1.Research on erythrocyte-liposome drug delivery system for targeted therapy of lung metastatic triple-negative breast cancer
Xiang LI ; Xunyi YOU ; Xiaocheng LI ; Hong WANG ; Rui ZHONG ; Jiaxin LIU ; Limin CHEN ; Ye CAO
Chinese Journal of Blood Transfusion 2026;39(2):180-187
Objective: To prepare the erythrocyte-liposome drug delivery system to enhance the therapeutic effect of drugs on tumors and inhibit tumor metastasis. Methods: This study prepared and characterized paclitaxel (PTX)-plerixafor (AMD3100) liposomes (Lips), developed the erythrocyte-liposome drug delivery system, and evaluated its targeting efficiency and therapeutic efficacy through a series of in vitro cellular and in vivo animal experiments. Results: The particle size of PTX-AMD-Lips was (186.4±0.83) nm. Drug encapsulation efficiency of PTX-AMD-Lips was (75.50±5.27)% for PTX and (88.31±2.45)% for AMD. The Binding efficiency between RBC and liposomes in the drug delivery system was (69.93±2.55)%. Vitro cellular experiments revealed that PTX-AMD-Lips significantly inhibited tumor cell migration. In vivo animal experiments, the erythrocyte-liposome drug delivery system significantly increased drug accumulation in the lungs. At the experimental endpoint, the quantitative fluorescence signal of tumor size measured (4.04±0.44)×10
for the PTX-Lips group, and (5.14±3.40)×10
for the RBC-PTX-AMD-Lips group. Conclusion: The erythrocyte-liposome drug delivery system could enhance the lung-specific targeting capability of liposomes, kill tumor cells and suppress further metastasis effectively.
2.Research advance on the clinical phenotypes and molecular genetic mechanisms of Microcephalic primordial dwarfism.
Chinese Journal of Medical Genetics 2026;43(1):76-80
Primordial dwarfism (PD) refers to a group of monogenic genetic disorders characterized by intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and severe, persistent postnatal growth retardation. These diseases have been associated with variants of multiple genes whose products are mainly involved in critical cellular biological processes such as maintenance of genomic stability, DNA damage repair, mRNA splicing regulation, and centrosome function. Variants of such genes can directly impair cell proliferation and developmental potential. With the widespread application of molecular genetic technologies such as high-throughput sequencing, significant progress has been made in the research of PD. This article focuses on the major subtypes of PD, including Seckel syndrome, Microcephalic osteodysplastic primordial dwarfism (MOPD) types I/III, MOPD type II, and Meier-Gorlin syndrome. It has systematically summarized the advances in their clinical phenotypic characteristics, pathogenic genes, and molecular mechanisms, with an aim to deepen the understanding of the essence of growth disorders associated with PD.
Humans
;
Dwarfism/genetics*
;
Microcephaly/genetics*
;
Phenotype
;
Fetal Growth Retardation/genetics*
;
Osteochondrodysplasias/genetics*
;
Growth Disorders
;
Micrognathism
;
Patella/abnormalities*
;
Congenital Microtia
3.Genetic disease diagnosis and treatment in Shanghai: Survey and countermeasures for clinical genetics specialist training.
Xiaoju HUANG ; Lin HAN ; Li CAO ; Taosheng HUANG ; Duan MA ; Jian WANG ; Wenjuan QIU ; Fanyi ZENG ; Luming SUN ; Chenming XU ; Songchang CHEN ; Xinyu KUANG ; Hong TIAN
Chinese Journal of Medical Genetics 2026;43(4):241-247
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the current status of clinical genetics specialization development and the diagnostic and therapeutic capabilities for hereditary diseases across medical institutions in Shanghai, and to assess the necessity and feasibility of establishing training bases for clinical genetics specialists.
METHODS:
By employing a cross-sectional survey design, the Clinical Genetics Committee of Shanghai Medical Association has conducted questionnaire surveys from March to April 2025 across 54 healthcare institutions in Shanghai (including 33 tertiary hospitals and 21 secondary hospitals). The survey involved administrative departments and medical personnel from 15 clinical specialties. The survey has covered current genetic disease diagnosis and treatment practices, relevant and specialised disease types, genetic department establishment, testing capabilities, personnel teams, and training requirements.
RESULTS:
The results revealed that 78.0% of clinical departments surveyed had treated patients with hereditary disorders. Shanghai possesses diagnostic and therapeutic expertise for over 95% of hereditary diseases listed in its rare disease catalogue, reflecting both the practical clinical demand for such conditions and the city's overall diagnostic and therapeutic strengths in this field. Nevertheless, significant disparities exist in the development of genetics departments across different tiers of healthcare institutions. Resources for genetic testing capabilities (including molecular, cellular, and biochemical testing) are also unevenly distributed across different tiers of hospitals. The survey further revealed that only 26.0% of departments believe that their current physician structure fully meets the diagnostic and treatment demands. Over 90% of departments consider standard training for clinical genetic specialists necessary, with 74.0% expressing willingness to participate in establishing training bases. Based on above findings and thorough deliberation, the Clinical Genetics Committee of the Shanghai Medical Association proposes advancing specialist training and discipline development through establishing a standard training system. The committee has drafted a three-year training protocol featuring a "joint training"-centered model, recommending a pilot-first, dynamically optimized strategy for steadily advancing training base development.
CONCLUSION
Shanghai faces substantial demand for genetic disease diagnosis and treatment, yet exhibits shortcomings in clinical genetics specialization development, resource allocation, and talent pipeline cultivation. To establish a standard training system holds significant practical importance and is underpinned by a broad demand.
Humans
;
China
;
Surveys and Questionnaires
;
Genetic Diseases, Inborn/genetics*
;
Cross-Sectional Studies
;
Genetics, Medical/education*
;
Genetic Testing
4.Impact of social capital, adverse childhood experiences and depressive symptoms on suicidal behavior among vocational high school students
YU Bin, YAN Jingyan, CHEN Xinguang, GUO Yan, LI Fang, YAN Hong, XIAO Chenchang
Chinese Journal of School Health 2026;47(4):506-511
Objective:
To explore the nonlinear dynamic effects of social capital, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and depressive symptoms on suicidal behavior among vocational high school students, so as to provide theoretical basis and practical references for formulating suicide prevention strategies.
Methods:
A convenience sampling method was employed to include 668 students from a vocational high school from Wuhan in March 2023. Social capital was used as the asymmetry variable, while ACEs and depressive symptoms were used as bifurcation variables, a cusp catastrophe model was constructed to analyze the nonlinear changes in suicidal behavior among vocational high school students, and its fit was compared with linear and Logistic regression models.
Results:
Among students in the health vocational high school in Wuhan, only suicidal ideation accounted for 8.5%, only suicide attempt for 18.6%, neither accounted for 31.9%, and both for 41.0%. Gender, left behind experience, family economic status, parental parenting styles, depressive symptoms, social capital, and ACEs were all related factors influencing suicidal behavior among vocational high school students ( χ 2/H=19.03, 13.33, 21.11, 46.70, 144.38, 24.61, 118.77, all P <0.05). Violin plots showed a bimodal distribution of suicidal behavior, indicating nonlinear variation characteristics. The cusp catastrophe model results showed that social capital was negatively correlated with suicidal behavior, but the relationship was bifurcated by ACEs ( α social capital = -0.006 , β ACEs =0.075) and depressive symptoms ( α social capital =-0.013, β depressive =0.028) (all P <0.05). When both ACEs and depressive symptoms coexisted, the impact of ACEs was stronger ( β ACEs =0.077, β depressive =0.014) (both P <0.05). The cusp catastrophe model fitted ( R 2=0.886, 0.881, 0.882) better than the linear ( R 2=0.258, 0.219, 0.258) and Logistic regression models ( R 2= 0.242, 0.211 , 0.176). Gender stratified analysis results showed that bifurcation effect of ACEs was stronger in males than in females( β boys =0.224, β girls =0.086); in females, both ACEs and depressive symptoms had a bifurcation effect, with the former showing a stronger effect ( β ACEs =0.062, β depressive =0.015) (all P <0.05).
Conclusions
Suicidal behavior among vocational high school students exhibits nonlinear characteristics. Improving social capital to reducing ACEs and depressive symptoms may contribute to decreasing adolescent suicidal behaviors.
5.Research progress of urea-containing PET tracers targeting prostate specific membrane antigen
Hong ZHU ; Hui WANG ; Hongwei SI ; Dan ZHANG ; Dengyun CHEN ; Pengfei DAI
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(2):369-375
Prostate cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors of male genitourinary system. Prostate cancer has the following characteristics: insidious onset, early asymptomatic or not obvious symptoms, complex etiology and pathogenesis, long incubation period and so on. Therefore, the realization of its early diagnosis and treatment is of great significance to the prognosis of patients. Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a type 2 transmembrane glycoprotein that is highly expressed on the membrane of almost all primary and metastatic prostate cancer cells, and is an ideal target for prostate cancer imaging and treatment. In recent years, with the approval of urea-containing small molecule PET (positron emission computed tomography) radiopharmaceutical based on PSMA (68Ga-PSMA-11, 18F-PSMA-1007), PET-CT (positron emission computed tomography/computed tomography) has shown new potential for early diagnosis and accurate staging of prostate cancer patients. This review mainly summarizes the research progress of urea-containing PSMA PET imaging agents and finds that they have defects such as uptake in non-target tissues like the kidneys, lacrimal glands, and salivary glands. Thus, further optimizing their structure to reduce the uptake in non-target tissues, providing provide convenience for the labeling of therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals, thereby achieving the goal of integrated diagnosis and treatment, is an important development direction in this field.
6.Compact Fundus Imaging System Using Shack-Hartmann Wavefront Sensing for High-speed Auto-focus
Zhe-Kai LIN ; Long CHEN ; Geng-Yong ZHENG ; Jin-Tian HUANG ; Jia-Xin DONG ; Shang-Pan YANG ; Wen-Zheng DING ; Ding-An HAN ; Xue-Hua WANG ; Ya-Guang ZENG
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(4):1076-1086
ObjectiveThe widespread adoption of portable fundus cameras for primary care and community screening is hindered by limitations in current autofocus(AF) technologies. Image-based methods relying on sharpness evaluation require iterative searches, resulting in slow convergence, while projection-based techniques are susceptible to optical artifacts and calibration errors. To address these challenges, this study introduces a novel AF system based on direct wavefront sensing, designed to deliver simultaneous high speed, high precision, and operational robustness within the compact form factor essential for portable ophthalmic devices. MethodsOur approach fundamentally reimagines the AF process by directly measuring the ocular wavefront aberration. We developed a custom portable fundus camera integrating a miniaturized Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor (SHWS) into the optical path. An 850 nm laser diode projects a point source onto the retina via oblique illumination to minimize corneal reflections. Light scattered from this spot carries the eye’s refractive error through the imaging optics and is directed to the SHWS, positioned at a plane optically conjugate to the primary color CMOS imaging sensor. A microlens array within the SHWS samples the incident wavefront, generating a pattern of focal spots on a CCD. Real-time centroid analysis of these spots provides a map of local wavefront slopes. These measurements are processed through a singular value decomposition (SVD) algorithm to fit a Zernike polynomial basis set, enabling real-time reconstruction of the wavefront phase. The defocus component (S) is extracted from the second-order Zernike coefficients, providing a direct, quantitative measure of the refractive error in diopters. This value serves as a precise error signal in a closed-loop control system, which commands a voice-coil actuated focusing lens to its null position in a single, deterministic step, eliminating the need for iterative search algorithms. ResultsComprehensive evaluation demonstrated the system’s high performance. Testing on a calibrated model eye (OEMI-7) established a highly linear relationship between the computed defocus S and the focusing lens position across a ±20 Diopter (D) compensation range, achievable within a 5 mm mechanical travel. The system achieved a focusing precision of 0.08 D, corresponding to an 18-fold improvement over a conventional projection spot-size method tested under identical conditions. The total focus acquisition time, encompassing wavefront measurement, computation, and lens actuation, averaged under 0.5 s. Clinical validation with 25 human volunteers (50 eyes, refractive range -15 D to +10 D) confirmed practical efficacy. The wavefront-sensing AF succeeded in 92% of attempts with a mean time of 0.5 s, substantially outperforming a projection-based benchmark which achieved only a 32% success rate with an average time of 4.25 s. The system provided instantaneous directional guidance and maintained stability during minor ocular movements. Objective assessment of image quality, via amplitude contrast of retinal vasculature, showed consistent and significant enhancement following AF correction across the entire tested diopter range. ConclusionThis work successfully implements and validates a direct wavefront-sensing autofocus paradigm for portable fundus cameras. By directly quantifying and compensating for the optical defocus aberration, this method bypasses the fundamental limitations of image-processing and projection-based techniques, enabling rapid, precise, and deterministic diopter compensation. The developed system delivers an exceptional combination of a wide operational range (±20 D), high accuracy (0.08 D), fast convergence (0.5 s), and a compact physical footprint. This technology provides a practical and high-performance focusing solution capable of enhancing the reliability, throughput, and diagnostic utility of portable retinal imaging in large-scale screening applications. Future efforts will be directed towards system cost optimization and performance adaptation for diverse ocular conditions.
7.Low-input Proteomics Reshapes Our Understanding of Regulatory Mechanisms in Early Embryonic Development
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(4):1103-1106
Early mammalian embryogenesis represents a central question in life sciences, yet its molecular regulation has long been inferred primarily from transcriptomic and translatomic analyses. Recently, a study by Zhu et al. (2025) based on low-input proteomic approaches systematically charted protein dynamics from oocytes to blastocysts in both mice and humans, further interrogating molecular signatures of developmentally compromised human embryos at the single-embryo level. This work not only substantially expands proteome coverage during early development, but also reveals a pervasive uncoupling between transcriptional activation, translational initiation, and protein accumulation. These findings provide new perspectives on the relationship between zygotic genome activation (ZGA) and lineage specification. This paper discussed the central role of low-input proteomics in this study, highlighted its implications for reshaping current paradigms of early embryonic development, and considered its potential applications across broader areas of biomedical research.
8.TGF-β1-engineered Biomimetic Platelet Nanoparticles for Targeted Therapy of Ischemic Stroke
Li-Qi CHEN ; Tian-Fang KANG ; Guo-Jun HUANG ; Ting YIN ; Ai-Qing MA ; Lin-Tao CAI ; Hong PAN
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(3):697-710
ObjectivePost-ischemic acute inflammation and the subsequent persistent dysregulation of the immune microenvironment represent major pathological drivers that aggravate neuronal injury and severely restrict functional recovery following ischemic stroke. Although current reperfusion therapies partially restore blood flow, they fail to effectively modulate the secondary inflammatory cascade and oxidative stress, which remain critical barriers to neurological restoration. To address this challenge, this study aimed to engineer and systematically evaluate a biomimetic nanosystem composed of transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-loaded platelet membrane-camouflaged lipid nanoparticles (PLP). This nanosystem was designed to achieve dual lesion-targeted delivery and immune microenvironment remodeling. By verifying its spatiotemporal accumulation, anti-inflammatory activity, and neuroprotective efficacy, we sought to establish an integrated therapeutic strategy that simultaneously enables lesion targeting, immune regulation, and functional recovery after ischemic injury. MethodsThe physicochemical properties of PLP, including hydrodynamic particle size, zeta potential, structural stability, and morphology, were characterized using dynamic light scattering, zeta potential analysis, and transmission electron microscopy. The preservation of platelet membrane-derived adhesion and immunoregulatory proteins was confirmed by SDS-PAGE through comparative analysis of protein band profiles between PLP and native platelet membranes. The in vitro biological activities of PLP were evaluated using two complementary cellular models. LPS-induced M1-polarized RAW264.7 macrophages were employed to assess inflammatory modulation, while oxygen glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R)-induced BV2 microglial cells and SH-SY5Y neuronal cells were utilized to investigate neuroinflammatory regulation and neuronal protection. For in vivo validation, a transient middle cerebral artery occlusion (tMCAO) mouse model was established to mimic ischemia-reperfusion injury. The spatiotemporal biodistribution and lesion-targeting capability of the PLP were monitored through live fluorescence imaging. Therapeutic efficacy was comprehensively evaluated by triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC) staining, glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunofluorescence analysis, body weight monitoring, and neurological severity score (NSS) assessment. ResultsPLP nanoparticles displayed a uniform spherical morphology, nanoscale particle size distribution, and stable negative surface charge, indicating favorable colloidal stability and circulation potential. SDS-PAGE results confirmed the effective retention of key platelet membrane proteins associated with endothelial adhesion, immune evasion, and inflammatory regulation, demonstrating the successful biomimetic construction. Optimal therapeutic concentrations were determined in OGD/R-induced BV2 cells, where PLP exhibited excellent cytocompatibility and anti-inflammatory activity.In vitro experiments demonstrated that PLP significantly inhibited the polarization of RAW264.7 macrophages toward the pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype and markedly reduced neuronal apoptosis under ischemia-reperfusion conditions. In vivo fluorescence imaging revealed that PLP rapidly accumulated in the ischemic brain hemisphere and maintained prolonged retention for up to 7 d, suggesting enhanced lesion-specific targeting and sustained drug release. Compared with control group, PLP treatment significantly reduced cerebral infarct volume, attenuated reactive astrogliosis, improved weight recovery, and accelerated neurological functional restoration, as reflected by significantly improved NSS scores. ConclusionThis study establishes a multifunctional biomimetic nanoplatform that integrates platelet membrane-mediated active targeting with the anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, and neuroprotective properties of TGF-β1. The PLP system enables rapid lesion homing and long-term retention while synergistically regulating the post-stroke inflammatory microenvironment by suppressing pro-inflammatory immune activation, reducing neuronal apoptosis, and limiting excessive astrocyte reactivity. Importantly, this study proposes a conceptually therapeutic paradigm that combines targeted delivery with immune microenvironment remodeling to achieve comprehensive neurovascular protection. These findings provide strong experimental evidence supporting the translational potential of biomimetic nanotherapeutics as next-generation precision interventions for ischemic stroke.
9.Research progress on the intervention of sarcopenia with traditional Chinese medicine based on the AMPK signaling pathway
Wenyu FAN ; Bairong HUANG ; Congmin HONG ; Yan CHEN ; Jiayin WANG ; Jing GAO ; Xiaodong FENG
China Pharmacy 2026;37(9):1229-1235
arcopenia is a systemic skeletal muscle disorder characterized by a decrease in skeletal muscle mass and progressive decline in function, with multiple signaling pathways involved in its occurrence and development. Among them, the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway, as a key pathway regulating cellular energy homeostasis, plays an important role in the regulation of skeletal muscle metabolism and functional maintenance by improving abnormalities in glucose and lipid metabolism, balancing skeletal muscle protein synthesis and degradation, improving mitochondrial function, promoting autophagy, and inhibiting inflammatory responses and oxidative stress. This article reviews the research progress on how various traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) monomers, including polyphenols, flavonoids, and terpenoids; various traditional Chinese medicine extracts, such as those from Lycium barbarum , Asini Corii Colla, and Panax quinquefolium , and TCM compounds, such as Guiqi zhuangjin decoction, Jianpi qiangji granules, and Qigu capsules, intervene in sarcopenia by regulating the AMPK signaling pathway to promote muscle protein synthesis, inhibit protein degradation, improve mitochondrial function, and alleviate inflammation and oxidative stress. Additionally, their molecular mechanisms are explored. The aim is to deeply elucidate the basis of TCM in the prevention and treatment of sarcopenia and to provide theoretical support for the development of related innovative drugs.
10.Role and mechanism of mitochondrial calcium uniporter in the cytoskeleton of pancreatic ductal epithelial cells in a mouse model of acute pancreatitis
Qiaofeng CHEN ; Qingzi FU ; Huiying YANG ; Junbo HONG ; Liang ZHU ; Zhenzhen YANG ; Guodu TANG ; Shiyu ZHANG
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2026;42(2):400-408
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) on the cytoskeleton of pancreatic ductal epithelial cells in a mouse model of acute pancreatitis (AP) induced by caerulein (CAE), to analyze the role of MCU in the development of AP, and to provide a theoretical basis for clinical treatment. MethodsIn the in vivo experiment, wild-type male C57BL6/J mice, aged 4 weeks, were randomly divided into control group and AP group, with 6 mice in each group. The mice in the AP group were given intraperitoneal injection of CAE to establish a model of AP, and those in the control group were given intraperitoneal injection of an equal volume of normal saline. Serum and pancreatic tissue samples were collected after 24 hours of modeling. HE staining was used to observe pancreatic histopathological changes; Western Blot was used to measure the expression levels of MCU, glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), and acyl-CoA synthetase long chain family member 4 (ASCL4); kits were used to measure the serum level of amylase. In the in vitro experiment, the human pancreatic ductal epithelial cell line HPDE6-C7 was co-cultured with CAE for 24 hours to establish an in vitro AP model, and the cells were divided into control group, CAE group, RR (an MCU activity inhibitor) group, CAE+RR group, Fer-1 (an ferroptosis inhibitor) group, CAE+Fer-1 group, Erastin (an ferroptosis inducer) group, and CAE+Erastin group. CCK-8 assay was used to observe the influence of different agents on cell viability; Western Blot was used to measure the expression levels of MCU, GPX4, and ASCL4; immunofluorescence assay was used to measure reactive oxygen species (ROS), actin cytoskeleton, and monolayer permeability; kits were used to measure the concentrations of malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), Fe2+, and total iron. A one-way analysis of variance was used for comparison of continuous data between multiple groups, and the least significant difference t-test was used for comparison between two groups. ResultsIn the in vivo experiment, compared with the control group, the AP group had significant increases in pancreatic histopathological score, the serum level of amylase, and the expression levels of MCU and ASCL4, as well as a significant reduction in the expression of GPX4 (all P<0.05). In the in vitro experiment, compared with the control group, the CAE group had significant increases in the expression levels of MCU and ASCL4, a significant reduction in the expression of GPX4, and significant increases in the concentrations of Fe2+, total iron, and MDA, the green fluorescence intensity of ROS, and monolayer permeability, as well as a significant reduction in the concentration of GSH (all P<0.05), with the presence of actin cytoskeleton disruption. Compared with the CAE group, the CAE+RR group had a significant increase in the expression level of GPX4, a significant reduction in the expression level of ASCL4, and significant reductions in the concentrations of Fe2+, total iron, and MDA, the green fluorescence intensity of ROS, and monolayer permeability and a significant increase in the concentration of GSH (all P<0.05), with alleviation of actin cytoskeleton disruption. Compared with the CAE group, the CAE+Fer-1 group had significant reductions in the concentrations of Fe2+, total iron, and MDA, the green fluorescence intensity of ROS, and monolayer permeability and a significant increase in the concentration of GSH (all P<0.05), with alleviation of actin cytoskeleton disruption. Compared with the CAE group, the CAE+Erastin group had significant increases in the concentrations of Fe2+, total iron, and MDA, the green fluorescence intensity of ROS, and monolayer permeability and a significant reduction in the concentration of GSH (all P<0.05), with aggravation of actin cytoskeleton disruption. ConclusionDuring the onset of AP, MCU mediates oxidative stress-induced ferroptosis and leads to the disruption of the pancreatic ductal epithelial barrier, which may be one of the possible pathogeneses of AP.


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