1.Research progress and clinical challenges in immunosuppressive regimens for xenotransplantation
Yu ZHANG ; Kun WANG ; Xuyuan ZHU ; Yuxiang CHEN ; Tao LI ; Xiaojie MA ; Hongtao JIANG
Organ Transplantation 2026;17(1):28-35
As a pivotal strategy to alleviate the shortage of organ donors, xenotransplantation has achieved remarkable advances in both pre-clinical and clinical studies in recent years, driven by continuous optimization of gene modification techniques and immunosuppressive regimens. Nevertheless, clinical translation still confronts formidable challenges, including rejection and heightened infection risks, which severely compromise long-term graft survival. Consequently, the role of immunosuppressive regimens in xenotransplantation has become increasingly prominent. This article summarizes the mechanisms underlying xenogeneic immune rejection, the latest developments in immunosuppressive regimens, cutting-edge strategies for inducing immune tolerance and the major hurdles facing clinical xenotransplantation. It delves into potential optimization strategies and directions for future clinical research, aiming to offer theoretical insights and practical guidance for the safe and effective application of clinical xenotransplantation.
2.Decision-making behavior in patients with depressive disorder and its relationship with depressive and anxiety symptoms
Yuxiang WANG ; Luoya ZHANG ; Maomao ZHANG ; Juan DENG ; Yanjie PENG ; Xiaotong CHENG ; Kezhi LIU ; Wei LEI ; Jing CHEN
Sichuan Mental Health 2025;38(1):22-27
BackgroundPatients with depressive disorder often exhibit impaired decision-making functions. However, the relationship between decision-making abilities and depressive and anxiety symptoms in these patients remains unclear. ObjectiveTo explore the characteristics of decision-making behavior in patients with depressive disorder, and to analyze its relationship with clinical symptoms. MethodsA total of 48 patients diagnosed with depressive disorder according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV) were recruited from the Department of Psychosomatic Medicine of the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University from October 2020 to May 2023. Concurrently, 52 healthy individuals matched for age and gender were recruited from Luzhou as the control group. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) were used for assessment, and decision-making behavior was evaluated using Probabilistic Reversal Learning (PRL) task. Indicators assessed included the number of trials to criterion, perseverative errors, win-stay rate and lose-shift rate. Spearman correlation analysis was used to assess the correlation between BDI and BAI scores and PRL task indicators. ResultsThe depression group showed a significantly higher lose-shift rate compared with the control group (t=3.684, P<0.01). There were no statistically significant differences between two groups in trials to criterion, perseverative errors and win-stay rate (t=0.329, 0.132, 0.609, P>0.05). In depression group, BDI and BAI scores were positively correlated with the win-stay rate(r=0.450, 0.398, P<0.01). ConclusionPatients with depressive disorder are more likely to change their decision-making strategies following negative outcomes. Furthermore, the severity of depressive and anxiety symptoms is associated with a greater propensity to maintain existing decisions after receiving positive feedback. [Funded by 2019 Joint Project of Luzhou Science and Technology Bureau-Southwest Medical University (number, 2019LZXNYDJ39]
3.Advances in the diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma with bile duct tumor thrombus
Yuxiang GUO ; Maosen WANG ; Zhongyuan LIU ; Xudong ZHANG ; Pengfei MA ; Xiangkun WANG ; Renfeng LI
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(2):359-364
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with biliary duct tumor thrombus (BDTT) is currently not common in clinical practice and is easily misdiagnosed, and previously, it was often considered an advanced stage of the disease with a poor prognosis, making its treatment challenging. However, in-depth studies in recent years have gradually deepened our understanding of this disease, leading to significant changes in diagnostic and treatment concepts. Currently, comprehensive treatment, mainly surgery, is used for treatment, but there is still controversy over the selection of clinical treatment strategies. This article provides a detailed discussion on surgical methods and prognosis, in order to provide a reference for clinical treatment options.
4.Research progress on the role of extracellular histones in xenotransplantation
Kun WANG ; Yu ZHANG ; Yuxiang CHEN ; Xiaojie MA ; Tao LI ; Hongtao JIANG
Organ Transplantation 2025;16(6):962-969
Organ transplantation faces the challenge of a shortage of donors. Although xenotransplantation holds great potential, it is limited by rejection. Extracellular histones, as key members of damage-associated molecular patterns, have been proven in recent years to play a crucial role in transplant rejection by activating innate immunity, regulating the coagulation-inflammation network, and modulating adaptive immune responses. However, the specific functions and key mechanisms remain to be clarified. Therefore, this article reviews the structural characteristics of histones, their release pathways, the biological functions of extracellular histones, and their potential roles in xenotransplantation. It summarizes the latest research progress of extracellular histones in xenotransplantation, analyzes the shortcomings of existing research and the direction for future research, with the expectation of providing references for the application of extracellular histones in xenogeneic kidney transplantation.
5.The epigenetic landscape of rheumatoid arthritis: Pathogenesis and drug therapeutic potentials.
Chengcheng HUANG ; Yuxiang LIANG ; Yang LI ; Quan WEI ; Liang OUYANG ; Jifa ZHANG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(11):5601-5631
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) represents a persistent autoimmune condition distinguished by a multifaceted etiology that encompasses both genetic and environmental factors. Recent progress in understanding the mechanisms behind RA pathogenesis has delved into the critical role of epigenetic regulatory processes, including DNA methylation, histone modifications, and the regulation by microRNAs (miRNAs). These findings provide new insights into the intricate nature of RA and pave the way for innovative therapeutic strategies. This review consolidates the latest developments in the epigenetic regulation of RA, concentrating on how these mechanisms affect the dysregulated signaling pathways associated with the disease. We analyze the roles of specific proteins that function as 'writers', 'erasers', and 'readers' in epigenetic modifications, highlighting their potential as targets for therapeutic intervention. Additionally, in view of the significance of miRNAs in the pathogenesis of RA, we deliberate on their involvement in disease progression and explore miRNA-based treatment strategies. By integrating these diverse epigenetic dimensions, this review offers a comprehensive epigenetic perspective on RA pathogenesis and identifies promising avenues for future research and therapeutic interventions.
6.Impact of childhood trauma on internet addiction in medical students: the mediating role of perceived stress
Xiaohong PENG ; Xiaoyuan LIAO ; Dantong WU ; Yanyin ZHOU ; Yelu LIU ; Yuxiang WANG ; Luoya ZHANG ; Juan DENG ; Yanjie PENG ; Kezhi LIU ; Jing CHEN ; Wei LEI
Sichuan Mental Health 2025;38(3):267-272
BackgroundWith the rapid development of the networking technologies, internet addiction has increasingly become a serious mental health issue. Previous studies have revealed the link between childhood trauma and internet addiction, while the mediating role of perceived stress in this link is not yet clear. ObjectiveTo investigate the role of medical students' perceived stress in the relationship between childhood trauma and internet addiction, so as to provide references for the intervention of internet addiction. MethodsFrom February to March 2023, a random sampling technique was used to select 1 232 undergraduate students from the School of Clinical Medical Sciences of Southwest Medical University as research subjects. The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form (CTQ-SF), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Internet Gaming Disorder Scale (IGDS), and Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS) were used for assessment. Pearson's correlation coefficients were calculated. The mediation effect of perceived stress in the relationship between childhood trauma and internet addiction was tested using Model 4 in the SPSS Process 4.1, and Bootstrapping procedure involving 5 000 replicates was employed to confirm the statistical significance. ResultsA total of 1 016 (82.47%) valid completed questionnaires were gathered. The CTQ-SF scores of medical students were positively correlated with PSS scores, IGD scores, and BSMAS scores (r=0.583, 0.474, 0.465, P<0.01). PSS scores were positively correlated with IGD scores and BSMAS scores (r=0.369, 0.479, P<0.01). Childhood trauma in medical students was found to positively predict perceived stress (β=0.191, P<0.01), social media addiction (β=0.160, P<0.01), and internet gaming disorder (β=0.106, P<0.01). Perceived stress played a significant mediating role in the relationship between childhood trauma and internet gaming disorder, indirect effect value was 0.018 (95% CI: 0.009~0.027), accounting for 16.98%. Perceived stress also exhibited a significant mediating role in the relationship between childhood trauma and social media addiction, indirect effect value was 0.063 (95% CI: 0.048~0.079), accounting for 39.38%. ConclusionChildhood trauma in medical students may affect internet gaming disorder and social media addiction through perceived stress. [Funded by 2022 Annual Research Project of Sichuan Applied Psychology Research Center,(number,CSXL-22102)]
7.Macrophages in xenotransplantation
Xuyuan ZHU ; Yu ZHANG ; Yuxiang CHEN ; Tao LI ; Xiaojie MA ; Hongtao JIANG
Organ Transplantation 2025;16(4):495-501
Xenotransplantation is one of the effective ways to overcome the shortage of donor organs. However, the molecular incompatibility between xenotransplantation donors and recipients can cause rejection, which greatly limits the clinical application of xenotransplantation. In recent years, researchers have deeply explored the mechanism of xenotransplantation rejection through xenotransplantation models of pig-to-monkey and pig-to-brain death recipients, and found that the innate immune system plays an important role in rejection. Macrophages, as phagocytes in the innate immune system, not only damage xenografts through phagocytosis but also interact with other immune cells to influence the immune microenvironment of xenotransplantation. However, due to the heterogeneity of macrophages, their phenotypes and functions in xenotransplantation rejection remain unclear. Therefore, it is necessary to further explore the role of macrophages in xenotransplantation rejection. This article reviews the latest research progress of macrophages in xenotransplantation rejection, aiming to explore the mechanisms of macrophages in xenotransplantation rejection and provide references for future research.
8.Effect of the Otago Exercise Program on Activities of Daily Living in Older Adults With Sarcopenia
Yuxiang LIANG ; Renjie WANG ; Jiaojiao JIANG ; Liqiong WANG ; Long ZHANG ; Xueli CHUN ; Quan WEI
Journal of Sichuan University (Medical Sciences) 2025;56(2):543-548
Objective To explore the effects of the Otago Exercise Program(OEP)on activities of daily living,muscle strength,balance,and physical function in older adults with sarcopenia,to compare OEP with conventional exercise training,and to provide a basis for clinical rehabilitation programs for older adults with sarcopenia.Methods In this randomized controlled trial,120 older adults clinically diagnosed with sarcopenia were enrolled.The participants were randomly assigned to the OEP intervention group(experimental group)and the conventional exercise intervention group(control group),with 60 in each group.The experimental group underwent 12 weeks of OEP training,three times a week,with each session lasting 45 minutes.The control group underwent conventional exercise training following the same schedule.The Modified Barthel Index was used as the primary outcome measure to assess activities of daily living.Secondary outcome measures included muscle strength,gait stability,dynamic balance,and physical function status,evaluated using grip strength,6-meter walking speed,the Timed Up and Go Test(TUGT),and the Short Physical Performance Battery(SPPB).Results A total of 120 older adults with sarcopenia were included.The mean age of the participants was(80.17±8.48)years.Baseline data before treatment showed no statistically significant differences between the two groups.Both groups completed the treatment within 12 weeks without experiencing any adverse events.The baseline data for the experimental group were as follows,MBI at(67.00±22.76)points,hand grip strength at(15.29±4.94)kg,gait speed at(0.61±0.26)m/s,TUGT time at(15.05±6.74)s,and SPPB score at(6.17±1.40)points,while the corresponding post-intervention findings were as follows,(78.72±15.83)points,(17.67±5.83)kg,(0.77±0.28)m/s,(13.49±6.16)s,and(9.25±1.71)points,respectively.The experimental group showed improvements in all measures from baseline to post-intervention(P<0.05 for all measures).As for the control group,the baseline data for the corresponding measures were as follows,(67.20±22.12)points,(15.00±5.35)kg,(0.58±0.23)m/s,(17.29±6.90)s,and(6.00±1.24)points,respectively.The post-intervention findings increased to(71.13±20.28)points,(15.47±5.72)kg,(0.64±0.28)m/s,(16.50±6.99)s,and(6.73±1.61)points,respectively,but the changes were not statistically significant(P>0.05).Furthermore,an intergroup comparison of intervention effects(post-intervention minus preintervention)revealed significant differences in mean changes from baseline.The experimental group demonstrated improvements of(+11.72±6.32)points in modified Barthel Index,(+11.72±6.32)kg in grip strength,(+0.16±0.09)m/s in gait speed,(—1.56±1.32)s in TUGT time,and(—1.56±1.32)points in SPPB score.In contrast,the control group showed smaller changes of(+3.93±5.65)points,(+0.47±1.37)kg,(+0.06±0.07)m/s,(—0.79±1.54)s,and(+0.73±1.12)points,respectively(all P<0.05).Intergroup comparisons revealed superior outcomes in the experimental group across all measures.Conclusion OEP significantly enhances activities of daily living,improves muscle strength,balance,and physical function in older adults,and is more effective than conventional rehabilitation exercise programs,making it suitable for extensive clinical application.
9.Advances in the Application of Forensic Microbiome Analysis in Tissue Source Inference
Hewen YAO ; Chaoran SUN ; Shuangshuang WANG ; Yuxiang ZHOU ; Zhirui ZHANG ; Feng SONG ; Haibo LUO
Journal of Sichuan University (Medical Sciences) 2025;56(5):1419-1426
Forensic microbiology,a pivotal discipline within forensic science,focuses on microorganisms as the primary subject of study and applies life science technologies to analyze microbial evidence in criminal and civil investigations.Tissue source inference plays a crucial role in forensic investigations,facilitating case assessment and crime scene reconstruction.The application of microbiome analysis in tissue source inference benefits from the tissue specificity and spatiotemporal stability of human microbial communities.This article provides a systematic review of recent advances in tissue source inference based on microbiome analysis,covering technological development,research trends,and practical applications.Finally,the challenges confronted in practice in forensic microbiology and the future prospects for its development are summarized.
10.Injectable hydrogel loaded with bone marrow-mesenchymal stem cells promotes the repair of cartilage defect
Deguo LIU ; Hong CHEN ; Jiehong ZHANG ; Yuxiang ZHENG ; Zhengang LIU ; Xuanchen CHEN ; Zhenhai HOU
Basic & Clinical Medicine 2025;45(1):44-50
Objective To construct an injectable hydrogel(IH)entrapment system of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells(BM-MSCs)and to explore its effect of promoting articular cartilage repair and underlying mechanism.Methods The primary BM-MSCs of mice were cultured by whole bone marrow adherent method.The differentiation potential was identified by alizarin red(ARS),oil red O(ORO)and Alcian blue(AB)staining,and the expres-sion of CD44,CD90,CD105,CD34 and CD45 on the surface was detected by flow cytometry.BM-MSCs loaded with IH(BM-MSC-IH)was prepared,and the rheological properties of BM-MSC-IH were tested by rheological test.The model of full-thickness injury of knee cartilage in mice was established,and the mice were randomly divided into normal saline group,BM-MSC group and BM-MSC-IH group with 8 in each.The mice were injected with BM-MSC-IH 0.2 mL,cell suspension 0.2 mL and 0.9%NaCl solidion,independently.After 6 and 12 weeks of in-jection,the repair of knee cartilage in mice was observed by safranin-fast green staining,and the expression of typeⅡ collagen in knee joint was examined by immunohistochemical staining microscopy.Results The primary cultured cells showed positive expression of CD44,CD90 and CD105,but negative expression of CD34 and CD45,and had the potential of osteogenic,adipogenic and chondrogenic differentiation.The constructed BM-MSC-IH sys-tem was solid colloid,and the rheological properties were consistent with the basic characteristics of hydrogel.BM-MSC-IH effectively promoted the regeneration of mouse knee cartilage and increase the local expression of typeⅡ collagen.Conclusions Bone marrow-mesenchymal stem cells embedded with injectable hydrogel effectively pro-mote the repair of injured cartilage and the underlying mechanism is potentially promoting the differentiation of chondrocytes and the expression of type Ⅱ collagen.Its effect is better than application of BM-MSCs alone.

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