Intestinal fibrosis is a major complication of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), leading to a high incidence of surgical interventions and significant disability. Despite its clinical relevance, no targeted pharmacological therapies are currently available. This review aims to explore the underlying mechanisms driving intestinal fibrosis and address unresolved scientific questions, offering insights into potential future therapeutic strategies. We conducted a literature review using data from PubMed up to October 2024, focusing on studies related to IBD and fibrosis. Intestinal fibrosis results from a complex network involving stromal cells, immune cells, epithelial cells, and the gut microbiota. Chronic inflammation, driven by factors such as dysbiosis, epithelial injury, and immune activation, leads to the production of cytokines like interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-17, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β. These mediators activate various stromal cell populations, including fibroblasts, pericytes, and smooth muscle cells. The activated stromal cells secrete excessive extracellular matrix components, thereby promoting fibrosis. Additionally, stromal cells influence the immune microenvironment through cytokine production. Future research would focus on elucidating the temporal and spatial relationships between immune cell-driven inflammation and stromal cell-mediated fibrosis. Additionally, investigations are needed to clarify the differentiation origins of excessive extracellular matrix-producing cells, particularly fibroblast activation protein (FAP) + fibroblasts, in the context of intestinal fibrosis. In conclusion, aberrant stromal cell activation, triggered by upstream immune signals, is a key mechanism underlying intestinal fibrosis. Further investigations into immune-stromal cell interactions and stromal cell activation are essential for the development of therapeutic strategies to prevent, alleviate, and potentially reverse fibrosis.
Humans ; Fibrosis/metabolism* ; Inflammatory Bowel Diseases/pathology* ; Animals ; Transforming Growth Factor beta/metabolism* ; Intestines/pathology*

Pancreatitis is an inflammatory disease influenced by both environmental and genetic factors. It has a high prevalence and mortality rate worldwide, with no radical cure. Breakthroughs have been recently made in genetic research of pancreatitis. Susceptibility genes and pathways have been continuously discovered, which highlighted the roles of genetic factors in hypertriglyceridemic and chronic pancreatitis. Gene therapy may offer radical cure for pancreatitis, though it has remained at the research phase. This article has reviewed the genetic pathogenesis of pancreatitis and current status of gene therapy research, with an aim to provide a reference for attaining definitive cure for the disease.

Organ transplantation is the preferred treatment for end-stage organ failure, However, the allogenic origin of donor tissues frequently provokes rejection by the recipient's immune system. Inducing a state of immune hyporesponsiveness specific to the transplanted cells and organs, referred to as near-immunotolerance, is the ideal approach to managing transplant rejection. Currently, various strategies have been explored to achieve immune hyporesponsiveness, including cell-based immune induction, chimerism induction, co-stimulatory pathway blockade, apoptosis induction, targeted clearance of memory T cells, and the use of exosomes or nanoparticles for drug delivery to induce tolerance. This review highlights the importance of achieving immune tolerance in clinical medicine to ensure the survival of both allografts and recipients. It provides an overview of the current status and advancements in tolerance-inducing strategies in allogeneic transplantation. Additionally, the review critically examines the limitations of these approaches and discusses future directions for research in this field.

Pancreatitis is an inflammatory disease influenced by both environmental and genetic factors. It has a high prevalence and mortality rate worldwide, with no radical cure. Breakthroughs have been recently made in genetic research of pancreatitis. Susceptibility genes and pathways have been continuously discovered, which highlighted the roles of genetic factors in hypertriglyceridemic and chronic pancreatitis. Gene therapy may offer radical cure for pancreatitis, though it has remained at the research phase. This article has reviewed the genetic pathogenesis of pancreatitis and current status of gene therapy research, with an aim to provide a reference for attaining definitive cure for the disease.

ObjectiveTo investigate the association of particulate matter and ozone with the prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in a district of Shanghai, and to provide epidemiological evidence for the further identification of early health hazards of air pollution and for the prevention and control of NAFLD. MethodsBased on Songjiang Sub-cohort of Shanghai Natural Population Cohort, a cross-sectional survey design was used to recruit participants from 2016 to 2017. Annual average exposure levels to air pollution from 2009 to 2017 were matched to the participant’s residential address using a high-resolution and high-quality ambient air pollutants dataset in China. NAFLD was diagnosed according to the “Guidelines for the prevention and treatment of metabolism⁃associated (non⁃alcoholic) fatty liver disease” by the Chinese Medical Association. Multivariate logistic regression models were employed to analyze the association between air pollution and the prevalence of NAFLD, and stratified analyses were used to compare differences by age, gender, obesity, and lifestyle habits within subgroups. ResultsA total of 32 791 individuals were included in the study. The prevalence of NAFLD among community residents in suburban Shanghai was 38.88%. For every 1 μg·m^-3 increase in PM₁, PM_2.5, PM₁₀, or O₃, the risk of NAFLD increased correspongdinglt, with the odds ratios (95%CI) of 1.071 (1.043‒1.099), 1.065 (1.042‒1.089), 1.041 (1.027‒1.055), or 1.061 (1.032‒1.091), respectively. There were differences in effects across different gender, age, and obesity status subgroups. ConclusionPM₁, PM_2.5, PM₁₀, and O₃ are positively associated with an increased risk of NAFLD. Stratified analyses reveal that individuals aged 65 years old or above exhibited greater susceptibility to PM₁, PM_2.5, and O₃, whereas those aged less than 65 years old are more vulnerable to PM₁₀. Males are more sensitive to PM₁ and O₃, and females are more susceptible to PM_2.5 and PM₁₀. The association between air pollutant exposure and NAFLD risk is more pronounced among obese participants compared to that in non-obese counterparts.

OBJECTIVES: The major histocompatibility complex class I chain-related gene A (MICA), a component of the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) gene complex, is involved in the pathogenesis of various diseases including cancers and autoimmune disorders. Rosacea, a chronic inflammatory skin disease with a complex pathogenesis, potentially influenced by genetic and autoimmune factors. This study aims to investigate the relationship among MICA gene polymorphisms, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and susceptibility to rosacea, thereby offering new insights into the disease mechanism. METHODS: Peripheral blood DNA samples were collected from 84 patients with rosacea (rosacea group) and 223 healthy volunteers (control group) who visited the Dermatology Outpatient Department of Xiangya Hospital of Central South University between November 2017 and November 2019. MICA genotyping was performed using polymerase chain reaction-sequencing-based typing (PCR-SBT) and the next-generation sequencing (NGS), and the accuracy of the 2 methods was compared. The frequency distributions of MICA alleles between the 2 groups were analyzed. Amino acid clustering and SNP site analyses were conducted to identify haplotype-linked SNPs and to classify MICA polymorphic variants. Distribution differences of these classifications between groups were also examined. RESULTS: Blood tests in rosacea patients showed mildly elevated, with no significant changes in lymphocyte counts. Both PCR-SBT and NGS accurately identified MICA alleles. The most common alleles in the rosacea group were MICA*010:01, MICA*008:04, and MICA*019:01. The frequencies of MICA*002:01 and MICA*027 were significantly lower in the rosacea group compared to controls (6.55% vs 18.16% and 1.19% vs 5.38%, respectively), while and MICA*010:01 were significantly higher (7.74% vs 3.36% and 31.55% vs 18.61%, respectively; all P<0.05). Five short tandem repeat (STR) alleles were identified. Frequencies of MICA-A4 and MICA-A9 were lower in the rosacea group than in the control group (16.07% vs 23.32% and 7.74% vs 17.26%, respectively), whereas MICA-A6 was higher (10.12% vs 4.03%; all P<0.05). Clustering and SNP analysis identified 6 linked SNP sites, classifying MICA variants into Type I (C₃₆+M₁₂₉+K₁₇₃+G₂₀₆+W₂₁₀+S₂₁₅) and Type II (Y₃₆+V₁₂₉+E₁₇₃+S₂₀₆+R₂₁₀+T₂₁₅). Type I MICA variants were significantly associated with rosacea susceptibility. CONCLUSIONS MICA gene polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility to rosacea, and there are 6 linked SNP sites within the MICA gene. Based on this, MICA polymorphic variants are classified into Type I and Type II, with Type I being more closely associated with disease development of rosacea.
Humans ; Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide ; Histocompatibility Antigens Class I/genetics* ; Rosacea/genetics* ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease/genetics* ; Female ; Male ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Genotype ; Alleles ; Gene Frequency ; Haplotypes ; Case-Control Studies ; Aged ; High-Throughput Nucleotide Sequencing

Pancreatitis is an inflammatory disease influenced by both environmental and genetic factors. It has a high prevalence and mortality rate worldwide, with no radical cure. Breakthroughs have been recently made in genetic research of pancreatitis. Susceptibility genes and pathways have been continuously discovered, which highlighted the roles of genetic factors in hypertriglyceridemic and chronic pancreatitis. Gene therapy may offer radical cure for pancreatitis, though it has remained at the research phase. This article has reviewed the genetic pathogenesis of pancreatitis and current status of gene therapy research, with an aim to provide a reference for attaining definitive cure for the disease.
Humans ; Genetic Therapy/methods* ; Pancreatitis/etiology* ; Genetic Predisposition to Disease ; Animals

Organ transplantation is the preferred treatment for end-stage organ failure, However, the allogenic origin of donor tissues frequently provokes rejection by the recipient's immune system. Inducing a state of immune hyporesponsiveness specific to the transplanted cells and organs, referred to as near-immunotolerance, is the ideal approach to managing transplant rejection. Currently, various strategies have been explored to achieve immune hyporesponsiveness, including cell-based immune induction, chimerism induction, co-stimulatory pathway blockade, apoptosis induction, targeted clearance of memory T cells, and the use of exosomes or nanoparticles for drug delivery to induce tolerance. This review highlights the importance of achieving immune tolerance in clinical medicine to ensure the survival of both allografts and recipients. It provides an overview of the current status and advancements in tolerance-inducing strategies in allogeneic transplantation. Additionally, the review critically examines the limitations of these approaches and discusses future directions for research in this field.

Objective:To analyze the mutation spectrum and regional distribution of susceptibility pathogenic genes in Chinese chronic pancreatitis (CP) patients.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 1 758 sporadic CP patients who underwent gene sequencing for pathogenic mutations of four major susceptibility genes ( SPINK1, PRSS1, CTRC, and CFTR) at the First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University from December 2010 to November 2022. Pathogenic mutations of four major susceptibility genes were detected by using the next-generation sequencing, and both known and novel pathogenic mutations were validated by Sanger sequencing. The ethnic and regional distributions of pathogenic mutations across different ethnic groups were compared. The ArcMap 10.7 software was used to provide the distribution map of common CP pathogenic mutations in China, and regional differences of these mutations were assessed. According to seven major geographical regions in China, we also evaluated the enrichment differences of CP pathogenic mutations in North China region, Northeast China region, East China region, Central China region, South China region, Southwest China region, and Northwest China region. Results:Among 1 758 CP patients, 50.23% (883/1 758) carried pathogenic mutations, and the SPINK1 pathogenic mutations were most predominated (39.31%). Among them, c.194+2T>C mutations accounted for 94.21% of all SPINK1 mutations. 32.59% (573/1 758) of patients carried single heterozygous mutation of one susceptibility gene, and 4.61% carried homozygous mutation of SPINK1 c.194+2T>C. There was no statistically significant difference on the overall pathogenic mutation carrying rate between Han and ethnic minority patients, whereas the mutation carrying rate of SPINK1 c.194+2T>C was significantly higher among Han patients than among ethnic minorities (37.48% vs 20.00%, P<0.05). Among 31 provinces and cities, the mutation carrying rate of CP patients in Tianjin, Guangdong, Yunnan, Hubei and Anhui were all higher than 60.00%. The SPINK1 mutations accounted for the highest proportion of pathogenic mutations across all provinces (33.33% to 61.54%), and SPINK1 c.194+2T>C was the most prevalent mutation. The mutation carrying rate of SPINK1 c.194+2T>C was higher than 40.00% in Jilin, Liaoning, Tianjin, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hubei, Henan, and Guangdong. Distribution analysis of seven geographic regions showed that the overall carrying rate of pathogenic mutations in North China region was significantly lower than that in Central China region (represented by Henan, Hubei, and Hunan; 38.38% vs 58.15%), and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). Additionally, although the carrying rate of SPINK1 c.194+2T>C was highest in Central (41.85%) and Northeast China region (38.78%), no significant differences were found among different regions. Conclusions:Genetic factors was the main etiology of CP in China, with SPINK1 c.194+2T>C mutations being most prevalent. The carrying rates of common susceptibility genes of CP were highest in Central China region as well as SPINK1 c.194+2T>C mutation.

Objective:To analyze the mutation spectrum and regional distribution of susceptibility pathogenic genes in Chinese chronic pancreatitis (CP) patients.Methods:A retrospective analysis was conducted on 1 758 sporadic CP patients who underwent gene sequencing for pathogenic mutations of four major susceptibility genes ( SPINK1, PRSS1, CTRC, and CFTR) at the First Affiliated Hospital of Naval Medical University from December 2010 to November 2022. Pathogenic mutations of four major susceptibility genes were detected by using the next-generation sequencing, and both known and novel pathogenic mutations were validated by Sanger sequencing. The ethnic and regional distributions of pathogenic mutations across different ethnic groups were compared. The ArcMap 10.7 software was used to provide the distribution map of common CP pathogenic mutations in China, and regional differences of these mutations were assessed. According to seven major geographical regions in China, we also evaluated the enrichment differences of CP pathogenic mutations in North China region, Northeast China region, East China region, Central China region, South China region, Southwest China region, and Northwest China region. Results:Among 1 758 CP patients, 50.23% (883/1 758) carried pathogenic mutations, and the SPINK1 pathogenic mutations were most predominated (39.31%). Among them, c.194+2T>C mutations accounted for 94.21% of all SPINK1 mutations. 32.59% (573/1 758) of patients carried single heterozygous mutation of one susceptibility gene, and 4.61% carried homozygous mutation of SPINK1 c.194+2T>C. There was no statistically significant difference on the overall pathogenic mutation carrying rate between Han and ethnic minority patients, whereas the mutation carrying rate of SPINK1 c.194+2T>C was significantly higher among Han patients than among ethnic minorities (37.48% vs 20.00%, P<0.05). Among 31 provinces and cities, the mutation carrying rate of CP patients in Tianjin, Guangdong, Yunnan, Hubei and Anhui were all higher than 60.00%. The SPINK1 mutations accounted for the highest proportion of pathogenic mutations across all provinces (33.33% to 61.54%), and SPINK1 c.194+2T>C was the most prevalent mutation. The mutation carrying rate of SPINK1 c.194+2T>C was higher than 40.00% in Jilin, Liaoning, Tianjin, Anhui, Jiangxi, Hubei, Henan, and Guangdong. Distribution analysis of seven geographic regions showed that the overall carrying rate of pathogenic mutations in North China region was significantly lower than that in Central China region (represented by Henan, Hubei, and Hunan; 38.38% vs 58.15%), and the differences were statistically significant ( P<0.05). Additionally, although the carrying rate of SPINK1 c.194+2T>C was highest in Central (41.85%) and Northeast China region (38.78%), no significant differences were found among different regions. Conclusions:Genetic factors was the main etiology of CP in China, with SPINK1 c.194+2T>C mutations being most prevalent. The carrying rates of common susceptibility genes of CP were highest in Central China region as well as SPINK1 c.194+2T>C mutation.