1.Small Intestine Lipid Absorption and Health: The Improvement Effect of Exercise Under The Challenge of High-fat Diet
Wei-Huan WANG ; Yu-Xi DAI ; Yu-Xiu HE
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(6):1560-1573
The two core causes of obesity in modern lifestyle are high-fat diet (HFD) and insufficient physical activity. HFD can lead to disruption of gut microbiota and abnormal lipid metabolism, further exacerbating the process of obesity. The small intestine, as the “first checkpoint” for the digestion and absorption of dietary lipids into the body, plays a pivotal role in lipid metabolism. The small intestine is involved in the digestion, absorption, transport, and synthesis of dietary lipids. The absorption of lipids in the small intestine is a crucial step, as overactive absorption leads to a large amount of lipids entering the bloodstream, which affects the occurrence of obesity. HFD can lead to insulin resistance, disruption of gut microbiota, and inflammatory response in the body, which can further induce lipid absorption and metabolism disorders in the small intestine, thereby promoting the occurrence of chronic metabolic diseases such as obesity. Long term HFD can accelerate pathological structural remodeling and lipid absorption dysfunction of the small intestine: after high-fat diet, the small intestine becomes longer and heavier, with excessive villi elongation and microvilli elongation, thereby increasing the surface area of lipid absorption and causing lipid overload in the small intestine. In addition, overexpression of small intestine uptake transporters, intestinal mucosal damage induced “intestinal leakage”, dysbiosis of intestinal microbiota, ultimately leading to abnormal lipid absorption and chronic inflammation, accelerating lipid accumulation and obesity. Exercise, as one of the important means of simple, economical, and effective proactive health interventions, has always been highly regarded for its role in improving lipid metabolism homeostasis. The effect of exercise on small intestine lipid absorption shows a dose-dependent effect. Moderate to low-intensity aerobic exercise can improve the intestinal microenvironment, regulate the structure and lipid absorption function of the small intestine, promote lipid metabolism and health, while vigorous exercise, excessive exercise, and long-term high-intensity training can cause intestinal discomfort, leading to the destruction of intestinal structure and related symptoms, affecting lipid absorption. Long term regular exercise can regulate the diversity of intestinal microbiota, inhibit inflammatory signal transduction such as NF-κB, enhance intestinal mucosal barrier function, and improve intestinal lipid metabolism disorders, further enhancing the process of small intestinal lipid absorption. Exercise also participates in the remodeling process of small intestinal epithelial cells, regulating epithelial structural homeostasis by activating cell proliferation related pathways such as Wnt/β-catenin. Exercise can regulate the expression of lipid transport proteins CD36, FATP, and NPC1L1, and regulate the function of small intestine lipid absorption. However, the research on the effects of long-term exercise on small intestine structure, villus structure, absorption surface area, and lipid absorption related proteins is not systematic enough, the results are inconsistent, and the relevant mechanisms are not clear. In the future, experimental research can be conducted on the dose-response relationship of different intensities and forms of exercise, exploring the mechanisms of exercise improving small intestine lipid absorption and providing theoretical reference for scientific weight loss. It should be noted that the intestine is an organ that is sensitive to exercise response. How to determine the appropriate range, threshold, and form of exercise intensity to ensure beneficial regulation of intestinal lipid metabolism induced by exercise should become an important research direction in the future.
2.Exercise Improves Metaflammation: The Potential Regulatory Role of BDNF
Yu-Xi DAI ; Wei-Huan WANG ; Yu-Xiu HE
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(9):2314-2331
Metaflammation is a crucial mechanism in the onset and advancement of metabolic disorders, primarily defined by the activation of immune cells and increased concentrations of pro-inflammatory substances. The function of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in modulating immune and metabolic processes has garnered heightened interest, as BDNF suppresses glial cell activation and orchestrates inflammatory responses in the central nervous system via its receptor tyrosine kinase receptor B (TrkB), while also diminishing local inflammation in peripheral tissues by influencing macrophage polarization. Exercise, as a non-pharmacological intervention, is extensively employed to enhance metabolic disorders. A crucial mechanism underlying its efficacy is the significant induction of BDNF expression in central (hypothalamus, hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and brainstem) and peripheral (liver, adipose tissue, intestines, and skeletal muscle) tissues and organs. This induction subsequently regulates inflammatory responses, ameliorates metabolic conditions, and decelerates disease progression. Consequently, BDNF is considered a pivotal molecule in the motor-metabolic regulation axis. Despite prior suggestions that BDNF may have a role in the regulation of exercise-induced inflammation, systematic data remains inadequate. Since that time, the field continues to lack structured descriptions and conversations pertinent to it. As exercise physiology research has advanced, the academic community has increasingly recognized that exercise is a multifaceted activity regulated by various systems, with its effects contingent upon the interplay of elements such as type, intensity, and frequency of exercise. Consequently, it is imperative to transcend the prior study paradigm that concentrated solely on localized effects and singular mechanisms and transition towards a comprehensive understanding of the systemic advantages of exercise. A multitude of investigations has validated that exercise confers health advantages for individuals with metabolic disorders, encompassing youngsters, adolescents, middle-aged individuals, and older persons, and typically enhances health via BDNF secretion. However, exercise is a double-edged sword; the relationship between exercise and health is not linearly positive. Insufficient exercise is ineffective, while excessive exercise can be detrimental to health. Consequently, it is crucial to scientifically develop exercise prescriptions, define appropriate exercise loads, and optimize health benefits to regulate bodily metabolism. BDNF mitigates metaflammation via many pathways during exercise. Initially, BDNF suppresses pro-inflammatory factors and facilitates the production of anti-inflammatory factors by modulating bidirectional transmission between neural and immune cells, therefore diminishing the inflammatory response. Secondly, exercise stimulates the PI3K/Akt, AMPK, and other signaling pathways via BDNF, enhancing insulin sensitivity, reducing lipotoxicity, and fostering mitochondrial production, so further optimizing the body’s metabolic condition. Moreover, exercise-induced BDNF contributes to the attenuation of systemic inflammation by collaborating with several organs, enhancing hepatic antioxidant capacity, regulating immunological response, and optimizing “gut-brain” axis functionality. These processes underscore the efficacy of exercise as a non-pharmacological intervention for enhancing anti-inflammatory and metabolic health. Despite substantial experimental evidence demonstrating the efficacy of exercise in mitigating inflammation and enhancing BDNF levels, numerous limitations persist in the existing studies. Primarily, the majority of studies have concentrated on molecular biology and lack causal experimental evidence that explicitly confirms BDNF as a crucial mediator in the exercise regulation of metaflammation. Furthermore, the outcomes of current molecular investigations are inadequately applicable to clinical practice, and a definitive pathway of “exercise-BDNF-metaflammation” remains unestablished. Moreover, the existing research methodology, reliant on animal models or limited human subject samples, constrains the broad dissemination of the findings. Future research should progressively transition from investigating isolated and localized pathways to a comprehensive multilevel and multidimensional framework that incorporates systems biology and exercise physiology. Practically, there is an immediate necessity to undertake extensive, double-blind, randomized controlled longitudinal human studies utilizing multi-omics technologies (e.g., transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics) to investigate the principal signaling pathways of BDNF-mediated metaflammation and to elucidate the causal relationships and molecular mechanisms involved. Establishing a more comprehensive scientific evidence system aims to furnish a robust theoretical framework and practical guidance for the mechanistic interpretation, clinical application, and pharmaceutical development of exercise in the prevention and treatment of metabolic diseases.
4. Establishment and biological characterization of drug-resistant cells and identification of multidrug resistance in small-cell lung cancer
Yong-Qing HAN ; Zheng-Yuan WANG ; Xiu-Fen DAI ; Zi-Ran WANG ; Jing LI ; Xin QI ; Jing LI
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2024;40(2):279-284
Aim To establish NCI-H446/EP for small cell lung cancer resistant cells resistant to cisplatin and etoposide, and to evaluate their biological characteristics and multidrug resistance. Methods Nude mice were subcutaneously inoculated with NCI-H446 cells of SCLC to construct an in vivo model of xenograft tumor, and were given first-line EP regimen treatment for SCLC, inducing drug resistance in vivo, and stripping tumor tissue in vitro culture to obtain drug-resistant cells. The resistance coefficient, cell doubling time, cell cycle distribution, expression of multidrug resistance gene (MDR1), and drug resistance-related protein were detected in vitro, and the drug resistance to cisplatin and etoposide in vivo were verified. Results Mice with NCI-H446 tumors acquired resistance after eight weeks' EP regimen treatment, and the drug-resistant cell line NCI-H446/EP was obtained by isolation and culture in vitro. The resistance factors of this cell line to cisplatin, etoposide, SN38 and doxorubicin were 12.01, 18.36, 65.4 and 10.12, respectively. Compared with parental cells, the proportion of NCIH446/EP cells in Q
5.Clinical Efficacy of Withdrawal Therapy Based on Regulating Nutritive Qi and Defensive Qiin Treating Sedative-Hypnotic Dependent Insomnia of Disharmony Between Nutritive Qiand Defensive Qi Type
Xiu-Fang LIU ; Wen-Ming BAN ; Yue SUN ; Dai-Mei NI ; Hui-Min YIN
Journal of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;41(1):48-53
Objective To observe the clinical efficacy of withdrawal therapy based on regulating nutritive qi and defensive qi(shortened to Tiaohe Yingwei method)in treating sedative-hypnotic dependent insomnia of disharmony between nutritive qi and defensive qi type.Methods Ninety patients with sedative-hypnotic dependent insomnia of disharmony between nutritive qi and defensive qi type were randomly divided into the treatment group and the control group,with 45 patients in each group.The control group was given oral use of Estazolam by 25%of weekly dose-reduction,while the treatment group was treated with Chinese medicinal decoction of Tiaohe Yingwei Zhumian Prescription based on Tiaohe Yingwei method together with Estazolam.The treatment course for the two groups lasted for 4 weeks.The changes of Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI)scores,total TCM syndrome scores,and Drug-withdrawal Syndrome Scale(DWSS)scores in the two groups were observed before and after treatment.After treatment,the efficacy for improving sleep efficiency value(IUSEV)and clinical safety in the two groups were evaluated.Results(1)During the trial,2 cases fell off in the treatment group,and 43 cases included in the statistics;3 cases fell off in the control group,and 42 cases included in the statistics.(2)After 4 weeks of treatment,the total effective rate for improving IUSEV of the treatment group was 88.37%(38/43),and that of the control group was 61.90%(26/42).The intergroup comparison by non-parametric rank-sum test showed that the efficacy for improving IUSEV in the treatment group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P<0.05).(3)After treatment,obvious reduction was shown in the overall PSQI scores and the scores of the items of sleep quality,time for falling asleep,sleep time,sleep efficiency,sleep disorder and daytime dysfunction in the two groups when compared with those before treatment(P<0.05).The intergroup comparison showed that except for the items of sleep disorder and daytime dysfunction,the treatment group had stronger effect on decreasing the scores of the remaining items and the overall PSQI scores than the control group(P<0.05).(4)After treatment,the total scores of TCM syndromes of both groups were significantly decreased compared with those before treatment(P<0.05),and the decrease of the total scores of TCM syndrome in the treatment group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P<0.05).(5)After treatment,the total DWSS scores of the two groups were significantly decreased compared with those before treatment(P<0.05),and the effect on lowering the scores in the treatment group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P<0.05).(6)During the course of treatment,no significant adverse reactions occurred in the two groups,or no abnormal changes were found in the safety indexes such as routine test of blood,urine and stool,liver and kidney function,and electrocardiogram of the patients.Conclusion Withdrawal therapy based on Tiaohe Yingwei method exerts certain effect for the treatment of sedative-hypnotic dependent insomnia of disharmony between nutritive qi and defensive qi type.The therapy is effective on improving the quality of sleep and reducing the incidence of drug-withdrawal syndrome,and has a high safety.
6.Analysis of adverse events signaling of lurasidone by Open Vigil FDA2.1
Yu-Qing CHEN ; Zhan-Zhang WANG ; Xiu-Qing ZHU ; Ye YANG ; Li-Jing DAI ; Hao-Yang LU ; E-Mei SONG ; Yu-Guan WEN
The Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2024;40(17):2567-2571
Objective To investigate the occurrence of adverse events of lurasidone in the U.S.Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System(FAERS)database by using Open Vigil FDA2.1,to enrich the experience and provide the basis for the clinical use of the drug in China.Methods Using Open Vigil FDA2.1,adverse event data were extracted from the FAERS database for a total of 51 quarters from the 4th quarter of 2010 to the 3rd quarter of 2023,and the ratio of reporting ratio(ROR)method and the proportional reporting ratio(PRR)method were used for data mining and analysis.Results A total of 32 728 adverse event reports with lurasidone as the first suspected drug was obtained,with a larger proportion of females(54.26%)and occurring mostly in adults(18 to 59 years).After the screening,326 preferred term(PT)signals were obtained,involving 20 system-organ classifications(injury,poisoning and procedural complications,general disorders and administration site conditions,psychiatric disorders,etc.).Among them,PTs with the higher frequency of occurrence included off label use,feeling abnormal,crying,anxiety,depression,insomnia,etc.PTs with stronger signal strength included activation syndrome,mania,tongue movement disturbance,hypoprolactinaemia,akathisia,etc.Multiple new suspected adverse drug reactions were unearthed,including hypoprolactinaemia,emotional poverty,stiff tongue,etc.Conclusion Lurasidone has a favorable safety profile,and women need to closely monitor prolactin levels when taking this medication.The drug is relatively safe for use in pregnant,puerperal and perinatal women and patients with poor metabolic function.Hypoprolactinaemia and restless leg syndrome are new rare suspected adverse events with lurasidone.
7.Poor sleep quality contributes to occurrence of posttraumatic stress disorder in trauma patients
Ping YUAN ; Xiuli HU ; Guojia QI ; Xiu DAI ; Xiangyuan CHU ; Weihang CHEN ; Xiuquan SHI
Journal of Southern Medical University 2024;44(6):1166-1172
Objective To evaluate the impact of poor sleep quality on occurrence of post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD)in trauma patients.Methods We prospectively recruited 256 trauma patients hospitalized in 4 general hospitals in Zunyi during the period from October,2021 to November,2022,and 226 of the participants completed the PTSD survey and assessment.The patients'sleep quality within a month before trauma was estimated using Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index(PSQI),and their sleep quality within 7 days after admission was monitored by smart bracelet sleep monitoring;the PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version(PCL-C)was used to detect the occurrence of PTSD during the follow-up.Results The detection rate of PTSD in the patients was 19.47%at 1 month and 17.61%at 3 months after trauma.The patients who developed PTSD had poorer sleep quality before the trauma,as shown by significantly higher PSQI scale scores(P<0.001),than those without PTSD,and they showed a sleep abnormality rate as high as 72.73%prior to PTSD onset.Within 7 days after admission,the patients developing PTSD had lower sleep quality scores with more frequent night awakenings(P<0.05).A 1 month and 3 months after trauma,the patients with PTSD had significantly higher PSQI scores than those without PTSD(P<0.05).Conclusion PTSD is more likely to occur in trauma patients with poor sleep quality before trauma.
8.The Emerged Perspective on Obesity Etiology: Metaflammation Induces Food Reward Dysfunction
Yu-Xi DAI ; Yu-Xiu HE ; Wei CHEN
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2024;51(6):1327-1340
In recent years, obesity has emerged as a significant risk factor jeopardizing human health and stands out as an urgent issue demanding attention from the global public health sector. The factors influencing obesity are intricate, making it challenging to comprehensively elucidate its causes. Recent studies indicate that food reward significantly contributes to the genesis and progression of obesity. Food reward comprises three integral components: hedonic value (liking), eating motivation (wanting), and learning and memory. Each facet is governed by the corresponding neural pathway. The mesocorticolimbic system (MS) plays a pivotal role in regulating food reward, wherein the MS encompasses dopamine (DA) neurons originating from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) projecting into various brain regions or nuclei such as the nucleus accumbens (NAc), prefrontal cortex (PFC), amygdala, and hippocampus. On one hand, prolonged consumption of palatable foods induces adaptive alterations and synaptic remodeling in neural circuits regulating food reward. This includes the attenuation of neuronal connections and signal transmission among the PFC, visual cortex, hypothalamus, midbrain, and brain stem, resulting in aberrant food reward and compelling the body to compensate for satisfaction deficiency by increasing food consumption. Studies involving humans and animals reveal that compulsive eating bears resemblance to the behavior observed in individuals with substance addictions, encompassing aspects such as food cravings, loss of eating control, and dieting failures. Propelled by food reward, individuals often opt for their preferred palatable foods during meals, potentially leading to excessive energy intake. Coupled with a sedentary lifestyle, this surplus energy is stored in the body, transforming into fat and culminating in obesity. While evidence supports the notion that prolonged exposure to a high-energy-density diet contributes to abnormal food reward, the internal mechanisms remain somewhat unclear. In previous research on depression, substance abuse, and alcohol dependence, it has been confirmed that there is a close connection between inflammation and reward. For example, obese people show a higher tendency toward depression, and white blood cell count is an important mediating variable between intake and depressive symptoms. In addition, it has been found in individuals with alcohol dependence and drug abuse that long-term opioid overdose or alcohol abuse will activate glial cells to release pro-inflammatory cytokines that affect neuronal function, and disrupt synaptic transmission of neurotransmitters to promote addictive behaviors. Comprehensive analysis suggests that inflammation may play an important role in the reward regulation process. Recent studies indicate that metaflammation within the central or peripheral system, triggered by excess nutrients and energy, can disrupt the normal transmission of reward signals. This disruption affects various elements, such as DA signaling (synthesis, release, reuptake, receptor function, and expression), mu opioid receptor function, glutamate excitatory synaptic transmission, Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signal activation, and central insulin/leptin receptor signal transduction. Consequently, this disruption induces food reward dysfunction, thereby fostering the onset and progression of obesity. Building upon these findings, we hypothesized that obesity may be linked to abnormal food reward induced by metaflammation. This review aims to delve deeply into the intricate relationship between obesity, food reward, and metaflammation. Additionally, it seeks to summarize the potential mechanisms through which metaflammation induces food reward dysfunction, offering novel insights and a theoretical foundation for preventing and treating obesity.
9.Rosmarinic acid ameliorates acute liver injury by activating NRF2 and inhibiting ROS/TXNIP/NLRP3 signal pathway
Jun-fu ZHOU ; Xin-yan DAI ; Hui LI ; Yu-juan WANG ; Li-du SHEN ; DU Xiao-bi A ; Shi-ying ZHANG ; Jia-cheng GUO ; Heng-xiu YAN
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2024;59(6):1664-1673
Acute liver injury (ALI) is one of the common severe diseases in clinic, which is characterized by redox imbalance and inflammatory storm. Untimely treatment can easily lead to liver failure and even death. Rosmarinic acid (RA) has been proved to have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity, but it is not clear how to protect ALI through antioxidation and inhibition of inflammation. Therefore, this study explored the therapeutic effect and molecular mechanism of RA on ALI through
10.Discrete element modeling and breakage behavior analysis of oral solid dosage form particles
Lin-xiu LUO ; Tian-bing GUAN ; An-qi LUO ; Zeng LIU ; Yu-ting WANG ; Yan-ling JIANG ; Zheng LU ; Jing-cao TANG ; Shuang-kou CHEN ; Hui-min SUN ; Chuan-yun DAI
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2024;59(4):1057-1066
The breakage pattern of unit particles during the production of oral solid dosage forms (OSD) is closely related to the quality of intermediate or final products. To accurately characterize the particles and study the evolution law of particle breakage, the Bonding model of the discrete element method (DEM) was used to investigate the breakage patterns of model parameters, particle shape and process conditions (loading mode and loading rate) on the dynamic breakage, force-time curve, breakage rate, maximum breakage size ratio and fracture strength of particles. The results showed that the particle breakage force was positively correlated with normal strength and bonded disk scale, negatively correlated with normal stiffness per unit area and tangential stiffness per unit area, and weakly correlated with tangential strength. The particle breakage rate was negatively correlated with the aspect ratio of the particles, and the maximum breakage size ratio was positively correlated with the aspect ratio of the particles; among the three loading modes, the breakage rate of compression breakage model was the largest, the breakage rate of shear breakage model was the second largest, and the breakage rate of wear breakage model was the smallest; the maximum breakage size ratio was positively correlated with the loading rate, the loading mode and the loading rate had no mutual influence on particle breakage rate, but had mutual influence on the maximum breakage size ratio. The research results will provide a theoretical basis for the shift of OSD from batch manufacturing to advanced manufacturing.

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