1.Effects of oral microbiota and immune cells on oral leukoplakia: a Mendelian randomization and mediation analysis
WANG Yongkang ; GUAN Cuiqiang ; GUO Hongbo
Journal of Prevention and Treatment for Stomatological Diseases 2026;34(2):129-138
Objective:
To assess the causal association between specific oral microbiota and the risk of oral leukoplakia (OLK) using a Mendelian randomization (MR) approach, and to elucidate the potential mediating role of immune cells.
Methods:
Summary statistics from genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of the oral microbiome, GWAS data for immune cell phenotypes, and GWAS summary statistics for OLK from FinnGen were used. The inverse variance weighted (IVW) method was adopted as the primary approach, and it was supplemented by MR Egger regression, simple mode, weighted median, and weighted mode methods for additional analyses, to investigate the causal relationship between 3 117 types of tongue coating and salivary microbiota, as well as 731 immune cell traits, and OLK. Furthermore, a two-step MR approach was applied to explore the potential mediating role of immune cells in the association between oral microbiota and OLK.
Results:
IVW analysis revealed causal associations between 15 oral microbial genera and OLK. Among these, Streptococcus, Neisseria, and Catonella were associated with a reduced risk of OLK, with Fusobacterium showing the most significant protective effect (OR = 0.41, P = 0.023). In contrast, genera, including Microbacterium, Campylobacter, and Haemophilus_A, were linked to an increased risk of OLK, with Lancefieldella exhibiting the strongest risk effect (OR = 2.66, P = 0.006). Eleven immune cell phenotypes with potential causal associations with OLK were identified, including four protective and seven risk-increasing factors. Mediation analysis further identified four key mediating pathways: pathogenic genera, particularly Campylobacter_A and Lancefieldella, may promote the development and progression of OLK by upregulating highly activated pro-inflammatory immune subsets such as activated monocytes, B cells, and myeloid cells. Conversely, the potentially protective genus Catonella appeared to exert inhibitory effects on OLK by significantly downregulating dendritic cell subsets.
Conclusion
This study is the first to reveal, at the genetic level, causal pathways through which specific oral microbial genera influence the risk of OLK by mediating immune cell responses. These findings provide novel insights into the immunopathological mechanisms underlying OLK and offer potential targets for intervention strategies aimed at modulating specific microbial genera or immune cell subsets.
2.Expert consensus on the construction of integrated outpatient clinic for cervical cancer prevention and treatment in General Hospitals
Nan YU ; Dongli KONG ; Lei WANG ; Yihan LU ; Hongbo WANG ; Dongru LIU ; Ling PENG
Journal of Public Health and Preventive Medicine 2026;37(2):1-6
Objective To implement the disease prevention and control strategy of being "proactive and grassroots-focused," and to enhance the overall effectiveness of general hospitals in the tertiary prevention of cervical cancer, this consensus aims to provide an actionable guiding framework for the standardized construction of "Integrated Outpatient Clinics for Cervical Cancer Prevention and Control" in general hospitals at all levels. Methods This consensus systematically elaborates on the specific elements for establishing such integrated clinics and formulates the corresponding standards. Results It is anticipated that the consensus will promote the establishment of standardized, homogeneous, and high-efficiency frontline positions for cervical cancer prevention and control within general hospitals, thereby contributing to the strategic vision of accelerating the elimination of cervical cancer. Conclusion The formulation and promotion of the consensus aim to provide robust clinical practice support for accelerating the realization of China's strategic vision of eliminating cervical cancer.
3.Study on microwave radiation aggravating the impairment of cognitive functions in mice with experimental periodontitis
ZHOU Hongjin ; WANG Jianhui ; LIU Lin ; LI Hongbo
Journal of Prevention and Treatment for Stomatological Diseases 2026;34(6):541-545
Objective:
To explore the effects of microwave radiation on cognitive function and neuroinflammation in mice with experimental periodontitis, providing experimental evidence for understanding how environmental exposure may be linked to the risk of neurodegenerative diseases by modulating chronic inflammation as a shared pathological mechanism
Methods:
This study was approved by the Animal Ethics Committee of the Academy of Military Medical Sciences. C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into a control group (C group, untreated), a microwave radiation group (R group, exposed to microwave radiation only), a periodontitis group (P group, ligation-induced periodontitis only), and a periodontitis + microwave radiation group (PR group, ligation-induced periodontitis plus microwave radiation exposure). A periodontitis model was established using the silk ligation method. Eight weeks after modeling, the R and PR groups were subjected to whole-body microwave radiation at 2 800 MHz and 10 mW/cm2 for 10 h/day for 7 consecutive days. Behavioral tests were conducted: the open field test and elevated plus maze test were used to assess anxiety-like behavior, the Y-maze test to evaluate spatial memory, and the novel object recognition test to assess learning and memory abilities. Micro-CT, hematoxylin & eosin staining (HE), and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) were used to analyze periodontal tissue pathology and local inflammation. Serum and brain levels of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The composition of the oral microbiota was analyzed based on 16S rRNA sequencing.
Results:
Behavioral tests showed that anxiety-like behavior was significantly exacerbated in the R and PR groups, and spatial and recognition memory impairments in the PR and P groups were more severe compared with the R and C groups, respectively (P < 0.05). Histological and molecular biological analyses revealed that periodontal inflammation infiltration, alveolar bone resorption, and local expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6) were further exacerbated in the PR and P groups compared with the R and C groups, respectively (P < 0.05). ELISA results showed that in serum, LPS levels in group P and group PR were increased compared with group C and group R, respectively. The levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 in group PR were significantly higher than those in group P and group R, with a synergistic increase in TNF-α level (P < 0.05). In brain tissue, LPS and TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6 levels in group P were significantly higher than those in group C; all the above indicators in group PR were significantly higher than those in group P and group R, and LPS and IL-6 levels showed a synergistic increase (P < 0.05). Oral microbiota analysis found that microwave radiation further reduced microbial diversity on the basis of periodontitis, leading to increased relative abundances of Lactobacillus and Enterococcus, and decreased relative abundances of Staphylococcus. Correlation analysis confirmed that these differential bacterial genera were positively correlated with brain inflammation levels and negatively correlated with cognitive function indicators.
Conclusion
Microwave radiation exposure can exacerbate cognitive impairment in mice with experimental periodontitis, and its mechanism may be related to aggravated local periodontal damage, disruption of oral microbiota homeostasis, and subsequent induction of systemic and central neuroinflammatory cascades.
4.The dual regulatory effect of locoregional therapy on the tumor immune microenvironment of hepatocellular carcinoma: Mechanisms and combined treatment strategies
Enyu WANG ; Hongbo WANG ; Liou ZHANG
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2026;42(5):1198-1203
Locoregional therapy (LRT), including transarterial chemoembolization, transarterial radioembolization, and various ablation techniques, is an important treatment method for hepatocellular carcinoma. Many studies in recent years have confirmed that LRT has a dual regulatory effect on tumor immune microenvironment. While LRT induces immunogenic cell death, activates dendritic cell-mediated and T cell-driven immunity, and triggers systemic antitumor responses, it concomitantly upregulates the adenosine signaling pathway, promotes the accumulation of TREM2+ macrophages, and enhances the expression of immunosuppressive factors, thereby forming an immunosuppressive microenvironment. At present, the combination of LRT and immune checkpoint inhibitors has shown a promising future and has promoted the exploration of novel targets within treatment-associated immunosuppressive pathways, such as adenosine, TREM2⁺ macrophages, and IL-6. This article summarizes the dual regulatory effect of LRT on immune microenvironment and highlights that multi-omics techniques and clinical trials should be used in the future to decipher its dynamic alterations, in order to optimize combination strategies, realize individualized precise treatment, and improve the prognosis of patients.
5.Semaphorin 3A promotes pathological cardiac hypertrophy: an experimental study
Lifei WU ; Jiaojiao ZHANG ; Xing ZHANG ; Donghang LI ; Hongbo WANG ; Jimin CAO
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(7):1215-1222
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Semaphorin 3A (Sema3A) on the progression of pathological cardiac hypertrophy. MethodsWild-type C57BL 6J mice, Sema3A global overexpressing (Sema3A/Cre-ERTM) mice, and their littermate controls (Cre-ERTM) were used, with 6 mice per group. A pressure-overload induced cardiac hypertrophy model was established via transverse aortic constriction (TAC), with a sham-operated group (Sham) as the control. Cardiac hypertrophy was assessed by gross morphology, heart weight/body weight ratio (HW/BW), heart weight/tibia length ratio (HW/HL), and heart weight/lung weight ratio (HW/PW). Cardiac function was evaluated by measuring ejection fraction (EF) and fractional shortening (FS) via echocardiography. In heart tissues, the mRNA level of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and Sema3A were detected by RT-qPCR, Sema3A protein level was detected by western blot, morphological structure was detected by hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, level of fibrosis was detected by Masson’s trichrome staining, and angiogenesis was detected by immunohistochemical detection of CD31. For in vitro experiments, rat H9C2 cardiomyocytes were treated with angiotensin Ⅱ (Ang Ⅱ) to induce hypertrophy, with PBS-treated cells as the control. After 48 hours, the mRNA expression of ANP, B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and Sema3A were measured by RT-qPCR, and Sema3A protein level was assessed by western blot. ResultsAt the animal level, compared with the sham group, mice subjected to TAC showed significantly increased mRNA levels of ANP in cardiac tissue, as well as markedly elevated mRNA and protein levels of Sema3A (all P<0.05). Compared with the Cre-ERTM + TAC group, the Sema3A/Cre-ERTM + TAC group exhibited more pronounced cardiac hypertrophy, greater ventricular wall thickening, higher HW/BW, HW/HL, and HW/PW ratios, more significant reductions in EF and FS, more severe cardiac fibrosis, and a significant decrease in cardiac CD31 expression levels (all P<0.05). At the cellular level, compared with the control group, H9C2 cells treated with Ang Ⅱ displayed significantly increased mRNA levels of ANP and BNP, along with markedly elevated mRNA and protein levels of Sema3A (all P<0.05). ConclusionSema3A promotes the progression of pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy by inhibiting angiogenesis.
6.Analysis on current status and outcomes of comprehensive control of cardiovascular disease risk factors based on community population cohort
Caixia SU ; Xiaofei LIU ; Peng SHEN ; Yexiang SUN ; Tianjing ZHOU ; Ting WANG ; Qi CHEN ; Hongbo LIN ; Xun TANG ; Pei GAO
Chinese Journal of Epidemiology 2025;46(5):768-775
Objectives:To describe the use of antihypertensive, antidiabetic and lipid-lowering drugs, and evaluate the effects on blood pressure, blood glucose and blood lipids controls required by Chinese Guideline on the Primary Prevention of Cardiovascular Diseases (the guideline) in a community-based cohort of individuals at high risk for cardiovascular disease. To analyze the association of the uses of antihypertensive, antidiabetic and lipid-lowering drugs, and the comprehensive control of blood pressure, blood glucose and blood lipids with cardiovascular disease. Methods:From the CHinese Electronic health Records Research in Yinzhou (CHERRY), those who were at high risk for cardiovascular disease and aged 40-75 years as of January 1, 2013 in in Yinzhou District of Ningbo, Zhejiang Province were selected as study subjects. The information about their antihypertensive, antidiabetic, and lipid-lowering drug uses between 2013 and 2015 was collected, and blood pressure, blood glucose, and blood lipid measurements were conducted during the follow-up. The study constructed two kinds of comprehensive scores: the comprehensive medication score based on the guideline requirement for the treatment of hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidemia, dividing the study participants into the compliancy group and non-compliancy group; and the comprehensive control score based on the guideline requirement for blood pressure, blood glucose, and blood lipids control, dividing the study participants into better control group, moderate control group, and poor control group. Cox proportional hazards regression model was used to analyze the association of the comprehensive medication score and comprehensive control score with cardiovascular disease. The incidence data of cardiovascular disease were collected from January 1, 2015 (baseline time) to August 31, 2020 (follow up end time).Results:A total of 79 734 participants at high risk for cardiovascular disease were included in the study, in whom 68.4%, 27.4%, and 4.2% had 1, 2, or 3 cardiometabolic conditions (hypertension, diabetes, or hyperlipidemia), respectively. In the participants with hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia from 2013 to 2015, the proportions of those who had two years of medication compliancy records were 66.0%, 67.4%, and 13.9%, respectively. In the hypertension patients, 59.2% had better blood pressure control, in the diabetes patients, 28.7% had better blood glucose control, and in the patients with hyperlipidemia, 27.4% had better blood lipid control. After a median follow-up of 5.66 years, 4 088 cardiovascular disease cases or deaths occurred. After multivariate adjustment, compared with the non-compliancy group, the compliancy group had lower risk for cardiovascular disease ( HR=0.91, 95% CI: 0.85-0.96). Compared with the better control group, the poor control group had an increased risk for cardiovascular disease ( HR=1.67, 95% CI: 1.53-1.81). In the moderate control group, the risk increased significantly in the diabetes patients ( HR=1.29, 95% CI: 1.07-1.56), while no additional risk for cardiovascular disease was observed in non-diabetes patients ( HR=1.06, 95% CI: 0.97-1.16). Conclusions:Compliancy to the medication required by the guideline is associated with lower risk for cardiovascular disease. However, it is still necessary to improve the medication compliancy in people at high risk in primary prevention, especially in the patients with hyperlipidemia, due to their low taking rate of lipid-lowering drugs. Additionally, as the requirement of the guideline becomes more stringent, the management of disease has met more challenges. Notably, diabetes patients who have not met the guideline requirement are at high risk for cardiovascular disease, to whom the disease management should be strengthened.
7.Changes and clinical significance of type Ⅰ innate lymphoid cells and associated cytokines in primary immune thrombocytopenia
Xiujuan WANG ; Buasiyamu KADIERJIANG ; Hongbo WANG ; Jiale HONG ; Mingling SUN ; Xinhong GUO
Tianjin Medical Journal 2025;53(8):791-795
Objective To investigate the expression levels and clinical significance of type Ⅰ innate lymphoid cells(ILC1s),T-box transcription factor(T-bet),interleukin(IL)-12,IL-18 and interferon-gamma(IFN-γ)in peripheral blood of patients with primary immune thrombocytopenia(ITP).Methods Thirty-five ITP patients with their first episode were selected as the initial treatment group.Thirteen of these patients were followed up after receiving treatment.Additionally,20 healthy individuals underwent routine physical examinations during the same period were recruited as the control group.Peripheral blood samples were collected for analysis.The proportion of ILC1s was determined by flow cytometry.T-bet mRNA expression was measured using quantitative real-time PCR(qRT-PCR).Serum levels of IL-18,IL-12 and IFN-γ were quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).The differences in ILC1s proportion,T-bet mRNA expression and cytokine levels were compared between groups.Correlations between ILC1s proportion,T-bet mRNA,cytokine levels and platelet(PLT)counts were also analyzed.Results Compared with the control group,the initial treatment group exhibited significantly elevated levels of peripheral ILC1s,T-bet mRNA and serum IL-18,IL-12 and IFN-γ(P<0.05).Among the 13 patients who were followed up,all these indices decreased significantly after treatment(P<0.05).Correlation analysis revealed that the proportion of ILC1s in the initial treatment group was positively correlated with IL-12,IL-18,IFN-γ and T-bet mRNA levels(rs=0.666,0.647,0.677,and 0.750,respectively,P<0.01),and negatively correlated with PLT count(rs=-0.637,P<0.01).Conclusion Innate immunity may play a role in the pathogenesis and progression of ITP by regulating the expression levels of ILC1s,T-bet,IL-12,IL-18 and IFN-γ.
8.Advances in the diagnosis and treatment of calcitonin-negative medullary thyroid carcinoma
Hongbo WANG ; Mingyu YANG ; Dongyuan LAN ; Hao CHI ; Kecheng BAI ; Yingjia QIU ; Chengqiu SUI ; Daqi ZHANG
Chinese Journal of General Surgery 2025;34(5):1027-1033
Calcitonin-negative medullary thyroid carcinoma(CNMTC)is a rare subtype of medullary thyroid carcinoma,characterized by normal serum calcitonin levels,which often leads to misdiagnosis or missed diagnosis.The pathogenesis of CNMTC remains unclear and may involve impaired secretion mechanisms or assay-related false negatives.Diagnostic approaches include ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration cytology,serum CEA and ProGRP measurements,and RET gene testing.Surgical resection remains the mainstay of treatment,while neoadjuvant therapy may be considered in selected cases.This review summarizes recent advances in the understanding,diagnosis,treatment,and prognosis of CNMTC,aiming to provide clinical guidance for better management of this challenging condition.
9.Research advances in roles of extrasynaptic GABAA receptors in postpartum depression and premenstrual syndrome
Xiaoli LIU ; Hongbo WANG ; Gang YU ; Ruibin SU
Chinese Journal of Pharmacology and Toxicology 2025;39(6):462-468
Extrasynaptic γ-aminobutyric acid type A(GABAA)receptors are a class of inhibitory neurotransmitter receptors that are distributed in non-synaptic structures such as cell bodies and dendrites.Extrasynaptic GABAA receptors are heteropentamers usually containing δ-subunit.Changes of δ-subunit expressions can be observed in model animals of postpartum depression and premenstrual syndrome,and δ-/-or δ+/-mice exhibit behavioral phenotypes of postpartum depression,suggesting that extrasynaptic GABAA receptors are involved in the pathogenesis of related diseases.The present review is concerned with the relationship between extrasynaptic GABAA receptors and postpartum depression as well as premenstrual syndrome in general,and the advances in research on drugs targeting extrasynaptic GABAA receptors for the treatment of these two conditions in particular.The article highlights the value of extrasynaptic GABAA receptors as a therapeutic target for female mood disor-ders,and may provide a reference for the development and application of related drugs.
10.Effects of deep hyperthermia on immune function during postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy in patients with colorectal cancer
Lei ZHAO ; Hongbo WANG ; Wenzhi LIU ; Feng LIN ; Jian YU ; Mingjun SUN ; Baosheng YU ; Yunxiao ZHONG ; Yougang CUI ; Xu ZHANG ; Yupeng YI ; Na WANG ; Daocheng WU ; Chenyang LI ; Pan HU ; Ning FENG
Chinese Journal of Radiation Oncology 2025;34(5):461-467
Objective:To explore the effects of deep hyperthermia on chemotherapy-related adverse effects and immune-inflammatory indicators in the patients undergoing postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for colorectal cancer.Methods:This retrospective study included 52 patients who underwent surgery for colorectal cancer at the Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University from September 2021 to December 2023. The patients were divided into two groups based on treatment method: the combination group ( n=29) received postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy combined with deep hyperthermia, while the chemotherapy group ( n=23) received postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy alone. Both groups were treated with the XELOX regimen (oxaliplatin + capecitabine). The degree of bone marrow suppression during treatment was assessed by analyzing peripheral blood parameters, including hemoglobin, leukocyte count, neutrophil count, and platelet count. Immune-inflammatory indicators, including complement, procalcitonin (PCT), interleukin-6 (IL-6), systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), were compared before and after treatment in both groups to evaluate the effects of deep hyperthermia on the immune-inflammatory response. Chi-square test or Fisher's exact test (two-tailed) was used to compare bone marrow suppression rates, and the immune-inflammatory indicators between the two groups were compared using t-tests or non-parametric tests, depending on whether the data conformed to a normal distribution. Results:In terms of myelosuppression, the incidence rates of moderate to severe decreases in leukocytes, neutrophils, platelets, and hemoglobin in the combination group were 31%, 31%, 21%, and 14%, respectively, compared to 52%, 61%, 48%, and 9% in the chemotherapy group. The change in PCT levels before and after treatment was significantly greater in the combination group than in the chemotherapy group ( P = 0.010). Both the combination group and the chemotherapy group showed significant reductions in SII, NLR and PLR after treatment, and the differences were statistically significant (all P < 0.05). The change in NLR before and after treatment was significantly greater in the combination group than in the chemotherapy group ( P = 0.031). Conclusions:Deep hyperthermia can alleviate chemotherapy-induced adverse effects such as thrombocytopenia and neutropenia in patients undergoing postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for colorectal cancer. It also appears to improve the inflammatory response in these patients.


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