1.Effect of RUNX3 on the activation, proliferation, and migration capabilities of hepatic stellate cells
Hui LING ; Xianchen WANG ; Junbo YOU ; Jiahao FAN ; Xiao CUI ; Jiming SHA ; Liquan YU
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(2):277-284
ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of targeted silencing of Runt-related Transcription Factor 3 (RUNX3) on the proliferation and migration of Mouse Hepatic Stellate Cells (HSCs), as well as subsequent collagen deposition. MethodsMouse hepatic stellate cell line (JS-1) was selected and then morphologically observed and identified under a microscope. After the cells had fully adhered, they were treated with 5 ng/mL of transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-β1) for 24 hours to induce hepatic stellate cell activation. Furthermore, a RUNX3 silencing model was established using RUNX3 lentiviral infection. The experiment was divided into four groups: Control group, TGF-β1 group, TGF-β1+siRNA-NC group, and TGF-β1+siRNA-RUNX3 group. Protein expression changes of RUNX3, alpha-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and Alpha 1 type I collagen (Collagen I) were detected using Western blot method. Cellular immunofluorescence assays were employed to investigate the deposition changes of α-SMA and RUNX3 in hepatic stellate cells. RT-qPCR was utilized to examine the mRNA expression changes of RUNX3, α-SMA, and Collagen I. The proliferative capacity of hepatic stellate cells was assessed using Edu staining. The migratory ability of hepatic stellate cells was evaluated through wound healing assays and Transwell migration experiments. ResultsCompared with Control group, a significant elevation in RUNX3 was observed in the TGF-β1-induced activated HSCs (P<0.01). Meanwhile, the protein and mRNA levels of fibrosis-related markers and α-SMA and Collagen I were significantly upregulated (P<0.001). Additionally, the proliferation and migration capabilities of HSCs were significantly enhanced (P<0.001). In contrast, when compared to TGF-β1+siRNA-NC group, TGF-β1+siRNA-RUNX3 group exhibited a notable decrease in RUNX3 and other related indicators, such as the protein and mRNA levels of α-SMA and Collagen I (P<0.05). Concurrently, the proliferation and migration capabilities of HSCs were significantly inhibited in TGF-β1+siRNA-RUNX3 group (P<0.01). ConclusionSilencing RUNX3 can inhibit the deposition of collagen and the proliferation and migration of hepatic stellate cells. Conversely, RUNX3 promotes the proliferation and migration capabilities of HSCs, thereby facilitating the activation of HSC.
2.Olfactory Receptors Expressed in The Intestine and Their Functions
Pei-Wen YANG ; Meng-Meng YUAN ; Ying ZHOU ; Peng LI ; Gui-Hong QI ; Ying YANG ; Zhong-Yi MAO ; Meng-Sha ZHOU ; Xiao-Shuang MAO ; Jian-Ping XIE ; Yi-Nan YANG ; Shi-Hao SUN
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(3):534-549
Olfactory receptors (ORs) form the largest superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Traditionally recognized for their role in the nasal olfactory epithelium, where they mediate the sense of smell, accumulating evidence has firmly established their ectopic expression in non-olfactory tissues, including the intestine, lungs, and kidneys. The intestine, as the primary site for nutrient digestion and absorption, harbors a highly complex chemical environment. To adapt to this environment, the gut employs a sophisticated network of “chemosensors” to monitor luminal contents and maintain homeostasis. Among these sensors, intestinal ORs have emerged as crucial functional components, serving as a molecular bridge that connects environmental chemical signals—such as food-derived odorants—to specific physiological responses. This discovery has significantly deepened our understanding of how dietary flavors and compounds influence intestinal physiology at the molecular level. This review systematically summarizes the expression profiles, ligand classification, and biological functions of ORs within the gastrointestinal tract. Studies indicate that intestinal ORs exhibit distinct spatial distribution patterns across different gut segments and display cell-type specificity, particularly within enterocytes and enteroendocrine cells. These receptors function as versatile sensors capable of recognizing a wide variety of ligands, including exogenous dietary components, gut microbiota metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids, and endogenous small molecules like azelaic acid. Upon activation by specific ligands, intestinal ORs trigger intracellular signaling cascades, primarily involving the AC-cAMP-PKA pathway or calcium influx channels. A major focus of this review is to elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which these receptors regulate the secretion of gut hormones. Activation of specific ORs in enteroendocrine cells has been shown to stimulate the release of hormones such as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), peptide YY (PYY), and serotonin (5-HT), thereby modulating systemic energy metabolism, glucose homeostasis, and gastrointestinal motility. Furthermore, the review addresses the critical roles of ORs in immune regulation and pathology. Evidence suggests that specific ORs contribute to the maintenance of intestinal immune homeostasis and may offer protection against inflammation. Beyond their involvement in inflammatory responses, ORs such as Olfr78 have been shown to regulate the differentiation and function of intestinal endocrine cells. Similarly, Olfr544 has been demonstrated to alleviate intestinal inflammation by remodeling the gut microbiome and metabolome. These findings collectively suggest that specific ORs hold promise as therapeutic targets for mitigating intestinal inflammation and maintaining gut homeostasis. Additionally, the review explores the emerging role of ORs in cancer. Although OR expression is often downregulated in tumor tissues compared to normal mucosa, activation of specific ORs by certain ligands can inhibit tumor cell proliferation and migration and induce apoptosis via pathways such as MEK/ERK and p38 MAPK. Conversely, other receptors, such as OR7C1, may serve as biomarkers for cancer-initiating cells. In conclusion, intestinal ORs represent a vital component of the gut’s sensory network. The review also discusses the translational potential of these findings. By elucidating the precise pairing relationships between dietary components and specific ORs, novel therapeutic strategies could be developed. Intestinal ORs may thus emerge as promising targets for nutritional and pharmacological interventions in metabolic diseases, inflammatory bowel diseases, and malignancies.
3.Thyroid Hormone Network Regulation in MASLD: Mechanisms and Targeted Therapies
Wen-Ping XIAO ; Yang MA ; Heng GUAN ; Sha WAN ; Wen HAN ; Bing-Bing LUO ; Wu-Feng WANG ; Fang LIU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(3):643-661
Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) has become the most prevalent chronic liver disease worldwide, affecting approximately 32%-38% of the adult population and posing a growing public health burden. MASLD represents a continuous disease spectrum ranging from simple steatosis to metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH), progressive hepatic fibrosis, cirrhosis, and ultimately hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The pathological core of MASLD lies in disruption of hepatic lipid metabolic homeostasis, characterized by an imbalance among de novo lipogenesis, fatty acid β-oxidation, and very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL)-mediated lipid export. This metabolic disequilibrium subsequently drives inflammatory injury and fibrotic progression. Among the multiple regulatory pathways involved, thyroid hormone (TH) signaling has emerged as a central regulator of hepatic metabolic homeostasis. The liver is a major peripheral target organ of TH action, where TH predominantly exerts its metabolic effects through thyroid hormone receptor β (TRβ). Large-scale epidemiological studies and meta-analyses have demonstrated that hypothyroidism is significantly associated with increased MASLD prevalence, more severe histological injury, and advanced hepatic fibrosis, suggesting that dysregulation of TH signaling may participate throughout the entire MASLD disease spectrum. At the molecular level, TH regulates hepatic lipid metabolism by coordinating suppression of lipogenesis, enhancement of mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation, and promotion of VLDL assembly and secretion through integrated genomic actions of the T3-TRβ axis and non-genomic signaling pathways. Across different stages of MASLD, TH signaling exerts stage-dependent protective effects. In the steatosis stage, TH improves metabolic flexibility by modulating insulin sensitivity, glucose metabolism, and lipid droplet clearance, thereby alleviating early lipotoxic stress. During progression to MASH, TH attenuates inflammatory amplification by improving mitochondrial homeostasis, suppressing activation of the NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, and modulating the gut-liver axis microenvironment. In advanced stages, TH signaling influences hepatic stellate cell activation and extracellular matrix deposition, partly through interaction with the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)/SMAD pathway, while alterations in intrahepatic TH availability, mediated by dynamic changes in iodothyronine deiodinase 1 (DIO1), contribute to fibrosis progression and hepatocellular dedifferentiation. In hepatocellular carcinoma, coordinated downregulation of TRβ and DIO1 establishes a tumor-associated hypothyroid state that promotes metabolic reprogramming and tumor progression. The clinical relevance of TH signaling in MASLD has been underscored by the recent approval of Resmetirom, a liver-targeted TRβ‑selective agonist, for the treatment of non-cirrhotic MASH with moderate-to-severe fibrosis (F2-F3). This approval represents a landmark transition from mechanistic understanding to metabolism-centered precision therapy in MASLD. Clinical trials have demonstrated that Resmetirom not only improves key histological endpoints, including MASH resolution and fibrosis regression, but also favorably modulates atherogenic lipid profiles, highlighting the therapeutic potential of selectively targeting hepatic TH pathways. This review systematically summarizes the multidimensional regulatory roles of TH across the MASLD disease spectrum and discusses emerging diagnostic and therapeutic implications of TH-based interventions, aiming to inform future mechanistic research and optimize clinical management strategies.
4. Determination of docusate sodium by ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatography
Lirong CAI ; Haiping SHU ; Sha XIAO ; Yue TAN ; Jinfeng ZHENG ; Changliang LI ; Yanming LIU
Journal of China Pharmaceutical University 2025;56(2):183-187
To reduce the dependency on high-carbon-load chromatographic columns,a new method has been established for the determination of the content of docusate sodium using ion-pair high-performance liquid chromatography (IP-HPLC). Tetrapropylammonium chloride was used as the ion-pair reagent with a mobile phase, composition of acetonitrile:10 mmol/L tetrapropylammonium chloride solution = 66∶34, adjusting pH to 6.5 with 0.1% phosphoric acid solution,flow rate of 1.5 mL/min, detection wavelength of 214 nm,column temperature of 35 °C, and an injection volume of 25 μL,and quantified by an external standard method. The main peak of docusate sodium exhibited a tailing factor of 1.34. The method showed good linearity within the range of 0.02 mg/mL to 0.40 mg/mL, with a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.999 9. It also demonstrated good repeatability, with recovery ranging from 97.0% to 98.2% (n=6). The quantification limit was 3.31 μg/mL, and the detection limit was 2.76 μg/mL.In summary,the new method shows good durability, a wide linear range, and high sensitivity, it is suitable for the determination of docusate sodium.
5.Sinicization of Evidence-Informed Decision-Making Competence Measure for nurses and its reliability and validity test
Yongting WEI ; Shumei TIAN ; Jiao YANG ; Lianghuan YU ; Fu NI ; Yuqing FAN ; Yao XIAO ; Zuyang XI ; Juyan SHA ; Cong LIU
Chinese Journal of Nursing 2025;60(6):736-742
Objective To translate Evidence-Informed Decision-Making Competence Measure for Chinese nurses and test its validity and reliability.Methods A research group was set up to use the Brislin translation model to translate the original scale into Chinese,and the back translation,cross-cultural adaptation,pre-experiment and cognitive interview were conducted to finally form the Chinese version of the Evidence-Informed Decision-Making Competence Measure for nurses.A total of 1 247 nurses from 7 tertiary A hospitals in Beijing,Hubei,Hunan and Xinjiang were selected by convenience sampling method in April 2024 to test its reliability and validity.Results 1 026 effective question-naires were collected,with an effective recovery rate of 82.28%.The Chinese version of the Evidence-Informed Decision-Making Competence Measure included 25 items,including knowledge/skill,attitude and behavior.A total of 3 common factors were extracted from exploratory factor analysis,and the cumulative variance contribution rate was 91.725%.The content validity index at the item level was 0.83-1.00;the content validity index at the scale level was 0.988;the calibration association validity was 0.496.The Cronbach's α coefficient of the whole scale was 0.992;the half-point reliability was 0.930;the retest reliability was 0.927.Conclusion The Chinese version of Evidence-Informed Decision-Making Competence Measure for nurses has good reliability and validity,and it can be used to evaluate the evidence-informed decision-making competence of Chinese nurses,provide references for promoting evidence-based nursing practice and evidence-informed decision-making.
6.Study on the Therapeutic Effect of Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction on Phlegm-dampness-blocked Cervical Vertigo and Its Influence on Neck Hemodynamics
Chun-feng WU ; Meng-ying TIAN ; Jia-luo CAI ; Sha-ting LIU ; Xiao-ping LI
Progress in Modern Biomedicine 2025;25(9):1503-1509
Objective:To explore the therapeutic effect of Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction on phlegm-dampness-blocking cervical vertigo and its influence on neck hemodynamics.Methods:96 patients with phlegm-dampness block type cervical vertigo admitted to our hospital from January 2022 to January 2024 were divided into control group and observation group,48 cases in each group.The control group was treated with conventional Western medicine,and the observation group was treated with Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction.Both groups were treated for 4 weeks and followed up for 6 months.The reduction time and disappearance time of vertigo were recorded.The score of cervical vertigo Symptom and Function Assessment Scale(ESCV)was performed before treatment and 1 day after treatment.The average blood flow level of basilar artery,right vertebral artery and left vertebral artery was detected,and the total clinical effective rate,recurrence rate and adverse reaction rate of the two groups were compared.Results:The reduction time and disappearance time of vertigo in the observation group were shorter than those in the control group(P<0.05).Post-treatment,the ESCV score of both groups was higher than that before treatment;compared with the control group,the ESCV score of the observation group was higher post-treatment(P<0.05).The total clinical effective rate of observation group was higher than that of control group,and the recurrence rate was lower than that of control group(P<0.05).The hemodynamic index were higher after treatment than in the control group(P<0.05).There was no difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the two groups(P>0.05).Conclusion:Banxia Baizhu Tianma Decoction has certain curative effect on phlegm-dampness block type cervical vertigo,can effectively relieve vertigo symptoms,reduce recurrence,improve neck hemodynamics,and is safe,worthy of popularization and application.
7.Effect analysis of innovative model on perioperative pain management in prostate cancer patients with hematuria undergoing prostatic artery embolization
Xin WANG ; Ji-xian ZANG ; Xiao-yang SU ; Chun-meng PENG ; Sha-sha LIU ; Ao-mei LI
National Journal of Andrology 2025;31(8):728-731
Objective:To investigate the effect of innovative perioperative pain management on prostate cancer patients with he-maturia undergoing prostatic artery embolization(PAE).Methods:A total of 60 patients undergoing PAE in the Interventional Ther-apy Department of General Hospital of Eastern Theater Command from May 2024 to January 2025 were selected by convenience sam-pling method and randomly divided into the intervention group and the control group,with 30 patients in each group.The control group received traditional pain management of nursing.An innovative perioperative pain management was performed in intervention group in-cluding preoperative"body-mind-pain"holistic assessment and preparation,intraoperative humanistic care and real-time support,post-operative multimodal analgesia and rehabilitation,dynamic monitoring and closed-loop feedback.The pain degree after 6 hours,1 day,3 days and 1 week of the operation,and the quality of life after 1 week of operation,as well as nursing satisfaction at discharge were compared between the two groups.Results:The VAS scores of the intervention group were significantly lower than those of the con-trol group after 6 hours,1 day,3 days and 1 week of operation(P<0.05).One week after the operation,the quality of life in the ob-servation group was higher than that of the control group significantly(P<0.05).The nursing satisfaction of the observation group was significantly higher than that of the control group at discharge(P<0.05).Conclusion:The application of innovative perioperative pain management can alleviate pain of patients with PAE,which improves the quality of life and nursing satisfaction of patients,and is conducive to the rehabilitation of patients.
8.Experimental study of magnetic tracer technique in the localization of pulmonary nodules in dogs
Huan-chen SHA ; Miao-miao ZHANG ; Jia-hui WAN ; Qiu-ye ZHONG ; Rui-min GONG ; Yi LYU ; Xiao-peng YAN
Journal of Regional Anatomy and Operative Surgery 2025;34(10):841-845
Objective To investigate the feasibility of magnetic tracer technique for locating pulmonary nodules.Methods A tracer magnet and a matching puncture instrument were designed by ourselves for locating pulmonary nodules.After preliminarily verifying the feasibility of the operation in the isolated lung,four beagle dogs were used as animal models to perform puncture localization of the assumed lesions in the upper lobe of the right lung under the guidance of X-ray by using self-designed tracer magnets and puncture instruments,and the positioning effect was observed and evaluated after thorax opening.The operation time required for the tracer magnet implantation,whether there is bleeding at the puncture site,whether the tracer magnet is displaced,and the positioning time of pulmonary nodules after thorax opening were recorded.Results Two tracer magnets were successfully inserted into the upper lobe of the right lung under X-ray guidance in four beagle dogs,and the magnets were successfully attracted and fixed.The median insertion time of the tracer magnet was 5 minutes(4 to 7 minutes),and the insertion process was smooth without bleeding at the puncture site.After thorax opening,oval forceps were used to conveniently locate the location of the tracer magnet,achieving accurate positioning of pulmonary nodules with a median positioning time of 13 seconds(10 to 17 seconds),and the tracer magnet did not shift during the whole process.Conclusion The magnetic tracer technique is simple to operate and pricise for localization of pulmonary nodules.With further optimization of the operation process,this technique is expected to be applied in clinic.
9.Total alkaloids of Cocculus orbiculatus attenuate ulcerative colitis in mice via PINK1/parkin mitophagy pathway
Qiling JIANG ; Yanfei XU ; Sha YANG ; Pengrui ZHANG ; Qiannan DONG ; Hao WU ; Xiao KANG
Chinese Journal of Pathophysiology 2025;41(10):2001-2008
AIM:To investigate whether total alkaloids of Cocculus orbiculatus(COTA)attenuate ulcerative colitis(UC)in mice via PINK1/parkin mitophagy pathway.METHODS:Sixty C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into normal control group,model group,positive drug mesalazine group,and low-,medium-and high-dose(0.162,0.324 and 0.486 g/kg)COTA groups,with 10 mice in each group.Except for normal control group,the mice in all groups were given free access to 3%dextran sulfate sodium(DSS)solution for 7 consecutive days to establish a UC model in mice,and were then treated with COTA or mesalazine via oral gavage.The general condition of the mice was observed,and the colon length and disease activity index(DAI)score were determined.Colon histopathological damage was observed by HE staining.The serum levels of interleukin-1β(IL-1β),IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)were detected by ELISA.The pro-tein levels of PINK1,parkin,microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3(LC3),P62 and beclin-1 in colon tissues were determined by Western blot.The protein expression of LC3 and parkin was detected by immunofluorescence.RE-SULTS:Compared with normal control group,the mice in model group showed varying degrees of soft stools or bloody stools,decreased body weight(P<0.05),increased DAI score,shortened colon length(P<0.05),and obvious pathologi-cal damage in the colon tissue.The serum levels of IL-1β,IL-6 and TNF-α were elevated(P<0.05).The protein levels of parkin,PINK1,LC3-II and beclin-1 were significantly decreased(P<0.05),while P62 protein expression was in-creased(P<0.05).Immunofluorescence showed a small number of autophagosomes in the colon tissue.In contrast,com-pared with model group,the mice in total alkaloids of Cocculus orbiculatus groups exhibited increased body weight(P<0.05),decreased DAI score,increased colon length(P<0.05),and reduced levels of IL-1β,IL-6 and TNF-α(P<0.05).The protein levels of parkin,PINK1,LC3 and beclin-1 were elevated(P<0.05),while P62 expression was re-duced(P<0.05),with numerous autophagosomes visible in the colon tissue via immunofluorescence.CONCLUSION:Total alkaloids of Cocculus orbiculatus can enhance the expression of mitophagy-related proteins PINK1,parkin,LC3 and beclin-1,activate mitophagy,and reduce the expression of inflammatory factors,thereby attenuating the inflammatory re-sponse in the colon mucosa of DSS-induced UC mice.
10.Experimental study of magnetic tracer technique in the localization of pulmonary nodules in dogs
Huan-chen SHA ; Miao-miao ZHANG ; Jia-hui WAN ; Qiu-ye ZHONG ; Rui-min GONG ; Yi LYU ; Xiao-peng YAN
Journal of Regional Anatomy and Operative Surgery 2025;34(10):841-845
Objective To investigate the feasibility of magnetic tracer technique for locating pulmonary nodules.Methods A tracer magnet and a matching puncture instrument were designed by ourselves for locating pulmonary nodules.After preliminarily verifying the feasibility of the operation in the isolated lung,four beagle dogs were used as animal models to perform puncture localization of the assumed lesions in the upper lobe of the right lung under the guidance of X-ray by using self-designed tracer magnets and puncture instruments,and the positioning effect was observed and evaluated after thorax opening.The operation time required for the tracer magnet implantation,whether there is bleeding at the puncture site,whether the tracer magnet is displaced,and the positioning time of pulmonary nodules after thorax opening were recorded.Results Two tracer magnets were successfully inserted into the upper lobe of the right lung under X-ray guidance in four beagle dogs,and the magnets were successfully attracted and fixed.The median insertion time of the tracer magnet was 5 minutes(4 to 7 minutes),and the insertion process was smooth without bleeding at the puncture site.After thorax opening,oval forceps were used to conveniently locate the location of the tracer magnet,achieving accurate positioning of pulmonary nodules with a median positioning time of 13 seconds(10 to 17 seconds),and the tracer magnet did not shift during the whole process.Conclusion The magnetic tracer technique is simple to operate and pricise for localization of pulmonary nodules.With further optimization of the operation process,this technique is expected to be applied in clinic.

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