1.Metabolic profiling of lung cancer cells with acquired resistance to sotorasib
Peichen ZOU ; Hongyu LIU ; AIHEMAITI·AYINAZHAER ; Liang ZHU ; Yabin TANG ; Huimin LEI
Journal of Shanghai Jiaotong University(Medical Science) 2025;45(2):138-149
Objective·To explore the metabolic profiling and metabolic reprogramming patterns of lung cancer cells with acquired resistance to sotorasib,a specific inhibitor to KRAS.Methods·The H2122 and H358 lung cancer cell models with acquired resistance to sotorasib(H2122-SR and H358-SR cells)were established and validated by CCK-8 assay.Ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-QTOF/MS)was employed to acquire the metabolic profiling of the resistant lung cancer cells and their homologous parental cells.Untargeted metabolomics studies and metabolic characterizations were conducted with multi-dimensional methods,including principal component analysis(PCA)and partial least squares-discriminant analysis(PLS-DA),to identify differential metabolites associated with acquired resistance to sotorasib.Then these differential metabolites were subjected to pathway enrichment analysis.Heatmap analysis was used to compare the changes in metabolites in major differential metabolic pathways between the resistant and parental cells.Results·The cell models of H2122 and H358 with acquired resistance were successfully constructed,with half-maximal inhibitory concentrations(IC50)of sotorasib being 50 times higher than those of the parental cells.Besides,the metabolic profiling was significantly different between the resistant and parental cells.A total of 48 differential metabolites were identified between H2122-SR and H2122 cells.The top 10 differential metabolites,ranked by VIP values,were uridine,xanthylic acid,indole-3-carboxylic acid,nicotinic acid,xanthosine,xanthine,N-methylnicotinamide,hypoxanthine,trigonelline,and galactonic acid.Between H358-SR and H358 cells,a total of 79 differential metabolites were identified.The top 10 differential metabolites,ranked by VIP values,were glutathione,xanthosine,2-ketoglutaric acid,carboxyethyl lysine,thymidine,purine,riboflavin,3-indoleacrylic acid,indole-3-pyruvic acid,and dihydrouracil.The differential metabolites in the two lung cancer cell lines mainly participated in purine metabolism and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis,and purine metabolism was the most significantly altered metabolic pathway.Heatmap analysis showed that many metabolites in the purine metabolism were elevated in the sotorasib-resistant cells.Conclusion·The lung cancer cells with acquired resistance to sotorasib show enhanced purine metabolism.
2.Construction and Application Promotion of Core Medical Skills of"Tonifying Kidney Essence"in Zou's Nephrology Depart-ment
Gang WANG ; Yanqin ZOU ; Wei SUN ; Enchao ZHOU ; Lan YI ; Jun ZHU ; Wei KONG ; Jing ZHAO ; Liang CAO ; Hengbin WANG
Journal of Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;41(3):281-287
Professor Zou Yunxiang proposed the"kidney essence theory"in 1955,which believes that the kidney,as an important excretory organ in the human body,participates in the body's metabolism,and the basis for producing this effect is the essence of the kidney.Subsequently,the Zou nephrology team established the core medical technique of"tonifying the kidney element"based on this foundation,constructed a system of syndrome differentiation and treatment for chronic kidney disease,proposed the traditional Chinese medicine names,causes,and mechanisms of chronic kidney disease,as well as four major methods for diagnosing and treating chronic kidney disease,and developed representative drugs representing the core medical technique of"tonifying the kidney element"-Huang-zhi Yishen Capsules and Shenwu Yishen Tablets.In addition,the Zou nephrology team has extensively applied and promoted the core medical technique of"tonifying the kidney element".
3.Metabolic profiling of lung cancer cells with acquired resistance to sotorasib
Peichen ZOU ; Hongyu LIU ; AIHEMAITI·AYINAZHAER ; Liang ZHU ; Yabin TANG ; Huimin LEI
Journal of Shanghai Jiaotong University(Medical Science) 2025;45(2):138-149
Objective·To explore the metabolic profiling and metabolic reprogramming patterns of lung cancer cells with acquired resistance to sotorasib,a specific inhibitor to KRAS.Methods·The H2122 and H358 lung cancer cell models with acquired resistance to sotorasib(H2122-SR and H358-SR cells)were established and validated by CCK-8 assay.Ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UPLC-QTOF/MS)was employed to acquire the metabolic profiling of the resistant lung cancer cells and their homologous parental cells.Untargeted metabolomics studies and metabolic characterizations were conducted with multi-dimensional methods,including principal component analysis(PCA)and partial least squares-discriminant analysis(PLS-DA),to identify differential metabolites associated with acquired resistance to sotorasib.Then these differential metabolites were subjected to pathway enrichment analysis.Heatmap analysis was used to compare the changes in metabolites in major differential metabolic pathways between the resistant and parental cells.Results·The cell models of H2122 and H358 with acquired resistance were successfully constructed,with half-maximal inhibitory concentrations(IC50)of sotorasib being 50 times higher than those of the parental cells.Besides,the metabolic profiling was significantly different between the resistant and parental cells.A total of 48 differential metabolites were identified between H2122-SR and H2122 cells.The top 10 differential metabolites,ranked by VIP values,were uridine,xanthylic acid,indole-3-carboxylic acid,nicotinic acid,xanthosine,xanthine,N-methylnicotinamide,hypoxanthine,trigonelline,and galactonic acid.Between H358-SR and H358 cells,a total of 79 differential metabolites were identified.The top 10 differential metabolites,ranked by VIP values,were glutathione,xanthosine,2-ketoglutaric acid,carboxyethyl lysine,thymidine,purine,riboflavin,3-indoleacrylic acid,indole-3-pyruvic acid,and dihydrouracil.The differential metabolites in the two lung cancer cell lines mainly participated in purine metabolism and glycolysis/gluconeogenesis,and purine metabolism was the most significantly altered metabolic pathway.Heatmap analysis showed that many metabolites in the purine metabolism were elevated in the sotorasib-resistant cells.Conclusion·The lung cancer cells with acquired resistance to sotorasib show enhanced purine metabolism.
4.Construction and Application Promotion of Core Medical Skills of"Tonifying Kidney Essence"in Zou's Nephrology Depart-ment
Gang WANG ; Yanqin ZOU ; Wei SUN ; Enchao ZHOU ; Lan YI ; Jun ZHU ; Wei KONG ; Jing ZHAO ; Liang CAO ; Hengbin WANG
Journal of Nanjing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;41(3):281-287
Professor Zou Yunxiang proposed the"kidney essence theory"in 1955,which believes that the kidney,as an important excretory organ in the human body,participates in the body's metabolism,and the basis for producing this effect is the essence of the kidney.Subsequently,the Zou nephrology team established the core medical technique of"tonifying the kidney element"based on this foundation,constructed a system of syndrome differentiation and treatment for chronic kidney disease,proposed the traditional Chinese medicine names,causes,and mechanisms of chronic kidney disease,as well as four major methods for diagnosing and treating chronic kidney disease,and developed representative drugs representing the core medical technique of"tonifying the kidney element"-Huang-zhi Yishen Capsules and Shenwu Yishen Tablets.In addition,the Zou nephrology team has extensively applied and promoted the core medical technique of"tonifying the kidney element".
5.Analysis of serum inflammatory factors associated with antihistamine resistance in patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria using the Olink-targeted proteomics technology
Bihua LIANG ; Ziyan CHEN ; Huaping LI ; Hui ZOU ; Tianyi LIN ; Xiaofeng LI ; Luoyu ZHANG ; Shengxin LI ; Shanshan OU ; Jiaoquan CHEN ; Runxiang LI ; Huilan ZHU
Chinese Journal of Dermatology 2025;58(6):523-529
Objective:To analyze serum inflammatory factors associated with antihistamine resistance in patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) .Methods:A total of 88 CSU patients were enrolled from Guangzhou Dermatology Hospital from January 2022 to December 2024. All patients received antihistamine treatment according to the "Guideline for diagnosis and treatment of urticaria in China (2022) " . Based on the 7-day urticaria activity score (UAS7) after 4-week treatment, these patients were divided into an antihistamine-sensitive group and an antihistamine-resistant group. Serum levels of inflammatory factors at the initial visit were analyzed using the Olink-targeted proteomics technology. Specific biomarkers associated with antihistamine resistance were identified, and Spearman correlation analysis was carried out to analyze correlations among differentially expressed proteins. A logistic regression model was constructed based on the Olink proteomics data, and the predictive performance of the model was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Measurement data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation or median (lower quartile, upper quartile) .Results:The 88 CSU patients aged 12 to 81 (38.78 ± 13.89) years, with the disease duration being 18 (7.00, 60.00) months. There were 32 patients in the antihistamine-sensitive group and 56 in the antihistamine-resistant group. No significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of age, disease duration, gender, or history of allergic diseases (all P > 0.05) . After 4 weeks of antihistamine treatment, the UAS7 score was significantly higher in the antihistamine-resistant group (25.00 [15.25, 31.00] points) than in the antihistamine-sensitive group (0.50 [0.00, 4.00] points; Z = -7.08, P < 0.001) . The Olink-targeted proteomics identified 5 differentially expressed proteins between the two groups: compared with the antihistamine-sensitive group, the antihistamine-resistant group showed > 2-fold higher expression of fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19) , interleukin-15 receptor subunit alpha (IL-15RA) , eotaxin (CCL11) , and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) ; in contrast, the expression of sulfotransferase 1A1 (ST1A1) in the antihistamine-sensitive group was 2.54 times that in the antihistamine-resistant group. Among the differentially expressed proteins, MCP-1 showed the highest specificity (1.00) for predicting antihistamine resistance, followed by CCL11 (0.97) . Correlation analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between MCP-1 and CCL11, and a significant negative correlation between IL-15RA and ST1A1. ROC curve analysis showed that MCP-1 and CCL11 had area under the curve values of 0.603 and 0.630, respectively, in predicting antihistamine resistance. Conclusion:MCP-1 and CCL11 may be potential biomarkers for predicting antihistamine resistance in CSU patients.
6.Aluminum adjuvant promotes liver inflammation and fibrosis in mice:A novel approach to establish a liver fibrosis animal model
Zhixian ZHU ; Sen LIANG ; Nan ZHAO ; Huiling ZOU ; Liangjun ZHANG ; Xiaoxun ZHANG ; Jin CHAI
Liver Research 2025;9(3):209-220
Background and aims:Liver fibrosis is a prevalent pathological stage of various chronic liver diseases and has the potential to progress to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.However,experimental models for in vivo research are limited.Unexpectedly,increased liver inflammation and fibrosis were previously observed in mice treated with aluminum adjuvant(commercial Imject Alum,a mixture of Al(OH)3 and Mg(OH)2).Our study aimed to reveal the pathogenesis and pathological features of Imject Alum-induced liver injury and evaluate its potential as an experimental model of fibrotic liver disease.Methods and materials:C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into the following four groups:(ⅰ)control group,which received phosphate-buffered saline injections on days 1,12,26,40,and 54;(ⅱ)Imject Alum(Al(OH)3 160 mg/kg)D26 group,which was administered with Imject Alum(Al(OH)3 160 mg/kg)on days 1,12,and 26;(ⅲ)Imject Alum(Al(OH)3 80 mg/kg)D54;and(ⅳ)Imject Alum(Al(OH)3 160 mg/kg)D54 groups,which were treated with 80 mg/kg and 160 mg/kg of Imject Alum(Al(OH)3),respectively,on days 1,12,26,40,and 54.All reagents were delivered by intraperitoneal injection.Serum biochemical pa-rameters,liver pathology,and expression of genes related to inflammation and fibrogenesis were eval-uated.Transcriptome sequencing was performed.The genetic characteristics of the Imject Alum-induced liver lesions in the existing fibrosis model and patients with cirrhosis were determined.Results:Administration of Imject Alum(Al(OH)3 160 mg/kg)at certain points for 54 days led to extensive hepatic inflammation and fibrosis,accompanied by disturbed bile acid metabolism in mice.Moreover,Imject Alum aggravated liver inflammation and injury by activating the pyroptosis-related inflamma-some pathway.Transcriptome analysis revealed that Imject Alum-induced liver lesions had differentially expressed genes that were significantly enriched in pathways related to inflammation,fibrogenesis,and multiple metabolic processes.Moreover,Imject Alum-induced liver lesions exhibited gene signatures similar to those of existing fibrosis models and patients with cirrhosis.Conclusions:Aluminum adjuvant(Imject Alum;Al(OH)3 160 mg/kg)administration at certain points for 54 days resulted in notable liver injury,inflammation,and fibrosis.This model had similar gene expression characteristics with existing fibrosis models and liver samples from patients with cirrhosis.Overall,aluminum adjuvant(Imject Alum)-induced mouse model may be a novel approach for estab-lishing a liver fibrosis animal model.
7.Distribution and source tracing analysis of drug-resistant bacteria in the environment at pig farms in Shandong Province
Shu-meng YOU ; Yong WANG ; Da-yang ZOU ; Hong-bin WANG ; Jun-zhu BAI ; Dan-jie ZHANG ; Liang WEN ; Yuan-yong XU ; Wen-yi ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Zoonoses 2025;41(6):623-628
This study investigated the drug resistance and genetic relationships among strains co-existing in animals,the environ-ment,and the living quarters of employees at large-scale pig farms in certain regions of Shandong Province,to provide a scientific ba-sis for elucidating the transmission mechanisms of drug-resistant bacteria through bacterial traceability analysis.Samples were col-lected from two pig farms,and bacteria were isolated and purified.The species of the isolated strains were identified via 16S rRNA gene sequencing.Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted with a VITEK-2 Compact system and the disk diffusion method for strains present in pigs,the environment,and living areas.Furthermore,whole-genome sequencing was performed on the Illumina Miniseq platform to annotate drug resistance genes,and multilocus sequence typing(MLST)and core genome single nucleotide poly-morphism(cgSNP)analyses were used to trace the resistant strains.Three species—Staphylococcus aureus,Pseudomonas aeruginosa,and Bacillus cereus—were isolated and cultured from animals,the environment,and employee living areas,and their distributions were analyzed.These strains exhibited diverse drug resistance spectra and genetic diversity.Additionally,the strains displayed highly consistent resistance profiles,resistance genes,ST types,and SNP loci in pig urine,soil both inside and outside the facility,human drinking water,and the cafeteria and dormitories.Our findings indicated a potential risk of transmission of opportunistic pathogens be-tween the pig farming area and the living quarters.Particular attention should be paid to the environmental transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
8.Analysis of serum inflammatory factors associated with antihistamine resistance in patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria using the Olink-targeted proteomics technology
Bihua LIANG ; Ziyan CHEN ; Huaping LI ; Hui ZOU ; Tianyi LIN ; Xiaofeng LI ; Luoyu ZHANG ; Shengxin LI ; Shanshan OU ; Jiaoquan CHEN ; Runxiang LI ; Huilan ZHU
Chinese Journal of Dermatology 2025;58(6):523-529
Objective:To analyze serum inflammatory factors associated with antihistamine resistance in patients with chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU) .Methods:A total of 88 CSU patients were enrolled from Guangzhou Dermatology Hospital from January 2022 to December 2024. All patients received antihistamine treatment according to the "Guideline for diagnosis and treatment of urticaria in China (2022) " . Based on the 7-day urticaria activity score (UAS7) after 4-week treatment, these patients were divided into an antihistamine-sensitive group and an antihistamine-resistant group. Serum levels of inflammatory factors at the initial visit were analyzed using the Olink-targeted proteomics technology. Specific biomarkers associated with antihistamine resistance were identified, and Spearman correlation analysis was carried out to analyze correlations among differentially expressed proteins. A logistic regression model was constructed based on the Olink proteomics data, and the predictive performance of the model was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. Measurement data were expressed as mean ± standard deviation or median (lower quartile, upper quartile) .Results:The 88 CSU patients aged 12 to 81 (38.78 ± 13.89) years, with the disease duration being 18 (7.00, 60.00) months. There were 32 patients in the antihistamine-sensitive group and 56 in the antihistamine-resistant group. No significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of age, disease duration, gender, or history of allergic diseases (all P > 0.05) . After 4 weeks of antihistamine treatment, the UAS7 score was significantly higher in the antihistamine-resistant group (25.00 [15.25, 31.00] points) than in the antihistamine-sensitive group (0.50 [0.00, 4.00] points; Z = -7.08, P < 0.001) . The Olink-targeted proteomics identified 5 differentially expressed proteins between the two groups: compared with the antihistamine-sensitive group, the antihistamine-resistant group showed > 2-fold higher expression of fibroblast growth factor 19 (FGF19) , interleukin-15 receptor subunit alpha (IL-15RA) , eotaxin (CCL11) , and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) ; in contrast, the expression of sulfotransferase 1A1 (ST1A1) in the antihistamine-sensitive group was 2.54 times that in the antihistamine-resistant group. Among the differentially expressed proteins, MCP-1 showed the highest specificity (1.00) for predicting antihistamine resistance, followed by CCL11 (0.97) . Correlation analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between MCP-1 and CCL11, and a significant negative correlation between IL-15RA and ST1A1. ROC curve analysis showed that MCP-1 and CCL11 had area under the curve values of 0.603 and 0.630, respectively, in predicting antihistamine resistance. Conclusion:MCP-1 and CCL11 may be potential biomarkers for predicting antihistamine resistance in CSU patients.
9.Distribution and source tracing analysis of drug-resistant bacteria in the environment at pig farms in Shandong Province
Shu-meng YOU ; Yong WANG ; Da-yang ZOU ; Hong-bin WANG ; Jun-zhu BAI ; Dan-jie ZHANG ; Liang WEN ; Yuan-yong XU ; Wen-yi ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Zoonoses 2025;41(6):623-628
This study investigated the drug resistance and genetic relationships among strains co-existing in animals,the environ-ment,and the living quarters of employees at large-scale pig farms in certain regions of Shandong Province,to provide a scientific ba-sis for elucidating the transmission mechanisms of drug-resistant bacteria through bacterial traceability analysis.Samples were col-lected from two pig farms,and bacteria were isolated and purified.The species of the isolated strains were identified via 16S rRNA gene sequencing.Antimicrobial susceptibility testing was conducted with a VITEK-2 Compact system and the disk diffusion method for strains present in pigs,the environment,and living areas.Furthermore,whole-genome sequencing was performed on the Illumina Miniseq platform to annotate drug resistance genes,and multilocus sequence typing(MLST)and core genome single nucleotide poly-morphism(cgSNP)analyses were used to trace the resistant strains.Three species—Staphylococcus aureus,Pseudomonas aeruginosa,and Bacillus cereus—were isolated and cultured from animals,the environment,and employee living areas,and their distributions were analyzed.These strains exhibited diverse drug resistance spectra and genetic diversity.Additionally,the strains displayed highly consistent resistance profiles,resistance genes,ST types,and SNP loci in pig urine,soil both inside and outside the facility,human drinking water,and the cafeteria and dormitories.Our findings indicated a potential risk of transmission of opportunistic pathogens be-tween the pig farming area and the living quarters.Particular attention should be paid to the environmental transmission of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus.
10.Analysis and prediction of disease burden of cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases due to alcohol use in China from 1990 to 2030
Sui ZHU ; Shentong CHEN ; Yingying JIN ; Shangwen LU ; Fengjuan ZOU ; Wenjun MA ; Fangfang ZENG ; Xiaofeng LIANG
Chinese Journal of Epidemiology 2024;45(2):185-191
Objective:To comprehensively understand the disease burden of liver cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases caused by alcohol use in China from 1990 to 2019, as well as to predict the trends in disease burden from 2020 to 2030.Methods:The analysis utilized data from the Global Burden of Disease study in 2019 (GBD2019). Key indicators such as incidence rate, mortality rate, disability-adjusted life years (DALY), years of life lost due to premature mortality, and years lived with disability were selected to describe the disease burden of alcohol-related liver cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases in China from 1990 to 2019. The estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) was used to depict the temporal trends in disease burden. Furthermore, a Bayesian age-period-cohort (BAPC) model was constructed using R software to predict the age-standardized incidence rate (ASIR) and age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) of alcohol-related liver cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases in China from 2020 to 2030.Results:From 1990 to 2019, the incidence of alcohol-related liver cirrhosis and other chronic liver diseases in China showed an upward trend, with an EAPC of 0.31% (95% CI: 0.10%-0.52%). However, the DALY declined, with an EAPC of -2.81% (95% CI: -2.92% - -2.70%). The ASMR showed a downward trend, with an EAPC of -2.55% (95% CI: -2.66% - -2.45%). The highest incidence of cirrhosis of liver caused by alcohol and other chronic liver diseases was reported in the age group of 35-49 years, while the ASMR increased gradually with age, with a significant rise after the age of 30. The age-standardized DALY rate peaked between the ages of 55 and 64. The disease burden indicators for males were consistently higher than those for females during the same period. According to the predictions of the BAPC model, from 2020 to 2030, the ASIR for cirrhosis of liver caused by alcohol and other chronic liver diseases in the entire population of China was projected to increase from 3.45/100 000 in 2020 to 3.78/100 000 in 2030, a growth of 9.57%. Conversely, the ASMR was expected to decrease from 1.45/100 000 in 2020 to 1.24/100 000 in 2030, a reduction of 14.48%. Conclusions:The disease burden of cirrhosis of liver caused by alcohol and other chronic liver diseases remained serious in China, especially in men and the middle-aged to elderly population. There is a pressing need to prioritize attention and resources towards these groups. Despite the projected decrease in ASMR, the ASIR continued to rise and is expected to persist in its upward trend until 2030.

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