1.Research progress on the effects and mechanisms of plateau hypoxia on drug metabolism
Qian LI ; Rong WANG ; Feng YANG ; Xiaofeng WANG ; Dongfeng YIN
Journal of Pharmaceutical Practice and Service 2026;44(6):275-279
The plateau region is known for its unique environmental characteristics of low oxygen, low pressure, strong radiation, cold and dryness. Under the low oxygen environment, human physiological functions and drug metabolism are significantly affected. In order to gain a deeper understanding of drug metabolism in the plateau hypoxic environment and to guide the rational use of drugs in the plateau region, the effects of plateau hypoxia on drug metabolism were reviewed in this paper, which focused on changes in metabolic profiles, enzyme activity and expression, and probed the relevant mechanisms in depth.
2.Research progress on the effects and mechanisms of plateau hypoxia on drug metabolism
Qian LI ; Rong WANG ; Feng YANG ; Xiaofeng WANG ; Dongfeng YIN
Journal of Pharmaceutical Practice and Service 2026;44(6):275-279
The plateau region is known for its unique environmental characteristics of low oxygen, low pressure, strong radiation, cold and dryness. Under the low oxygen environment, human physiological functions and drug metabolism are significantly affected. In order to gain a deeper understanding of drug metabolism in the plateau hypoxic environment and to guide the rational use of drugs in the plateau region, the effects of plateau hypoxia on drug metabolism were reviewed in this paper, which focused on changes in metabolic profiles, enzyme activity and expression, and probed the relevant mechanisms in depth.
3.Design Strategies and Antitumor Applications of Zinc-based Nanomaterials for Achieving “Zinc Overload”
Rong WANG ; Lu ZHAO ; Yun-Feng BAI ; Feng FENG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(7):1896-1913
“Zinc overload” has emerged as a promising strategy in tumor nanomedicine, wherein exogenous modulation of metal ion homeostasis selectively triggers cancer cell death. Among various bioactive ions, zinc (Zn2+) stands out due to its unique ability to simultaneously disrupt energy metabolism, damage mitochondria, degrade mutant p53, and activate antitumor immunity. Notably, tumor cells exhibit greater sensitivity to Zn2+ overload while normal cells maintain higher tolerance. This review systematically summarizes design strategies for achieving “zinc overload” using biodegradable zinc-based nanomaterials, focusing on two fundamental questions: how to specifically deliver Zn2+ to tumors (targeted delivery), and how to trigger controlled release at the tumor site (release strategies). Current challenges are critically analyzed and future perspectives are offered. For targeted delivery, the strategies are categorized into passive, active, and biomimetic approaches. Passive targeting relies on the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect but suffers from poor enrichment efficiency and rapid clearance. Active targeting conjugates ligands (e.g., folic acid, hyaluronic acid) to recognize overexpressed receptors, significantly enhancing cellular uptake. It is emphasized that hyaluronic acid-modified ZIF-8 can co-deliver siRNA for GLUT1 silencing, achieving systematic energy exhaustion. Biomimetic delivery using cell membranes confers immune evasion, prolonged circulation, and homologous targeting, exhibiting the lowest off-target toxicity. This approach is considered to guide future nanocarrier design. For Zn2+ release, 4 mechanisms are discussed. Endogenous environment-responsive release exploits acidic pH to degrade materials like ZIF-8 or ZnO, causing mitochondrial dysfunction, reactive oxygen species (ROS) burst, and autophagic blockade. Incorporation of other ions (Ca2+, Mn2+, Ni2+) enables synergistic metabolic interference and immune activation. Exogenous responsive release using near-infrared light offers spatiotemporally precise activation. For example, a nanorobot combining black phosphorus with ZIF-8 accelerates Zn2+ release under dual acid and light stimuli. Ion exchange represents an elegant trigger: zinc complexes (e.g., Zn-carnosine) have higher affinity for Cu2+; competitive coordination releases Zn2+ while depleting Cu2+, dually inhibiting oxidative phosphorylation and glycolysis. This mechanism is proposed to hold promise for overcoming metabolic reprogramming. Finally, biological regulation—silencing the ZnT1 zinc transporter to block Zn2+ efflux—represents a paradigm shift from passive delivery to active homeostatic disruption. This “block and attack” strategy may prevent acquired resistance. The therapeutic consequences of zinc overload are multifaceted. Zn2+ causes lysosomal membrane permeabilization and impaired SNARE complex formation, blocking autophagic flux and inducing a distinct cell death termed “zincosis”. In mitochondria, Zn2+ inhibits glutathione reductase, causing oxidative stress and electron transport chain blockade. Meanwhile, Zn2+ suppresses glycolytic enzymes (GAPDH, LDHA), leading to ATP depletion and reversing drug resistance by downregulating P-glycoprotein. Moreover, zinc overload triggers immunogenic cell death, promoting dendritic cell maturation and CD8+ T cell infiltration. Combined with cGAS-STING activation, this reshapes the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and inhibits distant metastasis. These interconnected mechanisms endow zinc overload with a unique advantage over single-modality treatments. Despite remarkable preclinical efficacy, challenges remain: systemic toxicity from off-target release, potential zinc tolerance via metallothionein upregulation, and insufficient pharmacokinetic data. Future directions should prioritize: (1) intelligent stimuli-responsive materials; (2) combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors;(3) theragnostic integration; (4) deeper mechanistic studies; and (5) artificial intelligence-assisted screening. Zinc overload therapy is expected to become an indispensable component of integrated tumor treatment.
4.Effects of different activators on platelet-rich plasma growth factors
Jianxiang LIU ; Xingxing FENG ; Shuxia WANG ; Rong ZHOU ; Mengxing LYU ; Kexuan QU
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(10):2067-2073
BACKGROUND:Growth factor is the key effect molecule that plays a role in platelet-rich plasma in clinical treatment.There are differences in the concentration of growth factor after different activators activate platelet-rich plasma,which is an important factor affecting clinical efficacy. OBJECTIVE:To analyze the influence of different activators on the mass concentration of growth factors in platelet-rich plasma. METHODS:Totally 12 healthy volunteers were recruited to collect EDTA-K2 anticoagulant venous blood.Secondary centrifugation was used to prepare platelet-rich plasma.The difference in mass concentrations of growth factors was compared between venous blood and platelet-rich plasma.The platelet-rich plasma was mixed with four activators(normal saline,thrombin,calcium gluconate,calcium gluconate+thrombin)according to the volume ratio of 10:1,and incubated in a constant temperature water bath at 37 °C for 30 minutes.After centrifugation,the supernatant was extracted and the mass concentration of growth factor was detected.The bacterial growth in supernatant was measured by blood agar plate.Pearson correlation was used to analyze the correlation between different activators and the mass concentration of growth factor in platelet-rich plasma,and the correlation between the value of thrombocytometer and the mass concentration of growth factors in platelet-rich plasma. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The mass concentrations of platelet-derived growth factor-BB,platelet-derived growth factor-AB,vascular endothelial growth factor,and epidermal growth factor in platelet-rich plasma were 8.7,22.2,2.3,and 2.8 times of those in venous blood,respectively(P<0.05).(2)Compared with normal saline group,the mass concentrations of platelet-derived growth factor BB,platelet-derived growth factor AB,vascular endothelial growth factor,and epidermal growth factor were increased in the thrombin group,calcium gluconate group,and calcium gluconate+thrombin group(P<0.05).The mass concentration of platelet-derived growth factor BB in the thrombin group and calcium gluconate group was higher than that in the calcium gluconate+thrombin group(P<0.05),and the mass concentration of platelet-derived growth factor AB in the thrombin group was higher than that in the calcium gluconate group and calcium gluconate+thrombin group(P<0.05).Epidermal growth factor mass concentration in the thrombin group was lower than that in the calcium gluconate group and calcium gluconate+thrombin group(P<0.05).(3)The results of blood agar plate test showed no bacterial growth in the supernatant of the four groups.(4)Pearson correlation analysis showed that the mass concentration of platelet-derived growth factor BB in platelet-rich plasma was strongly positively correlated with thrombin(r=0.683,P<0.05),and the mass concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor was strongly positively correlated with thrombin,calcium gluconate,calcium gluconate+thrombin stimulant(r=0.730,0.789,0.686,P<0.05).There was no correlation between the value of thrombocytometer and the mass concentration of four kinds of growth factors(P>0.05).(5)The results suggest that different activators have an impact on the concentration of growth factors in platelet-rich plasma.It is suggested to choose different activators to improve clinical efficacy according to different growth factor mass concentrations and treatment needs.
5.Measles, rubella, and mumps antibody seroprevalence among the children aged 18 years and younger in Karamay City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region
Meili WU ; Xia LI ; Ling ZUO ; Liping RONG ; Jing WANG ; Feng WANG
Shanghai Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;37(3):239-243
ObjectiveTo understand the measles, rubella, and mumps antibody seroprevalence among the children aged 18 years and younger in Karamay City, and to evaluate the effectiveness of vaccination. MethodsA stratified whole cluster random sampling method was used to investigate the antibody seroprevalence of measles, rubella, and mumps among the healthy children aged 18 years and younger in Karamay City, and to further analyze the positive antibody rates and the geometric mean concentration (GMC) of antibodies. ResultsA total of 620 people were investigated, and the positive rates of IgG to measles, rubella, and mumps were 72.74%,62.26%, and 86.45%, respectively, with a GMC of308.94 mIU·mL-1, 21.81 mIU·mL-1, and 249.10 U·mL-1. There were statistically significant differences in the positive rates of antibodies to measles, rubella, and mumps among different age groups (χ2measles=76.707, P<0.001; χ2rubella=60.804, P<0.001; χ2mumps=35.407, P<0.001). The differences in positive rates were statistically significant among individuals with different intervals from the time of their last dose vaccination (χ2measles=60.533, P<0.001; χ2rubella=46.331, P<0.001; χ2mumps=22.825, P<0.001). ConclusionThe antibody levels of measles, rubella and mumps among the people aged 18 years and younger in Karamay City are found to be low. Two doses of measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine should be given to children born before 2020, and if necessary, supplementary immunization with MMR vaccine should be carried out before they are enrolled in nursery and kindergarten. Additionally, regular population-based antibody surveillance should be conducted to promptly identify the people with weak immunity, which is conducive to effectively reducing and controlling the epidemic situation of measles, rubella and mumps in schools.
6.Mechanism of SOS1-IT1 promoting EZH2 expression in human endometrial cancer cells by regulating acetylation modification
Hong-Yang LIU ; Xue-Ling LOU ; Rong-Jing ZHANG ; Quan-Ling FENG ; Kai-Ge GUO ; Hao-Fan WANG ; Ying-Ying LI ; Jun-Hu WAN ; Lin-Dong ZHANG
Acta Anatomica Sinica 2025;56(4):444-451
Objective To explore the molecular mechanism by which SOS Ras/Rac guanine nucleotide exchange factor 1-intronic transcript 1(SOS1-IT1)affects enhancer of zeste homolog 2(EZH2)protein expression in endometrial cancer cells Ishikawa and RL95-2.Methods Lentiviral transfection of short hairpin RNA(shRNA)and overexpression plasmid were used in Ishikawa and RL95-2 cell lines to knock down and overexpress SOS1-IT1.The mechanism of EZH2 expression regulation was studied using Real-time PCR,Western blotting,and chromatin immunoprecipitation.Results The expression of SOS1-IT1 and EZH2 genes was positively correlated in endometrial cancer tissues.Knocking down SOS1-IT1 significantly reduces the expression of EZH2,inhibited the proliferation and migration of Ishikawa and RL95-2 cells,and could reduced the acetylation of histone H3 at position 27(H3K27)and the enrichment of CREB binding protein(CBP)in the EZH2 gene promoter region.Overexpression of SOS1-IT1 could increased the expression of EZH2 and enhance the acetylation of H3K27 and the enrichment of CBP.CBP could bind to SOS1-IT1 RNA,and this binding ability was weakened when CBP was knocked down.Conclusion SOS1-IT1 can promote the expression level of EZH2 in endometrial cancer cells Ishikawa and RL95-2 by regulating the acetylation modification level of the EZH2 gene promoter region,thereby affecting the proliferation and migration ability of endometrial cancer cells.
7.Enhancement of Ca2+ Signal Strength in Astrocytes in the Lateral Septum Improves Cognitive Disorders in Mice After Hemorrhagic Shock and Resuscitation.
Wen-Guang LI ; Lan-Xin LI ; Rong-Xin SONG ; Xu-Peng WANG ; Shi-Yan JIA ; Xiao-Yi MA ; Jing-Yu ZHANG ; Gang-Feng YIN ; Xiao-Ming LI ; Li-Min ZHANG
Neuroscience Bulletin 2025;41(8):1403-1417
Hemorrhagic shock is a common clinical emergency that can aggravate cell injury after resuscitation. Astrocytes are crucial for the survival of neurons because they regulate the surrounding ionic microenvironment of neurons. Although hemorrhagic shock and resuscitation (HSR) injury can impair cognition, it remains unclear how this insult directly affects astrocytes. In this study, we established an HSR model by bleeding and re-transfusion in mice. The social interaction test and new object recognition test were applied to evaluate post-operative cognitive changes, and the results suggest that mice experience cognitive impairment following exposure to HSR. In the HSR group, the power spectral density of β and γ oscillations decreased, and the coupling of the θ oscillation phase and γ oscillation amplitude was abnormal, which indicated abnormal neuronal oscillation and cognitive impairment after HSR exposure. In brief, cognitive impairment in mice is strongly correlated with Ca2+ signal strength in lateral septum astrocytes following HSR.
Animals
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Astrocytes/metabolism*
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Shock, Hemorrhagic/metabolism*
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Resuscitation/adverse effects*
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Male
;
Mice
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Calcium Signaling/physiology*
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Mice, Inbred C57BL
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Septal Nuclei/metabolism*
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Cognitive Dysfunction/etiology*
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Disease Models, Animal
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Cognition Disorders/etiology*
8.The study of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET-CT dual-modality habitat imaging in predicting epidermal growth factor receptor mutation status of lung adenocarcinoma
Rong NIU ; Jinbao FENG ; Jianxiong GAO ; Xinyu GE ; Yan SUN ; Yunmei SHI ; Yuetao WANG ; Xiaonan SHAO
Chinese Journal of Radiology 2025;59(4):409-417
Objective:To explore the value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose ( 18F-FDG) PET-CT dual-modality habitat imaging technology in predicting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation status in lung adenocarcinoma. Methods:This study was designed as a cross-sectional study. Clinical and imaging data of 403 patients with lung adenocarcinoma who underwent 18F-FDG PET-CT imaging with definitive EGFR results from January 2018 to April 2022 at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University were retrospectively analyzed.The patients were divided into a development set (282 cases) and a validation set (121 cases) using a stratified random sampling method at a 7∶3 ratio. An adaptive clustering algorithm was used to segment the regions of interest, forming different habitats and obtaining derived parameters. Independent samples t-test or Mann-Whitney U test were used to compare clinical, imaging indicators, and habitat-derived parameters between EGFR mutant and wild-type patient. The clinical, imaging indicators, and habitat-derived parameters that showed statistically significant differences in univariate analysis were included in multivariate logistic regression to construct clinical and clinical-habitat combined models, respectively. The receiver operating characteristic curve and area under the curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the model′s ability to predict EGFR mutations in lung adenocarcinoma. Additionally, the net reclassification index (NRI) was employed to assess the model′s classification improvement capability. Results:There were 249 cases of EGFR mutation and 154 cases of wild type. The optimal number of habitats was two, namely Habitat 1 and Habitat 2. The parameters included in the clinical model were smoking history, bronchial sign, pleural indentation sign, and tumor diameter. The parameters incorporated into the clinical-habitat combined model were smoking history, bronchial sign, pleural indentation sign, Habitat 2, and Habitat 1 voxel count. In the development set, the AUCs for predicting EGFR mutations in lung adenocarcinoma using the clinical model and the clinical-habitat combined model were 0.723 and 0.733, respectively, with no statistically significant difference ( Z=0.60, P=0.549); In the validation set, the AUCs were 0.684 and 0.715, respectively, with no statistically significant difference ( Z=1.32, P=0.186). The accuracy (0.694) and specificity (0.609) of the clinical-habitat combined model in the validation set were slightly higher than those of the clinical model (0.686 and 0.565, respectively). NRI analysis confirmed that the clinical-habitat combined model improved the correct classification of EGFR wild-type lung adenocarcinoma by 10.9% compared to the clinical model ( P=0.018). Conclusion:18F-FDG PET-CT dual-modality habitat imaging technology can be used to analyze the microenvironment of lung adenocarcinoma and has the potential in non-invasively predicting EGFR mutation status, providing an important basis for personalized and accurate treatment of patients with lung adenocarcinoma.
9.Treating Type 2 Diabetic Nephropathy by Down-regulating NOX4 to Inhibit the Oxidative Stress Pathway in Mesenchymal Stem Cells
Shu-Qi FENG ; Guo-Rong JIN ; Qun-Hang XUE ; Min HE ; Ze-Hang WANG ; Jia-Xin YAO ; Long CHEN ; Yu-Jiao WANG ; An-Xiu ZHANG ; Sheng HE ; Bing-Rui ZHOU ; Jun XIE
Chinese Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 2025;41(5):730-740
Diabetic nephropathy(DN)is a serious complication of diabetes mellitus and a leading cause of end-stage renal diseases.In DN patients,key pathological mechanisms include proteinuria,glomerulo-sclerosis,and fibrosis,largely driven by poor glycemic control and oxidative stress caused by prolonged hyperglycemia.This stress damages renal podocytes and triggers inflammatory mesenchymal infiltration of renal tubular cells,exacerbating the progression of proteinuria and fibrosis.Human umbilical cord-de-rived mesenchymal stem cells(hUC-MSCs)offer promising potential for treating DN due to their strong anti-oxidative properties.In this study,we developed a DN mouse model and treated the mouse via tail vein injections of hUC-MSCs(1×106 cells/mouse).The results indicated that hUC-MSCs significantly lowered fasting blood glucose levels(22.5±3.0 vs 14.7±1.1,P<0.01)and improved glucose toler-ance,as shown by intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test(IPGTT)results(P<0.05).Additionally,the renal function improved in hUC-MSCs-treated mice,with marked reductions in oxidative stress markers,including blood urea nitrogen(BUN),urinary creatinine(Ucr),urinary protein(PRO),superoxide dismutase(SOD),and malondialdehyde(MDA)(P<0.05).Histological analyses through hematoxy-lin-eosin(H&E),Periodic Acid-Schiff(PAS),and Sirius red staining demonstrated alleviation of glo-merular mesangial hyperplasia,glomerular hypertrophy,and tubular inflammation.Furthermore,hUC-MSCs treatment downregulated the expression of oxidative stress-related proteins,such as NADPH oxi-dase 4(NOX4)and thioredoxin-interacting protein(TXNIP),and reduced reactive oxygen species(ROS)production(P<0.05).Meanwhile,human renal cortical proximal tubule epithelial cells(HK-2 cells)were selected for validation in vitro experiments using high glucose treatment followed by super-natants of hUC-MSCs(MSC-CM),and Western blotting showed that the expression of both NOX4 and TXNIP was inhibited(P<0.05)and ROS expression was reduced.In conclusion,hUC-MSC treatment effectively lowered blood glucose levels and improved renal function in DN mice,likely through the sup-pression of NOX4 expression and TXNIP-mediated oxidative stress.
10.Glycemic Control and Diabetes Duration in Relation to Subsequent Myocardial Infarction among Patients with Coronary Heart Disease and Type 2 Diabetes.
Fu Rong LI ; Yan DOU ; Chun Bao MO ; Shuang WANG ; Jing ZHENG ; Dong Feng GU ; Feng Chao LIANG
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2025;38(1):27-36
OBJECTIVE:
This study aimed to investigate the impact of glycemic control and diabetes duration on subsequent myocardial infarction (MI) in patients with both coronary heart disease (CHD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D).
METHODS:
We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 33,238 patients with both CHD and T2D in Shenzhen, China. Patients were categorized into 6 groups based on baseline fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels and diabetes duration (from the date of diabetes diagnosis to the baseline date) to examine their combined effects on subsequent MI. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used, with further stratification by age, sex, and comorbidities to assess potential interactions.
RESULTS:
Over a median follow-up of 2.4 years, 2,110 patients experienced MI. Compared to those with optimal glycemic control (FPG < 6.1 mmol/L) and shorter diabetes duration (< 10 years), the fully-adjusted hazard ratio ( HR) (95% Confidence Interval [95% CI]) for those with a diabetes duration of ≥ 10 years and FPG > 8.0 mmol/L was 1.93 (95% CI: 1.59, 2.36). The combined effects of FPG and diabetes duration on MI were largely similar across different age, sex, and comorbidity groups, although the excess risk of MI associated with long-term diabetes appeared to be more pronounced among those with atrial fibrillation.
CONCLUSION
Our study indicates that glycemic control and diabetes duration significant influence the subsequent occurrence of MI in patients with both CHD and T2D. Tailored management strategies emphasizing strict glycemic control may be particularly beneficial for patients with longer diabetes duration and atrial fibrillation.
Humans
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Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/blood*
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Male
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Female
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Middle Aged
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Aged
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Coronary Disease/complications*
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Myocardial Infarction/etiology*
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Retrospective Studies
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China/epidemiology*
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Glycemic Control
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Blood Glucose
;
Adult
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Risk Factors
;
Time Factors

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