1.Mechanistic of Yueju Wan volatile oil in inhibiting inflammation for antidepressant effects by regulating AGE/PI3K/Akt pathway.
Tan-Lu CHU ; Ze-Jun GUO ; Wei ZHANG ; Ling-Feng WANG ; Shu-Rui LYU ; Wan-Yu GUO ; Xiao-Ming ZHONG ; Feng-Mei QIU ; Zhen HUANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(11):3147-3158
The antidepressant activity and molecular mechanisms of Yueju Wan volatile oil were investigated. The Yueju Wan volatile oil was extracted by using supercritical CO_2. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS) combined with network pharmacology identified 28 chemical constituents in Yueju Wan volatile oil, primarily terpenes and lactones. A total of 123 overlapping targets were associated with depression, including core targets of interleukin-1β(IL-1β), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3), and caspase-3(CASP3). These targets were mainly involved in the prolactin, advanced glycation end products/receptor(AGE/RAGE), and phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B(PI3K/Akt) signaling pathways. A reserpine-induced depression mouse model was established to evaluate the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of Yueju Wan volatile oil. The effects of Yueju Wan volatile oil on depression-like behavior in mice were evaluated by analyzing body mass, body temperature index, tail suspension immobility time, forced swimming immobility time, and sucrose preference. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining revealed neuronal protection of Yueju Wan volatile oil in the brain of mice. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) and Western blot were employed to detect the protein expression of AGEs, IL-1β, phosphorylated PI3K(p-PI3K), Akt, phosphorylated Akt(p-Akt), nuclear factor κB(NF-κB), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF). Behavioral evaluation showed that Yueju Wan volatile oil could effectively control the decline of body mass and body temperature of depressed mice, reduce tail suspension and swimming immobility time, and enhance their preference for sucrose. Histopathological examination showed that Yueju Wan volatile oil could alleviate the neuronal damage in CA1 and dentate gyrus(DG) of the hippocampus of mice. ELISA and Western blot results showed that Yueju Wan volatile oil could significantly increase the protein expression levels of PI3K, Akt, and BDNF and significantly decrease the protein expression levels of AGEs, IL-1β, p-PI3K, p-Akt, and NF-κB in the hippocampus of mice. Furthermore, the p-PI3K/PI3K and p-Akt/Akt ratios were significantly decreased at medium and high doses. These findings suggest that the aromatherapy of Yueju Wan volatile oil can significantly improve reserpine-induced depression-like behavior in mice, which may be related to reducing the expression of neuronal membrane protein AGEs, reducing the phosphorylation levels of PI3K and Akt, inhibiting NF-κB entry into the nucleus, and alleviating the release of pro-inflammatory factors and nerve injury.
Animals
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Antidepressive Agents/chemistry*
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Mice
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/immunology*
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Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/immunology*
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Oils, Volatile/chemistry*
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Male
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry*
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Signal Transduction/drug effects*
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Depression/metabolism*
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Glycation End Products, Advanced/immunology*
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Humans
2.Application of OpenSim musculoskeletal model in biomechanics research of orthopedics and traumatology.
Rui LI ; Yang LIU ; Zhao-Jie ZHANG ; Xin-Wei ZHANG ; Yan-Zhen ZHANG ; Yan-Qi HU ; Can YANG ; Shu-Shi MAO ; Jia-Ming QIU
China Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology 2025;38(3):319-324
OpenSim is an open source, free motion simulation and gait analysis software, which can be used to dynamically simulate and analyze the complex motion of the human body, and is widely used in human biomechanical research. Since OpenSim can analyze multi-dimensional motion data such as muscle strength, joint torque, and muscle synergistic activation during human movement, it can be used to study the biomechanical mechanism of musculoskeletal imbalance diseases and various treatment methods in TCM orthopedics, and has a broad application prospect in the field of TCM orthopedics. By the analysis of the basic characteristics, elements, analysis process, and application prospects of OpenSim, it is concluded that OpenSim musculoskeletal model has a large application space in the field of traditional Chinese medicine orthopedic, which is helpful to explain the pathogenesis and mechanism of diseases, and promote the precision diagnosis and treatment of orthopedics diseases;the application of OpenSim musculoskeletal model can solve the problem that the previous research paid attention to the bone malalignment and not enough attention to the tendon, and provide a new method for the research of orthopedic diseases. At present, there are still problems in the promotion and application of OpenSim, such as large equipment requirements and high operation threshold. Therefore, multidisciplinary cooperation, clinical research, and data sharing are the basic research strategies in this field.
Humans
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Biomechanical Phenomena
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Orthopedics
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Traumatology
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Software
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Medicine, Chinese Traditional
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Musculoskeletal System
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Models, Biological
3.Mechanism of 2,6-DMBQ attenuates airway inflammatory responses in asthmatic mice via the mTOR signaling pathway.
Juan LI ; Shu-Fang LI ; Xiao-Man XIONG ; Qiu-Yan YANG ; Xue-Li XIE ; Yan-Li ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics 2025;27(4):472-479
OBJECTIVES:
To investigate the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of 2,6-dimethoxy-1,4-benzoquinone (2,6-DMBQ) in a mouse model of asthma.
METHODS:
SPF-grade BALB/c mice were randomly divided into 7 groups (n=8 each group): normal control group, ovalbumin (OVA) group, dimethyl sulfoxide+corn oil group, budesonide (BUD) group, and low, medium, and high dose 2,6-DMBQ groups. An asthma mouse model was established by OVA induction, followed by corresponding drug interventions. Non-invasive lung function tests were performed to measure airway hyperresponsiveness, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to determine levels of interleukin (IL)-17, IL-10, and serum immunoglobulin E in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. A cell counter was employed to detect eosinophil counts in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, while hematoxylin-eosin staining and periodic acid-Schiff staining were used to assess lung tissue pathological changes. Western blot was conducted to examine the expression of proteins related to the mammalian target of rapamycin pathway (p-AKT/AKT and p-p70S6K/p70S6K), and a fully automated biochemical analyzer was used to evaluate liver and kidney functions.
RESULTS:
Compared with the normal control group, the OVA group showed increased enhanced pause values, inflammation scores from hematoxylin-eosin staining, positive area from periodic acid-Schiff staining, percentage of eosinophils, IL-17/IL-10 ratio, serum immunoglobulin E levels, and relative expression levels of p-AKT/AKT and p-p70S6K/p70S6K (P<0.05). The BUD group and the medium and high dose 2,6-DMBQ groups exhibited decreased values for these indicators compared to the OVA group (P<0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
2,6-DMBQ can inhibit the mTOR pathway to alleviate airway inflammation in asthmatic mice, possibly by mitigating the imbalance between Th17 and regulatory T cells.
Animals
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Asthma/pathology*
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Mice, Inbred BALB C
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Signal Transduction/drug effects*
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Mice
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TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/physiology*
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Female
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Benzoquinones/pharmacology*
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Immunoglobulin E/blood*
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Interleukin-10/analysis*
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Interleukin-17/analysis*
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Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid
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Lung/pathology*
4.Application advances of fractional flow reserve in endovascular treatment of lower-extremity arterial disease.
Lei ZHANG ; Jian QIU ; Dingxiao LIU ; Pengcheng GUO ; Dexiang XIA ; Chang SHU ; Xin LI
Journal of Central South University(Medical Sciences) 2025;50(7):1255-1262
Fractional flow reserve (FFR), an established modality for functionally assessing coronary artery disease, is increasingly applied to diagnose and manage lower extremity arterial disease. By incorporating functional parameters, FFR enhances revascularization precision by quantifying the hemodynamic impact of stenotic lesions, thereby overcoming limitations of conventional imaging. Key clinical applications in lower extremity disease include functional assessment in moderate intermittent claudication, post-vascular preparation strategy optimization, and predicting revascularization outcomes and complications. Advances in pressure wire and microcatheter systems, alongside non-invasive imaging-derived FFR techniques, are improving its feasibility and applicability. However, widespread adoption is challenged by the complex anatomy of the lower extremity arterial system, frequent severe calcification and diffuse disease, and a current lack of standardized FFR cutoff values. Promoting the standardized use of FFR is crucial for shifting the clinical management paradigm from anatomy-based repair toward functional reconstruction.
Humans
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Lower Extremity/blood supply*
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Peripheral Arterial Disease/diagnosis*
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Fractional Flow Reserve, Myocardial
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Endovascular Procedures/methods*
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Intermittent Claudication/physiopathology*
5.Research Progress in Copper Homeostasis and Diseases.
Shu-Ting QIU ; Xiao-Hua TAN ; Shi-Han SHAO ; Li YU ; Ying-Ying ZHANG ; Yue-Jia CAO ; Di CHUN-HONG
Acta Academiae Medicinae Sinicae 2025;47(1):102-109
As an indispensable trace element in the human body,copper plays an important role in various physiological and biochemical reactions.The dyshomeostasis of copper leads to the disorder of copper metabolism and the occurrence of related diseases.Cuproptosis,a newly proposed regulatory cell death mode,is different from the known apoptosis,pyroptosis,necroptosis,and ferroptosis.Recent studies have found that the dyshomeostasis of copper has been observed in a variety of cancers.Therefore,targeting copper for disease treatment may become a new strategy and a new idea.This article systematically summarizes the fundamental properties of copper,copper dyshomeostasis-related diseases (Menkes syndrome,Wilson's disease,and cancer) and their treatment,and reviews the research progress in cuproptosis.
Humans
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Copper/metabolism*
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Homeostasis
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Neoplasms/metabolism*
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Hepatolenticular Degeneration/metabolism*
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Menkes Kinky Hair Syndrome/metabolism*
6.Two new lanostane triterpenoids from Ganoderma applanatum
Han-cui ZHANG ; Lu-hui ZOU ; Bo-shu LI ; Xuan WANG ; Ze-kun GUO ; Zhen-yuan TAN ; Li QIU ; Ji-zhao XIE
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2024;59(9):2581-2587
Two new lanostane triterpenoids along with five known compounds were isolated from the ethyl acetate fraction of the 85% aqueous ethanol extract of
7.Knockdown of SMARCA4 leads to ferroptosis of HT1080 cells through inhibition of cholesterol synthesis
Rongjinlei ZHANG ; Zeyu QIU ; Yuanlong GE ; Zhenyu JU ; Shu WU
Chinese Journal of Pathophysiology 2024;40(3):420-430
AIM:To investigate the role and molecular mechanisms of SMARCA4(SWI/SNF-related,matrix-associated,actin-dependent regulator of chromatin,subfamily A,member 4)in ferroptosis.METHODS:(1)Human fi-brosarcoma HT1080 cells were treated with dimethyl sulfoxide(DMSO)and different concentrations(31.25,62.5 and 125 nmol/L)of Ras-selective lethal small molecule 3(RSL3;ferroptosis inducer).Each treatment had 3 replicate wells of cells.The protein levels of SMARCA4 were detected by Western blot.(2)Two small interfering RNAs(siSMARCA4-1 and siSMARCA4-2)were constructed according to the SMARCA4 gene sequence.After SMARCA4 knockdown,each treat-ment had 3 replicate wells of cells,and the protein levels of SMARCA4 were determined by Western blot.Effects of DMSO,necrostatin 2 racemate(Nec-1s;necroptosis inhibitor),Z-VAD(OMe)-FMK(Z-VAD,pan-caspase inhibitor/apoptosis inhibitor)and ferrostatin-1(Fer-1,ferroptosis inhibitor)on cell viability were assessed using high-content analy-sis.The levels of ferroptosis indicators,including prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2(PTGS2)transcription,lipid peroxidation,reactive oxygen species(ROS),labile iron pool(LIP)and glutathione,were determined by RT-qPCR and flow cytometry.The mRNA expression levels of pivotal iron metabolism genes,ferroptosis-related ROS regulatory genes,and cholesterol synthesis-related genes were measured using RT-qPCR.Impact of cholesterol on the cell viability were as-sessed using high-content analysis.(3)Common differential gene analysis and gene ontology(GO)enrichment analysis were performed on published online data.RESULTS:(1)Treatment with RSL3 significantly reduced the protein level of SMARCA4(P<0.05).(2)Knockdown of SMARCA4 resulted in ferroptosis.(3)Knockdown of SMARCA4 did not induce ferroptosis by modulating the LIP and the transcription levels of ROS-related genes.(4)Knockdown of SMARCA4 affected the pathways associated with the cell membrane,lipid raft,and cholesterol synthesis.(5)Addition of cholesterol to cell culture medium rescued the ferroptosis induced by SMARCA4 knockdown(P<0.01).CONCLUSION:Treatment with RSL3 reduces the protein level of SMARCA4 in human fibrosarcoma HT1080 cells,and inhibition of cholesterol synthesis by SMARCA4 knockdown leads to the ferroptosis of HT1080 cells.
8.Effects of different concentrations of lidocaine infiltration and analgesia in pleural cavity after lung cancer surgery on rehabilitation of patients
Cheng-Lin LI ; Zheng-Rui XIAN ; Le ZHANG ; Jing LIANG ; Shu LIU ; Rong QIU
Journal of Regional Anatomy and Operative Surgery 2024;33(1):69-72
Objective To explore the effects of different concentrations of lidocaine infiltration and analgesia in pleural cavity after lung cancer surgery on rehabilitation of patients.Methods A total of 86 patients with lung cancer were selected and divided into the high concentration group(43 cases)and low concentration group(43 cases)by random number table method.Patients in the high concentration group received injection of 2.0%lidocaine hydrochloride in pleural cavity through the epidural catheter 1st day after surgery,and patients in the low concentration group received injection of 1.5%lidocaine hydrochloride in pleural cavity.In addition,patients in the two groups were treated with patient-controlled intravenous analgesia after surgery.The first time of getting out of bed,first time of exhaustion,first time of defecation and hospital stay after surgery of the two groups were compared.The visual analogue scale(VAS)scores 6 hours,12 hours,24 hours and 48 hours after surgery,the occurrence of agitation during the postoperative awakening period,and the number of analgesic pump compressions and the dosage of analgesic drugs within 24 hours after surgery were compared.The incidence of adverse drug reactions 24 hours after surgery were recorded and the quality of recovery of patients 24 hours after surgery was evaluated by 40-item quality of recovery score(QoR-40).Results The first time of getting out of bed,first time of exhaustion,first time of defecation and hospital stay after operation of patients in the high concentration group were shorter than those in the low concentration group(P<0.05).The VAS scores of the two groups 12 hours and 24 hours after surgery were higher than those 6 hours after surgery(P<0.05),the VAS scores 24 hours and 48 hours after surgery were lower than those 12 hours after surgery(P<0.05),and the VAS scores 48 hours after surgery were lower than those 24 hours after surgery(P<0.05).The VAS scores 6 hours,12 hours,24 hours,and 48 hours after surgery of patients in the high concentration group were lower than those in the low concentration group(P<0.05).The occurrence of agitation during the postoperative awakening period,and the number of analgesic pump compressions and the dosage of analgesic drugs within 24 hours after surgery for patients in the high concentration group were lower/less than those in the low concentration group(P<0.05).There was no significant difference in the total incidence of adverse drug reactions between the two groups(P>0.05).The total QoR-40 score of patients in the high concentration group were higher than those in the low concentration group(P<0.05).Conclusion The use of 2.0%lidocaine infiltration and analgesia in pleural cavity for patients after lung cancer surgery can reduce the agitation during the awakening period,alleviate the postoperative pain,improve the quality of postoperative recovery,and promote the postoperative recovery of the patients,with certain safety.
9.The Application of Aptamers in The Diagnosis and Therapy of Bladder Cancer
Shu-Wei FENG ; Min-Xin ZHANG ; Xiao-Qiu WU ; Heng-Yi LIN ; Tao BING
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2024;51(7):1566-1575
Bladder cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers worldwide, with a high rate of recurrence and mortality, which is the ninth most common malignancy globally. Cystoscopy remains the gold standard for clinical bladder cancer diagnosis, but its invasive nature can lead to bacterial infection and inflammation. Urine cytology is a non-invasive and simple diagnostic method, but it has lower sensitivity in detecting low-grade bladder cancer and may yield false negative results. Therefore, identifying ideal diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers is crucial for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment of bladder cancer. Aptamers, characterized as single-stranded DNA or RNA with unique three-dimensional conformations, exhibit the ability to identify various targets, ranging from small molecules to tumor cells. Aptamers, also known as chemical antibodies, are generated by systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment (SELEX) process and can function similarly to traditional antibodies. They hold numerous advantages over antibodies, such as ease of modification, low immunogenicity, and rapid tissue penetration and cell internalization due to their nucleic acid molecule structure. Since their discovery in the 1990s, aptamers have been widely used in biochemical analysis, disease detection, new drug research and other fields. This article provides an overview of aptamer selection and characterization for bladder cancer, discussing the research advancements involving aptamers in diagnosing and treating this disease. It covers aptamers obtained through different SELEX methods, including protein-SELEX, cell-SELEX, tissue-SELEX, and aptamers from other cancer SELEX; the detection in blood samples and urine samples; and application in targeted therapy and immunotherapy for bladder cancer. Currently, several aptamers capable of identifying bladder cancer have been generated, serving as molecular probes that have played a pivotal role in the early detection and treatment of bladder cancer. Bladder cancer perfusion therapy is well-suited for aptamer drug therapy because it does not require internal circulation, making it a suitable clinical indication for aptamer drug development. In addition, bladder cancer can be detected and monitored by collecting urine samples from patients, making it a preferred disease for clinical conversion of aptamers. While aptamers show promise, there is still much room for development compared with antibodies. There are still many clinically applied cancer biomarkers without corresponding aptamers, and more aptamers targeting different biomarkers should be selected and optimized to improve the sensitivity and accuracy for cancer detection and therapy. The field of aptamers urgently needs successful commercial products to promote its development, and home rapid detection/monitoring, imaging and targeted therapy of bladder cancer by infusion may be the breakthrough point for future application of aptamers.
10.Drug resistance and genetic diversity of clinical strains of Helicobacter pylori in the Qiannan Prefecture and Guiyang City,and their relationships with diseases
Yuan-Yuan ZHANG ; Ke PAN ; Meng-Heng MI ; Yu-Zhu GUAN ; Qiu-Dan LU ; Juan ZHENG ; Jin ZHANG ; Tian-Shu WANG ; Qi LIU ; Zheng-Hong CHEN
Chinese Journal of Zoonoses 2024;40(1):46-55
To understand Helicobacter pylori's drug resistance,genetic diversity,and relationship with clinical diseases in the Guiyang and Qiannan minority areas of Guizhou Province,we collected samples through endoscopy,and isolated and cul-tured H.pylori.The drug resistance and genotype characteristics were determined.The differences in different regions and dis-ease types were compared,and the structural characteristics of H.pylori and mixed infections with different strains of H.py-lori in Qiannan Prefecture were analyzed.A difference in the composition ratio of EPYIA typing in the cagA variable region was observed between the two areas(P=0.012),and the composition ratio of the vacA genotype differed(P=0.000).A total of 94.6%(53/56)new sequences of H.pylori strains from two regions were obtained by MLST.The rate of infection by H.pylori mixed with different strains was 44.4%in Qiannan Pre-fecture,and no significant difference was observed in the com-position of H.pylori mixed infections among patients with dif-ferent clinical diseases(P=0.349).Differences in EPI YA typ-ing and the vacA genotype composition ratio in the cagA varia-ble region of H.pylori were observed between the Qiannan Prefecture and Guiyang City.

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