1.Screening of Antidepressant Active Components from Curcumae Rhizoma and Its Mechanism in Regulating Nrf2/GPX4/GSH Pathway
Yonggui SONG ; Delin DUAN ; Meixizi LAI ; Yali LIU ; Zhifu AI ; Genhua ZHU ; Huanhua XU ; Qin ZHENG ; Ming YANG ; Dan SU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(6):211-221
ObjectiveTo screen and evaluate the antidepressant compounds of Curcumae Rhizoma, and explore its mechanism of regulating the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)/glutathione(GSH) peroxidase 4(GPX4)/GSH pathway from an antioxidant perspective. MethodsThe antioxidant activities in vitro of 11 characteristic components from Curcumae Rhizoma, including curcumol, curgerenone, curdione, curzerene, curcumenol, curcumenone, dehydrocurdione, isocurcumenol, furanodienone, furanodiene and zederone, were detected using 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl(DPPH) and 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid) diammonium salt(ABTS) radical scavenging assays. The depression in Drosophila melanogaster was induced by chronic unpredictable mild stress(CUMS), and W1118 wild-type male D. melanogaster were randomly divided into blank group, model group, curcumol group, curgerenone group, curdione group, curzerene group, curcumenol group,curcumenone group, dehydrocurdione group, isocurcumenol group, furanodienone group, furanodiene group, zederone group and fluoxetine group(10 μmol·L-1). The treatment groups received a dose of 0.1 g·L-1 of 11 characteristic components from Curcumae Rhizoma, while the blank and model groups were administered equivalent volumes of solvent. The sucrose preference test, climbing test and forced swimming test were used to evaluate the behavioral indicators of depression in D. melanogaster. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry(LC-MS) was used to detect the levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine(5-HT) and dopamine(DA) in the brain of D. melanogaster, and the entropy weight method was used to comprehensively evaluate neurobehavioral and neurotransmitter indicators, resulting in the identification of the antidepressant active components of Curcumae Rhizoma. In addition, a mouse depression model was established by CUMS, and C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into blank group, model group, low and high dose groups of curzerene(0.5, 1 mg·kg-1), and fluoxetine group(10 mg·kg-1) to confirm the antidepressant effect of the optimal active ingredient by behavioral analysis. Flow cytometry was used to detect the content of reactive oxygen species(ROS) in the hippocampus of mice from each group. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the contents of adenosine triphosphate(ATP), superoxide dismutase(SOD), catalase(CAT) and GSH. Transmission electron microscope(TEM) was used to observe the effect of curzerene on the ultrastructure of mitochondria in hippocampal tissue. Western blot was performed to determine the level of Nrf2 protein, and Nrf2 inhibitor(ML385) was used to verify the relationship between the antidepressant effect of curzerene and regulation of Nrf2. Real time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction(Real-time PCR) was employed to detect the effect of curzerene on the mRNA expression level of GPX. ResultsIn vitro antioxidant experiments showed that curzerene and curgerenone exhibited the most significant ability to scavenge free radicals, and comprehensive evaluation results of entropy weight method indicated that curzerene stood out as the most promising active component. Compared with the blank group, the model group exhibited a significant decrease in sucrose preference coefficient and the number of times entering the open field center(P<0.01), as well as a significant increase in immobility time in the forced swimming and tail suspension tests(P<0.01), and the ROS content in hippocampus significantly elevated(P<0.01), while the ATP content significantly reduced(P<0.01). In the hippocampal neurons of the model group, mitochondrial cristae were disordered, with vacuolation of the inner membrane and severe damage. Nrf2 protein expression level in the model group was significantly decreased(P<0.05), and the antioxidant enzymes SOD, CAT and GSH contents were also significantly reduced(P<0.05, P<0.01), and the gene expression levels of GPX1, GPX4 and GPX7 were significantly decreased(P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the high-dose group of curzerene showed a significant increase in the sucrose preference coefficient and the number of times entering the open field center(P<0.05), as well as a significant decrease in immobility time in the forced swimming and tail suspension tests(P<0.05, P<0.01). The ROS content in the hippocampus of the high-dose group of curzerene was significantly reduced(P<0.01), while the ATP content was significantly increased(P<0.05). The neuronal mitochondrial damage in the hippocampus of the high-dose group of curzerene was alleviated, and the expression level of Nrf2 protein was significantly increased(P<0.05). The Nrf2 inhibitor ML385 reversed the improvement of curzerene on depressive behaviors in CUMS mice. The GSH content in the hippocampal neurons of the high-dose group of curzerene was significantly increased(P<0.01), while there were no significant differences in SOD and CAT contents. The expression level of GPX4 gene in the hippocampal neurons of the high-dose group of curzerene was significantly increased(P<0.05), while there were no significant differences in other GPX genes. ConclusionCurzerene is the best component with antidepressant activity in Curcumae Rhizoma. It may improve mitochondrial dysfunction to exert its antidepressant effect by regulating Nrf2 and its downstream GPX4/GSH pathway rather than CAT or SOD pathways.
2.Research advances in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma by regulating immune cells
Lijuan LONG ; Zongyu WANG ; Yali ZHAO ; Chuanfu QIN ; Hua QIU
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(2):349-358
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignant tumor with a high mortality rate, an insidious onset, and complex pathological mechanisms. In the tumor microenvironment, tumor-promoting immune cells protect tumor cells from immune attacks, while dysfunction of anti-tumor immune cells causes the inhibition of immune response, thereby leading to the continuous deterioration of cancer. In recent years, traditional Chinese medicine has shown good efficacy in the treatment of HCC, and it can inhibit the proliferation and metastasis of cancer cells by regulating immune cells. By analyzing related articles in China and globally, this article summarizes how immune cells affect the progression of HCC through the immunosuppressive pathway and how traditional Chinese medicine exerts an anti-HCC effect by regulating immune cells, in order to provide theoretical basis and reference for optimizing the treatment of HCC.
3.The role of the gut-lung axis in paraquat-induced lung injury in mice
Zhiming HU ; Yali LAN ; Yiru QIN ; Ping WANG ; Na ZHAO
China Occupational Medicine 2025;52(2):135-142
Objective To explore the mechanism of the gut-lung axis in paraquat-induced lung injury in mice, with a focus on analyzing the changes in intestinal gene expression and their potential roles. Methods Specific pathogen-free C57BL/6 wild-type mice were randomly divided into control, low-dose, and high-dose groups, with 10 mice in each group. Mice in the three groups received a single intragastric administration of paraquat solution at doses of 0, 25, or 50 mg/kg body weight. The mice were euthanized on day 21. Lung histopathological changes were assessed, and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the intestinal tissues of mice in these two groups were analyzed through transcriptomics. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment analyses were conducted to explore potential mechanisms of the gut-lung axis in paraquat-induced lung injury and fibrosis. Results Paraquat exposure induced dose-dependent pulmonary injury and fibrosis in the mice. The Ashcroft score of lung tissue was higher in the mice of low-dose group than that in the control group (P<0.05). Both the lung organ coefficient and Ashcroft score of lung tissues in the mice of high-dose group were higher than those in the control group and the low-dose group (all P<0.05). The result of transcriptomic analysis showed 146 DEGs, including 91 upregulated and 55 downregulated genes, in intestinal tissues of mice in the low-dose group, and 57 DEGs, including 47 upregulated and 10 downregulated genes in the high-dose group, compared with the control group. Notably, 19 DEGs were commonly altered in both low- and high-dose groups. The result of GO enrichment analysis showed that the DEGs were primarily involved in biological processes including "immune response", "oxidative stress" and "cell differentiation". The result of KEGG enrichment analyses showed that DEGs were primarily involved in key processes including "oxidative stress response path way", "immune response path way" and "digestion and absorption path way". Conclusion Paraquat exposure alters intestinal gene expression, particularly in genes in biological processes related to immune responses and oxidative stress. These changes may mediate inflammatory signaling via the gut-lung axis and contribute to the development of paraquat-induced pulmonary fibrosis.
4.Simultaneous Determination of 9 Components in Shujin Tongluo Black Plaster by HPLC
Jianliang WANG ; Xixiang LI ; Yali ZHOU ; Xiaofeng LI ; Qin SU ; Runliang YIN
Chinese Journal of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;31(3):138-143
Objective To establish an HPLC-based method for the determination of α-obscurine,ferulic acid,hydroxysafflower yellow A,benzoylneaconitine,benzoylaconitine,periplosin,4-methoxysalicylsalicylate,kaempferol and oleanolic acid simultaneously in Shujin Tongluo Black Plaster.Methods HPLC method was used to determine the 9 components in Shujin Tongluo Black Plaster simultaneously.The 70%methanol extracts were analyzed using Waters SunFire C18 chromatography column(4.6 mm×250 mm,5 μm),in mobile phase containing acetonitrile-0.2%phosphoric acid solution for gradient elution with volume flow rate of 1.0 mL/min;column temperature was set at 25℃;detection wavelength was set at 230 nm.Results The 9 components had good linear relationship in their respective ranges(r≥0.999 7).The average recoveries were between 98.06%-100.56%and RSD was between 0.48%-2.56%,respectively.Conclusion The method has the advantage of repeatability,simple and fast,and can be used as the quality control of Shujin Tongluo Black Plaster.
5.Clinical study on fluoroquinolones resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis detected by fluorescence PCR melting curve method
Yali QIN ; Jing CHEN ; Jun LI ; Mingdong WANG ; Weizheng OU ; Jiyao QIU ; Yanqing PENG
Chongqing Medicine 2024;53(16):2414-2420
Objective To evaluate the efficiency of fluorescent PCR melting curve method in early diag-nosis of fluoroquinolones (FQs) resistance in the patients with tuberculosis,and to analyze the situation and characteristics of FQs resistance,so as to provide a basis for the standardized diagnosis and treatment of rifam-picin resistance/multidrug resistant tuberculosis (RR/MDR-TB) and pre-extensively drug resistant tuberculo-sis (pre-XDR-TB).Methods A total of 1094 smear positive samples from the outpatients and inpatients of Guiyang Municipal Public Health Treatment Center from January 2021 to August 2022 were collected and conducted the Roche solid culture method and bacterial species identification.Finally,589 cases of tuberculosis conducted the phenotypic drug sensitivity test and fluorescent PCR melting curve method for detecting rifam-picin (RFP),isoniazid(INH),ethambutol(EMB) and FQs resistance.The phenotypic drug sensitivity test served as the standard to evaluated the diagnostic efficiency of the fluorescent PCR melting curve method;the relationship between the patients' FQs resistance and clinical characteristics was analyzed according to the phenotypic drug sensitivity results.Results The sensitivity,specificity,coincidence rate and Kappa value of fluorescence PCR melting curve method for detecting FQs drug resistance were 91.30%,97.69%,96.94% and 0.86 respectively;the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.945,which was higher than 0.924,0.923 and 0.850 of RFP,INH and EMB.The drug resistance rate of FQs in the patients with RR/MDR-TB was 22.80%,the Kappa value of fluorescence PCR melting curve method for detecting the patients' FQs drug re-sistance was 0.83,the consistency was good,AUC was 0.936.There was no statistically significant difference in sensitivity,specificity and coincidence rate of FQs resistance in TB patients with different bacterial loads by fluorescence PCR fusion curve (P>0.05).The treatment type,history of anti-tuberculosis,pulmonary cavity and MDR-TB were related with FQs resistance (P<0.05).Conclusion The fluorescent PCR melting curve method has good diagnostic efficiency for FQs resistance in the patients with tuberculosis.
6.Clinical effect analysis of respiratory trainer in patients with acute exacerbation of COPD undergoing non-invasive mechanical ventilation
Yaqiong QIN ; Xiuchun JIANG ; Xingqiang ZHOU ; Hua YANG ; Wei XIANG ; Ni YANG ; Yali XIE
Chongqing Medicine 2024;53(18):2755-2760
Objective To investigate the clinical effect of respiratory trainer in the patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) undergoing non-invasive positive pressure ven-tilation.Methods A total of 85 patients with COPD undergoing non-invasive positive pressure ventilation ad-mitted and treated in the Affiliated Minda Hospital of Hubei Nationalities University during 2019-2023 were selected as the study subjects and divided into the experiment group and the control group through random number table method.The control group adopted the symptomatic and supportive treatment such as routine non-invasive positive pressure ventilation,anti-infection,preparation aspiration for spasmolysis and eliminating phlegm,while on the base of the control group,the experiment group adopted respiratory trainer (K5) for re-spiratory training each once in the morning and at night.The differences in the related indexes were compared between the two groups.Results The percentage of forced expiratory volume in the first second (FEV1%),forced expiratory volume in 1 second/forced lung capacity (FEV1/FVC),COPD assessment test (CAT) score,modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale (mMRC) score,6-min walking distance (6MWD),SGRQ score,maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP),maximum expiratory pressure (MEP),partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) and PaO2 on 3,7 d after treatment in both groups had statistically significant differ-ence compared with before treatment (P<0.05),and the improvement of the above indicators in the experi-ment group was more significant compared with the control group (P<0.05).Conclusion Respiratory train-er could improve the clinical effect and pulmonary ventilation function in the patients with acute exacerbation of COPD undergoing non-invasive positive pressure ventilation.
7.Clinical phenotype and genetic analysis of a child with partial duplication of 10q and a literature review
Anshun ZHENG ; Ting YIN ; Qin ZHENG ; Rong ZHANG ; Yongan WANG ; Shanshan MA ; Yali ZHAO ; Leilei WANG
Chinese Journal of Medical Genetics 2024;41(11):1371-1378
Objective:To explore the clinical phenotype and pathogenesis of a child with partial duplication in the long arm of chromosome 10 (10q), and conduct a review of relevant literature.Methods:A child presented at Lianyungang Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital in April 2018 for growth retardation, intellectual disability, and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) was selected as the study subject. Peripheral blood samples were collected from the child and his parents for G-banded chromosomal karyotyping analysis. Genomic DNA was also extracted for chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA). The clinical phenotype and relevant genes were searched in the Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man (OMIM) and the UK Database of Genomic Variation and Phenotype in Humans using Ensembl Resources (DECIPHER). The pathogenicity of chromosomal variation was analyzed based on guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG). Relevant literature was searched from the CNKI, Wanfang Data, and PubMed databases by using keywords such as " 10q" " duplication" and " trisomy", with the time set as from the establishment of database to December 1, 2023. This study has been approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the Lianyungang Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital (No. XM2023030).Results:The clinical phenotype of child had included growth retardation, intellectual disability, and ASD. G-banded chromosomal analysis suggested that the child has a karyotype of 46, XY, dup(10)(q23.31q24.33), whilst both of his parents were normal. CMA analysis of the child revealed that the child was arr[19]10q23.31q24.33(87603382_104948862)×3, with a 17.34 Mb duplication in the 10q23.31q24.33 region. Search of the OMIM database suggested that the duplicated segment has contained 171 genes associated with various diseases, and search of the DECIPHER database has identified cases with overlapping with the duplication. A search of the PubMed database has identified 2 publications involving 2 patients with chromosomal duplications overlapping the 10q23.31q24.33 region with a segment length of > 10 Mb. The 2 patients had mainly manifested growth retardation, intellectual disability, ASD, and facial and limb malformations. The main pathogenic genes had included PTEN, WNT8B, LZTS2, NFKB2, PAX2, KIF11, FRA10AC1, and CNNM2. No similar case was retrieved from the CNKI and Wanfang Data databases. Conclusion:The partial 10q duplication as a novel CNV involving genes such as PTEN and WNT8B probably underlay the growth retardation, intellectual disability and ASD in the child. This study has enriched the genotype-phenotype spectrum of patients with partial 10q23.31q24.33 duplications.
8.Application of continuous renal replacement therapy combined with extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal in children with acute respiratory failure
Wei DANG ; Qin JIANG ; Yali FU ; Yanli ZHANG ; Sufang ZHANG ; Fan ZHANG ; Lei LIU ; Xia LIN
Chinese Journal of Emergency Medicine 2023;32(6):761-767
Objective:To explore the role of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) combined with extracorporeal carbon dioxide removal (ECCO 2R) in the treatment of children with respiratory failure. Methods:The clinical data of 12 children with respiratory failure who were treated with CRRT+ECCO 2R in PICU of Jinan Children's Hospital from July 2020 to August 2022 were collected and analyzed retrospectively. The outcomes and the external pipeline usage of the patients were observed, and the blood gas analysis and ventilator parameters before 1 h and after 1, 6, 12 and 24 h of the treatment were compared by one-way ANOVA with LSD post hoc correction. Results:Six patients successfully withdrew from CRRT+ECCO 2R and mechanical ventilation, three patients were transferred to ECMO treatment. Three cases died after voluntary withdrawal of treatment, and two cases died due to treatment failure. The mortality rate was 41.7%. After continuous treatment of CRRT+ECCO 2R for 15 to 112 h, two cases experienced extracorporeal circuit obstruction. After 1 h of treatment, PaCO 2 decreased from (64.67±24.4) mmHg to (49.42±15.54) mmHg, pH increased from (7.28±0.20) to (7.38±0.11), FiO 2 decreased from (0.85±0.13) to (0.78±0.15), PC decreased from (19.42±4.34) cmH 2O to (17.75±4.00) cmH 2O. After 24 h of treatment, PaCO 2 decreased to (39.2±5.55) mmHg, pH increased to (7.41±0.04), FiO 2 decreased to (0.46±0.11), and PC decreased to (13.8±3.36) cmH 2O, and the differences were statistically significant compared with before treatment ( P < 0.05). Conclusions:The combination of CRRT and ECCO 2R therapy can safely substitute for partial lung ventilation/perfusion function, and play a role in protecting right heart function and improving lung-kidney interaction. It can be considered as an option for extracorporeal respiratory, circulatory, and renal support, and consequently has broad prospects.
9.Mechanism of cytotoxic T lymphocyte-derived exosomes inhibiting hepatic stellate cell activation
Chuanfu QIN ; Yali ZHAO ; Lijuan LONG ; Hua QIU
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2023;39(10):2340-2347
ObjectiveTo investigate whether cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL)-derived exosomes can downregulate HBx expression and inhibit hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation. MethodsThe supernatants of HepG2, HepGA14, and CTL cells were collected to extract exosomes, which were referred to as NC-exo, HBV-exo, and CTL-exo, respectively). Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe their morphology, and Western Blot was used to measure the expression of the markers of exosomes CD63 and TSG101. NC-exo, HBV-exo, and CTL-exo labeled by BODIPY dye were mixed with HBV-exo at different ratios and were then co-cultured with HSC LX-2 (HSC-LX2). A fluorescence microscope was used to observe whether exosomes could enter LX-2 cells, and an fluorescence microscope was used to observe cell morphological changes; quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) was used to measure the expression of the activated biomarkers such as transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), ɑ-smooth muscle actin (ɑ-SMA), and collagen type I (Collagen I) in LX-2 cells. CTL-exo was added to the HepGA14 culture system; then qPCR was used to measure the mRNA expression level of HBV DNA, cccDNA, and HBx in exosomes in HepGA14 cells, and Western Blot was used to measure the protein expression level of HBx in exosomes. The t-test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups; a one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison between multiple groups, and the least significant difference t-test was used for further comparison between two groups. ResultsThe exosomes were all microcysts with a double-layer membrane structure and were circular or elliptical in shape, with the expression of the signature proteins CD63 and TSG101, and the vesicles had a diameter of 50-100 nm. The fluorescence microscope showed that exosomes could enter LX-2 cells, and HSC were enlarged with extended cell processes. The results of qPCR showed that there were significant differences in the expression levels of TGF-β1, ɑ-SMA, and Collagen I genes between the NC-exo, HBV-exo, NC-exo+HBV-exo, and Con groups (F=444.678, 417.144, and 571.508, all P<0.05). After the intervention of HepGA14 cells with CTL-exo, qPCR results showed that compared with the control group, there were significant reductions in the expression levels of HBV DNA and cccDNA in HepGA14 cells (all P<0.05), the relative mRNA expression level of HBx in exosomes (P<0.05), and the protein expression level of HBx (P<0.05). CTL-exo and HBV-exo were mixed at different ratios (2∶1, 5∶1, 10∶1) and were then used for the intervention of LX-2 cells, and qPCR results showed that the expression levels of TGF-β1, ɑ-SMA, and Collagen I genes in LX-2 cells gradually decreased with the increase in the ratio of CTL-exo between groups (P<0.05). ConclusionCTL-exo can downregulate the protein expression of HBx in HBV-exo to inhibit HSC activation, suggesting that CTL-exo has an anti-hepatitis B liver fibrosis effect.

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