Periodontal bone defects, primarily caused by periodontitis, are highly prevalent in clinical settings and manifest as bone fenestration, dehiscence, or attachment loss, presenting a significant challenge to oral health. In regenerative medicine, harnessing developmental principles for tissue repair offers promising therapeutic potential. Of particular interest is the condensation of progenitor cells, an essential event in organogenesis that has inspired clinically effective cell aggregation approaches in dental regeneration. However, the precise cellular coordination mechanisms during condensation and regeneration remain elusive. Here, taking the tooth as a model organ, we employed single-cell RNA sequencing to dissect the cellular composition and heterogeneity of human dental follicle and dental papilla, revealing a distinct Platelet-derived growth factor receptor alpha (PDGFRA) mesenchymal stem/stromal cell (MSC) population with remarkable odontogenic potential. Interestingly, a reciprocal paracrine interaction between PDGFRA⁺ dental follicle stem cells (DFSCs) and CD31⁺ Endomucin⁺ endothelial cells (ECs) was mediated by Vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA) and Platelet-derived growth factor subunit BB (PDGFBB). This crosstalk not only maintains the functionality of PDGFRA⁺ DFSCs but also drives specialized angiogenesis. In vivo periodontal bone regeneration experiments further reveal that communication between PDGFRA⁺ DFSC aggregates and recipient ECs is essential for effective angiogenic-osteogenic coupling and rapid tissue repair. Collectively, our results unravel the importance of MSC-EC crosstalk mediated by the VEGFA and PDGFBB-PDGFRA reciprocal signaling in orchestrating angiogenesis and osteogenesis. These findings not only establish a framework for deciphering and promoting periodontal bone regeneration in potential clinical applications but also offer insights for future therapeutic strategies in dental or broader regenerative medicine.
Receptor, Platelet-Derived Growth Factor alpha/metabolism* ; Humans ; Neovascularization, Physiologic/physiology* ; Dental Sac/cytology* ; Single-Cell Analysis ; Transcriptome ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells/metabolism* ; Bone Regeneration ; Animals ; Dental Papilla/cytology* ; Periodontium/physiology* ; Stem Cells/metabolism* ; Regeneration ; Angiogenesis

Mesangial cell proliferation is an early pathological indicator of diabetic nephropathy (DN). Growing evidence highlights the pivotal role of paired-related homeobox 1 (Prrx1), a key regulator of cellular proliferation and tissue differentiation, in various disease pathogenesis. Notably, Prrx1 is highly expressed in mesangial cells under DN conditions. Both in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that Prrx1 overexpression promotes mesangial cell proliferation and contributes to renal fibrosis in db/m mice. Conversely, Prrx1 knockdown markedly suppresses hyperglycemia-induced mesangial cell proliferation and mitigates renal fibrosis in db/db mice. Mechanistically, Prrx1 directly interacts with the Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP) promoter, leading to the upregulation of YAP expression. This upregulation promotes mesangial cell proliferation and exacerbates renal fibrosis. These findings emphasize the crucial role of Prrx1 upregulation in high glucose-induced mesangial cell proliferation, ultimately leading to renal fibrosis in DN. Therefore, targeting Prrx1 to downregulate its expression presents a promising therapeutic strategy for treating renal fibrosis associated with DN.

Background During pregnancy, negative emotions such as anxiety and depression may induce cortisol disruption. Cortisol can be transmitted to the fetus through the placental barrier, thereby affecting the neurodevelopment of the offspring. Objective To investigate the relationship between placental cortisol, maternal depression during pregnancy, and neurodevelopment of 3-month-old infants. Methods From September 2022 to September 2023, 171 pregnant women ordered routine prenatal checks at the obstetrics outpatient department of a tertiary hospital in Ningxia were selected using a prospective cohort design. After providing informed consent, these women participated in a questionnaire survey that covered general individual characteristics, prenatal depression, and sleep quality. At birth, placental samples were collected to measure cortisol levels using ELISA kits. Follow-up assessments on the neurodevelopmental of 3-month-old infants were conducted using the Warning Sign for Children Mental and Behavioral Development. LASSO regression analysis was conducted to screen the influencing factors of depression during pregnancy. Huber regression analysis was then applied to assess potential linear relationship between depression during pregnancy and placental cortisol levels. Log-binomial regression was used to analyze the linear relationships between cortisol levels and neurodevelopmental delay in 3-month-old infants. Additionally, a mediation effect model was fitted using R 4.3.3 to assess possible mediating role of cortisol in the association between prenatal depression and neurodevelopmental delay in 3-month-old infants. Results The positive rate of prenatal depression was 33.33%. Nine factors affecting prenatal depression were identified by LASSO regression, including rural residence, high school education or above, extroverted personality characteristics, moderate early pregnancy reactions, baby sex expectation, prenatal anxiety, family dysfunction, exposure to stressful life events during pregnancy, and moderate prenatal sleep quality. The Huber regression model showed a positive linear correlation between prenatal depression and placental cortisol (P<0.05). With or without controlling confounding factors, the results of log-binomial regression modeling showed that cortisol levels were associated with a reduced risk of neurodevelopmental delay in 3-month-old infants (crude model: RR=0.988, 95%CI: 0.9768, 0.9996, P＜0.05; adjusted model: RR=0.988, 95%CI: 0.9764, 0.9993, P＜0.05). A mediating effect of placental cortisol between prenatal depression and the risk of neurodevelopmental delay in 3-month-old offspring was found statistically significant (P=0.045), accounting for 67.0% of the total effect. Conclusion Prenatal depression is associated with elevated placental cortisol levels, and higher cortisol levels are found to be related to a lower risk of neurodevelopmental delay in infants. Placental cortisol mediates the relationship between prenatal depression and infant neurodevelopment.

Objective To investigate the effect of secondary preventive scheme on recurrence rate of ce-rebrovascular event based on China ischemic stroke subclassification(CISS)of intracranial arterial stenosis is-chemic stroke(IS).Methods A total of 192 patients with intracranial arterial stenosis IS were prospectively included and the secondary preventive scheme was formulated according to whether or not based on the patho-genesis.Then the patients were divided into the personalized treatment group and conventional treatment group.The personalized group conducted the classification and was given different the secondary preventive schemes the artery-artery embolism group was given the active lipid-lowering scheme to make the low density lipoprotein(LDL)reaching the standard;the low hypoperfusion group was given the smooth pressure reduc-tion program;the carrier artery occlusion perforating artery group was given the routine secondary prevention program;the mixture mechanism group was given the corresponding schemes superposition according to dif-ferent mechanisms].The conventional treatment group was given the conventional secondary preventive scheme.The difference in the recurrence rate of cerebrovascular events on 90 d was compared between the two groups.Meanwhile the univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to analyze the influencing fac-tors of recurrence of cerebrovascular events on 90 d in intracranial arterial stenosis IS.Results Among 192 study subjects,there were 90 cases in the personalized treatment group(20 cases of vector artery occlusion and perforator artery,44 cases of arterial-arterial embolization,6 cases of hypoperfusion and 20 cases of mixed mechanism).There were 102 cases in the conventional treatment group(16 cases of perforator artery occlu-sion of the vector artery,52 cases of arterial-arterial embolism,8 cases of hypoperfusion and 26 cases of mixed mechanism).The occurrence rate of cerebrovascular events on 90 d in the personalized treatment group was significantly decreased compared to the conventional treatment group(7.8%vs.17.6%,χ2=4.112,P=0.043).The Logistic regression analysis revealed that the active lipid-lowering scheme for LDL reaching the standard was the independent protective factor of the cerebrovascular event recurrence on 90 d(OR=0.128,95%CI:1.150-71.170).Conclusion The personalized secondary prevention scheme based on pathogenesis reduces the recurrence rate of cerebrovascular event in intracranial arterial stenosis IS,in which making the LDL reaching the standard by the active lipid-lowering scheme is the independent protective factor for cerebro-vascular event recurrence in intracranial arterial stenosis IS.

Objective To investigate the clinical efficacy of Shangke Huangshui medicated gauze in the treatment of small-area deep second-degree burn wounds with fire-heat injuring fluid type.Methods Sixty patients who were diagnosed as small-area deep second-degree burn wounds of fire-heat injuring fluid type in Foshan Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 2024 to July 2024,were selected as the research objects.The patients were randomly divided into trial group and control group by random number table method,with 30 cases in each group.The trial group was treated with external application of Shangke Huangshui medicated gauze,and the control group was treated with external application of Silver Sulfadiazine Cream.The treatment lasted for 21 days,and then the patients were followed up for 7 days.The changes of Visual Analogue Scale(VAS)score of wound pain,and serum levels of C-reactive protein(CRP),interleukin-6(IL-6)and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)in the two groups were observed before and after treatment.The wound healing rate,wound healing time,bacterial infection of the wound,and adverse reactions were compared between the two groups.Results(1)During the treatment,there was no fell-off case in the trial group while there was one patient falling off from the control group.Eventually,a total of 59 patients were included in the statistical analysis,including 30 in the trial group and 29 in the control group.(2)On day 14 and 21 of treatment,the wound healing rates of the two groups were significantly higher than those on day 7 of treatment(P＜0.05),and wound healing rates in the trial group on the day 14 and 21 of treatment were significantly superior to those of the control group(P＜0.05).(3)The time for the complete healing of wound in the trial group was(22.07±2.30)days,which was significantly shorter than that of the control group[(27.07±4.10)days],and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).(4)After 7,14 and 21 days of treatment,the VAS scores of wound pain in the two groups were lowered compared with those before treatment(P＜0.05),and the VAS scores in the trial group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P＜0.05).(5)On day 7 of treatment,the levels of serum CRP,IL-6 and TNF-α in the two groups were lowered compared with those before treatment(P＜0.05),and the levels in the trial group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P＜0.05).(6)On day 7 of treatment,the positive rate of bacterial culture for wound discharge in the trial group was 6.67%(2/30),which was significantly lower than 27.59%(8/29)in the control group,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).(7)There were no serious adverse events or adverse reactions occurring in the two groups during the trial.Conclusion Shangke Huangshui medicated gauze can accelerate the healing of burn wounds,shorten the wound healing time,reduce the wound infection rate and the level of serum inflammatory factors,and has fewer adverse reactions with high safety.

Objective To investigate the direct stimulatory effects of calprotectin S100A8/A9 on hepatic stellate cells(HSCs)and underlying regulatory mechanisms.Methods Primary HSCs of mice were stimulated with S100A8/A9 heterodimer recombinant protein at 200 and 1000 ng/mL.Data on quantitative proteomics was obtained using the tandem mass tag(TMT)-labeled method before changes in the protein level of HSCs were analyzed.Differentially expressed proteins(DEPs)were screened using Significance B method and P＜0.05,followed by Reactome pathway enrichment analysis.Furthermore,protein-protein interactions between the DEPs enriched in the pathways were analyzed using the STRING database.Results The protein expression profile of HSCs was significantly altered after treatment with S100A8/A9 at 1000 ng/mL.Reactome pathway enrichment analysis revealed significant enrichment in such pathways as transforming growth factor-beta(TGF-β)signaling,nuclear factor kappa-B(NF-κB)signaling activation,cytokine-mediated immune regulation,and collagen biosynthesis.The analysis of protein-protein interactions identified NF-kappa-B transcription factor subunit(RELB),chemokine(C-X-C motif)ligand 10(CXCL10)and Notch receptor 1(NOTCH1)as key hub proteins in the regulatory network.Conclusion S100A8/A9 can directly stimulate the activation of HSCs,through NF-κB signaling,TGF-β signaling,and Notch signaling pathways potentially.This study sheds light on the mechanisms underlying the activation of HSCs stimulated by S100A8/A9.

OBJECTIVE To identify, synthesize and analyze the structure of unknown impurities unique to bromhexine hydrochloride injection and set the impurities as known impurity to control. METHODS The structure of unknown impurities was derived through two-dimensional liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry(2DLC-HRMS/MS), and the source of impurities was derived based on the product's prescription process. The mechanism of impurities generation was analyzed, and impurity monomers were obtained through directional synthesis. The structure of impurities was confirmed using techniques such as 2DLC-HRMS/MS and nuclear magnetic resonance. Finally, HPLC was used to verify the analysis method of impurities. RESULTS It was confirmed that such impurities were produced in a reaction between bromhexine and the excipient glucose. The correction factor of the two impurities were 2.2 and 2.4, the analytical method was specific and reproducible. CONCLUSION Name the two injection specific impurities as impurity 1 and impurity 2 respectively, and use them as known impurities to be included in the standard, calculate the impurity content using the self control and correction factor method. This study is of great significance in guiding the impurity control of bromhexine hydrochloride injection and the screening of excipient glucose.

The occurrence of benign prostate hyperplasia(BPH)was related to disrupted sex steroid hormones,and metformin(Met)had a clinical response to sex steroid hormone-related gynaecological disease.How-ever,whether Met exerts an antiproliferative effect on BPH via sex steroid hormones remains unclear.Here,our clinical study showed that along with prostatic epithelial cell(PEC)proliferation,sex steroid hormones were dysregulated in the serum and prostate of BPH patients.As the major contributor to dysregulated sex steroid hormones,elevated dihydrotestosterone(DHT)had a significant positive rela-tionship with the clinical characteristics of BPH patients.Activation of adenosine 5'-monophosphate(AMP)-activated protein kinase(AMPK)by Met restored dysregulated sex steroid hormone homeostasis and exerted antiproliferative effects against DHT-induced proliferation by inhibiting the formation of androgen receptor(AR)-mediated Yes-associated protein(YAP1)-TEA domain transcription factor(TEAD4)heterodimers.Met's anti-proliferative effects were blocked by AMPK inhibitor or YAP1 over-expression in DHT-cultured BPH-1 cells.Our findings indicated that Met would be a promising clinical therapeutic approach for BPH by inhibiting dysregulated steroid hormone-induced PEC proliferation.

Objective To optimize the immune scheme of SARS-CoV-2 RBD recombinant protein vaccine based on P.pastoris,and investigate the effect of different adjuvants on neutralizating antibody(NAb)titer,in order to provide reference for the continuous optimization research of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine.Methods The RBD protein was selected and the corresponding gene fragment was synthesized,which was constructed into the pPICZαA plasmid,and the plasmid was integrated into the genome of P.pastoris after linear transforma-tion for recombinant expression.The obtained recombinant protein vaccine was combined with different adju-vants to immunize mice to evaluate its immunogenicity.Results Both the target proteins wtRBD and Delta RBD were able to achieve satisfactory overexpression through the P.pastoris system.Compared with the 42 d interval,the IgG antibody titer at the 28 d interval increased by 1.8 times(44 923 vs.80 507).After 3 doses of immunization at an interval of 28 d,the geometric mean titer of NAb for Delta variant was 2.5 times higher than that at an interval of 42 days(2 191 vs.891).After immunization with Delta RBD recombinant protein vaccine combined with aluminum adjuvant,the NAb geometric mean titer for Delta variants reached 32 255(2 167-88 084).When using 5 μg or 30 μg Delta RBD immunization,the NAb titers of the aluminum adju-vant+CpG adjuvant group were about 10 times higher than those of the aluminum adjuvant group alone.Af-ter the third immunization,there was no significant difference in Delta RBD specific IgG titers between the 5 μg antigen group and the 30 μg antigen group(P＞0.05).Conclusion Both wtRBD and Delta RBD prepared based on P.pastoris could be used as effective antigens,with three doses of vaccine administered at a 28 day in-terval being the most effective.The combined immunization of Delta RBD recombinant protein with aluminum adjuvant+CpG adjuvant could obtain higher titers of NAb to exert immune effects on SARS-CoV-2 and its va-riants,providing some reference for the continuous optimization research of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.

Objective To evaluate the effect of prone ventilation in children with severe pneumonia at high altitude.Methods By convenience sampling method,80 children with severe pneumonia hospitalized in intensive care department of a tertiary A children's hospital in Xining,Qinghai Province from June 2021 to June 2023 were selected as the study subjects,and the regional randomization group method was used to divide into a test group and a control group with 40 cases in each group.On the basis of routine care,the test group received prone ventilation once a day for 6 to 12 h;the control group received supine ventilation.Respiratory mechanical parameters(oxygenation index,oxygen saturation,arterial oxygen partial pressure,arterial CO2 partial pressure),mechanical ventilation duration and safety parameters(incidence of unplanned extubation,stress injury)at 6 h and 12 h of mechanical ventilation were compared.Results There were no shedding cases.The interaction between oxygenation index,blood oxygen saturation and arterial oxygen partial pressure(P＜0.05)in the 2 groups was compared(P＞0.05).The results of simple effect analysis showed that at 6 h,the oxygen saturation and oxygenation index in the test group were higher than those in the control group,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).At 12 h of mechanical ventilation,the oxygenation index,blood oxygen saturation and arterial oxygen partial pressure in the test group were higher than those in the control group,and the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).The time of mechanical ventilation in the test group was102.00(60.00,153.00)h and 126.00(108.00,156.00)h in the control group,and the difference was statistically significant(P=0.013).The incidence of unplanned extubation and pressure injury were compared,and the differences in 2 groups were not significant(P＞0.05).Conclusion Prone ventilation in children with severe pneumonia at high altitude is safe and feasible,which is helpful to improve the respiratory function and shorten the time of mechanical ventilation.