BACKGROUND: Enzalutamide, a second-generation androgen receptor (AR) pathway inhibitor, is widely used in the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer. However, after a period of enzalutamide treatment, patients inevitably develop drug resistance. In this study, we characterized leucine-rich repeated G-protein-coupled receptor 5 (LGR5) and explored its potential therapeutic value in prostate cancer. METHODS: A total of 142 pairs of tumor and adjacent formalin-fixed paraf-fin-embedded tissue samples from patients with prostate cancer were collected from the Pathology Department at Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hos-pital. LGR5 was screened by sequencing data of enzalutamide-resistant cell lines combined with sequencing data of lesions with different Gleason scores from the same patients. The biological function of LGR5 and its effect on enzalutamide resistance were investigated in vitro and in vivo . Glutathione-S-transferase (GST) pull-down, coimmunoprecipitation, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence assays were used to explore the specific binding mechanism of LGR5 and related pathway changes. RESULTS: LGR5 was significantly upregulated in prostate cancer and negatively correlated with poor patient prognosis. Overexpression of LGR5 promoted the malignant progression of prostate cancer and reduced sensitivity to enzalutamide in vitro and in vivo . LGR5 promoted the phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) by binding heat shock protein 90,000 alpha B1 (HSP90AB1) and mediated the activation of the Wingless/integrated (WNT)/β-catenin signaling pathway. The increased β-catenin in the cytoplasm entered the nucleus and bound to the nuclear AR, promoting the transcription level of AR, which led to the enhanced tolerance of prostate cancer to enzalutamide. Reducing HSP90AB1 binding to LGR5 significantly enhanced sensitivity to enzalutamide. CONCLUSIONS LGR5 directly binds to HSP90AB1 and mediates GSK-3β phosphorylation, promoting AR expression by regulating the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway, thereby conferring resistance to enzalutamide treatment in prostate cancer.
Male ; Humans ; Phenylthiohydantoin/pharmacology* ; Benzamides ; Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled/genetics* ; Nitriles ; Cell Line, Tumor ; HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins/metabolism* ; Drug Resistance, Neoplasm/genetics* ; Prostatic Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; beta Catenin/metabolism* ; Receptors, Androgen/genetics* ; Animals ; Mice ; Wnt Signaling Pathway/physiology*

Objective To explore the predictive value of the blood uric acid/creatinine ratio(SUA/Cr)and the Osteoporosis Self-Assessment Tool for Asians(OSTA)for osteoporosis(OP)in middle-aged,older,and elderly adult Tibetan populations in Xizang.Methods A total of 1058 middle-aged and older adult ethnic Tibetans who underwent physical examination in Xizang between June 2020 and December 2023 were selected for the study.Fasting venous blood samples were collected for laboratory analysis.The bone mineral density(BMD)of the radius of the participants was measured using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry.Based on the BMD measurement results and OP diagnostic criteria,participants were divided into the OP group(n=759)and the non-OP group(n=299).Multivariate logistic stepwise regression analysis was used to further identify independent predictors associated with OP risk in the middle-aged and older adult Tibetan population.The predictive value of SUA/Cr and OSTA for OP was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.Results 1)The OP prevalence among the middle-aged and older adult Tibetan populations was 28.3％(299 people),including 209 females(69.9％)and 90 males(30.1％).Significant differences between the two groups were found in terms of age(OP group:62[54,69]vs non-OP group:56[51,62]),SUA/Cr(OP group:6.86[5.06,10.23]vs non-OP group:5.36[4.36,6.52]),and OSTA(OP group:[-1.27±3.06]vs non-OP group:[1.25±2.68])(P＜0.05).2)SUA/Cr(OR:1.592,95％CI:1.469-1.726)was identified as a risk factor for OP,while OSTA(OR:0.706,95％CI:0.662-0.752)was a protective factor for OP(P＜0.05).3)For gender-based group analysis,the combined use of SUA/Cr and OSTA showed better diagnostic performance for OP,with AUCs of 0.807(95％CI:0.751-0.863)for males and 0.820(95％CI:0.782-0.857)for females.For age-based group analysis,the combined diagnosis of OP using SUA/Cr and OSTA provided the best performance,with the optimal cutoff value increasing with age.4)In the middle-aged group and the older adult male group,the combined use of SUA/Cr and OSTA for OP diagnosis was more effective than using SUA/Cr or OSTA alone(P＜0.001).In the elderly adult male group,the AUC for SUA/Cr was 0.954(95％CI:0.858-1.000),with a sensitivity of 88.9％and specificity of 100.0％,indicating excellent predictive performance.In females,the diagnostic effectiveness of OSTA and the combined use of SUA/Cr and OSTA increased with age across different age groups.Conclusion The predictive performance of SUA/Cr and OSTA for OP varies across different sex and age groups in the Tibetan population.Both SUA/Cr and OSTA can be used to predict OP in middle-aged and older adult Tibetan populations,with the combined use of SUA/Cr and OSTA providing better predictive performance.

Drug clinical trial is a method of experimental epidemiology to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of medicines.This article introduced the types and design thought of innovation in drug clinical trial design,and provided methodological reference for related researches.Adaptive design is a complex and innovative clinical trial design,which can be divided into group sequential design,sample size re-estimation,seamless trial,enrichment design and master protocol design(basket trial,umbrella trial,platform trial,etc.)according to the purpose of adaptability.The adaptive design has greater adjustment flexibility,which overcomes the shortcomings of conventional clinical trials to a certain extent,then improves the validity of the trial results and the strength of the evidence.The design innovation and remodeling of drug clinical trials will provide more powerful evidence-based evidence for the realization of precision medicine.

This study investigated the infection status,drug resistance,and molecular characteristics of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli(STEC)in domestic goats in Chengkou county,Chongqing.In August 2023,283 fecal samples were collected from households in Chengkou county.After enrichment with EC broth and inoculation onto selective media,samples that tested positive for stx1/stx2 were selected for further isolation.The positive strains were investigated with antimicrobial susceptibility testing and whole genome sequencing.According to the whole genomic sequences,the stx subtypes,serotypes,multi-locus sequence types,virulence genes,drug resistance genes,and phylogenetic relationships of the STEC strains were analyzed.Forty-six strains of STEC were isolated from 283 goat fecal samples,thus resulting in a detection rate of 16.25%.The 46 STEC strains were categorized into 12 O∶H serotypes,among which O76∶H19 and O8∶H7 predominated,each represented by 9 strains.Five STEC strains were identified as serotype O157∶H7.The 46 STEC strains were categorized into 11 sequence types(STs),among which ST675 and ST196 predominated,each represented by nine strains,accounting for a 19.57%proportion.The strains were categorized into 7 stx subtypes,among which stx1c(26/46,56.52%),followed by stx2k(9/46,19.57%)predominated.All nine Stx2k-STEC strains were identified as serotype O8∶H7 and sequence type ST196.In antimicrobial susceptibility testing,2 STEC strains were resistant to ampicillin,one strain was resistant to ampicillin/sulbactam,one strain was resistant to cefazolin,and one strain was resistant to cefoxitin.Nine Stx2k-STEC strains were found to carry the beta-lactam resistance gene blaEC-18.Antimicrobial sensitivity tests revealed that the nine Stx2k-STEC strains were sensitive to all 15 tested antibiotics.Moreover,phylogenetic analysis indicated that the 9 Stx2k-STEC strains were remarkably similar but showed high genetic diversity with respect to that of the Stx2k-STEC strains isolated from other regions in China.Goatsare an important animal reservoir for STEC in theChengkou district of Chongqing,and novel sequence type Stx2k-STEC strains distinct from those found in other regions of China were identified in this region.

Drug clinical trial is a method of experimental epidemiology to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of medicines.This article introduced the types and design thought of innovation in drug clinical trial design,and provided methodological reference for related researches.Adaptive design is a complex and innovative clinical trial design,which can be divided into group sequential design,sample size re-estimation,seamless trial,enrichment design and master protocol design(basket trial,umbrella trial,platform trial,etc.)according to the purpose of adaptability.The adaptive design has greater adjustment flexibility,which overcomes the shortcomings of conventional clinical trials to a certain extent,then improves the validity of the trial results and the strength of the evidence.The design innovation and remodeling of drug clinical trials will provide more powerful evidence-based evidence for the realization of precision medicine.

This study investigated the infection status,drug resistance,and molecular characteristics of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli(STEC)in domestic goats in Chengkou county,Chongqing.In August 2023,283 fecal samples were collected from households in Chengkou county.After enrichment with EC broth and inoculation onto selective media,samples that tested positive for stx1/stx2 were selected for further isolation.The positive strains were investigated with antimicrobial susceptibility testing and whole genome sequencing.According to the whole genomic sequences,the stx subtypes,serotypes,multi-locus sequence types,virulence genes,drug resistance genes,and phylogenetic relationships of the STEC strains were analyzed.Forty-six strains of STEC were isolated from 283 goat fecal samples,thus resulting in a detection rate of 16.25%.The 46 STEC strains were categorized into 12 O∶H serotypes,among which O76∶H19 and O8∶H7 predominated,each represented by 9 strains.Five STEC strains were identified as serotype O157∶H7.The 46 STEC strains were categorized into 11 sequence types(STs),among which ST675 and ST196 predominated,each represented by nine strains,accounting for a 19.57%proportion.The strains were categorized into 7 stx subtypes,among which stx1c(26/46,56.52%),followed by stx2k(9/46,19.57%)predominated.All nine Stx2k-STEC strains were identified as serotype O8∶H7 and sequence type ST196.In antimicrobial susceptibility testing,2 STEC strains were resistant to ampicillin,one strain was resistant to ampicillin/sulbactam,one strain was resistant to cefazolin,and one strain was resistant to cefoxitin.Nine Stx2k-STEC strains were found to carry the beta-lactam resistance gene blaEC-18.Antimicrobial sensitivity tests revealed that the nine Stx2k-STEC strains were sensitive to all 15 tested antibiotics.Moreover,phylogenetic analysis indicated that the 9 Stx2k-STEC strains were remarkably similar but showed high genetic diversity with respect to that of the Stx2k-STEC strains isolated from other regions in China.Goatsare an important animal reservoir for STEC in theChengkou district of Chongqing,and novel sequence type Stx2k-STEC strains distinct from those found in other regions of China were identified in this region.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether electroacupuncture (EA) at sensitized acupoints could reduce sympathetic-sensory coupling (SSC) and neurogenic inflammatory response by interfering with 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)ergic neural pathways to relieve colitis and somatic referred pain, and explore the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: Rats were treated with 5% dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) solution for 7 days to establish a colitis model. Twelve rats were randomly divided into the control and model groups according to a random number table (n=6). According to the "Research on Rat Acupoint Atlas", sensitized acupoints and non-sensitized acupoints were determined. Rats were randomly divided into the control, model, Zusanli-EA (ST 36), Dachangshu-EA (BL 25), and Xinshu (BL 15) groups (n=6), as well as the control, model, EA, and EA + GR113808 (a 5-HT inhibitor) groups (n=6). The rats in the control group received no treatment. Acupuncture was administered on 2 days after modeling using the stimulation pavameters: 1 mA, 2 Hz, for 30 min, with sparse and dense waves, for 14 consecutive days. GR113808 was injected into the tail vein at 5 mg/kg before EA for 10 min for 7 consecutive days. Mechanical sensitivity was assessed with von Frey filaments. Body weight and disease activity index (DAI) scores of rats were determined. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was performed to observe colon histopathology. SSC was analyzed by immunofluorescence staining. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to detect 5-HT and substance P (SP) expressions. The calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in skin tissue and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) protein levels in DRG were detected by Western blot. The levels of hyaluronic acid (HA), bradykinin (BK), prostaglandin I2 (PGI2) in skin tissue, 5-HT, tryptophan hydroxylase 1 (TPH1), serotonin transporters (SERT), 5-HT 3 receptor (5-HT3R), and 5-HT 4 receptor (5-HT4R) in colon tissue were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). RESULTS: BL 25 and ST 36 acupoints were determined as sensitized acupoints, and BL 15 acupoint was used as a non-sensitized acupoint. EA at sensitized acupoints improved the DAI score, increased mechanical withdrawal thresholds, and alleviated colonic pathological damage of rats. EA at sensitized acupoints reduced SSC structures and decreased TH and CGRP expression levels (P<0.05). Furthermore, EA at sensitized acupoints reduced BK, PGI2, 5-HT, 5-HT3R and TPH1 levels, and increased HA, 5-HT4R and SERT levels in colitis rats (P<0.05). GR113808 treatment diminished the protective effect of EA at sensitized acupoints in colitis rats (P<0.05). CONCLUSION EA at sensitized acupoints alleviated DSS-induced somatic referred pain in colitis rats by interfering with 5-HTergic neural pathway, and reducing SSC inflammatory response.
Rats ; Animals ; Electroacupuncture ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Serotonin ; Acupuncture Points ; Pain, Referred ; Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide ; Signal Transduction ; Colitis/therapy* ; Indoles ; Sulfonamides

[Objective] To analyze the correlation of serum creatinine (Cr), hemoglobin (HGB) and body mass index (BMI) with osteoporosis in middle-aged and elderly Tibetan residents in Xizang and its predictive value for osteoporosis. [Methods] Between November 2021 and August 2023, using multistage random cluster sampling method information on demographics, we collected blood indices and bone mineral density from 564 middle-aged and elderly Tibetan residents in Ali (Pulan, Zada, Ritu, and Rezhe counties), Nagchu (Nagchu, Nyima, Amdo, Shuanghu, and Bango counties), Shannan (Lunzi county), and Lhasa (Nimu county), Tibetan regions. They were divided into osteoporosis group (90 cases) and non-osteoporosis group (474 cases) according to whether they suffered from osteoporosis or not. Pearson correlation method was used to analyze the correlation between bone mineral density (BMD) and each variable. Binary Logistic regression was used to analyze the related influencing factors of osteoporosis in middle-aged and elderly Tibetan residents, and the regression equation model of predicting the risk factors of osteoporosis was constructed. The fitting degree of the model was tested by Hosmer-Lemeshow test model. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the predictive efficacy of serum Cr, HGB and BMI combined tests on osteoporosis in middle-aged and elderly Tibetan residents in Xizang. [Results] The prevalence of osteoporosis was higher in females than in males. Among the osteoporosis group, height and weight, alanine aminotransferase, glutamine aminotransferase, urea nitrogen, uric acid, total cholesterol, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, homocysteine, serum Cr, HGB and BMI were significantly lower (P<0.05). Correlation analysis showed that age was negatively correlated with BMD, while body weight, serum Cr, HGB and BMI were positively correlated with BMD (P<0.05). Multivariate binary Logistic results showed that age (OR=1.085), serum Cr (OR=0.891), BMI (OR=0.475), and HGB (OR=0.966) were the influencing factors for the occurrence of osteoporosis (P<0.05). To establish a prediction model for the risk of osteoporosis, Logit(P)=6.265+ 0.086×age + (-0.109×Cr)+ (-0.020×HGB)+ (-0.213×BMI). The area under the ROC curve was 0.932, the sensitivity was 88.9%, and the specificity was 82.5%. Hosmer-Lemeshow test model had a good fit (P=0.960). According to Logit(P) model, L score=-29.413+ (-0.404×age)+ 0.512×Cr+ 0.094×HGB+ BMI could be calculated. When L score >8.9, the patient could be diagnosed with the disease. [Conclusion] The decrease in serum Cr, HGB and BMI is a risk factor for osteoporosis in Tibetan aged residents. Age was negatively correlated with BMD, while serum Cr, HGB and BMI were positively correlated with BMD. The combined model of age, serum Cr, HGB and BMI can significantly improve the diagnostic efficiency of osteoporosis in the elderly Tibetans in Xizang.

Objective To investigate the effect of varying blood pressure stratification on renal function in the diabetic population.Methods A prospective cohort study was conducted,enrolling 9 489 diabetic patients from a total of 101 510 Kailuan Group employees who underwent health examinations between July 2006 and October 2007.The follow-up period was(8.6±4.0)years.Participants were categorized into four groups based on their baseline blood pressure levels:normal blood pressure(systolic blood pressure<120 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure<80 mmHg),elevated blood pressure(systolic blood pressure 120-130 mmHg and diastolic blood pressure<80 mmHg),stage 1 hypertension(systolic blood pressure 130-140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure 80-90 mmHg),and stage 2 hypertension(systolic blood pressure≥140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure≥90 mmHg).The incidence density of chronic kidney disease(CKD)was compared among these groups.A multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model was employed to assess the effects of different blood pressure levels on renal function in diabetic patients,with the stability of the results confirmed using a multivariate time-dependent Cox proportional hazards model.Sensitivity analysis was conducted after excluding cases of cardiovascular disease(CVD)during follow-up,and cases using antihypertensive and antidiabetic medications at baseline.Results(1)At baseline,stage 1 hypertension patients demonstrated statistically significant higher differences with age and body mass index(BMI)compared to normal blood pressure group(P<0.05).(2)By the end of the follow-up,2 294 cases of CKD were identified,including 1 117 cases of estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR)decline and 1 575 cases of urinary protein.The incidences density of CKD,eGFR decline and urinary protein for stage 1 hypertension group were 39.4,16.3 and 25.5 per thousand person-years,respectively,all of which were statistically significant different from normal blood pressure group(log-rank test,P<0.01).(3)Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that,compared to the normal blood pressure group,stage 1 hypertension was associated with a 29%increased risk of CKD(HR=1.29,95%CI 1.09-1.52)and a 40%increased risk of eGFR decline(HR=1.40,95%CI 1.08-1.80)in diabetic individuals.Conclusion Stage 1 hypertension significantly increases the risk of CKD and eGFR decline in diabetic individuals,with a particularly notable effect on the risk of eGFR decline.

The genomic island(GI)characteristics and virulence factor differences of clinical isolates of Burkholderia pseudomallei in Hainan Province,China were analyzed to provide a scientific basis for diagnosis and treatment of melioidosis.In total,52 B.pseudomallei isolates were collected for detection of virulence-related GIs by PCR.The whole genome sequence annotation format file was submitted on Islandviwer 4 platform,and the genomes of the same species and close relatives were added for comparison.Two algorithms,SIGI-HMM and IslandPath-DIMOB,were integrated to predict GIs and sequence a-lignments were conducted to identify specific GIs and differences in virulence factors.The genomes of 52 clinical strains could be divided into three branches based on evolutionary distance,with 82.69％(43/52)of strains concentrated in branch 1.In to-tal,828 GIs were identified among the 52 B.pseudomallei genomes,which formed 157 GI clusters based on sequence similari-ty.GIs accounted for 2.05％-6.38％of the genome content.While GI clusters 1 and 2 were present in all strains,a total of 84(53.50％)GI clusters only clustered within a single genome isolate.Of 10 GI likely specific clusters,five were from the same genus,two from another genus,and three with uncertain origins.Moreover,25 GI clusters were associated with virulence,which included eight shared by B.pseudomallei BP76 and BP169,which had the highest number of virulence-associated GIs among all isolates.O the 52 B.pseudomallei isolates,variations were identified in the virulence genes fhaB1,fhaB2,BPSL1661,cheY1,wzM,tssH-5/clpV,tssA-5,boaA,and boaB.Comparisons of these findings with clinical isolates from Thailand and Australia showed that B.pseudomallei isolates from Hainan had significant differences in the sequences of boaA,boaB,cheY1,and chbp.Additionally,fhaB1,fhaB3,and bimA displayed significant variations specifically within the Australian isolates.B.pseudomallei GI was conserved and specific to Hainan.The identification of specific GI and virulence factors was useful to clarify the source of horizontal gene transfer and differences in virulence at the molecular level.