1.Gradient artificial bone repair scaffold regulates skeletal system tissue repair and regeneration
Yu ZHANG ; Ruian XU ; Lei FANG ; Longfei LI ; Shuyan LIU ; Lingxue DING ; Yuexi WANG ; Ziyan GUO ; Feng TIAN ; Jiajia XUE
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(4):846-855
BACKGROUND:Gradient artificial bone repair scaffolds can mimic unique anatomical features in musculoskeletal tissues,showing great potential for repairing injured musculoskeletal tissues. OBJECTIVE:To review the latest research advances in gradient artificial bone repair scaffolds for tissue engineering in the musculoskeletal system and describe their advantages and fabrication strategies. METHODS:The first author of the article searched the Web of Science and PubMed databases for articles published from 2000 to 2023 with search terms"gradient,bone regeneration,scaffold".Finally,76 papers were analyzed and summarized after the screening. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)As an important means of efficient and high-quality repair of skeletal system tissues,gradient artificial bone repair scaffolds are currently designed bionically for the natural gradient characteristics of bone tissue,bone-cartilage,and tendon-bone tissue.These scaffolds can mimic the extracellular matrix of native tissues to a certain extent in terms of structure and composition,thus promoting cell adhesion,migration,proliferation,differentiation,and regenerative recovery of damaged tissues to their native state.(2)Advanced manufacturing technology provides more possibilities for gradient artificial bone repair scaffold preparation:Gradient electrospun fiber scaffolds constructed by spatially differentiated fiber arrangement and loading of biologically active substances have been developed;gradient 3D printed scaffolds fabricated by layered stacking,graded porosity,and bio-3D printing technology;gradient hydrogel scaffolds fabricated by in-situ layered injections,simple layer-by-layer stacking,and freeze-drying method;and in addition,there are also scaffolds made by other modalities or multi-method coupling.These scaffolds have demonstrated good biocompatibility in vitro experiments,were able to accelerate tissue regeneration in small animal tests,and were observed to have significantly improved histological structure.(3)The currently developed gradient artificial bone repair scaffolds have problems such as mismatch of gradient scales,unclear material-tissue interactions,and side effects caused by degradation products,which need to be further optimized by combining the strengths of related disciplines and clinical needs in the future.
2.Effect Analysis of Different Interventions to Improve Neuroinflammation in The Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease
Jiang-Hui SHAN ; Chao-Yang CHU ; Shi-Yu CHEN ; Zhi-Cheng LIN ; Yu-Yu ZHOU ; Tian-Yuan FANG ; Chu-Xia ZHANG ; Biao XIAO ; Kai XIE ; Qing-Juan WANG ; Zhi-Tao LIU ; Li-Ping LI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(2):310-333
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a central neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive cognitive decline and memory impairment in clinical. Currently, there are no effective treatments for AD. In recent years, a variety of therapeutic approaches from different perspectives have been explored to treat AD. Although the drug therapies targeted at the clearance of amyloid β-protein (Aβ) had made a breakthrough in clinical trials, there were associated with adverse events. Neuroinflammation plays a crucial role in the onset and progression of AD. Continuous neuroinflammatory was considered to be the third major pathological feature of AD, which could promote the formation of extracellular amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles. At the same time, these toxic substances could accelerate the development of neuroinflammation, form a vicious cycle, and exacerbate disease progression. Reducing neuroinflammation could break the feedback loop pattern between neuroinflammation, Aβ plaque deposition and Tau tangles, which might be an effective therapeutic strategy for treating AD. Traditional Chinese herbs such as Polygonum multiflorum and Curcuma were utilized in the treatment of AD due to their ability to mitigate neuroinflammation. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and indomethacin had been shown to reduce the level of inflammasomes in the body, and taking these drugs was associated with a low incidence of AD. Biosynthetic nanomaterials loaded with oxytocin were demonstrated to have the capability to anti-inflammatory and penetrate the blood-brain barrier effectively, and they played an anti-inflammatory role via sustained-releasing oxytocin in the brain. Transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells could reduce neuroinflammation and inhibit the activation of microglia. The secretion of mesenchymal stem cells could not only improve neuroinflammation, but also exert a multi-target comprehensive therapeutic effect, making it potentially more suitable for the treatment of AD. Enhancing the level of TREM2 in microglial cells using gene editing technologies, or application of TREM2 antibodies such as Ab-T1, hT2AB could improve microglial cell function and reduce the level of neuroinflammation, which might be a potential treatment for AD. Probiotic therapy, fecal flora transplantation, antibiotic therapy, and dietary intervention could reshape the composition of the gut microbiota and alleviate neuroinflammation through the gut-brain axis. However, the drugs of sodium oligomannose remain controversial. Both exercise intervention and electromagnetic intervention had the potential to attenuate neuroinflammation, thereby delaying AD process. This article focuses on the role of drug therapy, gene therapy, stem cell therapy, gut microbiota therapy, exercise intervention, and brain stimulation in improving neuroinflammation in recent years, aiming to provide a novel insight for the treatment of AD by intervening neuroinflammation in the future.
3.Dimethyl fumarate alleviates DEHP-induced intrahepatic cholestasis in maternal rats during pregnancy through NF-κB/NLRP3 signaling pathway
Yue Jiang ; Yun Yu ; Lun Zhang ; Qianqian Huang ; Wenkang Tao ; Mengzhen Hou ; Fang Xie ; Xutao Ling ; Jianqing Wang
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2025;60(1):117-123
Objective :
To investigate the protective effect of dimethyl fumarate(DMF) on maternal intrahepatic cholestasis(ICP) during pregnancy induced by di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate(DEHP) exposure and its mechanism.
Methods :
Thirty-two 8-week-old female institute of cancer research(ICR) mice were randomly divided into 4 groups: Ctrl group, DEHP group, DMF group and DEHP+DMF group. DEHP and DEHP+DMF groups were treated with DEHP(200 mg/kg) by gavage every morning at 9:00 a.m. DMF and DEHP+DMF groups were treated with DMF(150 mg/kg) from day 13 to day 16 of gestation by gavage. After completion of gavage on day 16 of pregnancy, maternal blood, maternal liver, placenta, and amniotic fluid were collected from pregnant mice after a six-hour abrosia. The body weight of the mother rats and the body weight of the fetus rats were sorted and analyzed; the levels of total bile acid(TBA), alkaline phosphatase(ALP), aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase(AST/ALT) in serum and TBA in liver, amniotic fluid and placenta were detected by biochemical analyzer; HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of liver tissue; Quantitative reverse transcription PCR(RT-qPCR) was used to detect the expression levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin(IL)-6, IL-1, IL-18 and NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3(NLRP3) in the liver; Western blot was used to detect the expression of the nuclear factor KappaB(NF-κB) and NLRP3.
Results :
Compared with the control group, the body weight of the DEHP-treated dams and pups decreased(P<0.05); the levels of TBA, ALP, AST/ALT in the serum of dams and the levels of TBA in the liver, amniotic fluid, and placenta of dams increased(P<0.05); the histopathological results showed that liver tissue was damaged, bile ducts were deformed, and there was inflammatory cell infiltration around them; the levels of inflammation-related factors TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1, IL-18 and NLRP3 transcription in maternal liver increased(P<0.05); the expression of NF-κB and NLRP3 protein in maternal liver significantly increased( P<0. 05). Compared with the DEHP group,the body weight of both dams and fetuses significantly increased in DEHP + DMF group( P<0. 05); the levels of TBA,ALP,AST/ALT in the serum of dams and amniotic fluid of fetuses decreased( P<0. 05); the degree of liver lesions was improved; the transcription levels of inflammation-related factors TNF-α,IL-6,IL-1,IL-18 and NLRP3 in maternal liver decreased( P<0. 05); the expression of NF-κB and NLRP3 protein in maternal liver significantly decreased( P<0. 05).
Conclusion
DMF can effectively protect the DEHP exposure to lead to female ICP,and its mechanism may be through inhibiting the NF-κB/NLRP3 pathway and reducing liver inflammation.
4.Controllability Analysis of Structural Brain Networks in Young Smokers
Jing-Jing DING ; Fang DONG ; Hong-De WANG ; Kai YUAN ; Yong-Xin CHENG ; Juan WANG ; Yu-Xin MA ; Ting XUE ; Da-Hua YU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(1):182-193
ObjectiveThe controllability changes of structural brain network were explored based on the control and brain network theory in young smokers, this may reveal that the controllability indicators can serve as a powerful factor to predict the sleep status in young smokers. MethodsFifty young smokers and 51 healthy controls from Inner Mongolia University of Science and Technology were enrolled. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was used to construct structural brain network based on fractional anisotropy (FA) weight matrix. According to the control and brain network theory, the average controllability and the modal controllability were calculated. Two-sample t-test was used to compare the differences between the groups and Pearson correlation analysis to examine the correlation between significant average controllability and modal controllability with Fagerström Test of Nicotine Dependence (FTND) in young smokers. The nodes with the controllability score in the top 10% were selected as the super-controllers. Finally, we used BP neural network to predict the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) in young smokers. ResultsThe average controllability of dorsolateral superior frontal gyrus, supplementary motor area, lenticular nucleus putamen, and lenticular nucleus pallidum, and the modal controllability of orbital inferior frontal gyrus, supplementary motor area, gyrus rectus, and posterior cingulate gyrus in the young smokers’ group, were all significantly different from those of the healthy controls group (P<0.05). The average controllability of the right supplementary motor area (SMA.R) in the young smokers group was positively correlated with FTND (r=0.393 0, P=0.004 8), while modal controllability was negatively correlated with FTND (r=-0.330 1, P=0.019 2). ConclusionThe controllability of structural brain network in young smokers is abnormal. which may serve as an indicator to predict sleep condition. It may provide the imaging evidence for evaluating the cognitive function impairment in young smokers.
5.Influenza vaccination on preventing the respiratory tract infection in preschool children
Mei LYU ; Zhen WANG ; Yu' ; e WANG ; Liyun FANG ; Yang YANG
Journal of Public Health and Preventive Medicine 2025;36(4):73-76
Objective To explore the effect of influenza vaccination on the prevention of respiratory tract infection in preschool children. Methods The clinical data of 400 preschool children (1-6 years old) who were diagnosed with respiratory tract infection for the first time in department of pediatrics of Xi'an Third Hospital and second department of respiratory medicine of Xi'an Children's Hospital were retrospectively analyzed from January 2023 to December 2023, including acute bronchitis, upper respiratory tract infection and pneumonia. According to the actual influenza vaccination status, the patients were divided into vaccination group (n=210) and non-vaccination group (n=190). The incidence of respiratory tract infection was compared between both groups. The fever duration, average course of disease, hospitalization rate, clinical symptoms scores (fever, cough, nasal congestion, sore throat), inflammation indicators [C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell count (WBC), neutrophil percentage (NE%)] and recurrence rate after 6 months of follow-up were compared. Results The incidence of respiratory tract infection in the vaccination group was significantly lower than that in the non-vaccination group (21.43% vs 43.16%, P<0.05), and the hospitalization rate was significantly lower compared with that in the non-vaccination group (P<0.05). The scores of fever, cough, nasal congestion and sore throat were lower in the vaccination group than those in the non-vaccination group (P<0.05), and the CRP, WBC and NE% were significantly lower compared to the non-vaccination group (P<0.05). After 6 months of follow-up, the recurrence rate in the vaccination group was 11.11% (5/45), which was significantly lower than 26.83% (22/82) in the non-vaccination group (χ2=0.038, P=4.288<0.05). Conclusion Influenza vaccination can effectively reduce the incidence of respiratory tract infection in preschool children, relieve the symptoms and shorten the disease course after infection. Its preventive effect on influenza is particularly significant, suggesting the importance of strengthening influenza vaccination in preschool children.
6.Effect of Dictamni Cortex on Intestinal Barrier Damage by Untargeted Metabolomics and Targeted Metabolomics for Short-chain Fatty Acids
Xiaomin XU ; Donghua YU ; Yu WANG ; Pingping CHEN ; Jiameixue WO ; Suxia JIA ; Wenkai HU ; Fang LU ; Shumin LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(20):40-47
ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate the effect of Dictamni Cortex on intestinal barrier damage in rats and its mechanism by untargeted metabolomics and targeted metabolomics for short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). MethodsRats were randomly divided into a control group, a high-dose group of Dictamni Cortex (8.1 g·kg-1), a medium-dose group (2.7 g·kg-1), and a low-dose group (0.9 g·kg-1). Except for the control group, the other groups were administered different doses of Dictamni Cortex by gavage for eight consecutive weeks. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to observe the pathological changes in the ileal tissue. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to detect the level of cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β), in the ileal tissue of rats. Quantitative real-time fluorescence polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) technology was used to detect the expression level of tight junction proteins, including zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), Occludin, and Claudin-1 mRNAs, in the ileal tissue of rats to preliminarily explore the effects of Dictamni Cortex on intestinal damage. The dose with the most significant toxic phenotype was selected to further reveal the effects of Dictamni Cortex on the metabolic profile of ileal tissue in rats by non-targeted metabolomics combined with targeted metabolomics for SCFAs. ResultsCompared with the control group, all doses of Dictamni Cortex induced varying degrees of pathological damage in the ileum, increased TNF-α (P<0.01), IL-6 (P<0.01), and IL-1β (P<0.01) levels in the ileal tissue, and decreased the expression level of ZO-1 (P<0.05, P<0.01), Occludin (P<0.01), and Claudin-1 (P<0.05) in the ileal tissue, with the high-dose group showing the most significant toxic phenotypes. The damage mechanisms of the high-dose group of Dictamni Cortex on the ileal tissue were further explored by integrating non-targeted metabolomics and targeted metabolomics for SCFAs. The non-targeted metabolomics results showed that 21 differential metabolites were identified in the control group and the high-dose group. Compared with that in the control group, after Dictamni Cortex intervention, the level of 14 metabolites was significantly increased (P<0.05, P<0.01), and the level of seven metabolites was significantly decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01) in the ileal contents. These metabolites collectively acted on 10 related metabolic pathways, including glycerophospholipids and primary bile acid biosynthesis. The quantitative data of targeted metabolomics for SCFAs showed that Dictamni Cortex intervention disrupted the level of propionic acid, butyric acid, acetic acid, caproic acid, isobutyric acid, isovaleric acid, valeric acid, and isocaproic acid in the ileal contents of rats. Compared with those in the control group, the level of isobutyric acid, isovaleric acid, and valeric acid were significantly increased, while the level of propionic acid, butyric acid, and acetic acid were significantly decreased in the ileal contents of rats after Dictamni Cortex intervention (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionDictamni Cortex can induce intestinal damage by regulating glycerophospholipid metabolism, primary bile acid biosynthesis, and metabolic pathways for SCFAs.
7.Metabolomics Reveals Immune System Domage of Dictamnine
Xiaocan GAI ; Jiaxin RUAN ; Sujie LIU ; Chen WANG ; Xiaofan WANG ; Jiahe YAN ; Yu WANG ; Fang LU ; Shumin LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(20):57-65
ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism of the immunotoxicity induced by dictamnine (DIC) in rats and the recovery effect after drug withdrawal by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry, thereby providing a theoretical basis for elucidating the toxic mechanism of DIC. MethodsSD rats were randomized into blank (normal saline), DIC (10 mg·kg-1), and DIC withdrawal (recovery period) groups (n=8). The rats were continuously treated for 7 days, once a day, and the body weight and organ weight were recorded. The levels of interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the serum and immunoglobulin A (IgA), immunoglobulin G (IgG), and immunoglobulin M (IgM) in the spleen were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was used to observe the pathological changes in the spleen. ultra performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) was employed to screen the potential biomarkers of immune inflammation caused by DIC, and pathway enrichment analysis and correlation analysis were performed. The mRNA levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase 2 (LPCAT2), and farnesoid X receptor (FXR) in the serum were determined by Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR). ResultsCompared with the blank group, the DIC group showed elevated levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in the serum (P<0.01), and the DIC withdrawal group showcased lowered levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α in the serum (P<0.01). The levels of IgA, IgG, and IgM in the spleen of rats in the DIC group were decreased (P<0.01), while those in the DIC withdrawal group were recovered (P<0.05, P<0.01). Untargeted metabolomics of the serum and spleen screened out 14 common differential metabolites and 14 common metabolic pathways. The Spearman correlation analysis between differential metabolites and inflammatory factors identified PC (32∶0), LysoPC (20∶4/0∶0), LysoPC (P-18∶0/0∶0), taurochenodeoxycholic acid, taurocholic acid, LysoPC [20∶5(5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z,17Z)/0∶0], chenodeoxycholic acid, arachidonic acid, LysoPC (18∶0/0∶0), LysoPC (15∶0/0∶0), LysoPC (16∶0/0∶0), and LysoPC (17∶0/0∶0) as the biomarkers of immunotoxicity induced by DIC in SD rats. In the process of immunotoxicity caused by DIC, lipid metabolism disorders such as glycerophospholipid metabolism, primary bile acid metabolism, and arachidonic acid metabolism were enriched, which was consistent with the DIC-induced inflammatory factors and pathological characteristics of the spleen. Compared with the blank group, the DIC group exhibited up-regulated mRNA levels of IL-1β, TNF-α, LPCAT2, and FXR (P<0.01), and the up-regulation was decreased in the withdrawal group (P<0.01). ConclusionDIC can lead to immune and inflammatory disorders. DIC withdrawal can regulate the expression of biomarkers related to serum and spleen metabolites, regulate the inflammatory metabolic pathway, reduce the inflammation level, and alleviate the metabolic disorders, thus attenuating the potential toxicity induced by DIC.
8.Adolescent Smoking Addiction Diagnosis Based on TI-GNN
Xu-Wen WANG ; Da-Hua YU ; Ting XUE ; Xiao-Jiao LI ; Zhen-Zhen MAI ; Fang DONG ; Yu-Xin MA ; Juan WANG ; Kai YUAN
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(9):2393-2405
ObjectiveTobacco-related diseases remain one of the leading preventable public health challenges worldwide and are among the primary causes of premature death. In recent years, accumulating evidence has supported the classification of nicotine addiction as a chronic brain disease, profoundly affecting both brain structure and function. Despite the urgency, effective diagnostic methods for smoking addiction remain lacking, posing significant challenges for early intervention and treatment. To address this issue and gain deeper insights into the neural mechanisms underlying nicotine dependence, this study proposes a novel graph neural network framework, termed TI-GNN. This model leverages functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data to identify complex and subtle abnormalities in brain connectivity patterns associated with smoking addiction. MethodsThe study utilizes fMRI data to construct functional connectivity matrices that represent interaction patterns among brain regions. These matrices are interpreted as graphs, where brain regions are nodes and the strength of functional connectivity between them serves as edges. The proposed TI-GNN model integrates a Transformer module to effectively capture global interactions across the entire brain network, enabling a comprehensive understanding of high-level connectivity patterns. Additionally, a spatial attention mechanism is employed to selectively focus on informative inter-regional connections while filtering out irrelevant or noisy features. This design enhances the model’s ability to learn meaningful neural representations crucial for classification tasks. A key innovation of TI-GNN lies in its built-in causal interpretation module, which aims to infer directional and potentially causal relationships among brain regions. This not only improves predictive performance but also enhances model interpretability—an essential attribute for clinical applications. The identification of causal links provides valuable insights into the neuropathological basis of addiction and contributes to the development of biologically plausible and trustworthy diagnostic tools. ResultsExperimental results demonstrate that the TI-GNN model achieves superior classification performance on the smoking addiction dataset, outperforming several state-of-the-art baseline models. Specifically, TI-GNN attains an accuracy of 0.91, an F1-score of 0.91, and a Matthews correlation coefficient (MCC) of 0.83, indicating strong robustness and reliability. Beyond performance metrics, TI-GNN identifies critical abnormal connectivity patterns in several brain regions implicated in addiction. Notably, it highlights dysregulations in the amygdala and the anterior cingulate cortex, consistent with prior clinical and neuroimaging findings. These regions are well known for their roles in emotional regulation, reward processing, and impulse control—functions that are frequently disrupted in nicotine dependence. ConclusionThe TI-GNN framework offers a powerful and interpretable tool for the objective diagnosis of smoking addiction. By integrating advanced graph learning techniques with causal inference capabilities, the model not only achieves high diagnostic accuracy but also elucidates the neurobiological underpinnings of addiction. The identification of specific abnormal brain networks and their causal interactions deepens our understanding of addiction pathophysiology and lays the groundwork for developing targeted intervention strategies and personalized treatment approaches in the future.
9.Underlying Mechanism of Wuwei Shenqintang in Amelioration of Pulmonary Fibrosis by Regulating "Lung-intestine Axis" Based on UPLC-Q-TOF-MS Metabolomics Technology
Mengdi SUN ; Fang LU ; Donghua YU ; Yu WANG ; Pingping CHEN ; Shumin LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(21):11-20
ObjectiveTo explore the mechanism of action of Wuwei Shenqintang in improving pulmonary fibrosis by using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS) for metabolomic analysis of lung tissue and feces. MethodsA rat model with pulmonary fibrosis was established by intratracheal injection of 5 mg·kg-1 bleomycin. The successfully modeled rats were randomly divided into a blank group, a model group, a prednisone (3.15 mg·kg-1) group, and low-dose, medium-dose, and high-dose groups of Wuwei Shenqintang (4.586, 9.172, 18.344 g·kg-1). The rats were given intragastric administration once a day for 28 consecutive days. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to measure the pathological changes in lung and colon tissue, and Masson staining was used to detect the degree of pulmonary fibrosis. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the expression of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, IL-8, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and intestinal mucus. Immunohistochemistry and reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) were used to detect the expression of type Ⅰ collagen (Col-Ⅰ), fibronectin (FN), and alpha smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) in lung tissue. UPLC-Q-TOF-MS was used to study the changes in the metabolic network of lung tissue and feces in rats with pulmonary fibrosis treated with Wuwei Shenqintang, screen potential biomarkers for the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis by Wuwei Shenqintang, and perform pathway enrichment analysis. ResultsCompared with the blank group, the model group showed extensive inflammatory cell infiltration and continuous fibrotic lesions in lung tissue, colonic mucosal damage, and connective tissue hyperplasia. The expression of IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β, TNF-α, and SIgA in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and intestinal mucus was significantly increased (P<0.01). The expression of Col-Ⅰ, FN, and α-SMA proteins and mRNAs in lung tissue was significantly upregulated (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the groups of Wuwei Shenqintang exhibited significantly reduced inflammatory infiltration and blue collagen deposition in lung tissue, alleviated colonic damage, decreased expression of IL-6, IL-8, IL-1β, TNF-α, and SIgA in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and intestinal mucus (P<0.01), and reduced average absorbance values and mRNA expression of Col-Ⅰ, FN, and α-SMA in lung tissue (P<0.05, P<0.01), with the prednisone group and the medium-dose and high-dose groups of Wuwei Shenqintang showing the most significant effects. The metabolomics results for lung tissue showed that compared with the blank group, the model group had 19 significantly different compounds (P<0.05, P<0.01). Wuwei Shenqintang could normalize 17 of these compounds compared with the model group (P<0.05, P<0.01). Fecal metabolomics results showed that compared with those in the blank group, there were 42 compounds with significant differences in the model group (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the model control group, Wuwei Shenqintang could normalize 41 of these compounds (P<0.05, P<0.01). The combined analysis results indicated that Wuwei Shenqintang might inhibit pulmonary fibrosis by regulating the biosynthesis of phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan as well as the retinol metabolism pathway. ConclusionWuwei Shenqintang can ameliorate pulmonary fibrosis, which may be related to the regulation of the "lung-intestine axis".
10.Effect of Stasis-dispelling and Detoxifying Therapy on Clinical Efficacy and JNK Signaling Pathway-related Protein Expression in Endometriosis Patients with Syndrome of Kidney Deficiency and Blood Stasis
Tingting WANG ; Zhaokang QI ; Jinxin REN ; Shuai ZHAO ; Chunxiao WEI ; Yi YU ; Fang LIAN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(21):120-129
ObjectiveTo observe the clinical efficacy of the stasis-dispelling and detoxifying therapy in endometriosis (EMs) patients with the syndrome of kidney deficiency and blood stasis and the effects of this therapy on the expression levels of proteins related to the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signaling pathway. MethodsA total of 72 patients with EMs due to kidney deficiency and blood stasis who met the criteria at the Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Center for Reproduction and Genetics of the Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine from March 2024 to February 2025 were selected and randomized into a treatment group and a control group, with 36 patients in each group. Another 36 patients undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF-ET) due to male factors alone were selected as the blank group. The treatment group took the Zishen Quyu Jiedu formula orally, while the control group and the blank group took placebos. The treatment course encompassed the cycle before ovarian stimulation and the oocyte retrieval cycle. The TCM syndrome score of kidney deficiency and blood stasis, as well as the serum level of cancer antigen 125 (CA125), were evaluated at the time of enrollment (before treatment) and on the trigger day (after treatment). Serum levels of sex hormones were measured on day 2 of the menstrual cycle. On the trigger day, the duration and dosage of gonadotropin (Gn) administration and the serum levels of hormones on the day of human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) injection were assessed. Embryo outcomes were evaluated 3 days after oocyte retrieval, and clinical pregnancy rates were assessed 28 days after embryo transfer. The baseline data of three groups were observed. The TCM syndrome scores and serum CA125 levels before and after treatment were compared between the treatment and control groups. The baseline endocrine levels, Gn days, Gn dosage, hormone levels on the day of HCG administration, number of oocytes retrieved, number of 2 pronucleus (2PN) fertilizations, number of available embryos, high-quality embryo rate, and clinical pregnancy rate were also assessed in all three groups. Six patients from each group were selected for determination of the protein levels of JNK, c-Jun, and nuclear receptor subfamily 4 group A member 2 (NR4A2) in ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) on the day of oocyte retrieval by Western blot. Results(1) There were no statistically significant differences in the baseline data among three groups, indicating comparability. (2) Compared with the baseline within the same group, the treatment group showed a decrease in the syndrome score of kidney deficiency and blood stasis after treatment. After treatment, serum CA125 levels decreased in both groups (P<0.05), with a more substantial reduction in the treatment group, resulting in a difference between the two groups (P<0.05). (3) There were no significant differences among three groups in terms of baseline serum levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol (E2), and progesterone (P), as well as the duration and dosage of Gn administration and the serum levels of LH, E2, and P on the day of HCG administration. (4) For embryo outcomes, the number of oocytes retrieved, 2PN fertilizations, available embryos, and high-quality embryo rates in the treatment group and the blank group were higher than those in the control group (P<0.05), and the treatment group and the blank group had similar 2PN fertilizations. (5) There were differences in clinical pregnancy rate among three groups (P<0.05), and the treatment group had higher pregnancy rate than the control and blank groups. (6) The protein levels of JNK, c-Jun, and NR4A2 in the GCs of the treatment group were lower than those in the control group (P<0.01) and close to those in the blank group (P<0.01). (7) No obvious adverse reactions were observed in any of the subjects during the clinical observation process. ConclusionZishen Quyu Jiedu formula can ameliorate the clinical symptoms of patients with EMs due to kidney deficiency and blood stasis, reduce the serum CA125 level, increase the number of oocytes retrieved, 2PN fertilizations, available embryos, and high-quality embryo rate, and improve pregnancy outcomes. The mechanism may involve downregulating the levels of JNK, c-Jun, and NR4A2 to reduce the apoptosis of ovarian GCs and improve the ovarian function in the patients.


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