1.Construction and Practice of AI-Based Triadic Interactive Teaching Model for Surgical Animal Surgery
Kaikai MAO ; Xiu LI ; Chen ZHOU ; Jianfeng SANG ; Meng WANG ; Guang ZHANG ; Xiaozhi ZHAO
Laboratory Animal and Comparative Medicine 2026;46(2):288-296
ObjectiveIn the context of the digital transformation of education, this study aims to construct a triadic interactive teaching model for surgical animal surgery in clinical medicine using modern information technology. It explores the effectiveness of different teaching methods in improving students' practical skills, aseptic awareness, and teamwork abilities, providing a reference for the reform of clinical practice education. MethodsA quasi-experimental research design was adopted. A total of 80 students from the eight-year clinical medicine program at Nanjing University were selected, including the Class of 2020 (control group, n=40) and the Class of 2021 (experimental group, n=40). The control group received traditional teaching methods, while the experimental group implemented the "Teacher-Student-AI" triadic interactive teaching model. This model utilized a smart teaching platform for personalized pre-class preparation , as well as data-driven post-class review and feedback throughout the entire teaching process. The "assessment indicators and scoring criteria for the surgical animal surgery course" were used to evaluate teaching effectiveness, with independent samples t-tests used for statistical analysis. ResultsPre-course assessments revealed no statistically significant differences in baseline theoretical knowledge or practical skills between the two groups (P>0.05). Upon completion of the course, the experimental group achieved higher scores than the control group across three key dimensions: practical skills (47.98±1.34 vs 46.92±2.51, P=0.022), aseptic awareness (17.84±1.16 vs 16.94±2.29, P=0.029), and teamwork (16.82±1.44 vs 15.95±1.22, P=0.004). However, no statistically significant difference was observed in the scores for humane care awareness between the two groups (8.24±0.70 vs 8.16±0.53, P=0.589). ConclusionThe AI-based triadic interactive teaching model can, to some extent, address the limitations of traditional surgical animal surgery education. It plays a positive role in enhancing medical students' surgical skills, aseptic awareness, and collaborative abilities. This model facilitates the transition from traditional to personalized teaching and offers a practical framework for the digital reform of clinical practice education.
2.Characteristics of 150 patients with spinal cord injury complicated with spasticity
Xiaolei LU ; Yiji WANG ; Genlin LIU ; Ying ZHENG ; Chunxia HAO ; Ying ZHANG ; Haiqiong KANG ; Bo WEI ; Qianru MENG ; Hongjun ZHOU
Chinese Journal of Rehabilitation Theory and Practice 2026;32(4):393-398
ObjectiveTo analyze the characteristics of 150 patients with spinal cord injury complicated with spasticity. MethodsA cross-sectional survey was conducted on 150 patients with spinal cord injury accompanied by spasticity from September, 2019 to December, 2024. Their age, gender, cause of injury, injury site, severity of injury, spasticity severity and other indicators were recorded. The relationships between different characteristics were analyzed, and a correlation analysis of disease duration, spasticity grade, injury level, injury severity and age were conducted. ResultsThere was no significant difference in age distribution between patients with tetraplegia and paraplegia (Z = 0.806, P = 0.420). The proportions of trauma (χ2 = 3.982, P = 0.046) and tetraplegia (χ2 = 10.559, P = 0.010) were higher in males than in females. Trauma was the main cause of injury in both tetraplegia and paraplegia patients; the proportion of tetraplegia was higher than paraplegia in trauma patients, while paraplegia was higher than tetraplegia in non-trauma patients (χ2 = 11.885, P < 0.001). Patients with tetraplegia was dominated by incomplete injury, whereas patients with paraplegia was dominated by complete injury (χ2 = 10.885, P = 0.012). Grade A injury was predominant in trauma patients (P = 0.003). Spasticity grade showed a very weak positive correlation with disease duration (r = 0.175, P = 0.032) and age (r = 0.168, P = 0.040). Injury severity showed a very weak positive correlation with age (r = 0.183, P = 0.025). ConclusionCharacteristics of patients with spinal cord injury complicated with spasticity is different with gender, cause of injury, injury level, injury severity.
3.The Diversity of Filamentous Morphologies and Magnetic Sensitivity Modulated by Diverse MagR Expression in Bacteria
Ya-Fei CHANG ; Jing ZHANG ; Peng ZHANG ; Xiu-Juan ZHOU ; Meng-Ke WEI ; Tian-Tian CAI ; Pei-Qi HE ; Jun-Feng WANG ; Can XIE
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(5):1439-1456
Objective Magnetoreception, the remarkable ability of diverse animals to sense and utilize the geomagnetic field for orientation and navigation, remains a molecularly unresolved mystery in sensory biology. The putative magnetoreceptor (MagR, previously known as IscA1) is a highly conserved iron-sulfur protein implicated in both magnetoreception and iron metabolism; however, the functional diversity among its cross-species homologs remains poorly understood. Cellular morphology is a key genetically determined trait that can be altered through genetic or environmental modifications—a process known as cell morphology engineering. Constructing engineered cells with specific morphological features and magnetic sensitivity to achieve remote, non-invasive magnetic modulation represents a crucial goal in this field with significant application potential. Therefore, this study aims to systematically investigate the effects of MagR heterologous expression on bacterial morphology and magnetic sensing capabilities, screen for MagR-based magnetically sensitive morphology engineering pathways, and reveal the underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods We systematically screened 28 MagR homologous genes from diverse prokaryotic and animal taxa to evaluate their expression and corresponding phenotypic effects in Escherichia coli (E. coli). To compare the differential magnetic responses among bacteria expressing various recombinant MagR proteins, we utilized high-throughput automated bright-field microscopic imaging and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Furthermore, comprehensive biochemical and biophysical characterizations of iron and iron-sulfur cluster binding were performed using Ferrozine colorimetric assays, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption, and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Additionally, 100 mT static magnetic field (SMF) exposure experiments were conducted to assess magnetically tunable phenotypes, while the intrinsic magnetic properties of purified MagR proteins were directly measured using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer. Results Our results demonstrated that the heterologous expression of MagR homologs induced varying degrees of bacterial filamentation. From this comprehensive screen, two distinct morphological patterns were identified: hydra (Hydra vulgaris) MagR (hyMagR) promoted uniform cell elongation and filamentation, exhibiting robust magnetic sensitivity manifested as significantly enhanced filamentation under the 100 mT SMF. In contrast, pigeon (Columba livia) MagR (clMagR) induced only low-frequency, extreme filamentation (sporadically exceeding 80 μm) with a relatively weaker magnetic morphological response. Mechanistically, our data unambiguously proved that these phenotypic differences are primarily driven by distinct iron redox preferences rather than total cellular iron accumulation. Specifically, hyMagR preferentially binds ferrous iron (Fe2+), whereas clMagR favors ferric iron (Fe3+) and forms more stable iron-sulfur clusters. Intriguingly, although SQUID magnetometry showed that purified clMagR exhibited approximately five-fold higher mass magnetic susceptibility than hyMagR, its cellular magnetic response was weaker. We hypothesize that the Fe2+-preferred intracellular environment associated with hyMagR overexpression primes the cell for enhanced generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) via the Fenton reaction. Exposure to an SMF synergizes with this primed redox state, triggering the bacterial SOS response and upregulating cell division inhibitors to efficiently induce uniform filamentation. Conclusion Our findings identify the Fe2+/Fe3+ redox state as a critical determinant of MagR-mediated morphological remodeling and magnetic responsiveness. This discovery suggests a potential strategy for engineering magnetically responsive cellular systems for synthetic biology applications, and provides a plausible framework, which potentially combines intrinsic protein magnetism with redox-state modulation, for further investigating the evolutionary mechanisms of MagR-mediated magnetoreception.
4.Clinical and epidemiological characteristics of human bocavirus in hospitalized children with acute lower respiratory tract infection at a hospital in Shanghai from 2021 to 2023
Shan ZHANG ; Yujuan HUANG ; Lei SHEN ; Li LIU ; Jie WANG ; Huilin ZHOU ; Leijun MENG ; Tingting CHEN
Shanghai Journal of Preventive Medicine 2026;38(3):193-198
ObjectiveTo investigate the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of human bocavirus (HBoV) in hospitalized children with acute lower respiratory tract infection (ALRTI) at a single-center children’s hospital in Shanghai, thereby providing evidence for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of HBoV infection. MethodsA retrospective study was conducted on 19 537 hospitalized children with ALRTI at Shanghai Children’s Hospital from January 2021 to December 2023. Multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) combined with capillary electrophoresis was used to detect HBoV and 12 other common respiratory viruses /atypical pathogens. The positive detection rate, demographic characteristics (sex, age), temporal distribution (year, season) of HBoV, as well as the clinical characteristics of severe and non-severe pneumonia were analyzed. ResultsThe overall HBoV-positive rate was 2.57% (503/19 537), with 59.44% (299/503) being single infections and 40.56% (204/503) being co-infections. The positive detection rate was significantly higher in boys than that in girls (2.78% vs 2.33%, χ²=3.88, P=0.049). The highest infection rate was observed in toddlers, followed by infants (χ²=379.57, P<0.001). The positive rate peaked in 2021 and reached its lowest point in 2023 (χ²=45.49, P<0.001), with epidemics mainly prevalent in summer and autumn. The main clinical symptoms were cough (90.06%, 453/503), fever (75.94%, 382/503), and wheezing (39.96%, 201/503). Children with severe pneumonia showed a higher incidence of wheezing compared with the non-severe group (P<0.001), while underlying diseases and co-infections had no significant association with disease severity (P>0.05). ConclusionHBoV was an important pathogen of ALRTI in children, predominantly affecting infants and toddlers, with higher susceptibility in boys and seasonal peaks in autumn and summer. The main clinical manifestations included cough, fever, and wheezing, with wheezing being more prevalent in children with severe pneumonia.
5.The Diversity of Filamentous Morphologies and Magnetic Sensitivity Modulated by Diverse MagR Expression in Bacteria
Ya-Fei CHANG ; Jing ZHANG ; Peng ZHANG ; Xiu-Juan ZHOU ; Meng-Ke WEI ; Tian-Tian CAI ; Pei-Qi HE ; Jun-Feng WANG ; Can XIE
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(5):1439-1456
Objective Magnetoreception, the remarkable ability of diverse animals to sense and utilize the geomagnetic field for orientation and navigation, remains a molecularly unresolved mystery in sensory biology. The putative magnetoreceptor (MagR, previously known as IscA1) is a highly conserved iron-sulfur protein implicated in both magnetoreception and iron metabolism; however, the functional diversity among its cross-species homologs remains poorly understood. Cellular morphology is a key genetically determined trait that can be altered through genetic or environmental modifications—a process known as cell morphology engineering. Constructing engineered cells with specific morphological features and magnetic sensitivity to achieve remote, non-invasive magnetic modulation represents a crucial goal in this field with significant application potential. Therefore, this study aims to systematically investigate the effects of MagR heterologous expression on bacterial morphology and magnetic sensing capabilities, screen for MagR-based magnetically sensitive morphology engineering pathways, and reveal the underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods We systematically screened 28 MagR homologous genes from diverse prokaryotic and animal taxa to evaluate their expression and corresponding phenotypic effects in Escherichia coli (E. coli). To compare the differential magnetic responses among bacteria expressing various recombinant MagR proteins, we utilized high-throughput automated bright-field microscopic imaging and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Furthermore, comprehensive biochemical and biophysical characterizations of iron and iron-sulfur cluster binding were performed using Ferrozine colorimetric assays, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption, and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Additionally, 100 mT static magnetic field (SMF) exposure experiments were conducted to assess magnetically tunable phenotypes, while the intrinsic magnetic properties of purified MagR proteins were directly measured using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer. Results Our results demonstrated that the heterologous expression of MagR homologs induced varying degrees of bacterial filamentation. From this comprehensive screen, two distinct morphological patterns were identified: hydra (Hydra vulgaris) MagR (hyMagR) promoted uniform cell elongation and filamentation, exhibiting robust magnetic sensitivity manifested as significantly enhanced filamentation under the 100 mT SMF. In contrast, pigeon (Columba livia) MagR (clMagR) induced only low-frequency, extreme filamentation (sporadically exceeding 80 μm) with a relatively weaker magnetic morphological response. Mechanistically, our data unambiguously proved that these phenotypic differences are primarily driven by distinct iron redox preferences rather than total cellular iron accumulation. Specifically, hyMagR preferentially binds ferrous iron (Fe2+), whereas clMagR favors ferric iron (Fe3+) and forms more stable iron-sulfur clusters. Intriguingly, although SQUID magnetometry showed that purified clMagR exhibited approximately five-fold higher mass magnetic susceptibility than hyMagR, its cellular magnetic response was weaker. We hypothesize that the Fe2+-preferred intracellular environment associated with hyMagR overexpression primes the cell for enhanced generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) via the Fenton reaction. Exposure to an SMF synergizes with this primed redox state, triggering the bacterial SOS response and upregulating cell division inhibitors to efficiently induce uniform filamentation. Conclusion Our findings identify the Fe2+/Fe3+ redox state as a critical determinant of MagR-mediated morphological remodeling and magnetic responsiveness. This discovery suggests a potential strategy for engineering magnetically responsive cellular systems for synthetic biology applications, and provides a plausible framework, which potentially combines intrinsic protein magnetism with redox-state modulation, for further investigating the evolutionary mechanisms of MagR-mediated magnetoreception.
6.Role of IL-17A in acute inhalational pneumonia caused by highly virulent and multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
Qi KUANG ; Xiaoyu ZHU ; Lu LI ; Xueyan WANG ; Peijie YAN ; Lili ZHANG ; Meng LÜ ; Lingfei HU ; Dongsheng ZHOU ; Wenhui YANG
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(4):599-605
ObjectiveTo investigate the role of interleukin (IL)-17A in acute inhalational pneumonia induced by the highly drug-resistant and hypervirulent Staphylococcus aureus strain USA300-R in mice. MethodsAn acute inhalational pneumonia model was established in mice using an aerosolized pulmonary delivery technique. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were employed to examine the expression dynamics of Il17a mRNA and IL-17A protein, respectively, in the lungs of infected mice. Il17a knockout (Il17a-/-) mice were generated using CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology. The survival rate, body weight, bacterial load in lung tissue, and histopathological changes were compared between Il17a-/- and wild-type (WT) mice following inhalational infection with USA300-R. Results12 hours after USA300-R infection, compared to pre-infection, the expression level of Il17a mRNA in lung tissue and the level of IL-17A protein in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) increased by approximately 50-fold (P<0.01) and 6-fold (P<0.001), respectively. Compared to WT mice, Il17a-/- mice exhibited approximately 10-fold higher bacterial loads in lung tissue at both 12 and 24 hours post-infection (P<0.001, P<0.05). However, they showed significantly attenuated lung histopathological injury, reduced alveolar wall thickening, markedly decreased neutrophil infiltration, and an approximately 50% improvement in survival rate (P<0.05). ConclusionIn acute Staphylococcus aureus USA300-R inhalational pneumonia, IL-17A contributes to bacterial clearance by recruiting neutrophils; however, excessive neutrophil infiltration exacerbates pulmonary inflammation and injury, reduces survival rates, and represents a potential therapeutic target.
7.Analysis of risk factors for cardiovascular events and construction of a nomogram prediction model in patients undergoing long-term peritoneal dialysis
Xinyuan ZHOU ; Yuxin JIANG ; Xiaoxia WANG ; Xiangjie YANG ; Runzhe ZHOU ; Yuqing MENG ; Dingxin ZHANG ; Jin ZHANG ; Ying WANG
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2026;61(4):748-757
ObjectiveTo analyze the risk factors for long-term cardiovascular events in patients undergoing long-term peritoneal dialysis (PD), and to construct and validate a visual nomogram prediction model based on multiple parameters. MethodsA prospective cohort study was conducted, consecutively enrolling 248 maintenance PD patients (dialysis duration ≥ 3 months). Demographic characteristics, clinical indicators, laboratory parameters, and echocardiographic indices (including left ventricular ejection fraction [LVEF], ratio of early diastolic mitral inflow velocity to early diastolic mitral annular velocity (E/e’), etc.) were collected. The composite endpoint was defined as the occurrence of cardiovascular events or cardiovascular death, with non-cardiovascular death as the competing risk and loss to follow-up or the end of follow-up as censoring events. Fine-Gray competing risks model was used to screen independent predictors, based on which a nomogram model was constructed. Internal validation was performed using the Bootstrap method (1 000 resamplings), and the concordance index (C-index) and time-dependent receiver operating characteristic (time-dependent ROC) curve were calculated to evaluate the model performance. ResultsWith a median follow-up of 29 months (interquartile range: 24–35 months), 88 patients (35.48%) reached the composite endpoint, including 80 cases of cardiovascular events and 8 cases of cardiovascular death, and 4 patients died of non-cardiovascular causes. Multivariate Fine-Gray analysis revealed that age, diabetes mellitus, hemoglobin (HGB) level and E/e' ratio were independent influencing factors of the composite endpoint. Specifically, each 1-year increase in age was associated with a 3.0% increase in the risk of the composite endpoint (HR=1.030, P=0.006); patients with diabetes mellitus had a 167.9% higher risk compared with non-diabetic patients (HR=2.679, P=0.007); each 1g/L increase in HGB level contributed to a 1.5% reduction in the risk (HR=0.985, P=0.003); and each 0.1 increase in E/e' ratio led to a 7.2% increase in the risk (HR=1.072, P=0.045). The nomogram model had a C-index of 0.76 (95% CI: 0.698–0.820), and the AUC of the time-dependent ROC curve reached 0.849 at 23 months of follow-up. ConclusionIncreased age, complicated with diabetes mellitus, decreased HGB, and elevated E/e' ratio are independent risk factors of long-term occurrence of cardiovascular events and cardiovascular death in patients undergoing long-term PD. The nomogram model constructed based on the above variables has good predictive value and clinical applicability, which can provide a reference for cardiovascular risk stratification and individualized intervention in long-term PD patients.
8.Ovarian estrogen deficiency participates in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease by regulating hippocampal mitochondrial function and extracellular matrix remodeling
Xuan ZHANG ; Maohu ZHOU ; Zhaoyou MENG ; Lin GUO ; Jiqiang ZHANG
Journal of Army Medical University 2025;47(16):1849-1861
Objective The incidence of Alzheimer's disease(AD)in postmenopausal women is significantly increased with ageing.Menopause induced ovarian estrogen deficiency has been regarded as one of the causative risk factor of AD,but currently the detail mechanisms underlying estrogen regulation on the hippocampus remain unclear.This study aimed to uncover the potential pathways and key molecules through which estrogen deficiency induced by ovariectomy promotes AD pathogenesis by integrating transcriptomic and proteomic analyses.Methods The ovariectomy(OVX)mouse model was established to simulate postmenopausal estrogen decline.Transcriptomic(n=3)and proteomic(n=3)differences in the hippocampal tissues of OVX mice were analyzed using RNA sequencing and protein mass spectrometry.Co-trend molecules identified from both omics datasets were subjected to GO/KEGG enrichment and cluster analyses.These molecules were further compared with the human AD hippocampal database(AlzDate)for expression trend consistency;and online resources such as String,GeneCards/Uniports were employed to analyze protein interactions and networks of the co-trend genes to identify key molecules.Results A total of 139 differentially expressed genes(DEG)and 248 differentially expressed proteins(DEP)were identified,with 18 molecules showing consistent expression trends in both omics.Functional enrichment analysis revealed that these molecules were primarily involved in axonogenesis,cytoskeleton dynamics regulation,and long-chain fatty acid transport.After comparison with the human AD database,11 of the 18 co-trend molecules exhibited expression inhibition consistent with AD-associated genes in the human hippocampal databases.Interaction network analysis identified Aldoc(involved in glycolysis),Aldh6a1(involved in ROS scavenging),Etnppl(involved in mitochondrial energy metabolism),and Itih3(involved in hyaluronic acid-mediated extracellular matrix remodeling)as key genes contributing to AD pathogenesis.Additionally,3 co-trend molecules(Prxl2a,Set,Plin4)were not detected in human AD databases.Conclusion Postmenopausal estrogen deficiency decreases the expression levels of hippocampal Aldoc,Etnppl and Aldh6a1 then affects mitochondrial energy metabolism;and decreases levels of Itih3 expression then disables extracellular matrix remodeling.These effects collectively impair hippocampal axonal regenerative capacity,destabilize the cytoskeleton,and hinder the transport of long-chain fatty acids,ultimately driving the progression of AD pathology.
9.RNA-seq-based screening of autophagy-related genes during lung infection by highly antibiotic-resistant and highly virulent Staphylococcus aureus
Jinhong Zha ; Qi Kuang ; Chengxi Wu ; Xiaoyu Zhu ; Duo Su ; Lili Zhang ; Meng Lyu ; Lingfei Hu ; Dongsheng Zhou ; Wenhui Yang
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2025;60(9):1689-1696
Objective :
To identify autophagy-related genes involved in pulmonary infection caused by the highly drug-resistant and virulent methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain USA300 ( USA300) ,and to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms , thereby providing potential targets for immunotherapy.
Methods:
The GSE220943 dataset of a USA300-induced pulmonary infection mouse model was obtained from the GEO database. Differentially expressed genes ( DEGs ) were identified using the DESeq2 package. Autophagy-related genes ( ARGs) were retrieved from the MSigDB and Autophagy databases.Weighted gene co-expression network analysis ( WGCNA) was performed to construct gene co-expression modules.Genes overlapping among DEGs,ARGs,and WGCNA modules were identified as autophagy-related DEGs.Gene Ontology ( GO) enrichment analysis was con- ducted using the clusterProfiler R package,while Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes ( KEGG) pathway en- richment analysis was performed via the Metascape platform.Immune cell infiltration was analyzed using the Immu- CellAI-mouse website.A protein - protein interaction ( PPI) network was constructed using the STRING database, and hub genes were identified through topological analysis in Cytoscape. Receiver operating characteristic curve ( ROC) curves were plotted via the website https: / /www.bioinformatics.com.cn. Finally,key gene expression was validated in mouse lung tissues by real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR ( RT-qPCR) .
Results:
A total of 6 135,4 075,3 680,and 2 342 differentially expressed genes ( DEGs) were identified at 12,24,48,and 96 hours post-infection,respectively.By integrating DEGs,autophagy-related genes ( ARGs) ,and WGCNA mod- ules,19 autophagy-related DEGs were identified. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses indicated that these genes were mainly involved in CD4 + T cell activation and regulation,innate immune responses,and autophagosome mem- brane formation.Immune infiltration analysis revealed that innate immune cells such as neutrophils and dendritic cells predominated during the early phase of infection,while γδ T cells and M2 macrophages became more promi- nent in the later stages.PPI network analysis identified 12 hub autophagy-related genes,among which three upreg- ulated key genes ( Eif2ak2,Ikbke,and Nfkbiz) were further confirmed.The area under the ROC curve for all three genes was 1. 000.RT-qPCR validation demonstrated significantly elevated expression of these three genes in lung tissues at 24 hours post-infection ( all P<0. 05) .
Conclusion
Eif2ak2,Ikbke,and Nfkbiz may be involved in the pulmonary infection caused by USA300 by promoting autophagy and hold promise as potential targets for immuno- therapy.
10.Exon Sequencing of HNF1β in Chinese Patients with Early-Onset Diabetes
Siqian GONG ; Hong LIAN ; Yating LI ; Xiaoling CAI ; Wei LIU ; Yingying LUO ; Meng LI ; Si-min ZHANG ; Rui ZHANG ; Lingli ZHOU ; Yu ZHU ; Qian REN ; Xiuying ZHANG ; Jing CHEN ; Jing WU ; Xianghai ZHOU ; Xirui WANG ; Xueyao HAN ; Linong JI
Diabetes & Metabolism Journal 2025;49(2):321-330
Background:
Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) due to variants of hepatocyte nuclear factor 1-beta (HNF1β) (MODY5) has not been well studied in the Chinese population. This study aimed to estimate its prevalence and evaluate the application of a clinical screening method (Faguer score) in Chinese early-onset diabetes (EOD) patients.
Methods:
Among 679 EOD patients clinically diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (age at diagnosis ≤40 years), the exons of HNF1β were sequenced. Functional impact of rare variants was evaluated using a dual-luciferase reporter system. Faguer scores ≥8 prompted multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) for large deletions. Pathogenicity of HNF1β variants was assessed following the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) guidelines.
Results:
Two rare HNF1β missense mutations (E105K and G454R) were identified by sequencing in five patients, showing functional impact in vitro. Another patient was found to have a whole-gene deletion by MLPA in 22 patients with the Faguer score above 8. Following ACMG guidelines, six patients carrying pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant were diagnosed with MODY5. The estimated prevalence of MODY5 in Chinese EOD patients was approximately 0.9% or higher.
Conclusion
MODY5 is not uncommon in China. The Faguer score is helpful in deciding whether to perform MLPA analysis on patients with negative sequencing results.


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