1.A Systematic Strategy for Discovering First-in-class Anti-fibrotic Drugs from Traditional Chinese Medicine
Wen HUANG ; Guang XIN ; Sanyin ZHANG ; Tao WANG ; Wei CHEN ; Zeliang WEI ; Qilong ZHOU ; Ke LI ; Dan SUN ; Kui YU ; Shilin CHEN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(10):296-307
Pulmonary fibrosis(PF) is a progressive and life-threatening disease with limited therapeutic options, highlighting the urgent need for innovative drug discovery strategies. To address this challenge, the authors propose the formula-originated rational intelligent screening&translation(FIRST), a systematic framework for developing anti-fibrotic monomers derived from classical traditional Chinese medicine(TCM). The strategy integrates three key dimensions, including tissue-oriented intelligent screening of active compounds, structural optimization based on drug-target spatial interactions and plant biosynthetic pathways, and cross-scale validation of drug. We further highlight its applications in discovering tissue-oriented novel drugs from clinically validated TCM, the development and mechanistic elucidation of anti-fibrotic therapeutics, as well as the clinical translation and secondary development of candidate drugs. This strategy paves the way for first-in-class, formula-derived monomeric drugs with defined structures, clarified mechanisms, and proven safety, offering a transformative avenue to meet the urgent therapeutic needs of PF and setting a new paradigm for TCM-based drug innovation.
2.A Systematic Strategy for Discovering First-in-class Anti-fibrotic Drugs from Traditional Chinese Medicine
Wen HUANG ; Guang XIN ; Sanyin ZHANG ; Tao WANG ; Wei CHEN ; Zeliang WEI ; Qilong ZHOU ; Ke LI ; Dan SUN ; Kui YU ; Shilin CHEN
Chinese Journal of Experimental Traditional Medical Formulae 2026;32(10):296-307
Pulmonary fibrosis(PF) is a progressive and life-threatening disease with limited therapeutic options, highlighting the urgent need for innovative drug discovery strategies. To address this challenge, the authors propose the formula-originated rational intelligent screening&translation(FIRST), a systematic framework for developing anti-fibrotic monomers derived from classical traditional Chinese medicine(TCM). The strategy integrates three key dimensions, including tissue-oriented intelligent screening of active compounds, structural optimization based on drug-target spatial interactions and plant biosynthetic pathways, and cross-scale validation of drug. We further highlight its applications in discovering tissue-oriented novel drugs from clinically validated TCM, the development and mechanistic elucidation of anti-fibrotic therapeutics, as well as the clinical translation and secondary development of candidate drugs. This strategy paves the way for first-in-class, formula-derived monomeric drugs with defined structures, clarified mechanisms, and proven safety, offering a transformative avenue to meet the urgent therapeutic needs of PF and setting a new paradigm for TCM-based drug innovation.
3.Morin inhibits ubiquitination degradation of BCL-2 associated agonist of cell death and synergizes with BCL-2 inhibitor in gastric cancer cells.
Yi WANG ; Xiao-Yu SUN ; Fang-Qi MA ; Ming-Ming REN ; Ruo-Han ZHAO ; Meng-Meng QIN ; Xiao-Hong ZHU ; Yan XU ; Ni-da CAO ; Yuan-Yuan CHEN ; Tian-Geng DONG ; Yong-Fu PAN ; Ai-Guang ZHAO
Journal of Integrative Medicine 2025;23(3):320-332
OBJECTIVE:
Gastric cancer (GC) is one of the most common malignancies seen in clinic and requires novel treatment options. Morin is a natural flavonoid extracted from the flower stalk of a highly valuable medicinal plant Prunella vulgaris L., which exhibits an anti-cancer effect in multiple types of tumors. However, the therapeutic effect and underlying mechanism of morin in treating GC remains elusive. The study aims to explore the therapeutic effect and underlying molecular mechanisms of morin in GC.
METHODS:
For in vitro experiments, the proliferation inhibition of morin was measured by cell counting kit-8 assay and colony formation assay in human GC cell line MKN45, human gastric adenocarcinoma cell line AGS, and human gastric epithelial cell line GES-1; for apoptosis analysis, microscopic photography, Western blotting, ubiquitination analysis, quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis, flow cytometry, and RNA interference technology were employed. For in vivo studies, immunohistochemistry, biomedical analysis, and Western blotting were used to assess the efficacy and safety of morin in a xenograft mouse model of GC.
RESULTS:
Morin significantly inhibited the proliferation of GC cells MKN45 and AGS in a dose- and time-dependent manner, but did not inhibit human gastric epithelial cells GES-1. Only the caspase inhibitor Z-VAD-FMK was able to significantly reverse the inhibition of proliferation by morin in both GC cells, suggesting that apoptosis was the main type of cell death during the treatment. Morin induced intrinsic apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner in GC cells, which mainly relied on B cell leukemia/lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) associated agonist of cell death (BAD) but not phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate-induced protein 1. The upregulation of BAD by morin was due to blocking the ubiquitination degradation of BAD, rather than the transcription regulation and the phosphorylation of BAD. Furthermore, the combination of morin and BCL-2 inhibitor navitoclax (also known as ABT-737) produced a synergistic inhibitory effect in GC cells through amplifying apoptotic signals. In addition, morin treatment significantly suppressed the growth of GC in vivo by upregulating BAD and the subsequent activation of its downstream apoptosis pathway.
CONCLUSION
Morin suppressed GC by inducing apoptosis, which was mainly due to blocking the ubiquitination-based degradation of the pro-apoptotic protein BAD. The combination of morin and the BCL-2 inhibitor ABT-737 synergistically amplified apoptotic signals in GC cells, which may overcome the drug resistance of the BCL-2 inhibitor. These findings indicated that morin was a potent and promising agent for GC treatment. Please cite this article as: Wang Y, Sun XY, Ma FQ, Ren MM, Zhao RH, Qin MM, Zhu XH, Xu Y, Cao ND, Chen YY, Dong TG, Pan YF, Zhao AG. Morin inhibits ubiquitination degradation of BCL-2 associated agonist of cell death and synergizes with BCL-2 inhibitor in gastric cancer cells. J Integr Med. 2025; 23(3): 320-332.
Humans
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Flavonoids/therapeutic use*
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Stomach Neoplasms/pathology*
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Animals
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Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2/metabolism*
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Cell Line, Tumor
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Apoptosis/drug effects*
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Cell Proliferation/drug effects*
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Ubiquitination/drug effects*
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Mice
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Drug Synergism
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Mice, Inbred BALB C
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Mice, Nude
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Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
;
Flavones
4.Independent and Interactive Effects of Air Pollutants, Meteorological Factors, and Green Space on Tuberculosis Incidence in Shanghai.
Qi YE ; Jing CHEN ; Ya Ting JI ; Xiao Yu LU ; Jia le DENG ; Nan LI ; Wei WEI ; Ren Jie HOU ; Zhi Yuan LI ; Jian Bang XIANG ; Xu GAO ; Xin SHEN ; Chong Guang YANG
Biomedical and Environmental Sciences 2025;38(7):792-809
OBJECTIVE:
To assess the independent and combined effects of air pollutants, meteorological factors, and greenspace exposure on new tuberculosis (TB) cases.
METHODS:
TB case data from Shanghai (2013-2018) were obtained from the Shanghai Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Environmental data on air pollutants, meteorological variables, and greenspace exposure were obtained from the National Tibetan Plateau Data Center. We employed a distributed-lag nonlinear model to assess the effects of these environmental factors on TB cases.
RESULTS:
Increased TB risk was linked to PM 2.5, PM 10, and rainfall, whereas NO 2, SO 2, and air pressure were associated with a reduced risk. Specifically, the strongest cumulative effects occurred at various lags: PM 2.5 ( RR = 1.166, 95% CI: 1.026-1.325) at 0-19 weeks; PM 10 ( RR = 1.167, 95% CI: 1.028-1.324) at 0-18 weeks; NO 2 ( RR = 0.968, 95% CI: 0.938-0.999) at 0-1 weeks; SO 2 ( RR = 0.945, 95% CI: 0.894-0.999) at 0-2 weeks; air pressure ( RR = 0.604, 95% CI: 0.447-0.816) at 0-8 weeks; and rainfall ( RR = 1.404, 95% CI: 1.076-1.833) at 0-22 weeks. Green space exposure did not significantly impact TB cases. Additionally, low temperatures amplified the effect of PM 2.5 on TB.
CONCLUSION
Exposure to PM 2.5, PM 10, and rainfall increased the risk of TB, highlighting the need to address air pollutants for the prevention of TB in Shanghai.
China/epidemiology*
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Humans
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Air Pollutants/analysis*
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Tuberculosis/epidemiology*
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Incidence
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Meteorological Concepts
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Particulate Matter/adverse effects*
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Environmental Exposure
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Male
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Female
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Adult
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Air Pollution
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Middle Aged
5.Effects of high-fat diet intake on pharmacokinetics of rabeprazole sodium enteric-coated tablets in healthy Chinese subjects
Cai-hui GUO ; Yu-fang XU ; Cong-yang DING ; Guang-tao HAO ; Hao-jing SONG ; Xue SUN ; Zhan-jun DONG ; Wan-jun BAI
The Chinese Journal of Clinical Pharmacology 2025;41(2):225-229
Objective To evaluate the effects of fasting and high-fat diet on the pharmacokinetics of rabeprazole sodium enteric-coated tablets in healthy Chinese subjects.Methods A single-center,randomized,open,two-agent,two-sequence,four-cycle,fully repeated crossover,single-dose trial design was used in this study,healthy subjects were assigned to receive single dose of rabeprazole sodium enteric-coated tablets 0.1 g in either fasting or high-fat diet state,and blood samples were taken at different time points,respectively.The concentrations of rabeprazole sodium enteric-coated in plasma were determined by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry(LC-MS/MS),the model method of the non-compartmental was used to calculate the pharmacokinetic parameters by Phoenix WinNonlin 8.2.Results The main pharmacokinetic parameters of rabeprazole sodium enteric-coated tablets in fasting state and high-fat diet state were as follows:Cmax were(339.63±156.47)and(318.86±132.13)ng·mL-1;t1/2 were(2.34±0.68)and(3.60±2.40)h;AUC0_t were(556.62±251.65)and(528.50±201.78)ng·mL-1·h;AUC0-∞ were(563.39±255.69)and(535.15±203.24)ng·mL-1·h;tmax were 3.65 and 6.99 h.After high-fat diet,the Cmax and AUC of rapeprazole sodium after high-fat and high-calorie diet decreased,Cmax decreased by 6.12%,AUC0-t decreased by 5.05%,AUC0-∞ decreased by 5.01%,andtmaxwas delayed by about 3.34 h.Cmax,AUC0-t and AUC0-∞ 90%confidence interval were 73.13%-115.10%,83.22%-112.28%and 83.40%-112.13%,respectively.Neither was between 85.00%-125.00%.Conclusion High-fat diet affects the absorption rate and degree of rabeprazole sodium enteric-coated,so it is suitable to be administered on an empty stomach.
6.Complete genomic sequence analysis of the G6P1bovine rotavirus BLL strain
Jin-hua ZHANG ; Xia-fei LIU ; Jun-jie YU ; Jia-xin FAN ; Ming-yue WANG ; Guang-ping XIONG ; Yi-peng WANG ; Dan-di LI ; Xiao-man SUN ; Li-li PANG ; Zhao-jun DUAN
Chinese Journal of Zoonoses 2025;41(1):8-14
Bovine rotavirus(BRV)is an important pathogen causing diarrhea in calves.To understand the genomic charac-teristics and genetic variations in bovine rotavirus,and to further enrich data on the biological characteristics of rotavirus,we aimed to amplify 11 gene segments of the isolated and cultured G6P[1]bovine rotavirus BLL strain,perform whole genome se-quencing,and analyze the molecular characteristics.MEGA7.0 and DNAMAN software were used for homology and typing a-nalysis,and the whole genome phylogenetic tree was constructed to analyze genetic evolution relationships.The complete geno-type of the BLL strain was G6-P[1]-I2-R2-C2-M2-A3-N2-T6-E2-H3.Phylogenetic analysis of the VP7 and VP4 genes of the BLL strain showed that the VP7 gene had the highest homology with RVA/Cow-wt/HB01/China/2021,and the VP4 gene of the BLL strain was in the same branch as RVA/Human-tc/ISR/Ro8059/1995.From the sequence alignment of VP8*amino acids,the sialic acid domain of the BLL strain was found to be similar to that in other P[1]strains,but different from those in other types of strains,except for residue 189,which was the same as that in Ro8059 but different from that in other strains.The results suggested that the BLL strain might potentially infect humans.Therefore,continued monitoring and study of the biological characteristics of this strain are necessary to provide more information and evidence supporting further research on the cross-species transmission of group A rotavirus in China.
7.Aldolase A accelerates hepatocarcinogenesis by refactoring c-Jun transcription
Xin YANG ; Guang-Yuan MA ; Xiao-Qiang LI ; Na TANG ; Yang SUN ; Xiao-Wei HAO ; Ke-Han WU ; Yu-Bo WANG ; Wen TIAN ; Xin FAN ; Zezhi LI ; Caixia FENG ; Xu CHAO ; Yu-Fan WANG ; Yao LIU ; Di LI ; Wei CAO
Journal of Pharmaceutical Analysis 2025;15(7):1634-1651
Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)expresses abundant glycolytic enzymes and displays comprehensive glucose metabolism reprogramming.Aldolase A(ALDOA)plays a prominent role in glycolysis;however,little is known about its role in HCC development.In the present study,we aim to explore how ALDOA is involved in HCC proliferation.HCC proliferation was markedly suppressed both in vitro and in vivo following ALDOA knockout,which is consistent with ALDOA overexpression encouraging HCC prolifera-tion.Mechanistically,ALDOA knockout partially limits the glycolytic flux in HCC cells.Meanwhile,ALDOA translocated to nuclei and directly interacted with c-Jun to facilitate its Thr93 phosphorylation by P21-activated protein kinase;ALDOA knockout markedly diminished c-Jun Thr93 phosphorylation and then dampened c-Jun transcription function.A crucial site Y364 mutation in ALDOA disrupted its interaction with c-Jun,and Y364S ALDOA expression failed to rescue cell proliferation in ALDOA deletion cells.In HCC patients,the expression level of ALDOA was correlated with the phosphorylation level of c-Jun(Thr93)and poor prognosis.Remarkably,hepatic ALDOA was significantly upregulated in the promotion and progression stages of diethylnitrosamine-induced HCC models,and the knockdown of Aldoa strikingly decreased HCC development in vivo.Our study demonstrated that ALDOA is a vital driver for HCC development by activating c-Jun-mediated oncogene transcription,opening additional avenues for anti-cancer therapies.
8.YOD1 regulates microglial homeostasis by deubiquitinating MYH9 to promote the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease.
Jinfeng SUN ; Fan CHEN ; Lingyu SHE ; Yuqing ZENG ; Hao TANG ; Bozhi YE ; Wenhua ZHENG ; Li XIONG ; Liwei LI ; Luyao LI ; Qin YU ; Linjie CHEN ; Wei WANG ; Guang LIANG ; Xia ZHAO
Acta Pharmaceutica Sinica B 2025;15(1):331-348
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the major form of dementia in the elderly and is closely related to the toxic effects of microglia sustained activation. In AD, sustained microglial activation triggers impaired synaptic pruning, neuroinflammation, neurotoxicity, and cognitive deficits. Accumulating evidence has demonstrated that aberrant expression of deubiquitinating enzymes is associated with regulating microglia function. Here, we use RNA sequencing to identify a deubiquitinase YOD1 as a regulator of microglial function and AD pathology. Further study showed that YOD1 knockout significantly improved the migration, phagocytosis, and inflammatory response of microglia, thereby improving the cognitive impairment of AD model mice. Through LC-MS/MS analysis combined with Co-IP, we found that Myosin heavy chain 9 (MYH9), a key regulator maintaining microglia homeostasis, is an interacting protein of YOD1. Mechanistically, YOD1 binds to MYH9 and maintains its stability by removing the K48 ubiquitin chain from MYH9, thereby mediating the microglia polarization signaling pathway to mediate microglia homeostasis. Taken together, our study reveals a specific role of microglial YOD1 in mediating microglia homeostasis and AD pathology, which provides a potential strategy for targeting microglia to treat AD.
9.Single-nucleus transcriptomics decodes the link between aging and lumbar disc herniation.
Min WANG ; Zan HE ; Anqi WANG ; Shuhui SUN ; Jiaming LI ; Feifei LIU ; Chunde LI ; Chengxian YANG ; Jinghui LEI ; Yan YU ; Shuai MA ; Si WANG ; Weiqi ZHANG ; Zhengrong YU ; Guang-Hui LIU ; Jing QU
Protein & Cell 2025;16(8):667-684
Lumbar disc (LD) herniation and aging are prevalent conditions that can result in substantial morbidity. This study aimed to clarify the mechanisms connecting the LD aging and herniation, particularly focusing on cellular senescence and molecular alterations in the nucleus pulposus (NP). We performed a detailed analysis of NP samples from a diverse cohort, including individuals of varying ages and those with diagnosed LD herniation. Our methodology combined histological assessments with single-nucleus RNA sequencing to identify phenotypic and molecular changes related to NP aging and herniation. We discovered that cellular senescence and a decrease in nucleus pulposus progenitor cells (NPPCs) are central to both processes. Additionally, we found an age-related increase in NFAT1 expression that promotes NPPC senescence and contributes to both aging and herniation of LD. This research offers fresh insights into LD aging and its associated pathologies, potentially guiding the development of new therapeutic strategies to target the root causes of LD herniation and aging.
Intervertebral Disc Displacement/metabolism*
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Humans
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Aging/pathology*
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Nucleus Pulposus/pathology*
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Male
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Female
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Transcriptome
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Middle Aged
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Lumbar Vertebrae/pathology*
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Adult
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Cellular Senescence
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Stem Cells/pathology*
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Aged
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Intervertebral Disc Degeneration/metabolism*
10.Gallstones, cholecystectomy, and cancer risk: an observational and Mendelian randomization study.
Yuanyue ZHU ; Linhui SHEN ; Yanan HUO ; Qin WAN ; Yingfen QIN ; Ruying HU ; Lixin SHI ; Qing SU ; Xuefeng YU ; Li YAN ; Guijun QIN ; Xulei TANG ; Gang CHEN ; Yu XU ; Tiange WANG ; Zhiyun ZHAO ; Zhengnan GAO ; Guixia WANG ; Feixia SHEN ; Xuejiang GU ; Zuojie LUO ; Li CHEN ; Qiang LI ; Zhen YE ; Yinfei ZHANG ; Chao LIU ; Youmin WANG ; Shengli WU ; Tao YANG ; Huacong DENG ; Lulu CHEN ; Tianshu ZENG ; Jiajun ZHAO ; Yiming MU ; Weiqing WANG ; Guang NING ; Jieli LU ; Min XU ; Yufang BI ; Weiguo HU
Frontiers of Medicine 2025;19(1):79-89
This study aimed to comprehensively examine the association of gallstones, cholecystectomy, and cancer risk. Multivariable logistic regressions were performed to estimate the observational associations of gallstones and cholecystectomy with cancer risk, using data from a nationwide cohort involving 239 799 participants. General and gender-specific two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was further conducted to assess the causalities of the observed associations. Observationally, a history of gallstones without cholecystectomy was associated with a high risk of stomach cancer (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)=2.54, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.50-4.28), liver and bile duct cancer (aOR=2.46, 95% CI 1.17-5.16), kidney cancer (aOR=2.04, 95% CI 1.05-3.94), and bladder cancer (aOR=2.23, 95% CI 1.01-5.13) in the general population, as well as cervical cancer (aOR=1.69, 95% CI 1.12-2.56) in women. Moreover, cholecystectomy was associated with high odds of stomach cancer (aOR=2.41, 95% CI 1.29-4.49), colorectal cancer (aOR=1.83, 95% CI 1.18-2.85), and cancer of liver and bile duct (aOR=2.58, 95% CI 1.11-6.02). MR analysis only supported the causal effect of gallstones on stomach, liver and bile duct, kidney, and bladder cancer. This study added evidence to the causal effect of gallstones on stomach, liver and bile duct, kidney, and bladder cancer, highlighting the importance of cancer screening in individuals with gallstones.
Humans
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Mendelian Randomization Analysis
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Gallstones/complications*
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Female
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Male
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Cholecystectomy/statistics & numerical data*
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Middle Aged
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Risk Factors
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Aged
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Adult
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Neoplasms/etiology*
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Stomach Neoplasms/epidemiology*

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