1.Research progress and clinical challenges in immunosuppressive regimens for xenotransplantation
Yu ZHANG ; Kun WANG ; Xuyuan ZHU ; Yuxiang CHEN ; Tao LI ; Xiaojie MA ; Hongtao JIANG
Organ Transplantation 2026;17(1):28-35
As a pivotal strategy to alleviate the shortage of organ donors, xenotransplantation has achieved remarkable advances in both pre-clinical and clinical studies in recent years, driven by continuous optimization of gene modification techniques and immunosuppressive regimens. Nevertheless, clinical translation still confronts formidable challenges, including rejection and heightened infection risks, which severely compromise long-term graft survival. Consequently, the role of immunosuppressive regimens in xenotransplantation has become increasingly prominent. This article summarizes the mechanisms underlying xenogeneic immune rejection, the latest developments in immunosuppressive regimens, cutting-edge strategies for inducing immune tolerance and the major hurdles facing clinical xenotransplantation. It delves into potential optimization strategies and directions for future clinical research, aiming to offer theoretical insights and practical guidance for the safe and effective application of clinical xenotransplantation.
2.Clinical features of muscle changes and related risk factors in patients with porto-sinusoidal vascular disorder
Ruijia LI ; Yuxiang GONG ; Yu ZHANG ; Shasha LI ; Yongfeng YANG
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2026;42(3):639-646
ObjectiveTo investigate the prevalence of muscle changes (including sarcopenia and myosteatosis) and related influencing factors in patients with porto-sinusoidal vascular disorder (PSVD), and to provide a theoretical basis for the early identification, prevention, and intervention of muscle changes in PSVD patients. MethodsA total of 132 PSVD patients who were diagnosed in Nanjing Second Hospital from July 2017 to July 2024 were enrolled as case group, and the hospital staff who underwent physical examination in 2025 were enrolled as healthy control group. Propensity score matching was performed based on age and sex at a ratio of 1∶1. According to muscle status assessed by abdominal CT, the subjects were divided into non-muscle change group, mild muscle change group (myosteatosis alone), and severe muscle change group (sarcopenia alone or sarcopenia comorbid with myosteatosis), with the type and severity of muscle change as the exposure factors. General information, laboratory tests, L3-level CT images, and liver biopsy data were collected for the patients in the case group, and general information and CT images were collected for the individuals in the healthy control group. Sarcopenia was diagnosed by measuring skeletal muscle index at the L3 level (<44.77 cm2/m2 for men and <32.50 cm2/m2 for women), and myosteatosis was defined by mean muscle attenuation combined with BMI (BMI <24.9 kg/m2 with attenuation <41 HU or BMI ≥25 kg/m2 with attenuation <33 HU). Demographic, laboratory, and clinical parameters were compared between the case group and the healthy control group. The independent-samples t test was used for comparison of normally distributed continuous data between groups, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for comparison of non-normally distributed continuous data between groups; the chi-square test or the Fisher’s exact test was used for comparison of categorical data between groups. The univariate and multivariate Logistic regression analyses were used to identify the factors associated with sarcopenia in PSVD. ResultsAmong the 132 patients with PSVD, there were 83 patients with portal hypertension (PH) and 49 patients without PH, and there were significant differences between these two groups in age, albumin, albumin/globulin ratio, leukocyte count, neutrophil count, red blood cell count, platelet count, direct bilirubin, indirect bilirubin, hemoglobin, blood calcium, cholinesterase, total bile acid, triglyceride, total cholesterol, prothrombin time, international normalized ratio, activated partial thromboplastin time, decompensation, gastroesophageal or ectopic varices, bleeding and ascites (all P<0.05). The analyses after matching showed that compared with the healthy control group, the case group had significantly higher prevalence rates of abnormal muscle structure (43.18% vs 18.94%, P<0.001), mild muscle changes (22.73% vs 7.58%, P<0.001), and severe muscle changes (20.45% vs 11.36%, P<0.001). Further comparison showed that there was no significant difference in the proportion of patients with muscle changes between the PSVD patients with PH and those without PH (42.17% vs 44.90%, P=0.760). The binary Logistic regression analysis with the presence or absence of muscle changes as the dependent variable showed that age (odds ratio [OR]=1.05, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02 — 1.09, P<0.05), subcutaneous fat index (OR=1.03, 95%CI: 1.01 — 1.06, P<0.05), hemoglobin (OR=0.97, 95%CI: 0.95 — 0.99, P<0.05), and thrombin time (OR=1.26, 95%CI: 1.06 — 1.49, P<0.05) were independent influencing factors for muscle changes in PSVD patients. The multivariate ordinal Logistic regression analysis with the severity of muscle changes as the dependent variable showed that age (OR=1.04, 95%CI: 1.01 — 1.07, P<0.05) and thrombin time (OR=1.17, 95%CI: 1.01 — 1.36, P<0.05) were independent risk factors for the grading of muscle changes. ConclusionMuscle changes are common in PSVD patients, and these changes may be caused by PSVD itself rather than PH. Age, fat distribution, thrombin time, and hemoglobin are important influencing factors for muscle changes.
3.3D printed poly-L-lactic acid bone scaffolds in repair of bone defects
Fengli YANG ; Chao ZHOU ; Wei XIONG ; Yuxiang ZHOU ; Dengshun LI ; Xin WANG ; Zhanzhen LI
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2026;30(2):507-515
BACKGROUND:3D-printed bone tissue engineering scaffolds have obvious advantages in the research and clinical treatment of bone defect repair.As one of the important raw materials for 3D printed bone scaffolds,poly-L-lactic acid has a great potential for application in performing bone defect repair,but clinical patients with different bone defect causative factors have different requirements for the comprehensive performance of poly-L-lactic acid bone scaffolds.OBJECTIVE:To summarize and review the development of 3D printing technology and poly-L-lactic acid scaffolds and the design strategies chosen for scaffolds for bone repair in the setting of bone diseases such as osteomyelitis,bone tumor,osteonecrosis,and osteoporosis.METHODS:Literature from CNKI,WanFang,PubMed,Science Direct,and Web of Science databases were searched and screened from 1994 to 2024.Search terms were"3D printing,polylactic acid,bone tissue engineering scaffold,osteomyelitis,bone tumor,osteonecrosis,osteoporosis,bone defect"in Chinese and English.The screened 62 articles were systematically summarized and analyzed.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Poly-L-lactic acid is considered to be an ideal raw material for artificial bone scaffold design due to its non-toxicity,processability,biocompatibility,and ability to self-degrade in the human environment.The application of 3D printing technology has enabled poly-L-lactic acid bone scaffolds to meet the multilayered and porous structural design requirements of biomimetic artificial bone repair materials,and to optimize the mechanical properties for better bone repair.(2)According to different bone disease microenvironments,timely adjustment of the functional design of poly-L-lactic acid scaffolds is important for the comprehensive osteogenic efficacy of the scaffolds.The article discusses the application of poly-L-lactic acid scaffolds in bone disease environments such as osteomyelitis,bone tumor,osteonecrosis,and osteoporosis,and highlights the importance of rationally grasping the timing of bone disease treatment and bone tissue regeneration for bone defects caused by different bone diseases.(3)Although poly-L-lactic acid scaffolds show potential in bone repair,there are still some problems,such as the need to further optimize the structural design of the scaffolds to fit new bone regeneration,enhance the bioactivity of the scaffolds,and take into account other functions(e.g.,antimicrobial,anti-tumor,and anti-osteoporosis)in order to adapt to the needs of bone tissue repair in different pathological environments.
4.3D printed poly-L-lactic acid bone scaffolds in repair of bone defects
Fengli YANG ; Chao ZHOU ; Wei XIONG ; Yuxiang ZHOU ; Dengshun LI ; Xin WANG ; Zhanzhen LI
Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research 2026;30(2):507-515
BACKGROUND:3D-printed bone tissue engineering scaffolds have obvious advantages in the research and clinical treatment of bone defect repair.As one of the important raw materials for 3D printed bone scaffolds,poly-L-lactic acid has a great potential for application in performing bone defect repair,but clinical patients with different bone defect causative factors have different requirements for the comprehensive performance of poly-L-lactic acid bone scaffolds.OBJECTIVE:To summarize and review the development of 3D printing technology and poly-L-lactic acid scaffolds and the design strategies chosen for scaffolds for bone repair in the setting of bone diseases such as osteomyelitis,bone tumor,osteonecrosis,and osteoporosis.METHODS:Literature from CNKI,WanFang,PubMed,Science Direct,and Web of Science databases were searched and screened from 1994 to 2024.Search terms were"3D printing,polylactic acid,bone tissue engineering scaffold,osteomyelitis,bone tumor,osteonecrosis,osteoporosis,bone defect"in Chinese and English.The screened 62 articles were systematically summarized and analyzed.RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:(1)Poly-L-lactic acid is considered to be an ideal raw material for artificial bone scaffold design due to its non-toxicity,processability,biocompatibility,and ability to self-degrade in the human environment.The application of 3D printing technology has enabled poly-L-lactic acid bone scaffolds to meet the multilayered and porous structural design requirements of biomimetic artificial bone repair materials,and to optimize the mechanical properties for better bone repair.(2)According to different bone disease microenvironments,timely adjustment of the functional design of poly-L-lactic acid scaffolds is important for the comprehensive osteogenic efficacy of the scaffolds.The article discusses the application of poly-L-lactic acid scaffolds in bone disease environments such as osteomyelitis,bone tumor,osteonecrosis,and osteoporosis,and highlights the importance of rationally grasping the timing of bone disease treatment and bone tissue regeneration for bone defects caused by different bone diseases.(3)Although poly-L-lactic acid scaffolds show potential in bone repair,there are still some problems,such as the need to further optimize the structural design of the scaffolds to fit new bone regeneration,enhance the bioactivity of the scaffolds,and take into account other functions(e.g.,antimicrobial,anti-tumor,and anti-osteoporosis)in order to adapt to the needs of bone tissue repair in different pathological environments.
5.CPEB2 Affects Malignant Progression of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Through MEK/ERK Signaling Pathway
Cancer Research on Prevention and Treatment 2026;53(5):366-373
Objective To investigate the expression of CPEB2 in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) and its impact on the malignant progression of tumors. Methods The expression level of CPEB2 in breast cancer was analyzed through a database, and the differential expression in clinical pathological specimens was verified by immunohistochemical experiments. Stable CPEB2 overexpressing TNBC cell lines were constructed, and CCK-8 and Transwell assays were used to detect the changes in cell phenotypes. Western blot was used to explore the expression of key molecules in the MEK/ERK signaling pathway. Results The expression of CPEB2 in TNBC tissues was significantly lower than that in adjacent tissues (χ2=16.57, P<0.001). Patients with high expression of CPEB2 had a significantly longer overall survival than those with low expression. Overexpression of CPEB2 inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities of TNBC cells and the activation of the MEK/ERK signaling pathway. Conclusion The expression of CPEB2 is downregulated in TNBC. Upregulation of CPEB2 inhibits the proliferation, migration, and invasion of TNBC cells, accompanied by decreased activation of the MEK/ERK pathway (reduced p-MEK and p-ERK levels), suggesting that CPEB2 may participate in the malignant progression of TNBC by regulating the MEK/ERK pathway.
6.Effect of laminin subunit α3 on epithelial-mesenchymal transition, invasion, and metastasis abilities of pancreatic cancer
Nenghong YANG ; Likun REN ; She TIAN ; Min HAN ; Zhu LI ; Yuxiang ZHAO ; Peng LIU
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(2):322-332
ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of laminin subunit α3 (LAMA3) on the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), invasion, and metastasis abilities of pancreatic cancer (PC). MethodsA comprehensive analysis was performed for tumor- and EMT-related databases to identify the EMT genes associated with PC, especially LAMA3. The methods of qRT-PCR and Western blot were used to measure the expression level of LAMA3 in PC tissue and cell lines; immunofluorescence assay was used to determine the localization of LAMA3 in PANC-1 cells; Transwell assay was used to investigate the effect of LAMA3 on the invasion and migration abilities of PC cells. The t-test was used for comparison of continuous data between groups. ResultsThe analysis of the TCGA database identified 3 EMT-related oncogenes for PC, i.e., LAMA3, AREG, and SDC1. The LASSO-Cox regression model showed that LAMA3 had the most significant impact on the prognosis of PC (risk score=0.256 1×LAMA3+0.043 1×SDC1+0.071 4×AREG). The Cox model and nomogram showed that the high expression of LAMA3 was an independent risk factor for the poor prognosis of PC (hazard ratio=1.32, 95% confidence interval: 1.07 — 1.62, P<0.01). Experimental results showed that there was a significant increase in the expression of LAMA3 in pancreatic cancer tissue compared with the normal pancreatic tissue. Compared with the HPDE cell line, there were varying degrees of increase in the expression of LAMA3 in pancreatic cancer AsPC-1, BxPC-3, PANC-1, MIA PaCa-2, and SW1990 cell lines, with the highest expression level in PANC-1 cells. The enrichment analysis showed that LAMA3 was associated with the biological processes and signaling pathways such as EMT, collagen metabolism, extracellular matrix degradation, the TGF-β pathway, and the PI3K pathway. After the knockdown of LAMA3, there were significant reductions in the expression levels of N-Cadherin, Vimentin, and Snail, while there was a significant increase in the expression level of E-Cadherin. Transwell assay showed that there were significant reductions in the invasion and migration abilities of PANC-1 cells after the knockdown of LAMA3. ConclusionLAMA3 is highly expressed in PC and can promote the EMT, invasion, and migration of PC cells, and therefore, LAMA3 may be used as a novel diagnostic marker and a new therapeutic target for PC.
7.Advances in the diagnosis and treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma with bile duct tumor thrombus
Yuxiang GUO ; Maosen WANG ; Zhongyuan LIU ; Xudong ZHANG ; Pengfei MA ; Xiangkun WANG ; Renfeng LI
Journal of Clinical Hepatology 2025;41(2):359-364
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with biliary duct tumor thrombus (BDTT) is currently not common in clinical practice and is easily misdiagnosed, and previously, it was often considered an advanced stage of the disease with a poor prognosis, making its treatment challenging. However, in-depth studies in recent years have gradually deepened our understanding of this disease, leading to significant changes in diagnostic and treatment concepts. Currently, comprehensive treatment, mainly surgery, is used for treatment, but there is still controversy over the selection of clinical treatment strategies. This article provides a detailed discussion on surgical methods and prognosis, in order to provide a reference for clinical treatment options.
8.2024 Update of Chinese Guidelines for the Management of Hyperuricemia and Gout Part Ⅱ: Recommendations for Patients with Common Comorbidities
Changgui LI ; Mingshu SUN ; Zhen LIU ; Detian LI ; Changqian WANG ; Zibin TIAN ; Yuxiang DAI ; Zhe FENG ; Chengfu XU ; Dongbao ZHAO ; Feng WEI ; Bo BAN ; Chao XIE ; Zhenmei AN ; Jia LIU ; Zhuo LI ; Yuwei HE ; Xinde LI ; Fei YAN ; Lin HAN ; Lidan MA ; Xiaoyu CHENG ; Tian LIU ; Xufei LUO ; Lingling CUI ; Ying GONG ; Can WANG ; Yaolong CHEN ; Zhaohui LYU ; Yip Ronald ML ; Jiajun ZHAO
Chinese Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism 2025;41(11):918-929
The aim of this updated guideline is to provide comprehensive recommendations for the management of gout in patients with common comorbidities, such as chronic kidney disease(CKD), cardiovascular disease(CVD), diabetes, osteoarthritis(OA), and gastrointestinal disorders. This guideline was developed by a multidisciplinary expert panel consisting of specialists in endocrinology, rheumatology, nephrology, cardiology, gastroenterology, and methodology. The development process adhered to standard methodologies, including PICO(population, intervention, comparator, and outcomes) question deconstruction, systematic literature review, the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation(GRADE) for evidence and recommendation evaluation, Delphi voting, and expert consensus. The guideline presents 26 evidence-based recommendations addressing 7 clinical questions for patients with hyperuricemia and gout in the context of comorbidities. Key recommendations include the maintenance of strict serum urate targets, particularly for patients with CKD stage≥3, chronic gouty arthritis, and OA, in order to prevent disease progression. In patients with CVD or diabetes, intra-articular triamcinolone is preferred over systemic glucocorticoids. Prioritized anti-inflammatory treatments for patients with CKD, gastrointestinal diseases and OA are recommended. The guideline also introduces emerging therapies, such as interleukin-1 inhibitors and selective urate transport inhibitors, as potential treatment options for refractory cases. The update offers a comprehensive, patient-centered approach to managing gout, particularly in individuals with associated comorbidities. Multidisciplinary collaboration and emerging new treatments and evidence ensure the optimization of the recommendations.
9.Research trends and hotspots of bupivacaine liposomes: bibliometric analysis from 1994 to 2023
Yuxiang MENG ; Sumin YUAN ; Zijie LING ; Li ZHANG ; Zhibiao XU ; Yuyun LIU ; Chenyang SHI ; Hengrui ZHANG ; Yang NIU ; Su LIU ; Linlin ZHAO
Chinese Journal of Anesthesiology 2025;45(6):736-744
Objective:To analyze the research trends and hotspots of bupivacaine liposomes from 1994 to 2023 using bibliometrics.Methods:A comprehensive search was conducted for the literature related to bupivacaine liposomes in the Web of Science Core Collection from 1994 to 2023. The CiteSpace software was used to conduct an in-depth analysis of the included literature data, including publication year, country, institution, author, journal, cited references, keywords, etc.Results:A total of 875 papers related to bupivacaine liposomes were included. The research and development of bupivacaine liposomes were divided into 3 stages: slow development (1994-2011), a sharp rise (2011-2021), and stabilization (2021-2023). The United States was in a leading position in terms of the number of publications, centrality, and author cooperation, and Harvard University had the largest number of publications. de Paula E had the most publications, Bramlett K had the highest number of citations, and Boogaerts J had the highest centrality of publications. Journals such as Anesthesia and Analgesia made significant contributions to this field. The most cited references focused on the infiltration of wounds and the periprosthetic injection of bupivacaine liposomes. The keyword analysis showed that local anesthetics, postoperative pain, etc. were commonly used keywords, and enhanced recovery after surgery was an emerging hotspot. Conclusions:Bupivacaine liposomes show good application prospects in the field of peripheral nerve block due to their unique pharmacological properties and safety characteristics and are expected to prolong the duration of postoperative analgesia. However, there is a difference between the actual effect and the expectation, and more clinical trials are needed to evaluate the curative effect, providing a more solid and reliable theoretical basis and practical guidance for clinical practice.
10.Effect of supplementation with rumen-protected glutamine on metabolism and neu-trophil phagocytosis in peripartal cows
Zhiyong LI ; Shang JIANG ; Yuxiang SONG ; Haihua FENG
Chinese Journal of Veterinary Science 2025;45(6):1288-1295
Metabolic disorders and immunosuppression exist in peripartal cows,and glutamine(GLN)has the potential efficacy to improve the negative energy balance(NEB)and the function of neutrophil(polymorphonuclear granulocyte,PMN)in peripartal cows.The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of supplementation with rumen-protected GLN on the metabo-lism and the phagocytosis function of PMN in peripartal cows.Twenty Chinese Holstein cows with similar age,parity,body condition score and expected date of delivery were selected and divided into CON(n=10,fed basal diet)and GLN groups(n=10,supplemented with 180 g/d of rumen-protected GLN).During the test period of 42 d,blood samples were collected at-21,-14,-7,0,7,14 and 21 d.Milk production was recorded at 7,14 and 21 d,respectively.The results showed that:serum GLN concentrations in peripartal cows continued to decrease until they increased after 7 d postpartum,suggesting that peripartal cows may be in a state of GLN deficiency.The serum GLN content of the cows increased significantly(P<0.05)from-7 to 21 d after GLN supple-mentation,indicating that supplementation was effective.The blood glucose concentration of peri-partal cows increased on the day of parturition but decreased postpartum,and the concentrations of non-esterified fatty acid(NEFA)and β-hydroxybutyrate(BHBA)in the blood increased postpar-tum,which indicated that peripartal cows had a physiological NEB.Blood glucose concentration in-creased significantly(P<0.01)at-7,14 and 21 d after GLN supplementation,and blood concen-trations of NEFA and BHBA decreased significantly(P<0.01)postpartum,suggesting that peri-partal cows had a NEB alleviated by GLN supplementation.Serum malondialdehyde(MDA)con-centration of periparturient cow peaked on the day of parturition but declined postpartum,and the concentration of MDA reached a peak on the day of delivery but declined postpartum,and the total antioxidant capacity(T-AOC)level continued to decline until it increased on the day of parturi-tion,indicating that peripartal cows were in a state of oxidative stress.Serum MDA concentration significantly decreased(P<0.05)and serum T-AOC level significantly increased(P<0.05)after GLN supplementation,indicating that antioxidant capacity of peripartal cows was improved by GLN supplementation.The concentration of serum pro-inflammatory factor IL-β peaked on the day of parturition and then decreased,the concentration of TNF-α peaked on the day of parturition and then decreased,and the concentration of anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 continued to decrease,which indicated that there was an inflammatory reaction in the cows during the periparturient peri-od.However,the levels of IL-1β on the day of delivery and postpartum decreased significantly(P<0.01),the levels of TNF-α decreased(P<0.05),and the levels of IL-10 increased significantly(P<0.01)throughout the peripartum period,which indicated that GLN supplementation im-proved the anti-inflammatory ability of periparturient dairy cows.The phagocytosis function of PMN in peripartal cows was significantly reduced from-14 d to the day of parturition(P<0.01),and the phagocytosis function of neutrophils was significantly enhanced after GLN supple-mentation at-14(P<0.05),14 and 21 d(P<0.01),which indicated that intrinsic immune func-tion of peripartal cows was enhanced by supplementation of GLN.GLN supplementation did not significantly affect milk production of cows at three weeks postpartum.In conclusion,supplemental rumen-protected GLN alleviated NEB,alleviated systemic oxidative stress and inflammatory re-sponse,and enhanced phagocytosis of PMN in peripartal cows,which has some potential for clini-cal application.

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