Primary cilia—those solitary, microtubule-based projections extending from the surface of most eukaryotic cells—are increasingly recognized not merely as cellular appendages, but as sophisticated signaling hubs. By compartmentalizing specific receptors (e.g., GPCRs) and effectors within a microdomain guarded by the transition zone, these organelles function effectively as high-gain sensors capable of integrating mechanical stimuli with metabolic cues. In this review, we examine the pivotal role of primary cilia across the nervous, bone-vascular, and renal landscapes, arguing for a unified “mechano-metabolic coupling” framework. Here, conserved ciliary modules are not static; rather, they are differentially deployed to uphold systemic homeostasis. Within the central nervous system, we position primary cilia as upstream integrators. We highlight how hypothalamic neuronal cilia concentrate metabolic receptors, such as the melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R), to interpret energy status. Moreover, the recent identification of serotonergic “axon-cilium synapses” points to a direct mode of neurotransmission, wherein 5-HT6 receptors drive nuclear signaling and chromatin accessibility to rapidly modulate gene expression. Through these mechanisms, central cilia modulate sympathetic tone and neuroendocrine output, effectively establishing the mechanical and metabolic “boundary conditions” under which peripheral organs operate. Dysfunction in these central hubs is linked to obesity and neurodevelopmental disorders, including Bardet-Biedl syndrome. In peripheral tissues, cilia serve as versatile mechanotransducers that convert physical forces into biochemical responses. Regarding the bone-vascular system, we discuss the translation of mechanical loads and fluid shear stress into structural remodeling. In osteoblasts, specifically, ciliary integrity is intrinsically linked to cholesterol and glucose metabolism, fine-tuning the balance between Hedgehog and Wnt/β-catenin signaling to govern osteogenesis and bone repair. A similar dynamic exists in the vasculature, where endothelial cilia sense shear stress to modulate KLF4 expression and endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition—processes critical for valvulogenesis and vascular remodeling. Meanwhile, in the kidney, tubular cilia act as terminal effectors within a “shear-cilia-metabolism” axis. Here, fluid shear stress engages ciliary signaling to trigger AMPK-mediated lipophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis, thereby securing the ATP supply required for solute transport. Notably, dysregulation of this axis leads to metabolic reprogramming and aberrant proliferation, acting as a hallmark driver of cystogenesis in polycystic kidney disease (PKD). Crucially, this review attempts to dissect the often-conflated logic of cross-system integration by distinguishing 3 non-equivalent pathways: direct communication via ciliary extracellular vesicles, though this remains largely hypothetical in long-range signaling; “physiology-mediated cascades”, where ciliary dysfunction in a single organ—such as the kidney—precipitates systemic pathology through hemodynamic and metabolic shifts (e.g., altered blood pressure, fluid volume, or uremic toxins); and “parallel molecular defects”, where shared genetic mutations in ubiquitous components like the IFT machinery cause simultaneous, independent failures across multiple organ systems. Building on these distinctions, we propose a nested-loop model that links central set-points with peripheral feedback via physiological variables. Furthermore, we construct a “causality-to-translation” roadmap that pinpoints structural repair (e.g., targeting IFT assembly) and metabolic rescue (e.g., AMPK activation or autophagy induction) as promising therapeutic avenues. Ultimately, this framework provides a theoretical basis for deciphering the shared pathological mechanisms of multisystem ciliopathies, offering a strategic guide for the development of targeted interventions that go beyond symptomatic treatment.

Objective: To identify early clinical predictors associated with dysphagia and delayed swallowing recovery in patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Methods: In this retrospective study, we enrolled adult TBI patients admitted to the rehabilitation unit of a tertiary medical center between June 2019 and June 2023. Data on baseline characteristics, neurological status, imaging findings, and rehabilitation-related variables were collected. Swallowing function was assessed using two indicators: (1) nasogastric (NG) tube retention and (2) the Functional Oral Intake Scale (FOIS) scores at 1, 4, and 12 weeks post-injury. Regression analyses were conducted to identify predictors associated with dysphagia and swallowing recovery. Results: A total of 160 patients were included. At 1 week post-injury, longer intensive care unit (ICU) stay, poor initial sitting balance and use of sedative medication in ICU were associated with NG tube retention. At 4 weeks, lower initial Rancho Los Amigos Scale (RLAS) scores, immobility-related complications, longer hospitalization, and temporal lobe hematomas were associated with persistent NG tube dependence. By 12 weeks, older age, delayed ability to follow commands, and poor initial sitting balance remained associated with NG tube retention. FOIS outcomes were also associated with older age, delayed time to follow commands, impaired initial sitting balance, prolonged ICU stay, temporal lobe hematomas, lower initial RLAS scores, immobility-related complications, prolonged endotracheal tube placement and extended hospital stays. Conclusion Impaired cognitive status, poor physical function, immobility-related complications, and temporal lobe hematomas were key factors associated with dysphagia and delayed oral intake in individuals with TBI.

Background: Patients with coarctation of the aorta (CoA) and an interrupted aortic arch (IAA) may present with small mitral valves (MVs) and a reduced left ventricular (LV) volume. Biventricular repair (BVR) in these patients is dependent on adequate size of the left cardiac structures.Purpose: This study evaluated the impact of the hemodynamic characteristics of atrial septal defects (ASDs) on MV growth following surgical repair. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the data of patients diagnosed with CoA or IAA between 2007 and 2024. The z score for MV size measured 6 months postoperatively (Z2) was compared with the preoperative MV size (Z1). The factors associated with MV growth were also studied. Results: A total of 161 patients with CoA or IAA were included. Transthoracic echocardiography was used to assess the MV and LV dimensions preoperatively and 6 months postoperatively. Of the cohort, 155 (96.3%) underwent initial BVR and 6 underwent single-ventricle palliation. MV z scores significantly increased following BVR (mean change: +0.45±1.35; P<0.001) but decreased after single-ventricle repair (-0.56±0.49, P=0.04). Multivariate analysis identified the initial MV z score and ASD pressure gradient as independent predictors of MV growth (R2=0.39). Conclusion Annular growth of the MV was not observed in patients who underwent single-ventricle palliation. In contrast, among patients who achieved BVR, those with a small preoperative MV annulus and low ASD pressure gradient demonstrated subsequent catch-up MV growth, suggesting that adequate left-sided preload is essential for MV development.

Pulmonary embolism (PE) may present with subtle but specific radiographic clues on chest X -ray. We describe a series of three patients with acute PE demonstrating classical findings, including the Palla’s sign, Hampton ’s hump, and Westermark ’s sign, across varied clinical settings. In all cases, these findings prompted early diagnostic consideration and were subsequently confirmed by computed tomography pulmonary angiography. Echocardiographic findings varied between cases and ranged from normal ventricular function to evidence of right -ventricular strain. This case series highlights the continued educational value of recognising classical chest X -ray signs of PE, particularly in supporting early clinical suspicion when definitive imaging is delayed or not immediately available

Pulmonary embolism (PE) may present with subtle but specific radiographic clues on chest X -ray. We describe a series of three patients with acute PE demonstrating classical findings, including the Palla’s sign, Hampton ’s hump, and Westermark ’s sign, across varied clinical settings. In all cases, these findings prompted early diagnostic consideration and were subsequently confirmed by computed tomography pulmonary angiography. Echocardiographic findings varied between cases and ranged from normal ventricular function to evidence of right -ventricular strain. This case series highlights the continued educational value of recognising classical chest X -ray signs of PE, particularly in supporting early clinical suspicion when definitive imaging is delayed or not immediately available

AIM: To analyze the relationship between obesity-related indicators, blood lipid levels and primary open angle glaucoma(POAG)and explore its risk factors. METHODS:Patients with POAG treated in the hospital from March 2022 to March 2024 were selected as the POAG group, and healthy people in the same period were selected as the non-POAG group. The obesity related indicators [body mass index(BMI), waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio], blood lipid levels [serum total cholesterol(TC), triglyceride(TG), high-density lipoprotein(HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein(LDL-C)] and general clinical data of the two groups were compared. The binary Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the risk factors affecting the occurrence of POAG, and the ROC curve was established to analyze the efficiency of various variables in predicting the occurrence of POAG.RESULTS:A total of 54 POAG patients and 54 non-POAG subjects were included. The POAG group had a mean age of 50.30±5.73 y(29 males, 25 females), and the non-POAG group had a mean age of 50.28±5.72 y(28 males, 26 females).The BMI, intraocular pressure, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, and TG levels in the POAG group were higher than those in the non-POAG group, while the HDL-C level was lower than that in the non-POAG group(all P<0.001). High BMI, high waist circumference, high waist-to-hip ratio, and high TG were identified as risk factors for POAG(all P<0.05), whereas high HDL-C was a protective factor(P<0.05).The AUCs for BMI, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, TG, HDL-C, and the combined prediction were 0.885, 0.873, 0.707, 0.777, 0.664, and 0.974, respectively; the sensitivities were 0.815, 0.833, 0.730, 0.637, 0.663, and 0.944, respectively; and the specificities were 0.852, 0.759, 0.711, 0.789, 0.752, and 0.889, respectively. These results indicate that the combined multi-index prediction had the best performance, with good sensitivity and specificity.CONCLUSION:Obesity-related indicators such as high BMI, high waist circumference, high waist-to-hip ratio, and dyslipidemia(high TG, low HDL-C)are associated risk factors for POAG. The combined multi-index prediction model including BMI, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, TG, and HDL-C demonstrates the best performance in POAG risk assessment, with both high sensitivity and specificity, providing a scientific basis for early clinical screening and intervention.

Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) and osteoporosis (OP) are two very common metabolic diseases. A growing body of experimental evidence supports a pathophysiological link between MAFLD and OP. MAFLD is often associated with the development of OP. Rutaecarpine (RUT) is one of the main active components of Chinese medicine Euodiae Fructus. Our previous studies have demonstrated that RUT has lipid-lowering, anti-inflammatory and anti-atherosclerotic effects, and can improve the OP of rats. However, whether RUT can improve both fatty liver and OP symptoms of MAFLD mice at the same time remains to be investigated. In this study, we used C57BL/6 mice fed a high-fat diet (HFD) for 4 months to construct a MAFLD model, and gave the mice a low dose (5 mg·kg^-1) and a high dose (15 mg·kg^-1) of RUT by gavage for 4 weeks. The effects of RUT on liver steatosis and bone metabolism were then evaluated at the end of the experiment [this experiment was approved by the Experimental Animal Ethics Committee of Institute of Medicinal Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (approval number: IMB-20190124D₃03)]. The results showed that RUT treatment significantly reduced hepatic steatosis and lipid accumulation, and significantly reduced bone loss and promoted bone formation. In summary, this study shows that RUT has an effect of improving fatty liver and OP in MAFLD mice.

Objective To explore the effect and mechanism of knockdown of mitochondrial transcription factor A(TFAM)on the growth of gastrointestinal stromal tumor(GIST)cells mediated by tumor-associated macrophages(TAMs)polarization.Methods Human acute leukemia mononuclear macrophage cell line THP-1 induced by phobate and interleukin(IL)-4 was used to establish TAMs,lentivirus shRNA TFAM and negative control shRNA NC were transfected into TAMs,which were recorded as TAMs+sh-TFAM group and TAMs+sh-NC group,respectively,the untransfected cells were recorded as the TAMs group.The mRNA expression of TFAM,IL-10 and arginase-1(Arg-1)was detected by qRT-PCR.The TFAM protein expression was detected by Western blot.The expression level of CD206 was detected by flow cytometry.The human GIST cell line GIST-T1 were divided into GIST-T1 group,TAMs+GIST-T1 group,TAMs+sh-NC+GIST-T1 group,TAMs+sh-TFAM+GIST-T1 group,and treated with fresh medium containing different TAMs culture supernatants.The cell proliferation and apoptosis levels were detected by CCK-8,EdU staining and Annexin V-FITC/PI double staining respectively.Results Compared with TAMs group and TAMs+sh-NC group,the TFAM mRNA and protein expression levels of THP-1 cells in TAMs+sh-TFAM group were significantly down-regulated(P<0.05).Compared with control group,the expression levels of CD206 and IL-10 and Arg-1 mRNA of THP-1 cells in TAMs group were significantly increased(P<0.05).Compared with TAMs+sh-NC group,the expression levels of CD206 and IL-10 and Arg-1 mRNA of THP-1 cells in TAMs+sh-TFAM group were significantly decreased(P<0.05).Compared with GIST-T1 group,the proliferative activity of GIST-T1 cells and EdU positive cells rate in TAMs+GIST-T1 group were significantly increased(P<0.05),while the apoptosis rate was significantly decreased(P<0.05).Compared with TAMs+sh-NC+GIST-T1 group,the proliferative activity of GIST-T1 cells and EdU positive cells rate in TAMs+sh-TFAM+GIST-T1 group were significantly decreased(P<0.05),while the apoptosis rate was significantly increased(P<0.05).Conclusion Knockdown of TFAM can inhibit the polarization of TAMs to M2 phenotype,thus inhibiting the proliferation of GIST cells,promoting cell apoptosis,and preventing the progression of GIST.

Objective:To analyze the expression of serum thymidine kinase 1 (TK1), interleukin-22 (IL-22) and IL-6 in patients with breast cancer and their relationship with postoperative recurrence.Methods:100 patients with breast cancer from Jan. 2021 to Jan. 2023 were included as the observation group, and 30 healthy women who underwent physical examination in the First People’s Hospital of Jiande during the same period were included as the control group. Serum TK1, IL-22 and IL-6 levels were compared and local recurrence was followed up after surgery. Patients were separated into the recurrence subgroup and non-recurrence subgroup according to postoperative recurrence. The levels of serum TK1, IL-22, IL-6 and clinicopathological features were compared, and the influencing factors of postoperative recurrence of breast cancer were analyzed by multivariate Logistic regression. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was drawn to evaluate the predictive efficacy of serum TK1, IL-22 and IL-6 in postoperative breast cancer recurrence.Results:Serum TK1, IL-22 and IL-6 levels in the observation group were significantly higher ( t=15.91, 21.99, 9.17, P<0.05); Among the 100 patients with breast cancer, 22 recurred and 78 did not recurred. The proportion of lymph node metastasis, the proportion of postoperative chemotherapy, the proportion of postoperative radiotherapy, serum TK1, serum IL-22 and serum IL-6 levels in the recurrence subgroup were significantly higher than those in the non-recurrence subgroup ( χ2/ t=8.09, 4.74, 4.76, 4.24, 4.43, 5.31, P<0.05); Stepwise Logistic regression showed that lymph node metastasis, high TK1, high IL-22 and high IL-6 were risk factors for postoperative recurrence of breast cancer patients, and standard postoperative chemotherapy and postoperative radiotherapy were protective factors (Wald χ2value =13.424, 4.689, 4.631, 7.334, 8.925, 5.855, P<0.05); The area under the curve (AUC) of TK1, IL-22, IL-6 and combined detection for predicting postoperative recurrence of breast cancer patients were 0.779, 0.739, 0.816 and 0.893, respectively ( AUC=0.779, 0.739, 0.816, 0.893, P<0.05) . Conclusions:Serum TK1, IL-22 and IL-6 levels increase in patients with breast cancer. High TK1, IL-22 and IL-6 levels are risk factors for postoperative recurrence of breast cancer, and combined detection has a good predictive effect on postoperative recurrence of breast cancer.