1.Multidimensional Analysis of Mechanisms of Nuciferine Against Cerebral Ischemia Based on Transcriptomic Data
Yingying QIN ; Peng LI ; Sha CHEN ; Yan LIU ; Jintang CHENG ; Qingxia XU ; Guohua WANG ; Jing ZHOU ; An LIU ; Chang CHEN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(9):184-191
ObjectiveStudies have shown that nuciferine has anti-cerebral ischemia effect, but the specific mechanism of action has not been elaborated. Based on the transcriptome results, the pharmacological mechanism of nuciferine against cerebral ischemia was analyzed from multiple dimensions including tissue, cell, pathological process, biological process and signaling pathway. MethodsThirty SD rats were randomly divided into the sham group, model group and nuciferine group(40 mg·kg-1) according to weight. Except for the sham group, the model of middle cerebral artery occlusion(MCAO) was established by thread embolization method after 30 min of administration in the other two groups. Twenty-four hours after surgery, transcriptome sequencing was used to detect the gene expression profiles in the cortex penumbra of rat cerebral tissue, and gene ontology(GO) and kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes(KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis were performed for differentially expressed genes. The mechanismof nuciferine against cerebral ischemia was analyzed from 5 dimensions of tissue, cell, pathological process, biological process and signaling pathway by the transcriptome-based multi-scale network pharmacology platform(TMNP). ResultsTranscriptome sequencing and gene quantitative analysis showed that 667 genes were significantly reversed by nuciferine. Further enrichment analysis of KEGG and GO suggested that the pathways of nuciferine involved regulating stress response, ion transport, cell proliferation and differentiation, and synaptic function. TMNP research found that at the tissue level, nuciferine could significantly improve the cerebral tissue injury caused by ischemia. At the cellular and pathological levels, nuciferine could play an anti-cerebral ischemia role by improving the state of various nerve cells, mobilizing immune cells, regulating inflammation. And at the level of biological processes and signaling pathways, nuciferine mainly acted on the processes such as vascular remodeling, inflammation-related signaling pathways, and synaptic signaling. ConclusionCombined with the results of transcriptome sequencing, gene quantitative analysis and TMNP, the mechanism of nuciferine against cerebral ischemia may be related to processes such as intervening in stress response and inflammation, affecting vascular remodeling and regulating synaptic function. These results can provide a basis and reference for further study of the pharmacological mechanism of nuciferine against cerebral ischemia.
2.Dynamics of eosinophil infiltration and microglia activation in brain tissues of mice infected with Angiostrongylus cantonensis
Fanna WEI ; Renjie ZHANG ; Yahong HU ; Xiaoyu QIN ; Yunhai GUO ; Xiaojin MO ; Yan LU ; Jiahui SUN ; Yan ZHOU ; Jiatian GUO ; Peng SONG ; Yanhong CHU ; Bin XU ; Ting ZHANG ; Yuchun CAI ; Muxin CHEN
Chinese Journal of Schistosomiasis Control 2025;37(2):163-175
Objective To investigate the changes in eosinophil counts and the activation of microglial cells in the brain tissues of mice at different stages of Angiostrongylus cantonensis infection, and to examine the role of microglia in regulating the progression of angiostrongyliasis and unravel the possible molecular mechanisms. Methods Fifty BALB/c mice were randomly divided into the control group and the 7-d, 14-d, 21-day and 25-d infection groups, of 10 mice in each group. All mice in infection groups were infected with 30 stage III A. cantonensis larvae by gavage, and animals in the control group was given an equal amount of physiological saline. Five mice were collected from each of infection groups on days 7, 14, 21 d and 25 d post-infection, and 5 mice were collected from the control group on the day of oral gavage. The general and focal functional impairment was scored using the Clark scoring method to assess the degree of mouse neurological impairment. Five mice from each of infection groups were sacrificed on days 7, 14, 21 d and 25 d post-infection, and 5 mice from the control group were sacrificed on the day of oral gavage. Mouse brain tissues were sampled, and the pathological changes of brain tissues were dynamically observed using hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining. Immunofluorescence staining with eosinophilic cationic protein (ECP) and ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule 1 (Iba1) was used to assess the degree of eosinophil infiltration and the counts of microglial cells in mouse brain tissues in each group, and the morphological parameters of microglial cells (skeleton analysis and fractal analysis) were quantified by using Image J software to determine the morphological changes of microglial cells. In addition, the expression of M1 microglia markers Fcγ receptor III (Fcgr3), Fcγ receptor IIb (Fcgr2b) and CD86 antigen (Cd86), M2 microglia markers Arginase 1 (Arg1), macrophage mannose receptor C-type 1 (Mrc1), chitinase-like 3 (Chil3), and phagocytosis genes myeloid cell triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (Trem2), CD68 antigen (Cd68), and apolipoprotein E (Apoe) was quantified using real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (RT-qPCR) assay in the mouse cerebral cortex of mice post-infection. Results A large number of A. cantonensis larvae were seen on the mouse meninges surface post-infection, and many neuronal nuclei were crumpled and deeply stained, with a large number of bleeding points in the meninges. The median Clark scores of mouse general functional impairment were 0 (interquartile range, 0), 0 (interquartile range, 0.5), 6 (interquartile range, 1.0), 14 (interquartile range, 8.5) points and 20 (interquartile range, 9.0) points in the control group and the 7-d, 14-d, 21-d and 25-d groups, respectively (H = 22.45, P < 0.01), and the median Clark scores of mouse focal functional impairment were 0 (interquartile range, 0), 2 (interquartile range, 2.5), 7 (interquartile range, 3.0), 18 (interquartile range, 5.0) points and 25 (interquartile range, 6.5) points in the control group and the 7-d, 14-d, 21-d and 25-d groups, respectively (H = 22.72, P < 0.01). The mean scores of mice general and focal functional impairment were all higher in the infection groups than in the control group (all P values < 0.05). Immunofluorescence staining showed a significant difference in the eosinophil counts in mouse brain tissues among the five groups (F = 40.05, P < 0.000 1), and the eosinophil counts were significantly higher in mouse brain tissues in the 14-d (3.08 ± 0.78) and 21-d infection groups (5.97 ± 1.37) than in the control group (1.00 ± 0.28) (both P values < 0.05). Semi-quantitative analysis of microglia immunofluorescence showed a significant difference in the counts of microglial cells among the five groups (F = 17.66, P < 0.000 1), and higher Iba1 levels were detected in mouse brain tissues in 14-d (5.75 ± 1.28), 21-d (6.23 ± 1.89) and 25-d infection groups (3.70 ± 1.30) than in the control group (1.00 ± 0.30) (all P values < 0.05). Skeleton and fractal analyses showed that the branch length [(162.04 ± 34.10) μm vs. (395.37 ± 64.11) μm; t = 5.566, P < 0.05] and fractal dimension of microglial cells (1.30 ± 0.01 vs. 1.41 ± 0.03; t = 5.266, P < 0.05) were reduced in mouse brain tissues in the 21-d infection group relative to the control group. In addition, there were significant differences among the 5 groups in terms of M1 and M2 microglia markers Fcgr3 (F = 48.34, P < 0.05), Fcgr2b (F = 55.46, P < 0.05), Cd86 (F = 24.44, P < 0.05), Arg1 (F = 31.18, P < 0.05), Mrc1 (F = 15.42, P < 0.05) and Chil3 (F = 24.41, P < 0.05), as well as phagocytosis markers Trem2 (F = 21.19, P < 0.05), Cd68 (F = 43.95, P < 0.05) and Apoe (F = 7.12, P < 0.05) in mice brain tissues. Conclusions A. cantonensis infections may induce severe pathological injuries in mouse brain tissues that are characterized by massive eosinophil infiltration and persistent activation of microglia cells, thereby resulting in progressive deterioration of neurological functions.
3.Mitochondrial Transfer Promotes Immune Escape in Osteosarcoma Cells: Mechanisms and Research Advances
Qishun QIN ; Xingsheng WANG ; Kai LI ; Pei PENG ; Shihong XU
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2025;16(5):1250-1259
Osteosarcoma is a highly aggressive malignant bone tumor whose immuno evasion mechanisms play a pivotal role in tumor progression and therapeutic resistance. Recent studies have identified mitochondrial transfer as a novel mode of intercellular communication that significantly influences metabolic reprogramming and immune evasion in osteosarcoma cells. This mechanism operates through three principal pathways: (1) enhancing energy metabolic efficiency in tumor cells; (2) mitigating intracellular oxidative stress; and (3) modulating immune checkpoint molecule expression. Collectively, these alterations impair host immune surveillance while promoting tumor proliferation, invasion, and distant metastasis through metabolic remodeling, immune tolerance induction, and tumor microenvironment reconstruction. This review systematically elucidates the molecular mechanisms by which mitochondrial transfer regulates immune evasion in osteosarcoma and its dynamic impact on the tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, we discuss the translational potential of targeting this pathway for precision therapy and outline future research directions in this emerging field.
4.Efficacy and safety of coblopasvir hydrochloride capsules/sofosbuvir tablets with or without ribavirin tablets in treatment of patients with chronic hepatitis C virus infection
Chunyan MOU ; Danqing XU ; Huan MU ; Jiangyan ZHANG ; Lixian CHANG ; Yuanqiang HE ; Yingyuan ZHANG ; Weikun LI ; Xiuling ZHANG ; Xiliang HE ; Qin PENG ; Li LIU
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(9):1779-1787
ObjectiveTo investigate the therapeutic efficacy, influencing factors, and safety of a treatment regimen based on coblopasvir hydrochloride capsules/sofosbuvir tablets in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in a real-world setting. MethodsA total of 253 patients who attended The Third People’s Hospital of Kunming from September 1, 2021 to May 31, 2024 were enrolled, among whom there were 86 patients with compensated liver cirrhosis (CLC group) and 167 patients with chronic hepatitis C (CHC group). The patients were treated with coblopasvir hydrochloride capsules (60 mg)/sofosbuvir tablets (400 mg) with or without ribavirin tablets for 12 weeks, and they were followed up for 12 weeks after drug withdrawal. The primary outcome measures were the rate of sustained virologic response at week 12 after treatment (SVR12) and safety, and the secondary outcome measures were the changes in liver function, renal function, blood routine, and liver stiffness measurements (LSM) after 4 weeks of treatment, after 12 weeks of treatment, and at 12 weeks after drug withdrawal. The independent-samples t test and the Mann-Whitney U test were used for comparison of continuous data between two groups, and the Friedman test was used for comparison between multiple groups, while the Bonferroni method was used for paired comparison within each group; the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. The Logistic analysis was used to investigate related influencing factors. ResultsThe 253 patients with chronic HCV infection had a mean age of 49.38±8.65 years, and there were 151 male patients (59.7%). Of all patients, 33.99% (86/253) had liver cirrhosis, 25.69% (65/253) had hypertension, 10.67% (27/253) had HIV infection, 8.70% (22/253) had diabetes, 3.95% (10/253) had liver cancer, 1.98% (5/253) had chronic hepatitis B, and 7.91% (20/253) were treatment-experienced patients. As for genotype distribution, 2.77% (7/253) had genotype 1, 12.65% (32/253) had genotype 2, 66.01% (167/253) had genotype 3, 16.60% (42/253) had genotype 6, and 1.98% (5/253) had unknown genotype. The patients had an overall SVR12 rate of 92.09%, with an SVR12 rate of 93.02% in the CLC group and 91.02% in the CHC group. The multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age (odds ratio [OR]=1.086, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.007 — 1.170, P=0.032) and HCC (OR=9.178, 95%CI: 1.722 — 48.912, P=0.009) were independent influencing factors for sustained virologic response. Compared with baseline data, the CLC group had significant reductions in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (χ2=107.103, P0.05), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) (χ2=90.602, P0.05), and LSM (χ2=42.235, P0.05) after 12 weeks of treatment, while the CHC group had significant reductions in total bilirubin (χ2=15.113, P0.05), ALT (χ2=202.237, P0.05), AST (χ2=161.193, P0.05), and LSM (χ2=37.606, P0.05). The incidence rate of serious adverse events was 1.58%, and none of the patients withdrew from drug therapy; the patients with such events were relieved after active symptomatic treatment. The incidence rate of all adverse events was 23.72%, among which fatigue (17.39%) and nausea (2.37%) were the most common adverse events, and these events often disappeared within 2 weeks or were gradually relieved after symptomatic treatment. ConclusionCoblopasvir hydrochloride capsules/sofosbuvir tablets with or without ribavirin tablets has good efficacy and safety in the treatment of chronic HCV infection.
5.The role of age and body mass index on cancer occurrence in a hypertensive population:a retrospective cohort study
Xin-Yue GUO ; Jia-Huan PENG ; Hui-Lin XU ; Yong-Fu YU ; Guo-You QIN
Fudan University Journal of Medical Sciences 2024;51(1):12-18
Objective To analyze the combined effect of body mass index(BMI)and age with cancer occurrence among a hypertensive population in Minhang District,Shanghai.Methods Participants of this study were 212 394 hypertensive patients without cancer in Minhang District,Shanghai,registered in the electronic health information system from 2007 to 2015.Age and BMI were included as smoothing functions in the generalized additive Cox proportional risk model.The bivariate response model was constructed to visualize results using surface plots and to comprehensively analyze the association of BMI and age with the risk of cancer occurrence.Results A total of 22 141 participants developed cancer by Dec 31,2018.The association between age and the risk of cancer incidence showed an overall linear trend while the association between BMI and the risk of cancer incidence showed an overall"U"shape.BMI at about 26 kg/m2 showed the lowest risk of cancer incidence.The risk of cancer occurrence increased with increasing age in people with different BMIs.The associations between BMI and the risk of cancer incidence were different at different age groups:there was no significant association between BMI and the risk of cancer incidence in the young people(20-44 years).While in the middle-aged and older people aged over 45 years,BMI was associated with the risk of cancer incidence in a"U"shape.The lowest risk of cancer incidence was around the BMI of 26 kg/m2.Conclusion BMI among the population with hypertension should be controlled in a reasonable range,especially in the middle-aged and older population,to prevent cancer occurrence.
6.Improving effects of Hedysarum polysaccharide on renal injury in db/db mice with diabetic nephropathy
Yan-Xu CHEN ; Lei ZHANG ; Zhi-Sheng JIN ; Xiao-Xue JIANG ; Qin-Yuan ZHANG ; Peng-Cheng DOU ; Yuan-Yuan NIU ; Juan-Juan YANG
The Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2024;40(14):2078-2082
Objective To study the effect of Hedysarum polysaccharides(HPS)on the expression of transforming growth factor-β,(TGF-β1),smad homologue 3 recombinant protein(smad3)and smad7 in renal tissue of db/db mice with diabetic nephropathy(DN).Methods According to their body weight,6-week-old male db/db mice were randomly divided into 5 groups:model group(0.9%NaCl 0.2 mL·d-1),positive control group(22.75 mg·kg-1·d-1 irbesartan)and experimental-H,-M,-L groups(200,100,50 mg kg-1·d-1 HPS),with 10 mice in each group;another 10 SPF grade male C57BL/6 mice of the same week were selected as normal group(0.9%NaCl 0.2mL·d-1).The mice in the 6 groups were given intragastric administration once a day for 12 weeks.The blood glucose concentration of mice was measured before treatment and at the 4th,8th and 12th week after treatment.The expression levels of TGF-β1,smad3 and smad7 were detected by Western blotting.Results After treatment,the blood glucose levels of the model group was significantly higher than those of the normal group(all P<0.01);compared with the model group,the levels of blood glucose in the experimental-H,-M groups decreased significantly,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05,P<0.01).The relative expression levels of TGF-β,protein in normal group,model group,positive control group and experimental-H,-M groups were 0.71±0.16,1.66±0.18,1.00±0.17,0.88±0.15 and 1.23±0.15;the relative expression levels of smad3 protein were 0.89±0.32,2.26±0.35,1.24±0.31,1.05±0.30 and 1.67±0.35;the relative expression levels of smad7 protein were 1.66±0.03,0.60±0.03,1.10±0.07,1.48±0.08 and 0.97±0.09;there were statistically significant differences between the experimental-H,-M groups and the model group(P<0.05,P<0.01).Conclusion Hedysarum polysaccharides can improve renal fibrosis and delay the development of diabetic nephropathy by regulating the level of blood glucose,inhibiting TGF-β1,smad3 and increasing the expression of smad7.
7.Diagnosis and treatment of prostate mucosa adenocarcinoma under multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment mode: 2 cases report and literature review
Peng WU ; Fuli WANG ; Jing ZHANG ; Jing REN ; Zhiyong QUAN ; Wanni XU ; Lichun WEI ; Weijun QIN
Journal of Modern Urology 2024;29(2):154-157
【Objective】 To explore the clinicopathological characteristics and comprehensive treatment strategies of prostate mucosa adenocarcinoma under multidisciplinary diagnosis and treatment (MDT) mode. 【Methods】 Data of two patients with typical prostate mucosa adenocarcinoma treated in our hospital during Sep.2020 and Apr.2023 were retrospectively analyzed. 【Results】 In case 1, the clinical manifestation was macroscopic hematuria; multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) indicated solid prostatic nodules, clinical stage T4N1Mx; initial prostate specific antigen (PSA) was 1.2 ng/mL; 6868Ga-prostate specific membrane antigen PET/CT (68Ga-PSMA PET/CT) suggested abnormal uptake of nuclear lesions in the prostate (SUV4.2-5.3); biopsy results indicated invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma.After prostate and pelvic field radiotherapy + androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) + antihypertensive treatment, lesions were significantly reduced, and hematuria symptoms were relieved.In case 2, the clinical manifestation was dysuria; initial PSA was 91.78 ng/mL; mpMRI suggested invasion of prostate mass into the bladder and clinical stage of T4N1M1b; 68Ga-PSMA PET/CT indicated prostate and pelvic lymph nodes, and multiple bone lesions showed increased nuclide uptake; biopsy results indicated prostate adenocarcinoma with mucinous adenocarcinoma.Initial endocrine treatment was performed.After 3 months, PSA was reduced to 0.083 ng/mL, and imaging showed the tumor was significantly reduced.Robotic-assisted laparoscopic tumor prostatectomy with extended pelvic lymph node dissection was performed, and endocrine adjuvant therapy was continued after surgery. 【Conclusion】 Prostate mucosa adenocarcinoma has different clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis from conventional acinar adenocarcinoma, and the whole-process management under MDT mode is of great value in the diagnosis and treatment of this disease.
8.Clinical Observation on Comprehensive Traditional Chinese Medicine Therapy in Treating Refractory Sudden Hearing Loss
Qi XIAO ; Dan-Hui ZHANG ; Peng LIU ; Wei-Zhe HONG ; Wei-Ping HE ; Hua-Min GUO ; Hui-Xian XU ; Jing LIU ; En-Qin GUO
Journal of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;41(6):1486-1492
Objective To observe the curative effect of comprehensive traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)therapy for the treatment of refractory sudden hearing loss(i.e.,suffering sudden hearing loss more than 2 weeks),and to analyze the factors that may affect the prognosis.Methods A retrospective analysis was carried out in 405 hospitalized patients with refractory sudden hearing loss who were treated in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology,the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine from 2005 to 2022.The patients were all treated by comprehensive TCM therapy including oral administration of Chinese medicine,acupuncture,acupoint seed-pressing application after individualized syndrome differentiation.The overall clinical efficacy was evaluated,and the difference of efficacy in the patients with various courses of disease,degrees of deafness,types of hearing curve,concomitant symptoms and TCM syndrome types,having or not having previous treatment history was analyzed.Results For the 405 patients with refractory sudden hearing loss,the cure rate was 5.7%and the total effective rate was 28.1%.Among the 405 patients,the best efficacy was achieved in the patients with mild hearing loss,low-frequency decline type of hearing curve,and having no previous treatment history,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05 or P<0.01).There was no significant difference in the efficacy of patients with different courses of disease,with or without concomitant symptoms,or with various syndrome types(P>0.05).Conclusion The comprehensive TCM therapy has a certain effect on refractory sudden hearing loss.Patients with poor efficacy after conventional western medicine can still benefit from the comprehensive TCM therapy.
9.Curative Effect of Standardized Comprehensive Pure Traditional Chinese Medicine Treatment for Short-Course Sudden Deafness:An Observation of 516 Cases
Wen-Zhi LIN ; Peng LIU ; Wei-Ping HE ; Hui-Xian XU ; En-Qin GUO
Journal of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;41(7):1779-1785
Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of standardized comprehensive pure traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)treatment for short-course sudden deafness and to explore the influencing factors of clinical efficacy.Methods The clinical data of 516 short-course sudden deafness inpatients(TCM group)who were given standardized comprehensive pure TCM treatment were retrospectively analyzed,and their efficacy were compared with the efficacy of 1 024 cases in the Chinese multicenter clinical study of sudden deafness(western medicine group).The analysis was carried out for the influence of the gender,left or right ear,age group,degree of deafness,type of hearing curve,concomitant symptoms(tinnitus,vertigo,and dullness of the ear),and the TCM syndrome types on the efficacy.Results(1)The comparison of baseline data showed that in comparison with the western medicine group,TCM group had relatively low proportion of low-frequency descending type while relatively high proportion of total deafness type,and had relatively high treatment difficulty.The course of treatment in TCM group was shortened by nearly 2/3 in comparison with the western medicine group(12.60 days vs 30 days).(2)Among the 516 patients of the TCM group,175 cases were cured,121 cases were markedly effective,90 cases were effective and 130 cases were ineffective,and the total effective rate was 74.80%.Compared with the 1 024 cases in the western medicine group,there was no significant difference in the overall efficacy or the efficacy evaluated with the hearing curve classification(P>0.05).(3)Analysis of influencing factors of curative effect showed that the type of hearing curve was closely related to the curative effect of sudden deafness(P<0.001).The curative effect of low frequency descent type was the best,and the curative effect of total deafness type was the worst.The cure of deafness was correlated with the degree of deafness,the milder the degree of deafness,the greater the likelihood of recovery(P<0.001).The curative effect of the patients without vertigo was superior to that of the patients with vertigo(P<0.001).The curative effect of adolescent patients was superior to that of middle-aged and elderly patients(P<0.05).There was no correlation between TCM syndrome types and curative effect(P>0.05).Conclusion Standardized comprehensive pure TCM treatment exerts certain curative effect on short-course sudden deafness,and may have some advantages compared with conventional western medicine treatment.The type of hearing curve,degree of deafness,accompanied by vertigo or not,and age group are the influencing factors of the efficacy.
10.Characteristics of the third round of medical education curriculum reforms and enlightenment
Shouhua ZHANG ; Yutong QIN ; Chunji HUANG ; Hongyan ZHANG ; Yuanxu XU ; Fangfang WANG ; Peng SUN ; Juan SHEN ; Geng NI ; Rongyu SHANG
Chinese Journal of Medical Education Research 2024;23(4):438-442
To implement the strategy of healthy China and promote the construction of "new medicine science", it is urgent to focus on new needs and challenges to advance the reform of medical education curricula in China. Using literature research methods, we summarize the process of modern medical education curriculum reforms in the United States, and discuss the main features of the third-round reforms—introducing the concept of value-based medicine, offering health systems science courses, and promoting the curriculum system reform from the perspectives of learning time, curriculum integration, and learning methods. Based on these features, we put forward the enlightenment for the reform of medical education curricula in China.

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