1.The Role of Lysosomal Dysfunction in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: From Pathogenesis to Targeted Therapies
Yue-Yan WU ; Xin CHEN ; Ce-Fan ZHOU ; Jing-Feng TANG ; Rui ZHANG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(3):609-622
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a lethal cancer with high morbidity rates worldwide. It is a major threat to public health in China, due to the combination of known and new risk factors, such as endemic hepatitis B virus (HBV), dietary aflatoxin exposure, and the occurrence of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Although many methods for surveillance and multimodal therapies, such as surgery, local ablation, transarterial therapy, and new systemic agents, have been available, the survival rates of HCC remains poor. They have very limited durable responses, long post-treatment recurrence rates, and high resistance to treatment. This reflects an imperfect picture of the biological cause of the disease and a need for new mechanistic or targeted techniques. A significant characteristic of HCC, in common with other aggressive cancers, is the presence of reprogrammed, hyperactive cell metabolism. Tumor cells hijack metabolic pathways to promote their uncontrolled growth, stress survival, invasion and metastasis. While classical mechanisms such as the Warburg effect, lipid metabolism and glutamine utilization have been understood, the lysosome, which was once viewed as a static “waste disposal unit” to remove old organelles and proteins, is instead a dynamic signaling and metabolic core. The lysosomes incorporate nutrients, energy and stress signals by master regulators such as mTORC1 (activated on its surface) that balance anabolic growth and catabolic recycling to the cellular demands. In HCC, lysosomes are not passive, but are highly active and dysregulated. HCC cells upregulate lysosomes, which scavenge intracellular components via enhanced autophagy and engulf extracellular proteins via macropinocytosis, crucial for survival in the nutrient-poor, hypoxic tumor microenvironment. In addition to metabolism, lysosomes exhibit pro-invasive functions by secreting hydrolases to remodel the extracellular matrix, promote angiogenesis, and suppress stromal immune cells to foster a pro-tumor microenvironment. In a clinical context, lysosomes play an important role in therapeutic resistance: they sequester and inactivate chemotherapeutics via lysosomal sequestration, and enhanced autophagic flux protects the cell from therapy-induced damage, contributing to relapse, as lysosomal dysfunction is a key cause of treatment failure. This makes lysosomes promising yet challenging therapeutic targets in HCC. Recent preclinical and early clinical studies investigate multiple strategies to exploit the susceptibility of lysosomes: lysosome-specific agents, alkalinizing the lysosome lumen or inducing membrane permeabilization and lysosome-dependent cell death; pharmacological inhibition of key lysosomal enzymes or autophagy to impair nutrient recycling and stress adaptation; smart nanotherapeutic agents or antibody-drug conjugates, specifically activated in the acidic lysosomal environment or utilizing lysosomal pathways for efficient intracellular drug release; and combination strategies of lysosome-targeting agents with tyrosine kinase inhibitors or immunotherapy to overcome resistance and achieve synergistic antitumor effects. In summary, our review systematically presents the role of lysosomes in HCC, from metabolic reprogramming and microenvironmental adaptation to therapeutic resistance. By synthesizing the latest mechanistic insights and preclinical advances, this review highlights the indispensable role of lysosomes in the complex HCC biological network, emphasizing that an in-depth understanding of this dynamic organelle holds great promise for developing innovative, targeted therapies, offering new hope for improving the poor prognosis of global HCC patients.
2.Swine TRIM25 inhibits vesicular stomatitis virus replication by activation of type I IFN signaling pathway and binding vRNA
Ying CAO ; Jinxia ZHANG ; Dongwan YOO ; Haowen ZHANG ; Dandan JIANG ; Yue HU ; Xiaoyan CONG ; Juntong LI ; Xiangju WU ; Yijun DU ; Jing QI ; Juan HUANG
Journal of Veterinary Science 2026;27(3):e25-
Objective:
To define the mechanism by which swine TRIM25 restricts vesicular stomatitis virus replication.
Methods:
Porcine 3D4/21 cells with TRIM25 overexpression or knockdown were infected with vesicular stomatitis virus. Viral replication was quantified by immunoblotting, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, and 50% tissue culture infectious dose assays. Type I interferon signaling was assessed by transcript quantification, interferon-beta and interferon-stimulated response element reporter assays, and co-immunoprecipitation.Viral RNA binding was tested by RNA immunoprecipitation.
Results:
TRIM25 overexpression reduced viral RNA and infectious titers, whereas TRIM25 knockdown increased replication (p < 0.01). TRIM25 increased interferon-beta and interferon-stimulated gene expression and enhanced interferon-beta and interferonstimulated response element promoter activity (p < 0.01). Mechanistically, TRIM25 promoted Lys63-linked ubiquitination of RIG-I and increased phosphorylation of TANK-binding kinase 1 and interferon regulatory factor 3. TRIM25 also bound vesicular stomatitis virus genomic RNA, and binding required the C-terminal region.
Conclusions
and Relevance: Porcine TRIM25 restricts vesicular stomatitis virus replication by amplifying type I interferon signaling and directly binding viral RNA.
3.Mechanistic Insights into The Role of LEPROTs and COPI Retrograde Transport in Regulating Golgi Morphology
Jing-Hu GAO ; Lin-Yue ZHAO ; Yu-Lu ZHANG ; Yan-Fang WU ; Bing YAN
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(6):1746-1757
ObjectiveThe Golgi apparatus serves as a central hub in the eukaryotic secretory pathway, responsible for the processing, sorting, and trafficking of proteins and lipids. In mammalian cells, the Golgi typically forms a perinuclear ribbon-like structure composed of laterally connected cisternae stacks.The maintenance of Golgi ribbon structure depends on the balance of membrane flux across multiple intracellular trafficking pathways, yet the specific contributions of distinct trafficking branches to Golgi macroscopic morphology remain elusive. In mammalian cells, the Golgi ribbon is typically organized as a perinuclear, laterally connected structure composed of stacked cisternae, and its integrity is highly dynamic and sensitive to perturbations in membrane trafficking. This study aims to elucidate the role of coat protein complex I (COPI)-mediated retrograde transport in maintaining the Golgi ribbon and to dissect the functional relationship between the transmembrane cargo receptors LEPROT/LEPROTL1 (LEPROTs) and the COPI adaptor GOLPH3. MethodsUsing siRNA interference and gene-deficient cell lines, we selectively perturbed COPI- or adaptor protein complex 1 (AP-1)-mediated trafficking pathways in HeLa cells. To quantitatively evaluate Golgi morphology, we employed a “Golgi Angle”-based measurement to assess its circumferential distribution around the nucleus. The spatial distribution of the Golgi ribbon was quantitatively analyzed using confocal microscopy, while Golgi ultrastructure and vesicle density were examined via transmission electron microscopy. Additionally, the subcellular distribution of COPI components was assessed by immunofluorescence co-localization. ResultsSelective inhibition of COPI retrograde transport significantly induced the circumferential extension of the Golgi ribbon around the nucleus, whereas blocking AP-1-mediated anterograde transport resulted in Golgi compaction, indicating opposing roles. These results suggest that different trafficking branches downstream of ARF1 exert distinct and even antagonistic effects on Golgi morphology. LEPROTs-deficient cells exhibited a Golgi extension phenotype highly consistent with COPI impairment. Furthermore, knockdown of GOLPH3 in a LEPROTs double-knockout background produced a significant additive effect on Golgi extension, suggesting that LEPROTs and GOLPH3 play non-redundant roles in regulating COPI-related trafficking processes. Mechanistically, loss of either LEPROTs or GOLPH3 led to the aberrant accumulation of COPI components at endoplasmic reticulum exit sites, accompanied by a reduction in COPI-like vesicles around the Golgi. This redistribution indicates a defect in COPI recycling between the ER-Golgi interface and the Golgi apparatus. Ultrastructural analysis revealed that Golgi cisternae in defective cells became shorter and thicker while maintaining a stable number of stacks. In parallel, the density of Golgi-associated vesicles was markedly decreased, further supporting an impairment in COPI vesicle formation or budding processes. ConclusionThis study demonstrates that active COPI retrograde transport is a critical factor in restricting the over-connection of the Golgi ribbon and maintaining its compactness. Rather than causing fragmentation, partial disruption of COPI function leads to a distinct morphological outcome characterized by Golgi ribbon extension at the light microscopy level and cisternal remodeling at the ultrastructural level. LEPROTs and GOLPH3 cooperatively promote the recycling and vesiculation of COPI components, thereby imposing a structural constraint on the Golgi periphery. Our findings support a model in which multiple adaptor proteins act in parallel to sustain efficient COPI cycling, thereby maintaining Golgi structural homeostasis. These findings provide new cell biological evidence for the membrane trafficking basis of Golgi morphological homeostasis.
4.Study on anti-atherosclerosis mechanism of blood components of Guanxin Qiwei tablets based on HPLC-Q-Exactive-MS/MS and network pharmacology
Yuan-hong LIAO ; Jing-kun LU ; Yan NIU ; Jun LI ; Ren BU ; Peng-peng ZHANG ; Yue KANG ; Yue-wu WANG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2025;60(2):449-458
The analysis presented here is based on the blood components of Guanxin Qiwei tablets, the key anti-atherosclerosis pathway of Guanxin Qiwei tablets was screened by network pharmacology, and the anti-atherosclerosis mechanism of Guanxin Qiwei tablets was clarified and verified by cell experiments. HPLC-Q-Exactive-MS/MS technique was used to analyze the components of Guanxin Qiwei tablets into blood, to determine the precise mass charge ratio of the compounds, and to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the components by using secondary mass spectrometry fragments and literature comparison. Finally, a total of 42 components of Guanxin Qiwei tablets into blood were identified. To better understand the interactions, we employed the Swiss Target Prediction database to predict the associated targets. Atherosclerosis (AS) disease targets were searched in disease databases Genecard, OMIM and Disgent, and 181 intersection targets of disease targets and component targets were obtained by Venny 2.1.0 software. Protein interactions were analyzed by String database. The 32 core targets were selected by Cytscape software. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis were performed in DAVID database. It was found that the anti-atherosclerosis pathways of Guanxin Qiwei tablets mainly include lipid metabolism and atherosclerosis and AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications and other signal pathways. The core targets and the core compounds were interlinked, and it was found that cryptotanshinone and tanshinone ⅡA in Guanxin Qiwei tablets were well bound to TNF, PPAR
5.Establishment of a method for detecting the potency of recombinant human coagulation factor Ⅶa for injection
Rong WU ; Liping WANG ; Jinye LANG ; Yue ZHU ; Jing ZHOU ; Xun LIU ; Jing NI ; Shunbo ZHOU ; Yaling DING
Chinese Journal of Blood Transfusion 2025;38(3):415-420
[Objective] To establish a method for detecting the potency of recombinant human coagulation factor Ⅶa for injection. [Methods] By adding the sample and factor Ⅶ deficient plasma to the sample cup and activating the reaction with prothrombin time assay reagent (PT reagent), the coagulation time of the sample was determined by the change in magnetic bead swing amplitude in the sample cup. The logarithm of coagulation time was inversely proportional to the logarithm of human factor Ⅶa potency. [Results] Under the experimental conditions, the specificity of the methodology was evaluated through spiked recovery, and the recovery rates ranged from 90.0% to 110.0%. Within the range from 0.125 to 1.000 IU/mL, there was a good linear response between the potency and coagulation time of the standard and sample, with correlation coefficients r>0.99. As for the accuracy and repeatability, the recovery rates of various concentrations detected in the stock solution were 101.0%, 100.0% and 112.0%, respectively, with RSD values of 2.6%, 4.0% and 0.0%, respectively. The recovery rates of various concentrations in finished product testing were 104.0%, 94.7% and 112.0%, respectively, with RSD values of 1.9%, 2.4% and 0.0%, respectively. As for the intermediate precision, the RSD were 4.5% and 3.7%, respectively. After treated with sample diluent, the sample was tested at room temperature for 6 hours and still exhibited relatively stable biological activity. [Conclusion] This detection method is accurate, stable, easy to operate and highly automated, and is suitable for detecting the potency of recombinant human coagulation factor Ⅶa for Injection.
6.Predictive value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in evaluating delayed graft function in kidneys from donation after brain death
Jing SUN ; Yue WANG ; Jianlei JI ; Jinquan LIU ; Xiaodong WU ; Chuanshen XU ; Jianhong WANG
Organ Transplantation 2025;16(3):460-466
Objective To investigate the predictive value of quantitative parameters of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in evaluating kidneys from donation after brain death (DBD) for the occurrence of delayed graft function (DGF) in recipients. Methods The clinical data of 134 DBD donors and 202 corresponding kidneys and recipients were retrospective analyzed. The recipients were divided into DGF group (n=39) and non-DGF group (n=163) according to the renal function after kidney transplantation. Conventional ultrasound, CEUS parameters, and clinical data were compared between the two groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to determine the optimal cut-off values for predicting DGF using CEUS parameters, clinical parameters, and their combination, based on the highest Youden index. The predictive ability of different parameters for DGF was evaluated. Results There were statistically significant differences in cortical peak intensity (PIc), medullary peak intensity (PIm), donor albumin (ALB), serum creatinine (Scr) after admission, and the Na+ concentration of recipients between the two groups (all P<0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) for predicting DGF using the combination of CEUS parameters PIc and PIm was 0.711, with an optimal cut-off value of 0.193 and a Youden index of 0.382. The AUC for predicting DGF using the combination of CEUS parameters PIc, PIm and clinical parameters was 0.808, with an optimal cut-off value of 0.191 and a Youden index of 0.517. The sensitivity and specificity were 0.769 and 0.613 for the former, and 0.769 and 0.748 for the latter, respectively. The AUC for predicting DGF using CEUS parameters PIc and PIm combined with clinical parameters was significantly higher than that using CEUS parameters PIc and PIm (P<0.05). Conclusions The CEUS quantitative parameters PIc and PIm have good predictive value in assessing kidneys from DBD donors for DGF in recipients, and the diagnostic efficacy is better when combined with clinical parameters.
7.Overview of the Research on Mechanisms and Application of Essential Oil of Aromatic Chinese Medicinals in Prevention of Respiratory Infectious Disease
Wan Ling LI ; Xinxin WU ; Xiaolei LI ; Mingzhao HAO ; Fang ZHANG ; Yue ZHANG ; Haoyue LI ; Jing ZHAO
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(6):638-644
Aromatic Chinese medicinal essential oils are volatile oils extracted from aromatic Chinese herbs, which can prevent and treat respiratory infectious diseases through multiple synergistic mechanisms including pathogen inhibition, immune regulation, and inflammatory response regulation. Essential oils are primarily used externally on the body to prevent infections and alleviate symptoms through methods like inhalation, smearing, topical application, bathing, gargling or as a suppository. They can also be utilized in the environment for disinfection and air purification, through methods like diffusion, vaporization, or spraying. The external application of essential oils extracted from Chinese aromatic herbs has the advantages of convenience, quick absorption, and simultaneous influence on both the body and mind. However, there are still challenges and deficiencies in aspects such as the positioning of functions, indications, safety, and the research on the mechanism of action. It has been proposed to combine the theory of aromatic Chinese medicinals with the characteristics of essential oils, and formulate prescriptions of Chinese medicinal essential oils under the principles of traditional Chinese medicine syndrome differentiation, and prevent and treat respiratory infectious diseases efficiently, accurately, and safely, thereby expanding the clinical application of aromatic Chinese medicinals and the preventive theory of traditional Chinese medicine.
8.Predictive value of bladder deformation index for upper urinary tract damage in neurogenic bladder patients
Ran CHANG ; Huafang JING ; Yi GAO ; Siyu ZHANG ; Yue WANG ; Juan WU
Chinese Journal of Rehabilitation Theory and Practice 2025;31(2):231-234
ObjectiveTo assess the predictive value of the bladder deformation index (BDI) in determining upper urinary tract (UUT) damage among patients with neurogenic bladder (NB). MethodsClinical data of 132 NB patients admitted to Beijing Bo'ai Hospital from January, 2015 to December, 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into UUT damage group and normal UUT group according to the presence or absence of hydronephrosis. The demographics, biochemical parameters and video-urodynamics (VUDS) findings were collected, and BDI was calculated. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were utilized to evaluate the predictive capability. ResultsThere were 54 patients in UUT damage group and 33 in normal UUT group. The course of disease, creatinine level and BDI were siginificantly different between two groups (P < 0.05), while the area under the curve were 0.686, 0.836 and 0.928, respectively. ConclusionCourse of disease, creatinine level and BDI are associated with UUT damage in NB patients, and BDI demonstrates the highest sensitivity and specificity, which may play a role in diagnosis of UUT damage.
9.A survey on the cognition of mpox expertise among relevant clinicians in China
Zewei CHEN ; Wenqian ZHU ; Yuelin WU ; Shiqing LIANG ; Xiaoli YUE ; Jing LI ; Jiahui ZHANG ; Xiangdong GONG
Chinese Journal of Epidemiology 2025;46(2):239-244
Objective:To investigate and evaluate the correct cognition and influencing factors of mpox expertise among relevant Chinese clinicians and to provide a reference for prevention and control.Methods:A cross-sectional survey was conducted among clinicians in relevant departments using a structured questionnaire compiled by ourselves through a non-random network recruitment method. The content includes demography, clinical specialties, and characteristics of medical institutions, and 37 questions to evaluate the professional cognition of mpox etiology, clinical characteristics, transmission, prevention, and control. Using the modified Bloom's cutoff point to determine the correct answer is greater than or equal to 26 entitled correct cognition. A logistic regression model was used to analyze the factors influencing the correct cognition rate.Results:A total of 4 332 clinicians in 23 provinces (autonomous regions, municipality) in China were investigated by online questionnaires and 4 276 effective questionnaires were collected, with an effective rate of 98.71%. The mean age of the respondents was (39.46±9.54) years old, 61.18% were female. The overall correct cognition rate of mpox expertise was 62.04% (95% CI: 60.59%-63.50%), the correct cognition rates of mpox etiology, clinical characteristics, transmission, prevention and control were 48.25% (95% CI: 46.68%-49.82%), 78.66% (95% CI: 77.38%-79.95%), 68.56% (95% CI: 67.10%-70.02%), respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the relevant factors affecting the overall correct cognition of mpox expertise among Chinese clinicians included gender (female: OR=1.54, 95% CI: 1.31-1.80), region (eastern region: OR=1.46, 95% CI: 1.18-1.79; midwestern region: OR=1.24, 95% CI: 1.04-1.49), professional title (deputy senior: OR=1.43, 95% CI:1.16-1.76; senior: OR=1.72, 95% CI:1.30-2.28), the clinical field (the clinical fields of dermatology and venereal diseases: OR=1.78, 95% CI: 1.42-2.23). Conclusions:The overall correct cognition rate of mpox expertise among relevant Chinese clinicians was low. It was essential to conduct mpox knowledge training for clinicians in males, northeast regions, junior professional title and the clinical fields other than dermatology and venereal diseases to improve their correct cognition rates and epidemic prevention and control ability.
10.The value of amide proton transfer weighted imaging combined with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 status in predicting pathological complete response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer
Mingzhe XU ; Dongqiu SHAN ; Jinrong QU ; Chunmiao XU ; Renzhi ZHANG ; Yue WU ; Jing LI ; Zhiwei SHEN ; Xuejun CHEN
Chinese Journal of Radiology 2025;59(3):313-320
Objective:To explore the value of amide proton transfer weighted imaging (APTWI) combined with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expression in predicting pathological complete response (pCR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) in breast cancer.Methods:The study was a cross-sectional study. Clinicopathological [estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), HER2, Ki-67 status, and molecular subtypes] and imaging data were retrospectively analyzed in 100 female patients who had invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast confirmed pathologically by preoperative puncture in the Henan Cancer Hospital from May 2023 to May 2024. All patients underwent MRI, including enhanced MRI, APTWI, and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) before NAC. The reference enhanced MRI images were segmented into lesions using the threshold extraction method, and the three-dimensional region of interest within the tumor was automatically outlined by the software and replicated in the amide proton transfer map generated by APTWI and the apparent diffuse coefficient (ADC) map generated by DWI. The magnetization transfer ratio asymmetry (MTRasym) value and the ADC value were measured, respectively. Tumor response to NAC was assessed using the Miller-Payne grading system, where Grade 5 indicated pCR and Grades 1-4 were classified as non-pCR. Independent sample t-tests and χ2 tests were used to compare clinical pathological and imaging parameters between pCR and non-pCR patients. Statistically significant variables were included in multivariate logistic regression to identify independent predictors of pCR. The diagnostic performance of individual and combined indicators for pCR was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves and the area under the curve (AUC). DeLong′s test was used to compare AUCs. Results:There were 39 pCR and 61 non-pCR patients. Significant differences were observed between the pCR and non-pCR patients in molecular subtypes, ER, PR, HER2, and Ki-67 statuses ( P<0.05). Pre-treatment MTRasym values were significantly higher in the pCR patients compared to the non-pCR patients ( P=0.005), whereas ADC values showed no statistical difference ( P=0.372). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed HER2 positivity ( OR=5.87, 95% CI 1.99-17.30, P=0.001) and MTRasym values>2.61% (OR=4.39, 95% CI 1.37-14.08, P=0.013) was independent predictors of pCR after NAC. HER2 positivity combined with MTRasym value>2.61% predicted pCR after NAC in breast cancer with AUC of 0.819, which was superior to HER2 positivity and MTRasym value alone in predicting efficacy ( Z=3.91, P<0.001; Z=2.63, P=0.009). Conclusions:The MTRasym value of pre-treatment APTWI is valuable in predicting pCR after NAC in breast cancer. APTWI combined with HER2 expression status can further enhance the predictive efficacy.

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