1.Fluorescence Suppression Method of Raman Spectroscopy and Its Application in Skin and Cosmetics Analysis
Yun-Xia CHEN ; Jia-Rong WANG ; Jian-Yu ZHU ; Shi-Wen LIN ; Ya-Nan LIU ; Xiao-Yue MA ; Guang-Cheng XI ; Juan LIU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(7):1914-1926
Owing to its inherent advantages—such as being non-destructive, rapid, highly molecule-specific, and minimally interfered with by moisture—Raman spectroscopy has been widely adopted in the fields of skin barrier function assessment, monitoring the transdermal penetration of active cosmetic ingredients, and the identification and quality control of cosmetic products. Despite these strengths, the practical application of this technique faces a significant bottleneck: the strong fluorescence background generated by endogenous skin components and exogenous cosmetic additives. Endogenous skin substances, such as structural proteins (e.g., collagen and elastin), metabolic coenzymes (e.g., nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide), and pigments (e.g., melanin), together with exogenous cosmetic constituents like organic colorants, chemical sunscreens, and fragrances, often possess strong absorption and emission characteristics. When excited by lasers, these components produce a fluorescence background that can be 106 to 108 times stronger than the Raman scattering signals, effectively masking the inherently weak vibrational fingerprint information. In recent years, driven by the rapid development of optoelectronic hardware and artificial intelligence algorithms, fluorescence suppression strategies have evolved from isolated, single-method approaches into comprehensive, multi-level synergistic systems. These systems are categorized into three distinct tiers: sample preparation, signal acquisition, and data processing. At the sample preparation level, techniques such as photobleaching and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) are employed to eliminate or bypass the generation of fluorescence at the source. At the signal acquisition level, instrumental improvements—including the use of long-wavelength near-infrared excitation (typically 785 nm or 1 064 nm), confocal spatial filtering, and shifted excitation Raman difference spectroscopy (SERDS)— are utilized to physically isolate Raman signals from the fluorescence background. Furthermore, at the data processing level, numerical baseline correction methods such as polynomial fitting, penalized least squares (e.g., airPLS, arPLS), wavelet transform, and derivative algorithms are increasingly integrated into the analytical pipeline to extract Raman spectral features from mixed signals without increasing hardware costs or acquisition time. This review provides a systematic categorization and critical evaluation of these fluorescence suppression methods, detailing their underlying principles, technical advantages, and inherent limitations in diverse experimental setups. By focusing on critical application scenarios—including skin barrier assessment, percutaneous absorption monitoring, the routine quality control of cosmetics, and the emerging field of portable on-site detection—this paper explores the current state of technique selection and optimization. Finally, the article discusses future development trends, emphasizing the necessity of constructing adaptive, tiered suppression strategies, developing intelligent and automated data processing algorithms, and promoting the integration of portable, multi-modal diagnostic devices. The objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive technical reference to facilitate the transition of Raman spectroscopy from a specialized laboratory tool into a routine, robust analytical platform for advancements in skin science and cosmetic research.
2.Mechanisms and Clinical Research Advances of Curcumin in Modulation of Hyperlipidemia
Zhijun ZENG ; Wenjie LU ; Xiaoxue MA ; Yanhua JI ; Yun TONG ; Siyu LING ; Yue ZENG ; Chao LE ; Shaohua WANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(18):325-334
Hyperlipidemia is a common metabolic disorder driven by dysregulated lipid metabolism, whose pathological progression involves multifaceted interactions across various signaling pathways, including disrupted cholesterol homeostasis, insulin resistance, chronic inflammation, and oxidative stress. Although existing clinical medications such as statins can effectively reduce low-density lipoprotein cholesterol through single-target inhibition, significant limitations remain in comprehensively improving reverse cholesterol transport, metabolic inflammation, and coordinated regulation of glucose and lipid metabolism. Curcumin, the primary polyphenolic active compound derived from the traditional medicinal herb turmeric, exhibits multi-dimensional pharmacological effects including modulation of lipid metabolism, improvement of insulin sensitivity, suppression of inflammatory responses, and enhancement of antioxidant defense. This review systematically integrates the multi-target regulatory network of curcumin, elucidating its key mechanisms: Balancing the low density lipoprotein receptor/proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (LDLR/PCSK9) signaling pathway to promote reverse cholesterol transport, activating peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α/γ (PPARα/γ) signaling pathways to coordinate glucolipid metabolic homeostasis, remodeling the gut microbiota-bile acid axis, inhibiting nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB)-mediated inflammatory responses, and activating the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2/antioxidant response element (Nrf2/ARE) antioxidant signaling pathway. Furthermore, supported by clinical research data, the review validates curcumin's therapeutic potential in reducing total cholesterol (TC) and triglyceride (TG) levels, increasing high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), as well as improving vascular endothelial function and insulin sensitivity. The study highlights the multi-target regulatory properties of curcumin and discusses future clinical applications based on nano-delivery systems and personalized treatment strategies, providing a theoretical basis and novel insights for the prevention and treatment of hyperlipidemia and related metabolic disorders.
3.Analysis on Dynamic Change of Stir-fried Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Quality Based on "Exterior-interior Correlation"
Yue XU ; Zhe JIA ; Yun WANG ; Bing LI ; Deling WU ; Cun ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(5):194-202
ObjectiveIn order to provide a reference for the optimization of preparation process of stir-fried Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma(sf-GRR), the quality changes during the processing was studied. MethodsGlycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma was processed by stir-frying for 17 min, and samples were collected every 1 min during the processing. The appearance color of the samples was determined by visual analysis technology, the moisture and extract of the process samples were detected by the drying method and the hot extraction method of alcohol-soluble extract in the general rules of the 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia(part Ⅳ), and the contents of liquiritin apioside, liquiritin, isoliquiritin apioside, isoliquiritin, licoricesaponin G2 and glycyrrhizic acid in the process samples were determined by high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC). Then principal component analysis(PCA), partial least squares-discriminant analysis(PLS-DA) and Spearman correlation analysis were used for clustering, discrimination and correlation analysis of the appearance color, moisture, extract and the contents of six internal components. Based on artificial neural network and random forest algorithm, the prediction model of processing degree of sf-GRR was established. On this basis, based on the five principles of quality marker(Q-Maker), explore the monitoring Q-Maker of sf-GRR. ResultsThe color of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma deepened after stir-frying, and the appearance color of the sample changed from light yellow to dark yellow during processing. During the stir-frying process, the moisture content showed a decreasing trend with the extension of processing time, while the extract content showed an increasing trend with the extension of processing time. After stir-frying, the contents of liquiritin apioside, liquiritin and licoricesaponin G2 showed an overall decreasing trend, while the contents of isoliquiritin apioside and isoliquiritin increased, and the content of glycyrrhizic acid increased slightly. The correlation analysis showed that moisture was positively correlated with brightness(L*) and red/green value(a*), and negatively correlated with yellow/blue value(b*) and total color difference(E*ab). Isoliquiritin apioside and isoliquiritin had negative correlation with L* and a*, and positive correlation with b* and E*ab. The processing process of sf-GRR could be divided into two stages of the early stage(0-14 min) and the late stage(15-17 min), and could be divided into three stages of the early stage(0-6 min), the middle stage(7-14 min) and the late stage(15-17 min) by combining the moisture, extract, the contents of 6 components and color values. Based on artificial neural network analysis and random forest algorithm, isoliquiritin apioside, isoliquiritin, liquiritin and glycyrrhizic acid were selected as monitoring markers for sf-GRR. ConclusionBased on the analysis of the exterior-interior indicators of process samples of sf-GRR, this paper ultimately identifies four processing monitoring markers, which can provide a basis for optimizing the processing technology of sf-GRR.
4.Enzyme-directed Immobilization Strategies for Biosensor Applications
Xing-Bao WANG ; Yao-Hong MA ; Yun-Long XUE ; Xiao-Zhen HUANG ; Yue SHAO ; Yi YU ; Bing-Lian WANG ; Qing-Ai LIU ; Li-He ZHANG ; Wei-Li GONG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(2):374-394
Immobilized enzyme-based enzyme electrode biosensors, characterized by high sensitivity and efficiency, strong specificity, and compact size, demonstrate broad application prospects in life science research, disease diagnosis and monitoring, etc. Immobilization of enzyme is a critical step in determining the performance (stability, sensitivity, and reproducibility) of the biosensors. Random immobilization (physical adsorption, covalent cross-linking, etc.) can easily bring about problems, such as decreased enzyme activity and relatively unstable immobilization. Whereas, directional immobilization utilizing amino acid residue mutation, affinity peptide fusion, or nucleotide-specific binding to restrict the orientation of the enzymes provides new possibilities to solve the problems caused by random immobilization. In this paper, the principles, advantages and disadvantages and the application progress of enzyme electrode biosensors of different directional immobilization strategies for enzyme molecular sensing elements by specific amino acids (lysine, histidine, cysteine, unnatural amino acid) with functional groups introduced based on site-specific mutation, affinity peptides (gold binding peptides, carbon binding peptides, carbohydrate binding domains) fused through genetic engineering, and specific binding between nucleotides and target enzymes (proteins) were reviewed, and the application fields, advantages and limitations of various immobilized enzyme interface characterization techniques were discussed, hoping to provide theoretical and technical guidance for the creation of high-performance enzyme sensing elements and the manufacture of enzyme electrode sensors.
5.Application of Recombinant Collagen in Biomedicine
Huan HU ; Hong ZHANG ; Jian WANG ; Li-Wen WANG ; Qian LIU ; Ning-Wen CHENG ; Xin-Yue ZHANG ; Yun-Lan LI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(2):395-416
Collagen is a major structural protein in the matrix of animal cells and the most widely distributed and abundant functional protein in mammals. Collagen’s good biocompatibility, biodegradability and biological activity make it a very valuable biomaterial. According to the source of collagen, it can be broadly categorized into two types: one is animal collagen; the other is recombinant collagen. Animal collagen is mainly extracted and purified from animal connective tissues by chemical methods, such as acid, alkali and enzyme methods, etc. Recombinant collagen refers to collagen produced by gene splicing technology, where the amino acid sequence is first designed and improved according to one’s own needs, and the gene sequence of improved recombinant collagen is highly consistent with that of human beings, and then the designed gene sequence is cloned into the appropriate vector, and then transferred to the appropriate expression vector. The designed gene sequence is cloned into a suitable vector, and then transferred to a suitable expression system for full expression, and finally the target protein is obtained by extraction and purification technology. Recombinant collagen has excellent histocompatibility and water solubility, can be directly absorbed by the human body and participate in the construction of collagen, remodeling of the extracellular matrix, cell growth, wound healing and site filling, etc., which has demonstrated significant effects, and has become the focus of the development of modern biomedical materials. This paper firstly elaborates the structure, type, and tissue distribution of human collagen, as well as the associated genetic diseases of different types of collagen, then introduces the specific process of producing animal source collagen and recombinant collagen, explains the advantages of recombinant collagen production method, and then introduces the various systems of expressing recombinant collagen, as well as their advantages and disadvantages, and finally briefly introduces the application of animal collagen, focusing on the use of animal collagen in the development of biopharmaceutical materials. In terms of application, it focuses on the use of animal disease models exploring the application effects of recombinant collagen in wound hemostasis, wound repair, corneal therapy, female pelvic floor dysfunction (FPFD), vaginal atrophy (VA) and vaginal dryness, thin endometritis (TE), chronic endometritis (CE), bone tissue regeneration in vivo, cardiovascular diseases, breast cancer (BC) and anti-aging. The mechanism of action of recombinant collagen in the treatment of FPFD and CE was introduced, and the clinical application and curative effect of recombinant collagen in skin burn, skin wound, dermatitis, acne and menopausal urogenital syndrome (GSM) were summarized. From the exploratory studies and clinical applications, it is evident that recombinant collagen has demonstrated surprising effects in the treatment of all types of diseases, such as reducing inflammation, promoting cell proliferation, migration and adhesion, increasing collagen deposition, and remodeling the extracellular matrix. At the end of the review, the challenges faced by recombinant collagen are summarized: to develop new recombinant collagen types and dosage forms, to explore the mechanism of action of recombinant collagen, and to provide an outlook for the future development and application of recombinant collagen.
6.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.
7.Recent advance in atypical Alzheimer's disease
Yue WANG ; Yun XU ; Xiaolei ZHU
Chinese Journal of Neuromedicine 2025;24(6):643-648
Atypical Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a AD subtype that does not manifest memory impairment as the initial or main clinical feature. Its atypical symptoms often lead to delayed diagnosis, which seriously affects the survival and prognosis of patients. This article reviews the latest studies focusing on the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, diagnostic criteria, imaging and biomarkers of atypical AD, aiming to provide references for optimizing the diagnosis and treatment strategies of atypical phenotypes.
8.I-125 seed implantation improves the prognosis of pancreatic cancer patients treated with anti-PD-1 combined chemotherapy
Ke MIN ; Jia-ping JIANG ; Wei-min WANG ; Yun-fan WANG ; Yue-hua TANG ; Hong CHEN ; Qiang YAO ; Jun JIN
Fudan University Journal of Medical Sciences 2025;52(1):107-113
Objective To evaluate the prognosis and safety of patients with advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma(PDAC)who received I-125 seed implantation in treatment with anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody+chemotherapy.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on patients with stage Ⅳ metastatic PDAC who received anti-PD-1 combined chemotherapy treatment at Yixing Hospital,Jiangsu University from Jan 2021 to Jun 2023.Patients were divided into two groups based on whether they received I-125 seed implantation:the I-125 seed implantation+anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody+Chemotherapy group(IPC group)and the anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody+chemotherapy group(PC group).The follow-up period ranged from 2 to 24 months,with a median follow-up time of 9 months.The prognosis of patients was analysed in combination with peripheral blood biomarkers.The peripheral lymphocyte subsets of patients in different treatment groups were preliminarily analysed by flow cytometry.Results A total of 13 patients were included,with 5 in the IPC group and 8 in the PC group.Progression-free survival(PFS)and overall survival(OS)in the IPC group were significantly longer than those in the PC group.The treatment in the IPC group was relatively safe,adverse reactions were controllable.The neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio(NLR)and CD4/CD8 ratio indicated that the prognosis of the IPC patients was better.The levels of regulatory T cells(Treg)and active regulatory T cells(aTreg)cells in the IPC patients were reduced after treatment compared with those of the PC patients.Conclusion The addition of I-125 seed implantation can improve the prognosis of patients with advanced PDAC who receive anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody+chemotherapy,the post-treatment levels of patients'circulating aTreg cells are reduced,and the combination therapy has good safety.
9.Sesquiterpenoids from resin of Commiphora myrrha.
Hao HUANG ; Ran WANG ; Ya-Zhu YANG ; Jiao-Jiao YIN ; Yue LIN ; Yun-Fang ZHAO ; Hui-Xia HUO ; Jun LI
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(3):702-707
The chemical constituents of Commiphora myrrha was investigated by column chromatography on silica gel, ODS, Sephadex LH-20, and semi-preparative HPLC. Their structures were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic methods including UV, IR, MS, NMR, as well as ECD calculation. Seven compounds were isolated from the dichloromethane-soluble fraction of C. myrrha and their structures were identified as(1S,2R,4S,5R,8S)-guaiane-2-hydroxy-7(11),10(15)-dien-6-oxo-12,8-olide(1), commipholide E(2), myrrhterpenoid H(3), myrrhterpenoid I(4), myrrhterpenoid E(5), 2α-methoxy-8α-hydroxy-6-oxogermacra-1(10),7(11)-dien-8,12-olide(6), 8,12-epoxy-1α,9α-hydroxy-eudesma-7,11-diene-6-dione(7). Compound 1 was a new compound and named myrrhterpenoid P. Compound 7 was isolated from Commiphora genus for the first time. Compounds 2, 5, and 6 significantly inhibited nitric oxide(NO) production in LPS-stimulated RAW264.7 cells, with IC_(50) values of(49.67±4.16),(40.80±1.27),(47.22±0.87) μmol·L~(-1), respectively [indomethacin as the positive control, with IC_(50) value of(63.92±2.60) μmol·L~(-1)].
Commiphora/chemistry*
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Animals
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Mice
;
Resins, Plant/chemistry*
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Sesquiterpenes/isolation & purification*
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Molecular Structure
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Nitric Oxide
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Macrophages/metabolism*
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RAW 264.7 Cells
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology*
10.Three new chalcone C-glycosides from Carthami Flos.
Jia-Xu BAO ; Yong-Xiang WANG ; Xian ZHANG ; Ya-Zhu YANG ; Yue LIN ; Jiao-Jiao YIN ; Yun-Fang ZHAO ; Hui-Xia HUO ; Peng-Fei TU ; Jun LI
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(13):3715-3745
The chemical components of Carthami Flos were investigated by using macroporous resin, silica gel column chromatography, reversed-phase octadecylsilane(ODS) column chromatography, Sephadex LH-20, and semi-preparative high-performance liquid chromatography(HPLC). The planar structures of the compounds were established based on their physicochemical properties and ultraviolet-visible(UV-Vis), infrared(IR), high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry(HR-ESI-MS), and nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR) spectroscopic technology. The absolute configurations were determined by comparing the calculated and experimental electronic circular dichroism(ECD). Six flavonoid C-glycosides were isolated from the 30% ethanol elution fraction of macroporous resin obtained from the 95% ethanol extract of Carthami Flos, and identified as saffloquinoside F(1), 5-hydroxysaffloneoside(2), iso-5-hydroxysaffloneoside(3), isosafflomin C(4), safflomin C(5), and vicenin 2(6). Among these, the compounds 1 to 3 were new chalcone C-glycosides. The compounds 1, 2, 4, and 5 could significantly increase the viability of H9c2 cardiomyocytes damaged by oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation(OGD/R) at a concentration of 50 μmol·L~(-1), showing their good cardioprotective activity.
Glycosides/pharmacology*
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Flowers/chemistry*
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology*
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Carthamus tinctorius/chemistry*
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Chalcones/pharmacology*
;
Animals


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