1.Role of Innate Trained Immunity in Diseases
Chuang CHENG ; Yue-Qing WANG ; Xiao-Qin MU ; Xi ZHENG ; Jing HE ; Jun WANG ; Chao TAN ; Xiao-Wen LIU ; Li-Li ZOU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(1):119-132
The innate immune system can be boosted in response to subsequent triggers by pre-exposure to microbes or microbial products, known as “trained immunity”. Compared to classical immune memory, innate trained immunity has several different features. Firstly, the molecules involved in trained immunity differ from those involved in classical immune memory. Innate trained immunity mainly involves innate immune cells (e.g., myeloid immune cells, natural killer cells, innate lymphoid cells) and their effector molecules (e.g., pattern recognition receptor (PRR), various cytokines), as well as some kinds of non-immune cells (e.g., microglial cells). Secondly, the increased responsiveness to secondary stimuli during innate trained immunity is not specific to a particular pathogen, but influences epigenetic reprogramming in the cell through signaling pathways, leading to the sustained changes in genes transcriptional process, which ultimately affects cellular physiology without permanent genetic changes (e.g., mutations or recombination). Finally, innate trained immunity relies on an altered functional state of innate immune cells that could persist for weeks to months after initial stimulus removal. An appropriate inducer could induce trained immunity in innate lymphocytes, such as exogenous stimulants (including vaccines) and endogenous stimulants, which was firstly discovered in bone marrow derived immune cells. However, mature bone marrow derived immune cells are short-lived cells, that may not be able to transmit memory phenotypes to their offspring and provide long-term protection. Therefore, trained immunity is more likely to be relied on long-lived cells, such as epithelial stem cells, mesenchymal stromal cells and non-immune cells such as fibroblasts. Epigenetic reprogramming is one of the key molecular mechanisms that induces trained immunity, including DNA modifications, non-coding RNAs, histone modifications and chromatin remodeling. In addition to epigenetic reprogramming, different cellular metabolic pathways are involved in the regulation of innate trained immunity, including aerobic glycolysis, glutamine catabolism, cholesterol metabolism and fatty acid synthesis, through a series of intracellular cascade responses triggered by the recognition of PRR specific ligands. In the view of evolutionary, trained immunity is beneficial in enhancing protection against secondary infections with an induction in the evolutionary protective process against infections. Therefore, innate trained immunity plays an important role in therapy against diseases such as tumors and infections, which has signature therapeutic effects in these diseases. In organ transplantation, trained immunity has been associated with acute rejection, which prolongs the survival of allografts. However, trained immunity is not always protective but pathological in some cases, and dysregulated trained immunity contributes to the development of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Trained immunity provides a novel form of immune memory, but when inappropriately activated, may lead to an attack on tissues, causing autoinflammation. In autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and atherosclerosis, trained immunity may lead to enhance inflammation and tissue lesion in diseased regions. In Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, trained immunity may lead to over-activation of microglial cells, triggering neuroinflammation even nerve injury. This paper summarizes the basis and mechanisms of innate trained immunity, including the different cell types involved, the impacts on diseases and the effects as a therapeutic strategy to provide novel ideas for different diseases.
2.Overview of the amendments and revisions to the General Technical Requirements adopted by the Volume Ⅳ of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2025 Edition
ZHANG Jun ; NING Baoming ; WEI Shifeng ; SHEN Haoyu ; SHANG Yue ; ZHU Ran ; XU Xinyi ; CHEN Lei ; LIU Tingting ; MA Shuangcheng
Drug Standards of China 2025;26(1):034-044
To introduce the general thinking, guidelines, work objectives and elaboration process of the general technical requirements adopted by volume Ⅳ of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2025 Edition, and to summarize and figure out the main characteristics on dosage forms, physico-chemical testing, microbial and biological testing, reference standards and guidelines The newly revised general chapters of pharmacopoeia give full play to the normative and guiding role of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia standard, track the frontier dynamics of international drug regulatory science and the elaboration of monographs, expand the application of state-of-the-art technologies, and steadily promote the harmonization and unification with the ICH guidelines; further enhance the overall capacity of TCM quality control, actively implement the 3 R principles on animal experiments, and practice the concept of environmental-friendly; replace and/or reduce the use of toxic and hazardous reagents, strengthen the requirements of drug safety control This paper aims to provide a full-view perspective for the comprehensive, correct understanding and accurate implementation of general technical requirements included in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia 2025 Edition.
3.Bidirectional Mendelian randomization analysis of causal relationships between immune cell traits and recurrent aphthous ulceration
XIE Xuejie ; XU Jun ; LIU Yuan ; CHEN Yue ; TANG Li ; GULINUER Awuti
Journal of Prevention and Treatment for Stomatological Diseases 2025;33(4):296-304
Objective:
To explore the bidirectional causal relationship between 731 immune cell phenotypes and recurrent aphthous ulcers (RAU) using Mendelian randomization (MR).
Methods:
A two-sample bidirectional MR study was conducted using publicly available genome-wide association study (GWAS) summary statistics for 731 immune cell phenotypes and the RAU GWAS summary data from the FinnGen consortium. The inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method was used as the primary analysis tool, with supplementary analyses including the weighted median (WM) method, MR-Egger regression, weighted mode, and simple mode. Sensitivity analyses were conducted using Cochran’s Q test, the mendelian randomization pleiotropy residual sum and outlier (MR-PRESSO) method for detecting pleiotropy and outliers, and leave-one-out cross-validation. Furthermore, differential analysis was performed using a clinical cohort dataset from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) to further validate the MR results.
Results:
In the forward MR analysis, 731 immune cell phenotypes were considered as exposures and RAU as the outcome. Among them, 52 immune cell phenotypes showed a significant causal effect on RAU (P<0.05). After false discovery rate (FDR) correction, two immune phenotypes remained significantly associated with RAU risk: with increased monocyte-derived myeloid suppressor cells (M-MDSC) (OR = 1.06; 95% CI: 1.03-1.09) and CD33 on granulocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (G-MDSC) (OR = 1.06; 95% CI: 1.03-1.09), the risk of RAU also increased. In reverse MR, RAU was found to have a significant causal effect on two immune cell phenotypes (P<0.05), but no significant effects were found after FDR correction. Sensitivity analysis showed no significant heterogeneity between SNPs (P>0.05). Differential analysis of the GEO dataset revealed that the characteristic genes of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) (CTBS, IPMK, and UBA3) were significantly upregulated in RAU (P<0.05).
Conclusion
The MR results of 731 immune cell phenotypes suggest that M-MDSC and CD33 molecules on G-MDSC may be risk factors for RAU development. The clinical GEO dataset further validated that MDSC may play a role in RAU, while RAU did not show a significant causal association with the 731 immune cell phenotypes.
4.Effects of salvianolic acid B on anti-oxidative stress of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells
Yu-Ling LUAN ; Ling-Xiao ZHANG ; Xin-Yue DING ; Zong-Jun LIU
The Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2024;40(10):1434-1437
Objective To investigate the effect of salvianolic acid B on the antioxidant stress capacity of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells(HUCMSCs)and to improve the clinical application efficiency of mesenchymal stem cells.Methods The 5th generation HUMSCs were used for the experiment and divided into control group,model group,and experimental-L,-M,-H groups.The control group was cultured normally;the model group was treated with 800 μmol·L-1 hydrogen peroxide(H2 O2)for 2 h;and the experimental-L,-M,-H groups were pretreated with 2,10,20 μg·mL-1salvianolic acid B for 24 h before adding 800 μmol·L-1 H2 O2 for 2 h.The levels of glutathione(GSH),superoxide dismutase(SOD),and malondialdehyde(MDA)in the cell supernatant of each group were detected using test kits;real-time fluorescence quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the mRNA expression of apoptosis-related genes Caspase 1,and B-cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2).Results After treatment with 800 μmol·L-1H2 O2 for 2 h,the levels of MDA in the cell supernatants of the control group,model group,and experimental-H group were(3.27±0.41),(6.50±0.21)and(4.79±0.40)nmol·mL-1,respectively;the GSH levels were(35.43±0.72),(20.13±0.58)and(32.30±3.87)μmoL·L-1;the SOD levels were(5.34±0.18),(3.34±0.20)and(5.09±0.15)U·mL-1;the expression of Caspase 1 mRNA were 1.02±0.21,2.78±0.26 and 2.37±0.32;the expression of Bcl-2 mRNA were 1.01±0.12,0.43±0.03 and 0.60±0.17.Compared with the control group,the above indexes in the model group were statistically significant(P<0.05,P<0.01).Compared with the model group,the above indexes in the experimental-H group were statistically significant(P<0.05,P<0.01).Conclusion Salvianolic acid B can reduce apoptosis caused by oxidative stress and enhance the antioxidant stress capacity of HUCMSCs.
5.Study of honey-processed Hedysari Radix on the protection of intestinal mucosal barrier in rats with spleen deficiency
Mao-Mao WANG ; Qin-Jie SONG ; Zhe WANG ; Ding-Cai MA ; Yu-Gui ZHANG ; Ting LIU ; Zhuan-Hong ZHANG ; Fei-Yun GAO ; Yan-Jun WANG ; Yue-Feng LI
The Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2024;40(15):2231-2235
Objective To explore the protective mechanism of honey-processed Hedysari Radix in regulating intestinal mucosal injury in rats with spleen qi deficiency.Methods The three-factor composite modeling method of bitter cold diarrhea,overwork and hunger and satiety disorder was used to construct a spleen qi deficiency model rats.After the model was successfully made,they were randomly divided into model group,honey-processed Hedysari Radix group and probiotic group,with 15 animals in each group.Another 15 normal rats were taken as the blank group.The honey-processed Hedysari Radix group was given 12.6 g·kg-1 water decoction of honey-processed Hedysari Radix by gavage,the probiotics group was given Bifidobacterium Lactobacillus triple viable tablets suspension at a dose of 0.625 g·kg-1,and the blank group and the model group were given the same dose of distilled water.The rats in the four groups were administered once a day for 15 days.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect diamine oxidase(DAO)in serum,D-lactic acid(D-LA),secretory immunoglobulin A factor,and Western blotting was used to detect the expression levels of AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK),zonula occludens-1(ZO-1)and occludin in colon tissues.Results The serum levels of DAO in the blank group,model group,honey-processed Hedysari Radix group and probiotic group were(138.93±9.78),(187.95±12.90),(147.21±6.92)and(166.47±3.37)pg·mL-1;the contents of D-LA were(892.23±49.17),(1 099.84±137.64),(956.56±86.04)and(989.61±51.75)μg·L-1;the contents of SIgA in colon tissues were(14.04±1.42),(11.47±2.39),(11.84±1.49)and(12.93±1.65)μg·mL-1;the relative expression levels of ZO-1 protein in colon tissues were 1.18±0.11,0.42±0.04,0.77±0.05 and 0.95±0.07;the relative expression levels of occludin protein were 1.35±0.31,0.61±0.17,1.19±0.19 and 0.88±0.13;the relative expression levels of AMPK protein were 0.91±0.02,0.35±0.09,0.74±0.08 and 0.59±0.11.Compared with the model group,there were significant differences in the serum content of DAO and D-LA,SIgA content in colon,and the content of ZO-1,occludin and AMPK protein in the honey-processed Hedysari Radix group(P<0.01,P<0.05).Conclusion Honey-processed Hedysari Radix can enhance the protective effect on the intestinal mucosa of rats with spleen qi deficiency by regulating the expression of related inflammatory cytokines,intestinal mucosal upper cell enzymes and tight junction proteins in rats with spleen qi deficiency.
6.Establishment and evaluation of a rapid PCR-colloidal gold test strip method for the detection of Fritillaria ussuriensis
Yu-he MA ; Cong-hui SHANG ; Qiu-he MA ; Tao LI ; Yue LIU ; Bei-zhen PAN ; Li-jun GAO ; Ming-cheng LI ; Wei XIA ; Yong-mei QU
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2024;59(6):1773-1778
This study design of specific identification primers for the ITS2 sequence of
7.Overview of research on intestinal flora mediating the metabolism of Chinese medicine
Jun-jie GUO ; Xue-mei QIN ; Yue-tao LIU
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2024;59(4):831-839
The human gut is inhabited by a large number and variety of microorganisms, which constitute the intestinal microecosystem with the intestinal environment where they reside. After oral administration, Chinese medicine undergoes metabolism by these intestinal microorganisms within the gastrointestinal tract. The resulting metabolites are absorbed into the bloodstream to produce pharmacological effects. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the characteristics and influencing factors related to the mediation of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) metabolism by intestinal flora. Additionally, recent progress in the microbial-mediated metabolism of TCM components such as flavonoids, saponins, iridoids, and lignans is summarized. This serves as a foundation for understanding the connection between intestinal bacteria and the chemical structural alterations of TCM components. It also offers insight into the regulations and mechanisms governing the intestinal bacterial metabolism of TCM constituents.
8.Advances in crystal nucleation for amorphous drugs
Jie ZHANG ; Kang LI ; Zi-qing YANG ; Zi-han DING ; Sai-jun XIAO ; Zhi-ming YUE ; Li-mei CAI ; Jia-wen LI ; Ding KUANG ; Min-zhuo LIU ; Zhi-hong ZENG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2024;59(7):1962-1969
Amorphous solid dispersion (ASD) is one of the most effective formulation approaches to enhance the water solubility and oral bioavailability of poorly water-soluble drugs. However, maintenance of physical stability of amorphous drug is one of the main challenges in the development of ASD. Crystallization is a process of nucleation and crystal growth. The nucleation is the key factor that influences the physical stability of the ASD. However, a theoretical framework to describe the way to inhibit the nucleation of amorphous drug is not yet available. We reviewed the methods and theories of nucleation for amorphous drug. Meanwhile, we also summarized the research progress on the mechanism of additives influence on nucleation and environmental factors on nucleation. This review aims to enhance the better understanding mechanism of nucleation of amorphous drug and controlling over the crystal nucleation during the ASD formulation development.
9.Recent advances in lamellar liquid crystal emulsification methods encapsulating natural active substances for functional cosmetics
Yi ZHANG ; Wei CHEN ; Yan-qi HAN ; Qian-wen SUN ; Yue GAO ; Jun YE ; Hong-liang WANG ; Li-li GAO ; Yu-ling LIU ; Yan-fang YANG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2024;59(2):350-358
Due to the high similarity with the lipid layer between human skin keratinocytes, functional cosmetics with layered liquid crystal structure prepared by liquid crystal emulsification technology encapsulating natural active substances have become a hot research topic in recent years. This type of functional cosmetic often has a fresh and natural skin feel, excellent skin barrier repair function and efficient moisturizing effect, etc., showing great potential in cosmetic application. However, the present research on the application of liquid crystal emulsification technology to functional cosmetics is still in the initial stage, and there are fewer relevant reports with reference values. Based on the mentioned above, this review provides a comprehensive summary of functional cosmetics with layered liquid crystal structures prepared by liquid crystal emulsification technology from the following aspects: the structure of human skin, the composition of lamellar liquid crystal, the advantages of liquid crystal emulsification technology containing natural active substances used in the field of functional cosmetics, the preparation process, main components, influencing factors during the preparation and the market functional cosmetics with lamellar liquid crystal structure. Finally, the prospect of the application of liquid crystal emulsification technology in functional cosmetics is presented, to provide useful references for those engaged in the research of liquid crystal emulsification technology-related functional cosmetics.
10.Clinical Observation on the Acupuncture at Neiyingxiang Points Combined with Western Medicine in the Treatment of Allergic Rhinitis of Deficiency-Cold of Lung Qi Type
Jian HUANG ; Ying-Kai GAO ; Cun-Jun LIU ; Dian-Xun WANG ; Xin-Yue WANG ; Dan-Yang WU
Journal of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;41(4):944-950
Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of acupuncture at Neiyingxiang(EX-HN09)points combined with western medicine in the treatment of allergic rhinitis of deficiency-cold of lung qi type.Methods Sixty patients with deficiency-cold of lung qi type of allergic rhinitis were randomly divided into observation group and control group,with 30 patients in each group.The control group was treated with Desloratadine Tablets combined with Mometasone Furoate Aqueous Nasal Spray,and the observation group was treated with acupuncture at Neiyingxiang points combined with the self-made rhinitis recipe on the basis of the control group,and the clinical efficacy of the two groups was evaluated after 14 days.The changes of nasal symptom scores,Visual Analogue Scale(VAS)and rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life scores of the patients of the two groups were observed before and after the treatment.After 14 days of treatment,the clinical efficacy of the two groups was evaluated.The changes in nasal symptom scores,as well as VAS and rhinoconjunctivitis quality of life questionnaire(RQLQ)scores were observed before and after treatment.The changes in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)sydnrome scores and serum immunoglobulin E(IgE)were compared before and after treatment in the two groups,and the safety of the two groups was evaluated.Results(1)The total effective rate of the observation group was 93.33%(28/30),and the control group was 73.33%(22/30).The efficacy of the observation group was superior to that of the control group,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).(2)After treatment,the symptoms of nasal congestion,sneezing,runny nose and nasal itching were significantly improved in the two groups(P<0.01),and the observation group was significantly superior to the control group in improving nasal symptoms,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).(3)After treatment,the VAS scores of patients in the two groups were significantly improved(P<0.01),and the observation group was superior to the control group in improving VAS scores,with statistically significant differences(P<0.05).(4)After treatment,the PQLQ scores of patients in the two groups improved significantly(P<0.01),and the observation group was significantly superior to the control group in improving the PQLQ scores,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05).(5)After treatment,the TCM syndrome scores of the patients in the two groups were significantly improved(P<0.01),and the observation group was significantly superior to the control group in improving TCM syndrome scores,with statistically significant differences(P<0.05).(6)After treatment,the serum IgE levels of patients in the two groups were significantly improved(P<0.01),and the observation group was significantly superior to the control group in improving serum IgE levels(P<0.05),with a statistically significant difference.(7)There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse reactions between the observation group and the control group(P>0.05).Conclusion Acupuncture at Neiyingxiang points plus self-made rhinitis recipe combined with western medicine in the treatment of deficiency-cold of lung qi type of allergic rhinitis can significantly improve the clinical symptoms of the patients,thus improving the quality of life of the patients,and the therapeutic efficacy is remarkable.


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