ObjectiveTo investigate the molecular mechanisms related to angiogenesis during the development and progression of diabetic retinopathy （DR）. MethodsAngiogenesis-related genes were obtained from the Gencard website and intersected with differentially expressed genes from DR datasets （GSE60436 and GSE94019）. Functional enrichment and protein-protein interaction （PPI） networks were then used to screen candidate genes and evaluate their diagnostic value. Gene set enrichment analysis （GSEA） was used to explore potential pathways underlying candidate genes， and immune infiltration analysis revealed associations between candidate genes and immune cells. Cellular experiments were conducted to validate the role of fibronectin 1 （FN1） in human retinal microvascular endothelial cells （HRMECs） under high glucose （HG） conditions. ResultsA total of 237 differentially expressed genes related to angiogenesis were identified， enriched in pathways such as phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B signaling pathway （PI3K-Akt）， tumor suppressor protein 53 （P53）， tumor necrosis factor （TNF）， and Janus kinase （JAK）/signal transducer and activator of transcription signaling pathway （STAT）. Among them， collagen type I alpha 1 chain （COL1A1）， COL1A2， FN1， TNF， and tumor protein p53 （TP53） were key genes with high diagnostic value. GSEA indicated that these genes were involved in multiple signaling pathways， including P53. CIBERSORTx analysis revealed significant associations with the infiltration of multiple immune cells. HG treatment led to the upregulation of FN1. In HG-induced HRMECs， compared with the si-NC control group， si-FN1 significantly reduced cell proliferation， migration， and tube formation， while P53 protein expression was increased. ConclusionThis study reveals the important role of FN1 in angiogenesis in DR and suggests that it may be a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target.

Polycystic ovary syndrome（PCOS） and its resulting infertility is one of the common diseases of gynecology and reproductive endocrinology. The phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B（PI3K/Akt） signaling pathway is relatively well-studied in the development of intervention in PCOS， and the experiments on PCOS in rats conducted by traditional Chinese medicine through this signaling pathway is also the main direction of mechanistic research. In this paper， 20 articles published in academic journals in the past 5 years were selected through the corresponding criteria， and the objective situation and existing problems of the selected research projects were analyzed from five aspects， namely， baseline data， modeling and treatment， grouping， evaluative indexes， and pharmacodynamic indexes. It is found that there were different degrees of problems in each research project， such as the observation indicators of modeling， criteria for judging the success of the model， the treatment period， the calculation of dosage of prescription/active ingredients and specific dosage were not clearly defined， which could easily lead the bias of the results or reduce the validity of experimental data. Based on this， the list of PCOS rat experimental research operations was formed， involving five categories of experimental rats， model construction， study implementation， outcome measures and analysis and report with a total of 21 operation lists， with a view to provide a reference for the subsequent PCOS experiments related to scientific research and helping to form high-quality results.

BACKGROUND: Preclinical studies have indicated that Angong Niuhuang Pills (ANP) reduce cerebral infarct and edema volumes. This study aimed to investigate whether ANP safely reduces cerebral infarct and edema volumes in patients with moderate to severe acute ischemic stroke. METHODS: This randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial included patients with acute ischemic stroke with National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) scores ranging from 10 to 20 in 17 centers in China between April 2021 and July 2022. Patients were allocated within 36 h after onset via block randomization to receive ANP or placebo (3 g/day for 5 days). The primary outcomes were changes in cerebral infarct and edema volumes after 14 days of treatment. The primary safety outcome was severe adverse events (SAEs) for 90 days. RESULTS: There were 57 and 60 patients finally included in the ANP and placebo groups, respectively for modified intention-to-treat analysis. The median age was 66.0 years, and the median NIHSS score at baseline was 12.0. The changes in cerebral infarct volume at day 14 were 0.3 mL and 0.4 mL in the ANP and placebo groups, respectively (median difference: -7.1 mL; interquartile range [IQR]: -18.3 to 2.3 mL, P = 0.30). The changes in cerebral edema volume of the ANP and placebo groups on day 14 were 11.4 mL and 4.0 mL, respectively ( median difference: 3.0 mL, IQR: -1.3 to 9.9 mL, P = 0.15). The rates of SAE within 90 days were similar in the ANP (3/57, 5%) and placebo (7/60, 12%) groups ( P = 0.36). Changes in serum mercury and arsenic concentrations were comparable. In patients with large artery atherosclerosis, ANP reduced the cerebral infarct volume at 14 days (median difference: -12.3 mL; IQR: -27.7 to -0.3 mL, P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS: ANP showed a similar safety profile to placebo and non-significant tendency to reduce cerebral infarct volume in patients with moderate-to-severe stroke. Further studies are warranted to assess the efficacy of ANP in reducing cerebral infarcts and improving clinical prognosis. TRAIL REGISTRATION Clinicaltrials.gov , No. NCT04475328.
Aged ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Double-Blind Method ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Ischemic Stroke/drug therapy* ; Pilot Projects ; Stroke/drug therapy* ; Treatment Outcome

The increasing prevalence of aging has led to a rising incidence of comorbidity of sarcopenia and obesity, posing significant burdens on socioeconomic and public health. Current research has systematically explored the pathogenesis of each condition; however, the mechanisms underlying their comorbidity remain unclear. This study reviews the current literature on sarcopenia and obesity in the aging population, focusing on their shared biological mechanisms, which include loss of autophagy, abnormal macrophage function, mitochondrial dysfunction, and reduced sex hormone secretion. It also identifies metabolic mechanisms such as insulin resistance, vitamin D metabolism abnormalities, dysregulation of iron metabolism, decreased levels of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, and gut microbiota imbalances. Additionally, this study also explores the important role of genetic factors, such as alleles and microRNAs, in the co-occurrence of sarcopenia and obesity. A better understanding of these mechanisms is vital for developing clinical interventions and preventive strategies.
Humans ; Sarcopenia/physiopathology* ; Obesity/physiopathology* ; Aging/physiology* ; Autophagy/physiology* ; Insulin Resistance ; Comorbidity ; Vitamin D/metabolism* ; Gonadal Steroid Hormones/metabolism* ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome ; Mitochondria ; MicroRNAs

Stem cell treatment may enhance erectile dysfunction (ED) in individuals with cavernous nerve injury (CNI). Nevertheless, no investigations have directly ascertained the implications of varying amounts of human umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stem cells (HUC-MSCs) on ED. We compare the efficacy of three various doses of HUC-MSCs as a therapeutic strategy for ED. Sprague-Dawley rats (total = 175) were randomly allocated into five groups. A total of 35 rats underwent sham surgery and 140 rats endured bilateral CNI and were treated with vehicles or doses of HUC-MSCs (1 × 10 6 cells, 5 × 10 6 cells, and 1 × 10 7 cells in 0.1 ml, respectively). Penile tissues were harvested for histological analysis on 1 day, 3 days, 7 days, 14 days, 28 days, 60 days, and 90 days postsurgery. It was found that varying dosages of HUC-MSCs enhanced the erectile function of rats with bilateral CNI and ED. Moreover, there was no significant disparity in the effectiveness of various dosages of HUC-MSCs. However, the expression of endothelial markers (rat endothelial cell antigen-1 [RECA-1] and endothelial nitric oxide synthase [eNOS]), smooth muscle markers (alpha smooth muscle actin [α-SMA] and desmin), and neural markers (neurofilament [RECA-1] and neurogenic nitric oxide synthase [nNOS]) increased significantly with prolonged treatment time. Masson's staining demonstrated an increased in the smooth muscle cell (SMC)/collagen ratio. Significant changes were detected in the microstructures of various types of cells. In vivo imaging system (IVIS) analysis showed that at the 1 st day, the HUC-MSCs implanted moved to the site of damage. Additionally, the oxidative stress levels were dramatically reduced in the penises of rats administered with HUC-MSCs.
Male ; Animals ; Erectile Dysfunction/metabolism* ; Rats, Sprague-Dawley ; Mesenchymal Stem Cell Transplantation/methods* ; Rats ; Penis/pathology* ; Humans ; Disease Models, Animal ; Umbilical Cord/cytology* ; Peripheral Nerve Injuries/complications* ; Mesenchymal Stem Cells ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type III/metabolism* ; Actins/metabolism* ; Nitric Oxide Synthase Type I/metabolism*

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) rs1801133 and γ-glutamyl hydrolase (GGH) rs11545078 gene polymorphisms on plasma concentrations and toxicity following high-dose methotrexate (MTX) therapy in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). METHODS: Children with ALL treated at the Xuzhou Children's Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University from January 2021 to April 2024 were selected for this study. Genotypes of MTHFR rs1801133 and GGH rs11545078 were determined using multiplex polymerase chain reaction. MTX plasma concentrations were measured by enzyme-multiplied immunoassay technique, and toxicity was graded according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 5.0. The relationships between MTHFR rs1801133 and GGH rs11545078 genotypes and both MTX plasma concentrations and associated toxicities were analyzed. RESULTS: In the low-risk ALL group, the MTHFR rs1801133 genotype was associated with increased MTX plasma concentrations at 72 hours (P<0.05). In the intermediate- to high-risk group, the MTHFR rs1801133 genotype was associated with increased MTX plasma concentrations at 48 hours (P<0.05), and the GGH rs11545078 genotype was associated with increased MTX plasma concentrations at 48 hours (P<0.05). In the intermediate- to high-risk group, the MTHFR rs1801133 genotype was associated with the occurrence of reduced hemoglobin (P<0.05), and the GGH rs11545078 genotype was associated with the occurrence of thrombocytopenia (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Detection of MTHFR rs1801133 and GGH rs11545078 genotypes can be used to predict increased MTX plasma concentrations and the occurrence of toxic reactions in high-dose MTX treatment of ALL, enabling timely interventions to enhance safety.
Humans ; Methotrexate/toxicity* ; Methylenetetrahydrofolate Reductase (NADPH2)/genetics* ; Precursor Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/blood* ; Male ; Female ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; gamma-Glutamyl Hydrolase/genetics* ; Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic/adverse effects* ; Infant ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Adolescent ; Genotype ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide

Objective:To evaluate long-term outcomes of endoscopic papillectomy (EP) for duodenal papillary adenomas and to identify risk factors for incomplete resection.Methods:Clinical data of 180 patients diagnosed as having duodenal papillary adenoma via postoperative pathology after EP in Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, the Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School from January 2010 to December 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients were divided into two groups based on their postoperative margin status: the complete resection group (negative resection margins) and the incomplete resection group (positive/uncertain resection margins). Recurrence rates were compared between the two groups, and logistic regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors for incomplete resection.Results:Among the 180 patients included in the study, 137 underwent complete resection, and 43 had incomplete resections. Recurrence rate was significantly higher in the incomplete resection group than that in the complete resection group (30.2% VS 15.3%, χ2=4.75, P=0.029). logistic regression analysis indicated that high-grade intraepithelial neoplasia was an independent risk factor for incomplete resection ( OR=2.43, 95% CI:1.12-5.26, P=0.024). Conclusion:Patients with incomplete resection after EP have a higher recurrence rate in the long-term follow-up. High-grade intraepithelial neoplasia is an independent risk factor for incomplete resection. Close surveillance and aggressive management are warranted for patients with positive or uncertain resection margins to mitigate the recurrence risk.

Objective To investigate the effects of ischemia time and storage periods on RNA quality in fresh-frozen breast cancer(BC)and esophageal cancer(EC)tissue samples in order to establish evidence-based protocols for biobank sample management.Methods The tumor(T)and paired normal(N)tissue samples from 6 cases of BC and 6 cases of EC were collected and cryopreserved in Biobank,Shantou Central Hospital.Mirror paraffin-embedded tissues were simultaneously prepared into sections for morphological analysis.The samples were divided into two groups of<15 min and 15-30 min according to ischemia time,and RNA quality was analyzed at 4 storage periods of 8-10 months(T1),14-16 months(T2),26-28 months(T3)and 38-40 months(T4).Results In 96 analyzed samples,93.8%(90/96)exhibited high quality(RIN≥6),with 89.6%(43/48)in BC and 97.9%(47/48)in EC.Significant differences in RIN were observed between BC group and EC group(8.050 vs.8.600,P=0.009).In EC group,RIN value was significantly negatively correlated with RNA yield(P<0.001).Moreover,RIN values of tumor-normal pairs exhibited markedly significant differences(7.550 vs.9.000,P<0.001).In contrast,no significant difference was detected in BC group(8.200 vs.7.700,P=0.348).Statistical analysis showed that RIN value was positively correlated with 28S/18S(P<0.001),but had no correlation with tumor content(P=0.676)and necrotic content(P=0.055).Neither ischemia time(<15 min vs.15-30 min:8.200 vs.8.300,P=0.932)nor storage periods(T1-T4:8.400,7.700,8.450,8.600,P=0.163)compromised RNA quality.Conclusion Organ origin and tissue type could influence RNA quality of fresh-frozen tissue samples.However,limited ischemia time(≤30 min)and long-term storage period(38-40 months)do not adversely affect RNA quality in fresh-frozen breast cancer and esophageal cancer tissue samples.

Objective:Micro-and nanostructures with sharp disordered and rounded ordered features were fabricated on titanium surfaces,respectively,and their osteogenic potential was evaluated both in vitro and in vivo.Methods:Sharp disordered titanium surfaces(SLA-Ti)and rounded ordered titanium surfaces(Laser-Ti)were prepared using sandblast acid etching and high-repeti-tion-rate femtosecond laser,respectively.Smooth titanium(Ti)was used as the control group,SLA-Ti and Laser-Ti were used as the experimental groups.Characterization was conducted using scanning electron microscopy coupled with hydrophilicity assess-ments.The adhesion,elongation,and osteogenic differentiation capabilities of osteoblasts in vitro were evaluated through cell mor-phology observations,cytoskeletal fluorescence staining,cell viability assays,and PCR experiments.Osteogenic potential in vivo of rabbits was assessed through Micro CT scans and histological staining(HE and Masson).Results:The surface of Laser-Ti exhibits a rounded,ordered,multi-scale micro-and nano-morphology with the best hydrophilicity(P＜0.01).In vitro,it promotes cell adhe-sion,extension,and osteogenic differentiation,while in vivo,it enhances bone regeneration around the implants.Overall,a trend of Laser-Ti＞SLA-Ti＞Ti is observed,with a higher bone volume fraction(BV/TV)(P＜0.05),greater trabecular thickness(Tb.Th)(P＜0.05),an increased number of trabeculae(Tb.N)(P＜0.05),and a larger area of bone around the implants(P＜0.05).Conclusion:The rounded ordered micro-and nano-structures fabricated using high-repetition-rate fem-tosecond laser demonstrate enhanced osteoinductive capac-ity both in vitro and in vivo.

Homeostasis and energy and substance metabolism reprogramming shape various tumor microenvironment to sustain cancer stemness, self-plasticity and treatment resistance. Aiming at them, a lipid-based pharmaceutical loaded with CaO₂ and glucose oxidase (GOx) (LipoCaO₂/GOx, LCG) has been obtained to disrupt calcium homeostasis and interfere with glycometabolism. The loaded GOx can decompose glucose into H₂O₂ and gluconic acid, thus competing with anaerobic glycolysis to hamper lactic acid (LA) secretion. The obtained gluconic acid further deprives CaO₂ to produce H₂O₂ and release Ca²⁺, disrupting Ca²⁺ homeostasis, which synergizes with GOx-mediated glycometabolism interference to deplete glutathione (GSH) and yield reactive oxygen species (ROS). Systematical experiments reveal that these sequential multifaceted events unlocked by Ca²⁺ homeostasis disruption and glycometabolism interference, ROS production and LA inhibition, successfully enhance cancer immunogenic deaths of breast cancer cells, hamper regulatory T cells (Tregs) infiltration and promote CD8⁺ T recruitment, which receives a considerably-inhibited outcome against breast cancer progression. Collectively, this calcium homeostasis disruption glycometabolism interference strategy effectively combines ion interference therapy with starvation therapy to eventually evoke an effective anti-tumor immune environment, which represents in the field of biomedical research.