1.Research Progress on Immunomodulatory Activity and Mechanism of Polygonatum sibiricum
Jinyu LI ; Ningning QIU ; Chang YI ; Mengqin ZHU ; Yanfeng YUAN ; Guang CHEN ; Xili ZHANG ; Wenlong LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(16):298-306
Polygonatum sibiricum, as a traditional Chinese medicine with both medicinal and edible properties, has attracted considerable attention due to its functions of nourishing Yin and moistening the lungs, tonifying the spleen and benefiting Qi, and nourishing the kidneys and filling essence. Recent studies have demonstrated that Polygonatum sibiricum plays a significant role in regulating the immune system, effectively enhancing and improving the morphology and function of immune organs, stimulating the proliferation and activation of immune cells, and regulating the secretion and release of immune factors, thereby enhancing the immune function of the body and improving various immune-related diseases. Although a large number of studies have explored the pharmacological effects and mechanisms of P. sibiricum, there has been no systematic review and summary of its immune regulatory activity and mechanisms. Therefore, this article comprehensively reviews the research achievements of P. sibiricum polysaccharides and saponins in the field of immune regulation in recent years, and further sorts out the immune regulatory mechanisms of P. sibiricum in multiple aspects: including increasing the organ index of the spleen and thymus, increasing the number and activity of tumor-suppressive bone marrow hematopoietic stem cells, improving intestinal flora imbalance, regulating the quantity and proportion of T lymphocyte subsets, increasing the level of immunoglobulin, promoting the proliferation of macrophages, enhancing the activity of natural killer cells, increasing the number of white blood cells, and promoting the maturation of dendritic cells, providing a solid theoretical basis and scientific evidence for the research and application of P. sibiricum, and promoting its development and application in traditional Chinese medicine immune enhancers and various functional products.
2.Progress of interventional researches on peritoneal function protection
Mengqin ZHANG ; Zhikai YANG ; Jie DONG
Chinese Journal of Nephrology 2024;40(3):231-236
With the prolongation of peritoneal dialysis time, the peritoneum probably confronts structural and functional deterioration due to multiple factors, which will affect the efficiency of peritoneal dialysis. Clinically effective measures to protect peritoneal function are still lacking. This article reviewed studies in the last decade on protection of peritoneal function, which included strategies on dialysis prescription, medicine treatments for protection of peritoneal function, and non-medicine treatments such as far-infrared therapy and stem cell transplantation, to provide guidances for subsequent researches.
3.Analysis of clinical features and genetic variants in three children with late-onset Multiple acyl-Coenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency
Mengqin WANG ; Xi WANG ; Ang MA ; Yu GU ; Xiaotong ZHAO ; Yaodong ZHANG ; Dongxiao LI ; Yongxing CHEN ; Haiyan WEI
Chinese Journal of Medical Genetics 2024;41(7):790-796
Objective:To explore the clinical characteristics and genetic variants in three children with late-onset Multiple acyl-Coenzyme A dehydrogenase deficiency (MADD type Ⅲ).Methods:Clinical data of three children diagnosed with late-onset MADD at the Children′s Hospital Affiliated to Zhengzhou University between March 2020 and March 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. All children were subjected to whole exome sequencing (WES), and candidate variants were verified by Sanger sequencing. All children had received improved metabolic therapy and followed up for 1 ~ 3 years.Results:The children had included 2 males and 1 female, and aged from 2 months to 11 years and 7 months. Child 1 had intermittent vomiting, child 2 had weakness in lower limbs, while child 3 had no symptom except abnormal neonatal screening. Tandem mass spectrometry of the three children showed elevation of multiple acylcarnitines with short, medium and long chains. Children 1 and 2 showed increased glutaric acid and multiple dicarboxylic acids by urine Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. All children were found to harbor compound heterozygous variants of the ETFDH gene, including a paternal c. 1211T>C (p.M404T) and a maternal c. 488-22T>G variant in child 1, a paternal c. 1717C>T (p.Q573X) and a maternal c. 250G>A (p.A84T) variant in child 2, and a paternal c. 1285+ 1G>A and maternal c. 629A>G (p.S210N) variant in child 3. As for the treatment, high-dose vitamin B2, levocarnitine and coenzyme Q 10 were given to improve the metabolism, in addition with a low fat, hypoproteinic and high carbohydrate diet. All children showed a stable condition with normal growth and development during the follow-up. Conclusion:The compound heterozygous variants of the ETFDH gene probably underlay the muscle weakness, remittent vomiting, elevated short, medium, and long chain acylcarnitine, as well as elevated glutaric acid and various dicarboxylic acids in the three children with type Ⅲ MADD.
4.Mechanisms and therapeutic targets of ferroptosis:Implications for nanomedicine design
Zhang MEIHONG ; Guo MENGQIN ; Gao YUE ; Wu CHUANBIN ; Pan XIN ; Huang ZHENGWEI
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2024;14(7):955-971
Ferroptosis is a nonapoptotic form of cell death and differs considerably from the well-known forms of cell death in terms of cell morphology,genetics,and biochemistry.The three primary pathways for cell ferroptosis are system Xc-/glutathione peroxidase 4(GPX4),lipid metabolism,and ferric metabolism.Since the discovery of ferroptosis,mounting evidence has revealed its critical regulatory role in several diseases,especially as a novel potential target for cancer therapy,thereby attracting increasing attention in the fields of tumor biology and anti-tumor therapy.Accordingly,broad prospects exist for identifying ferroptosis as a potential therapeutic target.In this review,we aimed to systematically summarize the activation and defense mechanisms of ferroptosis,highlight the therapeutic targets,and discuss the design of nanomedicines for ferroptosis regulation.In addition,we opted to present the advantages and disadvantages of current ferroptosis research and provide an optimistic vision of future directions in related fields.Overall,we aim to provide new ideas for further ferroptosis research and inspire new strategies for disease diagnosis and treatment.
5.Effect of bluetongue virusinfection on type Ⅰ interferon response in BHK-21 cells
Shimei LUO ; Yunyi CHEN ; Qisha LI ; Yanmei ZHOU ; Yifei WANG ; Xinyu LIAO ; Xuer-Ou HU ; Yuanjian WEI ; Mengqin LI ; Meng ZHU ; Xun ZHANG ; Beirui CHEN ; Xianping MA ; Jiarui XIE ; Meiling KOU ; Haisheng MIAO ; Fang LI ; Huashan YI
Chinese Journal of Veterinary Science 2024;44(8):1639-1644,1690
Bluetongue virus is an arbovirus that seriously harms ruminants such as sheep,this study aims to investigate the molecular mechanism of bluetongue virus infection and host cell interferon antiviral immune response.The study was conducted to characterize the mRNA expression of inter-feron pathway genes by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR,as well as Western blot analysis of MDA5,TRAF3,RIG-Ⅰ,and TBK1 protein expression in BHK-21 cells induced by BTV with a multiplicity of infections(MOI)of 1 for 18,24,and 36 h.The results showed that the most pro-nounced changes in the expression of interferon signaling pathway genes were observed at 24 h of induction,the gene mRNA expression levels of the IFN-α,IFN-β,RIG-Ⅰ,TBK1,MDA5,VISA,and TRAF3 genes were upregulated.However,the mRNA expression levels of IKKε and TRAF6 genes were downregulated.At the protein level,MDA5 and TBK1 proteins were upregulated while RIG-1 and TRAF3 proteins were downregulated,which showed that BTV infection induces a typeⅠ interferon immune response in BHK-21 cells.This study lays the foundation for further exploring the antiviral immunity mechanism of IFN-Ⅰ signaling pathway regulatory genes in host cells infected with BTV infection.
6.Machanism of methyleugenoc in protecting islet cells from hypoxia/reoxygenation injury
Qingwen LI ; Huifang YANG ; Ji ZHANG ; Mengqin WANG ; Jiasi ZHANG ; Kailun SUN ; Zhiheng WANG ; Nianqiao GONG
Chinese Journal of Organ Transplantation 2023;44(4):229-236
Objective:To explore the protective effect of methyl eugenol (Me) on islet ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and elucidate its underlying mechanism.Methods:The islets were isolated and purified from 6-8 week male BALB/c mice and divided into four groups of normal control (normal culture without any treatment), hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R treatment), H/R+ dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO dosing plus H/R treatment) and H/R+ Me (Me dosing plus H/R). Viability of islet cells in each group was detected by acridine orange (AO)/propidium iodide (PI) double stain.Function of islet cells (insulin secretion) was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Murine islet β Min6 cells were selected for detecting the effect of Me on the proliferative activity of normal cultured and H/R treated islet cells under different concentration gradients by CCK8.Then Min6 cells were divided into four groups of normal, H/R, H/R+ DMSO and H/R+ Me.The definition of group was the same as that of primary murine islets.Flow cytometry and Hoechst 33342 nuclear stain were utilized for detecting cell apoptotic rate in each group.The protein expressions of p-JNK, p-p38, JNK, p38, Bcl-2 and Bax were detected by Western blot.And the data were processed by one-way ANOVA or t test.Results:The proportion of dead islet cells in H/R group was (29.47±2.65)% and it was significantly lower than that in normal group (7.63±1.53)%.And the inter-group differences were statistically significant ( P<0.001). The proportion of dead islet cells was (20.63±3.07)% in H/R+ Me group.It was higher than that in H/R group (29.47±2.65)% and in H/R+ DMSO group (30.13±1.50)% and inter-group difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05 & P<0.01). Under the stimulation of high glucose, the insulin secretion level of islet in H/R+ Me group was (1.76+ 0.08) mg/L, which was higher than that in H/R group and H/R+ DMSD group(1.24±0.14)mg/L and(1.27±0.05)mg/L, and the difference was statistically significant[(1.76±0.08) vs. (1.24±0.14) mg/L; (1.76±0.08) vs.(1.27±0.05) mg/L, P<0.01]. There was no significant effect on cell viability after Me dosing within a certain concentration range (0-40 μmol/L). After Me dosing (5 μmol/L), cell viability of H/R-treated Min6 cells was significantly higher than that without Me.And the difference was statistically significant[(1.19±0.03) vs.(1.00±0), P<0.01]. As compared with H/R and H/R+ DMSO groups, overall apoptotic rate declined in H/R+ Me group (Hoechst 33342 stain: 14.50%±1.05% vs. 23.30%±1.18%, 14.50%±1.05% vs. 22.77%±1.75%, P<0.001; Flow cytometry: 4.36%±0.54% vs. 21.44%±1.02%, 4.36%±0.54% vs. 21.68%±3.06%, P<0.01). The expressions of p-JNK and p-p38 were down-regulated (p-JNK: 0.77±0.06 vs. 1.03±0.05, 0.77±0.06 vs.0.93±0.04, P<0.001; p-p38: 0.80±0.05 vs. 1.01±0.08; 0.80±0.05 vs. 1.00±0.05, P<0.05) while Bcl-2/Bax ratio rose (1.62±0.13 vs. 0.72±0.10, 1.62±0.13 vs. 0.74±0.13, P<0.01). Conclusions:Me can improve the viability and function of islets and suppress the apoptosis of Min6 cells after H/R.The mechanism is correlated with JNK and p38 MAPK signaling pathways.
7.Research on chemical components and biological activities of the iridoids in Morinda genus
Yi SHEN ; Qi ZHANG ; Mengqin LIU ; Yuqiong HE ; Hailiang XIN ; Luping QIN ; Qiaoyan ZHANG
Journal of Pharmaceutical Practice 2020;38(2):110-114
Morinda genus of Rubiaceae has been widely used in medicine at home and abroad. Many parts of Morinda tree are utilized in research, mainly including roots, stems, leaves, branches and seeds. Through the research of online databases, the chemical components and biological activities of the iridoids in Morinda genus were summarized in this paper. Up to now, more than 50 kinds of iridoids have been identified. In addition, more and more studies proved that Morinda iridoids might benefit human via such anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, anti-oxidation, anti-tumor and bone protection. The theoretical basis was provided for the further development and utilization of the iridoids in Morinda genus.
8.Significance of the expression of MMP-9 and E-cadherin in triple negative breast cancer
Taotao LIU ; Mengqin SHEN ; Dandan WANG ; Yu ZHANG ; Xueqing YANG ; Dabei TANG ; Qingyuan ZHANG
Practical Oncology Journal 2014;(1):19-23
Objective To investigate the expression of matrixmetalloprotein -9(MMP-9)and E-cad-herin in triple negative breast cancer ( TNBC) and its relationship with the clinicopathologic features of TNBC .To analyze the function of MMP -9 and E-cadherin in TNBC .Methods Immunohistochemical method was used to detect the expression of MMP -9 and E-cadherin in 127 cases of TNBC.Results The MMP-9 positive rate was 53.54%and E-cadherin positive grade was 32.28%in TNBC.Expression of MMP-9 was correlated with tumor size(P=0.007),histological grade(P=0.006),TNM stage(P=0.003),lymph node metastasis(P=0.000)and lymph duct invasive(P=0.000).Expression of E-cadherin was correlated with lymph node metasta-sis(P=0.016)and lymph duct invasive(P=0.015).However,they were not correlated with other factors .Con-clusion The expression of MMP -9 and E -cadherin was correlated with invasion and metastasis in TNBC , which could be an important research topic in the future studies .

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