1.Correlation Analysis of Huanglian Jiedu Wan on Syndrome Improvement and Clinical Biomarkers of "Excess Heat-Toxicity" Based on Machine Learning Model
Qi LI ; Keke LUO ; Baolin BIAN ; Hongyu YU ; Mengxiao WANG ; Mengyao TIAN ; Wen XIA ; Yuan MA ; Xinfang ZHANG ; Pengyue LI ; Nan SI ; Hongjie WANG ; Yanyan ZHOU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(8):162-173
ObjectiveThis paper aims to find the identified and validated clinical biomarker data building upon a clinical study of early-phase phase Ⅱ and investigate the correlation analysis of Huanglian Jiedu Wan on syndrome improvement and clinical biomarkers in the treatment of "excess heat-toxicity" based on a machine learning model. Additionally, the effective prediction of clinical biomarker values for the main symptoms of the "excess heat-toxicity" syndrome was assessed. MethodsA total of 229 patients meeting the inclusion criteria for "excess heat-toxicity" syndrome were randomly divided into the Huanglian Jiedu Wan group and the placebo group. Syndrome score transition matrices were constructed for the Huanglian Jiedu Wan group and the placebo group based on three main symptoms of "excess heat-toxicity" syndrome, such as oral ulcers, sore throat, and gum swelling and pain. Data from the patients with these three syndromes were also integrated for an overall analysis. The corresponding syndrome score transition matrices were further constructed to visualize symptom change trends of the patients in the two groups via heatmaps. Based on the identified and validated clinical biomarkers related to inflammation, oxidative stress, and energy metabolism in the early phase, Spearman correlation analysis was employed to analyze and evaluate the associations between clinical biomarkers and syndrome improvement. Key clinical biomarkers reflecting the effect of Huanglian Jiedu Wan were screened through the comparison of differences between groups. An extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) algorithm was used to develop a prediction model for main symptom classification, with classification performance evaluated through 10-fold cross-validation. Feature importance analysis was applied to identify variables with the greatest contribution to the prediction result. ResultsThe syndrome transition matrix results indicated that the Huanglian Jiedu Wan group showed a superior effect to the placebo group in improving oral ulcers, sore throat, and overall symptoms, with significant effects observed especially in sore throat and overall symptom analyses (P<0.01). Spearman correlation analysis revealed that several clinical biomarkers positively correlated with "excess heat-toxicity" syndrome and its main symptom improvement, were also called "heat-related biomarkers", including succinic acid, α-ketoglutaric acid, glycine, lactic acid, adenosine monophosphate (AMP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and so on. Conversely, clinical biomarkers negatively correlated with symptom severity, were also called "heat-clearing related biomarkers" after administration of Huanglian Jiedu Wan, including malic acid, fumaric acid, cis-aconitic acid, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), IL-1β, IL-4, IL-8, succinic acid, and citric acid. The XGBoost classification model using all 52 biomarkers as variables achieved an average test accuracy of 0.754 and an average F1 score of 0.777. Feature importance analysis identified the scores of glutamic acid in saliva and IL-6 were the highest in all the variables, with importance scores of 0.081 and 0.080, respectively. After screening out 14 key variables and optimizing the parameters, model performance improved to an average accuracy of 0.758 and an F1 score of 0.798. Feature importance analysis further determined that the glutamic acid in saliva and IL-6 showed obvious changes after screening the variables, confirming the good syndrome prediction ability of the model constructed by these key clinical biomarkers. ConclusionThis study systematically elucidates the correlation between syndrome improvement and clinical biomarkers of Huanglian Jiedu Wan in the treatment of "excess heat-toxicity" syndrome. An XGBoost classification model based on key clinical biomarkers is successfully established, achieving effective prediction of the symptoms related to the "excess heat-toxicity" syndrome such as oral ulcers and sore throat and providing a new insight for objective identification of traditional Chinese medicine syndromes.
2.Correlation Analysis of Huanglian Jiedu Wan on Syndrome Improvement and Clinical Biomarkers of "Excess Heat-Toxicity" Based on Machine Learning Model
Qi LI ; Keke LUO ; Baolin BIAN ; Hongyu YU ; Mengxiao WANG ; Mengyao TIAN ; Wen XIA ; Yuan MA ; Xinfang ZHANG ; Pengyue LI ; Nan SI ; Hongjie WANG ; Yanyan ZHOU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(8):162-173
ObjectiveThis paper aims to find the identified and validated clinical biomarker data building upon a clinical study of early-phase phase Ⅱ and investigate the correlation analysis of Huanglian Jiedu Wan on syndrome improvement and clinical biomarkers in the treatment of "excess heat-toxicity" based on a machine learning model. Additionally, the effective prediction of clinical biomarker values for the main symptoms of the "excess heat-toxicity" syndrome was assessed. MethodsA total of 229 patients meeting the inclusion criteria for "excess heat-toxicity" syndrome were randomly divided into the Huanglian Jiedu Wan group and the placebo group. Syndrome score transition matrices were constructed for the Huanglian Jiedu Wan group and the placebo group based on three main symptoms of "excess heat-toxicity" syndrome, such as oral ulcers, sore throat, and gum swelling and pain. Data from the patients with these three syndromes were also integrated for an overall analysis. The corresponding syndrome score transition matrices were further constructed to visualize symptom change trends of the patients in the two groups via heatmaps. Based on the identified and validated clinical biomarkers related to inflammation, oxidative stress, and energy metabolism in the early phase, Spearman correlation analysis was employed to analyze and evaluate the associations between clinical biomarkers and syndrome improvement. Key clinical biomarkers reflecting the effect of Huanglian Jiedu Wan were screened through the comparison of differences between groups. An extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) algorithm was used to develop a prediction model for main symptom classification, with classification performance evaluated through 10-fold cross-validation. Feature importance analysis was applied to identify variables with the greatest contribution to the prediction result. ResultsThe syndrome transition matrix results indicated that the Huanglian Jiedu Wan group showed a superior effect to the placebo group in improving oral ulcers, sore throat, and overall symptoms, with significant effects observed especially in sore throat and overall symptom analyses (P<0.01). Spearman correlation analysis revealed that several clinical biomarkers positively correlated with "excess heat-toxicity" syndrome and its main symptom improvement, were also called "heat-related biomarkers", including succinic acid, α-ketoglutaric acid, glycine, lactic acid, adenosine monophosphate (AMP), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-4 (IL-4), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8 (IL-8), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and so on. Conversely, clinical biomarkers negatively correlated with symptom severity, were also called "heat-clearing related biomarkers" after administration of Huanglian Jiedu Wan, including malic acid, fumaric acid, cis-aconitic acid, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), IL-1β, IL-4, IL-8, succinic acid, and citric acid. The XGBoost classification model using all 52 biomarkers as variables achieved an average test accuracy of 0.754 and an average F1 score of 0.777. Feature importance analysis identified the scores of glutamic acid in saliva and IL-6 were the highest in all the variables, with importance scores of 0.081 and 0.080, respectively. After screening out 14 key variables and optimizing the parameters, model performance improved to an average accuracy of 0.758 and an F1 score of 0.798. Feature importance analysis further determined that the glutamic acid in saliva and IL-6 showed obvious changes after screening the variables, confirming the good syndrome prediction ability of the model constructed by these key clinical biomarkers. ConclusionThis study systematically elucidates the correlation between syndrome improvement and clinical biomarkers of Huanglian Jiedu Wan in the treatment of "excess heat-toxicity" syndrome. An XGBoost classification model based on key clinical biomarkers is successfully established, achieving effective prediction of the symptoms related to the "excess heat-toxicity" syndrome such as oral ulcers and sore throat and providing a new insight for objective identification of traditional Chinese medicine syndromes.
3.Clinical Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Rheumatoid Arthritis in Patients with Cold Dampness Obstruction Syndrome
Yanyu CHEN ; Yanqi LI ; Longxiao LIU ; Liubo ZHANG ; Tianyi LAN ; Nan ZHANG ; Cheng XIAO ; Yuan XU ; Qingwen TAO
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(3):140-146
ObjectiveTo study the clinical characteristics and influencing factors of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the patients with cold dampness obstruction syndrome. MethodsThe RA patients treated in the Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Rheumatology of the China-Japan Friendship Hospital from August 2022 to June 2024 were selected. The demographic information, clinical data, laboratory test results, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) symptom information were collected for syndrome differentiation, on the basis of which the characteristics and influencing factors of cold dampness obstruction syndrome were analyzed. ResultsA total of 258 RA patients were selected in this study, including 88 (34.1%) patients with cold dampness obstruction syndrome, 53 (20.5%) patients with dampness and heat obstruction syndrome, 31 (12.0%) patients with wind dampness obstruction syndrome, 29 (11.2%) patients with liver-kidney deficiency syndrome, 19 (7.4%) patients with Qi-blood deficiency syndrome, 14 (5.4%) patients with phlegm-stasis obstruction syndrome, 15 (5.8%) patients with stasis obstructing collateral syndrome and 9 (3.5%) patients with Qi-Yin deficiency syndrome. The patients were assigned into two groups of cold dampness obstruction syndrome and other syndromes. The group of cold dampness obstruction syndrome had lower joint fever, 28-tender joint count (TJC28), and 28-joint disease activity score (DAS28)-C-reactive protein (CRP) and higher central sensitization, cold feeling of joints, fear of wind and cold, cold limbs, and abdominal distention than the group of other syndromes (P<0.05). The binary logistic regression analysis showed that central sensitization (OR 5.749, 95%CI 2.116-15.616, P<0.001) and DAS28-CRP (OR 0.600, 95% CI 0.418-0.862, P=0.006) were the independent factors influencing cold dampness obstruction syndrome in RA. ConclusionCold dampness obstruction syndrome is a common syndrome in RA patients. It is associated with central sensitization, cold feeling of joints, abdominal distension and may be a clinical syndrome associated with central sensitization.
4.Immune function regulation and tumor-suppressive effects of Shenqi Erpi Granules on S_(180) tumor-bearing mice.
Xiong-Wei ZHANG ; Yan-Ning JIANG ; Hu QI ; Bin LI ; Yuan-Lin GAO ; Ze-Yang ZHANG ; Jian-An FENG ; Xi LI ; Nan ZENG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(13):3753-3764
This study aims to establish the S_(180) tumor-bearing mice model, and to investigate the influence of Shenqi Erpi Granules(SQEPG) on immune function, as well as the drug's tumor-suppressive effect and mechanism. SPF grade KM mice(half male and half female) were randomly divided into 6 groups: a control group, a model group, a cyclophosphamide group(50 mg·kg~(-1)), as well as SQEPG groups in low-, medium-, and high-dose(5.25, 10.5, 21 g·kg~(-1)). The control group and the model group were given distilled water, and the other 4 groups were given the corresponding drugs by gavage. The administration continued for 10 days before the mice were sacrificed. The antitumor and immune regulation effects of SQEPG were evaluated. The effect of SQEPG on delayed type hypersensitivity reaction(DTH), carbon clearance index, and serum hemolysin antibody level was observed to reflect the effect on the immune function of tumor-bearing mice. Tumor weight was recorded to calculate the tumor suppression rate and the immune organ index. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was used to detect morphological changes in tumor tissues. Flow cytometry was employed to detect the percentage of CD4~+ and CD8~+ T-cells in the spleen tissues and the tumor tissue apoptosis levels. Immunohistochemistry was conducted to detect the KI67 protein expression level of tumor tissues. ELISA resorted to the detection of the following expression levels in tumor tissues: tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-2(IL-2), interferon-γ(IFN-γ). Western blot was performed to detect the expression levels of caspase-3, B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X protein(Bax), cyclin-dependent kinases 4(CDK4), G_1/S-specific cyclin D1(cyclin D1), and vascular endothelial growth factor A(VEGFA). The results showed that, compared with the model group, the SQEPG could increase the swelling of the auricle of the tumor-bearing mice; significantly increase the phagocytic index of carbon granule contour(P<0.05 or P<0.01), and the middle dose of SQEPG could significantly increase the antibody level of hemolysin(P<0.05); different doses of SQEPG significantly inhibit the growth of the tumor, and decrease the mass of the tumor tissues(P<0.05 or P<0.01); the low dose of SQEPG significantly decreased spleen index(P<0.05), low and high doses of SQEPG increased thymus index, while medium doses of SQEPG decreased thymus index. High doses of SQEPG significantly elevated the levels of CD4~+ and CD8~+ T-cells in the spleens of the homozygous mice(P<0.01 or P<0.001), and increased the apoptosis rate of the cells of the tumor tissues(P<0.05); Meanwhile, high-dose SQEPG elevated the levels of immunity factors such as IL-2, IFN-γ and TNF-α in the serum of tumor-bearing mice(P<0.01); medium-and high-dose SQEPG significantly lowered the rate of positive expression of KI67 protein in tumor tissues(P<0.01). Compared with the model group, high-dose SQEPG significantly up-regulated the expression of caspase-3 and Bax proteins in tumor tissues(P<0.05), and significantly down-regulated the expression of CDK4, cyclin D1, and VEGFA proteins(P<0.05 or P<0.01). In conclusion, SQEPG has the effect of improving immune function and inhibiting tumor growth in tumor-bearing mice. Its mechanism of tumor-suppressive effects may be related to apoptosis promotion, cell cycle progression block, and tumor cell proliferation inhibition.
Animals
;
Mice
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology*
;
Male
;
Female
;
Apoptosis/drug effects*
;
Sarcoma 180/genetics*
;
Humans
5.Single-cell transcriptomics identifies PDGFRA+ progenitors orchestrating angiogenesis and periodontal tissue regeneration.
Jianing LIU ; Junxi HE ; Ziqi ZHANG ; Lu LIU ; Yuan CAO ; Xiaohui ZHANG ; Xinyue CAI ; Xinyan LUO ; Xiao LEI ; Nan ZHANG ; Hao WANG ; Ji CHEN ; Peisheng LIU ; Jiongyi TIAN ; Jiexi LIU ; Yuru GAO ; Haokun XU ; Chao MA ; Shengfeng BAI ; Yubohan ZHANG ; Yan JIN ; Chenxi ZHENG ; Bingdong SUI ; Fang JIN
International Journal of Oral Science 2025;17(1):56-56
Periodontal bone defects, primarily caused by periodontitis, are highly prevalent in clinical settings and manifest as bone fenestration, dehiscence, or attachment loss, presenting a significant challenge to oral health. In regenerative medicine, harnessing developmental principles for tissue repair offers promising therapeutic potential. Of particular interest is the condensation of progenitor cells, an essential event in organogenesis that has inspired clinically effective cell aggregation approaches in dental regeneration. However, the precise cellular coordination mechanisms during condensation and regeneration remain elusive. Here, taking the tooth as a model organ, we employed single-cell RNA sequencing to dissect the cellular composition and heterogeneity of human dental follicle and dental papilla, revealing a distinct Platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) mesenchymal stem/stromal cell (MSC) population with remarkable odontogenic potential. Interestingly, a reciprocal paracrine interaction between PDGFRA+ dental follicle stem cells (DFSCs) and CD31+ Endomucin+ endothelial cells (ECs) was mediated by Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) and Platelet-derived growth factor subunit BB (PDGFBB). This crosstalk not only maintains the functionality of PDGFRA+ DFSCs but also drives specialized angiogenesis. In vivo periodontal bone regeneration experiments further reveal that communication between PDGFRA+ DFSC aggregates and recipient ECs is essential for effective angiogenic-osteogenic coupling and rapid tissue repair. Collectively, our results unravel the importance of MSC-EC crosstalk mediated by the VEGFA and PDGFBB-PDGFRA reciprocal signaling in orchestrating angiogenesis and osteogenesis. These findings not only establish a framework for deciphering and promoting periodontal bone regeneration in potential clinical applications but also offer insights for future therapeutic strategies in dental or broader regenerative medicine.
Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha/metabolism*
;
Humans
;
Neovascularization, Physiologic/physiology*
;
Dental Sac/cytology*
;
Single-Cell Analysis
;
Transcriptome
;
Mesenchymal Stem Cells/metabolism*
;
Bone Regeneration
;
Animals
;
Dental Papilla/cytology*
;
Periodontium/physiology*
;
Stem Cells/metabolism*
;
Regeneration
;
Angiogenesis
6.Targeted screening and profiling of massive components of colistimethate sodium by two-dimensional-liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry based on self-constructed compound database.
Xuan LI ; Minwen HUANG ; Yue-Mei ZHAO ; Wenxin LIU ; Nan HU ; Jie ZHOU ; Zi-Yi WANG ; Sheng TANG ; Jian-Bin PAN ; Hian Kee LEE ; Yao-Zuo YUAN ; Taijun HANG ; Hai-Wei SHI ; Hongyuan CHEN
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(2):101072-101072
In-depth study of the components of polymyxins is the key to controlling the quality of this class of antibiotics. Similarities and variations of components present significant analytical challenges. A two-dimensional (2D) liquid chromatography-mass spectrometr (LC-MS) method was established for screening and comprehensive profiling of compositions of the antibiotic colistimethate sodium (CMS). A high concentration of phosphate buffer mobile phase was used in the first-dimensional LC system to get the components well separated. For efficient and high-accuracy screening of CMS, a targeted method based on a self-constructed high resolution (HR) mass spectrum database of CMS components was established. The database was built based on the commercial MassHunter Personal Compound Database and Library (PCDL) software and its accuracy of the compound matching result was verified with six known components before being applied to genuine sample screening. On this basis, the unknown peaks in the CMS chromatograms were deduced and assigned. The molecular formula, group composition, and origins of a total of 99 compounds, of which the combined area percentage accounted for more than 95% of CMS components, were deduced by this 2D-LC-MS method combined with the MassHunter PCDL. This profiling method was highly efficient and could distinguish hundreds of components within 3 h, providing reliable results for quality control of this kind of complex drugs.
7.Impact of Maxing Kugan Decoction on Inflammatory Response and Apoptosis in Oleic Acid-induced Acute Lung Injury in Rats via p38 MAPK/NF-κB Signaling Pathway
Taiqiang JIAO ; Yi NAN ; Ling YUAN ; Jiaqing LI ; Yang NIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(7):108-116
ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Maxing Kugan decoction (MKD) on inflammatory response and apoptosis in rats with oleic acid (OA)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) and explore its mechanism of action. MethodsSixty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly assigned into six groups: a control group, a model group, a dexamethasone-treated group (2 mg·kg-1), and three MKD-treated groups at low, medium, and high doses (3.1, 6.2,12.4 g·kg-1). Each group was administered either an equivalent volume of normal saline or the corresponding concentration of MKD by gavage for seven consecutive days. The model group and each administration group were used to establish the ALI model by tail vein injection of OA (0.2 mL·kg-1). Twelve hours after modeling, blood gas analyses were conducted, and the wet-to-dry (W/D) weight ratio of lung tissue was measured for each group. Additionally, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to quantify the levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of the rats. Cell damage and apoptosis in lung tissue were examined via hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) assays, and the results were subsequently scored. The expression levels of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK)/nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) signaling pathway and apoptosis-related proteins and mRNAs were assessed using Western blot and real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR). ResultsCompared with the control group, the model group exhibited a significant decrease in partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2), blood oxygen saturation (SaO2), and oxygenation index (PaO2/FiO2), along with a marked increase in partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) and lung W/D ratio (P<0.01). Additionally, levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in BALF were significantly elevated (P<0.01). Histopathological analysis of lung tissue showed significant inflammatory infiltration, tissue edema, alveolar septal thickening, and apoptosis of lung tissue. Pronounced increases were observed in the mRNA expression levels of p38 MAPK, NF-κB p65, inhibitor of NF-κB (IκBα), B-cell lymphoma-2 associated x protein (Bax), and Caspases-3, as well as the protein expression levels of p-p38 MAPK, p-NF-κB p65, p-IκBα, Bax, Caspases-3, and cleaved Caspases-3, while the mRNA and protein expression of Bcl-2 was downregulated (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, MKD significantly elevated PaO2, SaO2, and PaO2/FiO2 while reducing PaCO2 and W/D ratio in rats (P<0.01). It also greatly reduced TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β levels in BALF (P<0.01) and alleviated inflammatory infiltration, tissue edema, alveolar septal thickening, and apoptosis of lung tissue. Additionally, it downregulated the mRNA expression of p38 MAPK, NF-κB p65, IκBα, Bax, Caspases-3, as well as protein expression of p-p38 MAPK, p-NF-κB p65, p-IκBα, Bax, Caspases-3, and cleaved Caspases-3 in lung tissue (P<0.05, P<0.01), while significantly upregulating mRNA and protein expression of Bcl-2 (P<0.01). ConclusionMKD exerts a protective effect on OA-induced ALI rats, potentially through the regulation of the p38 MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway to inhibit inflammation and apoptosis.
8.Impact of Maxing Kugan Decoction on Inflammatory Response and Apoptosis in Oleic Acid-induced Acute Lung Injury in Rats via p38 MAPK/NF-κB Signaling Pathway
Taiqiang JIAO ; Yi NAN ; Ling YUAN ; Jiaqing LI ; Yang NIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(7):108-116
ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Maxing Kugan decoction (MKD) on inflammatory response and apoptosis in rats with oleic acid (OA)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) and explore its mechanism of action. MethodsSixty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were randomly assigned into six groups: a control group, a model group, a dexamethasone-treated group (2 mg·kg-1), and three MKD-treated groups at low, medium, and high doses (3.1, 6.2,12.4 g·kg-1). Each group was administered either an equivalent volume of normal saline or the corresponding concentration of MKD by gavage for seven consecutive days. The model group and each administration group were used to establish the ALI model by tail vein injection of OA (0.2 mL·kg-1). Twelve hours after modeling, blood gas analyses were conducted, and the wet-to-dry (W/D) weight ratio of lung tissue was measured for each group. Additionally, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to quantify the levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) of the rats. Cell damage and apoptosis in lung tissue were examined via hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining and TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling (TUNEL) assays, and the results were subsequently scored. The expression levels of the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK)/nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) signaling pathway and apoptosis-related proteins and mRNAs were assessed using Western blot and real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR). ResultsCompared with the control group, the model group exhibited a significant decrease in partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2), blood oxygen saturation (SaO2), and oxygenation index (PaO2/FiO2), along with a marked increase in partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) and lung W/D ratio (P<0.01). Additionally, levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β in BALF were significantly elevated (P<0.01). Histopathological analysis of lung tissue showed significant inflammatory infiltration, tissue edema, alveolar septal thickening, and apoptosis of lung tissue. Pronounced increases were observed in the mRNA expression levels of p38 MAPK, NF-κB p65, inhibitor of NF-κB (IκBα), B-cell lymphoma-2 associated x protein (Bax), and Caspases-3, as well as the protein expression levels of p-p38 MAPK, p-NF-κB p65, p-IκBα, Bax, Caspases-3, and cleaved Caspases-3, while the mRNA and protein expression of Bcl-2 was downregulated (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, MKD significantly elevated PaO2, SaO2, and PaO2/FiO2 while reducing PaCO2 and W/D ratio in rats (P<0.01). It also greatly reduced TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β levels in BALF (P<0.01) and alleviated inflammatory infiltration, tissue edema, alveolar septal thickening, and apoptosis of lung tissue. Additionally, it downregulated the mRNA expression of p38 MAPK, NF-κB p65, IκBα, Bax, Caspases-3, as well as protein expression of p-p38 MAPK, p-NF-κB p65, p-IκBα, Bax, Caspases-3, and cleaved Caspases-3 in lung tissue (P<0.05, P<0.01), while significantly upregulating mRNA and protein expression of Bcl-2 (P<0.01). ConclusionMKD exerts a protective effect on OA-induced ALI rats, potentially through the regulation of the p38 MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway to inhibit inflammation and apoptosis.
9.Ablation of IGFBP5 expression alleviates neurogenic erectile dysfunction by inducing neurovascular regeneration
Jiyeon OCK ; Guo Nan YIN ; Fang-Yuan LIU ; Yan HUANG ; Fitri Rahma FRIDAYANA ; Minh Nhat VO ; Ji-Kan RYU
Investigative and Clinical Urology 2025;66(1):74-86
Purpose:
To investigate the therapeutic potential of eliminating insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 5 (IGFBP5) expression in improving erectile function in mice with cavernous nerve injury (CNI)-induced erectile dysfunction (ED).
Materials and Methods:
Eight-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were divided into four groups: a sham-operated group and three CNI-induced ED groups. The CNI-induced ED groups were treated with intracavernous injections 3 days before the CNI procedure.These injections included phosphate-buffered saline, scrambled control short hairpin RNA (shRNA), or shRNA targeting mouse IGFBP5 lentiviral particles. One week after CNI, erectile function was evaluated and the penile tissue was then harvested for histological examination and western blot analysis. Additionally, the major pelvic ganglia (MPG) and dorsal root ganglia (DRG) were cultured for ex vivo neurite outgrowth assays.
Results:
Following CNI, IGFBP5 expression in the cavernous tissues significantly increased, reaching its peak at day 7. First, ablation of IGFBP5 expression promotes neurite sprouting in MPG and DRG when exposed to lipopolysaccharide. Second, ablating IGFBP5 expression in CNI-induced ED mice improved erectile function, likely owing to increased neurovascular contents, including endothelial cells, pericytes, and neuronal processes. Third, ablating IGFBP5 expression in CNI-induced ED mice promoted neurovascular regeneration by increasing cell proliferation, reducing apoptosis, and decreasing Reactive oxygen species production. Finally, western blot analysis demonstrated that IGFBP5 ablation attenuated the JNK/c-Jun signaling pathway, activated the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway, and increased vascular endothelial growth factor and neurotrophic factor expression.
Conclusions
Ablating IGFBP5 expression enhanced neurovascular regeneration and ultimately improved erectile function in CNI-induced ED mice.
10.Gypenoside L Regulates piR-hsa-2804461/FKBP8/Bcl-2 Axis to Promote Apoptosis and Inhibit Ovarian Cancer
Yuanguang DONG ; Yinying SUN ; Mingdian YUAN ; Ying YANG ; Jiaxin WANG ; Jingxuan ZHU ; Nan SONG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(11):98-106
ObjectiveTo explore the molecular mechanism by which gypenoside L (Gyp-L) promotes apoptosis and inhibits ovarian cancer (OC) through the FK506-binding protein (FKBP) prolyl isomerase 8 (FKBP8)/B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) axis, with the piR-hsa-2804461 pathway as a breakthrough point. MethodsThe effects of different concentrations of Gyp-L and cis-platinum on the proliferation of OVCAR3 cells were determined by the cell count kit-8 method to identify the appropriate intervention concentration for subsequent experiments. OVCAR3 cells were allocated into blank, low-dose Gyp-L (Gyp-L-L, 50 µmol·L-1), high-dose Gyp-L (Gyp-L-H, 100 µmol·L-1), and cis-platinum (15 µmol·L-1) groups. The migration, colony formation, and apoptosis of OVCAR3 cells were detected by the cell scratch assay, colony formation assay, and flow cytometry, respectively. The mRNA levels of piR-hsa-2804461 and FKBP8/Bcl-2 axis-related genes in OVCAR3 cells were determined by Real-time PCR, and the expression levels of FKBP8/Bcl-2 axis-related proteins were determined by simple Western blot. Further, an OVCAR3 cell model with piR-hsa-2804461 knocked out was constructed. The cells were allocated into blank, NC-inhibitor, inhibitor, NC-inhibitor+Gyp-L, and inhibitor+Gyp-L groups. The colony formation of OVCAR3 cells was detected by the colony formation assay. The mRNA levels of piR-hsa-2804461 and FKBP8/Bcl-2 axis-related genes and the expression levels of FKBP8/Bcl-2 axis-related proteins were determined by Real-time PCR and simple Western blotting, respectively. ResultsGyp-L inhibited the migration and proliferation (P<0.01), promoted the apoptosis (P<0.05), up-regulated the mRNA level of piR-hsa-2804461 (P<0.05), and down-regulated the mRNA and protein levels of FKBP8 and Bcl-2 (P<0.05) in OVCAR3 cells. Furthermore, Gyp-L increased the mRNA and protein levels of Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax), cysteinyl aspartate-specific proteinase (Caspase)-3, and Caspase-9, which are related to the FKBP8/Bcl-2 axis (P<0.05). ConclusionGyp-L may promote apoptosis by regulating the piR-hsa-2804461/FKBP8/Bcl-2 axis, thus affecting the occurrence of ovarian cancer.

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail