1.Acute Inflammatory Pain Induces Sex-different Brain Alpha Activity in Anesthetized Rats Through Optically Pumped Magnetometer Magnetoencephalography
Meng-Meng MIAO ; Yu-Xuan REN ; Wen-Wei WU ; Yu ZHANG ; Chen PAN ; Xiang-Hong LIN ; Hui-Dan LIN ; Xiao-Wei CHEN
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(1):244-257
ObjectiveMagnetoencephalography (MEG), a non-invasive neuroimaging technique, meticulously captures the magnetic fields emanating from brain electrical activity. Compared with MEG based on superconducting quantum interference devices (SQUID), MEG based on optically pump magnetometer (OPM) has the advantages of higher sensitivity, better spatial resolution and lower cost. However, most of the current studies are clinical studies, and there is a lack of animal studies on MEG based on OPM technology. Pain, a multifaceted sensory and emotional phenomenon, induces intricate alterations in brain activity, exhibiting notable sex differences. Despite clinical revelations of pain-related neuronal activity through MEG, specific properties remain elusive, and comprehensive laboratory studies on pain-associated brain activity alterations are lacking. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of inflammatory pain (induced by Complete Freund’s Adjuvant (CFA)) on brain activity in a rat model using the MEG technique, to analysis changes in brain activity during pain perception, and to explore sex differences in pain-related MEG signaling. MethodsThis study utilized adult male and female Sprague-Dawley rats. Inflammatory pain was induced via intraplantar injection of CFA (100 μl, 50% in saline) in the left hind paw, with control groups receiving saline. Pain behavior was assessed using von Frey filaments at baseline and 1 h post-injection. For MEG recording, anesthetized rats had an OPM positioned on their head within a magnetic shield, undergoing two 15-minute sessions: a 5-minute baseline followed by a 10-minute mechanical stimulation phase. Data analysis included artifact removal and time-frequency analysis of spontaneous brain activity using accumulated spectrograms, generating spectrograms focused on the 4-30 Hz frequency range. ResultsMEG recordings in anesthetized rats during resting states and hind paw mechanical stimulation were compared, before and after saline/CFA injections. Mechanical stimulation elevated alpha activity in both male and female rats pre- and post-saline/CFA injections. Saline/CFA injections augmented average power in both sexes compared to pre-injection states. Remarkably, female rats exhibited higher average spectral power 1 h after CFA injection than after saline injection during resting states. Furthermore, despite comparable pain thresholds measured by classical pain behavioral tests post-CFA treatment, female rats displayed higher average power than males in the resting state after CFA injection. ConclusionThese results imply an enhanced perception of inflammatory pain in female rats compared to their male counterparts. Our study exhibits sex differences in alpha activities following CFA injection, highlighting heightened brain alpha activity in female rats during acute inflammatory pain in the resting state. Our study provides a method for OPM-based MEG recordings to be used to study brain activity in anaesthetized animals. In addition, the findings of this study contribute to a deeper understanding of pain-related neural activity and pain sex differences.
2.Biomimetic nanoparticle delivery systems b ased on red blood cell membranes for disease treatment
Chen-xia GAO ; Yan-yu XIAO ; Yu-xue-yuan CHEN ; Xiao-liang REN ; Mei-ling CHEN
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2025;60(2):348-358
Nanoparticle delivery systems have good application prospects in the field of precision therapy, but the preparation process of nanomaterial has problems such as short
3.Accuracy and feasibility of non-invasive cell-free fetal DNA RhE blood group genotyping
Jinhua YANG ; Daoju REN ; Xiaowei LI ; Jun XIAO ; Jiangzhou YOU ; Chunyue CHEN ; Xiaojuan ZHANG ; Cuiying LI
Chinese Journal of Blood Transfusion 2025;38(3):368-374
[Objective] To explore the accuracy and feasibility of non-invasive prenatal diagnosis of fetal RhE genotype using cell-free fetal DNA (cff-DNA) from maternal peripheral blood. [Methods] A total of 134 pregnant women with single fetuses and RhE-negative blood group were selected from our hospital from November 2023 to August 2024. Free DNA extraction kit was used to extract free DNA from peripheral blood of pregnant women, and the RhE blood group genotype of free DNA was detected by real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). If the qPCR amplification signal of the sample was negative, the methylated RASSF1A gene was amplified, and the positive amplification result was used as a sign of successful extraction of cff-DNA. Serological microcolumn gel method was used to detect the phenotype of RhE blood group in neonatal peripheral blood. [Results] Among the 134 maternal peripheral blood samples, the cff-DNA detection of RhE blood group phenotypes was consistent with the RhE blood group genotyping of neonatal peripheral blood in 133 cases, including 90 cases of Rhee genotype and 43 cases of RhE genotype, with diagnostic concordance rate of 99.3%, sensitivity of 97.7%, specificity of 100%, youden index of 0.977, area under ROC curve of 0.995, the Kappa value of 0.983, positive predictive value of 100%, and negative predictive value of 98.9%. The sample of 1 case failed to be detected. After the amplification of methylated RASSFIA gene, it was confirmed that the reason for the failure was that no cff-DNA was extracted from the sample. The diagnostic concordance rates of the first, second and third trimesters were 93.8% (15/16), 100% (51/51) and 100% (67/67), respectively. Fisher's exact test method was used to calculate the P value, which was P>0.05, indicating that there was no statistical significance in the difference of diagnostic concordance rate among the three pregnancy periods, and there was no difference in the detection concordance rate of this method in different pregnancy periods. [Conclusion] The use of cff-DNA in maternal peripheral blood for the detection of fetal RhE blood group genotype is an accurate and highly feasible non-invasive prenatal diagnostic method, which is helpful for the clinical diagnosis of fetal and neonatal hemolytic disease caused by anti-E antibody.
4.Immunotherapy for Lung Cancer
Pei-Yang LI ; Feng-Qi LI ; Xiao-Jun HOU ; Xue-Ren LI ; Xin MU ; Hui-Min LIU ; Shou-Chun PENG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(8):1998-2017
Lung cancer is the most common malignant tumor worldwide, ranking first in both incidence and mortality rates. According to the latest statistics from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), approximately 2.5 million new cases and around 1.8 million deaths from lung cancer occurred in 2022, placing a tremendous burden on global healthcare systems. The high mortality rate of lung cancer is closely linked to its subtle early symptoms, which often lead to diagnosis at advanced stages. This not only complicates treatment but also results in substantial economic losses. Current treatment options for lung cancer include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted drug therapy, and immunotherapy. Among these, immunotherapy has emerged as the most groundbreaking advancement in recent years, owing to its unique antitumor mechanisms and impressive clinical benefits. Unlike traditional therapies such as radiotherapy and chemotherapy, immunotherapy activates or enhances the patient’s immune system to recognize and eliminate tumor cells. It offers advantages such as more durable therapeutic effects and relatively fewer toxic side effects. The main approaches to lung cancer immunotherapy include immune checkpoint inhibitors, tumor-specific antigen-targeted therapies, adoptive cell therapies, cancer vaccines, and oncolytic virus therapies. Among these, immune checkpoint inhibitors and tumor-specific antigen-targeted therapies have received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for clinical use in lung cancer, significantly improving outcomes for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. Although other immunotherapy strategies are still in clinical trials, they show great potential in improving treatment precision and efficacy. This article systematically reviews the latest research progress in lung cancer immunotherapy, including the development of novel immune checkpoint molecules, optimization of treatment strategies, identification of predictive biomarkers, and findings from recent clinical trials. It also discusses the current challenges in the field and outlines future directions, such as the development of next-generation immunotherapeutic agents, exploration of more effective combination regimens, and the establishment of precise efficacy prediction systems. The aim is to provide a valuable reference for the continued advancement of lung cancer immunotherapy.
5.Mechanism of action of energy metabolism in hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury and related targeted therapies
Tiantian YANG ; Lu HUANG ; Xiao ZHANG ; Yali REN ; Weitian XU ; Song ZHANG
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(9):1956-1960
Hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury (HIRI) is an inevitable major complication during surgical procedures such as liver transplantation and partial hepatectomy, and its prevention and treatment are hotspots and difficulties in clinical practice. This article reviews the mechanism of injury caused by energy metabolism disorders during liver ischemia-reperfusion and related treatment strategies and summarizes the current advances in metabolism-related therapies, in order to provide new ideas for further clarifying the onset mechanism of HIRI and exploring effective clinical prevention and treatment strategies for HIRI.
6.Elemene Antitumor Drugs Development Based on "Molecular Compatibility Theory" and Clinical Application: A Retrospective and Prospective Outlook.
Xiao-Ying JIANG ; Li-Ping SHI ; Jun-Long ZHU ; Ren-Ren BAI ; Tian XIE
Chinese journal of integrative medicine 2024;30(1):62-74
Elemene, derived from Curcuma wenyujin, one of the "8 famous genuine medicinal materials of Zhejiang province," exhibits remarkable antitumor activity. It has gained wide recognition in clinical practice for effectiveness on tumors. Dr. XIE Tian, introduced the innovative concept of "molecular compatibility theory" by combining Chinese medicine principles, specifically the "monarch, minister, assistant, and envoy" theory, with modern biomedical technology. This groundbreaking approach, along with a systematic analysis of Chinese medicine and modern biomedical knowledge, led to the development of elemene nanoliposome formulations. These novel formulations offer numerous advantages, including low toxicity, well-defined composition, synergistic effects on multiple targets, and excellent biocompatibility. Following the principles of the "molecular compatibility theory", further exploration of cancer treatment strategies and methods based on elemene was undertaken. This comprehensive review consolidates the current understanding of elemene's potential antitumor mechanisms, recent clinical investigations, advancements in drug delivery systems, and structural modifications. The ultimate goal of this review is to establish a solid theoretical foundation for researchers, empowering them to develop more effective antitumor drugs based on the principles of "molecular compatibility theory".
Humans
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Retrospective Studies
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Antineoplastic Agents/therapeutic use*
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Neoplasms/drug therapy*
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Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*
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Sesquiterpenes/therapeutic use*
7.Hypoglycemic activities of flowers of Xanthoceras sorbifolia and identification of anti-oxidant components by off-line UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS-free radical scavenging detection.
Xiajing XU ; Yongli GUO ; Menglin CHEN ; Ning LI ; Yi SUN ; Shumeng REN ; Jiao XIAO ; Dongmei WANG ; Xiaoqiu LIU ; Yingni PAN
Chinese Herbal Medicines 2024;16(1):151-161
OBJECTIVE:
To identify phytochemical constituents present in the extract of flowers of Xanthoceras sorbifolia and evaluate their anti-oxidant and anti-hyperglycemic capacities.
METHODS:
The AlCl3 colorimetric method and Prussian Blue assay were used to determine the contents of total flavonoids and total phenolic acids in extraction layers, and the bioactive layers was screened through anti - oxidative activity in vitro. The Waters ACQUITY UPLC system and a Waters ACQUITY UPLC BEH C18 column (2.0 mm × 150 mm, 5 μm) were used to identify the ingredients. And anti-oxidative ingredients were screened by off-line UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS-free radical scavenging. The ameliorative role of it was further evaluated in a high-fat, streptozotocin-induced type 2 diabetic rat model and the study was carried out on NADPH oxidase (PDB ID: 2CDU) by molecular docking.
RESULTS:
Combined with the results of activity screening in vitro, the anti - oxidative part was identified as the ethyl acetate layer. A total of 24 chemical constituents were identified by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in the ethyl acetate layer and 13 main anti-oxidative active constituents were preliminarily screened out through off-line UPLC-QTOF-MS/MS-free radical scavenging. In vivo experiments showed that flowers of X. sorbifolia could significantly reduce the blood glucose level of diabetic mice and alleviate liver cell damage. Based on the results of docking analysis related to the identified phytocompounds and oxidase which involved in type 2 diabetes, quercetin 3-O-rutinoside, kaempferol-3-O-rhamnoside, isorhamnetin-3-O-glucoside, and isoquercitrin showed a better inhibitory profile.
CONCLUSION
The ethyl acetate layer was rich in flavonoids and phenolic acids and had significant anti-oxidant activity, which could prevent hyperglycemia. This observed activity profile suggested X. sorbifolia flowers as a promising new source of tea to develop alternative natural anti-diabetic products with a high safety margin.
8.A novel TNKS/USP25 inhibitor blocks the Wnt pathway to overcome multi-drug resistance in TNKS-overexpressing colorectal cancer.
Hongrui ZHU ; Yamin GAO ; Liyun LIU ; Mengyu TAO ; Xiao LIN ; Yijia CHENG ; Yaoyao SHEN ; Haitao XUE ; Li GUAN ; Huimin ZHAO ; Li LIU ; Shuping WANG ; Fan YANG ; Yongjun ZHOU ; Hongze LIAO ; Fan SUN ; Houwen LIN
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2024;14(1):207-222
Modulating Tankyrases (TNKS), interactions with USP25 to promote TNKS degradation, rather than inhibiting their enzymatic activities, is emerging as an alternative/specific approach to inhibit the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Here, we identified UAT-B, a novel neoantimycin analog isolated from Streptomyces conglobatus, as a small-molecule inhibitor of TNKS-USP25 protein-protein interaction (PPI) to overcome multi-drug resistance in colorectal cancer (CRC). The disruption of TNKS-USP25 complex formation by UAT-B led to a significant decrease in TNKS levels, triggering cell apoptosis through modulation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Importantly, UAT-B successfully inhibited the CRC cells growth that harbored high TNKS levels, as demonstrated in various in vitro and in vivo studies utilizing cell line-based and patient-derived xenografts, as well as APCmin/+ spontaneous CRC models. Collectively, these findings suggest that targeting the TNKS-USP25 PPI using a small-molecule inhibitor represents a compelling therapeutic strategy for CRC treatment, and UAT-B emerges as a promising candidate for further preclinical and clinical investigations.
9. Effect of naringenin regulating RIP1-RIP3-MLKL signaling pathway on apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells in rats with polycystic ovary syndrome
Xiang-Yang LYU ; Liang ZHANG ; Ji-Qun XU ; Xiao-Shuang REN
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2024;40(3):483-489
Aim Based on the apoptotic pathway mediated by receptor interacting protein kinase(RIP)1-RIP3-mixed spectrum kinase domain like protein(MLKL), to explore the effects of naringenin on ovarian granulosa cell apoptosis in rats with polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS). Methods SD rats were randomly assigned into normal control group, model group, naringenin group, RIP1 inhibitor(Nec-1)group, RIP1-RIP3-MLKL necrosis signal activator(Z-VAD-fmk)group, naringenin+Z-VAD-fmk group, 15 rats per group. ELISA method was performed to measure the levels of IL-1β and TNF-α in ovarian tissue. HE method was performed to observe the shape of the ovary. Granular cells were isolated from ovarian tissue, and flow cytometry was performed to measure apoptosis rate and necrosis rate. Immunohistochemistry was performed to measure the positive expression of p-RIP1 in ovarian tissue. Western blot was employed to detect the expression of RIP1-RIP3-MLKL pathway. Results RIP1 specific inhibitor Nec-1 and naringenin could block the phosphorylation and activation of RIP1, inhibit the RIP1-RIP3-MLKL signaling pathway, reduce the inflammation level in PCOS rats, and alleviate the necrosis and apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells(P<0.05). Z-VAD-fmk could promote the activation of RIP1-RIP3-MLKL pathway, aggravate the apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells, and partially weaken the anti-apoptosis effect of naringenin(P<0.05). Conclusions Naringenin may inhibit the apoptosis of ovarian granulosa cells in PCOS rats by blocking the activation of the necrotic apoptotic pathway mediated by RIP1-RIP3-MLKL.
10. Nuclear factor-KB signaling pathway and gender differences in alcoholic liver fibrosis
Xiao-Rain HONG ; San-Qiang LI ; Qin-Yi CUI ; Run-Yue ZHENG ; Meng-Li YANG ; Ren-Li LUO ; Qian-Hui LI ; San-Qiang LI
Acta Anatomica Sinica 2024;55(1):55-61
Objective To investigate the relationship between nuclear factor(NF)-κB signaling pathway and gender differences in alcoholic liver fibrosis. Methods C57BL/6 N mice at 7-8 weeks of age were randomly divided into: male normal group, male model group, female normal group and female model group of 20 mice each. The normal group was fed with control liquid diet for 8 weeks, and the model group was fed with alcoholic liquid diet for 8 weeks combined with 31.5% ethanol gavage (5g/kg twice a week) to establish an alcoholic liver fibrosis model. The mice were executed at the end of 8 weekends, and the alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) activity, estradiol (E

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