1.The Ferroptosis-inducing Compounds in Triple Negative Breast Cancer
Xin-Die WANG ; Da-Li FENG ; Xiang CUI ; Su ZHOU ; Peng-Fei ZHANG ; Zhi-Qiang GAO ; Li-Li ZOU ; Jun WANG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(4):804-819
Ferroptosis, a programmed cell death modality discovered and defined in the last decade, is primarily induced by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation. At present, it has been found that ferroptosis is involved in various physiological functions such as immune regulation, growth and development, aging, and tumor suppression. Especially its role in tumor biology has attracted extensive attention and research. Breast cancer is one of the most common female tumors, characterized by high heterogeneity and complex genetic background. Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a special type of breast cancer, which lacks conventional breast cancer treatment targets and is prone to drug resistance to existing chemotherapy drugs and has a low cure rate after progression and metastasis. There is an urgent need to find new targets or develop new drugs. With the increase of studies on promoting ferroptosis in breast cancer, it has gradually attracted attention as a treatment strategy for breast cancer. Some studies have found that certain compounds and natural products can act on TNBC, promote their ferroptosis, inhibit cancer cells proliferation, enhance sensitivity to radiotherapy, and improve resistance to chemotherapy drugs. To promote the study of ferroptosis in TNBC, this article summarized and reviewed the compounds and natural products that induce ferroptosis in TNBC and their mechanisms of action. We started with the exploration of the pathways of ferroptosis, with particular attention to the System Xc--cystine-GPX4 pathway and iron metabolism. Then, a series of compounds, including sulfasalazine (SAS), metformin, and statins, were described in terms of how they interact with cells to deplete glutathione (GSH), thereby inhibiting the activity of glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and preventing the production of lipid peroxidases. The disruption of the cellular defense against oxidative stress ultimately results in the death of TNBC cells. We have also our focus to the realm of natural products, exploring the therapeutic potential of traditional Chinese medicine extracts for TNBC. These herbal extracts exhibit multi-target effects and good safety, and have shown promising capabilities in inducing ferroptosis in TNBC cells. We believe that further exploration and characterization of these natural compounds could lead to the development of a new generation of cancer therapeutics. In addition to traditional chemotherapy, we discussed the role of drug delivery systems in enhancing the efficacy and reducing the toxicity of ferroptosis inducers. Nanoparticles such as exosomes and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) can improve the solubility and bioavailability of these compounds, thereby expanding their therapeutic potential while minimizing systemic side effects. Although preclinical data on ferroptosis inducers are relatively robust, their translation into clinical practice remains in its early stages. We also emphasize the urgent need for more in-depth and comprehensive research to understand the complex mechanisms of ferroptosis in TNBC. This is crucial for the rational design and development of clinical trials, as well as for leveraging ferroptosis to improve patient outcomes. Hoping the above summarize and review could provide references for the research and development of lead compounds for the treatment for TNBC.
2.Clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of atopic dermatitis with integrative traditional Chinese and Western medicine.
Xin-Ran DU ; Meng-Yi WU ; Mao-Can TAO ; Ying LIN ; Chao-Ying GU ; Min-Feng WU ; Yi CAO ; Da-Can CHEN ; Wei LI ; Hong-Wei WANG ; Ying WANG ; Yi WANG ; Han-Zhi LU ; Xin LIU ; Xiang-Fei SU ; Fu-Lun LI
Journal of Integrative Medicine 2025;23(6):641-653
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a well-accepted therapy for atopic dermatitis (AD). However, there are currently no evidence-based guidelines integrating TCM and Western medicine for the treatment of AD, limiting the clinical application of such combined approaches. Therefore, the China Association of Chinese Medicine initiated the development of the current guideline, focusing on key issues related to the use of TCM in the treatment of AD. This guideline was developed in accordance with the principles of the guideline formulation manual published by the World Health Organization. A comprehensive review of the literature on the combined use of TCM and Western medicine to treat AD was conducted. The findings were extensively discussed by experts in dermatology and pharmacy with expertise in both TCM and Western medicine. This guideline comprises 23 recommendations across seven major areas, including TCM syndrome differentiation and classification of AD, principles and application scenarios of TCM combined with Western medicine for treating AD, outcome indicators for evaluating clinical efficacy of AD treatment, integration of TCM pattern classification and Western medicine across disease stages, daily management of AD, the use of internal TCM therapies and proprietary Chinese medicines, and TCM external treatments. Please cite this article as: Du XR, Wu MY, Tao MC, Lin Y, Gu CY, Wu MF, Cao Y, Chen DC, Li W, Wang HW, Wang Y, Wang Y, Lu HZ, Liu X, Su XF, Li FL. Clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of atopic dermatitis with integrative traditional Chinese and Western medicine. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(6):641-653.
Dermatitis, Atopic/drug therapy*
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Humans
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Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods*
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Integrative Medicine
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*
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Practice Guidelines as Topic
3.Association of Loneliness and Social Isolation with Ischemic Heart Disease: A Bidirectional and Network Mendelian Randomization Study.
Shu Yao SU ; Wan Yue WANG ; Chen Xi YUAN ; Zhen Nan LIN ; Xiang Feng LU ; Fang Chao LIU
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2025;38(3):351-364
OBJECTIVE:
Observational studies have shown inconsistent associations of loneliness or social isolation (SI) with ischemic heart disease (IHD), with unknown mediators.
METHODS:
Using data from genome-wide association studies of predominantly European ancestry, we performed a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) study to estimate causal effects of loneliness ( N = 487,647) and SI traits on IHD ( N = 184,305). SI traits included whether individuals lived alone, participated in various types of social activities, and how often they had contact with friends or family ( N = 459,830 to 461,369). A network MR study was conducted to evaluate the mediating roles of 20 candidate mediators, including metabolic, behavioral and psychological factors.
RESULTS:
Loneliness increased IHD risk ( OR= 2.129; 95% confidence interval [ CI]: 1.380 to 3.285), mediated by body fat percentage, waist-hip ratio, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. For SI traits, only fewer social activities increased IHD risk ( OR= 1.815; 95% CI: 1.189 to 2.772), mediated by hypertension, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting insulin, and smoking cessation. No reverse causality of IHD with loneliness and SI was found.
CONCLUSION
These findings suggested more attention should be paid to individuals who feel lonely and have fewer social activities to prevent IHD, with several mediators as prioritized targets for intervention.
Loneliness/psychology*
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Humans
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Mendelian Randomization Analysis
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Social Isolation
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Myocardial Ischemia/etiology*
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Male
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Female
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Middle Aged
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Genome-Wide Association Study
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Risk Factors
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Aged
4.Research progress on mechanism of interaction between traditional Chinese medicine and intestinal flora
Jing WU ; Wei-Yi TIAN ; Kun CAI ; Su-Fang ZHOU ; Yao-Feng LI ; Xiang-Yun CHEN ; Hai-Bing QIAN ; Sha-Sha YANG
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2024;40(10):1823-1829
Modern Chinese medicine studies have confirmed that the interaction between traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)and intestinal flora is the key to the treatment of diseases with tradi-tional Chinese medicine.This interplay includes such activities as:traditional Chinese medicine can be metabolized by intestinal flora into effective components with different biological activities from its precursors;TCM chemicals improve the composition of gut microbiota,consequently ameliorating its dysfunction as well as associated pathological conditions;and gut microbiota mediate the interactions between the multiple chemicals in TCM.There-fore,it becomes an important way to understand the modern sci-entific connotation of traditional Chinese medicine theory to study the pharmacological mechanism of the efficacy of traditional Chi-nese medicine by targeting Gut microbiota.
5.Progress in enteral nutrition implementation in critically ill patients receiving vasoactive medications
Hong-Yu ZHANG ; Li-Bing JIANG ; Hai-Long WANG ; Yong-An XU ; Cheng-Fei WANG ; Feng RUAN ; Wen-Qi QI ; Su-Min ZUO ; Shan-Xiang XU
Parenteral & Enteral Nutrition 2024;31(3):176-183
Nutritional therapy is a core component of critically ill patient management,and the enteral route has become the preferred method due to its dual roles of nutrition and non-nutrition. The use of vasoactive medications makes enteral nutrition decisions more challenging for these patients. This review systematically examines the pathophysiological effects of vasoactive medications on gastrointestinal tract of critically ill patients,the current value and safety of enteral nutrition in this patient's population,summarizes the optimal strategies for implementing enteral nutrition in these patients for clinical reference.
6.Mechanism of Colquhounia Root Tablets in inhibiting osteoclast differentiation based on HSP90 target modulation.
Pei-Ping CHEN ; Qian WANG ; Feng-Yu HUANG ; Xiang-Ying KONG ; Na LIN ; Xiao-Hui SU
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2024;49(23):6389-6398
This study aimed to investigate the potential role of Colquhounia Root Tablets against bone destruction in rheumatoid arthritis(RA) and its molecular mechanism. The study used ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry to analyze the major components of Colquhounia Root Tablets and predicted its candidate target gene set based on the major components. The key targets of RA bone destruction were obtained through GeneCards and the Database of Genetics and Medical Literature(OMIM), protein-protein interaction(PPI) network was constructed, and the key targets were identified by topological analysis. The molecular mechanism of Colquhounia Root Tablets against RA bone destruction was further revealed using Gene Ontology(GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG) enrichment analysis. The effects of Colquhounia Root Tablets on macrophage viability was assessed by MTS assay and screened for non-toxic concentrations. A model of receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB(RANKL) induced osteoclast differentiation in vitro was constructed. Colquhounia Root Tablets were used to observe the formation and differentiation of osteoclasts by tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase(TRAP) staining and fibrous actin(F-actin) staining, and the effects of Colquhounia Root Tablets on the changes of core target proteins in the osteoclast differentiation system were detected by immunofluorescence and Western blot. The results showed that the main components of Colquhounia Root Tablets included 14 compounds such as triptolide, celastrol, and triptophenolide. Further network analysis revealed that heat-shock protein 90(HSP90) was the key target gene of Colquhounia Root Tablets for anti-RA bone destruction. TRAP staining and F-actin staining showed that the number and area of TRAP-positive polymorphonuclear cells, as well as actin rings, were reduced in a dose-dependent manner after the intervention of Colquhounia Root Tablets(P<0.01). Western blot results showed that the expression of HSP90 protein was significantly reduced after intervention with Colquhounia Root Tablets at 20 and 40 μg·mL~(-1)(P<0.01); Colquhounia Root Tablets at 10 μg·mL~(-1) could significantly decrease the expression of necrosis factor receptor associated molecule 6(TRAF6) and nuclear factor of activated T cells 1(NFATc1) proteins(P<0.01); moreover, all doses of Colquhounia Root Tablets significantly reduced the expression of osteoclast differentiation marker proteins matrix metalloproteinase 9(MMP9) and cathepsin K(CTSK)(P<0.01).Immunofluorescence results further confirmed that Colquhounia Root Tablets significantly inhibited HSP90 and CTSK levels, as well as NFATc1 activation in osteoblasts. In conclusion, the present study confirmed that Colquhounia Root Tablets may inhibit RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation by regulating the key target of HSP90, thus exerting an anti-RA bone destruction effect, which will provide a new idea for Colquhounia Root Tablets to prevent and treat bone destruction in rheumatoid arthritis.
Osteoclasts/metabolism*
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Mice
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Animals
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Cell Differentiation/drug effects*
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HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins/genetics*
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry*
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Plant Roots/chemistry*
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Humans
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Arthritis, Rheumatoid/physiopathology*
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Protein Interaction Maps/drug effects*
7.Research progress in human rabies vaccine applications
Hai-Tian SUI ; Xing GUO ; Qian ZHANG ; Zhong-Nan YANG ; Jin-Feng SU ; Yang ZHANG ; Wen-Wu YIN ; Xiang SHU
Chinese Journal of Zoonoses 2023;39(12):1158-1164
Rabies is a zoonosis caused by rabies virus for which no effective treatment is available.The main preventive measure is vaccination with human rabies vaccine before or after rabies exposure.With progress in science and technology,the production process of human rabies vaccine has continually advanced,thereby increasing vaccine quality,and providing a safer,more effective means of rabies prevention and control through increasing human resistance to rabies.New human rabies vac-cines have made breakthroughs in basic research and clinical research.However,the problems of poor vaccine compliance and low vaccination rates must urgently be addressed.China must actively explore effective coping strategies,accelerate the upda-ting of existing immunization procedures,effectively increase the rabies vaccination rate,and achieve the goal of eliminating ra-bies by 2030 as soon as possible.
8.Effect of diosgenin on mTOR/FASN/HIF-1α/VEGFA expression in rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
Guo-Liang YIN ; Hong-Yi LIANG ; Peng-Peng LIANG ; Ya-Nan FENG ; Su-Wen CHEN ; Xiang-Yi LIU ; Wen-Chao PAN ; Feng-Xia ZHANG
China Journal of Chinese Materia Medica 2023;48(7):1760-1769
The present study aimed to investigate the effect of diosgenin on mammalian target of rapamycin(mTOR), fatty acid synthase(FASN), hypoxia inducible factor-1α(HIF-1α), and vascular endothelial growth factor A(VEGFA) expression in liver tissues of rats with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(NAFLD) and explore the mechanism of diosgenin on lipogenesis and inflammation in NAFLD. Forty male SD rats were divided into a normal group(n=8) fed on the normal diet and an experimental group(n=32) fed on the high-fat diet(HFD) for the induction of the NAFLD model. After modeling, the rats in the experimental group were randomly divided into an HFD group, a low-dose diosgenin group(150 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), a high-dose diosgenin group(300 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), and a simvastatin group(4 mg·kg~(-1)·d~(-1)), with eight rats in each group. The drugs were continuously given by gavage for eight weeks. The levels of triglyceride(TG), total cholesterol(TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol(LDL-C), alanine transaminase(ALT), and aspartate transaminase(AST) in the serum were detected by the biochemical method. The content of TG and TC in the liver was detected by the enzyme method. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) was used to measure interleukin 1β(IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α) in the serum. Lipid accumulation in the liver was detected by oil red O staining. Pathological changes of liver tissues were detected by hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining. The mRNA and protein expression levels of mTOR, FASN, HIF-1α, and VEGFA in the liver of rats were detected by real-time fluorescence-based quantitative polymerase chain reaction(PCR) and Western blot, respectively. Compared with the normal group, the HFD group showed elevated body weight and levels of TG, TC, LDL-C, ALT, AST, IL-1β, and TNF-α(P<0.01), increased lipid accumulation in the liver(P<0.01), obvious liver steatosis, up-regulated mRNA expression levels of mTOR, FASN, HIF-1α, and VEGFA(P<0.01), and increased protein expression levels of p-mTOR, FASN, HIF-1α, and VEGFA(P<0.01). Compared with the HFD group, the groups with drug treatment showed lowered body weight and levels of TG, TC, LDL-C, ALT, AST, IL-1β, and TNF-α(P<0.05, P<0.01), reduced lipid accumulation in the liver(P<0.01), improved liver steatosis, decreased mRNA expression levels of mTOR, FASN, HIF-1α, and VEGFA(P<0.05, P<0.01), and declining protein expression levels of p-mTOR, FASN, HIF-1α, and VEGFA(P<0.01). The therapeutic effect of the high-dose diosgenin group was superior to that of the low-dose diosgenin group and the simvastatin group. Diosgenin may reduce liver lipid synthesis and inflammation and potentiate by down-regulating the mTOR, FASN, HIF-1α, and VEGFA expression, playing an active role in preventing and treating NAFLD.
Rats
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Male
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Animals
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Non-alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease/metabolism*
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Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A/metabolism*
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Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism*
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Cholesterol, LDL
;
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
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Liver
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Inflammation/metabolism*
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Diet, High-Fat/adverse effects*
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TOR Serine-Threonine Kinases/metabolism*
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RNA, Messenger/metabolism*
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Body Weight
;
Mammals
9.Chinese Guideline on the Management of Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy (2022).
You-Xin CHEN ; Yu-Qing ZHANG ; Chang-Zheng CHEN ; Hong DAI ; Su-Yan LI ; Xiang MA ; Xiao-Dong SUN ; Shi-Bo TANG ; Yu-Sheng WANG ; Wen-Bin WEI ; Feng WEN ; Ge-Zhi XU ; Wei-Hong YU ; Mei-Xia ZHANG ; Ming-Wei ZHAO ; Yang ZHANG ; Fang QI ; Xun XU ; Xiao-Xin LI
Chinese Medical Sciences Journal 2023;38(2):77-93
Background In mainland China, patients with neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) have approximately an 40% prevalence of polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV). This disease leads to recurrent retinal pigment epithelium detachment (PED), extensive subretinal or vitreous hemorrhages, and severe vision loss. China has introduced various treatment modalities in the past years and gained comprehensive experience in treating PCV.Methods A total of 14 retinal specialists nationwide with expertise in PCV were empaneled to prioritize six questions and address their corresponding outcomes, regarding opinions on inactive PCV, choices of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) monotherapy, photodynamic therapy (PDT) monotherapy or combined therapy, patients with persistent subretinal fluid (SRF) or intraretinal fluid (IRF) after loading dose anti-VEGF, and patients with massive subretinal hemorrhage. An evidence synthesis team conducted systematic reviews, which informed the recommendations that address these questions. This guideline used the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) approach to assess the certainty of evidence and grade the strengths of recommendations. Results The panel proposed the following six conditional recommendations regarding treatment choices. (1) For patients with inactive PCV, we suggest observation over treatment. (2) For treatment-na?ve PCV patients, we suggest either anti-VEGF monotherapy or combined anti-VEGF and PDT rather than PDT monotherapy. (3) For patients with PCV who plan to initiate combined anti-VEGF and PDT treatment, we suggest later/rescue PDT over initiate PDT. (4) For PCV patients who plan to initiate anti-VEGF monotherapy, we suggest the treat and extend (T&E) regimen rather than the pro re nata (PRN) regimen following three monthly loading doses. (5) For patients with persistent SRF or IRF on optical coherence tomography (OCT) after three monthly anti-VEGF treatments, we suggest proceeding with anti-VEGF treatment rather than observation. (6) For PCV patients with massive subretinal hemorrhage (equal to or more than four optic disc areas) involving the central macula, we suggest surgery (vitrectomy in combination with tissue-plasminogen activator (tPA) intraocular injection and gas tamponade) rather than anti-VEGF monotherapy. Conclusions Six evidence-based recommendations support optimal care for PCV patients' management.
10. Effects of salidroside on proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis of 97H cells
Bing JIANG ; Tao YANG ; Long-Fei FENG ; Hai-Xiang SU ; Bing JIANG ; Tao WANG ; Hai-Xiang SU
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2023;39(3):445-452
Aim To study the effect of salidroside on the proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis of human highly metastatic liver cancer cells ( 97 H cells) . Methods Multifunctional cell analyzer was used to determine the effect of salidroside on the proliferation of 97H cells. Scratch assay was used to determine the effect of salidroside on the migration ability of 97H cells. Transwell assay was used to determine the effect of salidroside on the invasion ability of 97 H cells. Inverted microscope was used to observe the effect of salidroside on the morphology of 97H cells. Transmission electron microscope was employed to observe the effect of salidroside on mitochondria in 97 H cells. Flow cytometry was used to analyze the effect of salidroside on apoptosis and cycle distribution of 97 H cells. q-PCR was used to determine the effect of salidroside on related apoptosis genes in 97H cells.Western blot was used to determine the effect of salidroside on related migration, invasion and apoptosis proteins in 97H cells. Results Compared to blank group, salidroside treatment inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of 97H cells, and induced apoptosis of 97H cells. Salidroside could up-regulate the relative expression of Caspase-3 (P <0.05). Salidroside could up-regulate the levels of E-cad, Bax, Caspase-3 and Caspase-9 proteins (P <0.05), and down-regulate the levels of N-cad, Girdin and Bcl-2 proteins (P < 0. 05 ). Conclusions Salidroside has inhibitory effects on the proliferation, migration and invasion of 97H cells, and induces apoptosis of 97H cells through mitochondrial pathway.

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