1.The mechanism of action of the insulin-like growth factor-1/insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor signaling pathway in regulating liver fibrosis
Yan CUI ; Jingtao LI ; Junzhe JIAO ; Zhanjie CHANG ; Haibo ZHANG
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2026;42(2):445-451
Liver fibrosis is caused by various factors such as viral infection, alcohol intake, and metabolism-related damage, leading to the replacement of normal tissue by fibrous scars. As a regulatory factor for cell proliferation, insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) participates in the regulation of cell cycle, the promotion of cell proliferation and differentiation, and the inhibition of cell apoptosis by binding to its receptor insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor (IGF-1R). Studies have shown that the IGF-1/IGF-1R signaling pathway can regulate the process of liver fibrosis by affecting the senescence and apoptosis of hepatocytes, the activation and proliferation of hepatic stellate cells, and the dysfunction of endothelial cells. In addition, the IGF-1/IGF-1R signaling system can also regulate multiple mechanisms such as DNA damage repair, cell proliferation, lipid metabolism, cell senescence, and oxidative stress, thereby providing new strategies and potential targets for the prevention and treatment of liver fibrosis. This article summarizes the mechanism of action of IGF-1/IGF-1R and its signal transduction system in mediating liver fibrosis by regulating DNA damage repair in different cells, in order to provide a theoretical basis for the treatment of liver fibrosis.
2.A fetus with Neurodevelopmental disorders with deformed facial features and distal skeletal abnormalities due to a rare variant of ZMIZ1 gene and literature review.
Jinghui ZOU ; Haibo LI ; Lulu YAN
Chinese Journal of Medical Genetics 2026;43(4):295-300
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate the clinical manifestations and genetic etiology of a fetus with Neurodevelopmental disorders with deformed facial features and distal skeletal abnormalities (NEDDFSA).
METHODS:
Clinical data of a NEDDFSA fetus diagnosed at the Affiliated Women and Children's Hospital Affiliated to Ningbo University in March 2025 was selected as the study subject. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) was carried out on the amniotic fluid and parental peripheral blood samples, and candidate variants was verified by Sanger sequencing. The pathogenicity of candidate variant was rated based on guidelines from the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG). This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of the hospital (Ethics No.: EC2023-094).
RESULTS:
At 30 weeks of gestation, the fetus was found to have microcephaly, short femur and intrauterine growth restriction. WES revealed that the fetus harbored a de novo heterozygous frameshift variant c.2633dup (p.Gly879ArgfsTer22) of the ZMIZ1 gene, which was rated as pathogenic (PM2_Supporting+PS2_Supporting+PVS1). Combined with 25 cases from the literature, the main manifestations of patients have included intellectual disability, growth retardation and cranio-limb skeletal dysplasia, albeit without clear genotype-phenotype correlation.
CONCLUSION
The de novo variant c.2633dup (p.Gly879ArgfsTer22) of the ZMIZ1 gene probably underlay the NEDDFSA in this fetus. Genetic testing has enabled accurate prenatal diagnosis and provided evidence for genetic counseling and reproductive guidance of this family.
Humans
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Female
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Pregnancy
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Neurodevelopmental Disorders/genetics*
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Transcription Factors/genetics*
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Fetus/abnormalities*
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Exome Sequencing
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Prenatal Diagnosis
3.Expert consensus on the application of artificial intelligence in lung cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment (2026 edition)
Wenzhao ZHONG ; Haibo WANG ; Yi HU ; Hao ZHANG ; Jigang DAI ; Junqiang FAN ; Guibin QIAO ; Fan YANG ; Jian HU ; Fengwei TAN ; Xuening YANG ; Qiang PU ; Zihao CHEN ; Hongxia TIAN ; Lunxu LIU ; Hecheng LI ; Xiaolong YAN ; Zongyang YU ; Zhenbin QIU ; Yihua SUN ; Jing HU ; Yuhang SHI ; Zhifei GUO ; Peng ZHANG ; Kezhong CHEN ; Shugeng GAO ; Yilong WU
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2026;33(06):848-856
With the continuous deepening of the concept of precision diagnosis and treatment for lung cancer, how to achieve higher efficiency and accuracy in the screening, diagnosis, and treatment pathways in clinical practice has become an important issue that urgently needs to be overcome. The current clinical difficulty lies in the fact that despite continuous advancements in imaging and molecular diagnostic technologies, there are still limitations in manual efficiency and subjective experience when it comes to massive data analysis and multi-scale feature extraction. Artificial intelligence (AI), especially algorithm systems based on deep learning, is an innovative technology capable of deeply empowering medical big data. This method utilizes algorithms such as convolutional neural networks, combined with radiomics, pathomics, and multi-modal data fusion analysis, demonstrating immense potential in early precise detection and benign-malignant differentiation of pulmonary nodules, digital pathological subtype recognition and non-invasive prediction of driver genes, precise 3D surgical planning and automatic delineation of radiotherapy target volumes, as well as dynamic risk warning during follow-up. This innovative technology provides a brand-new solution for realizing intelligent and individualized lung cancer diagnosis and treatment models. This consensus, based on the latest evidence from evidence-based medicine and combined with the development trends in the AI field and real-world clinical needs, was ultimately formed by gathering the consensus opinions of multidisciplinary experts in radiology, pathology, thoracic surgery, and other fields. The main content covers the application specifications of AI in the three core scenarios of lung cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment, the technical standards for data collection and algorithm validation, as well as the ethical and regulatory challenges faced at the current stage. It aims to clarify the applicable boundaries of AI as a clinical auxiliary decision support tool, providing scientific guidance and standardized exploration directions for peers currently engaged in or planning to carry out AI-assisted clinical diagnosis, treatment, and translation of lung cancer.
4.Association between endoplasmic reticulum stress and ferroptosis in metabolic associated fatty liver disease
Liang SHI ; Zhanjie CHANG ; Chunxiao YAN ; Junzhe JIAO ; Ruijuan YAN ; Shuguang YAN ; Jingtao LI ; Haibo ZHANG
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2026;42(6):1398-1403
Metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a highly prevalent chronic liver disease worldwide, and the mechanism underlying its progression to metabolic associated steatohepatitis and liver fibrosis remain unclear. Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and ferroptosis (Fer) are deeply involved in the pathological evolution of MAFLD. This article systematically reviews the core regulatory mechanisms of ERS and its role in regulating lipid metabolism, inflammation response, and cell apoptosis in MAFLD. It also analyzes the core mechanism of Fer and discusses the predisposing factors for Fer in the pathological microenvironment of MAFLD, as well as the role of Fer in exacerbating hepatocyte death and activating the progression of liver fibrosis. This article proposes that the crosstalk between ERS and Fer is a key driver for the progression of MAFLD, which provides new references and ideas for the clinical intervention of MAFLD.
5.Immune-enhancing effect and mechanism of natural plant-derived immunostimulatory molecule ophiopogonin
Shulin LIU ; Jing WEI ; Baohang ZHU ; Yan YE ; Jiale PAN ; Anni ZHAO ; Zhen SONG ; Liusheng PENG ; Haibo LI ; Hongwu SUN ; Quanming ZOU
Journal of Army Medical University 2025;47(4):350-359
Objective To explore the effect and preliminary mechanism of the plant-derived immunostimulatory molecule,ophiopogonin,on enhancing the immune response of a subunit vaccine with the receptor-binding domain(RBD)of coronavirus spike protein as the antigen.Methods CCK-8 assay was used to determine the cytotoxicity of ophiopogonin D'(OPD')on bone marrow-derived dendritic cells(BMDCs).Female Balb/c mice were randomly divided into RBD,RBD/OPD',RBD/Alum,and control groups.The immunization dose was 5 μg of antigen per mouse and 100 μg of adjuvant per mouse,and immunization was carried out according to the intramuscular injection immunization procedure on days 0,21,and 42.The titers of specific IgG and its subtype antibodies were detected by ELISA.The cytokine levels in the supernatant of splenocytes were detected using ELISA.The number of splenocytes secreting IFN-γ was detected by ELISpot.Laser confocal microscopy was employed to observe the uptake of antigen by BMDCs.The phagocytic ability of BMDCs for antigen was quantitatively analyzed by flow cytometry.The mechanism of its enhanced immune effect was preliminarily explored using transcriptomics technology combined with bioinformatics research.Results When the concentration of OPD'was less than 5 μg/mL,the survival rate of BMDCs was 100%.After a single intramuscular injection in mice,except for a slight decrease in body weight,the other biochemical indicators were within corresponding normal ranges.After intramuscular injection immunization of the vaccine,the titers of serum-specific IgG,IgG1,and IgG2a in the RBD/OPD'group were significantly higher than those in the RBD group(P<0.05).Compared with the RBD group,the RBD/OPD'group induced a high-level Th1 cell immune response of IL-1β,TNF-α,and IFN-γ(P<0.01)and had more lymphocytes secreting IFN-γ(P<0.001).Laser confocal microscopy displayed that BMDCs took up more antigens after OPD'treatment,which was further confirmed with flow cytometry in quantitative analysis on antigen uptake rate(P<0.01).Transcriptomics results indicated that there was more significant enrichment of the PPAR signaling pathway in the RBD/OPD'group than the RBD group,suggesting that OPD'may activate the PPAR signaling pathway to exert its adjuvant effect.Conclusion OPD'effectively enhances the immune response of the RBD subunit vaccine,and its action mechanism may be related to the activation of the PPAR signaling pathway.
6.Preparation of tubeimoside Ⅲ nanoemulsion and evaluation of its adjuvant effect
Jing WEI ; Shulin LIU ; Yan YE ; Mingqi XU ; Zhen SONG ; Yan DENG ; Hongwu SUN ; Lei MA ; Haibo LI
Journal of Army Medical University 2025;47(8):784-793
Objective To prepare tubeimoside Ⅲ nanoemulsion(TBMⅢ-NE)and evaluate its adjuvant effect in vaccines.Methods TBMⅢ-NE was prepared using low-energy emulsification.Dynamic light scattering was used to characterize the particle size and polydispersity index of the obtained TBMⅢ-NE,and transmission electron microscopy(TEM)was employed to observe the morphology.CCK-8 assay was utilized to determine the cytotoxicity of TBMⅢ-NE on bone marrow-derived dendritic cells(BMDCs).The in vitro safety of TBMⅢ-NE was evaluated using a hemolysis assay.The ability of TBMⅢ-NE to promote the phagocytosis of antigens by DC2.4 cells was observed using confocal laser microscopy.After co-incubation of TBMⅢ-NE with BMDCs,the expression levels of CD40,CD86,MHC-Ⅰ,and CCR7 on the surface of BMDCs were detected using flow cytometry,and the levels of cytokines in the supernatant of BMDCs were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).After female BALB/c mice were immunized with the SARS-CoV-2 antigen RBD in combination with TBMⅢ-NE,ELISA was conducted to determine the serum levels of specific IgG,IgG2a,and IgG1 antibodies.The number of specific IFN-γ-secreting cells in mouse splenocytes was detected using enzyme-linked immunospot(ELISpot)assay.Results The prepared blank nanoemulsion(BNE)and TBMⅢ-NE were in a particle size of 25.46 and 25.89 nm,and a polydispersity index of 0.214 and 0.125,respectively.TEM displayed that TBMⅢ-NE was in uniform sphere and well dispersed.When the TBMⅢ-NE adjuvant was diluted by 400-fold,the survival rate of BMDCs was approximately 86%.Compared with free TBMⅢ,the hemolytic toxicity of TBMⅢ-NE was significantly reduced(P<0.01).TBMⅢ-NE promoted the phagocytosis of antigens by DC2.4 cells and significantly increased the expression of CCR7 on the surface of BMDCs(P<0.05),indicating its potential to promote more dendritic cells to effectively migrate to lymph nodes.TBMⅢ-NE also promoted the expression of IL-6 and IL-1β in the supernatant of BMDCs(P<0.05).When combined with RBD,TBMⅢ-NE significantly increased the levels of specific IgG,IgG2a,and IgG1 antibodies in mouse serum(P<0.01)and promoted the secretion of specific IFN-γ in splenocytes(P<0.01),indicating that TBM Ⅲ-NE could enhance specific cellular immune responses.Conclusion A stable and highly effective TBMⅢ-NE that can induce humoral and cellular immune responses is successfully prepared.
7.Interaction between a novel antimicrobial compound HL-J6 and Staphylococcus aureus PBP1
Mingqi XU ; Xiangrui SHI ; Wei LIU ; Hao DUAN ; Jing WEI ; Yan DENG ; Yue JIANG ; Yingying GAO ; Haibo LI
Journal of Army Medical University 2025;47(9):912-921
Objective To investigate the interaction between a novel antimicrobial compound,HL-J6,and penicillin-binding protein 1(PBP1)of Staphylococcus aureus.Methods With MRSA252 genomic DNA as the template and PBP1F and PBP1R as primers,the expression plasmid pET30a-pbp1-39-608 was constructed by amplifying the target gene fragment followed by cloning into the Nde I/Xho I restriction sites of the pET30a vector.Then the obtained plasmids were transformed into Escherichia coli for the expression of PBP1-39-608 protein,and the product was purified by affinity chromatography.The inhibitory effect of HL-J6 on the transpeptidase activity of PBP1-39-608 was measured using peptidoglycan side chain backbone peptide,with thiol ester analog S2d as the substrate.The affinity between HL-J6 and PBP1-39-608 was detected using microscale thermophoresis(MST),and the binding interaction was confirmed by cellular thermal shift assay(CETSA).Molecular docking and dynamics simulation were performed using AutoDock Vina and Desmond software,respectively,to elucidate the binding mode of HL-J6 with the PBP1-39-608 protein and the key amino acid residues involved.Results The recombinant plasmid pET30a-pbp1-39-608 was successfully constructed,and PBP1-39-608 protein was produced after induction and purified,yielding a protein with an approximate molecular mass of 65×103.HL-J6 inhibited the transpeptidase activity of PBP1-39-608 in a time-dependent manner(P<0.001).The dissociation constant Kd of the binding between HL-J6 and PBP1-39-608 was 64.92 μmol/L.Molecular docking results showed that HL-J6 bound to the active pocket of PBP1-39-608 by interacting with key residues such as ILE-348,ASN-370,THR-516 and PHE-423,with a binding score of-8.38 kcal/mol(<-5.00 kcal/mol).Dynamics simulation results indicated that the complex became stable after 50 ns.Conclusion HL-J6 effectively inhibits the transpeptidase activity of Staphylococcus aureus PBP1,and shows stable interaction with the protein.
8.Analysis of thyroid hormone levels and prevalence of thyroid abnormalities in 1152 radiation workers
Meilin CHEN ; Shuangyu YANG ; Yan ZHANG ; Haibo HUANG ; Zhi WANG ; Zhenzhong LIU ; Jianyu WANG
Chinese Journal of Radiological Health 2025;34(4):590-594
Objective To investigate the effects of low-dose ionizing radiation on the thyroid status and hormone levels of radiation workers. Methods Radiation workers who underwent occupational health examinations at a hospital in Guangzhou from 2015 to 2022 were selected as the subjects of this study. The levels of FT3, FT4 and TSH were analyzed, and the thyroid abnormality status of radiation workers in different groups were compared. Results A total of
9.Phenomics of traditional Chinese medicine 2.0: the integration with digital medicine
Min Xu ; Xinyi Shao ; Donggeng Guo ; Xiaojing Yan ; Lei Wang ; Tao Yang ; Hao LIANG ; Qinghua PENG ; Lingyu Linda Ye ; Haibo Cheng ; Dayue Darrel Duan
Digital Chinese Medicine 2025;8(3):282-299
Abstract
Modern western medicine typically focuses on treating specific symptoms or diseases, and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) emphasizes the interconnections of the body’s various systems under external environment and takes a holistic approach to preventing and treating diseases. Phenomics was initially introduced to the field of TCM in 2008 as a new discipline that studies the laws of integrated and dynamic changes of human clinical phenomes under the scope of the theories and practices of TCM based on phenomics. While TCM Phenomics 1.0 has initially established a clinical phenomic system centered on Zhenghou (a TCM definition of clinical phenome), bottlenecks remain in data standardization, mechanistic interpretation, and precision intervention. Here, we systematically elaborates on the theoretical foundations, technical pathways, and future challenges of integrating digital medicine with TCM phenomics under the framework of “TCM phenomics 2.0”, which is supported by digital medicine technologies such as artificial intelligence, wearable devices, medical digital twins, and multi-omics integration. This framework aims to construct a closed-loop system of “Zhenghou–Phenome–Mechanism–Intervention” and to enable the digitization, standardization, and precision of disease diagnosis and treatment. The integration of digital medicine and TCM phenomics not only promotes the modernization and scientific transformation of TCM theory and practice but also offers new paradigms for precision medicine. In practice, digital tools facilitate multi-source clinical data acquisition and standardization, while AI and big data algorithms help reveal the correlations between clinical Zhenghou phenomes and molecular mechanisms, thereby improving scientific rigor in diagnosis, efficacy evaluation, and personalized intervention. Nevertheless, challenges persist, including data quality and standardization issues, shortage of interdisciplinary talents, and insufficiency of ethical and legal regulations. Future development requires establishing national data-sharing platforms, strengthening international collaboration, fostering interdisciplinary professionals, and improving ethical and legal frameworks. Ultimately, this approach seeks to build a new disease identification and classification system centered on phenomes and to achieve the inheritance, innovation, and modernization of TCM diagnostic and therapeutic patterns.
10.The role of gut microbiota homeostasis in the occurrence and development of hepatocellular carcinoma and targeted intervention strategies
Yan CUI ; Junzhe JIAO ; Ruijuan YAN ; Shuguang YAN ; Hailiang WEI ; Zhanjie CHANG ; Haibo ZHANG ; Jingtao LI
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(9):1913-1919
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), as the sixth most common malignant tumor worldwide, poses a serious threat to human health due to its insidious onset and high mortality rate. This article reviews the molecular mechanisms and intervention strategies of gut microbiota (GM) homeostasis in the development and progression of HCC, in order to provide new ideas for the intervention and treatment of HCC. Studies have shown that GM dysbiosis, intestinal leakage, microbial-associated molecular pattern, bacterial translocation, and metabolic products play key roles in the progression of HCC. GM imbalance may lead to immune escape, thereby promoting tumor cell proliferation and metastasis. This article elaborates on the association between GM and HCC, deeply analyzes the mechanism of action of GM in the development and progression of HCC, investigates the role of bile acid-related metabolites, short-chain fatty acid-related metabolites, and other metabolites in HCC, and explores the strategies for targeting GM in the treatment of HCC, including probiotics, prebiotics, antibiotics, Toll-like receptor 4 antagonists, and fecal microbiota transplantation. This article emphasizes that maintaining the integrity of the intestinal barrier and GM homeostasis is of great significance in the prevention and treatment of HCC, which provides a direction for developing new diagnosis and treatment strategies.

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