1.The Role of NEAT1 in Bone and Cartilage Metabolism and Bone Diseases
Rui-Ming WEN ; Rui-Qi HUANG ; Yi-Xing CHANG ; Ke XU ; Xue-Jie YI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(4):930-945
In the process of maintaining the steady state of bone tissue, the transcription network and signal pathway of the body play a vital role. These complex regulatory mechanisms need precise coordination to ensure the balance between bone formation and bone absorption. Once this balance is broken, it may lead to pathological changes of bone and cartilage, and then lead to various bone diseases. Therefore, it is of great significance to understand these regulatory mechanisms for the prevention and treatment of bone diseases. In recent years, with the deepening of research, more and more lncRNA has been found to be closely related to bone health. Among them, nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 (NEAT1), as an extremely abundant RNA molecule in mammalian nuclei, has attracted extensive attention. NEAT1 is mainly transcribed from a specific site in human chromosome 11 by RNA polymerase II (RNaseP), which can form two different subtypes NEAT1_1 and NEAT1_2. These two subtypes are different in intracellular distribution and function, but they participate in many biological processes together. Studies have shown that NEAT1 plays a specific role in the process of cell growth and stress response. For example, it can regulate the development of osteoblasts (OB), osteoclasts (OC) and chondrocytes by balancing the differentiation of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs), thus maintaining the steady state of bone metabolism. This discovery reveals the important role of NEAT1 in bone development and remodeling. In addition, NEAT1 is closely related to a variety of bone diseases. In patients with bone diseases such as osteoporosis (OP), osteoarthritis (OA) and osteosarcoma (OS), the expression level of NEAT1 is different. These differential expressions may be closely related to the pathogenesis and progression of bone diseases. By regulating the level of NEAT1, it can affect a variety of signal transduction pathways, and then affect the development of bone diseases. For example, some studies show that by regulating the expression level of NEAT1, the activity of osteoclasts can be inhibited, and the proliferation and differentiation of osteoblasts can be promoted, thus improving the symptoms of osteoporosis. It is worth noting that NEAT1 can also be used as a key sensor for the prevention and treatment of bone diseases. When exercising or receiving some natural products, the expression level of NEAT1 will change, thus reflecting the response of bones to external stimuli. This feature makes NEAT1 an important target for studying the prevention and treatment strategies of bone diseases. However, although the role of NEAT1 in bone biology and bone diseases has been initially recognized, its specific mechanism and regulatory relationship are still controversial. For example, the expression level, mode of action and interaction with other molecules of NEAT1 in different bone diseases still need further in-depth study. This paper reviews the role of NEAT1 in maintaining bone and cartilage metabolism, and discusses its expression and function in various bone diseases. By combing the existing research results and controversial points, this paper aims to provide new perspectives and ideas for the prevention and treatment of bone diseases, and provide useful reference and enlightenment for future research.
2.Effect of Kuanxiong Aerosol on Perioperative Coronary Microcirculation in Patients with Unstable Angina Undergoing Elective PCI: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.
Zi-Hao LIU ; Wen-Long XING ; Hong-Xu LIU ; Ju-Ju SHANG ; Ai-Yong LI ; Qi ZHOU ; Zhen-Min ZHANG ; Zhi-Bao LI ; Ke-Ji CHEN
Chinese journal of integrative medicine 2025;31(3):206-214
OBJECTIVE:
To evaluate the immediate effect of Kuanxiong Aerosol (KXA) on perioperative coronary microcirculation in patients with unstable angina (UA) suffering from elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).
METHODS:
From February 2021 to July 2023, UA inpatients who underwent PCI alone in the left anterior descending (LAD) branch were included. Random numbers were generated to divide patients into the trial group and the control group at a ratio of 1:1. The index of coronary microcirculation resistance (IMR) was measured before PCI, and the trial group was given two sprays of KXA, while the control group was not given. IMR was measured again after PCI, cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and creatine kinase isoenzyme-MB (CK-MB) were detected before and 24 h after surgery, and major cardiovascular adverse events (MACEs) were recorded for 30 days. The data statistics and analysis personnel were blinded.
RESULTS:
Totally 859 patients were screened, and 62 of them were involved into this study. Finally, 1 patient in the trial group failed to complete the post-PCI IMR and was excluded, 30 patients were included for data analysis, while 31 patients in the control group were enrolled in data analysis. There was no significant difference in baseline data (age, gender, risk factors, previous history, biochemical index, and drug therapy, etc.) between the two groups. In addition, differences in IMR, cTnI and CK-MB were not statistically significant between the two groups before surgery. After PCI, the IMR level of the trial group was significantly lower than that of the control group (19.56 ± 14.37 vs. 27.15 ± 15.03, P=0.048). Besides, the incidence of perioperative myocardial injury (PMI) was lower in the trial group, but the difference was not statistically significant (6.67% vs. 16.13%, P=0.425). No MACEs were reported in either group.
CONCLUSIONS
KXA has the potential of improving coronary microvascular dysfunction. This study provides reference for the application of KXA in UA patients undergoing elective PCI. (Registration No. ChiCTR2300069831).
Humans
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Percutaneous Coronary Intervention
;
Male
;
Microcirculation/drug effects*
;
Female
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Angina, Unstable/physiopathology*
;
Pilot Projects
;
Middle Aged
;
Aged
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology*
;
Aerosols
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Troponin I/blood*
;
Coronary Circulation/drug effects*
;
Elective Surgical Procedures
3.Chemical knockdown of Keap1 and homoPROTAC-ing allergic rhinitis.
Jianyu YAN ; Tianyu WANG ; Ruizhi YU ; Lijuan XU ; Hongming SHAO ; Tengfei LI ; Zhe WANG ; Xudong CHA ; Zhenyuan MIAO ; Chengguo XING ; Ke XU ; Huanhai LIU ; Chunlin ZHUANG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(8):4137-4155
Allergic rhinitis (AR), a globally prevalent immune-mediated inflammatory condition, is still an incurable disease. In the present study, we have validated the impact of the Kelch-like ECH associated protein 1 (Keap1)-related oxidative stress and inflammatory response in clinical AR patient peripheral blood and nasal swab samples, emphasizing the biological relevance of Keap1 and AR. Targeting Keap1 -nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) related anti-oxidative stress may be effective for AR intervention. Drawing inspiration from the Keap1 homodimerization and the E3 ligase characteristics, we herein present a design of novel bivalent molecules for chemical knockdown of Keap1. For the first time, we characterized ternary complexes of Keap1 dimer and one molecule of bivalent compounds. The best bivalent molecule 8 encompasses robust capacity to degrade Keap1 as a homoPROTACKEAP1. It efficaciously suppresses inflammatory cytokines in extensively different cells, including human nasal epithelial cells. Moreover, in an AR mouse model, we confirmed that the chemical degradation induced by homoPROTACKEAP1 led to therapeutic benefits in managing AR symptoms, oxidative stress and inflammation. In summary, our findings underscore the efficacy of targeting the Keap1 system through the homoPROTAC-ing technology as an innovative and promising treatment strategy for the incurable allergic disorders.
4.Quercetin ameliorates myocardial injury in diabetic rats by regulating L-type calcium channels.
Hongyan SUN ; Guoqing LU ; Chengwen FU ; Mengwen XU ; Xiaoyi ZHU ; Guoquan XING ; Leqiang LIU ; Yufei KE ; Lemei CUI ; Ruiyang CHEN ; Lei WANG ; Pinfang KANG ; Bi TANG
Journal of Southern Medical University 2025;45(3):531-541
OBJECTIVES:
To investigate the effects of quercetin on cuproptosis and L-type calcium currents in the myocardium of diabetic rats.
METHODS:
Forty SD rats were randomized into control group and diabetic model groups. The rat models of diabetes mellitus (DM) induced by high-fat and high-sugar diet combined with streptozotocin (STZ) injection were further divided into DM model group, quercetin treatment group, and empagliflozin treatment group (n=10). Blood glucose and body weight were measured every other week, and cardiac function of the rats was evaluated using echocardiography. HE staining, Sirius red staining, and wheat germ agglutinin (WGA) analysis were used to observe the changes in myocardial histomorphology, and serum copper levels and myocardial FDX1 expression were detected. In cultured rat cardiomyocyte H9c2 cells with high-glucose exposure, the effects of quercetin and elesclomol, alone or in combination, on intracellular CK-MB and LDH levels and FDX1 expression were assessed, and the changes in L-type calcium currents were analyzed using patch-clamp technique.
RESULTS:
The diabetic rats exhibited elevated blood glucose, reduced body weight, impaired left ventricular function, increased serum copper levels and myocardial FDX1 expression, decreased L-type calcium currents, and prolonged action potential duration. Quercetin and empagliflozin treatment significantly lowered blood glucose, improved body weight, and restored cardiac function of the diabetic rats, and compared with empagliflozin, quercetin more effectively reduced serum copper levels, downregulated FDX1 expression, and enhanced myocardial L-type calcium currents in diabetic rats. In H9c2 cells, high glucose exposure significantly increased myocardial expressions of FDX1, CK-MB and LDH, which were effectively lowered by quercetin treatment; Elesclomol further elevated FDX1, CK-MB and LDH levels in the exposed cells, and these changes were not significantly affected by the application of quercetin.
CONCLUSIONS
Quercetin ameliorates myocardial injury in diabetic rats possibly by suppressing myocardial cuproptosis signaling and restoring L-type calcium channel activity.
Animals
;
Quercetin/pharmacology*
;
Calcium Channels, L-Type/metabolism*
;
Diabetes Mellitus, Experimental/metabolism*
;
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
;
Rats
;
Myocytes, Cardiac/drug effects*
;
Myocardium/pathology*
;
Male
5.Non-bifurcating cervical carotid artery:a case report and literature review
Ke XU ; Haiying XING ; Weiping SUN ; Wei SUN ; Yong'an SUN ; Yining HUANG ; Haiqiang JIN
Chinese Journal of Cerebrovascular Diseases 2024;21(3):184-187
Non-bifurcating cervical carotid artery(NBCCA)is a very rare anatomical variation of the cervical carotid artery,which may be related to the abnormal development of internal carotid artery(ICA)and external carotid artery in embryonic period.Neither carotid bulb nor a true carotid bifurcation can be observed on the ultrasound of carotid artery while a"stump-like"change was showed at the expected bifurcation level of carotid artery on DSA.Few cases has been reported in China and abroad so far.This article reported a middle-aged male with a history of hypertension and type 2 diabetes and was admitted to the hospital due to dizziness for one month.The left NBCCA accompanied with severe stenosis of the right ICA was confirmed by cerebral angiography.The patient received the right ICA stent implantation surgery as well as antihypertensive and glucose-control treatment and was discharged as his symptoms improved.Clinical data of this case and related literatures were reviewed,in order to improve clinicians'especially imaging diagnostic physicians'understanding on NBCCA to avoid misdiagnosis and related complications.
6.Neurobiology of N-glycosylation modification and its roles in neurological disorders
Ke-Xing XU ; Meng-Xuan WANG ; Xue-Kun LI
Acta Anatomica Sinica 2024;55(2):241-246
Neurodevelopment and neuronal function are modulated by multiple factors including environment,genetics and epigenetics.As a post-translational modification,N-glycosylation is catalyzed by glycosyltransferase and involves in diverse biological processes.N-glycosylation is abundant in neuronal system,regulates the development and maturation of synapse,and inflammatory response of glial cells.The dysregulation of N-glycosylation induces neurological disorders including Alzheimer's disease,congenital disorders of glycosylation,schizophrenia and epilepsy.In the present review,we have summarized the progresses of N-glycosylation in regulating neuronal and astrocytic function,and its roles in neurological disorders and related mechanisms.
7.Effect of IL-22 Activating Nrf2 Pathway on the Colonic Barrier in Mice with Liver Fibrosis
Xing LIU ; Xiaojuan XU ; Yanfang WEI ; Hongyou YAN ; Junyan HUO ; Ke LI ; Cuiping XU
Herald of Medicine 2024;43(11):1733-1739
Objective To study the effect of IL-22 on the colonic barrier and its relationship with Nrf2 pathway in liver fibrosis mice.Methods The mice were divided into four groups:the control group(CON group),the model group(MOD group),the interleukin-22 group(IL-22 group),and the IL-22+ML385 group(ML385,an inhibitor of Nrf2),with 10 mice in each group,and the modeling cycle was 8 weeks.Liquid feed containing alcohol and carbon tetrachloride olive oil were given intraperitoneally in all groups except the CON group;IL-22 was given on top of this in the IL-22 group;and ML385 was injected intraperitoneally in the IL-22+ML385 group one hour before IL-22 treatment.At the end of modeling,the livers were stained with HE and Masson staining to clarify whether fibrosis occurred in the mice;the feces were collected to detect the cocci to bacillus ratio and observe the growth of intestinal flora;the colons were stained with HE staining,immunofluorescence and immunohistochemistry,and analyzed for the expression of tight junction proteins ZO-1,Occludin,and the Nrf2 pathway proteins(Nrf2,HO-1,and NQO1).The expression of these proteins was analyzed by immunohistochemistry.Results Compared with the CON group,mice in the MOD group showed significant fibrosis in the liver tissue,inflammatory cell infiltration in the colon tissue,and decreased expression of tight junction proteins(P<0.05).No overgrowth of various pathogenic bacteria was seen in fecal media.And there was no significant difference in the bulb-to-bar ratio.Compared with the MOD group,both liver and colon histopathologic damage were reduced in the IL-22 group,and tight junction protein expression was elevated,in addition,the expression levels of Nrf2,NQO1,and HO-1 were also elevated(P<0.05),whereas there was no significant change in the IL-22+ML385 group.Conclusion IL-22 improved the colonic barrier function in liver fibrosis mice,and the mechanism was related to the activation of Nrf2 anti-oxidative stress pathway.
8.Species identification of hard ticks and molecular survey of Ana plasma in partial areas of Anhui Province
Xue ZHAO ; Khakhane LERATO ; Wan-Qing LU ; Xin-Yun WU ; Fang-Fei SONG ; Yu XIN ; Ying-Ying ZHANG ; Chen XING ; Ke-Han XU ; Mao-Zhang HE ; Yan LIU
Chinese Journal of Zoonoses 2024;40(4):302-307
The distribution of Ixodes and Ana plasma carried by Ixodes ticks in Anhui Province was clarified as reference for prevention and control of anaplasmosis.In total,630 hard ticks were collected from Jinzhai County,Hanshan County,Jing-de County and Chaohu City in Anhui Province from April to August 2023.Ticks were identified by morphological analysis and 16S rRNA sequencing.Nested PCR with Anaplasma species-specific primers were used to detect 16S rRNA of Anaplasma spe-cies carried by ticks.A phylogenetic tree was constructed using MEGA11.0 software.Of the identified ticks,18.8%(18/96)were Rhipicephalus microplus and 81.2%(78/96)were Haemaphysalis longicorni in Jinzhai County of Anhui Province,all were H.longicorni in Hanshan County and Chaohu City,while the main species in Jingde County was R.microplus.The posi-tive rate of Anaplasma carried by H.longicornis was 30.9%(102/330),which included A.bovis at 1.8%(6/330),A.phagocytophilum at 21.8%(72/330)and uncultured Anaplasma species at 7.3%(24/330).R.microplus was positively cor-related to A.bovis(13.6%,18/132).The uncultured Anaplasma species was mainly detected in host-free ticks.A.phagocy-tophilum was detected in 24.4%of parasitic ticks and 15.8%of host-free ticks.The positive rates of host-free and parasitic ticks were 19.9%and 17.8%,respectively.These results show that H.longicornis and R.microplus were the dominant ticks in several counties of Anhui Province.H.longicornis and R.microplus as well as free and parasitic ticks all carried Anaplas-ma.
9.Perilla AP2 Gene Family PfWRI1 Promotes Oil Accumulation in Plant Seeds
Xiao-Yan FENG ; Qi-Feng WANG ; Ke-Xin YUE ; Fu-Peng HOU ; Hua-Xiang XU ; Jun-Xing LU ; Jian HU ; Tao ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 2024;40(8):1161-1172
AP2 transcription factors belong to the AP2/ERF superfamily and are involved in the regula-tion of various biological processes in plant growth and development,as well as in response to biotic and abiotic stresses.However,studies on the AP2 transcription factor family of Perilla frutescens have not been reported.In this study,totally 18 AP2 family members were identified from the Perilla frutescens ge-nome and analyzed for gene structure,conserved motifs,and cis-acting elements using bioinformatics.WRINKLED1(WRI1)is a key regulator of lipid biosynthesis in many plant species and plays an impor-tant role in the regulation of lipid synthesis.Sequence comparison revealed that one member of WRI1 is highly homologous to AtWRI1 and contains two conserved AP2 domains,named PfWRI1.The expression levels of PfAP2 family genes were analyzed in different tissues of Perilla frutescens and at different stages of seed development in conjunction with the transcriptome data,and the results showed that PfWRI1 is highly expressed only in the seeds of Perilla frutescens,suggesting that PfWRI1 may be related to the de-velopmental process of the seeds.The overexpression vector of plant pCAMBIA1303-PfWRI1 was con-structed,and wild-type(Col)and mutant(wri1-1)Arabidopsis thaliana were transformed by Agrobacte-rium tumefaciens to obtain overexpression and complementation lines,respectively.The results showed that the expression of P fWRI1 led to an increase in oil content of Arabidopsis seeds by 8.90%-13.57%compared with Col,and promoted the accumulation of oleic acid(C18:1)and linoleic acid(18:2)and reduced the accumulation of palmitic acid(C16:0),arachidonic acid(C20:0),and cis-11-Eicosenoic acid(C20:1)in transgenic Arabidopsis seeds.In addition,PfWRI1 gene expression increased the ex-pression of glycolysis and fatty acid biosynthesis-related genes AtPKP-α,AtPKP-β1,AtBCCP2,AtSUS2,and AtLIP1.Taken together,PfWRI1 may promote lipid accumulation by increasing unsaturated fatty acid content through interaction with the above genes.
10.Protective Effect of Endogenous ω-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Against Cisplatin-Induced Myelosuppression
Qi-Hua XU ; Zong-Meng ZHANG ; Chao-Feng XING ; Han-Si CHEN ; Ke-Xin ZHENG ; Yun-Ping MU ; Zi-Jian ZHAO ; Fang-Hong LI
Journal of Experimental Hematology 2024;32(5):1601-1607
Objective:To investigate the protective effect of endogenous ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid(PUFA)against cisplatin-induced myelosuppression and the mechanism of reducing apoptosis in bone marrow nucleated cells using mfat-1 transgenic mice.Methods:The experimental animals were divided into 4 groups:wild-type mice normal control group,mfat-1 transgenic mice normal control group,wild-type mice model group and mfat-1 transgenic mice model group.The mice in the model group were injected intraperitoneally with 7.5 mg/kg cisplatin on day 0 and day 7 to construct a myelosuppression model,while the mice in the normal control group were injected intraperitoneally with an equal amount of saline,and their status was observed and their body weight was measured daily.Peripheral blood was taken after 14 day for routine blood analysis,and the content and proportion of PUFA in peripheral blood were detected using gas chromatography.Bone marrow nucleated cells in the femur of mice were counted.The histopathological changes in bone marrow were observed by histopathological staining.The apoptosis of nucleated cells and the expression level changes of apoptosis-related genes in the bone marrow of mice were detected by flow cytometry and fluorescence quantitative PCR.Results:Compared with wild-type mice,mfat-1 transgenic mice showed significantly increased levels of ω-3 PUFA in peripheral blood and greater tolerance to cisplatin.Peripheral blood analysis showed that endogenous ω-3 PUFA promoted the recovery of leukocytes,erythrocytes,platelets and haemoglobin in peripheral blood of myelosuppressed mice.The results of HE staining showed that endogenous ω-3 PUFA significantly improved the structural damage of bone marrow tissue induced by cisplatin.Flow cytometry and PCR showed that,compared with wild-type mice model group,the apoptosis rate of bone marrow nucleated cells in mfat-1 transgenic mice was significantly reduced(P<0.001),and the expression of anti-apoptotic genes Bcl-2 mRNA was significantly increased(P<0.01),while the expressions of pro-apoptotic genes Bax and Bak mRNA were significantly reduced(P<0.001,P<0.05).Conclusion:Endogenous ω-3 PUFA can reduce cisplatin-induced apoptosis in bone marrow nucleated cells,increase the number of peripheral blood cells and exert a protective effect against cisplatin-induced myelosuppression by regulating the expression of apoptosis-related genes.

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