OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of removing microglia from spinal cord on nerve repair and functional recovery after spinal cord injury (SCI) in mice. METHODS: Thirty-nine 6-week-old female C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into control group ( n=12), SCI group ( n=12), and PLX3397+SCI group ( n=15). The PLX3397+SCI group received continuous feeding of PLX3397, a colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor inhibitor, while the other two groups were fed a standard diet. After 14 days, both the SCI group and the PLX3397+SCI group were tested for ionized calcium binding adapter molecule 1 (Iba1) to confirm that the PLX3397+SCI group had completely depleted the spinal cord microglia. The SCI model was then prepared by clamping the spinal cord in both the SCI group and the PLX3397+SCI group, while the control group underwent laminectomy. Preoperatively and at 1, 3, 7, 14, 21, and 28 days postoperatively, the Basso Mouse Scale (BMS) was used to assess the hind limb function of mice in each group. At 28 days, a footprint test was conducted to observe the gait of the mice. After SCI, spinal cord tissue from the injury site was taken, and Iba1 immunofluorescence staining was performed at 7 days to observe the aggregation and proliferation of microglia in the spinal cord. HE staining was used to observe the formation of glial scars at the injury site at 28 days; glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) immunofluorescence staining was applied to astrocytes to assess the extent of the injured area; neuronal nuclei antigen (NeuN) immunofluorescence staining was used to evaluate neuronal survival. And 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) immunofluorescence staining was performed to assess axonal survival at 60 days. RESULTS: All mice survived until the end of the experiment. Immunofluorescence staining revealed that the microglia in the spinal cord of the PLX3397+SCI group decreased by more than 95% compared to the control group after 14 days of continuous feeding with PLX3397 ( P<0.05). Compared to the control group, the BMS scores in the PLX3397+SCI group and the SCI group significantly decreased at different time points after SCI ( P<0.05). Moreover, the PLX3397+SCI group showed a further decrease in BMS scores compared to the SCI group, and exhibited a dragging gait. The differences between the two groups were significant at 14, 21, and 28 days ( P<0.05). HE staining at 28 days revealed that the SCI group had formed a well-defined and dense gliotic scar, while the PLX3397+SCI group also developed a gliotic scar, but with a more blurred and loose boundary. Immunofluorescence staining revealed that the number of microglia near the injury center at 7 days increased in the SCI group than in the control group, but the difference between groups was not significant ( P>0.05). In contrast, the PLX3397+SCI group showed a significant reduction in microglia compared to both the control and SCI groups ( P<0.05). At 28 days after SCI, the area of spinal cord injury in the PLX3397+SCI group was significantly larger than that in SCI group ( P<0.05); the surviving neurons significantly reduced compared with the control group and SCI group ( P<0.05). The axonal necrosis and retraction at 60 days after SCI were more obvious. CONCLUSION The removal of microglia in the spinal cord aggravate the tissue damage after SCI and affecte the recovery of motor function in mice, suggesting that microglia played a neuroprotective role in SCI.
Animals ; Spinal Cord Injuries/surgery* ; Microglia/pathology* ; Female ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Nerve Regeneration/drug effects* ; Spinal Cord/pathology* ; Pyrroles/administration & dosage* ; Aminopyridines/administration & dosage* ; Recovery of Function ; Disease Models, Animal ; Calcium-Binding Proteins/metabolism* ; Receptors, Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor/antagonists & inhibitors* ; Microfilament Proteins/metabolism* ; Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein/metabolism*

Photodynamic immunotherapy is a promising strategy for cancer treatment. However, the dysfunctional tumor vasculature results in tumor hypoxia and the low efficiency of drug delivery, which in turn restricts the anticancer effect of photodynamic immunotherapy. In this study, we designed photosensitive lipid nanoparticles. The synthesized PFBT@Rox Lip nanoparticles could produce type I/II reactive oxygen species (ROS) by electron or energy transfer through PFBT under light irradiation. Moreover, this nanosystem could alleviate tumor hypoxia and promote vascular normalization through Roxadustat. Upon irradiation with white light, the ROS produced by PFBT@Rox Lip nanoparticles in situ dysregulated calcium homeostasis and triggered endoplasmic reticulum stress, which further promoted the release of damage-associated molecular patterns, enhanced antigen presentation, and stimulated an effective adaptive immune response, ultimately priming the tumor microenvironment (TME) together with the hypoxia alleviation and vessel normalization by Roxadustat. Indeed, in vivo results indicated that PFBT@Rox Lip nanoparticles promoted M1 polarization of tumor-associated macrophages, recruited more natural killer cells, and augmented infiltration of T cells, thereby leading to efficient photodynamic immunotherapy and potentiating the anti-primary and metastatic tumor efficacy of PD-1 antibody. Collectively, photodynamic immunotherapy with PFBT@Rox Lip nanoparticles efficiently program TME through the induction of immunogenicity and oxygenation, and effectively suppress tumor growth through immunogenic cell death and enhanced anti-tumor immunity.

The oxytocin receptor (OXTR) has garnered increasing attention for its role in regulating both mature behaviors and brain development. It has been established that OXTR mediates a range of effects that are region-specific or period-specific. However, the current studies of OXTR expression patterns in mice only provide limited help due to limitations in resolution. Therefore, our objective was to generate a comprehensive, high-resolution spatiotemporal expression map of Oxtr mRNA across the entire developing mouse brain. We applied RNAscope in situ hybridization to investigate the spatiotemporal expression pattern of Oxtr in the brains of male mice at six distinct postnatal developmental stages (P7, P14, P21, P28, P42, P56). We provide detailed descriptions of Oxtr expression patterns in key brain regions, including the cortex, basal forebrain, hippocampus, and amygdaloid complex, with a focus on the precise localization of Oxtr⁺ cells and the variance of expression between different neurons. Furthermore, we identified some neuronal populations with high Oxtr expression levels that have been little studied, including glutamatergic neurons in the ventral dentate gyrus, Vgat⁺Oxtr⁺ cells in the basal forebrain, and GABAergic neurons in layers 4/5 of the cortex. Our study provides a novel perspective for understanding the distribution of Oxtr and encourages further investigations into its functions.
Animals ; Receptors, Oxytocin/metabolism* ; Male ; Brain/growth & development* ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Neurons/metabolism* ; Single-Cell Analysis ; Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental ; RNA, Messenger/metabolism* ; Animals, Newborn

Objective To investigate the effect of KH-type splicing regulatory protein(KHSRP)on the malignant biological behavior of lung adenocarcinoma(LUAD)by targeting the Janus kinase 1(JAK1)/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(STAT3)signaling axis.Methods Clinical data were collected for 64 patients with LUAD,diagnosed at Huaihe Hospital from January 2017 to December 2018.Expression levels of KHSRP were detected in LUAD tissues and adjacent tissues by immunohistochemical staining.KHSRP gene expression was also detected in LUAD cell lines(SPC-A1,H1975,CL1-5,PC-9,Calu-3,H446)and normal human bronchial epithelial cells using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.KHSRP expression in SPC-A1,H1975,PC-9,and Calu-3 cells was manipulated by lentivirus transfection.The effects of KHSRP on the proliferation,migration,and invasion of LUAD cells were detected by Cell Counting Kit-8 and Transwell assays.The effects of KHSRP overexpression and knockdown were also investigated in a mouse xenograft tumor model,and JAK/STAT signaling pathway proteins were detected by Western blot.Rescue experiments were conducted to verify if KHSRP promoted the malignant progression of LUAD cells by regulating the JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway.Results KHSRP expression was significantly higher in LUAD tissues compared with adjacent tissues(P＜0.05).Overexpression of KHSRP significantly promoted the proliferation,migration,and invasion of LUAD cells in vitro(P＜0.05).KHSRP also promoted LUAD cell xenograft tumor growth and lung nodule metastasis in nude mice in vivo(P＜0.01).KHSRP knockdown significantly decreased the levels of JAK1,phospho-JAK1,and STAT3 in the JAK/STAT signaling pathway,while the situation was reversed following KHSRP overexpression(P＜0.05).Rescue experiments showed that KHSRP reversed the inhibitory effect of knockdown(P＜0.05).Conclusions KHSRP targets the JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway and acts as an oncogene in LUAD.

Recent studies have shown that the physiological homeostasis of oral mucosal cells is regulated by the circadian clock.Dis-ruption or dysfunction of the circadian clock is closely associated with the development of oral squamous cell carcinoma(OSCC).Research based on the circadian clock offers a novel perspective on the pathogenesis and therapeutic strategies for OSCC.However,there is current-ly limited research on this topic,and people generally have insufficient understanding and recognition of the circadian clock.Given the complexity and challenges of circadian clock which is the fourth dimension of medical research,we organize relevant experts based on summarizing the current research results of circadian clock in the pathogenesis and precision diagnosis and treatment of OSCC,combining the scientific principles of the circadian clock's role and their long-term research experience,then summarizes and recommends the con-sensus opinions for the research of circadian clock in the pathogenesis mechanism and precision diagnosis and treatment of human OSCC,with the hope of providing guidance for the basic research and clinical application of circadian clock or circadian rhythm in the pathogene-sis mechanism and precision diagnosis and treatment of oral and maxillofacial squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND:Previous studies have demonstrated that acupuncture at the governor meridian has precise efficacy in the treatment of ischemic stroke and can improve cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury by attenuating pyroptosis,but the upstream regulatory mechanisms are not yet fully clarified.OBJECTIVE:To observe the neuroprotective effect of electroacupuncture in model rats of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury.METHODS:Twenty-seven Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham surgery,model,and electroacupuncture groups,with nine rats in each group.Modified suture method was used to establish cerebral ischemia-reperfusion model rats in the model and electroacupuncture groups.The electroacupuncture group was subjected to electroacupuncture at"Baihui,""Fengfu,"and"Dazhui"acupoints,20 minutes each,once a day,for 7 consecutive days.After treatment,neurological deficit scoring and pole test were performed to assess behavioral changes.Tri-phenyl tetrazolium chloride staining was used to assess cerebral infarction size in rats.Hematoxylin-eosin staining was performed to observe morphological changes in cerebral cortex tissue on the infarcted side of rats.Immunofluorescence analysis was used to determine Iba-1 and reactive oxygen species levels in cerebral cortex tissue on the infarcted side of rats,ELISA method was used for measuring interleukin-1β,interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor α levels in cerebral cortex tissue on the infarcted side of rats.Real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and western blot were used to detect mRNA and protein expression levels of thioredoxin interaction protein,nod-like receptor associated protein 3(NLRP3),Caspase-1 and interleukin-1β in cerebral cortex tissue on the infarcted side of rats respectively,and the interaction between thioredoxin interaction protein and NLRP3 was analyzed by immunoprecipitation.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Compared with the sham surgery group,rats in the model group showed an increase in neurological deficit score,pole test score,cerebral infarction volume(P<0.05),the immunofluorescence expression of Iba-1 and reactive oxygen species(P<0.05),the levels of interleukin-1β,interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor α(P<0.05),and the mRNA and protein expression of thioredoxin interaction protein,NLRP3,Caspase-1 and interleukin-1β in cerebral cortex tissue(P<0.05).Hematoxylin-eosin staining in the model group showed neuronal degeneration and necrosis,with fragmented and dissolved nuclei and cellular vacuoles.(2)Compared with the model group,rats in the electroacupuncture group showed a reduction in neurological deficit score,pole climbing test score,cerebral infarction volume(P<0.05),the immunofluorescence expression of Iba-1 and reactive oxygen species(P<0.05),the levels of interleukin-1β,interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor α(P<0.05),and the mRNA and protein expression of thioredoxin interaction protein,NLRP3,Caspase-1 and interleukin-1β in cerebral cortex tissue(P<0.05).Hematoxylin-eosin staining showed that the pathological damage of neurons in cerebral cortex tissue on the infarcted side of rats in the electroacupuncture group was significantly attenuated,with significantly reduced cell necrosis and vacuolation.(3)Immunoprecipitation assay showed an interaction between thioredoxin interaction proteins and NLRP3 in the cerebral cortical tissues on the infarcted side of rats in the model group.To conclude,electroacupuncture has a significant therapeutic effect against cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury,possibly by inhibiting the reactive oxygen species/thioredoxin interaction protein/NLRP3 cell pyroptosis signaling pathway and activation of microglia to reduce the release of inflammatory factors.

Objective:To investigate the effects of KH-type splicing regulatory protein(KHSRP)targeting and regulating JAK1/STAT3 signaling axis on the proliferation,migration and invasion of the adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction(AEG)cells,as well as the growth of transplanted tumors and lung metastasis.Methods:A total of 64 pairs of AEG tissue and adjacent normal tissue samples,along with clinical data from patients diagnosed at Huaihe Hospital from January 2017 to December 2018 were collected.The expression level of KHSRP in AEG tissues and adjacent normal tissues was observed using immunohistochemical staining.The differential expression of KHSRP in AEG cells(OE-19,TE-7,BIC-1,FLO-1,SK-GT-4,BE-3)and normal esophageal epithelial cells(Het-1A)was detected by qPCR.Lentiviral vectors were used to knockdown and overexpress KHSRP in OE-19,TE-7,FLO-1,and SK-GT-4 cells.The experiment was divided into the following groups:sh-NC group,sh-KHSRP group,Vector group,and KHSRP overexpression group(KHSRP group).The knockdown or overexpression efficiency was detected by qPCR,and the effects of KHSRP knockdown or overexpression on AEG cell proliferation,migration and invasion were evaluated using CCK-8 and Transwell assays,respectively.A mouse xenograft and lung metastasis model was established to observe the effects of KHSRP on tumor growth and metastasis in vivo.The targeted regulation of JAK/STAT signaling pathway by KHSRP was verified by Western blotting.A rescue experiment was conducted to verify whether KHSRP promoted malignant progression of AEG cells through the JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway.Results:Compared with adjacent normal tissues,the expression level of KHSRP in AEG tissues was significantly increased(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Cell function experiments showed that KHSRP overexpression significantly promoted AEG cell proliferation,migration,and invasion in vitro(P<0.05 or P<0.01).In vivo animal experiments showed that KHSRP promoted AEG cell xenograft tumor growth and lung metastasis in nude mice(P<0.05 or P<0.01).After KHSRP knockdown,the phosphorylation levels of JAK1 and STAT3 in the JAK/STAT signaling pathway were significantly reduced,while overexpression of KHSRP led to the opposite results(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Rescue experiment showed that KHSRP could reverse the inhibition of cell proliferation,migration,and invasion caused by JAK1/STAT3 knockdown(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Conclusion:KHSRP regulates the malignant progression of AEG cells by activating JAK1/STAT3 signaling axis.KHSRP may become a potential target for the clinical treatment of AEG.

Objective:To evaluate the transjejunal choledochoscopy via a marked and fixed jejunal loop in the management of anastomotic complications after choledochojejunostomy.Methods:Clinical data of 17 patients undergoing choledochoscopy exploration and treatment via a subcutaneous jejunal loop at Beijing Luhe Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2014 to August 2023 were retrospectively analyzed, including 5 males and 12 females, with a median age of 57 years (24-69 years). All patients had a jejunal loop marked and fixed subcutaneous during previouse Roux-en-Y choledochojejunostomy or biliary anastomotic reconstruction surgery. Choledochoscopy was performed via the pre-fixed loop to manage biliary strictures and stones. Baseline and perioperative date including gender, age, primary disease, jejunal loop puncture and catheterization, choledochoscopy exploration and operative time and frequency, and postoperative complications (bleeding, bile leakage, infection, etc.) were recorded.Results:The primary diseases of the 17 patients included nine cases of congenital choledochal cysts, three cases of common bile duct stones, three cases of common bile duct strictures, one case of intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile duct stones, and one case of gallbladder cancer. Eight patients had their jejunal loop drainage tubes removed or only had subcutaneous marking and fixation without T-tube placement. A total of 12 attempts were made to puncture and catheterize via the jejunal loop under X-ray guidance, with 11 successful punctures. Choledochoscopy exploration or operation was performed 67 times via the jejunal loop in 17 patients, all successfully reaching the biliary-enteric anastomosis. Intrahepatic cholangiolithiasis were found during 28 choledochoscopy explorations via the jejunal loop, with stones directly removed using a stone basket in 25 cases and electrohydraulic lithotripsy in three cases. Biliary-enteric anastomotic or intrahepatic bile duct strictures were found in 34 choledochoscopy explorations via the jejunal loop, with 22 cases undergoing balloon dilation. Among them, 14 cases had biliary strictures combined with stones, and the stones were removed after balloon dilation of the strictures. Other choledochoscopy explorations showed no abnormalities. The operative time of 67 choledochoscopy explorations via the jejunal loop was (67±42) min, with no intraoperative complications. Two cases had postoperative drainage tube displacement and dislocation, which were repositioned through the sinus tract immediately, and no complications such as bleeding, bile leakage, or infection occurred.Conclusion:Pre-fixation of the jejunal loop during choledochojejunostomy offers a minimally invasive access for postoperative choledochoscopy that could directly reach the biliary-enteric anastomosis, and effectively manage the long-term biliary-enteric anastomotic complications, including biliary strictures and cholangiolithiasis.

Objective:To identify the relevant factors for the first-course remission of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and to develop a predictive model as well as assess its predictive capability.Methods:Clinical data of 749 patients newly diagnosed with AML admitted to the Department of Hematology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University, School of Medicine from January 1, 2019, to April 30, 2023, were collected and randomly divided into training and validation sets. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine variables associated with complete remission in the first course of induction therapy, and a predictive model was established based on these variables. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of the predictive model was plotted, and the area under the curve (AUC) was calculated.Results:The indicators predicting the first remission course included peripheral blood white blood cell count during onset, CBF::MYH11 fusion gene, CEBPA bZIP region mutation, myelodysplastic syndrome-related gene mutation, and induction chemotherapy regimen selection as independent factors for the first remission course. The model’s area under the training and validation curves was 0.738 (95% CI: 0.696-0.780) and 0.726 (95% CI: 0.650-0.801), respectively. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test results yielded P-values of 0.993 and 0.335, respectively. Conclusion:In this study, the developed model demonstrates a strong predictive capability for the efficacy of the first course of patients with AML, providing valuable guidance to clinicians in assessing patient prognosis and selecting appropriate treatment strategies.

Objective:To explore the safety and feasibility of laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD) combined with portal vein system resection and reconstruction.Methods:The clinical data of 26 patients with pancreatic head cancer or distal bile duct malignant tumors who underwent reconstructive LPD combined with portal vein resection in the Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery of the Second Hospital of Hebei Medical University from January 2016 to December 2023 were retrospectively analyzed, including 13 males and 13 females, aged 63.0 (57.2, 66.0) years. The clinical data of the patients, including the operation time, intraoperative blood loss and blood transfusion, blood flow interruption time, postoperative complications, intensive care unit (ICU) admission time, and hospital stay were recorded.Results:All 26 patients had completed the operation successfully. The operation time was (483.65±118.00) min, the intraoperative blood loss was 1 100 (625, 2 750) ml, the intraoperative blood transfusion was 600 (438, 1 050) ml, and the portal vein system blockade time was (35.00±6.00) min. There were 5 cases (19.2%, 5/26) with laparotomy, 5 cases (19.2%%, 5/26) with repair after partial resection of the portal vein system, 12 cases (46.1%, 12/26) with end-to-end anastomosis of the portal venous system, and 9 cases (34.6%, 9/26) with artificial vascular replacement. There was 1 case of grade B pancreatic fistula (3.8%, 1/26), 3 cases of bile leakage (11.5%, 3/26), 1 case of gastric paralysis (3.8%, 1/26), 3 cases of intestinal obstruction (11.5%, 3/26), 2 cases of abdominal infection (7.7%, 2/26), 2 cases of postoperative bleeding (7.7%, 2/26), 1 case of secondary surgery (3.8%, 1/26), and 1 case of perioperative death (3.8%, 1/26). The postoperative hospital stay was 14.00 (12.00, 20.75) d, the ICU length of stay was 3.0 (1.0, 6.5) d, the tumor length diameter was 4.00 (3.00, 5.38) cm, and the number of positive lymph nodes was 1.0(0.5, 3.5).Conclusion:LPD reconstructed with portal system resection is a safe and effective treatment of patients with pancreatic head cancer or distal bile duct malignancy.