1.Sini Powder Alleviates Stress Response and Suppresses Hepatocellular Carcinoma Development by Restoring Gut Microbiota.
Si MEI ; Zhe DENG ; Fan-Ying MENG ; Qian-Qian GUO ; He-Yun TAO ; Lin ZHANG ; Chang XI ; Qing ZHOU ; Xue-Fei TIAN
Chinese journal of integrative medicine 2025;31(9):802-811
OBJECTIVES:
To explore the underlying pharmacological mechanisms and its potential effects of Chinese medicine herbal formula Sini Powder (SNP) on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).
METHODS:
The active components of SNP and their in vivo distribution were identified using ultraperformance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Construction of component-target-disease networks, protein-protein interaction network, Gene Ontology function and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis, and molecular docking were employed to analyze the active components and anti-HCC mechanisms of SNP. Cell viability assay and wound healing assay were utilized to confirm the effect of SNP-containing serum (2.5%, 5.0%, 10%, 20%, and 40%), isoprenaline or propranolol (both 10, 100, and 1,000 µ mol/L) on proliferation and migration of HepG 2 or Huh7 cells. Meanwhile, the effect of isoprenaline or propranolol on the β 2 adrenergic receptor (ADRB2) mRNA expression on HepG2 cells were measured by real-time quantitative reverse transcription (RT-qPCR). Mice with subcutaneous tumors were either subjected to chronic restraint stress (CRS) followed by SNP administration (364 mg/mL) or directly treated with SNP (364 mg/mL). These two parallel experiments were performed to validate the effects of SNP on stress responses. Stress-related proteins and hormones were quantified using RT-qPCR, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and immunohistochemistry. Metagenomic sequencing was performed to confirm the influence of SNP on the gut microbiota in the tumor-bearing CRS mice.
RESULTS:
The distribution of the 12 active components of SNP was confirmed in various tissues and feces. Network pharmacology analysis confirmed the anti-HCC effects of the 5 active components. The potential anti-HCC mechanisms of SNP may involve the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), proto-oncogene tyrosine-protein kinase Src (SRC) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) pathways. SNP-containing serum inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 and Huh7 cells at concentrations of 2.5% and 5.0%, respectively, after 24 h of treatment. Furthermore, SNP suppressed tumor progression in tumor-bearing mice exposed to CRS. SNP treatment also downregulated the expressions of stress-related proteins and pro-inflammatory cytokines, primarily by modulating the gut microbiota. Specifically, the abundance of Alistipes and Prevotella, which belong to the phylum Bacteroidetes, increased in the SNP-treated group, whereas Lachnospira, in the phylum Firmicutes, decreased.
CONCLUSION
SNP can combat HCC by alleviating stress responses through the regulation of gut microbiota.
Animals
;
Gastrointestinal Microbiome/drug effects*
;
Liver Neoplasms/microbiology*
;
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/microbiology*
;
Humans
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*
;
Powders
;
Cell Proliferation/drug effects*
;
Mice
;
Molecular Docking Simulation
;
Cell Line, Tumor
;
Hep G2 Cells
;
Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2/genetics*
;
Stress, Physiological/drug effects*
;
Cell Movement/drug effects*
;
Male
;
Protein Interaction Maps/drug effects*
;
Cell Survival/drug effects*
;
Proto-Oncogene Mas
2.Life-Course Trajectories of Body Mass Index, Insulin Resistance, and Incident Diabetes in Chinese Adults.
Zhi Yuan NING ; Jing Lan ZHANG ; Bing Bing FAN ; Yan Lin QU ; Chang SU ; Tao ZHANG
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2025;38(6):706-715
OBJECTIVE:
This study aimed to explore the interplay between the life-course body mass index (BMI) trajectories and insulin resistance (IR) on incident diabetes.
METHODS:
This longitudinal cohort included 2,336 participants who had BMI repeatedly measured 3-8 times between 1989 and 2009, as well as glucose and insulin measured in 2009. BMI trajectories were identified using a latent class growth mixed model. The interplay between BMI trajectories and IR on diabetes was explored using the four-way effect decomposition method. Logistic regression and mediation models were used to estimate the interaction and mediation effects, respectively.
RESULTS:
Three distinct BMI trajectory groups were identified: low-stable ( n = 1,625), medium-increasing ( n = 613), and high-increasing ( n = 98). Both interaction and mediation effects of BMI trajectories and IR on incident diabetes were significant ( P < 0.05). The proportion of incident diabetes was higher in the IR-obesity than in the insulin-sensitivity (IS) obesity group (18.9% vs. 5.8%, P < 0.001). After adjusting for covariates, the odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of the IR, IS-obesity, and IR-obesity groups vs. the normal group were 3.22 (2.05, 5.16), 2.05 (1.00, 3.97), and 7.98 (5.19, 12.62), respectively. IR mediated 10.7% of the total effect of BMI trajectories on incident diabetes ( P < 0.001).
CONCLUSION
We found strong interactions and weak mediation effects of IR on the relationship between life-course BMI trajectories and incident diabetes. IS-obesity is associated with a lower risk of incident diabetes than IR-obesity.
Humans
;
Insulin Resistance
;
Body Mass Index
;
Male
;
Female
;
Middle Aged
;
China/epidemiology*
;
Adult
;
Longitudinal Studies
;
Incidence
;
Diabetes Mellitus/epidemiology*
;
Aged
;
Obesity/epidemiology*
;
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/epidemiology*
;
East Asian People
3.Network Pharmacological Analysis and Experimental Verification of the Mechanism of Gastrodiae Rhizoma-Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Drug Pair in the Treatment of Hypertension
Sifan ZHONG ; Yuan TAO ; Songbo LAN ; Jiayu CHANG ; Xia HE ; Jiayue LIN ; Ting ZHANG ; Xu YAN
Traditional Chinese Drug Research & Clinical Pharmacology 2024;35(3):384-393
Objective To investigate the mechanism of Gastrodiae Rhizoma-Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma drug pair in the treatment of hypertension based on the network pharmacology method and animal experiment verification.Methods(1)TCMSP,BATMAN and TCMIP databases were used to screen the active components and targets of Gastrodiae Rhizoma-Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma drug pair.The hypertension-related targets were obtained by searching the Drugbank,Genecard,TTD and Disgenet databases.The intersection(common target)of the active component target and the target related to hypertension disease was taken,and the obtained intersection target was the potential target of Gastrodiae Rhizoma-Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma drug pair for the treatment of hypertension.The active ingredients and their targets of Gastrodiae Rhizoma-Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma drug pair were imported into Cytoscape 3.9.1 software to construct a'Chinese medicines-active ingredients-targets'network and screen key active ingredients.The protein-protein interaction(PPI)network of potential targets was constructed to screen potential core targets.The Metascape platform was used to analyze the GO function and KEGG pathway enrichment of potential targets.The key active components and potential core targets were selected for molecular docking verification.(2)Thirty male spontaneously hypertensive rats(SHR)were randomly divided into model group,western medicine group(Candesartan Cilexetil,0.72 mg·kg-1)and low-,medium-and high-dose groups of Gastrodiae Rhizoma-Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma(2.25,4.50,9.00 g·kg-1).Another male WKY rats were selected as blank group,with 6 rats in each group,once a day for 8 weeks.The systolic blood pressure of rat tail artery was detected before administration and 2,4,6 and 8 weeks after drug intervention.The pathological changes of thoracic aorta were observed by HE staining.The protein expression levels of GRP78,CHOP and Caspase-12 in aorta abdominalis were detected by Western Blot.Results(1)A total of 83 active components of Gastrodiae Rhizoma-Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma were obtained,and 158 potential targets(intersection targets)for the treatment of hypertension were screened out.Five key active ingredients:p-hydroxybenzoic acid,4-hydroxybenzylamine,tanshinone I,tanshinone,γ-sitosterol;6 potential core targets:IL6,TNF,CASP3,JUN,PTGS2,IL1B;GO functional enrichment analysis obtained 1 826 biological process items,89 cell component items,and 199 molecular function items.KEGG pathway enrichment analysis obtained 186 pathways,mainly involving neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction,calcium signaling pathway,inflammatory response(such as TNF and MAPK signaling pathway),vascular protection(such as HIF-1 and cAMP signaling pathway),oxidative stress(such as PI3K-Akt signaling pathway)and other signaling pathways.Tanshinone I and tanshinone had strong binding force to 6 potential core targets,and γ-sitosterol had strong binding force to IL6,CASP3,JUN,PTGS2 and IL1B.(2)Compared with the blank group,the systolic blood pressure of the model group was significantly increased(P<0.01).The thoracic aortic endothelial injury was obvious,the endothelial cell morphology was abnormal,swelling and exfoliated cells could be seen,the intima of the tissue was disordered,the intima structure was incomplete,and the intima was thickened.The protein expressions of GRP78,CHOP and Caspase-12 in abdominal aorta were significantly increased(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,the systolic blood pressure of the rats in the administration group was significantly decreased(P<0.01);the injury of thoracic aorta was alleviated,and the morphology,intima structure and thickness of endothelial cells were improved to varying degrees.The protein expressions of GRP78,CHOP and Caspase-12 in abdominal aorta were significantly decreased(P<0.01).Conclusion Gastrodiae Rhizoma-Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma drug pair may act on core targets such as IL6,TNF,CASP3,JUN,PTGS2,and IL1B through key active components such as p-hydroxybenzoic acid,tanshinone,and γ-sitosterol,and regulate key signaling pathways such as TNF signaling pathway,MAPK signaling pathway,PI3K-Akt signaling pathway,and PERK signaling pathway to improve vascular endothelial dysfunction,inhibit endoplasmic reticulum stress,and lower blood pressure.
4.Effects of the various herbs and different proportions of the herbs in Huidu Yinhua powder on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Yufen LI ; Shuang JIANG ; Wu SONG ; Tao JIANG ; Chang LIU ; Haofang ZHOU ; Yating TANG ; Lin WEI ; Xin SU
Chinese Journal of Comparative Medicine 2024;34(2):63-71
Objective To study the inhibitory effect of Huidu Yinhua powder from the Orthodox Manual of External Medicine on methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus(MRSA),virulence factor α-hemolysin(Hla)activity,and biofilm formation,and to explore the optimal ratios of Huidu Yinhua powder and provide experimental support for its use.Methods The inhibitory effects of Huidu Yinhua powder and the herbs in the formula on USA300 were analyzed by the minimum inhibitory concentration(MIC),minimum bactericidal concentration(MBC),and disk diffusion assay(K-B method).Hemolysis,neutralization,oligomerization,and Western blot assays were used to verify in which form the drug inhibits the activity of virulence factor α-hemolysin(Hla).A biofilm assay was performed to evaluate the inhibitory effect of Huidu Yinhua powder on biofilm.Orthogonal experiments were performed to explore the optimal ratio of Huidu Yinhua powder.Results Huidu Yinhua powder inhibited the MRSA strain with a MIC90 of 64 mg/mL and an MBC of 256 mg/mL with antibacterial circle diameter of(7.50±0.50)mm.Huidu Yinhua powder inhibited Hla activity by inhibiting Hla secretion.The minimum effective concentration(MEC)was 16 mg/mL,and the MEC of biofilm was 8 mg/mL.In Huidu Yinhua powder,honeysuckle and astragalus only affected the hemolytic activity of MRSA and biofilm formation without inhibiting bacterial growth.The hemolytic activity and biofilm of MEC were both 32 mg/mL.Glycyrrhiza had a strong bacterial inhibitory capacity with a MIC90 of 8 mg/mL and biofilm MEC of 1 mg/mL without showing inhibitory hemolytic activity at subinhibitory concentrations.The orthogonal experiment showed that,at a ratio of honeysuckle,astragalus,and glycyrrhiza in Huidu Yinhua powder of 1∶2∶4,the MIC90 was 16 mg/mL,MEC of hemolytic activity was 8 mg/mL and that of biofilm was 4 mg/mL,both of which were the lowest among the nine groups.Conclusions Huidu Yinhua powder affects the hemolytic activity and biofilm formation of MRSA at subinhibitory concentrations with the optimal ratio of honeysuckle,astragalus,and glycyrrhiza being 1∶2∶4.
5.Biomechanical analysis of the bones in a rat model of osteoporosis based on the combination of disease and syndrome
Chubin LIN ; Xingpeng HE ; Yuhui QIU ; Wenjin WU ; Yu CHANG ; Tao YE ; Pengfei LI ; Jian YANG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2024;28(23):3636-3641
BACKGROUND:Kidney deficiency is the main pathogenesis of osteoporosis.To study the relationship between the two major syndrome types of kidney deficiency,Kidney-Yang deficiency and Kidney-Yin deficiency,is beneficial for the development of clinical diagnosis and treatments based on the combination of disease and syndrome. OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the biomechanical differences of the rat femurs with Kidney-Yang deficiency and Kidney-Yin deficiency caused by Yougui pills,and to demonstrate the scientific efficacy of medication based on the combination of disease and syndrome in osteoporosis from a biomechanical perspective. METHODS:The bilateral ovaries of 60 female Sprague-Dawley rats were surgically removed to establish an ovariectomized osteoporosis model.At 10 weeks after modeling,all the rats were randomly divided into a Kidney-Yang deficiency group(n=30)and a Kidney-Yin deficiency group(n=30).Rats with Kidney-Yang deficiency were given gluteal intramuscular injection of hydrocortisone,while rats with Kidney-Yin deficiency were orally administered with thyroid tablet suspension,once a day,for 14 consecutive days.After successful modeling,20 rats in each group were given a suspension of Yougui pills by gavage once a day for 12 consecutive weeks and the remaining 10 rats were used as the control group without intervention.After gavage,the microstructural parameters of the bone were measured using Micro-CT scanning.Three-point bending,finite element simulation,femoral head compression,and surface indentation distribution experiments of the femurs were performed on a mechanical testing machine. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Micro-CT revealed that the femoral bone density,bone volume fraction,bone surface density,trabecular number,and trabecular separation were improved in the Kidney-Yin deficiency+Yougui pills group compared with the Kidney-Yin deficiency group(P<0.05);the femoral bone volume fraction,bone surface density,trabecular number,and trabecular thickness were improved in the Kidney-Yang deficiency+Yougui pills group compared with the Kidney-Yang deficiency group(P<0.05).The three-point bending experiment showed that the femur elastic modulus,maximum bending strength and bending fracture strength were decreased(P<0.05)and toughness was increased(P<0.05)in the Kidney-Yang deficiency+Yougui pills group compared with the Kidney-Yang deficiency group.Finite element simulation showed that Yougui pills could significantly improve the bending resistance of the femurs in the Kidney-Yang deficiency group,but had no significant effect on the Kidney-Yin deficiency group.The femoral head compression experiments showed that Yougui pills could enhance the ability of the femoral head to resist deformation in the Kidney-Yang deficiency group,but there was no significant difference in the effect of Yougui pills on the surface properties of the femoral head in the Kidney-Yin deficiency group and the Kidney-Yang deficiency group.To conclude,Yougui pills can significantly enhance the biomechanical properties of the osteoporotic bones with Kidney-Yang deficiency,but have no significant effect on the osteoporotic bone with Kidney-Yin deficiency.
6.Artificial intelligence predicts direct-acting antivirals failure among hepatitis C virus patients: A nationwide hepatitis C virus registry program
Ming-Ying LU ; Chung-Feng HUANG ; Chao-Hung HUNG ; Chi‐Ming TAI ; Lein-Ray MO ; Hsing-Tao KUO ; Kuo-Chih TSENG ; Ching-Chu LO ; Ming-Jong BAIR ; Szu-Jen WANG ; Jee-Fu HUANG ; Ming-Lun YEH ; Chun-Ting CHEN ; Ming-Chang TSAI ; Chien-Wei HUANG ; Pei-Lun LEE ; Tzeng-Hue YANG ; Yi-Hsiang HUANG ; Lee-Won CHONG ; Chien-Lin CHEN ; Chi-Chieh YANG ; Sheng‐Shun YANG ; Pin-Nan CHENG ; Tsai-Yuan HSIEH ; Jui-Ting HU ; Wen-Chih WU ; Chien-Yu CHENG ; Guei-Ying CHEN ; Guo-Xiong ZHOU ; Wei-Lun TSAI ; Chien-Neng KAO ; Chih-Lang LIN ; Chia-Chi WANG ; Ta-Ya LIN ; Chih‐Lin LIN ; Wei-Wen SU ; Tzong-Hsi LEE ; Te-Sheng CHANG ; Chun-Jen LIU ; Chia-Yen DAI ; Jia-Horng KAO ; Han-Chieh LIN ; Wan-Long CHUANG ; Cheng-Yuan PENG ; Chun-Wei- TSAI ; Chi-Yi CHEN ; Ming-Lung YU ;
Clinical and Molecular Hepatology 2024;30(1):64-79
Background/Aims:
Despite the high efficacy of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), approximately 1–3% of hepatitis C virus (HCV) patients fail to achieve a sustained virological response. We conducted a nationwide study to investigate risk factors associated with DAA treatment failure. Machine-learning algorithms have been applied to discriminate subjects who may fail to respond to DAA therapy.
Methods:
We analyzed the Taiwan HCV Registry Program database to explore predictors of DAA failure in HCV patients. Fifty-five host and virological features were assessed using multivariate logistic regression, decision tree, random forest, eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and artificial neural network. The primary outcome was undetectable HCV RNA at 12 weeks after the end of treatment.
Results:
The training (n=23,955) and validation (n=10,346) datasets had similar baseline demographics, with an overall DAA failure rate of 1.6% (n=538). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that liver cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, poor DAA adherence, and higher hemoglobin A1c were significantly associated with virological failure. XGBoost outperformed the other algorithms and logistic regression models, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 1.000 in the training dataset and 0.803 in the validation dataset. The top five predictors of treatment failure were HCV RNA, body mass index, α-fetoprotein, platelets, and FIB-4 index. The accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of the XGBoost model (cutoff value=0.5) were 99.5%, 69.7%, 99.9%, 97.4%, and 99.5%, respectively, for the entire dataset.
Conclusions
Machine learning algorithms effectively provide risk stratification for DAA failure and additional information on the factors associated with DAA failure.
7.Jiedu recipe, a compound Chinese herbal medicine, suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis by inhibiting the release of tumor-derived exosomes in a hypoxic microenvironment.
Wen-Tao JIA ; Shuang XIANG ; Jin-Bo ZHANG ; Jia-Ying YUAN ; Yu-Qian WANG ; Shu-Fang LIANG ; Wan-Fu LIN ; Xiao-Feng ZHAI ; Yan SHANG ; Chang-Quan LING ; Bin-Bin CHENG
Journal of Integrative Medicine 2024;22(6):696-708
OBJECTIVE:
Tumor-derived exosomes (TDEs) play crucial roles in intercellular communication. Hypoxia in the tumor microenvironment enhances secretion of TDEs and accelerates tumor metastasis. Jiedu recipe (JR), a traditional Chinese medicinal formula, has demonstrated efficacy in preventing the metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the underlying mechanism remains largely unknown.
METHODS:
Animal experiments were performed to investigate the metastasis-preventing effects of JR. Bioinformatics analysis and in vitro assays were conducted to explore the potential targets and active components of JR. TDEs were assessed using nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA) and Western blotting (WB). Exosomes derived from normoxic or hypoxic HCC cells (H-TDEs) were collected to establish premetastatic mouse models. JR was intragastrically administered to evaluate its metastasis-preventive effects. WB and lysosomal staining were performed to investigate the effects of JR on lysosomal function and autophagy. Bioinformatics analysis, WB, NTA, and immunofluorescence staining were used to identify the active components and potential targets of JR.
RESULTS:
JR effectively inhibited subcutaneous-tumor-promoted lung premetastatic niche development and tumor metastasis. It inhibited the release of exosomes from tumor cells under hypoxic condition. JR treatment promoted both lysosomal acidification and suppressed secretory autophagy, which were dysregulated in hypoxic tumor cells. Quercetin was identified as the active component in JR, and the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) was identified as a potential target. Quercetin inhibited EGFR phosphorylation and promoted the nuclear translocation of transcription factor EB (TFEB). Hypoxia-impaired lysosomal function was restored, and secretory autophagy was alleviated by quercetin treatment.
CONCLUSION
JR suppressed HCC metastasis by inhibiting hypoxia-stimulated exosome release, restoring lysosomal function, and suppressing secretory autophagy. Quercetin acted as a key component of JR and regulated TDE release through EGFR-TFEB signaling. Our study provides a potential strategy for retarding tumor metastasis by targeting H-TDE secretion. Please cite this article as: Jia WT, Xiang S, Zhang JB, Yuan JY, Wang YQ, Liang SF, Lin WF, Zhai XF, Shang Y, Ling CQ, Cheng BB. Jiedu recipe, a compound Chinese herbal medicine, suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma metastasis by inhibiting the release of tumor-derived exosomes in a hypoxic microenvironment through the EGFR-TFEB signaling pathway. J Integr Med. 2024; 22(6): 697-709.
Exosomes/drug effects*
;
Animals
;
Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/genetics*
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology*
;
Liver Neoplasms/pathology*
;
Tumor Microenvironment/drug effects*
;
Mice
;
Humans
;
Cell Line, Tumor
;
Mice, Inbred BALB C
;
Neoplasm Metastasis
;
Male
;
Mice, Nude
8.Discrepancy between behavioral-indicated and perceived candidacy for HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis among men who have sex with men in Chengdu, China.
Hao LIN ; Jing Hua LI ; Xiao YANG ; Xiao Ting CHEN ; Yu Hui SHI ; Chun CHANG ; Yuan Tao HAO ; Wang Nan CAO
Journal of Peking University(Health Sciences) 2023;55(3):511-520
OBJECTIVE:
To explore the discrepancy between behavioral-indicated candidacy and perceived candidacy (behavioral-perceived gap) and its associated factors of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among men who have sex with men (MSM), so as to identify the focus population of PrEP interventions and to design and implement targeted interventions.
METHODS:
We recruited a sample of 622 HIV-negative MSM who were regular clients of a community-based organization located in Chengdu, China, from November to December 2021. A cross-sectional questionnaire was used to collect the participants' information on social demographics, PrEP-related knowledge and cognitions, and risk behaviors. In this study, behaviorally eligible for PrEP was defined as performing at least one type of high-risk behavior in the past six months, including inconsistent condom use, sex with an HIV-positive partner, confirmed sexual transmitted infections (STI) diagnosis, substance use, and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) experience. Logistic regression models were fitted, and multivariate analyses were adjusted for social demographics.
RESULTS:
Among the 622 eligible participants, 52.6% (327/622) were classified as behaviorally eligible for PrEP. Only 37.9% (124/327) of the participants perceived themselves as appropriate candidates for PrEP and 62.1% (203/207) had discrepancy between behavioral-indicated and perceived candidacy. 85.9% (281/327) had heard of PrEP, and 14.2% (40/281) accessed PrEP information through health care providers. Of the 327 participants eligible for behavior-indicated PrEP use, about half (47.1%) knew how to obtain PrEP medication and 33.0% had a professional PrEP counseling experience. The majority (93.3%) had no or few friends using PrEP. 54.1% scored eight or above in PrEP knowledge level. 66.7% reported having two or more sexual partners in the past six months. After adjusting for age and recruitment channel, we found six factors that were associated with perceived candidacy for PrEP, including PEP use [adjusted odds ratio (ORA)=2.20; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.33-3.63], PrEP availability (ORA=1.69; 95%CI: 1.06-2.68), a greater number of PrEP-using friends (ORA=4.92; 95%CI: 1.77-13.65), PrEP know-ledge (ORA=2.21; 95%CI: 1.38-3.56), multiple sexual partnership (ORA=1.77; 95%CI: 1.07-2.94), and perceiving a higher risk of HIV infection (ORA=4.02; 95%CI: 1.73-9.32). Substance use during sex and PrEP information channel were not statistically associated with this beha-vioral-perceived gap.
CONCLUSION
We observed a high discrepancy between behavioral-indicated and perceived candidacy for PrEP among Chengdu MSM in China. Future PrEP implementation efforts should be made in skills training in assessing HIV infection risk, increasing PrEP knowledge, providing professional PrEP counselling, and fostering PrEP support environment.
Male
;
Humans
;
Homosexuality, Male/psychology*
;
HIV Infections/psychology*
;
Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis
;
HIV
;
Cross-Sectional Studies
;
Sexual and Gender Minorities
9.Investigation of pharmacological characteristics and mechanisms of Qufeng Gutong Cataplasm based on a "disease-syndrome-symptom-formula" association network analysis
Su-ya ZHANG ; Xia MAO ; Xue-ying TAO ; Chang-ting FANGLUO ; Tao LI ; Yu-dong LIU ; Fei YANG ; Xiao-hui SU ; Wei-heng CHEN ; Yan-qiong ZHANG ; Na LIN
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2023;58(6):1412-1421
Growing clinical evidence shows that Qufeng Gutong Cataplasm may exert a significant analgesic effect. However, the pharmacological characteristics and mechanisms underlying this prescription are still unclear. In the current study, a "disease-syndrome-symptom-formula" association network analysis was performed to explore the pharmacological characteristics and mechanisms of Qufeng Gutong Cataplasm against osteoarthritis (OA), neuropathic pain (NP), chronic inflammatory pain (CIP) and myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) by integrating clinical phenomics data, transcriptomics data and biological interaction network mining. As a result, the three functional modules (Qufeng Sanhan-QFSHG, Shujin Huoxue-SJHXG and Xiaozhong Zhitong-XZZTG) enriched by the drug network targets were all related to the pharmacological effects of Qufeng Gutong Cataplasm, including dispersing cold and relieving pain, activating blood and relieving pain, reducing swelling and relieving pain. In addition, the main pharmacological effects of QFSHG and XZZTG were dispelling wind and dispersing cold and dehumidifying, promoting Qi and reducing swelling and relieving pain, respectively. In terms of reversing the imbalance of "immune-inflammation-vascular axis", the main pharmacological effects of SJHXG were regulating the liver and promoting Qi, activating blood circulation and removing stasis. Mechanically, the key network targets of Qufeng Gutong Cataplasm against OA, NP, CIP and MPS may play a therapeutic role in relieving hyperalgesia and paresthesia by reversing the "neuro-endocrine-immune" imbalance system during the occurrence and progression of diseases. In conclusion, our data indicate that Qufeng Gutong Cataplasm may relieve the pain and wind-cold-dampness arthralgia syndrome related symptoms by regulating the "neuro-endocrine-immune" system, neurological and endocrine disorders and reversing the imbalance of "immunity-inflammation". The relevant results may provide a network-based evidence for clinical positioning of Qufeng Gutong Cataplasm, and offer a direction for further clinical and experimental validation.
10.Comparative study on pathological characteristics of four different antigen-induced rheumatoid arthritis mouse models
Chao YANG ; Zhi-xing HU ; Shuang-rong GAO ; Ze-ran YAN ; Luo-chang-ting FANG ; Xiao-xiao WANG ; Qun LI ; Qing-wen TAO ; Chun-fang LIU ; Na LIN
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2023;58(6):1586-1595
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease driven by antigens and mediated by T cells. Collagen II (CII) and fibrinogen (Fib) are the two main antigens in the pathogenesis of RA. The antigen produced after citrulline modification (Cit) is also one of the inducements to induce the body to produce a pathogenic anti-citrulline protein antibody (ACPA). To provide a reference for RA-related research, this study intends to establish an RA animal model by using CII, Cit-CII, Fib, and Cit-Fib antigens, emulsification with complete Freund's adjuvant and immunization with DBA/1 mice, respectively, to compare the pathological characteristics of RA models induced by different antigens from the aspects of pathology, imaging and serum biochemistry. Animal welfare and experimental process are in accordance with the regulations of the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of the China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences. The results showed that the CII, Cit-CII, and Cit-Fib induced mice all had symptoms such as joint redness and swelling, and toe deformation and the clinical score and incidence rate were higher than those of the normal group. The CII group had the most serious lesions, with a incidence rate of 100%, and the Cit-CII and Cit-Fib groups had mild symptoms, with a incidence rate of 25% and 37.5%, respectively; pathological and imaging examination results showed that the joints of mice in CII-induced group showed severe synovial inflammation, cartilage and bone destruction, while those in Cit-CII and Cit-Fib group showed only slight inflammatory infiltration, joint cavity stenosis and bone destruction; the results of serum antibody detection showed that CII, Cit-CII and Cit-Fib groups all produced high levels of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibodies, among which, Cit-Fib group > Cit-CII group > CII group > Fib group, and both Cit-CII and Cit-Fib groups produced high levels of citrullinated epitope-specific antibodies, while the total IgG level was the highest in CII group; serum ELISA and RT-PCR analysis of joint tissue showed that the expression of pro-inflammatory factors and bone destruction-related molecules increased most significantly in the CII-induced group, followed by Cit-Fib and Cit-CII. The above results showed that among the four different antigens, the symptoms and conditions of arthritis in RA mice induced by CII were the most serious, and IgG instead of anti-CCP antibody was its typical immunological feature, and CII could be the first choice for the model of RA mice; Cit-Fib has certain immunogenicity, can partially induce the symptoms and conditions of RA arthritis in mice, and produce high-level anti-CCP antibody and anti-Cit-Fib antibody, which is more suitable for the study of citrulline-related RA; although Cit-CII has certain immunogenicity, the incidence, and severity of RA arthritis induced by Cit-CII in mice are low.

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