1.Erjingwan Alleviate Inflammatory Response and Apoptosis in Skeletal Muscle Cells of Sarcopenia via SIRT1/Nrf2/HO-1 Signaling Pathway
Long SHI ; Yang LI ; Hongyu YAN ; Tianle ZHOU ; Zhiwen ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(3):57-66
ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of the classical Chinese medicine compound prescription Erjingwan on the inflammatory response and apoptosis of skeletal muscle cells in a mouse model of sarcopenia and decipher the mechanism based on the silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1)/nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) signaling pathway. MethodsForty C57/BL6 male mice were randomized into a control group, a model group, and groups with different doses of Erjingwan (8,16,32 g·kg-1). The mouse model of sarcopenia was established by D-gal-induced skeletal muscle senescence. The body weight and grip strength of mice treated with different doses of Erjingwan were examined to evaluate their physiological functions. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and Masson staining were used to observe the pathological changes and fibrosis in the skeletal muscle of mice. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was adopted to determine the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the serum samples of mice, and biochemical tests were conducted to quantify the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), and glutathione (GSH) in the serum. The protein and mRNA levels of SIRT1, Nrf2, B-cell lymphoma (Bcl-2), and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) were determined by Western blot and Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR), respectively. ResultsAfter 4 weeks of drug intervention, the model group exhibited significant reductions in body weight and grip strength (P0.01) compared with the control group. Compared with the model group, all doses of Erjingwan increased the body weight in mice at week 8 (P0.01) and grip strength from week 6 (P0.01). HE staining revealed clear muscle fiber structure in the control group, muscle fiber rupture and atrophy in the model group, and dose-dependent repair of muscle fiber structure in the Erjingwan groups. Masson staining showed minimal collagen fibers and mild fibrosis in the control group, collagen fiber proliferation and severe fibrosis in the model group, and collagen proliferation with dose-dependent inhibition of fibrosis in the Erjingwan groups. ELISA results showed that serum levels of TNF-α and IL-6 were elevated in the model group compared with those in the control group (P0.01). After intervention, the low-dose Erjingwan group exhibited a decreased TNF-α level (P0.05), while the medium and high-dose groups showed decreases in both TNF-α and IL-6 levels (P0.01). Biochemical assays revealed that the model group had decreased SOD and GSH levels (P0.01) and an increased MDA level (P0.01) compared with the control group. The medium and high-dose Erjingwan groups exhibited increases in SOD and GSH levels (P0.01) and decreases in MDA level (P0.01), compared with the model group. WB and Real-time PCR results showed that compared with the control group, the model group presented down-regulated protein and mRNA levels of SIRT1, Nrf2, HO-1, and Bcl-2 in the muscle tissue (P0.01) and up-regulated protein and mRNA levels of Bax (P0.01). Compared with the model group, Erjingwan at different doses up-regulated the protein levels of SIRT1, Nrf2, HO-1, and Bcl-2 (P0.01) and down-regulated the protein and mRNA levels of Bax (P0.01) in the muscle tissue. Low-dose Erjingwan elevated the mRNA levels of Nrf2 and HO-1 (P0.05, P0.01), and medium and high-dose Erjingwan up-regulated the mRNA levels of SIRT1, Nrf2, HO-1, and Bcl-2 (P0.01). ConclusionErjingwan reduced the content of inflammatory factors in skeletal muscle cells, improved the antioxidant capacity, and attenuated pathological changes and fibrosis in the muscle of the mouse model of sarcopenia by regulating the SIRT1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, inflammatory response, and apoptosis network.
2.Erjingwan Alleviate Inflammatory Response and Apoptosis in Skeletal Muscle Cells of Sarcopenia via SIRT1/Nrf2/HO-1 Signaling Pathway
Long SHI ; Yang LI ; Hongyu YAN ; Tianle ZHOU ; Zhiwen ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(3):57-66
ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of the classical Chinese medicine compound prescription Erjingwan on the inflammatory response and apoptosis of skeletal muscle cells in a mouse model of sarcopenia and decipher the mechanism based on the silent information regulator 1 (SIRT1)/nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) signaling pathway. MethodsForty C57/BL6 male mice were randomized into a control group, a model group, and groups with different doses of Erjingwan (8,16,32 g·kg-1). The mouse model of sarcopenia was established by D-gal-induced skeletal muscle senescence. The body weight and grip strength of mice treated with different doses of Erjingwan were examined to evaluate their physiological functions. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and Masson staining were used to observe the pathological changes and fibrosis in the skeletal muscle of mice. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was adopted to determine the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the serum samples of mice, and biochemical tests were conducted to quantify the levels of superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), and glutathione (GSH) in the serum. The protein and mRNA levels of SIRT1, Nrf2, B-cell lymphoma (Bcl-2), and Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax) were determined by Western blot and Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR), respectively. ResultsAfter 4 weeks of drug intervention, the model group exhibited significant reductions in body weight and grip strength (P0.01) compared with the control group. Compared with the model group, all doses of Erjingwan increased the body weight in mice at week 8 (P0.01) and grip strength from week 6 (P0.01). HE staining revealed clear muscle fiber structure in the control group, muscle fiber rupture and atrophy in the model group, and dose-dependent repair of muscle fiber structure in the Erjingwan groups. Masson staining showed minimal collagen fibers and mild fibrosis in the control group, collagen fiber proliferation and severe fibrosis in the model group, and collagen proliferation with dose-dependent inhibition of fibrosis in the Erjingwan groups. ELISA results showed that serum levels of TNF-α and IL-6 were elevated in the model group compared with those in the control group (P0.01). After intervention, the low-dose Erjingwan group exhibited a decreased TNF-α level (P0.05), while the medium and high-dose groups showed decreases in both TNF-α and IL-6 levels (P0.01). Biochemical assays revealed that the model group had decreased SOD and GSH levels (P0.01) and an increased MDA level (P0.01) compared with the control group. The medium and high-dose Erjingwan groups exhibited increases in SOD and GSH levels (P0.01) and decreases in MDA level (P0.01), compared with the model group. WB and Real-time PCR results showed that compared with the control group, the model group presented down-regulated protein and mRNA levels of SIRT1, Nrf2, HO-1, and Bcl-2 in the muscle tissue (P0.01) and up-regulated protein and mRNA levels of Bax (P0.01). Compared with the model group, Erjingwan at different doses up-regulated the protein levels of SIRT1, Nrf2, HO-1, and Bcl-2 (P0.01) and down-regulated the protein and mRNA levels of Bax (P0.01) in the muscle tissue. Low-dose Erjingwan elevated the mRNA levels of Nrf2 and HO-1 (P0.05, P0.01), and medium and high-dose Erjingwan up-regulated the mRNA levels of SIRT1, Nrf2, HO-1, and Bcl-2 (P0.01). ConclusionErjingwan reduced the content of inflammatory factors in skeletal muscle cells, improved the antioxidant capacity, and attenuated pathological changes and fibrosis in the muscle of the mouse model of sarcopenia by regulating the SIRT1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway, inflammatory response, and apoptosis network.
3.Mediating effect of intrinsic motivation of nurses between empowering leadership and job performance
Shujuan WEN ; Lili HOU ; Weihua WU ; Xiaomei JIANG ; Zhiwen ZHU ; Wenli ZHANG ; Lei YANG ; Siqi LI
Chinese Journal of Practical Nursing 2025;41(15):1168-1175
Objective:To explore the mediating effect of intrinsic motivation of nurses between empowering leadership and job performance, with the aim of providing a reference basis for managers to develop a scientific and effective intervention programme to improve nurses′ job performance.Methods:Convenience sampling method was used to select 1 213 clinical nurses from four tertiary general hospitals in Shandong Province, Henan Province, Yunnan Province, and Fujian Province from November to December 2023, and General Information Questionnaire, Empowering Leadership Scale, Intrinsic Motivation Scale, and Job Performance Scale were used to conduct a cross-sectional survey. AMOS26.0 software was used to test the mediating effect of intrinsic motivation of nurses between empowering leadership and job performance.Results:A total of 1 100 nurses completed the survey finally. Among them, there were 58 males and 1 042 females, 474 under 31 years old, 448 between 31-40 years old, and 178 over 40 years old.The total scores of the Empowering Leadership Scale, Intrinsic Motivation Scale, and Job Performance Scale were 49.44 ± 10.04, 82.35 ± 13.54 and 46.27 ± 6.20 in that order. Nurses' job performance were positive correlation with the empowered leadership and intrinsic motivation ( r=0.486, 0.703, both P<0.01), there was a positive correlation between nurse empowerment leadership and intrinsic motivation ( r=0.452, P<0.01). Nurses′ intrinsic motivation partially mediates the relationship between empowering leadership and job performance, accounting for 62.69% of the total effect. Conclusions:Intrinsic motivation of nurses is a mediating variable between empowered leadership and job performance. Nursing managers should focus on nurses' participation in autonomous decision-making to enhance nurses′ sense of competence and meaning at work, and mobilise their motivation to improve job performance.
4.A novel perspective on male testicular aging: Sertoli cell lysosomal dysfunction with intervention targets
Yunzhi LIN ; Yulin XIONG ; Zhiwen DENG ; Zheng LI ; Zhi ZHOU
Chinese Journal of Reproduction and Contraception 2025;45(11):1124-1130
Male reproductive aging is characterized by degenerative changes in the structure and function of the testes. Testicular aging involves alterations in various types of cells, among which lysosomal dysfunction in Sertoli cells is particularly critical. Recent studies have shown that abnormal lysosomal acidification leads to impaired phagosome degradation, which fails to maintain normal nutrient cycling and thereby exacerbates damage to the testicular microenvironment. In addition, endoplasmic reticulum stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and epigenetic changes are also important factors contributing to reproductive aging. Therefore, molecular intervention strategies targeting lysosomal dysfunction, mitochondrial oxidative stress, and endoplasmic reticulum stress, such as the use of lysosomal activators like ML-SA1 and antioxidants, may offer new therapeutic directions for alleviating male reproductive aging. Future research should further explore the interactions between these mechanisms and potential intervention targets to improve reproductive health and quality of life in middle-aged and older men.
5.Association between the presence of peritumoral retraction clefts and clinicopatho-logical features and prognosis in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Ning ZHU ; Zhiwen LI ; Yuan FANG ; Li LI
Chinese Journal of Clinical and Experimental Pathology 2025;41(7):892-896,903
Purpose To investigate the clinicopathological significance of peritumoral retraction clefts(PRC)in esophageal squamous cell cancer(ESCC)and its correlation with prognosis.Methods 266 cases of esophageal squa-mous cell carcinoma were collected.Excluding the cases due to incomplete clinical data,cracks caused by the produc-tion process,and receiving preoperative adjuvant treatment,248 cases were finally counted.PRC was determined by the proportion of retraction clefts in the tumor volume of 10%.A retrospective analysis was conducted to explore the re-lationship between PRC and the clinicopathological features as well as prognosis of ESCC.Results Among 248 ESCC patients,114 cases had PRC,while 134 cases did not.Correlation analysis showed that PRC was closely related to his-tological grade,lymphatic invasion,lymph node metastasis,depth of tumor invasion and TNM stage of ESCC,and ES-CC patients with PRC were more likely to have lymphatic invasion and lymph node metastasis(P<0.05).In patients without lymphatic invasion,the probability of nodal metastasis in patients with PRC was higher than those without PRC,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.001).Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that 5-year overall survival(P=0.001)and progression-free survival(P=0.002)in ESCC patients with PRC were significantly lower than those without PRC.Conclusion ESCC patients with PRC are more likely to have local invasiveness,lymphatic invasion and nodal metastasis,may predict the poor prognosis of ESCC patients.Patients with nodal metastasis are more common with PRC.
6.Ablation of macrophage transcriptional factor FoxO1 protects against ischemia-reperfusion injury-induced acute kidney injury.
Yao HE ; Xue YANG ; Chenyu ZHANG ; Min DENG ; Bin TU ; Qian LIU ; Jiaying CAI ; Ying ZHANG ; Li SU ; Zhiwen YANG ; Hongfeng XU ; Zhongyuan ZHENG ; Qun MA ; Xi WANG ; Xuejun LI ; Linlin LI ; Long ZHANG ; Yongzhuo HUANG ; Lu TIE
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(6):3107-3124
Acute kidney injury (AKI) has high morbidity and mortality, but effective clinical drugs and management are lacking. Previous studies have suggested that macrophages play a crucial role in the inflammatory response to AKI and may serve as potential therapeutic targets. Emerging evidence has highlighted the importance of forkhead box protein O1 (FoxO1) in mediating macrophage activation and polarization in various diseases, but the specific mechanisms by which FoxO1 regulates macrophages during AKI remain unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the role of FoxO1 in macrophages in the pathogenesis of AKI. We observed a significant upregulation of FoxO1 in kidney macrophages following ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Additionally, our findings demonstrated that the administration of FoxO1 inhibitor AS1842856-encapsulated liposome (AS-Lipo), mainly acting on macrophages, effectively mitigated renal injury induced by I/R injury in mice. By generating myeloid-specific FoxO1-knockout mice, we further observed that the deficiency of FoxO1 in myeloid cells protected against I/R injury-induced AKI. Furthermore, our study provided evidence of FoxO1's pivotal role in macrophage chemotaxis, inflammation, and migration. Moreover, the impact of FoxO1 on the regulation of macrophage migration was mediated through RhoA guanine nucleotide exchange factor 1 (ARHGEF1), indicating that ARHGEF1 may serve as a potential intermediary between FoxO1 and the activity of the RhoA pathway. Consequently, our findings propose that FoxO1 plays a crucial role as a mediator and biomarker in the context of AKI. Targeting macrophage FoxO1 pharmacologically could potentially offer a promising therapeutic approach for AKI.
7.Relationship between systemic immune inflammation index and vitamin D in patients with type 2 diabetes based on restricted cubic spline
Min ZHAO ; Zhiwen LI ; Chenglong HUANG ; Xiaoju SHEN ; Guangming HUANG
The Journal of Practical Medicine 2025;41(15):2393-2397
Objective To investigate the correlation between plasma vitamin D levels and a novel inflam-matory marker,the systemic immune-inflammatory index(SII),in patients with type 2 diabetes.Methods This study adopted a cross-sectional design,in which patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes who were admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangxi Medical University were enrolled as study participants.Data on demographic characteristics,medical history,physical examination findings,and laboratory test results were systematically collected.Participants were categorized into three groups based on their serum vitamin D levels:deficient,insuffi-cient,and sufficient.The relationship between vitamin D levels and the SII was evaluated using a multivariate linear regression model.Additionally,a restricted cubic spline model was employed to assess the nonlinear dose-response association between vitamin D levels and SII.Results This study enrolled a total of 5,716 patients with type 2 diabetes.A statistically significant difference in the SII was observed across groups with varying vitamin D levels(P<0.05),with the highest SII value found in the vitamin D-deficient group.Multivariate linear regression analysis revealed that,after adjusting for potential confounding factors including gender,age,season of blood collection,body mass index,hypertension,dyslipidemia,and chronic kidney disease,vitamin D levels were negatively associ-ated with SII(β=-2.68,95%CI:-3.56 to-1.81,P<0.001).Compared with the vitamin D-deficient group,the vitamin D-sufficient group exhibited significantly lower SII levels(β=-78.42,95%CI:-137.90 to-18.93,P=0.01).Furthermore,the restricted cubic spline model indicated a nonlinear dose-response relationship between vita-min D levels and SII(P<0.001).Conclusion There is a significant inverse correlation between plasma vitamin D levels and the SII in patients with type 2 diabetes.
8.Mechanistic study of combined poisoning of diazepam and ethanol based on metabolomics
Ni HU ; Lishuang LIU ; Yiwei GUO ; Tao WANG ; Zhimei BAI ; Jing ZHANG ; Jiajie ZHANG ; Bochao LI ; Pingrong ZHOU ; Hongwei LIU ; Zhiwen WEI ; Keming YUN ; Lele WANG
Chinese Journal of Forensic Medicine 2025;40(3):284-287
Objective To study the plasma metabolomics of mice poisoned by different dosage of the combination of diazepam and ethanol,and to reveal the toxicological mechanisms of combined poisoning of diazepam and ethanol.Methods Female Kunming mice were randomly divided into blank group,single and combined poisoning group(n=6),Based on the LD50 of diazepam co-administered with graded ethanol doses,mice in the single-drug and combined groups received oral gavage at 1/2,1,and 2 × LD50.Retro-orbital blood samples(~500 μL)were collected within 24 hours post-administration and analyzed by UPLC-QE-MS technology.Principal component analysis and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis were used to identify differential metabolites and associated metabolic pathways.Results A total of 387 differential metabolites were identified in the combined poisoning group of diazepam and ethanol implicating the key pathways including tryptophan metabolism,phenylalanine metabolism,arginine and proline metabolism,Glycerophospholipid metabolism,phenylalanine,tyrosine and tryptophan biosynthesis.Conclusion Combined diazepam and ethanol poisoning exerts significant systemic effects by disrupting neurotransmitters conduction,exacerbating oxidative stress response and dysregulating energy metabolism.
9.Non-targeted screening and prioritization of emerging pollutants in sewage using direct injection high-resolution mass spectrometry
Chao ZHANG ; Chang WANG ; Xiangru YI ; Jingjing SONG ; Li YANG ; Tao WANG ; ZhiWen WEI ; Keming YUN ; Haiyan CUI ; Fangxing YANG ; Meng HU
Chinese Journal of Forensic Medicine 2025;40(3):317-322
Objective To establish a high-throughput non-targeted screening and prioritization method for emerging pollutants(EPs)in sewage using direct injection high-resolution mass spectrometry(HRMS).Methods The sewage samples were filtered by membrane filter and directly subjected to the liquid chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometer based on a method modified from our previous study.A C18 chromatographic column was applied for a gradient elution separation,and accurate mass and mass spectral fragment information were obtained through the MS full scan mode and MS/MS DIA data collection mode.After peak detection and alignment,the features from the raw data through open source software MZmine 3,and then high-throughput screening strategies such as MassBank and PubChem databases were used for compound annotation.Finally,the candidate features were confirmed with chemical standards by compared their retention time and mass spectrum fragmentation ion peaks.Results 13 EPs were identified,including 7 industrial chemicals,4 pharmaceuticals,1 pesticide and 1 metabolite.High detection rates were observed for metformin(86.2%),2-hydroxybenzothiazole(79.3%),1,2-benzisothiazole-3-one(72.4%),and 1,2-benzisothiazole-3-one(72.4%).The quantitative concentration range of EPs was 1.37~19.05 ng/mL,with the high concentrations observed for melamine(19.05 ng/mL)and furosemide(18.49 ng/mL).Ecological risk assessment identified 1,2-benzisothiazol-3-one,4-aminoacetophenone,creatinine,2-hydroxybenzothiazole,and furosemide as key pollutants.Conclusion This direct injection coupled with HRMS workflow enables efficient non-targeted screening and prioritization of emerging EPs in sewage samples,highlighting five ecotoxicologically critical EPs.The methodology enhances environmental monitoring capabilities and provide critical technical support for interdisciplinary research such as environmental forensics and health risk assessment.
10.Homozygous adenosine deaminase 2 variant causing Sneddon syndrome:a case report
Fei MA ; Qinqin ZHANG ; Zhiwen LI ; Chenfei LIU ; Jun SHI ; Lihua QIAN ; Xiaoqiang LI ; Guofeng LI
Chinese Journal of Cerebrovascular Diseases 2025;22(7):497-501
Sneddon syndrome is a rare neurocutaneous disorder that primarily affects small-and medium-sized arteries.Its clinical manifestations include livedo racemosa and recurrent cerebral ischemic events,and it may also involve multiple organs such as the heart,spleen,and kidneys.This disease can lead to early-onset stroke,making it a rare cause of stroke in young adults.This article reported a case of a young female patient who experienced two cerebral infarctions within one month.Genetic testing identified a homozygous mutation in the adenosine deaminase 2 gene,confirming the diagnosis of Sneddon syndrome.This case serves as a reference to improve clinical recognition of this disease.

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