{
  "abstract": "BackgroundCancer cachexia is a fatal complication characterized by systemic energy dysregulation. In traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), spleen deficiency (SD) is a syndrome construct describing impaired digestive, nutritive, and functional states rather than anatomical splenic dysfunction. This study examined whether a reserpine-induced SD-like state was associated with more severe cachexia-related phenotypes in Lewis lung carcinoma-bearing mice and whether Liu-Jun-Zi Decoction (LJZD) treatment was associated with changes in these outcomes.MethodsA combined disease-syndrome mouse model of SD-type lung cancer cachexia was established using reserpine combined with Lewis lung carcinoma cell inoculation. Body weight, tumor-free body weight, grip strength, hanging time, and tumor growth were assessed. Histopathological changes in tumor, adipose, and muscle tissues were observed by H&E staining. Selected proteins and transcripts related to tumor glycolysis (c-MYC and HK2), adipose remodeling (UCP1 and HSL), muscle atrophy (MAFbx and MuRF1), and inflammation (LCN2) were assessed by immunohistochemistry, Western blotting, and/or RT-qPCR. Serum levels of norepinephrine (NE), TNF-α, IL-6, and LCN2 were measured by ELISA, and let-7g microRNA expression was assessed by RT-qPCR.ResultsRelative to the tumor-only (TM) group, mice exposed to both reserpine and tumor challenge (ST) showed lower total and tumor-free body weight, poorer physical performance, and larger tumors. LJZD treatment in the ST background was associated with improvements in these phenotypes and a reduction in tumor burden. The ST group also showed higher c-MYC/HK2, TNF-alpha/IL-6/LCN2, HSL/UCP1, and MAFbx/MuRF1 abundance and lower let-7g microRNA expression than the TM group; these marker changes were attenuated in the LJZD-treated group.ConclusionIn this reserpine-based mouse model, the SD-like state was associated with more severe cachexia-related phenotypes and changes in selected glycolysis-associated markers in tumor tissue, systemic inflammation, adipose remodeling, and muscle atrophy. LJZD treatment was associated with partial normalization of these markers.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": "Original Research",
  "arxiv": null,
  "author_total": 9,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Shilong Zhu"
    },
    {
      "name": "Yazhou Sang"
    },
    {
      "name": "Yijun Wang"
    },
    {
      "name": "Qingyu Mao"
    },
    {
      "name": "Mengying Lei"
    },
    {
      "name": "Jiapan Lv"
    },
    {
      "name": "Dan Yang"
    },
    {
      "name": "Yulong Chen"
    },
    {
      "name": "Yaosong Wu"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/dcc0mmkx9ha4j.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.3389/fonc.2026.1966810",
  "fulltext_url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2026.1966810/full",
  "id": "dcc0mmkx9ha4j",
  "issns": [
    "2234-943X"
  ],
  "landing_url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2026.1966810",
  "language": "en",
  "licence": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "metadata_licence": null,
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "feed-journal",
      "medicine/oncology"
    ],
    [
      "lcc",
      "RC254-282"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": null,
  "pdf_url": null,
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-11-06",
  "publisher": "Frontiers Media SA",
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/dcc0mmkx9ha4j.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-06T12:20:48Z",
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      "url": "https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fonc.2026.1966810"
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    {
      "first_seen": "2026-11-06T14:21:07Z",
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  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "medicine",
      "origin": "feed-journal:medicine/oncology",
      "subfield": "oncology"
    }
  ],
  "title": "A reserpine-induced spleen-deficiency-like state is associated with aggravated cancer cachexia and metabolic-marker alterations following Liu-Jun-Zi Decoction treatment in mice",
  "title_text": "A reserpine-induced spleen-deficiency-like state is associated with aggravated cancer cachexia and metabolic-marker alterations following Liu-Jun-Zi Decoction treatment in mice",
  "type": "peer-reviewed",
  "updated_at": "2026-11-08T14:20:21Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/dcc0mmkx9ha4j",
  "venue": "Frontiers in Oncology",
  "versions": []
}