1.Overview of host-directed antiviral targets for future research and drug development.
Xiaoxia GU ; Mengzhu ZHENG ; Ya GAO ; Shuang LIN ; Xiaotian ZHANG ; Chunmei CHEN ; Hucheng ZHU ; Weiguang SUN ; Yonghui ZHANG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(4):1723-1751
Viruses constitute a significant group of pathogens that have caused numerous fatalities and substantial economic losses in recent years, particularly with the emergence of coronaviruses. While the impact of SARS-CoV-2 appears to be diminishing in daily life, only a limited number of drugs have received approval or emergency use authorization for its treatment. Given the high mutation rate of viral genomes, host-directed agents (HDAs) have emerged as a preferred choice due to their broad applicability and lasting effectiveness. In contrast to direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), HDAs offer several advantages, including broad-spectrum antiviral activities, potential efficacy against future emerging viruses, and a lower likelihood of inducing drug resistance. In our review article, we have synthesized known host-directed antiviral targets that span diverse cellular pathways and mechanisms, shedding light on the intricate interplay between host cells and viruses. Additionally, we have provided a brief overview of the development of HDAs based on these targets. We aim for this comprehensive analysis to offer valuable perspectives and insights that can guide future antiviral research and drug development efforts.
2.Amoenucles A-F, novel nucleoside derivatives with TNF-α inhibitory activities from Aspergillus amoenus TJ507.
Yeting ZHANG ; Zhengyi SHI ; Chunhua ZHAO ; Lanqin LI ; Ming CHEN ; Yunfang CAO ; Fengqing WANG ; Bo TAO ; Xinye HUANG ; Jieru GUO ; Changxing QI ; Weiguang SUN ; Yonghui ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines (English Ed.) 2025;23(1):111-118
Amoenucles A-F (1-6), six previously undescribed nucleoside derivatives, and two known analogs (7 and 8) were isolated from the culture of Aspergillus amoenus TJ507. Their structures were elucidated through spectroscopic analysis, single-crystal X-ray crystallography, and chemical reactions. Notably, 3 and 4 represent the first reported instances of nucleosides with an attached pyrrole moiety. Of particular significance, the absolute configuration of the sugar moiety of 1-4 was determined using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), electric circular dichroism (ECD) calculations, and a hydrolysis reaction, presenting a potentially valuable method for confirming nucleoside structures. Furthermore, 1, 2, and 5-8 exhibited potential tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) inhibitory activities, which may provide a novel chemical template for the development of agents targeting autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.
Aspergillus/chemistry*
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Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/antagonists & inhibitors*
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Molecular Structure
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Nucleosides/isolation & purification*
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Crystallography, X-Ray
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Animals
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Humans
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Mice
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Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
3.(±)-Talapyrones A-F: six pairs of dimeric polyketide enantiomers with unusual 6/6/6 and 6/6/6/5 ring systems from Talaromycesadpressus.
Meijia ZHENG ; Xinyi ZHAO ; Chenxi ZHOU ; Hong LIAO ; Qin LI ; Yuling LU ; Bingbing DAI ; Weiguang SUN ; Ying YE ; Chunmei CHEN ; Yonghui ZHANG ; Hucheng ZHU
Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines (English Ed.) 2025;23(8):932-937
(±)-Talapyrones A-F (1-6), six pairs of dimeric polyketide enantiomers featuring unusual 6/6/6 and 6/6/6/5 ring systems, were isolated from the fungus Talaromyces adpressus. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic analysis and HR-ESI-MS data, and their absolute configurations were elucidated using a modified Mosher's method and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. (±)-Talapyrones A-F (1-6) possess a 6/6/6 tricyclic skeleton, presumably formed through a Michael addition reaction between one molecule of α-pyrone derivative and one molecule of C8 poly-β-keto chain. In addition, compounds 2/3 and 4/5 are two pairs of C-18 epimers, respectively. Putative biosynthetic pathways of 1-6 were discussed.
Polyketides/isolation & purification*
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Talaromyces/chemistry*
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Stereoisomerism
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Molecular Structure
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Circular Dichroism
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Pyrones/chemistry*
4.Cinobufagin Combined with Thalidomide/Dexamethasone Regimen in the Treatment of Patients with Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma of Phlegm and Stasis Obstruction: A Retrospective Study
Weiguang ZHANG ; Haihua DING ; Biqing CHEN ; Xiangtu KONG ; Xingbin DAI ; Zuqiong XU ; Jing YANG ; Xixi LIU ; Chencheng LI ; Zhongxiao HU ; Xuejun ZHU
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;65(1):72-78
ObjectiveTo investigate the efficacy and safety of cinobufagin tablets combined with thalidomide/dexamethasone (TD) regimen in the treatment of newly diagnosed multiple myeloma (NDMM) with phlegm and stasis obstruction. MethodsThe clinical data of 50 patients with NDMM of phlegm and stasis obstruction who were hospitalized at the Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine from June 1st, 2015 to July 31th, 2019 were retrospectively analyzed, and they were divided into a control group (bortezomib/dexamethasone-containing regimen, 27 cases) and an observation group (cinobufagin tablets combined with TD regimen, 23 cases). The clinical efficacy and safety were compared between the two groups after two or three courses of treatment. The primary outcomes were clinical remission rate including overall response rate and deep remission rate, one-year and two-year overall survival rate, and adverse effects. The secondary outcomes were the proportion of plasma cells in bone marrow, hemoglobin, β2-microglobulin, lactate dehydrogenase, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, bone pain score, and KPS functional status score (KPS score) before and after treatment. ResultsIn terms of clinical efficacy, there was no statistically significant difference (P>0.05) in the overall response rate [the observation group 69.57%(16/23) vs the control group 70.37% (19/27)] and deep remission rate [the observation group 56.52% (13/23) vs the control group 55.56% (15/27)] between groups after the treatment. The one-year overall survival rates of the observation group and the control group were 90.9% and 92.4%, and the two-year overall survival rates were 81.8% and 80.9% respectively, with no statistically significant differences between groups (P>0.05). During the treatment, no renal function injury occurred in both groups. The incidence of peripheral nerve injury in the observation group was 8.70%, which was lower than 48.15% in the control group (P<0.01). After the treatment, the proportion of myeloma plasma cells, β2-microglobulin, serum creatinine level, and bone pain score decreased, while the hemoglobin level and KPS score increased in both groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared between groups after treatment, the bone pain score of the observation group was lower than that of the control group, while the KPS score was higher than that of the control group (P<0.05). ConclusionThe clinical efficacy of cinobufagin tablets combined with TD in the treatment of NDMM is equivalent to bortezomib/dexamethasone-containing regimen, but the former is more helpful in relieving the pain and improving the quality of life, and has better safety.
5.Discussion the syndrome and treatment of consumptive thirst based on the core concept of Huangdi Neijing
Dong TIAN ; Shuqin LIAO ; Changqing TONG ; Xiaoyi ZHANG ; Na CAO ; Weiguang WANG ; Zijie CHEN ; Shuangqing ZHAI
Journal of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;47(6):797-801
Consumptive thirst is widely discussed in Huangdi Neijing and it is classified as a"strange disease"in Suwen·Strange Diseases Treatise,which reflects the intractable nature of consumptive thirst.This paper explores and analyzes consumptive thirst based on the core concept in Huangdi Neijing.First,this paper approaches the subject through the use of image thinking method from Huangdi Neijing,recognizing that consumptive thirst can lead to changes in the internal climate of the human body.Then,guided by the theories of essence and qi,yin and yang,and the five elements in Huangdi Neijing,it deconstructs and analyzes the causes of these changes and the laws of qi transformation.It points out that the changing climate of consumptive thirst is characterized by"heat symptoms".The main cause of"heat symptoms"is spleen deficiency and excessive dampness,and its qi transformation law is the heat transformation of Shaoyin.The intractable nature of consumptive thirst is mainly reflected in the uncontrolled"heat symptoms"caused by the imbalance of the five elements.Based on the understanding of the heat symptoms of consumptive thirst,this paper proposes a treatment strategy for preventing the disease by resolving dampness and regulating the spleen,harmonizing kidney qi to prevent progression,and balancing yin and yang to treat chronic and recalcitrant conditions.The aim is to provide a reference for optimizing the treatment of consumptive thirst.
6.Quality Evaluation Status of Traditional Chinese Medicine Knowledge Bases and the Construction of Evaluation Indexes
Saisai ZHAO ; Yaqi FAN ; Yun ZHANG ; Weiguang WANG ; Zijie CHEN ; Xiaofeng LIU ; Shuangqing ZHAI
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;65(11):1115-1119
From the perspectives of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) information knowledge base and assisted decision-making knowledge base, the construction status, quality evaluation status and existing problems of current TCM knowledge bases have been sorted out. And based on the quality evaluation strategies and dimensions of know-ledge bases in other disciplines, the evaluation indexes for TCM knowledge base is discussed, and the evaluation framework is initially formed, providing ideas for the improvement of the TCM knowledge base evaluation system. In terms of the evaluation indexes, there are basic evaluation dimensions which include data sources, data collection, and data application. The specific evaluation dimension of the information-based knowledge base is data quality, while that of the assisted decision-making knowledge base is data matching. Except for the data application dimension which counts the valid data items in the database for calculation, other indexes are scored based on the qualitative evaluation of "yes", "no" or "unknown". The basic evaluation score and the specific evaluation score are added to obtain the total score. The knowledge base is graded according to the score, and the results are presented in the form of grade plus number.
7.Mulberry leaf flavonoids activate BAT and induce browning of WAT to improve type 2 diabetes via regulating the AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α signaling pathway.
Long CHENG ; Lu SHI ; Changhao HE ; Chen WANG ; Yinglan LV ; Huimin LI ; Yongcheng AN ; Yuhui DUAN ; Hongyu DAI ; Huilin ZHANG ; Yan HUANG ; Wanxin FU ; Weiguang SUN ; Baosheng ZHAO
Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines (English Ed.) 2023;21(11):812-829
Mulberry (Morus alba L.) leaf is a well-established traditional Chinese botanical and culinary resource. It has found widespread application in the management of diabetes. The bioactive constituents of mulberry leaf, specifically mulberry leaf flavonoids (MLFs), exhibit pronounced potential in the amelioration of type 2 diabetes (T2D). This potential is attributed to their ability to safeguard pancreatic β cells, enhance insulin resistance, and inhibit α-glucosidase activity. Our antecedent research findings underscore the substantial therapeutic efficacy of MLFs in treating T2D. However, the precise mechanistic underpinnings of MLF's anti-T2D effects remain the subject of inquiry. Activation of brown/beige adipocytes is a novel and promising strategy for T2D treatment. In the present study, our primary objective was to elucidate the impact of MLFs on adipose tissue browning in db/db mice and 3T3-L1 cells and elucidate its underlying mechanism. The results manifested that MLFs reduced body weight and food intake, alleviated hepatic steatosis, improved insulin sensitivity, and increased lipolysis and thermogenesis in db/db mice. Moreover, MLFs activated brown adipose tissue (BAT) and induced the browning of inguinal white adipose tissue (IWAT) and 3T3-L1 adipocytes by increasing the expressions of brown adipocyte marker genes and proteins such as uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) and beige adipocyte marker genes such as transmembrane protein 26 (Tmem26), thereby promoting mitochondrial biogenesis. Mechanistically, MLFs facilitated the activation of BAT and the induction of WAT browning to ameliorate T2D primarily through the activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK)/sirtuin 1 (SIRT1)/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator 1α (PGC-1α) signaling pathway. These findings highlight the unique capacity of MLF to counteract T2D by enhancing BAT activation and inducing browning of IWAT, thereby ameliorating glucose and lipid metabolism disorders. As such, MLFs emerge as a prospective and innovative browning agent for the treatment of T2D.
Mice
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Animals
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Adipose Tissue, Brown
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Sirtuin 1/pharmacology*
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Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/metabolism*
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AMP-Activated Protein Kinases/metabolism*
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Morus/metabolism*
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Flavonoids/metabolism*
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Prospective Studies
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Signal Transduction
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Adipose Tissue, White
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Plant Leaves
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Uncoupling Protein 1/metabolism*
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Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor Gamma Coactivator 1-alpha/metabolism*
8.Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of human coagulation factor Ⅷ in the treatment of hemophilia A patients
Ruyi CHEN ; Yan WU ; Yiyun LIU ; Mingxia HOU ; Qingshuang SONG ; Xuanlin ZHONG ; Xueyun WANG ; Wenjie XIE ; Caiping GUO ; Zhan ZHANG ; Yunjia ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Blood Transfusion 2022;35(12):1220-1225
【Objective】 To evaluate the efficacy and safety of human coagulation factor Ⅷ developed by Shenzhen Weiguang Biological products Co, Ltd in the treatment of patients with hemophilia A. 【Methods】 A prospective, multi-center, open, single-group clinical study was conducted. A total of 65 subjects with hemophilia A were enrolled, and human coagulation factor Ⅷ(FⅧ) was injected according to the patients’ bleeding severity. The improvement score of bleeding symptoms and signs after the first infusion of the first bleeding event and the transfusion efficiency of FⅧ activity at 10 min and 1 hour after infusion were taken as the main efficacy indexes. The improvement scores of bleeding symptoms and signs after the first infusion and the increase of FⅧ activity at 10 min and 1 hour after infusion were the secondary efficacy indexes. 【Results】 The 65 subjects were enrolled in safety analysis set (SS) and full analysis set (FAS), and 58 of them were enrolled in protocol analysis set (PPS). Ten minutes and one hour after the first infusion, the level of factor Ⅷ activity in the subjects increased significantly, and the FⅧ activity increased by 100% or more in more than 79% of the subjects. The average infusion efficiency of FⅧ activity in all subjects was more than 100%. In 70% of the subjects, the pain was relieved rapidly and /or the bleeding symptoms were significantly improved 8 hours after each bleeding infusion, and the improvement rate of bleeding symptoms and signs reached 100% 72 hours after infusion. 【Conclusion】 After infusion of human coagulation factor Ⅷ, the activity level of factor Ⅷ in patients with hemophilia A significantly increased. The infusion efficiency can reach a optimal level, and the bleeding symptoms can be significantly improved.
9.A multicenter phase Ⅲ clinical study of human prothrombin complex concentrate in treatment of hemophilia B
Wei ZHANG ; Yirun LIU ; Yan WU ; Xuanlin ZHONG ; Qingshuang SONG ; Shitao CHEN ; Xueyun WANG ; Caiping GUO ; Zhan ZHANG ; Yunjia ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Blood Transfusion 2022;35(9):915-919
【Objective】 To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of one kind of human prothrombin complex concentrate in treatment of patients with hemophilia B. 【Methods】 The clinical data of 36 patients with hemophilia B treated with human prothrombin complex concentrate produced by Shenzhen Weiguang Biological Products Co. Ltd. from May 2018 to April 2019 were retrospectively analyzed, and its clinical efficacy and safety were analyzed. 【Results】 A total of 35 subjects entered the full analysis set (FAS)and safety set (SS), 33 subjects entered the per protocol Set (PPS). Thirty minutes after the first infusion of FAS subjects, the activity of coagulation factor Ⅸ increased from (3.93±0.975) IU/dL to (25.61±9.337) IU/dL, and the infusion efficiency was (96.43±22.007)%. The increased value of coagulation factor Ⅱ activity was (73.25±14.874) IU/dL. The activity of coagulation factor Ⅶ was (42.79±16.847) IU/dL. The increased value of coagulation factor Ⅹ activity was (65.29±17.042) IU/dL. The increased value of coagulation factor Ⅸ activity was (21.68±9.434%) IU/dL. Twenty-four hours after the first infusion of FAS subjects, the improvement of bleeding symptoms and signs was excellent in 21 cases (60%), improved in 14 cases (40.0%), and the effective rate was 100%. The incidence of adverse reactions was 2.9%(1/35), and there was no antibody to human coagulation factor Ⅸ and new virus infection. 【Conclusion】 Infusion of human prothrombin complex concentrate produced by Shenzhen Weiguang Biological Products Co. Ltd. in the treatment of hemophilia B has significant clinical efficacy and good safety.
10.Problem analysis and countermeasure research for urban health emergency management system based on grounded theory
Lushaobo SHI ; Dongxue CHEN ; Weiguang YAO ; Yi XIA ; Dong WANG
Chinese Journal of Hospital Administration 2022;38(11):797-801
Objective:To study development problems and countermeasures of the health emergency management system in a city based on the grounded theory, for references on the construction of a new round of urban health emergency management system.Methods:From June 2020 to April 2021, 61 health emergency management personnel were selected using the objective sampling method from the municipal health commission and disease prevention and control center of a city, and from 11 district health bureaus and disease prevention and control centers, for semi-structured interviews. Grounded theory method was used to analyze the interview data.Results:288 concepts, 79 initial categories, 15 sub-categories, and 5 main categories were extracted from the interview materials. The urban health emergency management system was affected by a variety of constraints such as the weak construction of public health talent team, non-standard plan management, and limited information sharing. There was a fragmentation dilemma in structure and mechanism. It was necessary to strengthen policy support and emergency resource allocation to promote the reconstruction of the health emergency response system. Among them, policy support and emergency resource allocation were prerequisites, and the remodeling of health emergency system was the core process.Conclusions:There were problems such as insufficient resource supply and weak plan management in the construction of the city′s health emergency management system. We should establish a high-level driven policy system, strengthen the resource allocation of peacetime and wartime, and reshape the system and mechanism of coordination and integration, so as to continue to promote the continuous development of the health emergency management system.

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