Objective Magnetoreception, the remarkable ability of diverse animals to sense and utilize the geomagnetic field for orientation and navigation, remains a molecularly unresolved mystery in sensory biology. The putative magnetoreceptor (MagR, previously known as IscA1) is a highly conserved iron-sulfur protein implicated in both magnetoreception and iron metabolism; however, the functional diversity among its cross-species homologs remains poorly understood. Cellular morphology is a key genetically determined trait that can be altered through genetic or environmental modifications—a process known as cell morphology engineering. Constructing engineered cells with specific morphological features and magnetic sensitivity to achieve remote, non-invasive magnetic modulation represents a crucial goal in this field with significant application potential. Therefore, this study aims to systematically investigate the effects of MagR heterologous expression on bacterial morphology and magnetic sensing capabilities, screen for MagR-based magnetically sensitive morphology engineering pathways, and reveal the underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods We systematically screened 28 MagR homologous genes from diverse prokaryotic and animal taxa to evaluate their expression and corresponding phenotypic effects in Escherichia coli (E. coli). To compare the differential magnetic responses among bacteria expressing various recombinant MagR proteins, we utilized high-throughput automated bright-field microscopic imaging and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Furthermore, comprehensive biochemical and biophysical characterizations of iron and iron-sulfur cluster binding were performed using Ferrozine colorimetric assays, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption, and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Additionally, 100 mT static magnetic field (SMF) exposure experiments were conducted to assess magnetically tunable phenotypes, while the intrinsic magnetic properties of purified MagR proteins were directly measured using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer. Results Our results demonstrated that the heterologous expression of MagR homologs induced varying degrees of bacterial filamentation. From this comprehensive screen, two distinct morphological patterns were identified: hydra (Hydra vulgaris) MagR (hyMagR) promoted uniform cell elongation and filamentation, exhibiting robust magnetic sensitivity manifested as significantly enhanced filamentation under the 100 mT SMF. In contrast, pigeon (Columba livia) MagR (clMagR) induced only low-frequency, extreme filamentation (sporadically exceeding 80 μm) with a relatively weaker magnetic morphological response. Mechanistically, our data unambiguously proved that these phenotypic differences are primarily driven by distinct iron redox preferences rather than total cellular iron accumulation. Specifically, hyMagR preferentially binds ferrous iron (Fe²⁺), whereas clMagR favors ferric iron (Fe³⁺) and forms more stable iron-sulfur clusters. Intriguingly, although SQUID magnetometry showed that purified clMagR exhibited approximately five-fold higher mass magnetic susceptibility than hyMagR, its cellular magnetic response was weaker. We hypothesize that the Fe²⁺-preferred intracellular environment associated with hyMagR overexpression primes the cell for enhanced generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) via the Fenton reaction. Exposure to an SMF synergizes with this primed redox state, triggering the bacterial SOS response and upregulating cell division inhibitors to efficiently induce uniform filamentation. Conclusion Our findings identify the Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ redox state as a critical determinant of MagR-mediated morphological remodeling and magnetic responsiveness. This discovery suggests a potential strategy for engineering magnetically responsive cellular systems for synthetic biology applications, and provides a plausible framework, which potentially combines intrinsic protein magnetism with redox-state modulation, for further investigating the evolutionary mechanisms of MagR-mediated magnetoreception.

Objective Magnetoreception, the remarkable ability of diverse animals to sense and utilize the geomagnetic field for orientation and navigation, remains a molecularly unresolved mystery in sensory biology. The putative magnetoreceptor (MagR, previously known as IscA1) is a highly conserved iron-sulfur protein implicated in both magnetoreception and iron metabolism; however, the functional diversity among its cross-species homologs remains poorly understood. Cellular morphology is a key genetically determined trait that can be altered through genetic or environmental modifications—a process known as cell morphology engineering. Constructing engineered cells with specific morphological features and magnetic sensitivity to achieve remote, non-invasive magnetic modulation represents a crucial goal in this field with significant application potential. Therefore, this study aims to systematically investigate the effects of MagR heterologous expression on bacterial morphology and magnetic sensing capabilities, screen for MagR-based magnetically sensitive morphology engineering pathways, and reveal the underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods We systematically screened 28 MagR homologous genes from diverse prokaryotic and animal taxa to evaluate their expression and corresponding phenotypic effects in Escherichia coli (E. coli). To compare the differential magnetic responses among bacteria expressing various recombinant MagR proteins, we utilized high-throughput automated bright-field microscopic imaging and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Furthermore, comprehensive biochemical and biophysical characterizations of iron and iron-sulfur cluster binding were performed using Ferrozine colorimetric assays, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) absorption, and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Additionally, 100 mT static magnetic field (SMF) exposure experiments were conducted to assess magnetically tunable phenotypes, while the intrinsic magnetic properties of purified MagR proteins were directly measured using a superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) magnetometer. Results Our results demonstrated that the heterologous expression of MagR homologs induced varying degrees of bacterial filamentation. From this comprehensive screen, two distinct morphological patterns were identified: hydra (Hydra vulgaris) MagR (hyMagR) promoted uniform cell elongation and filamentation, exhibiting robust magnetic sensitivity manifested as significantly enhanced filamentation under the 100 mT SMF. In contrast, pigeon (Columba livia) MagR (clMagR) induced only low-frequency, extreme filamentation (sporadically exceeding 80 μm) with a relatively weaker magnetic morphological response. Mechanistically, our data unambiguously proved that these phenotypic differences are primarily driven by distinct iron redox preferences rather than total cellular iron accumulation. Specifically, hyMagR preferentially binds ferrous iron (Fe²⁺), whereas clMagR favors ferric iron (Fe³⁺) and forms more stable iron-sulfur clusters. Intriguingly, although SQUID magnetometry showed that purified clMagR exhibited approximately five-fold higher mass magnetic susceptibility than hyMagR, its cellular magnetic response was weaker. We hypothesize that the Fe²⁺-preferred intracellular environment associated with hyMagR overexpression primes the cell for enhanced generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) via the Fenton reaction. Exposure to an SMF synergizes with this primed redox state, triggering the bacterial SOS response and upregulating cell division inhibitors to efficiently induce uniform filamentation. Conclusion Our findings identify the Fe²⁺/Fe³⁺ redox state as a critical determinant of MagR-mediated morphological remodeling and magnetic responsiveness. This discovery suggests a potential strategy for engineering magnetically responsive cellular systems for synthetic biology applications, and provides a plausible framework, which potentially combines intrinsic protein magnetism with redox-state modulation, for further investigating the evolutionary mechanisms of MagR-mediated magnetoreception.

Objective:To investigate the mechanism by which microRNA-183 (miR-183) regulates the progression of diabetic nephropathy (DN) through targeting phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted on chromosome 10 (PTEN) and modulating the AKT signaling pathway, and to identify potential therapeutic targets for DN.Methods:(1) Bioinformatic analysis of miRNA expression: MiRNA expression datasets from diabetic nephropathy (DN) and control samples were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Differential expression analysis was performed, and differentially expressed miRNAs (DEmiRNAs) were identified using thresholds of an absolute log 2 (fold changes) >1 and an adjusted P-value<0.05. The results were visualized in a volcano plot and a heatmap. (2) Animal model establishment and in vivo interventional studies: A DN rat model was induced by administration of a high-fat/high-sucrose diet combined with an intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin. Rats were randomly assigned into four groups ( n=10 per group) using a random number table: control group, DN model group, miR-183 inhibitor negative control (NC) group, and miR-183 inhibitor group. The latter two groups received tail vein injections of the miR-183 inhibitor NC or the miR-183 inhibitor, respectively, for eight consecutive weeks. Parameters including fasting blood glucose, 24-hour urinary protein excretion, urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER), serum creatinine, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) were measured. Renal histopathological changes were assessed by HE and PAS staining. Furthermore, the expression of candidate miRNAs from patient data was validated, and the mechanism of action of miR-183 was investigated using quantitative real-time PCR and Western blotting. (3) In vitro mechanistic investigations in cultured podocytes: Mouse podocyte clone-5 (MPC5) cells were cultured in vitro and subjected to the following conditions: normal glucose (5.3 mmol/L glucose), high glucose (30 mmol/L glucose), and osmotic control (5.3 mmol/L glucose+19.5 mmol/L mannitol). Cells in the logarithmic growth phase were transfected with the miR-183 inhibitor (100 nmol/L), miR-183 mimic (50 nmol/L), or their corresponding negative controls. A dual-luciferase reporter assay was conducted to validate the binding interaction between miR-183 and the 3'-untranslated region (3'UTR) of PTEN. The effects of miR-183 on the AKT signaling pathway, apoptosis-related proteins, and cell viability were evaluated by quantitative real-time PCR, Western blotting, and the cell counting kit-8 assay, respectively. Results:MiR-183 expression was markedly upregulated in renal tissues from DN patients and DN model rats (both P<0.05). Inhibition of miR-183 significantly reduced renal miR-183 levels by 90.2% ( P<0.01), decreased fasting blood glucose by 65.3% ( P<0.01), and improved renal function parameters, including reductions in urinary protein (40.3%), blood urea nitrogen (32.1%), urinary albumin excretion rate (22.5%), and serum creatinine (40.2%) (all P<0.01). Histological analyses showed attenuation of glomerular lesions and glycogen accumulation. Bioinformatic prediction and experimental validation identified PTEN as a direct target of miR-183, confirmed by dual-luciferase assays. In vitro, miR-183 inhibition increased PTEN expression, reduced AKT phosphorylation, promoted podocyte proliferation, and suppressed apoptosis (upregulation of Bcl-2 and downregulation of cleaved-caspase-3). These effects were abolished upon PTEN knockdown. Conclusions:miR-183 aggravates DN by targeting PTEN and activating the AKT signaling pathway. Inhibition of miR-183 improves renal function and reduces podocyte apoptosis, suggesting miR-183 as a potential therapeutic target for DN.

Nano liquid chromatography-high resolution tandem mass spectrometry(LC-HRMS/MS)is widely used for body fluid peptidome analysis,yet the impact of replicate analyses remains overlooked.Using salivary peptidome,in this work,10 replicate analyses of the same sample were conducted.It was found that although m/z and molecular weight ranges were consistent across replicates,single runs identified only 348-576 unique peptides from 32-39 degraded proteins.Merging all replicates revealed 1237 peptides from 77 proteins,a 2.5 folds increase in peptides and 2 folds increase in proteins.Instrument stability was confirmed via intensity/retention time of 12 peptides.Merged peptides primarily derived from high-abundance proteins(e.g.,Statherin,PRP1/2).Analysis of 20 peptides showed that the some peptides were detected in single analysis but confidence varying(19%-99%),low-confidence peptides(<95%)exceeded 95%after replicate.signal intensity alone didn't determine confidence and peptides spanning the sequence region between the longest and the shortest detected fragments could be identified.The above findings suggested that single-run LC-MS peptidomics analysis carried inherent false negatives and uncertainties.However,by integrating the results of a single analysis with the mechanism of enzymatic hydrolysis for endogenous peptides,it was possible to make reasonable inferences and extrapolations regarding peptides derived from highly abundant degraded proteins.

Patients with Noonan syndrome (NS) are born with normal or slightly lower body length and weight compared to the normal ranges. However, their height gradually falls behind that of the general population, leading to growth retardation and delayed puberty. In China, the incidence of short stature in patients with NS is approximately 65%. Short stature in these patients arises from multiple causes, including feeding difficulties in infancy, comorbidities such as congenital heart disease, genetic heterogeneity, and disorders of the growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor-1 axis. Growth hormone is commonly used to alleviate symptoms of short stature. This article reviews the growth and development patterns at different stages of NS, analyzes the causes of short stature, and summarizes the latest advances in treatment to provide new insights for the diagnosis and management of short stature in patients with NS.
Noonan Syndrome/complications* ; Humans ; Body Height ; Growth Disorders/therapy*

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of Yangxue Qingnao Pills (YXQNP) combined with amlodipine in treating patients with grade 1 hypertension. METHODS: This is a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled study. Adult patients with grade 1 hypertension of blood deficiency and Gan (Liver)-yang hyperactivity syndrome were randomly divided into the treatment or the control groups at a 1:1 ratio. The treatment group received YXQNP and amlodipine besylate, while the control group received YXQNP's placebo and amlodipine besylate. The treatment duration lasted for 180 days. Outcomes assessed included changes in blood pressure, Chinese medicine (CM) syndrome scores, symptoms and target organ functions before and after treatment in both groups. Additionally, adverse events, such as nausea, vomiting, rash, itching, and diarrhea, were recorded in both groups. RESULTS: A total of 662 subjects were enrolled, of whom 608 (91.8%) completed the trial (306 in the treatment and 302 in the control groups). After 180 days of treatment, the standard deviations and coefficients of variation of systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels were lower in the treatment group compared with the control group. The improvement rates of dizziness, headache, insomnia, and waist soreness were significantly higher in the treatment group compared with the control group (P<0.05). After 30 days of treatment, the overall therapeutic effects on CM clinical syndromes were significantly increased in the treatment group as compared with the control group (P<0.05). After 180 days of treatment, brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity, ankle brachial index and albumin-to-creatinine ratio were improved in both groups, with no statistically significant differences (P>0.05). No serious treatment-related adverse events occurred during the study period. CONCLUSIONS Combination therapy of YXQNP with amlodipine significantly improved symptoms such as dizziness and headache, reduced blood pressure variability, and showed a trend toward lowering urinary microalbumin in hypertensive patients. These findings suggest that this regimen has good clinical efficacy and safety. (Registration No. ChiCTR1900022470).
Humans ; Amlodipine/adverse effects* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/adverse effects* ; Male ; Female ; Hypertension/complications* ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome ; Drug Therapy, Combination ; Adult ; Blood Pressure/drug effects* ; Double-Blind Method ; Aged ; Antihypertensive Agents/adverse effects*

OBJECTIVE: The objective of our study was to evaluate the vaccine effectiveness (VE) of the pentavalent rotavirus vaccine (RV5) among < 5-year-old children in three provinces of China during 2020-2024 via a propensity score-matched test-negative case-control study. METHODS: Electronic health records and immunization information systems were used to obtain data on acute gastroenteritis (AGE) cases tested for rotavirus (RV) infection. RV-positive cases were propensity score matched with RV-negative controls for age, visit month, and province. RESULTS: The study included 27,472 children with AGE aged 8 weeks to 4 years at the time of AGE diagnosis; 7.98% (2,192) were RV-positive. The VE (95% confidence interval, CI) of 1-2 and 3 doses of RV5 against any medically attended RV infection (inpatient or outpatient) was 57.6% (39.8%, 70.2%) and 67.2% (60.3%, 72.9%), respectively. Among children who received the 3rd dose before turning 5 months of age, 3-dose VE decreased from 70.4% (53.9%, 81.1%) (< 5 months since the 3rd dose) to 63.0% (49.1%, 73.0%) (≥ 1 year since the 3rd dose). The three-dose VE rate was 69.4% (41.3%, 84.0%) for RVGE hospitalization and 57.5% (38.9%, 70.5%) for outpatient-only medically attended RVGE. CONCLUSION Three-dose RV5 VE against rotavirus gastroenteritis (RVGE) in children aged < 5 years was higher than 1-2-dose VE. Three-dose VE decreased with time since the 3rd dose in children who received the 3rd dose before turning five months of age, but remained above 60% for at least one year. VE was higher for RVGE hospitalizations than for medically attended outpatient visits.
Humans ; Rotavirus Vaccines/immunology* ; China/epidemiology* ; Case-Control Studies ; Child, Preschool ; Infant ; Rotavirus Infections/epidemiology* ; Male ; Propensity Score ; Female ; Vaccine Efficacy ; Gastroenteritis/virology* ; Vaccines, Attenuated ; Rotavirus

Streptococcus equinus is a zoonotic disease that can cause illness in various animals under specific environmental condi-tions.No reports have described isolation of this bacterium from the liver in affected sheep.This study successfully isolated and identi-fied a strain of Streptococcus equinus through bacterial isolation and culture,Gram staining,drug sensitivity testing,mouse sensitivity testing,bacterial biochemical testing,and whole genome sequencing.The strain was found to have pathogenicity toward Kunming white mice,and to be sensitive to four antibiotics(penicillin,ampicillin,ceftiofur sodium,and ceftriaxone sodium)but resistant to four antibiotics(streptomycin,amoxicillin,tetracycline,and gentamicin).On the basis of drug sensitivity testing,targeted treatment of the affected sheep flock with ceftiofur sodium effectively controlled the disease within 2 days,and no new cases occurred.This study provides a reference for biological characterization of ovine Streptococcus equinus;public health;and the investigation of disease pre-vention,control,and epidemiology.

This study investigated the prevalence of canine ticks and the types of their carried pathogens in select cities of Liaon-ing Province,to provide a theoretical scientific basis for the prevention and control of ticks and tick-borne diseases.Canine ticks were collected from six cities in Liaoning Province(Shenyang,Dalian,Anshan,Chaoyang,Tieling,Dandong)and identified through a combination of morphological and molecular biology methods.PCR was used to detect five tick pathogens:Rickettsia,Borrelia burgdor-feri,Babesia,Pseudomonas aeruginosa,and Ehrlichia.Canine ticks were prevalent primarily in Liaoning Province from April to June.The collected ticks included 456 Haemaphysalis longicornis,70 Ixodes persulcatus,and 31 Rhicephalus sanguineus.Three tick borne pathogens,Ehrlichia,Borrelia burgdorferi,and Rickettsia,were detected,whereas no Babesia or Pseudomonas were detected.The to-tal detection rate of Ehrlichia(46.85%),which is significant difference with total detection rate of Borrelia burgdorferi(10.81%)(χ2=33.392,P<0.05),but insignificant difference with total detection rate of Rickettsia(34.23%)(χ2=3.370,P>0.05),Both Eh-rlichia and Rickettsia were distributed in the six cities.Haemaphysalis longicornis was the dominant tick species parasite on the surfaces of dogs in Liaoning Province.The main tick borne pathogens in dogs in Liaoning Province were Ehrlichia and Rickettsia.