Nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA), one of the most severe types of male infertility, etiology often remains unclear in most cases. Therefore, this study aimed to detect four biallelic detrimental variants (0.5%) in the minichromosome maintenance domain containing 2 ( MCMDC2 ) genes in 768 NOA patients by whole-exome sequencing (WES). Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) demonstrated that MCMDC2 deleterious variants caused meiotic arrest in three patients (c.1360G>T, c.1956G>T, and c.685C>T) and hypospermatogenesis in one patient (c.94G>T), as further confirmed through immunofluorescence (IF) staining. The single-cell RNA sequencing data indicated that MCMDC2 was substantially expressed during spermatogenesis. The variants were confirmed as deleterious and responsible for patient infertility through bioinformatics and in vitro experimental analyses. The results revealed four MCMDC2 variants related to NOA, which contributes to the current perception of the function of MCMDC2 in male fertility and presents new perspectives on the genetic etiology of NOA.
Humans ; Male ; Azoospermia/genetics* ; Meiosis/genetics* ; Spermatogenesis/genetics* ; Adult ; Exome Sequencing ; Microtubule-Associated Proteins/genetics* ; Alleles ; Infertility, Male/genetics*

OBJECTIVE: To explore the correlation between chromosome 8 open reading frame 76 (C8orf76) and cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) and the potential predictive effect of C8orf76 and CDK4 on the prognosis of colorectal cancer (CRC). METHODS: We constructed a protein-protein interaction network of C8orf76-related genes and analyzed the prognostic signatures of C8orf76 and CDK4. Clinicopathological features of C8orf76 and CDK4 were visualized using a nomogram. RESULTS: C8orf76 and CDK4 levels were positively correlated in two independent human CRC cohorts ( n = 83 and n = 597). A consistent positive correlation was observed between C8orf76 and CDK4 expression in the CRC cell lines. The nomogram included prognostic genes (C8orf76 and CDK4) and pathological N and M stages. The concordance index (C-index) in our cohort was 0.776, which suggests that the ability of the indicators to predict the overall survival of patients with CRC in our cohort was strong. CONCLUSION We found that C8orf76 was positively correlated with CDK4 in both the cohorts as well as in CRC cell lines. Therefore, C8orf76 and CDK4 can be used as potential biomarkers to predict the prognosis of CRC.
Humans ; Colorectal Neoplasms/diagnosis* ; Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 4/metabolism* ; Prognosis ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Biomarkers, Tumor/genetics* ; Aged ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a major contributor to cardiovascular diseases (CVD), the leading cause of death globally. HCM can precipitate heart failure (HF) by causing the cardiac tissue to weaken and stretch, thereby impairing its pumping efficiency. Moreover, HCM increases the risk of atrial fibrillation, which in turn elevates the likelihood of thrombus formation and stroke. Given these significant clinical ramifications, research into the etiology and pathogenesis of HCM is intensifying at multiple levels. In this review, we discuss and synthesize the latest findings on HCM pathogenesis, drawing on key experimental studies conducted both in vitro and in vivo. We also offer our insights and perspectives on these mechanisms, while highlighting the limitations of current research. Advancing fundamental research in this area is essential for developing effective therapeutic interventions and enhancing the clinical management of HCM.
Cardiomyopathy, Hypertrophic/physiopathology* ; Humans ; Animals

Modulating Tankyrases (TNKS), interactions with USP25 to promote TNKS degradation, rather than inhibiting their enzymatic activities, is emerging as an alternative/specific approach to inhibit the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Here, we identified UAT-B, a novel neoantimycin analog isolated from Streptomyces conglobatus, as a small-molecule inhibitor of TNKS-USP25 protein-protein interaction (PPI) to overcome multi-drug resistance in colorectal cancer (CRC). The disruption of TNKS-USP25 complex formation by UAT-B led to a significant decrease in TNKS levels, triggering cell apoptosis through modulation of the Wnt/β-catenin pathway. Importantly, UAT-B successfully inhibited the CRC cells growth that harbored high TNKS levels, as demonstrated in various in vitro and in vivo studies utilizing cell line-based and patient-derived xenografts, as well as APC^min/+ spontaneous CRC models. Collectively, these findings suggest that targeting the TNKS-USP25 PPI using a small-molecule inhibitor represents a compelling therapeutic strategy for CRC treatment, and UAT-B emerges as a promising candidate for further preclinical and clinical investigations.

Objective To investigate the activated phenotype and the expression of the receptor of advanced glycation endproducts(RAGE)of astrocytes after hypoxic-ischemic brain damage(HIBD)in neonatal rats and the effects of gastrodin(GAS)intervention on them.Methods Totally 48 neonatal 3 days SD rats were used to construct HIBD model and randomly divided into sham group,HIBD group and HIBD+GAS group(100 mg/kg),and the expressions of Al type astrocyte marker C3,A2 type astrocyte marker S100A10,RAGE,tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF),and insulin-like growth factor(IGF-1)in the corpus callosum of the ischemic side were detected by Western blotting and immunohistochemical staining on day 1 and day 3 after HIBD.TNC-1 cells were divided into control group,oxygen glucose deprivation(OGD)group,OGD+GAS(0.34 mmol/L)group and GAS group,and then the protein expressions of RAGE,TNF-α,BDNF and IGF-1 were detected by Western blotting and immunofluorescence.Results In vivo,Western blotting showed that compared with the sham group,the protein expression levels of C3,S100A10,RAGE,TNF-α and IGF-1 in the 1 day and 3 days groups after HIBD group in 1 day group were significantly higher than those in the sham group(P＜0.05),but the protein expression level of BDNF decreased in 1 day group and increased in 3 days group(P＜0.05).Compared with the HIBD group,the C3,RAGE and TNF-α protein expression levels were significantly attenuated in the HIBD+GAS group(P＜0.05),and the protein expression levels of BDNF and IGF-1 further increased(P＜0.05).The protein expression of S100A10 in the 3 days group was higher than that in the HIBD group after GAS treatment(P＜0.05).The immunohistochemical staining results of C3,S100A10,and RAGE in the 1 day and 3 days groups after HIBD were consistent with Western blotting results.Furthermore,the protein expressions of RAGE and TNF-α were significantly enhanced in OGD-stimulated astrocytes(P＜0.05).After GAS intervention,while the expressions of both RAGE and TNF-α decreased significantly(P＜0.05),the expressions of BDNF and IGF-1 increased significantly(P＜0.05).Conclusion With inhibiting the up-regulation of RAGE signal in astrocyte after HIBD and expressions of A1 astrocyte and neuroinflammatory factors,gastrodin can promot the expressions of A2 astrocyte and nutritional factors,which play an important role in neuro-protective effect.

Objective:To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy and practicality of the Jaundice color card (JCard) as a screening tool for neonatal jaundice.Methods:Following the standards for reporting of diagnostic accuracy studies (STARD) statement, a multicenter prospective study was conducted in 9 hospitals in China from October 2019 to September 2021. A total of 845 newborns who were admitted to the hospital or outpatient department for liver function testing due to their own diseases. The inclusion criteria were a gestational age of ≥35 weeks, a birth weight of ≥2 000 g, and an age of ≤28 days. The neonate′s parents used the JCard to measure jaundice at the neonate′s cheek. Within 2 hours of the JCard measurement, transcutaneous bilirubin (TcB) was measured with a JH20-1B device and total serum bilirubin (TSB) was detected. The Pearson′s correlation analysis, Bland-Altman plots and the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve were used for statistic analysis.Results:Out of the 854 newborns, 445 were male and 409 were female; 46 were born at 35-36 weeks of gestational age and 808 were born at ≥37 weeks of gestational age. Additionally, 432 cases were aged 0-3 days, 236 cases were aged 4-7 days, and 186 cases were aged 8-28 days. The TSB level was (227.4±89.6) μmol/L, with a range of 23.7-717.0 μmol/L. The JCard level was (221.4±77.0) μmol/L and the TcB level was (252.5±76.0) μmol/L. Both the JCard and TcB values showed good correlation ( r=0.77 and 0.80, respectively) and agreements (96.0% (820/854) and 95.2% (813/854) of samples fell within the 95% limits of agreement, respectively) with TSB. The JCard value of 12 had a sensitivity of 0.93 and specificity of 0.75 for identifying a TSB ≥205.2?μmol/L, and a sensitivity of 1.00 and specificity of 0.35 for identifying a TSB ≥342.0?μmol/L. The TcB value of 205.2?μmol/L had a sensitivity of 0.97 and specificity of 0.60 for identifying TSB levels of 205.2 μmol/L, and a sensitivity of 1.00 and specificity of 0.26 for identifying TSB levels of 342.0 μmol/L. The areas under the ROC curve (AUC) of JCard for identifying TSB levels of 153.9, 205.2, 256.5, and 342.0 μmol/L were 0.96, 0.92, 0.83, and 0.83, respectively. The AUC of TcB were 0.94, 0.91, 0.86, and 0.87, respectively. There were both no significant differences between the AUC of JCard and TcB in identifying TSB levels of 153.9 and 205.2 μmol/L (both P>0.05). However, the AUC of JCard were both lower than those of TcB in identifying TSB levels of 256.5 and 342.0 μmol/L (both P<0.05). Conclusions:JCard can be used to classify different levels of bilirubin, but its diagnostic efficacy decreases with increasing bilirubin levels. When TSB level are ≤205.2 μmol/L, its diagnostic efficacy is equivalent to that of the JH20-1B. To prevent the misdiagnosis of severe jaundice, it is recommended that parents use a low JCard score, such as 12, to identify severe hyperbilirubinemia (TSB ≥342.0 μmol/L).

Objective To measure and compare the cerebral blood flow(CBF)of children with autism spectrum disorder(ASD),global developmental delay(GDD),and ASD with GDD groups via arterial spin labeling(ASL)technique,and to evaluate the diag-nostic value of CBF values.Methods ASL images of ASD,GDD,and ASD with GDD groups of children were firstly acquired,and the CBF values of frontal lobe,temporal lobe,parietal lobe,occipital lobe,striatum and thalamus region of interest(ROI)were fur-ther measured,respectively.One-way analysis of variance or Kruskal-Wallis H test was used to compare the differences in CBF values among these three groups,and the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to analyze the efficacy of CBF values in distinguishing ASD with GDD from without GDD.Results ASD with GDD had significantly lower CBF values in the left and right frontal lobes than those with ASD or GDD alone,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).The CBF values in the left and right frontal lobes effectively distinguished ASD with GDD from without GDD[area under the curve(AUC)>0.7].Conclusion ASL technique can noninvasively assess CBF in children with or without GDD,helping to understand the pathophysiology of ASD with GDD and improving diagnostic accuracy.

Di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) is currently one of the most widely used plasticizers, widely found in all kinds of items, such as children’s toys and food packaging materials, but also added to wallpaper, cable protective agents and other building decoration materials. DEHP is toxic and absorbed by the human body through respiratory tract, digestive tract and skin contact, which can cause damage to multiple systems, especially the male reproductive system, and testis is an important target organ. Oxidative stress injury is the core mechanism of spermatogenesis disorder caused by DEHP. DEHP exposure can cause oxidative stress or reactive oxygen species (ROS) increase in germ cells, and on this basis, promote cell apoptosis or cause excessive autophagy. The toxicity of DEHP to Leydig cells is mainly to interfere with the synthesis of steroid hormones. For Sertoli cells, ferroptosis and destruction of the blood-testis barrier are common injury mechanisms. In addition, gene methylation caused by DEHP not only affects the spermatogenic process, but also has epigenetic effects on offspring. In this paper, we reviewed the pathological damage, germ cell toxicity and epigenetic effects of DEHP on testis, and focused on the damage and molecular mechanism on testicular spermatogenic cells, Leydig cells and Sertoli cells. Future research is required to elucidate the body’s clearance mechanism and treatment plan after exposure to DEHP and whether DEHP will damage the function of myoid cells. It is hoped that this can provide new ideas for prevention and treatment of male reproductive disorders resulting from long-term exposure to plastic products.

Objective To investigate the effect of Gouteng Jiangya Jieyu Perscription(Uncariae Ramulus cum Uncis,Gastrodiae Rhizoma,Pheretima,Puerariae Lobatae Radix,etc.)modulating the TLR4/NF-кB signaling pathway on the polarization of hippocampal microglia in rats with hypertension complicated with depression(HD)Methods Forty primary hypertensive rats were randomly divided into five groups:the model group,the positive drug group,and the high-,medium-,and low-dose groups of Gouteng Jiangya Jieyu Perscription,with 8 rats in each group;and another 8 SD rats were taken as the control group.The HD model was replicated using 42 days of continuous chronic unpredictable mild stress(CUMS)combined with solitary rearing.The modeling was accompanied by the administration of drugs,including 29.61,14.81,and 7.40 g·kg-1 of Gouteng Jiangya Jieyu Perscription in the high-,medium-,and low-dose groups of Chinese herbal medicine,respectively,and 0.45 mg·kg-1 of Levamlodipine Besylate+1.8 mg·kg-1 of Fluoxetine in the positive group;the volume of the gavage was 10 mL·kg-1,once a day,for 42 consecutive days.The systolic blood pressure of rat tail artery was measured by non-invasive sphygmomanometer before drug administration and in the morning of the last day of each week;the behavioural test of Sucrose Preference Test(SPT)was carried out once in the second week and once in the last week after the start of the modelling;the water maze experiment was carried out after the end of the modelling;the levels of serum inflammatory factor tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α),interleukin(IL)1β and IL-10 were determined by ELISA;the pathological changes of rat hippocampal tissue neurons were observed by HE staining and Nissl stain were used to observe the neuronal pathological changes in rat hippocampal tissue;immunofluorescence double staining was used to detect the expressions of microglia M1(CD16)and M2(CD206)types in the hippocampal region;and Western Blot was used to detect the protein expressions of TLR4 and NF-кB p65 in the hippocampal tissue.Results Compared with the control group,the systolic blood pressure in the tail artery of rats in the model group from week 1 to week 6 were all significantly increased(P＜0.01);sucrose preference rate was significantly decreased(P＜0.01);evasion latency was significantly prolonged(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),the number of times of traversing the plateau and the percentage of time spent in the target quadrant were significantly decreased(P＜0.01);the contents of serum TNF-α and IL-1β were significantly increased(P＜0.01),IL-10 content was significantly decreased(P＜0.01);cytosolic nuclei were deeply stained,cytoplasmic solidification and apoptosis were obvious;the fluorescence intensity ratio of CD206/CD16 in hippocampal microglial cells were significantly decreased(P＜0.05);the protein expressions of TLR4 and NF-кB p65 in hippocampal tissues were significantly up-regulated(P＜0.01).Compared with the model group,the systolic blood pressure in the tail artery of rats in the first to sixth weeks of the drug administration group were all significantly reduced(P＜0.01);the sucrose preference rates were all significantly increased(P＜0.05);the contents of serum TNF-α and IL-1β were significantly decreased(P＜0.01),and the content of IL-10 was significantly increased(P＜0.01);the Nissl substances are abundant and apoptosis is significantly reduced,and apoptosis were significantly reduced.The escape latency of rats in the positive drug group and the high-dose group of Gouteng Jiangya Jieyu Perscription was significantly shortened(P＜0.05,P＜0.01),and the number of times of crossing the plateau and the percentage of time spent in the target quadrant were significantly increased(P＜0.05);the ratio of fluorescence intensity of hippocampal microglial cells,CD206/CD16 was significantly increased(P＜0.05,P＜0.01);and the hippocampal tissues,protein expressions of TLR4 and NF-κB p65 were significantly down-regulated(P＜0.05,P＜0.01).Conclusion Gouteng Jiangya Jieyu Perscription may regulate the polarisation state of hippocampal microglial cells,modulate the secretion of inflammatory factors,and attenuate the damage of hippocampal neurons in HD rats by inhibiting the TLR4/NF-кB pathway.

Objective To explore the changes in Th1 cell,B cell and related gene expression during the healing of diabetic foot ulcers(DFU).Methods Lesional skin tissues from DFU patients surgically treated in our hospital from January 2022 to January 2023 were selected.DFU associated gene expression data were collected from GSE80178 and GSE143735 datasets.The expressions of genes(DEGs)between ulcer and no-ulcer patients were identified.Bioinformatics methods were used to identify abnormal immune cells and key genes.Finally,the key results were detected by RT-qPCR and flow cytometry.Results A total of 548 common DEGs were identified in two datasets.In 14 co-expression modules,darkgrey and darkgreen were most related to ulcer,which were mainly associated with the regulation of enzyme activity,immune function and endocrine regulation.Flow cytometry showed that Th1 and B cells were highly infiltrated in ulcer tissue and decreased in healing tissue.MMP13,S100A9 and STAT4 were involved in immune signaling pathways.MMP13 and STAT4 were lowly expressed in healed ulcers,whereas S100A9 was highly expressed.Conclusion Reduced levels of Th1 and B cell infiltration may promote DFU healing.