1.Inverse Association Between Alcohol Consumption and Parkinson’s Disease Risk and Identification of RIT2 as a Linked Biomarker
Wei LU ; Xiu-Li CHENG ; Xiao-Yun PAN ; Dan-Dan YANG ; Hui-Ling ZOU ; Li-Guo DONG ; Yi-Liang WEI ; Gui-Yun CUI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(6):1723-1733
ObjectiveAs a common lifestyle habit, alcohol consumption has a controversial association with the onset of Parkinson’s disease (PD). To demonstrate the correlation between alcohol consumption and PD and to identify associated genes, we integrated findings from clinical surveys, genomics, transcriptomics, and animal experiments. MethodsWe investigated the alcohol consumption rates (including both before and after disease onset) among 244 PD patients in China and 177 PD patients from the U.S. NHANES database. Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was performed using genome-wide association study (GWAS) data for three alcohol-related traits and seven PD-related datasets from the MRC IEU OpenGWAS database. Transcriptomic data from the substantia nigra of PD patients were obtained from three GEO datasets (GSE7621, GSE20141, and GSE49036) to analyze RIT2 gene transcription. Finally, three groups of animal experiments (water/20% ethanol/20% liquor, with 4 C57BL/6J mice per group) were conducted to examine changes in brain RIT2 gene expression and transcriptomic profiles following alcohol consumption. ResultsThe alcohol consumption rates among PD patients in China and the U.S. (9%-18.87%) were significantly lower than the general population rates of 15%-45% in their respective regions (P<0.001), suggesting a possible negative association between alcohol consumption and PD. Subsequently, in 21 bidirectional MR analyses using 3 alcohol-related GWAS datasets and 7 PD-related GWAS datasets, the forward MR analyses (alcohol intake as exposure, PD as outcome) yielded 12 negative associations (ORIVW<1) and 9 positive associations (ORIVW>1). Among these, only two negative associations reached statistical significance: alcohol intake frequency (ORIVW=0.75, 95% CI: 0.60-0.93, P=0.010) and alcohol consumption (ORIVW=0.20, 95% CI: 0.05-0.83, P=0.026). The forward MR analysis (alcohol intake→PD) identified 235 SNPs, annotated to 316 genes, while the reverse MR analyses (PD→alcohol intake) identified 37 SNPs, annotated to 53 genes. Notably, only the RIT2 gene appeared in both the forward and reverse MR analyses (alcohol intake→PD: rs28597806, rs8083110; PD→alcohol intake: rs4588066). RIT2 is selectively expressed in the human brain (FPKM: 5.259±2.103), with low or no expression in peripheral tissues (FPKM: <1). Analysis of three human substantia nigra transcriptomic datasets revealed a decreasing trend in RIT2 gene expression in PD patients (GSE20141 array signal: 3.49±1.23 vs. 2.33±0.87, P=0.044). Animal experiments demonstrated that administration of 20% ethanol or 20% liquor (approximately 8% ethanol) stimulated a >2-fold upregulation of RIT2 gene expression in the mouse brain. Furthermore, transcriptomic sequencing revealed that the two alcohol-treated groups exhibited 96 (20% ethanol vs. water control) and 4 (20% liquor vs. water control) differentially expressed genes, respectively, indicating that low-dose alcohol consumption can achieve RIT2 upregulation while minimizing impact on other brain genes. In addition to its anti-infective effects, low-dose alcohol consumption primarily influences signaling pathways related to neurodegenerative diseases such as PD and Prion diseases. ConclusionAlcohol consumption is generally considered as a harmful lifestyle habit. However, some studies have also shown a lower risk of mortality among individuals who consume low doses of alcohol (100 g/week of ethanol) or drink occasionally. Currently, one of the research focuses on alcohol consumption is whether the human body can benefit from low-dose alcohol intake. This study provides new evidence supporting a negative association between alcohol consumption and PD, and for the first time, through MR analysis, identifies the RIT2 gene as a potential mediator of the effect of alcohol consumption on PD. RIT2 is selectively expressed in the human brain. Building upon existing evidence indicating downregulated RIT2 gene expression in PD pathogenesis, our experiments confirm that low-dose alcohol consumption can upregulate RIT2 expression in the brain. In brief, alcohol consumption may suppress the pathogenesis of PD by upregulating RIT2 expression in the substantia nigra. China is facing a serious problem of population aging. This study offers important insights for long-term PD prevention and treatment strategies, with the aim of benefiting more potential PD patients through lifestyle modifications, thereby improving the quality of life of the aging population and reducing the economic burden on healthcare.
2.Differences in deltamethrin resistance and kdr gene mutation in Culex tritaeniorhynchus population in and outside the Yellow Sea wetland
Xiao-er ZHANG ; Zhi-ming WU ; Ye TIAN ; Qian CUI ; Yu-qian JI ; Huan WANG ; Shu-juan YANG ; Yi-chao ZHAO ; Yu WANG ; Hua-yu YIN ; Yu DING ; Guo-jin YAN ; Min-sen ZHAO ; Shou-gang ZHANG ; Bing-dong SONG ; Hong-na CHEN ; Jian GAO ; Wei-fang YANG ; Yu-fu ZHANG ; Hui LIU ; Hong-liang CHU
Acta Parasitologica et Medica Entomologica Sinica 2026;33(2):101-107
Objective To gain insights into the biological characteristics of different populations of Culex tritaeniorhynchus within and around the Yellow Sea wetland from the perspective of the occurrence of resistance, we investigated the levels of resistance to deltamethrin and kdr gene mutation in the wetland and its peripheral areas. Methods Specimens were collected from Cx. tritaeniorhynchus populations at two monitoring sites in the Rare Bird National Nature Reserve and Tiaozi Ni Wetland Scenic Area, and also from two populations in Yancheng City and the Liuhe District of Nanjing, and the resistance of these mosquitoes to deltamethrin was determined using the CDC biotest bottle method. For each concentration of deltamethrin assessed, a random subset of exposed specimens was selected for amplification of the kdr gene fragment, followed by Sanger sequencing to identify and analyze resistance-associated mutations. Results The LC50 levels of deltamethrin among mosquitoes from the four populations in Luhe, Yancheng, the Rare Bird National Nature Reserve and the Tiaozi Ni Wetland Scenic Area were 2.048 5, 7.798 2, 3.473 3, and 17.695 5 mg/mL, respectively, with corresponding concentrations of deltamethrin ranging from 0.005 to 5.000,0.050 to 50.000,0.050 to 25.000 and 0.050 to 50.000 mg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, the ranges of the KT50 values were 11.76-107.43, 67.05-216.30,29.77-107.43 and 28.40-329.51 min; the 1-h knockdown rates were 34.58%-99.15%, 9.52%-43.80%, 55.09%-73.01%, and 10.09%-68.07%; and the 24-h mortality rates were 12.15%-67.52%,9.52%-79.56%,13.17%-82.21%, and 11.01%-78.99%, respectively. With respect to kdr gene mutation, we assayed a total of 63,70,59, and 57 mosquitoes for the four populations, for which we detected L1014F mutation frequencies of 14.29%, 35.00%, 20.34%, and 31.58%, respectively, with a majority of these mutations being heterozygous for resistance. In addition, five adult mosquitoes were identified has having synonymous mutations at site 1011[i. e. , AAT(asparagine)mutation to AAC(asparagine)]. Conclusions Our findings revealed the clear resistance of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus to deltamethrin in the Yancheng region of the Yellow Sea wetland, and the resistance phenotype and kdr frequency of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus in the wetland environment were comparable to those of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus in the wetland environment, thereby indicating that the resistance of different populations of Cx. tritaeniorhynchus was homogeneous under the pressure of different insecticide selection within and around the wetland. However, the underlying mechanisms need to be further studied.
3.Characteristics of Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndromes in Patients with Concurrent Postmenopausal Osteoporosis and Knee Osteoarthritis
Xin CUI ; Huaiwei GAO ; Long LIANG ; Ming CHEN ; Shangquan WANG ; Ting CHENG ; Yili ZHANG ; Xu WEI ; Yanming XIE
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(12):257-265
ObjectiveTo explore the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndromes in the patients with concurrent knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) and provide a scientific basis for precise TCM syndrome differentiation, diagnosis, and treatment of such concurrent diseases. MethodsA prospective, multicenter, cross-sectional clinical survey was conducted to analyze the characteristics of TCM syndromes in the patients with concurrent PMOP and KOA. Excel 2021 was used to statistically analyze the general characteristics of the included patients. Continuous variables were reported as
4.Characteristics of Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndromes in Patients with Concurrent Postmenopausal Osteoporosis and Knee Osteoarthritis
Xin CUI ; Huaiwei GAO ; Long LIANG ; Ming CHEN ; Shangquan WANG ; Ting CHENG ; Yili ZHANG ; Xu WEI ; Yanming XIE
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(12):257-265
ObjectiveTo explore the characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndromes in the patients with concurrent knee osteoarthritis (KOA) and postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP) and provide a scientific basis for precise TCM syndrome differentiation, diagnosis, and treatment of such concurrent diseases. MethodsA prospective, multicenter, cross-sectional clinical survey was conducted to analyze the characteristics of TCM syndromes in the patients with concurrent PMOP and KOA. Excel 2021 was used to statistically analyze the general characteristics of the included patients. Continuous variables were reported as
5.Effect of different phosphorus application on morphological traits, active ingredients and rhizosphere soil microbial community of Polygala tenuifolia.
Huan GUO ; Tong WEI ; Wen-Hua CUI ; Huan SHI ; Fu-Ying MAO ; Xian GU ; Yun-Sheng ZHAO ; Xiao-Feng LIANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(14):3898-3908
To investigate the effects of phosphorus fertilizer on the morphological traits, active ingredients and rhizosphere soil microbial community of Polygala tenuifolia. The phosphorus fertilizer was calculated in terms of P_2O_5. Five treatments were set up: 0(CK), 17(P1), 34(P2), 51(P3), and 68(P4) kg per Mu(1 Mu≈667 m~2). A randomized block design was adopted. Samples of P. tenuifolia and its rhizosphere soil were collected under different superphosphate fertilizer treatments. Illumina high-throughput sequencing was used to analyze the rhizosphere soil microbial community, 9 morphological traits were measured and the content of 11 active ingredients were determined. The results showed that the whole plant weight, shoot fresh weight, root weight, and root peel thickness were the highest under P1 treatment, increasing by 34.41%, 38.80%, 39.21%, and 3.17% respectively compared to CK. Under P2 treatment, the plant height, stem diameter, root thickness, and core thickness were significantly higher than CK. Phosphorus fertilizer had a significant impact on the content of tenuifolin, sibiricose A5, sibiricose A6, arillanin A, 3,6'-disinapoyl sucrose, and polygalaxanthone Ⅲ. Correlation analysis results showed that the relative abundance of Arthrobacter, Bacillus, norank_f_Vicinamibacteraceae, norank_o_Vicinamibacterales, MND1 and other bacteria, as well as the relative abundance of Neocosmospora, Paraphoma and other fungi were positively correlated with root diameter, wood core diameter, the whole plant weight, root weight, shoot fresh weight of P. tenuifolia. Bacillus, Neocosmospora, Subulicystidium were significantly positively correlated with oligosaccharides such as 3,6'-disinapoyl sucrose, sibiricose A5、sibiricose A6、glomeratose A、arillanin A and tenuifoliside C. Arthrobacter, Humicola, Aspergillus, Paraphoma were positively correlated with tenuifolin and norank_f_Vicinamibacteraceae, norank_o_Vicinamibacterales, Fusarium were positively correlated with polygalaxanthone Ⅲ. Evidently, appropriate phosphorus application is conducive to the growth and quality improvement of P. tenuifolia, and can increase the abundance of beneficial microorganisms in the soil.
Rhizosphere
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Phosphorus/pharmacology*
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Soil Microbiology
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Polygala/anatomy & histology*
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Fertilizers/analysis*
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Bacteria/metabolism*
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Soil/chemistry*
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Microbiota/drug effects*
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Plant Roots/metabolism*
6.Design,Synthesis and Application of Peroxynitrite Anion Fluorescent Probe with Large Stokes Shift
Xin-Tong YANG ; Xiao-Chun WANG ; Cui-Ping MA ; Liang-Wei ZHANG ; Ling-Xin CHEN
Chinese Journal of Analytical Chemistry 2025;53(7):1118-1126,中插1-中插8
Peroxynitrite anion(ONOO-),which is originated from the reaction of nitric oxide(NO)and superoxide anion(O2-),plays a pivotal role in immune defense and signal regulation.Excessive levels of ONOO-may induce the occurrence of various diseases such as Alzheimer's disease,inflammation,cardiovascular disease and cancer,etc.Existing detection methods for ONOO-have limitations such as complexity,time consumption,and low cell biocompatibility.In this study,a novel fluorescent probe QFPD was developed using quinoline and diphenylphosphinamide as fluorescent keleton and recognition group,respectively.The strong oxidizing property of ONOO-triggerd the cleavage of phosphoramide bond,leading to fluorescence quenching and a visible color change of the solution from yellow to purple,thereby enabling"ON-OFF"type recognition of ONOO-.QFPD exhibited excellent characteristics including good selectivity and high sensitivity in fluorescence detection(Limit of detection of 1.37 μmol/L),large Stokes shift(130 nm),rapid response(10 min),and strong anti-interference ability.Additionally,QFPD demonstrated good biocompatibility and could realize real-time dynamic monitoring of endogenous ONOO-.Furthermore,QFPD was successfully applied to environmental toxicology research by visualizing the oxidative stress effects induced by microplastics polymethyl methacrylate(PMMA)and Hg2+exposure,which might be a novel tool for the mechanism research on oxidative stress associated with microplastic pollution and heavy metal exposure.
7.Expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of cemental tear.
Ye LIANG ; Hongrui LIU ; Chengjia XIE ; Yang YU ; Jinlong SHAO ; Chunxu LV ; Wenyan KANG ; Fuhua YAN ; Yaping PAN ; Faming CHEN ; Yan XU ; Zuomin WANG ; Yao SUN ; Ang LI ; Lili CHEN ; Qingxian LUAN ; Chuanjiang ZHAO ; Zhengguo CAO ; Yi LIU ; Jiang SUN ; Zhongchen SONG ; Lei ZHAO ; Li LIN ; Peihui DING ; Weilian SUN ; Jun WANG ; Jiang LIN ; Guangxun ZHU ; Qi ZHANG ; Lijun LUO ; Jiayin DENG ; Yihuai PAN ; Jin ZHAO ; Aimei SONG ; Hongmei GUO ; Jin ZHANG ; Pingping CUI ; Song GE ; Rui ZHANG ; Xiuyun REN ; Shengbin HUANG ; Xi WEI ; Lihong QIU ; Jing DENG ; Keqing PAN ; Dandan MA ; Hongyu ZHAO ; Dong CHEN ; Liangjun ZHONG ; Gang DING ; Wu CHEN ; Quanchen XU ; Xiaoyu SUN ; Lingqian DU ; Ling LI ; Yijia WANG ; Xiaoyuan LI ; Qiang CHEN ; Hui WANG ; Zheng ZHANG ; Mengmeng LIU ; Chengfei ZHANG ; Xuedong ZHOU ; Shaohua GE
International Journal of Oral Science 2025;17(1):61-61
Cemental tear is a rare and indetectable condition unless obvious clinical signs present with the involvement of surrounding periodontal and periapical tissues. Due to its clinical manifestations similar to common dental issues, such as vertical root fracture, primary endodontic diseases, and periodontal diseases, as well as the low awareness of cemental tear for clinicians, misdiagnosis often occurs. The critical principle for cemental tear treatment is to remove torn fragments, and overlooking fragments leads to futile therapy, which could deteriorate the conditions of the affected teeth. Therefore, accurate diagnosis and subsequent appropriate interventions are vital for managing cemental tear. Novel diagnostic tools, including cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), microscopes, and enamel matrix derivatives, have improved early detection and management, enhancing tooth retention. The implementation of standardized diagnostic criteria and treatment protocols, combined with improved clinical awareness among dental professionals, serves to mitigate risks of diagnostic errors and suboptimal therapeutic interventions. This expert consensus reviewed the epidemiology, pathogenesis, potential predisposing factors, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of cemental tear, aiming to provide a clinical guideline and facilitate clinicians to have a better understanding of cemental tear.
Humans
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Dental Cementum/injuries*
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Consensus
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Diagnosis, Differential
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Cone-Beam Computed Tomography
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Tooth Fractures/therapy*
8.Research Advances in the Construction and Application of Intestinal Organoids.
Qing Xue MENG ; Hong Yang YI ; Peng WANG ; Shan LIU ; Wei Quan LIANG ; Cui Shan CHI ; Chen Yu MAO ; Wei Zheng LIANG ; Jun XUE ; Hong Zhou LU
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2025;38(2):230-247
The structure of intestinal tissue is complex. In vitro simulation of intestinal structure and function is important for studying intestinal development and diseases. Recently, organoids have been successfully constructed and they have come to play an important role in biomedical research. Organoids are miniaturized three-dimensional (3D) organs, derived from stem cells, which mimic the structure, cell types, and physiological functions of an organ, making them robust models for biomedical research. Intestinal organoids are 3D micro-organs derived from intestinal stem cells or pluripotent stem cells that can successfully simulate the complex structure and function of the intestine, thereby providing a valuable platform for intestinal development and disease research. In this article, we review the latest progress in the construction and application of intestinal organoids.
Organoids/cytology*
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Intestines/physiology*
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Humans
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Animals
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Pluripotent Stem Cells
9.Study on the value of the expression levels of TGF-β and Smad2 in platelets for the diagnosis and staging of patients with colorectal cancer
Huihui SHAO ; Linlin QU ; Ruibo LIU ; Wei XU ; Quan WANG ; Weiqi CUI ; Yuwen HUANG ; Haocheng LI ; Chunhe ZHAO ; Liang HE
Chinese Journal of Laboratory Medicine 2025;48(5):590-596
Objective:To analyze the values of platelet transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and SMAD family member 2 (Smad2) in patients′ peripheral platelets for CRC diagnosis and staging.Methods:Retrospective case-control study. Tumor tissues, paratumor tissues and peripheral blood samples were collected from 248 CRC patients (147 males, 101 females; age 21-93 years) diagnosed in the First Hospital of Jilin University from October 10th, 2020, to March 10th, 2025. Peripheral blood samples were also collected from 40 colorectal adenomatous polyp patients (21 males, 19 females; age 22-74 years) and 75 healthy individuals (43 males, 32 females; age 18-81 years) during the same period. Tissue homogenates and platelets were isolated using tissue disruption and gradient centrifugation, respectively. Total RNA was respectively extracted from tissues and platelets, and the expression levels of TGF-β and Smad2 were quantified by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) expressed as relative quantity 2 -ΔΔCt. Differences of TGF-β and Smad2 expression were compared between CRC tissues and adjacent tissues, as well as among CRC patients, polyp patients, and healthy controls. The relationship of platelet TGF-β and Smad2 expression with pathological features includingtumor stage, pathological type, and metastasis were analyzed. The efficiency of platelet TGF-β, Smad2, and their combination in diagnosing CRC was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results:The expression levels of TGF-β and Smad2 in CRC tumor tissues[1.09 (0.45, 2.00), 2.93 (0.78, 6.73)] were significantly higher than those in adjacent tissues[0.81 (0.27, 1.50), 1.29 (0.40, 2.63)] ( Z TGF-β=4.54, Z Smad2=6.67, both P<0.001). The expression levels of TGF-β and Smad2 in platelets of CRC patients[2.73(1.53, 4.38), 3.16 (1.58, 4.38)] were significantly higher than those in the colorectal polyp group[1.23(0.70, 2.54), 1.16(0.78, 2.27)] and the healthy control group[0.96(0.51, 1.88), 0.92 (0.55, 1.88)] ( H TGF-β=59.71, H Smad2=78.74, both P<0.001). Platelet TGF-β expression increased progressively with tumor stage (stage 1-4) ( P<0.05), while platelet Smad2 levels were higher in metastatic CRC compared with non-metastatic cases ( P<0.05). ROC curve analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC) for diagnosing CRC when combining platelet TGF-β and Smad2 was 0.81[95%Confidence interval( CI) 0.77—0.86], which was 0.90 (95% CI 0.86—0.93) if adding serum carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA). Conclusion:Platelet TGF-β and Smad2 expression correlates with the diagnosis and staging of CRC, demonstrating potential as liquid biopsy biomarkers for colorectal malignancies.
10.Analysis of toxic material basis of Dryopteris crassirhizoma by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS
Rong-hui ZHENG ; Cui-jie WEI ; Fei-fei XIE ; Xin-ya WAN ; Xiao-jie LIANG ; Zhi-wen DUAN ; Dong-mei SUN ; Xiang-dong CEHN
Chinese Traditional Patent Medicine 2025;47(10):3305-3314
AIM To establish a UPLC-ESI-MS/MS method for analyzing the toxic material basis of 95%ethanol cold soaked ultrasonic extract(EC),95%ethanol heated reflux extract(EH)and water decoction extract(WD)from Dryopteris crassirhizoma Nakai.METHODS The analysis was performed on a 25 ℃ thermostatic agilent ZORBAX RRHD StableBond C18 column(2.1 mm×150 mm,1.8 μm),with the mobile phase comprising of methanol-0.2%formic acid flowing at 0.30 mL/min,and heated electrospray ion source was adopted in positive and negative ion scanning.Compounds were identified by Compound Discover 3.3 software combined with the database and related literature,and the main differential components were screened by Heatmap cluster analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis.RESULTS 72 compounds were identified(22 phloroglucinols,19 flavonoids,8 phenylpropanoids,6 terpenoids and 17 other components).The main toxic differential components were phloroglucinols such as flavaspidic acid AB,didemethylpseudoaspidin AA and filixic acid PBP,flavonoids such as(-)-epicatechin,(-)-epigallocatechin,cianidanol,and other compounds such as indole-3-carboxaldehyde.CONCLUSION This method can rapidly,effectively and comprehensively characterize the main chemical composition of D.crassirhizoma,and provide a reference for the study of its pharmacological mechanism.


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