1.Enzyme-directed Immobilization Strategies for Biosensor Applications
Xing-Bao WANG ; Yao-Hong MA ; Yun-Long XUE ; Xiao-Zhen HUANG ; Yue SHAO ; Yi YU ; Bing-Lian WANG ; Qing-Ai LIU ; Li-He ZHANG ; Wei-Li GONG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(2):374-394
Immobilized enzyme-based enzyme electrode biosensors, characterized by high sensitivity and efficiency, strong specificity, and compact size, demonstrate broad application prospects in life science research, disease diagnosis and monitoring, etc. Immobilization of enzyme is a critical step in determining the performance (stability, sensitivity, and reproducibility) of the biosensors. Random immobilization (physical adsorption, covalent cross-linking, etc.) can easily bring about problems, such as decreased enzyme activity and relatively unstable immobilization. Whereas, directional immobilization utilizing amino acid residue mutation, affinity peptide fusion, or nucleotide-specific binding to restrict the orientation of the enzymes provides new possibilities to solve the problems caused by random immobilization. In this paper, the principles, advantages and disadvantages and the application progress of enzyme electrode biosensors of different directional immobilization strategies for enzyme molecular sensing elements by specific amino acids (lysine, histidine, cysteine, unnatural amino acid) with functional groups introduced based on site-specific mutation, affinity peptides (gold binding peptides, carbon binding peptides, carbohydrate binding domains) fused through genetic engineering, and specific binding between nucleotides and target enzymes (proteins) were reviewed, and the application fields, advantages and limitations of various immobilized enzyme interface characterization techniques were discussed, hoping to provide theoretical and technical guidance for the creation of high-performance enzyme sensing elements and the manufacture of enzyme electrode sensors.
2.Role of SWI/SNF Chromatin Remodeling Complex in Tumor Drug Resistance
Gui-Zhen ZHU ; Qiao YE ; Yuan LUO ; Jie PENG ; Lu WANG ; Zhao-Ting YANG ; Feng-Sen DUAN ; Bing-Qian GUO ; Zhu-Song MEI ; Guang-Yun WANG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(1):20-31
Tumor drug resistance is an important problem in the failure of chemotherapy and targeted drug therapy, which is a complex process involving chromatin remodeling. SWI/SNF is one of the most studied ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complexes in tumorigenesis, which plays an important role in the coordination of chromatin structural stability, gene expression, and post-translation modification. However, its mechanism in tumor drug resistance has not been systematically combed. SWI/SNF can be divided into 3 types according to its subunit composition: BAF, PBAF, and ncBAF. These 3 subtypes all contain two mutually exclusive ATPase catalytic subunits (SMARCA2 or SMARCA4), core subunits (SMARCC1 and SMARCD1), and regulatory subunits (ARID1A, PBRM1, and ACTB, etc.), which can control gene expression by regulating chromatin structure. The change of SWI/SNF complex subunits is one of the important factors of tumor drug resistance and progress. SMARCA4 and ARID1A are the most widely studied subunits in tumor drug resistance. Low expression of SMARCA4 can lead to the deletion of the transcription inhibitor of the BCL2L1 gene in mantle cell lymphoma, which will result in transcription up-regulation and significant resistance to the combination therapy of ibrutinib and venetoclax. Low expression of SMARCA4 and high expression of SMARCA2 can activate the FGFR1-pERK1/2 signaling pathway in ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma cells, which induces the overexpression of anti-apoptosis gene BCL2 and results in carboplatin resistance. SMARCA4 deletion can up-regulate epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by activating YAP1 gene expression in triple-negative breast cancer. It can also reduce the expression of Ca2+ channel IP3R3 in ovarian and lung cancer, resulting in the transfer of Ca2+ needed to induce apoptosis from endoplasmic reticulum to mitochondria damage. Thus, these two tumors are resistant to cisplatin. It has been found that verteporfin can overcome the drug resistance induced by SMARCA4 deletion. However, this inhibitor has not been applied in clinical practice. Therefore, it is a promising research direction to develop SWI/SNF ATPase targeted drugs with high oral bioavailability to treat patients with tumor resistance induced by low expression or deletion of SMARCA4. ARID1A deletion can activate the expression of ANXA1 protein in HER2+ breast cancer cells or down-regulate the expression of progesterone receptor B protein in endometrial cancer cells. The drug resistance of these two tumor cells to trastuzumab or progesterone is induced by activating AKT pathway. ARID1A deletion in ovarian cancer can increase the expression of MRP2 protein and make it resistant to carboplatin and paclitaxel. ARID1A deletion also can up-regulate the phosphorylation levels of EGFR, ErbB2, and RAF1 oncogene proteins.The ErbB and VEGF pathway are activated and EMT is increased. As a result, lung adenocarcinoma is resistant to epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs). Although great progress has been made in the research on the mechanism of SWI/SNF complex inducing tumor drug resistance, most of the research is still at the protein level. It is necessary to comprehensively and deeply explore the detailed mechanism of drug resistance from gene, transcription, protein, and metabolite levels by using multi-omics techniques, which can provide sufficient theoretical basis for the diagnosis and treatment of poor tumor prognosis caused by mutation or abnormal expression of SWI/SNF subunits in clinical practice.
3.Analysis on Dynamic Change of Stir-fried Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Quality Based on "Exterior-interior Correlation"
Yue XU ; Zhe JIA ; Yun WANG ; Bing LI ; Deling WU ; Cun ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(5):194-202
ObjectiveIn order to provide a reference for the optimization of preparation process of stir-fried Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma(sf-GRR), the quality changes during the processing was studied. MethodsGlycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma was processed by stir-frying for 17 min, and samples were collected every 1 min during the processing. The appearance color of the samples was determined by visual analysis technology, the moisture and extract of the process samples were detected by the drying method and the hot extraction method of alcohol-soluble extract in the general rules of the 2020 edition of Chinese Pharmacopoeia(part Ⅳ), and the contents of liquiritin apioside, liquiritin, isoliquiritin apioside, isoliquiritin, licoricesaponin G2 and glycyrrhizic acid in the process samples were determined by high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC). Then principal component analysis(PCA), partial least squares-discriminant analysis(PLS-DA) and Spearman correlation analysis were used for clustering, discrimination and correlation analysis of the appearance color, moisture, extract and the contents of six internal components. Based on artificial neural network and random forest algorithm, the prediction model of processing degree of sf-GRR was established. On this basis, based on the five principles of quality marker(Q-Maker), explore the monitoring Q-Maker of sf-GRR. ResultsThe color of Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma deepened after stir-frying, and the appearance color of the sample changed from light yellow to dark yellow during processing. During the stir-frying process, the moisture content showed a decreasing trend with the extension of processing time, while the extract content showed an increasing trend with the extension of processing time. After stir-frying, the contents of liquiritin apioside, liquiritin and licoricesaponin G2 showed an overall decreasing trend, while the contents of isoliquiritin apioside and isoliquiritin increased, and the content of glycyrrhizic acid increased slightly. The correlation analysis showed that moisture was positively correlated with brightness(L*) and red/green value(a*), and negatively correlated with yellow/blue value(b*) and total color difference(E*ab). Isoliquiritin apioside and isoliquiritin had negative correlation with L* and a*, and positive correlation with b* and E*ab. The processing process of sf-GRR could be divided into two stages of the early stage(0-14 min) and the late stage(15-17 min), and could be divided into three stages of the early stage(0-6 min), the middle stage(7-14 min) and the late stage(15-17 min) by combining the moisture, extract, the contents of 6 components and color values. Based on artificial neural network analysis and random forest algorithm, isoliquiritin apioside, isoliquiritin, liquiritin and glycyrrhizic acid were selected as monitoring markers for sf-GRR. ConclusionBased on the analysis of the exterior-interior indicators of process samples of sf-GRR, this paper ultimately identifies four processing monitoring markers, which can provide a basis for optimizing the processing technology of sf-GRR.
4.Treating Cough Variant Asthma from Wind Pathogen
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;66(12):1286-1289
It is believed that wind pathogen lingering in the lungs is the key factor in the pathogenesis of cough variant asthma. Among these, external wind-induced cough is the main trigger, while internal wind hidden in the lung plays an important role in promoting the disease. Weakness of the zang-fu organs is the fundamental cause of recurrent attacks, especially closely related to deficiencies in the lungs, spleen and kidneys. The primary treatment principles proposed are dispelling wind and relieving cough, as well as tonifying deficiency and supporting the upright qi. Clinical practice should integrate differentiation of the root and branch as well as excess and deficiency, applying staged treatment. During the acute attack phase, the focus is on dispelling wind and stopping cough, supplemented by tonification. During the remission phase, tonifying deficiency and supporting the upright qi is emphasized, with coordinated regulation of the lungs, spleen and kidneys alongside clearing residual pathogens, so that the pathogenic are eliminated and the body restored, leading to natural resolution of cough and reversal of adverse qi flow.
5.A new xanthone from the Polygala tenuifolia Willd. of northern Shaanxi
Yun-peng JIA ; Lu LIU ; Xiao-jun YANG ; Chao WANG ; Huo-bing REN
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2024;59(3):667-672
Ten compounds were isolated and purified from ethanol extracts of dried roots bark of
6.A Bibliometric and Visual Analysis of the Current Status and Trends of Foren-sic Mixed Stain Research
Qing-Wei FAN ; Ling LI ; Hui-Ling YANG ; Ting-Ting DENG ; Dong-Dong XU ; Yun WANG ; Bing DU ; Jiang-Wei YAN
Journal of Forensic Medicine 2024;40(1):20-29
Objective To explore the context and hotspot changes of forensic mixed stain research through bibliometric approach.Methods The literature of forensic mixed stain included in the core col-lection of Web of Science database from 2011 to 2022 were collected as the study object,and the an-nual publication number,countrie(region),institution,journal,keywords,etc.were bibliometrically and visually analyzed using the R-based Bibliometrix 1.1.6 package and VOSviewer 1.6.18 software.Re-sults A total of 732 articles on forensic mixed stain were included from 2011 to 2022,with the an-nual number of articles published and the annual citation frequency showing a steady increase year by year.Among the 59 countries(regions)with the most published articles,the United States ranked first with 246 articles,followed by China with 153 articles.The literature came from 104 journals,and the total number of articles published in the top 10 journals was 633.FORENSIC SCI INT GENET ranked first with 307 articles.Visual analysis using VOSviewer software showed that keywords could be divided into four research clusters,namely the genetic marker development group(blue),the mixed stain typing analysis theory group(red),the sequencing analysis group(yellow),and the case sample research group(green).It can be divided into four development stages in terms of different time peri-ods:early development(2011-2013),middle development(2014-2016),rapid development(2017-2020)and latest development(2021-2022).Conclusion The number of publications by domestic and foreign scholars in the study of mixed stain in forensic science is showing a relatively stable trend.Machine learning,next generation sequencing and other research have been the hottest topics that have attracted the most attention in recent years,which is expected to further develop the theory of mixed stain typing and sequencing analysis in forensic mixed stain research.
7.Perspective of Calcium Imaging Technology Applied to Acupuncture Research.
Sha LI ; Yun LIU ; Nan ZHANG ; Wang LI ; Wen-Jie XU ; Yi-Qian XU ; Yi-Yuan CHEN ; Xiang CUI ; Bing ZHU ; Xin-Yan GAO
Chinese journal of integrative medicine 2024;30(1):3-9
Acupuncture, a therapeutic treatment defined as the insertion of needles into the body at specific points (ie, acupoints), has growing in popularity world-wide to treat various diseases effectively, especially acute and chronic pain. In parallel, interest in the physiological mechanisms underlying acupuncture analgesia, particularly the neural mechanisms have been increasing. Over the past decades, our understanding of how the central nervous system and peripheral nervous system process signals induced by acupuncture has developed rapidly by using electrophysiological methods. However, with the development of neuroscience, electrophysiology is being challenged by calcium imaging in view field, neuron population and visualization in vivo. Owing to the outstanding spatial resolution, the novel imaging approaches provide opportunities to enrich our knowledge about the neurophysiological mechanisms of acupuncture analgesia at subcellular, cellular, and circuit levels in combination with new labeling, genetic and circuit tracing techniques. Therefore, this review will introduce the principle and the method of calcium imaging applied to acupuncture research. We will also review the current findings in pain research using calcium imaging from in vitro to in vivo experiments and discuss the potential methodological considerations in studying acupuncture analgesia.
Calcium
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Acupuncture Therapy
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Acupuncture
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Acupuncture Analgesia/methods*
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Acupuncture Points
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Technology
8.A comprehensive review of chemicals and biosynthetic pathways in toad (Bufo ) bile
Li-jun RUAN ; Bing-xiong YAN ; Yun-qiu WU ; Cai-yun YAO ; Xiao-nan YANG ; Zhi-jun SONG ; Ren-wang JIANG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2024;59(6):1616-1626
The toad, known for its various medicinal properties including parotid gland secretion (toad venom), dried skin, and gallbladder (toad bile), holds considerable medicinal applications as a valuable traditional Chinese animal medicine. Currently, in-depth attentions have been paid to the chemical composition and pharmacological properties of toad venom and skin; however, a lesser number of detailed analyses were concentrated on the toad bile. This review provides an overview of the chemical constituents in the bile of the
9.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.
10.Application of Functionalized Liposomes in The Delivery of Natural Products
Cheng-Yun WANG ; Xin-Yue LAN ; Jia-Xuan GU ; Xin-Ru GAO ; Long-Jiao ZHU ; Jun LI ; Bing FANG ; Wen-Tao XU ; Hong-Tao TIAN
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2024;51(11):2947-2959
Plant natural products have a wide range of pharmacological properties, not only can they be used as plant dietary supplements to meet the nutritional needs of the human body in the accelerated pace of life, but also occupy an important position in the research and development of therapeutic drugs for the treatment of tumors, inflammation and other diseases, and have been widely accepted by the public due to their good safety. However, despite the above advantages of plant natural products, limiting factors such as low solubility, poor stability, lack of targeting, high toxicity and side effects, and unacceptable odor have greatly impeded their conversion to clinical applications. Therefore, the development of new avenues for the application of new natural products has become an urgent problem to be solved at present. In recent years, with the continuous development of research, various strategies have been developed to improve the bioavailability of natural products. Among them, nanocarrier delivery system is one of the most attractive strategies at present. In past studies, a large number of nanomaterials (organic, inorganic, etc.) have been developed to encapsulate plant-derived natural products for their efficient delivery to specific organs and cells. Up to now, nanotechnology has not only been limited to pharmaceutical applications, but is also competing in the fields of nanofood processing technology and nanoemulsions. Among the various nanocarriers, liposomes are the largest nanocarriers with the largest market share at present. Liposomes are bilayer nanovesicles synthesized from amphiphilic substances, which have advantages such as high drug loading capacity and stability. Attractively, the flexible surface of liposomes can be modified with various functional elements. Functionalized modification of liposomes with different functional elements such as antibodies, nucleic acids, peptides, and stimuli-responsive moieties can bring out the excellent drug delivery function of liposomes to a greater extent. For example, the modification of functional elements with targeting function such as nucleic acids and antibodies on the surface of liposomes can deliver natural products to the target location and improve the bioavailability of drugs; the modification of stimulus-responsive groups such as photosensitizers, magnetic nanoparticles, pH-responsive groups, and temperature sensitizers on the surface of liposomes can achieve controlled release of drugs, localized targeting, and synergistic thermotherapy. In addition to the above properties, by using functionalized liposomes to encapsulate natural products with irritating properties can also effectively mask the irritating properties of natural products, improve public acceptance, and increase the possibility of application of irritating natural products. There are various strategies for modifying liposomes with functional elements, and the properties of functionalized liposomes constructed by different construction strategies differ. The commonly used construction strategies for functionalized liposomes include covalent modification and non-covalent modification. These two types of construction strategies have their own advantages and disadvantages. Covalent modification has better stability than non-covalent modification, but its operation is cumbersome. With the above background, this review focuses on the three typical problems faced by plant natural products at present, and summarizes the specific applications of functionalized liposomes in them. In addition, this paper summarizes the construction strategies for building different types of functionalized liposomes. Finally, this paper will also review the opportunities and challenges faced by functionalized liposomes to enter clinical therapy, and explore the opportunities to overcome these problems, with a view to better realizing the precise control of plant nanomedicines, and providing ideas and inspirations for researchers in related fields as well as relevant industrial staff.

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