1.Analysis of MRI and clinical characteristics for pediatric head, neck, and facial lymphatic malformations.
Jiafei CHEN ; Wei CHEN ; Shujun KE ; Ying WANG ; Jiarui CHEN ; Xiaoyan LI
Journal of Clinical Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery 2025;39(7):646-651
Objective:This aims to investigate the diagnostic and evaluative value of MRI for lymphatic malformations in the head, neck, and facial regions of children. Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on the MRI imaging data of 31 cases of head, neck, and facial lymphatic malformations in children admitted to the Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Children's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, from January 2022 to January 2024. Results:The MRI images of this group of cases primarily displayed irregular morphology(80.6%, 25/31), thin-walled cysts(80.6%, 25/31), and compression of surrounding tissues. The boundaries were clear(100%, 31/31), with characteristics of invasive and drill-like growth(93.5%). The cyst walls or internal septa exhibited high signal intensity on T1WI, low signal intensity on T2WI, and mild to moderate enhancement(100%). The contents of the cysts showed low signal intensity on T1WI, high signal intensity on T2WI, and no enhancement(35.5%, 11/31). Mixed signals with varying degrees of enhancement were observed in 20 cases(64.5%). There were 29 cases of multilocular cysts(93.5%, 29/31), and 11 cases of fluid-fluid levels(35.5%). The MRI diagnostic accuracy for this group of cases was 100%. Conclusion:Lymphatic Malformations of head, neck and facial region in children have very characteristic features on MRI, such as typical thin wall, clear boundaries, irregular shapes, invasive growth, no enhancement, multilocular cystic masses, fluid-fluid level, etc. Furthermore, it is more appropriate for children with lymphatic malformations owing to its non-radiation and non-invasive benefits. Diagnosing lymphatic malformations in the head, neck, and facial region in children should begin with this.
Humans
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Retrospective Studies
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Lymphatic Abnormalities/diagnostic imaging*
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Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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Neck/diagnostic imaging*
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Head/diagnostic imaging*
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Face/diagnostic imaging*
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Child
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Male
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Female
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Child, Preschool
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Adolescent
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Infant
2.GRK2 activates TRAF2-NF-κB signalling to promote hyperproliferation of fibroblast-like synoviocytes in rheumatoid arthritis.
Chenchen HAN ; Liping JIANG ; Weikang WANG ; Shujun ZUO ; Jintao GU ; Luying CHEN ; Zhuo CHEN ; Jiajie KUAI ; Xuezhi YANG ; Liang XU ; Yang MA ; Wei WEI
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(4):1956-1973
G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2) participates in the phosphorylation and desensitization of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), impacting various biological processes such as inflammation and cell proliferation. Dysregulated expression and activity of GRK2 have been reported in multiple cells in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, whether and how GRK2 regulates synovial hyperplasia and fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs) proliferation is poorly understood. In this study, we investigated the regulation of GRK2 and its biological function in RA. We found that GRK2 transmembrane activity was increased in FLSs of RA patients and collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) rats. Additionally, we noted a positive correlation between high GRK2 expression on the cell membrane and serological markers associated with RA and CIA. Immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry and pull-down analyses revealed tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 2 (TRAF2) as a novel substrate of GRK2. Furthermore, surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and molecular docking assays determined that the C-terminus of GRK2 binds to the C-terminus of TRAF2 at the Gln340 residue. GRK2 knockdown and the GRK2 inhibitor CP-25 attenuated synovial hyperplasia and FLS proliferation in CIA both in vitro and in vivo by decreasing GRK2 membrane expression and activity. Mechanistically, increased GRK2 transmembrane activity contributed to the recruitment of TRAF2 on the cell membrane, promoting GRK2-TRAF2 interactions that facilitate the recruitment of the E3 ubiquitin ligase TRIM47 to TRAF2. This enhanced TRAF2 Lys63 polyubiquitylation and induced nuclear factor (NF)-κB activation, leading to synovial hyperplasia and abnormal proliferation of FLSs. Our study provides a mechanistic and preclinical rationale for further evaluation of GRK2 as a therapeutic target for RA.
3.Targeted inhibition of macrophage STING signaling alleviates inflammatory injury and ventricular remodeling in acute myocardial infarction.
Huan YAO ; Qingman HE ; Shujun WEI ; Li XIANG ; Yuanyuan LUO ; Cong HUANG ; Weiwei LIU ; Chuan ZHENG ; Xueping LI ; Yongxiang GAO
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(8):4030-4046
Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) acts as a damage-associated molecular pattern to activate the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) signaling in macrophages, promoting tissue inflammation. However, its role in acute myocardial infarction (AMI) remains unclear. Macrophage-specific Sting1 knockout mice were used to validate STING's pathological role in AMI. Cardiac and liver mtDNA were used to activate macrophages in co-culture systems with cardiomyocytes to assess fibrosis and hypertrophy. Panaxatriol saponin (PTS) was tested for its ability to block mtDNA-driven macrophage activation and subsequent cardiomyocyte damage. STING-PTS binding ability was analyzed. AMI rats received PTS to evaluate its effects on myocardial inflammation and ventricular remodeling. In vivo, macrophage-specific Sting1 knockout reduced myocardial inflammation and injury after AMI. In vitro, mtDNA-activated macrophages induced cardiomyocyte fibrosis and hypertrophy through STING signaling. PTS suppressed mtDNA-driven macrophage activation by directly binding STING, thereby blocking inflammatory cascades. In AMI rats, PTS treatment attenuated acute inflammation and reversed ventricular remodeling. These findings establish the mtDNA-STING axis in macrophages as a critical driver of post-AMI inflammation and identify pharmacological STING inhibition with PTS as a promising therapeutic strategy. The study bridges genetic validation with translational applications, highlighting macrophage STING as a novel target for ischemic heart disease management.
4.Construction and phenotypic study of heterozygous knockout mice of tumor necrosis factor receptor associated factor 2
Weikang Wang ; Shujun Zuo ; Jintao Gu ; Fuyuan Guo ; Haozhou Guo ; Chenchen Han ; Wei Wei
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2025;60(7):1291-1296
Objective :
To generate heterozygous TRAF2 knockout mice, the CRISPR/Cas9 technology was successfully employed. These mice were served as a valuable model to explore the pathological mechanisms underlying inflammatory and immune disorders mediated by abnormal TNF-α-TRAF2 signaling and to develop new therapeutic targets.
Methods :
A vector targeting the knockout of the TRAF2 gene was constructed. Lead RNA and Cas9 Mrna were introduced into the fertilized eggs of C57BL/6JGpt mice through microinjection to mediate the TRAF2 gene mutation in mice. The mouse tail protein was extracted and the genotype of the F0 generation was determined by PCR and Western blot. TRAF2+/- mice were successfully obtained. F0 generation mice were backcrossed with C57BL/6JGpt wild-type mice to obtain stable TRAF2+/- mice for propagation and subsequent experiments. The body weight of TRAF2+/- mice was detected; Western blot was used to detect the expression of TRAF2 in the spleen, liver and kidney tissues of TRAF2+/- mice. The development of spleen, liver and kidney tissues in TRAF2+/- mice was detected by HE staining.
Results :
PCR identification using specific primers demonstrated that TRAF2+/- mice exhibited a target band at 679 bp. Western blot analysis results indicated that, compared with the WT group, the expression of TRAF2 in the tail protein of TRAF2+/- mice was significantly reduced(P+/- mice had a lower body weight compared to their littermate WT mice(P+/- mice was decreased(P+/- mice and WT mice.
Conclusion
The successful construction of TRAF2+/- mice has provided an important animal model for exploring the role of TRAF2 in developmental regulation, revealing the mechanism of inflammatory immune diseases mediated by abnormal TNF-α-TRAF2 signaling, and screening related drug targets.
5.Application of xenotransplantation in clinical practice
Shengkun SUN ; Shujun YANG ; Hao WEI ; Haihong YANG ; Jing LU ; Jiang PENG
Organ Transplantation 2024;15(2):200-206
Organ transplantation is the optimal treatment for end-stage organ failure. Nevertheless, organ shortage is a global problem, which limits further development of organ transplantation. Recent research shows that genetically modified pig may become a realistic alternative source of clinical organ transplantation donor. Xenotransplantation may serve as one of the effective measures to resolve the problem of organ shortage. Since 2021, 2 cases of living xenotransplantation and 6 cases of xenotransplantation in brain death recipients have been performed worldwide, and phase Ⅰ clinical trial of xenotransplantation has been launched, and the results have exceeded expectations. Therefore, in this article, recent clinical trial results of xenotransplantation in living and brain death recipients were retrospectively analyzed, and scientific, technical and ethical issues related to clinical research of xenotransplantation were illustrated, hoping to provide reference for clinical research of xenotransplantation in China and promote the development of xenotransplantation in clinical practice.
6.Research report of living donor kidney harvesting in Bama miniature pigs with six gene modified
Yong XU ; Xiangyu SONG ; Heng’en WANG ; Shujun YANG ; Zhibo JIA ; Hao WEI ; Shengfeng CHEN ; Mengyi CUI ; Yanling REN ; Jiang PENG ; Shengkun SUN
Organ Transplantation 2024;15(2):229-235
Objective To summarize the experience and practical value of living donor kidney harvesting in Bama miniature pigs with six gene modified. Methods The left kidney of Bama miniature pigs with six gene modified was obtained by living donor kidney harvesting technique. First, the ureter was occluded, and then the inferior vena cava and abdominal aorta were freed. During the harvesting process, the ureter, renal vein and renal artery were exposed and freed in sequence. The vascular forceps were used at the abdominal aorta and inferior vena cava, and the renal artery and vein were immediately perfused with 4℃ renal preservation solution, and stored in ice normal saline for subsequent transplantation. Simultaneously, the donor abdominal aorta and inferior vena cava gap were sutured. The operation time, blood loss, warm and cold ischemia time, postoperative complications and the survival of donors and recipients were recorded. Results The left kidney of the genetically modified pig was successfully harvested. Intraoperative bleeding was 5 mL, warm ischemia time was 45 s, and cold ischemia time was 2.5 h. Neither donor nor recipient pig received blood transfusion, and urinary function of the kidney transplanted into the recipient was recovered. The donor survived for more than 8 months after the left kidney was resected. Conclusions Living donor kidney harvesting is safe and reliable in genetically modified pigs. Branch blood vessels could be processed during kidney harvesting, which shortens the process of kidney repair and the time of cold ischemia. Living donor kidney harvesting contributes to subsequent survival of donors and other scientific researches.
7.Construction and validation of a prediction model for public acceptance of kidney xenotransplantation in China
Shujun YANG ; Hao WEI ; Jiang PENG ; Mengyi CUI ; Panfeng SHANG ; Shengkun SUN
Organ Transplantation 2024;15(1):102-111
Objective To explore the public attitude towards kidney xenotransplantation in China by constructing and validating the prediction model based on xenotransplantation questionnaire. Methods A convenient sampling survey was conducted among the public in China with the platform of Wenjuanxing to analyze public acceptance of kidney xenotransplantation and influencing factors. Using random distribution method, all included questionnaires (n=2 280) were divided into the training and validation sets according to a ratio of 7:3. A prediction model was constructed and validated. Results A total of 2 280 questionnaires were included. The public acceptance rate of xenotransplantation was 71.3%. Multivariate analysis showed that gender, marital status, resident area, medical insurance coverage, religious belief, vegetarianism, awareness of kidney xenotransplantation and whether on the waiting list for kidney transplantation were the independent influencing factors for public acceptance of kidney xenotransplantation (all P<0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) of the prediction model in the training set was 0.773, and 0.785 in the validation set. The calibration curves in the training and validation sets indicated that the prediction models yielded good prediction value. Decision curve analysis (DCA) suggested that the prediction efficiency of the model was high. Conclusions In China, public acceptance of kidney xenotransplantation is relatively high, whereas it remains to be significantly enhanced. The prediction model based on questionnaire survey has favorable prediction efficiency, which provides reference for subsequent research.
8.Interference with Gal-1 inhibits EMT and migration of human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells via TGF-β pathway
Shizhong REN ; Xuyong QIN ; Guoli ZHOU ; Wei ZHAO ; Shujun CAO ; Zhenyu MIAO ; Chengping LI
Chinese Journal of Pathophysiology 2024;40(6):1078-1084
AIM:To explore the effect and mechanism of the interfering Gal-1 on epithelial-mesenchymal transition(EMT),migration and proliferation in MDA-MB-231 cells via transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β)pathway.METHODS:The stable cell lines(shGal-1)which Gal-1 expression were inhibited completely and their control cell lines were used as experimental cells.Western blot assay was used to detect the effects of shGal-1 on EMT process of MDA-MB-231 cells after TGF-β treatment;The effect of shGal-1 on cell migration and invasion after TGF-β treatment was verified by cell scratch and transwell test;The effect of shGal-1 on the TGF-β pathway related proteins were detected by western blot;Finally,the effect of shGal-1 on cell proliferation was detected by MTT and western blot.RESULTS:shGal-1 inhib-ited TGF-β-mediated EMT in MDA-MB-231 cells and regulated phosphorylation of pathway signaling molecules(ERK,AKT and GSK3β);shGal-1 could inhibit the proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells.CONCLUSION:shGal-1 can inhibit the TGF-β-mediated EMT,migration and proliferation of MDA-MB-231 cells.
9.Bibliometrics-based visualization analysis of xenotransplantation(2014-2023)
Shujun YANG ; Hao WEI ; Jiang PENG ; Panfeng SHANG ; Shengkun SUN
Organ Transplantation 2024;15(5):816-823
Objective To analyze the research progress and development trend of xenotransplantation in China.Methods Literatures related to xenotransplantation in Chinese and English were searched from CNKI and Web of Science Core Collection databases from January 1,2014 to December 31,2023.Visualization analysis of the research progress,hot topics and research frontiers in this field was performed by CiteSpace software and R language from the aspects of number of publications,keywords,distribution of journal origin,core author cooperation network,main research institutions,and citation of key literatures,etc.Results Chinese scholars published 684 articles in Chinese and 624 articles in English,ranking 2nd worldwide.The top 3 Chinese journals regarding the number of publications were Organ Transplantation,Practical Journal of Organ Transplantation(Electronic Version)and Acta Laboratorium Animalis Scientia Sinica.The top 3 English journals were Xenotransplantation,Frontiers in Immunology and Scientific Reports.The top 5 authors regarding the number of publications in Chinese were Pan Dengke,Cai Zhiming,Mou Lisha,Li Xiao and Dou Kefeng.The top 5 authors regarding the number of publications in English were Mou Lisha,Cai Zhiming,Dai Yifan,Wang Yi and Pan Dengke.High-frequency Chinese keywords included xenotransplantation,immune rejection,transplantation,xenogenic,animal model,xenogeneic bone,liver transplantation,gene editing,kidney transplantation,burn and bone transplantation.High-frequency English keywords were expression,xenotransplantation,cells,transplantation and survival.Conclusions In recent years,certain research achievement and global influence have been obtained in the field of xenotransplantation in China,involving a variety of disciplines and a wide range of research contents.However,cooperation among different institutions is still lacking.In the future,cross-regional and interdisciplinary communication and cooperation should be prompted.Resource sharing and integration should be strengthened to maintain rapid and steady advancement in this field.
10.Significance and successful construction of stable transfection of MH7A cells with lower TRAF2 expression using lentiviral vector
Luying CHEN ; Liping JIANG ; Weikang WANG ; Shujun ZUO ; Jiajie KUAI ; Yang MA ; Chenchen HAN ; Wei WEI
Acta Universitatis Medicinalis Anhui 2024;59(2):193-199
Objective To construct a stable synovial cell line MH7A from rheumatoid arthritis(RA)patients using lentiviral vectors that interfere with the expression of tumor necrosis factor receptor associated factor 2(TRAF2),and to study the role of TNF-α-TRAF2 signaling in MH7A abnormal proliferation.Methods Based on the design principles of human TRAF2 gene sequence and shRNA sequence,three pairs of TRAF2 shRNA interference se-quences were designed and synthesized.The primers were annealed by PCR,and a linear vector was obtained by double enzyme digestion PLKO.1-puro.The linearized vector was connected to the annealed primers through Solu-tion I,and the connected products were introduced into receptive cells.The plates were coated,and positive colo-nies were selected for sequencing.Three different recombinant plasmids of PLKO.1-TRAF2-shRNA lentivirus were constructed,and lentivirus packaging plasmids was used to package logarithmic growth phase HEK 293T cells.Vi-rus solution was collected to infect MH7A cells.At the same time,puromycin was used to screen MH7A stable transgenic strains with low TRAF2 expression.CCK-8 method,Western blot,and qPCR were used to detect the proliferation function of MH7A induced by TNF-α and low expression of TRAF2,as well as downstream signal TRAF2,P65 protein expression and mRNA levels.Results PLKO.1-TRAF2-shRNA(1),PLKO.1-TRAF2-shR-NA(2),and PLKO.1-TRAF2-shRNA(3)lentivirus vector plasmids and control group lentivirus vector plasmids PLKO.1-puro were successfully constructed.The three TRAF2-shRNA lentivirus vector plasmids and control group lentivirus vector plasmids PLKO.1-puro were respectively introduced into the lentivirus packaging plasmid of HEK 293T to obtain virus solution.After infecting MH7A cells with the virus solution,they were treated with puromycin(2.00 μ G/mL)screening and obtaining MH7A stable transgenic plants after 2 days.Through qPCR and Western blot results,it was found that the expression of TRAF2 mRNA and protein in PLKO.1-TRAF2-shRNA(1)MH7A stably transfected cells was significantly reduced compared to the negative control group.The results of CCK-8 and Western blot showed that after knocking down TRAF2 in MH7A,the proliferation of MH7A cells with low TRAF2 expression induced by TNF-α and the phosphorylation level of P65 were significantly reduced.Conclusion A sta-ble transgenic strain of PLKO.1-TRAF2-shRNA(1)MH7A cells was successfully constructed to investigate the role of TNF-α-TRAF2 signal activation in mediating abnormal proliferation of RA synovial cells.


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