1.Differences in scapular kinematics between healthy individuals and rotator cuff tear patients based on biplane X-ray
Zicheng GUO ; Jingyuan MENG ; Jiechao ZHANG ; Li DING ; Xiaoye TANG ; Lichao TIAN ; Yilin WANG ; Yong HE
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2026;30(3):652-660
BACKGROUND:Due to the complex movement of the scapula,which is a six-degree-of-freedom activity in three-dimensional space,it is difficult to measure it accurately using traditional methods.The image and model matching technology based on dual-plane X-ray is a three-dimensional measurement method that has gradually developed and matured in recent years.Two high-speed cameras are used to project and shoot from orthogonal directions.Compared with a single perspective,this method has advantages in observation range and reduction of out-of-plane errors,and is suitable for the study of scapula kinematics.OBJECTIVE:X-ray biplane and image-model registration technology were used to explore the differences in scapular kinematics between normal individuals and patients with rotator cuff tears,providing a basis for the treatment and rehabilitation of rotator cuff tear patients.METHODS:From April 2023 to January 2024,10 patients with normal shoulders and 10 patients with rotator cuff tears who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled from Guanghua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.The subjects underwent a shoulder CT scan to create a 3D model and a local scapular coordinate system.X-ray biplane images were taken during shoulder abduction with two C-arm machines.The 2D and 3D images were registered to compare scapular kinematic differences between the two groups at 0°,15°,30°,45°,60°,75°,and 90° of abduction,including scapular rotation angle and displacement distance.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)During shoulder abduction,the scapula of both groups showed upward rotation,but the upward rotation of the rotator cuff tear group was greater than that of the control group,and the difference was significant when the abduction was 30°-90°(P<0.01).At the same time,the scapula internal rotation of both groups gradually increased,but the rotator cuff tear group was significantly greater than the control group when the abduction was 45°-90°(P<0.01).In addition,the anteroposterior tilt of the scapula of the two groups was significantly different when the abduction was 15°-90°(P<0.01).The scapula posterior tilt of the control group gradually increased during abduction,while the scapula of the rotator cuff tear group tilted forward except for a slight posterior tilt at 15°-30° abduction.(2)In terms of displacement,the upward displacement of the rotator cuff tear group was less than that of the control group during abduction,and the difference was significant at 15°-90°(P<0.05),but there was no significant difference in lateral and anterior-posterior displacement between the two groups(P>0.05).(3)Rotator cuff tear can cause scapular dyskinesis,characterized by increased upward rotation,internal rotation,and abnormal forward tilt during shoulder abduction.Identifying and addressing scapular dyskinesis is crucial for treating rotator cuff tear.
2.Differences in scapular kinematics between healthy individuals and rotator cuff tear patients based on biplane X-ray
Zicheng GUO ; Jingyuan MENG ; Jiechao ZHANG ; Li DING ; Xiaoye TANG ; Lichao TIAN ; Yilin WANG ; Yong HE
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2026;30(3):652-660
BACKGROUND:Due to the complex movement of the scapula,which is a six-degree-of-freedom activity in three-dimensional space,it is difficult to measure it accurately using traditional methods.The image and model matching technology based on dual-plane X-ray is a three-dimensional measurement method that has gradually developed and matured in recent years.Two high-speed cameras are used to project and shoot from orthogonal directions.Compared with a single perspective,this method has advantages in observation range and reduction of out-of-plane errors,and is suitable for the study of scapula kinematics.OBJECTIVE:X-ray biplane and image-model registration technology were used to explore the differences in scapular kinematics between normal individuals and patients with rotator cuff tears,providing a basis for the treatment and rehabilitation of rotator cuff tear patients.METHODS:From April 2023 to January 2024,10 patients with normal shoulders and 10 patients with rotator cuff tears who met the inclusion criteria were enrolled from Guanghua Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.The subjects underwent a shoulder CT scan to create a 3D model and a local scapular coordinate system.X-ray biplane images were taken during shoulder abduction with two C-arm machines.The 2D and 3D images were registered to compare scapular kinematic differences between the two groups at 0°,15°,30°,45°,60°,75°,and 90° of abduction,including scapular rotation angle and displacement distance.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)During shoulder abduction,the scapula of both groups showed upward rotation,but the upward rotation of the rotator cuff tear group was greater than that of the control group,and the difference was significant when the abduction was 30°-90°(P<0.01).At the same time,the scapula internal rotation of both groups gradually increased,but the rotator cuff tear group was significantly greater than the control group when the abduction was 45°-90°(P<0.01).In addition,the anteroposterior tilt of the scapula of the two groups was significantly different when the abduction was 15°-90°(P<0.01).The scapula posterior tilt of the control group gradually increased during abduction,while the scapula of the rotator cuff tear group tilted forward except for a slight posterior tilt at 15°-30° abduction.(2)In terms of displacement,the upward displacement of the rotator cuff tear group was less than that of the control group during abduction,and the difference was significant at 15°-90°(P<0.05),but there was no significant difference in lateral and anterior-posterior displacement between the two groups(P>0.05).(3)Rotator cuff tear can cause scapular dyskinesis,characterized by increased upward rotation,internal rotation,and abnormal forward tilt during shoulder abduction.Identifying and addressing scapular dyskinesis is crucial for treating rotator cuff tear.
3.Association of sex hormone levels with all-cause mortality in males: a study based on NHANES
Jiahao WANG ; Shan JIANG ; Yilin ZHAO ; Haolin LI ; He ZHANG ; Di ZHU ; Jinzhi WANG ; Junqi WANG ; Peng GE
Journal of Modern Urology 2026;31(1):33-41
Objective To investigate the association of serum total testosterone(TT),free testosterone(FT),sex hormone-binding globulin(SHBG),and estradiol(E_2)with all-cause mortality rate(AMR)in males and to evaluate their predictive value. Methods Based on data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey(NHANES)cycles(1999—2004 and 2013—2016),the relationships between different sex hormones and AMR was analyzed with Cox proportional hazards regression models. The dose-response relationships between different sex hormones and male AMR were assessed with restricted cubic splines(RCS). The predictive performances of different sex hormones for male AMR were compared with receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves and the area under the curve(AUC). The survival differences across varying sex hormone levels were evaluated with Kaplan-Meier survival curves and log-rank tests. Results This study involved 3632 adult male participants with a median follow-up of 6.5 years,during which 320 AMR occurred(8.8%). Cox univariate analysis indicated that TT,FT and SHBG were risk factors for AMR(P<0.001). Cox multivariate analysis revealed that FT and SHBG were independent risk factors for AMR(FT:HR=0.90,95%CI:0.86-0.94; SHBG:HR=1.01,95%CI:1.01-1.02). RCS revealed a U-shaped nonlinear relationship between TT,FT and AMR(P<0.001); SHBG showed a positive dose-response relationship with AMR(P<0.001). The AUCs of FT predicting the 5-year,10-year,and 15-year AMR were 0.78(95%CI:0.73-0.82),0.80(95%CI:0.76-0.84),and 0.84(95%CI: 0.80-0.88),respectively,significantly outperforming other indicators. Subgroup analysis revealed that FT was negatively correlated with male AMR,but this association was modulated by age,race,smoking status and diabetes status(P_(interaction)<0.05). Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed that different levels of TT and FT(Q1-Q4)were significantly positively correlated with survival rate(P<0.001),while different levels of SHBG were significantly negatively correlated with survival rate,with patients in the Q4 group having the highest risk of death(P<0.001). Conclusion Based on US NHANES,studies have shown that the FT and SHBG are independent risk factors for male AMR,and FT demonstrates greater predictive value for male AMR than TT.
4.MiR-338-3p affects proliferation and apoptosis of alveolar bone osteoblasts by targeting receptor activator of nuclear factor-kappaB ligand
Mecuo LANG ; Yilin ZHANG ; Li WANG
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2025;29(5):899-907
BACKGROUND:MiR-338-3p could inhibit osteoclast differentiation,and downregulation of receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand level could promote bone formation.However,it is unclear whether miR-338-3p can affect the proliferation and apoptosis of alveolar bone osteoblasts by regulating the receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand level. OBJECTIVE:To explore the effect and mechanism of miR-338-3p on proliferation and apoptosis of alveolar bone osteoblasts by targeting receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand. METHODS:Human alveolar bone osteoblasts were isolated,transfected and treated with Wnt-C59(Wnt/β-catenin pathway inhibitor),and divided into transfection control group,miR-338-3p group,miR-338-3p+control group,miR-338-3p+receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand group and miR-338-3p+Wnt-C59 group.The dual luciferase report experiment was used to verify the regulatory effect of miR-338-3p on receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand.Cell counting kit-8 and 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine staining were used to detect cell proliferation levels.Flow cytometry was used to detect cell cycle and apoptosis levels.RT-qPCR was used to detect miR-338-3p,receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand,Wnt-3a,β-Catenin,glycogen synthase kinase-3β mRNA levels.Western blot was used to detect RANKL,proliferating cell nuclear antigen,Ki67,CyclinD1,B-cell lymphoma/leukemia-2,B-cell lymphoma-2 related X protein,Caspase3,Wnt-3a,β-catenin,glycogen synthase kinase-3β protein levels. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:miR-338-3p could target the regulation of receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand.After overexpression of miR-338-3p,cell survival rate,5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine positive cell rate,proportion of S-phase cells were increased,and apoptosis rate was decreased.The mRNA and protein levels of miR-338-3p,proliferating cell nuclear antigen,Ki67,CyclinD1,B-cell lymphoma/leukemia-2,Wnt-3a,and β-catenin were increased,while the mRNA and protein levels of B-cell lymphoma-2 related X protein,Caspase3 protein,receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand,and glycogen synthase kinase-3β were decreased(all P<0.05).Overexpression of receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand or Wnt-C59 could weaken the effects of overexpression of miR-338-3p on cell proliferation and apoptosis(all P<0.05).Overall,miR-338-3p promotes alveolar bone osteoblast proliferation and inhibits apoptosis by targeting receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand,which may act through activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.
5.Epidemiological characteristics and spatial clustering of hand-foot-mouth disease in Pingxiang City from 2013 to 2023
ZENG Yong ; LI Yilin ; WU Yaojian
Journal of Preventive Medicine 2025;37(11):1175-1178,1183
Objective:
To understand the epidemiological and spatial clustering characteristics of hand-foot-mouth disease in Pingxiang City, Jiangxi Province from 2013 to 2023, so as to provide the evidence for improving hand-foot-mouth disease prevention and control measures.
Methods:
Data of hand-foot-mouth disease cases in Pingxiang City from 2013 to 2023 were collected from the Infectious Disease Reporting Information System of Chinese Disease Prevention and Control Information System. Demographic, temporal, and regional distribution characteristics were described. The trend in incidence was analyzed using the average annual percent change (AAPC). The spatial clustering and aggregation patterns of hand-foot-mouth disease were identified using global and local spatial autocorrelation analyses.
Results:
A total of 58 020 hand-foot-mouth disease cases were reported in Pingxiang City from 2013 to 2023, with an average annual incidence of 289.71/105. No significant trend in the reported incidence of hand-foot-mouth disease was observed (AAPC=-7.398%, P>0.05). Among them, 33 892 were males and 24 128 were females, with infants aged 0-<3 years accounting for 70.59% of the total (40 958 cases). The peak incidence occurred mainly from May to June and from September to December. Luxi County had the highest average annual reported incidence of 677.10/105. Spatial autocorrelation analysis indicated significant spatial clustering of hand-foot-mouth disease in 2018, 2019, 2021, and 2022 (Moran's I=0.314, 0.339, 0.381, and 0.668, all P<0.05). High-high clustering areas were primarily identified in 7 townships (streets) of Anyuan District, 2 in Xiangdong District, 4 in Shangli County, and 1 in Luxi County.
Conclusions
The reported incidence of hand-foot-mouth disease in Pingxiang City from 2013 to 2023 remained stable overall, with higher susceptibility among young children and peak incidence during summer and autumn. Spatial clustering of hand-foot-mouth disease was observed, expanding northward and southwestward from Anyuan District as the core area.
6.Reasons and clinical outcomes of intraocular lens exchange
Yilin HAN ; Xintong LI ; Yifan YANG ; Jingwen ZHANG ; Zibo WANG ; Jiaqi SHI ; Fengyan ZHANG
International Eye Science 2025;25(12):2043-2047
AIM: To analyze the reasons and clinical outcomes of intraocular lens(IOL)exchange.METHODS:This retrospective case series study included 47 patients(53 eyes)who underwent IOL exchange surgery at the Department of Ophthalmology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, between April 2020 and May 2024, aged from 5 to 87(44.8±3.6)years old. Patients' demographics, surgical indications, surgical techniques, preoperative and postoperative uncorrected visual acuity(UCVA)and best-corrected visual acuity(BCVA), as well as postoperative complications were recorded.RESULTS:The reasons for IOL exchange included refractive error(18 cases, 23 eyes, 43%), IOL dislocation(12 cases, 13 eyes, 25%), IOL opacification(12 cases, 12 eyes, 23%), neuroadaptation failure(3 cases, 3 eyes, 6%), and patient dissatisfaction with visual quality(2 cases, 2 eyes, 4%). The surgical techniques for IOL exchange included in-the-bag IOL fixation(16 eyes, 30%), ciliary sulcus fixation(27 eyes, 51%), and scleral suture fixation(10 eyes, 19%). There was statistical significant difference between preoperative UCVA(LogMAR)and UCVA(LogMAR)at 1 d postoperatively(1.03±0.64 vs 0.50±0.46, P<0.05), and there was statistical significant difference between preoperative BCVA(LogMAR)and BCVA(LogMAR)at 1 mo postoperatively(0.41±0.37 vs 0.17±0.21, P<0.05). Postoperative complications included posterior capsule opacification in 2 eyes and IOL dislocation in 1 eye.CONCLUSION:Refractive error, IOL dislocation, and IOL opacification were the three most common reasons for IOL exchange. Although less frequent, factors such as neuroadaptation issues associated with multifocal IOLs and patient-reported visual quality dissatisfaction reflect growing expectations for improved visual outcomes. IOL exchange surgery, though technically challenging, demonstrates favorable clinical efficacy and a low complication rate, representing an effective intervention for managing postoperative IOL-related issues following cataract surgery.
7.Rules of acupoint selection and compatibility of acupuncture and moxibustion in treatment of chronic cough based on ancient and modern literature mining.
Xinyu DENG ; Yilin LIU ; Guixing XU ; Qi LI ; Junqi LI ; Si HUANG ; Ziwen WANG ; Hangyu LI ; Xi CHEN ; Fanrong LIANG
Chinese Acupuncture & Moxibustion 2025;45(9):1347-1359
OBJECTIVE:
To explore the rules of acupoint selection and compatibility of acupuncture and moxibustion in treatment of chronic cough using data mining.
METHODS:
The ancient and modern medical record cloud platform, and the databases, i.e. CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, EMbase, Web of Science and PubMed, were searched to screen the ancient and modern literature on acupuncture and moxibustion treatment of chronic cough. The prescription database was established for acupuncture and moxibustion treatment of chronic cough, and the analysis conducted on the frequency and use percentage in the aspects of intervention measures, acupoint selection, acupoint distribution, meridian tropism, special points and acupoint combination, as well as the association rules and clustering rules of acupoint selection. The subgroup analysis was performed in accordance with the etiology of chronic cough and intervention measures.
RESULTS:
A total of 106 articles were included and 158 prescriptions were extracted. The intervention measures were acupuncture, moxibustion, herbal medication and the combination of several measures. The high-frequency acupoints included Feishu (BL13), Zusanli (ST36), Dazhui (GV14), Pishu (BL20), Danzhong (CV17), Shenshu (BL23), Lieque (LU7), Dingchuan (EX-B1), Tiantu (CV22), and Fenglong (ST40). These acupoints are mainly distributed on the back, lumbar region, chest and abdomen. The involved meridians were bladder meridian of foot-taiyang, conception vessel, and lung meridian of hand-taiyin. The special points covered back-shu points, crossing points and five-shu point. Regarding the compatibility of acupoints, the combination of upper and lower points, and the combination of front and back points were predominant in treatment. The analysis of association rules found that the support of Feishu (BL13)→Zusanli (ST36) was the highest; the cluster analysis obtained 8 clusters of acupoints. The acupoint compatibility and overall rules were similar when cough variant asthma (CVA) or the mixed reasons were involved, and the local treatment approach was adopted if the etiology of disease was related to upper airway cough syndrome (UACS) and gastroesophageal reflux cough (GERC). The acupoint selection was similar among different intervention measures. When two kinds of measures were combined in treatment, Feishu (BL13), Pishu (BL20) and Zusanli (ST36) were the most common.
CONCLUSION
In treatment with acupuncture and moxibustion for chronic cough, the acupoints are selected on the affected local area, depending on syndrome differentiation, and focusing on back-shu points. The main acupoints are Feishu (BL13), Zusanli (ST36), Dazhui (GV14), Pishu (BL20), Danzhong (CV17) and Shenshu (BL23). The combined therapy is dominant with acupuncture, moxibustion and herbal medicine involved.
Acupuncture Points
;
Moxibustion/history*
;
Humans
;
Cough/history*
;
Acupuncture Therapy/history*
;
Chronic Disease/therapy*
;
Data Mining
;
History, Ancient
;
Meridians
;
Chronic Cough
8.Therapeutic role of miR-26a on cardiorenal injury in a mice model of angiotensin-II induced chronic kidney disease through inhibition of LIMS1/ILK pathway.
Weijie NI ; Yajie ZHAO ; Jinxin SHEN ; Qing YIN ; Yao WANG ; Zuolin LI ; Taotao TANG ; Yi WEN ; Yilin ZHANG ; Wei JIANG ; Liangyunzi JIANG ; Jinxuan WEI ; Weihua GAN ; Aiqing ZHANG ; Xiaoyu ZHOU ; Bin WANG ; Bi-Cheng LIU
Chinese Medical Journal 2025;138(2):193-204
BACKGROUND:
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with common pathophysiological processes, such as inflammation and fibrosis, in both the heart and the kidney. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms that drive these processes are not yet fully understood. Therefore, this study focused on the molecular mechanism of heart and kidney injury in CKD.
METHODS:
We generated an microRNA (miR)-26a knockout (KO) mouse model to investigate the role of miR-26a in angiotensin (Ang)-II-induced cardiac and renal injury. We performed Ang-II modeling in wild type (WT) mice and miR-26a KO mice, with six mice in each group. In addition, Ang-II-treated AC16 cells and HK2 cells were used as in vitro models of cardiac and renal injury in the context of CKD. Histological staining, immunohistochemistry, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and Western blotting were applied to study the regulation of miR-26a on Ang-II-induced cardiac and renal injury. Immunofluorescence reporter assays were used to detect downstream genes of miR-26a, and immunoprecipitation was employed to identify the interacting protein of LIM and senescent cell antigen-like domain 1 (LIMS1). We also used an adeno-associated virus (AAV) to supplement LIMS1 and explored the specific regulatory mechanism of miR-26a on Ang-II-induced cardiac and renal injury. Dunnett's multiple comparison and t -test were used to analyze the data.
RESULTS:
Compared with the control mice, miR-26a expression was significantly downregulated in both the kidney and the heart after Ang-II infusion. Our study identified LIMS1 as a novel target gene of miR-26a in both heart and kidney tissues. Downregulation of miR-26a activated the LIMS1/integrin-linked kinase (ILK) signaling pathway in the heart and kidney, which represents a common molecular mechanism underlying inflammation and fibrosis in heart and kidney tissues during CKD. Furthermore, knockout of miR-26a worsened inflammation and fibrosis in the heart and kidney by inhibiting the LIMS1/ILK signaling pathway; on the contrary, supplementation with exogenous miR-26a reversed all these changes.
CONCLUSIONS
Our findings suggest that miR-26a could be a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of cardiorenal injury in CKD. This is attributed to its ability to regulate the LIMS1/ILK signaling pathway, which represents a common molecular mechanism in both heart and kidney tissues.
Animals
;
MicroRNAs/metabolism*
;
Angiotensin II/toxicity*
;
Mice
;
Renal Insufficiency, Chronic/chemically induced*
;
Mice, Knockout
;
Disease Models, Animal
;
Male
;
Signal Transduction/genetics*
;
LIM Domain Proteins/genetics*
;
Mice, Inbred C57BL
;
Cell Line
;
Humans
9.Danggui Shaoyaosan Combined with Yinchenhaotang Regulates Lipid Metabolism to Ameliorate Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Complicated with Metabolic Dysfunction-associated Steatotic Liver Disease
Yilin XU ; Liu LI ; Junju ZOU ; Hong LI ; Rong YU
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2025;31(15):38-47
ObjectiveTo explore the regulatory effect and mechanism of Danggui Shaoyaosan combined with Yinchenhaotang on lipid metabolism in the mouse model of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) complicated with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) based on network pharmacology and animal experiments. MethodsTwenty-four MKR transgenic diabetic mice were randomly allocated into 4 groups: Model, low-dose (12.6 g·kg-1) Chinese medicine (concentrated decoction of Danggui Shaoyaosan combined with Yinchenhaotang), high-dose (25.2 g·kg-1) Chinese medicine, and Western medicine (metformin, 0.065 g·kg-1). Six FVB mice were used as the normal group. All groups were treated for 6 consecutive weeks. The mice in the drug treatment groups were administrated with corresponding agents by gavage, and those in the normal group and model group received the same volume of distilled water. Fasting blood glucose, body weight, liver weight, glucose tolerance, liver function indicators, blood lipid levels, and pathological changes in the liver were evaluated for each group. Network pharmacology was employed to analyze the targets and pathways of Danggui Shaoyaosan combined with Yinchenhaotang in the treatment of T2DM complicated with MASLD. Molecular biological techniques were used to verify the enriched key targets. ResultsCompared with the model group, each treatment group showed reduced fasting blood glucose, body weight, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and liver weight (P<0.01). The high-dose Chinese medicine group was superior to the low-dose group in reducing low-density lipoprotein (LDL), increasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and recovering glucose tolerance (AUC) and ALT (P<0.05), with the effect similar to that of the Western medicine group. Morphologically, Chinese medicine groups showed reduced lipid accumulation and alleviated pathological damage in the liver tissue, with the high-dose group demonstrating more significant changes. Network pharmacology results showed that Danggui Shaoyaosan combined with Yinchenhaotang may exert therapeutic effects through multiple targets such as fatty acid synthase (FAS), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC), B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), MYC oncogene (MYC), and interleukin-1β (IL-1β). Western blot showed that compared with the model group, the treatment groups demonstrated down-regulated protein levels of FAS and ACC (P<0.01) and up-regulated protein levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) and UCP1 (P<0.01). Compared with the low-dose Chinese medicine group, the high-dose Chinese medicine group exhibited down-regulated protein levels of FAS and ACC and up-regulated protein levels of PGC-1α and UCP1 (P<0.05). ConclusionDanggui Shaoyaosan combined with Yinchenhaotang has the effect of ameliorating T2DM complicated with MASLD and can improve the liver lipid metabolism by up-regulating the protein levels of Fas and ACC and down-regulating the protein levels of PGC-1α and UCP1.
10.Differences in HER2-0 and HER2-low Breast Cancer: Androgen Receptor and Programmed Death Ligand 1 as Predictive Factors
Xiaoqi ZHANG ; Ciqiu YANG ; Yitian CHEN ; Junsheng ZHANG ; Peiyong LI ; Na HUANG ; Yilin CHEN ; Minting LIANG ; Weiming LV ; Zhongyu YUAN ; Jie LI ; Kun WANG
Journal of Breast Cancer 2025;28(1):23-36
Purpose:
Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-low breast cancer has the potential to emerge as a distinct subtype. Several studies have compared the differences between HER2-low and HER2-0 breast cancers, but no consensus has been reached.Additionally, a biomarker to predict pathological complete response (pCR) rates in patients with HER2-low breast cancer remains to be identified.
Methods:
We collected data from 777 patients across three centers, stratifying them into HER2-low and HER2-0 groups. We compared differences in survival and pCR rates between the two groups and investigated potential biomarkers that could reliably predict pCR.
Results:
The study found that patients with HER2-0 breast cancer had higher pCR rates compared to patients with HER2-low tumors (289 patients [30.1%] vs. 475 patients [18.1%], p < 0.0001). Survival analysis showed no significant advantage for HER2-low tumors over HER2-0 breast cancers. Binary logistic analysis revealed that androgen receptor (AR) expression predicts poorer pCR rates in both the overall patient group and the HER2-0 breast cancer group (overall patients: odds ratio [OR], 0.479; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.250–0.917; p = 0.026 and HER2-0 patients: OR, 0.267; 95% CI, 0.080–0.892; p = 0.032). In contrast, programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression was associated with more favorable pCR rates in the overall patient group (OR, 3.199; 95% CI, 1.020–10.037; p = 0.046).
Conclusion
There is currently insufficient evidence to classify HER2-low breast cancer as a distinct subtype. Our study revealed that AR expression, along with negative PD-L1 expression, contributes to lower pCR rates.


Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail