1.Macrophage autophagy in lung diseases:two-sided effects
Huijuan YOU ; Shuzhen WU ; Rong RONG ; Liyuan CHEN ; Yuqing ZHAO ; Qinglu WANG ; Xiaowei OU ; Fengying YANG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2026;30(6):1516-1526
BACKGROUND:Macrophages play a key role in the occurrence and progression of lung diseases,and autophagy plays an important role in maintaining environmental homeostasis and functional stability in macrophages.It has been suggested that macrophage autophagic activity has two sides in lung inflammatory diseases.OBJECTIVE:To summarize the relationship between macrophage autophagy and lung diseases,thereby providing reference for exploring the prevention and treatment strategies of lung inflammatory diseases by targeting macrophage autophagy.METHODS:Literature retrieval was performed in CNKI and PubMed for relevant literature published from database inception to September 2024.The search terms were"macrophage autophagy,efferocytosis,macrophage polarization,acute lung injury,pneumonia,chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,pulmonary fibrosis,asthma"in Chinese and English,respectively.The search results were included or excluded based on the selection criteria,and 100 papers that met the criteria were finally included in the review.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The obstruction of autophagy flow will induce the polarization imbalance of macrophages and impair their efferocytosis,resulting in the increase of M1 macrophages and aggravating inflammation.(2)The judgment of autophagic activity should be based on whether the autophagy flow is smooth or not,and it is essential to evaluate the degradation ability of autophagy.Some studies failed to comprehensively detect the degradation ability of autophagy lysosomes to assess whether the autophagy flow is unobtrusive.As a result,the so-called two-sided view of pulmonary macrophage autophagy in pulmonary inflammatory diseases in such studies is actually related to the one-sided judgment of autophagy activity.(3)The pathological manifestations vary across different pulmonary diseases and even at different stages of the same disease.Activation of macrophage autophagy plays a positive role in regulating pulmonary inflammatory homeostasis in conditions such as acute lung injury,infectious pneumonia,mild chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,early-stage pulmonary fibrosis,and secondary asthma.However,in the severe fibrotic stage of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and the progressive stage of pulmonary fibrosis,the activation of pulmonary macrophage autophagy aggravates pulmonary fibrosis,reflecting the dual nature of macrophage autophagy.In allergic asthma,autophagy is activated in lung-resident macrophages but suppressed in infiltrating monocyte-derived macrophages from circulation.The former is closely related to airway stenosis,and the latter aggravates pneumonia disorders.Therefore,identifying the types and progression stages of lung diseases,along with accurately assessing autophagic activity,is crucial for future investigations into the relationship between macrophage autophagy and disease pathogenesis,thereby facilitating the development of therapeutic strategies in the future.
2.Macrophage autophagy in lung diseases:two-sided effects
Huijuan YOU ; Shuzhen WU ; Rong RONG ; Liyuan CHEN ; Yuqing ZHAO ; Qinglu WANG ; Xiaowei OU ; Fengying YANG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2026;30(6):1516-1526
BACKGROUND:Macrophages play a key role in the occurrence and progression of lung diseases,and autophagy plays an important role in maintaining environmental homeostasis and functional stability in macrophages.It has been suggested that macrophage autophagic activity has two sides in lung inflammatory diseases.OBJECTIVE:To summarize the relationship between macrophage autophagy and lung diseases,thereby providing reference for exploring the prevention and treatment strategies of lung inflammatory diseases by targeting macrophage autophagy.METHODS:Literature retrieval was performed in CNKI and PubMed for relevant literature published from database inception to September 2024.The search terms were"macrophage autophagy,efferocytosis,macrophage polarization,acute lung injury,pneumonia,chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,pulmonary fibrosis,asthma"in Chinese and English,respectively.The search results were included or excluded based on the selection criteria,and 100 papers that met the criteria were finally included in the review.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The obstruction of autophagy flow will induce the polarization imbalance of macrophages and impair their efferocytosis,resulting in the increase of M1 macrophages and aggravating inflammation.(2)The judgment of autophagic activity should be based on whether the autophagy flow is smooth or not,and it is essential to evaluate the degradation ability of autophagy.Some studies failed to comprehensively detect the degradation ability of autophagy lysosomes to assess whether the autophagy flow is unobtrusive.As a result,the so-called two-sided view of pulmonary macrophage autophagy in pulmonary inflammatory diseases in such studies is actually related to the one-sided judgment of autophagy activity.(3)The pathological manifestations vary across different pulmonary diseases and even at different stages of the same disease.Activation of macrophage autophagy plays a positive role in regulating pulmonary inflammatory homeostasis in conditions such as acute lung injury,infectious pneumonia,mild chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,early-stage pulmonary fibrosis,and secondary asthma.However,in the severe fibrotic stage of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and the progressive stage of pulmonary fibrosis,the activation of pulmonary macrophage autophagy aggravates pulmonary fibrosis,reflecting the dual nature of macrophage autophagy.In allergic asthma,autophagy is activated in lung-resident macrophages but suppressed in infiltrating monocyte-derived macrophages from circulation.The former is closely related to airway stenosis,and the latter aggravates pneumonia disorders.Therefore,identifying the types and progression stages of lung diseases,along with accurately assessing autophagic activity,is crucial for future investigations into the relationship between macrophage autophagy and disease pathogenesis,thereby facilitating the development of therapeutic strategies in the future.
3.Ethical reflections on narrative wills in elderly end-of-life patients
Linan CHENG ; Fuman CAI ; Huiling LI ; Qian CHEN ; Fengying ZHANG
Chinese Medical Ethics 2025;38(6):712-717
Elderly end-of-life patients often experience distress due to being caught in dilemmas of contemplation and decision-making. Narrative wills, grounded in life values and premised on respecting individual wishes and needs, present an individual’s unique life story through narrative forms, conveying their overall experience, interpretation of meaning, and understanding of life. They are preserved and passed on in a way that meets individual expectations, thereby promoting human exploration, reflection, and growth regarding the meaning of life through interpersonal interactions that transcend space and time. This paper explored the concept of narrative wills among elderly end-of-life patients, the ethical value and ethical principles of narrative wills, and the moral and ethical risks. It also provided specific ethical interpretations, assisting in the application and development of narrative wills in elderly end-of-life patients.
4.Analysis of factors for international normalized ratio levels>3.0 in patients undergoing warfarin anticoagulation therapy after mechanical heart valve replacement
Shengmin ZHAO ; Bo FU ; Fengying ZHANG ; Weijie MA ; Shourui HUANG ; Qian LI ; Huan TAO ; Li DONG ; Jin CHEN
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2025;32(05):655-662
Objective To investigate the factors influencing international normalized ratio (INR)>3.0 in patients undergoing warfarin anticoagulation therapy after mechanical heart valve replacement. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on the clinical data of patients who underwent mechanical heart valve replacement surgery and received warfarin anticoagulation therapy at West China Hospital of Sichuan University from January 1, 2011 to June 30, 2022. Based on the discharge INR values, patients were divided into two groups: an INR≤3.0 group and an INR>3.0 group. The factors associated with INR>3.0 at the time of discharge were analyzed. Results A total of 8901 patients were enrolled, including 3409 males and 5492 females, with a median age of 49.3 (43.5, 55.6) years. The gender, body mass index (BMI), New York Heart Association (NYHA) cardiac function grading, INR, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, and preoperative prothrombin time (PT) were statistically different between the two groups (P<0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that lower BMI, preoperative PT>15 s, and mitral valve replacement were independent risk factors for INR>3.0 at discharge (P<0.05). Conclusion BMI, preoperative PT, and surgical site are factors influencing INR>3.0 at discharge in patients undergoing warfarin anticoagulation therapy after mechanical heart valve replacement. Special attention should be given to patients with lower BMI, longer preoperative PT, and mitral valve replacement to avoid excessive anticoagulation therapy.
5.Analysis of risk factors for delirium in elderly patients with head and neck cancer after free flap reconstruction surgery
Sixing CHEN ; Fengying QIN ; Xiumei YU ; Yijie HUANG ; Shaoning ZHOU ; Weiping GU ; Qiumiao CHEN
Chinese Journal of Stomatology 2025;60(1):54-60
Objective:To investigate the risk factors for delirium after free flap reconstruction surgery in elderly patients with head and neck cancer.Methods:This study retrospectively collected clinical data from 309 elderly patients with head and neck cancer who underwent radical resection and free flap reconstruction surgery in the Department of Operation & Anesthesiology, College & Hospital of Stomatology, Guangxi Medical University from January 2018 to December 2022. Among them, there were 197 males (63.8%) and 112 females (36.2%), with an average age of (66.8±5.5) years old. Based on the delirium diagnostic criteria outlined in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, patients were evaluated for postoperative delirium within one week after surgery. They were then divided into a delirium group ( n=75) and a non-delirium group ( n=234). Perioperative indicators potentially related to postoperative delirium, including age, gender, past medical history, tumor characteristics, hematological tests, perioperative sleep disturbances, surgical procedures, intraoperative fluid intake and output, anesthetic dosage, postoperative pain, etc, were collected from the relevant medical record system.Variables with P<0.05 were included in a multivariate Logistic regression model to screen for independent risk factors for delirium. Results:The incidence of delirium after free flap reconstruction surgery for head and neck cancer in elderly patients was 24.3% (75/309). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that male gender ( OR=2.802, P=0.005), perioperative sleep disturbances ( OR=7.104, P<0.001), and moderate-to-severe postoperative pain ( OR=6.903, P<0.001) were risk factors for postoperative delirium. Conclusions:Male gender, perioperative sleep disturbances, and moderate-to-severe postoperative pain are independent risk factors for delirium in these patients.
6.Macrophage efferocytosis:a new target for the treatment of obesity-related metabolic diseases
Fengying YANG ; Yuqing ZHAO ; Huijuan YOU ; Pengyi ZHANG ; Yan CHEN ; Qinglu WANG ; Yingying LIU
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(2):430-440
BACKGROUND:Dysfunction of macrophage efferocytosis can induce local and systemic inflammatory damage and is associated with a variety of obesity-related metabolic diseases.Moreover,compounds targeting efferocytosis have shown good therapeutic effects. OBJECTIVE:By reviewing the effects of obesity on macrophage efferocytosis,to analyze the key mechanism by which obesity inhibits efferocytosis,to summarize the research progress in compounds targeting efferocytosis to treat obesity-related metabolic diseases,so as to provide new ideas for fully understanding efferocytosis and its relationship with metabolic diseases,aiming to provide new strategies for disease prevention and treatment. METHODS:The English search terms were"efferocytosis,metabolism,obesity,obese,atherosclerosis,non-alcoholic steatohepatitis,neurodegeneration,tumor,osteoarthritis,diabetes,compound,medicine,treatment,"which were used for literature retrieval in PubMed and Web of Science.The Chinese search term was"efferocytosis,"which was used for literature retrieval in CNKI,VIP and WanFang datebases.Ninety-nine papers were finally included in the review analysis after a rigorous screening process. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:In the process of efferocytosis,the"Find me"and"Eat me"processes involving a large number of apoptotic cell derived factors are mainly regulated by apoptotic cells.The efferocytosis factor involved in cytoskeletal remodeling and digestion are mainly derived from macrophages,which are crucial for efferocytosis activity.These results suggest that the"Find me"and"Eat me"factors mainly reflect the condition of apoptosis,and it is more scientific to select the expression of factors involved in cytoskeletal remodeling and digestion when evaluating the efferocytosis activity of macrophages.Obesity inhibits efferocytosis,and shows an inhibitory effect on most digestive factors,but has a stress-induced activation effect on most"Find me,""Eat me"and cytoskeletal recombination factors,which further indicates the decisive effect of digestive stage on efferocytosis and suggests that it is not reliable for some studies to evaluate the efferocytosis based on the increased expression of"Find me"and"Eat me"factors.Targeting cytokines in the digestive phase may be more effective when discussing future intervention strategies targeting macrophages efferocytosis.The efferocytosis activators of macrophages are effective in the treatment of various metabolic diseases,but the efferocytosis inhibitors in tumor tissue show good anticancer effects,suggesting that the role of efferocytosis should be rationally evaluated according to the characteristics of tissue inflammation.Efferocytosis is a relatively new concept proposed in 2003,with a short research history and complex efferocytosis factors.Current studies on obesity and efferocytosis only involve a tip of the iceberg and most of them are at a superficial level and a large number of scientific experiments are needed to further validate the mechanisms.
7.Relationship between macrophage subtypes in obese adipose tissue and metabolic diseases
Yuqing ZHAO ; Wei WANG ; Huijuan YOU ; Liyuan CHEN ; Yan CHEN ; Qinglu WANG ; Fengying YANG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(13):2832-2841
BACKGROUND:Macrophage subtypes exhibit tissue heterogeneity,and the adipose tissue macrophage phenotype is largely influenced by obesity.Local and systemic inflammatory responses caused by obese adipose tissue macrophages are considered a vital pathological mechanism of obesity-associated metabolic diseases.OBJECTIVE:To summarize the inflammatory characteristics of different macrophage subtypes in adipose tissue and their relationship with obesity-associated metabolic diseases,aiming to provide a reference basis for targeting specific macrophage subtypes to explore preventive and treatment strategies for obesity-associated metabolic diseases.METHODS:Literature retrieval was conducted in CNKI and PubMed using Chinese and English search terms "obesity,adipose tissue,adipose tissue macrophage,macrophage polarisation,metabolic diseases." The search results were accepted or excluded according to the inclusion criteria.Ninety-one papers that met the criteria were finally included for review.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) Macrophages have tissue heterogeneity.Under normal conditions,adipose tissue macrophages are mainly composed of anti-inflammatory M2 resident macrophages,which maintain tissue inflammation homeostasis.Under obese conditions,a large number of foreign infiltrating macrophages surround hypertrophic adipocytes,and most of them exhibit pro-inflammatory characteristics.Therefore,it is believed that adipose tissue macrophages of pro-inflammatory M1 type may actually be a collection of multiple pro-inflammatory subtypes.Further understanding of the characteristics of various pro-inflammatory subtypes helps us to gain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying inflammatory disorders in obese adipose tissue.(2) In obesity,foreign infiltrating macrophages form crown-like structures around hypertrophic adipocytes.Currently,six different subtypes of the crown-like structure have been identified,most of which exhibit pro-inflammatory properties and a few of which possess anti-inflammatory characteristics.Thus,taking full advantage of the anti-inflammatory subtypes while inhibiting the differentiation of the pro-inflammatory subtypes may be a new target for alleviating inflammatory damage in obese adipose tissue.(3) M3,Mme,CD9+and LAM adipose tissue macrophage subtypes have been found to be involved in the occurrence and development of metabolic diseases such as atherosclerosis,diabetes,insulin resistance,and cancer.DARC+and Mfehi adipose tissue macrophage subtypes play a vital role in the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease,obesity insulin resistance,iron death,and other related metabolic diseases.The above studies further suggest that inflammatory disorders caused by externally infiltrated macrophages in obese adipose tissue are an important pathological basis for obesity-induced metabolic diseases.Further in-depth research on the characteristics of various subtypes has important theoretical and practical significance.
8.Analysis of risk factors for delirium in elderly patients with head and neck cancer after free flap reconstruction surgery
Sixing CHEN ; Fengying QIN ; Xiumei YU ; Yijie HUANG ; Shaoning ZHOU ; Weiping GU ; Qiumiao CHEN
Chinese Journal of Stomatology 2025;60(1):54-60
Objective:To investigate the risk factors for delirium after free flap reconstruction surgery in elderly patients with head and neck cancer.Methods:This study retrospectively collected clinical data from 309 elderly patients with head and neck cancer who underwent radical resection and free flap reconstruction surgery in the Department of Operation & Anesthesiology, College & Hospital of Stomatology, Guangxi Medical University from January 2018 to December 2022. Among them, there were 197 males (63.8%) and 112 females (36.2%), with an average age of (66.8±5.5) years old. Based on the delirium diagnostic criteria outlined in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, patients were evaluated for postoperative delirium within one week after surgery. They were then divided into a delirium group ( n=75) and a non-delirium group ( n=234). Perioperative indicators potentially related to postoperative delirium, including age, gender, past medical history, tumor characteristics, hematological tests, perioperative sleep disturbances, surgical procedures, intraoperative fluid intake and output, anesthetic dosage, postoperative pain, etc, were collected from the relevant medical record system.Variables with P<0.05 were included in a multivariate Logistic regression model to screen for independent risk factors for delirium. Results:The incidence of delirium after free flap reconstruction surgery for head and neck cancer in elderly patients was 24.3% (75/309). Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that male gender ( OR=2.802, P=0.005), perioperative sleep disturbances ( OR=7.104, P<0.001), and moderate-to-severe postoperative pain ( OR=6.903, P<0.001) were risk factors for postoperative delirium. Conclusions:Male gender, perioperative sleep disturbances, and moderate-to-severe postoperative pain are independent risk factors for delirium in these patients.
9.Relationship between macrophage subtypes in obese adipose tissue and metabolic diseases
Yuqing ZHAO ; Wei WANG ; Huijuan YOU ; Liyuan CHEN ; Yan CHEN ; Qinglu WANG ; Fengying YANG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(13):2832-2841
BACKGROUND:Macrophage subtypes exhibit tissue heterogeneity,and the adipose tissue macrophage phenotype is largely influenced by obesity.Local and systemic inflammatory responses caused by obese adipose tissue macrophages are considered a vital pathological mechanism of obesity-associated metabolic diseases.OBJECTIVE:To summarize the inflammatory characteristics of different macrophage subtypes in adipose tissue and their relationship with obesity-associated metabolic diseases,aiming to provide a reference basis for targeting specific macrophage subtypes to explore preventive and treatment strategies for obesity-associated metabolic diseases.METHODS:Literature retrieval was conducted in CNKI and PubMed using Chinese and English search terms "obesity,adipose tissue,adipose tissue macrophage,macrophage polarisation,metabolic diseases." The search results were accepted or excluded according to the inclusion criteria.Ninety-one papers that met the criteria were finally included for review.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1) Macrophages have tissue heterogeneity.Under normal conditions,adipose tissue macrophages are mainly composed of anti-inflammatory M2 resident macrophages,which maintain tissue inflammation homeostasis.Under obese conditions,a large number of foreign infiltrating macrophages surround hypertrophic adipocytes,and most of them exhibit pro-inflammatory characteristics.Therefore,it is believed that adipose tissue macrophages of pro-inflammatory M1 type may actually be a collection of multiple pro-inflammatory subtypes.Further understanding of the characteristics of various pro-inflammatory subtypes helps us to gain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms underlying inflammatory disorders in obese adipose tissue.(2) In obesity,foreign infiltrating macrophages form crown-like structures around hypertrophic adipocytes.Currently,six different subtypes of the crown-like structure have been identified,most of which exhibit pro-inflammatory properties and a few of which possess anti-inflammatory characteristics.Thus,taking full advantage of the anti-inflammatory subtypes while inhibiting the differentiation of the pro-inflammatory subtypes may be a new target for alleviating inflammatory damage in obese adipose tissue.(3) M3,Mme,CD9+and LAM adipose tissue macrophage subtypes have been found to be involved in the occurrence and development of metabolic diseases such as atherosclerosis,diabetes,insulin resistance,and cancer.DARC+and Mfehi adipose tissue macrophage subtypes play a vital role in the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease,obesity insulin resistance,iron death,and other related metabolic diseases.The above studies further suggest that inflammatory disorders caused by externally infiltrated macrophages in obese adipose tissue are an important pathological basis for obesity-induced metabolic diseases.Further in-depth research on the characteristics of various subtypes has important theoretical and practical significance.
10.Relationship between androgen level and adverse pregnancy outcome of pregnant women at advanced maternal age
Wenyi CHEN ; Xuelei WU ; Fengying LU ; Ming ZHANG ; Bin ZHANG ; Bin YU
International Journal of Laboratory Medicine 2024;45(16):1921-1924
Objective To explore the relationship between androgen level and adverse pregnancy outcome of pregnant women at advanced maternal age.Methods A total of 192 pregnant women who were admitted to Changzhou Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital for delivery from May to October 2022 were selected as the study objects.According to guidelines for diagnosis and treatment of hypertensive disorder complicating pregnancy and maternal age,the study objects were divided into simple pregnant women at advanced maternal age group,pregnant women at advanced maternal age complicated with hypertensive disorder complicating pregnancy,healthy control group and age-appropriate pregnant women complicated with hypertensive disorder complicating pregnancy group.Serum levels of five androgens[total testosterone(TT),sex hormone binding globulin(SHBG),free testosterone index(FTI),dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate(DHEAS)and androstendi-one(A2)]in each group were detected by chemiluminescence method.Results Compared with the healthy control group,TT,A2,FTI were significantly increased and SHBG was significantly decreased in the age-ap-propriate pregnant women complicated with hypertensive disorder complicating pregnancy group,the level of DHEAS was decreased in the simple pregnant women at advanced maternal age group,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05).Pearson correlation analysis showed that TT was negatively correla-ted with age(P<0.05),positively correlated with systolic blood pressure,diastolic blood pressure and body mass index(P<0.05),and had no correlation with offspring sex and offspring weight(P>0.05).Multivari-ate Logistic regression analysis showed that TT and body mass index were independent risk factors for hyper-tensive disorder complicating pregnancy in pregnant women(P<0.05).Conclusion The level of androgen in pregnant women at advanced maternal age is related to the occurrence of hypertensive disorder complicating pregnancy.

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