1.Targeting copper homeostasis: Akkermansia-derived OMVs co-deliver Atox1 siRNA and elesclomol for cancer therapy.
Muhammad HAMZA ; Shuai WANG ; Hao WU ; Jiayi SUN ; Yang DU ; Chuting ZENG ; Yike LIU ; Kun LI ; Xili ZHU ; Huiying LIU ; Lin CHEN ; Motao ZHU
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(5):2640-2654
Cuproptosis, a recently identified form of regulated cell death triggered by excess intracellular copper, has emerged as a promising cytotoxic strategy for cancer therapy. However, the therapeutic efficacy of copper ionophores such as elesclomol (ES) is often hindered by cellular copper homeostasis mechanisms that limit copper influx and cuproptosis induction. To address this challenge, we developed a nanoagent utilizing outer membrane vesicle (OMV) derived from Akkermansia muciniphila (Akk) for co-delivery of antioxidant 1 copper chaperone (Atox1)-targeting siRNA and ES (siAtox1/ES@OMV) to tumors. In vitro, we demonstrated that Atox1 knockdown via siRNA significantly disrupted copper export mechanisms, resulting in elevated intracellular copper levels. Simultaneously, ES facilitated efficient copper influx and mitochondrial transport, leading to Fe-S cluster depletion, increased proteotoxic stress, and robust cuproptosis. In vivo, siAtox1/ES@OMV achieved targeted tumor delivery and induced pronounced cuproptosis. Furthermore, leveraging the immunomodulatory properties of OMVs, siAtox1/ES@OMV promoted T-cell infiltration and the activation of tumor-reactive cytotoxic T cells, enhancing tumor immune responses. The combination of siAtox1/ES-induced cuproptosis and immunogenic cell death synergistically suppressed tumor growth in both subcutaneous breast cancer and orthotopic rectal cancer mouse models. This study highlights the potential of integrating copper homeostasis disruption with a copper ionophore using an immunomodulatory OMV-based vector, offering a promising combinatorial strategy for cancer therapy.
2.Exploration on the Acupoint Selection Law of Post-Stroke Respiratory Dysfunction Based on Data Mining with R Language
Wenyan WU ; Yike CHEN ; Wanshan LI ; Xingyue LEI ; Tong LIU ; Weichuan KUANG
Chinese Journal of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;32(11):48-55
Objective To investigate the acupoint selection law in acupuncture therapy for post-stroke respiratory dysfunction through data mining techniques with R language;To provide references for acupoint selection of clinical acupuncture practice for this disease.Methods Clinical research literature about acupuncture therapy for post-stroke respiratory dysfunction was retrieved from CNKI,Wanfang Data,VIP,CBM,PubMed,Cochrane Library,Web of Science and Embase from the establishment of the databases to February 20,2025.An acupuncture prescription database was established using Excel 2021.R 4.4.3 was used to analyze acupoint application frequency,meridian tropism,regional distribution and specific acupoints,and clustering analysis and association rule analysis were performed.Results Totally 123 articles were obtained,including 123 acupuncture prescriptions,involving 110 acupoints with a total application frequency of 723 times.High-frequency acupoints included Feishu(BL13),Hegu(LI4),Zusanli(ST36)and Fengchi(GB20),etc.The most frequently used meridians were the Bladder Meridian,Ren Meridian,Lung Meridian and Stomach Meridian.Acupoints were predominantly distributed in the head,neck and back regions,with crossing acupoints being the most commonly employed specific acupoints.Clustering analysis identified five meaningful acupoint combinations.The acupoint pair"Feishu(BL13)-Pishu(BL20)"demonstrated the strongest association.Conclusion Acupuncture treatment for post-stroke respiratory dysfunction follows the principle of strengthening the spleen to resolve phlegm and ventilating lung qi.The core acupoint combination is Feishu(BL13)-Pishu(BL20),with additional a acupoints adjusted based on syndrome differentiation to optimize therapeutic efficacy.
3.Gandou Bushen Decoction Ameliorates Cognitive Impairment in Wilson Disease Model TX Mice by Regulating Melatonin Synthesis via the SIRT3/FOXO3α Pathway
Luyao WANG ; Limin WU ; Tingting WANG ; Xinru FANG ; Zhenzhen JIANG ; Yike YUE ; Dan ZHAO ; Qianzhuo LIU ; Hui HAN
Journal of Sichuan University (Medical Sciences) 2025;56(1):102-111
Objective Melatonin has been shown to have neuroprotective effects.This study is aimed at observing the effects of copper deposition on cognitive function in a toxic milk(TX)mouse model of Wilson disease(WD),and investigating the effects and mechanisms of action of Gandou Bushen Decoction(GDBSD)on melatonin synthesis and pineal function in the WD model mice.Methods A total of 30 homozygous TX mice were randomly assigned to 3 groups(n=10 in each group),including a WD group,a GDBSD group,and a dimercaptosuccinic acid(DMSA)group.A total of 10 DL mice were included in the normal control(NC)group.The structure and copper content of pineal gland tissues,oxidative stress and apoptosis-related markers,and serum melatonin levels were evaluated using hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining,enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA),flow cytometry,and Western blot.Results Compared with the NC group,the WD group exhibited decreased learning and cognitive abilities(P<0.05),damaged pineal gland structure,increased copper content,reactive oxygen species(ROS)levels,and mitochondrial damage rate in the pineal gland(P<0.01),altered levels of melatonin and oxidative stress-related markers(P<0.05),upregulated expression levels of pro-apoptotic proteins Bax and Caspase-3,and decreased expression of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2(P<0.01).After treatment with GDBSD and DMSA,the SIRT3/FOXO3α signaling pathway was activated,the copper content in the pineal gland was reduced,and oxidative stress and apoptosis-related damages were improved,leading to an improvement in learning and memory abilities(P<0.05).Conclusion GDBSD can alleviate cognitive impairments in WD mice caused by pineal gland copper deposition by inhibiting oxidative stress and apoptosis in the pineal gland.The underlying molecular mechanism is associated with the regulation of the SIRT3/FOXO3α signaling pathway.
4.Clinical Application of Green Prescription of Traditional Chinese Medicine:Problems and Solution Strategies
Yike SONG ; Zhijun BU ; Wenxin MA ; Kai LIU ; Yuyi WANG ; Yuan SUN ; Yang SHEN ; Hongkui LIU ; Jianping LIU ; Zhaolan LIU
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(11):1094-1098
Green prescription is a written prescription aimed at improving health by promoting physical activity and improving diet, with advantages such as high cost-effectiveness, strong feasibility, and minimal harm to patients. The theory of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) green prescription integrates the health philosophy of "following rule of yin and yang, and adjusting ways to cultivating health", the exercise philosophy of balancing yin-yang and the five elements, and the dietary philosophy of moderation and balance, which embody core TCM concepts such as treating disease before its onset and harmony between humans and nature. It has also developed traditional exercise practices like Tai Chi, Baduanjin, Wuqinxi, Yi-Gin-Ching, and Qigong, as well as dietary adjustments like medicated diet and herbal wines. However, it is believed that the TCM green prescription currently suffers from insufficient evidence-based research, low patient awareness and acceptance, and weak basic research. Based on this, it is proposed that large-sample clinical trials should be conducted in the future to improve the quality of evidence-based medicine, basic research can be carried out with the help of artificial intelligence and other methods in research design, the hospital information system (HIS) can be used for control at the implementation level, and publicity and patient education can be strengthened through the new media, so as to promote the development and application of the TCM green prescriptions in the field of global health treatment.
5.Advances in Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized Trial Methodology and Considerations for Its Application in Traditional Chinese Medicine
Wenxin MA ; Xuehui WANG ; Yuyi WANG ; Yuan SUN ; Yike SONG ; Zhijun BU ; Zeyang SHI ; Jianping LIU ; Zhaolan LIU
World Science and Technology-Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;27(6):1530-1539
Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)emphasizes syndrome differentiation and treatment,characterized by"maintaining the prescription if effective"and"changing the prescription if ineffective".Traditional randomized controlled trials(RCTs)are inadequate for evaluating the efficacy of dynamic treatment adjustments.The Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized Trial(SMART)is an emerging adaptive research design that incorporates randomization at multiple stages,allowing for adjustments in subsequent interventions based on treatment responses.This approach is suitable for evaluating dynamic treatment regimens while retaining the low bias risk of traditional RCTs,making it highly promising for clinical research in TCM.This paper summarizes recent methodological advancements in SMART design,including different sample size estimation and statistical analysis methods for primary effect objectives,embedded adaptive intervention objectives,and optimization objectives,along with providing corresponding operational software.Additionally,it offers considerations for applying SMART design in TCM research,such as the selection of disease types,interventions,decision points,tailoring variables,sample size calculation,statistical methods,the importance of pilot trials,ethical considerations,and limitations.The aim is to promote the exploration and practice of this method in the field of TCM,thereby contributing to the generation of high-quality evidence-based evidence for TCM.
6.Action mechanism of mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes carrying miRNAs in improving spinal cord injury
Jia GUO ; Yafeng REN ; Bing LI ; Jing HUANG ; Wenya SHANG ; Yike YANG ; Huiyao LIU
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(36):7827-7838
BACKGROUND:Currently,spinal cord injury imposes a huge psychological and economic burden on patients and the National Health Service.The prevention,treatment,and rehabilitation of spinal cord injury have become an important topic in the field of medicine.Therefore,it is important to explore new effective therapeutic strategies based on an in-depth understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms of spinal cord injury.OBJECTIVE:To review the research progress on the mechanism of action of mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes loaded with various miRNAs in improving the function of spinal cord injury,and based on the current status of clinical translation,to put forward a few thoughts and outlooks on their clinical use.METHODS:The first author searched CNKI and PubMed databases using"mesenchymal stem cells,exosomes,spinal cord injury,miRNA,pathophysiology,clinical translation,clinical trials,good manufacturing practice"as Chinese and English search terms.The types of literature included treatises and reviews,and the language types were English and Chinese.Finally,72 papers were screened and analyzed.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)This article outlines the biological properties of exosomes and the advantages that they can serve as good vectors for loading miRNAs.A variety of miRNAs mediated by mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes mainly promote the recovery of neuronal function by regulating the expression of nerve regeneration-associated proteins,repressing RAS homologous gene family member A,activating cyclophosphoadenosine effector-binding proteins,and signaling and transcriptional activation proteins 3,and regulating phosphoinositide and tensin homologue/programmed cell death factor 4 pathways.Inflammatory responses were improved by regulating endoplasmic reticulum-to-nucleus signaling 1,expression of interferon regulatory factor 5,Toll-like receptor 4/nuclear factor-kappa B pathway,and down-regulating related pro-inflammatory factors.Angiogenesis was promoted by inhibition of germination-associated domain 1-containing EVH1 and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase regulatory subunit 2.(2)Further comparative analyses revealed that miR-216-5p,miR-145-5p,and miR-146b improved inflammatory responses by regulating related pathways.Combining these miRNAs may produce more significant effects;hypoxic preconditioning may be a preconditioning method to increase the efficacy of exosomal therapy.(3)There are currently no clinical trials applying mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes to spinal cord injury,which is related to the need to meet good manufacturing practices before they can be put into clinical use.Challenges such as the need for large-scale,high-volume cell production,the lack of an efficient and uniform method for isolating exosomes,and the need to pass a strict regulatory approval mechanism prior to clinical use have impeded the clinical entry.(4)miRNAs have great potential as exosomal contents of mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of spinal cord injury,and their mechanism of action should be explored in depth as well as accelerated to the clinical trial stage in order to provide a new and effective method for the treatment of spinal cord injury.
7.Regulatory mechanisms and therapeutic strategies for cellular autophagy after spinal cord injury
Yike YANG ; Yafeng REN ; Bing LI ; Wenya SHANG ; Jing HUANG ; Jia GUO ; Huiyao LIU
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(18):3885-3896
BACKGROUND:Cellular autophagy maintains metabolism and in vivo homeostasis through the autophagosome-lysosome degradation pathway,which is closely related to the impaired cell death and functional recovery of distal neurons after spinal cord injury,and targeting cellular autophagy to promote the functional recovery of the spinal cord after spinal cord injury is a promising therapeutic direction.OBJECTIVE:To summarize the role of cellular autophagy in spinal cord injury,related regulatory mechanisms of cellular autophagy and therapeutic strategies.METHODS:PubMed and CNKI databases were searched with the search terms of"spinal cord injury,autophagy,regulatory mechanisms,autophagy pathway,therapeutic target"in English and Chinese,respectively.A total of 133 English and 4 Chinese articles were included for review.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Autophagy,a form of programmed cell death,has been shown to play a crucial role in the progression and treatment of spinal cord injury.Most studies have shown that moderate activation or promotion of autophagy promotes neurological recovery by decreasing inflammatory responses and apoptosis.A few studies have reported that excessive activation of autophagy,on the contrary,impedes neurological recovery following spinal cord injury.(2)After spinal cord injury,PI3K/AKT/mTOR,MAPK,AMPK and p53 signaling pathways,and factors such as Beclin-1,ATG and LC3 regulate the initiation and development of cell autophagy in a positive or negative manner.(3)Promoting or inhibiting autophagy may be a promising therapeutic strategy to modulate the pathogenesis of traumatic spinal cord injury.And the drugs amlodipine,metformin,and minocycline,the Chinese medicines hawthorn leaf total flavonoids,betulinic acid,oxidized ginseng saponins,acupuncture,and extracellular vesicles of different cellular origins,exosomes and reactive oxygen species-responsive composite fibers as activators of cellular autophagy attenuate secondary injury in response to spinal cord injury by activating cellular autophagy,while the drugs insulin-like growth factor 1 and eladavone,Chinese medicine ginseng saponin,acupuncture,and hydrogel carrying basic fibroblast growth factor as inhibitors of cellular autophagy promote functional recovery after spinal cord injury by inhibiting excessive cellular autophagy.(4)The related regulators of cellular autophagy are interconnected,and the bi-directional effects of cellular autophagy on spinal cord injury make it necessary to further explore the dominant factors that regulate cellular autophagy.(5)Research on the use of autophagy as a therapeutic target for spinal cord injury is mostly carried out in animal models,but there are no autophagy-related drugs used in the clinical practice,and their safety and efficacy need to be further investigated in the clinical field.
8.Analysis of Tongue Cancer Animal Model Based on Clinical Characteristics of Chinese and Western medicine
Ying LIU ; Yike AN ; Rikai ZHAO ; Huiyan YANG ; Mingsan MIAO
World Science and Technology-Modernization of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;27(5):1471-1476
Objective To lay the foundation for exploring the animal model of tongue cancer that is closer to the disease of integrated Chinese and Western medicine,and summarize the modeling methods and conditions of tongue cancer,so as to promote the modern clinical research,diagnosis and treatment of tongue cancer.Methods By analyzing the modeling methods and characteristics of tongue cancer animal models in CNKI,Wanfang,Web of Science and PubMed databases,the consistency of the models with TCM syndromes and Western clinical syndromes was evaluated.Results It is concluded that there are three methods to model the animal model of tongue cancer,including chemical carcinogenic agent induced model,transplanted tumor model and genetically engineered animal model.The clinical anastomosis of transplanted tumor animal model was the highest,followed by genetic engineering animal model,and the clinical anastomosis of chemical carcinogenic agent induced model was the lowest.Conclusion To construct the animal model of tongue cancer which accords with the characteristics of TCM and Western medicine is the necessary way to carry out the research and treatment of tongue cancer in the future.
9.Action mechanism of mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes carrying miRNAs in improving spinal cord injury
Jia GUO ; Yafeng REN ; Bing LI ; Jing HUANG ; Wenya SHANG ; Yike YANG ; Huiyao LIU
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(36):7827-7838
BACKGROUND:Currently,spinal cord injury imposes a huge psychological and economic burden on patients and the National Health Service.The prevention,treatment,and rehabilitation of spinal cord injury have become an important topic in the field of medicine.Therefore,it is important to explore new effective therapeutic strategies based on an in-depth understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms of spinal cord injury.OBJECTIVE:To review the research progress on the mechanism of action of mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes loaded with various miRNAs in improving the function of spinal cord injury,and based on the current status of clinical translation,to put forward a few thoughts and outlooks on their clinical use.METHODS:The first author searched CNKI and PubMed databases using"mesenchymal stem cells,exosomes,spinal cord injury,miRNA,pathophysiology,clinical translation,clinical trials,good manufacturing practice"as Chinese and English search terms.The types of literature included treatises and reviews,and the language types were English and Chinese.Finally,72 papers were screened and analyzed.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)This article outlines the biological properties of exosomes and the advantages that they can serve as good vectors for loading miRNAs.A variety of miRNAs mediated by mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes mainly promote the recovery of neuronal function by regulating the expression of nerve regeneration-associated proteins,repressing RAS homologous gene family member A,activating cyclophosphoadenosine effector-binding proteins,and signaling and transcriptional activation proteins 3,and regulating phosphoinositide and tensin homologue/programmed cell death factor 4 pathways.Inflammatory responses were improved by regulating endoplasmic reticulum-to-nucleus signaling 1,expression of interferon regulatory factor 5,Toll-like receptor 4/nuclear factor-kappa B pathway,and down-regulating related pro-inflammatory factors.Angiogenesis was promoted by inhibition of germination-associated domain 1-containing EVH1 and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase regulatory subunit 2.(2)Further comparative analyses revealed that miR-216-5p,miR-145-5p,and miR-146b improved inflammatory responses by regulating related pathways.Combining these miRNAs may produce more significant effects;hypoxic preconditioning may be a preconditioning method to increase the efficacy of exosomal therapy.(3)There are currently no clinical trials applying mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes to spinal cord injury,which is related to the need to meet good manufacturing practices before they can be put into clinical use.Challenges such as the need for large-scale,high-volume cell production,the lack of an efficient and uniform method for isolating exosomes,and the need to pass a strict regulatory approval mechanism prior to clinical use have impeded the clinical entry.(4)miRNAs have great potential as exosomal contents of mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of spinal cord injury,and their mechanism of action should be explored in depth as well as accelerated to the clinical trial stage in order to provide a new and effective method for the treatment of spinal cord injury.
10.Exploration on the Acupoint Selection Law of Post-Stroke Respiratory Dysfunction Based on Data Mining with R Language
Wenyan WU ; Yike CHEN ; Wanshan LI ; Xingyue LEI ; Tong LIU ; Weichuan KUANG
Chinese Journal of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;32(11):48-55
Objective To investigate the acupoint selection law in acupuncture therapy for post-stroke respiratory dysfunction through data mining techniques with R language;To provide references for acupoint selection of clinical acupuncture practice for this disease.Methods Clinical research literature about acupuncture therapy for post-stroke respiratory dysfunction was retrieved from CNKI,Wanfang Data,VIP,CBM,PubMed,Cochrane Library,Web of Science and Embase from the establishment of the databases to February 20,2025.An acupuncture prescription database was established using Excel 2021.R 4.4.3 was used to analyze acupoint application frequency,meridian tropism,regional distribution and specific acupoints,and clustering analysis and association rule analysis were performed.Results Totally 123 articles were obtained,including 123 acupuncture prescriptions,involving 110 acupoints with a total application frequency of 723 times.High-frequency acupoints included Feishu(BL13),Hegu(LI4),Zusanli(ST36)and Fengchi(GB20),etc.The most frequently used meridians were the Bladder Meridian,Ren Meridian,Lung Meridian and Stomach Meridian.Acupoints were predominantly distributed in the head,neck and back regions,with crossing acupoints being the most commonly employed specific acupoints.Clustering analysis identified five meaningful acupoint combinations.The acupoint pair"Feishu(BL13)-Pishu(BL20)"demonstrated the strongest association.Conclusion Acupuncture treatment for post-stroke respiratory dysfunction follows the principle of strengthening the spleen to resolve phlegm and ventilating lung qi.The core acupoint combination is Feishu(BL13)-Pishu(BL20),with additional a acupoints adjusted based on syndrome differentiation to optimize therapeutic efficacy.

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