1.Comprehensive analysis of an m6A regulator-based prognostic model and its associations with immune infiltration, drug sensitivity, and intercellular communication in cervical cancer
JIANG Bengui ; ZHOU Teng ; LU Qunfang ; TONG Lin ; ZHOU Xin ; LI Yan ; ZHI Shuang
Chinese Journal of Cancer Biotherapy 2026;33(6):678-689
[摘 要] 目的:探讨m6A调控因子在宫颈癌预后评估、免疫微环境特征及治疗反应中的作用,构建基于m6A调控因子的预后风险模型,并分析其与免疫浸润、药物敏感性及细胞间通信的关系。方法:基于TCGA和GEO数据库中宫颈鳞癌及腺癌(CESC)转录组数据,分析22个m6A调控因子的表达与突变情况;采用LASSO‑Cox回归构建m6A相关预后风险模型,并依据风险评分将患者分为高、低风险组。利用CIBERSORT和ESTIMATE算法评估两组免疫细胞浸润及微环境特征;通过oncoPredict预测抗肿瘤药物敏感性。整合单细胞转录组数据(E-MTAB-12305),采用CellChat分析细胞间通信网络。结果:共鉴定出12个在宫颈癌中差异表达的m6A调控因子。高风险组患者总生存期缩短(P < 0.05),免疫评分降低,且对紫杉醇、氟尿嘧啶、多柔比星等抗肿瘤药物敏感性较差(IC50较高)。单细胞分析显示宫颈癌组织中细胞间通信网络发生改变,其中T细胞与内皮/上皮细胞间的相互作用可能主要由CCL5‑ACKR1和MIF‑(CD74 + CXCR4)配体‑受体介导。在临床样本中,对关键的m6A调控因子进行mRNA和蛋白水平的验证,结果显示部分调控因子在宫颈癌组织中的表达水平高于正常宫颈组织(P < 0.05)。结论:m6A调控因子特征可有效预测宫颈癌患者预后,其风险评分与肿瘤免疫浸润、药物敏感性及细胞通信密切相关,为宫颈癌的预后分层及个体化治疗提供了新的分子依据。
2.Engineered Bacteriophages for The Treatment of Multidrug-resistant Bacterial Infections
Yu-Ying CHEN ; Chun-Mei HUANG ; Jin-Zhi PAN ; De-Liang LIU ; Yang ZHOU ; Gui-Qin DAI ; Peng-Fei ZHAO ; Hong-Zhou LU ; Ming-Bin ZHENG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(6):1581-1596
Multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections have emerged as a serious challenge of global public health crisis. The overuse and misuse of conventional antibiotics have dramatically accelerated the emergence, evolution and worldwide spread of drug-resistant bacterial strains, necessitating urgent exploration of novel antibacterial strategies. Bacteriophages serve as natural bacterial predators offering distinct advantages including high host specificity, autonomous self-replication capabilities and cost-effective large-scale production. However, wild-type phages present significant clinical limitations due to their narrow host ranges, susceptibility to rapid immune clearance and poor penetration of bacterial biofilms, which severely restrict their therapeutic applications. The convergence of synthetic biology, nanotechnology and advanced gene editing technologies has accelerated the development of engineered bacteriophage platforms, providing programmable, scalable and clinically translatable pathways to overcome these inherent biological constraints. Here, we systematically delineate four fundamental strategies for engineered bacteriophage development. Chemical modification utilizes reactive functional groups such as amino, carboxyl and thiol moieties on capsid proteins through esterification, amidation or click chemistry reactions to achieve precise drug conjugation and surface functionalization. In vivo editing encompasses ultraviolet or chemical mutagenesis for random mutation induction, homologous recombination for targeted genetic alterations, recombineering methodologies including electroporation-mediated bacteriophage recombination engineering, and CRISPR-Cas systems for precise genome editing to enable exact genetic reconstruction and host range reprogramming. In vitro synthesis leverages genome engineering platforms where intact phage genomes are transferred into yeast or host bacteria to facilitate highly efficient homologous recombination, enabling large DNA fragment assembly and cross-gene host range expansion without bacterial toxicity constraints. Directed evolution combines artificial selection through mutation library screening with rational design approaches involving chimeric receptor binding protein construction or site-specific mutagenesis, effectively balancing the discovery of unknown adaptive pathways with targeted host specificity modification. Moreover, we comprehensively discuss therapeutic applications across diverse clinical scenarios. Engineered bacteriophage effectively disrupt bacterial biofilms through sophisticated functionalized delivery platforms including nanozyme-conjugated phages, phage-liposome nanoconjugates and bio-responsive hydrogels, demonstrating significantly enhanced bactericidal efficiency compared to unmodified free phages. These bioengineered vectors attenuate bacterial virulence and resensitize pathogens to antibiotics by delivering CRISPR-Cas systems or base editors to disrupt critical virulence factors such as pili, capsule synthesis machineries and quorum sensing systems, or by inactivating antibiotic resistance determinants including beta-lactamase genes. As an intelligent nanomedicine delivery platform, engineered bacteriophage enable precise pathogen elimination an through photocatalytic reactive oxygen species generation, immunomodulatory interventions, or controlled release of antibacterial drugs. Furthermore, oral administration of engineered bacteriophage facilitates microbiota modulation, which selectively eliminate intestinal pathogens while preserve beneficial commensal microbiota, thereby restoring microbial community balance and preventing complications associated with dysbiosis. Finally, we critically analyze persistent challenges including host strain matching complexity, evolution of bacterial resistance mechanisms, pharmacokinetic optimization requirements, optimal administration route selection, large-scale production quality control standards and clinical dosing determination protocols. Through multidisciplinary integration of synthetic biology, infectious disease medicine and immunology, future translational medicine studies of bacteriophage should establish comprehensive technical platforms encompassing rapid phage screening, intelligent rational design, rigorous in vivo evaluation and standardized clinical validation processes, ultimately advancing engineered bacteriophage from laboratory innovations to clinically approved therapeutics for effectively combating MDR bacterial infections.
3.Mechanisms of Exercise Intervention in Cancer Bone Metastasis
Si-Tong YAN ; Feng-Zhi YU ; Bo-Yi ZONG ; Meng-Lu HE ; Dan-Dan JIA
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(8):2104-2122
Bone metastases are a common and serious complication of solid tumors such as breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung cancer, and kidney cancer, and occur at a high rate in patients with advanced cancer. This pathological process not only frequently leads to skeletal-related events such as severe bone pain, pathological fractures, spinal cord compression, and hypercalcemia—conditions that severely impact patients’ quality of life—but may also significantly increase the risk of death. Cancer bone metastasis is a complex, multistage cascade involving key steps such as the detachment of tumor cells from the primary tumor, their invasion and entry into the bloodstream, and their colonization, dormancy, and reactivation within the bone microenvironment. In recent years, exercise—as a safe and easily implementable non-pharmacological intervention—has demonstrated significant potential in inhibiting bone metastasis, improving the bone microenvironment, and alleviating related clinical symptoms. Its mechanisms of action may involve multiple levels. First, at the mechanical load level, mechanical signals generated by exercise can directly act on bone cells, inhibiting tumor cell infiltration and colonization by regulating endothelial cell permeability and osteoclast activity. Second, at the endocrine and paracrine levels, exercise can alter the expression profiles of microRNAs (such as miR-486 and miR-34b) carried by extracellular vesicles and particles (EVPs) in the circulation, thereby inhibiting tumor cell proliferation and migration by targeting cell cycle-related genes. Furthermore, exercise can remodel the immune microenvironment, enhance the cytotoxic activity of antitumor immune cells, and improve oxygen supply to tumor tissues, thereby alleviating hypoxia-induced immunosuppression. Finally, at the metabolic intervention level, exercise can induce systemic metabolic reprogramming, increasing the nutritional demands of normal tissues, thereby competing with tumor cells for nutrients and forming a “metabolic barrier” in distal organs such as bones. This article reviews the pathogenesis and classification of bone metastases, including osteolytic, osteogenic, and mixed types, and elaborates in detail on the complex processes by which tumor cells undergo colonization, dormancy, and reactivation within the bone microenvironment. Furthermore, based on a comprehensive analysis of human and animal studies on exercise interventions for bone metastases, this paper highlights the mechanisms by which exercise inhibits tumor formation, growth, and spread through the regulation of mechanical loading, extracellular vesicles and granules, as well as via immune and metabolic pathways, thereby interfering with bone metastasis. However, the array of exercise modalities and intensities available for patients grappling with the challenges of cancer-related bone metastases remains markedly constrained, and the formulation of tailored exercise prescriptions continues to be devoid of robust, evidence-based medical backing. This review aims to explore the effects of exercise on bone health in patients with bone metastases, analyze the factors and considerations that should be taken into account in exercise prescriptions, and provide new theoretical support and insights for developing personalized exercise programs for these patients and further advancing relevant clinical research. Future research directions should include the development of evidence-based, personalized exercise prescriptions and further clarification of the safety boundaries and best practice standards for exercise interventions, thereby promoting the advancement of relevant clinical research and ultimately improving patients’ clinical outcomes and quality of life.
4.Association of short-term exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in ambient fine particulate matter with resident mortality: a case-crossover study
Sirong WANG ; Zhi LI ; Yanmei CAI ; Chunming HE ; Huijing LI ; Yi ZHENG ; Lu LUO ; Ruijun XU ; Yuewei LIU ; Huoqiang XIE ; Qinqin JIANG
Journal of Public Health and Preventive Medicine 2025;36(6):6-11
Objective To quantitatively assess the association of short-term exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) with residents mortality. Methods A time-stratified case-crossover study was conducted from 2020 to 2022 among 10606 non-accidental residents by using the Guangzhou Cause of Death Surveillance System in Conghua District, Guangzhou. Exposure levels of PAHs in PM2.5 and meteorological data during the study period were obtained from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention in Conghua District and the China Meteorological Administration Land Data Assimilation System (CLDAS-V2.0), respectively. Conditional Poisson regression model was used to estimate the exposure-response association between PAHs and the mortality risk. Results Fluoranthene, chrysene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene, and indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene were significantly associated with an increased risk of mortality. For every one interquartile range increase in exposure levels, the non-accidental mortality risks increased by 8.33% (95% CI: 1.80%, 15.27%), 4.67% (95% CI: 1.86%, 7.57%), 6.07% (95% CI: 2.08%, 10.21%), 4.62% (95% CI: 1.85%, 7.47%), and 4.70% (95% CI: 0.53%, 9.03%), respectively. The estimated non accidental deaths attributable to exposure to fluoranthene, chrysene, benzo[k]fluorine, benzo[a]pyrene and indine[1,2,3-cd]pyrene were 5.91%, 6.08%, 6.51%, 6.46%, and 4.21%, respectively. Conclusions Short-term exposure to PAHs in PM2.5, including fluoranthene, chrysene, benzo[k]fluoranthene, benzo[a]pyrene and indine[1,2,3-cd]pyrene, was significantly associated with an increased risk of mortality among residents.
5.Acupoint thread-embedding therapy of regulating governor vessel, dispersing lung, and suppressing reflux for gastroesophageal reflux cough: a randomized controlled trial.
Mingjie TANG ; Wen LU ; Xiaoni ZHANG ; Jiawei GAO ; Xinchang WEI ; Jin LU ; Jia ZHU ; Yulu FENG ; Lejing JIAO ; Xiaofang XIA ; Zhi ZHOU ; Zhaoming CHEN
Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion 2025;45(8):1047-1052
OBJECTIVE:
To observe the clinical efficacy of acupoint thread-embedding therapy of regulating governor vessel, dispersing lung, and suppressing reflux for gastroesophageal reflux cough (GERC).
METHODS:
A total of 120 GERC patients were randomly assigned to an observation group (60 cases, 1 case dropped out) and a control group (60 cases, 1 case was eliminated). The observation group received acupoint thread-embedding treatment at positive response points of governor vessel. If no such points were detected, the following acupoints were used: Dazhui (GV14), Fenghu (Extra), Shendao (GV11), Lingtai (GV10), and Zhiyang (GV9). Treatment was administered once every two weeks. The control group received oral rabeprazole enteric capsules at 20 mg twice daily. All the treatment was given for 6 weeks. Clinical outcomes were assessed using cough symptom score, reflux disease questionnaire (RDQ) score, and Leicester cough questionnaire (LCQ) score before and after treatment in the two groups. Clinical efficacy was also compared between the two groups.
RESULTS:
After treatment, both groups showed decreased cough symptom scores and the each item scores and total scores of RDQ (P<0.001), and increased LCQ scores (P<0.001) compare with those before treatment. The observation group exhibited lower cough symptom score and chest pain, reflux and total score of RDQ, and higher LCQ score compared to those in the control group (P<0.05). The total effective rate in the observation group was 94.9% (56/59), which was higher than 84.7% (50/59) in the control group (P<0.05).
CONCLUSION
Acupoint thread-embedding therapy of regulating governor vessel, dispersing lung, and suppressing reflux could effectively alleviate cough and reflux symptoms in patients with GERC and improve their quality of life.
Humans
;
Acupuncture Points
;
Gastroesophageal Reflux/physiopathology*
;
Male
;
Female
;
Cough/physiopathology*
;
Middle Aged
;
Aged
;
Acupuncture Therapy
;
Adult
;
Treatment Outcome
;
Lung/physiopathology*
;
Meridians
6.Coronary artery stenosis associated with right ventricular dysfunction in acute pulmonary embolism: A case-control study.
Yuejiao MA ; Jieling MA ; Dan LU ; Yinjian YANG ; Chao LIU ; Liting WANG ; Xijie ZHU ; Xianmei LI ; Chunyan CHENG ; Sijin ZHANG ; Jiayong QIU ; Jinghui LI ; Mengyi LIU ; Kai SUN ; Xin JIANG ; Xiqi XU ; Zhi-Cheng JING
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(16):2028-2036
BACKGROUND:
The potential impact of pre-existing coronary artery stenosis (CAS) on right ventricular (RV) function during acute pulmonary embolism (PE) episodes remains underexplored. This study aimed to investigate the association between pre-existing CAS and RV dysfunction in patients with acute PE.
METHODS:
In this multicenter, case-control study, 89 cases and 176 controls matched for age were enrolled at three study centers (Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Fuwai Hospital, and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University) from January 2016 to December 2020. The cases were patients with acute PE with CAS, and the controls were patients with acute PE without CAS. Coronary artery assessment was performed using coronary computed tomographic angiography. CAS was defined as ≥50% stenosis of the lumen diameter in any coronary vessel >2.0 mm in diameter. Conditional logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between CAS and RV dysfunction.
RESULTS:
The percentages of RV dysfunction (19.1% [17/89] vs. 44.6% [78/176], P <0.001) and elevated systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP) (19.3% [17/89] vs. 39.5% [68/176], P = 0.001) were significantly lower in the case group than those in the control group. In the multivariable logistic regression model, CAS was independently and negatively associated with RV dysfunction (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 0.367; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.185-0.728; P = 0.004), and elevated sPAP (OR: 0.490; 95% CI: 0.252-0.980; P = 0.035), respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
Pre-existing CAS was significantly and negatively associated with RV dysfunction and elevated sPAP in patients with acute PE. This finding provides new insights into RV dysfunction in patients with acute PE with pre-existing CAS.
Humans
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Pulmonary Embolism/complications*
;
Case-Control Studies
;
Male
;
Ventricular Dysfunction, Right/physiopathology*
;
Female
;
Middle Aged
;
Aged
;
Coronary Stenosis/complications*
;
Logistic Models
;
Adult
7.Research progress on NCOA4-mediated ferritinophagy and related diseases.
Chen JIA ; Hong-Ji LIN ; Fang CUI ; Rui LU ; Yi-Ting ZHANG ; Zhi-Qin PENG ; Min SHI
Acta Physiologica Sinica 2025;77(1):194-208
Nuclear receptor co-activator 4 (NCOA4) acts as a selective cargo receptor that binds to ferritin, a cytoplasmic iron storage complex. By mediating ferritinophagy, NCOA4 regulates iron metabolism and releases free iron in the body, thus playing a crucial role in a variety of biological processes, including growth, development, and metabolism. Recent studies have shown that NCOA4-mediated ferritinophagy is closely associated with the occurrence and development of iron metabolism-related diseases, such as liver fibrosis, renal cell carcinoma, and neurodegenerative diseases. In addition, a number of clinical drugs have been identified to modulate NCOA4-mediated ferritinophagy, significantly affecting disease progression and treatment efficacy. This paper aims to review the current research progress on the role of NCOA4-mediated ferritinophagy in related diseases, in order to provide new ideas for targeted clinical therapy.
Humans
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Nuclear Receptor Coactivators/physiology*
;
Ferritins/metabolism*
;
Animals
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Neurodegenerative Diseases/metabolism*
;
Iron/metabolism*
;
Autophagy/physiology*
;
Liver Cirrhosis/metabolism*
;
Carcinoma, Renal Cell/metabolism*
;
Kidney Neoplasms/physiopathology*
8.Therapeutic potential of ion channel modulation in Alzheimer's disease.
Bing HUANG ; Cheng-Min YANG ; Zhi-Cheng LU ; Li-Na TANG ; Sheng-Long MO ; Chong-Dong JIAN ; Jing-Wei SHANG
Acta Physiologica Sinica 2025;77(2):327-344
Alzheimer's disease (AD), a prototypical neurodegenerative disorder, encompasses multifaceted pathological processes. As pivotal cellular structures within the central nervous system, ion channels play critical roles in regulating neuronal excitability, synaptic transmission, and neurotransmitter release. Extensive research has revealed significant alterations in the expression and function of ion channels in AD, implicating an important role of ion channels in the pathogenesis of abnormal Aβ deposition, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and disruptions in calcium homeostasis and neural network functionality. This review systematically summarizes the crucial roles and underlying mechanisms of ion channels in the onset and progression of AD, highlighting how these channel abnormalities contribute to AD pathophysiology. We also discuss the therapeutic potential of ion channel modulation in AD treatment, emphasizing the importance of addressing multifactorial nature and heterogeneity of AD. The development of multi-target drugs and precision therapies is proposed as a future direction of scientific research.
Alzheimer Disease/therapy*
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Humans
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Ion Channels/physiology*
;
Oxidative Stress
;
Animals
;
Amyloid beta-Peptides/metabolism*
;
Synaptic Transmission
;
Calcium/metabolism*
9.Heart Yin deficiency and cardiac fibrosis: from pathological mechanisms to therapeutic strategies.
Jia-Hui CHEN ; Si-Jing LI ; Xiao-Jiao ZHANG ; Zi-Ru LI ; Xing-Ling HE ; Xing-Ling CHEN ; Tao-Chun YE ; Zhi-Ying LIU ; Hui-Li LIAO ; Lu LU ; Zhong-Qi YANG ; Shi-Hao NI
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(7):1987-1993
Cardiac fibrosis(CF) is a cardiac pathological process characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix(ECM). When the heart is damaged by adverse stimuli, cardiac fibroblasts are activated and secrete a large amount of ECM, leading to changes in cardiac fibrosis, myocardial stiffness, and cardiac function declines and accelerating the development of heart failure. There is a close relationship between heart yin deficiency and cardiac fibrosis, which have similar pathogenic mechanisms. Heart Yin deficiency, characterized by insufficient Yin fluids, causes the heart to lose its nourishing function, which acts as the initiating factor for myocardial dystrophy. The deficiency of body fluids leads to stagnation of blood flow, resulting in blood stasis and water retention. Blood stasis and water retention accumulate in the heart, which aligns with the pathological manifestation of excessive deposition of ECM, as a tangible pathogenic factor. This is an inevitable stage of the disease process. The lingering of blood stasis combined with water retention eventually leads to the generation of heat and toxins, triggering inflammatory responses similar to heat toxins, which continuously stimulate the heart and cause the ultimate outcome of CF. Considering the syndrome of heart Yin deficiency, traditional Chinese medicine capable of nourishing Yin, activating blood, and promoting urination can reduce myocardial cell apoptosis, inhibit fibroblast activation, and lower the inflammation level, showing significant advantages in combating CF.
Humans
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Fibrosis/drug therapy*
;
Animals
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Yin Deficiency/metabolism*
;
Myocardium/metabolism*
;
Medicine, Chinese Traditional
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*
10.Fourth national survey of traditional Chinese medicine resources and protection of traditional knowledge of medication use among ethnic minorities.
Jiang-Wei DU ; Xiao-Bo ZHANG ; Jian-Zhi CUI ; Shao-Hua YANG ; Hai-Tao LI ; Zhi-Yong LI ; Lu-Qi HUANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2025;50(9):2349-2355
Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) resources are the essential material foundation for the development of TCM. The national survey of TCM resources serves as a periodic summary of these resources, ensuring the continuity, prosperity, and development of TCM in China. Since 1949, four national surveys of TCM resources have been conducted. The fourth survey incorporated an investigation into traditional knowledge related to TCM resources, including the traditional medicinal knowledge of Chinese ethnic minorities, with the goal of systematically exploring, preserving, and inheriting this knowledge. This manuscript provides an overview of the basic findings from the first three national surveys of TCM resources, while also clarifying the concepts, categories, forms, carriers, and acquisition pathways of traditional knowledge related to TCM resources. A preliminary summary of the findings from traditional knowledge investigations reported in current literature is also presented. Based on the fourth survey, this manuscript emphasizes the urgency of developing public medical knowledge through empirically-based investigations, the excavation, and compilation of traditional knowledge. It also outlines the potential for conducting "precise" investigations based on first-hand data obtained from the survey, as well as facilitating the discovery and evaluation of new medicines using traditional knowledge related to ethnic minority medicinal practices. This manuscript is expected to provide valuable insights for promoting the health and industrial development of ethnic minority populations in the post-"survey" phase.
Humans
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Medicine, Chinese Traditional
;
China/ethnology*
;
Minority Groups
;
Ethnicity
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*
;
Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice/ethnology*
;
Surveys and Questionnaires


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