OBJECTIVE: Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignancies seen in clinic and requires novel treatment options. Morin is a natural flavonoid extracted from the flower stalk of a highly valuable medicinal plant Prunella vulgaris L., which exhibits an anti-cancer effect in multiple types of tumors. However, the therapeutic effect and underlying mechanism of morin in treating GC remains elusive. The study aims to explore the therapeutic effect and underlying molecular mechanisms of morin in GC. METHODS: For in vitro experiments, the proliferation inhibition of morin was measured by cell counting kit-8 assay and colony formation assay in human GC cell line MKN45, human gastric adenocarcinoma cell line AGS, and human gastric epithelial cell line GES-1; for apoptosis analysis, microscopic photography, Western blotting, ubiquitination analysis, quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis, flow cytometry, and RNA interference technology were employed. For in vivo studies, immunohistochemistry, biomedical analysis, and Western blotting were used to assess the efficacy and safety of morin in a xenograft mouse model of GC. RESULTS: Morin significantly inhibited the proliferation of GC cells MKN45 and AGS in a dose- and time-dependent manner, but did not inhibit human gastric epithelial cells GES-1. Only the caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK was able to significantly reverse the inhibition of proliferation by morin in both GC cells, suggesting that apoptosis was the main type of cell death during the treatment. Morin induced intrinsic apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner in GC cells, which mainly relied on B cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) associated agonist of cell death (BAD) but not phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate-induced protein 1. The upregulation of BAD by morin was due to blocking the ubiquitination degradation of BAD, rather than the transcription regulation and the phosphorylation of BAD. Furthermore, the combination of morin and BCL-2 inhibitor navitoclax (also known as ABT-737) produced a synergistic inhibitory effect in GC cells through amplifying apoptotic signals. In addition, morin treatment significantly suppressed the growth of GC in vivo by upregulating BAD and the subsequent activation of its downstream apoptosis pathway. CONCLUSION Morin suppressed GC by inducing apoptosis, which was mainly due to blocking the ubiquitination-based degradation of the pro-apoptotic protein BAD. The combination of morin and the BCL-2 inhibitor ABT-737 synergistically amplified apoptotic signals in GC cells, which may overcome the drug resistance of the BCL-2 inhibitor. These findings indicated that morin was a potent and promising agent for GC treatment. Please cite this article as: Wang Y, Sun XY, Ma FQ, Ren MM, Zhao RH, Qin MM, Zhu XH, Xu Y, Cao ND, Chen YY, Dong TG, Pan YF, Zhao AG. Morin inhibits ubiquitination degradation of BCL-2 associated agonist of cell death and synergizes with BCL-2 inhibitor in gastric cancer cells. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(3): 320-332.
Humans ; Flavonoids/therapeutic use* ; Stomach Neoplasms/pathology* ; Animals ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/metabolism* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Cell Proliferation/drug effects* ; Ubiquitination/drug effects* ; Mice ; Drug Synergism ; Mice, Inbred BALB C ; Mice, Nude ; Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays ; Flavones

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between physical activity and genetic risk and their combined effects on the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. METHODS: This prospective cohort study included 318,085 biobank participants from the UK. Physical activity was assessed using the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. The participants were stratified into low-, intermediate-, and high-genetic-risk groups based on their polygenic risk scores. Multivariate Cox regression models and multiplicative interaction analyses were used. RESULTS: During a median follow-up period of 13 years, 9,209 participants were diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. For low genetic risk, compared to low physical activity, the hazard ratios ( HRs) for moderate and high physical activity were 0.853 (95% confidence interval [ CI]: 0.748-0.972) and 0.831 (95% CI: 0.727-0.950), respectively. For intermediate genetic risk, the HRs were 0.829 (95% CI: 0.758-0.905) and 0.835 (95% CI: 0.764-0.914), respectively. For participants with high genetic risk, the HRs were 0.809 (95% CI: 0.746-0.877) and 0.818 (95% CI: 0.754-0.888), respectively. A significant interaction was observed between genetic risk and physical activity. CONCLUSION Moderate or high levels of physical activity were associated with a lower risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease across all genetic risk groups, highlighting the need to tailor activity interventions for genetically susceptible individuals.
Humans ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/epidemiology* ; Exercise ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Prospective Studies ; Aged ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Risk Factors ; United Kingdom/epidemiology* ; Incidence ; Adult

Objective:To investigate the risk factors for high-output stoma (HOS) in patients undergoing rectal cancer radical resection combined with terminal ileostomy.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the medical records of 104 patients who underwent radical resection for rectal cancer combined with terminal ileostomy at Northern Jiangsu People′s Hospital from January 2020 to December 2022. Among them, 77 were male and 27 were female, with ages ranging from 31 to 84 years and an average age of 62.60 years. HOS was defined as an average stoma output ≥1500 mL/24 h within 3 days after resuming oral intake. Based on the presence of HOS post-surgery, patients were divided into the HOS group ( n=29) and the non-HOS group ( n=77). The two groups were compared based on gender, age, body mass index (BMI), preoperative albumin, hemoglobin, fasting blood glucose, surgery duration, surgical approach, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative albumin, hemoglobin, white blood cell count, and C-reactive protein (CRP). Data were analyzed using SPSS27.0. Continuous data were expressed as mean±standard deviation( ± s), and independent t-tests or non-parametric tests were used for group comparisons. Chi-square tests were used for categorical data, and logistic regression was employed to evaluate the influence of various factors on the occurrence of HOS. Results:There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of gender, preoperative albumin, hemoglobin, fasting blood glucose, surgery duration, surgical approach, intraoperative blood loss, postoperative albumin, hemoglobin, or white blood cell count ( P>0.05). Univariate logistic regression analysis indicated that older patients were more likely to develop HOS ( P=0.037, OR=1.047), those with lower BMI were at higher risk of HOS ( P<0.001, OR=0.448), and elevated postoperative CRP was associated with an increased likelihood of HOS ( P<0.001, OR=1.027). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that BMI ( OR=0.302, 95% CI: 0.164-0.555, P<0.001) and postoperative CRP ( OR=1.045, 95% CI: 1.023-1.068, P<0.001) were independent risk factors for the occurrence of HOS. Conclusion:Lower BMI and elevated postoperative CRP are significant independent risk factors for the development of HOS in rectal cancer patients.

Objective:To investigate the genotype,mutation type,and ethnic distribution characteristics of thalassemia in the population of Hechi area,Guangxi,and to provide a reference basis for prevention and control of thalassemia and eugenic counseling in the region.Methods:Gap-polymerase chain reaction(gap-PCR)and reverse dot blot(RDB)were used for genetic testing on suspected thalassemia persons,and the results were analyzed.Results:Among 29 136 samples,a total of 17 016(58.40％)positive samples for thalassemia genes were detected,with a higher detection rate in males than in females(X2=49.917,P＜0.001).The detection rates of thalassemia genes were significant different among Zhuang,Han,Yao,Mulao,and Maonan ethnic groups(x2=546.121,P＜0.001).The α-thalassemia genotypes were mainly--SEA/αα(16.67％),-α3.7/αα(8.90％),αCSα/αα(6.00％).Additionally,four rare genotypes were detected,including--THAI/αα(47 cases),HKαα/αα(2 cases),--SEA/-α21.9(2 cases),and--THAI/αcsα(1 case).The β-thalassemia genotypes were mainly βCD17/βN(7.49％),βCD41-42/βN(6.70％),βCD71-72/βN(0.44％).108 cases of moderate and severeβ-thalassemia were detected,of which 81 cases had a history of blood transfusion,the transfusion frequency of 60 cases was more than 10 times/year,and 10 cases received bone marrow transplantation.Conclusion:Thalassemia in Hechi area is predominantly deletion type--SEA/αα,the detection rate of thalassemia in ethnic minorities is higher than that in Han population.In this area,moderate and severe β-thalassemia have certain incidence,these patients mostly need regular blood transfusion and iron removal treatment,and very few patients have received bone marrow transplantation.This study provides a certain reference basis for prevention and control of thalassemia and eugenic counseling in the region.

Lyme disease is a natural zoonotic infectious disease transmitted by ticks infected by different genotypes of Borre-lia burgdorferi sensu lato,which was discovered in the 1970s.This pathogen is prevalent primarily in temperate and subtropi-cal areas.Dogs,cats,horses,cattle,deer,and other animals are susceptible,and humans are also susceptible hosts.The main symptoms of Lyme disease in humans are erythema migrans,arthritis,and other neurological symptoms,and the common symptoms in infected animals include joint diseases,coat shedding,fever,laminitis,and lameness.Lyme disease is wide-spread,but diagnosis is difficult,and this disease is easily misdiagnosed and missed.Awareness of Lyme disease must be in-creased to avoid its toll on livestock and the pet industry.Therefore,this article reviews research progress in diagnosis and con-trol technology for animal Lyme disease and Borrelia burgdorferi,to provide a reference for accurate,rapid diagnosis and con-trol of Lyme disease.

Background: Genetic defects in the human thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) receptor (TSHR) gene can cause congenital hypothyroidism (CH). However, the biological functions and comprehensive genotype–phenotype relationships for most TSHR variants associated with CH remain unexplored. We aimed to identify TSHR variants in Chinese patients with CH, analyze the functions of the variants, and explore the relationships between TSHR genotypes and clinical phenotypes. Methods: In total, 367 patients with CH were recruited for TSHR variant screening using whole-exome sequencing. The effects of the variants were evaluated by in-silico programs such as SIFT and polyphen2. Furthermore, these variants were transfected into 293T cells to detect their Gs/cyclic AMP and Gq/11 signaling activity. Results: Among the 367 patients with CH, 17 TSHR variants, including three novel variants, were identified in 45 patients, and 18 patients carried biallelic TSHR variants. In vitro experiments showed that 10 variants were associated with Gs/cyclic AMP and Gq/11 signaling pathway impairment to varying degrees. Patients with TSHR biallelic variants had lower serum TSH levels and higher free triiodothyronine and thyroxine levels at diagnosis than those with DUOX2 biallelic variants. Conclusions We found a high frequency of TSHR variants in Chinese patients with CH (12.3%), and 4.9% of cases were caused by TSHR biallelic variants. Ten variants were identified as loss-of-function variants. The data suggest that the clinical phenotype of CH patients caused by TSHR biallelic variants is relatively mild. Our study expands the TSHR variant spectrum and provides further evidence for the elucidation of the genetic etiology of CH.

Etomidate reversibly blocks 11-β-hydroxylated steroid dehydrogenase inhibits the synthesis of cortisol by adrenal cells.This product is a special injection.When evaluating the quality and efficacy of the generic and the reference preparations,it should be based on pharmaceutical and non-clinical consistency and adopt a step-by-step research strategy,firstly,bioequivalence(BE)was studied.In bioequivalence study,the research type,dosage and method,bioequivalence evaluation,safety monitoring and pharmacodynamics(PD)evaluation should be considered and designed reasonably.Based on the pharmacokinetics(PK)characteristics of etomidate medium-long chain fat emulsion injection and the bioequivalence study of its generic drug before its domestic market,the general design requirements and relevant considerations for the bioequivalence study of this product were systematically discussed.The purpose is to provide useful reference and guidance for domestic research and development of generic drugs.

With the increasing proportion of human papilloma virus(HPV)infection in the pathogenic factors of oro-pharyngeal cancer,a series of changes have occurred in the surgical treatment.While the treatment mode has been im-proved,there are still many problems,including the inconsistency between diagnosis and treatment modes,the lack of popularization of reconstruction technology,the imperfect post-treatment rehabilitation system,and the lack of effective preventive measures.Especially in terms of treatment mode for early oropharyngeal cancer,there is no unified conclu-sion whether it is surgery alone or radiotherapy alone,and whether robotic minimally invasive surgery has better func-tional protection than radiotherapy.For advanced oropharyngeal cancer,there is greater controversy over the treatment mode.It is still unclear whether to adopt a non-surgical treatment mode of synchronous chemoradiotherapy or induction chemotherapy combined with synchronous chemoradiotherapy,or a treatment mode of surgery combined with postopera-tive chemoradiotherapy.In order to standardize the surgical treatment of oropharyngeal cancer in China and clarify the indications for surgical treatment of oropharyngeal cancer,this expert consensus,based on the characteristics and treat-ment status of oropharyngeal cancer in China and combined with the international latest theories and practices,forms consensus opinions in multiple aspects of preoperative evaluation,surgical indication determination,primary tumor re-section,neck lymph node dissection,postoperative defect repair,postoperative complication management prognosis and follow-up of oropharyngeal cancer patients.The key points include:① Before the treatment of oropharyngeal cancer,the expression of P16 protein should be detected to clarify HPV status;② Perform enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of the maxillofacial region before surgery to evaluate the invasion of oropharyngeal cancer and guide precise surgical resec-tion of oropharyngeal cancer.Evaluating mouth opening and airway status is crucial for surgical approach decisions and postoperative risk prediction;③ For oropharyngeal cancer patients who have to undergo major surgery and cannot eat for one to two months,it is recommended to undergo percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy before surgery to effectively improve their nutritional intake during treatment;④ Early-stage oropharyngeal cancer patients may opt for either sur-gery alone or radiation therapy alone.For intermediate and advanced stages,HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer general-ly prioritizes radiation therapy,with concurrent chemotherapy considered based on tumor staging.Surgical treatment is recommended as the first choice for HPV unrelated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma(including primary and re-current)and recurrent HPV related oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma after radiotherapy and chemotherapy;⑤ For primary exogenous T1-2 oropharyngeal cancer,direct surgery through the oral approach or da Vinci robotic sur-gery is preferred.For T3-4 patients with advanced oropharyngeal cancer,it is recommended to use temporary mandibu-lectomy approach and lateral pharyngotomy approach for surgery as appropriate;⑥ For cT1-2N0 oropharyngeal cancer patients with tumor invasion depth＞3 mm and cT3-4N0 HPV unrelated oropharyngeal cancer patients,selective neck dissection of levels ⅠB to Ⅳ is recommended.For cN+HPV unrelated oropharyngeal cancer patients,therapeutic neck dissection in regions Ⅰ-Ⅴ is advised;⑦ If PET-CT scan at 12 or more weeks after completion of radiation shows intense FDG uptake in any node,or imaging suggests continuous enlargement of lymph nodes,the patient should undergo neck dissection;⑧ For patients with suspected extracapsular invasion preoperatively,lymph node dissection should include removal of surrounding muscle and adipose connective tissue;⑨ The reconstruction of oropharyngeal cancer defects should follow the principle of reconstruction steps,with priority given to adjacent flaps,followed by distal pedicled flaps,and finally free flaps.The anterolateral thigh flap with abundant tissue can be used as the preferred flap for large-scale postoperative defects.

Objective:To investigate the biological behavior spectrum of platelet-derived growth factor alpha receptor (PDGFRA)-mutant gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST), and to compare the clinical values of the Zhongshan method of benign and malignant evaluation with the modified National Institutes of Health (NIH) risk stratification.Methods:A total of 119 cases of GIST with PDGFRA mutation who underwent surgical resection at Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University from 2009 to 2020 were collected. The clinicopathological data, follow-up records, and subsequent treatment were reviewed and analyzed statistically.Results:There were 79 males and 40 females. The patients ranged in age from 25 to 80 years, with a median age of 60 years. Among them, 115 patients were followed up for 1-154 months, and 13 patients progressed to disease. The 5-year disease-free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) were 90.1% and 94.1%, respectively. According to the modified NIH risk stratification, 8 cases, 32 cases, 38 cases, and 35 cases were very-low risk, low risk, intermediate risk, and high risk, and 5-year DFS were 100.0%, 95.6%, 94.3%, and 80.5%, respectively. There was no significant difference in prognosis among the non-high risk groups, only the difference between high risk and non-high risk groups was significant ( P=0.029). However, the 5-year OS was 100.0%, 100.0%, 95.0% and 89.0%, and there was no difference ( P=0.221). According to the benign and malignant evaluation Zhongshan method, 43 cases were non-malignant (37.4%), 56 cases were low-grade malignant (48.7%), 9 cases were moderately malignant (7.8%), and 7 cases were highly malignant (6.1%). The 5-year DFS were 100.0%, 91.7%, 77.8%, 38.1%, and the difference was significant ( P<0.001). The 5-year OS were 100.0%, 97.5%, 77.8%, 66.7%, the difference was significant ( P<0.001). Conclusions:GIST with PDGFRA gene mutation shows a broad range of biological behavior, ranging from benign to highly malignant. According to the Zhongshan method, non-malignant and low-grade malignant tumors are common, the prognosis after surgery is good, while the fewer medium-high malignant tumors showed poor prognosis after surgical resection. The overall biological behavior of this type of GIST is relatively inert, which is due to the low proportion of medium-high malignant GIST. The modified NIH risk stratification may not be effective in risk stratification for PDGFRA mutant GIST.

OBJECTIVE To systematically evaluate the effectiveness of different treatment regimens as first-line treatment for metastatic urothelial carcinoma （UC） using a network meta-analysis （NMA） approach. METHODS Electronic databases including PubMed， the Cochrane Library， Embase， Wanfang Data， CNKI， and VIP were searched for randomized controlled clinical trials （RCTs） on first-line treatment for metastatic UC from January 1， 2010 to January 31， 2024. After literature screening and data extraction， a risk of bias assessment of included studies was conducted. R software （version 4.3.2） was used to perform the NMA. RESULTS A total of 11 RCTs involving 14 treatment interventions were included. No significant differences were noted in objective response rate among groups， with the combination of pembrolizumab， gemcitabine and cisplatin having the highest probability of ranking first. Regarding progression-free survival （PFS） and overall survival （OS）， no significant differences were observed among groups， while enfortumab vedotin combined with pembrolizumab showed a trend towards better PFS extension compared to gemcitabine combined with cisplatin [HR＝0.45， 95%CI（0.20，1.06）， P＝0.049]， and it had the highest probability of ranking first in both PFS and OS. CONCLUSIONS The combination of enfortumab vedotin and pembrolizumab may have an advantage in prolonging survival in the first-line treatments for metastatic UC.