1.Species of sandflies and prevalence of Leishmania infections in sandflies in selected areas of northern and northwestern China
Yaqi HE ; Lei CUI ; Yi ZHANG ; Yuanyuan LI ; Limin YANG ; Yuan FANG ; Zhongqiu LI ; Zhengbin ZHOU
Chinese Journal of Schistosomiasis Control 2026;38(1):20-28
Objective To investigate the species of sandflies and the prevalence of Leishmania infections in sandflies from selected areas of northern and northwestern China, so as to provide insights into identification of leishmaniasis vectors and assessment of epidemiological trends of leishmaniasis in China. Methods Sandfly samples were collected from Mentougou District of Beijing Municipality, Xiangning County in Linfen City of Shanxi Province, Ejin Banner in Alxa League of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and Payzawat County of Karamay District of Karamay City, Gaochang District of Turpan City in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region from July 2023 to July 2024. Approximately 100 intact female sandfly samples were randomly selected from each site and the species of sandflies was identified according to morphological characteristics and molecular assays. Female sandflies originating from the same habitat were grouped into pools of 10 individuals. Leishmania infection was detected using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay targeting the internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS-1) gene, and the prevalence of Leishmania infection was calculated in sandflies from different sampling sites using the minimum infection rate (MIR) method. In addition, positive amplicons were sequenced and subjected to phylogenetic analysis. Results A total of 6 155 sandflies were collected from different environments at sampling sites across the six aforementioned regions from July 2023 to July 2024. Phlebotomus chinensis (96.00%) was the dominant sandfly species in Mentougou District, Beijing Municipality, with a small proportion of Ph. sergenti (4.00%), and only Ph. chinensis was found in Xiangning County, Linfen City, Shanxi Province. Ph. wui was the only sandfly species detected in Ejin Banner, Alxa League, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and Payzawat County, Kashgar City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and Ph. caucasicus (97.70%) was the dominant sandfly species in Karamay District, Karamay City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, with a small proportion of Ph. wui (2.30%), while Ph. alexandri was the only species in Gaochang District, Turpan City, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. A total of 40, 60, 34, 18, 18, and 22 pools of sandfly samples were tested from Mentougou District in Beijing Municipality, Xiangning County in Linfen City of Shanxi Province, Ejin Banner in Alxa League of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Payzawat County in Kashgar City, Karamay District in Karamay City, and Gaochang District in Turpan City of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, respectively. L. infantum was detected in Ph. chinensis samples from Mentougou District in Beijing Municipality, and Xiangning County of Linfen City in Shanxi Province, with MIR of 0.25% to 1.00%, and L. donovani was detected in Ph. wui from Ejin Banner in Alxa League of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and Payzawat County in Kashgar City of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, with MIR of 0.56% to 0.88%; however, no Leishmania infection was detected in Ph. caucasicus from Karamay District in Karamay City or Ph. alexandri from Gaochang District in Turpan City of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the Leishmania ITS-1 gene sequences obtained from Mentougou District in Beijing Municipality and Xiangning County in Linfen City of Shanxi Province were clustered into the same clade with the reference sequences of L. infantum ITS-1 gene, while the Leishmania ITS-1 gene sequences obtained from Ejin Banner in Alxa League of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and Payzawat County in Kashgar City of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region were clustered into the same clade with the reference sequences of L. donovani ITS-1 gene. Conclusions There are variations in sandfly species in selected areas of northern and northwestern China, and variations in the species of Leishmania infecting sandflies. Improved surveillance of sandfly vectors and targeted control strategies with adaptations to geographical features and leishmaniasis vectors are recommended.
2.Zhuluan Decoction Ameliorates Premature Ovarian Insufficiency by Inhibiting Excessive Autophagy of KGN Through Regulation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR Pathway
Yao CHEN ; Sainan TIAN ; Jing ZENG ; Xingxing YI ; Wen'e LIU ; Lei LEI ; Li TANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(8):89-98
ObjectiveTo elucidate the underlying mechanism through which Zhuluan decoction suppresses excessive autophagy in human ovarian granulosa cells (KGN) and ameliorates premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) via the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. MethodsThe optimal concentration of cyclophosphamide for inducing a POI model in KGN cells was identified via the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Subsequently, the impacts of varying concentrations of Zhuluan decoction-containing serum on the viability of the KGN cell model were assessed. After the optimal drug concentration was determined, KGN cells were categorized into the following groups: blank control (20% blank serum), model (20% blank serum + 5 μmol·L-1 cyclophosphamide), Zhuluan decoction-containing serum (20% Zhuluan decoction-containing serum + 5 μmol·L-1 cyclophosphamide), autophagy inhibitor (20% blank serum + 5 μmol·L-1 cyclophosphamide + 20 μmol·L-1 chloroquine phosphate), autophagy inhibitor + Zhuluan decoction-containing serum (20% Zhuluan decoction-containing serum + 5 μmol·L-1 cyclophosphamide + 20 μmol·L-1 chloroquine phosphate), and estradiol valerate (20% estradiol valerate-containing serum + 5 μmol·L-1 cyclophosphamide). Following 48 hours of incubation, flow cytometry was utilized to measure the apoptosis rate of KGN cells in each group. Western blotting was employed to quantify the protein levels of PI3K, phosphorylated (p)-Akt, Akt, p-mTOR, and mTOR, along with the expression levels of autophagy-related proteins such as Beclin1, autophagy-related 5 homolog (ATG5), and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3), in each group. Additionally, monodansylcadaverine (MDC) staining was performed to evaluate the extent of autophagy in each group. ResultsIncubation of KGN cells with 5 μmol·L-1 cyclophosphamide for 48 h successfully established a POI model, marked by a significant inhibition of KGN cell proliferation. Notably, the inhibitory effect of cyclophosphamide on KGN cell proliferation exhibited a positive correlation with its concentration. Zhuluan decoction-containing serum at 20% and 30% promoted cell proliferation and mitigated the inhibitory effect of cyclophosphamide on KGN cell proliferation, with comparable therapeutic efficacy observed at both concentrations. Compared with the blank control group, the model group displayed an elevated apoptosis rate (P<0.01), reduced protein levels of PI3K, p-Akt, and p-mTOR (P<0.01), increased protein levels of Beclin1, LC3, and ATG5 (P<0.01), no significant alterations in the protein levels of Akt and mTOR, and an enhanced MDC autophagy fluorescence intensity (P<0.01). In comparison to that the model group, the apoptosis rates in the blank control group, model group, Zhuluan decoction-containing serum group, autophagy inhibitor group, autophagy inhibitor + Zhuluan decoction-containing serum group, and estradiol valerate group all reduced (P<0.05, P<0.01), with the most pronounced reduction observed in the autophagy inhibitor + Zhuluan decoction-containing serum group. The protein levels of PI3K, p-Akt, and p-mTOR were higher in other groups than in the model group (P<0.05, P<0.01), being the highest in the autophagy inhibitor + Zhuluan decoctio-containing serum group (P<0.01). The protein levels of Beclin1 and ATG5 were lower in other groups than in the model group (P<0.05, P<0.01). The expression level of LC3 declined in the Zhuluan decoction-containing serum group and the estradiol valerate group (P<0.05, P<0.01), while it decreased without statistical significance in the autophagy inhibitor group and the autophagy inhibitor + Zhuluan decoction-containing serum group. ConclusionZhuluan decoction may activate the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway to inhibit excessive autophagy and counteract the detrimental effects of cyclophosphamide on the KGN cell model, thus managing POI.
3.Zhuluan Decoction Ameliorates Premature Ovarian Insufficiency by Inhibiting Excessive Autophagy of KGN Through Regulation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR Pathway
Yao CHEN ; Sainan TIAN ; Jing ZENG ; Xingxing YI ; Wen'e LIU ; Lei LEI ; Li TANG
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(8):89-98
ObjectiveTo elucidate the underlying mechanism through which Zhuluan decoction suppresses excessive autophagy in human ovarian granulosa cells (KGN) and ameliorates premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) via the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (Akt)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway. MethodsThe optimal concentration of cyclophosphamide for inducing a POI model in KGN cells was identified via the cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. Subsequently, the impacts of varying concentrations of Zhuluan decoction-containing serum on the viability of the KGN cell model were assessed. After the optimal drug concentration was determined, KGN cells were categorized into the following groups: blank control (20% blank serum), model (20% blank serum + 5 μmol·L-1 cyclophosphamide), Zhuluan decoction-containing serum (20% Zhuluan decoction-containing serum + 5 μmol·L-1 cyclophosphamide), autophagy inhibitor (20% blank serum + 5 μmol·L-1 cyclophosphamide + 20 μmol·L-1 chloroquine phosphate), autophagy inhibitor + Zhuluan decoction-containing serum (20% Zhuluan decoction-containing serum + 5 μmol·L-1 cyclophosphamide + 20 μmol·L-1 chloroquine phosphate), and estradiol valerate (20% estradiol valerate-containing serum + 5 μmol·L-1 cyclophosphamide). Following 48 hours of incubation, flow cytometry was utilized to measure the apoptosis rate of KGN cells in each group. Western blotting was employed to quantify the protein levels of PI3K, phosphorylated (p)-Akt, Akt, p-mTOR, and mTOR, along with the expression levels of autophagy-related proteins such as Beclin1, autophagy-related 5 homolog (ATG5), and microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3), in each group. Additionally, monodansylcadaverine (MDC) staining was performed to evaluate the extent of autophagy in each group. ResultsIncubation of KGN cells with 5 μmol·L-1 cyclophosphamide for 48 h successfully established a POI model, marked by a significant inhibition of KGN cell proliferation. Notably, the inhibitory effect of cyclophosphamide on KGN cell proliferation exhibited a positive correlation with its concentration. Zhuluan decoction-containing serum at 20% and 30% promoted cell proliferation and mitigated the inhibitory effect of cyclophosphamide on KGN cell proliferation, with comparable therapeutic efficacy observed at both concentrations. Compared with the blank control group, the model group displayed an elevated apoptosis rate (P<0.01), reduced protein levels of PI3K, p-Akt, and p-mTOR (P<0.01), increased protein levels of Beclin1, LC3, and ATG5 (P<0.01), no significant alterations in the protein levels of Akt and mTOR, and an enhanced MDC autophagy fluorescence intensity (P<0.01). In comparison to that the model group, the apoptosis rates in the blank control group, model group, Zhuluan decoction-containing serum group, autophagy inhibitor group, autophagy inhibitor + Zhuluan decoction-containing serum group, and estradiol valerate group all reduced (P<0.05, P<0.01), with the most pronounced reduction observed in the autophagy inhibitor + Zhuluan decoction-containing serum group. The protein levels of PI3K, p-Akt, and p-mTOR were higher in other groups than in the model group (P<0.05, P<0.01), being the highest in the autophagy inhibitor + Zhuluan decoctio-containing serum group (P<0.01). The protein levels of Beclin1 and ATG5 were lower in other groups than in the model group (P<0.05, P<0.01). The expression level of LC3 declined in the Zhuluan decoction-containing serum group and the estradiol valerate group (P<0.05, P<0.01), while it decreased without statistical significance in the autophagy inhibitor group and the autophagy inhibitor + Zhuluan decoction-containing serum group. ConclusionZhuluan decoction may activate the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway to inhibit excessive autophagy and counteract the detrimental effects of cyclophosphamide on the KGN cell model, thus managing POI.
4.Comparative Study on Effect of Jingui Shenqiwan and Liuwei Dihuangwan on Reproductive Ability and Brain Function of Normal Mice
Hong SUN ; Fan LEI ; Chenggong LI ; Rui LUO ; Shixian HU ; Bin REN ; Juan HAO ; Yi DING ; Lijun DU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(2):1-14
ObjectiveTo explore the effects of Jingui Shenqiwan (JSW) and Liuwei Dihuangwan (LDW) on the reproductive ability and brain function of normal mice and compare the actions of the two medications. MethodsSeven groups of female and male mice were divided at a ratio of 2∶1. Except for the control group, the other six groups were as follows: a group of both males and females receiving JSW (3.0 g·kg-1), a group of both males and females receiving LDW (4.5 g·kg-1), a group of males receiving water and females receiving JSW, a group of males receiving water while females receiving LDW, a group of females receiving water while males receiving JSW, and a group of females receiving water while males receiving LDW. Each group was administered the drug for 14 days and then caged together at a 2∶1 (female∶male) ratio to detect the number of pregnant mice and calculate the pregnancy rate. Pregnant mice continued receiving the drug until they naturally gave birth, which was followed by the observation of newborn mice, calculation of their average number, and the measurement of the offspring's preference for sugar water and neonatal recognition index. At the end of the experiment, the weights of the thymus and spleen were measured to calculate the organ coefficients, and mRNA or protein expression was analyzed in the brain and testes or ovaries. A 1% sucrose solution was used to examine the euphoria of their brain reward systems, while novel object recognition test (NOR) was applied to assess their memory capabilities. mRNA expression was detected using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Real-time PCR) assay, and protein expression was analyzed with Western blot. ResultsCompared with the control group, oral administration of JSW to both male and female mice for 14 days significantly increased the pregnancy rate of female mice on day 2 after being caged together (P<0.05), while LDW showed a trend but no statistical significance. Additionally, compared with the control group, JSW could upregulate the gene expression of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in the thalamus, as well as reproductive stem cell factor (SCF) and tyrosine kinase receptor (c-Kit) in the testes and reproductive stem cell marker mouse vasa homologue (MVH) in the ovaries, upregulate the expression of proteins influencing neuronal functional activity, such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), in hippocampal neurons (P<0.05), and enhance sucrose preference in male mice (P<0.05). Compared with the control group, JSW significantly increased sucrose preference and novel object recognition index in offspring mice (P<0.05), which was related to the upregulation of hippocampal dopamine D1 receptor (D1R) and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (Nmdar) gene expression. Compared with the control group, both JSW and LDW could upregulate the protein expression of glucocorticoid receptor (GR), BDNF, and tyrosine kinase receptor B (TrkB) in the hippocampus of offspring mice (P<0.05). ConclusionJSW significantly enhances the reproductive ability of normal mice, which is not only related to the release of gonadotropin but also associated with its regulation of brain function. Additionally, JSW has a certain regulatory effect on the brain function of the offspring mice.
5.Diagnosis and treatment of 281 elderly patients with pulmonary ground-glass opacity: A retrospective study in a single center
Lei SU ; Yi ZHANG ; Yan GAO ; Bing WEI ; Tengteng WANG ; Yuanbo LI ; Kun QIAN ; Peilong ZHANG ; Leiming WANG ; Xiuqin WEI
Chinese Journal of Clinical Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery 2025;32(01):94-99
Objective To explore the diagnosis and treatment strategies for elderly patients with ground-glass opacity (GGO). Methods The imaging features and postoperative pathological findings of the elderly patients with pulmonary GGO receiving surgery in our hospital from 2017 to 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into an elderly patient group and a non-elderly patient group based on their age. Results Finally 575 patients were included in the study. There were 281 elderly patients, including 83 males and 198 females, with an average age of (67.0±5.3) years. There were 294 non-elderly patients, including 88 males and 206 females, with an average age of (49.1±7.3) years. Compared with the non-elderly patients, elderly GGO patients showed the following distinct clinical features: long observation time for lesions (P=0.001), high proportion of rough edges of GGO (P<0.001), significant pleural signs (P<0.001) and bronchial signs (P<0.001), and high proportion of type Ⅱ-Ⅳ GGO (P<0.001), lobectomy type (P=0.013), and invasive lesions reported in postoperative pathology (P<0.001). There was no statistical difference in the average hospital stay between the two groups (P=0.106). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that GGO diameter and GGO type were the main factors affecting the operation. Observation time, GGO diameter, GGO type and pleural signs were the main influencing factors for postoperative pathological infiltrative lesions. The cut-off value of GGO diameter in predicting infiltrating lesions was 10.5 mm in the elderly patients group. Conclusion The size and type of GGO are important factors in predicting invasive lesions and selecting surgical methods. Elderly patients with radiographic manifestations of type Ⅱ-Ⅳ GGO lesions with a diameter greater than 10.5 mm should be closely followed up.
6.Survey on iodine nutrition status of pregnant women in Hubei Province
Zhen WANG ; Biyun ZHANG ; Yongfeng HU ; Conggang ZHOU ; Jin YANG ; Yi LI ; Huailan GUO ; Yong ZHANG ; Jinlin LEI
Chinese Journal of Endemiology 2025;44(1):25-29
Objective:To investigate the iodine nutrition level and the prevalence of thyroid nodules in pregnant women in Hubei Province, and to provide a basis for prevention and treatment of iodine deficiency disorders.Methods:According to the requirements of the National Iodine Deficiency Disorders Monitoring Program (2016 Edition), a cross-sectional survey of iodine nutrition status of pregnant women ( n = 321) was conducted from July to October 2020 in two mountainous counties (Tongcheng County and Xingshan County) and two plain counties (Liangzihu District and Xinzhou District) in Hubei Province. Among them, there were 43, 114, and 164 pregnant women in the early, middle, and late stages of pregnancy, respectively. Edible salt samples and once random urine samples were collected to detect salt iodine and urinary iodine, and thyroid ultrasound was performed to calculate the detection rate of thyroid nodules. Results:The coverage rate of iodized salt, qualified rate of iodized salt, and consumption rate of qualified iodized salt in Hubei Province were 99.69% (320/321), 95.94% (307/320) and 95.64% (307/321), respectively. The median urinary iodine level for pregnant women was 164.80 μg/L. Among them, the median urinary iodine levels in Liangzihu District, Tongcheng County, Xinzhou District, and Xingshan County were 175.90, 178.25, 155.80 and 143.00 μg/L, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference in urinary iodine levels among different regions ( H = 8.51, P = 0.037). The median urinary iodine levels of pregnant women in the early, middle, and late stages of pregnancy were 187.20, 144.45, and 172.05 μg/L, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference in urinary iodine levels among pregnant women in different stages of pregnancy ( H = 2.94, P = 0.230). Urinary iodine < 150, 150 - < 250, 250 - < 500, ≥500 μg/L accounted for 45.48% (146/321), 33.33% (107/321), 19.63% (63/321), 1.56% (5/321), respectively. The detection rate of thyroid nodules was 16.82% (54/321), and the goiter rate was 0.93% (3/321). Conclusions:In 2020, Hubei Province is in an appropriate state of iodine, and there are still a considerable proportion of pregnant women in a state of iodine deficiency. The detection rate of thyroid nodules is relatively low. It is necessary to continuously monitor the iodine nutrition of pregnant women, strengthen health promotion on the hazards of iodine deficiency during pregnancy, and minimize maternal and infant health damage caused by iodine deficiency.
7.Genetic evolution characteristics and their influence on disease transmission in sandflies in various environments in China
Lei CUI ; Ya-qi HE ; Zheng-bin ZHOU ; Yuan FANG ; Zhong-qiu LI ; Yuan-yuan LI ; Li-min YANG ; Yi ZHANG
Chinese Journal of Zoonoses 2025;41(5):501-507
This study analyzed the genetic evolutionary characteristics of sandflies and their effects on the spread of kala-azar in various environments in endemic provinces in China,to provide a scientific basis for kala-azar disease prevention and control.Sand-flies were collected in kala-azar endemic areas such as southern Xinjiang,the large hilly areas of southern Gansu,the northern Sich-uan and Taihang Mountains,and surrounding small hills.The cytochrome c oxidase subunit I and cytochrome b gene fragments of mito-chondrial DNA were amplified to identify sandfly species.The COI and Cytb gene sequences of sandflies from southern Xinjiang and Si-chuan recorded in NCBI were also collected.The intraspecific and interspecific genetic differences of sandflies were calculated in MEGA11.0,and a phylogenetic tree was constructed through the neighbor-joining method,for analysis of the genetic and evolutionary characteristics of sandfly populations and their effects on disease transmission.A total of 155 sandflies were collected from nine sam-pling sites in seven provinces of China;the species included Phlebotomus chinensis,Phlebotomus wui,and Sergentomyia squamirostris.Five sandfly species belonging to two genera were collected:P.chinensis,P.wui,and Phlebotomus alexandri in the genus Phleboto-mus,and S.squamirostris in the genus Sergentomyia.Genetic evolution analysis based on COI and Cytb gene sequences indicated intra-specific genetic distances of 0-0.062 and 0-0.056,respectively,and interspecific genetic distances of 0.126-0.176 and 0.110-0.171,respectively.The phylogenetic tree indicated that P.wui,P.alexandri,Phlebotomus longiductus,and S.squamirostris clus-tered into one branch.The sequences of P.chinensis in the large and small hilly areas clustered into two geographical clades.In the small hilly areas,the sequences of P.chinensis aggregates showed small genetic differences,the pathogen infection was consistent,and the cases showed an epidemic spread trend.Large genetic differences at the molecular level were observed among sandflies in dif-ferent ecological regions,thus indicating key effects on leishmaniasis transmission.On the basis of these findings,prevention and con-trol strategies should be adapted to local conditions,and precise and effective prevention and control measures should be formulated according to the genetic evolution characteristics of sandflies in different regions,to better control the transmission of Kala-azar.
8.Mechanisms of total flavonoids from Sophora flavescens for the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and experimental validation in zebrafish
Yufeng GU ; Bingying DENG ; Niren LI ; Yixuan ZENG ; Sifan LU ; Chen ZHU ; Lei CHEN ; Yi LIU
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(14):2969-2978
BACKGROUND:Total flavonoids from Sophora flavescens have a variety of pharmacological effects,including anti-inflammatory,immunomodulatory,antioxidant,and anti-hepatic injury,but the therapeutic effects and mechanisms in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease are not clear.OBJECTIVE:To reveal the mechanism of total flavonoids from Sophora flavescens in the treatment of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease using bioinformatics,network pharmacology and zebrafish experimental validation.METHODS:A zebrafish model of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease was constructed to observe lipid accumulation,pathomorphologic changes,and expression of inflammatory genes in the liver of zebrafish after treatment with total flavonoids from Sophora flavescens.The active ingredients of total flavonoids from Sophora flavescens and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease-related targets were obtained from TCMSP,Swiss Target Prediction,and Bat-man databases.STRING was used to perform protein-protein interaction network analysis,GO functional enrichment and KEGG pathway enrichment analysis.Based on the GSE33814 dataset,the differentially expressed genes of total flavonoids from Sophora flavescens and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease intersection targets were screened out.Correlation analysis and receiver operating characteristic curve were performed using R4.3.2 software.Core genes were verified by the validation set GSE89632.RT-qPCR and western blot assays were performed to verify the expression of core pathway-related genes and proteins.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Total flavonoids from Sophora flavescens could improve lipid accumulation in the liver of zebrafish with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease,significantly inhibited the elevation of lipid and aminotransferase levels in zebrafish(P<0.05),and regulated the expression of genes related to inflammation and lipid metabolism.(2)A total of 168 common targets were obtained using the network pharmacology,and top 10 core genes,identified by Cytoscape topology analysis,were HSP90AA1,STAT3,PIK3R1,MAPK1,AKT1,RXRA,PIK3CA,EGFR,JAK2,and ESR1.GO and KEGG analysis pathways mainly included insulin resistance,lipids,and atherosclerosis.There were a total of 59 differentially expressed genes after intersection of total flavonoids from Sophora flavescens and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease targets.The receiver operating characteristic curve and validation set analyses yielded six core targets that were significantly different between healthy individuals and patients with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease(P<0.01).(3)RT-PCR and western blot results verified that total flavonoids from Sophora flavescens inhibited the activation of the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway in zebrafish.To conclude,total flavonoids from Sophora flavescens may alleviate the inflammatory response through the JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway,thus inhibiting lipid accumulation and improving non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
9.Clinicopathologic characteristics,gene mutation profile,and prognostic analysis of patients with adrenal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma
Jiayin HE ; Siyuan CHEN ; Qing SHI ; Muchen ZHANG ; Hongmei YI ; Lei DONG ; Ying QIAN ; Li WANG ; Shu CHENG ; Pengpeng XU ; Weili ZHAO
Journal of Shanghai Jiaotong University(Medical Science) 2025;45(9):1194-1201
Objective·To analyze the clinicopathologic characteristics,gene mutation profile,and prognostic factors of patients with adrenal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma(DLBCL).Methods·From March 2002 to December 2022,a total of 105 patients with adrenal DLBCL admitted to Ruijin Hospital,Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine were retrospectively analyzed for their clinicopathological data,survival outcomes,and prognostic factors.Patients'gene mutation profiles were evaluated by targeted sequencing of 152 lymphoma-related genes.Results·The median age of the patients was 62(15?82)years and the male-to-female ratio was 2.3∶1.Among them,63 patients(60.0%)were over 60 years old,22 patients(21.0%)had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group(ECOG)performance status of two or higher,87 patients(82.9%)were staged Ann Arbor Ⅲ?Ⅳ,92 patients(87.6%)had elevated serum lactate dehydrogenase(LDH)levels(above the upper limit of reference),84 patients(80.0%)had extranodal invasion in at least two organs,67 patients(63.8%)were of non-germinal center B-cell(non-GCB)origin,and 95 patients(90.5%)had an international prognosis index(IPI)scored over 2.With a median follow-up of 28.3(0.7?191.9)months,the estimated 2-year overall survival(OS)rate and progression-free survival(PFS)rate were 68.3%and 53.1%,respectively.The estimated 5-year OS rate and PFS rate were 52.6%and 44.0%,respectively.Among 93 patients who could be evaluated for clinical outcomes,62(66.7%)got a complete response(CR).Univariate analysis and multivariate Cox analysis revealed that age over 60 years was an adverse prognostic factor for PFS,and ECOG performance status of two or higher was an adverse prognostic factor for both OS and PFS.Targeted gene sequencing in 46 adrenal diffuse DLBCL patients showed high mutation frequencies in lysine methyltransferase 2D(KMT2D;n=17,37%),Pim-1 proto-oncogene,serine/threonine kinase(PIM1;n=17,37%),MYD88 innate immune signal transduction adaptor(MYD88;n=15,33%),CD79b molecule(CD79B;n=13,28%),and BTG anti-proliferation factor 2(BTG2;n=10,22%).Conclusion·Age over 60 years is an adverse prognostic factor for PFS,and ECOG performance status of two or higher is an adverse prognostic factor for both OS and PFS in patients with adrenal DLBCL.Patients exhibited high frequencies of KMT2D,PIM1,MYD88,CD79B,and BTG2 mutations,as well as an increased proportion of the MCD-like subtype.
10.Body roundness index,visceral adiposity index,and metabolic score for visceral fat in predicting new-onset atrial fibrillation:a UK Biobank cohort study
Yi ZHENG ; Lei LIU ; Xinyu ZHENG ; Tong LIU ; Xiaoping LI
Chinese Journal of Clinical Medicine 2025;32(4):719-720,封3
Objective To explore the longitudinal associations of body roundness index(BRI),visceral adiposity index(VAI),and metabolic score for visceral fat(METS-VF)with the risk of new-onset atrial fibrillation(AF).Methods This study included participants from the UK Biobank who were free of AF or pregnancy at baseline and completed the first and second assessments of BRI,VAI,and METS-VF.The changes in BRI,VAI,and METS-VF were classified using K-means clustering analyses,and the cumulative adiposity indices were also calculated.The primary outcome was new-onset AF.Three Cox regression models were employed to investigate the longitudinal associations of the BRI,VAI,and METS-VF changes with the risk of incident new-onset AF.The results were presented as hazard ratios(HRs)and the corresponding 95%confidence intervals(CIs).Restricted cubic spline analyses were performed to explore potential non-linear associations between baseline or cumulative adiposity indices and the risk of new-onset AF.C-index analyses were conducted to evaluate the predictive value of BRI,VAI,and METS-VF for new-onset AF.Subgroup analyses were performed according to age,gender,race,smoking status,alcohol consumption,and physical activity.Polygenic risk scores were applied to account for genetic susceptibility and investigate potential interactions between adiposity indices and genetic risk.Univariate linear regression analyses were performed to evaluate the relationships of cumulative adiposity indices and magnetic resonance imaging and dual X-ray absorptiometry parameters,including visceral adipose tissue(VAT)volume,VAT mass,trunk fat volume,and trunk fat mass.We further applied the eXtreme Gradient Boosting(XGBoost)algorithm,with the feature importance being measured to evaluate the predictive value of each adiposity index for imaging parameters.Mendelian randomization analysis was further conducted to investigate the potential causal relationship between trunk fat mass and AF.Results A total of 12 776 participants were included.Over a median follow-up of 9.60 years,761(5.96%)new-onset AF events were recorded.Participants were divided into four classes based on the changes in adiposity indices.In the fully adjusted model,compared to participants in Class 1 of BRI,those in Class 3(HR=1.30,95%CI 1.04-1.63,P=0.023)and Class 4(HR=2.17,95%CI 1.61-2.93,P<0.001)were associated with significantly higher risks of new-onset AF.Regarding METS-VF,participants in Class 4 of METS-VF also demonstrated a significantly higher risk of new-onset AF compared to those in Class 1(HR=1.66,95%CI 1.15-2.39,P=0.007).However,no significant association was observed between different classes of VAI and the risk of new-onset AF.For every 1 standard deviation increase in cumulative BRI,VAI,and METS-VF,the fully adjusted HRs of new-onset AF were 1.23(95%CI 1.13-1.35),1.02(95%CI 0.94-1.10),and 1.23(95%CI 1.12-1.35),respectively.Cumulative adiposity indices(BRI,VAI,and METS-VF)were divided into quartiles.Using the first quartile as reference,participants in the highest quartiles of BRI(HR=1.40,95%CI 1.10-1.79,P=0.007)and METS-VF(HR=1.44,95%CI 1.13-1.83,P=0.003)both exerted a significantly higher risk of new-onset AF.Regarding VAI,no significant association was observed(HR=1.00,95%CI 0.81-1.23,P=0.988).Restricted cubic spline analyses revealed non-linear relationships between cumulative BRI,baseline/cumulative VAI,and baseline/cumulative METS-VF with new-onset AF risk(all Poverall<0.05,Pnon-linear<0.05).In the C-index analysis,BRI demonstrated the highest predictive performance for new-onset AF,followed by METS-VF and VAI.Subgroup analysis indicated a stronger association between METS-VF and the risk of new-onset AF amongst participants younger than 60 years(Pinteraction=0.008).Polygenic risk score analysis stratified by genetic risk demonstrated a synergistic effect between BRI and genetic risk with new-onset AF,with the overall risk of new-onset AF increasing as both BRI and genetic risk increased.Linear regression analysis revealed a positive correlation between cumulative BRI with VAT volume,VAT mass,trunk fat volume,and trunk fat mass.The feature importance plot derived from the XGBoost algorithm indicated that cumulative BRI had the greatest predictive value on VAT volume,VAT mass,trunk fat volume,and trunk fat mass.Mendelian randomization analysis confirmed a significant causal relationship between trunk fat mass and AF.Conclusions There are significant non-linear associations between BRI,METS-VF,and VAI with new-onset AF.Higher BRI and METS-VF are significantly associated with a higher risk of new-onset AF,whereas no significant association is observed for the VAI.BRI exhibits a positive correlation with VAT and trunk fat,and demonstrates superior performance in predicting new-onset AF compared to VAI and METS-VF.Monitoring and managing BRI may be important in the early detection and intervention of AF.

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