[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2024.09.010.].

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma is a malignant tumor with an extremely poor prognosis， and its pathogenesis is complex and remains unclear. In recent years， more and more studies have focused on the role of bile-gut axis in the development and progression of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. Bile-gut axis refers to the complex interaction between bile and gut microbiota， including bile salt metabolism， dynamic changes of microbiota， inflammatory response， and immune system regulation. This article elaborates on the potential mechanisms of bile-gut axis in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma， especially gut microbiota dysbiosis， abnormal bile salt metabolism， chronic inflammatory response， and immune system interaction， this article aims to provide new perspectives and possible therapeutic targets for future research and promote the early diagnosis and effective treatment of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Objective To establish a rapid immunological detection method for MPT64 protein based on red microspheres and select highly-sensitive and highly-specific antibody pairs.Methods A His-tagged prokaryotic expression vector was constructed for expression of MPT64 protein that was used to immunize New Zealand white rabbits after purification and validation.Peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs)were isolated from the rabbits,and antigen-specific B cells expressing antibodies were sorted using single B-cell flow cytometry.mRNA in B cells was reverse-transcribed into cDNA,and paired antibody heavy-and light-chain sequences were amplified via nested PCR.Expression vectors were constructed,and recombinant antibodies were produced in Expi293F cells.Fluorescent immunochromatography was employed to screen for matched antibody pairs.The selected antibodies were used to establish a rapid detection method based on red microsphere immunochromatography.Results Ten high-affinity monoclonal antibodies against MPT64 were generated.Two antibody pairs were selected for MPT64 immunodetection that reached a sensitivity of 0.0125 ng/mL.Conclusion High-affinity rabbit monoclonal antibodies against MPT64 are obtained via single B-cell technology,and a rapid red microspheres-based immunodetection method is established,enabling highly sensitive detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis MPT64 protein.

Objective:To investigate the clinical manifestations and genetic characteristics of a Chinese Han family with Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome (ARS).Methods:A pedigree study was conducted.Three people from a Chinese Han family with ARS who visited Henan Eye Hospital in January 2024 were included, including 1 patient.Clinical data of the proband and her parents were collected.Comprehensive ophthalmic examination and general physical examination were performed on the proband and her parents.Peripheral blood samples were obtained from family members for DNA extraction.Whole exome sequencing was performed on the proband, and the copy number of the ZBED1P1, ENPEP, PITX2, and FAM241A genes in family members were validated using the real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR.Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome, Axenfeld-Rieger Syndrome, and PITX2 were used as keywords to search across databases such as OMIM, ClinVar, PubMed, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, DECIPHER, and Google Scholar.The clinical manifestations and microdeletion types of different patients in ARS literature related to PITX2 microdeletions in China population were summarized, and the relationship between genotype and clinical phenotype was analyzed.The study followed the Declaration of Helsinki, and the study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Henan Eye Hospital (No.HNEEC-2024[34]).All subjects understood the purpose of the study and voluntarily signed the informed consent form. Results:The proband was a 25-year-old female, exhibiting diminutive cornea in both eyes, polycoria, deformation and displacement of pupils, a flat mid-face, maxillary dysplasia, tooth loss, and a protruding umbilicus, among other symptoms.Parents of the proband were phenotypically normal.DNA sequencing identified a 1.06 MB microdeletion on chromosome 4q25 in the proband.Real-time quantitative PCR confirmed that this microdeletion encompassed the PITX2 and ENPEP genes, and it was absent in the proband's parents.The ClinGen CNV pathogenicity scoring indicated that the deletion involving the PITX2 gene represented a novel pathogenic copy number variation (CNV).Five studies related to 4q25 microdeletion in Chinese families with Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome was screened, including 13 patients.Clinical manefestations of the 13 patients included corneal disorders (accounting for 100%), umbilical hernia and dental anomalies (accounting for 92%), irregular intraocular pressure (accounting for 62%), iris atrophy (accounting for 46%), and posterior corneal embryotoxon (accounting for 31%). Conclusions:For this Chinese family diagnosed with ARS, a novel pathogenic 4q25 microdeletion variant encompassing the PITX2 gene was found in the proband, which is associated with characteristic phenotypes including microcornea, congenital iris dysplasia, polycoria, tooth loss, and a protruding umbilicus.

Cholangiocarcinoma,as a malignant tumor with strong invasiveness and poor prognosis,has a complex metastasis mechanism,and urgently needs in-depth research.Circulating tumor cells(CTC),as the key cell type for tumor cells to shed from the primary site and enter the bloodstream,have significant research significance.In recent years,studies have found that the invasive pseudopodia of CTC play a significant role in the migration and invasion of tumor cells.Among them,in terms of signal transduction pathways,the Rho family GTPases(RhoA,Rac1,Cdc42)work in coordination to regulate the contractility of the pseudofoot,the branching polymerization and orientation of actin,and the phosphoinositide3-kinase/protein kinase B(PI3K/AKT)pathway promotes the assembly of actin and cross-communicates with the Rho family by activating AKT.At the molecular mechanism level,long non-coding RNAs regulate the expression of pseudopolypod-related genes by adsorbing miRNAs and other means.Matrix metalloproteinase(MMP)degrades the extracellular matrix(ECM)to form an invasion positive feedback.In terms of the microenvironment,cancer-associated fibroblast(CAF)and the cytokines such as transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β)secreted by macrophages,epidermal growth factor(EGF),and interleukin-6(IL-6)activate pseudopodia to form signal transduction pathways.ECM hardness and fiber arrangement affect the extension direction of pseudopodia through mechanical force conduction.This article conducted a comprehensive analysis of the biological characteristics of CTC,the formation mechanism of invasive pseudopodia in cholangiocarcinoma,the metastatic features of cholangiocarcinoma cells and their clinical significance,as well as the role of CTC in the metastatic process of cholangiocarcinoma,in order to summarize the existing research results,explore potential therapeutic targets and future research directions,and provide new ideas for the clinical treatment of cholangiocarcinoma.

Objective:To investigate the clinical manifestations and genetic characteristics of a Chinese Han family with Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome (ARS).Methods:A pedigree study was conducted.Three people from a Chinese Han family with ARS who visited Henan Eye Hospital in January 2024 were included, including 1 patient.Clinical data of the proband and her parents were collected.Comprehensive ophthalmic examination and general physical examination were performed on the proband and her parents.Peripheral blood samples were obtained from family members for DNA extraction.Whole exome sequencing was performed on the proband, and the copy number of the ZBED1P1, ENPEP, PITX2, and FAM241A genes in family members were validated using the real-time fluorescent quantitative PCR.Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome, Axenfeld-Rieger Syndrome, and PITX2 were used as keywords to search across databases such as OMIM, ClinVar, PubMed, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP, DECIPHER, and Google Scholar.The clinical manifestations and microdeletion types of different patients in ARS literature related to PITX2 microdeletions in China population were summarized, and the relationship between genotype and clinical phenotype was analyzed.The study followed the Declaration of Helsinki, and the study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Henan Eye Hospital (No.HNEEC-2024[34]).All subjects understood the purpose of the study and voluntarily signed the informed consent form. Results:The proband was a 25-year-old female, exhibiting diminutive cornea in both eyes, polycoria, deformation and displacement of pupils, a flat mid-face, maxillary dysplasia, tooth loss, and a protruding umbilicus, among other symptoms.Parents of the proband were phenotypically normal.DNA sequencing identified a 1.06 MB microdeletion on chromosome 4q25 in the proband.Real-time quantitative PCR confirmed that this microdeletion encompassed the PITX2 and ENPEP genes, and it was absent in the proband's parents.The ClinGen CNV pathogenicity scoring indicated that the deletion involving the PITX2 gene represented a novel pathogenic copy number variation (CNV).Five studies related to 4q25 microdeletion in Chinese families with Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome was screened, including 13 patients.Clinical manefestations of the 13 patients included corneal disorders (accounting for 100%), umbilical hernia and dental anomalies (accounting for 92%), irregular intraocular pressure (accounting for 62%), iris atrophy (accounting for 46%), and posterior corneal embryotoxon (accounting for 31%). Conclusions:For this Chinese family diagnosed with ARS, a novel pathogenic 4q25 microdeletion variant encompassing the PITX2 gene was found in the proband, which is associated with characteristic phenotypes including microcornea, congenital iris dysplasia, polycoria, tooth loss, and a protruding umbilicus.

Cholangiocarcinoma,as a malignant tumor with strong invasiveness and poor prognosis,has a complex metastasis mechanism,and urgently needs in-depth research.Circulating tumor cells(CTC),as the key cell type for tumor cells to shed from the primary site and enter the bloodstream,have significant research significance.In recent years,studies have found that the invasive pseudopodia of CTC play a significant role in the migration and invasion of tumor cells.Among them,in terms of signal transduction pathways,the Rho family GTPases(RhoA,Rac1,Cdc42)work in coordination to regulate the contractility of the pseudofoot,the branching polymerization and orientation of actin,and the phosphoinositide3-kinase/protein kinase B(PI3K/AKT)pathway promotes the assembly of actin and cross-communicates with the Rho family by activating AKT.At the molecular mechanism level,long non-coding RNAs regulate the expression of pseudopolypod-related genes by adsorbing miRNAs and other means.Matrix metalloproteinase(MMP)degrades the extracellular matrix(ECM)to form an invasion positive feedback.In terms of the microenvironment,cancer-associated fibroblast(CAF)and the cytokines such as transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β)secreted by macrophages,epidermal growth factor(EGF),and interleukin-6(IL-6)activate pseudopodia to form signal transduction pathways.ECM hardness and fiber arrangement affect the extension direction of pseudopodia through mechanical force conduction.This article conducted a comprehensive analysis of the biological characteristics of CTC,the formation mechanism of invasive pseudopodia in cholangiocarcinoma,the metastatic features of cholangiocarcinoma cells and their clinical significance,as well as the role of CTC in the metastatic process of cholangiocarcinoma,in order to summarize the existing research results,explore potential therapeutic targets and future research directions,and provide new ideas for the clinical treatment of cholangiocarcinoma.

Objective:To conduct a nationwide physician survey to better understand clinicians’ disease awareness, treatment patterns, and experience of Waldenstr?m macroglobulinemia (WM) in China.Methods:This cross-sectional study was conducted from February 2022 to July 2022 by recruiting clinicians with WM treatment experience from hematology, hematology-oncology, and oncology departments throughout China. Quantitative surveys were designed based on the qualitative interviews.Results:The study included 415 clinicians from 219 hospitals spread across thirty-three cities and twenty-two provinces. As for diagnosis, the laboratory tests prescribed by physicians for suspected WM patients were relatively consistent (92% -99% recommendation for laboratory, 79% -95% recommendation for pathology, 96% recommendation for gene testing, and 63% -83% recommendation for imaging examination). However, from a physician's perspective, there was 22% misdiagnosis occurred in clinical practice. The rate of misdiagnosis was higher in lower-level hospitals than in tertiary grade A hospitals (29% vs 21%, P<0.001). The main reasons for misdiagnosis were that WM was easily confused with other diseases, and physicians lacked the necessary knowledge to make an accurate diagnosis. In terms of gene testing in clinical practice, 96% of participating physicians believed that WM patients would require gene testing for MYD88 and CXCR4 mutations because the results of gene testing would aid in confirming diagnosis and treatment options. In terms of treatment, 55% of physicians thought that the most important goal was to achieve remission, while 54% and 51% of physicians wanted to improve laboratory and/or examination results and extend overall survival time, respectively. Among patients with treatment indications, physicians estimated that approximately 21% of them refused to receive treatment, mainly owing to a lack of affordable care and disease awareness. When selecting the most appropriate treatment regimens, physicians would consider patient affordability (63% ), comorbidity (61% ), and risk level (54% ). Regimens containing Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor (BTKi) were most widely recommended for both treatment-na?ve and relapsed/refractory patients (94% for all patients, 95% for treatment-na?ve patients, and 75% for relapsed/refractory patients), and most physicians recommended Ibrutinib (84% ). For those patients who received treatment, physicians reported that approximately 23% of patients did not comply with the treatment regimen due to a lack of affordability and disease awareness. Furthermore, 66% of physicians believe that in the future, increasing disease awareness and improving diagnosis rates is critical. Conclusions:This study is the first national physician survey of WM conducted in China. It systematically describes the issues that exist in WM diagnosis and treatment in China, such as a high rate of misdiagnosis, limited access to gene testing and new drugs, and poor patient adherence to treatment. Chinese doctors believe that improving doctors’ and patients’ understanding of WM is one of the most urgent issues that must be addressed right now.

The adipose tissue of mammals represents an important energy-storing and endocrine organ, and its dysfunction is relevant to the onset of several health problems, including non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, whether treatments targeting adipose dysfunction could alleviate NAFLD has not been well-studied. Adrenomedullin 2 (ADM2), belonging to the CGRP superfamily, is a protective peptide that has been shown to inhibit adipose dysfunction. To investigate the adipose tissue-specific effects of ADM2 on NAFLD, adipose-specific ADM2-overexpressing transgenic (aADM2-tg) mice were developed. When fed a high-fat diet, aADM2-tg mice displayed decreased hepatic triglyceride accumulation compared to wild-type mice, which was attributable to the inhibition of hepatic de novo lipogenesis. Results from lipidomics studies showed that ADM2 decreased ceramide levels in adipocytes through the upregulation of ACER2, which catalyzes ceramide catabolism. Mechanically, activation of adipocyte HIF2α was required for ADM2 to promote ACER2-dependent adipose ceramide catabolism as well as to decrease hepatic lipid accumulation. This study highlights the role of ADM2 and adipose-derived ceramide in NAFLD and suggests that its therapeutic targeting could alleviate disease symptoms.

Objective:To investigate the efficacy of Billroth II anastomosis versus Roux-en-Y anastomosis in laparoscopic distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer. Methods:A case-control study was conducted to retrospectively analyze the clinical data of 110 patients who underwent laparoscopic distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer at the General Hospital of Huainan Oriental Hospital Group from January 2021 to December 2022. According to the different methods of gastrointestinal reconstruction after distal gastrectomy, the patients were divided into an observation group ( n = 61) and a control group ( n = 49). The observation group was treated with Roux-en-Y anastomosis, while the control group received Billroth II anastomosis. The intraoperative blood loss, operation time, postoperative recovery, early postoperative ambulation time, time to first flatus, food intake, length of hospital stay, and complications were compared between the two groups. Results:The operation time in the control group was (140.0 ± 31.5) minutes, which was significantly shorter than that in the observation group [(180.0 ± 30.5) minutes, t = 6.37, P < 0.05]. There were no statistically significant differences in intraoperative blood loss and early postoperative ambulation time between the two groups (both P > 0.05). In the control group, there were 8 cases of alkaline reflux gastritis (16.3%), 3 cases of afferent loop obstruction (6.1%), and 3 cases of dumping syndrome (6.1%). These proportions were significantly higher than those in the observation group, which reported 2 cases of alkaline reflux gastritis (3.3%), 1 case of afferent loop obstruction (1.6%), and 1 case of dumping syndrome (1.6%) (χ2 = 6.15, 4.54, 4.54, all P < 0.05). Conclusion:Using Roux-en-Y anastomosis for gastrointestinal reconstruction in patients undergoing laparoscopic distal gastrectomy for gastric cancer can help prevent against alkaline reflux gastritis, afferent loop obstruction, and dumping syndrome; however, it results in a longer surgical time compared with Billroth II anastomosis.