The triterpenoid saponins of Centella asiatica, including asiaticoside, madecassoside, asiatic acid, and madecassic acid, are pivotal bioactive compounds of the plant. These constituents exhibit a spectrum of pharmacological activities, such as antioxidant, antitumor, and antidepressant effects, promotion of wound healing, and enhancement of microcirculation. Owing to these therapeutic properties, C. asiatica is widely employed in pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. However, the escalating global demand for its extracts has led to potential supply shortages, prompting researchers to use multiple strategies such as multi-omics, molecular biology, and synthetic biology to conduct extensive studies. These studies encompass the elucidation of the biosynthetic pathways of triterpenoid saponins in C. asiatica, metabolic regulation, the hormonal induction of secondary metabolite synthesis, and the application of biotechnological strategies for natural product production to increase the yield of secondary metabolites in C. asiatica, or to produce active components via microbial chassis, thus satisfying market demands and promoting the sustainable exploitation of wild C. asiatica resources. This article first introduced the triterpenoid saponins of C. asiatica and their biological activities, then summarized the latest research advancements in their biosynthetic pathways, metabolic regulation, and heterologous biosynthesis, and provided an outlook on future development directions, with the aim of providing reference for comprehensive resource development and biotechnological synthesis of active components from C. asiatica.
Centella/genetics* ; Triterpenes/chemistry* ; Biosynthetic Pathways ; Humans ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/chemistry* ; Plant Extracts

Objective： To investigate the relationship between the lipid metabolism-related gene sterol carrier protein 2(SCP2) and prostate cancer (PCa) from a multi-omics perspective using single-cell transcriptomes combined with Mendelian randomization. Methods： Single-cell transcriptome data of benign and malignant prostate tissues were obtained from GSE120716, GSE157703 and GSE141445 datasets, respectively. Integration, quality control and annotation were performed on the data to categorize the epithelial cells into high and low SCP2 expression groups, followed by further differential and trajectory analyses. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data for SCP2 expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) were subsequently downloaded from Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) and investigated from the PCa Society Cancer-Related Genomic Alteration Panel for the Investigation of Cancer-Related Alterations (PRACTICAL) to obtain PCa outcome data for Mendelian randomization analysis to validate the causal relationship between SCP2 and PCa. Results： High SCP2-expressing epithelial cells had higher energy metabolism and proliferation capacity with low immunotherapy response and metastatic tendency. Trajectory analysis showed that epithelial cells with high SCP2 expression may have a higher degree of malignancy, and SCP2 may be a key marker gene for differentiation of malignant epithelial cells in the prostate. Further Mendelian randomization results showed a significant causal relationship between SCP2 and PCa development (OR=1.045, 95% CI: 1.010 －1.083, P=0.011). Conclusion： By combining single-cell transcriptome and Mendelian randomization, the role of the lipid metabolism-related gene SCP2 in PCa development has been confirmed, and new targets and therapeutic directions for PCa treatment have been provided.
Humans ; Prostatic Neoplasms/genetics* ; Male ; Mendelian Randomization Analysis ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Quantitative Trait Loci ; Single-Cell Analysis ; Sequence Analysis, RNA ; Carrier Proteins/genetics* ; Transcriptome ; Lipid Metabolism

The bottom-up construction of artificial cells to mimic signal transduction is of great significance for a deep understanding of the communication networks of complex living systems.The dynamic coupling of signal secretion and response among artificial cells poses an important challenge.In this work,two types of artificial cells were constructed through a bio-artificial hybrid strategy.One was an artificial cell as an AI-2 signal sender(sender),which contained bacteria capable of autonomously synthesizing AI-2 signaling molecules.The other was an artificial cell as an AI-2 signal receiver(receiver),which contained bacteria expressing green fluorescent protein in response to the corresponding AI-2 signal.When the ratio of senders to receivers was 4∶1,the fluorescent signal of the receivers gradually increased over time and reached a plateau at 240 minutes.The artificial cells capable of sending and receiving quorum sensing signaling molecules constructed in this work laid a foundation for the study of complex signal communication within artificial cell populations.

Objective:To evaluate the accuracy and safety profile of a novel cuboid orientation-guided frontal horn ventriculostomy technique in patients with large hemispheric infarction (LHI).Methods:It was conducted a retrospective cohort study of 48 consecutive LHI patients who underwent the innovative ventriculostomy procedure between time period. Primary outcomes included procedural accuracy (success rates, catheter positioning) and safety indicators (complication rates).Results:All the punctured ventricles were small or of normal size. The success rate of puncture was 100%, the success rate of one-time puncture was 87% (42/48), and the average number of puncture was 1.13 times per case. The ratio of well-positioned tube heads was 87.5% (42/48). The actual angle of the inward deviation of the puncture ranged from -2o to 5o, with an average of 0o±0.3o. The depth of puncture was 7.0-8.0 cm ( 7.3±0.3) cm. The incidence of bleeding around the puncture path was 1.3% (2/48 ) and no massive bleeding occurred. At the 6-month follow-up, one case (2.94%) among the 34 survivors had epilepsy.Conclusions:The cuboid orientation-guided frontal horn ventriculostomy technique demonstrates exceptional procedural accuracy and an excellent safety profile in LHI patients, with high first-pass success rates (87.5%) and minimal complications (4.2% minor hemorrhage). These findings support its clinical adoption for this patient population.

Diabetic nephropathy(DN)is a serious complication of diabetes mellitus and a leading cause of end-stage renal diseases.In DN patients,key pathological mechanisms include proteinuria,glomerulo-sclerosis,and fibrosis,largely driven by poor glycemic control and oxidative stress caused by prolonged hyperglycemia.This stress damages renal podocytes and triggers inflammatory mesenchymal infiltration of renal tubular cells,exacerbating the progression of proteinuria and fibrosis.Human umbilical cord-de-rived mesenchymal stem cells(hUC-MSCs)offer promising potential for treating DN due to their strong anti-oxidative properties.In this study,we developed a DN mouse model and treated the mouse via tail vein injections of hUC-MSCs(1×106 cells/mouse).The results indicated that hUC-MSCs significantly lowered fasting blood glucose levels(22.5±3.0 vs 14.7±1.1,P＜0.01)and improved glucose toler-ance,as shown by intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test(IPGTT)results(P＜0.05).Additionally,the renal function improved in hUC-MSCs-treated mice,with marked reductions in oxidative stress markers,including blood urea nitrogen(BUN),urinary creatinine(Ucr),urinary protein(PRO),superoxide dismutase(SOD),and malondialdehyde(MDA)(P＜0.05).Histological analyses through hematoxy-lin-eosin(H&E),Periodic Acid-Schiff(PAS),and Sirius red staining demonstrated alleviation of glo-merular mesangial hyperplasia,glomerular hypertrophy,and tubular inflammation.Furthermore,hUC-MSCs treatment downregulated the expression of oxidative stress-related proteins,such as NADPH oxi-dase 4(NOX4)and thioredoxin-interacting protein(TXNIP),and reduced reactive oxygen species(ROS)production(P＜0.05).Meanwhile,human renal cortical proximal tubule epithelial cells(HK-2 cells)were selected for validation in vitro experiments using high glucose treatment followed by super-natants of hUC-MSCs(MSC-CM),and Western blotting showed that the expression of both NOX4 and TXNIP was inhibited(P＜0.05)and ROS expression was reduced.In conclusion,hUC-MSC treatment effectively lowered blood glucose levels and improved renal function in DN mice,likely through the sup-pression of NOX4 expression and TXNIP-mediated oxidative stress.

Objective:To explore the application value of right-opening single flap valvuloplasty based on tubular stomach in gastrointestinal reconstruction after laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy.Method:Use a linear cutting stapler to make a parallel curve from the angle of the stomach to the junction of the gastric fundus to remove the lesser curvature of the stomach, and detach the gastric body about 5 cm away from the tumor to create a tubular stomach. Use a marker pen to draw a C-shaped seromuscular flap area with a width of 2.5 cm and a height of 3.5 cm 1.5 cm below the residual stomach closure nail, and create a free muscle flap in the gap between the plasma muscle layer and the submucosal layer. Make a transverse incision of 3 cm at the lower edge of the mucosal bed, and intermittently suture the entire lower edge of the gastric wall with 3 stitches. Under laparoscopy, use 4-0 barbed wire to suture the 1 cm wide muscular layer at the top of the tubular stomach and the posterior wall of the esophagus about 5 cm away from the esophageal stump with 3 stitches. Push the upper end of the tubular stomach into the mediastinum, and then tighten the barbed wire to ensure a tight fit between the stomach and the posterior wall of the esophagus. Use an ultrasonic scalpel to remove the esophageal stump, suture the entire posterior wall of the esophagus with the gastric mucosa, and use barbed wire to suture the anterior wall from left to right. The anastomotic site is completely covered with a free muscle flap, and the barbed line is used to continuously suture the muscle flap along the C-shaped line to the gastric pulp muscle layer at the edge of the mucosal bed, embedding the anastomotic site and completing the reconstruction of the digestive tract.Results:Clinical data of 23 patients (18 from the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University and 5 from the Quzhou Hospital affiliated with Wenzhou Medical University) who underwent laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy, tubular gastroesophageal anastomosis, and pure manual right flap reconstruction surgery for esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma and proximal gastric cancer from October 2023 to August 2024. There were 15 males and 8 females, with an age of (65.3±7.7) years, the BMI was (22.9±2.8) kg/m 2. All patients in the group successfully completed the surgery, with a surgery time of (218.5±38.1) minutes, including (73.5±19.2) minutes for anastomosis, intraoperative blood loss of (64.5±15.4) ml, postoperative passage of gas on (3.4±0.5) days, first consumption of liquid food after surgery of (3.9±1.1) days, and postoperative hospital stay of (9.1±0.8) days. One patient developed anastomotic stenosis (grade I) after surgery, presenting with mild swallowing obstruction, which returned to normal after dietary adjustment, and there were no cases of secondary surgery. The median follow-up time for the entire group was 4.0 (0.7-7.0) months, during which there were no deaths or tumor recurrence or metastasis, no complications such as anastomotic stenosis or gastric emptying disorders, and no complaints of acid reflux or heartburn. At one month of postoperative follow-up, the reflux symptom index (RSI) score was (3.1±2.9) points, and at three months, the RSI score was (2.4±1.4) points. Conclusions:The application of right-opening single flap valvuloplasty based on tubular stomach for gastrointestinal reconstruction after laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy is safe,feasible,and has satisfactory short-term efficacy.

Objective:To investigate the expression characteristics of the SLFN11 gene in pancreatic cancer and its relationship with cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(DDP)resistance.Methods:This study analyzed multiple publicly available datasets, including GSE207611, GSE186205, GSE73978, GSE217845, and GSE238163 from the gene expression omnibus(GEO)datasets.These datasets comprise gene expression data and single-cell sequencing data from pancreatic cancer cell lines and patients, which were utilized to examine the expression characteristics of the SLFN11 gene and its association with cisplatin resistance.Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated, and the area under the curve (AUC) value along with the confidence interval ( CI) were calculated.Additionally, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and single-cell RNA sequencing(scRNA-seq)data analysis were conducted. Results:The differential expression of the SLFN11 gene between tumor and adjacent normal tissues was statistically significant( P<0.05). The AUC value for SLFN11 in diagnosing pancreatic cancer was 0.761.SLFN11, along with its associated genes PTN and SLC15A3, collectively influenced the survival of pancreatic cancer patients.Results from single-cell sequencing demonstrated high expression of SLFN11 in mesenchymal stem cells. Conclusions:The SLFN11 gene demonstrates significant diagnostic and prognostic value in pancreatic cancer and may play a role in the mechanism of cisplatin resistance.

Objective:To investigate the expression characteristics of the SLFN11 gene in pancreatic cancer and its relationship with cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(DDP)resistance.Methods:This study analyzed multiple publicly available datasets, including GSE207611, GSE186205, GSE73978, GSE217845, and GSE238163 from the gene expression omnibus(GEO)datasets.These datasets comprise gene expression data and single-cell sequencing data from pancreatic cancer cell lines and patients, which were utilized to examine the expression characteristics of the SLFN11 gene and its association with cisplatin resistance.Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated, and the area under the curve (AUC) value along with the confidence interval ( CI) were calculated.Additionally, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and single-cell RNA sequencing(scRNA-seq)data analysis were conducted. Results:The differential expression of the SLFN11 gene between tumor and adjacent normal tissues was statistically significant( P<0.05). The AUC value for SLFN11 in diagnosing pancreatic cancer was 0.761.SLFN11, along with its associated genes PTN and SLC15A3, collectively influenced the survival of pancreatic cancer patients.Results from single-cell sequencing demonstrated high expression of SLFN11 in mesenchymal stem cells. Conclusions:The SLFN11 gene demonstrates significant diagnostic and prognostic value in pancreatic cancer and may play a role in the mechanism of cisplatin resistance.

Diabetic nephropathy(DN)is a serious complication of diabetes mellitus and a leading cause of end-stage renal diseases.In DN patients,key pathological mechanisms include proteinuria,glomerulo-sclerosis,and fibrosis,largely driven by poor glycemic control and oxidative stress caused by prolonged hyperglycemia.This stress damages renal podocytes and triggers inflammatory mesenchymal infiltration of renal tubular cells,exacerbating the progression of proteinuria and fibrosis.Human umbilical cord-de-rived mesenchymal stem cells(hUC-MSCs)offer promising potential for treating DN due to their strong anti-oxidative properties.In this study,we developed a DN mouse model and treated the mouse via tail vein injections of hUC-MSCs(1×106 cells/mouse).The results indicated that hUC-MSCs significantly lowered fasting blood glucose levels(22.5±3.0 vs 14.7±1.1,P＜0.01)and improved glucose toler-ance,as shown by intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test(IPGTT)results(P＜0.05).Additionally,the renal function improved in hUC-MSCs-treated mice,with marked reductions in oxidative stress markers,including blood urea nitrogen(BUN),urinary creatinine(Ucr),urinary protein(PRO),superoxide dismutase(SOD),and malondialdehyde(MDA)(P＜0.05).Histological analyses through hematoxy-lin-eosin(H&E),Periodic Acid-Schiff(PAS),and Sirius red staining demonstrated alleviation of glo-merular mesangial hyperplasia,glomerular hypertrophy,and tubular inflammation.Furthermore,hUC-MSCs treatment downregulated the expression of oxidative stress-related proteins,such as NADPH oxi-dase 4(NOX4)and thioredoxin-interacting protein(TXNIP),and reduced reactive oxygen species(ROS)production(P＜0.05).Meanwhile,human renal cortical proximal tubule epithelial cells(HK-2 cells)were selected for validation in vitro experiments using high glucose treatment followed by super-natants of hUC-MSCs(MSC-CM),and Western blotting showed that the expression of both NOX4 and TXNIP was inhibited(P＜0.05)and ROS expression was reduced.In conclusion,hUC-MSC treatment effectively lowered blood glucose levels and improved renal function in DN mice,likely through the sup-pression of NOX4 expression and TXNIP-mediated oxidative stress.

Objective:To explore the application value of right-opening single flap valvuloplasty based on tubular stomach in gastrointestinal reconstruction after laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy.Method:Use a linear cutting stapler to make a parallel curve from the angle of the stomach to the junction of the gastric fundus to remove the lesser curvature of the stomach, and detach the gastric body about 5 cm away from the tumor to create a tubular stomach. Use a marker pen to draw a C-shaped seromuscular flap area with a width of 2.5 cm and a height of 3.5 cm 1.5 cm below the residual stomach closure nail, and create a free muscle flap in the gap between the plasma muscle layer and the submucosal layer. Make a transverse incision of 3 cm at the lower edge of the mucosal bed, and intermittently suture the entire lower edge of the gastric wall with 3 stitches. Under laparoscopy, use 4-0 barbed wire to suture the 1 cm wide muscular layer at the top of the tubular stomach and the posterior wall of the esophagus about 5 cm away from the esophageal stump with 3 stitches. Push the upper end of the tubular stomach into the mediastinum, and then tighten the barbed wire to ensure a tight fit between the stomach and the posterior wall of the esophagus. Use an ultrasonic scalpel to remove the esophageal stump, suture the entire posterior wall of the esophagus with the gastric mucosa, and use barbed wire to suture the anterior wall from left to right. The anastomotic site is completely covered with a free muscle flap, and the barbed line is used to continuously suture the muscle flap along the C-shaped line to the gastric pulp muscle layer at the edge of the mucosal bed, embedding the anastomotic site and completing the reconstruction of the digestive tract.Results:Clinical data of 23 patients (18 from the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University and 5 from the Quzhou Hospital affiliated with Wenzhou Medical University) who underwent laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy, tubular gastroesophageal anastomosis, and pure manual right flap reconstruction surgery for esophagogastric junction adenocarcinoma and proximal gastric cancer from October 2023 to August 2024. There were 15 males and 8 females, with an age of (65.3±7.7) years, the BMI was (22.9±2.8) kg/m 2. All patients in the group successfully completed the surgery, with a surgery time of (218.5±38.1) minutes, including (73.5±19.2) minutes for anastomosis, intraoperative blood loss of (64.5±15.4) ml, postoperative passage of gas on (3.4±0.5) days, first consumption of liquid food after surgery of (3.9±1.1) days, and postoperative hospital stay of (9.1±0.8) days. One patient developed anastomotic stenosis (grade I) after surgery, presenting with mild swallowing obstruction, which returned to normal after dietary adjustment, and there were no cases of secondary surgery. The median follow-up time for the entire group was 4.0 (0.7-7.0) months, during which there were no deaths or tumor recurrence or metastasis, no complications such as anastomotic stenosis or gastric emptying disorders, and no complaints of acid reflux or heartburn. At one month of postoperative follow-up, the reflux symptom index (RSI) score was (3.1±2.9) points, and at three months, the RSI score was (2.4±1.4) points. Conclusions:The application of right-opening single flap valvuloplasty based on tubular stomach for gastrointestinal reconstruction after laparoscopic proximal gastrectomy is safe,feasible,and has satisfactory short-term efficacy.