1.Phenomics of traditional Chinese medicine 2.0: the integration with digital medicine
Min Xu ; Xinyi Shao ; Donggeng Guo ; Xiaojing Yan ; Lei Wang ; Tao Yang ; Hao LIANG ; Qinghua PENG ; Lingyu Linda Ye ; Haibo Cheng ; Dayue Darrel Duan
Digital Chinese Medicine 2025;8(3):282-299
		                        		
		                        			Abstract
		                        			Modern western medicine typically focuses on treating specific symptoms or diseases, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) emphasizes the interconnections of the body’s various systems under external environment and takes a holistic approach to preventing and treating diseases. Phenomics was initially introduced to the field of TCM in 2008 as a new discipline that studies the laws of integrated and dynamic changes of human clinical phenomes under the scope of the theories and practices of TCM based on phenomics. While TCM Phenomics 1.0 has initially established a clinical phenomic system centered on Zhenghou (a TCM definition of clinical phenome), bottlenecks remain in data standardization, mechanistic interpretation, and precision intervention. Here, we systematically elaborates on the theoretical foundations, technical pathways, and future challenges of integrating digital medicine with TCM phenomics under the framework of “TCM phenomics 2.0”, which is supported by digital medicine technologies such as artificial intelligence, wearable devices, medical digital twins, and multi-omics integration. This framework aims to construct a closed-loop system of “Zhenghou–Phenome–Mechanism–Intervention” and to enable the digitization, standardization, and precision of disease diagnosis and treatment. The integration of digital medicine and TCM phenomics not only promotes the modernization and scientific transformation of TCM theory and practice but also offers new paradigms for precision medicine. In practice, digital tools facilitate multi-source clinical data acquisition and standardization, while AI and big data algorithms help reveal the correlations between clinical Zhenghou phenomes and molecular mechanisms, thereby improving scientific rigor in diagnosis, efficacy evaluation, and personalized intervention. Nevertheless, challenges persist, including data quality and standardization issues, shortage of interdisciplinary talents, and insufficiency of ethical and legal regulations. Future development requires establishing national data-sharing platforms, strengthening international collaboration, fostering interdisciplinary professionals, and improving ethical and legal frameworks. Ultimately, this approach seeks to build a new disease identification and classification system centered on phenomes and to achieve the inheritance, innovation, and modernization of TCM diagnostic and therapeutic patterns.
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
2.Lingguizhugan Decoction, a Chinese herbal formula, improves insulin resistance in overweight/obese subjects with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: a translational approach.
Liang DAI ; Jingjuan XU ; Baocheng LIU ; Yanqi DANG ; Ruirui WANG ; Lijie ZHUANG ; Dong LI ; Lulu JIAO ; Jianying WANG ; Lei ZHANG ; Linda L D ZHONG ; Wenjun ZHOU ; Guang JI
Frontiers of Medicine 2022;16(5):745-759
		                        		
		                        			
		                        			Lingguizhugan Decoction (LGZG) has been investigated in basic studies, with satisfactory effects on insulin resistance in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This translational approach aimed to explore the effect and underlying mechanism of LGZG in clinical setting. A randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial was performed. A total of 243 eligible participants with NAFLD were equally allocated to receive LGZG (two groups: standard dose and low dose) or placebo for 12 weeks on the basis of lifestyle modifications. The primary efficacy variable was homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Analyses were performed in two populations in accordance with body mass index (BMI; overweight/obese, BMI ⩾ 24 kg/m2; lean, BMI < 24 kg/m2). For overweight/obese participants, low-dose LGZG significantly decreased their HOMA-IR level compared with placebo (-0.19 (1.47) versus 0.08 (1.99), P = 0.038). For lean subjects, neither dose of LGZG showed a superior effect compared with placebo. Methylated DNA immunoprecipitation sequencing and real-time qPCR found that the DNA N6-methyladenine modification levels of protein phosphatase 1 regulatory subunit 3A (PPP1R3A) and autophagy related 3 (ATG3) significantly increased after LGZG intervention in overweight/obese population. Low-dose LGZG effectively improved insulin resistance in overweight/obese subjects with NAFLD. The underlying mechanism may be related to the regulation of DNA N6-methyladenine modification of PPP1R3A and ATG3. Lean subjects may not be a targeted population for LGZG.
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        			Humans
		                        			;
		                        		
		                        			Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/drug therapy*
		                        			;
		                        		
		                        			Overweight/drug therapy*
		                        			;
		                        		
		                        			Insulin Resistance
		                        			;
		                        		
		                        			Obesity/drug therapy*
		                        			;
		                        		
		                        			China
		                        			;
		                        		
		                        			DNA/therapeutic use*
		                        			
		                        		
		                        	
3.Camrelizumab salvage therapy for extrahepatic recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma with PD-L1 negativity in transplanted liver tissue
Yinan DENG ; Guoying WANG ; Jianfeng WANG ; Linda FAN ; Yingcai ZHANG ; Tong ZHANG ; Xuhong YI ; Jian ZHANG ; Hua LI ; Yang YANG
Chinese Journal of Organ Transplantation 2022;43(5):276-280
		                        		
		                        			
		                        			Objective:To explore the safety and efficacy of camrelizumab salvage therapy for extrahepatic recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma with PD-L1 negativity in transplanted liver tissue.Methods:From May 2020 to December 2020, retrospective analysis was performed for 3 cases of camrelizumab salvage therapy for extrahepatic recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma recipients with PD-L1 negative in transplanted liver tissue.Three recipients with extrahepatic recurrence progressed after first/second-line targeted drug therapy.Camrelizumab was given as salvage therapy after normal tissue of ransplanted liver was confirmed as negative for PD-L1 by immunohistochemistry.The safety and efficacy of treatment were observed by monitoring the changes in the levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and bilirubin, the occurrence of complications and the outcome of treatment before and after dosing.Results:During a follow-up period of 1.5 to 15.5 months, no recipients showed acute rejection symptoms such as sharp elevations of transaminase and bilirubin.Headache ( n=1), vomiting ( n=1) and fatigue & hypertension ( n=1) became relieved after treatment.As of February 28, 2022, there were one survivor and two deaths.The fatal causes were tumor progression ( n=1) and thoracic aortic rupture due to esophageal perforation ( n=1). The survival time of recipients was (11-15.5) months and the progression-free survival time (4-6) months. Conclusions:For extrahepatic recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma with PD-L1-negative liver transplantation in normal liver tissue, camrelizumab salvage therapy can control tumor progression to a certain extent and prolong the survival time of recipients.
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
4.Suppressing fatty acid synthase by type I interferon and chemical inhibitors as a broad spectrum anti-viral strategy against SARS-CoV-2.
Saba R ALIYARI ; Amir Ali GHAFFARI ; Olivier PERNET ; Kislay PARVATIYAR ; Yao WANG ; Hoda GERAMI ; Ann-Jay TONG ; Laurent VERGNES ; Armin TAKALLOU ; Adel ZHANG ; Xiaochao WEI ; Linda D CHILIN ; Yuntao WU ; Clay F SEMENKOVICH ; Karen REUE ; Stephen T SMALE ; Benhur LEE ; Genhong CHENG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2022;12(4):1624-1635
		                        		
		                        			
		                        			SARS-CoV-2 is an emerging viral pathogen and a major global public health challenge since December of 2019, with limited effective treatments throughout the pandemic. As part of the innate immune response to viral infection, type I interferons (IFN-I) trigger a signaling cascade that culminates in the activation of hundreds of genes, known as interferon stimulated genes (ISGs), that collectively foster an antiviral state. We report here the identification of a group of type I interferon suppressed genes, including fatty acid synthase (FASN), which are involved in lipid metabolism. Overexpression of FASN or the addition of its downstream product, palmitate, increased viral infection while knockout or knockdown of FASN reduced infection. More importantly, pharmacological inhibitors of FASN effectively blocked infections with a broad range of viruses, including SARS-CoV-2 and its variants of concern. Thus, our studies not only suggest that downregulation of metabolic genes may present an antiviral strategy by type I interferon, but they also introduce the potential for FASN inhibitors to have a therapeutic application in combating emerging infectious diseases such as COVID-19.
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
5.Tojapride Reverses Esophageal Epithelial Inflammatory Responses on Reflux Esophagitis Model Rats.
Xiao-Lan YIN ; Linda ZHONG ; Cheng-Yuan LIN ; Xiao-Shuang SHI ; Jiao ZHANG ; Zheng-Yi CHEN ; Hui CHE ; Xiang-Xue MA ; Ya-Xin TIAN ; Yuan-Zhi DUAN ; Lin LU ; Hai-Jie JI ; Ying-Pan ZHAO ; Xu-Dong TANG ; Feng-Yun WANG
Chinese journal of integrative medicine 2021;27(8):604-612
		                        		
		                        			OBJECTIVE:
		                        			To investigate the mechanism of Tojapride, a Chinese herbal formula extract, on strengthening the barrier function of esophageal epithelium in rats with reflux esophagitis (RE).
		                        		
		                        			METHODS:
		                        			Ten out of 85 SD rats were randomly selected as the sham group (n10), and 75 rats were developed a reflux esophagitis model (RE) by the esophageal and duodenal side-to-side anastomosis. Fifty successful modeling rats were divided into different medicated groups through a random number table including the model, low-, medium-, and high-dose of Tojapride as well as omeprazole groups (n10). Three doses of Tojapride [5.73, 11.46, 22.92 g/(kg•d)] and omeprazole [4.17 mg/(kg•d)] were administrated intragastrically twice daily for 3 weeks. And the rats in the sham and model groups were administered 10 mL/kg distilled water. Gastric fluid was collected and the supernatant was kept to measure for volume, pH value and acidity. Esophageal tissues were isolated to monitor the morphological changes through hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, and esophageal epithelial ultrastructure was observed by transmission electron microscopy. The expressions of nuclear factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells p65 (NF-KBp65), κB kinase beta (IKKß), occludin, and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) in the esophageal tissues were measured by immunohistochemistry and Western blot, respectively.
		                        		
		                        			RESULTS:
		                        			The gastric pH value in the model group was significantly lower than the sham group (P<0.05). Compared with the model group, gastric pH value in the omeprazole and medium-dose of Tojapride groups were significantly higher (P<0.05). A large area of ulceration was found on the esophageal mucosa from the model rats, while varying degrees of congestion and partially visible erosion was observed in the remaining groups. Remarkable increase in cell gap width and decrease in desmosome count was seen in RE rats and the effect was reversed by Tojapride treatment. Compared with the sham group, the IKKß levels were significantly higher in the model group (P<0.05). However, the IKKß levels were down-regulated after treatment by all doses of Tojapride (P<0.01 or P<0.05). The occluding and ZO-1 levels decreased in the model group compared with the sham group (Ps0.01 or Ps0.05), while both indices were significantly up-regulated in the Tojapride-treated groups (P<0.01 or P<0.05).
		                        		
		                        			CONCLUSIONS
		                        			Tojapride could improve the pathological conditions of esophageal epithelium in RE rats. The underlying mechanisms may involve in down-regulating the IKKß expression and elevating ZO-1 and occludin expression, thereby alleviating the inflammation of the esophagus and strengthening the barrier function of the esophageal epithelium.
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
6.Secukinumab demonstrates high efficacy and a favorable safety profile over 52 weeks in Chinese patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.
Lin CAI ; Jian-Zhong ZHANG ; Xu YAO ; Jun GU ; Quan-Zhong LIU ; Min ZHENG ; Shi-Fa ZHANG ; Jin-Hua XU ; Cheng-Xin LI ; Hao CHENG ; Qing GUO ; Wei-Li PAN ; Shen-Qiu LI ; Ruo-Yu LI ; Zai-Pei GUO ; Zhi-Qi SONG ; Shan-Shan LI ; Xiu-Qin DONG ; Linda WANG ; Rong FU ; Pascaline REGNAULT ; Pascal CHAREF ; Rafal MAZUR ; Manmath PATEKAR
Chinese Medical Journal 2020;133(22):2665-2673
		                        		
		                        			BACKGROUND:
		                        			Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease, affecting about 0.6% of the Chinese population. Many patients are not well controlled by conventional treatments, thus there is need for new treatment regimens. In this study, we assessed the efficacy and safety of secukinumab in Chinese patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.
		                        		
		                        			METHODS:
		                        			This study was a 52-week, multicentre, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group, Phase 3 trial. A sub-population of study participants (≥18 years) of Chinese ethnicity were randomized to receive subcutaneous injections of 300 or 150 mg secukinumab, or placebo. The co-primary endpoints were psoriasis area severity index (PASI) 75 and Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA) 0/1 at Week 12.
		                        		
		                        			RESULTS:
		                        			A total of 441 Chinese patients were enrolled in this study. Co-primary outcomes were achieved; 300 and 150 mg secukinumab were superior to placebo as shown in the proportion of patients that achieved PASI 75 (97.7% and 87.2% vs. 3.7%, respectively; P < 0.001), and IGA 0/1 (82.3% and 69.7% vs. 2.7%; P < 0.001) at Week 12. Treatment efficacy was maintained until Week 52. There was no increase in overall adverse events with secukinumab relative to placebo throughout the 52-week period.
		                        		
		                        			CONCLUSION:
		                        			Secukinumab is highly effective and well tolerated in Chinese patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.
		                        		
		                        			TRIAL REGISTRATION
		                        			ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03066609; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/record/NCT03066609.
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        			Antibodies, Monoclonal/therapeutic use*
		                        			;
		                        		
		                        			Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized
		                        			;
		                        		
		                        			China
		                        			;
		                        		
		                        			Double-Blind Method
		                        			;
		                        		
		                        			Humans
		                        			;
		                        		
		                        			Psoriasis/drug therapy*
		                        			;
		                        		
		                        			Severity of Illness Index
		                        			;
		                        		
		                        			Treatment Outcome
		                        			
		                        		
		                        	
7. Efficacy and safety of ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir and dasabuvir combined with ribavirin in Asian adult patients with chronic HCV genotype 1b infection and compensated cirrhosis
Lai WEI ; Guiqiang WANG ; Kopecky-Bromberg SARAH ; Jun CHENG ; Qing XIE ; Maorong WANG ; Min XU ; Zhongping DUAN ; Jinlin HOU ; Mingxiang ZHANG ; Yuexin ZHANG ; Hong TANG ; Wei ZHAO ; Shumei LIN ; Zhansheng JIA ; Junqi NIU ; Zhiliang GAO ; Hong YUAN ; Minghua LIN ; Xinmin ZHOU ; Yan LUO ; Fredrick LINDA ; Mobashery NILOUFAR ; Ye WANG ; Jidong JIA
Chinese Journal of Hepatology 2018;26(5):353-358
		                        		
		                        			 Objective:
		                        			To evaluate the efficacy and safety of ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir (OBV/PTV/r) 25/150/100 mg once daily and dasabuvir (DSV) 250 mg twice daily combined with ribavirin in adult patients of Mainland China with chronic HCV genotype 1b infection and compensated cirrhosis. 
		                        		
		                        			Methods:
		                        			An open-label, multicenter, phase 3 clinical trial study was conducted in mainland China, Taiwan, and South Korea. Adult patients with compensated cirrhosis (Metavir score =F4) who were newly diagnosed and treated for hepatitis C virus genotype 1b infection with ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir and dasabuvir combined with ribavirin for 12 weeks were included. Assessed SVR rate of patients obtained at 12 and 24 weeks after drug withdrawal. Efficacy and safety were evaluated in patients who received at least one time study drugs. 
		                        		
		                        			Results:
		                        			A total of 63 patients from mainland China were enrolled, 62 of whom (98.4%) had a baseline Child-Pugh score of 5 points. The overall rate of SVR12 and SVR24 in patients was 100% (95% CI: 94.3% to 100.0%). Most of the adverse events that occurred were mild. The incidence of common (≥10%) adverse events and laboratory abnormalities included elevated total bilirubin (36.5%), weakness (19.0%), elevated unconjugated bilirubin (19.0%) and conjugated bilirubin (17.5%), and anemia (14.3%). Three cases (4.8%) of patients experienced Grade ≥ 3 adverse events that were considered by the investigators to be unrelated to the study drug. None patients had adverse events leading to premature drug withdrawal. 
		                        		
		                        			Conclusion
		                        			Mainland Chinese patients with chronic HCV genotype 1b infection and compensated cirrhosis who were treated with OBV/PTV/r plus DSV combined with RBV for 12 weeks achieved 100 % SVR at 12 and 24 weeks after drug withdrawal. Tolerability and safety were good, and majority of adverse events were mild. 
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
8. Efficacy and safety of paritaprevir/ritonavir/ombitasvir combined with dasabuvir in non-cirrhotic Asian adult patients with newly diagnosed and treated chronic HCV genotype 1b infection: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study - China data
Lai WEI ; Jun CHENG ; Yan LUO ; Jun LI ; Zhongping DUAN ; Jinlin HOU ; Jidong JIA ; Mingxiang ZHANG ; Yan HUANG ; Qing XIE ; Guiqiang WANG ; Dongliang YANG ; Wei ZHAO ; Caiyan ZHAO ; Hong TANG ; Shumei LIN ; Guozhong GONG ; Junqi NIU ; Zhiliang GAO ; Kopecky-Bromberg SARAH ; Fredrick LINDA ; Mobashery NILOUFAR ; Ye WANG ; Jiefei WANG
Chinese Journal of Hepatology 2018;26(5):359-364
		                        		
		                        			 Objective:
		                        			To evaluate the safety and efficacy of ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir (OBV/PTV/r) 25/150/100 mg once daily combined with dasabuvir 250mg, twice daily in non-cirrhotic Chinese adult patients with newly diagnosed and treated chronic HCV genotype 1b infection. 
		                        		
		                        			Methods:
		                        			A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter phase 3 clinical trial was conducted in mainland China, Korea, and Taiwan.Safety and efficacy of OBV/PTV/r plus DSV administered for 12 weeks were evaluated in a newly diagnosed and treated (interferon alpha /pegylated interferon alpha) and ribavirin non-cirrhotic adults with chronic HCVgenotype 1b infection. Patients randomly received OBV/PTV/r plus DSV for 12 weeks (Group A), or placebo for 12 weeks (Group B) followed by an open-label phase of OBV/PTV/r plus DSV for 12 weeks. Sustained response (SVR12) rate obtained at 12 weeks and (SVR24) 24 weeks after discontinuation of treatment, and the incidence of adverse events and laboratory abnormalities after double-blind and open-label phase treatment were assessed. 
		                        		
		                        			Results:
		                        			A total of 410 cases of Chinese patients were included and randomly assigned to group A and B (with 205 cases in each group) in a 1:1 ratio. The rates of SVR12 and SVR24 were 99% (95% 
		                        		
		                        	
            
Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail