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Qixue Shuangbu Prescription (QSP) has been widely applied in the treatment of chronic heart failure (CHF). Previous clinical studies have found that the efficacy of processed QSP was significantly enhanced in the treatment of CHF. We have identified and analyzed the nonvolatile components before and after processing of QSP, and predicted the mechanism of synergistic effect after processing in the treatment of CHF. However, the synergistic mechanism of processed QSP caused by the difference of volatile components was still unclear. In this study, we developed a method of needle trap device coupled with gas chromatography-triple quadrupole mass spectrometry to elucidate the difference of volatile components between crude and processed QSP. The established method has been used to identify 104 volatile compounds in crude and processed QSP. The results of multivariate data showed 38 differential compounds were screened as potential markers, which would further explain the mechanism of processing synergistic effect of processed QSP. This study successfully developed the method to elucidate its processing mechanism based on the difference of volatile compositions between crude and processed QSP for the first time, and it would provide a novel analytical strategy for the impacts of different processing methods on main volatile compounds in traditional Chinese medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Qixue Shuangbu Prescription (QSP) is a famous traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) formula widely used for the treatment of chronic heart failure (CHF). Previous clinical studies have found that the efficacy of processed QSP has been significantly enhanced in the treatment of CHF. However, the synergistic mechanisms of processed QSP to enhance the treatment of CHF are still unclear. Generally, the changes in clinical effects mainly result from the variations of inside chemical basis caused by the TCM processing procedure. In this study, we developed a network pharmacology-integrated metabolomics strategy to clarify the difference of the effective compounds between crude and processed QSP, and further explain the mechanism of processed QSP to produce a synergistic effects. As a result, 69 different compounds were successfully screened, identified, quantified and verified as the most potential marker compounds. These different chemical components may play an anti-CHF and enhance the therapeutic effect through 52 action pathways such as estrogen signaling pathway, ubiquitin mediated proteolysis, protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum, etc. This study revealed that the proposed network pharmacology-integrated metabolomics strategy was a powerful tool for explaining the mechanism of synergistic action in the processing of QSP, further controlling the quality and understanding the processing mechanism of TCM formulae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) technology has revolutionized cellular immunotherapy, particularly with the success of CAR-T cells in treating hematologic malignancies. However, CAR-T cells have the limited efficacy of against solid tumors. To address these limitations, CAR-macrophages (CAR-Ms) leverage the innate properties of macrophages with the specificity and potency of CAR technology, offering a novel and promising approach to cancer immunotherapy. Preclinical studies have shown that CAR-Ms can effectively target and destroy tumor cells, even within challenging microenvironments, by exhibiting direct cytotoxicity and enhancing the recruitment and activation of other immune cells. Additionally, the favorable safety profile of macrophages and their persistence within solid tumors position CAR-Ms as potentially safer and more durable therapeutic options compared to CAR-T cells. This review explores recent advancements in CAR-Ms technology, including engineering strategies to optimize their anti-tumor efficacy and preclinical evidence supporting their use. We also discuss the challenges and future directions in developing CAR-Ms therapies, emphasizing their potential to revolutionize cellular immunotherapy. By harnessing the unique properties of macrophages, CAR-Ms offer a groundbreaking approach to overcoming the current limitations of CAR-T cell therapies, paving the way for more effective and sustainable cancer treatments., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Huang, Bei, Hu and Li.)