During growth and progression, the microenvironment of tumors suffers a series of abnormal characteristics, which include hypoxia, acid pH, increased oxidative stress, excess glutathione(GSH), as well as certain overexpressed enzymes. Although affect or limit the cancer therapeutic outcomes, these factors provide possible approaches to strategies for cancer detection and novel therapy at the same time. Recently, based on these properties of the tumor microenvironment(TME), various kinds of responsive nano-platforms have been continuously developed and applied in cancer theranostics preliminarily. Thus, this review would introduce the typical features of TME firstly, then detailly summarize the design principles and research progress of corresponding hypoxiaresponsive, pH-responsive, redox-responsive, enzyme-responsive, dual-responsive and multi-responsive nanoplatforms. Finally, the challenges and the perspectives of the TME-responsive nano-platforms are briefly discussed.

Drug use during pregnancy is unavoidable. Therefore, it is vitally important for medical workers to help pregnant women take drugs correctly to reduce the incidence of spontaneous abortion, premature birth, and low birth weight. In our study, drug screening model with induced pluripotent stem cells(iPSCs) was used to find some improper drugs which will result in woman's abortion. With 3D culture in vitro, iPSCs can form embryoid bodies(EBs) and cerebral organoids, which simulated in vitro development of early embryos, from inner cell mass to germ-layer differentiation. In the experiment, EBs were exposed to mifepristone(RU486), and three experimental groups were divided randomly. They were control group(without RU486), low-dose group(L-RU486, 10 μg·mL^-1), and high-dose group(H-RU486, 20 μg·mL^-1). After mifepristone exposure, EBs were observed at days 5, 8, and 11, including size of EB, cell apoptosis, and differentiation of germ layers, by using inverted optical microscope, TUNEL assay, and immunofluorescent staining. The results showed that through 3D culture, iPSCs could develop into embryoid bodies, neural rosettes, and finally cerebral organoids. After mifepristone exposure, EBs' sizes were decreased(P < 0.01); the levels of cell apoptosis in EBs were increased after mifepristone exposure(P < 0.01); the development of EBs' germ layer was affected. Mifepristone exposure could inhibit the proliferation of embryonic stem cells, reduce the differentiation of ectoderm(P < 0.01) and promote the development of mesoderm(P < 0.05).In conclusion, iPSCs can be used as a screening model for abortion drug, and EBs' diameter, cell apoptosis, and differentiation changes of the germ layers can serve as criteria of abortion drug screening.

The quality markers(Q-markers) of traditional Chinese medicine(TCM) have become a topic of interest in TCM research in recent years. Nonetheless, there is still no consensus on how to scientifically characterize TCM Q-markers. Our study establishes an identification method for TCM Q-markers based on the analytical hierarchy process(AHP) and the entropy weight comprehensive method. By constructing an evaluation system encompassing the target layer, the factor layer and the control layer, AHP can be used to analyze the weight of three core TCM quality attributes, including effectiveness, testability and specificity. Following that, the entropy weight method is employed to analyze the specific indicators for each attribute based on the literature and experimental data. Finally, the comprehensive weight of each index is obtained by combining the two weights, and the comprehensive weight and the specific value of each component is multiplied and summed to obtain the integrated score ranking, and thereby identify the TCM Q-markers. Taking Shaoyao Gancao decoction as an example, the analysis revealed that the top 8 components are as follows: paeoniflorin > quercetin > albiflorin > glycyrrhizic acid > naringenin > liquiritin > oxypaeoniflorin > benzoylpaeoniflorin, and can be identified as Q-markers of Shaoyao Gancao decoction. This study not only provides support for the establishment of quality standards and process quality control of TCM formulae, but also provides innovative ideas and methods for quantitative evaluation and accurate identification of TCM Q-markers.

Fatigue is a common complication of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).We examined the relationship between T2DM fatigue and the skeletal muscle 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) system.In animal experiments, a T2DM model was established in mice by feeding a high-fat diet with intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin.The mice were treated with the 5-HT_2A receptor antagonist sarpogrelate hydrochloride (SH) and the 5-HT synthesis inhibitor carbidopa (CDP)(separately and in combination).In cell culture experiments, C2C12 cells were stimulated with D-glucose, palmitic acid or 5-HT.5-HT_2AR, 5-HT synthesis and 5-HT degradation were inhibited by SH, CDP, or monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) inhibitor.The animal experiments were in accordance with the regulations of the Animal Ethics Committee of China Pharmaceutical University.The results showed that 5-HT_2AR, 5-HT synthase and MAO-A were expressed in mouse skeletal muscle and C2C12 cells.The expression of these proteins was significantly up-regulated in T2DM mice or when C2C12 cells were exposed to palmitic acid and D-glucose; palmitic acid was a stronger stimulant of their expression than D-glucose.Rotating rod experiments and biochemical index tests have shown that T2DM fatigue is associated with an increase in skeletal muscle 5-HT_2AR, 5-HT synthesis and 5-HT degradation.5HT_2AR mediates the expression of MAO-A and the synthesis of 5-HT, which indirectly regulates the degradation of 5-HT.MAO-A regulates cell inflammation, mitochondrial ROS production and membrane potential depolarization by mediating 5-HT degradation.MAO-A also inhibits the expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1 (PGC-1), carnitine palmitoyltransferase-1 (CPT1) and ATP synthase-6 (ATP6), thus inhibiting mitochondrial functions such as fatty acid β oxidation and ATP synthesis.SH and CDP can effectively treat T2DM fatigue, and can also reduce blood glucose and blood lipid, and the combination of SH and CDP has a clear synergistic effect.

The determination and characterization of solid drug form polymorphisms plays an important role in drug quality control, selection of the production process and clinical efficacy evaluation. Vibrational spectroscopy is a powerful method for the characterization of drug polymorphisms. In this paper we review recent research and application advances in the polymorphic characterization of active pharmaceutical ingredients(APIs) and drug cocrystals/salts by using Fourier transform infrared(FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy to elucidate the characteristics of APIs and drug complexes. This may provide theoretical support for structural analysis during the development process for drugs.

Fibrosis is a pathological process of abnormal hyperplasia and excessive deposition of extracellular matrix during the process of repair after tissue and organ damage. Injury/inflammation caused by variously chronic diseases is a major trigger for fibrogenesis. Fibrosis of the liver and kidney is a common organ fibrosis. Recently, the intestinal microbiota has been shown to be extensively involved in the development of liver and kidney diseases, which may follow from changes in the intestinal microbial composition and intestinal integrity. This promotes the development of liver and/or kidney fibrosis through endocrine, cell signaling and other pathways. This paper reviews the research progress in understanding liver fibrosis and kidney fibrosis based on the gut-liver-kidney axis, which may be helpful for providing new strategies and theoretical basis for the diagnosis and treatment of hepatic and renal fibrosis.

Nanomedicine has great potential in cancer therapy, but the complex tumor microenvironment greatly prevents nanomedicine from being effectively delivered into tumor in vivo. It has been widely accepted that the encapsulated drugs in the nanoparticles have to go through five major cascading steps, including blood circulation, accumulation in tumor, penetration into the depth of tumor tissue, internalization by tumor cells and then intracellular drug release, before they can exert the anti-tumor efficacy. Among the five steps, drug accumulation in tumor and penetration in the depth of tumor have been the two major issues undermines the antitumor efficacy of nanomedicine. This paper summarizes the new major progress in improving the tumor accumulation and penetration of nanomedicine, especially the technologies that appeared or developed in the last five years.

Depression is a serious mental illness with a high incidence. At present, we do not fully understand the specific pathological mechanisms of depression, and the efficacy of drug treatments is very limited. Recent studies have shown that epigenetic changes that occur in specific brain regions may be a key mechanism by which environmental factors to interact with individuals to influence the risk of depression. Therefore, drugs that target epigenetic regulation may become a new direction for the development of antidepressants. Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) are a class of compounds that inhibit histone deacetylase activity, which has been reported to be associated with depression; this article addresses the use of HDACi in preclinical studies, and their potential therapeutic role and limitations of use in depression.

This study aims to investigate the effect of baicalein on the metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC) cells, and to elucidate the potential molecular mechanisms. Wound healing and Transwell migration and invasion assays were performed to detect the effect of baicalein on the migration and invasion of EC9706 and KYSE30 cells; the nude mice models of lung metastasis were applied to examine the function of baicalein in metastasis of ESCC by using KYSE30 cells. All animals were received humane care according to the Institutional Animal Care Guidelines approved by the Experimental Animal Ethical Committee of Henan University. Western blot assay was used to detect the protein levels of ERK/ELK-1/Snail signaling pathway. The data showed that baicalein significantly inhibited the migration and invasion of EC9706 and KYSE30 cells; Mechanistically, baicalein treatment led to a dramatically reduced expression of phosphorylated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2(p-ERK1/2, T202/Y204), p-ETS-domain containing protein-1(p-ELK-1, S383), Snail, N-cadherin, and Vimentin, and a statistical increase of E-cadherin expression in EC9706 and KYSE30 cells; Furthermore, the inhibition of ERK1/2 by U0126 or siRNA remarkably enhanced the effect of baicalein on the above proteins. In summary, baicalein probably inhibits the migration, invasion, and metastasis of ESCC cells via blocking the ERK/ELK-1/Snail signaling pathway.

In this study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of SYT-1, a new compound of tetrahydroisoquinoline, on tumor cell proliferation and underlying mechanisms. Cell counting kit-8(CCK-8) method was used to detect cell proliferation; clone formation experiment was used to detect cell clone formation ability; JC-1 probe was used to detect cell mitochondrial membrane potential; 2', 7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate(DCFH-DA)probe was used to detect intracellular reactive oxygen species; Annexin V-FITC/PI(fluorescein isothiocyanate/propidium) counterstaining method was used to detect apoptosis; Western blot assay was used to detect the expression level of related proteins. The experimental results show that SYT-1 has a significant inhibitory effect on the proliferation of six human-derived cancer cells. Among them, the inhibitory effect on breast cancer MCF-7 cells is the strongest, the half maximal inhibitory concentration(IC₅₀) of SYT-1 of 48 h administration on MCF-7 cells is 5.87 μmol·L^-1, which is better than that of cisplatin(8.92 μmol·L^-1). Further studies have shown that SYT-1 can dose-dependently inhibit the monoclonal formation ability of MCF-7 cells, and can cause the mitochondrial membrane potential of the cells to decrease and the level of reactive oxygen species to increase. In addition, SYT-1 can significantly inhibit the activation of PI3 K-Akt(phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B) signaling pathway and induce apoptosis of MCF-7 cells. The above research results show that, as a new type of tetrahydroisoquinoline compound, SYT-1 has the potential to inhibit tumor cell proliferation.