1.Endoplasmic reticulum stress and pulmonary arterial hypertension: from pathological mechanisms to new perspectives on targeted intervention
Yuxi CAO ; Zhifeng XUE ; Siyi ZHOU ; Xiansheng LIU
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(8):1498-1504
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a life-threatening condition characterized by a progressive elevation in pulmonary vascular pressure, ultimately leading to right ventricular dysfunction and failure. The core pathological features of PH include abnormal contraction of small pulmonary arteries and vascular remodeling. In recent years, endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS), a critical adaptive response of cells to internal and external stressors, has been shown to play a key role in the development and progression of PH. Through the activation of major signaling pathways such as protein kinase R-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase (PERK), inositol-requiring enzyme 1α (IRE1α), and activating transcription factor 6 (ATF6), ERS is directly involved in regulating aberrant cellular behaviors and vascular remodeling in PH. This review systematically discusses the specific role of ERS in the pathogenesis of PH and evaluates its potential as a therapeutic target, aiming to provide a theoretical foundation for novel clinical interventions in PH.
2.Bioinformatics Reveals Mechanism of Schisandrin B in Inhibiting Ferroptosis to Ameliorate Methionine and Choline Deficiency-induced Fatty Liver Disease in Mice
Zhifeng ZHU ; Wenting LI ; Yongjun CAO ; Yuanyuan LIN ; Yifei LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(2):74-83
ObjectiveNonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a metabolic stress liver injury. Ferroptosis is involved in the occurrence and development of NAFLD. Exploring the efficacy and mechanism of schisandrin B in treating NAFLD facilitates the development of strategies for the prevention and treatment of NAFLD. MethodsThe molecular structure of schisandrin B was obtained by searching against PubChem, and the related targets were predicted by SwissTargetPrediction. The active ingredients and their targets were retrieved from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP) and the high-throughput experiment- and reference-guide database of traditional Chinese medicine (HERB). GeneCards and FerrDb were searched for the targets of NAFLD and ferroptosis. The common targets were taken as the core targets, and the protein-protein interaction network of the core targets was established. DAVID was used for gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses. Finally, molecular docking was performed between schisandrin B and core targets, and the binding energy was calculated. C57BL/6 mice were fed with a methionine and choline-deficiency (MCD) diet for the modeling of NAFLD. Mice were randomized into normal, model, positive drug (essentiale), and low- and high-dose schisandrin B groups. The body mass and liver index of mice were measured after drug administration. The levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in the serum and those of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and Fe2+ in the liver homogenate were measured by biochemical assay kits. The pathological changes of the liver tissue were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and red oil O staining. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to determine the levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) in the serum. Western blotting and real-time PCR were employed to determine the protein and mRNA levels, respectively, of solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11), solute carrier family 3 member 2 (SLC3A2), glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), transferrin, and ferritin heavy chain (FTH) in the liver tissue. ResultsA total of 2 370, 2 547, and 1 451 targets of schisandrin B, NAFLD, and ferroptosis were obtained, in which 90 common targets were shared by the three. Enrichment analyses predicted 505 GO terms and 92 KEGG pathways. Molecular docking suggested that schizandrin B had strong binding affinity with the key targets of ferropstosis (SLC7A11 and SLC3A2). Animal experiments showed that schizandrin B significantly decreased the liver index, lowered the levels of ALT, AST, TC, TG, IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α, alleviated hepatocyte ballooning and inflammatory cell infiltration, and reduced lipid accumulation in the liver of NAFLD mice. In addition, schisandrin B significantly lowered the levels of MDA, 4-HNE, and Fe2+, elevated the level of GSH, up-regulated the protein and mRNA levels of SLC7A11, SLC3A2, and GPX4, and down-regulated the protein and mRNA levels of transferrin in the liver tissue. ConclusionSchisandrin B can alleviate NAFLD by inhibiting ferroptosis in hepatocytes.
3.Study on the correlation between oxygenation index and monitored parameters of ventilator lung injury view
Yuanjuan TAO ; Yang LI ; Zhipeng LIU ; Zhifeng JI ; Zhigang CUI ; Chunhua YANG ; Dan QI
China Medical Equipment 2025;22(8):7-10
Objective:To explore the correlation between the oxygenation index and the monitored parameters of lung injury view in ventilator,so as to provide a basis for monitoring the change of oxygenation index by the parameters of lung injury view.Methods:A total of 28 patients who received mechanical ventilation treatment and admitted to respiratory department of the First Affiliated Hospital with Nanjing Medical University from May 14 to September 30,2024 were selected.The monitored parameters of lung injury views of them during mechanical ventilation treatment with invasive ventilators were collected,including platform pressure(Pplat),driving pressure(ΔP),mechanical energy(Emech),ratio of tidal volume to ideal body weight(TVe/IBW),etc..Then,the data of oxygenation index were obtained.Finally,135 valid data were screened out.The 84 pieces of data with oxygenation index≤300mmHg were included in low oxygen group,and 51 data with oxygenation index>300mmHg were included in normal group.The correlations between oxygenation index and Pplat,ΔP,Emech,TVe/IBW were conducted by pairwise analysis.Results:In the low oxygen group,the oxygenation index was[(196.302±74.522)mmHg]significantly negative correlation with Emech[(12.686±5.401)J/min](ρ=-0.425,P<0.05),but not was significant correlation with Pplat,ΔP,and TVe/IBW(P>0.05).In the normal group,there were not significant correlations between the oxygenation index and Pplat,ΔP,Emech and TVe/IBW(P>0.05).There was a significant negative correlation between Emech and rank of oxygenation index(β=-0.389,P<0.05)in the low oxygen group.Conclusion:The visualization function of the Emech of the monitored parameters in lung injury view of ventilator can provide help for monitoring the changes of oxygenation index of patients in the low oxygen group,and can improve the oxygenation of patients by optimizing mechanical energy.However,it is necessary to balance the contradiction between ventilation intensity and protection for lung.
4.Study on the protective effect of renal interstitial fibrosis by 1,25(OH)2D3 based on NF-κB signaling pathway
Huifeng GONG ; Yijing KONG ; Chunjiang ZHANG ; Dong LIU ; Zhifeng LIN
China Modern Doctor 2025;63(25):61-65
Objective To explore the mechanism of 1,25-dihydroxy vitamin D3[1,25(OH)2D3]in renal interstitial fibrosis mediated by nuclear factor κB(NF-κB)and inflammatory cytokines.Methods Taking the renal interstitial fibrosis model induced by transforming growth factor-β1(TGF-β1)as the research object,they were divided into blank group(HK-2 cells+complete culture medium),model group(5ng/ml TGF-β1 stimulated HK-2 cells for 48 hours),intervention group A[with 10-7mol/L 1,25(OH)2D3 intervention for 24 hours on the basis of model group],intervention group B[with 10-7mol/L 1,25(OH)2D3 intervention for 48 hours on the basis of model group]and intervention group C[with 10-7mol/L 1,25(OH)2D3 intervention for 72 hours on the basis of model group].The cell morphology,activity,protein expression and inflammatory factor levels of each group were observed and compared.Results The cell viability of model group was significantly lower than that of blank group(P<0.05),the cell viability of intervention groups A,B and C was significantly higher than that of model group(P<0.05).The protein expressions of p-NF-κBp65/NF-κBp65 and smooth muscle actin α(α-SMA),as well as the levels of interleukin-6(IL-6)and tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α)in model group were significantly higher than those in blank group,while the protein expression of E-cadherin was significantly lower than that in blank group(P<0.05).The protein expressions of p-NF-κBp65/NF-κBp65 and α-SMA,as well as the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in intervention groups A,B and C were significantly lower than those in model group,while protein expression of E-cadherin was significantly higher than that in model group(P<0.05).Among them,the change in intervention group A was the most significant.Conclusion 1,25(OH)2D3 can alleviate renal interstitial fibrosis by regulating the NF-κB signaling pathway and inflammatory cytokines,and 24 hours may be the optimal intervention time window.
5.Three cases of refractory ulcerative colitis in children treated with vedolizumab
Fenglian LIN ; Yang MENG ; Zhifeng LIU
Chinese Journal of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases 2025;09(3):261-262
This article reports three cases of refractory ulcerative colitis in children treated with vedolizumab. Combined with domestic and foreign literature, the effectiveness and safety of the drug for children are discussed to provide a reference for the subsequent exploration of individualized treatment.
6.Research progress of inflammatory bowel disease complicated by depression and anxiety and the comorbid mechanisms
Zhifeng WU ; Xu CAI ; Xiya JIN ; Tao LIU
Chinese Journal of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases 2025;09(6):492-498
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), a chronic recurrent inflammatory bowel disease, is associated with depression and anxiety. Intestinal inflammation increases susceptibility to psychiatric disorders through a multidimensional network of immune-inflammatory, neuroendocrine, intestinal flora, and intestinal barrier abnormalities. Conversely, psychiatric stress exacerbates the pathology of IBD through immune regulation, intestinal barrier disruption, and microenvironmental alterations. Therefore, it is important to explore the mechanisms of comorbidity between IBD and depression and anxiety to optimise clinical management. This article reviews the comorbid mechanisms of IBD and depression and anxiety from the perspectives of immune-inflammatory axis, intestinal flora-metabolic pathway, intestinal barrier dysfunction, and neuroendocrine regulation in the context of rodent models, and explore potential intervention strategies, with the aim of providing new ideas and targets for therapeutic and transformation research in this field.
7.Exploration of the effect and design of placebo manipulation in clinical trials of manipulation
Changhe YU ; Hualong LU ; Zhifeng LIU ; Hui SHAO ; Baolin JIA ; Hao WANG ; Xiyou WANG ; Yanan SUN
International Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;47(10):1353-1358
This article summarized the current status and challenges of manipulation therapy for musculoskeletal pain and its placebo effect in clinical trials, analyzing the impact of the placebo effect on the evaluation of therapeutic efficacy. The efficacy of different manual manipulation techniques remains uncertain, and the degree of blinding and patient expectations play a crucial role in efficacy assessment. The article suggested improving trial design through standardized placebo intervention design, comprehensive investigation of patient expectations and psychological states, rigorous training of practitioners, and optimized diagnostic and treatment scenarios and doctor-patient relationship, to ensure consistency between intervention and placebo groups. Specific measures include the application of the DITTO (Deconstruct, Identify, Take out, Think, Optimize) framework, the use of standardized questionnaire tools, and multi-center, large-sample randomized controlled trials to enhance the external validity and statistical power of research results, thereby providing more scientifically reliable evidence for clinical practice.
8.Research progress on assessment tools for health behavior motivation in patients with cardiovascular diseases
Zhifeng ZHANG ; Lei LIU ; Yikang XU ; Daqiu WANG ; Jiayu WANG ; Yu TIAN ; Kaiwen ZHAN ; Siqi SUN ; Manman LI
Journal of Shenyang Medical College 2025;27(2):198-201
Health behavior motivation significantly affects the quality of life of patients with cardiovascular diseases.Assessing the level of health behavior motivation can measure the health behavior of individuals,help to promote the participation rate of cardiac rehabilitation,reduce the readmission rate of patients,and promote patients'healthy lifestyles.This article reviews the content,characteristics and application of assessment tools for health behavior motivation of patients with cardiovascular diseases at home and abroad,with the aim of providing references for the development and application of such tools in China,and offering a basis for scientifically assessing their health behavior motivation level and formulating effective strategies to promote health behavior motivation.
9.Research progress on assessment tools for the treatment burden of patients with chronic diseases
Kaiwen ZHAN ; Lei LIU ; Daqiu WANG ; Jiayu WANG ; Yu TIAN ; Manman LI ; Siqi SUN ; Zhifeng ZHANG
Journal of Shenyang Medical College 2025;27(1):74-78
The number of patients with chronic diseases in China has been increasing year by year,followed by the increase of treatment burden.It is particularly important to effectively evaluate the treatment burden of patients with chronic diseases.This paper reviews the main contents,application scope,advantages and disadvantages of the assessment tools for the treatment burden of patients with chronic diseases at home and abroad,so as to provide references and basis for medical staff to reasonably select assessment tools and conduct relevant clinical research.
10.Application of endoscopic healing index in monitoring the activity of Crohn′s disease
Yuan FENG ; Zhuo ZHANG ; Zhifeng LIU
Chinese Journal of Applied Clinical Pediatrics 2025;40(2):142-145
Crohn′s disease (CD) is a chronic, nonspecific inflammatory bowel disease involving the whole digestive tract with unknown etiology.The international inflammatory bowel disease organization recently proposed that the long-term goals of CD treatment are endoscopic remission, mucosal healing, and return to normal quality of life.Therefore, how to monitor disease activity to achieve long-term treatment goals faces severe challenges.As a new method, endoscopic healing index is of great significance for monitoring the activity of CD.In this paper, the concept of endoscopic healing index, the efficacy of monitoring endoscopic motion, the application in disease diagnosis and treatment, the challenges and opportunities are reviewed.

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