1.Primary biliary cholangitis comorbid with other connective tissue diseases:Thoughts and challenges
Siyan CAI ; Yi WEI ; Xu WANG ; Li WANG ; Fengchun ZHANG
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;42(5):817-822
Primary biliary cholangitis(PBC)is a chronic progressive autoimmune liver disease that is often comorbid with other connective tissue diseases(CTDs),and such comorbidity can significantly alter the natural course or clinical phenotype of PBC or CTDs,limiting available therapeutic drugs and complicating clinical decision-making.Due to the involvement of the interdisciplinary subjects of hepatology,rheumatology,and clinical immunology and a paucity of large-scale cohort data and in-depth basic research,there is a limited understanding of such comorbidity in clinical practice,which increases the complexity of clinical diagnosis and treatment.This article summarizes the comorbidity of PBC with common CTDs such as Sj?gren's syndrome,systemic sclerosis,systemic lupus erythematosus,and idiopathic inflammatory myopathies,and analyzes related immune mechanisms,clinical manifestations,diagnostic challenges,treatment strategies,and prognosis.It is expected to establish PBC-CTD comorbidity cohorts through future multidisciplinary collaborations,focus on genetic background,immune mechanisms,and multi-omics approaches,elucidate pathogenesis and novel therapeutic targets,and improve the prognosis of patients by optimizing treatment strategies through precision medicine and artificial intelligence.
2.Cryptotanshinone attenuates isoproterenol-induced myocardial hypertro-phy in rats through JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway
Lina LIU ; Chunxiang LI ; Changzhi GUO ; Qun WANG ; Yan ZHAO ; Hongye ZHAO ; Fengchun DENG
Chinese Journal of Pathophysiology 2025;41(5):902-908
AIM:To investigate the effect of cryptotanshinone(CPT)on myocardial hypertrophy induced by isoprenaline(ISO)in rats and explore its potential mechanism.METHODS:The experimental design consisted of two parts.The first aimed to investigate the effects of CPT on cardiac function,pathological manifestations,and the Janus ki-nase 2(JAK2)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3)signaling pathway in rats with myocardial hyper-trophy.The rats were divided into six groups,namely the control,CPT control,and model groups and low-(15 mg·kg-1·d-1),medium-(30 mg·kg-1·d-1),and high-dose(60 mg·kg-1·d-1)CPT treatment groups,with six rats per group.The sec-ond part aimed to validate the role of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway in the CPT-mediated myocardial hypertrophy treatment.Rats were divided into four groups,namely the control,model,high-dose CPT treatment,and coumermycin A1(CA1,a JAK2/STAT3 agonist)intervention(rats received ISO injection followed by 60 mg·kg-1·d-1 of high-dose CPT and 1 mg·kg-1·d-1 of CA1 for 15 d)groups,with five rats per group.Myocardial hypertrophy was induced in rats via intra-peritoneal injection of ISO(5 mg/kg),and CPT intervention lasted for 15 days.Cardiac function-related parameters were assessed using echocardiography,and pathological changes were evaluated through hematoxylin-eosin,Masson,and wheat germ agglutinin staining.Protein expression levels of atrial natriuretic peptide(ANP),brain natriuretic peptide(BNP),β-myosin heavy chain(β-MHC),and JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway-related proteins were detected by Western blot analysis.RESULTS:Compared with the model group,CPT administration improved cardiac dysfunction-related ul-trasound markers and significantly reduced ISO-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and myocardial fibrosis in rats with hy-pertrophy in a dose-dependent manner(P<0.05).Additionally,CPT decreased the levels of ANP,BNP,and β-MHC in-duced by ISO modeling(P<0.05),and inhibiting the phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT3(P<0.05).Furthermore,a partial reversal of the therapeutic effect on myocardial hypertrophy induced by ISO modeling was observed when CA1 was administered(P<0.05).CONCLUSION:The CPT exhibits potential as a therapeutic agent for cardiac hypertrophy by effectively attenuating ISO-induced cardiac hypertrophy in rats through JAK2/STAT3 signaling inhibition.
3.Prediction of primary biliary cholangitis among health check-up population with anti-mitochondrial M2 antibody positive
Haolong LI ; Song LIU ; Xu WANG ; Xinxin FENG ; Siyu WANG ; Yanli ZHANG ; Fengchun ZHANG ; Li WANG ; Tengda XU ; Yongzhe LI
Clinical and Molecular Hepatology 2025;31(2):474-488
Background:
s/Aims: Anti-mitochondrial M2 antibody (AMA-M2) is a specific marker for primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and it could be also present in non-PBC individuals.
Methods:
A total of 72,173 Chinese health check-up individuals tested AMA-M2, of which non-PBC AMA-M2 positive individuals were performed follow-up. Baseline data of both clinical characteristics and laboratory examinations were collected in all AMA-M2-positive individuals. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was performed to investigate the potential variables for developing PBC.
Results:
A total of 2,333 individuals were positive with AMA-M2. Eighty-two individuals had a medical history of PBC or fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of PBC at baseline, and 2,076 individuals were non-PBC. After a median follow-up of 6.6 years, 0.6% developed PBC, with an accumulative 5-year incidence rate of 0.5%. LASSO regression showed that levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), immunoglobulin M (IgM), eosinophilia proportion (EOS%), gamma globulin percentage, and hemoglobin (HGB) were potential variables for developing PBC. Multivariate Cox regression is used to construct a predictive model based on 7 selected variables, and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that the area under the curve of the prediction model at 3, 5, and 10 years were, respectively, 1.000, 0.875, and 0.917.
Conclusions
This study offers insights into the onset of PBC among individuals who tested positive for AMA-M2 during routine health check-ups. The prediction model based on ALP, GGT, IgM, EOS%, gamma globulin percentage, HGB, and sex has a certain predictive ability for the occurrence of PBC in this population.
4.Primary biliary cholangitis comorbid with other connective tissue diseases: Thoughts and challenges
Siyan CAI ; Yi WEI ; Xu WANG ; Li WANG ; Fengchun ZHANG
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(5):817-822
Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a chronic progressive autoimmune liver disease that is often comorbid with other connective tissue diseases (CTDs), and such comorbidity can significantly alter the natural course or clinical phenotype of PBC or CTDs, limiting available therapeutic drugs and complicating clinical decision-making. Due to the involvement of the interdisciplinary subjects of hepatology, rheumatology, and clinical immunology and a paucity of large-scale cohort data and in-depth basic research, there is a limited understanding of such comorbidity in clinical practice, which increases the complexity of clinical diagnosis and treatment. This article summarizes the comorbidity of PBC with common CTDs such as Sjögren’s syndrome, systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and idiopathic inflammatory myopathies, and analyzes related immune mechanisms, clinical manifestations, diagnostic challenges, treatment strategies, and prognosis. It is expected to establish PBC-CTD comorbidity cohorts through future multidisciplinary collaborations, focus on genetic background, immune mechanisms, and multi-omics approaches, elucidate pathogenesis and novel therapeutic targets, and improve the prognosis of patients by optimizing treatment strategies through precision medicine and artificial intelligence.
5.Prediction of primary biliary cholangitis among health check-up population with anti-mitochondrial M2 antibody positive
Haolong LI ; Song LIU ; Xu WANG ; Xinxin FENG ; Siyu WANG ; Yanli ZHANG ; Fengchun ZHANG ; Li WANG ; Tengda XU ; Yongzhe LI
Clinical and Molecular Hepatology 2025;31(2):474-488
Background:
s/Aims: Anti-mitochondrial M2 antibody (AMA-M2) is a specific marker for primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and it could be also present in non-PBC individuals.
Methods:
A total of 72,173 Chinese health check-up individuals tested AMA-M2, of which non-PBC AMA-M2 positive individuals were performed follow-up. Baseline data of both clinical characteristics and laboratory examinations were collected in all AMA-M2-positive individuals. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was performed to investigate the potential variables for developing PBC.
Results:
A total of 2,333 individuals were positive with AMA-M2. Eighty-two individuals had a medical history of PBC or fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of PBC at baseline, and 2,076 individuals were non-PBC. After a median follow-up of 6.6 years, 0.6% developed PBC, with an accumulative 5-year incidence rate of 0.5%. LASSO regression showed that levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), immunoglobulin M (IgM), eosinophilia proportion (EOS%), gamma globulin percentage, and hemoglobin (HGB) were potential variables for developing PBC. Multivariate Cox regression is used to construct a predictive model based on 7 selected variables, and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that the area under the curve of the prediction model at 3, 5, and 10 years were, respectively, 1.000, 0.875, and 0.917.
Conclusions
This study offers insights into the onset of PBC among individuals who tested positive for AMA-M2 during routine health check-ups. The prediction model based on ALP, GGT, IgM, EOS%, gamma globulin percentage, HGB, and sex has a certain predictive ability for the occurrence of PBC in this population.
6.Prediction of primary biliary cholangitis among health check-up population with anti-mitochondrial M2 antibody positive
Haolong LI ; Song LIU ; Xu WANG ; Xinxin FENG ; Siyu WANG ; Yanli ZHANG ; Fengchun ZHANG ; Li WANG ; Tengda XU ; Yongzhe LI
Clinical and Molecular Hepatology 2025;31(2):474-488
Background:
s/Aims: Anti-mitochondrial M2 antibody (AMA-M2) is a specific marker for primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and it could be also present in non-PBC individuals.
Methods:
A total of 72,173 Chinese health check-up individuals tested AMA-M2, of which non-PBC AMA-M2 positive individuals were performed follow-up. Baseline data of both clinical characteristics and laboratory examinations were collected in all AMA-M2-positive individuals. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was performed to investigate the potential variables for developing PBC.
Results:
A total of 2,333 individuals were positive with AMA-M2. Eighty-two individuals had a medical history of PBC or fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of PBC at baseline, and 2,076 individuals were non-PBC. After a median follow-up of 6.6 years, 0.6% developed PBC, with an accumulative 5-year incidence rate of 0.5%. LASSO regression showed that levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), immunoglobulin M (IgM), eosinophilia proportion (EOS%), gamma globulin percentage, and hemoglobin (HGB) were potential variables for developing PBC. Multivariate Cox regression is used to construct a predictive model based on 7 selected variables, and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that the area under the curve of the prediction model at 3, 5, and 10 years were, respectively, 1.000, 0.875, and 0.917.
Conclusions
This study offers insights into the onset of PBC among individuals who tested positive for AMA-M2 during routine health check-ups. The prediction model based on ALP, GGT, IgM, EOS%, gamma globulin percentage, HGB, and sex has a certain predictive ability for the occurrence of PBC in this population.
7.Cryptotanshinone attenuates isoproterenol-induced myocardial hypertro-phy in rats through JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway
Lina LIU ; Chunxiang LI ; Changzhi GUO ; Qun WANG ; Yan ZHAO ; Hongye ZHAO ; Fengchun DENG
Chinese Journal of Pathophysiology 2025;41(5):902-908
AIM:To investigate the effect of cryptotanshinone(CPT)on myocardial hypertrophy induced by isoprenaline(ISO)in rats and explore its potential mechanism.METHODS:The experimental design consisted of two parts.The first aimed to investigate the effects of CPT on cardiac function,pathological manifestations,and the Janus ki-nase 2(JAK2)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3)signaling pathway in rats with myocardial hyper-trophy.The rats were divided into six groups,namely the control,CPT control,and model groups and low-(15 mg·kg-1·d-1),medium-(30 mg·kg-1·d-1),and high-dose(60 mg·kg-1·d-1)CPT treatment groups,with six rats per group.The sec-ond part aimed to validate the role of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway in the CPT-mediated myocardial hypertrophy treatment.Rats were divided into four groups,namely the control,model,high-dose CPT treatment,and coumermycin A1(CA1,a JAK2/STAT3 agonist)intervention(rats received ISO injection followed by 60 mg·kg-1·d-1 of high-dose CPT and 1 mg·kg-1·d-1 of CA1 for 15 d)groups,with five rats per group.Myocardial hypertrophy was induced in rats via intra-peritoneal injection of ISO(5 mg/kg),and CPT intervention lasted for 15 days.Cardiac function-related parameters were assessed using echocardiography,and pathological changes were evaluated through hematoxylin-eosin,Masson,and wheat germ agglutinin staining.Protein expression levels of atrial natriuretic peptide(ANP),brain natriuretic peptide(BNP),β-myosin heavy chain(β-MHC),and JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway-related proteins were detected by Western blot analysis.RESULTS:Compared with the model group,CPT administration improved cardiac dysfunction-related ul-trasound markers and significantly reduced ISO-induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and myocardial fibrosis in rats with hy-pertrophy in a dose-dependent manner(P<0.05).Additionally,CPT decreased the levels of ANP,BNP,and β-MHC in-duced by ISO modeling(P<0.05),and inhibiting the phosphorylation of JAK2 and STAT3(P<0.05).Furthermore,a partial reversal of the therapeutic effect on myocardial hypertrophy induced by ISO modeling was observed when CA1 was administered(P<0.05).CONCLUSION:The CPT exhibits potential as a therapeutic agent for cardiac hypertrophy by effectively attenuating ISO-induced cardiac hypertrophy in rats through JAK2/STAT3 signaling inhibition.
8.Research advances in villitis of unknown etiology in placenta
Qian LI ; Juan LI ; Qiuhong YANG ; Chengquan ZHAO ; Yue WANG ; Fengchun GAO
Chinese Journal of Perinatal Medicine 2025;28(11):989-994
Villitis of unknown etiology (VUE) occurs in up to 15% of term placentas. Patients with VUE exhibit increased incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus, gestational hypertension, and preeclampsia, with demonstrated recurrence risk. VUE contributes to various adverse pregnancy outcomes. Its pathogenesis involves abnormal maternal immune responses against fetal allografts and may relate to unidentified microbial infections. Currently, VUE diagnosis relies exclusively on placental pathological examination. Clinical management remains primarily symptomatic, though immunomodulatory therapies show potential. This review summarizes recent advances in VUE epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical significance, pathological features, and preventive strategies, aiming to enhance clinical understanding of this condition.
9.Research advances in villitis of unknown etiology in placenta
Qian LI ; Juan LI ; Qiuhong YANG ; Chengquan ZHAO ; Yue WANG ; Fengchun GAO
Chinese Journal of Perinatal Medicine 2025;28(11):989-994
Villitis of unknown etiology (VUE) occurs in up to 15% of term placentas. Patients with VUE exhibit increased incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus, gestational hypertension, and preeclampsia, with demonstrated recurrence risk. VUE contributes to various adverse pregnancy outcomes. Its pathogenesis involves abnormal maternal immune responses against fetal allografts and may relate to unidentified microbial infections. Currently, VUE diagnosis relies exclusively on placental pathological examination. Clinical management remains primarily symptomatic, though immunomodulatory therapies show potential. This review summarizes recent advances in VUE epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical significance, pathological features, and preventive strategies, aiming to enhance clinical understanding of this condition.
10.Expert consensus on the diagnosis and treatment of insomnia in specified populations
Guihai CHEN ; Liying DENG ; Yijie DU ; Zhili HUANG ; Fan JIANG ; Furui JIN ; Yanpeng LI ; Chun-Feng LIU ; Jiyang PAN ; Yanhui PENG ; Changjun SU ; Jiyou TANG ; Tao WANG ; Zan WANG ; Huijuan WU ; Rong XUE ; Yuechang YANG ; Fengchun YU ; Huan YU ; Shuqin ZHAN ; Hongju ZHANG ; Lin ZHANG ; Zhengqing ZHAO ; Zhongxin ZHAO
Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics 2024;29(8):841-852
Clinicians need to focus on various points in the diagnosis and treatment of insomnia.This article prescribed the treatment protocol based on the unique features,such as insomnia in the elderly,women experiencing specific physiologi-cal periods,children insomnia,insomnia in sleep-breathing disorder patients,insomnia in patients with chronic liver and kidney dysfunction.It pro-vides some reference for clinicians while they make decision on diagnosis,differentiation and treat-ment methods.

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