Ochratoxin A (OTA) is ubiquitous in the food and feed fields. It has strong hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity, seriously threatening the health of humans and animals. Enzymatic degradation of mycotoxins is considered to be a promising method to control mycotoxin contaminations. In this study, a new ochratoxin A amidohydrolase from Microbulbifer thermotolerans (MiADH) was obtained. After heterologous expression in Escherichia coli and purification, the recombinant protein was studied regarding the hydrolysis activity, hydrolysis products, enzymatic properties, and substrate binding mode. MiADH can degrade OTA into ochratoxin α (OTα) and phenylalanine, demonstrating a detoxifying ability. It demonstrated the best performance at 70 ℃ and pH 8.0, and Cu²⁺ had the strongest inhibitory effect on the activity of MiADH. MiADH with good thermal stability exhibited huge potential for industrial application. Rational design guided by three-dimensional structural models and substrate docking analysis revealed the important amino acids affecting substrate binding and obtained multiple mutants with improved activity. Among these mutants, V324A had the highest activity, which was 4.2-fold that of the wild type. The identification of MiADH enriches the ochratoxin A degradation enzyme library and provides a new candidate enzyme for the biological detoxification of ochratoxin A in the food and feed industry.
Amidohydrolases/chemistry* ; Ochratoxins/metabolism* ; Substrate Specificity ; Escherichia coli/metabolism* ; Recombinant Proteins/metabolism* ; Actinomycetales/genetics*

Objective To establish normal reference values for left ventricular trabecular and papillary muscle mass(TPMM)in Chinese adults using MRI and to explore its impact factors.Methods A total of 168 healthy Chinese adults were retrospectively included,and compacted and total left ventricular myocardial mass(LVM)were measured using traditional and dedicated methods,respectively.TPMM was calculated from the difference between total and compacted LVM.Independent sample t-tests and analysis of variance were used to explore the differences in TPMM among genders and age groups,while multiple linear regression was used to explore the independent correlation between TPMM and age,gender,heart rate,systolic blood pressure(SBP),fasting blood glucose(FBG),and body mass index(BMI).Results TPMM for men was significantly larger than that for female(P<0.001).TPMM in the elderly group was significantly larger in female(P<0.05),but not in men.Multiple linear regression showed that BMI and SBP were both independently positively correlated with TPMM,and female and heart rate were independently negatively correlated with TPMM(P<0.05).Conclusion This study provides age-and gender-specific normal reference values for TPMM in Chinese adults.Gender,heart rate,BMI,and SBP are all independently associated with TPMM.

OBJECTIVE To systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists(GLP-1RA) in the renal protection of type 2 diabetes(T2DM) patients, and provide evidence for clinic. METHODS Computer retrieval of PubMed, Embase, The Cochrane Library, Clinical Trials.gov, CNKI, WanFang Data and VIP databases, and manual retrieval of the included references. Randomized controlled trials(RCTs) for T2DM using GLP-1RA alone or GLP-1RA in combination with other conventional agents(experimental group) versus conventional treatment without GLP-1RA or placebo(control group). The search period spanned from the establishment of the database to January 30, 2022. Meta-analysis of the included data was performed using RevMan 5.4 statistical software. RESULTS A total of 7 studies were included, including 7 985 cases in experimental group and 6 633 cases in control group. Meta-analysis showed that the experimental group significantly reduced the incidence of renal complex endpoint events[Z=2.17, P=0.03, RR=0.79, 95%CI(0.64, 0.98)], urinary albumin creatinine ratio[Z=11.66, P<0.00001, MD=–23.74, 95%CI(–27.73, –19.74)], incidence of new macroalbuminuria[Z=5.79, P<0.000 01, MD=0.76, 95%CI(0.69, 0.83)], hemoglobin A1c[Z=12.76, P<0.000 01, MD=–0.94, 95%CI(–1.09, –0.80)] and estimated glomerular filtration rate[P=0.0007, Z=3.39, MD=–7.37, 95%CI(–11.63, –3.10)], the differences were statistically significant. One study showed that the experimental group could significantly reduce 24-hour urinary albumin excretion rate. However, there was no significant difference in the incidence of acute renal failure between the two groups[Z=0.63, P=0.53, MD=1.13, 95%CI(0.78, 1.63)]. In terms of safety, except the incidence of hypoglycemia, the incidence of adverse reactions in the experimental group was higher than that in the control group, including diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite, with statistically significant differences. CONCLUSION Existing research evidence shows that the common adverse reactions of GLP-1RA are gastrointestinal reactions and can be tolerated. Compared with placebo or conventional treatment without GLP-1RA, GLP-1RA may have a protective effect on the kidney of T2DM patients, and this conclusion needs to be further verified by RCTs.

Objective To assess the impact of statins combined with sorafenib(SRF)therapy on survival outcomes in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma(mRCC).Methods Clinical data of mRCC patients treated in the 908th Hospital of the Joint Security Force from November 2019 to November 2023 were retrospectively analyzed.They were categorized into statin group and non-statin group according to whether they used statins or not,and the differences in the primary endpoint of overall survival(OS),secondary endpoints of progression-free survival(PFS),objective response rate(ORR),and disease control rate(DCR)were compared between the two groups.Results A total of 80 patients were included in the study,with 27 in the statin group and 53 in the non-statin group.There were no statistically significant differences in partial remission,stable disease,disease progression,and DCR between the two groups(P＞0.05);complete remission and ORR were significantly higher in the statin group than in the non-statin group(P＜0.05).Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that,compared with the non-statin group,the median PFS and OS of the statin group were prolonged,and the difference in median PFS between the two groups was statistically significant(P＜0.05).In terms of safety,the incidence of other adverse events was similar in both groups(P＞0.05).Conclusion Statins combined with SRF treatment regimen can improve ORR and DCR and prolong median PFS and OS in patients with mRCC.

Objective:To explore the potential pathogenesis of exosome-mediated polymyositis/dermatomyositis (PM/DM) through multi-omics combined with bioinformatic analysis approach and to identify potential new targets for the diagnosis and treatment of PM/DM.Methods:Collect serum exosome samples from PM/DM patients and healthy individuals who underwent physical examination in Wuxi Second People′s Hospital from January 2021 to June 2023. HiSeq high-throughput sequencing technology and iTRAQ quantitative proteomics techniques were used to perform a sequencing analysis of miRNA and protein components in serum exosomes from patients with PM/DM and healthy control. R language was adapted to conduct the limma differential analysis, gene ontology (GO), Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG), gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) functional analysis, and immunological correlation analysis. Based on these analysis, we identified core genes and established a miRNA-target gene-transcription factor co-expression molecular network. Subsequently, we employed quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) to experimentally validate the core genes. Data analysis was performed using t-test statistical analysis and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were plotted to evaluate the test efficacy of the core genes. Results:Initially, 42 up-regulated differential proteins and 61 DEP down-regulated differential proteins, as well as 22 up-regulated differential miRNAs and 19 down-regulated miRNAs were screened, and 7 core genes, 13 associated differential miRNAs, and 4 transcription factors were finally identified. Based on the functional analysis we concluded that the core genes CTSG, MPO, H1-5 involved in the formation of neutrophil extracellular trap network, NF-κB pathway and other inflammation-related pathways might play an important role in exosome-mediated PM/DM pathogenesis. Immune cells such as mast cells, immature dendritic cells, natural killer cells, regulatory T cells, and helper T cells 2 were expressed to a higher extent in the disease. In the t-test, MPO [(1.08 ±0.47) vs. (2.05 ±0.62), t=-3.50, P=0.004], CTSG [(1.11 ±0.51 ) vs. (2.27 ±1.10 ), t=-2.72, P=0.022], and H1-5 [(1.03 ±0.25) vs. (1.81 ±0.73), t=-2.89, P=0.019] showed statistically significant differences. In the ROC curve analysis, MPO[AUC(95% CI): 0.92(0.78, 1)], CTSG [AUC(95% CI): 0.81(0.59, 1)], and H1-5 (AUC (95% CI)= 0.84(0.64, 1)] indicated that the three core genes had good accuracy. Conclusion:We identified the key differential molecules in serum exosomes of patients with PM/DM, and constructed a regulatory network of miRNA-target gene-transcription factor, and determined that the pathogenic mechanism of PM/DM was mediated by serum exosomes was mediated through the formation of neutrophil extracellular trapping nets and the NF-κB pathway. CTSG, MPO, and H1-5 are the core genes in the these pathways, and their related miRNAs and transcription factors have been identified, which may become potential targets and biomarkers for the diagnosis and treatment of PM/DM.

Objective To analyze the factors influencing the occurrence of post-embolization syndrome(PES)after transhepatic arterial chemoembolization(TACE).Methods A total of 107 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC),who received TACE treatment at authors'hospital between February 2021 and March 2023,were included in the study.Among them,56 patients developed PES(PES group)and 51 patients did not develop PES(non-PES group).The demographic data,medical history,pathological findings,laboratory indicators and operation-related materials were compared between the two groups,and the risk factors for PES were analyzed.Results There were statistically significant differences in tumor diameter,albumin(ALB)level,preoperative physical condition(ECOG)score,type of embolization agent,drug-loaded microspheres,number of microspheres,and dosage of loaded drug between the two groups(all P＜0.05).Multivariate Logistic analysis revealed that drug-loaded microspheres,number of microspheres,and dosage of loaded drug were the independent risk factors for PES occurring after TACE(all P＜0.05).Conclusion HCC patients treated with TACE using drug-loaded microspheres,large amount of microspheres and high dosage of loaded drug have a higher risk of PES occurring after TACE.For patients having the above risk factors,the formulation of corresponding perioperative intervention strategies is necessary so as to avoid the occurrence of PES and to improve the safety of TACE.

Chemically defined medium is widely used for culturing mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs), in which N2B27 works as a substitution for serum, and GSK3β and MEK inhibitors (2i) help to promote ground-state pluripotency. However, recent studies suggested that MEKi might cause irreversible defects that compromise the developmental potential of mESCs. Here, we demonstrated the deficient bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signal in the chemically defined condition is one of the main causes for the impaired pluripotency. Mechanistically, activating the BMP signal pathway by BMP4 could safeguard the chromosomal integrity and proliferation capacity of mESCs through regulating downstream targets Ube2s and Chmp4b. More importantly, BMP4 promotes a distinct in vivo developmental potential and a long-term pluripotency preservation. Besides, the pluripotent improvements driven by BMP4 are superior to those by attenuating MEK suppression. Taken together, our study shows appropriate activation of BMP signal is essential for regulating functional pluripotency and reveals that BMP4 should be applied in the serum-free culture system.
Animals ; Bone Morphogenetic Protein 4/metabolism* ; Cell Differentiation ; Chromosomal Instability ; Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport ; Mice ; Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Kinases/metabolism* ; Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells/cytology* ; Pluripotent Stem Cells/cytology* ; Signal Transduction ; Ubiquitin-Conjugating Enzymes

OB JECTIVE To study the anti-inflammatory effect of couplet medicinals of Achyranthes bidentata -Eucommia ulmoides. METHODS Mouse macrophage RAW 264.7 were divided into blank group ，model group ，A. bidentata group（800 μg/mL），E. ulmoides group（800 μg/mL）and low- ，medium- and high- concentration groups of couplet medicinals of A. bidentata - E. ulmoides （400，800，1 600 μg/mL）. Excep for blank group and model group ，the other groups were added with corresponding drugs for 6 hours；then blank group was continued to add into the medium ，while model group was added into 10 μg/mL lipopolysaccharide （to induce the inflammatory model ）；other groups were added into corresponding drugs and 10 μ g/mL lipopolysaccharide. The levels of inflammatory factors [nitric oxide （NO），interleukin-1β（IL-1β），IL-6，tumor necrosis factor-α （TNF-α）] were detected ，and Jin ’s formula was used to evaluate the effects of A. bidentata -E. ulmoides . The expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase （iNOS），cyclooxygenase-2（COX-2），nuclear factor kappa-B （NF-κB）and inhibitor α of NF-κB （IκBα）as well as the phosphorylation of NF-κB p65，IκB kinase（IKK），p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase （p38 MAPK）， extracellular signal-regulated kinase （ERK）and c-Jun N-terminal kinase （JNK）were determined. RESULTS Compared with blank group，the level of inflammatory factors ，protein expression of iNOS and COX- 2 as well as the phosphorylation of NF-κB p65， IKK，p38 MAPK，ERK and JNK were increased significantly （P＜0.01），while the protein expression of IκBα was decreased significantly（P＜0.01）. After intervention of couplet medicinals of A. bidentata -E. ulmoides ，the level of inflammatory factors ，the expression or phosphorylation of above proteins were reversed significantly （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01），and couplet medicinals of A. bidentata-E. ulmoides had a synergistic effect. CONCLUSIONS The couplet medicinals of A. bidentata -E. ulmoides have synergistic anti-inflammatory effect on RAW 264.7 cells. Its mechanism may be related to the inhibition of NF-κB/MAPK signaling pathway related protein expression.

Objective:To investigate the method and clinical effect of horn-shaped perforator flaps with multiple blood supply for reconstructing massive facial defects caused by various reasons.Methods:A retrospective review was performed on patients with massive facial defects in the Department of Plastic Surgery of First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from June 2015 to July 2020. The Doppler ultrasound was used to localize the facial source artery and perforators preoperatively. During the operation, the flap was designed according to the defect size, the elasticity of around skin, the length from the distal end of the defect to the location of the selected perforator, and the Langer’s line of the face. The length of the proximal part of the flap was approximately equal to the defect width, and the length of the flap was about 3 to 3.5 times longer than the defect width. An incision was made along the distal part of the flap. The flap dissection proceeded in a proximal to distal fashion superficial to the superficial musculoaponeurotic system, until forming a large perforator flap. A small number of fibrous around the perforator were retained, and the flap was rotated and advanced to reconstruct the defect without any tension. The donor site was closed directly. Wound healing, scar formation, tumor recurrence, and tumor metastasis were followed postoperatively.Results:A total of nine cases were enrolled, with four male patients and five female patients. The mean age of the patients was 58 years, ranging from 35 to 81 years. The size of the flap ranged from 10.0 cm × 6.0 cm to 14.0 cm × 7.0 cm. All flaps survived, and the wound healed primarily. After 3 to 24 months of follow-up, no recurrence of tumor, obvious scar, flap bloated, facial deformity, or other complications were observed. The patients was satisfied with the aesthetic subunit structure and function.Conclusions:The horn-shaped perforator flap with multiple blood supply is simple in design, easy in decision, reliable in blood supply, and consistent in color and texture with the original tissue. The incision scar can be hidden in the Langer’s line with a satisfying appearance, which is suitable for aged patients with sagging facial skin.

Objective:To investigate the method and clinical effect of horn-shaped perforator flaps with multiple blood supply for reconstructing massive facial defects caused by various reasons.Methods:A retrospective review was performed on patients with massive facial defects in the Department of Plastic Surgery of First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University from June 2015 to July 2020. The Doppler ultrasound was used to localize the facial source artery and perforators preoperatively. During the operation, the flap was designed according to the defect size, the elasticity of around skin, the length from the distal end of the defect to the location of the selected perforator, and the Langer’s line of the face. The length of the proximal part of the flap was approximately equal to the defect width, and the length of the flap was about 3 to 3.5 times longer than the defect width. An incision was made along the distal part of the flap. The flap dissection proceeded in a proximal to distal fashion superficial to the superficial musculoaponeurotic system, until forming a large perforator flap. A small number of fibrous around the perforator were retained, and the flap was rotated and advanced to reconstruct the defect without any tension. The donor site was closed directly. Wound healing, scar formation, tumor recurrence, and tumor metastasis were followed postoperatively.Results:A total of nine cases were enrolled, with four male patients and five female patients. The mean age of the patients was 58 years, ranging from 35 to 81 years. The size of the flap ranged from 10.0 cm × 6.0 cm to 14.0 cm × 7.0 cm. All flaps survived, and the wound healed primarily. After 3 to 24 months of follow-up, no recurrence of tumor, obvious scar, flap bloated, facial deformity, or other complications were observed. The patients was satisfied with the aesthetic subunit structure and function.Conclusions:The horn-shaped perforator flap with multiple blood supply is simple in design, easy in decision, reliable in blood supply, and consistent in color and texture with the original tissue. The incision scar can be hidden in the Langer’s line with a satisfying appearance, which is suitable for aged patients with sagging facial skin.