1.Research progress on the mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine intervening in osteoarthritis by modulating the inflammatory microenvironment
Zuo WANG ; Yuxin LIU ; Yuxin QIAO ; Zhengyu YANG ; Ru WANG ; Wenbin LIAO ; Yan GAO ; Jiayi FENG ; Guohua LI
China Pharmacy 2026;37(6):823-828
The inflammatory microenvironment is closely associated with the initiation and progression of osteoarthritis (OA), specifically manifesting as macrophage activation, dysregulation of inflammatory cytokines, and redox imbalance. Following an overview of the pathological characteristics of the OA inflammatory microenvironment, this paper reviews the research progress on the mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) intervening in OA by modulating the inflammatory microenvironment. It has been found that TCM monomers/active ingredients (such as total alkaloids from Strychnos nux-vomica , quercetin, triptolide, etc.), herb pairs (e.g. Angelica pubescens - Gentiana macrophylla , Carthami Flos-Lycopodii Herba), and TCM formulas (such as Zhuanggu jianxi formula, Duhuo jisheng decoction and Rongjin niantong formula, etc.) can inhibit macrophage activation, reduce the release of proinflammatory cytokines and the generation of reactive oxygen species by inhibiting multiple signaling pathways, including nuclear factor-κB, Wnt/ β -catenin, and mitogen-activated protein kinase, thereby alleviating the articular inflammatory microenvironment, restoring local joint homeostasis, and slowing the progression of OA.
2.Arginine Metabolic Disorder in Heart Failure Rats: Analysis Based on Targeted Metabolomics and Bioinformatics
Zeyu LI ; Xiaoqing WANG ; Zhengyu FANG ; Yurou ZHAO ; He XIAO ; Penghaobang LIU ; Haiming ZHANG ; Chunyan LIU ; Yanhong HU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(10):229-237
ObjectiveThis study systematically analyzed the arginine metabolic dysregulation in the rat model of heart failure (HF), providing a modern scientific basis for elucidating the pathogenesis of HF and offering new insights for the prevention and treatment of HF with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). MethodsA thoracotomy was performed to ligate the left anterior descending coronary artery of rats, which induced acute myocardial ischemia and thus led to the development of post-myocardial infarction heart failure. The rats were divided into a sham surgery group and a model group, with eight rats in each group. Serum targeted metabolomics analysis was performed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UPLC-TQ-S), and the spatial distribution of metabolites in cardiac tissue was observed using airflow-assisted desorption electrospray ionizationmass spectrometry imaging (AFADESI-MSI). Targets associated with HF and arginine metabolism were screened from databases including GeneCards and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed, and enrichment analysis of the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway and Gene Ontology (GO) was performed. Finally, molecular docking was conducted to verify the binding between core metabolic components and key targets, and potential TCMs were predicted based on the core pathways and targets. ResultsCompared with the sham surgery group, the levels of arginine and citrulline in the serum of model rats were significantly decreased (P<0.01), while those of proline, ornithine, creatine, creatinine and glutamate were significantly increased (P<0.05, P<0.01). Cardiac mass spectrometry imaging showed a decreased abundance of arginine in the local myocardial tissue. Bioinformatics analysis identified 24 core functional targets, such as the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), neuronal nitric oxide synthase (NOS1), 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 2A (HTR2A), and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and enrichment analysis indicated that these targets were significantly involved in the calcium signaling pathway, neuroactive ligand-receptor interactions, and phosphatidylinositol signaling pathway. Molecular docking confirmed strong binding activities between arginine, citrulline and HTR2A, as well as between creatine, creatinine and EGFR. Based on pathway-target prediction, potential TCM interventions, such as ginseng and magnolia, were identified. ConclusionThis study revealed characteristic arginine metabolic disorder in HF, and the core targets of HF were closely associated with the phosphatidylinositol signaling pathway. It provides a modern biological interpretation of the pathogenesis of HF in TCM from the perspectives of metabolites and signaling pathways, and offers valuable insights for targeted therapy of HF and the development of TCM.
3.Arginine Metabolic Disorder in Heart Failure Rats: Analysis Based on Targeted Metabolomics and Bioinformatics
Zeyu LI ; Xiaoqing WANG ; Zhengyu FANG ; Yurou ZHAO ; He XIAO ; Penghaobang LIU ; Haiming ZHANG ; Chunyan LIU ; Yanhong HU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(10):229-237
ObjectiveThis study systematically analyzed the arginine metabolic dysregulation in the rat model of heart failure (HF), providing a modern scientific basis for elucidating the pathogenesis of HF and offering new insights for the prevention and treatment of HF with traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). MethodsA thoracotomy was performed to ligate the left anterior descending coronary artery of rats, which induced acute myocardial ischemia and thus led to the development of post-myocardial infarction heart failure. The rats were divided into a sham surgery group and a model group, with eight rats in each group. Serum targeted metabolomics analysis was performed using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UPLC-TQ-S), and the spatial distribution of metabolites in cardiac tissue was observed using airflow-assisted desorption electrospray ionizationmass spectrometry imaging (AFADESI-MSI). Targets associated with HF and arginine metabolism were screened from databases including GeneCards and the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), a protein-protein interaction (PPI) network was constructed, and enrichment analysis of the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway and Gene Ontology (GO) was performed. Finally, molecular docking was conducted to verify the binding between core metabolic components and key targets, and potential TCMs were predicted based on the core pathways and targets. ResultsCompared with the sham surgery group, the levels of arginine and citrulline in the serum of model rats were significantly decreased (P<0.01), while those of proline, ornithine, creatine, creatinine and glutamate were significantly increased (P<0.05, P<0.01). Cardiac mass spectrometry imaging showed a decreased abundance of arginine in the local myocardial tissue. Bioinformatics analysis identified 24 core functional targets, such as the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), neuronal nitric oxide synthase (NOS1), 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 2A (HTR2A), and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and enrichment analysis indicated that these targets were significantly involved in the calcium signaling pathway, neuroactive ligand-receptor interactions, and phosphatidylinositol signaling pathway. Molecular docking confirmed strong binding activities between arginine, citrulline and HTR2A, as well as between creatine, creatinine and EGFR. Based on pathway-target prediction, potential TCM interventions, such as ginseng and magnolia, were identified. ConclusionThis study revealed characteristic arginine metabolic disorder in HF, and the core targets of HF were closely associated with the phosphatidylinositol signaling pathway. It provides a modern biological interpretation of the pathogenesis of HF in TCM from the perspectives of metabolites and signaling pathways, and offers valuable insights for targeted therapy of HF and the development of TCM.
4.Prediction of Mismatch Repair Deficiency Status in Endometrial Cancer Using Multiparametric MRI Radiomics and Deep Learning: A Multimodal Model with Preliminary Validation
Liru WANG ; Shangying YANG ; Boyu CHEN ; Fuze CONG ; Xinran LI ; Xinyu LIU ; Huadan XUE ; Zhengyu JIN ; Yang XIANG ; Yonglan HE ; Yuan LI
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2026;17(4):976-984
To explore the clinical value of a multimodal predictive model based on multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging(MRI) radiomics combined with deep learning(DL) features for the preoperative noninvasive assessment of mismatch repair-deficient(MMRd) status in endometrial cancer(EC). Patients diagnosed with EC at Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2015 to December 2021 were retrospectively enrolled and randomly divided into a training set and a validation set at a ratio of 8∶2. Relevant clinical data were collected, and radiomics features and DL features were extracted from preoperative contrast-enhanced T1-weighted imaging(CE-T1WI), fat-suppressed T2-weighted imaging(fs-T2WI), and diffusion-weighted imaging(DWI) sequences. High-dimensional feature selection and dimensionality reduction were performed sequentially using the recursive feature elimination(RFE) algorithm to generate a radiomics score(Rad-score) and a deep learning score(DL-score), respectively. Multivariate logistic regression was utilized to construct a clinical model, a pure radiomics model, a clinical-radiomics model, and an integrated multimodal model incorporating clinical indicators, Rad-score, and DL-score. Model performance was assessed and compared using area under receiver operating characteristic curve(AUC) and DeLong test. A total of 509 patients were enrolled in this study, comprising 413 in the training cohort and 96 in the validation cohort. Independent predictors: Multivariate analysis indicated that preoperative fasting blood glucose level, histological grade, lymph node metastasis status, Rad-score, and DL-score were all independent significant predictors of MMRd status in EC patients. The integrated multimodal model demonstrated optimal predictive performance with an AUC of 0.699(95% CI: 0.635-0.763) in the training set, which was superior to the clinical model(AUC=0.629, 95% CI: 0.561-0.697) and the pure radiomics model(AUC=0.641, 95% CI: 0.575-0.706). In the validation set, the integrated model maintained good generalizability, achieving an AUC of 0.655(95% CI: 0.535-0.775), and its diagnostic efficacy was higher than that of the clinical model(AUC=0.578, 95% CI: 0.450-0.705) and the pure radiomics model(AUC=0.611, 95% CI: 0.488-0.734). According to the DeLong test, the incorporation of DL features resulted in the clinicalradiomicsdeep learning model performing better than both the clinicalonly model( The initially developed clinical-radiomics-deep learning model exhibits a certain predictive potential for the MMRd status in patients with EC. The inclusion of DL features may help complement the limitations of traditional evaluations, offering a preliminary radiological reference for preoperative non-invasive screening. However, given the current diagnostic performance, its overall accuracy and clinical generalizability warrant further validation in multi-center, large-sample external cohort studies.
5.M2 macrophage metabolism reprogramming in treating sepsis:research progress
Jinhui YANG ; Zhengyu JIANG ; Bin LI ; Jiahao LIU ; Jinjun BIAN
Academic Journal of Naval Medical University 2025;46(4):511-517
Sepsis refers to a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection,with persistently high morbidity and mortality,posing a significant healthcare burden.As integral components of innate and adaptive immunity,macrophages exhibit high plasticity and can differentiate into distinct phenotypes(M1 pro-inflammatory and M2 anti-inflammatory)in response to various environmental stimuli,playing crucial roles in both the hyperinflammatory phase and late immunosuppressive phase of sepsis.The metabolic profile of M2 macrophages has gradually become a research focus,and it is regulated by a variety of enzymes and signaling pathways,including adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase,peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor and protein kinase RNA-like ER kinase pathways.These pivotal signaling pathways and enzymes can promote the polarization of M2 macrophages and enhance their anti-inflammatory functions by modulating the metabolism of glucose,lipid,and amino acid,thereby conferring protective effects against sepsis and providing new ideas for the targeted treatment.
6.An observational study on efficacy and safety of regimens containing delamanid and linezolid in the treatment of rifampicin resistant tuberculosis for 24 weeks
Liping ZOU ; Qing CHEN ; Zhengyu SHI ; Xianzhen TANG ; Li LIANG ; Lei CHEN ; Guihui WU
Chinese Journal of Infection and Chemotherapy 2025;25(5):498-504
Objective To evaluate the early efficacy and safety of the regimens containing delamanid and linezolid in the treatment of rifampicin resistant tuberculosis(RR-TB).Methods A total of 47 patients diagnosed with RR-TB at Public Health Clinical Center of Chengdu from August 2020 to December 2021 were enrolled,including 22 cases(46.8%)of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis(MDR-TB),8 cases(17.0%)of RR-TB,and 17 cases(36.2%)of pre-extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis(pre-XDR-TB).All patients were treated with a regimen based on delamanid and linezolid.The efficacy and safety were evaluated at 24 weeks of treatment.Results Among the 47 patients,46(97.9%)completed 24 weeks of treatment and 1(2.1%)was lost to follow-up.At 24 weeks,the sputum culture conversion rate was 100%in the 43 patients with positive baseline sputum culture.The median conversion time was 2(2,8)weeks.Imaging examination showed absorption in 46 patients(97.9%).Overall,40 patients(85.1%)experienced varying degrees of adverse events(AEs)within 24 weeks.Eleven patients(23.4%)experienced AEs possibly related to delamanid,mainly including QTcF interval prolongation(12.8%),gastrointestinal reactions(8.5%),dizziness(2.1%),headache(2.1%),and allergy(2.1%).Six patients permanently discontinued delamanid due to AEs including gastrointestinal reactions(6.4%),prolonged QTcF interval(2.1%),severe dizziness(2.1%),and drug allergy(2.1%).Patients with low baseline CD4+T lymphocyte counts(OR=0.991,95%CI:0.984-0.999)were more likely to experience delamanid-related AEs.Thirty patients(63.8%)experienced AEs possibly related to linezolid,including myelosuppression(55.3%),peripheral neuropathy(6.4%),optic neuritis occurred(2.1%),and allergy(2.1%).Three patients(6.4%)discontinued linezolid permanently due to severe anemia,peripheral neuropathy,and allergy.Conclusions The treatment regimens containing delamanid and linezolid for RR-TB showed a high sputum culture conversion rate and good tolerance at 24 weeks.Attention should be paid to gastrointestinal reactions and cellular immunity during treatment.
7.Research Progress in TCM Non-pharmacological Therapies for Gout
Ru WANG ; Hailong WANG ; Zhengyu YANG ; Yuxin QIAO ; Zuo WANG ; Lijuan YANG ; Xinliang LYU ; Guohua LI
Chinese Journal of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;32(10):192-196,后插1
Gout significantly impacts both physical health and quality of life,while current pharmacological treatments face notable limitations.TCM non-pharmacological therapies have shown promising potential in the management of gout,offering diverse approaches with favorable efficacy.This article summarized the characteristics,clinical efficacy and mechanisms of different TCM non-pharmacological therapies for treating gout.Recent studies suggest that these therapies may be applied across all clinical stages of gout.During the acute phase,they can rapidly reduce joint inflammation and relieve pain.In the intercritical phase,they help prevent recurrence,decrease the frequency of attacks,and shorten episode duration.In the chronic tophaceous phase,they alleviate persistent symptoms,improve joint function,and support minimally invasive tophi removal.TCM non-pharmacological therapies have their own characteristics and good safety,and can be combined for clinical use,providing TCM treatment strategies for gout.
8.Gut microbiota after kidney transplantation and its impact on patient prognosis
Pumeng FU ; Yaping LIU ; Mengru WANG ; Qingqing YAO ; Zhengyu REN ; Hongxia LI
Journal of Xi'an Jiaotong University(Medical Sciences) 2025;46(6):900-909
In recent years,with the advancement of microbial detection technologies,an increasing number of studies have revealed significant differences in the gut microbiota composition of kidney transplant recipients before and after surgery.These changes in the gut microbiota may influence graft function and the occurrence of post-transplant complications through a variety of factors.This article will review the research progress in the relationship between gut microbiota and kidney transplantation.It focuses on the changes in gut microbiota after kidney transplantation.The role of gut microbiota in immune regulation,drug metabolism,graft function protection,and post-transplant complications is also studied.At the same time,these effects may be of great significance in improving the short-term and long-term prognosis of kidney transplant recipients,thus providing a novel idea for further improving kidney transplant prognosis.
9.The Relationship between Molecular Typing and Prognosis of Ovarian Endom-etrioid Adenocarcinoma
Rongyu LIU ; Chang LIU ; Xinlin HE ; Zhengyu LI
Journal of Practical Obstetrics and Gynecology 2025;41(8):660-665
Objective:To investigate the molecular typing characteristics of patients with ovarian endometrioid adenocarcinoma(OEA)and its relationship with prognosis.Methods:A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical medical records and follow-up outcomes of 176 patients with OEA admitted to the gynecology depart-ment of West China Second University Hospital of Sichuan University from June 1,2011 to December 31,2019.Based on the results of genetic testing and pathological immunohistochemical data,the molecular subtypes of the patients were determined and divided into three groups:mismatch repair deficiency(dMMR)group(22 cases),no specific molecular profile(NSMP)group(71 cases),and p53 mutation(p53abn)group(83 cases).The differences in clinicopathological characteristics among the three subgroups were compared.Kaplan-Meier method was used to draw survival curves.The overall survival(OS)and progression free survival(PFS)curves of pa-tients were compared in different molecular subtypes and different age groups using Log-rank test.Results:①There were no statistically significant differences among the three groups in age,body mass index(BMI),meno-pause,and the presence of internal medical comorbidities(P>0.05).②There were no statistically significant differences among the three groups in tumor differentiation degree,International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics(FIGO)staging,preoperative carbohydrate antigen 125(CA125)level,preoperative neoadjuvant chemo-therapy,para-aortic lymph node metastasis,pelvic lymph node metastasis,concurrent endometrial cancer,and malignant transformation of ovarian endometriotic cysts(P>0.05).③There were statistically significant differ-ences in 5-year OS and PFS among the three groups(P<0.05).The 5-year OS and PFS of the dMMR group were superior to those of the p53abn group(P<0.05).Conclusions:There were no significant differences in the baseline characteristics and the clinicopathological features of tumors among patients with different molecular sub-types of OEA.Patients with dMMR-type OEA exhibited more prominent advantages in PFS and OS compared with those with p53abn type.Formulating individualized treatment strategies based on the molecular typing charac-teristics of OEA may improve the clinical prognosis of patients.
10.Effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation combined with social cognition and interaction training on intrinsic motivation and social cognition in patients with schizophrenia
Xianyong ZU ; Huifang LIU ; Peng FU ; Liangju LI ; Zhuanling HE ; Huahui LIN ; Xiangyan LI ; Qianhui CHEN ; Guoyun HE ; Liyi LI ; Zhengyu WU ; Yi DONG
Chinese Journal of Behavioral Medicine and Brain Science 2025;34(1):51-59
Objective:To explore the effect of social cognition and interaction training (SCIT) combined with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) on intrinsic motivation and social cognition in patients with schizophrenia.Methods:Forty-two stable schizophrenia patients were randomly divided into the SCIT + TMS group( n=22) and the SCIT group( n=20). All the subjects received 20 sessions of SCIT treatment, and the SCIT+ TMS group simultaneously received 15 sessions of intermittent theta burst stimulation(iTBS) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex(DLPFC). All the subjects were assessed by intrinsic motivation inventory for schizophrenia research(IMI-SR), Chinese version of the ambiguous intentions hostility questionnaire(AIHQ-C), theory of mind-picture sequencing task(ToM-PST), mentalization scale (MentS), Chinese version of interpersonal reactivity index (IRI-C) and positive and negative syndrome scale (PANSS) before and after intervention. SPSS 26.0 software was used for data analysis.Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used for intra-group comparison before and after treatment, while Mann-Whitney U test and covariance analysis were used for inter-group comparison.Spearman correlation analysis and Logistic regression analyses were used to explore the association between the intrinsic motivation and social cognition. Results:There were no significant differences on IMI-SR scores before and after treatment between the two groups(all P>0.05). In the SCIT+ TMS group, the total score of hostility bias (HB), HB scores in ambiguous scenes, HB scores in intentional scenes, and aggressive bias (AB) scores in ambiguous scenes of AIHQ-C scale after treatment were lower than those befor treatment( Z=-2.044--3.112, all P<0.05), while the total score of ToM-PST(18.50(16.00, 21.00) vs 15.50(11.75, 18.00), Z=-2.598, P=0.009) and IRI-C imagination score (12.18±3.79, 14.41±4.73, t=-2.694, P=0.014) were higher than those before treatment.In the SCIT group, the total score of ToM-PST after treatment was higher than that before treatment(21.00(20.00, 22.00) vs 17.00(14.50, 20.75), Z=-2.518, P=0.012).There was no significant statistical difference in MentS scores between after treatment and before treatment ( P>0.05). The difference in AIHQ-C intentional scenario AB score before and after treatment was higher in the SCIT+ TMS group than in the SCIT group ( Z=-1.996, P=0.046), while there was no statistically significant difference in the difference before and after treatment in social cognitive scores between the two groups (all P>0.05).In the combined two samples, Spearman correlation analysis showed that the total score of IMI-SR before treatment was positively correlated with the primary belief score of ToM-PST understanding, reciprocity score, MentS total score, other person mentalization score, motivation mentalization score, IRI-C total score, viewpoint taking score, and empathy concern score after treatment( r=0.341-0.509, all P<0.05), while negatively correlated with AIHQ-C total score and factor scores ( r=-0.434--0.645, P<0.05).Logistic regression analysis showed that the total score of IMI-SR had negative impact on AIHQ-C total HB score( B=-0.047, OR=0.954, 95% CI=0.917-0.993).The value score had a positive impact on the total score of MentS ( B=0.143, OR=1.154, 95% CI=1.043-1.277), other person mentalization score( B=0.166, OR=1.181, 95% CI=1.058-1.318), motivation mentalization score( B=0.111, OR=1.117, 95% CI=1.021-1.223), IRI-C total score ( B=0.138, OR=1.148, 95% CI=1.038-1.270), and viewpoint taking score( B=0.194, OR=1.214, 95% CI=1.076-1.369). Interest score had a positive impact on IRI-C empathy concern score ( B=0.098, OR=1.103, 95% CI=0.998-1.218) and ToM-PST understanding primary belief score( B=0.130, OR=1.138, 95% CI=1.010-1.283) and reciprocity score( B=0.189, OR=1.208, 95% CI=1.057-1.380). Conclusion:The research results did not confirm the effect of TMS over the DLPFC on enhancing intrinsic motivation, as well as the synergistic effect of SCIT treatment on social cognition. But the correlation results indicates that improving schizophrenia patients' intrinsic motivation level in cognitive training is meaningful for promoting social cognition.

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