Diabetic retinopathy(DR)is one of the most common and serious microvascular complications of diabetes, posing a significant threat to patients' visual health. In recent years, epigenetic mechanisms have garnered increasing attention in the scientific community for their pivotal role in the onset and progression of DR. This paper systematically examines the regulatory roles of epigenetic mechanisms in DR, covering key pathways such as DNA methylation, histone modifications, chromatin remodeling, and non-coding RNAs. Under hyperglycemic conditions in diabetes, these epigenetic mechanisms modulate gene expression, thereby influencing critical pathological processes such as oxidative stress, inflammatory responses, mitochondrial dysfunction, and metabolic memory. This article reviews recent advances in epigenetic regulation in DR, providing an in-depth analysis of its underlying molecular mechanisms and complex regulatory networks, and explores the potential of epigenetic markers as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets. Additionally, this article highlights emerging therapeutic strategies targeting epigenetic modifications, aiming to provide a theoretical foundation and research direction for the early diagnosis and precision treatment of this disease.

Objective To evaluate the short-term effects of comprehensive health management interventions for stroke high-risk population screening on the prevention and treatment of ischemic stroke, and to provide reference and basis for improving and exploring health management and prevention strategies for stroke high-risk population. Methods From 2018 to 2022, 13 community health service centers in Jiading District, Shanghai were selected in the present study. Based on information push platform, stroke risk assessment and health intervention follow-up were conducted for community residents through convenience sampling. The residents were divided into a full course intervention group (intervention group) and a routine intervention group (control group) according to different health intervention measures and forms. The incidence of ischemic stroke in the two groups of survey subjects was tracked within 36 months. Results A total of 52144 subjects were included in the study. The total number of patients in the full course intervention group was 14227, with an incidence density of 577.32/100 000 (556.49/100 000-598.12/100 000), which was lower than that of the conventional intervention group (37 917), with an incidence density of 1 485.47/100 000 (1 464.99/100 000-1 505.94/100 000) (χ²=2490.212, P<0.001). The relative risk of the full course intervention group was 0.39, and the relative risk of stroke risk factors in the full course intervention group from low to high was 0.33, 0.43, 0.45, and 0.49, respectively. The incidence density of males in the full course intervention group was 660.76 (627.46/100 000 - 694.05/100 000), with a relative risk of 0.43, and the incidence density of female patients was 509.71/100 000 (483.37/100 000 - 536.05/100 000), with a relative risk of 0.35. The overall incidence density of the population under 62 years old gourp, 62-75 years old group and over 75 years old group was 197.45/100 000 (173.09/100 000 -221.80/100 000), 608.36/100 000 (580.19/100 000-636.54/100 000), and 1 025.06/100 000 (958.51/100 000-1 091.61/100 000), with relative risks of 0.51, 0.44, and 0.38, respectively. Conclusion Comprehensive health management measures can effectively reduce the short-term risk of ischemic stroke, and should be further promoted and improved to enhance the effectiveness of stroke prevention and control.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of pharmaceutical services guided by root cause analysis （RCA） in a problem-oriented manner combined with knowledge-attitude-practice （KAP） theory on reducing the incidence of protocol violations of investigational medicinal products in pediatric clinical trials. METHODS A total of 617 participants from 69 drug clinical trial projects conducted in our hospital from January 2016 to December 2020 were selected as the control group， and 868 participants from 72 drug clinical trial projects from January 2022 to December 2025 as the observation group. RCA was performed on the protocol violations of investigational medicinal product in the control group to identify the types and underlying causes. The control group received routine pharmaceutical services for drug clinical trials， while the observation group was provided with precision pharmaceutical services from the three dimensions of knowledge， attitude and practice on the basis of routine pharmaceutical services， according to the root causes identified by RCA. The occurrence of investigational medicinal products protocol violations was compared between the two groups. RESULTS The total incidence of protocol violations of investigational medicinal products， as well as the incidences of minor and major protocol violations， were all significantly lower in the observation group than in the control group （ P ＜0.001）. The main types of protocol violations in both groups included missed/under-/over-dosing of medications， non-adherence to administration time， failure to adjust dosage as required， and combined medication/vaccination in violation of the protocol. Regarding the responsible subjects of protocol violations， the incidences of protocol violations attributed to participants and their guardians as well as investigators and accidental factors were significantly lower in the observation group than in the control group （ P ＜0.001， P ＜0.001， P ＝0.025）. However， there were no statistically significant differences in the incidences of protocol violations caused by sponsor-related reasons between the two groups （ P ＞0.05）. CONCLUSIONS Pharmaceutical services led by pharmacists， based on problem-oriented RCA and combined with KAP theory， can effectively reduce the protocol violations of investigational medicinal products rate in pediatric clinical trials， thereby safeguarding the safety and rights of study participants.

ObjectiveCerebrospinal fluid (CSF) plays a crucial role in maintaining the homeostasis of the central nervous system (CNS). CSF rapidly exchanges with interstitial fluid (ISF) via the glymphatic system within the brain parenchyma. CSF-ISF circulation and its associated mechanisms are often referred to as the brain lymphatic system. This system is connected directly to meningeal lymphatic vessels (mLVs), jointly performing the function of clearing metabolic waste from the CNS. Emerging evidence indicates that this system is closely associated with the onset and progression of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Importantly, abnormal CSF circulation is not only a downstream consequence of AD pathology, but also a risk factor. In AD, the dynamics of CSF flow within the CNS are diminished, immune dysregulation occurs, and this may increase the risk of AD by exacerbating the burden of amyloid β-protein (Aβ). In the mouse model of AD, impaired CSF flow compromises this clearance function, leading to cognitive deficits. Clinically, acupuncture at cognition-related acupoints is commonly used for the prevention and treatment of AD. However, whether its therapeutic effects are mediated through the modulation of CSF dynamics remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of acupuncture on CSF flow and investigate its acupoint specificity. MethodsMice were randomly assigned to experimental groups for the different electroacupuncture groups with the following acupoints: Baihui point (GV 20), Ear point, Neiguan point (PC 6), and Tianshu point (ST 25). Wild-type mice on a C57BL/6J background were used as controls. Fluorescent tracer was injected into the cisterna magna to label CSF flow. Fluorescence imaging was employed to assess the distribution of CSF within the brain before and after acupuncture stimulation. ResultsFollowing tracer injection into the cisterna magna, fluorescence signals rapidly reached the cerebellum and medulla—the regions closest to the injection site. Fluorescence intensity was higher in ventral brain regions compared to dorsal regions, likely due to greater vascular density in ventral areas facilitating CSF-ISF exchange. Electroacupuncture at the GV 20 produced the most pronounced enhancement of CSF across the whole brain, while stimulation at the ST 25 primarily augmented flow within subcortical regions. In contrast, electroacupuncture at the Ear point or the PC 6 had no observable effect on CSF in mice. ConclusionElectroacupuncture promotes CSF flow into the brain parenchyma in an acupoint-specific manner, with GV 20 exhibiting the most pronounced enhancement of CSF dynamics. These findings suggest that acupuncture-mediated facilitation of CSF flow may represent a potential therapeutic strategy for preventing or delaying age-related cognitive decline.

ObjectiveCerebrospinal fluid (CSF) plays a crucial role in maintaining the homeostasis of the central nervous system (CNS). CSF rapidly exchanges with interstitial fluid (ISF) via the glymphatic system within the brain parenchyma. CSF-ISF circulation and its associated mechanisms are often referred to as the brain lymphatic system. This system is connected directly to meningeal lymphatic vessels (mLVs), jointly performing the function of clearing metabolic waste from the CNS. Emerging evidence indicates that this system is closely associated with the onset and progression of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Importantly, abnormal CSF circulation is not only a downstream consequence of AD pathology, but also a risk factor. In AD, the dynamics of CSF flow within the CNS are diminished, immune dysregulation occurs, and this may increase the risk of AD by exacerbating the burden of amyloid β-protein (Aβ). In the mouse model of AD, impaired CSF flow compromises this clearance function, leading to cognitive deficits. Clinically, acupuncture at cognition-related acupoints is commonly used for the prevention and treatment of AD. However, whether its therapeutic effects are mediated through the modulation of CSF dynamics remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of acupuncture on CSF flow and investigate its acupoint specificity. MethodsMice were randomly assigned to experimental groups for the different electroacupuncture groups with the following acupoints: Baihui point (GV 20), Ear point, Neiguan point (PC 6), and Tianshu point (ST 25). Wild-type mice on a C57BL/6J background were used as controls. Fluorescent tracer was injected into the cisterna magna to label CSF flow. Fluorescence imaging was employed to assess the distribution of CSF within the brain before and after acupuncture stimulation. ResultsFollowing tracer injection into the cisterna magna, fluorescence signals rapidly reached the cerebellum and medulla—the regions closest to the injection site. Fluorescence intensity was higher in ventral brain regions compared to dorsal regions, likely due to greater vascular density in ventral areas facilitating CSF-ISF exchange. Electroacupuncture at the GV 20 produced the most pronounced enhancement of CSF across the whole brain, while stimulation at the ST 25 primarily augmented flow within subcortical regions. In contrast, electroacupuncture at the Ear point or the PC 6 had no observable effect on CSF in mice. ConclusionElectroacupuncture promotes CSF flow into the brain parenchyma in an acupoint-specific manner, with GV 20 exhibiting the most pronounced enhancement of CSF dynamics. These findings suggest that acupuncture-mediated facilitation of CSF flow may represent a potential therapeutic strategy for preventing or delaying age-related cognitive decline.

Tumor drug resistance is an important problem in the failure of chemotherapy and targeted drug therapy, which is a complex process involving chromatin remodeling. SWI/SNF is one of the most studied ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling complexes in tumorigenesis, which plays an important role in the coordination of chromatin structural stability, gene expression, and post-translation modification. However, its mechanism in tumor drug resistance has not been systematically combed. SWI/SNF can be divided into 3 types according to its subunit composition: BAF, PBAF, and ncBAF. These 3 subtypes all contain two mutually exclusive ATPase catalytic subunits (SMARCA2 or SMARCA4), core subunits (SMARCC1 and SMARCD1), and regulatory subunits (ARID1A, PBRM1, and ACTB, etc.), which can control gene expression by regulating chromatin structure. The change of SWI/SNF complex subunits is one of the important factors of tumor drug resistance and progress. SMARCA4 and ARID1A are the most widely studied subunits in tumor drug resistance. Low expression of SMARCA4 can lead to the deletion of the transcription inhibitor of the BCL2L1 gene in mantle cell lymphoma, which will result in transcription up-regulation and significant resistance to the combination therapy of ibrutinib and venetoclax. Low expression of SMARCA4 and high expression of SMARCA2 can activate the FGFR1-pERK1/2 signaling pathway in ovarian high-grade serous carcinoma cells, which induces the overexpression of anti-apoptosis gene BCL2 and results in carboplatin resistance. SMARCA4 deletion can up-regulate epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) by activating YAP1 gene expression in triple-negative breast cancer. It can also reduce the expression of Ca²⁺ channel IP3R3 in ovarian and lung cancer, resulting in the transfer of Ca²⁺ needed to induce apoptosis from endoplasmic reticulum to mitochondria damage. Thus, these two tumors are resistant to cisplatin. It has been found that verteporfin can overcome the drug resistance induced by SMARCA4 deletion. However, this inhibitor has not been applied in clinical practice. Therefore, it is a promising research direction to develop SWI/SNF ATPase targeted drugs with high oral bioavailability to treat patients with tumor resistance induced by low expression or deletion of SMARCA4. ARID1A deletion can activate the expression of ANXA1 protein in HER2+ breast cancer cells or down-regulate the expression of progesterone receptor B protein in endometrial cancer cells. The drug resistance of these two tumor cells to trastuzumab or progesterone is induced by activating AKT pathway. ARID1A deletion in ovarian cancer can increase the expression of MRP2 protein and make it resistant to carboplatin and paclitaxel. ARID1A deletion also can up-regulate the phosphorylation levels of EGFR, ErbB2, and RAF1 oncogene proteins.The ErbB and VEGF pathway are activated and EMT is increased. As a result, lung adenocarcinoma is resistant to epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs). Although great progress has been made in the research on the mechanism of SWI/SNF complex inducing tumor drug resistance, most of the research is still at the protein level. It is necessary to comprehensively and deeply explore the detailed mechanism of drug resistance from gene, transcription, protein, and metabolite levels by using multi-omics techniques, which can provide sufficient theoretical basis for the diagnosis and treatment of poor tumor prognosis caused by mutation or abnormal expression of SWI/SNF subunits in clinical practice.

ObjectiveTo investigate the possible mechanism of Bushen Huoxue Granule （补肾活血颗粒， BHG） in treating Parkinson's disease （PD） from the perspecitve of dopamine （DA） homeostasis. MethodsSeventy-two mice were randomly divided into blank group， model group， madopar group and BHG low-， medium- and high-dose groups， with 12 mice in each group. Except for the blank group， all mice were administered intraperitoneal injections of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1，2，3，6-tetrahydropyridine （MPTP） for 7 consecutive days to induce a PD model. On the day following the injection， BHG low-， medium- and high-dose groups were administered BHG at doses of 1.25， 2.5， and 5.0 mg/（g·d） by oral gavage， respectively， while the madopar group received madopar tablets at dose of 0.093 8 mg/（g·d） by oral gavage. The blank group and the model group were given 0.2 ml/10 g of distilled water by gavage. All treatments were given once daily for 14 days. Open field test， pole climbing test and grip test were used to evaluate the behavior of mice in each group. Immunohistochemistry was used to detect the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase （TH） in striatum. Nissl staining was used to detect the activity of striatal neurons. The contents of DA and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid （DOPAC） in striatum were detected by ultra performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. The number and volume of synaptic vesicles were observed by transmission electron microscope. The expression of vesicular monoamine transporter 2 （VMAT2） in striatum was detected by immunofluorescence. Western Blot was used to detect the expression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase （ERK）， phosphorylated ERK （p-ERK）， cAMP response element-binding protein （CREB）， phosphorylated CREB （p-CREB） and VMAT2 in striatum. ResultsCompared to the blank group， mice in the model group showed a significant decline in total distance and average speed in the open field test， along with an increase in total resting time； in the pole test， both the time required for the mice to turn completely downward （T-turn） and the total time taken to reach the bottom of the pole （T-total） were prolonged； forelimb grip strength was reduced； in the striatum， the mean optical density of TH， the average fluorescence intensity of VMAT2 protein， and DA content all decreased， while the number of striatal neurons was reduced， and the DOPAC/DA ratio was elevated； the levels of p-ERK/ERK， p-CREB/CREB， and VMAT2 in the striatum significantly decreased （P＜0.01）； transmission electron microscopy revealed that both the number and volume of synaptic vesicles in striatal neurons were markedly reduced. Compared to the model group， mice in the madopar group and BHG low-， medium- and high-dose groups showed significant improvements in all the above indicators （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. Compared to madopar group， the BHG high-dose group exhibited increased DA content and elevated p-CREB/CREB ratio in the striatum （P＜0.05）. Compared to the BHG low-dose group， the BHG high-dose group showed increased total distance and mean velocity， decreased total resting time， T-turn， and T-total， as well as enhanced forelimb grip strength； moreover， the average fluorescence intensity of VMAT2 protein， DA content， p-ERK/ERK， p-CREB/CREB， and VMAT2 levels in the striatum were all significantly elevated （P＜0.05 or P＜0.01）. ConclusionBHG may restore DA homeostasis and alleviate the damage of dopaminergic neurons by regulating ERK/CREB/VMAT2 signaling pathway.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease with clinical hallmarks of progressive cognitive impairment. Synergistic effects of the Aβ-Tau cascade reaction are tightly implicated in AD pathology, and microglial NLRP3 inflammasome activation drives neuronal tauopathy. However, the underlying mechanism of how Aβ mediates NLRP3 inflammasome remains unclear. Herein, we determined that oligomeric Aβ (o-Aβ) bound to microglial Kv2.1 and promoted Kv2.1-dependent potassium efflux to activate NLRP3 inflammasome resulting in neuronal tauopathy by using Kv2.1 inhibitor drofenine (Dfe) as a probe. The underlying mechanism has been intensively investigated by assays with Kv2.1 knockdown in vitro (si-Kv2.1) and in vivo (AAV-ePHP-si-Kv2.1). Dfe deprived o-Aβ of its capability to promote microglial NLRP3 inflammasome activation and neuronal Tau hyperphosphorylation by inhibiting the Kv2.1/JNK/NF-κB pathway while improving the cognitive impairment of 5×FAD-AD model mice. Our results have highly addressed that the Kv2.1 channel is required for o-Aβ-driven microglial NLRP3 inflammasome activation and neuronal tauopathy in AD model mice and highlighted that Dfe as a Kv2.1 inhibitor shows potential in the treatment of AD.

The rapid emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants that evade immunity elicited by vaccination has posed a global challenge to the control of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Therefore, developing countermeasures that broadly protect against SARS-CoV-2 and related sarbecoviruses is essential. Herein, we have developed a lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-encapsulated mRNA (mRNA-LNP) encoding the full-length Spike (S) glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2 (termed RG001), which confers complete protection in a non-human primate model. Intramuscular immunization of two doses of RG001 in Rhesus monkey elicited robust neutralizing antibodies and cellular response against SARS-CoV-2 variants, resulting in significantly protected SARS-CoV-2-infected animals from acute lung lesions and complete inhibition of viral replication in all animals immunized with low or high doses of RG001. More importantly, the third dose of RG001 vaccination elicited effective neutralizing antibodies against current epidemic XBB and JN.1 strains and similar cellular response against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants (BA.1, XBB.1.16, and JN.1) were observed in immunized mice. All these results together strongly support the great potential of RG001 in preventing the infection of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs).

Objective To analyze the economic cost of self-monitoring of gestational diabetes mellitus, and provide a basis for measuring the economic burden of gestational diabetes mellitus, and to provide a reference for the formulation of intervention development and the adjustment of resource allocation. Methods The individual economic cost of self-monitoring for gestational diabetes mellitus was measured based on a decision tree model, and the total economic cost of self-monitoring for gestational diabetes mellitus in Beijing was estimated. The uncertainty of the model parameters was analyzed using one-way sensitivity analysis. Results The average individual economic cost of gestational diabetes self-monitoring was 1184 RMB, and the individual cost incurred by choosing different types of blood glucose meters ranged from 403 to 18 000 RMB. The average individual economic cost of finger-stick blood glucose monitoring was 606 RMB and the average individual economic cost of continuous glucose monitoring was 2 374 RMB. The total economic cost of gestational diabetes self-monitoring in Beijing was 23.818 0 million RMB, and the total economic cost incurred by choosing different types of blood glucose meters ranged from 0.292 5 to 9.027 9 million RMB. The proportion of the finger-stick blood glucose monitoring had the greatest impact on the robustness of the results. Conclusion Finger-stick blood glucose monitoring is still the dominant self-monitoring method and is less costly than continuous glucose monitoring. Self-monitoring of pregnant women with gestational diabetes mellitus incurs certain economic cost and causes an economic burden on society.