1.Bioinformatics Reveals Mechanism of Schisandrin B in Inhibiting Ferroptosis to Ameliorate Methionine and Choline Deficiency-induced Fatty Liver Disease in Mice
Zhifeng ZHU ; Wenting LI ; Yongjun CAO ; Yuanyuan LIN ; Yifei LIU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(2):74-83
ObjectiveNonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a metabolic stress liver injury. Ferroptosis is involved in the occurrence and development of NAFLD. Exploring the efficacy and mechanism of schisandrin B in treating NAFLD facilitates the development of strategies for the prevention and treatment of NAFLD. MethodsThe molecular structure of schisandrin B was obtained by searching against PubChem, and the related targets were predicted by SwissTargetPrediction. The active ingredients and their targets were retrieved from the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP) and the high-throughput experiment- and reference-guide database of traditional Chinese medicine (HERB). GeneCards and FerrDb were searched for the targets of NAFLD and ferroptosis. The common targets were taken as the core targets, and the protein-protein interaction network of the core targets was established. DAVID was used for gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses. Finally, molecular docking was performed between schisandrin B and core targets, and the binding energy was calculated. C57BL/6 mice were fed with a methionine and choline-deficiency (MCD) diet for the modeling of NAFLD. Mice were randomized into normal, model, positive drug (essentiale), and low- and high-dose schisandrin B groups. The body mass and liver index of mice were measured after drug administration. The levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in the serum and those of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and Fe2+ in the liver homogenate were measured by biochemical assay kits. The pathological changes of the liver tissue were observed by hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and red oil O staining. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was employed to determine the levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) in the serum. Western blotting and real-time PCR were employed to determine the protein and mRNA levels, respectively, of solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11), solute carrier family 3 member 2 (SLC3A2), glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), transferrin, and ferritin heavy chain (FTH) in the liver tissue. ResultsA total of 2 370, 2 547, and 1 451 targets of schisandrin B, NAFLD, and ferroptosis were obtained, in which 90 common targets were shared by the three. Enrichment analyses predicted 505 GO terms and 92 KEGG pathways. Molecular docking suggested that schizandrin B had strong binding affinity with the key targets of ferropstosis (SLC7A11 and SLC3A2). Animal experiments showed that schizandrin B significantly decreased the liver index, lowered the levels of ALT, AST, TC, TG, IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α, alleviated hepatocyte ballooning and inflammatory cell infiltration, and reduced lipid accumulation in the liver of NAFLD mice. In addition, schisandrin B significantly lowered the levels of MDA, 4-HNE, and Fe2+, elevated the level of GSH, up-regulated the protein and mRNA levels of SLC7A11, SLC3A2, and GPX4, and down-regulated the protein and mRNA levels of transferrin in the liver tissue. ConclusionSchisandrin B can alleviate NAFLD by inhibiting ferroptosis in hepatocytes.
2.The characteristics and mechanism of dynamic changes of different components in microenvironment in regulating the progression of liver fibrosis
Huilan ZHAO ; Zongxu LIU ; Shumin LI ; Zhifeng WANG ; Minghui LIU ; Qian SHENG ; Kunbin KE ; Xinan SHI
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(4):755-760
The liver has diverse functions such as metabolism, detoxification, and immune defense, and the maintenance of hepatic microenvironment homeostasis is crucial for overall bodily health. The hepatic microenvironment consists of the components such as parenchymal cells, non-parenchymal cells, and non-cellular components. Chronic inflammatory responses induced by various etiological factors may promote the formation and progression of liver fibrosis. During the dynamic progression of liver fibrosis, from the early to advanced stages, various components within the hepatic microenvironment undergo a series of changes, which can promote the malignant progression of liver fibrosis. An in-depth exploration of the mechanisms underlying such changes in each component of the liver fibrosis microenvironment is of great significance for understanding the pathogenesis of liver fibrosis and discovering potential treatment strategies.
3.Risk factors of ineffective eradication therapy of adult Helicobacter pylori infection:a meta-analysis
Zhifeng TANG ; Guoming GAO ; Shuoquan LI ; Agang QU ; Lixia GOU
China Pharmacy 2025;36(12):1525-1529
OBJECTIVE To systematically evaluate the risk factors for ineffective eradication therapy of adult Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection. METHODS Retrieved from PubMed,Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, Embase, CNKI, VIP and Wanfang Data, cohort studies and case-control studies on the eradication therapy for Hp infection in adult patients were searched from Jan. 2000 to Jul. 2024. After screening literature, extracting data, and evaluating the quality of literature, RevMan 5.3 software was used for meta-analysis, and sensitivity analysis and publication bias analysis were also performed. RESULTS A total of 19 articles were included, all of which were cohort studies, involving 9 931 patients in total. Among them, 1 929 patients were ineffective in eradication therapy, with the ineffective rates ranging from 8.02% to 33.33%. Meta-analysis showed that age<50 years [OR=1.33, 95%CI (1.12,1.57), P<0.001], body mass index (BMI)>25 kg/m2 [OR=1.87, 95%CI (1.35, 2.59), P= 0.000 2], a history of smoking [OR=1.62, 95%CI(1.35, 1.95), P<0.001], a history of drinking [OR=1.93, 95%CI(1.47, 2.54), P<0.001], living in a rural area [OR=1.74, 95%CI(1.41, 2.15), P<0.001], having non-peptic ulcer [OR=3.45, 95%CI (1.75, 6.67), P=0.000 3], a family members’ infection history [OR=4.72, 95%CI(3.32, 6.74), P<0.001], poor treatment compliance [OR=4.89, 95%CI (3.07, 7.79), P<0.001], amoxicillin resistance [OR=3.42, 95%CI (1.95, 6.00), P<0.001] and clarithromycin resistance [OR=8.14, 95%CI(5.00, 13.24), P<0.001] had significant impacts on ineffective eradication therapy of Hp infection in adults. Sensitivity analysis and publication bias analysis showed that the result of this study was robust and reliable. CONCLUSIONS Age<50 years, BMI>25 kg/m, a history of smoking, a history of drinking, living in a rural area, having non-peptic ulcer, a family members’ infection history, poor treatment compliance, amoxicillin resistance and clarithromycin resistance are risk factors for failure of Hp infection eradication therapy in adults.
4.Research on the Role and Clinical Application Value of the Histone H2A Deubiquitinase BAP1 in the Occurrence and Progression of Malignant Glioma Cells
Yufang LI ; Zhifeng LIN ; Ying XIANG ; Fei QI ; Feizhou HAN ; Zhongli QIAN ; Tao WANG ; Xu CHEN
Journal of Modern Laboratory Medicine 2024;39(2):7-11,33
Objective To explore the role of breast/ovarian cancer susceptibility gene 1 associated protein 1(BAP1)in the occurrence and progression of human malignant glioma and the feasibility of BAP1 as a clinical diagnostic marker for malignant glioma.Methods The differential expression of BAP1 in normal and glioma tissue was analyzed based on the GSE4290 and GSE90598 sub-datasets from the gene expression omnibus(GEO)database.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis was conducted to assess the early diagnostic value of BAP1 for malignant glioma.Primary lesion tissues from 28 nonpaired malignant glioma patients and non-tumor brain tissues removed by internal decompression surgery in 5 patients with traumatic brain injury collected independently were collected,and the expression levels of BAP1 were measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction(qRT-PCR).Specific small interfering RNAs(siRNAs)targeting BAP1 were transiently transfected into U251 cells to further evaluate their interference efficiency.Flow cytometry was employed to analyze changes in the cell cycle and apoptosis of U251 cells with BAP1 knockdown.Results The results of bioinformatics showed that the expression of BAP1 in malignant glioma tissues was lower than that in normal brain tissues(GSE 4290:1 209±18.49 vs 1 476±53.90,GSE 90598:5.19±0.10 vs 5.65±0.21),and the differences were significant(t=5.115,2.267,all P<0.05).ROC curve showed that BAP1 could efficiently differentiate malignant glioma tissue from normal brain tissue(GSE4290:AUC=0.78,GSE90598:AUC=0.75,all P<0.05).The expression level of BAP1 in primary malignant glioma tissue was lower than that in normal brain tissue(0.27±0.04 vs 1.06±0.07),and the difference was significant(t=10.22,P<0.001).After down-regulating the expression of BAP1 in U251 cells,the proportion of S phase cells increased from 17.59%to 27.21%(siBAP1-1)and 25.79%(siBAP1-2),respectively,and the differences were significant(t=6.576,6.642,all P<0.01).However,the apoptosis levels decreased from 10.17%to 2.70%(siBAP-1)and 3.00%(siBAP-2),respectively,and the differences were significant(t=10.31,9.428,all P<0.01).Conclusion Histone H2A deubiquitinase BAP1 could exert the function of tumor suppressor genes by inhibiting rapid cell cycle progression and promoting apoptosis in malignant glioma,and could serve as a potential clinical diagnostic biomarker for malignant glioma.
5.Establishment of a nutritional risk prediction model for femoral intertrochanteric fractures treated with intramedullary nails
Qiang ZHANG ; Dawei LI ; Ninghao LIU ; Qianru LI ; Yingjie ZHENG ; Zhifeng ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2024;28(21):3380-3384
BACKGROUND:Patients with femoral intertrochanteric fracture may have nutritional risks during proximal femoral nail anti-rotation surgery,and a clinical predictive model is established based on nutritional assessment tools. OBJECTIVE:To establish the nomogram of the nutritional risk prediction model for patients with intertrochanteric fracture after proximal femoral nail anti-rotation fixation and evaluate the accuracy of the model. METHODS:From December 2018 to July 2022,patients with femoral intertrochanteric fractures who underwent proximal femoral nail anti-rotation fixation in First Department of Orthopedics,Second Affiliated Hospital of Baotou Medical College were selected as the study subjects.The nutritional risk status of patients was assessed using nutritional risk screening 2002.Logistic regression was used to build the model.The receiver operating characteristic curve,Calibration plot calibration curve,and Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test were used to evaluate the discrimination,calibration and clinical applicability of the prediction model.The model was visualized using Nomogram diagrams. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Seventy-six patients were included according to the inclusion criteria.The incidence of nutritional risk was 80%after being assessed using nutritional risk screening 2002.(2)The results of Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that age≥77 years old,body mass index<22.80 kg/m2,upper arm circumference<25.01 cm,hemoglobin<98.51 g/L,albumin<31.61 g/L,and prealbumin<138.56 g/L were all independent risk factors for nutritional risk(P<0.05).(3)The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.919(95%CI:0.843-0.994).(4)The results of the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test displayed that nutritional risk prediction value was high.(5)It is concluded that the nutritional risk assessment model constructed in this study has a good degree of discrimination and calibration,and has a certain predictive ability,which can be used as a reference tool for nutritional risk assessment of patients after proximal femoral nail anti-rotation fixation.
6.Analysis of on-site technical evaluation of 88 provincial health enterprises in Shandong Province
Wenjiao LIU ; Jing LI ; Zhifeng YANG ; Yuqian CHANG ; Haidong ZHANG ; Peng LI
China Occupational Medicine 2024;51(2):238-241
ObjectiveTo analyze the on-site technical evaluation results of the provincial-level health enterprises in Shandong Province. Methods A total of 88 provincial-level health enterprises in Shandong Province in 2021 were selected as the research subjects using the convenient sampling method. The scores of on-site technical assessments were analyzed. Results The total score of on-site technical evaluations for the 88 provincial health enterprises was (942.1±21.8) points. The scores for the first-level indicators, including management system, health environment, health management and services, and health culture, were (193.7±4.7), (191.6±5.2), (414.4±16.4), and (142.3±6.7) points, respectively. The score for health culture in large-sized enterprises was higher than that in medium-sized and below enterprises (P<0.05). State-owned enterprises had higher total scores than private enterprises and joint-stock enterprises (both P<0.05). The score for health management and services in the mining industry was higher than that in the manufacturing industry (P<0.05). Enterprises with high total investment in health promotion had higher scores for health culture than those with low investment (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in the scores for indicators of management system and health environment among enterprises of different sizes, natures, industries, and total investments in health promotion (all P>0.05). Conclusion The overall score of these 88 enterprises was higher than the standard for provincial health enterprises. Except for management systems and general environment, there were some differences in the scores for health management and services, and health culture assessments among enterprises of different sizes, natures, industries, and total investments in health promotion.
7.E-cigarette use among high school students in Wuhan City
ZHONG Qing ; XIONG Yuehua ; MEI Xin ; HUANG Yuanxia ; LI Yilin ; ZHANG Zhifeng
Journal of Preventive Medicine 2024;36(4):355-358
Objective:
To investigate the use of e-cigarette and analyze its influencing factors among high school students in Wuhan City, so as to provide insights into developing control measures for adolescents.
Methods:
From September to November 2019, high school students in Wuhan City were selected by the multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling method, and basic information, e-cigarette use and second-hand smoke exposure were collected through questionnaire surveys. Proportions of e-cigarette current use and attempt to use were analyzed, and factors affecting the current use of e-cigarettes were identified using a multivariable logistic regression model.
Results:
Totally 5 700 questionnaires were allocated, and 5 602 valid questionnaires were recovered, with an effective rate of 98.28%. The respondents included 2 925 males (52.21%) and 2 677 females (47.79%); 4 033 high school students (71.99%) and 1 569 vocational high school students (28.01%). The proportion of attempt to use e-cigarettes was 9.23%, and the proportion of current e-cigarette use was 2.03%. Multivariable logistic regression analysis identified male (OR=2.112, 95%CI: 1.285-3.471), vocational high school (OR=1.967, 95%CI: 1.214-3.186), private high school (OR=9.684, 95%CI: 5.648-16.605), family second-hand smoke exposure (OR=3.064, 95%CI: 1.741-5.392), second-hand smoke exposure in public places (OR=4.402, 95%CI: 1.687-11.484) and having close friends who were smokers (OR=6.432, 95%CI: 3.219-12.852) as factors affecting current e-cigarette use among high school students.
Conclusions
The proportion of current e-cigarette use among high school students in Wuhan City was 2.03%. Male, vocational high school, private high school, second-hand smoke exposure and having close friends who were smokers may be promoting factors for e-cigarette use.
8.Mechanism of Chinese Medicine Against Diabetic Gastroparesis: A Review
Long LI ; Zhifeng TANG ; Wenjing SONG ; Fangyi CHEN ; Yuting YUE ; Xia YANG ; Zhigang WANG ; Wanxin ZHU ; Shengfang WAN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2024;30(17):256-266
Diabetic gastroparesis (DGP) is a common diabetic neuropathy that affects the normal function of gastric motility and emptying. Clinically, it often manifests as abdominal distension, nausea and vomiting, early satiety, dyspepsia, etc. The pathogenesis of DGP is multifactorial, closely related to many factors, such as chronic hyperglycemia, neuropathy, autonomic nervous system disorders, inflammation, and oxidative stress. These factors can interact with each other, leading to delayed gastric emptying and the occurrence of related symptoms. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has significant advantages in the prevention and treatment of DGP, including a long history, remarkable efficacy, individualized treatment, diverse therapeutic formulations, and improvement in the quality of life. Additionally, TCM is known for its low adverse reactions, good tolerance, and multi-targeted effects, making it an important approach in the management of DGP. Previous research has found that the main mechanisms of Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of DGP include the regulation of gastrointestinal hormones, inhibition of inflammatory responses, reduction of oxidative stress, enhancement of interstitial cells of Cajal activity, inhibition of pyroptosis, and modulation of related signaling pathways such as stem cell factor (SCF)/cellular growth factor receptor (c-Kit), adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), Ras homologous genome member A (RhoA)/Rho-associated coiled-coil forming kinase (ROCK). This article primarily summarized the research progress on Chinese medicine in preventing and treating DGP through the inhibition of inflammatory responses, reduction of oxidative stress, enhancement of interstitial cells of Cajal activity, inhibition of pyroptosis, and regulation of related signaling pathways, aiming to provide a reference and basis for further research on the application value of Chinese medicine in the prevention and treatment of DGP.
9.Analysis of volatile components of organic solvents in key industry enterprises in Longgang District, Shenzhen City
China Occupational Medicine 2024;51(5):566-569
Objective To analyze the detection situation and variation tendency of volatile components of organic solvents in enterprises in Longgang District, Shenzhen City. Methods A total of 368 enterprises using organic solvents in Longgang District, Shenzhen City from 2019 to 2022 were selected as the research subjects using judgment sampling method. And its 2 086 reports of occupational hazards monitoring on volatile components of organic solvents in workplaces from 2019 to 2022 were collected for analysis. Results Among the 2 086 organic solvent samples, the top 10 chemical substances in terms of detection rates were toluene, methanol, xylene, n-hexane, ethylbenzene, dimethoxymethane, dichloromethane, acetone, ethyl acetate and cyclohexane, with detection rates ranging from 16.73% to 29.72%. The detection rate of benzene in organic solvent samples from 368 enterprises decreased from 13.84% to 5.13% from 2019 to 2022 (P<0.01). The detection rate of trichlorethylene decreased from 3.58% to 0.45% (P<0.01), and the detection rate of dichloroethane decreased from 4.53% to 1.81% (P<0.01). However, the reduction in the detection rate of n-hexane was not significant (from 28.88% to 23.08%, P>0.05). Benzene had relatively high detection rates in yellow glue, super glue, and thinner (10.94%, 10.00%, and 8.45%, respectively). The detection rate of n-hexane was relatively high in super glue, cleaning agent and car wash liquids (90.00%, 61.84%, and 46.81%, respectively). The detection rate of trichlorethylene was relatively high in cleaning agent (3.95%), and the detection rate of dichloroethane was relatively high in super glue (40.00%). Conclusion From 2019 to 2022, the detection rates of traditional occupational hazards such as benzene, trichloroethylene, and dichloroethane in the volatile organic components used in Longgang District enterprises showed a downward trend.
10.Monitoring results of SARS-CoV-2 in urban sewage in Chongqing city in 2023
Gaomin LIU ; Jiqin ZHENG ; Yao CHEN ; Wenge TANG ; Zhifeng LI ; Shujun NIE
Chinese Journal of Experimental and Clinical Virology 2024;38(3):294-298
Objective:To offset the shortage of traditional large-scale population surveillance and provide early-warning signals in the early stage of the outbreak of COVID-19, people in Chongqing had carried out severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) monitoring since 2023.Methods:After COVID-19 was managed with measures against Class B infectious diseases, we selected five sewage treatment plants with automatic sample collection facilities in four districts of the main city. Two samples of sewage from each sewage treatment plant were collected every week. Then SARS-CoV-2 from these samples was concentrated by aluminum hydroxide adsorption-precipitation, detected and analyzed by multiple real-time fluorescent RT-PCR.Results:From January 16 to December 31 of 2023, a total of 496 sewage samples were monitored, of which 285 samples were positive by SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid assay, with a total detection rate of 57.46%. The detection rate of SARS-CoV-2 in weeks 3-5, 18-21 and 40-47 was 100.00%. The daily mean nucleic acid concentration of SARS-CoV-2 in sewage peaked in the 18th week, and then began to decline, entering a low level and fluctuated in epidemic period. The variable trend of daily mean concentration of SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid was basically consistent with daily number of SARS-CoV-2 infected patients or SARS-CoV-2 positive rate in fever clinic counted by infectious disease monitoring system.Conclusions:The detection rate of SARS-CoV-2 in sewage of Chongqing is relatively high, especially in April to May, and sewage monitoring can indirectly reflect the status of COVID-19 infection.


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