1.Identification of active ingredients and possible mechanisms of Yijing Decoction in treating diabetic retinopathy based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and network pharmacology
Limei LUO ; Ting HUANG ; Yanfang CHENG ; Yuhe MA ; Lin XIE ; Jianzhong HE ; Guanghui LIU ; Yongzheng ZHENG
International Eye Science 2025;25(8):1219-1226
AIM: To identify the primary active components and underlying mechanisms of Yijing Decoction(YJD)in treating early diabetic retinopathy(DR)based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and network pharmacology.METHODS: Active components of YJD were characterized through LC-MS. Components with optimal ADME(absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion)properties were selected as key bioactive candidates. Network pharmacology approaches were employed to predict YJD-DR therapeutic targets. Protein-protein interaction(PPI)networks, gene ontology(GO)enrichment analysis, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)pathway analysis were subsequently conducted to predict core targets and networks. Critical targets and pathways were experimentally validated through Western blot.RESULTS: Ten core therapeutic targets were identified, including TNF, Alb, EGFR, STAT3, PTGS2, ESR1, PPAR, MMP9, TLR4, and MAPK. YJD was related to cancer-related signaling, fluid shear stress and atherosclerosis, and neurodegenerative diseases, encompassing key biological processes such as inflammatory response regulation, programmed cell death activation, and enhanced cell migration. Furthermore, Western blot analysis confirmed that YJD significantly inhibited high glucose-induced phosphorylation of STAT3(P-STAT3/STAT3)and ERK(P-ERK/ERK)in rat retinal microvascular endothelial cells.CONCLUSION: This study revealed YJD's pharmacodynamical basis and its multi-component, multi-target, and multi-paths pharmacology. YJD exerts therapeutic effects on DR by coordinately regulating critical signaling pathways and alleviating intraocular inflammation, thus preserving retinal vascular endothelial cells, maintaining blood-retinal barrier integrity, and facilitating retinal neurovascular repair.
2.Efficacy and safety of sacral neuromodulation in the treatment of refractory interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome
Qiangping ZHENG ; Jianzhong ZHANG ; Fei WANG ; Chaohua ZHANG ; Peng ZHANG
Journal of Modern Urology 2025;30(2):152-156
Objective: To summarize the long-term efficacy and safety of sacral neuromodulation (SNM) in treating refractory interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS),so as to provide clinical evidence for this therapeutic approach. Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed the data of 27 patients with refractory IC/BPS treated at our hospital during Jan.2015 and Dec.2021.All patients underwent SNM Ⅱ.The therapeutic effects were evaluated with Global Response Assessment (GRA).The preoperative and postoperative daily urinary frequency,nocturia frequency,functional bladder capacity,O'Leary-Sant score,pelvic pain,urgency and frequency (PUF) score,quality of life (QoL) score,and visual analogue scale (VAS) score were compared. Results: During the follow-up of (55.55±16.33) months,12 patients showed no symptom relief (GRA≤4),while 15 experienced symptom relief (GRA>4),resulting in an efficacy rate of 55.56% (15/27).The average daily urination frequency decreased from (28.74±13.84) to (24.74±16.33) times,the O'Leary-Sant score decreased from (30.19±5.35) to (25.63±9.34),PUF score decreased from (25.63±5.34) to (22.04±8.29),QoL score decreased from (5.67±0.55) to (4.33±1.57),and VAS score decreased from (8.04±1.91) to (5.33±3.09),the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). No complications such as incision infections or pain at the implant site were observed. Conclusion: SNM is safe and effective for refractory IC/BPS,but there is a risk of long-term failure.Therefore,patients should be discreetly selected.
3.Inhibition of Pannus Formation by Wutoutang in AIA Rats with Wind-cold-dampness Bi Syndrome Via Down-regulating HIF-1α/VEGFA/Ang Signaling Pathway
Dan OUYANG ; Xin LI ; Gangxiang ZHAN ; Zheng CHEN ; Yuanzhi MA ; Jie ZOU ; Jianzhong CAO
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(9):10-18
ObjectiveThis study aims to investigate the inhibitory effect of Wutoutang on pannus formation in adjuvant-induced arthritis (AIA) rats with wind-cold-dampness Bi syndrome and its potential mechanism. MethodA total of 40 male SD specific pathogen-free (SPF) rats were selected and divided into blank group, wind-cold-dampness Bi syndrome group [Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA), 200 μg], Wutoutang group (15 g·kg-1·d-1), and indometacin group (10 mg·kg-1) according to random number table method. Except for the blank group, the other groups were given wind-cold-dampness stimulation before the CFA injection. After the rats were administered for 30 days, the basic conditions, onset time, arthritis index score, and foot swelling volume of AIA rats with wind-cold-dampness Bi syndrome were observed. Finally, peripheral arterial blood, ankle joint, and synovial tissue were taken. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect serum hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) protein content, and rheumatism, including anti-O (ASO), C-reactive protein (CRP), and rheumatoid factor (RF). Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining revealed the changes in joint histomorphology. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of HIF-1α and VEGFA, two important proteins in the ankle pathway. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) was used to reveal mRNA levels of HIF-1α, VEGFA, angiopoietin-1 (Ang-1), and angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) in rat synovial tissue. ResultThe foot swelling volume and arthritis score of AIA rats with wind-cold-dampness Bi syndrome were substantially higher (P<0.01) compared with the blank group. Serum CRP, RF, and ASO levels were considerably elevated (P<0.01). HE staining showed obvious hyperplasia of ankle synovium and synovial inflammation, angiogenesis and pannus formation, and aggravated bone destruction, indicating successful modeling. After the intervention of Wutoutang, the onset time was delayed (P<0.01). Foot swelling volume and arthritis score were decreased (P<0.01). Serum CRP, RF, and ASO levels were significantly decreased (P<0.01). The inflammatory hyperplasia of synovial tissue, angiogenesis and pannus formation, and bone destruction were alleviated. The mRNA levels of HIF-1α, VEGFA, Ang-1, and Ang-2 in the synovial membrane were significantly decreased (P<0.05, P<0.01). The expressions of HIF-1α and VEGFA in serum and ankle joints were decreased (P<0.01). In the indomethacin group, the onset time of the disease was delayed (P<0.01). Foot swelling volume and arthritis score were decreased (P<0.01). Serum CRP, RF, and ASO levels were significantly decreased (P<0.01). HIF-1α/VEGFA/Ang signaling pathway was activated, and pathological tissue injury was improved. ConclusionWutoutang can delay the onset time of AIA rats with wind-cold-dampness Bi syndrome, reduce foot swelling volume, arthritis score, rheumatic activity, and improve joint histopathology. It can inhibit pannus formation, and its mechanism may be related to down-regulating the expression of the HIF-1α/VEGFA/Ang pathway.
4.Cell softness reveals tumorigenic potential via ITGB8/AKT/glycolysis signaling in a mice model of orthotopic bladder cancer
Shi QIU ; Yaqi QIU ; Linghui DENG ; Ling NIE ; Liming GE ; Xiaonan ZHENG ; Di JIN ; Kun JIN ; Xianghong ZHOU ; Xingyang SU ; Boyu CAI ; Jiakun LI ; Xiang TU ; Lina GONG ; Liangren LIU ; Zhenhua LIU ; Yige BAO ; Jianzhong AI ; Tianhai LIN ; Lu YANG ; Qiang WEI
Chinese Medical Journal 2024;137(2):209-221
Background::Bladder cancer, characterized by a high potential of tumor recurrence, has high lifelong monitoring and treatment costs. To date, tumor cells with intrinsic softness have been identified to function as cancer stem cells in several cancer types. Nonetheless, the existence of soft tumor cells in bladder tumors remains elusive. Thus, our study aimed to develop a microbarrier microfluidic chip to efficiently isolate deformable tumor cells from distinct types of bladder cancer cells.Methods::The stiffness of bladder cancer cells was determined by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The modified microfluidic chip was utilized to separate soft cells, and the 3D Matrigel culture system was to maintain the softness of tumor cells. Expression patterns of integrin β8 (ITGB8), protein kinase B (AKT), and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) were determined by Western blotting. Double immunostaining was conducted to examine the interaction between F-actin and tripartite motif containing 59 (TRIM59). The stem-cell-like characteristics of soft cells were explored by colony formation assay and in vivo studies upon xenografted tumor models. Results::Using our newly designed microfluidic approach, we identified a small fraction of soft tumor cells in bladder cancer cells. More importantly, the existence of soft tumor cells was confirmed in clinical human bladder cancer specimens, in which the number of soft tumor cells was associated with tumor relapse. Furthermore, we demonstrated that the biomechanical stimuli arising from 3D Matrigel activated the F-actin/ITGB8/TRIM59/AKT/mTOR/glycolysis pathways to enhance the softness and tumorigenic capacity of tumor cells. Simultaneously, we detected a remarkable up-regulation in ITGB8, TRIM59, and phospho-AKT in clinical bladder recurrent tumors compared with their non-recurrent counterparts.Conclusions::The ITGB8/TRIM59/AKT/mTOR/glycolysis axis plays a crucial role in modulating tumor softness and stemness. Meanwhile, the soft tumor cells become more sensitive to chemotherapy after stiffening, that offers new insights for hampering tumor progression and recurrence.
5.A Case Report of Von Hippel-Lindau Syndrome with Hypertension and Diabetes as the First Manifestation
Peng PU ; Xiaoya ZHENG ; Ruishan LIU ; Jianzhong ZHOU
JOURNAL OF RARE DISEASES 2023;2(1):115-120
Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) syndrome, also known as cerebral retinal angiomatosis, is a kind of neuroendocrine tumor. The incidence rate is high, and the heredity is very high, which can involve the retina, central nervous system, various organs and various tissue parts. This paper reports a case of VHL syndrome with hypertension and diabetes as the main manifestations, in order to improve the understanding of the disease and reduce misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis.
6.An evidence-based clinical guideline for the treatment of infectious bone defect with induced membrane technique (version 2023)
Jie SHEN ; Lin CHEN ; Shiwu DONG ; Jingshu FU ; Jianzhong GUAN ; Hongbo HE ; Chunli HOU ; Zhiyong HOU ; Gang LI ; Hang LI ; Fengxiang LIU ; Lei LIU ; Feng MA ; Tao NIE ; Chenghe QIN ; Jian SHI ; Hengsheng SHU ; Dong SUN ; Li SUN ; Guanglin WANG ; Xiaohua WANG ; Zhiqiang WANG ; Hongri WU ; Junchao XING ; Jianzhong XU ; Yongqing XU ; Dawei YANG ; Tengbo YU ; Zhi YUAN ; Wenming ZHANG ; Feng ZHAO ; Jiazhuang ZHENG ; Dapeng ZHOU ; Chen ZHU ; Yueliang ZHU ; Zhao XIE ; Xinbao WU ; Changqing ZHANG ; Peifu TANG ; Yingze ZHANG ; Fei LUO
Chinese Journal of Trauma 2023;39(2):107-120
Infectious bone defect is bone defect with infection or as a result of treatment of bone infection. It requires surgical intervention, and the treatment processes are complex and long, which include bone infection control,bone defect repair and even complex soft tissue reconstructions in some cases. Failure to achieve the goals in any step may lead to the failure of the overall treatment. Therefore, infectious bone defect has been a worldwide challenge in the field of orthopedics. Conventionally, sequestrectomy, bone grafting, bone transport, and systemic/local antibiotic treatment are standard therapies. Radical debridement remains one of the cornerstones for the management of bone infection. However, the scale of debridement and the timing and method of bone defect reconstruction remain controversial. With the clinical application of induced membrane technique, effective infection control and rapid bone reconstruction have been achieved in the management of infectious bone defect. The induced membrane technique has attracted more interests and attention, but the lack of understanding the basic principles of infection control and technical details may hamper the clinical outcomes of induced membrane technique and complications can possibly occur. Therefore, the Chinese Orthopedic Association organized domestic orthopedic experts to formulate An evidence-based clinical guideline for the treatment of infectious bone defect with induced membrane technique ( version 2023) according to the evidence-based method and put forward recommendations on infectious bone defect from the aspects of precise diagnosis, preoperative evaluation, operation procedure, postoperative management and rehabilitation, so as to provide useful references for the treatment of infectious bone defect with induced membrane technique.
7.A multi-center, double-blind, randomized, placebo- and positive-controlled phase II clinical study of benvitimod for the treatment of atopic dermatitis.
Lin CAI ; Yan ZHAO ; Min ZHENG ; Furen ZHANG ; Qing SUN ; Quanzhong LIU ; Jin HU ; Juan SHEN ; Jianzhong ZHANG
Chinese Medical Journal 2023;136(2):251-252
8.Expert consensus on the accurate diagnosis and treatment of acetabular fractures based on three-column classification (version 2023)
Ruipeng ZHANG ; Hongmin CAI ; Shicai FAN ; Gang LYU ; Yan ZHUANG ; Chengla YI ; Xiaodong GUO ; Longpo ZHENG ; Xianzhong MA ; Hua CHEN ; Dahui SUN ; Guanglin WANG ; Qishi ZHOU ; Weixu LI ; Wei FENG ; Zhangyuan LIN ; Xiaodong QIN ; Jiandong WANG ; Zhanying SHI ; Lianxin LI ; Guangyao LIU ; Shuquan GUO ; Ming LI ; Jianzhong GUAN ; Yingze ZHANG ; Zhiyong HOU
Chinese Journal of Trauma 2023;39(10):865-875
Accurate classification of the acetabular injuries and appropriate treatment plan are great challenges for orthopedic surgeons because of the irregular anatomical structure of the acetabulum and aggregation of important vessels and nerves around it. Letournel-Judet classification system has been widely applied to classify acetabular fractures. However, there are several limitations, including incomplete inclusion of fracture types, difficulty in understanding and insufficient guidance for surgical treatment, etc. Serious complications such as traumatic arthritis are common due to wrong classification and diagnosis and improper selection of surgical strategy, which brings a heavy burden to the society and families. Three-column classification, based on anatomic characteristics, has advantages of containing more fracture types and being easy to understand, etc. To solve the problems existing in the diagnosis and treatment process based on Letournel-Judet classification, achieve accurate diagnosis and treatment of patients with acetabular fractures, and obtain satisfactory prognosis, the Orthopedic Trauma Emergency Center of Third Hospital of Hebei Medical University and the Trauma Orthopedic Branch of the Chinese Orthopedic Association organized experts from relevant fields to formulate the Expert consensus on the accurate diagnosis and treatment of acetabular fractures based on three-column classification ( version 2023) in terms of principles of evidence-based medicine. Based on the three-column classification, 15 recommendations were proposed, covering the diagnosis, treatment, complication prevention and management, etc, so as to provide reference for accurate diagnosis and treatment of acetabular fractures.
9.Knowledge, attitude and practice about first aid and influencing factors in key populations in Beijing: a large cross-sectional study
Xiaoqing CHENG ; Xiaohua ZHANG ; Qian WANG ; Weimin JIN ; Zheng YIN ; Jianzhong ZHAO
Chinese Journal of Epidemiology 2023;44(9):1408-1413
Objective:To investigate the status of knowledge, attitude and practice about first aid and influencing factors in key population, those who have frequent contacts with people and might be "first aid" promoter in general population of Beijing, and provide evidences for the promotion of first aid.Methods:This study was a cross-sectional survey based on the "Emergency Rescue Capacity Training Project". Using cluster sampling, we recruited 9 591 participants after the training in Beijing for survey with a self-designed questionnaire from October 2021 to March 2022.Results:In 9 591 participants, 98.58% knew the emergency call number, while only 32.00% knew how to identify sunstroke. The awareness rate of the definition of first aid and legal disclaimer were lower (63.61%, 75.91%). People's willingness to give first aid to others, including relative, acquaintance, stranger and vagrant, were different ( χ2=822.82, P<0.001). People were more likely to give first aid to relative, acquaintance and stranger compared with vagrant ( P<0.05). With the increase of psychological distance, the willingness to give first aid decreased ( Z=-26.57, P<0.001). According to the results of Logistic regression analysis, older age, higher annual family income and higher awareness of first aid related knowledge were contributing factors for giving first aid. In 1 529 people who met emergency, only 66 people (4.32%)did not give any first aid. Conclusions:The key population in Beijing has high awareness of first aid related knowledge and positive attitude of first aid after training. A high proportion of people performed first aid to others. Age, annual family income and awareness of first aid related knowledge were contributing factors for giving first aid.
10.Honokiol attenuates mitochondrial fission and cell apoptosis by activating Sirt3 in intracerebral hemorrhage
Xuecheng ZHENG ; Junling GAO ; Manman ZHAO ; Lingling HAN ; Dexin ZHANG ; Kaijie WANG ; Jianzhong CUI
Chinese Medical Journal 2023;136(6):719-731
Background::Sirtuin-3 (Sirt3) has been documented to protect against mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis. Honokiol (HKL) is a Sirt3 pharmacological activator with reported neuroprotective effects in multiple neurological disorders. The present study aimed to explore the neuroprotective effects of HKL and the role of Sirt3 following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH).Methods::An in vivo ICH model in rats was established by injecting autologous blood into the right basal ganglia. PC12 cells were stimulated with hemin. For the in vivo investigation, the modified Neurological Severity Scores and the Morris water maze test were performed to assess neurological deficits. Hematoxylin-Eosin and Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling staining were employed to evaluate the histopathology and apoptosis. Immunohistochemical staining was used to investigate the expression of Sirt3. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels were quantified to assess mitochondrial dysfunction. Cell counting kit-8, lactate dehydrogenase assay, and flow cytometry were used to analyze cell vitality and apoptosis in vitro. Immunofluorescence staining was performed to observe mitochondrial morphology and dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) localization to mitochondria. Western blot was applied to quantify the expression of Sirt3, Bax, Bcl-2, cleaved-caspase-3, Drp1, phosphorylation of Drp1 at serine-616, and phosphorylation of Drp1 at serine-637 in vivo and in vitro.Results::HKL treatment alleviated neurological deficits, attenuated the histopathological damage and cell apoptosis, and restored the decreased ATP levels in ICH rats. HKL improved cell survival rate, reduced cell apoptosis, and inhibited mitochondrial fission in PC12 cells. Moreover, both in vivo and in vitro models showed increased phosphorylation of Drp1 at Ser616, and reduced phosphorylation of Drp1 at Ser637. Meanwhile, immunofluorescence co-localization analysis revealed that hemin increased the overlap of Drp1 and mitochondria in PC12 cells. The phosphorylation and mitochondrial translocation of Drp1 were effectively reversed by HKL treatment. Importantly, the selective Sirt3 inhibitor 3-(1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl) pyridine suppressed these effects. Conclusion::Our findings demonstrated that HKL ameliorated ICH-induced apoptosis and mitochondrial fission by Sirt3, suggesting that HKL has immense prospects for the treatment of ICH.

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