1.Dual Targeting of TBK1 and JAK-STAT1 Pathways by (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate Suppresses Type I Interferon-driven Inflammation
Liang LI ; Qi-Huan SHENG ; Huan LIU ; Wen-Hao YANG ; Jia-Lin SHI ; Ying-Jie SUN ; Rui JING ; Wei-Hua MAI ; Zhi-Min LI ; Xiao-Li XIE
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(7):1969-1983
ObjectiveType I interferon (IFN-I) signaling is essential for antiviral innate immunity, yet its sustained or excessive activation contributes to the pathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases and interferonopathies, such as systemic lupus erythematosus and Aicardi-Goutières syndrome. Current strategies targeting this pathway, exemplified by JAK inhibitors, act mainly on downstream signal transduction and provide limited direct control over upstream IFN-I production, while also carrying the risk of broad immunosuppression. Phyllanthus emblica L. has long been used in traditional medicine for inflammatory disorders, but the bioactive constituent responsible for its regulation of IFN-I signaling and the underlying molecular mechanism have not been clearly defined. This study aimed to identify the active anti-inflammatory component of P. emblica and to characterize its mechanism of action on the IFN-I pathway in macrophages. MethodsActive components ofP. emblica and their candidate targets were screened by network pharmacology using the TCMSP and DrugBank databases (oral bioavailability≥30%, drug-likeness≥0.18) and intersected with inflammation-related genes retrieved from public databases. The predicted interaction between EGCG and IFN-I pathway proteins (TBK1, IRF3, STAT1) was evaluated by molecular docking, with BX795 and GSK8612 used as reference TBK1 inhibitors. Mechanistic experiments were performed in THP-1-derived macrophages and primary bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM). Upstream signaling was activated by transfection of the nucleic acid analogs poly(I∶C) and poly(dA∶dT) or by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation, whereas downstream signaling was activated by exogenous IFN-β. An siRNA-mediated TREX1 knockdown model was used to mimic endogenous nucleic acid-driven interferonopathy. Expression of IFN-β1 and interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) was measured by RT-qPCR, protein phosphorylation by Western blot, and IFN-β secretion by ELISA. Cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) and drug affinity responsive target stability (DARTS) were used to probe the interactionbetween EGCG and IRF3. ResultsNetwork pharmacology identified (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) as a candidate IFN-I-suppressive constituent of P. emblica, with predicted binding to TBK1, IRF3, and STAT1. Molecular docking yielded binding energies of -9.2, -7.2, and -8.2 kcal/mol for TBK1, IRF3, and STAT1, respectively, indicating an affinity for TBK1 comparable to that of the reference inhibitors BX795 (-5.7 kcal/mol) and GSK8612 (-6.4 kcal/mol). EGCG suppressed IFN-β1 and ISG mRNA expression under poly (I∶C), poly (dA∶dT), and LPS stimulation in both THP-1 macrophages and BMDM. At the protein level, EGCG reduced the phosphorylation of TBK1 and IRF3 without affecting the levels of the upstream sensors cGAS and RIG-I, and lowered IFN-β secretion in a concentration-dependent manner. CETSA and DARTS showed that EGCG did not enhance the thermal stability or protease resistance of IRF3, indicating that its effect on IRF3 is indirect. Following IFN-β stimulation, prolonged EGCG treatment reduced STAT1 phosphorylation in a time-dependent manner without an apparent change in IRF9, and partially attenuated ISG transcription; this effect was not monotonicly concentration-dependent, and CXCL10 showed the most consistent suppression. In TREX1-knockdown cells, the elevated mRNA levels of ISG15, ISG56, and CXCL10 were reduced by EGCG. ConclusionEGCG suppresses IFN-I responses by concurrently inhibiting TBK1-IRF3-dependent IFN‑β production and JAK-STAT1-mediated downstream transcription. These in vitro findings provide a mechanistic basis for the anti-inflammatory use of P. emblica in traditional medicine and identify EGCG as a candidate for further evaluation in interferon-driven autoimmune disease models.
2.Effects of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cell therapy for cavernous nerve injury-induced erectile dysfunction in the rat model.
Wei WANG ; Ying LIU ; Zi-Hao ZHOU ; Kun PANG ; Jing-Kai WANG ; Peng-Fei HUAN ; Jing-Ru LU ; Tao ZHU ; Zuo-Bin ZHU ; Cong-Hui HAN
Asian Journal of Andrology 2025;27(4):508-515
Stem cell treatment may enhance erectile dysfunction (ED) in individuals with cavernous nerve injury (CNI). Nevertheless, no investigations have directly ascertained the implications of varying amounts of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (HUC-MSCs) on ED. We compare the efficacy of three various doses of HUC-MSCs as a therapeutic strategy for ED. Sprague-Dawley rats (total = 175) were randomly allocated into five groups. A total of 35 rats underwent sham surgery and 140 rats endured bilateral CNI and were treated with vehicles or doses of HUC-MSCs (1 × 10 6 cells, 5 × 10 6 cells, and 1 × 10 7 cells in 0.1 ml, respectively). Penile tissues were harvested for histological analysis on 1 day, 3 days, 7 days, 14 days, 28 days, 60 days, and 90 days postsurgery. It was found that varying dosages of HUC-MSCs enhanced the erectile function of rats with bilateral CNI and ED. Moreover, there was no significant disparity in the effectiveness of various dosages of HUC-MSCs. However, the expression of endothelial markers (rat endothelial cell antigen-1 [RECA-1] and endothelial nitric oxide synthase [eNOS]), smooth muscle markers (alpha smooth muscle actin [α-SMA] and desmin), and neural markers (neurofilament [RECA-1] and neurogenic nitric oxide synthase [nNOS]) increased significantly with prolonged treatment time. Masson's staining demonstrated an increased in the smooth muscle cell (SMC)/collagen ratio. Significant changes were detected in the microstructures of various types of cells. In vivo imaging system (IVIS) analysis showed that at the 1 st day, the HUC-MSCs implanted moved to the site of damage. Additionally, the oxidative stress levels were dramatically reduced in the penises of rats administered with HUC-MSCs.
Male
;
Animals
;
Erectile Dysfunction/metabolism*
;
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
;
Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation/methods*
;
Rats
;
Penis/pathology*
;
Humans
;
Disease Models, Animal
;
Umbilical Cord/cytology*
;
Peripheral Nerve Injuries/complications*
;
Mesenchymal Stem Cells
;
Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III/metabolism*
;
Actins/metabolism*
;
Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I/metabolism*
3.Application of intelligent oxygen management system in neonatal intensive care units: a scoping review.
Huan HE ; Qiu-Yi SUN ; Ying TANG ; Jin-Li DAI ; Han-Xin ZHANG ; Hua-Yun HE
Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics 2025;27(6):753-758
The intelligent oxygen management system is a software designed with various algorithms to automatically titrate inhaled oxygen concentration according to specific patterns. This system can be integrated into various ventilator devices and used during assisted ventilation processes, aiming to maintain the patient's blood oxygen saturation within a target range. This paper employs a scoping review methodology, focusing on research related to intelligent oxygen management systems in neonatal intensive care units. It reviews the fundamental principles, application platforms, and clinical outcomes of these systems, providing a theoretical basis for clinical implementation.
Humans
;
Intensive Care Units, Neonatal
;
Infant, Newborn
;
Oxygen/administration & dosage*
;
Oxygen Inhalation Therapy/methods*
;
Respiration, Artificial
4.Clinical features of recompensation in autoimmune hepatitis-related decompensated cirrhosis and related predictive factors
Xiaolong LU ; Lin HAN ; Huan XIE ; Lilong YAN ; Xuemei MA ; Dongyan LIU ; Xun LI ; Qingsheng LIANG ; Zhengsheng ZOU ; Caizhe GU ; Ying SUN
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(9):1808-1817
ObjectiveTo investigate the clinical features and outcomes of recompensation in patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH)-related decompensated cirrhosis, to identify independent predictive factors, and to construct a nomogram prediction model for the probability of recompensation. MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted among the adult patients with AIH-related decompensated cirrhosis who were admitted to The Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital from January 2015 to August 2023 (n=211). The primary endpoint was achievement of recompensation, and the secondary endpoint was liver-related death or liver transplantation. According to the outcome of the patients at the end of the follow-up, the patients were divided into the recompensation group (n=16) and the persistent decompensation group(n=150).The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data with homogeneity of variance, and the Mann-Whitney U rank sum test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data with heterogeneity of variance; the chi-square test or the Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups; the Kaplan-Meier method was used for survival analysis; the Cox proportional-hazards regression model was used to identify independent predictive factors, and a nomogram model was constructed and validated. ResultsA total of 211 patients were enrolled, with a median age of 55.0 years and a median follow-up time of 44.0 months, and female patients accounted for 87.2%. Among the 211 patients, 61 (with a cumulative proportion of 35.5%) achieved recompensation. Compared with the persistent decompensation group, the recompensation group had significantly higher white blood cell count, platelet count (PLT), total bilirubin (TBil), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), total bile acid, prothrombin time, international normalized ratio (INR), SMA positive rate, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score, Child-Pugh score, and rate of use of glucocorticoids (all P0.05), as well as significantly lower age at baseline, number of complications, and death/liver transplantation rate (all P0.05). At 3 and 12 months after treatment, the recompensation group had continuous improvements in AST, TBil, INR, IgG, MELD score, and Child-Pugh score, which were significantly lower than the values in the persistent decompensation group (all P0.05), alongside with continuous increases in PLT and albumin, which were significantly higher than the values in the persistent decompensation group (P0.05). The multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that baseline ALT (hazard ratio [HR]=1.067, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.010 — 1.127, P=0.021), IgG (HR=0.463,95%CI:0.258 — 0.833, P=0.010), SMA positivity (HR=3.122,95%CI:1.768 — 5.515, P0.001), and glucocorticoid therapy (HR=20.651,95%CI:8.744 — 48.770, P0.001) were independent predictive factors for recompensation, and the nomogram model based on these predictive factors showed excellent predictive performance (C-index=0.87,95%CI:0.84 — 0.90). ConclusionAchieving recompensation significantly improves clinical outcomes in patients with AIH-related decompensated cirrhosis. Baseline SMA positivity, a high level of ALT, a low level of IgG, and corticosteroid therapy are independent predictive factors for recompensation. The predictive model constructed based on these factors can provide a basis for decision-making in individualized clinical management.
5.Role of the sirtuins in pyroptosis
Wenjie LI ; Ying LI ; Maohua MENG ; Xiao ZENG ; Jinyi SUN ; Yuncai LUO ; Huan WANG ; Jing LU ; Qiang DONG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(25):5478-5485
BACKGROUND:Unlike non-inflammatory cell apoptosis,pyroptosis is a form of inflammatory cell death,characterized by membrane integrity disruption and release of pro-inflammatory intracellular substances.Thus,it is associated with various diseases.The sirtuin family is a group of histone deacetylases dependent on nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide.In addition to deacetylation,it also possesses other enzymatic activities such as desuccinylation,demalonylation,adenosine diphosphate-ribosylation and playing crucial roles in the regulation of pyroptosis.OBJECTIVE:To review the role of the sirtuins in pyroptosis.METHODS:The first author conducted a search on PubMed,Web of Science,CNKI,and WanFang Data from inception to March 2024,using the Chinese and English search terms"Sirtuins,Sirtuin1,Sirtuin2,Sirtuin3,Sirtuin4,Sirtuin5,Sirtuin6,Sirtuin7,pyroptosis",resulting in the inclusion of 71 articles.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The sirtuin family all participates in the regulation of pyroptosis.(2)Overexpression of sirtuin1 and sirtuin4 can inhibit pyroptosis through various pathways,thus alleviating the damage caused by pyroptosis to the organism.(3)In addition to affecting the classical pathway of pyroptosis,sirtuin3 can also inhibit pyroptosis by enhancing mitochondrial reactive oxygen species scavenging capacity and mitosis.(4)Sirtuin5 is involved in the regulation of intracellular metabolism and energy balance,including energy intake,storage,and consumption.(5)Sirtuin6 can influence pyroptosis through various pathways and also affect macrophage M1 polarization,generation of reactive oxygen species,and cleavage of pyroptosis-related factor sclerotin D to inhibit pyroptosis.(6)Overexpression of sirtuin7 can suppress pyroptosis.(7)Sirtuin2,unlike other family members,can restrain pyroptosis only after knockdown,but there are fewer reports,requiring more in-depth and comprehensive research.
6.Copper influences the occurrence and development of diabetic complications
Yuncai LUO ; Maohua MENG ; Ying LI ; Huan WANG ; Jing LU ; Jiayu SHU ; Wenjie LI ; Jinyi SUN ; Qiang DONG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(17):3641-3649
BACKGROUND:As an essential trace element for body growth and development,copper participates in many processes such as redox process,energy generation,signal transduction and bone metabolism.The imbalance of copper homeostasis in diabetic patients will lead to the increase of oxidative stress and the impairment of antioxidant mechanism,which stimulate the production of inflammatory mediators and inflammatory factors,and thus lead to cytotoxicity and body damage.In recent years,the role of copper in diabetes has gradually attracted attention,and some studies have confirmed that copper plays a key regulatory role in the pathological process of diabetes.OBJECTIVE:To summarize the current progress in the role of copper in systemic complications of diabetes and provide some theoretical reference for its future research and treatment.METHODS:The first author searched PubMed,Web of Science,CNKI and WanFang databases for literature related to the role of copper in systemic complications of diabetes.The search terms were"copper,Cu,diabetes,diabetic complications,diabetic cardiomyopathy,diabetic nephropathy,diabetic retinopathy,diabetic osteoporosis,diabetic periodontitis"in English and Chinese,respectively.After screening,95 articles were included in the review.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Copper is involved in the occurrence and development of diabetic complications and most of the damage caused by copper to the body is due to interference with the body's redox level.(2)In diabetic cardiomyopathy,increased Cu2+in the corpuscular circulation and impaired uptake of copper ions by cardiomyocytes,the accumulation of redox-active Cu2+and ceruloplasmin outside the cardiomyocyte induces copper oxidative stress in cardiomyocytes,leading to acute cardiac impairment.(3)In diabetic nephropathy,the toxic effect of excessive copper leads cause granular degeneration and vacuolar degeneration of renal tubular epithelial cells and proximal tubular necrosis,eventually leading to chronic or acute renal failure.(4)Excessive copper in diabetic patients can produce reactive oxygen species and directly or indirectly affect the function of copper protein with antioxidant function,thus damaging retinal cells.(5)In patients with diabetic osteoporosis,accumulated copper induces lipid peroxidation and interferes with bone metabolism.Copper acts on osteoblasts mainly through inhibition of superoxide dismutase,glutathione peroxidase,and alkaline phosphatase activities.(6)Excessive copper exacerbates inflammatory changes in periodontal tissue by promoting inflammatory responses.
7.Determination of 12 inorganic elements in phloroglucinol injection by ICP-MS
Ying SUN ; Kai HE ; Huan CHEN ; Ling MA ; Caiyu ZHANG
Drug Standards of China 2025;26(5):533-537
Objective:A method was first established for determination simultaneously of 12 elements including B,Al,Si,As,Cd,Hg,Pb,Co,Ni,V,Cu and Sb in phloroglucinol injection,and investigate the elemental impuri-ty content of commercially available phloroglucinol injection.Methods:Samples were digested with microwave-as-sisted acid and determined by inductively coupled plasma chromatography(ICP-MS).Results:This method has a good linear relationship.The average recovery rate was range from 88.9%-100.4%.The repeatability RSD were range from 0.6%-5.8%,and the precision RSD were between 0.4%-8.1%.The methodological validation meets the requirements.B,Al,Si,As,Cd,Co,Ni,V,Cu were detected to varying degrees in 9 batches of sam-ples,and there were significant differences in content among different enterprises.The sources of elemental impuri-ties were deeply explored in combination with the production process,medicinal property and pharmaceutical packa-ging material.Conclusion:The new established method has strong specificity,high accuracy,reliable results,and can be used as a quality evaluation method for elemental impurities in phloroglucinol injection.
8.Role of the sirtuins in pyroptosis
Wenjie LI ; Ying LI ; Maohua MENG ; Xiao ZENG ; Jinyi SUN ; Yuncai LUO ; Huan WANG ; Jing LU ; Qiang DONG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(25):5478-5485
BACKGROUND:Unlike non-inflammatory cell apoptosis,pyroptosis is a form of inflammatory cell death,characterized by membrane integrity disruption and release of pro-inflammatory intracellular substances.Thus,it is associated with various diseases.The sirtuin family is a group of histone deacetylases dependent on nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide.In addition to deacetylation,it also possesses other enzymatic activities such as desuccinylation,demalonylation,adenosine diphosphate-ribosylation and playing crucial roles in the regulation of pyroptosis.OBJECTIVE:To review the role of the sirtuins in pyroptosis.METHODS:The first author conducted a search on PubMed,Web of Science,CNKI,and WanFang Data from inception to March 2024,using the Chinese and English search terms"Sirtuins,Sirtuin1,Sirtuin2,Sirtuin3,Sirtuin4,Sirtuin5,Sirtuin6,Sirtuin7,pyroptosis",resulting in the inclusion of 71 articles.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The sirtuin family all participates in the regulation of pyroptosis.(2)Overexpression of sirtuin1 and sirtuin4 can inhibit pyroptosis through various pathways,thus alleviating the damage caused by pyroptosis to the organism.(3)In addition to affecting the classical pathway of pyroptosis,sirtuin3 can also inhibit pyroptosis by enhancing mitochondrial reactive oxygen species scavenging capacity and mitosis.(4)Sirtuin5 is involved in the regulation of intracellular metabolism and energy balance,including energy intake,storage,and consumption.(5)Sirtuin6 can influence pyroptosis through various pathways and also affect macrophage M1 polarization,generation of reactive oxygen species,and cleavage of pyroptosis-related factor sclerotin D to inhibit pyroptosis.(6)Overexpression of sirtuin7 can suppress pyroptosis.(7)Sirtuin2,unlike other family members,can restrain pyroptosis only after knockdown,but there are fewer reports,requiring more in-depth and comprehensive research.
9.Determination of 12 inorganic elements in phloroglucinol injection by ICP-MS
Ying SUN ; Kai HE ; Huan CHEN ; Ling MA ; Caiyu ZHANG
Drug Standards of China 2025;26(5):533-537
Objective:A method was first established for determination simultaneously of 12 elements including B,Al,Si,As,Cd,Hg,Pb,Co,Ni,V,Cu and Sb in phloroglucinol injection,and investigate the elemental impuri-ty content of commercially available phloroglucinol injection.Methods:Samples were digested with microwave-as-sisted acid and determined by inductively coupled plasma chromatography(ICP-MS).Results:This method has a good linear relationship.The average recovery rate was range from 88.9%-100.4%.The repeatability RSD were range from 0.6%-5.8%,and the precision RSD were between 0.4%-8.1%.The methodological validation meets the requirements.B,Al,Si,As,Cd,Co,Ni,V,Cu were detected to varying degrees in 9 batches of sam-ples,and there were significant differences in content among different enterprises.The sources of elemental impuri-ties were deeply explored in combination with the production process,medicinal property and pharmaceutical packa-ging material.Conclusion:The new established method has strong specificity,high accuracy,reliable results,and can be used as a quality evaluation method for elemental impurities in phloroglucinol injection.
10.Copper influences the occurrence and development of diabetic complications
Yuncai LUO ; Maohua MENG ; Ying LI ; Huan WANG ; Jing LU ; Jiayu SHU ; Wenjie LI ; Jinyi SUN ; Qiang DONG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(17):3641-3649
BACKGROUND:As an essential trace element for body growth and development,copper participates in many processes such as redox process,energy generation,signal transduction and bone metabolism.The imbalance of copper homeostasis in diabetic patients will lead to the increase of oxidative stress and the impairment of antioxidant mechanism,which stimulate the production of inflammatory mediators and inflammatory factors,and thus lead to cytotoxicity and body damage.In recent years,the role of copper in diabetes has gradually attracted attention,and some studies have confirmed that copper plays a key regulatory role in the pathological process of diabetes.OBJECTIVE:To summarize the current progress in the role of copper in systemic complications of diabetes and provide some theoretical reference for its future research and treatment.METHODS:The first author searched PubMed,Web of Science,CNKI and WanFang databases for literature related to the role of copper in systemic complications of diabetes.The search terms were"copper,Cu,diabetes,diabetic complications,diabetic cardiomyopathy,diabetic nephropathy,diabetic retinopathy,diabetic osteoporosis,diabetic periodontitis"in English and Chinese,respectively.After screening,95 articles were included in the review.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Copper is involved in the occurrence and development of diabetic complications and most of the damage caused by copper to the body is due to interference with the body's redox level.(2)In diabetic cardiomyopathy,increased Cu2+in the corpuscular circulation and impaired uptake of copper ions by cardiomyocytes,the accumulation of redox-active Cu2+and ceruloplasmin outside the cardiomyocyte induces copper oxidative stress in cardiomyocytes,leading to acute cardiac impairment.(3)In diabetic nephropathy,the toxic effect of excessive copper leads cause granular degeneration and vacuolar degeneration of renal tubular epithelial cells and proximal tubular necrosis,eventually leading to chronic or acute renal failure.(4)Excessive copper in diabetic patients can produce reactive oxygen species and directly or indirectly affect the function of copper protein with antioxidant function,thus damaging retinal cells.(5)In patients with diabetic osteoporosis,accumulated copper induces lipid peroxidation and interferes with bone metabolism.Copper acts on osteoblasts mainly through inhibition of superoxide dismutase,glutathione peroxidase,and alkaline phosphatase activities.(6)Excessive copper exacerbates inflammatory changes in periodontal tissue by promoting inflammatory responses.

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