1.Integrating Transcriptomics and 3D Organoids to Investigate Mechanism of Periplaneta americana Extract Against Lung Adenocarcinoma
Qiong MA ; Chunxia HUANG ; Jiawei HE ; Yuting BAI ; Xingyue LIU ; Yuxuan XIONG ; Yang ZHONG ; Hengzhou LAI ; Yuling JIANG ; Xueke LI ; Qian WANG ; Yifeng REN ; Xi FU ; Funeng GENG ; Taoqing WU ; Ping XIAO ; Fengming YOU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(11):124-132
ObjectiveTo evaluate the antitumor activity of Periplaneta americana extract(PAE) against human-derived lung adenocarcinoma organoids(LUAD-PDOs) and to elucidate its potential mechanism based on transcriptomics. MethodsFresh tumor and adjacent normal tissues from patients with LUAD were collected to construct LUAD-PDOs and normal lung organoid(Nor-PDOs) models using 3D organoid culture technology. The effective intervention concentration of PAE was determined using the cell counting kit-8(CCK-8) assay. Experimental groups included the model group(LUAD-PDOs), normal group, model administration group(LUAD-PDOs+PAE), and normal administration group(Nor-PDOs+PAE). Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was used to observe the pathological structures of PDOs, immunohistochemistry(IHC) was performed to detect the expressions of the proliferation marker Ki-67 and lung adenocarcinoma differentiation markers cytokeratin-7(CK-7) and Napsin A, TUNEL staining was applied to detect cell apoptosis. RNA sequencing(RNA-Seq) was conducted to identify differentially expressed genes(DEGs), followed by Gene Ontology(GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG), and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis(GSEA), alongside protein-protein interaction(PPI) network analysis to screen core mechanisms. Finally, key targets were validated by integrating external database analysis with immunofluorescence(IF). ResultsNor-PDOs and LUAD-PDOs that highly recapitulated the pathological characteristics of the primary tissues were successfully established. The CCK-8 assay determined that the effective intervention concentration of PAE was 16 g·L-1. Morphological observation showed that Nor-PDOs exhibited lumen-forming structures, whereas LUAD-PDOs displayed dense, solid structures. CCK-8 and TUNEL assays revealed that, compared with the model group, PAE intervention inhibited the proliferation of LUAD-PDOs and promoted apoptosis in LUAD cells, while showing no significant effect on the viability of Nor-PDOs. Transcriptomic analysis identified 719 DEGs that were significantly reversed after PAE intervention(347 up-regulated and 372 down-regulated)(P<0.05). GO enrichment analysis indicated that DEGs in the model administration group were significantly enriched in biological processes related to cell cycle regulation compared to the model group. KEGG pathway analysis revealed that PAE affected pathways related to proliferation and metabolism, including pathways in cancer and the p53 signaling pathway. GSEA further confirmed that PAE significantly enhanced the activity of the p53 signaling pathway(P<0.05). PPI network analysis indicated that breast cancer type 1 susceptibility protein(BRCA1) and checkpoint kinase 1(CHEK1) were the core down-regulated targets in the p53 pathway. IF verified the high expression of BRCA1 and CHEK1 in LUAD-PDOs and their significant downregulation after PAE intervention(P<0.05). Furthermore, survival analysis based on The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA) database indicated that low expression of BRCA1 and CHEK1 was significantly associated with prolonged overall survival in patients with LUAD(P<0.05). ConclusionPAE effectively inhibits proliferation of LUAD-PDOs and promotes their apoptosis, its anti-tumor mechanism is potentially associated with the activation of the p53 signaling pathway, with BRCA1 and CHEK1 genes likely serving as key downstream targets for the effects of PAE.
2.Effects of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on lunginjury and fibrosis in chickens
Yangyong DONG ; Xiaotong WANG ; Zhaomei LIU ; Ran WANG ; Yuxuan ZHANG ; Jingyi CHEN ; Tongyao WANG ; Wei WANG ; Xiaoyan QIU ; Xiong XIAO
Chinese Journal of Veterinary Science 2025;45(9):2008-2016
Silver nanoparticles(AgNPs)are employed as disinfectants due to their extensive antimi-crobial properties,but their biosafety in the livestock industry has not been comprehensively as-sessed.In this study,16 Black-skin Red-crowned chickens aged 32 weeks were randomly divided in-to four groups and sprayed with AgNP solution at the concentration of 0,0.064,0.128 or 0.256 g/L,respectively,every 72 h in their coops for 30 d.The effects of AgNPs as the disinfectant on lung tissue in chicken were investigated through calculation of organ coefficients,observation of lung tissue sections,analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid,measurement of inflammatory factors,de-tection of silver residue in lung tissue,and exploration of signaling pathways in pulmonary fibrosis.The results indicated that chickens in the 0.128 and 0.256 g/L AgNPs treatment groups showed the blurred pulmonary lobule boundaries,the destroyed alveolar structure,and the significant in-crease in pulmonary fibrosis.These pathological changes were accompanied by the decrease in lung organ coefficient,the reduced SP-C content,the increased total protein concentration in lavage flu-id,and the elevated LDH and silver content in lung tissue.The levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in the 0.128 and 0.256 g/L AgNPs treatment groups were significantly higher than the control group,which suggested that AgNPs exposure could induce the pulmonary inflammatory responses.High concentrations of AgNPs can trigger pulmonary tissue fibrosis,damaging the structure and func-tions of lungs.The relative mRNA expression levels of NF-κB in all AgNPs treatment groups,TGF-β in the 0.128 g/L AgNPs treatment group,and Smad3 in the 0.128 and 0.256 g/L AgNPs treatment groups were significantly higher than these in the control group,respectively.Spraying chickens with 0.128 or 0.256 g/L AgNPs for disinfection led to pulmonary deposition of AgNPs,causing direct structural and functional damages to the lungs.It could also induce the chronic pul-monary inflammation through the NF-κB pathway and promote the TGF-β/Smad3 pathway to in-crease collagen synthesis,leading to pulmonary fibrosis.Therefore,the application of high concen-trations of AgNPs in livestock farming requires careful consideration of their potential biological safety issues.
3.Effects of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on lunginjury and fibrosis in chickens
Yangyong DONG ; Xiaotong WANG ; Zhaomei LIU ; Ran WANG ; Yuxuan ZHANG ; Jingyi CHEN ; Tongyao WANG ; Wei WANG ; Xiaoyan QIU ; Xiong XIAO
Chinese Journal of Veterinary Science 2025;45(9):2008-2016
Silver nanoparticles(AgNPs)are employed as disinfectants due to their extensive antimi-crobial properties,but their biosafety in the livestock industry has not been comprehensively as-sessed.In this study,16 Black-skin Red-crowned chickens aged 32 weeks were randomly divided in-to four groups and sprayed with AgNP solution at the concentration of 0,0.064,0.128 or 0.256 g/L,respectively,every 72 h in their coops for 30 d.The effects of AgNPs as the disinfectant on lung tissue in chicken were investigated through calculation of organ coefficients,observation of lung tissue sections,analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid,measurement of inflammatory factors,de-tection of silver residue in lung tissue,and exploration of signaling pathways in pulmonary fibrosis.The results indicated that chickens in the 0.128 and 0.256 g/L AgNPs treatment groups showed the blurred pulmonary lobule boundaries,the destroyed alveolar structure,and the significant in-crease in pulmonary fibrosis.These pathological changes were accompanied by the decrease in lung organ coefficient,the reduced SP-C content,the increased total protein concentration in lavage flu-id,and the elevated LDH and silver content in lung tissue.The levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in the 0.128 and 0.256 g/L AgNPs treatment groups were significantly higher than the control group,which suggested that AgNPs exposure could induce the pulmonary inflammatory responses.High concentrations of AgNPs can trigger pulmonary tissue fibrosis,damaging the structure and func-tions of lungs.The relative mRNA expression levels of NF-κB in all AgNPs treatment groups,TGF-β in the 0.128 g/L AgNPs treatment group,and Smad3 in the 0.128 and 0.256 g/L AgNPs treatment groups were significantly higher than these in the control group,respectively.Spraying chickens with 0.128 or 0.256 g/L AgNPs for disinfection led to pulmonary deposition of AgNPs,causing direct structural and functional damages to the lungs.It could also induce the chronic pul-monary inflammation through the NF-κB pathway and promote the TGF-β/Smad3 pathway to in-crease collagen synthesis,leading to pulmonary fibrosis.Therefore,the application of high concen-trations of AgNPs in livestock farming requires careful consideration of their potential biological safety issues.
5.Rehmannia extract enhances ovarian functions of chicken via regulating PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway
Yating YANG ; Xiaotong WANG ; Zhaomei LIU ; Yangyong DONG ; Yuxuan ZHANG ; Ran WANG ; Chiyu PAN ; Xiaoyan QIU ; Xiong XIAO
Chinese Journal of Veterinary Science 2024;44(12):2619-2625,2680
In order to explore the mechanism by which Rehmannia extract enhances ovarian follicle development,reduces ovarian aging,and improves the production performance of chickens,35-week-old black skin and red crest chickens were randomly divided into a blank control group and groups supplemented with 0.1%,0.2%and 0.4%Rehmannia extract for feeding experiments.Changes of histological structure and molecular regulation for improving the reproductive perform-ance of black skin and red crest chicken were explored here by detecting the reproductive hormones and the corresponding receptors in ovary and quantifying the cell proliferation and apoptotic lesion.Based on the PI3K/AKT/mTOR and AMPK signaling pathways,mechanisms of Rehmannia ex-tract on promoting ovarian follicle development and alleviating ovarian aging were further studied to enrich the reproductive regulation theory of native breed chickens and improve their reproduc-tive performance.The results indicated that 0.4%Rehmannia extract could improve the levels of LH,E2 and P4 in serum,elevate the relative expression levels of FSHR,ERβ and PCNA mRNA in ovarian tissues,increase the content of PCNA protein,and decrease the number of apoptosis cells and the level of apoptosis protein Cleaved-Caspase-3.By enhancing the secretion of norepinephrine and activating the a2A-AR and the downstream PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in ovary,the Rehmannia extract could effectively relieve the decline of ovarian function and maintain stable and efficient ovarian functions,which was independent of AMPK signaling pathway.Therefore,0.4%Rehmannia extract is conducive to enhancing the reproductive function via regulating PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.
6.Research progress on the study of visual system assessment as biomarkers for the diagnosis of schizophrenia
Yuxuan XIONG ; Dan ZHANG ; Lihua XU ; Xu LIU ; Jijun WANG ; Tianhong ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Psychiatry 2024;57(12):859-864
Given the intimate connection between the visual system and the central nervous system, the study of eyes holds paramount importance in the investigation of psychiatric disorders. Some eye movement features, such as restricted visual scanning, declines in responsive search score (RSS), elevated error rates in antisaccades, spatial-temporal anomalies in microsaccades and an integrated eye movement score are considered as potential biomarkers of schizophrenia. Meanwhile, alterations in retinal vascular morphology, thinning of the retinal nerve fiber layer, abnormal electroretinography (ERG), and morphological variations in the cornea and iris also hold indicative significance for the detection of schizophrenia. This review discussed several methods of visual system assessment in clinical practice, aiming to provide insights into visual systems as biomarkers for mental illnesses.
7.Analysis of risk factors and predictive efficacy for postoperative severe pulmonary infection in patients with severe traumatic brain injury
Yuxuan XIONG ; Zhi CAI ; Jin LIAO ; Fuchi ZHANG ; Kai ZHAO ; Hongquan NIU ; Kai SHU ; Ting LEI
Chinese Journal of Trauma 2024;40(5):405-410
Objective:To investigate the independent risk factors for postoperative severe pulmonary infection (SPI) in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) and evaluate their predictive value.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 163 sTBI patients admitted to Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology from April 2021 and March 2023, including 101 males and 62 females, aged 20-80 years [53.0(46.0, 59.0)years]. The surgical procedures involved decompressive craniectomy, subdural hematoma removal, epidural hematoma removal, and intracranial hematoma removal. The patients were divided into SPI group ( n=62) and non-SPI group ( n=101) according to whether they had SPI postoperatively. The following data of the two groups were collected, including gender, age, preoperative Glasgow coma scale (GCS), elevated blood glucose, abnormal liver function, abnormal renal function, hemoglobin level, anemia, albumin level, hypoproteinemia, white blood cell count, neutrophil count, lymphocyte count, platelet count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), derived neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (dNLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and serum lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) level. All the hematological tests were performed on venous blood samples collected preoperatively before anti-inflammatory treatment. Independent risk factors for predicting the postoperative occurrence of SPI in sTBI patients were identified through univariate analysis and multivariable stepwise regression analysis. The predictive value of separate indicator or indicators combined was assessed by calculating the area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results:Univariate analysis demonstrated that preoperative GCS, albumin level, lymphocyte count, NLR, PNI and serum LDH level in both groups were significantly correlated with the postoperative occurrence of SPI ( P<0.05), while gender, age, elevated blood glucose, abnormal liver function, abnormal renal function, hemoglobin level, anemia, hypoproteinemia, white blood cell count, neutrophil count, platelet count, dNLR and PLR were not correlated with the postoperative occurrence of SPI in sTBI patients ( P>0.05). Multivariable stepwise regression analysis revealed that low lymphocyte count (95% CI -0.337, -0.013, P<0.05), high NLR (95% CI -0.023, -0.005, P<0.01), low PNI (95% CI 0.007, 0.026, P<0.01), and high serum LDH (95% CI -0.002, -0.001, P<0.01) were independent risk factors for SPI in sTBI patients ( P<0.05). ROC curve analysis indicated that low lymphocyte count, high NLR, low PNI and high serum LDH level could predict SPI in sTBI patients postoperatively, with the combination of PNI and serum LDH showing the highest predictive ability (AUC=0.78, 95% CI 0.70, 0.85). Conclusion:Low lymphocyte count, high NLR, low PNI, and high serum LDH level are independent risk factors for postoperative SPI in patients with sTBI, and the combination of PNI and serum LDH possesses a high predictive value for postoperative SPI in sTBI patients.
8.Rehmannia extract enhances ovarian functions of chicken via regulating PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway
Yating YANG ; Xiaotong WANG ; Zhaomei LIU ; Yangyong DONG ; Yuxuan ZHANG ; Ran WANG ; Chiyu PAN ; Xiaoyan QIU ; Xiong XIAO
Chinese Journal of Veterinary Science 2024;44(12):2619-2625,2680
In order to explore the mechanism by which Rehmannia extract enhances ovarian follicle development,reduces ovarian aging,and improves the production performance of chickens,35-week-old black skin and red crest chickens were randomly divided into a blank control group and groups supplemented with 0.1%,0.2%and 0.4%Rehmannia extract for feeding experiments.Changes of histological structure and molecular regulation for improving the reproductive perform-ance of black skin and red crest chicken were explored here by detecting the reproductive hormones and the corresponding receptors in ovary and quantifying the cell proliferation and apoptotic lesion.Based on the PI3K/AKT/mTOR and AMPK signaling pathways,mechanisms of Rehmannia ex-tract on promoting ovarian follicle development and alleviating ovarian aging were further studied to enrich the reproductive regulation theory of native breed chickens and improve their reproduc-tive performance.The results indicated that 0.4%Rehmannia extract could improve the levels of LH,E2 and P4 in serum,elevate the relative expression levels of FSHR,ERβ and PCNA mRNA in ovarian tissues,increase the content of PCNA protein,and decrease the number of apoptosis cells and the level of apoptosis protein Cleaved-Caspase-3.By enhancing the secretion of norepinephrine and activating the a2A-AR and the downstream PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway in ovary,the Rehmannia extract could effectively relieve the decline of ovarian function and maintain stable and efficient ovarian functions,which was independent of AMPK signaling pathway.Therefore,0.4%Rehmannia extract is conducive to enhancing the reproductive function via regulating PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.
9.Research progress on the study of visual system assessment as biomarkers for the diagnosis of schizophrenia
Yuxuan XIONG ; Dan ZHANG ; Lihua XU ; Xu LIU ; Jijun WANG ; Tianhong ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Psychiatry 2024;57(12):859-864
Given the intimate connection between the visual system and the central nervous system, the study of eyes holds paramount importance in the investigation of psychiatric disorders. Some eye movement features, such as restricted visual scanning, declines in responsive search score (RSS), elevated error rates in antisaccades, spatial-temporal anomalies in microsaccades and an integrated eye movement score are considered as potential biomarkers of schizophrenia. Meanwhile, alterations in retinal vascular morphology, thinning of the retinal nerve fiber layer, abnormal electroretinography (ERG), and morphological variations in the cornea and iris also hold indicative significance for the detection of schizophrenia. This review discussed several methods of visual system assessment in clinical practice, aiming to provide insights into visual systems as biomarkers for mental illnesses.

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