1.MCC950 Targeted Inhibition of TXNIP-NLRP3 Axis-mediated Podocyte Pyroptosis in Diabetic Nephropathy
Hong ZHENG ; Zhong-Cheng MO ; Hang LIU ; Xi-Zhang PAN ; Bing WEI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(2):418-430
Diabetic Nephropathy (DN) is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) globally, representing a major global health burden with limited disease-modifying therapies. Podocyte injury serves as the core pathological hallmark of DN, and conventional treatments targeting metabolic disorders or hemodynamic abnormalities fail to reverse the progressive decline of renal function. Accumulating evidence over the past decade has established that high glucose-induced podocyte pyroptosis—a pro-inflammatory form of programmed cell death—is a key driving force in DN progression. Its core molecular mechanism hinges on the activation of the TXNIP-NLRP3 inflammasome axis. Under sustained hyperglycemic conditions, excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated via pathways including the polyol pathway, advanced glycation end products (AGEs) accumulation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Concurrently, methylglyoxal (a glucose metabolite) mediates post-translational modification of thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP). These events collectively trigger the dissociation of TXNIP from thioredoxin (TRX), a redox-regulating protein. The free TXNIP then translocates to the mitochondria, where it binds to The NACHT, LRR, and PYD domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) and promotes inflammasome assembly. This assembly activates cysteine-aspartic acid protease 1 (caspase-1), which cleaves Gasdermin D (GSDMD) to generate its N-terminal fragment (GSDMD-NT). GSDMD-NT oligomerizes to form membrane pores, leading to podocyte swelling, rupture, and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-18 (IL-18). These cytokines amplify local inflammatory responses, induce mesangial cell proliferation, and accelerate extracellular matrix deposition, ultimately exacerbating glomerulosclerosis. MCC950, a highly selective NLRP3 inhibitor, exerts its therapeutic effects through a multi-layered mechanism: it binds to the NACHT domain (NAIP, CIITA, HET-E and TP1 domain) of NLRP3 with nanomolar affinity, forming hydrogen bonds with key residues (Lys-42 and Asp-166) within the ATP-hydrolysis pocket to block ATP hydrolysis, thereby locking NLRP3 in an inactive conformational state. Additionally, MCC950 interferes with the protein-protein interaction between TXNIP and NLRP3 and regulates mitochondrial homeostasis to reduce ROS production. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that MCC950 dose-dependently reduces proteinuria, restores the expression of podocyte-specific markers (nephrin and Wilms tumor 1 protein, WT1), and alleviates podocyte foot process fusion and glomerulosclerosis in both streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 1 diabetic models (characterized by absolute insulin deficiency) and db/db type 2 diabetic models (driven by insulin resistance). However, discrepancies in therapeutic outcomes exist across different models—some studies report exacerbated renal inflammation and fibrosis in STZ-induced models—which may stem from differences in disease pathogenesis, intervention timing (early vs. mid-stage disease), and dosing duration. Despite its promising preclinical efficacy, MCC950 faces significant translational challenges, including low oral bioavailability, insufficient podocyte targeting, potential hepatotoxicity, and drug-drug interactions with statins (commonly prescribed to diabetic patients for cardiovascular risk management). Furthermore, off-target effects such as the inhibition of carbonic anhydrase 2 have been identified, raising concerns about its safety profile. Nevertheless, its unique mechanism of action—directly blocking podocyte pyroptosis by targeting the TXNIP-NLRP3 axis—endows it with substantial translational value. In the future, strategies to overcome these barriers are expected to advance its clinical application: targeted delivery via nanocarriers (e.g., PLGA-PEG nanoparticles or nephrin antibody-conjugated systems) to enhance renal accumulation and podocyte specificity; precise patient stratification based on biomarkers such as serum IL-18 and renal TXNIP/NLRP3 expression to identify “inflammatory-phenotype” DN patients most likely to benefit; and combination therapy with sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors—whose metabolic benefits synergize with MCC950’s anti-inflammatory effects. These approaches hold great potential to break through clinical translation bottlenecks, offering a novel, precise anti-inflammatory treatment option for DN and addressing an unmet clinical need for therapies targeting the inflammatory underpinnings of the disease.
2.MCC950 Targeted Inhibition of TXNIP-NLRP3 Axis-mediated Podocyte Pyroptosis in Diabetic Nephropathy
Hong ZHENG ; Zhong-Cheng MO ; Hang LIU ; Xi-Zhang PAN ; Bing WEI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(2):418-430
Diabetic Nephropathy (DN) is the leading cause of end-stage renal disease (ESRD) globally, representing a major global health burden with limited disease-modifying therapies. Podocyte injury serves as the core pathological hallmark of DN, and conventional treatments targeting metabolic disorders or hemodynamic abnormalities fail to reverse the progressive decline of renal function. Accumulating evidence over the past decade has established that high glucose-induced podocyte pyroptosis—a pro-inflammatory form of programmed cell death—is a key driving force in DN progression. Its core molecular mechanism hinges on the activation of the TXNIP-NLRP3 inflammasome axis. Under sustained hyperglycemic conditions, excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) are generated via pathways including the polyol pathway, advanced glycation end products (AGEs) accumulation, and mitochondrial dysfunction. Concurrently, methylglyoxal (a glucose metabolite) mediates post-translational modification of thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP). These events collectively trigger the dissociation of TXNIP from thioredoxin (TRX), a redox-regulating protein. The free TXNIP then translocates to the mitochondria, where it binds to The NACHT, LRR, and PYD domain-containing protein 3 (NLRP3) and promotes inflammasome assembly. This assembly activates cysteine-aspartic acid protease 1 (caspase-1), which cleaves Gasdermin D (GSDMD) to generate its N-terminal fragment (GSDMD-NT). GSDMD-NT oligomerizes to form membrane pores, leading to podocyte swelling, rupture, and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and interleukin-18 (IL-18). These cytokines amplify local inflammatory responses, induce mesangial cell proliferation, and accelerate extracellular matrix deposition, ultimately exacerbating glomerulosclerosis. MCC950, a highly selective NLRP3 inhibitor, exerts its therapeutic effects through a multi-layered mechanism: it binds to the NACHT domain (NAIP, CIITA, HET-E and TP1 domain) of NLRP3 with nanomolar affinity, forming hydrogen bonds with key residues (Lys-42 and Asp-166) within the ATP-hydrolysis pocket to block ATP hydrolysis, thereby locking NLRP3 in an inactive conformational state. Additionally, MCC950 interferes with the protein-protein interaction between TXNIP and NLRP3 and regulates mitochondrial homeostasis to reduce ROS production. Preclinical studies have demonstrated that MCC950 dose-dependently reduces proteinuria, restores the expression of podocyte-specific markers (nephrin and Wilms tumor 1 protein, WT1), and alleviates podocyte foot process fusion and glomerulosclerosis in both streptozotocin (STZ)-induced type 1 diabetic models (characterized by absolute insulin deficiency) and db/db type 2 diabetic models (driven by insulin resistance). However, discrepancies in therapeutic outcomes exist across different models—some studies report exacerbated renal inflammation and fibrosis in STZ-induced models—which may stem from differences in disease pathogenesis, intervention timing (early vs. mid-stage disease), and dosing duration. Despite its promising preclinical efficacy, MCC950 faces significant translational challenges, including low oral bioavailability, insufficient podocyte targeting, potential hepatotoxicity, and drug-drug interactions with statins (commonly prescribed to diabetic patients for cardiovascular risk management). Furthermore, off-target effects such as the inhibition of carbonic anhydrase 2 have been identified, raising concerns about its safety profile. Nevertheless, its unique mechanism of action—directly blocking podocyte pyroptosis by targeting the TXNIP-NLRP3 axis—endows it with substantial translational value. In the future, strategies to overcome these barriers are expected to advance its clinical application: targeted delivery via nanocarriers (e.g., PLGA-PEG nanoparticles or nephrin antibody-conjugated systems) to enhance renal accumulation and podocyte specificity; precise patient stratification based on biomarkers such as serum IL-18 and renal TXNIP/NLRP3 expression to identify “inflammatory-phenotype” DN patients most likely to benefit; and combination therapy with sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors—whose metabolic benefits synergize with MCC950’s anti-inflammatory effects. These approaches hold great potential to break through clinical translation bottlenecks, offering a novel, precise anti-inflammatory treatment option for DN and addressing an unmet clinical need for therapies targeting the inflammatory underpinnings of the disease.
3.Effects of subanesthetic dose of esketamine on postoperative anxiety and recovery in patients undergoing laparo-scopic cholecystectomy
Zhangzhen ZHONG ; Xian ZHENG ; Ting XU ; Jie WANG ; Hui CAO ; Xinggen ZHOU ; Hui LI ; Jiacheng ZHAO ; Hui LIU ; Chao ZHANG
China Pharmacy 2026;37(2):204-209
OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects of subanesthetic dose of esketamine on postoperative anxiety and recovery in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. METHODS A total of 200 patients scheduled for laparoscopic cholecystectomy at Suzhou Ninth Hospital Affiliated to Soochow University from January 2023 to December 2024 were randomly assigned to control group (n=100) and observation group (n=100). One minute before the initiation of anesthesia, patients in the control group received intravenous injections of Propofol emulsion injection, Sufentanil citrate injection, and Succinylcholine chloride injection. On this basis, patients in the observation group received an intravenous injection of Esketamine hydrochloride injection. The anxiety status of patients in both groups was compared, along with their general intraoperative conditions (including sufentanil dosage, duration of pneumoperitoneum, operative time, anesthesia time, and extubation time), postoperative recovery, incidence of adverse reactions, and the need for dezocine rescue analgesia. Heart rate and mean arterial pressure, entropy index (state entropy and response entropy), inflammatory marker levels [interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP)], numerical rating scale (NRS) for pain intensity were compared between the two groups at different time points. RESULTS No significant differences were found between the two groups in pneumoperitoneum duration, operative time, anesthesia time,extubation time, incidence of postoperative dry mouth, entropy index or length of stay in the post-anesthesia care unit (P>0.05). Compared with the control group, the observation group showed significantly lower postoperative STAI-S scores, reduced intraoperative sufentanil consumption, decreased incidence of postoperative nausea, vomiting, and shivering, the need for dezocine rescue analgesia, as well as lower plasma IL-6 and CRP levels at 24 h after surgery, and NRS (P<0.05). The heart rate and mean arterial pressure of patients in the observation group at the start of surgery, end of surgery, and during extubation were all significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Subanesthetic dose of esketamine can effectively alleviate postoperative anxiety, reduce intraoperative opioid consumption, suppress postoperative inflammatory response, relieve postoperative pain, and promote recovery in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
4.Expert consensus on neoadjuvant PD-1 inhibitors for locally advanced oral squamous cell carcinoma (2026)
LI Jinsong ; LIAO Guiqing ; LI Longjiang ; ZHANG Chenping ; SHANG Chenping ; ZHANG Jie ; ZHONG Laiping ; LIU Bing ; CHEN Gang ; WEI Jianhua ; JI Tong ; LI Chunjie ; LIN Lisong ; REN Guoxin ; LI Yi ; SHANG Wei ; HAN Bing ; JIANG Canhua ; ZHANG Sheng ; SONG Ming ; LIU Xuekui ; WANG Anxun ; LIU Shuguang ; CHEN Zhanhong ; WANG Youyuan ; LIN Zhaoyu ; LI Haigang ; DUAN Xiaohui ; YE Ling ; ZHENG Jun ; WANG Jun ; LV Xiaozhi ; ZHU Lijun ; CAO Haotian
Journal of Prevention and Treatment for Stomatological Diseases 2026;34(2):105-118
Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a common head and neck malignancy. Approximately 50% to 60% of patients with OSCC are diagnosed at a locally advanced stage (clinical staging III-IVa). Even with comprehensive and sequential treatment primarily based on surgery, the 5-year overall survival rate remains below 50%, and patients often suffer from postoperative functional impairments such as difficulties with speaking and swallowing. Programmed death receptor-1 (PD-1) inhibitors are increasingly used in the neoadjuvant treatment of locally advanced OSCC and have shown encouraging efficacy. However, clinical practice still faces key challenges, including the definition of indications, optimization of combination regimens, and standards for efficacy evaluation. Based on the latest research advances worldwide and the clinical experience of the expert group, this expert consensus systematically evaluates the application of PD-1 inhibitors in the neoadjuvant treatment of locally advanced OSCC, covering combination strategies, treatment cycles and surgical timing, efficacy assessment, use of biomarkers, management of special populations and immune related adverse events, principles for immunotherapy rechallenge, and function preservation strategies. After multiple rounds of panel discussion and through anonymous voting using the Delphi method, the following consensus statements have been formulated: 1) Neoadjuvant therapy with PD-1 inhibitors can be used preoperatively in patients with locally advanced OSCC. The preferred regimen is a PD-1 inhibitor combined with platinum based chemotherapy, administered for 2-3 cycles. 2) During the efficacy evaluation of neoadjuvant therapy, radiographic assessment should follow the dual criteria of Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) version 1.1 and immune RECIST (iRECIST). After surgery, systematic pathological evaluation of both the primary lesion and regional lymph nodes is required. For combination chemotherapy regimens, PD-L1 expression and combined positive score need not be used as mandatory inclusion or exclusion criteria. 3) For special populations such as the elderly (≥ 70 years), individuals with stable HIV viral load, and carriers of chronic HBV/HCV, PD-1 inhibitors may be used cautiously under the guidance of a multidisciplinary team (MDT), with close monitoring for adverse events. 4) For patients with a poor response to neoadjuvant therapy, continuation of the original treatment regimen is not recommended; the subsequent treatment plan should be adjusted promptly after MDT assessment. Organ transplant recipients and patients with active autoimmune diseases are not recommended to receive neoadjuvant PD-1 inhibitor therapy due to the high risk of immune related activation. Rechallenge is generally not advised for patients who have experienced high risk immune related adverse events such as immune mediated myocarditis, neurotoxicity, or pneumonitis. 5) For patients with a good pathological response, individualized de escalation surgery and function preservation strategies can be explored. This consensus aims to promote the standardized, safe, and precise application of neoadjuvant PD-1 inhibitor strategies in the management of locally advanced OSCC patients.
5.Changes of levels of serum sST2 and ALB in patients with chronic heart failure and correlation with prognosis
Qian ZHONG ; Renyu ZHANG ; Yongling ZHENG
Journal of Public Health and Preventive Medicine 2026;37(1):103-107
Objective To analyze the changes of levels of serum soluble growth stimulation expressed gene 2 (sST2) and albumin (ALB) in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and their correlation with prognosis. Methods The data of 216 patients with CHF (CHF group) and 98 healthy subjects with physical examination (healthy control group) were retrospectively analyzed. The changes in levels of serum sST2 and ALB between both groups and among different grades of New York Heart Association (NYHA), and their correlation with NYHA grading and cardiac function and their diagnostic value on the prognosis in patients with CHF were compared. Results The level of serum sST2 and LVEF value of CHF group were significantly higher than those of healthy control group (P<0.05) while the level of serum ALB was significantly lower than that of healthy control group (P<0.05). There were significant differences in the levels of serum sST2 and ALB and LVEF value among patients with different HYHA grades and pairwise comparison between the any two grades (P<0.05). Serum sST2 level in patients with CHF was positively correlated with NYHA grading (P<0.001) and was negatively correlated with LVEF (P<0.001), and serum ALB level was negatively correlated with NYHA grading (P<0.001), and was positively correlated with LVEF (P<0.001). Serum sST2 level of poor prognosis group was significantly higher than that of good prognosis group (P<0.05) while serum ALB level was significantly lower than that of good prognosis group (P<0.05). ROC curve analysis of serum sST2 combined with ALB in diagnosing poor prognosis in CHF patients showed that the AUC and sensitivity were 0.907 and 98.04%, which were higher than the single diagnosis, and the specificity was 81.82%, which was lower than the single diagnosis. Conclusion The levels of serum sST2 and ALB in patients with CHF are correlated with NYHA grading and cardiac function, and the combination of the two indicators has high diagnostic value on predicting the poor prognosis of patients.
6.Mechanisms of Babaodan in Attenuating Acetaminophen-induced Acute Liver Injury via Metabolic Reprogramming and Inflammatory Pathways
Ying ZHANG ; Yuchang AN ; Xiang ZHU ; Mei ZHONG ; Yanfang ZHENG ; Mingqing HUANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(20):122-130
ObjectiveTo investigate the effects and potential mechanisms of Babaodan (BBD) against acetaminophen (APAP)-induced acute liver injury (ALI) based on transcriptomics. MethodsA total of 36 male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into 6 groups (n=6 per group): normal group, model group, N-acetylcysteine group (NAC, 120 mg·kg-1), and BBD low-, medium-, and high-dose groups (BBD-L, BBD-M, BBD-H groups, 75, 150, 300 mg·kg-1, respectively). Except for the normal group, all other groups were subjected to APAP-induced ALI. The serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were measured in each group. Hepatic levels or activities of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were detected using commercial kits. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was performed to evaluate the degree of liver histopathological damage. Transcriptomic analysis was employed to screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis was performed to identify differential pathways involved in BBD intervention against ALI. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) and Western blot were applied to validate the expression of differential genes and related pathway proteins. Additionally, glucose (GLU) consumption, as well as lactate (LD) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content were assessed across all mouse groups. ResultsPharmacodynamic evaluation showed that, compared with the normal group, the model group exhibited significantly elevated serum levels of ALT, AST, TC, TG, and LDL-C (P<0.01), significantly increased MDA level (P<0.01), and significantly decreased GSH-Px level (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, BBD intervention at different doses significantly reduced the serum levels of ALT, AST, TC, TG, and LDL-C (P<0.05, P<0.01), increased GSH-Px level (P<0.05, P<0.01), significantly decreased MDA level (P<0.01), and ameliorated hepatic histopathological injury. Liver transcriptomic analysis revealed that, following high-dose BBD intervention, the core genes were mainly enriched in pathways related to inflammatory responses and energy metabolic reprogramming, including the interleukin-17 (IL-17) signaling pathway, the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway, fructose and mannose metabolism, and glycolysis. Real-time PCR validation demonstrated that, compared with the normal group, the mRNA expression levels of glycolysis-related genes [hexokinase 1 (HK1), hexokinase 2 (HK2), 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase 3 (PFKFB3), 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase 4 (PFKFB4), pyruvate kinase M (PKM), and lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA)], as well as inflammatory cytokines [tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β)] were significantly upregulated in the model group (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the BBD-H group showed significantly decreased mRNA expression of HK1, HK2, PFKFB3, PFKFB4, PKM, LDHA, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β (P<0.05, P<0.01). Western blot results indicated that, compared with the normal group, the model group had significantly increased expression of glycolysis-related proteins [glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), HK1, PFKFB3, and PKM], inflammatory proteins [interleukin-18 (IL-18), TNF-α, and IL-1β], and phosphorylated (p)-PI3K and p-Akt proteins (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the BBD-H group exhibited significantly decreased expression of GLUT1, HK1, PFKFB3, PKM, IL-18, TNF-α, IL-1β, p-PI3K, and p-Akt (P<0.05, P<0.01). Metabolic indicator measurements showed that, compared with the model group, the BBD-H group showed significantly reduced GLU consumption, LD and ATP content (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionBBD may alleviate APAP-induced ALI through dual regulation of metabolic reprogramming and inflammatory responses, potentially via inhibition of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.
7.Mechanisms of Babaodan in Attenuating Acetaminophen-induced Acute Liver Injury via Metabolic Reprogramming and Inflammatory Pathways
Ying ZHANG ; Yuchang AN ; Xiang ZHU ; Mei ZHONG ; Yanfang ZHENG ; Mingqing HUANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(20):122-130
ObjectiveTo investigate the effects and potential mechanisms of Babaodan (BBD) against acetaminophen (APAP)-induced acute liver injury (ALI) based on transcriptomics. MethodsA total of 36 male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into 6 groups (n=6 per group): normal group, model group, N-acetylcysteine group (NAC, 120 mg·kg-1), and BBD low-, medium-, and high-dose groups (BBD-L, BBD-M, BBD-H groups, 75, 150, 300 mg·kg-1, respectively). Except for the normal group, all other groups were subjected to APAP-induced ALI. The serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) were measured in each group. Hepatic levels or activities of malondialdehyde (MDA) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) were detected using commercial kits. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was performed to evaluate the degree of liver histopathological damage. Transcriptomic analysis was employed to screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs), and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis was performed to identify differential pathways involved in BBD intervention against ALI. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) and Western blot were applied to validate the expression of differential genes and related pathway proteins. Additionally, glucose (GLU) consumption, as well as lactate (LD) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) content were assessed across all mouse groups. ResultsPharmacodynamic evaluation showed that, compared with the normal group, the model group exhibited significantly elevated serum levels of ALT, AST, TC, TG, and LDL-C (P<0.01), significantly increased MDA level (P<0.01), and significantly decreased GSH-Px level (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, BBD intervention at different doses significantly reduced the serum levels of ALT, AST, TC, TG, and LDL-C (P<0.05, P<0.01), increased GSH-Px level (P<0.05, P<0.01), significantly decreased MDA level (P<0.01), and ameliorated hepatic histopathological injury. Liver transcriptomic analysis revealed that, following high-dose BBD intervention, the core genes were mainly enriched in pathways related to inflammatory responses and energy metabolic reprogramming, including the interleukin-17 (IL-17) signaling pathway, the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt) signaling pathway, fructose and mannose metabolism, and glycolysis. Real-time PCR validation demonstrated that, compared with the normal group, the mRNA expression levels of glycolysis-related genes [hexokinase 1 (HK1), hexokinase 2 (HK2), 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase 3 (PFKFB3), 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase 4 (PFKFB4), pyruvate kinase M (PKM), and lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA)], as well as inflammatory cytokines [tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β)] were significantly upregulated in the model group (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the BBD-H group showed significantly decreased mRNA expression of HK1, HK2, PFKFB3, PFKFB4, PKM, LDHA, TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1β (P<0.05, P<0.01). Western blot results indicated that, compared with the normal group, the model group had significantly increased expression of glycolysis-related proteins [glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), HK1, PFKFB3, and PKM], inflammatory proteins [interleukin-18 (IL-18), TNF-α, and IL-1β], and phosphorylated (p)-PI3K and p-Akt proteins (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the BBD-H group exhibited significantly decreased expression of GLUT1, HK1, PFKFB3, PKM, IL-18, TNF-α, IL-1β, p-PI3K, and p-Akt (P<0.05, P<0.01). Metabolic indicator measurements showed that, compared with the model group, the BBD-H group showed significantly reduced GLU consumption, LD and ATP content (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionBBD may alleviate APAP-induced ALI through dual regulation of metabolic reprogramming and inflammatory responses, potentially via inhibition of the PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.
8.Consensus on the use of DSA-guided intrathecal drug delivery system combined with Zi Wu Liu Zhu Acupoint Therapy for cancer pain management
Yi LU ; Cunzhi LIU ; Wujun GENG ; Xiaozhen ZHENG ; Jingdun XIE ; Guangfang ZHANG ; Chao LIU ; Yun LI ; Yan QU ; Lei CHEN ; Xizhao HUANG ; Hang TIAN ; Yuhui LI ; Hongxin LI ; Heying ZHONG ; Ronggui TAO ; Jie ZHONG ; Yue ZHUANG ; Junyang MA ; Yan HU ; Jian FANG ; Gaofeng ZHAO ; Jianbin XIAO ; Weifeng TU ; Jiaze SUN ; Yuting DUAN ; Bao WANG
Journal of Southern Medical University 2025;45(8):1800-1808
Objective To explore the efficacy of DSA-guided intrathecal drug delivery system combined with Zi Wu Liu Zhu Acupoint Therapy for management of cancer pain and provide reference for its standardized clinical application.Methods and Results Recommendations were formulated based on literature review and expert group discussion,and consensus was reached following expert consultation.The consensus recommendations are comprehensive,covering the entire treatment procedures from preoperative assessment and preparation,surgical operation process,postoperative management and traditional Chinese medicine treatment to individualized treatment planning.The study results showed that the treatment plans combining traditional Chinese with Western medicine effectively alleviated cancer pain,reduced the use of opioid drugs,and significantly improved the quality of life and enhanced immune function of the patients.Postoperative follow-up suggested good treatment tolerance among the patients without serious complications.Conclusion The formulated consensus is comprehensive and can provide reference for clinicians to use DSA-guided intrathecal drug delivery system combined with Zi Wu Liu Zhu Acupoint Therapy.The combined treatment has a high clinical value with a good safety profile for management of cancer pain.
9.Generation of SARS-CoV-2 dual-target candidate inhibitors through 3D equivariant conditional generative neural networks
Zhong-Xing ZHOU ; Hong-Xing ZHANG ; Qingchuan ZHENG
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(6):1291-1310
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2)mutations are influenced by random and uncontrollable factors,and the risk of the next widespread epidemic remains.Dual-target drugs that synergistically act on two targets exhibit strong therapeutic effects and advantages against mutations.In this study,a novel computational workflow was developed to design dual-target SARS-CoV-2 candidate inhibitors with the Envelope protein and Main protease selected as the two target proteins.The drug-like molecules of our self-constructed 3D scaffold database were used as high-throughput molecular docking probes for feature extraction of two target protein pockets.A multi-layer perceptron(MLP)was employed to embed the binding affinities into a latent space as conditional vectors to control conditional distribution.Utilizing a conditional generative neural network,cG-SchNet,with 3D Euclidean group(E3)symmetries,the conditional probability distributions of molecular 3D structures were acquired and a set of novel SARS-CoV-2 dual-target candidate inhibitors were generated.The 1D probability,2D joint probability,and 2D cumulative probability distribution results indicate that the generated sets are significantly enhanced compared to the training set in the high binding affinity area.Among the 201 generated molecules,42 molecules exhibited a sum binding affinity exceeding 17.0 kcal/mol while 9 of them having a sum binding affinity exceeding 19.0 kcal/mol,demonstrating structure diversity along with strong dual-target affinities,good absorption,distribution,metabolism,excretion,and toxicity(ADMET)properties,and ease of synthesis.Dual-target drugs are rare and difficult to find,and our"high-throughput docking-multi-conditional generation"workflow offers a wide range of options for designing or optimizing potent dual-target SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors.
10.Efficacy comparison of subsequent treatment modalities for locally advanced hypopharyngeal cancer with partial response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy
Ru WANG ; Zheng LI ; Jugao FANG ; Junfang XIAN ; Qi ZHONG ; Yang ZHANG ; Lizhen HOU ; Hongzhi MA ; Ling FENG ; Shizhi HE ; Qian SHI ; Yifan YANG ; Haiyang LI ; Lingwa WANG ; Xinyu LI
Chinese Journal of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery 2025;60(10):1223-1231
Objective:To compare the survival outcomes of different subsequent treatment regimens in patients with locally advanced hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (HPSCC) who achieved partial response (PR) after neoadjuvant chemotherapy based on the gross tumor volume regression rate (GTVRR).Methods:This retrospective study included patients with locally advanced HPSCC treated at the Department of Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, from January 2011 to December 2023. The cohort included 135 males and 3 females, aged from 35 to 77 years. All patients received 2-3 cycles of TPF regimen (paclitaxel+cisplatin+5-fluorouracil) neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Subsequent treatments included concurrent chemoradiotherapy or surgery combined with postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy. The impacts of different subsequent treatment modalities on the survivals and prognoses of patients were compared based on GTVRR thresholds of 50% and 70%. The χ 2 test was used to analyze influencing factors; survival analysis and intergroup comparisons were performed using the Kaplan-Meier method and Log-rank test; prognostic factors were assessed using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses. Results:The 5-year OS and PFS rates were 56.5% and 47.9%, respectively, while, the 10-year OS and PFS rates were 25.8% and 21.2%, respectively. The median OS was 75 months, and the median PFS was 48 months. The laryngeal function preservation rate for the entire cohort was 83.3%. The patients who underwent surgery combined with postoperative radiotherapy had significantly better OS and PFS outcomes than those treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy ( P<0.05). Stratification based on GTVRR revealed that the surgery plus postoperative radiotherapy regimen was particularly effective for PR patients with a GTVRR of 30%-70%, showing significantly better OS and PFS compared to the concurrent chemoradiotherapy group ( P<0.05). Conclusion:The optimal subsequent treatment for PR-HPSCC may be surgery-based comprehensive treatment, particularly for patients with a GTVRR of 30%-70%. This study offers valuable insights for the stratified treatment of HPSCC, which could contribute to improving overall patient prognosis.


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