1.Research progress on polydopamine in the treatment of oral diseases
LU Xiangxiang ; JIANG Zhen ; XING Aili ; ZHAO Bin ; SUN Bin
Journal of Prevention and Treatment for Stomatological Diseases 2026;34(3):302-3014
Due to the moist environment in the mouth, there are many challenges that arise, such as difficult biofilm removal, short drug retention time, and low tissue repair efficiency, while treating dental caries, periodontal disease, and other oral diseases. As a biomimetic biomaterial, polydopamine (PDA) possesses multifunctional properties, including mussel-inspired adhesion and stimuli-responsive drug release. PDA adhesion properties originate from its surface catechol and amino functional groups, which maintain strong wettability in aqueous environments. With smart responsiveness encompassing photothermal, pH, and enzymatic stimuli, PDA enables controlled drug release under specific conditions. Additionally, PDA exhibits antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and osteoblast-promoting functions, thus demonstrating significant application potential in the treatment of oral diseases. In hard tissue therapies, specifically for dental caries, PDA promotes enamel remineralization by inducing hydroxyapatite crystal growth and enhances dentin collagen mineralization through Ca2+ chelation while inhibiting cariogenic bacteria. In mandibular defect repair, functionalized PDA coatings on bone implants facilitate mesenchymal stem cell adhesion and differentiation, activate osteogenic signaling pathways, and synergistically promote vascularization to improve bone-implant integration. For soft tissue treatments, specifically for periodontitis, PDA alleviates alveolar bone resorption via antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects coupled with osteoclast inhibition. In denture stomatitis management, PDA’s strong wet adhesion prolongs drug retention, while its photothermal effect and reactive oxygen generation provide both broad-spectrum antibacterial activity and wound healing promotion. This review summarizes PDA’s synthesis mechanisms and biological functions, with an emphasis on its therapeutic applications in oral diseases, providing innovative strategies for oral healthcare.
2.Research advances on trained immunity in atherosclerosis
Meng GUO ; Jiayu CHEN ; Zhen SUN ; Jun XIE
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(3):583-590
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD), particularly atherosclerosis, represent a major global health burden. Recent studies have revealed that innate immune cells such as monocytes and macrophages can develop immune memory after an initial stimulus, a phenomenon termed “trained immunity”. Growing evidence indicates that trained immunity serves as an underlying mechanism of chronic inflammation in atherosclerotic cardiovascular diseases. This review focuses on outlining the key effector cells involved in trained immunity and their mechanisms of formation, including processes such as metabolic reprogramming and epigenetic modifications, which collectively lead to a heightened immune response upon secondary stimulation. Furthermore, this review systematically summarizes the role of trained immunity in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis, and elaborates on various therapeutic strategies targeting trained immunity along with their application prospects.
3.SIRT5 Potentiates Hepatocarcinogenesis by Modulating Protein Acylation in Mice
Yu ZHANG ; Feng-Rui REN ; Jia-Yun LI ; Xiang-Yu CHEN ; Zi-Yi WANG ; Qi SUN ; Jun-Cheng ZHAO ; Ye ZHANG ; Zhen HUANG ; Hao HU ; Tao-Tao WEI ; Min XIAO
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(6):1712-1722
ObjectiveHepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents 90% of all primary liver cancers. The main risk factors associated with HCC include viral hepatitis (B and/or C), alcohol abuse, and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), which progressively advance to liver fibrosis, cirrhosis, and ultimately evolve into HCC. Surgical resection represents the most effective treatment for HCC, while recent advances in immunotherapy, including immune checkpoint inhibitors and adoptive cell therapies, have provided improved treatment prospects for patients with unresectable HCC. However, the complex metabolic heterogeneity of HCC limits the therapeutic efficacy. Metabolic intermediates acyl-CoA not only provide energy and substrates for numerous biochemical reactions but also serve as donors for protein lysine acylation, a major class of post-translational modification (PTM). Therefore, a deeper understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying protein lysine acylation and hepatocarcinogenesis is urgently needed. MethodsThe levels of protein lysine acylation and silence information regulator 5 (SIRT5) expression levels in clinical HCC samples were analyzed by Western blot. Quantitative malonylome and succinylome of HCC samples were analyzed by antibody-based affinity enrichment coupled with tandem mass spectrometry. The proliferation of HCC cells was analyzed with Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assays, the apoptosis was quantified by Annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide (PI) staining coupled with flow cytometry, and the ability of cells to migrate was assayed by Transwell assays. The enzymatic activity of glutathione S-transferase Mu 1 (GSTM1) was quantified. Transgenic mice with hepatic overexpression of SIRT5 were constructed using CRISPR-Cas9, and primary hepatocarcinogenesis was induced by administration of diethylnitrosamine. ResultsWestern blot analysis indicated that the expression level of SIRT5 was elevated in clinical samples from HCC patients, and the levels of lysine malonylation, glutarylation, and succinylation were significantly reduced in HCC tissues. Knockout of SIRT5 in MHCC-97H and MHCC-97L hepatoma cells suppressed cell proliferation, and increased the percentage of apoptotic cells significantly. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analyses of the differentially malonylome and succinylome of HCC samples revealed significant enrichment in two major classes of biological processes: core energy metabolism (e.g., glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, tricarboxylic acid metabolic process, fatty acid beta oxidation) and detoxification and oxidative stress response (e.g., response to toxic substance, chemical carcinogenesis, reactive oxygen species (ROS)). SIRT5 removes malonylation from lysine residues in GSTM1 and restores its detoxification activity, which is crucial for the survival of hepatocytes under stressed conditions. More importantly, in vivo experiment indicated that hepatic-specific overexpression of SIRT5 in mice accelerated diethylnitrosamine-induced liver fibrosis and hepatocarcinogenesis, indicating the critical role of SIRT5 in HCC progression. ConclusionThis study highlights the previously unrecognized SIRT5-GSTM1 axis as a key regulator in hepatocarcinogenesis, and suggests a potential target for the treatment of patients with HCC.
4.Role of exosomal miR-320c in gingerol-mediated defense against Staphylococcus aureus infection
Zhencai XING ; Mengxue XU ; Xiang KONG ; Jinghan SUN ; Zhen MA ; Yu GAO ; Siyuan DU ; Hong ZHENG ; Yakun LIU
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(5):795-802
ObjectiveTo investigate the inhibitory effect of gingerol, an active component of ginger, on Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) infection, and to preliminarily explore its mechanism related to extracellular vesicles (EVs). MethodsS.aureus infection models were established in human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVECs), Vero E6 cells, and C57BL/6 mice. Experimental groups included control, infection, and gingerol-treated groups. Bacterial load and VE-cadherin protein expression were detected using immunofluorescence and Western blot. EVs were isolated by size exclusion chromatography and characterized by transmission electron microscopy and nanoparticle tracking analysis. miRNA sequencing was performed on EVs. ResultsGingerol treatment significantly reduced the bacterial load in both in vitro and in vivo infection models and upregulated VE-cadherin expression. miRNA sequencing of EVs revealed that S. aureus infection upregulated the expression of hsa-miR-320c, while gingerol treatment reversed this abnormal expression. Bioinformatic analysis further predicted that the target genes of hsa-miR-320c were significantly enriched in cell junction-related pathways. ConclusionGingerol exhibits clear antibacterial and host-protective effects, by regulating hsa-miR-320c in EVs to maintain endothelial barrier integrity.
5.Resistance of Aedes albopictus to common insecticides in Zhejiang Province, 2024
Qin-mei LIU ; Jin-na WANG ; Tian-qi LI ; Ming-yu LUO ; Zhou GUAN ; Zhen-yu GONG ; Ji-min SUN
Acta Parasitologica et Medica Entomologica Sinica 2026;33(2):96-100
Objective In order to understand the current resistance status of Aedes albopictus(Ae. albopictus) adult population to commonly used insecticides and the resistance dynamics development in Zhejiang Province and provide a theoretical basis for the scientific and rational use of hygienic insecticides. Methods Resistance determination was carried out using the diagnostic dose method(GB/T 26347-2010)recommended by WHO in the adult mosquito contact cylinder method to monitor the resistance of Ae. albopictus field populations in 11 cities and districts in Zhejiang Province in 2024. Results The monitoring result showed that adult Ae. albopictus in 11 areas were resistant or suspected resistant populations to both cis-cypermethrin and permethrin; suspected and resistant populations to the organophosphate insecticide malathion were as high as 81.82%; while suspected resistance to the carbamate insecticide residual carbofuran accounted for 45.45%, and the rest of the monitoring sites were sensitive to it. Conclusions The result suggest that the generalized resistance of Ae. albopictus populations to pyrethroids and organophosphorus insecticides in the field in Zhejiang Province needs to be highly emphasized. In future mosquito vector and mosquito-borne disease control, insecticides should be selected based on the resistance monitoring information, while following scientific guidelines for insecticide use.
6.PAGE5 in Promoting Breast Cancer Invasion and Hepatic Metastasis via Regulation of the PI3K/AKT/MMP1 Axis
Zenghui LIU ; Ying LU ; Xiaoli LIANG ; Wanna CHEN ; Xiangdong XU ; Hongbiao XU ; Zhen SHAN
Journal of Sun Yat-sen University(Medical Sciences) 2026;47(5):833-842
ObjectiveThis study aimed to elucidate the specific molecular mechanism by which PAGE5 promotes breast cancer cell invasion and hepatic metastasis through regulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and its downstream effector, matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP1). MethodsBioinformatics analysis using the TCGA database was performed to evaluate PAGE5 expression in metastatic breast cancer tissues. The effects of PAGE5 on the proliferation, migration, and invasion capabilities of breast cancer cells were analyzed using CCK-8, EdU, Transwell, and wound healing assays. A splenic injection hepatic metastasis model in NOD-SCID mice was employed to validate the impact of PAGE5 on breast cancer liver metastasis. Transcriptome sequencing and KEGG enrichment analysis were conducted to identify potential signaling pathways regulated by PAGE5. Western blot was used to detect AKT phosphorylation levels. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was applied to screen and validate downstream target molecules of PAGE5. ResultsBioinformatic analysis revealed that PAGE5 expression was significantly upregulated in distant metastasis of breast cancer. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments confirmed that PAGE5 overexpression markedly enhanced the migration and invasion abilities of breast cancer cells and promoted the formation of liver metastatic lesions, whereas PAGE5 knockdown suppressed breast cancer liver metastasis (P<0.000 1). Transcriptome sequencing and KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that PAGE5 significantly activated the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway (P=0.028 5). Western blot confirmed that PAGE5 upregulated p-AKT levels, which could be reversed by MK2206. The qPCR results confirmed that MMP1 is a key downstream effector of PAGE5, and its expression can be inhibited by MK2206 (P<0.000 1). ConclusionsThis study preliminarily demonstrates that PAGE5 can activate the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and mediate the invasion and liver metastasis of breast cancer through MMP1.
7.Comparison of the Risk Stratification Systems of CHIC and New CCCG in the Prognostic Evaluation of Hepatoblastoma
Zhen LI ; Hong JIANG ; Wenqing WANG ; Yuanqi WANG ; Libin HUANG ; Juncheng LIU ; Hongman XUE
Journal of Sun Yat-sen University(Medical Sciences) 2026;47(2):346-353
ObjectiveTo compare the Children's Hepatic tumors International Collaboration (CHIC) and the new Chinese Children's Cancer Group (CCCG) hepatoblastoma (HB) risk stratification systems in terms of their prognostic prediction efficacy and chemotherapy guidance value for Chinese children with HB, aiming to identify the risk stratification system more suitable for Chinese HB patients. MethodsThis retrospective study analyzed the clinical data of 403 pediatric patients with HB aged < 18 years who were initially diagnosed at The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University between February 2010 and September 2023. The prognostic predictive efficacy and chemotherapy-guided value of the CHIC and CCCG risk stratification systems was compared. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 27.0. Results①Using the new CCCG risk stratification, the 5-year event-free survival (EFS) rates for children who received versus did not receive risk-stratified chemotherapy according to the CCCG-HB-2016 protocol were 82.5% and 67.7% (P=0.002), respectively, and the 5-year overall survival (OS) rates were 91.5% and 85.1% (P=0.038). Using CHIC risk stratification, the corresponding 5-year EFS rates for children who received versus did not receive risk-stratified chemotherapy according to the CCCG-HB-2016 protocol were 80.3% and 68.5% (P=0.030), and the 5-year OS rates were 90.9% and 85.8% (P=0.151). ②Among children treated with the CCCG-HB-2016 protocol stratified by the new CCCG system, the 5-year EFS rates for the very low-risk (6 cases), low-risk (20 cases), intermediate-risk (61 cases), and high-risk (69 cases) groups were 100%, 94.1%, 94.7%, and 66.2% (P<0.001), respectively, and the 5-year OS rates were 100%, 100%, 96.5%, and 82.0% (P=0.017). Among children treated with the CCCG-HB-2016 protocol stratified by the CHIC system, the 5-year EFS rates for the very low-risk (32 cases), low-risk (22 cases), intermediate-risk (37 cases), and high-risk (54 cases) groups were 93.8%, 95.2%, 76.1%, and 66.8% (P=0.003), respectively, and the 5-year OS rates were 93.1%, 100%, 89.5%, and 85.6% (P=0.190). ③For patients receiving CCCG-HB-2016 risk-stratified chemotherapy, the P-values for EFS comparisons between the CHIC and new CCCG systems within the very low-risk, low-risk, intermediate-risk, and high-risk groups were 0.537, 0.879, 0.023, and 0.934, respectively. Among patients who received stratified chemotherapy according to the CCCG-HB-2016 regimen, the intermediate-risk group in the new CCCG risk stratification system exhibited a significant advantage in 5-year event-free survival (EFS) compared with the intermediate-risk group in the CHIC risk stratification system (94.7% vs. 76.1%). ConclusionCompared to the CHIC risk stratification, the new CCCG stratification may offer better prognostic prediction and guidance value for chemotherapy in Chinese HB patients, with the intermediate-risk group showing superior outcomes.
8.PAGE5 in Promoting Breast Cancer Invasion and Hepatic Metastasis via Regulation of the PI3K/AKT/MMP1 Axis
Zenghui LIU ; Ying LU ; Xiaoli LIANG ; Wanna CHEN ; Xiangdong XU ; Hongbiao XU ; Zhen SHAN
Journal of Sun Yat-sen University(Medical Sciences) 2026;47(5):833-842
ObjectiveThis study aimed to elucidate the specific molecular mechanism by which PAGE5 promotes breast cancer cell invasion and hepatic metastasis through regulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and its downstream effector, matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP1). MethodsBioinformatics analysis using the TCGA database was performed to evaluate PAGE5 expression in metastatic breast cancer tissues. The effects of PAGE5 on the proliferation, migration, and invasion capabilities of breast cancer cells were analyzed using CCK-8, EdU, Transwell, and wound healing assays. A splenic injection hepatic metastasis model in NOD-SCID mice was employed to validate the impact of PAGE5 on breast cancer liver metastasis. Transcriptome sequencing and KEGG enrichment analysis were conducted to identify potential signaling pathways regulated by PAGE5. Western blot was used to detect AKT phosphorylation levels. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was applied to screen and validate downstream target molecules of PAGE5. ResultsBioinformatic analysis revealed that PAGE5 expression was significantly upregulated in distant metastasis of breast cancer. Both in vitro and in vivo experiments confirmed that PAGE5 overexpression markedly enhanced the migration and invasion abilities of breast cancer cells and promoted the formation of liver metastatic lesions, whereas PAGE5 knockdown suppressed breast cancer liver metastasis (P<0.000 1). Transcriptome sequencing and KEGG enrichment analysis indicated that PAGE5 significantly activated the PI3K-AKT signaling pathway (P=0.028 5). Western blot confirmed that PAGE5 upregulated p-AKT levels, which could be reversed by MK2206. The qPCR results confirmed that MMP1 is a key downstream effector of PAGE5, and its expression can be inhibited by MK2206 (P<0.000 1). ConclusionsThis study preliminarily demonstrates that PAGE5 can activate the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and mediate the invasion and liver metastasis of breast cancer through MMP1.
9.Application and development of pulsed electric field ablation in the treatment of atrial fibrillation
Zhen WANG ; Ming LIANG ; Jie ZHANG ; Jingyang SUN ; Yaling HAN
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2025;32(02):270-276
With the continuous development of China's aging society and the prevalence of unhealthy lifestyles, the incidence of cardiovascular disease in China has been increasing in recent years. Among them, atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia disease. In recent years, pulsed field ablation (PFA) has been continuously applied to AF treatment as a novel treatment. This paper first introduces the principle of PFA applied to AF treatment, and introduces the research progress of PFA in different directions, such as the comparison of different ablation methods, the study of physical parameters, the study of ablation area, the study of tissue specificity and clinical research. Then, the clinical prior research of PFA is discussed, including the use of simulation software to obtain the simulation effect of different parameters, the evaluation of ablation effect during animal research, and finally the current AF treatment. Various prior studies and clinical studies are summarized, and suggestions are made for the shortcomings found in the study of AF treatment and the future research direction is prospected.
10.Effect of methane-rich saline on rat acne and its mechanism
Wenbo ZHANG ; Zhen LIU ; Aijun SUN ; Dongbao ZHAO ; Xi ZHANG
Academic Journal of Naval Medical University 2025;46(11):1433-1438
Objective To investigate the effect of methane-rich saline on rat acne and its mechanism.Methods Totally 60 SD rats were randomly assigned to 4 groups(n=15):normal group,acne model group,tretinoin treatment group,or methane-rich saline treatment group.Acne models were established by applying oleic acid once a day and injecting Propionibacterium acnes every other day.No treatment was applied to the normal and acne model groups.The tretinoin treatment group received topical application of tretinoin cream on the affected areas,while the methane-rich saline treatment group was administered with methane-rich saline via oral gavage.Wet/dry weight ratio and histological staining were used to detect the rat ear edema and morphological changes.Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end labeling(TUNEL)was used to detect apoptosis,enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was used to detect the expression of inflammatory factors(interleukin[IL]-6,IL-8,tumor necrosis factor α[TNF-α],and IL-37),and Western blotting was used to detect the protein expression of superoxide dismutase(SOD),nuclear factor κB(NF-κB),and cysteine aspartic acid specific protease 3(caspase 3).Results After the treatment with methane-rich saline,the edema and acne were alleviated in rat ears.There were significant improvements in glandular hyperplasia,inflammatory cell infiltration,vascular dilation,hair follicle enlargement,and keratinization for the rats in the methane-rich treatment group.The effect of methane-rich saline was similar to that of tretinoin.The treatment of methane-rich saline could significantly reduce the expression of inflammatory factors such as IL-6,IL-8,and TNF-α,while could significantly increase the expression of anti-inflammatory factor IL-37 and the rate of apoptosis(all P<0.01).In addition,methane-rich saline treatment could upregulate the expression of SOD,caspase 3,and cleaved caspase 3,while could reduce the expression of NF-κB(all P<0.01).Conclusion The administration of methane-rich saline has a good therapeutic effect on rat acne,and it may be related to its anti-inflammatory,antioxidant,and pro-apoptotic activities.


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