1.Olfactory Receptors Expressed in The Intestine and Their Functions
Pei-Wen YANG ; Meng-Meng YUAN ; Ying ZHOU ; Peng LI ; Gui-Hong QI ; Ying YANG ; Zhong-Yi MAO ; Meng-Sha ZHOU ; Xiao-Shuang MAO ; Jian-Ping XIE ; Yi-Nan YANG ; Shi-Hao SUN
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(3):534-549
Olfactory receptors (ORs) form the largest superfamily of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Traditionally recognized for their role in the nasal olfactory epithelium, where they mediate the sense of smell, accumulating evidence has firmly established their ectopic expression in non-olfactory tissues, including the intestine, lungs, and kidneys. The intestine, as the primary site for nutrient digestion and absorption, harbors a highly complex chemical environment. To adapt to this environment, the gut employs a sophisticated network of “chemosensors” to monitor luminal contents and maintain homeostasis. Among these sensors, intestinal ORs have emerged as crucial functional components, serving as a molecular bridge that connects environmental chemical signals—such as food-derived odorants—to specific physiological responses. This discovery has significantly deepened our understanding of how dietary flavors and compounds influence intestinal physiology at the molecular level. This review systematically summarizes the expression profiles, ligand classification, and biological functions of ORs within the gastrointestinal tract. Studies indicate that intestinal ORs exhibit distinct spatial distribution patterns across different gut segments and display cell-type specificity, particularly within enterocytes and enteroendocrine cells. These receptors function as versatile sensors capable of recognizing a wide variety of ligands, including exogenous dietary components, gut microbiota metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids, and endogenous small molecules like azelaic acid. Upon activation by specific ligands, intestinal ORs trigger intracellular signaling cascades, primarily involving the AC-cAMP-PKA pathway or calcium influx channels. A major focus of this review is to elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which these receptors regulate the secretion of gut hormones. Activation of specific ORs in enteroendocrine cells has been shown to stimulate the release of hormones such as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), peptide YY (PYY), and serotonin (5-HT), thereby modulating systemic energy metabolism, glucose homeostasis, and gastrointestinal motility. Furthermore, the review addresses the critical roles of ORs in immune regulation and pathology. Evidence suggests that specific ORs contribute to the maintenance of intestinal immune homeostasis and may offer protection against inflammation. Beyond their involvement in inflammatory responses, ORs such as Olfr78 have been shown to regulate the differentiation and function of intestinal endocrine cells. Similarly, Olfr544 has been demonstrated to alleviate intestinal inflammation by remodeling the gut microbiome and metabolome. These findings collectively suggest that specific ORs hold promise as therapeutic targets for mitigating intestinal inflammation and maintaining gut homeostasis. Additionally, the review explores the emerging role of ORs in cancer. Although OR expression is often downregulated in tumor tissues compared to normal mucosa, activation of specific ORs by certain ligands can inhibit tumor cell proliferation and migration and induce apoptosis via pathways such as MEK/ERK and p38 MAPK. Conversely, other receptors, such as OR7C1, may serve as biomarkers for cancer-initiating cells. In conclusion, intestinal ORs represent a vital component of the gut’s sensory network. The review also discusses the translational potential of these findings. By elucidating the precise pairing relationships between dietary components and specific ORs, novel therapeutic strategies could be developed. Intestinal ORs may thus emerge as promising targets for nutritional and pharmacological interventions in metabolic diseases, inflammatory bowel diseases, and malignancies.
2.Expert consensus on the application of artificial intelligence in lung cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment (2026 edition)
Wenzhao ZHONG ; Haibo WANG ; Yi HU ; Hao ZHANG ; Jigang DAI ; Junqiang FAN ; Guibin QIAO ; Fan YANG ; Jian HU ; Fengwei TAN ; Xuening YANG ; Qiang PU ; Zihao CHEN ; Hongxia TIAN ; Lunxu LIU ; Hecheng LI ; Xiaolong YAN ; Zongyang YU ; Zhenbin QIU ; Yihua SUN ; Jing HU ; Yuhang SHI ; Zhifei GUO ; Peng ZHANG ; Kezhong CHEN ; Shugeng GAO ; Yilong WU
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2026;33(06):848-856
With the continuous deepening of the concept of precision diagnosis and treatment for lung cancer, how to achieve higher efficiency and accuracy in the screening, diagnosis, and treatment pathways in clinical practice has become an important issue that urgently needs to be overcome. The current clinical difficulty lies in the fact that despite continuous advancements in imaging and molecular diagnostic technologies, there are still limitations in manual efficiency and subjective experience when it comes to massive data analysis and multi-scale feature extraction. Artificial intelligence (AI), especially algorithm systems based on deep learning, is an innovative technology capable of deeply empowering medical big data. This method utilizes algorithms such as convolutional neural networks, combined with radiomics, pathomics, and multi-modal data fusion analysis, demonstrating immense potential in early precise detection and benign-malignant differentiation of pulmonary nodules, digital pathological subtype recognition and non-invasive prediction of driver genes, precise 3D surgical planning and automatic delineation of radiotherapy target volumes, as well as dynamic risk warning during follow-up. This innovative technology provides a brand-new solution for realizing intelligent and individualized lung cancer diagnosis and treatment models. This consensus, based on the latest evidence from evidence-based medicine and combined with the development trends in the AI field and real-world clinical needs, was ultimately formed by gathering the consensus opinions of multidisciplinary experts in radiology, pathology, thoracic surgery, and other fields. The main content covers the application specifications of AI in the three core scenarios of lung cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment, the technical standards for data collection and algorithm validation, as well as the ethical and regulatory challenges faced at the current stage. It aims to clarify the applicable boundaries of AI as a clinical auxiliary decision support tool, providing scientific guidance and standardized exploration directions for peers currently engaged in or planning to carry out AI-assisted clinical diagnosis, treatment, and translation of lung cancer.
3.Genetic evolution characteristics and their influence on disease transmission in sandflies in various environments in China
Lei CUI ; Ya-qi HE ; Zheng-bin ZHOU ; Yuan FANG ; Zhong-qiu LI ; Yuan-yuan LI ; Li-min YANG ; Yi ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Zoonoses 2025;41(5):501-507
This study analyzed the genetic evolutionary characteristics of sandflies and their effects on the spread of kala-azar in various environments in endemic provinces in China,to provide a scientific basis for kala-azar disease prevention and control.Sand-flies were collected in kala-azar endemic areas such as southern Xinjiang,the large hilly areas of southern Gansu,the northern Sich-uan and Taihang Mountains,and surrounding small hills.The cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and cytochrome b gene fragments of mito-chondrial DNA were amplified to identify sandfly species.The COI and Cytb gene sequences of sandflies from southern Xinjiang and Si-chuan recorded in NCBI were also collected.The intraspecific and interspecific genetic differences of sandflies were calculated in MEGA11.0,and a phylogenetic tree was constructed through the neighbor-joining method,for analysis of the genetic and evolutionary characteristics of sandfly populations and their effects on disease transmission.A total of 155 sandflies were collected from nine sam-pling sites in seven provinces of China;the species included Phlebotomus chinensis,Phlebotomus wui,and Sergentomyia squamirostris.Five sandfly species belonging to two genera were collected:P.chinensis,P.wui,and Phlebotomus alexandri in the genus Phleboto-mus,and S.squamirostris in the genus Sergentomyia.Genetic evolution analysis based on COI and Cytb gene sequences indicated intra-specific genetic distances of 0-0.062 and 0-0.056,respectively,and interspecific genetic distances of 0.126-0.176 and 0.110-0.171,respectively.The phylogenetic tree indicated that P.wui,P.alexandri,Phlebotomus longiductus,and S.squamirostris clus-tered into one branch.The sequences of P.chinensis in the large and small hilly areas clustered into two geographical clades.In the small hilly areas,the sequences of P.chinensis aggregates showed small genetic differences,the pathogen infection was consistent,and the cases showed an epidemic spread trend.Large genetic differences at the molecular level were observed among sandflies in dif-ferent ecological regions,thus indicating key effects on leishmaniasis transmission.On the basis of these findings,prevention and con-trol strategies should be adapted to local conditions,and precise and effective prevention and control measures should be formulated according to the genetic evolution characteristics of sandflies in different regions,to better control the transmission of Kala-azar.
4.Effect of total flavones of Coreopsis tinctoria Nutt on vascular dementia by inhibiting miR-93-mediated TLR4 signaling pathway and its mechanism
Meng-ying HU ; Dong-mei YANG ; Yi-zhong ZHU ; Qin-lan LIANG ; Houwati NUERBAHETI ; Xiao-jun YANG ; Hasimu HAMULATI
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2025;41(7):1237-1244
Aim To investigate the effect of total fla-vones of Coreopsis tinctoria Nutt(CF)on cognitive im-pairment in vascular dementia(VD).Methods The VD rat models were established by modified bilateral common carotid arteries ligation method.SD rats were divided into the sham operation group,model group,positive control group(nicergoline),and low,medium,and high dose CF groups.After eight weeks of admin-istration,the short term memory and spatial learning and memory abilities were evaluated by the platform jumping test,dark avoidance test and Morris water maze test.The pathological changes of the hippocam-pal tissues were inspected by HE and Nissl staining.The contents of TNF-α and IL-1β in the hippocampal were examined by ELISA.The protein expression lev-els of TLR4,MyD88,NF-κB p65,and p-NF-κB p65 in the hippocampal were detected by Western blot.The mRNA expression levels of miR-93,TLR4,MyD88,and NF-κB p65 in the hippocampal were determined by qRT-PCR.Results CF obviously improved the short term memory and spatial learning and memory abilities of VD rats,and alleviated the pathological damage of the hippocampus.CF also obviously decreased the lev-els of TNF-α and IL-1β,declined the protein expres-sion levels of TLR4,MyD88,and p-NF-κB p65,and re-duced the miR-93,TLR4,and MyD88 mRNA expres-sion in the hippocampus.Conclusion CF has a nota-ble protective effect on the neuroinflammation and cog-nitive impairments in VD rats by inhibiting the miR-93-mediated TLR4 signaling pathway.
5.Risk factors analysis and predictive model development and validation for trauma-induced coagulopathy in pediatric patients with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury
Yuchen LIU ; Yi ZHONG ; Hailing YANG ; Zhenjiang BAI ; Feng LIU ; Hangzhou WANG
Chinese Journal of Trauma 2025;41(8):754-763
Objective:To analyze risk factors for early trauma-induced coagulopathy (TIC) in pediatric patients with moderate-to-severe traumatic brain injury (msTBI), develop a predictive model and evaluate its predictive performance.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 290 pediatric patients with msTBI who were admitted to Children′s Hospital of Soochow University between January 2016 and December 2024, including 188 boys and 102 girls, aged 0.2-15.7 years [5.2(2.8, 9.3)years]. Based on the coagulation test results at admission, the patients were divided into TIC group ( n=162) and non-TIC group ( n=128). The patients were randomly allocated into training set ( n=203) and validation set ( n=87) at a ratio of 7∶3. Demographic characteristics, clinical data, vital signs, imaging findings, arterial blood gas analysis results, and coagulation profiles of the patients were collected. Univariate analysis and Lasso regression analysis were used to identify risk factors associated with early TIC in children with msTBI and multivariate Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine independent risk factors and construct a predictive model. The model′s discrimination and calibration were evaluated using the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC), Hosmer-Lemeshow (H-L) test, and calibration curve. Its clinical utility was assessed through decision curve analysis (DCA). Results:Significant differences were observed between the TIC group and non-TIC group in terms of age, weight, time from injury to admission, child′s Glasgow coma scale (CGCS) score, pediatric trauma score (PTS), shock index, heart rate, respiratory rate, systolic blood pressure, Rotterdam CT score, intraventricular hemorrhage, cerebral contusion, brain herniation, long bone fracture, pelvic fracture, hemopneumothorax, pulmonary contusion, intra-abdominal organ injury, actual bicarbonate, base excess, base excess in the extracellular fluid, blood glucose, hemoglobin (Hb), osmolarity, blood calcium, anion gap, blood lactate, prothrombin time, activated partial thromboplastin time, international normalized ratio, and platelet count ( P<0.05). With coagulation-related variables excluded, the following features were identified with Lasso regression including CGCS score, PTS, heart rate, systolic blood pressure, long bone fracture, blood glucose, and Hb. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis revealed that CGCS score≤8 points ( OR=3.05, 95% CI 1.65, 5.63), PTS>5 points ( OR=0.45, 95% CI 0.23, 0.89), systolic blood pressure ( OR=0.98, 95% CI 0.97, 0.99), blood glucose ( OR=1.09, 95% CI 1.01, 1.17), and long bone fracture ( OR=2.47, 95% CI 1.13, 5.42) were influencing factors for early TIC in children with msTBI ( P<0.05). The regression equation of the predictive model was established as follows: Logit[ P/(1- P)]=1.01×"CGCS score≤8 points"-0.69×"PTS>5 points"- 0.02×"systolic blood pressure"+0.89×"long bone fracture"+0.08×"blood glucose"+1.32. The ROC curve analysis showed that the training set had an AUC of 0.86 (95% CI 0.78, 0.94), with sensitivity and specificity of 76.6% and 92.5%, while the AUC was 0.80 (95% CI 0.74, 0.86), with sensitivity and specificity of 75.7% and 79.6% in the validation set. H-L test results showed a χ2 value of 8.18 ( P=0.416) in the training set and 5.30 ( P=0.216) in the validation set. The calibration curves for both sets demonstrated good agreement with the actual curves, indicating that the predicted probabilities closely matched the observed probabilities. The DCA results indicated that both the training set and validation set demonstrated positive net benefits within threshold probabilities ranges of 10%-100% and 15%-96%. Conclusions:Independent risk factors for early TIC in pediatric msTBI patients include CGCS score≤ 8 points, PTS≤5 points, low systolic blood pressure, long bone fracture, and high blood glucose. The predictive model constructed based on these factors demonstrates favorable predictive performance and clinical application value.
6.Role and mechanism of osteoblast autophagy in exercise-related improvements in osteoporosis
Xiaoyan YI ; Xinyu ZENG ; Yuwei LIU ; Yuxin YANG ; Chenghao ZHONG ; Jianbo HU ; Xianghe CHEN
Chinese Journal of Comparative Medicine 2025;35(3):156-169
The role of osteoblast(OB)autophagy in regulating bone metabolism is a research hotspot in the field of biomedicine.OB autophagy can regulate osteoporosis(OP)induced by aging,oxidative stress,estrogen deficiency,and glucocorticoids(GCs)by mediating factors such as run and cysteine rich domain containing Beclin-1 interacting protein(RUBCN),silent information regulator of transcription 1(SIRT1),and osteoprotegerin(OPG).OB autophagy can also regulate OP by activating notch receptor(Notch)and forkhead box protein O subfamily(FoxO),up-regulating the expression of osteogenic transcription factors(such as Runx2 and Osterix),and mediating the amp-activated protein kinase(AMPK),mammalian target of rapamycin complex(mTOR),Wnt,and c-Jun n terminal kinase(JNK)pathways to act on OB and osteoclast(OC)differentiation.Exercise is an important means of improving OP,and its molecular mechanism is closely related to the up-regulation of phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase(PI3K),adenosine monophosphate(AMP),tumor necrosis factor-alpha(TNF-α),and SIRT1 expression.These in turn activate key factors or pathways(including AMPK,mTOR,Wnt,PI3K/protein kinase B(Akt)/mTOR,and nuclear transcription factor-KB(NF-κB)),regulate the expression of downstream target genes(β-catenin,mTOR,FoxO3a and B cell lymphoma-2(Bcl-2))to up-regulate the expression of autophagy factors(Beclin-1,autophagy related genes(ATG),and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3(LC3)),and promote OB autophagy to restore the dynamic balance in the body,thereby regulating bone formation and bone resorption and improving OP.The relationships among exercise,OB autophagy and OP,however,remain unclear and there is currently a lack of systematic reviews.Here we review and analyze the mechanism of OB autophagy in relation to exercise-induced improvements in OP,and provide a new theoretical basis and research ideas for the prevention and treatment of OP.
7.Mass Spectrometry-based Identification of GP73 Interacting Proteins Reveals Its Regulatory Role on RNA Splicing Efficiency
Chang ZHANG ; Mu-Yi LIU ; Meng-Xin YANG ; Lu-Ming WAN ; Hui ZHONG ; Cong-Wen WEI
Chinese Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 2025;41(3):404-414
Protein-protein interactions play an extremely important role in the biochemical functions of cells,and in-depth analysis of protein interactions is the key to understanding cellular life activities.In this study,we systematically mined the interacting proteins of Golgi protein 73(GP73)using classical immunoprecipitation combined with mass spectrometry,and sought to further analyze the molecular func-tion of GP73.Hepatocellular carcinoma cell line HepG2 was selected,and a stable cell line overexpress-ing GP73-3Flag was constructed using lentiviral infection technology.A total of 78 high-confidence GP73 interacting proteins were identified by immunoprecipitation coupled with mass spectrometry.Bioinformat-ics analyses suggested that GP73 interacted with nearly 40 cytosolic proteins and participated in the bio-logical processes of RNA transport,splicing,and translation.Further immunofluorescence and cytosolic protein isolation experiments confirmed the cytosolic localization of GP73 in a variety of tumor cells.Based on the 78 interacting proteins,we further screened protein interaction networks related to mRNA splicing and verified the existence of interactions between GP73 and seven proteins,including HNRN-PH3,SMN1,RBM14,andNCBP1,by co-immunoprecipitation experiments.In addition,minigene spli-cing assay results indicated that GP73 inhibited the splicing efficiency of pre-mRNA by cells.This study contributes to the expansion of knowledge regarding the function of GP73 and aids in elucidating its criti-cal role in cell biology and its potential association with diseases.
8.Genetic evolution characteristics and their influence on disease transmission in sandflies in various environments in China
Lei CUI ; Ya-qi HE ; Zheng-bin ZHOU ; Yuan FANG ; Zhong-qiu LI ; Yuan-yuan LI ; Li-min YANG ; Yi ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Zoonoses 2025;41(5):501-507
This study analyzed the genetic evolutionary characteristics of sandflies and their effects on the spread of kala-azar in various environments in endemic provinces in China,to provide a scientific basis for kala-azar disease prevention and control.Sand-flies were collected in kala-azar endemic areas such as southern Xinjiang,the large hilly areas of southern Gansu,the northern Sich-uan and Taihang Mountains,and surrounding small hills.The cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and cytochrome b gene fragments of mito-chondrial DNA were amplified to identify sandfly species.The COI and Cytb gene sequences of sandflies from southern Xinjiang and Si-chuan recorded in NCBI were also collected.The intraspecific and interspecific genetic differences of sandflies were calculated in MEGA11.0,and a phylogenetic tree was constructed through the neighbor-joining method,for analysis of the genetic and evolutionary characteristics of sandfly populations and their effects on disease transmission.A total of 155 sandflies were collected from nine sam-pling sites in seven provinces of China;the species included Phlebotomus chinensis,Phlebotomus wui,and Sergentomyia squamirostris.Five sandfly species belonging to two genera were collected:P.chinensis,P.wui,and Phlebotomus alexandri in the genus Phleboto-mus,and S.squamirostris in the genus Sergentomyia.Genetic evolution analysis based on COI and Cytb gene sequences indicated intra-specific genetic distances of 0-0.062 and 0-0.056,respectively,and interspecific genetic distances of 0.126-0.176 and 0.110-0.171,respectively.The phylogenetic tree indicated that P.wui,P.alexandri,Phlebotomus longiductus,and S.squamirostris clus-tered into one branch.The sequences of P.chinensis in the large and small hilly areas clustered into two geographical clades.In the small hilly areas,the sequences of P.chinensis aggregates showed small genetic differences,the pathogen infection was consistent,and the cases showed an epidemic spread trend.Large genetic differences at the molecular level were observed among sandflies in dif-ferent ecological regions,thus indicating key effects on leishmaniasis transmission.On the basis of these findings,prevention and con-trol strategies should be adapted to local conditions,and precise and effective prevention and control measures should be formulated according to the genetic evolution characteristics of sandflies in different regions,to better control the transmission of Kala-azar.
9.Effect of total flavones of Coreopsis tinctoria Nutt on vascular dementia by inhibiting miR-93-mediated TLR4 signaling pathway and its mechanism
Meng-ying HU ; Dong-mei YANG ; Yi-zhong ZHU ; Qin-lan LIANG ; Houwati NUERBAHETI ; Xiao-jun YANG ; Hasimu HAMULATI
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2025;41(7):1237-1244
Aim To investigate the effect of total fla-vones of Coreopsis tinctoria Nutt(CF)on cognitive im-pairment in vascular dementia(VD).Methods The VD rat models were established by modified bilateral common carotid arteries ligation method.SD rats were divided into the sham operation group,model group,positive control group(nicergoline),and low,medium,and high dose CF groups.After eight weeks of admin-istration,the short term memory and spatial learning and memory abilities were evaluated by the platform jumping test,dark avoidance test and Morris water maze test.The pathological changes of the hippocam-pal tissues were inspected by HE and Nissl staining.The contents of TNF-α and IL-1β in the hippocampal were examined by ELISA.The protein expression lev-els of TLR4,MyD88,NF-κB p65,and p-NF-κB p65 in the hippocampal were detected by Western blot.The mRNA expression levels of miR-93,TLR4,MyD88,and NF-κB p65 in the hippocampal were determined by qRT-PCR.Results CF obviously improved the short term memory and spatial learning and memory abilities of VD rats,and alleviated the pathological damage of the hippocampus.CF also obviously decreased the lev-els of TNF-α and IL-1β,declined the protein expres-sion levels of TLR4,MyD88,and p-NF-κB p65,and re-duced the miR-93,TLR4,and MyD88 mRNA expres-sion in the hippocampus.Conclusion CF has a nota-ble protective effect on the neuroinflammation and cog-nitive impairments in VD rats by inhibiting the miR-93-mediated TLR4 signaling pathway.
10.Research progress on mechanism of curcumin in treatment of depression
Lin WANG ; Qi-fei PAN ; Wen-juan LONG ; Jia-rong DU ; Zhong-yang HU ; Xin-yao LI ; Yi-shu CHEN ; Dong-dong QIN ; Xiao-man LYU
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2025;41(9):1618-1623
Depression is a prevalent mental and emotional disor-der that often results in significant emotional disturbances,cog-nitive dysfunction,and memory impairments.It is characterized by a high incidence rate,a substantial disability burden,and limited therapeutic efficacy.Currently,the long-term use of medications for the treatment of depression can result in a range of adverse reactions,highlighting the urgent need to explore no-vel approaches that can effectively alleviate depressive symptoms while minimizing side effects.Curcumin,a natural polyphenolic compound derived from the rhizome of turmeric,demonstrates considerable potential in the prevention and treatment of depres-sion,owing to its diverse array of biological activities.In recent years,numerous studies have investigated the use of curcumin for the treatment of depression.This article aims to provide a comprehensive review of the mechanisms of action underlying curcumin's efficacy in treating depression.Specifically,it focu-ses on its ability to improve neurotransmitter imbalances,restore neural plasticity,alleviate neural damage,mitigate dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal(HPA)axis,regulate in-flammatory factors and neuroinflammatory signaling pathways,and inhibit oxidative stress.This review is intended to offer in-sights and methodological references for basic research on curcu-min,as well as for the development of novel therapeutic agents for the treatment of depression.

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