1.Mitochondrial RNA metabolism, a potential therapeutic target for mitochondria-related diseases.
Tongyue DUAN ; Liya SUN ; Kaiyue DING ; Qing ZHAO ; Lujun XU ; Chongbin LIU ; Lin SUN
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(7):808-818
In recent years, the roles of mitochondrial RNA and its associated human diseases have been reported to increase significantly. Treatments based on mtRNA metabolic processes and nuclear gene mutations are thus discussed. The mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation process is affected by mtRNA metabolism, including mtRNA production, maturation, stabilization, and degradation, which leads to a variety of inherited human mitochondrial diseases. Moreover, mitochondrial diseases are caused by mitochondrial messenger RNA, mitochondrial transfer RNA, and mitochondrial ribosomal RNA gene mutations. This review presents the molecular mechanisms of human mtRNA metabolism and pathological mutations in mtRNA metabolism-related nuclear-encoded/nonencoded genes and mitochondrial DNA mutations to highlight the importance of mitochondrial RNA-related diseases and treatments.
Humans
;
Mitochondrial Diseases/therapy*
;
RNA, Mitochondrial
;
RNA/genetics*
;
Mitochondria/genetics*
;
Mutation/genetics*
;
RNA, Transfer/genetics*
;
DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics*
2.Advances in mechanotransduction signaling pathways in distraction osteogenesis.
Jinghong YANG ; Lujun JIANG ; Zi WANG ; Zhong LI ; Yanshi LIU
Chinese Journal of Reparative and Reconstructive Surgery 2025;39(7):912-918
OBJECTIVE:
To review the role and research progress of mechanotransduction signaling pathway in distraction osteogenesis, so as to provide theoretical basis and reference for clinical treatment.
METHODS:
The role and research progress of mechanotransduction signaling pathway in distraction osteogenesis were summarized by extensive review of relevant literature at home and abroad.
RESULTS:
The mechanotransduction signaling pathway plays a central role of "sensation-transformation-execution" in distraction osteogenesis, and activates a series of molecular mechanisms to promote the regeneration and remodeling of bone tissue by integrating external mechanical signals. Mechanical stimuli are converted into mechanotransduction signals through the perception of integrins, Piezo1 ion channels and bone cell networks. Activate downstream molecules are transduce through signal pathways such as Wnt/β-catenin, transforming growth factor β/bone morphogenetic protein-Smad, mitogen-activated protein kinase, protein kinase Hippo-Yes-associated protein/transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif, and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/ protein kinase B, so as to achieve the effects of promoting osteoblasts proliferation, accelerating endochondral ossification, regulating bone resorption and the like, thereby promoting the regeneration of new bone in the distraction area. The study of mechanotransduction signaling pathways in distraction osteogenesis is expected to optimize the mechanical parameters of distraction osteogenesis and provide targeted intervention strategies for accelerating new bone regeneration and mineralization in the distraction zone. However, the specific mechanism of mechanotransduction signaling pathway in distraction osteogenesis remains to be further elucidated, and artificial intelligence and multi-omics analysis may be the future development direction of mechanotransduction signaling pathway.
CONCLUSION
In distraction osteogenesis, mechanotransduction signal transduction is the core mechanism of bone regeneration in the distraction zone, which regulates cell behavior and tissue regeneration by converting mechanical stimulation into biochemical signals.
Mechanotransduction, Cellular/physiology*
;
Osteogenesis, Distraction/methods*
;
Humans
;
Signal Transduction
;
Bone Regeneration
;
Animals
;
Osteoblasts/metabolism*
;
Osteogenesis
;
Transforming Growth Factor beta/metabolism*
;
Ion Channels/metabolism*
;
Integrins/metabolism*
;
beta Catenin/metabolism*
;
Bone Morphogenetic Proteins/metabolism*
;
Smad Proteins/metabolism*
3.Textual Analysis of Classical Prescription Yangweitang Based on Ancient Literature
Lyuyuan LIANG ; Jialei CAO ; Yiping WANG ; Mengmeng GENG ; Lujun ZHU ; Wenxin WEI ; Bingqi WEI ; Wenli SHI ; Bingxiang MA
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(12):147-157
The classical prescription Yangweitang, derived from Zhengzhi Zhunsheng, is specialized in treating syndromes of chill and fever due to exogenous pathogens, inner-cooling, and malaria, and it has been included in the Catalogue of Ancient Classical Formulas (the First Batch) published by the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in 2018. Through bibliographical research, the relevant ancient books and modern documents were systematically sorted out, and it was found that there were many prescriptions related to the Yangweitang from Zhengzhi Zhunsheng. They were interwoven with Yangweitang from Zhengzhi Zhunsheng and widely used in clinical practice. In order to clarify their history and evolution, this paper combed the historical origin of Yangweitang and its related prescriptions and conducted textual analysis on key information such as semantic composition, herb origin, processing method, and efficacy. A total of 896 pieces of data on Yangweitang from Zhengzhi Zhunsheng were collected. 26 pieces of effective data were included after the screening, involving 17 ancient TCM books. Then, a total of 28 pieces of data on prescriptions related to the Yangweitang from Zhengzhi Zhunsheng were included, involving 23 ancient TCM books for reference. The textual analysis showed that Yangweitang originated from the Renshen Yangweitang recorded in Taiping Huimin Heji Jufang in the Song dynasty. Based on the original formula, medical experts from later generations have modified it into many different versions. A comparative analysis showed that Yangweitang from different generations had similar compositions, and the herb origin and processing method were basically clear. The recommended prescriptions are as follows: 37.3 g of Pinelliae Rhizoma Praeparatum Cum Alumine, Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex(fried with ginger juice), and frying with rice water Atractlodis Rhizoma, 27.98 g of Citri Exocarpium Rubrum, 18.65 g of Pogostemon cablin leaf, Tsaoko Fructus, Poria, and Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, and 9.33 g of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma. They could be ground into a coarse powder, with 14.92 g for every dose, and they could be orally taken after being decocted with 450 mL of water, 7 g of fresh ginger, and 2 g of Mume Fructus to 270 mL in warm conditions. Yangweitang from Zhengzhi Zhunsheng has the effect of warming the middle and releasing the external, and it can treat many syndromes including spleen and stomach disharmony caused by chill and fever due to exogenous pathogens and inner-cooling, as well as all kinds of malaria. Modern clinical applications mainly focus on chronic atrophic gastritis and other digestive system diseases.
4.Pharmacokinetics of Cordycepin and Its Metabolite 3′-Deoxyinosine in Rats
Nan HU ; Zhenwei JIANG ; Minyan QIAN ; Wenting ZHANG ; Lujun CHEN ; Xiao ZHENG ; Han-Jie YING ; Jingting JIANG
Herald of Medicine 2024;43(3):345-351
Objective To establish a method of LC-MS/MS for determining cordycepin(Cor)and 3′-deoxyinosine(3′-Deo)concentration in rat plasma,and to study their pharmacokinetics in rats.Methods Protein was precipitated with methanol using 2-chloadenosine(2-Chl)as an internal standard.The chromatography was performed on Kinetex C18(3 mm×100 mm,2.6 μm,Phenomenex,USA)with gradient elution in aqueous(5 mmol·L-1 ammonium acetate)-methanol solution as mobile phase.ESI ion source was used for mass spectrometry,and positive ion multiple reaction monitoring(MRM)was used for scanning detection.The pharmacokinetics of Cor and 3′-Deo after oral administration of Cor(10 mg·kg-1)were studied in rats.Results Cor at 0.5-100 ng·mL-1 and 3′-Deo at 1-200 ng·mL-1 had good linearity,and the lower limits of quantification were 0.5 and 1 ng·mL-1,respectively.After oral administration of Cor in rats,the plasma concentration of Cor was low,which was mainly converted into the metabolite 3′-Deo.The Cmax of Cor and 3′-Deo were(5.4±3.4)and(142.0±50.0)ng·mL-1,and AUC0-360min min were(658.4±459.3)and(18 034.9±4 981.1)ng·min·mL-1,respectively.Conclusion The method is simple,sensi-tive,and accurate,which is suitable for determining Cor and 3′-Deo concentration in plasma and the pharmacokinetic study.
5.Research progress of diagnostic and therapeutic value of carbon dioxide-derived indicators in patients with sepsis
Xin PENG ; Feng ZHENG ; Bin ZHU ; Feng LIU ; Lisha XIANG ; Lujun CHEN
Chinese Critical Care Medicine 2024;36(4):435-440
Effectively assessing oxygen delivery and demand is one of the key targets for fluid resuscitation in sepsis. Clinical signs and symptoms, blood lactic acid levels, and mixed venous oxygen saturation (S O 2) or central venous oxygen saturation (ScvO 2) all have their limitations. In recent years, these limitations have been overcome through the use of derived indicators from carbon dioxide (CO 2) such as mixed veno-arterial carbon dioxide partial pressure difference (P -aCO 2, PCO 2 gap, or ΔPCO 2), the ratio of mixed veno-arterial carbon dioxide partial pressure difference to arterial-mixed venous oxygen content difference (P -aCO 2/Ca- O 2). P -aCO 2, PCO 2 gap or ΔPCO 2 is not a purely anaerobic metabolism indicator as it is influenced by oxygen consumption. However, it reliably indicates whether blood flow is sufficient to carry CO 2 from peripheral tissues to the lungs for clearance, thus reflecting the adequacy of cardiac output and metabolism. The P -aCO 2/Ca- O 2 may serve as a marker of hypoxia. S O 2 and ScvO 2 represent venous oxygen saturation, reflecting tissue oxygen utilization. When oxygen delivery decreases but tissues still require more oxygen, oxygen extraction rate usually increases to meet tissue demands, resulting in decreased S O 2 and ScvO 2. But in some cases, even if the oxygen delivery rate and tissue utilization rate of oxygen are reduced, it may still lead to a decrease in S O 2 and ScvO 2. Sepsis is a classic example where tissue oxygen utilization decreases due to factors such as microcirculatory dysfunction, even when oxygen delivery is sufficient, leading to decrease in S O 2 and ScvO 2. Additionally, the solubility of CO 2 in plasma is approximately 20 times that of oxygen. Therefore, during sepsis or septic shock, derived variables of CO 2 may serve as sensitive markers for monitoring tissue perfusion and microcirculatory hemodynamics. Its main advantage over blood lactic acid is its ability to rapidly change and provide real-time monitoring of tissue hypoxia. This review aims to demonstrate the principles of CO 2-derived variables in sepsis, assess the available techniques for evaluating CO 2-derived variables during the sepsis process, and discuss their clinical relevance.
6.Periodontitis exacerbates pulmonary hypertension by promoting IFNγ+T cell infiltration in mice
Meng XIAOQIAN ; Du LINJUAN ; Xu SHUO ; Zhou LUJUN ; Chen BOYAN ; Li YULIN ; Chen CHUMAO ; Ye HUILIN ; Zhang JUN ; Tian GUOCAI ; Bai XUEBING ; Dong TING ; Lin WENZHEN ; Sun MENGJUN ; Zhou KECONG ; Liu YAN ; Zhang WUCHANG ; Duan SHENGZHONG
International Journal of Oral Science 2024;16(2):359-369
Uncovering the risk factors of pulmonary hypertension and its mechanisms is crucial for the prevention and treatment of the disease.In the current study,we showed that experimental periodontitis,which was established by ligation of molars followed by orally smearing subgingival plaques from patients with periodontitis,exacerbated hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension in mice.Mechanistically,periodontitis dysregulated the pulmonary microbiota by promoting ectopic colonization and enrichment of oral bacteria in the lungs,contributing to pulmonary infiltration of interferon gamma positive(IFNγ+)T cells and aggravating the progression of pulmonary hypertension.In addition,we identified Prevotella zoogleoformans as the critical periodontitis-associated bacterium driving the exacerbation of pulmonary hypertension by periodontitis,and the exacerbation was potently ameliorated by both cervical lymph node excision and IFNγ neutralizing antibodies.Our study suggests a proof of concept that the combined prevention and treatment of periodontitis and pulmonary hypertension are necessary.
7.The value of prophylactic cranial irradiation in patients with limited-stage small cell lung cancer at different risk of brain metastasis
Xingyue LI ; Meng YAN ; Song GUAN ; Jia TIAN ; Jianian LAI ; Chunliu MENG ; Jintao MA ; Kai REN ; Xue LI ; Lujun ZHAO
Chinese Journal of Radiation Oncology 2024;33(7):606-613
Objective:To establish a brain metastasis (BM) prediction model for limited-stage small cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC) patients who achieved complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) after thoracic chemoradiotherapy, and to explore the value of prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) in different risk groups.Methods:Clinical data of 274 patients with LS-SCLC who achieved CR/PR after thoracic chemoradiotherapy in Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital from January 2010 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed, including 144 cases in the PCI group and 130 in the non-PCI group. The nomogram was developed based on variables determined by univariate and multivariate analyses in the non-PCI group. The bootstrap method, receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve, calibration curve and decision curve analysis (DCA) were employed to evaluate the predictive power and clinical benefits of the model. Patients were stratified into high- and low-risk groups based on risk scores. The brain metastases-free survival (BMFS), progression-free survival (PFS), extracranial progression-free survival (ePFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared between patients with and without PCI in different risk-stratified populations using the log-rank test.Results:The nomogram included five variables: systemic immune inflammation index (SII), lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR), pro-gastrin-releasing peptide precursor (ProGRP), neuron-specific enolase (NSE), and blood calcium. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of the nomogram in predicting 1- and 2-year BMFS was 0.761 and 0.822. In the low-risk group, there was no significant difference in the BMFS ( P=0.374), PFS ( P=0.551), ePFS ( P=0.508) and OS ( P=0.767) between the PCI and non-PCI groups. In the high-risk group, PCI could significantly increase the BMFS ( P<0.001) and PFS ( P=0.022), while there was no significant difference in the ePFS ( P=0.963) and OS ( P=0.632). And propensity score-matching (PSM) analysis showed similar results. Conclusions:PCI does not improve OS in LS-SCLC patients regardless of high or low risk of BM. However, PCI significantly prolong the BMFS and PFS in patients at a high risk of BM.
8.The failure mode after immunotherapy and clinical prognosis of combined radiotherapy for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer
Meng ZHOU ; Jing WANG ; Chunliu MENG ; Kai REN ; Xue LI ; Lujun ZHAO
Chinese Journal of Radiation Oncology 2024;33(9):804-809
Objective:To analyze the failure mode after immunotherapy and the prognostic significance of combined radiotherapy for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).Methods:Clinical data of 220 advanced NSCLC patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) as the first-line therapy in Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute and Hospital from January 2017 to December 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The baseline characteristics, the first-line treatment regimen, modes and locations of failure, radiotherapy purpose, location and prescription dose of all patients were collected. The main parameter was the overall survival (OS). Survival analysis was conducted by Kaplan-Meier method. Survival comparison was performed by log-rank test.Results:A total of 220 patients were enrolled in the study in which 65 cases (29.5%) exhibited a state of oligometastasis. Among 72 patients who received radiotherapy, 29 cases (40%) received chest radiotherapy and 53 cases (74%) received metastatic radiotherapy. The median follow-up time was 25.6 months. Up to the last follow-up, disease progression had been observed in 140 patients, with 84 patients (38.2%) of them demonstrating a state of oligometastasis. Among 120 patients with disease progression and confirmed location of progression, 62 patients (51.7%) failed in first-line immunotherapy because of the primary lesion progression (mainly in the chest cavity), 34 patients (28.3%) due to the appearance of new metastases, and the remaining 24 patients(20.0%) due to primary lesion progression and new distant metastases. Among 72 patients treated with the first-line immunotherapy combined with local radiotherapy, 17 patients (24%) received planned radiotherapy, another 17 patients (24%) received salvage radiotherapy, and the remaining 38 patients (53%) received radiotherapy to relieve symptoms. The prognosis of patients significantly differed according to the purpose of radiotherapy ( P=0.030). The median OS of patients who did not receive radiotherapy was 29.1 months, those who received planned radiotherapy did not reach the median OS, and the median OS of those who received salvage radiotherapy was 28.7 months, and the median OS of those who received local radiotherapy to relieve symptoms was only 19.0 months. Conclusions:The progression of primary lesions is the main failure mode of the first-line immunotherapy. Chest cavity is the main location of tumor progression. Local radiotherapy for intrathoracic lesions may improve the survival benefit further for advanced NSCLC patients after the first-line immunotherapy.
9.Expression of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2B1 in esophageal cancer tissues and its clinical significance
Junwei GE ; Bin XU ; Junjun CHEN ; Qiong SHEN ; Yingting LIU ; Di LI ; Xiao ZHENG ; Lujun CHEN
Cancer Research and Clinic 2024;36(5):328-334
Objective:To investigate the expression of heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2B1 (HNRNPA2B1) in human esophageal cancer tissues and its clinical significance.Methods:Single-cell data for esophageal cancer were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database (GSE160269 dataset, last updated on November 29, 2020) to analyze the expression of HNRNPA2B1. Transcriptional sequencing data for esophageal cancer from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database, including the fragments per kilobase of transcript per million mapped reads (FPKM) quantitative data (173 samples, consisting of 162 esophageal cancer tissues and 11 adjacent normal tissues), and survival data in the phenotype category were downloaded. Analysis of FPKM quantitative data from the TCGA database for esophageal cancer was performed. The top 250 genes most correlated with HNRNPA2B1 were selected and the R4.3.0 clusterProfiler package was used to conduct Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses on the selected gene set. FPKM quantitative data from the TCGA database for esophageal cancer were imported into the CIBERSORTx website to obtain immune cell abundance scores, and the correlation between HNRNPA2B1 and the degree of immune cell infiltration was analyzed. The clinicopathological data of patients from esophageal cancer tissue microarrays including 114 cases of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma tissues and 66 cases of adjacent normal tissues were collected. The patients underwent surgery from January 2006 to December 2008, and the follow-up period extended until July 2015. Cytokeratin (CK) and HNRNPA2B1 expression in esophageal cancer tissue microarrays were detected by using multi-color immunohistochemical (mIHC) staining, and multispectral tissue imaging was conducted. The R4.3.0 survival package and survminer package in TCGA database were used to calculate the optimal cut-off value of HNRNPA2B1 expression and the proportion of CK + HNRNPA2B1 + cells in tissue microarrays was used to calculate the cut-off value of HNRNPA2B1 expression based on which patients were categorized into high and low expression groups. The overall survival (OS) of both groups was compared and the factors influencing OS were analyzed by using the Cox proportional hazards model. Results:In the GSE160269 dataset of single-cell data for esophageal cancer, the expression level of HNRNPA2B1 in tumor epithelial cells was higher than that in normal epithelial cells, and HNRNPA2B1 was highly expressed in various immune cell subtypes. The high expression level of HNRNPA2B1 was positively correlated with regulatory T cells, naive B cells and memory CD4 + T cells. GO enrichment analysis revealed that HNRNPA2B1 was primarily involved in the biological process of nuclear division, cellular components were mainly enriched in chromosomal regions, and molecular functions were mainly enriched in ATP hydrolysis activity. KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that HNRNPA2B1 was primarily involved in biological processes such as the cell cycle, spliceosome, and DNA replication. Results from mIHC and multispectral tissue imaging demonstrated that CK was predominantly expressed in the cell membranes of tumor cells and normal esophageal epithelial cells, while HNRNPA2B1 was primarily expressed in the nuclei of tumor cells and normal esophageal cells. The expression level of HNRNPA2B1 in esophageal cancer tissues was higher than that in the normal paracancerous tissues ( U = 2 984.00, P < 0.05). Results of tissue microarrays and the survival analysis on the data in the TCGA database indicated that esophageal cancer patients with low HNRNPA2B1 expression had a better OS compared to those with high expression (both P < 0.05). Cox multivariate regression analysis revealed that age ( HR = 1.919, 95% CI: 1.158-3.182, P = 0.011), TNM stage ( HR = 2.404, 95% CI: 1.374-4.207, P = 0.002), T stage ( HR = 2.349, 95% CI: 1.150-4.789, P = 0.019), and the expression of HNRNPA2B1 in tumor epithelial cells ( HR = 2.160, 95% CI: 1.280-3.647, P = 0.004) were independent factors influencing OS in esophageal cancer patients. Conclusions:The high expression of HNRNPA2B1 protein in esophageal cancer tissues may play a role in the developement and progression of esophageal cancer, serving as a crucial biological indicator for prognostic assessment of esophageal cancer.
10.Research progress on the role of histone modification in sepsis.
Chinese Critical Care Medicine 2023;35(9):995-998
Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by dysregulated body response to infection. It is also one of the major causes of death in critically ill patients. Over the past few years, despite the continuous improvement in the treatment of sepsis, there is no specific treatment, clinical morbidity and mortality are still rising. Therefore, finding effective methods to treat sepsis and reduce mortality is an urgent clinical problem. Histone modification is an epigenetic modification that produces heritable phenotypic changes without altering the DNA sequence. In recent years, many studies have shown that histone modification is closely related to sepsis. This review discusses the mechanism of histone modification in the pathogenesis of sepsis from the aspects of inflammatory factors, signaling pathways, and macrophage polarization, in aimed to provide reference for the clinical treatment of sepsis.
Humans
;
Histone Code
;
Sepsis/metabolism*
;
Critical Illness
;
Macrophage Activation

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail