1.The synergistic effect and mechanism verification of effective components of Biejia-Ezhu against triple-negative breast cancer based on network pharmacology and component compatibility theory
Dou-dou FENG ; Xiao-shan LUO ; Yan-yun MENG ; Jing-zhe ZHAO ; Jiu-long ZHU ; Ya-zhen HUANG ; Qing XIE ; Xiang-Li LING ; Su XIE
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2025;41(5):950-959
Aim To explore the compatibility and po-tential mechanism of effective components of Biejia-Ezhu against triple negative breast cancer(TNBC)and verify it by experiments.Methods Effective compo-nents and targets of Biejia-Ezhu were obtained by TC-MSP and Swiss Target Prediction.Disease targets of TNBC were obtained from OMMI and GeneCards data-bases.The PPI network was constructed using STRING database.GO and KEGG path enrichment analysis was performed using DAVID database.Cytoscape3.9.1 software was used to construct the"drug-component-target-disease"network,screen key targets and compo-nents for molecular docking,and further verify the com-patibility of key components and targets in vitro.Re-sults ① A total of 71 effective components were iden-tified in the Biejia-Ezhu drug pair.There were 146 drug targets associated with the disease.A total of 113 signaling pathways were identified by KEGG analysis.The 71 potential active components of Biejia-Ezhu mainly acted on key targets such as mTORC1,ULK1,TNF,EGFR,ESR1,STAT3,HIF1A,and PTGS2.Mo-lecular docking results showed that glycine and curcu-min were the key active components of Biejia-Ezhu,and both had strong docking activity against key target proteins mTORC1 and ULK1.②The results of in vitro experiment showed that glycine combined with curcu-min significantly inhibited the proliferation and clonal formation ability of TNBC cells(P<0.05),up-regula-ted the expression of autophagy marker LC3 Ⅱ/Ⅰ,down-regulated the expression of EGFR,down-regula-ted the expression of pathway protein mTORC1,p-mTOR,p-ULK1,and promoted the expression of path-way protein ULK1(P<0.05).Conclusion The key component of Biejia-Ezhu against triple-negative breast cancer is glycine-curcumin,the mechanism of which may be related to the regulation of the mTORC1/ULK1 signaling pathway to promote autophagy.
2.New progress in molecular diagnostic methods for early-onset sepsis in newborns
Xiong-jun TAN ; Ji-tao LIN ; Xiao-lian ZHU ; Li-juan ZHANG ; Qing-hua WEN ; Huai-wu ZHENG
Journal of Regional Anatomy and Operative Surgery 2025;34(1):89-92
Neonatal sepsis is a global health problem that seriously affects the body health and life safety of newborns. It has a higher incidence in preterm infants,especially for early-onset sepsis (EOS) within 72 hours of birth. The diagnosis of neonatal EOS requires a series of examinations,and early and accurate diagnosis can improve clinical outcomes and reduce antibiotic overuse in a timely manner. At present,the commonly used biomarkers and traditional blood culture methods for EOS diagnosis have certain shortcomings,so it is urgent to find new molecular diagnostic methods. This article summarizes and compares the early and novel diagnostic methods of neonatal EOS,in order to provide a reference for clinical practice.
3.Mechanism of Colquhounia Root Tablets against diabetic kidney disease via RAGE-ROS-PI3K-AKT-NF-κB-NLRP3 signaling axis.
Ming-Zhu XU ; Zhao-Chen MA ; Zi-Qing XIAO ; Shuang-Rong GAO ; Yi-Xin YANG ; Jia-Yun SHEN ; Chu ZHANG ; Feng HUANG ; Jiang-Rui WANG ; Bei-Lei CAI ; Na LIN ; Yan-Qiong ZHANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(7):1830-1840
This study aimed to explore the therapeutic mechanisms of Colquhounia Root Tablets(CRT) in treating diabetic kidney disease(DKD) by integrating biomolecular network mining with animal model verification. By analyzing clinical transcriptomics data, an interaction network was constructed between candidate targets of CRT and DKD-related genes. Based on the topological eigenvalues of network nodes, 101 core network targets of CRT against DKD were identified. These targets were found to be closely related to multiple pathways associated with type 2 diabetes, immune response, and metabolic reprogramming. Given that immune-inflammatory imbalance driven by metabolic reprogramming is one of the key pathogenic mechanisms of DKD, and that many core network targets of CRT are involved in this pathological process, receptor for advanced glycation end products(RAGE)-reactive oxygen species(ROS)-phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K)-protein kinase B(AKT)-nuclear factor-κB(NF-κB)-NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3(NLRP3) signaling axis was selected as a candidate target for in-depth research. Further, a rat model of DKD induced by a high-sugar, high-fat diet and streptozotocin was established to evaluate the pharmacological effects of CRT and verify the expression of related targets. The experimental results showed that CRT could effectively correct metabolic disturbances in DKD, restore immune-inflammatory balance, and improve renal function and its pathological changes by inhibiting the activation of the RAGE-ROS-PI3K-AKT-NF-κB-NLRP3 signaling axis. In conclusion, this study reveals that CRT alleviates the progression of DKD through dual regulation of metabolic reprogramming and immune-inflammatory responses, providing strong experimental evidence for its clinical application in DKD.
Animals
;
Diabetic Nephropathies/metabolism*
;
Receptor for Advanced Glycation End Products/genetics*
;
NF-kappa B/genetics*
;
Signal Transduction/drug effects*
;
Rats
;
NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/genetics*
;
Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/genetics*
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage*
;
Male
;
Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinases/genetics*
;
Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism*
;
Humans
;
Plant Roots/chemistry*
;
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
;
Tablets/administration & dosage*
4.Mechanism of Zhifuxin in prevention and treatment of vascular dementia in long-term hypoperfused rats.
Xiao-Qing LI ; Xue ZHOU ; Jiu-Qun ZHU ; Zheng-Huai TAN
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(7):1900-1907
This paper aims to evaluate the pharmacodynamic effect and mechanism of Zhifuxin in the prevention and treatment of vascular dementia(VD), providing a theoretical basis for later development. Bilateral common carotid artery ligation in male Wistar rats was conducted to replicate the long-term hypoperfused VD model, and the drug was given to groups after one month. The rats were fed daily with nimodipine of 20 mg·kg~(-1), Zhifuxin of 50, 100, and 200 mg·kg~(-1), or the same volume of solvent for four weeks. 24 hours after the last dose, Morris water maze experiments were performed to detect the learning and memory abilities of rats. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was used to observe the pathological changes in the brain tissue of rats; the immunohistochemical method was used to detect the expression of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors M1 and M4 in rats and determine the content of acetyl choline(Ach), acetylcholin esterase(AchE), malondialdehyde(MDA), choline acetyl transferase(ChAT), and dimethyl arginine hydrolase 1(DDAH1) in the cerebral cortex of rats. Western blot was employed to detect protein expression of endothelial nitric oxide synthase(eNOS), caveolin-1, monoamine oxidase A(MAO-A), and monoamine oxidase B(MAO-B). RT-qPCR was utilized to detect mRNA expression of eNOS, caveolin-1, MAO-A, and MAO-B. The results showed that compared with the model group, the different doses of Zhifuxin were able to shorten the latency of VD rats in the water maze positioning navigation test, increase the number of crossing platforms in the space exploration test, and alleviate cone cell contracture in the hippocampus of VD rats. The expression of biochemical indicators related to the cholinergic system in the cerebral cortex: M1 and M4 receptors increased, as well as ChAT activity, and AchE activity significantly decreased. The protein and mRNA expression of indicators related to the eNOS/NO pathway: DDAH1 content, eNOS, and caveolin-1 increased, and that of indicators related to monoamine oxidase(MAO): MAO-A and MAO-B significantly decreased. The results show that Zhifuxin can improve cognition ability in long-term hypoperfused VD rats, and its mechanism of action may be related to its ability to modulate the cholinergic system and the eNOS/NO pathway and inhibit MAO expression.
Animals
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Dementia, Vascular/metabolism*
;
Male
;
Rats, Wistar
;
Rats
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage*
;
Maze Learning/drug effects*
;
Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III/genetics*
;
Acetylcholinesterase/metabolism*
;
Humans
;
Choline O-Acetyltransferase/genetics*
;
Disease Models, Animal
5.Mechanism of Quanduzhong Capsules in treating knee osteoarthritis from perspective of spatial heterogeneity.
Zhao-Chen MA ; Zi-Qing XIAO ; Chu ZHANG ; Yu-Dong LIU ; Ming-Zhu XU ; Xiao-Feng LI ; Zhi-Ping WU ; Wei-Jie LI ; Yi-Xin YANG ; Na LIN ; Yan-Qiong ZHANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(8):2209-2216
This study aims to systematically characterize the targeted effects of Quanduzhong Capsules on cartilage lesions in knee osteoarthritis by integrating spatial transcriptomics data mining and animal experiments validation, thereby elucidating the related molecular mechanisms. A knee osteoarthritis model was established using Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats, via a modified Hulth method. Hematoxylin and eosin(HE) staining was employed to detect knee osteoarthritis-associated pathological changes in knee cartilage. Candidate targets of Quanduzhong Capsules were collected from the HIT 2.0 database, followed by bioinformatics analysis of spatial transcriptomics datasets(GSE254844) from cartilage tissues in clinical knee osteoarthritis patients to identify spatially specific disease genes. Furthermore, a "formula candidate targets-spatially specific genes in cartilage lesions" interaction network was constructed to explore the effects and major mechanisms of Quanduzhong Capsules in distinct cartilage regions. Experimental validation was conducted through immunohistochemistry using animal-derived biospecimens. The results indicated that Quanduzhong Capsules effectively inhibited the degenerative changes in the cartilage of affected joints in rats, which was associated with the regulation of Quanduzhong Capsules on the thioredoxin-interacting protein(TXNIP)-NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3(NLRP3)-bone morphogenetic protein receptor type 2(BMPR2)-fibronectin 1(FN1)-matrix metallopeptidase 2(MMP2) signal axis in the articular cartilage surface and superficial zones, subsequently inhibiting cartilage matrix degradation leading to oxidative stress and inflammatory diffusion. In summary, this study clarifies the spatially specific targeted effects and protective mechanisms of Quanduzhong Capsules within pathological cartilage regions in knee osteoarthritis, providing theoretical and experimental support for the clinical application of this drug in the targeted therapy on the inflamed cartilage.
Animals
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Osteoarthritis, Knee/metabolism*
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/administration & dosage*
;
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
;
Rats
;
Male
;
Humans
;
Capsules
;
Female
;
Disease Models, Animal
6.Molecular Characterization of New Recombinant Human Adenoviruses Detected in Children with Acute Respiratory Tract Infections in Beijing, China, 2022-2023.
Yi Nan GUO ; Ri DE ; Fang Ming WANG ; Zhen Zhi HAN ; Li Ying LIU ; Yu SUN ; Yao YAO ; Xiao Lin MA ; Shuang LIU ; Chunmei ZHU ; Dong QU ; Lin Qing ZHAO
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2025;38(9):1071-1081
OBJECTIVE:
Recombination events are common and serve as the primary driving force of diverse human adenovirus (HAdV), particularly in children with acute respiratory tract infections (ARIs). Therefore, continual monitoring of these events is essential for effective viral surveillance and control.
METHODS:
Respiratory specimens were collected from children with ARIs between January 2022 and December 2023. The penton base, hexon, and fiber genes were amplified from HAdV-positive specimens and sequenced to determine the virus type. In cases with inconsistent typing results, genes were cloned into the pGEM-T vector to detect recombination events. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) was performed to characterize the recombinant HAdV genomes.
RESULTS:
Among 6,771 specimens, 277 (4.09%, 277/6,771) were positvie for HAdV, of which 157 (56.68%, 157/277) were successfully typed, with HAdV-B3 being the dominant type (91.08%, 143/157), and 14 (5.05%, 14/277) exhibited inconsistent typing results, six of which belonged to species B. The penton base genes of these six specimens were classified as HAdV-B7, whereas their hexon and fiber genes were classified as HAdV-B3, resulting in a recombinant genotype designated P7H3F3, which closely resembled HAdV-B114. Additionally, a partial gene encoding L1 52/55 kD was identified, which originated from HAdV-B16.
CONCLUSION
A novel recombinant, P7H3F3, was identified, containing sequences derived from HAdV-B3 and HAdV-B7, which is similar to HAdV-B114, along with additional sequences from HAdV-B16.
Humans
;
Adenoviruses, Human/isolation & purification*
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Respiratory Tract Infections/epidemiology*
;
Child, Preschool
;
Child
;
Recombination, Genetic
;
Male
;
Beijing/epidemiology*
;
Infant
;
Female
;
Phylogeny
;
Adenovirus Infections, Human/epidemiology*
;
Acute Disease
;
Genome, Viral
7.Associations between Red Cell Indices and Cerebral Blood Flow Velocity in High Altitude.
Hao Lun SUN ; Tai Ming ZHANG ; Dong Yu FAN ; Hao Xiang WANG ; Lu Ran XU ; Qing DU ; Jun LIANG ; Li ZHU ; Xu WANG ; Li LEI ; Xiao Shu LI ; Wang Sheng JIN
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2025;38(10):1314-1319
8.NFKBIE: Novel Biomarkers for Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Immunity in Colorectal Cancer: Insights from Pan-cancer Analysis.
Chen Yang HOU ; Peng WANG ; Feng Xu YAN ; Yan Yan BO ; Zhen Peng ZHU ; Xi Ran WANG ; Shan LIU ; Dan Dan XU ; Jia Jia XIAO ; Jun XUE ; Fei GUO ; Qing Xue MENG ; Ren Sen RAN ; Wei Zheng LIANG
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2025;38(10):1320-1325
9.Clinical and Intestinal Ultrasound Findings in Mitochondrial Neurogastrointestinal Encephalomyopathy:Report of One Case.
Xiao-Yan ZHANG ; Qing-Li ZHU ; Ge-Chong RUAN ; Wen-Bo LI
Acta Academiae Medicinae Sinicae 2025;47(5):758-761
Mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalomyopathy(MNGIE),a rare mitochondrial disorder caused by TYMP gene mutations,is characterized by severe gastrointestinal dysmotility,peripheral neuropathy,and leukodystrophy.This article summarizes the clinical data and intestinal ultrasound findings of a MNGIE case,aiming to provide insights for clinical diagnosis and treatment.
Humans
;
Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathies/diagnostic imaging*
;
Ultrasonography
;
Intestines/diagnostic imaging*
;
Male
;
Female
;
Intestinal Pseudo-Obstruction/diagnostic imaging*
;
Ophthalmoplegia/congenital*
;
Muscular Dystrophy, Oculopharyngeal
10.Effects of Prognostic Nutritional Index and Systemic Inflammatory Response Index on Short-Term Efficacy and Prognosis in Patients with Peripheral T-Cell Lymphoma.
Zi-Qing HUANG ; Yan-Hui LI ; Bin LYU ; Xue-Jiao GU ; Ming-Xi TIAN ; Xin-Yi LI ; Yan ZHANG ; Xiao-Qian LI ; Ying WANG ; Feng ZHU
Journal of Experimental Hematology 2025;33(5):1350-1357
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the predictive value of the prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and systemic inflammatory response index (SIRI) for short-term efficacy and prognosis in newly treated patients with peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL).
METHODS:
The general data, laboratory indicators, disease stage and other clinical data of 91 newly treated PTCL patients admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from January 2015 to December 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. The optimal cutoff values for PNI and SIRI were determined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and the patients were stratified into groups based on these cutoffs to compare clinical features and short-term efficacy between the different groups. Kaplan-Meier method was used to plot survival curves, and univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify the factors affecting overall survival (OS).
RESULTS:
The optimal cutoff values for PNI and SIRI were 45.30 and 1.74×109/L, respectively. Patients in different PNI groups showed statistically significant differences in age, Ann Arbor stage, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level, international prognostic index (IPI), prognostic index for PTCL-not otherwise specified (PIT), pathological subtypes, and complete response (CR) rate (P < 0.05). PTCL patients in different SIRI groups exhibited significant differences in Ann Arbor stage, LDH level, IPI score, PIT score, and CR rate (P < 0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that age ≥60 years old (OR =2.750), Ann Arbor stage Ⅲ-Ⅳ (OR =5.200), IPI score ≥2 (OR =7.650), low PNI (OR =3.296), and high SIRI (OR =3.130) were independent risk factors affecting treatment efficacy in PTCL patients (P < 0.05). Cox proportional hazards regression model analysis showed that low PNI and elevated β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) levels were independent risk factors affecting OS (P < 0.05).
CONCLUSION
PNI and SIRI have certain application value in evaluating short-term efficacy and prognosis in patients with PTCL. Compared with SIRI, PNI demonstrates greater predictive value for patient prognosis.
Humans
;
Prognosis
;
Lymphoma, T-Cell, Peripheral/therapy*
;
Retrospective Studies
;
Nutrition Assessment
;
Male
;
Female
;
Middle Aged
;
ROC Curve
;
Inflammation

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