1.Research advances in traditional Chinese medicine for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma by regulating immune cells
Lijuan LONG ; Zongyu WANG ; Yali ZHAO ; Chuanfu QIN ; Hua QIU
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(2):349-358
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignant tumor with a high mortality rate, an insidious onset, and complex pathological mechanisms. In the tumor microenvironment, tumor-promoting immune cells protect tumor cells from immune attacks, while dysfunction of anti-tumor immune cells causes the inhibition of immune response, thereby leading to the continuous deterioration of cancer. In recent years, traditional Chinese medicine has shown good efficacy in the treatment of HCC, and it can inhibit the proliferation and metastasis of cancer cells by regulating immune cells. By analyzing related articles in China and globally, this article summarizes how immune cells affect the progression of HCC through the immunosuppressive pathway and how traditional Chinese medicine exerts an anti-HCC effect by regulating immune cells, in order to provide theoretical basis and reference for optimizing the treatment of HCC.
2.Heterogeneity of Adipose Tissue From a Single-cell Transcriptomics Perspective
Yong-Lang WANG ; Si-Si CHEN ; Qi-Long LI ; Yu GONG ; Xin-Yue DUAN ; Ye-Hui DUAN ; Qiu-Ping GUO ; Feng-Na LI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(4):820-835
Adipose tissue is a critical energy reservoir in animals and humans, with multifaceted roles in endocrine regulation, immune response, and providing mechanical protection. Based on anatomical location and functional characteristics, adipose tissue can be categorized into distinct types, including white adipose tissue (WAT), brown adipose tissue (BAT), beige adipose tissue, and pink adipose tissue. Traditionally, adipose tissue research has centered on its morphological and functional properties as a whole. However, with the advent of single-cell transcriptomics, a new level of complexity in adipose tissue has been unveiled, showing that even under identical conditions, cells of the same type may exhibit significant variation in morphology, structure, function, and gene expression——phenomena collectively referred to as cellular heterogeneity. Single-cell transcriptomics, including techniques like single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq), enables in-depth analysis of the diversity and heterogeneity of adipocytes at the single-cell level. This high-resolution approach has not only deepened our understanding of adipocyte functionality but also facilitated the discovery of previously unidentified cell types and gene expression patterns that may play key roles in adipose tissue function. This review delves into the latest advances in the application of single-cell transcriptomics in elucidating the heterogeneity and diversity within adipose tissue, highlighting how these findings have redefined the understanding of cell subpopulations within different adipose depots. Moreover, the review explores how single-cell transcriptomic technologies have enabled the study of cellular communication pathways and differentiation trajectories among adipose cell subgroups. By mapping these interactions and differentiation processes, researchers gain insights into how distinct cellular subpopulations coordinate within adipose tissues, which is crucial for maintaining tissue homeostasis and function. Understanding these mechanisms is essential, as dysregulation in adipose cell interactions and differentiation underlies a range of metabolic disorders, including obesity and diabetes mellitus type 2. Furthermore, single-cell transcriptomics holds promising implications for identifying therapeutic targets; by pinpointing specific cell types and gene pathways involved in adipose tissue dysfunction, these technologies pave the way for developing targeted interventions aimed at modulating specific adipose subpopulations. In summary, this review provides a comprehensive analysis of the role of single-cell transcriptomic technologies in uncovering the heterogeneity and functional diversity of adipose tissues.
3.Hemolysis rates of three red blood cell components at the end of storage: a 5-year retrospective study
Zhenping LU ; Fufa LIU ; Meiyan KANG ; Xianbin WU ; Yanting WANG ; Xing LONG ; Xinlu QIU ; Jin LI
Chinese Journal of Blood Transfusion 2025;38(6):828-832
Objective: To evaluate the suitability of the existing hemolysis rate standards for locally processed red blood cell components by retrospectively analyzing 5-year hemolysis rate data at the end of storage. Methods: A total of 720 blood samples of three types of red blood cell components from our blood station from January 2019 to December 2023 were collected. Parameters included hemoglobin concentration (Hb), hematocrit (Hct), and free hemoglobin concentration (fHb). Hemolysis rate were taken as the control standard of 0.8% in accordance with the national standard. The hemolysis rates were compared against the national standard threshold of 0.8% (GB18469-2012), and annual trends of the detection parameters were observed. Results: The hemolysis rates (x-+s,%) of leukocyte-depleted whole blood at the end of storage were (0.038±0.023 8) in 2019, (0.049±0.039 5) in 2020, (0.043±0.040 7) in 2021, (0.049±0.030 7) in 2022, and (0.058±0.054 8) in 2023, respectively; The hemolysis rates (x-+s" />,%) of leukocyte-depleted suspended red blood cells at the end of storage were (0.093±0.050 2) in 2019, (0.086±0.049 5) in 2020, (0.123±0.072 3) in 2021, (0.122±0.052 1) in 2022, and (0.106±0.058 6) in 2023, respectively; The hemolysis rates (x-+s,%) of washed red blood cells at the end of storage were (0.127±0.038 2) in 2019, (0.150±0.066 5) in 2020, (0.121±0.052 2) in 2021, (0.124±0.038 9) in 2022, and (0.128±0.044 3) in 2023, respectively. Conclusion: Hemolysis rates at the end of blood storage of three red blood cell components were significantly lower than the limits specified in Quality Requirements for Whole Blood and Components (GB18469-2012), as well as standards from the EU, AABB and the United States. The results demonstrate excellent product quality control. A regional internal control standard of <0.2% is proposed for hemolysis rates at the end of storage.
4.Analysis of T7 RNA Polymerase: From Structure-function Relationship to dsRNA Challenge and Biotechnological Applications
Wei-Chen NING ; Yu HUA ; Hui-Ling YOU ; Qiu-Shi LI ; Yao WU ; Yun-Long LIU ; Zhen-Xin HU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(9):2280-2294
T7 RNA polymerase (T7 RNAP) is one of the simplest known RNA polymerases. Its unique structural features make it a critical model for studying the mechanisms of RNA synthesis. This review systematically examines the static crystal structure of T7 RNAP, beginning with an in-depth examination of its characteristic “thumb”, “palm”, and “finger” domains, which form the classic “right-hand-like” architecture. By detailing these structural elements, this review establishes a foundation for understanding the overall organization of T7 RNAP. This review systematically maps the functional roles of secondary structural elements and their subdomains in transcriptional catalysis, progressively elucidating the fundamental relationships between structure and function. Further, the intrinsic flexibility of T7 RNAP and its applications in research are also discussed. Additionally, the review presents the structural diagrams of the enzyme at different stages of the transcription process, and through these diagrams, it provides a detailed description of the complete transcription process of T7 RNAP. By integrating structural dynamics and kinetics analyses, the review constructs a comprehensive framework that bridges static structure to dynamic processes. Despite its advantages, T7 RNAP has a notable limitation: it generates double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) as a byproduct. The presence of dsRNA not only compromises the purity of mRNA products but also elicits nonspecific immune responses, which pose significant challenges for biotechnological and therapeutic applications. The review provides a detailed exploration of the mechanisms underlying dsRNA formation during T7 RNAP catalysis, reviews current strategies to mitigate this issue, and highlights recent progress in the field. A key focus is the semi-rational design of T7 RNAP mutants engineered to minimize dsRNA generation and enhance catalytic performance. Beyond its role in transcription, T7 RNAP exhibits rapid development and extensive application in fields, including gene editing, biosensing, and mRNA vaccines. This review systematically examines the structure-function relationships of T7 RNAP, elucidates the mechanisms of dsRNA formation, and discusses engineering strategies to optimize its performance. It further explores the engineering optimization and functional expansion of T7 RNAP. Furthermore, this review also addresses the pressing issues that currently need resolution, discusses the major challenges in the practical application of T7 RNAP, and provides an outlook on potential future research directions. In summary, this review provides a comprehensive analysis of T7 RNAP, ranging from its structural architecture to cutting-edge applications. We systematically examine: (1) the characteristic right-hand domains (thumb, palm, fingers) that define its minimalistic structure; (2) the structure-function relationships underlying transcriptional catalysis; and (3) the dynamic transitions during the complete transcription cycle. While highlighting T7 RNAP’s versatility in gene editing, biosensing, and mRNA vaccine production, we critically address its major limitation—dsRNA byproduct formation—and evaluate engineering solutions including semi-rationally designed mutants. By synthesizing current knowledge and identifying key challenges, this work aims to provide novel insights for the development and application of T7 RNAP and to foster further thought and progress in related fields.
5.Pathological Characteristics and Classification of Unstable Coronary Atheroscle-rotic Plaques
Yun-Hong XING ; Yang LI ; Wen-Zheng WANG ; Liang-Liang WANG ; Le-Le SUN ; Qiu-Xiang DU ; Jie CAO ; Guang-Long HE ; Jun-Hong SUN
Journal of Forensic Medicine 2024;40(1):59-63
Important forensic diagnostic indicators of sudden death in coronary atherosclerotic heart dis-ease,such as acute or chronic myocardial ischemic changes,sometimes make it difficult to locate the ischemic site due to the short death process,the lack of tissue reaction time.In some cases,the de-ceased died of sudden death on the first-episode,resulting in difficulty for medical examiners to make an accurate diagnosis.However,clinical studies on coronary instability plaque revealed the key role of coronary spasm and thrombosis caused by their lesions in sudden coronary death process.This paper mainly summarizes the pathological characteristics of unstable coronary plaque based on clinical medi-cal research,including plaque rupture,plaque erosion and calcified nodules,as well as the influencing factors leading to plaque instability,and briefly describes the research progress and technique of the atherosclerotic plaques,in order to improve the study on the mechanism of sudden coronary death and improve the accuracy of the forensic diagnosis of sudden coronary death by diagnosing different patho-logic states of coronary atherosclerotic plaques.
6.Clinical observation of camrelizumab combined with pemetrexed and nedaplatin in the treatment of EGFR/ALK wild-type advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer
Fengyan TAN ; Yiding TANG ; Long MENG ; Jie SONG ; Feng QIU ; Rui LONG
China Pharmacy 2024;35(16):2013-2017
OBJECTIVE To observe the efficacy and safety of camrelizumab combined with pemetrexed and nedaplatin in the treatment of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) wild-type advanced non-squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). METHODS The data of 92 patients with EGFR/ALK wild-type advanced non-squamous NSCLC patients who visited the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from August 2021 to May 2023 were collected and divided into nedaplatin group (46 cases) and carboplatin group (46 cases) based on different treatment regimens. Nedaplatin group was given camrelizumab for injection+nedaplatin for injection+pemetrexed disodium for injection; carboplatin group was given camrelizumab for injection+carboplatin injection+pemetrexed disodium for injection. Both groups received treatment with 21 days as one cycle, and all patients would be treated at least two cycles. The recent efficacy and the incidence of adverse drug reactions were observed in two groups, and the factors affecting progression-free survival (PFS) of patients were analyzed. RESULTS There was no statistically significant difference in the objective response rate, disease control rate, median PFS, and the incidence of grade 3-5 treatment-related adverse event (TRAE) between the two groups (P>0.05). While the incidence of grade 1-2 renal and urinary system TREA, palpitations and pericardial effusion in nedaplatin group were significantly lower than carboplatin group, the incidence of nausea, vomiting and decreased appetite were significantly higher than carboplatin group (P<0.05). The patient’s gender, age, smoking history, Eastern United States Cancer Collaboration score, and TNM staging were not significant factors affecting patient’s PFS (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS Camrelizumab combined with pemetrexed and nedaplatin has significant efficacy in the treatment of EGFR/ALK wild-type advanced non-squamous NSCLC, with good safety.
7.Role of problem chain and course ideological and political cases teaching method in enhancing clinical medication ability research
Zhi-Hua QIN ; Long-Xi PENG ; Gao-Shuang LAN ; Xiao-Bin ZHANG ; Jiao-Jiao YANG ; Liang ZHU ; Xi-Long QIU ; Yun-Long CHEN
The Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2024;40(11):1650-1653
Nowadays,with the continuous deepening and development of vocational education teaching reform,medical higher vocational education always takes moral education as the fundamental task.As an independent type of education,vocational education should always deepen the integration of industry and education and the integration of science and education.Through the teaching research of"problem chain+course ideological and political case",this study innovates the coordinated education team of drug nursing curriculum,the collaborative education method and the collaborative education evaluation,and improves the teaching effect.
8.Analysis of Clinical Characteristics of Patients with Alcoholic Liver Disease of Various Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome Types
Yong-Wei YUAN ; Jian-Hong LI ; Qiu-Yan LIANG ; Qi-Long NIE ; Xiao-Jun MA ; Teng-Yu QIU
Journal of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;41(8):1956-1962
Objective To explore the clinical characteristics of patients with alcoholic liver disease(ALD)of various traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome types.Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted in 129 patients with alcoholic liver disease who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria in Foshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from 2018 to 2022.The general data of the patients as well as their TCM syndrome types and clinical information of liver and kidney function,blood lipid,liver transient elastography during the hospital visit were collected.The distribution of TCM syndrome types in ALD patients was analyzed,and the clinical characteristics of the ALD patients with various TCM syndrome types were explored.Results(1)Of the 129 patients,128(99.22%)were male and only one(0.78%)was female,the average age was(48.71±11.50)years old,and the average body mass index(BMI)was(23.82±3.98)kg·m-2.(2)Damp-heat accumulation syndrome was most common syndrome type in ALD patients,with a total of 70 cases(54.26%),and then came liver depression and spleen deficiency syndrome(24 cases,18.60%),internal obstruction of phlegm-damp syndrome(22 cases,17.05%),liver-kidney sufficiency syndrome(7 cases,5.43%),phlegm interweaved with blood stasis syndrome(3 cases,2.33%),and internal accumulation of blood stasis syndrome(3 cases,2.33%).(3)The analysis of clinical characteristics by non-parametric rank sum test showed that there were no statistically significant differences in BMI,alcohol consumption,aspartate aminotransferase(AST),gamma-glutamyltransferase(GGT),total bilirubin(TBIL),alkaline phosphatase(ALP),triglyceride(TG),liver stiffness measurement(LSM),and controlled attenuation parameter(CAP)which reflects the fat content of liver in ALD patients with various TCM syndrome types(P<0.05 or P<0.01).The prominent features were as follows:patients with the 4 types of liver depression and spleen deficiency,internal obstruction of phlegm-damp,phlegm interweaved with blood stasis,and internal accumulation of blood stasis had a BMI exceeding the standard(>24 kg·m-2),whereas patients with damp-heat accumulation syndrome and liver-kidney deficiency syndrome,which accounted for 54.26%of the sample size,had a BMI within the normal range(23.03 kg·m-2 and 21.42 kg·m-2,respectively),and the BMI of these two types differed from that(26.44 kg·m-2)of the internal obstruction of phlegm-damp syndrome(P<0.01),suggesting that more than half of the ALD patients had the normal BMI;moreover,the patients with internal obstruction of phlegm-damp also had the highest values of serum TG(2.69 mmol/L)and CAP(292 db/m)except for the highest BMI,indicating that patients with internal obstruction of phlegm-damp syndrome had a more serious degree of obesity and hepatic fat infiltration than those with other syndrome types;the levels of AST and GGT,which separately reflect the chronic inflammatory injury of liver and bile duct cell injury,were significantly increased in the patients with damp-heat accumulation syndrome and liver-kidney deficiency syndrome,and the LSM value of these two types of patients was also the highest in all of the syndrome types,the differences being all statistically significant(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Conclusion Damp-heat accumulation syndrome is the main TCM syndrome type of ALD patients,the degree of fatty infiltration of the liver and overweight of ALD patients are not corresponded to the severity of illness,and there are some differences in the clinical indicators of ALD patients with various TCM syndrome types.However,with cross reference to the data of the four diagnostic examinations of TCM and the clinical indicators,the accuracy of the TCM diagnosis of ALD is expected to be increased.
9.Effect of chemokine CXC ligand 9 on cognitive function impairment in breast cancer patients with brain metastases receiving whole-brain radiotherapy
Cong WANG ; Zhi-Lin ZHANG ; Jin-Qiu LI ; Xiao SONG ; Qiang XI ; Huan MA ; Yong-Peng PANG ; Long TIAN
Medical Journal of Chinese People's Liberation Army 2024;49(11):1281-1288
Objective To investigate the effect of chemokine CXC ligand 9(CXCL9)on cognitive function impairment in patients with breast cancer brain metastases undergoing whole-brain radiotherapy(WBRT)using bioinformatics methods.Methods The mRNA of breast cancer brain metastases datasets GSE43837 and GSE12276 and Alzheimer's disease(AD)dataset GSE161199 were screened and downloaded from GEO database.Limma method and Venn diagrams were used to identify common differentially expressed genes(DEGs),and protein-protein interaction and functional prediction through GeneMANIA website assays were performed.A total of 42 patients with breast cancer brain metastases who first visited the Department of Radiotherapy at the First Affiliated Hospital of Hebei North University from January 2021 to January 2023 were selected.Patients were divided into normal cognitive function group and cognitive function impairment group based on cognitive status.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was employed to detect serum CXCL9 levels one week before and three months after radiotherapy.The mini-mental state examination(MMSE)was used to assess patients'cognitive function.Results The DEGs from datasets GSE43837 and GSE12276 included PKP1,POLDIP2,SPAG5,ALDOC,PTPRZ1,PKIA,TLCD1,CPE,PMP22 and CXCL9.The DEGs from GSE161199 included RPS16,CD79A,LYPD3,RPL28,HBG2,RPL23AP7,TRNR,CXCL9.Venn diagram showed that CXCL9 was a common DEG between breast cancer brain metastasis and AD.Functional enrichment analysis indicated that CXCL9 was involved in cellular responses to chemokines,negative regulation of immune system processes,negative regulation of vascular morphogenesis,Toll-like receptor signaling pathway,nucleotide oligomerization domain(NOD)-like receptor signaling pathway,and JAK-STAT signaling pathway.Before radiotherapy,patients with cognitive function impairment and normal cognitive function accounted for 61.9%and 38.1%,respectively,with a statistically significant difference in MMSE scores[(24.53±2.19)vs.(28.89±1.36),P<0.01].Compared with normal cognitive function group,patients with cognitive function impairment had a significantly increased number of brain metastases and significantly lower Karnofsky performance status(KPS)scores and serum CXCL9 levels(P<0.05).Three months after radiotherapy,patients with cognitive function impairment and normal cognitive function accounted for 47.6%and 52.4%,respectively,with a statistically significant difference in MMSE scores[(25.16±1.98)vs.(28.18±1.08),P<0.01].Compared with normal cognitive function group,patients with cognitive function impairment had significantly lower CXCL9 levels(P=0.003).In patients with normal cognitive function,CXCL9 levels were remarkably lower after radiotherapy compared to those before radiotherapy(P=0.009).Conclusions Patients with cognitive function impairment had significantly lower CXCL9 levels than those with normal cognitive function,and whole-brain radiotherapy may be related to a certain degree of reduction in CXCL9 levels.
10.Investigation on vehicle occupant dummy applicability for under-foot impact loading conditions
Teng-Fei TIAN ; Fu-Hao MO ; Hao-Yang SU ; Can HUANG ; Hui ZHAO ; Jun LIU ; Bo SHANG ; Kui LI ; Jin-Long QIU
Chinese Journal of Traumatology 2024;27(4):235-241
Purpose::Under-foot impact loadings can cause serious lower limb injuries in many activities, such as automobile collisions and underbody explosions to military vehicles. The present study aims to compare the biomechanical responses of the mainstream vehicle occupant dummies with the human body lower limb model and analyze their robustness and applicability for assessing lower limb injury risk in underfoot impact loading environments.Methods::The Hybrid III model, the test device for human occupant restraint (THOR) model, and a hybrid human body model with the human active lower limb model were adopted for under-foot impact analysis regarding different impact velocities and initial lower limb postures.Results::The results show that the 2 dummy models have larger peak tibial axial force and higher sensitivity to the impact velocities and initial postures than the human lower limb model. In particular, the Hybrid III dummy model presented extremely larger peak tibial axial forces than the human lower limb model. In the case of minimal difference in tibial axial force, Hybrid III's tibial axial force (7.5 KN) is still 312.5% that of human active lower limb's (2.4 KN). Even with closer peak tibial axial force values, the biomechanical response curve shapes of the THOR model show significant differences from the human lower limb model.Conclusion::Based on the present results, the Hybrid III dummy cannot be used to evaluate the lower limb injury risk in under-foot loading environments. In contrast, potential improvement in ankle biofidelity and related soft tissues of the THOR dummy can be implemented in the future for better applicability.

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