1.Applications of Vaterite in Drug Loading and Controlled Release
Xiao-Hui SONG ; Ming-Yu PAN ; Jian-Feng XU ; Zheng-Yu HUANG ; Qing PAN ; Qing-Ning LI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(1):162-181
Currently, the drug delivery system (DDS) based on nanomaterials has become a hot interdisciplinary research topic. One of the core issues is drug loading and controlled release, in which the key lever is carriers. Vaterite, as an inorganic porous nano-material, is one metastable structure of calcium carbonate, full of micro or nano porous. Recently, vaterite has attracted more and more attention, due to its significant advantages, such as rich resources, easy preparations, low cost, simple loading procedures, good biocompatibility and many other good points. Vaterite, gained from suitable preparation strategies, can not only possess the good drug carrying performance, like high loading capacity and stable loading efficiency, but also improve the drug release ability, showing the better drug delivery effects, such as targeting release, pH sensitive release, photothermal controlled release, magnetic assistant release, optothermal controlled release. At the same time, the vaterite carriers, with good safety itself, can protect proteins, enzymes, or other drugs from degradation or inactivation, help imaging or visualization with loading fluorescent drugs in vitro and in vivo, and play synergistic effects with other therapy approaches, like photodynamic therapy, sonodynamic therapy, and thermochemotherapy. Latterly, some renewed reports in drug loading and controlled release have led to their widespread applications in diverse fields, from cell level to clinical studies. This review introduces the basic characteristics of vaterite and briefly summarizes its research history, followed by synthesis strategies. We subsequently highlight recent developments in drug loading and controlled release, with an emphasis on the advantages, quantity capacity, and comparations. Furthermore, new opportunities for using vaterite in cell level and animal level are detailed. Finally, the possible problems and development trends are discussed.
2.Exploring mechanism of Porana racemosa Roxb. in treating rheumatoid arthritis based on integration of network pharmacology and molecular docking combined with experimental validation
Chen-yu YE ; Ning LI ; Yin-zi CHEN ; Tong QU ; Jing HU ; Zhi-yong CHEN ; Hui REN
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2025;60(1):117-129
Through network pharmacology and molecular docking technology, combined with
3.Analysis of T7 RNA Polymerase: From Structure-function Relationship to dsRNA Challenge and Biotechnological Applications
Wei-Chen NING ; Yu HUA ; Hui-Ling YOU ; Qiu-Shi LI ; Yao WU ; Yun-Long LIU ; Zhen-Xin HU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(9):2280-2294
T7 RNA polymerase (T7 RNAP) is one of the simplest known RNA polymerases. Its unique structural features make it a critical model for studying the mechanisms of RNA synthesis. This review systematically examines the static crystal structure of T7 RNAP, beginning with an in-depth examination of its characteristic “thumb”, “palm”, and “finger” domains, which form the classic “right-hand-like” architecture. By detailing these structural elements, this review establishes a foundation for understanding the overall organization of T7 RNAP. This review systematically maps the functional roles of secondary structural elements and their subdomains in transcriptional catalysis, progressively elucidating the fundamental relationships between structure and function. Further, the intrinsic flexibility of T7 RNAP and its applications in research are also discussed. Additionally, the review presents the structural diagrams of the enzyme at different stages of the transcription process, and through these diagrams, it provides a detailed description of the complete transcription process of T7 RNAP. By integrating structural dynamics and kinetics analyses, the review constructs a comprehensive framework that bridges static structure to dynamic processes. Despite its advantages, T7 RNAP has a notable limitation: it generates double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) as a byproduct. The presence of dsRNA not only compromises the purity of mRNA products but also elicits nonspecific immune responses, which pose significant challenges for biotechnological and therapeutic applications. The review provides a detailed exploration of the mechanisms underlying dsRNA formation during T7 RNAP catalysis, reviews current strategies to mitigate this issue, and highlights recent progress in the field. A key focus is the semi-rational design of T7 RNAP mutants engineered to minimize dsRNA generation and enhance catalytic performance. Beyond its role in transcription, T7 RNAP exhibits rapid development and extensive application in fields, including gene editing, biosensing, and mRNA vaccines. This review systematically examines the structure-function relationships of T7 RNAP, elucidates the mechanisms of dsRNA formation, and discusses engineering strategies to optimize its performance. It further explores the engineering optimization and functional expansion of T7 RNAP. Furthermore, this review also addresses the pressing issues that currently need resolution, discusses the major challenges in the practical application of T7 RNAP, and provides an outlook on potential future research directions. In summary, this review provides a comprehensive analysis of T7 RNAP, ranging from its structural architecture to cutting-edge applications. We systematically examine: (1) the characteristic right-hand domains (thumb, palm, fingers) that define its minimalistic structure; (2) the structure-function relationships underlying transcriptional catalysis; and (3) the dynamic transitions during the complete transcription cycle. While highlighting T7 RNAP’s versatility in gene editing, biosensing, and mRNA vaccine production, we critically address its major limitation—dsRNA byproduct formation—and evaluate engineering solutions including semi-rationally designed mutants. By synthesizing current knowledge and identifying key challenges, this work aims to provide novel insights for the development and application of T7 RNAP and to foster further thought and progress in related fields.
4.Epidemiological investigation of an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis caused by GⅡ norovirus at a vocational and technical school
ZHANG Hui ; NIAN Yunpeng ; LI Hua ; ZHANG Leile ; LAN Ning ; LI Xiaohu
Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;37(9):917-921
Objective:
To investigate an outbreak of acute gastroenteritis at a vocational and technical school in Shaanxi Province in 2024, ao as to provide the reference for the handling of school outbreaks.
Methods:
The conducted case searches, individual case investigations, and on-site hygienic investigations were established in accordance with the Guidelines on outbreak investigation, prevention and control of Norovirus infection (2015). The potential risk factors were analyzed by case-control study. Anal swab samples from cases and all canteen staff, as well as environmental swab samples were collected to detect common intestinal pathogens. All reserved food samples in canteen were collected to test for common pathogenic bacteria.
Results:
From October 26 to November 5, 2024, a cumulative total of 53 cases were reported, with an attack rate of 1.47%. The main clinical symptoms included vomiting (83.02%), abdominal pain (56.60%), diarrhea (30.19%), and fever (26.42%). The epidemic curve suggested an intermittent common-source outbreak, with no obvious clustering characteristics in terms of the population and spatial distribution of cases. The case-control analysis revealed that having dinner at the rice-with-dishes-on-top stall on the first floor of the canteen on October 28 was a risk factor for illness (OR=11.025, 95%CI: 2.186-55.601). GⅡ norovirus was detected as positive in anal swab samples from 6 cases and 2 asymptomatic infected canteen staff, as well as in 3 environmental swab samples from the rice-with-dishes-on-top stall. The test results for common pathogenic bacteria in the reserved food samples were all negative.
Conclusions
This outbreak was caused by an acute gastroenteritis epidemic induced by GⅡ norovirus infection, with a transmission pattern consistent with an intermittent homologous outbreak. The possible source of infection was asymptomatic infected canteen staff mainly through foodborne trasmission, and having meals at the rice-with-dishes-on-top stall was the primary risk factor for this outbreak.
5.Diagnostic value and clinical significance of Mp-MRI combined with the LI-RADS grading criteria for regenerated nodules in cirrhosis and small heptocellular carcinoma
Ning CAI ; Hui SHI ; Zhenzhen LI ; Junwu GUO
Journal of China Medical University 2024;53(8):686-691
Objective To explore the diagnostic value and clinical significance of multi-parametric magnetic resonance imaging(Mp-MRI)combined with the liver imaging reporting and data system(LI-RADS)grading criteria for diagnosing regenerative nodules and small hepatocellular carcinoma(SHCC)in patients with cirrhosis.Methods Eighty-six patients(132 nodules)admitted to our hospital from March 2019 to March 2023 with liver nodules of≤3 cm in diameter were selected.Based on the surgical pathology results,38 cases(54 nodules)of regenerative nodules in liver cirrhosis were classified into the benign group,and 48 cases(78 nodules)of SHCC were classi-fied into the malignant group.LI-RADS classification and Mp-MRI parameters[enhancement rate(ER),mean enhancement time(MET),maximum slope of increase(MSI),maximum slope of decrease(MSD),apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC),and fat fraction(FF)]were compared between the two groups,and their diagnostic values were analyzed.Results Based on the LI-RADS classification standard,76 positive and 56 negative nodules were detected among the 132 nodules,including ten false positives and 12 false negatives.The ER,MET,MSI,and ADC were lower in the malignant group than in the benign group,whereas the FF and MSD were higher in the malignant group than in the benign group(P<0.05).The area under the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve for the combined diagnosis of liver cirrhosis regenerative nodules and SHCC using Mp-MRI parameters and the LI-RADS classification standard was 0.946(95%CI:0.892-0.977),with a Youden index of 0.811,sensitivity of 88.46%,and specificity of 92.59%.These results were superior compared to the diagnosis using each Mp-MRI parameter and the LI-RADS classification standard alone.A significant difference in the LI-RADS clas-sification of nodules of different pathological grades was observed in the malignant group(P<0.05).The ER,MET,MSI,and ADC were highest in well-differentiated nodules,followed by moderately differentiated nodules,and were lowest in poorly differentiated nodules.FF and MSD were highest in poorly differentiated nodules,followed by moderately differentiated nodules,and were lowest in well-differen-tiated nodules(P<0.05).Spearman's correlation analysis showed that the LI-RADS classification and Mp-MRI parameters ER,MET,MSI,and ADC were positively correlated with the pathological grade of SHCC,whereas FF and MSD were negatively correlated with the pathological grade of SHCC(P<0.05).Conclusion The combination of Mp-MRI parameters and the LI-RADS classification criteria is reliable for diagnosing regenerative nodules in cirrhosis and SHCC and can provide important reference information for the clinical evalua-tion of SHCC pathological grading.
6.LncRNA-CCRR regulates arrhythmia induced by myocardial infarction by affecting sodium channel ubiquitination via UBA6
Fei-Han SUN ; Dan-Ning LI ; Hua YANG ; Sheng-Jie WANG ; Hui-Shan LUO ; Jian-Jun GUO ; Li-Na XUAN ; Li-Hua SUN
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2024;40(8):1437-1446
Aim To investigate the regulatory mecha-nism of arrhythmia of sodium channel ubiquitination af-ter MI and to study the electrophysiological remodeling mechanism of lncRNA-CCRR after MI for the preven-tion and treatment of arrhythmia after MI.Methods LncRNA-CCRR transgenic mice and C57BL/6 mice injected with lncRNA-CCRR overexpressed adeno-asso-ciated virus were used.Four weeks after infection,the left anterior descending branch of the coronary artery was ligated for 12 h to establish a mouse acute myocar-dial infarction model,and the incidence of arrhythmia was detected by programmed electrical stimulation.Ln-cRNA-CCRR overexpression/knockdown adeno-associ-ated virus and negative control were transfected into neonatal mouse cardiomyocytes(NMCMs),and the model was prepared by hypoxia for 12 h.LncRNA-CCRR expression was detected by FISH,Nav1.5 and UBA6 protein and Nav.1.5 mRNA expression were de-tected by Western blot and real-time quantitative poly-merase chain reaction(qRT-PCR),Nav1.5 and UBA6 expressions were detected by immunofluores-cence,and the relationship between lncRNA-CCRR and UBA6 was detected by RIP.INa current density af-ter CCRR overexpression and knockdown was detected by Whole-cell clamp patch.Results In MI mice,the expression of lncRNA-CCRR decreased,the incidence of arrhythmia increased,the expression of CCRR and Nav1.5 mRNA was down-regulated,the protein ex-pression of Nav1.5 was down-regulated,and the pro-tein expression of UBA6 was up-regulated compared with sham group.Overexpression of CCRR could re-verse the above changes.AAV-CCRR could reverse the down-regulated CCRR and Nav1.5 mRNA levels af-ter hypoxia,and improve the expression of Nav1.5 and UBA6 protein.The direct relationship between ln-cRNA-CCRR and UBA6 was identified by RIP analy-sis.The INa density increased after transfection with AAV-CCRR.The INa density decreased after transfec-tion with AAV-si-CCRR.Conclusions The expres-sion of lncRNA-CCRR decreases after MI,and ln-cRNA-CCRR can improve arrhythmia induced by MI by inhibiting UBA6 to increase the protein expression level of Nav1.5 and the density of INa.
7.Early diagnostic value of serum DCLK1,LTBP2 combined with transvaginal real-time shear wave elastography for cervical cancer
Jun WANG ; Ning XU ; San-Li GUAN ; Min-Xia QIAO ; Li-Na WANG ; Hui ZHANG
Journal of Regional Anatomy and Operative Surgery 2024;33(11):1009-1014
Objective To investigate the early diagnostic value of serum double cortin-like kinase 1(DCLK1),latent transforming growth factor binding protein 2(LTBP2)combined with transvaginal real-time shear wave elastography(SWE)for cervical cancer.Methods A total of 155 patients with cervical lesions treated in our hospital from August 2021 to December 2022 were selected as the research objects.Seventy-five patients with cervical cancer(the cervical cancer group)and 80 patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia(the CIN group)were diagnosed by surgical pathology,another 80 volunteers without cervical related diseases who participated in physical examinations at our hospital during the same period were selected as the control group.All subjects of each groups underwent serum DCLK1 and LTBP2 levels detection and transvaginal SWE examination.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to analyze the diagnostic value of serum DCLK1 and LTBP2 for cervical cancer;the diagnostic value of serum DCLK1 and LTBP2 combined with transvaginal SWE for cervical cancer was analyzed by fourfold table analysis.Results The serum levels of DCLK1 and LTBP2 of patients in the cervical cancer group were obviously higher than those in the CIN group and the control group(P<0.05).Compared with before surgery,the serum levels of DCLK1 and LTBP2 1,3,and 6 months after surgery in cervical cancer patients gradually decreased,and there were statistical differences in pairwise comparisons at each time point(P<0.05).The area under the curve of serum DCLK1 and LTBP2 for diagnosing cervical cancer were 0.868 and 0.754,respectively,with sensitivity of 86.67% and 78.67%,specificity of 81.25% and 60.00%,and optimal cutoff values of 1.49 ng/mL and 19.02 μg/mL.The maximum and average elastic modulus of lesion tissue in the cervical cancer group were obviously higher than those in the CIN group(P<0.05).The positive rates of serum DCLK1,serum LTBP2,and transvaginal SWE in the diagnosis of cervical cance were 86.67%,78.67%,and 82.67%,respectively,which were consistent with the gold standard(Kappa=0.624,0.501,0.673,P<0.001),and the positive rate of the combination of them in the diagnosis of cervical cancer was 97.33%,which was highly consistent with the gold standard(Kappa=0.846,P<0.001).The sensitivity and accuracy of the three combined diagnosis were obviously higher than those of the single indicator diagnosis of serum DCLK1,LTBP2,and transvaginal SWE,the specificity of the three combined diagnosis was obviously higher than that of the single indicator diagnosis of serum DCLK1 and LTBP2,the misdiagnosis rate of the three combined diagnosis was obviously lower than that of the single indicator diagnosis of serum DCLK1 and LTBP2,and the differences were all statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion Serum DCLK1 and LTBP2 combined with transvaginal SWE has high application value in the diagnosis of cervical cancer,which can further improve the sensitivity and accuracy of diagnosis,and reduce the misdiagnosis rate.
8.Effect of sub-anesthetic dose of esketamine on chronic post-surgery pain in patients undergoing radical mastectomy of breast cancer
Ning LI ; Hui ZHANG ; Junhui ZHOU
Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics 2024;29(6):671-679
AIM:To investigate the effect of sub-anesthetic dose of esketamine on chronic post-sur-gery pain(CPSP)in patients undergoing radical mastectomy of breast cancer.METHODS:A total of 120 patients undergoing elective radical mastecto-my of breast cancer in the operating room of our hospital from November 2021 to March 2022 were enrolled,aged 35-64 years old,and with American Society of Anesthesiologists(ASA)classification Ⅰ to Ⅱ.The subjects were allocated into esketamine group(group E)and sufentanil group(group S),with 60 subjects pergroup,according to a random number table method.At the beginning of anesthe-sia induction,patients in group E were given intra-venous injection of esketamine 0.3 mg/kg and suf-entanil 0.2 μg/kg,and during the maintenance of anesthesia,the administration rate of esketamine was 0.25 mg·kg-1·h-1,sevoflurane was continuously inhaled at 1%to 2%,and stopped 30 minutes be-fore the end of the operation,and a patient-con-trolled intravenous analgesia(PCIA)pump was con-nected immediately after the operation,and esket-amine 100 mg+sufentanil 100 μg+tropisetron 10 mg were added to the analgesia pump,supple-mented with medical 0.9%sodium chloride injec-tion to dilute to 100 mL.At the beginning of anes-thesia induction,patients in group O were intrave-nously injected with sufentanil 0.5 μg/kg,and the administration rate of remifentanil during the anes-thesia maintenance period was 0.1-0.3 μg·kg-1·min-1,and stopped 5 minutes before the end of the operation.Sufentanil 150 μg+tropisetron 10 mg was added to the PCIA pump,supplemented with medical 0.9%sodium chloride injection to dilute to 100 mL.The PICA pump parameters in both groups were set to background dose of 2 mL/h,bolus dose was 0.5 mL,and locked time was 15 min.The main outcome was the incidence of CPSP on postopera-tive 3 months,and the patients were followed up at 3 and 6 months postoperatively to record the oc-currence of CPSP.The secondary outcomes were vi-sual analogue scale of pain(VAS),Ramsay sedation scale and the incidence of postoperative adverse events within 48 hours after surgery.Peripheral ve-nous blood was drawn 1 day before operation and 1 day and 3 days after operation,and the concen-trations of serum inflammatory factors including tu-mor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin-6(IL-6)and interleukin-8(IL-8)were measured.RESULTS:There were 2 lost patients in group S and 3 lost pa-tients in group E.At 3 and 6 months after opera-tion,27(46.6%)and 19(32.8%)patients in group S had CPSP,including 18(31.0%)and 13(22.4%)pa-tients with mild pain,respectively.13(22.8%)and 8(14.0%)patients in group E had CPSP,including 8(14.0%)and 5(8.8%)patients with mild pain,re-spectively.The incidence of CPSP in group E was lower than that in group S at 3 and 6 months after operation(P<0.05).The VAS scores and Ramsay se-dation scores of the two groups of patients were similar at different time points after operation with-in48h(P>0.05).The analgesic rescue rate within 2 days after operation,the total number of PCIA pump compressions and the number of effective compressions were not similar between the two groups,and there was no statistical significance(P>0.05).Compared with group S,the incidence of nausea and vomiting in group E was significantly lower within 2 days after operation(P<0.05).The serum levels of TNF-α,IL-6 and IL-8 in the group E were significantly decreased on postoperative 1 and 3 d,compared with group S(P<0.05).CONCLU-SION:Sub-anesthetic dose of esketamine can inhib-it perioperative inflammatory response and lower the incidence of CPSP in patients undergoing breast cancer surgery.
9.Impacts of FABP4 silencing on endoplasmic reticulum stress and insulin resistance in gestational diabetes mellitus rats by regulating PERK/eIF2α/ATF4/CHOP signaling pathway
Zhen LI ; Dongping YU ; Wu LUO ; Ting TAO ; Hui CHEN ; Ning WANG
Chinese Journal of Immunology 2024;40(4):705-713
Objective:To investigate the impacts of fatty acid binding protein 4(FABP4)silencing on endoplasmic reticulum stress(ERS)and insulin resistance(IR)in gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM)rats by regulating protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase(PERK)/eukaryotic initiation factor 2α(eIF2α)/transcription factor 4(ATF4)/C/EBP homologous protein(CHOP)signaling pathway.Methods:GDM rat model was established by intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin(STZ).Rats were injected with FABP4 siRNA plasmid(si-FABP4),negative control plasmid(NC)and PERK activator(CCT020312)via tail vein,and were randomly grouped into Normal group,GDM group,GDM+NC group,GDM+si-FABP4 group and GDM+si-FABP4+CCT020312 group.The levels of FABP4,blood lipids,inflammatory markers and oxidative stress markers in pancreatic tissue were detected,the expres-sions of PERK/eIF2α/ATF4/CHOP signaling pathway-related proteins in pancreatic tissue were detected.HTR-8/SVneo cells were divided into 5 groups:Control group,high glucose(HG)group,HG+NC group,HG+si-FABP4 group,HG+si-FABP4+CCT020312 group.After 24 h,the expressions of FABP4 and PERK/eIF2α/ATF4/CHOP signaling pathway related proteins were detected.Results:Compared with Normal group,the level of FABP4 in the serum and pancreatic tissue of the GDM group were obviously up-regu-lated(P<0.05).FABP4 silencing obviously reduced FBG and IR,decreased the levels of blood lipids,CRP,TNF-α,IL-6 and MDA,and increased the levels of SOD and CAT(P<0.05).Furthermore,FABP4 silencing attenuated pancreatic and placental tissue damages.After CCT020312 up-regulated the phosphorylation levels of PERK and eIF2α and the protein expressions of ATF4 and CHOP,the inhibitory effects of FABP4 silencing on IR,inflammation,oxidative stress,and pancreatic and placental damages in GDM rats were reversed(P<0.05).FABP4 was up-regulated in HTR-8/SVneo cells induced by HG,and silencing FABP4 inhibited the protein ex-pression of the PERK/eIF2α/ATF4/CHOP pathway,while CCT020312 reversed this change(P<0.05).Conclusion:FABP4 silencing improves IR and ERS in GDM rats by inhibiting inflammation and oxidative stress,and the mechanism is related to the inhibition of PERK/eIF2α/ATF4/CHOP signaling pathway.
10.Dobutamine Enhances the Targeted Inhibitory Effect of Quizar-tinib on FLT3-ITD Mutant Acute Myeloid Leukemia
Yu-Ang GAO ; Qian-Yu ZHANG ; Xin LI ; Shen-Yu WANG ; Ji-Hui LI ; Yang XUE ; Chang-Yan LI ; Hong-Mei NING
Journal of Experimental Hematology 2024;32(4):1071-1077
Objective:To observe the inhibitory effect of dobutamine on proliferation of FLT3-ITD mutated acute myeloid leukemia(AML)cells and explore the feasibility of dobutamine as a monotherapy or in combination with quizartinib for the treatment of this type of AML.Methods:FLT3-ITD mutant cell lines MOLM13 and MV4-11 were cultured in vitro and divided into control group,dobutamine treatment group,quizartinib treatment group,and dobutamine combined with quizartinib treatment group.Cell viability,ROS levels,and apoptosis rate were detected by CCK-8,Flow cytometry,respectively,as well as the expression of YAP1 protein by Western blot.Results:Both dobutamine and quizartinib inhibited the proliferation of FLT3-ITD mutant AML cell lines.Compared with the control group,the dobutamine group exhibited a significant increase in ROS levels(P<0.01),an increase in apoptosis rates(P<0.05),and a decrease in YAP1 protein expression(P<0.05).Compared with the dobutamine group,the combination of quizartinib and dobutamine significantly reduced cell viability(P<0.05),increased ROS levels(P<0.01),and decreased YAP1 expression(P<0.05).Conclusion:Dobutamine as a monotherapy can inhibit the proliferation of FLT3-ITD mutated AML cells,inducing apoptosis.Additionally,the combination of quizartinib enhances the targeted inhibitory effect on FLT3-ITD mutated AML.The mechanism may involve the inhibition of YAP1 protein expression in AML cells of this type,leading to an increase in ROS levels and exerting its anti-tumor effects.


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