ObjectiveTo investigate the protective effect of α-ketoglutarate （α-KG） on hepatic lipid deposition in offspring caused by arsenic exposure during pregnancy. Methods8-week-old institute of cancer research （ICR） mice were mated in a ratio of 2∶1 between females and males， and the detection of vaginal plugs confirmed pregnant. A total of 32 pregnant mice were randomly divided into four groups： control group， arsenic group， α-KG group， arsenic+α-KG group. On gestational day 0-16 （GD0-GD16）， the arsenic and arsenic+α-KG groups were exposed to sodium arsenite （NaAsO₂ ，15 mg/L） in drinking water everyday， and the α-KG and arsenic+α-KG groups were gavaged with α-KG （2 g/kg） everyday. On GD16， pregnant mice were euthanized to collect fetal liver， and fetal body weight and crown-rump length were measured. Gene expression differences between the control group and the arsenic group were analyzed by transcriptome. The total triglycerides （TGs） and subtypes in fetal liver were detected by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry （LC-MS/MS）. Oil red O staining was used to observe the histopathological changes in the liver. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction （qPCR） was used to detect the expression level of genes related to lipid synthesis， transport， and degradation， and phosphatidylinositol 3' -kinase/ protein kinase B （PI3K/AKT） in the liver of fetus. ResultsTranscriptomics analysis showed that 2 144 genes were downregulated and 1 675 genes were upregulated in the arsenic exposed fetal liver； body weight and crown-rump length were reduced （P_TuKey<0.05）； the level of hepatic TGs was elevated in arsenic group （P_TuKey<0.05）； oil-red O staining showed a significant increase in lipid droplets in arsenic group （P_TuKey<0.01）； the expression of lipid synthesis-related genes were significantly upregulated （P_TuKey<0.05）； the expression of β-oxidation-related genes and lipid degradation-related genes were downregulated （P_TuKey<0.05）； the expression of PI3K， AKT decreased（P_TuKey<0.05）. Compared with the arsenic group， the body weight and crown-rump length of fetus increased in the arsenic+α-KG group （P_TuKey<0.05）； the level of hepatic TGs decreased in the arsenic+α-KG group （P_TuKey<0.05）； oil red O staining showed lipid droplets significantly decreased （P_TuKey<0.01）； the expression of lipid synthesis-related genes were downregulated （P_TuKey<0.05）， the expression of β-oxidation-related genes and lipid degradation-related genes were upregulated （P_TuKey<0.05）； the expression levels of PI3K and AKT increased （P_TuKey<0.05）. Conclusionα-KG alleviated hepatic lipid deposition in offspring exposed to arsenic during pregnancy through activating PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Acute respiratory distress syndrome(ARDS)is a common respiratory emergency,but current clinical treatment remains at the level of symptomatic support and there is a lack of effective targeted treatment measures.Our previous study confirmed that inhalation of hydrogen gas can reduce the acute lung injury of ARDS,but the application of hydrogen has flammable and explosive safety concerns.Drinking hydrogen-rich liquid or inhaling hydrogen gas has been shown to play an important role in scavenging reactive oxygen species and maintaining mitochondrial quality control balance,thus improving ARDS in patients and animal models.Coral calcium hydrogenation(CCH)is a new solid molecular hydrogen carrier prepared from coral calcium(CC).Whether and how CCH affects acute lung injury in ARDS re-mains unstudied.In this study,we observed the therapeutic effect of CCH on lipopolysaccharide(LPS)induced acute lung injury in ARDS mice.The survival rate of mice treated with CCH and hydrogen inhalation was found to be comparable,demonstrating a significant improvement compared to the untreated ARDS model group.CCH treatment significantly reduced pulmonary hemorrhage and edema,and improved pulmonary function and local microcirculation in ARDS mice.CCH promoted mitochon-drial peripheral division in the early course of ARDS by activating mitochondrial thioredoxin 2(Trx2),improved lung mitochondrial dysfunction induced by LPS,and reduced oxidative stress damage.The results indicate that CCH is a highly efficient hydrogen-rich agent that can attenuate acute lung injury of ARDS by improving the mitochondrial function through Trx2 activation.

PURPOSE: To investigate the pathological changes of the synovium in mice with post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) treated with 4-octyl itaconate (4-OI) and evaluate the therapeutic effects of 4-OI. METHODS: In the phenotypic validation experiment, the mice were randomly divided into 3 groups: wild-type (WT) group, sham group, and destabilization of the medial meniscus (DMM) group. Through MRI, micro-CT, and histological analysis, it was determined that the DMM surgery induced a mouse PTOA model with significant signs of synovitis. At 12 weeks post-DMM surgery, synovial tissues from the DMM group and WT group mice were collected for ribonucleic acid sequencing analysis. In the 4-OI treatment experiment, mice were randomly divided into the sham group, DMM group, DMM + 4-OI (50 mg/kg) group, and DMM + 4-OI (100 mg/kg) group. Von Frey tests and open field tests were conducted at intervals during the 12 weeks following the DMM surgery. After 12 weeks of surgery, the efficacy of 4-OI treatment on PTOA in mice was evaluated using MRI, micro-CT, histological analysis, and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Finally, we utilized network pharmacology analysis to predict the mechanism of 4-OI in treating PTOA synovitis and conducted preliminary validation. Statistical analysis was performed using one-way ANOVA and the Kruskal-Wallis test. Difference was considered statistically significant at p < 0.05. RESULTS: The DMM surgery effectively induced a PTOA mouse model, which displayed significant symptoms of synovitis. These symptoms included a notable increase in both the number of calcified tissues and osteophytes (p < 0.001), an enlargement of the calcified meniscus and synovial tissue volume (p < 0.001), and thickening of the synovial lining layer attributable to M1 macrophage accumulation (p = 0.035). Additionally, we observed elevated histological scores for synovitis (p < 0.001). Treatment with 4-OI inhibited the thickening of M1 macrophages in the synovial lining layer of PTOA mice (p < 0.001) and reduced fibrosis in the synovial stroma (p = 0.004). Furthermore, it reduced the histological scores of knee synovitis in PTOA mice (p = 0.006) and improved the inflammatory microenvironment associated with synovitis. Consequently, this treatment alleviated pain in PTOA mice (p < 0.001) and reduced spontaneous activity (p = 0.003). Bioinformatics and network pharmacology analyses indicated that 4-OI may exert its therapeutic effects by inhibiting the differentiation of synovial Th17 cells. Specifically, compared to the lipopolysaccharide stimulation group, 4-OI reduced the levels of positive regulatory factors of Th17 cell differentiation (IL-1: p < 0.001, IL-6: p < 0.001), key effector molecules (IL-17A: p < 0.001, IL-17F: p = 0.004), and downstream effector molecules in the IL-17 signaling pathway (CCL2: p < 0.001, MMP13: p < 0.001). CONCLUSION 4-OI is effective in inhibiting synovitis in PTOA, thereby alleviating the associated painful symptoms.
Animals ; Synovitis/etiology* ; Mice ; Osteoarthritis/etiology* ; Disease Models, Animal ; Male ; Succinates/pharmacology* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; X-Ray Microtomography

Objective:To evaluate the clinical efficacy of a novel surgical approach of debridement, antibiotics, and implant retention (DAIR) with flap transfer, for treating chronic implant infections in bone tumor patients.Methods:A retrospective review was conducted on nine consecutive patients [6 males, 3 females; median age 35(27, 51) years, range 9-71] who underwent a modified procedure of DAIR plus flap transfer between November 2022 and January 2024. The cohort included six cases of chronic periprosthetic joint infection and three cases of chronic plate and screw infection. Tumor diagnoses included seven primary malignant tumors (osteosarcoma=5, undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma of bone=1, synovial sarcoma=1) and two bone metastasis of renal cell carcinoma. The procedure involved wide, radical debridement, meticulous removal of biofilm from implants and surrounding soft tissue, followed by the transfer of a well vascularized musculocutaneous flap to fully envelope the contaminated interface. Pre-operative clinicopathological data, surgical details, postoperative complications and infection recurrence were analyzed.Results:The median interval between initial implantation and debridement was 10.0(3.3, 14.8) months. Median follow-up after debridement was 15.9(15.4, 18.2) months. All nine surgeries were completed as planned: six musculocutaneous flaps, two fasciocutaneous flaps and one muscle-only flap. Implants were preserved in six patients; two required subsequent removal for recurrent infection, and one patient later underwent amputation for tumor recurrence. Infection-free implant survival at 3, 6 and 12 months was 88.9%, 87.5% and 87.5%, respectively. Major complications included one donor-site hematoma, one donor-site sensory deficit and one wound healing delay. All the complications were well management. Both reinfections occurred in proximal tibial prostheses, likely due to limited flap coverage options and local anatomical constraints.Conclusion:Although reinfections happened in two cases DAIR with flap transfer provides promising short-term infection control in patients with chronic implant-associated infections following bone tumor surgery.

Objective:To analyze the correlation between serum uric acid-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (UHR) and risk of all-cause death or cardiovascular disease (CVD) death among urban and rural elderly in Beijing.Methods:Based on the Beijing Healthy Aging Cohort Study, 9 022 participants with complete baseline data were enrolled, and their survival and death outcomes were followed up. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression model were used to analyze the associations between the UHR level and the risks of all-cause mortality and CVD mortality.Results:As of March 31, 2021, the median follow-up time M( Q1, Q3) was 6.18 (5.36, 6.75) years. There were 1 166 all-deaths, with a death density of 19.26 per 1 000 person-years, and 562 CVD deaths, with a death density of 9.28 per 1 000 person-years. After adjusting sociodemographic characteristics and lifestyle factors, multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression model showed that the risk of all-cause mortality increased by 3% ( HR=1.03, 95% CI: 1.02-1.04) and the risk of CVD mortality increased by 4% ( HR=1.04, 95% CI: 1.02-1.06) for every 1% increase in UHR. Compared with the T1 group of UHR tertiles, the T3 group had a 42% increase in the risk of all-cause death ( HR=1.42, 95% CI: 1.22-1.66) and a 53% increase in the risk of CVD death ( HR=1.53, 95% CI: 1.21-1.94). Conclusions:The UHR level is significantly associated with the risks of all-cause mortality and CVD mortality among urban and rural older adults in Beijing. The UHR level may be one of the potential predictors of death risk in community-dwelling older adults.

Aim To investigate the mechanism by which Aiweixin oral liquid(AWX)alleviates myocar-dial ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats through the reg-ulation of mitochondrial fusion and fission.Methods Seventy-two healthy male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to six groups(n=12)using a ran-dom number table:sham surgery group,model group,low-dose AWX(1 mL·kg-1)group,medium-dose AWX(2 mL·kg-1)group,high-dose AWX(4 mL·kg-1)group,and positive control drug trimetazidine(10 mg·kg-1)group.A myocardial ischemia-reper-fusion injury(MIRI)model was established by ligating the left anterior descending coronary artery of the rat heart,followed by 30 minutes of ischemia and 90 mi-nutes of reperfusion.In the sham surgery group,only a suture was placed without ligation.The rats in the treatment groups were pre-gavaged with AWX starting 10 days prior to the modeling procedure.Lead Ⅱ elec-trocardiograms were recorded before and after reperfu-sion in each group to observe the changes in electrocar-diographic parameters.The myocardial infarct size in each group was assessed using TTC staining.The his-topathological changes in myocardial tissue were exam-ined under a light microscope using hematoxylin and eosin(HE)staining.The serum levels of adenosine triphosphate(ATP)and cardiac troponin I(cTnI)were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent as-say(ELISA).Superoxide dismutase(SOD)activity and the levels of malondialdehyde(MDA)and lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)were determined using bio-chemical assay kits.The protein expression levels of dynamin-related protein 1(dynamin-relatedprotein 1,DRP1),mitochondrial fission factor(mitochondrial fis-sion factor,MFF),mitochondrial fission protein 1(mi-tochondrial fission protein 1,FIS1),mitofusin 1(mito-fusion-1,MFN1),and mitofusin 2(mitofusion-2,MFN2)were evaluated by Western blot analysis.Re-sults Compared with the sham group,the model group exhibited aggravated myocardial tissue pathological damage,an increased percentage of myocardial infarct size,decreased serum SOD activity and ATP levels,and significantly elevated levels of MDA,cTnI,and LDH activity.Additionally,the protein expression of mito-chondrial fission factors DRP1,MFF,and FIS1 was up-regulated,while the expression of fusion-related factors MFN1 and MFN2 was downregulated.Compared with the model group,Aiweixin oral liquid significantly alle-viated myocardial injury,reduced the percentage of my-ocardial infarct size,increased serum SOD activity and ATP levels,decreased MDA content and cTnI and LDH activity,downregulated the protein expression of mito-chondrial fission factors DRP1,MFF,and FIS1,and up-regulated the protein expression of fusion-related factors MFN1 and MFN2.Conclusion Aiweixin oral liquid alleviates myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats by regulating abnormal mitochondrial fusion and fis-sion.

Objective To compare the positioning errors and the motion of acromioclavicular joint in breast cancer patients with integrated cervicothoracic thermoplastic membrane and breast bracket fixation,and to provide reference for accurate irradiation of upper and lower clavicular region.Methods Sixty-three pa-tients with breast cancer who were treated in the radiotherapy center of the hospital from November 1,2021 to August 9,2023 were selected as the study objects,and were divided into the integrated cervicothoracic thermo-plastic membrane group(n=32)and breast bracket group(n=31)according to different positioning meth-ods.The translation errors of left and right direction(X),head and foot direction(Y)and ventral and dorsal direction(Z)and the rotation errors of sagittal plane(Rx),cross section(Ry)and coronal plane(Rz)of the two groups were analyzed,and the movement amplitude and three-dimensional displacement of acromioclavic-ular joint were measured respectively.Results Compared with the breast bracket group,X translation errors[(0.18±0.14)cm vs.(0.15±0.12)cm]and Z translation errors[(0.19±0.14)cm vs.(0.16±0.14)cm]of the cervicothoracic thermoplastic memberane group were greater,Z translation error[(0.21±0.17)cm vs.(0.22±0.21)cm]and Rx rotation error of cervical and sternoclavicular joints[(0.93±0.87)° vs.(1.08±0.92)°]were smaller,Rz rotation error[(1.00±0.94)° vs.(0.95±0.86)°]was greater,and the motion ΔX of acromioclavicular joint[(0.18±0.15)cm vs.(0.25±0.21)cm]was smaller,the difference was statistically significant(P＜0.05).Conclusion Integrated cervicothoracic thermoplastic membrane can be used as a solu-tion for prophylactic irradiation of breast cancer in the upper and lower clavicular region and for radiation leak-age in the presence of metastasis.

Objective To investigate the effect and mechanisms of celecoxib on right heart function in mice with acute high-altitude hypoxia exposure.Methods Male C57BL/6J mice(7 weeks old)were housed in a hypobaric chamber simulating an altitude of 5 800 m for 2 d to establish an animal model of acute hypobaric hypoxia.①Eighteen mice were randomly assigned to plain+saline(P+S),high-altitude hypoxia exposure+saline(H+S),and high-altitude hypoxia exposure+celecoxib(H+Cel).Body weight and routine blood indicators were measured,and cardiac ultrasound examination were performed for heart rate(HR),pulmonary artery acceleration time to ejection time ratio(AT/ET),tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion(TAPSE),tricuspid annular systolic velocity(S'),and left ventricular ejection fraction(LVEF)and fractional shortening(FS).Targeted metabolomic profiling was applied to detect the cardiac arachidonic acid(AA)metabolite levels.The contents of 12,13-dihydroxy-9Z-octadecenoic acid(12,13-diHOME)in the heart,liver,brown adipose tissue,and plasma were quantified by ELISA.② Eighteen mice were randomly assigned into plain+saline(P+S),high-altitude hypoxia exposure+saline(H+S)and high-altitude hypoxia exposure+12,13-diHOME(H+di)groups.Body weight,routine blood tests,and echocardiography were performed as above.③ Thirty-two mice were randomly divided into high-altitude hypoxia exposure+saline(H+S),high-altitude hypoxia exposure+celecoxib(H+Cel),high-altitude hypoxia exposure+soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibitor(sEHI)(H+sEHI),and high-altitude hypoxia exposure+sEHI+celecoxib(H+sEHI+Cel)groups.Body weight,routine blood tests,and echocardiography were performed as above.Cardiac and plasma contents of 12,13-diHOME and epoxyeicosatrienoic acids(EETs)were measured by ELISA.Results ① Compared to the P+S group,the H+S group exhibited significantly reduction of cardiac 12,13-diHOME level(P<0.001),increased counts of white blood cells(WBC)and neutrophils(P<0.01)and decreased TAPSE,S'and AT/ET both at resting state and under stress(P<0.01,P<0.001).Compared to the H+S group,the H+Cel group exhibited significantly increase of cardiac 12,13-diHOME level(P<0.05),reduced WBC and lymphocyte counts(P<0.01,P<0.05)and improved TAPSE and S'levels at resting state and under stress(P<0.01,P<0.001).② Compared to the H+S group,the H+di group demonstrated significantly improvement of TAPSE at basal and under stress(P<0.001)and a trend towards improved TAPSE at resting state(P=0.0532),but no obvious differences was observed in WBC and neutrophil counts between the H+di group and the H+S group.③ Compared to the H+Cel group,both the H+sEHI and H+sEHI+Cel groups exhibited significantly reduction of cardiac 12,13-diHOME level(P<0.01,P<0.05)though no statistical changes in cardiac function indicators.Compared to the H+S group,WBC counts and lymphocyte were decreased,and serum EETs level was incrased in the H+Cel group,H+sEHI group and H+sEHI+Cel group(P<0.01,P<0.001).Conclusion Celecoxib can elevate cardiac level of 12,13-diHOME and improves right heart function in mice after acute high-altitude hypoxia exposure through the CYP450-sEH metabolic pathway.

OBJECTIVES: To identify potential plasma lipidomic biomarkers that distinguish non-metastatic medulloblastoma (nmMB) from metastatic medulloblastoma (mMB) in children. METHODS: In this prospective study, 17 children with mMB and 20 matched children with nmMB were enrolled. Plasma samples were analyzed using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Lipid metabolites were evaluated for their associations and diagnostic performance. RESULTS: Orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis based on lipid profiles clearly separated nmMB from mMB, and 14 differential lipids were identified, including DG(18:2/20:4/0:0) and SM(d18:1/20:0). Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed nine metabolites with area under the curve greater than 0.7. Differential lipids were enriched in sphingolipid, glycerophospholipid, and arachidonic acid metabolism, suggesting an association with the metastatic phenotype. CONCLUSIONS Plasma lipidomics provides a new approach to identify mMB, and the identified lipid metabolites may support early diagnosis and treatment, prognostic assessment, and selection of therapeutic targets for metastatic medulloblastoma.
Humans ; Medulloblastoma/diagnosis* ; Lipidomics ; Child ; Male ; Female ; Child, Preschool ; Cerebellar Neoplasms/blood* ; Biomarkers, Tumor/blood* ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Prospective Studies ; Adolescent ; Lipids/blood*

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the susceptibility of venetoclax-resistant acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cell lines to ferroptosis and to uncover the underlying molecular mechanisms using transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis methods. METHODS: Venetoclax-resistant AML cell lines were constructed using a low-dose concentration escalation method. The sensitivity of cells to chemotherapeutic drugs was detected by CCK-8 assay. The susceptibility of drug-resistant cell lines to ferroptosis was assessed using transcriptomic and metabolomic analysis methods. The expression of cellular GPX4 and SLC7A11 protein was detected by Western blot, and cell death and lipid peroxidation levels were measured by flow cytometry. Depmap database and TCGA cohort were applied to explore the effect of ferroptosis-related genes expression on prognosis. RESULTS: Venetoclax-resistant cell lines exhibited sensitivity to ferroptosis inducers RSL3, APR246, and sorafenib. The ferroptosis inhibitor Fer-1 partially inhibited cell death induced by these inducers. Compared with the parental cells, significant changes in metabolites and gene expression levels related to ferroptosis were observed in the resistant cell lines. In particular, deregulated expression of SLC7A11 and GPX4 may play critical role in ferroptosis susceptibility. Besides, GPX4 was identified as more important for AML cell survival and higher GPX4 expression may predict shortened overall survival, NPM1 mutant and IDH1 R132 mutation positive patients may prone to possess higher GPX4 expression. CONCLUSION Venetoclax-resistant AML cell lines remain susceptible to ferroptosis, higher GPX4 expression maybe a critical marker for poor prognosis. Regulating the expression of ferroptosis-related genes and metabolites may enhance the efficacy of venetoclax and provide new treatment options for AML patients.
Humans ; Ferroptosis ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/metabolism* ; Sulfonamides/pharmacology* ; Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic/pharmacology* ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm ; Metabolomics ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Phospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase ; Amino Acid Transport System y+/metabolism* ; Transcriptome