1.The Potential Role of Immune Checkpoint Molecules in the Pathogenesis of Autoimmune Hepatitis and in Targeted Therapy
Haixia LI ; Aiping TIAN ; Miao XUE ; Ziyi LI ; Xiaorong MAO
Medical Journal of Peking Union Medical College Hospital 2026;17(2):512-518
Autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) is a chronic, immune-mediated liver injury of unknown etiology. The onset of this disease involves the activation and recruitment of diverse immune and non-immune cells, which in turn trigger hepatic damage. Immune checkpoint molecules (ICM) are expressed on the surface of multiple cell types. By regulating cellular functional states, they help limit the intensity and duration of immune responses, thereby preventing excessive inflammation and tissue damage, and maintaining immune homeostasis. In AIH, however, this natural "braking" mechanism is impaired, leading to aberrant activation of both immune and non-immune cells and the breakdown of immune homeostasis. Consequently, ICM are likely to play a critical role in the pathogenesis of AIH. A deeper understanding of the function of ICM in AIH not onlyadvances our insight into the disease mechanism, but also suggests that targeting these molecules may represent a promising therapeutic strategy for the treatment of AIH.
2.Ferrostatin-1 prevents transfusion-related acute lung injury in mice by inhibiting ferroptosis
Siwei LIU ; Ling XIAO ; Haixia XU ; Jiale CHENG ; Li TIAN ; Zhong LIU
Chinese Journal of Blood Transfusion 2025;38(8):1008-1015
Objective: To investigate the role of ferroptosis in transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI) and evaluate the efficacy of the specific inhibitor Ferrostatin-1 (Fer-1), thereby to provide a basis for the prevention and treatment of TRALI. Methods: This study utilized a ”2-hit” model to induce TRALI in mice. The mouse model of TRALI was validated through survival curve analysis, lung tissue wet/dry weight ratio (W/D), myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity, and total protein concentration in lung tissue. Samples from the TRALI model group, LPS group, and control group (n=6) were collected. The occurrence of ferroptosis in TRALI was confirmed by measuring key ferroptosis indicators, including iron concentration in lung tissue, malondialdehyde (MDA) level, lipid peroxidation products (LPO) level, and expression levels of related proteins (GPX4, ACSL4). Additionally, a Fer-1 intervention group was added to evaluate its preventive and therapeutic effects. The survival rates and clinical symptoms of the four groups (n=6) were dynamically monitored, and the degrees of lung injury were assessed. Ferroptosis-related indicators were also measured to elucidate the protective mechanism of Fer-1. Results: A mouse model of TRALI was successfully established. Compared to the control and LPS groups, the TRALI group showed significantly higher levels of ferrous iron [(18.32±1.11) nmol/well, MDA [(14.68±0.96) μmol/L], and LPO [(1.60±0.02) μmol/L] in lung tissue (all P<0.01), along with a downregulation of GPX4 and an upregulation of ACSL4. Fer-1 pretreatment significantly reversed these abnormalities: the W/D ratio decreased to 4.01±0.43, and MPO activity significantly decreased [Fer-1 group: (21 606±4 235) pg/mL vs TRALI group: (30 724±2 616) pg/mL], the total protein concentration in lung tissue of the Fer-1 group decreased by approximately 40.8% compared to the TRALI group (all P<0.01). These changes indicate that the lung injury in mice was alleviated after treatment. Following Fer-1 intervention, ferrous iron concentration [(7.46±1.83) nmol/well] was restored to a level close to that of the control group [(5.48±0.70) nmol/well]. Lipid peroxidation tests further revealed that Fer-1 intervention reduced MDA and LPO levels by 35.8% and 29.4%, respectively (P<0.001). Additionally, the expression levels of GPX4 and ACSL4 proteins returned to near-normal levels in the treated mice (both P>0.05). Conclusion: The progression of TRALI is closely related to the activation of ferroptosis, characterized by iron overload, lipid peroxidation accumulation, and the imbalance of GPX4/ACSL4. Ferrostatin-1 significantly alleviates pulmonary edema and inflammatory damage by inhibiting the ferroptosis pathway, suggesting that targeting ferroptosis may provide a new therapeutic strategy for TRALI.
3.Effects of superoxide dismutase inhibition of AFP expression on the malignant biological behavior of PLC/PRF/5 liver cancer cells
Yi CHEN ; Baoying CHEN ; Yuli ZHOU ; Haixia XU ; Yu CAO ; Yue GU ; Mingyue ZHU ; Mengsen LI
China Pharmacy 2025;36(17):2120-2126
OBJECTIVE To explore the effect of superoxide dismutase (SOD) administration on the malignant behavior of PLC/PRF/5 liver cancer cells, and analyze the correlation between SOD and alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) expression, to provide new ideas for targeting AFP with SOD as a drug for hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODS Normal human liver cells L-02, AFP- negative human liver cancer cells HLE, and AFP-positive human liver cancer cells PLC/PRF/5 were used as experimental cells. Western blot assay and SOD activity detection kit were used to detect the expression of AFP, SOD and activity of SOD in cells before and after changing AFP expression; the effects of different concentrations of SOD [0 (control), 0.188, 0.375, 0.75, 1.5, 3 U/mL] administration on the migration and proliferation of PLC/PRF/5 cells were detected using cell scratch assay and CCK-8 assay. The effects of SOD overexpression on the expression of malignant biological behavior-related proteins AFP and sarcoma virus protein (Src) in PLC/PRF/5 cells were detected using Western blot. RESULTS Compared with L-02 group and HLE group, the expression levels of SOD1 and SOD2, and SOD activity in PLC/PRF/5 cells were significantly reduced (P<0.05). After down-regulating AFP expression in PLC/PRF/ 5 cells, compared with PLC/PRF/5 group, the expression levels of SOD1 and SOD2, as well as SOD activity, were significantly increased in the PLC/PRF/5-shAFP group (low-expression) (P<0.05). After 48 hours of SOD treatment, compared with control group, the scratch healing rates of PLC/PRF/5 cells in the 0.375, 0.75, 1.5 and 3 U/mL SOD groups were significantly reduced (P<0.05); after 72 hours of SOD treatment, compared with control group, the scratch healing rates of PLC/PRF/5 cells in the 0.375, 0.75, and 1.5 U/mL SOD groups were significantly reduced (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with control group, proliferation rates of PLC/PRF/5 cells were significantly reduced in the 0.375, 0.75, 1.5 and 3 U/mL SOD groups (P<0.05 or P<0.01). Compared with the PLC/PRF/5 group before up-regulating SOD1 and SOD2 expression, the expression levels of AFP and Src in the PLC/PRF/5-oeSOD1 and PLC/PRF/5-oeSOD2 groups (over-expression) after up-regulating SOD1 and SOD2 expression were significantly reduced (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS A certain concentration of SOD can inhibit malignant behavior such as migration and proliferation of PLC/PRF/5 cells, and the expression level and activity of SOD are negatively correlated with AFP.
4.Persistent HPV Infection Among Women in Zhengzhou, China: A Prevalence Study
Haixia DUAN ; Jin QIAN ; Yao ZHANG ; Zhimin REN ; Guohong ZHAO ; Junyan HONG ; Xinmin LI
Cancer Research on Prevention and Treatment 2025;52(9):770-775
Objective To analyze the status of persistent human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and the distribution of viral subtypes in the Zhengzhou region. Methods Clinical data of
6.Decoding the immune microenvironment of secondary chronic myelomonocytic leukemia due to diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with CD19 CAR-T failure by single-cell RNA-sequencing.
Xudong LI ; Hong HUANG ; Fang WANG ; Mengjia LI ; Binglei ZHANG ; Jianxiang SHI ; Yuke LIU ; Mengya GAO ; Mingxia SUN ; Haixia CAO ; Danfeng ZHANG ; Na SHEN ; Weijie CAO ; Zhilei BIAN ; Haizhou XING ; Wei LI ; Linping XU ; Shiyu ZUO ; Yongping SONG
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(15):1866-1881
BACKGROUND:
Several studies have demonstrated the occurrence of secondary tumors as a rare but significant complication of chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy, underscoring the need for a detailed investigation. Given the limited variety of secondary tumor types reported to date, a comprehensive characterization of the various secondary tumors arising after CAR-T therapy is essential to understand the associated risks and to define the role of the immune microenvironment in malignant transformation. This study aims to characterize the immune microenvironment of a newly identified secondary tumor post-CAR-T therapy, to clarify its pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets.
METHODS:
In this study, the bone marrow (BM) samples were collected by aspiration from the primary and secondary tumors before and after CD19 CAR-T treatment. The CD45 + BM cells were enriched with human CD45 microbeads. The CD45 + cells were then sent for 10× genomics single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to identify cell populations. The Cell Ranger pipeline and CellChat were used for detailed analysis.
RESULTS:
In this study, a rare type of secondary chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) were reported in a patient with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who had previously received CD19 CAR-T therapy. The scRNA-seq analysis revealed increased inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and an immunosuppressive state of monocytes/macrophages, which may impair cytotoxic activity in both T and natural killer (NK) cells in secondary CMML before treatment. In contrast, their cytotoxicity was restored in secondary CMML after treatment.
CONCLUSIONS
This finding delineates a previously unrecognized type of secondary tumor, CMML, after CAR-T therapy and provide a framework for defining the immune microenvironment of secondary tumor occurrence after CAR-T therapy. In addition, the results provide a rationale for targeting macrophages to improve treatment strategies for CMML treatment.
Humans
;
Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse/therapy*
;
Tumor Microenvironment/genetics*
;
Antigens, CD19/metabolism*
;
Leukemia, Myelomonocytic, Chronic/genetics*
;
Immunotherapy, Adoptive/adverse effects*
;
Male
;
Single-Cell Analysis/methods*
;
Female
;
Sequence Analysis, RNA/methods*
;
Receptors, Chimeric Antigen
;
Middle Aged
7.Expert consensus on the prevention and treatment of enamel demineralization in orthodontic treatment.
Lunguo XIA ; Chenchen ZHOU ; Peng MEI ; Zuolin JIN ; Hong HE ; Lin WANG ; Yuxing BAI ; Lili CHEN ; Weiran LI ; Jun WANG ; Min HU ; Jinlin SONG ; Yang CAO ; Yuehua LIU ; Benxiang HOU ; Xi WEI ; Lina NIU ; Haixia LU ; Wensheng MA ; Peijun WANG ; Guirong ZHANG ; Jie GUO ; Zhihua LI ; Haiyan LU ; Liling REN ; Linyu XU ; Xiuping WU ; Yanqin LU ; Jiangtian HU ; Lin YUE ; Xu ZHANG ; Bing FANG
International Journal of Oral Science 2025;17(1):13-13
Enamel demineralization, the formation of white spot lesions, is a common issue in clinical orthodontic treatment. The appearance of white spot lesions not only affects the texture and health of dental hard tissues but also impacts the health and aesthetics of teeth after orthodontic treatment. The prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of white spot lesions that occur throughout the orthodontic treatment process involve multiple dental specialties. This expert consensus will focus on providing guiding opinions on the management and prevention of white spot lesions during orthodontic treatment, advocating for proactive prevention, early detection, timely treatment, scientific follow-up, and multidisciplinary management of white spot lesions throughout the orthodontic process, thereby maintaining the dental health of patients during orthodontic treatment.
Humans
;
Consensus
;
Dental Caries/etiology*
;
Dental Enamel/pathology*
;
Tooth Demineralization/etiology*
;
Tooth Remineralization
8.Research and application of thermosensitive Pickering emulsion with X-ray and ultrasound dual-modal imaging functions for intra-arterial embolization treatment.
Ling LI ; Anran GUO ; Haixia SUN ; Yanbing ZHAO ; Qing YAO ; Ling ZHANG ; Peng SHI ; Hongan TIAN ; Min ZHENG
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(4):101133-101133
Transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) is the mainstay for treating advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and the performance of the embolization material is crucial in TAE. With the development of medical imaging and the birth of "X-ray-free" technologies, we designed a new dual-mode imaging material of dimethoxy tetraphenyl ethylene (DMTPE) via emulsification by mixing poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid) (PNA) with lipiodol and fluorocarbons, which was evaluated for temperature sensitivity, stability, and dual-mode visualization in vitro. Additionally, blood vessel casting embolization and renal artery imaging were assessed in healthy rabbits. In a rabbit model with a VX2 tumor, the effectiveness of TAE for treating HCC was examined, with an emphasis on evaluating long-term outcomes of embolization and its effects on tumor growth, necrosis, and proliferation through imaging techniques. In vitro experiments confirmed that the temperature-sensitive dual-oil-phase Pickering emulsion had good flow, stable contrast, and embolism when the oil-to-oil ratio and water-to-oil ratio were both 7:3 ( v/v) and stabilized with 8% PNA. Similarly, in vivo, arterial embolization confirmed the excellent properties of DMTPE prepared at the abovementioned ratios. It was observed that DMTPE not only has an antitumor effect but can also achieve dual imaging using X-rays and ultrasound, making it a promising excellent vascular embolization material for TAE in tumor treatment.
9.Natural products targeting NLRP3 inflammasome for metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease: the known unknowns.
Jiahui MENG ; Qiqi WANG ; Haopeng WANG ; Xuange SHEN ; Tingting QIN ; Wen ZHAO ; Haixia LI ; Ziqiao YUAN
Chinese Journal of Natural Medicines (English Ed.) 2025;23(9):1036-1046
Metabolic dysfunction-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD), characterized by fatty acid overload, secondary chronic inflammation, and fibrosis, has become the most prevalent chronic liver disease globally. While no effective pharmacotherapy exists for MAFLD, mitigating inflammatory responses represents a promising approach to preventing the progression from steatosis to severe steatohepatitis. The NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, which detects endogenous danger and stress signals, has emerged as a significant target for inflammatory disease treatment, as transcriptional inactivation of its components demonstrates the therapeutic potential for MAFLD. Natural products targeting NLRP3 inflammasome activation have shown promising efficacy in MAFLD therapy. This review synthesizes the current understanding of NLRP3 inflammasome activation and therapeutic targets for NLRP3 homeostasis. Additionally, natural products reported to inhibit NLRP3 inflammasome for MAFLD improvement are categorized according to their mechanisms of action. The review also addresses limitations and future directions regarding natural products targeting NLRP3 inflammasome in MAFLD treatment. Enhanced understanding of NLRP3 inflammasome activation mechanisms in MAFLD and the identification of novel natural products supported by mechanistic research will significantly advance MAFLD treatment.
Humans
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NLR Family, Pyrin Domain-Containing 3 Protein/immunology*
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Inflammasomes/metabolism*
;
Biological Products/therapeutic use*
;
Animals
;
Fatty Liver/immunology*
10.Analysis of red blood cell transfusion reactions in China from 2018 to 2023
Bo PAN ; Xiaoyu GUAN ; Jue WANG ; Yunlong PAN ; Liu HE ; Haixia XU ; Xin JI ; Li TIAN ; Ling LI ; Zhong LIU
Chinese Journal of Blood Transfusion 2025;38(5):704-710
Objective: To analyze the demographic characteristics of patients with red blood cell transfusion reactions, the usage of red blood cell preparations, and the differences in the composition ratio of adverse reactions based on multi-center data from the Haemovigilance Network, in order to reveal the clinical characteristics of red blood cell transfusion and its underlying issues. Methods: Clinical data of patients who experienced transfusion reactions after red blood cell transfusion in the Haemovigilance Network from 2018 to 2023 were collected. The demographic characteristics of patients who experienced transfusion reactions with different types of red blood cell preparations, the utilization of these preparations, and the differences of the composition ratios of transfusion reactions were analyzed. Count data were expressed as numbers (n) or percentages (%), and comparisons between groups were performed using the Chi-square test. Results: Red blood cell transfusion reactions were more common in females (53.56%), with the majority of patients aged 50-69 years (35.54%). The Han polulation accounted for the vast majority of patients (92.77%), and patients in the hematology and obstetrics/gynecology departments had a relatively high proportion of transfusion reactions (13.26% and 14.26%, respectively). Leukocyte-reduced red blood cells and suspended red blood cells were the most common types of transfusion reactions reported among red blood cell preparations. Allergic reactions and non-hemolytic febrile reactions were the most common transfusion reactions, and there were significant differences in the composition ratios of allergic reactions (χ
=869.89, P<0.05) and non-hemolytic febrile reactions (χ
=812.75, P<0.05) across various types of red blood cell preparations. Conclusion: There are differences in the demographic characteristics and composition ratio of transfusion reactions among different red blood cell preparations. The management of red blood cell transfusion reactions should be tailored to patient characteristics and conditions, and the selection and use of blood products should be optimized to reduce or avoid the occurrence of transfusion reactions, such as considering the use of washed red blood cells for patients with a history of transfusion allergies or those prone to allergies.

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