1.Discovery of a novel thiophene carboxamide analogue as a highly potent and selective sphingomyelin synthase 2 inhibitor for dry eye disease therapy.
Jintong YANG ; Yiteng LU ; Kexin HU ; Xinchen ZHANG ; Wei WANG ; Deyong YE ; Mingguang MO ; Xin XIAO ; Xichen WAN ; Yuqing WU ; Shuxian ZHANG ; He HUANG ; Zhibei QU ; Yimin HU ; Yu CAO ; Jiaxu HONG ; Lu ZHOU
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(1):392-408
Dry eye disease (DED) is a prevalent and intractable ocular disease induced by a variety of causes. Elevated sphingomyelin (SM) levels and pro-inflammatory cytokines were detected on the ocular surface of DED patients, particularly in the meibomian glands. Sphingomyelin synthase 2 (SMS2), one of the proteins involved in SM synthesis, would light a novel way of developing a DED therapy strategy. Herein, we report the design and optimization of a series of novel thiophene carboxamide derivatives to afford 14l with an improved highly potent inhibitory activity on SM synthesis (IC50, SMS2 = 28 nmol/L). Moreover, 14l exhibited a notable protective effect of anti-inflammation and anti-apoptosis on human corneal epithelial cells (HCEC) under TNF-α-hyperosmotic stress conditions in vitro, with an acceptable ocular specific distribution (corneas and meibomian glands) and pharmacokinetics (PK) profiles (t 1/2, cornea = 1.11 h; t 1/2, meibomian glands = 4.32 h) in rats. Furthermore, 14l alleviated the dry eye symptoms including corneal fluorescein staining scores and tear secretion in a dose-dependent manner in mice. Mechanically, 14l reduced the mRNA expression of Tnf-α, Il-1β and Mmp-9 in corneas, as well as the proportion of very long chain SM in meibomian glands. Our findings provide a new strategy for DED therapy based on selective SMS2 inhibitors.
2.Clinical observation of improving pain,shoulder function,and shoulder muscle strength with DING's Tuina combined with Western medication in patients with rotator cuff injury
Heng ZHANG ; AIMAITI YIMIER ; Linhao YANG ; Jingsong XU ; Jiaxu CHEN ; Zhen YAN ; Jue HONG
Journal of Acupuncture and Tuina Science 2025;23(2):170-177
Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of DING's Tuina(Chinese therapeutic massage)plus Western medication in treating rotator cuff injury(RCI)and its impact on pain,shoulder function,and shoulder muscle strength in the patients.Methods:Sixty-two RCI patients were divided into an observation group and a control group using a simple randomization method,each consisting of 31 cases.Both groups of patients were prescribed oral celecoxib capsules.In addition,DING's Tuina treatment was offered to the observation group.After 6 weeks of treatment,the two groups were observed for changes in the Constant-Murley score(CMS)for shoulder joint function,the short-form McGill pain questionnaire(SF-MPQ)score,and peak torque(PT)and peak torque to body mass ratio(PT/BM)at angular velocities 120 °/s and 90 °/s as well as the peak torque ratio(PTR)of agonist muscles to antagonist muscles[including adductors to abductors(ADD/ABD)and flexors to extensors(F/E)].Results:After treatment,both groups presented decreased SF-MPQ scores and increased CMS,and the intra-group differences were statistically significant(P<0.05);the observation group had a lower SF-MPQ score and a higher CMS than the control group,showing statistical significance(P<0.05).After the intervention,the ADD/ABD decreased in the control group at the angular velocity 120 °/s in abduction,and the intra-group change was statistically significant(P<0.05);in the observation group,the PT and PT/BM increased compared to the baseline at angular velocities 120 °/s and 90 °/s in abduction,adduction,forward flexion,and backward extension,showing statistical significance(P<0.05).After treatment,the PT and PT/BM at angular velocities 120 °/s and 90 °/s and ADD/ABD at 120 °/s were higher in the observation group than in the control group,and the between-group differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion:DING's Tuina combined with oral celecoxib capsules can reduce pain,improve the joint's motor function,and enhance the strength of shoulder muscle groups in RCI patients,and this treatment has a positive impact on the stability when performing shoulder joint abduction and adduction.
3.Pathogenesis and treatment strategies for infectious keratitis: Exploring antibiotics, antimicrobial peptides, nanotechnology, and emerging therapies.
Man YU ; Ling LI ; Yijun LIU ; Ting WANG ; Huan LI ; Chen SHI ; Xiaoxin GUO ; Weijia WU ; Chengzi GAN ; Mingze LI ; Jiaxu HONG ; Kai DONG ; Bo GONG
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(9):101250-101250
Infectious keratitis (IK) is a leading cause of blindness worldwide, primarily resulting from improper contact lens use, trauma, and a compromised immune response. The pathogenic microorganisms responsible for IK include bacteria, fungi, viruses, and Acanthamoeba. This review examines standard therapeutic agents for treating IK, including broad-spectrum empiric antibiotics for bacterial keratitis (BK), antifungals such as voriconazole and natamycin for fungal infections, and antiviral nucleoside analogues for viral keratitis (VK). Additionally, this review discusses therapeutic agents, such as polyhexamethylene biguanide (PHMB), for the treatment of Acanthamoeba keratitis (AK). The review also addresses emerging drugs and the challenges associated with their clinical application, including anti-biofilm agents that combat drug resistance and nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) pathway-targeted therapies to mitigate inflammation. Furthermore, methods of Photodynamic Antimicrobial Therapy (PDAT) are explored. This review underscores the importance of integrating novel and traditional therapies to tackle drug resistance and enhance drug delivery, with the goal of advancing treatment strategies for IK.
4.Clinical observation of improving pain,shoulder function,and shoulder muscle strength with DING's Tuina combined with Western medication in patients with rotator cuff injury
Heng ZHANG ; AIMAITI YIMIER ; Linhao YANG ; Jingsong XU ; Jiaxu CHEN ; Zhen YAN ; Jue HONG
Journal of Acupuncture and Tuina Science 2025;23(2):170-177
Objective:To observe the clinical efficacy of DING's Tuina(Chinese therapeutic massage)plus Western medication in treating rotator cuff injury(RCI)and its impact on pain,shoulder function,and shoulder muscle strength in the patients.Methods:Sixty-two RCI patients were divided into an observation group and a control group using a simple randomization method,each consisting of 31 cases.Both groups of patients were prescribed oral celecoxib capsules.In addition,DING's Tuina treatment was offered to the observation group.After 6 weeks of treatment,the two groups were observed for changes in the Constant-Murley score(CMS)for shoulder joint function,the short-form McGill pain questionnaire(SF-MPQ)score,and peak torque(PT)and peak torque to body mass ratio(PT/BM)at angular velocities 120 °/s and 90 °/s as well as the peak torque ratio(PTR)of agonist muscles to antagonist muscles[including adductors to abductors(ADD/ABD)and flexors to extensors(F/E)].Results:After treatment,both groups presented decreased SF-MPQ scores and increased CMS,and the intra-group differences were statistically significant(P<0.05);the observation group had a lower SF-MPQ score and a higher CMS than the control group,showing statistical significance(P<0.05).After the intervention,the ADD/ABD decreased in the control group at the angular velocity 120 °/s in abduction,and the intra-group change was statistically significant(P<0.05);in the observation group,the PT and PT/BM increased compared to the baseline at angular velocities 120 °/s and 90 °/s in abduction,adduction,forward flexion,and backward extension,showing statistical significance(P<0.05).After treatment,the PT and PT/BM at angular velocities 120 °/s and 90 °/s and ADD/ABD at 120 °/s were higher in the observation group than in the control group,and the between-group differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).Conclusion:DING's Tuina combined with oral celecoxib capsules can reduce pain,improve the joint's motor function,and enhance the strength of shoulder muscle groups in RCI patients,and this treatment has a positive impact on the stability when performing shoulder joint abduction and adduction.
5.Application of microfluidic chip in basic and clinical ophthalmic research
Chinese Journal of Experimental Ophthalmology 2024;42(3):285-289
Microfluidic chip or lab-on-a-chip is a multidisciplinary cross-technology. Among them, organ-on-a-chip technology enables precise regulation of cells and microenvironment at micron level.This tecnology is expected to simulate in vivo human physiology and overcome the shortcomings of traditional animal models and cell culture techniques.In ophthalmology, organ-on-a-chip models are primarily focused on creating biomimetic models of the cornea, retina and posterior chamber to study diseases such as dry eye, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy.In addition, continuous monitoring and real-time diagnosis of tear and intraocular fluid biomarkers using microfluidic chips have become a current research hot topic.The microfluidic chips also have a wide range of applications in drug analysis, drug development, and drug screening.This article reviews the recent progress and shortcomings of microfluidic chip in in vitro model construction, point-of-care testing and drug development, and discusses its future development in ophthalmology.
6.A review on using real-world data to study the impact of Enterovirus A71 vaccine on the incidence of hand, foot and mouth disease
Zheng ZHAO ; Jie HONG ; Qing SU ; Jiaqi HUANG ; Xi CHEN ; Jiaxu LE ; Yi HU ; Zhaorui CHANG ; Zhijie ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Epidemiology 2023;44(2):310-316
Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) is a widespread infectious disease mainly affecting children aged five and under. In China, the current epidemic situation of HFMD remains severe, with a persistently high and increasing incidence rate, causing a substantial disease burden. A monovalent vaccine against Enterovirus A71 (EV-A71), the most common cause of severe and fatal HFMD cases, has been available in China since 2016. Although randomized controlled trials established the vaccine's efficacy among research subjects, this may not reflect the impact under "real world" conditions in the general population. Therefore, based on a systematic literature search, this paper comprehensively reviewed and analyzed relevant studies based on real-world data and collected real-world evidence about the EV-A71 vaccine on the controlling HFMD incidence. It was found that the real-world study of the EV-A71 vaccine on HFMD was few; most were limited to a province or city; there is no study comprehensively considered other important influencing factors in addition to immunization, such as temperature, relative humidity, the age structure of the population, gross domestic product, etc. The progress of using real-world data to study the impact of the EV-A71 vaccine on HFMD reviewed in this study is helpful to have a clear and comprehensive understanding of the status quo and will provide guidance and reference for future studies to assess the short-term and long-term effects of EV-A71 vaccine and other vaccines.
7.Focusing on the rational application of 0.1% CsA cationic emulsion in ocular surface inflammatory disorder
Yiteng LU ; Xujiao ZHOU ; Jiaxu HONG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Ophthalmology 2023;41(5):417-420
Ocular surface inflammatory disorder (OSID) is a chronic ocular disease caused by systemic disorders or involving the local immune system.OSID induces persistent inflammatory reaction in the ocular adnexal connective tissues which in turn give rise to tear hypertonicity and ocular surface epithelial damage, leading to dry eye formation or progression.Common immune-related ocular surface diseases include vernal keratoconjunctivitis, Sj?gren syndrome, graft versus host disease, dry eye and immune-related corneal disease, all of which can significantly impact the visual function and quality of life of patients.Current treatments including the use of artificial tears and glucocorticoid eye drops are not always effective and have the risk of adverse events.Cyclosporine A (CsA) is a commonly utilized immunosuppressant that has a strong immunomodulatory effect, but its clinical application is somewhat limited due to the low permeability of its current ophthalmic dosage form.The development of CsA ophthalmic agents has changed the treatment strategy for OSID.The development of 0.1% CsA cationic emulsion has significantly improved the efficacy and safety of topical CsA treatment, which is worth the attention.In order to rationally apply 0.1% CsA cationic emulsion to OSID, ophthalmologists should fully understand the immune-related pathogenesis of each OSID and comprehend the curative effect, indication, application methods and adverse events of topical CsA treatment.
8.Clininal evaluation of a novel China original liquid pulsation system for meibomian gland dysfunction
Zimeng ZHAI ; Hong ZHANG ; Yuqing WU ; Lan GONG ; Jianjiang XU ; Xingtao ZHOU ; Feng ZHOU ; Jiaxu HONG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Ophthalmology 2023;41(5):442-449
Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a China original liquid pulsation system for the treatment of meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD).Methods:A non-randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted.Twenty-two patients (44 eyes) diagnosed with MGD in Eye and ENT Hospital of Fudan University from February to August 2022 were enrolled.The patients were assigned into two groups according to their willingness.Of the 22 patients (44 eyes), 10 patients (20 eyes) in single liquid pulsation system group were treated with single liquid pulsation system for 12 minutes, and 12 patients (24 eyes) in intense pulsed light (IPL) group were treated with a course (4 times) of IPL, warm compresses and meibomian gland massage at three-week intervals.There was no difference in age and other baseline clinical indexes between the two groups (all at P<0.05). The meibum grading, quality grading of tear film lipid layer, Symptom Assessment Questionnaire in Dry Eye (SANDE) questionnaire score, first and average tear breakup time (BUT), corneal fluorescein sodium staining (CFS) score, tear meniscus height (TMH), and the area of meibomian gland loss were determined at baseline, 1 and 3 months after treatment.This study adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki.The study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Eye and ENT Hospital of Fudan University (No.2021069). Written informed consent was obtained from each patient before any medical examination. Results:Statistically significant group effects and time effects were found in the quality of tear film lipid layer ( Hgroup=4.39, P=0.036, Htime=6.30, P=0.043) and average BUT ( Fgroup=4.41, P=0.038; Ftime=4.08, P=0.049) in the two groups.The meibum grading, first BUT and TMH 1 and 3 months after treatment were significantly better than before treatment in single liquid pulsation system group (all at P<0.05). Compared with before treatment, there was no significant improvement in the meibum grading, distribution of tear film lipid, first BUT and TMH at 1 and 3 months after treatment in IPL group (all at P>0.05). In both groups, the SANDE and CFS scores 1 and 3 months after treatment were better than those before treatment, showing statistically significance (all at P<0.05). In terms of safety, neither instrument-related adverse events nor extra complaints of discomfort were reported in the single liquid pulsation system group.In both groups, the number of patients with positive CFS staining significantly decreased, and no new cases with positive CFS appeared after treatment. Conclusions:This China original liquid pulsation system is a safe and effective physical therapy in improving tear film dysfunction and ocular surface symptoms of MGD patients within 3 months after treatment.
9.Effect of FTY-720 on Pulmonary Fibrosis in Mice via the TGF-β1Signaling Pathway and Autophagy
Yuying JIN ; Weidong LIU ; Ge GAO ; Yilan SONG ; Hanye LIU ; Liangchang LI ; Jiaxu ZHOU ; Guanghai YAN ; Hong CUI
Biomolecules & Therapeutics 2023;31(4):434-445
We investigated whether FTY-720 might have an effect on bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis through inhibiting TGF-β1 pathway, and up-regulating autophagy. The pulmonary fibrosis was induced by bleomycin. FTY-720 (1 mg/kg) drug was intraperitoneally injected into mice. Histological changes and inflammatory factors were observed, and EMT and autophagy protein markers were studied by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. The effects of bleomycin on MLE-12 cells were detected by MTT assay and flow cytometry, and the related molecular mechanisms were studied by Western Blot. FTY-720 considerably attenuated bleomycin-induced disorganization of alveolar tissue, extracellular collagen deposition, and α-SMA and E-cadherin levels in mice. The levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, and IL-6 cytokines were attenuated in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, as well as protein content and leukocyte count. COL1A1 and MMP9 protein expressions in lung tissue were significantly reduced. Additionally, FTY-720 treatment effectively inhibited the expressions of key proteins in TGF-β1/TAK1/P38MAPK pathway and regulated autophagy proteins. Similar results were additionally found in cellular assays with mouse alveolar epithelial cells. Our study provides proof for a new mechanism for FTY-720 to suppress pulmonary fibrosis. FTY-720 is also a target for treating pulmonary fibrosis.
10.Research advances in transmission dynamic models on hand, foot, and mouth disease
Jie HONG ; Zheng ZHAO ; Qing SU ; Jiaqi HUANG ; Xi CHEN ; Jiaxu LE ; Xiuliang LIU ; Yi HU ; Daozhou GAO ; Zhijie ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Epidemiology 2022;43(6):966-973
Hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is a common childhood infectious disease caused by various enteroviruses. China has the most significant number of reported cases and deaths of HFMD over the globe. Understanding the epidemic laws of HFMD can provide a scientific basis for designing prevention and control measures. The dynamic transmission models focus on the transmission mechanism of infectious diseases. They can simulate the actual situation to study the epidemic rules of diseases by adding, deleting, and subdividing compartments. More researchers have paid attention to dynamic models because of their high flexibility. To carry out the dynamic model of the HFMD research more effectively, a comprehensive understanding of related research progress in this field is deeply needed. In this paper, based on various researchers' different research purposes of dynamic models, the research progress was classified and summarized, providing meaningful guidance for model construction methods and future research directions and references for dynamic modeling of other models of infectious diseases. It was found that most studies used the SIR dynamic model or its extended model (such as the SEIR model), and few studies contained a complex factor compartment. Some important epidemiological parameters (such as R0) were obtained by studying the HFMD cases in a specific region, simulating different intervention scenarios to evaluate the effect of measures, or revealing the future trend by model prediction. However, there is no dynamic model simultaneously considering age structure, population moving, seasonality and periodicity, and vaccination.

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