the PWT and PWL of the tuina group significantly increased on the 10th and 17th day after modeling(P<0.05,P<0.01,P<0.001),and the expressions of Iba1,P2Y12,RhoA and ROCK2 protein in right spinal dorsal horn significantly decreased(P<0.001,P<0.01,P<0.05),and the number of c-Fos positive cells significantly reduced(P<0.001).Conclusion Tuina may inhibit the activation of microglia by regulating P2Y12/RhoA/ROCK2 pathway and c-Fos protein expression in spinal dorsal horn,reduce neuronal excitability,and exert analgesic effects on lumbar disc herniation.
7.Herbal textual research on Flos Trollii
Hongye CAI ; Jin WU ; Xuelian WANG ; Guihong WANG ; Zhilai ZHAN ; Guohua ZHENG ; Junjie HU
China Pharmacy 2023;34(21):2678-2683
Flos Trollii is a traditional Chinese medicinal herb in China. The 2020 edition of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (part 1) did not include the medicinal herb, its source is not clear, and there is a lack of relevantly systematic and comprehensive research. By consulting ancient Chinese herbal medicines, medical books and related literature, the textual research of Flos Trollii was conducted to verify the name, origin and producing area, so as to provide a reference for the clinical application and resource development of Flos Trollii. Through textual research, it could be seen that the name “Jinlianhua” was used as the correct name in the mainstream origin of the past dynasties, and there were still multiple synonyms such as Hanjinlian, Jinmeicao and so on, most of which originated from its growth environment and appearance. According to the distribution of varieties, it could be inferred that the mainstream origin of Flos Trollii in the Qing Dynasty and before was Trollius chinensis Bge. According to historical records, Flos Trollii were mostly produced in northern regions such as Hebei, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi, etc., which was related to the fact that Flos Trollii liked cloudy, humid and cold environments. Based on the textual research results, the author suggested that the mainstream origin of the past dynasties T. chinensis Bge. should be selected for subsequent collection of Flos Trollii.
8.Microbubbles carrying resiquimod enhance HIFU ablation and co-stimulate tumor immune response
Ying ZHOU ; Rui TANG ; Nianhong WU ; Li WAN ; Hongye HE ; Yuting CAO ; Xialin XIONG ; Pan LI
Chinese Journal of Ultrasonography 2023;32(8):707-716
Objective:To prepare the resiquimod-loaded lipid microbubbles R848-MBs, evaluate their enhanced ultrasound imaging and high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) ablation effects, and explore their ability to improve tumor immune microenvironment synergize with HIFU.Methods:R848-MBs were prepared by the thin film hydration-mechanical shock method; The basic characteristics and safety of R848-MBs were detected, the HIFU controlled-release characteristics were verified in vitro and the drug metabolism and biological distribution were investigated in vivo. The ability of enhancing ultrasound imaging was observed in vitro and in vivo. To investigate the enhanced HIFU ablation effect of R848-MBs, six EMT6 tumor-bearing mice were randomly divided into HIFU group and R848-MBs+ HIFU group, three mice in each group, the changes in contrast average sound intensity before and after ablation in mouse tumor areas and the change of ultrasound image gray value in tumor area were evaluated, the tumor were resected to observe the coagulative necresis by TTC staining and HE staining. Forty-five tumor-bearing mice were randomly divided into control group, Free R848 group, HIFU group, Blank-MBs+ HIFU group and R848-MBs+ HIFU group, nine mice in each group. On the third day after treatment, 3 mice in each group were randomly selected and killed, to evaluate the ability of R848-MBs to improve tumor immune microenvironment synergize with HIFU. The expression level of CRT on the surface of tumor cells were detected by immunofluorescence staining, the proportion of mature DC in lymph nodes, spleen, and CD8 + T cells in spleen were detected by flow cytometry. The treatment effectiveness of each group( n=6) were evaluated by measuring tumor volume, observing and drawing survival curves. Results:The R848-MBs lipid microbubbles with good safety were successfully prepared, with a concentration of 2.58×10 9/ml, as spherical bubbles under optical microscope and laser confocal microscopy, in a particle size of (1.72±0.11)μm, at a surface potential of (-10.16±0.73)mV. The cumulative drug release was up to 83.44% after HIFU (90 W, 3 s) in vitro. The concentration of R848 in plasma decreased rapidly, and the drug concentration in tumor tissue of the R848-MBs+ HIFU group was higher than that of the R848 group 24 hours after treatment ( P<0.01). The ultrasound imaging of R848-MBs was significantly enhanced in contrast mode in vitro and in vivo; R848-MBs can significantly enhance the HIFU ablation effect, the contrast average sound intensity change in the tumor area before and after ablation in the R848MBs+ HIFU group was greater than that in the R848 group ( P<0.05), and the immediate ultrasound grayscale value change in the HIFU+ R848-MBs group was 46.34±3.21, which was significantly greater than that in the HIFU group (10.67±1.53), with statistical significance ( P<0.000 1). Coagulation necrosis was observed in tumor HE staining and TTC staining. The results of treatment efficacy in vivo showed that R848-MBs+ HIFU group had the strongest therapeutic effect, and R848-MBs combined with HIFU treatment could significantly prolong the survival period of mice compared with intravenous injection of free R848 ( P<0.01). Immunofluorescence staining and flow cytometry results showed an increase in the expression level of CRT on the surface of tumor tissue in the R848-MBs combined with HIFU group, and the percentage of mature DC in tumor draining lymph nodes (58.53±1.04)% were significantly higher than those in the HIFU group (37.56±2.13)% ( P<0.001), and the percentage of mature DC in the spleen (70.65±1.91)% were significantly higher than those in the HIFU group (36.46±3.89)% ( P<0.001), the percentage of CD8 + T cells in the spleen (27.46±3.04)% was significantly higher than that in the HIFU group (18.69±0.29)% ( P<0.01). Conclusions:The HIFU controlled-release lipid microbubbles R848-MBs can not only enhance the efficiency of HIFU ablation, but also improve the tumor immune microenvironment.
9.Clinical and mutation analysis of a case of Noonan-like syndrome with loose anagen hair
Hongjin WU ; Min LI ; Shen WANG ; Xiao YANG ; Junyi XIE ; Hongye ZHANG ; Chuang SONG ; Wen QIAN ; Su YANG
Chinese Journal of Dermatology 2023;56(1):53-55
To report a case of Noonan-like syndrome with loose anagen hair, and to detect gene mutations in the family. A 3-year-old female patient presented with a special facial appearance, short stature, deep palmar and plantar creases, and dark skin. The scalp hair was sparse and thin, dermoscopy showed black spot sign, single-hair follicular units, hair shafts varying in the diameter, upright hair and new vellus hair, and constriction of hair shafts and nodular hair were occasionally observed. Peripheral blood samples were collected from the proband and her parents, and the genomic DNA was extracted for whole-exome sequencing. A heterozygous missense mutation c.4A>G was identified in exon 2 of the SHOC2 gene in the proband, resulting in the substitution of serine by glycine at amino acid position 2 (p.S2G) . The mutation was not identified in either of her parents. Combined with the clinical phenotype and gene mutation, the diagnosis of Noonan-like syndrome with loose anagen hair was confirmed.
10.China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study: depressive symptoms of middle-aged and elderly disabled people and its related factors
Jia LIU ; Hongye PENG ; Zaofang YAN ; Kailin HUANG ; Miyuan WANG ; Qiyuan MAO ; Xin WU ; Zhenhai ZHAO
Chinese Journal of Behavioral Medicine and Brain Science 2021;30(3):273-278
Objective:To explore the status of depression symptoms and related factors of depressive symptoms in middle-aged and elderly disabled people in China and provide references on the preventive cares of depression.Methods:Research data were obtained from the 2018 follow-up data of China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study(CHARLS).Disabled people were selected as the research object. The scores of center for epidemiological studies depression scale(CES-D) were used to evaluate depressive symptoms. Fourteen variables derived from the 3 dimensions of demographic characteristics, health status, and health related behaviors were utilized in this study.SAS 9.4 were used for descriptive analysis, univariate analysis and Logistic regression analysis.Results:A total of 1 708 middle-aged and elderly disabled people were included, among whom 932(54.5%)were diagnosed with depressive symptoms, and the score of CES-D was (11.45±7.19).Self-rated poor health, self-rated poor memory, life dissatisfaction, physical pain were the risk factors of depressive symptoms ( OR=1.87, 4.22, 1.83, 5.30, 1.75). Male, educational level (middle-high school, high school or above), sleeping duration (6-9 h) were the protective factors of depressive symptoms( OR=0.74, 0.72, 0.10, 0.56). Conclusion:Middle-aged and elderly disabled people in China have a high detection rate of depressive symptoms. Female, lower education background, inadequate amount of sleep, self-rated unsatisfactory healthy, self-rated poor memory, dissatisfaction towards life and suffering from physical pain may be more likely to have depressive symptoms in middle-aged and elderly people with disabilities.


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