1.The Role of FASN in Tumors and Its Targeted Therapy
Wen-Jing JIANG ; Ruo-Xi ZHANG ; Yu-Qing TAI ; Ya-Wen SUN ; Xi-Yu ZHANG ; Xiao LI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(4):920-935
Malignant tumors represent a major threat to global health. Conventional anti-tumor pharmacotherapy often encounters challenges such as drug resistance, highlighting an urgent need for the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Fatty acid synthase (FASN), the key enzyme catalyzing de novo fatty acid synthesis, is subject to precise regulation at multiple levels, including transcriptional control, various post-translational modifications such as ubiquitination and phosphorylation, as well as modulation by diverse signaling pathways. Recent studies have revealed that FASN is aberrantly overexpressed in various malignant tumors and is closely associated with tumor progression and poor patient prognosis. FASN is a homodimer composed of seven functional domains that catalyzes the NADPH-dependent condensation of acetyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA to generate saturated fatty acids, primarily palmitic acid. Its stability is regulated by multiple ubiquitin ligases and deubiquitinating enzymes. Additionally, FASN is subject to upstream regulation via neural precursor cell-expressed developmentally downregulated 8 (Nedd8) modification and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, thereby establishing a metabolic-signaling positive feedback loop. As a core executor of metabolic reprogramming, FASN promotes tumorigenesis through dual mechanisms. First, its fatty acid synthesis product, palmitate, participates in membrane phospholipid synthesis, lipid raft formation, and protein palmitoylation, thereby activating several key oncogenic signaling pathways, including PI3K/AKT/mTOR, wingless-type MMTV integration site family member (Wnt)/β‑catenin, and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3)/matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), leading to tumor development and progression. Second, FASN plays a pivotal role in modulating the anti-tumor functions of immune cells and remodeling the tumor immune microenvironment. Specifically, FASN enhances immune checkpoint inhibition by inducing programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) palmitoylation, suppresses the activation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells, and promotes the polarization of M2-type macrophages, consequently facilitating tumor immune evasion and malignant progression. Precisely due to its significant overexpression in tumor cells, its critical functional role, and its differential expression compared to normal cells, FASN has emerged as a highly promising target for anti-tumor drug development. Highly selective small-molecule inhibitors, notably represented by TVB-2640, have advanced to clinical trial stages and demonstrated favorable anti-tumor activity. Furthermore, the combination of FASN inhibitors with other chemotherapeutic agents or targeted drugs can overcome the limitations of monotherapy through synergistic effects or by resensitizing tumor cells to conventional drugs, achieving a “1+1>2” therapeutic outcome. With the advancement of modern traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), numerous active ingredients derived from TCM have been confirmed to exert anti-tumor effects by modulating FASN-related pathways. This integrated approach leverages the precision of Western medicine while simultaneously harnessing the holistic regulatory benefits of TCM to alleviate the side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Despite the promising prospects of FASN-targeted therapies, challenges remain, including tumor cell metabolic plasticity, tumor context-dependent responses, and heterogeneity. This review systematically summarizes the molecular structure, physiological functions, and mechanisms of FASN in tumorigenesis, as well as recent advances in targeted therapies. Future directions—including the precise identification of responsive patient populations using spatial transcriptomics, the development of novel combination regimens, and the active exploration of integrative strategies combining traditional Chinese and Western medicine—will facilitate the clinical translation of FASN-targeted therapies and open new avenues for improving the quality of life and prognosis of cancer patients.
2.Research progress of autophagy and ferroptosis in diabetic kidney disease
Tai-Min ZHANG ; Xi-Zhe ZHANG ; Duo-Sen ZHANG ; Ya-Dong MA ; Tian LI
Medical Journal of Chinese People's Liberation Army 2025;50(9):1186-1194
Diabetic kidney disease(DKD)is a microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus with a complex pathogenesis.Recent studies have revealed that autophagy and ferroptosis,as two forms of programmed cell death,exhibit dynamic interactions in DKD:autophagy maintains homeostasis by eliminating damaged organelles,while ferroptosis is driven by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation.Imbalance between the two exacerbates renal injury.This review systematically summarizes the signaling pathways and key regulatory factors related to autophagy and ferroptosis,as well as their interaction mechanisms[such as nuclear receptor coactivator 4(NCOA4)-mediated ferritinophagy,clock autophagy,and lipid autophagy].It further elaborates the molecular network by which these processes synergistically regulate DKD progression.Additionally,the potential of modern pharmaceuticals and active components of traditional Chinese medicine to improve kidney injury by targeting autophagy and ferroptosis is discussed,proposing that targeting their cross-talk pathways may provide novel therapeutic strategies for DKD,aiming to lay a theoretical foundation for the development of targeted intervention strategies and precision therapeutic regimens.
3.GSDME-N Exacerbates Its Cytotoxicity by Upregulating Mitochondrial Aggregation of BAX
Sai-Tao QIU ; Jun-Jun ZHAO ; Xiao-Xi REN ; Li-Rong ZHANG ; Tai ZHOU ; Jian-Liang ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 2025;41(11):1668-1677
Parkinson's disease(PD)is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders.Recent evidence implicates pyroptosis as one of the pathogenic mechanisms in central nervous system disorders,although its specific mechanisms remain unclear.In this study,SH-SY5Y cells were transfected with py-roptosis-related proteins GSDME full-length(GSDME-F)or GSDME-N terminal(GSDME-N)plasmids revealed that GSDME-N significantly reduced mitochondrial membrane potential(P<0.0001).To inves-tigate the mechanism by which GSDME mediates mitochondrial dysfunction,Western blotting analysis demonstrated that transfection with GSDME-N plasmids significantly increased BAX expression and en-hanced its translocation to mitochondria in both HEK 293T and SH-SY5Y cells(P<0.05).SH-SY5Y cells treated with varying concentrations of rotenone(ROT)exhibited GSDME cleavage,elevated BAX expression(P<0.05),increased mitochondrial BAX aggregation(P<0.05),and reduced mitochondrial membrane potential(P<0.01),as confirmed by Western blotting and JC-1 staining.Concurrently,MTT assays assessing cell viability and lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)release assays indicated that ROT in-duced these processes prior to pyroptosis.Furthermore,in a ROT-induced mouse PD model,ROT trig-gered GSDME cleavage,enhanced BAX expression,caused dopaminergic neuronal damage,and induced motor deficits.In summary,this study demonstrates that GSDME-N exacerbates mitochondrial damage and increases cytotoxicity by upregulating BAX expression and facilitating its mitochondrial translocation.This study provides novel insights into the role of GSDME in PD pathogenesis and suggests potential avenues for therapeutic intervention.
4.GSDME-N Exacerbates Its Cytotoxicity by Upregulating Mitochondrial Aggregation of BAX
Sai-Tao QIU ; Jun-Jun ZHAO ; Xiao-Xi REN ; Li-Rong ZHANG ; Tai ZHOU ; Jian-Liang ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 2025;41(11):1668-1677
Parkinson's disease(PD)is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders.Recent evidence implicates pyroptosis as one of the pathogenic mechanisms in central nervous system disorders,although its specific mechanisms remain unclear.In this study,SH-SY5Y cells were transfected with py-roptosis-related proteins GSDME full-length(GSDME-F)or GSDME-N terminal(GSDME-N)plasmids revealed that GSDME-N significantly reduced mitochondrial membrane potential(P<0.0001).To inves-tigate the mechanism by which GSDME mediates mitochondrial dysfunction,Western blotting analysis demonstrated that transfection with GSDME-N plasmids significantly increased BAX expression and en-hanced its translocation to mitochondria in both HEK 293T and SH-SY5Y cells(P<0.05).SH-SY5Y cells treated with varying concentrations of rotenone(ROT)exhibited GSDME cleavage,elevated BAX expression(P<0.05),increased mitochondrial BAX aggregation(P<0.05),and reduced mitochondrial membrane potential(P<0.01),as confirmed by Western blotting and JC-1 staining.Concurrently,MTT assays assessing cell viability and lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)release assays indicated that ROT in-duced these processes prior to pyroptosis.Furthermore,in a ROT-induced mouse PD model,ROT trig-gered GSDME cleavage,enhanced BAX expression,caused dopaminergic neuronal damage,and induced motor deficits.In summary,this study demonstrates that GSDME-N exacerbates mitochondrial damage and increases cytotoxicity by upregulating BAX expression and facilitating its mitochondrial translocation.This study provides novel insights into the role of GSDME in PD pathogenesis and suggests potential avenues for therapeutic intervention.
5.Incidence and prognosis of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to infection of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain: a national multi-center survey of 35 566 population.
Meng Fan LIU ; Rui Xia MA ; Xian Bao CAO ; Hua ZHANG ; Shui Hong ZHOU ; Wei Hong JIANG ; Yan JIANG ; Jing Wu SUN ; Qin Tai YANG ; Xue Zhong LI ; Ya Nan SUN ; Li SHI ; Min WANG ; Xi Cheng SONG ; Fu Quan CHEN ; Xiao Shu ZHANG ; Hong Quan WEI ; Shao Qing YU ; Dong Dong ZHU ; Luo BA ; Zhi Wei CAO ; Xu Ping XIAO ; Xin WEI ; Zhi Hong LIN ; Feng Hong CHEN ; Chun Guang SHAN ; Guang Ke WANG ; Jing YE ; Shen Hong QU ; Chang Qing ZHAO ; Zhen Lin WANG ; Hua Bin LI ; Feng LIU ; Xiao Bo CUI ; Sheng Nan YE ; Zheng LIU ; Yu XU ; Xiao CAI ; Wei HANG ; Ru Xin ZHANG ; Yu Lin ZHAO ; Guo Dong YU ; Guang Gang SHI ; Mei Ping LU ; Yang SHEN ; Yu Tong ZHAO ; Jia Hong PEI ; Shao Bing XIE ; Long Gang YU ; Ye Hai LIU ; Shao wei GU ; Yu Cheng YANG ; Lei CHENG ; Jian Feng LIU
Chinese Journal of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery 2023;58(6):579-588
Objective: This cross-sectional investigation aimed to determine the incidence, clinical characteristics, prognosis, and related risk factors of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain in mainland China. Methods: Data of patients with SARS-CoV-2 from December 28, 2022, to February 21, 2023, were collected through online and offline questionnaires from 45 tertiary hospitals and one center for disease control and prevention in mainland China. The questionnaire included demographic information, previous health history, smoking and alcohol drinking, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, olfactory and gustatory function before and after infection, other symptoms after infection, as well as the duration and improvement of olfactory and gustatory dysfunction. The self-reported olfactory and gustatory functions of patients were evaluated using the Olfactory VAS scale and Gustatory VAS scale. Results: A total of 35 566 valid questionnaires were obtained, revealing a high incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain (67.75%). Females(χ2=367.013, P<0.001) and young people(χ2=120.210, P<0.001) were more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Gender(OR=1.564, 95%CI: 1.487-1.645), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), oral health status (OR=0.881, 95%CI: 0.839-0.926), smoking history (OR=1.152, 95%CI=1.080-1.229), and drinking history (OR=0.854, 95%CI: 0.785-0.928) were correlated with the occurrence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2(above P<0.001). 44.62% (4 391/9 840) of the patients who had not recovered their sense of smell and taste also suffered from nasal congestion, runny nose, and 32.62% (3 210/9 840) suffered from dry mouth and sore throat. The improvement of olfactory and taste functions was correlated with the persistence of accompanying symptoms(χ2=10.873, P=0.001). The average score of olfactory and taste VAS scale was 8.41 and 8.51 respectively before SARS-CoV-2 infection, but decreased to3.69 and 4.29 respectively after SARS-CoV-2 infection, and recovered to 5.83and 6.55 respectively at the time of the survey. The median duration of olfactory and gustatory dysfunctions was 15 days and 12 days, respectively, with 0.5% (121/24 096) of patients experiencing these dysfunctions for more than 28 days. The overall self-reported improvement rate of smell and taste dysfunctions was 59.16% (14 256/24 096). Gender(OR=0.893, 95%CI: 0.839-0.951), SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status (OR=1.334, 95%CI: 1.164-1.530), history of head and facial trauma(OR=1.180, 95%CI: 1.036-1.344, P=0.013), nose (OR=1.104, 95%CI: 1.042-1.171, P=0.001) and oral (OR=1.162, 95%CI: 1.096-1.233) health status, smoking history(OR=0.765, 95%CI: 0.709-0.825), and the persistence of accompanying symptoms (OR=0.359, 95%CI: 0.332-0.388) were correlated with the recovery of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to SARS-CoV-2 (above P<0.001 except for the indicated values). Conclusion: The incidence of olfactory and taste dysfunctions related to infection with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron strain is high in mainland China, with females and young people more likely to develop these dysfunctions. Active and effective intervention measures may be required for cases that persist for a long time. The recovery of olfactory and taste functions is influenced by several factors, including gender, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination status, history of head and facial trauma, nasal and oral health status, smoking history, and persistence of accompanying symptoms.
Female
;
Humans
;
Adolescent
;
SARS-CoV-2
;
Smell
;
COVID-19/complications*
;
Cross-Sectional Studies
;
COVID-19 Vaccines
;
Incidence
;
Olfaction Disorders/etiology*
;
Taste Disorders/etiology*
;
Prognosis
6.Diagnosis and treatment procedures and health management for patients with hereditary angioedema.
Min ZHOU ; Xin LUO ; Qi Lin ZHOU ; Wen Hao ZHOU ; Rui ZHENG ; Ya Na ZHANG ; Xi Fu WU ; Shuo WU ; Jing SU ; Guo Wei XIONG ; Yun CHENG ; Ya Ting LI ; Ping Ping ZHANG ; Kun ZHANG ; Min DAI ; Xue Kun HUANG ; Zhao Hui SHI ; Jin TAO ; Yu Qi ZHOU ; Pei Ying FENG ; Zhuang Gui CHEN ; Qin Tai YANG
Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine 2023;57(8):1280-1285
As a recognized rare and highly fatal disease, hereditary angioedema (HAE) is difficult to diagnose and characterized by recurrent edema involving the head, limbs, genitals and larynx, etc. Diagnosis of HAE is not difficult. However, low incidence and lack of clinical characteristics lead to difficulty of doctors on timely diagnosis and correct intervention for HAE patients. Therefore, it is crucial to improve the awareness of this disease and prevent its recurrence. for HAE patients. In view of absent cognition of doctors and the general public on HAE, patients often suffer from sudden death or become disabled due to laryngeal edema which cannot be treated in time. Thus, based on the Internet mobile terminal platform, the team set up an all-day rapid emergency response system which is provided for HAE patients by setting up "one-click help". The aim is to offer optimization on overall management of HAE and designed the intelligent follow-up management to provide timely assistance and specialized suggestion for patients with acute attacks.
Humans
;
Angioedemas, Hereditary/drug therapy*
7.Diagnosis and treatment procedures and health management for patients with hereditary angioedema.
Min ZHOU ; Xin LUO ; Qi Lin ZHOU ; Wen Hao ZHOU ; Rui ZHENG ; Ya Na ZHANG ; Xi Fu WU ; Shuo WU ; Jing SU ; Guo Wei XIONG ; Yun CHENG ; Ya Ting LI ; Ping Ping ZHANG ; Kun ZHANG ; Min DAI ; Xue Kun HUANG ; Zhao Hui SHI ; Jin TAO ; Yu Qi ZHOU ; Pei Ying FENG ; Zhuang Gui CHEN ; Qin Tai YANG
Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine 2023;57(8):1280-1285
As a recognized rare and highly fatal disease, hereditary angioedema (HAE) is difficult to diagnose and characterized by recurrent edema involving the head, limbs, genitals and larynx, etc. Diagnosis of HAE is not difficult. However, low incidence and lack of clinical characteristics lead to difficulty of doctors on timely diagnosis and correct intervention for HAE patients. Therefore, it is crucial to improve the awareness of this disease and prevent its recurrence. for HAE patients. In view of absent cognition of doctors and the general public on HAE, patients often suffer from sudden death or become disabled due to laryngeal edema which cannot be treated in time. Thus, based on the Internet mobile terminal platform, the team set up an all-day rapid emergency response system which is provided for HAE patients by setting up "one-click help". The aim is to offer optimization on overall management of HAE and designed the intelligent follow-up management to provide timely assistance and specialized suggestion for patients with acute attacks.
Humans
;
Angioedemas, Hereditary/drug therapy*
8.Effect of Prolonged Storage of Packed Red Blood Cells on Recurrence-free and Overall Survivals after Curative Resection for Hepatocellular Carcinoma
Rui-feng XUE ; Chong-xi ZHAO ; Pei-zong WANG ; Dong-tai CHEN ; Xiao-hui CHEN ; Wei-an ZENG ; Qiang LI
Journal of Sun Yat-sen University(Medical Sciences) 2022;43(3):449-461
ObjectiveProlonged storage of packed red blood cells (PRBC) is reportedly associated with poor clinical outcomes in critically ill, trauma, and cardiac surgery patients. However, the impact of PRBC’s age on long-term oncological outcomes in cancer patients remains poorly defined. Here we retrospectively evaluated the effect of PRBC’s age on overall survival and biochemical recurrence in patients undergoing curative resection of hepatocellular carcinoma. MethodsA total of 1 221 qualified patients undergoing curative hepatectomy for HCC between August 1, 2008 and June 30, 2012 at the Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center (Guangzhou, PR China) were divided into nontransfused or transfused group. Transfused patients were further divided according to PRBC storage duration (fresh PRBC group, ≤ 14 days; old PRBC group, > 14 days). Overall survival (OS), intrahepatic recurrence-free survival (IRFS), extrahepatic metastasis-free survival (EMFS) were assessed and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate the association of PRBC storage duration with cancer outcomes. ResultsA total of 251 (20.6%) patients received intraoperative PRBC transfusion. Of these, 112 and 125 patients were grouped in the fresh and the old PRBC groups, respectively. The Kaplan–Meier curves showed that both fresh PRBC group and old PRBC group had worse OS, IRFS, and EMFS than nontransfused group (P<0.001). Cox regression analyses further indicated that old PRBC transfusion was an independent prognostic factor of OS (HR=1.417, P=0.049), IRFS (HR=1.519, P=0.013) for patients with HCC; conversely, new PRBC transfusion was not. ConclusionIn patients undergoing curative hepatectomy, intraoperative transfusions of PRBC that had been stored for more than 2 weeks is independently associated with a significantly increased risk of intrahepatic recurrence and reduced overall survival.
9.Candida Infection-caused Lumbar Vertebral Osteomyelitis:Report of One Case.
Dan WANG ; Bao-Tong ZHOU ; Ying GE ; Xi ZHOU ; Yong LIU ; Wei CAO ; Tai-Sheng LI
Acta Academiae Medicinae Sinicae 2022;44(2):352-356
Candida vertebral osteomyelitis,a rare but challenging clinical disease without specific clinical manifestations,is prone to delay in diagnosis,with potential risks of serious complications.Therefore,early diagnosis is the key to improving the cure rate of this disease.A case of invasive candida lumbar osteomyelitis after gastrointestinal surgery is reported in this paper.We analyzed the clinical characteristics of the patient and reviewed the relevant literature,aiming to improve the early diagnosis and treatment of this disease.
Candida
;
Candidiasis/drug therapy*
;
Humans
;
Lumbar Vertebrae
;
Osteomyelitis/drug therapy*
10. General considerations for clinical data management of antineoplastic drugs
Yadong MIAO ; Min ZHOU ; Xi LI ; Yan WANG ; Po GAO ; Hao YU
Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics 2022;27(9):1055-1060
With the enormous resources having been invested in oncology drugs development in China in recent years, the Center for Drug Evaluation (CDE) of National Medical Products Administration has been issuing a number of technical guidelines to further standardize the requirements on implementation and registration of domestic oncology clinical trials. As data is the cornerstone of clinical trials, data integrity and quality will directly decide the outcome of clinical studies. Given the specific characteristics of oncology therapeutic clinical trials, and combined with the clinical data standards established by the Clinical Data Interchange Standards Consortium (CDISC) and the issued industrial guidelines, this article introduces the general considerations of clinical data management for oncology clinical trials, with the aim of emphasizing normative data collection and timely data monitoring to ensure the data quality and reliability of results of the study. This article discusses the impact of complex study design on CRF, design CRF according to CDASH, develop DVP scientifically, rolling submissions and data cut-off.

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