1.Construction Strategies and Challenges of Vascularized Brain Organoids
Meng-Meng CHEN ; Nan HU ; Shuang-Qing BAO ; Xiao-Hong LI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(7):1757-1770
Brain organoids are three-dimensional (3D) neural cultures that self-organize from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) cultured in vitro. Compared with traditional two-dimensional (2D) neural cell culture systems, brain organoids demonstrate a significantly enhanced capacity to faithfully replicate key aspects of the human brain, including cellular diversity, 3D tissue architecture, and functional neural network activity. Importantly, they also overcome the inherent limitations of animal models, which often differ from human biology in terms of genetic background and brain structure. Owing to these advantages, brain organoids have emerged as a powerful tool for recapitulating human-specific developmental processes, disease mechanisms, and pharmacological responses, thereby providing an indispensable model for advancing our understanding of human brain development and neurological disorders. Despite their considerable potential, conventional brain organoids face a critical limitation: the absence of a functional vascular system. This deficiency results in inadequate oxygen and nutrient delivery to the core regions of the organoid, ultimately constraining long-term viability and functional maturation. Moreover, the lack of early neurovascular interactions prevents these models from fully recapitulating the human brain microenvironment. In recent years, the introduction of vascularization strategies has significantly enhanced the physiological relevance of brain organoid models. Researchers have successfully developed various vascularized brain organoid models through multiple innovative approaches. Biological methods, for example, involve co-culturing brain organoids with endothelial cells to induce the formation of static vascular networks. Alternatively, co-differentiation strategies direct both mesodermal and ectodermal lineages to generate vascularized tissues, while fusion techniques combine pre-formed vascular organoids with brain organoids. Beyond biological approaches, tissue engineering techniques have played a pivotal role in promoting vascularization. Microfluidic systems enable the creation of dynamic, perfusable vascular networks that mimic blood flow, while 3D printing technologies allow for the precise fabrication of artificial vascular scaffolds tailored to the organoid’s architecture. Additionally, in vivo transplantation strategies facilitate the formation of functional, blood-perfused vascular networks through host-derived vascular infiltration. The incorporation of vascularization has yielded multiple benefits for brain organoid models. It alleviates hypoxia within the organoid core, thereby improving cell survival and supporting long-term culture and maturation. Furthermore, vascularized organoids recapitulate critical features of the neurovascular unit, including the early structural and functional characteristics of the blood-brain barrier. These advancements have established vascularized brain organoids as a highly relevant platform for studying neurovascular disorders, drug screening, and other applications. However, achieving sustained, long-term functional perfusion while preserving vascular structural integrity and promoting vascular maturation remains a major challenge in the field. In this review, we systematically outline the key stages of human neurovascular development and provide a comprehensive analysis of the various strategies employed to construct vascularized brain organoids. We further present a detailed comparative assessment of different vascularization techniques, highlighting their respective strengths and limitations. Additionally, we summarize the principal challenges currently faced in brain organoid vascularization and discuss the specific technical obstacles that persist. Finally, in the outlook section, we elaborate on the promising applications of vascularized brain organoids in disease modeling and drug testing, address the main controversies and unresolved questions in the field, and propose potential directions for future research.
2.Short-to-medium-term clinical efficacy of total hip arthroplasty with Pinnacle ES constrained liner in the treatment of femoral neck fractures associated with lower limb neuromuscular disorders.
Can-Feng WANG ; Xiao-Qing WANG ; Lei HAN ; Yun-Gen HU ; Tuo WANG
China Journal of Orthopaedics and Traumatology 2025;38(11):1151-1155
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the short-to-medium-term clinical efficacy of total hip arthroplasty(THA) with Pinnacle ES constrained liner in the treatment of femoral neck fractures(FNF) associated with lower limb neuromuscular disorders.
METHODS:
A retrospective analysis was conducted on 16 patients who underwent primary THA using Pinnacle ES constrained liner for FNF with lower limb neuromuscular disorders and had complete follow-up data, treated between January 2020 and January 2023. There were 7 males and 9 females, with a mean age of (68.42±3.58) years old ranging from 61 to 75 years old. Among them, 10 cases had left-sided fractures and 6 had right-sided fractures;based on the Garden classification, 11 cases were type Ⅲ and 5 cases were type Ⅳ. The affected limbs were complicated with sequelae of poliomyelitis (2 cases), Parkinson's disease (2 cases), and sequelae of cerebral infarction (12 cases). All operations were performed via a posterolateral approach. Prosthesis position was evaluated using imaging data. Hip function was assessed by the Harris hip score(HHS) and Merle D'Aubigne hip score. During the follow-up period, the occurrence of complications such as prosthetic dislocation, loosening, and infection was recorded.
RESULTS:
One patient died of advanced tumor 2 years after surgery, and the remaining 15 patients were followed up for 24 to 64 months with a mean of (34.8±5.5) months. The operation time ranged from 50 to 90 minutes with a mean of (75.56±8.15) minutes, and the blood loss ranged from 150 to 200 ml with a mean of (170.32±12.56) ml. All patients achieved primary wound healing after surgery. Intraoperatively, femoral calcar splitting occurred in 2 cases, which were treated with titanium cable binding;no neurovascular injuries were observed in any case. The mean HHS increased from (18.95±2.25) preoperatively to (88.02±2.42) at the last follow-up, and the mean Merle D'Aubigne Score increased from (3.05±0.06) preoperatively to (16.65±0.93) at the last follow-up. Postoperative follow-up X-rays showed good prosthetic position, and no complications such as dislocation, prosthetic loosening, periprosthetic fracture, or deep infection occurred during the follow-up period.
CONCLUSION
Total hip arthroplasty with Pinnacle ES constrained liner is effective in the treatment of femoral neck fractures associated with lower limb neuromuscular disorders. It can significantly improve hip function, reduce the postoperative prosthetic dislocation rate, provide good initial stability, and achieve satisfactory short-to-medium-term clinical efficacy.
Humans
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Male
;
Female
;
Middle Aged
;
Aged
;
Arthroplasty, Replacement, Hip/methods*
;
Femoral Neck Fractures/complications*
;
Retrospective Studies
;
Neuromuscular Diseases/surgery*
;
Lower Extremity
;
Treatment Outcome
3.Efficacy and Safety of DCAG Regimen in Patients with Relapsed/Refractory Acute Myeloid Leukemia.
Hui-Sheng ZHOU ; Yu-Qing LI ; Yu-Xin WANG ; Ya-Lei HU ; Kai-Li MIN ; Chun-Ji GAO ; Dai-Hong LIU ; Xiao-Ning GAO
Journal of Experimental Hematology 2025;33(1):9-19
OBJECTIVE:
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of DCAG (decitabine, cytarabine, anthracyclines, and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor) regimen in the treatment of patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
METHODS:
The clinical data of 64 R/R AML patients received treatment at Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 1st, 2012 to December 31st, 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Primary endpoints included efficacy measured by overall response rate (ORR) and safety. Secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), event-free survival (EFS) and duration of response (DOR). The patients were followed from enrollment until death, or the end of last follow-up (June 1st, 2023), whichever occurred first.
RESULTS:
Sixty-four patients who failed prior therapy were enrolled and completed 1 cycle, and 26 and 5 patients completed 2 and 3 cycles, respectively. Objective response rate was 67.2% [39: complete remission (CR)/CR with incomplete hematologic recovery (CRi), 4: partial remission (PR)]. With a median follow-up of 62.0 months (1.0-120.9), the median overall survival (OS) was 23.3 and event-free survival was 10.6 months. The median OS was 51.7 months (3.4-100.0) in responders (CR/CRi/PR) while it was 8.4 months (6.1-10.7) in nonresponders ( P <0.001). Grade 3-4 hematologic toxicities were observed in all patients. Four patients died from rapid disease progression within 8 weeks after chemotherapy.
CONCLUSION
The DCAG regimen represents a feasible and effective treatment for R/R AML.
Humans
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Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/drug therapy*
;
Cytarabine/administration & dosage*
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Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor/administration & dosage*
;
Retrospective Studies
;
Male
;
Female
;
Decitabine
;
Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols/therapeutic use*
;
Anthracyclines/administration & dosage*
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Middle Aged
;
Adult
;
Treatment Outcome
;
Aged
;
Recurrence
4.Psychological stress-activated NR3C1/NUPR1 axis promotes ovarian tumor metastasis.
Bin LIU ; Wen-Zhe DENG ; Wen-Hua HU ; Rong-Xi LU ; Qing-Yu ZHANG ; Chen-Feng GAO ; Xiao-Jie HUANG ; Wei-Guo LIAO ; Jin GAO ; Yang LIU ; Hiroshi KURIHARA ; Yi-Fang LI ; Xu-Hui ZHANG ; Yan-Ping WU ; Lei LIANG ; Rong-Rong HE
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(6):3149-3162
Ovarian tumor (OT) is the most lethal form of gynecologic malignancy, with minimal improvements in patient outcomes over the past several decades. Metastasis is the leading cause of ovarian cancer-related deaths, yet the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Psychological stress is known to activate the glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1), a factor associated with poor prognosis in OT patients. However, the precise mechanisms linking NR3C1 signaling and metastasis have yet to be fully elucidated. In this study, we demonstrate that chronic restraint stress accelerates epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastasis in OT through an NR3C1-dependent mechanism involving nuclear protein 1 (NUPR1). Mechanistically, NR3C1 directly regulates the transcription of NUPR1, which in turn increases the expression of snail family transcriptional repressor 2 (SNAI2), a key driver of EMT. Clinically, elevated NR3C1 positively correlates with NUPR1 expression in OT patients, and both are positively associated with poorer prognosis. Overall, our study identified the NR3C1/NUPR1 axis as a critical regulatory pathway in psychological stress-induced OT metastasis, suggesting a potential therapeutic target for intervention in OT metastasis.
5.International clinical practice guideline on the use of traditional Chinese medicine for functional dyspepsia (2025).
Sheng-Sheng ZHANG ; Lu-Qing ZHAO ; Xiao-Hua HOU ; Zhao-Xiang BIAN ; Jian-Hua ZHENG ; Hai-He TIAN ; Guan-Hu YANG ; Won-Sook HONG ; Yu-Ying HE ; Li LIU ; Hong SHEN ; Yan-Ping LI ; Sheng XIE ; Jin SHU ; Bin-Fang ZENG ; Jun-Xiang LI ; Zhen LIU ; Zheng-Hua XIAO ; Jing-Dong XIAO ; Pei-Yong ZHENG ; Shao-Gang HUANG ; Sheng-Liang CHEN ; Gui-Jun FEI
Journal of Integrative Medicine 2025;23(5):502-518
Functional dyspepsia (FD), characterized by persistent or recurrent dyspeptic symptoms without identifiable organic, systemic or metabolic causes, is an increasingly recognized global health issue. The objective of this guideline is to equip clinicians and nursing professionals with evidence-based strategies for the management and treatment of adult patients with FD using traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The Guideline Development Group consulted existing TCM consensus documents on FD and convened a panel of 35 clinicians to generate initial clinical queries. To address these queries, a systematic literature search was conducted across PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), VIP Database, China Biology Medicine (SinoMed) Database, Wanfang Database, Traditional Medicine Research Data Expanded (TMRDE), and the Traditional Chinese Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System (TCMLARS). The evidence from the literature was critically appraised using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. The strength of the recommendations was ascertained through a consensus-building process involving TCM and allopathic medicine experts, methodologists, pharmacologists, nursing specialists, and health economists, leveraging their collective expertise and empirical knowledge. The guideline comprises a total of 43 evidence-informed recommendations that span a range of clinical aspects, including the pathogenesis according to TCM, diagnostic approaches, therapeutic interventions, efficacy assessments, and prognostic considerations. Please cite this article as: Zhang SS, Zhao LQ, Hou XH, Bian ZX, Zheng JH, Tian HH, Yang GH, Hong WS, He YY, Liu L, Shen H, Li YP, Xie S, Shu J, Zeng BF, Li JX, Liu Z, Xiao ZH, Xiao JD, Zheng PY, Huang SG, Chen SL, Fei GJ. International clinical practice guideline on the use of traditional Chinese medicine for functional dyspepsia (2025). J Integr Med. 2025; 23(5):502-518.
Dyspepsia/drug therapy*
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Humans
;
Medicine, Chinese Traditional/methods*
;
Practice Guidelines as Topic
;
Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use*
6.Developing Effective Strategies to Overcome Immunotherapy Resistance in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer by Directly Targeting Cancer Cells
Qing HUANG ; Jiaqi XIAO ; Sheng HU ; Qian CAI
Cancer Research on Prevention and Treatment 2025;52(11):913-925
The development of novel point-to-point drugs targeting resistance mechanisms is a critical and popular research field; nevertheless, success remains challenging. Therefore, given the short survival time and heightened expectations of patients with advanced NSCLC, the design of various combination therapy strategies––integrating preclinical, clinical, and real-world evidence (such as radiotherapy, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, antibody–drug conjugates, oncolytic viruses, and cell therapy)––may be a wise and practical choice to address the disease. Resistance to immunotherapy involves almost all cell types in the body, primarily cancer cells and T cells involved in immune surveillance. As a result of space limitations, this article focuses on the progress and challenges of various combined strategies for directly eliminating cancer cells. We also emphasize the realignment of treatment goals, shifting from primarily focusing on eliminating cancer cells (via chemotherapy and radiotherapy) to fully utilizing immune regulation to overcome resistance to immune checkpoint inhibitors.
7.Effects of miR-4531/CX3CL1 signaling pathway on the vascular injury in preeclampsia in vitro
Man WANG ; Jun LI ; Hang LI ; Qing SONG ; Yan LIU ; Haili WANG ; Xiao WANG ; Qunxian CHENG ; Zheng HU ; Ling XU
Chinese Journal of Clinical Medicine 2024;31(6):868-874
Objective To investigate the effects of miR-
8.Stability study of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells formulation in large-scale production
Wang-long CHU ; Tong-jing LI ; Yan SHANGGUAN ; Fang-tao HE ; Jian-fu WU ; Xiu-ping ZENG ; Tao GUO ; Qing-fang WANG ; Fen ZHANG ; Zhen-zhong ZHONG ; Xiao LIANG ; Jun-yuan HU ; Mu-yun LIU
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2024;59(3):743-750
Umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) have been widely used in regenerative medicine, but there is limited research on the stability of UC-MSCs formulation during production. This study aims to assess the stability of the cell stock solution and intermediate product throughout the production process, as well as the final product following reconstitution, in order to offer guidance for the manufacturing process and serve as a reference for formulation reconstitution methods. Three batches of cell formulation were produced and stored under low temperature (2-8 ℃) and room temperature (20-26 ℃) during cell stock solution and intermediate product stages. The storage time intervals for cell stock solution were 0, 2, 4, and 6 h, while for intermediate products, the intervals were 0, 1, 2, and 3 h. The evaluation items included visual inspection, viable cell concentration, cell viability, cell surface markers, lymphocyte proliferation inhibition rate, and sterility. Additionally, dilution and culture stability studies were performed after reconstitution of the cell product. The reconstitution diluents included 0.9% sodium chloride injection, 0.9% sodium chloride injection + 1% human serum albumin, and 0.9% sodium chloride injection + 2% human serum albumin, with dilution ratios of 10-fold and 40-fold. The storage time intervals after dilution were 0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 h. The reconstitution culture media included DMEM medium, DMEM + 2% platelet lysate, 0.9% sodium chloride injection, and 0.9% sodium chloride injection + 1% human serum albumin, and the culture duration was 24 h. The evaluation items were viable cell concentration and cell viability. The results showed that the cell stock solution remained stable for up to 6 h under both low temperature (2-8 ℃) and room temperature (20-26 ℃) conditions, while the intermediate product remained stable for up to 3 h under the same conditions. After formulation reconstitution, using sodium chloride injection diluted with 1% or 2% human serum albumin maintained a viability of over 80% within 4 h. It was observed that different dilution factors had an impact on cell viability. After formulation reconstitution, cultivation in medium with 2% platelet lysate resulted in a cell viability of over 80% after 24 h. In conclusion, the stability of cell stock solution within 6 h and intermediate product within 3 h meets the requirements. The addition of 1% or 2% human serum albumin in the reconstitution diluent can better protect the post-reconstitution cell viability.
9.National bloodstream infection bacterial resistance surveillance report (2022) : Gram-negative bacteria
Zhiying LIU ; Yunbo CHEN ; Jinru JI ; Chaoqun YING ; Qing YANG ; Haishen KONG ; Haifeng MAO ; Hui DING ; Pengpeng TIAN ; Jiangqin SONG ; Yongyun LIU ; Jiliang WANG ; Yan JIN ; Yuanyuan DAI ; Yizheng ZHOU ; Yan GENG ; Fenghong CHEN ; Lu WANG ; Yanyan LI ; Dan LIU ; Peng ZHANG ; Junmin CAO ; Xiaoyan LI ; Dijing SONG ; Xinhua QIANG ; Yanhong LI ; Qiuying ZHANG ; Guolin LIAO ; Ying HUANG ; Baohua ZHANG ; Liang GUO ; Aiyun LI ; Haiquan KANG ; Donghong HUANG ; Sijin MAN ; Zhuo LI ; Youdong YIN ; Kunpeng LIANG ; Haixin DONG ; Donghua LIU ; Hongyun XU ; Yinqiao DONG ; Rong XU ; Lin ZHENG ; Shuyan HU ; Jian LI ; Qiang LIU ; Liang LUAN ; Jilu SHEN ; Lixia ZHANG ; Bo QUAN ; Xiaoping YAN ; Xiaoyan QI ; Dengyan QIAO ; Weiping LIU ; Xiusan XIA ; Ling MENG ; Jinhua LIANG ; Ping SHEN ; Yonghong XIAO
Chinese Journal of Clinical Infectious Diseases 2024;17(1):42-57
Objective:To report the results of national surveillance on the distribution and antimicrobial resistance profile of clinical Gram-negative bacteria isolates from bloodstream infections in China in 2022.Methods:The clinical isolates of Gram-negative bacteria from blood cultures in member hospitals of national bloodstream infection Bacterial Resistant Investigation Collaborative System(BRICS)were collected during January 2022 to December 2022. Antibiotic susceptibility tests were conducted by agar dilution or broth dilution methods recommended by Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute(CLSI). WHONET 5.6 and SPSS 25.0 software were used to analyze the data.Results:During the study period,9 035 strains of Gram-negative bacteria were collected from 51 hospitals,of which 7 895(87.4%)were Enterobacteriaceae and 1 140(12.6%)were non-fermenting bacteria. The top 5 bacterial species were Escherichia coli( n=4 510,49.9%), Klebsiella pneumoniae( n=2 340,25.9%), Pseudomonas aeruginosa( n=534,5.9%), Acinetobacter baumannii complex( n=405,4.5%)and Enterobacter cloacae( n=327,3.6%). The ESBLs-producing rates in Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Proteus spp. were 47.1%(2 095/4 452),21.0%(427/2 033)and 41.1%(58/141),respectively. The prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli(CREC)and carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae(CRKP)were 1.3%(58/4 510)and 13.1%(307/2 340);62.1%(36/58)and 9.8%(30/307)of CREC and CRKP were resistant to ceftazidime/avibactam combination,respectively. The prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii(CRAB)complex was 59.5%(241/405),while less than 5% of Acinetobacter baumannii complex was resistant to tigecycline and polymyxin B. The prevalence of carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa(CRPA)was 18.4%(98/534). There were differences in the composition ratio of Gram-negative bacteria in bloodstream infections and the prevalence of main Gram-negative bacteria resistance among different regions,with statistically significant differences in the prevalence of CRKP and CRPA( χ2=20.489 and 20.252, P<0.001). The prevalence of CREC,CRKP,CRPA,CRAB,ESBLs-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae were higher in provinicial hospitals than those in municipal hospitals( χ2=11.953,81.183,10.404,5.915,12.415 and 6.459, P<0.01 or <0.05),while the prevalence of CRPA was higher in economically developed regions(per capita GDP ≥ 92 059 Yuan)than that in economically less-developed regions(per capita GDP <92 059 Yuan)( χ2=6.240, P=0.012). Conclusions:The proportion of Gram-negative bacteria in bloodstream infections shows an increasing trend,and Escherichia coli is ranked in the top,while the trend of CRKP decreases continuously with time. Decreasing trends are noted in ESBLs-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Low prevalence of carbapenem resistance in Escherichia coli and high prevalence in CRAB complex have been observed. The composition ratio and antibacterial spectrum of bloodstream infections in different regions of China are slightly different,and the proportion of main drug resistant bacteria in provincial hospitals is higher than those in municipal hospitals.
10.Correction between hand hygiene product consumption and hand hygiene compliance in intensive care units of 74 medical institutions in Shanghai
Hong-Ping PAN ; Meng-Ge HAN ; Qing-Feng SHI ; Bi-Jie HU ; Xiao-Dong GAO
Chinese Journal of Infection Control 2024;23(3):291-297
Objective To understand the consumption of hand hygiene(HH)products and HH compliance in in-tensive care units(ICUs)of secondary and higher grade medical institutions(MIs)in Shanghai,and provide basis for further monitoring of HH among health care workers(HCWs).Methods Through healthcare-associated infec-tion surveillance system,the consumption of HH products and HH compliance in ICUs from secondary and higher grade MIs in Shanghai in 2017-2021 were analyzed.Results 105 ICUs from 74 MIs were included in analysis,the average consumption of HH products was 79.24(44.88-258.63)mL/(bed·day),with statistically significant difference among different types of ICUs(P<0.001).The average consumption of HH products increased from 65.75 mL/(bed·day)in 2017 to 87.55 mL/(bed·day)in 2021,showing an increasing trend year by year(P<0.001).HCWs'HH compliance rate was 82.13%,with the highest in nurses(86.59%)and the lowest(48.90%)in medical technicians,HH compliance rates of HCWs of different occupations were statistically significant different(P<0.001).Among the implementation modes of HH,39.86%used running water for hand washing,42.27%used alcohol-based hand rub to wipe hands,13.22%didn't take HH measures,and 4.65%didn't take HH mea-sures when wearing gloves,with statistically significant differences among different HH implementation modes of HCWs(P<0.001).There was a positive correlation between the average consumption of HH products per bed·day and HCWs'HH compliance rate(r=0.703,P<0.05).Conclusion The average consumption of HH products per bed·day and HH compliance rate of HCWs in ICUs in Shanghai presents an increasing trend year by year.There are differences in the average consumption of HH products per bed·day and HH compliance rate among different types of ICUs.The implementation of HH can be evaluated by continuously surveillance on the average consumption of HH products per bed·day.

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