[Objective] To investigate the factors influencing the detection of HLA-C expression by flow cytometry. [Methods] A total of 12 hematopoietic stem cell suspension samples from peripheral hematopoietic stem cell volunteer donors were randomly collected after CD34⁺ cell counting detection. The influence of detecting different number of nucleated cell (500 000, 50 000 and 5 000), sequential order of red blood cell lysis and antibody incubation, and the HLA-C antibody with varied remaining time from the expiration date on the detection results of HLA-C expression by flow cytometry were investigated, respectively. The significance of differences between different groups was analyzed through Student t test. [Results] There was no significant difference in the proportion of HLA-C positive cells and mean fluorescence intensity (MFI) among the three groups with different nucleated cell numbers detected (500 000, 50 000 and 5 000) (P>0.05). The sequential order of red blood cell lysis and antibody incubation had no influence on the proportion of HLA-C positive cells (P>0.05), but HLA-C MFI value was significantly lower when antibody incubation was performed after red blood cell lysis than that when antibody incubation was performed before red blood cell lysis (P<0.05). The proportion of HLA-C positive cells and MFI value detected by HLA-C antibody remaining 24 months from the expiration date were significantly higher than those detected by HLA-C antibody remaining only 5 months from the expiration date (P<0.05). [Conclusion] The present study has investigated the factors of influencing HLA-C expression level by flow cytometry, the results have important reference and application value for standardizing the experimental operation of HLA-C expression and improving the accuracy and comparability of detection results.

Objective To investigate the neuroprotective effect of TGP on PS rats and determine the impact on the Ste20-like proline/alanine-rich kinase/Na+-K+-Cl cotransport(SPAK/NKCC1)signaling pathway.Methods After PS model was successfully established in 60 male SD rats(7 weeks old),they were randomly divided into model group,low-and high-dose TGP groups,high-dose TGP+negative control group,and high-dose TGP+WNK3 overexpression group,with 12 rats in each group.Another 12 healthy rats served as the control group.After modeling,50 or 200 mg/kg TGP was given to the rats of corresponding groups intragastrically,the overexpression plasmids of WNK3 were given to the rats from the high-dose TGP+WNK3 overexpression group through tail vein injection,and same volume of normal saline was given to the control group.All of these agents were administrated once per day for 7 consecutive days.ELISA was applied to de-tect serum levels of IL-6,IL-1β,MDA and SOD.HE staining was applied to detect the pathological morphology of the substantia nigra region in brain tissue.TUNEL staining was used to observe neuronal apoptosis.Immunohistochemistry was conducted to measure the expression of α-synucle-in(α-syn),and Western blotting for the expression of Bax,Bcl-2 and SPAK/NKCC1 signaling pathway related proteins(WNK3,p-SPAK,SPAK,p-NKCC1 and NKCC1).Results Compared with the model group,the pathological damage of neurons in substantia nigra was reduced in low-and high dose TGP groups,reduced contents of IL-6,IL-1β and MDA,lower neuronal apoptotic rate,and declined expression of Bax,α-syn,WNK3,p-SPAK/SPAK,and p-NKCC1/NKCC1,but raised SOD content and Bcl-2 expression level(88.39±8.96 U/mg,119.57±12.01 U/mg vs 60.28±6.14 U/mg,P＜0.05;0.57±0.06,0.82±0.09 vs 0.38±0.04,P＜0.05).The intervention with WNK3 overexpression resulted in more severe pathological damage to neurons in the sub-stantia nigra,increased contents of IL-6,IL-1β and MDA,higher neuronal apoptotic rate,enhanced expression of Bax,α-syn,WNK3,p-SPAK/SPAK,and p-NKCC1/NKCC1,and reduced SOD con-tent and Bcl-2 expression level when compared with the high-dose TGP+negative control group(P＜0.05).Conclusion TGP exerts neuroprotective effects on PS rats,and its mechanism is re-lated to the inhibition of the SPAK/NKCC1 signaling pathway.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of reduction robot system combined with minimally invasive, microenvironmental protection, micro-stress shielding fixator (short for "3M fixator") for Sanders types II and III calcaneal fractures.Methods:A retrospective case series study was conducted to analyze the clinical data of 26 patients (26 feet) with calcaneal fractures admitted to Fourth Affiliated Central Hospital of Tianjin Medical University from June 2022 to June 2024, including 21 males and 5 females, aged 27-69 years [(46.5±2.5)years]. Among them, 10 patients had fractures in the left foot and 16 in the right. According to the Sanders classification, the fractures were classified as type II in 16 patients and type III in 10. All the patients were treated with the close reduction with reduction robot system combined with 3M fixator in a minimally invasive procedure. The surgical waiting time, operative duration, and fracture healing time were recorded. The length, width and height of the calcaneus, B?hler′s angle and Gissane′s angle were compared before operation and at 1, 3 months after operation. The visual analogue scale (VAS) and American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot score before operation and at 1, 3 months after operation and at the last follow-up were detected. The postoperative complications were recorded.Results:All the patients were followed up for 6-12 months [(9.7±1.1)months]. The surgical waiting time was 1-4 days [(2.0±0.8)days]. The operative duration was 36-66 minutes [(53.2±9.5)minutes]. All the fractures achieved primary union with a healing period of 3-4 months [(3.2±0.4)months]. At 1, 3 months after operation, the length of the calcaneus [(83.3±3.7)mm and (83.6±3.6)mm], width of the calcaneus [(44.3±5.8)mm and (44.3±5.7)mm], height of the calcaneus [(50.1±3.8)mm and (50.3±3.6)mm], B?hler′s angle [(29.8±2.9)° and (29.8±3.0)°], and Gissane angle [(121.1±6.7)° and (123.9±5.9)°] were significantly improved compared with those before operation [(79.3±4.5)mm, (53.6±4.1)mm, (46.2±3.7)mm, (18.9±3.8)°, (109.0±7.5)°, respectively] ( P<0.05), with no significant differences between those indicators at 1, 3 months after operation ( P>0.05). The VAS scores were (3.2±0.6)points, (1.9±0.5)points, and (1.6±0.3)points at 1, 3 months after operation and at the last follow-up, which were lower than (7.1±0.5)points preoperatively and decreased with the prolongation of follow-up time ( P<0.05). The AOFAS scores were (73.5±6.9)points, (90.1±4.3)points, and (92.0±3.6)points, which were higher than (32.0±4.6)points preoperatively and increased with the follow-up time ( P<0.05). One patient had lateral calcaneal pain after operation, and was alleviated after rehabilitation. No complications such as infection or nonunion were found after operation. Conclusion:The reduction robot system combined with 3M fixator for Sanders types II and III calcaneal fractures demonstrates significant clinical advantages, such as reduced surgical waiting time and operative duration, promoted fracture healing, early alleviated pain, enhanced ankle joint functional recovery, and decreased complication occurrence.

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the predominant cause of mortality in China. However, the mechanisms linking sarcopenia to CVD remain poorly understood, particularly in normal-weight populations. Individuals with the absence of overweight or obesity may tend to experience missed opportunities for timely intervention. This study aimed to investigate the longitudinal association between sarcopenia and incidence of new-onset CVD in a normal-weight population, and to examine the mediating effect of functional limitation in this relationship. METHODS: We conducted a closed-cohort analysis using a nationwide sample of 4,147 middle-aged and older adults with normal weight in China. We performed Cox proportional hazards regression analysis to explore the associations of baseline sarcopenia with incident CVD. The difference method was applied to estimate the mediation proportion of functional limitation in this association. RESULTS: Over a mean follow-up period of 7.62 years, CVD occurred in 835 participants. In the multivariable-adjusted Cox model, individuals with sarcopenia exhibited a significantly higher likelihood of developing incident CVD compared to those without sarcopenia (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 1.45, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.21-1.73, P < 0.001). Similar associations were observed for the incidence of heart disease and stroke. Functional limitation accounted for approximately 15.0% of the total effect of sarcopenia on incident CVD (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Sarcopenia exerts both direct and indirect effects on incident CVD among middle-aged and older adults who are normal weight, with functional limitation serving as a significant mediator. Interventions targeting both sarcopenia and functional limitation may offer a promising strategy for enhancing cardiovascular health in this population.
Humans ; Sarcopenia/complications* ; China/epidemiology* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Cardiovascular Diseases/etiology* ; Aged ; Incidence ; Cohort Studies ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Risk Factors ; Aged, 80 and over ; Longitudinal Studies

Objective To investigate the role of Dicentrine in regulating lipopolysaccharide(LPS)-induced inflammatory responses in RAW264.7 macrophages and its underlying mechanisms.Methods RAW264.7 macropha-ges were cultured and pretreated with different concentrations of Dicentrine(250,500,1 000 μmol/L).An inflam-matory response model was established using LPS stimulation(model group),with a control group receiving no treatment.Cytotoxicity of Dicentrine was evaluated by MTT assay.Nitric oxide(NO)levels in cell culture supernatants were measured using the Griess method.Fluorescence microscopy was employed to observe in-tracellular reactive oxygen species(ROS)accumulation and apoptosis.Finally,mRNA expression levels of in-flammatory cytokines including IL-1β,IL-6,inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS),and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)were analyzed by qPCR.Results MTT assay results indicated that Dicentrine exhibited no cyto-toxic effects at concentrations below 1 000 μmol/L.Griess method and fluorescence microscopy showed signif-icantly elevated NO and ROS levels in the model group compared to the control group(P<0.05).Compared with the model group,the 250,500,and 1 000 μmol/L Dicentrine groups demonstrated significantly reduced NO and ROS levels(P<0.05).qPCR analysis revealed significantly increased mRNA expression of IL-1β,IL-6,iNOS,and TNF-α in the model group versus the control group(P<0.05).Compared with the model group,the 250,500,and 1 000 μmol/L Dicentrine groups showed significantly decreased mRNA expression of IL-1β,IL-6,iNOS,and TNF-α(P<0.05).Conclusion Dicentrine regulates macrophage apoptosis,thereby ef-fectively inhibiting LPS-induced inflammatory responses in macrophages.

Alternative splicing (AS) serves as a fundamental regulatory mechanism in gene expression, contributing to proteomic diversity by generating an array of mRNA isoforms from precursor mRNA via distinct splice site combinations. In light of the limited therapeutic options currently available, the exploration of AS as a target for drug development is of paramount importance. This review offers an exhaustive analysis of the biological functions and underlying molecular mechanisms associated with various AS-induced splice variants, RNA-binding proteins, and cis-elements, highlighting their significance as clinical biomarkers. We place particular emphasis on the current therapeutic applications of AS in an array of lung diseases, including but not limited to lung cancer, cystic fibrosis, silicosis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, pneumonia, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, pulmonary arterial hypertension, and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. The review delves into the role of AS events in the diagnosis and treatment of lung diseases, focusing on the regulatory influence of splicing factors and RNA-binding proteins, while also enumerating the mutated components implicated in AS misregulation. Consequently, a comprehensive understanding of the intricate mechanisms governing these splicing events could potentially offer novel avenues for the development of splicing-targeted therapeutics and diagnostic tools for the prevention and treatment of lung diseases.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a chronic interstitial lung disease, is characterized by aberrant wound healing, excessive scarring and the formation of myofibroblastic foci. Although the role of alternative splicing (AS) in the pathogenesis of organ fibrosis has garnered increasing attention, its specific contribution to pulmonary fibrosis remains incompletely understood. In this study, we identified an up-regulation of serine/arginine-rich splicing factor 7 (SRSF7) in lung fibroblasts derived from IPF patients and a bleomycin (BLM)-induced mouse model, and further characterized its functional role in both human fetal lung fibroblasts and mice. We demonstrated that enhanced expression of Srsf7 in mice spontaneously induced alveolar collagen accumulation. Mechanistically, we investigated alternative splicing events and revealed that SRSF7 modulates the alternative splicing of pyruvate kinase (PKM), leading to metabolic dysregulation and fibroblast activation. In vivo studies showed that fibroblast-specific knockout of Srsf7 in conditional knockout mice conferred resistance to bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis. Importantly, through drug screening, we identified lomitapide as a novel modulator of SRSF7, which effectively mitigated experimental pulmonary fibrosis. Collectively, our findings elucidate a molecular pathway by which SRSF7 drives fibroblast metabolic dysregulation and propose a potential therapeutic strategy for pulmonary fibrosis.

Objective:To understand the prevalence and related factors of three common chronic diseases, hyperlipidemia, hypertension and diabetes in HIV-infected persons.Methods:As of December 2023, HIV-infected persons >15 years old who are receiving antiviral therapy (ART) and follow-up in Henan Province were selected as the study objects. Questionnaires, physical examinations, and blood samples were collected to collect demographic information, ART, body weight, blood lipids, blood pressure, and blood sugar of HIV-infected persons. The logistic regression model was used to analyze the related factors of hyperlipidemia, hypertension and diabetes.Results:Among 4 023 HIV-infected patients, the prevalence rates of hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes were 64.47% (2 594/4 023), 16.80% (676/4 023), and 10.54% (424/4 023), respectively. Multivariate analysis showed that hyperlipidemia was positively associated with ≥40 years of age, overweight and obesity, two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) + proteasome inhibitors (PIs) regimen and two NRTIs+ integrase inhibitor regimen, and negatively associated with low body weight. Hypertension was positively correlated with the age group ≥40 years old, family history of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, overweight and obesity, ART time ≥0.5 years, and negatively correlated with low body weight. Diabetes was positively associated with age group ≥40 years, family history of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease, overweight and obesity, and negatively associated with the use of two NRTIs+PIs treatment regimens.Conclusions:In 2023, the prevalence of hyperlipidemia, hypertension, and diabetes among HIV-infected people in Henan Province was relatively high, and the risk of common chronic diseases among those ≥40 years old, overweight and obese, and those with a family history of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases was also relatively high. It is recommended to strengthen the prevention and management of common chronic diseases among HIV-infected people.

Objective:To explore the clinical feature and genetic variation of NPHS1 variant-associated nephropathy ( NPHS1-VAN) in Chinese patients. Methods:This study was a case-series analysis. Patients with NPHS1-VAN, who were treated and/or followed in the Department of Pediatrics, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University between 2018 and 2023 were recruited into this study. Genotype, phenotype and their relationship were analyzed. Results:Nine NPHS1-VAN patients from 8 non-consanguineous Chinese families were collected, including 5 males and 4 females. There were 7 cases with an onset age within 3 months and 2 cases with an onset age of 6 months and 13 years, respectively. Seven patients harbored compound heterozygous variants, two had homozygous variants, including 8 missense variations,3 frameshift variants, and 1 splicing site variant. Four patients in 3 families harbored missense variant c.928G>A, two of them experienced spontaneous remission of proteinuria at the age of 1 year and 2 years, respectively, another one had persistent proteinuria and entered end stage renal disease (ESRD) at 11 years old. The other one had an onset age of 6 months with no response to steroids initially. She got complete remission by tacrolimus administered, but relapse frequently and partially responded to steroids later. Two patients of this group died, one of them died of respiratory failure 3 days after birth. Excessive amniotic fluid and fetal edema were acknowledged at 28 weeks of gestational age. He harbored compound heterozygous variants of NPHS1, c.1135C>G (R379G) and c.1339G>A (E447K). His mother previously experienced fetal death at 28 weeks gestational age for her first pregnant and stillborn at 36 weeks of gestational age for her second pregnant, respectively. One patient in this study who harbored homozygous variant of c.1339G>A (E447K) presented with a mild phenotype, onset age was 13 years old and didn't progress to ESRD yet at 21 years. Thus, variant E447K was hypothesized to be weakly pathogenic, while R379G may be strongly pathogenic with a risk of death. Five novel variants were identified in this group of patients, 3 missense variants (c.1135C>G, c.1157A>T, c.3197T>A) and 2 frameshift variants (c.709_710delCT, c.3193delG). Renal biopsy was performed in 4 cases, of whom two were focal segmental glomerular sclerosis and another two were minimal change disease. Conclusions:NPHS1-VAN possesses remarkable clinical and genetic heterogeneity. Five novel variants were identified. Missense variant is the most common variant type and c.928G>A is the most common one in this group of patients, in consistent with previous report in China. Children harbor c.928G>A may have a mild phenotype with possible spontaneous remission and may be response to steroids and calcineurin inhibitor. Variant c.1135C>G (R379G) may have a strong pathogenicity, and patient who harbors this variant may have a severe phenotype.

Joubert syndrome is a rare primary ciliopathy characterized by hypoplasia of the midbrain and vermis cerebellum, with or without extracerebral organs involvement. This article reports a case of Joubert syndrome with RPGRIP1L mutation, presented with anemia, renal dysfunction, growth retardation, and mental retardation. The patient reached end-stage renal disease at the age of 13 years old. Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed slight elongation of the superior cerebellar peduncles, mild hypoplasia of the cerebellar vermis, and the characteristic "molar tooth sign". Elevated transaminase and γ-glutamyl transpeptidase levels were detected at the age of 14 years old. Genetic analysis showed a compound heterozygous mutation in the RPGRIP1L gene (c.1290_1291delGT, c.3764T>C). Joubert syndrome is a clinically heterogeneous disorder and easy to be missed. Early diagnosis and standard treatment contribute to a better prognosis.