1.Molecular Mechanism of Programmed Cell Death in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Traditional Chinese Medicine Intervention: A Review
Xin PENG ; Yunhui LI ; Lei LIANG ; Zheyu LUAN ; Hanxiao WANG ; Haotian XU ; Ziming DANG ; Jihong FENG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(3):304-313
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic respiratory disease that poses a significant threat to global health, exhibiting high morbidity, disability and mortality rate, with its prevention and treatment situation becoming increasingly critical. The pathogenesis of COPD is complex, and the underlying cellular and molecular biological mechanisms remain incompletely elucidated. Programmed cell death (PCD) is the process wherein cells actively undergo demise to maintain internal environmental stability in response to certain signals or specific stimuli. Contemporary medical research indicates that the dysregulation of PCD patterns such as apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis, autophagy, and ferroptosis is closely related to the onset and progression of COPD. Clarifying the molecular mechanisms of PCD in COPD may provide novel perspectives for in-depth understanding and prevention of the disease. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is characterized by holistic regulation. In recent years, extensive research has been conducted in the TCM field focusing on modulating apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis, autophagy, and ferroptosis for the treatment of COPD, yielding remarkable achievements. Therefore, this study systematically explored the molecular mechanism of PCD in COPD and reviewed the potential mechanisms and intervention status of TCM targeting PCD in COPD, aiming to provide insights and references for the clinical prevention, treatment and in-depth research of COPD.
2.Molecular Mechanism of Programmed Cell Death in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Traditional Chinese Medicine Intervention: A Review
Xin PENG ; Yunhui LI ; Lei LIANG ; Zheyu LUAN ; Hanxiao WANG ; Haotian XU ; Ziming DANG ; Jihong FENG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(3):304-313
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a chronic respiratory disease that poses a significant threat to global health, exhibiting high morbidity, disability and mortality rate, with its prevention and treatment situation becoming increasingly critical. The pathogenesis of COPD is complex, and the underlying cellular and molecular biological mechanisms remain incompletely elucidated. Programmed cell death (PCD) is the process wherein cells actively undergo demise to maintain internal environmental stability in response to certain signals or specific stimuli. Contemporary medical research indicates that the dysregulation of PCD patterns such as apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis, autophagy, and ferroptosis is closely related to the onset and progression of COPD. Clarifying the molecular mechanisms of PCD in COPD may provide novel perspectives for in-depth understanding and prevention of the disease. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is characterized by holistic regulation. In recent years, extensive research has been conducted in the TCM field focusing on modulating apoptosis, necroptosis, pyroptosis, autophagy, and ferroptosis for the treatment of COPD, yielding remarkable achievements. Therefore, this study systematically explored the molecular mechanism of PCD in COPD and reviewed the potential mechanisms and intervention status of TCM targeting PCD in COPD, aiming to provide insights and references for the clinical prevention, treatment and in-depth research of COPD.
3.A comparison of the efficacy between single-position robot-assisted laparoscopic and retroperitoneal laparoscopic nephroureterectomy in the treatment of upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma
Wanrong XU ; Tianyu GAO ; Ziming KANG ; Cheng WANG ; Panfeng SHANG
Journal of Modern Urology 2025;30(4):315-321
Objective: To explore the clinical safety and efficacy of a single-position robot-assisted radical nephroureterectomy (RRUN) in the treatment of upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on 136 UTUC patients who underwent RRUN (n=35) and laparoscopic radical nephroureterectomy (LRUN,n=101) in our hospital during Dec.2020 and Aug.2023.The perioperative and safety indicators of the two groups were compared.The intravesical recurrence-free survival (IVRFS),recurrence-free survival (RFS),and overall survival (OS) of the two groups were compared using Kaplan-Meier method. Results: There were no significant differences in the baseline data between the two groups (P>0.05).All surgeries were successfully completed without conversion to open surgery.RRUN demonstrated superior perioperative outcomes compared to LRUN in overall postoperative complication rate [37.1%(13/35) vs. 56.4%(57/101)],postoperative hospital stay [6(5,7) days vs. 7(6,8) days],and catheter indwelling time [3(2,4) days vs. 4(3,5) days],with statistically significant differences (P<0.05).Safety indicators of both surgical approaches were similar (P>0.05).Survival analysis showed no significant difference in oncological outcomes between the two groups [IVRFS (1 year:92.1%,2 years:85.2%),RFS (1 year:82.4%,2 years:74.9%),OS (1 year:90.6%,2 years:84.2%)] (P>0.05). Conclusion: Compared with retroperitoneal LRUN,single-position RRUN for UTUC demonstrates comparable safety and oncological efficacy,while offering significant advantages in perioperative outcomes such as reducing postoperative complication rate and shortening hospital stay.
4.Critical role of mitochondrial dynamics in chronic respiratory diseases and new therapeutic directions.
Xiaomei WANG ; Ziming ZHU ; Haocheng JIA ; Xueyi LU ; Yingze ZHANG ; Yingxin ZHU ; Jinzheng WANG ; Yanfang WANG ; Rubin TAN ; Jinxiang YUAN
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(15):1783-1793
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pulmonary hypertension (PH) are both chronic progressive respiratory diseases that cannot be completely cured. COPD is characterized by irreversible airflow limitation, chronic airway inflammation, and gradual decline in lung function, whereas PH is characterized by pulmonary vasoconstriction, remodeling, and infiltration of inflammatory cells. These diseases have similar pathological features, such as vascular hyperplasia, arteriolar contraction, and inflammatory infiltration. Despite these well-documented observations, the exact mechanisms underlying the occurrence and development of COPD and PH remain unclear. Evidence that mitochondrial dynamics imbalance is one major factor in the development of COPD and PH. Mitochondrial dynamics is precisely regulated by mitochondrial fusion proteins and fission proteins. When mitochondrial dynamics equilibrium is disrupted, it causes mitochondrial and even cell morphological dysfunction. Mitochondrial dynamics participates in various pathological processes for heart and lung disease. Mitochondrial dynamics may be different in the early and late stages of COPD and PH. In the early stages of the disease, mitochondrial fusion increases, inhibiting fission, and thereby compensatorily increasing adenosine triphosphate (ATP) production. With the development of the disease, mitochondria decompensation causes excessive fission. Mitochondrial dynamics is involved in the development of COPD and PH in a spatiotemporal manner. Based on this understanding, treatment strategies for mitochondrial dynamics abnormalities may be different at different stages of COPD and PH disease. This article will provide new ideas for the potential treatment of related diseases.
Humans
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Mitochondrial Dynamics/physiology*
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Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/metabolism*
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Hypertension, Pulmonary/metabolism*
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Mitochondria/metabolism*
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Animals
5.Clinicopathologic Characteristics and Prognosis of Oligodendroglioma with IDH Mutation and 1p/19q Codeletion
Xiaoyan WU ; Sujie WANG ; Fang WANG ; Ziming DU ; Ling DENG
Cancer Research on Prevention and Treatment 2024;51(3):178-184
Objective To analyze the clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis of oligodendroglioma with IDH mutation and 1p/19q codeletion. Methods We collected the data of 54 oligodendroglioma patients with IDH mutation and 1p/19q codeletion.The patients'clinicopathological data, including age, histological grade, and tumor site, were analyzed for the effects on progression-free and overall survival. Results Among the 54 patients, 46 cases were with tumor sites in one lobe, and eight cases involved tumor sites in more than two lobes.A total of 12 and 42 cases had WHO grades 2 and 3 oligodendroglioma, respectively.Detection by fluorescence
6.Intervention effect of miR-204-3P on silica dust-induced silicosis fibrosis in rats
Wenxuan HU ; Jing YU ; Fang CHEN ; Yangyang PI ; Ziming JIAO ; Faxuan WANG
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2024;41(4):367-374
Background Long-term exposure to free silica particles will lead to fibrosis of lung tissue, and abnormal expression of microRNA (miRNA) may affect the occurrence and process of fibrosis. Objective To observed possible intervention effect of miR-204-3p overexpression adenovirus on silicosis fibrosis induced by silica dust using a silicosis rat model via non-exposed intratracheal instillation. Methods Forty SD rats were randomly divided into four groups: control group, silicosis model group, miRNA-NC group, and miR-204-3p intervention group. Under ether anesthesia, rats in the silicosis model group, miRNA-NC group, and miR-204-3p intervention group were injected with 1 mL (50 mg·mL−1) of free silica dust suspension into the trachea, while the control group was injected with the same volume of normal saline. After 30 d of dust exposure, the miR-204-3p intervention group was injected with rno-mir-204 adenovirus vector to overexpress miR-204-3p, and the miRNA-NC group was given empty virus vector. After 30 d of normal feeding, the animals were sacrificed by chloral hydrate anesthesia, and the lung tissue was taken for subsequent experiments. The relative expression level of miR-204-3p in lung tissue of rats in each group was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). HE staining, Masson staining, and Sirius red staining were used for pathological observation. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of Fibronectin and Collagen I in lung tissue of rats in each group. RT-qPCR was used to detect the relative gene expression levels of fibrosis markers Fibronectin, Vimentin, Collagen I, and Collagen III in lung tissue of rats in each group. Western blot was used to detect the protein expression levels of fibrosis markers Fibronectin, Vimentin, Collagen I, and Collagen III in lung tissue of rats in each group. Results The anatomical features of lung tissue in the control group were pink lung tissue with soft texture and smooth surface, while those in the silicosis model were grayish white tissue with hard texture and scars and grayish white silicon nodules on the surface. Compared with the silicosis model group, the color of lung tissue in the miR-204-3p intervention group became ruddy, the surface was smooth, and the texture became soft. The staining results showed that the alveolar wall of the control group was thin, there were a small number of capillaries in the alveoli, and the alveolar structure was clear and complete. In the silicosis model group, the alveolar wall became thicker, the pulmonary septum was partially broken, the alveolar structure was defective, and a large amount of collagen fibers were deposited. The alveolar structure of the miR-204-3p intervention group was relatively clear and there was a small amount of collagen fiber deposition. RT-qPCR results showed that compared with the control group, the relative expression levels of miR-204-3p in lung tissue of the silicosis model group and the miRNA-NC group were decreased (P<0.05), and the relative expression level of miR-204-3p in lung tissue of the miR-204-3p intervention group was increased (P<0.05). The results of immunohistochemistry showed that compared with the control group, the expression levels of Fibronectin and Collagen I in lung tissue of the silicosis model group were increased (P<0.05). Compared with the silicosis model group, the relative expression levels of Fibronectin and Collagen I in lung tissue of the rats in the miR-204-3p intervention group were significantly decreased (P<0.05). The results of RT-qPCR and Western blot showed that compared with the control group, the relative protein and gene expression levels of fibrosis factors Fibronectin, Vimentin, Collagen I, and Collagen III in lung tissue of the silicosis model group increased (P<0.05). Compared with the silicosis model group, the relative gene and protein expression levels of fibrosis factors Fibronectin, Vimentin, Collagen I, and Collagen III in lung tissue of rats in the miR-204-3p intervention group were decreased (P<0.05). Conclusion Silica dust can cause lung fibrosis in rats, and overexpression of miR-204-3P in vivo can reduce silicosis fibrosis in rats caused by silica dust.
7.Reliability of Pod Shape Diagram from Caloric Test in Vertigo Patients
Shujing LI ; Donghai WANG ; Yu WANG ; Yi DU ; Xingjian LIU ; Lili REN ; Ziming WU
Journal of Audiology and Speech Pathology 2024;32(1):6-10
Objective To understand the reliability of caloric test results through the analysis of the pod shape dia-gram types of caloric test and to provide a more accurate and reliable basis for vestibular system function evaluation.Meth-ods The results of caloric test in 528 patients from July 2021 to May 2022 in vertigo diagnosis and treatment center were analyzed.According to pod pattern and unilateral weakness(UW),the patients were divided into five groups:cold and warm test symmetrical group,left and right side asymmetry group,single value significant abnormal group,bilateral hypo-plasia group and pod morphology unable to be classified group.Unreliable data can be identified by comparing,explaining,and summarizing the results of UW of different groups,so as to reduce the interference of unreliable data to clinical diagno-sis and treatment.Results Cold and warm test symmetric group(n=439)included patients with symmetry of bilateral vestibular function(n=273)and decreased vestibular function of one side(n=166).Left and right symmetrical groups in-eluded pationts with bilateral symmetric vestibular function(n=11)and unilateral reduction(n=13).Single value signifi-cant abnormal group showed cases with unilateral vestibular function reduction(n=25)and bilateral symmetric vestibular function(n=11).Bilateral hypolasion group showed cases with bilateral symmetric vestibular function(n=25)and unilat-eral reduction(n=9).Pod morphology unclassified group(n=5)suggested varions interference factors.Conduson When the function of the peripheral vestibular is symmetrical and normal,we should be alert to the existence of temperature effect,and should consider the inspection of the perfusion apparatus and the calibration of the irrigation temperature.When the function of the peripheral vestibular shows unilateral weakness,repeating the irrigation is recommended when the single value of the caloric test significantly increases or decreases.If there is no change,repeating the irrigation at the same tem-perature in the other ear or even repeating the whole caloric test are recommended.The UW value could not truly reflect the state of peripheral vestibular function when the caoric test produces bilateral weakness.Therefore,water irrigation could be used to make a correct judgment based on the medical history and other auxiliary examinations.It is of great significance to judge the effectiveness of caloric test comprehensively by combining the morphology of pod diagram with UW value.
8.Constructing a model of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction with autologous Achilles tendon in southern Yunnan small-ear pigs
Bohan XIONG ; Yang YU ; Liling ZHENG ; Tengyun YANG ; Xiaojun LU ; Xu WANG ; Kaiwei LI ; Hong YU ; Yajuan LI ; Kaiyan DONG ; Yaozhang ZHANG ; Jinrui LIU ; Ziming GU ; Bigeng HU ; Yanlin LI
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2024;28(20):3157-3163
BACKGROUND:As a dominant breed pig in southwest China,the southern Yunnan small-ear pig has been widely used as an experimental animal in the basic research of other disciplines,but there are still no reports on its application in anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. OBJECTIVE:To establish a large animal model of the southern Yunnan small-ear pig with anterior cruciate ligament with autologous Achilles tendon was established. METHODS:Twenty adult female Yunnan small-ear pigs were equally randomized into two groups.In the autologous Achilles tendon group,the right knee anterior cruciate ligament was reconstructed with autologous Achilles tendon as a graft,while in the sham-operated group,a similar operation was performed on the right knee without any treatment of the anterior cruciate ligament.General conditions of each pig were observed and recorded before and 12 months after surgery.Ligaments and grafts were taken for gross observation and MAS scoring.Hematoxylin-eosin staining was performed to observe morphological characteristics of ligaments.The staining and arrangement of type I and type Ⅲ collagen were evaluated by immunohistochemistry.Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the type,size,diameter,ratio,and distribution of collagen fibers in ligaments. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:All animals had normal diet and activity,good wound healing,no obvious inflammatory reaction,no local purulent infection,and no significant changes in mental and urinary conditions compared with those before surgery.The reconstructed cruciate ligament of the knee was intact,with no stiffness and normal range of motion.Both the anterior drawer and Lachman tests were negative.Gross observation of the graft:12 months after surgery,the grafts was in good position,with good integrity,obvious tension,ligament color close to the original anterior cruciate ligament,and complete surface synovial coverage.Most of the intraarticular ligaments in the autologous Achilles tendon group were defined as MAS I type and a few were defined as MAS Ⅱ type.In the sham-operated group,the intraarticular ligament was defined as MAS I type.Hematoxylin-eosin staining indicated that,12 months after surgery,collagen fibers in the autologous Achilles tendon group began to appear bundled,isotropic,and uniformly arranged,with more obvious isotropic corrugations,and the nuclei were mainly linear or spindle-shaped,which were similar to those in normal anterior cruciate ligament tissue of the sham-operated group.Immunohistochemistry results indicated that,12 months after surgery,there was a higher expression of type I collagen and significantly less expression of type Ⅲ collagen in the reconstructed anterior cruciate ligament in the autologous Achilles tendon group.The degree of type I and type Ⅲ staining was similar in the two groups.Under the transmission electron microscope,the diameter,arrangement and density of collagen fibers in the reconstructed anterior cruciate ligament of the autologous Achilles tendon group were similar to those of the original anterior cruciate ligament at 12 months after surgery,indicating that the ligament remodeling process had been basically completed in the autologous Achilles tendon group at 12 months after surgery.Through a comprehensive evaluation of animal general conditions,ligament general view,MAS score,hematoxylin-eosin staining,immunohistochemistry,and transmission electron microscopy observation,we successfully established a large animal model of anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using autogenous Achilles tendon in southern Yunnan small-ear pigs,with good morphological,histological and ultrastructural results.
9.Effect of NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 knockdown on a mouse model of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis induced by high-fat high-carbohydrate diet
Qian HUANG ; Zhuoyuan WANG ; Ziming AN ; Xin XIN ; Qinmei SUN ; Xiaojun GOU ; Yiyang HU ; Qin FENG
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2024;40(5):952-960
Objective To investigate the effect of NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3(NLRP3)knockdown on a mouse model of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis(NASH)induced by high-fat high-carbohydrate(HFHC)diet.Methods A total of 44 mice were randomly divided into normal diet group(CON group)with 20 mice and HFHC group with 24 mice.At the end of week 14 of modeling,4 mice were randomly selected from the HFHC group for the pre-experiment of adeno-associated virus(AAV)by tail vein injection,and NLRP3 knockdown was verified after 4 weeks.After NLRP3 knockdown was verified at the end of week 18,the remaining 40 mice were given a single tail vein injection of AAV,and then they were divided into CON+NLRP3 knockdown negative control group(CON+NLRP3-NC group),CON+NLRP3 knockdown group(CON+NLRP3-KD group),HFHC+NLRP3-NC group,and HFHC+NLRP3-KD group,with 10 mice in each group.At the end of week 24,the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome was observed;related indicators were measured,including body weight,liver weight,liver index,and glucose metabolism(fasting blood glucose,fasting insulin,and Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance[HOMA-IR]index);the indicators of liver lipid content(liver triglyceride[TG]and oil red O staining),liver inflammation(serum alanine aminotransferase[ALT]activity,HE staining,and inflammation-related genes),and liver fibrosis(Sirius Red staining and fibrosis-related genes)were measured.A one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of continuous data between multiple groups,and the least significant difference t-test was used for further comparison between two groups.Results Compared with the CON+NLRP3-NC group based on the results of Western Blot,the HFHC+NLRP3-NC group had significant increases in the protein expression levels of NLRP3,pro-Caspase1,Caspase1,ASC,and IL-1β,while the HFHC+NLRP3-KD group had significant reductions in these levels(all P<0.05).The HFHC+NLRP3-NC group showed varying degrees of increase in body weight,liver weight,liver index,and glucose metabolism indicators,while the HFHC+NLRP3-KD group showed significant improvements in these indicators(all P<0.05).As for hepatic fat deposition,compared with the CON+NLRP3-NC group,the HFHC+NLRP3-NC group had a significant increase in liver TG,with a large number of red lipid droplets shown by oil red O staining,and the HFHC+NLRP3-KD group had significant reductions in liver TG and the number of lipid droplets in the liver(all P<0.01).In terms of liver inflammation,compared with the CON+NLRP3-NC group,the HFHC+NLRP3-NC group had significant increases in serum ALT,NAFLD activity score,and inflammation-related genes,while the HFHC+NLRP3-KD group had significant reductions in these indicators(all P<0.01).As for liver fibrosis,compared with the CON+NLRP3-NC group,the HFHC+NLRP3-NC group had significant increases in collagen fiber area and fibrosis-related genes,and the HFHC+NLRP3-KD group had significant reductions in fibrosis-related genes(all P<0.05)and a tendency of reduction in collagen fiber area(P>0.05).Conclusion NLRP3 knockdown can significantly improve hepatic fat deposition and inflammation in a mouse model of HFHC-induced NASH.
10.Tim4 deficiency reduces CD301b+macrophage and aggravates periodontitis bone loss
Wang ZIMING ; Zeng HAO ; Wang CAN ; Wang JIAOLONG ; Zhang JING ; Qu SHUYUAN ; Han YUE ; Yang LIU ; Ni YUEQI ; Peng WENAN ; Liu HUAN ; Tang HUA ; Zhao QIN ; Zhang YUFENG
International Journal of Oral Science 2024;16(2):280-292
Periodontitis is a common chronic inflammatory disease that causes the periodontal bone destruction and may ultimately result in tooth loss.With the progression of periodontitis,the osteoimmunology microenvironment in periodontitis is damaged and leads to the formation of pathological alveolar bone resorption.CD301b+macrophages are specific to the osteoimmunology microenvironment,and are emerging as vital booster for conducting bone regeneration.However,the key upstream targets of CD301b+macrophages and their potential mechanism in periodontitis remain elusive.In this study,we concentrated on the role of Tim4,a latent upstream regulator of CD301b+macrophages.We first demonstrated that the transcription level of Timd4(gene name of Tim4)in CD301b+macrophages was significantly upregulated compared to CD301b-macrophages via high-throughput RNA sequencing.Moreover,several Tim4-related functions such as apoptotic cell clearance,phagocytosis and engulfment were positively regulated by CD301b+macrophages.The single-cell RNA sequencing analysis subsequently discovered that Cd301b and Timd4 were specifically co-expressed in macrophages.The following flow cytometric analysis indicated that Tim4 positive expression rates in total macrophages shared highly synchronized dynamic changes with the proportions of CD301b+macrophages as periodontitis progressed.Furthermore,the deficiency of Tim4 in mice decreased CD301b+macrophages and eventually magnified alveolar bone resorption in periodontitis.Additionally,Tim4 controlled the p38 MAPK signaling pathway to ultimately mediate CD301b+macrophages phenotype.In a word,Tim4 might regulate CD301b+macrophages through p38 MAPK signaling pathway in periodontitis,which provided new insights into periodontitis immunoregulation as well as help to develop innovative therapeutic targets and treatment strategies for periodontitis.

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