1.Study on the effects and mechanisms of Lycium ruthenicum Murr. in improving sleep
Ming QIAO ; Yao ZHAO ; Yi ZHU ; Yexia CAO ; Limei WEN ; Yuehong GONG ; Xiang LI ; Juanchen WANG ; Tao WANG ; Jianhua YANG ; Junping HU
China Pharmacy 2026;37(1):24-29
OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects and mechanisms of Lycium ruthenicum Murr. in improving sleep. METHODS Network pharmacology was employed to identify the active components of L. ruthenicum and their associated disease targets, followed by enrichment analysis. A caffeine‑induced zebrafish model of sleep deprivation was established , and the zebrafish were treated with L. ruthenicum Murr. extract (LRME) at concentrations of 0.1, 0.2 and 0.4 mg/mL, respectively; 24 h later, behavioral changes of zebrafish and pathological alterations in brain neurons were subsequently observed. The levels of inflammatory factors [interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-1β, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)], oxidative stress markers [superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), catalase (CAT)], and neurotransmitters [5- hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), glutamic acid (Glu), dopamine (DA), and norepinephrine (NE)] were measured. The protein expression levels of protein kinase B1 (AKT1), phosphorylated AKT1 (p-AKT1), epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), sarcoma proto-oncogene,non-receptor tyrosine kinase (SRC), and heat shock protein 90α family class A member 1 (HSP90AA1) in the zebrafish were also determined. RESULTS A total of 12 active components and 176 intersecting disease targets were identified through network pharmacology analysis. Among these, apigenin, naringenin and others were recognized as core active compounds, while AKT1, EGFR and others served as key targets; EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance signaling pathway was identified as the critical pathway. The sleep improvement rates in zebrafish of LRME low-, medium-, and high-dose groups were 54.60%, 69.03% and 77.97%, 开发。E-mail:hjp_yft@163.com respectively, while the inhibition ratios of locomotor distance were 0.57, 0.83 and 0.95, respectively. Compared with the model group, the number of resting counts, resting time and resting distance were significantly increased/extended in LRME medium- and high-dose groups (P<0.05). Neuronal damage in the brain was alleviated. Additionally, the levels of IL-6, IL-1β, TNF-α, MDA, Glu, DA and NE, as well as the protein expression levels of AKT1, p-AKT1, EGFR, SRC and HSP90AA1, were markedly reduced (P<0.05), while the levels of IL-10, SOD, GSH-Px, CAT, 5-HT and GABA, as well as Bcl-2 protein expression, were significantly elevated (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS L. ruthenicum Murr. demonstrates sleep-improving effects, and its specific mechanism may be related to the regulation of inflammatory responses, oxidative stress, neurotransmitter balance, and the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance signaling pathway.
2.Comparative Analysis of Exercise-induced Transcriptomic Responses in Human and Mouse Homologous Genes: Divergence and Convergence Based on The GEPREP Database
Qian SUN ; Wei-Chu TAO ; Ru WANG ; Bing-Xiang XU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(6):1617-1630
Exercise, as a non-pharmacological intervention, holds a pivotal role in metabolic regulation, neuroplasticity, and immune homeostasis maintenance. However, human exercise studies are constrained by ethical limitations in tissue sampling, especially for key organs such as muscles and the brain. Meanwhile, rodent models like mice exhibit physiological differences in exercise patterns and metabolic rates from human. Despite these challenges, approximately 70% of human and mouse genes are conserved, providing a molecular basis for cross-species comparisons. This paper leverages the GEPREP database, which integrates human and mouse exercise transcriptomic data from multiple platforms, to conduct a comprehensive cross-species analysis of exercise-induced gene expression patterns. We employ a stringent data standardization process, including the conversion of orthologous genes and the filtering of low-expressing genes, to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the analysis. A mixed-effects model is utilized to assess differential gene expression across multiple cohorts, identifying genes that are significantly upregulated or downregulated in response to exercise. The analysis reveals a complex pattern of gene expression, with a significant number of genes showing conserved responses between humans and mice, particularly in acute aerobic exercise, where genes such as ATF3, PPARGC1A, and ANKRD1 are commonly upregulated. These genes are implicated in muscle stress response, metabolic regulation, and muscle adaptation, highlighting the shared molecular pathways activated by exercise across species. However, the study also uncovers substantial species-specific differences in gene expression, especially in chronic aerobic exercise, where the number of divergently regulated genes increases. These differences suggest that while some fundamental biological processes are conserved, the specific regulatory mechanisms and gene expression patterns can vary significantly between humans and mice. Functional enrichment analysis further reveals that conserved genes are involved in muscle development, inflammation regulation, and energy metabolism, while species-specific genes are associated with ion transport, extracellular matrix (ECM) organization, and muscle contraction, indicating the multifaceted impact of exercise on skeletal muscle function. The findings emphasize the importance of considering species-specific differences when interpreting results from animal models and translating them to human health applications. The study highlights the need for a more nuanced understanding of the molecular underpinnings of exercise-induced adaptations and underscores the value of cross-species comparative analyses in uncovering the evolutionary and functional basis of these responses. Future research should focus on integrating multi-omics data and expanding the analysis to include other tissues to provide a more comprehensive view of the systemic effects of exercise. Additionally, the development of species-specific gene editing models and the validation of key genes in exercise physiology will further enhance our understanding of the evolutionary logic behind exercise interventions. This study not only provides valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms of exercise-induced adaptations but also underscores the necessity of validating findings from animal models in human cohorts to ensure the reliability and applicability of translational research in exercise science. By addressing these aspects, the study aims to bridge the gap between basic research and clinical applications, ultimately contributing to the development of personalized exercise prescriptions and interventions that can effectively promote health and prevent diseases.
3.Therapeutic effect of combined extracranial-intracranial revascularization in elderly patients with symptomatic chronic internal carotid artery occlusion
Xiaonan ZHU ; Haitao XU ; Junhui LIU ; Rui DING ; Rongxin GENG ; Xiang TAO ; Yuxuan WANG ; Jing LIU
Chinese Journal of Geriatrics 2025;44(11):1549-1555
Objective:To investigate the therapeutic effect of combined extracranial-intracranial revascularization on elderly patients with symptomatic chronic internal carotid artery occlusion, and to evaluate its safety and efficacy in the elderly population.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 35 elderly patients(aged ≥60 years)who underwent combined extracranial-intracranial revascularization for symptomatic chronic internal carotid artery occlusion in the Department of Neurosurgery, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University from January 2017 to June 2022.The clinical data during hospitalization, as well as the follow-up data within 2 years after operation, were collected and analyzed.Results:A total of 35 cases of combined extracranial-intracranial revascularization were performed on 35 patients.The age at surgery ranged from 60 to 74 years(mean age 65.5 ± 4.2 years). The incidence of reversible neurological deficits within 2 weeks postoperation was 34.3%, and the incidence of focal cerebral infarction within 30 days postoperation was 5.7%.The patency rate of the bridging vessel was 97.1% at 3 months postoperation., and the incidence of focal cerebral infarction during the follow-up period of 30 days to 2 years postoperation was 2.9%.At 3 months after surgery, computed tomography perfusion imaging showed that regional cerebral blood flow(rCBF), regional cerebral blood volume(rCBV), regional mean transit time(rMTT), and regional time to peak(rTTP)were improved compared with those before surgery.The modified Rankin scale score decreased compared to preoperative values, while the Montreal Cognitive Assessment showed improvement in cognitive function compared to preoperative levels(all P<0.05). From 6 months to 1-year postoperation, cerebral angiography showed that 38.7% of the patients had neovascularization of Matsushima grade A or grade B. No cases of cerebral hemorrhage or death was observed during the treatment and follow-up. Conclusions:Combined extracranial-intracranial revascularization is safe and effective for elderly patients with symptomatic chronic internal carotid artery occlusion, which can improve the patient′s hemodynamic disorders, prevent infarction events, and improve the patients′ neurological function and cognitive ability.
4.Dynamic electrical impedance tomography imaging algorithm based on complementary information fusion network
Xin-yi WANG ; Tao ZHANG ; Xiang TIAN ; Ning YANG ; Jun-jie DU ; Xue-chao LIU ; Feng FU ; Xue-tao SHI ; Can-hua XU
Chinese Medical Equipment Journal 2025;46(6):1-6
Objective To propose a dynamic electrical impedance tomography imaging algorithm based on complementary information fusion network(CIFN)to enhance image quality of dynamic electrical impedance imaging.Methods There were three modules for initialization,multi-frame complementary information extraction and information fusion involved in the CIFN.Firstly,multi-frame dynamic conductivity distribution images were obtained by the initialization module;secondly,spatial complementary information was extracted from the images by using the multi-frame complementary information extraction module;finally,the fusion of lesion target distribution information and target re-reconstruction were realized by the information fusion module to aquire high-quality EIT images.With a 16-electrode multilayer cranial simulation model,the CIFN-based imaging method was compared with Tikhonov regularization algorithm,spectral constraint algorithm and U-Net algorithm in terms of imaging results of types of lesions to verify its performance.Results Compared with the Tikhonov regularization algorithm,spectral constraint algorithm and U-Net algorithm,the proposed CIFN-based algorithm exhibited the lowest mean absolute error(MAE)and the highest structural similarity(SSIM)when used to image different lesion targets,which accurately reconstructed the distribution of lesion targets and gained high imaging stability under common noise levels.Conclusion The proposed CIFN-based imaging algorithm obtains high imaging quality on a cranial simulation model and reconstruction results close to the real model distribution,which provides algorithmic support for subsequent clinical studies on electrical impedance imaging.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2025,46(6):1-6]
5.The value of apparent diffusion coefficient value combined with ovarian-adnexal reporting and data system MRI score in the differentiation of benign and malignant adnexal lesions with score 3-5
Tao LI ; Shan ZHANG ; Zengfa HUANG ; Wanpeng WANG ; Xi WANG ; Wei XIE ; Shutong ZHANG ; Xiang WANG
Journal of Practical Radiology 2025;41(5):805-809
Objective To explore the value of apparent diffusion coefficient(ADC)value combined with ovarian-adnexal reporting and data system(O-RADS)MRI score in differentiating benign and malignant adnexal lesions with score 3-5.Methods The imaging data of 241 adnexal lesions with O-RADS MRI score 3-5 proved by pathology were analyzed retrospectively.The ADC values of all lesions were measured,and the optimal thresholds were determined by receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis,the comprehensive model was established using binary logistic regression analysis,the corresponding diagnostic efficacy was calculated.Results The median ADC values of the benign,borderline and malignant groups were 2.166 × 10-3 mm2/s,1.383 ×10-3 mm2/s and 0.839× 10-3mm2/s,respectively(P<0.05).The area under the curve(AUC)of the combination of ADC value with O-RADS MRI score for differentiating benign and malignant adnexal lesions was 0.928[95% confidence interval(CI)0.888-0.958],which was higher than that of O-RADS MRI score and ADC value alone(P<0.05).The sensitivity and specificity of the three models in differ-entiating benign and malignant adnexal lesions were 93.5%,98.9%,83.9%,respectively;and 79.1%,58.8%,79.1%,respectively.Conclusion ADC value combined with O-RADS MRI score can be the most effective in the diagnosis of benign and malignant adnexal lesions,which is higher than O-RADS MRI score and ADC value.Compared with O-RADS MRI score,ADC value combined with O-RADS MRI score maintained good sensitivity and increased diagnostic specificity.
6.Analysis of the diagnostic and therapeutic value of single-use mother-baby choledochoscope-assisted endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy for the acute uncomplicated appendicitis
Sijie GUO ; Hongguang WANG ; Liying TAO ; Qingmei GUO ; Xiang GUO ; Lianyu PIAO ; Jiwei ZHANG ; Lin LIU
China Journal of Endoscopy 2025;31(11):55-61
Objective To investigate the diagnostic and therapeutic value of single-use mother-baby choledochoscope-assisted endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy in the treatment of acute uncomplicated appendicitis.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 39 patients with acute uncomplicated appendicitis who underwent single-use mother-baby choledochoscope-assisted endoscopic retrograde appendicitis treatment at the Endoscopy center of the hospital from September 2022 to September 2024.Observe the endoscopic manifestations,the rate of maternal and child basket stone removal,the rate of appendiceal stent implantation,the technical success rate,the clinical success rate,the operation time,the hospital stay,the incidence of complications,the visual analogue scale(VAS)score 6 hours after the operation,and the inflammatory indicators 24 hours after the operation.Results In 28 cases(71.8%),congestion and edema could be seen at the opening of the appendix under colonoscopy.In 10 cases(25.6%),pus could be seen flowing out of the opening of the appendix under colonoscopy.In 32 cases(82.1%),a large amount of pus could be seen in the lumen of the appendix under subscopy.In 20 cases(51.3%),appendiceal fecalith could be seen in the lumen of the appendix under subscopy.The technical success rate of single-use mother-baby choledochoscope-assisted endoscopic retrograde appendicitis treatment was 100.0%(39/39).The operation time was(21.08±7.49)min;Hospital stay:(3.97±2.08)days;Eight cases(20.5%)of patients underwent endoscopic maternal basket stone removal.Appendiceal stent implantation was performed in 14 cases(35.9%)of patients.The clinical success rate is 97.4%(38/39).One patient's clinical symptoms and inflammatory indicators did not improve after the operation,and was transferred to the surgery department for appendectomy.The VAS score of 38 patients was less than 3 points 6 hours after the operation,and the abdominal pain symptoms were significantly relieved.The white blood cell count and the percentage of neutrophils 24 hours after the operation decreased significantly compared with those before the operation,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).None of the 39 patients had complications.The postoperative follow-up was(5.94±4.03)months,and recurrence occurred in 3 cases(7.7%).Conclusion single-use mother-baby choledocoscope-assisted endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy is safe and effective in the diagnosis and treatment of acute uncomplicated appendicitis,which is worthy of further promotion and popularization in clinical practice.
7.Regulation of THZ1,an inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinase 7,on stemness of glioma stem cells and its mechanism
Enxi HU ; Wenying HE ; Xiang TAO ; Peijing DU ; Libin WANG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(25):5374-5381
BACKGROUND:THZ1,an inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinase 7,has been shown to inhibit the proliferation of a variety of tumor cells,but whether THZ1 can affect the stemness of glioma stem cells through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway remains unclear.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect of THZ1 on stemness of glioma cell U87 and its mechanism.METHODS:U87 adherent cells were cultured to form stem cell mammospheres.The expressions of stemness related proteins were verified by western blot assay.The effect of THZ1 on half maximal inhibitory concentration(IC50)of U87 cells was determined by Cell Counting Kit-8(CCK-8)assays.The effects of THZ1 on proliferation and migration of U87 cells were determined by cell colony-formation assays,cell wound healing assays,and Transwell migration assays.The effect of THZ1 treatment on mammosphere forming rate and mammosphere size of U87 stem cells was analyzed.Stemness associated proteins CD133,ABCG2,Nanog,OCT4,SOX2,epithelial-mesenchymal transformation-related proteins E-cadherin,N-cadherin,Occludin,Snail,and Wnt/β-catenin pathway associated proteins Axin1,β-Catenin,WNT-5A,GSK3β,Cyclind-1,and C-myc were measured by western blot assay.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Compared with adherent cells,the expressions of stemness related proteins Nestin,CD133,ABCG2,Nanog,OCT4,and SOX2 were significantly increased.(2)Compared with the control group,THZ1 decreased the proliferation and migration of U87 cells.(3)THZ1 inhibited the mammosphere forming rate and mammosphere size of U87 stem cells.(4)After THZ1 treatment,the expression of N-cadherin and Snail decreased,while the protein expression of E-cadherin and Occludin increased.(5)THZ1 treatment decreased the expression of Wnt/β-catenin pathway related proteins Axin1,β-Catenin,Wnt-5A,GSK3β,Cyclind-1,and C-myc in U87 stem cells.It is concluded that THZ1 can suppress the proliferation and migration of U87 cells,and inhibit the mammosphere forming ability,stemness related protein expression,and epithelial-mesenchymal transformation ability of U87 stem cells by down-regulating the expression of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway related molecules.
8.Research status of autophagy in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis
Wen-xia QI ; Gang WANG ; Yan-feng YAN ; Jie-xiang TIAN ; Tao WANG ; Yong WEI ; Zhan-dong WANG ; Yuan-yuan ZHANG
The Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2025;41(2):264-268
With the deepening of molecular biology and cell biology research,the regulatory mechanism of autophagy has been gradually revealed,providing new ideas for the treatment of numerous diseases.Autophagy may be closely related to pathological changes such as apoptosis resistance of fibroblast-like synoviocytes,disturbances in bone metabolic homeostasis,and antigen presentation,the regulation of autophagy homeostasis may be an important approach for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis(RA).In this paper,we provide a review on the pathological mechanism of autophagy in RA,with a view to providing a theoretical basis for later studies.
9.Super-enhancer-mediated GSE1 activation drives breast cancer proliferation through Wnt/β-catenin signal-ing
Peijing DU ; Enxi HU ; Xiang TAO ; Jia CAO ; Libin WANG
The Journal of Practical Medicine 2025;41(18):2796-2805
Objective To investigate the molecular mechanism by which super enhancers(SEs)regulate the expression of the genetic suppressor element 1(GSE1)and influence the proliferation of breast cancer cell line MCF-7.Methods The oncogene GSE1,driven by SEs,was identified through analysis of the ChIP-seq dataset of MCF-7 cells obtained from the GEO database.The protein expression level of GSE1 was assessed via Western blot following treatment with the bromodomain-containing protein 4(BRD4)inhibitor JQ1.The expression of GSE1 across various cancers and different breast cancer subtypes was analyzed using the Human Protein Atlas(HPA)and The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)databases,respectively.Overall survival(OS)of breast cancer patients was compared between the GSE1 high-expression and low-expression groups using the GEPIA database.Immunohis-tochemistry(IHC)was performed to evaluate GSE1 expression in breast cancer tissue samples.The mRNA expres-sion levels of GSE1 in different breast cancer cell lines were validated by RT-qPCR.A GSE1 interference vector was constructed and transfected into MCF-7 cells,and the knockdown efficiency was assessed using Western blot.Cell proliferation and migration were evaluated using CCK-8 assay,colony formation assay,wound healing assay,and Transwell migration assay.Potential GSE1-interacting proteins were predicted using the STRING database.Finally,Western blot analysis was conducted to assess changes in epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT)-related proteins and key components of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.Results The integrative genomics viewer(IGV)was used to visualize ChIP-seq data from MCF-7 cells,and the rank ordering of super enhancers(ROSE)algorithm was applied to predict the SE region of GSE1 in the MCF-7 genome.GSE1 and BRD4 expression levels were significantly reduced following JQ1 treatment(P<0.05).High expression levels of GSE1 in breast cancer were confirmed through analyses using the HPA,TCGA,and GEPIA databases,as well as IHC,and these find-ings were associated with poor prognostic outcomes in breast cancer patients(P<0.05).RT-qPCR results further demonstrated that GSE1 is significantly upregulated in breast cancer cells(P<0.05).Analysis of the STRING database revealed a strong correlation between GSE1 and Snail(Snai1).Transfection of a GSE1-specific interference vector significantly inhibited the proliferation and migration of MCF-7 cells compared to the control group,upregu-lated E-cadherin and Occludin expression,and downregulated N-cadherin and Snail expression(P<0.05).Addi-tionally,knockdown of GSE1 resulted in decreased expression of Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway-related proteins,including β-catenin,Wnt-5a,and Cyclin-D1,along with increased Axin1 expression(P<0.05).Conclusion SE driven GSE1 promotes the proliferation,migration and EMT of MCF-7 cells via the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.
10.Study on the Mechanism of Malt Alcoholic Extract in the Treatment of Depression Induced by Chronic Unpredictable Mild Stress in Rats Based on Intestinal Flora
Yindan XIANG ; Ping NI ; Mengjuan TAO ; Tianhang LI ; Yujie ZHOU ; Huilan XU ; Bin WANG ; Qingyuan ZENG ; Yonggang CHEN
Herald of Medicine 2025;44(8):1199-1207
Objective To explore the mechanism of malt alcohol extract improving depression-like behavior induced by CUMS in rats by regulating gut microbiota.Methods The depression model of rats was established using an 8-weeks CUMS procedure,and the administration group was given low(59.6 mg·kg-1)and high(178.8 mg·kg-1)doses of malt alcohol extract,respectively.The depression-like behavior of rats was evaluated by classic behavioral test.The composition of intestinal microbiota of rats was analyzed by 16S rRNA sequencing.The morphological changes of colon were observed by hematoxylin and eosin(HE),the expression of ZO-1 and Occludin in colon was detected by immunofluorescence(IF),and the expression of IL-10,IL-1βand 5-HT were detected by ELISA.Results The low dose of malt alcohol extract attenuated the depressive behavior and restored the expression of 5-HT in the brain of CUMS rats.16S rRNA sequencing results showed that the diversity and relative abundance of gut microbiota changed after treatment with the low dose of malt alcohol extract.ELISA results showed that the low dose of malt alcohol extract significantly reversed the CUMS-induced reduction of IL-10 and elevation of IL-1 β.HE results showed that the low dose of malt alcohol extract significantly ameliorated CUMS-induced structural damage in colon.IF results showed increased protain expression of intestinal epithelial barrier tight junction proteins ZO-1 and Occludin by the low dose of malt alcohol extract.Conclusion The low dose of malt alcohol extract can ameliorate CUMS-induced depressive-like behavior in rats by modulating intestinal flora,restoring 5-HT expression in the brain,inhibiting inflammation,and repairing the intestinal barrier.

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