1.Cytomegalovirus infection post-hematopoietic stem cell transplantation: a real-world perspective on risk factors and clinical practice
Xin Yee CHIEW ; Jun Yan GOH ; Nur Sabrina RUSLI ; Thevambiga IYADORAI ; Syaza Ab RAHMAN ; Siti Hajar REHIMAN ; Gin Gin GAN ; Hany ARIFFIN
Clinical Transplantation and Research 2026;40(1):129-137
Background:
Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection remains a major cause of morbidity, mortality, and increased healthcare burden in recipients of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Its clinical manifestations range from asymptomatic CMV replication to end-organ diseases such as pneumonia, gastroenteritis, and retinitis, all of which are associated with a higher rate of nonrelapse mortality.
Methods:
We reviewed case records of children who underwent allo-HSCT at our center between April 2013 and October 2024. CMV monitoring was performed weekly until at least day +100 post-HSCT using a quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay. All patients received acyclovir prophylaxis. Pre-emptive intravenous ganciclovir therapy was initiated when CMV-DNA levels exceeded 500 IU/mL Results: A total of 150 consecutive patients (58% male) were included. The median age at HSCT was 6.3 years (interquartile range [IQR], 3.4–11.3 years). Indications for HSCT were hematologic malignancy (n=81, 54.0%), inborn errors of immunity and bone marrow failure (n=46, 30.7%), and hemoglobinopathy (n=23, 15.3%). Donor and recipient CMV seropositivity rates were 86.7% and 94.0%, respectively. CMV infection occurred in 43.4% of patients, with a median onset of 30 days post-HSCT (IQR, 21–47 days). There were five (3.3%) cases of CMV disease, resulting in one (0.7%) CMV-related death. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-haploidentical donor status (odds ratio [OR], 5.00; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.43–10.29; P<0.001) and the use of serotherapy in the conditioning regimen (OR, 2.87; 95% CI, 1.47–5.60; P=0.002) were significantly associated with an increased risk of CMV infection.
Conclusions
CMV infection was a common occurrence, particularly among patients with HLA-haploidentical donors. Preventive strategies such as weekly surveillance and pre-emptive ganciclovir therapy proved effective in preventing overt CMV disease.
2.Innovative Development and Cutting-edge Applications of Split Intein Technology
Jin-Qiu GAN ; Xiang-Yu DENG ; Xin-Yan WANG ; Jia-Bin LI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(6):1520-1540
Inteins are unique protein insertion sequences capable of self-excision, enabling the covalent ligation of flanking extein peptides via amide bond formation. This process proceeds spontaneously without requiring external enzymes, cofactors, or chemical reagents, granting inteins exceptional biocompatibility and traceless performance in protein engineering applications. Split inteins represent a specialized and versatile subclass whose splicing domains are encoded by two separate gene fragments rather than a single continuous open reading frame. These fragments, known as the N-terminal (IntN) and C-terminal (IntC) split inteins, associate through non-covalent interactions including hydrophobic forces, hydrogen bonds, and van der Waals forces to assemble into an active three-dimensional structure, which then drives efficient extein ligation and enables protein trans-splicing. Protein trans-splicing mediated by split inteins has become a cornerstone for traceless protein ligation owing to its high specificity and irreversibility, fundamentally reshaping strategies for protein modification, assembly, and functional regulation. Compared with traditional chemical ligation methods, split intein systems require no complex chemical derivatization of peptide fragments and can operate efficiently at micromolar concentrations under physiological conditions, thus avoiding structural and functional damage caused by organic reagents. In contrast to enzymatic ligation tools such as sortase, split inteins eliminate the need for additional enzymes or cofactors, simplifying reaction systems, reducing costs, and minimizing non-specific side products. These distinctive advantages render split inteins highly promising for applications in chemical biology, synthetic biology, and biopharmaceutical development. In recent years, deepened mechanistic understanding has established structure-guided rational design as the primary approach to overcoming key limitations of split inteins, including intrinsic aggregation propensity, strict extein sequence dependence, and limited splicing efficiency. Bioinformatic tools have been used to identify aggregation-prone regions in the IntN fragment, and site-directed mutagenesis of hydrophobic residues, relocation of split sites, or removal of misfolding-prone sequences has substantially reduced in vitro aggregation and improved soluble expression and assembly activity. Rational engineering of catalytic residues and adjacent flexible loops has relaxed strict amino acid preferences at extein junctions, enhancing sequence tolerance and reducing the risk of functional impairment in target proteins. Consensus design based on multiple sequence alignments has yielded ultra-fast splicing variants such as Cfa DnaE and Cat-TerL, which exhibit significantly accelerated kinetics and improved tolerance to denaturing conditions. Meanwhile, advances in structural biology have further clarified the conformational dynamics and catalytic mechanisms of splicing, supporting the precise design of high-performance intein modules. On this basis, electrostatic interaction tuning and metagenomic screening have yielded multiple mutually orthogonal split intein pairs, enabling selective multi-fragment protein ligation and providing new routes for the efficient synthesis of large multi-domain functional proteins. With these engineered split inteins offering continuously improved performance and expanded applicability, protein trans-splicing has been widely applied in numerous cutting-edge areas of protein research and biomedicine. In gene delivery, split intein-based systems overcome the packaging limit of adeno-associated viral vectors, enabling the accurate reconstitution of large therapeutic proteins and base editors in target cells, thereby enhancing the efficacy and scope of gene therapy for genetic diseases. In internal protein sequence editing, split inteins mediate precise sequence replacement and modification in flexible regions or loops of target proteins, without the need for complex multi-step ligation and protein refolding involved in traditional protein semisynthesis. In protein-protein interaction studies, intein-mediated splicing covalently captures transient and weak intracellular complexes, enabling sensitive, high-throughput interaction detection and drug screening. In synthetic biology, conditionally controllable splicing systems support the construction of diverse intracellular and cell-surface biological logic gates for the precise regulation of cellular behavior. In mechanistic biochemical research, split inteins enable photocatalytic proximity labeling and site-specific tagging, allowing the preparation of homogeneous protein samples carrying precise post-translational modifications such as ubiquitination and polyglutamylation for chromatin interactome analysis and epigenetic studies. Moreover, covalent trapping strategies using split inteins stabilize transient enzymatic intermediates, providing unprecedented insights into molecular mechanisms such as nucleosome ubiquitination that are difficult to elucidate using conventional methods. This review systematically summarizes key technological advances in split inteins over the past decade, highlighting engineering strategies, mechanistic insights, and the development of orthogonal components. It comprehensively surveys emerging applications at the frontiers of protein research, analyzes current core challenges, and proposes future directions, particularly emphasizing artificial intelligence-driven de novo design and novel splicing pathways to break existing technical bottlenecks. By enabling traceless, efficient, and versatile protein manipulation, split inteins continue to serve as indispensable tools that drive innovation in protein engineering and fundamental life science research.
3.Tongnao Decoction Promotes Angiogenesis and Alleviates Cerebral Ischemic Injury via PI3K/Akt/GSK-3β Signaling Pathway
Yan LIU ; Yang WU ; Wanhui PENG ; Jingyi CHEN ; Jiale GAN ; Li LI ; Yangjingyi XIA ; Yunze LI ; Zhaoyao CHEN ; Wenlei LI ; Minghua WU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(9):100-110
ObjectiveTo investigate the mechanisms of Tongnao decoction (TND) in mice with acute ischemic stroke (AIS). MethodsFifty male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a sham operation group, model group, TND low-dose group (1.86 g·kg-1), TND high-dose group (3.72 g·kg-1), and butylphthalide (NBP) group (10 mg·kg-1), with 10 mice in each group. A mouse model of cerebral ischemic injury was established using photochemical thrombosis (PT). The sham operation group and model group were administered an equal volume of normal saline by gavage. All five groups were treated once daily for 14 consecutive days. Behavioral tests were performed before modeling and at the end of administration. T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) was performed 3 days after modeling to evaluate the extent of injury. Hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining was used to observe histological changes in the cerebral cortex, and Nissl staining was used to observe neuronal morphology. Cerebral blood flow in mice was detected using a laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) system. Immunofluorescence staining was used to detect the cell proliferation marker bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) and the highly glycosylated type I transmembrane glycoprotein CD34. Western blot analysis was used to detect the expression levels of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (Akt), glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), and their phosphorylation levels, as well as tight junction-related proteins zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), Occludin, and Claudin-5 in the peri-infarct tissue. Thirty-five zebrafish were randomly divided into normal control group, model group, TND low and high dose groups (0.16, 0.32 g·L-1) and NBP group (10 μmol·L-1), with 7 in each group. A stereoscopic fluorescence microscope was used to observe vascular growth in zebrafish. ResultsImaging showed that PT caused ischemia in the right cortical region. Behavioral tests indicated that, compared with the model group, the drug-treated groups reduced the error rate of irregular balance ladder climbing on the affected side and shortened the tape removal time (P<0.05). HE staining and Nissl staining showed that, compared with the model group, the drug-treated groups exhibited reduced brain tissue damage, fewer scars, and improved neuronal morphology. LSCI results showed that the drug-treated groups partially restored cerebral blood perfusion and promoted the establishment of collateral circulation compared with the model group. Immunofluorescence staining indicated that the drug-treated groups increased the positive rates of BrdU and CD34 compared with the model group (P<0.01), promoting angiogenesis. Meanwhile, compared with the model group, the drug-treated groups upregulated the expression levels of p-PI3K, p-Akt, p-GSK-3β, and tight junction proteins ZO-1, Occludin, and Claudin-5 (P<0.05,P<0.01), and increased the number of intersegmental vessels in zebrafish (P<0.05,P<0.01). ConclusionTND can promote angiogenesis around the infarct in PT model mice by regulating the PI3K/Akt/GSK-3β signaling pathway, thereby improving cerebral ischemic injury.
4.Construction and application of anti-tumor drug prescription review decision-support system in a large general hospital
Jing ZANG ; Run GAN ; Qi YANG ; Yan CHEN ; Cheng GUO ; Jianping ZHANG ; Fengqian LI ; Quanjun YANG
China Pharmacy 2026;37(6):794-799
OBJECTIVE To introduce the development of an intelligent prescription review decision-support system for anti-tumor drugs and assess its clinical application outcomes. METHODS Relevant data sources, including national and local pharmaceutical administration policies, clinical practice guidelines/consensus, hospital information systems data, and genetic testing results, were integrated. Adhering to the principles of structure, standardization and dynamic updating, a knowledge base covering chemotherapeutic, targeted and immunotherapeutic agents was constructed using a dual-dimensional modeling approach that combined “drug attributes” and “clinical contexts”. This knowledge base was then embedded into the hospital’s electronic medical order system to establish the prescription review decision-support system. The application and performance of the system were evaluated at Shanghai Sixth People’s Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. RESULTS A knowledge base containing 18 318 prescription review rules for anti-tumor drugs was constructed, and a closed-loop prescription review system was successfully established, encompassing pre-prescription real-time intervention, in-process interactive review, and post-prescription evaluation and analysis. From 2021 to 2024, the system generated a total of 57 879 alerts for prescriptions of five typical categories of anti-tumor drugs. For platinum-containing prescriptions, 22 577 alerts were generated, with Cisplatin for injection (lyophilized) being the most frequently alerted drug (13 445 alerts), and “ototoxicity risk due to combined use” alerts remained high (7 682 alerts). For methotrexate-containing prescriptions, 3 721 alerts were recorded, primarily related to “precaution-related issues” (76.4%, 2 843/3 721). For doxorubicin-containing prescriptions, 17 301 alerts were triggered, primarily related to “dosage and administration” (14 315 alerts). For human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-targeted agents-containing prescriptions, 1 007 alerts were issued, mostly related to “reimbursement restrictions” (956 alerts). For programmed death-1/programmed death-ligand 1 inhibitors-containing prescriptions, the alerts increased year by year, totaling 13 273 alerts, primarily related to “inappropriate indication” (9 118 alerts). Over the 4 years, the physician response rates to system alerts were 21.4%, 27.1%, 33.5% and 51.6%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS An intelligent decision-support system for anti-tumor drug prescription review, encompassing a closed-loop process of “real-time pre-event intervention, interactive in-event prescription review, post-event evaluation and analysis”, has been successfully constructed and implemented throughout the entire workflow. There is a discernible trend in this hospital, where the focus on monitoring anti-tumor drugs is shifting towards immunotherapy drugs. Additionally, the acceptance rate of physicians regarding prescription review opinions has been steadily increasing year by year.
5.Mechanism of action of long non-coding RNA AC087388.1 targeting PABPC1 on esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Han ZHONG ; Yan-lei GE ; Jun-qing GAN ; Ye JIN ; Xuan ZHENG ; Zi-qing LIU ; Guo-gui SUN
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2025;41(5):926-935
Aim To explore the roles and mechanisms of long non-coding RNA(lncRNA)AC087388.1 and poly(A)binding protein cytoplasmic 1(PABPC1)in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ESCC).Meth-ods The expression level of AC087388.1 in ESCC tissues and cells was detected by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR)and fluorescence in situ hybridization experiments and its clinical relevance was analyzed.Cell counting kit-8(CCK-8),clone formation,scratch and Transwell inva-sion assays were used to detect the effects of knock-down of AC087388.1 on the cell viability,prolifera-tion,migratory,and invasion of ESCC cells respectively ability,and sub-localization in cells.RNA pull down and Western blot experiments were employed to verify the interaction between AC087388.1 and PABPC1 in ESCC cells.Salvage experiments were performed to detect the effect of AC087388.1 targeting PABPC1 on ESCC cells.Results AC087388.1 was highly ex-pressed in ESCC tissues and cells and positively corre-lated with clinical stage of ESCC patients,mainly local-ized in cytoplasm.Knockdown AC087388.1 inhibited ESCC cell viability,proliferation,migration and inva-sionability.PABPC1 was selected from the results of RNA Pull Down-MS experiments for subsequent experi-ments,and AC087388.1 was verified to bind to PAB-PC1 by RNA Pull Down and Western blot experiments.Overexpression of AC087388.1 was verified by rescue experiment to reverse the effects of knockdown of PAB-PC1 on ESCC cell viability,proliferation,migration and invasion.Conclusions High expression of AC087388.1 correlates with clinical stage and may be a risk factor for ESCC progression.AC087388.1 pro-motes the cell viability,proliferation,migration and in-vasive ability of ESCC cells by targeting PABPC1,which may be a novel biomarker for the diagnosis and treatment of ESCC.
6.circ_0071653 targeted miR-197-3p regulates proliferation and metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma
Xuan ZHENG ; Yan-lei GE ; Jun-qing GAN ; Ye JIN ; Yi-shuang CUI ; Ya-nan WU ; Zi-qing LIU ; Guo-gui SUN
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2025;41(5):888-898
Aim To investigate the effects of circ_0071653 targeting miR-197-3p on the proliferation and metastasis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma(ES-CC)cells.Methods The circular structure of circ_0071653 was confirmed by Sanger sequencing and ribo-nuclease R tolerance experiments.Real-time quantita-tive polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR)and tissue fluorescence in situ hybridization assay were performed to detect the circ_0071653 expression levels and ana-lyze its clinical relevance.Cell fluorescence in situ hy-bridization and nuclear cytoplasmic separation assays were used to verify the subcellular localization of circ_0071653 and miR-197-3p.Bioinformatics analysis,dual luciferase reporter gene and RT-qPCR assays were conducted to validate the interactions between circ_0071653 and miR-197-3p.Moreover,the cell counting Kit-8(CCK-8),colony formation,scratch,Transwell invasion and subcutaneous tumor formation in nude mice assays were used to evaluate the effects of circ_0071653 and miR-197-3p on cell viability,prolifera-tion,migration,and invasion and in vivo tumorigenesi-sability.Results Circ_0071653 was a circular RNA,which showed high expression in ESCC cell lines and tissues.The expression of circ_0071653 was signifi-cantly correlated with lymph node metastasis and clini-cal stage of ESCC patients.Circ_0071653 and miR-197-3p were mainly localized in the cytoplasm.The databases predict that circ_0071653 had complementa-ry binding sites with miR-197-3p,and their binding were confirmed by dual luciferase reporter geneand RT-qPCR assays.Moreover,the activity,proliferation,migration,invasion and in vivo tumorigenesis abilities of ESCC cells were significantly reduced after knocking down circ_0071653,and this effect could be reversed by downregulating the expression of miR-197-3p.Con-clusions Circ_0071653 promotes the malignant pro-gression of ESCC through targeted regulation of miR-197-3p.
7.MR intravoxel incoherent motion for analysis of placental microcirculation and microstructures in plateau area of late pregnancy induced hypertension and normal middle and late pregnancy women
Fei LIU ; Zhanyue YAN ; Zhengning GAN ; Chenghuan LIU ; Shenglan WANG ; Linkui ZHANG ; Gang LIU
Chinese Journal of Medical Imaging Technology 2025;41(9):1554-1557
Objective To observe the value of MR intravoxel incoherent motion(IVIM)for analyzing placental microcirculation and microstructures in plateau area of late pregnancy induced hypertension(PIH)and normal middle and late pregnancy.Methods Totally 26 cases of PIH in late-trimester of pregnancy(group A)and 46 normal pregnant women(including 18 normal middle-trimester[group B]and 28 normal late-trimester[group C])in plateau area were retrospectively analyzed.The perfusion fraction(f),true diffusion coefficient(D)and pseudo-diffusion coefficient(D*)values of the entire placenta and the fetal side,maternal side and central region of placenta were obtained based on MR IVIM data,intra-and inter-group comparisons were conducted.Pearson correlation analysis was used to explore the relationships of placental IVIM parameters and maternal age,gestational age,estimated fetal weight(EFW)and neonatal birth weight.Results Except for f value of placental maternal side was higher than of fetal side in group C(P<0.05),no significant difference was found in pairwise comparisons of IVIM parameters between different placental regions within each group(all P>0.05).f value of the entire placenta and its fetal side,as well as D value of the entire placenta and its maternal side in group A were all higher than those in group C(all adjusted P<0.05).The f and D* values of the entire placenta,f,D and D*values of its maternal side,as well as f and D* values of the fetal side in group C were all higher than those in group B(all adjusted P<0.05).In group C,f value of placental maternal side was negatively correlated with both gestational age and EFW(r=-0.441,-0.579,both P<0.01).Conclusion MR IVIM could be used to non-invasively assess placental microcirculation and microstructures in plateau area of late PIH and normal middle and late pregnancy women.
8.Expert consensus on infection prevention and control of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in medical institutions
Tianxiang GE ; Yangyang JIA ; Chunhui LI ; Jianrong HUANG ; Xiujuan MENG ; Xiaodong GAO ; Jingping ZHANG ; Fu QIAO ; Lijuan XIONG ; Hui LIANG ; Wei LI ; Haiyan LOU ; Wenjuan WU ; Tianxin XIANG ; Jiansen CHEN ; Biao ZHU ; Kaijin XU ; Zhihui ZHOU ; Hongliu CAI ; Meihong YU ; Yan ZHANG ; Yanwan SHANGGUAN ; Haiting FENG ; Hangping YAO ; Lei GUO ; Tieer GAN ; Weihong ZHANG ; Jimin SUN ; Ye LU ; Qun LU ; Meng CAI ; Jin SHEN ; Yunsong YU ; Anhua WU ; Liu-yi LI ; Tingting QU
Chinese Journal of Infection Control 2025;24(4):437-450
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease(CJD)is a rapidly progressive and fatal neurodegenerative disorder caused by prions,with certain infectivity and iatrogenic transmission risks.With the rapid progress and application of new dia-gnostic biomarkers and detection methods,as well as the construction and improvement of surveillance and reporting systems,the detection of CJD in patients domestically and internationally has shown an increasing trend year by year.Due to its long incubation period and heterogeneity of early symptoms,early identification and diagnosis of the disease is difficult,increasing the risk of transmission within medical institutions.Currently,there is a lack of con-sensus on the infection prevention and control of CJD.In order to timely identify and diagnose CJD as well as effec-tively block its transmission in medical institutions,this consensus summarizes 15 clinical concerns and formulates 24 specific recommendations based on the latest domestic and international research findings and clinical evidence,as well as combines with clinical practice,aiming to standardize healthcare-associated infection prevention and control measures for CJD and reduce its transmission risk in medical institutions.
9.Teaching Practice and Exploration of"Tutorial System"Based on The Cultivation of Scientific Research and Innovation Ability of Medical Students
Qiao ZHANG ; Yin-Feng YANG ; Yue-Li NI ; Zhuo-Ran TENG ; Wen-Jing LIU ; Jing WU ; Yan-Rui WU ; Yu DOU ; Ming HE ; Shu-De LI ; Ping GAN ; Fang YUAN ; Zhe YANG ; Xin-Wang YANG
Chinese Journal of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 2025;41(3):470-480
The scientific research and innovation capabilities of medical students are intrinsically linked to the sustained and high-quality development of national healthcare initiatives.Cultivating outstanding medi-cal students with independent scientific capabilities and innovative consciousness is a critical component in the education and training of high-level medical professionals.Our investigation revealed that within the imperfections of the cultivating model,some faculty and students at medical schools have an insufficient understanding of scientific research and innovation and lack motivation for engaging in such activities,which hinder the progression of scientific research activities.Consequently,we initiated a teaching practice and exploratory study on the"tutorial system"aimed at fostering medical students'scientific research and innovation abilities.Based on the principle of"research informing teaching,teaching and research advan-cing together,"this study implements a"tutorial system"coordinated by tutors,supplemented by graduate and undergraduate student mentors,to cultivate innovative thinking,stimulate interest in scientific re-search,and enhance practical and research skills among medical students.Through collaborative efforts within"scientific research innovation teams,"various educational methods—including preliminary re-search,in-class and extracurricular activities,intra-group and inter-group interactions,and theoretical and practical applications—are employed to improve and strengthen the cultivation of medical students'scientif-ic research and innovation abilities.This study aims to provide valuable references for optimizing medical education management systems and enhancing the quality of medical student training.
10.Analyzing correlations of volume percentage and metabolism of brain region in patients with Alzheimer disease based on FDG PET/MR
Yinyan ZHU ; Yan ZHANG ; Gan HUANG ; Mei XIN ; Peizhe YUAN ; Yue WANG ; Liangrong WAN ; Cheng WANG ; Gang HUANG ; Jianjun LIU ; Chenpeng ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Medical Imaging Technology 2025;41(2):203-206
Objective To investigate correlations of the ratio of specific brain region volume to total brain volume(ratio%),standard uptake value(SUV)of specific brain region based on 18F-FDG PET/MR examination in Alzheimer disease(AD)patients,as well as the relationship between changes of these two.Methods Fifty AD patients were retrospectively collected.Based on FDG PET/MR,the ratio%and the mean SUV(SUVmean)of 40 specific brain regions were obtained,and the correlation between ratio%and SUVmean for each region were evaluated.According to a database of normal brains,Z-scores for ratio%and SUVmean were calculated to represent structural and functional changes in AD patients,and the correlation between these 2 Z-scores was assessed.Results Correlations were found between ratio%and SUVmean,also between Z-scores of these two parameters in 29 brain regions(r=0.288 to 0.778,all P<0.05).Among them 7 brain regions,i.e.bilateral middle temporal gyrus,right fusiform gyrus,right hippocampus,right precuneus,left lingual gyrus and right parahippocampal gyrus exhibited correlation coefficients greater than 0.6.Conclusion There were some relationships between brain structural and metabolic functions and their changes in AD patients showed on FDG PET/MR.

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