1.Integrating Transcriptomics and 3D Organoids to Investigate Mechanism of Periplaneta americana Extract Against Lung Adenocarcinoma
Qiong MA ; Chunxia HUANG ; Jiawei HE ; Yuting BAI ; Xingyue LIU ; Yuxuan XIONG ; Yang ZHONG ; Hengzhou LAI ; Yuling JIANG ; Xueke LI ; Qian WANG ; Yifeng REN ; Xi FU ; Funeng GENG ; Taoqing WU ; Ping XIAO ; Fengming YOU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(11):124-132
ObjectiveTo evaluate the antitumor activity of Periplaneta americana extract(PAE) against human-derived lung adenocarcinoma organoids(LUAD-PDOs) and to elucidate its potential mechanism based on transcriptomics. MethodsFresh tumor and adjacent normal tissues from patients with LUAD were collected to construct LUAD-PDOs and normal lung organoid(Nor-PDOs) models using 3D organoid culture technology. The effective intervention concentration of PAE was determined using the cell counting kit-8(CCK-8) assay. Experimental groups included the model group(LUAD-PDOs), normal group, model administration group(LUAD-PDOs+PAE), and normal administration group(Nor-PDOs+PAE). Hematoxylin-eosin(HE) staining was used to observe the pathological structures of PDOs, immunohistochemistry(IHC) was performed to detect the expressions of the proliferation marker Ki-67 and lung adenocarcinoma differentiation markers cytokeratin-7(CK-7) and Napsin A, TUNEL staining was applied to detect cell apoptosis. RNA sequencing(RNA-Seq) was conducted to identify differentially expressed genes(DEGs), followed by Gene Ontology(GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG), and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis(GSEA), alongside protein-protein interaction(PPI) network analysis to screen core mechanisms. Finally, key targets were validated by integrating external database analysis with immunofluorescence(IF). ResultsNor-PDOs and LUAD-PDOs that highly recapitulated the pathological characteristics of the primary tissues were successfully established. The CCK-8 assay determined that the effective intervention concentration of PAE was 16 g·L-1. Morphological observation showed that Nor-PDOs exhibited lumen-forming structures, whereas LUAD-PDOs displayed dense, solid structures. CCK-8 and TUNEL assays revealed that, compared with the model group, PAE intervention inhibited the proliferation of LUAD-PDOs and promoted apoptosis in LUAD cells, while showing no significant effect on the viability of Nor-PDOs. Transcriptomic analysis identified 719 DEGs that were significantly reversed after PAE intervention(347 up-regulated and 372 down-regulated)(P<0.05). GO enrichment analysis indicated that DEGs in the model administration group were significantly enriched in biological processes related to cell cycle regulation compared to the model group. KEGG pathway analysis revealed that PAE affected pathways related to proliferation and metabolism, including pathways in cancer and the p53 signaling pathway. GSEA further confirmed that PAE significantly enhanced the activity of the p53 signaling pathway(P<0.05). PPI network analysis indicated that breast cancer type 1 susceptibility protein(BRCA1) and checkpoint kinase 1(CHEK1) were the core down-regulated targets in the p53 pathway. IF verified the high expression of BRCA1 and CHEK1 in LUAD-PDOs and their significant downregulation after PAE intervention(P<0.05). Furthermore, survival analysis based on The Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA) database indicated that low expression of BRCA1 and CHEK1 was significantly associated with prolonged overall survival in patients with LUAD(P<0.05). ConclusionPAE effectively inhibits proliferation of LUAD-PDOs and promotes their apoptosis, its anti-tumor mechanism is potentially associated with the activation of the p53 signaling pathway, with BRCA1 and CHEK1 genes likely serving as key downstream targets for the effects of PAE.
2.The Oncogenic Role of TNFRSF12A in Colorectal Cancer and Pan-Cancer Bioinformatics Analysis
Chuyue WANG ; Yingying ZHAO ; You CHEN ; Ying SHI ; Zhiying YANG ; Weili WU ; Rui MA ; Bo WANG ; Yifeng SUN ; Ping YUAN
Cancer Research and Treatment 2025;57(1):212-228
Purpose:
Cancer has become a significant major public health concern, making the discovery of new cancer markers or therapeutic targets exceptionally important. Elevated expression of tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 12A (TNFRSF12A) expression has been observed in certain types of cancer. This project aims to investigate the function of TNFRSF12A in tumors and the underlying mechanisms.
Materials and Methods:
Various websites were utilized for conducting the bioinformatics analysis. Tumor cell lines with stable knockdown or overexpression of TNFRSF12A were established for cell phenotyping experiments and subcutaneous tumorigenesis in BALB/c mice. RNA-seq was employed to investigate the mechanism of TNFRSF12A.
Results:
TNFRSF12A was upregulated in the majority of cancers and associated with a poor prognosis. Knockdown TNFRSF12A hindered the colorectal cancer progression, while overexpression facilitated malignancy both in vitro and in vivo. TNFRSF12A overexpression led to increased nuclear factor кB (NF-κB) signaling and significant upregulation of baculoviral IAP repeat containing 3 (BIRC3), a transcription target of the NF-κB member RELA, and it was experimentally confirmed to be a critical downstream factor of TNFRSF12A. Therefore, we speculated the existence of a TNFRSF12A/RELA/BIRC3 regulatory axis in colorectal cancer.
Conclusion
TNFRSF12A is upregulated in various cancer types and associated with a poor prognosis. In colorectal cancer, elevated TNFRSF12A expression promotes tumor growth, potentially through the TNFRSF12A/RELA/BIRC3 regulatory axis.
3.The Oncogenic Role of TNFRSF12A in Colorectal Cancer and Pan-Cancer Bioinformatics Analysis
Chuyue WANG ; Yingying ZHAO ; You CHEN ; Ying SHI ; Zhiying YANG ; Weili WU ; Rui MA ; Bo WANG ; Yifeng SUN ; Ping YUAN
Cancer Research and Treatment 2025;57(1):212-228
Purpose:
Cancer has become a significant major public health concern, making the discovery of new cancer markers or therapeutic targets exceptionally important. Elevated expression of tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 12A (TNFRSF12A) expression has been observed in certain types of cancer. This project aims to investigate the function of TNFRSF12A in tumors and the underlying mechanisms.
Materials and Methods:
Various websites were utilized for conducting the bioinformatics analysis. Tumor cell lines with stable knockdown or overexpression of TNFRSF12A were established for cell phenotyping experiments and subcutaneous tumorigenesis in BALB/c mice. RNA-seq was employed to investigate the mechanism of TNFRSF12A.
Results:
TNFRSF12A was upregulated in the majority of cancers and associated with a poor prognosis. Knockdown TNFRSF12A hindered the colorectal cancer progression, while overexpression facilitated malignancy both in vitro and in vivo. TNFRSF12A overexpression led to increased nuclear factor кB (NF-κB) signaling and significant upregulation of baculoviral IAP repeat containing 3 (BIRC3), a transcription target of the NF-κB member RELA, and it was experimentally confirmed to be a critical downstream factor of TNFRSF12A. Therefore, we speculated the existence of a TNFRSF12A/RELA/BIRC3 regulatory axis in colorectal cancer.
Conclusion
TNFRSF12A is upregulated in various cancer types and associated with a poor prognosis. In colorectal cancer, elevated TNFRSF12A expression promotes tumor growth, potentially through the TNFRSF12A/RELA/BIRC3 regulatory axis.
4.The Oncogenic Role of TNFRSF12A in Colorectal Cancer and Pan-Cancer Bioinformatics Analysis
Chuyue WANG ; Yingying ZHAO ; You CHEN ; Ying SHI ; Zhiying YANG ; Weili WU ; Rui MA ; Bo WANG ; Yifeng SUN ; Ping YUAN
Cancer Research and Treatment 2025;57(1):212-228
Purpose:
Cancer has become a significant major public health concern, making the discovery of new cancer markers or therapeutic targets exceptionally important. Elevated expression of tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily member 12A (TNFRSF12A) expression has been observed in certain types of cancer. This project aims to investigate the function of TNFRSF12A in tumors and the underlying mechanisms.
Materials and Methods:
Various websites were utilized for conducting the bioinformatics analysis. Tumor cell lines with stable knockdown or overexpression of TNFRSF12A were established for cell phenotyping experiments and subcutaneous tumorigenesis in BALB/c mice. RNA-seq was employed to investigate the mechanism of TNFRSF12A.
Results:
TNFRSF12A was upregulated in the majority of cancers and associated with a poor prognosis. Knockdown TNFRSF12A hindered the colorectal cancer progression, while overexpression facilitated malignancy both in vitro and in vivo. TNFRSF12A overexpression led to increased nuclear factor кB (NF-κB) signaling and significant upregulation of baculoviral IAP repeat containing 3 (BIRC3), a transcription target of the NF-κB member RELA, and it was experimentally confirmed to be a critical downstream factor of TNFRSF12A. Therefore, we speculated the existence of a TNFRSF12A/RELA/BIRC3 regulatory axis in colorectal cancer.
Conclusion
TNFRSF12A is upregulated in various cancer types and associated with a poor prognosis. In colorectal cancer, elevated TNFRSF12A expression promotes tumor growth, potentially through the TNFRSF12A/RELA/BIRC3 regulatory axis.
5.Efficient expression and biological activity characterization of human potassium channel KV3.1 in an Escherichia coli cell-free protein synthesis system.
Zitong ZHAO ; Tianqi ZHOU ; Yunyang SONG ; Fanghui WU ; Yifeng YIN ; Yanli LIU
Chinese Journal of Cellular and Molecular Immunology 2025;41(11):1000-1006
Objective This study aims to achieve high-yield functional expression of the human voltage-gated potassium channel KV3.1 using an Escherichia coli cell-free protein synthesis system, thereby providing a novel synthetic approach for drug screening, structural analysis and functional characterization of KV3.1. Methods KV3.1 was expressed in an Escherichia coli cell-free protein synthesis system for 10 hours in the presence of peptide surfactant A6K. The secondary structure of KV3.1 was analyzed by circular dichroism spectroscopy. The potassium channel activity of the recombinant protein liposome KV3.1-A6K was investigated using fluorescent dyes Oxonol VI as indicators, which are capable of reflecting alterations in membrane potential. Results Soluble KV3.1 protein was successfully synthesized, achieving a purified yield of up to 1.2 mg/mL via an Escherichia coli cell-free protein synthesis system. Circular dichroism spectroscopy revealed that KV3.1 exhibited characteristic α-helical secondary structures. Membrane potential fluorescence assays demonstrated that the KV3.1-A6K proteoliposomes, which were reconstructed with surfactant peptide A6K, exhibited remarkable potassium ion permeability. Conclusion This study successfully achieved high-yield expression of human KV3.1 with activity using an Escherichia coli-based cell-free protein synthesis system. This innovative method not only significantly enhances the expression yield of KV3.1, but also maintains its functional activity, thereby establishing a novel and efficient synthetic platform for drug screening and advancing our understanding of structure-function relationships in KV3.1 research.
Humans
;
Escherichia coli/metabolism*
;
Shaw Potassium Channels/biosynthesis*
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Cell-Free System
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Circular Dichroism
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Protein Biosynthesis
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Recombinant Proteins/metabolism*
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Membrane Potentials
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Shab Potassium Channels
6.Akkermansia muciniphila-derived acetate activates the hepatic AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α axis to alleviate ferroptosis in metabolic-associated fatty liver disease.
Aoxiang ZHUGE ; Shengjie LI ; Shengyi HAN ; Yin YUAN ; Jian SHEN ; Wenrui WU ; Kaicen WANG ; Jiafeng XIA ; Qiangqiang WANG ; Yifeng GU ; Enguo CHEN ; Lanjuan LI
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(1):151-167
Emerging evidences have indicated the role of ferroptosis in the progression of metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD); thus, inhibiting ferroptosis is a promising strategy for the development of MAFLD therapeutics. Recent studies have demonstrated the antioxidative effect of the gut commensal bacterium Akkermansia muciniphila (A. muc); however, whether it can alleviate ferroptosis remains unclear. The current study indicates A. muc intervention efficiently reversed high-fat high-fructose diet (HFHFD)-induced lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis in the liver. These beneficial effects were mediated by activation of the hepatic AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α axis, as evidenced by the finding that AMPK deficiency abrogated the amelioration of lipid peroxidation in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, the short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) were enriched upon A. muc treatment, and acetate was identified as a key activator of hepatic AMPK signalling. Mechanistically, microbiota-derived acetate was transported to the liver and metabolized to adenosine monophosphate (AMP), which triggered AMPK activation. Furthermore, a colonization assay in germ-free mice confirmed that A. muc mediated antiferroptotic effects in the absence of other microbes. These data indicated that A. muc exerts antiferroptotic effects against MAFLD, at least partially by producing acetate, which activates the hepatic AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α axis to alleviate ferroptosis via the inhibition of polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) synthesis.
7.A DPAL method for the identification of the synergistic target of drugs.
Dongyao WANG ; Yuxiao TANG ; Na LI ; Chenghua WU ; Jianxin YANG ; Mengpu WU ; Feng LU ; Yifeng CHAI ; Chenqi LI ; Hui SHEN ; Xin DONG ; Changquan LING
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(11):101351-101351
Image 1.
8.Predictive value of serum IP-10 and S100A8 levels for poor prognosis in patients with severe pneumonia
Jiajia WANG ; Le WU ; Yifeng ZHANG ; Xu ZHANG ; Dan SHEN
International Journal of Laboratory Medicine 2025;46(16):2000-2005
Objective To investigate the relationship between serum levels of interferon-inducible protein 10(IP-10)and S100 calcium-binding protein A8(S100A8)and the prognosis of patients with severe pneumo-nia(SP).Methods A total of 315 SP patients admitted to the hospital from January 2021 to December 2023 were selected as the SP group,and 315 non-SP patients admitted to the hospital during the same period were selected as the non-SP group.According to the prognosis of SP patients 28 d after admission,they were divided into good prognosis group(199 cases)and poor prognosis group(116 cases).Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect serum IP-10 and S100A8 levels in SP patients.Pearson correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between IP-10,S100A8 levels and infection indicators[high-sensitivity C-reactive protein(hs-CRP),procalcitonin(PCT),interleukin-6(IL-6)].Multivariate Logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of poor prognosis in SP patients.Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve was used to analyze the value of hs-CRP,PCT,IP-10 and S100A8 levels in predicting the poor prognosis of SP patients.Results The serum levels of IP-10,S100A8,hs-CRP,PCT and IL-6 in SP group were higher than those in non-SP group(P<0.05).Paerson correlation analysis showed that serum IP-10 level in SP group was positively correlated with hs-CRP,PCT and IL-6(r=0.744,0.757,0.740,P<0.05).S100A8 level was posi-tively correlated with hs-CRP,PCT and IL-6(r=0.769,0.718,0.744,P<0.05).There were significant differences in oxygenation index,acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ score,clinical pulmonary in-fection score and levels of hs-CRP,PCT,IP-10 and S100A8 between the poor prognosis group and the good prognosis group(P<0.05).Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that hs-CRP,PCT,IP-10 and S100A8 were risk factors for poor prognosis in SP patients,and oxygenation index was a protective factor(P<0.05).The ROC curve showed that the area under curve(AUC)of the combination of hs-CRP,PCT,IP-10 and S100A8 in predicting poor prognosis of SP patients was 0.965,which was greater than the AUC of the four alone(Zhs-CRP=4.009,ZPCT=4.022,ZIP-10=3.696,ZS100A8=3.309,P<0.05).Conclusion The serum lev-els of IP-10 and S100A8 are up-regulated in SP patients.The combination of IP-10 and S100A8 has a high pre-dictive value for poor prognosis in SP patients.
9.Trauma repair and reconstruction surgery mediated by near-infrared-Ⅱ imaging: application of enhanced recovery after surgery principles
Fan YANG ; Yifan WU ; Yifeng YU ; Zheng WANG ; Jing HU ; Manjuan XU ; Chao JIAN ; Baiwen QI ; Aixi YU ; Dong ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma 2024;26(11):1002-1007
Objective:To evaluate trauma repair and reconstruction surgery mediated by near-infrared-Ⅱ (NIR-Ⅱ) imaging in practice of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) principles.Methods:A retrospective study was conducted to analyze the data of 38 patients who had undergone trauma repair and reconstruction surgery mediated by near-infrared-Ⅱ (NIR-Ⅱ) imaging in practice of ERAS principles at Department of Orthopedic Trauma and Microsurgery, Zhongnan Hospital from May 2021 to December 2021. There were 22 males and 16 females with an age of (50.3±2.7) years. To implement ERAS, NIR-Ⅱ imaging was used for patency evaluation after vascular anastomosis in 14 cases, for skin flap harvesting and perfusion monitoring in 13 cases, and for evaluation of arterial/venous blood supply after finger replantation in 11 cases. Visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores at 2, 7 and 14 days after surgery, length of hospital stay, patient satisfaction [by Chinese Hospital Patient Experience and Satisfaction Monitor (CHPESM)], limb function recovery (by Likert scale) and postoperative complications were recorded.Results:All patients were followed up for more than 14 days. All surgeries succeeded. The reconstructed limbs or flaps survived to recover basically normal shape and function. The VAS scores for all patients were (2.1±0.6) points, (1.6±0.6) points and (0.8±0.4) points on postoperative 2, 7 and 14 days, respectively. The length of hospital stay was (9.8±3.4) days, and the patient satisfaction was >95% at discharge. As for the recovery of limb function at the last follow-up evaluated by the Likert 5-point scale, 12 cases experienced no stiffness, 8 ones mild stiffness, 11 ones slightly severe stiffness, 3 ones moderate to severe stiffness, 2 ones severe stiffness, and 2 ones complete stiffness. Complications related to the surgery occurred in none of the patients.Conclusion:In practice of ERAS principles, application of NIR-Ⅱ imaging in trauma repair and reconstruction surgery can effectively alleviate pain, improve satisfaction, reduce hospital stay, and accelerate functional recovery for the patients.
10.Analysis of adverse late-term pregnancy outcomes after cervical cold knife conization
Yuzheng WU ; Yuan REN ; Yifeng ZHONG ; Pingping TANG ; Yingna SONG
Chinese Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology 2024;59(6):447-453
Objective:To investigate the effects of cervical cold knife conization (CKC) on preterm delivery, other pregnancy complications and neonatal outcomes, and explore the relationship between preterm delivery risk and the depth and volume of conization.Methods:The clinical data and pregnancy outcomes of 272 women who underwent CKC in Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 2002 to March 2018 (conization group) and 1 647 pregnant women who gave birth in Peking Union Medical College Hospital during January to December 2019 (control group) were collected. The preterm delivery, premature rupture of membranes, other pregnancy complications and neonatal outcomes of the two groups were compared, and the relationship between the depth and volume of conization and the risk of preterm delivery in postoperative singleton pregnancy was analyzed.Results:(1) There were no significant differences between the two groups in delivery age, parity, proportion of singleton pregnancy, proportion of assisted reproductive technology (all P>0.05). (2) The rate of preterm delivery in the conization group was significantly higher than that in the control group [14.8% (39/264) vs 5.7% (91/1 589); χ2=28.397, P<0.001]. There were still significant differences in preterm delivery rates between the two groups at <34 weeks and 34-37 weeks (all P<0.01). There was no significant difference in the incidence of premature rupture of membrane between the two groups [23.5% (62/264) vs 23.4% (372/1 589); χ2=0.001, P=0.979], but the incidence of preterm premature rupture of membrane in the conization group was significantly higher than that in the control group [11.4% (30/264) vs 2.2% (35/1 589); χ2=56.132, P<0.001]. (3) The rate of cesarean section in the conization group was higher than that in the control group [59.6% (162/272) vs 38.8% (639/1 647); χ2=41.377, P<0.001]. The birth weight of preterm infants in the conization group was significantly higher than that in the control group [(2 409±680) vs (2 150±684) g; t=2.184, P=0.030]. However, there were no statistically significant differences in the incidence of gestational diabetes mellitus, hypertensive disorders in pregnancy, the birth weight of full-term infants, incidence of small for gestational age infant and neonatal intensive care unit admission rate between the two groups (all P>0.05). (4) The preterm delivery rates of coning depth >15 mm, cone size ≥2 cm 3 and cone size <2 cm 3 were higher than that in the control group (all P<0.05). When the coning depth ≤15 mm, the preterm delivery rate in the conization group was higher than that in the control group, but there was no significant difference ( P=0.620). The rate of preterm delivery of pregnant women with coning depth >15 mm was significantly higher than those with coning depth ≤15 mm ( RR=3.084, 95% CI: 1.474-6.453; P=0.001). There was no significant difference in the preterm delivery rate between pregnant women with cone size >2 cm 3 and those with cone size ≥2 cm 3 ( RR=1.700, 95% CI: 0.935-3.092; P=0.077). Conclusion:The risk of preterm delivery and preterm premature rupture of membranes in subsequent pregnancies are increased after cervical CKC, and the risk of preterm delivery is positively correlated with the depth of cervical coning.

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