1.Mitochondrial Dysfunction and Diabetic Retinopathy: From Pathogenesis to Therapeutic Targets
Xiao-Yan ZHU ; Tao JIN ; Yu ZHANG ; Lu-Lu LIAN ; Wan-Li DU
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(7):1849-1866
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the most prevalent and vision-threatening microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus, yet its pathogenesis extends far beyond vascular injury alone. As the retina is among the most energy-demanding tissues in the body, its neurons, glial cells, pigment epithelial cells, pericytes, and endothelial cells are highly dependent on mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation to maintain visual signal transduction, ionic homeostasis, and neurovascular integrity. This review summarizes current evidence indicating that mitochondrial dysfunction is not merely a downstream consequence of chronic hyperglycemia, but a central pathogenic hub that initiates, amplifies, and perpetuates retinal neurovascular degeneration in DR. Persistent hyperglycemia activates multiple abnormal metabolic pathways, including the polyol pathway, hexosamine pathway, protein kinase C signaling, advanced glycation end-product formation, and angiotensin II-related responses. Although these pathways differ mechanistically, they converge on excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, antioxidant depletion, and mitochondrial injury. Under diabetic stress, electron transport chain overload promotes mitochondrial ROS leakage, damages mitochondrial DNA, disrupts membrane potential, and impairs the transcription of key respiratory chain components. In parallel, mitochondrial quality-control systems become progressively compromised. The balance between fusion and fission shifts toward pathological fragmentation through reduced MFN1/2 and OPA1 activity and enhanced DRP1-mediated fission. Mitochondrial biogenesis is suppressed through inhibition of the AMPK/SIRT1/PGC-1α/NRF1/TFAM axis, while mitophagy changes from an early compensatory response to a later state of autophagic flux blockade and accumulation of dysfunctional mitochondria. Importantly, damaged mitochondria serve as signal amplifiers linking metabolic stress to inflammation and programmed cell death. Mitochondrial ROS, oxidized mitochondrial DNA, calcium overload, cardiolipin exposure, and membrane permeabilization activate interrelated death pathways, including intrinsic apoptosis, ferroptosis, and pyroptosis. Cytochrome C and apoptosis-inducing factor promote caspase-dependent and caspase-independent apoptosis; iron dyshomeostasis, glutathione depletion, GPX4 dysfunction, and lipid peroxidation drive ferroptosis; and mitochondrial danger signals activate the NLRP3 inflammasome and gasdermin-dependent pyroptosis. These pathways jointly damage the retinal neurovascular unit and contribute to pericyte loss, endothelial barrier breakdown, Müller cell dysfunction, retinal ganglion cell apoptosis, retinal pigment epithelial injury, and photoreceptor degeneration. This review also emphasizes the role of epigenetic regulation in stabilizing mitochondrial pathology. DNA methylation, histone modifications, and non-coding RNAs interact to silence mitochondrial protective genes, alter antioxidant responses, and maintain the “metabolic memory” of DR even after glycemic normalization. Therefore, mitochondrial dysfunction should be understood as a dynamic, multidimensional network rather than a single pathological event. Current clinical approaches, such as laser photocoagulation, intravitreal anti-VEGF therapy, and vitrectomy, mainly target advanced vascular lesions and are limited by invasiveness, incomplete responsiveness, recurrence, and potential adverse effects. Therapeutically, strategies targeting mitochondrial ROS, restoring mitochondrial dynamics, enhancing biogenesis, regulating mitophagy, inhibiting inflammasome activation, correcting epigenetic abnormalities, and improving targeted delivery systems show promising potential. However, major translational barriers remain, including retinal cell heterogeneity, stage-specific mitochondrial responses, insufficient organelle-specific drug delivery, and long-term safety concerns. A deeper understanding of mitochondrial regulatory networks may support earlier, more precise, and multi-target interventions for preventing or slowing DR progression.
2.Oral Herombopag Olamine and subcutaneous recombinant human thrombopoietin after haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Dai KONG ; Xinkai WANG ; Wenhui ZHANG ; Xiaohang PEI ; Cheng LIAN ; Xiaona NIU ; Honggang GUO ; Junwei NIU ; Zunmin ZHU ; Zhongwen LIU
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(1):1-7
BACKGROUND:Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is an important treatment for malignant hematological diseases,and delayed postoperative platelet implantation is a common complication that seriously affects the quality of patient survival;however,there are no standard protocols to improve platelet implantation rates and prevent platelet implantation delays. OBJECTIVE:To compare the safety and efficacy of oral Herombopag Olamine versus subcutaneous recombinant human thrombopoietin for promoting platelet implantation in patients with malignant hematological diseases undergoing haploid hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. METHODS:Clinical data of 163 patients with malignant hematological diseases who underwent haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation from January 2016 to October 2022 were retrospectively analyzed.A total of 72 patients who started to subcutaneously inject recombinant human thrombopoietin at+2 days were categorized into the recombinant human thrombopoietin group;a total of 27 patients who started to orally take Herombopag Olamine at+2 days were categorized into the Herombopag Olamine group;and 64 patients who did not apply Herombopag Olamine or recombinant human thrombopoietin were categorized into the blank control group.The implantation status,incidence of acute graft-versus-host disease of degree II-IV within 100 days,1-year survival rate,1-year recurrence rate,and safety were analyzed in the three groups. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)The average follow-up time was 52(12-87)months.The implantation time of neutrophils in the blank control group,recombinant human thrombopoietin group,and Herombopag Olamine group was(12.95±3.88)days,(14.04±3.71)days,and(13.89±2.74)days,respectively,with no statistically significant difference(P=0.352);the implantation time of platelets was(15.16±6.27)days,(17.67±6.52)days,and(17.00±4.75)days,with no statistically significant difference(P=0.287).(2)The complete platelet implantation rate on day 60 was 64.06%,90.28%,and 92.59%,respectively,and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.001).The subgroup analysis showed that the difference between the blank control group and the recombinant human thrombopoietin group was statistically significant(P<0.001),and the difference between the blank control group and the Herombopag Olamine group was statistically significant(P=0.004).The difference was not statistically significant between the recombinant human thrombopoietin group and Herombopag Olamine group(P=0.535).(3)100-day II-IV degree acute graft-versus-host disease incidence in the blank control group,recombinant human thrombopoietin group,and Herombopag Olamine group were 25.00%,30.56%,and 25.93%,respectively,and the difference was not statistically significant(P=0.752).(4)The incidence of cytomegalovirus anemia,cytomegalovirus pneumonia,and hepatic function injury had no statistical difference among the three groups(P>0.05).(5)During the follow-up period,there was no thrombotic event in any of the three groups of patients.(6)The results showed that recombinant human thrombopoietin and Herombopag Olamine could improve the platelet implantation rate of malignant hematological disease patients after haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation,with comparable efficacy and good safety.
3.Influencing factors and coping strategies for voluntary childlessness in female patients with inflammatory bowel disease
Lian DAI ; Lingyan FAN ; Bolin YANG ; Ping ZHU
Chinese Journal of Inflammatory Bowel Diseases 2025;09(3):255-258
Many female patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are of reproductive age, and addressing fertility-related issues is an important part of comprehensive treatment. Although the fertility of female IBD patients does not differ significantly from that of the general population, many women with IBD opt for childlessness. This voluntary childlessness may stem from concerns about the adverse effects of IBD and its treatment on fertility, pregnancy, and newborns. A lack of in depth understanding of fertility, socioeconomic status, demographic factors, and insufficient professional medical advice may also contribute to patients' decision to choose voluntary childlessness. This article analyzes the factors influencing voluntary childlessness in female IBD patients and summarizes recommendations aimed at reducing trend, to enhance fertility awareness among female IBD patients and providing useful references for developing reasonable fertility plans.
4.Mechanism of Dingkun Dan in Promoting Ovarian Granulosa Cell Proliferation in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome via microRNA-30d-5p-Mediated Targeting of Smad2
Lan CHEN ; Xiaojing YAN ; Yuanpei LIAN ; Li ZHU ; Shikang ZHOU ; Dijun WANG ; Jiali CAI ; Chunyan YIN ; Ji CAO
Journal of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine 2025;42(7):1750-1756
Objective To investigate the therapeutic mechanism of Dingkun Dan(DKD)in polycystic ovary syndrome(PCOS)by examining the effects of microRNA-30d-5p on ovarian granulosa cells(GCs).Methods A PCOS rat model was established using dehydroepiandrosterone(DHEA).Normal rat GCs and PCOS rat GCs were cultured in vitro and divided into four groups:blank control group,model group,low-dose DKD group,and high-dose DKD group.After grouping,GCs viability was assessed using the methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium(MTT)assay,GCs apoptosis was analyzed by flow cytometry,and the gene expression of transforming growth factor β1(TGF-β1),Smad2,Smad3,and microRNA-30d-5p in GCs was measured by real-time polymerase chain reaction(RT-PCR),protein expression of TGF-β1,Smad2,and Smad3 in GCs was detected by Western Blot.Results Compared with the blank control group,the model group exhibited significantly decreased GCs viability,increased GCs apoptosis,upregulated mRNA and protein expression of TGF-β1,Smad2,and Smad3,and downregulated microRNA-30d-5p expression,the differences were statistically significant(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,both low-and high-dose DKD groups showed increased GCs viability,reduced GCs apoptosis,downregulated mRNA and protein levels of TGF-β1 Smad2 and Smad3,elevated microRNA-30d-5p expression,and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05 or P<0.01).Conclusion DKD promotes GCs proliferation by targeting Smad2 via microRNA-30d-5p,suggesting a potential therapeutic role in PCOS-related ovulatory dysfunction.
5.Sellar multiple myeloma in an elderly patient:a case report
Xiaoxue CHEN ; Lian DUAN ; Xiaoan KE ; Hongbo YANG ; Hui PAN ; Huijuan ZHU ; Linjie WANG
Basic & Clinical Medicine 2025;45(1):98-101
Objective To investigate the clinical characteristics in an elderly patient with sellar multiple myeloma.Methods Clinical features,laboratory data and radiologic profile of an elderly patient with sellar multiple myeloma were collected.Results The patient was an 85-year-old male.The main clinical manifestations were fatigue,poor appetite and polyuria.Laboratory examinations showed a significant decrease in blood sodium,several anterior pitu-itary hormones and an increase in total protein,mass of pituitary lesion and concentration of prolactin.During etio-logical screening,it was found that the blood immunoglobulin G(IgG)level was significantly increased,the blood M protein was positive and the bone marrow smear showed myeloma cells accompanied by multiple osteolytic lesions in the bones of the whole body.Considering the diagnosis of multiple myeloma,the pituitary lesion was likely to be the extra-medullary involvement.Conclusions The intrasellar plasmacytoma is not common.The disease onset is insidious with clinical features and imaging findings lacking specificity.Therefore,diagnosis relies on biopsy which poses risks for elderly patients and increases diagnostic challenges leading to misdiagnosis.
6.Application of flipped classroom in endocrine system integrated course for students from 4+4 clinical medicine pilot class
Lei ZHU ; Naishi LI ; Huijuan ZHU ; Lian DUAN ; Weibo XIA ; Xiaofeng CHAI ; Houzao CHEN ; Caiying YE
Basic & Clinical Medicine 2025;45(8):1112-1115
Objective To evaluate the application of flipped classroom(FC)approach in endocrine system integrated course for students from 4+4 clinical medicine pilot class at Peking Union Medical College(PUMC).Methods The study included the students of 4+4 clinical medicine pilot class grades 2019-2023 in PUMC.The students of grades 2019-2021(n=77)served as the control receiving traditional teaching method,while the students of grades 2022 and 2023(n=76)were selected as the experimental group,which were taught by FC approach.The selected teaching content is thyroid theme.The scoring rates of thyroid related questions in the final exam were as-sessed and a questionnaire survey was conducted to evaluate teaching satisfaction and effectiveness.Results The scoring rates of experimental group were significantly higher as compared to that of control group(P<0.05).Over 90%of the students in the experimental group strongly satisfied or satisfied with the teaching content arrangement,design form,classroom atmosphere,teacher-student interaction of FC and expressed willingness to continue with this methodology.In addition,over 90%of the students strongly agreed or agreed that FC stimulated learning inter-est,improved self-learning ability,strengthened the connection between theory and clinical practice,inspired clini-cal reasoning,enhanced the abilities to analyze and solve problems,and cultivated communication and teamwork skills.Conclusions The application of FC approach in endocrine system integrated course achieved excellent teaching outcomes with high satisfaction of the students.
7.Hemoglobin variants with low oxygen affinity:clinical diagnosis and research progress
Weidan LI ; Qiang ZENG ; Huiqin JIN ; Haiyan ZHU ; Hong ZHOU ; Lian ZHAO
Military Medical Sciences 2025;49(1):68-73
The discovery of hemoglobin variants with low oxygen affinity,diagnostic methods,prognosis of carriers,and developments in analyzing hemoglobin oxygen-carrying and-releasing abilities are reviewed in this article in order to draw the attention of related clinical departments and to provide references for optimizing the process of diagnosis and treatment.Hemoglobin variants with low oxygen affinity originate from gene mutations encoding hemoglobin and autosomal dominant inheritance.The diagnosis should be combined with clinical manifestations and family history and differentiated from methemoglobinemia.A decrease in pulse oxygen saturation(SpO2)is often the first abnormality observed in asymptomatic carriers of hemoglobin variants with low oxygen affinity.Laboratory examinations include arterial blood gas analysis,hemoglobin oxygen affinity testing,protein analysis and gene sequencing.Most carriers do not require specific treatment and have a good prognosis,who should avoid acute hypoxic injuries induced by strenuous exercise,emotional stress,or high temperature.Moreover,health practitioners should pay attention to their responses to anesthetics,agents that induce oxidative stress,drugs that increase hemoglobin oxygen affinity,and prostacyclins.Hemoglobin oxygen-carrying and-releasing analysis is a promising tool to identify carriers of hemoglobin variants with low oxygen affinity because it does not involve unnecessary or invasive examinations and is of significant values for clinical diagnosis and treatment.
8.Symptoms and quality of life benefits of successful percutaneous coronary intervention in left main disease and/or 3-vessel disease patients with diabetes
Bo-da ZHU ; Tian-tong YU ; Peng HAN ; Bo-hui ZHANG ; Xi ZHANG ; Ping YUAN ; Gang WANG ; Yi YANG ; Hui-li ZHU ; Pan-pan SUN ; Tong-tong LI ; Shuai ZHAO ; Cheng-xiang LI ; Kun LIAN
Chinese Journal of Interventional Cardiology 2025;33(2):93-100
Objective To investigate whether successful percutaneous coronary intervention(PCI)could improve symptoms and quality of life(QOL)in left main disease and/or 3-vessel disease patients with diabetes.Methods Patients with left main disease and/or 3-vessel disease who underwent PCI in the First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University from April 2018 to May 2021 were consecutively enrolled and subdivided into 2 groups:diabetes and no diabetes.Detailed baseline characteristics,symptoms,including dyspnea and angina,assessed with the Rose dyspnea scale(RDS),Seattle angina questionnaire(SAQ),the European quality of life-5 dimensions(EQ-5D)and 12-item short-form health survey(SF-12)questionnaire respectively,procedural details,and 1 month and 1 year follow-up data were collected.Results Among 440 left main disease and/or 3-vessel disease patients,disease was present in 176(40.00%),who had more hypertension,peripheral artery disease,and LCX lesion(all P<0.05).The incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events(MACE)and all-cause mortality were similar between the two groups(both P>0.05)at 1 month follow-up,while all-cause mortality in diabetes patients was significantly higher than those without diabetes at 1 year follow-up(P=0.013).Low left ventricular ejection fraction was an independent risk factor for MACE and all-cause mortality at 1 month and 1 year follow-up after successful revascularization(all P<0.05).Most importantly,symptoms,including dyspnea and angina,and QOL were markedly improved regardless of diabetes both at 1 month and 1 year follow-up(all P<0.05).Diabetes patients showed improved dyspnea and QOL at similar degree to the non-diabetes patients(all P>0.05)and a more significantly relieved angina(P=0.013).Additionally,the number of chronic total occlusion(CTO)per patient was identified as an independent risk factor of dyspnea(OR 0.723,95%CI 0.525~0.997,P=0.048)and angina relief(OR 0.686,95%CI 0.473~0.995,P=0.047),and the contrast volume(OR 0.995,95%CI 0.992~0.999,P=0.008)as an independent risk factor of QOL improvement in diabetic patients.Conclusions Successful PCI is beneficial for relieving symptoms and improving quality of life in patients with diabetes who have left main disease and/or 3-vessel disease.
9.Construction and Optimization of Alzheimer's Disease Classification Model Based on Brain Mixed Function Network Topology Parameters and Machine Learning
Xiao-yu HAN ; Xiu-zhu JIA ; Yang LI ; Meng-ying LOU ; Yong-qi NIE ; Xin-ping GUO ; Lu YU ; Zhi-yuan LI ; Lian-zheng SU
Progress in Modern Biomedicine 2025;25(11):1770-1778
Objective:To explore the interrelationship between brain functional networks and features in functional magnetic resonance imaging(fMRI)of patients with Alzheimer's disease(AD),and to construct mixed-function networks(MFN),and apply them in machine learning classification models to improve the accuracy of AD classification.Methods:102 AD patients and 227 healthy subjects in the Alzheimer's Neuroimaging Initiative(ADNI)dataset were retrospectively analyzed.The partial correlation brain network of the blood oxygen level dependent(BOLD)signal was calculated and fused with low-frequency wave amplitude(ALFF),fractional low-frequency wave amplitude(fALFF)and local consistency(ReHo)features to construct MFN.Network topology parameters were extracted,and a variety of machine learning classification models were constructed based on MFN topological parameters,accuracy,precision,recall and area under the curve(AUC)were used to evaluate the predictive efficiency of the models.Results:By constructed MFN and calculated intra group to inter group ratio(IIGR),35 features could be obtained from ALFF,fALFF and ReHo feature topological parameter analysis,after rank sum test and FDR correction,there were statistical differences among 28 features(P<0.05).The classification results show that,all the five classifiers have high classification performance on the test data set.The accuracy,precision and recall rates of random forest(RF),adaptive lifting algorithm(AdaBoost),guided aggregation algorithm(Bagging)and support vector machine(SVM)were all 99.7%,and the AUC values were up to 100%,99.5%,99.1%and 99.5%,respectively.The accuracy(98.5%),precision(98.5%),recall(98.5%),and AUC(99.1%)of the multi-layer perceptron(MLP)were slightly lower than other models,but remained excellent.It was worth noting that RF has the highest AUC value of all models at 100.0%,while Bagging has the lowest AUC value(99.1%)in the integrated approach.The results of performance comparison show that,MFN classification model can significantly improve the recognition and classification of AD disease,and greatly improve the performance of various indicators of the classifier.The results showed that,MFN classification model was superior to intelligent classification based fusion,DBN-based multitask learning,PVT-TSVM,unsupervised learning and clustering,SVM and SVM of degree 3 polynomial kernel function in key indicators such as accuracy(99.13%),AUC(99.42%),recall rate(99.46%)and specificity(99.42%)with plasma proteins,machine learning algorithms.It was further proved that MFN classification model has good generalization ability and robustness in AD disease classification.Conclusion:The AD classification model constructed based on brain mixed function network topology parameters and machine learning can improve the accuracy of AD classification.
10.Clinical value of the two-dimensional speckle tracking technique for evaluating cardiac shape remodeling in small for gestational age fetuses
Chen ZHU ; Qi CAI ; Yun-yun REN ; Rui LIU ; Man LI ; Jin-lian XIANG
Fudan University Journal of Medical Sciences 2025;52(2):209-215
Objective To obtain measurements of fetal four-chamber view and left and right ventricular shapes using two-dimensional speckle tracking,and to explore the clinical quantification of cardiac shape remodeling in small for gestational age(SGA)fetuses.Methods In this study,we prospectively collected data on singleton pregnancies from 28 to 39 weeks that were established in the archives of Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital,Fudan University from May 2020 to Jul 2021.Fetuses eligible for inclusion criteria were randomly matched according to the ratio of estimated fetal weight(EFW)≥10th percentile(P10)∶EFW

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