Background: High-mobility group box protein 1 (HMGB1) is a chromatin-binding protein involved in arthritis, ischemia, sepsis, atherosclerosis, neurodegenerative disorders, meningitis, and cancer. HMGB1 exhibits dual roles in cancer, acting as either a tumor suppressor or oncoprotein depending on context. Objective: This research aimed to elucidate HMGB1’s functional significance in cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC). Methods: We overexpressed HMGB1 in cSCC cell lines using recombinant adenovirus and examined its effects on cell proliferation, colony formation, and cell migration. Results: Immunohistochemical analysis revealed elevated HMGB1 expression levels in cSCC tissue relative to normal epidermis. To assess the influence of HMGB1, we employed recombinant adenoviruses expressing HMGB1 to transduce SCC cell lines (SCC12 and SCC13). Enhanced HMGB1 expression significantly promoted cellular proliferation and colony formation capacity.Notably, HMGB1 overexpression elevated the levels of proliferation regulators, including P63, SOX2, CDK4 and CDK6. Furthermore, HMGB1 overexpression substantially enhanced tumor invasiveness, accompanied by upregulation of epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) biomarkers. Mechanistically, overexpression of HMGB1 enhanced transforming growth factor-β signaling by increasing phosphorylation of SMAD2/3, the key mediators of EMT. Conclusion These data imply that HMGB1 acts as a tumor-promoting factor in cSCC.

ObjectiveTo explore the quantity-quality transfer process of medicinal materials， decoction pieces and standard decoction of Haliotidis Concha（Haliotis discus hannai） by analyzing the physical phase and compositional changes， so as to provide references for the effective control of its quality. MethodsA total of 20 batches of Haliotidis Concha（H. discus hannai） from different habitats were collected and prepared into corresponding calcined products and standard decoction， and the content of CaCO₃ of the three samples were determined and the extract yield and transfer rate of CaCO₃ were calculated. The changes in elemental composition and their relative contents were investigated by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry（XRF）， X-ray diffraction（XRD） was used to study the changes in the phase compositions of the three samples and to establish their respective XRD specific chromatogram. Fourier transform infrared spectrometry（FTIR） was used to study the changes in the chemical composition and content changes of the three samples and to establish their respective FTIR specific chromatogram， while combining hierarchical cluster analysis（HCA）， principal component analysis（PCA） and orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis（OPLS-DA） to find the common and differential characteristics， in order to explore the quantity-quality transfer relationship in the preparation process of standard decoction of Haliotidis Concha（H. discus hannai）. ResultsThe CaCO₃ contents of the 20 batches of medicinal materials， decoction pieces and standard decoction of Haliotidis Concha（H. discus hannai） were 93.87%-98.95%， 96.02%-99.97% and 38.29%-51.96%， respectively， and the extract yield of standard decoction was 1.71%-2.37%， and the CaCO₃ transfer rate of decoction pieces-standard decoction was 0.68%-1.27%. XRF results showed that the elemental species and their relative contents contained in Haliotidis Concha and its calcined products had a high degree of similarity， and although there was no obvious difference in the elemental species contained in decoction pieces and standard decoction， the difference in the relative contents was obvious， which was mainly reflected in the decrease of the relative content of element Ca and the increase of the relative content of element Na. XRD results showed that Haliotidis Concha mainly contained CaCO₃ of aragonite and calcite， while calcined Haliotidis Concha only contained CaCO₃ of calcite， and standard decoction mainly contained CaCO₃ of calcite and Na₂CO₃ of natrite. FTIR results showed that there were internal vibrations of O-H， C-H， C=O， HCO₃^- and CO₃^2- groups in Haliotidis Concha， while O-H， HCO₃^- and CO₃^2- groups existed in the calcined products and standard decoction. ConclusionThe changes of Haliotidis Concha and calcined Haliotidis Concha are mainly the increase of CaCO₃ content， the transformation of CaCO₃ aragonite crystal form to calcite crystal form and the absence of organic components after calcination， and the changes of calcined products and standard decoction are mainly the decrease of CaCO₃ content and the increase of Na₂CO₃ relative content. The method established in the study is applicable to the quality control of the shellfish medicines-decoction pieces- standard decoction， which provides a new idea for the study of quality control of dispensing granules of shellfish medicines.

Glioma is the most common primary malignant tumor of the central nervous system in adults. Despite the standard treatment of surgery combined with radiotherapy and chemotherapy, the prognosis for high-grade glioma patients remains poor, highlighting the urgent need to further explore its pathogenesis and develop new therapeutic strategies. This article reviews the research progress in the field of glioma in China in 2024, covering tumorigenesis mechanisms, tumor immune microenvironment composition, advances in imaging techniques and novel imaging agents, improvements in surgical approaches, mechanisms of radio- and chemoresistance, and explorations of new therapeutic modalities. These studies provide a solid theoretical foundation for advancing clinical diagnosis and treatment of gliomas and may offer new opportunities to improve patient outcomes.

Lymphoma is a highly heterogeneous malignancy characterized by complex molecular regulatory mechanisms that result in significant differences in aggressiveness and prognosis across its subtypes.Gene copy number alteration(CNA)analysis,an emerging technology,has become a pivotal tool in the precision re-search and management of lymphoma.By detecting DNA deletions,amplifications,and chromosomal copy number changes,CNA analysis addresses the limitations of traditional cytogenetic techniques,enhances the ac-curacy of subtype classification,and aids in evaluating tumor heterogeneity and disease progression.This re-view provides a comprehensive summary of CNA detection methods and their applications in lymphoma,with a focus on recent advancements in the field.It offers a comparative analysis of CNA detection techniques and discusses their role in precision diagnosis,subtype classification,monitoring disease progression,predicting therapeutic resistance,and assessing prognosis.Additionally,the review explores the potential applications of CNA analysis in uncovering molecular regulatory mechanisms,optimizing therapeutic strategies,and impro-ving patient survival outcomes.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the functional roles and underlying mechanisms of neferine in the context of angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced hypertension and vascular dysfunction. METHODS: Male mice were infused with Ang II to induce hypertension and randomly divided into treatment groups receiving neferine or a control vehicle based on baseline blood pressure using a random number table method. The hypertensive mouse model was constructed by infusing Ang II via a micro-osmotic pump (500 ng/kg per minute), and neferine (0.1, 1, or 10 mg/kg), valsartan (10 mg/kg), or double distilled water was administered intragastrically once daily for 6 weeks. A non-invasive blood pressure system, ultrasound, and hematoxylin and eosin staining were performed to assess blood pressure and vascular changes. RNA sequencing and network pharmacology were employed to identify differentially expressed transcripts (DETs) and pathways. Vascular ring tension assay was used to test vascular function. A7R5 cells were incubated with neferine for 24 h and then treated with Ang II to record the real-time Ca²⁺ concentration by confocal microscope. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and Western blot were used to evaluate vasorelaxation, calcium, and the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)1/2 pathway. RESULTS: Neferine treatment effectively mitigated the elevation in blood pressure, pulse wave velocity, aortic thickening in the abdominal aorta of Ang II-infused mice (P<0.05). RNA sequencing and network pharmacology analysis identified 355 DETs that were significantly reversed by neferine treatment, along with 25 potential target genes, which were further enriched in multiple pathways and biological processes, such as ERK1 and ERK2 cascade regulation, calcium pathway, and vascular smooth muscle contraction. Further investigation revealed that neferine treatment enhanced vasorelaxation and reduced Ca²⁺-dependent contraction of abdominal aortic rings, independent of endothelium function (P<0.05). The underlying mechanisms were mediated, at least in part, via suppression of receptor-operated channels, store-operated channels, or voltage-operated calcium channels. Neferine pre-treatment demonstrated a reduction in intracellular Ca²⁺ release in Ang II stimulated A7R5 cells. IHC staining and Western blot confirmed that neferine treatment effectively attenuated the upregulation of p-ERK1/2 both in vivo and in vitro, which was similar with treatment of ERK1/2 inhibitor PD98059 (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS Neferine remarkably alleviates Ang II-induced elevation of blood pressure, vascular dysfunction, and pathological changes in the abdominal aorta. This beneficial effect is mediated by the modulation of multiple pathways, including calcium and ERK1/2 pathways.
Animals ; Angiotensin II ; Male ; Benzylisoquinolines/therapeutic use* ; Network Pharmacology ; Blood Pressure/drug effects* ; Sequence Analysis, RNA ; Mice ; Hypertension/chemically induced* ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Calcium/metabolism*

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is a naturally occurring, low-toxicity, and hydrophilic bile acid (BA) in the human body that is converted by intestinal flora using primary BA. Solute carrier family 7 member 11 (SLC7A11) functions to uptake extracellular cystine in exchange for glutamate, and is highly expressed in a variety of human cancers. Retroperitoneal liposarcoma (RLPS) refers to liposarcoma originating from the retroperitoneal area. Lipidomics analysis revealed that UDCA was one of the most significantly downregulated metabolites in sera of RLPS patients compared with healthy subjects. The augmentation of UDCA concentration (≥25 μg/mL) demonstrated a suppressive effect on the proliferation of liposarcoma cells. [¹⁵N₂]-cystine and [¹³C₅]-glutamine isotope tracing revealed that UDCA impairs cystine uptake and glutathione (GSH) synthesis. Mechanistically, UDCA binds to the cystine transporter SLC7A11 to inhibit cystine uptake and impair GSH de novo synthesis, leading to reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and mitochondrial oxidative damage. Furthermore, UDCA can promote the anti-cancer effects of ferroptosis inducers (Erastin, RSL3), the murine double minute 2 (MDM2) inhibitors (Nutlin 3a, RG7112), cyclin dependent kinase 4 (CDK4) inhibitor (Abemaciclib), and glutaminase inhibitor (CB839). Together, UDCA functions as a cystine exchange factor that binds to SLC7A11 for antitumor activity, and SLC7A11 is not only a new transporter for BA but also a clinically applicable target for UDCA. More importantly, in combination with other antitumor chemotherapy or physiotherapy treatments, UDCA may provide effective and promising treatment strategies for RLPS or other types of tumors in a ROS-dependent manner.

Background: Maturity-onset diabetes of the young (MODY) due to variants of hepatocyte nuclear factor 1-beta (HNF1β) (MODY5) has not been well studied in the Chinese population. This study aimed to estimate its prevalence and evaluate the application of a clinical screening method (Faguer score) in Chinese early-onset diabetes (EOD) patients. Methods: Among 679 EOD patients clinically diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (age at diagnosis ≤40 years), the exons of HNF1β were sequenced. Functional impact of rare variants was evaluated using a dual-luciferase reporter system. Faguer scores ≥8 prompted multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) for large deletions. Pathogenicity of HNF1β variants was assessed following the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) guidelines. Results: Two rare HNF1β missense mutations (E105K and G454R) were identified by sequencing in five patients, showing functional impact in vitro. Another patient was found to have a whole-gene deletion by MLPA in 22 patients with the Faguer score above 8. Following ACMG guidelines, six patients carrying pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant were diagnosed with MODY5. The estimated prevalence of MODY5 in Chinese EOD patients was approximately 0.9% or higher. Conclusion MODY5 is not uncommon in China. The Faguer score is helpful in deciding whether to perform MLPA analysis on patients with negative sequencing results.

Regarding the challenge of early identification of critically ill patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease(AECOPD),a radiomics-clinical fusion model is proposed based on non-contrast CT images of accessory respiratory muscles to predict life-threatening conditions.A retrospective study is conducted involving 233 AECOPD patients(153 non-life-threatening and 80 life-threatening cases).Patients are divided into a training set(n=186)and a test set(n=47)at a 4:1 ratio.A total of 1 874 radiomic features are extracted from the erector spinae and pectoralis muscle regions delineated by radiologists on non-contrast CT images,and the features selection is performed using maximum relevance minimum redundancy and least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO)algorithms.Meanwhile,clinical data are analyzed with t-test and LASSO for variable screening.The selected features are input into C-support vector classification,Logistic regression,random forest,adaptive boosting(AdaBoost),and extreme gradient boosting(XGBoost)to construct radiomics model,clinical model,and fusion model.Predictive performance and clinical practicality are evaluated in the test set using receiver operating characteristic curve,area under the curve(AUC),and decision curve analysis.The radiomics-clinical fusion model built with XGBoost outperformed standalone radiomics and clinical models,achieving an AUC of 0.902(95％CI 0.846,0.994),with accuracy,sensitivity,specificity,and precision of 0.837,0.933,0.786,and 0.7,respectively.Results demonstrate that the fusion model based on the non-contrast CT radiomics of accessory respiratory muscles and clinical data exhibits promising diagnostic performance,highlighting its potential clinical significance for stratified management and preemptive critical care intervention in AECOPD patients.

Aim To explore the mechanism of Jiawei Shaofu Zhuyu decoction in antagonizing endometriosis fibrosis by regulating mitophagy.Methods After the animal model was constructed,the syndrome was evalu-ated by general condition,organ water content and ther-mal imaging.The curative effect was evaluated by the weight of ectopic focus and the degree of adhesion.The pathological changes were compared using HE stai-ning,transmission electron microscopy,Masson and Sir-ius red staining.The expression of PINK1 and Parkin was detected by immunohistochemistry.The expression of mRNA and protein was determined by qPCR and Western blot,and the level of serum ROS was detected by ELISA.Results The autonomic activity of model mice was weakened,the water content of organs rose,and the temperature of limbs and lower abdomen was reduced by thermal imaging.HE staining showed obvi-ous hyperplasia of ectopic epithelium and glands.Transmission electron microscopy showed mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum structure damage,and nor-mal autophagy structure disappeared.Masson and Siri-us red staining showed increased collagen deposition;immunohistochemistry showed decreased expression of PINK1 and Parkin in ectopic foci.qPCR and Western blot showed that the expression of PINK1,Parkin,Bec-lin1,LC3 mRNA and protein in ectopic foci of model mice decreased,the expression of p62 mRNA and pro-tein increased,and serum ROS increased.The syn-drome performance of model mice was improved after the intervention of Jiawei Shaofu Zhuyu decoction;the inflammatory infiltration of ectopic foci was relieved,the morphology of mitochondria and endoplasmic retic-ulum was restored,and normal autophagy structure ap-peared.The degree of collagen deposition and fibrosis was reduced;the mRNA and protein expression of PINK1,Parkin,Beclin1 and LC3 increased.The ex-pression of p62 mRNA and protein decreased,and the level of ROS decreased.Conclusions Jiawei Shaofu Zhuyu decoction can improve the fibrosis of ectopic le-sions in mice with endometriosis of cold-dampness sta-sis syndrome,which may be related to the regulation of mitophagy.

Objective To analyze the applicability of Berg Balance Scale(BBS)in the balance assessment of Parkinson's disease(PD)patients with balancing instrument test as the standard,so as to formulate targeted intervention programs accordingly.Methods A total of 186 patients with PD admitted to Department of Neurology and Department of Rehabilitation Medicine,Huashan Hospital,Fudan University from Jan 2020 to Sep 2022 were selected as the research objects.The static balance function of the patients was evaluated by balancing instrument.The balance function parameters were analyzed according to BBS and levodopa equivalent dose.Results The drug dose did not affect the score of balance instrument.There was a good correlation between BBS and balance instrument.The higher the scale score,the lower the balance instrument score(r=-0.333,P<0.001).There was a positive correlation between levodopa equivalent dose and item 11 of BBS in subjects with BBS total score of 21-40(r=0.715,P=0.046).There was a significant negative correlation between levodopa equivalent dose and item 6 of BBS in subjects with BBS total score of 51-56(r=-0.300,P=0.001).The number of people who lost the most points in BBS from large to small was item 14 of standing on one leg(134 cases),item 13 of standing without support with one foot in front(122 cases),item 11 of turning 360 degrees(75 cases),item 8 of reaching forward with outstretched arms(70 cases),and item 12 of placing one feet alternately on a step or a stool(56 cases).Conclusion In the absence of balancing instrument,BBS has good clinical applicability in the evaluation of PD patients,and some items can be focused on according to the lost points.