1.Chrysophanol affects macrophage polarization by promoting mitochondrial biosynthesis through AMPK/PGC-1α pathway
Lele Wang ; Caixia Tan ; Wei Zhang ; Ruihan Ge ; Chen Li ; Xinmin Wang ; Le Zhang
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2025;60(3):488-494
Objective :
To explore whether chrysophanol(CHR) affects macrophage polarization by promoting mitochondrial biosynthesis through AMPK/PGC-1α pathway.
Methods :
The molecular docking and binding ability of CHR with AMPK and PGC-1α were predicted by Autodock vina software. Human monocytes(THP-1) were induced to M0 macrophages by phorbol myristate acetate(PMA), and to M1 macrophages by lipopolysaccharide(LPS) combined with interferon-γ(IFN-γ), which were set as Control group. M1 macrophages treated with CHR were set as CHR group. M1 macrophages treated with CHR combined with AMPK inhibitor(Compound C) were set as CHR+Compound C group. The mRNA expression levels of M1 macrophage markers(iNOS, CD86) and mitochondrial biosynthesis related genes(PGC-1α, NFR-1, TFAM) were detected by Quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR). The expression level of M1 macrophage marker iNOS was detected by immunofluorescence. The protein expression levels of AMPK, p-AMPK and PGC-1α were detected by Western blot.
Results :
The docking results showed that the binding energies of CHR with AMPK and PGC-1α were-8.4 kcal/mol and-7.4 kcal/mol, respectively. qRT-PCR results showed that the in vitro model of M1 macrophages was successfully established. Compared with the Control group, CHR treatment significantly increased the mRNA expression of mitochondrial biosynthesis-related genes PGC-1α, NFR-1, and TFAM(P<0.001). Compared with CHR treatment group, CHR combined with Compound C treatment significantly decreased the mRNA expression levels of mitochondrial biosynthesis-related genes PGC-1α, NFR-1, and TFAM(P<0.05). Immunofluorescence results showed that CHR treatment inhibited the protein expression of iNOS compared with the Control group(P<0.001). Compared with CHR treatment group,CHR combined with Compound C treatment reversed the inhibitory effect of CHR on i NOS protein expression(P<0.05). Western blot results showed that compared with the Control group,the CHR treatment group had significant increase in the protein expression levels of p-AMPK and PGC-1α(P<0.001).Compared with CHR treatment group,CHR combined with Compound C treatment significantly decreased the protein expression levels of p-AMPK and PGC-1α(P<0.05).
Conclusion
Chrysophanol may inhibit macrophage polarization to M1 by activating AMPK/PGC-1α signaling pathway to promote mitochondrial biosynthesis.
2.Correlation between intrinsic capacity and triglyceride-glucose index in older adults from a Chinese community
Ruihan LIU ; Yutong LIU ; Xiang ZHOU ; Xiaomao WANG ; Jie ZHANG ; Fan TIAN ; Jian CAO
Chinese Journal of Geriatric Heart Brain and Vessel Diseases 2025;27(4):445-449
Objective To investigate the relationship of TyG index and IC.Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1000 older adults living in Wanshou Road Community from May to December 2023.Finally 820 participants were enrolled,and based on the TyG index,they were divided into lower TyG index group(≤7.349,404 cases)and higher TyG index group(>7.349,416 cases).After PSM,there were only 522 participants subjected,including 261 individuals in the lower TyG index group 1 (≤7.349)and 416 ones in the higher TyG index group 2(>7.349).Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to assess the correlation between IC and the TyG index as both continuous and categorical variables.PSM was employed to eliminate the confounding effects of covariates to identify the relationship between TyG index and IC in different categories.Results Before PSM,the neutrophil count,WBC count,and Hcy,FPG,TC,TG and HbA1c levels were significantly lower,and lymphocyte count,monocyte count,and AST level were obviously higher in the low TyG index group than the high TyG index group(P<0.05,P<0.01).After PSM,the low TyG index group still had notably lower FPG,TG and HbA1c than the high TyG index group(P<0.05,P<0.01).ROC curve analysis revealed that the cutoff value of TyG index was 7.349.Taking 7.349 as the cutoff value and TyG index as the cate-gorical variable,multivariate logistic regression analysis displayed that TyG index was correlated with IC[OR=3.921,95%CI:2.800-5.491,P=0.001(Model 1);OR=2.744,95%CI:1.739-4.329,P=0.001(Model 2);OR=2.744,95%CI:1.805-4.171,P=0.001(Model 3);OR=2.722,95%CI:1.530-4.843,P=0.001(after PSM)],indicating that TyG index remains an independent risk factor for IC.Conclusion IC is still correlated with TyG index in community-dwelling elderly individuals under different baseline conditions after adjusting for relevant laboratory indicators.As an indicator generated from routine blood test,TyG index has advantages in terms of cost and time.With further validation,TyG may provide a direction for studying IC prediction.
3.Mechanism of liraglutide-induced adipocyte browning
Yutong LIU ; Ruihan LIU ; Xiang ZHOU ; Xiaomao WANG ; Jie ZHANG ; Jian CAO
Chinese Journal of Geriatric Heart Brain and Vessel Diseases 2025;27(4):510-514
Objective To investigate the regulatory effects of liraglutide(Lira)on adipocyte brown-ing and its underlying molecular mechanisms.Methods Adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells were induced to differentiate with palmitic acid(PA)simulating a high-fat environment and lenti-viral transfection to silence the expression of PGC1α.The cell groups included control,Lira(100 nmol/L),PA(200 nmol/L),PA+Lira,scrambled siRNA,scrambled siRNA+Lira,siRNA PGC1α,and siRNA PGC1α+Lira groups(n=3).After corresponding treatments were given,quantitative PCR and Western blotting were employed to detect the mRNA and protein expres-sion levels of UCP-1,Prdm16,Agt,and adiponectin,as well as AMPK and p-AMPK.Results Compared to the control group,the PA group had significantly increased expression of Agt and adiponectin but decreased UCP-1 and Prdm16 at protein and mRNA levels,and the Lira group showed obviously increased protein and mRNA levels of UCP-1 and Prdm16 but decreased Agt and adiponectin levels(P<0.05).Addition of Lira treatment resulted in increments in UCP-1 and Prdm16 while declines Agt and adiponectin at both mRNA and protein levels when compared with the levels in the PA group(P<0.05).In comparison to the scrambled siRNA group,the siRNA PGC1α group showed decreases in UCP-1 and Prdm16 expression,accompanied by increa-ses in Agt and adiponectin levels(P<0.05),similar results were observed in the scrambled siRNA+Lira group(P<0.05).The p-AMPK/AMPK ratio was significantly increased in the scrambled siRNA+Lira group(1.415±0.176 vs 0.837±0.049,P<0.05),but decreased in the siRNA PGC1α group(0.534±0.035 vs 0.837±0.049,P<0.01)when compared with the scram-bled siRNA group.Conclusion Lira promotes adipocyte browning and improves lipid metabolism disorders in a high-fat environment by activating the AMPK/PGC1α signaling pathway.
4.A nomogram model based on serological indicators for predicting in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular events in elderly patients with acute coronary syndrome
Xiang ZHOU ; Ruihan LIU ; Yutong LIU ; Fan TIAN ; Jie ZHANG ; Xiaomao WANG ; Jian CAO
Chinese Journal of Geriatrics 2025;44(3):289-296
Objective:To develop a nomogram model utilizing serological indicators for predicting in-hospital major adverse cardiovascular events(MACE)in elderly patients diagnosed with acute coronary syndrome(ACS).Methods:This study involved a retrospective analysis of clinical data from 1, 818 elderly patients with ACS who were treated at the First Medical Center of the General Hospital of the People's Liberation Army from January 2022 to May 2024.The patients were randomly assigned to a training set(1, 272 cases)and a validation set(546 cases)in a 7: 3 ratio.Following a comparison of the two groups, the training set was further categorized into non-MACE and MACE groups based on the occurrence of endpoint events.Univariate analysis, Lasso regression, and multivariate logistic regression analyses were sequentially employed to identify factors influencing in-hospital MACE and to construct the nomogram model.The performance of the model was assessed using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves, calibration curves, and decision curves.Results:Among the 1, 818 ACS patients, the mean age was 67 years(interquartile range: 61.0 to 73.0), with 70.4% being male.Almost all indicators(except platelet count)exhibited no statistically significant differences between the training and validation sets(all P>0.05).However, statistically significant differences(all P<0.05)were observed in age, body mass index, neutrophil count, lymphocyte count, monocyte count, white blood cell count, hemoglobin, red blood cell distribution width, mean platelet volume, C-reactive protein(CRP), fibrinogen, D-dimer, albumin, direct bilirubin, troponin T(TnT), fasting blood glucose(FBG), estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR), uric acid, N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP), glycated hemoglobin(HbA1c), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C)between the non-MACE and MACE groups in the training set.Ultimately, seven variables—neutrophil count, hemoglobin, red blood cell distribution width, CRP, TnT, FBG, and NT-proBNP—were selected to construct the nomogram model.The model demonstrated high discrimination in both the training and validation sets, with an area under the curve of 0.86(95% CI: 0.82-0.90)for the training set and 0.85(95% CI: 0.81-0.90)for the validation set.Furthermore, the calibration curves for both cohorts indicated a close agreement between predicted and actual risk estimates, suggesting improved model calibration.Decision curve analysis indicated that the predictive model has notable clinical utility. Conclusions:The constructed nomogram enhances the accuracy of predicting in-hospital MACE in elderly patients with ACS, thereby offering a valuable reference for clinical practice.
5.Unlocking the role of wound microbiome in diabetic, burn, and germ-free wound repair treated by natural and synthetic scaffolds.
Zeyu XU ; Lixiang ZHANG ; Qinghan TANG ; Chenxi YANG ; Xiaotong DING ; Ziyu WANG ; Rizhong HUANG ; Ruihan JIANG ; Joannake MAITZ ; Huaikai SHI ; Xin YAN ; Mei DONG ; Jun CHEN ; Yiwei WANG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(1):611-626
In current clinical practice, various dermal templates and skin substitutes are used to enhance wound healing. However, the role of wound commensal microbiome in regulating scaffold performance and the healing process remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the influence of both natural and synthetic scaffolds on the wound commensal microbiome and wound repair in three distinct models including diabetic wounds, burn injuries, and germ-free (GF) wounds. Remarkably, synthetic electrospun polycaprolactone (PCL) scaffolds were observed to positively promote microbiome diversity, leading to enhanced diabetic wound healing compared to the natural scaffolds Integra® (INT) and MatriDerm® (MAD). In contrast, both natural and synthetic scaffolds exhibited comparable effects on the diversity of the microbiome and the healing of burn injuries. In GF wounds with no detectable microorganisms, a reversed healing rate was noted showing natural scaffold (MAD) accelerated wound repair compared to the open or the synthetic scaffold (PCL) treatment. Furthermore, the response of the wound commensal microbiome to PCL scaffolds appears pivotal in promoting anti-inflammatory factors during diabetic wound healing. Our results emphasize that the wound commensal microbiome, mediated by different scaffolds plays an important role in the wound healing process.
6.A retrospective cohort study of the efficacy and safety of oral azvudine versus nirmatrelvir/ritonavir in elderly hospitalized COVID-19 patients aged over 60 years.
Bo YU ; Haiyu WANG ; Guangming LI ; Junyi SUN ; Hong LUO ; Mengzhao YANG ; Yanyang ZHANG ; Ruihan LIU ; Ming CHENG ; Shixi ZHANG ; Guotao LI ; Ling WANG ; Guowu QIAN ; Donghua ZHANG ; Silin LI ; Quancheng KAN ; Jiandong JIANG ; Zhigang REN
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(3):1333-1343
Azvudine and nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Paxlovid) are recommended for COVID-19 treatment in China, but their safety and efficacy in the elderly population are not fully known. In this multicenter, retrospective, cohort study, we identified 5131 elderly hospitalized COVID-19 patients from 32,864 COVID-19 patients admitted to nine hospitals in Henan Province, China, from December 5, 2022, to January 31, 2023. The primary outcome was all-cause death, and the secondary outcome was composite disease progression. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed to control for confounding factors, including demographics, vaccination status, comorbidities, and laboratory tests. After 2:1 PSM, 1786 elderly patients receiving azvudine and 893 elderly patients receiving Paxlovid were included. Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analyses revealed that compared with Paxlovid group, azvudine could significantly reduce the risk of all-cause death (log-rank P = 0.002; HR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.573-0.883, P = 0.002), but there was no difference in composite disease progression (log-rank P = 0.52; HR: 1.05, 95% CI: 0.877-1.260, P = 0.588). Four sensitivity analyses verified the robustness of above results. Subgroup analysis suggested that a greater benefit of azvudine over Paxlovid was observed in elderly patients with primary malignant tumors (P for interaction = 0.005, HR: 0.32, 95% CI: 0.18-0.57) compared to patients without primary malignant tumors. Safety analysis revealed that azvudine treatment had a lower incidence of adverse events and higher lymphocyte levels than Paxlovid treatment. In conclusion, azvudine treatment is not inferior to Paxlovid treatment in terms of all-cause death, composite disease progression and adverse events in elderly hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
7.Deciphering the significant impact of natural glycosylation on human insulin.
Yaohao LI ; Wenqiang LIU ; Dan LIU ; Ruihan WANG ; Yajing ZHANG ; Xin LI ; Jinyuan GONG ; Shiying SHANG ; Zhongping TAN
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(11):5880-5890
In the century-long evolution of insulin pharmaceuticals, each transformative advancement in this drug class has been closely tied to the ability to obtain new insulin isoforms for research. Despite this, the recently discovered naturally occurring isoforms of glycosylated human insulin have remained largely unattainable for proper characterization. Herein, we demonstrate for the first time that total chemical synthesis can be used to generate all isoforms. This achievement required maintaining the correct positions of the interchain disulfide bonds while effectively removing protecting groups on complex glycans. Notably, the availability of seven glycoforms reveals the important effects of natural sialylated glycans in suppressing insulin self-association and enhancing its solubility, surpassing the performance of currently employed rapid-acting insulin drugs. This work not only offers a readily adaptable platform for exploring natural O-glycosylation in other therapeutic proteins and peptides but also lays the groundwork for further research into harnessing natural glycosylation for therapeutic applications.
8.Correlation between triglyceride glucose index and prognosis in elderly patients with unstable angina
Xiang ZHOU ; Ruihan LIU ; Yutong LIU ; Fan TIAN ; Jie ZHANG ; Xiaomao WANG ; Jian CAO
Chinese Journal of Geriatric Heart Brain and Vessel Diseases 2025;27(2):136-139
Objective To explore the correlation between triglyceride glucose(TyG)index and per-cutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)following drug treatment in elderly patients with unstable angina pectoris(UAP).Methods A total of 221 elderly UAP patients admitted to the Hyperbaric Oxygen Department of the First Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from March 2016 to March 2024 were enrolled,and based on the tertiles of the TyG index,they were divided into low,medium and high TyG index groups(the index:≤8.48,8.49-8.92,>8.92;with 74,74 and 73 cases,respectively).Clinical data of all patients were collected,and whether undergoing PCI after discharge was defined as the endpoint event.The follow-up ended on May 10,2024.The clini-cal data were compared in the three groups.Kaplan-Meier survival curves were plotted to compare the survival rates among the groups,and Cox proportional hazards regression model was em-ployed to analyze the influencing factors for occurrence of endpoint event.Results There were significant differences in the three groups in terms of TyG index,BMI,diabetes,FPG,TC,TG,LDL-C,HDL-C,HbA1c,NT-proBNP,and incidence of endpoint event(P<0.05,P<0.01).Univa-riate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis showed that the TyG index,diabetes,and HbA1c were risk factors for endpoint events in elderly patients with UAP(HR=2.523,95%CI:1.593-3.996;HR=2.543,95%CI:1.263-5.118;HR=1.434,95%CI:1.159-1.774).Further multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression analysis showed that,after adjusting for diabetes and HbA1c,the TyG index was an independent risk factor for PCI after discharge in UAP patients(HR=2.023,95%CI:1.209-3.384).Conclusion In elderly UAP patients receiving drug treat-ment,a high TyG index is positively correlated with undergoing PCI after discharge,and the index is an independent risk factor for PCI in them.
9.Research progress on the role of butyrylation modification in malignant tumors
Dongxue SHI ; Ruihan WANG ; Beibei LYU ; Xiaoyan LIN
Basic & Clinical Medicine 2025;45(11):1496-1500
Butyrylation(Kbu),as an important post-translational modification(PTM)of proteins,precisely regu-lates various biological behaviors of tumor cells by modulating the structure and function of proteins.Abnormal bu-tyrylation promotes tumor cell proliferation and migration by regulating protein stability,enzyme activity,cell signa-ling pathways,chromatin structure and gene expression,and further participates in tumor occurrence and develop-ment.This review focuses on the role of butyrylation modification in the occurrence and development of various hu-man tumors,aiming to summarize the research progress of butyrylation modification in the field of tumors,and to provide new directions for tumor treatment through the intervention strategies of butyrylation modification.
10.Summary of the best evidence for cognitive function improvement in Alzheimer's disease patients
Yijin WANG ; Yanxuan ZHANG ; Ruihan LI ; Li QI ; Weixin ZHANG ; Yin GAO
Chinese Journal of Modern Nursing 2025;31(30):4152-4158
Objective:To retrieve and summarize the best evidence for cognitive function improvement in Alzheimer's disease patients, so as to provide reference for clinical practice.Methods:Following the "6S" evidence model, guidelines, expert consensus, clinical decision, and systematic reviews on cognitive function improvement in Alzheimer's disease patients were systematically retrieved from domestic and foreign databases and websites. The search keywords included "Alzheimer's disease, cognitive function, improvement". Evidence-based nursing methods were used to evaluate the quality of literature and extract evidence. The search period was from July 1, 2000 to July 31, 2024.Results:A total of 15 articles were included, including five guidelines, four expert consensus, two clinical decision, and four systematic reviews. Sixteen pieces of best evidence were summarized from four aspects of evaluation and identification, pharmacological intervention, non-pharmacological intervention, and caregiver support.Conclusions:Patients with Alzheimer's disease require timely identification of symptoms related to cognitive impairment and assessment using standardized scales. Multiple intervention methods, such as pharmacological intervention, non-pharmacological intervention, and caregiver support, should be used to enhance patients' quality of life. Evidence application should be tailored to each patient's specific circumstances through individualized selection and adjustment to ensure the effectiveness and scientific rigor of cognitive function improvement strategies, thereby facilitating the translation of optimal evidence into clinical practice.


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