1.Effect of Serum Containing Zhenwutang on Apoptosis of Myocardial Mast Cells and Mitochondrial Autophagy
Wei TANG ; Meiqun ZHENG ; Xiaolin WANG ; Zhiyong CHEN ; Chi CHE ; Zongqiong LU ; Jiashuai GUO ; Xiaomei ZOU ; Lili XU ; Lin LI
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(3):11-21
ObjectiveTo explore the effect of serum containing Zhenwutang on myocardial mast cell apoptosis induced by angiotensin Ⅱ (AngⅡ) and the mechanism of the correlation between apoptosis and mitochondrial autophagy. MethodsIn this experiment, AngⅡ and serum containing Zhenwutang with different concentrations were used to interfere with H9C2 cardiomyocytes for 24 h, and the survival rate of H9C2 cardiomyocytes was detected by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) to screen the optimal concentration for the experiment. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect the content of B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) in cell culture supernatant, and immunofluorescence was used to detect the cell surface area to verify the construction of the myocardial mast cell model. Subsequently, the experiment was divided into a blank group (20% blank serum), a model group (20% blank serum + 5×10-5 mol·L-1 AngⅡ), low-, medium-, and high-dose (5%, 10% and 20%) serum containing Zhenwutang groups, an autophagy inhibitor group (1×10-4 mol·L-1 3-MA), and autophagy inducer group (1×10-7 mol·L-1 rapamycin). The apoptosis level of H9C2 cells and the changes of mitochondrial membrane potential were detected by flow cytometry. The lysosomal probe (Lyso Tracker) and mitochondrial probe (Mito Tracker) co-localization was employed to detect autophagy. Real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) was used to detect Caspase-3, Caspase-9, B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2-related X protein (Bax), and cytochrome C (Cyt C) in apoptosis-related pathways and the relative mRNA expression of ubiquitin ligase (Parkin), phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN)-induced kinase 1 (PINK1), and p62 protein in mitochondrial autophagy-related pathways. Western blot was used to detect cleaved Caspase-3, cleaved Caspase-9, Bax, Bcl-2, and Cyt C in apoptosis-related pathways, phosphorylated ubiquitin ligase (p-Parkin), phosphorylated PTEN-induced kinase 1 (p-PINK1), p62, and Bcl-2 homology domain protein Beclin1 in mitochondrial autophagy-related pathways, and the change of microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) Ⅱ/Ⅰ ratio. ResultsCCK-8 showed that when the concentration of AngⅡ was 5×10-5 mol·L-1, the cell activity was the lowest, and there was no cytotoxicity. At this concentration, the surface area of cardiomyocytes was significantly increased (P<0.01), and the content of BNP in the supernatant of culture medium was significantly increased (P<0.05). Therefore, AngⅡ with a concentration of 5×10-5 mol·L-1 was selected for the subsequent modeling of myocardial mast cells. Compared with the blank group, the model group and the autophagy inhibitor 3-MA group had a significantly increased apoptosis rate (P<0.01) and significantly decreased mitochondrial membrane potential (P<0.01). The results of immunofluorescence co-localization showed that compared with the blank group, the model group had a significantly decreased number of red and green fluorescence spots. The results of Real-time PCR showed that compared with that in the blank group, the relative mRNA expression of Bax, Caspase-3, Caspase-9, Cyt C, and p62 in the model group was significantly up-regulated (P<0.01), while the relative mRNA expression of Bcl-2, Parkin, and PINK1 was significantly down-regulated (P<0.01). In addition, the relative protein expression of Bax, cleaved Caspase-3, cleaved Caspase-9, Cyt C, and p62 was significantly up-regulated (P<0.01). The LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ was significantly decreased, and the relative protein expression of Bcl-2, p-Parkin, p-PINK1, and Beclin1 was significantly down-regulated (P<0.01). Compared with the model group, the serum containing Zhenwutang groups and the autophagy inducer group had significantly decreased apoptosis rate (P<0.01), and the decrease ratio of mitochondrial membrane potential is significantly lowered (P<0.01) in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, both red and green fluorescence spots became more in these groups. In the 3-MA group, the number of red and green fluorescence spots decreased significantly. The relative mRNA expression of Bax, Caspase-3, Caspase-9, Cyt C, and p62 was significantly down-regulated (P<0.05, P<0.01), while that of Bcl-2, Parkin, and PINK1 was significantly up-regulated (P<0.01). In the serum containing Zhenwutang groups, the relative protein expression levels of Bax, cleaved Caspase-3, cleaved Caspase-9, Cyt C, and p62 were significantly down-regulated (P<0.05,P<0.01). The LC3Ⅱ/Ⅰ was significantly increased, and the relative protein expression levels of Bcl-2, p-Parkin, p-PINK1, and Beclin1 were significantly up-regulated (P<0.01). ConclusionThe serum containing Zhenwutang can reduce the apoptosis of myocardial mast cells and increase mitochondrial autophagy. This is related to the inhibition of intracellular Bax/Bcl-2/Caspase-3 apoptosis pathway and regulation of Parkin/PINK1 mitochondrial autophagy pathway.
2.Effect and Mechanism of Wulingsan Decoction in Protecting Blood Brain Barrier and Ameliorating Cerebral Edema after Intracerebral Hemorrhage in Mice
Damei TAO ; Huihong LI ; Xiaoqing ZHENG ; Yunfei DENG ; Wei WEI ; Xiehua XUE
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(4):1-9
ObjectiveTo study the effect of Wulingsan on cerebral edema after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) in mice and explore the treatment mechanism. MethodsThe mouse model of ICH was established by injection of collagenase into the caudate nucleus. Mice were randomly assigned into the following groups: sham, ICH, intervention before modeling with low-dose and high-dose (3.69, 11.07 g·kg-1, respectively) Wulingsan, and intervention after modeling with high-dose Wulingsan. The modified neurological severity score (mNSS) was recorded, and the small animal MRI T2 sequential scanning was performed to measure the volume of cerebral hemorrhage after the modeling of ICH in each group. The Y-maze test, open field test, and Morris water maze test were conducted to evaluate the neurological behaviors of mice in each group. Hematoxylin-eosin staining was employed to observe the pathological changes in the brain tissue. Immunohistochemistry was employed to observe the expression of aquaporin 4 (AQP4), neuronal nuclei (NeuN), and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in the brain tissue. Western blot was employed to determine the protein levels of AQP4, Claudin-5, and zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) in the hematoma area. ResultsCompared with the sham group, the ICH group showed increases in the mNSS, the cerebral hemorrhage volume, and the escape latency in the Morris water maze test (P<0.01), decreases in the times of touching the platform and times of entering the quadrant where the platform was located in the Morris water maze test, and reductions in the spontaneous alternation rate in the Y-maze test and the ratio of distance of center travel to total travel distance in the open field test (P<0.01). Moreover, pathological changes such as cell disarrangement, cell space enlargement, and cell swelling were observed in the ICH group. Immunohistochemistry results showed that the ICH group had higher proportions of AQP4- and GFAP-positive cells and lower proportion of NeuN-positive cells than the sham group (P<0.01). Compared with the sham group, the ICH group showed an up-regulated protein level of AQP4 and down-regulated protein levels of Claudin-5 and ZO-1 (P<0.01). Compared with the ICH group, the intervention with Wulingsan decreased the mNSS, the volume of cerebral hemorrhage, and the escape latency in the Morris water maze test (P<0.05, P<0.01), while increasing the times of touching the platform and times of entering the quadrant where the platform was located in the Morris water maze test, the spontaneous alternation rate in the Y-maze test, and the ratio of distance of center travel to total travel distance in the open field test (P<0.05, P<0.01). Furthermore, the intervention with Wulingsan alleviated the pathological changes in the brain tissue after ICH, decreased the proportion of AQP4- and GFAP-positive cells (P<0.01), increased the proportion of NeuN-positive cells (P<0.01), down-regulated the protein level of AQP4 (P<0.01), and up-regulated the protein levels of Claudin-5 and ZO-1 (P<0.01). ConclusionThe intervention with Wulingsan could reduce the neural function score and the cerebral hemorrhage volume, up-regulate the expression of Claudin-5 and ZO-1, and down-regulate the expression of AQP4 to ameliorate the neurological function defect and cerebral edema after ICH, thereby protecting the brain.
3.Development of a RP scoring system for predicting perioperative outcomes in robot-assisted partial nephrectomy by optimizing RENAL and MAP scores
Liang ZHENG ; Bohong CHEN ; Haoxiang HUANG ; Cong FENG ; Jin ZENG ; Wei CHEN ; Dapeng WU
Journal of Modern Urology 2025;30(1):53-58
[Objective] To establish a new scoring system to predict the perioperative outcomes (operation time, intraoperative blood loss, and trifecta achievement) in patients undergoing robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) by integrating the RENAL and Mayo adhesive probability (MAP) scores. [Methods] Clinical data of 178 patients with renal cell carcinoma who underwent RAPN performed by the same surgeon in our hospital during Jan.2015 and Jan.2022 were retrospectively analyzed.The RENAL and MAP scores of all patients were calculated.Linear regression and logistic regression were used to evaluate the associations between the components of the RENAL and MAP scores (a total of 6 variables) and perioperative outcomes.The factors with significant associations were then included into logistic regression analysis to identify independent predictors for constructing an assessment system for perioperative outcomes, and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was plotted to calculate the area under the curve (AUC) to predict its efficacy. [Results] Multivariate linear regression analysis showed that tumor size (β=6.14, 95%CI: 1.93—10.34, P=0.004), exophytic rate (β=10.60, 95%CI: 3.44—17.76, P=0.004), and perinephric fat thickness (β=16.48, 95%CI: 8.52—24.45, P<0.001) were significantly associated with operation time.Tumor size (β=10.55 95%CI: 5.60—15.49, P<0.001) was associated with both intraoperative blood loss and trifecta achievement (OR=1.73, 95%CI: 1.26—2.36, P=0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis of these 3 factors identified tumor size (OR=9.07, 95% CI: 1.18—69.45, P=0.03) and perinephric fat thickness (OR=2.28, 95%CI: 1.86—6.04, P=0.01) as independent predictors of perioperative outcomes.Based on these findings, the tumor size and perinephric fat thickness (RP) scoring was constructed, which demonstrated better predictive ability than RENAL score or MAP score alone (RP vs.RENAL vs.MAP: 0.766 vs.0.548 vs.0.684). [Conclusion] The RP score includes fewer variables than the RENAL and MAP scores but outperforms them.
4.Quality evaluation of Jingtian granule based on fingerprint combined with chemical pattern recognition
Wei ZHAO ; Shuhe CHEN ; Bin YAN ; Qiongfang ZHENG ; Weixin ZHANG ; Yuanming BA
China Pharmacy 2025;36(3):300-305
OBJECTIVE To establish the ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) fingerprint of Jingtian granule, and to evaluate its quality by chemical pattern recognition. METHODS Luna® Omega Polar C18 column (150 mm×2.1 mm, 1.6 μm) was used as the chromatographic column, and acetonitrile-0.2% phosphoric acid solution was used as the mobile phase for gradient elution. The flow rate was 0.2 mL/min, the column temperature was 30 ℃, and the detection wavelength was 265 nm. With peak 16 as the reference peak, the UPLC fingerprint of Jingtian granule was established by the Similarity Evaluation System of Chromatographic Fingerprint of Traditional Chinese Medicine (2012 edition). The common peaks were identified, the similarity evaluation was carried out, and the ownership of each common peak was confirmed. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) and principal component analysis (PCA) in chemical pattern recognition methods were used to classify 13 batches of samples (S1- S13), and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) was used to identify the key components of the differences between different batches of samples. RESULTS RSDs of precision, repeatability and stability of the UPLC method were not more than 4.4%. A total of 25 common peaks were identified in the fingerprints of 13 batches of Jingtian granules. By comparing with the reference substance fingerprint, 10 common peaks were identified, namely peak 3 (hydroxymethyl-2-furaldehyde), peak 5 (salidroside), peak 8(chlorogenic acid), peak 15 (cinnamic acid), peak 19 (aloe-emodin), peak 20 (ammonium glycyrrhizinate), peak 21 (rhein), peak 23 (emodin), peak 24 (glycyrrhetinic acid), peak 25 (chrysophanol). The similarities of fingerprints of 13 batches of samples were 0.955-0.996. The results of HCA showed that 13 batches of samples could be divided into three categories, among which samples S1, S5, S7, S11-S13 were clustered in one category, S4 and S6 were clustered in one category, S2, S3 and S8-S10 were clustered in one category. PCA results showed that the cumulative variance contribution rate of principal components 1-7 was 92.666%. OPLS-DA further identified 13 differential components, which were mainly derived from Polygonati Rhizoma with wine steaming, Rhodiolae Crenulatae Radix Et Rhizoma, prepared Rhei Radix Et Rhizoma and Glycyrrhizae Radix Et Rhizome Praeparata Cum Melle. CONCLUSIONS The established UPLC fingerprint of Jingtian granule is simple, stable and reproducible. Combined with the chemical pattern recognition method, it can effectively reveal the overall quality difference between different batches of Jingtian granule. The quality of Polygonati Rhizoma with wine steaming, Rhodiolae Crenulatae Radix Et Rhizoma, prepared Rhei Radix Et Rhizoma, Dioscoreae Nipponicae Rhizoma, Polyporus, Cinnamomi Ramulus, Glycyrrhizae Radix Et Rhizome Praeparata Cum Melle is the key to the overall quality of Jingtian granule.
5.LncRNA SFTA1P modulates the miR - 182 - 5p / FN1 pathway to promote the proliferation and migration of clear cell renal carcinoma cells
Wei Xiang ; Lei Lv ; Fuxin Zheng ; Jingdong Yuan
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2025;60(1):41-48
Abstract:
To explore the molecular mechanism by which long non-coding RNA Surfactant Associated 1 Pseudogene(SFTA1P) promotes the proliferation and migration of clear cell renal cell carcinoma(ccRCC) cells by regulating the microRNA-182-5p(miR-182-5p)/fibronectin 1(FN1) pathway.
Methods:
GEPIA2 software was utilized to analyze the expression ofSFTA1Pin ccRCC tissues from the TCGA database. Quantitative real-time PCR(qPCR) was employed to detect the expression ofSFTA1Pin ccRCC tissues, normal kidney tissues and ccRCC cell lines. A subcellular localization experiment was performed to explore the localization ofSFTA1Pwithin the human renal cell adenocarcinoma cell line(ACHN) derived from ccRCC. ACHN cells were then divided into the following groups: si-Con group, si-SFTA1P #2 group, mimic NC group, miR-182-5p mimic group, anti-miR-Con group, anti-miR-182-5p group, anti-miR-182-5p+si-FN1 group, si-Con+anti-miR-Con group, si-SFTA1P #2+anti-miR-Con group, and si-SFTA1P #2+anti-miR-182-5p group. CCK-8 and Transwell chamber experiments were conducted to assess cell proliferation and migration abilities. qPCR, Western blot, and dual-luciferase reporter assays were employed to elucidate the regulatory interactions amongSFTA1P,miR-182-5p, andFN1.
Results:
Analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA) database indicated thatSFTA1Pwas overexpressed in ccRCC tissues(P<0.05). When compared to normal kidney tissues,SFTA1Pexpression was markedly elevated in ccRCC tissues(P<0.01). Furthermore, the expression levels ofSFTA1Pin ccRCC cell lines 786-O, SN12-PM6, ACHN, and A498 were significantly higher than those in human renal proximal tubule cells(HK-2)(allP<0.01). Subcellular localization experiments revealed thatSFTA1Ppredominantly localized in the cytoplasm of ACHN cells. Compared to the si-Con group, the si-SFTA1P #2 group exhibited a significant reduction in proliferation and migration abilities of ACHN cells, accompanied by a decrease inFN1mRNA and protein expression(P<0.05). Compared to the mimic NC group, the expression ofFN1mRNA and protein in ACHN cells in the miR-182-5p mimic group reduced(P<0.01). In comparison to the anti-miR-Con group, the expression levels ofFN1mRNA and protein in ACHN cells were significantly elevated in the anti-miR-182-5p group. Additionally, there was a significant enhancement in both cell proliferation and migration capabilities(P<0.05). Conversely, the proliferation and migration abilities of ACHN cells in the anti-miR-182-5p+si-FN1 group were significantly reduced compared to the anti-miR-182-5p group(P<0.05). Furthermore, relative to the si-SFTA1P #2+anti-miR-Con group, the ACHN cells in the si-SFTA1P #2+anti-miR-182-5p group demonstrated increased proliferation and migration abilities, along with elevatedFN1mRNA and protein expression levels(P<0.05).
Conclusion
SFTA1Pexhibits elevated expression levels in ccRCC and facilitates the proliferation and migration of ccRCC cells through the modulation of themiR-182-5p/FN1signaling pathway.
6.Clinical characteristics and risk factors for adverse outcomes in omphalocele
Wei SHI ; Mingyu HAN ; Zheng CHEN ; Xiaoying CHENG ; Junjin CHEN ; Peng WANG ; Jinfa TOU ; Liping SHI ; Xiaolu MA
Chinese Journal of Pediatrics 2025;63(1):43-49
Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics of omphalocele, and to assess the risk factors associated with adverse outcomes.Methods:A retrospective cohort study was conducted. Clinical data of 224 patients diagnosed with omphalocele, who were hospitalized at Children′s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine from January 2013 to December 2022, were collected. Based on their discharge outcomes, the patients were classified into 2 groups: favorable outcomes and unfavorable outcomes. Chi-square test or continuity correction χ2 test or Fisher exact probability method, and Mann-Whitney U test were used for intergroup comparisons. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors associated with adverse outcomes in omphalocele. Results:Among the 224 patients with omphalocele, 126 were male. A total of 208 patients (92.9%) had favorable outcomes, while 16 patients (7.1%) had unfavorable outcomes. In the unfavorable outcomes group, 14 patients had giant omphaloceles, while 100 patients had giant omphaloceles in the favorable outcomes group. The rates of herniation of more than two intra-abdominal organs in the hernial sac, congenital heart defects, patent ductus arteriosus, pulmonary hypertension, sepsis and infection of the hernial sac, were all higher in the unfavorable outcomes group compared to the favorable outcomes group (all P<0.05). Patients with unfavorable outcomes had longer mechanical ventilation time, duration of oxygen use, duration of parenteral nutrition, hospital stays, and higher rates of parenteral nutrition-associated cholestasis compared to those with favorable outcomes (all P<0.01). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis indicated that pulmonary hypertension ( OR=9.39, 95% CI 1.20-73.32), sepsis ( OR=8.59, 95% CI 1.32-55.86), and congenital heart defects ( OR=6.55, 95% CI 1.11-38.73) were all independent risk factors for adverse outcomes in omphalocele (all P<0.05). Conclusions:Infants with omphalocele are prone to complications such as cardiovascular malformations, infections, and pulmonary hypertension. Adverse outcomes in omphalocele are associated with pulmonary hypertension, sepsis, and congenital heart defects.
7.Bibliometric analysis of studies on myopia in preschool children in the last 20 years
Na YUAN ; Yuxia LIU ; Lingjun WEI ; Haitao ZHENG
International Eye Science 2025;25(4):558-564
AIM: To identify research articles on myopia in preschool children and explore its current status and development trends based on bibliometric analysis.METHODS: Data from the Web of Science Core Collection database were analyzed using the search term “TS=Preschool children myopia” to retrieve all relevant publications from January 1, 2004, to December 31, 2023.RESULTS: A total of 171 articles were included in the analysis. China was identified as the leading country in terms of publication volume, making significant contributions to this field. The National University of Singapore and Nanjing Medical University were recognized as key institutions at the forefront of this research. Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science and Ophthalmology emerged as the journals with the highest citation frequencies. High-frequency keywords highlighted the current status and future directions of myopia research in preschool children. Specifically, “prevalence”, “refractive error” and “risk factors” were identified as potential focal points for future investigations.CONCLUSION: This study provides a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of global literature on myopia in preschool children. It identifies the most frequently cited articles in this field, outlines the global research landscape, and highlights emerging hotspots and trends. These findings offer valuable insights and directions for researchers and practitioners focusing on this area.
8.Cloning, subcellular localization and expression analysis of SmIAA7 gene from Salvia miltiorrhiza
Yu-ying HUANG ; Ying CHEN ; Bao-wei WANG ; Fan-yuan GUAN ; Yu-yan ZHENG ; Jing FAN ; Jin-ling WANG ; Xiu-hua HU ; Xiao-hui WANG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2025;60(2):514-525
The auxin/indole-3-acetic acid (Aux/IAA) gene family is an important regulator for plant growth hormone signaling, involved in plant growth, development, as well as response to environmental stresses. In the present study, we identified
9.Therapeutic effect of anti-PD-L1&CXCR4 bispecific nanobody combined with gemcitabine in synergy with PBMC on pancreatic cancer treatment
Hai HU ; Shu-yi XU ; Yue-jiang ZHENG ; Jian-wei ZHU ; Ming-yuan WU
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2025;60(2):388-396
Pancreatic cancer is a kind of highly malignant tumor with a low survival rate and poor prognosis. The effectiveness of gemcitabine as a first-line chemotherapy drug is limited; however, it can activate dendritic cells and improve antigen presentation which increase the sensitivity of tumor cell to immunotherapy. Although immunotherapy has made some advancements in cancer treatment, the therapeutic benefit of programmed cell death receptor 1/programmed death receptor-ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) blockade therapy remains relatively low. The chemokine C-X-C chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12) contributes to an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment by recruiting immunosuppressive cells. The receptor C-X-C motif chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4), highly expressed in various tumors including pancreatic cancer, plays a crucial role in tumor development and progression. In this study, the anti-tumor immune response of human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (hPBMC) was enhanced using the combination of BsNb PX4 (anti-PD-L1&CXCR4 bispecific nanobody) and gemcitabine. In a co-culture system of gemcitabine-pretreated hPBMCs with tumor cells, the BsNb PX4 synergized gemcitabine to improve the cytotoxic activity of hPBMCs against tumor cells. Flow cytometry analysis confirmed increased ratio of CD8+ to CD4+ T cells in combination treatment. In NOD/SCID mice bearing pancreatic cancer, the combination treatment exhibited more infiltration of CD8+ T cells into tumor tissues, contributing to an effective anti-tumor response. This study presents potential new therapies for the treatment of pancreatic cancer. Ethical approval was obtained for collection of hPBMC samples from the Local Ethics Committee of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. All animal experiments were approved by the Animal Ethic Committee of Shanghai Jiao Tong University (authorizing number: A2024246).
10.Chemical consitituents and hypoglycemic activity of Qinhuai No. 1 Rehmannia glutinosa
Meng YANG ; Zhi-you HAO ; Xiao-lan WANG ; Chao-yuan XIAO ; Jun-yang ZHANG ; Shi-qi ZHOU ; Xiao-ke ZHENG ; Wei-sheng FENG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2025;60(1):205-210
Eight compounds were isolated and purified from the ethyl acetate part of 70% acetone extract of


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