OBJECTIVE: To explore the genotype-phenotype correlation in a Chinese family with structural brain abnormalities due to variant of the TUBB gene. METHODS: A family undergoing prenatal diagnosis at Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital in October 2024 was selected as the study subject. Clinical data were collected. Amniotic fluid sample was subjected to chromosomal copy number variation sequencing (CNV-seq). Trio whole-exome sequencing (Trio-WES) was carried out on the amniotic fluid and parental blood samples, and candidate variant was verified by Sanger sequencing. This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the hospital (Ethics No.: 2023-KY-076-01). RESULTS: Both prenatal ultrasound and fetal MRI showed deviation of brain midline, unilateral lateral ventriculomegaly, and bilateral gyral asymmetry. Trio-WES revealed that the fetus has harbored a maternally derived heterozygous missense variant of the TUBB gene [NM_178014.4: c.155A>G (p.N52S)]. Sanger sequencing confirmed that the woman and a previously terminated fetus both harbored the same variant. Both the proband and two fetuses exhibited similar neuroimaging abnormalities including midline deviation and asymmetrical gyri. Based on the guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG), the variant was classified as likely pathogenic (PM2_Supporting+PS2_Moderate+PS3). CONCLUSION The heterozygous c.155A>G (p.N52S) variant was the TUBB gene probably underlay the pathogenesis of the structural brain abnormalities in this family. Above findings have expanded the phenotypic spectrum associated with the variant and facilitated the prenatal diagnosis for this family.
Humans ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Tubulin/genetics* ; Adult ; Brain/diagnostic imaging* ; Male ; Pedigree ; DNA Copy Number Variations/genetics* ; Exome Sequencing ; Genetic Association Studies ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Diabetic retinopathy(DR), the most common microvascular complication of diabetes, has become a leading cause of visual impairment and blindness across all age groups. The early diagnosis and severity assessment of DR rely on the precise evaluation of retinal microvascular alterations. The periarterial capillary-free zone(paCFZ), a physiological avascular region surrounding retinal arteries, has recently been recognized as an important biomarker reflecting the status of retinal microcirculation. Advances in optical coherence tomography angiography(OCTA)have enabled noninvasive, high-resolution quantification of the paCFZ, offering a novel approach for the early detection and stratification of DR. This review systematically summarizes the definition and developmental mechanism of the paCFZ, as well as its morphological characteristics across different stages of DR, with a particular focus on the advantages of OCTA in visualizing and quantifying the paCFZ. We further discuss the differential manifestations of the paCFZ in nonproliferative DR and proliferative DR, and its associations with retinal ischemia and oxygenation status. In addition, the potential clinical value of paCFZ in evaluating responses to anti-vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF)therapy and predicting disease progression is summarized. Finally, the challenges in clinical translation and future research directions are addressed, aiming to provide theoretical support and new perspectives for early screening, risk stratification, and personalized management of DR.

Purpose To explore whether tryptanthrin(TRYP)can inhibit the malignant behavioral ability of glio-ma cells,and to elucidate the specific mechanism of its action.Methods MTT assay was performed to detect the effect of TRYP on the proliferation of glioma cells;Transwell assay was performed to detect the effect of TRYP on the migration and invasion of glioma cells;AnnexinV-FITC/PI apoptosis assay was performed to detect the effect of TRYP on the apoptosis of glioma cells;PI/RNase cell cycle assay was performed to detect the effect of TRYP on the cell cycle distribution of glioma cells;Western blot assay was performed to detect the effect of TRYP on the protein expressions of p-ERK and c-Myc in glioma cells.The effect of TRYP on the proliferation of glioma cells in vivo was verified by con-structing a subcutaneous transplantation tumor model in nude mice,and the effect of TRYP on the apoptotic ability of cells in the transplantation tumor was detected by TUNEL assay.Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the effect of TRYP on the expression of Ki67,BRAF,c-Myc,and p-ERK proteins in transplanted tumor tissues.Results MTT assay showed that TRYP could effectively inhibit the proliferation of glioma cells(P＜0.001).Transwell assay showed that TRYP could inhibit the invasion and migration of glioma cells(P＜0.001).AnnexinV-FITC/PI cell apoptosis as-say showed that TRYP could promote the apoptosis of glioma cells(P＜0.001).The results of PI/RNase cell cycle as-say showed that TRYP was able to promote the G2 phase block of glioma cells(P＜0.001).Western blot results showed that the expression levels of c-Myc and p-ERK proteins in the glioma cells were significantly reduced after TR-YP treatment(P＜0.001).The results of subcutaneous transplantation tumor model in nude mice showed that TRYP could effectively inhibit the growth rate(P＜0.01)and weight(P＜0.05)of transplanted tumor.TUNEL assay showed that TRYP could promote the apoptosis of tumor cells in transplanted tumor(P＜0.001).Immunohistochemis-try results showed that TRYP could effectively inhibit the protein expression of Ki67(P＜0.01),BRAF,c-Myc,and p-ERK(P＜0.001).Conclusion TRYP can inhibit the proliferation,invasion,and migration ability of glioma cells,promote apoptosis of glioma cells,and block the cell cycle of glioma cells.TRYP may inhibit the malignant pro-gression of glioma cells by suppressing the protein expression of BRAF,c-Myc and p-ERK1/2 in the MAPK/ERK sig-naling pathway.

Different animals in Xinjiang carry Escherichia coli O157:H7(E.coli O157:H7),but the connection between these strains is not clear.This study aims to understand the evolutionary sub-group of E.coli O157:H7,the distribution of the dominant genetic lineage,the biofilm formation ability,the carriage of mobile genetic elements and their drug resistance profile.E.coli O157:H7 was identified by PCR.Multilocus sequence typing(MLST)protocol was used for E.coli O157 to detect ST type,plasmid replicon and integron genes.Biofilm formation ability was determined by crystal violet microplate,and Kirby-Bauer was used to detect drug resistance.The results showed that 46.7％(7/15)of E.coli O157:H7 belongs to Group A,53.3％(8/15)of E.coli O157:H7 be-longs to Group E.Sheep source were mainly prevalent in Group A(4/6).Cattle sources are mainly Group E(6/7).A total of six ST types were detected:ST11(8/15),ST-206(1/15),ST-6126(3/15),ST-1640(1/15),ST-178(1/15),ST-4550(1/15).Two strains had a moderate biofilm-form-ing capacity,two strains had a weak biofilm-forming capacity,10 strains have no biofilm-forming capacity.All were multidrug-resistant strains,with complete resistance to lincomycin,oxacillin,clindamycin,vancomycin,midemycin and cefthiophene,and 88％-94％resistance to poly-myxin B,ampicillin,penicillin G and erythromycin,they are highly drug resistant.The five resist-ance genes detected were acrA(66.66％,10/15),tolC(73.33％,11/15),qurS(13.33％,2/15),floR and qurA(6.67％,1/15).Four plasm id replicons were detected,they were IncP(66.66％,10/15),IncFrepB(86.67％,13/15),IncFIA(6.67％,1/15),IncFIB(66.66％,10/15).Two class Ⅰ integrons were detected and they were ISCR1(33.33％,5/15),ISECP1(20％,3/15).The re-sults showed that E.coli O157:H7 in Xinjiang was predominantly prevalent in Group A and Group E.Sheep sources were predominantly prevalent in Group A,and cattle sources were predominantly prevalent in Group E.The ST types were widely distributed,with ST11 types being the predomi-nant type,the biofilm-forming ability was weak,and the resistance was strong,all of them were multi-drug-resistant strains,and the resistance genes were mainly externally excreted from the pumps,and the resistance genes had more spreading elements.

Objective To explore the neuro-protective effect of remimazolam(Rem)on traumatic brain injury(TBI)in rat models.Methods A TBI rat model was constructed.The rats were randomly divided into control group,traumatic brain injury group(TBI group),low-dose and high-dose remimazolam groups(Rem-L,Rem-H groups),and high-dose remimazolam+Jagged1 group(Rem-H+Jagged1 group),with 12 rats in each.All rats were evaluated for neurological deficits.The serum level of inflammatory factors like tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α)and interleukin-1β(IL-1β)were detected by ELISA.HE staining microscopy was used to observe the changes of brain histopathology.The expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP)and ionized calcium-binding adaptation molecule 1(IBA1)were detected by immunohistochemistry.Western blot was applied to detect the ex-pression of Notch,Notch 1 intracellular domain(NICD)and Hes-1 protein in the brain tissue.Results Compared with the control group,the TBI group showed a larger area of brain tissue defect and edema,with more activated glial cells and fragmented,concentrated and deeply stained neuronal nuclei,indistinct nucleoli,deeply stained cy-toplasm,and partial neuronal necrosis The neurological deficit score was higher,level of TNF-α and IL-1β and the expression of GFAP,IBA1,Notch,NICD,and Hes-1 all elevated(P＜0.05).Remazolam reduced brain tissue defect area,alleviated edema,inhibited glial cell activation and neuronal apoptosis,and reduced nerve function deficit score,the level of TNF-α and IL-1β,and the expression of GFAP,IBA1,Notch,NICD and Hes-1(P＜0.05).Jagged1 could aggravate brain tissue injury,increase neural function deficit score,levels of TNF-α and IL-1β and expressions of GFAP,IBA1,Notch,NICD and Hes-1(P＜0.05).Conclusions Remimazolam may have neuroprotective effects as shown by TBI rat models,and the underlying mechanism is potentially related to the inhibition of the Notch/Hes-1 signaling pathway.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide,with atherosclerosis(AS)-its core pathological manifestation-representing a multifactorial-driven chronic inflammatory disorder.The pathogenesis of AS involves intricate pathological mechanisms including dyslipidemia,inflammatory cascades,and plaque vulnerability,whose complexity necessitates animal models capable of accurately recapitulating specific pathological features.Genetically engineered murine models have emerged as pivotal tools for deciphering AS mechanisms,owing to their genetic manipulability,phenotypic traceability,and molecular conservation with human pathophysiology.This review provides a systematic overview of current methodologies for establishing AS mouse models,with particular emphasis on evaluating the pathological fidelity of dietary induction approaches,genetic modification strategies[notably apolipoprotein E(ApoE)-/-and low density lipoproteins receptor(LDLr)-/-models],and physical injury paradigms.

Objective:To compare the mortality of patients with septic shock in the intensive care unit of the emergency department of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital in 2012 and 2022, and analyze the risk factors affecting the prognosis of patients in each year.Methods:According to the diagnostic criteria of septic shock, 82 patients with septic shock admitted to the ICU of the emergency department of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital in 2012 and 52 patients with septic shock admitted to the ICU in 2022 were included. The clinical data of patients in each year and the related indicators that may affect the prognosis were compared. The risk factors of death in patients with septic shock in each year were screened by multivariate logistic regression analysis, and the predictive value of risk factors on death was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve.Results:In 2012, 30 patients with septic shock died and 52 survived. The fatality rate was 36.59%. In 2022, 16 patients with septic shock died and 36 survived, with a fatality rate of 30.77%. There was significant difference in mortality between 2012 and 2022 (χ 2=6.805, P=0.009). In 2012 and 2022, the mortality of septic shock patients with different gender, age and Sequential Organ failure assessment (SOFA) score had statistical significance ( P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that gender ( OR=1.554, P=0.037), lactic acid ( OR=1.062, P=0.035) and SOFA score ( OR=1.199, P=0.028) were the risk factors affecting the prognosis of patients in 2012, gender ( OR=1.234, P=0.028), total cholesterol ( OR=1.358, P=0.028) and SOFA score ( OR=1.388, P=0.034) were the risk factors affecting the prognosis of patients in 2022. ROC curve analysis results showed that SOFA score had higher sensitivity and specificity in predicting death of septic shock patients in 2012 (all P<0.05), and lactic acid, total cholesterol and SOFA score had higher sensitivity and specificity in predicting death of septic shock patients in 2022 (all P<0.05). Conclusions:The case fatality rate of septic shock patients in 2022 is lower than that in 2012, the morbidity and mortality rate of male patients are still higher than that of female patients, and the case fatality rate of patients increases with age. SOFA score was an independent risk factor for the prognosis of septic shock patients in 2012 and 2022.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the association between Chinese visceral adiposity index (CVAI) and the risk of nephrolithiasis. METHODS: This cross-sectional study analyzed data from 78 438 Chinese adults who underwent ultrasound examinations during health screening at the Health Examination Center of Affiliated Hospital of Yangzhou University. Participants were divided into quartiles (Q1-Q4 groups) based on CVAI. Multivariate logistic regression models were utilized to evaluate the association between CVAI and nephrolithiasis risk, followed by subgroup analyses to further explore potential relationships. The performance of CVAI in predicting the risk of nephrolithiasis was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS: Increased CVAI was significantly associated with a higher risk of nephrolithiasis, with prevalence rising from 3.36% in the Q1 group to 10.67% in the Q4 group (P<0.01). In adjusted models, CVAI was positively correlated with the prevalence rate of nephrolithiasis (OR=1.002, 95%CI: 1.001-1.004, P<0.01). The risks of nephrolithiasis in the Q2, Q3, and Q4 groups were 1.196-fold (95%CI: 1.069-1.338, P<0.01), 1.260-fold (95%CI: 1.109-1.433, P<0.01), and 1.316-fold (95%CI: 1.125-1.539, P<0.01) higher than in the Q1 group, respectively. Subgroup analysis revealed that CVAI was positively associated with the risk of nephrolithiasis in male participants, individuals aged <60 years, the hypertension group, populations with or without diabetes mellitus, and the normal body mass index subgroup. Genders and age had an interaction effect on the correlation between CVAI and the risk of nephrolithiasis development (both P<0.05). The ROC curve analysis demonstrated that CVAI exhibited superior predictive efficacy compared to waist circumference, body mass index, visceral adiposity index, weight-adjusted waist index, cardiometabolic index and body shape index, with an area under the curve of 0.622. CONCLUSIONS In Chinese adults, CVAI is positively associated with the risk of nephrolithiasis development, which may serve as a potential predictive marker for nephrolithiasis.
Humans ; Nephrolithiasis/etiology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Adult ; Intra-Abdominal Fat ; Risk Factors ; China/epidemiology* ; Adiposity ; Aged ; Logistic Models ; Obesity, Abdominal/epidemiology* ; East Asian People

Metastasis is the leading cause of death from cutaneous melanoma. Identifying metastasis-related targets and developing corresponding therapeutic strategies are major areas of focus. While functional genomics strategies provide powerful tools for target discovery, investigations at the protein level can directly decode the bioactive epitopes on functional proteins. Aptamers present a promising avenue as they can explore membrane proteomes and have the potential to interfere with cell function. Herein, we developed a target and epitope discovery platform, termed functional aptamer evolution-enabled target identification (FAETI), by integrating affinity aptamer acquisition with phenotype screening and target protein identification. Utilizing the aptamer XH3C, which was screened for its migration-inhibitory function, we identified the Chondroitin Sulfate Proteoglycan 4 (CSPG4), as a potential target involved in melanoma migration. Further evidence demonstrated that XH3C induces cytoskeletal rearrangement by blocking the interaction between the bioactive epitope of CSPG4 and integrin α4. Taken together, our study demonstrates the robustness of aptamer-based molecular tools for target and epitope discovery. Additionally, XH3C is an affinity and functional molecule that selectively binds to a unique epitope on CSPG4, enabling the development of innovative therapeutic strategies.

Traditional development of small protein scaffolds has relied on display technologies and mutation-based engineering, which limit sequence and functional diversity, thereby constraining their therapeutic and application potential. Protein design tools have significantly advanced the creation of novel protein sequences, structures, and functions. However, further improvements in design strategies are still needed to more efficiently optimize the functional performance of protein-based drugs and enhance their druggability. Here, we extended an evolution-based design protocol to create a novel minibinder, BindHer, against the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). It not only exhibits super stability and binding selectivity but also demonstrates remarkable properties in tissue specificity. Radiolabeling experiments with ^99mTc, ⁶⁸Ga, and ¹⁸F revealed that BindHer efficiently targets tumors in HER2-positive breast cancer mouse models, with minimal nonspecific liver absorption, outperforming scaffolds designed through traditional engineering. These findings highlight a new rational approach to automated protein design, offering significant potential for large-scale applications in therapeutic mini-protein development.