1.Nanomedicine-driven tumor glucose metabolic reprogramming for enhanced cancer immunotherapy.
Chenwei JIANG ; Minglu TANG ; Yun SU ; Junjie XIE ; Qi SHANG ; Mingmei GUO ; Xiaoran AN ; Longfei LIN ; Ruibin WANG ; Qian HUANG ; Guangji ZHANG ; Hui LI ; Feihu WANG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(6):2845-2866
Tumors exhibit abnormal glucose metabolism, consuming excessive glucose and excreting lactate, which constructs a tumor microenvironment that facilitates cancer progression and disrupts immunotherapeutic efficacy. Currently, tumor glucose metabolic dysregulation to reshape the immunosuppressive microenvironment and enhance immunotherapy efficacy is emerging as an innovative therapeutic strategy. However, glucose metabolism modulators lack specificity and still face significant challenges in overcoming tumor delivery barriers, microenvironmental complexity, and metabolic heterogeneity, resulting in poor clinical benefit. Nanomedicines, with their ability to selectively target tumors or immune cells, respond to the tumor microenvironment, co-deliver multiple drugs, and facilitate combinatorial therapies, hold significant promise for enhancing immunotherapy through tumor glucose metabolic reprogramming. This review explores the complex interactions between tumor glucose metabolism-specifically metabolite transport, glycolysis processes, and lactate-and the immune microenvironment. We summarize how nanomedicine-mediated reprogramming of tumor glucose metabolism can enhance immunotherapy efficacy and outline the prospects and challenges in this field.
2.Biological mechanisms of respiratory depression induced by sedative-hypnotic anesthetics and related countermeasures
Weijie TAO ; Zheng YONG ; Ruibin SU
Chinese Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology 2025;39(6):453-461
Commonly used anesthetic sedatives(opioids,benzodiazepines,ketamine,propofol,etc.)share the risk of inducing respiratory depression,and their multi-target mechanism of action pres-ents significant heterogeneity.Opioids inhibit the rhythmic activity of the respiratory center of the medulla bulbar(such as the PreB?tzinger complex and parbrachial nucleus)by activating both the μ-opioid receptor and the G-protein-gated inwardly-rectifying potassium channel and β-arrestin signaling pathway,resulting in decreased respiratory frequency and amplitude.Benzodiazepines enhance inhibitory neurotransmis-sion mediated by γ-aminobutyric acid receptors,reduce the sensitivity of chemoreceptors to PaCO2 and PaO2,and lead to a decreased tidal volume and upper airway obstruction.Ketamine inhibits respiratory drive and respiratory muscle function by blocking N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptors and indirectly affecting the μ-opioid receptor.In addition,propofol inhibits pre-expiratory neuronal activity and relaxes upper airway muscles by activating the GABAA receptor β3 subunit.Currently,specific antagonists(naloxone/flumazenil)and respiratory stimulants(doxapram)are clinically used to treat respiratory depression,but they have defects such as short duration of action and insufficient specificity.The devel-opment of novel stimulants targeting μ-opioid receptor agonists and the D-serine release pathway of astrocytes,as well as broad-spectrum antidotes based on"molecular cage"technology,has become a new sphere of research that aims at precisely reversing respiratory depression while preserving analgesic and sedative effects.This article reviews the biological mechanisms of respiratory depression caused by sedative hypnotic anesthetic drugs,explores the advantages and disadvantages of treatments currently availabe,and proposes new strategies for improving respiratory depression in the future.
3.Research advances in roles of extrasynaptic GABAA receptors in postpartum depression and premenstrual syndrome
Xiaoli LIU ; Hongbo WANG ; Gang YU ; Ruibin SU
Chinese Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology 2025;39(6):462-468
Extrasynaptic γ-aminobutyric acid type A(GABAA)receptors are a class of inhibitory neurotransmitter receptors that are distributed in non-synaptic structures such as cell bodies and dendrites.Extrasynaptic GABAA receptors are heteropentamers usually containing δ-subunit.Changes of δ-subunit expressions can be observed in model animals of postpartum depression and premenstrual syndrome,and δ-/-or δ+/-mice exhibit behavioral phenotypes of postpartum depression,suggesting that extrasynaptic GABAA receptors are involved in the pathogenesis of related diseases.The present review is concerned with the relationship between extrasynaptic GABAA receptors and postpartum depression as well as premenstrual syndrome in general,and the advances in research on drugs targeting extrasynaptic GABAA receptors for the treatment of these two conditions in particular.The article highlights the value of extrasynaptic GABAA receptors as a therapeutic target for female mood disor-ders,and may provide a reference for the development and application of related drugs.
4.Roles of extrasynaptic GABAA receptors in sleep-promoting effect of zolpidem
Xiaowei JIANG ; Gang YU ; Ruibin SU
Chinese Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology 2025;39(6):412-418
OBJECTIVE To investigate the role of δ-subunit-containing extrasynaptic γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptor(GABAAR)in sleep-promoting effects of zolpidem(ZPD).METHODS ①C57BL/6J mice were implanted with skull electrodes and allowed postoperative recovery of seven days.Groups of mice were intraperitoneally(ip)administered with ZPD at 0(vehicle control),2.5,5 and 10 mg·kg-1.Cortical electroencephalography(EEG)was recorded to analyze latencies of non-rapid eye movement(NREM)and rapid eye movement(REM)sleep,the percentage of wakefulness,NREM and REM sleep,sleep architecture(the proportion of NREM and REM sleep in sleep,number of times and mean duration of NREM and REM sleep,microarousals and short awakenings),EEG power density and slow-wave activity(SWA,0.5-4 Hz)during NREM sleep.② Wild-type(WT)and δ-subunit knockout(δ-KO)mice were ip administered with vehicle or ZPD 10 mg·kg-1 before cortical EEG parameters were ana-lyzed to compare ZPD effects between genotypes.RESULTS ①Compared with the vehicle,ZPD 2.5,5 and 10 mg·kg-1 significantly shortened NREM sleep latency.ZPD 5 and 10 mg·kg-1 markedly reduced wakefulness and increased NREM sleep time.ZPD 2.5 and 10 mg·kg-1 increased NREM sleep episode frequency while ZPD 10 mg·kg-1 elevated brief awakening frequency.REM sleep remained unchanged.②In δ-KO mice,ZPD 10 mg·kg-1 significantly shortened NREM sleep latency compared with WT mice,but its effects on increasing short awakenings and suppressing SWA were abolished.Zolpidem showed no significant differences in the proportion of each sleep phase,the average duration of NREM sleep,and the frequency of REM sleep in KO mice compared to its effects on WT mice.CONCLUSION ZPD-induced sleep fragmentation and reduced sleep depth are mediated by δ-subunit-containing extra-synaptic GABAAR,whereas its shortening of NREM sleep latency is independent of this receptor subtype.
5.Biological mechanisms of respiratory depression induced by sedative-hypnotic anesthetics and related countermeasures
Weijie TAO ; Zheng YONG ; Ruibin SU
Chinese Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology 2025;39(6):453-461
Commonly used anesthetic sedatives(opioids,benzodiazepines,ketamine,propofol,etc.)share the risk of inducing respiratory depression,and their multi-target mechanism of action pres-ents significant heterogeneity.Opioids inhibit the rhythmic activity of the respiratory center of the medulla bulbar(such as the PreB?tzinger complex and parbrachial nucleus)by activating both the μ-opioid receptor and the G-protein-gated inwardly-rectifying potassium channel and β-arrestin signaling pathway,resulting in decreased respiratory frequency and amplitude.Benzodiazepines enhance inhibitory neurotransmis-sion mediated by γ-aminobutyric acid receptors,reduce the sensitivity of chemoreceptors to PaCO2 and PaO2,and lead to a decreased tidal volume and upper airway obstruction.Ketamine inhibits respiratory drive and respiratory muscle function by blocking N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptors and indirectly affecting the μ-opioid receptor.In addition,propofol inhibits pre-expiratory neuronal activity and relaxes upper airway muscles by activating the GABAA receptor β3 subunit.Currently,specific antagonists(naloxone/flumazenil)and respiratory stimulants(doxapram)are clinically used to treat respiratory depression,but they have defects such as short duration of action and insufficient specificity.The devel-opment of novel stimulants targeting μ-opioid receptor agonists and the D-serine release pathway of astrocytes,as well as broad-spectrum antidotes based on"molecular cage"technology,has become a new sphere of research that aims at precisely reversing respiratory depression while preserving analgesic and sedative effects.This article reviews the biological mechanisms of respiratory depression caused by sedative hypnotic anesthetic drugs,explores the advantages and disadvantages of treatments currently availabe,and proposes new strategies for improving respiratory depression in the future.
6.Research advances in roles of extrasynaptic GABAA receptors in postpartum depression and premenstrual syndrome
Xiaoli LIU ; Hongbo WANG ; Gang YU ; Ruibin SU
Chinese Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology 2025;39(6):462-468
Extrasynaptic γ-aminobutyric acid type A(GABAA)receptors are a class of inhibitory neurotransmitter receptors that are distributed in non-synaptic structures such as cell bodies and dendrites.Extrasynaptic GABAA receptors are heteropentamers usually containing δ-subunit.Changes of δ-subunit expressions can be observed in model animals of postpartum depression and premenstrual syndrome,and δ-/-or δ+/-mice exhibit behavioral phenotypes of postpartum depression,suggesting that extrasynaptic GABAA receptors are involved in the pathogenesis of related diseases.The present review is concerned with the relationship between extrasynaptic GABAA receptors and postpartum depression as well as premenstrual syndrome in general,and the advances in research on drugs targeting extrasynaptic GABAA receptors for the treatment of these two conditions in particular.The article highlights the value of extrasynaptic GABAA receptors as a therapeutic target for female mood disor-ders,and may provide a reference for the development and application of related drugs.
7.Roles of extrasynaptic GABAA receptors in sleep-promoting effect of zolpidem
Xiaowei JIANG ; Gang YU ; Ruibin SU
Chinese Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology 2025;39(6):412-418
OBJECTIVE To investigate the role of δ-subunit-containing extrasynaptic γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptor(GABAAR)in sleep-promoting effects of zolpidem(ZPD).METHODS ①C57BL/6J mice were implanted with skull electrodes and allowed postoperative recovery of seven days.Groups of mice were intraperitoneally(ip)administered with ZPD at 0(vehicle control),2.5,5 and 10 mg·kg-1.Cortical electroencephalography(EEG)was recorded to analyze latencies of non-rapid eye movement(NREM)and rapid eye movement(REM)sleep,the percentage of wakefulness,NREM and REM sleep,sleep architecture(the proportion of NREM and REM sleep in sleep,number of times and mean duration of NREM and REM sleep,microarousals and short awakenings),EEG power density and slow-wave activity(SWA,0.5-4 Hz)during NREM sleep.② Wild-type(WT)and δ-subunit knockout(δ-KO)mice were ip administered with vehicle or ZPD 10 mg·kg-1 before cortical EEG parameters were ana-lyzed to compare ZPD effects between genotypes.RESULTS ①Compared with the vehicle,ZPD 2.5,5 and 10 mg·kg-1 significantly shortened NREM sleep latency.ZPD 5 and 10 mg·kg-1 markedly reduced wakefulness and increased NREM sleep time.ZPD 2.5 and 10 mg·kg-1 increased NREM sleep episode frequency while ZPD 10 mg·kg-1 elevated brief awakening frequency.REM sleep remained unchanged.②In δ-KO mice,ZPD 10 mg·kg-1 significantly shortened NREM sleep latency compared with WT mice,but its effects on increasing short awakenings and suppressing SWA were abolished.Zolpidem showed no significant differences in the proportion of each sleep phase,the average duration of NREM sleep,and the frequency of REM sleep in KO mice compared to its effects on WT mice.CONCLUSION ZPD-induced sleep fragmentation and reduced sleep depth are mediated by δ-subunit-containing extra-synaptic GABAAR,whereas its shortening of NREM sleep latency is independent of this receptor subtype.
8.Influence of peripheral alpha 1-adrenergic receptors on the toxicity of dexmedetomidine
Beibei SHI ; Zhen WANG ; Xiaoxuan WANG ; Peilan ZHOU ; Ruibin SU
Chinese Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology 2025;39(3):216-223
OBJECTIVE To investigate α1-adrenergic receptors(α1-AR)distribution in mouse tissues and its function on dexmetomidine(DMED)induced toxic effects.METHODS ① Real-time fluorescence quantita-tive PCR was used to detect the relative expression of α1A-AR,α1B-AR,α1D-AR,α2A-AR,α2B-AR and α2C-AR mRNAs in the heart,apical potion of heart,lungs,apical potion of lung,liver,kidneys,abdominal aorta,prefrontal cortex,hippocampus,striatum,brainstem,thalamus,olfactory bulb,and the rest of the brain tissues of the mouse.The relative expression of mRNA were analyzed.② C57BL/6J mice were pretreated with α2 adrenergic receptor antagonist atipamezole ATI(0.005,0.010,0.020,0.025,0.040,0.050 mg·kg-1,im),orα1-adrenoceptor antagonist prazosin(1 mg·kg-1,im)for 15 min,and then DMED(0.20 mg·kg-1,iv)was given to observe the rate of the loss of righting reflex and the immobilization time in mice.③ C57BL/6J mice were treated with DMED(16.38,20.48,25.60,32.00,40.00,and 50.00 mg·kg-1,iv)to observe the lethality of the mice in 24 h.The dose-effect relationship curves of the lethality rate and the half lethal-dose(LD50)were detected.ATI(1,2,4,and 8 mg·kg-1,im)or prazosin(1 mg·kg-1,im)were pretreated 15 min followed by the administration of DMED(25.60 mg·kg-1,iv).The lethality of the mice were recorded for 24 h.HE staining to observe the lung tissue damage in the mice.RESULTS ① The mRNA expression levels of three α1-AR subtype were higher than those of α2-AR subtype.α2A-AR and α2C-AR were highly expressed in the central nervous system.α2B-AR was highly expressed in the brainstem and peripheral tissues.The mRNA expres-sion levels of α1-AR subtypes were higher than those of α2-AR subtypes in heart,apical potion of heart or lung(P<0.05).② ATI(0.005 to 0.05 mg·kg-1,im)dose dependently antagonized the loss of righting reflex and decreased the immobilization time induced by DMED(0.20 mg·kg-1,iv).In contrast,prazosin(1 mg·kg-1,im)had no effect on the loss of righting reflex induced by DMED(0.20 mg·kg-1,iv).③ The LD50 of DMED in mice was 26.734 mg·kg-1(iv)with a 95%Cl of 23.606-30.000 mg·kg-1.DMED(25.6 mg·kg-1)was selected for subsequent toxicity.ATI(1,2,4,and 8 mg·kg-1,im)did not antagonize the lethality induced by DMED(25.6 mg·kg-1,iv).The high dose of ATI resulted in elevated death rate and accelerated mortality induced by DMED(25.6 mg·kg-1,iv)in the mice.However,prazosin(1 mg·kg-1,im)reduced the lethality of DMED(25.6 mg·kg-1,iv)(P<0.01).After administration of DMED(25.6 mg·kg-1),the mice lungs showed significant congestion.HE staining of lung tissues revealed obvious vascular hemorrhage,alveolar rupture,and erythrocyte spillage.Prazosin(1 mg·kg-1,im)effectively attenuated the tissue damage in the lungs,but ATI(1 mg·kg-1,im)aggravated the pulmonary hemorrhage.CONCLU-SIONS In cardiopulmonary tissues,the high expression levels of α1 adrenoceptor overactivation,might related with the lethality induced by DMED.
9.Influence of peripheral alpha 1-adrenergic receptors on the toxicity of dexmedetomidine
Beibei SHI ; Zhen WANG ; Xiaoxuan WANG ; Peilan ZHOU ; Ruibin SU
Chinese Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology 2025;39(3):216-223
OBJECTIVE To investigate α1-adrenergic receptors(α1-AR)distribution in mouse tissues and its function on dexmetomidine(DMED)induced toxic effects.METHODS ① Real-time fluorescence quantita-tive PCR was used to detect the relative expression of α1A-AR,α1B-AR,α1D-AR,α2A-AR,α2B-AR and α2C-AR mRNAs in the heart,apical potion of heart,lungs,apical potion of lung,liver,kidneys,abdominal aorta,prefrontal cortex,hippocampus,striatum,brainstem,thalamus,olfactory bulb,and the rest of the brain tissues of the mouse.The relative expression of mRNA were analyzed.② C57BL/6J mice were pretreated with α2 adrenergic receptor antagonist atipamezole ATI(0.005,0.010,0.020,0.025,0.040,0.050 mg·kg-1,im),orα1-adrenoceptor antagonist prazosin(1 mg·kg-1,im)for 15 min,and then DMED(0.20 mg·kg-1,iv)was given to observe the rate of the loss of righting reflex and the immobilization time in mice.③ C57BL/6J mice were treated with DMED(16.38,20.48,25.60,32.00,40.00,and 50.00 mg·kg-1,iv)to observe the lethality of the mice in 24 h.The dose-effect relationship curves of the lethality rate and the half lethal-dose(LD50)were detected.ATI(1,2,4,and 8 mg·kg-1,im)or prazosin(1 mg·kg-1,im)were pretreated 15 min followed by the administration of DMED(25.60 mg·kg-1,iv).The lethality of the mice were recorded for 24 h.HE staining to observe the lung tissue damage in the mice.RESULTS ① The mRNA expression levels of three α1-AR subtype were higher than those of α2-AR subtype.α2A-AR and α2C-AR were highly expressed in the central nervous system.α2B-AR was highly expressed in the brainstem and peripheral tissues.The mRNA expres-sion levels of α1-AR subtypes were higher than those of α2-AR subtypes in heart,apical potion of heart or lung(P<0.05).② ATI(0.005 to 0.05 mg·kg-1,im)dose dependently antagonized the loss of righting reflex and decreased the immobilization time induced by DMED(0.20 mg·kg-1,iv).In contrast,prazosin(1 mg·kg-1,im)had no effect on the loss of righting reflex induced by DMED(0.20 mg·kg-1,iv).③ The LD50 of DMED in mice was 26.734 mg·kg-1(iv)with a 95%Cl of 23.606-30.000 mg·kg-1.DMED(25.6 mg·kg-1)was selected for subsequent toxicity.ATI(1,2,4,and 8 mg·kg-1,im)did not antagonize the lethality induced by DMED(25.6 mg·kg-1,iv).The high dose of ATI resulted in elevated death rate and accelerated mortality induced by DMED(25.6 mg·kg-1,iv)in the mice.However,prazosin(1 mg·kg-1,im)reduced the lethality of DMED(25.6 mg·kg-1,iv)(P<0.01).After administration of DMED(25.6 mg·kg-1),the mice lungs showed significant congestion.HE staining of lung tissues revealed obvious vascular hemorrhage,alveolar rupture,and erythrocyte spillage.Prazosin(1 mg·kg-1,im)effectively attenuated the tissue damage in the lungs,but ATI(1 mg·kg-1,im)aggravated the pulmonary hemorrhage.CONCLU-SIONS In cardiopulmonary tissues,the high expression levels of α1 adrenoceptor overactivation,might related with the lethality induced by DMED.
10.Sedative and hypnotic effects of zolpidem on insomnia model mice induced by hypoxia
Huanhuan LIANG ; Lin XU ; Gang YU ; Ruibin SU ; Mingyuan LI
Chinese Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology 2024;38(2):81-88
OBJECTIVE To study the sedative and hypnotic effects of zolpidem and the content of amino acid neurotransmitters in the thalamus and hypothalamus after treatment with zolpidem.METHODS Experiments on the loss of righting reflex(LORR)induced by the upper-threshold dose pentobarbital sodium(50 mg·kg-1,ip)were conducted to establish a hypoxic insomnia model in mice by simulating an altitude of 5500 m.Based on this model,the synergistic effect of zolpidem(0.33,1,3,9 and 27 mg·kg-1,ip)and the subthreshold(20 mg·kg-1,ip)and upper-threshold pentobarbital sodium,as well as the sedative hypnotic effect of zolpidem(10,13,17,20,23,30 and 40 mg·kg-1,ip)were evaluated via the LORR in normoxic and hypoxic environments.One hour after ip given zolpidem,the levels of glutamic acid(Glu)and γ-aminobutyric acid(GABA)in the thalamus and hypothalamus of mice in either environment were determined by the high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC)with fluorescence detection.RESULTS One-day treatment with hypoxia significantly shortened the duration of LORR induced by the upper-threshold dose pentobarbital sodium.Compared with normoxia vehicle and hypoxia induced insomnia vehicle groups,zolpidem 9 and 27 mg·kg-1 significantly shortened the latency to LORR(P<0.01,P<0.05)and prolonged duration of LORR induced by subthreshold and upper-threshold pentobarbital sodi-um(P<0.01,P<0.05).The median effective dose(ED50)of LORR induced by zolpidem was 16.21 and 20.55 mg·kg-1 in normoxic and hypoxic environments,respectively.The results of neurotransmitter level detection showed that Glu contents in the thalamus and hypothalamus and the ratio of Glu/GABA in the hypothalamus were decreased after treatment with zolpidem 40 mg·kg-1 in a normoxic environment(P<0.01,P<0.05).Compared with the normoxia control group,Glu content and the ratio of Glu/GABA in the hypothalamus were significantly increased after treatment with hypoxia(P<0.01,P<0.05),and zolpidem 40 mg·kg-1 could reverse their elevation.CONCLUSION The sedative-hypnotic effect of zolpidem is weakened in a hypoxic environment,and the effect of zolpidem on the levels of Glu and GABA in the hypothalamus may play an important role in the sedative-hypnotic effect of zolpidem.

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