1.Traditional Chinese Medicine Prevents and Treats Ulcerative Colitis via TLR4/NF-κB Signaling Pathway: A Review
Xi CUI ; Wenke DU ; Xing SHEN ; Cuicui LIU ; Rui ZHAI ; Hanghang LI ; Shuxun SHI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(21):284-294
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease primarily affecting the colon and rectum. With a rising incidence, UC has aroused an increasingly serious public health concern. The etiology and pathogenesis of UC are complex, involving genetic susceptibility, intestinal barrier dysfunction, immune dysregulation, and environmental factors such as diet, smoking, and infection. Current UC therapies face limitations including persistent drug resistance, multiple side effects, and compromised immune function, necessitating the exploration of novel intervention strategies. In recent years, with the continuous advancement of research into UC mechanisms, the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway has been revealved as one of the classical pathways involved in inflammation. Being crucial for maintaining intestinal homeostasis, this pathway regulates inflammatory and immune responses by controlling gene transcription, thereby playing a significant role in the occurrence and progression of UC. However, systematic summarization within this field remains lacking. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) possesses unique advantages through its multi-target, multi-pathway, and multi-mechanism approaches, being capable of curbing the pathological progression of UC by targeting key molecules in the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. This paper systematically summarizes the mechanisms by which TLR4/NF-κB-related pathways regulate UC, primarily encompassing inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, immune balance, and gut microbiota. It reviews single herbs (e.g., Rosa roxburghii root and Saposhnikoviae Radix), active components (e.g., resveratrol, Tripterygium glycosides, and gypenosides), herbal extracts (e.g., Zingiberis Rhizoma extract and Taraxaci Herba extract), and compound formulas for clearing heat and removing dampness, invigorating the spleen and warming the kidneys, clearing heat and detoxifying, harmonizing the liver and spleen, and treating cold and heat in complexity (e.g., Huaihua Powder, Shenling Baizhu Powder, and Jiedu Huayu Formula). The aim is to fully leverage the advantages of TCM in UC treatment and provide novel insights for clinical and pharmacological research on UC.
2.Traditional Chinese Medicine Prevents and Treats Ulcerative Colitis via TLR4/NF-κB Signaling Pathway: A Review
Xi CUI ; Wenke DU ; Xing SHEN ; Cuicui LIU ; Rui ZHAI ; Hanghang LI ; Shuxun SHI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(21):284-294
Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory bowel disease primarily affecting the colon and rectum. With a rising incidence, UC has aroused an increasingly serious public health concern. The etiology and pathogenesis of UC are complex, involving genetic susceptibility, intestinal barrier dysfunction, immune dysregulation, and environmental factors such as diet, smoking, and infection. Current UC therapies face limitations including persistent drug resistance, multiple side effects, and compromised immune function, necessitating the exploration of novel intervention strategies. In recent years, with the continuous advancement of research into UC mechanisms, the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) signaling pathway has been revealved as one of the classical pathways involved in inflammation. Being crucial for maintaining intestinal homeostasis, this pathway regulates inflammatory and immune responses by controlling gene transcription, thereby playing a significant role in the occurrence and progression of UC. However, systematic summarization within this field remains lacking. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) possesses unique advantages through its multi-target, multi-pathway, and multi-mechanism approaches, being capable of curbing the pathological progression of UC by targeting key molecules in the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. This paper systematically summarizes the mechanisms by which TLR4/NF-κB-related pathways regulate UC, primarily encompassing inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, immune balance, and gut microbiota. It reviews single herbs (e.g., Rosa roxburghii root and Saposhnikoviae Radix), active components (e.g., resveratrol, Tripterygium glycosides, and gypenosides), herbal extracts (e.g., Zingiberis Rhizoma extract and Taraxaci Herba extract), and compound formulas for clearing heat and removing dampness, invigorating the spleen and warming the kidneys, clearing heat and detoxifying, harmonizing the liver and spleen, and treating cold and heat in complexity (e.g., Huaihua Powder, Shenling Baizhu Powder, and Jiedu Huayu Formula). The aim is to fully leverage the advantages of TCM in UC treatment and provide novel insights for clinical and pharmacological research on UC.
3.A cross-lagged analysis on relationship between adaptability and insomnia symptoms in college students
Keshun ZHANG ; Runjie JIANG ; Wenke LIU
Chinese Mental Health Journal 2025;39(4):373-377
Objective:To explore the bidirectional relationship between adaptability and insomnia symptoms in college students.Methods:A longitudinal study was conducted across three phases over a span of two years,invol-ving a sample of 13 861 students from a comprehensive university in Shandong Province.The Adaptability Scale(APAS)and the Insomnia Symptoms Scale(ISI)were used to measure adaptability and insomnia symptoms,re-spectively.A latent variable structural equation model was applied to assess the cross-lagged associations between a-daptability and insomnia symptoms over time.Results:The Baseline APAS scores negatively predicted the ISI scores one year later(β=-0.05,P<0.001),and the APAS scores at one year negatively predicted the ISI scores at the two-year mark(β=-0.04,P<0.001).Similarly,the baseline ISI scores negatively predicted the APAS scores one year later(β=-0.06,P<0.001),and the ISI scores at one year negatively predicted the APAS scores two years later(β=-0.03,P<0.01).Conclusion:The study demonstrates that adaptability helps prevent insom-nia symptoms in students,while insomnia negatively impacts students'adaptability.
4.Emerging evidence of inter-organ interaction on drug transporters under liver injury.
Ling JIANG ; Ying DENG ; Ruijing MU ; Wenke FENG ; Xiaonan LIU ; Li LIU
Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines (English Ed.) 2025;23(6):687-699
Dysfunction of drug transporters significantly affects therapeutic outcomes and drug efficacy in patients with liver injury. Clinical and experimental evidence demonstrates that liver injury involves complex inter-organ interactions among the brain, eye, liver, intestine, and kidney. Recent advances in basic and clinical research have illuminated the physiologic and molecular mechanisms underlying transporter alterations in liver injury, particularly those associated with bilirubin, reactive oxygen species, ammonia, bile acid, and inflammatory factors. Notably, the influence of these transporter modifications on drug pharmacokinetics in liver injury patients remains inadequately understood. Additional research is necessary to fully comprehend these effects and their therapeutic implications. The documented alterations of transporters in distant organs across various liver diseases indicate that dosage modifications may be required when administering transporter-substrate drugs, including both traditional Chinese and Western medicines, to patients with liver dysfunction. This strategy helps maintain drug concentrations within therapeutic ranges while reducing adverse reactions. Furthermore, when utilizing transporter inducers or inhibitors clinically, consideration of their long-term effects on transporters and subsequent therapeutic impact is essential. Careful attention must be paid to avoid compromising the elimination of toxic metabolites and proteins when inhibiting these transporters. Similarly, prudent use of inducers or inducer-type therapeutic drugs is necessary to prevent enhanced drug resistance. This review examines recent clinical and experimental findings regarding the inter-organ interaction of drug transporters in liver injury conditions and their clinical relevance.
Humans
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Liver/drug effects*
;
Animals
;
Chemical and Drug Induced Liver Injury/metabolism*
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Membrane Transport Proteins/metabolism*
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Biological Transport
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Liver Diseases/drug therapy*
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Pharmaceutical Preparations/metabolism*
5.Susceptibility and severity of diabetic retinopathy:a study based on interac-tion between TIR and miR-2245P
Yuanhong ZHANG ; Wenke JIANG ; Guofeng LI ; Dejie LIU
Recent Advances in Ophthalmology 2025;45(2):135-139
Objective To investigate the effects of time in range(TIR)and microRNA-2245P(miR-2245P)interac-tions on the susceptibility and severity of diabetic retinopathy(DR)in the target range of glucose.Methods A prospec-tive study was conducted on 259 patients with DR(DR group)and 259 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM group)admitted to the Ophthalmology Department of Yantai Yeda Hospital from April 2022 to June 2024.TIR and miR-2245P were compared between the two groups,and the multivariate Logistic analysis was used to identify the factors associated with DR susceptibility.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to evaluate the predictive value of TIR,miR-2245 P,and their combination for DR.The interaction coefficient γ was used to analyze the effect of the interaction between TIR and miR-2245P on DR susceptibility.The Spearman correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation of TIR and miR-2245P with DR staging.Results The TIR and miR-2245P levels in the DR group were lower than those in the T2DM group(both P<0.05).The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that Logit(P)=0.083-0.470 × TIR-0.584 × miR-2245P,high levels of TIR and miR-2245P were independent protective factors of DR susceptibility(all P<0.05).The areas under the ROC curve(AUC)of TIR,miR-2245P,and their combination for predicting DR were 0.76,0.79,and 0.91,respectively.The AUC of TIR combined with miR-2245P was greater than that of TIR and miR-2245P(both P<0.05).The interaction analysis showed that the OR values of DR caused by low levels of TIR and miR-2245P alone were 2.05 and 1.92,respectively.The OR value of the interaction between TIR and miR-2245P was 10.69,greater than the prod-uct of OR values of TIR and miR-2245P alone.It indicates that the effect of the interaction of TIR and miR-2245P on suscep-tibility to DR is a super-multiplication model.The interaction coefficient was γ=3.31>1,indicating a positive relationship of the interaction between the two factors with DR susceptibility.The Spearman correlation analysis showed that TIR and miR-2245P were negatively correlated with DR staging(both P<0.001).Conclusion Both TIR and miR-2245P are asso-ciated with DR and its severity,and they have interactive effects on DR susceptibility.Combined detection can improve the predictive value of DR.This study provides a new idea and target for the prevention and treatment of DR.
6.A cross-lagged analysis on relationship between adaptability and insomnia symptoms in college students
Keshun ZHANG ; Runjie JIANG ; Wenke LIU
Chinese Mental Health Journal 2025;39(4):373-377
Objective:To explore the bidirectional relationship between adaptability and insomnia symptoms in college students.Methods:A longitudinal study was conducted across three phases over a span of two years,invol-ving a sample of 13 861 students from a comprehensive university in Shandong Province.The Adaptability Scale(APAS)and the Insomnia Symptoms Scale(ISI)were used to measure adaptability and insomnia symptoms,re-spectively.A latent variable structural equation model was applied to assess the cross-lagged associations between a-daptability and insomnia symptoms over time.Results:The Baseline APAS scores negatively predicted the ISI scores one year later(β=-0.05,P<0.001),and the APAS scores at one year negatively predicted the ISI scores at the two-year mark(β=-0.04,P<0.001).Similarly,the baseline ISI scores negatively predicted the APAS scores one year later(β=-0.06,P<0.001),and the ISI scores at one year negatively predicted the APAS scores two years later(β=-0.03,P<0.01).Conclusion:The study demonstrates that adaptability helps prevent insom-nia symptoms in students,while insomnia negatively impacts students'adaptability.
7.Susceptibility and severity of diabetic retinopathy:a study based on interac-tion between TIR and miR-2245P
Yuanhong ZHANG ; Wenke JIANG ; Guofeng LI ; Dejie LIU
Recent Advances in Ophthalmology 2025;45(2):135-139
Objective To investigate the effects of time in range(TIR)and microRNA-2245P(miR-2245P)interac-tions on the susceptibility and severity of diabetic retinopathy(DR)in the target range of glucose.Methods A prospec-tive study was conducted on 259 patients with DR(DR group)and 259 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM group)admitted to the Ophthalmology Department of Yantai Yeda Hospital from April 2022 to June 2024.TIR and miR-2245P were compared between the two groups,and the multivariate Logistic analysis was used to identify the factors associated with DR susceptibility.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to evaluate the predictive value of TIR,miR-2245 P,and their combination for DR.The interaction coefficient γ was used to analyze the effect of the interaction between TIR and miR-2245P on DR susceptibility.The Spearman correlation analysis was used to evaluate the correlation of TIR and miR-2245P with DR staging.Results The TIR and miR-2245P levels in the DR group were lower than those in the T2DM group(both P<0.05).The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that Logit(P)=0.083-0.470 × TIR-0.584 × miR-2245P,high levels of TIR and miR-2245P were independent protective factors of DR susceptibility(all P<0.05).The areas under the ROC curve(AUC)of TIR,miR-2245P,and their combination for predicting DR were 0.76,0.79,and 0.91,respectively.The AUC of TIR combined with miR-2245P was greater than that of TIR and miR-2245P(both P<0.05).The interaction analysis showed that the OR values of DR caused by low levels of TIR and miR-2245P alone were 2.05 and 1.92,respectively.The OR value of the interaction between TIR and miR-2245P was 10.69,greater than the prod-uct of OR values of TIR and miR-2245P alone.It indicates that the effect of the interaction of TIR and miR-2245P on suscep-tibility to DR is a super-multiplication model.The interaction coefficient was γ=3.31>1,indicating a positive relationship of the interaction between the two factors with DR susceptibility.The Spearman correlation analysis showed that TIR and miR-2245P were negatively correlated with DR staging(both P<0.001).Conclusion Both TIR and miR-2245P are asso-ciated with DR and its severity,and they have interactive effects on DR susceptibility.Combined detection can improve the predictive value of DR.This study provides a new idea and target for the prevention and treatment of DR.
8.Progress of IL-21 and Tfh Mediated Immunotherapy in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer
LIU XINGKAI ; ZHANG YIFAN ; ZHANG XIN ; HE GONGHAO ; CAI WENKE
Chinese Journal of Lung Cancer 2024;27(7):550-558
Non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC)is a prevalent and aggressive global malignancy.Conventional sur-gical treatments,radiotherapy,chemotherapy,and targeted therapies often fall short in halting disease progression due to inher-ent limitations,resulting in suboptimal prognosis.Despite the advent of immunotherapy drugs offering new hope for NSCLC treatment,current efficacy remains insufficient to meet all patient needs.Therefore,actively exploring novel immunotherapeu-tic approaches to further reduce mortality rates in NSCLC patients has become a crucial focus of NSCLC research.This article aims to systematically review the anti-tumor effects ofinterleukin-21 and follicular helper T cells in NSCLC immunotherapy by summarizing and analyzing relevant literatures from both domestic and international sources,as well as exploring the potential for enhancing NSCLC treatment prospects through immune checkpoint regulation via immunotherapeutic means.
9.Protocol for the Traditional Chinese Medicine Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines for Children with Upper Airway cough Syndrome
Lingyun ZHANG ; Xiyou WANG ; Daxin LIU ; Qiang HE ; Xuefeng WANG ; Xun LI ; Yutong FEI ; Yi XIAO ; Xiaoxue LAN ; Yuanwen LIANG ; Xiaoxuan LIN ; Rong ZHOU ; Sirui GU ; Ying ZHANG ; Yue WANG ; Xingzhu YE ; Wenke LIU ; Hong CHEN ; Changhe YU
International Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;46(8):961-966
In order to standardize the clinical diagnosis and treatment of upper airway cough syndrome (UACS) for children in China, Dongzhimen Hospital of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine initiated the development of this Traditional Chinese Medicine Diagnosis and Treatment Guidelines for Children with Upper Airway cough Syndrome based on evidence-based medical evidence. This guideline will process registration, write a plan, and develop relevant processes and writing norms, develop and publish official documents. This plan mainly introduces the scope of the guidelines, the purpose and significance, the composition of the guidelines working group, the management of conflicts of interest, the collection, selection and determination of clinical problems, the retrieval, screening and rating of evidence, and the consensus of recommendations. Registration information: This study has been registered in the international practice guidelines registry platform with the registration code of PREPARE-2023CN087.
10.Clinical features and initial outcomes in elderly patients with idiopathic membranous nephropathy
Jinxiu LIANG ; Fangxiao XIA ; Wenke HAO ; Wenxue HU ; Yanhua WU ; Feng YU ; Zhi ZHAO ; Wei LIU
Chinese Journal of Geriatrics 2024;43(2):168-174
Objective:The purpose of this study was to examine the clinical features and initial treatment outcomes of elderly individuals with idiopathic membranous nephropathy.Methods:This study retrospectively analyzed the clinical characteristics and therapeutic effect of hospitalized patients aged 60 years or older with renal-biopsy-proven idiopathic membranous nephropathy for at least one year.Results:This study enrolled a total of 91 elderly patients with IMN, consisting of 51 males(56.0%)and 40 females(44.0%). The median age of the patients was 67 years.The urinary protein creatinine ratio(uPCR)and urinary albumin creatinine ratio(uACR)of the patients were 4 454.3 mg/g and 2 258.5 mg/g, respectively.The median 24-hour urinary protein and urinary albumin levels were 5 098.2 mg/24 h and 2 800.6 mg/24 h, respectively.The average estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR)was(60.5±20.4)ml·min -1·1.73 m -2.Out of the total of 61 patients, 67.0% achieved remission, including complete and partial remission, within a year of renal biopsy.The levels of uPCR and uACR were significantly higher in the non-remission group compared to the remission group(5 462.5 vs.2 271.1 mg/g, P<0.001; 2 774.4 vs.1 320.0 mg/g, P=0.001). Additionally, the levels of 24h urinary protein and urinary albumin were significantly higher in the non-remission group compared to the remission group(6 526.4 vs.3 210.4 mg/g, P=0.002; 3 067.7 vs.2 102.4 mg/g, P=0.007). The remission group had a higher proportion of patients receiving immunosuppressive therapy(85.2% vs.33.3%, P<0.001). The remission rates were higher in patients treated with glucocorticoid combined with cyclophosphamide, glucocorticoid combined with calcineurin inhibitors, or glucocorticoid combined with mycophenolate mofetil compared to those receiving conservative treatment(88.2% vs.31.0%, P=0.001; 80.0% vs.31.0%, P<0.001; 100.0% vs.31.0%, P=0.007). There was no significant difference in remission rate between the three immunosuppressive therapy groups( P>0.05). However, upon further analysis, it was found that the levels of uPCR, uACR, and serum cystatin C(CysC)were higher in the immunosuppressive therapy groups compared to conservative treatment.Additionally, serum total protein and albumin were lower in the immunosuppressive therapy groups, and these differences were statistically significant( P<0.05). Conclusions:The majority of elderly patients diagnosed with IMN have multiple comorbidities.For those at high risk with elevated urinary protein levels, early initiation of immunosuppressive therapy may lead to a higher initial urinary protein remission rate.Therefore, it is advisable to develop individualized treatment plans for elderly patients with IMN based on their clinical characteristics, as well as the risks and benefits associated with immunosuppressive therapy.

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