1.Identification of core genes of osteoarthritis by bioinformatics
Xuekun ZHU ; Heng LIU ; Hui FENG ; Yunlong GAO ; Lei WEN ; Xiaosong CAI ; Ben ZHAO ; Min ZHONG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(3):637-644
BACKGROUND:At present,osteoarthritis has become a major disease affecting the quality of life of the elderly,and the therapeutic effect is poor,often focusing on preventing the disease process,and the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis is still not fully understood.Bioinformatics analysis was carried out to explore the main pathogenesis of osteoarthritis and related mechanisms of gene coding regulation. OBJECTIVE:To screen core differential genes with a major role in osteoarthritis by gene expression profiling. METHODS:Datasets were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus(GEO):GSE114007,GSE117999,and GSE129147.Differential genes in the GSE114007 and GSE117999 data collections were screened using R software,performing differential genes to weighted gene co-expression network analysis.The module genes most relevant to osteoarthritis were selected to perform protein interaction analysis.Candidate core genes were selected using the cytocape software.The candidate core genes were subsequently subjected to least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression and COX analysis to identify the core genes with a key role in osteoarthritis.The accuracy of the core genes was validated using an external dataset,GSE129147. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)A total of 477 differential genes were identified,265 differential genes associated with osteoarthritis were obtained by weighted gene co-expression network analysis,and 8 candidate core genes were identified.The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression analysis finally yielded a differential gene ASPM with core value that was externally validated.(2)It is concluded that abnormal gene ASPM expression screened by bioinformatics plays a key central role in osteoarthritis.
2.Study on secondary metabolites of Penicillium expansum GY618 and their tyrosinase inhibitory activities
Fei-yu YIN ; Sheng LIANG ; Qian-heng ZHU ; Feng-hua YUAN ; Hao HUANG ; Hui-ling WEN
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica 2025;60(2):427-433
Twelve compounds were isolated from the rice fermentation extracts of
3.Oxidative Stress-related Signaling Pathways and Antioxidant Therapy in Alzheimer’s Disease
Li TANG ; Yun-Long SHEN ; De-Jian PENG ; Tian-Lu RAN ; Zi-Heng PAN ; Xin-Yi ZENG ; Hui LIU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2025;52(10):2486-2498
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive cognitive decline, functional impairment, and neuropsychiatric symptoms. It represents the most prevalent form of dementia among the elderly population. Accumulating evidence indicates that oxidative stress plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of AD. Notably, elevated levels of oxidative stress have been observed in the brains of AD patients, where excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) can cause extensive damage to lipids, proteins, and DNA, ultimately compromising neuronal structure and function. Amyloid β‑protein (Aβ) has been shown to induce mitochondrial dysfunction and calcium overload, thereby promoting the generation of ROS. This, in turn, exacerbates Aβ aggregation and enhances tau phosphorylation, leading to the formation of two pathological features of AD: extracellular Aβ plaque deposition and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). These events ultimately culminate in neuronal death, forming a vicious cycle. The interplay between oxidative stress and these pathological processes constitutes a core link in the pathogenesis of AD. The signaling pathways mediating oxidative stress in AD include Nrf2, RCAN1, PP2A, CREB, Notch1, NF‑κB, ApoE, and ferroptosis. Nrf2 signaling pathway serves as a key regulator of cellular redox homeostasis, exerts important antioxidant capacity and protective effects in AD. RCAN1 signaling pathway, as a calcineurin inhibitor, and modulates AD progression through multiple mechanisms. PP2A signaling pathway is involved in regulating tau phosphorylation and neuroinflammation processes. CREB signaling pathway contributes to neuroplasticity and memory formation; activation of CREB improves cognitive function and reduce oxidative stress. Notch1 signaling pathway regulates neuronal development and memory, participates in modulation of Aβ production, and interacts with Nrf2 toco-regulate antioxidant activity. NF‑κB signaling pathway governs immune and inflammatory responses; sustained activation of this pathway forms “inflammatory memory”, thereby exacerbating AD pathology. ApoE signaling pathway is associated with lipid metabolism; among its isoforms, ApoE-ε4 significantly increases the risk of AD, leading to elevated oxidative stress, abnormal lipid metabolism, and neuroinflammation. The ferroptosis signaling pathway is driven by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, and the subsequent release of lipid peroxidation products and ROS exacerbate oxidative stress and neuronal damage. These interconnected pathways form a complex regulatory network that regulates the progression of AD through oxidative stress and related pathological cascades. In terms of therapeutic strategies targeting oxidative stress, among the drugs currently used in clinical practice for AD treatment, memantine and donepezil demonstrate significant therapeutic efficacy and can improve the level of oxidative stress in AD patients. Some compounds with antioxidant effects (such asα-lipoic acid and melatonin) have shown certain potential in AD treatment research and can be used as dietary supplements to ameliorate AD symptoms. In addition, non-drug interventions such as calorie restriction and exercise have been proven to exerted neuroprotective effects and have a positive effect on the treatment of AD. By comprehensively utilizing the therapeutic characteristics of different signaling pathways, it is expected that more comprehensive multi-target combination therapy regimens and combined nanomolecular delivery systems will be developed in the future to bypass the blood-brain barrier, providing more effective therapeutic strategies for AD.
4.Epidemiological characteristics and spatial clustering of severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome in Nanjing from 2010 to 2023
Tao MA ; Cong CHEN ; Song-Ning DING ; Qing XU ; Jun-Jun WANG ; Heng-Xue WANG ; Zi-Kang YAN ; Meng-Yuan TIAN ; Yuan-Zhao ZHU ; Hui-Hui LIU
Chinese Journal of Zoonoses 2024;40(9):841-847
This study was aimed at understanding the trends in,and scope of,severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome(SFTS)in Nanjing,analyzing the spatial distribution pattern,detecting high incidence cluster areas and key popula-tions,and scientifically guiding prevention and control strategies and measures.We obtained data on SFTS cases from 2010 to 2023 in Nanjing from the China Disease Control and Prevention Information System,and described the time,popu-lation,and spatial distribution characteristics.We used joinpoint regression to calculate the annual percentage change(APC)in incidence,then used FleXScan spatial clustering scan analysis to explore spatial clustering areas at the street level.A total of 507 SFTS cases were reported from 2010 to 2023 in Nanjing.The APC was 31.8%(95%CI:22.5%-41.9%,P<0.001),and the reported incidence in 2023 was 1.42/100 000(134 cases).The seasonal indices from May to August were 2.7,2.1,3.0,and 1.3,respectively,accounting for 76.1%of the total cases.The median age was 66(IQR:55,73)years,which gradually increased from 59 years in 2010-2011 to 68 in 2022-2023(P<0.001);94.1%of cases were in individuals 45 years or older.Farmers,homemakers/unemployed individuals,and retirees accounted for 90.1%.The epidemic area increased from 11 streets in four districts in 2010-2011 to 58 streets in 11 dis-tricts in 2022-2023.Except for 2012-2013,global spatial autocorrelation analysis showed positive Moran's I values(0.224-0.526,P<0.001),and FlexScan scan indicated that several streets in Lishui District and Jiangning District were the most likely clusters.Four streets in Pukou District were the secondary clusters from 2018 to 2023,and three streets in Luhe District in 2022-2023 were the secondary clusters(all P<0.05).The reported incidence of SFTS in Nanjing showed a rapid upward trend,with spread of epidemic areas.The spatial distribution pattern was clustered.Strengthened training in diagnosis and treatment technology and detection ability of medical institutions,surveillance in high-incidence areas,tracing of case flow,and health education of tick and disease prevention knowledge are recommended.
5.Effectiveness of 1470 nm semiconductor laser therapy for canine prostatectomy
Heng HUANG ; Yongming PAN ; Junjie HUANG ; Hui ZHANG ; Chen YU ; Minli CHEN ; Qingfeng XU ; Guo ZHENG
Chinese Journal of Comparative Medicine 2024;34(7):79-88
Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of a 1470 nm semiconductor laser therapeutic instrument(referred to as a curestar therapeutic instrument)for prostatectomy in Beagle dogs.Methods Twenty-eight adult male Beagle dogs were randomly divided into three groups:sham(n=3),experimental(n=15),and control(n=10).The experimental group was further divided into three subgroups:120 W/50 W,150 W/50 W,and 160 W/50 W for vaporization cutting/coagulation hemostasis.The control group was divided into two subgroups:120 W/50 W and 150 W/50 W with five in each subgroup.Experimental and control groups underwent canine prostatectomy through the entrance of the bladder neck under electrocision.The operational suitability and effectiveness of the product during surgery were assessed.After the operation,the general condition of the dogs was observed,and blood biochemical and hematological indicators were measured before,immediately after,and at 3,7,and 28 days after the operation.At 1 h and 4 weeks after surgery,B-ultrasound and electric resection were performed under anesthesia to observe the conditions of the urethra and prostate,and prostatic tissue was subjected to HE staining for pathological observations.The thickness of the coagulation layer at 1 h after the operation and repair of the urothelial epithelium at 4 weeks were analyzed.Results During the operation,experimental and control groups had good operability and showed good vaporization cutting and coagulation hemostasis performance.After the operation,no significant effects were observed on the general condition,and blood biochemical and hematological indicators of the dogs.Ultrasound showed that the urethral expansion was visible immediately after the operation,and the echo of the urethral epithelium was slightly enhanced.At 4 weeks,the prostate tissue had a slightly low echo with uniformly distributed small point-like echoes inside,and the capsule had a linearly high echo,consistent with the sham group.The weight of the vaporized prostate tissue in experimental and control groups was 0.91~1.33 g with a resection rate of 17.11%~20.27%.As the power of vaporization cutting increased,the laser emission time gradually decreased,while the vaporization cutting speed and efficiency both increased.However,no significant difference was found between experimental and control groups(P>0.05).Under the electrocision microscope,a burn-like change was observed in the surgical wounds of the prostate urethra in experimental and control groups at 1 h after surgery,and the boundary between the wound and normal urothelium was visible.At 4 weeks,the urothelium of the prostate had been repaired and flattened,and the boundary with the surrounding normal urothelium was blurred.Similarly,pathological observations showed that experimental and control groups had significant damage to the prostate urethral orifice at 1 h after surgery with a small amount of carbonization and coagulative necrosis on the surface of the wound,a small amount of inflammatory cell infiltration,and a coagulation layer thickness of approximately 0.4 mm.At 4 weeks,the prostate urethral morphology of the sham group was normal,whereas experimental and control groups showed new epithelial growth covering the wound with a uniform thickness and no coagulative necrosis tissue attached to the wound.A mild inflammatory reaction was still present in the surrounding area,fibroblast proliferation was obvious,and stromal and epithelial cell proliferation was visible in the surrounding prostate,some of which showed squamous metaplasia.The prostate capsule was intact and the morphology of the surrounding nerves and blood vessels was normal.Conclusions The curestar therapy instrument is effective for prostatectomy in Beagle dogs with good vaporization cutting and coagulation hemostasis performance.No significant difference was found in postoperative physiological indicators compared with the sham group.
6.ABO*A2.08 Subtype Allele Identification and Protein Structure Analysis in Newborns
Xin LIU ; Lian-Hui WANG ; Jin SHU ; Zi-Heng XU ; Xiu-Yun XU
Journal of Experimental Hematology 2024;32(1):225-230
Objective:To study the serological characteristics of ABO*A2.08 subtype and explore its genetic molecular mechanism.Methods:ABO blood group identification was performed on proband and her family members by routine serological methods.ABO genotyping and sequence analysis were performed by polymerase chain reaction-sequence specific primer(PCR-SSP),and direct sequencing of PCR products from exons 6 and 7 of ABO gene were directly sequenced and analyzed.The effect of gene mutation in A2.08 subtype on structural stability of GTA protein was investigated by homologous protein conserved analysis,3D molecular modeling and protein stability prediction.Results:The proband's serological test results showed subtype Ax,and ABO genotyping confirmed that the proband's genotype was ABO*A207/08.Gene sequencing of the proband's father confirmed the characteristic variation of c.539G>C in the 7th exon of ABO gene,leading to the replacement of polypeptide chain p.Arg180Pro(R180P).3D protein molecular modeling and analysis suggested that the number of hydrogen bonds of local amino acids in the protein structure was changed after the mutation,and protein stability prediction showed that the mutation had a great influence on the protein structure stability.Conclusion:The mutation of the 7th exon c.539G>C of ABO gene leads to the substitution of polypeptide chain amino acid,which affects the structural stability of GTA protein and leads to the change of enzyme activity,resulting in the A2.08 phenotype.The mutated gene can be stably inherited.
7.Risk factors for parastomal hernias:a systematic review and meta-analysis
Kai-Lei WANG ; Li-Na MA ; Guang-Bo BU ; Guang-Dong ZHANG ; Hui FAN ; Fei YU ; Heng-Rui DU ; Gang MA
Chinese Journal of Current Advances in General Surgery 2024;27(6):463-470
Objective:To evaluate the risk factors for the formation of parastomal Hernias(PSH)using meta-analysis,and to provide a theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of PSH.Methods:Case control or Cohort study of PSH risk factors were collected by searching PubMed,CNKI,Wanfang data and other databases.Extract relevant data and perform meta-analysis using RevMan 5.3.Results:The results included a total of 16 studies,with a total sample size of 2411 cases,including 670 in the PSH group and 1741 in the non PSH group.The results showed that advanced age,female gender,BMI≥25,hypertension,COPD/chronic cough,diabetes,and postoperative Hypoproteinemia could increase the risk of PSH(P<0.05);Smoking,previous ab-dominal surgery history,preoperative radiotherapy/chemotherapy etc.,were not significantly asso-ciated with the occurrence of PSH(P>0.05).Conclusion:The current evidence shows that ad-vanced age,female gender,BMI≥25,hypertension,COPD/chronic cough,diabetes,postoperative Hypoproteinemia are risk factors for PSH,and extraperitoneal stoma can reduce the occurrence of PSH.
8.A study on the NORAD-induced autophagy promotes oxaliplatin resistance in adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction
Shoumiao LI ; Zhiqiang LIU ; Heng CAO ; Zhiyong NIE ; Hui LI ; Baozhong LI
Chinese Journal of Digestion 2024;44(4):266-273
Objective:To investigate the effects and molecular mechanism of non-coding RNA-activated DNA damage(NORAD)induced autophagy on oxaliplatin resistance in adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction (AEG).Methods:Four pairs of surgical samples of AEG and para-carcinoma normal tissues from patients with advance AEG treated in Anyang Tumor Hospital from January to June 2023 were collected. The expression of NORAD in AEG and para-carcinoma tissues was analyzed by long non-coding RNA microarray chip. The primary tumor cell line of AEG (PDC) was derived from fresh AEG tissues. Oxaliplatin-resistant cell lines of PDC and AEG cell line OE19 (PDC-R and OE19-R) were established. NORAD expression knockdown PDC-R and OE19 cell lines (shNORAD PDC-R and shNORAD OE19-R) were prepared by transfection. The target of NORAD, the correlation and interaction between microRNA-433-3p (miR-433-3p) and NORAD were predicted using Starbase v3.0 and DIANA-lncBase v3.0. PDC, PDC-R, OE19 and OE19-R cells were co-transfected with miR-144-3p and wild-type NORAD (NORAD-WT) or mutant NORAD (NORAD-Mut) plasmid, respectively. Dual-luciferase reporter assay was used to verify the correlation between NORAD and miR-433-3p. The expression levels of NORAD and miR-433-3p in normal gastric mucosal cell line GES-1 and AEG cell lines PDC, PDC-R, shNORAD PDC-R, OE19, OE19-R and shNORAD OE19-R were detected by real-time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The expression of p62 protein and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3B-Ⅱ (LC3B-Ⅱ) was determined by Western blotting. The half inhibitory concentration (IC 50) of PDC, PDC-R, shNORAD PDC-R, OE19, OE19-R and shNORAD OE19-R cells was measured by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Independent sample t-test was used for statistical analysis. Results:The results of microarray analysis showed that NORAD was significantly up-regulated in AEG compared with that in para-carcinoma tissues (fold change≥2.0, P<0.05). Bioinformatics studies found that miR-433-3p was the potential target of NORAD. The results of dual-luciferase reporter assay indicated that the relative luciferase activity of the NORAD-WT group was lower than that of NORAD-Mut group in PDC and PDC-R cells (0.441±0.104 vs. 0.928±0.204, 0.449±0.112 vs. 0.947±0.201), and the differences were statistically significant ( t=-14.74 and -14.94, both P<0.001). The results of dual-luciferase reporter assay of OE19 and OE19-R cell lines were the same as those of PDC cell lines. The results of qRT-PCR showed that the expression of NORAD in GES-1 cells (1.016±0.213) was lower than that of PDC cells (2.194±0.322) and PDC-R cells (4.040±0.336), and the differences were statistically significant ( t=-14.94 and -37.21, both P<0.001). Furthermore, the expression level of NORAD in PDC was also found to be lower than that in PDC-R cells, and the difference was statistically significant ( t=-19.43, P<0.001). Additionally, shNORAD PDC-R cells exhibited lower expression level of NORAD (0.290±0.165) compared with PDC-R cells, and the difference was statistically significant ( t=-49.05, P<0.001). The expression level of miR-433-3p in GES-1 cells (1.017±0.248) was higher than that in PDC cells (0.470±0.156) and PDC-R cells (0.203±0.045), and the differences were statistically significant ( t=9.15 and 15.85, both P<0.001). Moreover, the expression level of miR-433-3p was found to be higher in PDC cells compared with PDC-R cells, and the difference was statistically significant ( t=8.11, P<0.001). Additionally, the expression level of miR-433-3p in shNORAD PDC-R cells (0.699±0.256) was also higher than that in PDC-R cells ( t=9.37, P<0.001). The results of Western blotting showed that the expression of LC3B-Ⅱ in PDC-R was higher than that in PDC cells (0.426±0.060 vs. 0.212±0.041), the expression of LC3B-Ⅱ in shNORAD PDC-R cells (0.155±0.029) was lower than that in PDC cells, and the differences were statistically significant ( t=8.70 and -79.45, both P<0.001). However the expression of p62 protein in each cell line showed an opposite trend, with a lower relative expression in PDC-R than PDC (0.205±0.031 vs. 0.311±0.400), and the expression in shNORAD PDC-R (0.504±0.084) was higher than that in PDC, and the differences were statistically significant ( t=-31.19 and 62.80, both P<0.001). The expression patterns of NORAD, miR-433-3p, LC3B-Ⅱ and p62 proteins in OE19, OE19-R and shNORAD OE19-R cells were similar to those in PDC. The results of CCK-8 assessment of target cell viability showed that the IC 50 values of PDC, PDC-R and shNORAD PDC-R cell lines were 14.28, 22.27 and 2.51 μg/mL, respectively; and the IC 50 values of OE19, OE19-R and shNORAD PDC-R cell lines were 3.95, 8.12 and 1.89 μg/mL, respectively. Conclusions:NORAD is highly expressed in AEG tissues and cells. NORAD is overexpressed in oxaliplatin-resistant cell lines and increase the autophagy activity of cells. After NORAD is knockdown, autophagy activity is inhibited and the sensitivity of AEG cells to oxaliplatin is significantly enhanced.
10.Tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis for end-stage ankle and hindfoot arthropathy:Short-and mid-term clinical outcomes
Wenjing LI ; Baozhou ZHANG ; Heng LI ; Liangpeng LAI ; Hui DU ; Ning SUN ; Xiaofeng GONG ; Ying LI ; Yan WANG ; Yong WU
Journal of Peking University(Health Sciences) 2024;56(2):299-306
Objective:To analyze the clinical data of patients with end-stage ankle and hindfoot ar-thropathy who underwent tibiotalocalcaneal(TTC)arthrodesis by the same surgeon,explore the short-and mid-term clinical results,complications and functional improvement,and discuss the clinical progno-sis and precautions of TTC arthrodesis.Methods:Retrospective analysis was made on the clinical data of 40 patients who underwent TTC arthrodesis by the same surgeon from March 2011 to December 2020.In this study,23 males and 17 females were included,with an average age of(49.1±16.0)years.All the patients underwent unilateral surgery.The clinical characteristics,imaging manifestations,main diagno-sis and specific surgical techniques of the patients were recorded.The clinical outcomes were evaluated by comparison of the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society(AOFAS)ankle-hindfoot score and visual analogue scale(VAS)between pre-operation and at the last follow-up.The fusion healing time,symptom improvement(significant improvement,certain improvement,no improvement or deterioration)and postoperative complications were also recorded.Results:The median follow-up time was 38.0(26.3,58.8)months.The preoperative VAS score was 6.0(4.0,7.0),and the AOFAS score was 33.0(25.3,47.3).At the last follow-up,the median VAS score was 0(0,3.0),and the AOFAS score was 80.0(59.0,84.0).All the significantly improved compared with their preoperative corre-sponding values(P<0.05).There was no wound necrosis or infection in the patients.One patient suf-fered from subtalar joint nonunion,which was syphilitic Charcot arthropathy.The median bony healing time of other patients was 15.0(12.0,20.0)weeks.Among the included patients,there were 25 cases with significant improvement in symptom compared with that preoperative,8 cases with certain improve-ment,4 cases with no improvement,and 3 cases with worse symptoms than that before operation.Con-clusion:TTC arthrodesis is a reliable method for the treatment of the end-stage ankle and hindfoot ar-thropathy.The function of most patients was improved postoperatively,with little impact on daily life.The causes of poor prognosis included toe stiffness,stress concentration in adjacent knee joints,nonunion and pain of unknown causes.

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