1.Exploring the treatment approach for bone marrow suppression after radiotherapy and chemotherapy from the perspective of "acute deficiency syndrome"
Zhiming LI ; Fen HUANG ; Jiawang JIANG ; Wei JIANG ; Xiaochun CHEN ; Xin LI
Journal of Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;48(1):122-126
Bone marrow suppression is one of the common adverse reactions to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Anticancer treatments such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy first directly damage the patient′s peripheral blood cells, impairing qi and blood; further, they damage the actively proliferating cell populations in the bone marrow, impairing yin and blood; and then they interfere with hematopoietic stem cells, impairing essence and blood. This process is rapid and intense, consistent with the characteristics of " acute deficiency syndrome" , marked by sudden onset, rapid changes, critical condition, complexity and variability, multiple complications, and poor prognosis. Given this, its diagnosis and treatment should differ from those of general deficiency syndromes. This paper advocates the principles and ideas of diagnosis and treatment such as " preventing first and treating early to prevent changes; supplementing for deficiency and strengthening vital qi to eliminate pathogenic factor; urgent rescue for critical conditions, no time to lose; and comprehensive supplementing throughout the process, with severe cases requiring singular action" . This approach is intended to provide theoretical reference and practical guidance for bone marrow suppression after radiotherapy and chemotherapy.
2.The Mesencephalic Locomotor Region for Locomotion Control
Xing-Chen GUO ; Yan XIE ; Xin-Shuo WEI ; Wen-Fen LI ; Ying-Yu SUN
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(7):1804-1816
Locomotion, a fundamental motor function encompassing various forms such as swimming, walking, running, and flying, is essential for animal survival and adaptation. The mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR), located at the midbrain-hindbrain junction, is a conserved brain area critical for controlling locomotion. This review highlights recent advances in understanding the MLR’s structure and function across species, from lampreys to mammals and birds, with a particular focus on insights gained from optogenetic studies in mammals. The goal is to uncover universal strategies for MLR-mediated locomotor control. Electrical stimulation of the MLR in species such as lampreys, salamanders, cats, and mice initiates locomotion and modulates speed and patterns. For example, in lampreys, MLR stimulation induces swimming, with increased intensity or frequency enhancing propulsive force. Similarly, in salamanders, graded stimulation transitions locomotor outputs from walking to swimming. Histochemical studies reveal that effective MLR stimulation sites colocalize with cholinergic neurons, suggesting a conserved neurochemical basis for locomotion control. In mammals, the MLR comprises two key nuclei: the cuneiform nucleus (CnF) and the pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN). Both nuclei contain glutamatergic and GABAergic neurons, with the PPN additionally housing cholinergic neurons. Optogenetic studies in mice by selectively activating glutamatergic neurons have demonstrated that the CnF and PPN play distinct roles in motor control: the CnF drives rapid escape behaviors, while the PPN regulates slower, exploratory movements. This functional specialization within the MLR allows animals to adapt their locomotion patterns and speed in response to environmental demands and behavioral objectives. Similar to findings in lampreys, the CnF and PPN in mice transmit motor commands to spinal effector circuits by modulating the activity of brainstem reticular formation neurons. However, they achieve this through distinct reticulospinal pathways, enabling the generation of specific behaviors. Further insights from monosynaptic rabies viral tracing reveal that the CnF and PPN integrate inputs from diverse brain regions to produce context-appropriate behaviors. For instance, glutamatergic neurons in the PPN receive signals from other midbrain structures, the basal ganglia, and medullary nuclei, whereas glutamatergic neurons in the CnF rarely receive inputs from the basal ganglia but instead are strongly influenced by the periaqueductal grey and inferior colliculus within the midbrain. These differential connectivity patterns underscore the specialized roles of the CnF and PPN in motor control, highlighting their unique contributions to coordinating locomotion. Birds exhibit exceptional flight capabilities, yet the avian MLR remains poorly understood. Comparative studies suggest that the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus (PPTg) in birds is homologous to the mammalian PPN, which contains cholinergic neurons, while the intercollicular nucleus (ICo) or nucleus isthmi pars magnocellularis (ImC) may correspond to the CnF. These findings provide important clues for identifying the avian MLR and elucidating its role in flight control. However, functional validation through targeted experiments is urgently needed to confirm these hypotheses. Optogenetics and other advanced techniques in mice have greatly advanced MLR research, enabling precise manipulation of specific neuronal populations. Future studies should extend these methods to other species, particularly birds, to explore unique locomotor adaptations. Comparative analyses of MLR structure and function across species will deepen our understanding of the conserved and evolved features of motor control, revealing fundamental principles of locomotion regulation throughout evolution. By integrating findings from diverse species, we can uncover how the MLR has been adapted to meet the locomotor demands of different environments, from aquatic to aerial habitats.
3.Effect of interferon induced transmembrane protein 1 ( IFITM1 ) upregulation to cytokine release syndrome in CAR-T-treated B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
Mengyi DU ; Yinqiang ZHANG ; Chenggong LI ; Fen ZHOU ; Wenjing LUO ; Lu TANG ; Jianghua WU ; Huiwen JIANG ; Qiuzhe WEI ; Cong LU ; Haiming KOU ; Yu HU ; Heng MEI
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(10):1242-1244
4.Thiotepa-containing conditioning for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in children with inborn errors of immunity: a retrospective clinical analysis.
Xiao-Jun WU ; Xia-Wei HAN ; Kai-Mei WANG ; Shao-Fen LIN ; Li-Ping QUE ; Xin-Yu LI ; Dian-Dian LIU ; Jian-Pei FANG ; Ke HUANG ; Hong-Gui XU
Chinese Journal of Contemporary Pediatrics 2025;27(10):1240-1246
OBJECTIVES:
To evaluate the safety and efficacy of thiotepa (TT)-containing conditioning regimens for allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) in children with inborn errors of immunity (IEI).
METHODS:
Clinical data of 22 children with IEI who underwent HSCT were retrospectively reviewed. Survival after HSCT was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method.
RESULTS:
Nine patients received a traditional conditioning regimen (fludarabine + busulfan + cyclophosphamide/etoposide) and underwent peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT). Thirteen patients received a TT-containing modified conditioning regimen (TT + fludarabine + busulfan + cyclophosphamide), including seven PBSCT and six umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT) cases. Successful engraftment with complete donor chimerism was achieved in all patients. Acute graft-versus-host disease occurred in 12 patients (one with grade III and the remaining with grade I-II). Chronic graft-versus-host disease occurred in one patient. The incidence of EB viremia in UCBT patients was lower than that in PBSCT patients (P<0.05). Over a median follow-up of 36.0 months, one death occurred. The 3-year overall survival (OS) rate was 100% for the modified regimen and 88.9% ± 10.5% for the traditional regimen (P=0.229). When comparing transplantation types, the 3-year OS rates were 100% for UCBT and 93.8% ± 6.1% for PBSCT (P>0.05), and the 3-year event-free survival rates were 100% and 87.1% ± 8.6%, respectively (P>0.05).
CONCLUSIONS
TT-containing conditioning for allogeneic HSCT in children with IEI is safe and effective. Both UCBT and PBSCT may achieve high success rates.
Humans
;
Retrospective Studies
;
Transplantation Conditioning/methods*
;
Thiotepa/therapeutic use*
;
Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation/adverse effects*
;
Male
;
Female
;
Child, Preschool
;
Infant
;
Child
;
Transplantation, Homologous
;
Graft vs Host Disease
;
Adolescent
5.Clinical Characteristics and Prognosis of Primary Pulmonary Lymphoma.
You-Fan FENG ; Yuan-Yuan ZHANG ; Xiao Fang WEI ; Qi-Ke ZHANG ; Li ZHAO ; Xiao-Qin LIANG ; Yuan FU ; Fei LIU ; Yang-Yang ZHAO ; Xiu-Juan HUANG ; Qing-Fen LI
Journal of Experimental Hematology 2025;33(2):387-392
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the clinical characteristics and prognosis of primary pulmonary lymphoma (PPL).
METHODS:
The clinical data of 17 patients with PPL admitted to Gansu Provincial Hospital from January 2013 to June 2023 were collected, and their clinical characteristics and prognosis were retrospectively analyzed and summarized.
RESULTS:
The median age of the 17 patients was 56 (29-73) years old. There were 8 males and 9 females. According to Ann Arbor staging system, there were 9 patients with stage I-II and 8 patients with stage III-IV. There were 14 patients with IPI score of 0-2 and 3 patients with IPI score of 3-4. All 17 patients had symptoms at the initial diagnosis, most of the first symptoms were cough, and 6 patients had B symptoms.Among the 17 patients, there were 8 cases of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), 5 cases of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma, 1 case of gray zone lymphoma (GZL), and 3 cases of Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL). 15 patients received chemotherapy, of which 3 cases received autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation(ASCT) and 3 cases received radiotherapy; 2 patients did not receive treatment. The median number of chemotherapy courses was 6(2-8). The short-term efficacy was evaluated, 12 patients achieved complete remission (CR) and 3 patients achieved partial remission (PR). The age, pathological subtype, sex, Ann Arbor stage, β2-microglobulin(β2-MG) level, lactate dehydrogenase(LDH) level were not correlated with CR rate (P >0.05), while IPI score was correlated with recent CR rate (P < 0.05 ). The median follow-up time was 31(2-102) months. One of the 12 CR patients died of COVID-19, and the rest survived. Among the 3 patients who did not reach CR, 1 died after disease progression, while the other 2 survived. One of the 2 untreated patients died one year after diagnosis. Both the median progression-free survival (PFS) time and overall survival (OS) time of the 17 patients were both 31 (2-102) months.
CONCLUSION
The incidence of PPL is low, and the disease has no specific clinical manifestations, which is easily missed and misdiagnosed. The pathological subtypes are mainly MALT lymphoma and DLBCL, and the treatment is mainly combined chemotherapy. The IPI score is related to the treatment efficacy.
Humans
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Middle Aged
;
Male
;
Female
;
Adult
;
Prognosis
;
Aged
;
Lung Neoplasms/therapy*
;
Retrospective Studies
;
Neoplasm Staging
;
Lymphoma/therapy*
;
Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse
6.Brain functional changes following electroacupuncture in a mouse model of comorbid pain and depression: A resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study.
Xuan YIN ; Xiao-Ling ZENG ; Jing-Jing LIN ; Wen-Qing XU ; Kai-Yu CUI ; Xiu-Tian GUO ; Wei LI ; Shi-Fen XU
Journal of Integrative Medicine 2025;23(2):159-168
OBJECTIVE:
Comorbid pain and depression are common but remain difficult to treat. Electroacupuncture (EA) can effectively improve symptoms of depression and relieve pain, but its neural mechanism remains unclear. Therefore, we used resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) to detect cerebral changes after initiating a mouse pain model via constriction of the infraorbital nerve (CION) and then treating these animals with EA.
METHODS:
Forty male C57BL/6J mice were divided into 4 groups: control, CION model, EA, and sham acupuncture (without needle insertion). EA was performed on the acupoints Baihui (GV20) and Zusanli (ST36) for 20 min, once a day for 10 consecutive days. The mechanical withdrawal threshold was tested 3 days after the surgery and every 3 days after the intervention. The depressive behavior was evaluated with the tail suspension test, open-field test, elevated plus maze (EPM), sucrose preference test, and marble burying test. The rs-fMRI was used to detect the cerebral changes of the functional connectivity (FC) in the mice following EA treatment.
RESULTS:
Compared with the CION group, the mechanical withdrawal threshold increased in the EA group at the end of the intervention (P < 0.05); the immobility time in tail suspension test decreased (P < 0.05); and the times of the open arm entry and the open arm time in the EPM increased (both P < 0.001). There was no difference in the sucrose preference or marble burying tests (both P > 0.05). The fMRI results showed that EA treatment downregulated the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations and regional homogeneity values, while these indicators were elevated in brain regions including the amygdala, hippocampus and cerebral cortex in the CION model for comorbid pain and depression. Selecting the amygdala as the seed region, we found that the FC was higher in the CION group than in the control group. Meanwhile, EA treatment was able to decrease the FC between the amygdala and other brain regions including the caudate putamen, thalamus, and parts of the cerebral cortex.
CONCLUSION
EA can downregulate the abnormal activation of neurons in the amygdala and improve its FC with other brain regions, thus exerting analgesic and antidepressant effects. Please cite this article as: Yin X, Zeng XL, Lin JJ, Xu WQ, Cui KY, Guo XT, Li W, Xu SF. Brain functional changes following electroacupuncture in a mouse model of comorbid pain and depression: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(2): 159-168.
Animals
;
Electroacupuncture
;
Male
;
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
;
Depression/diagnostic imaging*
;
Mice, Inbred C57BL
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Brain/diagnostic imaging*
;
Disease Models, Animal
;
Mice
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Pain/diagnostic imaging*
;
Acupuncture Points
7.Deciphering the Role of VIM, STX8, and MIF in Pneumoconiosis Susceptibility: A Mendelian Randomization Analysis of the Lung-Gut Axis and Multi-Omics Insights from European and East Asian Populations.
Chen Wei ZHANG ; Bin Bin WAN ; Yu Kai ZHANG ; Tao XIONG ; Yi Shan LI ; Xue Sen SU ; Gang LIU ; Yang Yang WEI ; Yuan Yuan SUN ; Jing Fen ZHANG ; Xiao YU ; Yi Wei SHI
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2025;38(10):1270-1286
OBJECTIVE:
Pneumoconiosis, a lung disease caused by irreversible fibrosis, represents a significant public health burden. This study investigates the causal relationships between gut microbiota, gene methylation, gene expression, protein levels, and pneumoconiosis using a multi-omics approach and Mendelian randomization (MR).
METHODS:
We analyzed gut microbiota data from MiBioGen and Esteban et al. to assess their potential causal effects on pneumoconiosis subtypes (asbestosis, silicosis, and inorganic pneumoconiosis) using conventional and summary-data-based MR (SMR). Gene methylation and expression data from Genotype-Tissue Expression and eQTLGen, along with protein level data from deCODE and UK Biobank Pharma Proteomics Project, were examined in relation to pneumoconiosis data from FinnGen. To validate our findings, we assessed self-measured gut flora from a pneumoconiosis cohort and performed fine mapping, drug prediction, molecular docking, and Phenome-Wide Association Studies to explore relevant phenotypes of key genes.
RESULTS:
Three core gut microorganisms were identified: Romboutsia ( OR = 0.249) as a protective factor against silicosis, Pasteurellaceae ( OR = 3.207) and Haemophilus parainfluenzae ( OR = 2.343) as risk factors for inorganic pneumoconiosis. Additionally, mapping and quantitative trait loci analyses revealed that the genes VIM, STX8, and MIF were significantly associated with pneumoconiosis risk.
CONCLUSIONS
This multi-omics study highlights the associations between gut microbiota and key genes ( VIM, STX8, MIF) with pneumoconiosis, offering insights into potential therapeutic targets and personalized treatment strategies.
Humans
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Male
;
East Asian People/genetics*
;
Europe
;
Gastrointestinal Microbiome
;
Lung
;
Macrophage Migration-Inhibitory Factors/metabolism*
;
Mendelian Randomization Analysis
;
Multiomics
;
Pneumoconiosis/microbiology*
;
Intramolecular Oxidoreductases
8.Influenza and pneumococcal vaccination coverage and associated factors in patients hospitalized with acute exacerbations of COPD in China: Findings from real-world data
Ruoxi HE ; Xiaoxia REN ; Ke HUANG ; Jieping LEI ; Hongtao NIU ; Wei LI ; Fen DONG ; Baicun LI ; Ye WANG ; Ting YANG ; Chen WANG
Chinese Medical Journal 2024;137(10):1179-1189
Background::Influenza and pneumococcal vaccination are a priority in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, limited information is available on vaccination coverage among patients with acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) in China. This study aimed to determine the rates and associated factors of influenza and pneumococcal vaccination in patients hospitalized with AECOPD.Methods::Baseline data from a national, multicenter, hospital-based study that included adult inpatients with AECOPD between 2017 and 2021 were analyzed. The outcomes of interest were the influenza vaccination in the past year and the pneumococcal vaccination in the past 5 years. To ensure national representativeness, rates were weighted according to the distribution of hospital levels and types enrolled in this study. Multivariable Poisson regression based on mixed-effects models were used to determine the associated factors. The independent variables included the region and hospital features where the participants were located, sociodemographic characteristics (age, sex, rural/urban residence, education, etc.), and clinical indicators (COPD disease history, lung function parameters, comorbidities, etc.). The treatment profiles of the vaccinated and unvaccinated participants were compared.Results::Of 6949 eligible participants, the weighted rates of influenza/pneumococcal, influenza, and pneumococcal vaccination were 2.72% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.34%-3.10%), 2.09% (95% CI: 1.76%-2.43%), and 1.25% (95% CI: 0.99%-1.51%), respectively. In multivariable models, age ≥60 years (60-69 years, odds ratio [OR]: 1.90, 95% CI: 1.11-3.25; ≥80 years, OR: 2.00, 95% CI: 1.06-3.78), geographical regions (Northern China relative to Eastern China, OR: 5.09, 95% CI: 1.96-13.21), urban residence (OR: 1.69, 95% CI: 1.07-2.66), a higher education level (junior high school, OR: 1.77, 95% CI: 1.21-2.58; senior high school or above, OR: 2.61, 95% CI: 1.69-4.03), former smoking (OR: 1.79, 95% CI: 1.15-2.79), and regular inhaled medication treatment (OR: 3.28, 95% CI: 2.29-4.70) were positively associated with vaccination. Patients who had experienced severe exacerbations in the past year were less likely to be vaccinated (OR: 0.65, 95% CI: 0.45-0.96). Compared with unvaccinated participants, vaccinated participants adhered better to pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatment.Conclusions::Influenza and pneumococcal vaccination coverage are extremely low. Urgent measures are necessary to increase vaccination coverage among inpatients with AECOPD in China.
9.Bioequivalence of ibuprofen arginine granules in healthy Chinese volunteers
Pan-Pan SHI ; Fen SHEN ; Li-Mei SONG ; Feng-Li ZHAO ; Wang LI ; Wei-Chen ZHANG ; Yu TIAN
The Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2024;40(1):107-111
Objective To evaluate the bioequivalence and safety of ibuprofen arginine granules test and reference formulations in Chinese healthy volunteers under fasting and postprandial conditions,and to provide evidence for consistency evaluation and clinical application of the drugs.Methods A single-center,single-dose,randomized,open-label,fasting and postprandial,two-period,two-crossover trial design was used.Twenty-four healthy Chinese volunteers were enrolled in the fasting and postprandial trial,respectively.The test preparation and reference preparation of ibuprofen arginine granules 0.4 g were taken orally in a randomized crossover single dose.Data analysis was performed using Phoenix WinNonlin 8.3.Results In the fasting group,the main pharmacokinetic parameters of ibuprofen in plasma after administration of the test and reference formulations of ibuprofen arginine granules were as follows:Cmax were(51.07±7.43)and(50.10±7.64)μg·mL-1;AUC0-,were(122.78±20.62)and(119.94±21.03)μg·h·mL-1;AUC0_∞ were(125.84±21.31)and(122.64±21.87)μg·h·mL-1,respectively.In the postprandial group,the main pharmacokinetic parameters of ibuprofen in plasma after administration of the test and reference formulations of ibuprofen arginine granules were as follows:Cmax were(17.47±3.56)and(17.89±4.47)μg·mL-1;AUC0-twere(114.33±17.12)and(122.13±29.46)μg·h·mL-1;AUC0_∞ were(134.04±36.72)and(133.96±30.35)μg·h·mL-1,respectively.The 90%confidence intervals of the geometric mean ratio of the two preparations were as follows:Cmax 97.96%-106.02%,AUC0_t 98.77%-105.14%,AUC0-∞ 99.34%-105.19%in fasting group;in postprandial group,Cmax was 92.37%-103.05%,AUC0-t was 93.31%-99.56%,AUC0-∞ was 93.89%-102.91%.Conclusion The test preparation and reference preparation of ibuprofen arginine granules in this study are bioequivalent in healthy adult Chinese volunteers.
10.Effects of emodin on inflammatory response in preeclampsia rats by regulating AMPK/TXNIP/NLRP3 signaling pathway
Fen CHEN ; Fei-Fei YUAN ; Wei LI ; Hong-Li XI ; Hong-Yan GUO
The Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2024;40(14):2068-2072
Objective To explore the effect of emodin on inflammatory response in preeclampsia(PE)rats by regulating the AMP activated protein kinase(AMPK)/thioredoxin-interacting protein(TXNIP)/NOD-like receptor pyrin domain-containing protein 3(NLRP3)signaling pathway.Methods PE rat model was established by subcutaneous injection of L-arginine methyl ester(100 mg·kg-1).Sixty female rats were randomly divided into control group,model group,emodin group(40 mg·kg-1 emodin),Compound B10 group(100 mg·kg-1 Compound B10),emodin+Compound B10 group(40 mg·kg-1 emodin+100 mg·kg-1 Compound B10),with 12 rats in each group.The control group and the model group were intraperitoneally injected with the same amount of 0.9%NaCl.The 24 h urine was collected,and the total urinary protein content was determined by Coomassie brilliant blue method.The protein levels of AMPK/TXNIP/NLRP3 signaling pathway were detected by Western blot.Results The total urinary protein levels of control group,model group,emodin group,Compound B10 group and emodin+Compound B10 group were(54.34±6.26),(136.37±15.43),(76.38±8.61),(215.39±25.14)and(110.93±13.92)g·L-1,respectively;urine volume were(10.59±0.92),(15.38±1.49),(11.51±1.13),(21.49±2.50)and(14.71±1.49)mL,respectively;AMPK protein levels were 0.63±0.06,1.57±0.18,0.81±0.09,2.34±0.23 and 1.38±0.15,respectively;TXNIP protein levels were 0.33±0.04,0.79±0.08,0.49±0.10,1.13±0.12 and 0.82±0.09,respectively;NLRP3 protein levels were 0.46±0.05,0.83±0.09,0.56±0.07,1.25±0.14 and 0.78±0.08,respectively.The above indexes:Model group was compared with control group,emodin group and Compound B10 group,emodin+Compound B10 group was compared with emodin group,the differences were statistically significant(all P<0.05).Conclusion Emodin may alleviate inflammatory reaction in PE rats by inhibiting AMPK/TXNIP/NLRP3 signal axis,thereby improving placental injury.


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