1.The Regulatory Effects and Mechanisms of Piezo1 Channel on Chondrocytes and Bone Metabolic Dysregulation in Osteoarthritis
Yan LI ; Tao LIU ; Yu-Biao GU ; Hui-Qing TIAN ; Lei ZHANG ; Bi-Hui BAI ; Zhi-Jun HE ; Wen CHEN ; Jin-Peng LI ; Fei LI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(3):564-576
Osteoarthritis (OA), a highly prevalent degenerative joint disease worldwide, is defined by articular cartilage degradation, abnormal bone remodeling, and persistent chronic inflammation. It severely compromises patients’ quality of life, and currently, there is no radical cure. Abnormal mechanical stress is widely regarded as a core driver of OA pathogenesis, and the exploration of mechanical signal perception and transduction mechanisms has become crucial for deciphering OA’s pathophysiological processes. Piezo1, a key mechanosensitive cation channel belonging to the Piezo protein family, has recently gained significant attention due to its pivotal role in mediating cellular responses to mechanical stimuli in joint tissues. This review systematically examines Piezo1’s expression patterns, regulatory mechanisms, and pathological functions in OA, with a particular focus on its dual roles in modulating chondrocyte homeostasis and bone metabolism disorders, while also delving into the underlying molecular signaling pathways and potential therapeutic implications. Piezo1, consisting of approximately 2 500 amino acids and forming a unique trimeric propeller-like structure, is widely expressed in chondrocytes, osteocytes, mesenchymal stem cells, and synovial cells. It exhibits permeability to cations such as Ca2+, K+, and Na+, and directly responds to membrane tension changes induced by mechanical stimuli like fluid shear stress and mechanical overload. In OA patients and animal models, Piezo1 expression is significantly upregulated, especially in cartilage regions subjected to abnormal mechanical stress (e.g., human temporomandibular joint cartilage). This overexpression is closely associated with aggravated cartilage degeneration, increased chondrocyte apoptosis, accelerated cellular senescence, and intensified inflammatory responses. Mechanical overload and pro-inflammatory cytokines (e.g., IL-1β) are key inducers of Piezo1 upregulation: IL-1β activates the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway to enhance Piezo1 expression, forming a pathogenic positive feedback loop that inhibits chondrocyte autophagy, promotes apoptosis, and further accelerates joint degeneration. Mechanistically, Piezo1 mediates OA progression through multiple interconnected pathways. When activated by mechanical stress, Piezo1 triggers excessive Ca2+ influx, leading to endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and mitochondrial dysfunction, which directly induce chondrocyte apoptosis. This process involves the activation of downstream signaling cascades such as cGAS-STING and YAP-MMP13/ADAMTS5. YAP, a transcriptional regulator, upregulates the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP13) and aggrecanase (ADAMTS5), thereby accelerating cartilage matrix degradation. Additionally, Piezo1-driven Ca2+ overload promotes the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and upregulates senescence markers (p16 and p21), accelerating chondrocyte senescence via the p38MAPK and NF-κB pathways. Senescent chondrocytes secrete senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) factors (e.g., IL-6, IL-1β), further amplifying joint inflammation. In terms of bone metabolism, Piezo1 maintains joint homeostasis by promoting the differentiation of fibrocartilage stem cells into chondrocytes and balancing bone formation and resorption through regulating the FoxC1/YAP axis and RANKL/OPG ratio. Therapeutically, targeting Piezo1 shows promising potential. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that Piezo1 inhibitors (e.g., GsMTx4) can reduce joint damage and alleviate pain in OA mice. Simultaneously, siRNA-mediated co-silencing of Piezo1 and TRPV4 (another mechanosensitive channel) decreases intracellular Ca2+ concentration, inhibits chondrocyte apoptosis, and promotes cartilage repair. Conditional knockout of Piezo1 using Gdf5-Cre transgenic mice alleviates cartilage degeneration in post-traumatic OA models by downregulating MMP13 and ADAMTS5 expression. Despite existing challenges, such as off-target effects of inhibitors, inefficient local drug delivery, and interindividual genetic variability, strategies like developing selective Piezo1 antagonists, optimizing targeted nanocarriers, and combining Piezo1-targeted therapy with physical therapy provide viable avenues for clinical translation. The authors propose that Piezo1 serves as a critical therapeutic target for OA, and future research should focus on deciphering its context-dependent regulatory networks, developing tissue-specific intervention strategies, and validating their efficacy and safety in clinical trials to address the unmet medical needs of OA patients.
2.Expert consensus on the application of nasal cavity filling substances in nasal surgery patients(2025, Shanghai).
Keqing ZHAO ; Shaoqing YU ; Hongquan WEI ; Chenjie YU ; Guangke WANG ; Shijie QIU ; Yanjun WANG ; Hongtao ZHEN ; Yucheng YANG ; Yurong GU ; Tao GUO ; Feng LIU ; Meiping LU ; Bin SUN ; Yanli YANG ; Yuzhu WAN ; Cuida MENG ; Yanan SUN ; Yi ZHAO ; Qun LI ; An LI ; Luo BA ; Linli TIAN ; Guodong YU ; Xin FENG ; Wen LIU ; Yongtuan LI ; Jian WU ; De HUAI ; Dongsheng GU ; Hanqiang LU ; Xinyi SHI ; Huiping YE ; Yan JIANG ; Weitian ZHANG ; Yu XU ; Zhenxiao HUANG ; Huabin LI
Journal of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery 2025;39(4):285-291
This consensus will introduce the characteristics of fillers used in the surgical cavities of domestic nasal surgery patients based on relevant literature and expert opinions. It will also provide recommendations for the selection of cavity fillers for different nasal diseases, with chronic sinusitis as a representative example.
Humans
;
Nasal Cavity/surgery*
;
Nasal Surgical Procedures
;
China
;
Consensus
;
Sinusitis/surgery*
;
Dermal Fillers
3.Protein palmitoylation: A potential therapeutic target in cardiovascular diseases.
Sijia ZHAO ; Yanyan YANG ; Hong LI ; Pin SUN ; Xiangqin HE ; Chao WANG ; Jingjing ZHANG ; Yu TIAN ; Tao YU ; Zhirong JIANG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(10):5127-5144
Palmitoylation, an essential covalent attachment of a fatty acid (usually C16 palmitate) to cysteine residues within proteins, is crucial for regulating protein functionality and enzymatic activities. This lipid modification facilitates the anchoring of proteins to cellular membranes, dictating their subcellular distribution and influencing protein transport dynamics and intracellular positioning. Additionally, it plays a role in regulating protein degradation through the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Palmitoylation is implicated in the pathogenesis and progression of cardiovascular diseases by modulating substrates and prompting additional post-translational modifications, as well as by interacting with other molecular alterations. Moreover, an intervention strategy focusing on palmitoylation processes is anticipated to offer novel therapeutic avenues for cardiovascular pathologies and address extant challenges in clinical settings. This review consolidates current research on the role and importance of palmitoylation in cardiovascular diseases by exploring its regulatory functions, the catalyzing enzymes, and the involved substrates. It highlights recent discoveries connecting palmitoylation-targeted therapies to cardiovascular health and examines potential approaches and future challenges in cardiovascular treatment.
4.Dorsal CA1 NECTIN3 Reduction Mediates Early-Life Stress-Induced Object Recognition Memory Deficits in Adolescent Female Mice.
Yu-Nu MA ; Chen-Chen ZHANG ; Ya-Xin SUN ; Xiao LIU ; Xue-Xin LI ; Han WANG ; Ting WANG ; Xiao-Dong WANG ; Yun-Ai SU ; Ji-Tao LI ; Tian-Mei SI
Neuroscience Bulletin 2025;41(2):243-260
Early-life stress (ES) leads to cognitive dysfunction in female adolescents, but the underlying neural mechanisms remain elusive. Recent evidence suggests that the cell adhesion molecules NECTIN1 and NECTIN3 play a role in cognition and ES-related cognitive deficits in male rodents. In this study, we aimed to investigate whether and how nectins contribute to ES-induced cognitive dysfunction in female adolescents. Applying the well-established limited bedding and nesting material paradigm, we found that ES impairs recognition memory, suppresses prefrontal NECTIN1 and hippocampal NECTIN3 expression, and upregulates corticotropin-releasing hormone (Crh) and its receptor 1 (Crhr1) mRNA levels in the hippocampus of adolescent female mice. Genetic experiments revealed that the reduction of dorsal CA1 (dCA1) NECTIN3 mediates ES-induced object recognition memory deficits, as knocking down dCA1 NECTIN3 impaired animals' performance in the novel object recognition task, while overexpression of dCA1 NECTIN3 successfully reversed the ES-induced deficits. Notably, prefrontal NECTIN1 knockdown did not result in significant cognitive impairments. Furthermore, acute systemic administration of antalarmin, a CRHR1 antagonist, upregulated hippocampal NECTIN3 levels and rescued object and spatial memory deficits in stressed mice. Our findings underscore the critical role of dCA1 NECTIN3 in mediating ES-induced object recognition memory deficits in adolescent female mice, highlighting it as a potential therapeutic target for stress-related psychiatric disorders in women.
Animals
;
Female
;
Mice
;
CA1 Region, Hippocampal/metabolism*
;
Cell Adhesion Molecules/metabolism*
;
CRF Receptor, Type 1/metabolism*
;
Memory Disorders/etiology*
;
Mice, Inbred C57BL
;
Nectins/genetics*
;
Receptors, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone/antagonists & inhibitors*
;
Recognition, Psychology/physiology*
;
Stress, Psychological/complications*
5.Diverse Subtypes of Cardiovascular Disease Risk Evaluated by Novel PREVENT Associated with Different Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Metabolites.
Ye XIN ; Yu Cheng SUN ; Lin CHEN ; Feng Tao CUI ; Ying Ge DUAN ; Han Yun WANG ; Li CHEN ; Tian CHEN ; Pi Ye NIU ; Jun Xiang MA
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2025;38(10):1217-1229
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the association of various polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) metabolites with diverse subtypes of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk.
METHODS:
A novel predicting risk of cardiovascular disease EVENTs PREVENT equation was used to estimate the 10-year diverse subtypes of CVD risk, and their associations with PAH metabolites were analyzed using multiple logistic regression models, the weighted quantile sum (WQS) model, the quantile g-computation (qgcomp) model, and a stratified analysis of subgroups.
RESULTS:
For this study, six thousand seven hundred and forty-five participants were selected, and significant positive associations were observed between PAHs, naphthalene (NAP), and fluorene (FLU), and the risks of total CVD, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), and heart failure (HF). NAP and FLU were the primary contributors to the effects of PAH mixtures, and their associations with total CVD, ASCVD, and HF risk were significant in younger participants (30 ≤ age < 50 years); however, the associations of phenanthrene (PHEN) with ASCVD, HF, coronary heart disease (CHD), and stroke were dominant in aging participants (age ≥ 50 years). Notably, pyrene (PYR) was negatively associated with the risk of ASCVD, HF, CHD, and stroke. Similarly, negative associations of PYR with the four CVD subtypes were noticeable in aging participants.
CONCLUSION
Different PAHs metabolites had different impacts on each CVD subtype among different age groups. Notably, the protective effects of PYR on ASCVD, HF, CHD, and stroke were noticeable in aging individuals.
Humans
;
Cardiovascular Diseases/chemically induced*
;
Middle Aged
;
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons/metabolism*
;
Male
;
Female
;
Adult
;
Aged
;
Risk Factors
;
China/epidemiology*
6.Research progress in energy metabolism design of cell factories.
Yiqun YANG ; Qingqing LIU ; Shuo TIAN ; Tao YU
Chinese Journal of Biotechnology 2025;41(3):1098-1111
Energy metabolism regulation plays a pivotal role in metabolic engineering. It mainly achieves the balance of material and energy metabolism or maximizes the utilization of materials and energy by regulating the supply intensity and mode of ATP and reducing electron carriers in cells. On the one hand, the production efficiency can be increased by changing the distribution of material metabolic flow. On the other hand, the thermodynamic parameters of enzyme-catalyzed reactions can be altered to affect the reaction balance, and thus the production costs are reduced. Therefore, energy metabolism regulation is expected to become a favorable tool for the modification of microbial cell factories, thereby increasing the production of target metabolites and reducing production costs. This article introduces the commonly used energy metabolism regulation methods and their effects on cell factories, aiming to provide a reference for the efficient construction of microbial cell factories.
Energy Metabolism/physiology*
;
Metabolic Engineering/methods*
;
Adenosine Triphosphate/metabolism*
;
Industrial Microbiology/methods*
7.Primary Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in the Female Genital System: Report of Two Cases and Review of the Literature.
Tian-Yu ZHANG ; Li QIN ; Dong-Yan CAO ; Jia-Xin YANG ; Yi LIU ; Tao WANG
Acta Academiae Medicinae Sinicae 2025;47(2):314-318
Primary female genital system lymphoma(PFGSL)is a rare subtype of extranodal lymphoma and patients commonly present in the department of gynecology.At present,there is a lack of uniform standards for the treatment of PFGSL.Although the classification of lymphoid neoplasmas was updated by the World Health Organization classification of haematolymphoid tumors in 2016,PFGSL was still not elaborated in sufficient detail.Most cases of PFGSL are non-Hodgkin lymphoma,involving the ovary and cervix.In some cases,involvement of uterine corpus,vagina,and vulva is reported.In this article,we report two cases of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the female genital system,one from the uterus and the other from the ovary.By presenting the diagnosis and treatment of the two cases and reviewing the literature,we aim to provide a reference for clinicians in recognizing and treating rare cases.
Female
;
Humans
;
Genital Neoplasms, Female/diagnosis*
;
Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin/diagnosis*
;
Ovarian Neoplasms
8.Impacts of pre-pregnancy exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances on menstrual characteristics among women undergoing assisted reproductive technology
Huyi TAO ; Yujie CAO ; Yitao PAN ; Jiuru ZHAO ; Zhiwei LIU ; Yu GAO ; Ying TIAN
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2025;42(6):652-660
Background Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of persistent organic pollutants widely used in various products, leading to population exposure and long-term accumulation. At present, there is a lack of research on the relationships between pre-pregnancy PFAS and menstrual characteristics among women undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART) in China. Objective To explore the relationships between pre-pregnancy PFAS exposure among women undergoing ART and menstrual characteristics prior to assisted reproductive treatment. Methods This study employed a cross-sectional research design, recruiting women undergoing ART treatment at the Reproductive Clinic of the International Peace Maternity & Child Health Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, from 2017 to 2020 as study participants. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry was used to detect 42 types of PFAS in pre-pregnancy serum samples. Questionnaires were administered to collect information on demographic characteristics, lifestyle habits, and menstrual characteristics (average menstrual cycle length, average menstrual period length, menstrual irregularities, and menstrual bleeding volume) of women undergoing ART. Multiple linear regression, binary logistic regression, and multinomial logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate the relationships between individual PFAS exposure before pregnancy and menstrual characteristics among ART women. Additionally, weighted quantile sum (WQS) model was applied to analyze the association between PFAS mixtures and menstrual characteristics. Results In the pre-pregnancy serum samples of the study population, 15 PFAS were detected in more than 60% of the samples, including perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnDA), perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoDA), perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS), perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), 6:2 chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate (6:2 Cl-PFESA), 8:2 chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonate (8:2 Cl-PFESA), perfluoro-2-propoxypropanoic acid (HFPO-DA), perfluoro-2-methoxyacetic acid (PFMOAA), and perfluoro-(3,5,7,9,11-pentaoxadodecanoic) acid (PFO5DoDA). Among them, PFOA had the highest median concentration of 9.160 ng·mL−1. The single PFAS exposure analysis revealed a positive correlation between PFAS and irregular menstrual cycles. Specifically, for every natural-log unit (e) increase in PFOA, PFBS, or PFHxS level, the incidence of irregular menstrual cycles increased by 57%, 42%, or 39%, respectively. Most PFAS were positively correlated with the average number of menstrual cycle days, such as PFHpA (b=1.08, 95%CI: 0.11, 2.05), PFOA (b=1.69, 95%CI: 0.39, 3.00), PFBS (b=1.23, 95%CI: 0.25, 2.22), PFHxS (b=1.47, 95%CI: 0.61, 2.32), PFHpS (b=1.48, 95%CI: 0.35, 2.61), and 6:2 Cl-PFESA (b=0.90, 95%CI: 0.08, 1.72). Furthermore, levels of PFHpA (OR=1.39, 95%CI: 1.06, 1.82), PFOA (OR=1.58, 95%CI: 1.09, 2.30), PFBS (OR=1.37, 95%CI: 1.04, 1.80), PFHxS (OR=1.34, 95%CI: 1.05, 1.71), PFHpS (OR=1.53, 95%CI: 1.10, 2.14), and 6:2 Cl-PFESA (OR=1.34, 95%CI: 1.06, 1.70) were positively correlated with low menstrual blood volume, while PFOA (OR=0.40, 95%CI: 0.23, 0.71), PFHpS (OR=0.45, 95%CI: 0.29, 0.71), and HFPO-DA (OR=0.68, 95%CI: 0.48, 0.97) were negatively correlated with high menstrual blood volume. The mixed exposure model showed that PFAS mixtures were positively correlated with the average number of menstrual cycle days (b=1.60, 95%CI: 0.49, 2.71), irregular menstrual cycles (OR=1.77, 95%CI: 1.19, 2.63), and low menstrual blood volume (OR=1.59, 95%CI: 1.08, 2.35), but negatively correlated with high menstrual blood volume (OR=0.40, 95%CI: 0.22, 0.73). Conclusion Women undergoing ART in Shanghai are widely exposed to PFAS prior to conception. Exposure to PFAS before pregnancy may be related to menstrual characteristics among women seeking ART before undergoing fertility treatments, but additional data from larger populations are required to validate the findings of this study.
9.Efficacy and dose-response relationships of antidepressants in the acute treatment of major depressive disorders: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.
Shuzhe ZHOU ; Pei LI ; Xiaozhen LYU ; Xuefeng LAI ; Zuoxiang LIU ; Junwen ZHOU ; Fengqi LIU ; Yiming TAO ; Meng ZHANG ; Xin YU ; Jingwei TIAN ; Feng SUN
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(12):1433-1438
BACKGROUND:
The optimal antidepressant dosages remain controversial. This study aimed to analyze the efficacy of antidepressants and characterize their dose-response relationships in the treatments of major depressive disorders (MDD).
METHODS:
We searched multiple databases, including the Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, and Web of Science, for the studies that were conducted between January 8, 2016, and April 30, 2023. The studies are double-blinded, randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving the adults (≥18 years) with MDD. The primary outcomes were efficacy of antidepressant and the dose-response relationships. A frequentist network meta-analysis was conducted, treating participants with various dosages of the same antidepressant as a single therapy. We also implemented the model-based meta-analysis (MBMA) using a Bayesian method to explore the dose-response relationships.
RESULTS:
The network meta-analysis comprised 135,180 participants from 602 studies. All the antidepressants were more effective than the placebo; toludesvenlafaxine had the highest odds ratio (OR) of 4.52 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.65-7.72), and reboxetine had the lowest OR of 1.34 (95%CI: 1.14-1.57). Moreover, amitriptyline, clomipramine, and reboxetine showed a linear increase in effect size from low to high doses. The effect size of toludesvenlafaxine increased significantly up to 80 mg/day and subsequently maintained the maximal dose up to 160 mg/day while the predictive curves of nefazodone were fairly flat in different dosages.
CONCLUSIONS:
Although most antidepressants were more efficacious than placebo in treating MDD, no consistent dose-response relationship between any antidepressants was observed. For most antidepressants, the maximum efficacy was achieved at lower or middle prescribed doses, rather than at the upper limit.
REGISTRATION
No. CRD42023427480; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?
Humans
;
Antidepressive Agents/therapeutic use*
;
Depressive Disorder, Major/drug therapy*
;
Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
;
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
10.Efficacy and safety of using an enteral immunonutrition formula in the enhanced recovery after surgery protocol for Chinese patients with gastrointestinal cancers undergoing surgery: A randomized, open-label, multicenter trial (healing trial).
Jianchun YU ; Gang XIAO ; Yanbing ZHOU ; Yingjiang YE ; Han LIANG ; Guole LIN ; Qi AN ; Xiaodong LIU ; Bin LIANG ; Baogui WANG ; Weiming KANG ; Tao YU ; Yulong TIAN ; Chao WANG ; Xiaona WANG
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(21):2847-2849

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail