1.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.
2.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.
3.Application of shockwave balloon in the treatment of TASCⅡ C/D femoropopliteal atherosclerosis obliterans
Yi HE ; Hongyu WU ; Shanshan DING ; Yanqing QI ; Fei WU ; Xiaoyang NIU ; Yanling WANG ; Weilong LU ; Bing WANG
Chinese Journal of Radiology 2025;59(5):572-576
Objective:To evaluate the short-and medium-term therapeutic efficacy of shockwave balloon therapy for TASCⅡ C/D femoropopliteal artery atherosclerosis obliteration.Methods:This retrospective cohort study included 25 patients who received shockwave balloon therapy in five vascular centers from August 2022 to June 2023. All patients were diagnosed with TASC Ⅱ C/D femoropopliteal arteriosclerosis obliterans (13 cases of type C and 12 cases of type D), and underwent intravascular shock wave lithotripsy (IVL) to treat calcified lesions. The immediate effectiveness (residual stenosis<30% and no flow-limiting dissection), safety (whether there were adverse vascular events during the operation) and the rate of salvage stent implantation were recorded. The observation indexes of patients before operation, early postoperative period (immediately after operation or before discharge) and postoperative follow-up period (3, 6, 12 months after operation) were collected. The observation indexes included ankle-brachial index (ABI), Rutherford classification, and minimum lumen diameter (MLD). Repeated measures ANOVA was used to evaluate the changes of observation indexes in the early postoperative and follow-up stages compared with those before operation; Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to evaluate the one-stage patency rate at follow-up and the target lesion revascularization rate free from clinical drive.Results:The immediate effectiveness of surgery was 100% in all patients, with no vascular related adverse events occurred, and no remedial stent implantation was performed. The ABI, Rutherford grade and MLD of the patients in the early postoperative period and each follow-up stage were improved compared with those before operation, with statistically significant differences ( P<0.05). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that the primary patency rate at 12 months after surgery was 0.78 (95% CI 0.64-0.84), and the revascularization rate of target lesions free from clinical drive was 0.87 (95% CI 0.85-0.95). Conclusion:Shockwave balloon therapy for complex calcified femoropopliteal artery lesions is safe and reliable, with satisfactory short-and medium-term efficacy.
4.Effect and mechanism of osthole on neuroinflammation in ischemic stroke rats
Yongsheng SUN ; Hui QI ; Haidong SUN ; Fei WANG
Chinese Journal of Geriatric Heart Brain and Vessel Diseases 2025;27(2):217-222
Objective To investigate the effect of osthole(Ost)on neuroinflammation in IS rats by regulating the HMGB1-RAGE signaling pathway.Methods After rat IS model was established with middle cerebral artery occlusion by intraluminal suture,40 model rats were grouped into model group,low-and high-dose Ost(Ost-L and Ost-H)groups,and Ost-H+recombinant rHMGB1(Ost-H+rHMGB1)group,with 10 rats in each groups.Another 10 rats served as sham operation group.Zea-Longa scoring was used to evaluate the neurological function.Serum nerve growth factor(NGF)and LDH levels,and hippocampal TNF-α,IL-10,and IL-1β contents were detected by ELISA.Triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining,Nissl staining,and TUNEL staining were applied respectively to observe the volume of cerebral infarction,hippocampal morphology,and apoptosis in hippocampal tissue cells.The activity of superoxide dismutase(SOD)in the hip-pocampus was detected by hydroxylamine assay,and that of catalases(CAT)was by ammonium molybdate.The content of malonic dialdehyde(MDA)was determined by thiobarbituric acid method.Western blotting was used to measure the protein expression of cleaved Caspase-3,HMGB1,RAGE,NF-κB,and p-NF-κB in brain tissue.Results The model group showed obvious damage in the hippocampal tissues,higher neurological function score,increased stroke volume percentage,serum LDH level and hippocampal TNF-α and IL-1βlevels,elevated neuronal apoptot-ic rate and MDA content,and up-regulation of cleaved Caspase-3,HMGB1,RAGE,and p-NF-κB/NF-κB proteins,while decreased serum NGF level,hippocampal IL-10 content and SOD and CAT activities when compared with the sham group(P<0.05).Low-and high-dose Ost treatment re-sulted in obviously declined damage in the hippocampal tissue,decreased neurological function score,lower stroke volume percentage,reduced serum LDH level and hippocampal tissue TNF-αand IL-1β contents,lower neuronal apoptotic rate and MDA content,and down-regulated cleaved Caspase-3,HMGB1,RAGE,and p-NF-κB/NF-κB protein,while raised serum NGF level,hipp-ocampal IL-10 content and SOD and CAT activities when compared with the model group(265.84±34.76 pg/ml and 394.52±41.68 pg/ml vs 187.56±23.54 pg/ml,P<0.05;41.84±5.67 pg/ml and 68.57±8.39 pg/ml vs 16.73±3.52 pg/ml,P<0.05;87.49±12.53 U/mg and 109.86±14.67 U/mg vs 52.73±8.46 U/mg,P<0.05;45.38±5.72 U/mg and 67.43±8.91 U/mg vs 21.54±3.47 U/mg,P<0.05).rHMGB1 could alleviate the improvement effect of Ost on nerve damage in IS rats.Conclusion Ost can attenuate neuroinflammation,oxidative stress,and neuronal apoptosis in IS rats,which may be through its inhibiting the HMGB1-RAGE signaling pathway.
5.Clinical effects of Jinfukang Oral Liquid combined with thymosin α1 on patients with non-small cell lung cancer due to Dual Deficiency of Qi and Yin
Guan-jin WU ; Mo-fei HUANG ; Ao QI ; Xue-qi TIAN ; De-cai WANG ; Li-jing JIAO ; Ling XU
Chinese Traditional Patent Medicine 2025;47(3):790-795
AIM To explore the clinical effects of Jinfukang Oral Liquid combined with thymosin α1 on patients with non-small cell lung cancer due to Dual Deficiency of Qi and Yin.METHODS Seventy-five patients were randomly assigned into thymosin α1 group(15 cases)for 4-week administration,Jinfukang Oral Liquid group(30 cases)for 4-week administration,and combination group(30 cases)for 4-week administration.The changes in TCM clinical syndrome effects,immunity indices(CD3+T,Th,CTL,total NK,CD56dim CD16+NK,NKT,Treg,MDSC),lethality/inhibition ratios(CTL/Treg,total NK/Treg,NKT/Treg,CTL/MDSC,total NK/MDSC,NKT/MDSC)and FACT-L scores were detected.RESULTS The Jinfukang Oral Liquid group and combination group demonstrated higher total effective rates than the thymosin α1 group(P<0.05).After the treatment,the Jinfukang Oral Liquid group and combination group displayed increased NKT(P<0.05)and decreased MDSC(P<0.05),which were more obvious than those in the thymosin α1 group(P<0.05),and higher NKT was observable in the Jinfukang Oral Liquid group(P<0.05);the Jinfukang Oral Liquid group and combination group displayed increased lethality/inhibition ratios(P<0.05),among which NKT/Treg,CTL/MDSC,total NK/MDSC,NKT/MDSC were higher than those in the thymosin α1 group(P<0.05),and higher CTL/MDSC,NKT/MDSC were observable in the Jinfukang Oral Liquid group(P<0.05);the Jinfukang Oral Liquid group(except for physiological status,society and family status)and combination group(except for society and family status)displayed increased FACT-L scores(P<0.05).CONCLUSION For the patients with non-small cell lung cancer due to Dual Deficiency of Qi and Yin,Jinfukang Oral Liquid single use or combined with thymosin α1 can enhance peripheral blood immune surveillance,inhibit immune escape,restore the balanced state of tumor immune responses,and improve TCM syndromes and life quality.
6.Functioning,vocational competency and career development of college students with disabilities based on ICF and RCF
Fei LIANG ; Ximei CHEN ; Jing QI ; Shurong WANG ; Yongsheng LIANG
Chinese Journal of Rehabilitation Theory and Practice 2025;31(8):922-929
Objective To systematically analyze the characteristics of functioning and vocational competency of college students with disabilities and explore effective career development pathways and methods.Methods This study systematically examined the functional characteristics and occupational competency structure of college students with disabilities,and proposed pathways to enhance their career development,using Internation-al Classification of Functioning,Disability and Health(ICF),rehabilitation competency framework(RCF),and achievement motivation theory.Results The study analyzed the functional performance of college students with disabilities across dimensions such as body functions and structures,activities and participation,and environmental factors,as well as their impact on occupational activities,using the Core Sets for Vocational Rehabilitation and the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0(WHODAS 2.0).The study outlined the occupational competency framework for these students and proposed three synergistic pathways to enhance their career development,including empowerment,functional compensation,and inclusive environmental support,based on RCF and achievement motivation theory.Early in-tervention,professional career services and multi-stakeholder collaboration mechanisms were recommended to provide lifelong,personalized career counseling,guidance and support based on precise occupational needs and competency assessments.Conclusion The career development of college students with disabilities is influenced by multiple factors,including indi-vidual functional status,occupational competency and environmental conditions.Implementing strategies such as empowerment,functional compensation,and inclusive environmental support could safeguard their right to em-ployment in an inclusive workplace,effectively improving their employment quality and sustainable career devel-opment capabilities.
7.Research progress on mechanism of curcumin in treatment of depression
Lin WANG ; Qi-fei PAN ; Wen-juan LONG ; Jia-rong DU ; Zhong-yang HU ; Xin-yao LI ; Yi-shu CHEN ; Dong-dong QIN ; Xiao-man LYU
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2025;41(9):1618-1623
Depression is a prevalent mental and emotional disor-der that often results in significant emotional disturbances,cog-nitive dysfunction,and memory impairments.It is characterized by a high incidence rate,a substantial disability burden,and limited therapeutic efficacy.Currently,the long-term use of medications for the treatment of depression can result in a range of adverse reactions,highlighting the urgent need to explore no-vel approaches that can effectively alleviate depressive symptoms while minimizing side effects.Curcumin,a natural polyphenolic compound derived from the rhizome of turmeric,demonstrates considerable potential in the prevention and treatment of depres-sion,owing to its diverse array of biological activities.In recent years,numerous studies have investigated the use of curcumin for the treatment of depression.This article aims to provide a comprehensive review of the mechanisms of action underlying curcumin's efficacy in treating depression.Specifically,it focu-ses on its ability to improve neurotransmitter imbalances,restore neural plasticity,alleviate neural damage,mitigate dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal(HPA)axis,regulate in-flammatory factors and neuroinflammatory signaling pathways,and inhibit oxidative stress.This review is intended to offer in-sights and methodological references for basic research on curcu-min,as well as for the development of novel therapeutic agents for the treatment of depression.
8.Study on intestinal protection and mechanism of magnolol in neonatal rats with necrotizing enterocolitis
Hai-yan FENG ; Yue ZHANG ; Mao XU ; Kai-qi TAN ; Yi WANG ; Zhuo-lin CHEN ; Yu-fei CHEN ; Shao-xuan CHEN ; Yang ZHAO ; Cui LIU
Chinese Pharmacological Bulletin 2025;41(9):1728-1735
Aim To investigate the intestinal protection and possible mechanism of magnolol(MG)in newborn rats with necrotizing enterocolitis(NEC).Methods The rats were randomly divided into control group(Ctrl group),model group(NEC group)and treatment group(MG group).The NEC model was induced by hypoxia,cold stimulation,deep formula milk and LPS intragastric administration in 7-day-old rats for four days.They were killed after five days of treatment with MG(20 mg·kg-1).HE staining was used to observe the intestinal pathological injury.Western blot was used to detect the expressions of IL-1 β,TNF-α,NL-RP3,ASC,caspase-1 and tight junction protein in the distal ileum of rats.Colon contents were collected for 16S rDNA sequencing to understand the gut microbio-ta.Results MG improved the body mass and intesti-nal injury of NEC neonatal rats.The expressions of in-testinal IL-1β,TNF-α,NLRP3,ASC and caspase-1 proteins were down-regulated,and the expressions of Claudin,Occludin and ZO-1 proteins were up-regula-ted.16S rDNA showed that MG increased the diversity of intestinal flora,and at the phylum level,MG in-creased the abundance of firmicutes and bacteroides in NEC model,and decreased the abundance of pro-teobacteria.At the genus level,MG treatment in-creased the abundance of Lactobacillus,unclassified_Muribaculaceae,Racteroides,but decreased the abun-dance of Escherichia_Shigella,Rodentibacter and Fuso-bacterium.Conclusion MG intervention can protect the intestinal tract of NEC rats by potentially improving barrier function,and regulating the intestinal microbiota through the NLRP3/ASC/caspase-1 signaling pathway.
9.Application effect of esketamine pretreatment in laparoscopic high ligation of hernia sac in children
Qiao-lin ZHOU ; Xiao-yan XU ; Feng-yu TAO ; Jiao-hui SHI ; Qi-fei ZHU ; Tao WANG
Journal of Regional Anatomy and Operative Surgery 2025;34(11):977-980
Objective To determine the application effect of esketamine pretreatment in laparoscopic high ligation of hernia sac in children.Methods A total of 70 children who received laparoscopic high ligation of hernia sac under general anesthesia were selected and divided into the control group and the observation group according to the random number table method,with 35 cases in each group.The control group received conventional general anesthesia,while the observation group was intravenously injected with 0.5 mg/kg of esketamine 15 minutes before the induction of general anesthesia.The preoperative anxiety score,respiratory mechanics indexes,lung injury status,anesthesia recovery,and adverse reactions during the awakening period were compared between the two groups.Results The anxiety scores of the observation group 10 minutes before anesthesia and immediately before anesthesia were significantly lower than those of the control group(P<0.05).The peak airway pressure and mean airway pressure of the observation group 30 minutes after establishing pneumoperitoneum and at the end of the operation were significantly lower than those of the control group(P<0.05).The levels of interleukin-6(IL-6)and tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α)at the end of the operation in the observation group were significantly lower than those in the control group(P<0.05).There was no statistically significant difference in the time of spontaneous breathing recovery,time to regain consciousness,tracheal extubation time,or post-anesthesia care unit(PACU)stay time between the two groups(P>0.05).The incidence of adverse reactions during the anesthetic awakening period in the observation group was significantly lower than that in the control group(P<0.05).Conclusion Esketamine pretreatment can significantly alleviate preoperative separation anxiety for children undergoing laparoscopic high ligation of hernia sac,reduce lung injury,and decrease airway pressure,which is beneficial to lung protection and postoperative anesthetic recovery,and has few adverse reactions.
10.Functioning,vocational competency and career development of college students with disabilities based on ICF and RCF
Fei LIANG ; Ximei CHEN ; Jing QI ; Shurong WANG ; Yongsheng LIANG
Chinese Journal of Rehabilitation Theory and Practice 2025;31(8):922-929
Objective To systematically analyze the characteristics of functioning and vocational competency of college students with disabilities and explore effective career development pathways and methods.Methods This study systematically examined the functional characteristics and occupational competency structure of college students with disabilities,and proposed pathways to enhance their career development,using Internation-al Classification of Functioning,Disability and Health(ICF),rehabilitation competency framework(RCF),and achievement motivation theory.Results The study analyzed the functional performance of college students with disabilities across dimensions such as body functions and structures,activities and participation,and environmental factors,as well as their impact on occupational activities,using the Core Sets for Vocational Rehabilitation and the WHO Disability Assessment Schedule 2.0(WHODAS 2.0).The study outlined the occupational competency framework for these students and proposed three synergistic pathways to enhance their career development,including empowerment,functional compensation,and inclusive environmental support,based on RCF and achievement motivation theory.Early in-tervention,professional career services and multi-stakeholder collaboration mechanisms were recommended to provide lifelong,personalized career counseling,guidance and support based on precise occupational needs and competency assessments.Conclusion The career development of college students with disabilities is influenced by multiple factors,including indi-vidual functional status,occupational competency and environmental conditions.Implementing strategies such as empowerment,functional compensation,and inclusive environmental support could safeguard their right to em-ployment in an inclusive workplace,effectively improving their employment quality and sustainable career devel-opment capabilities.

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