1.Discovery of a novel AhR-CYP1A1 axis activator for mitigating inflammatory diseases using an in situ functional imaging assay.
Feng ZHANG ; Bei ZHAO ; Yufan FAN ; Lanhui QIN ; Jinhui SHI ; Lin CHEN ; Leizhi XU ; Xudong JIN ; Mengru SUN ; Hongping DENG ; Hairong ZENG ; Zhangping XIAO ; Xin YANG ; Guangbo GE
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(1):508-525
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) plays a crucial role in regulating many physiological processes. Activating the AhR-CYP1A1 axis has emerged as a novel therapeutic strategy against various inflammatory diseases. Here, a practical in situ cell-based fluorometric assay was constructed to screen AhR-CYP1A1 axis modulators, via functional sensing of CYP1A1 activities in live cells. Firstly, a cell-permeable, isoform-specific enzyme-activable fluorogenic substrate for CYP1A1 was rationally constructed for in-situ visualizing the dynamic changes of CYP1A1 function in living systems, which was subsequently used for discovering the efficacious modulators of the AhR-CYP1A1 axis. Following screening of a compound library, LAC-7 was identified as an efficacious activator of the AhR-CYP1A1 axis, which dose-dependently up-regulated the expression levels of both CYP1A1 and AhR in multiple cell lines. LAC-7 also suppressed macrophage M1 polarization and reduced the levels of inflammatory factors in LPS-induced bone marrow-derived macrophages. Animal tests showed that LAC-7 could significantly mitigate DSS-induced ulcerative colitis and LPS-induced acute lung injury in mice, and markedly reduced the levels of multiple inflammatory factors. Collectively, an optimized fluorometric cell-based assay was devised for in situ functional imaging of CYP1A1 activities in living systems, which strongly facilitated the discovery of efficacious modulators of the AhR-CYP1A1 axis as novel anti-inflammatory agents.
2.Correlation between long-term statin use and Helicobacter pylori infection in the elderly and the effect of combined eradication therapy on blood lipids
Lumucao BAI ; Yun ZHOU ; Yarong CHEN ; Jingwen YUAN ; Mengru WU ; Xin HU ; Shixiong LIU
Chinese Journal of Geriatrics 2025;44(11):1507-1513
Objective:To investigate the correlation between long-term statin use and Helicobacter pylori( Hp)infection in the elderly, and to compare the effects of rosuvastatin combined with bismuth-containing quadruple therapy for Hp eradication on lipid levels in elderly patients with mixed hyperlipidemia. Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 1 181 elderly patients with hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and peripheral arterial disease who were treated at the First Hospital of Lanzhou University between March 2019 and December 2023.According to the results of carbon 14 urea breath test(C 14-UBT), the subjects were divided into the Hp infection group and the non- Hp infection group.Multivariate logistic regression methods were used to analyze the correlation between Hp infection and statin use.A prospective case-control analysis was conducted on 109 patients with mixed hyperlipidemia and Hp infection treated during the same period, they were treated with rosuvastatin combined with bismuth-containing quadruple therapy for Hp eradication.The successful eradication people were selected as the eradication group (n=95). Patients with hyperlipidemia and Hp infection unwilling eradication was selected as the control group (n=109), and treated with rosuvastatin.Changes in lipid levels were compared over a consecutive 6-month period. Results:The overall Hp infection rate was 53.94%(637/1 181). Univariate analysis showed that the infection rate in women was higher than in men.Body mass index(BMI), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C), fasting blood glucose(FBG)levels in the Hp(+ )group were higher than in the Hp(-)group.Long-term low-dose aspirin users had a higher infection rate than non-users.The infection rate was lower in statin users than in non-users[42.65%(374/877) vs.55.59%(169/304), χ2=15.234, P<0.001]. Multivariate analysis showed that women had a higher infection risk than men ( OR=1.441, 95% CI: 1.102-1.729, P=0.011). Higher FBG and LDL-C levels increased the risk of Hp infection ( OR=1.406, 95% CI: 1.271-2.286, P<0.001, OR=1.118, 95% CI: 1.017-1.387, P=0.010). Aspirin use increased the risk of Hp infection( OR=1.162, 95% CI: 1.034-1.294, P=0.021), while statin use reduced the risk of Hp infection ( OR=0.177, 95% CI: 0.018-0.311, P<0.001). The Hp eradication rate was 87.16%(95/109). At 1-and 2-months post-eradication, statistically significant differences were observed between the eradication and control groups in LDL-C, total cholesterol(TC), changes from baseline, and target achievement rates(all P<0.05). At 1-month post-eradication, a statistically significant difference was observed in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C) levels between the two groups.Additionally, at both 1-and 2-months post-eradication, significant differences were found in the changes in HDL-C levels from baseline between the eradication group and the control group(all P<0.05). Conclusions:Long-term statin use in the elderly may reduce the risk of Hp infection.Rosuvastatin combined with a standard quadruple therapy does not improve the Hp eradication rates in elderly patients with mixed hyperlipidemia, but it facilitates short-term achievement of cholesterol targets.
3.Correlation between long-term statin use and Helicobacter pylori infection in the elderly and the effect of combined eradication therapy on blood lipids
Lumucao BAI ; Yun ZHOU ; Yarong CHEN ; Jingwen YUAN ; Mengru WU ; Xin HU ; Shixiong LIU
Chinese Journal of Geriatrics 2025;44(11):1507-1513
Objective:To investigate the correlation between long-term statin use and Helicobacter pylori( Hp)infection in the elderly, and to compare the effects of rosuvastatin combined with bismuth-containing quadruple therapy for Hp eradication on lipid levels in elderly patients with mixed hyperlipidemia. Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 1 181 elderly patients with hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, and peripheral arterial disease who were treated at the First Hospital of Lanzhou University between March 2019 and December 2023.According to the results of carbon 14 urea breath test(C 14-UBT), the subjects were divided into the Hp infection group and the non- Hp infection group.Multivariate logistic regression methods were used to analyze the correlation between Hp infection and statin use.A prospective case-control analysis was conducted on 109 patients with mixed hyperlipidemia and Hp infection treated during the same period, they were treated with rosuvastatin combined with bismuth-containing quadruple therapy for Hp eradication.The successful eradication people were selected as the eradication group (n=95). Patients with hyperlipidemia and Hp infection unwilling eradication was selected as the control group (n=109), and treated with rosuvastatin.Changes in lipid levels were compared over a consecutive 6-month period. Results:The overall Hp infection rate was 53.94%(637/1 181). Univariate analysis showed that the infection rate in women was higher than in men.Body mass index(BMI), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C), fasting blood glucose(FBG)levels in the Hp(+ )group were higher than in the Hp(-)group.Long-term low-dose aspirin users had a higher infection rate than non-users.The infection rate was lower in statin users than in non-users[42.65%(374/877) vs.55.59%(169/304), χ2=15.234, P<0.001]. Multivariate analysis showed that women had a higher infection risk than men ( OR=1.441, 95% CI: 1.102-1.729, P=0.011). Higher FBG and LDL-C levels increased the risk of Hp infection ( OR=1.406, 95% CI: 1.271-2.286, P<0.001, OR=1.118, 95% CI: 1.017-1.387, P=0.010). Aspirin use increased the risk of Hp infection( OR=1.162, 95% CI: 1.034-1.294, P=0.021), while statin use reduced the risk of Hp infection ( OR=0.177, 95% CI: 0.018-0.311, P<0.001). The Hp eradication rate was 87.16%(95/109). At 1-and 2-months post-eradication, statistically significant differences were observed between the eradication and control groups in LDL-C, total cholesterol(TC), changes from baseline, and target achievement rates(all P<0.05). At 1-month post-eradication, a statistically significant difference was observed in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C) levels between the two groups.Additionally, at both 1-and 2-months post-eradication, significant differences were found in the changes in HDL-C levels from baseline between the eradication group and the control group(all P<0.05). Conclusions:Long-term statin use in the elderly may reduce the risk of Hp infection.Rosuvastatin combined with a standard quadruple therapy does not improve the Hp eradication rates in elderly patients with mixed hyperlipidemia, but it facilitates short-term achievement of cholesterol targets.
4.Review and risk information management of neuropathy induced by emerging anti-tumor drugs
Feng LYU ; Wei SONG ; Mengru XIN ; Di XIE ; Wenqing ZHANG ; Wen HE ; Hankun HU
Chinese Journal of Pharmacoepidemiology 2024;33(1):9-18
As an increasing number of emerging anti-tumor drugs are approved and marketed,the imperative for clinical safety monitoring and risk information management has grown significantly.Drug-induced neuropathy associated with these drugs exhibit characteristics such as insidious onset,rapid progression,and challenging treatment,ultimately leading to treatment failures.Therefore,a comprehensive understanding of the risk of neuropathy induced by emerging anti-tumor drugs,coupled with risk surveillance and early warning,as well as management and reporting,can significantly reduce the incidence and severity of drug-related diseases.This paper provides a review of the neuropathy caused by emerging anti-tumor drugs,introduces the pharmacovigilance system and risk information management measures in clinical usage,aiming to provide a reference for guiding the rational clinical use and minimizing the incidence of drug-induced diseases.
5.Effect of pirfenidone on the proliferation of human glomerular mesangial cells induced by serum IgA1 of IgA nephropathy patients
Xiaojiang ZHAN ; Mengru FU ; Lu LIAO ; Wenjuan MEI ; Hengmei ZHU ; Xin WEI ; Jun XIAO
Chinese Journal of Nephrology 2021;37(12):1008-1014
Objective:To investigate the effect of pirfenidone (PFD) on the proliferation of human glomerular mesangial cells (HMC) stimulated by serum IgA1 in patients with IgA nephropathy (IgAN) and its possible mechanism.Methods:Serum IgA1 of IgAN patients was purified by Jacalin affinity chromatography combined with Sephacryl S-200 gel filtration, and then heated to aggregated form (aIgA1). CCK8 method was used to confirm the concentration and time of PFD. The cells were divided into blank control group, IgA1 (0.5 mg/ml) group and IgA1 (0.5 mg/ml)+PFD (2 mmol/L) group. The CCK8 method was used to detect proliferation of mesangial cells. The cell cycle was detected by flow cytometry, and the proliferation index of mesangial cells was calculated. The expression levels of transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1), Smad4, Smad7, fibronectin (FN) and collagen Ⅳ protein and mRNA were detected through Western blotting and real-time PCR.Results:Compared with blank control group, the proliferation of HMC was promoted significantly by aIgA1 ( P<0.05). After PFD treatment, the proliferation of HMC was significantly inhibited ( P<0.01). Compared with the blank control group, the number of G1 phase cells decreased, the number of S phase cells and cell proliferation index increased in IgA1 group (all P<0.05). Compared with IgA1 group, the number of cells in G1 phase increased significantly, the number of cells in S phase and G2/M phase decreased significantly, and the cell proliferation index decreased in IgA1+PFD group (all P<0.05). Western blotting and real-time PCR results showed that compared with the blank control group, the protein and mRNA expressions of collagen Ⅳ, FN and Smad4 in HMC stimulated by aIgA1 were significantly increased, while TGF-β1 protein expression was increased and Smad7 protein expression was decreased (all P<0.05). After PFD treatment, the protein and mRNA expression of collagen Ⅳ, FN and Smad4 in HMC was significantly decreased, while TGF-β1 protein expression was obviously decreased, and Smad7 protein was up-regulated (all P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the mRNA expression of TGF-β1 and Smad7 in each group before and after PFD treatment (all P>0.05). Conclusions:PFD can increase the arrest of HMC in G1 phase, inhibit the proliferation of HMC induced by aIgA1 of IgAN patients, and reduce the production of extracellular matrix. The mechanism may be related to up-regulation of Smad7 expression and down-regulation of TGF-β1/Smad4 pathway.

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