The structure of intestinal tissue is complex. In vitro simulation of intestinal structure and function is important for studying intestinal development and diseases. Recently, organoids have been successfully constructed and they have come to play an important role in biomedical research. Organoids are miniaturized three-dimensional (3D) organs, derived from stem cells, which mimic the structure, cell types, and physiological functions of an organ, making them robust models for biomedical research. Intestinal organoids are 3D micro-organs derived from intestinal stem cells or pluripotent stem cells that can successfully simulate the complex structure and function of the intestine, thereby providing a valuable platform for intestinal development and disease research. In this article, we review the latest progress in the construction and application of intestinal organoids.
Organoids/cytology* ; Intestines/physiology* ; Humans ; Animals ; Pluripotent Stem Cells

Objective:To investigate the protective effect and possible mechanism of sulforaphane (SFN) on acute liver injury in mice induced by diquat (DQ) poisoning.Methods:Forty-eight male C57BL/6 mice were divided into Control group, DQ model group (DQ group), SFN intervention group (DQ+SFN group), and SFN control group (SFN group) using a random number table method, with 12 mice in each group. Acute liver injury mice model was established by one-time intraperitoneal injection of 1 mL of 40 mg/kg DQ solution at once. SFN group was injected with 1 mL of ddH 2O. After 4 hours of molding, 0.5 mL of 5 mg/kg SFN solution was injected into the peritoneal cavity of the DQ+SFN group and SFN group, once daily for 7 consecutive days. DQ group and Control group were injected with an equal amount of ddH 2O. Then, the mice were euthanized to collect liver tissue and blood samples, and the levels of plasma biomarkers alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), as well as oxidative stress indicators such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH), and malondialdehyde (MDA) in liver tissue were measured. The changes of liver structure were observed under transmission electron microscopy. The apoptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) level in liver tissue were observed under fluorescence microscope. Western blotting was used to detect the protein expressions of nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), hemeoxygenase-1 (HO-1), Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1), and cleaved caspase-9 in liver tissue. Results:Compared with the Control group, the liver mitochondria in the DQ group showed severe swelling, partial dissolution of the matrix, and cristae rupture and loss; the levels of plasma AST and ALT significantly increased, the MDA content in the liver increased, the activities of SOD and GSH decreased, the level of ROS significantly increased, the number of apoptotic cells in the liver significantly increased, the protein expressions of Nrf2 and HO-1 significantly decreased, and the protein expressions of Keap1 and cleaved caspase-9 significantly increased. Compared with the DQ group, the mitochondrial damage in the DQ+SFN group was reduced, the levels of plasma AST and ALT were significantly reduced [ALT (U/L): 58.22±4.39 vs. 79.94±3.32, AST (U/L): 177.64±8.40 vs. 219.62±11.60, both P < 0.01], the liver MDA content decreased, and the activities of SOD and GSH increased [MDA (μmol/g: 5.63±0.18 vs. 5.96±0.29, SOD (kU/g): 102.05±4.01 vs. 84.34±5.34, GSH (mmol/g): 16.32±1.40 vs. 13.12±1.84, all P < 0.05], the production of ROS in liver tissue was significantly reduced [ROS (fluorescence intensity): 115.90±10.89 vs. 190.70±10.16, P < 0.05], and apoptotic cells were significantly reduced (cell apoptosis index: 4.39±1.00 vs. 10.71±0.56, P < 0.01), the protein expressions of Nrf2 and HO-1 were significantly increased, while the protein expressions of Keap1 and cleaved caspase-9 were significantly decreased (Nrf2/β-actin: 1.15±0.04 vs. 0.93±0.05, HO-1/β-actin: 1.75±0.12 vs. 0.78±0.04, Keap1/β-actin: 1.00±0.14 vs. 1.28±0.13, cleaved caspase-9/β-actin: 1.31±0.12 vs. 1.81±0.09, all P < 0.05). However, there was no statistically significant difference in various indicators between the SFN group and the Control group. Conclusion:SFN can activate the Keap1/Nrf2 signaling pathway to alleviate DQ induced acute liver injury in mice.

Objective To explore the mechanism of quercetin in the treatment of breast cancer with depressive features using network pharmacology and animal experiments.Methods Network pharmacology and bioinformatics methods were used to predict the key targets and mechanisms of quercetin in the treatment of breast cancer with depressive characteristics.The predicted results were verified by animal experiments.A mouse model of breast cancer with depressive characteristics was constructed,and quercetin intervention was performed after grouping.The depression of mice was evaluated by open field test.The tumor volume and tumor mass were measured.The expression of Ki-67 in tumor tissue was detected by immunohistochemical staining.The expressions of tumor necrosis factor α(TNF-α),interleukin 6(IL-6),p53,Caspase-3 and B-cell lymphoma/leukemia 2(Bcl-2)in tumor tissue were detected by Western Blot.Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling(TUNEL)method was used to detect the apoptosis of tumor cells.Results In the breast cancer model group with depressive characteristics,the total movement distance in the open field test and the ratio of residence time in the central area of the open field test were decreased,the tumor volume and tumor mass were significantly increased,and Ki-67 expression level in the tumor tissue was significantly increased,the expression levels of TNF-α,IL-6,p53 and Caspase-3 in the tumor tissue were decreased and the expression level of Bcl-2 was increased,as well as the rate of TUNEL positive cells was decreased,the differences being statistically significant compared with the control group(P＜0.01 or P＜0.001).Compared with the model group,the above indexes were significantly reversed in the quercetin group(P＜0.01 or P＜0.001).Conclusion Quercetin can effectively inhibit the progression of breast cancer with depressive characteristics in mice,and its mechanism is related to the regulation of TNF,IL6,TP53,CASP3,BCL2 and other targets to promote tumor cell apoptosis.

Human brain banks use a standardized protocol to collect,process and store post-mortem human brains and related tissues,along with relevant clinical information,and to provide the tissue samples and data as a resource to foster neuroscience research according to a standardized operating protocols(SOP).Human brain bank serves as the foundation for neuroscience research and the diagnosis of neurological disorders,highlighting the crucial rule of ensuring the consistency of standardized quality for brain tissue samples.The first version of SOP in 2017 was published by the China Human Brain Bank Consortium.As members increases from different regions in China,a revised SOP was drafted by experts from the China Human Brain Bank Consortium to meet the growing demands for neuroscience research.The revised SOP places a strong emphasis on ethical standards,incorporates neuropathological evaluation of brain regions,and provides clarity on spinal cord sampling and pathological assessment.Notable enhancements in this updated version of the SOP include reinforced ethical guidelines,inclusion of matching controls in recruitment,and expansion of brain regions to be sampled for neuropathological evaluation.

Although microsurgical vasoepididymostomy (MVE) is an effective treatment for epididymal obstructive azoospermia, some patients may experience delayed patency or suboptimal semen parameters after patency. However, research into patency time, semen quality postpatency, and associated influencing factors remains limited. This study aimed to address these issues by evaluating 181 patients who underwent at least one-sided MVE employing asingle-armed longitudinal intussusception vasoepididymostomy technique, with a follow-up period of over 12 months for 150 patients. The overall patency rate was 75.3%, with 86.0% of patients achieving patency within 6 months following MVE. Unexpectedly, factors such as age, history of epididymitis, duration of surgery, side of anastomosis, sperm motility in epididymal fluid, and the site of anastomosis showed no correlation with patency time. Nonetheless, our univariate and multivariate linear regression analysis indicated that only the site of anastomosis was positively correlated with and could independently predict postoperative total motile sperm count. Therefore, the site of anastomosis might serve as a predictor for optimal postoperative semen quality following the MVE procedure.
Male ; Humans ; Epididymis/surgery* ; Semen Analysis ; Azoospermia/surgery* ; Microsurgery/methods* ; Adult ; Anastomosis, Surgical/methods* ; Vas Deferens/surgery* ; Sperm Motility ; Sperm Count ; Middle Aged ; Vasovasostomy/methods*

Renal fibrosis is a devastating consequence of progressive chronic kidney disease,representing a major public health challenge worldwide.The underlying mechanisms in the pathogenesis of renal fibrosis remain unclear,and effective treatments are still lacking.Renal tubular epithelial cells(RTECs)maintain kidney function,and their dysfunction has emerged as a critical contributor to renal fibrosis.Cellular quality control comprises several components,including telomere homeostasis,ubiquitin-proteasome system(UPS),autophagy,mitochondrial homeostasis(mitophagy and mitochondrial metabolism),endoplasmic reticulum(ER,unfolded protein response),and lysosomes.Failures in the cellular quality control of RTECs,including DNA,protein,and organelle damage,exert profibrotic functions by leading to senescence,defective autophagy,ER stress,mitochondrial and lysosomal dysfunction,apoptosis,fibro-blast activation,and immune cell recruitment.In this review,we summarize recent advances in un-derstanding the role of quality control components and intercellular crosstalk networks in RTECs,within the context of renal fibrosis.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the HIV-1 subtype distribution and HIV drug resistance (HIVDR) in patients with ART failure from 2014 to 2020 in Hainan, China. METHODS: A 7-year cross-sectional study was conducted among HIV/AIDS patients with ART failure in Hainan. We used online subtyping tools and the maximum likelihood phylogenetic tree to confirm the HIV subtypes with pol sequences. Drug resistance mutations (DRMs) were analyzed using the Stanford University HIV Drug Resistance Database. RESULTS: A total of 307 HIV-infected patients with ART failure were included, and 241 available pol sequences were obtained. Among 241 patients, CRF01_AE accounted for 68.88%, followed by CRF07_BC (17.00%) and eight other subtypes (14.12%). The overall prevalence of HIVDR was 61.41%, and the HIVDR against non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), and protease inhibitors (PIs) were 59.75%, 45.64%, and 2.49%, respectively. Unemployed patients, hypoimmunity or opportunistic infections in individuals, and samples from 2017 to 2020 increased the odd ratios of HIVDR. Also, HIVDR was less likely to affect female patients. The common DRMs to NNRTIs were K103N (21.99%) and Y181C (20.33%), and M184V (28.21%) and K65R (19.09%) were the main DRMs against NRTIs. CONCLUSION The present study highlights the HIV-1 subtype diversity in Hainan and the importance of HIVDR surveillance over a long period.
Humans ; Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors/therapeutic use* ; HIV-1/genetics* ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Phylogeny ; Anti-HIV Agents/therapeutic use* ; Drug Resistance, Viral/genetics* ; HIV Infections/epidemiology* ; Mutation ; China/epidemiology* ; Prevalence ; Genotype

BACKGROUND: Controversy exists as to the optimal treatment approach for ostial left anterior descending (LAD) or ostial left circumflex artery (LCx) lesions. Drug-coated balloons (DCB) may overcome some of the limitations of drug-eluting stents (DES). Therefore, we investigated the security and feasibility of the DCB policy in patients with ostial LAD or ostial LCx lesions, and compared it with the conventional DES-only strategy. METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled patients with de novo ostial lesions in the LAD or LCx who underwent interventional treatment. They were categorized into two groups based on their treatment approach: the DCB group and the DES group. The treatment strategies in the DCB group involved the use of either DCB-only or hybrid strategies, whereas the DES group utilized crossover or precise stenting techniques. Two-year target lesion revascularization was the primary endpoint, while the rates of major adverse cardiovascular events, cardiac death, target vessel myocardial infarction, and vessel thrombosis were the secondary endpoints. Using propensity score matching, we assembled a cohort with comparable baseline characteristics. To ensure result analysis reliability, we conducted sensitivity analyses, including interaction, and stratified analyses. RESULTS: Among the 397 eligible patients, 6.25% of patients who were planned to undergo DCB underwent DES. A total of 108 patients in each group had comparable propensity scores and were included in the analysis. Two-year target lesion revascularization occurred in 5 patients (4.90%) and 16 patients (16.33%) in the DCB group and the DES group, respectively (odds ratio = 0.264, 95% CI: 0.093-0.752, P = 0.008). Compared with the DES group, the DCB group demonstrated a lower major adverse cardiovascular events rate (7.84% vs. 19.39%, P = 0.017). However, differences with regard to cardiac death, non-periprocedural target vessel myocardial infarction, and definite or probable vessel thrombosis between the groups were non-significant. CONCLUSIONS The utilization of the DCB approach signifies an innovative and discretionary strategy for managing isolated ostial lesions in the LAD or LCx. Nevertheless, a future randomized trial investigating the feasibility and safety of DCB compared to the DES-only strategy specifically for de novo ostial lesions in the LAD or LCx is highly warranted.

With the growing demand of personalized medicine for children, it is especially important to develop medicines for children. In this study, using metoprolol tartrate as model drug, we developed 3D printed chewable tablets suitable for children with automated dosage distribution using semi-solid extruded (SSE) 3D printing technology. Based on the quality by design concept, this study prepared a semi-solid material with good printability using gelatin as the substrate, constructed 3D models and printed tablets with the aid of computer-aided design. The printing parameters were optimized and determined as follows: print temperature of 35-37 ℃, print speed of 25 mm·s^-1, fill rate of 15%, and number of outer profile layers of 2. Subsequently, the printing process and the quality uniformity of the tablets were verified, and a linear relationship between the dose and the number of model layers was obtained. Finally, 3D printed chewable tablets were superior in terms of appearance, dose accuracy and compliance compared with traditional split-dose commercially available tablets. In this study, 3D printed metoprolol tartrate chewable tablets with good performance were successfully prepared to address the personalized medication needs of pediatric patients.