1.Research on The Role of Dopamine in Regulating Sleep and Wakefulness Through Exercise
Li-Juan HOU ; Ya-Xuan GENG ; Ke LI ; Zhao-Yang HUANG ; Lan-Qun MAO
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(1):88-98
Sleep is an instinctive behavior alternating awakening state, sleep entails many active processes occurring at the cellular, circuit and organismal levels. The function of sleep is to restore cellular energy, enhance immunity, promote growth and development, consolidate learning and memory to ensure normal life activities. However, with the increasing of social pressure involved in work and life, the incidence of sleep disorders (SD) is increasing year by year. In the short term, sleep disorders lead to impaired memory and attention; in the longer term, it produces neurological dysfunction or even death. There are many ways to directly or indirectly contribute to sleep disorder and keep the hormones, including pharmacological alternative treatments, light therapy and stimulus control therapy. Exercise is also an effective and healthy therapeutic strategy for improving sleep. The intensities, time periods, and different types of exercise have different health benefits for sleep, which can be found through indicators such as sleep quality, sleep efficiency and total sleep time. So it is more and more important to analyze the mechanism and find effective regulation targets during sleep disorder through exercise. Dopamine (DA) is an important neurotransmitter in the nervous system, which not only participates in action initiation, movement regulation and emotion regulation, but also plays a key role in the steady-state remodeling of sleep-awakening state transition. Appreciable evidence shows that sleep disorder on humans and rodents evokes anomalies in the dopaminergic signaling, which are also implicated in the development of psychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia or substance abuse. Experiments have shown that DA in different neural pathways plays different regulatory roles in sleep behavior, we found that increasing evidence from rodent studies revealed a role for ventral tegmental area DA neurons in regulating sleep-wake patterns. DA signal transduction and neurotransmitter release patterns have complex interactions with behavioral regulation. In addition, experiments have shown that exercise causes changes in DA homeostasis in the brain, which may regulate sleep through different mechanisms, including cAMP response element binding protein signal transduction, changes in the circadian rhythm of biological clock genes, and interactions with endogenous substances such as adenosine, which affect neuronal structure and play a neuroprotective role. This review aims to introduce the regulatory effects of exercise on sleep disorder, especially the regulatory mechanism of DA in this process. The analysis of intracerebral DA signals also requires support from neurophysiological and chemical techniques. Our laboratory has established and developed an in vivo brain neurochemical analysis platform, which provides support for future research on the regulation of sleep-wake cycles by movement. We hope it can provide theoretical reference for the formulation of exercise prescription for clinical sleep disorder and give some advice to the combined intervention of drugs and exercise.
2.Effects of Electroacupuncture at "Fengchi" (GB 20), "Waiguan" (TE 5), and "Yanglingquan" (GB 34) on Nociceptive Sensitization and PKC/TRPV1 Pathway in the Trigeminal Ganglion of Chronic Migraine Model Rats
Yixiang ZENG ; Runze TU ; Shucong ZHAO ; Yang YANG ; Haojia WEN ; Zhuozhong HE ; Shengli ZHOU ; Lei TAN ; Ke HE ; Lei FU
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(3):283-289
ObjectiveTo explore the possible mechanisms of electroacupuncture at Fengchi (GB 20), Waiguan (TE 5), and Yanglingquan (GB 34) in treating chronic migraine from the perspective of nociceptive sensitization. MethodsForty SPF-grade SD rats were randomly divided into blank group, model group, electroacupuncture group, electroacupuncture + agonist group, and inhibitor group, with 8 rats in each group. Except for the blank group, rats were injected intraperitoneally with nitroglycerin to establish a chronic migraine rat model. After successful modeling, the electroacupuncture group received electroacupuncture at bilateral "Fengchi" (GB 20), "Waiguan" (TE 5), and "Yanglingquan" (GB 34) for 30 minutes each session. The electroacupuncture + agonist group received the same electroacupuncture treatment and additional injection of protein kinase C (PKC) agonist Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (1.0 ng/μl, 25 μl) via the infraorbital foramen. The inhibitor group received PKC inhibitor Chelerythrine Chloride (1.0 ng/μl, 10 μl) via the infraorbital foramen. The blank group, model group, and inhibitor group underwent restraint for 30 minutes without other interventions. All groups were continuously intervened for 5 days. After the intervention, the nociceptive thresholds (mechanical and thermal pain) of the periorbital area and hind paw were measured. The expression levels of transient receptor potential vanillic acid subtype 1 (TRPV1), phosphorylated TRPV1 (p-TRPV1), PKC proteins, Trpv1, Pkc mRNA, and the average fluorescence intensity of transient receptor potential vanillic acid subtype 1 (TRPV1) and PKC in the trigeminal ganglion were detected using Western Blot, real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR, and immunofluorescence methods. ResultsCompared with the blank group, the mechanical and thermal pain thresholds of the periorbital area and hind paw were reduced in the model group, and the protein levels of TRPV1, PKC, p-TRPV1, as well as the mRNA expression of Trpv1 and Pkc, and the average fluorescence intensity of TRPV1 and PKC in the trigeminal ganglion significantly increased (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the electroacupuncture group exhibited increased mechanical and thermal pain thresholds in the periorbital and hind paw areas, and decreased protein levels of TRPV1, PKC, p-TRPV1, mRNA expression of Trpv1 and Pkc, and average fluorescence intensity of TRPV1. In the electroacupuncture + agonist group, the average fluorescence intensity of TRPV1 in the trigeminal ganglion decreased. The inhibitor group exhibited increased mechanical pain thresholds in the periorbital area and thermal pain thresholds in the hind paw, along with decreased protein levels of TRPV1, PKC, p-TRPV1, and the average fluorescence intensity of TRPV1 and PKC (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with the electroacupuncture group, the electroacupuncture + agonist group showed an increase in the protein levels of TRPV1, PKC, p-TRPV1, and the mRNA expression of Trpv1 (P<0.05 or P<0.01). ConclusionElectroacupuncture at the "Fengchi" (GB 20), "Waiguan" (TE 5), and "Yanglingquan" (GB 34) acupoints can increase the mechanical and thermal pain thresholds in chronic migraine rats and alleviate nociceptive sensitization. The mechanism may be related to the inhibition of PKC/TRPV1 pathway.
3.Analysis of gemcitabine adverse drug reactions and risk factors in Inner Mongolia
Shengnan YANG ; Wei SHI ; Yufang ZHAO ; Zhien LIU ; Wenpu LEI ; Yanan ZHANG ; Ke ZHAO ; Hao GUO
China Pharmacy 2025;36(4):486-490
OBJECTIVE To analyze the occurrence characteristics and risk factors of adverse drug reactions (ADR) of gemcitabine for injection in national centralized volume-based procurement (hereinafter referred to as “centralized procurement”), and provide reference for clinical safe drug use. METHODS A retrospective study was conducted to collect the relevant case reports of gemcitabine for injection reported to the National Adverse Drug Reaction Monitoring System by Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region from January 2022 to December 2023; basic information of patients, drug use status, patient outcomes, rational drug use and other information were collected, and the occurrence characteristics of ADRs with leukopenia, myelosuppression, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia and liver dysfunction were analyzed. Univariate analysis and multivariate Logistic regression were used to analyze the correlation of gender, age, combination of antitumor drugs, original malignant tumor and drug dose with ADR. RESULTS A total of 315 cases reports (315 patients) of gemcitabine-induced ADR were included in this study, with a male-to-female ratio of 1.42∶1 and age of (61.17±9.13) years. The primary malignant tumor was pancreatic cancer (73 cases, 23.17%). Leukopenia, myelosuppression and nausea were the most common ADR, followed by neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, liver dysfunction and so on. The severity grade of ADR was mainly 1-2, and the outcome of most ADR was good. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that combination of antitumor drugs was a risk factor for myelosuppression and neutropenia (RR=2.154, 95%CI: 1.218- 3.807, P=0.008; RR=3.099, 95%CI: 1.240-7.744, P=0.016); gender (female) was a risk factor for leukopenia and liver dysfunction (RR=0.508, 95%CI: 0.302-0.853, P=0.010; RR=0.301, 95%CI: 0.102-0.887, P=0.029). In terms of drug use rationality, there were 143 cases (45.40%) of drug 126.com use in accordance with the indications of the label, and 172 cases (54.60%) of off-label drug use. Among them, the primary malignant tumors were bladder cancer, bile duct cancer and ovarian cancer, which ranked the top three off-label drug use. CONCLUSIONS The ADR caused by gemcitabine in Inner Mongolia is mainly in the blood and digestive systems. The severity of ADRs is mainly classified as 1-2 levels, and most ADRs have good outcomes. Gender (female) and combination medication are risk factors for gemcitabine-induced ADR. Appropriate chemotherapy regimen should be selected according to the patient’s condition and physical condition, and ADR monitoring in blood and digestive systems should be strengthened during medication of gemcitabine.
4.Effects of honey-processed Astragalus on energy metabolism and polarization of RAW264.7 cells
Hong-chang LI ; Ke PEI ; Wang-yang XIE ; Xiang-long MENG ; Zi-han YU ; Wen-ling LI ; Hao CAI
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2025;60(2):459-470
In this study, RAW264.7 cells were employed to investigate the effects of honey-processed
5.Chemical consitituents and hypoglycemic activity of Qinhuai No. 1 Rehmannia glutinosa
Meng YANG ; Zhi-you HAO ; Xiao-lan WANG ; Chao-yuan XIAO ; Jun-yang ZHANG ; Shi-qi ZHOU ; Xiao-ke ZHENG ; Wei-sheng FENG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2025;60(1):205-210
Eight compounds were isolated and purified from the ethyl acetate part of 70% acetone extract of
6.A Case Report of Pachydermoperiostosis by Multidisciplinary Diagnosis and Treatment
Jie ZHANG ; Yan ZHANG ; Li HUO ; Ke LYU ; Tao WANG ; Ze'nan XIA ; Xiao LONG ; Kexin XU ; Nan WU ; Bo YANG ; Weibo XIA ; Rongrong HU ; Limeng CHEN ; Ji LI ; Xia HONG ; Yan ZHANG ; Yagang ZUO
JOURNAL OF RARE DISEASES 2025;4(1):75-82
A 20-year-old male patient presented to the Department of Dermatology of Peking Union Medical College Hospital with complaints of an 8-year history of facial scarring, swelling of the lower limbs, and a 4-year history of scalp thickening. Physical examination showed thickening furrowing wrinkling of the skin on the face and behind the ears, ciliary body hirsutism, blepharoptosis, and cutis verticis gyrate. Both lower limbs were swollen, especially the knees and ankles. The skin of the palms and soles of the feet was keratinized and thickened. Laboratory examination using bone and joint X-ray showed periostosis of the proximal middle phalanges and metacarpals of both hands, distal ulna and radius, tibia and fibula, distal femurs, and metatarsals.Genetic testing revealed two variants in
7.PDGF-C: an Emerging Target in The Treatment of Organ Fibrosis
Chao YANG ; Zi-Yi SONG ; Chang-Xin WANG ; Yuan-Yuan KUANG ; Yi-Jing CHENG ; Ke-Xin REN ; Xue LI ; Yan LIN
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(5):1059-1069
Fibrosis, the pathological scarring of vital organs, is a severe and often irreversible condition that leads to progressive organ dysfunction. It is particularly pronounced in organs like the liver, kidneys, lungs, and heart. Despite its clinical significance, the full understanding of its etiology and complex pathogenesis remains incomplete, posing substantial challenges to diagnosing, treating, and preventing the progression of fibrosis. Among the various molecular players involved, platelet-derived growth factor-C (PDGF-C) has emerged as a crucial factor in fibrotic diseases, contributing to the pathological transformation of tissues in several key organs. PDGF-C is a member of the PDGFs family of growth factors and is synthesized and secreted by various cell types, including fibroblasts, smooth muscle cells, and endothelial cells. It acts through both autocrine and paracrine mechanisms, exerting its biological effects by binding to and activating the PDGF receptors (PDGFRs), specifically PDGFRα and PDGFRβ. This binding triggers multiple intracellular signaling pathways, such as JAK/STAT, PI3K/AKT and Ras-MAPK pathways. which are integral to the regulation of cell proliferation, survival, migration, and fibrosis. Notably, PDGF-C has been shown to promote the proliferation and migration of fibroblasts, key effector cells in the fibrotic process, thus accelerating the accumulation of extracellular matrix components and the formation of fibrotic tissue. Numerous studies have documented an upregulation of PDGF-C expression in various fibrotic diseases, suggesting its significant role in the initiation and progression of fibrosis. For instance, in liver fibrosis, PDGF-C stimulates hepatic stellate cell activation, contributing to the excessive deposition of collagen and other extracellular matrix proteins. Similarly, in pulmonary fibrosis, PDGF-C enhances the migration of fibroblasts into the damaged areas of lungs, thereby worsening the pathological process. Such findings highlight the pivotal role of PDGF-C in fibrotic diseases and underscore its potential as a therapeutic target for these conditions. Given its central role in the pathogenesis of fibrosis, PDGF-C has become an attractive target for therapeutic intervention. Several studies have focused on developing inhibitors that block the PDGF-C/PDGFR signaling pathway. These inhibitors aim to reduce fibroblast activation, prevent the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix components, and halt the progression of fibrosis. Preclinical studies have demonstrated the efficacy of such inhibitors in animal models of liver, kidney, and lung fibrosis, with promising results in reducing fibrotic lesions and improving organ function. Furthermore, several clinical inhibitors, such as Olaratumab and Seralutinib, are ongoing to assess the safety and efficacy of these inhibitors in human patients, offering hope for novel therapeutic options in the treatment of fibrotic diseases. In conclusion, PDGF-C plays a critical role in the development and progression of fibrosis in vital organs. Its ability to regulate fibroblast activity and influence key signaling pathways makes it a promising target for therapeutic strategies aiming at combating fibrosis. Ongoing research into the regulation of PDGF-C expression and the development of PDGF-C/PDGFR inhibitors holds the potential to offer new insights and approaches for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of fibrotic diseases. Ultimately, these efforts may lead to the development of more effective and targeted therapies that can mitigate the impact of fibrosis and improve patient outcomes.
8.Intelligent handheld ultrasound improving the ability of non-expert general practitioners in carotid examinations for community populations: a prospective and parallel controlled trial
Pei SUN ; Hong HAN ; Yi-Kang SUN ; Xi WANG ; Xiao-Chuan LIU ; Bo-Yang ZHOU ; Li-Fan WANG ; Ya-Qin ZHANG ; Zhi-Gang PAN ; Bei-Jian HUANG ; Hui-Xiong XU ; Chong-Ke ZHAO
Ultrasonography 2025;44(2):112-123
Purpose:
The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of an intelligent handheld ultrasound (US) device for assisting non-expert general practitioners (GPs) in detecting carotid plaques (CPs) in community populations.
Methods:
This prospective parallel controlled trial recruited 111 consecutive community residents. All of them underwent examinations by non-expert GPs and specialist doctors using handheld US devices (setting A, setting B, and setting C). The results of setting C with specialist doctors were considered the gold standard. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and the features of CPs were measured and recorded. The diagnostic performance of GPs in distinguishing CPs was evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic curve. Inter-observer agreement was compared using the intragroup correlation coefficient (ICC). Questionnaires were completed to evaluate clinical benefits.
Results:
Among the 111 community residents, 80, 96, and 112 CPs were detected in settings A, B, and C, respectively. Setting B exhibited better diagnostic performance than setting A for detecting CPs (area under the curve, 0.856 vs. 0.749; P<0.01). Setting B had better consistency with setting C than setting A in CIMT measurement and the assessment of CPs (ICC, 0.731 to 0.923). Moreover, measurements in setting B required less time than the other two settings (44.59 seconds vs. 108.87 seconds vs. 126.13 seconds, both P<0.01).
Conclusion
Using an intelligent handheld US device, GPs can perform CP screening and achieve a diagnostic capability comparable to that of specialist doctors.
9.Intelligent handheld ultrasound improving the ability of non-expert general practitioners in carotid examinations for community populations: a prospective and parallel controlled trial
Pei SUN ; Hong HAN ; Yi-Kang SUN ; Xi WANG ; Xiao-Chuan LIU ; Bo-Yang ZHOU ; Li-Fan WANG ; Ya-Qin ZHANG ; Zhi-Gang PAN ; Bei-Jian HUANG ; Hui-Xiong XU ; Chong-Ke ZHAO
Ultrasonography 2025;44(2):112-123
Purpose:
The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of an intelligent handheld ultrasound (US) device for assisting non-expert general practitioners (GPs) in detecting carotid plaques (CPs) in community populations.
Methods:
This prospective parallel controlled trial recruited 111 consecutive community residents. All of them underwent examinations by non-expert GPs and specialist doctors using handheld US devices (setting A, setting B, and setting C). The results of setting C with specialist doctors were considered the gold standard. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and the features of CPs were measured and recorded. The diagnostic performance of GPs in distinguishing CPs was evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic curve. Inter-observer agreement was compared using the intragroup correlation coefficient (ICC). Questionnaires were completed to evaluate clinical benefits.
Results:
Among the 111 community residents, 80, 96, and 112 CPs were detected in settings A, B, and C, respectively. Setting B exhibited better diagnostic performance than setting A for detecting CPs (area under the curve, 0.856 vs. 0.749; P<0.01). Setting B had better consistency with setting C than setting A in CIMT measurement and the assessment of CPs (ICC, 0.731 to 0.923). Moreover, measurements in setting B required less time than the other two settings (44.59 seconds vs. 108.87 seconds vs. 126.13 seconds, both P<0.01).
Conclusion
Using an intelligent handheld US device, GPs can perform CP screening and achieve a diagnostic capability comparable to that of specialist doctors.
10.Intelligent handheld ultrasound improving the ability of non-expert general practitioners in carotid examinations for community populations: a prospective and parallel controlled trial
Pei SUN ; Hong HAN ; Yi-Kang SUN ; Xi WANG ; Xiao-Chuan LIU ; Bo-Yang ZHOU ; Li-Fan WANG ; Ya-Qin ZHANG ; Zhi-Gang PAN ; Bei-Jian HUANG ; Hui-Xiong XU ; Chong-Ke ZHAO
Ultrasonography 2025;44(2):112-123
Purpose:
The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility of an intelligent handheld ultrasound (US) device for assisting non-expert general practitioners (GPs) in detecting carotid plaques (CPs) in community populations.
Methods:
This prospective parallel controlled trial recruited 111 consecutive community residents. All of them underwent examinations by non-expert GPs and specialist doctors using handheld US devices (setting A, setting B, and setting C). The results of setting C with specialist doctors were considered the gold standard. Carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) and the features of CPs were measured and recorded. The diagnostic performance of GPs in distinguishing CPs was evaluated using a receiver operating characteristic curve. Inter-observer agreement was compared using the intragroup correlation coefficient (ICC). Questionnaires were completed to evaluate clinical benefits.
Results:
Among the 111 community residents, 80, 96, and 112 CPs were detected in settings A, B, and C, respectively. Setting B exhibited better diagnostic performance than setting A for detecting CPs (area under the curve, 0.856 vs. 0.749; P<0.01). Setting B had better consistency with setting C than setting A in CIMT measurement and the assessment of CPs (ICC, 0.731 to 0.923). Moreover, measurements in setting B required less time than the other two settings (44.59 seconds vs. 108.87 seconds vs. 126.13 seconds, both P<0.01).
Conclusion
Using an intelligent handheld US device, GPs can perform CP screening and achieve a diagnostic capability comparable to that of specialist doctors.

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail