1.Effect and Mechanisms of Chinese Medicine and Its Active Ingredients in Enhancing Antibacterial Activities of Antibiotics: A Review
Ling CHEN ; Xueqin JIANG ; Tao YUAN ; Sufang KUANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(11):305-313
With the increasing severity of bacterial antibiotic resistance, finding new ways to overcome this global challenge has become an urgent task. Chinese medicine, with abundant resources, offers potential for discovering diverse bioactive ingredients to enhance antibiotic efficacy and alleviate the crisis of bacterial antibiotic resistance. This review summarizes bacterial resistance mechanisms, prevention strategies, and the roles and mechanisms of Chinese medicine and its active ingredients in enhancing the efficacy of existing antibiotics. Two major resistance mechanisms—bacterial obstruction of antibiotic uptake and weakening of intracellular antibiotic activity—are introduced, with corresponding prevention and control strategies outlined. Based on the regulatory effects of active ingredients from Chinese medicine on bacteria, their mechanisms for enhancing antibiotic efficacy are categorized into two types, including improving the bacterial uptake of antibiotics and reducing the bacterial resistance to antibiotics. The former mainly enhances extracellular antibiotic uptake by regulating membrane permeability, biofilm formation, and metabolic pathways. The latter weakens intracellular antibiotic resistance by inhibiting efflux pumps and bacterial resistance targets. Furthermore, compound formulas of Chinese medicine, characterized by multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway interventions, exert similar antimicrobial effects and mechanisms with active ingredients, offering rich resources for developing antibiotic-enhancing applications. Finally, the review highlights the challenges such as insufficient structural research on active ingredients and potential druggability issues in their application for antibiotic enhancement. This will provide insights for advancing the research on Chinese active ingredients in antibiotic therapy and offers novel strategies to combat bacterial antibiotic resistance.
2.Effect and Mechanisms of Chinese Medicine and Its Active Ingredients in Enhancing Antibacterial Activities of Antibiotics: A Review
Ling CHEN ; Xueqin JIANG ; Tao YUAN ; Sufang KUANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(11):305-313
With the increasing severity of bacterial antibiotic resistance, finding new ways to overcome this global challenge has become an urgent task. Chinese medicine, with abundant resources, offers potential for discovering diverse bioactive ingredients to enhance antibiotic efficacy and alleviate the crisis of bacterial antibiotic resistance. This review summarizes bacterial resistance mechanisms, prevention strategies, and the roles and mechanisms of Chinese medicine and its active ingredients in enhancing the efficacy of existing antibiotics. Two major resistance mechanisms—bacterial obstruction of antibiotic uptake and weakening of intracellular antibiotic activity—are introduced, with corresponding prevention and control strategies outlined. Based on the regulatory effects of active ingredients from Chinese medicine on bacteria, their mechanisms for enhancing antibiotic efficacy are categorized into two types, including improving the bacterial uptake of antibiotics and reducing the bacterial resistance to antibiotics. The former mainly enhances extracellular antibiotic uptake by regulating membrane permeability, biofilm formation, and metabolic pathways. The latter weakens intracellular antibiotic resistance by inhibiting efflux pumps and bacterial resistance targets. Furthermore, compound formulas of Chinese medicine, characterized by multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway interventions, exert similar antimicrobial effects and mechanisms with active ingredients, offering rich resources for developing antibiotic-enhancing applications. Finally, the review highlights the challenges such as insufficient structural research on active ingredients and potential druggability issues in their application for antibiotic enhancement. This will provide insights for advancing the research on Chinese active ingredients in antibiotic therapy and offers novel strategies to combat bacterial antibiotic resistance.
3.Intermittent fasting ameliorates rheumatoid arthritis by harassing deregulated synovial fibroblasts.
Lei LI ; Jin DONG ; Yumu ZHANG ; Chen ZHAO ; Wen WEI ; Xueqin GAO ; Yao YU ; Meilin LU ; Qiyuan SUN ; Yuwei CHEN ; Xuehua JIAO ; Jie LU ; Na YUAN ; Yixuan FANG ; Jianrong WANG
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(23):3201-3203
4.Analysis of the factors influencing the mental health status of anesthesiology residents during standardized training
Tao TAO ; Yan LIU ; Yuan LI ; Yang ZHANG ; Xueqin NIU ; Pengpeng WANG
Chinese Journal of Medical Education Research 2024;23(11):1572-1578
Objective:To assess the mental health status of anesthesiology residents and identify its influencing factors during standardized training, and to enhance the attention and understanding of standardized training management personnel regarding the mental health of residents.Methods:All on-duty residents in the anesthesiology departments of ten standardized anesthesiology training bases, including The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, were selected as subjects. Self-designed questionnaires were distributed, which included a general information survey, the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS), and the Self-Rating Scale of Sleep (SRSS), to investigate the psychological state and sources of stress. Based on the questionnaire results, residents from the Department of Anesthesiology at The Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University were purposively and heterogeneously selected as interviewees. One-on-one semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted to understand the major life events that triggered emotional or psychological issues and their connections with standardized training or the profession. This survey also aimed to understand the support that anesthesiology residents hoped to receive and their suggestions for the standardized training program. The chi-square test, t-test, and one-way analysis of variance were performed using Graphpad Prism 9.0. Interview content was coded and categorized using data analysis software NVivo12. The Colaizzi's seven-step method was used to analyze the data and extract interview themes. Results:A total of 157 valid questionnaires were recovered, with a response rate of 100.00%. The mean scores of SAS, SDS, FSS, and SRSS were (50.60±14.16), (56.31±12.90), (44.49±13.88), and (27.78±9.40), respectively, all meeting the diagnostic criteria for mild conditions. Of them, 16 (10.19%), 18 (11.46%), 47 (29.94%), and 19 (12.10%) residents met the diagnostic criteria for severe conditions. Compared with Grade 1 residents, Grade 3 residents showed increased scores in anxiety [(54.24±13.83) vs. (47.02±12.04), P=0.030] and depression [(59.66±12.74) vs. (51.53±10.76), P=0.005]. In total, 24 anesthesiology residents were selected for semi-structured interview and three themes were identified: psychological stress related to the training bases, psychological stress related to personal issues, and psychological stress related to career prospects. Conclusions:The anesthesiology residents during standardized training have high prevalence of psychological disorders, which are closely related to work overload, financial stress, occupational exposure, and personal factors. Psychological counseling and crisis intervention should be regarded as integral components of standardized training management, and attention is needed in monitoring the psychological fluctuations of anesthesiology residents and helping them to complete their rotations on time.
5.TRIM24 alleviates viral myocarditis by promoting STAT6 phosphorylation-mediated macrophage M2 polarization
Liangyu ZHU ; Xueqin LI ; Xin ZHANG ; Guoquan YIN ; Yuan ZHANG ; Kun LYU
Chinese Journal of Immunology 2024;40(8):1595-1600,1606
Objective:To study the role and preliminary molecular mechanism of TRIM24 regulating macrophage polarization in viral myocarditis(VM).Methods:VM mouse model was established by Coxsackie virus B3(CVB3),and expression of TRIM24 in myocardial tissue was detected.Cardiac inflammation level and polarization phenotype of cardiac infiltrating macrophages in a murine model of cardiac TRIM24 inhibition were detected in vivo.A polarization model of mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages(BMDMs)in vitro was established to observe the role of TRIM24 inhibition in polarizing BMDMs to M1 and M2,as well as its effects on phagocy-tosis and bactericidal function of BMDMs.Effects of TRIM24 inhibition on total STAT6 protein level and phosphorylation were investi-gated.Results:TRIM24 was significantly highly expressed in myocardial tissue of VM mice(P<0.001).Inhibition of TRIM24 expres-sion in myocardium had an attenuating effect on VM and promoted polarization of cardiac infiltrating macrophages to M2.TRIM24 was significantly down-regulated in vitro during the polarization of BMDMs toward M2(P<0.01).Inhibition of TRIM24 expression signifi-cantly promoted macrophage polarization toward M2 type and inhibited polarization toward M1 type,accompanied by a significant increase in STAT6 phosphorylation levels(P<0.01).Conclusion:TRIM24 regulates macrophage M2 polarization via activation of STAT6 signaling pathway to attenuate VM.
6.Clinical and pathological characteristics of adolescent-onset primary nephrotic syndrome in 110 children in a single center
Sanlong ZHAO ; Hongmei WU ; Fei ZHAO ; Yuan HAN ; Chunhua ZHU ; Xueqin CHENG ; Qiuxia CHEN ; Songming HUANG
Chinese Journal of Nephrology 2023;39(10):738-744
Objective:To analyze the clinical and pathological features of adolescent- onset primary nephrotic syndrome (PNS) in children (10 years≤age≤18 years), so as to explore the renal biopsy indications in adolescent-onset PNS.Methods:It was a single-center retrospective observational study. The clinical and pathological data of adolescent-onset PNS (age≥10 years) who underwent renal biopsy in Children's Hospital Affiliated to Nanjing Medical University from December 2004 to June 2022 were analyzed retrospectively.Results:A total of 110 children were included in the study, including 76 males (69.1%) and 34 females (30.9%), with the onset age ranging from 10 years to 14 years and 9 months. Forty-nine cases (44.5%) were accompanied by hematuria, including 14 cases (12.7%) of gross hematuria and 35 cases (31.8%) of microscopic hematuria. Twenty-five cases (22.7%) had hypertension, 19 cases (17.3%) had renal insufficiency, and 4 cases (3.6%) had low complement C3 at the onset. Fifty-two cases (47.3%) were steroid sensitive nephrotic syndrome and 58 cases (52.7%) were steroid resistant nephrotic syndrome. Biopsy results showed that minimal change disease(MCD) was the most common histopathological subtype (47.3%, 52 case), followed by focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) in 22 cases (20.0%), IgA nephropathy (IgAN) in 17 cases (15.5%), membranous nephropathy (MN) in 7 cases (6.4%), mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis in 5 cases (4.5%), IgM nephropathy in 4 cases (3.6%), membranous proliferative glomerulonephritis in 2 cases (1.8%), and C1q nephropathy in 1 case (0.9%). Among 44 children with simple type nephrotic syndrome, the pathological type was mainly MCD (77.3%), and 66 children with nephritic type nephrotic syndrome were mostly non-MCD (72.7%), such as IgAN, FSGS, MN, etc. If there are two or more clinical manifestations of persistent hematuria, hypertension, renal insufficiency or low C3 levels, the proportion of non-MCD would further increase to 92.0%(23/25). The pathological type of patient with gross hematuria or low C3-emia was non-MCD. The frequency of hematuria (69.0% vs. 17.3%, χ2=29.619, P<0.001), hypertension (31.0% vs. 13.5%, χ2=4.821, P=0.028) and renal insufficiency (24.1% vs. 9.6%, χ2=4.047, P=0.044) in non-MCD group was significantly higher than those in MCD group. Conclusions:If the clinical manifestation of PNS in adolescent over 10 years old is simple type nephrotic syndrome, the histopathological lesion is mostly MCD, and most of them are steroid sensitive. It is recommended to give hormone treatment first, and then perform renal biopsy if steroid resistance occurs; If the clinical manifestation is nephritic type nephrotic syndrome, the histopathological lesion is mostly non-MCD, especially those with gross hematuria or low C3-emia, or those have two or more clinical manifestations of persistent hematuria, hypertension, renal insufficiency and hypocomplement C3-emia, a kidney biopsy should be performed at onset.
7.Viral myocarditis serum exosome-derived miR-320 promotes the apoptosis of mouse cardiomyocytes by inhibiting AKT/mTOR pathway and targeting phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase regulatory subunit 1 (Pik3r1).
Xin ZHANG ; Xueqin LI ; Liangyu ZHU ; Guoquan YIN ; Yuan ZHANG ; Kun LYU
Chinese Journal of Cellular and Molecular Immunology 2023;39(6):516-525
Objective To investigate the effect of viral myocarditis serum exosomal miR-320 on apoptosis of cardiomyocytes and its mechanism. Methods The model of viral myocarditis mice was established by intraperitoneal injection of Coxsackie virus B3. Serum exosomes were extracted by serum exosome extraction kit and co-cultured with cardiomyocytes. The uptake of exosomes by cardiomyocytes was detected by laser confocal microscopy. Cardiomyocytes were transfected with miR-320 inhibitor or mimic, and the expression level of miR-320 was detected by real-time quantitative PCR. Flow cytometry was used to detect cardiomyocyte apoptosis rate, and the expression levels of B cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl2) and Bcl2-related X protein (BAX) were tested by Western blot analysis. The prediction of miR-320 target genes and GO and KEGG enrichment analysis were tested by online database. The relationship between miR-320 and its target gene phosphoinositide-3-kinase regulatory subunit 1(Pik3r1) was examined by luciferase reporter gene. The effect of miR-320 on AKT/mTOR pathway protein was detected by Western blot analysis. Results Viral myocarditis serum exosomes promoted cardiomyocyte apoptosis, and increased the level of BAX while the level of Bcl2 was decreased. miR-320 was significantly up-regulated in myocardial tissue of viral myocarditis mice, and both pri-miR-320 and mature of miR-320 were up-regulated greatly in cardiomyocytes. The level of miR-320 in cardiomyocytes treated with viral myocarditis serum exosomes was significantly up-regulated, while transfection of miR-320 inhibitor counteracted miR-320 overexpression and reduced apoptosis rate caused by exosomes. Pik3r1 is the target gene of miR-320, and its overexpression reversed cardiomyocyte apoptosis induced by miR-320 up-regulation. The overexpression of miR-320 inhibited AKT/mTOR pathway activation. Conclusion Viral myocarditis serum exosome-derived miR-320 promotes apoptosis of mouse cardiomyocytes by inhibiting AKT/mTOR pathway by targeting Pik3r1.
Mice
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Animals
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Myocytes, Cardiac
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Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase/metabolism*
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-akt/metabolism*
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Myocarditis/pathology*
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Exosomes/metabolism*
;
bcl-2-Associated X Protein/metabolism*
;
MicroRNAs/metabolism*
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TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism*
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Apoptosis/genetics*
8.Self-propelled nanomotor reconstructs tumor microenvironment through synergistic hypoxia alleviation and glycolysis inhibition for promoted anti-metastasis.
Wenqi YU ; Ruyi LIN ; Xueqin HE ; Xiaotong YANG ; Huilin ZHANG ; Chuan HU ; Rui LIU ; Yuan HUANG ; Yi QIN ; Huile GAO
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2021;11(9):2924-2936
Solid tumors always exhibit local hypoxia, resulting in the high metastasis and inertness to chemotherapy. Reconstruction of hypoxic tumor microenvironment (TME) is considered a potential therapy compared to directly killing tumor cells. However, the insufficient oxygen delivery to deep tumor and the confronting "Warburg effect" compromise the efficacy of hypoxia alleviation. Herein, we construct a cascade enzyme-powered nanomotor (NM-si), which can simultaneously provide sufficient oxygen in deep tumor and inhibit the aerobic glycolysis to potentiate anti-metastasis in chemotherapy. Catalase (Cat) and glucose oxidase (GOx) are co-adsorbed on our previously reported CAuNCs@HA to form self-propelled nanomotor (NM), with hexokinase-2 (HK-2) siRNA further condensed (NM-si). The persistent production of oxygen bubbles from the cascade enzymatic reaction propels NM-si to move forward autonomously and in a controllable direction along H
9.Changes of inflammatory factors and immune function in children with bronchial asthma and Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection
Xueqin LIN ; Junfei LIN ; Qiaomin ZHOU ; Junhei YUAN
Chinese Journal of Primary Medicine and Pharmacy 2020;27(19):2361-2364
Objective:To investigate the changes of inflammatory factors and immune function in bronchial asthma children with Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection.Methods:From March 2019 to March 2020, 78 children with bronchial asthma and Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection in Wenling Maternal and Child Health Hospital were selected as observation group, and 50 bronchial asthma children without Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection during the same period were selected as control group.The levels of inflammatory factors, including tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-8(IL-8) and interleukin-13(IL-13), immunoglobulin A(IgA), immunoglobulin G(IgG) and immunoglobulin M(IgM) were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the changes of T lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood were measured by flow cytometry.Results:The serum levels of TNF-α[(76.42±16.51)ng/L], IL-8 [(130.92±25.45)ng/L] and IL-13 [(172.35±28.39)ng/L] in the observation group were higher than those in the control group [(58.93±13.24)ng/L, (89.65±17.42)ng/L and (108.47±21.42)ng/L] ( t=6.708, 11.025, 14.665, all P<0.05). The serum levels of IgA [(0.64±0.16)g/L] and IgG [(7.31±1.26)g/L] in the observation group were lower than those in the control group [(1.04±0.19)g/L and (8.64±1.35)g/L], while the serum level of IgM [(1.29±0.24)g/L] was higher than that in the control group [(0.97±0.18)g/L] ( t=12.587, 5.864, 8.714, all P<0.05). The CD 3+ [(62.08±3.87)%], CD 4+ [(38.98±3.31)%] and CD 4+ /CD 8+ (1.29±0.13) in the observation group were lower than those in the control group [(71.38±4.35)%, (45.37±3.18)% and (1.87±0.25)] ( t=12.549, 11.103, 15.512, all P<0.05). Conclusion:Children with bronchial asthma and Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection have obvious inflammatory reaction and low immune function.
10.The phenotypes and genotypes in 314 patients with isolated methylmalonic acidemia
Lulu KANG ; Yupeng LIU ; Ming SHEN ; Zhehui CHEN ; Jinqing SONG ; Ruxuan HE ; Yi LIU ; Yao ZHANG ; Hui DONG ; Mengqiu LI ; Ying JIN ; Hong ZHENG ; Qiao WANG ; Yuan DING ; Xiyuan LI ; Dongxiao LI ; Haixia LI ; Xueqin LIU ; Huijie XIAO ; Yuwu JIANG ; Hui XIONG ; Chunyan ZHANG ; Zhaoxia WANG ; Yun YUAN ; Desheng LIANG ; Yaping TIAN ; Yanling YANG
Chinese Journal of Pediatrics 2020;58(6):468-475
Objectives:To summarize the clinical and genetic characteristics of the patients with isolated methylmalonic acidemia and investigate the strategies for the diagnosis, treatment and prevention.Methods:Three hundred and fourteen patients (180 males, 134 females) with isolated methylmalonic acidemia were ascertained from 26 provinces or cities across the mainland of China during January 1998 to March 2020. Genetic analysis was performed by Sanger sequencing, gene panel sequencing, whole exome sequencing, multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification or quantitative PCR. According to the age of onset, the patients were divided to early-onset group (≤12 months of age) and the late-onset group (>12 months of age). They were treated by cobalamin, L-carnitine and (or) special diet and symptomatic treatment. Statistical analysis was done using Chi-square test.Results:Fifty-eight of 314 (18.5%) patients were detected by Newborn screening using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Five cases (1.6%) had a postmortem diagnosis. Two hundred and fifty-one patients (79.9%) were clinically diagnosed with an age of onset ranged from 3 hours after birth to 18 years. One hundred and fifty-nine patients (71.0%) belonged to early-onset groups, 65 patients (29.0%) belonged to the late-onset group. The most common symptoms were metabolic crises, psychomotor retardation, epilepsy, anemia and multiple organ damage. Metabolic acidosis and anemia were more common in early-onset patients than that in late-onset patients (20.8%(33/159) vs. 9.2% (6/65), 34.6% (55/159) vs. 16.9% (11/165), χ 2=4.261, 6.930, P=0.039, 0.008). Genetic tests were performed for 236 patients (75.2%), 96.2%(227/236) had molecular confirmation. One hundred and twenty-seven variants were identified in seven genes (MMUT, MMAA, MMAB, MMADHC, SUCLG1, SUCLA2, and MCEE), of which 49 were novel. The mut type, caused by the deficiency of methylmalonyl-CoA mutase, was the most common ( n=211, 93%) cause of this condition. c.729_730insTT, c.1106G>A and c.914T>C were the three most frequent mutations in MMUT gene. The frequency of c.914T>C in early-onset patients was significantly higher than that in late-onset patients (8.3% (18/216) vs. 1.6% (1/64), χ 2=3.859, P=0.037). Metabolic crisis was more frequent in mut type than the other types (72.6% (114/157) vs. 3/13, χ 2=13.729, P=0.001),developmental delay and hypotonia were less frequent in mut type (38.2% (60/157) vs. 9/13, 25.5% (40/157) vs. 8/13, χ 2=4.789, 7.705, P=0.030, 0.006). Of the 58 patients identified by newborn screening, 44 patients (75.9%) who were treated from asymptomatic phase developed normally whereas 14 patients (24.1%) who received treatment after developing symptoms exhibited varying degrees of psychomotor retardation. Conclusions:The characteristics of phenotypes and genotypes among Chinese patients with isolated methylmalonic acidemia were analyzed. Expanded the mutation spectrum of the associated genes. Because of the complex clinical manifestations and severe early onset of isolated methylmalonic acidemia, Newborn screening is crucial for early diagnosis and improvement of prognosis. MMUT gene is recommended for carrier screening as an effort to move the test earlier as a part of the primary prevention of birth defects.

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