1.Targeting ER lipid raft-associated 1 reveals a coordinated cholesterol-dependent vulnerability in hepatocellular carcinoma
Yiming ZHANG ; Yushan HOU ; Xinxin WANG ; Kaikun XU ; Pei JIANG ; Siqi WANG ; Huimin KANG ; Hu ZHANG ; Jingzhuo JIN ; Xiaofen HUANG ; Zifeng LIU ; Songpeng YANG ; Jiaqi LIU ; Lingqiang ZHANG ; Fuchu HE ; Chunyan TIAN ; Aihua SUN
Clinical and Molecular Hepatology 2026;32(2):866-883
Background/Aims:
Dysregulated cholesterol metabolism is a hallmark of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that drives tumor initiation and progression. However, clinical targeting of cholesterol metabolism has yielded limited benefits due to stringent feedback in tumor cells. Identifying a central mediator capable of restoring cholesterol homeostasis within the cell’s intrinsically fine-tuned regulatory framework is urgently needed.
Methods:
We integrated a proteomic dataset from patients with cholesterol-dysregulated HCC into a global cholesterol metabolic regulatory network to identify potential therapeutic targets for disrupted cholesterol homeostasis. The prognostic significance of the candidate targets was further validated in an independent cohort through immunohistochemistry. Functional and mechanistic studies were conducted in vitro using HCC cell lines and in vivo using mouse models. The pharmacological efficacy of the candidate agent was evaluated in both subcutaneous and orthotopic HCC mouse models.
Results:
ER lipid raft-associated 1 (ERLIN1), a pivotal regulator of cholesterol metabolism reprogramming, was identified as an independent favorable prognostic indicator in HCC. ERLIN1 constrains HCC progression both in vitro and in vivo by stabilizing the INSIG1–SCAP–SREBP2 axis and maintaining the metabolic balance of intracellular cholesterol. Under hypoxia, impaired factor-inhibiting hypoxia-1-dependent hydroxylation of ASB11 at asparagine residues 90 and 92 enhances ASB11-mediated ERLIN1 degradation. Pharmacological targeting of this axis using zoledronic acid (ZoA) attenuated HCC progression by weakening the ASB11–ERLIN1 interaction and restoring cholesterol homeostasis.
Conclusions
ERLIN1 represents a druggable metabolic vulnerability in cholesterol-dysregulated HCC. Targeting the ASB11–ERLIN1 axis with the clinically approved ZoA reestablishes cholesterol homeostasis and offers a promising therapeutic strategy to overcome the current limitations of cholesterol-targeted HCC therapies.
2.Application progress on mass spectrometry imaging for quality control of traditional Chinese medicine
CHEN Zifeng ; ZENG Qiman ; CHEN Wenli ; XU Xinjun
Drug Standards of China 2026;27(1):0001-0007
Mass spectrometry imaging(MSI) is an imaging technique based on mass spectrometry, serving as a powerful tool for analyzing the composition and spatial distribution of substances. It holds broad application prospects in biologics research, drug development, environmental science and other fields. This article introduces the principles of MSI and highlights the characteristics of commonly used techniques, including matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging, secondary ion mass spectrometry imaging, and ambient ionization mass spectrometry imaging. This review summarizes recent advances in the application of MSI in traditional Chinese medicine(TCM), focusing on four aspects: the spatial distribution of TCM components, safety evaluation, quality control of TCM and quality control of TCM processing process. Furthermore, the advantages, challenges, and future directions of MSI in TCM quality control are discussed, aiming to provide a reference for related research.
3.Association between moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity and sedentary behavior among primary and secondary school students and their parents
YAO Zifeng, YE Rongrong, CHEN Jiade, XU Peng, HUANG Yanhong, LI Lixia, LI Hongjuan, GAO Yanhui
Chinese Journal of School Health 2025;46(1):68-72
Objective:
To explore the associations of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary behavior (SB) among primary and secondary school students and their parents, so as to provide a scientific basis for formulating targeted physical activity promotion strategies for children and adolescents.
Methods:
From 2021 to 2022, basic information and 24 h movement behaviors of 2 484 pairs of students and their parents were collected from five primary and secondary schools in Haizhu District, Guangzhou City, with a convenient sampling combining with cluster sampling method. Component regression models were constructed to analyze the relationship between parental MVPA, SB and primary and secondary school students MVPA and SB, and a component isochronous substitution model was used to explore the effects of mutual substitution between parental MVPA, residual components (time use components other than SB during the 24 h period), and SB on the behavioral activities of MVPA and SB in primary and secondary school students.
Results:
Parental MVPA and SB of students in grade 1 to 3 were positively correlated with both students MVPA and SB ( β=0.06, 0.12, P <0.01). The component isochronous substitution model showed that substituting 10 and 20 minutes of MVPA for SB by parents in grade 1 to 3 was associated with an increase in MVPA of students, and substituting 10 and 20 minutes of residual ingredients for SB was associated with a decrease in SB of students, with mean changes of 0.8 (95% CI =0.4-1.2) and 1.4 (95% CI =0.7-2.2) and -1.4 (95% CI =-1.7 to -1.1) and -2.9 (95% CI =-3.4 to -2.3)( P <0.05). No statistically significant associations were observed between parents of students in grades 4 to 6 and 7 to 9 and students physical activity and sedentary behaviour ( P >0.05).
Conclusions
Parents of students in grades 1 to 3 increases MVPA and decrease SB are beneficial to increase MVPA and decrease SB of students. Parents could promote physical activity among primary and secondary school students, and the intervention gateway should be advanced, with the low grades as the optimal intervention period.
4.Discussion on the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis from the Theory of"Deficient Qi Stagnation"Based on Mitophagy
Zifeng YE ; Gaoyan KUANG ; Yiwei YUAN ; Liguo QIU ; Xiaotong XU ; Zhi WEN ; Min LU
Chinese Journal of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;32(8):14-18
Mitophagy,a critical regulator of knee joint homeostasis,its dysfunction can lead to pathological changes such as reactive oxygen species overproduction,calcium ion overload,and extracellular matrix degradation,inducing cartilage degeneration and serving as a key pathological mechanism of knee osteoarthritis(KOA)."Deficient qi stagnation"represents the core pathogenesis of KOA.Mitochondria,analogous in function to qi and serving as its microscopic manifestation,exhibit a high degree of congruence between mitophagy and the defensive functions of qi.Based on the pathogenic characteristics of"deficient qi stagnation"of KOA,and integrating modern medical explanations of mitophagy,this article believed that the deficiency of liver,spleen and kidney qi is the fundamental reason for the imbalance of mitochondrial autophagy in KOA,and the retention of pathogenic toxins is the key factor in the imbalance of mitochondrial autophagy.The basic treatment method of tonifying qi and strengthening the body,promoting blood circulation and promoting stagnation can provide clinical formula ideas for the TCM prevention and treatment of KOA.
5.Discussion on the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Knee Osteoarthritis from the Theory of"Deficient Qi Stagnation"Based on Mitophagy
Zifeng YE ; Gaoyan KUANG ; Yiwei YUAN ; Liguo QIU ; Xiaotong XU ; Zhi WEN ; Min LU
Chinese Journal of Information on Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;32(8):14-18
Mitophagy,a critical regulator of knee joint homeostasis,its dysfunction can lead to pathological changes such as reactive oxygen species overproduction,calcium ion overload,and extracellular matrix degradation,inducing cartilage degeneration and serving as a key pathological mechanism of knee osteoarthritis(KOA)."Deficient qi stagnation"represents the core pathogenesis of KOA.Mitochondria,analogous in function to qi and serving as its microscopic manifestation,exhibit a high degree of congruence between mitophagy and the defensive functions of qi.Based on the pathogenic characteristics of"deficient qi stagnation"of KOA,and integrating modern medical explanations of mitophagy,this article believed that the deficiency of liver,spleen and kidney qi is the fundamental reason for the imbalance of mitochondrial autophagy in KOA,and the retention of pathogenic toxins is the key factor in the imbalance of mitochondrial autophagy.The basic treatment method of tonifying qi and strengthening the body,promoting blood circulation and promoting stagnation can provide clinical formula ideas for the TCM prevention and treatment of KOA.
6.Progress in the clinical application of the biased μ-opioid agonist olic-eridine
Changmao ZHU ; Li XIE ; Zifeng WU ; Sen WANG ; Qi ZHANG ; Xiangqing XU ; Chun YANG
Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics 2024;29(9):1057-1061
Opioid receptors μOR,δOR,κOR and NOPR are all G protein-coupled receptors(GPCRs),which mainly function through G protein and β-ar-restin.Recent studies have found that G protein mediates analgesia,while β-arrestin reduces anal-gesia and is related to the side effects of opioids.Oliceridine is the first biased μOR agonist approved for commerce.It mainly exerts analgesic effect by activating G protein.It has rapid onset of action and reliable analgesic effect.Due to its low activity on β-arrestin,the incidence of side effects is low,comparing to the classic opioid morphine.Oliceri-dine can be safely used in patients with liver or kid-ney insufficiency and its metabolite is inactive.This article summarizes the current progress of pharma-cological research and clinical application of oliceri-dine,aiming to provide reference for the clinical practice of oliceridine.
7.Liuwei Dihuang Erzhiwan Combination Regulate Myeloid-derived Suppressor Cells to Inhibit Breast Cancer Lung Metastasis
Lixiang ZHENG ; Zifeng GUO ; Huiwen GUO ; Xiaomin WANG ; Chuanming XU ; Yuliang HU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(20):37-45
ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism by which Liuwei Dihuang Erzhiwan combination inhibit the lung metastasis of spontaneous breast cancer in mice by regulating the recruitment of myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs). MethodThree hundred and eighty SPF-grade 10-month-old female breeders of Kunming mouse were palpated at the mammary gland site once every 3 days. Mice that have not had a lump touched after being raised for 6 months are used as control group. After tumor development, the mice were randomized into model, positive control (paclitaxel, intraperitoneal injection at 0.01 g·kg-1 every other day for 22 d), Liuwei Dihuangwan (0.65 g·kg-1·d-1 by gavage), Erzhiwan (5.41 g·kg-1·d-1 by gavage), and Liuwei Dihuang Erzhiwan combination (6.05 g·kg-1·d-1 by gavage) groups. The mice were euthanised when the tumor reached a diameter of about 15 mm, and the tumor and lung tissues were collected. The survival time, tumor mass, and lung metastasis rate of tumor-bearing mice were recorded. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to observe the histopathological and morphological changes of mouse tumor and lung tissues. Immunofluorescence (IF) was used to detect the distribution of MDSCs in tissues of mice in each group by double-staining of MDSCs cells with lymphocyte antigen 6 complex site G6D (Ly6G) and CD11 antigen-like family member B (CD11b). Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), zinc finger transcription factor 1 (Snail1), and E-cadherin in the tumor tissue and CC motif chemokine 9 (CCL9) and CC motif chemokine receptor 1 (CCR1) in the lung tissue. ResultDuring the modelling period, the paclitaxel group and Chinese medicine intervention groups had longer median number of days of survival and lower tumor weight, lung metastasis rate, and lung nodule than the model group (P<0.05, P<0.01). HE staining showed an increase in tumor cell necrosis in the paclitaxel group and the Liuwei Dihuang Erzhiwan combination group. The paclitaxel group and Chinese medicine intervention groups had lower fluorescence intensity of MDSCs in the tumor tissue than the model group (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the normal control group, the model group showed increased fluorescence intensity of MDSCs in the metastatic lung tissue (P<0.01), which, however, was decreased in the paclitaxel group and Chinese medicine intervention groups (P<0.01). The model group showed higher protein levels of MMP-9, TGF-β, and Snail1 and lower protein level of E-cadherin in the tumor tissue than in the normal control group (P<0.01). Compared with model group, paclitaxel and Chinese medicine interventions downregulated the protein levels of MMP-9, TGF-β, and Snail1 (P<0.05, P<0.01) and upregulated the protein level of E-cadherin in the tumor tissue (P<0.01). Moreover, the Liuwei Dihuang Erzhiwan combination group had lower protein levels of TGF-β and Snail1 than the Liuwei Dihuangwan group and Erzhiwan group (P<0.05). In the metastatic lung tissue, the expression of CCL9 and CCR1 was higher in the model group than in the normal control group, paclitaxel group, and Chinese medicine intervention groups (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionLiuwei Dihuang Erzhiwan combination inhibit tumor growth, prolong survival time, and reduce the occurrence of lung metastasis in the mouse model of spontaneous breast cancer by reducing the recruitment of MDSCs in the tumor and lung tissues and modulating the phenotypes of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT)-related molecules and the expression of CCL9/CCR1.
8.Research progress on cerebellar imaging features in patients with anxiety disorders
Zifeng XU ; Chun WANG ; Ning ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Psychiatry 2024;57(8):531-535
Anxiety disorders are common mental disorders often accompanied by varying degrees of dysfunction. However, its causes and related pathological mechanisms are still unclear. In recent years, many studies have found abnormalities in the cerebellar structure and function of patients with anxiety disorders, with significant heterogeneity observed among different subtypes of anxiety disorders. This article reviews the studies on cerebellar imaging features in patients with different subtypes of anxiety disorders, exploring potential research directions on the pathogenesis of anxiety disorders from both structural and functional perspectives.
9.Research progress on cerebellar imaging features in patients with anxiety disorders
Zifeng XU ; Chun WANG ; Ning ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Psychiatry 2024;57(8):531-535
Anxiety disorders are common mental disorders often accompanied by varying degrees of dysfunction. However, its causes and related pathological mechanisms are still unclear. In recent years, many studies have found abnormalities in the cerebellar structure and function of patients with anxiety disorders, with significant heterogeneity observed among different subtypes of anxiety disorders. This article reviews the studies on cerebellar imaging features in patients with different subtypes of anxiety disorders, exploring potential research directions on the pathogenesis of anxiety disorders from both structural and functional perspectives.
10.Determination of a reasonable threshold of total bilirubin for the diagnosis of hepatitis B virus-associated acute-on-chronic liver failure
Hongmin WANG ; Jingjing TONG ; Xiang XU ; Jing CHEN ; Zifeng LIU ; Jing CHEN ; Haibin SU ; Xiaoyan LIU ; Jinhua HU
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2022;38(5):1048-1052
Objective To investigate a reasonable threshold of total bilirubin for the diagnosis of hepatitis B virus-related acute-on-chronic liver failure (HBV-ACLF), and to realize accurate early diagnosis. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 1232 patients with HBV-ACLF who were admitted to The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from September 2008 to September 2018, and according to the baseline serum level of total bilirubin (TBil), the patients were divided into group A (TBil < 205.2 μmol/L) and group B (TBil ≥205.2 μmol/L). the two groups were compared in terms of clinical features and 28-day, 90-day, 1-year, and 3-year survival. The t -test or the Mann-Whitney U rank sum test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups, and the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze survival rate, and the log-rank test was used for comparison. Results There were significant differences between the two groups in age( t =3.188, P =0.001) male sex( χ 2 =33.833, P < 0.001), liver failure classification( χ 2 =39.987, P < 0.001), white blood cell count( Z =6.586, P < 0.001), hemoglobin( Z =4.272, P < 0.001), platelet count( Z =3.680, P < 0.001), creatinine( Z =4.505, P < 0.001), total cholesterol( Z =8.644, P < 0.001), Na( Z =2.335, P =0.020), albumin( Z =2.592, P =0.010), HBV DNA( Z =3.703, P < 0.001), Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score( Z =11.828, P < 0.001), and MELD-Na score( Z =8.410, P < 0.001). At baseline, there were significant differences in the incidence rates of ascites and gastrointestinal bleeding between the two groups ( χ 2 =12.036、4.342, P < 0.05). Infection was the most common new-onset complication within 28 days, followed by hepatic encephalopathy, and there was a significant difference in the incidence rate of infection between the two groups ( χ 2 =5.294, P < 0.05). The 28-day transplant-free mortality rate was 21.2% in group A and 29.5% in group B( HR =1.473[95% CI : 1.151~1.886], P =0.005), which was consistent with the clinical feature of a high short-term mortality rate (> 15%) in patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF). Although there was a difference in long-term mortality rate between the two groups, there was no significant increase in transplant-free mortality rate after 90 days in either group. Conclusion Under the premise of international normalized ratio ≥1.5, it is not recommended to increase the threshold of TBil to 205.2 μmol/L in the diagnostic criteria for HBV-ACLF, so as to ensure the early diagnosis of more ACLF patients and bring more opportunities for treatment and cure.


Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail