1.Aging-related dysregulation of glucose metabolism:crossroads of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases
Huan LIU ; Shaopeng ZENG ; Jun CHEN ; Linqian HE ; Ying YANG ; Jing ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2026;30(6):1527-1538
BACKGROUND:Epidemiological studies indicate that individuals with neurodegenerative diseases exhibit a comparatively lower risk of developing the majority of cancers.Although the precise mechanisms underlying this inverse correlation remain unclear,it is noteworthy that aberrant glucose metabolism,a pathological factor common to both conditions,may significantly contribute to this association.OBJECTIVE:To review the potential relationship between cancers and neurodegenerative diseases in glucose metabolism.METHODS:PubMed was searched for relevant literature using the search terms of"cancer,neurodegenerative diseases,Alzheimer's disease,Parkinson's disease,metabolic reprogramming,glucose metabolism,aerobic glycolysis,neuroprotection,aging,"and 136 articles were finally included for analysis.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Cancer and neurodegenerative diseases exhibit a profound pathological correlation at the level of glucose metabolism imbalance associated with aging.Cancer cells promote uncontrolled proliferation,invasion,and metastasis through the persistent activation of aerobic glycolysis,whereas neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by a reduction in aerobic glycolysis.Restoring aerobic glycolysis may confer neuroprotective effects and delay disease progression.The key nodes of glucose metabolism demonstrate a bidirectional regulatory pattern:metabolic regulators,which are significantly upregulated or aberrantly activated in cancer,are inhibited or functionally inactivated in neurodegenerative diseases.Mitochondria play a crucial role in mediating the aging process through the regulation of reactive oxygen species homeostasis and mitochondrial autophagy.They establish regulatory networks that connect cancer and neurodegenerative diseases,and maintaining their functional homeostasis is of paramount importance for disease prevention and treatment.
2.Aging-related dysregulation of glucose metabolism:crossroads of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases
Huan LIU ; Shaopeng ZENG ; Jun CHEN ; Linqian HE ; Ying YANG ; Jing ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2026;30(6):1527-1538
BACKGROUND:Epidemiological studies indicate that individuals with neurodegenerative diseases exhibit a comparatively lower risk of developing the majority of cancers.Although the precise mechanisms underlying this inverse correlation remain unclear,it is noteworthy that aberrant glucose metabolism,a pathological factor common to both conditions,may significantly contribute to this association.OBJECTIVE:To review the potential relationship between cancers and neurodegenerative diseases in glucose metabolism.METHODS:PubMed was searched for relevant literature using the search terms of"cancer,neurodegenerative diseases,Alzheimer's disease,Parkinson's disease,metabolic reprogramming,glucose metabolism,aerobic glycolysis,neuroprotection,aging,"and 136 articles were finally included for analysis.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Cancer and neurodegenerative diseases exhibit a profound pathological correlation at the level of glucose metabolism imbalance associated with aging.Cancer cells promote uncontrolled proliferation,invasion,and metastasis through the persistent activation of aerobic glycolysis,whereas neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by a reduction in aerobic glycolysis.Restoring aerobic glycolysis may confer neuroprotective effects and delay disease progression.The key nodes of glucose metabolism demonstrate a bidirectional regulatory pattern:metabolic regulators,which are significantly upregulated or aberrantly activated in cancer,are inhibited or functionally inactivated in neurodegenerative diseases.Mitochondria play a crucial role in mediating the aging process through the regulation of reactive oxygen species homeostasis and mitochondrial autophagy.They establish regulatory networks that connect cancer and neurodegenerative diseases,and maintaining their functional homeostasis is of paramount importance for disease prevention and treatment.
3.Dual Targeting of TBK1 and JAK-STAT1 Pathways by (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate Suppresses Type I Interferon-driven Inflammation
Liang LI ; Qi-Huan SHENG ; Huan LIU ; Wen-Hao YANG ; Jia-Lin SHI ; Ying-Jie SUN ; Rui JING ; Wei-Hua MAI ; Zhi-Min LI ; Xiao-Li XIE
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(7):1969-1983
ObjectiveType I interferon (IFN-I) signaling is essential for antiviral innate immunity, yet its sustained or excessive activation contributes to the pathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases and interferonopathies, such as systemic lupus erythematosus and Aicardi-Goutières syndrome. Current strategies targeting this pathway, exemplified by JAK inhibitors, act mainly on downstream signal transduction and provide limited direct control over upstream IFN-I production, while also carrying the risk of broad immunosuppression. Phyllanthus emblica L. has long been used in traditional medicine for inflammatory disorders, but the bioactive constituent responsible for its regulation of IFN-I signaling and the underlying molecular mechanism have not been clearly defined. This study aimed to identify the active anti-inflammatory component of P. emblica and to characterize its mechanism of action on the IFN-I pathway in macrophages. MethodsActive components ofP. emblica and their candidate targets were screened by network pharmacology using the TCMSP and DrugBank databases (oral bioavailability≥30%, drug-likeness≥0.18) and intersected with inflammation-related genes retrieved from public databases. The predicted interaction between EGCG and IFN-I pathway proteins (TBK1, IRF3, STAT1) was evaluated by molecular docking, with BX795 and GSK8612 used as reference TBK1 inhibitors. Mechanistic experiments were performed in THP-1-derived macrophages and primary bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM). Upstream signaling was activated by transfection of the nucleic acid analogs poly(I∶C) and poly(dA∶dT) or by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation, whereas downstream signaling was activated by exogenous IFN-β. An siRNA-mediated TREX1 knockdown model was used to mimic endogenous nucleic acid-driven interferonopathy. Expression of IFN-β1 and interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) was measured by RT-qPCR, protein phosphorylation by Western blot, and IFN-β secretion by ELISA. Cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) and drug affinity responsive target stability (DARTS) were used to probe the interactionbetween EGCG and IRF3. ResultsNetwork pharmacology identified (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) as a candidate IFN-I-suppressive constituent of P. emblica, with predicted binding to TBK1, IRF3, and STAT1. Molecular docking yielded binding energies of -9.2, -7.2, and -8.2 kcal/mol for TBK1, IRF3, and STAT1, respectively, indicating an affinity for TBK1 comparable to that of the reference inhibitors BX795 (-5.7 kcal/mol) and GSK8612 (-6.4 kcal/mol). EGCG suppressed IFN-β1 and ISG mRNA expression under poly (I∶C), poly (dA∶dT), and LPS stimulation in both THP-1 macrophages and BMDM. At the protein level, EGCG reduced the phosphorylation of TBK1 and IRF3 without affecting the levels of the upstream sensors cGAS and RIG-I, and lowered IFN-β secretion in a concentration-dependent manner. CETSA and DARTS showed that EGCG did not enhance the thermal stability or protease resistance of IRF3, indicating that its effect on IRF3 is indirect. Following IFN-β stimulation, prolonged EGCG treatment reduced STAT1 phosphorylation in a time-dependent manner without an apparent change in IRF9, and partially attenuated ISG transcription; this effect was not monotonicly concentration-dependent, and CXCL10 showed the most consistent suppression. In TREX1-knockdown cells, the elevated mRNA levels of ISG15, ISG56, and CXCL10 were reduced by EGCG. ConclusionEGCG suppresses IFN-I responses by concurrently inhibiting TBK1-IRF3-dependent IFN‑β production and JAK-STAT1-mediated downstream transcription. These in vitro findings provide a mechanistic basis for the anti-inflammatory use of P. emblica in traditional medicine and identify EGCG as a candidate for further evaluation in interferon-driven autoimmune disease models.
4.Bioinformatics analysis and purification of Treponema pallidum OmpH protein and preparation of polyclonal antibody
Xian WU ; Jing JIANG ; Xuefeng WANG ; Ming WANG ; Huan YANG ; Shuguang HE ; Youde CAO
Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;59(7):1013-1021
Objective:To analyze and predict the biological properties and function of Treponema pallidum OmpH protein by bioinformatics methods, purify the target protein, and prepare polyclonal antibodies. Methods:From January 2024 to February 2025, the research team from the Department of Clinical Laboratory at The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Traditional Chinese Medical College (Hunan Province Directly Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital) conducted a study employing integrative approaches combining bioinformatics analysis with animal experimentation. During this investigation, the coding sequence of the T. pallidum outer membrane protein H (TpOmpH) was systematically retrieved from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database. And the bioinformatics tools, such as Protparam, Protscale,SignalP 6.0,NetNGlyc-1.0,TMHMM2.0,NetPhos-3.1,SOPMA,AlphaFold3,IEDB,STRING,C-immsim were used to analyze and predict the biological and immunological characteristics of TpOmpH protein. The full length of TpOmpH gene was synthesized and was cloned into the pET28a to construct the recombinant plasmid pET28a-TpOmpH. The the expression of target protein was induced by IPTG and was purified using affinity chromatography. The TpOmpH protein was used to immunize mice and the anti-serum was harvested, then the titer of antibody was detected. Results:TpOmpH is a hydrophobic outer membrane protein with a molecular weight of 19.7 kDa and strong stability. The TpOmpH protein is located outside the cell membrane and contains 11 serine, 4 threonine, and 1 tyrosine phosphorylation site, but no glycosylation sites. The 77.91% of the amino acids in TpOmpH protein are alpha helix, 8.72% are extended strand, 10.47% are random coils, and 2.91% are beta turns. The tertiary structure predicted by AlphaFold3 is in its optimal state. The TpOmpH protein has 4 CTL epitopes, 4 linear epitopes, and 5 spatial epitopes. The TpOmpH protein can interact with Tp92,MutS,SurA,TPANIC_0600 and other proteins which may be involved in Tp invasion. TpOmpH protein can induce an increase in B cell count, antibody content, Th cell count, NK cell count, as well as the expression of various cytokines. High purity TpOmpH protein was obtained through Ni 2+ affinity chromatography, which is consistent with the theoretical molecular weight. TpOmpH protein can induce mice to secrete polyclonal antibodies with antibody titers higher than 1∶10 000. Conclusion:TpOmpH protein is a hydrophobic protein located on the outer membrane of Tp, can induce mice to secrete high titer antibodies, which providing experimental basis for the pathogenesis of Tp and vaccine development.
5.Isolation and identification of one strain of Pseudomonas fulva and phylogenetic analysis
Jing LUO ; Kejiao MA ; Fan YANG ; Ting XIE ; Huan WANG ; Tingting HE ; Zhe YIN ; Boan LI
Chinese Journal of Nosocomiology 2025;35(14):2086-2090
OBJECTIVE To analyze a strain of multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas fulva by whole genome sequencing,investigate the genomic characteristics and analyze the significance in phyletic evolution.METHODS A strain of P.fulva,NY4814,was isolated from the Chinese PLA General Hospital in 2014.The genome sequence data of the strain were obtained after the purification,preservation and whole genome sequencing.The specie of the strain was identified by comparing with average nucleotide identity(ANI);the minimum inhibitory concentra-tions(MIC)of the strains were determined by VITEK2 system.All of the data regarding to the genomic se-quences of P.fulva were downloaded from RefSeq database of National Center of Biotechnology Information(NCBI)to construct the phylogenetic tree.RESULTS The P.fulva NY4814 was resistant to carbapenems and quinolones.The chromosome carried a newly discovered Tn7675 unit transposon,which mediated resistance to aminoglycosides and chloramphenicol.Simultaneously,the plasmid pNY4814-IMP drove the wide dissemination of the blaIMP resistance gene across Pseudomonas species via a highly conserved conjugative and transfer mechanism,and the Tn6485i unit transposon carried by the chromosome mediated the resistance to β-lactams.CONCLUSIONS As one of the potential carriers for the transmission of carbapenems resistance genes and other types of drug re-sistance genes,the P.fulva leads to the infection as a seldom opportunistic pathogen.The genetic structure of NY4814 and its association with genetic evolution of the species are observed in the study,which intensify the un-derstanding of the species and provide theoretical bases for prevention and monitoring of bacterial infections.
6.Design and application of new multifunctional moxibustion device
Run-nan YANG ; Ying-jing HUAN ; Zhen-yang LI ; Ji ZHENG ; Yan-jun YANG
Chinese Medical Equipment Journal 2025;46(9):118-120
Objective To design a multifunctional moxibustion device in order to prevent moxibustion treatment from pollution and skin burns and to enhance its comfort and safety.Methods The new multifunctional moxibustion device was mainly composed of a master controller,a smoke exhaust mechanism and a moxibustion oil collection mechanism.The master controller consisted of control buttons,a type LX400 lifting motor,a lifting rod,a rotating arm,a smoke exhaust pipe and a type 8025 external exhaust fan.The smoke exhaust mechanism consisted of smoke exhaust holes and a cover.The moxibustion oil collection mechanism comprised a cover of the smoke exhaust mechanism,a fixation unit and a holding tank,which had its cover made of stainless steel with baking varnish treatment.Fifty outpatients from the department of rehabilitation and physical therapy of some hospital in the past 1 year were selected and divided into a control group and an experimental group using the randomized grouping method,with 25 patients in each group.The control group was treated with the conventional moxibustion apparatus,and the experimental group was treated with the device developed.The two groups were compared in terms of patient comfort and complications.Results The two groups had significant differences in patient comfort and complications,of which,the control group had all the patients with degrees of syptoms including dizziness,coughing and sneezing and 21 ones feeling uncomfortable,and the experimental group had most of the patients with no adverse reactions and only 2 ones feeling uncomfortable(P<0.05).Conclusion The new multifunctional moxibustion device developed gains advantages in safety and practicability,which enhances patient comfort and prevents complications and thus is of great practical value.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(9):118-120]
7.Colorimetric Sensor for Sensitive Detection of Glutathione Based on Metal-Organic Framework Nanosheets
Yan WU ; Jing-Lei RAN ; Fang LIU ; Huan ZHONG ; Jin-Yang CHEN
Chinese Journal of Analytical Chemistry 2025;53(6):924-933,中插6-中插15
Glutathione(GSH)is a tripeptide containing sulfhydryl groups,which has the function of antioxidant,detoxifying,and immune enhancing effects,and its expression is closely associated with many diseases such as cancer,etc.Therefore,it is of great significance for clinical diagnosis by developing a highly sensitive,simple,and rapid method for detecting GSH.Herein,two-dimensional(2D)Zn-TCPP(Fe)nanosheets employing Zn2+and Fe-bound tetrakis(4-carboxyphenyl)porphyrin ligands were obtained by a surfactant-assisted synthetic method.The 2D Zn-TCPP(Fe)nanosheets exhibited excellent peroxidase-like activity,which allowed the catalysis of the H2O2-initiated oxidation of colorless 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine(TMB)to blue oxidized TMB(ox-TMB).In the presence of GSH,GSH underwent a reduction reaction with oxTMB,resulting in the blue color of the solution fading.The proposed colorimetric sensor exhibited favorable sensitivity for GSH in the linear range of 0.1-200 μmol/L with a limit of detection(S/N=3)of 0.042 μmol/L,indicating excellent selectivity.The developed sensor was successfully applied to detect GSH level in the human serum samples with recoveries of 93.0%-107.7%,showing satisfactory results.The developed colorimetric sensor provided a new approach for detecting GSH.
8.Analysis on the current situation of clinical trials registration of Chinese materia medica in China
Jing HUANG ; Bin FENG ; Shuibing LIU ; Hongxu YANG ; Huan ZHANG ; Lifei CHENG ; Yihuan LIU ; Weigang WANG ; Jia JU
International Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;47(10):1454-1460
Objective:To analyze the current status of clinical trials of Chinese materia medica for the purpose of registration in China; To provide reference for the research and development of new TCM drugs.Methods:Clinical trials of Chinese materia medica/natural medicine registered in Drug Clinical Trial Registration and Information Disclosure Platform were retrieved from inception to December 31, 2024. Excel 2019 software was used to input and analyze the data such as the number of registered clinical trials, date of first publication, study status, field of indication, trial phases, sponsors, group leader, and design types.Results:A total of 1 137 Chinese materia medica clinical trials had been registered, accounting for 4.12% of the total number registered on the platform. Phase Ⅱ clinical trials accounted for the highest proportion (58.8%), and 99.7% of clinical trials conducted domestically. The sponsors were predominantly domestically pharmaceutical enterprises. These 1 137 clinical trials of Chinese materia medica clinical trials involved 752 drug categories, 28 dosage forms, and 796 varieties (the same class of drugs had different drug dosage forms), with capsules being the most common. The indications primarily focused on respiratory, digestive, cardio-cerebrovascular, neuropsychiatric, gynecological diseases. The group leader of clinical trials was distributed in 28 provinces, among which the First Teaching Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine as the group leader, undertook the most clinical trials of TCM. 89.9% of the clinical trials adopted the randomized controlled trial design, and only 31.9% of the clinical trials purchased insurance for the subjects.Conclusion:The research and development of new TCM drugs has entered a phase of vigorous development. Further efforts are still needed in establishing systematic guidelines for Chinese materia medica clinical trials, accelerating the internationalization of TCM, exploring innovative dosage forms and indications, and strengthening the protection of participants' rights.
9.Bioinformatics analysis and purification of Treponema pallidum OmpH protein and preparation of polyclonal antibody
Xian WU ; Jing JIANG ; Xuefeng WANG ; Ming WANG ; Huan YANG ; Shuguang HE ; Youde CAO
Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;59(7):1013-1021
Objective:To analyze and predict the biological properties and function of Treponema pallidum OmpH protein by bioinformatics methods, purify the target protein, and prepare polyclonal antibodies. Methods:From January 2024 to February 2025, the research team from the Department of Clinical Laboratory at The First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan Traditional Chinese Medical College (Hunan Province Directly Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medical Hospital) conducted a study employing integrative approaches combining bioinformatics analysis with animal experimentation. During this investigation, the coding sequence of the T. pallidum outer membrane protein H (TpOmpH) was systematically retrieved from the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) database. And the bioinformatics tools, such as Protparam, Protscale,SignalP 6.0,NetNGlyc-1.0,TMHMM2.0,NetPhos-3.1,SOPMA,AlphaFold3,IEDB,STRING,C-immsim were used to analyze and predict the biological and immunological characteristics of TpOmpH protein. The full length of TpOmpH gene was synthesized and was cloned into the pET28a to construct the recombinant plasmid pET28a-TpOmpH. The the expression of target protein was induced by IPTG and was purified using affinity chromatography. The TpOmpH protein was used to immunize mice and the anti-serum was harvested, then the titer of antibody was detected. Results:TpOmpH is a hydrophobic outer membrane protein with a molecular weight of 19.7 kDa and strong stability. The TpOmpH protein is located outside the cell membrane and contains 11 serine, 4 threonine, and 1 tyrosine phosphorylation site, but no glycosylation sites. The 77.91% of the amino acids in TpOmpH protein are alpha helix, 8.72% are extended strand, 10.47% are random coils, and 2.91% are beta turns. The tertiary structure predicted by AlphaFold3 is in its optimal state. The TpOmpH protein has 4 CTL epitopes, 4 linear epitopes, and 5 spatial epitopes. The TpOmpH protein can interact with Tp92,MutS,SurA,TPANIC_0600 and other proteins which may be involved in Tp invasion. TpOmpH protein can induce an increase in B cell count, antibody content, Th cell count, NK cell count, as well as the expression of various cytokines. High purity TpOmpH protein was obtained through Ni 2+ affinity chromatography, which is consistent with the theoretical molecular weight. TpOmpH protein can induce mice to secrete polyclonal antibodies with antibody titers higher than 1∶10 000. Conclusion:TpOmpH protein is a hydrophobic protein located on the outer membrane of Tp, can induce mice to secrete high titer antibodies, which providing experimental basis for the pathogenesis of Tp and vaccine development.
10.Isolation and identification of one strain of Pseudomonas fulva and phylogenetic analysis
Jing LUO ; Kejiao MA ; Fan YANG ; Ting XIE ; Huan WANG ; Tingting HE ; Zhe YIN ; Boan LI
Chinese Journal of Nosocomiology 2025;35(14):2086-2090
OBJECTIVE To analyze a strain of multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas fulva by whole genome sequencing,investigate the genomic characteristics and analyze the significance in phyletic evolution.METHODS A strain of P.fulva,NY4814,was isolated from the Chinese PLA General Hospital in 2014.The genome sequence data of the strain were obtained after the purification,preservation and whole genome sequencing.The specie of the strain was identified by comparing with average nucleotide identity(ANI);the minimum inhibitory concentra-tions(MIC)of the strains were determined by VITEK2 system.All of the data regarding to the genomic se-quences of P.fulva were downloaded from RefSeq database of National Center of Biotechnology Information(NCBI)to construct the phylogenetic tree.RESULTS The P.fulva NY4814 was resistant to carbapenems and quinolones.The chromosome carried a newly discovered Tn7675 unit transposon,which mediated resistance to aminoglycosides and chloramphenicol.Simultaneously,the plasmid pNY4814-IMP drove the wide dissemination of the blaIMP resistance gene across Pseudomonas species via a highly conserved conjugative and transfer mechanism,and the Tn6485i unit transposon carried by the chromosome mediated the resistance to β-lactams.CONCLUSIONS As one of the potential carriers for the transmission of carbapenems resistance genes and other types of drug re-sistance genes,the P.fulva leads to the infection as a seldom opportunistic pathogen.The genetic structure of NY4814 and its association with genetic evolution of the species are observed in the study,which intensify the un-derstanding of the species and provide theoretical bases for prevention and monitoring of bacterial infections.

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