1.Mechanism of pachymic acid in ameliorating renal injury in pregnancy induced hypertension rats by regulating the Sirt1/PGC‑1α pathway
Junjiang ZHU ; Jincheng LIN ; Jiajian WU ; Yi ZENG ; Jun HU ; Min LI ; Hongying LIU ; Jinfen LI
China Pharmacy 2026;37(2):186-191
OBJECTIVE To investigate the mechanism of pachymic acid on renal injury in pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) rats by regulating the silent information regulator transcript 1/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α (Sirt1/PGC-1α) pathway. METHODS Pregnant SD rats were prepared by co-caging and PIH model was induced using N-nitro-L- arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) method. PIH rats were randomly divided into model group, L-pachymic acid (low-dose pachymic acid, 10 mg/kg) group, H-pachymic acid (high-dose pachymic acid, 20 mg/kg) group, and H-pachymic acid+EX527 (20 mg/kg pachymic acid+10 mg/kg EX527) group, with 6 rats in each group. Another 6 normal pregnant rats were selected as blank group. Each group was given relevant medicine or solvent intragastrically or intraperitoneally daily, once a day, for 28 consecutive days. After the last administration, 24 h urinary protein and tail artery systolic blood pressure (SBP) were measured in pregnant rats from each group, along with the levels of serum creatinine (Scr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN),uric acid (UA), and cystatin C (Cys-C). The contents of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and 8-hydroxy-2′-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) in renal tissue, as well as the mRNA and protein expression levels of Sirt1 and PGC-1α, were also determined. Meanwhile, renal histopathological changes in rats from each group were evaluated using hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining. RESULTS Compared with model group, L-pachymic acid group and H-pachymic acid group exhibited significant decreases in 24 h urine protein quantification, tail artery SBP, Scr, BUN, UA, Cys-C levels, glomerulosclerosis index score of renal tissue, renal tubular injury score, the percentage of PAS positive area, MDA and 8-OHdG (P<0.05). Conversely, the contents of SOD and GSH-Px, along with the mRNA and protein expression levels of Sirt1 and PGC-1α, were significantly increased (P<0.05). Moreover, these improvements were more pronounced in H-pachymic acid group (P<0.05). Compared with H-pachymic acid group, the aforementioned indicators in pregnant rats from the H-pachymic acid+EX527 group showed significant reversal (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Pachymic acid significantly ameliorates renal injury induced by PIH in rats, potentially through activation of the Sirt1/PGC-1α pathway.
2.Natural products for the treatment of age-related macular degeneration: New insights focusing on mitochondrial quality control and cGAS/STING pathway.
Xuelu XIE ; Shan LIAN ; Wenyong YANG ; Sheng HE ; Jingqiu HE ; Yuke WANG ; Yan ZENG ; Fang LU ; Jingwen JIANG
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(5):101145-101145
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a disease that affects the vision of elderly individuals worldwide. Although current therapeutics have shown effectiveness against AMD, some patients may remain unresponsive and continue to experience disease progression. Therefore, in-depth knowledge of the mechanism underlying AMD pathogenesis is urgently required to identify potential drug targets for AMD treatment. Recently, studies have suggested that dysfunction of mitochondria can lead to the aggregation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and activation of the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase (cGAS)/stimulator of interferon genes (STING) innate immunity pathways, ultimately resulting in sterile inflammation and cell death in various cells, such as cardiomyocytes and macrophages. Therefore, combining strategies targeting mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammatory mediators may hold great potential in facilitating AMD management. Notably, emerging evidence indicates that natural products targeting mitochondrial quality control (MQC) and the cGAS/STING innate immunity pathways exhibit promise in treating AMD. Here, we summarize phytochemicals that could directly or indirectly influence the MQC and the cGAS/STING innate immunity pathways, as well as their interconnected mediators, which have the potential to mitigate oxidative stress and suppress excessive inflammatory responses, thereby hoping to offer new insights into therapeutic interventions for AMD treatment.
3.Effect of NK cells on proliferation of colorectal cancer cells
Subing LIU ; Ziyu YE ; Yanfang LIANG ; Jincheng ZENG
Chongqing Medicine 2025;54(1):18-23
Objective To investigate the effect of NK cells on the proliferation of four kinds of colorec-tal cancer(CRC)lines,and to explore the feasibility of adoptive NK cell immunotherapy in the treatment of CRC so as to provide an experimental basis for the diagnosis and treatment of CRC.Methods Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated by the Ficoll density gradient centrifuge method,which were in vitro in-duced to activate as the NK cells and amplified.The CCK-8 method was used to detect the effect of NK cells on the proliferation of CRC cell lines RKO,HCT15,HCT116 and LoVo.The inhibition rate of NK cells on CRC cell lines was statistically analyzed and compared.Results The inhibitory rate of NK cells against the same target cells was significantly different at different effect target ratios(P<0.05).Under different num-ber of target cells(5 × 103 vs.1 × 104),the inhibitory rate of NK cells against RKO(effect-target ratio 0.4∶1),HCT15(effect-target ratio 0.4∶1 and 0.2∶1),HCT116(effect-target ratio 3.2∶1,1.6∶1,0.8∶1,0.4∶1 and 0.2∶1)and LoVo(effect-target ratio 1.6∶1,0.8∶1,0.4∶1,0.2∶1 and 0.1∶1)were significantly different(P<0.05),while no statistical differences were found among other groups(P>0.05).The effect-target ratio corresponding to the maximum inhibitory rate of NK cells against four CRC cell lines was 12.8∶1 under different target cell numbers.Conclusion Adoptive NK cell immunotherapy has an impor-tant significance for the early intervention and treatment of CRC,moreover 12.8∶1 may be a safe and effec-tive effect-target ratio.
4.Construction of a predictive model for death in patients with carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii bloodstream infection
Siting YI ; Pingjuan LIU ; Mengmin YE ; Jincheng ZENG
Chongqing Medicine 2025;54(4):884-888
Objective To investigate the risk factors for carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii(CRAB)bloodstream infection in intensive care units(ICU)and construct a nomogram prediction model.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the medical records of patients with CRAB bloodstream(BSI)infection in the ICU ward of the First Afliated Hospital,Sun Yat-sen University from January 1,2018 to December 31,2023.Cox regression analysis was usedo determine the risk factors for death in patients with CRAB bloodstream infection and to construct a nomogram.prediction model.The predictive ability of the no-mogramprediction model was evaluated by drawing calibration curves,receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves,and consistency index(C-index).Results Septic shock(HR=7.770,95%CI:1.852-32.593)was an independent risk factor for mortality in patients with CRAB bloodstream infections,and hospitalisation day>14 d(HR=0.331,95%CI:0.165-0.665)was an independent protective factor for mortality in patients with CRAB bloodstream infections.A nomogram was constructed based on the above factors,with a C-index of 0.725(95%CI:0.652-0.798).The predictive efficacy of patient survival rates at 20 d and 30 d was 0.831(95%CI:0.752-0.910)and 0.826(95%CI:0.715-0.937),respectively.The calibration curve was well fit-ted.Conclusion Septic shock was an independent risk factor for mortality in patients with CRAB bloodstream infections,and hospitalisation days>14 d was an independent protective factor for mortality in patients CRAB BSI infections.The nomogram prediction model constructed accordingly has good predictive value for the sur-vival rate of patients in the intensive care unit who undergo CRAB bloodstream infections.
5.Analysis of clinical study registration characteristics of periodontitis based on ClinicalTrials.gov and ChiCTR databases
Jiacheng DAI ; Cong LI ; Liye QIN ; Guihua YE ; Ziyu YE ; Wanxiang YE ; Jincheng ZENG
Chongqing Medicine 2025;54(7):1597-1603
Objective To extract and summarize the clinical registration information of periodontitis registered in the US ClinicalTrials.gov and Chinese Clinical Trial Registry(ChiCTR),and further analyze the registration characteristics of periodontitis clinical trials.Methods The ClinicalTrials.gov and ChiCTR data-bases were searched and compiled for periodontitis clinical registration information from 2000 to December 26,2024,including registration number,country/region of registration,annual number of registered projects,sample size,study type and design,study phase,and trial progress status.Results As of December 26,2024,a total of 520 242 registered clinical trials were retrieved from the ClinicalTrials.gov registry platform,of which 1 542(0.30%)were related to periodontitis.There were 189(12.26%)studies on periodontitis-related pro-jects in Turkey,while a total of 37(2.4%)projects were initiated by researchers in China,which ranked ninth.The Chinese Clinical Trial Register(ChiCTR)had 92 954 registered projects,of which 165 were on pe-riodontitis,and most of them were conducted by well-known affiliated hospitals and stomatology hospitals.The number of registrations in the ClinicalTrials.gov database increased year by year and reached a peak in 2022(146 registrations).Trial designs were focused on interventional and observational studies.ClinicalTri-als.gov study phases were focused on phases 2 and 4,while ChiCTR was clustered at phase 0(pre-registra-tion).Conclusion The number of clinical registrations for periodontitis in China's database is relatively low,and despite a steady upward trend,there is still a gap compared with other countries internationally.Future re-search should focus on how to encourage more oral health related research institutions to register on the plat-form and how to increase the sample size.
6.Autophagy regulation and therapeutic potential of mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes in diabetic nephropathy
Chongqing Medicine 2024;53(9):1281-1288
Diabetic nephropathy (DN) is one of the complications of diabetes mellitus,which is accom-panied by severe microvascular lesions.and is also the most common inducing factor of end-stage chronic kid-ney disease.The traditional treatment of DN cannot fundamentally cure diabetes and its complications,and new treatment methods need to be explored urgently.At present,the diagnosis and treatment strategy of using mesenchymal stem cells-derived exosomes (MSCs-exo) has become a research hotspot in the early diagnosis and clinical treatment of DN.A number of studies have confirmed that MSCs-exo has high efficacy and safety in the treatment of DN,and MSCs-exo plays a renoprotective role in diabetic nephropathy models by transfer-ring its own contents to the damaged tissue.This article focuses on the research progress and therapeutic po-tential of mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes in regulating autophagy in diabetic nephropathy,in order to provide new ideas and methods for the treatment of DN.
7.Progress in the application of image enhanced endoscopy in the detection of colorectal lesions
Yali DING ; Rishou CHEN ; Jincheng ZENG
The Journal of Practical Medicine 2024;40(21):3006-3012
Image-enhanced endoscopy(IEE)is an advanced endoscopic imaging technique utilized to enhance the visualization of mucosal surface patterns and microvascular system features of gastrointestinal lesions,playing a pivotal role in real-time diagnosis.Real-time optical diagnosis can be achieved through various tools and techniques,including narrow band imaging(NBI),Pentax endoscopy(i-SCAN),flexible spectral imaging color enhancement(FICE),blue laser imaging(BLI),and linked-color imaging(LCI).This article provides a comprehensive review on the application progress of IEE in detecting colorectal lesions,aiming to establish a novel theoretical foundation for clinical detection of such lesions.
8.Multi-omics analysis of adamantinomatous craniopharyngiomas reveals distinct molecular subgroups with prognostic and treatment response significance
Xianlong WANG ; Chuan ZHAO ; Jincheng LIN ; Hongxing LIU ; Qiuhong ZENG ; Huadong CHEN ; Ye WANG ; Dapeng XU ; Wen CHEN ; Moping XU ; En ZHANG ; Da LIN ; Zhixiong LIN
Chinese Medical Journal 2024;137(7):859-870
Background::Adamantinomatous craniopharyngioma (ACP) is the commonest pediatric sellar tumor. No effective drug is available and interpatient heterogeneity is prominent. This study aimed to identify distinct molecular subgroups of ACP based on the multi-omics profiles, imaging findings, and histological features, in order to predict the response to anti-inflammatory treatment and immunotherapies.Methods::Totally 142 Chinese cases diagnosed with craniopharyngiomas were profiled, including 119 ACPs and 23 papillary craniopharyngiomas. Whole-exome sequencing (151 tumors, including recurrent ones), RNA sequencing (84 tumors), and DNA methylome profiling (95 tumors) were performed. Consensus clustering and non-negative matrix factorization were used for subgrouping, and Cox regression were utilized for prognostic evaluation, respectively.Results::Three distinct molecular subgroups were identified: WNT, ImA, and ImB. The WNT subgroup showed higher Wnt/β-catenin pathway activity, with a greater number of epithelial cells and more predominantly solid tumors. The ImA and ImB subgroups had activated inflammatory and interferon response pathways, with enhanced immune cell infiltration and more predominantly cystic tumors. Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MEK/MAPK) signaling was activated only in ImA samples, while IL-6 and epithelial-mesenchymal transition biomarkers were highly expressed in the ImB group, mostly consisting of children. The degree of astrogliosis was significantly elevated in the ImA group, with severe finger-like protrusions at the invasive front of the tumor. The molecular subgrouping was an independent prognostic factor, with the WNT group having longer event-free survival than ImB (Cox, P = 0.04). ImA/ImB cases were more likely to respond to immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy than the WNT group ( P <0.01). In the preliminary screening of subtyping markers, CD38 was significantly downregulated in WNT compared with ImA and ImB ( P = 0.01). Conclusions::ACP comprises three molecular subtypes with distinct imaging and histological features. The prognosis of the WNT type is better than that of the ImB group, which is more likely to benefit from the ICB treatment.
9.Traditional Chinese Medicine Intervention in Sepsis Based on TLR4 Signaling Pathway: A Review
Jing YAN ; Sheng XIE ; Laian GE ; Guangyao WANG ; Zhu LIU ; Bingjie HAN ; Yaoxuan ZENG ; Jinchan PENG ; Jincheng QIAN ; Liqun LI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(19):282-291
Sepsis is one of the common severe diseases caused by the dysregulated host response to infection, which seriously threatens the life and health of human beings all over the world. The incidence and mortality of the disease are extremely high, and it has always been an urgent problem to be solved in the field of acute and critical diseases. At present, anti-infection, fluid resuscitation, mechanical ventilation and other programs are most used in clinic to treat sepsis, but their poor prognosis and high cost and other issues remain to be resolved. Therefore, it is necessary to explore a new, efficient, safe and inexpensive drug and treatment model at this stage. The treatment of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is based on syndrome differentiation and holistic concept. It can effectively regulate the progression of sepsis, maintain the homeostasis of the body, and has fewer adverse reactions. It has achieved good clinical results. In recent years, a large number of studies have shown that TCM can reduce the inflammatory response by regulating the Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4) signaling pathway, thereby reducing the severity and mortality of sepsis patients. However, there is still a lack of systematic exposition of TCM regulating TLR4 signaling pathway in the treatment of sepsis. Therefore, this article summarizes the relationship between TLR4 signaling pathway and sepsis and the mechanism of TCM in the disease by searching and consulting relevant literature in recent years. It is found that some Chinese medicine monomers and active ingredients, Chinese medicine compounds and Chinese medicine preparations can effectively reduce systemic inflammatory response, repair organ damage and improve the prognosis of sepsis by inhibiting the activation of TLR4 signaling pathway. However, due to various limitations, some studies have directly focused on the differential expression and function of TLR4, ignoring the downstream molecular expression and phenotypic effects of TLR4. The alternative mechanism, relationship and specific molecular mechanism of the pathway are still unclear. There are problems such as unclear pharmacokinetics and unclear mechanism in the pro- and anti-inflammatory balance, which need to be further studied and explored in order to provide new ideas for the potential treatment and drug development for sepsis.
10.Drug-coated balloons for the treatment of ostial left anterior descending or ostial left circumflex artery lesions: a patient-level propensity score-matched analysis.
Liang PAN ; Wen-Jie LU ; Zhan-Ying HAN ; San-Cong PAN ; Xi WANG ; Ying-Guang SHAN ; Meng PENG ; Xiao-Fei QIN ; Guo-Ju SUN ; Pei-Sheng ZHANG ; Jian-Zeng DONG ; Chun-Guang QIU
Journal of Geriatric Cardiology 2023;20(10):716-727
BACKGROUND:
Controversy exists as to the optimal treatment approach for ostial left anterior descending (LAD) or ostial left circumflex artery (LCx) lesions. Drug-coated balloons (DCB) may overcome some of the limitations of drug-eluting stents (DES). Therefore, we investigated the security and feasibility of the DCB policy in patients with ostial LAD or ostial LCx lesions, and compared it with the conventional DES-only strategy.
METHODS:
We retrospectively enrolled patients with de novo ostial lesions in the LAD or LCx who underwent interventional treatment. They were categorized into two groups based on their treatment approach: the DCB group and the DES group. The treatment strategies in the DCB group involved the use of either DCB-only or hybrid strategies, whereas the DES group utilized crossover or precise stenting techniques. Two-year target lesion revascularization was the primary endpoint, while the rates of major adverse cardiovascular events, cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction, and vessel thrombosis were the secondary endpoints. Using propensity score matching, we assembled a cohort with comparable baseline characteristics. To ensure result analysis reliability, we conducted sensitivity analyses, including interaction, and stratified analyses.
RESULTS:
Among the 397 eligible patients, 6.25% of patients who were planned to undergo DCB underwent DES. A total of 108 patients in each group had comparable propensity scores and were included in the analysis. Two-year target lesion revascularization occurred in 5 patients (4.90%) and 16 patients (16.33%) in the DCB group and the DES group, respectively (odds ratio = 0.264, 95% CI: 0.093-0.752, P = 0.008). Compared with the DES group, the DCB group demonstrated a lower major adverse cardiovascular events rate (7.84% vs. 19.39%, P = 0.017). However, differences with regard to cardiac death, non-periprocedural target vessel myocardial infarction, and definite or probable vessel thrombosis between the groups were non-significant.
CONCLUSIONS
The utilization of the DCB approach signifies an innovative and discretionary strategy for managing isolated ostial lesions in the LAD or LCx. Nevertheless, a future randomized trial investigating the feasibility and safety of DCB compared to the DES-only strategy specifically for de novo ostial lesions in the LAD or LCx is highly warranted.

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