1.Olfactory Receptors Expressed in The Intestine and Their Functions
Pei-Wen YANG ; Meng-Meng YUAN ; Ying ZHOU ; Peng LI ; Gui-Hong QI ; Ying YANG ; Zhong-Yi MAO ; Meng-Sha ZHOU ; Xiao-Shuang MAO ; Jian-Ping XIE ; Yi-Nan YANG ; Shi-Hao SUN
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(3):534-549
Olfactory receptors (ORs) form the largest superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Traditionally recognized for their role in the nasal olfactory epithelium, where they mediate the sense of smell, accumulating evidence has firmly established their ectopic expression in non-olfactory tissues, including the intestine, lungs, and kidneys. The intestine, as the primary site for nutrient digestion and absorption, harbors a highly complex chemical environment. To adapt to this environment, the gut employs a sophisticated network of “chemosensors” to monitor luminal contents and maintain homeostasis. Among these sensors, intestinal ORs have emerged as crucial functional components, serving as a molecular bridge that connects environmental chemical signals—such as food-derived odorants—to specific physiological responses. This discovery has significantly deepened our understanding of how dietary flavors and compounds influence intestinal physiology at the molecular level. This review systematically summarizes the expression profiles, ligand classification, and biological functions of ORs within the gastrointestinal tract. Studies indicate that intestinal ORs exhibit distinct spatial distribution patterns across different gut segments and display cell-type specificity, particularly within enterocytes and enteroendocrine cells. These receptors function as versatile sensors capable of recognizing a wide variety of ligands, including exogenous dietary components, gut microbiota metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids, and endogenous small molecules like azelaic acid. Upon activation by specific ligands, intestinal ORs trigger intracellular signaling cascades, primarily involving the AC-cAMP-PKA pathway or calcium influx channels. A major focus of this review is to elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which these receptors regulate the secretion of gut hormones. Activation of specific ORs in enteroendocrine cells has been shown to stimulate the release of hormones such as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), peptide YY (PYY), and serotonin (5-HT), thereby modulating systemic energy metabolism, glucose homeostasis, and gastrointestinal motility. Furthermore, the review addresses the critical roles of ORs in immune regulation and pathology. Evidence suggests that specific ORs contribute to the maintenance of intestinal immune homeostasis and may offer protection against inflammation. Beyond their involvement in inflammatory responses, ORs such as Olfr78 have been shown to regulate the differentiation and function of intestinal endocrine cells. Similarly, Olfr544 has been demonstrated to alleviate intestinal inflammation by remodeling the gut microbiome and metabolome. These findings collectively suggest that specific ORs hold promise as therapeutic targets for mitigating intestinal inflammation and maintaining gut homeostasis. Additionally, the review explores the emerging role of ORs in cancer. Although OR expression is often downregulated in tumor tissues compared to normal mucosa, activation of specific ORs by certain ligands can inhibit tumor cell proliferation and migration and induce apoptosis via pathways such as MEK/ERK and p38 MAPK. Conversely, other receptors, such as OR7C1, may serve as biomarkers for cancer-initiating cells. In conclusion, intestinal ORs represent a vital component of the gut’s sensory network. The review also discusses the translational potential of these findings. By elucidating the precise pairing relationships between dietary components and specific ORs, novel therapeutic strategies could be developed. Intestinal ORs may thus emerge as promising targets for nutritional and pharmacological interventions in metabolic diseases, inflammatory bowel diseases, and malignancies.
2.Ginsenoside Rb1 inhibits cardiomyocyte apoptosis and rescues ischemic myocardium by targeting Caspase-3.
Chenhui ZHONG ; Liyuan KE ; Fen HU ; Zuan LIN ; Shuming YE ; Ziyao ZHENG ; Shengnan HAN ; Zan LIN ; Yuying ZHAN ; Yan HU ; Peiying SHI ; Lei WEN ; Hong YAO
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(3):101142-101142
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3.Chemical constituents from Commelina communis
Hong-ting YI ; Ding-mei LIANG ; Bin LEI ; Hong-ling ZENG ; Zhong-wen CHEN ; Hua LIU ; Feng LIU
Chinese Traditional Patent Medicine 2025;47(3):827-833
AIM To study the chemical constituents from Commelina communis L.METHODS The 95%ethanol extract from C.Communis was isolated and purified by activated charcoal,silica gel,Sephadex LH-20,and HPLC,then the structures of obtained compounds were identified by physicochemical properties and spectral data.RESULTS Seventeen compounds were isolated and identified as p-hydroxyl ethyl cinnamate(1),p-hydroxybenzaldehyde(2),vanillin(3),4-hydroxy-2,3-dimethyl-2-nonen-4-olide(4),hemeratrol A(5),chakyunglupulin B(6),chakyunglupulin A(7),2-(2-hydroxyethyl)-3-methylfumaric acid(8),N-cis-feruloyl tyramine(9),N-trans-coumaroyltyramine(10),5,6,7,3',4',5'-hexamethoxyflavone(11),N-trans-sinapoyltyramine(12),dihydro-feruloyltyramine(13),N-trans-feruloyltyramine(14),2-phenylethanol-β-D-glucoside(15),quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucoside(16),and isorhamnetin-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside(17).CONCLUSION Compounds 4-8,10 and 11 are isolated from Commelina genus for the first time,and 1,9,12-15 are first isolated from this plant.
4.Design, synthesis and anti-Alzheimer's disease activity evaluation of cinnamyl triazole compounds
Wen-ju LEI ; Zhong-di CAI ; Lin-jie TAN ; Mi-min LIU ; Li ZENG ; Ting SUN ; Hong YI ; Rui LIU ; Zhuo-rong LI
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2025;60(1):150-163
19 cinnamamide/ester-triazole compounds were designed, synthesized and evaluated for their anti-Alzheimer's disease (AD) activity. Among them, compound
5.A Fitting Method for Photoacoustic Pump-probe Imaging Based on Phase Correction
Zhuo-Jun XIE ; Hong-Wen ZHONG ; Run-Xiang LIU ; Bo WANG ; Ping XUE ; Bin HE
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(2):525-532
ObjectivePhotoacoustic pump-probe imaging can effectively eliminate the interference of blood background signal in traditional photoacoustic imaging, and realize the imaging of weak phosphorescence molecules and their triplet lifetimes in deep tissues. However, background differential noise in photoacoustic pump-probe imaging often leads to large fitting results of phosphorescent molecule concentration and triplet lifetime. Therefore, this paper proposes a novel triplet lifetime fitting method for photoacoustic pump-probe imaging. By extracting the phase of the triplet differential signal and the background noise, the fitting bias caused by the background noise can be effectively corrected. MethodsThe advantages and feasibility of the proposed algorithm are verified by numerical simulation, phantom and in vivo experiments, respectively. ResultsIn the numerical simulation, under the condition of noise intensity being 10% of the signal amplitude, the new method can optimize the fitting deviation from 48.5% to about 5%, and has a higher exclusion coefficient (0.88>0.79), which greatly improves the fitting accuracy. The high specificity imaging ability of photoacoustic pump imaging for phosphorescent molecules has been demonstrated by phantom experiments. In vivo experiments have verified the feasibility of the new fitting method proposed in this paper for fitting phosphoometric lifetime to monitor oxygen partial pressure content during photodynamic therapy of tumors in nude mice. ConclusionThis work will play an important role in promoting the application of photoacoustic pump-probe imaging in biomedicine.
6.Chemical constituents from Commelina communis
Hong-ting YI ; Ding-mei LIANG ; Bin LEI ; Hong-ling ZENG ; Zhong-wen CHEN ; Hua LIU ; Feng LIU
Chinese Traditional Patent Medicine 2025;47(3):827-833
AIM To study the chemical constituents from Commelina communis L.METHODS The 95%ethanol extract from C.Communis was isolated and purified by activated charcoal,silica gel,Sephadex LH-20,and HPLC,then the structures of obtained compounds were identified by physicochemical properties and spectral data.RESULTS Seventeen compounds were isolated and identified as p-hydroxyl ethyl cinnamate(1),p-hydroxybenzaldehyde(2),vanillin(3),4-hydroxy-2,3-dimethyl-2-nonen-4-olide(4),hemeratrol A(5),chakyunglupulin B(6),chakyunglupulin A(7),2-(2-hydroxyethyl)-3-methylfumaric acid(8),N-cis-feruloyl tyramine(9),N-trans-coumaroyltyramine(10),5,6,7,3',4',5'-hexamethoxyflavone(11),N-trans-sinapoyltyramine(12),dihydro-feruloyltyramine(13),N-trans-feruloyltyramine(14),2-phenylethanol-β-D-glucoside(15),quercetin-3-O-β-D-glucoside(16),and isorhamnetin-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside(17).CONCLUSION Compounds 4-8,10 and 11 are isolated from Commelina genus for the first time,and 1,9,12-15 are first isolated from this plant.
7.Clinical guidelines for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis combined with lower cervical fracture in adults (version 2024)
Qingde WANG ; Yuan HE ; Bohua CHEN ; Tongwei CHU ; Jinpeng DU ; Jian DONG ; Haoyu FENG ; Shunwu FAN ; Shiqing FENG ; Yanzheng GAO ; Zhong GUAN ; Hua GUO ; Yong HAI ; Lijun HE ; Dianming JIANG ; Jianyuan JIANG ; Bin LIN ; Bin LIU ; Baoge LIU ; Chunde LI ; Fang LI ; Feng LI ; Guohua LYU ; Li LI ; Qi LIAO ; Weishi LI ; Xiaoguang LIU ; Hongjian LIU ; Yong LIU ; Zhongjun LIU ; Shibao LU ; Yong QIU ; Limin RONG ; Yong SHEN ; Huiyong SHEN ; Jun SHU ; Yueming SONG ; Tiansheng SUN ; Yan WANG ; Zhe WANG ; Zheng WANG ; Hong XIA ; Guoyong YIN ; Jinglong YAN ; Wen YUAN ; Zhaoming YE ; Jie ZHAO ; Jianguo ZHANG ; Yue ZHU ; Yingjie ZHOU ; Zhongmin ZHANG ; Wei MEI ; Dingjun HAO ; Baorong HE
Chinese Journal of Trauma 2024;40(2):97-106
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) combined with lower cervical fracture is often categorized into unstable fracture, with a high incidence of neurological injury and a high rate of disability and morbidity. As factors such as shoulder occlusion may affect the accuracy of X-ray imaging diagnosis, it is often easily misdiagnosed at the primary diagnosis. Non-operative treatment has complications such as bone nonunion and the possibility of secondary neurological damage, while the timing, access and choice of surgical treatment are still controversial. Currently, there are no clinical practice guidelines for the treatment of AS combined with lower cervical fracture with or without dislocation. To this end, the Spinal Trauma Group of Orthopedics Branch of Chinese Medical Doctor Association organized experts to formulate Clinical guidelines for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis combined with lower cervical fracture in adults ( version 2024) in accordance with the principles of evidence-based medicine, scientificity and practicality, in which 11 recommendations were put forward in terms of the diagnosis, imaging evaluation, typing and treatment, etc, to provide guidance for the diagnosis and treatment of AS combined with lower cervical fracture.
8.Chemical constituents from the n-butanol fraction of Siegesbeckia glabrescens
Rong YAN ; Zhong-Wen CHEN ; Yu-Ke ZHANG ; Xiao-Lu HUANG ; Bin LEI ; Hong-Ting YI ; Feng LIU ; Hua LIU
Chinese Traditional Patent Medicine 2024;46(11):3664-3671
AIM To study the chemical constituents from the n-butanol fraction of Siegesbeckiae glabrescens Makino.METHODS The n-butanol fraction from S.glabrescens was isolated and purified by silica gel,ODS and preparative HPLC,then the structures of obtained compounds were identified by physicochemical properties and spectral data.RESULTS Seventeen compounds were isolated and identified as orientalin B(1),ent-2-oxo-15,16,19-trihydroxypimar-8(14)-ene(2),ent-12α,16-epoxy-2β,15α,19-trihydroxypimar-8-ene(3),ent-12α,16-epoxy-2β,15α,19-trihydroxy-pimar-8(14)-ene(4),kirenol(5),benzyl-O-β-D-glucopyranoside(6),hexyl-β-glucopyranoside(7),(Z)-3-hexenyl-β-D-glucopyranoside(8),phenylethyl-O-β-D-glucopyranoside(9),(6R,9S)-3-oxo-α-ionol-β-D-glucopyranoside(10),2-methoxy-4-(2-propenyl)phenyl-β-D-glucoside(11),4-allyl-2,6-dimethoxyphenyl glucoside(12),2-hydroxy-methylphenyl-1-O-β-D-glucopyranoside(13),icarside B2(14),everlastoside D(15),(2S,4R,5S,7S,9S,10R,13S,15R)-2,7,15,16,19-pentahydroxypimar-8(14)-ene(16),and benzyl-β-D-apiofuranosyl-(1″→6′)-β-D-glucopy-ranoside(17).Compound 9 showed weak ABTS radical scavenging capability,and compound 15 had strong DPPH and ABTS radicals scavenging activities.CONCLUSION Compounds 7-9,14-15 are isolated from genus Siegesbeckia for the first time.Compounds 2-4,7-17 are first isolated from this plant.Compound 9 and 15 exhibit antioxidant activities.
9.Biomarkers Screening and Mechanisms Analysis of the Restraint Stress-Induced Myocardial Injury in Hyperlipidemia ApoE-/-Mice
Shang-Heng CHEN ; Sheng-Zhong DONG ; Zhi-Min WANG ; Guang-Hui HONG ; Xing YE ; Zi-Jie LIN ; Jun-Yi LIN ; Jie-Qing JIANG ; Shou-Yu WANG ; Han-Cheng LIN ; Yi-Wen SHEN
Journal of Forensic Medicine 2024;40(2):172-178
Objective To explore the biomarkers and potential mechanisms of chronic restraint stress-induced myocardial injury in hyperlipidemia ApoE-/-mice.Methods The hyperlipidemia combined with the chronic stress model was established by restraining the ApoE-/-mice.Proteomics and bioinformatics techniques were used to describe the characteristic molecular changes and related regulatory mechanisms of chronic stress-induced myocardial injury in hyperlipidemia mice and to explore potential diagnostic biomarkers.Results Proteomic analysis showed that there were 43 significantly up-regulated and 58 sig-nificantly down-regulated differentially expressed proteins in hyperlipidemia combined with the restraint stress group compared with the hyperlipidemia group.Among them,GBP2,TAOK3,TFR1 and UCP1 were biomarkers with great diagnostic potential.KEGG pathway enrichment analysis indicated that fer-roptosis was a significant pathway that accelerated the myocardial injury in hyperlipidemia combined with restraint stress-induced model.The mmu_circ_0001567/miR-7a/Tfr-1 and mmu_circ_0001042/miR-7a/Tfr-1 might be important circRNA-miRNA-mRNA regulatory networks related to ferroptosis in this model.Conclusion Chronic restraint stress may aggravate myocardial injury in hyperlipidemia mice via ferrop-tosis.Four potential biomarkers are selected for myocardial injury diagnosis,providing a new direction for sudden cardiac death(SCD)caused by hyperlipidemia combined with the restraint stress.
10.A multi-center epidemiological study on pneumococcal meningitis in children from 2019 to 2020
Cai-Yun WANG ; Hong-Mei XU ; Gang LIU ; Jing LIU ; Hui YU ; Bi-Quan CHEN ; Guo ZHENG ; Min SHU ; Li-Jun DU ; Zhi-Wei XU ; Li-Su HUANG ; Hai-Bo LI ; Dong WANG ; Song-Ting BAI ; Qing-Wen SHAN ; Chun-Hui ZHU ; Jian-Mei TIAN ; Jian-Hua HAO ; Ai-Wei LIN ; Dao-Jiong LIN ; Jin-Zhun WU ; Xin-Hua ZHANG ; Qing CAO ; Zhong-Bin TAO ; Yuan CHEN ; Guo-Long ZHU ; Ping XUE ; Zheng-Zhen TANG ; Xue-Wen SU ; Zheng-Hai QU ; Shi-Yong ZHAO ; Lin PANG ; Hui-Ling DENG ; Sai-Nan SHU ; Ying-Hu CHEN
Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics 2024;26(2):131-138
Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of pneumococcal meningitis(PM),and drug sensitivity of Streptococcus pneumoniae(SP)isolates in Chinese children.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on clinical information,laboratory data,and microbiological data of 160 hospitalized children under 15 years old with PM from January 2019 to December 2020 in 33 tertiary hospitals across the country.Results Among the 160 children with PM,there were 103 males and 57 females.The age ranged from 15 days to 15 years,with 109 cases(68.1% )aged 3 months to under 3 years.SP strains were isolated from 95 cases(59.4% )in cerebrospinal fluid cultures and from 57 cases(35.6% )in blood cultures.The positive rates of SP detection by cerebrospinal fluid metagenomic next-generation sequencing and cerebrospinal fluid SP antigen testing were 40% (35/87)and 27% (21/78),respectively.Fifty-five cases(34.4% )had one or more risk factors for purulent meningitis,113 cases(70.6% )had one or more extra-cranial infectious foci,and 18 cases(11.3% )had underlying diseases.The most common clinical symptoms were fever(147 cases,91.9% ),followed by lethargy(98 cases,61.3% )and vomiting(61 cases,38.1% ).Sixty-nine cases(43.1% )experienced intracranial complications during hospitalization,with subdural effusion and/or empyema being the most common complication[43 cases(26.9% )],followed by hydrocephalus in 24 cases(15.0% ),brain abscess in 23 cases(14.4% ),and cerebral hemorrhage in 8 cases(5.0% ).Subdural effusion and/or empyema and hydrocephalus mainly occurred in children under 1 year old,with rates of 91% (39/43)and 83% (20/24),respectively.SP strains exhibited complete sensitivity to vancomycin(100% ,75/75),linezolid(100% ,56/56),and meropenem(100% ,6/6).High sensitivity rates were also observed for levofloxacin(81% ,22/27),moxifloxacin(82% ,14/17),rifampicin(96% ,25/26),and chloramphenicol(91% ,21/23).However,low sensitivity rates were found for penicillin(16% ,11/68)and clindamycin(6% ,1/17),and SP strains were completely resistant to erythromycin(100% ,31/31).The rates of discharge with cure and improvement were 22.5% (36/160)and 66.2% (106/160),respectively,while 18 cases(11.3% )had adverse outcomes.Conclusions Pediatric PM is more common in children aged 3 months to under 3 years.Intracranial complications are more frequently observed in children under 1 year old.Fever is the most common clinical manifestation of PM,and subdural effusion/emphysema and hydrocephalus are the most frequent complications.Non-culture detection methods for cerebrospinal fluid can improve pathogen detection rates.Adverse outcomes can be noted in more than 10% of PM cases.SP strains are high sensitivity to vancomycin,linezolid,meropenem,levofloxacin,moxifloxacin,rifampicin,and chloramphenicol.[Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics,2024,26(2):131-138]

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