1.Advancement of functional peptides: Promising candidates for antituberculosis therapeutics
Bojie LIN ; Siqi LIN ; Jiayi YANG ; Xuanyu YANG ; Shuhui WANG ; Yuting LIU ; Qianqian ZHANG ; Junfa XU ; Jiang PI ; Fen YANG
Science of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;4(1):24-32
Tuberculosis (TB), a chronic infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis, is primarily airborne and remains a global health problem, especially in resource-limited countries and regions. The emergence of drug resistance in M. tuberculosis has rendered the existing means ineffective in the treatment of TB. Therefore, research in new therapeutic directions has become imperative. In this review, we outline functional peptides in terms of the mechanisms of action, anti-TB attempts, advantages and disadvantages, and latest advances, aiming to analyze the research progress in anti-TB peptides. Furthermore, we investigate the potential applications of bioactive compounds found in traditional Chinese Medicine within the context of peptides.
2.Effects of Three AKT Isoform-specific Knockouts on Self-renewal and Differentiation in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells
Qi YANG ; Shuai TANG ; Lin-Lin ZHANG ; Wu-Yang TANG ; Ao-Xiang DOU ; Yu-Hang ZHANG ; Pi-Shun LI ; Xiao-Feng ZHENG
Chinese Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 2025;41(3):426-436
AKT,also known as Protein Kinase B(PKB),plays a critical role in cell proliferation and metabolism.There are three isoforms of AKT:AKT1,AKT2,and AKT3.The effects of these isoforms on the pluripotency and differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells(mESCs)remain unclear.This study aims to explore the impact of three AKT isoform-specific knockouts on the self-renewal and differen-tiation of mouse embryonic stem cells.Using CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology,AKT isoform-spe-cific knockout cell lines were established.The phenotypic and molecular changes were analyzed through Western blotting,flow cytometry,qRT-PCR,CCK-8 assays,Alkaline Phosphatase(AP)staining,and RNA-seq.The construction of AKT isoform-specific knockout cell lines was successful.The loss of AKT1 and AKT2 inhibited the proliferation of mESCs.The knockout of any single AKT isoform did not affect the expression of pluripotency genes at both mRNA or protein levels.However,during embryoid body forma-tion,the deletion of any of the three AKT isoforms affected the mRNA expression levels of genes in all three germ layers.Transcriptome analysis showed that compared to wild-type mESCs,995,547,and 429 differentially expressed genes(|log2FC|≧1,P<0.05)were identified inAKT1,AKT2,and AKT3 isoform-specific knockout cells,respectively.There was some overlap in the differentially expressed genes regulated by these three isoforms.In conclusion,the independent knockout of AKT isoforms does not af-fect the maintenance of pluripotency in mouse embryonic stem cells,but they are crucial for differentia-tion.The three AKT isoforms can collectively regulate gene expression while retaining their own regulato-ry specificity.This study provides a foundation for understanding the unique and overlapping roles of AKT isoforms in stem cell biology,highlighting their importance in maintaining stem cell function and differen-tiation.
3.Exploration of the medication pattern of traditional Chinese medicine for exogenous cough based on R language data mining
Jiale MA ; Qiong CAI ; Mingrui WEI ; Jia WU ; Min PI ; Zekun YANG ; Lanting YANG ; Jiangping XIAO ; Shuqiong ZHANG ; Xilong PAN
Chinese Journal of Pharmacoepidemiology 2025;34(10):1147-1158
Objective To collect and analyze outpatient prescription data for exogenous cough treatment from a hospital in Shenzhen,and to identify the characteristics and medication patterns of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM).Methods This study collected prescriptions from a hospital in Shenzhen for exogenous cough treatment in January 2024.R language for data mining were used to analyze the medication frequency,clustering patterns,and association rules in the treatment of exogenous cough by TCM and to explore the medication patterns and the usage of classic formulas in TCM for this condition.Results A total of 451 outpatient prescriptions for exogenous cough were include,the top ten most frequently used herbs were Licorice,Bitter almond,Bellflower,Ephedra,Tangerine peel,Stemonae radix,Tuckahoe,Pinellia ternata,Nepeta,Bulb of thunberg fritillary.Cluster analysis and association rules revealed that San'ao decoction,Kikyodon soup,and Zhisou powder were commonly prescribed,targeting lung function,dispersing wind,and resolving phlegm to effectively alleviate cough symptoms.Significant differences in medication usage were observed across different syndrome types.For the wind cold attacking lung pattern,the core herbs were warm in nature and focused on dispersing with acrid-warm properties.Conversely,the treatment of wind heat attacking the lung pattern typically involved cold-natured herbs,with a primary focus on clearing and draining lung heat.Stratification by age revealed that the pediatric group often used drugs with mild properties,such as Stemona and Shegan.The young adult group tended to be prescribed cold-natured drugs like Forsythia and Hogfonnel Root.The middle-aged and elderly group preferred warming and tonifying drugs such as Japanese Catnip and Perilla frutescens.Conclusion The TCM treatment of exogenous cough primarily focuses on releasing the exterior and dispersing the lung.Due to the region's subtropical monsoon climate and temperature fluctuations physicians flexibly modified classical formulas such as San'ao decoction and Zhisou powder according to individual constitutions and symptom patterns.This targeted,syndrome-based approach effectively disperses the lung qi,stops cough and transforms phlegm,and alleviates cough.
4.Effects of Three AKT Isoform-specific Knockouts on Self-renewal and Differentiation in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells
Qi YANG ; Shuai TANG ; Lin-Lin ZHANG ; Wu-Yang TANG ; Ao-Xiang DOU ; Yu-Hang ZHANG ; Pi-Shun LI ; Xiao-Feng ZHENG
Chinese Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 2025;41(3):426-436
AKT,also known as Protein Kinase B(PKB),plays a critical role in cell proliferation and metabolism.There are three isoforms of AKT:AKT1,AKT2,and AKT3.The effects of these isoforms on the pluripotency and differentiation of mouse embryonic stem cells(mESCs)remain unclear.This study aims to explore the impact of three AKT isoform-specific knockouts on the self-renewal and differen-tiation of mouse embryonic stem cells.Using CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing technology,AKT isoform-spe-cific knockout cell lines were established.The phenotypic and molecular changes were analyzed through Western blotting,flow cytometry,qRT-PCR,CCK-8 assays,Alkaline Phosphatase(AP)staining,and RNA-seq.The construction of AKT isoform-specific knockout cell lines was successful.The loss of AKT1 and AKT2 inhibited the proliferation of mESCs.The knockout of any single AKT isoform did not affect the expression of pluripotency genes at both mRNA or protein levels.However,during embryoid body forma-tion,the deletion of any of the three AKT isoforms affected the mRNA expression levels of genes in all three germ layers.Transcriptome analysis showed that compared to wild-type mESCs,995,547,and 429 differentially expressed genes(|log2FC|≧1,P<0.05)were identified inAKT1,AKT2,and AKT3 isoform-specific knockout cells,respectively.There was some overlap in the differentially expressed genes regulated by these three isoforms.In conclusion,the independent knockout of AKT isoforms does not af-fect the maintenance of pluripotency in mouse embryonic stem cells,but they are crucial for differentia-tion.The three AKT isoforms can collectively regulate gene expression while retaining their own regulato-ry specificity.This study provides a foundation for understanding the unique and overlapping roles of AKT isoforms in stem cell biology,highlighting their importance in maintaining stem cell function and differen-tiation.
5.Study on the characteristics and mechanisms of skin damage in mice after high-voltage electric shock based on metabolomics
Xiao YANG ; Ping DENG ; Si-yu CHEN ; Jing-dian LI ; Hui WANG ; Yang YUE ; Zheng-ping YU ; Peng GAO ; Hui-feng PI
Journal of Regional Anatomy and Operative Surgery 2025;34(5):379-385
Objective To study the damage effect of high-voltage electric shock on skin based on metabolomics,analyze its metabolic differences,and explore its injury mechanism.Methods A total of 16 SPF C57BL/6J male mice were divided into the electric shock group(head skin received electric shock treatment)and control group(head skin received electric shock acoustic-optical stimulation),and the skin appearance after treatment of mice in the two groups was observed.The histopathological changes caused by electric shock were analyzed by HE staining,EVG staining and Masson staining.GC-MS and LC-MS metabonomics were used to analyze the changes of skin metabolism spectrum and tissue metabolites after electric shock exposure,and the differential metabolites were analyzed.The obtained differential metabolites were combined and KEGG enrichment analysis was conducted.Results After high-voltage electric shock,the skin of mice could be damaged to the dermis,and the epidermis was partially thickened,lifted and separated.The structure of skin appendages in the dermis was destroyed,with a large number of inflammatory cells infiltrating and obvious swelling,accompanied by congestion,which led to severe skin inflammatory reaction and impaired skin barrier function.Metabonomics analysis suggested that the metabolites changed after electric shock exposure.KEGG enrichment analysis showed that electric shock significantly affected the central carbon metabolism pathway of cancer,pentose phosphate pathway,purine metabolism,glycine,serine and threonine metabolism processes,amino acid tRNA biosynthesis mechanism,glycerophospholipid metabolism pathway,pyrimidine metabolism pattern,glycolysis/gluconeogenesis,alanine metabolism process,glucagon signal pathway and so on.Conclusion High voltage electric shock can cause deep skin damage,disturb its energy metabolism and amino acid metabolism,and seriously interfere with its antioxidant and DNA repair system functions.
6.Exploration of the medication pattern of traditional Chinese medicine for exogenous cough based on R language data mining
Jiale MA ; Qiong CAI ; Mingrui WEI ; Jia WU ; Min PI ; Zekun YANG ; Lanting YANG ; Jiangping XIAO ; Shuqiong ZHANG ; Xilong PAN
Chinese Journal of Pharmacoepidemiology 2025;34(10):1147-1158
Objective To collect and analyze outpatient prescription data for exogenous cough treatment from a hospital in Shenzhen,and to identify the characteristics and medication patterns of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM).Methods This study collected prescriptions from a hospital in Shenzhen for exogenous cough treatment in January 2024.R language for data mining were used to analyze the medication frequency,clustering patterns,and association rules in the treatment of exogenous cough by TCM and to explore the medication patterns and the usage of classic formulas in TCM for this condition.Results A total of 451 outpatient prescriptions for exogenous cough were include,the top ten most frequently used herbs were Licorice,Bitter almond,Bellflower,Ephedra,Tangerine peel,Stemonae radix,Tuckahoe,Pinellia ternata,Nepeta,Bulb of thunberg fritillary.Cluster analysis and association rules revealed that San'ao decoction,Kikyodon soup,and Zhisou powder were commonly prescribed,targeting lung function,dispersing wind,and resolving phlegm to effectively alleviate cough symptoms.Significant differences in medication usage were observed across different syndrome types.For the wind cold attacking lung pattern,the core herbs were warm in nature and focused on dispersing with acrid-warm properties.Conversely,the treatment of wind heat attacking the lung pattern typically involved cold-natured herbs,with a primary focus on clearing and draining lung heat.Stratification by age revealed that the pediatric group often used drugs with mild properties,such as Stemona and Shegan.The young adult group tended to be prescribed cold-natured drugs like Forsythia and Hogfonnel Root.The middle-aged and elderly group preferred warming and tonifying drugs such as Japanese Catnip and Perilla frutescens.Conclusion The TCM treatment of exogenous cough primarily focuses on releasing the exterior and dispersing the lung.Due to the region's subtropical monsoon climate and temperature fluctuations physicians flexibly modified classical formulas such as San'ao decoction and Zhisou powder according to individual constitutions and symptom patterns.This targeted,syndrome-based approach effectively disperses the lung qi,stops cough and transforms phlegm,and alleviates cough.
7.Interleukin-33 Knockout Promotes High Mobility Group Box 1 Release from Astrocytes by Acetylation Mediated by P300/CBP-Associated Factor in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis.
Yifan XIAO ; Liyan HAO ; Xinyi CAO ; Yibo ZHANG ; Qingqing XU ; Luyao QIN ; Yixuan ZHANG ; Yangxingzi WU ; Hongyan ZHOU ; Mengjuan WU ; Mingshan PI ; Qi XIONG ; Youhua YANG ; Yuran GUI ; Wei LIU ; Fang ZHENG ; Xiji SHU ; Yiyuan XIA
Neuroscience Bulletin 2025;41(7):1181-1197
High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), when released extracellularly, plays a pivotal role in the development of spinal cord synapses and exacerbates autoimmune diseases within the central nervous system. In experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a condition that models multiple sclerosis, the levels of extracellular HMGB1 and interleukin-33 (IL-33) have been found to be inversely correlated. However, the mechanism by which IL-33 deficiency enhances HMGB1 release during EAE remains elusive. Our study elucidates a potential signaling pathway whereby the absence of IL-33 leads to increased binding of P300/CBP-associated factor with HMGB1 in the nuclei of astrocytes, upregulating HMGB1 acetylation and promoting its release from astrocyte nuclei in the spinal cord of EAE mice. Conversely, the addition of IL-33 counteracts the TNF-α-induced increase in HMGB1 and acetylated HMGB1 levels in primary astrocytes. These findings underscore the potential of IL-33-associated signaling pathways as a therapeutic target for EAE treatment.
Animals
;
Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/metabolism*
;
Astrocytes/metabolism*
;
Interleukin-33/metabolism*
;
HMGB1 Protein/metabolism*
;
Acetylation
;
Mice, Knockout
;
Mice, Inbred C57BL
;
p300-CBP Transcription Factors/metabolism*
;
Mice
;
Spinal Cord/metabolism*
;
Cells, Cultured
;
Female
;
Signal Transduction
8.Study on the characteristics and mechanisms of skin damage in mice after high-voltage electric shock based on metabolomics
Xiao YANG ; Ping DENG ; Si-yu CHEN ; Jing-dian LI ; Hui WANG ; Yang YUE ; Zheng-ping YU ; Peng GAO ; Hui-feng PI
Journal of Regional Anatomy and Operative Surgery 2025;34(5):379-385
Objective To study the damage effect of high-voltage electric shock on skin based on metabolomics,analyze its metabolic differences,and explore its injury mechanism.Methods A total of 16 SPF C57BL/6J male mice were divided into the electric shock group(head skin received electric shock treatment)and control group(head skin received electric shock acoustic-optical stimulation),and the skin appearance after treatment of mice in the two groups was observed.The histopathological changes caused by electric shock were analyzed by HE staining,EVG staining and Masson staining.GC-MS and LC-MS metabonomics were used to analyze the changes of skin metabolism spectrum and tissue metabolites after electric shock exposure,and the differential metabolites were analyzed.The obtained differential metabolites were combined and KEGG enrichment analysis was conducted.Results After high-voltage electric shock,the skin of mice could be damaged to the dermis,and the epidermis was partially thickened,lifted and separated.The structure of skin appendages in the dermis was destroyed,with a large number of inflammatory cells infiltrating and obvious swelling,accompanied by congestion,which led to severe skin inflammatory reaction and impaired skin barrier function.Metabonomics analysis suggested that the metabolites changed after electric shock exposure.KEGG enrichment analysis showed that electric shock significantly affected the central carbon metabolism pathway of cancer,pentose phosphate pathway,purine metabolism,glycine,serine and threonine metabolism processes,amino acid tRNA biosynthesis mechanism,glycerophospholipid metabolism pathway,pyrimidine metabolism pattern,glycolysis/gluconeogenesis,alanine metabolism process,glucagon signal pathway and so on.Conclusion High voltage electric shock can cause deep skin damage,disturb its energy metabolism and amino acid metabolism,and seriously interfere with its antioxidant and DNA repair system functions.
9.Coupling of an Au@AgPt nanozyme array with an micrococcal nuclease-specific responsiveness strategy for colorimetric/SERS sensing of Staphylococcus aureus in patients with sepsis.
Xueqin HUANG ; Yingqi YANG ; Hanlin ZHOU ; Liping HU ; Annan YANG ; Hua JIN ; Biying ZHENG ; Jiang PI ; Jun XU ; Pinghua SUN ; Huai-Hong CAI ; Xujing LIANG ; Bin PAN ; Junxia ZHENG ; Haibo ZHOU
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(2):101085-101085
Rapid and ultrasensitive detection of pathogen-associated biomarkers is vital for the early diagnosis and therapy of bacterial infections. Herein, we developed a close-packed and ordered Au@AgPt array coupled with a cascade triggering strategy for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and colorimetric identification of the Staphylococcus aureus biomarker micrococcal nuclease (MNase) in serum samples. The trimetallic Au@AgPt nanozymes can catalyze the oxidation of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) molecules to SERS-enhanced oxidized TMB (oxTMB), accompanied by the color change from colorless to blue. In the presence of S. aureus, the secreted MNase preferentially cut the nucleobase AT-rich regions of DNA sequences on magnetic beads (MBs) to release alkaline phosphatase (ALP), which subsequently mediated the oxTMB reduction for inducing the colorimetric/SERS signal fade away. Using this "on-to-off" triggering strategy, the target S. aureus can be recorded in a wide linear range with a limit of detection of 38 CFU/mL in the colorimetric mode and 6 CFU/mL in the SERS mode. Meanwhile, the MNase-mediated strategy characterized by high specificity and sensitivity successfully discriminated between patients with sepsis (n = 7) and healthy participants (n = 3), as well as monitored the prognostic progression of the disease (n = 2). Overall, benefiting from highly active and dense "hot spot" substrate, MNase-mediated cascade response strategy, and colorimetric/SERS dual-signal output, this methodology will offer a promising avenue for the early diagnosis of S. aureus infection.
10.Progress on the mechanisms of prevention and treatment of radiation-induced intestinal injury using Chinese medicine monomers and application of nanotechnology for enhanced efficiency
Lei CHEN ; Zekun LI ; Chaoqun PI ; Yang HE ; Ming LI
Chinese Journal of Radiological Health 2025;34(4):614-624
Radiation-induced intestinal injury is caused by high dose of radiation in the abdomen and pelvis. The disease is characterized by complicated pathological mechanisms and poses significant challenges to clinical treatment, seriously affecting the quality of life and health of patients. Current treatments in modern medicine offer limited efficacy and are often associated with adverse side effects. Traditional Chinese medicine monomers inhibit inflammatory factors (e.g., tumor necrosis factor-α and interleukin-1β) and regulate the antioxidant enzyme system (e.g., improving the activity of superoxide dismutase) to effectively reduce the symptoms of radiation-induced intestinal injury with minimal side effects. Through targeted delivery of nanoparticles, nanotechnology can accurately deliver the active ingredients of traditional Chinese medicine to damaged intestinal tissues, thus improving their bioavailability and therapeutic effects. This paper reviews the mechanisms of Chinese medicine monomers in the prevention and treatment of radiation-induced intestinal injury and the application of nanotechnology for enhanced efficiency. The paper also discusses the clinical potential of these approaches. These results provide a reference for future research and clinical practice.

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