1.Traditional Chinese Medicine Regulates Related Signaling Pathways to Prevent and Control Breast Cancer and Precancerous Lesions: A Review
Yifei ZENG ; Di ZHAO ; Junyue WANG ; Mengjie WANG ; Yubo GUO ; Yu ZHOU ; Dongxiao ZHANG ; Wenjie ZHAO
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(5):290-301
Breast cancer has become the malignant tumor with the highest incidence rate among women, seriously threatening the life and health of women all over the world. The pathogenic factors and development mechanisms of breast cancer are complex and diverse. The development of breast cells from ordinary hyperplasia to atypical hyperplasia, and from pre-cancerous lesions to cancerous lesions, is a long-term progressive process. Therefore, early screening and prevention of breast cancer is particularly important. Western medicine has a relatively mature treatment program for breast cancer, which is mainly based on surgery and systemic treatment, whereas the ensuing complications and adverse reactions often bring a heavy burden to patients. For the precancerous lesions of breast cancer, surgery is also the mainstay of treatment. In recent years, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has increasingly highlighted its advantages in the prevention and treatment of breast cancer. Increasing studies have shown that in the prevention and treatment of breast cancer and pre-cancerous lesions, TCM compound prescriptions, single herbs or herb pairs, and active components are able to regulate a variety of intracellular signaling pathways through multi-targets to inhibit the proliferation and invasion, promote the apoptosis and autophagy of tumor cells, and regulate the cell cycle and the immune microenvironment, thus exerting anti-tumor effects. At the same time, they can significantly attenuate the toxic side effects of radiotherapy and drug resistance of patients. However, the specific mechanisms of TCM in the prevention and treatment of breast cancer and precancerous lesions have not been fully clarified. The available studies are tanglesome regarding the TCM inhibition of tumor development through the regulation of classical signaling pathways such as phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), Wnt/β-catenin, and Notch, which still need to be verified by a large number of clinical and experimental studies. Therefore, this paper reviews the research progress in the prevention and treatment of breast cancer and precancerous lesions by TCM through interfering with the relevant signaling pathways in recent years, aiming to summarize the possible mechanisms of TCM in the prevention and treatment of breast cancer and provide references for subsequent studies.
2.Joint Relation Extraction of Famous Medical Cases with CasRel Model Combining Entity Mapping and Data Augmentation
Yuxin LI ; Xinghua XIANG ; Hang YANG ; Dasheng LIU ; Jiaheng WANG ; Zhiwei ZHAO ; Jiaxu HAN ; Mengjie WU ; Qianzi CHE ; Wei YANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(2):218-225
ObjectiveTo address the challenges of unstructured classical Chinese expressions, nested entity relationships, and limited annotated data in famous traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) case records, this study proposes a joint relation extraction framework that integrates data augmentation and entity mapping, aiming to support the construction of TCM diagnostic knowledge graphs and clinical pattern mining. MethodsWe developed an annotation structure for entities and their relationships in TCM case texts and applied a data augmentation strategy by incorporating multiple ancient texts to expand the relation extraction dataset. A cascade binary tagging framework for relation triple extraction(CasRel) model for TCM semantics was designed, integrating a pre-trained bidirectional encoder representations from transformers(BERT) layer for classical TCM texts to enhance semantic representation, and using a head entity-relation-tail entity mapping mechanism to address entity nesting and relation overlapping issues. ResultsExperimental results showed that the CasRel model, combining data augmentation and entity mapping, outperformed the pipeline-based Bert-Radical-Lexicon(BRL)-bidirectional long short-term memory(BiLSTM)-Attention model. The overall precision, recall, and F1-score across 12 relation types reached 65.73%, 64.03%, and 64.87%, which represent improvements of 14.26%, 7.98%, and 11.21% compared to the BRL-BiLSTM-Attention model, respectively. Notably, the F1-score for tongue syndrome relations increased by 22.68%(69.32%), and the prescription-syndrome relations performed the best with the F1-score of 70.10%. ConclusionThe proposed framework significantly improves the semantic representation and complex dependencies in TCM texts, offering a reusable technical framework for structured mining of TCM case records. The constructed knowledge graph can support clinical syndrome differentiation, prescription optimization, and drug compatibility, providing a methodological reference for TCM artificial intelligence research.
3.Key Information Research and Modern Clinical Application of Xiaofengsan
Weilu NIU ; Mengjie YANG ; Chengqi LYU ; Cuicui SHEN ; Ningli WANG ; Huangchao JIA ; Liyun WANG ; Xuewei LIU ; Mingsan MIAO ; Xiaomeng WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(1):238-249
Employing bibliometric methods and adhering to principles of textual research, this study systematically investigated prescription source, formula name, composition evolution, dose evolution, origin, processing, ancient and modern applications of Xiaofengsan. Xiaofengsan, also known as Renshen Xiaofengsan and Chantui Xiaofengsan, was first recorded in the Taiping Huimin Hejijufang(hereafter referred to as Jufang) of the Southern Song dynasty. The formula composition included Schizonepetae Spica, Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma, Chuanxiong Rhizoma, Notoptery Rhizoma et Radix, Bombyx Batryticatus, Saposhnikoviae Radix, Poria, Cicadae Periostracum, Pogostemonis Herba, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma, Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex and Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium, a total of 12 medicinal materials. In terms of the evolution of formula composition, formulas across dynasties largely aligned with those recorded in Jufang, with only minor variations in application. The results of the formula dosage research indicated that one dose of medication in Jufang corresponded to the following modern dosages:Schizonepetae Spica of 82.6 g, Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma of 82.6 g, Chuanxiong Rhizoma of 82.6 g, Notoptery Rhizoma et Radix of 82.6 g, Bombyx Batryticatus of 82.6 g, Saposhnikoviae Radix of 82.6 g, Poria of 82.6 g, Cicadae Periostracum of 82.6 g, Pogostemonis Herba of 82.6 g, Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma of 82.6 g, Magnoliae Officinalis Cortex of 20.65 g and Citri Reticulatae Pericarpium of 20.65 g, the origins of all the constituent drugs were consistent with the 2020 edition of Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China. The results of the investigation into the decoction method indicated that the aforementioned drugs should be finely ground into powder(pass through the No.5 sieve), and 8.26 g was taken for each dose, which was taken with the clear liquid obtained by steeping tea leaves in boiling water for several minutes. This mixture was administered three times daily, 30 min after meals. The ancient functional indications of this formula mainly involved dispelling wind-heat, eliminating pathogenic factors and regulating the middle Jiao. It primarily treated all wind-heat syndromes manifesting as skin diseases, predominantly affecting the upper body, especially the head and face. The diseases involved in modern applications were mostly dermatological diseases, including urticaria, eczema, atopic dermatitis and others. In this paper, by combing the relevant ancient literature, the key information of Xiaofengsan was textual researched, in order to provide reference for the modern application and development of this formula.
4.Preclinical mouse models for studying cholangiocarcinoma
Shanru Yang ; Chaodi Bao ; Yuan Li ; Yangxiang Ou ; Yifan Jiang ; Wenjie Xu ; Dongfang Zheng ; Na Li ; Mengjie Yang ; Fuyan Wang ; Xin Hou
Liver Research 2026;10(1):22-34
Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a malignancy characterized by tumor cells originating in the liver or bile ducts, exhibiting features of cholangiocyte differentiation. It poses a significant clinical challenge due to the limited diagnostic and therapeutic options available. Robust animal models are essential for advancing our understanding of CCA pathogenesis and developing effective treatments. This review provides a comprehensive overview of CCA mouse models, highlighting various approaches, including chemical induction, genetically engineered models, and tumor xenografts. Each model is discussed in terms of its establishment techniques, pathological characteristics, and research significance, with a focus on intrahepatic CCA. Chemical induction models, such as diethylnitrosamine- and azoxymethane-induced models, offer insights into tumorigenesis processes, whereas genetically modified models involving alterations in key genes such as Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog, tumor protein 53, and isocitrate dehydrogenase serve as important tools for studying the molecular mechanisms underlying CCA. Xenograft models, including patient-derived xenografts, bridge the gap between experimental research and clinical applications, allowing for precise therapeutic evaluations. By comparing these models, this review underscores their respective advantages and limitations, paving the way for future studies aiming to optimize and innovate CCA modeling strategies.
5.Molecular mechanism of hypoxia-induced spermatogenesis impairment by inhibiting the stability of sperm cilial microtubules
Xiao WANG ; Mengjie ZHANG ; Fang DENG ; Jun YIN ; Bing NI
Journal of Army Medical University 2025;47(10):1059-1068
Objective To explore the effects of hypoxia on spermatid differentiation and stability of sperm flagellar microtubule,and investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms in order to clarify the potential adverse effects of hypoxia on male reproductive function.Methods Forty-eight 8-week-old healthy male SD rats(weighing 300~399 g)were subjected in this study.The experiments included ① an oxygen concentration gradient experiment(n=6):21%oxygen was regarded as normoxia(control),and 13.5%,11.8%,and 10.4% oxygen were used to simulate hypoxic environments at altitudes of 3 500,4 500 and 5 500 m,respectively,for a continuous exposure of 2 months;② a time gradient experiment(n=6):the rats were exposed to 10.4% oxygen for 0,0.5,1,and 2 months,respectively.Flow cytometry was employed to isolate round spermatids,and the following methods were employed to measure relevant indicators:① RNA sequencing to analyze gene expression profile changes related to impaired spermatogenesis and abnormal flagellar structure under hypoxic stress;②Western blotting to detect the expression levels of key proteins CEP290,RING 1A,and H2AK119ub;③ fluorescence recovery after photobleaching(FRAP)to monitor microtubule assembly dynamics and assess the immediate impact of hypoxia on microtubule stability.Results In the oxygen concentration gradient experiment,after 2 months of exposure to 10.4% oxygen,the proportions of spermatogonia,secondary spermatocytes,and round spermatids in rat seminiferous tubules were significantly increased(P<0.05),reaching 1.33±0.04,1.06±0.01 and 1.60±0.02 times higher,respectively than that of the 21% normoxia group.Conversely,the proportions of primary spermatocytes and elongated spermatids were obviously decreased(P<0.05),taking 0.89±0.01 and 0.88±0.000 2 times respectively when compared with that of the 21% normoxia group,in a oxygen concentration-depended manner.In the time gradient experiment,after 0.5 months of exposure to 10.4%oxygen,the proportions of spermatogonia,secondary spermatocytes,and round spermatids began to increase(P<0.05),reaching 1.11±0.03,1.04±0.01 and 1.29±0.003 times higher,respectively than that of the 0-month control group.The proportions of primary spermatocytes and elongated spermatids started to significantly decrease(P<0.05)after 1 month of exposure,only 0.94±0.03 and 0.95±0.008 times,respectively than that of the 0-month control group.After 2 months of exposure to 10.4% oxygen,the rate of sperm tail abnormalities in the epididymis of rats was significantly increased(P<0.05),rising from(12.1±1.7)% in the 21% normoxia group to(30.8±3.7)%.In G2 spermatocytes exposed to 1% hypoxia for 24 h,FRAP revealed a decrease in microtubule assembly rate and enhanced microtubule dynamic instability,with the maximum fluorescence recovery value decreasing from 0.37±0.02 in the normoxia group to 0.29±0.01.The results of RNA sequencing showed that under hypoxic condition,the transcription level of the key cilium basal body molecule CEP290 was increased,with an upregulation of 1.81±0.11 times than that of the 21% normoxia group.In contrast,the expression levels of PRC1 complex members RING 1A,RING 1B,CBX2,PHC1,and PCGF1 were decreased,to 0.74±0.02,0.73±0.01,0.78±0.02,0.71±0.01 and 0.86±0.03 times of that of the 21% normoxia group,respectively.Western blotting indicated that the protein level of CEP290 was up-regulated in the hypoxia group,while that of RING 1A was down-regulated.ChIP-qPCR experiments showed that the binding of RING 1A and its product H2AK119ub to the CEP290 promoter were significantly decreased(P<0.000 1),with binding strengths of 0.38±0.02 and 0.52±0.06 times of that of the 21% normoxia group,respectively.In siRING 1A-treated G2 cells,the binding of H2AK119ub to the CEP290 promoter was significantly decreased(P<0.000 1),with a binding strength of 0.74±0.06 times of that of the control group,while CEP290 mRNA level was significantly increased(P<0.000 1),with an up-regulation of 3.35±0.37 times.Conclusion Hypoxic environment impair sperm flagellar microtubule stability via the RING 1A-H2AK119ub-CEP290 signaling axis,which affects spermatid differentiation and leads to spermatogenic dysfunction.
6.Effect of acupuncture on postoperative delirium in diabetic patients undergoing surgery under general anesthesia
Jiaxi LIU ; Qi WANG ; Lingling DING ; Jiaqi NING ; Hai KE ; Zhuoya CHEN ; Bo YU ; Weiming SUN ; Peng CHEN ; Xiang LI ; Shishun KOU ; Reiling ZHOU ; Yudong ZHOU ; Yan GUO ; Mengjie CHEN ; Ruyu YAN ; Jiansheng LUO
Chinese Journal of Anesthesiology 2025;45(10):1313-1316
Objective:To evaluate the effect of acupuncture on postoperative delirium (POD) in diabetic patients undergoing surgery under general anesthesia.Methods:In this randomized controlled trial, 92 diabetic patients of either sex, aged 30-80 yr, with a body mass index of 18-28 kg/m 2, of American Society of Anesthesiologists Physical Status classification Ⅱ or Ⅲ, scheduled for elective surgery under general anesthesia, were divided into 2 groups ( n=46 each) using a table of random numbers: control group (group C) and acupuncture group (group A). Group A received acupuncture at the Baihui (GV20), Shenting (GV24) and Sishencong (EX-HN1) acupoints before anesthesia. The needles were retained for 30 min, with manual stimulation applied every 10 min for 10 s each time. After 4 stimulations, routine anesthesia was carried out. Group C received routine anesthesia only. Regional cerebral oxygen saturation was recorded on admission to the operating room (T 0), after anesthesia induction (T 1), at the start of surgery (T 2), at the end of surgery (T 3), and immediately after tracheal extubation (T 4). The POD developed within 3 days after surgery was assessed. The occurrence of needle-related adverse effects such as fainting, subcutaneous bleeding, and local paresthesia was recorded. Results:Compared with group C, the incidence of POD was significantly reduced, and the regional cerebral oxygen saturation was increased at T 1, 4 in group A ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Acupuncture can decrease the development of POD in diabetic patients undergoing surgery under general anesthesia, which is related to an increase in regional cerebral oxygen saturation.
7.Impulsive characteristics and emotion regulation strategies of patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder comorbid with borderline personality disorder
Weili CHANG ; Haimei LI ; Meirong PAN ; Mengjie ZHAO ; Min DONG ; Feifei SI ; Yufeng WANG ; Lu LIU ; Qiujin QIAN
Chinese Mental Health Journal 2025;39(12):1013-1018
Objective:To explore the impulsivity characteristics of patients with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder(ADHD)comorbid with borderline personality disorder(BPD)and the mediating role of emotion regula-tion strategies.Methods:A total of 96 patients with ADHD meeting the diagnostic criteria of the American Diagnos-tic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders,Fourth Edition(DSM-Ⅳ)were enrolled,48 of whom had comorbid BPD.Impulsivity was assessed with the Barratt Impulse Scale(BIS)and the impulse control difficulty dimensions of Emotional Regulation Difficulty Scale(DERS).Emotion regulation strategies were evaluated with the Emotion Regulation Questionnaire(ERQ).Results:No significant differences were found between the ADHD with and with-out BPD group in cognitive impulsivity,motor impulsivity,or non-planning impulsivity as assessed with the BIS(Ps>0.05).However,the ADHD with BPD group showed higher scores on the DERS impulse control difficulty subscale(P<0.001)and less frequent use of cognitive reappraisal strategies(P<0.001).Cognitive reappraisal partially mediated the relationship between ADHD with BPD and impulse control difficulties,with an effect size of 25.9%.Conclusion:ADHD patients comorbid with BPD exhibit heightened emotional impulsivity,which might be partially mediated by reduced use of cognitive reappraisal.
8.SAE1 promotes tumor cell malignancy via SUMOylation and liquid-liquid phase separation facilitated nuclear export of p27.
Ling WANG ; Jie MIN ; Jinjun QIAN ; Xiaofang HUANG ; Xichao YU ; Yuhao CAO ; Shanliang SUN ; Mengying KE ; Xinyu LV ; Wenfeng SU ; Mengjie GUO ; Nianguang LI ; Shiqian QI ; Hongming HUANG ; Chunyan GU ; Ye YANG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(4):1991-2007
Most cancers are currently incurable, partly due to abnormal post-translational modifications (PTMs). In this study, we initially used multiple myeloma (MM) as a working model and found that SUMOylation activating enzyme subunit 1 (SAE1) promotes the malignancy of MM. Through proteome microarray analysis, SAE1 was identified as a potential target for bioactive colcemid or its derivative colchicine. Elevated levels of SAE1 were associated with poor clinical survival and increased MM proliferation in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, SAE1 directly SUMOylated and upregulated the total protein expression of p27, leading to LLPS-mediated nuclear export of p27. Our study also demonstrated the involvement of SAE1 in other types of cancer cells, and provided the first monomer crystal structure of SAE1 and its key binding model with colchicine. Colchicine also showed promising results in the Patient-Derived Tumor Xenograft (PDX) model. Furthermore, a controlled clinical trial with 56 MM patients demonstrated the clinical efficacy of colchicine. Our findings reveal a novel mechanism by which tumor cells evade p27-induced cellular growth arrest through p27 SUMOylation-mediated nuclear export. SAE1 may serve as a promising therapeutic target, and colchicine may be a potential treatment option for multiple types of cancer in clinical settings.
9.Hysteroscopy improves the pregnancy outcomes following fresh embryo transfer in patients with FIGO Type Ⅱ and Ⅲ uterine fibroids diagnosed by ultrasound
Mengjie FAN ; Liying WANG ; Hua ZHANG ; Shuo YANG ; Caihong MA ; Rong LI
Chinese Journal of Reproduction and Contraception 2025;45(10):1032-1037
Objective:To investigate the impact of hysteroscopic surgery on fresh embryo transfer outcomes in patients with transvaginal ultrasound-diagnosed FIGO Type Ⅱ/Ⅲ uterine fibroids that may affect the uterine cavity morphology, providing a reference for clinical practice.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was performed to analyze the clinical data of 346 patients who visited the Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Peking University Third Hospital between January 2020 and December 2022, with transvaginal ultrasound findings indicating uterine fibroids adjacent to or protruding into the uterine cavity (FIGO Type Ⅱ, Ⅲ) and who underwent fresh embryo transfer. Patients were divided into two groups based on whether hysteroscopic surgery were performed: the hysteroscopic surgery group ( n=237, the group that underwent hysteroscopy before embryo transfer) and the non-surgery group ( n=109, the group that proceeded directly to embryo transfer without hysteroscopy). Basic patient characteristics and pregnancy outcomes were compared between the two groups. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors influencing clinical pregnancy rate and live birth rate. Results:The baseline characteristics showed no statistically significant differences between the two groups. The clinical pregnancy rate [44.3% (105/237)] and the live birth rate [32.5% (77/237)] following fresh embryo transfer in the hysteroscopic surgery group were significantly higher than those in the non-surgery group [31.2% (34/109), P=0.021; 18.3% (20/109), P=0.007], whereas the pregnancy loss rate showed no significant difference. Stratified analysis by age revealed that for patients aged <35 years, the clinical pregnancy rate [62.1% (54/87)] and the live birth rate [51.7% (45/87)] in fresh embryo transfer cycles were significantly higher in the hysteroscopic surgery group compared with the non-surgery group [30.8% (12/39), P=0.001; 25.6% (10/39), P=0.006]. Multivariate logistic regression analysis further confirmed that hysteroscopic surgery was an independent factor influencing live birth rate ( OR=2.128, 95% CI: 1.152-3.930, P=0.016). Among patients aged <35 years, hysteroscopic surgery was an influencing factor of both clinical pregnancy rate ( OR=4.222, 95% CI: 1.745-10.215, P=0.001) and live birth rate ( OR=3.449, 95% CI: 1.436-8.282, P=0.006). Conclusion:For infertile patients with ultrasound findings of uterine fibroids adjacent to or protruding into the uterine cavity, especially younger patients, hysteroscopy is recommended. It can improve pregnancy outcomes of fresh embryo transfer, increasing both the clinical pregnancy rate and the live birth rate.
10.Association between lifestyle and risk for all-cause mortality in middle-aged and elderly residents in China: a prospective study
Mengjie HU ; Yanqiu ZOU ; Dixin ZHENG ; Zhuoma DIJI ; Xiaoxue LIU ; Yan SU ; Ying WANG ; Xiuze TIAN ; Xia JIANG ; Mengyu FAN ; Jiayuan LI
Chinese Journal of Epidemiology 2025;46(5):761-767
Objective:To investigate the prospective association between lifestyle and the risk for all-cause mortality in middle-aged and elderly residents in China.Methods:The data from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study were used. Baseline information about the lifestyle were collected through questionnaire survey and physical measurements, and the mortality data were obtained through surveys conducted at 2-3 year intervals. A total of 5 436 study participants were included. A comprehensive lifestyle including smoking, alcohol consumption, sleep, BMI and physical activity was constructed, and a multivariate-adjusted Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to estimate the association between lifestyle and the risk for all-cause mortality.Results:During the follow-up of average 8.2 years, 695 deaths were recorded. The comprehensive lifestyle score was linearly associated with the risk for all-cause mortality. Compared with the study participants with comprehensive lifestyle score of 0-1, those with score of 2-5 all had lower risk for all-cause mortality, with HRs of 0.78 (95% CI: 0.62-0.98), 0.56 (95% CI: 0.44-0.72), 0.36 (95% CI:0.27-0.48), and 0.33 (95% CI: 0.21-0.52), respectively. The results of Cox proportional hazards regression model analysis of single lifestyle showed that compared with those with unhealthy lifestyles, the HRs of all-cause mortality for study participants who never smoked, had moderate alcohol consumption, had appropriate night sleep, maintained healthy body weight and kept active physical activity were 0.70 (95% CI: 0.57-0.84), 0.76 (95% CI: 0.64-0.90), 0.79 (95% CI: 0.67-0.94), 0.73 (95% CI: 0.62-0.87), and 0.68 (95% CI: 0.58-0.80), respectively. Conclusions:Keeping healthy lifestyles can significantly reduce the risk for all-cause mortality in middle-aged and elderly residents China. The higher the healthy lifestyle level, the lower the risk for all-cause mortality.


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