1.Mechanism of Modified Shaofu Zhuyutang in Antagonising Ectopic Endometrial Tissue Fibrosis Based on Cellular Pyroptosis Mediated by TRL4/NF-κB/NLPR3 Signaling Pathway
Zuoliang ZHANG ; Jiaxing WANG ; Wanrun WANG ; Xiangyu LIN ; Bin YUE ; Zhirui ZHANG ; Yinan WANG ; Yaling YANG ; Dongqing WEI ; Cancan HUANG ; Quansheng WU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(4):19-28
		                        		
		                        			
		                        			ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanism of action of modified Shaofu Zhuyutang in antagonizing cellular pyroptosis and fibrosis in ectopic endometrial tissues of endometriosis through the Toll-like receptor 4/nuclear factor-κB/NOD-like receptor protein 3 (TRL4/NF-κB/NLPR3) signaling pathway. MethodsSeventy-two SPF-grade female SD rats were randomly divided into a sham-operated group (n = 12) and a modeling group (n = 60). The rats in the sham-operated group underwent a caesarean section, while the rats in the modeling group were used to establish an endometriosis model through the auto-transplantation method. After successful modeling, the animals were randomly divided into the model group, progesterone group (0.25 mg·kg-1), and modified Shaofu Zhuyutang low-, medium-, and high-dose groups (7.5, 15, 30 g·kg-1), with 12 animals in each group. After 4 weeks of drug administration, voluntary activity and heat pain latency were observed. The rats were sacrificed for tissue collection, and Masson staining were used to observe histopathological changes in the endometrial tissues. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to measure serum levels of interleukin-18 (IL-18), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). Immunohistochemistry (IHC) was used to detect the protein expression area of tumor necrosis factor-related factor 6 (TRAF6) and NLPR3 in the endometrial tissues. Immunofluorescence (IF) was used to detect the relative fluorescence intensity of Caspase-1 and gasdermin D (GSDMD) in the endometrial tissues. Western blot was employed to measure the relative expression of TRL4, myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88), TRAF6, NF-κB p65, phosphorylated NF-κB p65 (p-NF-κB p65), and NLPR3 proteins in endometrial tissues. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) was used to detect the mRNA expression of TRL4, MyD88, TRAF6, NF-κB, and NLPR3 in the endometrial tissues. ResultsCompared with the sham-operated group, rats in the model group showed reduced voluntary activity and shorter heat pain latency. Serum levels of IL-18, IL-1β, TNF-α, and TGF-β were elevated. The relative expression areas of TRAF6 and NLPR3 proteins were increased, and the relative fluorescence intensity of Caspase-1 and GSDMD was enhanced. The relative expression of TRL4, MyD88, TRAF6, NF-κB p65, p-NF-κB p65, and NLPR3 proteins, along with the expression of TRL4, MyD88, TRAF6, NF-κB, and NLPR3 mRNA, were significantly increased (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, rats in the progesterone group and the modified Shaofu Zhuyutang medium- and high-dose groups exhibited improved voluntary activity, longer heat pain latency, the fibrosis of endometrial tissue is alleviated. Serum levels of IL-18, IL-1β, TNF-α, and TGF-β were decreased. The relative expression areas of TRAF6 and NLPR3 proteins decreased, and the relative fluorescence intensity of Caspase-1 and GSDMD weakened. The relative expression of TRL4, MyD88, TRAF6, p-NF-κB p65, NLPR3 proteins, and TRL4, MyD88, TRAF6, NF-κB, and NLPR3 mRNA expression were reduced (P<0.05, P<0.01). ConclusionModified Shaofu Zhuyutang may play a therapeutic role in endometriosis by interfering with key proteins in the TRL4/NF-κB/NLPR3 signaling pathway, reducing NLRP3 inflammasome-induced cellular pyroptosis, antagonizing the fibrosis process in ectopic endometrial tissues, improving the inflammatory microenvironment in the pelvic cavity, and alleviating pain. 
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
2.Characteristics of hydrogel microspheres in bone tissue engineering
Zhirui LONG ; Lei HUANG ; Fang XIAO ; Lin WANG ; Xiaobei WANG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2024;28(3):472-478
		                        		
		                        			
		                        			BACKGROUND:Hydrogel microparticles,due to their porous and injectable properties,have demonstrated unique advantages in biomedical fields,such as the delivery of cells and bioactive factors/drugs,the construction of tissue repair scaffolds.They have broad application prospects. OBJECTIVE:To review the latest research progress and discuss the key problems and challenges in the research of bone tissue engineering based on hydrogel microparticles. METHODS:The relevant articles in PubMed and CNKI were searched by computer.The English key words were"hydrogels,microparticles,microspheres,microcarriers,bone,bone defect,bone repair,bone healing,bone tissue engineering"while the Chinese key words were"hydrogels,microparticles,microspheres,bone tissue engineering,bone defect,bone repair,bone regeneration".The retrieval period was from 2002 to 2022,and 127 articles were finally included for review. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)At present,various hydrogel microparticles have been developed for use in bone tissue engineering strategies,for example,hydrogel microparticles carrying cells or bioactive factors/drugs,hydrogel microparticles as biological scaffolds,stimulus-responsive hydrogel microparticles,biomineralized hydrogel microparticles,hydrogel microparticles combined with other biological materials.(2)Bone tissue engineering repair strategies based on hydrogel microparticles mainly regulate bone repair by promoting stem cell recruitment and osteogenic differentiation,regulating the local inflammatory microenvironment and promoting angiogenesis at the site of injury.However,the present studies did not deeply explore the effect of bone tissue engineering based on hydrogel microparticles on the recruitment and differentiation of endogenous stem cells and the regulation of the inflammatory microenvironment by the physical and chemical properties of hydrogel microparticles.The long-term in vivo adverse reactions of hydrogel microparticles have not been explored yet,and it is difficult to mass-produce them,thus future research needs to strengthen the mechanism exploration and technical route,so as to provide a reasonable reference for the development of hydrogel microparticles that can be used for clinical transformation.
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
3.Diagnostic quality analysis of negative etiological pulmonary tuberculosis test results in Wuhan
Jianjie WANG ; Jun CHEN ; Ling XU ; Zhirui BAI ; Zhengbin ZHANG ; Yuehua LI
International Journal of Laboratory Medicine 2024;45(18):2197-2200,2206
		                        		
		                        			
		                        			Objective To analyze the diagnosis status of negative etiological pulmonary tuberculosis test re-sults in Wuhan,and to provide scientific basis for improving the diagnosis strategy of etiological negative pul-monary tuberculosis.Methods From January 1 to February 28,2019,a total of 241 patients with negative eti-ological tuberculosis who were registered,reported and treated in 1 municipal and 2 district-level designated hospitals were selected.The medical record data,chest imaging examination and laboratory examination re-sults of the selected patients were reviewed and extracted,and the quality of etiological examination and ima-ging examination of patients with negative etiological pulmonary tuberculosis were analyzed.Results Among the 241 patients,88.8%(214/241)of the patients met the diagnostic criteria for negative etiological pulmona-ry tuberculosis,and 96.3%(232/241)of the patients had chest imaging examinations that were consistent with the original diagnostic results.Patients received sputum smear examination,sputum culture,and molecu-lar biology test accounted for 97.9%(236/241),73.9%(178/241)and 65.6%(158/241),respectively.Patients received anti-tuberculosis antibody test,tuberculin skin test,y-interferon release and diagnostic anti-infection treatment accounted for 54.8%(132/241),46.5%(112/241),26.1%(63/241),and 53.1%(128/241),respec-tively.The sputum culture detection rate of urban area was higher than those of central and remote urban are-as,the rate of central urban area was higher than that of remote urban areas,and the molecular biology detec-tion rate of urban area was higher than those of central and remote urban area,with statistical significance(P<0.001).The detection rate of anti-tuberculosis antibody of urban area was lower than that of central ur-ban area,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.001).The rate of diagnostic anti-infective therapy of central urban area was higher than that of urban area and the remote urban area,and the rate in ur-ban area was higher than that of remote urban area,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.001).Conclusion It is necessary to further standardize the diagnosis of negative etiological pulmonany tu-berculosis of designated tuberculosis hospitals.The proportion of diagnostic anti-infection treatment and auxil-iary examination at the municipal level needs to be increased,and the frequency and items of laboratory etio-logical examination at the district level need to be increased.
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
4.The Frontier Research and Innovative Applications of Large Language Models in the Medical Field
Jianhu HE ; Dejian WANG ; Zhirui ZHAO ; Hui WANG ; Mao YOU
Journal of Medical Informatics 2024;45(9):10-18
		                        		
		                        			
		                        			Purpose/Significance The paper systematically reviews the application and research progress of large language models(LLMs)in the medical field,analyzes the key challenges and opportunities,and provides references for related research.Method/Process The systematic literature review method is adopted to comprehensively review the relevant literature published in recent years,fo-cusing on the latest progress of medical LLMs.The application results,research status and challenges of LLMs in medical natural lan-guage processing(NLP)tasks are analyzed.Result/Conclusion The application of LLMs in the medical field has a broad prospect,and the future research should focus on the technical progress and the improvement of ethical norms.On the one hand,the pace of technologi-cal innovation should be accelerated,and on the other hand,strict compliance with ethical standards should be ensured to jointly promote the sustainable development of LLMs technology in the medical field.
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
5.Exploration of the relationship between Sigma factor gene expression and isoniazid resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis
JIANG Lina ; GAO Li ; WANG Zhirui ; WANG Xiuyue ; WANG Chunhua
China Tropical Medicine 2024;24(3):299-
		                        		
		                        			
		                        			Objective To investigate whether the expression regulation of regulatory gene Sigma factors (sigA-sigM) is related to isoniazid resistance phenotype in isoniazid-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) caused by katG mutations, and to provide reference for the study of the molecular mechanism of isoniazid resistance. Methods A total of 90 strains were collected from the patients undergoing first-line treatment at the Tianjin Tuberculosis Control Center during drug resistance testing from 2020 to 2022, of which 30 strains were sensitive strains without katG mutation, and 65 strains were isoniazid-resistant strains caused by katG mutation, including 11 strains resistant only to isoniazid, 24 strains resistant to both isoniazid and streptomycin, and 30 strains multidrug-resistant to isoniazid, streptomycin, and rifampicin. After the strains were collected on the isoniazid drug-containing medium, the RNA of the strains was extracted, and the relative expression levels of Sigma factors were detected by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR). The expression differences of Sigma factors in different isoniazid drug-resistant phenotypes were analyzed by the Mann-Whitney U test. Results    The gene expression levels of sigA, sigC, sigF, sigG, sigH, sigI, sigJ, sigK, sigL in isoniazid mono-resistant group were significantly higher than those in pan-isoniazid-sensitive group (Z=4.368, 5.701, 6.865, 4.021, 5.126, 2.670, 5.983, 4.701, 5.490, P all<0.001). The gene expression levels of sigA, sigC, sigF, sigG, sigH, sigI, sigJ, sigK, sigL in poly-resistance group were significantly higher than those in pan-sensitivity group (Z=-5.017, -4.670, -4.667, -5.456, -4.083, -5.393, -4.712, -6.971, -8.206, -5.211, P all<0.001). In multidrug-resistant (MDR) group, the gene expression levels of sigC, sigD, sigE, sigF, sigG, sigH, sigI, sigJ, sigK, sigL were significantly higher than those in pan-isoniazid-sensitive group (Z=-5.537, -4.003, -5.216, -7.328, -7.730, -5.658, -4.440, -6.036, -4.862, -4.312, P all<0.001). The expression levels of sigB, sigF, sigG showed statistically significant differences in gene expression between the isoniazid mono-resistant, isoniazid poly-resistant, and isoniazid multidrug-resistant groups (Z=10.139, 7.735, 14.532, P all<0.001). The expression rates of sigF, sigG, sigI, sigJ, and sigL in the isoniazid-resistant group were significantly higher than those in isoniazid sensitive group (χ2=17.410. 45.673. 57.661. 42.896. 26.363, P all<0.001). Conclusions    sigF, sigG, sigI, sigJ, and sigL are associated with isoniazid resistance due to katG mutations.
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
6.Molecular characterization of mutations associated with resistance among 72 multidrug-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by whole genome sequencing
MU Cheng ; SUN Rui ; WANG Zhirui ; ZHAO Hui ; WANG Chunhua
China Tropical Medicine 2023;23(7):725-
		                        		
		                        			
		                        			Abstract: Objective To understand the characteristics of mutations associated with resistance among 72 multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) strains using whole genome sequencing (WGS) and to evaluate the performance of WGS for predicting MDR-TB drug resistance. Methods The clinical strains isolated from patients who visited the outpatient department of Tianjin Center for Tuberculosis Control from January to September in 2020 were collected. Identification tests using p-nitrobenzoic acid (PNB) medium were performed. Drug susceptibility tests (proportion method) on L-J medium were performed. After excluding duplicate strains, 72 MDR-TB strains were selected for WGS. Data were analyzed by using online databases and the phenotypic drug susceptibility test results were compared with resistance profiles predicted by WGS. Results All of 72 MDR-TB strains belonged to linage 2, and there was no significant difference in rate of pre-extensive drug-resistant tuberculosis (pre-XDR-TB) between modern type and ancestral type (χ2=0.287, P=0.592). A total of 81 mutation types were found from resistance-related genes for 12 anti-tuberculosis drugs, and the common mutation types in different drug-resistant strains were: streptomycin (SM): rpsL Lys43Arg; isoniazid (INH): katG Ser315Thr; rifampicin (RIF): rpoB Ser450Leu; ethambutol (EMB): embB Met306Val; ofloxacin (OFX), levofloxacin (LFX), moxifloxacin (MFX): gyrA Asp94Gly; kanamycin (KAM), capreomycin (CAP), amikacin (AMK): rrs 1401a>g; para-aminosalicylic acid (PAS): folC Ile43Thr. Nine mutation types were found in 9 prothionamide (PTO)-resistant strains, one type for each strain. The sensitivity and specificity of WGS for predicting resistance to different drugs were SM: 98.15% and 88.89%, INH: 90.28% and -, RIF: 98.62% and -, EMB: 79.49% and75.76%, OFX: 97.30% and 85.71%, KAM: 85.71% and 98.46%, PAS: 27.27% and 95.08%, PTO: 81.82% and 60.66%, CAP: 60.00% and 98.51%, LFX: 97.22% and 83.33%, MFX: 97.30% and 85.71%, AMK:100.00% and 100.00%, respectively. Conclusion WGS is a rapid and promising method which has high consistency with the phenotypic drug sensitivity test. Therefore, it has good application prospects in predicting drug resistance in MDR-TB.
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
7.Silencing RAB27a inhibits proliferation, invasion and adhesion of triple-negative breast cancer cells.
Li WANG ; Zhirui YAN ; Yaoxiong XIA
Journal of Southern Medical University 2023;43(4):560-567
		                        		
		                        			OBJECTIVE:
		                        			To investigate the effect of inhibition of RAB27 protein family, which plays a pivotal role in exosome secretion, on biological behaviors of triple-negative breast cancer cells.
		                        		
		                        			METHODS:
		                        			Quantitative real-time PCR and Western blotting were used to examine the expressions of RAB27 family and exosome secretion in 3 triple-negative breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-468, and Hs578T) and a normal breast epithelial cell line (MCF10A). The effect of small interfering RNA (siRNA)-mediated silencing of RAB27a and RAB27b on exosome secretion in the 3 breast cancer cell lines was detected using Western blotting, and the changes in cell proliferation, invasion and adhesion were evaluated.
		                        		
		                        			RESULTS:
		                        			Compared with normal breast epithelial cells, the 3 triple-negative breast cancer cell lines exhibited more active exosome secretion (P < 0.001) and showed significantly higher expressions of RAB27a and RAB27b at both the mRNA and protein levels (P < 0.01). Silencing of RAB27a in the breast cancer cells significantly down-regulated exosome secretion (P < 0.001), while silencing of RAB27b did not significantly affect exosome secretion. The 3 breast cancer cell lines with RAB27a silencing-induced down-regulation of exosome secretion showed obvious inhibition of proliferation, invasion and adhesion (P < 0.01) as compared with the cell lines with RAB27b silencing.
		                        		
		                        			CONCLUSION
		                        			RAB27a plays central role in the exosome secretion in triple-negative breast cancer cells, and inhibiting RAB27a can inhibit the proliferation, invasion and adhesion of the cells.
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        			Humans
		                        			;
		                        		
		                        			rab GTP-Binding Proteins/metabolism*
		                        			;
		                        		
		                        			Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms
		                        			;
		                        		
		                        			Cell Line, Tumor
		                        			;
		                        		
		                        			rab27 GTP-Binding Proteins/metabolism*
		                        			;
		                        		
		                        			RNA, Small Interfering/genetics*
		                        			;
		                        		
		                        			Cell Proliferation/genetics*
		                        			;
		                        		
		                        			Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic
		                        			
		                        		
		                        	
8.Pharmacological inhibition of BAP1 recruits HERC2 to competitively dissociate BRCA1-BARD1, suppresses DNA repair and sensitizes CRC to radiotherapy.
Xin YUE ; Tingyu LIU ; Xuecen WANG ; Weijian WU ; Gesi WEN ; Yang YI ; Jiaxin WU ; Ziyang WANG ; Weixiang ZHAN ; Ruirui WU ; Yuan MENG ; Zhirui CAO ; Liyuan LE ; Wenyan QIU ; Xiaoyue ZHANG ; Zhenyu LI ; Yong CHEN ; Guohui WAN ; Xianzhang BU ; Zhenwei PENG ; Ran-Yi LIU
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2023;13(8):3382-3399
		                        		
		                        			
		                        			Radiotherapy is widely used in the management of advanced colorectal cancer (CRC). However, the clinical efficacy is limited by the safe irradiated dose. Sensitizing tumor cells to radiotherapy via interrupting DNA repair is a promising approach to conquering the limitation. The BRCA1-BARD1 complex has been demonstrated to play a critical role in homologous recombination (HR) DSB repair, and its functions may be affected by HERC2 or BAP1. Accumulated evidence illustrates that the ubiquitination-deubiquitination balance is involved in these processes; however, the precise mechanism for the cross-talk among these proteins in HR repair following radiation hasn't been defined. Through activity-based profiling, we identified PT33 as an active entity for HR repair suppression. Subsequently, we revealed that BAP1 serves as a novel molecular target of PT33 via a CRISPR-based deubiquitinase screen. Mechanistically, pharmacological covalent inhibition of BAP1 with PT33 recruits HERC2 to compete with BARD1 for BRCA1 interaction, interrupting HR repair. Consequently, PT33 treatment can substantially enhance the sensitivity of CRC cells to radiotherapy in vitro and in vivo. Overall, these findings provide a mechanistic basis for PT33-induced HR suppression and may guide an effective strategy to improve therapeutic gain.
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
9.Clinicopathological features and prognosis of IgA nephropathy with renal arteriolosclerosis
Weiyi GUO ; Xiuping AN ; Lijun SUN ; Hongrui DONG ; Xiaoyi XU ; Wenrong CHENG ; Guoqin WANG ; Nan YE ; Zhirui ZHAO ; Hong CHENG
Chinese Journal of Nephrology 2023;39(3):209-214
		                        		
		                        			
		                        			The study was a retrospective study. The clinical data of 866 patients with IgA nephropathy (IgAN) in Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University from March 2010 to March 2021 were analyzed, to investigate the clinical pathology and renal prognosis of IgAN patients with intrarenal arteriolosclerosis, and to preliminarily explore whether abnormal activation of complement system is involved in the injury of arteriolosclerosis. The patients were divided into renal arteriolar lesions group and non-renal arteriolar lesions group according to the renal histopathology, and the differences of clinical pathological manifestations, prognosis between the two groups were compared. The results showed that, compared with the non-renal arteriolar lesions group ( n=236), IgAN patients in the renal arteriolar lesions group ( n=630) had higher proportions of hypertension and malignant hypertension, higher levels of urinary albumin-creatinine ratio, 24-hour urine protein quantification and serum uric acid, lower estimated glomerular filtration rate, and more severe MEST-C lesions of the Oxford classification (all P < 0.05). Cox regression analysis results showed that intrarenal arteriolosclerosis was the independent risk factor affecting the progression of IgAN to ESRD ( HR=6.437, 95% CI 2.013-20.585, P=0.002). Renal histopathology showed that the deposition of complement C3c on the wall of intrarenal arterioles in the renal arteriolar lesions group ( n=98) was stronger than that in non-renal arteriolar lesions group ( n=18, P < 0.05). IgAN patients with renal arteriolosclerosis present with serious clinical and pathological manifestations, and renal prognosis. Abnormal activation of complement system may be involved in the pathogenesis of intrarenal arteriolosclerosis.
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
10.Effects of computerized cognitive remediation therapy combined with social skill training on the negative symptoms of schizophrenia
Xianli FAN ; Zhenning WU ; Kewen WU ; Yutao ZHANG ; Lijuan BAI ; Yan WANG ; Dongmei YAN ; Xiu WU ; Huifang BAI ; Zhirui LI
Chinese Journal of Primary Medicine and Pharmacy 2023;30(2):235-239
		                        		
		                        			
		                        			Objective:To investigate the effects of computerized cognitive remediation therapy (CCRT) combined with social skill training on the improvement of negative symptoms of schizophrenia.Methods:A total of 102 schizophrenic patients who received treatment in Shanxi Province Social Welfare Kangning Psychiatry Hospital from March 2019 to June 2021 were included in this study. They were randomly divided into an intervention group and a control group ( n = 51/group). During the intervention process, because of the reasons such as midway discharge, only 93 patients were included in the final analysis, consisting of 47 patients in the intervention group and 46 patients in the control group. All patients received social skills training. Patients in the intervention group received 8-week CCRT. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and Social Skills Checklist were used to evaluate curative effect in the two groups. Results:After treatment, total score of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale and the score of negative symptoms in the intervention group were (46.36 ± 9.33) points and (11.15 ± 3.53) points, respectively, which were significantly lower than (51.06 ± 10.26) points and (16.42 ± 4.75) points in the control group ( t = 2.07, 5.41, both P < 0.05). The total score of Social Skills Checklist, conflict resolution ability score and relationship building ability score in the intervention group were (16.05 ± 6.85) points, (3.36 ± 1.65) points and (3.14 ± 1.83) points, respectively, which were significantly lower than (21.08 ± 8.24) points, (5.92 ± 2.35) points and (6.75 ± 2.51) points, respectively ( t = 2.87, 5.34, 7.00, all P < 0.01). Conclusion:CCRT combined with social skill training can effectively improve the negative symptoms of patients with schizophrenia.
		                        		
		                        		
		                        		
		                        	
            
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