1.Ectopic expression of hemoglobin subunits enhances the in vitro cytotoxicity of CAR-T cells against tumor cells under hypoxic conditions
YANG Jianxun1,2 ; ZHENG Rui3 ; LIANG Sixin3 ; PAN Jie4 ; LI Yanlong5 ; ZHAI Chenxi5 ; ZHAO Xiaojuan2 ; WANG Pengju3 ; DONG Hao4 ; YAN Bo2 ; SUN Zhihong1 ; YANG Angang3
Chinese Journal of Cancer Biotherapy 2026;33(3):233-242
[摘 要] 目的:探讨异位表达血红蛋白亚基(HBA/HBB)对缺氧条件下嵌合抗原受体T细胞(CAR-T细胞)功能障碍的改善作用及其对肿瘤细胞的杀伤效应。方法:全基因合成技术合成靶向HER2的CAR序列,构建共表达HBA或HBB的CAR慢病毒载体,包装慢病毒后感染人原代T淋巴细胞,制备异位表达HBA/HBB的CAR-T细胞,命名为HBA CAR-T和HBB CAR-T。采用缺氧探针检测小鼠实体瘤缺氧状态。通过流式细胞术检测瘤内CAR-T细胞占比、异位表达血红蛋白亚基的CAR-T细胞阳性率及CAR-T细胞的活性氧、凋亡水平。WB法检测HBA CAR-T和HBB CAR-T内相关血红蛋白亚基表达情况,采用细胞计数板计数检测细胞增殖水平,通过萤光素酶报告基因法检测CAR-T细胞对肿瘤细胞的杀伤能力,qPCR检测CAR-T细胞中缺氧诱导因子-1α(HIF-1α)表达水平,利用MitoXpress Intra试剂盒检测CAR-T细胞内氧气含量。结果:不同细胞构建的实体瘤模型均存在明显缺氧情况,且CAR-T细胞浸润水平与缺氧程度呈显著负相关(P < 0.000 1)。HBA CAR-T与HBB CAR-T构建成功(阳性率 > 60%),相应血红蛋白亚基可稳定表达。缺氧环境下HBA CAR-T和HBB CAR-T的ROS水平、凋亡水平显著下降,增殖、对肿瘤细胞的体外杀伤能力显著强于传统CAR-T细胞(均P < 0.05)。HBA CAR-T与HBB CAR-T内HIF-1α表达降低(均P < 0.001),且缺氧程度显著降低(均P < 0.001)。结论:异位表达血红蛋白亚基可改善缺氧条件下CAR-T细胞功能障碍并增强其对肿瘤细胞的体外杀伤作用。
2.The Role of FASN in Tumors and Its Targeted Therapy
Wen-Jing JIANG ; Ruo-Xi ZHANG ; Yu-Qing TAI ; Ya-Wen SUN ; Xi-Yu ZHANG ; Xiao LI
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(4):920-935
Malignant tumors represent a major threat to global health. Conventional anti-tumor pharmacotherapy often encounters challenges such as drug resistance, highlighting an urgent need for the development of novel therapeutic strategies. Fatty acid synthase (FASN), the key enzyme catalyzing de novo fatty acid synthesis, is subject to precise regulation at multiple levels, including transcriptional control, various post-translational modifications such as ubiquitination and phosphorylation, as well as modulation by diverse signaling pathways. Recent studies have revealed that FASN is aberrantly overexpressed in various malignant tumors and is closely associated with tumor progression and poor patient prognosis. FASN is a homodimer composed of seven functional domains that catalyzes the NADPH-dependent condensation of acetyl-CoA and malonyl-CoA to generate saturated fatty acids, primarily palmitic acid. Its stability is regulated by multiple ubiquitin ligases and deubiquitinating enzymes. Additionally, FASN is subject to upstream regulation via neural precursor cell-expressed developmentally downregulated 8 (Nedd8) modification and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway, thereby establishing a metabolic-signaling positive feedback loop. As a core executor of metabolic reprogramming, FASN promotes tumorigenesis through dual mechanisms. First, its fatty acid synthesis product, palmitate, participates in membrane phospholipid synthesis, lipid raft formation, and protein palmitoylation, thereby activating several key oncogenic signaling pathways, including PI3K/AKT/mTOR, wingless-type MMTV integration site family member (Wnt)/β‑catenin, and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3)/matrix metalloproteinase (MMP), leading to tumor development and progression. Second, FASN plays a pivotal role in modulating the anti-tumor functions of immune cells and remodeling the tumor immune microenvironment. Specifically, FASN enhances immune checkpoint inhibition by inducing programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) palmitoylation, suppresses the activation of cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells, and promotes the polarization of M2-type macrophages, consequently facilitating tumor immune evasion and malignant progression. Precisely due to its significant overexpression in tumor cells, its critical functional role, and its differential expression compared to normal cells, FASN has emerged as a highly promising target for anti-tumor drug development. Highly selective small-molecule inhibitors, notably represented by TVB-2640, have advanced to clinical trial stages and demonstrated favorable anti-tumor activity. Furthermore, the combination of FASN inhibitors with other chemotherapeutic agents or targeted drugs can overcome the limitations of monotherapy through synergistic effects or by resensitizing tumor cells to conventional drugs, achieving a “1+1>2” therapeutic outcome. With the advancement of modern traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), numerous active ingredients derived from TCM have been confirmed to exert anti-tumor effects by modulating FASN-related pathways. This integrated approach leverages the precision of Western medicine while simultaneously harnessing the holistic regulatory benefits of TCM to alleviate the side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Despite the promising prospects of FASN-targeted therapies, challenges remain, including tumor cell metabolic plasticity, tumor context-dependent responses, and heterogeneity. This review systematically summarizes the molecular structure, physiological functions, and mechanisms of FASN in tumorigenesis, as well as recent advances in targeted therapies. Future directions—including the precise identification of responsive patient populations using spatial transcriptomics, the development of novel combination regimens, and the active exploration of integrative strategies combining traditional Chinese and Western medicine—will facilitate the clinical translation of FASN-targeted therapies and open new avenues for improving the quality of life and prognosis of cancer patients.
3. Exploration and Practice of a Generative AI-assisted Four-dimensional Integration Platform of “Teaching, Learning, Evaluation, and Research” for The Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Courses
Pan CHEN ; Yang XI ; Xiao-Feng JIN ; De-Sen SUN ; Qiang CHEN ; Jun-Ming GUO
Progress in Biochemistry and Biophysics 2026;53(3):789-800
ObjectiveBiochemistry and Molecular Biology, a discipline that elucidates life phenomena at the molecular level, serves as a core foundational course in medical education. It provides the theoretical basis for studying other basic and clinical medical subjects, as well as for understanding pathogenesis, disease diagnosis, and treatment. However, its complex content and highly abstract concepts have posed a dual challenge to traditional teaching models: “inefficient instruction” and “inadequate learning outcomes”. Within limited classroom hours, how to engage students and stimulate their intrinsic motivation, and how to help them recognize, understand, and develop a passion for biochemistry from the perspective of the discipline’s essence, have long been key focuses of curriculum research. MethodsUsing the lipid metabolism chapter as an example, this study employs “Rain Classroom”, a generative artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted platform, to support education in four dimensions: teaching, learning, evaluation, and research. In teaching, it assists instructors through virtual experiments, lesson preparation support, knowledge mapping, and assignment design. For learning, it serves as an intelligent study assistant for students, providing automated assignment review, enabling educational resource sharing, and facilitating personalized learning pathways. In evaluation, the platform automates assignment grading, analyzes student performance data, and offers diagnostic feedback and teaching recommendations. In research, it aids educators in collecting and analyzing teaching data, as well as searching for and summarizing relevant literature. ResultsThe results indicate that an educational model integrating teacher-led instruction, student-centered learning, and generative AI assistance significantly enhances teaching quality, students’ self-directed learning abilities, and knowledge mastery. Furthermore, with the support of generative AI, curriculum-based ideological education—focusing on cutting-edge disciplinary advances and topical medical issues—helps cultivate students’ medical spirit of “honoring life and healing the wounded”, thereby fostering the establishment of appropriate professional values. Finally, while generative AI presents both opportunities and challenges for higher education, this study also analyzes potential risks in its teaching applications, emphasizing the need for both instructors and students to avoid over-reliance and to ensure that technological tools consistently serve the fundamental goals of education. ConclusionThis study demonstrates that integrating generative AI, specifically via the “Rain Classroom” platform, can effectively enhance biochemistry education. By supporting teaching, learning, evaluation, and research, this approach improves both educational effectiveness and student outcomes. It also facilitates the incorporation of cutting-edge knowledge and professional ethics, nurturing a patient-centered mindset. Additionally, the study addresses potential implementation risks to ensure that such technological tools remain aligned with the core purpose of education.
4.Value of MRI in-phase/opposed-phase in quantitative assessment of fatty liver after liver transplantation
Xi CHEN ; Ruomi GUO ; Jie ZHANG
Organ Transplantation 2026;17(3):469-475
Objective To investigate the value of 3.0 T MRI in-phase/opposed-phase (IP-OP) imaging features in the quantitative assessment of hepatic steatosis after liver transplantation. Methods Clinical data of 115 patients who underwent liver transplantation and completed MRI IP-OP examination and liver biopsy within 3 months were retrospectively collected. According to the gold standard of pathological results, patients were divided into the steatosis group (n=18) and the non-steatosis group (n=97). The relative signal intensity of hepatic parenchyma was measured on MRI IP-OP sequences, and the hepatic fat fraction (HFF) was calculated. Differences in clinical data and imaging features between the two groups were compared, and the efficacy of HFF in the diagnosis of graft hepatic steatosis was evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results Among the 115 recipients, 18 cases were diagnosed with hepatic steatosis by liver biopsy, including 13 cases of mild steatosis, 3 cases of moderate steatosis and 2 cases of severe steatosis. Compared with the non-steatosis group, the steatosis group had a lower proportion of hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma, higher proportions of HBV-related liver failure and alcoholic liver cirrhosis, and higher platelet levels (all P<0.05). There were statistically significant differences in hepatic imaging features between the two groups (all P<0.05). The ROC curve showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of the quantitative value calculated by IP-OP in the diagnosis of graft hepatic steatosis was 0.925 (95% confidence interval 0.870-0.980). Conclusions 3.0 T MRI IP-OP sequence may accurately and non-invasively quantitatively assess the severity of hepatic steatosis after liver transplantation, which is of great value for the early detection of graft hepatic steatosis and the guidance of clinical intervention.
5.Effects of Yishen paidu formula on renal fibrosis in rats with chronic renal failure by regulating the ROS/TXNIP/NLRP3 pathway
Li FENG ; Bowen PENG ; Bin PENG ; Xue FENG ; Shuangyi ZHU ; Wei XIONG ; Xi HU ; Xiaohui SUN
China Pharmacy 2026;37(2):174-179
OBJECTIVE To investigate the effects and mechanism of the Yishen paidu formula on renal fibrosis in rats with chronic renal failure (CRF) through the reactive oxygen species (ROS)/thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP)/NOD-like receptor thermal protein domain associated protein 3 (NLRP3) pathway. METHODS Rats were randomly divided into control group, model group, Yishen paidu formula low-dose (Yishen paidu formula-L) group, Yishen paidu formula high-dose (Yishen paidu formula- H) group, Yishen paidu formula-H+pcDNA-NC group, and Yishen paidu formula-H+ pcDNA-TXNIP group, with 10 rats in each group. Except for control group, all other rats were fed a diet containing 0.5% adenine to establish a CRF model; the rats were then administered corresponding drugs or normal saline intragastrically or via tail vein, once daily, for 8 consecutive weeks. After the last administration, the levels of serum creatinine (Scr), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), ROS, superoxide dismutase (SOD), malondialdehyde (MDA), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-1β were measured in each group. Pathological changes in renal tissue were observed, and the protein expression levels of Collagen Ⅲ, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), TXNIP and NLRP3 in renal tissue were detected. RESULTS Compared with model group, the renal histopathological damage and fibrosis of rats in Yishen paidu formula-L group and Yishen paidu formula-H group were significantly alleviated. The levels of Scr, BUN, ROS, MDA, TNF- α, IL-6 and IL-1β, and the protein expressions of Collagen Ⅲ, α-SMA, TGF-β1, TXNIP and NLRP3 were significantly decreased, while SOD levels were significantly increased (P<0.05). Moreover, the changes were more pronounced in the Yishen paidu formula-H group (P<0.05). Compared with Yishen paidu formula-H+pcDNA-NC group, above indexes of rats in Yishen paidu formula-H+pcDNA-TXNIP group were reversed significantly (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Yishen paidu formula can inhibit renal fibrosis in CRF rats by suppressing the ROS/TXNIP/NLRP3 pathway.
6.The SMAD-Pathway Mediates HMGB1-Induced Proliferation and Metastatic Progression in Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells
De-De LIAN ; Xue Mei LI ; Yu-Xi JIA ; Ming-Wei ZHOU ; Xiang-Ru CHEN ; Yang-Yang TIAN ; Min LI ; Ming-Hui SUN ; Ye ZHAO ; Hong-Jun LI ; Qing-Ling ZHANG
Annals of Dermatology 2026;38(1):51-58
Background:
High-mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1) is a chromatin-binding protein involved in arthritis, ischemia, sepsis, atherosclerosis, neurodegenerative disorders, meningitis, and cancer. HMGB1 exhibits dual roles in cancer, acting as either a tumor suppressor or oncoprotein depending on context.
Objective:
This research aimed to elucidate HMGB1’s functional significance in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC).
Methods:
We overexpressed HMGB1 in cSCC cell lines using recombinant adenovirus and examined its effects on cell proliferation, colony formation, and cell migration.
Results:
Immunohistochemical analysis revealed elevated HMGB1 expression levels in cSCC tissue relative to normal epidermis. To assess the influence of HMGB1, we employed recombinant adenoviruses expressing HMGB1 to transduce SCC cell lines (SCC12 and SCC13). Enhanced HMGB1 expression significantly promoted cellular proliferation and colony formation capacity.Notably, HMGB1 overexpression elevated the levels of proliferation regulators, including P63, SOX2, CDK4 and CDK6. Furthermore, HMGB1 overexpression substantially enhanced tumor invasiveness, accompanied by upregulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) biomarkers. Mechanistically, overexpression of HMGB1 enhanced transforming growth factor-β signaling by increasing phosphorylation of SMAD2/3, the key mediators of EMT.
Conclusion
These data imply that HMGB1 acts as a tumor-promoting factor in cSCC.
7.Expert consensus on the application of artificial intelligence in lung cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment (2026 edition)
Wenzhao ZHONG ; Haibo WANG ; Yi HU ; Hao ZHANG ; Jigang DAI ; Junqiang FAN ; Guibin QIAO ; Fan YANG ; Jian HU ; Fengwei TAN ; Xuening YANG ; Qiang PU ; Zihao CHEN ; Hongxia TIAN ; Lunxu LIU ; Hecheng LI ; Xiaolong YAN ; Zongyang YU ; Zhenbin QIU ; Yihua SUN ; Jing HU ; Yuhang SHI ; Zhifei GUO ; Peng ZHANG ; Kezhong CHEN ; Shugeng GAO ; Yilong WU
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2026;33(06):848-856
With the continuous deepening of the concept of precision diagnosis and treatment for lung cancer, how to achieve higher efficiency and accuracy in the screening, diagnosis, and treatment pathways in clinical practice has become an important issue that urgently needs to be overcome. The current clinical difficulty lies in the fact that despite continuous advancements in imaging and molecular diagnostic technologies, there are still limitations in manual efficiency and subjective experience when it comes to massive data analysis and multi-scale feature extraction. Artificial intelligence (AI), especially algorithm systems based on deep learning, is an innovative technology capable of deeply empowering medical big data. This method utilizes algorithms such as convolutional neural networks, combined with radiomics, pathomics, and multi-modal data fusion analysis, demonstrating immense potential in early precise detection and benign-malignant differentiation of pulmonary nodules, digital pathological subtype recognition and non-invasive prediction of driver genes, precise 3D surgical planning and automatic delineation of radiotherapy target volumes, as well as dynamic risk warning during follow-up. This innovative technology provides a brand-new solution for realizing intelligent and individualized lung cancer diagnosis and treatment models. This consensus, based on the latest evidence from evidence-based medicine and combined with the development trends in the AI field and real-world clinical needs, was ultimately formed by gathering the consensus opinions of multidisciplinary experts in radiology, pathology, thoracic surgery, and other fields. The main content covers the application specifications of AI in the three core scenarios of lung cancer screening, diagnosis, and treatment, the technical standards for data collection and algorithm validation, as well as the ethical and regulatory challenges faced at the current stage. It aims to clarify the applicable boundaries of AI as a clinical auxiliary decision support tool, providing scientific guidance and standardized exploration directions for peers currently engaged in or planning to carry out AI-assisted clinical diagnosis, treatment, and translation of lung cancer.
8.Evaluation system for standardized surgery in elderly patients with lung cancer
Xingqi MI ; Nan CHEN ; Jiandong MEI ; Hecheng LI ; Shuguang ZHANG ; Huanwen CHEN ; Peng JIAO ; Jun WANG ; Chunfang ZHANG ; Guangjian ZHANG ; Xin LI ; Qiang PU ; Peng LIN ; Lunxu LIU
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2026;33(06):866-873
To address the growing challenge of an increasing number of elderly lung cancer patients amidst China's aging population and to fill the gap in quality control standards for surgical treatment in this special population, this study aimed to develop a standardized surgical evaluation system for elderly lung cancer patients tailored to China's national conditions. The system was established through a literature review, integrated the pathophysiological characteristics of elderly patients, and was constructed following review, feedback, and revision by experts from multiple thoracic surgery centers. Employing a 100-point scoring system, it comprises three primary domains: physical infrastructure and geriatric adaptability foundational conditions (10 points); management level and perioperative care models (20 points); and technical proficiency and clinical outcomes (70 points). The system places a strong emphasis on geriatric adaptability, proposing specific, quantifiable indicators for age-friendly facility modifications, control of elderly-specific complications, multidisciplinary collaboration, and standardized perioperative management. It provides a convenient and measurable assessment tool for quality control in the surgical treatment of elderly lung cancer in China, which is expected to promote the standardization and homogenization of diagnosis and treatment.
9.Preliminary evaluation of the safety and efficacy of a self-prepared activated prothrombin complex concentrate
Xu PAN ; Yuwei HUANG ; Liehuo MAO ; Pan SUN ; Changqing LI ; Xi DU ; Li MA
Chinese Journal of Blood Transfusion 2026;39(8):1004-1011
Objective: To evaluate the in vitro procoagulant efficacy and in vivo potential thrombogenic risk of self-prepared activated prothrombin complex concentrate (aPCC). Methods: The preparation was administered at a dose of 0.5 IU per milliliter of plasma. For in vitro assays, the self-prepared aPCC concentrate was added to plasma spiked with factorⅧ (FⅧ) inhibitors. Calibrated automated thrombin generation (CAT), prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin time (TT), and fibrinogen (Fib) quantification were performed. Normal saline and FEIBA
were set as controls to evaluate the procoagulant capacity of the self-prepared aPCC concentrate. For in vivo animal studies, the self-prepared aPCC concentrate was injected into rats via the jugular vein. A ferric chloride (FeCl3) filter paper patch was applied to induce carotid arterial thrombosis. Laser speckle blood flow imaging was used to continuously monitor thrombus formation in the rat carotid artery. Plasma samples were collected from rats for CAT, PT, APTT, TT and Fib testing, with normal saline and FEIBA
as controls to evaluate the potential thrombogenic risk of the self-prepared aPCC concentrate. Results: Supplementation with aPCC significantly shortened APTT and PT values in inhibitor-spiked plasma (all P<0.001). There were no statistically significant differences in APTT and PT between FEIBA
and self-prepared aPCC (P>0.05). CAT results demonstrated that adding aPCC to inhibitor-containing plasma markedly increased endoge-nous thrombin potential (ETP) and peak thrombin concentration (Peak) (P<0.001), with both parameters higher than those of normal plasma (P<0.05). No significant intergroup difference in ETP was observed between self-prepared aPCC and FEIBA
(P>0.05). Carotid blood flow imaging in rats revealed that, compared with FEIBA
, thrombi induced by self-prepared aPCC were smaller and less stable, and all underwent spontaneous lysis, accompanied by better restoration of carotid blood perfusion. Conclusion: The self-prepared aPCC restores coagulation function in inhibitor-spiked plasma to a comparable extent as FEIBA
, while exhibiting a lower thrombogenic risk.
10.Status and influencing factors of the application of informatization tools for antimicrobial stewardship in Chinese county hospitals
Yuqi FU ; Xin LI ; Ying LI ; Hongwei WU ; Zhixin FAN ; Jinru LIU ; Xi CHEN ; Yuxiang XIA ; Qiang SUN ; Yingbo ZHAO
China Pharmacy 2026;37(16):2084-2089
OBJECTIVE To investigate the current status of informatization tools applied to antimicrobial stewardship in county hospitals in China, and to provide a reference for promoting the informatization development of antimicrobial stewardship in county hospitals.METHODS From August to September 2025, an online questionnaire survey was conducted among 1 007 county hospitals across 31 provinces(autonomous regions, and municipalities) in China. The survey focused on the application of four types of informatization tools:the real-time monitoring system for antimicrobial use, the pre-prescription review system, the irrational use warning system, and the electronic prescription evaluation system(hereinafter referred to as the “monitoring system”“review system”“warning system”“evaluation system”,respectively). Correlation analysis and binary Logistic regression analysis were employed to explore the influencing factors.RESULTS Of the county hospitals, 80.83% were equipped with at least one type of informatization tool for antimicrobial stewardship, while 19.17% had no relevant tool. Only 18.87% of the hospitals were equipped with all four types of tools. The monitoring system exhibited the highest equipped rate (70.80%), whereas the warning system was equipped in only 33.96% of the hospitals. Four types of tools are evenly and adequately deployed in the eastern region, the central and western regions have far lower deployment rates of intervention tools including review system and warning system, accompanied by prominent intra-provincial gaps. The total number of the health technicians, hospital grade, and prescription review rate of outpatient antibacterial drug were significantly and positively correlated with the deployment rates of the four informatization tools ( P <0.05). The results of the Logistic regression model fitting indicated that the model of the review system was rated “excellent” [area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC)=0.81], and the model of the warning system was rated “further improvement” (AUC=0.67). The total number of health technicians was significantly positively correlated with the deployment rates of all four types of informatization tools (all P <0.05).CONCLUSIONS The informatization of antimicrobial stewardship in county hospitals in China remains in the initial stage of transitioning from “passive statistics” to “active prevention and control”, with challenges such as structural imbalance and regional disparities. In the future, differentiated support strategies should be implemented, the allocation of resources should be optimized, to enhance the level of refined antimicrobial stewardship.

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