1.Mechanism of action of 2-acylglycerol O-acyltransferase 2 in metabolic associated fatty liver disease and related targeted therapies
Jingjing HE ; Xinyi ZHANG ; Na DING ; Yanan HAO ; Ya ZHENG ; Rui JI
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2026;42(7):1677-1682
Metabolic associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) has become one of the most prevalent chronic liver diseases worldwide, with the core pathological feature of pathological accumulation of triglycerides in hepatocytes, and as a key rate-limiting enzyme for triglyceride synthesis in the liver, 2-acylglycerol O-acyltransferase 2 (DGAT2) plays a central role in this process. Cell and animal model studies have confirmed that inhibition of DGAT2 can effectively alleviate hepatic steatosis and delay disease progression, and subsequent clinical trials have also shown the potential clinical application value in the treatment of MAFLD. This article systematically reviews the mechanism of action of DGAT2 in the development and progression of MAFLD and comprehensively summarizes the therapeutic strategies targeting DGAT2, including the advances in both monotherapy and drug combinations, in order to provide new ideas for individualized treatment of MAFLD patients.
2.miR-27a-3p promotes the proliferation of human hypertrophic scar fibroblasts by regulating mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway
Jun LI ; Jingjing GONG ; Guobin SUN ; Rui GUO ; Yang DING ; Lijuan QIANG ; Xiaoli ZHANG ; Zhanhai FANG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(8):1609-1617
BACKGROUND:Multiple studies have confirmed that mitogen-activated protein kinase(MAPK)signaling pathway is involved in cell proliferation,and microRNA(miR)is involved in the occurrence and development of hypertrophic scars.Therefore,the role of miR-27a-3p and MAPK signaling pathways in pathological scar formation has been further explored. OBJECTIVE:To explore the effect of miR-27a-3p on the proliferation of human hypertrophic scar fibroblasts through the MAPK signaling pathway. METHODS:The primary fibroblasts were isolated and collected from the skin samples.The primary fibroblasts were observed by inverted microscope and verified by immunofluorescence.The relative expression level of miR-27a-3p in tissues was detected by qRT-PCR.The target genes of hsa-miR-27a-3p were predicted using the database,and then the predicted target genes were enriched by gene ontology function analysis and biological pathway enrichment analysis of the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes.There were seven groups:blank control,negative control,miR-27a-3p mimic,miR-27a-3p inhibitor,miR-27a-3p mimic+p38 MAPK inhibitor,miR-27a-3p mimic+extracellular regulated protein kinase inhibitor,miR-27a-3p mimic+c-Jun N-terminal kinase inhibitor.Western blot was used to detect the levels of extracellular regulated protein kinase,c-Jun N-terminal kinase inhibitor.and p38 kinase and their phosphorylation levels.Cell counting kit-8 and EdU were used to detect cell proliferation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Compared with normal skin fibroblasts,hypertrophic scar fibroblasts had stronger proliferative activity(P<0.05)and faster proliferation level(P<0.001).Compared with normal skin,miR-27a-3p was highly expressed in hypertrophic scars(P<0.001).Compared with the negative control group,overexpression of miR-27a-3p could promote cell proliferation activity(P<0.001)and proliferation levels(P<0.001).Compared with the negative control group,knockdown of miR-27a-3p could inhibit the proliferation activity(P<0.05)and proliferation levels(P<0.001).Compared with the negative control group,overexpression of miR-27a-3p promoted the phosphorylated levels of extracellular regulated protein kinase,c-Jun N-terminal kinase,and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase(P<0.05).Compared with the negative control group,knockdown of miR-27a-3p inhibited the phosphorylated levels of extracellular regulated protein kinase,c-Jun N-terminal kinase,and p38 MAPK(P<0.05).Compared with the miR-27a-3p mimic group,specific inhibitors of extracellular regulated protein kinase,c-Jun N-terminal kinase,and p38 MAPK reversed the effects of miR-27a-3p on the proliferative activity(P<0.01)and proliferation level(P<0.001)of fibroblasts.To conclude,these results suggest that miR-27a-3p promotes the proliferation of human hypertrophic scar fibroblasts by activating the MAPK signaling pathway.
3.Geraniin attenuates isoproterenol-induced cardiac hypertrophy by inhibiting inflammation, oxidative stress and cellular apoptosis
Jiaqi DING ; Shenjie ZHANG ; Qi LI ; Boyu XIA ; Jingjing WU ; Xu LU ; Chao HUANG ; Xiaomei YUAN ; Qingsheng YOU
The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology 2025;29(3):307-319
Geraniin, a polyphenol derived from the fruit peel of Nephelium lappaceum L., has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties in the cardiovascular system. The present study explored whether geraniin could protect against an isoproterenol (ISO)-induced cardiac hypertrophy model. Mice in the ISO group received an intraperitoneal injection of ISO (5 mg/kg) once daily for 9 days, and the administration group were injected with ISO after 5 days of treatment with geraniin or spironolactone. Potential therapeutic effects and related mechanisms analysed by anatomical coefficients, histopathology, blood biochemical indices, reverse transcription-PCR and immunoblotting. Geraniin decreased the cardiac pathologic remodeling and myocardial fibrosis induced by ISO, as evidenced by the modifications to anatomical coefficients, as well as the reduction in collagen I/III á1mRNA and protein expression and cross-sectional area in hypertrophic cardiac tissue. In addition, geraniin treatment reduced ISO-induced increase in the mRNA and protein expression levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α, whereas ISO-induced IL-10 showed the opposite behaviour in hypertrophic cardiac tissue.Further analysis showed that geraniin partially reversed the ISO-induced increase in malondialdehyde and nitric oxide, and the ISO-induced decrease in glutathione, superoxide dismutase and glutathione. Furthermore, it suppressed the ISO-induced cellular apoptosis of hypertrophic cardiac tissue, as evidenced by the decrease in Bcell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2)-associated X/caspase-3/caspase-9 expression, increase in Bcl-2 expression, and decrease in TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling-positive cells.These findings suggest that geraniin can attenuate ISO-induced cardiac hypertrophy by inhibiting inflammation, oxidative stress and cellular apoptosis.
4.Analysis of concurrent symptom networks and identification of symptom clusters in kidney transplant recipients
Minghuan ZHONG ; Weiwei CAO ; Jingjing YANG ; Chao LIU ; Shuai TANG ; Li MA ; Bei DING ; Yulin NIU
Journal of Clinical Medicine in Practice 2025;29(20):60-66
Objective To explore the symptom clusters in renal transplant recipients and con-struct a concurrent symptom network to identify core symptoms.Methods A total of 343 patients with followed up after renal transplantation were selected as the study subjects.A general information questionnaire and the Chinese version of the Modified Transplant Symptom Occurrence and Symptom Distress Scale were employed to analyze the occurrence of symptoms in patients.In this study,only symptoms with an incidence rate greater than 20%and Spearman correlation coefficient greater than 0.40 between symptom severity and total score were retained.Exploratory factor analysis was used to extract symptom clusters with a factor loading of ≥0.45 as the criterion.The R language was utilized to construct symptom network,based on which core symptoms and bridge symptoms were identified.Results A total of 5 symptom clusters were extracted in this study:the neuro-gastrointestinal symp-tom cluster,the mood-related symptom cluster,the hormone-related symptom cluster,the energy de-ficiency symptom cluster and the vision-related symptom cluster.The core symptoms were anxiety(rs=1.75),mood swings(rs=1.50)and muscle weakness(rs=1.27).The top three symptoms in terms of bridge strength were muscle weakness(rb=0.87),lack of vitality(rb=0.66)and fa-tigue(rb=0.65).Conclusion Multiple symptoms are presented in patients after renal transplanta-tion.Based on the results of symptom network analysis,clinicians can strengthen the assessment of core symptoms and bridge symptoms to develop precise intervention strategies and improve the effectiveness of symptom management.
5.Study on the temporal expression of growth differentiation factor-15 and its mortality prognostic implications in patients with acute coronary syndrome
Bo PAN ; Weiyi MA ; Meng WANG ; Yanfen CHAI ; Songtao SHOU ; Xianfa LIU ; Yanhong OUYANG ; Jingjing HUANG ; Xinhuan DING ; Maolin XU ; Yawen PENG ; Haiyan ZHU
Chinese Journal of Emergency Medicine 2025;34(8):1098-1105
Objective:To investigate the temporal expression of Growth Differentiation Factor-15 (GDF15) in the serum of patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome (ACS) and explore the clinical significance of GDF15 in protecting cardiomyocytes in ACS.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted on 289 ACS patients admitted to the emergency departments from February to October 2023. Data on gender, age, troponin T (TnT), creatine kinase isoenzyme (CK-MB), GDF15, and B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) within 30 minutes of admission were recorded. Differences in these indicators among different groups were compared. Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to evaluate the diagnostic value of GDF15, TnT, and BNP for ACS. Among the patients, 15 exhibited a temporal expression pattern of GDF15, and their blood samples were re-measured using a GDF15 fluorescent quantitative immunochromatographic assay kit. Fifteen patients without temporal expression were randomly selected as controls, and their samples were also re-measured to exclude detection errors. Fifteen patients with temporal expression were included in the temporal expression group, and 15 without temporal expression were included in the non-temporal expression group. Laboratory indicators such as fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, triglycerides, creatinine, and uric acid were compared between the groups. Additionally, patient age, gender, body mass index (BMI), coronary angiography results, echocardiography, Gensini score, left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and GRACE risk score were recorded to assess their correlation with GDF15 temporal expression. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 27 software, with continuous data expressed as mean ± standard deviation (Mean ± SD) and compared using t-tests and χ2 tests. Results:The overall trend in ACS patients showed a higher proportion of males than females (73.36% vs. 26.64%). The oldest group was the Unstable Angina (UA) group, with a mean age of (63.98 ± 15.19) years, while the youngest group was the non-ACS chest pain group, with a mean age of (54.29 ± 16.39) years. A higher proportion of patients in the UA, ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), and non-ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) groups had a history of smoking. The combination of GDF15 and TnT showed high diagnostic value for ACS, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.843, consistent with previous studies. Among all ACS patients, 15 exhibited a temporal expression pattern of GDF15, where GDF15 levels peaked at 4 hours, gradually decreased, and peaked again at 24 hours. Patients in the temporal expression group had higher LVEF and left ventricular end-systolic diameter compared to the non-temporal expression group. The Gensini score was lower in the temporal expression group, and the GRACE risk score was significantly lower in the temporal expression group (00.7±14.72) compared to the non-temporal expression group (116.1±23.46), with a statistically significant difference ( P = 0.0115). There were no significant differences in general characteristics (age, gender, BMI) or clinical biochemical indicators (fasting blood glucose, glycated hemoglobin, triglycerides, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, creatinine, uric acid) between the temporal and non-temporal expression groups ( P > 0.05). Conclusions:GDF15 demonstrates significant diagnostic and prognostic predictive value in ACS. Patients with temporally dynamic expression of serum GDF15 exhibit milder myocardial injury and a lower probability of mortality. These findings provide novel therapeutic targets and research directions for further exploring the role of GDF15 in ACS management.
6.Efficacy and safety of microwave ablation via different approaches for pulmonary nodules: A retrospective cohort study
Hao ZHANG ; Shenyun SHI ; Xinying LI ; Rujia WANG ; Lijun REN ; Jingjing DING ; Yonglong XIAO ; Min YU
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2025;32(11):1554-1560
Objective To compare the efficacy and safety of computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous versus electromagnetic navigation bronchoscopy (ENB)-guided microwave ablation (MWA) for the treatment of pulmonary nodules. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the data of high-risk pulmonary nodule patients who underwent MWA at the Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital between 2022 and 2023. The pathological diagnosis rate, complications, and progression-free survival (PFS) rate were compared between the CT group and the ENB group. Results There were 61 patients in the CT group, including 30 males and 31 females, with an average age of (67.22±9.13) years. There were 53 patients in the ENB group, including 29 males and 24 females, with an average age of (65.29±13.76) years. The pathological diagnosis rate in the CT group was slightly higher than that in the ENB group (88.52% vs. 71.69%, P=0.03). However, the ENB group exhibited a lower incidence of perioperative complications, including pneumothorax (16.39% vs. 3.77%, P=0.03), hemoptysis (19.67% vs. 5.66%, P=0.05), and pain (22.95% vs. 7.55%, P=0.03). There was no statistically significant difference in PFS rate between the two groups [HR=1.17, 95%CI (0.23, 5.81), P=0.85]. Conclusion Both CT-guided and ENB-guided MWA are effective treatment modalities for high-risk pulmonary nodules.
7.Trends in incidence of notifiable infectious diseases in Nanjing City from 2004 to 2022
ZHOU Qinyi ; MA Tao ; ZHAO Yueyuan ; WANG Hengxue ; WU Xiaoqing ; DING Songning ; SU Jingjing
Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;37(5):476-480
Objective:
To investigate the incidence trend and epidemic characteristics of notifiable infectious diseases in Nanjing City from 2004 to 2022, so as to provide the basis for improving the prevention, control, and monitoring strategies of infectious diseases.
Methods:
Data pertaining to notifiable infectious diseases reported in Nanjing City from 2004 to 2022 were retrieved from the Infectious Disease Surveillance System of Chinese Disease Prevention and Control Information System. Infectious diseases were classified by law and transmission routes. Temporal distribution incidence of notifiable infectious diseases were descriptively analyzed. The trends in incidence of notifiable disease were analyzed using annual percent change (APC) and average annual percent change (AAPC).
Results:
A total of 33 types of notifiable infectious diseases with 505 275 cases were reported in Nanjing City from 2004 to 2022. The average annual reported incidence was 347.45/105, showing a decreasing trend from 2018 to 2022 (APC=-13.499%, P<0.05), and there was no significant trend overall (AAPC=-1.586%, P>0.05). A total of 203 235 cases of 25 types of class A and B notifiable infectious diseases were reported, with an average annual reported incidence of 139.75/100 000, showing an overall decreasing trend (AAPC=-4.954%, P<0.05). Eight types of class C notifiable infectious diseases with 302 042 cases were reported, with an average annual reported incidence of 207.69/100 000. The reported incidence showed an increasing trend from 2004 to 2018 (APC=10.117%, P<0.05), and a decreasing trend from 2018 to 2022 (APC=-27.467%, P<0.05). There was no trend overall (AAPC=-0.360%, P>0.05). The reported incidence of blood-borne and sexually transmitted infectious diseases was the highest in class A and B infectious diseases, with an average annual reported incidence of 69.88/100 000, which was at a high epidemic level throughout the year, except February. The reported incidence of respiratory infectious diseases was 51.30/100 000, with a high reported incidence in April and December. The reported incidence of intestinal infectious diseases was the highest (178.06/100 000) in class C infectious diseases, with a high reported incidence in June and November.
Conclusions
The reported incidence of notifiable infectious diseases in Nanjing City was generally stable from 2004 to 2022. The peak incidence of respiratory infectious diseases occurred in winter and spring, and that of intestinal infectious diseases was in summer and autumn. It is necessary to strengthen the surveillance and intervention of blood-borne and sexually transmitted infectious diseases, respiratory infectious diseases, and intestinal infectious diseases to reduce the risk of infectious diseases.
8.Effects of a multidisciplinary integrated weight management intervention in Beilun District
XU Chunxia ; Ding Yajun ; YUAN Yunyun ; ZHOU Yachun ; PAN Xiaohua ; ZHANG Jingjing ; CHEN Lili
Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;37(11):1103-1107,1112
Objective:
To evaluate the effects of a multidisciplinary weight management intervention, so as to provide a reference for the formulation of overweight and obesity intervention measures.
Methods:
From April to September 2025, overweight and obese residents aged 18-60 years who participated in a weight loss competition at the Health Management Center of Beilun People's Hospital in Ningbo City were selected as study subjects. They were divided into a control group and an intervention group. The control group received conventional weight management, while the intervention group received the multidisciplinary integrated weight management in addition to the conventional weight management, for a total intervention period of 8 weeks. Weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, fasting blood glucose (FBG), triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and blood pressure were collected before and after the intervention through physical examinations and laboratory tests. The generalized estimating equations (GEE) method was employed to analyze the differences in indicators between the two groups before and after the intervention.
Results:
The control group comprised 241 participants, including 161 females (66.80%), with a mean age of (35.66±7.80) years. The intervention group consisted of 127 participants, including 86 females (67.72%), with a mean age of (36.80±7.05) years. No statistically significant differences were observed between the two groups at baseline in terms of age, gender, weight, BMI, or waist-to-hip ratio (all P>0.05). Results from the GEE analysis indicated significant interactions between group and time for weight, BMI, waist circumference, and hip circumference (all P<0.05) with greater reductions in these parameters observed in the intervention group compared to the control group before and after the intervention. Similarly, significant interactions between group and time were observed for FBG, TG, TC, and LDL-C (all P<0.05), with the intervention group demonstrating larger decreases in these markers compared to the control group. However, no statistically significant interactions between group and time were observed for waist-to-hip ratio, HDL-C, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure (all P>0.05). Following the intervention, a weight loss exceeding 10% was achieved by 13 participants (5.39%) in the control group and 62 participants (48.82%) in the intervention group. The proportion of individuals with a weight loss exceeding 10% was significantly higher in the intervention group compared to the control group (P<0.05).
Conclusion
Compared to conventional weight management, multidisciplinary integrated weight management demonstrated greater efficacy in improving weight-related indicators and blood glucose, blood lipids, and enhancing weight loss outcomes among overweight and obese residents.
9.Geraniin attenuates isoproterenol-induced cardiac hypertrophy by inhibiting inflammation, oxidative stress and cellular apoptosis
Jiaqi DING ; Shenjie ZHANG ; Qi LI ; Boyu XIA ; Jingjing WU ; Xu LU ; Chao HUANG ; Xiaomei YUAN ; Qingsheng YOU
The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology 2025;29(3):307-319
Geraniin, a polyphenol derived from the fruit peel of Nephelium lappaceum L., has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties in the cardiovascular system. The present study explored whether geraniin could protect against an isoproterenol (ISO)-induced cardiac hypertrophy model. Mice in the ISO group received an intraperitoneal injection of ISO (5 mg/kg) once daily for 9 days, and the administration group were injected with ISO after 5 days of treatment with geraniin or spironolactone. Potential therapeutic effects and related mechanisms analysed by anatomical coefficients, histopathology, blood biochemical indices, reverse transcription-PCR and immunoblotting. Geraniin decreased the cardiac pathologic remodeling and myocardial fibrosis induced by ISO, as evidenced by the modifications to anatomical coefficients, as well as the reduction in collagen I/III á1mRNA and protein expression and cross-sectional area in hypertrophic cardiac tissue. In addition, geraniin treatment reduced ISO-induced increase in the mRNA and protein expression levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor-α, whereas ISO-induced IL-10 showed the opposite behaviour in hypertrophic cardiac tissue.Further analysis showed that geraniin partially reversed the ISO-induced increase in malondialdehyde and nitric oxide, and the ISO-induced decrease in glutathione, superoxide dismutase and glutathione. Furthermore, it suppressed the ISO-induced cellular apoptosis of hypertrophic cardiac tissue, as evidenced by the decrease in Bcell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2)-associated X/caspase-3/caspase-9 expression, increase in Bcl-2 expression, and decrease in TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling-positive cells.These findings suggest that geraniin can attenuate ISO-induced cardiac hypertrophy by inhibiting inflammation, oxidative stress and cellular apoptosis.
10.Clinical diagnostic value of serum sTREM2 in patients with cerebral small vessel disease and its correlation analysis with depressive symptoms
Yuwei WANG ; Wenhua DING ; Jingjing QIU ; Tuluhong KARAJE ; Qiong YANG ; Yurong GENG
Chinese Journal of Geriatric Heart Brain and Vessel Diseases 2025;27(7):910-914
Objective To investigate the clinical diagnostic value of serum sTREM2 level in patients with cerebral small vessel disease(CSVD)and its correlation with depression and its severity.Methods A total of 208 CSVD inpatients admitted in Department of Neurology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Shihezi University from December 2023 to November 2024 were en-rolled,and according to their score of HAMD,they were divided into a depression group(CSVD+D group,112 cases)and a non-depression group(CSVD—D group,96 cases).According to the 17-item HAMD,the depression group(CSVD+D group)was further divided into mild(8-17,n=80),moderate(18-24,n=27)and severe depression(≥25,n=5)subgroups.Another 208 healthy individuals who taking health checkups in the same period were selected and served as the control group.The general clinical data were compared among the groups and subgroups,and mul-tivariate logistic regression analysis was applied to identify the risk factors for the occurrence of depression and the relationship between sTREM2 and depression severity in the CSVD patients.ROC curve was plotted to evaluate the predicative performance of serum sTREM2 level for the occurrence of depression in the CSVD patients.Results The serum sTREM2 level was remark-ably higher in the CSVD patients than the control group(5.95±3.82 μg/L vs 1.40±1.21 μg/L,P<0.01).ROC curve analysis indicated that the AUC value of serum sTREM2 level in predicting CSVD was 0.917,with a sensitivity of 87.52%and a specificity of 85.64%,and an optimal cut-ff value of 2.272 μg/L.The CSVD+D group also had significantly higher serum sTREM2 level than the CSVD—D group(6.40±3.93 μg/L vs 5.01±2.87 μg/L,P<0.01).Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that serum sTREM2 level was an independent influencing factor for occurrence of depression in the CSVD patients(OR=1.115,95%CI:1.019-1.220,P=0.018).Statistical difference was also observed in the patients without and with mild,moderate and severe depression(P<0.05).Multivariate ordinal logistic regression analysis revealed that serum sTREM2 level was an independent influencing factor for mild,moderate and severe depression(OR=1.113,95%CI:1.013-1.223,P=0.026;OR=1.135,95%CI:1.004-1.284,P=0.043).The AUC value of serum sTREM2 level in predicting depressive symptoms in CSVD patients was 0.603.Conclusion Serum sTREM2 is closely associated with CSVD patients.Its level may provide certain reference value for clinical diagnosis of CSVD,and has potentially predictive value for the occurrence of depression in the CSVD patients.


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