1.Treatment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder with Comorbid Tic Disorder in Children from the Perspective of Ministerial Fire Scorching Yin and Internal Stirring of Deficient Wind
Hongsheng YANG ; Junhong WANG ; Meifang LI ; Wei LI ; Zhenhua YUAN ; Rui ZHAI ; Yuan LI ; Kangning ZHOU
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(1):79-82
Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is often accompanied by tic disorder. The core pathogenesis is considered to be ministerial fire scorching yin and internal stirring of deficient wind, which leads to disharmony between the body and spirit, resulting in clinical manifestations. The treatment principles emphasize nourishing yin fluids, calming ministerial fire, and extinguishing endogenous wind (内风). The method of nourishing yin fluids is applied throughout the entire treatment process, commonly using ingredients such as Shudihuang (Rehmanniae Radix Praeparata), Shanzhuyu (Corni Fructus), Gouqizi (Lycii Fructus), Wuweizi (Schisandrae Chinensis Fructus), and Tusizi (Cuscutae Semen). These are combined with approaches to harmonize the zang-fu organs, primarily including extinguishing liver wind, clearing heart fire, nourishing kidney water, and strengthening spleen earth, thereby stabilizing ministerial fire and extinguishing endogenous wind. Additionally, emotional regulation and smoothing emotional constraint are essential to improve clinical symptoms in children with ADHD comorbid with tic disorder.
2.Pre-operative risk assessment of hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence in liver transplant recipients by non-invasive detection of pre-existing genetic lesions
Suqin YANG ; Sunbin LING ; Jianhua LI ; Yan WANG ; Jiapei WANG ; Qiwei HUANG ; Fanming LIU ; Yiqi ZHUANG ; Yingyu ZHENG ; Rui WANG ; Zhe YANG ; Xiaoping ZHENG ; Kai WANG ; Zhikun LIU ; Jun CHEN ; Jianguo WANG ; Haiyang XIE ; Lin ZHOU ; Leiming CHEN ; Guoqiang CAO ; Dandan CHEN ; Junfang JI ; Bin ZHAO ; Chao JIANG ; Di LU ; Xuyong WEI ; Hangjin JIANG ; Qiaonan SHAN ; Hengbo SHI ; Yong-Zhen XU ; Shusen ZHENG ; Zhengxin WANG ; Shengda LIN ; Xiao XU
Clinical and Molecular Hepatology 2026;32(2):884-903
Background/Aims:
Liver transplantation (LT) following total hepatectomy is a life-saving treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The HCC recurrence after LT hinders the effectiveness of the procedure. The objective of this study is to develop a pre-operative risk stratification model based on a liquid biopsy.
Methods:
We conducted a comprehensive multi-omics study of 260 HCC patients from three centers, including clinical data, low-coverage whole-genome sequencing of cell-free DNA (cfDNA) from plasma, as well as whole-exome, single-nucleus RNA, and spatial transcriptomics from matched tumor and non-tumor tissues.
Results:
We identified cfDNA-derived copy number alteration (CNA) signatures associated with post-transplant recurrence. By integrating cfDNA-derived CNA profiles with single-cell transcriptomic data, we traced recurrence-associated cfDNA to a distinct subpopulation of malignant cells within the primary tumor. These cells were embedded in a pro-metastatic microenvironment of specialized endothelial subtypes and cancer-associated fibroblasts. Notably, most recurrence-associated lesions were detectable in cfDNA prior to liver transplantation (LT). Building on these insights, we developed the ZJU Criteria based on CNA fragments and tumor markers, a pre-LT risk prediction tool that integrates conventional clinical factors with cfDNA-derived CNA signatures, and validated it using internal and independent external cohorts.
Conclusion
Our findings suggest that post-transplant recurrence commonly originates from advanced subclones that emerge late during tumor evolution. The ZJU Criteria provides an accurate, non-invasive strategy that significantly improves pre-LT risk stratification and clinical decision-making for patients with HCC.
3.SIRT5 Potentiates Hepatocarcinogenesis by Modulating Protein Acylation in Mice
Yu ZHANG ; Feng-Rui REN ; Jia-Yun LI ; Xiang-Yu CHEN ; Zi-Yi WANG ; Qi SUN ; Jun-Cheng ZHAO ; Ye ZHANG ; Zhen HUANG ; Hao HU ; Tao-Tao WEI ; Min XIAO
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(6):1712-1722
ObjectiveHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents 90% of all primary liver cancers. The main risk factors associated with HCC include viral hepatitis (B and/or C), alcohol abuse, and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), which progressively advance to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and ultimately evolve into HCC. Surgical resection represents the most effective treatment for HCC, while recent advances in immunotherapy, including immune checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive cell therapies, have provided improved treatment prospects for patients with unresectable HCC. However, the complex metabolic heterogeneity of HCC limits the therapeutic efficacy. Metabolic intermediates acyl-CoA not only provide energy and substrates for numerous biochemical reactions but also serve as donors for protein lysine acylation, a major class of post-translational modification (PTM). Therefore, a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying protein lysine acylation and hepatocarcinogenesis is urgently needed. MethodsThe levels of protein lysine acylation and silence information regulator 5 (SIRT5) expression levels in clinical HCC samples were analyzed by Western blot. Quantitative malonylome and succinylome of HCC samples were analyzed by antibody-based affinity enrichment coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. The proliferation of HCC cells was analyzed with Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assays, the apoptosis was quantified by Annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide (PI) staining coupled with flow cytometry, and the ability of cells to migrate was assayed by Transwell assays. The enzymatic activity of glutathione S-transferase Mu 1 (GSTM1) was quantified. Transgenic mice with hepatic overexpression of SIRT5 were constructed using CRISPR-Cas9, and primary hepatocarcinogenesis was induced by administration of diethylnitrosamine. ResultsWestern blot analysis indicated that the expression level of SIRT5 was elevated in clinical samples from HCC patients, and the levels of lysine malonylation, glutarylation, and succinylation were significantly reduced in HCC tissues. Knockout of SIRT5 in MHCC-97H and MHCC-97L hepatoma cells suppressed cell proliferation, and increased the percentage of apoptotic cells significantly. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses of the differentially malonylome and succinylome of HCC samples revealed significant enrichment in two major classes of biological processes: core energy metabolism (e.g., glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, tricarboxylic acid metabolic process, fatty acid beta oxidation) and detoxification and oxidative stress response (e.g., response to toxic substance, chemical carcinogenesis, reactive oxygen species (ROS)). SIRT5 removes malonylation from lysine residues in GSTM1 and restores its detoxification activity, which is crucial for the survival of hepatocytes under stressed conditions. More importantly, in vivo experiment indicated that hepatic-specific overexpression of SIRT5 in mice accelerated diethylnitrosamine-induced liver fibrosis and hepatocarcinogenesis, indicating the critical role of SIRT5 in HCC progression. ConclusionThis study highlights the previously unrecognized SIRT5-GSTM1 axis as a key regulator in hepatocarcinogenesis, and suggests a potential target for the treatment of patients with HCC.
4.Discussion on processing time for Polygonatum kingianum based on analysis of correlation between sugar components and color changes
GUO Hong ; YAO Rui ; LI Zhe ; FAN Jing ; WANG Ying ; GUO Xiaohan ; CHEN Jia ; DUAN Baozhong ; YANG Jianbo ; JING Wenguang ; CHENG Xianlong ; WEI Feng
Drug Standards of China 2026;27(1):0083-0091
Objective: To investigate the correlation between color parameters (L*, a*, b*, Eab*) and the contents of reducing sugars, total polysaccharides, total oligosaccharides, as well as four saccharides (fructose, glucose, sucrose, and kestose) during the nine cycles of steaming and sun-drying processing of Polygonatum kingianum, and to preliminarily explore the optimal processing duration.
Methods: The color changes were objectively evaluated using a colorimeter. The anthrone-sulfuric acid method was employed to determine total polysaccharides and oligosaccharides. The 3,5-dinitrosalicylic acid (DNS) colorimetric method was used to measure total reducing sugar content. High-performance liquid chromatography coupled with charged aerosol detection (HPLC-CAD) was applied for quantitative analysis of fructose, glucose, sucrose, and kestose. Multivariate statistical analysis was conducted to assess samples from different processing stages.
Results: Significant variations in color and component contents were observed across processing stages. The herbal pieces progressively darkened with increased processing cycles: brightness (L*) and total color difference (Eab*) initially decreased then stabilized, while a* (red-green) and b* (yellow-blue) values first increased then declined. Total polysaccharides and oligosaccharides showed overall decreasing trends, whereas reducing sugars initially increased before stabilizing. Fructose and glucose levels rose continuously, while sucrose and kestose decreased progressively, becoming undetectable after five cycles.
Conclusion: The chromatic alteration and saccharide composition of P. kingianum showed significant correlation with processing duration. Both total color difference (Eab*) and reducing sugar content stabilized after four processing cycles (12 hours), suggesting that four cycles of steaming and sun-drying may represent the optimal processing duration.
5.Early Predictors of Long-Term Outcome in Basilar Artery Occlusion: A Post Hoc Analysis of the ATTENTION Trial
Feiyang GAO ; Thanh N. NGUYEN ; Chao ZHANG ; Rui LI ; Dafan YU ; Pengfei XU ; Anmo WANG ; Min CHEN ; Wei HU ;
Journal of Stroke 2026;28(1):150-159
Background:
and Purpose Accurately predicting long-term functional outcomes of basilar artery occlusion (BAO) remains challenging. We compared the predictive performance of the baseline, 24-hour, and 72-hour National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores for 90-day BAO functional outcomes using the Acute Basilar Artery Occlusion: Endovascular Thrombectomy versus Standard Medical Treatment (ATTENTION) trial data. We identified the optimal assessment time point, determined treatment-specific NIHSS cutoff values, and explored the role of early neurological function in treatment effects.
Methods:
This retrospective post hoc analysis included 324 patients with acute BAO with baseline NIHSS scores ≥10 and complete NIHSS assessments at each time point. The primary outcome was a favorable 90-day functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale score, 0–3). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to assess the predictive ability of NIHSS scores. The optimal 72-hour NIHSS predictive cutoff values were determined for the endovascular treatment (EVT) and best medical management (BMM) subgroups.
Results:
The 72-hour NIHSS score showed the highest predictive accuracy for the primary outcome (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC]: 0.954), outperforming the 24-hour (AUC: 0.903) and baseline (AUC: 0.688) scores; its optimal predictive cut-off value was ≤11 in the EVT group (sensitivity: 85.6%, specificity: 92.9%, positive predictive value [PPV]: 91.8%, negative predictive value [NPV]: 87.4%) and ≤9 in the BMM group (sensitivity: 84.6%, specificity: 95.1%, PPV: 84.6%, NPV: 95.1%).
Conclusions
The 72-hour NIHSS score outperformed the baseline and 24-hour scores in predicting 90-day functional outcomes and mediating the effects of EVT. Treatment-specific 72-hour NIHSS cut-off values may guide early risk stratification and prognostic assessments.
6.Literature analysis of euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis induced by empagliflozin
Zhenzhen LEI ; Wei RUI ; Yanling SHI ; Jiayue ZHU ; Ying GANG ; Xiaodi SUN ; Hao ZHAN ; Junnan WANG ; Yukun NIU ; Wenxiang ZHANG
China Pharmacy 2026;37(14):1874-1879
OBJECTIVE To investigate the clinical characteristics of euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis (euDKA) induced by empagliflozin, and provide references for safe medication. METHODS Case reports of euDKA induced by empagliflozin were retrieved and analyzed from PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI, and Wanfang Data. The Naranjo’s scale was adopted to assess the causal relationship between empagliflozin and euDKA. RESULTS A total of 29 patients were enrolled, including 16 males and 13 females,with a median age of 58 years. All patients were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus; 22 patients had at least one comorbidity. The median time to euDKA onset was 60 days after administration, and 7 cases occurred within 2 weeks of treatment. Perioperative periods,fasting,and low-carbohydrate or ketogenic diets were the main predisposing factors. Common presentations included nausea,vomiting, fatigue, tachypnea,and tachycardia. The causal relationship between empagliflozin and euDKA was assessed as “probable” in all cases. According to adverse reaction severity grading, 13 cases were grade 3 (severe) and 16 cases were grade 4 (life-threatening). All patients discontinued empagliflozin and recovered after corresponding treatment. CONCLUSIONS euDKA is a serious adverse reaction to empagliflozin, which mostly occurs early in treatment. Perioperative periods, fasting, and ketogenic diets are prone to induce euDKA. Elderly patients and those with comorbidities are at higher risk. Risk assessment should be conducted before clinical administration; blood ketones and acid-base monitoring should be strengthened in the early medication period; withhold the drug before elective surgery, avoid prolonged fasting;upon diagnosis, discontinue empagliflozin and initiate intravenous insulin, provide fluid resuscitation promptly, and use other treatments to improve patient prognosis.
7.Study on the effect and mechanism of magnolol derivative on cisplatin-induced acute kidney injury
Rui SHI ; Haochen XU ; Jie PENG ; Wanghui LIN ; Xulei WANG ; Wei WEI ; Chun WANG ; Bingfa XU
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(6):1103-1110
ObjectiveTo investigate the protective effect of magnolol ester derivative YW against cisplatin (Cis)-induced acute kidney injury (AKI) and to explore its effect and preliminary mechanisms on Cis-induced AKI. MethodsThe research group designed and synthesized the magnolol ester derivative YW using magnolol as the parent core. Molecular docking was employed to predict the binding interaction between YW and lysine acetyltransferase 7 (KAT7). A Cis-induced AKI model was established in C57BL/6J mice. Mice were divided into the normal control group, model group, YW low/medium/high dose groups (17.5, 35, 70 mg/kg), and the positive control amifostine group. Renal function was assessed by measuring serum creatinine (Scr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) levels. Pathological changes were evaluated via HE staining and scoring of kidney tissues. Protein expression levels of kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM-1), lysine acetyltransferase 7 (KAT7), and cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1A (p21) in kidney tissues were detected by Western blot (WB). HK-2 cells were treated with different concentrations of YW; cell viability was measured by CCK-8 assay. WB was used to detect the expression levels of the renal injury marker KIM-1, KAT7, and its downstream protein p21. Cellular senescence was assessed by senescence-associated β-galactosidase (SA-β-Gal) staining. ResultsYW could stably bind to KAT7. In vivo experiments showed that, compared with the model group, all YW dose groups, especially the medium and high doses, significantly reduced the elevated levels of Scr and BUN in AKI mice (P<0.001) and effectively ameliorated renal histopathological damage. YW significantly downregulated the protein expression levels of KIM-1, KAT7, and p21 in kidney tissues (P<0.05). Concentrations of YW≤10 μmol/L had no significant effect on HK-2 cell viability. YW inhibited the Cis-induced decline in HK-2 cell viability (P<0.05), suppressed the Cis-induced upregulation of KIM-1, KAT7, and p21 proteins (P<0.05), and significantly decreased the percentage of SA-β-Gal-positive cells (P<0.01). ConclusionYW suppresses the expression of KAT7 and p21 proteins and inhibits the decline in HK-2 cell viability in cisplatin-induced AKI, significantly mitigates HK-2 cell senescence, and improves renal function, providing preliminary experimental evidence for developing AKI treatment strategies based on structural optimization of natural products.
8.Mechanism of Shengxian Yixin Granule (升陷益心颗粒) in the Treatment of Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction Based on Macrophage-Mediated Inflammatory Response
Zhengwei DONG ; Rui YU ; Qiaozhi LI ; Huan ZHAO ; Jingjing WEI ; Genhao FAN ; Xinlu WANG ; He WANG ; Yongxia WANG ; Mingjun ZHU
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(19):2086-2094
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect and mechanism of Shengxian Yixin Granule (升陷益心颗粒, SYG) in treating heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). MethodsExperiment 1: Forty male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control group, model group, low-dose [25 mg/(kg·d)], medium-dose [50 mg/(kg·d)], and high-dose [(75 mg/(kg·d)] SYG groups, with 8 mice per group. Except for the control group, HFpEF was induced by a high-fat diet combined with Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester in drinking water for 16 weeks. After 10 weeks of modeling, treatment groups received corresponding doses of SYG by gavage, while the control group and model group received equal volume of normal saline, for 6 weeks. After 6 weeks of administration, the body weight, blood pressure including systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and heart weight-to-tibia length ratio (HW/TL) were recorded. Echocardiography was used to evaluate left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and the ratio of early to late diastolic transmitral flow velocity (E/A). Plasma N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured by ELISA. The expression level of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in heart tissue was detected by qRT-PCR. Blood lipid levels, including low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG), and total cholesterol (TC), were determined by a biochemical analyzer. Splenic proportions of M1 macrophages, M2 macrophages, T helper 17 (Th17) cells, and regulatory T (Treg) cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. Experiment 2: RAW 264.7 cells were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to establish an M1 macrophage polarization model, and then treated with SYG-containing serum for 24 h. The cells were divided into four groups, including blank serum group, high-dose SYG-containing serum group, LPS group, and LPS plus high-dose SYG-containing serum group. Combined with asignal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3) inhibitor for 24 h, the cells were divided into a lipopolysaccharide group, a high-dose SYG-containing serum group, an inhibitor group, and high-dose SYG-containing serum plus inhibitor group. The expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in each group were detected by qRT-PCR. The protein levels of iNOS, IL-1β, Stat3, and phosphorylated Stat3 (p-Stat3) were detected by Western Blotting. ResultsExperiment 1: Compared to the control group, the model group showed significantly decreased E/A ratio, and increased cardiac BNP expression, plasma NT-proBNP,HW/TL ratio, body weight, TC, LDL-C, SBP, and DBP, as well as shortened exhaustion distance and exhaustion time (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared to the model group, the E/A ratio increased in the low-, medium-, and high-dose SYG groups; cardiac BNP expression decreased in the low- and high-dose groups, and plasma NT-proBNP levels decreased in the high-dose group; the HW/TL ratio and body weight decreased, while exhaustion distance and exhaustion time increased in the medium- and high-dose groups; TG levels decreased in the low- and medium-dose groups, and LDL-C levels decreased in the medium- and high-dose groups; SBP and DBP decreased in the low-, medium-, and high-dose groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared to the low-dose SYG group, body weight decreased, and both exhaustion distance and exhaustion time increased in the medium- and high-dose groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared to the medium-dose SYG group, the exhaustion time increased in the high-dose SYG group (P<0.01). Experiment 2: In the LPS‑induced M1 macrophage polarization model, compared to the blank serum group, the LPS group showed significantly increased mRNA and protein expression of iNOS and IL‑1β, as well as the p‑Stat3/Stat3 ratio (P<0.01). Compared to the LPS group, the high‑dose SYG-containing serum plus LPS group showed significantly decreased mRNA and protein expression of iNOS and IL‑1β, as well as the p‑Stat3/Stat3 ratio (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared to the LPS group, the inhibitor group also showed significantly reduced these parameters (P<0.05 or P<0.01). ConclusionSYG can improve cardiac function, ventricular remodeling, exercise capacity, and lipid metabolism in HFpEF mice, while inhibiting inflammatory responses. Its mechanism may be related to the regulation of the Stat3 signaling pathway and inhibition of M1 macrophage polarization.
9.Mechanism of Shengxian Yixin Granule (升陷益心颗粒) in the Treatment of Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction Based on Macrophage-Mediated Inflammatory Response
Zhengwei DONG ; Rui YU ; Qiaozhi LI ; Huan ZHAO ; Jingjing WEI ; Genhao FAN ; Xinlu WANG ; He WANG ; Yongxia WANG ; Mingjun ZHU
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(19):2086-2094
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect and mechanism of Shengxian Yixin Granule (升陷益心颗粒, SYG) in treating heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). MethodsExperiment 1: Forty male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control group, model group, low-dose [25 mg/(kg·d)], medium-dose [50 mg/(kg·d)], and high-dose [(75 mg/(kg·d)] SYG groups, with 8 mice per group. Except for the control group, HFpEF was induced by a high-fat diet combined with Nω-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester in drinking water for 16 weeks. After 10 weeks of modeling, treatment groups received corresponding doses of SYG by gavage, while the control group and model group received equal volume of normal saline, for 6 weeks. After 6 weeks of administration, the body weight, blood pressure including systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and heart weight-to-tibia length ratio (HW/TL) were recorded. Echocardiography was used to evaluate left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and the ratio of early to late diastolic transmitral flow velocity (E/A). Plasma N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were measured by ELISA. The expression level of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in heart tissue was detected by qRT-PCR. Blood lipid levels, including low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG), and total cholesterol (TC), were determined by a biochemical analyzer. Splenic proportions of M1 macrophages, M2 macrophages, T helper 17 (Th17) cells, and regulatory T (Treg) cells were analyzed by flow cytometry. Experiment 2: RAW 264.7 cells were stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to establish an M1 macrophage polarization model, and then treated with SYG-containing serum for 24 h. The cells were divided into four groups, including blank serum group, high-dose SYG-containing serum group, LPS group, and LPS plus high-dose SYG-containing serum group. Combined with asignal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Stat3) inhibitor for 24 h, the cells were divided into a lipopolysaccharide group, a high-dose SYG-containing serum group, an inhibitor group, and high-dose SYG-containing serum plus inhibitor group. The expression levels of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in each group were detected by qRT-PCR. The protein levels of iNOS, IL-1β, Stat3, and phosphorylated Stat3 (p-Stat3) were detected by Western Blotting. ResultsExperiment 1: Compared to the control group, the model group showed significantly decreased E/A ratio, and increased cardiac BNP expression, plasma NT-proBNP,HW/TL ratio, body weight, TC, LDL-C, SBP, and DBP, as well as shortened exhaustion distance and exhaustion time (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared to the model group, the E/A ratio increased in the low-, medium-, and high-dose SYG groups; cardiac BNP expression decreased in the low- and high-dose groups, and plasma NT-proBNP levels decreased in the high-dose group; the HW/TL ratio and body weight decreased, while exhaustion distance and exhaustion time increased in the medium- and high-dose groups; TG levels decreased in the low- and medium-dose groups, and LDL-C levels decreased in the medium- and high-dose groups; SBP and DBP decreased in the low-, medium-, and high-dose groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared to the low-dose SYG group, body weight decreased, and both exhaustion distance and exhaustion time increased in the medium- and high-dose groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared to the medium-dose SYG group, the exhaustion time increased in the high-dose SYG group (P<0.01). Experiment 2: In the LPS‑induced M1 macrophage polarization model, compared to the blank serum group, the LPS group showed significantly increased mRNA and protein expression of iNOS and IL‑1β, as well as the p‑Stat3/Stat3 ratio (P<0.01). Compared to the LPS group, the high‑dose SYG-containing serum plus LPS group showed significantly decreased mRNA and protein expression of iNOS and IL‑1β, as well as the p‑Stat3/Stat3 ratio (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared to the LPS group, the inhibitor group also showed significantly reduced these parameters (P<0.05 or P<0.01). ConclusionSYG can improve cardiac function, ventricular remodeling, exercise capacity, and lipid metabolism in HFpEF mice, while inhibiting inflammatory responses. Its mechanism may be related to the regulation of the Stat3 signaling pathway and inhibition of M1 macrophage polarization.
10.Guyanxiao Tincture Alleviates Frozen Shoulder via Suppressing ACTC1 Induced Fibrosis in Shoulder Capsule
Quan SUN ; Kai-Wei ZHANG ; Yang LIU ; Yan WANG ; Rui ZHENG ; Shu-Guang ZHENG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(10):2714-2732
ObjectiveFrozen shoulder (FS) is a debilitating musculoskeletal disorder characterized by persistent inflammation and progressive fibrosis of the glenohumeral joint capsule, leading to pain and severely restricted range of motion. Given the limited efficacy of current pharmacotherapies, there is an urgent need for novel anti-fibrotic agents. Guyanxiao Tincture (GYX), a traditional Chinese herbal formula, has shown clinical benefits in alleviating FS symptoms. However, its bioactive constituents and the molecular mechanisms underlying its therapeutic effects remain poorly defined. This study aimed to systematically evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of GYX against FS and to elucidate the mechanisms by which GYX attenuates capsular fibrosis. MethodsA Sprague-Dawley (SD) rat model of FS was established by immobilizing the unilateral shoulder with a plaster cast for 21 d. Following model induction, animals were administered with GYX or its serum-identified bioactive component, icariside F2. The absorbed prototype compounds of GYX in FS rat serum were profiled using ultraperformance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS). Therapeutic effects were assessed by measuring shoulder range of motion (ROM), histopathological evaluation of the capsule via hematoxylin-eosin staining, and quantification of transforming growth factor‑β1 (TGF-β1) content by ELISA. To explore the underlying mechanisms, transcriptomic profiling of the shoulder capsule was performed using RNA sequencing, and differentially expressed genes were validated by real-time quantitative PCR. Protein expression and localization were examined through immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and Western blot. Protein-protein interaction networks were constructed to identify key regulatory hubs. In vitro, primary shoulder capsule fibroblasts were stimulated with TGF‑β1 to induce a fibrotic phenotype and then treated with icariside F2. The expression of alpha cardiac muscle 1 (ACTC1), α‑smooth muscle actin, and collagen I was subsequently measured. ResultsSerum pharmacochemistry analysis identified icariside F2 as the predominant circulating bioactive component of GYX in FS rats. Both GYX and icariside F2 treatment significantly improved the ROM and ameliorated histopathological lesions, including the attenuation of synovial hyperplasia, inflammatory infiltration, and excessive collagen deposition in the shoulder capsule. Consistently, elevated TGF‑β1 levels in the model group were markedly reduced after the interventions. RNA sequencing revealed that actin ACTC1 was dramatically upregulated in the fibrotic capsule, accompanied by the enrichment of fibrosis-associated pathways such as TGF‑β signaling, focal adhesion, and ECM-receptor interaction. Protein-protein interaction network analysis demonstrated that ACTC1 directly interacts with core fibrotic genes, including Col1a1, Col1a2, Thbs2, and Fn1. Critically, icariside F2 administration significantly reversed the aberrant overexpression of ACTC1 and suppressed the activation of the aforementioned fibrosis-related pathways in vivo. In TGF‑β1-stimulated fibroblasts, icariside F2 dose-dependently downregulated ACTC1 at both the mRNA and protein levels and concurrently decreased the expression of the fibrotic markers α‑smooth muscle actin and collagen I. Immunofluorescence and Western blot further confirmed that icariside F2 attenuated stress fiber formation and collagen production in vitro. ConclusionGYX and its bioactive component icariside F2 effectively alleviate the progression of frozen shoulder by inhibiting capsular fibrosis. Mechanistically, the therapeutic action is functionally linked to the suppression of ACTC1 and its downstream profibrotic signaling cascade, highlighting ACTC1 as a promising therapeutic target for the management of frozen shoulder.

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