Organ transplantation is an effective alternative treatment for patients with end-stage organ failure. However, the shortage of donor organs has limited the widespread application of clinical transplantation. In recent years, breakthroughs in CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology have overcome the barrier of hyperacute rejection in xenotransplantation, offering a potential solution to the organ shortage crisis. Rejection remains a critical factor affecting graft survival. Antigen-presenting cells play a vital role in the initiation and progression of rejection and immune regulation in xenotransplantation. Therefore, in-depth investigation into the role of antigen-presenting cells in xenotransplantation is of great significance. This article summarizes the roles and therapeutic strategies of professional antigen-presenting cells, including macrophages, dendritic cells and B cells in xenotransplantation, aiming to provide insights for future research on immune regulation mechanisms in this field.

Humans and animals have a fundamental ability to use experiences and environmental information to organize behavior. It often happens that humans and animals make decisions and prepare actions under uncertain situations. Uncertainty would significantly affect the state of animals' minds, but may not be reflected in behavior. How to "read animals' mind state" under different situations is a challenge. Here, we report that neuronal activity in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of rats can reflect the environmental uncertainty when the task situation changes from certain to uncertain. Rats were trained to perform behavioral tasks under certain and uncertain situations. Under certain situations, rats were required to simply repeat two nose-poking actions that each triggered short auditory tone feedback (single-task situation). Whereas under the uncertain situation, the feedback could randomly be either the previous tone or a short musical rhythm. No additional action was required upon the music feedback, and the same secondary nose-poking action was required upon the tone feedback (dual-task situation); therefore, the coming task was uncertain before action initiation. We recorded single-unit activity from the mPFC when the rats were performing the tasks. We found that in the dual task, when uncertainty was introduced, many mPFC neurons were actively engaged in dealing with the uncertainty before the task initiation, suggesting that the rats could be aware of the task situation change and encode the information in the mPFC before the action of task initiation.
Animals ; Prefrontal Cortex/cytology* ; Uncertainty ; Neurons/physiology* ; Male ; Rats ; Rats, Long-Evans ; Action Potentials/physiology* ; Acoustic Stimulation

Objectives:To investigate the clinical efficacy of bilateral mini-open Wiltse approach transforami-nal lumbar interbody fusion(MO-TLIF)in the treatment of degenerative lumbar diseases in the elderly.Meth-ods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 62 elderly patients with single-segment degenerative lumbar diseases who underwent MO-TLIF or minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion(MIS-TLIF)inthe First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University between September 2017 and August 2020.Among them,37 were male and 25 were female,aged 68.0±5.5 years.The patients were divided into the MO-TLIF group(32 cases)and the MIS-TLIF group(30 cases).There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of gender ratio,age,body mass index(BMI),surgical segment,disease duration,or follow-up time(P＞0.05).The differences between the two groups were compared in terms of operative time,in-traoperative blood loss,intraoperative fluoroscopy,postoperative wound drainage,time to ambulation,hospital stay,complications,and fusion rate.The visual analogue scale(VAS),lumbar Japanese Orthopedic Association(JOA)scores,and Oswestry disability index(ODI)before surgery,at 3 months postoperatively,and at the final follow-up were recorded and compared.Results:The two groups of patients all successfully completed the surgery without significant surgery-related complications.There were no statistically significant differences be-tween the MO-TLIF and MIS-TLIF groups in terms of intraoperative blood loss(80.3±25.1mL vs.72.3±21.8mL),postoperative wound drainage volume(30.7±10.2mL vs.29.3±9.0mL),or hospital stay(5.4±0.9d vs.5.4±0.8d)(P＞0.05).Compared with the MIS-TLIF group,the MO-TLIF group had shorter operative time(90.8±8.8min vs.98.3±8.0min,P=0.001)and fewer number of intraoperative fluoroscopy(4.7±0.7 times vs.7.2±1.4 times,P＜0.001).Both groups showed significant improvement in low back pain VAS score,lumbar JOA score,and ODI at postoperative 3 months and final follow-up compared with preoperative values(P＜0.001),but there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups at the same time points(P＞0.05).At the fi-nal follow-up,no internal fixation-related complications such as screw or rod breakage were observed in both groups,and all the cases achieved bone fusion.Conclusions:Bilateral MO-TLIF can achieve good therapeutic outcomes in treating single-segment degenerative lumbar diseases,which can reduce intraoperative fluoroscopy frequency and shorten operative time comparing with MIS-TLIF.

Ischemic bowel disease(IBD)is a prevalent intestinal vascular disease that poses a serious threat to patients' lives and health.Tthe key pathological process of ischemic bowel disease is intestinal ischemia-reperfusion(II/R)injury.If not diagnosed and treated in a timely manner,it can lead to life-threatening conditions such as peritonitis,intestinal gangrene perforation,and multiple organ dysfunction.Current treatments primarily focus on symptomatic and surgical interventions,lacking targeted pharmacological therapies.A substantial body of research has found that traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)exhibits a protective effect against II/R injury.This review systematically elaborated on the mechanisms by which various TCM bioactive components,including Astragaloside IV,Ginsenosides,Salvianolic acids,and Tetramethylpyrazine,as well as compound formulations such as Shenqi injection,Taoren Chengqi decoction,and Sini decoction ameliorate II/R injury.These findings provide novel research perspectives for developing TCM-based therapeutics for IBD.

Background: Condyloma acuminatum (CA) is a common sexually transmitted disease caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). In recent years, research on anal CA has primarily focused on treatment rather than underlying mechanisms. The mechanism of HPV persistence and recurrence in CA require further exploration. It needs multiple researches in mechanisms to focalize treatment targets. Objective: To investigate the relationship between intestinal mucosal immunity and the relapse of anal CA and persistent infection. Methods: Levels of interferon gamma (IFN-γ) and secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA) were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbnent assay in anal mucosal cells obtained from patients treated at Tianjin Union Medical Center from September 2022 to December 2024. All the participants signed Informed Consent and the whole plan was approved by Institutional Review Board in Tianjin Union Medical Center (No. B155). Results: The levels of IFN-γ and sIgA significantly decreased after infection, and persistent infection exhibited even lower levels. These two factors increased following treatment, reaching peak concentrations at 4 weeks before decreasing again. Conclusion These findings demonstrate a significant association between persistent anal CA infection and dysregulation of intestinal mucosal immunity.

Ischemic bowel disease(IBD)is a prevalent intestinal vascular disease that poses a serious threat to patients' lives and health.Tthe key pathological process of ischemic bowel disease is intestinal ischemia-reperfusion(II/R)injury.If not diagnosed and treated in a timely manner,it can lead to life-threatening conditions such as peritonitis,intestinal gangrene perforation,and multiple organ dysfunction.Current treatments primarily focus on symptomatic and surgical interventions,lacking targeted pharmacological therapies.A substantial body of research has found that traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)exhibits a protective effect against II/R injury.This review systematically elaborated on the mechanisms by which various TCM bioactive components,including Astragaloside IV,Ginsenosides,Salvianolic acids,and Tetramethylpyrazine,as well as compound formulations such as Shenqi injection,Taoren Chengqi decoction,and Sini decoction ameliorate II/R injury.These findings provide novel research perspectives for developing TCM-based therapeutics for IBD.

Objectives:To investigate the clinical efficacy of bilateral mini-open Wiltse approach transforami-nal lumbar interbody fusion(MO-TLIF)in the treatment of degenerative lumbar diseases in the elderly.Meth-ods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 62 elderly patients with single-segment degenerative lumbar diseases who underwent MO-TLIF or minimally invasive transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion(MIS-TLIF)inthe First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University between September 2017 and August 2020.Among them,37 were male and 25 were female,aged 68.0±5.5 years.The patients were divided into the MO-TLIF group(32 cases)and the MIS-TLIF group(30 cases).There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of gender ratio,age,body mass index(BMI),surgical segment,disease duration,or follow-up time(P＞0.05).The differences between the two groups were compared in terms of operative time,in-traoperative blood loss,intraoperative fluoroscopy,postoperative wound drainage,time to ambulation,hospital stay,complications,and fusion rate.The visual analogue scale(VAS),lumbar Japanese Orthopedic Association(JOA)scores,and Oswestry disability index(ODI)before surgery,at 3 months postoperatively,and at the final follow-up were recorded and compared.Results:The two groups of patients all successfully completed the surgery without significant surgery-related complications.There were no statistically significant differences be-tween the MO-TLIF and MIS-TLIF groups in terms of intraoperative blood loss(80.3±25.1mL vs.72.3±21.8mL),postoperative wound drainage volume(30.7±10.2mL vs.29.3±9.0mL),or hospital stay(5.4±0.9d vs.5.4±0.8d)(P＞0.05).Compared with the MIS-TLIF group,the MO-TLIF group had shorter operative time(90.8±8.8min vs.98.3±8.0min,P=0.001)and fewer number of intraoperative fluoroscopy(4.7±0.7 times vs.7.2±1.4 times,P＜0.001).Both groups showed significant improvement in low back pain VAS score,lumbar JOA score,and ODI at postoperative 3 months and final follow-up compared with preoperative values(P＜0.001),but there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups at the same time points(P＞0.05).At the fi-nal follow-up,no internal fixation-related complications such as screw or rod breakage were observed in both groups,and all the cases achieved bone fusion.Conclusions:Bilateral MO-TLIF can achieve good therapeutic outcomes in treating single-segment degenerative lumbar diseases,which can reduce intraoperative fluoroscopy frequency and shorten operative time comparing with MIS-TLIF.

Objective To investigate the expression of pepsin in vocal cord polyps and vocal cord cancer,and to compare the difference of pepsin expression.Methods From May 2020 to December 2021,27 patients with vocal cord polyp,27 patients with vocal cord cancer and 23 healthy volunteers were selected.RSI and RFS scoring scales were used for scoring,pepsin detection kit was used for saliva pepsin detection,and immunohistochemical methods were used to detect the expression of pepsin in vocal cord tissues of patients with vocal cord polyps and vocal cord cancer.Results The RSI score,RFS score and pepsin test kit results of vocal cord polyp group and vocal cord canc-er group were higher than those of non-vocal cord disease group,and the differences of the three indexes were statis-tically significant(P＜0.05).RSI score,pepsin detection kit results and pepsin immunohistochemistry results of vocal cord polyp group showed no significant difference compared with vocal cord cancer group(P＞0.05).The RFS score of vocal cord polyp group was significantly different from that of vocal cord cancer group(P＜0.05).Conclusion Pepsin may be an important pathogenic factor of vocal cord polyp and vocal cord cancer,and play an im-portant role in the occurrence of these two diseases.The difference of pepsin expression in vocal cord polyp and vo-cal cord cancer suggests that pepsin may have different pathogenesis.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease （COPD） is susceptible to systemic complications. Especially，sarcopenia is an independent risk factor for COPD patients that can exacerbate respiratory muscle fatigue，lead to a higher risk of falls and fractures，and lower the quality of life. The pathogenesis of sarcopenia involves such aspects as mitochondrial dysfunction，insulin resistance，changes in skeletal muscle fiber types，and an imbalance in protein synthesis and breakdown. As nutrition support and exercise rehabilitation therapy frequently have limited effectiveness，it is urgent to find a way to slow the progression of COPD with sarcopenia. Numerous studies conducted in recent years have discovered a potential link between pulmonary microbiome disorders and the gut microbiota of COPD patients. Furthermore，a wide range of functions of gut microbiota and its metabolites have been demonstrated，such as regulating inflammation and immunity，glucose and lipid metabolism，and mitochondrial function. According to the Zangxiang theory in Chinese medicine， there are intimate connections between the spleen， intestine，and muscle，and gut microbiota may be the most essential part of ameliorating "spleen governing muscle" and increasing muscle mass and strength. This study aims to expound on the effect mechanism of gut microbiota in slowing the progression of COPD with sarcopenia，thereby furnishing novel perspectives and recommendations for forthcoming investigations and therapeutic applications.

Objective To investigate the antigen presentation characteristics of dendritic cells(DC)and B cells in cardiac grafts.Methods The heart of BALB/c mice was transplanted into the abdominal cavity of C57BL/6J mice.CD45+cells in the heart graft were extracted and sorted by flow cytometry at postoperative 5 d,and single cell RNA sequencing was performed.Taking DC and B cell subsets in cardiac grafts as the main study cells,the changing trend,antigen presenting ability and intercellular communication with T cells after heart transplantation were analyzed by bioinformatics analysis and flow cytometry.Gene ontology(GO)function enrichment difference analysis was adopted to prove the specific function and the reliability annotation of cell subsets.Results Germinal center-like B cell(GC-L B)was the B cell subset with the largest increase in quantity during the acute rejection phase,accounting for 87％.Classical DC(cDC)2 was the only DC subset with a significant increase in quantity during acute rejection of heart transplantation,accounting for 44％of DC subset,and it occupied the highest communication intensity with T cells after heart transplantation.Mononucleated DC(moDC)and memory B cell(MBC)were the main transmitters of T cell input signals in non-transplanted hearts,whereas transformed into cDC2 and GC-L B during the acute rejection phase.Among them,MBC and GC-L B were the main sources of T cell input signals in non-transplanted hearts and heart grafts.Conclusions Compared with DC,B cells occupy a higher number and weight in the intercellular communication with T cells in non-transplanted hearts and heart grafts,prompting that the antigen presenting activity of B cells is more active and stronger than DC in the early stage of acute rejection of heart transplantation.