1.Chinese Materia Medica by Regulating Nrf2 Signaling Pathway in Prevention and Treatment of Ulcerative Colitis: A Review
Yasheng DENG ; Lanhua XI ; Yanping FAN ; Wenyue LI ; Tianwei LIANG ; Hui HUANG ; Shan LI ; Xian HUANG ; Chun YAO ; Guochu HUANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(1):321-330
Ulcerative colitis(UC) is a chronic non-specific inflammatory bowel disease characterized by inflammation and ulceration of the colonic mucosa and submucosa, and its complex pathogenesis involves immune abnormality, oxidative stress and other factors. The nuclear transcription factor E2-related factor 2(Nrf2), encoded by the Nfe212 gene, plays a central role in antioxidant responses. It not only activates various antioxidant response elements such as heme oxygenase-1(HO-1) and quinone oxidoreductase 1(NQO1), but also enhances the activity of glutathione-S-transferase(GST) and superoxide dismutase 1(SOD1), effectively eliminating reactive oxygen species(ROS) accumulated in the body, and mitigating oxidative stress-induced damage to intestinal mucosa. In addition, Nrf2 can reduce the release of inflammatory factors and infiltration of immune cells by regulating immune response, cell apoptosis and autophagy pathways, thereby alleviating intestinal inflammation and promoting the repair and regeneration of damaged mucosa. Based on this, this paper reviews the research progress of Chinese materia medica in the prevention and treatment of UC by modulating the Nrf2 signaling pathway. It deeply explores the physiological role of Nrf2, the molecular mechanism of activation, the protective effect in the pathological process of UC, and how active ingredients in Chinese materia medica regulate the Nrf2 signaling pathway through multiple pathways to exert their potential mechanisms. These studies have revealed in depth that Chinese materia medica can effectively combat oxidative stress by regulating the Nrf2 signaling pathway. It can also play a role in anti-inflammatory, promoting autophagy, inhibiting apoptosis, protecting the intestinal mucosal barrier, and promoting intestinal mucosal repair, providing new ideas and methods for the multi-faceted treatment of UC.
2.Research progress on strategies to target intestinal microbiota to improve drug resistance in tumor immunotherapy
Hui-ling LI ; Bi-qing LIU ; Ying-nan FENG ; Xin HU ; Lan ZHANG ; Xian-zhe DONG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2025;60(2):260-268
A growing body of research points out that gut microbiota plays a key role in tumor immunotherapy. By optimizing the composition of intestinal microbiota, it is possible to effectively improve immunotherapy resistance and enhance its therapeutic effect. This article comprehensively analyzes the mechanism of intestinal microbiota influencing tumor immunotherapy resistance, expounds the current strategies for targeted regulation of intestinal microbiota, such as traditional Chinese medicine and plant components, fecal microbiota transplantation, probiotics, prebiotics and dietary therapy, and explores the potential mechanisms of these strategies to improve patients' resistance to tumor immunotherapy. At the same time, the article also briefly discusses the prospects and challenges of targeting intestinal microbiota to improve tumor immunotherapy resistance, which provides a reference for related research to help the strategy research of reversing tumor immunotherapy resistance.
3.Regulation of Immune Function by Exercise-induced Metabolic Remodeling
Hui-Guo WANG ; Gao-Yuan YANG ; Xian-Yan XIE ; Yu WANG ; Zi-Yan LI ; Lin ZHU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(6):1574-1586
Exercise-induced metabolic remodeling is a fundamental adaptive process whereby the body reorganizes systemic and cellular metabolism to meet the dynamic energy demands posed by physical activity. Emerging evidence reveals that such remodeling not only enhances energy homeostasis but also profoundly influences immune function through complex molecular interactions involving glucose, lipid, and protein metabolism. This review presents an in-depth synthesis of recent advances, elucidating how exercise modulates immune regulation via metabolic reprogramming, highlighting key molecular mechanisms, immune-metabolic signaling axes, and the authors’ academic perspective on the integrated “exercise-metabolism-immunity” network. In the domain of glucose metabolism, regular exercise improves insulin sensitivity and reduces hyperglycemia, thereby attenuating glucose toxicity-induced immune dysfunction. It suppresses the formation of advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) and interrupts the AGEs-RAGE-inflammation positive feedback loop in innate and adaptive immune cells. Importantly, exercise-induced lactate, traditionally viewed as a metabolic byproduct, is now recognized as an active immunomodulatory molecule. At high concentrations, lactate can suppress immune function through pH-mediated effects and GPR81 receptor activation. At physiological levels, it supports regulatory T cell survival, promotes macrophage M2 polarization, and modulates gene expression via histone lactylation. Additionally, key metabolic regulators such as AMPK and mTOR coordinate immune cell energy balance and phenotype; exercise activates the AMPK-mTOR axis to favor anti-inflammatory immune cell profiles. Simultaneously, hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) is transiently activated during exercise, driving glycolytic reprogramming in T cells and macrophages, and shaping the immune landscape. In lipid metabolism, exercise alleviates adipose tissue inflammation by reducing fat mass and reshaping the immune microenvironment. It promotes the polarization of adipose tissue macrophages from a pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype to an anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype. Moreover, exercise alters the secretion profile of adipokines—raising adiponectin levels while reducing leptin and resistin—thereby influencing systemic immune balance. At the circulatory level, exercise improves lipid profiles by lowering pro-inflammatory free fatty acids (particularly saturated fatty acids) and triglycerides, while enhancing high-density lipoprotein (HDL) function, which has immunoregulatory properties such as endotoxin neutralization and macrophage cholesterol efflux. Regarding protein metabolism, exercise triggers the expression of heat shock proteins (HSPs) that act as intracellular chaperones and extracellular immune signals. Exercise also promotes the secretion of myokines (e.g., IL-6, IL-15, irisin, FGF21) from skeletal muscle, which modulate immune responses, facilitate T cell and macrophage function, and support immunological memory. Furthermore, exercise reshapes amino acid metabolism, particularly of glutamine, arginine, and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), thereby influencing immune cell proliferation, biosynthesis, and signaling. Leucine-mTORC1 signaling plays a key role in T cell fate, while arginine metabolism governs macrophage polarization and T cell activation. In summary, this review underscores the complex, bidirectional relationship between exercise and immune function, orchestrated through metabolic remodeling. Future research should focus on causative links among specific metabolites, signaling pathways, and immune phenotypes, as well as explore the epigenetic consequences of exercise-induced metabolic shifts. This integrated perspective advances understanding of exercise as a non-pharmacological intervention for immune regulation and offers theoretical foundations for individualized exercise prescriptions in health and disease contexts.
4.Bioinformatics analysis of efferocytosis-related genes in diabetic kidney disease and screening of targeted traditional Chinese medicine.
Yi KANG ; Qian JIN ; Xue-Zhe WANG ; Meng-Qi ZHOU ; Hui-Juan ZHENG ; Dan-Wen LI ; Jie LYU ; Yao-Xian WANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(14):4037-4052
This study employed bioinformatics to screen the feature genes related to efferocytosis in diabetic kidney disease(DKD) and explores traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) regulating these feature genes. The GSE96804 and GSE30528 datasets were integrated as the training set, and the intersection of differentially expressed genes and efferocytosis-related genes(ERGs) was identified as DKD-ERGs. Subsequently, correlation analysis, protein-protein interaction(PPI) network construction, enrichment analysis, and immune infiltration analysis were performed. Consensus clustering was conducted on DKD patients based on the expression levels of DKD-ERGs, and the expression levels, immune infiltration characteristics, and gene set variations between different subtypes were explored. Eight machine learning models were constructed and their prediction performance was evaluated. The best-performing model was evaluated by nomograms, calibration curves, and external datasets, followed by the identification of efferocytosis-related feature genes associated with DKD. Finally, potential TCMs that can regulate these feature genes were predicted. The results showed that the training set contained 640 differentially expressed genes, and after intersecting with ERGs, 12 DKD-ERGs were obtained, which demonstrated mutual regulation and immune modulation effects. Consensus clustering divided DKD into two subtypes, C1 and C2. The support vector machine(SVM) model had the best performance, predicting that growth arrest-specific protein 6(GAS6), S100 calcium-binding protein A9(S100A9), C-X3-C motif chemokine ligand 1(CX3CL1), 5'-nucleotidase(NT5E), and interleukin 33(IL33) were the feature genes of DKD. Potential TCMs with therapeutic effects included Astragali Radix, Trionycis Carapax, Sargassum, Rhei Radix et Rhizoma, Curcumae Radix, and Alismatis Rhizoma, which mainly function to clear heat, replenish deficiency, activate blood, resolve stasis, and promote urination and drain dampness. Molecular docking revealed that the key components of these TCMs, including β-sitosterol, quercetin, and sitosterol, exhibited good binding activity with the five target genes. These results indicated that efferocytosis played a crucial role in the development and progression of DKD. The feature genes closely related to both DKD and efferocytosis, such as GAS6, S100A9, CX3CL1, NT5E, and IL33, were identified. TCMs such as Astragali Radix, Trionycis Carapa, Sargassum, Rhei Radix et Rhizoma, Curcumae Radix, and Alismatis Rhizoma may provide a new therapeutic strategy for DKD by regulating efferocytosis.
Humans
;
Computational Biology
;
Diabetic Nephropathies/physiopathology*
;
Protein Interaction Maps
;
Medicine, Chinese Traditional
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal
;
Phagocytosis/genetics*
;
Efferocytosis
5.Three new chalcone C-glycosides from Carthami Flos.
Jia-Xu BAO ; Yong-Xiang WANG ; Xian ZHANG ; Ya-Zhu YANG ; Yue LIN ; Jiao-Jiao YIN ; Yun-Fang ZHAO ; Hui-Xia HUO ; Peng-Fei TU ; Jun LI
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(13):3715-3745
The chemical components of Carthami Flos were investigated by using macroporous resin, silica gel column chromatography, reversed-phase octadecylsilane(ODS) column chromatography, Sephadex LH-20, and semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC). The planar structures of the compounds were established based on their physicochemical properties and ultraviolet-visible(UV-Vis), infrared(IR), high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry(HR-ESI-MS), and nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR) spectroscopic technology. The absolute configurations were determined by comparing the calculated and experimental electronic circular dichroism(ECD). Six flavonoid C-glycosides were isolated from the 30% ethanol elution fraction of macroporous resin obtained from the 95% ethanol extract of Carthami Flos, and identified as saffloquinoside F(1), 5-hydroxysaffloneoside(2), iso-5-hydroxysaffloneoside(3), isosafflomin C(4), safflomin C(5), and vicenin 2(6). Among these, the compounds 1 to 3 were new chalcone C-glycosides. The compounds 1, 2, 4, and 5 could significantly increase the viability of H9c2 cardiomyocytes damaged by oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation(OGD/R) at a concentration of 50 μmol·L~(-1), showing their good cardioprotective activity.
Glycosides/pharmacology*
;
Flowers/chemistry*
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology*
;
Carthamus tinctorius/chemistry*
;
Chalcones/pharmacology*
;
Animals
6.The addition of 5-aminolevulinic acid to HBSS protects testis grafts during hypothermic transportation: a novel preservation strategy.
Meng-Hui MA ; Pei-Gen CHEN ; Jun-Xian HE ; Hai-Cheng CHEN ; Zhen-Han XU ; Lin-Yan LV ; Yan-Qing LI ; Xiao-Yan LIANG ; Gui-Hua LIU
Asian Journal of Andrology 2025;27(4):454-463
The aim of this investigation was to determine the optimal storage medium for testicular hypothermic transportation and identify the ideal concentration for the application of the protective agent 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA). Furthermore, this study aimed to explore the underlying mechanism of the protective effects of 5-ALA. First, we collected and stored mouse testicular fragments in different media, including Hank's balanced salt solution (HBSS; n = 5), Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium/Nutrient Mixture F-12 (DMEM/F12; n = 5), and alpha-minimum essential medium (αMEM; n = 5). Storage of testicular tissue in HBSS preserved the integrity of testicular morphology better than that in the DMEM/F12 group ( P < 0.05) and the αMEM group ( P < 0.01). Testicular fragments were subsequently placed in HBSS with various concentrations of 5-ALA (0 [control], 1 mmol l -1 , 2 mmol l -1 , and 5 mmol l -1 ) to determine the most effective concentration of 5-ALA. The 2 mmol l -1 5-ALA group ( n = 3) presented the highest positive rate of spermatogonial stem cells compared with those in the control, 1 mmol l -1 , and 5 mmol l -1 5-ALA groups. Finally, the tissue fragments were preserved in HBSS with control ( n = 3) and 2 mmol l -1 5-ALA ( n = 3) under low-temperature conditions. A comparative analysis was performed against fresh testes ( n = 3) to elucidate the underlying mechanism of 5-ALA. Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) for WikiPathways revealed that the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway was downregulated in the 2 mmol l -1 5-ALA group compared with that in the control group (normalized enrichment score [NES] = -1.57, false discovery rate [FDR] = 0.229, and P = 0.019). In conclusion, these data suggest that using 2 mmol l -1 5-ALA in HBSS effectively protected the viability of spermatogonial stem cells upon hypothermic transportation.
Male
;
Animals
;
Testis/cytology*
;
Aminolevulinic Acid/pharmacology*
;
Mice
;
Organ Preservation/methods*
;
Organ Preservation Solutions/pharmacology*
;
Cryopreservation/methods*
7.Genetic profiling and intervention strategies for phenylketonuria in Gansu, China: an analysis of 1 159 cases.
Chuan ZHANG ; Pei ZHANG ; Bing-Bo ZHOU ; Xing WANG ; Lei ZHENG ; Xiu-Jing LI ; Jin-Xian GUO ; Pi-Liang CHEN ; Ling HUI ; Zhen-Qiang DA ; You-Sheng YAN
Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics 2025;27(7):808-814
OBJECTIVES:
To investigate the molecular epidemiology of children with phenylketonuria (PKU) in Gansu, China, providing foundational data for intervention strategies.
METHODS:
A retrospective analysis was conducted on 1 159 PKU families who attended Gansu Provincial Maternity and Child Care Hospital from January 2012 to December 2024. Sanger sequencing, multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification, whole exome sequencing, and deep intronic variant analysis were used to analyze the PAH gene.
RESULTS:
For the 1 159 children with PKU, 2 295 variants were identified in 2 318 alleles, resulting in a detection rate of 99.01%. The detection rates were 100% (914/914) in 457 classic PKU families, 99.45% (907/912) in 456 mild PKU families, and 96.34% (474/492) in 246 mild hyperphenylalaninemia families. The 2 295 variants detected comprised 208 distinct mutation types, among which c.728G>A (14.95%, 343/2 295) had the highest frequency, followed by c.611A>G (4.88%, 112/2 295) and c.721C>T (4.79%, 110/2 295). The cumulative frequency of the top 23 hotspot variants reached 70.28% (1 613/2 295), and most variant alleles were detected in exon 7 (29.19%, 670/2 295).
CONCLUSIONS
Deep intronic variant analysis of the PAH gene can improve the genetic diagnostic rate of PKU. The development of targeted detection kits for PAH hotspot variants may enable precision screening programs and enhance preventive strategies for PKU.
Humans
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Phenylketonurias/epidemiology*
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Female
;
Male
;
Retrospective Studies
;
Phenylalanine Hydroxylase/genetics*
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Mutation
;
Child, Preschool
;
China/epidemiology*
;
Child
;
Infant
8.Application of mindfulness-based stress reduction on the patients treated with image fusion-guided prostate biopsy.
Qiang JI ; Jun HU ; Xiao-Hong WANG ; Yun LI ; Fan WANG ; Jie LIU ; Hui-Xian WEI ; Ying-Chun HUANG ; Ying LI
National Journal of Andrology 2025;31(9):812-817
OBJECTIVE:
To evaluate the application effect of mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) therapy on the patients treated with image fusion-guided transperineal prostate biopsy.
METHODS:
A total of 160 patients who underwent image fusion-guided transperineal prostate biopsy in the Urology Department from April 2023 to April 2024 were included. Patients were randomly assigned to a control group and an observation group, with 80 cases in each group. The control group received routine care, while the observation group received combined MBSR on the basis of routine care. The surgical indicators, pain levels, psychological states, nursing satisfaction, and postoperative complication rates of both groups were compared.
RESULTS:
There was no statistically significant difference in general personal information and clinical data between the two groups(P>0.05). The surgery duration, secondary fusion rate, and postoperative complication rate in the observation group were all lower than those in the control group ([23.54±2.07]min vs [26.25±1.69]min, P<0.05; 8.75% vs 22.50%, P=0.017; 17% vs 29%, P=0.036), and nursing satisfaction was higher in the observation group than in the control group ( 77% vs 69%, P=0.025). The VAS scores biopsy (5.11±0.93 vs 6.27±1.32, P=0.041), discharge (0.74±0.67 vs 1.85±0.95, P=0.004), and scores of SDS (47.76±2.06 vs 50.46±2.07, P=0.009) and SAS (46.89±2.68 vs 49.75±2.83, P=0.031) in the observation group were all lower than those in the control group.
CONCLUSION
The application of MBSR in image fusion-guided prostate biopsy can synergistically utilize the advantages of minimally invasive technology, significantly optimize surgical indicators, and improve patients' psychological experiences, which is worthy of clinical application and promotion.
Humans
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Male
;
Mindfulness
;
Prostate/pathology*
;
Image-Guided Biopsy
;
Stress, Psychological/therapy*
;
Middle Aged
;
Prostatic Neoplasms/pathology*
;
Aged
9.Effect of Bushen Huoxue Granule on Clearance of Pathological α-Synuclein in MPP+-Induced PC12 Cells.
Zhen-Xian LUAN ; Xiang-Lin TANG ; Fei-Ran HAO ; Min LI ; Shao-Dan LI ; Ming-Hui YANG
Chinese journal of integrative medicine 2025;31(9):830-836
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the effects of Bushen Huoxue Granule on the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) in an in vitro model of Parkinson's disease.
METHODS:
After treated with 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+, 1 mmol/L) for 24 h, the cells were incubated with drug-free serum, Madopar-containing serum or Bushen Huoxue Granule-containing serum (BCS, 5%, 10%, and 20%) for another 24 h. The levels of α-synuclein (α-syn), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and UPS-related proteins were detected by Western blot. The expression levels of α-syn in PC12 cells were also analyzed by Western blot after treated with proteasome inhibitor MG132 and WT-α-syn plasmid transfection, respectively, as well as the alterations induced by subsequent BCS intervention. Immunocytochemistry was performed to determine the changes in α-syn phosphorylation at serine 129 (pSer129-α-syn) expression. The 20S proteasome levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbnent assay.
RESULTS:
BCS (volume fraction ⩽20%) intervention could alleviate the MMP+-induced cell viability decrease (P<0.05). In the MPP+ treated cells, α-syn was up-regulated, while TH and proteins of UPS such as ubiquitin (Ub), Ub binding with Ub-activating enzyme (UBE1), Parkin and Ub C-terminal hydrolase-1 (UCHL-1) were down-regulated (P<0.05). BCS intervention could attenuate the above changes (P<0.05). The activity of BCS on blocking α-syn accumulation was weakened by MG132 (P<0.05). While α-syn level was significantly increased in cells transfected with plasmid, and reduced by BCS intervention (P<0.05). pSer129-α-syn was increased in MPP+-induced PC12 cells, whereas decreased by later BCS intervention (P<0.05). The 20S proteasome activity of MPP+-induced PC12 cells was decreased, but increased after BCS intervention (P<0.05).
CONCLUSION
BCS intervention protected UPS function, increased 20S proteasome activity, promoted pathological α-syn clearance, restored cell viability, and reversed the damage caused by MPP+ in the in vitro model of Parkinson's disease.
PC12 Cells
;
alpha-Synuclein/metabolism*
;
Rats
;
Animals
;
1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium/toxicity*
;
Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex/metabolism*
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology*
;
Ubiquitin/metabolism*
;
Cell Survival/drug effects*
;
Phosphorylation/drug effects*
;
Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase/metabolism*
10.Bioequivalence and pharmacokinetic study of olmesartan medoxomil and hydrochlorothiazide tablets in Chinese healthy subjects
Qi-Qi ZHANG ; Xian-Gen XU ; Jin-Fang LOU ; Bo-Fan SONG ; Chun-Guang YANG ; Guang-Hui ZHU ; Ting LI
The Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2024;40(11):1623-1627
Objective To study the bioequivalence and safety of two olmesartan medoxomil and hydrochlorothiazide tablets in Chinese healthy subjects.Methods A total of 24 healthy subjects underwent fasting and postprandial tests in a single-center,randomized,open-label,single-dose,two-formulation,two-sequence,two-period,self-cross-over controlled design.The subjects were administered a single oral dose of the test formulation and reference formulation(each containingolmesartan medoxomil 20 mg and hydrochlorothiazide 12.5 mg)in a random cross-over fashion.The plasma concentrations of olmesartan and hydrochlorothiazide were determined by LC-MS/MS.The non-compartmental model analysis of olmesartan and hydrochlorothiazide was conducted using WinNonlin 7.0 software to calculate pharmacokinetic parameters and assess bioequivalence.Results In the fasting test,the pharmacokinetic parameters of olmesartan of test and reference were as follows:Cmax were(798.35±206.78)and(664.52±168.25)ng·mL-1,AUC0-t were(4 430.71±1 294.87)and(3 976.67±1 083.54)h·ng·mL-1,AUC0-∞ were(4 551.67±1 303.06)and(4 090.37±1 103.97)h·ng·mL-1.The pharmacokinetic parameters of hydrochlorothiazide of test and reference were as follows:Cmax were(92.39±35.96)and(96.15±38.76)ng·mL-1,AUC0_t were(548.69±217.11)and(564.41±208.68)h·ng·mL-1,AUC0-∞ were(603.04±228.59)and(619.26±223.27)h·ng·mL-1.In the fed test,the pharmacokinetic parameters of olmesartan of T and R were as follows:Cmax were(583.15±149.48)and(550.57±104.76)ng·mL-1,AUC0-t were(3 585.18±952.72)and(3 292.19±904.58)h·ng·mL-1,AUC0-∞ were(3 696.05±996.55)and(3 396.30±923.41)h·ng·mL-1.The pharmacokinetic parameters of hydrochlorothiazide of test and reference were as follows:Cmax were(70.30±17.88)and(74.70±21.65)ng·mL-1,AUC0-t were(476.60±119.39)and(492.91±144.81)h·ng·mL-1,AUC0-∞ were(523.37±132.67)and(535.81±151.92)h·ng·mL-1.In fasting and fed condition,the 90%confidence interval(90%CI)of Cmax,AUC0-t and AUC0-∞ of olmesartan and hydrochlorothiazide were in 80.00%-125.00%.Conclusion The two olmesartan medoxomil and hydrochlorothiazide tablets were bioequivalent under fasting and fed conditions,and good security.

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