1.Clinical features and molecular mechanism of infantile cholestasis caused by IFT122 gene variants
Jiaqi LI ; Yan LI ; Ruida HE ; Jiayan FENG ; Jianshe WANG
Chinese Journal of Pediatrics 2026;64(1):99-105
Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics of infantile cholestasis caused by IFT122 gene variants and the molecular mechanism underlying its impact on primary cilia.Methods:The clinical data of an infant with cholestasis from the Children′s Hospital of Fudan University in September 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The whole-exome sequencing was performed to identify candidate variants, which were validated by Sanger sequencing in the family. Immortalized cell lines were generated using lentiviral infection, followed by immunofluorescence staining to assess the impact of the variants on primary cilia. Intergroup comparisons were performed using the independent sample t-test and Mann-Whitney U test .Results:The proband was a 4-month-old male infant presenting with jaundice, distinctive facial features, and sagittal craniosynostosis. Blood biochemistry indicated elevated direct bilirubin, total bile acids, and transaminases, with markedly increased γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT). Liver pathology demonstrated giant cell hepatitis with cholestasis and bile duct dysplasia. Genetic analysis identified compound heterozygous variants in IFT122 (NM_052989.3) gene c.88G>C (p.Ala30Pro) and c.240G>C (p.Trp80Cys), which co-segregated with the disease in the family. Immunofluorescence analysis demonstrated that the IFT122 gene compound heterozygous missense variants not only significantly reduced the proportion of cilia-positive cells but also led to aberrant ciliary localization of ADP-ribosylation factor-like protein 13B (ARL13B).In addition, ciliary deposition with phosphatidylinositol polyphosphate 5-phosphatase type Ⅳ (INPP5E) was reduced. All differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). Conclusion:The compound heterozygous missense variants in IFT122 gene not only impair ciliogenesis but also disrupt the ciliary localization of ARL13B and INPP5E, ultimately resulting in high-GGT infantile cholestasis.
2.Establishment and Multidimensional Pathological Evaluations of a Cigarette Smoke Exposure-Induced Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Mouse Model
Jiaqi HE ; Yuanyuan ZHOU ; Yongqiang NIE ; Zhaoxia WANG ; Wangjie XU
Laboratory Animal and Comparative Medicine 2026;46(1):11-19
ObjectiveTo establish a reliable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) mouse model based on a self-developed multichannel automatic control system for long-term continuous cigarette smoke exposure in small animals using a novel continuous cigarette smoke exposure method, and to conduct phenotypic evaluation and analysis, thereby providing an animal experimental basis for investigating COPD pathogenesis and prevention strategies. MethodsTwenty male C57BL/6J mice aged 6 weeks were randomly and equally divided into a control group and a model group. The model group (n=10) underwent 6 h of continuous cigarette smoke exposure daily (6 cigarettes per day for 12 consecutive weeks), while the control group (n=10) received no intervention. Body weight was monitored biweekly. Post-exposure, in vivo micro-CT imaging was performed. After euthanasia, serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were quantified by ELISA. Lung tissues underwent H&E and Masson's trichrome staining to observe changes in lung morphology and inflammatory cell infiltration, and the mean linear intercept (MLI) was calculated, thereby comprehensively evaluating the clinical features of COPD in the mouse model. ResultsCompared with the control group, the model group showed significantly reduced body weight (P<0.01) from the fourth week. Compared with the control group, IL-6 level in the serum and BALF of the model group increased by 27.2% and 140.0%, respectively (P<0.01). TNF-α level in the serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid of the model group increased by 16.7% (P<0.01) and 19.3% (P<0.05), respectively. Histopathological examination revealed alveolar wall thinning, septal rupture, emphysematous bullae formation, reduced alveolar count, bronchial wall thickening with lumen narrowing, and inflammatory cell infiltration. MLI was significantly elevated (P<0.01). Masson's staining confirmed collagen deposition and bronchial remodeling. Micro-CT demonstrated localized high-density shadows exhibiting typical features of chronic bronchitis. Conclusion The self-developed device enables long-term continuous smoke exposure, and the successfully established COPD mouse model exhibits pathological features highly consistent with clinical manifestations, offering an efficient and reliable tool for COPD research.
3.Clinical features and molecular mechanism of infantile cholestasis caused by IFT122 gene variants
Jiaqi LI ; Yan LI ; Ruida HE ; Jiayan FENG ; Jianshe WANG
Chinese Journal of Pediatrics 2026;64(1):99-105
Objective:To investigate the clinical characteristics of infantile cholestasis caused by IFT122 gene variants and the molecular mechanism underlying its impact on primary cilia.Methods:The clinical data of an infant with cholestasis from the Children′s Hospital of Fudan University in September 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. The whole-exome sequencing was performed to identify candidate variants, which were validated by Sanger sequencing in the family. Immortalized cell lines were generated using lentiviral infection, followed by immunofluorescence staining to assess the impact of the variants on primary cilia. Intergroup comparisons were performed using the independent sample t-test and Mann-Whitney U test .Results:The proband was a 4-month-old male infant presenting with jaundice, distinctive facial features, and sagittal craniosynostosis. Blood biochemistry indicated elevated direct bilirubin, total bile acids, and transaminases, with markedly increased γ-glutamyltransferase (GGT). Liver pathology demonstrated giant cell hepatitis with cholestasis and bile duct dysplasia. Genetic analysis identified compound heterozygous variants in IFT122 (NM_052989.3) gene c.88G>C (p.Ala30Pro) and c.240G>C (p.Trp80Cys), which co-segregated with the disease in the family. Immunofluorescence analysis demonstrated that the IFT122 gene compound heterozygous missense variants not only significantly reduced the proportion of cilia-positive cells but also led to aberrant ciliary localization of ADP-ribosylation factor-like protein 13B (ARL13B).In addition, ciliary deposition with phosphatidylinositol polyphosphate 5-phosphatase type Ⅳ (INPP5E) was reduced. All differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). Conclusion:The compound heterozygous missense variants in IFT122 gene not only impair ciliogenesis but also disrupt the ciliary localization of ARL13B and INPP5E, ultimately resulting in high-GGT infantile cholestasis.
4.Surveillance of Oncomelania hupensis snails following interruption of schistosomiasis transmission in Yunnan Province
Siqi NING ; Yi DONG ; Chunhong DU ; Lifang WANG ; Yun ZHANG ; Yuhe HE ; Hua JIANG ; Jiayu SUN ; Chunqiong CHEN ; Jiaqi YAN ; Jihua ZHOU ; Zongya ZHANG ; Hongqiong WANG ; Meifen SHEN ; Jing SONG
Chinese Journal of Schistosomiasis Control 2026;38(2):200-206
Objective To investigate the distribution characteristics of Oncomelania hupensis snails in Yunnan Province fol-lowing interruption of schistosomiasis transmission, so as to provide the evidence for assessing the risk of schistosomiasis transmission and scientifically formulating the schistosomiasis surveillance program. Methods According to the requirements of the National Schistosomiasis Surveillance Scheme (2020 Edition), O. hupensis snail surveillance data were collected from 18 schistosomiasis-endemic counties (cities, districts) in Yunnan Province from 2020 to 2024, including area of snail survey, area of snail habitats, area of re-emerging snail habitats, number of frames surveyed, number of frames with O. hupensis snails, number of O. hupensis snails captured, and number of living snails, and the occurrence of frames with snails and mean density of living snails were calculated. Changes in snail status over the 5-year period from 2020 to 2024 and the differences in snail distributions specified by epidemic intensity, environmental type, and vegetation type were analyzed. Results The areas of snail survey increased from 1 727.96 hm2 in 2020 to 3 894.45 hm2 in 2024 (peak) across 18 schistosomiasis-endemic counties (cities, districts) in Yunnan Province during the period from 2020 through 2024. The areas of snail habitats increased from 70.36 hm2 in 2020 to a peak in 2023 (172.04 hm2), followed by a reduction to 132.36 hm2 in 2024, and the areas of re-emerging snail habitats increased from 42.71 hm2 in 2020 to a peak in 2022 (78.43 hm2), followed by a reduction to 40.21 hm2 in 2024. The occurrence of frames with snails and mean density of living snails increased from 1.24% (3 025/244 404) and (0.033 2 ± 0.038 7) snails/0.1 m2 in 2020 to peaks at 2.03% (6 231/307 563) and (0.066 9 ± 0.068 4) snails/0.1 m2 in 2023, followed by reductions to 1.04% (5 829/559 941) and (0.032 6 ± 0.057 7) snails/0.1 m2 in 2024, respectively. There was a significant difference in the occurrence of frames with snails over the 5-year study period (χ2 = 1 962.95, P < 0.05), and the occurrence of frames with snails reduced by 48.71% in 2024 relative to in 2023 (χ2 = 1 411.05, P < 0.005); however, there was no significant difference in the mean density of living snails over the 5 years (H = 5.310, P > 0.05). There were significant differences in the occurrence of frames with snails (χ2 = 481.27, P < 0.05) and mean density of living snails (H = 6.872, P < 0.05) in schistosomiasis-endemic areas with different epidemic intensities. The occurrence of frames with snails (χ2 = 25.32 and 38.70, both P values < 0.017) and mean density of living snails (Z = 28.55 and 49.96, both P values < 0.017) were higher in schistosomiasis transmission-interrupted and eliminated areas with snails than in schistosomiasis-eliminated areas without snails, and the occurrence of frames with snails (χ2 = 453.54, P < 0.017) and mean density of living snails (Z = −56.97, P < 0.017) were higher in schistosomiasis-eliminated areas with snails than in schistosomiasis transmission-interrupted areas with snails. O. hupensis snails were mainly distributed in paddy fields, dry farmlands and ditches; however, the occurrence of frames with snails (13.40%, 424/3 164) and mean density of living snails [(0.252 8 ± 0.158 7) snails/0.1 m2] were higher in ponds/weirs than in other types of environments (both P values < 0.05). Rice, dry farmland crops and weeds were main vegetations in which O. hupensis snails were distributed, and the occurrence of frames with snails (2.29%, 7 111/310 140) and mean density of living snails [(0.072 3 ± 0.018 9) snails/0.1 m2] were higher in weeds than in other types of environments (both P values < 0.05). Conclusions O. hupensis snails have been effectively controlled in Yunnan Province following implementation of integrated schistosomiasis control measures; however, there are still risk factors for schistosomiasis transmission, including reduced attention to schistosomiasis control and snail re-emergence. Improved control efforts and surveillance system construction and timely identification of risk factors of snail status and timely management are recommended to ensure the achievement of the target of schistosomiasis elimination as scheduled.
5.Targeting ER lipid raft-associated 1 reveals a coordinated cholesterol-dependent vulnerability in hepatocellular carcinoma
Yiming ZHANG ; Yushan HOU ; Xinxin WANG ; Kaikun XU ; Pei JIANG ; Siqi WANG ; Huimin KANG ; Hu ZHANG ; Jingzhuo JIN ; Xiaofen HUANG ; Zifeng LIU ; Songpeng YANG ; Jiaqi LIU ; Lingqiang ZHANG ; Fuchu HE ; Chunyan TIAN ; Aihua SUN
Clinical and Molecular Hepatology 2026;32(2):866-883
Background/Aims:
Dysregulated cholesterol metabolism is a hallmark of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) that drives tumor initiation and progression. However, clinical targeting of cholesterol metabolism has yielded limited benefits due to stringent feedback in tumor cells. Identifying a central mediator capable of restoring cholesterol homeostasis within the cell’s intrinsically fine-tuned regulatory framework is urgently needed.
Methods:
We integrated a proteomic dataset from patients with cholesterol-dysregulated HCC into a global cholesterol metabolic regulatory network to identify potential therapeutic targets for disrupted cholesterol homeostasis. The prognostic significance of the candidate targets was further validated in an independent cohort through immunohistochemistry. Functional and mechanistic studies were conducted in vitro using HCC cell lines and in vivo using mouse models. The pharmacological efficacy of the candidate agent was evaluated in both subcutaneous and orthotopic HCC mouse models.
Results:
ER lipid raft-associated 1 (ERLIN1), a pivotal regulator of cholesterol metabolism reprogramming, was identified as an independent favorable prognostic indicator in HCC. ERLIN1 constrains HCC progression both in vitro and in vivo by stabilizing the INSIG1–SCAP–SREBP2 axis and maintaining the metabolic balance of intracellular cholesterol. Under hypoxia, impaired factor-inhibiting hypoxia-1-dependent hydroxylation of ASB11 at asparagine residues 90 and 92 enhances ASB11-mediated ERLIN1 degradation. Pharmacological targeting of this axis using zoledronic acid (ZoA) attenuated HCC progression by weakening the ASB11–ERLIN1 interaction and restoring cholesterol homeostasis.
Conclusions
ERLIN1 represents a druggable metabolic vulnerability in cholesterol-dysregulated HCC. Targeting the ASB11–ERLIN1 axis with the clinically approved ZoA reestablishes cholesterol homeostasis and offers a promising therapeutic strategy to overcome the current limitations of cholesterol-targeted HCC therapies.
6.Expert consensus on integrated diagnosis and treatment techniques for oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma
Wei SHANG ; Haoyue XU ; Zongxuan HE ; Xiaoying LI ; Haijun LU ; Xiaohong ZHAN ; Dapeng HAO ; Yan SUN ; Wei GUO ; Zhangui TANG ; Guoxin REN ; Zhijun SUN ; Jian MENG ; Jie ZHANG ; Jichen LI ; Yue HE ; Chunjie LI ; Jianhua WEI ; Lizheng QIN ; Yaowu YANG ; Qing XI ; Wei WU ; Kai YANG ; Bing HAN ; Lingxue BU ; Shuangyi WANG ; Kai SONG ; Jiaqi ZHU ; Hongyu HAN ; Yu KONG ; Jieying LI ; Man HU ; Mingjin XU ; Moyi SUN
Journal of Practical Stomatology 2025;41(6):725-736
In recent decades,the incidence of human papillomavirus(HPV)-associated oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma(OPSCC)has shown a marked increase.Significant changes have also occurred in the OPSCC diagnosis and treatment paradigm.Deter-mining HPV status prior to treatment is now essential,and radiotherapy/chemotherapy,immunotherapy,and minimally invasive surgical techniques have progressively emerged as key modalities for managing OPSCC.However,alongside these paradigm shifts,a comprehen-sive technical consensus guiding the entire diagnostic and therapeutic process for OPSCC patients is currently lacking.Given China's large population base and the rising incidence of OPSCC,an expert panel convened to develop a clinical technical consensus on OPSCC diagno-sis and management tailored to China's specific context.This consensus aims to further enhance and standardize understanding of OPSCC management techniques among relevant healthcare professionals.
7.Application research of electrochemical advanced oxidation technology in tooth bleaching
Wenjie FAN ; Jiaqi ZHANG ; Jiaqi ZHAN ; Hanni FU ; Xianzhe HE ; Lin XU ; Xilu HUANG ; Li HU
Journal of Practical Stomatology 2025;41(6):756-762
Objective:To study the efficiency and biosafety of Electrochemical advanced oxidation processes(EAOP)in dental bleaching,and conduct preliminary application.Methods:Indigo carmine and coffee were used as the indicator to assess the effi-cacy of EAOP.High resistance meter was used to measure the resistance of the tooth to verify the safety of the working voltage.Twenty wisdom teeth after tooth extraction were collected,dyed and bleached in vitro to verify the bleaching efficiency.Subsequent-ly,the bleached teeth were examined by scanning electron microscopy,hardness testing,and bacterial adhesion experiments to as-sess surface damage.To determine its cytotoxicity,cells were co-cultured with electrolyte.Initial samples of bleaching tray was prepared,and its durability were verified.Results:The EAOP could bleach indigo carmine within 10 min and coffee within 90 min at an operating voltage of 8 V.The resistance at the groove of the tooth socket was(3.4±1.2)MΩ,and the theoretical calculated current was less than 3 μA.The efficiency of EAOP tooth bleaching was slightly lower than that of traditional office bleaching and higher than that of home bleaching.Compared with the traditional bleaching method,scanning electron microscopy showed that EAOP had less demineralization effect on tooth surface.The tooth hardness before and after bleaching had no statistical difference(P=0.912).The bacterial adhesion test after tooth bleaching showed that EAOP method could reduce about 60%bacterial adhe-sion(P<0.001).The cytotoxicity test showed that EAOP electrolyte had no obvious toxic effect.The durability test shows that the bleached denture still has good bleaching effect after 20 h of use.Conclusion:Compared with the traditional bleaching method,EAOP bleaching had excellent tooth bleaching effect,little effect on tooth damage,high safety,and the related bleaching devices had good durability.
8.Effects of forward moving pelvic floor exercise program in urinary incontinence management among patients undergoing radical prostatectomy
Hang WANG ; Min LI ; Yunfang LI ; Jiaqi PAN ; Yaxin PANG ; Jiangting HE
Chinese Journal of Modern Nursing 2025;31(35):4828-4833
Objective:To explore the effect of the forward moving pelvic floor exercise program in urinary incontinence management among patients undergoing radical prostatectomy.Methods:From June 2022 to January 2024, 150 patients undergoing radical prostatectomy of the Urology Surgery Department, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University were selected using convenience sampling. Patients were randomly divided into an observation group and a control group, with 75 cases in each group. Control group received conventional perioperative management for prostate cancer, while observation group implemented a forward moving pelvic floor exercise program in addition to conventional management. The incidence of urinary incontinence, urinary control capabilities before and after intervention (including maximum urinary flow rate, average urinary flow rate, voided urine volume, and residual urine volume), and quality of life scores [evaluated using the Chinese version of the Incontinence Quality of Life Questionnaire (I-QOL) ] were compared between two groups of patients.Results:The incidence of urinary incontinence of observation group was lower than that of control group. Furthermore, patients with urinary incontinence in observation group exhibited significantly lower urine leakage volume and fewer episodes of urinary incontinence over 24 hours at one month postoperatively compared to control group, with statistically significant differences ( P<0.05). There were no statistically significant differences in maximum urinary flow rate, average urinary flow rate, voided urine volume, or residual urine volume between the two groups before intervention ( P>0.05). Following intervention, both groups demonstrated increased maximum urinary flow rate, average urinary flow rate, and voided urine volume compared to baseline, with observation group exhibiting higher values than control group ( P<0.05), and residual urine volume of both groups decreased compared to baseline, with observation group showing lower values than control group, these differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). The difference in I-QOL scores between the two groups before intervention was not statistically significant ( P>0.05). Following intervention, I-QOL scores decreased in both groups, but observation group had higher score than control group, and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05) . Conclusions:The forward moving pelvic floor exercise program effectively reduces the incidence of urinary incontinence in patients undergoing radical prostatectomy, alleviates the severity of incontinence, and improves both urodynamic outcomes and quality of life.
9.Effect of different doses of 3,3'-iminodipropionitrile in Tourette syndrome mice
Jiaqi QIAO ; Qiuwen HE ; Wenyi ZHANG
Acta Laboratorium Animalis Scientia Sinica 2025;33(7):980-989
Objective To investigate the effects of different doses of 3,3'-iminodipropionitrile(IDPN)in mice with Tourette syndrome(TS)to optimize the dosage and establish a stable TS model.Methods Thirty-two male C57BL/6J mice were divided randomly into a control group and a model group.The model group was further subdivided and administered low-dose(300 mg/kg),medium-dose(350 mg/kg),and high-dose(400 mg/kg)IDPN,respectively,while the control group received an equal volume of saline by intraperitoneal injection for 7 days.Modeling effectiveness was assessed on days 0 and 7 using stereotypy scoring,the number of head and body twitches,and open-field testing.Dopamine and tumor necrosis factor(TNF-α)levels in serum and brain tissue were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The morphology of striatum and hippocampus tissues were observed by hematoxylin/eosin(HE)staining.Results The stereotypy scores indicated successful modeling of TS in the medium-and high-dose groups.Significant behavioral changes in the open-field test were only detected in the high-dose IDPN group(P<0.05).Serum dopamine levels were significantly increased(P<0.05)in the model group,and TNF-α levels were significantly elevated in the medium-and high-dose groups(P<0.05),but there was no significant difference in brain-tissue levels(P>0.05).HE staining showed that the neurons and glial cells in the striatum and hippocampus were morphologically normal in the control group,but there were some neurodegenerative changes and a few swollen neuronal cell bodies in the striatum and hippocampus in the model group,and obvious lymphocyte infiltration in the striatum and hippocampus in the high-dose group.Conclusions Through systematic comparison of varying IDPN dosages in establishing a TS model,this study identified 400 mg/kg as the optimal dosage for effective model induction.These findings provide data to support dose optimization in the TS model and offer valuable references for ensuring the smooth progress of early-stage experiments,which could aid the evaluation of the therapeutic effects of subsequent drug interventions.
10.Effect of different doses of 3,3'-iminodipropionitrile in Tourette syndrome mice
Jiaqi QIAO ; Qiuwen HE ; Wenyi ZHANG
Acta Laboratorium Animalis Scientia Sinica 2025;33(7):980-989
Objective To investigate the effects of different doses of 3,3'-iminodipropionitrile(IDPN)in mice with Tourette syndrome(TS)to optimize the dosage and establish a stable TS model.Methods Thirty-two male C57BL/6J mice were divided randomly into a control group and a model group.The model group was further subdivided and administered low-dose(300 mg/kg),medium-dose(350 mg/kg),and high-dose(400 mg/kg)IDPN,respectively,while the control group received an equal volume of saline by intraperitoneal injection for 7 days.Modeling effectiveness was assessed on days 0 and 7 using stereotypy scoring,the number of head and body twitches,and open-field testing.Dopamine and tumor necrosis factor(TNF-α)levels in serum and brain tissue were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The morphology of striatum and hippocampus tissues were observed by hematoxylin/eosin(HE)staining.Results The stereotypy scores indicated successful modeling of TS in the medium-and high-dose groups.Significant behavioral changes in the open-field test were only detected in the high-dose IDPN group(P<0.05).Serum dopamine levels were significantly increased(P<0.05)in the model group,and TNF-α levels were significantly elevated in the medium-and high-dose groups(P<0.05),but there was no significant difference in brain-tissue levels(P>0.05).HE staining showed that the neurons and glial cells in the striatum and hippocampus were morphologically normal in the control group,but there were some neurodegenerative changes and a few swollen neuronal cell bodies in the striatum and hippocampus in the model group,and obvious lymphocyte infiltration in the striatum and hippocampus in the high-dose group.Conclusions Through systematic comparison of varying IDPN dosages in establishing a TS model,this study identified 400 mg/kg as the optimal dosage for effective model induction.These findings provide data to support dose optimization in the TS model and offer valuable references for ensuring the smooth progress of early-stage experiments,which could aid the evaluation of the therapeutic effects of subsequent drug interventions.

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