Collagen-based materials, renowned for their biocompatibility and minimal immunogenicity, serve as exemplary substrates in a myriad of biomedical applications. Collagen-based micro/nanogels, in particular, are valued for their increased surface area, tunable degradation rates, and ability to facilitate targeted drug delivery, making them instrumental in advanced therapeutics and tissue engineering endeavors. Although extensive reviews on micro/nanogels exist, they tend to cover a wide range of biomaterials and lack a specific focus on collagen-based materials. The current review offers an in-depth look into the manufacturing technologies, drug release mechanisms, and biomedical applications of collagen-based micro/nanogels to address this gap. First, we provide an overview of the synthetic strategies that allow the precise control of the size, shape, and mechanical strength of these collagen-based micro/nanogels by controlling the degree of cross-linking of the materials. These properties are crucial for their performance in biomedical applications. We then highlight the environmental responsiveness of these collagen-based micro/nanogels, particularly their sensitivity to enzymes and pH, which enables controlled drug release under various pathological conditions. The discussion then expands to include their applications in cancer therapy, antimicrobial treatments, bone tissue repair, and imaging diagnosis, emphasizing their versatility and potential in these critical areas. The challenges and future perspectives of collagen-based micro/nanogels in the field are discussed at the end of the review, with an emphasis on the translation to clinical practice. This comprehensive review serves as a valuable resource for researchers, clinicians, and scientists alike, providing insights into the current state and future directions of collagen-based micro/nanogel research and development.
Collagen/chemistry* ; Drug Delivery Systems/methods* ; Humans ; Tissue Engineering/methods* ; Animals ; Biocompatible Materials/chemistry*

OBJECTIVE: To identify and validate novel biomarkers for the early diagnosis of sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (SA-AKI) and precise continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) using proteomics. METHODS: A prospective multicenter cohort study was conducted. Patients with sepsis admitted to five hospitals in Taizhou City of Zhejiang Province from April 2019 to December 2021 were continuously enrolled, based on the occurrence of acute kidney injury (AKI). Sepsis patients were divided into SA-AKI group and non-SA-AKI group, and healthy individuals who underwent physical examinations during the same period were used as control (NC group). Peripheral blood samples from participants were collected for protein mass spectrometry analysis. Differentially expressed proteins were identified, and functional enrichment analysis was conducted on these proteins. The levels of target proteins were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the predictive value of target protein for SA-AKI were evaluated by receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC curve). Additionally, sepsis patients and healthy individuals were selected from one hospital to externally verify the expression level of the target protein and its predictive value for SA-AKI, as well as the accuracy of CRRT treatment. RESULTS: A total of 37 patients with sepsis (including 19 with AKI and 18 without AKI) and 31 healthy individuals were enrolled for proteomic analysis. Seven proteins were identified with significantly differential expression between the SA-AKI group and non-SA-AKI group: namely cystatin C (CST3), β ₂-microglobulin (β ₂M), insulin-like growth factor-binding protein 4 (IGFBP4), complement factor I (CFI), complement factor D (CFD), CD59, and glycoprotein prostaglandin D2 synthase (PTGDS). Functional enrichment analysis revealed that these proteins were involved in immune response, complement activation, coagulation cascade, and neutrophil degranulation. ELISA results demonstrated specific expression of each target protein in the SA-AKI group. Additionally, 65 patients with sepsis (38 with AKI and 27 without AKI) and 20 healthy individuals were selected for external validation of the 7 target proteins. ELISA results showed that there were statistically significant differences in the expression levels of CST3, β ₂M, IGFBP4, CFD, and CD59 between the SA-AKI group and non-SA-AKI group. ROC curve analysis indicated that the area under the curve (AUC) values of CST3, β ₂M, IGFBP4, CFD, and CD59 for predicting SA-AKI were 0.788, 0.723, 0.723, 0.795, and 0.836, respectively, all exceeding 0.7. Further analysis of patients who underwent CRRT or not revealed that IGFBP4 had a good predictive value, with an AUC of 0.84. CONCLUSIONS Based on proteomic analysis, CST3, β ₂M, IGFBP4, CFD, and CD59 may serve as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of SA-AKI, among which IGFBP4 might be a potential biomarker for predicting the need for CRRT in SA-AKI patients. However, further clinical validation is required.
Humans ; Sepsis/complications* ; Acute Kidney Injury/blood* ; Proteomics ; Prospective Studies ; Biomarkers/blood* ; Male ; Female ; beta 2-Microglobulin/blood* ; Middle Aged ; Cystatin C/blood* ; Aged

Objective:Studying the effect of PRDX4 on esophageal squamous cell carcinoma cells(esophageal carcinoma,ESCC)proliferation and apoptosis as well as its potential mechanism.Methods:The University of Alabama at Birmingham cancer data analysis portal(UALCAN),gene expression profiling interactive analysis(GEPIA)and the Cancer Genome Atlas(TCGA)databases were used to predict PRDX4 expres-sion in ESCC and its relationship with pathological features and prognosis.The cancer and adjacent tissues of 60 patients with ESCC who un-derwent radical resection in the Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical College from August 2010 to August 2023 were selected as research samples.The expression level of PRDX4 in the patients was detected by immunohistochemistry(IHC).The extracted cancer and adjacent tis-sues were homogenized to analyze its mRNA expression.The expression levels of PRDX4 mRNA and related signaling proteins in ESCC cells were analyzed by real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot.Cell Counting Kit-8(CCK-8)assay and flow cytometry were used to analyze the effect of PRDX4 on cell proliferation and apoptosis.Finally,a subcutaneous tumor model in nude mice was constructed to validate the in vitro experimental results.Results:The data from the GEPIA and UALCAN showed that PRDX4 expression was abnormally increased and re-lated to the pathology stage,grade,and survival rate of patients.After knockdown and overexpression of PRDX4 in an ESCC cell line,the ex-pression of PRDX4,phos-phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(p-PI3K),phos-protein kinase B(p-AKT),cyclinD1,and survivin protein decreased and increased,respectively;cell proliferation and apoptosis were positively regulated.Compared with the sh-NC group,tumor volume and weight in the sh-PRDX4 group were decreased.Conclusions:PRDX4 regulates the proliferation and apoptosis of ESCC cells by activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Objective:To investigate the relationship between plasma atherogenic index (AIP) trajectory and the risk of hypertension in health examination population.Methods:In this retrospective cohort study, a total of 15 389 subjects who had undergone health examinations at the Health Management Center of the Second Affiliated Hospital of Dalian Medical University three or more times from January 2012 to December 2022 were consecutively selected. The general data, anthropometric parameters and laboratory parameters were collected. The study population without hypertension at baseline inclusion was screened, and AIP trajectory groups of different genders were determined by group-based trajectory modeling. The baseline characteristics and the incidence of hypertension at the end of follow-up were observed in each AIP trajectory group of men and women. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to analyze the association of AIP trajectories with the risk of hypertension.Results:Four AIP trajectory groups (low level group, low gain group, medium gain group and high gain group) were identified in both male and female subjects, with the highest incidence of hypertension in the low gain group (38.18% in females and 40.92% in males). After adjusting for all confounders, the risk of hypertension was positively associated with increased AIP trajectories in the low ( HR=1.29, 95% CI: 1.02-1.63), medium ( HR=1.66, 95% CI: 1.23-2.23), and high ( HR=1.89, 95% CI: 1.26-2.85) gain groups in women; the risk of hypertension was positively associated with increased AIP trajectories in only the high gain group in men ( HR=1.33, 95% CI: 1.01-1.74). Conclusion:Elevated AIP trajectory is positively correlated with the risk of hypertension in health examination population.

Objective To analyze the effect of dexmedetomidine(Dex)on biological behavior of A549 cells through expression of miR-1307.Methods Human lung cancer A549 cells were randomly divided into four groups after being cultured for 24 hours:Lung cancer A549 cell group,Dex 20μg/ml group,Dex 40μg/ml group and Dex 80μg/ml group;Each group has 6 parallel samples per hole.After each group of cell culture,we detected the cell proliferation by CCK-8 method,cell apoptosis by flow cytometry,mir-1307 expression by qRT-PCR,cell invasion and cell migration(Transwell)respectively Results Dex inhibits the viability of lung cancer A549 cells in a concentration-and time-dependent manner.Dex can promote the apoptosis of lung cancer A549 cells,and the apoptosis rate can be increased to 22.23%when the concentration of Dex reaches 80μg/ml,the apoptosis rate can rise to 22.23%.Dex inhibits the migration and invasion of lung cancer A549 cells in a concentration-dependent manner.In addition,the relative expression of miR-1307 in A549 cells after Dex treatment decreased significantly comparing to the control group,and the decline was more noteworthy with the increase of Dex concentration.Conclusion Dex can effectively inhibit the proliferation,invasion,metastasis,and apoptosis of humen A549 cells in a dose-dependent manner,and its efficacy may be related to its regulation of miR-1307 expression.

AIM: To investigate the effects of autotransfusion on immune function and inflammation in patients undergoing cesarean section. METHODS: Ninty patients with high risk hemorrhage (central placenta previa, cicatritic uterus, etc.) who underwent cesarean section were divided into three groups according to the amount of autoblood transfusion, with 30 cases in each group. The control group did not receive autologous blood transfusion, the group with a transfusion volume of 0-400 mL received autologous blood transfusion 0-400 mL, and the group with a transfusion volume of 400-800 mL received autologous blood transfusion 400 -800 mL. Serum levels of HB, RBC, HCT, WBC, CD3

OBJECTIVE To study the effects of the active component 17-hydroxy-jolkinolide B （HJB） of Euphorbia fischeriana on the proliferation and apoptosis of human triple-negative breast cancers （TNBC） MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells. METHODS MTT assay was adopted to detect the inhibitory rate of MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells proliferation after treated with 0 （blank control），5，10，20，40，80 μmol/L HJB for 24， 48 and 72 h. Laser confocal microscope and flow cytometry were adopted to detect the apoptosis， mitochondrial membrane potential（MMP） and reactive oxygen species （ROS） of above 2 kinds of cells after treated with 0 （blank control）， 10，20，40 μmol/L HJB for 24 h. Western blot assay was used to detect the expressions of B cell lymphoma-2（ Bcl-2）， Bcl-2-associated X protein （Bax）， cytochrome-C （Cyt-C）， caspase-3， cleaved caspase- 3， caspase-9 and cleaved caspase-9. RESULTS Compared with blank control group， 5，10，20，40，80 μmol/L HJB could significantly increase the inhibitory rate of MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells proliferation （P＜0.05）， in dose- and time- dependent trend. After 24 h treatment of HJB （10，20，40 μmol/L）， the apoptosis of above 2 kinds of cells increased， and the total apoptotic rate increased significantly （P＜0.05）； the mitochondrial membrane potential decreased significantly （P＜0.05）； the level of ROS increased significantly （P＜0.05）； the protein expressions of Bcl-2， caspase-3 and caspase-9 were decreased significantly （P＜ 0.05）， while the protein expressions of Cyt-C， Bax， cleaved caspase-3 and cleaved caspase-9 were increased significantly （P＜0.05）. CONCLUSIONS HJB can inhibit the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-468 cells， and induce their apoptosis.

ObjectiveTo investigate the effects of Yanghetang （YHT） on breast cancer 4T1 cells and their mitogen-activated protein kinase （MEK）/extracellular signal-regulated kinase （ERK） signaling pathway. MethodThe YHT-containing serum was prepared from SD rats. The rats were randomly assigned into a blank group （normal saline） and low-， medium-， and high-dose （5.8， 11.6， 23.2 g·kg^-1， respectively） YHT groups. The serum containing 10% YHT in each group was mixed with 90% RMPI 1640 complete medium， and the mixture was used to interfere with the cells. Cell counting kit-8 （CCK-8） method was used to detect the proliferation of the 4T1 cells treated with YHT for 24， 48， 72 h. The apoptosis， migration， and invasion of 4T1 cells were detected by flow cytometry， scratch test， and Transwell assay， respectively. Western blot was employed to determine the expression levels of MEK1/2， phosphorylation （p）-MEK1/2， ERK1/2， p-ERK1/2， and rat sarcoma virus （RAS） protein. ResultCompared with the blank group， the intervention with YHT-containing serum for 24， 48， and 72 h had significant inhibitory effect on 4T1 cell proliferation （P<0.05， P<0.01）. After intervention with YHT-containing serum for 48 h， the apoptosis rate of cells increased （P<0.01）. Compared with the blank group， the intervention with YHT for 24 h and 48 h decreased the healing ability of cells in the scratch test （P<0.01）. The invasive ability of cells treated with the low， medium， and high-dose YHT containing serum showed a decreasing trend （P<0.01）. Compared with the blank group， YHT-containing serum did not change the expression of MEK1/2 and ERK1/2 while down-regulating the expression of p-MEK1/2， p-ERK1/2， and RAS protein （P<0.01）. ConclusionYHT can inhibit the proliferation， migration， and invasion and promote the apoptosis of breast cancer 4T1 cells. In may promote the apoptosis by inhibiting the MEK/ERK signaling pathway and down-regulating the expression of p-MEK1/2， p-ERK1/2， and RAS protein.

Cyperi Rhizoma is a common Chinese medicine in clinical practice， which has a long history of processing. In order to sort out the process of its processing， starting with the angle of processing excipients， the historical evolution and developmental venation of Cyperi Rhizoma processing were analyzed and summarized by consulting relevant literature of ancient medical records and modern codes. After combing the ancient and modern literature， it was found that there were many processing methods of Cyperi Rhizoma， the processing methods without auxiliary materials included frying， boiling， steaming and so on， and the adding auxiliary materials included vinegar， ginger， salt， multiple excipients， etc. However， with the evolution of history， some characteristic excipients have gradually disappeared， while vinegar-processed products are mainly used in modern times. Meanwhile， processing methods of Cyperi Rhizoma are well documented in various processing standards， the phenomenon of multiple methods adopted in one place and different methods in different places exists， which lacks unified quality standards and leads to uneven quality of Cyperi Rhizoma decoction pieces， which may even affect the safety and effectiveness of its clinical medication. Based on this， the problems existing in the processing research of Cyperi Rhizoma were analyzed in this paper， and made an outlook on the inheritance of the ancient processing methods and the quality standard improvement of the decoction pieces， in order to provide important literature evidence and theoretical support for the study of processing process and mechanism of Cyperi Rhizoma.