Objective:To investigate the therapeutic effects of the copper chelator ammonium tetrathiomolybdate (TTM) on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a mouse model.Methods:Twenty-four male dilution brown non-Agoutia/1 mice were randomly divided into 4 groups: a blank control group (Ctrl group, n=6), a collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) + phosphate buffer saline (PBS) treatment group (PBS group, n=6), a CIA+TTM treatment group (TTM group, n=6), and a CIA+Elesclomol treatment group (Eles group, n=6). Eles, a copper ion carrier, served as a control for administration of TTM, a copper ion chelator. One week after treatment, the swelling of mouse paw was observed, and the clinical scoring of the arthritis in mice was evaluated once a week. Paw mechanical pain detection was performed and photographs were taken to observe the severity of paw swelling before the mice were sacrificed. Catwalk gait analysis system was used to evaluate the gait changes in mice. HE and saffron O solid green staining were used to evaluate pathomorphologic changes in the mice knee joints and paws. Immunostaining techniques were used to detect the protein expression of MMP3, CD31, and VEGF in the mice paws. Luminex technology was used to detect alterations in the serum inflammatory factors. Results:Compared with the Ctrl group, in the PBS and Eles groups, the joints were red, swollen and deformed; the arthritis clinical scores were significantly higher; the bone destruction, synovial hyperplasia and inflammatory cell infiltration and pathological changes in the joint tissues were obvious; the expression levels of inflammatory factors, such as serum MCP-1, IL-1 β, IL-9, and IFN- γ, were significantly higher while the expression level of IL-10 was significantly lower. Simultaneously, the expression of CD31 and VEGF factors was significantly enhanced. Compared with the PBS group, in the TTM group, the joint swelling and deformation were significantly improved, the arthritis clinical score was reduced, and the joint bone destruction, inflammatory cell infiltration and synovial hyperplasia were alleviated, and the levels of serum MCP-1, IL-1 β, IL-9 and IFN- γ were significantly decreased while the level of anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 was increased. There was no significant difference in the expression of MMP-3, CD31 or VEGF factors between the CTRL group and the TTM group. Conclusion:TTM can block synovial inflammation, angiogenesis, and bone destruction multiple times by simultaneously targeting multiple inflammatory factors, VEGF factors, and bone destruction mediators, thereby alleviating the pathological damage to the joint tissues induced by CIA in RA mice.

Objective To investigate the relationship between different interleukins (ILs) and gynecological tumors, including cervical cancer, endometrial cancer, and uterine leiomyoma using two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. Methods IL and gynecological tumor data were obtained from European populations by using the IEU OpenGWAS open database. Two-sample MR analysis was applied, different interleukins were used as exposure factors, significant SNP in GWAS data were selected as instrumental variables, and the instrumental variables were independent of each other. The risk of three kinds of gynecological tumors was analyzed separately to explore the causal relationship between ILs predicted by genes and outcome indicators. The TwoSampleMR package in R language (4.3.1) software was used for statistical analysis. MR analysis was performed using inverse variance weighted, MR Egger regression, weighted median, simple mode, and weighted mode methods. Results IL-18 receptor 1 (P=0.039) and IL-24 (P=0.025) were negatively correlated with the risk of cervical cancer. IL-4 (P=0.040), IL-21 (P=0.026), and IL-37 (P=0.027) were positively correlated with the risk of endometrial cancer. IL-15 receptor subunit alpha (P=0.005) was negatively correlated with the risk of endometrial cancer. IL-17A (P=0.005) and IL-37 (P=0.018) were negatively correlated with the risk of uterine leiomyoma. IL-21 (P=0.035) was positively correlated with the risk of uterine leiomyoma. Conclusion Genetically predicted IL-4, IL-15Rα, IL-17A, IL-18R1, IL-21, IL-24, and IL-37 are causally associated with the risk of three gynecological tumors. Further exploration of the molecular mechanism of ILs in gynecological tumors may provide potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of gynecological tumors.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the epidemiological characteristics of knee osteoarthritis (KOA) among the elderly in the community, and its correlation with bone mass loss. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on elderly community population over 50 year old from 12 community health service centers in Zhejiang province. Their gender, age, body mass index (BMI), T value and KOA diagnosis were collected using face to face questionnaire survey. Univariate regression was used to analyze the influence of age, gender, BMI and bone loss on KOA. Logistic multivariate regression model was used to analyze the independent effect of bone mass loss on KOA. RESULTS: Among 4 173 subjects in this study, 1 710 of them were had a KOA. The prevalence rate was 40.9%. The mean age, the proportion of females and the mean BMI in KOA patients were (65.5±3.8) years old, 67.7%(1 158/1 710) and(24.59±1.28) kg·m^-2, respectively, which were significantly higher than (58.5±3.2) years old, 51.3%(1 263/2 463), and (23.48±1.25) kg·m^-2 in non-KOA subjects (P<0.001). In the population aged from 60 to 69 years old, the influence of osteopenia and osteoporosis on the prevalence of KOA was[OR=1.21, 95%CI(1.00, 1.46), P=0.053 2], [OR=1.42, 95%CI(1.14, 1.78), P=0.002 2]. The influence of male and female osteoporosis on the prevalence of KOA was [OR=1.52, 95%CI(1.16, 1.99), P=0.002 7] and [OR=1.87, 95%CI(1.51, 2.32), P<0.000 1], respectively. In the population of 24 kg·m^-2≤BMI<28 kg·m^-2, the influence of osteopenia and osteoporosis on the prevalence of KOA was [OR=1.47, 95%CI(1.21, 1.80), P=0.000 1], [OR=2.69, 95%CI(2.11, 3.42), P<0.000 1], respectively. After controlling the confounding factors of age, gender and BMI, compared with people with normal bone mass, the effect of osteopenia on the prevalence of KOA was [OR=1.34, 95%CI(1.08, 1.67), P=0.009 2], and the effect of osteoporosis on the prevalence of KOA was [OR=1.38, 95%CI(1.06, 1.79), P=0.017 9]. CONCLUSION Elderly overweight women are more likely to develop KOA. Bone mass loss is an independent risk factor for KOA, which will significantly increase the prevalence of KOA in people overweight or aged 60 to 69 years old.
Humans ; Female ; Male ; Aged ; Osteoarthritis, Knee/etiology* ; Middle Aged ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Bone Density ; Aged, 80 and over ; Incidence ; Body Mass Index ; China/epidemiology* ; Osteoporosis/epidemiology*

Chronic atrophic gastritis （CAG），as a key stage of precancerous lesions of gastric cancer，has an increasing incidence year by year，and it can gradually develop into gastric invasive cancer and mucosal cancer. At present，the main treatment focuses on the eradication of Helicobacter pylori （Hp），drug therapy， and pathological follow-up by gastroscopy，which can alleviate some symptoms，but it is difficult to curb the pathological progress，and the recurrence rate is high. Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase （PI3K）/protein kinase B （Akt） signaling pathway is involved in the regulation of cell growth，differentiation，proliferation，apoptosis，autophagy， and other responses，and abnormal activation of this pathway can promote the progression of precancerous lesions of CAG. Traditional Chinese medicine is effective in the treatment of precancerous lesions of CAG through multi-component and multi-target comprehensive regulation. By regulating the PI3K/Akt pathway，the active ingredients and compounds of traditional Chinese medicine play therapeutic roles，such as inhibiting inflammation，glycolysis，angiogenesis， and epithelium-mesenchymal transformation，promoting autophagy，and regulating the balance of cell proliferation and apoptosis. This paper systematically reviewed the mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine intervention in the PI3K/Akt pathway in the treatment of precancerous lesions of CAG，so as to provide references for further understanding of the pathogenesis of precancerous lesions of CAG and search for potential therapeutic targets，and it provided new ideas for further research and drug development of precancerous lesions of CAG.

A 20-year-old male patient with T-lymphoblastic lymphoma/leukemia received 9/10 human leukocyte antigen-compatible unrelated peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. He was transplanted with 5.91×10 8 mononuclear cells/kg and 2.88×10 6 CD34 + cells/kg, and neutrophil engraftment was obtained at +11 days and platelet engraftment at +9 days. After transplantation, he presented with repeatedly increased serum creatinine levels, BK virus (BKV) -associated hemorrhagic cystitis, and BKV viremia. BK virus nephropathy was diagnosed based on renal biopsy and metagenomic next-generation sequencing. After adjusting the immunosuppressant, intravenous immunoglobulin, and donor lymphocyte infusion treatment, the patient’s renal function deteriorated progressively, and he eventually died of multiple organ failure at +289 days.

Objective:To explore the correlation between intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy(ICP)and ad-verse pregnancy outcomes.Methods:A total of 511 singleton pregnant women with ICP treated at The Third Affili-ated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University from August 2017 to January 2024 were selected as the study sub-jects.Among them,patients were divided into the adverse pregnancy outcome group(n=49)and the control group without adverse pregnancy outcomes(n=462).The general and clinical data of the two groups were com-pared and analyzed.Results:①General situation:The number of pregnancies and deliveries,ICU transfer rate,total hospital stay,and total hospitalization costs were significantly higher in the adverse pregnancy outcome group compared to the control group(P<0.05).The number of prenatal check-ups,diagnostic gestational weeks,and gestational weeks at delivery were significantly lower compared to the control group(P<0.05).②Clinical symp-toms:The incidence of itching in the adverse pregnancy outcome group was lower compared to the control group(10.2%vs.26.6%,P<0.05),while other symptoms such as rash,fatigue,jaundice,and gastrointestinal symp-toms showed no significant difference between the two groups(P>0.05).③Laboratory examinations:Compared with the control group,patients in the adverse pregnancy outcome group had significantly the increased levels of alanine aminotransferase,aspartate aminotransferase,uric acid,urea nitrogen,and triglycerides,and significantly the decreased levels of alkaline phosphatase and fasting blood glucose,with statistical significance(P<0.05).Other biochemical indicators showed no significant difference between the two groups(P>0.05).④ICP grading and complications:The proportion of early-onset ICP,severe and very severe ICP in the adverse pregnancy out-come group was significantly higher compared to the control group(P<0.001);the proportion of adverse preg-nancy outcome group with pregnancy-induced hypertension was significantly higher compared to the control group;the incidence of preterm birth,fetal growth restriction,meconium-stained amniotic fluid,and fetal distress in the adverse pregnancy outcome group was significantly higher compared to the control group(P<0.001).⑤Neo-natal outcomes:The neonatal Apgar scores(1 min,5 min,10 min)and neonatal weight in the adverse pregnancy outcome group were lower compared to the control group(P<0.001),and the incidence of mild neonatal asphyx-ia was significantly higher,with a statistically significant difference(P<0.001).Conclusions:The severity of ICP is closely related to the occurrence of adverse pregnancy outcomes.Therefore,it is clinically necessary to pay at-tention to the grading of ICP,closely monitor the levels of total bile acids and liver enzymes,and try to avoid ad-verse pregnancy outcomes,especially intrauterine fetal death.

Objective:To explore the correlation between intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy(ICP)and ad-verse pregnancy outcomes.Methods:A total of 511 singleton pregnant women with ICP treated at The Third Affili-ated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University from August 2017 to January 2024 were selected as the study sub-jects.Among them,patients were divided into the adverse pregnancy outcome group(n=49)and the control group without adverse pregnancy outcomes(n=462).The general and clinical data of the two groups were com-pared and analyzed.Results:①General situation:The number of pregnancies and deliveries,ICU transfer rate,total hospital stay,and total hospitalization costs were significantly higher in the adverse pregnancy outcome group compared to the control group(P<0.05).The number of prenatal check-ups,diagnostic gestational weeks,and gestational weeks at delivery were significantly lower compared to the control group(P<0.05).②Clinical symp-toms:The incidence of itching in the adverse pregnancy outcome group was lower compared to the control group(10.2%vs.26.6%,P<0.05),while other symptoms such as rash,fatigue,jaundice,and gastrointestinal symp-toms showed no significant difference between the two groups(P>0.05).③Laboratory examinations:Compared with the control group,patients in the adverse pregnancy outcome group had significantly the increased levels of alanine aminotransferase,aspartate aminotransferase,uric acid,urea nitrogen,and triglycerides,and significantly the decreased levels of alkaline phosphatase and fasting blood glucose,with statistical significance(P<0.05).Other biochemical indicators showed no significant difference between the two groups(P>0.05).④ICP grading and complications:The proportion of early-onset ICP,severe and very severe ICP in the adverse pregnancy out-come group was significantly higher compared to the control group(P<0.001);the proportion of adverse preg-nancy outcome group with pregnancy-induced hypertension was significantly higher compared to the control group;the incidence of preterm birth,fetal growth restriction,meconium-stained amniotic fluid,and fetal distress in the adverse pregnancy outcome group was significantly higher compared to the control group(P<0.001).⑤Neo-natal outcomes:The neonatal Apgar scores(1 min,5 min,10 min)and neonatal weight in the adverse pregnancy outcome group were lower compared to the control group(P<0.001),and the incidence of mild neonatal asphyx-ia was significantly higher,with a statistically significant difference(P<0.001).Conclusions:The severity of ICP is closely related to the occurrence of adverse pregnancy outcomes.Therefore,it is clinically necessary to pay at-tention to the grading of ICP,closely monitor the levels of total bile acids and liver enzymes,and try to avoid ad-verse pregnancy outcomes,especially intrauterine fetal death.

A 20-year-old male patient with T-lymphoblastic lymphoma/leukemia received 9/10 human leukocyte antigen-compatible unrelated peripheral blood stem cell transplantation. He was transplanted with 5.91×10 8 mononuclear cells/kg and 2.88×10 6 CD34 + cells/kg, and neutrophil engraftment was obtained at +11 days and platelet engraftment at +9 days. After transplantation, he presented with repeatedly increased serum creatinine levels, BK virus (BKV) -associated hemorrhagic cystitis, and BKV viremia. BK virus nephropathy was diagnosed based on renal biopsy and metagenomic next-generation sequencing. After adjusting the immunosuppressant, intravenous immunoglobulin, and donor lymphocyte infusion treatment, the patient’s renal function deteriorated progressively, and he eventually died of multiple organ failure at +289 days.

Objective:To investigate the therapeutic effects of the copper chelator ammonium tetrathiomolybdate (TTM) on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a mouse model.Methods:Twenty-four male dilution brown non-Agoutia/1 mice were randomly divided into 4 groups: a blank control group (Ctrl group, n=6), a collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) + phosphate buffer saline (PBS) treatment group (PBS group, n=6), a CIA+TTM treatment group (TTM group, n=6), and a CIA+Elesclomol treatment group (Eles group, n=6). Eles, a copper ion carrier, served as a control for administration of TTM, a copper ion chelator. One week after treatment, the swelling of mouse paw was observed, and the clinical scoring of the arthritis in mice was evaluated once a week. Paw mechanical pain detection was performed and photographs were taken to observe the severity of paw swelling before the mice were sacrificed. Catwalk gait analysis system was used to evaluate the gait changes in mice. HE and saffron O solid green staining were used to evaluate pathomorphologic changes in the mice knee joints and paws. Immunostaining techniques were used to detect the protein expression of MMP3, CD31, and VEGF in the mice paws. Luminex technology was used to detect alterations in the serum inflammatory factors. Results:Compared with the Ctrl group, in the PBS and Eles groups, the joints were red, swollen and deformed; the arthritis clinical scores were significantly higher; the bone destruction, synovial hyperplasia and inflammatory cell infiltration and pathological changes in the joint tissues were obvious; the expression levels of inflammatory factors, such as serum MCP-1, IL-1 β, IL-9, and IFN- γ, were significantly higher while the expression level of IL-10 was significantly lower. Simultaneously, the expression of CD31 and VEGF factors was significantly enhanced. Compared with the PBS group, in the TTM group, the joint swelling and deformation were significantly improved, the arthritis clinical score was reduced, and the joint bone destruction, inflammatory cell infiltration and synovial hyperplasia were alleviated, and the levels of serum MCP-1, IL-1 β, IL-9 and IFN- γ were significantly decreased while the level of anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 was increased. There was no significant difference in the expression of MMP-3, CD31 or VEGF factors between the CTRL group and the TTM group. Conclusion:TTM can block synovial inflammation, angiogenesis, and bone destruction multiple times by simultaneously targeting multiple inflammatory factors, VEGF factors, and bone destruction mediators, thereby alleviating the pathological damage to the joint tissues induced by CIA in RA mice.

Background::Histological healing is closely associated with improved long-term clinical outcomes and lowered relapses in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). Here, we developed a novel diagnostic criterion for assessing histological healing in UC patients.Methods::We conducted a retrospective cohort study in UC patients, whose treatment was iteratively optimized to achieve mucosal healing at Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital of Tongji University from January 2017 to May 2022. We identified an inflammatory cell enumeration index (ICEI) for assessing histological healing based on the proportions of eosinophils, CD177 + neutrophils, and CD40L + T cells in the colonic lamina propria under high power field (HPF), and the outcomes (risks of symptomatic relapses) of achieving histological remission vs. persistent histological inflammation using Kaplan-Meier curves. Intrareader reliability and inter-reader reliability were evaluated by each reader. The relationships to the changes in the Nancy index and the Geboes score were also assessed for responsiveness. The ICEI was further validated in a new cohort of UC patients from other nine university hospitals. Results::We developed an ICEI for clinical diagnosis of histological healing, i.e., Y = 1.701X 1 + 0.758X 2 + 1.347X 3 - 7.745 (X 1, X 2, and X 3 represent the proportions of CD177 + neutrophils, eosinophils, and CD40L + T cells, respectively, in the colonic lamina propria under HPF). The receiver operating characteristics curve (ROC) analysis revealed that Y <-0.391 was the cutoff value for the diagnosis of histological healing and that an area under the curve (AUC) was 0.942 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.905-0.979) with a sensitivity of 92.5% and a specificity of 83.6% ( P <0.001). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for the intrareader reliability was 0.855 (95% CI: 0.781-0.909), and ICEI had good inter-reader reliability of 0.832 (95% CI: 0.748-0.894). During an 18-month follow-up, patients with histological healing had a substantially better outcome compared with those with unachieved histological healing ( P <0.001) using ICEI. During a 12-month follow-up from other nine hospitals, patients with histological healing also had a lower risk of relapse than patients with unachieved histological healing. Conclusions::ICEI can be used to predict histological healing and identify patients with a risk of relapse 12 months and 18 months after clinical therapy. Therefore, ICEI provides a promising, simplified approach to monitor histological healing and to predict the prognosis of UC.Registration::Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, No. ChiCTR2300077792.