1.Clinical diagnosis of drug-induced autoimmune-like hepatitis
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(3):542-546
Some patients with drug-induced liver injury (DILI) may present with similar features to patients with autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), and such cases are defined as drug-induced autoimmune-like hepatitis (DI-ALH). In 2022, the European Association for the Study of the Liver discussed the nomenclature, diagnosis, and treatment of DI-ALH and put forward expert opinions to establish the criteria for clinical diagnosis. However, the clinical diagnosis of DI-ALH remains complex and difficult, and there is no direct evidence for the link between drug intake and the body’s immune progression. Therefore, this article reviews the research advances in the diagnosis of DI-ALH from the four aspects of clinical phenotype, pathological diagnosis, diagnostic score, and clinical prognosis.
2.Distribution characteristics of bacterial communities in central air-conditioning ventilation systems of a Grade 3A hospital in Shanghai based on 16S rRNA sequencing
Jun NI ; Haiyun ZHANG ; Jian CHEN ; Lijun ZHANG ; Yongping LIU ; Xiaojing LI ; Yiming ZHENG ; Liping ZHANG
Journal of Environmental and Occupational Medicine 2025;42(6):732-739
Background A diverse cohort of patients and susceptible individuals congregate in healthcare facilities, where exposure to pathogenic microorganisms associated with respiratory infectious diseases constitutes a significant risk factor for cross-infection. Central air-conditioning ventilation systems improve some indoor environment indicators while exacerbating the risk of transmission of respiratory infectious diseases. Objective To investigate the distribution characteristics of microbial communities in the central air-conditioning ventilation systems of hospitals, providing a scientific basis for the selection of microbial indicators in hygiene standards for hospital central air-conditioning ventilation systems and for hospital risk early warning systems. Methods In October 2023, two central air-conditioning ventilation systems were selected from a Grade 3A hospital in Shanghai: one was an all-air air-conditioning system serving the waiting area on the ground floor, and the other was a fan coil plus fresh air system serving the outpatient area on the third floor. Samples from four different components of the ventilation systems—air outlets, filters, surface coolers, and condensate trays—were collected for high-throughput sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene to analyze bacterial communities. Alpha-diversity and beta-diversity analyses were performed to investigate the microbial community composition and diversity characteristics of the hospital central air-conditioning ventilation systems. Functional analysis was conducted to determine the relative abundance of bacterial functions in these systems.Results A total of 528 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified, encompassing 20 bacterial phyla, 37 classes, 79 orders, 123 families, and 240 genera. The analysis revealed that the bacterial community was predominantly composed of Proteobacteria, Gemmatimonadates, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria. The diversity analysis indicated that bacterial community richness and diversity were highest in the condensate trays, while no statistically significant differences (P > 0.05) were observed in the bacterial community composition among the air outlets, filters, and surface coolers. The functional analysis showed that the bacterial communities in the central air-conditioning ventilation systems primarily exhibited chemoheterotrophic, oxidative energy-dependent heterotrophic, and ureolytic functional characteristics. Conclusion The dominance of Proteobacteria suggests that this phylum exhibits strong adaptability in the central air-conditioning ventilation systems, possibly related to its ability to survive and reproduce under varying environmental conditions. The diversity analysis indicates that the condensate tray is a critical area for bacterial proliferation in the central air-conditioning ventilation systems. The similarity in environmental conditions among the air outlets, filters, and surface coolers result in similar bacterial community structures. The functional analysis reveals that the bacterial communities possess robust energy conversion and metabolic capabilities, potentially contributing to processes such as organic matter decomposition and nitrogen cycling within the central air-conditioning ventilation systems.
3.Immune cells in the B-cell lymphoma microenvironment: From basic research to clinical applications
Wenli ZHANG ; Mengmeng LIU ; Wei LI ; Yongping SONG
Chinese Medical Journal 2024;137(7):776-790
B-cell lymphoma is a group of hematological malignancies characterized by variable genetic and biological features and clinical behaviors. The tumor microenvironment (TME) is a complex network in tumors, which consists of surrounding blood vessels, extracellular matrix, immune and non-immune cells, and signaling molecules. Increasing evidence has shown that the TME, especially immune cells within, is a double-edged sword, acting either as a tumor killer or as a promoter of tumor progression. These pro-tumor activities are driven by subpopulations of immune cells that express typical markers but have unique transcriptional characteristics, making tumor-associated immune cells good targets for human anti-cancer therapy by ablating immunosuppressive cells or enhancing immune-activated cells. Thus, exploring the role of immune cells in the TME provides distinct insights for immunotherapy in B-cell lymphoma. In this review, we elucidated the interaction between immune cells and tumor cells and their function in the initiation, progression, and prognosis of B-cell lymphoma, from preclinical experiments to clinical trials. Furthermore, we outlined potential therapeutic approaches and discussed the potential clinical value and future perspectives of targeting immune cells in patients with B-cell lymphoma.
4.Identification of potential immune-related mechanisms related to the development of multiple myeloma
Yaomei WANG ; Wenli ZHANG ; Tiandong LI ; Mengmeng LIU ; Mengya GAO ; Xinqing LI ; Yufei CHEN ; Yongping SONG ; Wei LI ; Chunyan DU ; Fang WANG ; Lina LIU
Chinese Medical Journal 2024;137(13):1603-1613
Background::Although significant advances have been made in the treatment of multiple myeloma (MM), leading to unprecedented response and survival rates among patients, the majority eventually relapse, and a cure remains elusive. This situation is closely related to an incomplete understanding of the immune microenvironment, especially monocytes/macrophages in patients with treatment-na?ve MM. The aim of this study was to provide insight into the immune microenvironment, especially monocytes/macrophages, in patients with treatment-na?ve MM.Methods::This study used the single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data of both patients with MM and heathy donors to identify immune cells, including natural killer (NK) cells, T cells, dendritic cells (DCs), and monocytes/macrophages. Transcriptomic data and flow cytometry analysis of monocytes/macrophages were used to further examine the effect of monocytes/macrophages in treatment-na?ve MM patients.Results::A significant difference was observed between the bone marrow (BM) immune cells of the healthy controls and treatment-na?ve MM patients through scRNA-seq. It is noteworthy that, through an scRNA-seq data analysis, this study found that interferon (IFN)-induced NK/T cells, terminally differentiated effector memory (TEMRA) cells, T-helper cells characterized by expression of IFN-stimulated genes (ISG +Th cells), IFN-responding exhausted T cells, mannose receptor C-type 1 (MRC1) + DCs, IFN-responding DCs, MHCII + DCs, and immunosuppressive monocytes/macrophages were enriched in patients with treatment-na?ve MM. Significantly, transcriptomic data of monocytes/macrophages demonstrated that "don’t eat me" -related genes and IFN-induced genes increase in treatment-na?ve MM patients. Furthermore, scRNA-seq, transcriptomic data, and flow cytometry also showed an increased proportion of CD16 + monocytes/macrophages and expression level of CD16. Cell-cell communication analysis indicated that monocytes/macrophages, whose related important signaling pathways include migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and interleukin 16 (IL-16) signaling pathway, are key players in treatment-na?ve MM patients. Conclusions::Our findings provide a comprehensive and in-depth molecular characterization of BM immune cell census in MM patients, especially for monocytes/macrophages. Targeting macrophages may be a novel treatment strategy for patients with MM.
5.LIMK1 promotes the progression of cervical cancer by up-regulating the ROS/Src pathway
Yajing JIA ; Naiyi DU ; Wei ZHAO ; Yongping LI ; Yakun LIU
Chinese Journal of Comparative Medicine 2024;34(5):92-99
Objective To explore the effect of LIMK1 on the progression of cervical cancer(CC).Methods HeLa and C-33A human cervical cancer cells overexpressing LIMK1 were established and injected subcutaneously into nude mice.The tumor volume was measured and expression of NOX2,NOX4,p-Src,p-RUNX3,RUNX3,and MMP-9 proteins in tumor cells was detected by Western blot assays.LIMK1-overexpressing HeLa and C-33A cells were cultured in 5%O2 with antioxidants.The protein expression of LIMK1,NOX4,p-Src,p-RUNX3,RUNX3 and MMP-9 in the cells was detected by Western blot assays.Cell migration was assessed by a scratch assay.Transwell assays were used to assess cell migration and invasion.A monoclonal proliferation assay was used to assess cell proliferation.Results The tumor volume in nude mice injected with LIMK1-overexpressing HeLa cells was increased significantly,and NOX2,NOX4,p-Src,p-RUNX3 and MMP-9 protein levels were increased,while RUNX3 protein expression was decreased.In LIMK1-overexpressing HeLa and C-33A cells,the protein expression of LIMK1,NOX4,p-Src,p-RUNX3,and MMP-9 was increased,RUNX3 protein expression was decreased,and cell migration,invasion,and proliferation were increased.However,after adding antioxidants,the expression levels of NOX4,p-Src,p-RUNX3,RUNX3 and MMP-9 proteins,and cell migration,invasion,and proliferation were not different from those of control cells.Conclusions LIMK1 promotes the progression of cervical cancer by enhancing the ROS/Src pathway,thereby promoting the migration,invasion,and proliferation of cervical cancer cells.
6.A cross-sectional study of functional disability rate of anxiety disorder and risk factors in Chinese community adults
Yang LI ; Yueqin HUANG ; Zhaorui LIU ; Tingting ZHANG ; Chao MA ; Lingjiang LI ; Yifeng XU ; Tao LI ; Xiufeng XU ; Yaqin YU ; Yongping YAN ; Zhizhong WANG ; Xiangdong XU ; Limin WANG ; Qiang LI ; Guangming XU ; Shuiyuan XIAO
Chinese Mental Health Journal 2024;38(11):929-935
Objective:To describe functional disability rate of anxiety disorders in Chinese community adults and explore related risk factors of functional disability.Methods:To conduct in-depth data analysis on China Mental Health Survey(CMHS).The diagnostic tool for anxiety disorders was the Composite International Diagnostic Inter-view-3.0,according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders,Fourth Edition(DSM-Ⅳ).The World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule,2nd edition,was the functional disability assessment standard for anxiety disorders.Weighted 12-month functional disability rate of DSM-Ⅳ anxiety disorder with co-morbidities and only anxiety disorder in population and those in patients,as well as days of partial disability were calculated.The effects of anxiety disorders comorbid other mental disorders and physical diseases and demographic factors on the severity and occurrence of functional disability were analyzed by multiple linear regression and logis-tic regression.Results:The functional disability rate of anxiety disorder with comorbidities in population was 1.7%,and 42.2%in patients,in which constituent rate of grade-four disability was the highest as 84.1%.The functional disability rate of only anxiety disorder in population was 0.3%,and 17.8%in patients.The medians of days of partial disability days in the past 30 days were from 0 to 14.42.Multiple linear regression showed a positive association between comorbid anxiety disorder with other mental disorders and physical diseases(β=0.24),comor-bid other mental disorders and physical diseases(β=0.21),physical diseases(β=0.18),comorbid anxiety disor-der and physical diseases(β=0.15),comorbid anxiety disorder with other mental disorders(β=0.08),other men-tal disorders(β=0.07),only anxiety disorder(β=0.06),lower education level(β=0.12),lower economic status(β=0.08),older age(β=0.06),non-marital status(β=0.06),male(β=0.02)and the severity of functional dis-ability.Logistic regression showed that comorbid anxiety with other mental disorders and physical diseases(OR=64.07),comorbid anxiety disorders with other mental disorders(OR=36.75),comorbid other mental disorders with physical diseases(OR=20.60),comorbid anxiety with physical diseases(OR=18.88),anxiety disorder(OR=9.20),other mental disorders(OR=6.65),physical diseases(OR=4.00),65 years old and over(OR=4.40),50 to 64 years old(OR=2.33),low economic status(OR=2.10),illiterate and below primary school educational level(OR=1.89),middle economic status(OR=1.70),elementary school educational level(OR=1.59),non-marital status(OR=1.47),male(OR=1.16)were the risk factors of the occurrence of functional disability.Conclusion:Comorbidity of anxiety disorders and other mental disorders,and physical diseases increases severity and occurrence of functional disability.Comorbidity,male,gender,older age,lower economic and educa-tional level and non-marital are risk factors of anxiety disorder functional disability.
7.A cross-sectional study of disability rate of dementia and risk factors in Chinese old people
Wenlei WU ; Yueqin HUANG ; Zhaorui LIU ; Tingting ZHANG ; Chao MA ; Yifeng XU ; Tao LI ; Xiufeng XU ; Yaqin YU ; Yongping YAN ; Zhizhong WANG ; Xiangdong XU ; Limin WANG ; Qiang LI ; Guangming XU ; Shuiyuan XIAO ; Lingjiang LI
Chinese Mental Health Journal 2024;38(11):936-942
Objective:To describe disability rates of dementia in community residents aged 65 years and over in China,and explore related risk factors of disability.Methods:This study conducted an in-depth data analysis of the China Mental Health Survey.World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0(WHODAS 2.0)was used to assess dementia disability,Community Screening Interview for Dementia(CSID)and Geriatric Mental Status Examination(GMS)were used for dementia screening and diagnosing.Univariate analysis was used to calcu-late the weighted disability rates of dementia in population and in patients,and their population distribution.Multiple linear regression and logistic regression were used to analyze the risk factors of the occurrence of dementia disability and its severity.Results:The weighted disability rate of dementia was 2.1%in population,and 38.6%in pa-tients.The disability rates of comorbid dementia in population and in patients were higher than those of patients with only dementia.Female,older age,lower education level,lower economic status,and lower cognitive test scores in CSID had higher disability rates of dementia in population.Female and urban resident had higher disability rates of dementia in patients.Multiple linear regression showed economic status(β=0.11),gender(β=0.11),age(β=0.10),and treatment in the last 12 months(β=-0.20)were statistically associated with WHODAS 2.0 scores.Multiple logistic regression showed female(OR=2.81)and treatment in the last 12 months(OR=2.38)were statistically associated with disability.Conclusions:Persons with low economic status,female and elderly peo-ple are the high-risk groups for dementia disability.It should be paid attention to prevent dementia and its conse-quential disabilities.
8.Analysis of the influence of variation coefficient of red cell volume distribution width on mortality in patients with liver cirrhosis complicated with sepsis based on American Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care-Ⅳ database
Sizhe FANG ; Lina WU ; Youhong ZHAO ; Enqian LIU ; Yongping CHEN
Chinese Journal of Digestion 2024;44(6):373-378
Objective:To investigate the correlation between red cell volume distribution width (RDW) variation coefficient and mortality in patients with liver cirrhosis complicated with sepsis.Methods:From 2008 to 2019, the real clinical data of patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Massachusetts Institute of Technology were selected from the American Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care-Ⅳ (MIMIC-Ⅳ) database. Structured Query Language was used to extract the demographic information, physiological indicators, laboratory test indicators, complications, in-hospital mortality, and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score from the MIMIC-Ⅳ database. Analysis of variance and Kruskal-Wallis test were used to analyze the characteristics of patients in different quartiles of RDW variation coefficient and the correlation between RDW variation coefficient and different outcomes. The clinical and prognostic variables were included in the logistic regression model and its adjustment models for analysis. Model 1 was adjusted according to age and gender, and model 2 was adjusted according to age, gender, SOFA score, bilirubin, albumin, body weight, white blood cell count, serum creatinine, serum sodium, dialysis treatment, and with congestive heart failure or not. A cubic spline regression model was used to analyze the dose-response relationship between RDW variation coefficient and in-hospital mortality, ICU mortality, mild to moderate disorders of consciousness in patients with liver cirrhosis complicated with sepsis. Trend tests were performed to analyze the interaction between the RDW variation coefficient and the variables used for stratification.Results:A total of 1 443 patients with liver cirrhosis complicated with sepsis were included, with a median age of 59.0 (52.0, 67.0) years old. Among them, 954 (66.1%) were male and 489 (33.9%) were female. The RDW variation coefficient was 3.49±2.50. Totally 382 patients died during hospitalization, 246 patients died in ICU, and 259 patients with mild to moderate disorders of consciousness. When RDW variation coefficient was analyzed as a continuous variable, the OR values (95% confidence interval (95% CI)) of unadjusted model, model 1, and model 2 in in-hospital mortality, ICU mortality and mild to moderate disorders of consciousness were 1.12 (1.09 to 1.16), 1.14 (1.10 to 1.17), 1.08 (1.03 to 1.13); 1.11 (1.07 to 1.15), 1.12 (1.08 to 1.16), 1.07 (1.02 to 1.12); and 1.16 (1.12 to 1.20), 1.16 (1.12 to 1.20), 1.12 (1.07 to 1.17); respectively. The fourth quartile of RDW variation coefficient (>4.74, 29.08) was taken as the control group, the OR values (95% CI) of the unadjusted model, model 1, and model 2 were 3.00 (2.13 to 4.25), 3.32 (2.34 to 4.74), 1.76 (1.10 to 2.84); 3.42 (2.27 to 5.26), 3.81 (2.50 to 5.90), 1.77 (1.03 to 3.11); and 8.52 (5.23 to 14.63), 8.35 (5.10 to 14.38), 5.56 (2.87 to 11.69); respectively. There was a linear correlation between RDW variation coefficient and in-hospital mortality, ICU mortality, mild and moderate disorders of consciousness (all P<0.05). Among patients with higher SOFA scores, along with the increase of RDW variation coefficient, the increase of in-hospital mortality, ICU mortality and the incidence of mild and moderate disorders of consciousness, were more significant than those of patients with lower SOFA scores ( P=0.022, 0.024, and 0.001). Conclusion:Variation coefficient of RDW is associated with increased risk of disorders of consciousness and in-hospital mortality in patients with liver cirrhosis complicated with sepsis.
9.Interventional effect of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell transplantation with different doses of X-ray irradiation induced hepatic injury in mice
Yue LIANG ; Lan LUO ; Tianyu CHENG ; Gaofeng CHEN ; Wei LIU ; Yongping MU ; Jiamei CHEN ; Ping LIU
Chinese Journal of Hepatology 2024;32(11):1019-1027
Objective:To investigate the interventional effect of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMMSC) transplantation with different doses of X-ray irradiation induced hepatic injury in mice.Methods:Eighteen female C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into 0, 2, and 3 Gy irradiation groups and 0, 2, and 3 Gy transplantation groups. The irradiation group was used as the control and injected with an equal volume of culture medium. The mice in the transplantation group were irradiated with different doses of X-ray irradiation, and BMMSCs were intravenously infused into the bone marrow. The mice were sacrificed for sampling at the end of the 21st day. Mice body weight changes were recorded daily. The changes in the content of peripheral blood lymphocytes, red blood cells, platelets, and hemoglobin were detected by an automatic blood tester. The morphological changes in mice liver tissues were observed by hematoxylin-eosin staining. The serum activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were detected by a biochemical analyzer. The reduced glutathione contents in liver tissue were detected by the microplate method. The malondialdehyde content in liver tissue was detected by thiobarbituric acid. The content of total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) in liver tissue was detected by the hydroxylamine method. The expression of the F4/80 protein in liver tissue was detected by the immunohistochemistry method. The protein expression of nuclear transcription factor erythroid 2 related factor 2 (Nrf2) and heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1) in liver tissue was determined by the western blotting method. The mRNA expression of NLRP3, IL-6, and Nrf2 in liver tissue was detected by a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. The multiple-group comparisons were analyzed by factorial analysis of variance. The inter-group comparisons were analyzed by the LSD method for statistical analysis.Results:The contents of peripheral blood lymphocytes, erythrocytes, platelets, and hemoglobin were significantly decreased in the 3 Gy irradiation group than the 0 Gy irradiation group ( P<0.05), while the activities of serum ALT and AST were significantly increased ( P<0.05). The malondialdehyde content, F4/80 protein expression level, nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeats, nucleotide oligomerization domain-like receptor family, pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3), and interleukin 6 mRNA expression levels were significantly increased in liver tissue, while the contents of T-SOD and glutathione, Nrf2 and HO-1 protein expression levels, and Nrf2 mRNA expression level in liver tissue were significantly decreased ( P<0.05). The contents of peripheral blood lymphocytes, red blood cells, platelets, and hemoglobin were significantly increased in the 3 Gy transplantation group than the 3 Gy irradiation group ( P<0.05), while the activities of serum ALT and AST were significantly decreased ( P<0.05). The malondialdehyde content, F4/80 protein expression level, NLRP3 and interleukin-6 mRNA expression levels in liver tissue were significantly decreased ( P<0.05), while the content of T-SOD and glutathione, Nrf2 and HO-1 protein expression levels, and Nrf2 mRNA expression level in liver tissue were significantly increased ( P<0.05). Conclusion:X-ray irradiation at a dose of 3 Gy can induce liver oxidative damage in mice. BMMSC transplantation can improve X-ray irradiation-induced liver oxidative damage in mice, and its mechanism of action may be related to the regulation of the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.
10.Efficacy and safety of cryoablation combined with lenvatinib and anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody in treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma
Teng LIU ; Xiujuan CHANG ; Quanwei HE ; Ran XU ; Yongping YANG
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2024;40(3):539-549
ObjectiveTo investigate whether anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody can improve the efficacy and safety of cryoablation combined with lenvatinib in the treatment of unresectable hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed for 232 patients with unresectable HCC who were treated at The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 2018 to December 2022, among whom 128 received cryoablation combined with lenvatinib (double combination) and 104 received cryoablation combined with lenvatinib and anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody (triple combination). Propensity score matching was performed at a ratio of 1∶1, and finally there were 86 patients in each group. The two groups were evaluated in terms of objective response rate (ORR), disease control rate (DCR), overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and adverse events (AEs). The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between two groups, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between two groups; the chi-square test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups. Survival curves were plotted, and the Kaplan-Meier method was used to calculate the survival rate of patients in both groups, while the log-rank test was used for comparison between the two groups. The Cox regression model was used to calculate hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) and perform the univariate and multivariate analyses of influencing factors for prognosis. ResultsThe median follow-up time was 28 months, and there were 33 deaths (38.0%) in the triple combination group and 40 deaths (46.0%) in the double combination group. Compared with the double combination group, the triple combination group had significantly higher ORR (35.6% vs 14.5%, P=0.008) and DCR (86.1% vs 64.1%, P=0.003). OS and PFS in the triple combination group were significantly higher than those in the double combination group (P=0.045 and 0.026). The univariate and multivariate Cox proportional-hazards regression model analyses showed that treatment regimen (HR=0.60, P=0.038) and alpha-fetoprotein level (HR=2.37, P=0.001) were independent risk factors for OS, and treatment regimen (HR=0.65, P=0.025), diabetes mellitus (HR=1.94, P=0.005), whether or not to have received local treatment (HR=0.63, P=0.014), and distant metastasis (HR=0.58, P=0.009) were independent risk factors for PFS. There was no significant difference in the incidence rate of AEs between the two groups (P>0.05). ConclusionFor patients with unresectable HCC, the triple combination of cryoablation, lenvatinib, and anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody significantly improves the treatment outcome and survival of patients compared with the double combination of cryoablation and lenvatinib, without increasing AEs, which provides a clinical basis for optimizing the treatment regimen for unresectable HCC.

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