OBJECTIVE: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is sensitive to ferroptosis, a new form of programmed cell death that occurs in most tumor types. However, the mechanism through which ferroptosis modulates HCC remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the oncogenic role and prognostic value of FANCD2 and provide novel insights into the prognostic assessment and prediction of immunotherapy. METHODS: Using clinicopathological parameters and bioinformatic techniques, we comprehensively examined the expression of FANCD2 macroscopically and microcosmically. We conducted univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses to identify the prognostic value of FANCD2 in HCC and elucidated the detailed molecular mechanisms underlying the involvement of FANCD2 in oncogenesis by promoting iron-related death. RESULTS: FANCD2 was significantly upregulated in digestive system cancers with abundant immune infiltration. As an independent risk factor for HCC, a high FANCD2 expression level was associated with poor clinical outcomes and response to immune checkpoint blockade. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed that FANCD2 was mainly involved in the cell cycle and CYP450 metabolism. CONCLUSION To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to comprehensively elucidate the oncogenic role of FANCD2. FANCD2 has a tumor-promoting aspect in the digestive system and acts as an independent risk factor in HCC; hence, it has recognized value for predicting tumor aggressiveness and prognosis and may be a potential biomarker for poor responsiveness to immunotherapy.
Humans ; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/diagnosis* ; Liver Neoplasms/diagnosis* ; Immunotherapy ; Fanconi Anemia Complementation Group D2 Protein/metabolism* ; Prognosis ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Biomarkers, Tumor/metabolism*

OBJECTIVE: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major health concern in northwest China; however, the impact of particulate matter (PM) exposure during sand-dust storms (SDS) remains poorly understood. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between PM exposure on SDS days and COPD hospitalization risk in arid regions. METHODS: Data on daily COPD hospitalizations were collected from 323 hospitals from 2018 to 2022, along with the corresponding air pollutant and meteorological data for each city in Gansu Province. Employing a space-time-stratified case-crossover design and conditional Poisson regression, we analyzed 265,379 COPD hospitalizations. RESULTS: PM exposure during SDS days significantly increased COPD hospitalization risk [relative risk ( RR) for PM _2.5, lag 3:1.028, 95% confidence interval ( CI): 1.021-1.034], particularly among men and the elderly, and during the cold season. The burden of PM exposure on COPD hospitalization was substantially high in Northwest China, especially in the arid and semi-arid regions. CONCLUSION Our findings revealed a positive correlation between PM exposure during SDS episodes and elevated hospitalization rates for COPD in arid and semi-arid zones in China. This highlights the urgency of developing region-specific public health strategies to address adverse respiratory outcomes associated with SDS-related air quality deterioration.
Humans ; China/epidemiology* ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/chemically induced* ; Particulate Matter/analysis* ; Hospitalization/statistics & numerical data* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Air Pollutants/analysis* ; Environmental Exposure/adverse effects* ; Spatio-Temporal Analysis ; Adult ; Sand ; Air Pollution

Ferritin, a ubiquitous protein in living organisms, plays a crucial role in storing and converting iron, as well as maintaining cellular iron metabolism balance. Due to the ability of self-assembling into unique nanocage-like structures in vitro and the special physicochemical properties, ferritin has garnered extensive attention in the biomedical field. This paper provides a brief overview of the structure and cargo loading strategies of ferritin, with a specific focus on its applications in various biological fields such as nanomedicine, bioimaging, and nanoparticle vaccine carriers. The aim is to offer a valuable reference for the future research involving ferritin nanoparticles.
Ferritins/chemistry* ; Nanoparticles/chemistry* ; Humans ; Nanomedicine/methods* ; Animals

The study aims to investigate the impacts of prolyl oligopeptidase (POP) on the replication of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) in BHK-21 cells. Firstly, the effects of FMDV replication on POP expression in BHK-21 cells were analyzed by Western blotting and Real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Secondly, a eukaryotic expression plasmid for POP was constructed, and the effects of POP overexpression on the replication of two different serotypes of FMDV were assessed by Western blotting, RT-qPCR, and virus titer assays. Thirdly, specific small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) targeting POP were synthesized, and their efficiency in interfering with endogenous POP expression was identified by RT-qPCR. The impacts of downregulating endogenous POP expression on FMDV replication were further evaluated by Western blotting, RT-qPCR, and virus titer assays. The results indicated that FMDV infection did not significantly affect POP expression in BHK-21 cells. Overexpression of POP dose-dependently enhanced the replication of both FMDV/O and FMDV/A serotypes. Conversely, siRNA-mediated downregulation of endogenous POP expression markedly suppressed FMDV/O replication. This study is the first to demonstrated that the role of the host POP protein in promoting FMDV replication in BHK-21 cells, thereby providing a critical theoretical foundation and potential molecular targets for developing efficient candidate cell strains for foot-and-mouth disease inactivated vaccines.
Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus/genetics* ; Virus Replication/genetics* ; Prolyl Oligopeptidases ; Serine Endopeptidases/physiology* ; Animals ; Cell Line ; RNA, Small Interfering/genetics* ; Foot-and-Mouth Disease/virology* ; Cricetinae

Both carcinoembryonic antigen and CA19-9 are considered as predictive markers of intestinal cancer recurrence and metastasis.In addition,CA19-9 elevation is considered as a predictive marker of connective tissue disease-related interstitial lung disease.The incidence of oxaliplatin and capecitabine-associated interstitial lung disease is low,and there is no report about CA19-9 as a predictive marker of oxaliplatin and capecitabine-associated interstitial lung disease.This paper reports a case of interstitial lung disease with CA19-9 elevation caused by oxaliplatin and capecitabine adjuvant therapy for ileocecal carcinoma.The change trend of serum carcinoembryonic antigen in this patient was consistent with tumor recurrence and metastasis,and that of serum CA19-9 was consistent with the severity of interstitial lung disease.Therefore,CA19-9 elevation after intestinal cancer surgery does not necessarily indicate the tumor recurrence and metastasis,and attention should be paid to the possibility of oxaliplatin and capecitabine-associated interstitial lung disease.
Humans ; CA-19-9 Antigen/blood* ; Capecitabine ; Cecal Neoplasms/drug therapy* ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Deoxycytidine/administration & dosage* ; Fluorouracil/administration & dosage* ; Lung Diseases, Interstitial/blood* ; Organoplatinum Compounds/administration & dosage* ; Oxaliplatin

Objective:To improve the understanding of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma complicated with hemophagocytic syndrome (HPS) in children.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the diagnosis and treatment of a case of EB virus-associated ALK-negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma in a child with HPS as the clinical manifestation at Guangzhou Women and Children's Medical Center Affiliated to Guangzhou Medical University in December 2019, and literature review was conducted.Results:The patient was an 8-year-old boy who was admitted with facial yellowing and recurrent fever. After comprehensive examination, he was diagnosed with HPS. After 2 weeks of chemotherapy according to the hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH)-1994 regimen, lymph node biopsy was performed. Immunohistochemistry showed that CD30, CD5, CD4, CD7, EMA, TIA-1, and VIM were positive, ALK, CD2, CD3, CD8, CD117, CD20, INI-1, CD68, MyoD1, Myogenin, Desmin, Langerin, SALL4, CD56, GramB, and CK were negative, LCA was weakly positive, TFE3 was partially weakly positive, and Ki-67 positivity index was 90%. The clonality assay for TCRD gene rearrangement was positive. The supplementary diagnosis was ALK-negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma, and the clinical risk stratification was classified as high-risk group. After 2 courses of chemotherapy with the South China Children's Cancer Group-non-Hodgkin lymphoma 2017 regimen (SCCCG-NHL-2017), he was evaluated as complete remission (CR), and after 6 courses, he was still evaluated as CR. The patient received autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. The patient was followed up until May 2024, his survival status was good.Conclusions:EB virus-associated ALK-negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma complicated with HPS in children is rare, chemotherapy combined with autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is a feasible treatment option.

This study was aimed at identifying the pathogenic bacteria responsible for the death of a young tiger at the Fujian Meihua Mountain South China Tiger Breeding Research Institute.Tissue samples from the lungs,liver,and intestines of the deceased tiger were collected,and the bacteria were cultured inasterile environment.The bacterial strains were characterized according to their morphological and molecular biological properties,including assessment of virulence genes and antibiotic resistance genes,mouse lethality tests,and antibiotic susceptibility evaluations.A predominant bacterial strain isolated from the liver of the deceased tiger was identified as enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli(ETEC)strain Tiger22513F.Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene revealed that the Tiger22513F strain exhibited close genetic similarity to the reference strain ETEC(MF919609.1),with 99.9%nucleotide similarity,and resided on the same evolutionary branch.The Tiger22513F strain contained 11 antibiotic resistance genes(tetA,sul1,sul3,cmlA,floR,blaTEM,blaSHV,blaCMY-2,qnrA,qnrS,and qnrD)along with five virulence genes(VT1,fyuA,tsh,iucD,and ST).Mouse lethality tests indicated significant pathogenicity toward mice,affecting primarily the lungs,liver,and intestines.Antibiotic susceptibility testing demonstrated that this strain exhibited resistance to various classes of beta-lactam antibiotics,as well as quinolones and aminoglycosides.This investigation successfully isolated a multi-drug resistant enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli strain with pronounced pathogenicity from the liver of a deceased tiger;thus providing valuable scientific insights for clinical diagnosis,as well as prevention and control measures,against ETEC infections in South China tigers.

To investigate the phenotype and genomic characterization of a mucoid-type Salmonella Saintpaul ST50 isolate from a urinary tract infection patient,promoting clinical diagnosis and treatment for urinary tract infections caused by Salmo-nella spp.Culture-based quantitative counts of midstream urine sample from the patient were conducted,and further biochemi-cal identification,mass spectrometry detection,serum agglutination test and antimicrobial susceptibility test(AST)were con-ducted on Salmonella isolate(2024JD5).Whole-genome sequencing(WGS)was performed on isolate 2024JD5 to predict sero-type,multilocus sequence type(MLST),resistance genes,and virulence genes.Two smooth-type of Salmonella Saintpaul ST50 were selected as comparative genomic reference strains from the Chinese local Salmonella genome database.The literature reviews of global Salmonella serotype of urinary tract infection were summarized.Specific serum agglutination confir-mation of isolate 2024JD5 failed due to characterization of the mucus type.The strain 2024JD5 was predicted as Salmonella Saintpaul(4,5,12:e,h:1,2)ST50 using WGS,and was resistant to ciprofloxacin,nalidixic acid,chloramphenicol and tetracy-cline with carrying aminoglycoside resistance genes aac(6')-Ⅰaa and aph(3)-Ⅱa,chloramphenicol resistance gene floR,tetra-cycline resistance gene tet,quinolone resistance gene qnrS1,and S83Y substitution in the gyrA gene was found in the quinolo-ne resistance determination region(QRDR).In addition,the strain 2024JD4 carried six types of non-plasmid-based mobile ge-netic elements and 144 virulence genes,including 71 secretion transporter genes and 58 fimbriae adhesion genes,respectively.Four types of fimbriae regulatory genes(csgB,csgC,fimW,fimY)were absent in comparison with smooth-type Salmonella Saintpaul.The literature reviews showed Salmonella Saintpaul was currently a rare Salmonella serotype in cases of urinary tract infections worldwide.Salmonella Saintpaul ST50 with mucoid-type is the pathogen of urinary tract infection with multi-drug resistant phenotypic and genotypic characteristics,and the high mucoid expression may be related to the compensatory mechanism of fimbriae regulatory genes absence in urinary tract colonization and adaptation.WGS combined with the Chinese local Salmonella genome database can effectively solve the diagnosis and biosafety assessments of rare Salmonella phenotypes.

AIM To prepare the sustained-release microspheres of ginsenosides.METHODS The sustained-release microspheres were prepared by SPG membrane emulsification technology with poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)(PLGA)as a shell carrier.With PLGA concentration,feed rate and Span 60 concentration as influencing factors,comprehensive score for appearance,drug loading and encapsulation efficiency as an evaluation indice,the preparation process was optimized by response surface method.The morphology of sustained-release microspheres was observed,after which the particle size,drug loading and encapsulation efficiency were determined,and the in vitro drug release was investigated.RESULTS The optimal conditons were determined to be 45 s for agitation time of primary emulsion,74.68 mg/mL for PLGA concentration,11％for feed rate,and 4.18 mg/mL for Span 60 concentration,the comprehensive score was 74.98.The round sustained-release microspheres demonstrated the average particle size of 4.33 μm,drug loading of(8.24±0.13)％,and encapsulation efficiency of(74.94±1.17)％,respectively.At 336 h,ginsenosides Rg1,Rb1,Rb2 displayed the accumulative release rates of 84.12％,78.04％,65.88％,respectively.CONCLUSION This reasonable and feasible method can be used for the preparation of sustained-release microspheres of ginsenosides with good appearance and high drug loading,which can provide references for the preparation of other water-soluble drug microspheres and solution of microsphere collapse problem.