1.Transzonal Projections and Follicular Development Abnormalities in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Di CHENG ; Yu-Hua CHEN ; Xia-Ping JIANG ; Lan-Yu LI ; Yi TAN ; Ming LI ; Zhong-Cheng MO
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(10):2499-2511
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common endocrine and metabolic disorder affecting a substantial proportion of women of reproductive age. It is frequently associated with ovulatory dysfunction, infertility, and an increased risk of chronic metabolic diseases. A hallmark pathological feature of PCOS is the arrest of follicular development, closely linked to impaired intercellular communication between the oocyte and surrounding granulosa cells. Transzonal projections (TZPs) are specialized cytoplasmic extensions derived from granulosa cells that penetrate the zona pellucida to establish direct contact with the oocyte. These structures serve as essential conduits for the transfer of metabolites, signaling molecules (e.g., cAMP, cGMP), and regulatory factors (e.g., microRNAs, growth differentiation factors), thereby maintaining meiotic arrest, facilitating metabolic cooperation, and supporting gene expression regulation in the oocyte. The proper formation and maintenance of TZPs depend on the cytoskeletal integrity of granulosa cells and the regulated expression of key connexins, particularly CX37 and CX43. Recent studies have revealed that in PCOS, TZPs exhibit significant structural and functional abnormalities. Contributing factors—such as hyperandrogenism, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and dysregulation of critical signaling pathways (including PI3K/Akt, Wnt/β‑catenin, and MAPK/ERK)—collectively impair TZP integrity and reduce their formation. This disruption in granulosa-oocyte communication compromises oocyte quality and contributes to follicular arrest and anovulation. This review provides a comprehensive overview of TZP biology, including their formation mechanisms, molecular composition, and stage-specific dynamics during folliculogenesis. We highlight the pathological alterations in TZPs observed in PCOS and elucidate how endocrine and metabolic disturbances—particularly androgen excess and hyperinsulinemia—downregulate CX43 expression and impair gap junction function, thereby exacerbating ovarian microenvironmental dysfunction. Furthermore, we explore emerging therapeutic strategies aimed at preserving or restoring TZP integrity. Anti-androgen therapies (e.g., spironolactone, flutamide), insulin sensitizers (e.g., metformin), and GLP-1 receptor agonists (e.g., liraglutide) have shown potential in modulating connexin expression and enhancing granulosa-oocyte communication. In addition, agents such as melatonin, AMPK activators, and GDF9/BMP15 analogs may promote TZP formation and improve oocyte competence. Advanced technologies, including ovarian organoid models and CRISPR-based gene editing, offer promising platforms for studying TZP regulation and developing targeted interventions. In summary, TZPs are indispensable for maintaining follicular homeostasis, and their disruption plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of PCOS-related folliculogenesis failure. Targeting TZP integrity represents a promising therapeutic avenue in PCOS management and warrants further mechanistic and translational investigation.
2.Phenolic constituents of Sanguisorba officinalis and their Nrf2 agonistic effect
Long-long WU ; Jing-wen LIU ; Zhong-lian YU ; Liu-qiang ZHANG ; Yi-ming LI
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2024;59(1):170-182
Thirty-one phenolic constituents were isolated and purified from the 95% ethanol extract of Sanguisorbae Radix by using various chromatographic techniques, including macroporous resin, silica gel, ODS, Sephadex LH-20 and semi-preparative HPLC. Their structures were elucidated by physicochemical properties, spectroscopic data (MS and NMR) and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra, and identified as 3-methoxyl-2
3.miR-375 Attenuates The Migration and Invasion of Osteosarcoma Cells by Targeting MMP13
Zhong LIU ; Lei HE ; Jian XIAO ; Qing-Mei ZHU ; Jun XIAO ; Yong-Ming YANG ; Yong-Jian LUO ; Zhong-Cheng MO ; Yi-Qun ZHANG ; Ming LI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2024;51(5):1203-1214
ObjectiveTo explore whether miR-375 regulates the malignant characteristics of osteosarcoma (OS) by influencing the expression of MMP13. MethodsPlasmid DNAs and miRNAs were transfected into OS cells and HEK293 cells using Lipofectamine 3000 reagent. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was performed to measure the expression of miR-375 and MMP13 in OS patients and OS cells. Western blot was performed to analyze the MMP13 protein in the patients with OS and OS cells. The targeting relationship between miR-375 and MMP13 was analyzed by luciferase assay. Migration and invasion were analysed by heal wound and transwell assays, respectively. ResultsmiR-375 expression in OS tissues was lower than that in normal tissues. The expression of MMP13 was upregulated in OS tissues. MMP13 expression was negatively correlated withmiR-375 expression in patients with OS. Migration and invasion were significantly inhibited in OS cells with the miR-375 mimic compared with OS cells with the miRNA control. MMP13 partially reversed the inhibition of migration and invasion induced by miR-375 in the OS cells. ConclusionmiR-375 attenuates migration and invasion by downregulating the expression of MMP13 in OS cells.
4.Clinical trial of brexpiprazole in the treatment of adults with acute schizophrenia
Shu-Zhe ZHOU ; Liang LI ; Dong YANG ; Jin-Guo ZHAI ; Tao JIANG ; Yu-Zhong SHI ; Bin WU ; Xiang-Ping WU ; Ke-Qing LI ; Tie-Bang LIU ; Jie LI ; Shi-You TANG ; Li-Li WANG ; Xue-Yi WANG ; Yun-Long TAN ; Qi LIU ; Uki MOTOMICHI ; Ming-Ji XIAN ; Hong-Yan ZHANG
The Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2024;40(5):654-658
Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of brexpiprazole in treating acute schizophrenia.Methods Patients with schizophrenia were randomly divided into treatment group and control group.The treatment group was given brexpiprozole 2-4 mg·d-1 orally and the control group was given aripiprazole 10-20 mg·d-1orally,both were treated for 6 weeks.Clinical efficacy of the two groups,the response rate at endpoint,the changes from baseline to endpoint of Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale(PANSS),Clinical Global Impression-Improvement(CGI-S),Personal and Social Performance scale(PSP),PANSS Positive syndrome subscale,PANSS negative syndrome subscale were compared.The incidence of treatment-related adverse events in two groups were compared.Results There were 184 patients in treatment group and 186 patients in control group.After treatment,the response rates of treatment group and control group were 79.50%(140 cases/184 cases)and 82.40%(150 cases/186 cases),the scores of CGI-I of treatment group and control group were(2.00±1.20)and(1.90±1.01),with no significant difference(all P>0.05).From baseline to Week 6,the mean change of PANSS total score wese(-30.70±16.96)points in treatment group and(-32.20±17.00)points in control group,with no significant difference(P>0.05).The changes of CGI-S scores in treatment group and control group were(-2.00±1.27)and(-1.90±1.22)points,PSP scores were(18.80±14.77)and(19.20±14.55)points,PANSS positive syndrome scores were(-10.30±5.93)and(-10.80±5.81)points,PANSS negative syndrome scores were(-6.80±5.98)and(-7.30±5.15)points,with no significant difference(P>0.05).There was no significant difference in the incidence of treatment-related adverse events between the two group(69.00%vs.64.50%,P>0.05).Conclusion The non-inferiority of Brexpiprazole to aripiprazole was established,with comparable efficacy and acceptability.
5.Role of Hedgehog signaling pathway in muscle bone symbiosis in osteo-sarcopenia
Yan-Dong LIU ; Qiang DENG ; Zhong-Feng LI ; Ran-Dong PENG ; Yu-Rong WANG ; Jia-Ming LI ; Ping-Yi MA ; Jian-Qiang DU
The Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2024;40(16):2433-2437
This article elaborates on the complex cross-talk and close relationship between muscles and bones involved in this disease,as well as its pathogenesis.It also summarizes that the difficulty of its treatment lies in the need to simultaneously consider both muscles and bones.And elaborated on the key role of the Hedgehog signaling pathway in embryonic development,tissue morphology establishment,and human tissue regeneration and repair.Investigated the remodeling effect of the Hedgehog signaling pathway on skeletal muscle from three aspects:Proliferation and differentiation of muscle stem cells,precursor cell and muscle fiber generation,inhibition of inflammation,and regulation of immunity;this article elucidates the role of the Hedgehog signaling pathway in bone reconstruction from two aspects.
6.Application progress of artificial intelligence in cardiovascular health management
Kun WANG ; Ming LI ; Xiao-Bo ZHANG ; Yi-Ping XIA ; Pei-Wei ZHAO ; Ying-Zhong DUAN
Chinese Medical Equipment Journal 2024;45(2):92-96
The current situation of artificial intelligence(AI)was introduced when applied in the key links of cardiovascular health management such as risk prediction,early screening,clinical decision support and health consultation and education.The deficiencies of AI during the application were analyzed,and the prospects and development directions of AI in cardiovascular health management were pointed out.[Chinese Medical Equipment Journal,2024,45(2):92-96]
7.Construction and evaluation of a risk prediction model for healthcare-asso-ciated infection in stroke patients
Ming-Yang ZHAO ; Yong-Xin LI ; Zhong LI ; Yi-Bin HAO ; Chang-Qing SUN
Chinese Journal of Infection Control 2024;23(8):984-992
Objective To construct a risk prediction model for healthcare-associated infection(HAI)in stroke pa-tients,accurately and effectively screen out potential high-risk groups,and formulate targeted preventive interven-tions to reduce the occurrence of infection.Methods Stroke patients in the"Henan Stroke Cohort"in 2019-2021 were selected as the study objects,and relevant clinical data were collected as the main analysis data for model con-struction and internal validation.The relevant data of stroke patients in three hospitals that had never participated in the cohort construction from January to September 2022 were randomly selected as a test set for external validation of the risk prediction model.The main analysis data were randomly divided into a training set and a test set,and a risk prediction model was constructed based on logistic regression,artificial neural network(ANN)algorithm,extreme gradient boosting algorithm and random forest algorithm,respectively.Multiple indicators were used to evaluate the prediction performance of the model,and the optimal model was externally validated based on the test set data.Results The infection rate of stroke patients was 20.6%in the main analysis data and 56.4%in the test set data.The accuracy of the risk prediction model based on logistic regression was 91.2%,the area under the re-ceiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve(AUC)was 0.938,the precision rate,recall rate,specificity,and the F1 score were 0.851,0.695,0.968,and 0.765,respectively.The accuracy rate,precision rate,specificity and AUC of the logistic risk prediction model and the ANN risk prediction model were all significantly better than other models,while the recall rate and F1 score of the logistic risk prediction model were slightly better than the ANN risk prediction model.The logistic risk prediction model had excellent prediction performance in external validation.Conclusion HAI risk prediction model of stroke patients based on logistic regression can better screen out high-risk stroke patients with infection risk,and can contribute to formulate targeted preventive interventions to reduce the occurrence of infection.
8.Factors influencing early collapse progression of the femoral head after allogenic fibula grafting and their predictive value
Yi-Xuan HUANG ; Ming-Bin GUO ; Jian-Bin MAI ; Xin-Wei YUAN ; Hong-Zhong XI ; Wei SONG ; Bin DU ; Xin LIU
Medical Journal of Chinese People's Liberation Army 2024;49(11):1272-1280
Objective To explore the influential factors and predictive value of early femoral head collapse progression following allogeneic fibula grafting(AFG)surgery.Methods Clinical and radiological data of 68 patients(75 hips)with osteonecrosis of the femoral head(ONFH)who underwent AFG between January 2008 and December 2022 at the Orthopedics and Traumatology Department,Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine were retrospectively analyzed.Seventy-five hips were divided into stable(n=40)and progressive(n=35)groups based on the presence or absence of postoperative collapse progression.Age,gender,etiology,location of the lesion,Association Research Circulation Osseous(ARCO)stage,Japanese Committee of Osteonecrosis Investigation(JIC)classification,China-Japan Friendship Hospital(CJFH)classification,and Hounsfield units(HU)value of anterolateral sclerosis rim(ⅠSHU)were collected.Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify the factors influencing early collapse progression after AFG.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to analyze the predictive value of the identified factors influencing postoperative early collapse progression.Results Of the 75 hips,35(46.7%)had postoperative collapse progression.Univariate logistic regression analysis showed that age,ARCO stage,JIC classification,and ⅠSHU were in fluencing factors for early femoral head collapse progression after AFG(P<0.05).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that ARCO stage ⅢA and JIC classification C2 were independent risk factors for early femoral head collapse progression after AFG,while ⅠSHU was identified as an independent protective factor(P<0.05).The ROC curve analysis showed that the sensitivities of ARCO stage,JIC classification,ⅠSHU,and the combined predictive model were 0.850,0.725,0.800,and 0.775,the specificities were 0.486,0.657,0.743,and 0.914,and the area under the ROC curve(AUC)were 0.668,0.725,0.811,and 0.896,respectively.Conclusions ⅠSHU is associated with early collapse progression after AFG in patients with ONFH.ARCO stage ⅢA,JIC classification C2,and ⅠSHU are independent factors influencing postoperative early collapse progression and have a certain predictive value.
9.Chemical constituents of dichloromethane fraction from Hypericum perforatum
Yi-Yun ZHANG ; Zhu-Zhen HAN ; Qian ZHANG ; Jia WANG ; Ming-Sai CHENG ; Zhen-Zhong WANG ; Ying-Bo YANG ; Wei XIAO
Chinese Traditional Patent Medicine 2024;46(5):1552-1558
AIM To study the chemical constituents of dichloromethane fraction from Hypericum perforatum L.METHODS The dichloromethane fraction from H.perforatum was isolated and purified by silica gel,ODS,Sephadex LH-20,semi-preparative HPLC and etc.The structures of obtained compounds were identified by physicochemical properties and spectral data.RESULTS Eleven compounds were isolated and identified as hypernorpoleketone A(1),α-onocerin(2),(3R)-thunberginol C(3),2-geranyloxy-1-(2-methylpropanoyl)-phloroglucinol(4),4,6-dihydroxy-2-O-(3″,7″-dimethyl-2″,6″-octadienyl)-1-(2′-methylbutanoyl)benzene(5),norhyperpalum G(6),garsubellin A(7),garsubellin B(8),(2″R/S)-kellerine C(9),kobusone(10),eriodictyol(11).CONCLUSION Compound 1 is a new compound.Compounds 2-3 are isolated from the plants of family Guttiferae for the first time.Compounds 4-10 are isolated from this plant for the first time.
10.Advances in Dyslipidaemia Treatments: Focusing on ApoC3 and ANGPTL3 Inhibitors
Brian TOMLINSON ; Qian-yan WU ; Yi-ming ZHONG ; Yan-hong LI
Journal of Lipid and Atherosclerosis 2024;13(1):2-20
Apolipoprotein C3 (apoC3) and angiopoietin-like protein 3 (ANGPTL3) inhibit lipolysis by lipoprotein lipase and may influence the secretion and uptake of various lipoproteins.Genetic studies show that depletion of these proteins is associated with improved lipid profiles and reduced cardiovascular events so it was anticipated that drugs which mimic the effects of loss-of-function mutations would be useful lipid treatments. ANGPTL3 inhibitors were initially developed as a treatment for severe hypertriglyceridaemia including familial chylomicronaemia syndrome (FCS), which is usually not adequately controlled with currently available drugs. However, it was found ANGPTL3 inhibitors were also effective in reducing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) and they were studied in patients with homozygous familial hypercholesterolaemia (FH). Evinacumab targets ANGPTL3 and reduced LDL-C by about 50% in patients with homozygous FH and it has been approved for that indication. The antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) vupanorsen targeting ANGPTL3 was less effective in reducing LDL-C in patients with moderate hypertriglyceridaemia and its development has been discontinued but the small interfering RNA (siRNA) ARO-ANG3 is being investigated in Phase 2 studies. ApoC3 can be inhibited by the ASO volanesorsen, which reduced triglycerides by >70% in patients with FCS and it was approved for FCS in Europe but not in the United States because of concerns about thrombocytopaenia. Olezarsen is an N-acetylgalactosamine-conjugated ASO targeting apoC3 which appears as effective as volanesorsen without the risk of thrombocytopaenia and is undergoing Phase 3 trials. AROAPOC3 is an siRNA targeting apoC3 that is currently being investigated in Phase 3 studies.

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