1.Mechanism study of SIRT3 alleviating oxidative-stress injury in renal tubular cells by promoting mitochondrial biogenesis via regulating mitochondrial redox balance
Yaojun LIU ; Jun ZHOU ; Jing LIU ; Yunfei SHAN ; Huhai ZHANG ; Pan XIE ; Liying ZOU ; Lingyu RAN ; Huanping LONG ; Lunli XIANG ; Hong HUANG ; Hongwen ZHAO
Organ Transplantation 2026;17(1):86-94
Objective To elucidate the molecular mechanism of sirtuin-3 (SIRT3) in regulating mitochondrial biogenesis in human renal tubular epithelial cells. Methods Cells were stimulated with different concentrations of H2O2 and divided into four groups: control (NC), 50 μmol/L H2O2, 110 μmol/L H2O2 and 150 μmol/L H2O2. SIRT3 protein expression was then measured. SIRT3 was knocked down with siRNA, and cells were further assigned to five groups: control (NC), negative-control siRNA (NCsi), SIRT3-siRNA (siSIRT3), NCsi+H2O2, and siSIRT3+H2O2. After 24 h, cellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and mitochondrial superoxide anion (O2•−) levels were determined, together with mitochondrial expression of SIRT3, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α), nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF1), mitochondrial transcription factor A (TFAM), superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2), acetylated-SOD2 and adenosine monophosphate activated protein kinase α1 (AMPKα1). Results The 110 and 150 μmol/L H2O2 decreased SIRT3 protein (both P<0.05). ATP and mitochondrial O2•− did not differ between NC and NCsi groups (both P>0.05). Compared to the NCsi group, the siSIRT3 group exhibited elevated O2•− level, decreased SIRT3 protein and increased expression levels of SOD2 and acetylated SOD2 protein (all P<0.05). Compared to the NCsi group, the NCsi+H2O2 group exhibited decreased cellular ATP levels, elevated mitochondrial O2•− levels, and reduced protein expression levels of SIRT3, SOD2, TFAM, AMPKα1, PGC-1α and NRF1 (all P<0.05). Compared with the siSIRT3 group, the siSIRT3+H2O2 group showed a decrease in cellular ATP levels, an increase in mitochondrial O2•− levels, a decrease in SIRT3, SOD2, TFAM, AMPKα1, PGC-1α and NRF1 protein expression levels and a decrease in acetylated SOD2 protein expression levels (all P<0.05). Compared with the NCsi+H2O2 group, the siSIRT3+H2O2 group showed a decrease in cellular ATP levels, an increase in mitochondrial O2•− levels, a decrease in SIRT3, AMPKα1, PGC-1α and NRF1, TFAM protein expression levels, and an increase in SOD2 and acetylated SOD2 protein expression levels (all P<0.05). Conclusions SIRT3 promotes mitochondrial biogenesis in tubular epithelial cells via the AMPK/PGC-1α/NRF1/TFAM axis, representing a key mechanism through which SIRT3 ameliorates oxidative stress-induced mitochondrial dysfunction.
2.Aging-related dysregulation of glucose metabolism:crossroads of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases
Huan LIU ; Shaopeng ZENG ; Jun CHEN ; Linqian HE ; Ying YANG ; Jing ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2026;30(6):1527-1538
BACKGROUND:Epidemiological studies indicate that individuals with neurodegenerative diseases exhibit a comparatively lower risk of developing the majority of cancers.Although the precise mechanisms underlying this inverse correlation remain unclear,it is noteworthy that aberrant glucose metabolism,a pathological factor common to both conditions,may significantly contribute to this association.OBJECTIVE:To review the potential relationship between cancers and neurodegenerative diseases in glucose metabolism.METHODS:PubMed was searched for relevant literature using the search terms of"cancer,neurodegenerative diseases,Alzheimer's disease,Parkinson's disease,metabolic reprogramming,glucose metabolism,aerobic glycolysis,neuroprotection,aging,"and 136 articles were finally included for analysis.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Cancer and neurodegenerative diseases exhibit a profound pathological correlation at the level of glucose metabolism imbalance associated with aging.Cancer cells promote uncontrolled proliferation,invasion,and metastasis through the persistent activation of aerobic glycolysis,whereas neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by a reduction in aerobic glycolysis.Restoring aerobic glycolysis may confer neuroprotective effects and delay disease progression.The key nodes of glucose metabolism demonstrate a bidirectional regulatory pattern:metabolic regulators,which are significantly upregulated or aberrantly activated in cancer,are inhibited or functionally inactivated in neurodegenerative diseases.Mitochondria play a crucial role in mediating the aging process through the regulation of reactive oxygen species homeostasis and mitochondrial autophagy.They establish regulatory networks that connect cancer and neurodegenerative diseases,and maintaining their functional homeostasis is of paramount importance for disease prevention and treatment.
3.Aging-related dysregulation of glucose metabolism:crossroads of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases
Huan LIU ; Shaopeng ZENG ; Jun CHEN ; Linqian HE ; Ying YANG ; Jing ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2026;30(6):1527-1538
BACKGROUND:Epidemiological studies indicate that individuals with neurodegenerative diseases exhibit a comparatively lower risk of developing the majority of cancers.Although the precise mechanisms underlying this inverse correlation remain unclear,it is noteworthy that aberrant glucose metabolism,a pathological factor common to both conditions,may significantly contribute to this association.OBJECTIVE:To review the potential relationship between cancers and neurodegenerative diseases in glucose metabolism.METHODS:PubMed was searched for relevant literature using the search terms of"cancer,neurodegenerative diseases,Alzheimer's disease,Parkinson's disease,metabolic reprogramming,glucose metabolism,aerobic glycolysis,neuroprotection,aging,"and 136 articles were finally included for analysis.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:Cancer and neurodegenerative diseases exhibit a profound pathological correlation at the level of glucose metabolism imbalance associated with aging.Cancer cells promote uncontrolled proliferation,invasion,and metastasis through the persistent activation of aerobic glycolysis,whereas neurodegenerative diseases are characterized by a reduction in aerobic glycolysis.Restoring aerobic glycolysis may confer neuroprotective effects and delay disease progression.The key nodes of glucose metabolism demonstrate a bidirectional regulatory pattern:metabolic regulators,which are significantly upregulated or aberrantly activated in cancer,are inhibited or functionally inactivated in neurodegenerative diseases.Mitochondria play a crucial role in mediating the aging process through the regulation of reactive oxygen species homeostasis and mitochondrial autophagy.They establish regulatory networks that connect cancer and neurodegenerative diseases,and maintaining their functional homeostasis is of paramount importance for disease prevention and treatment.
4.The Diversity of Filamentous Morphologies and Magnetic Sensitivity Modulated by Diverse MagR Expression in Bacteria
Ya-Fei CHANG ; Jing ZHANG ; Peng ZHANG ; Xiu-Juan ZHOU ; Meng-Ke WEI ; Tian-Tian CAI ; Pei-Qi HE ; Jun-Feng WANG ; Can XIE
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(5):1439-1456
Objective Magnetoreception, the remarkable ability of diverse animals to sense and utilize the geomagnetic field for orientation and navigation, remains a molecularly unresolved mystery in sensory biology. The putative magnetoreceptor (MagR, previously known as IscA1) is a highly conserved iron-sulfur protein implicated in both magnetoreception and iron metabolism; however, the functional diversity among its cross-species homologs remains poorly understood. Cellular morphology is a key genetically determined trait that can be altered through genetic or environmental modifications—a process known as cell morphology engineering. Constructing engineered cells with specific morphological features and magnetic sensitivity to achieve remote, non-invasive magnetic modulation represents a crucial goal in this field with significant application potential. Therefore, this study aims to systematically investigate the effects of MagR heterologous expression on bacterial morphology and magnetic sensing capabilities, screen for MagR-based magnetically sensitive morphology engineering pathways, and reveal the underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods We systematically screened 28 MagR homologous genes from diverse prokaryotic and animal taxa to evaluate their expression and corresponding phenotypic effects in Escherichia coli (E. coli). To compare the differential magnetic responses among bacteria expressing various recombinant MagR proteins, we utilized high-throughput automated bright-field microscopic imaging and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Furthermore, comprehensive biochemical and biophysical characterizations of iron and iron-sulfur cluster binding were performed using Ferrozine colorimetric assays, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption, and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Additionally, 100 mT static magnetic field (SMF) exposure experiments were conducted to assess magnetically tunable phenotypes, while the intrinsic magnetic properties of purified MagR proteins were directly measured using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer. Results Our results demonstrated that the heterologous expression of MagR homologs induced varying degrees of bacterial filamentation. From this comprehensive screen, two distinct morphological patterns were identified: hydra (Hydra vulgaris) MagR (hyMagR) promoted uniform cell elongation and filamentation, exhibiting robust magnetic sensitivity manifested as significantly enhanced filamentation under the 100 mT SMF. In contrast, pigeon (Columba livia) MagR (clMagR) induced only low-frequency, extreme filamentation (sporadically exceeding 80 μm) with a relatively weaker magnetic morphological response. Mechanistically, our data unambiguously proved that these phenotypic differences are primarily driven by distinct iron redox preferences rather than total cellular iron accumulation. Specifically, hyMagR preferentially binds ferrous iron (Fe2+), whereas clMagR favors ferric iron (Fe3+) and forms more stable iron-sulfur clusters. Intriguingly, although SQUID magnetometry showed that purified clMagR exhibited approximately five-fold higher mass magnetic susceptibility than hyMagR, its cellular magnetic response was weaker. We hypothesize that the Fe2+-preferred intracellular environment associated with hyMagR overexpression primes the cell for enhanced generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) via the Fenton reaction. Exposure to an SMF synergizes with this primed redox state, triggering the bacterial SOS response and upregulating cell division inhibitors to efficiently induce uniform filamentation. Conclusion Our findings identify the Fe2+/Fe3+ redox state as a critical determinant of MagR-mediated morphological remodeling and magnetic responsiveness. This discovery suggests a potential strategy for engineering magnetically responsive cellular systems for synthetic biology applications, and provides a plausible framework, which potentially combines intrinsic protein magnetism with redox-state modulation, for further investigating the evolutionary mechanisms of MagR-mediated magnetoreception.
5.The Diversity of Filamentous Morphologies and Magnetic Sensitivity Modulated by Diverse MagR Expression in Bacteria
Ya-Fei CHANG ; Jing ZHANG ; Peng ZHANG ; Xiu-Juan ZHOU ; Meng-Ke WEI ; Tian-Tian CAI ; Pei-Qi HE ; Jun-Feng WANG ; Can XIE
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(5):1439-1456
Objective Magnetoreception, the remarkable ability of diverse animals to sense and utilize the geomagnetic field for orientation and navigation, remains a molecularly unresolved mystery in sensory biology. The putative magnetoreceptor (MagR, previously known as IscA1) is a highly conserved iron-sulfur protein implicated in both magnetoreception and iron metabolism; however, the functional diversity among its cross-species homologs remains poorly understood. Cellular morphology is a key genetically determined trait that can be altered through genetic or environmental modifications—a process known as cell morphology engineering. Constructing engineered cells with specific morphological features and magnetic sensitivity to achieve remote, non-invasive magnetic modulation represents a crucial goal in this field with significant application potential. Therefore, this study aims to systematically investigate the effects of MagR heterologous expression on bacterial morphology and magnetic sensing capabilities, screen for MagR-based magnetically sensitive morphology engineering pathways, and reveal the underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods We systematically screened 28 MagR homologous genes from diverse prokaryotic and animal taxa to evaluate their expression and corresponding phenotypic effects in Escherichia coli (E. coli). To compare the differential magnetic responses among bacteria expressing various recombinant MagR proteins, we utilized high-throughput automated bright-field microscopic imaging and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Furthermore, comprehensive biochemical and biophysical characterizations of iron and iron-sulfur cluster binding were performed using Ferrozine colorimetric assays, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption, and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Additionally, 100 mT static magnetic field (SMF) exposure experiments were conducted to assess magnetically tunable phenotypes, while the intrinsic magnetic properties of purified MagR proteins were directly measured using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer. Results Our results demonstrated that the heterologous expression of MagR homologs induced varying degrees of bacterial filamentation. From this comprehensive screen, two distinct morphological patterns were identified: hydra (Hydra vulgaris) MagR (hyMagR) promoted uniform cell elongation and filamentation, exhibiting robust magnetic sensitivity manifested as significantly enhanced filamentation under the 100 mT SMF. In contrast, pigeon (Columba livia) MagR (clMagR) induced only low-frequency, extreme filamentation (sporadically exceeding 80 μm) with a relatively weaker magnetic morphological response. Mechanistically, our data unambiguously proved that these phenotypic differences are primarily driven by distinct iron redox preferences rather than total cellular iron accumulation. Specifically, hyMagR preferentially binds ferrous iron (Fe2+), whereas clMagR favors ferric iron (Fe3+) and forms more stable iron-sulfur clusters. Intriguingly, although SQUID magnetometry showed that purified clMagR exhibited approximately five-fold higher mass magnetic susceptibility than hyMagR, its cellular magnetic response was weaker. We hypothesize that the Fe2+-preferred intracellular environment associated with hyMagR overexpression primes the cell for enhanced generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) via the Fenton reaction. Exposure to an SMF synergizes with this primed redox state, triggering the bacterial SOS response and upregulating cell division inhibitors to efficiently induce uniform filamentation. Conclusion Our findings identify the Fe2+/Fe3+ redox state as a critical determinant of MagR-mediated morphological remodeling and magnetic responsiveness. This discovery suggests a potential strategy for engineering magnetically responsive cellular systems for synthetic biology applications, and provides a plausible framework, which potentially combines intrinsic protein magnetism with redox-state modulation, for further investigating the evolutionary mechanisms of MagR-mediated magnetoreception.
6.Quality evaluation of Mongolian medicine Sendeng-4 based on qualitative and quantitative analysis combined with chemical pattern recognition
Fengye ZHOU ; Jun LI ; Qian ZHANG ; Rongjie LI ; Wei ZHANG ; Jing LIU ; Fang WANG ; Shengnan LI
China Pharmacy 2025;36(9):1040-1045
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the quality of Mongolian medicine Sendeng-4 based on qualitative and quantitative analysis combined with chemical pattern recognition, in order to provide the reference for its quality control. METHODS The chemical components in Sendeng-4 were analyzed qualitatively by HPLC-Q-Exactive-MS. The contents of 16 components (methyl gallate, ethyl gallate, epicatechin, dihydromyricetin, genipin-1-O-β-D-gentiobioside, caffeic acid, catechin, corilagin, deacetylasperulosidic acid methyl ester, rutin, geniposide, luteolin, myricetin, quercetin, ferulic acid, and toosendanin) in 15 batches of Sendeng-4 (sample S1-S15) were quantitatively analyzed by HPLC-MS/MS. Cluster analysis (CA), principal component analysis (PCA), and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis were conducted and variable importance projection (VIP) value greater than 1 was used as the index to screen the differential components. RESULTS A total of 73 chemical components were identified in Sendeng-4, including 20 flavonoids, 16 tannins, 14 organic acids, etc. According to the quantitative analysis, the results exhibited that the average contentsthe of above 16 components in 15 batches of Sendeng-4 were 3.683-7.730, 2.391-6.952, 2 275.538-4 377.491, 2 699.188-3 537.924, 858.266-1 377.393, 3.366-11.003, 140.624-315.683,414.629-978.334, 285.501-1 510.457, 27.799-48.325, 3 625.415-6 309.563, 0.506-0.656, 442.337-649.283, 47.093-59.736, 12.942-15.822, 127.738-326.649 μg/g, respectively. According to the results of CA and PCA, 15 batches of samples could be clustered into two categories: S1-S3, S5-S6, S9-S10 and S13 were clustered into one category; S4, S7-S8, S11-S12, S14-S15 were clustered into one category. VIP values of geniposide, epicatechin, deacetylasperulosidic acid methyl ester and genipin-1-O- β-D-gentiobioside were all greater than 1. CONCLUSIONS HPLC-Q-Exactive-MS and HPLC-MS/MS techniques are employed for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of Sendeng-4. Through chemical pattern recognition analysis, four differential components are identified: geniposide, epicatechin, deacetylasperulosidic acid methyl ester, and genipin-1-O-β-D-gentiobioside.
7.Usefulness of intraoperative choledochoscopy in laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy for severe cholecystitis
Rui-Hui ZHANG ; Xiang-Nan WANG ; Yue-Feng MA ; Xue-Qian TANG ; Mei-Ju LIN ; Li-Jun SHI ; Jing-Yi LI ; Hong-Wei ZHANG
Annals of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery 2025;29(2):192-198
Laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy (LSC) has been a safe and viable alternative to conversion to laparotomy in cases of severe cholecystitis. The objective of this study is to determine the utility of intraoperative choledochoscopy in LSC for the exploration of the gallbladder, cyst duct, and subsequent stone clearance of the cystic duct in cases of severe cholecystitis. A total of 72 patients diagnosed with severe cholecystitis received choledochoscopy-assisted laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy (CALSC). A choledochoscopy was performed to explore the gallbladder cavity and/or cystic duct, and to extract stones using a range of techniques. The clinical records, including the operative records and outcomes, were subjected to analysis. No LSC was converted to open surgery, and no bile duct or vascular injuries were sustained. All stones within the cystic duct were removed by a combination of techniques, including high-frequency needle knife electrotomy, basket, and electrohydraulic lithotripsy. A follow-up examination revealed the absence of residual bile duct stones, with the exception of one common bile duct stone, which was extracted via endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. In certain special cases, CALSC may prove to be an efficacious treatment for the management of severe cholecystitis. This technique allows for optimal comprehension of the situation within the gallbladder cavity and cystic duct, facilitating the removal of stones from the cystic duct and reducing the residue of the non-functional gallbladder remnant.
8.Carvedilol to prevent hepatic decompensation of cirrhosis in patients with clinically significant portal hypertension stratified by new non-invasive model (CHESS2306)
Chuan LIU ; Hong YOU ; Qing-Lei ZENG ; Yu Jun WONG ; Bingqiong WANG ; Ivica GRGUREVIC ; Chenghai LIU ; Hyung Joon YIM ; Wei GOU ; Bingtian DONG ; Shenghong JU ; Yanan GUO ; Qian YU ; Masashi HIROOKA ; Hirayuki ENOMOTO ; Amr Shaaban HANAFY ; Zhujun CAO ; Xiemin DONG ; Jing LV ; Tae Hyung KIM ; Yohei KOIZUMI ; Yoichi HIASA ; Takashi NISHIMURA ; Hiroko IIJIMA ; Chuanjun XU ; Erhei DAI ; Xiaoling LAN ; Changxiang LAI ; Shirong LIU ; Fang WANG ; Ying GUO ; Jiaojian LV ; Liting ZHANG ; Yuqing WANG ; Qing XIE ; Chuxiao SHAO ; Zhensheng LIU ; Federico RAVAIOLI ; Antonio COLECCHIA ; Jie LI ; Gao-Jun TENG ; Xiaolong QI
Clinical and Molecular Hepatology 2025;31(1):105-118
Background:
s/Aims: Non-invasive models stratifying clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH) are limited. Herein, we developed a new non-invasive model for predicting CSPH in patients with compensated cirrhosis and investigated whether carvedilol can prevent hepatic decompensation in patients with high-risk CSPH stratified using the new model.
Methods:
Non-invasive risk factors of CSPH were identified via systematic review and meta-analysis of studies involving patients with hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG). A new non-invasive model was validated for various performance aspects in three cohorts, i.e., a multicenter HVPG cohort, a follow-up cohort, and a carvediloltreating cohort.
Results:
In the meta-analysis with six studies (n=819), liver stiffness measurement and platelet count were identified as independent risk factors for CSPH and were used to develop the new “CSPH risk” model. In the HVPG cohort (n=151), the new model accurately predicted CSPH with cutoff values of 0 and –0.68 for ruling in and out CSPH, respectively. In the follow-up cohort (n=1,102), the cumulative incidences of decompensation events significantly differed using the cutoff values of <–0.68 (low-risk), –0.68 to 0 (medium-risk), and >0 (high-risk). In the carvediloltreated cohort, patients with high-risk CSPH treated with carvedilol (n=81) had lower rates of decompensation events than non-selective beta-blockers untreated patients with high-risk CSPH (n=613 before propensity score matching [PSM], n=162 after PSM).
Conclusions
Treatment with carvedilol significantly reduces the risk of hepatic decompensation in patients with high-risk CSPH stratified by the new model.
9.Impact of Onset-to-Door Time on Endovascular Therapy for Basilar Artery Occlusion
Tianlong LIU ; Chunrong TAO ; Zhongjun CHEN ; Lihua XU ; Yuyou ZHU ; Rui LI ; Jun SUN ; Li WANG ; Chao ZHANG ; Jianlong SONG ; Xiaozhong JING ; Adnan I. QURESHI ; Mohamad ABDALKADER ; Thanh N. NGUYEN ; Raul G. NOGUEIRA ; Jeffrey L. SAVER ; Wei HU
Journal of Stroke 2025;27(1):140-143
10.Synthetic MRI Combined With Clinicopathological Characteristics for Pretreatment Prediction of Chemoradiotherapy Response in Advanced Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma
Siyu CHEN ; Jiankun DAI ; Jing ZHAO ; Shuang HAN ; Xiaojun ZHANG ; Jun CHANG ; Donghui JIANG ; Heng ZHANG ; Peng WANG ; Shudong HU
Korean Journal of Radiology 2025;26(2):135-145
Objective:
To explore the feasibility of synthetic magnetic resonance imaging (syMRI) combined with clinicopathological characteristics for the pre-treatment prediction of chemoradiotherapy (CRT) response in advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (ANPC).
Materials and Methods:
Patients with ANPC treated with CRT between September 2020 and June 2022 were retrospectively enrolled and categorized into response group (RG, n = 95) and non RGs (NRG, n = 32) based on the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) 1.1. The quantitative parameters from pre-treatment syMRI (longitudinal [T1] and transverse [T2] relaxation times and proton density [PD]), diffusion-weighted imaging (apparent diffusion coefficient [ADC]), and clinicopathological characteristics were compared between RG and NRG. Logistic regression analysis was applied to identify parameters independently associated with CRT response and to construct a multivariable model. The areas under the receiveroperating characteristic curve (AUC) for various diagnostic approaches were compared using the DeLong test.
Results:
The T1, T2, and PD values in the NRG were significantly lower than those in the RG (all P < 0.05), whereas no significant difference was observed in the ADC values between these two groups. Clinicopathological characteristics (Epstein–Barr virus [EBV]-DNA level, lymph node extranodal extension, clinical stage, and Ki-67 expression) exhibited significant differences between the two groups. Logistic regression analysis showed that T1, PD, EBV-DNA level, clinical stage, and Ki-67 expression had significant independent relationships with CRT response (all P < 0.05). The multivariable model incorporating these five variables yielded AUC, sensitivity, and specificity values of 0.974, 93.8% (30/32), and 91.6% (87/95), respectively.
Conclusion
SyMRI may be used for the pretreatment prediction of CRT response in ANPC. The multivariable model incorporating syMRI quantitative parameters and clinicopathological characteristics, which were independently associated with CRT response, may be a new tool for the pretreatment prediction of CRT response.

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