1.Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Sleep Deprivation-induced Acceleration of Alzheimer’s Disease Pathology
Si-Ru YAN ; Ming-Yang CAI ; Ya-Xuan SUN ; Qing HUO ; Xue-Ling DAI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(10):2474-2485
Sleep deprivation (SD) has emerged as a significant modifiable risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease (AD), with mounting evidence demonstrating its multifaceted role in accelerating AD pathogenesis through diverse molecular, cellular, and systemic mechanisms. SD is refined within the broader spectrum of sleep-wake and circadian disruption, emphasizing that both acute total sleep loss and chronic sleep restriction destabilize the homeostatic and circadian processes governing glymphatic clearance of neurotoxic proteins. During normal sleep, concentrations of interstitial Aβ and tau fall as cerebrospinal fluid oscillations flush extracellular waste; SD abolishes this rhythm, causing overnight rises in soluble Aβ and tau species in rodent hippocampus and human CSF. Orexinergic neurons sustain arousal, and become hyperactive under SD, further delaying sleep onset and amplifying Aβ production. At the molecular level, SD disrupts Aβ homeostasis through multiple converging pathways, including enhanced production via beta-site APP cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) upregulation, coupled with impaired clearance mechanisms involving the glymphatic system dysfunction and reduced Aβ-degrading enzymes (neprilysin and insulin-degrading enzyme). Cellular and histological analyses revealed that these proteinopathies are significantly exacerbated by SD-induced neuroinflammatory cascades characterized by microglial overactivation, astrocyte reactivity, and sustained elevation of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α, IL-6) through NF‑κB signaling and NLRP3 inflammasome activation, creating a self-perpetuating cycle of neurotoxicity. The synaptic and neuronal consequences of chronic SD are particularly profound and potentially irreversible, featuring reduced expression of critical synaptic markers (PSD95, synaptophysin), impaired long-term potentiation (LTP), dendritic spine loss, and diminished neurotrophic support, especially brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) depletion, which collectively contribute to progressive cognitive decline and memory deficits. Mechanistic investigations identify three core pathways through which SD exerts its neurodegenerative effects: circadian rhythm disruption via BMAL1 suppression, orexin system hyperactivity leading to sustained wakefulness and metabolic stress, and oxidative stress accumulation through mitochondrial dysfunction and reactive oxygen species overproduction. The review critically evaluates promising therapeutic interventions including pharmacological approaches (melatonin, dual orexin receptor antagonists), metabolic strategies (ketogenic diets, and Mediterranean diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids), lifestyle modifications (targeted exercise regimens, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia), and emerging technologies (non-invasive photobiomodulation, transcranial magnetic stimulation). Current research limitations include insufficient understanding of dose-response relationships between SD duration/intensity and AD pathology progression, lack of long-term longitudinal clinical data in genetically vulnerable populations (particularly APOE ε4 carriers and those with familial AD mutations), the absence of standardized SD protocols across experimental models that accurately mimic human chronic sleep restriction patterns, and limited investigation of sex differences in SD-induced AD risk. The accumulated evidence underscores the importance of addressing sleep disturbances as part of multimodal AD prevention strategies and highlights the urgent need for clinical trials evaluating sleep-focused interventions in at-risk populations. The review proposes future directions focused on translating mechanistic insights into precision medicine approaches, emphasizing the need for biomarkers to identify SD-vulnerable individuals, chronotherapeutic strategies aligned with circadian biology, and multi-omics integration across sleep, proteostasis and immune profiles may delineate precision-medicine strategies for at-risk populations. By systematically examining these critical connections, this analysis positions sleep quality optimization as a viable strategy for AD prevention and early intervention while providing a comprehensive roadmap for future mechanistic and interventional research in this rapidly evolving field.
2. Analysis of effective components of Agaricus blazei Murill extract by LC-MS and network pharmacology analysis in treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia
Dong-Ping WANG ; Yan-Qing SUN ; Wan-Wen GE ; Jing SHAO ; Dong-Ping WANG ; Yan-Qing SUN
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2024;40(1):139-145
Aim To explore the potential targets and related signaling pathways of Agaricus blazei Murill (AbM ) extract in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) based on liquid chromatography mass spectrometry ( LC-MS ), network pharmacology, molecular docking, and were further verified by experiments in vitro. Methods The active components of AbM extract were retrieved from LC-MS, Swiss Target Prediction database was used to predict related targets, and CML disease target genes were obtained from Gen- eCards and DisGeNET databases. After screening the common targets of drug and CML, the protein-protein interaction network of the common targets was performed by STRING, and GO and KEGG enrichment a- nalysis were done by DAVID database. Cytoscape software was used to construct the network of target protein. Molecular docking was carried out by DockThor, and the Pymol software was used to make a visual picture. The inhibitory effect of AbM extract on leukemia cells K562 was determined by CCK-8 experiment, and the effect of AbM extract on the expression and phosphorylation level of related proteins was verified by Western blot. Results The prediction results showed that 126 active components of AbM extract, and 172 common targets were collected. KEGG pathway analysis results showed that PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway might play an important role in the treatment of CML disease. The IC
3. Research progress and potential medical applications of anaplastic lymphoma kinase in treatment of non-small cell lung cancer
Bo CHEN ; Iian-Di KAN ; Li-Ying CHEN ; Fa-Qing YE ; Yan-Ting SUN
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2024;40(3):415-420
During the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer ( NSCLC) , many patients have developed drug resistance due to the use of targeted EGFR inhibitors. The main reasons for drug resistance are EGFR site mutations and bypass activation. Activation of ALK pathway is one of the major types of bypass activation. A recent authoritative study indicates that ALK is closely related to immunotherapy. This article reviews the treatment of ALK in tumors from three aspects: the structure and physiological function of ALK, the small molecule inhibitor of ALK, the biological function of ALK and its related treatment methods for NSCLC, and prospects future directions for better application of ALK in the treatment of NSCLC.
4.Clinical Study on Dingxuan Decoction Combined with Vestibular Function Rehabilitation Training in the Treatment of Meniere's Disease
Yu-Fang ZHANG ; Yan-Fang SONG ; Ying-Zhe CHEN ; Xiang-Dong WU ; Jing-Jing HAI ; Wen-Qing SUN
Journal of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2024;41(3):646-652
Objective To investigate the efficacy of Dingxuan Decoction combined with vestibular function rehabilitation training in the treatment of Meniere's disease and to observe its effect on clinical symptoms and blood flow of vertebral artery.Methods A total of 100 patients with Meniere's disease of liver-kidney yin deficiency complicated with wind-water upward stirring type were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group,with 50 patients in each group.The control group was given conventional treatment and vestibular function rehabilitation training,and the observation group was treated with Dingxuan Decoction on the basis of treatment for the control group.The two groups were treated for 4 weeks and then were followed up for 6 months.The changes of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)syndrome score,Dizziness Handicap Inventory(DHI)score,Tinnitus Handicap Inventory(THI)score,hearing visual analogue scale(VAS)score and vertebral artery blood flow in the two groups were observed before and after the treatment.After treatment,the TCM syndrome efficacy,hearing improvement and follow-up results were compared between the two groups.Results(1)After 4 weeks of treatment,the total effective rate for TCM syndrome efficacy of the observation group was 86.00%(43/50),and that of the control group was 62.00%(31/50),and the intergroup comparison showed that the TCM syndrome efficacy in the observation group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P<0.01).(2)After 4 weeks of treatment,the hearing of patients in both groups was improved,and the total effective rate for the efficacy of hearing improvement in the observation group was 76.00%(38/50),while that in the control group was 46.00%(23/50).The intergroup comparison showed that the efficacy of hearing improvement in the observation group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P<0.01).(3)After treatment,the TCM syndrome scores,DHI score,THI score and hearing VAS scores in the two groups were all decreased compared with those before treatment(P<0.05 or P<0.01),and the decrease in the observation group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P<0.01).(4)After treatment,the average blood flow velocity of the left vertebral artery(LVA)and the right vertebral artery(RVA)in the two groups were both increased compared with those before treatment(P<0.05),and the increase in the observation group was significantly superior to that in the control group(P<0.05 or P<0.01).(5)The results of 6-month follow-up after treatment showed that the incidence of Meniere's disease and the frequency of attack in the observation group were significantly reduced compared with those in the control group,and the episode duration in the observation group was significantly shorter than that in the control group,the differences being all statistically significant(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Conclusion Dingxuan Decoction combined with vestibular function rehabilitation training exert certain effect in treating patients with Meniere's disease of liver-kidney yin deficiency complicated with wind-water upward stirring type,and the therapy is effective on improving patients'clinical symptoms and vertebral artery blood flow,reducing the risk of recurrence and improving the quality of life of the patients.
5.Serum levels of procalcitonin,interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 in patients with COVID-19 infection at admis-sion and their significance in patient prognosis
Sibo LONG ; Yan CHEN ; Xintong ZHANG ; Yanjun YIN ; Limei YANG ; Maike ZHENG ; Chaohong WANG ; Qing SUN ; Jun YAN ; Yiheng SHI ; Guangli SHI ; Yan ZHAO ; Guirong WANG
The Journal of Practical Medicine 2024;40(4):471-475
Objective To analyze the predictive value of serum levels of procalcitonin(PCT)and cytokines on the prognosis of patients with COVID-19 at admission.Methods From November 2022 to February 2023,patients diagnosed with COVID-19 who were admitted to Beijing Chest Hospital were enrolled.Chemiluminescence was used to detect serum PCT levels,and flow microsphere array was used to detect serum cytokines IL-1β,IL-2,IL-4,IL-5,IL-6,IL-8,IL-10,IL-12p70,IL-17A,IL-17F,IL-22,TNF-α,TNF-β,IFN-γ level.ICU admission,mechanical ventilation and in-hospital death were defined as poor prognosis.After excluding patients with bacterial infection,the relationship between serum PCT and cytokine levels at admission and the prognosis of COVID-19 patients was analyzed.After excluding patients with bacterial infection,the relationship between serum PCT and cytokine levels at admission and the prognosis of COVID-19 patients was analyzed.Results A total of 176 patients with complete data were included,including 134 in the PCT-normal group and 42 in the PCT-elevated group,with a median age of 71.50 years and 71.59%males.Patients in the PCT elevated-group had significantly higher rates of ICU admission(38.41%vs.13.11%,P<0.05),mechanical ventilation(76.92%vs.24.59%,P<0.001)and in-hospital mortality(38.46%vs.6.56%,P<0.001)were significantly higher than those in the PCT-normal group.Serum levels of cytokines IL-6(7.40 pg/mL vs.4.78 pg/mL,P = 0.033 4)and IL-8(10.97 pg/mL vs.5.92 pg/mL,P<0.001)were significantly higher in patients with poor prognosis than in those with good prognosis.The area under the curve for PCT,IL-6,and IL-8 to predict poor prognosis in COVID-19 patients was 0.687,0.660,and 0.746,respectively;sensitivity was 52.78%,55.17%,and 72.41%,respectively;and specificity was 81.58%,74.19%,and 74.19%,respectively,as calculated from the ROC curve.When PCT,IL-6 and IL-8 jointly predict the prognosis of COVID-19 patients,the area under the curve is 0.764,the sensitivity is 70.00%,and the specificity is 80.00%.Conclusion Serum PCT and cytokines IL-6 and IL-8 could be used as predictive markers for poor prognosis in patients with COVID-19.
6.Expression of miR-205 and miR-367 in cutaneous malignant melanoma tissue and their clinical significances
Li-Jun ZHANG ; Wei-Heng YAN ; Guo-Qing HUANG ; Chong-Zhou SUN
Journal of Regional Anatomy and Operative Surgery 2024;33(1):84-88
Objective To study the expression of miR-205 and miR-367 in cutaneous malignant melanoma(CMM)tissue and their relationships with clinicopathological characteristics and prognosis.Methods The tumor tissues from 85 patients with CMM who were admitted to our hospital from May 2013 to December 2019 were selected as the CMM group,and the nevus tissue samples from 80 patients with benign pigmented nevi who were treated in our hospital during the same period were selected as the control group.The expression level of miR-205 and miR-367 of two groups were detected by qRT-PCR.The clinical and pathological data of patients with CMM were collected,and the relationships between the expression of miR-205 and miR-367 and clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed.Kaplan-Meier was used to draw the survival curves of patients 3 years after surgery,and the survival rate of patients was analyzed by Log-rank test.The influencing factors of prognosis was analyzed by COX proportional risk regression model.Results The expression level of miR-205 of patients in the CMM group was lower than that in the control group,and the expression level of miR-367 was higher than that in the control group(P<0.05).The proportions of patients with ulceration,high clinical stage,tumor invasion,low KPS score,thick primary lesion,high Clark grade,lymph node metastasis in the miR-205 low-expression group were higher than those in the miR-205 high-expression group(P<0.05),the proportions of patients with the above indexes in the miR-367 high-expression group were higher than those in the miR-367 low-expression group(P<0.05).Patietns were followed up for 3 years,with a median time of 28.3 months,and 1 case was lost to followed-up.The Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed that the 3-year survival rate of patients in the miR-205 high-expression group was higher than that in the miR-205 low-expression group(P<0.05),and the 3-year survival rate of patients in the miR-367 low-expression group was higher than that in the miR-367 high-expression group(P<0.05).COX multivariate regression analysis showed that the high clinical stage,low KPS score,high Clark grade,lymph node metastasis,and high expression of miR-367 were the risk factors for prognosis of patients,while high expression of miR-205 was a protective factor(P<0.05).Conclusion Low expression of miR-205 and high expression of miR-367 in CMM tissue are associated with ulceration,high clinical stage,tumor invasion,low KPS score,thick primary lesion,high Clark grade,lymph node metastasis,and poor prognosis.These two indicators may serve as potential biomarkers for prognostic evaluation in CMM patients.
7.Clinical trial of Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides in the continuation treatment of adults with mild and moderate depression
Shu-Zhe ZHOU ; Zu-Cheng HAN ; Xiu-Zhen WANG ; Yan-Qing CHEN ; Ya-Ling HU ; Xue-Qin YU ; Bin-Hong WANG ; Guo-Zhen FAN ; Hong SANG ; Ying HAI ; Zhi-Jie JIA ; Zhan-Min WANG ; Yan WEI ; Jian-Guo ZHU ; Xue-Qin SONG ; Zhi-Dong LIU ; Li KUANG ; Hong-Ming WANG ; Feng TIAN ; Yu-Xin LI ; Ling ZHANG ; Hai LIN ; Bin WU ; Chao-Ying WANG ; Chang LIU ; Jia-Fan SUN ; Shao-Xiao YAN ; Jun LIU ; Shou-Fu XIE ; Mao-Sheng FANG ; Wei-Feng MI ; Hong-Yan ZHANG
The Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2024;40(6):815-819
Objective To observe the efficacy and safety of Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides in the continuation treatment of mild and moderate depression.Methods An open,single-arm,multi-center design was adopted in our study.Adult patients with mild and moderate depression who had received acute treatment of Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides were enrolled and continue to receive Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides capsules for 24 weeks,the dose remained unchanged during continuation treatment.The remission rate,recurrence rate,recurrence time,and the change from baseline to endpoint of Hamilton Depression Scale(HAMD),Hamilton Anxiety Scale(HAMA),Clinical Global Impression-Severity(CGI-S)and Arizona Sexual Experience Scale(ASEX)were evaluated.The incidence of treatment-related adverse events was reported.Results The scores of HAMD-17 at baseline and after treatment were 6.60±1.87 and 5.85±4.18,scores of HAMA were 6.36±3.02 and 4.93±3.09,scores of CGI-S were 1.49±0.56 and 1.29±0.81,scores of ASEX were 15.92±4.72 and 15.57±5.26,with significant difference(P<0.05).After continuation treatment,the remission rate was 54.59%(202 cases/370 cases),and the recurrence rate was 6.49%(24 cases/370 cases),the recurrence time was(64.67±42.47)days.The incidence of treatment-related adverse events was 15.35%(64 cases/417 cases).Conclusion Morinda officinalis oligosaccharides capsules can be effectively used for the continuation treatment of mild and moderate depression,and are well tolerated and safe.
8.Segmentation Clock Networks in Vertebrate Somitogenesis
Qing SUN ; Yu WANG ; CUO-A JIAN ; Yan HAO ; Yan LI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2024;51(4):731-742
In vertebrate embryonic development, the segmentation clock controls the cyclic formation of somites through presomitic mesoderm (PSM) cells. Somites are paired segmented structures along the anterior-posterior axis that eventually develop into vertebrae and ribs. Disruptions in the segmentation clock leads to defects in somitogenesis, resulting in congenital spinal diseases. The major patterning modules that are involved in segmentation clock is the clock and wavefront, which primarily relies on signaling gradients and cyclic oscillation. Mesodermal differentiation is regulated by combinatorial gradient system that involves the activity of the fibroblast growth factor (FGF), the Wnt/β-catenin, and the retinoic acid (RA) signaling pathways. The antagonistic gradients of these signals set a position of the determination front. In the tail bud and posterior mesoderm, FGF and Wnt signaling prevent cell maturation and the molecular oscillators start to express. The molecular oscillators rely on negative feedback loops to maintain their oscillatory expression patterns. As the cells move anteriorly, FGF signaling gradually decays and RA signaling began to strengthen. Meanwhile, the molecular oscillators propagate anteriorly with wave pattern. At the determination front, low levels of FGF signaling and high levels of RA signaling eliminate differentiation inhibition and initiate molecular oscillators to activate cyclic genes, such as Mesp2, leading to the formation of repetitive structures in somites. Advancements in live reporter and 2D culture systems have revealed that coupling delays in cell communication can maintain the synchronous segmentation clock between adjacent cells. Studies have shown that these coupling delays are controlled by Lfng gene, it can adjust coupling delays to fit in-phase oscillations by increasing the time required for intercellular DLL1-Notch signaling. To sum up, the dual homeostasis of opposing signaling gradients determines the segment boundaries, the distance traveled by a molecular oscillator in one oscillation cycle determines the somite size, and the delayed coupling in intercellular signaling regulates the synchronization of clock oscillations. These three factors interact with each other to form a segmentation clock network coordinating somitogenesis. Recent studies have revealed that the intercellular coupling delay mechanism is a major factor influencing the maintenance of oscillation synchronization. Intercellular coupling delay errors, such as increased or decreased delay time, can desynchronizing intercellular oscillations and resulting in somite fusion. However, the mechanisms governing how intercellular communication becomes involved in oscillation synchronization remains unclear. Congenital scoliosis (CS) is a result of anomalous development of the vertebrate which associate with somitogenesis malformation. We observed that deficiency or overdose of vitamin A intake in gestation may lead to CS. While the deep mechanism of how RA signaling regulates oscillation synchronization still need to be detected. With the rapid development of 3D culture systems, researchers have successfully recapitulated the formation of somite-like structures with antero-posterior identity and indicated that the rate of metabolism is directly proportional to that of development. In summary, deconstructing the segmentation clock in vitro facilitates the dissection of regulation networks of the segmentation clock and offers an excellent proxy for studying the metabolic regulation of somitogenesis speed across species and the mechanisms underlying the formation of bilateral symmetry. It also creates a platform for exploring dysregulation mechanisms involved in the development of pathological somite defects.
9.A Review of Theoretical Research on Interpretation of Scientific Connotation of Compatibility of Traditional Chinese Medicine Compounds
Shiyun GUO ; Zhihao DENG ; Yan LI ; Yuxuan GUO ; Xiaoxin ZHU ; Yujie LI ; Ying CHEN ; Qing YANG ; Yi SUN ; Yajie WANG ; Qi LI ; Weiyan CAI ; Xiaogang WENG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(23):338-344
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has a long history of application in China and has consistently played a vital role in treating diseases and saving lives. TCM prescriptions (compounds) constitute the primary form of clinical TCM treatment and significantly differ from western medicine (chemicals) due to the diverse composition and chemical constituents of TCM (compounds). Nevertheless, the potential multi-component, multi-target, and multi-pathway action characteristics of TCM prescriptions also demonstrate their possible (complementary) therapeutic advantages when compared with single-component chemical drugs. Therefore, driven by the development of modern science and technology and the demands of the modernization and internationalization of TCM, modern theories regarding the complexity of TCM prescription effects have been continuously proposed: Different from the abstract language of traditional prescription theory, the modern TCM prescription theory is more inclined to illustrate the connotation of prescription compatibility concretely and vividly from an experimental and scientific perspective. In this paper, new theories on the complexity of TCM prescriptions proposed in recent years are summarized to provide research references and ideas for the greater role of TCM prescriptions and a better scientific understanding.
10.The relationship among serum RBP4,CysC levels and intestinal flora in patients with coronary heart disease
Xian-Hui SUN ; Xiao-Qing SUN ; Hong ZHANG ; Cheng-Yan TAN ; Xiu ZHOU
Chinese Journal of cardiovascular Rehabilitation Medicine 2024;33(4):401-406
Objective:To investigate serum levels of retinol-binding protein 4(RBP4)and cystatin C(CysC)in pa-tients with coronary heart disease(CHD)and their association with intestinal flora.Methods:A total of 97 CHD patients admitted in our Department of Critical Care Medicine from December 2019 to December 2020 were treated as CHD group,another 99 healthy subjects undergoing physical examination simultaneously were regarded as control group.Serum levels of RBP4 and CysC,positive rates and number of intestinal flora were compared between two groups.With serum mean levels of RBP4 and CysC in CHD patients as critical value,they were divided into serum RBP4 high level group(RBP4≥35.97 ng/ml,n=53)and low level group(RBP4<35.97 ng/ml,n=44),serum CysC high level group(CysC≥ 1.49 ng/ml,n=49)and low level group(CysC<1.49 ng/ml,n=48).Number of intestinal flora were compared between different level subgroups,and Pearson method was used to analyze the asso-ciation of RBP4,CysC levels with flora number.Results:Compared with control group,there were significant rise in RBP4 and CysC levels,and significant reductions in culture positive rates and flora numbers of Bifidobacterium,Firmicutes,Lactobacillus and Proteus(P<0.001 all),and significant rise in culture positive rates and flora numbers of Staphylococcus and Escherichia coli in CHD group(P<0.001 all).Compared with RBP4 low level group,there were significant reductions in flora numbers of Bifidobacterium,Firmicutes,Lactobacillus and Proteus,and signifi-cant rise in flora numbers of Staphylococcus and Escherichia coli in RBP4 high level group(P<0.001 all);com-pared with CysC low level group,there were significant reductions in flora numbers of Bifidobacterium,Firmicutes,Lactobacillus and Proteus,and significant rise in flora numbers of Staphylococcus and Escherichia coli in CysC high level group(P<0.001 all).Pearson correlation analysis indicated that RBP4 level was significant inversely correla-ted with flora numbers of Bifidobacterium,Firmicutes,Lactobacillus and Proteus(r=-0.626~-0.482,P<0.001 all),and significant positively correlated with flora numbers of Staphylococcus and Escherichia coli(r=0.302,0.337,P<0.01 both);CysC level was significant inversely correlated with flora numbers of Bifidobacteri-um,Firmicutes,Lactobacillus and Proteus(r=-0.621~-0.502,P<0.001 all),and significant positively corre-lated with flora numbers of Staphylococcus and Escherichia coli(r=0.308,0.340,P<0.01 both).Conclusion:Se-rum levels of RBP4 and CysC increase in CHD patients,and they are closely related to the composition of intestinal flora.

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