Beijing Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Migraine is a common neurological disorder and a primary headache condition. Despite its central origin, migraine pain may be referred to the orofacial region via trigeminal pathways, resulting in phenotypic overlap with other orofacial pain (OFP) conditions. OFP represents a highly prevalent and heterogeneous group of pain disorders that substantially impair quality of life. Microneedle (MN) technology enables minimally invasive, localized, or transdermal drug delivery and has emerged as a promising mechanism-guided strategy for the management of migraine and other OFP conditions. This review aims to systematically summarize the current evidence on MN-based technologies for the treatment of migraine and other OFP conditions and discuss the therapeutic implications, limitations, and future directions of MN technologies. This study is a narrative review. PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were systematically searched from inception to November 18, 2025. English-language studies evaluating MN-based technologies for migraine and other OFP conditions, including temporomandibular disorders (TMD) and oral mucosal ulcers, in animal models or human participants were included. Eleven studies were included, covering migraine (n = 4), TMD (n = 2), and oral mucosal ulcers (n = 5). Across included studies, evidence for MN-based interventions was most advanced in migraine. Preclinical studies demonstrated that transdermal or intranasal MN systems enabled rapid and reliable drug absorption, with bioavailability comparable to subcutaneous injection. Clinical studies of MN-mediated triptan delivery reported high rates of 2 h pain relief and freedom from the most bothersome migraine-associated symptoms, with generally mild and transient local skin reactions. Beyond migraine, MNs were explored for TMD and oral mucosal ulcers, where they enabled localized and sustained analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects and promoted tissue healing, although evidence in these conditions remains limited and largely preclinical. MN-based drug delivery represents a promising, minimally invasive strategy for migraine and other OFP management, with the strongest and most clinically relevant evidence currently available for acute migraine treatment. By enabling rapid and reliable drug absorption while bypassing gastrointestinal limitations, MNs may enhance the effectiveness of migraine-specific therapies. Emerging preclinical evidence further suggests potential applicability of MN platforms in other OFP conditions, including TMD and oral mucosal ulcers, through localized and sustained analgesic and anti-inflammatory delivery. Future research should prioritize migraine-focused optimization of MN materials and designs, alongside disease-specific expansion and standardized pain-related outcome reporting, to facilitate broader clinical translation.

Dendritic cell-derived exosomes (DEXs) are emerging as effective platforms for cancer vaccines due to their capacity to present tumor antigens and regulate immune responses. Here, we developed a multifunctional DEX vaccine (DEXAGNP) that integrates liver cancer epitope presentation, innate immune activation, and checkpoint modulation. Human DEXAGNP was generated by loading HLA-A*02:01-restricted hAFP158-166 and hGPC3144-152 peptides, and murine DEXAGNP by loading mAFP212-219 and mGPC3127-136 peptides. The N-terminal functional domain of high-mobility group nucleosome-binding protein 1 (N1ND) was membrane-anchored via CHOL-PEG2000, and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) of DEXs surface was blocked with anti-PD-L1 antibodies to mitigate immunosuppression. DEXAGNP vaccine enhanced antigen-specific CD8⁺ T-cell responses, as supported by peptide-MHC tetramer staining, and promoted cytokine-associated effector activity. In vitro, DEXAGNP-primed T cells mediated cytotoxicity against both human and murine liver cancer cell lines. In vivo, DEXAGNP suppressed tumor growth in an immunocompetent subcutaneous H22 model and a humanized HepG2 xenograft model, and demonstrated antitumor activity in an orthotopic HCC model. In addition, DEXAGNP induced measurable killing in ex vivo assays using clinical HCC specimens and, in the prophylactic setting, was associated with enhanced memory-like T-cell responses. DEXAGNP is a modular exosome vaccine that combines epitope-specific antigen presentation with immune activation and PD-L1 blockade, enabling robust antitumor T-cell responses across complementary liver cancer models. This engineered DEX platform provides a practical blueprint for developing next-generation exosome-based cancer vaccines.

Abstract Colorectal cancer (CRC) represents a significant global health challenge, with emerging evidence suggesting that environmental factors, including commonly used antimicrobial agents like triclosan (TCS) and triclocarban (TCC), may play a role in its pathogenesis. This study aimed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms by which TCS and TCC contribute to CRC development. We employed network toxicology and machine learning (ML) methodologies to pinpoint key targets related to CRC associated with TCS and TCC, further validating our bioinformatics findings through molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and cellular thermal shift assay-western blotting (CETSA-WB). Our results revealed that the identified CRC targets associated with TCS and TCC were predominantly involved in pathways such as chemical carcinogenesis-receptor activation, nitrogen metabolism, and neuroactive ligand-receptor interactions, with NR3C1, BCHE, MAOA, and XDH emerging as four core targets. The molecular interactions showed that the binding energies of TCS and TCC with the core targets were all below −7 kcal/moL, ensuring stable binding, particularly between MAOA and TCC, a finding corroborated by CETSA-WB. In conclusion, TCS and TCC potentially facilitate CRC development through multiple pathways and targets, highlighting NR3C1, BCHE, MAOA, and XDH, especially MAOA, as pivotal components in this complex process. Future research should further explore these interactions to inform preventive strategies and therapeutic interventions against CRC.

Chaihu-Shugan-San (CSS), a classic traditional Chinese medicine formula, has demonstrated significant efficacy in treating various gastrointestinal disorders. To explore the therapeutic efficacy of CSS in alleviating chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG), and elucidate the underlying mechanisms of action. High performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to identify the main active components of CSS. The therapeutic effects of CSS at doses of 925 mg/kg/day and 1850 mg/kg/day on N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG)-induced CAG were evaluated. Network pharmacology and molecular docking were used to predict the potential targets of CSS in CAG. The impact of CSS on the gut microbiota of rats was investigated by 16S rRNA sequencing. The main active components of CSS were lipids and lipid-like molecules, phenylpropanoids and polyketides. In vivo experiments showed that CSS significantly ameliorated MNNG-induced CAG by inhibiting inflammation and apoptosis. The core target of CSS to alleviate CAG were tumor necrosis factor, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, BAX, BCL2, caspase-3/caspase-9, and NFKBIA. Gene Ontology analysis of these core targets revealed their predominant association with the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling complex and BAX apoptotic complex. Molecular docking demonstrated that six compounds in CSS, including baicalin, licoisoflavone B, licochalcone B, glabrone, glycyrrhiza flavonol A, and marmin exhibited strong binding affinities with NFKBIA. 16S rRNA sequencing indicated that CSS promoted beneficial changes in the colonic microbial community. CSS alleviated CAG by inhibiting NF-κB-mediated inflammation and apoptosis, providing insights into its mechanism of action in protection against CAG.

This report presents a clinical case of nonketotic hyperglycemic hemichorea treated with governor vessel thirteen needles, scalp acupuncture, back-shu and front-mu acupoint combinations, and moxibustion on the basis of standard medical care. The patient presented with involuntary choreiform movements of the right upper limb. According to TCM pattern differentiation, the condition was diagnosed as kidney deficiency leading to marrow depletion and yang deficiency failing to nourish the orifices. The treatment principle focused on tonifying the kidney, replenishing marrow, warming yang, and unblocking the orifices. Governor vessel thirteen needles were applied at Baihui (GV20), Fengfu (GV16), and Dazhui (GV14) to regulate yang qi. Scalp acupuncture was applied along the anterior parietotemporal line to modulate motor function. Back-shu and front-mu points such as Yishu (EX-B3), Pishu (BL20), and Zhongwan (CV12) were used to strengthen the spleen, resolve phlegm, and reinforce the root. Moxibustion was applied to Zhongwan (CV12) and Guanyuan (CV4) to warm the meridians. Treatment was conducted twice per week, with strict blood glucose control simultaneously. After one week, the patient's right upper limb choreiform movements were significantly reduced, speech became clearer, and gait stabilized; the symptoms were basically relieved. After two weeks (four sessions), all symptoms resolved, and no recurrence was observed during follow-up. This case provides effective clinical evidence for the treatment of nonketotic hyperglycemic hemichorea with a combined approach of acupuncture and dietary control.

Recent analyses of anti-endothelial cell antibodies (AECAs) have renewed interest in the immunological pathways underlying vascular inflammation. Although endothelial injury mediated by AECAs constitutes a clearly defined mechanistic contributor to a subset of vasculitic syndromes, accumulating evidence from virology, autoinflammation, complement biology, molecular genetics, and tissue injury suggests that vasculitis is better conceptualized as a final common pathological endpoint rather than a uniformly immune-mediated disease. In this perspective, we argue that the traditional immune-centric definition of vasculitis fails to encompass this mechanistic diversity. We outline multiple upstream mechanisms — including infection-driven, immune-complex–mediated, autoinflammatory, complement-mediated, monogenic, and injury-induced pathways — and propose a mechanism-informed nomenclature that integrates conventional vessel-size–based classification with pathway-based endotypes. This dual-layer approach may enhance diagnostic precision, improve biomarker interpretation, guide targeted therapeutic strategies, and better align vasculitis terminology with contemporary biological understanding.

18F-FDG brain PET atlas is widely used in clinical and neuroscience research. However, variation in PET scanner technology can lead to misinterpretation and quantification errors with mismatched atlases. This study aimed to develop high-resolution, age-stratified FDG brain atlases harmonized across different effective image resolutions (EIRs) to support diverse PET/CT scanners. A total of 140 adults (aged 20-90 years, 72 males) were retrospectively enrolled and divided into seven age groups (n = 20). All underwent 18F-FDG PET/CT at China-Japan Friendship Hospital (Jan 2022-May 2023) using the Siemens Biograph Vision 600 scanner. PET scans (4 min) were acquired 60 min after 18F-FDG injection (4.44 MBq/kg). System EIR was measured using a Hoffman phantom, and images were smoothed to emulate 5.0-6.0 mm and 8.0-10.0 mm resolutions. Images were normalized to MNI space (1.0 mm) via ANTs, and subjects with outlier FDG uptake values were excluded. SUVRs were calculated using the whole cerebellum as reference. Age-stratified and EIR-harmonized atlases were created. Gray/white contrast (GWC), age correlations, and SUVR differences were analyzed. After quality control, 97 participants were included for atlas construction. Atlases for both EIRs were generated. GWC was higher at 5.0-6.0 mm than at 8.0-10.0 mm (e.g., 2.73 vs. 1.76 in 20-30 years). SUVRs in cortical and subcortical regions negatively correlated with age; brainstem SUVRs correlated only at lower resolution. SUVRs were higher at high resolution across regions. A set of age-dependent, harmonized FDG-PET atlases was developed and the quantitative metrics across age were characterized.

Guselkumab and risankizumab exhibit divergent real-world safety profiles, challenging the notion of a uniform class effect. Clinicians should be vigilant for malignancies and serious systemic events with risankizumab, particularly in the elderly, while prioritizing patient education for guselkumab to prevent administration errors. These findings support individualized treatment strategies to minimize drug-specific risks.