1.Effect Analysis of Different Interventions to Improve Neuroinflammation in The Treatment of Alzheimer’s Disease
Jiang-Hui SHAN ; Chao-Yang CHU ; Shi-Yu CHEN ; Zhi-Cheng LIN ; Yu-Yu ZHOU ; Tian-Yuan FANG ; Chu-Xia ZHANG ; Biao XIAO ; Kai XIE ; Qing-Juan WANG ; Zhi-Tao LIU ; Li-Ping LI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(2):310-333
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a central neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive cognitive decline and memory impairment in clinical. Currently, there are no effective treatments for AD. In recent years, a variety of therapeutic approaches from different perspectives have been explored to treat AD. Although the drug therapies targeted at the clearance of amyloid β-protein (Aβ) had made a breakthrough in clinical trials, there were associated with adverse events. Neuroinflammation plays a crucial role in the onset and progression of AD. Continuous neuroinflammatory was considered to be the third major pathological feature of AD, which could promote the formation of extracellular amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles. At the same time, these toxic substances could accelerate the development of neuroinflammation, form a vicious cycle, and exacerbate disease progression. Reducing neuroinflammation could break the feedback loop pattern between neuroinflammation, Aβ plaque deposition and Tau tangles, which might be an effective therapeutic strategy for treating AD. Traditional Chinese herbs such as Polygonum multiflorum and Curcuma were utilized in the treatment of AD due to their ability to mitigate neuroinflammation. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and indomethacin had been shown to reduce the level of inflammasomes in the body, and taking these drugs was associated with a low incidence of AD. Biosynthetic nanomaterials loaded with oxytocin were demonstrated to have the capability to anti-inflammatory and penetrate the blood-brain barrier effectively, and they played an anti-inflammatory role via sustained-releasing oxytocin in the brain. Transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells could reduce neuroinflammation and inhibit the activation of microglia. The secretion of mesenchymal stem cells could not only improve neuroinflammation, but also exert a multi-target comprehensive therapeutic effect, making it potentially more suitable for the treatment of AD. Enhancing the level of TREM2 in microglial cells using gene editing technologies, or application of TREM2 antibodies such as Ab-T1, hT2AB could improve microglial cell function and reduce the level of neuroinflammation, which might be a potential treatment for AD. Probiotic therapy, fecal flora transplantation, antibiotic therapy, and dietary intervention could reshape the composition of the gut microbiota and alleviate neuroinflammation through the gut-brain axis. However, the drugs of sodium oligomannose remain controversial. Both exercise intervention and electromagnetic intervention had the potential to attenuate neuroinflammation, thereby delaying AD process. This article focuses on the role of drug therapy, gene therapy, stem cell therapy, gut microbiota therapy, exercise intervention, and brain stimulation in improving neuroinflammation in recent years, aiming to provide a novel insight for the treatment of AD by intervening neuroinflammation in the future.
2.Design, synthesis and evaluation of oxadiazoles as novel XO inhibitors
Hong-zhan WANG ; Ya-jun YANG ; Ying YANG ; Fei YE ; Jin-ying TIAN ; Chuan-ming ZHANG ; Zhi-yan XIAO
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2025;60(1):164-171
Xanthine oxidase (XO) is an important therapeutic target for the treatment of hyperuricemia and gout. Based on the previously identified potent XO inhibitor
3.Effects of nicotinamide mononucleotide on hypertensive rats
Yuchen WEI ; Jiasheng TIAN ; Daoxin WANG ; Qisheng LING ; Zhi WANG ; Chaoyu MIAO
Journal of Pharmaceutical Practice and Service 2025;43(5):213-221
Objective To explore the effects of nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) on hypertensive rats. Methods Two rat hypertension models including spontaneously hypertensive rats(SHR)and two-kidney two-clip (2K2C) rats were used to be given single, long-term or lifelong administration of NMN respectively. NMN’s effects were assessed comprehensively by monitoring survival time, blood pressure levels, and the extent of organ damage in hypertensive model rats. Results It was revealed that NMN did not exhibit protective effects in terms of lowering blood pressure levels, reducing organ damage or increasing survival time in hypertensive rats. Conclusion This study suggested that NMN did not demonstrate anti-hypertensive effects in rat hypertension models and could provide valuable insights for future clinical observation on NMN.
4.rTMS Improves Cognitive Function and Brain Network Connectivity in Patients With Alzheimer’s Disease
Gui-Zhi XU ; Lin LIU ; Miao-Miao GUO ; Tian WANG ; Jiao-Jiao GAO ; Yong JI ; Pan WANG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(8):2131-2145
ObjectiveRepetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has demonstrated efficacy in enhancing neurocognitive performance in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), but the neurobiological mechanisms linking synaptic pathology, neural oscillatory dynamics, and brain network reorganization remain unclear. This investigation seeks to systematically evaluate the therapeutic potential of rTMS as a non-invasive neuromodulatory intervention through a multimodal framework integrating clinical assessments, molecular profiling, and neurophysiological monitoring. MethodsIn this prospective double-blind trial, 12 AD patients underwent a 14-day protocol of 20 Hz rTMS, with comprehensive multimodal assessments performed pre- and post-intervention. Cognitive functioning was quantified using the mini-mental state examination (MMSE) and Montreal cognitive assessment (MOCA), while daily living capacities and neuropsychiatric profiles were respectively evaluated through the activities of daily living (ADL) scale and combined neuropsychiatric inventory (NPI)-Hamilton depression rating scale (HAMD). Peripheral blood biomarkers, specifically Aβ1-40 and phosphorylated tau (p-tau181), were analyzed to investigate the effects of rTMS on molecular metabolism. Spectral power analysis was employed to investigate rTMS-induced modulations of neural rhythms in AD patients, while brain network analyses incorporating topological properties were conducted to examine stimulus-driven network reorganization. Furthermore, systematic assessment of correlations between cognitive scale scores, blood biomarkers, and network characteristics was performed to elucidate cross-modal therapeutic associations. ResultsClinically, MMSE and MOCA scores improved significantly (P<0.05). Biomarker showed that Aβ1-40 level increased (P<0.05), contrasting with p-tau181 reduction. Moreover, the levels of Aβ1-40 were positively correlated with MMSE and MOCA scores. Post-intervention analyses revealed significant modulations in oscillatory power, characterized by pronounced reductions in delta (P<0.05) and theta bands (P<0.05), while concurrent enhancements were observed in alpha, beta, and gamma band activities (all P<0.05). Network analysis revealed frequency-specific reorganization: clustering coefficients were significantly decreased in delta, theta, and alpha bands (P<0.05), while global efficiency improvement was exclusively detected in the delta band (P<0.05). The alpha band demonstrated concurrent increases in average nodal degree (P<0.05) and characteristic path length reduction (P<0.05). Further research findings indicate that the changes in the clinical scale HAMD scores before and after rTMS stimulation are negatively correlated with the changes in the blood biomarkers Aβ1-40 and p-tau181. Additionally, the changes in the clinical scales MMSE and MoCA scores were negatively correlated with the changes in the node degree of the alpha frequency band and negatively correlated with the clustering coefficient of the delta frequency band. However, the changes in MMSE scores are positively correlated with the changes in global efficiency of both the delta and alpha frequency bands. Conclusion20 Hz rTMS targeting dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) significantly improves cognitive function and enhances the metabolic clearance of β-amyloid and tau proteins in AD patients. This neurotherapeutic effect is mechanistically associated with rTMS-mediated frequency-selective neuromodulation, which enhances the connectivity of oscillatory networks through improved neuronal synchronization and optimized topological organization of functional brain networks. These findings not only support the efficacy of rTMS as an adjunctive therapy for AD but also underscore the importance of employing multiple assessment methods—including clinical scales, blood biomarkers, and EEG——in understanding and monitoring the progression of AD. This research provides a significant theoretical foundation and empirical evidence for further exploration of rTMS applications in AD treatment.
5.Interpretation of the World Health Organization global report on hypertension 2023
Qin SUN ; Weifan TIAN ; Tingting LUO ; Jing YU ; Dongze LI ; Haihong ZHANG ; Rui ZENG ; Zhi WAN
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2024;31(02):203-208
The World Health Organization (WHO) released the “Global report on hypertension” on September 19, 2023. This report systematically summarizes the prevalence, mortality, diagnosis and treatment of hypertension in various countries, and elucidates the current situation of hypertension management, and gives a series of suggestions on how to manage hypertension, providing new thinking and inspiration for countries to optimize hypertension management. Through the summary of relevant studies and reports, this paper further reviews the present situation, early identification and management of hypertension.
6. Influence of quercetin on aging of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells induced by microgravity
Yu-Tian YANG ; Ying-Ying XUAN ; Yu-Tian YANG ; Ying-Ying XUAN ; Yu-Hai GAO ; Long-Fei WANG ; Han-Qin TANG ; Zhi-Hui MA ; Liang LI ; Yi WU ; Ke-Ming CHEN ; Yu-Tian YANG ; Ying-Ying XUAN ; Yu-Hai GAO ; Long-Fei WANG ; Han-Qin TANG ; Zhi-Hui MA ; Liang LI ; Yi WU ; Ke-Ming CHEN
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2024;40(1):38-45
Aim To investigate the effect of quercetin on the aging model of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells established under microgravity. Methods Using 3D gyroscope, a aging model of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells was constructed, and after receiving quercetin and microgravity treatment, the anti-aging effect of the quercetin was evaluated by detecting related proteins and oxidation indexes. Results Compared to the control group, the expressions of age-related proteins p21, pi6, p53 and RB in the microgravity group significantly increased, while the expressions of cyclin D1 and lamin B1 significantly decreased, with statistical significance (P<0.05). In the microgravity group, mitochondrial membrane potential significantly decreased (P<0.05), ROS accumulation significantly increased (P <0.05), SOD content significantly decreased and MDA content significantly increased (P<0.05). Compared to the microgravity group, the expressions of age-related proteins p21, pi6, p53 and RB in the quercetin group significantly decreased, while the expressions of cyclin D1 and lamin B1 significantly increased, with statistical significance (P<0.05). In the quercetin group, mitochondrial membrane potential significantly increased (P<0.05), ROS accumulation significantly decreased (P<0.05), SOD content significantly increased and MDA content significantly decreased (P<0.05). Conclusions Quercetin can resist oxidation, protect mitochondrial function and normal cell cycle, thus delaying the aging of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells induced by microgravity.
7. Effects of HMGB1 on phenotypes, phagocytosis and ERK/JNK/P38 MAPK signaling pathway in dendritic cells
Ying-Ying CHEN ; Zhi-Xiang MOU ; Xiao-Long HU ; Yi-Yan ZHANG ; Jiao-Qing WENG ; Tian-Jun GUAN ; Ying-Ying CHEN ; Lan CHEN ; Tian-Jun GUAN ; Lan CHEN ; Pei-Yu LYU
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2024;40(2):248-255
Aim To explore the impacts of high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) on the phenotypes, endocy-tosis and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/ Jun N-terminal protein kinase (JNK)/P38 mitogen-ac-tivated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway in indoxyl sulfate (IS) -induced dendritic cells (DCs). Methods After treatment with 30, 300 and 600 (xmol · L
8.In Vitro and in Vivo Evaluation of Scutellarin-phospholipid Complex Nanoemulsion and Analysis of Its Activity in Ameliorating LPS-induced Vascular Endothelial Injury
Tian LUO ; Zhiyong HE ; Xiangjun MAO ; Xue LIU ; Jinggang HE ; Yuan ZHI ; Xiangchun SHEN ; Qianli XU ; Ling TAO
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(10):159-168
ObjectiveTo evaluate some properties of scutellarin-phospholipid complex nanoemulsion(SCU-PC-NE), such as release, cell uptake and tissue distribution, and to investigate its effect on ameliorating lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced vascular endothelial injury. MethodSCU-PC-NE was prepared by weighting SCU-PC, ethyl oleate, Kolliphor HS15, 1,2-propylene glycol(50, 400, 514.3, 85.7 mg), respectively. And the appearance of SCU-PC-NE was observed by transmission electron microscope, the average paticle size and Zeta potential were measured by nanopotential particle size analyzer. The cumulative release of SCU-PC-NE in vitro was measured by dynamic dialysis, thiazolyl blue(MTT) colorimetric assay was used to investigate the effect of SCU-PC-NE on the viability of human umbilical vein endothelial cells(HUVECs), the inverted fluorescence microscope and flow cytometry were used to investigate cell uptake of HUVECs by SCU-PC-NE in vitro using coumarin 6 as a fluorescent probe, the tissue distribution of DiR/SCU-PC-NE labeled by near infrared fluorescent dyes was obeserved by small animal in vivo imaging system. The inflammation injury model was established by co-incubation with LPS(1 mg·L-1) and HUVECs, the effect of SCU-PC-NE on the levels of interleukin(IL)-1β and IL-6 were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA), 18 Kunming male mice were randomly divided into blank group, model group, blank preparation group(equivalent to high dose group), SCU group and SCU-PC-NE low and high dose groups(5, 10 mg·kg-1), 3 mice in each group, and the drug administration groups were administered once in the tail vein at the corresponding dose every 48 h, equal volume of normal saline was given to the blank group and the model group, and the drug was administered for 4 consecutive times. Except for the blank group, the endothelial inflammatory injury was induced by intraperitoneal injection of LPS(10 mg·kg-1) at 12 h before the last administration in each group. Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was used to investigate the effect of SCU-PC-NE on the histopathological changes in the thoracic aorta of mice. ResultThe appearance of SCU-PC-NE displayed pale yellow milky light, mostly spherical with rounded appearance and relatively uniform particle size distribution, with the average particle size of 35.31 nm, Zeta potential of 7.23 mV, and the encapsulation efficiency of 75.24%. The cumulative release in vitro showed that SCU-PC-NE exhibited sustained release properties compared with SCU. The cell viability of SCU-PC-NE was >90% at a concentration range of 1.05-8.4 mg·L-1. The results of cellular uptake experiments showed that the cellular uptake ability of SCU-PC-NE was significantly enhanced when compared with the SCU group(P<0.01). Compared with normal mice, the results of tissue distribution showed that the fluorescence intensity of DiR/SCU-PC-NE was significantly enhanced in the spleen, kidney, brain and thoracic aorta of mice at different time points after intraperitoneal injection of LPS(P<0.05, P<0.01), especially in thoracic aorta. ELISA results showed that the levels of IL-1β and IL-6 in the model group were significantly increased when compared with the blank group(P<0.05, P<0.01), and compare with the model group, all administration groups significantly down-regulated IL-1β level, with the strongest effect in the SCU-PC-NE high-dose group(P<0.01), and all administration groups significantly down-regulated IL-6 level, with the strongest effect in the SCU-PC-NE low-dose group(P<0.05). Compare with the blank group, the results of HE staining showed that the endothelial cells were damaged, the elastic fibers were broken and arranged loosely in the model group, although similar vascular injury could be observed in the blank preparation group, SCU group and SCU-PC-NE low-dose group, the vascular endothelial damage was significantly reduced in the high-dose group of SCU-PC-NE, which had a better effect than that in the SCU group. ConclusionSCU-PC-NE can promote the uptake of drugs by endothelial cells and effectively enriched in the site of vascular endothelial injury caused by LPS, suggesting that it has a protective effect on vascular endothelial injury and is a good carrier of SCU.
9.Lanthanide Metal Organic Framework as A New Unlabeled Fluorescence Anisotropy Probe for Detection of Phosphate Ions
Kai MAO ; Xiao-Yan WANG ; Yu-Jie LUO ; Jia-Li XIE ; Tian-Jin XIE ; Yuan-Fang LI ; Cheng-Zhi HUANG ; Shu-Jun ZHEN
Chinese Journal of Analytical Chemistry 2024;52(1):35-44,中插1-中插4
Fluorescence anisotropy(FA)analysis has many advantages such as no requirement of separation,high throughput and real-time detection,and thus has been widely used in many fields,including biochemical analysis,food safety detection,environmental monitoring,etc.However,due to the small volume or mass of the target,its combination with the fluorescence probe cannot produce significant signal change.To solve this issue,researchers often use nanomaterials to enhance the mass or volume of fluorophore to improve the sensitivity.Nevertheless,this FA amplification strategy also has some disadvantages.Firstly,nanomaterials are easy to quench fluorescence.As a result,the FA value is easily influenced by light scattering,which reduces the detection accuracy.Secondly,fluorescent probes in most methods require complex modification steps.Therefore,it is necessary to develop new FA probes that do not require the amplification of volume and mass or modification.As a new kind of nanomaterials,luminescent metal-organic framework(MOF)has a large volume(or mass)and strong fluorescence emission.It does not require additional signal amplification materials.As a consequence,it can be used as a potential FA probe.This study successfully synthesized a lanthanide metal organic framework(Ce-TCPP MOF)using cerium ion(Ce3+)as the central ion and 5,10,15,20-tetra(4-carboxylphenyl)porphyrin(H2TCPP)as the ligand through microwave assisted method,and used it as a novel unmodified FA probe to detect phosphate ions(Pi).In the absence of Pi,Ce-TCPP MOF had a significant FA value(r).After addition of Pi,Pi reacted with Ce3+in MOF and destroyed the structure of MOF into the small pieces,resulting in a decrease in r.The experimental results indicated that with the increase of Pi concentration,the change of the r of Ce-TCPP MOF(Δr)gradually increased.The Δr and Pi concentration showed a good linear relationship within the range of 0.5-3.5 μmol/L(0.016-0.108 mg/L).The limit of detection(LOD,3σ/k)was 0.41 μmol/L.The concentration of Pi in the Jialing River water detected by this method was about 0.078 mg/L,and the Pi value detected by ammonium molybdate spectrophotometry was about 0.080 mg/L.The two detection results were consistent with each other,and the detection results also meet the ClassⅡwater quality standard,proving that this method could be used for the detection of Pi in complex water bodies.
10.Toxicokinetics of MDMA and Its Metabolite MDA in Rats
Wei-Guang YU ; Qiang HE ; Zheng-Di WANG ; Cheng-Jun TIAN ; Jin-Kai WANG ; Qian ZHENG ; Fei REN ; Chao ZHANG ; You-Mei WANG ; Peng XU ; Zhi-Wen WEI ; Ke-Ming YUN
Journal of Forensic Medicine 2024;40(1):37-42
Objective To investigate the toxicokinetic differences of 3,4-methylenedioxy-N-methylamphetamine(MDMA)and its metabolite 4,5-methylene dioxy amphetamine(MDA)in rats af-ter single and continuous administration of MDMA,providing reference data for the forensic identifica-tion of MDMA.Methods A total of 24 rats in the single administration group were randomly divided into 5,10 and 20 mg/kg experimental groups and the control group,with 6 rats in each group.The ex-perimental group was given intraperitoneal injection of MDMA,and the control group was given intraperi-toneal injection of the same volume of normal saline as the experimental group.The amount of 0.5 mL blood was collected from the medial canthus 5 min,30 min,1 h,1.5 h,2 h,4 h,6 h,8 h,10 h,12 h after administration.In the continuous administration group,24 rats were randomly divided into the experi-mental group(18 rats)and the control group(6 rats).The experimental group was given MDMA 7 d by continuous intraperitoneal injection in increments of 5,7,9,11,13,15,17 mg/kg per day,respectively,while the control group was given the same volume of normal saline as the experimental group by in-traperitoneal injection.On the eighth day,the experimental rats were randomly divided into 5,10 and 20 mg/kg dose groups,with 6 rats in each group.MDMA was injected intraperitoneally,and the con-trol group was injected intraperitoneally with the same volume of normal saline as the experimental group.On the eighth day,0.5 mL of blood was taken from the medial canthus 5 min,30 min,1 h,1.5 h,2 h,4 h,6 h,8 h,10 h,12 h after administration.Liquid chromatography-triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry was used to detect MDMA and MDA levels,and statistical software was employed for data analysis.Results In the single-administration group,peak concentrations of MDMA and MDA were reached at 5 min and 1 h after administration,respectively,with the largest detection time limit of 12 h.In the continuous administration group,peak concentrations were reached at 30 min and 1.5 h af-ter administration,respectively,with the largest detection time limit of 10 h.Nonlinear fitting equations for the concentration ratio of MDMA and MDA in plasma and administration time in the single-administration group and continuous administration group were as follows:T=10.362C-1.183,R2=0.974 6;T=7.397 3C-0.694,R2=0.961 5(T:injection time;C:concentration ratio of MDMA to MDA in plasma).Conclusions The toxicokinetic data of MDMA and its metabolite MDA in rats,obtained through single and continuous administration,including peak concentration,peak time,detection time limit,and the relationship between concentration ratio and administration time,provide a theoretical and data foundation for relevant forensic identification.

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail