The trillions of commensal microorganisms living in the gut lumen profoundly influence the physiology and pathophysiology of the liver through a unique gut-liver axis. Disruptions in the gut microbial communities, arising from environmental and genetic factors, can lead to altered microbial metabolism, impaired intestinal barrier and translocation of microbial components to the liver. These alterations collaboratively contribute to the pathogenesis of liver disease, and their continuous impact throughout the disease course plays a critical role in hepatocarcinogenesis. Persistent inflammatory responses, metabolic rearrangements and suppressed immunosurveillance induced by microbial products underlie the pro-carcinogenic mechanisms of gut microbiota. Meanwhile, intrahepatic microbiota derived from the gut also emerges as a novel player in the development and progression of liver cancer. In this review, we first discuss the causes of gut dysbiosis in liver disease, and then specify the pivotal role of gut microbiota in the malignant progression from chronic liver diseases to hepatobiliary cancers. We also delve into the cellular and molecular interactions between microbes and liver cancer microenvironment, aiming to decipher the underlying mechanism for the malignant transition processes. At last, we summarize the current progress in the clinical implications of gut microbiota for liver cancer, shedding light on microbiota-based strategies for liver cancer prevention, diagnosis and therapy.

The trillions of commensal microorganisms living in the gut lumen profoundly influence the physiology and pathophysiology of the liver through a unique gut-liver axis. Disruptions in the gut microbial communities, arising from environmental and genetic factors, can lead to altered microbial metabolism, impaired intestinal barrier and translocation of microbial components to the liver. These alterations collaboratively contribute to the pathogenesis of liver disease, and their continuous impact throughout the disease course plays a critical role in hepatocarcinogenesis. Persistent inflammatory responses, metabolic rearrangements and suppressed immunosurveillance induced by microbial products underlie the pro-carcinogenic mechanisms of gut microbiota. Meanwhile, intrahepatic microbiota derived from the gut also emerges as a novel player in the development and progression of liver cancer. In this review, we first discuss the causes of gut dysbiosis in liver disease, and then specify the pivotal role of gut microbiota in the malignant progression from chronic liver diseases to hepatobiliary cancers. We also delve into the cellular and molecular interactions between microbes and liver cancer microenvironment, aiming to decipher the underlying mechanism for the malignant transition processes. At last, we summarize the current progress in the clinical implications of gut microbiota for liver cancer, shedding light on microbiota-based strategies for liver cancer prevention, diagnosis and therapy.

The trillions of commensal microorganisms living in the gut lumen profoundly influence the physiology and pathophysiology of the liver through a unique gut-liver axis. Disruptions in the gut microbial communities, arising from environmental and genetic factors, can lead to altered microbial metabolism, impaired intestinal barrier and translocation of microbial components to the liver. These alterations collaboratively contribute to the pathogenesis of liver disease, and their continuous impact throughout the disease course plays a critical role in hepatocarcinogenesis. Persistent inflammatory responses, metabolic rearrangements and suppressed immunosurveillance induced by microbial products underlie the pro-carcinogenic mechanisms of gut microbiota. Meanwhile, intrahepatic microbiota derived from the gut also emerges as a novel player in the development and progression of liver cancer. In this review, we first discuss the causes of gut dysbiosis in liver disease, and then specify the pivotal role of gut microbiota in the malignant progression from chronic liver diseases to hepatobiliary cancers. We also delve into the cellular and molecular interactions between microbes and liver cancer microenvironment, aiming to decipher the underlying mechanism for the malignant transition processes. At last, we summarize the current progress in the clinical implications of gut microbiota for liver cancer, shedding light on microbiota-based strategies for liver cancer prevention, diagnosis and therapy.

Soil cadmium (Cd) pollution is one of the major environmental problems globally. Ophiopogon japonicus, a multifunctional plant extensively used in traditional Chinese medicine, has demonstrated potential in environmental remediation. This study investigated the Cd accumulation pattern of O. japonicus under cadmium stress and identified the heavy metal ATPase (HMA) family members in this plant. Our results demonstrated that O. japonicus exhibited a Cd enrichment factor (EF) of 2.75, demonstrating strong potential for soil Cd pollution remediation. Nine heavy metal ATPase (HMA) members of P1B-ATPases were successfully identified from the transcriptome data of O. japonicus, with OjHMA1-OjHMA6 classified as the Zn/Co/Cd/Pb-ATPases and OjHMA7-OjHMA9 as the Cu/Ag-ATPases. The expression levels of OjHMA1, OjHMA2, OjHMA3, and OjHMA7 were significantly up-regulated under Cd stress, highlighting their crucial roles in cadmium ion absorption and transport. The topological analysis revealed that these proteins possessed characteristic transmembrane (TM) segments of the family, along with functional A, P, and N domains involved in regulating ion absorption and release. Metal ion-binding sites (M4, M5, and M6) existed on the TM segments. Based on the number of transmembrane domains and the residues at metal ion-binding sites, the plant HMA family members were categorized into three subgroups: P1B-1 ATPases, P1B-2 ATPases, and P1B-4 ATPases. Specifically, the P1B-1 ATPase subgroup included the motifs TM4(CPC), TM5(YN[X]₄P), and TM6(M[XX]SS); the P1B-2 ATPase subgroup featured the motifs TM4(CPC), TM5(K), and TM6(DKTGT); the P1B-4 ATPase subgroup contained the motifs TM4(SPC) and TM6(HE[X]GT), all of which were critical for protein functions. Molecular docking results revealed the importance of conserved sequences such as CPC/SPC, DKTGT, and HE[X]GT in metal ion coordination and stabilization. These findings provide potential molecular targets for enhancing Cd uptake and tolerance of O. japonicus by genetic engineering and lay a theoretical foundation for developing new cultivars with high Cd accumulation capacity.
Cadmium/metabolism* ; Adenosine Triphosphatases/metabolism* ; Ophiopogon/drug effects* ; Soil Pollutants/toxicity* ; Plant Proteins/metabolism* ; Stress, Physiological ; Multigene Family ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant

ObjectiveTo investigate the value of prealbumin-to-total bilirubin （PA/TBil） ratio on admission in predicting 90-day mortality or liver transplantation in patients with HBV-related acute-on-chronic liver failure （HBV-ACLF）， as well as the effect of its combination with Model for End-Stage Liver Disease （MELD） score on the predictive performance for short-term prognosis. MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 216 HBV-ACLF patients who were admitted to Department of Infectious Diseases in the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from April 2020 to May 2025， and the patients were followed up for 3 months. According to the outcome， the patients were divided into survival group with 104 patients and death/transplantation group with 112 patients. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to check whether the continuous data was in accordance with the normal distribution； the two-independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups， while the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of continuous data with skewed distribution between two groups. The chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. Univariate and multivariate binary Logistic regression analyses were used to investigate the influencing factors for prognosis， and the receiver operating characteristic （ROC） curve was used to analyze the performance of each indicator in predicting the prognosis of ACLF. The area under the ROC curve （AUC） was calculated， and the Delong test was used for comparison of AUC. ResultsA total of 216 patients were enrolled in this study， with a 90-day survival rate of 48.15% （104/216）. Compared with the death/transplantation group， the survival group had significantly higher platelet count， lymphocyte count， albumin， and PA/TBil ratio （all P<0.05） and significantly lower age， white blood cell count， neutrophil count， prothrombin time， international normalized ratio， aspartate aminotransferase， total bilirubin， creatinine， and MELD score （all P<0.05）. The multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that age （odds ratio ［OR］=1.05， 95% confidence interval ［CI］： 1.02 — 1.09， P<0.001）， PA/TBil ratio （OR=0.16， 95%CI： 0.05 — 0.46， P<0.001）， and MELD score （OR=1.09， 95%CI： 1.01 — 1.17， P=0.024） were independent influencing factors for 90-day prognosis in HBV-ACLF patients. PA/TBil ratio and MELD score used alone or in combination had an AUC of 0.760， 0.779， and 0.811， respectively， in predicting the prognosis of HBV-ACLF patients， and PA/TBil ratio combined with MELD score had a better AUC than PA/TBil ratio or MELD score used alone （Z=-2.058 and 2.017， both P<0.05）. ConclusionBoth serum PA/TBil ratio and MELD score can effectively predict the prognosis of patients with HBV-ACLF， and a combination of the two indicators had a better predictive performance than MELD score alone， which provides an important reference for clinical risk stratification management and timely intervention.

Mitophagy is an evolutionarily highly conserved selective autophagy process that maintains cellular homeostasis and mitochondrial quality control by specifically recognizing and removing damaged or superfluous mitochondria. During tumorigenesis， mitophagy eliminates damaged mitochondria and reduces the accumulation of reactive oxygen species （ROS）， thereby helping to sustain cellular homeostasis. Energy metabolism refers to the core biological process through which cells convert chemical energy from nutrients into adenosine triphosphate （ATP） via biochemical pathways such as glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation， providing energy for cellular activities. While research on gastrointestinal tumors is advancing rapidly， a major bottleneck lies in their complex metabolic adaptations and therapeutic resistance. Targeting the interplay between mitophagy and energy metabolism has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy for this disease. Current research on mitophagy and energy metabolism in gastrointestinal tumors， including the molecular mechanisms of their bidirectional regulatory network and applications in targeted therapies， remains to be systematically elucidated. Therefore， this review summarizes the implications of the mitophagy-energy metabolism interplay in gastrointestinal tumors， with the aim of providing insights for future research.

Objective To screen out specific aldosterone(ALD)antibodies using phage display technology and recom-binant antibody technology,providing raw materials for the research and development of ALD diagnostic kits.Methods Five healthy and clean New Zealand white rabbits were selected and immunized for the first time against the diluted ALD-keyhole limpet hemocyanin antigen(2 mg·L-1)using a multi-point injection method on the back,with a dose of 1 mg per rabbit.Immunization was administered again every 2 weeks,with a 50％reduction in dose.Starting from the third immunization,the ear vein blood of the rabbits was collected one week after each immunization.A chemiluminescent plate coated with 0.25 mg·L-1 ALD-bovine serum albumin antigen was used to measure serum titers via indirect and competitive methods.After the 5th immunization,the rabbit with high serum titers and good specificity was selected,and its spleen and bone marrow were removed.The spleen tissue was grinded,and RNA was extracted using TRIzol reagent in one step to obtain gene sequences in the variable region of light chain(VL)and the variable region of heavy chain(VH).The single-chain variable fragment(ScFv)was connected through the linker and constructed into the bacteriophage vector Pcomb3xss;then,it was carried to Escherichia coli TG1 through electrotransformation,and the ALD ScFv phage display library was constructed accordingly.Three to five rounds of enrichment screening were performed against the library.Monoclonal clones,identified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)competitive method,were selected for phage supernatant preparation,and a highly competitive clone sequence was obtained.The screened clone sequence was inserted into the pCMV3 expression vector,and the HEK293 cell was transfected using the transient transfection method after the plasmid was extracted.One week later,the supernatant was collected,and its purity and expression were identified by affinity chromatography and sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis(SDS-PAGE).Results After the 5th immunization,the serum titers of 5 rabbits were indirectly tested,and the results showed that the serum titers of 4# and 5# white rabbits were still greater than 10,000 after being diluted by 32,000 times.The test results based on the competitive method showed that the ratio of low to high values in the plasma sample of 5#white rabbit was 2∶1,superior to that of other white rabbits.The 5# white rabbit was selected for phage library construction.The VL and VH gene fragments were amplified by conventional polymerase chain reaction,and then bridged into ScFv(VL+VH).The agar gel electrophoresis analysis showed that the size of the band was about 750 bp,which was consistent with the size of the originally designed fragment.ScFv was cleaved and electroporated into Escherichia coli TG1 to construct a phage library with a storage capacity of 4.73 × 108 cfu·mL-1.After 3 rounds of washing,300 monoclonal clones were selected from the outbound petri dishes to prepare monoclonal bacteriophages.The ELISA results showed a positive rate of 100％among the 300 clones,and 42 clones were tested positive for calibration competition,with a screening rate of 14％.The 42 positive clones were further subjected to clinical sample competition testing,and 16 monoclonal strains that met the requirements were screened.The 16 strains were retested,and the results of the two tests were consistent.After sequencing,6 antibody sequences were selected for construction and expression.After purification,SDS-PAGE reduced gel electrophoresis results showed that there were bands at positions 50,000 on the heavy chain and 25,000 on the light chain.Six highly affinitive and competitive rabbit ALD monoclonal antibodies were obtained.Conclusion Six highly affinitive and competitive rabbit ALD antibodies are successfully screened using phage display technology,which provides a reference method for the discovery of small molecule antibodies.The screened AD1 85 and AD277 antibodies show a competitive advantage twice that of the positive control in the competition of calibration and clinical samples,providing a possibility for the development of raw materials for ALD detection kits.

AIM:To observe the effect of icariin-astragaloside Ⅳ-puerarin mixture(Yin-Huang-Ge mixture,YHG)on cognitive function and ferroptosis amino acid metabolism pathway in hepcidin(HAMP)knockout APPswe/PS1dE9(APP/PS1 HAMP-/-)mice.METHODS:The mice were divided into 7 groups:negative control(C57BL/6 mice)group,APP/PS1 group,APP/PS1 HAMP-/-group,APP/PS1+YHG group,APP/PS1 HAMP-/-+YHG group,APP/PS1+de-ferasirox(DFX)group,and APP/PS1 HAMP-/-+DFX group,with 6 mice in each group.The YHG and DFX were adminis-tered intragastrically,while the mice in C57 group,APP/PS1 group and APP/PS1 HAMP-/-group were given intragastric administration of distilled water,once a day for 2 months.The iron content in mouse brain tissues was detected by tissue iron kit.The morphological changes of the mitochondria in hippocampal neurons were observed by transmission electron microscopy.Morris water maze was used to detect the learning and memory ability of the mice.The content of neuronal nu-clear antigen(NeuN)in mouse brain tissues was detected by immunofluorescence staining.The expression of glutathione(GSH)in mouse brain tissues was detected by biochemical kit.The expression levels of glutamate-cysteine ligase catalytic subunit(GCLC)and glutamatase 2(GLS2)in mouse brain tissues were detected by Western blot.RESULTS:Compared with C57BL/6 mice,the brain iron content of APP/PS1 mice was significantly increased(P＜0.01),the mitochondria were seriously damaged,the learning and memory ability was significantly decreased(P＜0.05),the brain neurons were seri-ously damaged(P＜0.01),and the expression levels of GSH,GCLC and GLS2 were significantly decreased(P＜0.01).Compared with APP/PS1 mice,the brain iron content of APP/PS1 HAMP-/-mice was significantly increased(P＜0.01),the mitochondria were seriously damaged,the learning and memory ability was significantly decreased(P＜0.05),the brain neurons were seriously damaged(P＜0.01),and the expression levels of GSH,GCLC and GLS2 were significantly decreased(P＜0.05).After treatment with YHG and DFX,the brain iron content was significantly decreased(P＜0.01),the mitochondrial damage was alleviated,the learning and memory ability was significantly increased(P＜0.05),the brain neuron damage was alleviated(P＜0.01),and the expression levels of GSH,GCLC and GLS2 were significantly increased(P＜0.05).CONCLUSION:The YHG can improve the cognitive function of APP/PS1 HAMP-/-mice,and its mechanism may be related to the regulation of ferroptosis amino acid metabolism and the enhancement of antioxidant capacity.

Objective To compare the morphology differences in small shadows of occupational pneumoconiosis (hereinafter referred to as "pneumoconiosis") between computed tomography (CT) and digital radiography (DR) imaging. Methods A total of 1 010 pneumoconiosis patients were selected as the research subjects using a judgment sampling method. Chest DR imaging and CT imaging were performed on patients, and the differences in small shadow morphology between the two images were compared. Results In both DR and CT images of patients, circular small shadows identified as p, q, and r shapes accounted for 76.2%, 11.5%, and 1.3%, respectively, while irregular small shadows were identified in 1.8% of cases. There was medium high consistency between DR and CT in detecting these four types of small shadow morphology (Kappa=0.72, P<0.01). The detection rate of irregular small shadows (including interlobular septal thickening, ground-glass opacity, and/or centrilobular emphysema) by CT images was 54.0% (545/1 010), with 88.6% (483/545) of these cases also showing small circular shadows. Irregular small shadows in CT images were mostly identified as p small circular shadows in DR images, accounting for 88.8% (484/545). The results of DR and CT images for p/p, p/q, q/p, q/q, q/r, r/q and r/r in small circular shadows showed medium high consistency (Kappa =0.52, P<0.01). Conclusion The results of CT and DR imaging for pneumoconiosis with small shadow were of medium high consistency, with CT demonstrating advantages in detecting irregular small shadow morphology of pneumoconiosis. CT images can be used to describe the shape of circular small shadow as DR images, and irregular small shadow can be described as interlobular septal thickening, ground-glass opacity, and/or centrilobular emphysema.

Oral diseases concern almost every individual and are a serious health risk to the popula-tion.The restorative treatment of tooth and jaw defects is an important means to achieve oral function and support the appearance of the contour.Based on the principle of"learning from the nature",Deng Xu-liang's group of Peking University School and Hospital of Stomatology has proposed a new concept of"microstructural biomimetic design and tissue adaptation of tooth/jaw materials"to address the worldwide problems of difficulty in treating dentine hypersensitivity,poor prognosis of restoration of tooth defects,and vertical bone augmentation of alveolar bone after tooth loss.The group has broken through the bottle-neck of multi-stage biomimetic technology from the design of microscopic features to the enhancement of macroscopic effects,and invented key technologies such as crystalline/amorphous multi-level assembly,ion-transportation blocking,and multi-physical properties of the micro-environment reconstruction,etc.The group also pioneered the cationic-hydrogel desensitizer,digital stump and core integrated restora-tions,and developed new crown and bridge restorative materials,gradient functionalisation guided tissue regeneration membrane,and electrically responsive alveolar bone augmentation restorative membranes,etc.These products have established new clinical strategies for tooth/jaw defect repair and achieved inno-vative results.In conclusion,the research results of our group have strongly supported the theoretical im-provement of stomatology,developed the technical system of oral hard tissue restoration,innovated the clinical treatment strategy,and led the progress of the stomatology industry.