1.Application of Novel Environmentally Friendly Reagents in Pathological Section Preparation and Immunohistochemistry
Jieying LI ; Shujun LIANG ; Ying DING ; Shuying LIU ; Lina QIN ; Zhaoliang PAN ; Lianqiang FENG ; Huijie YUAN
Journal of Sun Yat-sen University(Medical Sciences) 2026;47(3):509-517
ObjectiveTo explore the application effects of environmentally friendly reagents versus traditional reagents in tissue processing, paraffin sectioning, hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, special staining, and immunohistochemistry. MethodsPancreatic, renal, splenic, hepatic, pulmonary, skeletal muscle, and cardiac tissues were collected from mice and New Zealand rabbits, and randomly divided into a traditional group (Group A), an environmentally friendly reagent I group (Group B), and an environmentally friendly reagent Ⅱ group (Group C). The processed tissue sections from all three groups were subjected to paraffin sections, HE staining, phosphotungstic acid-hematoxylin staining, and Mallory trichrome staining. The pancreatic tissue sections were subjected to immunohistochemical detection of insulin protein. Evaluation criteria included tissue morphological integrity, embedding operability, section quality, and staining effects. ResultsNo significant differences were observed among the three groups of samples in terms of fixation efficacy, embedding operations, and section quality. After HE staining, all groups exhibited bright nuclear and cytoplasmic staining with clear contrast, with excellent-and-good rates of 98%, 99%, and 97% for Groups A, B, and C, respectively, showing no statistically significant differences (A vs. B, P=0.561; A vs. C, P=0.651). In phosphotungstic acid-hematoxylin staining, Groups A and C showed clear structural contrast and bright staining for striated muscle and collagen fibers, whereas Group B exhibited uneven staining. The excellent-and-good rates were 100%, 10%, and 95% for Groups A, B, and C, respectively, with significant differences between Group A and Group B (P<0.01) but no statistical difference between Group A and Group C (P=0.311). In Mallory trichrome staining, Groups A and B outperformed Group C. The excellent-and-good rates were 95%, 90%, and 15% for Groups A, B, and C, respectively, with significant differences between Group A and Group C (P<0.01), but no statistical difference between Group A and Group B (P=0.548). Immunohistochemical results showed that Group A had a clean background with no non-specific staining, while Groups B and C exhibited significant non-specific staining, with statistically significant differences in non-specific staining rates between the groups (A vs. B, 5% vs. 100%, P<0.01; A vs. C, 5% vs.100%, P<0.01). ConclusionIn HE staining, environmentally friendly reagents demonstrated effective tissue fixation and staining results comparable to traditional reagents, meeting the teaching requirements. For special staining, Group B and Group C performed better in Mallory trichrome staining and phosphotungstic acid-hematoxylin staining, respectively. However, environmentally friendly reagents exhibited non-specific staining issues in immunohistochemistry, where further optimization is required.
2.Impact of a modified CARG model guiding anticancer drug dose adjustments on adverse events in elderly cancer patients
Yuping GE ; Yuwei HUA ; Lina WANG ; Xiufeng HOU ; Hua SONG ; Xinying GUO ; Yuan ZHANG ; Yanan WANG ; Mei GUAN
Basic & Clinical Medicine 2025;45(10):1277-1283
Objective To evaluate the clinical value of a modified Cancer and Aging Research Group(CARG)model in guiding anticancer drug dose adjustments for elderly cancer patients in China.Methods This prospective study enrolled patients aged≥65 years with solid tumors at the Department of Oncology,Peking Union Medical College Hospital from September 1,2022 to October 29,2023.All patients underwent comprehensive geriatric assessment(CGA)and CARG risk scoring,and were stratified into low-,intermediate-,and high-risk groups.Anti-cancer drug doses(including chemotherapy,targeted therapy or immunotherapy)were reduced proportionally based on CARG risk stratification and treatment intent(curative vs.palliative).Treatment outcomes and adverse events(AEs)were recorded regularly.Fisher's Exact Test compared AE incidence between the CARG-guided dose adjust-ment group(experimental)and the physician-experience-guided dose adjustment group(control).Receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve analysis was used to assess the predictive value of the CARG model for severe toxicity.Results Among 166 enrolled patients(median age:71 years[range:65-90];78.3%were male;68.7%had gastro-intestinal cancers;69.3%had stageⅣ),95 were assigned to the experimental group(CARG low-risk:24[25.3%],intermediate-risk:51[53.7%],high-risk:20[21.0%])and 71 were included into the control group.By December 31,2024,81 patients experienced disease progression and 10 patients died.Overall AE rates was 92.6%in the ex-perimental group and 94.4%in the control group,while grade≥3 AEs were recorded in 45.3%vs.43.7%,respec-tively(both P>0.05).Conclusions The modified CARG model-guided dose adjustment strategy achieved comparable safety to empirical dose adjustment,which is in line with the individualized treatment paradigm for elderly cancer pa-tients,representing a structured framework for optimizing therapeutic decision-making in geriatric oncology.
3.Effect of health knowledge and social support on health behaviors in patients with ischemic stroke: the dual mediating effects of health belief and depression
Yuying GUO ; Mengyu ZHANG ; Xinxin ZHOU ; Yuying XIE ; Peng ZHAO ; Juanjuan WANG ; Caixia YANG ; Yuanli GUO ; Ao YUAN ; Qinyang LI ; Shuo DU ; Yanjin LIU ; Lina GUO
Chinese Journal of Behavioral Medicine and Brain Science 2025;34(11):1018-1024
Objective:To explore the dual mediating effects of health belief and depression among health knowledge, social support, and health behaviors based on the capacity, opportunity, motivation-behavior (COM-B) model, and analyze the influencing factors of health behaviors in patients with ischemic stroke.Methods:This multi-center cluster sampling research recruited ischemic stroke patients ( n=1 696) who were hospitalized in neurology departments of five tertiary hospitals in Henan Province from October 2023 to October 2024. A cross-sectional investigation was conducted using the general information questionnaire, social support rating scale (SSRS), stroke prevention knowledge questionnaire(SPKQ), short form health belief model scale(SF-HBMS), health promoting lifestyle profile-Ⅱ (HPLP-Ⅱ), and patient health questionnaire-9(PHQ-9) to ultimately reveal the pathways and effect sizes among variables. Partial correlation analysis and multiple linear stepwise regression analysis were conducted to examine the relationships among social support, health knowledge, health belief, health behaviors, and depression in stroke patients by SPSS 26.0 software. Structural equation modeling was constructed using AMOS 28.0 software, and the mediating effect was tested using the Bootstrap method. Results:The scores of social support, health knowledge, health belief, and health behaviors among ischemic stroke patients were (37.46±9.94), (26.56±6.84), (75.62±12.62) and (130.79±26.27), respectively. The score of depression was 5.00 (2.00, 8.00). Health behaviors were positively correlated with health knowledge, social support, and health belief( r=0.333, 0.246, 0.267, all P<0.05), while negatively correlated with depression ( r=-0.146, P<0.05). Multiple linear stepwise regression analysis showed that health knowledge, social support, health belief, and depression were all influencing factors of health behaviors in ischemic stroke patients (all P<0.05). Health belief (effect value=0.068, 95% CI=0.048-0.093) and depression (effect value=0.009, 95% CI=0.003-0.018) both played partial mediating roles between health knowledge and health behaviors, accounting for 17.3%(0.077/0.446) of the total effect. Meanwhile, health belief (effect value=0.045, 95% CI=0.029-0.063) and depression (effect value=0.016, 95% CI=0.008-0.027) both played partial mediating roles between social support and health behaviors, accounting for 26.5%(0.061/0.230) of the total effect. Conclusion:Health knowledge and social support can not only directly influence health behaviors but also indirectly affect them through health belief and depression in patients with ischemic stroke.
4.Predictive value of refeeding syndrome and its influencing factors for 30-day intensive care unit readmission in critically ill patients
Liuqing DUAN ; Bingyan LIU ; Yue ZHANG ; Xin LI ; Lina ZHAO ; Haiying LIU ; Dongxue HUANG ; Shumei ZHUANG ; Yuan LIU ; Yuanyuan QU ; Yuehao SHEN
Chinese Critical Care Medicine 2025;37(10):944-949
Objective:To investigate the predictive value of refeeding syndrome (RFS) and its influencing factors for 30-day intensive care unit (ICU) readmission in critically ill patients.Methods:A prospective cohort study was conducted. Critically ill patients admitted to the department of critical care medicine, department of respiratory and critical care medicine, and department of neurology at Tianjin Medical University General Hospital from January to April in 2025 were enrolled. Patients were assessed for RFS according to the American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition (ASPEN) criteria. General information within 24 hours of ICU admission was collected via the electronic medical record system. Treatment details and 30-day ICU readmission status were dynamically recorded. Participants were divided into readmission and non-readmission groups based on whether ICU readmission occurred within 30 days. Intergroup comparisons were performed to identify differences. Multivariate Logistic regression was used to analyze the relationship between RFS and its influencing factors with 30-day ICU readmission. Receiver operator characteristic curve (ROC curve) was plotted to evaluate the predictive performance of risk factors.Results:A total of 196 critically ill patients were enrolled, among whom 25 (12.76%) were readmitted to ICU within 30 days and 171 (87.24%) were not. Significant differences were observed in the readmission group compared with the non-readmission group, including significantly higher rates of nasogastric decompression, higher acute physiology and chronic health evaluation Ⅱ (APACHEⅡ) score, a higher incidence of RFS, and a longer duration of nasogastric decompression. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that RFS was an independent risk factor for 30-day ICU readmission [odds ratio ( OR) = 5.756, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) was 1.603-20.670, P = 0.007]. APACHEⅡ score showed a positive correlation trend with 30-day ICU readmission ( OR = 1.057, 95% CI was 0.991-1.127, P = 0.092). ROC curve analysis showed that the combined prediction model incorporating RFS and APACHEⅡ score had an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.766 (95% CI was 0.668-0.864), with a sensitivity of 88.0% and a specificity of 62.0%, which was significantly superior to a single indicator (the AUC of RFS and APACHEⅡ score was 0.639 and 0.624, respectively). Conclusions:RFS significantly increases the risk of 30-day ICU readmission in critically ill patients. A combined model incorporating RFS and APACHEⅡ score demonstrates good predictive efficacy for 30-day ICU readmission in critically ill patients.
5.Non-invasive quantitative visualization of multi-parametric MRI habitat imaging for predicting prostate cancer risk degree
Lei YUAN ; Jingliang ZHANG ; Lina MA ; Ye HAN ; Guorui HOU ; Weijun QIN ; Jing ZHANG ; Yi HUAN ; Jing REN
Chinese Journal of Radiology 2025;59(4):393-400
Objective:To explore the value of non-invasive habitat imaging (HI) multi-parametric MRI (mpMRI) in predicting the risk of prostate cancer (PCa).Methods:In this cross-sectional study, 220 patients with PCa confirmed by radical prostatectomy (RP) who underwent multi-parametric MRI (mpMRI) scanning at Xijing Hospital, Air Force Military Medical University from January 2018 to May 2024 were retrospectively collected. Patients were divided into a training set (154 cases) and a test set (66 cases) by simple random sampling in a 7∶3 ratio. Based on mpMRI imaging, the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), perfusion fraction (f), and mean kurtosis (MK) of each voxel were integrated. The K-means clustering algorithm was used to divide the PCa target lesions into habitat subregions, generate habitat maps, and calculate the proportion of each habitat subregion in the entire lesion. According to the 2019 International Society of Urological Pathology (ISUP) guidelines, patients were categorized into a low-risk group (ISUP≤2, 65 cases) and a high-risk group (ISUP≥3, 155 cases). The RP specimens were matched with the habitat map to identify corresponding habitat subregions, and the ISUP grade of each subregion was individually evaluated to calculate the detection rate of high-risk PCa patients. The logistic regression analysis was applied to identify the independent risk factors associated with PCa risk, and the HI-clinical imaging model and clinical imaging model were constructed. The efficacy of the models was assessed using receiver operating characteristic curve.Results:Based on the optimal cluster number, the habitat was divided into three subregions. Habitat 1 had lower ADC and f values and higher MK values, while habitat 2 had the opposite characteristics, and habitat 3 was intermediate. The proportion of habitat 1 in the high-risk group was 28.8%, in the low-risk group was 8.9%. In the training set, the comparison of habitat subregions with pathological results showed that the detection rate of high-risk lesions was 66.9% (103/154) in habitat 1, 25.3% (39/154) in habitat 2, and 47.4% (73/154) in habitat 3. The logistic regression analysis indicated that the proportion of habitat 1 ( OR=3.03, 95% CI 1.77-5.18, P<0.001), prostate-specific antigen ( OR=1.66, 95% CI 1.04-2.66, P=0.034), and the prostate imaging reporting and data system score ( OR=1.65, 95% CI 1.00-2.70, P=0.048) as independent risk factors for high-risk PCa. In the training set, the area under the curve (AUC) for predicting PCa risk was 0.854 (95% CI 0.789-0.920) for the HI-clinical imaging model and 0.779 (95% CI 0.701-0.856) for the clinical imaging model. In the test set, the AUC values were 0.809 (95% CI 0.693-0.895) and 0.738 (95% CI 0.619-0.856), respectively. Conclusion:HI based on mpMRI can effectively predict the risk of PCa.
6.Non-Invasive Visual Prediction of Pathological Grading in Clear Cell Renal Carcinoma Using Habitat Imaging Based on Enhanced CT
Danqing YIN ; Lei YUAN ; Jingliang ZHANG ; Lina MA ; Weijun QIN ; Jing ZHANG ; Yi HUAN ; Jing REN
Chinese Journal of Medical Imaging 2025;33(9):906-911,919
Purpose To explore the value of contrast-enhanced CT habitat imaging(HI)in preoperative non-invasive visualization for predicting pathological grading of clear cell renal carcinoma(ccRCC).Materials and Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on enhanced CT images and clinical data from 240 patients with pathologically confirmed ccRCC at Xijing Hospital,the Fourth Military Medical University from January 2020 to December 2023.All patients were randomly divided into training and test sets at a 7:3 ratio and classified into low-grade group(International Society of Urological Pathology Ⅰ-Ⅱ)and high-grade group(International Society of Urological Pathology Ⅲ-Ⅳ)based on postoperative pathology.Using wash-in and wash-out parametric maps,the tumors were segmented into three perfusion-based habitat subregions(low,medium and high)via K-means clustering,and the volume fraction of each subregion was calculated.Predictive factors were selected from habitat features and clinical variables(including sex,age,tumor size,etc.)using Logistic regression.Three models were constructed:a clinical model,a habitat imaging model and a combined clinical-habitat model.Model performance was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curve,calibration curve and decision curve analysis.Results Habitat 3 exhibited higher wash-in and wash-out gradients compared to Habitats 1 and 2,indicating hyper perfusion.Its proportion was significantly higher in the low-grade group than in the high-grade group(Z=-7.71,-5.11,both P<0.01).Multivariate Logistic regression identified hypertension,maximum tumor diameter and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio as independent risk factors for high-grade ccRCC,while the proportion of Habitat 3 was a protective factor(OR=0.297,95%CI 0.184-0.479).The combined clinical-habitat model demonstrated the highest predictive performance[area under the curve(AUC)=0.938],significantly outperforming the clinical model(AUC=0.801,Z=-3.832,P<0.01)and the habitat imaging model(AUC=0.895,Z=-2.157,P=0.031).Conclusion The clinical-habitat imaging model achieves the highest predictive performance for ccRCC pathological grading.Contrast-enhanced CT habitat imaging provides significant incremental value in predicting ccRCC pathological grading,showing potential to guide precision medicine in clinical practice.
7.Prognostic value of preoperative prognostic nutrition index in hypopharyngeal cancer patients based on time-dependent receiver operating characteristic curve
Lina YUAN ; Aobo ZHANG ; Wanxin LI ; Cheng LU ; Jun TIAN ; Shuling REN ; Liangfa LIU ; Yanbo DONG
Chinese Archives of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery 2025;32(3):143-148
OBJECTIVE To explore the prognostic significance of the prognostic nutrition index(PNI)in patients with hypopharyngeal cancer undergoing surgical treatment.METHODS Clinical and pathological data of 117 patients with hypopharyngeal carcinoma who underwent surgical treatment at the center of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery of Beijing Friendship Hospital,Capital Medical University from May 2014 to June 2022 were collected.The prognostic significance of hematological indicators such as PNI and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio(NLR),platelet to lymphocyte ratio(PLR),and systemic immune inflammation index(SⅡ)were investigated.The time-dependent receiver operating characteristic(tROC)curves were used to analyze the sensitivity and specificity of various hematological indicators and to determine their optimal cutoffvalues.The Kaplan-Meier method was used to plot the postoperative survival curve,and the Cox regression model was used to analyze the correlation between PNI and overall survival(OS)and disease-free survival(DFS).RESULTS 117 patients were enrolled in this cohort,of which 109 were clinically classified as advanced stage(Ⅲ-Ⅳ).63 cases underwent surgery to preserve laryngeal function.The 5-year OS is 46.07%.According to the analysis of the tROC curve,the optimal cutoffvalue for PNI is 46.75.PNI is correlated with tumor T staging,NLR,PLR,and SⅡ.Kaplan Meier univariate analysis showed that PNI was significantly correlated with OS and DFS(P<0.05).In addition,tumor N-stage,postoperative complications,adverse pathological prognostic factors,NLR,PLR,and SⅡ were all significantly correlated with OS(P<0.05).Tumor N-stage,laryngeal preservation,postoperative complications,NLR,and SⅡ were significantly correlated with DFS(P<0.05).The Cox multivariate analysis results indicated that PNI,tumor N-stage,and postoperative complications were independent factors affecting OS and DFS.CONCLUSION Preoperative PNI,tumor N-stage,and postoperative complications are independent risk factors for OS and DFS in patients with hypopharyngeal carcinoma.PNI,as a prognostic indicator for predicting hypopharyngeal cancer patients,is superior to other hematological indicators.
8.Tumor-intrinsic PRMT5 upregulates FGL1 via methylating TCF12 to inhibit CD8+ T-cell-mediated antitumor immunity in liver cancer.
Jiao SUN ; Hongfeng YUAN ; Linlin SUN ; Lina ZHAO ; Yufei WANG ; Chunyu HOU ; Huihui ZHANG ; Pan LV ; Guang YANG ; Ningning ZHANG ; Wei LU ; Xiaodong ZHANG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(1):188-204
Protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) acts as an oncogene in liver cancer, yet its roles and in-depth molecular mechanisms within the liver cancer immune microenvironment remain mostly undefined. Here, we demonstrated that disruption of tumor-intrinsic PRMT5 enhances CD8+ T-cell-mediated antitumor immunity both in vivo and in vitro. Further experiments verified that this effect is achieved through downregulation of the inhibitory immune checkpoint molecule, fibrinogen-like protein 1 (FGL1). Mechanistically, PRMT5 catalyzed symmetric dimethylation of transcription factor 12 (TCF12) at arginine 554 (R554), prompting the binding of TCF12 to FGL1 promoter region, which transcriptionally activated FGL1 in tumor cells. Methylation deficiency at TCF12-R554 residue downregulated FGL1 expression, which promoted CD8+ T-cell-mediated antitumor immunity. Notably, combining the PRMT5 methyltransferase inhibitor GSK591 with PD-L1 blockade efficiently inhibited liver cancer growth and improved overall survival in mice. Collectively, our findings reveal the immunosuppressive role and mechanism of PRMT5 in liver cancer and highlight that targeting PRMT5 could boost checkpoint immunotherapy efficacy.
9.Submicron-sized superantigen biomimetic liposomes with highly efficient pulmonary accumulation to remodel local immune microenvironment for cancer chemoimmunotherapy.
Bochuan YUAN ; Feng ZHANG ; Qiucheng YAN ; Wanmei WANG ; Zhangyu LI ; Lina DU ; Yiguang JIN ; Fei XIE
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(6):2900-2914
Metastatic lung cancer continues to cause a high number of deaths due to high malignancy and poor prognosis, and the efficacy of typical chemotherapy or immunotherapy is less than ideal due to the low pulmonary accumulation and targeting of therapeutics. Here, a submicron-sized biomimetic liposome was formulated for the lung-targeted co-delivery of bacterial superantigen and paclitaxel. Recombinant staphylococcal enterotoxin C2 (rSEC2), a bacterial superantigen, was expressed with the Escherichia coli system and showed potent immunostimulatory activities to mediate tumor cell death. The submicron-sized (∼800 nm) biomimetic liposomes, namely 4T1 cell membrane-hybrid rSEC2 paclitaxel liposomes (TSPLs), exhibited high lung-accumulation efficiency and tumor homologous effect due to the suitable particle size and membrane hybridization of cancer cell membranes with phospholipids. Intravenous TSPLs remarkably inhibited metastatic lung cancer with limited systemic immune responses. TSPLs reversed the immunosuppressive state and increased the proportion of local CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the lung; moreover, paclitaxel increased tumor cell apoptosis and reduced tumor burden. In summary, the high lung cancer targeting was achieved by particle size control and cell membrane hybridization, and the highly efficient anticancer effect was achieved by the co-delivery of superantigens and chemotherapeutic drugs.
10.Succinylation of tumor suppressor PPP2R1A K541 by HAT1 converses the role in modulation of gluconeogenesis/lipogenesis remodeling to display oncogene function.
Guang YANG ; Yufei WANG ; Hongfeng YUAN ; Huihui ZHANG ; Lina ZHAO ; Chunyu HOU ; Pan LV ; Jihui HAO ; Xiaodong ZHANG
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(10):5294-5311
Metabolic reprogramming plays a central role in tumors. However, the key drivers modulating reprogramming of gluconeogenesis/lipogenesis are poorly understood. Here, we try to identify the mechanism by which histone acetyltransferase 1 (HAT1) confers reprogramming of gluconeogenesis/lipogenesis in liver cancer. Diethylnitrosamine (DEN)/carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced hepatocarcinogenesis was hardly observed in HAT1-knockout mice. Multi-omics identified that HAT1 modulated gluconeogenesis and lipogenesis in liver. Protein phosphatase 2 scaffold subunit alpha (PPP2R1A) promoted gluconeogenesis and inhibited lipogenesis by phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1 (PCK1) serine 90 dephosphorylation to suppress the tumor growth. HAT1 succinylated PPP2R1A at lysine 541 (K541) to block the assembly of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) holoenzyme and interaction with PCK1, resulting in the depression of dephosphorylation of PCK1. HAT1-succinylated PPP2R1A contributed to the remodeling of gluconeogenesis/lipogenesis by PCK1 serine 90 phosphorylation, leading to the inhibition of gluconeogenic enzyme activity and activating sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1 (SREBP1) nuclear accumulation-induced lipogenesis gene expression, which enhanced the tumor growth. In conclusion, succinylation of PPP2R1A lysine 541 by HAT1 converses the role in modulation of gluconeogenesis/lipogenesis remodeling through PCK1 S90 phosphorylation to support liver cancer. Our finding provides new insights into the mechanism by which post-translational modifications (PTMs) confer the conversion of tumor suppressor function to oncogene.

Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail