1.Construction of the Diagnosis and Treatment System of "Sinew Prescription Correspondence" under the Guidance of Systematic Dialectical Sphygmology
Feng ZHANG ; Baoqiang DONG ; Xingxing LIN ; Yapeng LIU ; Lujia XIAO ; Bodong XING ; Yiyun CAO ; Wenhui ZHANG ; Wenqian QI
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(10):1038-1043
"Sinew prescription correspondence" is the principle of selecting prescriptions for channel sinew diseases. On the basis of the theory of syndrome differentiation and treatment, the pulse manifestation corresponds to the channel sinew syndrome, which can improve the flexibility and standardization of clinical prescriptions. From the perspective of systematic dialectical sphygmology, this paper explains the dialectical relationship between channel sinew theory and pulse body elements, pulse wall elements, pulse elements and blood flow elements, and clarifies the internal relationship between pulse manifestation and prescriptions at the level of channel sinew disease. The prescription is derived from the method, while the method is established with the syndrome, and the prescription is unified by the method. According to the theory of "sinew prescription correspondence", the treatment ideas of channel sinew diseases were analyzed from the perspective of channel sinew distribution, functional characteristics and structural changes. On this basis, the diagnosis of channel sinew disease and the application of prescriptions are expanded, and the research on the internal treatment and diagnosis mode of "pulse manifestation-channel sinew-zang fu (脏腑)" is prospected, so as to expand the differentiation and treatment methods of channel sinew theory.
2.Obesity-driven oleoylcarnitine accumulation in tumor microenvironment promotes breast cancer metastasis-like phenotype.
Chao CHEN ; Hongxia ZHANG ; Lingling QI ; Haoqi LEI ; Xuefei FENG ; Yingjie CHEN ; Yuanyuan CHENG ; Defeng PANG ; Jufeng WAN ; Haiying XU ; Shifeng CAO ; Baofeng YANG ; Yan ZHANG ; Xin ZHAO
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(4):1974-1990
Obesity is a significant risk factor for cancer and is associated with breast cancer metastasis. Nevertheless, the mechanism by which alterations in systemic metabolism affect tumor microenvironment (TME) and consequently influence tumor metastasis remains inadequately understood. Herein, we found that perturbations in circulating metabolites induced by obesity promote metastasis-like phenotypes in breast cancer. Oleoylcarnitine (OLCarn) concentrations were elevated in the serum of obese mice and humans. Administration of exogenous OLCarn induces metastasis-like characteristics in breast cancer cells. Mechanistically, OLCarn directly interacts with the Arg176 site of adenylate cyclase 10 (ADCY10), leading to the activation of ADCY10 and enhancement of cAMP production. Mutations at Arg176 prevent OLCarn from binding to ADCY10, disrupting the ADCY10-mediated activation of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling pathway. This activation promotes transcription factor 4 (TCF4)-dependent kinesin family member C1 (KIFC1) transcription, thereby driving breast cancer metastasis. Conversely, the neutralization of both ADCY10 and KIFC1 through knockdown or pharmacological inhibition abrogates the oncogenic effects mediated by OLCarn. Hence, obesity-induced systemic environmental changes lead to the aberrant accumulation of OLCarn within the TME, making it a potential therapeutic target and biomarker for breast cancer.
3.USP51/GRP78/ABCB1 axis confers chemoresistance through decreasing doxorubicin accumulation in triple-negative breast cancer cells.
Yang OU ; Kun ZHANG ; Qiuying SHUAI ; Chenyang WANG ; Huayu HU ; Lixia CAO ; Chunchun QI ; Min GUO ; Zhaoxian LI ; Jie SHI ; Yuxin LIU ; Siyu ZUO ; Xiao CHEN ; Yanjing WANG ; Mengdan FENG ; Hang WANG ; Peiqing SUN ; Yi SHI ; Guang YANG ; Shuang YANG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(5):2593-2611
Recent studies have indicated that the expression of ubiquitin-specific protease 51 (USP51), a novel deubiquitinating enzyme (DUB) that mediates protein degradation as part of the ubiquitin‒proteasome system (UPS), is associated with tumor progression and therapeutic resistance in multiple malignancies. However, the underlying mechanisms and signaling networks involved in USP51-mediated regulation of malignant phenotypes remain largely unknown. The present study provides evidence of USP51's functions as the prominent DUB in chemoresistant triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. At the molecular level, ectopic expression of USP51 stabilized the 78 kDa Glucose-Regulated Protein (GRP78) protein through deubiquitination, thereby increasing its expression and localization on the cell surface. Furthermore, the upregulation of cell surface GRP78 increased the activity of ATP binding cassette subfamily B member 1 (ABCB1), the main efflux pump of doxorubicin (DOX), ultimately decreasing its accumulation in TNBC cells and promoting the development of drug resistance both in vitro and in vivo. Clinically, we found significant correlations among USP51, GRP78, and ABCB1 expression in TNBC patients with chemoresistance. Elevated USP51, GRP78, and ABCB1 levels were also strongly associated with a poor patient prognosis. Importantly, we revealed an alternative intervention for specific pharmacological targeting of USP51 for TNBC cell chemosensitization. In conclusion, these findings collectively indicate that the USP51/GRP78/ABCB1 network is a key contributor to the malignant progression and chemotherapeutic resistance of TNBC cells, underscoring the pivotal role of USP51 as a novel therapeutic target for cancer management.
4.Targeting SARS-CoV-2 main protease for the discovery of a broad-spectrum COVID-19 inhibitor by intensive multi-tiered validation.
Min ZHANG ; Changjian WANG ; Lu FENG ; Qi YANG ; Yipeng CAO ; Yao ZHAO ; Junhua ZHANG ; Yuefei WANG ; Zihe RAO ; Boli ZHANG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(11):5789-5802
SARS-CoV-2 and its emerging variants continue to pose a significant global public health threat. The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) is a critical target for the development of antiviral agents that can inhibit viral replication and transcription. In this study, we identified chebulagic acid (CHLA), isolated from Terminalia chebula Retz., as a potent non-peptidomimetic and non-covalent Mpro inhibitor. CHLA exhibited intermolecular interactions and provided significant protection to Vero E6 cells against a range of SARS-CoV-2 variants, including the wild-type, Delta, Omicron BA.1.1, BA.2.3, BA.4, and BA.5, with EC50 values below 2 μmol/L. Moreover, in vivo studies confirmed the antiviral efficacy of CHLA in K18-hACE2 mice. Notably, CHLA bound to a unique groove at the interface between Mpro domains I and II, which was revealed by the high-resolution crystal structure (1.4 Å) of the Mpro-CHLA complex, shrinking the substrate binding pocket of Mpro and inducing Mpro aggregation. CHLA was proposed to act as an allosteric inhibitor. Pharmacokinetic profiling and safety assessments underscore CHLA's potential as a promising broad-spectrum antiviral candidate. These findings report a novel binding site on Mpro and identify antiviral activity of CHLA, providing a robust framework for lead compounds discovery and elucidating the underlying molecular mechanisms of inhibition.
5.The Mechanisms of Neurotransmitters and Their Receptors in Exercise Central Fatigue
Lu-Lu GUAN ; Bo-Te QI ; Du-Shuo FENG ; Jing-Wang TAN ; Meng CAO ; Yu ZOU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(6):1321-1336
Exercise fatigue is a complex physiological and psychological phenomenon that includes peripheral fatigue in the muscles and central fatigue in the brain. Peripheral fatigue refers to the loss of force caused at the distal end of the neuromuscular junction, whereas central fatigue involves decreased motor output from the primary motor cortex, which is associated with modulations at anatomical sites proximal to nerves that innervate skeletal muscle. The central regulatory failure reflects a progressive decline in the central nervous system’s capacity to recruit motor units during sustained physical activity. Emerging evidence highlights the critical involvement of central neurochemical regulation in fatigue development, particularly through neurotransmitter-mediated modulation. Alterations in neurotransmitter release and receptor activity could influence excitatory and inhibitory signal pathways, thus modulating the perception of fatigue and exercise performance. Increased serotonin (5-HT) could increase perception of effort and lethargy, reduce motor drive to continue exercising, and contribute to exercise fatigue. Decreased dopamine (DA) and noradrenaline (NE) neurotransmission can negatively impact arousal, mood, motivation, and reward mechanisms and impair exercise performance. Furthermore, the serotonergic and dopaminergic systems interact with each other; a low 5-HT/DA ratio enhances motor motivation and improves performance, and a high 5-HT/DA ratio heightens fatigue perception and leads to decreased performance. The expression and activity of neurotransmitter receptors would be changed during prolonged exercise to fatigue, affecting the transmission of nerve signals. Prolonged high-intensity exercise causes excess 5-HT to overflow from the synaptic cleft to the axonal initial segment and activates the 5-HT1A receptor, thereby inhibiting the action potential of motor neurons and affecting the recruitment of motor units. During exercise to fatigue, the DA secretion is decreased, which blocks the binding of DA to D1 receptor in the caudate putamen and inhibits the activation of the direct pathway of the basal ganglia to suppress movement, meanwhile the binding of DA to D2 receptor is restrained in the caudate putamen, which activates the indirect pathway of the basal ganglia to influence motivation. Furthermore, other neurotransmitters and their receptors, such as adenosine (ADO), glutamic acid (Glu), and γ‑aminobutyric acid (GABA) also play important roles in regulating neurotransmitter balance and fatigue. The occurrence of central fatigue is not the result of the action of a single neurotransmitter system, but a comprehensive manifestation of the interaction between multiple neurotransmitters. This review explores the important role of neurotransmitters and their receptors in central motor fatigue, reveals the dynamic changes of different neurotransmitters such as 5-HT, DA, NE, and ADO during exercise, and summarizes the mechanisms by which these neurotransmitters and their receptors regulate fatigue perception and exercise performance through complex interactions. Besides, this study presents pharmacological evidence that drugs such as agonists, antagonists, and reuptake inhibitors could affect exercise performance by regulating the metabolic changes of neurotransmitters. Recently, emerging interventions such as dietary bioactive components intake and transcranial electrical stimulation may provide new ideas and strategies for the prevention and alleviation of exercise fatigue by regulating neurotransmitter levels and receptor activity. Overall, this work offers new theoretical insights into the understanding of exercise central fatigue, and future research should further investigate the relationship between neurotransmitters and their receptors and exercise fatigue.
6.Clinical manifestations and disease severity of multi-respiratory infectious pathogens.
Mingyue JIANG ; Yuping DUAN ; Jia LI ; Mengmeng JIA ; Qing WANG ; Tingting LI ; Hua RAN ; Yuhua REN ; Jiang LONG ; Yunshao XU ; Yanlin CAO ; Yongming JIANG ; Boer QI ; Yuxi LIU ; Weizhong YANG ; Li QI ; Luzhao FENG
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(20):2675-2677
7.Surveillance for pneumonia of unknown etiology: current status, challenges, and implementation ways
Boer QI ; Qing WANG ; Ju WANG ; Tingting LI ; Yanlin CAO ; Rui SHEN ; Li QI ; Jiang LONG ; Weizhong YANG ; Luzhao FENG
Chinese Journal of Epidemiology 2025;46(5):914-920
The prevention and control of emerging and reemerging infectious diseases are crucial for national biosecurity, and surveillance and reporting of pneumonia of unknown etiology are main ways for the early detection of these diseases and mitigation of their severity. This paper summaries the surveillance methods for pneumonia of unknown etiology and emerging and reemerging infectious diseases globally, indicating that such surveillance is mainly conducted based on hospital. Western countries primarily combine active and passive surveillance while utilizing artificial intelligence technology to rapidly identify cases. China mainly use passive surveillance based on the surveillance system for pneumonia of unknown etiology, with the function of early warning in the identification of emerging infectious diseases, such as avian influenza. However, with the improvement in the surveillance system operation, the overlap with other surveillance disease systems, such as influenza, has occurred, and the improvements in case definition and operational protocol are needed. It is recommended to improve the specificity of the case definition, strenthen training in hospital staff, inclduing clinical workers and office workers, and formulate incentive mechanisms. It is necessary to emphasize the responsibility of clinicians as the main force for the detection and reporting of pneumonia of unknown etiology and emerging infectious diseases, improve the appilication of artifical intelligent technique and conduct multi-source surveillance, such as third-party testing.
8.Association of blood selenium exposure with sex hormones among men aged 18-79 years in China
Zheng LI ; Yingli QU ; Yawei LI ; Saisai JI ; Haocan SONG ; Qi SUN ; Miao ZHANG ; Wenli ZHANG ; Jiayi CAI ; Liang DING ; Ying ZHU ; Feng ZHAO ; Zhaojin CAO ; Yuebin LYU ; Lu WANG ; Xiaoming SHI
Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;59(10):1632-1639
Objective:To investigate the association between blood selenium levels and sex hormones in Chinese men aged 18-79 years.Methods:Data were derived from the China National Human Biomonitoring survey conducted in 2017-2018, with a final sample size of 5 414 men. General demographic characteristics, behavioral habits, and dietary frequency were collected through questionnaires and physical examinations. Fasting blood samples were collected to measure blood lead, serum testosterone, and estradiol levels. Complex sampling linear regression models were used to analyze the associations between blood selenium levels and testosterone, estradiol, and the testosterone/estradiol ratio, adjusting for confounding factors including age, education level, marital status, smoking status, alcohol consumption, seafood intake, soy product intake, protein supplement intake, BMI, and diabetes status.Results:The mean age of the 5 414 participants was (46.85±27.91) years; 4 774 (91.65%) were of Han ethnicity and 4 505 (86.68%) were married. The median ( Q1, Q3) blood selenium concentration in men was 97.80 (80.64, 116.99) μg/L. After adjusting for confounding factors, the complex sampling linear regression model revealed negative associations between blood selenium levels and both testosterone levels and the testosterone/estradiol ratio, with a significant linear trend ( Ptrend<0.05). Compared with the Q1 group, the β (95% CI) values for testosterone in the Q2, Q3, and Q4 groups were -0.02 (-0.06 to 0.02), -0.03 (-0.08 to 0.01), and -0.06 (-0.09 to -0.02), respectively. Similarly, the β (95% CI) values for the testosterone/estradiol ratio in the Q2, Q3, and Q4 groups were -0.01 (-0.03 to 0.02), -0.01 (-0.04 to 0.04), and -0.03 (-0.06 to -0.01), respectively. Subgroup analysis indicated stronger associations between blood selenium levels and testosterone/estradiol levels in non-smoking and obese men (BMI≥28 kg/m2). Conclusion:Blood selenium levels are negatively associated with testosterone levels and the testosterone/estradiol ratio in Chinese adult males.
9.Effects of Liangxue Heying Formula-medicated serum on the activation of LPS-induced human umbilical vein endothelial cells via JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway
Chun-lan XIA ; Xia FENG ; Ye-min CAO ; Zhi-qiang LIANG ; Yi LE ; Hong-tao XU ; Fei QI ; Ji LI
Chinese Traditional Patent Medicine 2025;47(4):1150-1156
AIM To investigate the effects of Liangxue Heying Formula-medicated serum(LXHY-MS)on human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs)induced by lipopolysaccharide(LPS).METHODS CCK-8,DCFH-DA fluorescence probe and Western blot method were used to screen the LPS concentration in modeling and the serum LXHY concentration for treatment.The HUVECs divided into the normal group,the model group and the LXHY-MS group had their SOD activity detected by automatic biochemical analyzer;their MDA level detected by colorimetry;their protein expressions of ICAM-1,VCAM-1,IL-6,TNF-α,p-JAK2 and p-STAT3 detected by Western blot;and their mROS expression and recruitment effect on THP-1 photographed with high connotation.With the use of JAK2/STAT3 pathway inhibitor(AG490),the HUVECs divided into the normal group,the AG490 group,the LPS group,the LPS+AG490 group,the LPS+LXHY-MS group,and LPS+LXHY-MS+AG490 group were subjected to the corresponding treatment,followed by the detection of their protein expressions of ICAM-1,VCAM-1,IL-6,TNF-α,p-JAK2 and p-STAT3 by Western blot.RESULTS Compared with the normal group,the model group displayed decreased SOD activity(P<0.01),increased MDA level(P<0.05),increased ICAM-1,VCAM-1,IL-6,TNF-α,p-JAK2,p-STAT3 protein expressions(P<0.05,P<0.01),and increased mROS expression and THP-1 cells recruitment.Compared with the model group,the LXHY-MS group shared increased SOD activity(P<0.05),decreased MDA level(P<0.01),decreased ICAM-1,VCAM-1,IL-6,TNF-α,p-JAK2,p-STAT3 protein expressions(P<0.05,P<0.01),reduced mROS expression and THP-1 cells recruitment.Given the use of AG490,the model group displayed increased protein expressions of ICAM-1,VCAM-1,IL-6,TNF-α,p-JAK2 and p-STAT3 in contrast to the normal group(P<0.05,P<0.01);each intervened group showed decreased expressions of related proteins in contrast to the model group(P<0.05,P<0.01).CONCLUSION LXHY-MS may protect the injury due to the activation of HUVECs by inhibiting the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.
10.Establishment and verification of a nomogram prediction model for residual stone risk following flexible ureteroscopy lithotripsy in treating 2-3 cm renal calculi
Qi DING ; Xiaohua JIN ; Hailiang ZHU ; Cheng CAO ; Zhijiang FAN ; Wenjian TU ; Feng LI ; Bo FAN
Journal of Modern Urology 2025;30(11):967-974
Objective To develop and validate a nomogram prediction model for residual stone risk after flexible ureteroscopic lithotripsy(FURL)in patients with 2-3 cm renal calculi,so as to provide reference for treatment options.Methods Clinical data of 342 patients with renal calculi measuring 2-3 cm undergoing FURL in our hospital during Jun.2017 and Apr.2024 were retrospectively collected.At a 3∶1 randomization ratio,patients were allocated to the training cohort(n=257)and validation cohort(n=85).Patients in the training cohort were stratified into two subgroups based on postoperative stone-free status:residual stone group(n=63)and stone-free group(n=194).Logistic regression analysis was employed to identify factors influencing stone retention and construct the nomogram prediction model.Bootstrapped resampling was applied to validate the model internally,model performance was assessed with calibration curves,Hosmer-Lemeshow test was used to test the degree of fitting,receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was plotted to evaluate the predictive accuracy,and decision curve analysis was used to determine the clinical net benefit.The model's generalization capability was evaluated with 10-fold cross-validation of the training set.Results Multivariate logistic regression revealed that stone size,CT value,lower calyx stones,multiple stones,renal infundibulum length(RIL),and renal infundibulum width(RIW)were independent predictors of residual stones(P<0.05).The nomogram based on the above mentioned parameters demonstrated excellent discrimination,with Bootstrap-validated concordance indices of 0.876(training cohort)and 0.948(validation cohort).Hosmer-Lemeshow tests showed good calibration in both cohorts(P>0.05).ROC analysis yielded the area under the curve(AUC)of 0.876 and 0.948 for the training and validation cohorts,respectively.The optimal cutoff value was 0.253,with corresponding sensitivity of 84.13%,specificity of 78.35%,and total score of nomogram of 143.The decision curve analysis showed when the threshold probability of the training cohort and verification cohort was 0-0.81 and 0-0.97,respectively,the nomogram could obtain good clinical net benefit in predicting the risk of residual stones.The average accuracy of 10-fold cross-validation was 0.814,and the average AUC was 0.865.Conclusion The nomogram model effectively predicts residual stone risk following FURL for 2-3 cm renal calculi.It is suggested that patients with a total score of ≤143 may consider undergoing FURL.

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