1.Anti-CD24 antibody-nitric oxide donor conjugates bearing a self-bioorthogonal cleavable linker.
Jianbing WU ; Tianyue CHENG ; Jiajun XIE ; Ziyu QIAN ; Linhua HUANG ; Xun YUAN ; Libang ZHANG ; Shan YANG ; Yihua ZHANG ; Tonglin XU ; Juan ZHANG ; Zhangjian HUANG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(10):5366-5386
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a highly aggressive malignancy predominantly managed via chemotherapy. Our clinical sample analysis revealed a significant correlation between elevated CD24 expression in TNBC tumor cells and patient survival rates. We developed a novel antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), named HN03, consisting of an antibody with engineered cysteines for site-specific conjugation with a low toxic nitric oxide (NO) precursor as its payload through a novel Pt(IV)-mediated bioorthogonal self-cleavable linker. HN03 specifically targets tumor cells expressing high levels of CD24, concurrently generating cisplatin and releasing NO upon activation. HN03 also exhibited potent in vitro and in vivo antitumor activity. It significantly reduced tumor growth at various doses, prevented tumor metastasis, with markedly lower toxicity than traditional chemotherapy agents. We found that a key mechanism of its action involved inducing apoptosis and endoplasmic reticulum stress, substantially decreasing the number of M2-type macrophages. Overall, HN03 stands out as a promising therapeutic option for TNBC, offering a targeted treatment with reduced side effects and the potential for improved outcomes. Furthermore, using Pt(IV) in the linker and an NO precursor as the payload enhances the versatility of the Antibody-NO donor Conjugate (ANC), offering new avenues for the design of the next generation of ADCs.
2.A study on the congenital hypodysfibrinogenemia family and its pathogenic mechanism
Jiawei ZHENG ; Xiaomei LU ; Lixia HAO ; Linna LU ; Jia YANG ; Lidong ZHAO ; Dongyan FU ; Duanyang WANG ; Gang WANG ; Linhua YANG
Chinese Journal of Hematology 2025;46(6):571-574
The proband was a 32-year-old female patient who sought medical attention for over 9 months of pregnancy, reduced fetal movement, and discomfort in the lower abdomen. The proband and her father had normal activated partial thromboplastin time and prothrombin time, decreased fibrinogen activity and antigen levels, and prolonged thrombin time, whereas the test results of her mother were normal. Ultrasonography showed intermuscular vein thrombosis in the left calf of the proband. Peripheral blood DNA was extracted from the proband and her parents, and Sanger sequencing was performed to detect the base sequences of the FGA, FGB, and FGG genes. The proband and her father had heterozygous missense mutations in exon 6 c.615A > C (p. Leu205Phe) and exon 8 c.1121A > C (p. Tyr374Ser) of the FGG gene. Bioinformatics analysis suggested that the two gene mutations may be the pathogenic mechanism of this congenital hypodysfibrinogenemia family.
3.Connotation and Clinical Application of "The Nature of Cold and Heat Complex Syndrome is Cold": from the Perspective of Zang-Fu (脏腑) Wind-Damp Theory
Tong LIN ; Yingying YANG ; Linhua ZHAO ; Lili ZHANG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(8):795-799
According to zang-fu (脏腑) wind-damp theory, it is believed that wind, cold, and dampness are internal pathogenic factors that, when stagnated, transform into heat and invade the zang-fu organs, leading to chronic conditions. Heat is seen as a manifestation, while cold is considered the root cause. When external factors trigger these latent pathogens, the disease of the zang-fu organs exacerbates or relapses, often presenting with a complex syndrome of cold and heat. Based on this theory, the viewpoint of "for complex syndrome of cold and heat, cold is the root" is proposed. It suggests that for diseases with a complex cold-heat syndrome, external invasion of wind, cold, and dampness are the initiating factors. During the acute phase, treatment should focus on dispelling and eliminating the pathogens to promote the expulsion of the latent wind, cold, and dampness. During the remission phase, the focus shifts to reinforcing the healthy qi and tonifying the root, allowing the cold and dampness to be cleared. Internal dampness originates from the spleen; therefore, regulating the spleen and stomach, and dispersing cold and removing dampness is the key to treating wind-damp disorders of zang-fu organs. Cold and dampness are both yin pathogens, which damage yang qi, and repeated invasions of wind, cold, and dampness obstruct the qi flow of the zang-fu organs, progressively weakening yang qi. Hence, it is necessary to protect yang qi, and thereafter dispelling cold and dampness by warming yang. The theory that "for complex syndrome of cold and heat, cold is the root" provides guidance for the clinical application and the treatment of complex and difficult diseases in traditional Chinese medicine.
4.Small nucleolar RNA host gene 1 (SNHG1) facilitates gemcitabine chemosensitivity in gallbladder cancer by regulating the miR-23b-3p/phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) pathway.
Hui WANG ; Yixiang GU ; Miaomiao GUO ; Ming ZHAN ; Min HE ; Yang ZHANG ; Linhua YANG ; Yingbin LIU
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(21):2783-2792
BACKGROUND:
Growing evidence suggests that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) exert pivotal roles in fostering chemoresistance across diverse tumors. Nevertheless, the precise involvement of lncRNAs in modulating chemoresistance within the context of gallbladder cancer (GBC) remains obscure. This study aimed to uncover how lncRNAs regulate chemoresistance in gallbladder cancer, offering potential targets to overcome drug resistance.
METHODS:
To elucidate the relationship between gemcitabine sensitivity and small nucleolar RNA host gene 1 ( SNHG1 ) expression, we utilized publicly available GBC databases, GBC tissues from Renji Hospital collected between January 2017 and December 2019, as well as GBC cell lines. The assessment of SNHG1, miR-23b-3p, and phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) expression was performed using in situ hybridization, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, and western blotting. The cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay was used to quantify the cell viability. Furthermore, a GBC xenograft model was employed to evaluate the impact of SNHG1 on the therapeutic efficacy of gemcitabine. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were executed to assess the specificity and sensitivity of SNHG1.
RESULTS:
Our analyses revealed an inverse correlation between the lncRNA SNHG1 and gemcitabine resistance across genomics of drug sensitivity in cancer (GDSC) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) datasets, GBC cell lines, and patients. Gain-of-function investigations underscored that SNHG1 heightened the gemcitabine sensitivity of GBC cells in both in vitro and in vivo settings. Mechanistic explorations illuminated that SNHG1 could activate PTEN -a commonly suppressed tumor suppressor gene in cancers-thereby curbing the development of gemcitabine resistance in GBC cells. Notably, microRNA (miRNA) target prediction algorithms unveiled the presence of miR-23b-3p binding sites within SNHG1 and the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) of PTEN . Moreover, SNHG1 acted as a sponge for miR-23b-3p, competitively binding to the 3'-UTR of PTEN , thereby amplifying PTEN expression and heightening the susceptibility of GBC cells to gemcitabine.
CONCLUSION
The SNHG1/miR-23b-3p/PTEN axis emerges as a pivotal regulator of gemcitabine sensitivity in GBC cells, holding potential as a promising therapeutic target for managing GBC patients.
Humans
;
Deoxycytidine/pharmacology*
;
PTEN Phosphohydrolase/genetics*
;
Gemcitabine
;
RNA, Long Noncoding/metabolism*
;
MicroRNAs/genetics*
;
Gallbladder Neoplasms/genetics*
;
Cell Line, Tumor
;
Animals
;
Mice
;
Drug Resistance, Neoplasm/genetics*
;
Mice, Nude
;
Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic
;
Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
5.GDF-15 promotes collateral circulation and improves cardiac function in rats with acute myocardial infarction by activating the NO/cGMP/PKG signaling pathway
Xiaosen SHANG ; Yichun YANG ; Jianan HOU ; Linhua FAN ; Xiaoping CHEN ; Bingyan WEI ; Zhaoyang CHEN
Chinese Journal of Comparative Medicine 2025;35(5):60-70
Objective To observe the effects of growth differentiation factor-15(GDF-15)on collateral circulation and cardiac function in rats with acute myocardial infarction(AMI)in relation to the nitric oxide(NO)/cyclic guanosine monophosphate(cGMP)/protein kinase G(PKG)signaling pathway.Methods An AMI rat model was constructed by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery.After modeling,the rats were divided randomly into Sham,Model,and GDF-15 groups(n=12 rats per group).Rats in the GDF-15 group were injected intraperitoneally with recombinant GDF-15 protein,and the other two groups were injected with the same amount of normal saline twice a week for 8 consecutive weeks.Cardiac function was detected by echocardiography.Pathological damage to rat myocardial tissue was detected by hematoxylin and eosin staining and the collateral circulation was observed by CD31 immunohistochemical staining.Vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)mRNA expression was detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction.Transcriptomic sequencing of heart tissues in the model and GDF-15 groups was performed and differentially expressed genes(DEGs)were screened.Pathway enrichment analysis of the DEGS was carried out according to the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG).Nitric oxide(NO),reactive oxygen species(ROS),and cGMP were detected using kits,and VEGF,endothelial nitric oxide synthase(eNOS)monomer,p-eNOSser1177monomer,eNOS dimer,and PKG protein were detected by Western blot.Results Left ventricular end-systolic diameter(LVEDs)and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter(LVEDd)were increased(P<0.001),and left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)and the short-axis shortening rate(FS)were decreased in the Model group compared with the Sham group(P<0.001).Myocardial cell necrosis was more severe,vascular density in the infarcted area was decreased(P<0.05),but VEGF mRNA and protein levels were no change(P>0.05),and levels of NO,eNOS dimer,cGMP,and PKG protein were decreased(P<0.05),and expression levels of ROS,eNOS monomer,and p-eNOSser1177 monomer were increased(P<0.05).LVEDs and LVEDd decreased(P<0.05),LVEF and FS increased(P<0.01),myocardial cell necrosis was relieved,vascular density in the infarcted area increased significantly(P<0.0001),and VEGF mRNA levels increased(P<0.0001),compared with the Model group.Transcriptomic sequencing identified 324 DEGs,including 230 up-regulated and 94 down-regulated genes.According to KEGG enrichment analysis,the cGMP-PKG signaling pathway showed the most significant difference in the T20 pathway.VEGF,NO,eNOS dimer,cGMP,and PKG protein levels were all increased(P<0.05),while ROS,eNOS monomer,and p-eNOSser1177 monomer were decreased in the GDF-15 group(P<0.05).Conclusions GDF-15 can promote collateral circulation in ischemic myocardium and improve cardiac function by inhibiting eNOS decoupling and activating the NO/cGMP/PKG pathway.
6.Construction of a Modern TCM Epidemic Diagnosis and Treatment System
Yingying YANG ; Jinli LUO ; Qingwei LI ; Chuanxi TIAN ; Qiang WANG ; Han WANG ; Linhua ZHAO ; Xiaolin TONG
Journal of Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;41(11):1407-1413
Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)has rich experience in the diagnosis and treatment of epidemics,but the basic con-cepts and diagnosis and treatment strategies of TCM for epidemics have not yet formed a common understanding.This paper preliminar-ily constructs a diagnosis and treatment system of TCM epidemics from the perspective of"type differentiation-stage differentiation-syndrome differentiation"by combing the basic concepts of the etiology,pathogenesis,and identification of epidemics,taking state-target differentiation and treatment as the general principle.First,the epidemics are divided into five types:cold epidemics,warm epi-demics,cold-damp epidemics,damp epidemics,and miscellaneous epidemics;then,according to the overall course of the epidemics,they are divided into four stages:"initial stage-peak stage-extreme stage-relapse stage",the initial stage is the stage of exterior syn-dromes,the peak stage is the stage of heat peak,the extreme stage is the stage of internal closure and external loss,and the relapse stage is the stage of recovery of the healthy qi and retreat of the evil qi;finally,on the basis of staging,combined with the syndrome char-acteristics of various epidemics(five types of background diseases)at different stages,the syndromes are divided demonstratively.Through the construction of a modern diagnosis and treatment system of TCM epidemics,the basic theoretical concepts and basic diag-nosis and treatment strategies of epidemics can be clarified,various new and emerging infectious diseases can be actively responded to,and a diagnosis and treatment plan for a new and emerging infectious disease can be quickly constructed.
7.Rustic Opinion on"Reverse Spread to the Pericardium"
Jinli LUO ; Yayun WANG ; Yingying YANG ; Qingwei LI ; Ling ZHOU ; Ye MIN ; Linhua ZHAO ; Xiaolin TONG
Journal of Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;41(4):421-424
"When warm evil is received,it first attacks the lungs and then spread to the pericardium reversely"is the general rule of warm diseases.Doctors of different dynasties have different views on the phrase"reverse spread to the pericardium",especially the word"reverse".Professor Tong Xiaolin proposed that the heart governs the mind,the pericardium and the heart are connected in qi,and when the heart is affected by evil,the pericardium instead suffers from the evil.The"reverse spread to the pericardium"proposed by Ye Tianshi is actually the spread of warm evil to the brain.Taking meningococcal meningitis as the basic disease,it can be matched one by one with the typical stages of the transmission of Wei-Qi-Ying-Xue.Combined with the theory of Dingjiao,it is believed that the function of"the heart governing the mind"focuses more on the brain in the modern anatomical sense.Combining traditional Chinese medicine's ideas on diagnosis and treatment of warm diseases with modern medicine,revealing the essence of the disease,grasping the core of the pathogenesis,analyzing the word"reverse"from a new perspective,and exploring its true meaning,is of great significance for clarifying its connotation,exploring the development laws of warm diseases,and guiding the diagnosis and treatment of warm disea-ses.
8.Construction of a Modern TCM Epidemic Diagnosis and Treatment System
Yingying YANG ; Jinli LUO ; Qingwei LI ; Chuanxi TIAN ; Qiang WANG ; Han WANG ; Linhua ZHAO ; Xiaolin TONG
Journal of Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;41(11):1407-1413
Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)has rich experience in the diagnosis and treatment of epidemics,but the basic con-cepts and diagnosis and treatment strategies of TCM for epidemics have not yet formed a common understanding.This paper preliminar-ily constructs a diagnosis and treatment system of TCM epidemics from the perspective of"type differentiation-stage differentiation-syndrome differentiation"by combing the basic concepts of the etiology,pathogenesis,and identification of epidemics,taking state-target differentiation and treatment as the general principle.First,the epidemics are divided into five types:cold epidemics,warm epi-demics,cold-damp epidemics,damp epidemics,and miscellaneous epidemics;then,according to the overall course of the epidemics,they are divided into four stages:"initial stage-peak stage-extreme stage-relapse stage",the initial stage is the stage of exterior syn-dromes,the peak stage is the stage of heat peak,the extreme stage is the stage of internal closure and external loss,and the relapse stage is the stage of recovery of the healthy qi and retreat of the evil qi;finally,on the basis of staging,combined with the syndrome char-acteristics of various epidemics(five types of background diseases)at different stages,the syndromes are divided demonstratively.Through the construction of a modern diagnosis and treatment system of TCM epidemics,the basic theoretical concepts and basic diag-nosis and treatment strategies of epidemics can be clarified,various new and emerging infectious diseases can be actively responded to,and a diagnosis and treatment plan for a new and emerging infectious disease can be quickly constructed.
9.Rustic Opinion on"Reverse Spread to the Pericardium"
Jinli LUO ; Yayun WANG ; Yingying YANG ; Qingwei LI ; Ling ZHOU ; Ye MIN ; Linhua ZHAO ; Xiaolin TONG
Journal of Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;41(4):421-424
"When warm evil is received,it first attacks the lungs and then spread to the pericardium reversely"is the general rule of warm diseases.Doctors of different dynasties have different views on the phrase"reverse spread to the pericardium",especially the word"reverse".Professor Tong Xiaolin proposed that the heart governs the mind,the pericardium and the heart are connected in qi,and when the heart is affected by evil,the pericardium instead suffers from the evil.The"reverse spread to the pericardium"proposed by Ye Tianshi is actually the spread of warm evil to the brain.Taking meningococcal meningitis as the basic disease,it can be matched one by one with the typical stages of the transmission of Wei-Qi-Ying-Xue.Combined with the theory of Dingjiao,it is believed that the function of"the heart governing the mind"focuses more on the brain in the modern anatomical sense.Combining traditional Chinese medicine's ideas on diagnosis and treatment of warm diseases with modern medicine,revealing the essence of the disease,grasping the core of the pathogenesis,analyzing the word"reverse"from a new perspective,and exploring its true meaning,is of great significance for clarifying its connotation,exploring the development laws of warm diseases,and guiding the diagnosis and treatment of warm disea-ses.
10.GDF-15 promotes collateral circulation and improves cardiac function in rats with acute myocardial infarction by activating the NO/cGMP/PKG signaling pathway
Xiaosen SHANG ; Yichun YANG ; Jianan HOU ; Linhua FAN ; Xiaoping CHEN ; Bingyan WEI ; Zhaoyang CHEN
Chinese Journal of Comparative Medicine 2025;35(5):60-70
Objective To observe the effects of growth differentiation factor-15(GDF-15)on collateral circulation and cardiac function in rats with acute myocardial infarction(AMI)in relation to the nitric oxide(NO)/cyclic guanosine monophosphate(cGMP)/protein kinase G(PKG)signaling pathway.Methods An AMI rat model was constructed by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery.After modeling,the rats were divided randomly into Sham,Model,and GDF-15 groups(n=12 rats per group).Rats in the GDF-15 group were injected intraperitoneally with recombinant GDF-15 protein,and the other two groups were injected with the same amount of normal saline twice a week for 8 consecutive weeks.Cardiac function was detected by echocardiography.Pathological damage to rat myocardial tissue was detected by hematoxylin and eosin staining and the collateral circulation was observed by CD31 immunohistochemical staining.Vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)mRNA expression was detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction.Transcriptomic sequencing of heart tissues in the model and GDF-15 groups was performed and differentially expressed genes(DEGs)were screened.Pathway enrichment analysis of the DEGS was carried out according to the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG).Nitric oxide(NO),reactive oxygen species(ROS),and cGMP were detected using kits,and VEGF,endothelial nitric oxide synthase(eNOS)monomer,p-eNOSser1177monomer,eNOS dimer,and PKG protein were detected by Western blot.Results Left ventricular end-systolic diameter(LVEDs)and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter(LVEDd)were increased(P<0.001),and left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)and the short-axis shortening rate(FS)were decreased in the Model group compared with the Sham group(P<0.001).Myocardial cell necrosis was more severe,vascular density in the infarcted area was decreased(P<0.05),but VEGF mRNA and protein levels were no change(P>0.05),and levels of NO,eNOS dimer,cGMP,and PKG protein were decreased(P<0.05),and expression levels of ROS,eNOS monomer,and p-eNOSser1177 monomer were increased(P<0.05).LVEDs and LVEDd decreased(P<0.05),LVEF and FS increased(P<0.01),myocardial cell necrosis was relieved,vascular density in the infarcted area increased significantly(P<0.0001),and VEGF mRNA levels increased(P<0.0001),compared with the Model group.Transcriptomic sequencing identified 324 DEGs,including 230 up-regulated and 94 down-regulated genes.According to KEGG enrichment analysis,the cGMP-PKG signaling pathway showed the most significant difference in the T20 pathway.VEGF,NO,eNOS dimer,cGMP,and PKG protein levels were all increased(P<0.05),while ROS,eNOS monomer,and p-eNOSser1177 monomer were decreased in the GDF-15 group(P<0.05).Conclusions GDF-15 can promote collateral circulation in ischemic myocardium and improve cardiac function by inhibiting eNOS decoupling and activating the NO/cGMP/PKG pathway.

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