1.Olfactory Receptors Expressed in The Intestine and Their Functions
Pei-Wen YANG ; Meng-Meng YUAN ; Ying ZHOU ; Peng LI ; Gui-Hong QI ; Ying YANG ; Zhong-Yi MAO ; Meng-Sha ZHOU ; Xiao-Shuang MAO ; Jian-Ping XIE ; Yi-Nan YANG ; Shi-Hao SUN
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(3):534-549
Olfactory receptors (ORs) form the largest superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Traditionally recognized for their role in the nasal olfactory epithelium, where they mediate the sense of smell, accumulating evidence has firmly established their ectopic expression in non-olfactory tissues, including the intestine, lungs, and kidneys. The intestine, as the primary site for nutrient digestion and absorption, harbors a highly complex chemical environment. To adapt to this environment, the gut employs a sophisticated network of “chemosensors” to monitor luminal contents and maintain homeostasis. Among these sensors, intestinal ORs have emerged as crucial functional components, serving as a molecular bridge that connects environmental chemical signals—such as food-derived odorants—to specific physiological responses. This discovery has significantly deepened our understanding of how dietary flavors and compounds influence intestinal physiology at the molecular level. This review systematically summarizes the expression profiles, ligand classification, and biological functions of ORs within the gastrointestinal tract. Studies indicate that intestinal ORs exhibit distinct spatial distribution patterns across different gut segments and display cell-type specificity, particularly within enterocytes and enteroendocrine cells. These receptors function as versatile sensors capable of recognizing a wide variety of ligands, including exogenous dietary components, gut microbiota metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids, and endogenous small molecules like azelaic acid. Upon activation by specific ligands, intestinal ORs trigger intracellular signaling cascades, primarily involving the AC-cAMP-PKA pathway or calcium influx channels. A major focus of this review is to elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which these receptors regulate the secretion of gut hormones. Activation of specific ORs in enteroendocrine cells has been shown to stimulate the release of hormones such as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), peptide YY (PYY), and serotonin (5-HT), thereby modulating systemic energy metabolism, glucose homeostasis, and gastrointestinal motility. Furthermore, the review addresses the critical roles of ORs in immune regulation and pathology. Evidence suggests that specific ORs contribute to the maintenance of intestinal immune homeostasis and may offer protection against inflammation. Beyond their involvement in inflammatory responses, ORs such as Olfr78 have been shown to regulate the differentiation and function of intestinal endocrine cells. Similarly, Olfr544 has been demonstrated to alleviate intestinal inflammation by remodeling the gut microbiome and metabolome. These findings collectively suggest that specific ORs hold promise as therapeutic targets for mitigating intestinal inflammation and maintaining gut homeostasis. Additionally, the review explores the emerging role of ORs in cancer. Although OR expression is often downregulated in tumor tissues compared to normal mucosa, activation of specific ORs by certain ligands can inhibit tumor cell proliferation and migration and induce apoptosis via pathways such as MEK/ERK and p38 MAPK. Conversely, other receptors, such as OR7C1, may serve as biomarkers for cancer-initiating cells. In conclusion, intestinal ORs represent a vital component of the gut’s sensory network. The review also discusses the translational potential of these findings. By elucidating the precise pairing relationships between dietary components and specific ORs, novel therapeutic strategies could be developed. Intestinal ORs may thus emerge as promising targets for nutritional and pharmacological interventions in metabolic diseases, inflammatory bowel diseases, and malignancies.
2.The study on the characteristics of gut microbiota in Parkinson disease with depression and its correlation with self-regulation psychological factors
Fu XIE ; Gan TANG ; Nan YANG ; Jing CHEN ; Tao ZOU
Chinese Journal of Nervous and Mental Diseases 2025;51(5):274-279
Objective To explore the differences in gut microbiota among patients with Parkinson disease(PD),major depressive disorder(MDD)and PD with depression(dPD),as well as their correlation with psychological factors.Methods A cross-sectional control design was used for the study.Fecal samples were collected from 30 PD patients,21 dPD patients,and 20 MDD patients for high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing analysis.The Snaith-Hamilton pleasure scale(SHAPS),ruminative responses scale(RRS),Connor-Davidson resilience scale(CD-RISC)and self-compassion scale short form(SCS-SF)were used for psychological assessments.Results The relative abundance of Megamonas was higher in the MDD group than in the dPD and PD groups,while Prevotella was lower in the MDD group than in the dPD and PD groups.The relative abundance of Escherichia-Shigella in PD was higher than that in the dPD and MDD groups,and the difference was significant(P<0.05).The score of the CD-RISC was positively correlated with the abundance of microbiota at Vibrio(r=0.598,P<0.001)and Shewanella(r=0.569,P<0.001),while the score of ruminative responses scale was positively correlated with the abundance of microbiota at Hydrogenophaga(r=0.625,P<0.001),Rhodococcus(r=0.510,P<0.001).Conclusion There are some differences in gut microbiota among patients with Parkinson disease,Parkinson disease with depression and major depression disorder.The specific microbiota such as Vibrio and Rhodococcus may be related to the psychological factors and depressive symptoms of dPD patients.
3.Study on the inhibition mechanism of melatonin for neuroglioma cell proliferation based on whole transcriptome sequencing
Li XU ; Xiu-jiao CHEN ; Wei-nan ZHENG ; Xin-ling MAO ; Li-bin LIN ; Qun XIE ; Qing-dong JIN
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2025;41(1):163-170
Aim To detect the non-coding RNA(ncRNA)expression profile of neuroglioma cells via whole transcriptome sequencing,establish the ceRNA network and reveal the molecular mechanism of ncRNA participating in the inhibition of neuroglioma cell prolif-eration by melatonin.Methods Neuroglioma cells were intervened with by 0,2,4,6 and 8 mmol·L-1 melatonin for 24,48 and 72 h,and the inhibitory effect of melatonin on cell proliferation was detected via CCK-8;after the intervention of 0 and 4 mmol·L-1 melatonin to U251 cells for 24 h,differentially ex-pressed miRNA(DEmiRNA),lncRNA(DElncRNA)and mRNA(DEmRNA)were detected through whole transcriptome sequencing,along with GO and KEGG enrichment analysis of DEmRNA;the ceRNA network was constructed,and the key gene expression of ceR-NA was verified through qRT-PCR.Results Melato-nin exerts a time-dose-dependent inhibitory effect on the proliferation of neuroglioma cells;a total of 5049 DEmRNA,635 DElncRNA and 146 DEmiRNA in 0 and 4 mmol·L-1 melatonin groups were screened out via whole transcriptome sequencing;DEmRNAs were mainly enriched in cancer-related signaling pathways,such as ferroptosis,mTOR signaling pathway,FoxO signaling pathway and cell cycle;the ceRNA network included 4 lncRNAs,3 miRNAs and 48 mRNAs.As verified through real-time PCR,the expressions of hsa-miR-129-5p,hsa-miR-362-5p,LINC00707 and SLC16A1-AS1 of U251 cells were consistent with the sequencing results,and the gene expression of U87 cells was basically consistent with the sequencing re-sults.Conclusions Melatonin affects cancer-related signaling pathways through the differential expression of ncRNA so as to inhibit the proliferation of U251 cells;the ceRNA network composed of LINC00707,SLC16A1-AS1,hsa-miR-129-5p and hsa-miR-362-5p may take a part in the molecular mechanism of melato-nin in inhibiting neuroglioma cell proliferation.
4.Willingness-to-Pay for Combined Cancer Screening Among Rural Residents in Shandong Province
Xuan CHANG ; Jing XIE ; Qiuxia LI ; Yukun FENG ; Yanling ZHENG ; Nan ZHANG
China Cancer 2025;34(2):138-144
[Purpose]To investigate the acceptance and willingness-to-pay(WTP)of combined can-cer screening among rural residents in Shandong Province,and to analyze its influencing factors.[Methods]A face-to-face questionnaire survey was conducted among rural residents aged 40~70 in villages setected by cluster sampling from three counties(county level city or district)in Shan-dong Province.The questionnaire was developed using the method of double-bound dichotomous choice combined with open-ended questions in contingent valuation.The factors influencing inten-sity of WTP was analyzed with using single-factor and ordinary least squares regression models.[Results]A total of 962 subjects were surveyed.89.19%of the respondents were willing to accept cancer combined screening,and 62.00%were willing to pay part of the costs.The average of WTP was 963.67 CNY,which accounted for 32.12%of the total cost.The proportion of respon-dents who were willing to pay between 0~1 500 CNY was the highest(76.49%).In the multivariate analysis,age,sex and income had significant effects on the maximum payment of multi-cancer screening.[Conclusion]The acceptance of multi-cancer screening among rural residents in the study sites is high,but the willingness-to-pay is limited.The out-of-pocket payment for multi-can-cer screening should be controlled,and a co-payment mechanism among government,enterprises,social organizations and individuals should be explored.
5.Therapeutic effects of electric microneedling on mild to moderate alopecia areata in children
Xiaorong XU ; Yue ZHANG ; Nan LI ; Yiyi LI ; Xiaoli GONG ; Chengfeng XIE
Chinese Journal of Primary Medicine and Pharmacy 2025;32(6):875-879
Objective:To investigate the efficacy and safety of electric microneedling combined with recombinant collagen liquid dressing, compound glycyrrhizin tablets, and hydrocortisone butyrate ointment for the treatment of mild to moderate alopecia areata in children.Methods:This is a prospective study. A total of 72 children with mild to moderate alopecia areata, admitted to the Department of Dermatology, Zunyi Maternal and Child Health Hospital from November 2023 to June 2024, were included in this study. The children were randomly assigned to either the experimental group, which received electric microneedling combined with treatment, or the control group, which received treatment without microneedling, based on the order of their visits. All patients received oral compound glycyrrhizin tablets and topical hydrocortisone butyrate ointment for treatment. In the experimental group, electric microneedling was used to puncture the alopecia lesions while simultaneously applying recombinant collagen liquid dressing. The control group did not receive electric microneedling treatment and only had the recombinant collagen liquid dressing applied to the lesions. The treatment lasted for 12 weeks. The efficacy and incidence of adverse reactions were compared between the two groups. After treatment, all patients were followed up for 3 months to check for any recurrence of this condition.Results:There was no significant difference in response rate between the experimental and control groups [81.58% (31/38) vs. 73.53% (25/34), χ2 = 0.67, P = 0.412). No significant difference in cure rate was observed between the experimental and control groups [57.89% (22/38) vs. 47.06% (16/34), χ2= 0.85, P = 0.358]. The time to effect in the experimental group was shorter than that in the control group [(3.16 ± 0.73) weeks vs. (4.60 ± 1.08) weeks, t = 5.15, P < 0.001]. The incidence of adverse reactions did not differ significantly between the experimental and control groups [7.89% (3/38) vs. 0, Fisher value = 0.24, P = 0.242]. There was no significant difference in recurrence rate between experimental and control groups [6.45% (2/31) vs. 12.00% (3/25), χ2 = 0.06, P = 0.801). Conclusions:The combination of electric microneedling, recombinant collagen liquid dressing, compound glycyrrhizin tablets, and hydrocortisone butyrate ointment provides a rapid onset of effect and is safe and effective for the treatment of mild to moderate alopecia areata in children.
6.Willingness-to-Pay for Combined Cancer Screening Among Rural Residents in Shandong Province
Xuan CHANG ; Jing XIE ; Qiuxia LI ; Yukun FENG ; Yanling ZHENG ; Nan ZHANG
China Cancer 2025;34(2):138-144
[Purpose]To investigate the acceptance and willingness-to-pay(WTP)of combined can-cer screening among rural residents in Shandong Province,and to analyze its influencing factors.[Methods]A face-to-face questionnaire survey was conducted among rural residents aged 40~70 in villages setected by cluster sampling from three counties(county level city or district)in Shan-dong Province.The questionnaire was developed using the method of double-bound dichotomous choice combined with open-ended questions in contingent valuation.The factors influencing inten-sity of WTP was analyzed with using single-factor and ordinary least squares regression models.[Results]A total of 962 subjects were surveyed.89.19%of the respondents were willing to accept cancer combined screening,and 62.00%were willing to pay part of the costs.The average of WTP was 963.67 CNY,which accounted for 32.12%of the total cost.The proportion of respon-dents who were willing to pay between 0~1 500 CNY was the highest(76.49%).In the multivariate analysis,age,sex and income had significant effects on the maximum payment of multi-cancer screening.[Conclusion]The acceptance of multi-cancer screening among rural residents in the study sites is high,but the willingness-to-pay is limited.The out-of-pocket payment for multi-can-cer screening should be controlled,and a co-payment mechanism among government,enterprises,social organizations and individuals should be explored.
7.Baseline characteristics and short-term safety of lecanemab in treatment of Alzheimer's disease:a real-world study
Nan ZHANG ; Hengge XIE ; Gang WANG ; Jiong ZHOU ; Kunmu ZHENG
Chinese Journal of Geriatric Heart Brain and Vessel Diseases 2025;27(7):915-919
Objective To evaluate the baseline characteristics and short-term safety of lecanemab in treatment of Alzheimer's disease(AD)in Chinese patients in a real-world study.Methods A mul-ticenter,retrospective,observational study was conducted on 646 AD patients who were continu-ously recruited and receved of lecanemab therapy in 84 medical centers from June 26,2024 to March 1,2025.Their clinical data,including baseline Mini-mental state examination(MMSE)score and clinical dementia rating(CDR)score before and after treatment,were collected,and the CDR-global score(CDR-GS)and CDR-sum of box score were calculated.The incidences of infu-sion-related reactions(IRR)and amyloid-related imaging abnormalities(ARIA),including ARIA with edema and effusion(ARIA-E)and ARIA with hemosiderin deposit(ARIA-H)within 3 months of treatment were observed and recorded.Apolipoprotein E(ApoE)genetic test was per-formed on 454 patients.Baseline characteristics and short-term safety of the patients were ana-lyzed.Results There were 301 patients(46.59%)having a baseline CDR-GS score of 0.5 and 345(53.41%)patients had a CDR score of 1.In the 454 patients receiving genetic test,the ApoEε4 carriers accounted for 31.27%(202 cases),including 17 cases of ApoEε4 homozygous carriers(8.42%).The incidence of IRR was 4.95%(32/646),which mainly occurred during the first infu-sion(90.63%,29/32),and there were 96.88%(31/32)of mild and 3.13%(1/32)of moderate IRR,with main manifestations of fever,dizziness,vomiting,etc.Sixteen patients(2.48%)experienced ARIA,including 5(31.25%)ARIA-E,10(62.50%)ARIA-H,and 1(6.25%)ARIA-E and ARIA-H.For the 5 patients with ARIA-E,2 were symptomatic,and in terms of radiographic severity,3 cases were mild and 2 cases were moderate ARIA-E.In the 10 patients with ARIA-H,all of them had no clinical symptoms,and in terms of radiographic severity,6 had mild and 4 had moderate ARIA-H.Among the 17 ApoEε4 homozygous patients,only one patient(5.88%)experi-enced ARIA-H with a moderate radiographic severity.Multivariate analysis showed that age in-creased the trend of ARIA risk,but no statistical difference was observed(P=0.056).Conclusion In this real-world study in China,AD patients receiving lecanemab treatment have the characteris-tics of being younger in age but higher disease severity.Short-term follow-up data suggest that lecanemab has good safety.
8.Analysis on the Current Status of Clinical Trial Registration of TCM for the Treatment of Cervical Spondylosis
Congyang XUE ; Nan WANG ; Heng CHEN ; Shuang CHEN ; Xin LIU ; Lin XIE
Chinese Journal of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;32(8):63-68
Objective To provide references for the registration and implementation of related clinical trials by analyzing the current status of clinical trial registration of TCM for the treatment of cervical spondylosis.Methods Relevant clinical trials of TCM for the treatment of cervical spondylosis were retrieved from China Clinical Trial Registry,International Clinical Trial Registry Platform and US Clinical Trials Registry database from the establishment to 1 July 2024.The relevant data were extracted and entered into Excel 2019,and GraphPad Prism 9.0 was used to statistically analyse the registration characteristics of clinical trials of TCM for the treatment of cervical spondylosis.Results A total of 126 clinical trials of TCM for the treatment of cervical spondylosis were included in this study,of which 112 were interventional studies.Domestic registrations covered a total of 19 provincial administrative regions,with the top two being Shanghai and Guangdong Province.The research on disease types included all subtypes of cervical spondylosis,with the largest number of registered items(37 items,29.37%)related to cervical spondylostic radiculopathy,followed by projects with unspecified cervical spondylosis subtypes(44 projects,34.92%).Research projects from universities and affiliated hospitals accounted for 89.7%(113 projects),with Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine(12 projects)registering the most projects.Totally 110 research projects were funded,with local financial support accounting for 39.09%(43 projects)and national financial support accounting for 16.36%(18 projects).The study designs were mainly randomized parallel controlled studies(112 projects,88.9%),mostly single-centre research projects(92 projects,73.0%),with sample sizes concentrated between 50-200(86 projects,68.3%).The interventions were mostly external TCM treatments,such as acupuncture(41 items,32.5%)and tuina(23 items,18.3%).Conclusion The number of registered clinical trials of TCM for the treatment of cervical spondylosis has shown a fluctuating upward trend,but there are problems such as a small number,uneven geographical development,low methodological quality,mostly single-centre trials,and a lack of projects with Chinese materia medica intervention projects.
9.Therapeutic effects of electric microneedling on mild to moderate alopecia areata in children
Xiaorong XU ; Yue ZHANG ; Nan LI ; Yiyi LI ; Xiaoli GONG ; Chengfeng XIE
Chinese Journal of Primary Medicine and Pharmacy 2025;32(6):875-879
Objective:To investigate the efficacy and safety of electric microneedling combined with recombinant collagen liquid dressing, compound glycyrrhizin tablets, and hydrocortisone butyrate ointment for the treatment of mild to moderate alopecia areata in children.Methods:This is a prospective study. A total of 72 children with mild to moderate alopecia areata, admitted to the Department of Dermatology, Zunyi Maternal and Child Health Hospital from November 2023 to June 2024, were included in this study. The children were randomly assigned to either the experimental group, which received electric microneedling combined with treatment, or the control group, which received treatment without microneedling, based on the order of their visits. All patients received oral compound glycyrrhizin tablets and topical hydrocortisone butyrate ointment for treatment. In the experimental group, electric microneedling was used to puncture the alopecia lesions while simultaneously applying recombinant collagen liquid dressing. The control group did not receive electric microneedling treatment and only had the recombinant collagen liquid dressing applied to the lesions. The treatment lasted for 12 weeks. The efficacy and incidence of adverse reactions were compared between the two groups. After treatment, all patients were followed up for 3 months to check for any recurrence of this condition.Results:There was no significant difference in response rate between the experimental and control groups [81.58% (31/38) vs. 73.53% (25/34), χ2 = 0.67, P = 0.412). No significant difference in cure rate was observed between the experimental and control groups [57.89% (22/38) vs. 47.06% (16/34), χ2= 0.85, P = 0.358]. The time to effect in the experimental group was shorter than that in the control group [(3.16 ± 0.73) weeks vs. (4.60 ± 1.08) weeks, t = 5.15, P < 0.001]. The incidence of adverse reactions did not differ significantly between the experimental and control groups [7.89% (3/38) vs. 0, Fisher value = 0.24, P = 0.242]. There was no significant difference in recurrence rate between experimental and control groups [6.45% (2/31) vs. 12.00% (3/25), χ2 = 0.06, P = 0.801). Conclusions:The combination of electric microneedling, recombinant collagen liquid dressing, compound glycyrrhizin tablets, and hydrocortisone butyrate ointment provides a rapid onset of effect and is safe and effective for the treatment of mild to moderate alopecia areata in children.
10.Effects of family functioning,peer victimization and school connectedness on adolescent nonsuicidal self-injury:the mediating effect of psychache
Nan KANG ; Ruyun WU ; Hongli SUN ; Ruiqin XIE ; Dan ZHANG
Journal of Xi'an Jiaotong University(Medical Sciences) 2025;46(4):580-585
Objective To explore the effects of family functioning,peer victimization and school connectedness on nonsuicidal self-injury in adolescents,as well as the mediating effect of psychache in these relationships.Methods A total of 525 junior high school students in Foshan City were surveyed using the brief Family Function Scale,Peer Victimization Scale,School Connectedness Scale,Psychache Scale,and Nonsuicidal Self-injury Scale.Descriptive statistics and correlation analyses were performed using SPSS 23.0,and mediation analysis was conducted using Mplus 7.4.Results ① Family functioning could directly predict adolescent non-suicidal self-injury(β=-0.20,P<0.01),but did not exert an indirect effect through psychache(P=0.123).② Peer victimization could not directly predict adolescent non-suicidal self-injury(β=0.10,P=0.133),but had an indirect effect through psychache,with an indirect effect value of 0.142(P<0.001).③ School connectedness could not directly predict adolescent non-suicidal self-injury(β=0.13,P=0.053),but had an indirect effect through psychache,with an indirect effect value of-0.128(P<0.001).Conclusion Psychache fully mediates the relationship between peer victimization,school connectedness,and non-suicidal self-injury in adolescents,but it does not mediate the relationship between family functioning and adolescent non-suicidal self-injury.

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