Objective The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of p38 on stem cell maintenance of pancreatic cancer. Methods Human pancreatic cancer cells PANC-1 were treated with different concentrations of 5-fluorouracil(5-FU)(0.5×IC₅₀, IC₅₀, and 2×IC₅₀) for 24 hours, and VX-702 (p38 phosphorylation inhibitor) was added, and the cells were inoculated in 6-well culture dishes with ultra-low adhesion to observe the changes of sphere tumors. The expression levels of cyclin-dependent kinase 2(CDK2), cyclin B1 and D1, Octamer-binding transcription factor 4(OCT4), SRY-box transcription factor 2(SOX2), Nanog and p38 were measured by Western blot. The mRNA expression levels of p38, OCT4, Nanog and SOX2 were tested by RT-PCR. Cell cycle, apoptosis, and the proportion of CD44⁺CD133⁺PANC-1 cells were evaluated by flow cytometry. Results The results showed that 5-FU inhibited the formation of tumor spheres in PANC-1 cells, increased CD44⁺CD133⁺cell fragments, down-regulated the expression of OCT4, Nanog and SOX2, and inhibited the stemness maintenance of PANC-1 tumor stem cells. Phosphorylation of PANC-1 cells was inhibited by a highly selective p38 MAPK inhibitor, VX-702(p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase inhibitor), which had the same effect as 5-FU treatment. When VX-702 combined with 5-FU was used to treat PANC-1 cells, the therapeutic effect was enhanced. Conclusion p38 inhibitors decreased PANC-1 cell activity and increased cell apoptosis. p38 inhibitors inhibit the stemness maintenance of pancreatic cancer stem cells.
Humans ; Phosphorylation/drug effects* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases/antagonists & inhibitors* ; Neoplastic Stem Cells/metabolism* ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm/drug effects* ; Fluorouracil/pharmacology* ; Pancreatic Neoplasms/pathology* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; SOXB1 Transcription Factors/genetics* ; Octamer Transcription Factor-3/genetics*

Objective To explore the effects of fecal microbiota transplantation(FMT)on oxalate metabolism and renal protection in rats fed a high oxalate diet.Methods Twenty-four male SD rats were randomly divided into four groups:SC,SC+FMT,OD+PBS and OD+FMT.The SC group was set as the control group and was fed standard rat chow.The OD+PBS group and OD+FMT group were fed a diet containing 5%oxalate.Starting from day 14,the OD+PBS group,OD+FMT group and SC+FMT group received intragastric administration of PBS solution or filtered faecal microbiota solution from guinea pigs for 7 consecutive days.The 24-hour urine,feces,and venous serum of the rats were collected from the rats of all groups to determine the gut microbiota and biochemical markers.Real-time quantitative PCR and immunohistochemistry were conducted on the rat kidneys to detect the expression of renin,ACE,and OPN.Results The fecal microbiota transplantation altered the gut microbiota of rats.The gut microbiota of the SC+FMT group deviated from that of the SC group and showed increased similarity to that of the guinea pigs.Compared to the OD+PBS group,the OD+FMT group exhibited significant reductions in the urinary oxalate,urinary urea,uric acid,urinary creatinine,serum urea nitrogen/creati-nine,and serum uric acid.Furthermore,after FMT treatment,the OD+FMT group exhibited reduced upregulation of renin mRNA expression and restored downregulation of OPN mRNA expression compared to the OD+PBS group;similar results were obtained from immunohistochemistry.Conclusion Fecal microbiome trans-plantation activated the microbial network in the rat gut,particularly the oxalate-degrading bacteria represented by Muribaculaceae.The kidney injury induced by high oxalate was partially restored by the microbiota network's degradation of oxalate,indicating the protective effect of fecal microbiota transplantation on the rat kidneys.

With the advancement of synthetic biology, recombinant proteins are poised to play a significant role in medical applications. The scaled manufacturing is a pillar for the extensive application and development of recombinant proteins across various fields. In the large-scale production process of recombinant proteins, the removal and detection of endotoxins are essential to reduce their levels to safe thresholds in the final products. Currently, establishing stringent endotoxin limits for different recombinant protein products is a crucial aspect of safety assessment. This review begins by shedding light on the pathogenicity of endotoxins and discusses the methods for the removal and determination of endotoxins during the production processes of recombinant proteins. Subsequently, this review summarizes the endotoxin limits in industries such as biologics, medical devices, and human recombinant DNA products, particularly those in recombinant protein injection products. It is highlighted that regardless of whether the hosts for recombinant protein expression are bacteria or not, endotoxin testing is required for the final products of injectable recombinant proteins, and compliance with relevant industry standards is necessary. This review aims to provide a reference for the research on endotoxins in the large-scale production process of recombinant proteins.
Endotoxins/genetics* ; Recombinant Proteins/genetics* ; Humans ; Drug Contamination/prevention & control*

Objective:To explore the effect of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) on the formation of renal calcium oxalate crystals in SD rats induced by oxalate mixed diet.Methods:Six male guinea pigs were fed with standard guinea pig chow for 1 month and then given a 5% oxalate diet for 14 d. The guinea pigs on the standard chow were labeled as the standard chow guinea pig (GSC group) and those on the high oxalate diet for 14 d were labeled as the guinea pig group on the high oxalate diet (GOD group). The feces of guinea pigs in the GSC and GOD groups were collected using metabolic cages. Twenty-four male SD rats were randomly divided into standard chow (SC) group, oxalate diet(OD)+ phosphate buffered saline gavage group (OD+ PBS group), OD+ FMT group and SC+ FMT group. Among them, the SC group and SC+ FMT group were fed with standard chow. The OD+ PBS group and OD+ FMT group were fed with 5% oxalate content chow. The OD+ FMT and SC+ FMT groups were given GOD group guinea pig fecal filtrate gavage for 7 days. The 24 h urine and feces of rats in each group were collected, and the intestinal microbiota of rats and guinea pigs were detected by 16sRNA detection. The urinary oxalate excretion was detected by high performance liquid chromatography. The rats and kidneys were weighed and the renal index was calculated. HE staining was used to observe the histological morphological changes of rat kidney tissue, the calcium oxalate crystal deposition in renal tissues was detected by Pizzolato staining.Results:The relative abundance of bacteria from a total of 11 families, including Muribaculaceae family and Bifidobacteriaceae family, was significantly increased in the intestinal tract of guinea pigs (GOD) from the high oxalate diet group compared to guinea pigs (GSC) from the standard chow group. The microbial diversity of the intestinal microbiota of the rats in the OD+ PBS group was reduced compared to the SC group, and the microbial diversity of the intestinal microbiota of the rats in the OD+ FMT group was restored compared to the OD+ PBS group. When given a standard chow, the intestinal microbiota of rats receiving FMT deviated from that of normal rats and was more similar to that of guinea pigs fed a high oxalate diet. In the OD+ FMT group, bacteria from a total of 18 families, including Muribaculaceae family, Erysipelotrichaceae family and Bifidobacteriaceae family, were significantly enriched, and FMT activated the intestinal microbial network represented by bacteria from Muribaculaceae family. The renal index of rats in the OD+ PBS group was significantly increased compared to the SC group (7.63±0.67 vs. 6.12±0.53, P<0.05), whereas the renal index of rats in the OD+ FMT group was significantly decreased in comparison to the OD+ PBS group (6.53±0.64 vs. 7.63±0.67, P<0.05). Urinary oxalate excretion of rats in the SC group, the OD+ PBS group, and the OD+ FMT group were (0.61±0.05), (0.89±0.04) and (0.72±0.04) μmol/ml, respectively. In the rats of the SC group no calcium oxalate crystals were seen in the kidney (0 score) and more calcium oxalate crystals were detected in the OD+ PBS group (4.83±0.41 score). The OD+ FMT group showed significantly lower calcium oxalate crystallization scores (3.17 ± 0.75 score, P<0.01) compared to the OD+ PBS group. Conclusions:FMT activated the microbial network represented by bacteria from the family Muribaculaceae in the rat intestine, significantly reduced urinary oxalate excretion and renal calcium oxalate crystal deposition in rats on a high oxalate diet.

Objective:To investigate the whole genome of SARS-CoV-2 causing COVID-19 in Rongcheng city of Shandong Province in May 2022 and to further analyze the nucleotide and amino acid variations for source tracing.Methods:High-throughput sequencing was used to sequence the SARS-CoV-2 genome in 15 nasopharyngeal swab samples from COVID-19 cluster infections and three environmental samples related to an aquatic product import company. Whole-genome sequence splicing, variant site analysis and sequence typing were performed on the raw sequencing data using virus sequence and variant analysis software. A phylogenetic tree was constructed by evolutionary analysis software. Epidemiological investigation was used to trace the potential source of infection.Results:Thirteen whole genome sequences of SARS-CoV-2 with the length ranging from 29 653 bp to 29 780 bp were successfully obtained from the nasopharyngeal swab samples. The average sequencing depth was 1 756-6 565 X and the genome coverage was 99.20%-99.63%. The results of Pangolin typing showed that the 13 genomes belonged to the VOC/Gamma (P.1.15) evolutionary branch. Compared with the Wuhan reference strain (NC_045512.2), the 13 genome sequences had 40-41 nucleotide mutation sites. There were 23-24 amino acid variation sites in seven protein domains (ORF1a, ORF1b, S, ORF3a, ORF8, ORF9b and N proteins). Evolutionary analysis showed that the viral sequence was grouped to the same subclade as the reference strain from Argentina (EPI_ISL_4082233).Conclusions:In this study, the whole genome sequences of 13 Gamma variant strains were obtained from COVID-19 cluster infections associated with imported cold-chain aquatic products in Rongcheng city, and the imported seafood from South America in 2021 was found to be the source of the virus in a timely manner. This study provided reference for the SARS-CoV-2 variant analysis and case tracing and also suggested that the survival and transmission ability of SARS-CoV-2 on the surface of cold-chain products should not be underestimated and needed further investigation.

The clinical data of a case of compound oxidative phosphorylation deficiency type 10 (COXPD10) caused by a new site mutation of MTO1 gene in the Department of Pediatrics, Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University on December 29, 2020 were retrospectively analyzed.The patient was a 2 months and 19 days old boy of Han nationality.The main clinical manifestations were shortness of breath, hyperlactic acidemia, hyperammonemia and brain damage.Cardiac hypertrophy was not obvious.Heterozygous mutations at c. 344delA and c. 1055C>T sites in the MTO1 gene have not been reported in domestic and foreign literature.COXPD10 caused by MTO1 gene mutations may result in diversified clinical manifestations due to inconsistent mutation sites.For hyperlactic acidemia with unknown predisposing factors, early genetic examination should be conducted to confirm the possibility of COXPD10.

Objective:To explore the clinical application and curative effect of brachytherapy of denture applicators with 125I seeds in the treatment of palatal malignant tumor. Methods:Thirty patients with palatal malignant tumor who underwent surgical resection in Shandong Provincial Hospital from February 2012 to January 2020, and brachytherapy was performed with applicator additional 125I seeds 2 weeks after surgery. All patients were followed up for treatment effect and adverse reactions. Results:All patients wore 125I seeds denture base denture applicator well, no 125I seeds displacement and loss. 30 patients had 10-60 months of follow-up, among which 1 patient received palliative treatment with 125I seeds denture applicator alone died after 10 months of follow-up; 1 patient with adenoid cystic carcinoma recurred after 2 years of follow-up and underwent surgical treatment again; the rest patients did not see tumor recurrence or metastasis. The side effects, pronunciation and chewing function were improved in patients ( P<0.05). Conclusions:For patients with palatal malignant tumor, postoperative 125I seeds denture applicator can effectively prevent tumor recurrence and metastasis, reduce complications, and improve the quality of life.

Liposomes have made remarkable achievements as drug delivery vehicles in the clinic. Liposomal products mostly benefited from remote drug loading techniques that succeeded in amphipathic and/or ionizable drugs, but seemed impracticable for nonionizable and poorly water-soluble therapeutic agents, thereby impeding extensive promising drugs to hitchhike liposomal vehicles for disease therapy. In this study, a series of weak acid drug derivatives were designed by a simplistic one step synthesis, which could be remotely loaded into liposomes by pH gradient method. Cabazitaxel (CTX) weak acid derivatives were selected to evaluate regarding its safety profiles, pharmacodynamics, and pharmacokinetics. CTX weak acid derivative liposomes were superior to Jevtana® in terms of safety profiles, including systemic toxicity, hematological toxicity, and potential central nerve toxicity. Specifically, it was demonstrated that liposomes had capacity to weaken potential toxicity of CTX on cortex and hippocampus neurons. Significant advantages of CTX weak acid derivative-loaded liposomes were achieved in prostate cancer and metastatic cancer therapy resulting from higher safety and elevated tolerated doses.

Objective:To explore the effect of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation(ECMO)upon supporting during bilateral lung transplantation(BLTx)for different primary diseases.Methods:The clinical data were retrospectively analyzed for 139 cases of BLTx. They were divided into non-ECMO and ECMO groups. The perieoperative data of two groups were compared.Results:BLTx was successfully performed in all patients. As compared with non-ECMO group, operative duration, mechanical ventilation time and ICU hospitalization time were significantly prolonged in ECMO group ( P<0.05). The proportion of patients with different primary diseases was statistically significant different between two groups( P<0.01). ECMO was employed intraoperatively in all IPAH patients. ECMO proportion was higher in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis(IPF)patients but lower in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD)counterparts( P<0.05). In terms of cardiac function indices, patients with a moderate/severe elevation of pulmonary artery pressure had a higher proportion of ECMO application( P<0.001). Moreover, the application of ECMO increased with the severity of tricuspid regurgitation and pulmonary vascular resistance(PVR)( P<0.05). Conclusions:It is both safe and feasible to apply ECMO during BLTx. ECMO support should be given a high priority during BLTx for patients with primary diseases such as IPAH, IPF, severe preoperative PAP, tricuspid regurgitation and PVR. On the other hand, ECMO is sufficient as an alternative choice for COPD patients.

Objective To explore the relation of sleep duration and control of HbA1Camong type 2 diabetes mellitus ( T2DM) under community management in Huai'an city. Methods There were 9 393 T2DM patients enrolled from Qinghe district and Huai'an district from Huai'an city using multi-stage cluster sampling method. The level of HbA1Cwas categorized as control group (＜7%) and uncontrolled group (≥7%), and sleeping duration was categorized as＜6 h, 6-8 h, and ＞8 h. Non-conditional logistic regression analysis was utilized to analyze the association between sleep duration and control of HbA1C. No confounders were adjusted in logistic regression model 1;and age, sex, and body mass index were adjusted in model 2 and furthermore, in model 3, smoking, drinking, education, duration of diabetes, familial history of diabetes, activity, and medication were adjusted plus variables in model 2. Stratified analyses were also used to explore the association above. Results Subjects with sleep duration＞8 h had a high risk of uncontrolled HbA1Cwhen compared with subjects for sleep duration of 6-8 h with OR＝1.188 ( P＝0.001) and the association were still existed with OR＝1.191 (P＝0.001) after Bonferroni adjusted and adjustment of age, sex, and body mass index. Whereas, with further adjustment of confounders in model 3, the association was vanished. Results of stratified analyses indicated that with Bonferroni adjustment, overweight patients with sleep duration of＜6 h had a lower risk of uncontrolled HbA1Cwith OR＝0.788 and 0.799, respectively, in model 1 and model 2 (both P＜0.05). Meanwhile, patients of female, or age≥60 years, or body mass index＜24 kg/m2, or disease duration≤3.58 years had high risk of uncontrolled HbA1Cwhen sleep duration＞8 h. Conclusion T2DM patients with sleep duration＞8 h were negative for HbA1Ccontrol, and this association was independent of age, sex, and body mass index, but was influenced by the duration of diabetes, activity, medication, familial history of diabetes, smoking, drinking, and education. Sleep duration in patients of female, age≥60 years, body mass index＜24 kg/m2, and short disease duration, should be appropriately adjusted.