1.Research advances in mitochondrial dysfunction in the pathogenesis of hepatic fibrosis
Yudie HONG ; Jinchen GUO ; Weibing SHI ; Yujie SUN ; Jiamin WANG ; Tiantian GAO
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2026;42(1):190-196
Hepatic fibrosis refers to excessive accumulation and abnormal proliferation of fibrous connective tissue in the liver triggered by multiple pathogenic factors, and it may progress to liver cirrhosis, portal hypertension, and liver cancer. The pathological mechanisms of hepatic fibrosis involve hepatocyte injury, inflammatory cell infiltration with the release of inflammatory mediators, hepatic stellate cell activation, and extracellular matrix deposition. Recent studies have focused on mitochondrial dysfunction in disease progression, including the molecular pathways for hepatic fibrosis driven by metabolic disorders, energy deficiency, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dynamic imbalance, and autophagic dysfunction, all of which can induce liver injury. This article reviews the latest advances in hepatic fibrosis, in order to provide new therapeutic strategies for clinical management.
2.Research progress of red light therapy for dry eye and visual fatigue
Yutong XIE ; Siyu JIA ; Jiamin GAO ; Ruofan LIU ; Meiling LI ; Jiangying LI ; Xi LUO ; Xiaonan LI ; Rong YAN ; Hongbo LI
International Eye Science 2026;26(4):636-640
Dry eye disease(DED)is a common ocular surface disorder worldwide, primarily characterized by a loss of homeostasis of the tear film, and frequently associated with meibomian gland dysfunction(MGD), decreased tear film stability, ocular discomfort, and visual impairment. In recent years, factors such as the widespread use of digital devices,the aging population, and environmental changes have contributed to a significant increase in its global prevalence, making it a major public health concern. Red light therapy(RLT), also known as low-level laser therapy(LLLT)or photobiomodulation(PBM), is a non-invasive treatment that utilizes low-energy red or near-infrared light to irradiate tissues. It exerts photobiomodulatory effects to promote cellular repair and functional recovery. This therapy has demonstrated considerable potential in treating various ocular conditions. Its broader clinical application could improve therapeutic outcomes, alleviate patient discomfort and financial burden, and reduce the consumption of healthcare resources, thereby yielding significant socio-economic benefits. This paper systematically reviews the multifaceted mechanisms and application prospects of RLT in managing DED, including its anti-inflammatory effects, improvement of meibomian gland function, promotion of conjunctival goblet cell repair, and alleviation of visual fatigue, aiming to provide a theoretical foundation and practical reference for its clinical adoption.
3.Houshihei San Repairs Skeletal Muscle Injury After Ischaemic Stroke by Regulating Ferroptosis Pathway
Hu QI ; Dan TIAN ; Xiongwei ZHANG ; Zeyang ZHANG ; Yuanlin GAO ; Yanning JIANG ; Xinran MIN ; Jiamin ZOU ; Jiuseng ZENG ; Nan ZENG ; Ruocong YANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(20):1-11
ObjectiveTo investigate the pharmacodynamic effects of Houshihei San (HSHS) recorded with the effects of treating wind and limb heaviness on muscle tissue injury after middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in rats through the ferroptosis pathway. MethodsThirty SD male rats were selected and randomly grouped as follows: sham, MCAO, deferoxamine mesylate, high-dose HSHS (HSHS-H, 0.54 g·kg-1), and low-dose HSHS (HSHS-L, 0.27 g·kg-1), with 6 rats in each group. A laser scattering system was used to evaluate the stability of the MCAO model, and rats were administrated with corresponding agents by gavage for 7 days. During the administration period, behavioral, imaging and other methods were used to systematically evaluate the skeletal muscle tissue injury after MCAO and the therapeutic effect in each administration group. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was employed to evaluate the cross-section of muscle cells. Subsequently, immunohistochemistry was used to detect tumor suppressor p53 and glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) in the soleus tissue. Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of p53, GPX4, myogenic differentiation 1 (MyoD1), nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), Myostatin, solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11), muscle ring-finger protein-1 (MuRF1), and muscle atrophy F-box protein (MAFbx) to verify the therapeutic effect in each group. ResultsCompared with the MCAO group, HSHS enhanced the locomotor ability and promoted muscle regeneration, which suggested that the pharmacological effects of HSHS were related to the inhibition of muscle tissue ferroptosis to reduce the expression of muscle atrophy factors. Behavioral and imaging results suggested that compared with the MCAO group, HSHS ameliorated neurological impairments in rats on day 7 (P<0.01), enhanced 5-min locomotor distance and postural control (P<0.01), strengthened grasping power and promoted muscle growth (P<0.01), stabilized skeletal muscle length and weight (P<0.01), and increased the cross-section of muscle cells (P<0.01). Compared with the MCAO group, HSHS promoted the increases in glutathione and superoxide dismutase content and inhibited the increase in malondialdehyde content (P<0.05,P<0.01). Ferroptosis pathway-related assays suggested that HSHS reduced the p53-positive cells and increased the GPX4-positive cells (P<0.01). HSHS ameliorated muscle function decline after stroke by promoting the expression of GPX4, Nrf2, SLC7A11, and MyoD1 and inhibiting the expression of p53, Myostatin, MurRF1, and MAFbx to reduce ferroptosis in the muscle (P<0.01). ConclusionHSHS, prepared with reference to the method in the Synopsis of Golden Chamber, can simultaneously reduce the myolysis and increase the protein synthesis in the skeletal muscle tissue after ischemic stroke by regulating the ferroptosis pathway.
4.Correlation between metabolic score for insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease
Jiamin CHEN ; Yueqing HUANG ; Chunhua ZHAO ; Yaqian GAO ; Chenchen SHI ; Xiaoling ZHOU ; Min HUANG
Chinese Journal of General Practitioners 2025;24(9):1128-1135
Objective:To explore the association between the metabolic score for insulin resistance (METS-IR) and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), and to compare the diagnostic ability of METS-IR with the fatty liver index (FLI) and hepatic steatosis index (HSI) for MAFLD.Methods:This cross-sectional study enrolled 551 individuals participating in community health screenings in Suzhou between September and November 2022. Data collected included basic demographics, clinical indicators, and iLivTouch? (FibroTouch FT5000, Wuxi Hisky Medical Technologies, China) transient elastography results. Participants were categorized into non-MAFLD ( n=218) and MAFLD ( n=333) groups based on an ultrasound attenuation parameter (UAP) cutoff of 244 dB/m measured by iLivTouch. Logistic regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) analyses were employed to assess the relationship between METS-IR and MAFLD. The diagnostic value of METS-IR was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. DeLong′s test was used to compare the diagnostic performance of the different indices. Results:Among the 551 participants, the prevalence of MAFLD diagnosed by transient elastography was 60.4% (333/552). Compared to the non-MAFLD group, the MAFLD group had significantly higher levels of BMI, SBP, DBP, HbA1c, FPG, 2hPG, TC, TG, LDL-C, ALT, AST, GGT, SUA, liver stiffness measurement (LSM), METS-IR, FLI, and HSI, while HDL-C levels were lower (all P<0.05). The MAFLD group also had a higher prevalence of males, overweight/obesity, smoking, hypertension, pre-diabetes, dyslipidemia, hyperuricemia, metabolic syndrome, and antihypertensive medication use (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis, after adjusting for gender, age, smoking, alcohol consumption, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, hyperuricemia, ALT, AST, and GGT, demonstrated that METS-IR, FLI, and HSI remained significantly associated with an increased risk of MAFLD ( OR=1.148, 1.042, 1.270, respectively; all P<0.001). The areas under the ROC curve for METS-IR, FLI, and HSI in diagnosing MAFLD were 0.733 (95% CI: 0.691-0.774), 0.727 (95% CI: 0.685-0.770), and 0.677 (95% CI: 0.632-0.722), respectively. The sensitivities were 57.40%, 62.20%, and 48.30%; specificities were 78.00%, 72.90%, and 78.40%; and optimal cutoff values were 38.526, 35.225, and 35.386, respectively. DeLong′s test indicated no significant difference in diagnostic performance between METS-IR and FLI ( P=0.722). However, both METS-IR and FLI demonstrated significantly better diagnostic performance than HSI ( P=0.008 and P=0.018, respectively). Conclusion:METS-IR is significantly associated with MAFLD and effectively identifies MAFLD in community settings. Its diagnostic performance is comparable to FLI and superior to HSI.
5.Prohibitin 2 exacerbates lipopolysaccharide-induced periodontal bone inflammation via the NF-κB signaling pathway
Jingxin Zhao ; Jiamin Hu ; Jike Gao ; Ming Cheng ; Youming Zhu ; Xiaoyu Sun
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2025;60(10):1781-1789
Objective:
To elucidate the molecular mechanism by which prohibitin 2(PHB2) mediates periodontitis-induced bone tissue inflammation through regulating the nuclear factor kappa B(NF-κB) signaling pathway and its role in irreversible alveolar bone resorption.
Methods:
Quantitative real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR) and immunohistochemistry(IHC) were used to detect the expression differences of inflammatory factors and PHB2 in healthy and inflamed alveolar bone tissues of mice in vivo. In vitro, an inflammatory model was established using lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced a mouse calvaria-derived preosteoblastic cell line, subclone E1(MC3T3-E1) cells. Western blot and qRT-PCR were used to clarify the regulatory relationship between PHB2 and inflammatory factors, and immunofluorescence staining was performed to observe changes in PHB2 subcellular localization. PHB2 overexpression plasmids were constructed using molecular cloning, and RNA interference was employed to knock down PHB2 expression to assess its regulatory role in inflammation. Based on RNA-seq data, differential expression analysis based on the negative binomial distribution, version 2(DESeq2) was used for differential expression analysis, and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment along with gene ontology(GO) functional annotation were performed to identify key signaling pathways and differentially expressed genes.
Results:
In the mouse periodontitis model, PHB2 expression was significantly upregulated in alveolar bone tissues. In the in vitro inflammatory cell model, PHB2 levels positively correlated with interleukin(IL)-6, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α) levels, and its subcellular localization shifted during inflammation. RNA-seq data and the detection of the level of phosphorylation of p65 protein(p-p65) demonstrated that PHB2 exacerbated inflammatory responses through the NF-κB signaling pathway and was mechanistically linked to upregulation of the upstream chemokine C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10(CXCL10).
Conclusion
PHB2 aggravates LPS-induced periodontitis inflammation via the NF-κB signaling pathway, providing new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the development of periodontitis.
6.The Source Investigation and Historical Evolution Research of the Tibetan Medicine Ruyizhenbao Formula
Tai ANLA ; Ba ZHA ; Ji DUODE ; Pingping ZHENG ; Jiamin RUAN ; Gao WANDI ; Xiao GUO ; Qien LI
World Science and Technology-Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;27(5):1399-1404
The mother formula of Ruyizhenbao formula was the 25-flavor Zhumu Fang recorded in the Four Medical Codes,which was called Ruyi 25-flavor Zhumu Fang in the 16th century book Tibetan Medicine Ruyi Daquan.Later,in the book Qianwan Sheli,licorice was added to the formula,forming a 26-flavor basic formula of Ruyizhenbao.With the development of Tibetan medicine history,various doctors added and subtracted medicinal flavors to the basic formula.Finally,it was developed by Qinrenorbu into Ruyizhenbao formula composed of 30 herbs,which was published in the Treasure Source of Tibetan Medicine Secrets and was included in the Drug Standard of the Ministry of Health(Tibetan medicine)in 1995,becoming the formula standard of Ruyizhenbao formula.Through systematically sorting out Tibetan medicine literature from past dynasties,the formula name,medicinal taste composition,and changes of Ruyizhenbao formula recorded in different literature was comprehensively analyzed.Through primary literature research,the various claims about the origin of Ruyizhenbao formula published to date have been verified one by one to clarify its past and present,and to clarify its origin.The mother formula of Ruyizhenbao is the 25-flavor mother powder recorded in the Four Medical Codes.The basic formula is the Ruyizhenbao formula composed of 26 herbs in Qianwan Sheli,and the standard formula is the Ruyizhenbao formula composed of 30 herbs in the Treasure Source of Tibetan Medicine Secrets.
7.The Source Investigation and Historical Evolution Research of the Tibetan Medicine Ruyizhenbao Formula
Tai ANLA ; Ba ZHA ; Ji DUODE ; Pingping ZHENG ; Jiamin RUAN ; Gao WANDI ; Xiao GUO ; Qien LI
World Science and Technology-Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;27(5):1399-1404
The mother formula of Ruyizhenbao formula was the 25-flavor Zhumu Fang recorded in the Four Medical Codes,which was called Ruyi 25-flavor Zhumu Fang in the 16th century book Tibetan Medicine Ruyi Daquan.Later,in the book Qianwan Sheli,licorice was added to the formula,forming a 26-flavor basic formula of Ruyizhenbao.With the development of Tibetan medicine history,various doctors added and subtracted medicinal flavors to the basic formula.Finally,it was developed by Qinrenorbu into Ruyizhenbao formula composed of 30 herbs,which was published in the Treasure Source of Tibetan Medicine Secrets and was included in the Drug Standard of the Ministry of Health(Tibetan medicine)in 1995,becoming the formula standard of Ruyizhenbao formula.Through systematically sorting out Tibetan medicine literature from past dynasties,the formula name,medicinal taste composition,and changes of Ruyizhenbao formula recorded in different literature was comprehensively analyzed.Through primary literature research,the various claims about the origin of Ruyizhenbao formula published to date have been verified one by one to clarify its past and present,and to clarify its origin.The mother formula of Ruyizhenbao is the 25-flavor mother powder recorded in the Four Medical Codes.The basic formula is the Ruyizhenbao formula composed of 26 herbs in Qianwan Sheli,and the standard formula is the Ruyizhenbao formula composed of 30 herbs in the Treasure Source of Tibetan Medicine Secrets.
8.Correlation between metabolic score for insulin resistance and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease
Jiamin CHEN ; Yueqing HUANG ; Chunhua ZHAO ; Yaqian GAO ; Chenchen SHI ; Xiaoling ZHOU ; Min HUANG
Chinese Journal of General Practitioners 2025;24(9):1128-1135
Objective:To explore the association between the metabolic score for insulin resistance (METS-IR) and metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), and to compare the diagnostic ability of METS-IR with the fatty liver index (FLI) and hepatic steatosis index (HSI) for MAFLD.Methods:This cross-sectional study enrolled 551 individuals participating in community health screenings in Suzhou between September and November 2022. Data collected included basic demographics, clinical indicators, and iLivTouch? (FibroTouch FT5000, Wuxi Hisky Medical Technologies, China) transient elastography results. Participants were categorized into non-MAFLD ( n=218) and MAFLD ( n=333) groups based on an ultrasound attenuation parameter (UAP) cutoff of 244 dB/m measured by iLivTouch. Logistic regression and restricted cubic spline (RCS) analyses were employed to assess the relationship between METS-IR and MAFLD. The diagnostic value of METS-IR was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. DeLong′s test was used to compare the diagnostic performance of the different indices. Results:Among the 551 participants, the prevalence of MAFLD diagnosed by transient elastography was 60.4% (333/552). Compared to the non-MAFLD group, the MAFLD group had significantly higher levels of BMI, SBP, DBP, HbA1c, FPG, 2hPG, TC, TG, LDL-C, ALT, AST, GGT, SUA, liver stiffness measurement (LSM), METS-IR, FLI, and HSI, while HDL-C levels were lower (all P<0.05). The MAFLD group also had a higher prevalence of males, overweight/obesity, smoking, hypertension, pre-diabetes, dyslipidemia, hyperuricemia, metabolic syndrome, and antihypertensive medication use (all P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis, after adjusting for gender, age, smoking, alcohol consumption, hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, hyperuricemia, ALT, AST, and GGT, demonstrated that METS-IR, FLI, and HSI remained significantly associated with an increased risk of MAFLD ( OR=1.148, 1.042, 1.270, respectively; all P<0.001). The areas under the ROC curve for METS-IR, FLI, and HSI in diagnosing MAFLD were 0.733 (95% CI: 0.691-0.774), 0.727 (95% CI: 0.685-0.770), and 0.677 (95% CI: 0.632-0.722), respectively. The sensitivities were 57.40%, 62.20%, and 48.30%; specificities were 78.00%, 72.90%, and 78.40%; and optimal cutoff values were 38.526, 35.225, and 35.386, respectively. DeLong′s test indicated no significant difference in diagnostic performance between METS-IR and FLI ( P=0.722). However, both METS-IR and FLI demonstrated significantly better diagnostic performance than HSI ( P=0.008 and P=0.018, respectively). Conclusion:METS-IR is significantly associated with MAFLD and effectively identifies MAFLD in community settings. Its diagnostic performance is comparable to FLI and superior to HSI.
9.Establishment of intestinal polyp animal model with Apc-Kras-Cre genetic mutation
Weishan TAN ; Shuyun WANG ; Luyun YUAN ; Haoyue WANG ; Kexiang SUN ; Jiamin GAO ; Wanli DENG
Chinese Journal of Comparative Medicine 2024;34(7):60-67,156
Objective To create a mouse model of colorectal polyps with Apc-Kras-Cre gene mutations using the tamoxifen induction method.Methods Mice with Apc-Kras-Cre mutations were divided into four groups and injected intraperitoneally with different concentrations and dosages of tamoxifen for different durations,with group 1 injected with low dosage tamoxifen(5 mg/kg)for 1 day,group 2 injected with low dosage tamoxifen(5 mg/kg)for 3 days,group 3 injected with high dosage tamoxifen(50 mg/kg)for 1 day,group 4 injected with high dosage tamoxifen(50 mg/kg)for 3 days.C57BL/6J mice were used as a healthy control group and survival and changes in body weight were observed.All mice were euthanized 4 weeks post-tamoxifen induction and the colon length and number and size of intestinal polyps were observed.Histological changes in the intestinal tissue and polyps were detected by hematoxylin and eosin staining.Results The survival rate of male mice was higher(P<0.001)and the morbidity rate of male mice was lower compared with female mice(P<0.05).The survival rate differed significantly among the four groups(P<0.01).All groups showed significant changes in body weight compared with the healthy control group(P<0.001).There were also significant differences in weight changes between tamoxifen-induced groups 1 and 2,between groups 2 and 3,and between groups 1 and 4(P<0.001,P<0.01,P<0.05,respectively).There were no significant differences in colon length between any treated group and the healthy control group(P>0.05),but colon length did differ between tamoxifen-induced groups 1 and 3(P<0.05).Polyp size varied in each group of tamoxifen-treated mice,with most polyps occuring at the distal end of the colon,while mice in groups 3 and 4 had more and larger polyps.Histopathological examination showed intestinal polyps with uneven and misaligned glandular and epithelial arrangements,a loosely-packed intestinal mucosal barrier,and irregularly-distributed crypts in tamoxifen-induced mice compared with the healthy control group,while mice in tamoxifen-induced groups 3 and 4 showed signs of inflammation and mice in group 4 showed necrosis of cells in some regions.Conclusions Tamoxifen-induced Apc-Kras-Cre model mice were successfully established,with the group 3 induction method being the most suitable.
10.Exploration of the Thinking of Syndrome Differentiation and Treatment "Treatment According to Disease Tendency" in Traditional Chinese Medicine from the Perspective of Holism and Constant Motion
Junkai WEN ; Shuyun WANG ; Jiamin GAO ; Wanli DENG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;65(18):1854-1859
"Tendency of disease" is an important concept in the theory of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). It was born out of and rooted in the thinking of "conducting by tendency" of ancient Chinese philosophy, meaning that the development and change of humans and nature have their own inevitable laws and dynamic tendencies. Based on the concept of holism and constant motion, the basic definition of "tendency", the origin of the idea, the influence factors and related concepts were analysed, to grasp the overall connection in the dynamic changes in space and time, and to find a scientific and comprehensive objective law of development. The "tendency" was regarded as dynamic forces in the complex system, when yin and yang harmonized, called normal tendency; when fail to keep normal, called disease tendency; the season have sequential tendency, the earth has geographical tendency, people have body tendency, medications have medical tendency, and pulse has pulse tendency. Then the "eight methods of treating tendency" were summed up as observing tendency, evaluating tendency, waiting for tendency, accumulating tendency, favoring tendency, counteracting tendency, preventing tendency, and borrowing tendency, and condenses the methodo-logical thinking of "treatment according to disease tendency", with a view to re-understanding the internal logic of TCM diagnosis and treatment, and providing metaphysical contemplation and exploration for the construction of a new paradigm of TCM syndrome differentiation and treatment.


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