1.PDGF-C: an Emerging Target in The Treatment of Organ Fibrosis
Chao YANG ; Zi-Yi SONG ; Chang-Xin WANG ; Yuan-Yuan KUANG ; Yi-Jing CHENG ; Ke-Xin REN ; Xue LI ; Yan LIN
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(5):1059-1069
Fibrosis, the pathological scarring of vital organs, is a severe and often irreversible condition that leads to progressive organ dysfunction. It is particularly pronounced in organs like the liver, kidneys, lungs, and heart. Despite its clinical significance, the full understanding of its etiology and complex pathogenesis remains incomplete, posing substantial challenges to diagnosing, treating, and preventing the progression of fibrosis. Among the various molecular players involved, platelet-derived growth factor-C (PDGF-C) has emerged as a crucial factor in fibrotic diseases, contributing to the pathological transformation of tissues in several key organs. PDGF-C is a member of the PDGFs family of growth factors and is synthesized and secreted by various cell types, including fibroblasts, smooth muscle cells, and endothelial cells. It acts through both autocrine and paracrine mechanisms, exerting its biological effects by binding to and activating the PDGF receptors (PDGFRs), specifically PDGFRα and PDGFRβ. This binding triggers multiple intracellular signaling pathways, such as JAK/STAT, PI3K/AKT and Ras-MAPK pathways. which are integral to the regulation of cell proliferation, survival, migration, and fibrosis. Notably, PDGF-C has been shown to promote the proliferation and migration of fibroblasts, key effector cells in the fibrotic process, thus accelerating the accumulation of extracellular matrix components and the formation of fibrotic tissue. Numerous studies have documented an upregulation of PDGF-C expression in various fibrotic diseases, suggesting its significant role in the initiation and progression of fibrosis. For instance, in liver fibrosis, PDGF-C stimulates hepatic stellate cell activation, contributing to the excessive deposition of collagen and other extracellular matrix proteins. Similarly, in pulmonary fibrosis, PDGF-C enhances the migration of fibroblasts into the damaged areas of lungs, thereby worsening the pathological process. Such findings highlight the pivotal role of PDGF-C in fibrotic diseases and underscore its potential as a therapeutic target for these conditions. Given its central role in the pathogenesis of fibrosis, PDGF-C has become an attractive target for therapeutic intervention. Several studies have focused on developing inhibitors that block the PDGF-C/PDGFR signaling pathway. These inhibitors aim to reduce fibroblast activation, prevent the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix components, and halt the progression of fibrosis. Preclinical studies have demonstrated the efficacy of such inhibitors in animal models of liver, kidney, and lung fibrosis, with promising results in reducing fibrotic lesions and improving organ function. Furthermore, several clinical inhibitors, such as Olaratumab and Seralutinib, are ongoing to assess the safety and efficacy of these inhibitors in human patients, offering hope for novel therapeutic options in the treatment of fibrotic diseases. In conclusion, PDGF-C plays a critical role in the development and progression of fibrosis in vital organs. Its ability to regulate fibroblast activity and influence key signaling pathways makes it a promising target for therapeutic strategies aiming at combating fibrosis. Ongoing research into the regulation of PDGF-C expression and the development of PDGF-C/PDGFR inhibitors holds the potential to offer new insights and approaches for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of fibrotic diseases. Ultimately, these efforts may lead to the development of more effective and targeted therapies that can mitigate the impact of fibrosis and improve patient outcomes.
2.Molecular targeted therapy for progressive low-grade gliomas in children.
Yan-Ling SUN ; Miao LI ; Jing-Jing LIU ; Wen-Chao GAO ; Yue-Fang WU ; Lu-Lu WAN ; Si-Qi REN ; Shu-Xu DU ; Wan-Shui WU ; Li-Ming SUN
Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics 2025;27(6):682-689
OBJECTIVES:
To evaluate the efficacy of molecular targeted agents in children with progressive pediatric low-grade gliomas (pLGG).
METHODS:
A retrospective analysis was conducted on pLGG patients treated with oral targeted therapies at the Department of Pediatrics, Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, from July 2021. Treatment responses and safety profiles were assessed.
RESULTS:
Among the 20 enrolled patients, the trametinib group (n=12, including 11 cases with BRAF fusions and 1 case with BRAF V600E mutation) demonstrated 4 partial responses (33%) and 2 minor responses (17%), with a median time to response of 3.0 months. In the vemurafenib group (n=6, all with BRAF V600E mutation), 5 patients achieved partial responses (83%), showing a median time to response of 1.0 month. Comparative analysis revealed no statistically significant difference in progression-free survival rates between the two treatment groups (P>0.05). The median duration of clinical benefit (defined as partial response + minor response + stable disease) was 11.0 months for vemurafenib and 18.0 months for trametinib. Two additional cases, one with ATM mutation treated with olaparib for 24 months and one with NF1 mutation receiving everolimus for 21 months, discontinued treatment due to sustained disease stability. No severe adverse events were observed in any treatment group.
CONCLUSIONS
Molecular targeted therapy demonstrates clinical efficacy with favorable tolerability in pLGG. Vemurafenib achieves high response rates and induces early tumor shrinkage in patients with BRAF V600E mutations, supporting its utility as a first-line therapy.
Humans
;
Glioma/genetics*
;
Male
;
Female
;
Child
;
Child, Preschool
;
Retrospective Studies
;
Brain Neoplasms/genetics*
;
Molecular Targeted Therapy/adverse effects*
;
Adolescent
;
Infant
;
Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf/genetics*
;
Pyrimidinones/therapeutic use*
;
Mutation
3.Current status of field(emergency)rapid inspection systems
Pei-pei WANG ; Yu-hong HUANG ; Jing LI ; Wen REN ; Shi-chao LIANG ; Yu-qi QIAN ; Yan-jiang LIU
Chinese Medical Equipment Journal 2025;46(2):80-86
The field(emergency)rapid inspection systems involving in the backpack,chest,vehicle and shelter had their research advances introduced and characteristics and deficiencies analyzed,and some improvement suggestions were put forward accordingly.It's pointed out the backpack,chest,vehicle and shelter be combined effectively to enhance the mobility and flexibility of field(emergency)rapid inspection systems.References were provided for the future enhancement and effecient operation of field(emergency)rapid inspection systems.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(2):80-86]
4.Endoplasmic reticulum membrane remodeling by targeting reticulon-4 induces pyroptosis to facilitate antitumor immune.
Mei-Mei ZHAO ; Ting-Ting REN ; Jing-Kang WANG ; Lu YAO ; Ting-Ting LIU ; Ji-Chao ZHANG ; Yang LIU ; Lan YUAN ; Dan LIU ; Jiu-Hui XU ; Peng-Fei TU ; Xiao-Dong TANG ; Ke-Wu ZENG
Protein & Cell 2025;16(2):121-135
Pyroptosis is an identified programmed cell death that has been highly linked to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) dynamics. However, the crucial proteins for modulating dynamic ER membrane curvature change that trigger pyroptosis are currently not well understood. In this study, a biotin-labeled chemical probe of potent pyroptosis inducer α-mangostin (α-MG) was synthesized. Through protein microarray analysis, reticulon-4 (RTN4/Nogo), a crucial regulator of ER membrane curvature, was identified as a target of α-MG. We observed that chemically induced proteasome degradation of RTN4 by α-MG through recruiting E3 ligase UBR5 significantly enhances the pyroptosis phenotype in cancer cells. Interestingly, the downregulation of RTN4 expression significantly facilitated a dynamic remodeling of ER membrane curvature through a transition from tubules to sheets, consequently leading to rapid fusion of the ER with the cell plasma membrane. In particular, the ER-to-plasma membrane fusion process is supported by the observed translocation of several crucial ER markers to the "bubble" structures of pyroptotic cells. Furthermore, α-MG-induced RTN4 knockdown leads to pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2)-dependent conventional caspase-3/gasdermin E (GSDME) cleavages for pyroptosis progression. In vivo, we observed that chemical or genetic RTN4 knockdown significantly inhibited cancer cells growth, which further exhibited an antitumor immune response with anti-programmed death-1 (anti-PD-1). In translational research, RTN4 high expression was closely correlated with the tumor metastasis and death of patients. Taken together, RTN4 plays a fundamental role in inducing pyroptosis through the modulation of ER membrane curvature remodeling, thus representing a prospective druggable target for anticancer immunotherapy.
Pyroptosis/immunology*
;
Humans
;
Endoplasmic Reticulum/immunology*
;
Animals
;
Nogo Proteins/antagonists & inhibitors*
;
Mice
;
Cell Line, Tumor
;
Xanthones/pharmacology*
;
Neoplasms/pathology*
;
Mice, Nude
5.Current status of field(emergency)rapid inspection systems
Pei-pei WANG ; Yu-hong HUANG ; Jing LI ; Wen REN ; Shi-chao LIANG ; Yu-qi QIAN ; Yan-jiang LIU
Chinese Medical Equipment Journal 2025;46(2):80-86
The field(emergency)rapid inspection systems involving in the backpack,chest,vehicle and shelter had their research advances introduced and characteristics and deficiencies analyzed,and some improvement suggestions were put forward accordingly.It's pointed out the backpack,chest,vehicle and shelter be combined effectively to enhance the mobility and flexibility of field(emergency)rapid inspection systems.References were provided for the future enhancement and effecient operation of field(emergency)rapid inspection systems.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(2):80-86]
6.Micro-segmention analysis of 20 benzodiazepines in multiple hairs and case application
Linxi XIE ; Dingchang XUE ; Zhaochen GUO ; Fei REN ; Jing LI ; Keming YUN ; Zhiwen WEI ; Chao ZHANG ; Guobin XIN
Chinese Journal of Forensic Medicine 2024;39(6):717-723
Objective To establish an analytical method of LC-MS/MS based on micro-segmentation analysis of multiple hairs,verify the detection of 20 benzodiazepines in 1mm hair,and finally use it for case detection analysis.Methods 5 hairs were cut into 1mm long segments each,and the corresponding segments were immersed and sonicated in an extract containing dithiothreitol,methanol,etc.Mobile phase A was 0.1%formic acid in water,and mobile phase B was acetonitrile.Data were collected using electrospray ion source positive ion mode in multiple reaction monitoring mode.Results The 20 benzodiazepines in multiple hairs had a good linear relationship(r>0.99),detection limit of 0.2~5 pg/mm,minimum quantification limit of 0.5 to 20 pg/mm,the intro-day and inter-day precisions of 2.03%to 13.81%,the intro-day and inter-day accuracies of 87.98%~111.29%,matrix effect of 71.15%~110.43%,and extraction recovery of 69.34%to 99.94%.Using this method,hair samples were analyzed in volunteers taking a single dose of clonazepam for 20 days,and the detected location of clonazepam in 15 hairs was located in segment 6~11 from the hair root,with the concentration range of 1.06~3.45 pg/mm.By this method,the hair of the victims suspected of having taken sleeping pills in the case was analyzed.In 15 hairs,clonazepam was detected in segments 9~13 of the hair root.The quantitative results were 1.07~19.06 pg/mm.The experimental results were basically consistent with the medication time of the victim.Conclusion The micro-segmentation analysis technique of multiple hairs can be applied to the investigation of drug-assisted crime cases,and can roughly estimate the medication time.
7.Research progress on the chemical composition,pharmacological action,and clinical application of Ziziphi spinosae semen
Tong QU ; Feifei GENG ; Ning LI ; Wenjing LU ; Hui REN ; Xiaomin CUI ; Jing HU ; Chao LIANG ; Zhiyong CHEN ; Hong ZHANG
China Pharmacist 2024;28(9):98-108
Ziziphi spinosae semen mainly contains contents of saponins,flavonoids,alkaloids and aliphatic acids.Meanwhile,it has a variety of activities such as sedative-hypnotic,anti-anxiety,anti-depression,nerve protection,cardiovascular and cerebrovascular protection,liver protection,and antioxidant,which is widely used in medicine,food,health food and other fields.The chemical constituents,pharmacological action and clinical application of Ziziphi spinosae semen were systematically summarized in this paper by reviewing the literature,in order to provide theoretical guidance for the sustainable development of the resources and the rational use of Ziziphi spinosae semen.
8.Application of failure mode and effects analysis based on action priority in the prevention and control of surgical site infection after colorectal surgery
Hong-Man WU ; Jing-Min LAI ; Le-Tao CHEN ; Chen-Chao FU ; Zi-Yuan TANG ; Feng ZHOU ; Cui ZENG ; Lan-Man ZENG ; Nan REN ; Xun HUANG
Chinese Journal of Infection Control 2024;23(7):881-888
Objective To evaluate the process risk of the implementation of prevention and control measures for surgical site infection(SSI)after colorectal surgery,and explore the application effect of failure mode and effects analysis(FMEA)based on action priority.Methods FMEA based on action priority was adopted to evaluate the whole process of the implementation of prevention and control measures for SSI after colorectal surgery.Prioritiza-tion ranking was conducted according to whether optimized measures were taken.Standard-reaching rate of comp-liance to SSI prevention and control measures as well as SSI incidence before and after the implementation of FMEA were compared.Results After evaluation,there were 7 high-priority and 22 medium-priority prevention and control measures for SSI.The control of medium-priority measures was strengthened,with a focus on developing further preventive and detectable measures for high-priority measures.The re-evaluation results after improvement showed that 7 high-priority measures have been downgraded to medium priority,and 16 medium-priority measures have been downgraded to low priority.Standard-reaching rate of compliance to SSI prevention and control measures in-creased from 77.15%(2 566/3 326)to 92.47%(3 096/3 348),and SSI incidence decreased from 6.04%(58/960)to 2.54%(60/2 364).Conclusion Application of FMEA based on action priority can effectively evaluate the risk of prevention and control process of SSI after colorectal surgery,and adopting preventive risk control measures accord-ing to the current situation can reduce the incidence of SSI after colorectal surgery.
9.Antimicrobial resistance of bacteria from blood specimens:surveillance re-port from Hunan Province Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System,2012-2021
Hong-Xia YUAN ; Jing JIANG ; Li-Hua CHEN ; Chen-Chao FU ; Chen LI ; Yan-Ming LI ; Xing-Wang NING ; Jun LIU ; Guo-Min SHI ; Man-Juan TANG ; Jing-Min WU ; Huai-De YANG ; Ming ZHENG ; Jie-Ying ZHOU ; Nan REN ; An-Hua WU ; Xun HUANG
Chinese Journal of Infection Control 2024;23(8):921-931
Objective To understand the change in distribution and antimicrobial resistance of bacteria isolated from blood specimens of Hunan Province,and provide for the initial diagnosis and treatment of clinical bloodstream infection(BSI).Methods Data reported from member units of Hunan Province Antimicrobial Resistance Survei-llance System from 2012 to 2021 were collected.Bacterial antimicrobial resistance surveillance method was imple-mented according to the technical scheme of China Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System(CARSS).Bacteria from blood specimens and bacterial antimicrobial susceptibility testing results were analyzed by WHONET 5.6 soft-ware and SPSS 27.0 software.Results A total of 207 054 bacterial strains were isolated from blood specimens from member units in Hunan Province Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System from 2012 to 2021,including 107 135(51.7%)Gram-positive bacteria and 99 919(48.3%)Gram-negative bacteria.There was no change in the top 6 pathogenic bacteria from 2012 to 2021,with Escherichia coli(n=51 537,24.9%)ranking first,followed by Staphylococcus epidermidis(n=29 115,14.1%),Staphylococcus aureus(n=17 402,8.4%),Klebsiella pneu-moniae(17 325,8.4%),Pseudomonas aeruginosa(n=4 010,1.9%)and Acinetobacter baumannii(n=3 598,1.7%).The detection rate of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA)decreased from 30.3%in 2015 to 20.7%in 2021,while the detection rate of methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative Staphylococcus(MRCNS)showed an upward trend year by year(57.9%-66.8%).No Staphylococcus was found to be resistant to vancomy-cin,linezolid,and teicoplanin.Among Gram-negative bacteria,constituent ratios of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were 43.9%-53.9%and 14.2%-19.5%,respectively,both showing an upward trend(both P<0.001).Constituent ratios of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii were 3.6%-5.1%and 3.0%-4.5%,respectively,both showing a downward trend year by year(both P<0.001).From 2012 to 2021,resistance rates of Escherichia coli to imipenem and ertapenem were 1.0%-2.0%and 0.6%-1.1%,respectively;presenting a downward trend(P<0.001).The resistant rates of Klebsiella pneumoniae to meropenem and ertapenem were 7.4%-13.7%and 4.8%-6.4%,respectively,presenting a downward trend(both P<0.001).The resistance rates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii to carbapenem antibiotics were 7.1%-15.6%and 34.7%-45.7%,respectively.The trend of resistance to carbapenem antibiotics was relatively stable,but has de-creased compared with 2012-2016.The resistance rates of Escherichia coli to the third-generation cephalosporins from 2012 to 2021 were 41.0%-65.4%,showing a downward trend year by year.Conclusion The constituent ra-tio of Gram-negative bacillus from blood specimens in Hunan Province has been increasing year by year,while the detection rate of carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative bacillus remained relatively stable in the past 5 years,and the detection rate of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus has shown a downward trend.
10.Antimicrobial resistance of bacteria from cerebrospinal fluid specimens:surveillance report from Hunan Province Antimicrobial Resistance Survei-llance System,2012-2021
Jun LIU ; Li-Hua CHEN ; Chen-Chao FU ; Chen LI ; Yan-Ming LI ; Xing-Wang NING ; Guo-Min SHI ; Jing-Min WU ; Huai-De YANG ; Hong-Xia YUAN ; Ming ZHENG ; Nan REN ; An-Hua WU ; Xun HUANG ; Man-Juan TANG
Chinese Journal of Infection Control 2024;23(8):932-941
Objective To investigate changes in the distribution and antimicrobial resistance of bacteria isolated from cerebrospinal fluid(CSF)specimens in Hunan Province,and provide reference for correct clinical diagnosis and rational antimicrobial use.Methods Data reported by member units of Hunan Province Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System from 2012 to 2021 were collected according to China Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Sys-tem(CARSS)technical scheme.Data of bacteria isolated from CSF specimens and antimicrobial susceptibility tes-ting results were analyzed with WHONET 5.6 and SPSS 20.0 software.Results A total of 11 837 bacterial strains were isolated from CSF specimens from member units of Hunan Province Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance Sys-tem from 2012 to 2021.The top 5 strains were coagulase-negative Staphylococcus(n=6 397,54.0%),Acineto-bacter baumannii(n=764,6.5%),Staphylococcus aureus(n=606,5.1%),Enterococcus faecium(n=465,3.9%),and Escherichia coli(n=447,3.8%).The detection rates of methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative Staphyloco-ccus(MRCNS)and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA)were 58.9%-66.3%and 34.4%-62.1%,respectively.No Staphylococcus spp.were found to be resistant to vancomycin,linezolid,and teicoplanin.The de-tection rate of Enterococcus faecium was higher than that of Enterococcus faecalis,and the resistance rates of En-terococcus f aecium to penicillin,ampicillin,high concentration streptomycin and levofloxacin were all higher than those of Enterococcus faecalis(all P=0.001).Resistance rate of Streptococcus pneumoniae to penicillin was 85.0%,at a high level.Resistance rate of Escherichia coli to ceftriaxone was>60%,while resistance rates to enzyme inhibitors and carbapenem antibiotics were low.Resistance rate of Klebsiella pneumoniae to ceftriaxone was>60%,to en-zyme inhibitors piperacillin/tazobactam and cefoperazone/sulbactam was>30%,to carbapenem imipenem and me-ropenem was about 30%.Resistance rates of Acinetobacter baumannii to most tested antimicrobial agents were>60%,to imipenem and meropenem were 59.0%-79.4%,to polymyxin B was low.Conclusion Among the bac-teria isolated from CSF specimens,coagulase-negative Staphylococcus accounts for the largest proportion,and the overall resistance of pathogenic bacteria is relatively serious.Bacterial antimicrobial resistance surveillance is very important for the effective treatment of central nerve system infection.

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail