BACKGROUND: Several studies have demonstrated the occurrence of secondary tumors as a rare but significant complication of chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy, underscoring the need for a detailed investigation. Given the limited variety of secondary tumor types reported to date, a comprehensive characterization of the various secondary tumors arising after CAR-T therapy is essential to understand the associated risks and to define the role of the immune microenvironment in malignant transformation. This study aims to characterize the immune microenvironment of a newly identified secondary tumor post-CAR-T therapy, to clarify its pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets. METHODS: In this study, the bone marrow (BM) samples were collected by aspiration from the primary and secondary tumors before and after CD19 CAR-T treatment. The CD45 + BM cells were enriched with human CD45 microbeads. The CD45 + cells were then sent for 10× genomics single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) to identify cell populations. The Cell Ranger pipeline and CellChat were used for detailed analysis. RESULTS: In this study, a rare type of secondary chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) were reported in a patient with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who had previously received CD19 CAR-T therapy. The scRNA-seq analysis revealed increased inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, and an immunosuppressive state of monocytes/macrophages, which may impair cytotoxic activity in both T and natural killer (NK) cells in secondary CMML before treatment. In contrast, their cytotoxicity was restored in secondary CMML after treatment. CONCLUSIONS This finding delineates a previously unrecognized type of secondary tumor, CMML, after CAR-T therapy and provide a framework for defining the immune microenvironment of secondary tumor occurrence after CAR-T therapy. In addition, the results provide a rationale for targeting macrophages to improve treatment strategies for CMML treatment.
Humans ; Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse/therapy* ; Tumor Microenvironment/genetics* ; Antigens, CD19/metabolism* ; Leukemia, Myelomonocytic, Chronic/genetics* ; Immunotherapy, Adoptive/adverse effects* ; Male ; Single-Cell Analysis/methods* ; Female ; Sequence Analysis, RNA/methods* ; Receptors, Chimeric Antigen ; Middle Aged

BACKGROUND: China has made significant progress in medical accessibility and quality over the past decades, and quality improvements in gastroenterology and digestive endoscopy have been consistent. The study aimed to describe the status quo of gastroenterology and digestive endoscopy in the Chinese mainland based on the data from the National Clinical Improvement System (NCIS) and the Hospital Quality Monitoring System (HQMS). METHODS: Data were extracted from the NCIS and the HQMS. Data analysis included general information from the Department of Gastroenterology and Endoscopy centers, management of inpatients and outpatients, and annual volume and quality indicators of digestive endoscopy. Acute pancreatitis, gastrointestinal bleeding, inflammatory bowel disease, and cirrhosis were identified as priority diseases and were subjected to detailed analysis. RESULTS: Data from 4620 and 7074 hospitals were extracted from the NCIS and HQMS, respectively. In 2023, 9.6 gastroenterologists, 6.7 endoscopists, and 37.3 gastroenterology beds per hospital nationwide were observed, achieving 19,252.4 outpatient visits, 1615.2 hospitalizations (97.0 for acute pancreatitis, 146.1 for gastrointestinal bleeding, 40.2 for inflammatory bowel disease, and 111.4 for cirrhosis), and 9432.7 digestive endoscopic procedures per hospital. Overall, the quality of practice improved significantly. The proportion of early cancer among gastrointestinal cancers increased from 11.1% in 2015 to 23.4% in 2023, and the adenoma detection rate during colonoscopy increased from 19.3% in 2019 to 26.9% in 2023. Regarding priority diseases, hospitalizations increased, and 31-day unplanned readmission rates decreased between 2019 and 2023. The median hospitalization costs and median proportion of medication costs decreased for acute pancreatitis, gastrointestinal bleeding, and cirrhosis. However, it increased for inflammatory bowel disease. CONCLUSION This report evaluates the status quo and development of gastroenterology and digestive endoscopy in the Chinese mainland, providing guidance for future quality improvements.
Humans ; China ; Gastroenterology/statistics & numerical data* ; Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage ; Endoscopy, Gastrointestinal/statistics & numerical data* ; Endoscopy, Digestive System/statistics & numerical data*

The innate immune sensor NLRP3 inflammasome overactivation is involved in the pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis. PGAM5 is a mitochondrial phosphatase involved in NLRP3 inflammasome activation in macrophages. However, the role of PGAM5 in ulcerative colitis and the mechanisms underlying PGAM5 regulating NLRP3 activity remain unknown. Here, we show that PGAM5 deficiency ameliorates dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colitis in mice via suppressing NLRP3 inflammasome activation. By combining APEX2-based proximity labeling focused on PGAM5 with quantitative proteomics, we identify NEK7 as the new binding partner of PGAM5 to promote NLRP3 inflammasome assembly and activation in a PGAM5 phosphatase activity-independent manner upon inflammasome induction. Interfering with PGAM5-NEK7 interaction by punicalagin inhibits the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in macrophages and ameliorates DSS-induced colitis in mice. Altogether, our data demonstrate the PGAM5-NEK7 interaction in macrophages for NLRP3 inflammasome activation and further provide a promising therapeutic strategy for ulcerative colitis by blocking the PGAM5-NEK7 interaction.

Benzylisoquinoline alkaloids (BIAs) are a structurally diverse group of plant metabolites renowned for their pharmacological properties. However, sustainable sources for these compounds remain limited. Consequently, researchers are focusing on elucidating BIA biosynthetic pathways and genes to explore alternative sources using synthetic biology approaches. CYP80B, a family of cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzymes, plays a crucial role in BIA biosynthesis. Previously reported CYP80Bs are known to catalyze the 3'-hydroxylation of (S)-N-methylcoclaurine, with the N-methyl group essential for catalytic activity. In this study, we successfully cloned a full-length CYP80B gene (StCYP80B) from Stephania tetrandra (S. tetrandra) and identified its function using a yeast heterologous expression system. Both in vivo yeast feeding and in vitro enzyme analysis demonstrated that StCYP80B could catalyze N-methylcoclaurine and coclaurine into their respective 3'-hydroxylated products. Notably, StCYP80B exhibited an expanded substrate selectivity compared to previously reported wild-type CYP80Bs, as it did not require an N-methyl group for hydroxylase activity. Furthermore, StCYP80B displayed a clear preference for the (S)-configuration. Co-expression of StCYP80B with the CYP450 reductases (CPRs, StCPR1, and StCPR2), also cloned from S. tetrandra, significantly enhanced the catalytic activity towards (S)-coclaurine. Site-directed mutagenesis of StCYP80B revealed that the residue H205 is crucial for coclaurine catalysis. Additionally, StCYP80B exhibited tissue-specific expression in plants. This study provides new genetic resources for the biosynthesis of BIAs and further elucidates their synthetic pathway in natural plant systems.
Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System/chemistry* ; Benzylisoquinolines/chemistry* ; Hydroxylation ; Plant Proteins/chemistry* ; Alkaloids/metabolism* ; Stephania tetrandra/genetics*

Objective To investigate the expression of Midkine(MDK)in cholangiocarcinoma(CCA)and its value in predicting the prognosis of CCA,as well as the potential mechanism of the effect of MDK on the progression of CCA.Methods The data of CCA samples were obtained from TCGA database to analyze the difference in the expression of MDK between cancer tissue and paracancerous tissue and its association with clinical features,and the data collected from GEO database and 11 CCA patients who underwent surgical resection in The Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from June 2018 to September 2021 were used for validation.STRING and Cytoscape were used to construct a protein-protein interaction network,and gene ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)enrichment analyses were used to investigate the biological functions and tumor-related pathways involving MDK-related genes.In addition,TIMER and TISIDB databases were used to analyze the correlation between MDK expression and immune cell infiltration in CCA tissue.The independent-samples t test or the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of continuous data between two groups,and the Fisher's exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between two groups.The Kaplan-Meier method was used to plot survival curves,and the Log-rank test was used for comparison between groups.The Spearman correlation analysis was used to investigate the correlation between two variables.Results The expression level of MDK in cancer tissue and paracancerous tissue of CCA patients was compared based on TCGA database,and the results of the non-paired and paired analyses showed that the expression level of MDK in CCA tumor tissue was significantly higher than that in paracancerous tissue(P<0.001).Transcriptome sequencing was performed for the tumor tissue and its corresponding paracancerous tissue from 11 CCA patients,and the results showed that the expression level of MDK in CCA tumor tissue was significantly higher than that in corresponding paracancerous tissue(P<0.01).High expression of MDK was associated with lymph node metastasis(P=0.045)and vascular invasion(P=0.044).Survival analysis showed that compared with the CCA patients with low MDK expression,the CCA patients with high MDK expression had significantly shorter overall survival time(χ2=5.30,P=0.028)and disease-specific survival time(χ2=6.25,P=0.019).The GO and KEGG enrichment analyses showed that the 30 MDK-related genes were closely associated with ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis and affected the prognosis of CCA patients.The TIMER analysis showed that the expression level of MDK was positively correlated with the infiltration of B cells(r=0.356,P=0.035 6)and dendritic cells(r=0.409,P=0.014 7)in tumor microenvironment of CCA;the TISIDB analysis showed that the expression level of MDK was positively correlated with CXCL16(r=0.465,P=0.004 67)and was negatively correlated with CXCL12(r=-0.389,P=0.019 7)and CXCR5(r=-0.393,P=0.018 5),and it was also negatively correlated with the immune checkpoint regulators VTCN1(r=-0.393,P=0.018 3),LTA(r=-0.380,P=0.022 7),and PVR(r=-0.350,P=0.037 3).Conclusion High expression of MDK is associated with poor prognosis in CCA patients,and MDK has the potential of being used as a molecular marker for predicting the prognosis of CCA.MDK may promote the development and progression of CCA by regulating ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis and the infiltration of B cells and dendritic cells.

The application of artificial intelligence(AI)in medical diagnosis and treatment is becoming increasingly widespread,providing doctors and patients with more high-quality,efficient and personalized medical services.However,it also raised a series of ethical issues such as data security,algorithm transparency,responsibility definition,fairness and justice,doctor-patient relationships,and other aspects.Based on the combing of existing research results,this paper analyzed the research status of medical ethics in the application of AI in diagnosis and treatment,as well as expected that future medical ethics research can further explore the ethical issues of AI technology in medical treatment in greater depth,thus ensuring the rational application of AI in the medical field and maximizing the protection of patients'rights and interests.

Objective To determine the improved effect of methylene blue(MB)on cognitive func-tion in brain-inflammatory-aging rats and investigate the underlying mechanism.Methods A total of 38 healthy 12-month-old SD rats were randomly divided into healthy control group,lipopo-lysaccharide(LPS)group,MB vehicle group and MB group,with 8 rats in the control and 10 rats in the other three groups.LPS was injected into the fourth ventricle with aid of a subcutaneous sustained release pump to establish a rat model of brain chronic inflammatory aging.MB of 0.5 mg/(kg·d)was added into the pump in the rats from the MB group.T-maze test and new object recognition test were employed to evaluate the learning and memory abilities of the rats.The acti-vation of microglia and astrocytes in the hippocampal CA1 region of the rats was detected by im-munofluorescence assay.The release of inflammatory factors IL-1β and IL-6 was measured by ELISA,and neuronal death in the CA1 region was assessed by neuronal nuclei(NeuN)fluores-cence staining.Results There was no significant difference in the exploration time for new and old objects between the LPS group and the MB solvent group(P＞0.05).The MB group spent significantly longer time in exploring the new objects than the old object(22.50±4.32 s vs 11.60± 3.01 s,P=0.000).The alternating selection rate of new arm and expression level of NeuN antigen were significantly decreased,and the expression levels of ionized calcium binding adaptor mole-cule-1(Iba-1)and glial fibrillary acidic protein(GFAP)and the contents of IL-1β and IL-6 were obviously increased(P＜0.05)in the LPS group and the MB vehicle group than the healthy con-trol group.Compared with the MB vehicle group,the MB group had notably increased alternating selection rate of new arms and higher NeuN expression level,and decreased Iba-1 and GFAP ex-pression and IL-1β and IL-6 contents(P＜0.05).Conclusion Subcutaneous administration of MB could significantly inhibit the damages of spatial learning and memory abilities in the LPS-induced brain chronic inflammatory aging rats.The mechanism may be closely associated with MB inhibi-ting inflammatory glial cells and protecting hippocampal pyramidal neurons.

Objective This study was performed to develop and assess a genetically engineered mouse model for visualizing in vivo fluorescence of glioma cells,mural cells,and blood vessels using two-photon microscopy.Methods PDGFRβ-Cre+/-:Rosa26-tdTomato+/-genetically engineered mice underwent skull clearance and were injected with GL261-CFP.This was performed to study the dynamic alterations in blood vessels and mural cells during the progression and invasion of glioma using two-photon microscopy.Results PDGFRβ-Cre+/-:Rosa26-tdTomato+/-mice were successfully bred and subjected to hematoxylin-eosin section analysis of functional organ tissues.The mice exhibited no discernible differences from C57BL/6 mice in terms of appearance and morphology.Cre recombinase activity was fully induced following tamoxifen treatment on day 7.Subsequent GL261-CFP inoculation demonstrated the dynamic progression of glioma proliferation and invasion,as well as vascular abnormalities and increased mural cell detachment within the tumor.Conclusions Genetically engineered mice expressing fluorescent mural cells were successfully bred.Blood vessels labeled with fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran and blue fluorescent tumor cells were utilized.Glass discs and fixed rings were employed to replace the skulls of the mice.This allowed for the tracking of morphological and structural changes in blood vessels and vascular supporting cells following the development of brain tumors in vivo over an extended period.This model offers a valuable tool for studying brain diseases through pathological visualization.

Objective:To assess the performance of machine learning(ML),and integrate the clinical parameters with coronary artery calcium(CAC)score of computed tomography(CT)and quantification of automated epicardial adipose tissue(EAT),so as to predict the long-term risk of myocardial infarction(MI)and cardiogenic death in asymptomatic patients.Methods:A total of 1 058 subjects with cardiovascular risk factors and without symptoms of coronary heart disease who underwent physical examination at the Fifth Medical Center of Chinese PLA General Hospital from January 2013 to October 2015 were selected as this study subjects.A long-term follow-up was conducted on them after CAC score.EAT volume and density were quantified using a fully automated deep learning method.ML extreme gradient boosting was trained by using clinical data,risk score of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease,CAC score and automated EAT measure,and the repeated 10-fold cross validation was used to verify the model.Results:During the 8-year follow-up period,61 cases of 1 058 subjects occurred events of MI and(or)cardiac death.The area under curve(AUC)value of ML was significantly higher than that of the atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease(ASCVD)risk and the predicting events of CAC score(ML:0.82,ASCVD:0.77,CAC:0.77).Compared with ML with only clinical variable,machine learning based on ASCVD,CAC and EAT had more predictive ability for MI and cardiac death[AUC 0.82(95%CI:77-87)vs.0.78(95%CI:0.72-0.84),P=0.02].The survival rate of subjects with high ML scores had a greater decline degree with the increasing of time,therefore,the subjects with higher ML scores were more likely to experience events.Conclusion:ML,which integrated clinical and quantitative imaging variables,can provide long-term risk prediction for patients with cardiovascular risk factors.