Cancer remains a leading cause of global mortality, necessitating the development of advanced therapeutic strategies with enhanced efficacy and reduced systemic toxicity. Among promising bioactive agents, lactoferrin (LF)—a multifunctional iron-binding glycoprotein abundantly found in mammalian milk and exocrine secretions—has garnered significant interest for its potent and multifaceted anti-cancer properties. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the current understanding of LF’s role in oncology, encompassing its structural biology, diverse mechanisms of action, and groundbreaking advancements in its application through nano-engineering. LF exerts anti-tumor effects through multiple pathways, including extracellular action, intracellular action, and immune regulation. It demonstrates a remarkable affinity for cancer cell membranes, binding to overexpressed anionic components such as glycosaminoglycans and sialic acids, as well as to specific receptors including the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1 (LRP-1). This selective binding facilitates targeted uptake. Upon internalization, LF orchestrates a direct assault by inducing cell-cycle arrest in phases such as G0/G1 or S phase through the modulation of key regulators including cyclins, CDKs, and p53. Furthermore, it promotes programmed cell death via apoptotic pathways, involving caspase activation and downregulation of anti-apoptotic proteins such as survivin. A more recently elucidated mechanism is the induction of ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of cell death characterized by overwhelming lipid peroxidation. Beyond direct cytotoxicity, LF acts as a potent immunomodulator. It enhances natural killer (NK) cell activity, modulates T-lymphocyte populations, and crucially reprograms tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) from a pro-tumor M2 state to an anti-tumor M1 state, thereby reversing the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). The translation of LF’s potential has been significantly accelerated by nanotechnology. The inherent biocompatibility and natural tumor-targeting capabilities of LF make it an ideal platform for sophisticated drug-delivery systems. This review details various fabrication strategies for LF-based nanoparticles (NPs), including self-assembly, sol-in-oil emulsion, and electrostatic nanocomplexes, among others. Research demonstrates that nano-formulations not only protect LF from degradation but also enhance its bioactivity and anti-cancer potency. More importantly, LF NPs serve as versatile carriers for a wide array of therapeutic agents, including conventional chemotherapeutics, natural compounds, and imaging agents. These engineered systems enable synergistic therapy and facilitate site-specific delivery. Notably, the ability of LF to bind to receptors on the blood-brain barrier (BBB) has been leveraged to develop nano-systems for glioblastoma treatment. Other innovative designs utilize LF to modulate the TME—for instance, by alleviating tumor hypoxia to sensitize cells to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Despite compelling pre-clinical evidence, the clinical translation of LF and its nano-formulations remains nascent. While early-phase trials have established a favorable safety profile for recombinant human LF, larger Phase III studies have yielded mixed results, underscoring the complexity of its action in humans. Key challenges include enhancing drug targeting, optimizing loading efficiency, ensuring batch-to-batch reproducibility, and achieving deep tumor penetration. Future research must focus on the rational design of next-generation LF-NPs. This entails developing standardized manufacturing protocols, engineering “smart” stimuli-responsive systems for targeted drug release in the TME, and constructing multi-targeting platforms. A concerted interdisciplinary effort is paramount to bridge the gap between bench and bedside. In conclusion, LF, particularly in its nano-engineered forms, represents a highly promising and versatile agent in the oncological arsenal, holding immense potential for precise and effective cancer therapy.

Cancer remains a leading cause of global mortality, necessitating the development of advanced therapeutic strategies with enhanced efficacy and reduced systemic toxicity. Among promising bioactive agents, lactoferrin (LF)—a multifunctional iron-binding glycoprotein abundantly found in mammalian milk and exocrine secretions—has garnered significant interest for its potent and multifaceted anti-cancer properties. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the current understanding of LF’s role in oncology, encompassing its structural biology, diverse mechanisms of action, and groundbreaking advancements in its application through nano-engineering. LF exerts anti-tumor effects through multiple pathways, including extracellular action, intracellular action, and immune regulation. It demonstrates a remarkable affinity for cancer cell membranes, binding to overexpressed anionic components such as glycosaminoglycans and sialic acids, as well as to specific receptors including the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1 (LRP-1). This selective binding facilitates targeted uptake. Upon internalization, LF orchestrates a direct assault by inducing cell-cycle arrest in phases such as G0/G1 or S phase through the modulation of key regulators including cyclins, CDKs, and p53. Furthermore, it promotes programmed cell death via apoptotic pathways, involving caspase activation and downregulation of anti-apoptotic proteins such as survivin. A more recently elucidated mechanism is the induction of ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of cell death characterized by overwhelming lipid peroxidation. Beyond direct cytotoxicity, LF acts as a potent immunomodulator. It enhances natural killer (NK) cell activity, modulates T-lymphocyte populations, and crucially reprograms tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) from a pro-tumor M2 state to an anti-tumor M1 state, thereby reversing the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment (TME). The translation of LF’s potential has been significantly accelerated by nanotechnology. The inherent biocompatibility and natural tumor-targeting capabilities of LF make it an ideal platform for sophisticated drug-delivery systems. This review details various fabrication strategies for LF-based nanoparticles (NPs), including self-assembly, sol-in-oil emulsion, and electrostatic nanocomplexes, among others. Research demonstrates that nano-formulations not only protect LF from degradation but also enhance its bioactivity and anti-cancer potency. More importantly, LF NPs serve as versatile carriers for a wide array of therapeutic agents, including conventional chemotherapeutics, natural compounds, and imaging agents. These engineered systems enable synergistic therapy and facilitate site-specific delivery. Notably, the ability of LF to bind to receptors on the blood-brain barrier (BBB) has been leveraged to develop nano-systems for glioblastoma treatment. Other innovative designs utilize LF to modulate the TME—for instance, by alleviating tumor hypoxia to sensitize cells to radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Despite compelling pre-clinical evidence, the clinical translation of LF and its nano-formulations remains nascent. While early-phase trials have established a favorable safety profile for recombinant human LF, larger Phase III studies have yielded mixed results, underscoring the complexity of its action in humans. Key challenges include enhancing drug targeting, optimizing loading efficiency, ensuring batch-to-batch reproducibility, and achieving deep tumor penetration. Future research must focus on the rational design of next-generation LF-NPs. This entails developing standardized manufacturing protocols, engineering “smart” stimuli-responsive systems for targeted drug release in the TME, and constructing multi-targeting platforms. A concerted interdisciplinary effort is paramount to bridge the gap between bench and bedside. In conclusion, LF, particularly in its nano-engineered forms, represents a highly promising and versatile agent in the oncological arsenal, holding immense potential for precise and effective cancer therapy.

Objective To observe the value of conventional MRI and diffusion weighted imaging(DWI)for differentiating soft tissue lymphoma(STL)and soft tissue sarcoma(STS).Methods Conventional MRI and DWI data of 25 cases of STL(STL group)and 38 cases of STS(STS group)were retrospectively analyzed.MRI features being statistically different between groups were included in logistic regression analysis to screen the independent risk factors of STL and to evaluate the sensitivity,specificity and accuracy of their combination for predicting STL.Receiver operating characteristic curve was generated,the area under the curve(AUC)was calculated to assess the diagnostic efficacy of the mean apparent diffusion coefficient(ADCmean),the minimum apparent diffusion coefficient(ADCmin),the maximum apparent diffusion coefficient(ADCmax)values for distinguishing STL from STS.Results Slightly hyperintensity on T1WI,non-necrosis,involvement of multiple muscle groups and homogeneous enhancement were all independent risk factors of STL(all P＜0.05).The sensitivity,specificity and accuracy of their combination for predicting STL was 72.00％(18/25),89.47％(34/38)and 82.54％(52/63),respectively.ADCmean,ADCmin and ADCmax values of STL was(1.06±0.18)× 10-3,(0.77±0.14)×10-3 and(1.47±0.31)× 10-3mm2/s,respectively,all lower than those of STS([1.31±0.17]× 10-3,[1.02±0.23]× 10-3 and[1.64±0.16]× 10-3 mm2/s;t=-4.829--2.498,all P＜0.05).The AUC of ADCmean,ADCmin and ADCmax values and their combination for differential diagnosis of STL and STS was 0.845,0.844,0.683 and 0.877,respectively.Conclusion Conventional MRI features,including T1WI signal intensity,necrosis,involvement of multiple muscle groups and enhancement pattern,along with ADCmean and ADCmin values derived from DWI contributed to differentiating STL and STS.

Objective:To investigate the methodological differences in the detection, the inflammatory markers and the pathogenic epidemiological characteristics of influenza A virus in clinical laboratories, in order to provide more diagnostic and epidemiological data for diagnosis and prevention for children with influenza A.Methods:A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted to collect 96 731 patients with suspected influenza A from January 2016 to October 2024 in Nanyang City Center Hospital from the Clinical Laboratory Testing Information System, including 5 731 patients with confirmed influenza A, aged 5.2 (2.8, 43.7) years old. We analyzed the distribution of influenza A patients from age and mixed infections, the relationship between patient age and positive detection rate by restricted cubic spline (RCS), analyzed differences in testing methods used Kappa consistency testing and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, established a model of inflammatory markers by logistic regression, as well as developed a prediction model and also the mutation of the hemagglutinin (HA) sequence of the influenza A subtype H3N2 virus using evolutionary tree analysis.Results:RCS analysis showed an inverted 'S' shaped non-linear relationship between the positive detection rate of influenza A and the age groups of the patients. Among the mixed infections, 1.43%(1 352/94 867) of the cases were combined with Mycoplasma pneumoniae infection. The Kappa values of reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) and serological indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) for detecting influenza A in nasopharyngeal swabs and alveolar lavage fluid in clinical laboratories were 0.632 and 0.809, respectively, and those of magnetic particle chemiluminescence assay were 0.614 and 0.668, respectively, and the area under curves in ROC curve of IFA and RT-PCR were 0.869 and 0.792, respectively. The inflammatory indexes were usually elevated in severe children compared with mild children. By binary logistic regression model analysis, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, D-dimer/fibrinogen and prognosis nutrition index were the risk factors and serum amyloid A/C reactive protein ratio was the protective factor for severe children with influenza A, and the OR values of the above factors were 1.760, 7.076, 1.045, and 0.719, respectively, and P<0.01. By the Bayesian Interdiction Criterion, the optimal seasonal autoregressive moving average mixed model for influenza A epidemics was ARIMA (1, 1, 1) (2, 1, 2) 12 with the highest prediction accuracy of 98.63%. The seven strains of H3N2 all belonged to the same isoforms, with nucleotide similarity of the HA gene ranging from 99.5% to 99.9%, and the glycosylation site, receptor-binding site, and the conserved amino acid residue Glycosylation sites, receptor binding sites and conserved amino acid residues remained unchanged. HA sequence analysis showed that the prevalent strains in Nanyang had undergone mutation to different degree compared with the vaccine strains. Conclusion:Scientific and rational testing and characteristic inflammatory markers in the clinical laboratory are of great clinical value in the diagnosis of children with severe influenza A. At the same time, the epidemiological monitoring of influenza A variants should be strengthened.

BACKGROUND: The available evidence regarding the benefits of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) on patients receiving dialysis with coronary artery disease (CAD) is limited and inconsistent. This study aimed to evaluate the association between PCI and clinical outcomes as compared with medical therapy alone in patients undergoing dialysis with CAD in China. METHODS: This multicenter, retrospective study was conducted in 30 tertiary medical centers across 12 provinces in China from January 2015 to June 2021 to include patients on dialysis with CAD. The primary outcome was major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), defined as a composite of cardiovascular death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and non-fatal stroke. Secondary outcomes included all-cause death, the individual components of MACE, and Bleeding Academic Research Consortium criteria types 2, 3, or 5 bleeding. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the association between PCI and outcomes. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) and propensity score matching (PSM) were performed to account for potential between-group differences. RESULTS: Of the 1146 patients on dialysis with significant CAD, 821 (71.6%) underwent PCI. After a median follow-up of 23.0 months, PCI was associated with a 43.0% significantly lower risk for MACE (33.9% [ n  = 278] vs . 43.7% [ n  = 142]; adjusted hazards ratio 0.57, 95% confidence interval 0.45-0.71), along with a slightly increased risk for bleeding outcomes that did not reach statistical significance (11.1% vs . 8.3%; adjusted hazards ratio 1.31, 95% confidence interval, 0.82-2.11). Furthermore, PCI was associated with a significant reduction in all-cause and cardiovascular mortalities. Subgroup analysis did not modify the association of PCI with patient outcomes. These primary findings were consistent across IPTW, PSM, and competing risk analyses. CONCLUSION This study indicated that PCI in patients on dialysis with CAD was significantly associated with lower MACE and mortality when comparing with those with medical therapy alone, albeit with a slightly increased risk for bleeding events that did not reach statistical significance.
Humans ; Percutaneous Coronary Intervention/methods* ; Male ; Female ; Coronary Artery Disease/drug therapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Renal Dialysis/methods* ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; China ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Treatment Outcome

With the rapid development of competitive sports, the incidence of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury is on the rise. Such injuries may shorten athletes′ career and lead to other long-term adverse consequences. Although athletes generally recover well after ACL reconstruction, many still struggle to return to their pre-injury performance levels. Advances in the understanding of ACL anatomy and injury mechanisms, along with the evolution of surgical techniques and rehabilitation methods, have provided more individualized and tailored options for athletes following ACL injuries. However, there is currently no consensus in China regarding surgical and rehabilitation strategies for competitive athletes aiming to return to sports after ACL injuries. To this end, the Sports Medicine Committee of the Chinese Research Hospital Association and the Editorial Board of the Chinese Journal of Trauma jointly formulated the Expert consensus on surgical treatment and rehabilitation for competitive sports athletes returning to sports after anterior cruciate ligament injury ( version 2025), and presented 14 recommendations covering surgical indications, preoperative rehabilitation, surgical timing, surgical strategies and postoperative rehabilitation strategies, aiming to improve the surgical treatment and rehabilitation system for ACL injuries in competitive athletes and facilitate their return to high-level sports performance after injury.

Immobilized enzyme-based enzyme electrode biosensors, characterized by high sensitivity and efficiency, strong specificity, and compact size, demonstrate broad application prospects in life science research, disease diagnosis and monitoring, etc. Immobilization of enzyme is a critical step in determining the performance (stability, sensitivity, and reproducibility) of the biosensors. Random immobilization (physical adsorption, covalent cross-linking, etc.) can easily bring about problems, such as decreased enzyme activity and relatively unstable immobilization. Whereas, directional immobilization utilizing amino acid residue mutation, affinity peptide fusion, or nucleotide-specific binding to restrict the orientation of the enzymes provides new possibilities to solve the problems caused by random immobilization. In this paper, the principles, advantages and disadvantages and the application progress of enzyme electrode biosensors of different directional immobilization strategies for enzyme molecular sensing elements by specific amino acids (lysine, histidine, cysteine, unnatural amino acid) with functional groups introduced based on site-specific mutation, affinity peptides (gold binding peptides, carbon binding peptides, carbohydrate binding domains) fused through genetic engineering, and specific binding between nucleotides and target enzymes (proteins) were reviewed, and the application fields, advantages and limitations of various immobilized enzyme interface characterization techniques were discussed, hoping to provide theoretical and technical guidance for the creation of high-performance enzyme sensing elements and the manufacture of enzyme electrode sensors.

The innate immune system can be boosted in response to subsequent triggers by pre-exposure to microbes or microbial products, known as “trained immunity”. Compared to classical immune memory, innate trained immunity has several different features. Firstly, the molecules involved in trained immunity differ from those involved in classical immune memory. Innate trained immunity mainly involves innate immune cells (e.g., myeloid immune cells, natural killer cells, innate lymphoid cells) and their effector molecules (e.g., pattern recognition receptor (PRR), various cytokines), as well as some kinds of non-immune cells (e.g., microglial cells). Secondly, the increased responsiveness to secondary stimuli during innate trained immunity is not specific to a particular pathogen, but influences epigenetic reprogramming in the cell through signaling pathways, leading to the sustained changes in genes transcriptional process, which ultimately affects cellular physiology without permanent genetic changes (e.g., mutations or recombination). Finally, innate trained immunity relies on an altered functional state of innate immune cells that could persist for weeks to months after initial stimulus removal. An appropriate inducer could induce trained immunity in innate lymphocytes, such as exogenous stimulants (including vaccines) and endogenous stimulants, which was firstly discovered in bone marrow derived immune cells. However, mature bone marrow derived immune cells are short-lived cells, that may not be able to transmit memory phenotypes to their offspring and provide long-term protection. Therefore, trained immunity is more likely to be relied on long-lived cells, such as epithelial stem cells, mesenchymal stromal cells and non-immune cells such as fibroblasts. Epigenetic reprogramming is one of the key molecular mechanisms that induces trained immunity, including DNA modifications, non-coding RNAs, histone modifications and chromatin remodeling. In addition to epigenetic reprogramming, different cellular metabolic pathways are involved in the regulation of innate trained immunity, including aerobic glycolysis, glutamine catabolism, cholesterol metabolism and fatty acid synthesis, through a series of intracellular cascade responses triggered by the recognition of PRR specific ligands. In the view of evolutionary, trained immunity is beneficial in enhancing protection against secondary infections with an induction in the evolutionary protective process against infections. Therefore, innate trained immunity plays an important role in therapy against diseases such as tumors and infections, which has signature therapeutic effects in these diseases. In organ transplantation, trained immunity has been associated with acute rejection, which prolongs the survival of allografts. However, trained immunity is not always protective but pathological in some cases, and dysregulated trained immunity contributes to the development of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Trained immunity provides a novel form of immune memory, but when inappropriately activated, may lead to an attack on tissues, causing autoinflammation. In autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and atherosclerosis, trained immunity may lead to enhance inflammation and tissue lesion in diseased regions. In Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease, trained immunity may lead to over-activation of microglial cells, triggering neuroinflammation even nerve injury. This paper summarizes the basis and mechanisms of innate trained immunity, including the different cell types involved, the impacts on diseases and the effects as a therapeutic strategy to provide novel ideas for different diseases.

ObjectiveTo explore the correlation between the blood stasis score of coronary heart disease（CAD） and mild cognitive impairment（MCI）， as well as the changes in plasma metabolic profile of blood stasis in patients with CAD combined with MCI（CADMCI） through a cross-sectional study， and further explore the impact of different degrees of blood stasis on the plasma metabolite profile of CADMCI patients. MethodsAccording to the diagnostic criteria of CAD and CAD blood stasis， patients hospitalized in Xiyuan Hospital of China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences from October 2022 to October 2023 were continuously included. According to the Montreal Cognitive Assessment（MoCA） scale score， the enrolled patients were divided into CADMCI blood stasis group and CAD blood stasis group. The association between blood stasis score and MCI was analyzed by multivariate Logistic regression model. The receiver operating characteristic（ROC） curve was drawn， and the area under the curve（AUC） was calculated to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of the model. According to the blood stasis score， the first 30 patients in the CADMCI blood stasis group and CAD blood stasis group were divided into mild blood stasis and severe blood stasis. Ultra performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole-time-of-flight mass spectrometry（UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS） was used to detect plasma metabolites in each group of patients. The differential metabolites were screened according to variable importance in the projection（VIP） value≥1， fold change（FC）<0.67 or >1.5， and P<0.05. ROC curve analysis was further used to evaluate the discriminatory efficiency of the screened differential metabolites for each group of samples. ResultsA total of 266 CAD patients were included in this study. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that the CAD blood stasis score was significantly correlated with MCI［odds ratio（OR）=1.619， 95% confidence interval（CI） 1.223-2.142， P<0.001， ROC curve AUC was 0.615（95% CI 0.547-0.683， P=0.001）］， indicating that the CAD blood stasis score has a certain predictive value for MCI. Plasma non-targeted metabolomics analysis showed that the main differential metabolites between CAD blood stasis and CADMCI blood stasis were lipid metabolites， among which phosphatidylcholine［20∶4（5Z， 8Z， 11Z， 14Z）/P-18∶1（11Z）］ had the best discriminatory efficiency（ROC curve AUC=0.867， 95% CI 0.754-0.942）. Further analysis of the differential metabolites between mild and severe blood stasis showed that lipid metabolites were also the main differential metabolites between mild and severe blood stasis. Among them， 1α，25-dihydroxy-2β-（2-hydroxyethoxy） vitamin D₃ had the best efficacy in distinguishing mild and severe CAD blood stasis（AUC=0.813， 95% CI 0.649-0.951）， and phosphatidylcholine 34∶2 had the best efficacy in distinguishing mild and severe CADMCI blood stasis（AUC=0.819， 95% CI 0.640-0.941）. ConclusionThere is a significant correlation between CAD blood stasis score and MCI. Phosphatidylcholine metabolites play an important role in the pathogenesis of CADMCI blood stasis and severe blood stasis. The CAD blood stasis score combined with the detection of phosphatidylcholine metabolites can provide a reference for the development of early and efficient identification strategies for CADMCI.

Objective To explore the targeted regulatory relationship of miR-330-5p on OY-TES-1 in glioblastoma and the effect of miR-330-5p/OY-TES-1 axis on the migration ability of glioblastoma.Methods Bioinformatics analysis was performed to analyze the expression level of miR-330-5p in patients with glioblastoma and its influence on prognosis and survival of patients.The glioblastoma cells U251 were divided into miR-330-5p minics group,minics-NC group,and miR-330-5p+OY-TES-1 overexpression group(miR-330-5p minics+pcDNA3.1-OY-TES-1).The effect of miR-330-5p on the activity of OY-TES-1 3'UTR region was detected by double luciferase reporter gene experiment.The expression of OY-TES-1 mRNA was detected by qRT-PCR.The effect of miR-330-5p/OY-TES-1 axis on the migration ability of glioblastoma cells was detected by Transwell migration assay.Results The expression of miR-330-5p in glioblastoma tissue was significantly lower than those in non-tumor brain tissue and low-grade glioma tissue(P<0.05).The survival time of glioblastoma patients with high expression of miR-330-5p was significantly longer than that of patients with low expression of miR-330-5p(P<0.05).After overexpression of miR-330-5p,the activity of OY-TES-1 3'UTR region was decreased(P<0.05).Compared with minics-NC group,the expression levels of OY-TES-1 mRNA of U251 and U87MG cells in miR-330-5p minics group were significantly decreased(P<0.01).Compared with minics-NC group,the numbers of migrating cells in miR-330-5p minics group and miR-330-5p+OY-TES-1 overexpression group were significantly decreased(P<0.05).Compared with miR-330-5p minics group,the number of migrating cells in miR-330-5p+OY-TES-1 overexpression group was significantly increased(P<0.01).Conclusion MiR-330-5p targets OY-TES-1 to inhibit the migration of glioblastoma.