1.Traditional Chinese Medicine Regulates Signaling Pathways Related to Precancerous Lesions of Gastric Cancer: A Review
Maofu ZHANG ; Xinyu LI ; Yanyun SHEN ; Yeyuan LIU ; Jialin ZHONG ; Lulu CHEN ; Haihong ZHAO ; Zhongyang SONG ; Zhiming ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(4):297-306
Precancerous lesions of gastric cancer (PLGC) are a group of pathological changes caused by abnormalities in the structure, morphology, and differentiation of gastric mucosal epithelial cells. Since the early symptoms are hidden and non-specific, PLGC is not easy to be diagnosed and it has often developed into intermediate or advanced gastric cancer once being diagnosed and missed the best time for treatment. Accordingly, the incidence of this disease is increasing year by year, which lifts a heavy burden on the patients. The pathogenesis of PLGC is complex, involving inflammatory microenvironment, bile reflux, glycolysis, autophagy, and apoptosis. Currently, PLGC is mainly treated with anti-inflammatory and endoscopic therapies, which are difficult to curb the development of PLGC. Therefore, seeking a safe and effective therapy is an important topic of modern research. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), characterized by treatment based on syndrome differentiation and a holistic view, exerts effects via multiple pathways, mechanisms, and targets. Recent studies have confirmed that TCM can regulate the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B/mammalian target of rapamycin (PI3K/Akt/mTOR), Wnt/β-catenin, Sonic Hedgehog, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT), hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α), neurogenic locus notch homolog protein (Notch), nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and other signaling pathways. By targeting these pathways, TCM can inhibit aerobic glycolysis, reduce oxidative stress, repair the inflammatory microenvironment, regulate cellular autophagy, and promote vascular normalization, thereby delaying or reversing PLGC. However, few researchers have systematically summarized the TCM regulation of PLGC-associated pathways. By reviewing the relevant articles at home and abroad, this paper summarized the roles of the above signaling pathways in the development of PLGC and the research progress in the regulation of signaling pathways by TCM in the treatment of PLGC, with a view to providing a new theoretical basis for the clinical research on PLGC and the drug development for this disease.
2.Clinical Importance of BAIAP2L1 Expression in Cervical Cancer and Its Effect on Malignant Phenotype of Cervical Cancer Cells
Jueying ZHAO ; Zhuoying HAN ; Lulu FENG ; Chenlong WANG ; Li ZHANG ; Chao LUO ; Qilong WANG
Cancer Research on Prevention and Treatment 2025;52(6):481-490
Objective To explore the expression characteristics of BAIAP2L1 in cervical cancer (CC) and its regulatory role in tumor cell metastasis. Methods The correlation between BAIAP2L1 expression and clinical prognosis was analyzed by using a public database. GO pathway enrichment and clinicopathological correlation analyses were conducted by employing R language. The effect of BAIAP2L1 knockdown on CC cell proliferation, invasion, migration, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) were further investigated through gene silencing approaches. Results BAIAP2L1 expression was significantly upregulated in CC tissues (Padj <0.001) and it was identified as an independent risk factor for patient mortality (HR=2.808, P=0.03). Elevated BAIAP2L1 levels showed significant correlations with poor overall survival, advanced T/N stage, recurrence, and metastasis (all P<0.05). Functional enrichment analysis revealed its involvement in tumor metastasis-related pathways. The knockdown of BAIAP2L1 significantly attenuated CC cell proliferation, invasion, and migration and suppressed key EMT processes (all P<0.05). Conclusion BAIAP2L1 is overexpressed in CC tissues and associated with patient prognosis and metastasis. The targeted inhibition of BAIAP2L1 can effectively curb tumor progression.
3.Dual-responsive supramolecular photodynamic nanomedicine with activatable immunomodulation for enhanced antitumor therapy.
Siqin HE ; Lulu WANG ; Dongxu WU ; Fan TONG ; Huan ZHAO ; Hanmei LI ; Tao GONG ; Huile GAO ; Yang ZHOU
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2024;14(2):765-780
A major challenge facing photodynamic therapy (PDT) is that the activity of the immune-induced infiltrating CD8+ T cells is subject to the regulatory T lymphocytes (Tregs), leaving the tumor at risk of recurrence and metastasis after the initial ablation. To augment the antitumor response and reprogram the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME), a supramolecular photodynamic nanoparticle (DACss) is constructed by the host-guest interaction between demethylcantharidin-conjugated β-cyclodextrin (DMC-CD) and amantadine-terminated disulfide-conjugated FFVLGGGC peptide with chlorin e6 decoration (Ad-ss-pep-Ce6) to achieve intelligent delivery of photosensitizer and immunomodulator for breast cancer treatment. The acid-labile β-carboxamide bond of DMC-CD is hydrolyzed in response to the acidic TME, resulting in the localized release of DMC and subsequent inhibition of Tregs. The guest molecule Ad-ss-pep-Ce6 can be cleaved by a high level of intracellular GSH, reducing photosensitizer toxicity and increasing photosensitizer retention in the tumor. With a significant increase in the CTL/Treg ratio, the combination of Ce6-based PDT and DMC-mediated immunomodulation adequately achieved spatiotemporal regulation and remodeling of the TME, as well as improved primary tumor and in situ lung metastasis suppression with the aid of PD-1 antibody.
4.Finite element analysis of effect of proximal fibular fracture on knee joint stress in an extended state
Jiaqi WANG ; Jiangan TANG ; Guohua HUANG ; Dece KONG ; Yiding ZHAO ; Lulu GONG ; Hongyuan PAN ; Dewei KONG ; Yue LIU ; Tieyi YANG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2024;28(30):4757-4762
BACKGROUND:The traditional view is that proximal fibular fractures do not require fixation.Others and our research suggest that the proximal fibular structure plays an important role in the stability of the posterolateral structure of the knee joint,and its mechanism of action is worth studying. OBJECTIVE:To investigate the biomechanical effects of proximal fibular fractures on various structures of the knee joint in an extended state. METHODS:Finite element method was used to conduct simulated biomechanical experiments.A healthy young male volunteer was selected to establish a finite element model of the knee joint in an extended state using MRI and CT image data,and four proximal fibular shapes were simulated(Model A:intact,Model B:1 cm fracture below the fibular head,Model C:1 cm tip defect fracture from the proximal end of the fibula to the distal end,and Model D:2 cm bone defect from the proximal end of the fibula).A longitudinal concentrated load of 1 500 N was applied to the femoral shaft to compare and analyze the distribution and changing trend of the maximum equivalent stress and maximum first principal stress of each structure of the knee joint in an extended state under four working conditions. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)In Model A,the maximum equivalent stress in the tibial cartilage and lateral compartment of the meniscus was greater than that in the medial compartment,while the maximum first principal stress in the tibial plateau and medial compartment of the meniscus was greater than that in the lateral compartment.The maximum equivalent stress of the medial condyle of the femoral cartilage was greater than that of the lateral condyle,and the maximum first principal stress of the medial condyle of the femoral cartilage was greater than that of the medial condyle.(2)Compared to Model A,there was no significant difference in the magnitude and distribution of the maximum equivalent stress and maximum first principal stress in the cartilage and meniscus of Model C.(3)Compared to Model A,the maximum equivalent stress increase amplitude of Model B was in the order of medial tibial cartilage(14.9%),medial condyle of femoral cartilage(13.6%),and medial meniscus(6.6%).The maximum first principal stress increase amplitude was the medial meniscus(11.06%),the medial tibial cartilage(8.65%),and the medial condyle of the femoral cartilage(7.46%).The maximum equivalent stress increase amplitude of the ligament was as follows:popliteal arch ligament(33.2%)>anterior cruciate ligament(21.3%)>fibular collateral ligament(17%)>posterior cruciate ligament(14.3%)>anterior lateral collateral ligament(13.2%)>medial collateral ligament(10.1%).(4)Compared to Model A,the maximum equivalent stress increasing trend of Model D followed the medial tibial cartilage(19.5%),femoral cartilage medial condyle(17.9%),and medial meniscus(9.9%).The maximum first principal stress in sequence was the medial meniscus(14.04%),the medial tibial cartilage(13.03%),and the medial condyle of the femoral cartilage(11.37%).The increasing trend of maximum equivalent stress in ligaments was as follows:anterior cruciate ligament(25.2%)>posterior cruciate ligament(18.9%)>medial collateral ligament(18.5%)>anterior lateral collateral ligament(12.7%).(5)It is suggested that when the knee joint is extended,a 1 cm fracture below the fibular head and a 2 cm fibular tip bone defect have a significant impact on the structure of the medial ventricular cartilage,anterior cruciate ligament,and posterior lateral ligament complex.
5.Role of autophagy in orthodontic tooth movement
Tianqi WANG ; Chengcheng LIAO ; Jianguo LIU ; Lulu CHEN ; Piao ZHAO ; Linlin XIAO ; Xiaoyan GUAN
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2024;28(34):5558-5564
BACKGROUND:The application of orthodontic force triggers autophagy in the periodontal tissue via diverse signaling pathways,augmenting or attenuating the activity of relevant cell types such as periodontal ligament cells,osteocytes,osteoclasts,and osteoblasts,thus facilitating the process of periodontal remodeling. OBJECTIVE:To review the research progress in orthodontic force mediated autophagy in periodontal tissue and its impact on orthodontic tooth movement. METHODS:The PubMed,Web of Science,China Biology Medicine disc and CNKI were searched for literature published from 2010 to 2023 to summarize the progress in orthodontics-related autophagy.And 76 papers were finally included in the analysis and discussion. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Orthodontic force can trigger a series of biochemical signal changes through periodontal mechanical receptors and aseptic inflammation they cause,leading to autophagy in periodontal tissue.Subsequently,autophagy generates corresponding feedback through cascaded amplified signaling pathways such as Phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B,Hippo,and mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways,promoting periodontal tissue remodeling and ultimately achieving tooth movement and stability.Orthodontic force-induced autophagy can differentially regulate bone resorption on the tooth pressure side and bone formation on the tension side.Related targets have good prospects in the clinical application of orthodontic treatment.Orthodontics and autophagy have complex mechanisms.However,existing research has only focused on exploring the role of autophagy in orthodontic tooth movement.Further exploration is needed to investigate the mutual regulatory effects between autophagy and orthodontic tooth movement,as well as the interactions between upstream mechanical receptors and signaling pathways involved in related pathways.
6.Effectiveness of different specific exercise therapies in treatment of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis:a network meta-analysis
Ying CHANG ; Yuan XIA ; Yundi SUN ; Lulu CHENG ; Wenjuan XIONG ; Xianghu ZHAO
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2024;28(36):5899-5904
OBJECTIVE:At present,there are a variety of treatment methods for scoliosis using specific exercise therapy,but there is a lack of comparison of efficacy between different specific exercise therapy.This article compared the effectiveness of different specific exercise therapies to treat adolescent idiopathic scoliosis through a network meta-analysis. METHODS:Domestic and foreign electronic databases of relevant studies were searched for randomized controlled trials of specific exercise therapy for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.Search time was from January 2000 to July 2023.The literature was screened by two reviewers using RevMan 5.4 and Stata 16.0 software to extract data and assess the bias risk of of inclusion studies. RESULTS:(1)This article includes 20 randomized controlled trials with 1 377 patients.Of them,12 studies involved Schroth therapy;2 studies involved BSPTS therapy,and 6 studies involved SEAS therapy.(2)The network meta-analysis indicated that in terms of improving Cobb angle and reducing trunk rotation angle in scoliosis patients,the BSPTS therapy group and Schroth therapy group were better than the conventional control group[WMD=-4.60,95%CI(-8.37,-0.82),P<0.05;WMD=-3.37,95%CI(-4.98,-1.75),P<0.05;WMD=-3.20,95%CI(-5.50,-0.90),P<0.05;WMD=-2.13,95%CI(-3.16,-1.09),P<0.05].The Schroth therapy group performed better than the conventional control group effective in improving the International Society for Scoliosis Research-22 Questionnaire quality of life score[WMD=1.41,95%CI(0.07,2.75),P<0.05]. CONCLUSION:Given the current evidence,BSPTS therapy group and Schroth therapy group were better than the conventional control group in improving Cobb angle and reducing trunk rotation angle.In the comparison of different specific exercise therapies,BSPTS therapy can be preferred to improve Cobb angle and reduce trunk rotation angle in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients.In addition,Schroth therapy may be the best treatment to improve the quality of life of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients.Limited by the quantity and quality of the included studies,the above conclusions should be interpreted with caution and need more high-quality studies to further validation.
7.Hydrogen therapy promotes macrophage polarization to the M2 subtype by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway
Xue GAO ; Shiying NIU ; Guohua SONG ; Lulu LI ; Xiaoyue ZHANG ; Wentao PAN ; Xuetao CAO ; Xinhui ZHANG ; Meili SUN ; Guoli ZHAO ; Yueying ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Radiological Health 2024;33(1):33-39
Objective To investigate the role of hydrogen therapy in reducing radiation-induced lung injury and the specific mechanism. Methods Forty C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into four groups: normal control group, model group, hydrogen therapy group I, and hydrogen therapy group II. A mouse model of radiation-induced lung injury was established. The pathological changes in the lung tissue of the mice were examined with HE staining. Immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the expression of surface markers of M1 and M2 macrophages to observe macrophage polarization. The expression of interleukin (IL)-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and IL-10 in the lung tissue was measured by immunohistochemistry. The expression of nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) p65 and phosphorylated NF-κB (P-NF-κB) p65 was measured by Western blot. Results HE staining showed that compared with the control group, the model group exhibited alveolar septal swelling and thickening, vascular dilatation and congestion, and inflammatory cell infiltration in the lung tissue; the hydrogen groups had significantly reduced pathological damage and inflammatory response than the model group, with more improvements in hydrogen group II than in hydrogen group I. Immunohistochemical results showed that compared with those in the control group, the levels of the inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α were significantly increased in the model group; the hydrogen groups showed significantly decreased IL-6 and TNF-α levels and a significantly increased level of the anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 than the model group, which were more marked in hydrogen group II than in hydrogen group I. Immunofluorescence results showed that compared with the control group, the expression of the surface marker of M1 macrophages in the model group was significantly upregulated; the hydrogen groups showed significantly downregulated M1 marker and significantly upregulated M2 marker, and hydrogen group II showed significantly increased M2 marker compared with hydrogen group I. Western blot results showed that compared with that in the control group, the ratio of P-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 in the model group was significantly increased; the P-NF-κB p65/NF-κB p65 ratio was significantly reduced in the hydrogen groups than in the model group, and was significantly lower in hydrogen group II than in hydrogen group I. Conclusion Hydrogen inhalation therapy may reduce the inflammatory response of radiation-induced lung injury by inhibiting the NF-κB signaling pathway to promote the polarization of the macrophage M1 subtype to the M2 subtype.
8.Development of a grading diagnostic model for schistosomiasis-induced liver fibrosis based on radiomics and clinical laboratory indicators
Zhaoyu GUO ; Juping SHAO ; Xiaoqing ZOU ; Qinping ZHAO ; Peijun QIAN ; Wenya WANG ; Lulu HUANG ; Jingbo XUE ; Jing XU ; Kun YANG ; Xiaonong ZHOU ; Shizhu LI
Chinese Journal of Schistosomiasis Control 2024;36(3):251-258
Objective To investigate the feasibility of developing a grading diagnostic model for schistosomiasis-induced liver fibrosis based on B-mode ultrasonographic images and clinical laboratory indicators. Methods Ultrasound images and clinical laboratory testing data were captured from schistosomiasis patients admitted to the Second People’s Hospital of Duchang County, Jiangxi Province from 2018 to 2022. Patients with grade I schistosomiasis-induced liver fibrosis were enrolled in Group 1, and patients with grade II and III schistosomiasis-induced liver fibrosis were enrolled in Group 2. The machine learning binary classification tasks were created based on patients’radiomics and clinical laboratory data from 2018 to 2021 as the training set, and patients’radiomics and clinical laboratory data in 2022 as the validation set. The features of ultrasonographic images were labeled with the ITK-SNAP software, and the features of ultrasonographic images were extracted using the Python 3.7 package and PyRadiomics toolkit. The difference in the features of ultrasonographic images was compared between groups with t test or Mann-Whitney U test, and the key imaging features were selected with the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression algorithm. Four machine learning models were created using the Scikit-learn repository, including the support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF), linear regression (LR) and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost). The optimal machine learning model was screened with the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC), and features with the greatest contributions to the differentiation features of ultrasound images in machine learning models with the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method. Results The ultrasonographic imaging data and clinical laboratory testing data from 491 schistosomiasis patients from 2019 to 2022 were included in the study, and a total of 851 radiomics features and 54 clinical laboratory indicators were captured. Following statistical tests (t = −5.98 to 4.80, U = 6 550 to 20 994, all P values < 0.05) and screening of key features with LASSO regression, 44 features or indicators were included for the subsequent modeling. The areas under ROC curve (AUCs) were 0.763 and 0.611 for the training and validation sets of the SVM model based on clinical laboratory indicators, 0.951 and 0.892 for the training and validation sets of the SVM model based on radiomics, and 0.960 and 0.913 for the training and validation sets of the multimodal SVM model. The 10 greatest contributing features or indicators in machine learning models included 2 clinical laboratory indicators and 8 radiomics features. Conclusions The multimodal machine learning models created based on ultrasound-based radiomics and clinical laboratory indicators are feasible for intelligent identification of schistosomiasis-induced liver fibrosis, and are effective to improve the classification effect of one-class data models.
9.Association between short-term exposure to atmospheric fine particulate matter and ozone and inflammatory indicators in peripheral blood of patients with pneumonia
Lulu SONG ; Qi YU ; Nannan LIU ; Yuhui GAO ; Zeyu NIU ; Yan ZHANG ; Huiqiu ZHENG ; Jiayu TIAN ; Junxia LIU ; Lifang ZHAO ; Zhihong ZHANG
Shanghai Journal of Preventive Medicine 2024;36(6):551-558
ObjectiveTo explore the association between short-term exposure to atmospheric fine particulate matter (PM2.5) and ozone (O3) and systemic inflammatory indicators in patients with pneumonia, and to identify the susceptible populations. MethodsFrom September 2018 to April 2020, data of 1 480 patients admitted for pneumonia was collected from a tertiary hospital in Taiyuan City. Generalized additive models (GAMs) were used to explore the associations between PM2.5 and O3 exposure and inflammatory indicators of patients with pneumonia; and to explore the susceptibility factors and susceptible populations to PM2.5 and O3 exposures through stratified analyses. ResultsThe short-term exposure to PM2.5 was associated with changes in peripheral blood C-reation protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation (ESR), easinophil (EOS), neutrophil (NEU) and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) in patients with pneumonia, and there were different degrees of hysteresis effects, with the effect values reaching a maximum at lag03, lag03, lag0, lag03, lag03, respectively, which were 4.13% (95%CI: 0.43%‒7.84%), 3.10% (95%CI: 0.24%‒5.97%), 5.27% (95%CI: 3.12%‒7.42%), 1.85% (95%CI: 0.36%‒3.34%), and 2.53% (95%CI: 0.53%‒4.74%) for every 10 μg·m-3 of PM2.5. The changes in O3 concentration were associated with the elevation of peripheral blood PCT and ESR in patients with pneumonia, and their effect values all reached the maximum at lag01 d, every 1 μg·m-3 of O3 elevation increased by 0.38% (95%CI: 0.04%‒0.73%) and 0.47% (95%CI: 0.19%‒0.76%), respectively. Stratified analyses showed that the associations of PM2.5 with peripheral blood CRP, ESR, NEU, and NLR in pneumonia patients were more significant in males, the elderly, and those with onset in the cold season; the associations of O3 with peripheral blood PCT and ESR in pneumonia patients were more significant in the elderly and those with onset in the warm season, and the peripheral blood CRP and PCT in female patients with pneumonia were more susceptible to the changes of O3. ConclusionShort-term exposure to atmospheric PM2.5 and O3 are positively associated with changes in inflammatory indicators in patients with pneumonia, and the effects of PM2.5 on patients with pneumonia are more extensive than those of O3, with a longer lag effect. In addition, elderly patients with pneumonia are more sensitive to air pollution, male patients with pneumonia are more sensitive to PM2.5, and female patients with pneumonia are more sensitive to O3. Cold and warm seasons can exacerbate the effects of PM2.5 and O3 on inflammatory indicators in patients with pneumonia, respectively, and the patients must be protected well.
10.Regulatory Mechanism of Mitochondrial Apoptosis in Gastric Cancer and Intervention of Traditional Chinese Medicine: A Review
Lulu CHEN ; Yuchan CHEN ; Zhongyang SONG ; Haihong ZHAO ; Maofu ZHANG ; Zhiming ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(14):259-269
Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common cancers in the world, with hidden symptoms, complex pathogenesis, high morbidity, high mortality, and poor prognosis. As one of the classical apoptosis pathways, mitochondrial apoptosis has been widely described in the apoptosis escape by GC cells. Mitochondrial apoptosis can regulate the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of GC cells via oxidative stress, cell cycle, mitochondrial membrane potential, mitochondrial translocation and other mechanisms, and it is one of the potential targets of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) intervention to restore the mitochondrial function in GC. The theory of spleen-mitochondria in correlation explains that spleen deficiency and cancer toxin are the root causes of mitochondrial apoptosis. Accordingly, the TCM treatment should follow the basic principle of invigorating spleen to restore healthy Qi and removing cancer toxin to eliminate the root cause. Mitochondrial apoptosis can be promoted by inhibiting oxidative stress, promoting cell cycle arrest, and reducing mitochondrial membrane potential. This therapy can improve the energy metabolism, restore the mitochondrial structure and function, and prevent the occurrence and development of GC, with mild side effects and low drug resistance. However, the mechanism of mitochondrial apoptosis in GC and the target of TCM intervention in GC have not been systematically reviewed. Therefore, this paper systematically summarized the effects of mitochondrial apoptosis on the occurrence and development of GC and the role of TCM in the treatment of GC by intervening in mitochondrial apoptosis, aiming to provide a theoretical reference for the treatment and further research of GC.

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