1.ERBB3 blockade sensitizes hepatocellular carcinoma to regorafenib after first-line tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance by inhibiting HIF1A-ABCB1 signaling
Baorui TAO ; Chenhe YI ; Bo ZHANG ; Yan GENG ; Yinchen GU ; Rongquan SUN ; Xiangyu WANG ; Jing LIN ; Jinhong CHEN
Clinical and Molecular Hepatology 2026;32(2):787-807
Background/Aims:
Regorafenib is recommended by guidelines and trials as a sequential second-line therapy following progression on first-line sorafenib or lenvatinib in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, efficacy is limited, highlighting the urgent need to screen suitable patients and develop sensitization strategies.
Methods:
Acquired sorafenib- or lenvatinib-resistant (SR or LR) HCC cell lines and organoids were established. Genome-wide CRISPR library screen was performed in SR or LR cell strains to identify synthetic lethal targets of regorafenib. RNA-seq and FITC-regorafenib efflux assay were used to elucidate ERBB3-driven downstream signaling. Preclinical mouse models of cell line- and patient-derived xenografts and clinical cohorts of HCC patients were employed to validate the efficacy of ERBB3-guided patient stratification.
Results:
Screening with CRISPR library, we showed that inhibition of ERBB3 was synthetic lethal with regorafenib in SR or LR cell strains and organoids. Mechanistically, SR or LR triggered feedback activation of ERBB3 signaling and mediated regorafenib efflux via ERBB3-HIF1A-ABCB1 cascade pathway, limiting sensitivity to regorafenib. Moreover, ERBB3-low tumors following SR or LR exhibited significant sensitivity to regorafenib, suggesting its potential as a predictive biomarker to screen optimal candidates for sequential therapy. Seribantumab, an ERBB3-targeting monoclonal antibody, inhibited ERBB3-HIF1A-ABCB1 cascade, and its combination with regorafenib exerted marked synergistic anti-tumor effects on ERBB3-high tumors resistant to sorafenib or lenvatinib both in vitro and in vivo.
Conclusions
This study revealed that ERBB3 was a key resistance factor driving limited efficacy to sequential regorafenib, but also an effective therapeutic target whose inhibition enhanced regorafenib sensitivity after SR or LR.
2.The 5-HT Descending Facilitation System Contributes to the Disinhibition of Spinal PKCγ Neurons and Neuropathic Allodynia via 5-HT2C Receptors.
Xiao ZHANG ; Xiao-Lan HE ; Zhen-Hua JIANG ; Jing QI ; Chen-Chen HUANG ; Jian-Shuai ZHAO ; Nan GU ; Yan LU ; Qun WANG
Neuroscience Bulletin 2025;41(7):1161-1180
Neuropathic pain, often featuring allodynia, imposes significant physical and psychological burdens on patients, with limited treatments due to unclear central mechanisms. Addressing this challenge remains a crucial unsolved issue in pain medicine. Our previous study, using protein kinase C gamma (PKCγ)-tdTomato mice, highlights the spinal feedforward inhibitory circuit involving PKCγ neurons in gating neuropathic allodynia. However, the regulatory mechanisms governing this circuit necessitate further elucidation. We used diverse transgenic mice and advanced techniques to uncover the regulatory role of the descending serotonin (5-HT) facilitation system on spinal PKCγ neurons. Our findings revealed that 5-HT neurons from the rostral ventromedial medulla hyperpolarize spinal inhibitory interneurons via 5-HT2C receptors, disinhibiting the feedforward inhibitory circuit involving PKCγ neurons and exacerbating allodynia. Inhibiting spinal 5-HT2C receptors restored the feedforward inhibitory circuit, effectively preventing neuropathic allodynia. These insights offer promising therapeutic targets for neuropathic allodynia management, emphasizing the potential of spinal 5-HT2C receptors as a novel avenue for intervention.
Animals
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Neuralgia/physiopathology*
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Protein Kinase C/metabolism*
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Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2C/metabolism*
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Hyperalgesia/physiopathology*
;
Mice, Transgenic
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Mice
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Spinal Cord/metabolism*
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Serotonin/metabolism*
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Male
;
Neurons/metabolism*
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Mice, Inbred C57BL
3.Clinical Significance of XPO1 High Expression in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma and Its Mechanism.
Jing ZHANG ; Yan GU ; Jia-Heng GUAN ; Xue WU ; Bao-An CHEN
Journal of Experimental Hematology 2025;33(2):393-406
OBJECTIVE:
To explore the expression and clinical significance of XPO1 in newly diagnosed adult diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), and further investigate its functional mechanism.
METHODS:
Immunohistochemical testing was conducted for XPO1 expression in 93 cases of DLBCL and 30 cases of reactive lymphoid hyperplasia. A risk model was construed to find survival related genes in DLBCL patients. Cell proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle assays were performed to explore the effect of XPO1 inhibitor (KPT-8602) and XPO1 knockdown. Differential expression gene (DEG) was examined based on the transcriptomes.
RESULTS
The expression of XPO1 in DLBCL patients was higher than that of the controls. Compared with XPO1 low-expression group, XPO1 high-expression group had a worse prognosis. The constructed risk model indicated that XPO1 and 14 genes in nucleocytoplasmic transport pathway (NTP) might be potential prediction marker of adverse outcome in DLBCL. Moreover, KPT-8602 as well as the XPO1 knockdown could inhibit cell proliferation, promote apoptosis, and induce cell cycle arrest in two DLBCL cell lines, Farage and SU-DHL-4. Based on the gene expression profiling in the datasets of DLBCL, patients were classified into XPO1 high and XPO1 low expression groups, and the MYBL1 was identified as the down-stream effector of XPO1. Inhibiting the function of XPO1 or reducing its expression can significantly decrease the expression of MYBL1 Conclusion: XPO1 is highly expressed in DLBCL, which is associated with poor prognosis. The oncogenic roles of the new XPO1/MYBL1 signaling are identified in DLBCL and XPO1 inhibitor may be a potential option for newly-diagnosed DLBCL patients.
Humans
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Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse/pathology*
;
Exportin 1 Protein
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Karyopherins/metabolism*
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Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear/metabolism*
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Cell Proliferation
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Apoptosis
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Prognosis
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Cell Line, Tumor
;
Clinical Relevance
4.Glycemic Control and Diabetes Duration in Relation to Subsequent Myocardial Infarction among Patients with Coronary Heart Disease and Type 2 Diabetes.
Fu Rong LI ; Yan DOU ; Chun Bao MO ; Shuang WANG ; Jing ZHENG ; Dong Feng GU ; Feng Chao LIANG
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2025;38(1):27-36
OBJECTIVE:
This study aimed to investigate the impact of glycemic control and diabetes duration on subsequent myocardial infarction (MI) in patients with both coronary heart disease (CHD) and type 2 diabetes (T2D).
METHODS:
We conducted a retrospective cohort study of 33,238 patients with both CHD and T2D in Shenzhen, China. Patients were categorized into 6 groups based on baseline fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels and diabetes duration (from the date of diabetes diagnosis to the baseline date) to examine their combined effects on subsequent MI. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used, with further stratification by age, sex, and comorbidities to assess potential interactions.
RESULTS:
Over a median follow-up of 2.4 years, 2,110 patients experienced MI. Compared to those with optimal glycemic control (FPG < 6.1 mmol/L) and shorter diabetes duration (< 10 years), the fully-adjusted hazard ratio ( HR) (95% Confidence Interval [95% CI]) for those with a diabetes duration of ≥ 10 years and FPG > 8.0 mmol/L was 1.93 (95% CI: 1.59, 2.36). The combined effects of FPG and diabetes duration on MI were largely similar across different age, sex, and comorbidity groups, although the excess risk of MI associated with long-term diabetes appeared to be more pronounced among those with atrial fibrillation.
CONCLUSION
Our study indicates that glycemic control and diabetes duration significant influence the subsequent occurrence of MI in patients with both CHD and T2D. Tailored management strategies emphasizing strict glycemic control may be particularly beneficial for patients with longer diabetes duration and atrial fibrillation.
Humans
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Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2/blood*
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Male
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Female
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Middle Aged
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Aged
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Coronary Disease/complications*
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Myocardial Infarction/etiology*
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Retrospective Studies
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China/epidemiology*
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Glycemic Control
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Blood Glucose
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Adult
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Risk Factors
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Time Factors
5.Guideline for Adult Weight Management in China
Weiqing WANG ; Qin WAN ; Jianhua MA ; Guang WANG ; Yufan WANG ; Guixia WANG ; Yongquan SHI ; Tingjun YE ; Xiaoguang SHI ; Jian KUANG ; Bo FENG ; Xiuyan FENG ; Guang NING ; Yiming MU ; Hongyu KUANG ; Xiaoping XING ; Chunli PIAO ; Xingbo CHENG ; Zhifeng CHENG ; Yufang BI ; Yan BI ; Wenshan LYU ; Dalong ZHU ; Cuiyan ZHU ; Wei ZHU ; Fei HUA ; Fei XIANG ; Shuang YAN ; Zilin SUN ; Yadong SUN ; Liqin SUN ; Luying SUN ; Li YAN ; Yanbing LI ; Hong LI ; Shu LI ; Ling LI ; Yiming LI ; Chenzhong LI ; Hua YANG ; Jinkui YANG ; Ling YANG ; Ying YANG ; Tao YANG ; Xiao YANG ; Xinhua XIAO ; Dan WU ; Jinsong KUANG ; Lanjie HE ; Wei GU ; Jie SHEN ; Yongfeng SONG ; Qiao ZHANG ; Hong ZHANG ; Yuwei ZHANG ; Junqing ZHANG ; Xianfeng ZHANG ; Miao ZHANG ; Yifei ZHANG ; Yingli LU ; Hong CHEN ; Li CHEN ; Bing CHEN ; Shihong CHEN ; Guiyan CHEN ; Haibing CHEN ; Lei CHEN ; Yanyan CHEN ; Genben CHEN ; Yikun ZHOU ; Xianghai ZHOU ; Qiang ZHOU ; Jiaqiang ZHOU ; Hongting ZHENG ; Zhongyan SHAN ; Jiajun ZHAO ; Dong ZHAO ; Ji HU ; Jiang HU ; Xinguo HOU ; Bimin SHI ; Tianpei HONG ; Mingxia YUAN ; Weibo XIA ; Xuejiang GU ; Yong XU ; Shuguang PANG ; Tianshu GAO ; Zuhua GAO ; Xiaohui GUO ; Hongyi CAO ; Mingfeng CAO ; Xiaopei CAO ; Jing MA ; Bin LU ; Zhen LIANG ; Jun LIANG ; Min LONG ; Yongde PENG ; Jin LU ; Hongyun LU ; Yan LU ; Chunping ZENG ; Binhong WEN ; Xueyong LOU ; Qingbo GUAN ; Lin LIAO ; Xin LIAO ; Ping XIONG ; Yaoming XUE
Chinese Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism 2025;41(11):891-907
Body weight abnormalities, including overweight, obesity, and underweight, have become a dual public health challenge in Chinese adults: overweight and obesity lead to a variety of chronic complications, while underweight increases the risks of malnutrition, sarcopenia, and organ dysfunction. To systematically address these issues, multidisciplinary experts in endocrinology, sports science, nutrition, and psychiatry from various regions have held multiple weight management seminars. Based on the latest epidemiological data and clinical evidence, they expanded the guideline to include assessment and intervention strategies for underweight, in addition to the core content of obesity management. This guideline outlines the etiological mechanisms, evaluation methods, and multidimensional management strategies for overweight and obesity, covering key areas such as diagnosis and assessment, medical nutrition therapy, exercise prescription, pharmacological intervention, and psychological support. It is intended to provide a scientific and standardized approach to weight management across the adult population, aiming to curb the rising prevalence of obesity, mitigate complications associated with abnormal body weight, and improve nutritional status and overall quality of life.
6.Study on the association between systemic immune-inflammation index and metabolic types and characteristics of obesity in children and adolescents
Jiayi WAN ; Shiyun LUO ; Jie HUANG ; Wanzhen ZHONG ; Guixian TAO ; Chunzi ZENG ; Jiaying GUO ; Weiwei ZHANG ; Jing GU ; Yan LI
Chinese Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;59(11):1916-1923
Objective:To explore the association between the systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and obesity metabolic phenotypes, as well as metabolic features in children and adolescents.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted using the random cluster sampling method from March 2023 to May 2024. Children and adolescents aged 9-17 years in Guangzhou were surveyed through questionnaires, physical measurements, and blood tests. According to BMI and metabolic status, participants were classified into normal-weight groups [metabolically healthy normal weight (MHNW) and metabolically unhealthy normal weight (MUNW)] and overweight/obese groups [metabolically healthy overweight/obese (MHO/O) and metabolically unhealthy overweight/obese (MUO/O)]. After natural log-transformation of SII values (lnSII), multinomial logistic regression was used to assess the association between SII and obesity metabolic phenotypes, while binary logistic regression was applied to assess the relationship between SII and metabolic phenotypes in the overweight/obese subgroup. Linear regression model and restricted cubic spline (RCS) were employed to examine the relationship between SII and metabolic features among the entire population.Results:A total of 3 749 participants were included. After adjusting for covariates, for every unit increase in lnSII, the risk of MHO/O and MUO/O increased by 93% ( OR=1.93, 95% CI: 1.56-2.40, P<0.001) and 156% ( OR=2.56, 95% CI: 2.02-3.25, P<0.001), respectively. In the overweight/obesity subgroup, for every unit increase in lnSII, the risk of MUO/O increased by 37% ( OR=1.37, 95% CI: 1.01-1.87, P=0.045). Linear regression model and RCS showed that lnSII was positively correlated with systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (SBP: β=1.39, 95% CI: 0.67-2.11, P<0.001; DBP: β=1.27, 95% CI: 0.79-1.75, P<0.001). lnSII also had a non-linear relationship with triglyceride ( Pnonlinear=0.032) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol ( Pnonlinear=0.002). Conclusion:Elevated SII levels are associated with unfavorable obesity metabolic phenotypes, higher blood pressure, and altered lipid profiles in children and adolescents. SII may be a potential driving factor for metabolic heterogeneity in children and adolescents.
7.Analysis of the association between the use of oral progesterone drugs in early pregnancy and gestational diabetes mellitus
Yan QIN ; Jinhua GU ; Jing ZHU ; Lin LUO ; Peng PING ; Lingqi GU
China Pharmacy 2025;36(6):721-726
OBJECTIVE To explore the association between the use of oral progesterone drugs in early pregnancy and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). METHODS Through real-world retrospective cohort research method, pregnant women who underwent the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) at the Affiliated Maternal and Child Health Hospital of Nantong University between January 2022 and January 2023 were enrolled. Based on whether oral progesterone drugs were used in early pregnancy, they were divided into treatment group and control group; propensity score matching (PSM) with a 1∶1 ratio was employed to control for confounding factors; Logistic regression and linear regression were employed to analyze the association between drug factors (whether use of oral progesterone drug, duration of medication, dosage, and drug type) and outcome indicators (occurrence of GDM, fasting blood glucose levels, and OGTT 1 and 2 h blood glucose levels in late pregnancy). RESULTS A total of 709 pregnant women were enrolled in the two groups before PSM; after PSM, 256 cases were included in both the treatment group and the control group. The results of association analysis indicated that there was no significant association between the use of oral progesterone drugs and GDM (P>0.05); but a significant correlation was found with OGTT 1 h blood glucose levels [β=0.965, 95%CI (0.007,1.922), P<0.05], specifically with Dydrogesterone tablets [β=0.977, 95%CI (0.009, 1.944), P<0.05] and Progesterone soft capsules [β =1.089, 95%CI (0.077, 2.102), P<0.05]. There was no significant correlation between other drug factors and outcome indicators (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS The use of oral progestogen drugs in early pregnancy is not significantly associated with GDM. The blood glucose levels in late pregnancy, especially OGTT 1 h blood glucose levels, have a certain correlation with Progesterone soft capsules and Dydrogesterone tablets.
9.Programmed death-ligand 1 tumor proportion score in predicting the safety and efficacy of PD-1/PD-L1 antibody-based therapy in patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer: A retrospective, multicenter, observational study.
Yuequan SHI ; Xiaoyan LIU ; Anwen LIU ; Jian FANG ; Qingwei MENG ; Cuimin DING ; Bin AI ; Yangchun GU ; Cuiying ZHANG ; Chengzhi ZHOU ; Yan WANG ; Yongjie SHUI ; Siyuan YU ; Dongming ZHANG ; Jia LIU ; Haoran ZHANG ; Qing ZHOU ; Xiaoxing GAO ; Minjiang CHEN ; Jing ZHAO ; Wei ZHONG ; Yan XU ; Mengzhao WANG
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(14):1730-1740
BACKGROUND:
This study aimed to investigate programmed death-ligand 1 tumor proportion score in predicting the safety and efficacy of PD-1/PD-L1 antibody-based therapy in treating patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in a real-world setting.
METHODS:
This retrospective, multicenter, observational study enrolled adult patients who received PD-1/PD-L1 antibody-based therapy in China and met the following criteria: (1) had pathologically confirmed, unresectable stage III-IV NSCLC; (2) had a baseline PD-L1 tumor proportion score (TPS); and (3) had confirmed efficacy evaluation results after PD-1/PD-L1 treatment. Logistic regression, Kaplan-Meier analysis, and Cox regression were used to assess the progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and immune-related adverse events (irAEs) as appropriate.
RESULTS:
A total of 409 patients, 65.0% ( n = 266) with a positive PD-L1 TPS (≥1%) and 32.8% ( n = 134) with PD-L1 TPS ≥50%, were included in this study. Cox regression confirmed that patients with a PD-L1 TPS ≥1% had significantly improved PFS (hazard ratio [HR] 0.747, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.573-0.975, P = 0.032). A total of 160 (39.1%) patients experienced 206 irAEs, and 27 (6.6%) patients experienced 31 grade 3-5 irAEs. The organs most frequently associated with irAEs were the skin (52/409, 12.7%), thyroid (40/409, 9.8%), and lung (34/409, 8.3%). Multivariate logistic regression revealed that a PD-L1 TPS ≥1% (odds ratio [OR] 1.713, 95% CI 1.054-2.784, P = 0.030) was an independent risk factor for irAEs. Other risk factors for irAEs included pretreatment absolute lymphocyte count >2.5 × 10 9 /L (OR 3.772, 95% CI 1.377-10.329, P = 0.010) and pretreatment absolute eosinophil count >0.2 × 10 9 /L (OR 2.006, 95% CI 1.219-3.302, P = 0.006). Moreover, patients who developed irAEs demonstrated improved PFS (13.7 months vs. 8.4 months, P <0.001) and OS (28.0 months vs. 18.0 months, P = 0.007) compared with patients without irAEs.
CONCLUSIONS
A positive PD-L1 TPS (≥1%) was associated with improved PFS and an increased risk of irAEs in a real-world setting. The onset of irAEs was associated with improved PFS and OS in patients with advanced NSCLC receiving PD-1/PD-L1-based therapy.
Humans
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Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/metabolism*
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Male
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Female
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Retrospective Studies
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Middle Aged
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Lung Neoplasms/metabolism*
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Aged
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B7-H1 Antigen/metabolism*
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Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor/metabolism*
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Adult
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Aged, 80 and over
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Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/therapeutic use*
10.Atypical forms of microglandular hyperplasia of the cervix: a clinicopathological analysis of 29 cases
Jing ZHAO ; Rongkui LUO ; Lihong ZHANG ; Weiyong GU ; Yinping XIAO ; Xianrong ZHOU ; Xiang TAO ; Yan NING
Chinese Journal of Pathology 2025;54(12):1311-1316
Objective:To investigate the clinicopathological characteristics, immunophenotype and differential diagnosis of atypical forms of microglandular hyperplasia of the cervix (AMGH).Methods:A total of 29 cases of AMGH diagnosed at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China from January 2010 to December 2024 were analyzed. Relevant clinical and pathological data of the patients were collected using the electronic medical record system and medical records copied from the outside hospitals. The patients were followed up.Results:Among the 29 cases, 28 were consultation cases, 22 (79%) of the 28 cases were considered as glandular neoplastic lesions by the original institutions. The nature of the lesion was uncertain in 1 case, the diagnosis was suspicious for AMGH in another 1 case, and only 4 cases were clearly diagnosed as AMGH. The median age of the 29 patients was 44 (43, 48) years. Eighteen (62%) of the 29 cases presented as cervical polyp. Twelve of the 16 tested cases were negative for human papillomavirus. The pathological presentation was complex and diverse, including solid, trabecular, cribriform, and papillary patterns, forming pseudo-invasive structures. The glandular epithelium and proliferating reserve cells had diverse morphologies, which presented with abundant eosinophilic cytoplasm or clear cytoplasm. Signet-ring or hobnail cells were also seen. The nuclear atypia was mild, with 0-7 mitotic figures per 10 HPF. Immature squamous metaplasia was noted. The stroma showed edema, myxoid change and hyaline degeneration, accompanied by infiltration of acute and chronic inflammatory cells. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that p16 was negative in 8/16 of the cases or patchy positive in the other 8/16, Ki-67 positive rate was less than 10% in all 16 cases, p53 was wild phenotype (9/9), and carcinoembryonic antigen was negative in 4/5 cases and focally positive in 1/5 cases, while p63 was positive in 6/9 of the tested cases.Conclusions:AMGH is a benign non-neoplastic lesion of the cervical glands. Half of the cases occur in perimenopausal or postmenopausal women, often presenting as polypoid hyperplasia or localized cervical thickening/elevation with a friable, fragile texture. Microscopically, it may show a pseudoinvasive pattern, making it prone to misdiagnosis as a malignant lesion. Thus, differentiation from cervical adenocarcinoma, clear cell carcinoma and microglandular endometrioid carcinoma is required. Integration of clinical history, immunohistochemistry and molecular testing may aid in the differential diagnosis.

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