1.Analysis of Sun Simiao's Thoughts on Six-Meridian Treatment in Treatise on Cold Damage
Jingjing ZHANG ; Wenda JI ; Xiaofei DONG ; Zheng XIAO ; Yanan XUE ; Yingcun LI
Journal of Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;41(1):46-51
Volumes 9 and 10 of Sun Simiao's Supplement to Important Formulas Worth a Thousand Gold Pieces record part of Trea-tise on Cold Damage,which contain Sun Simiao's unique thoughts on six-meridian treatment.Sun Simiao's treatment of Taiyang me-ridian emphasizes the classification of prescriptions and syndromes,advocates the correct treatment methods,and establishes three guidelines;Yangming meridian emphasizes the differentiation of cold and heat syndromes;except Taiyang meridian,all meridians em-phasize the differentiation of outline syndromes.It has made important contributions to the inheritance and development of the six-me-ridian thought of Treatise on Cold Damage in later generations.
2.Astragaloside IV-pretreated neural stem cell-derived exosomes attenuate brain injury in ischemic stroke rats by inhibiting classical pyroptosis pathway
Chunyue ZUO ; Meng LI ; Xiaofei JING ; Tianci ZHANG ; Xiaohan CHEN ; Shaoze YANG ; Tiangang ZHENG ; Weijuan GAO ; Xiaohong ZHOU
Chinese Journal of Pathophysiology 2025;41(2):277-286
AIM:To investigate the mechanism by which exosomes(EXOs)derived from neural stem cells(NSCs)pretreated with astragaloside IV(ASIV)alleviate brain damage in rats after ischemic stroke.METHODS:Rat NSCs were isolated from fetal rats within 24 h of birth,cultured for 3 d,and subsequently treated with ASIV for additional 5 d.The EXOs from untreated NSCs and ASIV-pretreated NSCs(ASIV-EXOs)were isolated via ultracentrifugation of the cell supernatant.These EXOs were characterized using Western blot to detect specific markers such as CD63,tumor sus-ceptibility gene 101(TSG101)and calnexin.Nanoparticle analysis was employed to determine the size,and the morpholo-gy of the EXOs was observed under electron microscope.Six to eight-week-old SD male rats were randomly assigned to 6 groups:sham group,middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion(MCAO/R)model group,edaravone(EDA)treatment(MCAO/R+EDA)group,EXOs treatement(MCAO/R+EXOs)group and ASIV-EXOs treatment(MCAO/R+ASIV-EXOs)group.Tail vein injections were administered within 2 h following the successful establishment of the MCAO/R model.The Zea Longa method was utilized to evaluate neurological deficits,while the TTC method was employed to assess brain infarc-tion.Pathological changes were examined through HE staining,and TUNEL and caspase-1 immunofluorescence double staining were conducted to detect cellular pyroptosis.Serum levels of interleukin-1β(IL-1β)and IL-18 were measured us-ing ELISA,and Western blot was performed to evaluate the expression of caspase-1,nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3(NLRP3),apoptosis-associated speck-like protein containing a caspase recruitment domain(ASC),gasdermin D(GSDMD),and IL-18 proteins in the ischemic area of the rat cerebral cortex across all groups.RE-SULTS:The MCAO/R group exhibited significantly higher neurological deficit scores compared to the sham group(P<0.01)and lower scores in the administered groups relative to the MCAO/R group(P<0.05).Cerebral infarction was mark-edly increased in the MCAO/R group compared to the sham group(P<0.01),whereas the infarction area was reduced in the administered groups compared to the MCAO/R group(P<0.05).Serum levels of IL-1β and IL-18 were significantly el-evated in the MCAO/R group versus the sham group(P<0.01)and were lower in the administered groups compared to the MCAO/R group(P<0.01).Moreover,IL-1β and IL-18 levels in the MCAO/R+ASIV-EXOs group were lower than those in the MCAO/R+EXOs group(P<0.05).HE staining revealed pronounced sieve-like infarction foci in the ischemic area of the rat cerebral cortex in MCAO/R group,characterized by disorganized neuronal arrangements,reduced or absent Nys-trom's vesicles,shrunken or fragmented nuclei,and numerous red neurons.In contrast,drug-treated groups exhibited milder pathological changes with clearer neuronal structures and a significant reduction in red neuron counts.Immunofluo-rescence double staining indicated a significant increase in double-positive cells in the MCAO/R group compared to the sham group(P<0.01),with a decrease in double-positive cells in the administered groups relative to the MCAO/R group(P<0.05)and a further reduction in the MCAO/R+ASIV-EXOs group compared to the MCAO/R+EXOs group(P<0.05).The expression levels of caspase-1,NLRP3,ASC,IL-18 and GSDMD proteins in the ischemic region of the rat cerebral cortex were significantly reduced in the administered groups compared to the MCAO/R group(P<0.01),with further re-duction observed in the MCAO/R+ASIV-EXOs group compared to the MCAO/R+EXOs group(P<0.05).CONCLU-SION:Exosomes derived from ASIV-pretreated NSCs attenuate brain damage in ischemic stroke rats,potentially through a mechanism involving the inhibition of pyroptosis mediated by the NLRP3/caspase-1 pathway.
3.Treatment of femoral head chondroblastoma in children and adolescents by curettage and bone grafting via the fovea of femoral head through the surgical hip dislocation approach
Yi XIE ; Xiaobo JING ; Fuli CHENG ; Zilong SHEN ; Chenhui YANG ; Yi SHEN ; Xiaofei XIE ; Bingbing ZHENG
Chinese Journal of Applied Clinical Pediatrics 2025;40(12):946-949
Objective:To investigate the clinical effectiveness of tumor lesion curettage and allogeneic bone grafting via the fovea of femoral head through the surgical hip dislocation approach in children and adolescents with femoral head chondroblastoma (FHCB).Methods:Case series study.The clinical data of 7 FHCB patients [3 males and 4 females with a mean age of 13.7 years (11-19 years)] treated at the Department of Pediatric Orthopedics, Zhengzhou Orthopedic Hospital from January 2016 to March 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.All patients underwent lesion curettage and allogeneic bone grafting via the fovea of femoral head through the surgical hip dislocation approach.The healing, local recurrence and complications were assessed via clinical and radiological tests.Functional outcomes were evaluated using the Musculoskeletal Tumour Society (MSTS) scoring system.A paired t-test was used to compare the MSTS scores before the operation and at the final follow-up. Results:All patients were followed up for 30 months on average (18-48 months).The average healing time for bone grafting was 4.9 (3-8) months.Local recurrence and serious postoperative complications such as avascular necrosis of femoral head, secondary osteoarthritis, ectopic ossification and nonunion of greater trochanter osteotomy end were not observed in all patients up to the last follow-up.The average MSTS score at the last follow-up was (29.14±0.45) points.Conclusions:Curettage and bone grafting via the fovea of femoral head through the surgical hip dislocation approach is effective and safe in the treatment of FHCB in children and adolescents.This method can maintain the integrity of the articular surface and growth plate, and also preserve the blood supply of the femoral head and the normal function of the hip joint, with satisfactory short-term effects.
4.Treatment of femoral head chondroblastoma in children and adolescents by curettage and bone grafting via the fovea of femoral head through the surgical hip dislocation approach
Yi XIE ; Xiaobo JING ; Fuli CHENG ; Zilong SHEN ; Chenhui YANG ; Yi SHEN ; Xiaofei XIE ; Bingbing ZHENG
Chinese Journal of Applied Clinical Pediatrics 2025;40(12):946-949
Objective:To investigate the clinical effectiveness of tumor lesion curettage and allogeneic bone grafting via the fovea of femoral head through the surgical hip dislocation approach in children and adolescents with femoral head chondroblastoma (FHCB).Methods:Case series study.The clinical data of 7 FHCB patients [3 males and 4 females with a mean age of 13.7 years (11-19 years)] treated at the Department of Pediatric Orthopedics, Zhengzhou Orthopedic Hospital from January 2016 to March 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.All patients underwent lesion curettage and allogeneic bone grafting via the fovea of femoral head through the surgical hip dislocation approach.The healing, local recurrence and complications were assessed via clinical and radiological tests.Functional outcomes were evaluated using the Musculoskeletal Tumour Society (MSTS) scoring system.A paired t-test was used to compare the MSTS scores before the operation and at the final follow-up. Results:All patients were followed up for 30 months on average (18-48 months).The average healing time for bone grafting was 4.9 (3-8) months.Local recurrence and serious postoperative complications such as avascular necrosis of femoral head, secondary osteoarthritis, ectopic ossification and nonunion of greater trochanter osteotomy end were not observed in all patients up to the last follow-up.The average MSTS score at the last follow-up was (29.14±0.45) points.Conclusions:Curettage and bone grafting via the fovea of femoral head through the surgical hip dislocation approach is effective and safe in the treatment of FHCB in children and adolescents.This method can maintain the integrity of the articular surface and growth plate, and also preserve the blood supply of the femoral head and the normal function of the hip joint, with satisfactory short-term effects.
5.Characteristics of traditional Chinese medicine syndromes in patients with Chikungunya hemorrhagic fever:a cross-sectional study
Shiying LU ; Danwen ZHENG ; Xintian HONG ; Yuping LIU ; Guangzong LI ; Zhifeng HONG ; Jinghua YANG ; Yan ZHANG ; Banghan DING ; Yuntao LIU ; Yuanyuan WANG ; Xin YIN ; Jingwei SHUI ; Xiaofei FAN ; Hai LAN ; Zhongde ZHANG
Journal of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;48(11):1531-1539
Objective To explore the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome characteristics of patients with Chikungunya hemorrhagic fever and to provide empirical data to support the application of TCM in diagnosing and treating Chikungunya hemorrhagic fever.Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted to collect clinical data(sex,age,days since onset,and comorbidity underlying disease conditions)and TCM with four-examination information(symptoms,tongue manifestations,and pulse manifestations)from 255 patients with Chikungunya hemorrhagic fever who visited Lecong Hospital of Shunde,Foshan,the Third People's Hospital of Shunde District of Foshan,Shunde Hospital of Southern Medical University Affiliated Chencun Hospital between July 23 and July 29,2025.Factor and cluster analyses were used to summarize TCM syndrome characteristics and analyze core pathogenesis in conjunction with clinical features.Results Among the 255 patients with Chikungunya hemorrhagic fever,131 were male and 124 were female,with a age of(49.05±17.93)years and a disease duration of(3.26±1.78)days.Among the four types of examination information in TCM,35 items exhibited a frequency exceeding 10%.The most prevalent symptoms were arthralgia(180 patients,70.59%),exanthem(153 patients,60.00%),fatigue(99 patients,38.82%),anhidrosis(98 patients,38.43%),pruritus(96 patients,37.65%),and fever(92 patients,36.08%).Tongue and pulse manifestations were primarily white fur(155 patients,60.78%),pink tongue(111 patients,43.53%),slippery pulse(143 patients,56.08%),and greasy fur(134 patients,52.53%).Patients with disease onset≤3 d had a higher incidence of arthralgia,fatigue,fever,aversion to cold,generalized muscle pain,aversion to wind,insomnia,headache,sweating,low-grade fever,poor appetite,loose stool,hyperhidrosis,and red tongue than those with disease onset≥4 d(P<0.05).Patients with disease onset≥4 d had a higher incidence of pink tongue and thick fur than those with disease onset≤3 d(P<0.05).The syndrome elements in patients with Chikungunya hemorrhagic fever predominantly manifested on the defensive exterior,with involvement of the sinew-bone joints,skin-muscle,and spleen.Pathogenic factors were primarily characterized by external winds,dampness,and heat.Factor and cluster analysis result indicated three TCM pathogenesis progression patterns:imbalance of the defensive exterior with wind-dampness conflict and heat transformation;dampness-heat flowing into muscles and meridians causing joint obstruction and qi blood stasis;and dampness-heat congelation resulting in qi mechanism obstruction,consumption of body fluids,and infiltration of the skin.Conclusion Patients with Chikungunya hemorrhagic fever primarily present with fever,joint pain,and rashes.In TCM,this condition falls under the category of"dampness-warmth"syndrome.Its etiology is attributed to pathogens,with transmission occurring through mosquito bites.The core pathogenesis of TCM is the invasion of the defensive exterior and dampness-toxic heat accumulation.The therapeutic principles focus on clearing heat pathogens,resolving dampness pathogens,dispersing wind pathogens,and promoting the resolution of rashes.
6.Application of blood conservation measures with different red blood cell transfusion volumes in obstetrics and their impact on postpartum outcomes
Huimin DENG ; Fengcheng XU ; Meiting LI ; Lan HU ; Xiao WANG ; Shiyu WANG ; Xiaofei YUAN ; Jun ZHENG ; Zehua DONG ; Yuanshan LU ; Shaoheng CHEN
Chinese Journal of Blood Transfusion 2025;38(5):691-698
Objective: To evaluate the application of blood conservation measures in obstetric patients with different red blood cell transfusion volumes and to assess the impact of different transfusion volumes on postpartum outcomes. Methods: A retrospective investigation was conducted on 448 obstetric patients who received blood transfusions at the Shanghai General Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine from January 2016 to December 2022. Patients were divided into four groups (1-2 units group, 3-4 units group, 5-6 units group, and >6 units group) based on the volumes of red blood cells (RBCs) transfused during and within 7 days after delivery. The maternal physiological indicators, pre- and postpartum laboratory test indicators, obstetric complications, application of blood conservation measures, use of blood products, and postpartum outcomes were reviewed. The clinical characteristics, application of blood conservation measures, and their impact on postpartum outcomes were compared among different transfusion groups. Results: There were statistically significant differences in the multivariate logistic analysis of history of previous cesarean section (OR=1.781), eclampsia/pre-eclampsia/(OR=1.972) and postpartum blood loss>1 000 mL(OR=1.699)(P<0.05) among different transfusion groups. In terms of blood conservation measures, the more RBCs transfused, the higher the rate of mothers receiving blood conservation measures such as balloon occlusion, arterial ligation, autologous blood transfusion with a cell saver, and hysterectomy. With the increase in the volume of RBCs transfusion, the demand for fresh frozen plasma(FFP), cryoprecipitate, and platelet transfusions also increased. The hospitalization days for the four groups of parturients were 6.0 (4.0-9.0), 7.5 (5.0-14.8), 7.0 (4.5-13.0) and 11.0 (9.0-20.5), respectively (P<0.05) and the rates of ICU transfer were 2.0% (5/250), 9.4% (12/128),18.2% (6/33) and 51.4% (19/37), respectively (P<0.05). Both increased significantly with the increase in the volume of RBCs transfusion, and the differences between groups were statistically significant. Conclusion: Parturients who received higher volume of RBCs had multiple risks factors for bleeding before childbirth, had higher postpartum blood loss, and had a higher rate of application of various blood conservation measures. In addition, an increase in the volume of RBCs transfusion may have adverse effects on postpartum recovery.
7.Huoxue Jiedu Formulas (活血解毒方药) as an Adjunctive Therapy for Patients with Binding of Stasis and Toxin Syndrome during the Vulnerable Period after Myocardial Infarction:A Prospective Real-World Study
Xiaofei GENG ; Yingxi YANG ; Zhipeng YAN ; Xinbiao FAN ; Xitong SUN ; Boyu ZHU ; Zheng ZHANG ; Yongchun LIANG ; Xiaoyu SHAN ; Junping ZHANG
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(23):2467-2474
ObjectiveTo observe the efficacy of Huoxue Jiedu Formulas (活血解毒方药, HJF) as an adjunctive treatement for patients with binding of stasis and toxin syndrome during the vulnerable period after acute myocardial infarction (AMI) percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) surgery, and to explore its potential mechanism from the perspective of serum neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). MethodsA total of 129 patients with binding of stasis and toxin syndrome within 6 months after PCI for AMI were enrolled and divided into a treatment group (65 cases) and a control group (64 cases) based on patients' willingness to take Chinese herbal medicine. The control group received standard western medical therapy alone, while the treatment group additionally received HJF, one dose daily. Both groups were treated for four weeks. Before and after treatment, TCM syndrome scores were assessed. Seattle angina questionnaire (SAQ) was used to record angina stability and frequency scores, while the short form-36 health survey (SF-36) was employed to assess quality of life across eight dimensions, including physical functioning, role-physical, bodily pain, general health, vitality, social functioning, role-emotional, and mental health. The Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) was used to evaluate sleep quality, and the patient health questionnaire-15 (PHQ-15) was used to assess psychosomatic symptoms; Duke activity status index (DASI) was used to measure daily physical activity. Serum levels of neutrophil extracellular traps (NET) markers including myeloperoxidase-DNA (MPO-DNA), neutrophil elastase-DNA (NE-DNA), and citrullinated histone H3 (CitH3) were measured in 20 patients from the treatment group. ResultsAfter treatment, TCM syndrome score, PSQI score and PHQ-15 score in both groups significantly decreased, while DASI score, angina stability and frequency scores, and all eight dimensions of the SF-36 scale significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared to the control group, the treatment group had significantly lower TCM syndrome scores and significantly higher DASI, angina stability and frequency scores (P<0.05), as well as higher scores in the SF-36 dimensions of physical functioning, role-physical, social functioning, bodily pain, and vitality (P<0.05). After treatment, serum levels of MPO-DNA, CitH3, and NE-DNA in the treatment group were significantly reduced (P<0.05). ConclusionHJF combined with conventional therapy can significantly improve angina symptoms, TCM syndrome scores, and psychosomatic conditions in patients with binding of stasis and toxin syndrome during the vulnerable period after AMI. It also enhances quality of life, sleep quality, and daily physical activity. The underlying mechanism may be associated with the inhibition of serum NETs level.
8.A preclinical and first-in-human study of superstable homogeneous radiolipiodol for revolutionizing interventional diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma.
Hu CHEN ; Yongfu XIONG ; Minglei TENG ; Yesen LI ; Deliang ZHANG ; Yongjun REN ; Zheng LI ; Hui LIU ; Xiaofei WEN ; Zhenjie LI ; Yang ZHANG ; Syed Faheem ASKARI RIZVI ; Rongqiang ZHUANG ; Jinxiong HUANG ; Suping LI ; Jingsong MAO ; Hongwei CHENG ; Gang LIU
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(10):5022-5035
Transarterial radioembolization (TARE) is a widely utilized therapeutic approach for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), however, the clinical implementation is constrained by the stringent preparation conditions of radioembolization agents. Herein, we incorporated the superstable homogeneous iodinated formulation technology (SHIFT), simultaneously utilizing an enhanced solvent form in a carbon dioxide supercritical fluid environment, to encapsulate radionuclides (such as 131I,177Lu, or 18F) with lipiodol for the preparation of radiolipiodol. The resulting radiolipiodol exhibited exceptional stability and ultra-high labeling efficiency (≥99%) and displayed notable intratumoral radionuclide retention and in vivo stability more than 2 weeks following locoregional injection in subcutaneous tumors in mice and orthotopic liver tumors in rats and rabbits. Given these encouraging findings, 18F was authorized as a radiotracer in radiolipiodol for clinical trials in HCC patients, and showed a favorable tumor accumulation, with a tumor-to-liver uptake ratio of ≥50 and minimal radionuclide leakage, confirming the feasibility of SHIFT for TARE applications. In the context of transforming from preclinical to clinical screening, the preparation of radiolipiodol by SHIFT represents an innovative physical strategy for radionuclide encapsulation. Hence, this work offers a reliable and efficient approach for TARE in HCC, showing considerable promise for clinical application (ChiCTR2400087731).
9.A novel feedback loop: CELF1/circ-CELF1/BRPF3/KAT7 in cardiac fibrosis.
Yuan JIANG ; Bowen ZHANG ; Bo ZHANG ; Xinhua SONG ; Xiangyu WANG ; Wei ZENG ; Liyang ZUO ; Xinqi LIU ; Zheng DONG ; Wenzheng CHENG ; Yang QIAO ; Saidi JIN ; Dongni JI ; Xiaofei GUO ; Rong ZHANG ; Xieyang GONG ; Lihua SUN ; Lina XUAN ; Berezhnova Tatjana ALEXANDROVNA ; Xiaoxiang GUAN ; Mingyu ZHANG ; Baofeng YANG ; Chaoqian XU
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(10):5192-5211
Cardiac fibrosis is characterized by an elevated amount of extracellular matrix (ECM) within the heart. However, the persistence of cardiac fibrosis ultimately diminishes contractility and precipitates cardiac dysfunction. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are emerging as important regulators of cardiac fibrosis. Here, we elucidate the functional role of a specific circular RNA CELF1 in cardiac fibrosis and delineate a novel feedback loop mechanism. Functionally, circ-CELF1 was involved in enhancing fibrosis-related markers' expression and promoting the proliferation of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs), thereby exacerbating cardiac fibrosis. Mechanistically, circ-CELF1 reduced the ubiquitination-degradation rate of BRPF3, leading to an elevation of BRPF3 protein levels. Additionally, BRPF3 acted as a modular scaffold for the recruitment of histone acetyltransferase KAT7 to facilitate the induction of H3K14 acetylation within the promoters of the Celf1 gene. Thus, the transcription of Celf1 was dramatically activated, thereby inhibiting the subsequent response of their downstream target gene Smad7 expression to promote cardiac fibrosis. Moreover, Celf1 further promoted Celf1 pre-mRNA transcription and back-splicing, thereby establishing a feedback loop for circ-CELF1 production. Consequently, a novel feedback loop involving CELF1/circ-CELF1/BRPF3/KAT7 was established, suggesting that circ-CELF1 may serve as a potential novel therapeutic target for cardiac fibrosis.
10.CRISPR/Cas9-based knockout library screening identifies BAG3 as a potential regulator of radiosensitivity
Zhengyue CAO ; Youfeng ZHANG ; Zhichun LÜ ; Huiying GAO ; Shensi XIANG ; Jingjing LI ; Xiaofei ZHENG ; Changyan LI
Military Medical Sciences 2025;49(6):421-429
Objective To identify genetic regulators of ionizing radiation(IR)sensitivity through clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats(CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated nuclease 9(Cas9)genome-wide screening.Methods A specialized single guide RNA(sgRNA)library was developed targeting 987 stress-response regulatory genes identified through Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG),Reactome and gene ontology(GO)databases,followed by construction of sgRNA plasmids and packaging into a lentiviral library.Using colon adenocarcinoma Caco-2 cells as a model system,the Cas9-stable transgenic line was established via lentiviral transduction and antibiotic selection.Library-transduced cells underwent puromycin selection,followed by γ-irradiation(dose optimized via preliminary experiments).Post-irradiation phenotypic selection was conducted after 14 days,with subsequent next-generation sequencing of surviving cell populations to identify enriched/depleted sgRNAs.Candidate genes were functionally validated through orthogonal assays:cell counting kit-8(CCK-8)proliferation analysis,clonogenic survival assays and flow cytometric quantification of reactive oxygen species(ROS)and apoptotic markers.Results The optimized screening platform identified 281 radiation response genes(165 radiosensitive and 116 radioprotective candidates).Functional validation revealed Bcl2-associated athanogene 3(BAG3)knockdown significantly enhanced radioresistance.Proliferation was increased 1.2-1.5 fold,clonogenic survival improved 1.5-2.0 fold,and ROS was reduced by 13%-25%coupled with 32%-73%apoptosis attenuation compared to control groups.Conclusion The integrated CRISPR/Cas9 screening platform effectively identifies novel radiation response regulators,as evidenced by the discovery of BAG3 as a critical radiosensitivity determinant.This high-throughput functional genomics approach provides a robust methodology for systematically mapping molecular determinants of cellular radiation response,with potential applications in both mechanistic studies and therapeutic target discovery.

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