1.Epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease: Insights from the past two years.
Jian WAN ; Jiaming ZHOU ; Zhuo WANG ; Dan LIU ; Hao ZHANG ; Shengmao XIE ; Kaichun WU
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(7):763-776
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease, is a chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract with unknown etiology. The cause of IBD is widely considered multifactorial, with prevailing hypotheses suggesting that the microbiome and various environmental factors contribute to inappropriate activation of the mucosal immune system in genetically susceptible individuals. Although the incidence of IBD has stabilized in Western countries, it is rapidly increasing in newly industrialized countries, particularly China, making IBD a global disease. Significant changes in multiple biomarkers before IBD diagnosis during the preclinical phase provide opportunities for earlier diagnosis and intervention. Advances in technology have driven the development of telemonitoring tools, such as home-testing kits for fecal calprotectin, serum cytokines, and therapeutic drug concentrations, as well as wearable devices for testing sweat cytokines and heart rate variability. These tools enable real-time disease activity assessment and timely treatment strategy adjustments. A wide range of novel drugs for IBD, including interleukin-23 inhibitors (mirikizumab, risankizumab, and guselkumab) and small-molecule drugs (etrasimod and upadacitinib), have been introduced in the past few years. Despite these advancements, approximately one-third of patients remain primary non-responders to the initial treatment, and half eventually lose response over time. Precision medicine integrating multi-omics data, advanced combination therapy, and complementary approaches, including stem cell transplantation, psychological therapies, neuromodulation, and gut microbiome modulation therapy, may offer solutions to break through the therapeutic ceiling.
Humans
;
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/therapy*
3.Efficacy and safety of empagliflozin in the treatment of glycogen storage disease-associated inflammatory bowel disease.
Dan-Xia LIANG ; Hao-Tian WU ; Jing YANG ; Min YANG
Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics 2025;27(8):929-935
OBJECTIVES:
To investigate the efficacy and safety of empagliflozin in patients with glycogen storage disease (GSD)-associated inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
METHODS:
A cross-sectional study was conducted, enrolling 25 patients with GSD-associated IBD who received empagliflozin treatment. General data, details of empagliflozin use, and adverse events were collected. Clinical symptoms and biochemical parameters before and after empagliflozin therapy were compared.
RESULTS:
Twenty-five patients with GSD-associated IBD were included, with a median age at diagnosis of 0.7 years, and a mean age at initiation of empagliflozin therapy of (11 ± 6) years. The initial dose of empagliflozin was (0.30 ± 0.13) mg/(kg·d), with a maintenance dose of (0.40 ± 0.21) mg/(kg·d), and a treatment duration of (34 ± 6) months. Seventy-eight percent (18/23) of patients' parents reported that empagliflozin therapy reduced the frequency of infections and oral ulcers, and increased neutrophil counts. Clinically, the number of patients with anorexia decreased from 12 to 5 after treatment, and 30% showed improved appetite (P<0.05). The numbers of patients with diarrhea, mucus/bloody stools, perianal disease, and oral ulcers decreased from 19, 9, 11, and 21 before treatment to 7, 1, 0, and 10 after treatment, respectively (P<0.05). Laboratory findings showed that absolute neutrophil counts increased, while platelet counts, lactate, and uric acid levels decreased significantly after empagliflozin treatment (P<0.05). Adverse reactions occurred in 7 patients (28%) during empagliflozin treatment. Two cases occurred in the treatment initiation phase, presenting as hypotension or profuse sweating with dehydration, along with urinary tract infections (UTIs); empagliflozin was discontinued in both cases. During the maintenance phase, 3 cases of UTIs and 2 cases of hypoglycemia (one with profuse sweating) were reported.
CONCLUSIONS
Empagliflozin therapy can increase neutrophil counts, reduce the incidence of infections and oral ulcers, alleviate diarrhea and abdominal pain, improve appetite, and ameliorate platelet count, lactate, and uric acid levels in patients with GSD-associated IBD, demonstrating significant clinical benefit. UTIs, hypoglycemia, hypotension, profuse sweating, and dehydration may be potential adverse reactions associated with empagliflozin therapy.
Humans
;
Benzhydryl Compounds/adverse effects*
;
Male
;
Female
;
Glucosides/adverse effects*
;
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/etiology*
;
Child
;
Child, Preschool
;
Cross-Sectional Studies
;
Adolescent
;
Glycogen Storage Disease/drug therapy*
;
Infant
4.Food-derived bioactive peptides: health benefits, structure‒activity relationships, and translational prospects.
Hongda CHEN ; Jiabei SUN ; Haolie FANG ; Yuanyuan LIN ; Han WU ; Dongqiang LIN ; Zhijian YANG ; Quan ZHOU ; Bingxiang ZHAO ; Tianhua ZHOU ; Jianping WU ; Shanshan LI ; Xiangrui LIU
Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B 2025;26(11):1037-1058
Food-derived bioactive peptides (FBPs), particularly those with ten or fewer amino acid residues and a molecular weight below 1300 Da, have gained increasing attention for their safe, diverse structures and specific biological activities. The development of FBP-based functional foods and potential medications depends on understanding their structure‒activity relationships (SARs), stability, and bioavailability properties. In this review, we provide an in-depth overview of the roles of FBPs in treating various diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, liver diseases, and inflammatory bowel diseases, based on the literature from July 2017 to Mar. 2023. Subsequently, attention is directed toward elucidating the associations between the bioactivities and structural characteristics (e.g., molecular weight and the presence of specific amino acids within sequences and compositions) of FBPs. We also discuss in silico approaches for FBP screening and their limitations. Finally, we summarize recent advancements in formulation techniques to improve the bioavailability of FBPs in the food industry, thereby contributing to healthcare applications.
Humans
;
Peptides/therapeutic use*
;
Structure-Activity Relationship
;
Functional Food
;
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/drug therapy*
;
Biological Availability
;
Alzheimer Disease/drug therapy*
;
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/drug therapy*
;
Hypertension/drug therapy*
;
Liver Diseases/drug therapy*
;
Bioactive Peptides, Dietary
5.Chinese expert consensus on the treatment of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases with Janus kinase inhibitors.
Chinese Journal of Internal Medicine 2025;64(12):1187-1210
In recent years, Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors have been gradually approved for the treatment of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs), including rheumatoid arthritis, axial spondyloarthritis, psoriatic arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, giant cell arteritis, atopic dermatitis, alopecia areata, psoriasis, and inflammatory bowel disease. To standardize the application of JAK inhibitors in IMIDs, the expert group of this consensus has formulated the Chinese expert consensus on the treatment of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases with Janus kinase inhibitors, based on the latest research data, relevant guidelines, domestic and international literature, and clinical practice experience of the experts. This consensus provides a comprehensive introduction to treatment regimens, safety management, and medication use in specific populations, aiming to assist clinicians in making reasonable clinical decisions.
Humans
;
Janus Kinase Inhibitors/therapeutic use*
;
Consensus
;
Inflammation/drug therapy*
;
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/drug therapy*
;
East Asian People
7.Excerpt from the 2022 American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases clinical practice guideline: management of primary sclerosing cholangitis and cholangiocarcinoma.
Chinese Journal of Hepatology 2023;31(1):35-41
What are the new contents of the guideline since 2010?A.Patients with primary and non-primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) are included in these guidelines for the diagnosis and management of cholangiocarcinoma.B.Define "related stricture" as any biliary or hepatic duct stricture accompanied by the signs or symptoms of obstructive cholestasis and/or bacterial cholangitis.C.Patients who have had an inconclusive report from MRI and cholangiopancreatography should be reexamined by high-quality MRI/cholangiopancreatography for diagnostic purposes. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography should be avoided for the diagnosis of PSC.D. Patients with PSC and unknown inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) should undergo diagnostic colonoscopic histological sampling, with follow-up examination every five years until IBD is detected.E. PSC patients with IBD should begin colon cancer monitoring at 15 years of age.F. Individual incidence rates should be interpreted with caution when using the new clinical risk tool for PSC for risk stratification.G. All patients with PSC should be considered for clinical trials; however, if ursodeoxycholic acid (13-23 mg/kg/day) is well tolerated and after 12 months of treatment, alkaline phosphatase (γ- Glutamyltransferase in children) and/or symptoms are significantly improved, it can be considered to continue to be used.H. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with cholangiocytology brushing and fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis should be performed on all patients suspected of having hilar or distal cholangiocarcinoma.I.Patients with PSC and recurrent cholangitis are now included in the new unified network organ sharing policy for the end-stage liver disease model standard.J. Liver transplantation is recommended after neoadjuvant therapy for patients with unresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma with diameter < 3 cm or combined with PSC and no intrahepatic (extrahepatic) metastases.
Child
;
Humans
;
Cholangitis, Sclerosing/diagnosis*
;
Constriction, Pathologic/complications*
;
In Situ Hybridization, Fluorescence
;
Cholangiocarcinoma/therapy*
;
Liver Diseases/complications*
;
Cholestasis
;
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/therapy*
;
Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic/pathology*
;
Bile Duct Neoplasms/therapy*
8.A review of the clinical progress on helminths and their derivative products in autoimmune disease.
Xinyue WU ; Hongyu GAO ; Shuyao DUAN ; Wenbo DING ; Xiaodi YANG
Chinese Journal of Cellular and Molecular Immunology 2023;39(12):1132-1140
Traditional medications used for treating autoimmune diseases often come with a wide range of adverse effects. Current treatments focus mainly on symptom management, resulting in significant health issues and financial burdens for patients. Recently, clinical research has demonstrated the potential of helminths and their derivatives as effective therapies for autoimmune disorders. Helminths, being a near-natural immunomodulator, exhibit milder effects than broad-spectrum immunosuppressants and corticosteroids, thereby presenting a promising alternative for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. However, different helminths' therapeutic efficacy and mechanisms and their derivatives in treating autoimmune diseases may vary. Therefore, we aim to review recent clinical advancements in the use of helminths and their derivatives for treating inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, and autism spectrum disorder, with a view to offering novel clinical treatment approaches.
Animals
;
Humans
;
Autism Spectrum Disorder
;
Autoimmune Diseases/drug therapy*
;
Helminths
;
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases
9.Advances in macrophage-targeting nanoparticles for the diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory bowel disease.
Journal of Zhejiang University. Medical sciences 2023;52(6):785-794
The pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is not fully elucidated. However, it has been considered that inflammatory macrophages may be involved in the imbalance of the intestinal mucosal immunity to regulate several signaling pathways, leading to IBD progression. The ratio of M1 to M2 subtypes of activated macrophages tends to increase in the inflamed intestinal section. There are challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of IBD, such as unsatisfactory specificity of imaging findings, low drug accumulation in the intestinal lesions, unstable therapeutic efficacy, and drug-related systemic toxicity. Recently developed nanoparticles may provide a new approach for the diagnosis and treatment of IBD. Nanoparticles targeted to macrophages can be used as contrast agents to improve the imaging quality or used as a drug delivery vector to increase the therapeutic efficiency of IBD. This article reviews the research progress on macrophage-targeting nanoparticles for the diagnosis and treatment of IBD to provide a reference for further research and clinical application.
Humans
;
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/therapy*
;
Intestines
;
Macrophages/metabolism*
;
Intestinal Mucosa/pathology*
;
Nanoparticles
10.Radix Panacis quinquefolii Extract Ameliorates Inflammatory Bowel Disease through Inhibiting Inflammation.
Xi-Xin WANG ; Hong-Yuan ZOU ; Yong-Na CAO ; Xuan-Ming ZHANG ; Meng SUN ; Peng-Fei TU ; Ke-Chun LIU ; Yun ZHANG
Chinese journal of integrative medicine 2023;29(9):825-831
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the anti-inflammatory activity of Radix Panacis quinguefolii root extract (RPQE) and its therapeutic effects on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).
METHODS:
The 72-hour post-fertilization zebrafish was used to generate the local and systematic inflammation models through tail-amputation and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induction (100 µ g/mL), respectively. The Tg(zlyz:EGFP) zebrafish was induced with 75 µ g/mL 2,4,6-trinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (TNBS) for establishing the IBD model. The tail-amputated, LPS-, and TNBS-induced models were subjected to RPQE (ethanol fraction, 10-20 µ g/mL) administration for 12 and 24 h, respectively. Anti-inflammatory activity of RPQE was evaluated by detecting migration and aggregation of leukocytes and expression of inflammation-related genes. Meanwhile, TNBS-induced fish were immersed in 0.2% (W/V) calcein for 1.5 h and RPQE for 12 h before photographing to analyze the intestinal efflux efficiency (IEE). Moreover, the expression of inflammation-related genes in these fish was detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction.
RESULTS:
Subject to RPQE administration, the migration and aggregation of leukocytes were significantly alleviated in 3 zebrafish models (P<0.01). Herein, RPQE ameliorated TNBS-induced IBD with respect to a significantly reduced number of leukocytes, improved IEE, and inhibited gene expression of pro-inflammatory factors (P<0.05 or P<0.01).
CONCLUSION
RPQE exhibited therapeutic effects on IBD by inhibiting inflammation.
Animals
;
Zebrafish
;
Lipopolysaccharides
;
Disease Models, Animal
;
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/metabolism*
;
Inflammation/drug therapy*
;
Anti-Inflammatory Agents/therapeutic use*
;
Trinitrobenzenesulfonic Acid/adverse effects*
;
Colitis/drug therapy*

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