OBJECTIVES: To investigate the role of activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) in atherosclerotic plaques for regulating inflammatory responses during atherosclerosis (AS) progression. METHODS: Human coronary artery specimens from autopsy cases were examined for ATF3 protein expression and localization using immunofluorescence staining and Western blotting. Apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE^-/-) mouse models of AS induced by high-fat diet (HFD) feeding for 12 weeks were subjected to tail vein injection of adeno-associated virus serotype 9 (AAV9) to knock down ATF3 expression. After an additional 5 weeks of HFD feeding, the mice were euthanized for analyzing structural changes of the aortic plaques, and the expression levels of ATF3, inflammatory factors (CD45, CD68, IL-1β, and TNF-α), and NF-κB pathway proteins (P-IKKα/β and P-NF-κB p65) were detected. In the cell experiment, THP-1-derived foam cells were transfected with an ATF3-overexpressing plasmid or an ATF3-specific siRNA to validate the relationship between ATF3 and NF‑κB signaling. RESULTS: In human atherosclerotic plaques, ATF3 expression was significantly elevated and partially co-localized with CD68. ATF3 knockout in ApoE^-/- mice significantly increased aortic plaque volume, upregulated the inflammatory factors, enhanced phosphorylation of the NF‑κB pathway proteins, and increased the expressions of VCAM1, MMP9, and MMP2 in the plaques. In THP-1-derived foam cells, ATF3 silencing caused activation of the NF‑κB pathway, while ATF3 overexpression suppressed the activity of the NF-κB pathway. CONCLUSIONS AS promotes ATF3 expression, and ATF3 deficiency exacerbates AS progression by enhancing plaque inflammation via activating the NF-κB pathway, suggesting the potential of ATF3 as a therapeutic target for AS.
Animals ; Activating Transcription Factor 3/metabolism* ; Signal Transduction ; NF-kappa B/metabolism* ; Humans ; Mice ; Plaque, Atherosclerotic/metabolism* ; Inflammation/metabolism* ; Apolipoproteins E ; Atherosclerosis/metabolism* ; Diet, High-Fat

Transmissible gastroenteritis(TGE)is a highly contagious gastrointestinal disease of pigs caused by the transmissible gastroenteritis virus(TGEV).It results in severe diarrhea and high mortality in suckling piglets.As no specific treatment available,vaccination is considered to be one of the most cost-effective measures for preventing and controlling TGE.However,the immune protection provided by vaccines based on traditional TGEV strains is becoming inadequate due to the continuous emergence of strong and new strains of the virus,which poses a serious threat to the pig industry's health and development.Therefore,the development of new vaccines with im-proved efficiency and broad-spectrum coverage is urgently needed.This paper aims to summarize the pathogenic structural characteristics of TGEV,discuss the latest advancements in TGEV vac-cine research and development,and propose future strategies for the development of highly effec-tive TGEV vaccines.The findings of this paper can serve as a valuable reference for effectively pre-venting and controlling TGE in clinical practice.

Objective:To develop a treatment-related quality of life scale for Chinese patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and to test its reliability and validity.Methods:The initial scale was constructed through a literature search, Delphi expert correspondence, and cognitive testing. This study conducted a preliminary survey of 379 patients with MM and a formal survey of 865 patients from the hematology departments of 155 hospitals nationwide from February 2024 to March 2024. The final scale was obtained after conducting item analysis and reliability and validity tests on the initial scale.Results:The constructed scale contains 36 items covering six domains: physiological, psychological, social, treatment side effects, general health, and others. In the preliminary survey, the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of each item ranged from 0.597 to 0.939, and the test-retest reliability was 0.747 ( P<0.001). Exploratory factor analysis extracted eight common factors with a cumulative variance contribution of 60.058%. In the formal survey, the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of each item ranged from 0.484 to 0.930, and the test-retest reliability was 0.835 ( P<0.001). Confirmatory factor analysis revealed a comparative fit index of 0.750, a root-mean-square error of approximation of 0.090, and a root-mean-square residual of 0.067. Conclusion:The treatment-related quality of life scale for Chinese patients with MM designed in this study exhibited good reliability and validity, reflecting the impact of treatment on the quality of life of patients. This scale can provide a reference to clinicians for assessing the disease status of patients.

Transmissible gastroenteritis(TGE)is a highly contagious gastrointestinal disease of pigs caused by the transmissible gastroenteritis virus(TGEV).It results in severe diarrhea and high mortality in suckling piglets.As no specific treatment available,vaccination is considered to be one of the most cost-effective measures for preventing and controlling TGE.However,the immune protection provided by vaccines based on traditional TGEV strains is becoming inadequate due to the continuous emergence of strong and new strains of the virus,which poses a serious threat to the pig industry's health and development.Therefore,the development of new vaccines with im-proved efficiency and broad-spectrum coverage is urgently needed.This paper aims to summarize the pathogenic structural characteristics of TGEV,discuss the latest advancements in TGEV vac-cine research and development,and propose future strategies for the development of highly effec-tive TGEV vaccines.The findings of this paper can serve as a valuable reference for effectively pre-venting and controlling TGE in clinical practice.

Objective:To investigate the effects and underlying mechanisms of the hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) agonist Roxadustat in alleviating pulmonary ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) in mice.Method:This study consisted of both in vivo and in vitro experiments. Thirty-six male C57/BL6 mice (6~8 weeks old) were used. In the animal experiments, 20 mice underwent left pulmonary artery ligation to establish the IRI model and were divided into reperfusion groups of 0, 1, 2, or 4 hours (IR-0/1/2/4 h, n=4 each), with a sham group ( n=4) as control. Temporal and spatial changes in pulmonary HIF-1α expression were analyzed. Another 16 mice were randomized into four groups: sham ( n=4), I/R+vehicle (DMSO, n=4), and I/R+Roxadustat treatment at 25 mg/kg or 50 mg/kg (I/R+ROX-LD, I/R+ROX-HD, n=4 each). Roxadustat or DMSO was administered intraperitoneally once daily for 5 days before surgery. Lung injury, inflammation, and endothelial apoptosis were subsequently assessed. In the cell experiments, human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) was subjected to hypoxia-reoxygenation (H/R) to determine the time course of HIF-1α expression. Cells pretreated with Roxadustat (25 μmol) were then exposed to H/R, and HIF-1α expression and apoptosis were analyzed. To verify the role of HIF-1α, siRNA knockdown of HIF-1α mRNA was performed before Roxadustat pretreatment and H/R exposure. Result:In vivo, pulmonary HIF-1α mRNA expression increased progressively after reperfusion, while protein expression peaked early and subsequently declined ( P<0.05). Immunofluorescence staining revealed HIF-1α predominantly localized to pulmonary endothelial cells following I/R. Compared with the I/R+DMSO group, Roxadustat (both doses) upregulated HIF-1α expression in lung tissue. In vitro, HIF-1α mRNA expression increased continuously after H/R, while protein levels first rose and then decreased ( P<0.05). Roxadustat pretreatment upregulated Bcl-2 and downregulated Bax and cleaved caspase-3 compared with the H/R group ( P<0.05). HIF-1α knockdown reversed these effects, resulting in decreased Bcl-2 and increased Bax and cleaved caspase-3 expression relative to the Roxadustat-treated group. Conclusion:The HIF-1α agonist Roxadustat inhibits vascular endothelial apoptosis, alleviates endothelial injury, reduces inflammatory cell infiltration in lung tissue, and lowers inflammatory responses in mice with pulmonary ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Objective:To develop a treatment-related quality of life scale for Chinese patients with multiple myeloma (MM) and to test its reliability and validity.Methods:The initial scale was constructed through a literature search, Delphi expert correspondence, and cognitive testing. This study conducted a preliminary survey of 379 patients with MM and a formal survey of 865 patients from the hematology departments of 155 hospitals nationwide from February 2024 to March 2024. The final scale was obtained after conducting item analysis and reliability and validity tests on the initial scale.Results:The constructed scale contains 36 items covering six domains: physiological, psychological, social, treatment side effects, general health, and others. In the preliminary survey, the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of each item ranged from 0.597 to 0.939, and the test-retest reliability was 0.747 ( P<0.001). Exploratory factor analysis extracted eight common factors with a cumulative variance contribution of 60.058%. In the formal survey, the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient of each item ranged from 0.484 to 0.930, and the test-retest reliability was 0.835 ( P<0.001). Confirmatory factor analysis revealed a comparative fit index of 0.750, a root-mean-square error of approximation of 0.090, and a root-mean-square residual of 0.067. Conclusion:The treatment-related quality of life scale for Chinese patients with MM designed in this study exhibited good reliability and validity, reflecting the impact of treatment on the quality of life of patients. This scale can provide a reference to clinicians for assessing the disease status of patients.

Objective:To investigate the effects and underlying mechanisms of the hypoxia-inducible factor-1α (HIF-1α) agonist Roxadustat in alleviating pulmonary ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) in mice.Method:This study consisted of both in vivo and in vitro experiments. Thirty-six male C57/BL6 mice (6~8 weeks old) were used. In the animal experiments, 20 mice underwent left pulmonary artery ligation to establish the IRI model and were divided into reperfusion groups of 0, 1, 2, or 4 hours (IR-0/1/2/4 h, n=4 each), with a sham group ( n=4) as control. Temporal and spatial changes in pulmonary HIF-1α expression were analyzed. Another 16 mice were randomized into four groups: sham ( n=4), I/R+vehicle (DMSO, n=4), and I/R+Roxadustat treatment at 25 mg/kg or 50 mg/kg (I/R+ROX-LD, I/R+ROX-HD, n=4 each). Roxadustat or DMSO was administered intraperitoneally once daily for 5 days before surgery. Lung injury, inflammation, and endothelial apoptosis were subsequently assessed. In the cell experiments, human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) was subjected to hypoxia-reoxygenation (H/R) to determine the time course of HIF-1α expression. Cells pretreated with Roxadustat (25 μmol) were then exposed to H/R, and HIF-1α expression and apoptosis were analyzed. To verify the role of HIF-1α, siRNA knockdown of HIF-1α mRNA was performed before Roxadustat pretreatment and H/R exposure. Result:In vivo, pulmonary HIF-1α mRNA expression increased progressively after reperfusion, while protein expression peaked early and subsequently declined ( P<0.05). Immunofluorescence staining revealed HIF-1α predominantly localized to pulmonary endothelial cells following I/R. Compared with the I/R+DMSO group, Roxadustat (both doses) upregulated HIF-1α expression in lung tissue. In vitro, HIF-1α mRNA expression increased continuously after H/R, while protein levels first rose and then decreased ( P<0.05). Roxadustat pretreatment upregulated Bcl-2 and downregulated Bax and cleaved caspase-3 compared with the H/R group ( P<0.05). HIF-1α knockdown reversed these effects, resulting in decreased Bcl-2 and increased Bax and cleaved caspase-3 expression relative to the Roxadustat-treated group. Conclusion:The HIF-1α agonist Roxadustat inhibits vascular endothelial apoptosis, alleviates endothelial injury, reduces inflammatory cell infiltration in lung tissue, and lowers inflammatory responses in mice with pulmonary ischemia-reperfusion injury.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy and safety of mitoxantrone hydrochloride liposome injection in the treatment of peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL) in a real-world setting.Methods:This was a real-world ambispective cohort study (MOMENT study) (Chinese clinical trial registry number: ChiCTR2200062067). Clinical data were collected from 198 patients who received mitoxantrone hydrochloride liposome injection as monotherapy or combination therapy at 37 hospitals from January 2022 to January 2023, including 166 patients in the retrospective cohort and 32 patients in the prospective cohort; 10 patients in the treatment-na?ve group and 188 patients in the relapsed/refractory group. Clinical characteristics, efficacy and adverse events were summarized, and the overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were analyzed.Results:All 198 patients were treated with mitoxantrone hydrochloride liposome injection for a median of 3 cycles (range 1-7 cycles); 28 cases were treated with mitoxantrone hydrochloride liposome injection as monotherapy, and 170 cases were treated with the combination regimen. Among 188 relapsed/refractory patients, 45 cases (23.9%) were in complete remission (CR), 82 cases (43.6%) were in partial remission (PR), and 28 cases (14.9%) were in disease stabilization (SD), and 33 cases (17.6%) were in disease progression (PD), with an objective remission rate (ORR) of 67.6% (127/188). Among 10 treatment-na?ve patients, 4 cases (40.0%) were in CR, 5 cases (50.0%) were in PR, and 1 case (10.0%) was in PD, with an ORR of 90.0% (9/10). The median follow-up time was 2.9 months (95% CI 2.4-3.7 months), and the median PFS and OS of patients in relapsed/refractory and treatment-na?ve groups were not reached. In relapsed/refractory patients, the difference in ORR between patients with different number of treatment lines of mitoxantrone hydrochloride liposome injection [ORR of the second-line, the third-line and ≥the forth-line treatment was 74.4% (67/90), 73.9% (34/46) and 50.0% (26/52)] was statistically significant ( P = 0.008). Of the 198 PTCL patients, 182 cases (91.9%) experienced at least 1 time of treatment-related adverse events, and the incidence rate of ≥grade 3 adverse events was 66.7% (132/198), which was mainly characterized by hematologic adverse events. The ≥ grade 3 hematologic adverse events mainly included decreased lymphocyte count, decreased neutrophil count, decreased white blood cell count, and anemia; non-hematologic adverse events were mostly grade 1-2, mainly including pigmentation disorders and upper respiratory tract infection. Conclusions:The use of mitoxantrone hydrochloride liposome injection-containing regimen in the treatment of PTCL has definite efficacy and is well tolerated, and it is a new therapeutic option for PTCL patients.

Humans ; Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation ; Transplantation, Autologous ; Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin/drug therapy* ; Aminopyridines/therapeutic use* ; Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols

Objective:To explore the clinical efficacy of lenalidomide combined with second-line immunochemotherapy as a salvage regimen in the treatment of relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).Methods:The clinical data of 37 relapsed/refractory DLBCL patients receiving lenalidomide combined with second-line immunochemotherapy as a salvage regimen who had recurrence after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation or who were not eligible for transplantation or had no intention to transplant between January 2016 and December 2020 in the First Affiliated Hospital of University of Science and Technology of China were retrospectively analyzed. Among 37 patients, 6 cases with primary central nervous system (CNS) lymphoma and 3 cases with secondary CNS lymphoma. The short-term efficacy after treatment was evaluated. Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze the overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS), and log-rank test was used for subgroup comparison.Results:The median follow-up time of 37 patients was 20.4 months (2.7-37.0 months). At the end of treatment, the overall response rate (ORR) of all patients was 64.9% (24/37), the complete response (CR) rate was 45.9% (17/37), and the median duration of response (DOR) of 24 patients who responded to treatment was 17.7 months (3.6-33.6 months). The median PFS time of all patients was 11.2 months, and the 1-year PFS rate was 48.6% (95% CI 32.5%-64.7%). The median OS time of all patients was not reached, and the 1-year OS was 67.6% (95% CI 52.5%-82.7%). Among 24 responding patients, 17 cases who received lenalidomide maintenance therapy after remission tended to have a better response compared with 7 cases who did not receive lenalidomide maintenance therapy after remission, although there was no significant difference in OS and PFS between both groups (both P > 0.05). Additionally, neutropenia was the most common adverse reaction with an incidence of 81.1% (30/37). Conclusions:Lenalidomide combined with the second-line immunochemotherapy may be an effective salvage therapy for patients with relapsed/refractory DLBCL, especially for patients with CNS involvement. The patients achieving remission after salvage therapy continue to receive lenalidomide maintenance therapy and could have a better prognosis.