1.Association of anxiety and depressive symptoms with Internet gaming disorder〖JZ〗 and emotional-behavioral problems among junior high school students
Chinese Journal of School Health 2026;47(6):828-832
Objective:
To explore the association role of anxiety and depressive symptoms with Internet gaming disorder (IGD) and emotional-behavioral problems among junior high school students, so as to provide references for preventing the occurrence and progression of emotional-behavioral problems in middle school students.
Methods:
From September to October 2024, a random cluster sampling method was adopted to select 38 069 students from 28 junior high schools in 14 counties (cities and districts) and functional areas of Jining City, Shandong Province. Surveys were conducted by Nine item Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form, Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7, Patient Health Questionnaire-9, and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire. The correlation of emotional and behavioral issues, online game addiction, anxiety and depressive symptoms among junior high school students was analyzed by Speaman correlation analysis. Mediation analysis was used to explore the role of anxiety and depressive symptoms between IGD and emotional-behavioral problems among junior high school students.
Results:
The detection rates of emotional-behavioral problems, anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, and IGD among junior high school students were 19.24 %, 9.48%, 16.69%, and 19.68%, respectively. The scores of emotional-behavioral problems, anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms and IGD were 10.00 (6.00, 15.00), 3.00 (0.00, 7.00), and 4.00 (1.00, 8.00), 13.00 (10.00, 19.00), respectively. There were positive correlations between each pair of emotional-behavioral problem, IGD, anxiety symptoms, and depressive symptoms scores ( r =0.51-0.81, all P <0.01). Anxiety and depressive symptoms played mediating roles between IGD and emotional-behavioral problems among junior high school students, with mediating effect values of 0.16 (95% CI =0.15-0.17) and 0.12 (95% CI =0.11-0.14), respectively (both P <0.01).
Conclusions
Anxiety and depressive symptoms mediate the relationship between IGD and emotional-behavioral problems among junior high school students. It is necessary to identify early signs of IGD among junior high school students, strengthen intervention for anxiety and depressive symptoms, to prevent the occurrence and development of emotional and behavioral issues.
2.Scaffold-free three-dimensional human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell secretome repairs mouse skin injury
Wenjing MA ; Jinyu ZHANG ; Mingxia JIANG ; Bingshui XIU ; Rui BAI ; Yuhan LIU ; Xuyi CHEN ; Zengqiang YUAN ; Zhiqiang LIU
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2026;30(1):68-77
BACKGROUND:The mesenchymal stem cell secretome contains bioactive substances,cytokines,and growth factors.Three-dimensional cell culture can regulate the secretion of these components,potentially enhancing the ability to promote injury repair.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the repair effect of three-dimensional cultured human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell secretome on skin injuries in mice.METHODS:Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells were cultured in conventional two-dimensional culture dishes and 96-well U-bottom cell culture plates,from which their secretory components were subsequently collected.The expression of skin damage repair related secretory factors in umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells was analyzed using RT-qPCR.The protein expression level of skin damage repair related factors in umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell secretome was detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The potential of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell secretome to repair vascular injuries was evaluated using an immortalized human umbilical vein endothelial cell migration model.A mouse skin injury model was established,and the human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell secretome was injected subcutaneously.Repair effects on skin injury were assessed through wound healing rates and histopathological analysis.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)After three days of cultivation,human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells cultured in two dimensions exhibited a fibroblast-like,swirling growth pattern,whereas three-dimensional culture led to the formation of uniform microspheres.(2)Compared with two-dimensional culture,three-dimensional culture significantly increased the mRNA expression of transforming growth factor β and basic fibroblast growth factor in human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells.(3)Compared with two-dimensional culture,three-dimensional cultured human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell secretome significantly enhanced the protein expression of vascular endothelial growth factor,interleukin-10,and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in the human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell secretome.(4)Compared with two-dimensional culture,three-dimensional cultured human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell secretome significantly promoted the migration of immortalized human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells.(5)Compared with the untreated control group and the two-dimensional cultured human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell secretome,the three-dimensional cultured human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell secretome can significantly accelerate the skin wound healing rate and wound skin structure remodeling in mice.These results indicate that three-dimensional culture can enhance the expression of paracrine factors of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells,and their secretome can significantly promote the repair of mouse skin damage.
3.Construction of An Automated Segmentation Visual Foundation Model for Pathological Images of Hemorrhoids and Its Application in Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinical Syndrome Analysis
Shijie ZHANG ; Ao ZHANG ; Kang WANG ; Bin KANG ; Xiaofan YU ; Xujing FENG ; Jinyu CAO ; Wenzhen HUANG ; Kang DING
Journal of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2026;67(7):764-769
This paper proposes a two-stage method integrating visual foundation models (VFM) and diffusion models. The segment anything model (SAM) as VFM is combined with the SegRefiner diffusion model to construct the SAM-SegRefiner framework for automated segmentation of edema, inflammation, and thrombus regions in histopathological images of hemorrhoidal tissue, providing a reproducible technical tool for the objective quantification of pathological morphology and its application in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome research. Trained and validated on multi-center retrospective data, the SAM-SegRefiner model achieved an average pixel accuracy of 95.32% and a mean intersection over union (mIoU) of 66.81% on an independent test set, significantly outperfor-ming comparative models such as U-Net, MixU-Net, and SAM-Med2D, and also demonstrating robust cross-center generalization capability. Furthermore, by correlating the quantitatively segmented results from the model with the patients' TCM syndrome types, the potential associations between pathomorphological features and TCM syndrome differentiation have been explored. The analysis revealed no statistically significant differences in the degree of inflammatory infiltration and thrombus formation among different syndrome types, suggesting a complex relationship between local pathological changes and systemic syndrome manifestations.
4.Scaffold-free three-dimensional human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell secretome repairs mouse skin injury
Wenjing MA ; Jinyu ZHANG ; Mingxia JIANG ; Bingshui XIU ; Rui BAI ; Yuhan LIU ; Xuyi CHEN ; Zengqiang YUAN ; Zhiqiang LIU
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2026;30(1):68-77
BACKGROUND:The mesenchymal stem cell secretome contains bioactive substances,cytokines,and growth factors.Three-dimensional cell culture can regulate the secretion of these components,potentially enhancing the ability to promote injury repair.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the repair effect of three-dimensional cultured human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell secretome on skin injuries in mice.METHODS:Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells were cultured in conventional two-dimensional culture dishes and 96-well U-bottom cell culture plates,from which their secretory components were subsequently collected.The expression of skin damage repair related secretory factors in umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells was analyzed using RT-qPCR.The protein expression level of skin damage repair related factors in umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell secretome was detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.The potential of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell secretome to repair vascular injuries was evaluated using an immortalized human umbilical vein endothelial cell migration model.A mouse skin injury model was established,and the human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell secretome was injected subcutaneously.Repair effects on skin injury were assessed through wound healing rates and histopathological analysis.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)After three days of cultivation,human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells cultured in two dimensions exhibited a fibroblast-like,swirling growth pattern,whereas three-dimensional culture led to the formation of uniform microspheres.(2)Compared with two-dimensional culture,three-dimensional culture significantly increased the mRNA expression of transforming growth factor β and basic fibroblast growth factor in human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells.(3)Compared with two-dimensional culture,three-dimensional cultured human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell secretome significantly enhanced the protein expression of vascular endothelial growth factor,interleukin-10,and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor in the human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell secretome.(4)Compared with two-dimensional culture,three-dimensional cultured human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell secretome significantly promoted the migration of immortalized human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells.(5)Compared with the untreated control group and the two-dimensional cultured human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell secretome,the three-dimensional cultured human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell secretome can significantly accelerate the skin wound healing rate and wound skin structure remodeling in mice.These results indicate that three-dimensional culture can enhance the expression of paracrine factors of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells,and their secretome can significantly promote the repair of mouse skin damage.
5.Consistent Detection of Aquaporin-4 Antibodies:A Comparative Analysis Between Fixed and Live Cell-Based Assays
Jing WANG ; Linge WANG ; Xiaolin YANG ; Zhizhong LI ; Jinyu JIANG ; Qiao XU ; Siyuan HUANG ; Qing FU ; Yang YANG ; Rongrong ZHANG ; Lin YANG ; Ai CHEN ; Xiaopeng ZENG ; Ke XU ; Peng ZHENG ; Xinyue QIN ; Jinzhou FENG
Journal of Clinical Neurology 2026;22(2):212-220
Background:
and Purpose Live cell-based assays (LCBA) are increasingly used for serological antibody detection due to their ability to preserve antigen conformation, offering moderately higher sensitivity than fixed cell-based assays. However, the clinical necessity of prioritizing LCBA for the detection of aquaporin-4 immunoglobulin G (AQP4-IgG) in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) remains unclear, especially when compared to its established role in diagnosing myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein antibody-associated disease.
Methods:
We compared the performance of live cell-based assays using immunofluorescence (LCBA-IF) and fixed cell-based assays using immunofluorescence (FCBA-IF) in detecting AQP4-IgG in 90 cases of NMOSD meeting 2015 International Panel for Neuromyelitis Optica Diagnosis criteria, alongside 40 controls. Additionally, we further investigated the relationship between AQP4-IgG titers as measured by LCBA-IF and FCBA-IF and clinical parameters in NMOSD patients.
Results:
Results showed 96.9% agreement between LCBA-IF and FCBA-IF (Cohen’s κ=0.935), with a strong Spearman correlation (0.977, p<0.001). Both methods demonstrated 100% specificity, with LCBA-IF showing slightly higher sensitivity compared to FCBA-IF. Within LCBAIF-tested groups, statistically significant differences in annualized relapse rates were observed across all pairwise comparisons (low-titer vs. moderate-titer, low-titer vs. high-titer, and moderate-titer vs. high-titer; all p<0.050). However, this association reached statistical significance in some FCBA-IF-tested groups.
Conclusions
Overall, there is a strong concordance between LCBA-IF and FCBA-IF in detecting AQP4-IgG, where LCBA-IF shows slightly higher sensitivity. Furthermore, there is a potential link between elevated AQP4-IgG titers and an increased risk of relapse, and this correlation may appear more pronounced when using LCBA-IF.
6.Diagnostic value of cytokines combined with Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score in predicting hepatic encephalopathy in end-stage liver disease
Jinyu XIANG ; Lixian CHANG ; Yingyuan ZHANG ; Huan MU ; Wenyan LI ; Hongyan WEI ; Chunyun LIU ; Li LIU
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2026;42(7):1638-1647
ObjectiveTo construct and validate a predictive model for hepatic encephalopathy (HE) in patients with end-stage liver disease (ESLD) by combining key indicators such as cytokines and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score, and to provide evidence-based support for the early identification of high-risk populations and the optimization of intervention strategies in clinical practice. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for 2 167 patients with ESLD who were admitted to The Third People’s Hospital of Kunming from January 2022 to December 2024, the patients were divided into a training set with 1 517 patients and a validation set with 650 patients at a ratio of 7∶3 using the stratified random sampling method. A univariate analysis and a least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis were performed for the training set to identify potential influencing variables, and then a binary Logistic regression model was constructed to investigate the independent influencing factors for HE in ESLD patients. A nomogram prediction model was established based on this regression model, and the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test was performed. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration curves, decision curve analysis, and clinical impact curve were used to comprehensively evaluate the degree of fit, accuracy, consistency, and clinical practicability of the predictive model derived from the training set. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed quantitative data between two groups. The chi-square test or Fisher exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. ResultsThe univariate analysis showed that there were significant differences between the study group and the control group in age, sex, blood ammonia, lymphocytes, hemoglobin, platelet count, prothrombin time, fibrinogen, international normalized ratio, total bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase, total protein, albumin, prealbumin, alkaline phosphatase, cholinesterase, total bile acid, triglyceride, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, blood glucose, CD3+ T cells, CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, carcinoembryonic antigen, triiodothyronine, thyroxine, free triiodothyronine, free thyroxine, interleukin-1β, interleukin-5, interleukin-6, interleukin-8, interleukin-12p70, interleukin-17, interferon-γ, and MELD score (all P<0.05). The LASSO regression analysis identified nine variables of age, blood ammonia, albumin, prealbumin, cholinesterase, total cholesterol, thyroxine, interleukin-17, and MELD score, and the binary Logistic regression analysis showed that blood ammonia, interleukin-17, and MELD score were independent risk factors for HE in ESLD patients, while age and thyroxine were independent protective factors (all P<0.05). A nomogram model was constructed based on these five variables. The Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test in the training set showed a good degree of fit (P=0.207), with a McFadden’s pseudo-R2 of 0.184, suggesting that the model had acceptable explanatory power; the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test in the internal validation set further confirmed the calibration stability of the model (P=0.067), suggesting that the model had a good degree of fit in independent data. The model had an area under the ROC curve of 0.784 in the validation set, with a sensitivity of 0.710 and a specificity of 0.752. The mean absolute error of the calibration curve was 0.067, and decision curve analysis and clinical impact curve showed that the nomogram model had positive net benefit and good clinical practicability. ConclusionThe nomogram model constructed based on age, blood ammonia, thyroxine, interleukin-17, and MELD score for predicting HE in patients with ESLD has a good degree of fit, high accuracy and consistency, and excellent clinical practicability.
7.MiRNA-155-5p aggravates renal injury in lupus nephritis by targeting OCS1 to regulate the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway
Aitao LIN ; Zhimin HUANG ; Zhiying ZHANG ; Tingna FU ; Liangxi LU ; Xiaoyu LIU ; Yini JIANG ; Leilei ZHAO ; Jinyu WU
The Journal of Practical Medicine 2025;41(9):1285-1292
Objective To investigate the effect and mechanism of miR-155-5p targeting suppressor of cytokine signaling 1(SOCS1)in regulating the Janus kinase 2(JAK2)/signal transducer and activator of transcrip-tion 3(STAT3)signaling pathway in renal injury associated with lupus nephritis(LN).Methods Thirty female MRL-faslpr lupus model mice were randomly divided into five groups(n=6 per group):the model group,the antagomir NC group,the miR-155-5p antagomir group,the miR-155-5p antagomir+shRNA control group,and the miR-155-5p antagomir+SOCS1 shRNA group.The mice were treated with adeno-associated virus vectors carrying miR-155-5p antagomir,antagomir NC,SOCS1 shRNA,or shRNA control.Additionally,six age-matched C57BL/6 mice served as a control group and received an equivalent volume of saline.Serum blood urea nitrogen(BUN)and creatinine(Scr)levels,renal histopathological changes,and the expression levels of miR-155-5p,SOCS1,phosphorylated JAK2(p-JAK2),and phosphorylated STAT3(p-STAT3)in renal tissues were evaluated.Results Compared with the normal group,the model group exhibited significantly elevated levels of BUN,Scr,miR-155-5p,p-JAK2,and p-STAT3 proteins in the kidneys(P<0.01),while the expression level of SOCS1 was markedly reduced(P<0.01).Compared with both the model group and the antagomir NC group,the miR-155-5p antagomir group showed decreased levels of BUN,Scr,miR-155-5p,p-JAK2,and p-STAT3 proteins(P<0.01),along with a significant increase in SOCS1 expression(P<0.01).Similarly,compared with the miR-155-5p antagomir group and the miR-155-5p antagomir+shRNA control group,the miR-155-5p antagomir+SOCS1 shRNA group demon-strated significantly higher levels of BUN,Scr,miR-155-5p,p-JAK2,and p-STAT3 proteins(P<0.01),while SOCS1 expression was notably decreased(P<0.01).Renal pathology analysis revealed that,compared to the normal group,the model group exhibited glomerular atrophy,extensive infiltration of inflammatory cells in the renal tubulointerstitial region,and partial renal tubular necrosis.In contrast,the miR-155-5p antagomir group showed marked improvements in glomerular atrophy,tubular necrosis,and inflammatory cell infiltration compared with the model group and antagomir NC group.Furthermore,compared with the miR-155-5p antagomir group and the miR-155-5p antagomir+shRNA control group,the miR-155-5p antagomir+SOCS1 shRNA group exhibited more severe glomerular atrophy,tubular necrosis,and inflammatory cell infiltration.Conclusion MiR-155-5p exacerbates renal damage in MRL-faslpr lupus model mice by targeting SOCS1,potentially through the activation of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.
8.Effect of Zaogong Erteng decoction on endometritis and TLR4-mediated signaling pathways
Yaqiu LI ; Qingcan GUAN ; Lixin WANG ; Nan KANG ; Huiling LIU ; Feng YAN ; Jinyu ZHANG ; Xuenan WANG ; Xiaoyan PAN
Chinese Journal of Reproduction and Contraception 2025;45(3):255-266
Objective:To investigate the possible mechanism of Zaogong Erteng decoction (ZGETD) in the treatment of endometritis.Methods:Femal mice were injected 2.5 mg/mL lipopolysaccharide into uterine horn to induce endometritis model. After modelling, low-dose ZGETD, high-dose ZGETD or amoxicillin was given once a day for 7 d. The appearance of the uterus and pathological changes of uterine tissue were observed 7 d later, and the uterine index was calculated. The expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1β and IL-6 in mouse uterine tissue was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The activity of myeloperoxidase (MPO) in mouse uterine tissue was measured by redox reaction. The active ingredients of ZGETD and the target and signal pathway of treatment of endometritis were analyzed by network pharmacology. Western blotting and qRT-PCR were used to detect the expressions of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), P65, p-P65, interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) and p-IRF3 proteins and chemokines CXCL5 and CXCL8 in the mouse uterus, respectively. Terminal dUTP nick end labeling detected endometrial cell apoptosis and endometrial thickness was measured. After treatment, the female rats were mated with the male rats, and the mating rate, the pregnancy rate and the number of implantation sits in the injected uterine horn on day 8 of gestation were counted. Results:Both ZGETD and amoxicillin have atherapeutic effect on endometritis, but compared with low-dose ZGETD and amoxicillin, high-dose ZGETD can significantly alleviate the edema and congestion of uterine tissue and reduce the uterine index (all P=0.001). After treatment, the uterine cavity epithelium of mice was smooth and complete, the uterine gland structure was normal, and no bleeding area and inflammatory cell aggregation were observed. Compared with amoxicillin, high-dose ZGETD significantly decreased the expression of inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6) and MPO activity (all P<0.001). The expression of chemokines ( CXCL5 and CXCL8) was significantly reduced (all P<0.05). The signaling pathways TLR4, nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB) and TNF related to the treatment of endometritis by ZGETD were screened by network pharmacology, and their action targets (TLR4, NF-κB and IRF3) were verified. Quercetin, fisetin and luteolin were found to be the most active ingredients acting on these targets. High-dose ZGETD significantly inhibited the activation of TLR4/NF-κB and TLR4/IRF3 pathways ( P<0.05), decreased endometrial cell apoptosis ( P<0.05), and increased endometrial thickness ( P<0.001), mating rate ( P<0.001), pregnancy rate ( P<0.001) and implantation site number of uterine horn on the injection side of LPS after treatment ( P=0.001). Conclusion:High-dose ZGETD has a significant therapeutic effect on endometritis, which may be closely related to the down-regulation of TLR4 signaling pathway.
9.MiRNA-155-5p aggravates renal injury in lupus nephritis by targeting OCS1 to regulate the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway
Aitao LIN ; Zhimin HUANG ; Zhiying ZHANG ; Tingna FU ; Liangxi LU ; Xiaoyu LIU ; Yini JIANG ; Leilei ZHAO ; Jinyu WU
The Journal of Practical Medicine 2025;41(9):1285-1292
Objective To investigate the effect and mechanism of miR-155-5p targeting suppressor of cytokine signaling 1(SOCS1)in regulating the Janus kinase 2(JAK2)/signal transducer and activator of transcrip-tion 3(STAT3)signaling pathway in renal injury associated with lupus nephritis(LN).Methods Thirty female MRL-faslpr lupus model mice were randomly divided into five groups(n=6 per group):the model group,the antagomir NC group,the miR-155-5p antagomir group,the miR-155-5p antagomir+shRNA control group,and the miR-155-5p antagomir+SOCS1 shRNA group.The mice were treated with adeno-associated virus vectors carrying miR-155-5p antagomir,antagomir NC,SOCS1 shRNA,or shRNA control.Additionally,six age-matched C57BL/6 mice served as a control group and received an equivalent volume of saline.Serum blood urea nitrogen(BUN)and creatinine(Scr)levels,renal histopathological changes,and the expression levels of miR-155-5p,SOCS1,phosphorylated JAK2(p-JAK2),and phosphorylated STAT3(p-STAT3)in renal tissues were evaluated.Results Compared with the normal group,the model group exhibited significantly elevated levels of BUN,Scr,miR-155-5p,p-JAK2,and p-STAT3 proteins in the kidneys(P<0.01),while the expression level of SOCS1 was markedly reduced(P<0.01).Compared with both the model group and the antagomir NC group,the miR-155-5p antagomir group showed decreased levels of BUN,Scr,miR-155-5p,p-JAK2,and p-STAT3 proteins(P<0.01),along with a significant increase in SOCS1 expression(P<0.01).Similarly,compared with the miR-155-5p antagomir group and the miR-155-5p antagomir+shRNA control group,the miR-155-5p antagomir+SOCS1 shRNA group demon-strated significantly higher levels of BUN,Scr,miR-155-5p,p-JAK2,and p-STAT3 proteins(P<0.01),while SOCS1 expression was notably decreased(P<0.01).Renal pathology analysis revealed that,compared to the normal group,the model group exhibited glomerular atrophy,extensive infiltration of inflammatory cells in the renal tubulointerstitial region,and partial renal tubular necrosis.In contrast,the miR-155-5p antagomir group showed marked improvements in glomerular atrophy,tubular necrosis,and inflammatory cell infiltration compared with the model group and antagomir NC group.Furthermore,compared with the miR-155-5p antagomir group and the miR-155-5p antagomir+shRNA control group,the miR-155-5p antagomir+SOCS1 shRNA group exhibited more severe glomerular atrophy,tubular necrosis,and inflammatory cell infiltration.Conclusion MiR-155-5p exacerbates renal damage in MRL-faslpr lupus model mice by targeting SOCS1,potentially through the activation of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway.
10.A study on gallic acid enhancing the anti-solid tumor function of CAR-T cells
Dawei SUN ; Jinyu YU ; Xin ZHANG ; Songbo ZHAO ; Xianzheng ZHANG
China Oncology 2025;35(11):1032-1040
Background and purpose:Gallic acid(GA)induces tumor cells apoptosis and inhibits angiogenesis.Beyond directly attacking tumor cells,another crucial aspect of GA is its ability to modulate and enhance immune system function.For example,it can improve T cell metabolism,alleviate T cell exhaustion,and promote the formation of memory T cell phenotypes.Although several chimeric antigen receptor T(CAR-T)cells products have gained market approval,the technology still faces significant challenges.These limitations include off-target effects,a predisposition to T cell exhaustion and so on.Moreover,similar to exhaustion,cellular senescence is a major hindrance that impairs T cell function.This study aimed to investigate the effects of GA on the anti-tumor function of CAR-T cells both in vitro and in vivo.We further evaluated the impact of GA on CAR-T cells senescence and memory phenotypes,as well as the impact of GA and CAR-T cells on immune cell infiltration within the tumor microenvironment(TME).Methods:Second-generation CAR targeting mouse glypican 3(GPC3)and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2(HER2)were constructed to generate CAR-T cells.CAR-T cells were co-cultured with GA at a concentration of 5 μg/mL,and flow cytometry was used to assess the senescence status and memory phenotype of CAR-T cells and their killing ability against tumor cells at different effector-to-target ratios.Senescence markers included p53,p21,γ-H2AX and senescence-associated β-galactosidase(SA-β-gal),while CCR7 served as the memory phenotype marker.A subcutaneous tumor model was established to explore the effects of GA on the anti-tumor function of CAR-T cells and immune cell infiltration within the TME.Results:We successfully generated human HER2 and murine GPC3 CAR-T cells,achieving a purity of 30%-50%.GA enhanced the in vitro killing ability of CAR-T cells targeting mouse GPC3 and human HER2(P<0.001)at different E:T ratios,delayed the senescence of mouse GPC3 CAR-T cells(p53,p21,γ-H2AX,P<0.05;SA-β-gal,P<0.001;CCR7,P<0.001).And GA promoted the differentiation of CAR-T cells toward a memory phenotype(P<0.001).Additionally,GPC3 CAR-T cells inhibited tumor cell growth(P<0.05),prolonged mouse survival(P<0.001),and enhanced the infiltration capacity of CAR-cells(P<0.001)and endogenous immune cells[CD4+T cells,P<0.05;CD8+T cells,P<0.01;natural killer(NK)cells,P<0.01].Conclusion:GA can enhance the cytotoxic activity of CAR-T cells in vitro,and delay the senescence of CAR-T cells.Furthermore,by modulating TME,GA improved immune cell infiltration,thereby augmenting the overall anti-tumor efficacy of CAR-T cells.


Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail