1.Dual Targeting of TBK1 and JAK-STAT1 Pathways by (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate Suppresses Type I Interferon-driven Inflammation
Liang LI ; Qi-Huan SHENG ; Huan LIU ; Wen-Hao YANG ; Jia-Lin SHI ; Ying-Jie SUN ; Rui JING ; Wei-Hua MAI ; Zhi-Min LI ; Xiao-Li XIE
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(7):1969-1983
ObjectiveType I interferon (IFN-I) signaling is essential for antiviral innate immunity, yet its sustained or excessive activation contributes to the pathogenesis of several autoimmune diseases and interferonopathies, such as systemic lupus erythematosus and Aicardi-Goutières syndrome. Current strategies targeting this pathway, exemplified by JAK inhibitors, act mainly on downstream signal transduction and provide limited direct control over upstream IFN-I production, while also carrying the risk of broad immunosuppression. Phyllanthus emblica L. has long been used in traditional medicine for inflammatory disorders, but the bioactive constituent responsible for its regulation of IFN-I signaling and the underlying molecular mechanism have not been clearly defined. This study aimed to identify the active anti-inflammatory component of P. emblica and to characterize its mechanism of action on the IFN-I pathway in macrophages. MethodsActive components ofP. emblica and their candidate targets were screened by network pharmacology using the TCMSP and DrugBank databases (oral bioavailability≥30%, drug-likeness≥0.18) and intersected with inflammation-related genes retrieved from public databases. The predicted interaction between EGCG and IFN-I pathway proteins (TBK1, IRF3, STAT1) was evaluated by molecular docking, with BX795 and GSK8612 used as reference TBK1 inhibitors. Mechanistic experiments were performed in THP-1-derived macrophages and primary bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM). Upstream signaling was activated by transfection of the nucleic acid analogs poly(I∶C) and poly(dA∶dT) or by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation, whereas downstream signaling was activated by exogenous IFN-β. An siRNA-mediated TREX1 knockdown model was used to mimic endogenous nucleic acid-driven interferonopathy. Expression of IFN-β1 and interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) was measured by RT-qPCR, protein phosphorylation by Western blot, and IFN-β secretion by ELISA. Cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) and drug affinity responsive target stability (DARTS) were used to probe the interactionbetween EGCG and IRF3. ResultsNetwork pharmacology identified (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) as a candidate IFN-I-suppressive constituent of P. emblica, with predicted binding to TBK1, IRF3, and STAT1. Molecular docking yielded binding energies of -9.2, -7.2, and -8.2 kcal/mol for TBK1, IRF3, and STAT1, respectively, indicating an affinity for TBK1 comparable to that of the reference inhibitors BX795 (-5.7 kcal/mol) and GSK8612 (-6.4 kcal/mol). EGCG suppressed IFN-β1 and ISG mRNA expression under poly (I∶C), poly (dA∶dT), and LPS stimulation in both THP-1 macrophages and BMDM. At the protein level, EGCG reduced the phosphorylation of TBK1 and IRF3 without affecting the levels of the upstream sensors cGAS and RIG-I, and lowered IFN-β secretion in a concentration-dependent manner. CETSA and DARTS showed that EGCG did not enhance the thermal stability or protease resistance of IRF3, indicating that its effect on IRF3 is indirect. Following IFN-β stimulation, prolonged EGCG treatment reduced STAT1 phosphorylation in a time-dependent manner without an apparent change in IRF9, and partially attenuated ISG transcription; this effect was not monotonicly concentration-dependent, and CXCL10 showed the most consistent suppression. In TREX1-knockdown cells, the elevated mRNA levels of ISG15, ISG56, and CXCL10 were reduced by EGCG. ConclusionEGCG suppresses IFN-I responses by concurrently inhibiting TBK1-IRF3-dependent IFN‑β production and JAK-STAT1-mediated downstream transcription. These in vitro findings provide a mechanistic basis for the anti-inflammatory use of P. emblica in traditional medicine and identify EGCG as a candidate for further evaluation in interferon-driven autoimmune disease models.
2.Research Progress of Molecular Probes Driven by Tumor Boundary Imaging
Wen-Zhi REN ; Juan LI ; Jun-Lie YAO ; Jie XING ; Hong-Ying BAO ; Li SUN ; Ai-Guo WU
Chinese Journal of Analytical Chemistry 2025;53(1):14-26
″Boundarics in biomedicine″(or″Biomedical boundarics″)is an emerging frontier interdisciplinary subject that focuses on addressing key scientific issues related to the formation,identification,and evolution of biological boundaries within living organisms.In this field,the study of tumor boundaries is of particular importance.Imaging tumor boundaries not only helps to reveal the molecular mechanisms of tumor boundary evolution and interaction with the microenvironment,tumor invasion and metastasis,but is also crucial for clinical tumor diagnosis,treatment decision-making,efficacy monitoring and prognosis evaluation.Molecular probes,as functional substances that enhance imaging signals,play a crucial role in tumor boundary recognition.In this article,the basic concepts and research significance of boundarics in biomedicine and tumor boundarics in biomedicine were summarized firstly.Then a comprehensive review of the research progress in tumor boundary imaging molecular probes was provided,covering areas such as magnetic imaging,optical imaging,acoustic imaging,nuclear imaging,and multimodal imaging.The strategies to regulate the sensitivity,specificity,and safety of molecular probes through chemical structure modifications,conjugation with targeting ligands,and tumor microenvironment-responsive designs were emphasized.Finally,the research trends of molecular probes for tumor boundary imaging were analyzed,and the challenges faced in this field and the future research directions were discussed.
3.Creation and Exploration of the"Organized Fill-in-the-Blank Format"Disci-pline Construction Model for Forensic Medicine in the New Era
Zhi-Wen WEI ; Hong-Xing WANG ; Jun-Hong SUN ; Hao-Liang FAN ; Hong-Liang SU ; Le-Le WANG ; Wen-Ting HE ; Zhe CHEN ; Jie ZHANG ; Xiang-Jie GUO ; Ji LI ; Geng-Qian ZHANG ; Xin-Hua LIANG ; Jiang-Wei YAN ; Qiang-Qiang ZHANG ; Cai-Rong GAO ; Ying-Yuan WANG ; Hong-Wei WANG ; Jun XIE ; Bo-Feng ZHU ; Ke-Ming YUN
Journal of Forensic Medicine 2025;41(1):25-29
Forensic medicine has been designated as a first-level discipline,presenting new opportunities and challenges for the development of forensic medicine.Since the 1980s,the establishment of foren-sic medicine discipline and the cultivation of high-level forensic talents have become hot topics in the development of forensic medicine in China.Since the 13th Five-Year Plan,the forensic team of Shanxi Medical University has been aiming at the forefront,proposing the development goals of"Five First-class"and the discipline development path"Six Major Achievements".It has selected benchmark disci-plines,identified gaps in disciplinary development,unified thoughts,formulated completion timelines,concentrated superior resources,assigned tasks to individuals,and created an"Organized Fill-in-the-Blank Format"forensic medicine discipline construction model with the characteristics of the new era.The construction model of forensic medicine has achieved good results in the goals,discipline frame-work,scientific research,talent cultivation,discipline team and platform construction,forming a rela-tively complete discipline construction and management system,and accumulating valuable experience for the construction of first-level discipline and high-level talent cultivation of forensic medicine.
4.Discriminating Tumor Deposits From Metastatic Lymph Nodes in Rectal Cancer: A Pilot Study Utilizing Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MRI
Xue-han WU ; Yu-tao QUE ; Xin-yue YANG ; Zi-qiang WEN ; Yu-ru MA ; Zhi-wen ZHANG ; Quan-meng LIU ; Wen-jie FAN ; Li DING ; Yue-jiao LANG ; Yun-zhu WU ; Jian-peng YUAN ; Shen-ping YU ; Yi-yan LIU ; Yan CHEN
Korean Journal of Radiology 2025;26(5):400-410
Objective:
To evaluate the feasibility of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) in differentiating tumor deposits (TDs) from metastatic lymph nodes (MLNs) in rectal cancer.
Materials and Methods:
A retrospective analysis was conducted on 70 patients with rectal cancer, including 168 lesions (70 TDs and 98 MLNs confirmed by histopathology), who underwent pretreatment MRI and subsequent surgery between March 2019 and December 2022. The morphological characteristics of TDs and MLNs, along with quantitative parameters derived from DCE-MRI (K trans , kep, and v e) and DWI (ADCmin, ADCmax, and ADCmean), were analyzed and compared between the two groups.Multivariable binary logistic regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses were performed to assess the diagnostic performance of significant individual quantitative parameters and combined parameters in distinguishing TDs from MLNs.
Results:
All morphological features, including size, shape, border, and signal intensity, as well as all DCE-MRI parameters showed significant differences between TDs and MLNs (all P < 0.05). However, ADC values did not demonstrate significant differences (all P > 0.05). Among the single quantitative parameters, v e had the highest diagnostic accuracy, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.772 for distinguishing TDs from MLNs. A multivariable logistic regression model incorporating short axis, border, v e, and ADC mean improved diagnostic performance, achieving an AUC of 0.833 (P = 0.027).
Conclusion
The combination of morphological features, DCE-MRI parameters, and ADC values can effectively aid in the preoperative differentiation of TDs from MLNs in rectal cancer.
5.Inflammatory Bowel Disease and Dementia: Evidence Triangulation from a Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies and Mendelian Randomization Study.
Di LIU ; Mei Ling CAO ; Shan Shan WU ; Bing Li LI ; Yi Wen JIANG ; Teng Fei LIN ; Fu Xiao LI ; Wei Jie CAO ; Jin Qiu YUAN ; Feng SHA ; Zhi Rong YANG ; Jin Ling TANG
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2025;38(1):56-66
OBJECTIVE:
Observational studies have found associations between inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and the risk of dementia, including Alzheimer's dementia (AD) and vascular dementia (VD); however, these findings are inconsistent. It remains unclear whether these associations are causal.
METHODS:
We conducted a meta-analysis by systematically searching for observational studies on the association between IBD and dementia. Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis based on summary genome-wide association studies (GWASs) was performed. Genetic correlation and Bayesian co-localization analyses were used to provide robust genetic evidence.
RESULTS:
Ten observational studies involving 80,565,688 participants were included in this meta-analysis. IBD was significantly associated with dementia (risk ratio [ RR] =1.36, 95% CI = 1.04-1.78; I 2 = 84.8%) and VD ( RR = 2.60, 95% CI = 1.18-5.70; only one study), but not with AD ( RR = 2.00, 95% CI = 0.96-4.13; I 2 = 99.8%). MR analyses did not supported significant causal associations of IBD with dementia (dementia: odds ratio [ OR] = 1.01, 95% CI = 0.98-1.03; AD: OR = 0.98, 95% CI = 0.95-1.01; VD: OR = 1.02, 95% CI = 0.97-1.07). In addition, genetic correlation and co-localization analyses did not reveal any genetic associations between IBD and dementia.
CONCLUSION
Our study did not provide genetic evidence for a causal association between IBD and dementia risk. The increased risk of dementia observed in observational studies may be attributed to unobserved confounding factors or detection bias.
Humans
;
Mendelian Randomization Analysis
;
Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/complications*
;
Dementia/etiology*
;
Observational Studies as Topic
;
Genome-Wide Association Study
6.Independent and Interactive Effects of Air Pollutants, Meteorological Factors, and Green Space on Tuberculosis Incidence in Shanghai.
Qi YE ; Jing CHEN ; Ya Ting JI ; Xiao Yu LU ; Jia le DENG ; Nan LI ; Wei WEI ; Ren Jie HOU ; Zhi Yuan LI ; Jian Bang XIANG ; Xu GAO ; Xin SHEN ; Chong Guang YANG
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2025;38(7):792-809
OBJECTIVE:
To assess the independent and combined effects of air pollutants, meteorological factors, and greenspace exposure on new tuberculosis (TB) cases.
METHODS:
TB case data from Shanghai (2013-2018) were obtained from the Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Environmental data on air pollutants, meteorological variables, and greenspace exposure were obtained from the National Tibetan Plateau Data Center. We employed a distributed-lag nonlinear model to assess the effects of these environmental factors on TB cases.
RESULTS:
Increased TB risk was linked to PM 2.5, PM 10, and rainfall, whereas NO 2, SO 2, and air pressure were associated with a reduced risk. Specifically, the strongest cumulative effects occurred at various lags: PM 2.5 ( RR = 1.166, 95% CI: 1.026-1.325) at 0-19 weeks; PM 10 ( RR = 1.167, 95% CI: 1.028-1.324) at 0-18 weeks; NO 2 ( RR = 0.968, 95% CI: 0.938-0.999) at 0-1 weeks; SO 2 ( RR = 0.945, 95% CI: 0.894-0.999) at 0-2 weeks; air pressure ( RR = 0.604, 95% CI: 0.447-0.816) at 0-8 weeks; and rainfall ( RR = 1.404, 95% CI: 1.076-1.833) at 0-22 weeks. Green space exposure did not significantly impact TB cases. Additionally, low temperatures amplified the effect of PM 2.5 on TB.
CONCLUSION
Exposure to PM 2.5, PM 10, and rainfall increased the risk of TB, highlighting the need to address air pollutants for the prevention of TB in Shanghai.
China/epidemiology*
;
Humans
;
Air Pollutants/analysis*
;
Tuberculosis/epidemiology*
;
Incidence
;
Meteorological Concepts
;
Particulate Matter/adverse effects*
;
Environmental Exposure
;
Male
;
Female
;
Adult
;
Air Pollution
;
Middle Aged
7.Analysis of toxic material basis of Dryopteris crassirhizoma by UPLC-ESI-MS/MS
Rong-hui ZHENG ; Cui-jie WEI ; Fei-fei XIE ; Xin-ya WAN ; Xiao-jie LIANG ; Zhi-wen DUAN ; Dong-mei SUN ; Xiang-dong CEHN
Chinese Traditional Patent Medicine 2025;47(10):3305-3314
AIM To establish a UPLC-ESI-MS/MS method for analyzing the toxic material basis of 95%ethanol cold soaked ultrasonic extract(EC),95%ethanol heated reflux extract(EH)and water decoction extract(WD)from Dryopteris crassirhizoma Nakai.METHODS The analysis was performed on a 25 ℃ thermostatic agilent ZORBAX RRHD StableBond C18 column(2.1 mm×150 mm,1.8 μm),with the mobile phase comprising of methanol-0.2%formic acid flowing at 0.30 mL/min,and heated electrospray ion source was adopted in positive and negative ion scanning.Compounds were identified by Compound Discover 3.3 software combined with the database and related literature,and the main differential components were screened by Heatmap cluster analysis and partial least squares discriminant analysis.RESULTS 72 compounds were identified(22 phloroglucinols,19 flavonoids,8 phenylpropanoids,6 terpenoids and 17 other components).The main toxic differential components were phloroglucinols such as flavaspidic acid AB,didemethylpseudoaspidin AA and filixic acid PBP,flavonoids such as(-)-epicatechin,(-)-epigallocatechin,cianidanol,and other compounds such as indole-3-carboxaldehyde.CONCLUSION This method can rapidly,effectively and comprehensively characterize the main chemical composition of D.crassirhizoma,and provide a reference for the study of its pharmacological mechanism.
8.Application of contrast agent dual-phase double-flow method in CMR"one-stop"examination process of patients with old myocardial infarction
Shuang LI ; Zheng SUN ; Li ZHAO ; Zhi LIU ; Zidi WANG ; Guangyan HUO ; Jie LU
China Medical Equipment 2025;22(6):45-49
Objective:To explore the influence of injection methods of different contrast agents on CMR image quality,and further optimize"one-stop"examination process under the premise of the analysis for high-pressure bolus pressure curve of contrast-enhanced(CE)cardiac magnetic resonance(CMR).Methods:The data of CMR examination of 70 patients with old myocardial infarction who admitted to the department of emergency of Xuanwu Hospital,Capital Medical University from December 2023 to December 2024 were selected as research objects.They were divided into an observation group and a control group by a simple randomization method,with 35 cases in each group.The observation group adopted gadolinium contrast agent injection with double-phase double-flow,with two bolus injections at 4 ml/s and 2 ml/s sequentially.The control group adopted the injection with single-phase double-flow,with only one bolus injection at 4 ml/s.The dynamic pressure time curve was drawn,and the total bolus dose and pressure peak of two kinds of injection methods were compared.The residual liquid samples of the observation group and the control group were collected after injection of contrast agent was conducted.After the residual liquids of 10 ml,20 ml and 30 ml were derived respectively,the T1 mapping sequence was used to collect signal intensity values,and to compared the difference of that between two groups.The signal-to-noise ratio(SNR)of left ventricular blood pool,infarcted myocardium and distal myocardium,and the contrast-to-noise ratios(CNR)between infarcted myocardium and blood pool,and between distal myocardium and blood pool were compared between the observation group and the control group.Results:There was no statistical difference in the total dose of bolus injection between the observation group and the control group(P>0.05).The peak value of the pressure of bolus injection in the observation group and control group were respectively(87.4±11.3)pound force per square inch(PSI)and(104.0±20.1)PSI,and the difference was statistically significant(t=5.81,P<0.05).T1 signal intensity values of 10 ml residual liquid and 20 mL residual liquid were respectively 1984.43±70.26 and 2190.56±195.96 in observation group,and they were respectively 1203.36±184.99 and 2884.64±349.39 in control group,and the differences were significant(t=-3.57,6.03,P<0.05).The T1 signal intensity value of 30mL residual fluid sample was 4371.75±75.16 in observation group,and that was 4261.86±110.68 in control group,and the difference was no significant(P>0.05).The SNR value of blood pool was(4.88±1.01)in observation group,which was lower than(8.25±1.36)in control group,and the difference of that between two groups was significant(t=6.11,P<0.05).The CNR values of infarcted myocardium and blood pool,of remote myocardium and blood pool between two groups were statistically significant(t=-4.79,-5.39,P<0.05).Conclusion:The contrast agent of high-pressure bolus injection with dual-phase dual-flow method can not only explore the time window of the extravasation of contrast agent,but also improve the SNR and the CNR of CMR images,and further optimize the CMR examination process.
9.Application research of endoscopic-laparoscopic regional gastric resection combined with sentinel lymph node basin dissection in patients with early gastric cancer
Zhi ZHENG ; Zimeng WANG ; Rui XU ; Haiqiao ZHANG ; Zheng ZHANG ; Guotian RUAN ; Jie YIN ; Xiaoye LIU ; Jun CAI ; Guangyong CHEN ; Xiujing SUN ; Shengtao ZHU ; Peng LI ; Jun ZHANG ; Shutian ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Surgery 2025;63(7):587-596
Objective:To evaluate the short-term efficacy of endoscopic-laparoscopic regional gastric resection combined with sentinel lymph node basin dissection in patients with early-stage gastric cancer.Methods:This is a retrospective case series study. Data of 17 consecutive early gastric cancer patients from a prospective cohort at Beijing Friendship Hospital,Capital Medical University were analyzed between August 2023 and August 2024. Sixteen cases were from the department of general surgery and 1 from the department of gastroenterology. The cohort included 9 males and 8 females,with a mean age of 61.4 years (range: 46 to 79 years). Clinical data,including demographics,pathological features,surgical procedures,and follow-up outcomes,were collected through medical records and databases. All patients were followed for over 3 months,with follow-up ending on December 5,2024.Results:A total of 17 patients were involved. Among them, 5 patients underwent endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) combined with laparoscopic sentinel lymph node dissection (LSBD),and another 3 patients who underwent complete ESD resection received LSBD due to pathological stage meeting the expanded indications. 6 patients who underwent non-curative ESD resection received laparoscopic gastric regional resection (LRG) combined with LSBD,and another 3 patients directly received LRG combined with LSBD. The average number of sentinel lymph nodes dissected before surgery ( M(IQR)) was 8.9 (4.5) (range: 4 to 21),and the detection rate and accuracy rate were both 100%. Postoperative pathology confirmed that there was no metastasis in the sentinel lymph nodes of 5 patients who underwent ESD combined with LSBD and 3 patients who underwent LSBD after complete ESD resection. The vertical and horizontal margins of ESD were all negative. One patient was an absolute indication for ESD. For the 6 patients who underwent non-curative ESD resection combined with LRG and LSBD,the horizontal margins were all negative. Two patients showed 1 metastasis in each of the 21 and 9 sentinel lymph nodes during the operation,and additional distal gastrectomy was performed during the operation. Postoperatively,73 and 39 lymph nodes were retrieved respectively. The former had 1 additional metastasis,while the latter had no metastasis. Among the 3 patients who underwent direct LRG combined with LSBD,the horizontal margins were negative. One patient was confirmed as an absolute indication for ESD by postoperative pathology,and one patient had 1 metastasis in 8 sentinel lymph nodes during the operation,and additional distal gastrectomy was performed. Postoperatively,there was no metastasis in 54 lymph nodes. All patients had no complications such as infection,bleeding,perforation,or death after surgery. Among the 14 patients who did not receive additional radical surgery,they were able to pass gas and defecate within 3 days after surgery,with an average hospital stay of 6 days. The nutritional indicators and gastric radionuclide emptying imaging half-emptying time were similar to those before surgery at 3 months after surgery. Conclusions:Laparoscopic and endoscopic cooperative regional gastrectomy with sentinel lymph node basin dissection has the advantages of minimal invasiveness,preservation of gastric function,and precise treatment. It maybe suitable for patients with early-stage gastric cancer at high risk of lymph node metastasis and has good short-term efficacy.
10.Relationships between Molecular Genetics and Clinical Features of Children with Acute Mveloid Leukemia
Fei LONG ; Hao XIONG ; Li YANG ; Ming SUN ; Zhi CHEN ; Wen-Jie LU ; Shan-Shan QI ; Fang TAO ; Lin-Lin LUO ; Jing-Pei CHEN
Journal of Experimental Hematology 2025;33(1):69-74
Objective:To analyze the molecular genetic spectrum of children with acute myeloid leukemia(AML),and explore its correlation with clinical characteristics and prognosis.Methods:The clinical and molecular genetic data of 116 children with newly diagnosed AML in Wuhan Children's Hospital from September 2015 to August 2022 were retrospectively analyzed.The Fisher's exact test was used to analyze the correlation of gene mutations with clinical features,and Kaplan-Meier curve was used to analyze the influences of gene mutations on the prognosis.Results:NRAS(22%),KRAS(14.9%),and KIT(14.7%)mutations were the most common genetic abnormalities in 116 children with AML.Children with KIT,CEBPA and GATA2 mutations showed a higher median onset-age than those without mutations(all P<0.05).Children with FLT3-ITD mutation exhibited a higher white blood cell count at initial diagnosis compared to those without mutations(P<0.05).Children with ASXL2 mutation had lower platelet count and hemoglobin at initial diagnosis than those without mutations(both P<0.05).KIT mutations were often co-occurred with t(8;21)(q22;q22).There was no significant relationship between gene mutation and minimal residual disease(MRD)remission rate after the first and second induction therapy(P>0.05).KIT and NRAS mutations were not associated with prognosis significantly(P>0.05).The overall survival(OS)rates of children with CEBPA and FLT3-ITD mutations were superior to those without mutations,but the differences were not statistically significant(P>0.05).The 3-year OS rate of 61 children treated by allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation was 89.8%,which was significantly higher than 55.2%of those only treated by chemotherapy(P<0.001).Conclusions:Gene mutations are common in children with AML,and next-generation sequencing can significantly improve the detection rate of gene mutations,which can guide the risk stratification therapy.In addition,FLT3-ITD and KIT mutations may no longer be poor prognostic factors.

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