2025 APS Outstanding Contribution Awards

APS (Acta Pharmacologica Sinica), published monthly in English, is an international peer-reviewed journal. With the leading by Professor Jian Ding, Editor-in-Chief, and the support from a respected global editorial board, APS is continuously growing to a high-level journal in the area of pharmacology and related life sciences. We owe all the journal progress to our authors and reviewers. To acknowledge their fine contributions to the journal, we set awards to outstanding papers and reviewers.

APS Outstanding Paper Award

Cell senescence induced by toxic interaction between α-synuclein and iron precedes nigral dopaminergic neuron loss in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease

Qing-Qing Shen, Xian-Hui Ju, Xi-Zhen Ma, Chong Li, Lin Liu, Wen-Ting Jia, Le Qu, Lei-Lei Chen, Jun-Xia Xie

Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2024 Feb;45(2):268-281. doi: 10.1038/s41401-023-01153-z. Epub 2023 Sep 6.

Predictive biomarkers of immunotherapy response with pharmacological applications in solid tumors

Szonja Anna Kovács, János Tibor Fekete, Balázs Győrffy

Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2023 Sep;44(9):1879-1889. doi: 10.1038/s41401-023-01079-6. Epub 2023 Apr 13.

Caffeic acid alleviates cerebral ischemic injury in rats by resisting ferroptosis via Nrf2 signaling pathway

Xin-Nan Li, Nian-Ying Shang, Yu-Ying Kang, Ning Sheng, Jia-Qi Lan, Jing-Shu Tang, Lei Wu, Jin-Lan Zhang, Ying Peng

Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2024 Feb;45(2):248-267. doi: 10.1038/s41401-023-01177-5. Epub 2023 Oct 13.

Bergapten inhibits NLRP3 inflammasome activation and pyroptosis via promoting mitophagy

Tong Luo, Xin Jia, Wan-di Feng, Jin-Yong Wang, Fang Xie, Ling-Dong Kong, Xue-Jiao Wang, Rui Lian, Xia Liu, Ying-Jie Chu, Yao Wang, An-Long Xu

Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2023 Sep;44(9):1867-1878. doi: 10.1038/s41401-023-01094-7. Epub 2023 May 4.

Notoginsenoside R1 protects against myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury in mice via suppressing TAK1-JNK/p38 signaling

Jing-Jing Zeng, Han-Qing Shi, Fang-Fang Ren, Xiao-Shan Zhao, Qiao-Ying Chen, Dong-Juan Wang, Lian-Pin Wu, Mao-Ping Chu, Teng-Fang Lai, Lei Li

Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2023 Jul;44(7):1366-1379. doi: 10.1038/s41401-023-01057-y. Epub 2023 Jan 31.

DrugRep: an automatic virtual screening server for drug repurposing

Jian-Hong Gan, Ji-Xiang Liu, Yang Liu, Shu-Wen Chen, Wen-Tao Dai, Zhi-Xiong Xiao, Yang Cao 

Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2023 Apr;44(4):888-896. doi: 10.1038/s41401-022-00996-2. Epub 2022 Oct 10.

Direct cardio-protection of Dapagliflozin against obesity-related cardiomyopathy via NHE1/MAPK signaling

Ke Lin, Na Yang, Wu Luo, Jin-Fu Qian, Wei-Wei Zhu, Shi-Ju Ye, Chen-Xin Yuan, Di-Yun Xu, Guang Liang, Wei-Jian Huang, Pei-Ren Shan

Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2022 Oct;43(10):2624-2635. doi: 10.1038/s41401-022-00885-8. Epub 2022 Feb 25.

Aspirin triggers ferroptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells through restricting NF-κB p65-activated SLC7A11 transcription

Yu-Fei Wang, Jin-Yan Feng, Li-Na Zhao, Man Zhao, Xian-Fu Wei, Yu Geng, Hong-Feng Yuan, Chun-Yu Hou, Hui-Hui Zhang, Guo-Wen Wang, Guang Yang, Xiao-Dong Zhang

Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2023 Aug;44(8):1712-1724. doi: 10.1038/s41401-023-01062-1. Epub 2023 Feb 24.

Activating α7nAChR ameliorates abdominal aortic aneurysm through inhibiting pyroptosis mediated by NLRP3 inflammasome

Hui Fu, Qi-Rui Shen, Yi Zhao, Min Ni, Can-Can Zhou, Ji-Kuai Chen, Chen Chi, Dong-Jie Li, Guang Liang, Fu-Ming Shen

Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2022 Oct;43(10):2585-2595. doi: 10.1038/s41401-022-00876-9. Epub 2022 Feb 25.

Long-term administration of salvianolic acid A promotes endogenous neurogenesis in ischemic stroke rats through activating Wnt3a/GSK3β/β-catenin signaling pathway

Sen Zhang, De-Wen Kong, Guo-Dong Ma, Cheng-di Liu, Yu-Jiao Yang, Shan Liu, Nan Jiang, Zi-Rong Pan, Wen Zhang, Ling-Lei Kong, Guan-Hua Du

Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2022 Sep;43(9):2212-2225. doi: 10.1038/s41401-021-00844-9. Epub 2022 Feb 25.

The small molecule chemical compound cinobufotalin attenuates resistance to DDP by inducing ENKUR expression to suppress MYH9-mediated c-Myc deubiquitination in lung adenocarcinoma

Jia-Hao Liu, Hui-Ling Yang, Shu-Ting Deng, Zhe Hu, Wei-Feng Chen, Wei-Wei Yan, Ren-Tao Hou, Yong-Hao Li, Rui-Ting Xian, Ying-Ying Xie, Yun Su, Li-Yang Wu, Ping Xu, Zhi-Bo Zhu, Xiong Liu, Yu-Ling Deng, Yu-Bing Wang, Zhen Liu, Wei-Yi Fang

Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2022 Oct;43(10):2687-2695. doi: 10.1038/s41401-022-00890-x. Epub 2022 Mar 16. 

Hernandezine induces autophagic cell death in human pancreatic cancer cells via activation of the ROS/AMPK signaling pathway

Chang-Feng Song, Yu-Heng Hu, Zhi-Guo Mang, Zeng Ye, Hai-di Chen, De-Sheng Jing, Gui-Xiong Fan, Shun-Rong Ji, Xian-Jun Yu, Xiao-Wu Xu, Yi Qin

Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2023 Apr;44(4):865-876. doi: 10.1038/s41401-022-01006-1. Epub 2022 Oct 25.

Fisetin treatment alleviates kidney injury in mice with diabetes-exacerbated atherosclerosis through inhibiting CD36/fibrosis pathway

Ting-Feng Zou, Zhi-Gang Liu, Pei-Chang Cao, Shi-Hong Zheng, Wen-Tong Guo, Tian-Xiang Wang, Yuan-Li Chen, Ya-Jun Duan, Qing-Shan Li, Chen-Zhong Liao, Zhou-Ling Xie, Ji-Hong Han, Xiao-Xiao Yang

Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2023 Oct;44(10):2065-2074. doi: 10.1038/s41401-023-01106-6. Epub 2023 May 24.

Tetramethylpyrazine prevents liver fibrotic injury in mice by targeting hepatocyte-derived and mitochondrial DNA-enriched extracellular vesicles

Ya-Jing Li, Run-Ping Liu, Ming-Ning Ding, Qi Zheng, Jian-Zhi Wu, Xiao-Yong Xue, Yi-Qing Gu, Bo-Ning Ma, Ya-Jie Cai, Shuo Li, Sheng Lin, Lu-Yong Zhang, Xiaojiaoyang Li 

Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2022 Aug;43(8):2026-2041. doi: 10.1038/s41401-021-00843-w. Epub 2022 Jan 13.

Urolithin A ameliorates obesity-induced metabolic cardiomyopathy in mice via mitophagy activation

Jian-Rong Huang, Ming-Hua Zhang, Ying-Jie Chen, Yu-Ling Sun, Zhi-Min Gao, Zhuo-Jia Li, Gui-Ping Zhang, Yuan Qin, Xiao-Yan Dai, Xi-Yong Yu, Xiao-Qian Wu

Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2023 Feb;44(2):321-331. doi: 10.1038/s41401-022-00919-1. Epub 2022 Jun 2.

Pramipexole inhibits astrocytic NLRP3 inflammasome activation via Drd3-dependent autophagy in a mouse model of Parkinson's disease

An-Qi Dong, Ya-Ping Yang, Shu-Min Jiang, Xiao-Yu Yao, Di Qi, Cheng-Jie Mao, Xiao-Yu Cheng, Fen Wang, Li-Fang Hu, Chun-Feng Liu

Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2023 Jan;44(1):32-43. doi: 10.1038/s41401-022-00951-1. Epub 2022 Jul 27.

Mitochondrial-derived damage-associated molecular patterns amplify neuroinflammation in neurodegenerative diseases

Miao-Miao Lin, Na Liu, Zheng-Hong Qin, Yan Wang

Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2022 Oct;43(10):2439-2447. doi: 10.1038/s41401-022-00879-6. Epub 2022 Mar 1.

Mesenchymal stem cells in fibrotic diseases-the two sides of the same coin

Lei Qin, Nian Liu, Chao-le-Meng Bao, Da-Zhi Yang, Gui-Xing Ma, Wei-Hong Yi, Guo-Zhi Xiao, Hui-Ling Cao 

Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2023 Feb;44(2):268-287. doi: 10.1038/s41401-022-00952-0. Epub 2022 Jul 27.

Therapeutic potential of colchicine in cardiovascular medicine: a pharmacological review

Fan-Shun Zhang, Qing-Ze He, Chengxue Helena Qin, Peter J Little, Jian-Ping Weng, Suo-Wen Xu

Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2022 Sep;43(9):2173-2190. doi: 10.1038/s41401-021-00835-w. Epub 2022 Jan 19.

Regulated cell death pathways in cardiomyopathy

Shu-Yuan Sheng, Jia-Min Li, Xin-Yang Hu, Yibin Wang

Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2023 Aug;44(8):1521-1535. doi: 10.1038/s41401-023-01068-9. Epub 2023 Mar 13.

Regulation of toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling pathways in atherosclerosis: from mechanisms to targeted therapeutics

Mei Jin, Jian Fang, Jiao-Jiao Wang, Xin Shao, Suo-Wen Xu, Pei-Qing Liu, Wen-Cai Ye, Zhi-Ping Liu

Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2023 Dec;44(12):2358-2375. doi: 10.1038/s41401-023-01123-5. Epub 2023 Aug 7.

Paraptosis: a non-classical paradigm of cell death for cancer therapy

Chun-Cao Xu, Yi-Fan Lin, Mu-Yang Huang, Xiao-Lei Zhang, Pei Wang, Ming-Qing Huang, Jin-Jian Lu

Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2024 Feb;45(2):223-237. doi: 10.1038/s41401-023-01159-7. Epub 2023 Sep 15.

FXR: structures, biology, and drug development for NASH and fibrosis diseases

Si-Yu Tian, Shu-Ming Chen, Cheng-Xi Pan, Yong Li

Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2022 May;43(5):1120-1132. doi: 10.1038/s41401-021-00849-4. Epub 2022 Feb 25.

Immune-based combination therapy to convert immunologically cold tumors into hot tumors: an update and new insights

Jiao-Jiao Ni, Zi-Zhen Zhang, Ming-Jie Ge, Jing-Yu Chen, Wei Zhuo

Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2023 Feb;44(2):288-307. doi: 10.1038/s41401-022-00953-z. Epub 2022 Aug 4.

Novel insights into NOD-like receptors in renal diseases

Juan Jin, Tao-Jie Zhou, Gui-Ling Ren, Liang Cai, Xiao-Ming Meng

Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2022 Nov;43(11):2789-2806. doi: 10.1038/s41401-022-00886-7. Epub 2022 Apr 1.

Function and structure of bradykinin receptor 2 for drug discovery

Jin-Kang Shen, Hai-Tao Zhang

Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2023 Mar;44(3):489-498. doi: 10.1038/s41401-022-00982-8. Epub 2022 Sep 8.

Extracellular vesicles in vascular remodeling

Chao Ye, Fen Zheng, Nan Wu, Guo-Qing Zhu, Xiu-Zhen Li

Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2022 Sep;43(9):2191-2201. doi: 10.1038/s41401-021-00846-7. Epub 2022 Jan 12.

Chemotherapy-induced metastasis: molecular mechanisms and clinical therapies

Jin-Xuan Su, Si-Jia Li, Xiao-Feng Zhou, Zhi-Jing Zhang, Yu Yan, Song-Lin Liu, Qi Qi

Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2023 Sep;44(9):1725-1736. doi: 10.1038/s41401-023-01093-8. Epub 2023 May 11.

Neuronal K+-Cl- cotransporter KCC2 as a promising drug target for epilepsy treatment

Erin McMoneagle, Jin Zhou, Shiyao Zhang, Weixue Huang, Sunday Solomon Josiah, Ke Ding, Yun Wang, Jinwei Zhang

Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2024 Jan;45(1):1-22. doi: 10.1038/s41401-023-01149-9. Epub 2023 Sep 13. 

Current strategies and progress for targeting the "undruggable" transcription factors

Jing-Jing Zhuang, Qian Liu, Da-Lei Wu, Lu Tie

Acta Pharmacol Sin. 2022 Oct;43(10):2474-2481. doi: 10.1038/s41401-021-00852-9. Epub 2022 Feb 7.