1.Fufang Kangjiaolv Capsules Treat Anxiety in Rat Model of Chronic Restraint Stress via Microbiota-gut-brain Axis
Wenxin FAN ; Tingyue JIANG ; Yu WANG ; Ge ZHANG ; Yifan LU ; Mengmeng LIU ; Jiayuan LI ; Renzhi MA ; Jinli SHI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(4):95-107
ObjectiveTo observe the intervention effect of Fufang Kangjiaolv capsules on anxiety-like behaviors in the rat model of chronic restraint stress (CRS) and explore the mechanism underlying the anti-anxiety effect via the microbiota-gut-brain axis. MethodsRats were assigned into blank, model, positive drug (diazepam, 1 mg·kg-1), and low-, medium-, and high-dose (0.75, 1.5, 3 g·kg-1, respectively) Fufang Kangjiaolv capsules groups. After 14 days of administration, the elevated plus maze test, open field test, light and dark box test, and marble burying test were performed. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was employed to observe the pathological changes in the hippocampus and colon of rats, and Nissl staining was conducted to observe the damage of hippocampal neurons. The gut microbiota was analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) was employed to determine the mRNA levels of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and occludin in the colon of rats. The levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) in the colon, serum, and hippocampus were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of ZO-1, occludin, nuclear factor-κB p65 (NF-κB p65) in the colon tissue and NF-κB p65 and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the hippocampal tissue. ResultsCompared with the blank group, the model group showed reductions in the time and frequency ratio of rats entering the elevated plus maze, the time and frequency of rats entering the central area of the open field, the time of entering the open box, the times of passing through the light and dark box, and the number of unburied beads (P<0.05, P<0.01). Compared with the model group, Fufang Kangjiaolv capsules ameliorated the anxiety of the model rats to varying degrees, and the high-dose group had the best effect, with increases in the proportions of time and frequency of rats entering the open arm in the elevated plus maze (P<0.05), the number of rats entering the central area in the open field (P<0.05), the time of entering the open box, the times of passing through the light and dark boxes, and the number of unburied beads (P<0.01). Moreover, the high-dose group showed alleviated pathological damage of hippocampal neurons and colon. The results of 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed that the model group had increased relative abundance of Firmicutes, Deferribacterota, Romboutsia, and Phascolarctobacterium, while it had decreased relative abundance of Bavcteroidota and Lactobacillus. The drug administration groups showed increased relative abundance of Bavcteroidota, Bacteroides, norank f norank o Clostridia UCG-014, and Blautia and decreased relative abundance of Firmicutes and Deferribacterota. Compared with the blank group, the model group showed down-regulated protein and mRNA levels of ZO-1 and occludin in the colon (P<0.01), elevated levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-β in the colon, serum, and hippocampus (P<0.01), up-regulated protein level of NF-κB p65 in the colon and hippocampus (P<0.01), and down-regulated protein level of BDNF in the hippocampus (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, high-dose Fufang Kangjiaolv capsules up-regulated the mRNA levels of ZO-1 and occludin in the colon (P<0.01), lowered the levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-β in the colon, serum, and hippocampus (P<0.01), up-regulated the protein levels of ZO-1 (P<0.01) and occludin (P<0.05) in the colon, down-regulated the protein level of NF-κB p65 in the colon and hippocampus (P<0.05), and up-regulated the protein level of BDNF in the hippocampus. ConclusionFufang Kangjiaolv capsules can reduce the anxiety-like behaviors in the rat model of CRS by regulating the gut microbiota disturbance, up-regulating the expression of tight junction proteins in the colon, repairing intestinal mucosal mechanical barrier, and down-regulating NF-κB/BDNF signaling pathway, thereby reducing peripheral and central inflammation. This study proves the hypothesis that Fufang Kangjiaolv capsules play an anti-anxiety role via the microbiota-gut-brain axis, providing a new idea for further research.
2.Pharmacoeconomic evaluation of finerenone combined with standard regimen in the treatment of heart failure with preserved or mildly reduced ejection fraction
Runan XIA ; Xu WANG ; Huijuan CHEN ; Mengyu JIANG ; Panpan DI ; Mengmeng ZHAO ; Li LIU ; Hai LIANG
China Pharmacy 2025;36(14):1770-1774
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of finerenone combined with standard of care (SoC) in the treatment of heart failure with mildly reduced ejection fraction (HFmrEF) or preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). METHODS Based on a phase Ⅲ clinical trial, a Markov model was constructed from the perspective of China’s healthcare system to compare the treatment outcomes of finerenone combined with SoC regimen versus SoC regimen alone in the treatment of different cardiac functional statuses of HFmrEF/HFpEF. Using quality-adjusted life year (QALY) as the health output index, 3 times China’s per capita GDP in 2023 as the willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold, a simulation was conducted with a 3-month cycle length and a 10- year time horizon, incorporating an annual discount rate of 5%. The dynamic changes across various stages of HFmrEF/HFpEF treated with finerenone combined with SoC versus SoC alone were simulated to evaluate the long-term effectiveness and costs of the two treatment strategies. Additionally, one-way sensitivity analysis and probabilistic sensitivity analysis were performed, to test the robustness of the results. RESULTS The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of the finerenone combined with SoC regimen versus SoC regimen alone was 179 504.75 yuan/QALY, which was below the WTP threshold set in this study, indicating that the finerenone combined with SoC regimen possessed certain economic advantages. The results of one-way sensitivity analysis showed that the utility value of NYHA Ⅱ status, the drug price of finerenone, the discount rate, and the probability of hospital transfer for both groups had a great influence on ICER, but did not affect the robustness of the model. The probabilistic sensitivity analysis also confirmed the robustness of the model. CONCLUSIONS Under the WTP threshold set in this study, finerenone combined with SoC is cost-effective in the treatment of HFmrEF/HFpEF, compared with the SoC regimen.
3.Advances in the clinical application and safety of bispecific antibodies for cancer therapy
Mengmeng LIN ; Xu LIN ; Yixuan WANG ; Danna JIANG ; Shanshan SHI ; Yangling LI
China Pharmacy 2025;36(19):2466-2472
Bispecific antibodies (BsAbs), as an important recent innovation in the field of tumor immunotherapy in recent years, can simultaneously or sequentially target different antigens or two different epitopes of the same antigen. Compared with traditional monoclonal antibodies, they can produce superior therapeutic effects. This article reviews the progress in clinical applications and safety research of BsAbs in cancer therapy, revealing that they (such as blinatumomab, glofitamab, teclistamab, amivantamab, etc.) exhibit significant therapeutic efficacy against hematological malignancies, lung cancer, cervical cancer, melanoma, and other cancers. For cytokine release syndrome (CRS) induced by BsAbs, prophylactic or pre-emptive medication is commonly administered in clinical practice; for neurotoxicity and infections triggered by BsAbs, clinical practice necessitates rigorous monitoring of patients’ vital signs and the provision of essential treatments. In addition, different BsAbs exhibit variations in escalation dose, infusion rate, storage duration, and equipment requirements. Therefore, strict adherence to the instructions in the drug package inserts is essential during clinical operations to ensure safety and therapeutic efficacy. In the future, more multicenter trials need to be conducted to validate the efficacy and safety of BsAbs across different tumor types and patient populations, and long-term follow-up data should be accumulated to optimize treatment cycles and dosage regimens.
4.Repair effect of ephedrine on lipopolysaccharide-induced microglia function injury and its mechanism
Tao YIN ; Lizhen JIANG ; Mengmeng ZHANG ; Ruijian WANG ; Wenchao ZHANG
China Pharmacy 2024;35(1):33-37
OBJECTIVE To study the repair effect of ephedrine on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced microglia function injury and its mechanism. METHODS Human microglia cells (HMC3) were used as research objects to investigate the effects of different concentrations of ephedrine (75, 150, 300, 600 μg/mL) on the viability and apoptosis of HMC3 cells. HMC3 cells were divided into control group (without drug intervention), LPS group (1 μg/mL), ephedrine group (1 μg/mL LPS+300 μg/mL ephedrine), BAY11-7082 group [1 μg/mL LPS+5 μmol/L nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway inhibitor BAY11-7082], inhibitor group (1 μg/mL LPS+300 μg/mL ephedrine+5 μmol/L BAY11-7082) and activator group (1 μg/mL LPS+300 μg/mL ephedrine+1 μmol/L NF-κB pathway activator Prostratin). After 24 hours of drug treatment, cell migration, the levels of soluble interleukin-6(sIL-6), interleukin-10(IL-10), superoxide dismutase(SOD)and malondialdehyde(MDA), and the expressions of NF-κB pathway-related proteins were all detected. RESULTS The viability of HMC3 cells could be increased significantly by 300 μg/mL ephedrine, while the apoptotic rate was decreased significantly (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the number of migrating cells was increased significantly in the LPS group; the levels of sIL-6 and MDA, the phosphorylation of NF-κB protein were increased significantly, while the levels of IL-10 and SOD were decreased significantly (P<0.05). Compared with the LPS group, the above indexes were reversed significantly in the ephedrine group and BAY11-7082 group (P<0.05). Compared with the ephedrine group, the number of migrating cells was decreased significantly in the inhibitor group; the levels of sIL-6 and MDA, the phosphorylation of NF-κB protein were decreased significantly, while the levels of IL-10 and SOD were increased significantly (P<0.05). The above indexes were reversed significantly in the activator group (P<0.05)can repair cell injury by inhibiting LPS induced apoptosis, migration, inflammation and oxidant stress of HMC3 cells, the mechanism of which may be associated with inhibiting the activity of the NF-κB signaling pathway.
5.Analysis of pollution status and influencing factors of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in household dust in five cities in northern China
Xiaotong ZHANG ; Yun CAO ; Wenying ZHANG ; Linlin JIANG ; Mengmeng LIU ; Fengjing SONG ; Tingting LIU ; Chengyu CHEN ; Li LI ; Hang LIU ; Lin FAN ; Hang DU ; Yiming SUN ; Chao WANG ; Bin LUO ; Xianliang WANG
Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine 2024;58(10):1514-1523
Objective:To investigate the pollution levels and influencing factors of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in household dust in five cities in northern China.Methods:Based on the "Chinese Indoor Environment and Health Surveillance" project carried out by the National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention in 2018-2019, during the warm season (April 2018 to September 2018) and the cold season (November 2018 to March 2019), Lanzhou in Northwest China, Shijiazhuang in North China, Panjin in Northeast China, Luoyang in Central China, and Qingdao in East China were selected as the research sites. A total of 87 families were recruited to study residences in real-life scenarios. At the same time, dust samples were collected to detect the concentration of PBDEs. The level of household environmental indicators was measured, and the residential building characteristics and family behavior habits were collected through questionnaires. A total of 142 valid dust samples and 140 valid questionnaires were obtained. The differences in PBDE concentrations across seasons, wind zones, residential building characteristics, and family habits were analyzed. The exploratory factor analysis was performed to investigate the possible sources of PBDEs, and multivariate linear regression was used to explore the factors influencing PBDEs in household dust.Results:The M ( Q1,Q3) of total PBDE concentrations in 142 household dust samples in five cities was 144.51 (106.61, 222.65) ng/g in the warm season and 145.10 (98.57, 180.65) ng/g in the cold season, respectively. There were seasonal differences in the concentration of ∑ 12PBDEs in Luoyang and Shijiazhuang ( P<0.01). The concentration of BDE-71 was highest among PBDE homologues, followed by BDE-66 and BDE-47. Three factors were extracted by exploratory factor analysis in the warm season, and the cumulative variance contribution rate was 67.90%. The multivariate linear regression showed that the house completion less than ten years [ β (95% CI): 0.186 (0.013, 0.359)], infrequent home cooking [ β (95% CI):-0.342 (-0.570, -0.114)], and increased residential PM 10 concentration [ β (95% CI): 0.001 (0.000, 0.002)] during the warm season, as well as the house far from driveway [ β (95% CI): 0.093 (0.013, 0.172)], house area less than 90 m 2 [ β (95% CI):-0.138 (-0.264, -0.013)], and lower residential xylene concentration [ β (95% CI):-0.006 (-0.011, -0.001)] during the cold season might be related to the elevated concentrations of ∑ 12PBDEs in household dust. Conclusion:The pollution of PBDEs in household dust in five northern cities is at a medium to high level. Years of house completion, frequency of cooking at home, residential PM 10 concentration, distance from house to driveway, house area, and residential xylene concentration may influence household PBDE concentrations.
6.The international cases of vaccinology education and its enlightenment to the discipline development in China
Binshan JIANG ; Jie QIAN ; Yunshao XU ; Min WANG ; Mengmeng JIA ; Weizhong YANG ; Luzhao FENG
Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine 2024;58(10):1625-1630
Vaccination is an effective public health measure to prevent and control vaccine-preventable diseases for individual and society. However, China currently confronts significant challenges, including a dearth of skilled professionals in the field of vaccination and disparities in the capacity for immunization services. This review introduced the experiences of four prime international vaccinology education models, including London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Leading International Vaccinology Education, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, in the aspect of personnel development, academic research and communication platforms establishment. It is supposed to give some insights and feasible suggestions on the establishment and advancement of vaccinology as a sub-discipline within high-level public health school in China, with the aim of development of a robust vaccinology education framework in China, which is essential for nurturing the next generation of public health leaders and practitioners for our country.
7.Safety of early antiplatelet therapy for non-cardioembolic mild stroke patients with thrombocytopenia
Dongjuan XU ; Huan ZHOU ; Mengmeng HU ; Yilei SHEN ; Hongfei LI ; Lianyan WEI ; Jing XU ; Zhuangzhuang JIANG ; Xiaoli SHAO ; Zhenhua XI ; Songbin HE ; Min LOU ; Shaofa KE
Journal of Zhejiang University. Medical sciences 2024;53(2):175-183
Objective:To investigate the safety of early antiplatelet therapy for non-cardioembolic mild stroke patients with thrombocytopenia.Methods:Data of acute ischemic stroke patients with baseline National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS)score≤3 and a platelet count<100×109/L were obtained from a multicenter register.Those who required anticoagulation or had other contraindications to antiplatelet therapy were excluded.Short-term safety outcomes were in-hospital bleeding events,while the long-term safety outcome was a 1-year all-cause death.The short-term neurological outcomes were evaluated by modified Rankin scale(mRS)score at discharge.Results:A total of 1868 non-cardioembolic mild stroke patients with thrombocytopenia were enrolled.Multivariate regression analyses showed that mono-antiplatelet therapy significantly increased the proportion of mRS score of 0-1 at discharge(OR=1.657,95%CI:1.253-2.192,P<0.01)and did not increase the risk of intracranial hemorrhage(OR=2.359,95%CI:0.301-18.503,P>0.05),compared with those without antiplatelet therapy.However,dual-antiplatelet therapy did not bring more neurological benefits(OR=0.923,95%CI:0.690-1.234,P>0.05),but increased the risk of gastrointestinal bleeding(OR= 2.837,95%CI:1.311-6.136,P<0.01)compared with those with mono-antiplatelet therapy.For patients with platelet counts≤75×109/L and>90×109/L,antiplatelet therapy significantly improved neurological functional outcomes(both P<0.05).For those with platelet counts(>75-90)×109/L,antiplatelet therapy resulted in a significant improvement of 1-year survival(P<0.05).For patients even with concurrent coagulation abnormalities,mono-antiplatelet therapy did not increase the risk of various types of bleeding(all P>0.05)but improved neurological functional outcomes(all P<0.01).There was no significant difference in the occurrence of bleeding events,1-year all-cause mortality risk,and neurological functional outcomes between aspirin and clopidogrel(all P>0.05).Conclusions:For non-cardioembolic mild stroke patients with thrombocytopenia,antiplatelet therapy remains a reasonable choice.Mono-antiplatelet therapy has the same efficiency as dual-antiplatelet therapy in neurological outcome improvement with lower risk of gastrointestinal bleeding.
8.Analysis of pollution status and influencing factors of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in household dust in five cities in northern China
Xiaotong ZHANG ; Yun CAO ; Wenying ZHANG ; Linlin JIANG ; Mengmeng LIU ; Fengjing SONG ; Tingting LIU ; Chengyu CHEN ; Li LI ; Hang LIU ; Lin FAN ; Hang DU ; Yiming SUN ; Chao WANG ; Bin LUO ; Xianliang WANG
Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine 2024;58(10):1514-1523
Objective:To investigate the pollution levels and influencing factors of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in household dust in five cities in northern China.Methods:Based on the "Chinese Indoor Environment and Health Surveillance" project carried out by the National Institute of Environmental Health, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention in 2018-2019, during the warm season (April 2018 to September 2018) and the cold season (November 2018 to March 2019), Lanzhou in Northwest China, Shijiazhuang in North China, Panjin in Northeast China, Luoyang in Central China, and Qingdao in East China were selected as the research sites. A total of 87 families were recruited to study residences in real-life scenarios. At the same time, dust samples were collected to detect the concentration of PBDEs. The level of household environmental indicators was measured, and the residential building characteristics and family behavior habits were collected through questionnaires. A total of 142 valid dust samples and 140 valid questionnaires were obtained. The differences in PBDE concentrations across seasons, wind zones, residential building characteristics, and family habits were analyzed. The exploratory factor analysis was performed to investigate the possible sources of PBDEs, and multivariate linear regression was used to explore the factors influencing PBDEs in household dust.Results:The M ( Q1,Q3) of total PBDE concentrations in 142 household dust samples in five cities was 144.51 (106.61, 222.65) ng/g in the warm season and 145.10 (98.57, 180.65) ng/g in the cold season, respectively. There were seasonal differences in the concentration of ∑ 12PBDEs in Luoyang and Shijiazhuang ( P<0.01). The concentration of BDE-71 was highest among PBDE homologues, followed by BDE-66 and BDE-47. Three factors were extracted by exploratory factor analysis in the warm season, and the cumulative variance contribution rate was 67.90%. The multivariate linear regression showed that the house completion less than ten years [ β (95% CI): 0.186 (0.013, 0.359)], infrequent home cooking [ β (95% CI):-0.342 (-0.570, -0.114)], and increased residential PM 10 concentration [ β (95% CI): 0.001 (0.000, 0.002)] during the warm season, as well as the house far from driveway [ β (95% CI): 0.093 (0.013, 0.172)], house area less than 90 m 2 [ β (95% CI):-0.138 (-0.264, -0.013)], and lower residential xylene concentration [ β (95% CI):-0.006 (-0.011, -0.001)] during the cold season might be related to the elevated concentrations of ∑ 12PBDEs in household dust. Conclusion:The pollution of PBDEs in household dust in five northern cities is at a medium to high level. Years of house completion, frequency of cooking at home, residential PM 10 concentration, distance from house to driveway, house area, and residential xylene concentration may influence household PBDE concentrations.
9.The international cases of vaccinology education and its enlightenment to the discipline development in China
Binshan JIANG ; Jie QIAN ; Yunshao XU ; Min WANG ; Mengmeng JIA ; Weizhong YANG ; Luzhao FENG
Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine 2024;58(10):1625-1630
Vaccination is an effective public health measure to prevent and control vaccine-preventable diseases for individual and society. However, China currently confronts significant challenges, including a dearth of skilled professionals in the field of vaccination and disparities in the capacity for immunization services. This review introduced the experiences of four prime international vaccinology education models, including London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Leading International Vaccinology Education, and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, in the aspect of personnel development, academic research and communication platforms establishment. It is supposed to give some insights and feasible suggestions on the establishment and advancement of vaccinology as a sub-discipline within high-level public health school in China, with the aim of development of a robust vaccinology education framework in China, which is essential for nurturing the next generation of public health leaders and practitioners for our country.
10.2,6-dimethoxy-1,4-benzoquinone alleviates septic shock in mice by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation
Wei ZHANG ; Mengmeng DENG ; Yao ZENG ; Chenfei LIU ; Feifei SHANG ; Wenhao XU ; Haoyi JIANG ; Fengchao WANG ; Yanqing YANG
Journal of Southern Medical University 2024;44(6):1024-1032
Objective To investigate the mechanism of 2,6-dimethoxy-1,4-benzoquinone(DMQ),an active ingredients in fermented wheat germ extract,for inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation and alleviating septic shock in mice.Methods Cultured murine bone marrow-derived macrophages(BMDM)stimulated with lipopolysaccharide(LPS)were treated with DMQ,followed by treatment with Nigericin,ATP,and MSU for activating the canonical NLRP3 inflammasome;the non-canonical NLRP3 inflammasome was activated by intracellular transfection of LPS,and AIM2 inflammasome was activated using Poly A:T.In human monocytic THP-1 cells,the effect of Nigericin on inflammasome activation products was examined using Western blotting and ELISA.Co-immunoprecipitation was performed to explore the mechanism of DMQ-induced blocking of NLRP3 inflammasome activation.In a male C57BL/6J mouse model of LPS-induced septic shock treated with 20 and 40 mg/kg DMQ,the levels of IL-1β and TNF-α in the serum and peritoneal lavage fluid were determined using ELISA,and the survival time of the mice within 36 h was observed.Results Treatment with DMQ effectively inhibited LPS-induced activation of canonical NLRP3 inflammasome in mouse BMDM and human THP-1 cells and also inhibited non-canonical NLRP3 inflammasome activation in mouse BMDM,but produced no significant effect on AIM2 inflammasome activation.DMQ significantly blocked the binding between ASC and NLRP3.In the mouse models of septic shock,DMQ treatment significantly reduced the levels of IL-1β in the serum and peritoneal fluid and obviously prolonged survival time of the mice.Conclusion DMQ can effectively block ASC-NLRP3 interaction to inhibit NLRP3 inflammasome activation and alleviate LPS-induced septic shock in mice.

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