1.Primary Cilium-mediated Mechano-metabolic Coupling: Cross-system Homeostatic Regulation of The Nervous, Bone, Vascular, and Renal Systems
Liang-Chen DUAN ; Hao-Liang HU ; Shu-Zhi WANG ; Jia-Long YAN ; Lin-Xi CHEN
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(3):577-592
Primary cilia—those solitary, microtubule-based projections extending from the surface of most eukaryotic cells—are increasingly recognized not merely as cellular appendages, but as sophisticated signaling hubs. By compartmentalizing specific receptors (e.g., GPCRs) and effectors within a microdomain guarded by the transition zone, these organelles function effectively as high-gain sensors capable of integrating mechanical stimuli with metabolic cues. In this review, we examine the pivotal role of primary cilia across the nervous, bone-vascular, and renal landscapes, arguing for a unified “mechano-metabolic coupling” framework. Here, conserved ciliary modules are not static; rather, they are differentially deployed to uphold systemic homeostasis. Within the central nervous system, we position primary cilia as upstream integrators. We highlight how hypothalamic neuronal cilia concentrate metabolic receptors, such as the melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R), to interpret energy status. Moreover, the recent identification of serotonergic “axon-cilium synapses” points to a direct mode of neurotransmission, wherein 5-HT6 receptors drive nuclear signaling and chromatin accessibility to rapidly modulate gene expression. Through these mechanisms, central cilia modulate sympathetic tone and neuroendocrine output, effectively establishing the mechanical and metabolic “boundary conditions” under which peripheral organs operate. Dysfunction in these central hubs is linked to obesity and neurodevelopmental disorders, including Bardet-Biedl syndrome. In peripheral tissues, cilia serve as versatile mechanotransducers that convert physical forces into biochemical responses. Regarding the bone-vascular system, we discuss the translation of mechanical loads and fluid shear stress into structural remodeling. In osteoblasts, specifically, ciliary integrity is intrinsically linked to cholesterol and glucose metabolism, fine-tuning the balance between Hedgehog and Wnt/β-catenin signaling to govern osteogenesis and bone repair. A similar dynamic exists in the vasculature, where endothelial cilia sense shear stress to modulate KLF4 expression and endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition—processes critical for valvulogenesis and vascular remodeling. Meanwhile, in the kidney, tubular cilia act as terminal effectors within a “shear-cilia-metabolism” axis. Here, fluid shear stress engages ciliary signaling to trigger AMPK-mediated lipophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis, thereby securing the ATP supply required for solute transport. Notably, dysregulation of this axis leads to metabolic reprogramming and aberrant proliferation, acting as a hallmark driver of cystogenesis in polycystic kidney disease (PKD). Crucially, this review attempts to dissect the often-conflated logic of cross-system integration by distinguishing 3 non-equivalent pathways: direct communication via ciliary extracellular vesicles, though this remains largely hypothetical in long-range signaling; “physiology-mediated cascades”, where ciliary dysfunction in a single organ—such as the kidney—precipitates systemic pathology through hemodynamic and metabolic shifts (e.g., altered blood pressure, fluid volume, or uremic toxins); and “parallel molecular defects”, where shared genetic mutations in ubiquitous components like the IFT machinery cause simultaneous, independent failures across multiple organ systems. Building on these distinctions, we propose a nested-loop model that links central set-points with peripheral feedback via physiological variables. Furthermore, we construct a “causality-to-translation” roadmap that pinpoints structural repair (e.g., targeting IFT assembly) and metabolic rescue (e.g., AMPK activation or autophagy induction) as promising therapeutic avenues. Ultimately, this framework provides a theoretical basis for deciphering the shared pathological mechanisms of multisystem ciliopathies, offering a strategic guide for the development of targeted interventions that go beyond symptomatic treatment.
2.The constituent elements, experiences, and popularization significance of the palliative care model of integrated elderly care and medical services
Zehuan HUANG ; Mengdong XIN ; Lidan QI ; Long ZHAO ; Minyu WANG ; Lu QIN ; Zhenhua LU ; Zhao LI ; Yue HE ; Xi ZENG
Chinese Medical Ethics 2025;38(7):914-923
Under the trend of increasing aging, integrated elderly care and medical services is an important measure to optimize the supply of elderly care services and promote the good death of the elderly. Using the cooperative production theory and the classical grounded theory, a qualitative analysis was conducted on 38 cases of elderly palliative care and 25 cases of hospital-based palliative care under the integrated elderly care and medical services model from a hospital in Nanning City using Nvivo 20.0 software. This paper found that the integrated elderly care and medical services mode emphasized the deep integration of medical and elderly care services by integrating resources and improving service efficiency, to achieve the basic experience of comprehensive health care for the elderly. The promotion of these experiences has a positive significance for building a multi-agent cooperative production system, strengthening personnel training, perfecting the performance distribution mechanism, and further promoting the development of the national palliative care pilot.
3.Mechanism of Guben Jiannao Liquid on Alzheimer's disease by regulating autophagy based on LKB1/AMPK/mTOR pathway.
Jing-Fan ZHANG ; Qing-Hua LONG ; Chu-Hua ZENG ; Yi-Min CHEN ; Zhe-Yao XIE ; Yuan-Qin CAI ; Xi WANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(2):293-300
This study explores the mechanism of Guben Jiannao Liquid on Alzheimer's disease(AD) by regulating autophagy based on the liver kinase B1(LKB1)/adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase(AMPK)/mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR) pathway. Male SD rats were randomly divided into the blank group, model group, low-dose and high-dose groups of Guben Jiannao Liquid, and rapamycin group, with 10 rats in each group. Except for the blank group, all other groups of rats were injected bilaterally in the hippocampus with β-amyloid(Aβ)_(1-42) to establish the AD model. The low-dose(6.21 g·kg~(-1)) and high-dose(12.42 g·kg~(-1)) groups of Guben Jiannao Liquid and rapamycin group(1 mg·kg~(-1)) were given the corresponding drugs by gavage, and the blank and model groups were given an equal volume of saline by gavage for four weeks. Morris water maze was used to test the learning and memory ability of rats in each group; hematoxylin-eosin(HE) and Nissl staining were used to observe the morphological and quantitative changes of neurons and Nissl bodies in the CA1 region of rat hippocampus; immunohistochemistry was utilized to detect Aβ-positive cell expression in the CA1 region of rat hippocampus; transmission electron microscopy was employed to observe ultrastructural changes in rat hippocampal tissue, and Western blot was used to examine the protein expression levels of LKB1, p-AMPK/AMPK, p-mTOR/mTOR, Beclin1, p62, and LC3-Ⅱ in the hippocampal tissue of the rats. The results showed that compared with those in the blank group, rats in the model group had elevated evasion latency and decreased number of platform transversal and residence time in the platform quadrant. The number of neurons in the hippocampal area was reduced, and the morphology was impaired. The average integral optical density value of Aβ-positive cells was elevated; the expression levels of LKB1, p-AMPK/AMPK, Beclin1, and LC3-Ⅱ were decreased, and the expression levels of p-mTOR/mTOR and p62 were increased. Compared with those in the model group, rats in the low-dose and high-dose groups of Guben Jiannao Liquid had shorter evasion latency, higher number of platform transversal, longer residence time in the platform quadrant, increased number of neurons, decreased expression of Aβ-positive cells and average integral optical density values, and increased number of autophagic lysosomes in hippocampal tissue. The expression levels of LKB1, Beclin1, and LC3-Ⅱ were elevated in the hippocampus of rats in the low-dose group of Guben Jiannao Liquid. The expression levels of LKB1, p-AMPK/AMPK, Beclin1, and LC3-Ⅱ were elevated in the hippocampal tissue of rats in the high-dose group of Guben Jiannao Liquid, and the expression levels of p-mTOR/mTOR and p62 were decreased. The findings suggest that Guben Jiannao Liquid can improve cognitive impairment in AD rats, and its mechanism of action may be related to the activation of the LKB1/AMPK/mTOR signaling pathway and the up-regulation of autophagy level.
Animals
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Alzheimer Disease/physiopathology*
;
Male
;
TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/genetics*
;
Autophagy/drug effects*
;
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
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Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases/genetics*
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AMP-Activated Protein Kinases/genetics*
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Rats
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage*
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Signal Transduction/drug effects*
;
AMP-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases
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Humans
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Hippocampus/metabolism*
4.Congrong San ameliorates cognitive impairment and neuroinflammation in rat model of Alzheimer's disease by alleviating endoplasmic reticulum stress to inhibit NLRP3 inflammasome activation.
Yuan-Qin CAI ; Yang XIANG ; Qing-Hua LONG ; Xi WANG ; Chu-Hua ZENG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(7):1881-1888
This study aims to investigate the effect of Congrong San(CRS) on endoplasmic reticulum stress-induced neuroinflammation in the rat model of Aβ_(1-42)-induced Alzheimer's disease(AD). Sixty male Sprague-Dawley rats(2 months old) were randomized into blank(CON), model(MOD), low-dose Congrong San(L-CRS), medium-dose Congrong San(M-CRS), high-dose Congrong San(H-CRS), and memantine hydrochloride(MJG) groups. The Morris water maze test was carried out to examine the learning and memory abilities of rats in each group. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and Nissl staining were employed to observe the morphology and number of CA1 neurons in the hippocampus of rats in each group. The morphology and structure of the endoplasmic reticulum in the hippocampus were observed by transmission electron microscopy. The immunofluorescence assay was employed to detect the expression of 78 kDa glucose-regulated protein(GRP78) in the hippocampus. Western blot was employed to determine the expression of apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a CARD(ASC), cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase(caspase-1), interleukin-18(IL-18), interleukin-1β(IL-1β), GRP78, and pathway proteins including protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase(PERK), phosphorylated PERK(p-PERK), C/EBP homologous protein(CHOP), and NOD-like receptor pyrin domain-containing protein 3(NLRP3) in the rat hippocampus. Compared with the MOD group, the M-CRS and H-CRS groups showed improved learning and memory abilities, reduced neuron losses in the hippocampus, alleviated endoplasmic reticulum stress, inhibited PERK-CHOP-NLRP3 pathway, and lowered levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α). The results suggest that CRS can alleviate cognitive impairment and hippocampal neuron damage and reduce neuroinflammation in AD rats by alleviating endoplasmic reticulum stress to inhibit the activation of NLRP3 inflammasomes.
Animals
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Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress/drug effects*
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Male
;
Alzheimer Disease/psychology*
;
NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/metabolism*
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Rats, Sprague-Dawley
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Rats
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Inflammasomes/genetics*
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage*
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Cognitive Dysfunction/metabolism*
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Disease Models, Animal
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Hippocampus/drug effects*
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Humans
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Neuroinflammatory Diseases/drug therapy*
5.Research progress on interactions between medicinal plants and microorganisms.
Er-Jun WANG ; Ya-Long ZHANG ; Xiao-Hui MA ; Hua-Qian GONG ; Shao-Yang XI ; Gao-Sen ZHANG ; Ling JIN
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(12):3267-3280
The interactions between microorganisms and medicinal plants are crucial to the quality improvement of medicinal plants. Medicinal plants attract microorganisms to colonize by secreting specific compounds and provide niche and nutrient support for these microorganisms, with a symbiotic network formed. These microorganisms grow in the rhizosphere, phyllosphere, and endophytic tissues of plants and significantly improve the growth performance and medicinal component accumulation of medicinal plants by promoting nutrient uptake, enhancing disease resistance, and regulating the synthesis of secondary metabolites. Microorganisms are also widely used in the ecological planting of medicinal plants, and the growth conditions of medicinal plants are optimized by simulating the microbial effects in the natural environment. The interactions between microorganisms and medicinal plants not only significantly improve the yield and quality of medicinal plants but also enhance their geoherbalism, which is in line with the concept of green agriculture and eco-friendly development. This study reviewed the research results on the interactions between medicinal plants and microorganisms in recent years and focused on the analysis of the great potential of microorganisms in optimizing the growth environment of medicinal plants, regulating the accumulation of secondary metabolites, inducing systemic resistance, and promoting the ecological planting of medicinal plants. It provides a scientific basis for the research on the interactions between medicinal plants and microorganisms, the research and development of microbial agents, and the application of microorganisms in the ecological planting of medicinal plants and is of great significance for the quality improvement of medicinal plants and the green and sustainable development of TCM resources.
Plants, Medicinal/metabolism*
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Bacteria/genetics*
;
Symbiosis
6.Ablation of macrophage transcriptional factor FoxO1 protects against ischemia-reperfusion injury-induced acute kidney injury.
Yao HE ; Xue YANG ; Chenyu ZHANG ; Min DENG ; Bin TU ; Qian LIU ; Jiaying CAI ; Ying ZHANG ; Li SU ; Zhiwen YANG ; Hongfeng XU ; Zhongyuan ZHENG ; Qun MA ; Xi WANG ; Xuejun LI ; Linlin LI ; Long ZHANG ; Yongzhuo HUANG ; Lu TIE
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(6):3107-3124
Acute kidney injury (AKI) has high morbidity and mortality, but effective clinical drugs and management are lacking. Previous studies have suggested that macrophages play a crucial role in the inflammatory response to AKI and may serve as potential therapeutic targets. Emerging evidence has highlighted the importance of forkhead box protein O1 (FoxO1) in mediating macrophage activation and polarization in various diseases, but the specific mechanisms by which FoxO1 regulates macrophages during AKI remain unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the role of FoxO1 in macrophages in the pathogenesis of AKI. We observed a significant upregulation of FoxO1 in kidney macrophages following ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Additionally, our findings demonstrated that the administration of FoxO1 inhibitor AS1842856-encapsulated liposome (AS-Lipo), mainly acting on macrophages, effectively mitigated renal injury induced by I/R injury in mice. By generating myeloid-specific FoxO1-knockout mice, we further observed that the deficiency of FoxO1 in myeloid cells protected against I/R injury-induced AKI. Furthermore, our study provided evidence of FoxO1's pivotal role in macrophage chemotaxis, inflammation, and migration. Moreover, the impact of FoxO1 on the regulation of macrophage migration was mediated through RhoA guanine nucleotide exchange factor 1 (ARHGEF1), indicating that ARHGEF1 may serve as a potential intermediary between FoxO1 and the activity of the RhoA pathway. Consequently, our findings propose that FoxO1 plays a crucial role as a mediator and biomarker in the context of AKI. Targeting macrophage FoxO1 pharmacologically could potentially offer a promising therapeutic approach for AKI.
7.Association between PM 2.5 Chemical Constituents and Preterm Birth: The Undeniable Role of Preconception H19 Gene Variation.
Ya Long WANG ; Pan Pan SUN ; Xin Ying WANG ; Jun Xi ZHANG ; Xiang Yu YU ; Jian CHAI ; Ruo DU ; Wen Yi LIU ; Fang Fang YU ; Yue BA ; Guo Yu ZHOU
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2025;38(8):1016-1022
8.Association between dietary behavior and type 2 diabetes in the older adults aged 65 years and over in 18 longevity areas of China
Xuehua HU ; Yue CHEN ; Zenghang ZHANG ; Chen CHEN ; Yingli QU ; Xi MENG ; Jun WANG ; Zinan XU ; Zheng LI ; Sixin LIU ; Wenhui SHI ; Zhanhong XUE ; Fanye LONG ; Xiaoming SHI ; Yuebin LYU
Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;59(5):588-596
Objective:To explore the impact of plant and animal dietary behaviors on type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in older adults aged ≥65 in 18 longevity areas of China.Methods:The subjects were 5 223 older adults over 65 years old from the Healthy Ageing and Biomarkers Cohort Study (HABCS) in 18 longevity areas in China. Through a questionnaire survey and physical examination, information about their demographic characteristics, lifestyles, daily activities, self-health status, current diseases, and fasting venous blood were collected. Food Frequency and Questionnaire (FFQ) was used to collect data on food intake frequency. Based on the prior method, the plant-based diet index (PDI) and animal-based diet index (ADI) of 5 223 older adults were calculated. Subjects were divided into three groups (low-level group: PDI<39 or ADI<31, middle-level group: 39≤PDI≤42 or 31≤ADI≤34, high-level group: PDI>42 or ADI>34) by tertiles of PDI and ADI. Multivariate logistic regression was used to analyze the association between PDI and ADI and the risk of T2DM.Results:The average age of 5 223 subjects was (84.8±11.5) years, with the median ( Q1, Q3) of PDI about 41(38, 43) and the median ( Q1, Q3) of ADI about 33 (30, 35). The prevalence rate of T2DM was 16.41% (857/5 223). After adjusting for covariates, multivariate logistic regression showed that PDI was negatively associated with T2DM. Compared with the low-level group, the OR (95% CI) for T2DM in the high-level group was 0.83 (0.69-0.99). ADI was positively associated with T2DM, and compared with the low-level group, the OR (95% CI) for T2DM in the high-level group was 1.28 (1.06-1.55). For every one-point increase in PDI and ADI, the risk of T2DM decreased by 2% and increased by 3%, respectively, with the OR (95% CI) of 0.98 (0.96-1.00) and 1.03 (1.01-1.06), respectively. Conclusion:In Chinese older adults ≥65 years in 18 longevity areas, higher adherence to the plant-based behavior may be negatively associated with the risk of T2DM, while higher adherence to the animal-based behavior may be positively associated with the risk of T2DM.
9.Effects of Congrong San on neuronal apoptosis and Bax/Bcl-2/Caspase3 signaling pathway in a rat model of Alzheimer's disease
Yuan-qin CAI ; Yang XIANG ; Qing-hua LONG ; Xi WANG ; Jing-fan ZHANG ; Chu-hua ZENG
Chinese Traditional Patent Medicine 2025;47(4):1122-1128
AIM To investigate the effects of Congrong San on neuronal apoptosis and the Bax/Bcl-2/Caspase3 signaling pathway in a rat model of Alzheimer's disease(AD).METHODS A total of 60 2-month-old SD male rats were randomly divided into the blank group,the model group,the memantine hydrochloride group(0.025 g/kg)and low-dose,medium-dose and high-dose Congrong San groups(4.62,9.24,18.48 g/kg).All groups except the control group received stereotactic intracerebral injection of Aβ1-42 to establish AD models.Following the successful modeling,each group received its corresponding intragastric administration once daily for 28 consecutive days.After the administration,the rats had their learning and memory ability detected by the morris water maze test;their hippocampal neuronal morphology observed with HE and Nissl staining;their hippocampal neuronal apoptosis observed with TUNEL staining;and their hippocampal expressions of amyloid precursor protein(APP),β-site APP-cleaving enzyme 1(BACE1),and apoptosis-related proteins Bax,Bcl-2 and Caspase3 detected with Western blot assay.RESULTS Compared with the model group,the groups intervened with medium-dose and high-dose Congrong San exhibited improved learning and memory performance,alleviated hippocampal neuronal damage,increased Nissl body count(P<0.01),reduced hippocampal apoptosis rate(P<0.05,P<0.01),decreased protein expressions of APP,BACE1,Bax and cleaved-Caspase3/Caspase3 ratio(P<0.05,P<0.01),and elevated Bcl-2 expression(P<0.01).CONCLUSION Congrong San mitigates cognitive impairment,hippocampal neuronal damage,and apoptosis in AD rats,probably through inhibition of the Bax/Bcl-2/Caspase3 signaling pathway activation.
10.(Meta)transcriptomic Insights into the Role of Ticks in Poxvirus Evolution and Transmission: A Multicontinental Analysis.
Yu Xi WANG ; Jing Jing HU ; Jing Jing HOU ; Xiao Jie YUAN ; Wei Jie CHEN ; Yan Jiao LI ; Qi le GAO ; Yue PAN ; Shui Ping LU ; Qi CHEN ; Si Ru HU ; Zhong Jun SHAO ; Cheng Long XIONG
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2025;38(9):1058-1070
OBJECTIVE:
Poxviruses are zoonotic pathogens that infect humans, mammals, vertebrates, and arthropods. However, the specific role of ticks in transmission and evolution of these viruses remains unclear.
METHODS:
Transcriptomic and metatranscriptomic raw data from 329 sampling pools of seven tick species across five continents were mined to assess the diversity and abundance of poxviruses. Chordopoxviral sequences were assembled and subjected to phylogenetic analysis to trace the origins of the unblasted fragments within these sequences.
RESULTS:
Fifty-eight poxvirus species, representing two subfamilies and 20 genera, were identified, with 212 poxviral sequences assembled. A substantial proportion of AT-rich fragments were detected in the assembled poxviral genomes. These genomic sequences contained fragments originating from rodents, archaea, and arthropods.
CONCLUSION
Our findings indicate that ticks play a significant role in the transmission and evolution of poxviruses. These viruses demonstrate the capacity to modulate virulence and adaptability through horizontal gene transfer, gene recombination, and gene mutations, thereby promoting co-existence and co-evolution with their hosts. This study advances understanding of the ecological dynamics of poxvirus transmission and evolution and highlights the potential role of ticks as vectors and vessels in these processes.
Animals
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Poxviridae/physiology*
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Ticks/virology*
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Phylogeny
;
Transcriptome
;
Evolution, Molecular
;
Poxviridae Infections/virology*
;
Genome, Viral

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