Cancer remains a leading cause of global mortality, necessitating the development of advanced therapeutic strategies with enhanced efficacy and reduced systemic toxicity. Among promising bioactive agents, lactoferrin (LF)—a multifunctional iron-binding glycoprotein abundantly found in mammalian milk and exocrine secretions—has garnered significant interest for its potent and multifaceted anti-cancer properties. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the current understanding of LF’s role in oncology, encompassing its structural biology, diverse mechanisms of action, and groundbreaking advancements in its application through nano-engineering. LF exerts anti-tumor effects through multiple pathways, including extracellular action, intracellular action, and immune regulation. It demonstrates a remarkable affinity for cancer cell membranes, binding to overexpressed anionic components such as glycosaminoglycans and sialic acids, as well as to specific receptors including the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1 (LRP-1). This selective binding facilitates targeted uptake. Upon internalization, LF orchestrates a direct assault by inducing cell-cycle arrest in phases such as G0/G1 or S phase through the modulation of key regulators including cyclins, CDKs, and p53. Furthermore, it promotes programmed cell death via apoptotic pathways, involving caspase activation and downregulation of anti-apoptotic proteins such as survivin. A more recently elucidated mechanism is the induction of ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of cell death characterized by overwhelming lipid peroxidation. Beyond direct cytotoxicity, LF acts as a potent immunomodulator. It enhances natural killer (NK) cell activity, modulates T-lymphocyte populations, and crucially reprograms tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) from a pro-tumor M2 state to an anti-tumor M1 state, thereby reversing the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). The translation of LF’s potential has been significantly accelerated by nanotechnology. The inherent biocompatibility and natural tumor-targeting capabilities of LF make it an ideal platform for sophisticated drug-delivery systems. This review details various fabrication strategies for LF-based nanoparticles (NPs), including self-assembly, sol-in-oil emulsion, and electrostatic nanocomplexes, among others. Research demonstrates that nano-formulations not only protect LF from degradation but also enhance its bioactivity and anti-cancer potency. More importantly, LF NPs serve as versatile carriers for a wide array of therapeutic agents, including conventional chemotherapeutics, natural compounds, and imaging agents. These engineered systems enable synergistic therapy and facilitate site-specific delivery. Notably, the ability of LF to bind to receptors on the blood-brain barrier (BBB) has been leveraged to develop nano-systems for glioblastoma treatment. Other innovative designs utilize LF to modulate the TME—for instance, by alleviating tumor hypoxia to sensitize cells to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Despite compelling pre-clinical evidence, the clinical translation of LF and its nano-formulations remains nascent. While early-phase trials have established a favorable safety profile for recombinant human LF, larger Phase III studies have yielded mixed results, underscoring the complexity of its action in humans. Key challenges include enhancing drug targeting, optimizing loading efficiency, ensuring batch-to-batch reproducibility, and achieving deep tumor penetration. Future research must focus on the rational design of next-generation LF-NPs. This entails developing standardized manufacturing protocols, engineering “smart” stimuli-responsive systems for targeted drug release in the TME, and constructing multi-targeting platforms. A concerted interdisciplinary effort is paramount to bridge the gap between bench and bedside. In conclusion, LF, particularly in its nano-engineered forms, represents a highly promising and versatile agent in the oncological arsenal, holding immense potential for precise and effective cancer therapy.

Cancer remains a leading cause of global mortality, necessitating the development of advanced therapeutic strategies with enhanced efficacy and reduced systemic toxicity. Among promising bioactive agents, lactoferrin (LF)—a multifunctional iron-binding glycoprotein abundantly found in mammalian milk and exocrine secretions—has garnered significant interest for its potent and multifaceted anti-cancer properties. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the current understanding of LF’s role in oncology, encompassing its structural biology, diverse mechanisms of action, and groundbreaking advancements in its application through nano-engineering. LF exerts anti-tumor effects through multiple pathways, including extracellular action, intracellular action, and immune regulation. It demonstrates a remarkable affinity for cancer cell membranes, binding to overexpressed anionic components such as glycosaminoglycans and sialic acids, as well as to specific receptors including the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1 (LRP-1). This selective binding facilitates targeted uptake. Upon internalization, LF orchestrates a direct assault by inducing cell-cycle arrest in phases such as G0/G1 or S phase through the modulation of key regulators including cyclins, CDKs, and p53. Furthermore, it promotes programmed cell death via apoptotic pathways, involving caspase activation and downregulation of anti-apoptotic proteins such as survivin. A more recently elucidated mechanism is the induction of ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of cell death characterized by overwhelming lipid peroxidation. Beyond direct cytotoxicity, LF acts as a potent immunomodulator. It enhances natural killer (NK) cell activity, modulates T-lymphocyte populations, and crucially reprograms tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) from a pro-tumor M2 state to an anti-tumor M1 state, thereby reversing the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). The translation of LF’s potential has been significantly accelerated by nanotechnology. The inherent biocompatibility and natural tumor-targeting capabilities of LF make it an ideal platform for sophisticated drug-delivery systems. This review details various fabrication strategies for LF-based nanoparticles (NPs), including self-assembly, sol-in-oil emulsion, and electrostatic nanocomplexes, among others. Research demonstrates that nano-formulations not only protect LF from degradation but also enhance its bioactivity and anti-cancer potency. More importantly, LF NPs serve as versatile carriers for a wide array of therapeutic agents, including conventional chemotherapeutics, natural compounds, and imaging agents. These engineered systems enable synergistic therapy and facilitate site-specific delivery. Notably, the ability of LF to bind to receptors on the blood-brain barrier (BBB) has been leveraged to develop nano-systems for glioblastoma treatment. Other innovative designs utilize LF to modulate the TME—for instance, by alleviating tumor hypoxia to sensitize cells to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Despite compelling pre-clinical evidence, the clinical translation of LF and its nano-formulations remains nascent. While early-phase trials have established a favorable safety profile for recombinant human LF, larger Phase III studies have yielded mixed results, underscoring the complexity of its action in humans. Key challenges include enhancing drug targeting, optimizing loading efficiency, ensuring batch-to-batch reproducibility, and achieving deep tumor penetration. Future research must focus on the rational design of next-generation LF-NPs. This entails developing standardized manufacturing protocols, engineering “smart” stimuli-responsive systems for targeted drug release in the TME, and constructing multi-targeting platforms. A concerted interdisciplinary effort is paramount to bridge the gap between bench and bedside. In conclusion, LF, particularly in its nano-engineered forms, represents a highly promising and versatile agent in the oncological arsenal, holding immense potential for precise and effective cancer therapy.

[Purpose]To analyze the trends of mortality and probability of premature mortality caused by colorectal cancer in Jinshan District of Shanghai from 1980 to 2023.[Methods]The death database of Jinshan District from 1980 to 2023 were established based on the death reports from the medical institutions and public security bureau at all levels.The crude mortality rate,age-standardized mortality rate by Chinese standard population and world standard population(ASRC and ASRW),age-specific mortality rate,probability of premature mortality,annual percentage change(APC)and average annual percentage change(AAPC)of colorectal cancer were calculated.[Results]The crude mortality rate of colorectal cancer increased from 1980 to 2023(AAPC=2.36％,P＜0.001)and the ASRW of colorectal cancer decreased at the same period(AAPC=-1.02％,P=0.003).The ASRW of colorectal cancer in male and female showed a decreasing trend from 1990 to 1999(APC=-5.08％,-7.85％,P=0.007,0.011),but there was no significant change in other periods.The age-specific mortality rate increased with age and reached the peak at the age group of 70～74 years old during 1980-1989,75～79 years old during 1990-1999,80～84 years old during 2000-2009 and 2010-2019,85 years old and above during 2020-2023(109.22/105,77.56/105,113.78/105,172.82/105 and 236.58/105,respectively).The probability of premature mortality of colorectal cancer decreased in male and female(AAPC=-1.10％,-2.41％,P=0.047,＜0.001),but there was no change after the year of 2000.[Conclusion]The overall mortality rate of colorectal cancer in Jinshan District showed a decreasing trend from 1980 to 2023,but the standardized mortality rate and the probability of premature mortality had not shown a significant downward trend since 2000.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the current status of prevalence of hand eczema(HE)among the health care workers,explore the influencing factors and analyze the association with hand hygiene.METHODS A questionnaire survey was conducted for the health care workers.The health care workers who had HE were followed up by the dermatology department and were completed the assessment of severity.Logistic regression analysis was per-formed for the influencing factors.RESULTS The questionnaires were distributed to the health care workers of Shanghai First Peoples Hospital in Jul.2024,and 659 valid questionnaires were recycled.The prevalence rate of HE by self-report was 37.03％in recent almost one year.The finger and dorsal hand were the predilection sites of skin damage,with the symptom dominated by itching;dryness,desquamation and vesicles were the primary man-ifestations of skin damage,most of which(64.81％)were moderate.Wearing gloves in work environment and contact with hand sanitizer and disinfectants could make the HE symptoms ever more severe.The use of hand san-itizer/frequent hand washing with soap lye and prolonged glove-wearing were the leading causes of HE.The nurses were dominant among the health care workers with HE(P=0.003),and the proportion of those with allergic his-tory was even higher(P＜0.001).As for the health care workers who washed hands for surgeries,high volume of daily surgical procedures(OR=1.325,95％CI:1.121 to 1.567)and glove-wearing duration more than 120 min(OR=3.177,95％CI:1.087 to 9.281)were the risk factors for HE.As for the common hand-washing health care workers,daily hand washing more than 15 times(OR=3.199,95％CI:1.014 to 10.137),glove-wearing dura-tion more than 120 min(OR=2.216,95％CI:1.117 to 4.391)and use of powdered latex glove(OR=1.591,95％CI:1.058 to 2.390)were the risk factors for HE.CONCLUSION The prevalence rate of HE is high among the health care workers.It is necessary to attach great importance to the hand skin health of the health care work-ers and take comprehensive intervention measures for prevention of HE such as optimization of hand hygiene pro-cedure,enhancement of barrier protection and stress on occupational health education so as to achieve the dual goals of infection control and skin health.

AIM To study the chemical constituents from Inula japonica Thunb.and their anti-asthmatic activity.METHODS Separation and purification were performed using silica gel and Sephadex LH-20,then the structures of obtained compounds were identified by physicochemical properties and spectral data.The effect of compounds on the release rate of β-Hex was evaluated by substrate coloration method.RESULTS Twenty-three compounds were isolated and identified as dehydrodontic acid(1),vitexin(2),alternariol(3),globuxanthone(4),1,3,6,7-tetrahydroxyxanthone(5),hydroxyhydrolapachol(6),isoscopoletin(7),elephanmollen(8),benzoylcholine(9),hoconobiflavone(10),clovandiol(11),hydroxydihydrobovolide(12),5,7-dihydroxycoumarin(13),scopoletin(14),orlichenol glucoside(15),urolignoside(16),9-angeloyloxythymol(17),6,3′,4′-trihydroxyaurone(18),flufuran(19),sweroside(20),guajadial(21),5,7,4′-trimethoxy-4-phenylcoumarin(22),dibutylphthalate(23).After intervention with compounds 9 and 16,the release rates of β-Hex were(56.64±2.37)％and(58.07±2.29)％,respectively.CONCLUSION Compounds 1-23 are isolated from Ⅰ.japonica for the first time.Compounds 9 and 16 have anti-asthmatic activity.

Objective:To investigate the miRNA-mRNA regulatory network in a rat model of Tourette syndrome(TS)using transcriptomic technology and to screen key signaling pathways and potential traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)candidates for intervention.Methods:A TS rat model was established using iminodipropionitrile(IDPN).RNA sequencing was performed to identify differentially expressed miRNAs and mRNAs in the brain tissues of TS rats.Bioinformatics analysis was applied to construct interaction networks,and network pharmacology was further employed to screen potential TCM compounds.Results:After 7 days of IDPN modeling,the model group exhibited motor and stereotypical behavioral changes,with behavioral scores greater than 3 points.Hema toxylin-eosin(HE)staining revealed irregular neuronal nuclear morphology,uneven chromatin distribution,nuclear pyknosis,and increased glial cell density.KEGG enrichment analysis identified key pathways:calcium signaling pathway,neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction,p53 signaling pathway,ECM-receptor interaction,and TGF-β signaling pathway.miR-125a-3p,miR-106-3p,and miR-760-3p were identified as pivotal miRNAs.Potential TCM candidates included Ajuga decumbens,Acanthopanax bark,Codonopsis pilosula,Stephania japonica,Os Draconis,Notopterygium root,Siraitia grosvenorii,Zanthoxylum nitidum root,Morinda officinalis,and Corydalis yanhusuo.Conclusion:The miRNAs miR-106-3p,miR-125a-3p,and miR-760-3p may mediate TS pathogenesis by altering critical signaling networks,including the calcium signaling pathway,neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction,and ECM-receptor interaction pathways,leading to neuroimmune inflammation and dopaminergic system dysregulation.TCM compounds such as Corydalis yanhusuo and Ajuga decumbens may exert therapeutic effects through multi-component synergistic regulation of these miRNAs and downstream pathways.

Objective:The serum ferritin-to-albumin ratio(FAR)has been proposed as a novel prognostic marker for sepsis,but its predictive role in outcomes among critically ill patients remains unclear.This study aimed to investigate the correlation between FAR and in-hospital mortality among critically ill patients.Methods:Based on the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care-Ⅳ(MIMIC-Ⅳ),8,136 Intensive Care Unit(ICU)patients were included.Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the predictive value of FAR for in-hospital mortality,and receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis was performed to compare its predictive performance with other parameters.Results:The overall in-hospital mortality was 2.31％.Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that FAR was an independent predictor of in-hospital death(OR=2.190,95％CI=1.730-2.780,P=0.000).ROC analysis revealed that FAR achieved a significantly higher area under the curve(AUC)value(0.72)compared to ferritin(0.69)and albumin(0.26),with an optimal cutoff value of 80.57.Subgroup analysis demonstrated no significant interaction effects between FAR and most subgroups(P＞0.05),except for the hypertension subgroup.Conclusion:FAR is significantly associated with in-hospital mortality in critically ill patients,and elevated FAR values indicate an increased risk of death.

Aim To investigate the effects of breast cancer-related depression model on microglial activa-tion and neuronal function via the NLRP3-COX-2 sig-naling pathway.Methods In the cell experiment,BV2 and HT22 cells were co-cultured to observe the polarization of BV2 cells and the injury of HT22 cells.In the animal experiment,behavioral experiments were used to evaluate the depressive behaviors of mice.HE staining and tumor weight were used to evaluate the changes of axillary tumors.ELISA was used to detect the contents of CA153,CA125,CEA,as well as the changes in the contents of 5-HT,DA and others in the serum and hippocampus.RT-qPCR and immunohisto-chemistry were used to detect the mRNA and protein expression of IL-1 β,IL-18 and other indicators,re-spectively.Immunofluorescence was used to detect CD1 1b and Iba-1.Nissl staining and transmission elec-tron microscopy were used to observe the hippocampal neurons.Results The results of cell experiments showed that compared with the model group,the pro-tein contents and mRNA expression levels of NLRP3,COX-2,and IL-1 β in the NLRP3 knockdown group were all decreased.The results of animal experiments showed that compared with the model group,the be-havioral performance of the experimental group was im-proved,and the mRNA and protein expression levels of IL-1 β,IL-18,and NLRP3 were decreased.Conclu-sion BCRD may mediate the polarization of microglia and the injury of hippocampal neurons through the NL-RP3-COX-2 signaling pathway.

Growth arrest DNA damage-inducible protein 45 β (GADD45B) has been reported to be a regulatory factor for active DNA demethylation and is implicated in the modulation of synaptic plasticity and chronic stress-related psychopathological processes. However, its precise role and mechanism of action in stress susceptibility remain elusive. In this study, we found a significant reduction in GADD45B expression specifically in the ventral, but not the dorsal hippocampal CA1 (dCA1) of stress-susceptible mice. Furthermore, we demonstrated that GADD45B negatively regulates susceptibility to social stress and NMDA receptor-dependent long-term potentiation (LTP) in the ventral hippocampal CA1 (vCA1). Importantly, through pharmacological inhibition using the NMDA receptor antagonist MK801, we provided further evidence supporting the hypothesis that GADD45B potentially modulates susceptibility to social stress by influencing NMDA receptor-mediated LTP. Collectively, these results suggested that modulation of NMDA receptor-mediated synaptic plasticity is a pivotal mechanism underlying the regulation of susceptibility to social stress by GADD45B.
Animals ; Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate/antagonists & inhibitors* ; CA1 Region, Hippocampal/drug effects* ; Male ; Stress, Psychological/physiopathology* ; Mice ; Neuronal Plasticity/drug effects* ; Long-Term Potentiation/drug effects* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Antigens, Differentiation/metabolism* ; Dizocilpine Maleate/pharmacology* ; Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists/pharmacology* ; GADD45 Proteins

High mobility group box 1 (HMGB1), when released extracellularly, plays a pivotal role in the development of spinal cord synapses and exacerbates autoimmune diseases within the central nervous system. In experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a condition that models multiple sclerosis, the levels of extracellular HMGB1 and interleukin-33 (IL-33) have been found to be inversely correlated. However, the mechanism by which IL-33 deficiency enhances HMGB1 release during EAE remains elusive. Our study elucidates a potential signaling pathway whereby the absence of IL-33 leads to increased binding of P300/CBP-associated factor with HMGB1 in the nuclei of astrocytes, upregulating HMGB1 acetylation and promoting its release from astrocyte nuclei in the spinal cord of EAE mice. Conversely, the addition of IL-33 counteracts the TNF-α-induced increase in HMGB1 and acetylated HMGB1 levels in primary astrocytes. These findings underscore the potential of IL-33-associated signaling pathways as a therapeutic target for EAE treatment.
Animals ; Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/metabolism* ; Astrocytes/metabolism* ; Interleukin-33/metabolism* ; HMGB1 Protein/metabolism* ; Acetylation ; Mice, Knockout ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; p300-CBP Transcription Factors/metabolism* ; Mice ; Spinal Cord/metabolism* ; Cells, Cultured ; Female ; Signal Transduction