1.Pathogenesis, clinical assessment, and intervention of fatigue in patients with primary biliary cholangitis
Weirui REN ; Chuang ZHANG ; Wenjuan ZHAO ; Junmin WANG
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2026;42(3):690-696
Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is an autoimmune liver disease characterized by intrahepatic cholestasis, while fatigue is a common symptom of PBC that significantly affects the quality of life of patients. The pathogenesis of fatigue is complex and may be associated with the factors such as cholestasis-induced inflammation, gut microbiota dysbiosis, brain structural and functional abnormalities, and mitochondrial dysfunction. At present, first-line therapies and liver transplantation have a limited effect in alleviating fatigue, and there is still a lack of standardized comprehensive assessment system. Emerging drugs and non-pharmaceutical interventions, including lifestyle modifications, have shown potential application prospects. This article systematically reviews the research advances in the clinical manifestations, pathogenesis, clinical assessment, and intervention of fatigue in PBC patients, in order to provide a reference for optimizing treatment strategies and promoting the research and development of new therapies.
2.Annual review of basic research on lung transplantation worldwide in 2025
Jier MA ; Kemeng SUN ; Xiaohan JIN ; Jiaqi LI ; Xinyue ZHANG ; Chama LOUJAINE ; Junmin ZHU ; Hengtao LIN ; Xiangyun ZHENG ; Junjie WANG ; Zengwei YU ; Yaling LIU ; Haoji YAN ; Dong TIAN
Organ Transplantation 2026;17(4):582-593
Lung transplantation is a definitive treatment for end-stage lung disease and can significantly improve patient prognosis. However, postoperative complications such as infection, rejection, ischemia-reperfusion injury and chronic lung allograft dysfunction intertwine to form a complex pathological network, posing persistent challenges to long-term patient survival. In 2025, research teams worldwide have made systematic progress in the field of basic lung transplantation research. By integrating cutting-edge technologies including single-cell multi-omics, spatial transcriptomics and novel animal models, significant breakthroughs have been achieved in the evolutionary dynamics of drug-resistant infections, molecular mechanisms of immune regulation, programmed cell death, optimization of donor lung protection strategies and early warning of chronic lung allograft dysfunction. This article systematically reviews the representative advances in basic lung transplantation research worldwide in 2025, and deeply analyzes the implications of mechanistic breakthroughs for optimizing diagnosis and treatment strategies, aiming to anchor the direction for innovative breakthroughs and clinical translation in basic lung transplantation research.
3.Role of telomerase in the onset and treatment of gastric cancer.
Gang CHEN ; Minmin ZHANG ; Yulu WANG ; Yumin LI ; Junmin ZHU
Journal of Central South University(Medical Sciences) 2025;50(2):259-265
China is a high-incidence region for gastric cancer globally. The disease is characterized by a high morbidity rate, low early diagnostic rate, and poor long-term outcomes, imposing a significant burden on both patients and society. Therefore, exploring the pathogenesis of gastric cancer, developing novel therapeutic strategies, and identifying new drug targets is of great importance. Telomerase expression is broadly associated with cancer cell targeting, and its up-regulation is one of the key factors driving the initiation and progression of gastric cancer. Additionally, telomerase is intricately involved in the regulation of autophagy and autophagy-associated cell death. While autophagy can induce chemoresistance, excessive autophagy may lead to cell death, which also constitutes one of the mechanisms of chemotherapy. Telomerase not only directly contributes to gastric cancer pathogenesis but also indirectly influences its development and treatment by modulating autophagy and autophagic cell death. Therefore, telomerase holds promise as a novel therapeutic target in gastric cancer.
Humans
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Stomach Neoplasms/genetics*
;
Telomerase/genetics*
;
Autophagy/physiology*
4.Involvement of sympathetic nerve in the regulation of disuse atrophy of skeletal muscles: a preliminary study
Dongliang CHENG ; Mingming ZHANG ; Jiang LIU ; Junmin SHEN ; Zhongqi WANG ; Xinyu SUN ; Duanyang WANG ; Feifan CHANG ; Haobo ZHANG ; Pincong FU ; Ming CHEN ; Yi LI ; Pengbin YIN ; Licheng ZHANG ; Peifu TANG
Chinese Journal of Orthopaedic Trauma 2025;27(3):242-249
Objective:To investigate the changes in sympathetic nerve activity after lower limb immobilization and the role of sympathetic nerve in regulating disuse atrophy of skeletal muscles.Methods:The experiment was divided into the following 3 parts: ① Twelve 8-week-old male C57 mice were randomly divided into a blank control group and a hind limb fixation group ( n=6). The blank control group received no intervention while the hind limb fixation group received splint fixation of the hind limbs for 2 weeks before the musculoskeletal multi-dimensional characterization was completed at the behavioral, pathological and molecular levels. ② Thirty-six 8-week-old male C57 mice were selected and randomly divided into a control group and 5 hind limb fixation groups (for 1, 3, 5, 7 and 14 days) ( n=6). The control group was fed normally until 14 days without any intervention while the 5 hind limb fixation groups were sampled after fixation for 1, 3, 5, 7 and 14 days, respectively. The level of norepinephrine in the serum and the expression level of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), a marker of sympathetic nerve activity in the paraventricular nucleus of hypothalamus (PVN), were detected to observe the plasticity of sympathetic nerve activity. ③ Eighteen 8-week-old male C57 mice were selected and randomly divided into a blank control group, a hind limb fixation group and a hind limb fixation plus medication group ( n=6). The blank control group received no intervention while the 2 fixation groups were injected with phosphate buffer (PBS) and propranolol hydrochloride solution for 2 consecutive weeks, respectively. The parameters related to the skeletal muscles were compared between the 3 groups. Results:① Compared with the control group, the mass and function of skeletal muscles in the hind limb fixation group were statistically significantly decreased ( P<0.05). ② The levels of serum norepinephrine [(3.27±1.03) ng/mL, (9.21±1.05) ng/mL, (6.36±0.88) ng/mL, (3.84±1.00) ng/mL, and (3.91±0.75) ng/mL] and the PVN TH levels (42.00%±5.38%, 61.67%±5.57%, 55.82%±3.11%, 50.90%±2.53%, and 39.17%±9.07%) in the 5 hind limb fixation groups (for 1, 3, 5, 7 and 14 days) were significantly higher than those in the control group [(1.81±0.72)] ng/mL and 23.33%±5.50%] ( P<0.05). ③ The wet weight of the gastrocnemius muscle [(93.50±4.32) mg] and the cross-section area of the tibial anterior muscle [(1,180.00±95.09) μm 2] in the hind limb fixation plus medication group were increased significantly compared with those in the hind limb fixation group [(80.83±9.99) mg and (907.80±121.00) μm 2] ( P<0.05). Conclusions:Overactivation of the sympathetic nervous system occurs in the mice model of skeletal muscle disuse atrophy after hind limb fixation. Inhibition of sympathetic nerve activity may reduce the severity of skeletal muscle atrophy at the lower limbs.
5.Clinical features and genetic analysis of a child with Progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis type 8 due to compound heterozygous variants of KIF12 gene.
Dayan SUN ; Shixuan ZHANG ; Junmin LIAO ; Shuangshuang LI ; Dingding WANG ; Ya'nan ZHANG ; Yichao GU ; Kaiyun HUA ; Jinshi HUANG ; Yong ZHAO
Chinese Journal of Medical Genetics 2025;42(12):1437-1445
OBJECTIVE:
To explore the clinical phenotype and genetic characteristics of a child with Progressive familial intrahepatic cholestasis type 8 (PFIC8). METHODS A child with PFIC diagnosed at Beijing Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University in September 2025 was selected as the study subject. Peripheral venous blood samples were collected from the child and her parents. Following extraction of genomic DNA, whole-exome sequencing (WES) was carried out. Candidate variants were validated by Sanger sequencing. The pathogenicity of the candidate variants was classified based on the guidelines from American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG). This study was approved by the Medical Ethics Committee of Beijing Children's Hospital Affiliated to Capital Medical University (Ethics No.: 2023-E-126-Y).
RESULTS:
The proband, a 2-month-old female infant, had manifested jaundice of the skin and sclera, and slightly distended abdomen. She had no visible abdominal wall varicose veins, soft abdomen, and no palpable masses. Biliary atresia was ruled out by intraoperative cholangiography. WES revealed that she has harbored compound heterozygous variants of KIF12 gene, namely c.809C>T (p.Ala270Val) and c.1313G>A (p.Arg438Lys), which were verified by Sanger sequencing to have derived from her mother and father, respectively. According to the ACMG guidelines, both variants were classified as variants of uncertain significance (VUS). Based on the pre-defined search strategy, 10 articles were retrieved, which involved 25 PFIC cases, including 5 from China. Together with the proband of this study, the 26 PFIC patients have primarily presented with high GGT cholestasis, with the genetic cause in all cases attributed to variants of the KIF12 gene.
CONCLUSION
The c.809C>T and c.1313G>A compound heterozygous variants of the KIF12 gene probably underlay the pathogenesis of cholestatic liver disease in this child. Above findings have enriched the mutational and phenotypic spectra of PFIC8.
Humans
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Kinesins/genetics*
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Female
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Cholestasis, Intrahepatic/genetics*
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Infant
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Heterozygote
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Mutation
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Exome Sequencing
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Male
6.Degradation dynamics and residue determination of pyriclobenzuron in rice and paddy environments
Huanqi WU ; Junmin WANG ; Kongtan YANG ; Xumi WANG ; Nan FANG ; Liping DUAN ; Changpeng ZHANG ; Xiangyun WANG
Chinese Journal of Schistosomiasis Control 2025;37(2):201-208
Objective To establish a method for determination of pyriclobenzuron (PBU) residues in rice and paddy environments, and to determine the residual amounts and observe the degradation dynamics of PBU. Methods In July 2022, the paddies of Zhejiang Academy of Agricultural Sciences were selected as experimental fields, and were divided into the blank control group (no pesticide application), the 1-fold-concentration pesticide group (1 kg/667 m2), and the 5-fold-concentration pesticide group (5 kg/667 m2), with a 100 m2 area in each group. At the early tillering stage of rice, 20% suspension of PBU sulfate was sprayed once in the 1-fold-concentration and 5-fold-concentration pesticide groups, and rice plants, paddy water and soil samples were collected 2 h, and 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 14, 21, 28, 35, 49 d and 63 d following spraying PBU, while rice straw, field soil, brown rice and rice husk samples were collected 98 d following spraying. PBU was extracted and purified in samples using a quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) pretreatment technique, and the PBU contents were determined in samples using ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The solvent standard working solution and matrix standard working solution were prepared. A linear regression equation was fitted between PBU concentration (x-axis) and peak area (y-axis), and the ratio of the slope (k) of the matrix standard curve to the slope (K) of the solvent standard curve was calculated to evaluate the matrix effect of PBU in samples. According to the Guidelines for Pesticide Residue Testing in Crops (NY/T 788—2018), the addition levels of PBU were set at 0.005, 0.050, 5.000, 1 000.000 mg/kg in rice plants, 0.005, 0.050, 2.000, 10.000 mg/kg in paddy water, 0.005, 0.050, 2.000 mg/kg in soil, and 0.005, 0.050, 5.000 mg/kg in brown rice and rice husks. The recovery and relative standard deviation (RSD) of PBU addition were calculated to evaluate the effectiveness of UPLC-MS/MS for determination of PBU contents. The first-order kinetic equation of PBU concentration was fitted in samples at different sampling time points to analyze the trends in PBU degradation in rice plants, paddy water, and soil, and the half-life of PBU was calculated in different samples. Results There was a good linear relationship between the mass concentration and peak area of PBU at concentrations of 0.000 1 to 0.020 0 mg/kg under solvent and matrix conditions (R2 = 0.985 8 to 0.999 7, t = -0.47 to 1.62, all P values < 0.01). The matrix effects of PBU were 70.26%, 65.42% and 65.12% in rice plants, brown rice and rice husks, indicating a matrix-inhibitory effect, and the matrix effect was 87.06% in soils, indicating a weak matrix effect. The recovery of PBU addition was 77.61% to 100.12% in different samples, with RSD of 1.43% to 6.74%, and a limit of quantification (LOQ) of 0.005 mg/kg, and the addition recovery and RSD met the requirements of the Guidelines for Pesticide Residue Testing in Crops (NY/T 788—2018), validating the effectiveness of UPLC-MS/MS assay. Following spraying PBU at a dose of 1 kg/667 m2, the half-life of PBU was 6.24 d in rice plants and 3.43 d in paddy water samples, respectively. The final residues of PBU were lower than the LOQ of 0.005 mg/kg in brown rice and rice husk samples 98 d following spraying PBU. Following spraying PBU at a dose of 5 kg/667 m2, the half-life of PBU was 15.75 d in rice plants and 7.62 d in paddy water samples, respectively. The final residue of PBU was lower than the LOQ of 0.005 mg/kg in brown rice 98 d following spraying PBU, and the final residue of PBU was 0.049 mg/kg in rice husks. Conclusions A simple, and highly accurate and precise UPLC-MS/MS assay has been developed for determination of PBU residues in rice plants and paddy environments through extraction and purification of PBU from matrix samples using QuEChERS pretreatment. After spraying PBU in paddies, the concentration of PBU gradually decreases in rice plants and paddy water over time, and the final residual concentration is low.
7.Challenges and strategies for implementing the STAR tool for comprehensive evaluation of guidelines: A qualitative study with Chinese clinicians.
Nan YANG ; Xu WANG ; Hongfeng HE ; Jungang ZHAO ; Yishan QIN ; Yueyan LI ; Janne ESTILL ; Junmin WEI ; Yaolong CHEN
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(21):2681-2692
BACKGROUND:
The STAR (Scientific, Transparent, and Applicable Rankings) working group conducts regular evaluations of Chinese guidelines and consensus statements. This study gathered insights from STAR working group members using qualitative interviews.
METHODS:
From March to August 2023, members of the STAR specialist committees were interviewed using semi-structured interview outline. The interviewees were selected through purpose-based sampling. Subject analysis was employed to summarize the findings.
RESULTS:
We conducted interviews with 37 members from 36 committees and summarized the contents into four main themes and 16 specific topics. The value of STAR in enhancing the development and selection of high-quality guidelines in China was commonly mentioned. Challenges identified included the lack of resources and suboptimal organizational structures, collaboration, and evaluation efficiency. Suggestions for the STAR tool included developing extensions for different guideline types, adjusting certain items, and better covering guideline applicability. The promotion of STAR and the consideration of an international committee for global outreach were also highlighted.
CONCLUSION
STAR has exerted a substantial influence on the evaluation of Chinese guidelines, and the insights gained from interviews offer valuable directions for its further enhancement.
Humans
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China
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Qualitative Research
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Practice Guidelines as Topic
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Interviews as Topic
8.STAR Recommendations: A novel framework for generating recommendations.
Xu WANG ; Janne ESTILL ; Hui LIU ; Qianling SHI ; Jie ZHANG ; Shilin TANG ; Huayu ZHANG ; Xueping LI ; Zhewei LI ; Yaxuan REN ; Bingyi WANG ; Fan WANG ; Juan JUAN ; Huixia YANG ; Xiuyuan HAO ; Junmin WEI ; Yaolong CHEN
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(14):1643-1646
9.Effect of miR-137 on atherosclerotic vulnerable plaques in mice through targeting sex determining region Y box protein 4
Siliang HAN ; Yichao ZHANG ; Junmin XIE ; Zhe WANG ; Shaoqing SHEN ; Fanchang KONG
Chinese Journal of Geriatric Heart Brain and Vessel Diseases 2025;27(5):642-649
Objective To investigate the effect and underlying mechanism of miR-137 on athero-sclerosis(AS)plaques in apolipoprotein E(ApoE)gene knockout(ApoE)mice.Methods Sixty ApoE-/-mice were fed with high-fat diet for 12 weeks to establish an AS model.Then they were assigned into AS group,negative control group,miR-137 group,Ad negative control group,and combination group,with 12 mice in each group;Another 12 wild-type C57BL/6 mice fed with chow diet were subjected as the Control group.Fully automated biochemical analyzer was applied to detect serum lipid levels,including total cholesterol(TC),triglycerides(TG),low-density lipo-protein cholesterol(LDL-C),and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol(HDL-C).ELISA was con-ducted to detect the levels of serum inflammatory factors,including TNF-α,IL-4,IL-6,and IL-10.HE staining was used to observe the morphological changes of mouse aortic tissue.Oil red O stai-ning was employed to observe the overall formation of aortic plaques.Immunofluorescence stai-ning was utilized to detect the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase(iNOS)and arginase-1(Arg-1)in the aortic tissue.Real-time qPCR was applied to detect the mRNA expression of miR-137 and sex determining region Y box protein 4(SOX4)in the aorta.Results The miR-137 group has significantly lower serum levels of TG,TC,LDL-C,TNF-α and IL-6,and higher levels of HDL-C,IL-10 and IL-4 when compared with the AS group and negative control group(P<0.05).The combination treatment resulted in increased serum levels of TG,TC,LDL-C,TNF-αand IL-6,while decreased levels of HDL-C,IL-10 and IL-4 in comparison with the Ad negative control group(P<0.05).Larger aortic plaque area,more severe overall aortic plaque injury and stronger iNOS fluorescence intensity were observed in the AS group than the control group(P<0.05).Treatment of miR-137 reversed above histological changes,resulting in smaller aortic plaque area,attenuated overall aortic plaque injury,decreased iNOS fluorescence intensity,and elevated Arg-1 fluorescence intensity when compared with the AS group and negative control group(P<0.05).Compared with the Ad negative control group,the aortic plaque area,overall aortic plaque injury and iNOS fluorescence intensity were increased,while the Arg-1 fluorescence intensity was significantly decreased in the combined group(P<0.05).Double luciferase assay showed that the luciferase activity of SOX4-containing wild-type cells was significantly decreased after transfection of miR-137 mimics when compared with transfection of mimics negative control(0.37±0.05 vs 1.00±0.08,P<0.05).Conclusion Overexpression of miR-137 inhibits the activa-tion of rat sarcoma/mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway probably by down-regulating SOX4 expression,and then suppress M1 macrophage polarization and promote M2 macrophage polariza-tion,reduces inflammatory response and the formation of AS plaques.
10.The value of phase angle in predicting malnutrition in pancreatic cancer patients
Yifu HU ; Lijuan WANG ; Pengxue LI ; Bo CHENG ; Lei LI ; Lili DING ; Junmin WEI ; Jinghai SONG ; Jingyong XU
Chinese Journal of Clinical Nutrition 2025;33(1):25-30
Objective:To elucidate the correlation between phase angle and malnutrition and to determine the cut-off value for phase angle to predict malnutrition in pancreatic cancer patients.Methods:This prospective cross-sectional study enrolled patients with pancreatic cancer hospitalized in the Department of Hepato-pancreato biliary Surgery at Beijing Hospital between December 2021 and March 2024. Baseline data, diet survey results, and body composition of these patients were recorded. Phase angle was measured with the InBody 720(Biospace, Korea). The Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM) criteria were used to diagnose malnutrition.Results:A total of 110 cases (75 males and 35 females) aged 29-87(63.00±12.37) years were included. The prevalence of malnutrition was 63.6% (70/111) among the patients. Patients were divided into malnutrition ( n=77) and non-malnutrition ( n=33) groups as per the GLIM criteria. Phase angle was significantly lower in the malnutrition group than in the non-malnutrition group ( t=-3.808, P<0.001). Positive correlations were found between phase angle and body mass index, appendicular skeletal muscle mass index, fat-free mass index , fat-free mass, total energy intake, total protein, albumin, and prealbumin (all P<0.05).After adjusting for sex and age, low phase Angle remained an independent risk factor for malnutrition ( OR=3.809, 95% CI: 1.150-12.612, P=0.029). The cut-off values of phase angle for predicting malnutrition were 4.43 for males (with a sensitivity of 0.955, specificity of 0.585, area under the curve of 0.636; 95% CI: 0.508-0.763, P=0.037) and 4.54 for females (with a sensitivity of 1.000, specificity of 0.708, area under the curve of 0.799; 95% CI: 0.653-0.946, P<0.001). Conclusion:Phase angle may serve as a valid and simple indicator of malnutrition in pancreatic cancer patients.

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