Objective:To explore the genetic etiology of two fetuses with Mosaic variegated aneuploidy syndrome (MVA) in a pedigree.Methods:A 30-year-old pregnant woman, who presented at the Center for Medical Genetics and Prenatal Diagnosis of Shandong Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital on November 16, 2023, was enrolled. Clinical data of the pedigree were collected, and peripheral blood samples from the parents and amniotic fluid samples from the two fetuses were obtained for genomic DNA extraction. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was performed on both fetuses, followed by Sanger sequencing for familial validation and pathogenicity analysis of candidate variants. Chromosomal karyotyping of the parents was conducted to quantify the proportion of premature chromatid separation (PCS). This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Shandong Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital (Ethics No. 2024-034).Results:① Both fetuses exhibited structural brain anomalies and developmental delays during the second trimester. Amniocyte karyotyping revealed low-level mosaic aneuploidy involving multiple chromosomes, while chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) showed no abnormalities. Pregnancy termination was performed for fetus 1. ② WES identified compound heterozygous variants in BUB1B — c. 2363_2364del (p.S788Cfs*29) and ss804270619: G>A — in both fetuses. Sanger sequencing confirmed paternal inheritance of c. 2363_2364del and maternal inheritance of ss804270619: G>A. According to the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) and Clinical Genome Resource(ClinGen) Standards and Guidelines for the Interpretation of Sequence Variants, the c. 2363_2364del variant was classified as likely pathogenic (PVS1 + PM2_Supporting). Parental karyotyping demonstrated PCS traits, with a higher proportion of abnormal metaphases in the father. Conclusion:The compound heterozygous variants c. 2363_2364del (p.S788Cfs*29) and ss804270619: G>A in BUB1B may constitute the genetic etiology of the two MVA fetuses in this pedigree.

Objective·To investigate the immunotherapeutic effects of exosomes derived from leukemia cells with high expression of B7 molecules(co-stimulatory molecules CD80 and CD86)in tumor-bearing mice.Methods·L1210 leukemia cells were transfected with lentiviral vectors containing the CD80 and CD86 genes,and thereby the leukemia cells with high expression of CD80 and CD86 molecules were obtained.Exosomes LEX-8086 with high expression of CD80 and CD86 molecules were then isolated from the culture supernatant.The biological characteristics of LEX-8086 were analyzed by using transmission electron microscopy(TEM)and Western blotting.A DBA/2-leukemia tumor-bearing mouse model was established.The tumor-bearing mice were divided into LEX-8086 group and PBS group.The LEX-8086 group received intravenous injections of 500 μL LEX-8086(150 μg/mL)via the tail vein 7 d and 12 d after tumor cell inoculation,while the PBS group received injections of equal volumes of PBS at the same time points.Differences in body weight,tumor volume,tumor mass,and survival of the mice between the two groups were observed.Flow cytometry was used to analyze the changes in the immune cells in spleens and lymph nodes of the mice in both groups.Western blotting and real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR(qPCR)were used to detect the expression of markers for M1 and M2 macrophages in the spleens of the mice in both groups.Results·The exosomes LEX-8086 were isolated from the supernatant of L1210 cells overexpressing CD80 and CD86 molecules.TEM revealed that LEX-8086 exhibited a disc-shaped vesicular structure with a diameter of approximately 100 nm.Western blotting demonstrated the expression of exosome-specific markers.In the animal experiments,compared with the PBS group,the body weight of the LEX-8086 group showed no significant change,while both the tumor volume and the relative tumor mass ratio decreased significantly,and the survival was significantly prolonged(all P<0.05).Flow cytometry results indicated that the proportions of natural killer(NK)cells and CD4+T cells in the lymph nodes and spleens of the LEX-8086 group significantly increased(all P<0.05);as for CD8+T cells,they only increased in the lymph modes(P=0.012).Moreover,flow cytometry results showed that the proportion of M1 macrophages in the spleens of mice in the LEX-8086 group was significantly elevated(P=0.003),while the proportion of M2 macrophages remained unchanged.Western blotting and qPCR also revealed that the mRNA and protein expression levels of M1 macrophage markers interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α in the spleens of mice in the LEX-8086 group increased significantly(all P<0.05).Conclusion·Exosomes derived from leukemia cells with high expression of co-stimulatory molecules CD80 and CD86 can induce a therapeutic anti-leukemic effect,which may be achieved by increasing the proportions of NK cells,M1 macrophages,CD4+T cells,and CD8+T cells.

Objective To identify candidate compounds that activate thermogenesis during cold exposure by integrating the Library of Integrated Network-Based Cellular Signatures(LINCS)with RNA expression profiles specific to cold-induced thermogenesis.Methods Gene expression profiles of interscapular brown adipose tissue(BAT)and inguinal white adipose tissue(iWAT)were generated from 8-week-old C57BL/6J mice which were housed at 5 ℃ or room temperature(23 ℃)for 7 days.The gene expression signatures of the cold-induced BAT and iWAT were compared to the LINCS dataset to predict potential candidates for testing in a cold challenge model that was intended to assess thermogenesis activation.The pharmacological potential of the identified compounds was evaluated in a cold-exposed mouse model.The core body temperature and infrared thermal imaging were collected to monitor physiological responses during cold exposure.Additionally,hematoxylin and eosin(HE)staining was used to assess morphological changes of fat cells of BAT,iWAT,and epididymal white adipose tissue(eWAT).Results The transcriptomic signatures related to cold-induced thermogenesis were obtained and the top 20 candidate compounds were identified by comparison with the LINCS dataset.Mice treated with withaferin A(WA)during the cold challenge exhibited elevated rectal temperatures and smaller adipocyte sizes compared to controls.Conclusion Our drug repurposing strategy,which connects transcriptional profiles with LINCS data,identifies potential compounds.WA enhances thermogenesis and metabolic activity in adipose tissue,which helps maintain body temperature,and improves cold tolerance during exposure to low temperatures.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the genetic etiology of two fetuses with Mosaic variegated aneuploidy syndrome (MVA) in a pedigree. METHODS: A 30-year-old pregnant woman, who presented at the Center for Medical Genetics and Prenatal Diagnosis of Shandong Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital on November 16, 2023, was enrolled. Clinical data of the pedigree were collected, and peripheral blood samples from the parents and amniotic fluid samples from the two fetuses were obtained for genomic DNA extraction. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was performed on both fetuses, followed by Sanger sequencing for familial validation and pathogenicity analysis of candidate variants. Chromosomal karyotyping of the parents was conducted to quantify the proportion of premature chromatid separation (PCS). This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Shandong Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital (Ethics No. 2024-034). RESULTS: Both fetuses exhibited structural brain anomalies and developmental delays during the second trimester. Amniocyte karyotyping revealed low-level mosaic aneuploidy involving multiple chromosomes, while chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) showed no abnormalities. Pregnancy termination was performed for fetus 1. WES identified compound heterozygous variants in BUB1B, i.e., c.2363_2364del (p.S788Cfs*29) and ss804270619: G>A, in both fetuses. Sanger sequencing confirmed paternal inheritance of c.2363_2364del and maternal inheritance of ss804270619:G>A. According to the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) and Clinical Genome Resource (ClinGen) Standards and Guidelines for the Interpretation of Sequence Variants, the c.2363_2364del variant was classified as likely pathogenic (PVS1 + PM2_Supporting). Parental karyotyping demonstrated PCS traits, with a higher proportion of abnormal metaphases in the father. CONCLUSION The compound heterozygous variants c.2363_2364del (p.S788Cfs*29) and ss804270619: G>A in BUB1B may constitute the genetic etiology of the two MVA fetuses in this pedigree.
Humans ; Female ; Pregnancy ; Adult ; Mosaicism ; Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases/genetics* ; Chromosome Disorders/diagnosis* ; Pedigree ; Heterozygote ; Prenatal Diagnosis ; Aneuploidy ; Male ; Fetus ; Karyotyping

Objectives:To analyze the clinical characteristics,strategies,success and complication rates of lead extraction and re-implantation during the upgrade of cardiovascular implantable electronic devices(CIED)in non-infectious patients.Methods:This retrospective study collected and analyzed the baseline clinical data and surgical data of 66 non-infected patients who had their existing CIEDs(including cardiac pacemaker,implantable cardioverter defibrillator[ICD],cardiac resynchronization therapy pacemaker[CRT-P])upgraded to ICD or CRT-P or cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator(CRT-D)or subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator(S-ICD)in Peking University People's Hospital from March 2018 to March 2024.We analyzed the strategies of lead extraction and reimplantation as well as the operation success rate and complication rate.Results:Among the 66 patients,preoperative imaging revealed that 12 patients(18.2%)had severe stenosis/occlusion of the venous access route,with lead wear/perforation in 26 patients(39.4%).32 patients(48.5%)underwent transvenous lead extraction(TLE),of which all leads were removed in 27 patients(84.4%),and only non-functional leads were removed in 5 patients(15.6%).The success rate of the TLE procedure was 100%and no complication occurred.Among the 66 patients,functional leads retained and new leads were implanted on the same side in 28 patients(42.4%),all leads were removed and new leads were reimplanted on the opposite side in 22 patients(33.3%),only non-functional leads were removed and new leads were reimplanted on the same side in 5 patients(7.6%),all leads were removed and new leads were reimplanted on the same side in 5 patients(7.6%),and 6 patients(9.1%)had the leads abandoned and then were re-implanled.The success rate of the upgrade surgery was 100%,no complications were reported.Conclusions:When the existing CIEDs(including cardiac pacemaker,ICD,CRT-P)of non-infected patients are upgraded to ICD,CRT-P,CRT-D or S-ICD,lead extraction and reimplantation are safe and feasible,and reimplantation can be performed on the ipsilateral or contralateral side.

Objective:To screen the risk factors for non-complete procedural success of transvenous lead extraction(TLE),and to establish a prediction model based on the results and evaluate its predictive efficacy.Methods:A total of 1 029 patients who underwent TLE in Peking University People's Hospital from January 2014 to December 2020 were enrolled and divided into training set(n=720)and validation set(n=309)using the random number method.There were no statistically significant differences among the variables in the training set and the validation set.The training set was divided into the complete procedural success(CPS)group(n=664)and the non-CPS group(n=56).Univariate analysis was employed to screen the relevant indicators of non-CPS,followed by binary logistic regression analysis to identify the independent risk factors of non-CPS.Subsequently,a predictive model and nomogram were constructed.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis was applied to evaluate the ability of the model to distinguish non-CPS from TLE patients in the training set and validation set.The Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test was used to assess the consistency between the predicted risk and the actual risk of the model.Results:Univariate analysis showed that the relevant variables with P<0.1 including the age at the first implantation of the lead,the number of leads extracted,the oldest dwell time of lead extracted,the presence of abandoned leads,non-manual traction for lead extracted,the number of extracted leads>3,bilateral lead implantation,and the indications for TLE.The binary logistic regression analysis revealed that the presence of abandoned leads(OR=2.252,95%CI:1.111-4.564,P=0.024),the oldest dwell time of the extracted leads(OR=1.009,95%CI:1.005-1.012,P<0.001),and the number of extracted leads>3(OR=3.177,95%CI:1.306-7.733,P=0.011)were independent risk factors for non-CPS of TLE.ROC curve analysis revealed that the area under the ROC curve(AUC)of the training set was 0.80(95%CI:0.75-0.85,P<0.001).The AUC of the validation set was 0.81(95%CI:0.72-0.90,P<0.001).The Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test indicated that the P values of both the training set(P=0.089)and the validation set(P=0.136)were greater than 0.05.Conclusions:The presence of abandoned leads,the oldest dwell time of lead extracted,and the number of extracted leads>3 are independent risk factors for non-CPS in patients undergoing TLE.The nomogram model based on the above factors has satisfactory predictive ability.

Aim Systematic evolution of ligands by exponential enrichment(SELEX)techniquewas employed to screen and identify nucleic acid aptamers that specifically bind to mouse atherosclerotic pathological tissues,aiming to pro-vide a research foundation for the development of molecular targets and diagnostic reagents for early atherosclerosis.Methods A single-stranded DNA(ssDNA)library with a capacity of 1015～1016 was constructed,which was then subjec-ted to binding-elution(negative selection)with normal mouse vascular tissue slices.The eluted library was subsequently bound to atherosclerotic tissue slices for binding-elution(positive selection).PCR was used to amplify the positive and negative screening products,and agarose gel electrophoresis was used to verify the amplified products.The ssDNA library after multiple rounds of selection was sequenced using T-A cloning and sequencing to obtain the primary structure of the nu-cleic acid aptamers,and the secondary structure was predicted using the Mfold online software.The selected nucleic acid aptamers were labeled with a FAM fluorescent group at the 5'-end and were bound to both positive and negative selection tissue slices,with fluorescence intensity observed under a fluorescence microscope.Image Pro Plus 6.0 was used to cal-culate the relative average fluorescence intensity to evaluate the binding specificity of nucleic acid aptamers.Results After 8 rounds of selection,agarose gel electrophoresis imaging showed PCR amplification products in the positive selection lanes,while no PCR amplification products were observed in the negative selection lanes,indicating the successful acquisi-tion of a nucleic acid aptamer library that specifically binds to atherosclerotic tissues.Five nucleic acid aptamers were i-dentified by T-A cloning and sequencing,and their predicted secondary structures all had stem-loop structures.Immuno-fluorescence staining verified that five nucleic acid aptamers had different degrees of binding with As blood vessels,and the quantitative results of the relative average fluorescence intensity showed that nucleic acid aptamer No.11 had the highest relative average fluorescence intensity value,which can be used as a candidate nucleic acid aptamer for subsequent re-search.Conclusion Specific nucleic acid aptamers that bind to atherosclerotic vesselswere successfully obtained,providing a research foundation for further screening of early molecular targets of Asand developing in vivo early diagnostic reagents.

Objective·To investigate the immunotherapeutic effects of exosomes derived from leukemia cells with high expression of B7 molecules(co-stimulatory molecules CD80 and CD86)in tumor-bearing mice.Methods·L1210 leukemia cells were transfected with lentiviral vectors containing the CD80 and CD86 genes,and thereby the leukemia cells with high expression of CD80 and CD86 molecules were obtained.Exosomes LEX-8086 with high expression of CD80 and CD86 molecules were then isolated from the culture supernatant.The biological characteristics of LEX-8086 were analyzed by using transmission electron microscopy(TEM)and Western blotting.A DBA/2-leukemia tumor-bearing mouse model was established.The tumor-bearing mice were divided into LEX-8086 group and PBS group.The LEX-8086 group received intravenous injections of 500 μL LEX-8086(150 μg/mL)via the tail vein 7 d and 12 d after tumor cell inoculation,while the PBS group received injections of equal volumes of PBS at the same time points.Differences in body weight,tumor volume,tumor mass,and survival of the mice between the two groups were observed.Flow cytometry was used to analyze the changes in the immune cells in spleens and lymph nodes of the mice in both groups.Western blotting and real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR(qPCR)were used to detect the expression of markers for M1 and M2 macrophages in the spleens of the mice in both groups.Results·The exosomes LEX-8086 were isolated from the supernatant of L1210 cells overexpressing CD80 and CD86 molecules.TEM revealed that LEX-8086 exhibited a disc-shaped vesicular structure with a diameter of approximately 100 nm.Western blotting demonstrated the expression of exosome-specific markers.In the animal experiments,compared with the PBS group,the body weight of the LEX-8086 group showed no significant change,while both the tumor volume and the relative tumor mass ratio decreased significantly,and the survival was significantly prolonged(all P<0.05).Flow cytometry results indicated that the proportions of natural killer(NK)cells and CD4+T cells in the lymph nodes and spleens of the LEX-8086 group significantly increased(all P<0.05);as for CD8+T cells,they only increased in the lymph modes(P=0.012).Moreover,flow cytometry results showed that the proportion of M1 macrophages in the spleens of mice in the LEX-8086 group was significantly elevated(P=0.003),while the proportion of M2 macrophages remained unchanged.Western blotting and qPCR also revealed that the mRNA and protein expression levels of M1 macrophage markers interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α in the spleens of mice in the LEX-8086 group increased significantly(all P<0.05).Conclusion·Exosomes derived from leukemia cells with high expression of co-stimulatory molecules CD80 and CD86 can induce a therapeutic anti-leukemic effect,which may be achieved by increasing the proportions of NK cells,M1 macrophages,CD4+T cells,and CD8+T cells.

Objective:To screen the risk factors for non-complete procedural success of transvenous lead extraction(TLE),and to establish a prediction model based on the results and evaluate its predictive efficacy.Methods:A total of 1 029 patients who underwent TLE in Peking University People's Hospital from January 2014 to December 2020 were enrolled and divided into training set(n=720)and validation set(n=309)using the random number method.There were no statistically significant differences among the variables in the training set and the validation set.The training set was divided into the complete procedural success(CPS)group(n=664)and the non-CPS group(n=56).Univariate analysis was employed to screen the relevant indicators of non-CPS,followed by binary logistic regression analysis to identify the independent risk factors of non-CPS.Subsequently,a predictive model and nomogram were constructed.The receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis was applied to evaluate the ability of the model to distinguish non-CPS from TLE patients in the training set and validation set.The Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test was used to assess the consistency between the predicted risk and the actual risk of the model.Results:Univariate analysis showed that the relevant variables with P<0.1 including the age at the first implantation of the lead,the number of leads extracted,the oldest dwell time of lead extracted,the presence of abandoned leads,non-manual traction for lead extracted,the number of extracted leads>3,bilateral lead implantation,and the indications for TLE.The binary logistic regression analysis revealed that the presence of abandoned leads(OR=2.252,95%CI:1.111-4.564,P=0.024),the oldest dwell time of the extracted leads(OR=1.009,95%CI:1.005-1.012,P<0.001),and the number of extracted leads>3(OR=3.177,95%CI:1.306-7.733,P=0.011)were independent risk factors for non-CPS of TLE.ROC curve analysis revealed that the area under the ROC curve(AUC)of the training set was 0.80(95%CI:0.75-0.85,P<0.001).The AUC of the validation set was 0.81(95%CI:0.72-0.90,P<0.001).The Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test indicated that the P values of both the training set(P=0.089)and the validation set(P=0.136)were greater than 0.05.Conclusions:The presence of abandoned leads,the oldest dwell time of lead extracted,and the number of extracted leads>3 are independent risk factors for non-CPS in patients undergoing TLE.The nomogram model based on the above factors has satisfactory predictive ability.