1.Research progress on the mechanisms of oxidative stress in retinopathy of prematurity
Na LI ; Yirong QIN ; Yi ZHU ; Ribo PENG
International Eye Science 2026;26(1):45-49
Retinopathy of prematurity(ROP)is a leading cause of childhood blindness, with extremely preterm and very-low-birth-weight infants now constituting the main high-risk group. ROP progresses in two stages: early retinal microvascular degeneration and progressive vascular arrest, followed by abnormal neovascularization in the avascular area. Early oxidative and nitrosative stress—amplified by oxygen fluctuations and immature antioxidant defenses—drives the two-phase pathogenesis via hypoxia-inducible factor/vascular endothelial growth factor(HIF/VEGF), NOX/STAT3, and nuclear factor erythroid 2 related factor 2(Nrf2)-antioxidant response element(ARE)pathways, mediating apoptosis of endothelial cells, damage to barrier and pathological angiogenesis. This review systematically analyzes different oxygen-induced retinopathy(OIR)models, elucidates key signaling pathways including Notch, Wnt in physiological and pathological vascularization, with particular emphasis on the biphasic effects of Nrf2 and the differential roles of NOX signaling between phases. We also discuss the limitations of anti-VEGF therapy and oxygen management principles. Reactive oxygen species(ROS)play context-dependent roles across vaso-obliteration and neovascularization phases. Based on mechanistic insights, we propose future directions including combined/sequential interventions, ferroptosis and lipid peroxidation targeting, nano-delivery systems for enhanced bioavailability, and perinatal safety assessment strategies, aiming to provide translatable mechanistic basis for reducing pathological neovascularization while promoting physiological vascular development.
2.Factors affecting benefit finding among young and middle-aged patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus
WU Chenghui ; PENG Yanhong ; ZHANG Ke ; ZHU Weiye ; DENG Liang ; TAN Lingling ; QU Dandan ; MI Qiuxiang
Journal of Preventive Medicine 2026;38(1):31-35
Objective:
To investigate the current status of benefit finding among young and middle-aged patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and analyze its influencing factors, so as to provide a reference for improving the level of benefit finding in this population.
Methods:
From November 2022 to May 2023, young and middle-aged patients with T2DM aged 18-59 years hospitalized in the endocrinology departments of 2 tertiary hospitals in Hengyang City, Hunan Province were selected as survey subjects by a convenience sampling method. Basic demographic information was collected using a general questionnaire survey. Benefit finding, resourcefulness, and stigma were evaluated using the Benefit Finding Scale, the Chinese Version of the Resourcefulness Scale, and the Type 2 Diabetes Stigma Assessment Scale, respectively. A multiple linear regression model was used to analyze the influencing factors of benefit finding among young and middle-aged patients with T2DM.
Results:
A total of 305 young and middle-aged patients with T2DM were investigated, including 222 males (72.79%) and 83 females (27.21%). There were 231 cases aged 45-59 years, accounting for 75.74%. The scores for benefit finding, resourcefulness, and stigma were (42.86±6.06), (75.12±11.30), and (41.20±10.10), respectively. Multiple linear regression analysis showed that young and middle-aged patients with T2DM who were male (β′=0.088), aged 18-<45 years (β′=0.083), absence of diabetes complications (β′=0.124), and had higher resourcefulness scores (β′=0.679) had higher levels of benefit finding, while patients with higher stigma scores (β′=-0.097) had lower levels of benefit finding.
Conclusion
The level of benefit finding among young and middle-aged patients with T2DM was moderate, and was related to gender, age, diabetes complications, resourcefulness, and stigma.
3.Treatment Principles and Paradigm of Diabetic Microvascular Complications Responding Specifically to Traditional Chinese Medicine
Anzhu WANG ; Xing HANG ; Lili ZHANG ; Xiaorong ZHU ; Dantao PENG ; Ying FAN ; Min ZHANG ; Wenliang LYU ; Guoliang ZHANG ; Xiai WU ; Jia MI ; Jiaxing TIAN ; Wei ZHANG ; Han WANG ; Yuan XU ; .LI PINGPING ; Zhenyu WANG ; Ying ZHANG ; Dongmei SUN ; Yi HE ; Mei MO ; Xiaoxiao ZHANG ; Linhua ZHAO
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(5):272-279
To explore the advantages of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and integrative TCM-Western medicine approaches in the treatment of diabetic microvascular complications (DMC), refine key pathophysiological insights and treatment principles, and promote academic innovation and strategic research planning in the prevention and treatment of DMC. The 38th session of the Expert Salon on Diseases Responding Specifically to Traditional Chinese Medicine, hosted by the China Association of Chinese Medicine, was held in Beijing, 2024. Experts in TCM, Western medicine, and interdisciplinary fields convened to conduct a systematic discussion on the pathogenesis, diagnostic and treatment challenges, and mechanism research related to DMC, ultimately forming a consensus on key directions. Four major research recommendations were proposed. The first is addressing clinical bottlenecks in the prevention and control of DMC by optimizing TCM-based evidence evaluation systems. The second is refining TCM core pathogenesis across DMC stages and establishing corresponding "disease-pattern-time" framework. The third is innovating mechanism research strategies to facilitate a shift from holistic regulation to targeted intervention in TCM. The fourth is advancing interdisciplinary collaboration to enhance the role of TCM in new drug development, research prioritization, and guideline formulation. TCM and integrative approaches offer distinct advantages in managing DMC. With a focus on the diseases responding specifically to TCM, strengthening evidence-based support and mechanism interpretation and promoting the integration of clinical care and research innovation will provide strong momentum for the modernization of TCM and the advancement of national health strategies.
4.Effects of Yishen paidu formula on renal fibrosis in rats with chronic renal failure by regulating the ROS/TXNIP/NLRP3 pathway
Li FENG ; Bowen PENG ; Bin PENG ; Xue FENG ; Shuangyi ZHU ; Wei XIONG ; Xi HU ; Xiaohui SUN
China Pharmacy 2026;37(2):174-179
OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects and mechanism of the Yishen paidu formula on renal fibrosis in rats with chronic renal failure (CRF) through the reactive oxygen species (ROS)/thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP)/NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3) pathway. METHODS Rats were randomly divided into control group, model group, Yishen paidu formula low-dose (Yishen paidu formula-L) group, Yishen paidu formula high-dose (Yishen paidu formula- H) group, Yishen paidu formula-H+pcDNA-NC group, and Yishen paidu formula-H+ pcDNA-TXNIP group, with 10 rats in each group. Except for control group, all other rats were fed a diet containing 0.5% adenine to establish a CRF model; the rats were then administered corresponding drugs or normal saline intragastrically or via tail vein, once daily, for 8 consecutive weeks. After the last administration, the levels of serum creatinine (Scr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), ROS, superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-1β were measured in each group. Pathological changes in renal tissue were observed, and the protein expression levels of Collagen Ⅲ, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), TXNIP and NLRP3 in renal tissue were detected. RESULTS Compared with model group, the renal histopathological damage and fibrosis of rats in Yishen paidu formula-L group and Yishen paidu formula-H group were significantly alleviated. The levels of Scr, BUN, ROS, MDA, TNF- α, IL-6 and IL-1β, and the protein expressions of Collagen Ⅲ, α-SMA, TGF-β1, TXNIP and NLRP3 were significantly decreased, while SOD levels were significantly increased (P<0.05). Moreover, the changes were more pronounced in the Yishen paidu formula-H group (P<0.05). Compared with Yishen paidu formula-H+pcDNA-NC group, above indexes of rats in Yishen paidu formula-H+pcDNA-TXNIP group were reversed significantly (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Yishen paidu formula can inhibit renal fibrosis in CRF rats by suppressing the ROS/TXNIP/NLRP3 pathway.
5.Construction and Application Evaluation of an Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Risk Prediction Model for Readmission in Patients with Stable Angina of Coronary Heart Disease:A Prospective Study Based on Real-World Clinical Data
Wenjie HAN ; Mingjun ZHU ; Xinlu WANG ; Rui YU ; Guangcao PENG ; Qifei ZHAO ; Jianru WANG ; Shanshan NIE ; Yongxia WANG ; Jingjing WEI
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(6):604-611
ObjectiveBy exploring the influencing factors of readmission in patients with stable angina of coronary heart disease (CHD) based on real-world clinical data, to establish a risk prediction model of integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine, in order to provide a basis for early identification of high-risk populations and reducing readmission rates. MethodsA prospective clinical study was conducted involving patients with stable angina pectoris of CHD, who were divided into a training set and a validation set at a 7∶3 ratio. General information, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM)-related data, and laboratory test results were uniformly collected. After a one-year follow-up, patients were classified into a readmission group and a non-readmission group based on whether they were readmitted. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify independent risk factors for readmission. A risk prediction model of integrated traditional Chinese and western medicine was constructed and visualized using a nomogram. The model was validated and evaluated in terms of discrimination, calibration, and clinical decision curve analysis. ResultsA total of 682 patients were included, with 477 in the training set and 205 in the validation set, among whom 89 patients were readmitted. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified heart failure history [OR = 6.93, 95% CI (1.58, 30.45)], wiry pulse [OR = 2.58, 95% CI (1.42, 4.72)], weak pulse [OR = 3.97, 95% CI (2.06, 7.67)], teeth-marked tongue [OR = 4.38, 95% CI (2.32, 8.27)], blood stasis constitution [OR = 2.17, 95% CI (1.06, 4.44)], phlegm-stasis mutual syndrome [OR = 3.64, 95% CI (1.87, 7.09)], and elevated non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [OR = 1.30, 95% CI (1.01, 1.69)] as influencing factors of readmission. These factors were used as predictors to construct a nomogram-based risk prediction model for readmission in patients with stable angina. The model demonstrated moderate predictive capability, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.818 [95% CI (0.781, 0.852)] in the training set and 0.816 [95% CI (0.779, 0.850)] in the validation set. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test showed good calibration (χ² = 4.55, P = 0.80), and the model's predictive ability was stable. When the threshold probability exceeded 5%, the clinical net benefit of using the model to predict readmission risk was significantly higher than intervening in all patients. ConclusionHistory of heart failure, teeth-marked tongue, weak pulse, wiry pulse, phlegm-stasis mutual syndrome, blood stasis constitution, and non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol are influencing factors for readmission in patients with stable angina of CHD. A clinical prediction model was developed based on these factors, which showed good discrimination, calibration, and clinical utility, providing a scientific basis for predicting readmission events in patients with stable angina.
6.Effects of low-load blood flow restriction exercise and high-intensity resistance exercise on the thigh microcirculation function of athletic young men
Yong PENG ; Jiangping HU ; Huan ZHU
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(2):393-401
BACKGROUND:Microcirculation,as the only place for the energy metabolism of body substances,is closely related to the human movement ability.Resistance exercise is an effective way to improve the function of microcirculation,but some studies have also pointed out that blood flow restriction exercise can also improve the function of microcirculation and has the advantages of small load and high safety. OBJECTIVE:To compare the effects of 6-week low-load blood flow restriction exercise and high-intensity resistance exercise on the thigh microcirculation function of athletic young men,and to explore the possible mechanism by which exercises improve microcirculation function from the perspective of vascular endothelial function. METHODS:Sixty sports students from Hubei Minzu University were divided into control group,high-intensity resistance exercise group and low-load blood flow restriction exercise group according to the random number table method,with 20 students in each group.The low-load blood flow restriction exercise group performed a low-load blood flow restriction exercise for 6 weeks(three times a week,90 minutes each,at an exercise intensity of 30%1RM).The high-intensity resistance exercise group received a high-intensity resistance exercise for 6 weeks(three times a week,90 minutes each,at an exercise intensity of 70%1RM).The control group did not perform any form of exercise training during this period.Microcirculatory blood perfusion,transcutaneous partial pressure,muscle oxygen saturation,nitric oxide,endothelial nitric oxide synthase,endothelin 1,vascular endothelial cell growth factor,thigh circumference,and muscle strength were tested in each group on the day before the intervention and the morning after the end of the 6-week intervention. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:After the exercise intervention,heating values of microcirculatory blood flow perfusion and blood cell movement speed in the low-load blood flow restriction exercise group and the high-intensity resistance exercise group were significantly different from those in the control group and before the exercise intervention(P<0.05).The heating values of microcirculatory blood flow perfusion and blood cell movement speed showed significant differences between the low-load blood flow restriction exercise group and the high-intensity resistance exercise group(P<0.05).After the exercise intervention,the levels of nitric oxide,endothelial nitric oxide synthase,endothelin 1,and vascular endothelial cell growth factor were significantly different in the low-load blood flow-limiting exercise group and the high-intensity resistance exercise group compared with the control group and the pre-exercise intervention(P<0.05).After the exercise intervention,thigh circumference and thigh muscle strength were significantly different in low-load blood flow restriction group and high-intensity resistance exercise groups compared with the pre-exercise intervention(P<0.05).All these findings indicate that 6-week low-load blood flow restriction exercise and high intensity resistance exercise may regulate the secretion of vascular factors such as endogenous nitric oxide synthase,endothelin-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor to improve the function of thigh microcirculation and increase the contractile strength of the thigh muscle.In addition,And low-load blood flow restriction exercise has better intervention effects on microcirculatory blood perfusion volume and blood cell movement speed,so low-load blood flow restriction exercise is more advantageous than high-intensity resistance exercise in improving microcirculation function.
7.Mining and verification of inflammation-related genes in skeletal muscle of exhaustive exercise rats undergoing cannabidiol intervention
Wenning ZHU ; Lili SUN ; Lina PENG ; Juncheng SI ; Wanli ZANG ; Weidong YIN ; Mengqi LI
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(11):2347-2356
BACKGROUND:Cannabidiol is effective in ameliorating the body's inflammatory response,but no clear mechanistic studies have been conducted to ameliorate skeletal muscle inflammation induced by exhaustive exercise. OBJECTIVE:To explore the mechanism by which cannabidiol improves skeletal muscle inflammation during exhaustive exercise by using transcriptome sequencing technology. METHODS:Thirty-six Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into six groups:blank control group,exercise coconut oil group,exercise control group,50 mg/kg cannabidiol group,60 mg/kg cannabidiol group,and 70 mg/kg cannabidiol group,with six rats in each group.Except for rats in the blank control group,rats in each group were subjected to swimming exercise for 9 days to produce the exhaustive exercise model.At the end of each swimming exercise,rats in the cannabidiol groups were given 2 mL of fat-soluble cannabidiol at different concentrations(50,60,and 70 mg/kg)by gavage;rats in the exercise coconut oil group were given the same volume of coconut oil by gavage until the end of the exercise on the 9th day;and rats in the blank control group and the exercise control group were not given any special treatment.The levels of inflammatory factors and differentially expressed genes in the skeletal muscle of rats in each group were determined using ELISA and transcriptome sequencing techniques.Differentially expressed genes obtained were subjected to KEGG analysis,and the accuracy of the sequencing data was verified by fluorescence quantitative PCR. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:The results of ELISA showed that the contents of interleukin-6(P<0.05),tumor necrosis factor-α(P<0.01),interleukin-10 and other inflammatory factors in the exercise group increased significantly compared with the blank control group and the coconut oil group.After cannabidiol intervention,the mass concentrations of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α showed a sequential decrease with increasing cannabidiol concentration.By comparing GO and KEGG databases,the functional properties of differentially expressed genes were analyzed,and the results showed that the differentially expressed genes were mainly involved in the tumor necrosis factor signaling pathway and the Toll-like receptor signaling pathway.RT-qPCR results showed that the trends of five randomly selected differentially expressed genes were in agreement with the transcriptome sequencing results.To conclude,cannabidiol can improve skeletal muscle inflammation caused by exhaustive exercise.
8.Effect of paeoniflorin regulating PI3K/Akt signaling pathway on inflammatory response in diabetic retinopathy rats
Zhaoliang ZHU ; Shuwei BAI ; Peng DUAN ; Huping SONG ; Tao CHEN
International Eye Science 2025;25(3):365-371
AIM:To investigate the effect of paeoniflorin on the inflammatory response of diabetic retinopathy rats by regulating phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase/protein kinase B(PI3K/Akt)signaling pathway.METHODS: A total of 70 SPF male SD rats were selected, and 12 rats were randomly selected as the control group(normal saline gavage). The remaining 58 rats were fed with high-sugar and high-fat diet combined with intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin(STZ)to establish diabetic rat models. Rats with diabetic retinopathy were randomly divided into model group(normal saline), paeoniflorin low-dose group(100 mg/kg paeoniflorin), paeoniflorin high-dose group(200 mg/kg paeoniflorin)and metformin group(100 mg/kg metformin), with 12 rats in each group. The body mass of the rats in each group were compared. HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of the rat retina. Automatic biochemical analyzer was used to detect the levels of fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C), total cholesterol and triglyceride in the rats. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the levels of serum superoxide dismutase(SOD), reactive oxygen species(ROS), malondialdehyde(MDA), glutathione peroxidase(GSH-PX), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-6(IL-6)and interleukin-1β(IL-1β)in the rats. Western blot was used to detect the expressions of Occludin, p-PI3K, tight junction protein-1(ZO-1), p-Akt and VE-Cadherin in the rat retina.RESULTS: The expression levels of Occludin, ZO-1 and VE-cadherin in low-dose and high-dose paeoniflora groups were higher than those in the model group, while the expression levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, p-PI3K and p-Akt in serum were lower than those in the model group. The high-dose group of paeoniflorin was significantly better than the low-dose group of paeoniflorin(all P<0.05).CONCLUSION: Paeoniflorin may reduce inflammatory response in diabetic retinopathy rats by inhibiting PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.
9.Effect of paeoniflorin regulating PI3K/Akt signaling pathway on inflammatory response in diabetic retinopathy rats
Zhaoliang ZHU ; Shuwei BAI ; Peng DUAN ; Huping SONG ; Tao CHEN
International Eye Science 2025;25(3):365-371
AIM:To investigate the effect of paeoniflorin on the inflammatory response of diabetic retinopathy rats by regulating phosphatidylinositol-3 kinase/protein kinase B(PI3K/Akt)signaling pathway.METHODS: A total of 70 SPF male SD rats were selected, and 12 rats were randomly selected as the control group(normal saline gavage). The remaining 58 rats were fed with high-sugar and high-fat diet combined with intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin(STZ)to establish diabetic rat models. Rats with diabetic retinopathy were randomly divided into model group(normal saline), paeoniflorin low-dose group(100 mg/kg paeoniflorin), paeoniflorin high-dose group(200 mg/kg paeoniflorin)and metformin group(100 mg/kg metformin), with 12 rats in each group. The body mass of the rats in each group were compared. HE staining was used to observe the pathological changes of the rat retina. Automatic biochemical analyzer was used to detect the levels of fasting blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C), total cholesterol and triglyceride in the rats. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect the levels of serum superoxide dismutase(SOD), reactive oxygen species(ROS), malondialdehyde(MDA), glutathione peroxidase(GSH-PX), tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α), interleukin-6(IL-6)and interleukin-1β(IL-1β)in the rats. Western blot was used to detect the expressions of Occludin, p-PI3K, tight junction protein-1(ZO-1), p-Akt and VE-Cadherin in the rat retina.RESULTS: The expression levels of Occludin, ZO-1 and VE-cadherin in low-dose and high-dose paeoniflora groups were higher than those in the model group, while the expression levels of TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, p-PI3K and p-Akt in serum were lower than those in the model group. The high-dose group of paeoniflorin was significantly better than the low-dose group of paeoniflorin(all P<0.05).CONCLUSION: Paeoniflorin may reduce inflammatory response in diabetic retinopathy rats by inhibiting PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.
10.Effect of laminin subunit α3 on epithelial-mesenchymal transition, invasion, and metastasis abilities of pancreatic cancer
Nenghong YANG ; Likun REN ; She TIAN ; Min HAN ; Zhu LI ; Yuxiang ZHAO ; Peng LIU
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(2):322-332
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of laminin subunit α3 (LAMA3) on the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasion, and metastasis abilities of pancreatic cancer (PC). MethodsA comprehensive analysis was performed for tumor- and EMT-related databases to identify the EMT genes associated with PC, especially LAMA3. The methods of qRT-PCR and Western blot were used to measure the expression level of LAMA3 in PC tissue and cell lines; immunofluorescence assay was used to determine the localization of LAMA3 in PANC-1 cells; Transwell assay was used to investigate the effect of LAMA3 on the invasion and migration abilities of PC cells. The t-test was used for comparison of continuous data between groups. ResultsThe analysis of the TCGA database identified 3 EMT-related oncogenes for PC, i.e., LAMA3, AREG, and SDC1. The LASSO-Cox regression model showed that LAMA3 had the most significant impact on the prognosis of PC (risk score=0.256 1×LAMA3+0.043 1×SDC1+0.071 4×AREG). The Cox model and nomogram showed that the high expression of LAMA3 was an independent risk factor for the poor prognosis of PC (hazard ratio=1.32, 95% confidence interval: 1.07 — 1.62, P<0.01). Experimental results showed that there was a significant increase in the expression of LAMA3 in pancreatic cancer tissue compared with the normal pancreatic tissue. Compared with the HPDE cell line, there were varying degrees of increase in the expression of LAMA3 in pancreatic cancer AsPC-1, BxPC-3, PANC-1, MIA PaCa-2, and SW1990 cell lines, with the highest expression level in PANC-1 cells. The enrichment analysis showed that LAMA3 was associated with the biological processes and signaling pathways such as EMT, collagen metabolism, extracellular matrix degradation, the TGF-β pathway, and the PI3K pathway. After the knockdown of LAMA3, there were significant reductions in the expression levels of N-Cadherin, Vimentin, and Snail, while there was a significant increase in the expression level of E-Cadherin. Transwell assay showed that there were significant reductions in the invasion and migration abilities of PANC-1 cells after the knockdown of LAMA3. ConclusionLAMA3 is highly expressed in PC and can promote the EMT, invasion, and migration of PC cells, and therefore, LAMA3 may be used as a novel diagnostic marker and a new therapeutic target for PC.


Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail