ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of Danggui Shaoyaosan on ferroptosis in the rat model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD） and explore the underlying mechanism based on the nuclear factor E₂-related factor 2 （Nrf2）/solute carrier family 7 member 11 （SLC7A11）/glutathione peroxidase 4 （GPX4） signaling pathway. MethodsThe sixty SD rats were randomly grouped as follows： control， model， Yishanfu （0.144 g·kg^-1）， and low-， medium-， and high-dose （2.44， 4.88， and 9.76 g·kg^-1， respectively） Danggui Shaoyaosan. A high-fat diet was used to establish the rat model of NAFLD. After 12 weeks of modeling， rats were treated with corresponding agents for 4 weeks. Then， the body weight and liver weight were measured， and the liver index was calculated. At the same time， serum and liver samples were collected. The levels or activities of total cholesterol （TC）， triglycerides （TG）， alanine aminotransferase （ALT）， aspartate aminotransferase （AST）， and Fe²⁺ in the serum and TC， TG， free fatty acids （FFA）， malondialdehyde （MDA）， superoxide dismutase （SOD）， glutathione peroxidase （GPX）， and Fe²⁺ in the liver were measured. Hematoxylin-eosin staining and oil red O staining were employed to observe the pathological changes in the liver. Immunofluorescence was used to assess the reactive oxygen species （ROS） content in the liver. Mitochondrial morphology was observed by transmission electron microscopy. The protein levels of Nrf2， SLC7A11， GPX4， transferrin receptor 1 （TFR1）， and divalent metal transporter 1 （DMT1） in the liver were determined by Western blot. ResultsCompared with the control group， the model group showed increases in the body weight， liver weight， liver index， levels or activities of TC， TG， ALT， AST， and Fe²⁺ in the serum， levels of TC， TG， FFA， MDA， Fe²⁺， and ROS in the liver， and protein levels of TFR1 and DMT1 in the liver （P<0.01）， and decreases in the activities of SOD， GPX and the protein levels of Nrf2， SLC7A11， and GPX4 in the liver （P<0.05， P<0.01）. Meanwhile， the liver tissue in the model group presented steatosis， iron deposition， mitochondrial shrinkage， and blurred or swollen mitochondrial cristae. Compared with the model group， all doses of Danggui Shaoyaosan reduced the body weight， liver weight， liver index， levels or activities of TC， TG， ALT， AST， and Fe²⁺ in the serum， levels of TC， TG， FFA， MDA， Fe²⁺， and ROS in the liver， and protein levels of TFR1 and DMT1 in the liver （P<0.01）， while increasing the activities of SOD and GPX and the protein levels of Nrf2， SLC7A11， and GPX4 in the liver （P<0.01）. Furthermore， Danggui Shaoyaosan alleviated steatosis， iron deposition， and mitochondrial damage in the liver. ConclusionDanggui Shaoyaosan may inhibit lipid peroxidation and ferroptosis by activating the Nrf2/SLC7A11/GPX4 signaling pathway to treat NAFLD.

BACKGROUND: T-cell lymphoblastic lymphoma/acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-LBL/ALL) is an aggressive form of hematological malignancy associated with poor prognosis in adult patients. Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are aberrantly expressed in T-LBL/ALL and are considered potential therapeutic targets. Here, we investigated the antitumor effect of a novel HDAC inhibitor, chidamide, on T-LBL/ALL. METHODS: HDAC1, HDAC2 and HDAC3 levels in T-LBL/ALL cell lines and patient samples were compared with those in normal controls. Flow cytometry, transmission electron microscopy, and lactate dehydrogenase release assays were conducted in Jurkat and MOLT-4 cells to assess apoptosis and pyroptosis. A specific forkhead box O1 (FOXO1) inhibitor was used to rescue pyroptosis and upregulated gasdermin E (GSDME) expression caused by chidamide treatment. The role of the FOXO1 transcription factor was evaluated by dual-luciferase reporter and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. The efficacy of chidamide in vivo was evaluated in a xenograft mouse. RESULTS: The expression of HDAC1, HDAC2 and HDAC3 was significantly upregulated in T-LBL/ALL. Cell viability was obviously inhibited after chidamide treatment. Pyroptosis, characterized by cell swelling, pore formation on the plasma membrane and lactate dehydrogenase leakage, was identified as a new mechanism of chidamide treatment. Chidamide triggered pyroptosis through caspase 3 activation and GSDME transcriptional upregulation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays confirmed that chidamide led to the increased transcription of GSDME through a more relaxed chromatin structure at the promoter and the upregulation of FOXO1 expression. Moreover, we identified the therapeutic effect of chidamide in vivo . CONCLUSIONS This study suggested that chidamide exerts an antitumor effect on T-LBL/ALL and promotes a more inflammatory form of cell death via the FOXO1/GSDME axis, which provides a novel choice of targeted therapy for patients with T-LBL/ALL.
Humans ; Pyroptosis/drug effects* ; Forkhead Box Protein O1/genetics* ; Aminopyridines/pharmacology* ; Animals ; Mice ; Benzamides/pharmacology* ; Cell Line, Tumor ; Precursor T-Cell Lymphoblastic Leukemia-Lymphoma/drug therapy* ; Phosphate-Binding Proteins/metabolism* ; Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors/pharmacology* ; Jurkat Cells ; Histone Deacetylases/metabolism* ; Apoptosis/drug effects* ; Gasdermins

BACKGROUND: Treatment with chimeric antigen receptor-T (CAR-T) cells has shown promising effectiveness in patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (R/R B-ALL), although the process of preparing for this therapy usually takes a long time. We have recently created CD19 Fast-CAR-T (F-CAR-T) cells, which can be produced within a single day. The objective of this study was to evaluate and contrast the effectiveness and safety of CD19 F-CAR-T cells with those of CD19 conventional CAR-T cells in the management of R/R B-ALL. METHODS: A multicenter, retrospective analysis of the clinical data of 44 patients with R/R B-ALL was conducted. Overall, 23 patients were administered with innovative CD19 F-CAR-T cells (F-CAR-T group), whereas 21 patients were given CD19 conventional CAR-T cells (C-CAR-T group). We compared the rates of complete remission (CR), minimal residual disease (MRD)-negative CR, leukemia-free survival (LFS), overall survival (OS), and the incidence of cytokine release syndrome (CRS) and immune effector cell-associated neurotoxicity syndrome (ICANS) between the two groups. RESULTS: Compared with the C-CAR-T group, the F-CAR-T group had significantly higher CR and MRD-negative rates (95.7% and 91.3%, respectively; 71.4% and 66.7%, respectively; P = 0.036 and P = 0.044). No significant differences were observed in the 1-year or 2-year LFS or OS rates between the two groups: the 1-year and 2-year LFS for the F-CAR-T group vs.C-CAR-T group were 47.8% and 43.5% vs. 38.1% and 23.8% (P = 0.384 and P = 0.216), while the 1-year and 2-year OS rates were 65.2% and 56.5% vs. 52.4% and 47.6% (P = 0.395 and P = 0.540). Additionally, among CR patients who underwent allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) following CAR-T-cell therapy, there were no significant differences in the 1-year or 2-year LFS or OS rates: 57.1% and 50.0% vs. 47.8% and 34.8% (P = 0.506 and P = 0.356), 64.3% and 57.1% vs. 65.2% and 56.5% (P = 0.985 and P = 0.883), respectively. The incidence of CRS was greater in the F-CAR-T group (91.3%) than in the C-CAR-T group (66.7%) (P = 0.044). The incidence of ICANS was also greater in the F-CAR-T group (30.4%) than in the C-CAR-T group (9.5%) (P = 0.085), but no treatment-related deaths occurred in the two groups. CONCLUSION Compared with C-CAR-T-cell therapy, F-CAR-T-cell therapy has a superior remission rate but also leads to a tolerably increased incidence of CRS/ICANS. Further research is needed to explore the function of allo-HSCT as an intermediary therapy after CAR-T-cell therapy.

Extensive epigenetic reprogramming involves in memory CD8+ T-cell differentiation. The elaborate epigenetic rewiring underlying the heterogeneous functional states of CD8+ T cells remains hidden. Here, we profile single-cell chromatin accessibility and map enhancer-promoter interactomes to characterize the differentiation trajectory of memory CD8+ T cells. We reveal that under distinct epigenetic regulations, the early activated CD8+ T cells divergently originated for short-lived effector and memory precursor effector cells. We also uncover a defined epigenetic rewiring leading to the conversion from effector memory to central memory cells during memory formation. Additionally, we illustrate chromatin regulatory mechanisms underlying long-lasting versus transient transcription regulation during memory differentiation. Finally, we confirm the essential roles of Sox4 and Nrf2 in developing memory precursor effector and effector memory cells, respectively, and validate cell state-specific enhancers in regulating Il7r using CRISPR-Cas9. Our data pave the way for understanding the mechanism underlying epigenetic memory formation in CD8+ T-cell differentiation.
CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes/metabolism* ; Cell Differentiation ; Chromatin/immunology* ; Animals ; Mice ; Immunologic Memory ; Epigenesis, Genetic ; SOXC Transcription Factors/immunology* ; NF-E2-Related Factor 2/immunology* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Gene Regulatory Networks ; Enhancer Elements, Genetic

ObjectiveTo analyze the incidence， recovery rate and associated factors of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease （NAFLD） among residents aged 65 years old and above in Xinqiao Community of Songjiang， Shanghai， and to provide basic data for further efficient community management. MethodsData of annual geriatric physical examination program for residents aged 65 and above were collected in Xinqiao Community， Songjiang from 2016 to 2022. Those residents who participated twice or more were included in this analysis. Data were collated into longitudinal form. For each participant， data of the first physical examination was used as baseline， and each subsequent examination was taken as follow-up. Incidence and recovery rate of NAFLD were calculated. Cox proportional hazard models were used to explore the associated factors and their changes with the onset and recovery of NAFLD. ResultsDuring the study period， a total of 11 983 residents participated in physical examinations， of which 8 644 participated twice or more， and 8 154 had no history of excessive alcohol consumption. B-ultrasound showed that there were 5 267 residents without NAFLD and 2 887 with NAFLD at baseline. After a median follow-up of 3.3 years， the incidence density of NAFLD in this population was estimated to be 11.5 per 100 person-years， and the recovery density was 23.4 per 100 person-years. The incidence density of NAFLD was negatively associated with age， and positively associated with baseline BMI， abdominal obesity， high fasting blood glucose， and high triglycerides. The recovery density was negatively associated with baseline BMI and abdominal obesity. Compared with those with normal BMI at both baseline and follow-up， those with persistent obesity showed the highest risk of NAFLD （males： HR： 3.19， 95%CI： 2.16-4.70； females： HR： 3.34， 95%CI： 2.46-4.54） and the lowest potential of recovery （males： HR： 0.58， 95%CI： 0.42-0.82； females： HR： 0.58， 95%CI： 0.44-0.77）. Persistently high triglycerides were also associated with a higher risk of developing the disease. ConclusionResidents aged 65 years old and above in Xinqiao， Shanghai had a higher incidence and recovery rate of NAFLD. Women， being obese and having hyperlipidemia are at a higher risk for the development and persistence of NAFLD.

Objective:To investigate whether the lung specific X protein(LUNX)gene can serve as a prognostic biomarker for non-small cell lung cancer related to immune cell infiltration.Methods:A total of 280 non-small cell lung cancer patients admitted to Hengshui People's Hospital from January 2020 to January 2023 were selected to detect the expression of LUNX gene in cancer tissue and adjacent tissues,and to analyze the relationship between LUNX gene and immune cell infiltration and prognosis survival status in the tumor microenvironment.Results:Compared with adjacent tissues,the expression level and positive rate of LUNX gene in non-small cell lung cancer tissue were increased,which were related to differentiation degree,lymph node metastasis and tumor staging(P<0.05).GEPIA database analysis showed that the LUNX gene was only slightly expressed or not expressed in other tissues,while its expression was elevated in LUAD and LUSC(P<0.05).The copy number of LUNX gene and LUNX gene were related to the level of immune cell infiltration(P<0.05).Survival analysis showed that high expression of the LUNX gene was associated with patient survival prognosis(P<0.05).Conclusion:The LUNX gene is specifically expressed in non-small cell lung cancer tissue,affecting the level of immune cell infiltration in non-small cell lung cancer,leading to an imbalance in the immune microenvironment,and is an important mechanism for causing patients prognostic death,which can be used as a prognostic biomarker for evaluating immune cell infiltration.

Objective To investigate the correlation between serum Irisin,long pentraxin 3(PTX3),human metas-tasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1(MALAT1)levels and the severity of diabetic retinopathy(DR)and the value of combined diagnosis.Methods Eighty-five patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM)combined with DR at Cangzhou Central Hospital from April 2022 to April 2023 were selected as the DR group,85 patients with T2DM alone were selected as the non-DR group,and 85 healthy volunteers were selected as the control group during the same period.Pa-tients in the DR group were further divided into the proliferative DR(PDR)group(38 patients)and the non-PDR group(47 patients)based on whether DR was in the proliferative phase.Clinical data of patients in the DR group were collected,including gender,diastolic pressure,age,systolic pressure,disease course,fasting plasma glucose(FPG),body mass in-dex,hemoglobin A1c(HbA1c),smoking history,triglyceride(TG),drinking history,peak systolic velocity(PSV),peak end-diastolic velocity(PEDV),resistance index(RI),fasting insulin(FINS),family history of diabetes,total cholesterol(TC),and homa-insulin resistance(HOMA-IR).Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to detect serum levels of Irisin and PTX3 in each group of patients,and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the ser-um level of MALAT1.The correlations between serum levels of Irisin,PTX3 and MALAT1 and the severity of DR were ana-lyzed using the Pearson correlation coefficient.The influencing factors of the DR severity were identified using the Logistic regression.The value of serum Irisin,PTX3,and MALAT1 levels in diagnosing DR alone was analyzed using the receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curve.The value of regimens containing and not containing serum Irisin,PTX3,and MAL-AT1 levels in diagnosing DR was analyzed using the ROC curve,net reclassification index(NRI),and integrated discrimina-tion improvement(IDI)index.Results The serum levels of Irisin,PTX3,and MALAT1 were compared among the three groups of patients,and the differences were statistically significant(all P＜0.001).The disease course of patients in the PDR group was longer than that in the non-PDR group,the PSV,PEDV and serum Irisin level were lower than those in the non-PDR group,while the RI,FPG,HbA1c,TG,FINS,HOMA-IR,and serum PTX3 and MALAT1 levels were higher than those in the non-PDR group(all P＜0.05).The serum Irisin level in DR patients was negatively correlated with the severity of DR(r=-0.512,P＜0.001),while the PTX3 and MALAT1 levels were positively correlated with the severity of DR(r=0.497,0.573,both P＜0.05).The Logistic regression analysis showed that the disease course,FPG,HbA1c,TG,FINS,HOMA-IR,PSV,PEDV,RI,and serum levels of Irisin,PTX3 and MALAT1 were influencing factors for the DR progression(allP＜0.05).The area under the curve(AUC)of serum Irisin,PTX3,and MALAT1 levels in diagnosing DR was 0.743,0.811,and 0.773,respectively.Compared with conventional diagnostic protocols,the AUC of the new diagnostic protocol containing serum levels of Irisin,PTX3,and MALAT1 significantly increased(Z=2.708,P=0.007),and the NRI and IDI were 0.039(95％CI:0.022-0.069)and 0.026(95％CI:0.014-0.047),respectively(all P＜0.05).Conclusion The serum Irisin level in DR patients decreases,while the serum PTX3 and MALAT1 levels increase,which are closely related to the severity of DR.Diagnostic plans containing serum Irisin,PTX3,and MALAT1 indicators have high diagnostic value.