1.Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease with Traditional Chinese Medicine: A Review
Zheng XU ; Yuan TANG ; Fenglan QIU ; Yiguang LI ; Lingyu YANG ; Jie CHEN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(4):322-330
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common type of dementia, primarily characterized by cognitive and behavioral impairments as well as deficits in learning and memory. The progression of AD has imposed a significant economic burden on society and families. However, its exact pathogenesis has not yet been fully elucidated. Currently, available therapeutic drugs are limited and are often accompanied by serious adverse effects. Traditional Chinese medicines (TCMs) and their extracts are mostly natural products and possess advantages such as multi-pathway regulation and relatively few adverse reactions. Experimental studies have shown that TCMs exhibit great potential in the prevention and treatment of AD. For example, Huanglian Jieduang, Danggui Shaoyaosan, Kaixin San, Liuwei Dihuangwan, Buyang Huanwutang, as well as Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Astragali Radix, Uncariae Ramulus cum Uncis, Coptidis Rhizoma, Gardeniae Fructus, Ginkgo Folium, Salviae Miltiorrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, and Curcumae Longae Rhizoma, can reduce β-amyloid deposition, inhibit excessive Tau protein phosphorylation, restore mitochondrial function, alleviate oxidative stress, suppress neuroinflammation and apoptosis, repair synaptic function, and improve gut microbiota. This article mainly summarizes the effects of several TCMs and compound prescriptions on AD, aiming to provide a reference for subsequent TCM-based treatment of AD.
2.Construction and validation of a prognostic risk assessment model for lung adenocarcinoma based on miR-34 family target genes
Lingyu GU ; Ang GELEMA ; Dan YANG ; Huifeng WANG ; Lixin WANG ; Hui DONG
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(1):118-126
ObjectiveTo establish a tumor prognostic risk assessment model related to target genes of the miR-34 family. MethodsTarget genes of the miR-34 family were screened, and the scores of miR-34 target genes were assessed in 16 tumor types. Univariate Cox regression analysis was used to identify the tumor type with the strongest correlation between miR-34 target gene scores and overall survival (OS). Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were performed to elucidate the functional roles and signaling pathways of miR-34 target genes. A prognostic risk model based on the miR-34 target genes was constructed using univariate Cox and LASSO regression analyses. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and dual-luciferase reporter assays were conducted to validate whether the target genes bind to miR-34 and measure their RNA expression levels in the relevant tumors. Additionally, the risk score was integrated with other clinical indicators to develop a nomogram prediction model for patient survival. ResultsA total of 65 target genes of the miR-34 family were screened. The cancer type exhibiting stronger correlation between the target gene scores and OS was lung adenocarcinoma (P = 0.003, HR= 5.150). Furthermore, miR-34 target genes were predominantly enriched in oxidative stress pathways and various tumor-related processes. Three genes, LDHA, GALNT7, and SATB2, were identified as core components of the prognostic analysis model for lung adenocarcinoma. Additionally, the constructed nomogram model demonstrated robust predictive performance. ConclusionThe risk model and prognosis model of lung adenocarcinoma constructed based on the key target genes of miR-34 have good predictive performance.
3.Phenomics of traditional Chinese medicine 2.0: the integration with digital medicine
Min Xu ; Xinyi Shao ; Donggeng Guo ; Xiaojing Yan ; Lei Wang ; Tao Yang ; Hao LIANG ; Qinghua PENG ; Lingyu Linda Ye ; Haibo Cheng ; Dayue Darrel Duan
Digital Chinese Medicine 2025;8(3):282-299
Abstract
Modern western medicine typically focuses on treating specific symptoms or diseases, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) emphasizes the interconnections of the body’s various systems under external environment and takes a holistic approach to preventing and treating diseases. Phenomics was initially introduced to the field of TCM in 2008 as a new discipline that studies the laws of integrated and dynamic changes of human clinical phenomes under the scope of the theories and practices of TCM based on phenomics. While TCM Phenomics 1.0 has initially established a clinical phenomic system centered on Zhenghou (a TCM definition of clinical phenome), bottlenecks remain in data standardization, mechanistic interpretation, and precision intervention. Here, we systematically elaborates on the theoretical foundations, technical pathways, and future challenges of integrating digital medicine with TCM phenomics under the framework of “TCM phenomics 2.0”, which is supported by digital medicine technologies such as artificial intelligence, wearable devices, medical digital twins, and multi-omics integration. This framework aims to construct a closed-loop system of “Zhenghou–Phenome–Mechanism–Intervention” and to enable the digitization, standardization, and precision of disease diagnosis and treatment. The integration of digital medicine and TCM phenomics not only promotes the modernization and scientific transformation of TCM theory and practice but also offers new paradigms for precision medicine. In practice, digital tools facilitate multi-source clinical data acquisition and standardization, while AI and big data algorithms help reveal the correlations between clinical Zhenghou phenomes and molecular mechanisms, thereby improving scientific rigor in diagnosis, efficacy evaluation, and personalized intervention. Nevertheless, challenges persist, including data quality and standardization issues, shortage of interdisciplinary talents, and insufficiency of ethical and legal regulations. Future development requires establishing national data-sharing platforms, strengthening international collaboration, fostering interdisciplinary professionals, and improving ethical and legal frameworks. Ultimately, this approach seeks to build a new disease identification and classification system centered on phenomes and to achieve the inheritance, innovation, and modernization of TCM diagnostic and therapeutic patterns.
4.Research progress on modulation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease with traditional Chinese medicine
Yuan TANG ; Yonglin LIU ; Wen ZHANG ; Jian SHAO ; Lingyu YANG ; Yiguang LI ; Jie CHEN
Chinese Journal of Comparative Medicine 2025;35(9):164-178
Alzheimer's disease(AD)is the most common neurodegenerative disorder worldwide,characterized primarily by cognitive impairment and memory dysfunction.Its pathological mechanisms involve the toxic accumulation of amyloid β-protein(Aβ),hyperphosphorylation of Tau protein leading to neurofibrillary tangles,mitochondrial dysfunction,synaptic impairment,cholinergic system dysfunction,neuroinflammation,and oxidative stress.Current clinical treatments for AD include acetylcholinesterase inhibitors and N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonists,which can improve cognitive function but fail to slow disease progression and often have side effects.Research indicates that traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)may regulate the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B(PI3K/AKT)signaling pathway,promoting neuronal survival,inhibiting neuroinflammation,reducing oxidative stress,preventing apoptosis,and decreasing Aβ deposition,thus improving the symptoms of AD.This review summarizes the mechanisms by which individual TCM components,extracts,and formulas may regulate the PI3K/AKT pathway in the treatment of AD,with the aim of providing a theoretical foundation for the application of TCM in AD therapy.
5.Dynamics of HIV reservoir and α4β7 cells in patients with different immune reconstitution outcomes during long-term antiretroviral therapy
Lingyu GAO ; Xueji LI ; Yanmei JIAO ; Mengmeng QU ; Zheng XU ; Jijing SHI ; Baopeng YANG ; Luxue ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Microbiology and Immunology 2025;45(4):285-292
Objective:To investigate immunological non-responders (INRs) and immunological responders (IRs) during long-term antiretroviral therapy (ART), and study the dynamics of HIV reservoir and α4β7 cells in INRs and IRs and their correlation.Methods:Twenty-six patients with chronic HIV infection who received ART for 5 years were included. They were divided into INRs (CD4 + T cell counts≤350 cells/μl, n=9) and IRs (CD4 + T cell counts≥500 cells/μl, n=17) based on immune reconstitution outcomes. The percentages and numbers of α4β7 cells in both groups at baseline, ART 1, 3, and 5 years were detected by flow cytometry, and the levels of HIV DNA and cell-associated HIV RNA were quantified by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR during the same periods. HIV viral decay, α4β7 cells dynamics, and their correlations with T cells were compared at baseline, ART 1, 3 and 5 years between the two groups. Results:Over 5 years of ART, INRs exhibited higher HIV reservoir levels compared to IRs, but the decline trend was not slow. The counts of α4β7 cell were lower and the growth trend was slow in INRs ( P<0.05). α4β7 cell counts were strongly positively correlated with CD4 + T cell counts at all timepoints (Year 1: r=0.887; Year 3: r=0.878; Year 5: r=0.887; P all <0.001), while showing significantly negative correlations with activated CD38 + HLA-DR + CD4 + T cells (Year 1: r=-0.619, P=0.001), CD38 + HLA-DR + CD8 + T cells (Year 1: r=-0.517; Year 5: r=-0.532; P all <0.01), and PD-1 + CD4 + T cells (Year 1: r=-0.476, Year 5: r=-0.390, P all <0.05). Conclusions:During long-term ART, INRs maintained higher HIV reservoir and lower α4β7 cell counts compared with IRs, and decreased α4β7 cells may be associated with disease progression.
6.NLRP6 overexpression improves nonalcoholic fatty liver disease by promoting lipid oxidation and decomposition in hepatocytes through the AMPK/CPT1A/PGC1A pathway.
Qing SHI ; Suye RAN ; Lingyu SONG ; Hong YANG ; Wenjuan WANG ; Hanlin LIU ; Qi LIU
Journal of Southern Medical University 2025;45(1):118-125
OBJECTIVES:
To investigate the regulatory role of nucleotide-bound oligomerized domain-like receptor containing pyrin-domain protein 6 (NLRP6) in liver lipid metabolism and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD).
METHODS:
Mouse models with high-fat diet (HFD) feeding for 16 weeks (n=6) or with methionine choline-deficient diet (MCD) feeding for 8 weeks (n=6) were examined for the development of NAFLD using HE and oil red O staining, and hepatic expressions of NLRP6 were detected with RT-qPCR, Western blotting, and immunohistochemical staining. Cultured human hepatocytes (LO2 cells) with adenovirus-mediated NLRP6 overexpression or knock-down were treated with palmitic acid (PA) in the presence or absence of compound C (an AMPK inhibitor), and the changes in cellular lipid metabolism were examined by measuring triglyceride, ATP and β-hydroxybutyrate levels and using oil red staining, RT-qPCR, and Western blotting.
RESULTS:
HFD and MCD feeding both resulted in the development of NAFLD in mice, which showed significantly decreased NLRP6 expression in the liver. In PA-treated LO2 cells, NLRP6 overexpression significantly decreased cellular TG content and lipid deposition, while NLRP6 knockdown caused the opposite effects. NLRP6 overexpression in PA-treated LO2 cells also increased mRNA and protein expressions of PGC1A and CPT1A, levels of ATP and β-hydroxybutyrate, and the phosphorylation level of AMPK pathway; the oxidative decomposition of lipids induced by Ad-NLRP6 was inhibited by the use of AMPK inhibitors.
CONCLUSIONS
NLRP6 overexpression promotes lipid oxidation and decomposition through AMPK/CPT1A/PGC1A to alleviate lipid deposition in hepatocytes.
Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/metabolism*
;
Animals
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Hepatocytes/metabolism*
;
Lipid Metabolism
;
Mice
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Humans
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Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha
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AMP-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism*
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Carnitine O-Palmitoyltransferase/metabolism*
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Diet, High-Fat
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Male
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Mice, Inbred C57BL
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Signal Transduction
8.The value of elastic modulus of shear wave elastography in the diagnosis of cervical lymph node metastasis of thyroid cancer and its correlation with vascular endothelial growth factor C and vascular endothelial growth factor D
Kaibei CHEN ; Lingyu LIU ; Jing YANG ; Jiamei TANG
Chinese Archives of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery 2025;32(2):109-115
OBJECTIVE To analyze the value of elastic modulus of shear wave elastography in the diagnosis of cervical lymph node metastasis of thyroid cancer and its correlation with VEGF-C and VEGF-D.METHODS A total of 120 patients with thyroid cancer admitted to our hospital were divided into metastatic group(n=37)and non-metastatic group(n=83)according to whether the cervical lymph node metastasis.The clinical data and SWE elastic modulus values of the two groups were compared,and the effects of clinical characteristics on SWE elastic modulus values were analyzed by hierarchical regression.Logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyze the independent correlation between SWE elastic modulus and the risk of lymph node metastasis of thyroid cancer.The dose-response relationship between the elastic modulus of SWE and the risk of lymph node metastasis in thyroid cancer was analyzed with restricted cubic strips.The correlation between SWE elastic modulus and VEGF-C and D levels was analyzed after adjusting factors by Logistic regression.RESULTS The results of general data analysis showed that male proportion,BMI,clinical stage,lesion diameter,TSH,FT4,TgAb positive rate,TPOAb positive rate,VEGF-C and VEGF-D in metastatic group were higher than those in non-metastatic group.Under different clinical characteristics,SWE parameters Emax,Emean and Eratio in metastatic group were higher than those in non-metastatic group.In hierarchical regression analysis,gender,clinical stage,lesion diameter,biochemical indices(TSH,FT4,TgAb,TPOAb)had significant positive effects on SWE parameters.SWE parameters were independently associated with the risk of lymph node metastasis of thyroid cancer.Subgroup analysis showed that the association between SWE parameters and the risk of lymph node metastasis of thyroid cancer in all subgroups was statistically significant(P<0.05).There was no nonlinear dose-response relationship between SWE parameters and thyroid cancer risk(P>0.05).After adjusting for confounding factors,there was a significant linear correlation between Emax,Emean,Eratio and VEGF-C and VEGF-D(P<0.05).CONCLUSION The elastic modulus of SWE has a certain diagnostic value for lymph node metastasis of thyroid cancer,and SWE parameters have a certain correlation with VEGF-C and VEGF-D.
9.Lipoxygenase inhibits SFTSV replication by down-regulating autophagy
Shuang LI ; Xiaojie ZHENG ; Yunfa ZHANG ; Lingyu ZHANG ; Tong YANG ; Hao LI ; Xiaoai ZHANG ; Wei LIU
Military Medical Sciences 2025;49(1):27-34
Objective To explore the effects of lipoxygenase(LOX)on severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus(SFTSV)in human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs).Methods The CCK-8 assay was used to assess the cytotoxicity of LOX in HUVECs.Real-time quantitative PCR(qPCR)was adopted to detect the replication of viral RNA in cells.The infection rate of SFTSV to HUVECs was observed via indirect immunofluorescence assay(IFA).The expressions of intracellular viral NP protein and autophagy related proteins microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3(LC3)and adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase(AMPK)/mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR)were detected via Western blotting.Lipid metabolomics was used to analyze the differences in expressions of intracellular metabolites in the SFTSV-infected Huh 7 with or without LOX treatment.Results The results of CCK-8 showed no obvious cytotoxicity to HUVECs with LOX≤8 mg/mL.With the increase of LOX concentrations,the viral RNA level,viral infection rate,and expressions of SFTSV nucleoprotein(NP)protein were gradually decreased,respectively.The autophagy reaction was activated in SFTSV-infected HUVECs,evidenced by the increased expression level of LC3 Ⅱ protein.Compared with the untreated group,LOX treatment resulted in decreased levels of LC3 Ⅱ and AMPK phosphorylation,and enhanced phosphorylation of mTOR in SFTSV-infected HUVEC.Conclusion LOX negatively regulates autophagy by inhibiting AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway,thereby inhibiting SFTSV replication.
10.Value of late gadolinium enhancement cardiac MRI in predicting ventricular arrhythmia in patients with ICD
Lingyu SONG ; Jian LI ; Chuang ZHANG ; Manman YANG ; Guoxing ZHANG ; Xiaoya SU ; Xiangmin SHI
Chinese Journal of Geriatric Heart Brain and Vessel Diseases 2025;27(2):132-135
Objective To investigate the application value of late gadolinium enhancement(LEG)at cardiac MRI in predicting ventricular arrhythmia(VA)events in patients after implantation of ICD.Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on 16 patients at high risk of sudden cardi-ac death after ICD implantation and LEG examination in the First and the Sixth Medical Centers of Chinese PLA General Hospital from June 2020 to March 2024.According the occurrence of VA events receiving appropriate ICD therapy during the follow-up period,they were divided into post-operative VA group(7 cases)and non-VA group(9 cases).The correlation of clinical baseline fea-tures and LEG features with VA events was analyzed.Results The ratios of transmural enhance-ment and myocardial medium enhancement were obviously higher in the VA group than the non-VA group(71.4%vs 11.1%,P=0.035;85.7%vs 22.2%,P=0.041).Multivariate logistic regres-sionanalysis showed that transmural enhancement(OR=5.000,95%CI:0.150-166.589,P=0.368)and myocardial medium enhancement(OR=7.000,95%CI:0.217-226.005,P=0.272)were not independent factors influencing VA occurrence.ROC curve analysis indicated that the combined prediction of transmural enhancement and myocardial media enhancement and the pre-diction of transmural enhancement alone had better diagnostic efficacy(P<0.05).Conclusion LEG has clinical value in predicting postoperative VA events in patients after ICD implantation.

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