1.Causal relationship between insomnia and erectile dysfunction based on heart-kidney intersection theory: A two-sample Mendelian randomization study.
Ze-Rui QIU ; Guang-Yang OU ; Heng-Jie LIU ; Wen-Tao MA ; Man-Jie HUANG ; Neng WANG ; Jun ZHOU ; Qing ZHOU
National Journal of Andrology 2025;31(7):597-602
OBJECTIVE:
Previous studies have shown that insomnia is closely related to erectile dysfunction(ED). However, the causal relationship between them is still unclear. Mendelian randomization (MR) provides a new method for studying the relationship between the two, and the theory of heart-kidney interaction in TCM provides a new idea for exploring the causal relationship between them.
METHODS:
Based on the statistical data collected by genome-wide association studies (GWAS), the causal relationship between insomnia and ED was discussed by MR. Inverse variance weighted (IVW) is the main analysis method, and weighted median (WME), simple mode (SM), weighted mode (WM) and MR Egger method were the supplementary analysis to evaluate the causal effect. MR-Egger intercept test, Cochran Q test and leave-one-out method were used in sensitivity analysis to verify the reliability of MR results.
RESULTS:
Thirty-nine SNPs significantly related to insomnia were finally included for MR analysis. The results of IVW method in MR analysis showed that insomnia had a significant causal relationship with the increased risk of ED (OR = 3.111,95% CI= 1.566-6.181,P=1.193×10-3). The results obtained by MR-Egger method, WME method, WM method and SM method were consistent with IVW method in the direction of effect. The sensitivity results suggested that the results of this study were robust.
CONCLUSION
Our study reveals the causal relationship between insomnia and ED, which provides a new basis for future clinical practice and prevention and treatment of ED.
Causality
;
Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders/genetics*
;
Erectile Dysfunction/genetics*
;
Mendelian Randomization Analysis
;
Genome-Wide Association Study
;
Humans
;
Male
;
Heart/physiology*
;
Kidney/physiology*
;
Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide
;
Data Interpretation, Statistical
2.A critical role for Phocaeicola vulgatus in negatively impacting metformin response in diabetes.
Manyun CHEN ; Yilei PENG ; Yuhui HU ; Zhiqiang KANG ; Ting CHEN ; Yulong ZHANG ; Xiaoping CHEN ; Qing LI ; Zuyi YUAN ; Yue WU ; Heng XU ; Gan ZHOU ; Tao LIU ; Honghao ZHOU ; Chunsu YUAN ; Weihua HUANG ; Wei ZHANG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(5):2511-2528
Metformin has been demonstrated to attenuate hyperglycaemia by modulating the gut microbiota. However, the mechanisms through which the microbiome mediates metformin monotherapy failure (MMF) are unclear. Herein, in a prospective clinical cohort study of newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients treated with metformin monotherapy, metagenomic sequencing of faecal samples revealed that Phocaeicola vulgatus abundance was approximately 12 times higher in nonresponders than in responders. P. vulgatus rapidly hydrolysed taurine-conjugated bile acids, leading to ceramide accumulation and reversing the improvements in glucose intolerance conferred by metformin in high-fat diet-fed mice. Interestingly, C22:0 ceramide bound to mitochondrial fission factor to induce mitochondrial fragmentation and impair hepatic oxidative phosphorylation in P. vulgatus-colonized hyperglycaemic mice, which could be exacerbated by metformin. This work suggests that metformin may be unsuitable for P. vulgatus-rich T2DM patients and that clinicians should be aware of metformin toxicity to mitochondria. Suppressing P. vulgatus growth with cefaclor or improving mitochondrial function using adenosylcobalamin may represent simple, safe, effective therapeutic strategies for addressing MMF.
3.Augmentation of PRDX1-DOK3 interaction alleviates rheumatoid arthritis progression by suppressing plasma cell differentiation.
Wenzhen DANG ; Xiaomin WANG ; Huaying LI ; Yixuan XU ; Xinyu LI ; Siqi HUANG ; Hongru TAO ; Xiao LI ; Yulin YANG ; Lijiang XUAN ; Weilie XIAO ; Dean GUO ; Hao ZHANG ; Qiong WU ; Jie ZHENG ; Xiaoyan SHEN ; Kaixian CHEN ; Heng XU ; Yuanyuan ZHANG ; Cheng LUO
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(8):3997-4013
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by persistent inflammation and joint damage, accompanied by the accumulation of plasma cells, which contributes to its pathogenesis. Understanding the genetic alterations occurring during plasma cell differentiation in RA can deepen our comprehension of its pathogenesis and guide the development of targeted therapeutic interventions. Here, our study elucidates the intricate molecular mechanisms underlying plasma cell differentiation by demonstrating that PRDX1 interacts with DOK3 and modulates its degradation by the autophagy-lysosome pathway. This interaction results in the inhibition of plasma cell differentiation, thereby alleviating the progression of collagen-induced arthritis. Additionally, our investigation identifies Salvianolic acid B (SAB) as a potent small molecular glue-like compound that enhances the interaction between PRDX1 and DOK3, consequently impeding the progression of collagen-induced arthritis by inhibiting plasma cell differentiation. Collectively, these findings underscore the therapeutic potential of developing chemical stabilizers for the PRDX1-DOK3 complex in suppressing plasma cell differentiation for RA treatment and establish a theoretical basis for targeting PRDX1-protein interactions as specific therapeutic targets in various diseases.
4.Toxic effects of permethrin on HMC3 microglia and its associated mechanism
Wanli ZHANG ; Wenqi SHAN ; Chao CHEN ; Haowei DONG ; Hao YUAN ; Qiuming ZHOU ; Feng TAO ; Heng PENG ; Yajun MA
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2024;41(3):267-275
Background Permethrin is a commonly used pyrethroid insecticide and has been found to be potentially neurotoxic. Microglia are innate immune cells in the central nervous system and are involved in the development of a range of neurodegenerative diseases. Objective To observe possible toxic effects of permethrin on human microglia clone 3 (HMC3) in vitro and explore associated mechanism. Methods HMC3 were treated with 0, 10, 25, and 55 μmol·L−1 permethrin for 72 h. Cell cycle and apoptosis were measured using flow cytometry. Cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (CDK1), cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor 1A (CDKN1A), cyclin B2 (CCNB2), cellular tumor antigen p53 (p53), factor-related apoptosis (FAS), caspase 3 (CASP3), and H2A histone family member X (H2AX) were detected by quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). The differential genes and enrichment pathways of HMC3 after 0 and 25 μmol·L−1 permethrin treatment was analyzed by RNA sequencing. HMC3 was treated by 0, 10, 25, and 55 μmol· L−1 permethrin for 72 h. The content of nitric oxide (NO) in the supernatant was detected using Griess reagent. The secretion level of interleukin-6 (IL-6) was detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The mRNA expression levels of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway (including MAPK1, MAPK8, and MAPK14), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) families (including MMP1, MMP2, MMP3, and MMP9) were detected by qPCR. The protein expressions of phosphorylated p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p-p38), phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK), IL-1β, IL-6, and MMP1 were detected by Western blot. Results HMC3 was arrested in G2/M phase after 0, 10, 25, and 55 μmol·L−1 permethrin treatment for 72 h, of which there was a statistically significant difference between the 55 μmol·L−1 permethrin treatment group and the control group (P<0.01), and the mRNA expression of CDKN1A was up-regulated according to the qPCR (P<0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the proportions of apoptosis between the groups (P>0.05). The RNA sequencing showed that the differential genes were enriched in the MAPK pathway, and the mRNA expressions of MAPK1, MAPK8, and MAPK14 were up-regulated after the permethrin treatment at 55 μmol·L−1 compared to the control group by qPCR (P<0.05). The Western blot revealed that, compared to the control group, the levels of p-p38 and p-ERK were increased after the 10 μmol·L−1 permetrin treatment (P<0.05), the p-ERK level was increased after the 25 μmol·L−1 permetrin treatment (P<0.05), and the p-p38 level was up-regulated after the 55 μmol·L−1 permetrin treatment (P<0.05). The secretion of NO in the supernatant of HMC3 increased after permetrin treatment compared to the control group (P<0.05), the mRNA and protein expressions and the secretion of IL-6 showed an upward trend, the mRNA and protein expressions of IL-1β were up-regulated (P<0.05), and the mRNA and protein expressions of MMP1 were up-regulated in the 25 and 55 μmol·L−1 permethrin groups (P<0.05). Conclusion Permethrin inhibits HMC3 cell proliferation in vitro, induces cell cycle arrest, activates MAPK pathway, and promotes the expression of inflammatory factors IL-1β and MMP1, which may be one of the mechanism of neurotoxicity induced by permethrin.
5.Efficacy and safety of different applications of tranexamic acid in high tibial osteotomy
Changling DU ; Hui SHI ; Shoutao ZHANG ; Tao MENG ; Dong LIU ; Jian LI ; Heng CAO ; Chuang XU
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2024;28(9):1409-1413
BACKGROUND:High tibial osteotomy results in massive blood loss during the perioperative period.Tranexamic acid can effectively reduce perioperative blood loss.However,the method of tranexamic acid application has not been unified. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the effect and safety of different methods of tranexamic acid on perioperative blood loss in the high tibial osteotomy. METHODS:A total of 160 patients who underwent primary unilateral high tibial osteotomy in the Binzhou Medical University Hospital from January 2019 to December 2021,including 69 males and 91 females,were randomly divided into four groups(n=40 per group).Among them,40 patients were given an intravenous infusion of saline containing 2 g tranexamic acid 10 minutes before tourniquet release(venous group);40 patients were given an intravenous infusion of 1 g tranexamic acid and 1 g tranexamic acid was injected through a drainage tube after the closure of the incision(combined group);40 patients were given 2 g tranexamic acid infusion into drainage tube after the closure of the incision(perfusion group);an additional 40 patients were given an intravenous infusion of the same amount of normal saline(blank group).The general information was compared among the four groups of patients.The hemoglobin,hematocrit,intraoperative blood loss,drainage volume,blood transfusion rate,incision complication,and the incidence of deep vein thrombosis were recorded on days 1,3 and 5 after operation in the four groups.The total blood loss and hidden blood loss were calculated. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)There was no statistically significant difference in general information among the four groups.(2)No significant difference was found in intraoperative blood loss among the four groups.(3)The maximum decreased values of hemoglobin and hematocrit on days 1,3 and 5 after operation,drainage volume,total blood loss and hidden blood loss were all ranked as the combined group
6.Comparison of interoperability among the standard systems of Chinese,the United States,European,and Japanese Pharmacopoeias and other standard systems
Xinyi XU ; Zhen LIU ; Leran TAO ; Haoyun SONG ; Dan LI ; Wenli YU ; Guannan WANG ; Heng LI ; Yun WANG ; Zhaopeng YANG
China Pharmacist 2024;27(2):233-241
Objective To provide reference for the optimization and improvement of interoperability between the standard system of the Chinese Pharmacopoeia and other standards.Methods The interoperability of various pharmacopoeia standard systems was compared by searching for citations from the Chinese Pharmacopoeia,the United States Pharmacopoeia-National Formulary,the European Pharmacopoeia,the Japanese Pharmacopoeia,and other standards,including references to domestic regulations and guidelines,standards of the International Organization for Standardization,guidelines from the International Council for Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Pharmaceuticals for Human Use,documents of the World Health Organization,and standards from other countries and international organizations.Results In recent years,pharmacopoeias in the world had continuously increased the citation of non pharmacopoeial standards.The types,quantities,and fields of the United States Pharmacopoeia-National Formulary referencing other standards far exceed those of other pharmacopoeias.The Chinese Pharmacopoeia cites the least number of other standards.Conclusion It is suggested that the Chinese Pharmacopoeia should enhance the interoperability with other standard systems in the standards of various professional fields,enhance the openness,harmonization and advantages,and form a more complete standard system.
7.Research progress of selinexor in the treatment of recurrent and refractory multiple myeloma
Journal of Chinese Physician 2024;26(2):296-300
Multiple myeloma is an incurable hematological malignancy. Although the continuous development of therapeutic drugs such as proteasome inhibitors and immune modulators, as well as chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy, has improved the prognosis in recent years, some patients are still drug-resistant, presenting as refractory and recurrent disease with limited treatment options. Selinexor, a first-in-class oral selective nuclear export protein inhibitor, binds to and inhibits nuclear export protein XPO-1 to function, leading to the accumulation of tumor suppressor proteins in the nucleus and selective apoptosis of cancer cells. It has shown controllable toxicity and good efficacy in the treatment of recurrent and refractory multiple myeloma. This article discusses the anti-tumor mechanism of selinexor, its clinical research progress, and adverse reactions.
8.Ultrasound-guided intra-articular injection of hypertonic glucose for treating knee osteoarthritis in plateau area
Weiwen CHEN ; Yaqun TANG ; Jiayangzhaxi ; Wenjie XIE ; Tao LYU ; Dui WANG ; Qin ZHAO ; Heng ZHANG ; Jing HUANG
Chinese Journal of Medical Imaging Technology 2024;40(1):107-111
Objective To observe the value of ultrasound-guided intra-articular injection of hypertonic glucose(HG)for treating knee osteoarthritis in plateau area.Methods Ninety-one patients with knee osteoarthritis in plateau area(124 affected knee joints)were enrolled.The knee joints were divided into 20%HG group(n=67),25%HG group(n=42)or sodium hyaluronate group(n=15)based on the medication.Clinical and ultrasound scores were compared before and after treatment,and the efficacy of injection of HG was evaluated.Results At the 12th and 48th weeks after treatment,visual analog scale(VAS)scores decreased in all 3 groups(all P<0.05),and Lysholm scores of 20%HG group and 25%HG group increased compared to those before treatment(all P<0.05).The difference of Lysholm score before and in the 12th week after treatment,and of VAS score before and in the 48th week after treatment of 25%HG group were higher than those of 20%HG group(both P<0.05).The joint exudation score of 20%HG group decreased in the 48th week after treatment compared to that before treatment(P<0.05),and the synovial blood flow score decreased in the 12th and 48th weeks after treatment compared to those before treatment(both P<0.05).The joint exudation score of 25%HG group decreased in the 48th week after treatment compared to that before treatment(P<0.05),and the synovial hyperplasia and synovial blood flow score decreased in the 12th and 48th weeks after treatment compared to before treatment(all P<0.05).The joint exudation score of sodium hyaluronate group decreased in the 48th week after treatment compared to that before treatment(P<0.05),and the synovial hyperplasia score decreased in the 12th and 48th weeks after treatment compared to that before treatment(both P<0.05).Conclusion Ultrasound-guided intra-articular injection of HG,esp.25%HG,had certain value for treating knee osteoarthritis in plateau area.
9.Ferroptosis in bone diseases:therapeutic targets of osteoporosis
Heng XIE ; Ye GU ; Yingchu GU ; Zerui WU ; Tao FANG ; Qiufei WANG ; Yuqin PENG ; Dechun GENG ; Yaozeng XU
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2024;28(16):2613-2618
BACKGROUND:With the aging of the global population,the incidence rate of osteoporosis is also increasing.It is very important to further understand its pathogenesis and propose new therapeutic targets.Recent studies have shown that ferroptosis is closely related to the pathogenesis of some bone diseases,such as inflammatory arthritis,osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. OBJECTIVE:To summarize the previous studies on the mechanism of ferroptosis in osteoporosis,so as to provide new therapeutic ideas and potential therapeutic targets for osteoporosis. METHODS:The first author used the computer to search the documents published from 2000 to 2022 in CNKI,WanFang,VIP,PubMed and Web of Science with the key words of"ferroptosis,osteoporosis,osteoblasts,osteoclasts,iron chelators,reactive oxygen species,nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2,heme oxygenase-1,glutathione peroxidase 4,review"in Chinese and English.A total of 70 articles were finally included according to the inclusion criteria. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Ferroptosis is significantly different from necrosis,apoptosis and autophagy.In terms of cell morphology and function,it does not have the morphological characteristics of typical necrosis,nor does it have the characteristics of traditional apoptosis,such as cell contraction,chromatin condensation,the formation of apoptotic bodies and the disintegration of cytoskeleton.Contrary to autophagy,ferroptosis does not form a classical closed bilayer membrane structure(autophagic vacuole).Morphologically,ferroptosis is mainly manifested by obvious contraction of mitochondria,increased membrane density,and reduction or disappearance of mitochondrial cristae,which are different from other cell death modes.Iron overload can destroy bone homeostasis by significantly inhibiting osteogenic differentiation and stimulating osteoclast formation,leading to osteoporosis.Iron overload interferes with the differentiation of stem cells to osteoblasts,leading to a weakened osteoblast function and further imbalance of bone metabolism in the body,which eventually leads to osteoporosis.Stimulated by iron overload,osteoclast bone resorption is enhanced and bone loss exceeds new bone formation.Iron chelators have been proved to have osteoprotective effects by inhibiting osteoclast activity and stimulating osteogenic differentiation of osteoblasts.Its potential mechanism is related to inhibiting osteoclast differentiation and promoting osteoblast differentiation.Antioxidants can prevent reactive oxygen species production and inhibit bone absorption,thus improving bone metabolism and effectively preventing osteoporosis.
10.Epidemiological characteristics and spatial clustering of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome in Nanjing from 2010 to 2023
Tao MA ; Cong CHEN ; Song-Ning DING ; Qing XU ; Jun-Jun WANG ; Heng-Xue WANG ; Zi-Kang YAN ; Meng-Yuan TIAN ; Yuan-Zhao ZHU ; Hui-Hui LIU
Chinese Journal of Zoonoses 2024;40(9):841-847
This study was aimed at understanding the trends in,and scope of,severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome(SFTS)in Nanjing,analyzing the spatial distribution pattern,detecting high incidence cluster areas and key popula-tions,and scientifically guiding prevention and control strategies and measures.We obtained data on SFTS cases from 2010 to 2023 in Nanjing from the China Disease Control and Prevention Information System,and described the time,popu-lation,and spatial distribution characteristics.We used joinpoint regression to calculate the annual percentage change(APC)in incidence,then used FleXScan spatial clustering scan analysis to explore spatial clustering areas at the street level.A total of 507 SFTS cases were reported from 2010 to 2023 in Nanjing.The APC was 31.8%(95%CI:22.5%-41.9%,P<0.001),and the reported incidence in 2023 was 1.42/100 000(134 cases).The seasonal indices from May to August were 2.7,2.1,3.0,and 1.3,respectively,accounting for 76.1%of the total cases.The median age was 66(IQR:55,73)years,which gradually increased from 59 years in 2010-2011 to 68 in 2022-2023(P<0.001);94.1%of cases were in individuals 45 years or older.Farmers,homemakers/unemployed individuals,and retirees accounted for 90.1%.The epidemic area increased from 11 streets in four districts in 2010-2011 to 58 streets in 11 dis-tricts in 2022-2023.Except for 2012-2013,global spatial autocorrelation analysis showed positive Moran's I values(0.224-0.526,P<0.001),and FlexScan scan indicated that several streets in Lishui District and Jiangning District were the most likely clusters.Four streets in Pukou District were the secondary clusters from 2018 to 2023,and three streets in Luhe District in 2022-2023 were the secondary clusters(all P<0.05).The reported incidence of SFTS in Nanjing showed a rapid upward trend,with spread of epidemic areas.The spatial distribution pattern was clustered.Strengthened training in diagnosis and treatment technology and detection ability of medical institutions,surveillance in high-incidence areas,tracing of case flow,and health education of tick and disease prevention knowledge are recommended.

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