The innate immune sensor NLRP3 inflammasome overactivation is involved in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis. PGAM5 is a mitochondrial phosphatase involved in NLRP3 inflammasome activation in macrophages. However, the role of PGAM5 in ulcerative colitis and the mechanisms underlying PGAM5 regulating NLRP3 activity remain unknown. Here, we show that PGAM5 deficiency ameliorates dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis in mice via suppressing NLRP3 inflammasome activation. By combining APEX2-based proximity labeling focused on PGAM5 with quantitative proteomics, we identify NEK7 as the new binding partner of PGAM5 to promote NLRP3 inflammasome assembly and activation in a PGAM5 phosphatase activity-independent manner upon inflammasome induction. Interfering with PGAM5-NEK7 interaction by punicalagin inhibits the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in macrophages and ameliorates DSS-induced colitis in mice. Altogether, our data demonstrate the PGAM5-NEK7 interaction in macrophages for NLRP3 inflammasome activation and further provide a promising therapeutic strategy for ulcerative colitis by blocking the PGAM5-NEK7 interaction.

Microbial communities such as those residing in the human gut are highly diverse and complex, and many with important implications for health and diseases. The effects and functions of these microbial communities are determined not only by their species compositions and diversities but also by the dynamic intra- and inter-cellular states at the transcriptional level. Powerful and scalable technologies capable of acquiring single-microbe-resolution RNA sequencing information in order to achieve a comprehensive understanding of complex microbial communities together with their hosts are therefore utterly needed. Here we report the development and utilization of a droplet-based smRNA-seq (single-microbe RNA sequencing) method capable of identifying large species varieties in human samples, which we name smRandom-seq2. Together with a triple-module computational pipeline designed for the bacteria and bacteriophage sequencing data by smRandom-seq2 in four human gut samples, we established a single-cell level bacterial transcriptional landscape of human gut microbiome, which included 29,742 single microbes and 329 unique species. Distinct adaptive response states among species in Prevotella and Roseburia genera and intrinsic adaptive strategy heterogeneity in Phascolarctobacterium succinatutens were uncovered. Additionally, we identified hundreds of novel host-phage transcriptional activity associations in the human gut microbiome. Our results indicated that smRandom-seq2 is a high-throughput and high-resolution smRNA-seq technique that is highly adaptable to complex microbial communities in real-world situations and promises new perspectives in the understanding of human microbiomes.
Humans ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/genetics* ; Bacteriophages/physiology* ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing ; Sequence Analysis, RNA/methods* ; Bacteria/virology*

OBJECTIVE To investigate the relationship between nurse-to-patient ratios and hospital-acquired infec-tions(HAIs)in the intensive care units,and to assess the impact of both average and maximum nurse-to-patient ratios on the risk of HAIs.METHODS Data were obtained from the hospital information system(including Hospi-tal Information System,nursing sensitive quality indicator monitoring system and hospital infection management system).Inpatients aged 18 years and older in ten intensive care units from 1 Jan.2022 to 31 Dec.2023 were in-cluded;data on the nurse-to-patient ratios during day shifts,night shifts and the overall period and HAIs cases were collected.Univariate test was conducted to compare differences between the infection group and the non-infection group.Logistic regression models were utilized to evaluate the association between various nurse-to-patient ratio indicators and the risk of HAIs while controlling the covariates.RESULTS A total of 2 742 patients were included,with an HAIs incidence rate of 18.23％.The average patient-to-nurse ratio was significantly low-er in the infection group than in the non-infection group(2.76±0.82 vs.3.27±1.16,P＜0.001),whereas the maximum nurse-to-patient ratios for the overall period,day and night shifts were 3.57±1.09(infected)vs.3.91±1.31(uninfected),3.30±1.12 vs.3.48±1.16,and 4.62±1.85 vs.5.10±2.08,respectively(all P＜0.001).Regression analysis showed that no significant association between the average nurse-to-patient ratios for the overall period,day and night shifts and the risk of HAIs;whereas the odds ratios(ORs)for the maximum patient-to-nurse ratio greater than 4 were 2.122(1.355-3.324)for the overall period,2.061(1.333-3.186)for the day shift and 1.495(1.055-2.118)for the night shifts(all nurse-to-patient ratios≤3 in the reference group).CONCLUSIONS The maximum nurse-to-patient ratios are important risk factors for HAIs in the intensive care u-nits,whereas the average nurse-to-patient ratios are not significantly associated with HAIs.It is suggested that in-sufficient nursing resources during peak hours may increase the risk of infection,and optimizing the allocation of nursing care during peak hours will help to reduce the incidence of HAIs.

Objective:To study the subacute oral toxic effect of p-chloro-m-xylphenol on rats and provide a basis for its safety evaluation.Methods:SPF-grade Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups according to body weight stratification randomization, with 20 rats in each group, half male and half female. The set concentrations of the p-chloro-m-xylphenol dose groups were 11.25, 22.50, and 45.00 mg/kg·BW respectively, with an intragastric volume of 10 ml/kg·BW. The blank control group was given the same amount of distilled water. The rats were treated with intragastric administration for 30 days. After intraperitoneal injection of 50 mg/kg·BW pentobarbital sodium for anesthesia, bloodletting and death, the organs were separated and weighed. Blood was collected from the abdominal aorta to determine the hematological and serum biochemical indicators of the whole blood of rats. Multiple groups comparison was performed by one-way analysis of variance, and pairwise comparison between groups was performed by the least significant difference test or Dunnett-t3 test.Results:The kidney weight in the 45.00 mg/kg·BW dose group of female rats [ (1.59±0.11) g] was lower than that in the blank control group [ (1.71±0.12) g], and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05) . The percentage of monocytes in the 11.25 mg/kg·BW dose group of male rats [ (4.81±0.74) %] was lower than that in the blank control group [ (5.86±0.58) %], the red blood cell count [ (6.93±0.26) ×10 12/L] and hemoglobin [ (134.30±4.95) g/L] in the 22.50 mg/kg·BW dose group of female rats were both lower than those in the blank control group[ (7.48±0.26) ×10 12/L, (146.20±4.42) g/L], the percentage of eosinophils in the 11.25 mg/kg·BW dose group of female rats [ (2.46±0.86) %] was higher than that in the blank control group [ (1.66±0.41) %], and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05) . Conclusion:P-chloro-m-xylphenol may have toxic effects on the blood system of rats, and the kidneys may be the potential target organs for its toxicity.

BACKGROUND:Studies have shown that vascular factors have an important impact on the occurrence of diabetic foot.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the important role of angiopoietin-like protein 4 in the formation of diabetic foot.METHODS:(1)Bioinformatics analysis was performed on the gene expression profile data of diabetic foot patients to find the key genes.The skin samples of diabetic foot patients and healthy people were collected for hematoxylin-eosin staining,immunohistochemical staining,and qRT-PCR experiments to detect the expression of angiopoietin-like protein 4.(2)The immortalized human skin fibroblast cell line and primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells were cultured.The two kinds of cells were divided into control group and exogenous angiopoietin-like protein 4 supplemented group.The migration ability and proliferation ability of fibroblasts were detected by scratch assay and CCK-8 assay.The proliferation ability of endothelial cells was detected by Ki67 assay.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Bioinformatics analysis results showed that the down-regulation of angiopoietin-like protein 4 gene might be the key gene leading to the formation of diabetic foot.(2)Hematoxylin-eosin staining exhibited that compared with normal skin,angiopoietin-like protein 4 was weakly expressed in diabetic foot skin,and the mRNA level was decreased(P＜0.01).(3)Scratch assay results demonstrated that compared with the control group,fibroblast migration ability was significantly enhanced in the angiopoietin-like protein 4 group.CCK-8 assay showed that the absorbance value of fibroblasts in the angiopoietin-like protein 4 group was higher than that of the control group at 24 and 48 hours(P＜0.01,P＜0.001).It is suggested that angiopoietin-like protein 4 can enhance the migration and proliferation of fibroblasts.(4)Ki67 assay results demonstrated that the number of Ki67 positive cells in the angiopoietin-like protein 4 group was significantly more than that in the control group.CCK-8 assay results showed that the absorbance value of endothelial cells in the angiopoietin-like protein 4 group was higher than that of the control group at 24 and 48 hours(P＜0.05,P＜0.001).(5)All findings suggest that angiopoietin-like protein 4 can enhance the proliferation of endothelial cells treated with high glucose.

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) is an important sugar crop. Biotic and abiotic stresses such as diseases, cold, and drought are major factors limiting sugarcane production. β-1,3-glucanase (EC 3.2.1.39), a member of the pathogenesis-related protein family, plays an essential role not only in the plant defenses against pathogens but also in plant growth, development, and abiotic stress responses. To systematically investigate the sugarcane β-1,3-glucanase gene family, 132 glycoside hydrolase (GH) 17 family members were identified in the genomes of the sugarcane wild species Saccharum spontaneum 'Np-X', the tropical species S. officinarum 'LA-Purple', and the Saccharum spp. hybrid cultivar 'R570'. The results of the phylogenetic analysis categorized them into four subfamilies, of which subfamily Ⅳ had the largest proportion of members (102). The members of the sugarcane GH17 gene family contained five conserved motifs and 0-16 introns. The majority of the GH17 genes exhibited a genome-wide replication pattern, with 89.50% originating from S. spontaneum 'Np-X' and S. officinarum 'LA-Purple', while 58.10% of them in the Saccharum spp. hybrid cultivar 'R570' belonged to the discrete replication type. Four major classes of cis-acting elements were identified in the promoters, including the elements related to plant growth, development, and tissue-specific expression (14.21%), light-responsive elements (38.24%), biotic or abiotic stress-responsive elements (9.18%), and hormone-responsive elements (38.37%), which suggested that this gene family was involved in plant growth, development, hormone responses, and stress responses. Transcriptome and quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) analyses showed that the sugarcane GH17 genes exhibited tissue-specific expression and were differentially expressed under low temperature, drought, and hormone treatments, as well as during the interactions between different sugarcane genotypes and Sporisorium scitamineum, suggesting their potential roles in plant defenses. In addition, some SsGlu genes (SsGlu5, SsGlu20, SsGlu21, SsGlu25, SsGlu28, and SsGlu39) were expected to serve as candidate stress-related genes. This study lays a foundation for further revealing the molecular mechanisms of the stress resistance of sugarcane via β-1,3-glucanase genes.
Saccharum/physiology* ; Stress, Physiological/genetics* ; Glucan 1,3-beta-Glucosidase/metabolism* ; Multigene Family ; Phylogeny ; Gene Expression Regulation, Plant ; Plant Proteins/genetics*

Acute pancreatitis(AP),one of the most common acute abdominal conditions in clinical practice,is typically self-limiting.However,approximately 20%of cases progress to severe acute pancreatitis,characterized by persistent systemic inflammatory response syndrome and multiple-organ dysfunction syndrome,with a high mortality rates.The pathogenesis of AP involves complex pathophysiological processes,and in recent years,the role of oxidative stress(OS)in AP has garnered increasing attention.OS refers to an imbalance between reactive oxygen species production and antioxidant capacity following endogenous or exogenous stimuli,which can lead to pancreatic cell injury,exacerbation of inflammatory responses,and organ dysfunction.Notably,antioxidants have demonstrated efficacy in reducing OS-induced pancreatic damage and multi-organ dysfunction in animal models.This article reviews current molecular mechanisms of OS in AP,its role in disease progression and recent advances in antioxidant-based therapeutic strategies for AP.

Objective:To study the subacute oral toxic effect of p-chloro-m-xylphenol on rats and provide a basis for its safety evaluation.Methods:SPF-grade Wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 groups according to body weight stratification randomization, with 20 rats in each group, half male and half female. The set concentrations of the p-chloro-m-xylphenol dose groups were 11.25, 22.50, and 45.00 mg/kg·BW respectively, with an intragastric volume of 10 ml/kg·BW. The blank control group was given the same amount of distilled water. The rats were treated with intragastric administration for 30 days. After intraperitoneal injection of 50 mg/kg·BW pentobarbital sodium for anesthesia, bloodletting and death, the organs were separated and weighed. Blood was collected from the abdominal aorta to determine the hematological and serum biochemical indicators of the whole blood of rats. Multiple groups comparison was performed by one-way analysis of variance, and pairwise comparison between groups was performed by the least significant difference test or Dunnett-t3 test.Results:The kidney weight in the 45.00 mg/kg·BW dose group of female rats [ (1.59±0.11) g] was lower than that in the blank control group [ (1.71±0.12) g], and the difference was statistically significant ( P<0.05) . The percentage of monocytes in the 11.25 mg/kg·BW dose group of male rats [ (4.81±0.74) %] was lower than that in the blank control group [ (5.86±0.58) %], the red blood cell count [ (6.93±0.26) ×10 12/L] and hemoglobin [ (134.30±4.95) g/L] in the 22.50 mg/kg·BW dose group of female rats were both lower than those in the blank control group[ (7.48±0.26) ×10 12/L, (146.20±4.42) g/L], the percentage of eosinophils in the 11.25 mg/kg·BW dose group of female rats [ (2.46±0.86) %] was higher than that in the blank control group [ (1.66±0.41) %], and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05) . Conclusion:P-chloro-m-xylphenol may have toxic effects on the blood system of rats, and the kidneys may be the potential target organs for its toxicity.

Acute pancreatitis(AP),one of the most common acute abdominal conditions in clinical practice,is typically self-limiting.However,approximately 20%of cases progress to severe acute pancreatitis,characterized by persistent systemic inflammatory response syndrome and multiple-organ dysfunction syndrome,with a high mortality rates.The pathogenesis of AP involves complex pathophysiological processes,and in recent years,the role of oxidative stress(OS)in AP has garnered increasing attention.OS refers to an imbalance between reactive oxygen species production and antioxidant capacity following endogenous or exogenous stimuli,which can lead to pancreatic cell injury,exacerbation of inflammatory responses,and organ dysfunction.Notably,antioxidants have demonstrated efficacy in reducing OS-induced pancreatic damage and multi-organ dysfunction in animal models.This article reviews current molecular mechanisms of OS in AP,its role in disease progression and recent advances in antioxidant-based therapeutic strategies for AP.

BACKGROUND:Studies have shown that vascular factors have an important impact on the occurrence of diabetic foot.OBJECTIVE:To investigate the important role of angiopoietin-like protein 4 in the formation of diabetic foot.METHODS:(1)Bioinformatics analysis was performed on the gene expression profile data of diabetic foot patients to find the key genes.The skin samples of diabetic foot patients and healthy people were collected for hematoxylin-eosin staining,immunohistochemical staining,and qRT-PCR experiments to detect the expression of angiopoietin-like protein 4.(2)The immortalized human skin fibroblast cell line and primary human umbilical vein endothelial cells were cultured.The two kinds of cells were divided into control group and exogenous angiopoietin-like protein 4 supplemented group.The migration ability and proliferation ability of fibroblasts were detected by scratch assay and CCK-8 assay.The proliferation ability of endothelial cells was detected by Ki67 assay.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Bioinformatics analysis results showed that the down-regulation of angiopoietin-like protein 4 gene might be the key gene leading to the formation of diabetic foot.(2)Hematoxylin-eosin staining exhibited that compared with normal skin,angiopoietin-like protein 4 was weakly expressed in diabetic foot skin,and the mRNA level was decreased(P＜0.01).(3)Scratch assay results demonstrated that compared with the control group,fibroblast migration ability was significantly enhanced in the angiopoietin-like protein 4 group.CCK-8 assay showed that the absorbance value of fibroblasts in the angiopoietin-like protein 4 group was higher than that of the control group at 24 and 48 hours(P＜0.01,P＜0.001).It is suggested that angiopoietin-like protein 4 can enhance the migration and proliferation of fibroblasts.(4)Ki67 assay results demonstrated that the number of Ki67 positive cells in the angiopoietin-like protein 4 group was significantly more than that in the control group.CCK-8 assay results showed that the absorbance value of endothelial cells in the angiopoietin-like protein 4 group was higher than that of the control group at 24 and 48 hours(P＜0.05,P＜0.001).(5)All findings suggest that angiopoietin-like protein 4 can enhance the proliferation of endothelial cells treated with high glucose.