1.Advances in the Application of Zebrafish in the Research of Inflammatory Bowel Disease Mechanisms and Drug Development
Xin ZHAO ; Chenxi WANG ; Wenqing SHI ; Yuefen LOU
Laboratory Animal and Comparative Medicine 2025;45(4):422-431
Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a chronic, relapsing intestinal disorder driven by multiple factors including genetics, immunity, and environment, and is clinically classified into ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. Currently, mice and zebrafish are the primary experimental animals used in IBD research, among which zebrafish have emerged as an ideal model due to their unique advantages. Compared with rodent models, zebrafish serve as an effective and convenient model, offering advantages such as a short life cycle, robust reproductive capacity, small size, and transparent embryos. These characteristics make zebrafish highly suitable for dynamic tracking of continuous pathological progression and high-throughput drug screening. Zebrafish share over 70% genetic homology with humans, and their intestinal cellular composition and ontogeny closely resemble those of humans. Moreover, the structure and characteristics of their gut microbiota are similar to the human intestinal microbiome, providing a solid foundation for studying the relationship between gut microbiota and IBD. With advances in biotechnology, zebrafish IBD models generated by chemical induction or genetic engineering can accurately simulate the core pathological features of human IBD, such as intestinal wall thickening, inflammatory cell infiltration, and elevated expression of pro-inflammatory factors. These models have played a significant role in revealing the pathogenesis of IBD as well as the development of targeted therapeutic drugs. This article first outlines the intestinal characteristics of zebrafish and features of zebrafish IBD models, then provides an in-depth analysis of their application in IBD pathogenesis research from multiple aspects, including genetics, immunity, environment and diet, and infection. It also reviews research progress on the application of zebrafish in the development of anti-inflammatory drugs, probiotics, and traditional Chinese medicine therapies, aiming to provide researchers with references for the rational use of zebrafish models at all stages of preclinical research, to advance fundamental IBD research and accelerate breakthroughs in this field.
2.Progress in epigenetic mechanism of hyperandrogen-induced polycystic ovary syndrome
Mengmeng LIANG ; Yan ZHAO ; Yanxin ZHANG ; Xinxin SHAO ; Cong CHEN ; Wenqing HAO
Chinese Journal of Pathophysiology 2024;40(1):164-171
Polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS)is characterized by high heterogeneity and heredity,and its exact pathogenesis is still not clear.Some studies have shown that epigenetic disorders,such as hyperandrogen-induced methyla-tion or acetylation of lysine at different sites(K4,K9,and K27)in histone H3,methylation and demethylation modifica-tion of genes related to steroids,hormone receptors and follicular development,and transcriptional control of microRNA or long noncoding RNA,play a central role in the occurrence and development of PCOS.This article reviews the research ad-vances in epigenetic mechanisms(histone modifications,DNA methylation,and noncoding RNA)of PCOS,in order to provide a reference for the prediction and early prevention of PCOS.
3.Interpretation on Cancer Statistics,2024 and Comparison of Cancer Prevalence Between China and America
Wenjing ZHAO ; Zhouyi YIN ; Yuxin WANG ; Wenqing LI
Cancer Research on Prevention and Treatment 2024;51(8):630-641
In January 2024,Cancer Statistics,2024 was published in CA:A Cancer Journal for Clinicians.This report estimated cancer cases and deaths in 2024 and described the secular trends of major cancers over recent decades.We summarized the report and integrated the latest data on the cancer burden in China to compare the prevalence cancer between two countries.We also comprehensively interpreted the underlying reasons for these trends to provide insights for cancer prevention and control strategies in China.
4.Research status and prospects of colorectal cancer vaccine
Wenqing JIA ; Tao ZHANG ; Ren ZHAO
Journal of Surgery Concepts & Practice 2024;29(3):264-269
Colorectal cancer(CRC)ranks in third place in terms of incidence but second in terms of mortality.Cancer vaccine,as a novel immunotherapy,presents tumor antigens to human immune system and further elicits anti-tumor immune response,leading to long-term immune memory.This review summarized representative research progress in both clinical and basic scenario of past five years,and prospected the future of CRC vaccine.
5.Progress in research of the risk factors of lymph node metastasis in T1 stage colorectal cancer
Fangqian CHEN ; Wenqing FENG ; Jingkun ZHAO ; Yaping ZONG ; Aiguo LU
Journal of Surgery Concepts & Practice 2024;29(4):358-364
Colorectal cancer is one of the common malignant tumors of the digestive tract.With the popularization of screening methods and advancement of endoscopic technology,an increasing number of T1 stage colorectal cancers can be discovered.Accurately predicting lymph node metastasis risk is significantly important for guiding clinical treatment decisions,reducing complications and mortality.Current research on risk factors for lymph node metastasis in T1 stage colorectal cancer covers multiple aspects including clinical pathological features,molecular phenotypes and genetic characteristics.Some studies have built prediction models by integrating these factors,which show higher sensitivity,specificity and accuracy compared to current clinical guidelines.These models provide valuable experience for clinical practice.
6.Application of immune combination therapy in MSS/pMMR-type colorectal cancer: current status and future perspectives
Xiaoling ZHANG ; Wenxuan FAN ; Yunyi DU ; Yan ZHANG ; Fei SU ; Wenqing HU ; Jun ZHAO
Chinese Journal of Oncology 2024;46(8):725-736
In recent years, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been widely used in malignant solid tumors with remarkable efficacy. However, in colorectal cancer (CRC), ICIs have shown significant therapeutic effects only in patients with highly microsatellite unstable/mismatch repair-deficient metastatic CRC and these patients are only a minority of all CRC patients. In contrast, the majority of patients, those with microsatellite stable (MSS)/mismatch repair-complete (pMMR)-type metastatic CRC, could hardly benefit from ICI monotherapies, and immune combination therapies have become the key to solveing this clinical challenge. This article introduces the common patterns and possible mechanisms of immune-combination therapies for MSS/pMMR-type CRC, the exploration and progress made in the application of immune-combination therapies, as well as the possible predictive markers of efficacy of immune therapies. The prospects and directions of ICIs in the treatment of MSS/pMMR-type CRC are also discussed.
7.Application of immune combination therapy in MSS/pMMR-type colorectal cancer: current status and future perspectives
Xiaoling ZHANG ; Wenxuan FAN ; Yunyi DU ; Yan ZHANG ; Fei SU ; Wenqing HU ; Jun ZHAO
Chinese Journal of Oncology 2024;46(8):725-736
In recent years, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have been widely used in malignant solid tumors with remarkable efficacy. However, in colorectal cancer (CRC), ICIs have shown significant therapeutic effects only in patients with highly microsatellite unstable/mismatch repair-deficient metastatic CRC and these patients are only a minority of all CRC patients. In contrast, the majority of patients, those with microsatellite stable (MSS)/mismatch repair-complete (pMMR)-type metastatic CRC, could hardly benefit from ICI monotherapies, and immune combination therapies have become the key to solveing this clinical challenge. This article introduces the common patterns and possible mechanisms of immune-combination therapies for MSS/pMMR-type CRC, the exploration and progress made in the application of immune-combination therapies, as well as the possible predictive markers of efficacy of immune therapies. The prospects and directions of ICIs in the treatment of MSS/pMMR-type CRC are also discussed.
8.The safety and short-term efficacy of laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy for proximal gastric cancer and adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction: a multicenter study
Jun YOU ; Zhaojian NIU ; Lin FAN ; Kuan WANG ; Yongliang ZHAO ; Quan WANG ; Su YAN ; Li YANG ; Changqing JING ; Jiang YU ; Wu SONG ; Lu ZANG ; Jiadi XING ; Wenqing HU ; Fenglin LIU
Chinese Journal of Digestive Surgery 2023;22(3):355-362
Objective:To investigate the safety and short-term efficacy of laparoscopic pro-ximal gastrectomy (LPG) for proximal gastric cancer and adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction.Methods:The retrospective cohort study was conducted. The clinicopathological data of 385 patients with proximal gastric cancer and adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction who underwent LPG in the 15 medical centers, including the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University et al, from January 2014 to March 2022 were collected. There were 304 males and 81 females, aged (63±9)years. Of the 385 patients, 335 cases undergoing LPG were divided into the laparoscopic group and 50 cases undergoing open proximal gastrectomy were divided into the open group. Observation indicators: (1) intraoperative and postoperative situations; (2) follow-up; (3) stratified analysis. Measurement data with normal distribution were represented as Mean± SD, and comparison between groups was conducted using the t test. Measurement data with skewed distribution were represented as M(range), and comparison between groups was conducted using the Wilcoxon rank sum test. Count data were described as absolute numbers, and comparison between groups was conducted using the chi-square test or Fisher exact probability. Repeated measurement data were analyzed using the repeated ANOVA. Results:(1) Intraoperative and postoperative situations. The operation time, cases with reconstruction of digestive tract as esophagogastric anastomosis and esophageal-jejunal anastomosis, cases with postoperative pathological staging as stage 0?Ⅰ and stage Ⅱ?Ⅲ, duration of postoperative hospital stay, cases with postoperative early complications were (212±96)minutes, 270, 65, 177, 107, 10(range, 8?14)days, 40 in patients of the laparoscopic group, with 51 cases missing the data of postoperative pathological staging. The above indicators were (174±90)minutes, 39, 11, 22, 28, 10(range, 8?18)days, 10 in patients of the open group. There were significant differences in the opera-tion time and postoperative pathological staging between the two groups ( t=2.62, χ2=5.93, P<0.05), and there was no significant difference in the reconstruction of digestive tract, duration of post-operative hospital stay, postoperative early complications between the two groups ( χ2=0.19, Z=0.40, χ2=2.50, P>0.05). (2) Follow-up. Of the 385 patients,202 cases were followed up during the post-operative 12 months, including 187 cases in the laparoscopic group and 15 cases in the open group. Cases with reflux esophagitis, cases with esophageal anastomotic stenosis were 48, 11 in patients of the laparoscopic group, versus 5, 2 in patients of the open group, showing no significant difference in the above indicators between the two groups ( P>0.05). The body mass index (BMI), hemoglobin (Hb), albumin (Alb) at postoperative 6 months and 12 months were (21±3)kg/m 2, (130±15)g/L, (40±4)g/L and (21±3)kg/m 2, (132±14)g/L, (41±4)g/L in patients of the laparoscopic group, versus (21±3)kg/m 2, (121±19)g/L, (37±5)g/L and (21±3)kg/m 2, (125±21)g/L, (43±6)g/L in patients of the open group. There were significant differences in postoperative Hb between the two groups ( Fgroup=5.88, Ftime=5.49, Finteraction=19.95, P<0.05) and there were significant differences in time effect of postopera-tive BMI and Alb between the two groups ( Ftime=9.53, 49.88, P<0.05). (3) Stratified analysis. ① Incidence of postoperative of reflux esophagitis and esophageal anastomotic stenosis in patients with different reconstruction of digestive tract. Of the 202 patients, cases with reconstruction of digestive tract as esophagogastric anastomosis and esophageal-jejunal anastomosis were 168 and 34, respectively. The incidence rates of postoperative of reflux esophagitis were 26.79%(45/168)and 23.53%(8/34)in cases with reconstruction of digestive tract as esophagogastric anastomosis and esophageal-jejunal anastomosis, showing no significant difference between them ( χ2=0.16, P>0.05). Cases undergoing esophageal anastomotic stenosis were 13 in patients with reconstruction of diges-tive tract as esophagogastric anastomosis. ② The BMI, Hb, Alb in patients with different reconstruc-tion of digestive tract. The BMI, Hb, Alb were (24±3)kg/m 2, (135±20)g/L, (41±5)g/L in the 168 patients with reconstruction of digestive tract as esophagogastric anastomosis before the operation, versus (23±3)kg/m 2, (130±19)g/L, (40±4)g/L in the 34 patients with reconstruction of digestive tract as esophageal-jejunal anastomosis before the operation, showing no significant difference between them ( t=1.44, 1.77, 1.33, P>0.05). The BMI, Hb, Alb at postoperative 6 months and 12 months were (21±3)kg/m 2, (128±16)g/L, (39±4)g/L and (21±3)kg/m 2, (131±16)g/L, (41±4)g/L in the 168 patients with reconstruction of digestive tract as esophagogastric anastomosis, versus (20±4)kg/m 2, (133±13)g/L, (43±3)g/L and (21±3)kg/m 2, (135±12)g/L, (44±3)g/L in the 34 patients with reconstruction of digestive tract as esophageal-jejunal anastomosis. There were significant differences in the group effect and time effect of postoperative Alb between patients with different reconstruction of diges-tive tract ( Fgroup=15.82, Ftime=5.43, P<0.05), and there was also a significant difference in the time effect of postoperative BMI between them ( Ftime=4.22 , P<0.05). Conclusion:LPG can be used to the treatment of proximal gastric cancer and adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction, with a good safety and short-term efficacy.
9.Effect of continuous renal replacement therapy on plasma concentration, clinical efficacy and safety of colistin sulfate
Danyang PENG ; Fan ZHANG ; Zhaozhen LI ; Pin LYU ; Ziqi GUO ; Yinyin CHEN ; Jingge ZHAO ; Jingjing NIU ; Bo GUO ; Wenqing JIA ; Xiaofeng JIANG ; Xiaozhao LI ; Shaoyan QI ; Bingyu QIN ; Huanzhang SHAO
Chinese Critical Care Medicine 2023;35(1):88-92
Objective:To investigate the effects of continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) on plasma concentration, clinical efficacy and safety of colistin sulfate.Methods:Clinical data of patients received with colistin sulfate were retrospectively analyzed from our group's previous clinical registration study, which was a prospective, multicenter observation study on the efficacy and pharmacokinetic characteristics of colistin sulfate in patients with severe infection in intensive care unit (ICU). According to whether patients received blood purification treatment, they were divided into CRRT group and non-CRRT group. Baseline data (gender, age, whether complicated with diabetes, chronic nervous system disease, etc), general data (infection of pathogens and sites, steady-state trough concentration, steady-state peak concentration, clinical efficacy, 28-day all-cause mortality, etc) and adverse event (renal injury, nervous system, skin pigmentation, etc) were collected from the two groups.Results:A total of 90 patients were enrolled, including 22 patients in the CRRT group and 68 patients in the non-CRRT group. ① There was no significant difference in gender, age, basic diseases, liver function, infection of pathogens and sites, colistin sulfate dose between the two groups. Compared with the non-CRRT group, the acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ (APACHE Ⅱ) and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) were higher in the CRRT group [APACHE Ⅱ: 21.77±8.26 vs. 18.01±6.34, P < 0.05; SOFA: 8.5 (7.8, 11.0) vs. 6.0 (4.0, 9.0), P < 0.01], serum creatinine level was higher [μmol/L: 162.0 (119.5, 210.5) vs. 72.0 (52.0, 117.0), P < 0.01]. ② Plasma concentration: there was no significant difference in steady-state trough concentration between CRRT group and non-CRRT group (mg/L: 0.58±0.30 vs. 0.64±0.25, P = 0.328), nor was there significant difference in steady-state peak concentration (mg/L: 1.02±0.37 vs. 1.18±0.45, P = 0.133). ③ Clinical efficacy: there was no significant difference in clinical response rate between CRRT group and non-CRRT group [68.2% (15/22) vs. 80.9% (55/68), P = 0.213]. ④ Safety: acute kidney injury occurred in 2 patients (2.9%) in the non-CRRT group. No obvious neurological symptoms and skin pigmentation were found in the two groups. Conclusions:CRRT had little effect on the elimination of colistin sulfate. Routine blood concentration monitoring (TDM) is warranted in patients received with CRRT.
10.Structure-activity relationship of pyrazol-4-yl-pyridine derivatives and identification of a radiofluorinated probe for imaging the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor M4.
Ahmed HAIDER ; Xiaoyun DENG ; Olivia MASTROMIHALIS ; Stefanie K PFISTER ; Troels E JEPPESEN ; Zhiwei XIAO ; Vi PHAM ; Shaofa SUN ; Jian RONG ; Chunyu ZHAO ; Jiahui CHEN ; Yinlong LI ; Theresa R CONNORS ; April T DAVENPORT ; James B DAUNAIS ; Vahid HOSSEINI ; Wenqing RAN ; Arthur CHRISTOPOULOS ; Lu WANG ; Celine VALANT ; Steven H LIANG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2023;13(1):213-226
There is an accumulating body of evidence implicating the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor 4 (M4) in schizophrenia and dementia with Lewy bodies, however, a clinically validated M4 positron emission tomography (PET) radioligand is currently lacking. As such, the aim of this study was to develop a suitable M4 PET ligand that allows the non-invasive visualization of M4 in the brain. Structure-activity relationship studies of pyrazol-4-yl-pyridine derivates led to the discovery of target compound 12 - a subtype-selective positive allosteric modulator (PAM). The radiofluorinated analogue, [18F] 12, was synthesized in 28 ± 10% radiochemical yield, >37 GBq/μmol and an excellent radiochemical purity >99%. Initial in vitro autoradiograms on rodent brain sections were performed in the absence of carbachol and showed moderate specificity as well as a low selectivity of [18F] 12 for the M4-rich striatum. However, in the presence of carbachol, a significant increase in tracer binding was observed in the rat striatum, which was reduced by >60% under blocking conditions, thus indicating that orthosteric ligand interaction is required for efficient binding of [18F] 12 to the allosteric site. Remarkably, however, the presence of carbachol was not required for high specific binding in the non-human primate (NHP) and human striatum, and did not further improve the specificity and selectivity of [18F] 12 in higher species. These results pointed towards significant species-differences and paved the way for a preliminary PET study in NHP, where peak brain uptake of [18F] 12 was found in the putamen and temporal cortex. In conclusion, we report on the identification and preclinical development of the first radiofluorinated M4 PET radioligand with promising attributes. The availability of a clinically validated M4 PET radioligand harbors potential to facilitate drug development and provide a useful diagnostic tool for non-invasive imaging.

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